And wel cherisshed, I tel you in certayn; 135
Her felawship shal do you greet plesaunce.
Her port is suche, her maners trewe and playn;
She with glad chere wol do her besy payn
To bring you there; now farwel, I have don."
"Abyde," sayd I, "ye may not go so sone." 140
"Why so?" quod she, "and I have fer to go
To yeve warning in many dyvers place
To your felawes, and so to other mo;
And wel ye wot, I have but litel space."
"Now yet," quod I, "ye must tel me this cace, 145
If we shal any man unto us cal?"
"Not oon," quod she, "may come among you al."
"Not oon," quod I, "ey! _benedicite!_
What have they don? I pray you tel me that!"
"Now, by my lyf, I trow but wel," quod she; 150
"But ever I can bileve there is somwhat,
And, for to say you trouth, more can I nat;
In questiouns I may nothing be large,
I medle no further than is my charge."
"Than thus," quod I, "do me to understand, 155
What place is there this lady is dwelling?"
"Forsothe," quod she, "and oon sought al this land,
Fairer is noon, though it were for a king
Devysed wel, and that in every thing.
The toures hy ful plesaunt shul ye find, 160
With fanes fressh, turning with every wind.
The chambres and parlours both of oo sort,
With bay-windowes, goodly as may be thought,
As for daunsing and other wyse disport;
The galeryes right wonder wel y-wrought, 165
That I wel wot, if ye were thider brought,
And took good hede therof in every wyse,
Ye wold it thinke a very paradyse."
"What hight this place?" quod I; "now say me that."
"Plesaunt Regard," quod she, "to tel you playn." 170
"Of verray trouth," quod I, "and, wot ye what,
It may right wel be called so, certayn;
But furthermore, this wold I wit ful fayn,
What shulde I do as sone as I come there,
And after whom that I may best enquere?" 175
"A gentilwoman, a porter at the yate
There shal ye find; her name is Countenaunce;
If +it so hap ye come erly or late,
Of her were good to have som acquaintaunce.
She can tel how ye shal you best avaunce, 180
And how to come to her ladyes presence;
To her wordës I rede you yeve credence.
Now it is tyme that I depart you fro;
For, in good sooth, I have gret businesse."
"I wot right wel," quod I, "that it is so; 185
And I thank you of your gret gentilnesse.
Your comfort hath yeven me suche hardinesse
That now I shal be bold, withouten fayl,
To do after your ávyse and counsayl."
Thus parted she, and I lefte al aloon; 190
With that I saw, as I beheld asyde,
A woman come, a verray goodly oon;
And forth withal, as I had her aspyed,
Me thought anon, [that] it shuld be the gyde;
And of her name anon I did enquere. 195
Ful womanly she yave me this answere.
"I am," quod she, "a simple crëature
Sent from the court; my name is Diligence.
As sone as I might come, I you ensure,
I taried not, after I had licence; 200
And now that I am come to your presence,
Look, what servyce that I can do or may,
Commaundë me; I can no further say."
I thanked her, and prayed her to come nere,
Because I wold see how she were arayed; 205
Her gown was blew, dressed in good manere
With her devyse, her word also, that sayd
_Tant que je puis_; and I was wel apayd;
For than wist I, withouten any more,
It was ful trew, that I had herd before. 210
"Though we took now before a litel space,
It were ful good," quod she, "as I coud gesse."
"How fer," quod I, "have we unto that place?"
"A dayes journey," quod she, "but litel lesse;
Wherfore I redë that we onward dresse; 215
For, I suppose, our felawship is past,
And for nothing I wold that we were last."
Than parted we, at springing of the day,
And forth we wente [a] soft and esy pace,
Til, at the last, we were on our journey 220
So fer onward, that we might see the place.
"Now let us rest," quod I, "a litel space,
And say we, as devoutly as we can,
A _pater-noster_ for saint Julian."
"With al my herte, I assent with good wil; 225
Much better shul we spede, whan we have don."
Than taried we, and sayd it every del.
And whan the day was fer gon after noon,
We saw a place, and thider cam we sone,
Which rounde about was closed with a wal, 230
Seming to me ful lyke an hospital.
Ther found I oon, had brought al myn aray,
A gentilwoman of myn aquaintaunce.
"I have mervayl," quod I, "what maner way
Ye had knowlege of al this ordenaunce." 235
"Yis, yis," quod she, "I herd Perséveraunce,
How she warned your felawes everichon,
And what aray that ye shulde have upon."
"Now, for my love," quod I, "this I you pray,
Sith ye have take upon you al the payn, 240
That ye wold helpe me on with myn aray;
For wit ye wel, I wold be gon ful fayn."
"Al this prayer nedeth not, certayn;"
Quod she agayn; "com of, and hy you sone,
And ye shal see how wel it shal be doon." 245
"But this I dout me greetly, wot ye what,
That my felawes ben passed by and gon."
"I warant you," quod she, "that ar they nat;
For here they shul assemble everichon.
Notwithstanding, I counsail you anon; 250
Mak you redy, and tary ye no more,
It is no harm, though ye be there afore."
So than I dressed me in myn aray,
And asked her, whether it were wel or no?
"It is right wel," quod she, "unto my pay; 255
Ye nede not care to what place ever ye go."
And whyl that she and I debated so,
Cam Diligence, and saw me al in blew:
"Sister," quod she, "right wel brouk ye your new!"
Than went we forth, and met at aventure 260
A yong woman, an officer seming:
"What is your name," quod I, "good crëature?"
"Discrecioun," quod she, "without lesing."
"And where," quod I, "is your most abyding?"
"I have," quod she, "this office of purchace, 265
Cheef purveyour, that longeth to this place."
"Fair love," quod I, "in al your ordenaunce,
What is her name that is the herbegere?"
"For sothe," quod she, "her name is Acquaintaunce,
A woman of right gracious manere." 270
Than thus quod I, "What straungers have ye here?"
"But few," quod she, "of high degree ne low;
Ye be the first, as ferforth as I know."
Thus with talës we cam streight to the yate;
This yong woman departed was and gon; 275
Cam Diligence, and knokked fast therat;
"Who is without?" quod Countenaunce anon.
"Trewly," quod I, "fair sister, here is oon!"
"Which oon?" quod she, and therwithal she lough;
"I, Diligence! ye know me wel ynough." 280
Than opened she the yate, and in we go;
With wordës fair she sayd ful gentilly,
"Ye are welcome, ywis! are ye no mo?"
"Nat oon," quod she, "save this woman and I."
"Now than," quod she, "I pray yow hertely, 285
Tak my chambre, as for a whyl, to rest
Til your felawës come, I holde it best."
I thanked her, and forth we gon echon
Til her chambre, without[en] wordës mo.
Cam Diligence, and took her leve anon; 290
"Wher-ever you list," quod I, "now may ye go;
And I thank you right hertely also
Of your labour, for which god do you meed;
I can no more, but Jesu be your speed!"
Than Countenauncë asked me anon, 295
"Your felawship, where ben they now?" quod she.
"For sothe," quod I, "they be coming echon;
But in certayn, I know nat wher they be,
Without I may hem at this window see.
Here wil I stande, awaytinge ever among, 300
For, wel I wot, they wil nat now be long."
Thus as I stood musing ful busily,
I thought to take good hede of her aray,
Her gown was blew, this wot I verely,
Of good fasoun, and furred wel with gray; 305
Upon her sleve her word (this is no nay),
Which sayd thus, as my pennë can endyte,
_A moi que je voy_, writen with lettres whyte.
Than forth withal she cam streight unto me,
"Your word," quod she, "fayn wold I that I knew." 310
"Forsothe," quod I, "ye shal wel knowe and see,
And for my word, I have non; this is trew.
It is ynough that my clothing be blew,
As here-before I had commaundëment;
And so to do I am right wel content. 315
But tel me this, I pray you hertely,
The steward here, say me, what is her name?"
"She hight Largesse, I say you suërly;
A fair lady, and of right noble fame.
Whan ye her see, ye wil report the same. 320
And under her, to bid you welcome al,
There is Belchere, the marshal of the hall.
Now al this whyle that ye here tary stil,
Your own maters ye may wel have in mind.
But tel me this, have ye brought any bil?" 325
"Ye, ye," quod I, "or els I were behind.
Where is there oon, tel me, that I may find
To whom that I may shewe my matters playn?"
"Surely," quod she, "unto the chamberlayn."
"The chamberlayn?" quod I, "[now] say ye trew?" 330
"Ye, verely," sayd she, "by myne advyse;
Be nat aferd; unto her lowly sew."
"It shal be don," quod I, "as ye devyse;
But ye must knowe her name in any wyse?"
"Trewly," quod she, "to tell you in substaunce, 335
Without fayning, her name is Remembraunce.
The secretary yit may not be forget;
For she may do right moche in every thing.
Wherfore I rede, whan ye have with her met,
Your mater hool tel her, without fayning; 340
Ye shal her finde ful good and ful loving."
"Tel me her name," quod I, "of gentilnesse."
"By my good sooth," quod she, "Avysënesse."
"That name," quod I, "for her is passing good;
For every bil and cedule she must see; 345
Now good," quod I, "com, stand there-as I stood;
My felawes be coming; yonder they be."
"Is it [a] jape, or say ye sooth?" quod she.
"In jape? nay, nay; I say you for certain;
See how they come togider, twain and twain!" 350
"Ye say ful sooth," quod she, "that is no nay;
I see coming a goodly company."
"They been such folk," quod I, "I dar wel say,
That list to love; thinke it ful verily.
And, for my love, I pray you faithfully, 355
At any tyme, whan they upon you cal,
That ye wol be good frend unto hem al."
"Of my frendship," quod she, "they shal nat mis,
And for their ese, to put therto my payn."
"God yelde it you!" quod I; "but tel me this, 360
How shal we know who is the chamberlayn?"
"That shal ye wel know by her word, certayn."
"What is her word? Sister, I pray you say."
"_Plus ne purroy_; thus wryteth she alway."
Thus as we stood togider, she and I, 365
Even at the yate my felawes were echon.
So met I hem, as me thought was goodly,
And bad hem welcome al, by on and on.
Than forth cam [lady] Countenaunce anon;
"Ful hertely, fair sisters al," quod she, 370
"Ye be right welcome into this countree.
I counsail you to take a litel rest
In my chambre, if it be your plesaunce.
Whan ye be there, me thinketh for the best
That I go in, and cal Perséveraunce, 375
Because she is oon of your aquaintaunce;
And she also wil tel you every thing
How ye shal be ruled of your coming."
My felawes al and I, by oon avyse,
Were wel agreed to do lyke as she sayd. 380
Than we began to dresse us in our gyse,
That folk shuld see we were nat unpurvayd;
And good wageours among us there we layd,
Which of us was atyred goodliest,
And of us al which shuld be praysed best. 385
The porter cam, and brought Perséveraunce;
She welcomed us in ful curteys manere:
"Think ye nat long," quod she, "your attendaunce;
I wil go speke unto the herbergere,
That she may purvey for your logging here. 390
Than wil I go unto the chamberlayn
To speke for you, and come anon agayn."
And whan [that] she departed was and gon,
We saw folkës coming without the wal,
So greet people, that nombre coud we non; 395
Ladyes they were and gentilwomen al,
Clothed in blew, echon her word withal;
But for to knowe her word or her devyse,
They cam so thikke, that I might in no wyse.
With that anon cam in Perséveraunce, 400
And where I stood, she cam streight [un]to me.
"Ye been," quod she, "of myne olde acquaintaunce;
You to enquere, the bolder wolde I be;
What word they bere, eche after her degree,
I pray you, tel it me in secret wyse; 405
And I shal kepe it close, on warantyse."
"We been," quod I, "fyve ladies al in-fere,
And gentilwomen foure in company;
Whan they begin to open hir matere,
Than shal ye knowe hir wordës by and by; 410
But as for me, I have non verely,
And so I told Countenaunce here-before;
Al myne aray is blew; what nedeth more?"
"Now than," quod she, "I wol go in agayn,
That ye may have knowlege, what ye shuld do." 415
"In sooth," quod I, "if ye wold take the payn,
Ye did right moch for us, if ye did so.
The rather sped, the soner may we go.
Gret cost alway ther is in tarying;
And long to sewe, it is a wery thing." 420
Than parted she, and cam again anon;
"Ye must," quod she, "come to the chamberlayn."
"We been," quod I, "now redy everichon
To folowe you whan-ever ye list, certayn.
We have non eloquence, to tel you playn; 425
Beseching you we may be so excused,
Our trew mening, that it be not refused."
Than went we forth, after Perséveraunce,
To see the prees; it was a wonder cace;
There for to passe it was greet comb[e]raunce, 430
The people stood so thikke in every place.
"Now stand ye stil," quod she, "a litel space;
And for your ese somwhat I shal assay,
If I can make you any better way."
And forth she goth among hem everichon, 435
Making a way, that we might thorugh pas
More at our ese; and whan she had so don,
She beckned us to come where-as she was;
So after her we folowed, more and las.
She brought us streight unto the chamberlayn; 440
There left she us, and than she went agayn.
We salued her, as reson wolde it so,
Ful humb[el]ly beseching her goodnesse,
In our maters that we had for to do
That she wold be good lady and maistresse. 445
"Ye be welcome," quod she, "in sothfastnesse,
And see, what I can do you for to plese,
I am redy, that may be to your ese."
We folowed her unto the chambre-dore,
"Sisters," quod she, "come ye in after me." 450
But wite ye wel, there was a paved flore,
The goodliest that any wight might see;
And furthermore, about than loked we
On eche corner, and upon every wal,
The which was mad of berel and cristal; 455
Wherein was graven of stories many oon;
First how Phyllis, of womanly pitè,
Deyd pitously, for love of Demophoon.
Nexte after was the story of Tisbee,
How she slew her-self under a tree. 460
Yet saw I more, how in right pitous cas
For Antony was slayn Cleopatras.
That other syde was, how Hawes the shene
Untrewly was disceyved in her bayn.
There was also Annelida the quene, 465
Upon Arcyte how sore she did complayn.
Al these stories were graved there, certayn;
And many mo than I reherce you here;
It were to long to tel you al in-fere.
And, bicause the wallës shone so bright, 470
With fyne umple they were al over-sprad,
To that intent, folk shuld nat hurte hir sight;
And thorugh it the stories might be rad.
Than furthermore I went, as I was lad;
And there I saw, without[en] any fayl, 475
A chayrë set, with ful riche aparayl.
And fyve stages it was set fro the ground,
Of cassidony ful curiously wrought;
With four pomelles of golde, and very round,
Set with saphyrs, as good as coud be thought; 480
That, wot ye what, if it were thorugh sought,
As I suppose, fro this countrey til Inde,
Another suche it were right fer to finde!
For, wite ye wel, I was right nere that,
So as I durst, beholding by and by; 485
Above ther was a riche cloth of estate,
Wrought with the nedle ful straungëly,
Her word thereon; and thus it said trewly,
_A endurer_, to tel you in wordës few,
With grete letters, the better I hem knew. 490
Thus as we stode, a dore opened anon;
A gentilwoman, semely of stature,
Beringe a mace, cam out, her-selfe aloon;
Sothly, me thought, a goodly crëature!
She spak nothing to lowde, I you ensure, 495
Nor hastily, but with goodly warning:
"Mak room," quod she, "my lady is coming!"
With that anon I saw Perséveraunce,
How she held up the tapet in her hand.
I saw also, in right good ordinaunce, 500
This greet lady within the tapet stand,
Coming outward, I wol ye understand;
And after her a noble company,
I coud nat tel the nombre sikerly.
Of their namës I wold nothing enquere 505
Further than suche as we wold sewe unto,
Sauf oo lady, which was the chauncellere,
Attemperaunce; sothly her name was so.
For us nedeth with her have moch to do
In our maters, and alway more and more. 510
And, so forth, to tel you furthermore,
Of this lady her beautè to discryve,
My conning is to simple, verely;
For never yet, the dayës of my lyve,
So inly fair I have non seen, trewly. 515
In her estate, assured utterly,
There wanted naught, I dare you wel assure,
That longed to a goodly crëature.
And furthermore, to speke of her aray,
I shal you tel the maner of her gown; 520
Of clothe of gold ful riche, it is no nay;
The colour blew, of a right good fasoun;
In tabard-wyse the slevës hanging doun;
And what purfyl there was, and in what wyse,
So as I can, I shal it you devyse. 525
After a sort the coller and the vent,
Lyk as ermyne is mad in purfeling;
With grete perlës, ful fyne and orient,
They were couchèd, al after oon worching,
With dyamonds in stede of powdering; 530
The slevës and purfilles of assyse;
They were [y-]mad [ful] lyke, in every wyse.
Aboute her nekke a sort of fair rubyes,
In whyte floures of right fyne enamayl;
Upon her heed, set in the freshest wyse, 535
A cercle with gret balays of entayl;
That, in ernest to speke, withouten fayl,
For yonge and olde, and every maner age,
It was a world to loke on her visage.
Thus coming forth, to sit in her estat, 540
In her presence we kneled down echon,
Presentinge up our billes, and, wot ye what,
Ful humb[el]ly she took hem, by on and on;
When we had don, than cam they al anon,
And did the same, eche after her manere, 545
Knelinge at ones, and rysinge al in-fere.
