That, after an ebbe, ther cometh a flood ful rage?
In the same wyse, whan youth passeth his séson,
Cometh croked and unweldy palled age; 145
Sone after comen kalends of dotage;
And if your youth no vertue have provyded,
Al men wol saye, fy on your vassalage!
Thus hath your slouth fro worship you devyded.
Boëce the clerk, as men may rede and see, 150
Saith, in his Boke of Consolacioun,
What man desyreth +have of vyne or tree
Plentee of fruit, in the ryping sesoun,
Must ay eschewe to doon oppressioun
Unto the rote, whyle it is yong and grene; 155
Ye may wel see, by this conclusioun,
That youthë vertulees doth mochel tene.
Seeth, there-ayenst, how vertuous noblesse
Roted in youthe, with good perséveraunce,
Dryveth away al vyce and wrecchednesse, 160
As slogardrye, ryote and distaunce!
Seeth eek how vertue causeth suffisaunce,
And suffisaunce exyleth coveityse!
And who hath vertue hath al abundaunce
Of wele, as fer as reson can devyse. 165
Taketh hede of Tullius Hostilius,
That cam fro povertee to hy degree;
Through vertue redeth eek of Julius
The conquerour, how povre a man was he;
Yet, through his vertue and humanitee, 170
Of many a countree had he governaunce.
Thus vertue bringeth unto greet degree
Eche wight that list to do him entendaunce.
Rede, here-ayenst, of Nero vertulees;
Taketh hede also of proude Balthasar; 175
They hated vertue, equitee, and pees.
Loke how Antiochus fil fro his char,
That he his skin and bones al to-tar!
Loke what meschauncë they had for hir vyces!
Who-so that wol not by these signes be war, 180
I dar wel say, infortunat or nyce is.
I can no more; but here-by may ye see
How vertue causeth parfit sikernesse,
And vyces doon exyle prosperitee;
The best is, ech to chesen, as I gesse. 185
Doth as you list, I me excuse expresse;
I wolde be sory, if that ye mischese.
God you conferme in vertuous noblesse,
So that through negligence ye nothing lese!
_Explicit_.
_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1542); _collated with_ A. (Ashmole 59), _and_ Cx.
(Caxton); _readings also given from_ H. (Harl. 2251).
TITLE; _from_ A. (_which has_ folowethe nexst); Cx. _has_ Here next
foloweth a tretyse, whiche John Skogan sente vnto the lordes and gentilmen
of the kynges hows, exortyng them to lose no tyme in theyr yougthe, but to
vse vertues; Th. _has_ Scogan vnto the lordes and gentylmen of the kynges
house.
1. Th. A. sonnes. 2. Th. A. vnworthely. 3. Th. lytel treatyse; A. balade
folowing. 4. Th. with; A. H. of. 5. Th. H. Although; Cx. And though; A.
Yitte howe. 6. Th. A. estates. A. yet; H. Th. Cx. _om._ 8. Cx. herkne
(_better_). 9. Th. me sore; A. H. _om._ me. 10. A. H. falle; Th. fal. 11.
Th. But more; A. H. Cx. _om._ But. Th. iuuentute. 12. Th. ayen for; A.
ageine. A. H. calle; Th. cal.
13. Th. H. certainly; A. comvnely. Th. A. moste. A. H. alle; Th. al. 14. A.
H. for; Th. _om._ A. beon; Th. be. 15. A. H. no; Th. _om._ A. vertue; Th.
vertues. A. calle; Th. cal. 16. A. ay; Th. aye. 17. A. thee; Th. the. Th.
lorde. 18. Th. H. god; A. lorde. 20. Th. Betwyxe; A. Bytwene. 21. A. H. Of;
Th. Cx. _om._ Th. blynde. 22. A. so freel; Th. H. to frele. 23. Th. lorde;
perfyte. 24. A. H. Cx. soules; Th. soule. 25. Th. whyle; lyfe. 26. A. H.
confourme; Th. confyrme (!). 27. A. H. vpon; Th. to. 28. Th. And in; A. H.
_om._ And. 30. A. thee; Th. the. 31. Th. lyfe. A. H. thy governaunce. 34.
A. alle whome; Cx. whom that; Th. whom. Th. moste entyrely; Cx. A.
entierly. 36. A. eloste; Th. loste; H. Cx. lost. 37. A. H. goostely and
bodely; Th. Cx. bodily and gostly. 38. Th. meane. 39. A. I prey you lordes;
Th. lordes I pray you. A. tendrely. 41. Cx. _transposes_ 41-80 _and_
81-125. A. Plantethe; Th. Cx. Plante.
43. A. ay; Th. alway. 45. Cx. The frende (!) for to withsto_n_de; A. For to
withstonde the feonde; Th. The fende to withstande. 46. Th. peryllous; H.
perilous. 47. H. Th. Cx. werke; A. vse. 48. Th. parfyte. 50. Th. Writen; A.
Wrote. Th. her. Th. great; H. grete; A. noble. 52. _So_ A.; Th. And right
so is estate with negligence. 57. A. Then kepe also that. 58. Cx. A.
Withoute; Th. Without. 59. Cx. vice; A. H. Th. vices. 60. A. whiles; Th.
while. Th. worlde. 61. A. H. ay; Th. Cx. euer. 63. Th. lorde of al; H. A.
lord of. 67. Th. sayd that the; A. saide that the; H. Cx. _om._ that. Th.
father; A. H. fader. 68. H. A. Beqwath; Th. Byqueth. Th. house. 69. _So_ A.
Cx.; Th. children and therefore laborouse. 70. H. Th. Ought; A. Aught; Cx.
Owe. Th. _om._ to. Th. besekyng; A. beseching. 72. Th. haue; A. H. gete.
Th. p_ar_te. A. feyre; Th. H. _om._
74. A. Comþe. 75. A. thorugh; Cx. thurgh; Th. by. A. leofful; Th. leful; H.
leeful. 77. Th. you ye; A. H. _om._ ye. 78. Th. house. A. soo wyse; Th. H.
suche a. 79. Th. _om._ it. 80. H. A. worldly; Th. worldes. 81. Th. howe
betwyxe; A. howe bytwene. 82. Th. parfyte. 84. H. A. for whiche with full;
Th. the whiche be ful of. 85. Th. than vertue; A. _om._ than. 86. A. Cx.
_om. 1st_ hem. 87. A. leese; H. lesith. 89. Th. howe. A. poure; Th. poore.
90, 91. Th. great. 92. Th. H. Through; A. By. 94. Th. H. Called; A. Calde.
A. offt; H. Th. Cx. _om._ 95. A. for; Th. H. Cx. of. 96. Th. And therfore;
_rest om._ And. 97. A. By auncetrye thus; Th. H. Thus by your auncestres;
Cx. Thus by your eldres. 99. Th. men (_for_ man). 100. Cx. Than god is.
101. Th. sythe; lorde. Th. blyssednesse; A. blessednesse. 102. A. That
(_for_ And). A. H. alle; Th. al (1). Cx. alle; Th. al (2). _For_ us alle A.
_has_ mankynde that.
103. _So_ A.; Th. H. Foloweth hym in vertue. 105-125. Chaucer's poem of
_Gentilesse_ is here quoted; see vol. i. p. 392. 127. A. Howe hyely he; Th.
Howe lightly. 128. A. lesse (!); Th. losse. A. H. in; Th. on. 129. A.
Wherfore; Th. And therefore. A. doothe; Th. with (!). 130. A. estates; Th.
profyte. 131. A. Tenprynte; Th. Tempereth (!). A. H. vertue fully; Th.
fully vertue. 132. Cx. in; A. H. in-to; Th. to. 133. A. H. sette as
vertulesse; Th. vertulesse than. 134. H. Cx. Ye; A. For yee; Th. Many. Th.
A. nowe. 135. Cx. H. you; Th. hem. A. Thaughe one of you here of a gode
matere.
136. Cx. H. Your feruent; Th. Her feruent; A. Your vnsure. 137. Th. arte.
Cx. H. ye; Th. they. A. That of suche artes you liste not to. 138. Cx. A.
withouten; Th. without a. 139. A. withouten; Th. without. 140. Th. calme.
A. wol laste you; Th. wolde last. Th. yere by yere. 141. Cx. A. H. ye; Th.
they. 142. Cx. A. H. ye; Th. they. 143. A. Cx. _om._ ful. 144. A. Right
euen so whane. 145. A. Comthe. 146. A. Soone; Th. And sone. Th. comen the;
Cx. come; A. comthe. 147. Th. if that; Cx. A. H. _om._ that. Cx. A. your;
Th. her. A. H. no vertue haue; Cx. no vertue hath; Th. haue no vertue. 148.
Th. fye. Cx. A. your; Th. her. 149. A. H. your; Th. her. Cx. H. you; Th.
hem. A. _has_ Thus hathe youre youthe and slouthe you al misgyded. 152. Cx.
A. H. to haue; Th. _om._ (_read_ haue). 153. A. Plenty of; Cx. Plentyuous;
Th. Plentous. Th. fruite. A. H. Cx. the; Th. _om._ A. H. Cx. riping; Th.
reapyng. 154. A. H. Cx. ay; Th. euer. A. doon; Th. do. 156. A. H. Cx. Yee
may; Th. Thus may ye. A. H. wele see; Cx. see; Th. se wel. A. H. this; Th.
that. A. Cx. conclusioun; Th. inclusyon (!). 157. A. youthe; Th. youth. A.
Th. vertulesse. Th. moche; Cx. ofte muche; A. ay michil (_read_ mochel).
158. Th. Nowe seeth; A. H. Cx. _om._ Nowe. Th. howe; A. that. 159. A.
youthe; Th. youth.
160. A. Cx. vyce; H. vice; Th. vyces. 161. A. Al (_for_ As). A. al ryote;
H. Cx. Th. _om._ al. 162. Th. eke howe. 163. _So_ A. Cx.; H. _om._; Th.
_has_ Seeth eke howe vertue voydeth al vyce (!). 164. Th. H. Cx. whoso; A.
_om._ so. 165. Th. ferre; A. far. Th. reason. 167. A. came frome pouertee;
Th. fro pouert came. Th. hygh; A. hye. 168. Th. eke. 169. Th. howe poore.
170. A. H. Cx. humanite; Th. his humylite. 171. Th. _om._ a. 172. A. unto
gret; Cx. to hye; Th. a man to great. 173. A. Cx. list; Th. H. lust. Th.
entendaunce; _rest_ attendaunce. 174. Th. nowe of; A. H. Cx. _om._ nowe.
177. Th. And loke; _rest om._ And. Th. howe; chare. 178. Th. tare. 179. A.
meschaunces. 180. Th. H. Cx. _om._ that. Th. ware. 181. A. Th. infortunate.
A. H. Cx. or; Th. and. 182. Th. no more nowe say; Cx. no more say; H. no
more; A. more (!). Th. herby; se. 183. A. Th. Howe. A. Th. perfyte. 184. A.
done exyle; Th. H. exylen al; Cx. exyles al. 185. Th. eche man to; Cx. man
to; A. dethe to (dethe _is put for_ eche). A. cheesen; Th. chose.
186. Th. A. Dothe. 187. A. Cx. wil (_for_ wolde). Th. right sorie; A. H.
Cx. _om._ right. 188. A. you conferme; Th. confyrme you. 189. A. no thing;
Cx. H. nothing; Th. not it. COLOPHON. Cx. Thus endeth the traytye wiche
John Skogan sent to the lordes and estates of the kynges hous.
* * * * *
VIII. JOHN LYDGATE.
THE COMPLAINT OF THE BLACK KNIGHT; OR, THE COMPLAINT OF A LOVERES LYFE.
In May, whan Flora, the fresshe lusty quene,
The soile hath clad in grene, rede, and whyte,
And Phebus gan to shede his stremes shene
Amid the Bole, with al the bemes brighte,
And Lucifer, to chace awey the night, 5
Ayen the morowe our orizont hath take
To bidde lovers out of hir sleepe awake,
And hertes hevy for to recomforte
From dreriheed of hevy nightes sorowe,
Nature bad hem ryse, and hem disporte, 10
Ayen the goodly, gladde, greye morowe;
And Hope also, with seint Johan to borowe,
Bad, in dispyt of daunger and dispeyre,
For to take the hoolsom lusty eyre:
And with a sigh I gan for to abreyde 15
Out of my slombre, and sodainly up sterte
As he, alas! that nigh for sorowe deyde,
My sekenes sat ay so nigh my herte.
But, for to finde socour of my smerte,
Or at the leste som réles of my peyne, 20
That me so sore halt in every veyne,
I roos anon, and thoghte I wolde goon
Into the wode, to here the briddes singe,
Whan that the misty vapour was agoon
And clere and faire was the morowning; 25
The dewe also, lyk silver in shyning
Upon the leves, as any baume swete,
Til fyry Tytan, with his persaunt hete,
Had dryed up the lusty licour newe
Upon the herbes in the grene mede, 30
And that the floures, of many dyvers hewe,
Upon hir stalkes gonne for to sprede
And for to splaye[n] out hir leves on-brede
Agayn the sonne, gold-burned in his spere,
That doun to hem caste his bemes clere. 35
And by a river forth I gan costey
Of water clere as berel or cristal
Til at the laste I found a litel wey
Toward a park, enclosed with a wal
In compas rounde, and by a gate smal 40
Who-so that wolde frely mighte goon
Into this park, walled with grene stoon.
And in I wente, to here the briddes song,
Whiche on the braunches, bothe in playn and vale,
So loude songe, that al the wode rong 45
Lyke as it shulde shiver in peces smale;
And, as me thoughte, that the nightingale
With so gret mighte her voys gan out-wreste
Right as her herte for love wolde breste.
The soil was playn, smothe, and wonder softe 50
Al oversprad with tapites that Nature
Had mad her-selve, celured eek alofte
With bowes grene, the floures for to cure,
That in hir beautè they may longe endure
From al assaut of Phebus fervent fere, 55
Whiche in his spere so hote shoon and clere.
The eyre attempre, and the smothe wind
Of Zepherus, among the blossomes whyte,
So hoolsom was and norisshing by kind,
That smale buddes, and rounde blomes lyte 60
In maner gonnen of her brethe delyte
To yeve us hope that hir fruit shal take,
Ayens autumpne, redy for to shake.
I saw ther Daphne, closed under rinde,
Grene laurer, and the hoolsom pyne; 65
The myrre also, that wepeth ever of kinde;
The cedres hye, upright as a lyne;
The philbert eek, that lowe doth enclyne
Her bowes grene to the erthe adoun
Unto her knight, y-called Demophoun. 70
Ther saw I eek the fresshe hawëthorn
In whyte motlè, that so swote doth smelle,
Ash, firre, and ook, with many a yong acorn,
And many a tree--mo than I can telle;
And, me beforn, I saw a litel welle, 75
That had his cours, as I gan beholde,
Under an hille, with quikke stremes colde.
The gravel gold, the water pure as glas,
The bankes rounde, the welle envyroning;
And softe as veluët the yonge gras 80
That therupon lustily cam springing;
The sute of trees aboute compassing
Hir shadowe caste, closing the welle rounde,
And al the herbes growing on the grounde.
The water was so hoolsom and vertuous 85
Through might of herbes growing there besyde,
Not lyk the welle, wher-as Narcisus
Y-slayn was, through vengeaunce of Cupyde,
Where so covertly he didë hyde
The grayn of cruel dethe upon ech brinke, 90
That deeth mot folowe, who that ever drinke;
Ne lyk the pittë of the Pegacè
Under Pernaso, where poetës slepte;
Nor lyk the welle of pure chastitè
Which that Dyane with her nymphes kepte, 95
Whan she naked into the water lepte,
That slow Acteon with his houndes felle
Only for he cam so nigh the welle!
Bút this welle, that I here reherce,
So hoolsom was, that it wolde aswage 100
Bollen hertes, and the venim perce
Of pensifheed, with al the cruel rage,
And evermore refresshe the visage
Of hem that were in any werinesse
Of greet labour, or fallen in distresse. 105
And I, that had, through daunger and disdayne,
So drye a thrust, thoughte I wolde assaye
To taste a draughte of this welle, or twayne,
My bitter langour if it mighte alaye;
And on the banke anon adoun I lay, 110
And with myn heed unto the welle I raughte,
And of the water drank I a good draughte;
Wherof, me thought, I was refresshed wele
Of the brenning that sat so nigh my herte,
That verily anon I gan to fele 115
An huge part relesed of my smerte;
And therwithallë anon up I sterte,
And thoughte I wolde walke, and see more
Forth in the parke, and in the holtes hore.
And through a laundë as I yede a-pace 120
And gan aboute faste to beholde,
I found anon a délitable place
That was beset with treës yonge and olde,
Whose names here for me shal not be tolde;
Amidde of whiche stood an herber grene, 125
That benched was, with colours newe and clene.
Thís herber was ful of floures inde,
In-to the whiche as I beholde gan,
Betwix an hulfere and a wodëbinde,
As I was war, I saw wher lay a man 130
In blakke and whyte colour, pale and wan,
And wonder deedly also of his hewe,
Of hurtes grene and fresshe woundes newe.
And overmore distrayned with sekenesse,
Besyde al this, he was, ful grevously; 135
For upon him he had an hoot accesse,
That day by day him shook ful pitously;
So that, for constreynt of his malady
And hertly wo, thus lying al alone,
It was a deeth for to here him grone. 140
Wherof astonied, my foot I gan withdrawe,
Greetly wondring what it mighte be
That he so lay, and hadde no felawe,
Ne that I coude no wight with him see;
Wherof I hadde routhe, and eek pitè, 145
And gan anon, so softely as I coude,
Among the busshes me prively to shroude;
If that I mighte in any wyse espye
What was the cause of his deedly wo,
Or why that he so pitously gan crye 150
On his fortune, and on his ure also;
With al my might I layde an ere to,
Every word to marke, what he seyde,
Out of his swough among as he abrayde.
