A Servant of the same kinde,
[Sidenote: Hic tractat super illa Cupiditatis specie, que
secretum latrocinium dicitur, cuius natura custode[532] rerum
nesciente ea que cupit tam per diem quam per noctem absque
strepitu clanculo furatur.]
Which Stelthe is hote, and Mecherie
With him is evere in compainie.
Of whom if I schal telle soth,
He stalketh as a Pocok doth,
And takth his preie so covert,
That noman wot it in apert. 6500
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 347=]
For whan he wot the lord from home,[533]
Than wol he stalke aboute and rome;
And what thing he fint in his weie,
Whan that he seth the men aweie,
He stelth it and goth forth withal,
That therof noman knowe schal.
And ek fulofte he goth a nyht
Withoute Mone or sterreliht,
And with his craft the dore unpiketh,
And takth therinne what him liketh: 6510
And if the dore be so schet,
That he be of his entre let,
He wole in ate wyndou crepe,
And whil the lord is faste aslepe,
He stelth what thing as him best list,
And goth his weie er it be wist. (6550*)
Fulofte also be lyhte of day
Yit wole he stele and make assay;[534]
Under the cote his hond he put,
Til he the mannes Purs have cut, 6520
And rifleth that he fint therinne.
And thus he auntreth him to winne,
And berth an horn and noght ne bloweth,
For noman of his conseil knoweth;
What he mai gete of his Michinge,
It is al bile under the winge.
And as an hound that goth to folde
And hath ther taken what he wolde,
His mouth upon the gras he wypeth,
And so with feigned chiere him slypeth, 6530
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 348=]
That what as evere of schep he strangle,
Ther is noman therof schal jangle,
As forto knowen who it dede;[535]
Riht so doth Stelthe in every stede,
Where as him list his preie take.
He can so wel his cause make
And so wel feigne and so wel glose,
That ther ne schal noman suppose,
Bot that he were an innocent,
And thus a mannes yhe he blent: 6540
So that this craft I mai remene
Withouten help of eny mene.
[Sidenote: [STEALTH OF LOVERS.]]
Ther be lovers of that degre,
Which al here lust in privete,
As who seith, geten al be Stelthe,
And ofte atteignen to gret welthe
As for the time that it lasteth.[536]
For love awaiteth evere and casteth
Hou he mai stele and cacche his preie,
Whan he therto mai finde a weie: 6550
For be it nyht or be it day,
He takth his part, whan that he may,
And if he mai nomore do,
Yit wol he stele a cuss or tuo.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi Sone, what seist thou therto?
Tell if thou dedest evere so.
Mi fader, hou?
Mi Sone, thus,--
If thou hast stolen eny cuss
Or other thing which therto longeth,
For noman suche thieves hongeth: 6560
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 349=]
Tell on forthi and sei the trouthe.
[Sidenote: Confessio Amantis.]
Mi fader, nay, and that is routhe,
For be mi will I am a thief;
Bot sche that is to me most lief,
Yit dorste I nevere in privete
Noght ones take hire be the kne, (6600*)
To stele of hire or this or that,
And if I dorste, I wot wel what:
And natheles, bot if I lie,
Be Stelthe ne be Robberie 6570
Of love, which fell in mi thoght,
To hire dede I nevere noght.
Bot as men sein, wher herte is failed,
Ther schal no castell ben assailed;
Bot thogh I hadde hertes ten,
And were als strong as alle men,
If I be noght myn oghne man
And dar noght usen that I can,
I mai miselve noght recovere.
Thogh I be nevere man so povere, 6580
I bere an herte and hire it is,
So that me faileth wit in this,
Hou that I scholde of myn acord
The servant lede ayein the lord:
For if mi fot wolde awher go,[537]
Or that min hand wolde elles do,
Whan that myn herte is therayein,
The remenant is al in vein.
