INCIPIT LIBER TERCIUS.
_Invocation._
O god of science and of light,
Apollo, through thy grete might,
This litel laste book thou gye!
Nat that I wilne, for maistrye,
Here art poetical be shewed; 1095
But, for the rym is light and lewed,
Yit make hit sumwhat agreable,
Though som vers faile in a sillable;
And that I do no diligence
To shewe craft, but o sentence. (10) 1100
And if, divyne vertu, thou
Wilt helpe me to shewe now
That in myn hede y-marked is--
Lo, that is for to menen this,
The Hous of Fame to descryve-- 1105
Thou shalt see me go, as blyve,
Unto the nexte laure I see,
And kisse hit, for hit is thy tree;
Now entreth in my breste anoon!--
_The Dream._
Whan I was fro this egle goon, (20) 1110
I gan beholde upon this place.
And certein, or I ferther pace,
I wol yow al the shap devyse
Of hous and site; and al the wyse
How I gan to this place aproche 1115
That stood upon so high a roche,
Hyer stant ther noon in Spaine.
But up I clomb with alle paine,
And though to climbe hit greved me,
Yit I ententif was to see, (30) 1120
And for to pouren wonder lowe,
If I coude any weyes knowe
What maner stoon this roche was;
For hit was lyk a thing of glas,
But that hit shoon ful more clere; 1125
But of what congeled matere
Hit was, I niste redely.
But at the laste espyed I,
And found that hit was, every deel,
A roche of yse, and not of steel. (40) 1130
Thoughte I, 'By Seynt Thomas of Kent!
This were a feble foundement
To bilden on a place hye;
He oughte him litel glorifye
That her-on bilt, god so me save!' 1135
Tho saw I al the half y-grave
With famous folkes names fele,
That had y-been in mochel wele,
And hir fames wyde y-blowe.
But wel unethes coude I knowe (50) 1140
Any lettres for to rede
Hir names by; for, out of drede,
They were almost of-thowed so,
That of the lettres oon or two
Was molte away of every name; 1145
So unfamous was wexe hir fame;
But men seyn, 'What may ever laste?'
Tho gan I in myn herte caste,
That they were molte awey with hete,
And not awey with stormes bete. (60) 1150
For on that other syde I sey
Of this hille, that northward lay,
How hit was writen ful of names
Of folk that hadden grete fames
Of olde tyme, and yit they were 1155
As fresshe as men had writen hem there
The selve day right, or that houre
That I upon hem gan to poure.
But wel I wiste what hit made;
Hit was conserved with the shade-- (70) 1160
Al this wrytinge that I sy--
Of a castel, that stood on by,
And stood eek on so cold a place,
That hete mighte hit not deface.
Tho gan I up the hille to goon, 1165
And fond upon the coppe a woon,
That alle the men that ben on lyve
Ne han the cunning to descryve
The beautee of that ilke place,
Ne coude casten no compace (80) 1170
Swich another for to make,
That mighte of beautee be his make,
Ne [be] so wonderliche y-wrought;
That hit astonieth yit my thought,
And maketh al my wit to swinke 1175
On this castel to bethinke.
So that the grete craft, beautee,
The cast, the curiositee
Ne can I not to yow devyse,
My wit ne may me not suifyse. (90) 1180
But natheles al the substance
I have yit in my remembrance:
For-why me thoughte, by Seynt Gyle!
Al was of stone of beryle,
Bothe castel and the tour, 1185
And eek the halle, and every bour,
Withouten peces or Ioininges.
But many subtil compassinges,
Babewinnes and pinacles,
Imageries and tabernacles, (100) 1190
I saw; and ful eek of windowes,
As flakes falle in grete snowes.
And eek in ech of the pinacles
Weren sondry habitacles,
In whiche stoden, al withoute-- 1195
Ful the castel, al aboute--
Of alle maner of minstrales,
And gestiours, that tellen tales
Bothe of weping and of game,
Of al that longeth unto Fame. (110) 1200
Ther herde I pleyen on an harpe
That souned bothe wel and sharpe,
Orpheus ful craftely,
And on his syde, faste by,
Sat the harper Orion, 1205
And Eacides Chiron,
And other harpers many oon,
And the Bret Glascurion;
And smale harpers with her gleës
Seten under hem in seës, (120) 1210
And gonne on hem upward to gape,
And countrefete hem as an ape,
Or as craft countrefeteth kinde.
Tho saugh I stonden hem behinde,
A-fer fro hem, al by hemselve, 1215
Many thousand tymes twelve,
That maden loude menstralcyes
In cornemuse and shalmyes,
And many other maner pype,
That craftely begunne pype (130) 1220
Bothe in doucet and in rede,
That ben at festes with the brede;
And many floute and lilting-horne,
And pypes made of grene corne,
As han thise litel herde-gromes, 1225
That kepen bestes in the bromes.
Ther saugh I than Atiteris,
And of Athenes dan Pseustis,
And Marcia that lost her skin,
Bothe in face, body, and chin, (140) 1230
For that she wolde envyen, lo!
To pypen bet then Apollo.
Ther saugh I famous, olde and yonge,
Pypers of the Duche tonge,
To lerne love-daunces, springes, 1235
Reyes, and these straunge thinges.
Tho saugh I in another place
Stonden in a large space,
Of hem that maken blody soun
In trumpe, beme, and clarioun; (150) 1240
For in fight and blood-shedinge
Is used gladly clarioninge.
Ther herde I trumpen Messenus,
Of whom that speketh Virgilius.
Ther herde I Ioab trumpe also, 1245
Theodomas, and other mo;
And alle that used clarion
In Cataloigne and Aragon,
That in hir tyme famous were
To lerne, saugh I trumpe there. (160) 1250
Ther saugh I sitte in other seës,
Pleyinge upon sondry gleës,
Whiche that I cannot nevene,
Mo then sterres been in hevene,
Of whiche I nil as now not ryme, 1255
For ese of yow, and losse of tyme:
For tyme y-lost, this knowen ye,
By no way may recovered be.
Ther saugh I pleyen Iogelours,
Magiciens and tregetours, (170) 1260
And phitonesses, charmeresses,
Olde wicches, sorceresses,
That use exorsisaciouns,
And eek thise fumigaciouns;
And clerkes eek, which conne wel 1265
Al this magyke naturel,
That craftely don hir ententes,
To make, in certeyn ascendentes,
Images, lo, through which magyk
To make a man ben hool or syk. (180) 1270
Ther saugh I thee, queen Medea,
And Circes eke, and Calipsa;
Ther saugh I Hermes Ballenus,
Lymote, and eek Simon Magus.
Ther saugh I, and knew hem by name, 1275
That by such art don men han fame.
Ther saugh I Colle tregetour
Upon a table of sicamour
Pleye an uncouthe thing to telle;
I saugh him carien a wind-melle (190) 1280
Under a walsh-note shale.
What shuld I make lenger tale
Of al the peple that I say,
Fro hennes in-to domesday?
Whan I had al this folk beholde, 1285
And fond me lous, and noght y-holde,
And eft y-mused longe whyle
Upon these walles of beryle,
That shoon ful lighter than a glas,
And made wel more than hit was (200) 1290
To semen, every thing, y-wis,
As kinde thing of fames is;
I gan forth romen til I fond
The castel-yate on my right hond,
Which that so wel corven was 1295
That never swich another nas;
And yit hit was by aventure
Y-wrought, as often as by cure.
Hit nedeth noght yow for to tellen,
To make yow to longe dwellen, (210) 1300
Of this yates florisshinges,
Ne of compasses, ne of kervinges,
Ne how they hatte in masoneries,
As, corbets fulle of imageries.
But, lord! so fair hit was to shewe, 1305
For hit was al with gold behewe.
But in I wente, and that anoon;
Ther mette I crying many oon,--
'A larges, larges, hold up wel!
God save the lady of this pel, (220) 1310
Our owne gentil lady Fame,
And hem that wilnen to have name
Of us!' Thus herde I cryen alle,
And faste comen out of halle,
And shoken nobles and sterlinges. 1315
And somme crouned were as kinges,
With crounes wroght ful of losenges;
And many riban, and many frenges
Were on hir clothes trewely.
Tho atte laste aspyed I (230) 1320
That pursevauntes and heraudes,
That cryen riche folkes laudes,
Hit weren alle; and every man
Of hem, as I yow tellen can,
Had on him throwen a vesture, 1325
Which that men clepe a cote-armure,
Enbrowded wonderliche riche,
Al-though they nere nought y-liche.
But noght nil I, so mote I thryve,
Been aboute to discryve (240) 1330
Al these armes that ther weren,
That they thus on hir cotes beren,
For hit to me were impossible;
Men mighte make of hem a bible
Twenty foot thikke, as I trowe. 1335
For certeyn, who-so coude y-knowe
Mighte ther alle the armes seen
Of famous folk that han y-been
In Auffrike, Europe, and Asye,
Sith first began the chevalrye. (250) 1340
Lo! how shulde I now telle al this?
Ne of the halle eek what nede is
To tellen yow, that every wal
Of hit, and floor, and roof and al
Was plated half a fote thikke 1345
Of gold, and that nas no-thing wikke,
But, for to prove in alle wyse,
As fyn as ducat in Venyse,
Of whiche to lyte al in my pouche is?
And they wer set as thikke of nouchis (260) 1350
Fulle of the fynest stones faire,
That men rede in the Lapidaire,
As greses growen in a mede;
But hit were al to longe to rede
The names; and therfore I pace. 1355
But in this riche lusty place,
That Fames halle called was,
Ful moche prees of folk ther nas,
Ne crouding, for to mochil prees.
But al on hye, above a dees, (270) 1360
Sitte in a see imperial,
That maad was of a rubee al,
Which that a carbuncle is y-called,
I saugh, perpetually y-stalled,
A feminyne creature; 1365
That never formed by nature
Nas swich another thing y-seye.
For altherfirst, soth for to seye,
Me thoughte that she was so lyte,
That the lengthe of a cubyte (280) 1370
Was lenger than she semed be;
But thus sone, in a whyle, she
Hir tho so wonderliche streighte,
That with hir feet she therthe reighte,
And with hir heed she touched hevene, 1375
Ther as shynen sterres sevene.
And ther-to eek, as to my wit,
I saugh a gretter wonder yit,
Upon hir eyen to beholde;
But certeyn I hem never tolde; (290) 1380
For as fele eyen hadde she
As fetheres upon foules be,
Or weren on the bestes foure,
That goddes trone gunne honoure,
As Iohn writ in thapocalips. 1385
Hir heer, that oundy was and crips,
As burned gold hit shoon to see.
And sooth to tellen, also she
Had also fele up-stonding eres
And tonges, as on bestes heres; (300) 1390
And on hir feet wexen saugh I
Partriches winges redely.
But, lord! the perrie and the richesse
I saugh sitting on this goddesse!
And, lord! the hevenish melodye 1395
Of songes, ful of armonye,
I herde aboute her trone y-songe,
That al the paleys-walles ronge!
So song the mighty Muse, she
That cleped is Caliopee, (310) 1400
And hir eighte sustren eke,
That in hir face semen meke;
And evermo, eternally,
They songe of Fame, as tho herde I:--
'Heried be thou and thy name, 1405
Goddesse of renoun and of fame!'
Tho was I war, lo, atte laste,
As I myn eyen gan up caste,
That this ilke noble quene
On hir shuldres gan sustene (320) 1410
Bothe tharmes and the name
Of tho that hadde large fame;
Alexander, and Hercules
That with a sherte his lyf lees!
Thus fond I sitting this goddesse, 1415
In nobley, honour, and richesse;
Of which I stinte a whyle now,
Other thing to tellen yow.
Tho saugh I stonde on either syde,
Streight doun to the dores wyde, (330) 1420
Fro the dees, many a pileer
Of metal, that shoon not ful cleer;
But though they nere of no richesse,
Yet they were maad for greet noblesse,
And in hem greet [and hy] sentence; 1425
And folk of digne reverence,
Of whiche I wol yow telle fonde,
Upon the piler saugh I stonde.
Alderfirst, lo, ther I sigh,
Upon a piler stonde on high, (340) 1430
That was of lede and yren fyn,
Him of secte Saturnyn,
The Ebrayk Iosephus, the olde,
That of Iewes gestes tolde;
And bar upon his shuldres hye 1435
The fame up of the Iewerye.
And by him stoden other sevene,
Wyse and worthy for to nevene,
To helpen him here up the charge,
Hit was so hevy and so large. (350) 1440
And for they writen of batailes,
As wel as other olde mervailes,
Therfor was, lo, this pileer,
Of which that I yow telle heer,
Of lede and yren bothe, y-wis. 1445
For yren Martes metal is,
Which that god is of bataile;
And the leed, withouten faile,
Is, lo, the metal of Saturne,
That hath ful large wheel to turne. (360) 1450
Tho stoden forth, on every rowe,
Of hem which that I coude knowe,
Thogh I hem noght by ordre telle,
To make yow to long to dwelle.