Whan this was don, and she set in her place,
The chamberlayn she did unto her cal;
And she, goodly coming til her a-pace,
Of her entent knowing nothing at al, 550
"Voyd bak the prees," quod she, "up to the wal;
Mak larger roum, but look ye do not tary,
And tak these billës to the secretary."
The chamberlayn did her commaundëment,
And cam agayn, as she was bid to do; 555
The secretary there being present,
The billës were delivered her also,
Not only ours, but many other mo.
Than the lady, with good advyce, agayn
Anon withal called her chamberlayn. 560
"We wol," quod she, "the first thing that ye do,
The secretary, make her come anon
With her billës; and thus we wil also,
In our presence she rede hem everichon,
That we may takë good advyce theron 565
Of the ladyes, that been of our counsayl;
Look this be don, withouten any fayl."
The chamberlayn, whan she wiste her entent,
Anon she did the secretary cal:
"Let your billës," quod she, "be here present, 570
My lady it wil." "Madame," quod she, "I shal."
"And in presence she wil ye rede hem al."
"With good wil; I am redy," quod she,
"At her plesure, whan she commaundeth me."
And upon that was mad an ordinaunce, 575
They that cam first, hir billës shuld be red.
Ful gentelly than sayd Perséveraunce,
"Resoun it wold that they were sonest sped."
Anon withal, upon a tapet spred,
The secretary layde hem doun echon; 580
Our billës first she redde hem on by on.
The first lady, bering in her devyse
_Sans que jamais_, thus wroot she in her bil;
Complayning sore and in ful pitous wyse
Of promesse mad with faithful hert and wil 585
And so broken, ayenst al maner skil,
Without desert alwayes on her party;
In this mater desyring remedy.
Her next felawës word was in this wyse,
_Une sans chaungier_; and thus she did complayn, 590
Though she had been guerdoned for her servyce,
Yet nothing lyke as she that took the payn;
Wherfore she coude in no wyse her restrayn,
But in this cas sewe until her presence,
As reson woldë, to have recompence. 595
So furthermore, to speke of other twayn,
Oon of hem wroot, after her fantasy,
_Oncques puis lever_; and, for to tel you plain,
Her complaynt was ful pitous, verely,
For, as she sayd, ther was gret reson why; 600
And, as I can remembre this matere,
I shal you tel the proces, al in-fere.
Her bil was mad, complayninge in her gyse,
That of her joy, her comfort and gladnesse
Was no suretee; for in no maner wyse 605
She fond therin no point of stablenesse,
Now il, now wel, out of al sikernesse;
Ful humbelly desyringe, of her grace,
Som remedy to shewe her in this cace.
Her felawe made her bil, and thus she sayd, 610
In playning wyse; there-as she loved best,
Whether she were wroth or wel apayd
She might nat see, whan [that] she wold faynest;
And wroth she was, in very ernest;
To tel her word, as ferforth as I wot, 615
_Entierment vostre_, right thus she wroot.
And upon that she made a greet request
With herte and wil, and al that might be don
As until her that might redresse it best;
For in her mind thus might she finde it sone, 620
The remedy of that, which was her boon;
Rehersing [that] that she had sayd before,
Beseching her it might be so no more.
And in lyk wyse as they had don before,
The gentilwomen of our company 625
Put up hir billës; and, for to tel you more,
Oon of hem wroot _cest sanz dire_, verily;
And her matere hool to specify,
With-in her bil she put it in wryting;
And what it sayd, ye shal have knowleching. 630
It sayd, god wot, and that ful pitously,
Lyke as she was disposed in her hert,
No misfortune that she took grevously;
Al oon to her it was, the joy and smert,
Somtyme no thank for al her good desert. 635
Other comfort she wanted non coming,
And so used, it greved her nothing.
Desyringe her, and lowly béseching,
That she for her wold seke a better way,
As she that had ben, al her dayes living, 640
Stedfast and trew, and so wil be alway.
Of her felawe somwhat I shal you say,
Whos bil was red next after forth, withal;
And what it ment rehersen you I shal.
_En dieu est_, she wroot in her devyse; 645
And thus she sayd, withouten any fayl,
Her trouthë might be taken in no wyse
Lyke as she thought, wherfore she had mervayl;
For trouth somtyme was wont to take avayl
In every matere; but al that is ago; 650
The more pitè, that it is suffred so.
Moch more there was, wherof she shuld complayn,
But she thought it to greet encomb[e]raunce
So moch to wryte; and therfore, in certayn,
In god and her she put her affiaunce 655
As in her worde is mad a remembraunce;
Beseching her that she wolde, in this cace,
Shewe unto her the favour of her grace.
The third, she wroot, rehersing her grevaunce,
Ye! wot ye what, a pitous thing to here; 660
For, as me thought, she felt gret displesaunce,
Oon might right wel perceyve it by her chere,
And no wonder; it sat her passing nere.
Yet loth she was to put it in wryting,
But nede wol have his cours in every thing. 665
_Soyes en sure_, this was her word, certayn,
And thus she wroot, but in a litel space;
There she lovëd, her labour was in vayn,
For he was set al in another place;
Ful humblely desyring, in that cace, 670
Som good comfort, her sorow to appese,
That she might livë more at hertes ese.
The fourth surely, me thought, she liked wele,
As in her porte and in her behaving;
And _Bien moneste_, as fer as I coud fele, 675
That was her word, til her wel belonging.
Wherfore to her she prayed, above al thing,
Ful hertely (to say you in substaunce)
That she wold sende her good continuaunce.
"Ye have rehersed me these billës al, 680
But now, let see somwhat of your entent."
"It may so hap, paraventure, ye shal.
Now I pray you, whyle I am here present,
Ye shal, pardè, have knowlege, what I ment.
But thus I say in trouthe, and make no fable, 685
The case itself is inly lamentable.
And wel I wot, that ye wol think the same,
Lyke as I say, whan ye have herd my bil."
"Now good, tel on, I hate you, by saynt Jame!"
"Abyde a whyle; it is nat yet my wil. 690
Yet must ye wite, by reson and by skil,
Sith ye know al that hath be don before:--"
And thus it sayd, without[en] wordes more.
"Nothing so leef as deth to come to me
For fynal ende of my sorowes and payn; 695
What shulde I more desyre, as semë ye?
And ye knewe al aforn it for certayn,
I wot ye wolde; and, for to tel you playn,
Without her help that hath al thing in cure
I can nat think that I may longe endure. 700
As for my trouthe, it hath be proved wele,
To say the sothe, I can [you] say no more,
Of ful long tyme, and suffred every dele
In pacience, and kepe it al in store;
Of her goodnesse besechinge her therfore 705
That I might have my thank in suche [a] wyse
As my desert deserveth of justyse."
Whan these billës were rad everichon,
This lady took a good advysement;
And hem to answere, ech by on and on, 710
She thought it was to moche in her entent;
Wherfore she yaf hem in commaundëment,
In her presence to come, bothe oon and al,
To yeve hem there her answer general.
What did she than, suppose ye verely? 715
She spak herself, and sayd in this manere,
"We have wel seen your billës by and by,
And some of hem ful pitous for to here.
We wol therfore ye knowe al this in-fere,
Within short tyme our court of parliment 720
Here shal be holde, in our palays present;
And in al this wherin ye find you greved,
Ther shal ye finde an open remedy
In suche [a] wyse, as ye shul be releved
Of al that ye reherce here, thoroughly. 725
As for the date, ye shul know verily,
That ye may have a space in your coming;
For Diligence shal it tel you by wryting."
We thanked her in our most humble wyse,
Our felauship, echon by oon assent, 730
Submitting us lowly til her servyse.
For, as we thought, we had our travayl spent
In suche [a] wyse as we helde us content.
Than eche of us took other by the sleve,
And forth withal, as we shuld take our leve. 735
Al sodainly the water sprang anon
In my visage, and therwithal I wook:--
"Where am I now?" thought I; "al this is gon;"
And al amased, up I gan to look.
With that, anon I went and made this book, 740
Thus simplely rehersing the substaunce,
Bicause it shuld not out of remembraunce.'--
'Now verily, your dreem is passing good,
And worthy to be had in rémembraunce;
For, though I stande here as longe as I stood, 745
It shuld to me be non encomb[e]raunce;
I took therin so inly greet plesaunce.
But tel me now, what ye the book do cal?
For I must wite.' 'With right good wil ye shal:
As for this book, to say you very right, 750
And of the name to tel the certeyntè,
L'ASSEMBLÈ DE DAMES, thus it hight;
How think ye?' 'That the name is good, pardè!'
'Now go, farwel! for they cal after me,
My felawes al, and I must after sone; 755
Rede wel my dreem; for now my tale is doon.'
HERE ENDETH THE BOOK OF ASSEMBLE DE DAMYS.
_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); _compared with_ A. (Addit. 34360); _and_ T.
(Trin. R. 3. 19). TITLE. Th. The assemble of ladies; T. the Boke callyd
Assemble de Damys. 1. A. leef; Th. lefe. 2. Th. ceason. 3. Th. corne;
gathered. A. in; Th. T. _om._ A. sheef; Th. shefe. 4. Th. gardyne aboute
twayne; noone. 6. Th. mynde dothe fal. 7. Th. fyfthe; A. T. fift. A. T.
_om._ the. Th. al. 13. Th. T. al; A. _om._ 16. Th. sayd ayen; A. seyde
ageyne. 17. Th. aboute. 18. _I supply_ of. 19. Th. ayen; A. ageyn. 21. Th.
lythe. [_Henceforward unmarked readings are from_ Thynne.]
22. _All_ me. A. wite; Th. T. wete. anone. 23. se; taryeng. 24. Abyde; ben.
25. A. wite; Th. T. wete. 26. great. 27. desyre; processe. 28. playne. 29.
noone. 30. one. 31. A. oure; Th. T. _om._ T. A. besynes was; Th. besynesses
were doone. 34. _All_ went (_twice_); _read_ wend (= weened). 35. A.
amyddis; Th. T. in the myd. aboute. 36. sothe. A. T. fer; Th. ferre.
behynde. 37. ferforthe; beste. 38. mynde. 40. forthe. 41. A. so (_for_
sore). 42. wrathe. A. stept (_for_ did step). 43. A. thus; T. Th. _om._
-selfe. 44. gate. 46. great. 47. came; A. com. forthe; strayte. 48. fayre.
49. _All_ Made. T. craftyly; A. Th. crafty. 51. T. dew; Th. dewe; A. _om._
53. masonrye. A. T. compas; Th. compace. 54. T. steyers. 55. whele. 56.
potte. A. Margoleyne; Th. Margelayne; T. Margelayn. 58. -selfe; folke. 59.
great. 60. howe. 61. A. Ne moubliemies; Th. Ne momblysnesse; T. Ne
momblynes. A. souenez; T. souenes; Th.souenesse. 62. _All_ penses. 63. A.
No no; Th. T. Ne (!). wote. 64. A. beneth; Th. T. and benche (!). Th.
smoth. 65. hewe. 67. one. A. who; Th. T. _om._ none; knewe. 68. streames
newe and newe. 70. came. 71. A. thus; Th. T. _om._ 74. muste. T. nedys; Th.
nedest; A. nede. A. as; Th. T. _om._ 76. A. musyng; Th. T. _om._ 77. downe.
78. A. com; Th. came. 80. Th. great. 82. sadde. A. ful (2); Th. T. _om._
84. A. com; Th.came. _I supply_ there. 85. gowne. A. embrowded; T.
enbrowdyd; Th. enbraudred. 86. A. souenez; Th. T. stones. 87. A. On; Th. T.
In. A. the; Th. T. her. _All_ worde; _read_ word was. 88. A. _Bien
loielment_ as I cowde me deuyse. 89. A. eu_er_y; T. many (_om._ in); Th.
any. 91. _All_ was called. 92. A. than; Th. T. _om._ bolde. 94. agayne;
curtesly; tolde. 95. be. 97. great. 99. stande. 100. A. wit; Th. T. wete.
A. ful; Th. T. right. 102. hussher (A. T. vssher); certayne. 103. rodde;
beare; playne. 104. knowe. 105. A. P_er_teyneng; Th. T. Apertaynyng. A.
vnto; Th. T. to. 107. warne; -one. 108. shulde. 109. counsayle; nowe anone.
110. gone. 111. shulde. 112. _I supply_ no.
113. A. nygh; Th. T. not(!). behynde. 114. knewe. 115. beare. 116. muste;
blewe. 119. T. wordys; sleuys. 120. _So_ A.; Th. T. be not abasshed in no
maner wyse. 122. Make. 124. grefe. 125. displeased. 126. helpe. A. shul;
Th. T. shal. eased. 127. T. (_heading_): Diligence Guyde. 129. A. shul; Th.
T. shal. 130. A. shul; Th. T. shal. A. one (= oon); Th. T. _om._ 132. one;
waye. 135. A. I sey yow for. 136. great. 137. porte; playne. 139. A. T.
farewele now have I. 140. A. quod (_for_ sayd.). 141. ferre. 144. wote.
145. Nowe; A. _om._ 147. one. Th. amonges; A. T. among. 148. A. Nat one
quod I ey; Th. Not one than sayd I eygh; T. Not oon then sayd I O. 149. A.
they; Th. T. I. done. 150. Th. Nowe; lyfe. 152. trouthe. T. A. nat; Th.
not. 153. questyons. Th. be to large; A. _om._ to. 154. A. medle; Th.
meddle. A. is (_in later hand_); Th. T. _om_, 155. vnderstande. 157. one;
lande. 158. none. 160. hye. A. shul; Th. shal. fynde. 161. A. fanes; Th.
phanes; T. vanes. wynde. 162. A. _om._ and. A. parlours; Th. parlers; T.
parlors. A. both; Th. T. _om._ A. oo; Th. T. a. sorte. 164. disporte. 166.
wote. 167. A. toke; Th. T. take. 168. Th. wol; A. T. wold. 169. A. this;
Th. T. the. nowe. 170. regarde; playne. 171. A. verray; T. v_er_rey; Th.
verey. wote. 172. A. _om._ right. 173. A. T. ful; Th. right.
174. T. shulde I; Th. I shulde; A. shal I. 175. A. that; Th. T. _om._ 176.
A. at; Th. T. of. 177. fynde. 178. Th. T. ye (_for_ it); A. _om._ (_but_ it
_seems required_). 180. _So_ A.; Th. T. you tel howe ye shal you. 181.
howe. Th. her; A. T. this. 182. A. T. yow; Th. ye. gyue. 183. Th. _om._
that. T. depart; Th. parte; A. part. 184. A. T. soth; Th. faythe. great.
185. wote. 186. thanke; great. 187. comforte. A. suche; Th. T. _om._ 188.
nowe; bolde; fayle. 189. A. auise; Th. aduyce. Th. and good; A. T. _om._
good. 198. courte. 201. nowe. 202. A. that; Th. T. _om._ 205. wolde se
howe. A. were; Th. T. was. arayde.
207. worde; sayde. 208. apayde. 209. A. For; Th. T. And. 210. trewe; herde.
211. nowe. 212. coude. 213. Howe farre. A. that; Th. T. the. 215. A.
onward; Th. T. outwarde. 217. _So_ A.; Th. T. wolde not we were the last.
218. A. parted; Th. T. departed. Th. T. at the; A. _om._ the. 219. _I
supply_ a. T. and an esy. 221. far. A. onward; Th. T. outwarde. se. 222.
Nowe. 225. A. myn hert quod she I gre me wele (_better?_). 226. A. shul;
Th. shal. 227. A. dele; T. dell_e_; Th. dyl. 228. A. was fer gon; Th. T.
was past farre. 229. sawe; came. 230. aboute. 232. fou_n_de I one. 233.
myne. 234. meruayle. 236. A. Yis yis; Th. Yes yes. herde.
237. T. A. your; Th. her. -one. 238. A. that; Th. T. _om._ A. shal. 239.
Nowe. 240. A. this (_for_ the). 241. wolde; myne. 242. wolde; gone. A. ful;
Th. T. ryght. fayne. 243. certayne. 244. agayne come; hye. 245. se. A. how
wele; Th. T. anone. done. 246. doute; greatly wote. 247. T. byn; A. bien;
Th. be. gone. 248. A. waraunt; Th. T. warne. 249. A. T. shul; Th. shal.
-one. 250. counsayle; anone. 251. A. ye (_twice_); Th. T. you (_twice_).
252. harme thoughe. A. afore; Th. T. before. 257. A. while; Th. whyles.
258. Came; sawe; blewe. 259. _All_ broke (_for_ brouk). _Before_ 260: Th.
T. Discrecyon purvyour. 260. wente. 261. yonge; semynge. 263. Dyscrecyon;
lesynge. 264. abydynge. 266. Chefe.
_Before_ 267: Th. T. Acquayntaunce herbyger. 267. Fayre. 268. A. herbegyer;
Th. T. herbygere. 272. fewe; hyghe degre; lowe. 273. knowe. _Before_ 274:
Th. Countenaunce porter. 274. came. 275. yonge. 276. Came; therate. 277.
anone. 278. Truely; fayre; one. 279. Whiche one; loughe. 280. knowe;
ynoughe. 281. T. yate; A. Th. gate. 282. fayre. 284. one. 285. Nowe. 286.