But first, if I shulde make mencioun 155
Of his persone, and plainly him discryve,
He was in sothe, without excepcioun,
To speke of manhode, oon the best on-lyve;
Ther may no man ayen the trouthe stryve.
For of his tyme, and of his age also 160
He proved was, ther men shulde have ado,
For oon the beste there, of brede and lengthe
So wel y-mad by good proporcioun,
If he had be in his deliver strengthe;
But thought and seknesse were occasioun 165
That he thus lay, in lamentacioun,
Gruffe on the grounde, in place desolat,
Sole by him-self, awhaped and amat.
And, for me semeth that it is sitting
His wordes al to putte in remembraunce, 170
To me, that herdë al his complayning
And al the groundë of his woful chaunce,
If ther-withal I may you do plesaunce,
I wol to you, so as I can, anon,
Lyk as he sayde, reherce hem everichon. 175
But who shal helpe me now to complayne?
Or who shal now my style gye or lede?
O Niobè, let now thy teres rayne
In-to my penne; and helpe eek in this nede,
Thou woful Mirre, that felest my herte blede 180
Of pitous wo, and myn hand eek quake
Whan that I wryte, for this mannes sake!
For unto wo accordeth complayning
And doleful cherë unto hevinesse;
To sorowe also, syghing and weping, 185
And pitous mourning, unto drerinesse;
And whoso that shal wryten of distresse
In party nedeth to knowe felingly
Cause and rote of al such malady.
But I, alas! that am of witte but dulle, 190
And have no knowing of such matere,
For to discryve and wryten at the fulle
The woful complaynt, which that ye shal here,
But even-lyk as doth a skrivenere
That can no more what that he shal wryte, 195
But as his maister besyde doth endyte;
Right so fare I, that of no sentement
Saye right naught, as in conclusioun,
But as I herde, whan I was present,
This man complayne with a pitous soun; 200
For even-lyk, without addicioun
Or disencrees, either more or lesse,
For to reherce anon I wol me dresse.
And if that any now be in this place
That fele in love brenning or fervence, 205
Or hindred werë to his lady grace
With false tonges, that with pestilence
Slee trewe men that never did offence
In word nor dede, ne in hir entent--
If any suche be here now present, 210
Let him of routhe lay to audience,
With doleful chere and sobre countenaunce,
To here this man, by ful high sentence,
His mortal wo and his gret perturbaunce
Cómplayning, now lying in a traunce, 215
With lokes upcaste, and with ruful chere,
Th' effect of whiche was as ye shal here.--
COMPLEYNT.
The thought oppressed with inward sighes sore,
The painful lyf, the body languisshing,
The woful gost, the herte rent and tore, 220
The pitous chere, pale in compleyning,
The deedly face, lyk ashes in shyning,
The salte teres that fro myn eyën falle,
Parcel declare grounde of my peynes alle:
Whos herte is grounde to blede in hevinesse; 225
The thought, resceyt of wo and of complaynt;
The brest is cheste of dole and drerinesse;
The body eek so feble and so faynt;
With hote and colde myn acces is so meynt,
That now I chiver for defaute of hete, 230
And, hoot as gleed, now sodainly I swete.
Now hoot as fyr, now cold as asshes dede,
Now hoot fro cold, now cold fro hete agayn;
Now cold as ys, now as coles rede
For hete I brenne; and thus, betwixe twayne, 235
I possed am, and al forcast in payne;
So that my hete plainly, as I fele,
Of grevous cold is causë, every-deel.
This is the cold of inward high disdayne,
Cold of dispyt, and cold of cruel hate; 240
This is the cold that doth his besy payne
Ayeines trouthe to fighte and to debate.
This is the cold that wolde the fyr abate
Of trewe mening; alas! the harde whyle!
This is the cold that wolde me begyle. 245
For ever the better that in trouthe I mente
With al my mighte faythfully to serve,
With herte and al for to be diligent,
The lesse thank, alas! I can deserve!
Thus for my trouthe Daunger doth me sterve. 250
For oon that shulde my deeth, of mercy, lette
Hath mad despyt newe his swerd to whette
Ayeines me, and his arowes to fyle
To take vengeaunce of wilful crueltè;
And tonges false, through hir sleightly wyle, 255
Han gonne a werre that wil not stinted be;
And fals Envye, Wrathe, and Enmitè,
Have conspired, ayeines al right and lawe,
Of hir malyce, that Trouthe shal be slawe.
And Male-Bouche gan first the tale telle, 260
To slaundre Trouthe, of indignacioun;
And Fals-Report so loude rong the belle,
That Misbeleve and Fals-Suspeccioun,
Have Trouthe brought to his dampnacioun,
So that, alas! wrongfully he dyeth, 265
And Falsnes now his placë occupyeth,
And entred is in-to Trouthes lond,
And hath therof the ful possessioun.
O rightful god, that first the trouthe fond,
How may thou suffre such oppressioun, 270
That Falshood shulde have jurisdiccioun
In Trouthes right, to slee him giltëlees?
In his fraunchyse he may not live in pees.
Falsly accused, and of his foon forjuged,
Without answere, whyl he was absent, 275
He dampned was, and may not ben excused,
For Crueltè sat in jugëment
Of hastinesse, withoute avysëment,
And bad Disdayn do execute anon
His jugëment, in presence of his foon. 280
Attourney noon ne may admitted been
T'ëxcuse Trouthë, ne a word to speke;
To fayth or ooth the juge list not seen,
There is no gayn, but he wil be wreke.
O lord of trouthe, to thee I calle and clepe; 285
How may thou see, thus in thy presence,
Withoute mercy, murdred innocence?
Now god, that art of trouthe soverain
And seëst how I lye for trouthe bounde,
So sore knit in loves fyry chain 290
Even at the deth, through-girt with many a wounde
That lykly are never for to sounde,
And for my trouthe am dampned to the deeth,
And not abyde, but drawe along the breeth:
Consider and see, in thyn eternal right, 295
How that myn herte professed whylom was
For to be trewe with al my fulle might
Only to oon, the whiche now, alas!
Of voluntè, withoute any trespas,
Myn accusours hath taken unto grace, 300
And cherissheth hem, my deth for to purchace.
What meneth this? what is this wonder ure
Of purveyauncë, if I shal it calle,
Of god of love, that false hem so assure,
And trewe, alas! doun of the whele ben falle? 305
And yet in sothe, this is the worst of alle,
That Falshed wrongfully of Trouthe hath name,
And Trouthe ayenward of Falshed bereth the blame.
This blinde chaunce, this stormy aventure,
In lovë hath most his experience; 310
For who that doth with trouthe most his cure
Shal for his mede finde most offence,
That serveth love with al his diligence;
For who can faynë, under lowliheed,
Ne fayleth not to finde grace and speed. 315
For I loved oon, ful longë sith agoon,
With al my herte, body, and ful might,
And, to be deed, my herte can not goon
From his hest, but holde that he hath hight;
Though I be banisshed out of her sight, 320
And by her mouth dampned that I shal deye,
+To my behest yet I wil ever obeye.
For ever, sithë that the world began,
Who-so list lokë, and in storie rede,
He shal ay finde that the trewe man 325
Was put abakke, wher-as the falshede
Y-furthered was; for Love taketh non hede
To slee the trewe, and hath of hem no charge,
Wher-as the false goth freely at hir large.
I take recorde of Palamides, 330
The trewe man, the noble worthy knight,
That ever loved, and of his payn no relees;
Notwithstonding his manhood and his might
Love unto him did ful greet unright;
For ay the bet he did in chevalrye, 335
The more he was hindred by envye.
And ay the bet he did in every place
Through his knighthood and his besy payne,
The ferther was he from his lady grace,
For to her mercy mighte he never attayne; 340
And to his deth he coude it not refrayne
For no daungere, but ay obey and serve
As he best coude, plainly, til he sterve.
What was the fyne also of Hercules,
For al his conquest and his worthinesse, 345
That was of strengthe alone pereles?
For, lyk as bokes of him list expresse,
He sette pillers, through his hy prowesse,
Away at Gades, for to signifye
That no man mighte him passe in chevalrye. 350
The whiche pillers ben ferre beyonde Inde
Beset of golde, for a remembraunce;
And, for al that, was he set behinde
With hem that Love liste febly avaunce;
For [he] him sette last upon a daunce, 355
Ageynes whom helpe may no stryf;
For al his trouthe, yit he loste his lyf.
Phebus also, for al his persaunt light,
Whan that he wente here in erthe lowe,
Unto the herte with fresh Venus sight 360
Y-wounded was, through Cupydes bowe,
And yet his lady liste him not to knowe.
Though for her love his herte didë blede,
She leet him go, and took of him no hede.
What shal I saye of yonge Piramus? 365
Of trew Tristram, for al his hye renoun?
Of Achilles, or of Antonius?
Of Arcite eke, or of him Palemoun?
What was the endë of hir passioun
But, after sorowe, deeth, and than hir grave? 370
Lo, here the guerdon that these lovers have!
But false Jason, with his doublenesse,
That was untrewe at Colkos to Medee,
And Theseus, rote of unkindënesse,
And with these two eek the false Enee; 375
Lo! thus the falsë, ay in oon degrè,
Had in love hir lust and al hir wille;
And, save falshood, ther was non other skille.
Of Thebes eek the false [knight] Arcyte,
And Demophon +also, for [al] his slouthe, 380
They had hir lust and al that might delyte
For al hir falshode and hir greet untrouthe.
Thus ever Love (alas! and that is routhe!)
His false leges forthereth what he may,
And sleeth the trewe ungoodly, day by day. 385
For trewe Adon was slayn with the bore
Amid the forest, in the grene shade;
For Venus love he feltë al the sore.
But Vulcanus with her no mercy made;
The foule chorl had many nightes glade, 390
Wher Mars, her worthy knight, her trewe man,
To finde mercy, comfort noon he can.
Also the yonge fresshe Ipomenes
So lusty free [was], as of his corage,
That for to serve with al his herte he chees 395
Athalans, so fair of hir visage;
But Love, alas! quitte him so his wage
With cruel daunger plainly, at the laste,
That, with the dethe, guerdonles he paste.
Lo! here the fyne of loveres servyse! 400
Lo! how that Love can his servaunts quyte!
Lo! how he can his faythful men despyse,
To slee the trewe, and false to respyte!
Lo! how he doth the swerd of sorowe byte
In hertes, suche as most his lust obeye, 405
To save the false, and do the trewe deye!
For fayth nor ooth, word, ne assuraunce,
Trewe mening, awayte, or besinesse,
Stille port, ne faythful attendaunce,
Manhood, ne might, in armes worthinesse, 410
Pursute of worship, nor no hy prowesse,
In straunge lande ryding, ne travayle,
Ful lyte or nought in lovë doth avayle.
Peril of dethe, nother in see ne lande,
Hunger ne thurst, sorowe ne sekenesse, 415
Ne grete empryses for to take on hande,
Sheding of blode, ne manful hardinesse,
Ne ofte woundinge at sautes by distresse,
Nor +juparting of lyf, nor deeth also--
Al is for nought, Love taketh no hede therto! 420
But lesings, with hir false flaterye,
Through hir falshede, and with hir doublenesse,
With tales newe and many fayned lye,
By fals semblaunt and counterfet humblesse,
Under colour depeynt with stedfastnesse, 425
With fraude covered under a pitous face
Accepte been now rathest unto grace,
And can hem-selve now best magnifye
With fayned port and fals presumpcioun;
They haunce hir cause with fals surquedrye 430
Under meninge of double entencioun,
To thenken oon in hir opinioun
And saye another; to sette hemselve alofte
And hinder trouthe, as it is seyn ful ofte.
The whiche thing I bye now al to dere, 435
Thanked be Venus and the god Cupyde!
As it is sene by myn oppressed chere,
And by his arowes that stiken in my syde,
That, sauf the deth, I nothing abyde
Fro day to day; alas, the harde whyle! 440
Whan ever his dart that him list to fyle,
My woful herte for to ryve a-two
For faute of mercy, and lak of pitè
Of her that causeth al my payne and wo
And list not ones, of grace, for to see 445
Unto my trouthe through her crueltee;
And, most of alle, yit I me complayne,
That she hath joy to laughen at my peyne!
And wilfully hath [she] my deeth y-sworn
Al giltëlees, and wot no cause why 450
Save for the trouthe that I have had aforn
To her alone to serve faithfully!
O god of lovë! unto thee I cry,
And to thy blinde double deitee
Of this gret wrongë I compleyne me, 455
And to thy stormy wilful variaunce
Y-meynt with chaunge and greet unstablenesse;
Now up, now doun, so renning is thy chaunce,
That thee to truste may be no sikernesse.
I wyte it nothing but thy doublenesse; 460
And who that is an archer and is +blent
Marketh nothing, but sheteth as he +went.
And for that he hath no discrecioun,
Withoute avys he let his arowe go;
For lakke of sight, and also of resoun, 465
In his shetinge, it happeth ofte so,
To hurte his frend rather than his fo;
So doth this god, [and] with his sharpe floon
The trewe sleeth, and let the false goon.
And of his wounding this is the worst of alle, 470
Whan he hurteth, he doth so cruel wreche
And maketh the seke for to crye and calle
Unto his fo, for to been his leche;
And hard it is, for a man to seche,
Upon the point of dethe in jupardye, 475
Unto his fo, to finde remedye!
Thus fareth it now even by me,
That to my fo, that yaf myn herte a wounde,
Mote aske grace, mercy, and pitè,
And namëly, ther wher non may be founde! 480
For now my sore my leche wil confounde,
And god of kinde so hath set myn ure,
My lyves fo to have my wounde in cure!
Alas! the whyle now that I was born!
Or that I ever saw the brighte sonne! 485
For now I see, that ful longe aforn,
Or I was born, my desteny was sponne
By Parcas sustren, to slee me, if they conne;
For they my deth shopen or my sherte
Only for trouthe! I may it not asterte. 490
The mighty goddesse also of Nature
That under god hath the governaunce
Of worldly thinges committed to her cure,
Disposed hath, through her wys purveyaunce,
To yeve my lady so moche suffisaunce 495
Of al vertues, and therwithal purvyde
To murdre trouthe, hath take Daunger to gyde.
For bountè, beautè, shappe, and semeliheed,
Prudence, wit, passingly fairnesse,
Benigne port, glad chere with lowliheed, 500
Of womanheed right plenteous largesse,
Nature did in her fully empresse,
Whan she her wroughte; and alther-last Disdayne,
To hinder trouthe, she made her chamberlayne;
Whan Mistrust also, and Fals-Suspeccioun, 505
With Misbeleve, she made for to be
Cheef of counsayl to this conclusioun,
For to exyle Routhe, and eek Pitè,
Out of her court to make Mercy flee,
So that Dispyt now holdeth forth her reyne, 510
Through hasty bileve of tales that men feyne.
And thus I am, for my trouthe, alas!
Murdred and slayn with wordes sharpe and kene,
Giltlees, god wot, of al maner trespas,
And lye and blede upon this colde grene. 515
Now mercy, swete! mercy, my lyves quene!
And to your grace of mercy yet I preye,
In your servyse that your man may deye!
But if so be that I shal deye algate,
And that I shal non other mercy have, 520
Yet of my dethe let this be the date
That by your wille I was brought to my grave;
Or hastily, if that you list me save,
My sharpe woundes, that ake so and blede,
Of mercy, charme, and also of womanhede. 525
For other charme, playnly, is ther non
But only mercy, to helpe in this case;
For though my woundes blede ever in oon,
My lyf, my deeth, standeth in youre grace;
And though my gilt be nothing, alas! 530
I aske mercy in al my beste entente,
Redy to dye, if that ye assente.
For ther-ayeines shal I never stryve
In worde ne werke; playnly, I ne may;
For lever I have than to be alyve 535
To dye soothly, and it be her to pay;
Ye, though it be this eche same day
Or whan that ever her liste to devyse;
Suffyceth me to dye in your servyse.
And god, that knowest the thought of every wight 540
Right as it is, in +al thing thou mayst see,
Yet, ere I dye, with all my fulle might
Lowly I pray, to graunte[n] unto me
That ye, goodly, fayre, fresshe, and free,
Which slee me only for defaute of routhe, 545
Or that I dye, ye may knowe my trouthe.
For that, in sothe, suffyseth unto me,
And she it knowe in every circumstaunce;
And after, I am wel apayd that she
If that hir list, of dethe to do vengeaunce 550
Untó me, that am under her legeaunce;
It sit me not her doom to disobeye,
But, at her luste, wilfully to deye.
Withoute grucching or rebellioun
In wille or worde, hoolly I assent, 555
Or any maner contradiccioun,
Fully to be at her commaundëment;
And, if I dyë, in my testament
My herte I sende, and my spirit also,
What-so-ever she list, with hem to do. 560
And alder-last unto her womanhede
And to her mercy me I recommaunde,
That lye now here, betwixe hope and drede,
Abyding playnly what she list commaunde.
For utterly, (this nis no demaunde), 565
Welcome to me, whyl me lasteth breeth,
Right at her choise, wher it be lyf or deeth!
In this matere more what mighte I seyn,
Sith in her hande and in her wille is al,
Both lyf and deeth, my joy and al my payn? 570
And fynally, my heste holde I shal,
Til my spirit, by desteny fatal,
Whan that her liste, fro my body wende;
Have here my trouthe, and thus I make an ende!'