These, of whiche I ginne rede, 1455
Ther saugh I stonden, out of drede:
Upon an yren piler strong,
That peynted was, al endelong,
With tygres blode in every place,
The Tholosan that highte Stace, (370) 1460
That bar of Thebes up the fame
Upon his shuldres, and the name
Also of cruel Achilles.
And by him stood, withouten lees,
Ful wonder hye on a pileer 1465
Of yren, he, the gret Omeer;
And with him Dares and Tytus
Before, and eek he, Lollius,
And Guido eek de Columpnis,
And English Gaufride eek, y-wis; (380) 1470
And ech of these, as have I Ioye,
Was besy for to bere up Troye.
So hevy ther-of was the fame,
That for to bere hit was no game.
But yit I gan ful wel espye, 1475
Betwix hem was a litel envye.
Oon seyde, Omere made lyes,
Feyninge in his poetryes,
And was to Grekes favorable;
Therfor held he hit but fable. (390) 1480
Tho saugh I stonde on a pileer,
That was of tinned yren cleer,
That Latin poete, [dan] Virgyle,
That bore hath up a longe whyle
The fame of Pius Eneas. 1485
And next him on a piler was,
Of coper, Venus clerk, Ovyde,
That hath y-sowen wonder wyde
The grete god of Loves name.
And ther he bar up wel his fame, (400) 1490
Upon this piler, also hye
As I might see hit with myn yë:
For-why this halle, of whiche I rede
Was woxe on highte, lengthe and brede,
Wel more, by a thousand del, 1495
Than hit was erst, that saugh I wel.
Tho saugh I, on a piler by,
Of yren wroght ful sternely,
The grete poete, daun Lucan,
And on his shuldres bar up than, (410) 1500
As highe as that I mighte see,
The fame of Iulius and Pompee.
And by him stoden alle these clerkes,
That writen of Romes mighty werkes,
That, if I wolde hir names telle, 1505
Al to longe moste I dwelle.
And next him on a piler stood
Of soulfre, lyk as he were wood,
Dan Claudian, the soth to telle,
That bar up al the fame of helle, (420) 1510
Of Pluto, and of Proserpyne,
That quene is of the derke pyne.
What shulde I more telle of this?
The halle was al ful, y-wis,
Of hem that writen olde gestes, 1515
As ben on treës rokes nestes;
But hit a ful confus matere
Were al the gestes for to here,
That they of write, and how they highte.
But whyl that I beheld this sighte, (430) 1520
I herde a noise aprochen blyve,
That ferde as been don in an hyve,
Agen her tyme of out-fleyinge;
Right swiche a maner murmuringe,
For al the world, hit semed me. 1525
Tho gan I loke aboute and see,
That ther com entring in the halle
A right gret company with-alle,
And that of sondry regiouns,
Of alleskinnes condiciouns, (440) 1530
That dwelle in erthe under the mone,
Pore and ryche. And also sone
As they were come into the halle,
They gonne doun on kneës falle
Before this ilke noble quene, 1535
And seyde, 'Graunte us, lady shene,
Ech of us, of thy grace, a bone!'
And somme of hem she graunted sone,
And somme she werned wel and faire;
And somme she graunted the contraire (450) 1540
Of hir axing utterly.
But thus I seye yow trewely,
What hir cause was, I niste.
For this folk, ful wel I wiste,
They hadde good fame ech deserved, 1545
Althogh they were diversly served;
Right as hir suster, dame Fortune,
Is wont to serven in comune.
Now herkne how she gan to paye
That gonne hir of hir grace praye; (460) 1550
And yit, lo, al this companye
Seyden sooth, and noght a lye.
'Madame,' seyden they, 'we be
Folk that heer besechen thee,
That thou graunte us now good fame, 1555
And lete our werkes han that name;
In ful recompensacioun
Of good werk, give us good renoun.'
'I werne yow hit,' quod she anoon,
'Ye gete of me good fame noon, (470) 1560
By god! and therfor go your wey.'
'Alas,' quod they, 'and welaway!
Telle us, what may your cause be?'
'For me list hit noght,' quod she;
'No wight shal speke of yow, y-wis, 1565
Good ne harm, ne that ne this.'
And with that word she gan to calle
Hir messanger, that was in halle,
And bad that he shulde faste goon,
Up peyne to be blind anoon, (480) 1570
For Eolus, the god of winde;--
'In Trace ther ye shul him finde,
And bid him bringe his clarioun,
That is ful dyvers of his soun,
And hit is cleped Clere Laude, 1575
With which he wont is to heraude
Hem that me list y-preised be:
And also bid him how that he
Bringe his other clarioun,
That highte Sclaundre in every toun, (490) 1580
With which he wont is to diffame
Hem that me list, and do hem shame.'
This messanger gan faste goon,
And found wher, in a cave of stoon,
In a contree that highte Trace, 1585
This Eolus, with harde grace,
Held the windes in distresse,
And gan hem under him to presse,
That they gonne as beres rore,
He bond and pressed hem so sore. (500) 1590
This messanger gan faste crye,
'Rys up,' quod he, 'and faste hye,
Til that thou at my lady be;
And tak thy clarions eek with thee,
And speed thee forth.' And he anon 1595
Took to a man, that hight Triton,
His clariouns to bere tho,
And leet a certeyn wind to go,
That blew so hidously and hye,
That hit ne lefte not a skye (510) 1600
In al the welken longe and brood.
This Eolus no-wher abood
Til he was come at Fames feet,
And eek the man that Triton heet;
And ther he stood, as still as stoon. 1605
And her-withal ther com anoon
Another huge companye
Of gode folk, and gunne crye,
'Lady, graunte us now good fame,
And lat our werkes han that name (520) 1610
Now, in honour of gentilesse,
And also god your soule blesse!
For we han wel deserved hit,
Therfor is right that we ben quit.'
'As thryve I,' quod she, 'ye shal faile, 1615
Good werkes shal yow noght availe
To have of me good fame as now.
But wite ye what? I graunte yow,
That ye shal have a shrewed fame
And wikked loos, and worse name, (530) 1620
Though ye good loos have wel deserved.
Now go your wey, for ye be served;
And thou, dan Eolus, let see!
Tak forth thy trumpe anon,' quod she,
'That is y-cleped Sclaunder light, 1625
And blow hir loos, that every wight
Speke of hem harm and shrewednesse,
In stede of good and worthinesse.
For thou shalt trumpe al the contraire
Of that they han don wel or faire.' (540) 1630
'Alas,' thoughte I, 'what aventures
Han these sory creatures!
For they, amonges al the pres,
Shul thus be shamed gilteles!
But what! hit moste nedes be.' 1635
What did this Eolus, but he
Tok out his blakke trumpe of bras,
That fouler than the devil was,
And gan this trumpe for to blowe,
As al the world shulde overthrowe; (550) 1640
That through-out every regioun
Wente this foule trumpes soun,
As swift as pelet out of gonne,
Whan fyr is in the poudre ronne.
And swiche a smoke gan out-wende 1645
Out of his foule trumpes ende,
Blak, blo, grenish, swartish reed,
As doth wher that men melte leed,
Lo, al on high fro the tuel!
And therto oo thing saugh I wel, (560) 1650
That, the ferther that hit ran,
The gretter wexen hit began,
As doth the river from a welle,
And hit stank as the pit of helle.
Alas, thus was hir shame y-ronge, 1655
And giltelees, on every tonge.
Tho com the thridde companye,
And gunne up to the dees to hye,
And doun on knees they fille anon,
And seyde, 'We ben everichon (570) 1660
Folk that han ful trewely
Deserved fame rightfully,
And praye yow, hit mot be knowe,
Right as hit is, and forth y-blowe.'
'I graunte,' quod she, 'for me list 1665
That now your gode werk be wist;
And yit ye shul han better loos,
Right in dispyt of alle your foos,
Than worthy is; and that anoon:
Lat now,' quod she, 'thy trumpe goon, (580) 1670
Thou Eolus, that is so blak;
And out thyn other trumpe tak
That highte Laude, and blow hit so
That through the world hir fame go
Al esely, and not to faste, 1675
That hit be knowen atte laste.'
'Ful gladly, lady myn,' he seyde;
And out his trumpe of golde he brayde
Anon, and sette hit to his mouthe,
And blew hit est, and west, and southe, (590) 1680
And north, as loude as any thunder,
That every wight hadde of hit wonder,
So brode hit ran, or than hit stente.
And, certes, al the breeth that wente
Out of his trumpes mouthe smelde 1685
As men a pot-ful bawme helde
Among a basket ful of roses;
This favour dide he til hir loses.
And right with this I gan aspye,
Ther com the ferthe companye-- (600) 1690
But certeyn they were wonder fewe--
And gonne stonden in a rewe,
And seyden, 'Certes, lady brighte,
We han don wel with al our mighte;
But we ne kepen have no fame. 1695
Hyd our werkes and our name,
For goddes love! for certes we
Han certeyn doon hit for bountee,
And for no maner other thing.'
'I graunte yow al your asking,' (610) 1700
Quod she; 'let your werk be deed.'
With that aboute I clew myn heed,
And saugh anoon the fifte route
That to this lady gonne loute,
And doun on knees anoon to falle; 1705
And to hir tho besoughten alle
To hyde hir gode werkes eek,
And seyde, they yeven noght a leek
For fame, ne for swich renoun;
For they, for contemplacioun (620) 1710
And goddes love, hadde y-wrought;
Ne of fame wolde they nought.
'What?' quod she, 'and be ye wood?
And wene ye for to do good,
And for to have of that no fame? 1715
Have ye dispyt to have my name?
Nay, ye shul liven everichoon!
Blow thy trumpe and that anoon,'
Quod she, 'thou Eolus, I hote,
And ring this folkes werk by note, (630) 1720
That al the world may of hit here.'
And he gan blowe hir loos so clere
In his golden clarioun,
That through the world wente the soun,
So kenely, and eek so softe; 1725
But atte laste hit was on-lofte.
Thoo com the sexte companye,
And gonne faste on Fame crye.
Right verraily, in this manere
They seyden: 'Mercy, lady dere! (640) 1730
To telle certein, as hit is,
We han don neither that ne this,
But ydel al our lyf y-be.
But, natheles, yit preye we,
That we mowe han so good a fame, 1735
And greet renoun and knowen name,
As they that han don noble gestes,
And acheved alle hir lestes,
As wel of love as other thing;
Al was us never broche ne ring, (650) 1740
Ne elles nought, from wimmen sent,
Ne ones in hir herte y-ment
To make us only frendly chere,
But mighte temen us on bere;
Yit lat us to the peple seme 1745
Swiche as the world may of us deme,
That wimmen loven us for wood.
Hit shal don us as moche good,
And to our herte as moche availe
To countrepeise ese and travaile, (660) 1750
As we had wonne hit with labour;
For that is dere boght honour
At regard of our grete ese.
And yit thou most us more plese;
Let us be holden eek, therto, 1755
Worthy, wyse, and gode also,
And riche, and happy unto love.
For goddes love, that sit above,
Though we may not the body have
Of wimmen, yet, so god yow save! (670) 1760
Let men glewe on us the name;
Suffyceth that we han the fame.'
'I graunte,' quod she, 'by my trouthe!
Now, Eolus, with-outen slouthe,
Tak out thy trumpe of gold, let see, 1765
And blow as they han axed me,
That every man wene hem at ese,
Though they gon in ful badde lese.'
This Eolus gan hit so blowe,
That through the world hit was y-knowe. (680) 1770
Tho com the seventh route anoon,
And fel on kneës everichoon,
And seyde, 'Lady, graunte us sone
The same thing, the same bone,
That [ye] this nexte folk han doon.' 1775
'Fy on yow,' quod she, 'everichoon!
Ye masty swyn, ye ydel wrecches,
Ful of roten slowe tecches!
What? false theves! wher ye wolde
Be famous good, and no-thing nolde (690) 1780
Deserve why, ne never roughte?
Men rather yow to-hangen oughte!
For ye be lyk the sweynte cat,
That wolde have fish; but wostow what?
He wolde no-thing wete his clowes. 1785
Yvel thrift come on your Iowes,
And eek on myn, if I hit graunte,
Or do yow favour, yow to avaunte!
Thou Eolus, thou king of Trace!
Go, blow this folk a sory grace,' (700) 1790
Quod she, 'anoon; and wostow how?
As I shal telle thee right now;
Sey: "These ben they that wolde honour
Have, and do noskinnes labour,
Ne do no good, and yit han laude; 1795
And that men wende that bele Isaude
Ne coude hem noght of love werne;
And yit she that grint at a querne
Is al to good to ese hir herte."'
This Eolus anon up sterte, (710) 1800
And with his blakke clarioun
He gan to blasen out a soun,
As loude as belweth wind in helle.
And eek therwith, [the] sooth to telle,
This soun was [al] so ful of Iapes, 1805
As ever mowes were in apes.
And that wente al the world aboute,
That every wight gan on hem shoute,
And for to laughe as they were wode;
Such game fonde they in hir hode. (720) 1810
Tho com another companye,
That had y-doon the traiterye,
The harm, the gretest wikkednesse
That any herte couthe gesse;
And preyed hir to han good fame, 1815
And that she nolde hem doon no shame,
But yeve hem loos and good renoun,
And do hit blowe in clarioun.
