_La D._ 'Of very right he may be called trew,

And so must he be take in every place,

That can deserve, and let as he ne knew,

And kepe the good, if he it may purchace.

For who that prayeth or sueth in any case, 585

Right wel ye wot, in that no trouth is preved;

Suche hath ther ben, and are, that geten grace,

And lese it sone, whan they it have acheved.'

_Lam._ 'If trouth me cause, by vertue soverayne,

To shew good love, and alway fynd contráry, 590

And cherish that which sleeth me with the payne,

This is to me a lovely adversary!

Whan that pitè, which long a-slepe doth tary,

Hath set the fyne of al myn hevinesse,

Yet her comfort, to me most necessary, 595

Shuld set my wil more sure in stablenesse.'

_La D._ 'The woful wight, what may he thinke or say?

The contrary of al joy and gladnesse.

A sick body, his thought is al away

From hem that fele no sorowe nor siknesse. 600

Thus hurtes ben of dyvers businesse

Which love hath put to right gret hinderaunce,

And trouthe also put in forgetfulnesse

Whan they so sore begin to sighe askaunce.'

_Lam._ 'Now god defend but he be havëlesse 605

Of al worship or good that may befal,

That to the werst tourneth, by his lewdnesse,

A gift of grace, or any-thing at al

That his lady vouchsauf upon him cal,

Or cherish him in honourable wyse! 610

In that defaut what-ever he be that fal

Deserveth more than deth to suffre twyse!'

_La D._ 'There is no juge y-set of such trespace

By which of right oon may recovered be;

Oon curseth fast, another doth manace, 615

Yet dyeth non, as ferre as I can see,

But kepe their cours alway, in oon degrè,

And evermore their labour doth encrese

To bring ladyes, by their gret soteltè,

For others gilte, in sorowe and disese!' 620

_Lam._ 'Al-be-it so oon do so greet offence,

And be not deed, nor put to no juÿse,

Right wel I wot, him gayneth no defence,

But he must ende in ful mischévous wyse,

And al that ever is good wil him dispyse. 625

For falshed is so ful of cursednesse

That high worship shal never have enterpryse

Where it reigneth and hath the wilfulnesse.'

_La D._ 'Of that have they no greet fere now-a-days,

Suche as wil say, and maynteyne it ther-to, 630

That stedfast trouthe is nothing for to prays

In hem that kepe it long for wele or wo.

Their busy hertes passen to and fro,

They be so wel reclaymed to the lure,

So wel lerned hem to withholde also, 635

And al to chaunge, whan love shuld best endure.'

_Lam._ 'Whan oon hath set his herte in stable wyse

In suche a place as is both good and trewe,

He shuld not flit, but do forth his servyse

Alway, withouten chaunge of any newe. 640

As sone as love beginneth to remewe,

Al plesaunce goth anon, in litel space;

For my party, al that shal I eschewe,

Whyls that the soule abydeth in his place.'

_La D._ 'To love trewly ther-as ye ought of right, 645

Ye may not be mistaken, doutëlesse;

But ye be foul deceyved in your sight

By lightly understanding, as I gesse.

Yet may ye wel repele your businesse

And to resoun somwhat have attendaunce, 650

Moch better than to byde, by fol simplesse,

The feble socour of desesperaunce.'

_Lam._ 'Resoun, counsayl, wisdom, and good avyse

Ben under love arested everichoon,

To which I can accorde in every wyse; 655

For they be not rebel, but stille as stoon;

Their wil and myn be medled al in oon,

And therwith bounden with so strong a cheyne

That, as in hem, departing shal be noon,

But pitè breke the mighty bond atwayne.' 660

_La D._ 'Who loveth not himself, what-ever he be

In love, he stant forgete in every place;

And of your wo if ye have no pitè,

Others pitè bileve not to purchace;

But beth fully assured in this case, 665

I am alway under oon ordinaunce,

To have better; trusteth not after grace,

And al that leveth tak to your plesaunce!'

_Lam._ 'I have my hope so sure and so stedfast

That suche a lady shulde nat fail pitè; 670

But now, alas! it is shit up so fast,

That Daunger sheweth on me his crueltè.

And if she see the vertue fayle in me

Of trew servyce, then she to fayle also

No wonder were; but this is the suretè, 675

I must suffre, which way that ever it go.'

_La D._ 'Leve this purpos, I rede you for the best;

For lenger that ye kepe it thus in vayn,

The lesse ye gete, as of your hertes rest,

And to rejoice it shal ye never attayn. 680

Whan ye abyde good hope, to make you fayn,

Ye shal be founde asotted in dotage;

And in the ende, ye shal know for certayn,

That hope shal pay the wrecches for their wage!'

_Lam._ 'Ye say as falleth most for your plesaunce, 685

And your power is greet; al this I see;

But hope shal never out of my rémembraunce,

By whiche I felt so greet adversitè.

For whan nature hath set in you plentè

Of al goodnesse, by vertue and by grace, 690

He never assembled hem, as semeth me,

To put Pitè out of his dwelling-place.'

_La D._ 'Pitè of right ought to be resonable,

And to no wight of greet disavantage;

There-as is nede, it shuld be profitable, 695

And to the pitous shewing no damage.

If a lady wil do so greet out-rage

To shewe pitè, and cause her own debate,

Of such pitè cometh dispitous rage,

And of the love also right deedly hate.' 700

_Lam._ 'To comforte hem that live al comfortlesse,

That is no harm, but worship to your name;

But ye, that bere an herte of such duresse,

And a fair body formed to the same,

If I durst say, ye winne al this defame 705

By Crueltè, which sitteth you ful il,

But-if Pitè, which may al this attame,

In your high herte may rest and tary stil.'

_La D._ 'What-ever he be that sayth he loveth me,

And peraventure, I leve that it be so, 710

Ought he be wroth, or shulde I blamed be,

Though I did noght as he wolde have me do?

If I medled with suche or other mo,

It might be called pitè manerlesse;

And, afterward if I shulde live in wo, 715

Than to repent it were to late, I gesse.'

_Lam._ 'O marble herte, and yet more hard, pardè,

Which mercy may nat perce, for no labour,

More strong to bowe than is a mighty tree,

What vayleth you to shewe so greet rigour? 720

Plese it you more to see me dy this hour

Before your eyen, for your disport and play,

Than for to shewe som comfort or socour

To respite deth, that chaseth me alway!'

_La D._ 'Of your disese ye may have allegeaunce; 725

And as for myn, I lete it over-shake.

Also, ye shal not dye for my plesaunce,

Nor for your hele I can no surety make.

I nil nat hate myn hert for others sake;

Wepe they, laugh they, or sing, this I waraunt, 730

For this mater so wel to undertake

That non of you shal make therof avaunt!'

_Lam._ 'I can no skil of song; by god aloon,

I have more cause to wepe in your presence;

And wel I wot, avauntour am I noon, 735

For certainly, I love better silence.

Oon shuld nat love by his hertes credence

But he were sure to kepe it secretly;

For avauntour is of no reverence

Whan that his tonge is his most enemy.' 740

_La D._ 'Male-bouche in courte hath greet commaundement;

Ech man studieth to say the worst he may.

These fals lovers, in this tyme now present,

They serve to boste, to jangle as a jay.

The most secret wil wel that some men say 745

How he mistrusted is on some partyes;

Wherfore to ladies what men speke or pray,

It shuld not be bileved in no wyse.'

_Lam._ 'Of good and il shal be, and is alway;

The world is such; the erth it is not playn. 750

They that be good, the preve sheweth every day,

And otherwyse, gret villany, certayn.

Is it resoun, though oon his tonge distayne

With cursed speche, to do him-self a shame,

That such refuse shuld wrongfully remayne 755

Upon the good, renommed in their fame?'

_La D._ 'Suche as be nought, whan they here tydings newe,

That ech trespas shal lightly have pardoun,

They that purposen to be good and trewe--

Wel set by noble disposicioun 760

To continue in good condicioun--

They are the first that fallen in damage,

And ful freely their hertes abandoun

To litel faith, with softe and fayr langage.'

_Lam._ 'Now knowe I wel, of very certayntè, 765

Though oon do trewly, yet shal he be shent,

Sith al maner of justice and pitè

Is banisshed out of a ladyes entent.

I can nat see but al is at oo stent,

The good and il, the vyce and eek vertue! 770

Suche as be good shal have the punishment

For the trespas of hem that been untrewe!'

_La D._ 'I have no power you to do grevaunce,

Nor to punisshe non other creature;

But, to eschewe the more encomberaunce, 775

To kepe us from you al, I holde it sure.

Fals semblaunce hath a visage ful demure,

Lightly to cacche the ladies in a-wayt;

Wherefore we must, if that we wil endure,

Make right good watch; lo! this is my conceyt.' 780

_Lam._ 'Sith that of grace oo goodly word aloon

May not be had, but alway kept in store,

I pele to god, for he may here my moon,

Of the duresse, which greveth me so sore.

And of pitè I pleyn me further-more, 785

Which he forgat, in al his ordinaunce,

Or els my lyf to have ended before,

Which he so sone put out of rémembraunce.'

_La D._ 'My hert, nor I, have don you no forfeyt,

By which ye shulde complayne in any kynde. 790

There hurteth you nothing but your conceyt;

Be juge your-self; for so ye shal it fynde.

Ones for alway let this sinke in your mynde--

That ye desire shal never rejoysed be!

Ye noy me sore, in wasting al this wynde; 795

For I have sayd y-nough, as semeth me.'

VERBA AUCTORIS.

This woful man roos up in al his payne,

And so parted, with weping countenaunce;

His woful hert almost to-brast in twayne,

Ful lyke to dye, forth walking in a traunce, 800

And sayd, 'Now, deeth, com forth! thy-self avaunce,

Or that myn hert forgete his propertè;

And make shorter al this woful penaunce

Of my pore lyfe, ful of adversitè!'

Fro thens he went, but whider wist I nought, 805

Nor to what part he drow, in sothfastnesse;

But he no more was in his ladies thought,

For to the daunce anon she gan her dresse.

And afterward, oon tolde me thus expresse,

He rente his heer, for anguissh and for payne, 810

And in him-self took so gret hevinesse

That he was deed, within a day or twayne.

LENVOY.

Ye trew lovers, this I beseche you al,

Such +avantours, flee hem in every wyse,

And as people defamed ye hem cal; 815

For they, trewly, do you gret prejudyse.

Refus hath mad for al such flateryes

His castelles strong, stuffed with ordinaunce,

For they have had long tyme, by their offyce,

The hool countrè of Love in obeysaunce. 820

And ye, ladyes, or what estat ye be,

In whom Worship hath chose his dwelling-place,

For goddes love, do no such crueltè,

Namely, to hem that have deserved grace.

Nor in no wyse ne folowe not the trace 825

Of her, that here is named rightwisly,

Which by resoun, me semeth, in this case

May be called LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCY.

VERBA TRANSLATORIS.

Go, litel book! god sende thee good passage!

Chese wel thy way; be simple of manere; 830

Loke thy clothing be lyke thy pilgrimage,

And specially, let this be thy prayere

Un-to hem al that thee wil rede or here,

Wher thou art wrong, after their help to cal

Thee to correcte in any part or al. 835

Pray hem also, with thyn humble servyce,

Thy boldënesse to pardon in this case;

For els thou art not able, in no wyse,

To make thy-self appere in any place.

And furthermore, beseche hem, of their grace, 840

By their favour and supportacioun,

To take in gree this rude translacioun,

The which, god wot, standeth ful destitute

Of eloquence, of metre, and of coloures,

Wild as a beest, naked, without refute, 845

Upon a playne to byde al maner shoures.

I can no more, but aske of hem socoures

At whos request thou mad were in this wyse,

Commaunding me with body and servyse.

Right thus I make an ende of this processe, 850

Beseching him that al hath in balaunce

That no trew man be vexed, causëlesse,

As this man was, which is of rémembraunce;

And al that doon their faythful observaunce,

And in their trouth purpose hem to endure, 855

I pray god sende hem better aventure.

_Explicit._

_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); _collated with_ F. (Fairfax 16); and H.

(Harl. 372). _Also in_ Ff. (Camb. Univ. Lib. Ff. 1. 6). _Bad spellings of_

Th. _are corrected by the_ MSS. TITLE. Th. H. La ... mercy; F. Balade de la

Bele Dame sanz mercy. H. _adds_--Translatid ... Ros. 1. Th. F. Halfe; H.

Half. 2. F. H. Ff. wrapt. 3. _All_ rose. 4. Th. Ff. -selfe; H. F. self. 5.

F. matere; H. matier. Th. leuynge. 6. Th. must; F. sholde; H. shold. 7. H.

to whom; F. the which; Th. whiche. Th. F. dysobey; H. sey nay. 9. Th.

thynge. Ff. part; _rest_ parte. 10. Th. F. boke; H. book. Th. La bel; F. la

bele; H. _om._ La. H. F. sanz; Th. sauns. 11. Th. Whiche. 12. Th.

secratairie; F. secretare; H. secretarie. 13. H. ther-; Th. F. her-. Th. F.

stode; H. stood. 14. Th. greatly ymagenynge. 15. Th. shulde; F. H. sholde;

Ff. shuld. Th. the; F. H. this. 16. Ff. avysement; _rest_ adv. 17. F. H.

Ff. Myn; Th. My. F. H. Ff. symplesse.

18. Th. -warde; strayte. 19. Th. myne. 20. Th. downe. 21. Th. conclusyon.

24. H. in-to. H. green; Th. F. grene. 25. Th. se; great. 26. F. H. Ff.

bolded; Th. boldly. F. benyng; Th. benygne; H. benyngne. 27. F. H. Ff.

That; Th. Whiche. Th. F. boke; H. booke. H. F. the; Th. Ff. this. Th. _om._

seid. 28. F. H. begynne. Th. please. (_From this point I silently correct

the spelling of_ Th.) 33. Th. Ff. by; F. H. with. 35. Ff. soleyne (_for_

sole thus); _perhaps better_. 41. F. H. Ff. is; Th. doth. 42. F. felde. Th.

maner of ease. 43. F. H. I; Th. as I. 44. F. H. Ff. nor doth noon other.

46. F. H. Ff. Were constreyned. 47. H. Myn eyen; F. Myn eyn; Th. My penne;

Ff. My pen. Ff. neu_er_ haue knolege; H. haue knowlege (!); Th. neuer

knowe; F. haue no knowlych.

49. F. H. Ff. And; Th. Tho. Th. _om._ if. 53. F. H. Ff. seke; Th. sicke.

54. Th. Ff. theyr; H. F. her (_often_). 55. F. H. balade or. 60. F. H. Ff.

lyth with hir vndir hir tumbe in graue (Ff. I-graue). 65. Th. Ff. by; F. H.

with. F. hath the forser vnschete. 66. Th. sperde; Ff. spred; F. sprad; H.

spradde (!). 73. Th. H. _om._ good. 74. Th. _om._ Al. H. made than. 75. F.

Ff. set; H. sette; Th. shette. F. H. Ff. boundes; Th. bondes. 77. F. H.

thoughtes. Th. _om._ my. 79. F. I (_for_ it). 80. H. I purposid me to bide.

81. H. forth to. 83. F. H. Ff. but; Th. a. 84. F. H. gardeyn; Th. garden.

88. F. _om._ yet I; H. _om._ yet. 89. F. H. come; Th. came. 90. Th. her; F.

H. Ff. their. 92. F. H. nede; Th. nedes. 95. H. F. Ff. eueryche by one and

one; Th. euery one by one. 103. _So_ Ff.; H. F. Were none that serued in

that place (!); Th. Ther were no deedly seruaunts in the place. 105. Ff.

_per_aunt_er_. H. _om._ most. 106. Th. _om._ sitting. 110. F. com; H. come;

Th. came. 111. H. F. man; Th. one; Ff. on.

115. Th. F. Ff. went; H. yode. 116. Th. F. Ff. Ful; H. At. 117. Th. _om._

good _and_ right. 122. F. H. Come; Th. Came. 124. F. H. _om. 2nd_ in. 133.

F. H. feste; Th. feest. 134. Th. coude; _rest_ couth. F. H. _om._ it. 138.

Th. H. bode. 143. F. eey; H. yee; Th. eye. Th. F. Ff. stedfast; H. faste.

144. Th. _om._ the.

145. F. H. And; Th. For. Th. Ff. shot; H. sight; F. seght. 146. H. fedired;

F. fedred; Ff. federid; Th. fereful. 148. Th. I, or that; F. ther that; H.

I that there. Th. iestes. 151. F. H. tendirly; Th. wonderly. 154. F. H.

come; Th. came. 155. F. H. _om._ most. F. H. ruful; Ff. rewfull; Th. woful.

F. H. Ff. semblaunce; Th. penaunce. 158. F. H. these; Th. the. 159. F. H.

louer; Th. man he. 160. Th. _om._ but. 166. _All_ chase. 168. F. H.

beautevous. 169. F. H. that; Th. so. F. H. set; Th. setteth. H. trist. 170.

Th. the (_rightly_); H. there; F. Ff. their. 171. F. vndir a. 173. F. H.

as; Th. that. 174. F. Ff. O; H. On; Th. One. F. H. vice. (!). H. ner (_for

1st_ nor). Th. Ff. nor; H. or; F. ne. Ff. apert; Th. H. perte;F. pert. 175.

Th. garyson. Th. goodlynesse. 176. _All_ frounter.

178. F. H. Ff. her; Th. of (_twice_). 180. Th. standerde; F. standarte; H.

standart. 183. Th. -drawe; H. -drewh. 184. Th. Ff. alone; F. H. _om._ 186.

F. withes; H. Ff. wythyes; Th. wrethes. 188. H. Ff. thorughe; Th. through;

F. thorgh. Th. no man might. 189. Th. this; H. his. F. H. come; Th. came.

191. Th. Set (_for_ Sith). H. herbier. 192. H. them. Th. but a. 193. Th. of

a certayne. 195. Th. _om._ And. 196. _So_ F. H.; Th. bytwene hem two. 201.

Th. more; H. Ff. neer. 204. Ff. hete; Th. heate; F. H. hert.

209. Th. Ff. gan; F. H. can. 210. F. H. The toon. 213-220. F. _omits_. 224.

F. H. Ff. kyns; Th. kynde. 225. H. Ff. avise; Th. aduyse. 226. Th. it at;

F. H. _om._ at. 227. H. enterprise. 228. F. H. It; Th. Yet. 229. Th. it be;

F. H. _om._ it. 231. Th. Ff. eschewynge; F. H. escusyng. 234. F. H. to; Th.

vnto. 235. _All_ ye. Th. Ff. right; F. even; H. euyn. 237. H. _om._ that.

238. Th. alway; F. H. ay to. 239. F. H. _om._ for. 240. Th. Withouten; F.

Without.

241. H. gif; F. geve. 242. F. H. ayein; Th. any (!). 243. F. withouten; H.

withoughtyn; Th. withoute. 248. F. Ff. mesurabely; Th. H. mesurably. 249.

Th. Ff. your thought is; F. H. ye do ful. 251. Th. thynketh; F. H. think

ye. Th. whyles; H. whil that; Ff. whils that. 252. F. matere; H. matier;

Th. mater. 258. F. Ff. dyffiaunce. 259. F. H. Ff. to forbarre; Th. for to

barre. 262. Th. _om._ hath. 263 Th. eye; F. eeye; H. yee; (_read_ y). 265.

F. if that ye lyst to beholde; H. Ff. if ye liste to biholde; Th. if ye

list ye may beholde. 267. H. nor; Th. F. Ff. ne.

273. Th. _om._ not. Th. her; F. H. Ff. his. 275. F. H. Ff. But; Th. By (!).

278. H. _om._ trewly. Th. Ff. nought; F. H. neuer. 281. F. beleue; H.

bileue; Th. loue (!). 282. _So_ Ff.; H. F. _om._ greet (Th. you

dyspleasaunce!). 284. _So_ F. Th.; H. encombrance. 290. F. I-falle; H.

y-falle; Ff. falle; Th. fal. 297. Th. F. Ff. now; H. nought. 302. Th. it

were; F. H. _om._ it. 303. F. sorow; H. sorwe; Th. Ff. sory. 304. F. H.

stroye; Th. destroye. 308. F. H. oo; Th. one.

309. Th. Ff. nor; F. H. ne. 310. F. H. grete desire nor; Th. haue therin

no. Th. _om._ right. 311. F. H. seke; Th. sicke. 312. Th. of; F. H. Ff. to.

313. F. H. their; Th. her. 317. Th. that ioy; F. H. _om._ that. 318. F. H.

_om._ al. 319. F. H. their; Th. her. 320. Th. maner of age. 322. Th. by; F.

H. Ff. of. Th. purchesse; F. H. purchace. 324. Th. tymes. F. _om._ the. H.

dere his richesse bought has. Ff. rechace; _rest_ richesse. 326. Th. in

(_for 2nd_ of). 327. F. ben; Th. be; H. are. 329. H. scoolys holden dieuly.

330. F. H. of; Th. al. 331. F. H. their hedes away. 334. F. set; Ff. sette;

Th. H. setteth. 337. F. H. _om._ that. 340. Th. shewe; F. sue; H. Ff. sewe.

341. Th. Ff. awayte; F. H. abayte. 342. F. worching; H. worsching; Th.

workyng. 344. F. H. know and fele. 346. F. H. him; Th. Ff. hem. 347. F. H.

when that; Th. _om._ that. 348. F. H. their; Th. her. 350. _All_ avaunced

loue. 351. Th. sharpe. F. H. this; Th. thus. 352. F. H. It; Th. Ff. Yet.

354. F. ton; H. toon; Th. one. F. H. the tother; Th. that other. 355. Th.

_om._ the. Th. certeyne (!). 356. F. wonne; H. wonnen; Th. one (!). F. H.

with; Th. in. 358. F. H. is; Th. thi_n_ke. 363. F. nor; H. ner; Th. and.

Th. _om._ certayn. 364. F. H. stant; Th. standeth. F. enfeoffed. 366. Th.

_om._ as. 371. F. H. rightwysly; Th. vnryghtfully (!).

384. Th. Ff. ayre; F. eir; H. heire. 386. Th. Thus be. F. H. Ff. man of;

Th. maner. 387. F. layth; Th. layeth; H. latith. 388. H. losith. 389. F.

Ff. currisch; H. kurressh; Th. cursed. 391. Th. F. right; H. ful. 392. F.

H. their; Th. her. F. worchyng; H. werchyng; Th. workynge. 393. Th. and; F.

H. a. F. Th. Ff. semyng; H. menyng. 394. F. H. Their; Th. Her (_thrice_).

Th. _om._ be. Th. but; F. H. not. 400. H. sorowe. 401. Th. wheder; Ff.

whedre; F. H. wher. 403. F. H. Ff. if; Th. of. 404. F. Ff. Then; H. Thanne;

Th. That.

408. Th. sicknesse. 410. Th. disporte. Th. me. 411. Th. Ff. nor; F. H. ne.

412. F. H. Ff. it; Th. hem. 413. Th. Ff. byrde; F. bride; H. bridde. 415.

H. _om. 2nd_ him. 416. F. H. _om. 2nd_ him. 419. Th. farther. 420. F. H.

sett lesse. 422. F. H. Ff. of; Th. for. 424. F. H. of all; Th. Ff. _om._

of. 425. Th. wote; F. H. wytt. 429-716. _Misarranged in_ F. H.; Th. Ff.

_follow the right order_. 429. (Th.) = 669 (F. H.). F. _om. 2nd_ by. 431.

F. There-of. F. H. shulde; Th. shal. 432. Th. him that cometh and goth.

433. Th. holdeth. 434. Th. as to; F. H. Ff. _om._ as. 435. F. H. wolde; Th.

Ff. wyl. 436. Th. desyringe (!).

438. Th. To; F. H. With. F. H. best and tendyrly; Th. Ff. _om._ best and.

440. F. H. _om._ no. F. H. Ff. yift; Th. gyftes. 442. F. Wheryn hym. 443.

F. H. Ff. constreynte. 444. F. H. Ff. may not; Th. ca_n_ neuer. F. H. ne;

Th. Ff. nor. 445. H. seche; F. beseche. 446. F. H. _om._ it. 450. Th. a

curtyse; Ff. a corteys; F. H. curteysy. 456. Th. _om._ al. 460. H. loste

(_for_ left). 461. F. H. Ff. neuer formed (fourmed); Th. founded neuer.

467. Th. no (_for_ non). F. eeyn; H. yeen. 468. H. That ne alle ar.

472. F. feoffeth. 474. Th. be (_for_ he). 475. F. H. _om._ his. 477-524.

_Follows_ 572 _in_ F. H. 477 (Th.) = 525 (F. H.). 478. Th. Ff. so; H. sum;

F. some. 479. H. sowndith. 481. H. Ff. thus; Th. this. 486. F. _om._ ye. H.

F. your sesoun spende not. 488. H. Ff. foly; Th. folly. 489. Th. H. herte.

H. F. folyly; Th. follyly. 492. H. F. And; Th. _om._ Th. to fal. 493. H.

Th. faire. 494. H. Ff. had (_for_ hath). H. F. your; Th. Ff. his. 495. F.

H. I neuer; Th. Ff. It neuer. 496. F. H. whiles. 500. H. F. not; Ff.

nought; Th. neyther.

501. Th. gyfte; H. yifte. 502. Th. _om._ that. 503. Th. a gifte; H. F. Ff.

_om._ a. 505. H. F. _om._ an. H. hurte ful fele (!). 506. H. F. Ff. in; Th.

to. 508. H. F. neuer; Th. neyther. 509. H. F. Who; Th. Ff. He. 512. F.

_om._ the. Th. reproveable. 513. F. H. feyled; Th. fayned. 514. Th. I

mystoke; H. F. Ff. me mystoke. 515. F. entrepris. 516. H. F. goten. 517. H.

Th. liste. 518. F. H. Secheth; Th. Seche a. 519. Th. preuayle. 523. H.

hosithe (_for_ leseth). 525-572. _Follows_ 716 _in_ F. H. 528. H. hoole;

Th. hole. 529. H. F. it; Th. I. H. F. _om._ ne. 530. H. soundyng. 531. H.

F. it ar; Th. I se be. Th. Ff. fantasise; F. fantasyse; H. fantaisise.

533. H. F. Ff. folily; Th. no foly (!). 534. H. Th. parte. 536. F. condyte.

538. Th. Ff. sute; H. F. suerte. H. F. in; Th. in to. 539. Th. _om._ which.

H. F. _om._ that. 540. H. F. Ff. left as; Th. lost and. F. dethe (!). 542.

H. Ff. Whils; Th. Whyles. Th. _om._ may. 544. Th. Than; H. F. Ff. That. H.

not; Th. F. _om._ 545. Ff. full; _rest om._ Th. H. harde. 546. H. triew;

Th. true. H. grete; Th. great. F. Ff. _om._ a. 547. F. H. _om._ the; _read_

mochel less? 550. H. F. nyl; Th. wyl. H. Th. harde. 551. Th. no man (_for_

nor maner). 555. Th. cast me not. 556. H. F. ther-to; Th. therof. 558. H.

F. beth. 559. H. trewe; Th. true. Ff. devoyr; H. duetes; F. dewtis; Th.

honour. 560. Th. gotten. H. F. due; Th. dewe. 562. H. grete; Th. great. H.

Th. -forte. 564. H. F. oo; Ff. on; Th. one. H. Th. -porte.

565. Ff. H. cases; _rest_ causes. 566. H. F. Which; Th. Ff. That. 567. H.

F. Ff. entre; Th. auenture (!). 570. Th. Where I ne wyl make suche. 571.

Th. but a; H. F. _om._ a. 573-620. _Follows_ 668 _in_ H. F. 573. F. matere;

Th. mater. 574. Th. fantasyse; F. fantasise; H. fantesye. 576. F. Ff.

avyse; Th. H. aduyse. 577. H. Ff. prefe; F. p_re_ue; Th. prise. 578. H.

trouthe; Th. truthe. 579. H. Th. trewe. 581. H. Th. trewe. 583. H. Ff.

deserue; Th. discerne (!). H. Th. knewe. 585. H. Ff. sueth; F. seweth; Th.

swereth. 587. Th. geten; H. F. getith. 588. H. F. Ff. it haue; Th. haue it.

590. Th. H. shewe; fynde. 593. H. F. a slepe; Th. on slepe. 595. Th. H.

comforte. 596. Ff. Shuld; H. F. Shulde; Th. Shal.

599. Th. sycke; H. F. seke. F. _om._ his. H. F. Ff. al awaye; Th. alway.

600. H. Ff. fele; Th. felen. H. sorwe; F. Ff. sorowe; Th. sore. 602. Th.

_om._ right. Th. hindraunce. 604. H. Ff. so; Th. ful; F. _om._ 605. H. Th.

defende. H. F. haueles; Th. harmlesse (!). 607. Th. _om._ the. 608. Th.

gyfte; H. yifte. 609. Th. Ff. vouchesafe; H. vouchith sauf. 610. H. F.

cherissh; Th. Ff. cherissheth. 611. H. Th. defaute. 613. H. F. of; Th. on.

H. Th. suche. 614. H. one; F. [=o]n; Th. loue. 615. H. Th. One. 616. H. Th.

none. 617. H. Th. her; _see_ 618. Th. course; H. corse. Th. H. one; F. a.

618. H. F. euere newe; Th. Ff. euermore. Ff. their; Th. theyr; H. there; F.

thair. 619. Th. Ff. their great; H. F. _om._ great. H. F. subtilite; Th.

subtelte; Ff. sotelte. 621-668. _Follows_ 524 _in_ F. H. 621. F. oone; H.

on; Th. one. Th. dothe; great. 622. H. F. Ff. be; Th. is. H. F. Ff. Iuyse;

Th. iustyse. 625. _So_ H. F. Ff.; Th. And al euer sayd god wyl. 626. Th.

_om._ so.

627. Ff. highe; H. F. her; Th. his. H. F. shal; Th. Ff. may. 629. Th.

great; F. H. _om._ Th. dayse; H. daies. 631. H. preys; Th. prayse. 632. F.

H. Ff. for; Th. in. 633. Th. F. Theyr; H. There. 637. Th. one; H. on; Ff.

won. 638. H. Ff. which (_for_ as). 643. _So_ F. H.; Th. As for my partie

that. 644. Th. Whyle; H. F. Ff. Whils that. 645. F. H. ye; Th. it. 647. Th.

H. foule. H. F. deceyued; Th. disceyued. 648. H. F. lightly; Th. light.

649. H. F. this; Th. Ff. your. 650. H. Ff. sumwhat haue; Th. haue some.

651. _All_ Moche. H. sonner; F. sunner; Th. Ff. better. Th. to abide. Ff.

fole; _rest_ foly. Th. simplenes; _rest_ simplesse. 653. F. Ff. avyse; Th.

H. aduyse. 656. Th. as a; H. F. Ff. _om._ a.

657. H. There. Th. H. one; Ff. won. 659. Th. Ff. as (_rightly_); H. F. is.

Th. H. none. 660. Th. H. bonde. 661. H. Ff. Who loueth; F. Who love; Th. Ye

loue. H. F. hym-; Th. your-. H. F. he be; Th. ye be. 662. _So_ H. F. Ff.;

Th. That in loue stande. 664. Th. bileue ye; _rest om._ ye. 665. H. F.

beth; Th. be. Th. as in; _rest om._ as. 666. Th. alway; H. F. alwaies. Th.

one; Ff. on; H. an. 667. F. H. trusteth; Th. trust. 668. Th. H. take.

669-716. _Follows_ 428 _in_ F. H. 670. Th. lacke; H. F. Ff. faile. 673. H.

faileth. 674. F. H. Ff. then she to; Th. thoughe she do. 675. Th. my; F. H.

Ff. the. H. surtee; F. seurte. 677. H. purpos; Th. pupose. 678. Th. For the

lenger ye. H. F. Ff. thus; Th. is. 680. H. F. Ff. ye; Th. you. 684. Th.

_om._ That. H. ther; Th. her. 686. Th. great.

688. F. H. Ff. felt; Th. fele. Th. great. 691. H. F. semeth; Th. semed.

694. H. F. of; Th. do no. 696. F. damage; H. da_m_mage; Th. Ff. domage.

697. H. F. _om._ wil. 699. H. dispetous. 700. Th. suche; H. F. Ff. the.

702. Th. H. harme. H. F. Ff. worship; Th. co_m_forte. 703. H. F. Ff. bere

an; Th. haue a. Th. H. suche. 704. H. F. Ff. _om._ And. _All_ fayre. H. F.

Ff. body; Th. lady (!). H. formed to; F. Ff. y-formed to; Th. I must

affirme (!). 710. H. F. Ff. that; Th. wel. 712. H. noght; Th. not. 714. H.

F. Ff. manerles; Th. mercylesse. 717. _Here_ H. F. _agree with_ Th.

_again_. Ff. marbre. Th. H. harde.

720. H. F. Ff. vaileth; Th. auayleth. Th. great. 721. H. F. Please; Th.

Pleaseth. Th. H. dye. 722. Th. H. dysporte. 723. H. F. Ff. or; Th. and.

724. Th. H. dethe. H. F. that; Th. whiche. 725. Th. H. disease. 726. H. F.

Ff. shake; Th. slake. 728. Th. heale. 729. H. F. Ff. nyl; Th. wyl. H. F.

Ff. hate myn herte; Th. hurte my selfe. 730. Th. they I; H. F. Ff. this I.

731. H. F. wel to: Th. wyl I. 732. H. F. you; Th. hem. 733. H. noo; Th.

nat. H. F. Ff. song; Th. loue. Th. alone. 735. H. F. Ff. I; Th. ye. Th. H.

wote. Th. none. 737. Th. One; H. On. 739. Th. H. a vauntour; _cf._ l. 735.

741. Th. great. 744. H. F. Ff. to boste; Th. best. 745. H. wil wele; F. Ff.

wille wel; Th. ywis. H. F. Ff. that; Th. yet. 746. H. F. on; Th. in. F. Th.

p_ar_tyse; Ff. partyes; H. party. 747. H. F. Ff. what; Th. whan so. Th. say

(_for_ pray). 748. H. F. shal; Ff. schuld; Th. shulde.

750. Th. H. suche. Th. Ff. erth; H. F. dethe. H. F. Ff. it is not; Th. is

not al. 751. H. F. preve; Th. profe. 752. Th. great villony. 753. F. Ff. Is

it; Th. H. It is. Th. H. one. 755. H. F. refuse. 756. Th. renomed; H.

renommeed. F. H. her (_for_ their). 757. Th. here; H. herde. 758. Th. H.

eche. 759. H. purposen; F. porposyn; Th. pursuen. 760. _So_ H. F. Ff.; Th.

Wyl not set by none il d. 761. Th. in euery; H. F. _om._ euery. 763. Ff.

thair; F. ther; H. theym; Th. the. F. H. _om._ hertes. 764. Th. faithe. Th.

Ff. softe and fayre; H. faire and softe. 766. F. H. Though; Th. Ff. If.

_All_ one. 768. H. banshid. 769. H. F. oo; Th. one. 770. Th. the (_for 1st_

and); H. F. and. Ff. eke; _rest_ eke the. 771. H. Ff. shal; Th. such. 772.

H. F. ben; Ff. beth; Th. lyue. 777. F. H. Ff. visage; Th. face (!). 778. H.

F. Ff. the; Th. these. Th. H. Ff. a wayte.

779. F. H. Ff. yf that we wil; Th. if we wyl here. 780. Th. H. co_n_ceyte.

781. F. H. oo; Th. a. Th. worde. H. F. Ff. allone; Th. nat one. 782. F. H.

not; Th. nowe. Th. kepte. 783. H. F. Ff. pele; Th. appele. _All_ mone

(_read_ moon). 785. H. Ff. pleyne me; F. pleyn me; Th. complayne. 786. Th.

H. forgate. 787. H. elles. 788. Ff. H. F. he so sone put; Th. so sone am

put. 789. Th. H. forfeyte. 791. _So_ H. F. Ff.; Th. Nothing hurteth you but

your owne conceyte. 792. H. shal ye. 793. H. F. Ones for; Th. Thus. 794.

_So_ H. Ff.; _so_ F. (_with_ the _for_ ye); Th. That your desyre shal neuer

recouered be. 796. Th. ynoughe. TITLE; _in_ H. 797. Th. rose; H. rosse. H.

F. al in; Th. Ff. in al. 798. Ff. partyd; _rest_ departed. 799. Th.

to-brast; H. F. Ff. it brest. 800. H. forth walkyng; Th. Ff. walkynge

forth. 801. Th. _om._ Now. 803. Th. Ff. shorter; H. shorte; F. short. 805.

H. Ff. whider; Th. whither. 806. F. party. F. Ff. drow; H. drowh; Th.

drewe.

809. Th. Ff. thus; H. it; F. _om._ 811. Th. great. TITLE; _in_ Th. 813. H.

F. Ff. Ye; Th. The. F. trew; H. trewe; Th. true. Th. thus; H. Ff. this.

814. Ff. aventours; _rest_ aventures (_see note_). Th. flie; H. F. fle.

816. Th. great. 817. Th. _omits this line; from_ H. F. Ff. H. F. made. H.

F. Ff. flaterise. 821. Th. H. estate; Ff. astate. 822. H. F. Ff. In; Th.

Of. 824. Ff. haue; F. hath; H. _om._ Th. _omits the line_. 825. H. folwe ye

not; F. folowe ye not; Ff. folowe not; Th. foule not. _After_ 828, F.

_has_--Explicit la bele dame sanz mercy; H. F. Verba translatoris. 829. Th.

H. Ff. the. 833. H. F. _om._ al. _All_ the. 834. Th. hir (_for_ their).

835. Th. H. The.

837. Th. cace; H. caas. 838. H. elles. 840, 841. Th. her (_for_ their).

843. Th. H. wote. 844. Th. _om._ and. 845. H. F. Wilde; Th. Ff. Lyke. 846.

Ff. tabyde; Th. to abyde. 847. H. axe. 848. Th. Ff. were made; F. was made;

H. made was. 850. H. F. Ff. processe; Th. prosses. 852. Th. H. trewe. 854.

Th. done her; Ff. do thair; H. dothe here; F. doth thair. 855. Th. her

(_for_ their). _After_ 856; Th. Explicit; H. Amen.

* * * * *

XVII.

THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID.

Ane dooly sesoun to ane cairfull dyte

Suld correspond, and be equivalent.

Richt sa it wes quhen I began to wryte

This tragedy; the wedder richt fervent,

Quhen Aries, in middis of the Lent, 5

Shouris of haill can fra the north discend;

That scantly fra the cauld I micht defend.