And with that worde he gan syke as sore 575
Lyk as his herte ryve wolde atwayne,
And held his pees, and spak a word no more.
But, for to see his wo and mortal payne,
The teres gonne fro myn eyen rayne
Ful pitously, for very inward routhe 580
That I him saw so languisshing for trouthe.
And al this whyle my-self I kepte cloos
Among the bowes, and my-self gan hyde,
Til, at the laste, the woful man aroos,
And to a logge wente ther besyde, 585
Where, al the May, his custome was t'abyde,
Sole, to complaynen of his paynes kene,
Fro yeer to yere, under the bowes grene.
And for bicause that it drow to the night
And that the sonne his ark diurnál 590
Y-passed was, so that his persaunt light,
His brighte bemes and his stremes al
Were in the wawes of the water fal,
Under the bordure of our ocëan,
His char of golde his cours so swiftly ran: 595
And whyl the twylight and the rowes rede
Of Phebus light were dëaurat a lyte,
A penne I took, and gan me faste spede
The woful playntë of this man to wryte
Word by wordë, as he did endyte; 600
Lyk as I herde, and coude him tho reporte,
I have here set, your hertes to disporte.
If ought be mis, layeth the wyte on me,
For I am worthy for to bere the blame
If any thing [here] misreported be, 605
To make this dytè for to seme lame
Through myn unconning; but, to sayn the same,
Lyk as this man his complaynt did expresse,
I aske mercy and forgivënesse.
And, as I wroot, me thoughte I saw a-ferre, 610
Fer in the weste, lustely appere
Esperus, the goodly brighte sterre,
So glad, so fair, so persaunt eek of chere,
I mene Venus, with her bemes clere,
That, hevy hertes only to releve, 615
Is wont, of custom, for to shewe at eve.
And I, as faste, fel doun on my knee
And even thus to her gan I to preye:--
'O lady Venus! so faire upon to see,
Let not this man for his trouthe deye, 620
For that joy thou haddest whan thou leye
With Mars thy knight, whan Vulcanus you fond,
And with a chayne invisible you bond
Togider, bothe twayne, in the same whyle
That al the court above celestial 625
At youre shame gan for to laughe and smyle!
A! fairë lady! welwilly founde at al,
Comfort to careful, O goddesse immortal!
Be helping now, and do thy diligence
To let the stremes of thyn influence 630
Descende doun, in forthering of the trouthe,
Namely, of hem that lye in sorowe bounde;
Shew now thy might, and on hir wo have routhe
Er fals Daunger slee hem and confounde.
And specially, let thy might be founde 635
For to socourë, what-so that thou may,
The trewe man that in the herber lay,
And alle trewe forther, for his sake,
O gladde sterre, O lady Venus myne!
And cause his lady him to grace take. 640
Her herte of stele to mercy so enclyne,
Er that thy bemes go up, to declyne,
And er that thou now go fro us adoun,
Fór that love thou haddest to Adoun!'
And whan that she was gon unto her reste, 645
I roos anon, and hoom to bedde wente,
For verily, me thoughte it for the beste;
Prayinge thus, in al my best entente,
That alle trewe, that be with Daunger shente,
With mercy may, in reles of hir payn, 650
Recured be, er May come eft agayn.
And for that I ne may no lenger wake,
Farewel, ye lovers alle, that be trewe!
Praying to god; and thus my leve I take,
That, er the sonne to-morowe be risen newe, 655
And er he have ayein his rosen hewe,
That eche of you may have suche a grace,
His owne lady in armes to embrace.
I mene thus, that, in al honestee,
Withoute more, ye may togider speke 660
What so ye listë, at good libertee,
That eche may to other hir herte breke,
On Jelousyë only to be wreke,
That hath so longe, of malice and envye,
Werreyed Trouthe with his tirannye. 665
LENVOY.
Princesse, plese it your benignitee
This litel dytè for to have in mynde!
Of womanhedë also for to see
Your trewe man may youre mercy finde;
And Pitè eek, that long hath be behinde, 670
Let him ayein be próvoked to grace;
For, by my trouthe, it is ayeines kinde,
Fals Daunger for to occupye his place!
Go, litel quayre, unto my lyves queen,
And my very hertes soverayne; 675
And be right glad; for she shal thee seen;
Suche is thy grace! But I, alas! in payne
Am left behinde, and not to whom to playne.
For Mercy, Routhe, Grace, and eek Pitè
Exyled be, that I may not attayne 680
Recure to finde of myn adversitè.
_Explicit._
_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); _collated with_ F. (Fairfax 16); B. (Bodley
638, _imperfect_); T. (Tanner 346); D. (Digby 181); S. (Arch. Selden B.
24); _I have also consulted_ Ad. (Addit. 16165); _and_ P. (Pepys 2006). 2.
Th. reed; F. D. rede. 4. S. his (_for 2nd_ the). 5. Th. away; F. awey. 6.
Th. D. orizont; F. T. S. orisont. 7. Th. bidde al; MSS. _om._ al. F. T.
_om._ lovers. 10. Th. bade. F. T. D. S. _om. 2nd_ hem. 11. D. gladde;
_rest_ glad. _All_ grey (_or_ gray). 13. Th. Bade; MSS. Bad. _All_ dispyte
(dispite). 14. S. go take (_rest om._ go). 15. Th. syghe. 16. F. out stert.
18. Th. sicknesse; MSS. sekenes. F. S. sat; _rest_ sate. Th. aye. Th. nye.
20. F. atte; T. at; _rest_ at the. S. sum; _rest_ some, su_m_me. P. reles;
D. relece; T. relese; F. relesse; Th. release. 21. F. halt; Th. halte. 22.
T. S. roos; _rest_ rose. Th. thought. 23. Th. wodde; S. wod; _rest_ wode.
Th. byrdes. 24. Th. T. D. vapoure; F. S. vapour. F. D. agoon; T. Th. agone.
25. F. morownyng; T. morownynge; Th. moronyng. 26. Th. lyke; F. lykyng (!);
_rest_ like; _read_ lyk. 27. Th. leaues. 32. F. the (_for_ hir). 33. Th. D.
splaye; F. T. S. splay; _read_ splayen. F. S. on; _rest_ in. 34. Th. T.
Agayne; F. Ageyn; D. Ayen. S. gold; _rest_ golde. 35. Th. T. downe; F.
dovn; D. down; S. doun. 36. Th. forthe. 37. F. berel; S. beriall; Th.
byrel; T. byrell; D. birele. 39. D. S. Toward; F. Tovard; Th. T. Towarde.
40. Th. compace; MSS. compas. 41. T. myghte; S. m_ich_ty (!); _rest_ might.
Th. gone; F. goon. 42. S. park; _rest_ parke. 43. T. wente; _rest_ went.
Th. byrdes; _rest_ briddes. S. song; _rest_ songe. 44. Th. branches; F. T.
D. braunches. Th. and (_correctly_); _rest omit_. 45. Th. sange; S. sang;
P. song; F. T. D. songe. Th. woode. S. P. rong; _rest_ ronge. 47. T.
thoughte; Th. F. D. thought.
48. T. myghte; _rest_ might. T. D. wraste; S. brest; Th. F. wrest. 49. T.
breste; D. braste; Th. F. brest; S. to-brest. 51. F. T. P. tapites; Th. D.
tapettes. 52. Th. F. T. -selfe (_better_ selve). F. celured; D. coloured;
S. silu_er_ed; Th. T. couered. 54. Th. beautie. F. T. may not (_for_ may).
55. S. assaut; _rest_ assaute. 56. Th. sphere; hotte. Th. F. T. D. shone
(_read_ shoon). 57, 59. S. wynd, kynd; _rest_ wynde, kynde. 58. S. P.
among; _rest_ amonge. T. blossomes; D. blossoms; Th. blosomes; F. blosmes.
59. _All_ holsom (holsum). Th. F. T. D. and so; S. _om._ so. 60. F. T.
blomes; S. blomys; Th. blosmes; D. blossoms. 61. _All_ gan, can; _see_ l.
579. 62. S. that; _rest om._ F. their; T. theire; Th. D. there; S. thai;
_read_ hir. 63. F. D. Ayens; Th. Ayenst; T. Agayne. 64. T. S. saw; Th. F.
D. sawe (!). F. ther; _rest_ the; _cf._ l. 71. S. Daphin; _rest_ Daphene;
_read_ Daphne. 65. Th. holsome; _rest_ holsom (-sum). 68. F. phibert; Th.
T. filberte; D. filberde; S. filbard. Th. F. dothe. 69. Th. S. adoun;
_rest_ doun. 70. F. I-called; _rest_ called. 71. Th. T. D. sawe. P.
hawethorn; _rest_ hawthorn, hawthorne, hauthorne. 72. S. motle; F. motele;
_rest_ motley. (_Read_ swoot?). Th. dothe smel. 73. _All_ Asshe; _read_
Ash. _All_ oke; _read_ ook. S. [gh]ong; T. fressh (!); _rest_ yonge. S.
accorne; _rest_ acorne.
74. Th. tel. 75. S. beforn; D. before; _rest_ beforne. Th. sawe; wel. 76.
T. cours; S. courss; _rest_ course. 77. Th. hyl; quicke streames. 78. S. P.
gold; D. colde; _rest_ golde. 78, 80. F. glas, gras; Th. glasse, grasse.
79. wel. 80. Ad. velowet. 81. Th. T. D. lustely (T. lustily) came (cam)
springyng; F. lustely gan syng (!); S. lustily gan spryng. 83. Th. F. wel;
T. D. welle. 85. _From this point I silently correct obvious errors in
spelling of_ Th. _by collation with the_ MSS. Th. holsome. S. and; _rest_
and so. 86. Th. Thorowe. S. there; _rest omit_. 87, 92, 94. _I read_ lyk
_for_ lyke. 87. F. T. D. Narcius (!). 89. T. dyde; _rest_ dyd, did. 90. S.
cruell; _rest omit_. 95. Th. that; _rest_ as. F. T. P. his; _rest_ her.
101. S. perce; D. perce; Th. peerce; F. T. perysh (!) 103. Th. ouermore
(!).
107. Th. F. thrust; T. thurste; P. D. thurst. 110. S. adoun; Th. F. P.
downe; _rest_ down, doun. 113-126. S. _omits_. 122. Th. delectable. 127. D.
ynde; T. Iende; F. cende (?); Th. gende; S. of Inde. 138. S. constreynt;
_rest_ constraynyng.
147. Th. priuely me; _rest_ me priuely. (_Read_ busshes prively me
shroude?). 151. Th. _om. 2nd_ his. 154. _For_ among _perhaps read_ anon.
159. S. the; _rest omit_. 162. Th. therto; _rest_ there. 168. F. P. awaped.
175. D. hem; S. thame; _rest om._
179. Th. _om._ this. 181. _So all._ 184. F. delful; T. delefull; S.
dulefull; D. doilfull. 187. S. quhoso; _rest_ who. S. writen; _rest_ write
(wryte). 191. D. no knowyng haue; _rest_ haue no knowyng. 192. S. writen;
_rest_ write (wryte). 198. F. S. as; _rest om._ 202. Th. disencrease; F.
disencrese; T. disencrece; D. disencrees. 205. S. louyng. 206. F. hindered;
S. hind_er_it; _rest_ hindred.
212. F. T. deleful; S. dulfull; D. wofull. 214. S. grete; _rest om._ 216.
S. with full; _rest omit_ (_I omit_ full). COMPLEYNT; _in_ F. _only_. 225.
D. grownded. 227. F. S. dule; D. dooll. 230. Th. T. chyuer; F. shyuer; D.
chevir; S. chill. 233. T. D. fro; S. from; Th. F. for (_twice_). 234. Th.
T. D. yse; F. Ise; S. Iss. 239. S. distress. 241. _So_ D. P.; S. doth his
besyness; Th. euer doth his besy payne; F. eu_er_e doth besy peyn; T. euur
doth his bysy hate (_sic_). 242. T. Agaynes; F. D. Ayens; Th. Ayenst; S.
A[gh]eynis. S. and to; _rest om._ to. 243. Th. _om._ wolde.
245. T. wolde; S. wold; Th. D. wol; F. will. 247. T. myghte; Th. F. might.
248. S. for; _rest om._ 251, 252. T. D. lette, whette; Th. F. let, whet.
_All_ despite. 253. S. A[gh]eynes; T. Agaynes; F. D. Ayens; Th. Agaynst.
257. P. of wrath. 258. S. a[gh]eynes; T. agaynes; F. D. ayens; Th. agaynst.
260, 262. Th. tel, bel; _rest_ telle, belle. S. rong; F. T. D. ronge; Th.
range. 267, 269. S. lond, fond; _rest_ londe, fonde. 271. Th. D. falshode;
F. S. falshed; T. falsehede. 276. Th. D. be; _rest_ ben.
277. S. sat; _rest_ sate, satte. 281. F. non ne may; _rest_ may non. 283.
D. oth; S. soth; _rest_ othe. 285. Th. F. T. P. clepe; D. speke; S. cleke
(!). 297. T. D. full_e_; Th. F. ful. 298. Th. S. one; _rest_ oon. 299. F.
more (_for_ any). 303. Th. cal. 305. Th. fal. 306. Th. al. 307. _All_ the
name; _I omit_ the. 308. _All_ the blame; _read_ ber'the.
314, 315. D. lowlyheed, speed; _rest_ -hede, spede. 322. _All_ Vn-to;
_read_ To. 323. F. sithe; S. sithen; _rest_ sith. 332. _Perhaps omit_ his.
D. payn; T. peyn; _rest_ payne (peyne). 337. S. bet; F. bette; _rest_
better. 338. Th. F. _om. 2nd_ his. 339. T. lady; F. ladye; _rest_ ladyes.
346. D. perelees; F. T. S. P. pereles; Th. peerles.
347. T. liste of hym; S. can of him. 349. F. Gades; S. Gadis; _rest_
Gaddes. 351. Th. P. _om._ ben. 352. S. Y-sett; D. Sette. 355. _I supply_
he. 357. S. [gh]it; _rest omit_. 360. S. fresch; _rest omit_. 363. T. dide;
_rest_ did. 368. S. eke; _rest omit_. 374. F. Tereus (_for_ Theseus). 378.
F. falshed; S. falshede. 379. _I supply_ knight. 380. _All_ eke; _read_
also. _I supply_ al.
382. S. and thair (_for_ and hir); _rest omit_ thair (= hir). 384. Th.
lieges. 386. _So all._ 391. S. worthi kny_ch_t & hir trew; _rest omit_
worthi _and_ trew. _I follow_ S.; _but omit_ and. 393. F. T. Ipomones; Th.
Ypomedes; S. P. Ypomenes; D. Ipomeus. 394. _I supply_ was. 400. F. lovers;
T. louys; _rest_ loues. 403. S. trewe; _rest_ trewe men. 405. Th. moost.
407. D. S. oth; _rest_ othe. 409. F. P. S. port; _rest_ porte. 411. S. no;
_rest omit_. 413. Th. lytel; P. litill; D. litle; _rest_ lyte.
414. F. nother; _rest_ nor. 415. Th. syknesse; F. sekenesse. 419. D.
Iupardy; _rest_ in partynge (_for_ iupartynge); _read_ juparting; cf. l.
475. 421. F. fals (_error for_ false); _rest omit_. 426. S. double (_for_
pitous). 429. S. falss; _rest om._ 435. Th. F. P. bye; D. bie; T. bey; S.
by. 437. Th. T. S. sene; F. seen; P. D. seyn. 438. Th. sticken; P. D.
stekyn. 439. S. P. the; _rest om._ 447. S. [gh]it; _rest om._
449. _I supply_ she. S. ysuorn; _rest om._ y-. 451. Th. _om._ have. 453. T.
D. S. aboue (_for_ of love); _see_ l. 454. 461. S. blend (_read_ blent);
_rest_ blynde (blinde). 462. S. as he wend (_read_ went); Th. by wende (!);
_rest_ by wenynge (!). 464. F. T. avise; D. avice; S. aviss; Th. aduyse.
467. S. P. frend; _rest_ frende. 468. B. _begins here_. _I supply_ and.
469. T. lette; F. leteth; Th. letteth; B. D. letith; S. lattith. 471. B. F.
S. he doth; Th. T. doth to. 475. Th. ieopardye; S. Iup_ar_tye; F. partie
(!); B. D. T. Iupardye; P. Iupard.
488. Th. systerne. 489. S. haue schapen (_for_ shopen). 494. F. hath; Th.
haue. 501. F. B. plentevous. Th. largnesse. 508. Th. trouthe; S. treuth;
_rest_ routhe; _see_ l. 679. 514. Th. Gyltlesse; F. Giltles; P. Gylteles.
523. F. B. P. ye (_for_ you). 530. F. B. S. gilt; _rest_ gylte (gilte).
533. S. a[gh]eynes; T. agaynes; F. B. D. ayens; Th. agaynst. 536. S. [gh]ow
to pay; _rest_ her to pay. 537. Th. _om._ eche. 538. T. D. liste; _rest_
list. 541. _All_ euery; _read_ al. 543. _All_ graunte (graunt); _read_
graunten. 545. Th. onely sle me; MSS. slee me only. 547. S. vnto; _rest
om._ 548. S. If (_for_ And). 549. S. apaid; _rest_ payd (paid). 550. _For_
to _read_ shal? 551. F. P. legeaunce; Th. D. ligeaunce; T. lygeaunce.
553. T. D. luste; Th. F. B. lust. S. Quherso hir list to do me lyue or
deye. 555. S. hoolly; Th. holy. 560. Th. T. D. lyste; F. S. P. list. 561.