'Nay, wis!' quod she, 'hit were a vyce;
Al be ther in me no Iustyce, (730) 1820
Me listeth not to do hit now,
Ne this nil I not graunte you.'
Tho come ther lepinge in a route,
And gonne choppen al aboute
Every man upon the croune, 1825
That al the halle gan to soune,
And seyden: 'Lady, lefe and dere,
We ben swich folk as ye mowe here.
To tellen al the tale aright,
We ben shrewes, every wight, (740) 1830
And han delyt in wikkednes,
As gode folk han in goodnes;
And Ioye to be knowen shrewes,
And fulle of vyce and wikked thewes;
Wherfor we preyen yow, a-rowe, 1835
That our fame swich be knowe
In alle thing right as hit is.'
'I graunte hit yow,' quod she, 'y-wis.
But what art thou that seyst this tale,
That werest on thy hose a pale, (750) 1840
And on thy tipet swiche a belle!'
'Madame,' quod he, 'sooth to telle,
I am that ilke shrewe, y-wis,
That brende the temple of Isidis
In Athenes, lo, that citee.' 1845
'And wherfor didest thou so?' quod she.
'By my thrift,' quod he, 'madame,
I wolde fayn han had a fame,
As other folk hadde in the toun,
Al-thogh they were of greet renoun (760) 1850
For hir vertu and for hir thewes;
Thoughte I, as greet a fame han shrewes,
Thogh hit be [but] for shrewednesse,
As gode folk han for goodnesse;
And sith I may not have that oon, 1855
That other nil I noght for-goon.
And for to gette of Fames hyre,
The temple sette I al a-fyre.
Now do our loos be blowen swythe,
As wisly be thou ever blythe.' (770) 1860
'Gladly,' quod she; 'thou Eolus,
Herestow not what they preyen us?'
'Madame, yis, ful wel,' quod he,
'And I wil trumpen hit, parde!'
And tok his blakke trumpe faste, 1865
And gan to puffen and to blaste,
Til hit was at the worldes ende.
With that I gan aboute wende;
For oon that stood right at my bak,
Me thoughte, goodly to me spak, (780) 1870
And seyde: 'Frend, what is thy name?
Artow come hider to han fame?'
'Nay, for-sothe, frend!' quod I;
'I cam noght hider, graunt mercy!
For no swich cause, by my heed! 1875
Suffyceth me, as I were deed,
That no wight have my name in honde.
I woot my-self best how I stonde;
For what I drye or what I thinke,
I wol my-selven al hit drinke, (790) 1880
Certeyn, for the more part,
As ferforth as I can myn art.'
'But what dost thou here than?' quod he.
Quod I, 'that wol I tellen thee,
The cause why I stondë here:-- 1885
Som newe tydings for to lere:--
Som newe thinges, I not what,
Tydinges, other this or that,
Of love, or swiche thinges glade.
For certeynly, he that me made (800) 1890
To comen hider, seyde me,
I shulde bothe here and see,
In this place, wonder thinges;
But these be no swiche tydinges
As I mene of.' 'No?' quod he. 1895
And I answerde, 'No, pardee!
For wel I wiste, ever yit,
Sith that first I hadde wit,
That som folk han desyred fame
Dyversly, and loos, and name; (810) 1900
But certeynly, I niste how
Ne wher that Fame dwelte, er now;
Ne eek of hir descripcioun,
Ne also hir condicioun,
Ne the ordre of hir dome, 1905
Unto the tyme I hider come.'
'[Whiche] be, lo, these tydinges,
That thou now [thus] hider bringes,
That thou hast herd?' quod he to me;
'But now, no fors; for wel I see (820) 1910
What thou desyrest for to here.
Com forth, and stond no longer here,
And I wol thee, with-outen drede,
In swich another place lede,
Ther thou shalt here many oon.' 1915
Tho gan I forth with him to goon
Out of the castel, soth to seye.
Tho saugh I stonde in a valeye,
Under the castel, faste by,
An hous, that _domus Dedali_, (830) 1920
That _Laborintus_ cleped is,
Nas maad so wonderliche, y-wis,
Ne half so queynteliche y-wrought.
And evermo, so swift as thought,
This queynte hous aboute wente, 1925
That never-mo hit stille stente.
And ther-out com so greet a noise,
That, had hit stonden upon Oise,
Men mighte hit han herd esely
To Rome, I trowe sikerly. (840) 1930
And the noyse which that I herde,
For al the world right so hit ferde,
As doth the routing of the stoon
That from thengyn is leten goon.
And al this hous, of whiche I rede, 1935
Was made of twigges, falwe, rede,
And grene eek, and som weren whyte,
Swiche as men to these cages thwyte,
Or maken of these paniers,
Or elles hottes or dossers; (850) 1940
That, for the swough and for the twigges,
This hous was also ful of gigges,
And also ful eek of chirkinges,
And of many other werkinges;
And eek this hous hath of entrees 1945
As fele as leves been on trees
In somer, whan they grene been;
And on the roof men may yit seen
A thousand holes, and wel mo,
To leten wel the soun out go. (860) 1950
And by day, in every tyde,
Ben al the dores open wyde,
And by night, echoon, unshette;
Ne porter ther is non to lette
No maner tydings in to pace; 1955
Ne never reste is in that place,
That hit nis fild ful of tydinges,
Other loude, or of whispringes;
And, over alle the houses angles,
Is ful of rouninges and of Iangles (870) 1960
Of werre, of pees, of mariages,
Of reste, of labour, of viages,
Of abood, of deeth, of lyfe,
Of love, of hate, acorde, of stryfe,
Of loos, of lore, and of winninges, 1965
Of hele, of sekenesse, of bildinges,
Of faire windes, of tempestes,
Of qualme of folk, and eek of bestes;
Of dyvers transmutaciouns
Of estats, and eek of regiouns; (880) 1970
Of trust, of drede, of Ielousye,
Of wit, of winninge, of folye;
Of plentee, and of greet famyne,
Of chepe, of derth, and of ruyne;
Of good or mis governement, 1975
Of fyr, of dyvers accident.
And lo, this hous, of whiche I wryte,
Siker be ye, hit nas not lyte;
For hit was sixty myle of lengthe;
Al was the timber of no strengthe, (890) 1980
Yet hit is founded to endure
Whyl that hit list to Aventure,
That is the moder of tydinges,
As the see of welles and springes,--
And hit was shapen lyk a cage. 1985
'Certes,' quod I, 'in al myn age,
Ne saugh I swich a hous as this.'
And as I wondred me, y-wis,
Upon this hous, tho war was I
How that myn egle, faste by, (900) 1990
Was perched hye upon a stoon;
And I gan streighte to him goon
And seyde thus: 'I preye thee
That thou a whyl abyde me
For goddes love, and let me seen 1995
What wondres in this place been;
For yit, paraventure, I may lere
Som good ther-on, or sumwhat here
That leef me were, or that I wente.'
'Peter! that is myn entente,' (910) 2000
Quod he to me; 'therfor I dwelle;
But certein, oon thing I thee telle,
That, but I bringe thee ther-inne,
Ne shalt thou never cunne ginne
To come in-to hit, out of doute, 2005
So faste hit whirleth, lo, aboute.
But sith that Ioves, of his grace,
As I have seyd, wol thee solace
Fynally with [swiche] thinges,
Uncouthe sightes and tydinges, (920) 2010
To passe with thyn hevinesse;
Suche routhe hath he of thy distresse,
That thou suffrest debonairly--
And wost thy-selven utterly
Disesperat of alle blis, 2015
Sith that Fortune hath maad a-mis
The [fruit] of al thyn hertes reste
Languisshe and eek in point to breste--
That he, through his mighty meryte,
Wol do thee ese, al be hit lyte, (930) 2020
And yaf expres commaundement,
To whiche I am obedient,
To furthre thee with al my might,
And wisse and teche thee aright
Wher thou maist most tydinges here; 2025
Shaltow anoon heer many oon lere.'
With this worde he, right anoon,
Hente me up bitwene his toon,
And at a windowe in me broghte,
That in this hous was, as me thoghte-- (940) 2030
And ther-withal, me thoghte hit stente,
And no-thing hit aboute wente--
And me sette in the flore adoun.
But which a congregacioun
Of folk, as I saugh rome aboute 2035
Some within and some withoute,
Nas never seen, ne shal ben eft;
That, certes, in the world nis left
So many formed by Nature,
Ne deed so many a creature; (950) 2040
That wel unethe, in that place,
Hadde I oon foot-brede of space;
And every wight that I saugh there
Rouned ech in otheres ere
A newe tyding prevely, 2045
Or elles tolde al openly
Right thus, and seyde: 'Nost not thou
That is betid, lo, late or now?'
'No,' quod [the other], 'tel me what;'--
And than he tolde him this and that, (960) 2050
And swoor ther-to that hit was sooth--
'Thus hath he seyd'--and 'Thus he dooth'--
'Thus shal hit be'--'Thus herde I seye'--
'That shal be found'--' That dar I leye:'--
That al the folk that is a-lyve 2055
Ne han the cunning to discryve
The thinges that I herde there,
What aloude, and what in ere.
But al the wonder-most was this:--
Whan oon had herd a thing, y-wis, (970) 2060
He com forth to another wight,
And gan him tellen, anoon-right,
The same that to him was told,
Or hit a furlong-way was old,
But gan somwhat for to eche 2065
To this tyding in this speche
More than hit ever was.
And nat so sone departed nas
That he fro him, that he ne mette
With the thridde; and, or he lette (980) 2070
Any stounde, he tolde him als;
Were the tyding sooth or fals,
Yit wolde he telle hit nathelees,
And evermo with more encrees
Than hit was erst. Thus north and southe 2075
Went every [word] fro mouth to mouthe,
And that encresing ever-mo,
As fyr is wont to quikke and go
From a sparke spronge amis,
Til al a citee brent up is. (990) 2080
And, whan that was ful y-spronge,
And woxen more on every tonge
Than ever hit was, [hit] wente anoon
Up to a windowe, out to goon;
Or, but hit mighte out ther pace, 2085
Hit gan out crepe at som crevace,
And fleigh forth faste for the nones.
And somtyme saugh I tho, at ones,
A lesing and a sad soth-sawe,
That gonne of aventure drawe (1000) 2090
Out at a windowe for to pace;
And, when they metten in that place,
They were a-chekked bothe two,
And neither of hem moste out go;
For other so they gonne croude, 2095
Til eche of hem gan cryen loude,
'Lat me go first!' 'Nay, but lat me!
And here I wol ensuren thee
With the nones that thou wolt do so,
That I shal never fro thee go, (1010) 2100
But be thyn owne sworen brother!
We wil medle us ech with other,
That no man, be he never so wrothe,
Shal han that oon [of] two, but bothe
At ones, al beside his leve, 2105
Come we a-morwe or on eve,
Be we cryed or stille y-rouned.'
Thus saugh I fals and sooth compouned
Togeder flee for oo tydinge.
Thus out at holes gonne wringe (1020) 2110
Every tyding streight to Fame;
And she gan yeven eche his name.
After hir disposicioun,
And yaf hem eek duracioun,
Some to wexe and wane sone, 2115
As dooth the faire whyte mone,
And leet hem gon. Ther mighte I seen
Wenged wondres faste fleen,
Twenty thousand in a route,
As Eolus hem blew aboute. (1030) 2120
And, lord! this hous, in alle tymes,
Was ful of shipmen and pilgrymes,
With scrippes bret-ful of lesinges,
Entremedled with tydinges,
And eek alone by hem-selve. 2125
O, many a thousand tymes twelve
Saugh I eek of these pardoneres,
Currours, and eek messangeres,
With boistes crammed ful of lyes
As ever vessel was with lyes. (1040) 2130
And as I alther-fastest wente
Aboute, and dide al myn entente
Me for to pleye and for to lere,
And eek a tyding for to here,
That I had herd of som contree 2135
That shal not now be told for me;--
For hit no nede is, redely;
Folk can singe hit bet than I;
For al mot out, other late or rathe,
Alle the sheves in the lathe;-- (1050) 2140
I herde a gret noise withalle
In a corner of the halle,
Ther men of love tydings tolde,
And I gan thiderward beholde;
For I saugh renninge every wight, 2145
As faste as that they hadden might;
And everich cryed, 'What thing is that?'
And som seyde, 'I not never what.'
And whan they were alle on an hepe,
Tho behinde gonne up lepe, (1060) 2150
And clamben up on othere faste,
And up the nose on hye caste,
And troden faste on othere heles
And stampe, as men don after eles.