Take. A. as; Th. T. _om._ whyle. 288. A. gon; Th. go. A. eche on; Th. T.
euerychone. 289. _All_ without (!). 290. Came; toke; leaue onone. 291. A.
yow; Th. T. ye. nowe. 292. thanke. 293. laboure; whiche; mede. 294. spede.
295. anone. 296. A. now; Th. T. _om._ 297. A. eche one; Th. T. euerychone.
298. _So_ A; Th. T. But where they are I knowe no certaynte. 299. wyndowe
se. 300. amonge. 301. A. now; Th. _om._ 302. stode musynge. 304. gowne;
blewe; wote. 305. facyon. 306. worde. 307. A. The whiche. 308. A. _O_
(_for_ _A_). A. lettres; Th. letters. 309. A. Than ferforth as she com.
came. A. vnto; Th. to. 310. T. worde; Th. wordes; A. _om._ (_see_ 312).
fayne. 311. se. 312. worde; none; trewe. 313. ynoughe; blewe. _Above_ 316:
Th. Largesse stewarde; T. Belchere Marchall. 318. T. sewerly; Th. surely.
319. fayre. A. right of nobil. 320. se; reporte. 322. A. Bealchiere; T.
Belchere; Th. Belchier. A. the (1); Th. T. _om._ 323. Th. Nowe. 324. A.
matiers. mynde. 326. A. or; Th. T. and. behynde. 327. one; fynde.
328. playne. 329, 330. Chamberlayne. _Above_ 330: Th. T. Remembraunce
chamberlayne. 330. _I supply_ now. trewe. 332. aferde. A. aferd but lowly
til hir. Th. sewe; T. sew; A. shewe. 333. done. 334. A. me (_for_ ye). 335.
T. A. tell_e_; Th. shewe. 336. A. T. Without; Th. Withoute_n_. _Above_ 337:
T. Auysen[e]s. 337. A. yit may nat; Th. T. she may not yet be. 338. A. may
do; Th. T. doth. thynge. 339. A. T. met; Th. ymet. 340. matere hole;
faynynge. 341. louynge. 342. A. gentillesse. 343. sothe. 344. A. name; Th.
T. _om._ 345. se. 346. Nowe; come stande; stode. 348. _I supply_ a. sothe.
349. A. it (_for_ you). certayne. 350. Se; twayne (_twice_). 351. sothe. A.
it (_for_ that). 352. se comynge. 353. ben suche folke. A. I dare wele; T.
I dar_e_; Th. dare I. 354. A. ful; Th. T. _om._ 356. A. T. yow; Th. me (!).
357. frende. T. vnto; A. Th. to.
358. frenshyp; mysse. 359. ease; payne. 360. A. telle me; Th. T. take you.
361. Howe. A. whiche (_for_ who). chamberlayne. 362. worde certaine. 363.
worde. A. T. suster. 365. stode. 366. echone. 368. one (_twice_). 369. A.
forth com; Th. T. came forth. _I supply_ lady. 370. fayre. 372. counsayle.
374. Th. thynketh; Th. A. thynke it. 376. A. oon; Th. T. _om._ 377. thinge.
378. Howe; cominge. 379. one. A. Avise; Th. T. aduyse. 380. sayde. 381. T.
wyse (_for_ gyse). 382. folke. A. se; Th. T. say. vnpurueyde. 383. A.
wageours; Th. T. wagers. amonge; layde. 384. most goodlest (_read_
goodliest); _see_ 452. 385. whiche shulde. A. And whiche of vs al preysed
shuld be best. 386. came. 387. A. ful; T. Th. _om._ A. T. curteys; Th.
curtyse. 388. Thinke. Th. T. of your; A. _om._ of.
389. A. herbergier; Th. herbigere. 390. A. may; Th. T. _om._ lodginge. 391.
chamberlayne. 392. anone agayne. 393. _I supply_ that. 394. sawe; comynge.
395. great; coude; none. 397. echone; worde. 398. worde. 399. Th. T. I ne;
A. we (_om._ ne). 400. anone came. 401. stode; came. _All_ to. 404. worde.
405. A. pray yow; Th. T. you pray. secrete. 407. A. quod I fyve ladies; Th.
fyue ladyes quod I. 409, 410. her. 412. tolde. 413. blewe. 414. A. in; Th.
T. _om._ 415. shulde. 416. soth; wolde; payne. 417. moche. T. wold (_for
2nd_ did). 418. A. ye (_for_ we). 419. Great; tarienge. 420. longe. A. sue.
thynge.
421. came agayne anone. 422. -layne. 423. A. T. We bien quod I now redy;
Th. We be nowe redy quod I. -one. 424. A. yow (_for_ ye). certayne. 425.
playne. 426. Besechynge. 427. trewe meanynge. 428. wente. 429. se. 430.
great combraunce (_read_ comberaunce). 431. stode. 432. Nowe stande. 433.
ease. A. shal I. 435. amonge; -one. 436. T. thorow; Th. thorugh; A. thurgh.
passe. 437. ease; done. 438. T. beckenyd; Th. beckende. A. there (_for_
where). 440. -layne. 441. lefte. 442. T. salutyd. reason. 443. Th. great;
T. gret; A. _om._ (_after_ her). 444. A. matiers. 445. wolde. 447. se; A.
so. please. 448. ease. 451. A. wite; Th. wete; T. wote. 452. se.
453. aboute. 454. A. eche a corn_er_. 455. A. The; Th. T. _om._ made. A.
berel; Th. Burel; T. byralle. 456. one. 457. howe. 458. A. Deyd; Th. Dyed.
Demophone. 459. Th. Tysbe; A. T. Thesbe. 460. slowe; -selfe. 461. sawe;
howe. Th. T. a right; A. _om._ a. 462. slayne. 463. Th. T. was Hawes the
shene; A. was how Enclusene (? _error for_ Melusine). 464. A. Vntriewly
was; Th. T. Ful vntrewly. bayne. 466. howe; complayne. 467. certayne. 469.
longe. 470. shone (= shoon). 471. Th. A. vmple; T. vmpylle. 472. folke
shulde. 473. Th. through; A. thurgh (= thorugh; _see_ 436). 475. sawe.
_All_ without. fayle. 476. aparayle. 477. grounde. 479. rounde. 480. coude.
481. wote. T. thorow; A. thurgh (= thorugh); Th. through (_see_ 473). 482.
A. til; Th. T. to. 483. farre.
484. A. wite; Th. wete; T. wot. 487. T. nedylle. 488. worde. 489. A.
_endurer_; Th. T. _endure_. _All_ you. 490. great; knewe. 491. anone. 493.
came; alone. 494. Sothely. 495. spake nothynge. 496. A. T. hastily; Th.
hastely. warnynge. 497. A. roome; Th. T. rome. comynge. 498. sawe. 499.
helde; hande. 500. sawe. A. goode; Th. T. goodly. 501. great; stande. 502.
-stande. 504. coude. 505. (_above_): T. Attemperaunce chaunclere. wolde.
506. wolde. T. sew; A. sue. 507. A. Sauf oo; Th. Saue a. 508. sothely. 509.
moche. 510. A. matiers. alwaye. 511. forthe. 513. connynge. 514. A. dayes
of al my.
515. fayre. A. none sene; Th. sene none; T. noon seen. 517. A. you; Th. T.
_om._ 519-532. _Missing in_ A. 520. gowne. 522. coloure blewe. T. good; Th.
goodly. facyoun. 523. Th. taberde; T. taberd. T. dou_n_; Th. adowne. 526.
sorte; vente (T. vent). 527. T. ermyn; Th. Armyne. made; purfelynge. 528.
Th. great; T. gret. 529. one worchynge. 530. Th. diamondes; T. dyamond_es_.
powderynge. 531. T. purfyllys; Th. purfel (!). 532. _Both_ made lyke (!).
533. sorte. 534. enamayle. 535. A. fresshest; Th. T. fayrest. 536. A. with;
Th. T. of. great; entayle. 537. A. withouten; Th. T. without. fayle. 539.
worlde. A. T. loke; Th. loken. 540. comynge forthe; estate. 541. downe. A.
eche on; Th. T. euerychone. 542. A. T. vp; Th. _om._ wote. 543. toke; one
and one.
544. done; came; anone. 547. A. Whan; Th. T. And wha_n_. done. 548. -layne.
549. A. til; T. to; Th. vnto. 551. Voyde backe; preace. 552. Make. A.
larger; Th. T. large. roume; loke. 553. take; secretarye. 554. -layne. 555.
came agayne. 556. -tarye. 558. onely. 559. agayne. 560. -layne. 562. Th.
secretarye ye do make come; A. T. secretary make hir come. 565. maye. A.
avise; T. auyse. 566. counsayle. 567. Loke; done; fayle. 568. A. The
chambrelayn whan she wist; Th. T. Whan the chamberlayne wyste of. 569.
-tarye. 571. A. _om._ it. 572. A. ye rede hem al; T. yow there cal (!); Th.
ye hem cal (!). 573. A. gode.
576. came. Th. shuld; A. T. to. T. red; A. Th. redde. 578. Rayson. A. T.
wold that; Th. wyl. spedde. 579. spredde. 580. -tarie; downe echone. 581.
T. rad. T. theym (= hem); Th. A. _om._ one by one. 582. bearyng. 583. A. T.
in; Th. on. 585. made. 587. deserte; partye. 588. A. matier. Th. T. a
remedy; A. _om._ a. 589. A. next felawes word; Th. T. next folowing her
word. 590. A. Une; Th. T. Vng. T. saunz chaunger. co_m_playne. 592. toke;
payne. 593. restrayne. 594. case. 595. reason. 596. twayne. 597. wrote.
598. A. Oncques; Th. Vncques; T. Vnques. playne. 599. A. grevous (_for_
pitous). 600. great reason. 601. A. And; Th. T. _om._ 602. processe. 603.
made. 604. comforte. 605. Th. surete; A. suerte; T. seurte.
606. A. fonde; Th. T. sayd (!). 607. Nowe; wele. 608. Th. humbly; A. humble
(!); _read_ humbelly. her high grace; A. _om._ high. 609. A. Som remedy to
chewe (!) in; Th. T. Soone to shewe her remedy in. 610. sayde. 611.
playnynge. 612. wrothe. wele apayde. 613. se; wolde. _I supply_ that. 614.
wrothe. 615. worde; wote. 616. wrote. 617. great. 618. done. 620. mynde. A.
thus; Th. T. there. 621. whiche; boone. 622. Rehersynge. _I supply_ that.
623. Besechynge. 624. lyke; done. 626. A. vp; Th. T. _om._ 627. One; wrote.
628. hole. A. Of hir compleynt also the cause why; T. _om. this line_. 629.
writinge. 630. A. knowlachyng; Th. T. knowynge. 631. wote. 632. herte. 633.
toke. 634. one. A. til. A. it; Th. T. _om._ smerte. 635. thanke; deserte.
636. comforte. A. wayted; Th. T. wanted. comynge. 637. -thynge. 638.
besechynge. 639. A. T. for her wold; Th. wolde for her. 640. A. al; Th. T.
_om._ lyuynge. 641. trewe. A. so; Th. T. _om._ 642. saye. 643. nexte. A.
after; Th. T. _om._ forthe. 645. _diu_; wrote. 646. A. any; Th. T. _om._
fayle. 647. T. takyn; Th. A. take. 648. meruaile. 649. auayle. 652. shulde.
653. great. _All_ encombraunce. 654. moche. 655. Th. T. al her; A. _om._
al. 656. made. 659. wrote. 660. thinge. 661. felte great. 662. A. _om._
right. 663. sate; passynge. 664. lothe; wrytynge. 665. A. his; T. a; Th.
_om._ thinge.
666. A. _Se iour_ (for _Soyes_). worde certayne. 667. wrote. A. but; Th. T.
_om._ 668. vayne. 670. Th. T. humbly; A. humble (!); _see_ 607. desyrynge.
671. comforte; sorowe. 672. ease. 675. Th. _moneste_; T. A. _monest_.
farre; coude. 676. worde. 678. T. tell (_for_ say). 679. wolde. 681. lete
se. 683. Nowe. 684. A. T. parde have knowlache; Th. haue knowlege parde.
686. selfe. 687. wote. A. that; Th. T. _om._ thinke. 688. herde. 689. Nowe.
_All_ hate (= hote). 691. A. wite; Th. T. wete. reason. 692. A. knowe al
that hath be done afore; Th. T. haue knowlege of that was done before. 693.
A. it; Th. T. it is (_om._ is). _All_ without. A. any (_for_ wordes). 694.
Nothynge. A. lief; T. leef; Th. lefe. dethe. 695. payne.
697. aforne; certayne. 698. wote. 699. helpe; thinge. 700. thinke. T. I;
Th. A. it. 702. _I supply_ you. 703. longe. 706. thanke _I supply_ a. 707.
deserte. A. des_er_vith; Th. T. serueth. 708. -one. 709. A. This lady; Th.
T. The ladyes. toke. 710. A. ech; Th. T. _om._ 712. A. yaf; Th. T. yaue. T.
in; Th. A. _om._ 713. one. 714. A. hem there hir answere; Th. T. hem her
answere in. 716. spake; -selfe. 717. sene. 718. A. T. ful; Th. _om._ 720.
shorte; courte. 721. A. T. paleys. 722. fynde. 724. _I supply_ a. A. shul;
Th. T. shal. 725. T. thoroughly; Th. throughly; A. triewly. 726. shal
(_see_ 724); knowe. 728. _So_ Th.; A. shal bryng it yow bi; T. shall hyt
yow tell by.
729. moste. 730. eche one by one. 732. A. vs (_for 1st_ we). trauayle. 733.
_I supply_ a. 734. toke. 735. forthe; shulde. 736. sprange anone. 737.
woke. 738. nowe; gone. 739. A. Al amased vp; Th. T. Al mased and vp (_read_
And al amased up). loke. 740. boke. 741. _All_ simply. 742. shulde. Th. T.
be out; A. out (_om._ be). 743. Nowe; dreame. 745. stode. 746. shulde;
none. _All_ encombraunce. 747. toke; great. 748. nowe; boke. 749. A. wite;
Th. T. wete. 750. boke. 751. _So_ A.; Th. T. Of the name to tel you in
certaynte (T. certayn). 752. A. La semble; T. Lassembyll. 753. Howe thynke.
A. the; Th. T. _om._ 754. Nowe. 756. dreme; done. COLOPHON: _in_ T. _only_.
* * * * *
XXII. A GOODLY BALADE.
¶ Moder of norture, best beloved of al,
And fresshest flour, to whom good thrift god sende.
Your child, if it list you me so to cal,
Al be I unable my-self so to pretende,
To your discrecioun I recommende 5
Myn herte and al, with every circumstaunce,
Al hoolly to be under your governaunce.
Most desyre I, and have, and ever shal
Thing, whiche might your hertës ese amende;
Have me excused, my power is but smal; 10
Natheles, of right ye ought[e] to commende
My good[e] will, which fayn wolde entende
To do you service; for al my suffisaunce
Is hoolly to be under your governaunce.
_Meulx un_: in herte, which never shal apal, 15
Ay fresshe and newe, and right glad to dispende
My tyme in your servyce, what-so befal,
Beseching your excéllence to defende
My simplenesse, if ignoraunce offende
In any wyse; sith that myn affiaunce 20
Is hoolly to be under your governaunce.
¶ Daisy of light! very ground of comfort!
The sonnes doughter ye hight, as I rede;
For when he westreth, farwel your disport!
By your nature anon, right for pure drede 25
Of the rude night, that with his boystous wede
Of derkness shadoweth our emispere,
Than closen ye, my lyves lady dere!
Dawing the day to his kinde resort,
Phebus your fader, with his stremes rede, 30
Adorneth the morow, cónsuming the sort
Of misty cloudës, that wolde overlede
Trewe humble hertës with hir mistihede,
Nere comfort a-dayes, whan eyën clere
Disclose and sprede my lyves lady dere. 35
[_A stanza lost; lines 36-42._]
¶ _Je vouldray_:--but [the] gret[e] god disposeth
And maketh casuel by his providence
Such thing as mannës frelë wit purposeth; 45
Al for the best, if that our conscience
Nat grucche it, but in humble pacience
It receyve; for god saith, without[e] fable,
A faithful hertë ever is acceptáble.
Cautels who useth gladly, gloseth; 50
To eschewe suche it is right high prudence;
What ye said[e] onës, [now] myn herte opposeth,
"That my wryting japës, in your absence,
Plesed you moche bet than my presence!"
Yet can I more, ye be nat excusáble; 55
A faithful hertë ever is acceptáble.
Quaketh my penne; my spirit supposeth
That in my wryting ye finde wol som offence;
Myn herte welkeneth thus sone, anon it +roseth;
Now hot, now cold, and eft in [al] fervence; 60
That mis is, is caused of negligence
And not of malice; therfor beth merciable;
A faithful hertë ever is acceptáble.
LENVOY.
¶ Forth, complaynt! forth, lakking eloquence,
Forth, litel lettre, of endyting lame! 65
I have besought my ladies sapience
Of thy behalfe, to accept in game
Thyn inabilitee; do thou the same!