And thus me lacketh alle wele,
And yit ne dar I nothing stele 6590
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 350=]
Of thing which longeth unto love:
And ek it is so hyh above,
I mai noght wel therto areche,
Bot if so be at time of speche,
Ful selde if thanne I stele may
A word or tuo and go my way.
Betwen hire hih astat and me[538]
Comparison ther mai non be,
So that I fiele and wel I wot,
Al is to hevy and to hot 6600
To sette on hond withoute leve:
And thus I mot algate leve
To stele that I mai noght take,
And in this wise I mot forsake
To ben a thief ayein mi wille
Of thing which I mai noght fulfille.
For that Serpent which nevere slepte
The flees of gold so wel ne kepte
In Colchos, as the tale is told,
That mi ladi a thousendfold 6610
Nys betre yemed and bewaked,
Wher sche be clothed or be naked.
To kepe hir bodi nyht and day,
Sche hath a wardein redi ay,
Which is so wonderful a wyht,
That him ne mai no mannes myht (6650*)
With swerd ne with no wepne daunte,[539]
Ne with no sleihte of charme enchaunte,
Wherof he mihte be mad tame,
And Danger is his rihte name; 6620
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 351=]
Which under lock and under keie,
That noman mai it stele aweie,
Hath al the Tresor underfonge
That unto love mai belonge.
The leste lokinge of hire yhe
Mai noght be stole, if he it syhe;
And who so gruccheth for so lyte,
He wolde sone sette a wyte
On him that wolde stele more.
And that me grieveth wonder sore, 6630
For this proverbe is evere newe,
That stronge lokes maken trewe
Of hem that wolden stele and pyke:[540]
For so wel can ther noman slyke[541]
Be him ne be non other mene,
To whom Danger wol yive or lene
Of that tresor he hath to kepe.
So thogh I wolde stalke and crepe,
And wayte on eve and ek on morwe,
Of Danger schal I nothing borwe, 6640
And stele I wot wel may I noght:[542]
And thus I am riht wel bethoght,
Whil Danger stant in his office,
Of Stelthe, which ye clepe a vice,
I schal be gultif neveremo.
Therfore I wolde he were ago
So fer that I nevere of him herde,
Hou so that afterward it ferde:
For thanne I mihte yit per cas
Of love make som pourchas 6650
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 352=]
Be Stelthe or be som other weie,
That nou fro me stant fer aweie.
Bot, fader, as ye tolde above,[543]
Hou Stelthe goth a nyht for love,
I mai noght wel that point forsake,
That ofte times I ne wake
On nyhtes, whan that othre slepe;
Bot hou, I prei you taketh kepe.
Whan I am loged in such wise[544]
That I be nyhte mai arise, 6660
At som wyndowe and loken oute
And se the housinge al aboute,
So that I mai the chambre knowe
In which mi ladi, as I trowe,
Lyth in hir bed and slepeth softe,
Thanne is myn herte a thief fulofte: (6700*)
For there I stonde to beholde[545]
The longe nyhtes that ben colde,
And thenke on hire that lyth there.
And thanne I wisshe that I were 6670
Als wys as was Nectanabus
Or elles as was Protheüs,
That couthen bothe of nigromaunce
In what liknesse, in what semblaunce,
Riht as hem liste, hemself transforme:
For if I were of such a forme,
I seie thanne I wolde fle
Into the chambre forto se[546]
If eny grace wolde falle,
So that I mihte under the palle 6680
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 353=]
Som thing of love pyke and stele.
And thus I thenke thoghtes fele,
And thogh therof nothing be soth,
Yit ese as for a time it doth:
Bot ate laste whanne I finde
That I am falle into my mynde,
And se that I have stonde longe
And have no profit underfonge,
Than stalke I to mi bedd withinne.
And this is al that evere I winne 6690
Of love, whanne I walke on nyht:
Mi will is good, bot of mi myht
Me lacketh bothe and of mi grace;
For what so that mi thoght embrace,[547]
Yit have I noght the betre ferd.