Atte laste I saugh a man, 2155
Which that I [nevene] naught ne can;
But he semed for to be
A man of greet auctoritee.... (1068) 2158
(_Unfinished._)
1101. Cx. Th. thou; P. thow; F. nowe; B. now. 1102. Cx. P. now; Th. nowe;
F. yowe; B. yow. 1105. Cx. to; _rest_ for to. 1106. F. B. men; _rest_ me.
1107. Cx. lawrer; Th. laurer. 1113. F. B. this; _rest_ the. 1114. F. citee;
P. cite (= site); _rest_ cyte (= syte). 1115. F. hys (_for_ this). 1119.
Cx. P. it; B. yt; F. Th. _om._ 1127. Th. I nyste; Cx. I ne wyst; P. I nust;
F. B. nyste I neuer. 1132. F. B. fundament; _rest_ foundement. 1135. bilt =
bildeth; Th. B. bylte. 1136. F. B. _om._ al; cf. l. 1151. 1145. Cx. Th.
Were; _rest_ Was. 1154. F. B. folkes; _rest_ folk. 1155. F. tymes; _rest_
tyme. F. there; _rest_ they. 1156. Cx. Th. P. there; F. B. here. 1162. F.
_om._ that. 1173. _I supply_ be. 1177. _Supply_ craft _from_ l. 1178,
_where it occurs, after_ cast, _in_ Cx. Th. P. (Willert). 1178. F. To; _the
rest_ The. 1185. Cx. Th. P. _ins._ the _before_ castel. 1189. F. Rabewyures
_or_ Rabewynres; B. Rabewynnes; Cx. As babeuwryes; Th. As babeuries; P.
Babeweuries. 1195. F. B. _om._ stoden. 1197. F. _om._ of. 1201. F. B. vpon;
_rest_ on. 1202. F. B. sowneth; _rest_ sowned. 1204. P. Cx. his; Th. B.
this; F. the. 1206. F. Eaycidis; P. Eaycides; Cx. Th. Gacides. 1208. B.
bret; Th. Briton; Cx. Bryton; P. Bret_ur_; F. gret. 1210. F. Saten; B.
Sate; Cx. Th. Sat; P. Sett; _read_ Seten. 1210, 1, 2, 4. F. hym (_for_
hem); P. hym (_in_ 1210 _only_); B. him (_in_ 1211, 2, 4). 1211. Cx. Th. P.
gape; F. iape; B. yape. 1220. F. Cx. Th. B. to pipe; P. _om._ to. 1221. F.
B. riede; _rest_ rede. 1222. Cx. Th. P. brede; B. Bryede; F. bride. 1227.
F. Atiteris; B. Atyterys; Cx. Th. dan Cytherus; P. an Citherus. F. B.
_transpose lines_ 1227 _and_ 1228. 1228. F. Pseustis; B. Pseustys; Cx. Th.
proserus; P. presentus. 1233. F. B. fames; _rest_ famous. 1234. F. B. of
alle; Th. of al; P. Cx. of. F. _om._ the. 1236. Cx. Th. Reyes; P. Reyþs; F.
B. Reus. 1241. F. seight (!); _for_ fight. 1245. F. B. trumpe Ioab. 1255.
Cx. Th. P. as now not; F. B. not now. 1259. Th. pleyeng; _rest_ pley;
_read_ pleyen. 1262. F. wrecches (_wrongly_); for wicches. 1269. P. magyk;
_rest_ magyke. 1270. F. B. syke; _rest_ seke. 1271. _All_ the. 1272. Cx.
Th. P. Circes; F. Artes; B. Artys. 1273. _So in all._ 1274. Cx. Th. Lymote;
F. Limete; B. Lumete; P. Llymote. 1275, 6. _From_ B.; F. _om. both lines_.
P. hem; Cx. hym; B. Th. _om._ 1278. Th. Sycamour; F. B. Sygamour; Cx.
Sycomour; P. Cicomour. 1283. F. B. y ther; _rest_ that I. 1285. F. B.
folkys. 1286. B. I-holde; Cx. Th. P. holde; F. y-colde. 1287. Cx. P. eft;
F. oft; B. all; Th. _om._ F. B. P. I mused. 1293. F. B. to; _rest_ forth.
1299. Cx. P. for; _rest_ more. 1301. B. this; _rest_ these; _see_ 1294.
1303. F. how they hat; B. how they hate; Cx. how the hackyng; P. Th. how
the hackynge. 1304. Cx. Th. P. As corbettis(-es) and ymageries; B. As
corbettz, full of ymageryes; F. As corbetz, _followed by a blank space_.
1309. F. hald; _rest_ hold (holde). 1315. Cx. Th. P. shoke; F. shoon; B.
shone. 1316. F. B. As (_for_ And). 1317. P. Cx. lesynges; _rest_ losynges;
_read_ losenges. 1318. F. frenges; B. Th. frynges. 1321. F. B. herauldes.
1326. F. crepen (!). 1327. P. wonderliche; _the rest_ wonderly. 1328. Cx.
P. Alle though; F. Th. B. As though. 1332. Cx. Th. P. cotes; F. B. cote.
1335. F. B. _om._ as. 1349. F. B. litel; _rest_ lyte. 1350. B. thicke; Th.
thyke; F. thik. 1351. P. Cx. Full; _rest_ Fyne. 1353. P. As; Cx. Th. Or as;
F. B. Of. 1356. P. Cx. riche lusty; _rest_ lusty and riche. 1361. F. Sit;
B. Syt; Cx. P. Sat; Th. Satte; _read_ Sitte. 1369. F. B. _om._ that. 1371.
F. B. _omit_ semed be. 1372. _So_ Cx. Th. P.; F. B. _read_--This was gret
marvaylle to me. 1373. _All_ wonderly; cf. l. 1327. 1374. F. B. erthe.
1377. F. B. _om._ to. 1404. F. synge; _rest_ songe. 1406. F. B. or; _rest_
and. 1411. Th. the armes; _rest_ armes; _read_ tharmes (i.e. th' armes).
1415. _All_ And thus. 1416. Cx. P. nobley; F. Th. B. noble (= noblee).
1421. F. peler; B. pylere. 1425. _I supply_ and hy. 1431. _All_ fyne. 1432.
Cx. Hym that wrote thactes dyuyne; P. _om._; F. B. Th. Saturnyne. 1435. Cx.
P. bare vpon; F. Th. B. he bare on. 1436. F. B. _om._ up. 1437. F. stonden;
_rest_ stoden. 1442. P. Cx. Th. as of other merveilles. 1443. P. Cx. piler;
F. B. pilere. 1444. _All_ here. 1450. F. B. a ful; _rest_ ful. 1456. F. B.
stonde; Cx. Th. stande; P. stond. 1460. F. B. Tholausan; Th. Tholason; P.
Tolofan; Cx. tholophan. 1477. _So_ Cx. Th. P.; F. B. seyde Omere was. 1483.
_I supply_ dan; _see_ l. 1499. 1484. F. B. _omit_ a. 1492. F. And; _rest_
As; B. As I hit myght se with myn ye; P. Cx. Th. As I myght see it wyth myn
ye. 1494. F. high the (= highthe); Cx. Th heyght; _see_ l. 744. 1498. F.
sturmely. 1507. F. _om._ a. 1510. F. B. _om._ al. 1515. F. _inserts_ al of
the _before_ olde; B. _inserts_ of the. 1527. _All_ in-to (_for_ in). 1530.
F. alle skynnes; Cx. alle kyns. 1543. Cx. Th. grace (_for_ cause). 1546. F.
B. _om. this line_. 1549. F. B. herke. 1551. Cx. Th. P. yet; F. B. right.
1553. Cx. Th. P. sayd; F. quod; B. quoth. 1570. F. B. Vpon the peyn to be
blynde, _omitting_ l. 1572; Cx. Th. _om._ the. _Read_ Vp, _the usual
idiom_. 1572. _In_ Cx. Th. _only_. 1585. F. B. _om._ that. 1594. F. B.
clarioun; _see_ l. 1597. 1599. F. B. And (_for_ That). 1603. Cx. P. at;
_rest_ to. 1609. F. B. _om._ now. 1614. F. B. _insert_ wel _after_ be.
1618. F. B. wete; _rest_ wote; _read_ wite. 1621. F. B. _om._ wel. 1623.
Cx. Th. P. And thou dan; F. B. Haue doon. 1637. P. blak; F. B. blake. 1647.
Cx. Th. P. swartysh; F. B. swart, swarte. 1657. B. thridde; F. thirdde.
1661. F. ben; _rest_ han. 1666. _All_ werkes, _pl.; see_ 1701. Th. That
your good workes shal be wyst (_perhaps better_). 1668. F. B. _om._ Right.
1675. F. B. _om._ Al. 1682. F. B. Cx. Th. hath; P. have. 1686. _All_ of
bawme; _omit_ of (Koch). 1701. werk] _all_ werkes (werkys); _see_ 1666,
1720, 1. 1702. B. clew; F. clywe; Cx. Th. P. torned, turned. 1707. Cx. P.
To hyde; Th. To hyden; F. B. And hidden. 1709. P. Cx. fame; _rest_ no fame.
P. Cx. Th. ne (_om._ for); F. B. for (_om._ ne). 1717. F. B. Th. lyen
(_for_ lyuen); P. be; Cx. _om._ 1720. werk] _all_ werkes (werkys); _but
see_ hit _in_ 1721. 1725. F. B. Th. Al so; _rest_ And so; _read_ So. 1726.
_So_ F. B.; Cx. Th. That theyr fame was blowe a lofte. 1735. Cx. P. so good
a; Th. as good a; F. B. as good. 1742. Th. Cx. P. in her herte; F. in hem;
B. in her. 1744. Th. on; _rest_ upon. 1745. F. B. _om._ the. 1748, 1749. F.
a; _rest_ as. 1750. P. Cx. To; _rest_ The. 1765. F. B. now let se (_I omit_
now); _rest_ quod she. 1775. _I supply_ ye. 1779. P. wher; Cx. Th. where;
F. B. or. 1781. F. B. neuer ye; _rest om._ ye. 1782. F. B. _om._ to-. 1783.
F. swynt; B. sweynte; Cx. Th. P. slepy. 1786. Cx. P. on; _the rest_ to.
1787. Cx. Th. P. on; F. B. to. 1792. F. B. _om._ thee. 1793. F. B. _om._
they. 1801. P. blak; F. B. blake. 1804. _I supply_ the. 1805. al _is not in
the_ MSS.; _but_ P. _has_ as (= al-so). 1813. _All_ grete, gret; _read_
gretest (Willert). 1816. MSS. doon (don, do) hem. 1818. F. B. in a; P. Cx.
Th. in. 1821. B. liste; _rest_ list, _short for_ listeth. F. B. P. _om._
to; Cx. Th. _insert it_. 1822. P. not; _which_ F. B. Cx. Th. _omit_. 1824.
F. choppen; B. choppyn; Th. clappen; Cx. P. clappe. 1828. B. P. folk;
_rest_ folkes. 1834. P. vice; Cx. Th. vyce; F. B. vices. 1836. F. B. suche
be; Cx. Th. P. be suche. 1843. _Here_ P. _ends_. 1853. F. Th. be noght for;
Cx. B. be for; _read_ be but for (Koch). 1862. Cx. Th. they; F. B. this
folke. 1880. F. selfe; _read_ selven. 1883. Th. than; Cx. thenne; F. B.
_om._ 1887. _All_ thing, thinge; _read_ thinges. Cf. l. 1889. 1891. _All_
come. 1897. _All_ wote (_for_ wiste); _see_ l. 1901. 1898. _All_ had. 1902.
_All_ dwelled _or_ dwellyth. 1903. F. And; _rest_ Ne. 1906. B. the; F.
_om._. B. hidyr; Th. hyder; Cx. hether; F. thidder. 1907. B. Whi then;
_rest_ Why than; Koch _suggests_ Which than; _read_ Which-e. Ll. 1907-9
_are probably corrupt; see_ note. 1908. _I supply_ thus. 1926. Th. it stil;
_rest_ stil hyt. 1931. Th. B. that I; F. I haue; Cx. I had. 1938. F. B.
Whiche; Cx. Th. Suche. 1940. F. Cx. B. hattes; Th. hutches. _Read_ hottes.
1941. F. twynges (!); B. twigys. 1944. _Corrupt. From_ Cx. Th.; B. _omits
the line_; F. _has only_ As ful this lo. 1946. Cx. Th. as; F. of; B. as of.
Th. on; F. B. in; Cx. of. 1948. Cx. roof; Th. rofe; F. B. roue. 1952. Cx.
Th. open; F. opened; B. I-opened. 1955. Cx. out (_for_ in). 1957. F. silde;
B. fylde; Cx. Th. fylled. 1961. _All_ werres (_pl._); _read_ werre. 1962.
_All_ restes (_pl._). Cx. of labour; F. Th. B. and of labour. 1967. _All
insert_ and eek _before_ of; _see l. 1968_. 1975. _All write_ mis
governement _as one word_. 1976. _All_ and of; _omit_ and. 1984. F. B. and
of; Cx. Th. _om._ of. 1997. Th. paraunter. 2009. _I substitute_ swiche
_for_ these. 2010. Th. syghtes; _rest_ syght. 2017. F. The frot; B. The
foot; Cx. Th. The swote. _Read_ The fruit (Koch). 2018. Cx. Th. Languysshe;
F. B. Laugh. 2020. Th. B. the (_for_ thee); Cx. the an; F. than (_perhaps_
= the an). 2021. _All insert_ in _after_ yaf. 2026. F. B. _insert_ anoon
(anon) _after_ here, _which_ Cx. Th. _omit. For_ here anoon _read_ anoon
heer. 2028. F. B. _omit this line_. 2036. F. B. _omit this line; it is
probably corrupt. Read_ Many a thousand in a route (Koch). 2042. Cx. one;
F. Th. B. a. 2044. F. Rovned in; B. Rownyd yn; Cx. Th. Rowned euerych in.
2048. F. _has only_--That ys betydde; B. That is betyd late or now; Cx. Th.
That ys betyd lo ryght now. 2049. _All_ he; _read_ the other (Willert).