Abyd! have more yet; _Je serve Jonesse_.
Now forth; I close thee, in holy Venus name; 70
Thee shal unclose my hertes governeresse.
_Finis._
_From_ Th. (Thynne's ed. 1532). TITLE. A goodly balade of Chaucer. _I note
here rejected spellings._ 3. childe; lust. 4. selfe. 5. discrecion;
recomende. 7. holy. 9. ease. 10. small. 11. Nathelesse; ought. 12. good;
whiche fayne. 14. holy. 17. befall. 20. sythe. 21. holy; ben.
22. grounde; comforte. 24. disporte. 27. derkenesse. 29. resorte. 30. And
Phebus (_I omit_ And); father. 31. morowe; sorte. 32. wolden. 34. comforte.
43. great (_read_ the grete). 45. Suche; mans (_read_ mannes); witte. 47.
grutche. 48. _Read_ Receyve it (?); saythe withoute. 52. sayd; _I supply_
now. 53. _Read_ wryting of iapes (?). 54. Pleased; better (_read_ bet). 58.
_Omit_ wol (?); some. 59. ryseth (!); _read_ roseth. 60. Nowe hotte, nowe
colde; efte; _I supply_ al.
61. mysse. 62. therfore bethe. 64. _Headed_ Lenuoye. Forthe; forthe
lackyng. 65. Forthe. 68. inabylite. 69. Iouesse. 70. Nowe; the. 71. The.
* * * * *
XXIII. GO FORTH, KING.
Rex sine sapiencia: Episcopus sine doctrina.
Dominus sine consilio: Mulier sine castitate.
Miles sine probitate: Iudex sine Iusticia.
Diues sine elemosina: Populus sine lege.
Senex sine religione: Seruus sine timore.
Pauper superbus: Adolescens sine obediencia.
Go forth, king, rule thee by sapience;
Bishop, be able to minister doctryne;
Lord, to trew consayl yeve audience;
Womanheed, to chastitè ever enclyne;
Knight, let thy dedes worship determyne; 5
Be rightwis, jugë, in saving thy name;
Rich, do almesse, lest thou lese blis with shame.
People, obey your king and the lawe;
Age, be thou ruled by good religioun;
Trew servant, be dredful, and keep thee under awe, 10
And thou, povre, fy on presumpcioun;
Inobedience to youth is utter distruccioun;
Remembre you how god hath set you, lo!
And do your part, as ye be ordained to.
_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); _I give rejected spellings_. 1. forthe; the.
2. Bishoppe. 3. Lorde; trewe counsayle. 4. Womanhede. 5. lette. 6. rightous
(_read_ rightwis); iuge. 7. blysse. 9. relygion. 10. Trewe; dredeful; kepe.
11. poore; presumption. 12. distruction. 13. howe. 14. parte.
* * * * *
XXIV. THE COURT OF LOVE.
With timerous hert and trembling hand of drede,
Of cunning naked, bare of eloquence,
Unto the flour of port in womanhede
I write, as he that non intelligence
Of metres hath, ne floures of sentence; 5
Sauf that me list my writing to convey,
In that I can to please her hygh nobley.
The blosmes fresshe of Tullius garden soote
Present thaim not, my mater for to borne:
Poemes of Virgil taken here no rote, 10
Ne crafte of Galfrid may not here sojorne:
Why nam I cunning? O well may I morne,
For lak of science that I can-not write
Unto the princes of my life a-right
No termes digne unto her excellence, 15
So is she sprong of noble stirpe and high:
A world of honour and of reverence
There is in her, this wil I testifie.
Calliope, thou sister wise and sly,
And thou, Minerva, guyde me with thy grace, 20
That langage rude my mater not deface.
Thy suger-dropes swete of Elicon
Distill in me, thou gentle Muse, I pray;
And thee, Melpomene, I calle anon,
Of ignoraunce the mist to chace away; 25
And give me grace so for to write and sey,
That she, my lady, of her worthinesse,
Accepte in gree this litel short tretesse,
That is entitled thus, 'THE COURT OF LOVE.'
And ye that ben metriciens me excuse, 30
I you besech, for Venus sake above;
For what I mene in this ye need not muse:
And if so be my lady it refuse
For lak of ornat speche, I wold be wo,
That I presume to her to writen so. 35
But myn entent and all my besy cure
Is for to write this tretesse, as I can,
Unto my lady, stable, true, and sure,
Feithfull and kind, sith first that she began
Me to accept in service as her man: 40
To her be all the plesure of this boke,
That, whan her like, she may it rede and loke.
When I was yong, at eighteen yere of age,
Lusty and light, desirous of pleasaunce,
Approching on full sadde and ripe corage, 45
Love arted me to do myn observaunce
To his astate, and doon him obeysaunce,
Commaunding me the Court of Love to see,
A lite beside the mount of Citharee,
There Citherea goddesse was and quene 50
Honoured highly for her majestee;
And eke her sone, the mighty god, I wene,
Cupid the blind, that for his dignitee
A thousand lovers worship on their knee;
There was I bid, on pain of death, t'apere, 55
By Mercury, the winged messengere.
So than I went by straunge and fer contrees,
Enquiring ay what costes +to it drew,
The Court of Love: and thiderward, as bees,
At last I sey the peple gan pursue: 60
Anon, me thought, som wight was there that knew
Where that the court was holden, ferre or ny,
And after thaim ful fast I gan me hy.
Anone as I theim overtook, I said,
'Hail, frendes! whider purpose ye to wend?' 65
'Forsooth,' quod oon that answered lich a maid,
'To Loves Court now go we, gentill frend.'
'Where is that place,' quod I, 'my felowe hend?'
'At Citheron, sir,' seid he, 'without dowte,
The King of Love, and all his noble rowte, 70
Dwelling within a castell ryally.'
So than apace I jorned forth among,
And as he seid, so fond I there truly.
For I beheld the towres high and strong,
And high pinácles, large of hight and long, 75
With plate of gold bespred on every side,
And presious stones, the stone-werk for to hide.
No saphir ind, no rubè riche of price,
There lakked than, nor emeraud so grene,
Baleis Turkeis, ne thing to my devise, 80
That may the castell maken for to shene:
All was as bright as sterres in winter been;
And Phebus shoon, to make his pees agayn,
For trespas doon to high estates tweyn,
Venus and Mars, the god and goddesse clere, 85
Whan he theim found in armes cheined fast:
Venus was then full sad of herte and chere.
But Phebus bemes, streight as is the mast,
Upon the castell ginneth he to cast,
To plese the lady, princesse of that place, 90
In signe he loketh aftir Loves grace.
For there nis god in heven or helle, y-wis,
But he hath ben right soget unto Love:
Jove, Pluto, or what-so-ever he is,
Ne creature in erth, or yet above; 95
Of thise the révers may no wight approve.
But furthermore, the castell to descry,
Yet saw I never non so large and high.
For unto heven it streccheth, I suppose,
Within and out depeynted wonderly, 100
With many a thousand daisy, rede as rose,
And white also, this saw I verily:
But what tho daises might do signify,
Can I not tell, sauf that the quenes flour
Alceste it was that kept there her sojour; 105
Which under Venus lady was and quene,
And Admete king and soverain of that place,
To whom obeyed the ladies gode ninetene,
With many a thowsand other, bright of face.
And yong men fele came forth with lusty pace, 110
And aged eke, their homage to dispose;
But what thay were, I coud not well disclose.
Yet ner and ner furth in I gan me dresse
Into an halle of noble apparaile,
With arras spred and cloth of gold, I gesse, 115
And other silk of esier availe:
Under the cloth of their estate, saunz faile,
The king and quene ther sat, as I beheld:
It passed joye of Helisee the feld.
There saintes have their comming and resort, 120
To seen the king so ryally beseyn,
In purple clad, and eke the quene in sort:
And on their hedes saw I crownes tweyn,
With stones fret, so that it was no payn,
Withouten mete and drink, to stand and see 125
The kinges honour and the ryaltee.
And for to trete of states with the king,
That been of councell chief, and with the quene,
The king had Daunger ner to him standing,
The Quene of Love, Disdain, and that was seen: 130
For by the feith I shall to god, I wene,
Was never straunger [non] in her degree
Than was the quene in casting of her ee.
And as I stood perceiving her apart,
And eke the bemes shyning of her yen, 135
Me thought thay were shapen lich a dart,
Sherp and persing, smale, and streight as lyne.
And all her here, it shoon as gold so fyne,
Dishevel, crisp, down hinging at her bak
A yarde in length: and soothly than I spak:-- 140
'O bright Regina, who made thee so fair?
Who made thy colour vermelet and white?
Where woneth that god? how fer above the eyr?
Greet was his craft, and greet was his delyt.
Now marvel I nothing that ye do hight 145
The Quene of Love, and occupy the place
Of Citharee: now, sweet lady, thy grace.'
In mewet spak I, so that nought astert,
By no condicion, word that might be herd;
B[ut] in myn inward thought I gan advert, 150
And oft I seid, 'My wit is dulle and hard:'
For with her bewtee, thus, god wot, I ferd
As doth the man y-ravisshed with sight,
When I beheld her cristall yen so bright,
No respect having what was best to doon; 155
Till right anon, beholding here and there,
I spied a frend of myne, and that full soon,
A gentilwoman, was the chamberer
Unto the quene, that hote, as ye shall here,
Philobone, that lovëd all her life: 160
Whan she me sey, she led me furth as blyfe;
And me demaunded how and in what wise
I thider com, and what myne erand was?
'To seen the court,' quod I, 'and all the guyse;
And eke to sue for pardon and for grace, 165
And mercy ask for all my greet trespace,
That I non erst com to the Court of Love:
Foryeve me this, ye goddes all above!'
'That is well seid,' quod Philobone, 'in-dede:
But were ye not assomoned to apere 170
By Mercury? For that is all my drede.'
'Yes, gentil fair,' quod I, 'now am I here;
Ye, yit what tho, though that be true, my dere?'
'Of your free will ye shuld have come unsent:
For ye did not, I deme ye will be shent. 175
For ye that reign in youth and lustinesse,
Pampired with ese, and +jolif in your age,
Your dewtee is, as fer as I can gesse,
To Loves Court to dressen your viage,
As sone as Nature maketh you so sage, 180
That ye may know a woman from a swan,
Or whan your foot is growen half a span.
But sith that ye, by wilful necligence,
This eighteen yere have kept yourself at large,
The gretter is your trespace and offence, 185
And in your nek ye moot bere all the charge:
For better were ye ben withouten barge,
Amiddë see, in tempest and in rain,
Than byden here, receiving woo and pain,
That ordeined is for such as thaim absent 190
Fro Loves Court by yeres long and fele.
I ley my lyf ye shall full soon repent;
For Love will reyve your colour, lust, and hele:
Eke ye must bait on many an hevy mele:
No force, y-wis, I stired you long agoon 195
To draw to court,' quod litell Philobon.
'Ye shall well see how rough and angry face
The King of Love will shew, when ye him see;
By myn advyse kneel down and ask him grace,
Eschewing perell and adversitee; 200
For well I wot it wol non other be,
Comfort is non, ne counsel to your ese;
Why will ye than the King of Love displese?'
'O mercy, god,' quod ich, 'I me repent,
Caitif and wrecche in hert, in wille, and thought! 205
And aftir this shall be myne hole entent
To serve and plese, how dere that love be bought:
Yit, sith I have myn own penaunce y-sought,
With humble spirit shall I it receive,
Though that the King of Love my life bereyve. 210
And though that fervent loves qualitè
In me did never worch truly, yit I
With all obeisaunce and humilitè,
And benign hert, shall serve him til I dye:
And he that Lord of +might is, grete and highe, 215
Right as him list me chastice and correct,
And punish me, with trespace thus enfect.'
Thise wordes seid, she caught me by the lap,
And led me furth intill a temple round,
Large and wyde: and, as my blessed hap 220
And good avénture was, right sone I found
A tabernacle reised from the ground,
Where Venus sat, and Cupid by her syde;
Yet half for drede I gan my visage hyde.
And eft again I loked and beheld, 225
Seeing full sundry peple in the place,
And mister folk, and som that might not weld
Their limmes well, me thought a wonder cas;
The temple shoon with windows all of glas,
Bright as the day, with many a fair image; 230
And there I sey the fresh quene of Cartage,
Dido, that brent her bewtee for the love
Of fals Eneas; and the weymenting
Of hir, Anelida, true as turtill-dove,
To Arcite fals: and there was in peinting 235
Of many a prince, and many a doughty king,
Whose marterdom was shewed about the walles;
And how that fele for love had suffered falles.
But sore I was abasshed and astonied
Of all tho folk that there were in that tyde; 240
And than I asked where thay had [y-]woned:
'In dyvers courtes,' quod she, 'here besyde.'
In sondry clothing, mantil-wyse full wyde,
They were arrayed, and did their sacrifice
Unto the god and goddesse in their guyse. 245
'+Lo! yonder folk,' quod she, 'that knele in blew,
They were the colour ay, and ever shall,
In sign they were, and ever will be trew
Withouten chaunge: and sothly, yonder all
That ben in blak, with morning cry and call 250
Unto the goddes, for their loves been
Som fer, som dede, som all to sherpe and kene.'
'Ye, than,' quod I, 'what doon thise prestes here,
Nonnes and hermits, freres, and all thoo
That sit in white, in russet, and in grene?' 255
'For-soth,' quod she, 'they wailen of their wo.'
'O mercy, lord! may thay so come and go
Freely to court, and have such libertee?'
'Ye, men of ech condicion and degree,
And women eke: for truly, there is non 260
Excepcion mad, ne never was ne may:
This court is ope and free for everichon,
The King of Love he will nat say thaim nay:
He taketh all, in poore or riche array,
That meekly sewe unto his excellence 265
With all their herte and all their reverence.'
And, walking thus about with Philobone,
I sey where cam a messenger in hy
Streight from the king, which let commaund anon,
Through-out the court to make an ho and cry: 270
'A! new-come folk, abyde! and wot ye why?
The kinges lust is for to seen you soon:
Com ner, let see! his will mot need be doon.'
Than gan I me present to-fore the king,
Trembling for fere, with visage pale of hew, 275
And many a lover with me was kneling,
Abasshed sore, till unto tyme thay knew
The sentence yeve of his entent full trew:
And at the last the king hath me behold
With stern visage, and seid, 'What doth this old, 280
Thus fer y-stope in yeres, come so late
Unto the court?' 'For-soth, my liege,' quod I,
'An hundred tyme I have ben at the gate
Afore this tyme, yit coud I never espy
Of myn acqueyntaunce any with mine y; 285
And shamefastnes away me gan to chace;
But now I me submit unto your grace.'
'Well! all is perdoned, with condicion
That thou be trew from hensforth to thy might,
And serven Love in thyn entencion: 290
Swere this, and than, as fer as it is right,
Thou shalt have grace here in my quenes sight.'
'Yis, by the feith I ow your crown, I swere,
Though Deth therfore me thirlith with his spere!'
And whan the king had seen us everichoon, 295
He let commaunde an officer in hy
To take our feith, and shew us, oon by oon,
The statuts of the court full besily.
Anon the book was leid before their y,
To rede and see what thing we must observe 300
In Loves Court, till that we dye and sterve.
And, for that I was lettred, there I red
The statuts hole of Loves Court and hall:
The _first_ statut that on the boke was spred,
Was, To be true in thought and dedes all 305
Unto the King of Love, the Lord ryall;
And to the Quene, as feithful and as kind,
As I coud think with herte, and will and mind.
The _secund_ statut, Secretly to kepe
Councell of love, nat blowing every-where 310
All that I know, and let it sink +or flete;
It may not sown in every wightes ere:
Exyling slaunder ay for dred and fere,
And to my lady, which I love and serve,
Be true and kind, her grace for to deserve. 315
The _thrid_ statut was clerely write also,
Withouten chaunge to live and dye the same,
Non other love to take, for wele ne wo,
For brind delyt, for ernest nor for game:
Without repent, for laughing or for grame, 320
To byden still in full perseveraunce:
Al this was hole the kinges ordinaunce.
The _fourth_ statut, To purchace ever to here,
And stiren folk to love, and beten fyr
On Venus awter, here about and there, 325
And preche to thaim of love and hot desyr,
And tell how love will quyten well their hire:
This must be kept; and loth me to displese:
If love be wroth, passe forby is an ese.
The _fifth_ statut, Not to be daungerous, 330
If that a thought wold reyve me of my slepe:
Nor of a sight to be over squeymous;
And so, verily, this statut was to kepe,
To turne and walowe in my bed and wepe,
When that my lady, of her crueltè, 335
Wold from her herte exylen all pitè.
The _sixt_ statut, it was for me to use,
Alone to wander, voide of company,
And on my ladys bewtee for to muse,
And to think [it] no force to live or dye; 340
And eft again to think the remedy,
How to her grace I might anon attain,
And tell my wo unto my souverain.
The _seventh_ statut was, To be pacient,
Whether my lady joyfull were or wroth; 345
For wordes glad or hevy, diligent,
Wheder that she me helden lefe or loth:
And hereupon I put was to myn oth,
Her for to serve, and lowly to obey,
Shewing my chere, ye, twenty sith a-day. 350
The _eighth_ statut, to my rememb[e]raunce,
Was, To speke, and pray my lady dere,
With hourly labour and gret attendaunce,
Me for to love with all her herte entere,
And me desyre, and make me joyfull chere, 355
Right as she is, surmounting every faire,
Of bewtie well, and gentill debonaire.