Mi fader, lo, nou have ye herd
What I be Stelthe of love have do,[548]
And hou mi will hath be therto:
If I be worthi to penance
I put it on your ordinance.[549] 6700
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi Sone, of Stelthe I the behiete,
Thogh it be for a time swete,
At ende it doth bot litel good,
As be ensample hou that it stod
Whilom, I mai thee telle nou.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
I preie you, fader, sei me hou.[550]
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi Sone, of him which goth be daie
Be weie of Stelthe to assaie,
In loves cause and takth his preie,
Ovide seide as I schal seie, 6710
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 354=]
And in his Methamor he tolde
A tale, which is good to holde.
[Sidenote: [TALE OF LEUCOTHOE.]]
The Poete upon this matiere
Of Stelthe wrot in this manere.
Venus, which hath this lawe in honde[551]
[Sidenote: Hic in amoris causa super isto Latrocinio quod
de die[552] contigit ponit exemplum. Et narrat quod,
cum Leuchotoe Orchami filia in cameris sub arta matris
custodia virgo preseruabatur, Phebus eius pulcritudinem
concupiscens, in conclave domus clara luce subintrans,
virginis pudiciciam matre nescia[553] deflorauit: vnde
ipsa inpregnata iratus pater filiam suam ad sepeliendum
viuam effodit; ex cuius tumulo florem, quem[554] Solsequium
vocant, dicunt tunc[555] consequenter primitus accreuisse.]
Of thing which mai noght be withstonde, (6750*)
As sche which the tresor to warde
Of love hath withinne hir warde,
Phebum to love hath so constreigned,[556]
That he withoute reste is peined 6720
With al his herte to coveite
A Maiden, which was warded streyte
Withinne chambre and kept so clos,
That selden was whan sche desclos
Goth with hir moder forto pleie.
Leuchotoe, so as men seie,
This Maiden hihte, and Orchamus
Hir fader was; and befell thus.
This doughter, that was kept so deere,
And hadde be fro yer to yeere 6730
Under hir moder discipline
A clene Maide and a Virgine,
Upon the whos nativite
Of comelihiede and of beaute
Nature hath set al that sche may,
That lich unto the fresshe Maii,
Which othre monthes of the yeer
Surmonteth, so withoute pier
Was of this Maiden the feture.
Wherof Phebus out of mesure 6740
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 355=]
Hire loveth, and on every syde
Awaiteth, if so mai betyde,[557]
That he thurgh eny sleihte myhte
Hire lusti maidenhod unrihte,
The which were al his worldes welthe.
And thus lurkende upon his stelthe[558]
In his await so longe he lai,
Til it befell upon a dai,
That he thurghout hir chambre wall
Cam in al sodeinliche, and stall 6750
That thing which was to him so lief.[559]
Bot wo the while, he was a thief!
For Venus, which was enemie
Of thilke loves micherie,
Discovereth al the pleine cas
To Clymene, which thanne was[560]
Toward Phebus his concubine.
And sche to lette the covine
Of thilke love, dedli wroth
To pleigne upon this Maide goth, 6760
And tolde hire fader hou it stod;
Wherof for sorwe welnyh wod
Unto hire moder thus he saide:
‘Lo, what it is to kepe a Maide!
To Phebus dar I nothing speke,
Bot upon hire I schal be wreke,[561] (6800*)
So that these Maidens after this
Mow take ensample, what it is[562]
To soffre her maidenhed be stole,[563]
Wherof that sche the deth schal thole.’ 6770
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 356=]
And bad with that do make a pet,[564]
Wherinne he hath his douhter set,
As he that wol no pite have,
So that sche was al quik begrave
And deide anon in his presence.
Bot Phebus, for the reverence
Of that sche hadde be his love,
Hath wroght thurgh his pouer above,
That sche sprong up out of the molde
Into a flour was named golde, 6780
Which stant governed of the Sonne.