2053. _All insert_ And (_twice_) _before_ thus; _but compare the next
line_. 2059. _All_ wonder most (moste). 2061. F. B. forth ryght to; Cx.
forth vnto; Th. streyght to. 2063. Cx. to; _rest om._ 2066. F. Tho; _rest_
To. 2069. F. B. That he; Cx. Th. Tho. F. thoo; B. tho; Cx. Th. that. 2076.
F. B. Went every mouthe; Cx. Th. Wente euery tydyng. 2081. Cx. Th. vp
spronge. 2083. _All_ and (_for 2nd_ hit). 2087. F. flygh; B. fligh; Cx. Th.
flewe. 2088. F. _om._ I. 2090. Cx. Th. drawe; F. B. thrawe. 2091. Cx. Th.
at; F. B. to. 2093. F. B. a cheked; Cx. Th. a chekked. 2095-2158. Cx.
_omits_. 2099. B. _om._ the. 2103. Th. he; F. B. they. 2104. F. han on two
(_sic_); B. haue that oon (_om._ of two); Th. haue one two. _I supply_ that
_from_ B.; _and also_ of. 2106. Th. amorowe; F. B. morwe. 2112. _All_ yeue.
2115. Th. wane; F. B. wynne (!). 2123. Th. scrippes; F. B. shrippes. 2129.
F. boystes; Th. boxes; B. bowgys. 2150. Th. gonne; B. bigonne; F. begunne.
2151, 3. F. other; B. othir; _read_ othere (oth're), _plural_. 2152. F.
noyse an highen (!); Th. noyse on hyghen (!); B. nose and yen; _read_ on
hye (Koch). 2153. F. B. other; Th. others. 2154. F. B. stampen; Th. stampe.
2156. _I supply_ nevene. 2158. _Here_ F. B. _end_; Cx. Th. _add 12 spurious
lines_.
THE LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN.
The Prologue to this Poem exists in two different versions, which differ
widely from each other in many passages. The arrangement of the material is
also different.
For the sake of clearness, the earlier version is here called 'Text A,' and
the later version 'Text B.'
'Text A' exists in one MS. only, but this MS. is of early date and much
importance. It is the MS. marked Gg. 4. 27 in the Cambridge University
Library, and is here denoted by the letter 'C.' It is the same MS. as that
denoted by the abbreviation 'Cm.' in the footnotes to the Canterbury Tales
and Troilus and Criseyde. This text is printed in the _upper_ part of the
following pages. The footnotes give the MS. spellings, where these are
amended in the text.
'Text B' occupies the _lower_ part of the following pages. It follows the
Fairfax MS. mainly, which is denoted by 'F.' In many places, the inferior
spellings of this MS. are relegated to the footnotes, amended spellings
being given in the text. Various readings are given from Tn. (Tanner MS.
346); T. (Trinity MS., R. 3. 19); A. (Arch. Seld. B. 24 in the Bodleian
Library); Th. (Thynne's Edition, 1532); B. (Bodley MS. 638); P. (Pepys MS.
2006); and sometimes from C. (already mentioned) or Add. (Addit. 9832).
Lines which occur _in one text only_ are marked (in either text) by a
prefixed asterisk. Lines marked with a dagger (+) stand _just the same in
both texts_. The blank space after A 60 (p. 70) shews that there is nothing
in Text A corresponding to B 69-72. Where the corresponding matter is
transposed to another place, one or other text has a portion printed in
smaller type.
THE PROLOGE OF .IX. GOODE WIMMEN.
A thousand sythes have I herd men telle,
+That ther is Ioye in heven, and peyne in helle;
And I acorde wel that hit be so;
But natheles, this wot I wel also,
That ther nis noon that dwelleth in this contree, 5
That either hath in helle or heven y-be,
+Ne may of hit non other weyes witen,
+But as he hath herd seyd, or founde hit writen;
+For by assay ther may no man hit preve.
But goddes forbode, but men shulde leve 10
+Wel more thing then men han seen with yë!
+Men shal nat wenen every-thing a lyë
For that he seigh it nat of yore ago.
God wot, a thing is never the lesse so
+Thogh every wight ne may hit nat y-see. 15
+Bernard the monk ne saugh nat al, parde!
+Than mote we to bokes that we finde,
+Through which that olde thinges been in minde,
+And to the doctrine of these olde wyse,
+Yeven credence, in every skilful wyse, 20
And trowen on these olde aproved stories
+Of holinesse, of regnes, of victories,
+Of love, of hate, of other sundry thinges,
+Of whiche I may not maken rehersinges.
+And if that olde bokes were a-weye, 25
+Y-loren were of remembraunce the keye.
Wel oghte us than on olde bokes leve,
Ther-as ther is non other assay by preve.
And, as for me, though that my wit be lyte,
+On bokes for to rede I me delyte, 30
+And in myn herte have hem in reverence;
And to hem yeve swich lust and swich credence,
That ther is wel unethe game noon
That from my bokes make me to goon,
But hit be other up-on the haly-day, 35
Or elles in the Ioly tyme of May;
Whan that I here the smale foules singe,
+And that the floures ginne for to springe,
Farwel my studie, as lasting that sesoun!
Now have I therto this condicioun 40
+That, of alle the floures in the mede,
+Than love I most these floures whyte and rede,
+Swiche as men callen daysies in our toun.
+To hem have I so greet affeccioun,
+As I seyde erst, whan comen is the May, 45
+That in my bed ther daweth me no day
+That I nam up, and walking in the mede
To seen these floures agein the sonne sprede,
Whan hit up-riseth by the morwe shene,
*The longe day, thus walking in the grene. 50
_From_ A. 55-58.
This dayesye, of alle floures flour, (B. 53)
Fulfild of vertu and of alle honour,
+And ever y-lyke fair and fresh of hewe,
As wel in winter as in somer newe--
And whan the sonne ginneth for to weste, (B. 61)
Than closeth hit, and draweth hit to reste.
So sore hit is afered of the night,
*Til on the morwe, that hit is dayes light.
This dayesye, of alle floures flour, 55
Fulfild of vertu and of alle honour,
+And ever y-lyke fair and fresh of hewe,
As wel in winter as in somer newe,
Fain wolde I preisen, if I coude aright; (B. 67)
*But wo is me, hit lyth nat in my might! 60
For wel I wot, that folk han her-beforn (B. 73)
+Of making ropen, and lad a-wey the corn;
+And I come after, glening here and there,
+And am ful glad if I may finde an ere
Of any goodly word that they han left. 65
And, if hit happe me rehersen eft
That they han in her fresshe songes sayd,
I hope that they wil nat ben evel apayd,
Sith hit is seid in forthering and honour
Of hem that either serven leef or flour. 70
For trusteth wel, I ne have nat undertake
As of the leef, ageyn the flour, to make;
Ne of the flour to make, ageyn the leef,
+No more than of the corn ageyn the sheef.
For, as to me, is leefer noon ne lother; 75
I am with-holde yit with never nother.
I not who serveth leef, ne who the flour;
That nis nothing the entent of my labour.
For this werk is al of another tunne,
Of olde story, er swich stryf was begunne. 80
+But wherfor that I spak, to yeve credence (B. 97)
To bokes olde and doon hem reverence,
Is for men shulde autoritees beleve,
Ther as ther lyth non other assay by preve.
*For myn entent is, or I fro yow fare, 85
*The naked text in English to declare
*Of many a story, or elles of many a geste,
*As autours seyn; leveth hem if yow leste!
Whan passed was almost the month of May, (B. 108)
And I had romed, al the someres day, 90
*The grene medew, of which that I yow tolde,
Upon the fresshe daysy to beholde,
And that the sonne out of the south gan weste,
And closed was the flour and goon to reste
For derknesse of the night, of which she dredde, 95
+Hoom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spedde;
+And, in a litel erber that I have,
Y-benched newe with turves fresshe y-grave,
+I bad men shulde me my couche make;
+For deyntee of the newe someres sake, 100
+I bad hem strowe floures on my bed.
+Whan I was layd, and had myn eyen hed,
I fel a-slepe with-in an houre or two.
Me mette how I was in the medew tho,
*And that I romed in that same gyse, 105
To seen that flour, as ye han herd devyse.
*Fair was this medew, as thoughte me overal;
With floures swote enbrowded was it al;
As for to speke of gomme, or erbe, or tree,
+Comparisoun may noon y-maked be. 110
For hit surmounted pleynly alle odoures,
+And eek of riche beaute alle floures.
+Forgeten had the erthe his pore estat
+Of winter, that him naked made and mat,
And with his swerd of cold so sore had greved. 115
Now had the atempre sonne al that releved,
And clothed him in grene al newe agayn.
+The smale foules, of the seson fayn,
+That from the panter and the net ben scaped,
+Upon the fouler, that hem made a-whaped 120
+In winter, and distroyed had hir brood,
+In his despyt, hem thoughte hit did hem good
+To singe of him, and in hir song despyse
+The foule cherl that, for his covetyse,
+Had hem betrayed with his sophistrye. 125
+This was hir song--'the fouler we defye!'
Somme songen [layes] on the braunches clere (B. 139)
Of love and [May], that Ioye hit was to here,
In worship and in preysing of hir make,
And of the newe blisful someres sake, 130
That songen, 'blissed be seynt Valentyn! (B. 145)
[For] at his day I chees yow to be myn,
+With-oute repenting, myn herte swete!'
+And therwith-al hir bekes gonnen mete.
[They dide honour and] humble obeisaunces, 135
And after diden other observaunces
Right [plesing] un-to love and to nature;
*So ech of hem [doth wel] to creature.
*This song to herkne I dide al myn entente,
*For-why I mette I wiste what they mente. 140
_From_ A. 90.
And I had romed, al the someres day, (B. 180)
_From_ A. 92.
Up-on the fresshe daysy to beholde. (B. 182)
_From_ A. 71-80.
For trusteth wel, I ne have nat undertake (B. 188)
As of the leef, ageyn the flour, to make;
Ne of the flour to make, ageyn the leef,
+No more than of the corn ageyn the sheef.
For, as to me, is leefer noon ne lother; 75
I am with-holde yit with never nother.
I not who serveth leef, ne who the flour;
That nis nothing the entent of my labour.
For this werk is al of another tunne,
Of olde story, er swich stryf was begunne. 80
_From_ A. 93-96.
And that the sonne out of the south gan weste,
And closed was the flour and goon to reste
For derknesse of the night, of which she dredde,
+Hoom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spedde
_From_ A. 106.
To seen that flour, as ye han herd devyse.
_From_ A. 97-104.
+And, in a litel erber that I have,
Y-benched newe with turves fresshe y-grave,
+I bad men shulde me my couche make;
+For deyntee of the newe someres sake, 100
+I bad hem strowe floures on my bed.
+Whan I was layd, and had myn eyen hed,
I fel a-slepe within an houre or two.
Me mette how I was in the medew tho,
*Til at the laste a larke song above: 141
*'I see,' quod she, 'the mighty god of love!
*Lo! yond he cometh, I see his winges sprede!'
_From_ A. 106.
To seen that flour, as ye han herd devyse,
Tho gan I loken endelong the mede, (B. 212)
And saw him come, and in his hond a quene, 145
Clothed in ryal abite al of grene.
+A fret of gold she hadde next hir heer,
+And up-on that a whyt coroun she beer
With many floures, and I shal nat lye;
For al the world, right as the dayesye 150
+I-coroned is with whyte leves lyte,
Swich were the floures of hir coroun whyte.
For of o perle fyn and oriental
+Hir whyte coroun was y-maked al;
+For which the whyte coroun, above the grene, 155
+Made hir lyk a daysie for to sene,
Considered eek the fret of gold above.
+Y-clothed was this mighty god of love
Of silk, y-brouded ful of grene greves;
A garlond on his heed of rose-leves 160
*Steked al with lilie floures newe;
*But of his face I can nat seyn the hewe.
For sekirly his face shoon so brighte,
*That with the gleem a-stoned was the sighte;
A furlong-wey I mighte him nat beholde. 165
But at the laste in hande I saw him holde
+Two fyry dartes, as the gledes rede;
And aungellich his wenges gan he sprede.
+And al be that men seyn that blind is he,
Al-gate me thoughte he mighte wel y-see; 170
+For sternely on me he gan biholde,
+So that his loking doth myn herte colde.