S. vnto; _rest_ to. 566. S. quhill þ_a_t me. 568. Th. mater. 571. F. B. P.
hest. 573. T. liste; _rest_ list (lust). 575. T. sike; S. to sike; Th. D.
sygh; F. B. sile (!). 577. Th. no worde. 581. Th. long wisshing (!). Th. S.
for; F. B. D. P. for his; T. for her. 583. S. P. gan; _rest_ gonne (gunne).
587. S. compleynen; _rest_ complayne. 598. T. faste; _rest_ fast. 605. _I
supply_ here. 606. Th. dytte. 611. T. D. weste; _rest_ west. 617. T. D.
faste; _rest_ fast. S. D. F. doun; Th. adowne; D. T. Adoun. 622. T. you;
_rest om._
626. S. for to; _rest om._ 627. MSS. welwilly; Th. wyl I (!). 636. Th.
socouer (_misprint_). 645. S. vnto; _rest_ to. 647. S. verily; Th. T. D.
wery (!); B. very wery (!); F. werry wery (!); P. very. 650. F. B. reles;
T. D. relese; Th. release; S. relesche. 656. Th. T. S. P. _om._ his.
659. Th. _om._ that. 663. Th. ialousyes; D. Ielosies; _rest_ Ielosye. 664.
T. B. P. of; _rest_ of his. 665. S. Werreyed; D. Werried; _rest_ Werred.
666. MSS. Princes; Th. Pryncesse. Th. pleaseth; F. pleseth; P. plesith
(_read_ plese). Th. it to your; _rest om._ to. 667. S. P. for; _rest om._
669. Th. D. _om._ trewe. 673. S. for; _rest om._
* * * * *
IX. THE FLOUR OF CURTESYE.
In Fevrier, whan the frosty mone
Was horned, ful of Phebus fyry light,
And that she gan to reyse her stremes sone,
Saint Valentyne! upon thy blisful night
Of duëtee, whan glad is every wight, 5
And foules chese (to voyde hir olde sorowe)
Everich his make, upon the nexte morowe;
The same tyme, I herde a larke singe
Ful lustely, agayn the morowe gray--
'Awake, ye lovers, out of your slombringe, 10
This gladde morowe, in al the haste ye may;
Some óbservaunce doth unto this day,
Your choise ayen of herte to renewe
In cónfirming, for ever to be trewe!
And ye that be, of chesing, at your large, 15
This lusty day, by custome of nature,
Take upon you the blisful holy charge
To serve lovë, whyl your lyf may dure,
With herte, body, and al your besy cure,
For evermore, as Venus and Cipryde 20
For you disposeth, and the god Cupyde.
For joye owe we playnly to obeye
Unto this lordes mighty ordinaunce,
And, mercilesse, rather for to deye
Than ever in you be founden variaunce; 25
And, though your lyf be medled with grevaunce,
And, at your herte, closed be your wounde,
Beth alway one, ther-as ye are bounde!'
Thát whan I had herd, and listed longe,
With devout herte, the lusty melodye 30
Of this hevenly comfortable songe
So ágreable, as by harmonye,
I roos anon, and faste gan me hye
Toward a grove, and the way [gan] take
Foules to sene, everich chese his make. 35
And yet I was ful thursty in languisshing;
Myn ague was so fervent in his hete,
Whan Aurora, for drery complayning,
Can distille her cristal teres wete
Upon the soile, with silver dewe so swete; 40
For she [ne] durste, for shame, not apere
Under the light of Phebus bemes clere.
And so, for anguisshe of my paynes kene,
And for constraynte of my sighes sore,
I sette me doun under a laurer grene 45
Ful pitously; and alway more and more,
As I beheld into the holtes hore,
I gan complayne myn inward deedly smerte,
That ay so sore +crampisshed myn herte.
And whyl that I, in my drery payne, 50
Sat, and beheld aboute on every tree
The foules sitten, alway twayne and twayne,
Than thoughte I thus: 'alas! what may this be,
That every foul hath his libertee
Frely to chesen after his desyre 55
Everich his make thus, fro yeer to yere?
The sely wrenne, the titmose also,
The litel redbrest, have free eleccioun
To flyen y-ferë and +togider go
Wher-as hem liste, abouten enviroun, 60
As they of kynde have inclinacoun,
And as Nature, emperesse and gyde,
Of every thing, liste to provyde;
But man aloon, alas! the harde stounde!
Ful cruelly, by kyndes ordinaunce, 65
Constrayned is, and by statut bounde,
And debarred from alle such plesaunce.
What meneth this? What is this purveyaunce
Of god above, agayn al right of kynde,
Withoute cause, so narowe man to bynde?' 70
Thus may I [soothly] seen, and playne, alas!
My woful houre and my disaventure,
That dolefully stonde in the same cas
So fer behyndë, from al helth and cure.
My wounde abydeth lyk a sursanure; 75
For me Fortune so felly list dispose,
My harm is hid, that I dar not disclose.
For I my herte have set in suche a place
Wher I am never lykly for to spede;
So fer I am hindred from her grace 80
That, save daunger, I have non other mede.
And thus, alas! I not who shal me rede
Ne for myn helpe shape remedye,
For Male-bouche, and for false Envye:
The whiche twayne ay stondeth in my wey 85
Maliciously; and Fals Suspeccioun
Is very causë also that I dey,
Ginning and rote of my distruccioun;
So that I fele, [as] in conclusioun,
With hir traynes that they wol me shende, 90
Of my labour that deth mot make an ende!
Yet, or I dye, with herte, wil, and thought
To god of lovë this avowe I make,
(As I best can, how dere that it be bought,
Wher-so it be, that I slepe or wake, 95
Whyl Boreas doth the leves shake)
As I have hight, playnly, til I sterve,
For wele or wo, that I shal [ay] her serve.
And, for her sake, now this holy tyme,
Saint Valentyne! somwhat shal I wryte 100
Al-though so be that I can not ryme,
Nor curiously by no crafte endyte,
Yet lever I have, that she putte the wyte
In unconning than in negligence,
What-ever I sayë of her excellence. 105
What-ever I saye, it is of duëtee,
In sothfastnesse and no presumpcioun;
This I ensure to you that shal it see,
That it is al under correccioun;
What I reherce in commendacioun 110
Of herë that I shal to you, as blyve,
So as I can, her vertues here discryve.--
¶ Right by example as the somer-sonne
Passeth the sterre with his bemes shene,
And Lucifer among the skyës donne 115
A-morowe sheweth to voyde nightes tene,
So verily, withouten any wene,
My lady passeth (who-so taketh hede)
Al tho alyve, to speke of womanhede.
And as the ruby hath the soveraintè 120
Of riche stones and the regalyë;
And [as] the rose, of swetnesse and beautè,
Of fresshe floures, withouten any lyë;
Right so, in sothe, with her goodly yë,
She passeth al in bountee and fairnesse, 125
Of maner ekë, and of gentilnesse.
For she is bothe the fairest and the beste,
To reken al in very sothfastnesse;
For every vertue is in her at reste;
And furthermore, to speke of stedfastnesse, 130
She is the rotë; and of seemlinesse
The very mirrour; and of governaunce
To al example, withouten variaunce.
Of port benigne, and wonder glad of chere,
Having evermore her trewe advertence 135
Alway to reson; so that her desyre
Is brydeled ay by witte and providence;
Thereto, of wittë and of hy prudence
She is the wellë, ay devoide of pryde,
That unto vertue her-selven is the gyde! 140
And over this, in her daliaunce
Lowly she is, discret, wyse, [and secree],
And goodly gladde by attemperaunce,
That every wight, of high and low degree,
Are gladde in herte with her for to be; 145
Só that, shortly, if I shal not lye,
She named is 'The Flour of Curtesye.'
And there, to speke of femininitee,
The leste mannish in comparisoun,
Goodly abasshed, having ay pitee 150
Of hem that been in tribulacioun;
For she aloon is consolacioun
To al that arn in mischeef and in nede,
To comforte hem, of her womanhede.
And ay in vertue is her besy charge, 155
Sadde and demure, and but of wordes fewe;
Dredful also of tonges that ben large,
Eschewing ay hem that listen to hewe
Above hir heed, hir wordes for to shewe,
Dishonestly to speke of any wight; 160
She deedly hateth of hem to have a sight.
The herte of whom so honest is and clene,
And her entent so faithful and entere
That she ne may, for al the world, sustene
To suffre her eres any word to here, 165
Of frend nor fo, neither fer ne nere,
Amis resowning, that hinder shulde his name;
And if she do, she wexeth reed for shame.
So trewëly in mening she is set,
Without chaunging or any doublenesse; 170
For bountee and beautee ar togider knet
In her personë, under faithfulnesse;
For void she is of newëfangelnesse;
In herte ay oon, for ever to perséver
Ther she is set, and never to dissever. 175
I am to rude her vertues everichoon
Cunningly [for] to discryve and wryte;
For wel ye wot, colour[es] have I noon
Lyk her discrecioun craftely t'endyte;
For what I sayë, al it is to lyte. 180
Whérfor to you thus I me excuse,
That I aqueynted am not with no muse!
By rethoryke my style to governe,
In her preyse and commendacioun,
I am to blind, so hyly to discerne, 185
Of her goodnesse to make discripcioun,
Save thus I sayë, in conclusioun,
If that I shal shortly [her] commende,
In her is naught that Nature can amende.
For good she is, lyk to Policene, 190
And, in fairnesse, to the quene Helayne;
Stedfast of herte, as was Dorigene,
And wyfly trouthë, if I shal not fayne:
In constaunce eke and faith, she may attayne
To Cleopatre; and therto as +secree 195
As was of Troye the whyte Antigone;
As Hester meke; lyk Judith of prudence;
Kynde as Alceste or Marcia Catoun;
And to Grisilde lyk in pacience,
And Ariadne, of discrecioun; 200
And to Lucrece, that was of Rome toun,
She may be lykned, as for honestè;
And, for her faith, unto Penelope.
To faire Phyllis and to Hipsiphilee,
For innocencë and for womanhede; 205
For seemlinessë, unto Canacee;
And over this, to speke of goodlihede,
She passeth alle that I can of rede;
For worde and dede, that she naught ne falle,
Acorde in vertue, and her werkes alle. 210
For though that Dydo, with [her] witte sage,
Was in her tyme stedfast to Enee,
Of hastinesse yet she did outrage;
And so for Jason did also Medee.
But my lady is so avisee 215
That, bountee and beautee bothe in her demeyne,
She maketh bountee alway soverayne.
This is to mene, bountee goth afore,
Lad by prudence, and hath the soveraintee;
And beautee folweth, ruled by her lore, 220
That she +n'offendë her in no degree;
So that, in one, this goodly fresshe free
Surmounting al, withouten any were,
Is good and fair, in oon persone y-fere.
And though that I, for very ignoraunce, 225
Ne may discryve her vertues by and by,
Yet on this day, for a rémembraunce,
Only supported under her mercy,
With quaking hondë, I shal ful humbly
To her hynesse, my rudenes for to quyte, 230
A litel balade here bineth endyte,
Ever as I can suppryse in my herte,
Alway with fere, betwixe drede and shame,
Lest out of lose any word asterte
In this metre, to make it seme lame; 235
Chaucer is deed, that hadde suche a name
Of fair making, that [was], withoute wene,
Fairest in our tonge, as the laurer grene.
We may assaye for to counterfete
His gaye style, but it wil not be; 240
The welle is drye, with the licour swete,
Bothe of Clio and of Caliopè;
And first of al, I wol excuse me
To her, that is [the] ground of goodlihede;
And thus I saye until hir womanhede:-- 245
BALADE SIMPLE.
¶ 'With al my mightë, and my beste entente,
With al the faith that mighty god of kynde
Me yaf, sith he me soule and knowing sente,
I chese, and to this bonde ever I me bynde,
To love you best, whyl I have lyf and mynde':-- 250
Thus herde I foules in the dawëninge
Upon the day of saint Valentyne singe.
'Yet chese I, at the ginning, in this entente,
To love you, though I no mercy fynde;
And if you liste I dyed, I wolde assente, 255
As ever twinne I quik out of this lynde!
Suffyseth me to seen your fetheres ynde':--
Thus herde I foules in the morweninge
Upon the day of saint Valentyne singe.
'And over this, myn hertes lust to-bente, 260
In honour only of the wodëbynde,
Hoolly I yeve, never to repente
In joye or wo, wher-so that I wynde
Tofore Cupyde, with his eyën blynde':--
The foules alle, whan Tytan did springe, 265
With dévout herte, me thoughte I herde singe!
LENVOY.
¶ Princesse of beautee, to you I represente
This simple dytè, rude as in makinge,
Of herte and wil faithful in myn entente,
Lyk as, this day, [the] foules herde I singe. 270
HERE ENDETH THE FLOUR OF CURTESYE.
_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532). TITLE: Th. The Floure of Curtesy; (ed. 1561
_adds_--made by Ihon Lidgate). _I note here the rejected spellings._ 1.
Feverier. 2. firy. 3. streames. 5. dutie. 6. her. 7. Eueryche; next. 9.
agayne. 11. glad. 12. dothe. 15. chosyng. 18. whyle; lyfe. 20. Cipride. 22.
obey.
26. lyfe. 26. closet. 27. there. 29. herde. 30. deuoute. 32. ermonye. 33.
rose. 34. Towarde; _supply_ gan. 35. eueryche chose. 39. distyl; (_read_
distille); chrystal teeres. 41. _Supply_ ne. 42. beames. 45. set; downe.
47. behelde. 48. inwarde. 49. aye; crampessh at (_read_ crampisshed). 50.
whyle. 51. Sate; behelde; tre. 52. sytte (_read_ sitten). 53. thought. 54.
foule. 55. chose (_read_ chesen). 56. Eueryche; yere to yere.
57. tytemose. 58. election. 59. togyther (_read_ togider). 60. Where as;
lyst aboute envyron. 61. inclynacion. 62. empresse (_read_ emperesse). 63.
lyst. 64. alone. 66. statute. 67. al suche. 69. agayne. 70. Without. 71.
_Supply_ soothly; sene. 73. doulfully; caas. 74. ferre. 75. lyke. 76.
lyste. 77. harme; dare. 79. lykely. 80. ferre. 81. none. 83. myne. 85. aye.
86. false suspection. 88. distruction. 89. _Supply_ as; conclusyon.
91. dethe mote. 94. howe. 95. Where so. 96. Whyle; dothe; leaues. 98. wel;
_supply_ ay. 99. nowe. 103. put. 106. say; dute (_read_ duetee). 107.
presumpcion. 108. se. 109. correction. 110. co_m_mendacion. 111. her
(_read_ here). 114. beames. 115. amonge. 122. _Supply_ as; swetenesse. 123.
without. 124. eye.
125. bountie; fayrenesse. 128. reken (_read_ reknen?). 131. semelynesse.
136. reason. 137. aye. 138. hye. 139. aye. 142. discrete and wyse (_read_
discret wyse; _and supply_ secree _for the rime_). 144. lowe. 145. glad.
147. Floure. 148. femynyte (!). 149. mannyshe; comparison. 150. aye pyte.
151. ben; trybulacion. 152. alone; -cion. 153. arne; mischefe. 155. aye.
157. Dredeful. 158. aye. 159. her (_twice_.)
164. worlde. 165. eeres; worde. 166. frende; foe; ferre. 167. Amysse. 169.
trewly; is in sette (_om._ in). 171. bountie; beautie are togyther knette.
173. voyde; newfanglenesse (_or read_ voide _and_ newfangelnesse). 174. aye
one. 175. There; sette. 176. euerychone. 177. _Supply_ for. 178. colour;
none. 179. Lyke; to endyte. 180. say. 181. Wherfore. 184. co_m_mendacion.
185. blynde; hylye. 186. discrypcion. 187. say; conclusyon. 188. _Supply_
her. 190. lyke. 191. fayrenesse.
193. wyfely. 194. faythe. 195. setrone (!); _read_ secree (_see note_).
197. lyke. 198. Alcest. 199. lyke. 202. lykened. 203. faythe. 206.
semelynesse; Canace. 208. al. 209, 210. fal, al. 211. _Supply_ her. 216.
bountie; beautie. 217. bountie. 218. meane bountie gothe. 220. beautie
foloweth. 221. ne fende (!); degre. 222. fre. 224. fayre; one.
228. Onely. 230. rudenesse. 233. feare; betwyxt. 234. Leste; worde. 236.
had. 237. fayre; _supply_ was; without. 239. assay. 240. gay. 241. lycoure.
242. Clye (!). 244. _Supply_ the; grounde. 245. say. 246. might; best
entent. 247. faythe. 248. yaue; sent. 250. whyle; lyfe. 251. daunynge. 252,
259. saynte Valentyne (? _om._ saynte). 253. begynnyng (_read_ ginning);
entent. 255. assent. 256. quicke; lyne (_misprint_). 257. sene; fethers.
258. mornynge (_for_ morweninge). 260. myne; luste. 261. onely; wodde
bynde. 262. Holy. 263. where so. 265. al. 266. deuoute hert; thought. 267.
Lenvoye. beautie; represent. 269. entent. 270. Lyke; _supply_ the.
COLOPHON: Floure; Curtesy.
* * * * *
X. A BALADE; IN COMMENDATION OF OUR LADY.
(A DEVOUTE BALADE BY LIDEGATE OF BURY, MADE AT THE REVERENCE OF OURE LADY,
QWENE OF MERCY.--A.)
A thousand stories coude I mo reherce
Of olde poetes, touching this matere,
How that Cupyde the hertes gan so perce
Of his servauntes, setting hem on fere;
Lo, here the fyn of th'errour and the were! 5
Lo, here of love the guerdon and grevaunce
That ever with wo his servaunts doth avaunce!
Wherfor now playnly I wol my style dresse
Of one to speke, at nede that wol nat fayle;
Alas! for dole, I ne can ne may expresse 10
Her passing pryse, and that is no mervayle.
O wind of grace, now blow into my sayle!
O aureat licour of Cleo, for to wryte
My penne enspyre, of that I wolde endyte!
Alas! unworthy I am and unable 15
To love suche oon, al women surmounting,
To be benigne to me, and merciable,
That is of pitè the welle and eek the spring!
Wherfor of her, in laude and in praysing,
So as I can, supported by her grace, 20
Right thus I say, kneling tofore her face:--
O sterre of sterres, with thy stremes clere,
Sterre of the see, to shipmen light and gyde,
O lusty living, most plesaunt to apere,
Whos brighte bemes the cloudes may not hyde; 25
O way of lyf to hem that go or ryde,
Haven from tempest, surest up to ryve,
On me have mercy, for thy joyes fyve!
O rightful rule, O rote of holinesse,
And lightsom lyne of pitè for to playne, 30
Original ginning of grace and al goodnesse,
Clenest conduit of vertue soverayne,
Moder of mercy, our trouble to restrayne,
Chambre and closet clenest of chastitè,
And named herberwe of the deitè! 35
O hoolsom garden, al voyde of wedes wikke,
Cristallin welle, of clennesse clere consigned,
Fructif olyve, of foyles faire and thikke,
And redolent cedre, most dereworthly digned,
Remembre on sinners unto thee assigned 40
Er wikked fendes hir wrathe upon hem wreche;
Lanterne of light, thou be hir lyves leche!
Paradyse of plesaunce, gladsom to al good,
Benigne braunchelet of the pyne-tree,
Vyneyerd vermayle, refressher of our food, 45
Licour ayein languor, palled that may not be,
Blisful bawme-blossom, byding in bountè,
Thy mantel of mercy on our mischef sprede,
And er wo wake, wrappe us under thy wede!
O rody rosier, flouring withouten spyne, 50
Fountayne filthles, as beryl currant clere,
Som drope of graceful dewe to us propyne;
Light withoute nebule, shyning in thy spere,
Medecyne to mischeves, pucelle withouten pere,
Flame doun to doleful light of thyn influence 55
On thy servauntes, for thy magnificence!
Of al Christen protectrice and tutele,
Retour of exyled, put in prescripcioun
To hem that erre in the pathe of hir sequele;
To wery wandred tent and pavilioun, 60
The feynte to fresshe, and the pausacioun;
Unto unresty bothe reste and remedye,
Fruteful to al tho that in her affye.
To hem that rennen thou art itinerárie,
O blisful bravie to knightes of thy werre; 65
To wery werkmen thou art diourn denárie,
Mede unto mariners that have sayled ferre;
Laureat crowne, streming as a sterre
To hem that putte hem in palestre for thy sake,
Cours of her conquest, thou whyte as any lake! 70
Thou mirthe of martyrs, sweter than citole,
Of confessours also richest donatyf,
Unto virgynes eternal lauriole,
Afore al women having prerogatyf;
Moder and mayde, bothe widowe and wyf, 75
Of al the worlde is noon but thou alone!
Now, sith thou may, be socour to my mone!
O trusty turtle, trewest of al trewe,
O curteyse columbe, replete of al mekenesse,
O nightingale with thy notes newe, 80
O popinjay, plumed with al clennesse,
O laverok of love, singing with swetnesse,
Phebus, awayting til in thy brest he lighte
Under thy winge at domesday us dighte!
O ruby, rubifyed in the passioun 85
Al of thy sone, among have us in minde,
O stedfast dyamaunt of duracioun,
That fewe feres that tyme might thou finde,
For noon to him was founden half so kinde!
O hardy herte, O loving crëature, 90
What was it but love that made thee so endure?
Semely saphyre, depe loupe, and blewe ewage,
Stable as the loupe, ewage of pitè,
This is to say, the fresshest of visage,
Thou lovest hem unchaunged that serven thee. 95
And if offence or wrything in hem be,
Thou art ay redy upon hir wo to rewe,
And hem receyvest with herte ful trewe.
O goodly gladded, whan that Gabriel
With joy thee grette that may not be nombred! 100
Or half the blisse who coude wryte or tel
Whan the holy goost to thee was obumbred,
Wherthrough fendes were utterly encombred?
O wemlees mayde, embelisshed in his birthe,
That man and aungel therof hadden mirthe! 105
Lo, here the blossom and the budde of glorie,
Of which the prophet spak so longe aforn;
Lo, here the same that was in memórie
Of Isaie, so longe or she was born;
Lo, here of David the delicious corn; 110
Lo, here the ground that list [him] to onbelde,
Becoming man, our raunsom for to yelde!
O glorious vyole, O vytre inviolat!
O fyry Tytan, persing with thy bemes,
Whos vertuous brightnes was in thy brest vibrat, 115
That al the world embelisshed with his lemes!
Conservatrice of kingdomes and remes;
Of Isaies sede O swete Sunamyte,
Mesure my mourning, myn owne Margaryte!
O sovereignest, sought out of Sion, 120
O punical pome ayens al pestilence;
And aureat urne, in whom was bouk and boon
The agnelet, that faught for our offence
Ayens the serpent with so high defence
That lyk a lyoun in victorie he was founde; 125
To him commende us, of mercy most habounde!
O precious perle, withouten any pere,
Cockle with gold dew from above berayned,
Thou busshe unbrent, fyrles set a-fere,
Flambing with fervence, not with hete payned; 130
Thou during daysye, with no +weder stayned;
Flees undefouled of gentil Gedeon,
And fructifying yerd thou of Aaron.
Thou misty arke, probatik piscyne,
Laughing Aurora, and of pees olyve; 135
Columpne and base, up bering from abyme;
Why nere I conning, thee for to discryve?
Chosen of Joseph, whom he took to wyve,
Unknowing him, childing by greet mirácle,
And of our manhode trewe tabernacle! 140
_From_ Th.; _collated with_ A. (Ashmole 59); _and_ Sl. (Sloane 1212). 1. A.
I kouþe to you. 2. A. clerkis (_for_ poetes); the (_for_ this). 3. A. cane
mens hertes presse (!). 4. Th. hem; A. þeire hertes. Th. in fere; A. a
fuyre. 5. A. With ful daunger payeþe his subgettes hyre. Sl. weere; Th.
fere. 7. Th. Sl. euer; A. aye. Sl. A. his ... doth; Th. her ... do. 8. Th.
nowe; A. _om._ Sl. redresse. 10. A. Ellas I ne can ne may not ful expresse.
11. Th. Sl. and that; A. the whiche. 12. Th. wynde. Sl. into; Th. unto. A.
þou blowe nowe to my. 13. Th. auryate; A. aureate. A. _om._ of. 14. A.
tenspyre of whiche I thenk to wryte. Sl. wold; Th. wol. 15. A. But sith I
am sonworthy (!). 16. Sl. on; Th. A. one. 17. A. To; Th. Sl. But she.
18. A. Whiche of pytee is welle. 19. Th. Sl. of; A. to. 20. Th. Sl. can; A.
am. 22. A. O souereine sterre. 24. Sl. lemand (_for_ living). Sl. most; Th.
A. moste. 25. Th. Whose bright beames. Th. Sl. may; A. cane. 26. A. lyff;
Th. Sl. lyfe. 27. A. frome; Th. Sl. after. 29. Sl. rote; Th. A. bote. 31.
A. gynnyng of grace and; Th. Sl. begynning of grace and al. 32. A.
Clennest; Th. And clenest. Th. Sl. _ins._ most _bef._ sovereyne. 33. A.
Moder; Th. Mother. 34. A. al cloose closette; Th. Sl. and closet clennest.
35. Th. herbrough; Sl. herberwe. A. The hyest herber (!) of al the. 36. A.
holsome; Th. Sl. closed. A. _om._ al. 37. A. Welle cristallyne. A. Sl.
clennesse; Th. clerenesse. 38. A. Fructyff; Th. Fructyfyed. Th. fayre; A.
so feyre. 39. A. _om._ And. A. _om._ most. 40. A _om._ on. Sl. pecchours
(_for_ sinners). A. unto; Th. Sl. that to the be. 41. Th. Sl. Or wikked; A.
Er foule. A. on hem þeire wrathe. Sl. upon; Th. on. 42. Th. _om._ be. 43.
A. Thou Paradys plesante, gladnesse of goode. 44. A. And benigne braunche.
45. A. Vyneyerde vermayle; Th. Sl. Vynarie enuermayled. Sl. food; Th. A.
bote.
46. Th. ayen al langour; A. geyne langoure. A. palde that; Th. Sl. that
palled. 47. Sl. Blisful bawme; A. Thou blessed; Th. Blysful blomy. 48. Sl.
misericord on our myschef. Th. on our myserie; A. vppon vs spilt thou. 49.
Th. awake. A. wake and wrappe vs ay vnder. 50. A. O rede roos raylling
withouten. Th. without. 51. Th. al fylthlesse; A. _om._ al. A. currant as
beryle. Th. byrel. 52. Th. Sl. of thy; _I omit_ thy. A. Grace of thy dewe
til vs thou do propyne. 53. Th. O light; Sl. Thou lyght. A. Thou louely
light, shynynge in bright spere. 54. A. missers; Th. mischeues; Sl.
myscheuows. A. withouten; Th. without. 55. Th. Flambe; A. Dryve. Sl. to;
Th. A. the. A. _om._ doleful. 56. A. On; Th. Sl. Rem_em_bring. 58. Sl.
Retour; Th. Returne; A. Recure. A. Sl. in; Th. in the. 59. A. To therroures
of the pathe sequele. 60. A. For (_for_ To). Sl. wandrid; Th. forwandred;
A. wandering. 61. _So_ A. Th. To faynte and to fresshe the. 62. A. To wery
wightes ful reste. 63. Th. tho that; A. that hem. A. _omits_ ll. 64-119.
64. Th. arte. 66. Sl. thou art; Th. she is. Th. diourne. 68. Th. Laureate.
69. Th. put; palastre. 71. Sl. Thow; Th. O. Th. myrthe; swetter; sytole.
72. Sl. _om._ also. Th. donatyfe.
74. Th. -tyfe. 75. Th. Mother; wyfe. 76. Sl. In all this. Sl. noon; Th.
none. 78. Sl. trewest; Th. truefastest. 81. Sl. plumed; Th. pured. 82. Sl.
larke. 83. Sl. in; Th. on. 83, 84. lyght, dyght. 85. passyon. 86. Sl.
All_e_; Th. _om._ Th. sonne. Sl. among haue us; Th. vs haue amonge. 87. Sl.
dyamaunt; Th. dyametre. 88. Sl. that; Th. any. 89. halfe. 91. the. 92. Th.
saphre (_sic_); Sl. saffyr. 95. _So_ Sl. Th. unchaunged hem. 96. Sl.
writhyng; Th. varyeng. 97. arte; her. 98. hert; _see note_. 99. gladed.
100. the. 102. goste; the. 103. Sl. vtterly; Th. bytterly. 104. wemlesse.
Th. in; Sl. with.
106. blosme. 107. Th. prophete; Sl. prophetys. Sl. spak so long aforn; Th.
so longe spake beforne. 109, 110. borne, corne. 111. Th. of lyfe in to
bilde; Sl. that list to onbelde. 113. Sl. o vitre; Th. and vyte. Th.
inuyolate. 115. Th. _om._ thy; vibrate. 116. Sl. his; Th. the. 117. Sl.
kyngdamys; Th. kynges dukes. Sl. remys; Th. realmes. 118. Sl. o; Th. _om._
120. A. souereine. Th. A. sought; Sl. sowth. Th. out of; Sl. of out; A. fer
oute. 121-127. _In_ Sl. _only_. 121. Sl. alle. 122. Sl. auryat; book and
born (!); _see note_. 125. Sl. victory. 126. Sl. moost. 127. Sl. ony. 128.
Th. golde dewe; A. glorie. 129. A. Sl. Thou; Th. Dewe (!). Sl. ferlett (!)
set affere; A. fuyrles thou sette vppon; Th. fyrelesse fyre set on. 130.
Sl. peyned; A. empeyred (!). 131. Sl. Th. _om._ Thou. A. with; Th. that.
Th. A. wether. A. disteyned. 132. Th. Fleece. A. gentyle; Th. gentylest.
133. Th. Sl. _insert_ fayrest _after_ fructifyeng (_sic_). A. yerde thowe;
Th. Sl. the yerde.
134. A. Thowe; Sl. Th. The. Sl. mysti; Th. A. mighty. Sl. probatyk; Th.
probatyfe; A. the probatyf. 135. A. Aurora; Th. aurore. A. tholyve; Sl. Th.
olyue. 136. A. Pillor from base beryng from abysme. 137. A. Why nad I
langage. Sl. the for; A. hir for; Th. here. 138. Th. toke. A. Chosen of
god, whome Joseph gaf (!) to wyve. 139. Th. Sl. childyng; A. bare Cryste.
Th. Sl. _om._ greet. 140. Th. And of our manly figure the; Sl. And of oure
mar (!) figure; A. And of Ihesus manhode truwe.
* * * * *
XI. TO MY SOVERAIN LADY.
I have non English convenient and digne
Myn hertes hele, lady, thee with t'honoure,
Ivorie clene; therfore I wol resigne
In-to thyn hand, til thou list socoure
To help my making bothe florisshe and floure; 5
Than shulde I shewe, in love how I brende,
In songes making, thy name to commende.
For if I coude before thyn excellence
Singen in love, I wolde, what I fele,
And ever standen, lady, in thy presence, 10
To shewe in open how I love you wele;
And sith, although your herte be mad of stele,
To you, withoute any disseveraunce,
_J'ay en vous toute ma fiaunce_.
Wher might I love ever better besette 15
Than in this lilie, lyking to beholde?
The lace of love, the bond so wel thou knette,
That I may see thee or myn herte colde,
And or I passe out of my dayes olde,
Tofore singing evermore utterly-- 20
'Your eyën two wol slee me sodainly.'
For love I langour, blissed be such seknesse,
Sith it is for you, my hertely suffisaunce;
I can not elles saye, in my distresse,
So fair oon hath myn herte in governaunce; 25
And after that I +ginne on esperaunce
With feble entune, though it thyn herte perce,
Yet for thy sake this lettre I do reherce.
God wot, on musike I can not, but I gesse,
(Alas! why so?) that I might say or singe, 30
So love I you, myn own soverain maistresse,
And ever shal, withouten départinge.
Mirrour of beautè, for you out shuld I ringe,
In rémembraunce eke of your eyen clere,
Thus fer from you, my soverain lady dere! 35
So wolde god your love wold me slo,
Sith, for your sake, I singe day by day;
Herte, why nilt thou [never] breke a-two,
Sith with my lady dwellen I ne may?
Thus many a roundel and many a virelay 40
In fresshe Englisshe, whan I me layser finde,
I do recorde, on you to have minde!
Now, lady myn! sith I you love and drede,
And you unchaunged finde, in o degree,
Whos grace ne may flye fro your womanhede, 45
Disdayneth not for to remembre on me!
Myn herte bledeth, for I may nat you see;
And sith ye wot my mening désirous,
_Pleurez pur moi, si vous plaist amorous!_
What marveyle is, though I in payne be? 50
I am departed from you, my soveraine;
Fortune, alas! _dont vient la destenee_,
That in no wyse I can ne may attayne
To see the beautè of your eyën twayne.
Wherfore I say, for tristesse doth me grame, 55
_Tant me fait mal departir de ma dame!_
Why nere my wisshing brought to suche esploit
That I might say, for joye of your presence,
'_Ore a man cuer ce quil veuilloit,_
_Ore a man cuer_ the highest excellence 60
That ever had wight;' and sith myn advertence
Is in you, reweth on my paynes smerte,
I am so sore wounded to the herte.
To live wel mery, two lovers were y-fere,
So may I say withouten any blame; 65
If any man [per cas] to wilde were,
I coude him [sonë] teche to be tame;
Let him go love, and see wher it be game!
For I am brydled unto sobernesse
For her, that is of women cheef princesse. 70
But ever, whan thought shulde my herte embrace,
Than unto me is beste remedye,
Whan I loke on your goodly fresshe face;
So mery a mirrour coude I never espye;
And, if I coude, I wolde it magnifye. 75
For never non was [here] so faire y-founde,
To reken hem al, and also Rosamounde.
And fynally, with mouthe and wil present
Of double eye, withoute repentaunce,
Myn herte I yeve you, lady, in this entent, 80
That ye shal hoolly therof have governaunce;
Taking my leve with hertes obeysaunce,
'_Salve, regina!_' singing laste of al,
To be our helpe, whan we to thee cal!
Al our lovë is but ydelnesse 85
Save your aloon; who might therto attayne?
Who-so wol have a name of gentillesse,
I counsayle him in love that he not fayne.
Thou swete lady! refut in every payne,
Whos [pitous] mercy most to me avayleth 90
To gye by grace, whan that fortune fayleth.
Nought may be told, withouten any fable,
Your high renome, your womanly beautè;
Your governaunce, to al worship able,
Putteth every herte in ese in his degree. 95
O violet, _O flour desiree_,
Sith I am for you so amorous,
_Estreynez moy_, [lady,] _de cuer joyous_!
With fervent herte my brest hath broste on fyre;
_L'ardant espoir que mon cuer poynt, est mort,_ 100
_D'avoir l'amour de celle que je desyre_,
I mene you, swete, most plesaunt of port,
_Et je sai bien que ceo n'est pas mon tort_
That for you singe, so as I may, for mone
For your departing; alone I live, alone. 105
Though I mighte, I wolde non other chese;
In your servyce, I wolde be founden sad;
Therfore I love no labour that ye lese,
Whan, in longing, sorest ye be stad;
Loke up, ye lovers [alle], and be right glad 110
Ayeines sëynt Valentynes day,
For I have chose that never forsake I may!
_Explicit._
_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); _I note rejected spellings_. 1. none
englysshe. 2. heale; the; to honour. 3. cleane. 4. thyne hande; socoure. 5.
helpe; flour. 6. howe. 8. thyne. 11. howe. 12. made. 13. withouten;
disceueraunce. 14. tout. 15. Where; beset. 17. bonde; knyt. 18. se the;
myne. 22. sicknesse. 23. Sythe. 24. els say. 25. fayre one; myne. 26.
begynne; _read_ ginne.
27. thyne. 28. letter. 30. wote. 31. owne; maistres. 32. without. 35.
ferre. 36. wolde (_twice_). 37. Sythe. 38. nylte; _I supply_ never; breake.
39. Sythe; dwel. 43. Nowe; myne sithe. 44. euer fynde (_om._ euer). 45.
Whose. 47. Myne; se. 48. sithe; wotte; meanyng. 49. Plures; moy. 52.
destenie. 53. canne. 54. se. 55. dothe. 56. male. 58. ioye. 61. sithe myne.
66. _Short line; I insert_ per cas. 67. _Short line; I insert_ sone. for
to; _I omit_ for. 68. Lette; se where. 70. chefe. 71. my hert shuld. 72.
best remedy. 74. espy. 76. none; _I insert_ here. 79. without. 81. holy.
82. leaue. 84. the. 86. your loue alone; _om._ loue. 89. refute. 90. Whose;
_I insert_ pitous. 92. tolde. 95. ease. 96. floure.
97. Sythe; amerous. 98. Estreynes; _I insert_ lady _to fill out the line_.
99. brost. 102. meane; porte. 103. say. 106. myght; none. 107. sadde. 109.
stadde. 110. _I supply_ alle; gladde. 111. Ayenst saynt. 112. chese (_read_
chose).
* * * * *
XII. BALLAD OF GOOD COUNSEL.
Consider wel, with every circumstaunce,
Of what estat so-ever that thou be--
Riche, strong, or mighty of puissaunce,
Prudent or wyse, discrete or avisee,
The doom of folke in soth thou mayst nat flee; 5
What-ever that thou do, trust right wel this,
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.
For in thy port or in thyn apparayle
If thou be clad or honestly be-seyn,
Anon the people, of malice, wol nat fayle, 10
Without advyce or reson, for to sayn
That thyn array is mad and wrought in vayn;
What! suffre hem spekë!--and trust right wel this,
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.
Thou wilt to kinges be equipolent, 15
With gretë lordes even and peregal;
And, if thou be to-torn and al to-rent,
Than wol they say, and jangle over-al,
Thou art a slogard, that never thryvë shal;
Yet suffre hem spekë!--and trust right wel this, 20
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.
If thou be fayr, excelling of beautee,
Than wol they say, that thou art amorous;
If thou be foul and ugly on to see,
They wol afferme that thou art vicious, 25
The peple of langage is so dispitous;
Suffre hem spekë, and trust right wel this,
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.
And if it fallë that thou take a wyf,
[Than] they wol falsly say, in hir entent, 30
That thou art lykly ever to live in stryf,
Voyd of al rest, without alegëment;
Wyves be maistres, this is hir jugëment;
Yet suffre hem spekë--and trust right wel this,
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. 35
And if it so be that, of parfitnesse,
Thou hast avowed to live in chastitee,
Thán wol folk of thy persone expresse
Say thou art impotent t'engendre in thy degree;
And thus, whether thou be chast or deslavee, 40
Suffre hem spekë--and trust right wel this,
A wikked tonge wel alway deme amis.
And if that thou be fat or corpulent,
Than wol they say that thou art a glotoun,
A devourour, or ellës vinolent; 45
If thou be lene or megre of fassioun,
Cal thee a nigard, in hir opinioun;
Yet suffre hem spekë--and trust right wel this,
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.
If thou be richë, som wol yeve thee laud, 50
And say, it cometh of prudent governaunce;
And som wol sayen, that it cometh of fraud,
Outher by sleight, or by fals chevisaunce;
To say the worst, folk have so gret plesaunce;
Yet suffre hem sayë--and trust right wel this, 55
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.
If thou be sad or sobre of countenaunce,
Men wol say--thou thinkest som tresoun;
And if [that] thou be glad of daliaunce,
Men wol deme it dissolucioun, 60
And calle thy fair speche, adulacioun;
Yet let hem spekë--and trust right wel this,
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.
Who that is holy by perfeccioun,
Men, of malyce, wol calle him ipocryte; 65
And who is mery, of clene entencioun,
Men say, in ryot he doth him delyte;
Som mourne in blak; som laughe in clothes whyte;
What! suffre them spekë--and trust right wel this,
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. 70
Honest array, men deme, +is pompe and pryde,
And who goth poore, men calle him a wastour;
And who goth [mene], men marke him on every syde,
And saye that he is a spye or a gylour;
Who wasteth, men seyn [that] he hath tresour; 75
Wherfore conclude, and trust [right] wel this,
A wikked tonge wil alway deme amis.
Who speketh mochë, men calle him prudent;
And who debateth, men say, he is hardy;
And who saith litel with gret sentiment, 80
Som men yet wol edwyte him of foly;
Trouth is put down, and up goth flatery;
And who list plainly know the cause of this,
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.
For though a man were al-so pacient 85
As was David, through his humilitee,
Or with Salamon in wysdom as prudent,
Or in knighthode egal with Josuë,
Or manly proved as Judas Machabee,
Yet, for al that--trust right wel this, 90
A wicked tonge wol alway deme amis.
And though a man hadde the high prowesse
Of worthy Hector, Troyes champioun,
The love of Troilus or the kindenesse,
Or of Cesar the famous high renoun, 95
With Alisaundres dominacioun,
Yet, for al that--trust right wel this,
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.
And though a man of high or low degree
Of Tullius hadde the sugred eloquence, 100
Or of Senek the greet moralitee,
Or of Catoun the foresight or prudence,
Conquest of Charles, Arthurs magnificence,
Yet, for al that--trust right wel this,
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. 105
Touching of women the parfit innocence,
Thogh they had of Hestre the mekenes,
Or of Griseldes [the] humble pacience,
Or of Judith the proved stablenes,
Or Policenes virginal clennes, 110
Yit dar I say and truste right wel this,
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.
The wyfly trouthë of Penelope,
Though they it hadde in hir possessioun,
Eleynes beautè, the kindnes of Medee, 115
The love unfeyned of Marcia Catoun,
Or of Alcest the trewe affeccioun,
Yit dar I say and truste right wel this,
A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.
Than sith it is, that no man may eschewe 120
The swerde of tonge, but it wol kerve and byte,
Ful hard it is, a man for to remewe
Out of hir daunger, so they hem delyte
To hindre or slaundre, and also to bakbyte;
For [this] hir study fynally it is 125
And hir plesaunce, alwey to deme amis.
Most noble princes, cherisshers of vertue,
Remembreth you of high discrecioun,
The first vertue, most plesing to Jesu,
(By the wryting and sentence of Catoun), 130
Is a good tonge, in his opinioun;
Chastyse the révers, and of wysdom do this,
Withdraw your hering from al that deme amis.
_From_ Th. (Thynne's edition, 1532); _collated with_ Ff. (MS. Ff. 1. 6,
Camb. Univ. Library). _Another copy in_ H. (Harl. 2251). 1. H. with; Ff.
wiht; Th. _om._ 2. Ff. H. estat; Th. estate. Th. _om._ that. 3. Th.
stronge. 4. Ff. avisee; H. avice; Th. besy. 5. Th. Ff. dome; H. doome. Th.
sothe. H. mayst; Th. Ff. may. Th. Ff. flye; H. flee. 6. H. that; _rest om._
Ff. H. do; Th. doste. Th. _om._ right. 7. H. Ff. deme; Th. say. 8. Ff.
port; Th. porte. Th. thyne. 9. _All_ cladde. Ff. H. or; Th. and. Ff.
beseyn; Th. be sayne. 10. Ff. Anon; Th. Anone (_and so in other places I
correct the spelling by the_ MSS.). 12. _All_ made. 13. Th. H. _om._ right.
14. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. 15. Ff. H. wylt; Th. wolde. Ff. H. equipolent;
Th. equiuolent. 16. Ff. H. grete; Th. great. 17. Ff. to-torn; Th. H. torn.
19. Ff. H. Thou; Th. That thou. 20. Th. H. _om._ right. 21. Ff. H. deme;
Th. say.
22-35. _So in_ H.; Th. Ff. _transpose_ ll. 21-28 _and_ 29-35. Th. fayre
and; Ff. H. _om._ and. H. excellyng; Ff. Th. excellent. 23. Ff. H. Than;
Th. Yet. _All_ amerous. 24. _All_ foule. 26. Ff. H. peple of; Th. peoples.
27. _So_ Ff.; Th. H. Suffre al their speche and truste (H. deme) wel this.
28. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. 29. Ff. And yif hit falle; Th. If it befal. 30.
_Insert_ Than; _see_ l. 23. 31. Ff. Thou art euer lykkely to lyue in
stryve. 32. Ff. alleggement. 33. Ff. H. be maistres; Th. hem maystren. 34.
_So_ Ff.; Th. suffren their speche; _om._ right. 35. Ff. H. deme; Th. say.
36. H. And if; Ff. And yif; Th. If. H. it; Th. Ff. _om._ Th. that thou; Ff.
H. _om._ thou. 37. Ff. H. Thou hast; Th. Haue. 39. Ff. H. Say; Th. That.
Th. tengendre; Ff. to gendre. 40. Ff. Th. chaste. Ff. dyslave (_better_
deslavee); Th. delauie. 41. Th. H. _om._ right. 42. Ff. H. deme; Th. say.
43. Th. _om._ And. 44. Th. H. _om._ that. 45. Th. H. deuourer; Ff. devowrer
(_better_ devourour). 46. Ff. H. lene or megre; Th. megre or leane. 47. Ff.
H. her; Th. H. their. 48. Th. H. _om._ right. 49. Ff. H. deme; Th. say.
50. _All_ the. Th. laude; Ff. H. lawde. 52. Ff. Th. say; H. sayne. H. that;
Th. Ff. _om._ 53. Ff. Outher; Th. H. Or. 55. Th. What; Ff. H. Yit. Ff. Th.
say. Th. H. _om._ right. 56. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. 57. _All_ sadde. 58. Ff.
tresone; Th. H. treason. 59. _I supply_ that. 60. Ff. it is; Th. H. _om._
is. 61. Th. Callyng; Ff. H. And calle. Th. _om._ thy. 62. Th. H. _om._
right. 63. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. 64. Ff. H. Who; Th. And who. 65. Th. him
an; Ff. H. _om._ an. 66. Th. who that; Ff. H. _om._ that. 69. Ff. speke;
Th. say. Th. H. _om._ right. 70. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. 71-77. _In_ H.
_only_. 71. H. in; _read_ is. 72. H. vastour. 73. _I insert_ mene; _see
note_. 75. H. wastith; _I insert_ that. 76. H. coclude(!); H. _om._ right.
78. Ff. H. men calle him; Th. is holden. 79. Th. And who; Ff. H. Who that.
Th. H. say that; Ff. _om._ that. 80. Th. who that; Ff. H. _om._ that. 81.
Th. men yet; Ff. folke. Ff. H. edwyte; Th. wyte. 82. Ff. H. vp; Th. nowe.
83. H. who; Ff. ho (= who); Th. who that. Ff. H. cause; Th. trouth. 84.
_So_ H. Ff.; Th. It is a wicked tonge th_a_t alway saythe amys. 85. Ff.
also; Th. H. as. 86. Th. _om._ his. 87. H. wisdom; Th. wisedome; Ff.
wysdome. 88. Ff. to; Th. H. with. 91. _So_ Ff. H.; Th. Some wycked tonge of
hym wol say amys. 92. Ff. _om._ a. _All_ had. Ff. H. _om._ high. 94. Ff. H.
kyndenes; Th. kyndnesse. 96. Th. Wyth al; Ff. H. _om._ al. 98. _So_ Ff.;
Th. Some wycked tonge of hym wol say amys. 99. Ff. H. And; Th. Or. 101. H.
Senek; Ff. Senec; Th. Seneca. Th. great; Ff. H. _om._ 102. Ff. or prudence;
Th. H. and prouidence. 103. Th. The conquest; Ff. _om._ The. Ff. Arthurs;
Th. H. Arturs. 105. _See note to_ 96.
106-112. _Not in_ Thynne; _from_ Ff. H. 106. H. of; Ff. to. 108. Ff.
grecildes; H. Gresieldis; _I supply_ the. 110. H. Polycenes; Ff. Penilops.
113. H. wyfly; Th. wyfely; Ff. wylfull_e_ (!). Th. H. trouth; Ff. trowth;
_read_ trouthe. 114. Th. had; Ff. H. hadde. Th. her; Ff. thaire; H. theyr.
115. H. Eleynes; Ff. Eleyons; Th. Holynesse (_for_ Heleynes). Th.
kyndenesse; Ff. kyndnes. 116. Ff. H. loue; Th. lyfe (!). Th. Mertia; Ff. H.
Marcia. Th. Caton; Ff. H. and catou_n_. 117. Ff. H. Alcestys (_om._ the).
119. _So_ Ff.; Th. A wycked tonge wol say of her amys. 120. Ff. suyth; H.
sith; Th. sythen. H. it is; Ff. it; Th. it is so (_om._ that). 121. Ff.
wyll (= wol); H. wil; Th. _om._ 122. Ff. H. _om._ for. 123. H. hir; Ff. ar;
Th. theyr. Ff. so them hem delyte; Th. him for to aquyte. 124. Ff. Tho
(_for_ To) hindre sclau_n_der, and also to bacbyte; Th. Wo to the tonges
that hem so delyte. 125. Ff. For thayre study fynaly it ys; Th. To hynder
or sclaunder, and set theyr study in this (cf. l. 124). 126. Th. And theyr
pleasaunces to do and say amis; H. And theyr plesaunce alwey to deme amys;
Ff. _has (as usual)_ A wicked tonge wol alway deme amis. 127. Ff.
princesse; Th. princes. 129. Th. and most; Ff. H. _om._ and. Ff. plesing;
Th. pleasyng.
132. H. revers; Th. reuerse; Ff. reu_er_ce. H. wisdom; Th. Ff. wysdome.
133. H. Voydeth (_for_ Withdraw). Ff. deme; Th. saine.
* * * * *
XIII. BEWARE OF DOUBLENESS.
(BALADE MADE BY LYDGATE.)
This world is ful of variaunce
In every thing, who taketh hede,
That faith and trust, and al constaunce,
Exyled ben, this is no drede;
And, save only in womanhede, 5
I can [nat] see no sikernesse;
But for al that, yet, as I rede,
Be-war alway of doublenesse.
Also these fresshe somer-floures
Whyte and rede, blewe and grene, 10
Ben sodainly, with winter-shoures,
Mad feinte and fade, withoute wene;
That trust is non, as ye may seen,
In no-thing, nor no stedfastnesse,
Except in women, thus I mene; 15
Yet ay be-war of doublenesse.
The croked mone, this is no tale,
Som whyle is shene and bright of hewe,
And after that ful derk and pale,
And every moneth chaungeth newe; 20
That, who the verray sothe knewe,
Al thing is bilt on brotelnesse,
Save that these women ay be trewe;
Yet ay be-war of doublenesse.
The lusty fresshe somers day, 25
And Phebus with his bemes clere,
Towardes night, they drawe away,
And no lenger liste appere;
That, in this present lyf now here
Nothing abit in his fairnesse, 30
Save women ay be founde intere
And devoid of doublenesse.
The see eke, with his sterne wawes,
Ech day floweth newe again,
And, by concours of his lawes, 35
The ebbe foloweth, in certain;
After gret drought ther comth a rain,
That farewel here al stabelnesse,
Save that women be hole and plain;
Yet ay be-war of doublenesse. 40
Fortunes wheel goth round aboute
A thousand tymes, day and night:
Whos cours standeth ever in doute
For to transmew; she is so light.
For which adverteth in your sight 45
Th'untrust of worldly fikelnesse,
Save women, which of kindly right
Ne have no tache of doublenesse.
What man may the wind restraine
Or holde a snake by the tail, 50
Or a sliper eel constraine
That it nil voide, withouten fail;
Or who can dryve so a nail
To make sure new-fangelnesse,
Save women, that can gye hir sail 55
To rowe hir boot with doublenesse.
At every haven they can aryve
Wher-as they wote is good passage;
Of innocence, they can not stryve
With wawes nor no rokkes rage; 60
So happy is hir lodemanage,
With nelde and stoon hir cours to dresse,
That Salamon was not so sage
To find in hem no doublenesse.
Therfor who-so hem accuse 65
Of any double entencioun,
To speke, rowne, other to muse,
To pinche at hir condicioun;
Al is but fals collusioun,
I dar right wel the sothe expresse; 70
They have no better proteccioun
But shroude hem under doublenesse.
So wel fortúned is hir chaunce
The dys to turnen up-so-doun,
With sys and sink they can avaunce, 75
And than, by revolucioun,
They sette a fel conclusioun
Of ambes as, in sothfastnesse;
Though clerkes make mencioun
Hir kind is fret with doublenesse. 80
Sampsoun had experience
That women were ful trewe founde,
Whan Dalida, of innocence,
With sheres gan his heer to rounde;
To speke also of Rosamounde 85
And Cleopatras feithfulnesse,
The stories plainly wil confounde
Men that apeche hir doublenesse.
Sengle thing ne is not preised,
Nor oo-fold is of no renoun; 90
In balaunce whan they be peised,
For lakke of weght they be bore doun;
And for this cause of just resoun,
These women alle, of rightwisnesse,
Of chois and free eleccioun 95
Most love eschaunge and doublenesse.
LENVOY.
O ye women, which been enclyned,
By influence of your nature,
To been as pure as gold y-fyned
In your trouth for to endure, 100
Arm your-self in strong armure
Lest men assaile your sikernesse:
Set on your brest, your-self t'assure,
A mighty sheld of doublenesse.
1. _From_ F. (Fairfax 16); _collated with_ Ed. (ed. 1561). _Also in_ A.
(Ashmole 59), _in which it is much altered; other copies in_ Ha. (Harl.
7578), _and_ Ad. (Addit. 16165). 2. F. whoo. 6. _I supply_ nat. 9. F. A.
these; Ed. that. 12. F. feynt; Ha. Ed. feinte. 13. F. Ed. sene. 18. F. A.
Ad. is shene; Ed. ishene. 21. F. A. who so; Ha. Ad. Ed. who. 23. Ad. these;
_rest om._
28. Ha. Ad. no; F. Ed. non. 29. F. So; _rest_ That. 30. F. abytte; Ed.
abieth; Ad. abydeth. 32. _In the margin of_ F. Ad.--Per Antifrasim. 36. F.
Ad. Ha. foloweth; Ed. _repeats_ floweth _from_ l. 34. A. Soone affter that
comthe thebbe certeyne. 38. F. Ha. farewel al her; Ed. Ad. farewel here al.
48. F. Ad. Ha. haue; Ed. hath. F. tachche; Ed. teche. 51. F. slepur; Ha.
sleper; Ed. Ad. slipper. 52. A. nyl; Ad. nil; Ha. wol; F. wil; Ed. will.
53. A. dryve so depe a. 54. Ed. suere. 55, 56. Ad. hir; Ha. F. her; Ed.
their.
61. F. happe; Ha. Ed. happy. F. her (= hir); Ed. their. 62. F. nelde; Ed.
Ha. nedle. F. Ha. her; Ed. their. 64. F. Ha. hem; Ed. them. 65. F. Wherfor;
Ed. Ha. Ad. Therefore. MSS. hem; Ed. them. 67. Ed. rowme (!). 68. F. hyr;
Ad. hir; Ha. her; Ed. their. 69. A. Ad. nys (_for_ is). 71. Ed. better; F.
bette; Ha. Ad. bet. 72. MSS. hem; Ed. them. 73. Ad. Ed. their. 74. F. Ed.
turne; Ad. Ha. turnen. 78. F. Ambes ase; Ad. Ha. aumbes as; Ed. lombes, as
(!) 82. F. weren; Ed. A. were. MSS. founde; Ed. ifound. 84. A. heres; Ad.
here; Ed. heere; F. hede. 87. F. Ad. Ed. The; A. Hir. 88. MSS. hir, her;
Ed. their. 90. F. oo folde; A. oone folde; Ed. ofolde.
92. F. A. Ad. weght; Ha. wight; Ed. waighte. A. borne. 96. A. Ad. Haue
stuffed hem with doublenesse. 97. A. that (_for_ which). 100. A. In alle
youre touches for. Ad. trouthe for tendure. 101. _For_ Arm _read_ Armeth?
102. Ha. assaye. 103. F. A. Ad. tassure; Ed. Ha. to assure. 104. F. Ed.
shelde; A. sheelde.
* * * * *
XIV. A BALADE: WARNING MEN TO BEWARE OF DECEITFUL WOMEN.
Loke wel aboute, ye that lovers be;
Lat nat your lustes lede you to dotage;
Be nat enamoured on al thing that ye see.
Sampson the fort, and Salamon the sage
Deceived were, for al hir gret corage; 5
Men deme hit is right as they see at y;
Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly.
I mene, in women, for al hir cheres queinte,
Trust nat to moche; hir trouthë is but geson;
The fairest outward ful wel can they peinte, 10
Hir stedfastnes endureth but a seson;
For they feyn frendlines and worchen treson.
And for they be chaungeáble naturally,
Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly.
Though al the world do his besy cure 15
To make women stonde in stablenes,
Hit may nat be, hit is agayn nature;
The world is do whan they lak doublenes;
For they can laughe and love nat; this is expres.
To trust in hem, hit is but fantasy; 20
Bewar therfore; the blind et many a fly.
What wight on-lyve trusteth in hir cheres
Shal haue at last his guerdon and his mede;
They can shave nerer then rasóurs or sheres;
Al is nat gold that shyneth! Men, take hede; 25
Hir galle is hid under a sugred wede.
Hit is ful hard hir fantasy t'aspy;
Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly.
Women, of kinde, have condicions three;
The first is, that they be fulle of deceit; 30
To spinne also hit is hir propertee;
And women have a wonderful conceit,
They wepen ofte, and al is but a sleight,
And whan they list, the tere is in the y;
Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly. 35
What thing than eyr is lighter and meveable?
The light, men say, that passeth in a throw;
Al if the light be nat so variable
As is the wind that every wey [can] blow;
And yet, of reson, som men deme and trow 40
Women be lightest of hir company;
Bewar therfore; the blind et many a fly.
In short to say, though al the erth so wan
Were parchëmyn smothe, whyte and scribable,
And the gret see, cleped the occian, 45
Were torned in inke, blakker then is sable,
Ech stik a penne, ech man a scriveyn able,
They coud nat wryte wommannes traitory;
Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly.
_From_ Trin. (Trin. Coll. Cam. R. 3. 19), _printed in_ Ed. (ed. 1561); T.
(Trin. Coll. O. 9. 38); H. (Harl. 2251). 1. Trin. welle. T. abowte; Trin.
about. 2. Trin. leede. 3. Trin. se. 4. T. H. Salamon; Trin. Salomon. 5. T.
her_e_ (_read_ hir); Trin. H. theyr (_and elsewhere_). 6. _So_ T.; Trin. H.
hit right that they se with. T. eye; Trin. ey; H. ye; (_read_ y). 7. T.
ette, _alt. to_ ettyth; Trin. H. eteth (_read_ et, _and so elsewhere_). 8.
H. T. in; Trin. of. Trin. wemen; queynt. 9. Trin. H. hem nat (T. _om._
hem). Trin. trowth; geason (T. geson). 10. T. full_e_; Trin. H. _om._ Trin.
peynt. 12. Trin. feyne. 13. T. be; Trin. ar; H. are. Trin. chaungeabylle.
15-28. _So_ T. H.; Trin. _transposes_ 15-21 _and_ 22-28. 16. Trin. wemen
stond; stabylnes. 17. T. H. may; Trin. wolle. 18. Trin. doubylnes. 19.
Trin. lawgh; expresse. H. _om._ nat. 20. H. T. in; Trin. on. Trin. theym.
22. T. yn; Trin. on. Trin. cherys. 24. T. They; Trin. For wemen. 25. Trin.
shynyth. 26. Trin. sugryd. 27. T. harde; Trin. H. queynt. Trin. to aspy.
29. T. _has the note_: Fallere flere nere tria sunt hec in muliere. Trin.
thre. 30. T. that; Trin. H. _om._ 31. T. hyt; Trin. _om._ T. properte;
Trin. p_ro_purte. 32. H. haue; T. hath; Trin. _om._ Trin. conseyte. 33.
Trin. H. For they; T. _om._ For. T. wepyth (_read_ wepen); Trin. wepe. T.
H. but; Trin. _om._ H. a sleight; T. deceyt; Trin. asteyte; Ed. a sleite.
34. Trin. teere; ey. 36-42. _In_ T. _only_. 37. T. passyth. 38. T. All yff;
waryabylle. 39. T. wynde; ys blow (_alt. to_ blowth; _read_ can blow). 40.
T. yut; summen. 41. T. ther (_for_ hir). 43. T. schorte; Trin. sothe. Trin.
erthe; wanne. 44. Trin. parchemyne; scrybabylle. 45. T. H. that clepyd is;
Trin. that callyd ys (_read_ cleped). H. _om._ the. Trin. occiane. 46. T.
yn; Trin. into; H. to. T. H. is; Trin. _om._ 47. T. H. Eche; Trin. Euery.
Trin. yche; abylle. H. scryven; T. Trin. scriuener. 48. T. They cowde not;
Trin. Nat cowde then (!). T. wymmenys; Trin. womans; H. wommans. T.
treytorye; Trin. H. trechery.
* * * * *
XV. THREE SAYINGS.
(A). A SAYING OF DAN JOHN.
Ther beth four thinges that maketh a man a fool,
Hónour first putteth him in outrage,
And alder-next solitarie and sool;
The second is unweldy croked age;
Women also bring men in dotage; 5
And mighty wyne, in many dyvers wyse,
Distempreth folk which [that] ben holden wyse.
(B). YET OF THE SAME.
Ther beth four thinges causing gret folye,
Honour first, and [than] unweldy age;
Women and wyne, I dar eek specifye,
Make wyse men [to] fallen in dotage;
Wherfore, by counseil of philosophers sage, 5
In gret honour, lerne this of me,
With thyn estat have [eek] humilitee.
(C). BALADE DE BON CONSAIL.
If it befalle, that god thee list visyte
With any tourment or adversitee,
Thank first the lord; and [than], thyself to quyte,
Upon suffrauncë and humilitee
Found thou thy quarrel, what-ever that it be; 5
Mak thy defence (and thou shall have no losse)
The rémembraunce of Crist and of his crosse.
A. _From_ Stowe (ed. 1561). 1. bethe foure; foole. 3. soole. 7. Distempren
(!); folke whiche; _supply_ that; bene.
B. _From the same._ 1. bene (_read_ beth, _as above_) foure. 2. _I supply_
than; vnwildy. 3. dare eke specify. 4. _I supply_ to. 6. learne. 7. thine
estate; _I supply_ eek.
C. _From the same._ 1. befall; the. 2. aduersite. 3. Thanke; lorde; _I
supply_ than; selfe. 4. humilite. 5. Founde; quarel. 6. Make.
* * * * *
XVI. LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCY.
TRANSLATED OUT OF FRENCH BY SIR RICHARD ROS.
Half in a dreme, not fully wel awaked,
The golden sleep me wrapped under his wing;
Yet nat for-thy I roos, and wel nigh naked,
Al sodaynly my-selve rémembring
Of a matér, leving al other thing 5
Which I shold do, with-outen more delay,
For hem to whom I durst nat disobey.
My charge was this, to translate by and by,
(Al thing forgive), as part of my penaunce,
A book called Belle Dame sans Mercy 10
Which mayster Aleyn made of rémembraunce,
Cheef secretarie with the king of Fraunce.
And ther-upon a whyle I stood musing,
And in my-self gretly imagening
What wyse I shuld performe the sayd processe, 15
Considering by good avysement
Myn unconning and my gret simplenesse,
And ayenward the strait commaundement
Which that I had; and thus, in myn entent,
I was vexed and tourned up and doun; 20
And yet at last, as in conclusioun,
I cast my clothes on, and went my way,
This foresayd charge having in rémembraunce,
Til I cam to a lusty green valey
Ful of floures, to see, a gret plesaunce; 25
And so bolded, with their benygn suffraunce
That rede this book, touching this sayd matere,
Thus I began, if it plese you to here.
Nat long ago, ryding an esy paas,
I fel in thought, of joy ful desperate 30
With greet disese and payne, so that I was
Of al lovers the most unfortunate,
Sith by his dart most cruel, ful of hate,
The deeth hath take my lady and maistresse,
And left me sole, thus discomfit and mate, 35
Sore languisshing, and in way of distresse.
Than sayd I thus, 'it falleth me to cesse
Eyther to ryme or ditees for to make,
And I, surely, to make a ful promesse
To laugh no more, but wepe in clothes blake. 40
My joyful tyme, alas! now is it slake,
For in my-self I fele no maner ese;
Let it be written, such fortune I take,
Which neither me, nor non other doth plese.
If it were so, my wil or myn entent 45
Constrayned were a joyful thing to wryte,
Myn pen coud never have knowlege what it ment;
To speke therof my tonge hath no delyte.
And with my mouth if I laugh moche or lyte,
Myn eyen shold make a countenaunce untrewe; 50
My hert also wold have therof despyte,
The weping teres have so large issewe.
These seke lovers, I leve that to hem longes,
Which lede their lyf in hope of alegeaunce,
That is to say, to make balades and songes, 55
Every of hem, as they fele their grevaunce.
For she that was my joy and my plesaunce,
Whos soule I pray god of his mercy save,
She hath my wil, myn hertes ordinaunce,
Which lyeth here, within this tombe y-grave. 60
Fro this tyme forth, tyme is to hold my pees;
It werieth me this mater for to trete;
Let other lovers put hem-self in prees;
Their seson is, my tyme is now forgete.
Fortune by strength the forcer hath unshet 65
Wherin was sperd al my worldly richesse,
And al the goodes which that I have gete
In my best tyme of youthe and lustinesse.
Love hath me kept under his governaunce;
If I misdid, god graunt me forgifnesse! 70
If I did wel, yet felte I no plesaunce;
It caused neither joy nor hevinesse.
For whan she dyed, that was my good maistresse,
Al my welfare than made the same purchas;
The deeth hath set my boundes, of witnes, 75
Which for no-thing myn hert shal never pas.'
In this gret thought, sore troubled in my mynde,
Aloon thus rood I al the morow-tyde,
Til at the last it happed me to fynde
The place wherin I cast me to abyde 80
Whan that I had no further for to ryde.
And as I went my logging to purvey,
Right sone I herde, but litel me besyde,
In a gardeyn, wher minstrels gan to play.
With that anon I went me bakker-more; 85
My-self and I, me thought, we were y-now;
But twayn that were my frendes here-before
Had me espyed, and yet I wot nat how.
They come for me; awayward I me drow,
Somwhat by force, somwhat by their request, 90
That in no wyse I coud my-self rescow,
But nede I must come in, and see the feest.
At my coming, the ladies everichoon
Bad me welcome, god wot, right gentilly,
And made me chere, everich by oon and oon, 95
A gret del better than I was worthy;
And, of their grace, shewed me gret curtesy
With good disport, bicause I shuld nat mourne.
That day I bood stille in their company,
Which was to me a gracious sojourne. 100
The bordes were spred in right litel space;
The ladies sat, ech as hem semed best.
Were non that did servyce within that place
But chosen men, right of the goodliest:
And som ther were, peravénture most fresshest, 105
That sawe their juges, sitting ful demure,
Without semblaunt either to most or lest,
Notwithstanding they had hem under cure.
Among al other, oon I gan espy
Which in gret thought ful often com and went 110
As man that had ben ravished utterly,
In his langage nat gretly diligent;
His countenaunce he kept with greet tourment,
But his desyr fer passed his resoun;
For ever his eye went after his entent 115
Ful many a tyme, whan it was no sesoun.
To make good chere, right sore him-self he payned,
And outwardly he fayned greet gladnesse;
To singe also by force he was constrayned
For no plesaunce, but very shamfastnesse; 120
For the complaynt of his most hevinesse
Com to his voice alwey without request,
Lyk as the sowne of birdes doth expresse
Whan they sing loude, in frith or in forest.
Other ther were, that served in the hal, 125
But non lyk him, as after myn advyse;
For he was pale, and somwhat lene with-al;
His speche also trembled in fereful wyse;
And ever aloon, but when he did servyse.
Al blak he ware, and no devyce but playn. 130
Me thought by him, as my wit coud suffyse,
His hert was no-thing in his own demeyn.
To feste hem al he did his diligence,
And wel he couth, right as it semed me.
But evermore, whan he was in presence, 135
His chere was don; it wold non other be.
His scole-maister had suche auctoritè
That, al the whyle he bood stille in the place,
Speke coude he nat, but upon her beautè
He loked stil, with right a pitous face. 140
With that, his heed he tourned at the last
For to behold the ladies everichon;
But ever in oon he set his ey stedfast
On her, the which his thought was most upon.
And of his eyen the shot I knew anon 145
Which federed was with right humble requestes.
Than to my-self I sayd, 'By god aloon,
Suche oon was I, or that I saw these gestes.'
Out of the prees he went ful esely
To make stable his hevy countenaunce; 150
And, wit ye wel, he syghed tenderly
For his sorowes and woful remembraunce.
Than in him-self he made his ordinaunce,
And forth-withal com to bringe in the mes;
But, for to juge his most ruful semblaunce, 155
God wot, it was a pitous entremes!
After diner, anon they hem avaunced
To daunce about, these folkes everichoon;
And forth-withal this hevy lover daunced
Somtyme with twayn, and somtyme but with oon. 160
Unto hem al his chere was after oon,
Now here, now there, as fel by aventure;
But ever among, he drew to her aloon
Which he most dredde of living creature.
To myn advyse, good was his purveyaunce 165
Whan he her chase to his maistresse aloon,
If that her hert were set to his plesaunce
As moche as was her beauteous persone.
For who that ever set his trust upon
The réport of the eyen, withouten more, 170
He might be deed and graven under stoon
Or ever he shulde his hertes ese restore.
In her fayled nothing, as I coud gesse,
O wyse nor other, prevy nor apert;
A garnison she was of al goodnesse 175
To make a frounter for a lovers hert;
Right yong and fresshe, a woman ful covert;
Assured wel her port and eke her chere,
Wel at her ese, withouten wo or smert,
Al underneth the standard of Daungere. 180
To see the feest, it weried me ful sore;
For hevy joy doth sore the hert travayle.
Out of the prees I me withdrew therfore,
And set me down aloon, behynd a trayle
Ful of leves, to see, a greet mervayle, 185
With grene withies y-bounden wonderly;
The leves were so thik, withouten fayle,
That thorough-out might no man me espy.
To this lady he com ful curteisly
Whan he thought tyme to daunce with her a trace; 190
Sith in an herber made ful pleasauntly
They rested hem, fro thens but litel space.
Nigh hem were none, a certayn of compace,
But only they, as fer as I coud see;
And save the trayle, ther I had chose my place, 195
Ther was no more betwix hem tweyne and me.
I herd the lover syghing wonder sore;
For ay the neer, the sorer it him sought.
His inward payne he coud not kepe in store,
Nor for to speke, so hardy was he nought. 200
His leche was neer, the gretter was his thought;
He mused sore, to conquere his desyre;
For no man may to more penaunce be brought
Than, in his hete, to bringe him to the fyre.
The hert began to swel within his chest, 205
So sore strayned for anguish and for payne
That al to peces almost it to-brest,
Whan bothe at ones so sore it did constrayne;
Desyr was bold, but shame it gan refrayne;
That oon was large, the other was ful cloos; 210
No litel charge was layd on him, certayn,
To kepe suche werre, and have so many foos.
Ful often-tymes to speke him-self he peyned,
But shamfastnesse and drede sayd ever 'nay';
Yet at the last so sore he was constrayned, 215
Whan he ful long had put it in delay,
To his lady right thus than gan he say
With dredful voice, weping, half in a rage:--
'For me was purveyd an unhappy day
Whan I first had a sight of your visage! 220
I suffre payne, god wot, ful hoot brenning,
To cause my deeth, al for my trew servyse;
And I see wel, ye rekke therof nothing,
Nor take no hede of it, in no kins wyse.
But whan I speke after my best avyse, 225
Ye set it nought, but make ther-of a game;
And though I sewe so greet an entrepryse,
It peyreth not your worship nor your fame.
Alas! what shulde be to you prejudyce
If that a man do love you faithfully 230
To your worship, eschewing every vyce?
So am I yours, and wil be verily;
I chalenge nought of right, and reson why,
For I am hool submit to your servyse;
Right as ye liste it be, right so wil I, 235
To bynde my-self, where I was in fraunchyse!
Though it be so, that I can nat deserve
To have your grace, but alway live in drede,
Yet suffre me you for to love and serve
Without maugrè of your most goodlihede; 240
Both faith and trouth I give your womanhede,
And my servyse, withoute ayein-calling.
Love hath me bounde, withouten wage or mede,
To be your man, and leve al other thing.'
Whan this lady had herd al this langage, 245
She yaf answere ful softe and demurely,
Without chaunging of colour or corage,
No-thing in haste, but mesurabelly:--
'Me thinketh, sir, your thought is greet foly!
Purpose ye not your labour for to cese? 250
For thinketh not, whyl that ye live and I,
In this matére to set your hert in pees!'
_Lamant._ 'Ther may non make the pees, but only ye,
Which ar the ground and cause of al this werre;
For with your eyen the letters written be, 255
By which I am defyed and put a-fer.
Your plesaunt look, my verray lode-sterre,
Was made heraud of thilk same défyaunce
Which utterly behight me to forbarre
My faithful trust and al myn affyaunce.' 260
_La Dame._ 'To live in wo he hath gret fantasy
And of his hert also hath slipper holde,
That, only for beholding of an y,
Can nat abyde in pees, as reson wolde!
Other or me if ye list to beholde, 265
Our eyen are made to loke; why shuld we spare?
I take no kepe, neither of yong nor olde;
Who feleth smert, I counsayle him be ware!'
_Lam._ 'If it be so, oon hurte another sore,
In his defaut that feleth the grevaunce, 270
Of very right a man may do no more;
Yet reson wolde it were in remembraunce.
And, sith Fortune not only, by her chaunce,
Hath caused me to suffre al this payn,
But your beautè, with al the circumstaunce, 275
Why list ye have me in so greet disdayn?'
_La D._ 'To your persone ne have I no disdayn,
Nor ever had, trewly! ne nought wil have,
Nor right gret love, nor hatred, in certayn;
Nor your counsayl to know, so god me save! 280
If such beleve be in your mynde y-grave
That litel thing may do you greet plesaunce,
You to begyle, or make you for to rave,
I wil nat cause no suche encomberaunce!'
_Lam._ 'What ever it be that me hath thus purchased, 285
Wening hath nat disceyved me, certayn,
But fervent love so sore hath me y-chased
That I, unware, am casten in your chayne;
And sith so is, as Fortune list ordayne,
Al my welfare is in your handes falle, 290
In eschewing of more mischévous payn;
Who sonest dyeth, his care is leest of alle.'
_La D._ 'This sicknesse is right esy to endure,
But fewe people it causeth for to dy;
But what they mene, I know it very sure, 295
Of more comfort to draw the remedy.
Such be there now, playning ful pitously,
That fele, god wot, nat alther-grettest payne;
And if so be, love hurt so grevously,
Lesse harm it were, oon sorowful, than twayne!' 300
_Lam._ 'Alas, madame! if that it might you plese,
Moche better were, by way of gentilnesse,
Of one sory, to make twayn wel at ese,
Than him to stroy that liveth in distresse!
For my desyr is neither more nor lesse 305
But my servyce to do, for your plesaunce,
In eschewing al maner doublenesse,
To make two joyes in stede of oo grevaunce!'
_La D._ 'Of love I seke neither plesaunce nor ese,
Nor greet desyr, nor right gret affyaunce; 310
Though ye be seke, it doth me nothing plese;
Also, I take no hede to your plesaunce.
Chese who-so wil, their hertes to avaunce,
Free am I now, and free wil I endure;
To be ruled by mannes governaunce 315
For erthely good, nay! that I you ensure!'
_Lam._ 'Love, which that joy and sorowe doth departe,
Hath set the ladies out of al servage,
And largëly doth graunt hem, for their parte,
Lordship and rule of every maner age. 320
The poor servaunt nought hath of avauntage
But what he may get only of purchace;
And he that ones to love doth his homage,
Ful often tyme dere bought is the rechace.'
_La D._ 'Ladies be nat so simple, thus I mene, 325
So dul of wit, so sotted of foly,
That, for wordes which sayd ben of the splene,
In fayre langage, paynted ful plesauntly,
Which ye and mo holde scoles of dayly,
To make hem of gret wonders to suppose; 330
But sone they can away their hedes wrye,
And to fair speche lightly their eres close.'
_Lam._ 'Ther is no man that jangleth busily,
And set his hert and al his mynd therfore,
That by resoun may playne so pitously 335
As he that hath moche hevinesse in store.
Whos heed is hool, and sayth that it is sore,
His fayned chere is hard to kepe in mewe;
But thought, which is unfayned evermore,
The wordes preveth, as the workes sewe. 340
_La D._ 'Love is subtel, and hath a greet awayt,
Sharp in worching, in gabbing greet plesaunce,
And can him venge of suche as by disceyt
Wold fele and knowe his secret governaunce;
And maketh hem to obey his ordinaunce 345
By chereful wayes, as in hem is supposed;
But whan they fallen in-to repentaunce,
Than, in a rage, their counsail is disclosed.'
_Lam._ 'Sith for-as-moche as god and eke nature
Hath +love avaunced to so hye degrè, 350
Moch sharper is the point, this am I sure,
Yet greveth more the faute, wher-ever it be.
Who hath no cold, of hete hath no deyntè,
The toon for the tother asked is expresse;
And of plesaunce knoweth non the certeyntè 355
But it be wonne with thought and hevinesse.'
_La D._ 'As for plesaunce, it is nat alway oon;
That you is swete, I thinke it bitter payne.
Ye may nat me constrayne, nor yet right non,
After your lust, to love that is but vayne. 360
To chalenge love by right was never seyn,
But herte assent, before bond and promyse;
For strength nor force may not atteyne, certayn,
A wil that stant enfeffed in fraunchyse!'
_Lam._ 'Right fayr lady, god mote I never plese, 365
If I seke other right, as in this case,
But for to shewe you playnly my disese
And your mercy to abyde, and eke your grace.
If I purpose your honour to deface,
Or ever did, god and fortune me shende! 370
And that I never rightwysly purchace
Oon only joy, unto my lyves ende!'
_La D._ 'Ye and other, that swere suche othes faste,
And so condempne and cursen to and fro,
Ful sikerly, ye wene your othes laste 375
No lenger than the wordes ben ago!
And god, and eke his sayntes, laughe also.
In such swering ther is no stedfastnesse,
And these wrecches, that have ful trust therto,
After, they wepe and waylen in distresse.' 380
_Lam._ 'He hath no corage of a man, trewly,
That secheth plesaunce, worship to despyse;
Nor to be called forth is not worthy
The erthe to touch the ayre in no-kins wyse.
A trusty hert, a mouth without feyntyse, 385
These ben the strength of every man of name;
And who that layth his faith for litel pryse,
He leseth bothe his worship and his fame.'
_La D._ 'A currish herte, a mouth that is curteys,
Ful wel ye wot, they be not according; 390
Yet feyned chere right sone may hem apeyse
Where of malyce is set al their worching;
Ful fals semblant they bere and trew mening;
Their name, their fame, their tonges be but fayned;
Worship in hem is put in forgetting, 395
Nought repented, nor in no wyse complayned.'
_Lam._ 'Who thinketh il, no good may him befal;
God, of his grace, graunt ech man his desert!
But, for his love, among your thoughtes al,
As think upon my woful sorowes smert; 400
For of my payne, wheder your tender hert
Of swete pitè be not therwith agreved,
And if your grace to me were discovert,
Than, by your mene, sone shulde I be releved.'
_La D._ 'A lightsom herte, a folly of plesaunce 405
Are moch better, the lesse whyl they abyde;
They make you thinke, and bring you in a traunce;
But that seknesse wil sone be remedyed.
Respite your thought, and put al this asyde;
Ful good disportes werieth men al-day; 410
To help nor hurt, my wil is not aplyed;
Who troweth me not, I lete it passe away.'
_Lam._ 'Who hath a brid, a faucon, or a hound,
That foloweth him, for love, in every place,
He cherissheth him, and kepeth him ful sound; 415
Out of his sight he wil not him enchace.
And I, that set my wittes, in this cace,
On you alone, withouten any chaunge,
Am put under, moch ferther out of grace,
And lesse set by, than other that be straunge.' 420
_La D._ 'Though I make chere to every man aboute
For my worship, and of myn own fraunchyse,
To you I nil do so, withouten doute,
In eschewing al maner prejudyse.
For wit ye wel, love is so litel wyse, 425
And in beleve so lightly wil be brought,
That he taketh al at his own devyse,
Of thing, god wot, that serveth him of nought.'
_Lam._ 'If I, by love and by my trew servyse,
Lese the good chere that straungers have alway, 430
Wherof shuld serve my trouth in any wise
Lesse than to hem that come and go al-day,
Which holde of you nothing, that is no nay?
Also in you is lost, to my seming,
Al curtesy, which of resoun wold say 435
That love for love were lawful deserving.'
_La D._ 'Curtesy is alyed wonder nere
To Worship, which him loveth tenderly;
And he wil nat be bounde, for no prayere,
Nor for no gift, I say you verily, 440
But his good chere depart ful largely
Where him lyketh, as his conceit wil fal;
Guerdon constrayned, a gift don thankfully,
These twayn may not accord, ne never shal.'
_Lam._ 'As for guerdon, I seke non in this cace; 445
For that desert, to me it is to hy;
Wherfore I ask your pardon and your grace,
Sith me behoveth deeth, or your mercy.
To give the good where it wanteth, trewly,
That were resoun and a curteys maner; 450
And to your own moch better were worthy
Than to straungers, to shewe hem lovely chere.'
_La D._ 'What cal ye good? Fayn wolde I that I wist!
That pleseth oon, another smerteth sore;
But of his own to large is he that list 455
Give moche, and lese al his good fame therfore.
Oon shulde nat make a graunt, litel ne more,
But the request were right wel according;
If worship be not kept and set before,
Al that is left is but a litel thing.' 460
_Lam._ 'In-to this world was never formed non,
Nor under heven crëature y-bore,
Nor never shal, save only your persone,
To whom your worship toucheth half so sore,
But me, which have no seson, lesse ne more, 465
Of youth ne age, but still in your service;
I have non eyen, no wit, nor mouth in store,
But al be given to the same office.'
_La D._ 'A ful gret charge hath he, withouten fayle,
That his worship kepeth in sikernesse; 470
But in daunger he setteth his travayle
That feffeth it with others businesse.
To him that longeth honour and noblesse,
Upon non other shulde nat he awayte;
For of his own so moche hath he the lesse 475
That of other moch folweth the conceyt.'
_Lam._ 'Your eyen hath set the print which that I fele
Within my hert, that, where-so-ever I go,
If I do thing that sowneth unto wele,
Nedes must it come from you, and fro no mo. 480
Fortune wil thus, that I, for wele or wo,
My lyf endure, your mercy abyding;
And very right wil that I thinke also
Of your worship, above al other thing.'
_La D._ 'To your worship see wel, for that is nede, 485
That ye spend nat your seson al in vayne;
As touching myn, I rede you take no hede,
By your foly to put your-self in payne.
To overcome is good, and to restrayne
An hert which is disceyved folily. 490
For worse it is to breke than bowe, certayn,
And better bowe than fal to sodaynly!'
_Lam._ 'Now, fair lady, think, sith it first began
That love hath set myn hert under his cure,
I never might, ne truly I ne can 495
Non other serve, whyle I shal here endure;
In most free wyse therof I make you sure,
Which may not be withdrawe; this is no nay.
I must abyde al maner aventure;
For I may not put to, nor take away.' 500
_La D._ 'I holde it for no gift, in sothfastnesse,
That oon offreth, where that it is forsake;
For suche gift is abandoning expresse
That with worship ayein may not be take.
He hath an hert ful fel that list to make 505
A gift lightly, that put is in refuse;
But he is wyse that such conceyt wil slake,
So that him nede never to study ne muse.'
_Lam._ 'He shuld nat muse, that hath his service spent
On her which is a lady honourable; 510
And if I spende my tyme to that entent,
Yet at the leest I am not reprevable
Of feyled hert; to thinke I am unable,
Or me mistook whan I made this request,
By which love hath, of entreprise notable, 515
So many hertes gotten by conquest.'
_La D._ 'If that ye list do after my counsayl,
Secheth fairer, and of more higher fame,
Whiche in servyce of love wil you prevayl
After your thought, according to the same. 520
He hurteth both his worship and his name
That folily for twayne him-self wil trouble;
And he also leseth his after-game
That surely can not sette his poyntes double.'
_Lam._ 'This your counsayl, by ought that I can see, 525
Is better sayd than don, to myn advyse;
Though I beleve it not, forgive it me,
Myn herte is suche, so hool without feyntyse,
That it ne may give credence, in no wyse,
To thing which is not sowning unto trouthe; 530
Other counsayl, it ar but fantasyes,
Save of your grace to shewe pitè and routhe.'
_La D._ 'I holde him wyse that worketh folily
And, whan him list, can leve and part therfro;
But in conning he is to lerne, trewly, 535
That wolde him-self conduite, and can not so.
And he that wil not after counsayl do,
His sute he putteth in desesperaunce;
And al the good, which that shulde falle him to,
Is left as deed, clene out of rémembraunce.' 540
_Lam._ 'Yet wil I sewe this mater faithfully
Whyls I may live, what-ever be my chaunce;
And if it hap that in my trouthe I dy,
That deeth shal not do me no displesaunce.
But whan that I, by your ful hard suffraunce, 545
Shal dy so trew, and with so greet a payne,
Yet shal it do me moche the lesse grevaunce
Than for to live a fals lover, certayne.'
_La D._ 'Of me get ye right nought, this is no fable,
I nil to you be neither hard nor strayt; 550
And right wil not, nor maner customable,
To think ye shulde be sure of my conceyt.
Who secheth sorowe, his be the receyt!
Other counsayl can I not fele nor see,
Nor for to lerne I cast not to awayte; 555
Who wil therto, let him assay, for me!'
_Lam._ 'Ones must it be assayd, that is no nay,
With such as be of reputacioun,
And of trew love the right devoir to pay
Of free hertes, geten by due raunsoun; 560
For free wil holdeth this opinioun,
That it is greet duresse and discomfort
To kepe a herte in so strayt a prisoun,
That hath but oon body for his disport.'
_La D._ 'I know so many cases mervaylous 565
That I must nede, of resoun, think certayn,
That such entree is wonder perilous,
And yet wel more, the coming bak agayn.
Good or worship therof is seldom seyn;
Wherefore I wil not make no suche aray 570
As for to fynde a plesaunce but barayn,
Whan it shal cost so dere, the first assay.'
_Lam._ 'Ye have no cause to doute of this matere,
Nor you to meve with no such fantasyes
To put me ferre al-out, as a straungere; 575
For your goodnesse can think and wel avyse,
That I have made a prefe in every wyse
By which my trouth sheweth open evidence;
My long abyding and my trew servyse
May wel be knowen by playn experience.' 580