And thus whan love is evele wonne,
Fulofte it comth to repentaile.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
Mi fader, that is no mervaile,
Whan that the conseil is bewreid.
Bot ofte time love hath pleid
And stole many a prive game,
Which nevere yit cam into blame,
Whan that the thinges weren hidde.
Bot in youre tale, as it betidde, 6790
Venus discoverede al the cas,
And ek also brod dai it was,
Whan Phebus such a Stelthe wroghte,
Wherof the Maide in blame he broghte,
That afterward sche was so lore.[565]
Bot for ye seiden nou tofore
Hou stelthe of love goth be nyhte,
And doth hise thinges out of syhte,
Therof me liste also to hiere
A tale lich to the matiere, 6800
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 357=]
Wherof I miyhte ensample take.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi goode Sone, and for thi sake,[566]
So as it fell be daies olde,[567]
And so as the Poete it tolde,
Upon the nyhtes micherie
Nou herkne a tale of Poesie.
[Sidenote: [TALE OF HERCULES AND FAUNUS.]]
The myhtieste of alle men
Whan Hercules with Eolen,
[Sidenote: Hic ponit exemplum super eodem quod de nocte
contigit. Et narrat qualiter Hercules cum Eole in quadam
spelunca nobili, Thophis dicta, sub monte Thymolo, vbi
silua Bachi est, hospicio pernoctarunt. Et cum ipsi variis
lectis seperatim[568] iacentes dormierunt, contigit lectum
Herculis vestimentis Eole lectumque Eole pelle leonis, qua
Hercules induebatur, operiri. Super quo Faunus a silua
descendens speluncam subintrauit, temptans si forte cum
Eole sue concupiscencie voluptatem[569] nesciente Hercule
furari posset. Et cum ad lectum Herculis muliebri palpata
veste ex casu peruenisset, putans Eolen fuisse, cubiculum
nudo corpore ingreditur; quem senciens Hercules manibus
apprehensum ipsum ad terram ita fortiter allisit, ut
impotens sui corporis effectus usque mane ibidem requieuit,
vbi Saba cum Nimphis siluestribus superueniens ipsum sic
illusum deridebat.]
Which was the love of his corage,
Togedre upon a Pelrinage 6810
Towardes Rome scholden go,[570]
It fell hem be the weie so,
That thei upon a dai a Cave
Withinne a roche founden have,
Which was real and glorious
And of Entaile curious, (6850*)
Be name and Thophis it was hote.
The Sonne schon tho wonder hote,
As it was in the Somer tyde;
This Hercules, which be his syde 6820
Hath Eolen his love there,[571]
Whan thei at thilke cave were,
He seide it thoghte him for the beste
That sche hire for the hete reste
Al thilke day and thilke nyht;
And sche, that was a lusti wyht,
It liketh hire al that he seide:
And thus thei duelle there and pleide
The longe dai. And so befell,
This Cave was under the hell 6830
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 358=]
Of Tymolus, which was begrowe
With vines, and at thilke throwe
Faunus with Saba the goddesse,
Be whom the large wildernesse
In thilke time stod governed,
Weere in a place, as I am lerned,[572]
Nyh by, which Bachus wode hihte.
This Faunus tok a gret insihte
Of Eolen, that was so nyh;[573]
For whan that he hire beaute syh, 6840
Out of his wit he was assoted,
And in his herte it hath so noted,
That he forsok the Nimphes alle,
And seide he wolde, hou so it falle,
Assaie an other forto winne;
So that his hertes thoght withinne[574]
He sette and caste hou that he myhte
Of love pyke awey be nyhte[575]
That he be daie in other wise
To stele mihte noght suffise: 6850
And therupon his time he waiteth.
Nou tak good hiede hou love afaiteth
Him which withal is overcome.
Faire Eolen, whan sche was come
With Hercules into the Cave,
Sche seide him that sche wolde have[576]
Hise clothes of and hires bothe,[577]
That ech of hem scholde other clothe.[578]
And al was do riht as sche bad,
He hath hire in hise clothes clad 6860
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 359=]
And caste on hire his gulion,
Which of the Skyn of a Leoun
Was mad, as he upon the weie
It slouh, and overthis to pleie
Sche tok his grete Mace also
And knet it at hir gerdil tho. (6900*)
So was sche lich the man arraied,[579]
And Hercules thanne hath assaied
To clothen him in hire array:
And thus thei jape forth the dai, 6870
Til that her Souper redy were.
And whan thei hadden souped there,
Thei schopen hem to gon to reste;
And as it thoghte hem for the beste,
Thei bede, as for that ilke nyht,
Tuo sondri beddes to be dyht,
For thei togedre ligge nolde,
Be cause that thei offre wolde
Upon the morwe here sacrifice.
The servantz deden here office 6880
And sondri beddes made anon,
Wherin that thei to reste gon
Ech be himself in sondri place.[580]
Faire Eole hath set the Mace
Beside hire beddes hed above,
And with the clothes of hire love
Sche helede al hire bed aboute;
And he, which hadde of nothing doute,
Hire wympel wond aboute his cheke,
Hire kertell and hire mantel eke 6890
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 360=]
Abrod upon his bed he spredde.
And thus thei slepen bothe abedde;
And what of travail, what of wyn,
The servantz lich to drunke Swyn
Begunne forto route faste.[581]
This Faunus, which his Stelthe caste,
Was thanne come to the Cave,
And fond thei weren alle save
Withoute noise, and in he wente.
The derke nyht his sihte blente, 6900
And yit it happeth him to go
Where Eolen abedde tho
Was leid al one for to slepe;
Bot for he wolde take kepe
Whos bed it was, he made assai,
And of the Leoun, where it lay,
The Cote he fond, and ek he fieleth
The Mace, and thanne his herte kieleth,
That there dorste he noght abyde,
Bot stalketh upon every side 6910
And soghte aboute with his hond,
That other bedd til that he fond,
Wher lai bewympled a visage.
Tho was he glad in his corage,
For he hir kertell fond also
And ek hir mantell bothe tuo (6950*)
Bespred upon the bed alofte.
He made him naked thanne, and softe
Into the bedd unwar he crepte,
Wher Hercules that time slepte, 6920
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 361=]
And wende wel it were sche;
And thus in stede of Eole
Anon he profreth him to love.
But he, which felte a man above,
This Hercules, him threw to grounde[582]
So sore, that thei have him founde
Liggende there upon the morwe;
And tho was noght a litel sorwe,
That Faunus of himselve made,
Bot elles thei were alle glade 6930
And lowhen him to scorne aboute:
Saba with Nimphis al a route[583]
Cam doun to loke hou that he ferde,[584]
And whan that thei the sothe herde,
He was bejaped overal.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi Sone, be thou war withal
To seche suche mecheries,
Bot if thou have the betre aspies,
In aunter if the so betyde
As Faunus dede thilke tyde, 6940
Wherof thou miht be schamed so.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
Min holi fader, certes no.
Bot if I hadde riht good leve,
Such mecherie I thenke leve:
Mi feinte herte wol noght serve;
For malgre wolde I noght deserve
In thilke place wher I love.
Bot for ye tolden hier above
Of Covoitise and his pilage,
If ther be more of that lignage, 6950
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 362=]
Which toucheth to mi schrifte, I preie
That ye therof me wolde seie,
So that I mai the vice eschuie.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi Sone, if I be order suie[585]
The vices, as thei stonde arowe,[586]
Of Covoitise thou schalt knowe
Ther is yit on, which is the laste;
In whom ther mai no vertu laste,
For he with god himself debateth,
Wherof that al the hevene him hateth. 6960
[Sidenote: [SACRILEGE.]]
xii. _Sacrilegus tantum furto loca sacra prophanat;_
_Vt sibi sunt agri, sic domus alma dei._
_Nec locus est, in quo non temptat amans quod amatur,_
_Et que posse nequit carpere, velle capit._
[Sidenote: Hic tractat super vltima Cupiditatis specie,
que Sacrilegium dicta est, cuius furtum ea que altissimo
sanctificantur bona depredans ecclesie tantum spoliis
insidiatur.]
The hihe god, which alle goode
Pourveied hath for mannes fode
Of clothes and of mete and drinke,
Bad Adam that he scholde swinke
To geten him his sustienance;
And ek he sette an ordinance (7000*)
Upon the lawe of Moïses,[587]
That though a man be haveles,
Yit schal he noght be thefte stele.
Bot nou adaies ther ben fele, 6970
That wol no labour undertake,
Bot what thei mai be Stelthe take
Thei holde it sikerliche wonne.
And thus the lawe is overronne,
Which god hath set, and namely
With hem that so untrewely
The goodes robbe of holi cherche.
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 363=]
The thefte which thei thanne werche
Be name is cleped Sacrilegge,
Ayein the whom I thenke alegge.* 6980
Of his condicion to telle,
Which rifleth bothe bok and belle,
* * * * *
[588]*Upon the pointz as we ben taught[589]
Stant sacrilege, and elles nought.
The firste point is for to seye,
Whan that a thief schal stele aweye
The holy thing from holy place.
The secounde is, if he pourchace 7020*
By wey of thefte unholy thing,
Which he upon his knowleching
Fro holy place aweie took.
The thridde point, as seith the book,
Is such as, wher as evere it be,[590]
In woode, in feld or in Cite,
Schal no man stele by no wise
That halwed is to the servise
Of god which alle thinges wot.
But ther is nouther cold ne hot, 7030*
Which he for god or man wol spare,
So that the body may wel fare;
And that he may the world aschape,
The hevene him thenkth is but a jape:[591]
And thus, the sothe for to telle,
He rifleth bothe book and belle,[592]
So forth with al, etc. (_as_ 6983 ff.)
* * * * *
So forth with al the remenant
To goddes hous appourtenant,
Wher that he scholde bidde his bede,
He doth his thefte in holi stede,
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 364=]
And takth what thing he fint therinne:
For whan he seth that he mai winne,
He wondeth for no cursednesse,
That he ne brekth the holinesse 6990
And doth to god no reverence;
For he hath lost his conscience,
That though the Prest therfore curse,
He seith he fareth noght the wurse.[593]
And forto speke it otherwise,
What man that lasseth the franchise (7050*)
And takth of holi cherche his preie,
I not what bedes he schal preie.
Whan he fro god, which hath yive al,
The Pourpartie in special, 7000
Which unto Crist himself is due,[594]
Benymth, he mai noght wel eschue
The peine comende afterward;
For he hath mad his foreward
With Sacrilegge forto duelle,
Which hath his heritage in helle.
And if we rede of tholde lawe,[595]
I finde write, in thilke dawe[596]
Of Princes hou ther weren thre[597]
Coupable sore in this degre.[598] 7010
That on of hem was cleped thus,
The proude king Antiochus;
That other Nabuzardan hihte,
Which of his crualte behyhte
The temple to destruie and waste,
And so he dede in alle haste;
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 365=]
The thridde, which was after schamed,
Was Nabugodonosor named,
And he Jerusalem putte under,
Of Sacrilegge and many a wonder 7020
There in the holi temple he wroghte,
Which Baltazar his heir aboghte,[599]
Whan Mane, Techel, Phares write
Was on the wal, as thou miht wite,
So as the bible it hath declared.[600]
Bot for al that it is noght spared
Yit nou aday, that men ne pile,
And maken argument and skile
To Sacrilegge as it belongeth,
For what man that ther after longeth, 7030
He takth non hiede what he doth.*
And riht so, forto telle soth,
* * * * *