+And by the hande he held the noble quene,
+Corouned with whyte, and clothed al in grene,
+So womanly, so benigne, and so meke, 175
+That in this world, thogh that men wolde seke,
+Half hir beautee shulde men nat finde
+In creature that formed is by kinde,
Hir name was Alceste the debonayre;
I prey to god that ever falle she fayre! 180
+For ne hadde confort been of hir presence,
+I had be deed, withouten any defence,
+For drede of Loves wordes and his chere,
+As, whan tyme is, her-after ye shal here.
Byhind this god of love, up-on this grene, 185
+I saw cominge of ladyës nyntene
+In ryal abite, a ful esy pas,
+And after hem com of wemen swich a tras
That, sin that god Adam made of erthe,
The thredde part of wemen, ne the ferthe, 190
+Ne wende I nat by possibilitee
Hadden ever in this world y-be; (B. 289)
+And trewe of love thise wemen were echoon.
+Now whether was that a wonder thing or noon,
+That, right anoon as that they gonne espye 195
+This flour, which that I clepe the dayesye,
+Ful sodeinly they stinten alle at-ones,
And kneled adoun, as it were for the nones.
*And after that they wenten in compas,
*Daunsinge aboute this flour an esy pas, 200
*And songen, as it were in carole-wyse,
*This balade, which that I shal yow devyse.
BALADE.
+Hyd, Absolon, thy gilte tresses clere;
+Ester, ley them thy meknesse al a-doun;
+Hyd, Ionathas, al thy frendly manere; 205
+Penalopee, and Marcia Catoun,
+Mak of your wyfhod no comparisoun;
+Hyde ye your beautes, Isoude and Eleyne,
Alceste is here, that al that may desteyne.
+Thy faire body, lat hit nat appere, 210
+Lavyne; and thou, Lucresse of Rome toun,
+And Polixene, that boghte love so dere,
Eek Cleopatre, with al thy passioun,
Hyde ye your trouthe in love and your renoun;
And thou, Tisbe, that hast for love swich peyne: 215
Alceste is here, that al that may desteyne.
Herro, Dido, Laudomia, alle in-fere,
Eek Phyllis, hanging for thy Demophoun,
+And Canace, espyed by thy chere,
Ysiphile, betrayed with Jasoun, 220
Mak of your trouthe in love no bost ne soun;
Nor Ypermistre or Adriane, ne pleyne;
Alceste is here, that al that may desteyne.
Whan that this balade al y-songen was, (B. 270)
_From_ A. 179-198.
Hir name was Alceste the debonayre;
I prey to god that ever falle she fayre! 180
+For ne hadde confort been of hir presence,
+I had be deed, withouten any defence,
+For drede of Loves wordes and his chere,
+As, whan tyme is, her-after ye shal here.
Byhind this god of love, up-on this grene, 185
+I saw cominge of ladyës nyntene
+In ryal abite, a ful esy pas,
+And after hem com of wemen swich a tras,
That, sin that god Adam made of erthe,
The thredde part of wemen, ne the ferthe, 190
+Ne wende I nat by possibilitee
Hadden ever in this world y-be.
+And trewe of love these wemen were echoon.
+Now whether was that a wonder thing or noon,
+That, right anon as that they gonne espye 195
+This flour, which that I clepe the dayesye,
+Ful sodeinly they stinten alle atones,
And kneled adoun, as it were for the nones.
*Upon the softe and swote grene gras 225
+They setten hem ful softely adoun, (B. 301)
By ordre alle in compas, alle enveroun.
First sat the god of love, and than this quene
+With the whyte coroun, clad in grene;
+And sithen al the remenant by and by, 230
As they were of degree, ful curteisly;
+Ne nat a word was spoken in the place
+The mountance of a furlong-wey of space.
I, lening faste by under a bente,
+Abood, to knowen what this peple mente, 235
+As stille as any stoon; til at the laste,
The god of love on me his eye caste,
And seyde, 'who resteth ther?' and I answerde
Un-to his axing, whan that I him herde,
+And seyde, 'sir, hit am I'; and cam him neer, 240
+And salued him. Quod he, 'what dostow heer
In my presence, and that so boldely?
+For it were better worthy, trewely,
A werm to comen in my sight than thou.'
+'And why, sir,' quod I, 'and hit lyke yow?' 245
+'For thou,' quod he, 'art ther-to nothing able.
*My servaunts been alle wyse and honourable.
Thou art my mortal fo, and me warreyest, (B. 322)
+And of myne olde servaunts thou misseyest,
+And hinderest hem with thy translacioun, 250
And lettest folk to han devocioun
+To serven me, and haldest hit folye
To troste on me. Thou mayst hit nat denye;
For in pleyn text, hit nedeth nat to glose,
+Thou hast translated the Romauns of the Rose, 255
+That is an heresye ageyns my lawe,
+And makest wyse folk fro me withdrawe.
*And thinkest in thy wit, that is ful cool.
*That he nis but a verray propre fool
*That loveth paramours, to harde and hote. 260
*Wel wot I ther-by thou beginnest dote
*As olde foles, whan hir spirit fayleth;
*Than blame they folk, and wite nat what hem ayleth.
*Hast thou nat mad in English eek the book
How that Crisseyde Troilus forsook, (B. 332) 265
In shewinge how that wemen han don mis?
*But natheles, answere me now to this,
*Why noldest thou as wel han seyd goodnesse
*Of wemen, as thou hast seyd wikkednesse?
*Was ther no good matere in thy minde, 270
*Ne in alle thy bokes coudest thou nat finde
*Sum story of wemen that were goode and trewe?
*Yis! god wot, sixty bokes olde and newe
*Hast thou thy-self, alle fulle of stories grete,
*That bothe Romains and eek Grekes trete 275
*Of sundry wemen, which lyf that they ladde,
*And ever an hundred gode ageyn oon badde.
*This knoweth god, and alle clerkes eke,
*That usen swiche materes for to seke.
*What seith Valerie, Titus, or Claudian? 280
*What seith Ierome ageyns Iovinian?
*How clene maydens, and how trewe wyves,
*How stedfast widwes during al hir lyves,
*Telleth Jerome; and that nat of a fewe,
*But, I dar seyn, an hundred on a rewe; 285
*That hit is pitee for to rede, and routhe,
*The wo that they enduren for hir trouthe.
For to hir love were they so trewe, (B. 334)
*That, rather than they wolde take a newe,
*They chosen to be dede in sundry wyse, 290
*And deyden, as the story wol devyse;
*And some were brend, and some were cut the hals,
*And some dreynt, for they wolden nat be fals.
*For alle keped they hir maydenhed,
*Or elles wedlok, or hir widwehed. 295
*And this thing was nat kept for holinesse,
*But al for verray vertu and clennesse,
*And for men shulde sette on hem no lak;
*And yit they weren hethen, al the pak,
*That were so sore adrad of alle shame. 300
*These olde wemen kepte so hir name,
*That in this world I trow men shal nat finde
*A man that coude be so trewe and kinde,
*As was the leste woman in that tyde.
*What seith also the epistels of Ovyde 305
*Of trewe wyves, and of hir labour?
*What Vincent, in his Storial Mirour?
*Eek al the world of autours maystow here,
*Cristen and hethen, trete of swich matere;
*It nedeth nat alday thus for tendyte. 310
*But yit I sey, what eyleth thee to wryte
*The draf of stories, and forgo the corn?
By seint Venus, of whom that I was born, (B. 338)
Although [that] thou reneyed hast my lay, (B. 336)
As othere olde foles many a day, (B. 337) 315
Thou shalt repente hit, that hit shal be sene!'
Than spak Alceste, the worthieste quene,
+And seyde, 'god, right of your curtesye,
+Ye moten herknen if he can replye
Ageyns these points that ye han to him meved; 320
+A god ne sholde nat be thus agreved,
+But of his deitee he shal be stable,
And therto rightful and eek merciable.
*He shal nat rightfully his yre wreke
*Or he have herd the tother party speke. 325
*Al ne is nat gospel that is to yow pleyned;
*The god of love herth many a tale y-feyned.
_From_ A. 338, 339.
This man to yow may wrongly been accused,
+Ther as by right him oghte been excused;
+For in your court is many a losengeour,
+And many a queynte totelere accusour,
That tabouren in your eres many a thing 330
For hate, or for Ielous imagining,
And for to han with yow som daliaunce.
Envye (I prey to god yeve hir mischaunce!)
Is lavender in the grete court alway.
+For she ne parteth, neither night ne day, 335
+Out of the hous of Cesar; thus seith Dante;
Who-so that goth, alwey she moot [nat] wante.
This man to yow may wrongly been accused,
+Ther as by right him oghte been excused.
Or elles, sir, for that this man is nyce, 340
He may translate a thing in no malyce.
But for he useth bokes for to make,
And takth non heed of what matere he take;
*Therfor he wroot the Rose and eek Crisseyde
*Of innocence, and niste what he seyde; 345
+Or him was boden make thilke tweye
+Of som persone, and durste hit nat with-seye;
*For he hath writen many a book er this.
+He ne hath nat doon so grevously amis
+To translaten that olde clerkes wryten, 350
+As thogh that he of malice wolde endyten
Despyt of love, and hadde him-self y-wroght.
+This shulde a rightwys lord han in his thoght,
+And nat be lyk tiraunts of Lumbardye,
That usen wilfulhed and tirannye, 355
+For he that king or lord is naturel,
+Him oghte nat be tiraunt ne cruel,
+As is a fermour, to doon the harm he can.
+He moste thinke hit is his lige man,
*And that him oweth, of verray duetee, 360
*Shewen his peple pleyn benignitee,
*And wel to here hir excusaciouns,
*And hir compleyntes and peticiouns,
*In duewe tyme, whan they shal hit profre.
+This is the sentence of the philosophre: (B. 381) 365
+A king to kepe his liges in Iustyce;
+With-outen doute, that is his offyce.
*And therto is a king ful depe y-sworn,
*Ful many an hundred winter heer-biforn;
And for to kepe his lordes hir degree, 370
+As hit is right and skilful that they be
+Enhaunced and honoured, and most dere--
+For they ben half-goddes in this world here--
This shal he doon, bothe to pore [and] riche,
Al be that here stat be nat a-liche, 375
+And han of pore folk compassioun.
+For lo, the gentil kind of the lioun!
+For whan a flye offendeth him or byteth,
+He with his tayl awey the flye smyteth
+Al esily; for, of his genterye, 380
+Him deyneth nat to wreke him on a flye,
+As doth a curre or elles another beste.
+In noble corage oghte been areste,
+And weyen every thing by equitee,
+And ever han reward to his owen degree. 385
+For, sir, hit is no maystrie for a lord
To dampne a man with-oute answere or word;
+And, for a lord, that is ful foul to use.
+And if so be he may him nat excuse,
[But] axeth mercy with a sorweful herte, 390
+And profreth him, right in his bare sherte,
+To been right at your owne Iugement,
+Than oghte a god, by short avysement,
+Considre his owne honour and his trespas.
+For sith no cause of deeth lyth in this cas, 395
+Yow oghte been the lighter merciable;
+Leteth your yre, and beth somwhat tretable!
+The man hath served yow of his conning,
And forthered your lawe with his making.
*Whyl he was yong, he kepte your estat; 400
*I not wher he be now a renegat.
But wel I wot, with that he can endyte,
He hath maked lewed folk delyte
+To serve you, in preysing of your name.
+He made the book that hight the Hous of Fame, 405
+And eek the Deeth of Blaunche the Duchesse,
+And the Parlement of Foules, as I gesse,
+And al the love of Palamon and Arcyte
+Of Thebes, thogh the story is knowen lyte;
+And many an ympne for your halydayes, 410
+That highten Balades, Roundels, Virelayes;
And for to speke of other besinesse,
+He hath in prose translated Boëce;
*And of the Wreched Engendring of Mankinde,
*As man may in pope Innocent y-finde; 415
+And mad the Lyf also of seynt Cecyle; (B. 426)
+He made also, goon sithen a greet whyl,
+Origenes upon the Maudeleyne;
+Him oghte now to have the lesse peyne;
+He hath mad many a lay and many a thing. 420
+'Now as ye been a god, and eek a king,
+I, your Alceste, whylom quene of Trace,
+I axe yow this man, right of your grace,
+That ye him never hurte in al his lyve;
+And he shal sweren yow, and that as blyve, 425
+He shal no more agilten in this wyse;
+But he shal maken, as ye wil devyse,
+Of wemen trewe in lovinge al hir lyve,
+Wher-so ye wil, of maiden or of wyve,
+And forthren yow, as muche as he misseyde 430
+Or in the Rose or elles in Crisseyde.'
+The god of love answerde hir thus anoon,
+'Madame,' quod he, 'hit is so long agoon
+That I yow knew so charitable and trewe,
+That never yit, sith that the world was newe, 435
+To me ne fond I better noon than ye.
That, if that I wol save my degree,
+I may ne wol nat warne your requeste;
Al lyth in yow, doth with him what yow leste
+And al foryeve, with-outen lenger space; 440
+For who-so yeveth a yift, or doth a grace,
+Do hit by tyme, his thank is wel the more;
+And demeth ye what he shal do therfore.
+Go thanke now my lady heer,' quod he.