The _ninth_ statut, with lettres writ of gold,
This was the sentence, How that I and all
Shuld ever dred to be to over-bold 360
Her to displese; and truly, so I shall;
But ben content for thing[es] that may falle,
And meekly take her chastisement and yerd,
And to offende her ever ben aferd.
The _tenth_ statut was, Egally discern 365
By-twene thy lady and thyn abilitee,
And think, thy-self art never like to yern,
By right, her mercy, nor of equitee,
But of her grace and womanly pitee:
For though thy-self be noble in thy strene, 370
A thowsand-fold more nobill is thy quene,
Thy lyves lady, and thy souverayn,
That hath thyn herte all hole in governaunce.
Thou mayst no wyse hit taken to disdayn,
To put thee humbly at her ordinaunce, 375
And give her free the rein of her plesaunce;
For libertee is thing that women loke,
And truly, els the mater is a-croke.
The _eleventh_ statut, Thy signes for to +con
With y and finger, and with smyles soft, 380
And low to cough, and alway for to shon,
For dred of spyes, for to winken oft:
But secretly to bring a sigh a-loft,
And eke beware of over-moch resort;
For that, paraventure, spilleth al thy sport. 385
The _twelfth_ statut remember to observe:
For al the pain thow hast for love and wo,
All is to lite her mercy to deserve,
Thow must then think, where-ever thou ryde or go;
And mortall woundes suffer thow also, 390
All for her sake, and thinke it well beset
Upon thy love, for it may be no bet.
The _thirteenth_ statut, Whylom is to thinke,
What thing may best thy lady lyke and plese,
And in thyn hertes botom let it sinke: 395
Som thing devise, and take [it] for thyn ese,
And send it her, that may her herte +apese:
Some hert, or ring, or lettre, or device,
Or precious stone; but spare not for no price.
The _fourteenth_ statut eke thou shalt assay 400
Fermly to kepe the most part of thy lyfe:
Wish that thy lady in thyne armes lay,
And nightly dreme, thow hast thy hertes wyfe
Swetely in armes, straining her as blyfe:
And whan thou seest it is but fantasy, 405
See that thow sing not over merily,
For to moche joye hath oft a wofull end.
It longith eke, this statut for to hold,
To deme thy lady evermore thy frend,
And think thyself in no wyse a cocold. 410
In every thing she doth but as she shold:
Construe the best, beleve no tales newe,
For many a lie is told, that semeth full trewe.
But think that she, so bounteous and fair,
Coud not be fals: imagine this algate; 415
And think that tonges wikke wold her appair,
Slaundering her name and worshipfull estat,
And lovers true to setten at debat:
And though thow seest a faut right at thyne y,
Excuse it blyve, and glose it pretily. 420
The _fifteenth_ statut, Use to swere and stare,
And counterfet a lesing hardely,
To save thy ladys honour every-where,
And put thyself to fight [for her] boldly:
Sey she is good, virtuous, and gostly, 425
Clere of entent, and herte, and thought and wille;
And argue not, for reson ne for skille,
Agayn thy ladys plesir ne entent,
For love wil not be countrepleted, indede:
Sey as she seith, than shalt thou not be shent, 430
The crow is whyte; ye, truly, so I rede:
And ay what thing that she thee will forbede,
Eschew all that, and give her sovereintee,
Her appetyt folow in all degree.
The _sixteenth_ statut, kepe it if thow may:-- 435
Seven sith at night thy lady for to plese,
And seven at midnight, seven at morow-day;
And drink a cawdell erly for thyn ese.
Do this, and kepe thyn hede from all disese,
And win the garland here of lovers all, 440
That ever come in court, or ever shall.
Ful few, think I, this statut hold and kepe;
But truly, this my reson giveth me fele,
That som lovers shuld rather fall aslepe,
Than take on hand to plese so oft and wele. 445
There lay non oth to this statut a-dele,
But kepe who might, as gave him his corage:
Now get this garland, lusty folk of age.
Now win who may, ye lusty folk of youth,
This garland fresh, of floures rede and whyte, 450
Purpill and blewe, and colours +ful uncouth,
And I shal croune him king of all delyt!
In al the court there was not, to my sight,
A lover trew, that he ne was adred,
When he expresse hath herd the statut red. 455
The _seventeenth_ statut, Whan age approchith on,
And lust is leid, and all the fire is queint,
As freshly than thou shalt begin to fon,
And dote in love, and all her image paint
In rémembraunce, til thou begin to faint, 460
+As in the first seson thyn hert began:
And her desire, though thou ne may ne can
Perform thy living actuell, and lust;
Regester this in thy rememb[e]raunce:
Eke when thou mayst not kepe thy thing from rust, 465
+Yit speke and talk of plesaunt daliaunce;
For that shall make thyn hert rejoise and daunce.
And when thou mayst no more the game assay,
The statut +bit thee pray for hem that may.
The _eighteenth_ statut, hoolly to commend, 470
To plese thy lady, is, That thou eschewe
With sluttishness thy-self for to offend;
Be jolif, fresh, and fete, with thinges newe,
Courtly with maner, this is all thy due,
Gentill of port, and loving clenlinesse; 475
This is the thing that lyketh thy maistresse.
And not to wander lich a dulled ass,
Ragged and torn, disgysed in array,
Ribaud in speche, or out of mesure pass,
Thy bound exceding; think on this alway: 480
For women +been of tender hertes ay,
And lightly set their plesire in a place;
Whan they misthink, they lightly let it passe.
The _nineteenth_ statut, Mete and drink forgete:
Ech other day, see that thou fast for love, 485
For in the court they live withouten mete,
Sauf such as cometh from Venus all above;
They take non heed, in pain of greet reprove,
Of mete and drink, for that is all in vain;
Only they live by sight of their soverain. 490
The _twentieth_ statut, last of everichoon,
Enroll it in thyn hertes privitee;
To wring and wail, to turn, and sigh and grone,
When that thy lady absent is from thee;
And eke renew the wordes [all] that she 495
Bitween you twain hath seid, and all the chere
That thee hath mad thy lyves lady dere.
And see thyn herte in quiet ne in rest
Sojorn, to tyme thou seen thy lady eft;
But wher she won by south, or est, or west, 500
With all thy force, now see it be not left:
Be diligent, till tyme thy lyfe be reft,
In that thou mayst, thy lady for to see;
This statut was of old antiquitee.
An officer of high auctoritee, 505
Cleped Rigour, made us swere anon:
He nas corrupt with parcialitee,
Favour, prayer, ne gold that cherely shoon;
'Ye shall,' quod he, 'now sweren here echoon,
Yong and old, to kepe, in that +ye may, 510
The statuts truly, all, aftir this day.'
O god, thought I, hard is to make this oth!
But to my pouer shall I thaim observe;
In all this world nas mater half so loth,
To swere for all; for though my body sterve, 515
I have no might the hole for to reserve.
But herkin now the cace how it befell:
After my oth was mad, the trouth to tell,
I turned leves, loking on this boke,
Where other statuts were of women shene; 520
And right furthwith Rigour on me gan loke
Full angrily, and seid unto the quene
I traitour was, and charged me let been:
'There may no man,' quod he, 'the statut[s] know,
That long to woman, by degree ne low. 525
In secret wyse thay kepten been full close,
They sowne echon to libertie, my frend;
Plesaunt thay be, and to their own purpose;
There wot no wight of thaim, but god and fend,
Ne naught shall wit, unto the worldes end. 530
The quene hath yeve me charge, in pain to dye,
Never to rede ne seen thaim with myn ye.
For men shall not so nere of councell ben,
With womanhode, ne knowen of her gyse,
Ne what they think, ne of their wit th'engyn; 535
I me report to Salamon the wyse,
And mighty Sampson, which begyled thryes
With Dalida was: he wot that, in a throw,
There may no man statut of women knowe.
For it paravénture may right so befall, 540
That they be bound by nature to disceive,
And spinne, and wepe, and sugre strewe on gall,
The hert of man to ravissh and to reyve,
And whet their tong as sharp as swerd or gleyve:
It may betyde, this is their ordinaunce; 545
So must they lowly doon the observaunce,
And kepe the statut yeven thaim of kind,
Or such as love hath yeve hem in their lyfe.
Men may not wete why turneth every wind,
Nor waxen wyse, nor ben inquisityf 550
To know secret of maid, widow, or wyfe;
For they their statutes have to thaim reserved,
And never man to know thaim hath deserved.
Now dress you furth, the god of Love you gyde!'
Quod Rigour than, 'and seek the temple bright 555
Of Cither[e]a, goddess here besyde;
Beseche her, by [the] influence and might
Of al her vertue, you to teche a-right,
How for to serve your ladies, and to plese,
Ye that ben sped, and set your hert in ese. 560
And ye that ben unpurveyed, +pray her eke
Comfort you soon with grace and destinee,
That ye may set your hert there ye may lyke,
In suche a place, that it to love may be
Honour and worship, and felicitee 565
To you for ay. Now goth, by one assent.'
'Graunt mercy, sir!' quod we, and furth we went
Devoutly, soft and esy pace, to see
Venus the goddes image, all of gold:
And there we founde a thousand on their knee, 570
Sum freshe and feire, som dedely to behold,
In sondry mantils new, and som were old,
Som painted were with flames rede as fire,
Outward to shew their inward hoot desire:
With dolefull chere, full fele in their complaint 575
Cried 'Lady Venus, rewe upon our sore!
Receive our billes, with teres all bedreint;
We may not wepe, there is no more in store;
But wo and pain us frettith more and more:
Thou +blisful planet, lovers sterre so shene, 580
Have rowth on us, that sigh and carefull been;
And ponish, Lady, grevously, we pray,
The false untrew with counterfet plesaunce,
That made their oth, be trew to live or dey,
With chere assured, and with countenaunce; 585
And falsly now thay foten loves daunce,
Barein of rewth, untrue of that they seid,
Now that their lust and plesire is alleyd.'
Yet eft again, a thousand milion,
Rejoysing, love, leding their life in blis: 590
They seid:--'Venus, redresse of all division,
Goddes eterne, thy name +y-heried is!
By loves bond is knit all thing, y-wis,
Best unto best, the erth to water wan,
Bird unto bird, and woman unto man; 595
This is the lyfe of joye that we ben in,
Resembling lyfe of hevenly paradyse;
Love is exyler ay of vice and sin;
Love maketh hertes lusty to devyse;
Honour and grace have thay, in every wyse, 600
That been to loves law obedient;
Love makith folk benigne and diligent;
Ay stering theim to drede[n] vice and shame:
In their degree it maketh thaim honorable;
And swete it is of love [to] bere the name, 605
So that his love be feithfull, true, and stable:
Love prunith him, to semen amiable;
Love hath no faut, there it is exercysed,
But sole with theim that have all love dispised.
Honour to thee, celestiall and clere 610
Goddes of love, and to thy celsitude,
That yevest us light so fer down from thy spere,
Persing our hertes with thy pulcritude!
Comparison non of similitude
May to thy grace be mad in no degree, 615
That hast us set with love in unitee.
Gret cause have we to praise thy name and thee,
For [that] through thee we live in joye and blisse.
Blessed be thou, most souverain to see!
Thy holy court of gladness may not misse: 620
A thousand sith we may rejoise in this,
That we ben thyn with harte and all y-fere,
Enflamed with thy grace, and hevinly fere.'
Musing of tho that spakin in this wyse,
I me bethought in my rememb[e]raunce 625
Myne orison right goodly to devyse,
And plesauntly, with hartes obeisaunce,
Beseech the goddes voiden my grevaunce;
For I loved eke, sauf that I wist nat where;
Yet down I set, and seid as ye shall here. 630
'Fairest of all that ever were or be!
+Lucerne and light to pensif crëature!
Myn hole affiaunce, and my lady free,
My goddes bright, my fortune and my ure,
I yeve and yeld my hart to thee full sure, 635
Humbly beseching, lady, of thy grace
Me to bestowe into som blessed place.
And here I vow me feithfull, true, and kind,
Without offence of mutabilitee,
Humbly to serve, whyl I have wit and mind, 640
Myn hole affiaunce, and my lady free!
In thilkë place, there ye me sign to be:
And, sith this thing of newe is yeve me, ay
To love and serve, needly must I obey.
Be merciable with thy fire of grace, 645
And fix myne hert there bewtie is and routh,
For hote I love, determine in no place,
Sauf only this, by god and by my trouth,
Trowbled I was with slomber, slepe, and slouth
This other night, and in a visioun 650
I sey a woman romen up and down,
Of mene stature, and seemly to behold,
Lusty and fresh, demure of countynaunce,
Yong and wel shap, with here [that] shoon as gold,
With yen as cristall, farced with plesaunce; 655
And she gan stir myne harte a lite to daunce;
But sodenly she vanissh gan right there:
Thus I may sey, I love and wot not where.
For what she is, ne her dwelling I not,
And yet I fele that love distraineth me: 660
Might ich her know, that wold I fain, god wot,
Serve and obey with all benignitee.
And if that other be my destinee,
So that no wyse I shall her never see,
Than graunt me her that best may lyken me, 665
With glad rejoyse to live in parfit hele,
Devoide of wrath, repent, or variaunce;
And able me to do that may be wele
Unto my lady, with hertes by plesaunce:
And, mighty goddes! through thy purviaunce 670
My wit, my thought, my lust and love so gyde,
That to thyne honour I may me provyde
To set myne herte in place there I may lyke,
And gladly serve with all affeccioun.
Gret is the pain which at myn hert doth stik. 675
Till I be sped by thyn eleccioun:
Help, lady goddes! that possessioun
I might of her have, that in all my lyfe
I clepen shall my quene and hertes wife.
And in the Court of Love to dwell for ay 680
My wille it is, and don thee sacrifice:
Daily with Diane eke to fight and fray,
And holden werre, as might well me suffice:
That goddes chaste I kepen in no wyse
To serve; a fig for all her chastitee! 685
Her lawe is for religiositee.'
And thus gan finish preyer, lawde, and preise,
Which that I yove to Venus on my knee,
And in myne hert to ponder and to peise,
I gave anon hir image fressh bewtie; 690
'Heil to that figure sweet! and heil to thee,
Cupide,' quod I, and rose and yede my way;
And in the temple as I yede I sey
A shryne sormownting all in stones riche,
Of which the force was plesaunce to myn y, 695
With diamant or saphire; never liche
I have non seyn, ne wrought so wonderly.
So whan I met with Philobone, in hy
I gan demaund, 'Who[s] is this sepulture?'
'Forsoth,' quod she, 'a tender creature 700
Is shryned there, and Pitè is her name.
She saw an egle wreke him on a fly,
And pluk his wing, and eke him, in his game,
And tender herte of that hath made her dy:
Eke she wold wepe, and morn right pitously 705
To seen a lover suffre gret destresse.
In all the court nas non that, as I gesse,
That coude a lover +half so well availe,
Ne of his wo the torment or the rage
+Aslaken, for he was sure, withouten faile, 710
That of his grief she coud the hete aswage.
In sted of Pitè, spedeth hot corage
The maters all of court, now she is dede;
I me report in this to womanhede.
For weile and wepe, and crye, and speke, and pray,-- 715
Women wold not have pitè on thy plaint;
Ne by that mene to ese thyn hart convey,
But thee receiven for their own talent:
And sey, that Pitè causith thee, in consent
Of rewth, to take thy service and thy pain 720
In that thow mayst, to plese thy souverain.
But this is councell, keep it secretly;'
Quod she, 'I nold, for all the world abowt,
The Quene of Love it wist; and wit ye why?
For if by me this matter springen out, 725
In court no lenger shuld I, owt of dowt,
Dwellen, but shame in all my life endry:
Now kepe it close,' quod she, 'this hardely.
Well, all is well! Now shall ye seen,' she seid,
'The feirest lady under son that is: 730
Come on with me, demene you liche a maid,
With shamefast dred, for ye shall spede, y-wis,
With her that is the mir[th] and joy and blis:
But sumwhat straunge and sad of her demene
She is, be ware your countenaunce be sene, 735
Nor over light, ne recheless, ne to bold,
Ne malapert, ne rinning with your tong;
For she will you abeisen and behold,
And you demaund, why ye were hens so long
Out of this court, without resort among: 740
And Rosiall her name is hote aright,
Whose harte +as yet [is] yeven to no wight.
And ye also ben, as I understond,
With love but light avaunced, by your word;
Might ye, by hap, your fredom maken bond, 745
And fall in grace with her, and wele accord,
Well might ye thank the god of Love and lord;
For she that ye sawe in your dreme appere,
To love suche one, what are +ye than the nere?