Yit nevertheles, within myn orature

I stude, quhen Tytan had his bemis bricht

Withdrawin doun and sylit under cure; 10

And fair Venus, the bewty of the nicht,

Uprais, and set unto the west full richt

Hir goldin face, in oppositioun

Of god Phebus direct discending doun.

Throwout the glas hir bemis brast sa fair 15

That I micht see, on every syde me by,

The northin wind had purifyit the air,

And shed the misty cloudis fra the sky.

The froist freisit, the blastis bitterly

Fra pole Artyk come quhisling loud and shill, 20

And causit me remuf aganis my will.

For I traistit that Venus, luifis quene,

To quhom sum-tyme I hecht obedience,

My faidit hart of luf sho wald mak grene;

And therupon, with humbil reverence, 25

I thocht to pray hir hy magnificence;

But for greit cald as than I lattit was,

And in my chalmer to the fyr can pas.

Thocht luf be hait, yit in ane man of age

It kendillis nocht sa sone as in youthheid, 30

Of quhom the blude is flowing in ane rage;

And in the auld the curage +douf and deid,

Of quhilk the fyr outward is best remeid,

To help be phisik quhair that nature failit;

I am expert, for baith I have assailit. 35

I mend the fyr, and beikit me about,

Than tuik ane drink my spreitis to comfort,

And armit me weill fra the cauld thairout.

To cut the winter-nicht, and mak it short,

I tuik ane quair, and left all uther sport, 40

Writtin be worthy Chaucer glorious,

Of fair Cresseid and lusty Troilus.

And thair I fand, efter that Diomeid

Ressavit had that lady bricht of hew,

How Troilus neir out of wit abraid, 45

And weipit soir, with visage paill of hew;

For quhilk wanhope his teiris can renew,

Quhill +esperans rejoisit him agane:

Thus quhyl in joy he levit, quhyl in pane.

Of hir behest he had greit comforting, 50

Traisting to Troy that sho suld mak retour,

Quhilk he desyrit maist of eirdly thing,

For-quhy sho was his only paramour.

Bot quhen he saw passit baith day and hour

Of hir gaincome, than sorrow can oppres 55

His woful hart in cair and hevines.

Of his distres me neidis nocht reheirs,

For worthy Chaucer, in the samin buik,

In guidly termis and in joly veirs

Compylit hes his cairis, quha will luik. 60

To brek my sleip ane uther quair I tuik,

In quilk I fand the fatall desteny

Of fair Cresseid, that endit wretchitly.

Quha wait gif all that Chauceir wrait was trew?

Nor I wait nocht gif this narratioun 65

Be authoreist, or fenyeit of the new

Be sum poeit, throw his inventioun,

Maid to report the lamentatioun

And woful end of this lusty Cresseid,

And quhat distres sho thoillit, and quhat deid. 70

Quhen Diomed had all his appetyt,

And mair, fulfillit of this fair lady,

Upon ane uther he set his haill delyt,

And send to hir ane lybel of répudy,

And hir excludit fra his company. 75

Than desolait sho walkit up and doun,

And, sum men sayis, into the court commoun.

O fair Cresseid! the flour and _A-per-se_

Of Troy and Grece, how was thou fortunait,

To change in filth all thy feminitee, 80

And be with fleshly lust sa maculait,

And go amang the Greikis air and lait

Sa giglot-lyk, takand thy foull plesance!

I have pity thee suld fall sic mischance!

Yit nevertheles, quhat-ever men deme or say 85

In scornful langage of thy brukilnes,

I sall excuse, als far-furth as I may,

Thy womanheid, thy wisdom, and fairnes,

The quilk Fortoun hes put to sic distres

As hir pleisit, and na-thing throw the gilt 90

Of thee, throw wikkit langage to be spilt.

This fair lady, in this wys destitut

Of all comfort and consolatioun,

Richt prively, but fellowship, on fut

Disgysit passit far out of the toun 95

Ane myle or twa, unto ane mansioun

Beildit full gay, quhair hir father Calchas,

Quhilk than amang the Greikis dwelland was.

Quhan he hir saw, the caus he can inquyr

Of hir cuming; sho said, syching full soir, 100

'Fra Diomeid had gottin his desyr

He wox wery, and wald of me no moir!'

Quod Calchas, 'Douchter, weip thow not thairfoir;

Peraventure all cummis for the best;

Welcum to me; thow art full deir ane gest.' 105

This auld Calchas, efter the law was tho,

Wes keeper of the tempill, as ane preist,

In quhilk Venus and hir son Cupido

War honourit; and his chalmer was thaim neist;

To quhilk Cresseid, with baill aneuch in breist, 110

Usit to pas, hir prayeris for to say;

Quhill at the last, upon ane solempne day,

As custom was, the pepill far and neir,

Befoir the none, unto the tempill went

With sacrifys devoit in thair maneir. 115

But still Cresseid, hevy in hir intent,

In-to the kirk wald not hir-self present,

For giving of the pepil ony deming

Of hir expuls fra Diomeid the king:

But past into ane secreit orature 120

Quhair sho micht weip hir wofull desteny.

Behind hir bak sho cloisit fast the dure,

And on hir knëis bair fell down in hy.

Upon Venus and Cupid angerly

Sho cryit out, and said on this same wys, 125

'Allas! that ever I maid yow sacrifys!

Ye gave me anis ane devyn responsaill

That I suld be the flour of luif in Troy;

Now am I maid an unworthy outwaill,

And all in cair translatit is my joy. 130

Quha sall me gyde? quha sall me now convoy,

Sen I fra Diomeid and nobill Troilus

Am clene excludit, as abject odious?

O fals Cupide, is nane to wyte bot thow

And thy mother, of luf the blind goddes! 135

Ye causit me alwayis understand and trow

The seid of luf was sawin in my face,

And ay grew grene throw your supply and grace.

But now, allas! that seid with froist is slane,

And I fra luifferis left, and all forlane!' 140

Quhen this was said, doun in ane extasy,

Ravishit in spreit, intill ane dream sho fell;

And, be apperance, hard, quhair sho did ly,

Cupid the king ringand ane silver bell,

Quhilk men micht heir fra hevin unto hell; 145

At quhais sound befoir Cupide appeiris

The sevin planetis, discending fra thair spheiris,

Quhilk hes powèr of all thing generábill

To reull and steir, be thair greit influence,

Wedder and wind and coursis variábill. 150

And first of all Saturn gave his sentence,

Quhilk gave to Cupid litill reverence,

But as ane busteous churl, on his maneir,

Com crabbitly, with auster luik and cheir.

His face fronsit, his lyr was lyk the leid 155

His teith chatterit and cheverit with the chin

His ene drowpit, how, sonkin in his heid

Out of his nois the meldrop fast can rin

With lippis bla, and cheikis leine and thin

The yse-shoklis that fra his hair doun hang 160

Was wonder greit, and as ane speir als lang.

Atour his belt his lyart lokkis lay

Felterit unfair, ourfret with froistis hoir;

His garmound and his +gyte full gay of gray;

His widderit weid fra him the wind out woir. 165

Ane busteous bow within his hand he boir;

Under his gyrdil ane flash of felloun flanis

Fedderit with yse, and heidit with hail-stanis.

Than Juppiter richt fair and amiábill,

God of the starnis in the firmament, 170

And nureis to all thing[is] generábill,

Fra his father Saturn far different,

With burely face, and browis bricht and brent;

Upon his heid ane garland wonder gay

Of flouris fair, as it had been in May. 175

His voice was cleir, as cristal wer his ene;

As goldin wyr sa glitterand was his hair;

His garmound and his gyte full gay of grene,

With goldin listis gilt on every gair;

Ane burely brand about his middill bair. 180

In his right hand he had ane groundin speir,

Of his father the wraith fra us to weir.

Nixt efter him com Mars, the god of ire,

Of stryf, debait, and all dissensioun;

To chyde and fecht, als feirs as ony fyr; 185

In hard harnes, hewmound and habirgeoun,

And on his hanche ane rousty fell fachioun:

And in his hand he had ane rousty sword,

Wrything his face with mony angry word.

Shaikand his sword, befoir Cupide he com 190

With reid visage and grisly glowrand ene;

And at his mouth ane bullar stude of fome,

Lyk to ane bair quhetting his tuskis kene

Richt tuilyour-lyk, but temperance in tene;

Ane horn he blew, with mony bosteous brag, 195

Quhilk all this warld with weir hes maid to wag.

Than fair Phebus, lanterne and lamp of licht

Of man and beist, baith frute and flourishing,

Tender nuréis, and banisher of nicht,

And of the warld causing, be his moving 200

And influence, lyf in all eirdly thing;

Without comfort of quhom, of force to nocht

Must all ga dy, that in this warld is wrocht.

As king royáll he raid upon his chair,

The quhilk Phaeton gydit sum-tyme unricht; 205

The brichtnes of his face, quhen it was bair,

Nane micht behald for peirsing of his sicht.

This goldin cart with fyry bemes bricht

Four yokkit steidis, full different of hew,

But bait or tyring throw the spheiris drew. 210

The first was soyr, with mane als reid as rois,

Callit Eöy, in-to the orient;

The secund steid to name hecht Ethiös,

Quhytly and paill, and sum-deill ascendent;

The thrid Peros, richt hait and richt fervent; 215

The feird was blak, callit +Philegoney,

Quhilk rollis Phebus down in-to the sey.

Venus was thair present, that goddes gay,

Hir sonnis querrel for to defend, and mak

Hir awin complaint, cled in ane nyce array, 220

The ane half grene, the uther half sabill-blak;

Quhyte hair as gold, kemmit and shed abak;

But in hir face semit greit variance,

Quhyles perfit treuth, and quhylës inconstance.

Under smyling sho was dissimulait, 225

Provocative with blenkis amorous;

And suddanly changit and alterait,

Angry as ony serpent venemous,

Richt pungitive with wordis odious.

Thus variant sho was, quha list tak keip, 230

With ane eye lauch, and with the uther weip:--

In taikning that all fleshly paramour,

Quhilk Venus hes in reull and governance,

Is sum-tyme sweit, sum-tyme bitter and sour,

Richt unstabill, and full of variance, 235

Mingit with cairfull joy, and fals plesance;

Now hait, now cauld; now blyth, now full of wo;

Now grene as leif, now widderit and ago.

With buik in hand than com Mercurius,

Richt eloquent and full of rethory; 240

With pólite termis and delicious;

With pen and ink to réport all redy;

Setting sangis, and singand merily.

His hude was reid, heklit atour his croun,

Lyk to ane poeit of the auld fassoun. 245

Boxis he bair with fine electuairis,

And sugerit syropis for digestioun;

Spycis belangand to the pothecairis,

With mony hailsum sweit confectioun;

Doctour in phisik, cled in scarlot goun, 250

And furrit weill, as sic ane aucht to be,

Honest and gude, and not ane word coud le.

Nixt efter him com lady Cynthia,

The last of all, and swiftest in hir spheir,

Of colour blak, buskit with hornis twa, 255

And in the nicht sho listis best appeir;

Haw as the leid, of colour na-thing cleir.

For all hir licht sho borrowis at hir brothir

Titan; for of hir-self sho hes nane uther.

Hir gyte was gray, and full of spottis blak; 260

And on hir breist ane churl paintit ful evin,

Beirand ane bunch of thornis on his bak,

Quhilk for his thift micht clim na nar the hevin.

Thus quhen they gadderit war, thir goddis sevin,

Mercurius they cheisit with ane assent 265

To be foir-speikar in the parliament.

Quha had ben thair, and lyking for to heir

His facound toung and termis exquisyte,

Of rhetorik the praktik he micht leir,

In breif sermone ane pregnant sentence wryte. 270

Befoir Cupide vailing his cap a lyte,

Speiris the caus of that vocacioun;

And he anon shew his intencioun.

'Lo!' quod Cupide, 'quha will blaspheme the name

Of his awin god, outhir in word or deid, 275

To all goddis he dois baith lak and shame,

And suld have bitter panis to his meid.

I say this by yonder wretchit Cresseid,

The quhilk throw me was sum-tyme flour of lufe,

Me and my mother starkly can reprufe. 280

Saying, of hir greit infelicitè

I was the caus; and my mother Venus,

Ane blind goddes hir cald, that micht not see,

With slander and defame injurious.

Thus hir leving unclene and lecherous 285

Sho wald returne on me and [on] my mother,

To quhom I shew my grace abone all uther.

And sen ye ar all sevin deificait,

Participant of dévyn sapience,

This greit injúry don to our hy estait 290

Me-think with pane we suld mak recompence;

Was never to goddis don sic violence.

As weill for yow as for myself I say;

Thairfoir ga help to révenge, I yow pray.'

Mercurius to Cupid gave answeir, 295

And said, 'Shir king, my counsall is that ye

Refer yow to the hyest planeit heir,

And tak to him the lawest of degrè,

The pane of Cresseid for to modify;

As god Saturn, with him tak Cynthia.' 300

'I am content,' quod he, 'to tak thay twa.'

Than thus proceidit Saturn and the Mone,

Quhen thay the mater rypely had degest;

For the dispyt to Cupid sho had done,

And to Venus oppin and manifest, 305

In all hir lyf with pane to be opprest

And torment sair, with seiknes incurábill,

And to all lovers be abominábill.

This dulefull sentence Saturn tuik on hand,

And passit doun quhair cairfull Cresseid lay; 310

And on hir heid he laid ane frosty wand,

Than lawfully on this wyse can he say;

'Thy greit fairnes, and al thy bewty gay,

Thy wantoun blude, and eik thy goldin hair,

Heir I exclude fra thee for evermair. 315

I change thy mirth into melancholy,

Quhilk is the mother of all pensivenes;

Thy moisture and thy heit in cald and dry;

Thyne insolence, thy play and wantones

To greit diseis: thy pomp and thy riches 320

In mortall neid; and greit penuritie

Thow suffer sall, and as ane beggar die.'

O cruel Saturn, fraward and angry,

Hard is thy dome, and to malicious!

On fair Cresseid quhy hes thow na mercy, 325

Quhilk was sa sweit, gentill, and amorous?

Withdraw thy sentence, and be gracious

As thow was never; so shawis thow thy deid,

Ane wraikfull sentence gevin on fair Cresseid.

Than Cynthia, quhen Saturn past away, 330

Out of hir sait discendit down belyve,

And red ane bill on Cresseid quhair sho lay,

Contening this sentence diffinityve:--

'Fra heil of body I thee now depryve,

And to thy seiknes sal be na recure, 335

But in dolóur thy dayis to indure.

Thy cristall ene minglit with blude I mak,

Thy voice sa cleir unplesand, hoir, and hace;

Thy lusty lyre ourspred with spottis blak,

And lumpis haw appeirand in thy face. 340

Quhair thow cummis, ilk man sall flee the place;

Thus sall thou go begging fra hous to hous,

With cop and clapper, lyk ane lazarous.'

This dooly dream, this ugly visioun

Brocht to ane end, Cresseid fra it awoik, 345

And all that court and convocatioun

Vanischit away. Than rais sho up and tuik

Ane poleist glas, and hir shaddow coud luik;

And quhen sho saw hir face sa déformait,

Gif sho in hart was wa aneuch, god wait! 350

Weiping full sair, 'Lo! quhat it is,' quod she,

'With fraward langage for to mufe and steir

Our crabbit goddis, and sa is sene on me!

My blaspheming now have I bocht full deir;

All eirdly joy and mirth I set areir. 355

Allas, this day! Allas, this wofull tyde,

Quhen I began with my goddis to chyde!'

Be this was said, ane child com fra the hall

To warn Cresseid the supper was redy;

First knokkit at the dure, and syne coud call-- 360

'Madame, your father biddis you cum in hy;

He has mervell sa lang on grouf ye ly,

And sayis, "Your prayërs been to lang sum-deill;

The goddis wait all your intent full weill."'

Quod sho, 'Fair child, ga to my father deir, 365

And pray him cum to speik with me anon.'

And sa he did, and said, 'Douchter, quhat cheir?'

'Allas!' quod she, 'father, my mirth is gon!'

'How sa?' quod he; and sho can all expone,

As I have tauld, the vengeance and the wrak, 370

For hir trespas, Cupide on hir coud tak.

He luikit on hir ugly lipper face,

The quhilk befor was quhyte as lilly-flour;

Wringand his handis, oftymes he said, Allas!

That he had levit to see that wofull hour! 375

For he knew weill that thair was na succour

To hir seiknes; and that dowblit his pane;

Thus was thair cair aneuch betwix tham twane.

Quhen thay togidder murnit had full lang,

Quod Cresseid, 'Father, I wald not be kend; 380

Thairfoir in secreit wyse ye let me gang

To yon hospítall at the tounis end;

And thidder sum meit, for cheritie, me send

To leif upon; for all mirth in this eird

Is fra me gane; sik is my wikkit weird.' 385

Than in ane mantill and ane bevar hat,

With cop and clapper, wonder prively,

He opnit ane secreit yet, and out thairat

Convoyit hir, that na man suld espy,

Unto ane village half ane myle thairby; 390

Deliverit hir in at the spittail-hous,

And dayly sent hir part of his almous.

Sum knew hir weill, and sum had na knawlege

Of hir, becaus sho was sa déformait

With bylis blak, ourspred in hir visage, 395

And hir fair colour faidit and alterait.

Yit thay presumit, for hir hy regrait

And still murning, sho was of nobill kin;

With better will thairfoir they tuik hir in.

The day passit, and Phebus went to rest, 400

The cloudis blak ourquhelmit all the sky;

God wait gif Cresseid was ane sorrowful gest,

Seeing that uncouth fair and herbery.

But meit or drink sho dressit hir to ly

In ane dark corner of the hous allone; 405

And on this wyse, weiping, sho maid hir mone.

THE COMPLAINT OF CRESSEID.

'O sop of sorrow sonken into cair!

O caytive Cresseid! now and ever-mair

Gane is thy joy and all thy mirth in eird;

Of all blyithnes now art thow blaiknit bair; 410

Thair is na salve may saif thee of thy sair!

Fell is thy fortoun, wikkit is thy weird;

Thy blis is baneist, and thy baill on breird!

Under the eirth god gif I gravin wer,

Quhar nane of Grece nor yit of Troy micht heird! 415

Quhair is thy chalmer, wantounly besene

With burely bed, and bankouris browderit bene,

Spycis and wynis to thy collatioun;

The cowpis all of gold and silver shene,

The swete meitis servit in plaittis clene, 420

With saipheron sals of ane gude sessoun;

Thy gay garmentis, with mony gudely goun,

Thy plesand lawn pinnit with goldin prene?

All is areir thy greit royáll renoun!

Quhair is thy garding, with thir greissis gay 425

And fresshe flouris, quhilk the quene Floray

Had paintit plesandly in every pane,

Quhair thou was wont full merily in May

To walk, and tak the dew be it was day,

And heir the merle and mavis mony ane; 430

With ladyis fair in carrolling to gane,

And see the royal rinkis in thair array

In garmentis gay, garnischit on every grane?

Thy greit triumphand fame and hy honour,

Quhair thou was callit of eirdly wichtis flour, 435

All is decayit; thy weird is welterit so,

Thy hy estait is turnit in darknes dour!

This lipper ludge tak for thy burelie bour,

And for thy bed tak now ane bunch of stro.

For waillit wyne and meitis thou had tho, 440

Tak mowlit breid, peirry, and syder sour;

But cop and clapper, now is all ago.

My cleir voice and my courtly carrolling,

Quhair I was wont with ladyis for to sing,

Is rawk as ruik, full hiddeous, hoir, and hace; 445

My plesand port all utheris precelling,

Of lustines I was held maist conding;

Now is deformit the figour of my face;

To luik on it na leid now lyking hes.

Sowpit in syte, I say with sair siching-- 450

Lugeit amang the lipper-leid--"Alas!"

O ladyis fair of Troy and Grece, attend

My misery, quhilk nane may comprehend,

My frivoll fortoun, my infelicitie,

My greit mischief, quhilk na man can amend. 455

Be war in tyme, approchis neir the end,

And in your mynd ane mirrour mak of me.

As I am now, peradventure that ye,

For all your micht, may cum to that same end,

Or ellis war, gif ony war may be. 460

Nocht is your fairnes bot ane faiding flour,

Nocht is your famous laud and hy honour

Bot wind inflat in uther mennis eiris;

Your roising reid to rotting sall retour.

Exempill mak of me in your memour, 465

Quhilk of sic thingis wofull witnes beiris.

All welth in eird away as wind it weiris;

Be war thairfoir; approchis neir the hour;

Fortoun is fikkil, quhen sho beginnis and steiris.'--

Thus chydand with her drery desteny, 470

Weiping, sho woik the nicht fra end to end,

But all in vane; hir dule, hir cairfull cry

Micht nocht remeid, nor yit hir murning mend.

Ane lipper-lady rais, and till hir wend,

And said, 'Quhy spurnis thou aganis the wall, 475

To sla thyself, and mend na-thing at all?

Sen that thy weiping dowbillis bot thy wo,

I counsall thee mak vertew of ane neid,

To leir to clap thy clapper to and fro,

And +live efter the law of lipper-leid.' 480

Thair was na buit, bot forth with thame sho yeid

Fra place to place, quhill cauld and hounger sair

Compellit hir to be ane rank beggair.

That samin tyme, of Troy the garnisoun,

Quhilk had to chiftane worthy Troilus, 485

Throw jeopardy of weir had strikkin doun

Knichtis of Grece in number mervellous.

With greit triúmph and laud victorious

Agane to Troy richt royally thay raid

The way quhair Cresseid with the lipper baid. 490

Seing that company cum, all with ane stevin

They gaif ane cry, and shuik coppis gude speid;

Said, 'Worthy lordis, for goddis lufe of hevin,

To us lipper part of your almous-deid.'

Than to thair cry nobill Troilus tuik heid; 495

Having pity, neir by the place can pas

Quhair Cresseid sat, nat witting quhat sho was.

Than upon him sho kest up baith her ene,

And with ane blenk it com in-to his thocht

That he sum-tyme hir face befoir had sene; 500

But sho was in sic ply he knew hir nocht.

Yit than hir luik in-to his mind it brocht

The sweit visage and amorous blenking

Of fair Cresseid, sumtyme his awin darling.

Na wonder was, suppois in mynd that he 505

Tuik hir figure sa sone, and lo! now, quhy;

The idole of ane thing in cace may be

Sa deip imprentit in the fantasy,

That it deludis the wittis outwardly,

And sa appeiris in forme and lyke estait 510

Within the mynd as it was figurait.

Ane spark of lufe than till his hart coud spring,

And kendlit all his body in ane fyre;

With hait fevir ane sweit and trimbilling

Him tuik, quhill he was redy to expyre; 515

To beir his sheild his breist began to tyre;

Within ane whyle he changit mony hew,

And nevertheles not ane ane-uther knew.

For knichtly pity and memoriall

Of fair Cresseid, ane girdill can he tak, 520

Ane purs of gold and mony gay jowáll,

And in the skirt of Cresseid doun can swak;

Than raid away, and not ane word he spak,

Pensive in hart, quhill he com to the toun,

And for greit cair oft-syis almaist fell doun. 525

The lipper-folk to Cresseid than can draw,

To see the equall distribucioun

Of the almous; but quhan the gold they saw,

Ilk ane to uther prevely can roun,

And said, 'Yon lord hes mair affectioun, 530

However it be, unto yon lazarous

Than to us all; we knaw be his almous.'

'Quhat lord is yon?' quod sho, 'have ye na feill,

Hes don to us so greit humanitie?'

'Yes,' quod a lipper-man, 'I knaw him weill; 535

Shir Troilus it is, gentill and free.'

Quhen Cresseid understude that it was he,

Stiffer than steill thair stert ane bitter stound

Throwout hir hart, and fell doun to the ground.

Quhen sho, ourcom with syching sair and sad, 540

With mony cairfull cry and cald--'Ochane!

Now is my breist with stormy stoundis stad,

Wrappit in wo, ane wretch full will of wane';

Than swounit sho oft or sho coud refrane,

And ever in hir swouning cryit sho thus: 545

'O fals Cresseid, and trew knicht Troilus!

Thy luf, thy lawtee, and thy gentilnes

I countit small in my prosperitie;

Sa elevait I was in wantones,

And clam upon the fickill quheill sa hie; 550

All faith and lufe, I promissit to thee,

Was in the self fickill and frivolous;

O fals Cresseid, and trew knicht Troilus!

For lufe of me thou keipt gude countinence,

Honest and chaist in conversatioun; 555

Of all wemen protectour and defence

Thou was, and helpit thair opinioun.

My mynd, in fleshly foull affectioun,

Was inclynit to lustis lecherous;

Fy! fals Cresseid! O, trew knicht Troilus! 560

Lovers, be war, and tak gude heid about

Quhom that ye lufe, for quhom ye suffer paine;

I lat yow wit, thair is richt few thairout

Quhom ye may traist, to have trew lufe againe;

Preif quhen ye will, your labour is in vaine. 565

Thairfoir I reid ye tak thame as ye find;

For they ar sad as widdercock in wind.

Becaus I knaw the greit unstabilnes

Brukkil as glas, into my-self I say,

Traisting in uther als greit unfaithfulnes, 570

Als unconstant, and als untrew of fay.

Thocht sum be trew, I wait richt few ar thay.

Quha findis treuth, lat him his lady ruse;

Nane but my-self, as now, I will accuse.'

Quhen this was said, with paper sho sat doun, 575

And on this maneir maid hir TESTAMENT:--

'Heir I beteich my corps and carioun

With wormis and with taidis to be rent;

My cop and clapper, and myne ornament,

And all my gold, the lipper-folk sall have, 580

Quhen I am deid, to bury me in grave.

This royall ring, set with this ruby reid,

Quhilk Troilus in drowry to me send,

To him agane I leif it quhan I am deid,

To mak my cairfull deid unto him kend. 585

Thus I conclude shortly, and mak ane end.

My spreit I leif to Diane, quhair sho dwellis,

To walk with hir in waist woddis and wellis.

O Diomeid! thow hes baith broche and belt

Quhilk Troilus gave me in takinning 590

Of his trew lufe!'--And with that word sho swelt.

And sone ane lipper-man tuik of the ring,

Syne buryit hir withoutin tarying.

To Troilus furthwith the ring he bair,

And of Cresseid the deith he can declair. 595

Quhen he had hard hir greit infirmitè,

Hir legacy and lamentatioun,

And how sho endit in sik povertè,

He swelt for wo, and fell doun in ane swoun;

For greit sorrow his hart to birst was boun. 600

Syching full sadly, said, 'I can no moir;

Sho was untrew, and wo is me thairfoir!'

Sum said, he maid ane tomb of merbell gray,

And wrait hir name and superscriptioun,

And laid it on hir grave, quhair that sho lay, 605

In goldin letteris, conteining this ressoun:--

'Lo! fair ladyis, Cresseid of Troyis toun,

Sumtyme countit the flour of womanheid,

Under this stane, late lipper, lyis deid!'

Now, worthy wemen, in this ballet short, 610

Made for your worship and instructioun,

Of cheritè I monish and exhort,

Ming not your luf with fals deceptioun.

Beir in your mynd this short conclusioun

Of fair Cresseid, as I have said befoir; 615

Sen sho is deid, I speik of hir no moir.

_From_ E. (Edinburgh edition, 1593); _collated with_ Th. (Thynne, ed.

1532). 1. E. Ane; Th. A (_often_). E. doolie; Th. doly. E. to; Th. tyl. 4.

E. tragedie (_I substitute_ -y _for_ -ie). 6. E. Schouris (_I substitute_

Sh- _for_ Sch-). 7. Th. my[gh]t me defende. 8. E. oratur; Th. orature. 10.

Th. scyled. 16. _Both_ se. 17. Th. northern. 18. Th. shedde his. 19. Th.

frost. 20. E. Artick; Th. Artike. Th. whiskyng. 21. E. remufe; Th. remoue.

24. Th. faded. 28. Th. chambre. _Both_ fyre. 29. E. lufe; Th. loue. 30. E.

youtheid; Th. youthheed. 32. E. doif; Th. dull; _read_ douf. 34. E.

phisike. 36. E. mend; Th. made. _Both_ fyre. Th. beaked. 37. E. ane; Th. I.

40. Th. queare. 42. E. worthy; Th. lusty. 43. Th. founde. 45. Th. of his

wytte abrede. 46. Th. wepte. 48. Th. esperous; E. Esperus. 49. E. quhyle.

Th. and while (_for 2nd_ quhyl). 51. E. suld; Th. wolde. 52. Th. of al

erthly.

55. E. ganecome; Th. gayncome. Th. in (_for_ than). 58. Th. in that same.

63. Th. which ended. 66. Th. authorysed or forged. 67. Th. Of some; by

(_for_ throw). 70. Th. she was in or she deyde. 71. _Both_ appetyte. 73.

Th. sette was al his delyte. 74. Th. _om._ of. 77. Th. As (_for_ And); in

the courte as co_m_mune. 78. Th. Creseyde. _Both_ floure. 79. Th. were. 80.

E. feminitie. 82. Th. early (_for_ air). 84. Th. the; E. thow.

86. E. scornefull. E. brukkilnes; Th. brutelnesse. 88. E. wisdome. 91. E.

wickit. 92. E. in; Th. on. _Both_ wyse destitute. 94. E. but; Th. without.

Th. or refute; E. on fute. 95. E. Disagysit; Th. Dissheuelde. Th. passed

out. 99. E. inquyre; Th. enquyre. 101. _Both_ desyre. 108. E. sone; Th.

sonne. 109. E. hir; Th. his. Th. chambre. E. thame; Th. _om._ 110. E.

aneuch in; Th. enewed. 113. _Both_ custome. 115. _Both_ sacrifice. Th.

deuout.

117. Th. churche. 118. E. givin; Th. gyueng. E. pepill; Th. people. 120.

Th. oratore. 122. Th. closed; dore. 124. _Both_ Cupide. 125. Th. _om._

same. _Both_ wyse. 126. E. Allace; Th. Alas. _Both_ sacrifice. 127. E.

devine; Th. diuyne. 132. E. Sen; Th. Sithe. 135. E. lufe; Th. loue. E. the;

Th. that. 136. Th. vnderstande alway. 137. E. lufe; Th. loue. 138. Th.

souple grace. 139. E. allace; Th. alas. Th. frost. 140. Th. louers; -layne.

143. Th. herde. 144. _Both_ Cupide. E. ringand; Th. tynkyng. 145. Th.

in-to. 147. Th. speres.

150. Th. course. 151. _Both_ Saturne. 152. _Both_ Cupide. 153. Th.

boystous. E. on; Th. in. 154. _Both_ Come. E. crabitlie; Th. crabbedly. Th.

austryne. 155. E. frosnit (_for_ fronsit); Th. frounsed. E. lyre; Th. lere.

_Both_ lyke. 156. Th. sheuered. 157. Th. drouped hole. 158. E. of; Th. at.

Th. myldrop. 159. Th. blo. 160. E. ic-eschoklis; Th. yse-yckels. 162. E.

Atouir; Th. Attour. 163. E. ovirfret; Th. ouerfret; _read_ ourfret. 164.

Th. garment. E. gyis; Th. gate; _see_ l. 178. 165. Th. wyddred; wore. 166.

Th. boustous; bor[e]. 167. E. gyrdill. Th. a fasshe(!); flayns. 168. Th.

holstayns (!). 170. Th. sterres. 171. Th. norice; thinge. 172. _Both_

Saturne. 173. Th. burly. 174. Th. wonders. 175. E. bene; Th. ben.

177. E. wyre; Th. wyer. Th. glyttryng. 178. Th. garment. E. gyis; Th. gyte.

180. Th. A burly; myddle he beare. 182. Th. wrathe. E. weir; Th. bere. 183.

E. come; Th. came. 184. E. strife; Th. stryfe. 185. _Both_ fyre. 186. Th.

hewmo_n_de. 187. Th. fauchoun. 190. Th. Shakyng his brande. _Both_ come.

191. Th. glowyng. 192. E. bullar; Th. blubber. 193. Th. boore. 194. E.

tuilyeour; Th. tulsure (!). _Both_ lyke. 195. _Both_ horne; Th. _om._ he.

Th. boustous. 196. E. weir; Th. warre. 199. Th. norice. 201. _Both_ lyfe.

Th. erthly. 203. Th. _om._ all. Th. that al this worlde hath. 204. Th. a

chare. 205. Th. Phiton somtyme gyded. E. upricht (!); Th. unright.

210. Th. speres. 211. Th. sorde (_for_ soyr). 212. _Both_ Eoye. 213. Th.

Ethose. 215. Th. Perose; and eke. 216. E. Philologie; Th. Philologee. 218.

E. _om._ gay. 219. Th. _om._ for. 222. Th. kembet. 224. Th. While parfite.

E. perfyte. 227. E. suddanely; Th. sodaynly. 228. E. vennemous; Th.

venomous. 232. Th. tokenyng. 237. E. blyith; Th. blyth. 238. Th. wyddred.

239. _Both_ come. 242. E. reddie; Th. redy. 244. E. atouir; Th. attour.

245. _Both_ Lyke. 250. E. phisick. Th. cledde in a scarlet. 252. E. culd

lie; Th. couth lye. 253. _Both_ come. 254. Th. spere. 256. Th. tapere. 258.

E. hir (1); Th. the. 260. E. gyse; Th. gyte. 261. E. churle; Th. chorle.

262. E. bunche; Th. busshe. 263. Th. theft; no ner. 264. Th. gadred were

the. 267. E. bene. 269. E. rhetorick; Th. rethorike. E. prettick; Th.

practyke.

273. E. anone. E. schew; Th. shewde. 276. E. lak; Th. losse. 278. E. yone;

Th. yonder. Th. wretche Creseyde. 280. E. starklie; Th. she stately. 281.

E. -tie. 283. Th. She called a blynde goddes and myght. 286. E. returne;

Th. retorte. E. on; Th. in. _I supply 2nd_ on. 287. E. schew; Th. shewde

(_as in_ l. 273). Th. aboue. 289. E. devyne; Th. diuyne. 290. E. iniurie;

Th. iniure. _Both_ done. 290. E. hie; Th. hye. 292. _Both_ goddes done.

295. _Both_ Cupide. 299. E. modifie; Th. modifye. 300. _Both_ Saturne.

303, 309, 323, 330. _Both_ Saturne. 304. _Both_ Cupide. E. scho; Th. that

she. 305. Th. open. 306. _Both_ lyfe. 308. E. abhominabill; Th.

abhominable. 309. Th. doleful. 318. E. in; Th. into. 319. E. and; Th. and

thy. 321. E. In; Th. Into. E. penuritie; Th. -te. 322. Th. shalte. Th. dye.

324. E. malitious. 325. E. On; Th. Of. 328. Th. sheweth through. 329. Th.

_om._ fair. 331. Th. seate.

334. E. heit; Th. heale. 336. Th. endure. 338. Th. vnplesaunt heer. 339.

Th. lere. E. ouirspred; Th. ouerspred. 342. E. This; Th. Thus. 343. Th.

cuppe. _Both_ lyke. 344. _Both_ dreame. E. uglye. 347. Th. rose she. 348.

Th. polysshed. E. culd; Th. couth. 349. E. face; Th. visage. 350. Th. were

wo, I ne wyte god wate. 352. Th. _om._ for. E. mufe; Th. moue. 353. E.

craibit; Th. crabbed. 355. Th. erthly. 356. E. Allace; Th. Alas. 357. E.

for to; Th. _om._ for. 358. E. come; Th. came. 359. _Both_ warne. Th.

Creseyde. E. reddy; Th. redy. 360. E. syne culd; Th. efte couth. 362. E.

merwel; Th. marueyle. 363. E. prayers bene; Th. bedes bethe.

365. _Both_ chylde. 366. _Both_ anone. 368. _Both_ gone. 370. E. wraik; Th.

wrake. 371. E. culd. 372. E. uglye. Th. lepers. 374. Th. _om._ he. 378. Th.

ynow. E. thame; Th. he_m_. 380. Th. Creseyde. 382. Th. To yon; E. Unto

yone. 383. Th. charite. 384. Th. lyue; erthe. 385. Th. werthe(!). 386. E.

Than; Th. Whan(!). Th. Beuer; E. bawar. 387. Th. cuppe. 388. Th. secrete

gate. 389. Th. Conueyed. 390. Th. There to. 393. E. knawledge. 395. E.

ovirspred; Th. ouerspred.

397. E. hie; Th. hye. 399. Th. there (_for_ thairfoir). 401. E.

ovirquhelmit; Th. ouerheled. 402. E. was; Th. were. 403. Th. fare. 405,

406. _Perhaps read_ alane, mane. 408. E. cative; Th. caytife. E. for now;

Th. _om._ for. 409. Th. erthe. 410. Th. blake and bare. 411. Th. helpe

(_for_ saif thee of). 412. Th. werthe (!). 413. Th. bale vnberd (!). 414.

Th. Vnder the great god. 415. Th. men (_for_ nane). Th. herd. 416. Th.

chambre. 417. Th. burly; bankers brouded. 418. Th. wyne. 419. Th. cuppes.

420. Th. plates. 421. Th. sauery sauce. 423. Th. pene (!). 424. Th. arere.

425. Th. thy greces. 430. E. mawis. 432. Th. renkes. E. array; Th. ray. Th.

_omits_ ll. 433-437. 434, 437. E. hie. 438. Th. leper loge. E. burelie; Th.

goodly. 439. E. bunche; Th. bonch. 441. E. peirrie; Th. pirate. E. ceder;

Th. syder. 442. Th. cuppe. 443. E. _om._ my. 444. Th. _om. this line_. 445.

Th. ranke as roke, ful hidous heer. Th. _om._ ll. 446, 447. 448. Th.

Deformed is. 449. Th. no pleople (_sic_) hath lykyng (!). 450. Th. Solped

in syght. 451. E. Ludgeit; Th. Lyeng. Th. leper folke. E. allace; Th. alas.

453. Th. _omits_. 454. Th. freyle fortune.

455. Th. war therfore; your ende. 456. Th. _places after_ l. 460. 459. E.

that; Th. the. 460. Th. worse, if any worse. 464. Th. rosyng. 465. Th.

memore. 468. Th. your hour. 469. Th. _omits_. 471. Th. woke. 472. Th. dole.

473. Th. remedy ne. 474. Th. rose. 477. E. Sen; Th. Sithe. E. _om._ that.

Th. but doubleth. 479. E. To leir; Th. Go lerne. 480. E. leir; Th. lerne;

_read_ live. Th. lepers lede. 486. Th. warre.

488. _Both_ tryumphe; laude. 489. Th. rode. 490. E. baid; Th. stode. 491.

E. thai come; Th. come; _read_ cum. 492. Th. shoke cuppes. 493. Th. _om._

Said. 495. Th. her (_for_ thair). 496. Th. pyte; E. pietie. 499. _Both_

come. 501. E. plye; Th. plyte. 502. E. it; Th. he. 504. E. awin; Th. owne.

508. Th. enprynted. 512. E. culd; Th. couth. 514. E. fewir; Th. feuer. Th.

in swette. _Both_ trimbling. 515. E. reddie. 516. Th. brest. 517. Th. many

a hewe.

519. Th. pyte; E. pietie. 520. Th. gan. 521. Th. many a gay iewel. 522. E.

swak; Th. shake. 523. E. _om._ he. 524. E. come; Th. came. 525. E. -syis;

Th. -syth. 526. E. can; Th. couth. 527. _Both_ se. 529. E. prewelie; Th.

priuely. 530. Th. yon; E. yone. 534. Th. That dothe. E. humanitie; Th. -te.

536. Th. _ins._ a knight _after_ is. 540. E. ovircome; Th. ouerco_m_e. 541.

Th. colde atone (!). 542. Th. brest. 543. Th. _om._ ane; Th. one (_for_

wane). 544. Th. Than fel in swoun ful ofte. E. culd; Th. wolde. Th. fone

(!); _for_ refrane. 547. E. lufe; Th. loue. Th. laude and al thy. 549. Th.

So effated (_or_ essated).

551. Th. promytted. 552. Th. thy selfe; furious (!). 554. Th. countenaunce

(_om._ gude). 557. Th. were. 558. E. in; Th. on. 562. E. Quhome; Th. Whom.

E. quhome; Th. whan. 563. Th. thrughout. 565. Th. Proue. 569. Th. Brittel;

unto. 570. Th. great brutelnesse. 572. Th. Though. 576. Th. maner. 577. E.

beteiche; Th. bequeth. Th. corse. 578. Th. toodes. 579. Th. cuppe my. 580.

E. the; Th. these.

583. E. drowrie; Th. dowry (!). 587. Th. spirite. 590. E. takning; Th.

tokenyng; _read_ takinning. 593. E. withouttin. 596. E. infirmitie; Th.

-te. 598. E. povertie; Th. -te. 600. Th. _om._ greit. 605. Th. where as

she. 607. Th. Troy the toun. 612. E. cheritie; Th. charyte. 613. E. lufe;

Th. loue. 614. E. schort; Th. sore (!). 616. E. Sen; Th. Sithe.

* * * * *

XVIII.

THE CUCKOO AND THE NIGHTINGALE;

OR

THE BOOK OF CUPID, GOD OF LOVE.

The god of love, a! _benedicite!_

How mighty and how greet a lord is he!

For he can make of lowe hertes hye,

And of hye lowe, and lyke for to dye,

And harde hertes he can maken free. 5

And he can make, within a litel stounde

Of seke folk ful hole, fresshe and sounde,

And of [the] hole, he can make seke;

And he can binden and unbinden eke

What he wol have bounden or unbounde. 10

To telle his might my wit may not suffyse;

For he may do al that he wol devyse.

For he can make of wyse folk ful nyce,

And [eke] in lyther folk distroyen vyce;

And proude hertes he can make agryse. 15

Shortly, al that ever he wol he may;

Ageines him ther dar no wight sey nay.

For he can gladde and greve whom him lyketh;

And, who that he wol, he laugheth or he syketh;

And most his might he sheweth ever in May. 20

For every trewe gentil herte free

That with him is, or thinketh for to be,

Ageines May now shal have som steringe

Other to joye, or elles to morninge,

In no sesoun so greet, as thinketh me. 25

For whan they mowe here the briddes singe,

And see the floures and the leves springe,

That bringeth into hertes rémembraunce

A maner ese, medled with grevaunce,

And lusty thoughtes fulle of greet longinge. 30

And of that longing cometh hevinesse,

And therof groweth ofte greet seknesse,

And al for lak of that that they desyre;

And thus in May ben hertes sette on fyre,

So that they brennen forth in greet distresse. 35

I speke this of feling, trewely;

For, althogh I be old and unlusty,

Yet have I felt of that seknesse, in May,

Bothe hoot and cold, an acces every day,

How sore, y-wis, ther wot no wight but I. 40

I am so shaken with the fevers whyte,

Of al this May yet slepte I but a lyte;

And also it naught lyketh unto me,

That any herte shulde slepy be

In whom that Love his fyry dart wol smyte. 45

But as I lay this other night wakinge,

I thoghte how lovers had a tokeninge,

And among hem it was a comune tale,

That it were good to here the nightingale

Rather than the lewde cukkow singe. 50

And then I thoghte, anon as it was day,

I wolde go som whider to assay

If that I might a nightingalë here;

For yet had I non herd of al this yere,

And hit was tho the thridde night of May. 55

And than, anon as I the day espyde,

No lenger wolde I in my bedde abyde,

But unto a wode, that was faste by,

I wente forth alone, boldely,

And held my way doun by a broke-syde, 60

Til I com to a launde of whyte and grene;

So fair oon had I never in[ne] been;

The ground was grene, y-poudred with daisye,

The floures and the gras y-lyke hye,

Al grene and whyte; was nothing elles sene. 65

Ther sat I doun among the faire floures;

And saw the briddes trippe out of her boures

Ther-as they had hem rested al the night.

They were so joyful of the dayes light

That they +begonne of May to don hir houres! 70

They coude that servyce al by rote;

Ther was many a lovely straunge note;

Some songe loudë, as they hadde pleyned,

And some in other maner vois y-feyned,

And some al out, with al the fulle throte. 75

They proyned hem, and made[n] hem right gay,

And daunseden, and lepten on the spray,

And evermore two and two in-fere;

Right so as they had chosen hem to-yere

In Feverere, on seint Valentynes day. 80

And eke the river, that I sat upon,

It made suche a noise, as it ron,

Accordaunt with the briddes armonye,

Me thoughte, it was the best[e] melodye

That mighte been y-herd of any mon. 85

And for delyt ther-of, I wot never how,

I fel in suche a slomber and a swow,

Not al a-slepe, ne fully wakinge;

And in that swow me thoughte I herde singe

That sory brid, the lew[e]de cukkow. 90

And that was on a tree right fast[e] by;

But who was than evel apayd but I?

'Now god,' quod I, 'that dyëd on the crois

Yeve sorow on thee, and on thy lewde vois!

For litel joye have I now of thy cry.' 95

And as I with the cukkow thus gan chyde,

I herde, in the nexte bush besyde,

A Nightingalë so lustily singe

That with her clere vois she made ringe

Through-out al the grene wode wyde. 100

'A! goode Nightingale!' quod I thenne,

'A litel hast thou been to longe henne;

For here hath been the lew[e]de Cukkow,

And songen songes rather than hast thou;

I pray to god that evel fyr him brenne!' 105

But now I wol you telle a wonder thing:

As longë as I lay in that swowning,

Me thoughte, I wiste what the briddes ment,

And what they seyde, and what was her entent,

And of her speche I hadde good knowing. 110

And than herde I the Nightingale say,

'Now, gode Cukkow! go som-where away,

And let us that can singen dwellen here;

For every wight escheweth thee to here,

Thy songes be so elenge, in good fay!' 115

'What?' quod he, 'what may thee eylen now?

It thinketh me, I singe as wel as thou,

For my song is bothe trewe and playn;

Al-though I can not crakel so in vayn

As thou dost in thy throte, I wot never how. 120

And every wight may understande me;

But, Nightingale, so may they not do thee;

For thou hast many a nyce queinte cry.

I have herd thee seyn, "_ocy! ocy!_"

How mighte I knowe what that shulde be?' 125

'A fole!' quod she, 'wost thou not what it is?

Whan that I say "_ocy! ocy!_" y-wis,

Than mene I that I wolde, wonder fayn,

That alle they were shamfully y-slayn

That menen aught ayeines love amis. 130

And also I wolde alle tho were dede

That thenke not in love hir lyf to lede;

For who that wol the god of love not serve,

I dar wel say, is worthy for to sterve;

And for that skil "_ocy! ocy!_" I grede.' 135

'Ey!' quod the Cukkow, 'this is a queint lawe,

That every wight shal love or be to-drawe!

But I forsake al suchë companye.

For myn entent is neither for to dye,

Ne, whyl I live, in loves yok to drawe. 140

For lovers ben the folk that been on-lyve

That most disesë han, and most unthryve,

And, most enduren sorow, wo, and care;

And, at the laste, failen of welfare;

What nedeth hit ayeines trouth to stryve?' 145

'What?' quod she, 'thou art out of thy minde!

How might thou in thy cherles herte finde

To speke of loves servaunts in this wyse?

For in this worlde is noon so good servyse

To every wight that gentil is of kinde. 150

For ther-of, trewly, cometh al goodnesse,

Al honóur, and [eke] al gentilnesse,

Worship, esë, and al hertes lust,

Parfit joye, and ful assured trust,

Jolitee, plesauncë, and freshnesse, 155

Lowliheed, and trewe companye,

Seemliheed, largesse, and curtesye,

Drede of shame for to doon amis;

For he that trewly Loves servaunt is

Were lother to be shamed than to dye. 160

And that this is sooth, al that I seye,

In that beleve I wol bothe live and deye,

And Cukkow, so rede I thou do, y-wis.'

'Ye, than,' quod he, 'god let me never have blis

If ever I to that counseyl obeye! 165

Nightingale, thou spekest wonder fayre,

But, for al that, the sooth is the contrayre;

For loving is, in yonge folk, but rage,

And in olde folk hit is a greet dotage;

Who most hit useth, most he shal apeyre. 170

For therof comth disese and hevinesse,

Sorowe and care, and mony a greet seknesse,

Dispyt, debat, [and] anger, and envye,

Repreef and shame, untrust and jelousye,

Pryde and mischeef, povértee, and woodnesse. 175

What! Loving is an office of dispayr,

And oo thing is ther-in that is not fayr;

For who that geteth of love a litel blis,

But-if he be alway therwith, y-wis,

He may ful sone of age have his heyr. 180

And, Nightingale, therfor hold thee ny;

For, leve me wel, for al thy queynte cry,

If thou be fer or longe fro thy make,

Thou shalt be as other that been forsake,

And than[ne] thou shalt hoten as do I!' 185

'Fy!' quod she, 'on thy namë and on thee!

The god of love ne let thee never y-thee!

For thou art wors a thousand-fold than wood.

For many on is ful worthy and ful good,

That had be naught, ne hadde love y-be! 190

For Love his servaunts ever-more amendeth,

And from al evel taches hem defendeth,

And maketh hem to brenne right as fyr

In trouthë and in worshipful desyr,

And, whom him liketh, joye y-nough hem sendeth.' 195

'Thou Nightingale,' he seyde, 'hold thee stille;

For Love hath no resoun but his wille;

For ofte sithe untrewe folk he eseth,

And trewe folk so bitterly displeseth

That, for defaute of grace, he let hem spille. 200

With such a lorde wol I never be;

For he is blind alwey, and may not see;

And whom he hit he not, or whom he fayleth;

And in his court ful selden trouthe avayleth;

Só dyvérs and so wilfúl is he.' 205

Than took I of the Nightingale kepe,

She caste a sigh out of her herte depe,

And seyde, 'Alas! that ever I was bore!

I can, for tene, say not oon word more;'

And right with that she brast out for to wepe. 210

'Alas!' quod she, 'my herte wol to-breke

To heren thus this false brid to speke

Of love, and of his worshipful servyse;

Now, god of love, thou help me in som wyse

That I may on this Cukkow been awreke!' 215

Me thoughte than, that I sterte up anon,

And to the broke I ran, and gat a stoon,

And at the Cukkow hertely I caste;

And he, for drede, fley away ful faste;

And glad was I when that he was a-goon. 220

And evermore the Cukkow, as he fley,

He seyde, 'Farewel! farewel, papinjay!'

As though he hadde scorned, thoughte me;

But ay I hunted him fro tree to tree

Til he was fer al out of sighte awey. 225

And thanne com the Nightingale to me,

And seyde, 'Frend, forsothe I thanke thee

That thou hast lyked me thus to rescowe;

And oon avow to Love I wol avowe,

That al this May I wol thy singer be.' 230

I thanked her, and was right wel apayed;

'Ye,' quod she, 'and be thou not amayed,

Though thou have herd the Cukkow er than me.

For, if I live, it shal amended be

The nexte May, if I be not affrayed. 235

And oon thing I wol rede thee also;

Ne leve thou not the Cukkow, loves fo;

For al that he hath seyd is strong lesinge.'

'Nay,' quod I, 'therto shal no thing me bringe

Fro love; and yet he doth me mochel wo.' 240

'Ye, use thou,' quod she, 'this medicyne;

Every day this May, or that thou dyne,

Go loke upon the fresshe dayësyë.

And though thou be for wo in poynt to dye,

That shal ful gretly lissen thee of thy pyne. 245

And loke alwey that thou be good and trewe,

And I wol singe oon of my songes newe,

For love of thee, as loude as I may crye;'

And than[ne] she began this song ful hye--

'I shrewe al hem that been of love untrewe!' 250

And whan she hadde songe hit to the ende,

'Nów farewel,' quod she, 'for I mot wende;

And god of love, that can right wel and may,

As mochel joye sende thee this day

As ever yet he any lover sende!' 255

Thus took the Nightingale her leve of me.

I pray to god, he alway with her be,

And joye of love he sende her evermore;

And shilde us fro the Cukkow and his lore;

For ther is noon so fals a brid as he. 260

Forth she fley, the gentil Nightingale,

To al the briddes that were in that dale,

And gat hem alle into a place in-fere,

And +hem besoughte that they woldë here

Her disese; and thus began her tale:-- 265

'Ye witen wel, it is not fro yow hid

How the Cukkow and I faste have chid

Ever sithen it was dayes light;

I pray yow alle, that ye do me right

Of that foule, false, unkinde brid.' 270

Than spak oo brid for alle, by oon assent,

'This mater asketh good avysement;

For we ben fewe briddes here in-fere.

And sooth it is, the Cukkow is not here;

And therefor we wol have a parlement. 275

And therat shal the Egle be our lord,

And other peres that ben of record,

And the Cukkow shal be after sent.

And ther shal be yeven the jugement,

Or elles we shal make som accord. 280

And this shal be, withouten any nay,

The morow of seynt Valentynes day,

Under a maple that is fayr and grene,

Before the chambre-window of the quene

At Wodestok, upon the grene lay.' 285

She thanked hem, and than her leve took,

And fley into an hawthorn by the brook,

And ther she sat, and song upon that tree,

'Terme of [my] lyf, Love hath with-holde me,'

So loude, that I with that song awook. 290

EXPLICIT CLANVOWE.

_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); _collated with_ F. (Fairfax 16); B. (Bodley

638); S. (Arch. Selden, B. 24); T. (Tanner 346); _also in_ Ff. (Camb. Univ.

Ff. 1. 6). TITLE: Th. Of the C. and the N.; F. B. The boke of Cupide, god

of loue. 1. Th. ah; F. a; S. a. a. 2. Th. Howe; gret; lorde. 4. Th. of his;

Ff. S. of hye; F. B. high hertis. 6. F. B. S. Ff. And he; Th. _om._ And. 7.

Th. folke; _om._ ful. 8. _I supply_ the. S. hole folke. 9. S. And he; _rest

om._ And. Th. F. B. bynde; _read_ binden. 10. Th. T. That; F. B. Ff. What;

S. Quhom. 11. Th. tel; wytte. 12, 13. Th. T. _transpose these lines_. 12.

Th. Ff. wol; _rest_ can. 13. Th. folke. 14. _I supply_ eke. Th. T. _om._ in

(S. _has_ in-to). F. lyther; S. lidd_er_; Th. Ff. lythy; T. leþi. Th.

folke. Th. T. to distroyen; _rest om._ to.

17. Ff. T. Ageynes; S. Ageynest; Th. Agaynst; F. B. Ayenst. Th. Ff. T.

_om._ ther. 18. Th. glad; _rest_ glade. 19. Th. loweth. S. _has 2nd_ he;

_rest omit_. F. B. don hym laugh or siketh. 20. Th. T. shedeth. 21. Th.

fre. 22. F. B. _om._ for. 23. S. Ff. A[gh]eynes; F. B. Ayenst; Th. T.

Agayne. Th. nowe. 24. F. B. Other; S. Outhir; Th. T. Ff. Or. Th. ioy. F. B.

S. T. ellis; Th. els. Th. T. Ff. some mournyng; _rest om._ some. 25. F. B.

grette; Ff. S. grete; Th. moche. 26. F. then; _rest_ whan (when). Th. may;

T. mai; F. B. S. mow; Ff. mowe. Th. byrdes; S. foulis; _rest_ briddes. 27.

Th. leaues. 28. Th. T. her (_for_ hertes). 29. Th. T. ease; S. ess; F. B.

case (!). Ff. y-medled. 30. Th. ful; Ff. fulle. Th. great. 32. Th. great

sicknesse. 33. S. all; _rest om._ Th. lacke. 35. Th. forthe; great. 36. S.

trewely; Th. trewly. 37. F. B. S. For althogh; Th. T. If(!). Th. olde. 38.

Th. T. I haue; _rest_ haue I. Th. felte; sicknesse. Th. Ff. through; _rest_

in. 39. _All_ hote. Th. F. B. colde. Th. T. and (!); _for_ an. Th. axes; F.

B. acces. 40. Th. Howe; wote.

42. Th. T. _om._ yet; (Ff. _has_ ne.) Th. T. slepe; Ff. S. slepte; F. B.

slept. 43. S. naught likith vnto me; Th. T. Ff. is not lyke to me; F. B. is

vnlike for to be. 45. Th. darte. 47. Th. howe. 48. Th. amonge. 50. Th.

cuckowe. 51. Th. thought. 52. T. Ff. whider; S. quhid_er_; F. B. whedir;

Th. where. 54. Th. none herde. F. B. T. this; Ff. the; Th. S. that. 55. S.

thridde; T. thridd; Th. F. B. thirde. 56. S. than; _rest om._ Th. aspyde.

58. Ff. to; Th. T. vnto; F. B. into; S. in. Th. wodde; F. B. wode. 59. Th.

T. went; F. B. wente. Th. forthe. Th. boldely; Ff. T. boldly; _rest_

priuely. 60. Th. helde. F. B. S. my; Th. Ff. the; T. me the. Th. downe. 61.

F. B. come; S. cam; Th. T. came (_read_ com). 62. _All_ in; _read_ inne. S.

_has_ in y-ben. 63, 64. B. _transposes_. 64. F. B. gras; S. greses; Th.

greues; T. Ff. grenes. S. ylike; F. B. al I-like; Th. T. Ff. lyke. 65. Th.

els.

66. Th. sate; downe. 67. Th. sawe; birdes. Th. trippe; T. trip; S. flee; F.

B. crepe. 68. Th. T. Ff. _om._ had. S. thame rested; _rest_ rested hem. 70.

Th. T. _om._ That. _All_ began; _read_ begonne. Ff. to don hir; Th. T. for

to done. F. B. of Mayes ben her houres (!); S. on mayes vss thair houres.

72. S. lusty (_for_ lovely). S. straunge; _rest om._ 73. Ff. lowe. T. hade;

_rest_ had. S. compleyned. 74. Th. voice yfayned. 75. Ff. S. all (2); _rest

om._ Th. Ff. T. the ful; S. full_e_; F. B. a lowde. 76. F. B. pruned. _All_

made; _read_ maden. 80. Th. Feuerere; T. Feuir[gh]ere; _rest_ Marche (!).

_All_ upon; _read_ on. 81. S. eke; _rest om._ 83. Th. T. with; _rest_ to.

T. Ff. briddes; S. birdis; Th. byrdes; F. B. foules. S. T. Ff. armonye; Th.

armony; F. B. ermonye. 84. Th. thought. _All_ best (!). 85. Th. myght;

yherde. 86. _All_ delyte. S. therof; _rest om._ Th. wotte; F. B. note; S.

wote; T. wot. F. B. ner (_for_ never). Th. howe. 87. Th. swowe; Ff. swough;

S. slowe (!); B. slow (!). 88. F. B. S. on slepe. 89. Th. swowe; thought.

90. F. B. Ff. That; _rest_ the. F. B. Ff. bridde; S. T. brid; Th. byrde.

Th. Cuckowe.

91. _All_ fast. 92. Th. yuel apayde. 93. Th. Nowe. F. B. vpon (_for_ on).

94. Th. the. 95. Th. nowe. 96. Th. cuckowe. Th. T. thus gan; Ff. now gan;

S. gan to; F. B. gan. 97. Th. B. busshe; Ff. T. bussh; F. busshes (!); S.

beugh. F. B. me beside. 100. Th. T. Ff. _om._ out. Ff. the greues of the

wode (_better_). 101. Th. Ah. Ff. S. thenne; T. thanne; _rest_ then. 102.

Th. haste. Ff. S. T. henne; _rest_ hen. 103. F. B. lewde; S. lewed; T. Ff.

loude (!). (_The line runs badly._) 104. F. B. _om._ hast. 105. Th. T.

_om._ that. Th. yuel fyre. Th. S. her; _rest_ him. Th. bren; _rest_ brenne.

106. Th. nowe; tel. 107. Th. laye. (_The line runs badly; read_ longë _or_

swowening.) 108. Th. thought; wyst. Th. T. what; _rest_ al that. 109. Th.

sayd. 110. T. hade; _rest_ had. 111. Th. _om._ And. Th. T. there (_for_

than). 112. Th. Nowe good. 113. Th. lette. 114. Th. the.

116. F. B. she (_for_ he). Th. the. 118. Th. songe; playne. 119. Th. T. And

though; _rest_ Al-though. Th. crakel; T. crakil; S. crekill; Ff. crake; F.

B. breke hit (!). Th. vayne. 120. Th. doest; S. dois; _rest_ dost. Th. Ff.

S. neuer; T. not; F. B. ner. 122. Th. done; T. S. Ff. do; F. B. _om._ Th.

the. 123. Th. haste. Th. T. Ff. nyce queynt(e); S. queynt feyned; F. B.

queint. 124. F. B. S. herd the; T. the herd; Th. the herde. Th. sayne; T.

seyn; F. B. seye; S. sing. 125. Th. Howe. F. B. Who myghte wete what; S.

Bot quho my_ch_t vnderstand quhat. 126. Th. Ah; Ff. T. A; _rest_ O. Th.

foole; woste. Th. T. Ff. it; _rest_ that. 128. Th. meane; fayne. 129. Ff.

all_e_; S. all; _rest_ al. Th. T. Ff. they; _rest_ tho. Th. yslayne. 130.

Th. meanen. S. a[gh]eines; F. B. ayen; T. again; Th. agayne. 131. F. B. al

tho were dede; Th. T. Ff. that al tho had the dede. S. And al they I wold

also were dede. 132. Th. thynke; T. think; S. thinkith; Ff. thenke; F. B.

thenk. F. B. S. Ff. her lyue in loue. 133. Th. S. who so; _rest om._ so.

Th. T. Ff. _place_ not _after_ wol. 134. Th. T. F. B. Ff. he is; S. _om._

he. Th. Ff. T. _om._ for. 136. Th. Eye; cuckowe. F. B. _insert_ ywis

_before_ this. 137. Th. T. Ff. That euery wight shal loue or be to-drawe;

F. B. That eyther I shal love or elles be slawe. 139. Th. myne. F. B.

neyther; S. nouthir; Th. T. Ff. not. 140. Th. T. Ff. Ne neuer; _rest om._

neuer. Th. T. on; _rest_ in.

141. Th. S. ben; Ff. T. bene; F. B. lyven (_for_ been). 142. Th. moste

(_twice_); disease. 143. Th. moste. F. B. S. enduren; Th. Ff. T. endure.

144. _So_ F. B. (_with_ of her _for_ of); Th. T. Ff. And leste felen of

welfare; S. And ald_er_last have felyng of welefare. 145. S. a[gh]eynes;

Th. B. ayenst; F. T. ayens. 146. S. Quhat brid q_uo_d. Th. arte. 147. Th.

T. Ff. might thou; F. maist thou; B. S. maistow. Th. Ff. churlnesse; T.

clerenes (!); F. B. cherles hert; S. cherlish hert. 148. Th. seruauntes.

149. Th. none. 152. S. Honestee estate and all gentilness; Th. T. F. Ff. Al

honour and al gentylnesse; B. Al honour and al gentillesse. 153. Th. ease.

154. Th. Parfyte. F. B. ensured. 155. S. and eke. 156, 157. _All but the

first words transposed in_ Th. T. 158. F. B. S. and for; Th. T. Ff. _om._

and. Th. done. 160. Th. T. Ff. _om. 1st_ to. 161. F. B. Ff. _om._ this. F.

B. S. al; Th. T. Ff. _om._ 162. Th. T. _om._ bothe. 163. F. B. S. rede I;

Th. T. Ff. I rede. Th. that thou. 164. Th. T. Ff. _om._ Ye. F. B. she;

_rest_ he. Th. T. _om._ god. 165. Th. T. vnto; F. B. Ff. S. to. F. B. thy

(_for_ that).

167. F. B. the sothe; S. full sooth. Th. T. Ff. is the sothe contrayre.

168. F. B. S. Ff. loving; Th. T. loue. Th. folke. 169. Th. folke; F. B. Ff.

_om._ F. B. hit is; Th. T. _om._ Th. great. 170. Th. moste (_twice_). F. B.

he; S. it; Th. T. Ff. _om._ 171. F. mony an; B. mony a; Th. T. S. Ff.

disease and. 172. Th. So sorowe; _rest om._ So. Th. many a gret. F. B.

_om._ greet. 173. Th. Dispyte debate. _I supply_ and. 174. F. Repreve and;

B. Repreff and; S. Repref and; Th. T. Deprauyng. 175. Th. T. B. Ff. _om.

1st_ and. Th. mischefe. S. pou_er_tee; Ff. pouerte; _rest_ pouert. 176. Th.

T. Ff. _om._ What. Th. dispayre. 177. B. T. oo; S. o; F. oon; Th. one. Th.

fayre. 178. Th. getteth; S. get (_better_). Th. blysse. 179. F. B. _om._

if. F. B. S. Ff. therby. 180. Th. heyre; T. eyre; S. aire; F. B. crie (!);

Ff. heiere. 181. F. B. therfor Nyghtyngale. Th. therefore holde the nye.

182. Th. Ff. T. S. queynt; F. B. loude. 183. Th. T. Ff. ferre. F. of (_for_

or). 184. Th. T. S. ben; F. B. be (_read_ been). 185. Th. Ff. than; F. B.

T. then (_read_ thanne); S. _om._ F. B. shalt thou. 186. Th. the. 188. Th.

T. worse. Th. folde. 189. Th. one; Ff. on; F. B. _om._ S. ar; _rest_ is.

190. T. hade (_twice_); _rest_ had.

191. Th. T. Ff. _put_ evermore _after_ For. Th. seruauntes; F. B. seruant.

192. Ff. T. euel; S. euell; Th. yuel; F. B. _om._ F. tachches; S. stachis

(!). F. B. him. 193. F. B. him. F. B. as eny; T. right as a; Ff. right as;

Th. right in a. S. be brynnyng as a. Th. fyre. 195. Th. whan; T. when; Ff.

whanne (_for_ whom). F. B. Ff. him; S. he; Th. T. hem. Th. ioy. 196. F. B.

Ye (_for_ Thou). Th. sayd. T. F. B. S. Ff. hold the; Th. be. Th. styl. 197.

F. B. S. Ff. his; Th. T. it is. Th. wyl. 198. F. B. Ff. sithe; Th. T. tyme;

S. tymes. Th. folke; easeth. 199. Th. folke. Th. T. Ff. he displeaseth;

_rest om._ he. 200. F. B. And (_for_ That). Th. corage; _rest_ grace. Th.

spyl. 201-205. _From_ F. B. Ff. S.; Th. T. _omit_. 201. Ff. will_e_; F.

wolde; B. wull; S. wole. 202. F. B. blynde; S. blynd. S. alweye; F. B. Ff.

_om._ 203. Ff. And whom he hit he not, or whom he failith (_best_); F. B.

And whan he lyeth he not, ne whan he fayleth; S. Quhom he hurtith he note,

ne quhom he helith (!). 204. _So_ Ff.; F. B. In; S. Into. Ff. S. his; F. B.

this. F. B. selde. 205. F. B. dyuerse. 206. Th. toke. 207. Th. T. Howe she;

F. B. S. _om._ Howe. Th. T. Ff. _om._ herte. 208. Th. sayd. 209. Th. not

say one; T. nou[gh]t sey oo. 210. Th. that worde; _rest om._ worde. F. B.

on (_for_ out). Th. _om._ for. 212. Th. leude; Ff. false; _rest_ fals. T.

B. brid; Ff. bridde; Th. byrde; S. bird. F. B. Ff. to; _rest om._ 214. Th.

helpe; some. 215. Th. cuckowe ben.

216. S. thocht; _rest_ thought (_read_ thoughte). F. B. S. that I; T. Ff.

I; Th. he. 217-219. Th. T. _omit_. 217. S. gat; F. B. gatte. 218. S.

hardily; F. B. Ff. hertly. 219. Ff. flye[gh]; F. flyed; B. flye; S. gan

flee (_read_ fley, _as in_ 221). 220. Th. _om._ when. Th. agon; T. S.

agone; Ff. goon; F. gone; B. gon. 221. F. B. fley; Th. flaye; Ff. S. flay;

T. flai. 222. Th. T. _om._ He. Th. sayd. Th. popyngaye; F. B. papyngay; S.

papaIay; Ff. papeiay. 223. T. hade; _rest_ had. F. B. Ff. thoght me; S. as

thocht me (_read_ thoughte me); Th. me alone (_to rime with_ 217). 224,

225. Th. T. _omit_. 225. F. B. Ff. sight away. 226. Th. S. than; F. B. T.

then; Ff. thanne. F. B. T. S. come; Th. Ff. came. 227. F. B. seyde; Th.

sayd. Th. the. 228. Th. haste. F. B. thus; S. for; Th. T. Ff. _om._ T.

rescow; _rest_ rescowe. 229. Th. one. Ff. I wol avowe; F. B. I avowe; Th.

T. make I nowe. S. And ry_ch_t anon to loue I wole allowe. 231. Th. apayde;

T. apaied. 232. F. B. Ff. S. amayed; Th. T. dismayde. 233. Th. herde. F. B.

er; Th. T. Ff. erst. 235. Ff. nexte; _rest_ next. Th. affrayde; T.

affraied. 236. Th. one. 237. S. leue; _rest_ loue (!). Th. cuckowe ne his;

F. B. S. _om._ ne his. 238. Th. stronge leasyng. 239. F. B. S. Ff. there

(_for_ therto). T. man (_for_ thing). 240. F. B. S. Fro; Th. T. Ff. For

(!). _So_ Ff. F. B. S.; Th. T. and it hath do me moche (T. myche) wo.

241. F. B. Yee; S. Ya. S. thou schalt vss. Th. T. Ff. _om._ thou. 242. Ff.

F. B. er; _rest_ or. Th. T. Ff. _om._ that. 243. F. B. S. fressh flour; Ff.

Th. T. _om._ flour. S. dayeseye. 245. Th. greatly. B. lisse; F. Ff. lyssen;

Th. T. S. lessen. S. _om._ thee. 246--_end_. _Lost in_ S. 247. Th. one. Ff.

my; _rest_ the. 248. Th. the. 249. Th. T. Ff. than; F. B. then (_read_

thanne). Th. songe. 250. F. B. Ff. hem al. Th. ben; T. bene. 251. Ff.

hadde; T. hade; _rest_ had. 252. Th. Nowe. F. most; B. must; Th. Ff. mote;

T. mot. 254. Ff. mochel; F. B. mekil; T. mykil; Th. moche. Th. the. 255.

_So_ F. B. Ff.; Th. T. As any yet louer he euer sende. 256. Th. T. Ff.

taketh; F. B. toke. Th. leaue. 257. Th. T. Ff. _om._ he. 259. Th. cuckowe.

260. Ff. noon; F. B. non; Th. T. not. T. Ff. brid; F. B. bridde; Th. byrde.

261. F. B. fley; T. fleigh; Ff. fle[gh]t; Th. flewe. 262. Th. byrdes;

_rest_ briddes. B. the vale; F. the wale; Th. T. Ff. that dale. 263. Th. T.

gate; F. B. gat. 264. _All put_ hem _after_ besoughte. Ff. bysought; _rest_

besoughten (!). 265. Th. T. disease.

266. Ff. Ye wyten; F. B. Ye knowe; Th. T. The cuckowe (!). F. B. fro yow

hidde; Th. T. for to hyde (!). 267. F. B. How that; _rest om._ that. Th. T.

Ff. fast; F. B. _om._ Th. chyde; T. chide; F. B. Ff. chidde. 268. Th. Ff.

daye; _rest_ dayes. 269. Th. Ff. praye; _rest_ pray (prey). Ff. all_e_;

_rest_ al. 270. Th. bride; T. Ff. brid; F. B. bridde. 271. Th. o; _rest_

oon. T. all; _rest_ al. Th. one; T. oon; F. B. _om._ 273. Th. _om._ fewe.

Th. byrdes. 274. _All_ soth. Th. cuckowe. 276. T. Ff. lord; _rest_ lorde.

277. T. Ff. record; _rest_ recorde. 278. Th. cuckowe. 279. Ff. Th. T. _om._

And. Th. There. Th. T. yeue; F. yeuen; B. yeuyn; Ff. youe. 280. F. B. make

summe; Th. T. fynally make. 281. Th. without; _rest_ withouten. Th. T. Ff.

_om._ any. 282. F. B. of; Th. T. Ff. after. 283 Th. T. Ff. a; F. B. the.

Th. fayre. 284. Th. wyndowe. 285. Th. wodestocke; F. B. wodestok. 286. F.

B. thanketh. Th. leaue toke. 287. F. B. fleye; Th. T. _om._ Th. T. Ff. an;

F. B. a. Th. hauthorne; T. hauthorn. _All_ broke. 288. _All_ sate. T. Ff.

song; _rest_ songe. Th. T. that; F. B. the; Ff. a. 289. _I supply_ my. Th.

T. Ff. lyfe; F. B. lyve. _After_ 290, Ff. _has_ Explicit Clanvowe.

* * * * *

XIX. ENVOY TO ALISON.

O lewde book, with thy foole rudenesse,

Sith thou hast neither beautee n'eloquence,

Who hath thee caused, or yeve thee hardinesse

For to appere in my ladyes presence?

I am ful siker, thou knowest her benivolence 5

Ful ágreable to alle hir obeyinge;

For of al goode she is the best livinge.

Allas! that thou ne haddest worthinesse

To shewe to her som plesaunt sentence,

Sith that she hath, thorough her gentilesse, 10

Accepted thee servant to her digne reverence!

O, me repenteth that I n'had science

And leyser als, to make thee more florisshinge;

For of al goode she is the best livinge.

Beseche her mekely, with al lowlinesse, 15

Though I be fer from her [as] in absence,

To thenke on my trouth to her and stedfastnesse,

And to abregge of my sorwe the violence,

Which caused is wherof knoweth your sapience;

She lyke among to notifye me her lykinge; 20

For of al goode she is the best livinge.

LENVOY.

Aurore of gladnesse, and day of lustinesse,

Lucerne a-night, with hevenly influence

Illumined, rote of beautee and goodnesse,

Suspiries which I effunde in silence, 25

Of grace I beseche, alegge let your wrytinge,

Now of al goode sith ye be best livinge.

_Explicit._

_From_ F. (Fairfax 16); _collated with_ T. (Tanner 346); _and_ Th. (Thynne,

ed. 1532). 1. F. boke; T. Th. booke. Th. foule. 2. _All_ beaute. 3. _All_

the (_twice_). 5. _So all._ 6. Th. abeyeng (!). 7. F. T. goode; Th. good.

Th. best; F. T. beste. 9. _All_ so_m_me, some. Th. plesaunt; F. plesant.

10. T. thurugh; F. thorgh; Th. through. 11. _All_ the. 12. _All_ ne

(_before_ had). 13. _So all_ (_with_ the _for_ thee). 14. Th. good. Th.

best; F. T. beste. 16. _I supply_ as. 17. T. Th. trouth; F. trouthe. 18. F.

abregge; Th. abrege; T. abrigge. T. sorow; F. sorwes; Th. sorowes. 20.

_All_ amonge. T. Th. notifye; F. notefye. 21. T. Th. al; F. alle. F. T.

goode; Th. good.

Th. Lenuoye; T. The Lenuoye; F. _om._ 24. Th. T. Illumyned; F. Enlumyned.

F. Rote (_with capital_). _All_ beaute. F. and of; Th. T. _om._ of. 25. F.

Suspiries; Th. Suspires. 26. T. beseke. Th. alege. 27. F. goode; Th. T.

good. _After_ 27: Th. Explicit; F. T. _om._

* * * * *

XX. THE FLOWER AND THE LEAF.

When that Phebus his chaire of gold so hy

Had whirled up the sterry sky aloft,

And in the Bole was entred certainly;

Whan shoures swete of rain discended +soft,

Causing the ground, felë tymes and oft, 5

Up for to give many an hoolsom air,

And every plain was [eek y-]clothed fair

With newe grene, and maketh smalë floures

To springen here and there in feld and mede;

So very good and hoolsom be the shoures 10

That it reneweth, that was old and deede

In winter-tyme; and out of every seede

Springeth the herbë, so that every wight

Of this sesoun wexeth [ful] glad and light.

And I, só glad of the seson swete, 15

Was happed thus upon a certain night;

As I lay in my bed, sleep ful unmete

Was unto me; but, why that I ne might

Rest, I ne wist; for there nas erthly wight,

As I suppose, had more hertës ese 20

Than I, for I n'ad siknesse nor disese.

Wherfore I mervail gretly of my-selve,

That I so long withouten sleepë lay;

And up I roos, three houres after twelve,

About the [very] springing of the day, 25

And on I put my gere and myn array;

And to a plesaunt grovë I gan passe,

Long or the brightë sonne uprisen was,

In which were okës grete, streight as a lyne,

Under the which the gras, so fresh of hew, 30

Was newly spronge; and an eight foot or nyne

Every tree wel fro his felawe grew,

With braunches brode, laden with leves new,

That sprongen out ayein the sonnë shene,

Som very rede, and som a glad light grene; 35

Which, as me thought, was right a plesaunt sight.

And eek the briddes song[ës] for to here

Would have rejoised any erthly wight.

And I, that couth not yet, in no manere,

Here the nightingale of al the yere, 40

Ful busily herkned, with herte and ere,

If I her voice perceive coud any-where.

And at the last, a path of litel brede

I found, that gretly had not used be,

For it forgrowen was with gras and weede, 45

That wel unneth a wight [ther] might it see.

Thought I, this path som whider goth, pardè,

And so I folowèd, til it me brought

To right a plesaunt herber, wel y-wrought,

That benched was, and [al] with turves new 50

Freshly turved, wherof the grenë gras

So small, so thik, so short, so fresh of hew,

That most lyk to grene +wol, wot I, it was.

The hegge also, that yede [as] in compas

And closed in al the grene herbere, 55

With sicamour was set and eglantere,

Writhen in-fere so wel and cunningly

That every braunch and leef grew by mesure,

Plain as a bord, of on height, by and by,

[That] I sy never thing, I you ensure, 60

So wel [y-]don; for he that took the cure

It [for] to make, I trow, did al his peyn

To make it passe al tho that men have seyn.

And shapen was this herber, roof and al,

As [is] a prety parlour, and also 65

The hegge as thik as [is] a castle-wal,

That, who that list without to stond or go,

Though he wold al-day pryen to and fro,

He shuld not see if there were any wight

Within or no; but oon within wel might 70

Perceive al tho that yeden there-without

In the feld, that was on every syde

Covered with corn and gras, that, out of dout,

Though oon wold seeken al the world wyde,

So rich a feld [ne] coud not be espyed 75

[Up]on no cost, as of the quantitee,

For of al good thing ther was [greet] plentee.

And I, that al this plesaunt sight [than] sy,

Thought sodainly I felt so sweet an air

[Come] of the eglantere, that certainly, 80

Ther is no hert, I deme, in such despair,

Ne with [no] thoughtës froward and contrair

So overlaid, but it shuld soone have bote,

If it had onës felt this savour sote.

And as I stood and cast asyde myn y, 85

I was ware of the fairest medle-tree

That ever yet in al my lyf I sy,

As full of blossomës as it might be.

Therin a goldfinch leping pretily

Fro bough to bough, and, as him list, he eet 90

Here and there, of buddes and floures sweet.

And to the herber-sydë was joining

This fairë tree, of which I have you told;

And, at the last, the brid began to sing,

Whan he had eten what he etë wold, 95

So passing sweetly, that, by manifold,

It was more plesaunt than I coud devyse;

And whan his song was ended in this wyse,

The nightingale with so mery a note

Answéred him, that al the wodë rong 100

So sodainly, that, as it were a sot,

I stood astonied; so was I with the song

Through ravishèd, that, [un]til late and long

Ne wist I in what place I was, ne where;

And +ay, me thought, she song even by myn ere. 105

Wherfore about I waited busily

On every syde, if I her mightë see;

And, at the last, I gan ful wel aspy

Wher she sat in a fresh green laurer-tree

On the further syde, even right by me, 110

That gave so passing a delicious smel

According to the eglantere ful wel.

Wherof I had so inly greet plesyr

That, as me thought, I surely ravished was

Into Paradyse, where my desyr 115

Was for to be, and no ferther [to] passe

As for that day, and on the sotë gras

I sat me doun; for, as for myn entent,

The birdës song was more convenient,

And more plesaunt to me, by many fold, 120

Than mete or drink, or any other thing;

Thereto the herber was so fresh and cold,

The hoolsom savours eek so comforting

That, as I demed, sith the beginning

Of the world, was never seen, or than, 125

So plesaunt a ground of non erthly man.

And as I sat, the briddës herkning thus,

Me thought that I herd voices sodainly,

The most sweetest and most delicious

That ever any wight, I trow trewly, 130

Herde in +his lyf, for [that] the armony

And sweet accord was in so good musyk,

Thát the voice to angels most was lyk.

At the last, out of a grove even by, THE LEAF.

That was right goodly and plesaunt to sight, 135

I sy where there cam singing lustily

A world of ladies; but to tell aright

Their greet beautè, it lyth not in my might,

Ne their array; nevertheless, I shal

Tell you a part, though I speke not of al. 140

+In surcotes whyte, of veluet wel sitting,

They were [y-]clad; and the semes echoon,

As it were a maner garnishing,

Was set with emeraudës, oon and oon,

By and by; but many a richë stoon 145

Was set [up-]on the purfils, out of dout,

Of colors, sleves, and trainës round about;

As gret[e] perlës, round and orient,

Diamondës fyne and rubies rede,

And many another stoon, of which I +want 150

The namës now; and everich on her hede

A richë fret of gold, which, without drede,

Was ful of statly richë stonës set;

And every lady had a chapëlet

On her hede, of [leves] fresh and grene, 155

So wel [y-]wrought, and so mervéilously,

Thát it was a noble sight to sene;

Some of laurer, and some ful plesauntly

Had chapëlets of woodbind, and sadly

Some of _agnus-castus_ ware also 160

Chápëlets fresh; but there were many tho

That daunced and eek song ful soberly;

But al they yede in maner of compas.

But oon ther yede in-mid the company

Sole by her-self; but al folowed the pace 165

[Which] that she kept, whos hevenly-figured face

So plesaunt was, and her wel-shape persòn,

That of beautè she past hem everichon.

And more richly beseen, by manifold,

She was also, in every maner thing; 170

On her heed, ful plesaunt to behold,

A crowne of gold, rich for any king;

A braunch of _agnus-castus_ eek bering

In her hand; and, to my sight, trewly,

She lady was of [al] the company. 175

And she began a roundel lustily,

That _Sus le foyl de vert moy_ men call,

_Seen, et mon joly cuer endormi_;

And than the company answéred all

With voice[s] swete entuned and so small, 180

That me thought it the sweetest melody

That ever I herdë in my lyf, soothly.

And thus they came[n], dauncing and singing,

Into the middes of the mede echone,

Before the herber, where I was sitting, 185

And, god wot, me thought I was wel bigon;

For than I might avyse hem, on by on,

Who fairest was, who coud best dance or sing,

Or who most womanly was in al thing.

They had not daunced but a litel throw 190

When that I herd, not fer of, sodainly

So greet a noise of thundring trumpës blow,

As though it shuld have départed the sky;

And, after that, within a whyle I sy

From the same grove, where the ladyes come out, 195

Of men of armës coming such a rout

As al the men on erth had been assembled

In that place, wel horsed for the nones,

Stering so fast, that al the erth[ë] trembled;

But for to speke of riches and [of] stones, 200

And men and hors, I trow, the largë wones

Of Prester John, ne al his tresory

Might not unneth have bought the tenth party!

Of their array who-so list herë more,

I shal reherse, so as I can, a lyte. 205

Out of the grove, that I spak of before,

I sy come first, al in their clokes whyte,

A company, that ware, for their delyt,

Chapëlets fresh of okës cereal

Newly spronge, and trumpets they were al. 210

On every trumpe hanging a brood banere

Of fyn tartarium, were ful richly bete;

Every trumpet his lordës armës +bere;

About their nekkës, with gret perlës set,

Colers brode; for cost they would not lete, 215

As it would seme; for their scochones echoon

Were set about with many a precious stoon.

Their hors-harneys was al whyte also;

And after hem next, in on company,

Cámë kingës of armës, and no mo, 220

In clokës of whyte cloth of gold, richly;

Chapelets of greene on their hedes on hy,

The crownës that they on their scochones bere

Were set with perlë, ruby, and saphere,

And eek gret diamondës many on; 225

But al their hors-harneys and other gere

Was in a sute àccording, everichon,

As ye have herd the foresayd trumpets were;

And, by seeming, they were nothing to lere;

And their gyding they did so manerly. 230

And after hem cam a greet company

Of heraudës and pursevauntës eke

Arrayed in clothës of whyt veluët;

And hardily, they were nothing to seke

How they [up]on hem shuld the harneys set; 235

And every man had on a chapëlet;

Scóchones and eke hors-harneys, indede,

They had in sute of hem that before hem yede.

Next after hem, came in armour bright,

Al save their hedes, seemely knightës nyne; 240

And every clasp and nail, as to my sight,

Of their harneys, were of red gold fyne;

With cloth of gold, and furred with ermyne

Were the trappurës of their stedës strong,

Wyde and large, that to the ground did hong; 245

And every bosse of brydel and peitrel

That they had, was worth, as I would wene,

A thousand pound; and on their hedës, wel

Dressed, were crownës [al] of laurer grene,

The best [y-]mad that ever I had seen; 250

And every knight had after him ryding

Three henshmen, [up]on him awaiting;

Of whiche +the first, upon a short tronchoun,

His lordës helme[t] bar, so richly dight,

That the worst was worth[y] the raunsoun 255

Of a[ny] king; the second a sheld bright

Bar at his nekke; the thridde bar upright

A mighty spere, ful sharpe [y-]ground and kene;

And every child ware, of leves grene,

A fresh chapelet upon his heres bright; 260

And clokes whyte, of fyn veluet they ware;

Their stedës trapped and [a]rayed right

Without[en] difference, as their lordës were.

And after hem, on many a fresh co[u]rsere,

There came of armed knightës such a rout 265

That they besprad the largë feld about.

And al they ware[n], after their degrees,

Chapëlets new, made of laurer grene,

Some of oke, and some of other trees;

Some in their handës berë boughës shene, 270

Some of laurer, and some of okës kene,

Some of hawthorn, and some of woodbind,

And many mo, which I had not in mind.

And so they came, their hors freshly stering

With bloody sownës of hir trompës loud; 275

Ther sy I many an uncouth disgysing

In the array of these knightës proud;

And at the last, as evenly as they coud,

They took their places in-middes of the mede,

And every knight turned his horse[s] hede 280

To his felawe, and lightly laid a spere

In the [a]rest, and so justës began

On every part about[en], here and there;

Som brak his spere, som drew down hors and man;

About the feld astray the stedës ran; 285

And, to behold their rule and governaunce,

I you ensure, it was a greet plesaunce.

And so the justës last an houre and more;

But tho that crowned were in laurer grene

Wan the pryse; their dintës were so sore 290

That ther was non ayenst hem might sustene;

And [than] the justing al was left of clene;

And fro their hors the +nine alight anon;

And so did al the remnant everichon.

And forth they yede togider, twain and twain, 295

That to behold, it was a worldly sight,

Toward the ladies on the grenë plain,

That song and daunced, as I sayd now right.

The ladies, as soone as they goodly might,

They breke[n] of both the song and dance, 300

And yede to mete hem, with ful glad semblance.

And every lady took, ful womanly,

Bý the hond a knight, and forth they yede

Unto a fair laurer that stood fast by,

With levës lade, the boughës of gret brede; 305

And to my dome, there never was, indede,

[A] man that had seen half so fair a tree;

For underneth it there might wel have be

An hundred persons, at their own plesaunce,

Shadowed fro the hete of Phebus bright 310

So that they shuld have felt no [greet] grevaunce

Of rain, ne hail, that hem hurt[ë] might.

The savour eek rejoice would any wight

That had be sick or melancolious,

It was so very good and vertuous. 315

And with gret reverence they +enclyned low

[Un]to the tree, so sote and fair of hew;

And after that, within a litel throw,

+Bigonne they to sing and daunce of-new;

Some song of love, some playning of untrew, 320

Environing the tree that stood upright;

And ever yede a lady and a knight.

And at the last I cast myn eye asyde, THE FLOWER.

And was ware of a lusty company

That came, roming out of the feld wyde, 325

Hond in hond, a knight and a lady;

The ladies alle in surcotes, that richly

Purfyled were with many a riche stoon;

And every knight of greene ware mantles on,

Embrouded wel, so as the surcotes were, 330

And everich had a chapelet on her hede;

Which did right wel upon the shyning here,

Made of goodly floures, whyte and rede.

The knightës eke, that they in hond lede,

In sute of hem, ware chapelets everichon; 335

And hem before went minstrels many on,

As harpës, pypës, lutës, and sautry,

Al in greene; and on their hedës bare

Of dyvers flourës, mad ful craftily,

Al in a sute, goodly chapelets they ware; 340

And so, dauncing, into the mede they fare,

In-mid the which they found a tuft that was

Al oversprad with flourës in compas.

Where[un]to they enclyned everichon

With greet reverence, and that ful humblely; 345

And, at the last[ë], there began anon

A lady for to sing right womanly

A bargaret in praising the daisy;

For, as me thought, among her notës swete,

She sayd, '_Si doucë est la Margarete_.' 350

Thén they al answéred her infere,

So passingly wel, and so plesauntly,

Thát it was a blisful noise to here.

But I not [how], it happed sodainly,

As, about noon, the sonne so fervently 355

Wex hoot, that [al] the prety tender floures

Had lost the beautè of hir fresh coloures,

For-shronk with hete; the ladies eek to-brent,

That they ne wist where they hem might bestow.

The knightës swelt, for lak of shade ny shent; 360

And after that, within a litel throw,

The wind began so sturdily to blow,

That down goth al the flourës everichon

So that in al the mede there laft not on,

Save suche as socoured were, among the leves, 365

Fro every storme, that might hem assail,

Growing under hegges and thikke greves;

And after that, there came a storm of hail

And rain in-fere, so that, withouten fail,

The ladies ne the knightës n'ade o threed 370

Drye [up]on hem, so dropping was hir weed.

And when the storm was clene passed away,

Tho [clad] in whyte, that stood under the tree,

They felt[ë] nothing of the grete affray,

That they in greene without had in y-be. 375

To hem they yedë for routh and pitè,

Hem to comfort after their greet disese;

So fain they were the helpless for to ese.

Then was I ware how oon of hem in grene

Had on a crown[ë], rich and wel sitting; 380

Wherfore I demed wel she was a quene,

And tho in greene on her were awaiting.

The ladies then in whyte that were coming

Toward[ës] hem, and the knightës in-fere

Began to comfort hem and make hem chere. 385

The quene in whyte, that was of grete beautè,

Took by the hond the queen that was in grene,

And said, 'Suster, I have right greet pitè

Of your annoy, and of the troublous tene

Wherein ye and your company have been 390

So long, alas! and, if that it you plese

To go with me, I shal do you the ese

In al the pleisir that I can or may.'

Wherof the tother, humbly as she might,

Thanked her; for in right ill aray 395

She was, with storm and hete, I you behight.

And every lady then, anon-right,

That were in whyte, oon of hem took in grene

By the hond; which when the knightes had seen,

In lyke wyse, ech of hem took a knight 400

Clad in grene, and forth with hem they fare

[Un]to an heggë, where they, anon-right,

To make their justës, [lo!] they would not spare

Boughës to hew down, and eek treës square,

Wherewith they made hem stately fyres grete 405

To dry their clothës that were wringing wete.

And after that, of herbës that there grew,

They made, for blisters of the sonne brenning,

Very good and hoolsom ointments new,

Where that they yede, the sick fast anointing; 410

And after that, they yede about gadring

Plesaunt saladës, which they made hem ete,

For to refresh their greet unkindly hete.

The lady of the Leef then gan to pray

Her of the Flour, (for so to my seeming 415

They should[ë] be, as by their [quaint] array),

To soupe with her; and eek, for any thing,

That she should with her al her people bring.

And she ayein, in right goodly manere,

Thanketh her of her most freendly chere, 420

Saying plainly, that she would obey

With al her hert al her commaundëment,

And then anon, without lenger delay,

The lady of the Leef hath oon y-sent

For a palfray, [as] after her intent, 425

Arayed wel and fair in harneys of gold,

For nothing lakked, that to him long shold.

And after that, to al her company

She made to purvey hors and every thing

That they needed; and then, ful lustily, 430

Even by the herber where I was sitting,

They passed al, so plesantly singing,

That it would have comfórted any wight;

But then I sy a passing wonder sight:--

For then the nightingale, that al the day 435

Had in the laurer sete, and did her might

The hool servyse to sing longing to May,

Al sodainly [be]gan to take her flight;

And to the lady of the Leef forthright

She flew, and set her on her hond softly, 440

Which was a thing I marveled of gretly.

The goldfinch eek, that fro the medle-tree

Was fled, for hete, into the bushes cold,

Unto the lady of the Flour gan flee,

And on her hond he set him, as he wold, 445

And plesantly his wingës gan to fold;

And for to sing they pained hem both as sore

As they had do of al the day before.

And so these ladies rood forth a gret pace,

And al the rout of knightës eek in-fere; 450

And I, that had seen al this wonder case,

Thought [that] I would assay, in some manere,

To know fully the trouth of this matere,

And what they were that rood so plesantly.

And, when they were the herber passed by, 455

I drest me forth, and happed to mete anon

Right a fair lady, I you ensure;

And she cam ryding by herself aloon,

Al in whyte, with semblance ful demure.

I salued her, and bad good aventure 460

+Might her befall, as I coud most humbly;

And she answered, 'My doughter, gramercy!'

'Madam,' quod I, 'if that I durst enquere

Of you, I wold fain, of that company,

Wit what they be that past by this herbere?' 465

And she ayein answéred right freendly:

'My fair daughter, al tho that passed hereby

In whyte clothing, be servants everichoon

Unto the Leef, and I my-self am oon.

See ye not her that crowned is,' quod she, 470

'Al in whyte?' 'Madamë,' quod I, 'yis!'

'That is Diane, goddesse of chastitè;

And, for bicause that she a maiden is,

In her hond the braunch she bereth, this

That _agnus-castus_ men call properly; 475

And alle the ladies in her company

Which ye see of that herb[ë] chaplets were,

Be such as han kept +ay hir maidenhede;

And al they that of laurer chaplets bere

Be such as hardy were and +wan, indede, 480

Victorious name which never may be dede.

And al they were so worthy of hir hond,

[As] in hir tyme, that non might hem withstond.

And tho that werë chapelets on hir hede

Of fresh woodbind, be such as never were 485

To love untrew in word, [ne] thought, ne dede,

But ay stedfast; ne for plesaunce, ne fere,

Though that they shuld hir hertës al to-tere,

Would never flit, but ever were stedfast,

Til that their lyves there asunder brast.' 490

'Now, fair madam,' quod I, 'yet I would pray

Your ladiship, if that it might be,

That I might know[ë], by some maner way,

Sith that it hath [y-]lyked your beautè,

The trouth of these ladies for to tel me; 495

What that these knightës be, in rich armour;

And what tho be in grene, and were the flour;

And why that some did reverence to the tree,

And some unto the plot of flourës fair?'

'With right good wil, my fair doughter,' quod she, 500

'Sith your desyr is good and debonair.

Tho nine, crownèd, be very exemplair

Of all honour longing to chivalry,

And those, certain, be called the Nine Worthy,

Which ye may see [here] ryding al before, 505

That in hir tyme did many a noble dede,

And, for their worthines, ful oft have bore

The crowne of laurer-leves on their hede,

As ye may in your old[ë] bokes rede;

And how that he, that was a conquerour, 510

Had by laurer alway his most honour.

And tho that bere boughës in their hond

Of the precious laurer so notáble,

Be such as were, I wol ye understond,

Noble knightës of the Round[ë] Table, 515

And eek the Douseperes honourable;

Which they bere in signe of victory,

+As witness of their dedes mightily.

Eek there be knightës olde of the Garter,

That in hir tyme did right worthily; 520

And the honour they did to the laurer

Is, for by [it] they have their laud hoolly,

Their triumph eek, and martial glory;

Which unto hem is more parfyt richesse

Than any wight imagine can or gesse. 525

For oon leef given of that noble tree

To any wight that hath don worthily,

And it be doon so as it ought to be,

Is more honour then any thing erthly.

Witnesse of Rome that founder was, truly, 530

Of all knighthood and dedës marvelous;

Record I take of Titus Livius.

And as for her that crowned is in greene,

It is Flora, of these flourës goddesse;

And al that here on her awaiting been, 535

It are such [folk] that loved idlenes,

And not delyte [had] of no busines

But for to hunt and hauke, and pley in medes,

And many other such [lyk] idle dedes.

And for the greet delyt and [the] plesaunce 540

They have [un]to the flour, so reverently

They unto it do such [gret] obeisaunce,

As ye may see.' 'Now, fair madame,' quod I,

'If I durst ask what is the cause and why

That knightës have the signe of [al] honour 545

Rather by the Leef than by the Flour?'

'Sothly, doughter,' quod she, 'this is the trouth:

For knightës ever should be persévering,

To seeke honour without feintyse or slouth,

Fro wele to better, in al maner thing; 550

In signe of which, with Levës ay lasting

They be rewarded after their degree,

Whos lusty grene may not appeired be,

But ay keping hir beautè fresh and greene;

For there nis storm [non] that may hem deface, 555

Hail nor snow, wind nor frostës kene;

Wherfore they have this propertè and grace.

And for the Flour within a litel space

Wol be [y-]lost, so simple of nature

They be, that they no grevance may endure, 560

And every storm wil blow hem sone away,

Ne they last not but [as] for a sesoun,

That +is the cause, the very trouth to say,

That they may not, by no way of resoun,

Be put to no such occupacioun.' 565

'Madame,' quod I, 'with al my hool servyse

I thank you now, in my most humble wyse.

For now I am acértainèd throughly

Of every thing I désired to know.'

'I am right glad that I have said, sothly, 570

Ought to your pleysir, if ye wil me trow,'

Quod she ayein, 'but to whom do ye ow

Your servyce? and which wil ye honour,

Tel me, I pray, this yeer, the Leef or Flour?'

'Madame,' quod I, 'though I [be] leest worthy, 575

Unto the Leef I ow myn observaunce.'

'That is,' quod she, 'right wel don, certainly,

And I pray god to honour you avaunce,

And kepe you fro the wikked rémembraunce

Of Male-Bouche, and al his crueltè; 580

And alle that good and wel-condicioned be.

For here may I no lenger now abyde,

I must folowe the gret[ë] company

That ye may see yonder before you ryde.'

And forth[right], as I couth, most humblely, 585

I took my leve of her as she gan hy

After hem, as fast as ever she might;

And I drow hoomward, for it was nigh night;

And put al that I had seen in wryting,

Under support of hem that lust it rede. 590

O litel book, thou art so unconning,

How darst thou put thy-self in prees for drede?

It is wonder that thou wexest not rede,

Sith that thou wost ful lyte who shal behold

Thy rude langage, ful boistously unfold. 595

_Explicit._

_From_ Speght's edition (1598); _I note rejected readings_. 1. hie. 3.

Boole. 4. sweet; raine; oft (!). 6. wholesome aire. 7. plaine was clothed

faire. 8. new greene. small flours. 9. field and in mede. 10. wholsome. 11.

renueth. 13. hearbe. 14. season; _I supply_ ful. 15. season. 16. certaine.

17. sleepe. 19. earthly. 20. hearts ease. 21. Then; nad sicknesse; disease.

22. meruaile greatly; selfe. 24. rose; twelfe. 25. _I supply_ very. 26.

geare; mine. 27. pleasaunt. 28. bright. 29. great. 30. grasse. 31. sprong.

32. well; fellow. 33. lade. 34. ayen. 35. Some; red; some. 36. song (_read_

songes); fort (_sic_). 38. earthly. 40. Heare; all. 41. Full; herkened;

hart and with eare. 43. litle breade. 44. greatly. 45. grasse. 46. well; _I

supply_ ther. 47. some. 48. followed till. 49. pleasaunt; well. 50. _I

supply_ al; turfes. 52. thicke. 53. lyke vnto (_read_ to); wel (!; _read_

wol).

54. _I supply_ as. 55. (_Perhaps imperfect_); all; green. 56. eglatere;

_see_ l. 80. 57. Wrethen. 58. branch; leafe. 59. an (_better_ on). 60. _I

supply_ That; see. 61. done; tooke. 62. _I supply_ for; all; peine. 63.

all; seyne. 64. roofe. 65. _I supply_ is. 66. thicke; _I supply_ is; wall.

68. would all. 69. should. 70. one; well. 71. all. 72. field. 73. corne;

grasse; doubt. 74. one would seeke all. 75. field; _I supply_ ne; espide.

76. On; coast; quantity. 77. all; _I supply_ greet; plenty. 78. all;

pleasannt sight sie. 79. aire. 80. _I supply_ Come; eglentere. 81. heart;

dispaire. 82. with thoughts; contraire. 83. should. 84. soote.

85. mine eie. 87. all; life; sie. 88. blosomes. 89. leaping pretile. 91.

buds. 95. eaten; eat. 97. pleasaunt then. 98. when. 99. merry. 100. all;

wood. 101. sote. 103. Thorow; till. 104. I ne wist (_better_ Ne wist I).

105. ayen (!). 106. I waited about. 107. might. 108. full well. 109. greene

laurey (_error for_ laurer); _see_ l. 158. 111. smell. 112. eglentere full

well. 113. great pleasure. 115. desire. 116. _I supply_ to.

117. grasse. 118. downe; mine. 119. birds. 120. pleasaunt. 121. meat;

drinke. 123. wholsome; eke. 126. pleasaunt; none earthly. 127. birds

harkening. 128. heard. 131. Heard; their (_error for_ his); _I supply_

that. 132. musike. 133. like. 135. pleasant. 136. sie; came. 138. great

beauty; lieth. 139. shall. 140. speake; all. 141. The (!; _read_ In); wele.

142. were clad; echone. 144. Emerauds one and one. 145. rich. 146. on;

purfiles.

148. great pearles. 149. Diamonds; red. 150. stone; went (_for_ want). 151.

head. 152. rich; dread. 153. stately rich. 155. head; _I supply_ leves.

156. wele wrought; meruelously. 158. pleasantly. 160. were; _read_ ware,

_as in_ 335. 161. of tho (_om._ of). 162. eke. 163. all; compace. 164. one.

165. Soole; selfe; all followed. 166. _I supply_ Which; whose heauenly.

167. pleasaunt; wele. 168. beauty; -one. 169. beseene. 171. head;

pleasaunt. 172. goldë (?). 173. eke bearing. 175. _I supply_ al. 176.

roundell lustely. 177. Suse; foyle. 178. Seen (_sic_); en dormy, _before

which we should perhaps supply_ est.

180. voice sweet. 182. heard. 183. came. 186. bigone. 187. one by one. 189.

all. 190. little. 191. heard. 192. great; thundering trumps. 193. skie.

194. sie. 196. comming. 197. all. 198. wele. 199. all; earth. 200. speake;

_I supply_ of. 201. horse. 202. Pretir (!); all. 204. their (_read_ hir?);

heare. 205. rehearse. 206. spake. 207. sie; all; their (_read_ hir?). 208.

were: _read_ ware (_as in_ 329); delite. 209. seriall (_for_ cereal). 210.

sprong; all.

211. broad. 212. fine; richely. 213. lords; here (_read_ bere); _see_ 223.

214. (_and often_): their (_for_ hir). neckes; great pearles. 216. echone.

217. stone. 218. horse; all. 219. them (_for_ hem); one. 220. kings. 222.

heads; hye. 223. crowns. 224. pearle. 225. eke great Diamonds; one. 226.

all; horse; geare. 227. euerichone. 228. heard. 230. there guiding. 231.

great. 232. herauds; purseuaunts. 233. white. 235. on; should. 237. horse.

238. him (_for 2nd_ hem). 240. heads; knights. 241. claspe; naile. 242.

their (_for_ hir?); _so in_ 214, 216, 218, 222, 223, 230 (there), 240; &c.

244. their (_for_ hir?); _so in_ 248, &c. 246. boose (!); bridle; paitrell.

248. heads well. 249. _I supply_ al. 250. made; sene. 252. on. 253. whiche

euery on a. 254. lords helme bare. 255. worth. 256. a (_read_ any); shield.

257. Bare; neck; thred bare. 258. spheare (!); ground. 260. haires. 261.

fine. were; _read_ ware (_as in_ 259). 262. steeds; raied. 263. Without;

lords. 265. knights. 266. field. 267. were; _read_ waren. 270. honds bare.

272. hauthorne.

274. horses. 276. sie; disguising. 277. knights. 279. their (_for_ hir?

_see_ 275); _so in_ 286, &c. 280. horse. 281. fellow; speare. 282. rest.

283. about. 284. Some brake; some. 285. field; steeds. 287. great

pleasaunce. 290. dints. 291. none. 292. _I supply_ than; all. 293. horse.

ninth; _read_ nine. 296. worldly (_perhaps read_ worthy). 297. green. 300.

brake; they (_error for_ the). 301. meet; full. 302. tooke. 304. faire.

305. great.

307. _I supply_ A; halfe; faire. 308. underneath. 309. their (_for_ hir?);

plesance. 310. heat. 311. should; _I supply_ greet. 312. raine; haile;

hurt. 313. eke. 314. sicke; melancolius. 316. enclining; _read_ enclyned;

_see_ 344. 317. To; soot; faire. 318. little. 319. They began to. 323.

mine. 325. field. 327. all; richely. 328. rich. 330. well. 331. hed. 332.

well. 333. red. 334. knights; led. 335. euerichone. 336. before hem; one.

338. heads. 339. made full craftely.

344. Whereto. 345. great; humbly. 346. last. 348. daisie. 350. douset & la.

351. all. 352. well; pleasauntly. 354. _I supply_ how. 355. noone. 356.

Waxe whote; _I supply_ al. 357. beauty. 358. Forshronke; heat; eke. 360.

knights; lack; nie. 361. little. 363. down goeth all; euerichone. 364. all;

one. 365. succoured. 366. assaile. 367. thicke. 368. storme; haile. 369.

raine in feare; faile. 370. knights. 371. on them so; her.

372. cleane. 373. _I supply_ clad. 374. felt; great. 376. them (_for_ hem).

377. Them (_for_ Hem); great disease. 378. faine; helplesse; ease. 379.

one. 380. crown; well. 384. Toward them; knights. 386. Queen; great beauty.

387. Tooke. 388. great pity. 390. bene. 391. please. 392. shall; ease. 393.

all; pleasure. 396. heat. 398. one; them. 399. knights; sene. 400. them.

402. To. 403. iusts; _supply_ lo. 404. downe; eke.

405. great. 406. weat. 407. hearbs. 409. wholsome. 410. annointing. 411.

gadering. 412. Pleasaunt; eat. 413. great; heat. 414. leafe; began (_for_

gan). 415. floure. 416. should; _I supply_ quaint. 417. eke. 418. all. 419.

ayen. 420. friendly cheare. 421. obay. 422. all; hart all. 424. Leafe; one.

425. _I supply_ al. 426. well; faire. 427. lacked; should. 428. all. 429.

horse. 432. all; pleasantly. 434. sie. 435. all. 437. whol seruice.

438. gan. 439. leafe. 441. greatly. 442. eke; medill. 443. heat. 444.

Flower; fle. 445. hir. 446. pleasantly; wings. 448. all. 449. rode; great.

450. knights. 451. sene all. 452. _I supply_ that. 454. rode; pleasantly.

457. faire. 458. come; hir selfe alone. 459. All. 460. saluted (_read_

salued); bad her good (_omit_ her). 461. Must (_read_ Might). 464. faine.

465. arbere. 466. ayen; friendly. 467. faire; all. 468. euerichone. 469.

Leafe; selfe; one.

471. All; yes (_read_ yis). 472. goddes; chastity. 476. all. 477. hearb.

478. kepte; alway (_read_ ay); her. 479. beare. 480. manly (_read_ wan).

482. all; ther (_read_ hir). 483. _I supply_ As; none. 484. weare; ther

(_read_ hir). 486. untrue; _I supply_ ne. 487. aye; pleasance. 488. their

harts all. 490. Till; their (_read_ hir?). 491. faire. 493. know. 494.

liked. 495. tell. 496. knights. 497. weare. 499. faire. 500. will; doghter.

501. youre desire; debonaire.

502. exemplaire. 504. certaine. 505. _I supply_ here. 507. their (_read_

hir? _see_ 506); _so in_ 512, &c. 508. leaues. 509. old bookes. 512. beare.

bowes; _see_ 270. 514. woll. 515. knights; round. 516. eke; douseperis.

517. beare. 518. It is (_but read_ As). 519. Eke; knights old. 522. _I

supply_ it; wholly. 523. eke; marshall (!). 524. them; riches. 526. one

leafe. 527, 528. done. 529. earthly. 530. Witnes. 531. deeds.

535. all; beene. 536. _I supply_ folk. 537. delite of; busines. 539. _I

supply_ lyk. 540. great delite; _I supply_ the; pleasaunce. 541. to; and so

(_omit_ and). 542. _I supply_ gret. 543. faire. 544. aske. 545. knights; _I

supply_ al. 546. leafe; floure. 548. knights. 550. all. 551. leaues aye.

552. their; _read_ hir? 553. Whose; green May may (_sic_). 554. aye; their

beauty. 555. storme; _I supply_ non. 556. Haile; frosts. 557. propertie.

558. floure; little. 559. Woll; lost. 560. greeuance. 561. storme will;

them. 562. _I supply_ as; season. 563. That if their (_read_ That is the).

564. reason. 565. occupacion.

566. all mine whole. 567. thanke. 571. pleasure; will. 572. ayen; whome

doe; owe. 573. woll. 574. Tell; yeere; leafe or the flour. 575. I least.

576. leafe; owe mine. 577. well done. 580. male bouch; all; crueltie. 581.

all. 583. follow; great. 585. forth as; humbly. 586. tooke; hie. 587. them.

588. homeward. 589. all. 590. them; it to rede (_omit_ to). 591. little

booke. 594. shall. 595. full.

* * * * *

XXI. THE ASSEMBLY OF LADIES.

In Septembre, at the falling of the leef,

The fressh sesoun was al-togider doon,

And of the corn was gadered in the sheef;

In a gardyn, about twayn after noon,

Ther were ladyes walking, as was her wone, 5

Foure in nombre, as to my mynd doth falle,

And I the fifte, the simplest of hem alle.

Of gentilwomen fayre ther were also,

Disporting hem, everiche after her gyse,

In crosse-aleys walking, by two and two, 10

And some alone, after her fantasyes.

Thus occupyed we were in dyvers wyse;

And yet, in trouthe, we were not al alone;

Ther were knightës and squyers many one.

'Wherof I served?' oon of hem asked me; 15

I sayde ayein, as it fel in my thought,

'To walke about the mase, in certayntè,

As a woman that [of] nothing rought.'

He asked me ayein--'whom that I sought,

And of my colour why I was so pale?' 20

'Forsothe,' quod I, 'and therby lyth a tale.'

'That must me wite,' quod he, 'and that anon;

Tel on, let see, and make no tarying.'

'Abyd,' quod I, 'ye been a hasty oon,

I let you wite it is no litel thing. 25

But, for bicause ye have a greet longing

In your desyr, this proces for to here,

I shal you tel the playn of this matere.--

It happed thus, that, in an after-noon,

My felawship and I, by oon assent, 30

Whan al our other besinesse was doon,

To passe our tyme, into this mase we went,

And toke our wayes, eche after our entent;

Some went inward, and +wend they had gon out,

Some stode amid, and loked al about. 35

And, sooth to say, some were ful fer behind,

And right anon as ferforth as the best;

Other ther were, so mased in her mind,

Al wayes were good for hem, bothe eest and west.

Thus went they forth, and had but litel rest; 40

And some, her corage did hem sore assayle,

For very wrath, they did step over the rayle!

And as they sought hem-self thus to and fro,

I gat myself a litel avauntage;

Al for-weried, I might no further go, 45

Though I had won right greet, for my viage.

So com I forth into a strait passage,

Which brought me to an herber fair and grene,

Mad with benches, ful craftily and clene,

That, as me thought, ther might no crëature 50

Devyse a better, by dew proporcioun;

Safe it was closed wel, I you ensure,

With masonry of compas enviroun,

Ful secretly, with stayres going doun

Inmiddes the place, with turning wheel, certayn; 55

And upon that, a pot of marjolain;

With margarettes growing in ordinaunce,

To shewe hemself, as folk went to and fro,

That to beholde it was a greet plesaunce,

And how they were acompanyed with mo 60

Ne-m'oublie-mies and sovenez also;

The povre pensees were not disloged there;

No, no! god wot, her place was every-where!

The flore beneth was paved faire and smothe

With stones square, of many dyvers hew, 65

So wel joynëd that, for to say the sothe,

Al semed oon (who that non other knew);

And underneth, the stremës new and new,

As silver bright, springing in suche a wyse

That, whence it cam, ye coude it not devyse. 70

A litel whyle thus was I al alone,

Beholding wel this délectable place;

My felawship were coming everichone,

So must me nedes abyde, as for a space.

Rememb[e]ring of many dyvers cace 75

Of tyme passed, musing with sighes depe,

I set me doun, and ther I fel a-slepe.

And, as I slept, me thought ther com to me

A gentilwoman, metely of stature;

Of greet worship she semed for to be, 80

Atyred wel, not high, but by mesure;

Her countenaunce ful sad and ful demure;

Her colours blewe, al that she had upon;

Ther com no mo [there] but herself aloon.

Her gown was wel embrouded, certainly, 85

With sovenez, after her own devyse;

On her purfyl her word [was] by and by

_Bien et loyalment_, as I coud devyse.

Than prayde I her, in every maner wyse

That of her name I might have remembraunce; 90

She sayd, she called was Perséveraunce.

So furthermore to speke than was I bold,

Where she dwelled, I prayed her for to say;

And she again ful curteysly me told,

"My dwelling is, and hath ben many a day 95

With a lady."--"What lady, I you pray?"

"Of greet estate, thus warne I you," quod she;

"What cal ye her?"--"Her name is Loyaltè."

"In what offyce stand ye, or in what degrè?"

Quod I to her, "that wolde I wit right fayn." 100

"I am," quod she, "unworthy though I be,

Of her chambre her ussher, in certayn;

This rod I bere, as for a token playn,

Lyke as ye know the rule in such servyce

Pertayning is unto the same offyce. 105

She charged me, by her commaundëment,

To warn you and your felawes everichon,

That ye shuld come there as she is present,

For a counsayl, which shal be now anon,

Or seven dayës be comen and gon. 110

And furthermore, she bad that I shuld say

Excuse there might be non, nor [no] delay.

Another thing was nigh forget behind

Whiche in no wyse I wolde but ye it knew;

Remembre wel, and bere it in your mind, 115

Al your felawes and ye must come in blew,

Every liche able your maters for to sew;

With more, which I pray you thinke upon,

Your wordës on your slevës everichon.

And be not ye abasshed in no wyse, 120

As many been in suche an high presence;

Mak your request as ye can best devyse,

And she gladly wol yeve you audience.

There is no greef, ne no maner offence,

Wherin ye fele that your herte is displesed, 125

But with her help right sone ye shul be esed."

"I am right glad," quod I, "ye tel me this,

But there is non of us that knoweth the way."

"As of your way," quod she, "ye shul not mis,

Ye shul have oon to gyde you, day by day, 130

Of my felawes (I can no better say)

Suche oon as shal tel you the way ful right;

And Diligence this gentilwoman hight.