+I roos, and doun I sette me on my knee, 445
+And seyde thus: 'Madame, the god above
+Foryelde yow, that ye the god of love
+Han maked me his wrathe to foryive;
+And yeve me grace so long for to live,
+That I may knowe soothly what ye be 450
That han me holpen, and put in swich degree.
+But trewely I wende, as in this cas,
+Naught have agilt, ne doon to love trespas.
+Forwhy a trewe man, with-outen drede,
+Hath nat to parten with a theves dede; 455
+Ne a trewe lover oghte me nat blame,
+Thogh that I speke a fals lover som shame.
+They oghte rather with me for to holde,
+For that I of Creseyde wroot or tolde,
+Or of the Rose; what-so myn auctour mente, 460
+Algate, god wot, hit was myn entente
+To forthren trouthe in love and hit cheryce;
+And to be war fro falsnesse and fro vyce
+By swich ensample; this was my meninge.'
+And she answerde, 'lat be thyn arguinge; 465
+For Love ne wol nat countrepleted be
In right ne wrong; and lerne this at me!
+Thou hast thy grace, and hold thee right ther-to.
+Now wol I seyn what penance thou shalt do
+For thy trespas, and understond hit here: 470
+Thou shalt, whyl that thou livest, yeer by yere,
The moste party of thy lyve spende
+In making of a glorious Legende
+Of Gode Wemen, maidenes and wyves,
+That were trewe in lovinge al hir lyves; 475
+And telle of false men that hem bitrayen,
+That al hir lyf ne doon nat but assayen
+How many wemen they may doon a shame;
For in your world that is now holden game.
And thogh thee lesteth nat a lover be, 480
+Spek wel of love; this penance yeve I thee.
+And to the god of love I shal so preye,
+That he shal charge his servants, by any weye,
+To forthren thee, and wel thy labour quyte;
Go now thy wey, thy penance is but lyte.' (B. 495) 485
+The god of love gan smyle, and than he seyde,
+'Wostow,' quod he, 'wher this be wyf or mayde,
+Or quene, or countesse, or of what degree,
+That hath so litel penance yeven thee,
+That hast deserved sorer for to smerte? 490
+But pitee renneth sone in gentil herte;
+That mayst thou seen, she kytheth what she is.'
+And I answerde, 'nay, sir, so have I blis,
+No more but that I see wel she is good.'
+'That is a trewe tale, by myn hood,' 495
+Quod Love, 'and that thou knowest wel, pardee,
+If hit be so that thou avyse thee.
+Hastow nat in a book, lyth in thy cheste,
+The grete goodnesse of the quene Alceste,
+That turned was into a dayesye: 500
+She that for hir husbonde chees to dye,
+And eek to goon to helle, rather than he,
+And Ercules rescued hir, pardee,
+And broghte hir out of helle agayn to blis?'
+And I answerde ageyn, and seyde, 'yis, 505
+Now knowe I hir! And is this good Alceste,
+The dayesye, and myn owne hertes reste?
+Now fele I wel the goodnesse of this wyf,
+That bothe after hir deeth, and in hir lyf,
+Hir grete bountee doubleth hir renoun! 510
+Wel hath she quit me myn affeccioun
+That I have to hir flour, the dayesye!
+No wonder is thogh Iove hir stellifye,
+As telleth Agaton, for hir goodnesse!
+Hir whyte coroun berth of hit witnesse; 515
+For also many vertues hadde she,
+As smale floures in hir coroun be.
+In remembraunce of hir and in honour,
+Cibella made the dayesy and the flour
+Y-coroned al with whyt, as men may see; 520
+And Mars yaf to hir coroun reed, pardee,
+In stede of rubies, set among the whyte.'
+Therwith this quene wex reed for shame a lyte,
+Whan she was preysed so in hir presence.
+Than seyde Love, 'a ful gret negligence 525
Was hit to thee, to write unstedfastnesse
*Of women, sith thou knowest hir goodnesse
*By preef, and eek by stories heer-biforn;
*Let be the chaf, and wryt wel of the corn.
*Why noldest thou han writen of Alceste, 530
*And leten Criseide been a-slepe and reste?
*For of Alceste shulde thy wryting be,
Sin that thou wost that kalender is she (B. 542)
Of goodnesse, for she taughte of fyn lovinge,
+And namely of wyfhood the livinge, 535
+And alle the boundes that she oghte kepe;
+Thy litel wit was thilke tyme a-slepe.
+But now I charge thee, upon thy lyf,
+That in thy Legend thou make of this wyf,
Whan thou hast othere smale mad before; 540
+And fare now wel, I charge thee no more. (B. 551)
+At Cleopatre I wol that thou beginne; (B. 566)
+And so forth; and my love so shalt thou winne.'
And with that word of sleep I gan a-awake, (B. 578)
+And right thus on my Legend gan I make. 545
EXPLICIT PROHEMIUM.
1. thousent sythis. 2. there; heuene. 3. it. 4. wit (_over erasure_);
_read_ wot. 5. ne is; dwellyth; cuntre. 6. heuene. 10. goddis; schulde. 13.
say (_better_ seigh). 14. neuere. 21. trowyn; aprouede storyis. 27.
ou[gh]te; thanne; bokys. 28. There; othyr a-say (_see_ l. 9); be (_for_
by). 29. thow; myn. 30, 34. bokys. 33. onethe. 39. stodye; lastynge. 48.
sen; flouris a-gen; sunne to sprede. 49. be (_for_ by); schene. 50.
walkynge. 51. sunne be-gynnys. 52. it; drawith it. 53. it; a-ferid. 54. it;
dayis. 55. flouris. 57. frosch. 58. wyntyr; somyr. 59. preysyn; a-ryht.
60. my_n_. 62. makynge ropyn. 63. C. _om._ And; aftyr glenynge; ther. 64.
er. 65. ony; laft. 66. reherse. 67. here frosche songis. 68. wele; euele
a-payed. 69. Sithe. 70. eythir seruyn lef. 71. trustyth; vndyr-take. 72.
lef a-gayn. 73. lef. 74. a-gen; shef. 75. lefere non; lothere. 76.
witholde; nothire. 77. ho seruyth lef. 80. old. 81. -fore. 82. bokys; don.
83. schulde autoriteis. 84. There; there; othyr a-say; be. 86. nakede tixt;
englis. 87. manye (_twice_); ellis. 88. autourys; leuyth. 89. monyth. 90.
hadde; somerys. 91. medewe. 92. frosche dayseie. 93. souht (!). 94.
clothede (_error for_ closed). 95. derknese; nyht; sche dradde. 96. spadde.
97. lytyl. 98. I-benchede; turwis frorsche I-grawe (!). 99. schulde; myn.
100. somerys. 101. flouris. 102. hadde; hid (_for_ hed). 103. with-Inne;
our. 104. medewe. 105. romede. 106. sen. 107. medewe. 108. flouris sote
embroudit. 110. non I-makede. 111. surmountede; odours. 112. _om._ eek;
beute; flourys. 113. Forgetyn hadde. 114. wyntyr; nakede. 115. hadde
greuyd. 116. hadde the tempre; releuyd. 117. clothede; a-geyn. 127. _I
supply_ layes. 128. _I supply_ May. 129. worschepe; hire. 130. somerys.
131. sungyn blyssede; volentyn. 132. _I supply_ For; ches. 133.
repentynge. 134. here bekys gunne. 135. C. _is here corrupt; it has_--The
honour and the humble obeysaunce. _I try to give some sense; in any case we
must read_ obeisaunces. 136. dedyn othere. 137, 138. C. _is again corrupt
and imperfect; I supply_ plesing _and_ doth wel. C. _has_ natures,
cryaturys; _but read_ nature. 139. herkenyn; dede; entent. 140. ment. 143.
comyth; hise wyngis. 144. loke. 146. Clothid. 147. frette; goold; hyre her.
148. corone sche ber. 149. mane (!) flourys. 150. dayseye. 151.
I-corounede; leuys. 152. flourys; corene (_sic_). 159. I-broudede; greuys.
160. hed; leuys. 161. Stekid; lylye flourys. 163. schon; bryhte. 164. glem
a-stonede; syhte. 165. myhte; not. 167. Tho (_error for_ Two); fery dartis;
gleedys. 168. hyse wengis. 179. the thebonoyre (_sic_). 180. preye; euere.
186. nynetene. 192. Haddyn euere. 199. aftyr; wentyn. 201. songyn. 202.
whiche; schal. 206. Penolope. 209. destene. 221. [gh]oure. 224. I-songyn.
[179. thebonoyre.] [185. Byhynde.] [186. ladyis nynetene.] [192. Haddyn.]
[196. whiche; dayseye.] [197. styntyn; atonys.] [198. knelede; nonys.]
225. sote. 226. settyn. 227. ordere; cumpas; in-veroun. 228. thanne. 231.
degre. 234. lenynge; vndyr. 238. ho (_for_ who). 239. axsynge. 243.
bettere. 244. come; syht. 247. Myne; ben. 248. myn. 249. mysseyst. 251.
lettist. 252. seruyn; haldist. 254. tixt. 258. thyn; cole. 259. fole. 260.
louyth paramouris. 262. folis; spryt (_sic_) faylyth. 263. wete; ealyth.
264. englys ek; bok. 265. forsok. 267. Bit (_for_ But). 268. noldist; a
(_for_ have _or_ han); goodnes. 269. wekedenes. 270. matyr; thyn. 271.
thyne bokys ne coudist; (_I omit_ ne). 273. lx. bokys. 274. thyn-self;
storyis. 275. romaynys; ek grekis. 276. sundery; whiche; ledde. 277. euere;
hunderede goode; on. 278. knowith; clerkis ek. 279. vsyn sweche materis;
sek. 282. maydenys; wyuys. 283. stedefaste wedewys durynge all here lyuys.
284. Tellyth. 285. hunderede. 286. pete. 287. endure; here. 289. rathere;
wole (_error for_ wolde). 290. chose; ded; sundery. 291. deiedyn; wele
(_for_ wol). 293. dreynkt (!); thy (_for_ they); woldyn. 294. kepid
maydynhed. 295. ellis wedlek; here wedewehed. 299. were hethene. 302.
trowe; schal. 303. trowe. 305. epistelle (see _note_). 306. wyuys. 307.
estoryal. 308. te (_for_ the); autourys. 309. Cristene; hethene. 310.
nedyth; to endite. 311. seye; eylyth the. 312. storyis; forgete, _with_
gete _over erasure; read_ forgo. 313. Be (_for_ By). 314. Al-thow; _I
supply_ that; reneyist (_sic_) hast myn. 315. folys. 316. so that (_for_
that; _I omit_ so). 317. Thanne; worthyere (!). 320. poyntys; mevid. 322.
dede (_for_ deitee; _the scribe's error_). 323. ek. 325. tothyr. 327.
hereth manye; I-feynyd. 328. losenger. 329. totulour. 330. tabo_ur_ryn;
[gh]oure; manye. 332. sum. 333. prere (!). 335. che; partyth; nygh (!).
337. mote; _I supply_ nat. 338. ben acused. 339. There; be; oughte ben
excusid. 340. sere. 342. vsyth bokis. 343. takyth; hed. 344. ek. 348. wrete
manye; bok. 355. vsyn. 357. oughte. 358. don. 359. must. 360. owith; o
(_error for_ of); verry. 361. Schewyn; benygnete. 362. heryn here. 363.
here compleyntys. 367. Which oughtyn (!). 369. manye; hunderede wyntyr
here-. 370. lordys. 372. Enhaunsede; _om. 2nd_ and. 373. goddys. 374. don;
_I supply_ and. 388. C. wol; _for_ ful. 389. ascuse. 390. _I supply_ But.
397, 399, 400. [gh]oure. 401. where (= whether); renagat. 403. makid
lewede folk to; _I omit_ to. 412. othyr. 413. translatid. 414. wrechede
engendrynge. 436. I neuere non betere; the. 437. wele; myn. 438. wel. 456.
may (_for_ oghte). 507. herte is reste. 518. Of (_for_ In). 526. the;
onstedefastnesse. 527. sithe thow knowist here. 528. pref; ek; storyis
here. 530. noldist; writyn. 531. latyn; ben. 532. thyn wrytynge. 533. wist
(_badly_); calandier. 544. slep. 545. myn legende.
THE PROLOGE OF .IX. GOODE WIMMEN.
A thousand tymes have I herd men telle,
+That ther is Ioye in heven, and peyne in helle;
And I acorde wel that hit is so;
But natheles, yit wot I wel also,
That ther nis noon dwelling in this contree, 5
That either hath in heven or helle y-be,
+Ne may of hit non other weyes witen,
+But as he hath herd seyd, or founde hit writen;
+For by assay ther may no man hit preve.
But god forbede but men shulde leve 10
+Wel more thing then men han seen with yë!
+Men shal nat wenen every-thing a lyë
But-if him-self hit seeth, or elles dooth;
For, god wot, thing is never the lasse sooth,
+Thogh every wight ne may hit nat y-see. 15
+Bernard the monk ne saugh nat al, parde!
+Than mote we to bokes that we finde,
+Through which that olde thinges been in minde.