Yit wot ye what? as my rememb[e]raunce 750
Me yevith now, ye fayn, where that ye sey
That ye with love had never acqueintaunce,
Sauf in your dreme right late this other day:
Why, yis, parde! my life, that durst I lay,
That ye were caught upon an heth, when I 755
Saw you complain, and sigh full pitously;
Within an erber, and a garden fair
With floures growe, and herbes vertuous,
Of which the savour swete was and the eyr,
There were your-self full hoot and amorous: 760
Y-wis, ye ben to nice and daungerous;
A! wold ye now repent, and love som new?'--
'Nay, by my trouth,' I seid, 'I never knew
The goodly wight, whos I shall be for ay:
Guyde me the lord that love hath made and me.' 765
But furth we went in-till a chambre gay,
There was Rosiall, womanly to see,
Whose stremes sotell-persing of her ee
Myn hart gan thrill for bewtie in the stound:
'Alas,' quod I, 'who hath me yeve this wound?' 770
And than I dred to speke, till at the last
I gret the lady reverently and wele,
Whan that my sigh was gon and over-past;
And down on knees full humbly gan I knele,
Beseching her my fervent wo to kele, 775
For there I took full purpose in my mind,
Unto her grace my painfull hart to bind.
For if I shall all fully her discryve,
Her hede was round, by compace of nature,
Her here as gold,--she passed all on-lyve,-- 780
And lily forhede had this crëature,
With lovelich browes, flawe, of colour pure,
Bytwene the which was mene disseveraunce
From every brow, to shewe[n] a distaunce.
Her nose directed streight, and even as lyne, 785
With fourm and shap therto convenient,
In which the goddes milk-whyt path doth shine;
And eke her yen ben bright and orient
As is the smaragde, unto my juggement,
Or yet thise sterres hevenly, smale and bright; 790
Her visage is of lovely rede and whyte.
Her mouth is short, and shit in litell space,
Flaming somdele, not over-rede, I mene,
With pregnant lippes, and thik to kiss, percas;
(For lippes thin, not fat, but ever lene, 795
They serve of naught, they be not worth a bene;
For if the basse ben full, there is delyt,
Maximian truly thus doth he wryte.)
But to my purpose:--I sey, whyte as snow
Ben all her teeth, and in order thay stond 800
Of oon stature; and eke hir breth, I trow,
Surmounteth alle odours that ever I fond
In sweetnes; and her body, face, and hond
Ben sharply slender, so that from the hede
Unto the fote, all is but womanhede. 805
I hold my pees of other thinges hid:--
Here shall my soul, and not my tong, bewray:--
But how she was arrayed, if ye me bid,
That shall I well discover you and say:
A bend of gold and silk, full fressh and gay; 810
With here in tresse[s], browdered full well,
Right smothly kept, and shyning every-del.
About her nek a flour of fressh devyse
With rubies set, that lusty were to sene;
And she in gown was, light and somer-wyse, 815
Shapen full wele, the colour was of grene,
With aureat seint about her sydes clene,
With dyvers stones, precious and riche:--
Thus was she rayed, yet saugh I never her liche.
For if that Jove had [but] this lady seyn, 820
Tho Calixto ne [yet] Alcmenia,
Thay never hadden in his armes leyn;
Ne he had loved the faire Europa;
Ye, ne yet Dane ne Antiopa!
For al their bewtie stood in Rosiall; 825
She semed lich a thing celestiall
In bowntè, favor, port, and semliness,
Plesaunt of figure, mirrour of delyt,
Gracious to sene, and rote of gentilness,
With angel visage, lusty rede and white: 830
There was not lak, sauf daunger had a lite
This goodly fressh in rule and governaunce;
And somdel straunge she was, for her plesaunce.
And truly sone I took my leve and went,
Whan she had me enquyred what I was; 835
For more and more impressen gan the dent
Of Loves dart, whyl I beheld her face;
And eft again I com to seken grace,
And up I put my bill, with sentence clere
That folwith aftir; rede and ye shall here. 840
'O ye [the] fressh, of [all] bewtie the rote,
That nature hath fourmed so wele and made
Princesse and Quene! and ye that may do bote
Of all my langour with your wordes glad!
Ye wounded me, ye made me wo-bestad; 845
Of grace redress my mortall +grief, as ye
Of all myne +harm the verrey causer be.
Now am I caught, and unwar sodenly,
With persant stremes of your yën clere,
Subject to ben, and serven you meekly, 850
And all your man, y-wis, my lady dere,
Abiding grace, of which I you requere,
That merciles ye cause me not to sterve;
But guerdon me, liche as I may deserve.
For, by my troth, the dayes of my breth 855
I am and will be youre in wille and hert,
Pacient and meek, for you to suffre deth
If it require; now rewe upon my smert;
And this I swere, I never shall out-stert
From Loves Court for none adversitee, 860
So ye wold rewe on my distresse and me.
My destinee, +my fate, and ure I bliss,
That have me set to ben obedient
Only to you, the flour of all, y-wis:
I trust to Venus never to repent; 865
For ever redy, glad, and diligent
Ye shall me finde in service to your grace,
Till deth my lyfe out of my body race.
Humble unto your excellence so digne,
Enforcing ay my wittes and delyt 870
To serve and plese with glad herte and benigne,
And ben as Troilus, [old] Troyes knight,
Or Antony for Cleopatre bright,
And never you me thinkes to reney:
This shall I kepe unto myne ending-day. 875
Enprent my speche in your memorial
Sadly, my princess, salve of all my sore!
And think that, for I wold becomen thrall,
And ben your own, as I have seyd before,
Ye must of pity cherissh more and more 880
Your man, and tender aftir his desert,
And yive him corage for to ben expert.
For where that oon hath set his herte on fire,
And findeth nether refut ne plesaunce,
Ne word of comfort, deth will quyte his hire. 885
Allas! that there is none allegeaunce
Of all their wo! allas, the gret grevaunce
To love unloved! But ye, my Lady dere,
In other wyse may govern this matere.'
'Truly, gramercy, frend, of your good will, 890
And of your profer in your humble wyse!
But for your service, take and kepe it still.
And where ye say, I ought you well cheryse,
And of your gref the remedy devyse,
I know not why: I nam acqueinted well 895
With you, ne wot not sothly where ye dwell.'
'In art of love +I wryte, and songes make,
That may be song in honour of the King
And Quene of Love; and than I undertake,
He that is sad shall than full mery sing. 900
And daunger[o]us not ben in every thing
Beseche I you, but seen my will and rede,
And let your aunswer put me out of drede.'
'What is your name? reherse it here, I pray,
Of whens and where, of what condicion 905
That ye ben of? Let see, com of and say!
Fain wold I know your disposicion:--
Ye have put on your old entencion;
But what ye mene to servë me I noot,
Sauf that ye say ye love me wonder hoot.' 910
'My name? alas, my hert, why [make it straunge?]
Philogenet I cald am fer and nere,
Of Cambrige clerk, that never think to chaunge
Fro you that with your hevenly stremes clere
Ravissh myne herte and gost and all in-fere: 915
This is the first, I write my bill for grace,
Me think, I see som mercy in your face.
And what I mene, by god that al hath wrought,
My bill, that maketh finall mencion,
That ye ben, lady, in myne inward thought 920
Of all myne hert without offencion,
That I best love, and have, sith I begon
To draw to court. Lo, than! what might I say?
I yeld me here, [lo!] unto your nobley.
And if that I offend, or wilfully 925
By pompe of hart your precept disobey,
Or doon again your will unskillfully,
Or greven you, for ernest or for play,
Correct ye me right sharply than, I pray,
As it is sene unto your womanhede, 930
And rewe on me, or ellis I nam but dede.'
'Nay, god forbede to feffe you so with grace,
And for a worde of sugred eloquence,
To have compassion in so litell space!
Than were it tyme that som of us were hens! 935
Ye shall not find in me suche insolence.
Ay? what is this? may ye not suffer sight?
How may ye loke upon the candill-light,
That clere[r] is and hotter than myn y?
And yet ye seid, the bemes perse and frete:-- 940
How shall ye than the candel-[l]ight endry?
For wel wot ye, that hath the sharper hete.
And there ye bid me you correct and bete,
If ye offend,--nay, that may not be doon:
There come but few that speden here so soon. 945
Withdraw your y, withdraw from presens eke:
Hurt not yourself, through foly, with a loke;
I wold be sory so to make you seke:
A woman shuld be ware eke whom she toke:
Ye beth a clark:--go serchen [in] my boke, 950
If any women ben so light to win:
Nay, byde a whyl, though ye were all my kin.
So soon ye may not win myne harte, in trouth
The gyse of court will seen your stedfastness,
And as ye don, to have upon you rewth. 955
Your own desert, and lowly gentilness,
That will reward you joy for heviness;
And though ye waxen pale, and grene and dede,
Ye must it use a while, withouten drede,
And it accept, and grucchen in no wyse; 960
But where as ye me hastily desyre
To been to love, me think, ye be not wyse.
Cese of your language! cese, I you requyre!
For he that hath this twenty yere ben here
May not obtayn; than marveile I that ye 965
Be now so bold, of love to trete with me.'
'Ah! mercy, hart, my lady and my love,
My rightwyse princesse and my lyves guyde!
Now may I playn to Venus all above,
That rewthles ye me +give these woundes wyde! 970
What have I don? why may it not betyde,
That for my trouth I may received be?
Alas! your daunger and your crueltè!
In wofull hour I got was, welaway!
In wofull hour [y-]fostred and y-fed, 975
In wofull hour y-born, that I ne may
My supplicacion swetely have y-sped!
The frosty grave and cold must be my bedde,
Without ye list your grace and mercy shewe,
Deth with his axe so faste on me doth hewe. 980
So greet disese and in so litell whyle,
So litell joy, that felte I never yet;
And at my wo Fortune ginneth to smyle,
That never erst I felt so harde a fit:
Confounded ben my spirits and my wit, 985
Till that my lady take me to her cure,
Which I love best of erthely crëature.
But that I lyke, that may I not com by;
Of that I playn, that have I habondaunce;
Sorrow and thought, thay sit me wounder ny; 990
Me is withhold that might be my plesaunce:
Yet turne again, my worldly suffisaunce!
O lady bright! and save your feithfull true,
And, er I die, yet on[e]s upon me rewe.'
With that I fell in sounde, and dede as stone, 995
With colour slain, and wan as assh[es] pale;
And by the hand she caught me up anon,
'Aryse,' quod she, 'what? have ye dronken dwale?
Why slepen ye? it is no nightertale.'
'Now mercy, swete,' quod I, y-wis affrayed: 1000
'What thing,' quod she, 'hath mad you so dismayed?
Now wot I well that ye a lover be,
Your hewe is witnesse in this thing,' she seid:
'If ye were secret, [ye] might know,' quod she,
'Curteise and kind, all this shuld be allayed: 1005
And now, myn herte! all that I have misseid,
I shall amend, and set your harte in ese.'
'That word it is,' quod I, 'that doth me plese.'
'But this I charge, that ye the statuts kepe,
And breke thaim not for sloth nor ignoraunce.' 1010
With that she gan to smyle and laughen depe.
'Y-wis,' quod I, 'I will do your plesaunce;
The sixteenth statut doth me grete grevaunce,
But ye must that relesse or modifie.'
'I graunt,' quod she, 'and so I will truly.' 1015
And softly than her colour gan appeare,
As rose so rede, through-out her visage all,
Wherefore me think it is according here,
That she of right be cleped Rosiall.
Thus have I won, with wordes grate and small, 1020
Some goodly word of hir that I love best,
And trust she shall yit set myne harte in rest.
. . . . . .
'Goth on,' she seid to Philobone, 'and take
This man with you, and lede him all abowt
Within the court, and shew him, for my sake, 1025
What lovers dwell withinne, and all the rowte
Of officers; for he is, out of dowte,
A straunger yit:'--'Come on,' quod Philobone,
'Philogenet, with me now must ye gon.'
And stalking soft with esy pace, I saw 1030
About the king [ther] stonden environ,
Attendaunce, Diligence, and their felaw
Fortherer, Esperaunce, and many oon;
Dred-to-offend there stood, and not aloon;
For there was eke the cruell adversair, 1035
The lovers fo, that cleped is Dispair,
Which unto me spak angrely and fell,
And said, my lady me deceiven shall:
'Trowest thow,' quod she, 'that all that she did tell,
Is true? Nay, nay, but under hony gall! 1040
Thy birth and +hers, [they] be nothing egall:
Cast of thyn hart, for all her wordes whyte,
For in good faith she lovith thee but a lyte.
And eek remember, thyn habilite
May not compare with hir, this well thow wot.' 1045
Ye, than cam Hope and said, 'My frend, let be!
Beleve him not: Dispair, he ginneth dote.'
'Alas,' quod I, 'here is both cold and hot:
The tone me biddeth love, the toder nay;
Thus wot I not what me is best to say. 1050
But well wot I, my lady graunted me,
Truly to be my woundes remedy;
Her gentilness may not infected be
With dobleness, thus trust I till I dy.'
So cast I void Dispaires company, 1055
And taken Hope to councell and to frend.
'Ye, kepe that wele,' quod Philobone, 'in mind.'
And there besyde, within a bay-window,
Stood oon in grene, full large of brede and length,
His berd as blak as fethers of the crow; 1060
His name was Lust, of wounder might and strength;
And with Delyt to argue there he thenkth,
For this was all his [hool] opinion,
That love was sin! and so he hath begon
To reson fast, and legge auctoritè: 1065
'Nay,' quod Delyt, 'love is a vertue clere,
And from the soule his progress holdeth he:
Blind appetyt of lust doth often stere,
And that is sin: for reson lakketh there,
For thow [dost] think thy neighbours wyfe to win: 1070
Yit think it well that love may not be sin;
For god and seint, they love right verely,
Void of all sin and vice: this knowe I wele,
Affeccion of flessh is sin, truly;
But verray love is vertue, as I fele, 1075
For love may not thy freil desire akele:
For [verray] love is love withouten sin.'
'Now stint,' quoth Lust, 'thow spekest not worth a pin.'
And there I left thaim in their arguing,
Roming ferther in the castell wyde, 1080
And in a corner Lier stood talking
Of lesings fast, with Flatery there besyde;
He seid that women were attire of pryde,
And men were founde of nature variaunt,
And coud be false, and shewen beau semblaunt. 1085
Than Flatery bespake and seid, y-wis:
'See, so she goth on patens faire and fete,
Hit doth right wele: what prety man is this
That rometh here? Now truly, drink ne mete
Nede I not have; myne hart for joye doth bete 1090
Him to behold, so is he goodly fressh:
It semeth for love his harte is tender nessh.'
This is the court of lusty folk and glad,
And wel becometh their habit and array:
O why be som so sorry and so sad, 1095
Complaining thus in blak and whyte and gray?
Freres they ben, and monkes, in good fay:
Alas, for rewth! greet dole it is to seen,
To see thaim thus bewaile and sory been.
See how they cry and wring their handes whyte, 1100
For they so sone went to religion!
And eke the nonnes, with vaile and wimple plight,
There thought that they ben in confusion:
'Alas,' thay sayn, 'we fayn perfeccion,
In clothes wide, and lak our libertè; 1105
But all the sin mote on our frendes be.
For, Venus wot, we wold as fayn as ye,
That ben attired here and wel besene,
Desiren man, and love in our degree,
Ferme and feithfull, right as wold the quene: 1110
Our frendes wikke, in tender youth and grene,
Ayenst our will made us religious;
That is the cause we morne and wailen thus.'
Than seid the monks and freres in the tyde,
'Wel may we curse our abbeys and our place, 1115
Our statuts sharp, to sing in copes wyde,
Chastly to kepe us out of loves grace,
And never to fele comfort ne solace;
Yet suffre we the hete of loves fire,
And after than other haply we desire. 1120
O Fortune cursed, why now and wherefore
Hast thow,' they seid, 'beraft us libertè,
Sith nature yave us instrument in store,
And appetyt to love and lovers be?
Why mot we suffer suche adversitè, 1125
Diane to serve, and Venus to refuse?
Ful often sith this matier doth us muse.
We serve and honour, sore ayenst our will,
Of chastitè the goddes and the quene;
Us leffer were with Venus byden still, 1130
And have reward for love, and soget been
Unto thise women courtly, fressh, and shene.
Fortune, we curse thy whele of variaunce!
There we were wele, thou revest our plesaunce.'
Thus leve I thaim, with voice of pleint and care, 1135
In raging wo crying ful pitously;
And as I yede, full naked and full bare
Some I behold, looking dispitously,
On povertè that dedely cast their y;
And 'Welaway!' they cried, and were not fain, 1140
For they ne might their glad desire attain.
For lak of richesse worldely and of +gode,
They banne and curse, and wepe, and sein, 'Alas,
That poverte hath us hent that whylom stode
At hartis ese, and free and in good case! 1145
But now we dar not shew our-self in place,
Ne us embolde to duelle in company,
There-as our hart wold love right faithfully.'
And yet againward shryked every nonne,
The prang of love so straineth thaim to cry: 1150
'Now wo the tyme,' quod thay, 'that we be boun!
This hateful ordre nyse will don us dy!
We sigh and sobbe, and bleden inwardly,
Freting our-self with thought and hard complaint,
That ney for love we waxen wode and faint.' 1155
And as I stood beholding here and there,
I was war of a sort full languisshing,
Savage and wild of loking and of chere,
Their mantels and their clothës ay tering;
And oft thay were of nature complaining, 1160
For they their members lakked, fote and hand,
With visage wry and blind, I understand.
They lakked shap, and beautie to preferre
Theim-self in love: and seid, that god and kind
Hath forged thaim to worshippen the sterre, 1165
Venus the bright, and leften all behind
His other werkes clene and out of mind:
'For other have their full shape and bewtee,
And we,' quod they, 'ben in deformitè.'
And nye to thaim there was a company, 1170
That have the susters waried and misseid;
I mene, the three of fatall destinè,
That be our +werdes; and sone, in a brayd,
Out gan they cry as they had been affrayd,
'We curse,' quod thay, 'that ever hath nature 1175
Y-formed us, this wofull lyfe t'endure!'
And there he was contrite, and gan repent,
Confessing hole the wound that Citherè
Hath with the dart of hot desire him sent,
And how that he to love must subjet be: 1180
Than held he all his skornes vanitè,
And seid, that lovers lede a blisful lyfe,
Yong men and old, and widow, maid and wyfe.
'Bereve +me, goddesse,' quod he, '[of] thy might,
My skornes all and skoffes, that I have 1185
No power forth, to mokken any wight,
That in thy service dwell: for I did rave:
This know I well right now, so god me save,
And I shal be the chief post of thy feith,
And love uphold, the révers who-so seith.' 1190
Dissemble stood not fer from him in trouth,
With party mantill, party hood and hose;
And said, he had upon his lady rowth,
And thus he wound him in, and gan to glose
Of his entent full doble, I suppose: 1195
And al the world, he seid, he loved it wele;
But ay, me thoughte, he loved her nere a dele.
Eek Shamefastness was there, as I took hede,
That blusshed rede, and durst nat ben a-knowe
She lover was, for thereof had she drede; 1200
She stood and hing her visage down alowe;
But suche a sight it was to sene, I trow,
+As of these roses rody on their stalk:
There cowd no wight her spy to speke or talk
In loves art, so gan she to abasshe, 1205
Ne durst not utter all her privitè:
Many a stripe and many a grevous lasshe
She gave to thaim that wolden loveres be,
And hindered sore the simpill comonaltè,
That in no wyse durst grace and mercy crave; 1210
For were not she, they need but ask and have;
Where if they now approchin for to speke,
Than Shamefastness returnith thaim again:
Thay think, if +we our secret councell breke,
Our ladies will have scorn on us, certain, 1215
And [per]aventure thinken greet disdain:
Thus Shamefastness may bringin in Dispeir,
Whan she is dede, the toder will be heir.
Com forth, Avaunter! now I ring thy bell!
I spyed him sone; to god I make a-vowe, 1220
He loked blak as fendes doth in hell:--
'The first,' quod he, 'that ever [I] did +wowe,
Within a word she com, I wot not how,
So that in armes was my lady free;
And so hath ben a thousand mo than she. 1225
In Englond, Bretain, Spain, and Pycardie,
Arteys, and Fraunce, and up in hy Holand,
In Burgoyne, Naples, and [in] Italy,
Naverne, and Grece, and up in hethen land,
Was never woman yit that wold withstand 1230
To ben at myn commaundement, whan I wold:
I lakked neither silver, coin, ne gold.
And there I met with this estate and that;
And here I broched her, and here, I trow:
Lo! there goth oon of myne; and wot ye what? 1235
Yon fressh attired have I leyd full low;
And such oon yonder eke right well I know:
I kept the statut whan we lay y-fere;
And yet yon same hath made me right good chere.'
Thus hath Avaunter blowen every-where 1240
Al that he knowith, and more, a thousand-fold;
His auncetrye of kin was to Lière,
For firste he makith promise for to hold
His ladies councell, and it not unfold;
Wherfore, the secret when he doth unshit, 1245
Than lyeth he, that all the world may wit.
For falsing so his promise and behest,
I wounder sore he hath such fantasie;
He lakketh wit, I trowe, or is a best,
That can no bet him-self with reson gy. 1250
By myn advice, Love shal be contrarie
To his availe, and him eke dishonoure,
So that in court he shall no more sojoure.
'Take hede,' quod she, this litell Philobone,
'Where Envy rokketh in the corner yond, 1255
And sitteth dirk; and ye shall see anone
His lenë bodie, fading face and hond;
Him-self he fretteth, as I understond;
Witnesse of Ovid Methamorphosose;
The lovers fo he is, I wil not glose. 1260
For where a lover thinketh him promote,
Envy will grucch, repyning at his wele;
Hit swelleth sore about his hartes rote,
That in no wyse he can not live in hele;
And if the feithfull to his lady stele, 1265
Envy will noise and ring it round aboute,
And sey moche worse than don is, out of dowte.'
And Prevy Thought, rejoysing of him-self,
Stood not fer thens in habit mervelous;
'Yon is,' thought [I], 'som spirit or some elf, 1270
His sotill image is so curious:
How is,' quod I, 'that he is shaded thus
With yonder cloth, I not of what colour?'
And nere I went, and gan to lere and pore,
And frayned him [a] question full hard. 1275
'What is,' quod I, 'the thing thou lovest best?
Or what is boot unto thy paines hard?
Me think, thow livest here in grete unrest;
Thow wandrest ay from south to est and west,
And est to north; as fer as I can see, 1280
There is no place in court may holden thee.
Whom folowest thow? where is thy harte y-set?
But my demaunde asoile, I thee require.'
'Me thought,' quod he, 'no crëature may let
+Me to ben here, and where-as I desire: 1285
For where-as absence hath don out the fire,
My mery thought it kindleth yet again,
That bodily, me think, with my souverain
I stand and speke, and laugh, and kisse, and halse,
So that my thought comforteth me full oft: 1290
I think, god wot, though all the world be false,
I will be trewe; I think also how soft
My lady is in speche, and this on-loft
Bringeth myn hart +to joye and [greet] gladnesse;
This prevey thought alayeth myne hevinesse. 1295
And what I thinke, or where to be, no man
In all this erth can tell, y-wis, but I:
And eke there nis no swallow swift, ne swan
So wight of wing, ne half [so] yern can fly;
For I can been, and that right sodenly, 1300
In heven, in helle, in paradise, and here,
And with my lady, whan I will desire.
I am of councell ferre and wyde, I wot,
With lord and lady, and their previtè
I wot it all; but be it cold or hot, 1305
They shall not speke without licence of me,
I mene, in suche as sesonable be;
For first the thing is thought within the hert,
Ere any word out from the mouth astert.'
And with that word Thought bad farewell and yede: 1310
Eke furth went I to seen the courtes gyse:
And at the dore cam in, so god me spede,
+Twey courteours of age and of assyse
Liche high, and brode, and, as I me advyse,
The Golden Love, and Leden Love thay hight: 1315
The ton was sad, the toder glad and light.
[_Some stanzas lost._]
'Yis! draw your hart, with all your force and might,
To lustiness, and been as ye have seid;
And think that I no drop of favour hight,
Ne never had to your desire obeyd, 1320
Till sodenly, me thought, me was affrayed,
To seen you wax so dede of countenaunce;
And Pitè bad me don you some plasaunce.
Out of her shryne she roos from deth to lyve,
And in myne ere full prevely she spak, 1325
"Doth not your servaunt hens away to dryve,
Rosiall," quod she; and than myn harte [it] brak,
For tender +reuth: and where I found moch lak
In your persoune, +than I my-self bethought,
And seid, "This is the man myne harte hath sought."' 1330
'Gramercy, Pitè! might I +but suffice
To yeve the lawde unto thy shryne of gold,
God wot, I wold; for sith that +thou did rise
From deth to lyve for me, I am behold
To +thanken you a thousand tymes told, 1335
And eke my lady Rosiall the shene,
Which hath in comfort set myn harte, I wene.
And here I make myn protestacion,
And depely swere, as [to] myn power, to been
Feithfull, devoid of variacion, 1340
And her forbere in anger or in tene,
And serviceable to my worldes quene,
With al my reson and intelligence,
To don her honour high and reverence.'
I had not spoke so sone the word, but she, 1345
My souverain, did thank me hartily,
And seid, 'Abyde, ye shall dwell still with me
Till seson come of May; for than, truly,
The King of Love and all his company
Shall hold his fest full ryally and well:' 1350
And there I bode till that the seson fell.
. . . . . .
On May-day, whan the lark began to ryse,
To matens went the lusty nightingale
Within a temple shapen hawthorn-wise;
He might not slepe in all the nightertale, 1355
But '_Domine labia_,' gan he crye and gale,
'My lippes open, Lord of Love, I crye,
And let my mouth thy preising now bewrye.'
The eagle sang '_Venite_, bodies all,
And let us joye to love that is our helth.' 1360
And to the deske anon they gan to fall,
And who come late, he pressed in by stelth:
Than seid the fawcon, our own hartis welth,
'_Domine, Dominus noster_, I wot,
Ye be the god that don us bren thus hot.' 1365
'_Celi enarrant_,' said the popingay,
'Your might is told in heven and firmament.'
And than came in the goldfinch fresh and gay,
And said this psalm with hertly glad intent,
'_Domini est terra_; this Laten intent, 1370
The god of Love hath erth in governaunce:'
And than the wren gan skippen and to daunce.
'_Jube, Domine_, Lord of Love, I pray
Commaund me well this lesson for to rede;
This legend is of all that wolden dey 1375
Marters for love; god yive the sowles spede!
And to thee, Venus, +sing we, out of drede,
By influence of all thy vertue grete,
Beseching thee to kepe us in our hete.'
The second lesson robin redebrest sang, 1380
'Hail to the god and goddess of our lay!'
And to the lectorn +amorously he sprang:--
'Hail,' quod [he] eke, 'O fresh seson of May,
Our moneth glad that singen on the spray!
Hail to the floures, rede, and whyte, and blewe, 1385
Which by their vertue make our lustes newe!'
The thrid lesson the turtill-dove took up,
And therat lough the mavis [as] in scorn:
He said, 'O god, as mot I dyne or sup,
This folissh dove will give us all an horn! 1390
There been right here a thousand better born,
To rede this lesson, which, as well as he,
And eke as hot, can love in all degree.'
The turtill-dove said, 'Welcom, welcom, May,
Gladsom and light to loveres that ben trewe! 1395
I thank thee, Lord of Love, that doth purvey
For me to rede this lesson all of dewe;
For, in gode sooth, of corage I +pursue
To serve my make till deth us must depart:'
And than '_Tu autem_' sang he all apart. 1400
'_Te deum amoris_' sang the thrustell-cok:
Tuball him-self, the first musician,
With key of armony coude not unlok
So swete [a] tewne as that the thrustill can:
'The Lord of Love we praisen,' quod he than, 1405
'And so don all the fowles, grete and lyte;
Honour we May, in fals lovers dispyte.'
'_Dominus regnavit_,' seid the pecok there,
'The Lord of Love, that mighty prince, y-wis,
He hath received her[e] and every-where: 1410
Now _Jubilate_ +sing:'--'What meneth this?'
Seid than the linet; 'welcom, Lord of blisse!'
Out-stert the owl with '_Benedicite_,
What meneth al this mery fare?' quod he.
'_Laudate_,' sang the lark with voice full shrill; 1415
And eke the kite, '_O admirabile_;
This quere will throgh myne eris pers and thrill;
But what? welcom this May seson,' quod he;
'And honour to the Lord of Love mot be,
That hath this feest so solemn and so high:' 1420
'_Amen_,' seid all; and so seid eke the pye.
And furth the cokkow gan procede anon,
With '_Benedictus_' thanking god in hast,
That in this May wold visite thaim echon,
And gladden thaim all whyl the fest shall last: 1425
And therewithall a-loughter out he brast,
'I thank it god that I shuld end the song,
And all the service which hath been so long.'
Thus sang thay all the service of the fest,
And that was don right erly, to my dome; 1430
And furth goth all the Court, both most and lest,
To feche the floures fressh, and braunche and blome;
And namly, hawthorn brought both page and grome.
With fressh garlandës, partie blewe and whyte,
And thaim rejoysen in their greet delyt. 1435
Eke eche at other threw the floures bright,
The prymerose, the violet, the gold;
So than, as I beheld the ryall sight,
My lady gan me sodenly behold,
And with a trew-love, plited many-fold, 1440
She smoot me through the [very] hert as blyve;
And Venus yet I thanke I am alyve.
_From_ MS. Trin. R. 3. 19, fol. 128; _collated with the print of the same
in_ (S.) Stowe's _edition_ (1561). _I note some rejected readings of the_
MS. 1. tym_er_os; tremlyng. 3. poort. 4. none. 9. matere. 10. Poemys;
Virgile. 11. Galfride. 15. termys. 17. honoure. 18. wille; S. wil. 19, 20,
23. thowe. 24. the; anone. 25. miste.
28. litill. 29. courte. 30. bene. 31. beseche. 32. whate; nede. 34. woo.
35. soo. 36. myne. 39. kynde. 41. pleasure. 48. courte. 49. mounte. 51.
maiestie. 52. sonne. 53. Cupyde; blynde; dignyte. 54. theire kne. 55.
bidde; S. bid. in (_read_ on). to pere (_read_ tapere). 56. Marcury. 57.
be; S. by. ferre. 58. whate; that it drewe (_read_ to it drew). 59. courte.
60. se (_read_ sey). 61. knewe. 62. courte; nye. 63. full_e_ faste; hie.
64. overtoke; seide. 65. Haile; wende. 66. Forsothe; one; mayde. 67. courte
nowe goo. 71. withynne. 74. behelde. 76. bespredde. 77. stone; S. stones.
werke. 79. thanne; emerawde. 80. Bales turkes. 82. bene. 83. shone; pease.
84. trespace; tweyne. 86. founde; faste. 87. harte. 88. maste. 89. gynith;
S. ginneth. 90. please. 94. whate. 97. discrive; S. descrie. 98. sawe;
none. 100. Withynne; oute.
102. sawe; verely. 103. whate; deyses; signifie. 104. floure. 105. yit; S.
it. kepte; soioure. 108. obeide. 111, 117. theire. 112. whate; cowde. 113.
nere (_twice_). 116. silke. 119. Helise. 121. beseen. 123. theire; sawe;
twayn. 124. frett; payne. 125. drynke. 126. ryaltie; S. rialtee. 128. bene.
129. nere. 130. disdeyne. 132. _I supply_ non. 133. ye; S. eye. 134. stode.
136. shapyn liche; darte. 137. Sherpe. 138. shone.
139. Disshivill crispe downe. 140. southly; spake. 141. the; faire. 143.
weneth (S. w[=o]neth). howe; eyre. 144. Grete; crafte; grete; delite. 146.
occupie. 147. Cithare; nowe swete. 148. spake. 149. worde; harde. 150.
myne; aduerte. 151. witte; harde. 152. bewtie; ferde. 154. Whenne. 155.
whate. 157. sone. 162. howe; whate. 163. come; whate. 164. sene; Courte.
166. aske; grete. 167. none; come; courte. 171. Mercurius (_see_ l. 56).
172. gentill feire; nowe. 173. whate thowe; S. what tho (i.e. then). 174.
youre fre wille. 175. dide; wille.
176. reigne. 177. ease. ioylof; S. ialous (_read_ iolif). 178. Youre
dewtie; ferre; canne. 179. courte; youre. 181. knowe. 182. whanne youre
fote; spanne. 183. be (_for_ by); wilfull. 184. kepte youre. 185. youre
(_often_). 186. motte. 188. S. Amidde the sea. rayne. 189. That(!); S.
Then. payne. 190. suche; absente. 191. courte. 192. sone. 193. wille; youre
coloure. 194. most bayte. 195. agoone. 196. drawe; Courte. 197. se howe
rowhe (S. rough). 198. shewe; se. 199. myne; knele downe; aske. 201. welle;
wolle none. 202. Comforte; none; councell; youre ease. 203. wille; thanne.
204. Iche. 207. please howe. 208. myne owen. 209. sprite.
211. the; S. that. 212. worche. 214. benigne harte. 215. myghtes (_read_
might is). 216. lyste; correcte. 217. punyssh; enfecte. 221. gode; founde.
222. grounde. 223. cupide. 225. behild; S. behelde. 226. Seyng. 227. folke;
wild (S. welde). 228. Theire; wele; case. 229. shone; wyndowes; glasse.
230. feire. 231. fressh. 232. bewtie. 235. penytyng (!). 237. aboute. 238.
howe; feale. 239. stonyed; S. astonied. 240. thoo folke. 241. hade. 244,
245. theire. 246. To (!); _read_ Lo; folke; blewe. 247. coloure.
248. signe. 249. southly. 250. calle. 251. bene. 252. ferre; sherpe. 253.
whate done. 254. hermytes. 256. theire woo. 257. goo 258. Frely; suche
libertie. 259. eche. 260. none. 261. made. 262. courte; fre; euerichone.
263. wille. 264. arraye. 265. mekely. 266. theire harte. 267. aboute. 268.
se; come; high (S. hie). 269. co_m_maunde. 270. -oute; courte; crye. 271.
newe; wote; whye. 272. luste; youe sone. 273. Come nere; se; wille mote
nede; done. 275. Tremelyng (S. Trembling); hewe. 277. unto the tyme (_om._
the); knewe. 278. yove (S. yeue); trewe. 279. laste. 280. sterne; whate.
281. ferre. 282. courte.
284. coude; espye. 285. myne; eny; myne ye. 286. gane. 287. nowe; submytte.
289. thowe; trewe. 290. seruen(!); thyne. 291. thanne. 292. Thowe shalte.
293. owe youre crowne. 295. sene; euerychone. 296. hie. 297. oure; shewe;
one by one. 298. statutis; courte. 299. boke; leide; her (S. their); ye.
300. se whate; most. 301. courte. 302. redde. 303. statutis; courte; halle.
304. firste statute. 307. kynde. 308. coude thynke; harte; wille; mynde.
309. secunde statute secretely. 311. knowe; and (_read_ or). 312. sowne.
315. kynde. 316. thridde statute. 317. _om._ the (_supplied in_ S.). 318.
None; woo.
319. brynde delite. 320. Withoute. 323. statute. 324. folke; fire. 325.
aboute. 326. hote desire. 327. howe. 328. kepte; displease. 329. ease. 330.
statute. 332. squymouse. 333. veryeuly (S. verely); statute. 335. crueltie.
336. harte exilyn. 337. statute. 339. bewtie. 340. thinke; _I supply_ it.
341. thynke. 342. Howe. 343. woo. 344. statute. 347. helden (_sic_). 348.
othe. 350. And shewing (_om._ And). 351. statute. 353. hourely laboure;
grete attendaunce (S. entte_n_daunce). 354. harte entier.
356. fire; S. faire. 357. debonayre. 358. statute. 361. displease. 363.
mekely; yerde. 365. statute; discerne. 367. thynke; arte; yerne. 373. thyne
harte. 374. disdayne. 375. the. 376. yf (S. giue); reyne. 377. libertie.
378. ellis. 379. statute. knowe (_read_ con). 380. Ie (_for_ y). 381. lowe;
kowigh (_for_ cough). 382. ofte. 383. bring vp (_om._ vp). 384. moche
resorte. 385. sporte. 386. statute. 387. payne; haste. 389. thou _or_ thon
(S. the_n_); thynke; goo. 392. bette.
393. statute. 394. Whate; please. 395. thyne hartes. 396. think; _I supply_
it; thyne ease. 397. sent (_read_ send); harte pease (_read_ herte apese).
398. letre; devise. 400. statute; shalte. 401. Formely; parte. 402. Wisshe.
403. thy nyghtes hart_es_ wife (_om._ nyghtes). 405. whanne. 406. merely.
408. statute. 409. frende. 410. thynke. 411. shuld. 412. beste. 413. semyth
(S. semth). 414. thinke; fayre. 415. Cowde. 416. thinke; wykked (_read_
wikke); appaier. 417. Sklaunderyng; estate. 418. debate. 419. fawte; thyne
ye. 421. statute. 422. counterfete. 423. honoure; -whare. 424. _I supply_
for her; boldely. 425. gode; gostely. 426. harte.
428. Agayne; plesire. 429. wille. 430. shalte thowe. 431. crowe. 432.
whate; the wille forbidde. 433. Eschewe; souerentie. 434. Hir appetide
felawe (_sic_; S. appetite folowe). 435. statute. 436. please. 437. morowe.
438. drynke; thyne ease. 439. thyne; dyssease. 440. wynne; alle. 441.
courte; shalle. 442. fewe thynke; statute. 443. reason. 445. please; ofte.
446. none othe; statute. 448. Nowe; garlant; folke. 449. (_From this point,
I cease to give minute corrections of spelling, such as are given above._)
451. fel (_read_ ful). 452. delite. 455. hard; statute redde. 458. fonne.
460. In the remembraunce (I _omit_ the). 461. And (_read_ As).
466. It (_read_ Yit). 468. gam; S. game. 469. bidde (_read_ bit). 470.
holy. 471. please. 476. mastresse. 481. but(!); _read_ been. 483. the (_for
1st_ they; S. thei). 490. be (_for_ by). MS. savioure(!); S. soueraine.
492. hartes. 495. MS. revowe; S. renewe; _I supply_ all. 497. made. 499.
sene(!). 500. wonne; S. won. be (_for_ by).
508. cherely (S. clerely); shone. 510. they (_read_ ye). 517. herkyn. 518.
othe; made. 519. loues (!); S. leaues. 523. bene. 524. statute (_read_
statuts; _see_ 520). 525. hie. 526. kepten ben. 527. ecchone. 528. owen.
531. youe; S. yeue. 534. guyse. 535. thengene.
541. be (_for_ by). 542. sugre. 543. hart. 547. youen; S. yeuen. 548. Or;
S. Of. yove; S. yeue. 551. widue; S. widowe. 552. Or (!); S. For. 554.
guyde. 556. Cithera. 557. _I supply_ the; enfluence. 559. ladis (S.
ladies); please. 560. hart; ease. 561. prayer (_for_ pray her). 563. hart.
565. filicite. 574. hote. 575. feele; S. fele.
579. woo. 580. blessedfull; S. blissedful. 581. bene. 582. ponysshe. 583.
counterfete. 584. dye; S. deie. 587. Baron (_read_ Barein); S. Barain. 588.
alleide. 590. blisse. 592. eternel (_read_ eterne); I-hired (_read_
y-heried). 594. wanne. 595. woman vnto woman (!); S. woman unto man. 599,
613. hartes. 605. _I supply_ to. 608. faute; excercised. 611. celcitude.
614. Compersion; S. Comparison. 615. made.
618. _I supply_ that. 626. godely. 628. Beseche. 632. Lucorne; S. Liquor
(!). 634. vse (!); S. vre. 635. harte. 637. blissed; S. blessed. 643. yove
(S. yeue); to me (S. me aie, _which seems better_). 644. and nedely most
(_om._ and). 648. be (_for 1st_ by). 650. vision. 651. se (_read_ sey).
654. _I supply_ that; shone. 655. fercid.
663. by; S. be. 669. hartes hie. 671. guyde. 673. harte. 674. affeccion.
675. hart; styke. 679. hart_es_. 682. for to (_om._ for). 684. in kepen
(!); S. I kepen. 687. preice. 689. harte; peice.
695. ye. 697. wounderly. 698. hie. 699. Who; _read_ Whos. 704. harte. 705.
piteously; S. pitously. 708. haue (!); _read_ half. 710. Asslike_n_ (_read_
Aslaken); S. Asken (!). 711. gryfe; S. grief. 714. womanhode (!). 717.
meane; ease. 718. owen. 721. please. 724. witte. 725. spryngen (_sic_).
726. dowte. 729. sene. 730. sonne.
731. demeane. 732. spede; S. speke (_a needless alteration_). 733. MS. mir
and ioye and blisse; S. mirrour ioye and blisse. 738. abeisen. 740.
withouten. 742. is (_read_ as); _supply_ is; youen (S. yeuon). 745. be; S.
by. 747. think; S. thanke. 749. the (= þe, _error for_ ye); S. thei (!).
751. fayne. 755. opon. 756. piteously; S. pitously. 757. faier. 758.
vertuse (_sic_). 759. heire (!). 760. ote (!); S. hote. 764. godely; whoes.
768. ye (_read_ ee). 769. harte. 770. you (!); S. yeue. 772. grete. 776.
toke. 777. harte. 781. lylly. 782. loueliessh (!); S. liuelishe. flawe
(_for_ flave). 794. prengnaunte. 800. stand. 801. one. 802. oders (!); S.
odours; found. 803. switnesse; S. swetenesse.
806. pease; hidde. 807. bewry; S. bewraie. 808. bidde. 811. her intresse
(_read_ here in tresses). 812. kepte (_perhaps for_ kempt). 820. _I supply_
but. 821. _I supply_ yet. MS. alcenia (!). 823. eurosa (!). 825. stode.
828. delite. 832. godely. 834. toke. 840. folowith. 841. _I supply_ the
_and_ all. 843. I (!); S. ye.
846. give (!); _read_ grief. 847. harte (!); _read_ harm. 850. mekely. 852.
require (!). 856. harte. 857. meke. 862. and me (S. me); _read_ my. 868.
rase. 870. delite. 871. please; harte. 872. _I supply_ old. 874. thynkes
(_sic_). 876. Eprent (_for_ E_n_prent). 878. becom_m_en. 879. owyn; S.
owne. 880. most. 882. yf (= yif); S. giue.
883. one; harte. 884. refute. 886. allegaunce (!). 890. gode wille. 893.
cheryssh. 894. gref. 896. southly. 897. and (!); _read_ I. 902. sene
(_sic_). 908. vppon; _read_ on. 909. nete (_error for_ note = noot). 910.
hete (_error for_ hote = hoot). 911. hart why (_rest of line blank; I
supply_ make it straunge). 914. For (!); S. Fro. 915. harte. 918. goddes
(S. gods); _read_ god.
921. harte. 922. beganne. 924. _I supply_ lo; nobly (S. nobleye). 927. done
(_sic_). 928. growen (_sic_); S. greuen. 939. clere; hatter (S. hotter);
ye. 944, 945. done, sone. 946. ye. 948. syke; _read_ seke. 950. serchynne;
_read_ serchen in. 951. wynne. 952. abide (_read_ byde); thowe; kynne. 954.
guyse. 955. rewth. 956. owen; lawly. 958. thowe. 959. most.
963. Cease (_twice_). 965. optayne. 968. rightwose (!). 970. ye may gise
(_or_ gife) this wounder wide (_no sense_). 973. Alas thanne youre (_om._
thanne); crueltie. 974. gote. 975. fostered and Ifedde. 977. Ispedde. 984.
arst. 985. spritis. 993. sauf. 994. ar (_for_ er).
998. Aryse anon quod (_om._ anon). 999. nytirtale. 1001. made. 1004. _I
supply_ ye. 1006. myne harte. 1007. harte; ease. 1008. please. 1009.
steutes (!); _error for_ statuts. 1014. most. 1018. thynke that it (_I
omit_ that). 1021. godely. 1023. phelobone. 1027. officers him shewe for
(_om._ him shewe). 1030. easy pase. 1031. _I supply_ ther.
1032. felowe. 1033. asperaunce. 1034. stode. 1035. adu_er_sary (!). 1036.
displesire (!); _for_ Despair (_see_ l. 1047). 1038. dysseyuene (!); _error
for_ dysseyuen. 1039. Throwest (!); S. Trowest. 1041. his (!); _read_ hers;
_I supply_ they. 1043. gode; louith. 1048. hote. 1054. dye. 1059. Stode
one. 1062. thynketh; S. thinkth. 1063. _I supply_ hool. 1064. synne;
begonne. 1065. reason. 1066. delite.
1068. appityde (!); stirre (S. stere). 1069. synne; reason. 1070. _I
supply_ dost; do wyn (_read_ to win). 1071. synne. 1072. verely. 1073.
synne; vise. 1074. synne. 1076. For verray loue may not thy freyle desire
akkele (_too long_). 1077. _I supply_ verray; synne. 1078. pynne. 1081.
stode. 1083. woman (!). 1085. beawe. 1089. her; S. here. 1091. godely.
1094. abite. 1097. gode. 1098. sene. 1099. bene.
1106. synne. 1108. hire (!); S. here. 1114. monke; _read_ monks. 1115.
course (S. curse); abbes. 1120. aftir than other happly. 1122. libartie.
1124. appetide (!). 1127. matiers (!). 1134. revist. 1136. woo; petiously.
1138. beholde (_perhaps read_ beheld); dispiteously. 1139. ye.
1142. gold (!); _read_ gode _or_ good. 1145. eas; gode. 1146. _Not in the_
MS.; _supplied by_ Stowe. 1150. prange (_and so in_ S.). 1151. woo; boune.
1152. dye. 1156. stode. 1157. ware. 1159. mantaylles. 1161. there; S.
their. 1168. shappe; bewtie. 1173. wordes (!). 1176. to endure. 1177.
_Sic._ 1179. sent; _perhaps read_ shent.
1182. blissed full (!). 1183. widue. 1184. my (_read_ me); _I supply_ of.
1186. forth (S. for). 1187. ded (_for_ did). 1189. Chife. 1192. hode. 1198.
toke. 1199. blasshed (_for_ blusshed); darst (_for_ durst). 1203. And (!);
_read_ As. 1205. harte (!); _for_ art. 1206. previte. 1208. gaven (!).
1209. co_mo_naltie. 1211. nede. 1214. thay (_read_ we); secrites (!). 1215.
ladys; certen. 1216. _I supply_ per-. 1217, 1218. bryngyn; dispeire; heire.
1222. firste; _I supply_ I; ded vowe. 1228. _I supply_ in. 1229. lond.
1230. withstond. 1233. the (!); S. this. 1235. goith one; wotte; whate.
1236. Yonne. 1237. one. 1242. kynne; lier. 1244. ladys. 1245. vnshitte.
1246. That leith; S. Than lieth; witte. 1248. fantasie. 1250. canne; bette;
reason guy. 1251. Be (_for_ By). 1253. soiorne (!); S. soioure. 1255.
rokketh (_perhaps read_ rouketh); Cornor (!).
1259. methamorphosees; S. Methamorphosose. 1260. foo; gloose. 1263. hartes.
1269. Stode; ferre; abite. 1270. Yonne; _I supply_ I; sprite. 1271.
corious; S. curious. 1275. _I supply_ a. 1277. bote. 1280. ferre; canne.
1285. Nowe; _read_ Me. 1287. kyndelith. 1288. bodely. 1294. from (!);
_read_ to; _I supply_ greet.
1299. _I supply_ so. 1302. laday (!); S. lady. 1305. hoote or cold. 1306.
withouten. 1307, 1308. harte, astarte. 1311. sene; cortis guyse. 1313.
Twenty (!); _read_ Twey. 1316. The tone. 1320. vnto; _read_ to. 1322. sene.
1323. pleasaunce. 1324. shyne (S. shrine); rose. 1325. eke (!); S. eare.
1327. _I supply_ it; blak (_for_ brak). 1328. reiche (_read_ reuth). 1329.
and I me; _read_ than I myself.
1331. not (!); _read_ but. 1333. she (_sic_); _read_ thou. 1335. taken (!);
S. thanken. 1339. _I supply_ to. 1341. heree (!); _for_ her. 1343. reason.
1348, 1351. season. 1358. bewreye; S. bewrye. 1362. preced. 1363. oure
owen. 1365. brenne; hote.
1366. Cely enarant. 1369. thus (!; S. this); hartily. 1375. dye. 1376. yf
(_for_ yive). 1377. signe (!). 1382. amoryly (!); sprong. 1383. _I supply_
he. 1384. _Sic._ 1386. maketh; _read_ make. 1387. toke. 1388. _I supply_
as. 1389. mut; dyene; suppe. 1390. gife. 1398. south; purpose (!); _read_
pursue. 1399. most. 1400. tue (!). 1403. on-lok. 1404. _I supply_ a.
1406. light; _read_ lyte. 1411. sang (!); _read_ sing. 1412. lynette. 1416.
ki[gh]t; S. kight. 1417. throwe. 1418. season. 1420. solempne. 1425. lest.
1431. goith. 1432. bleme (!). 1434. garlantis. 1435. reioyson; theire grete
delite. 1441. smote; thrugh; _I supply_ very; harte.
* * * * *
XXV. VIRELAI.
Alone walking, In thought pleyning,
And sore sighing, All desolate,
Me remembring Of my living,
My deth wishing Bothe erly and late.
Infortunate Is so my fate 5
That, wote ye what? Out of mesure
My lyf I hate Thus desperate;
In pore estate Do I endure.
Of other cure Am I nat sure,
Thus to endure Is hard, certain; 10
Such is my ure, I yow ensure;
What creature May have more pain?
My trouth so pleyn Is take in veyn,
And gret disdeyn In remembraunce;
Yet I full feyn Wold me compleyn 15
Me to absteyn From this penaunce.
But in substaunce Noon allegeaunce
Of my grevaunce Can I nat finde;
Right so my chaunce With displesaunce
Doth me avaunce; And thus an ende. 20
_Explicit._
_From_ Trin. (Trin. Coll. Cam. R. 3. 19); _collated with_ S. (Stowe's ed.
1561). 4. S. death. Trin. wyssyng; S. wishyng. S. early. 5. Trin. soo; S.
so. 6. Trin. whate Oute. S. measure. 7. Trin. lyfe; S. life. 8. Trin. In
suche pore (I _omit_ suche). S. Doe. 9. S. not. 12. S. Maie. 13. S. truthe;
plain; vain. 14. S. greate disdain. 15. Trin. feyne; S. faine. S. Would.
Trin. co_m_pleyne; S. co_m_plaine. 16. Trin. absteyne; S. abstaine. 17. S.
None. 18. S. not. 20. S. Doeth.
* * * * *
XXVI. PROSPERITY.
Richt as povert causith sobirnes,
And febilnes enforcith contenence,
Richt so prosperitee and gret riches
The moder is of vice and negligence;
And powere also causith insolence; 5
And honour oftsiss chaungith gude thewis;
Thare is no more perilous pestilence
Than hie estate geven unto schrewis.
Quod Chaucere.
XXVI. _From_ MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24, fol. 119; _I give rejected spellings_.
3. Ry_ch_t; grete. 7. p_er_ilouss.
* * * * *
XXVII. LEAULTE VAULT RICHESSE.