+And to the doctrine of these olde wyse,
+Yeve credence, in every skilful wyse, 20
That tellen of these olde appreved stories,
+Of holinesse, of regnes, of victories,
+Of love, of hate, of other sundry thinges,
+Of whiche I may not maken rehersinges.
+And if that olde bokes were a-weye, 25
+Y-loren were of remembraunce the keye.
Wel oghte us than honouren and beleve
These bokes, ther we han non other preve.
And as for me, thogh that I can but lyte,
+On bokes for to rede I me delyte, 30
And to hem yeve I feyth and ful credence,
+And in myn herte have hem in reverence
So hertely, that ther is game noon
That fro my bokes maketh me to goon,
But hit be seldom, on the holyday; 35
Save, certeynly, whan that the month of May
Is comen, and that I here the foules singe,
+And that the floures ginnen for to springe,
Farwel my book and my devocioun!
Now have I than swich a condicioun, 40
+That, of alle the floures in the mede,
+Than love I most these floures whyte and rede,
+Swiche as men callen daysies in our toun.
+To hem have I so greet affeccioun,
+As I seyde erst, whan comen is the May, 45
+That in my bed ther daweth me no day
+That I nam up, and walking in the mede
To seen this flour agein the sonne sprede,
Whan hit upryseth erly by the morwe;
*That blisful sighte softneth al my sorwe, 50
*So glad am I whan that I have presence
*Of hit, to doon al maner reverence,
As she, that is of alle floures flour,
Fulfilled of al vertu and honour,
+And ever y-lyke fair, and fresh of hewe; 55
And I love hit, and ever y-lyke newe,
*And ever shal, til that myn herte dye;
*Al swere I nat, of this I wol nat lye,
*Ther loved no wight hotter in his lyve.
*And whan that hit is eve, I renne blyve, 60
As sone as ever the sonne ginneth weste,
To seen this flour, how it wol go to reste,
For fere of night, so hateth she derknesse!
_From_ B. 53-56.
As she, that is of alle floures flour,
Fulfilled of al vertu and honour,
+And ever y-lyke fair, and fresh of hewe;
And I love hit, and ever y-lyke newe.
*Hir chere is pleynly sprad in the brightnesse
*Of the sonne, for ther hit wol unclose. 65
*Allas! that I ne had English, ryme or prose,
Suffisant this flour to preyse aright!
*But helpeth, ye that han conning and might,
*Ye lovers, that can make of sentement;
*In this cas oghte ye be diligent 70
*To forthren me somwhat in my labour,
*Whether ye ben with the leef or with the flour.
For wel I wot, that ye han her-biforn
+Of making ropen, and lad awey the corn;
+And I come after, glening here and there, 75
+And am ful glad if I may finde an ere
Of any goodly word that ye han left.
And thogh it happen me rehercen eft
That ye han in your fresshe songes sayd,
For-bereth me, and beth nat evel apayd, 80
Sin that ye see I do hit in the honour
Of love, and eek in service of the flour,
_From_ B. 188-196.
But natheles, ne wene nat that I make
In preysing of the flour agayn the leef,
+No more than of the corn agayn the sheef.
For as to me, nis lever noon ne lother;
I nam with-holden yit with never nother.
Ne I not who serveth leef, ne who the flour;
Wel brouken they hir service or labour.
For this thing is al of another tonne,
Of olde story, er swich thing was begonne.
*Whom that I serve as I have wit or might.
*She is the clernesse and the verray light,
*That in this derke worlde me wynt and ledeth, 85
*The herte in-with my sorowful brest yow dredeth,
*And loveth so sore, that ye ben verrayly
*The maistresse of my wit, and nothing I.
*My word, my werk, is knit so in your bonde,
*That, as an harpe obeyeth to the honde 90
*And maketh hit soune after his fingeringe,
*Right so mowe ye out of myn herte bringe
*Swich vois, right as yow list, to laughe or pleyne.
*Be ye my gyde and lady sovereyne;
*As to myn erthly god, to yow I calle, 95
*Bothe in this werke and in my sorwes alle.
+But wherfor that I spak, to give credence
To olde stories, and doon hem reverence,
And that men mosten more thing beleve
Then men may seen at eye or elles preve? 100
*That shal I seyn, whan that I see my tyme;
*I may not al at ones speke in ryme.
*My besy gost, that thrusteth alwey newe
*To seen this flour so yong, so fresh of hewe,
*Constreyned me with so gledy desyr, 105
*That in my herte I fele yit the fyr,
*That made me to ryse er hit wer day--
And this was now the firste morwe of May--
*With dredful herte and glad devocioun,
*For to ben at the resureccioun 110
*Of this flour, whan that it shuld unclose
*Agayn the sonne, that roos as rede as rose,
*That in the brest was of the beste that day,
*That Agenores doghter ladde away.
*And doun on knees anon-right I me sette, 115
*And, as I coude, this fresshe flour I grette;
*Kneling alwey, til hit unclosed was,
*Upon the smale softe swote gras,
_From_ B. 180, 182.
The longe day I shoop me for to abyde ...
But for to loke upon the dayesye.
_From_ B. 197-200.
Whan that the sonne out of the south gan weste,
And that this flour gan close and goon to reste
For derknesse of the night, the which she dredde,
+Hoom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spedde;
_From_ B. 203-211.
+And, in a litel herber that I have,
That benched was on turves fresshe y-grave,
+I bad men sholde me my couche make;
+For deyntee of the newe someres sake,
+I bad hem strawen floures on my bed.
+Whan I was leyd, and had my eyen hed,
I fel on slepe in-with an houre or two;
Me mette how I lay in the medew tho,
To seen this flour, that I so love and drede,
That was with floures swote enbrouded al,
*Of swich swetnesse and swich odour over-al, 120
That, for to speke of gomme, or herbe, or tree,
+Comparisoun may noon y-maked be;
For hit surmounteth pleynly alle odoures,
+And eek of riche beautee alle floures.
+Forgeten had the erthe his pore estat 125
+Of winter, that him naked made and mat,
And with his swerd of cold so sore greved;
Now hath the atempre sonne al that releved
That naked was, and clad hit new agayn.
+The smale foules, of the seson fayn, 130
+That from the panter and the net ben scaped,
+Upon the fouler, that hem made a-whaped
+In winter, and distroyed had hir brood,
+In his despyt, hem thoughte hit did hem good
+To singe of him, and in hir song despyse 135
+The foule cherl that, for his covetyse,
+Had hem betrayed with his sophistrye.
+This was hir song--'the fouler we defye,
And al his craft!' And somme songen clere
Layes of love, that Ioye hit was to here, 140
In worshipinge and preisinge of hir make.
And, for the newe blisful somers sake,
*Upon the braunches ful of blosmes softe,
*In hir delyt, they turned hem ful ofte,
And songen, 'blessed be seynt Valentyn! 145
For on his day I chees yow to be myn,
+Withouten repenting, myn herte swete!'
+And therwith-al hir bekes gonnen mete,
Yelding honour and humble obeisaunces
To love, and diden hir other observaunces 150
That longeth unto love and to nature;
*Construeth that as yow list, I do no cure.
*And tho that hadde doon unkindenesse--
*As dooth the tydif, for new-fangelnesse--
*Besoghte mercy of hir trespassinge, 155
*And humblely songen hir repentinge,
*And sworen on the blosmes to be trewe,
*So that hir makes wolde upon hem rewe,
*And at the laste maden hir acord.
*Al founde they Daunger for a tyme a lord, 160
*Yet Pitee, through his stronge gentil might,
*Forgaf, and made Mercy passen Right,
*Through innocence and ruled curtesye.
*But I ne clepe nat innocence folye,
*Ne fals pitee, for 'vertu is the mene,' 165
*As Etik saith, in swich maner I mene.
*And thus thise foules, voide of al malyce,
*Acordeden to love, and laften vyce
*Of hate, and songen alle of oon acord,
*'Welcome, somer, our governour and lord!' 170
*And Zephirus and Flora gentilly
*Yaf to the floures, softe and tenderly,
*Hir swote breth, and made hem for to sprede,
*As god and goddesse of the floury mede;
*In which me thoghte I mighte, day by day, 175
*Dwellen alwey, the Ioly month of May,
*Withouten sleep, withouten mete or drinke.
*A-doun ful softely I gan to sinke;
*And, leninge on myn elbowe and my syde,
The longe day I shoop me for to abyde 180
*For nothing elles, and I shal nat lye,
But for to loke upon the dayesye,
*That wel by reson men hit calle may
*The 'dayesye' or elles the 'ye of day,'
*The emperice and flour of floures alle. 185
*I pray to god that faire mot she falle,
*And alle that loven floures, for hir sake!
But natheles, ne wene nat that I make
In preysing of the flour agayn the leef,
*No more than of the corn agayn the sheef: 190
For, as to me, nis lever noon ne lother;
I nam with-holden yit with never nother.
Ne I not who serveth leef, ne who the flour;
Wel brouken they hir service or labour;
For this thing is al of another tonne, 195
Of olde story, er swich thing was be-gonne.
Whan that the sonne out of the south gan weste,
And that this flour gan close and goon to reste
For derknesse of the night, the which she dredde,
+Hoom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spedde 200
*To goon to reste, and erly for to ryse,
To seen this flour to sprede, as I devyse.
+And, in a litel herber that I have,
That benched was on turves fresshe y-grave,
+I bad men sholde me my couche make; 205
+For deyntee of the newe someres sake,
+I bad hem strawen floures on my bed.
+Whan I was leyd, and had myn eyen hed,
I fel on slepe in-with an houre or two;
Me mette how I lay in the medew tho, 210
To seen this flour that I so love and drede.
And from a-fer com walking in the mede
The god of love, and in his hande a quene;
And she was clad in real habit grene.
+A fret of gold she hadde next hir heer, 215
+And upon that a whyt coroun she beer
With florouns smale, and I shal nat lye;
For al the world, ryght as a dayesye
+Y-corouned is with whyte leves lyte,
So were the florouns of hir coroun whyte; 220
For of o perle fyne, oriental,
+Hir whyte coroun was y-maked al;
+For which the whyte coroun, above the grene,
+Made hir lyk a daysie for to sene,
Considered eek hir fret of gold above. 225
+Y-clothed was this mighty god of love
In silke, enbrouded ful of grene greves,
In-with a fret of rede rose-leves,
*The fresshest sin the world was first bigonne.
*His gilte heer was corouned with a sonne, 230
*In-stede of gold, for hevinesse and wighte;
Therwith me thoughte his face shoon so brighte
That wel unnethes mighte I him beholde;
And in his hande me thoughte I saugh him holde
+Two fyry dartes, as the gledes rede; 235
And aungellyke his winges saugh I sprede.
+And al be that men seyn that blind is he,
Al-gate me thoughte that he mighte see;
+For sternely on me he gan biholde,
+So that his loking doth myn herte colde. 240
+And by the hande he held this noble quene,
+Corouned with whyte, and clothed al in grene,
+So womanly, so benigne, and so meke,
+That in this world, thogh that men wolde seke,
+Half hir beautee shulde men nat finde 245
+In creature that formed is by kinde.
_From_ B. 276-295.
That is so good, so fair, so debonaire;
I prey to god that ever falle hir faire!
+For, nadde comfort been of hir presence,
+I had ben deed, withouten any defence,
+For drede of Loves wordes and his chere; 280
+As, when tyme is, her-after ye shal here.
Behind this god of love, upon the grene,
+I saugh cominge of ladyës nyntene
+In real habit, a ful esy paas;
+And after hem com of women swich a traas, 285
That, sin that god Adam had mad of erthe
The thridde part of mankynd, or the ferthe,
+Ne wende I nat by possibilitee,
Had ever in this wyde worlde y-be;
+And trewe of love thise women were echoon. 290
+Now whether was that a wonder thing or noon,
+That, right anoon as that they gonne espye
+This flour, which that I clepe the dayesye,
+Ful sodeinly they stinten alle at ones,
And kneled doun, as it were for the nones, 295
*And therfor may I seyn, as thinketh me, 247
*This song, in preysing of this lady fre.
BALADE.
+Hyd, Absolon, thy gilte tresses clere;
+Ester, ley thou thy meknesse al a-doun; 250
+Hyd, Ionathas, al thy frendly manere;
+Penalopee, and Marcia Catoun,
+Mak of your wyfhod no comparisoun;
+Hyde ye your beautes, Isoude and Eleyne,
My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne. 255
+Thy faire body, lat hit nat appere,
+Lavyne; and thou, Lucresse of Rome toun,
+And Polixene, that boghten love so dere,
And Cleopatre, with al thy passioun,
Hyde ye your trouthe of love and your renoun; 260
And thou, Tisbe, that hast of love swich peyne;
My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne.
Herro, Dido, Laudomia, alle y-fere,
And Phyllis, hanging for thy Demophoun,
+And Canace, espyed by thy chere, 265
Ysiphile, betraysed with Jasoun,
Maketh of your trouthe neyther boost ne soun;
Nor Ypermistre or Adriane, ye tweyne;
My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne.