The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 (part 2 of 3)

The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 (part 2 of 3)

[Sidenote: [CYRUS AND THE LYDIANS.]] To mochel ese is nothing worth, For that set every vice forth[1356] [Sidenote: Hic loquitur qualiter regnum lasciuie voluptatibus deditum de facili vincitur.[1357] Et ponit exemplum de Ciro Rege Persarum, qui cum Liddos mire[1358] probitatis strenuissimos sibique in bello aduersantes nullo modo vincere potuit, cum ipsis tandem pacis tractatum dissimilans concordiam finalem stabiliri[1359] finxit. Super quo Liddi postea per aliquod tempus armis insoliti sub pacis torpore[1360] voluptatibus intendebant: quod Cirus percipiens in eos armatus subito irruit, ipsosque indefencibiles[1361] vincens sub imperio tributarios subiugauit.] And every vertu put abak, Wherof priss torneth into lak, As in Cronique I mai reherse: Which telleth hou the king of Perse, That Cirus hihte, a werre hadde Ayein a poeple which he dradde, Of a contre which Liddos hihte; Bot yit for oght that he do mihte 4370 As in bataille upon the werre, He hadde of hem alwey the werre. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 239=] And whan he sih and wiste it wel, That he be strengthe wan no del, Thanne ate laste he caste a wyle This worthi poeple to beguile, And tok with hem a feigned pes, Which scholde lasten endeles, So as he seide in wordes wise, Bot he thoghte al in other wise. 4380 For it betidd upon the cas,[1362] Whan that this poeple in reste was, Thei token eses manyfold; And worldes ese, as it is told, Be weie of kinde is the norrice Of every lust which toucheth vice. Thus whan thei were in lustes falle, The werres ben foryeten alle; Was non which wolde the worschipe Of Armes, hot in idelschipe 4390 Thei putten besinesse aweie And token hem to daunce and pleie; Bot most above alle othre thinges Thei token hem to the likinges Of fleysshly lust, that chastete[1363] Received was in no degre, Bot every man doth what him liste. And whan the king of Perse it wiste, That thei unto folie entenden, With his pouer, whan thei lest wenden, 4400 Mor sodeinly than doth the thunder He cam, for evere and put hem under.[1364] (4600*) [Sidenote: =P. iii. 240=] And thus hath lecherie lore The lond, which hadde be tofore The beste of hem that were tho. [Sidenote: [THE COUNSEL OF BALAAM.]] And in the bible I finde also A tale lich unto this thing, [Sidenote: Nota hic[1365] qualiter fata bellica luxus infortunat. Et narrat quod cum Rex Amalech Hebreis sibi insultantibus resistere nequiit, consilio Balaam mulieres regni sui pulcherrimas in castra Hebreorum misit; qui ab ipsis contaminati[1366] graciam statim amiserunt. Et sic ab Amalech deuicti in magna multitudine gladio ceciderunt.] Hou Amalech the paien king, Whan that he myhte be no weie Defende his lond and putte aweie 4410 The worthi poeple of Irael,[1367] This Sarazin, as it befell, Thurgh the conseil of Balaam A route of faire wommen nam, That lusti were and yonge of Age,[1368] And bad hem gon to the lignage Of these Hebreus: and forth thei wente With yhen greye and browes bente And wel arraied everych on; And whan thei come were anon 4420 Among thebreus, was non insihte, Bot cacche who that cacche myhte, And ech of hem hise lustes soghte, Whiche after thei full diere boghte.[1369] For grace anon began to faile, That whan thei comen to bataille Thanne afterward, in sori plit Thei were take and disconfit, So that withinne a litel throwe The myht of hem was overthrowe, 4430 That whilom were wont to stonde. Til Phinces the cause on honde [Sidenote: =P. iii. 241=] Hath take, this vengance laste, Bot thanne it cessede ate laste, For god was paid of that he dede:[1370] For wher he fond upon a stede A couple which misferde so, Thurghout he smot hem bothe tuo, And let hem ligge in mennes yhe; Wherof alle othre whiche hem sihe 4440 Ensamplede hem upon the dede, And preiden unto the godhiede Here olde Sennes to amende: And he, which wolde his mercy sende, Restorede hem to newe grace. Thus mai it schewe in sondri place, Of chastete hou the clennesse Acordeth to the worthinesse Of men of Armes overal; Bot most of alle in special 4450 This vertu to a king belongeth, For upon his fortune it hongeth (4650*) Of that his lond schal spede or spille. Forthi bot if a king his wille Fro lustes of his fleissh restreigne, Ayein himself he makth a treigne, Into the which if that he slyde, Him were betre go besyde. For every man mai understonde, Hou for a time that it stonde, 4460 It is a sori lust to lyke, Whos ende makth a man to syke [Sidenote: =P. iii. 242=] And torneth joies into sorwe. The brihte Sonne be the morwe Beschyneth noght the derke nyht, The lusti youthe of mannes myht, In Age bot it stonde wel, Mistorneth al the laste whiel.

[Sidenote: [EVIL EXAMPLE OF SOLOMON.]] That every worthi Prince is holde Withinne himself himself beholde, 4470 [Sidenote: Hic loquitur qualiter Principum irregulata voluptas eos a semita recta multociens deuiare compellit. Et narrat exemplum de Salomone, qui ex sue carnis concupiscencia victus mulierum blandimentis in sui scandalum deos alienos eolere presumebat.] To se the stat of his persone,[1371] And thenke hou ther be joies none Upon this Erthe mad to laste, And hou the fleissh schal ate laste The lustes of this lif forsake, Him oghte a gret ensample take Of Salomon, whos appetit Was holy set upon delit, To take of wommen the plesance: So that upon his ignorance 4480 The wyde world merveileth yit, That he, which alle mennes wit In thilke time hath overpassed, With fleisshly lustes was so tassed, That he which ladde under the lawe The poeple of god, himself withdrawe He hath fro god in such a wise, That he worschipe and sacrifise For sondri love in sondri stede Unto the false goddes dede. 4490 This was the wise ecclesiaste, The fame of whom schal evere laste,[1372] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 243=] That he the myhti god forsok, Ayein the lawe whanne he tok Hise wyves and hise concubines Of hem that weren Sarazines, For whiche he dede ydolatrie. For this I rede of his sotie: Sche of Sidoyne so him ladde, [Sidenote: De filia Regis Cidonie.] That he knelende hise armes spradde 4500 To Astrathen with gret humblesse, Which of hire lond was the goddesse: (4700*) [Sidenote: De filia Regis Moab.] And sche that was a Moabite So ferforth made him to delite Thurgh lust, which al his wit devoureth, That he Chamos hire god honoureth. [Sidenote: De filia Regis Amon.] An other Amonyte also With love him hath assoted so, Hire god Moloch that with encense He sacreth, and doth reverence 4510 In such a wise as sche him bad. Thus was the wiseste overlad With blinde lustes whiche he soghte: Bot he it afterward aboghte. [Sidenote: [DIVISION OF HIS KINGDOM.]] For Achias Selonites, Which was prophete, er his decess, [Sidenote: Nota hic qualiter Achias propheta, in signum quod regnum post mortem Salomonis ob eius peccatum a suo herede diminueretur, pallium suum in xii. partes scidit, vnde x. partes Ieroboe filio Nabal, qui regnaturus postea successit, precepto dei tribuit.] Whil he was in hise lustes alle, Betokneth what schal after falle. For on a day, whan that he mette Jeroboam the knyht, he grette 4520 And bad him that he scholde abyde, To hiere what him schal betyde. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 244=] And forth withal Achias caste His mantell of, and also faste He kut it into pieces twelve,[1373] Wherof tuo partz toward himselve[1374] He kepte, and al the remenant, As god hath set his covenant, He tok unto Jeroboas, Of Nabal which the Sone was 4530 And of the kinges court a knyht: And seide him, ‘Such is goddes myht, As thou hast sen departed hiere Mi mantell, riht in such manere After the deth of Salomon God hath ordeigned therupon, This regne thanne he schal divide: Which time thou schalt ek abide, And upon that division The regne as in proporcion 4540 As thou hast of mi mantell take, Thou schalt receive, I undertake. And thus the Sone schal abie The lustes and the lecherie Of him which nou his fader is.’ So forto taken hiede of this, It sit a king wel to be chaste, For elles he mai lihtly waste Himself and ek his regne bothe, And that oghte every king to lothe. 4550 O, which a Senne violent, Wherof so wys a king was schent, (4750*) [Sidenote: =P. iii. 245=] That the vengance in his persone Was noght ynouh to take al one, Bot afterward, whan he was passed, It hath his heritage lassed, As I more openli tofore[1375] The tale tolde. And thus therfore [Sidenote: Aristotiles.[1376] O Alexander, super omnia consulo, conserua tibi calorem naturalem.] The Philosophre upon this thing Writ and conseileth to a king, 4560 That he the surfet of luxure Schal tempre and reule of such mesure, Which be to kinde sufficant And ek to reson acordant, So that the lustes ignorance Be cause of no misgovernance, Thurgh which that he be overthrowe, As he that wol no reson knowe. For bot a mannes wit be swerved, Whan kinde is dueliche served, 4570 It oghte of reson to suffise; For if it falle him otherwise,[1377] He mai tho lustes sore drede.[1378] [Sidenote: [ANTONIUS.]] For of Anthonie thus I rede,[1379] [Sidenote: De voluptuoso Antonio.] Which of Severus was the Sone, That he his lif of comun wone Yaf holy unto thilke vice, And ofte time he was so nyce, Wherof nature hire hath compleigned Unto the god, which hath desdeigned 4580 The werkes whiche Antonie wroghte[1380] Of lust, whiche he ful sore aboghte: [Sidenote: =P. iii. 246=] For god his forfet hath so wroke That in Cronique it is yit spoke. Bot forto take remembrance Of special misgovernance Thurgh covoitise and injustice Forth with the remenant of vice, And nameliche of lecherie, I finde write a gret partie 4590 Withinne a tale, as thou schalt hiere, Which is thensample of this matiere.

[Sidenote: [TARQUIN AND HIS SON ARUNS.]] So as these olde gestes sein, The proude tirannyssh Romein [Sidenote: Hic loquitur de Tarquino nuper Rome[1381] Imperatore, necnon et de eiusdem filio nomine Arrons, qui omni viciorum varietate repleti tam in homines quam in mulieres innumera scelera perpetrarunt: set specialiter super hiis que contra Gabinos fraudulenter operati sunt tractare intendit.] Tarquinus, which was thanne king And wroghte many a wrongful thing, Of Sones hadde manyon, Among the whiche Arrons was on, Lich to his fader of maneres; So that withinne a fewe yeres 4600 With tresoun and with tirannie Thei wonne of lond a gret partie, (4800*) And token hiede of no justice, Which due was to here office Upon the reule of governance; Bot al that evere was plesance Unto the fleisshes lust thei toke. And fell so, that thei undertoke A werre, which was noght achieved, Bot ofte time it hadde hem grieved,[1382] 4610 Ayein a folk which thanne hihte[1383] The Gabiens: and al be nyhte [Sidenote: =P. iii. 247=] This Arrons, whan he was at hom In Rome, a prive place he nom Withinne a chambre, and bet himselve And made him woundes ten or tuelve Upon the bak, as it was sene; And so forth with hise hurtes grene In al the haste that he may He rod, and cam that other day 4620 Unto Gabie the Cite, And in he wente: and whan that he Was knowe, anon the gates schette, The lordes alle upon him sette With drawe swerdes upon honde. This Arrons wolde hem noght withstonde, Bot seide, ‘I am hier at your wille, Als lief it is that ye me spille,[1384] As if myn oghne fader dede.’ And forthwith in the same stede 4630 He preide hem that thei wolde se, And schewede hem in what degre His fader and hise brethren bothe, Whiche, as he seide, weren wrothe, Him hadde beten and reviled, For evere and out of Rome exiled. And thus he made hem to believe, And seide, if that he myhte achieve His pourpos, it schal wel be yolde, Be so that thei him helpe wolde. 4640 Whan that the lordes hadde sein[1385] Hou wofully he was besein, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 248=] Thei token Pite of his grief; Bot yit it was hem wonder lief That Rome him hadde exiled so. These Gabiens be conseil tho[1386] Upon the goddes made him swere, That he to hem schal trouthe bere And strengthen hem with al his myht; And thei also him have behiht 4650 To helpen him in his querele. Thei schopen thanne for his hele (4850*) That he was bathed and enoignt, Til that he was in lusti point; And what he wolde thanne he hadde, That he al hol the cite ladde Riht as he wolde himself divise. And thanne he thoghte him in what wise He myhte his tirannie schewe; And to his conseil tok a schrewe, 4660 Whom to his fader forth he sente In his message, and he tho wente,[1387] And preide his fader forto seie Be his avis, and finde a weie, Hou they the cite myhten winne, Whil that he stod so wel therinne. And whan the messager was come To Rome, and hath in conseil nome The king, it fell per chance so That thei were in a gardin tho, 4670 This messager forth with the king. And whanne he hadde told the thing [Sidenote: =P. iii. 249=] In what manere that it stod, And that Tarquinus understod Be the message hou that it ferde, Anon he tok in honde a yerde, And in the gardin as thei gon, The lilie croppes on and on, Wher that thei weren sprongen oute, He smot of, as thei stode aboute, 4680 And seide unto the messager: ‘Lo, this thing, which I do nou hier, Schal ben in stede of thin ansuere; And in this wise as I me bere, Thou schalt unto mi Sone telle.’ And he no lengere wolde duelle, Bot tok his leve and goth withal Unto his lord and told him al,[1388] Hou that his fader hadde do. Whan Arrons herde him telle so, 4690 Anon he wiste what it mente, And therto sette al his entente, Til he thurgh fraude and tricherie The Princes hefdes of Gabie Hath smiten of, and al was wonne: His fader cam tofore the Sonne Into the toun with the Romeins, And tok and slowh the citezeins Withoute reson or pite, That he ne spareth no degre. 4700 And for the sped of this conqueste He let do make a riche feste (4900*) [Sidenote: =P. iii. 250=] With a sollempne Sacrifise In Phebus temple; and in this wise Whan the Romeins assembled were, In presence of hem alle there, Upon thalter whan al was diht And that the fyres were alyht, From under thalter sodeinly An hidous Serpent openly 4710 Cam out and hath devoured al The Sacrifice, and ek withal The fyres queynt, and forth anon, So as he cam, so is he gon Into the depe ground ayein. And every man began to sein, ‘Ha lord, what mai this signefie?’ And therupon thei preie and crie To Phebus, that thei mihten knowe The cause: and he the same throwe 4720 With gastly vois, that alle it herde, The Romeins in this wise ansuerde, And seide hou for the wikkidnesse Of Pride and of unrihtwisnesse, That Tarquin and his Sone hath do, The Sacrifice is wasted so, Which myhte noght ben acceptable Upon such Senne abhominable. And over that yit he hem wisseth, And seith that which of hem ferst kisseth 4730 His moder, he schal take wrieche Upon the wrong: and of that speche [Sidenote: =P. iii. 251=] Thei ben withinne here hertes glade, Thogh thei outward no semblant made. Ther was a knyht which Brutus hihte, And he with al the haste he myhte To grounde fell and therthe kiste,[1389] Bot non of hem the cause wiste, Bot wenden that he hadde sporned Per chance, and so was overtorned. 4740 Bot Brutus al an other mente; For he knew wel in his entente Hou therthe of every mannes kinde Is Moder: bot thei weren blinde, And sihen noght so fer as he. Bot whan thei leften the Cite[1390] And comen hom to Rome ayein, Thanne every man which was Romein And moder hath, to hire he bende And keste, and ech of hem thus wende 4750 To be the ferste upon the chance, Of Tarquin forto do vengance, (4950*) So as thei herden Phebus sein.

[Sidenote: [THE RAPE OF LUCRECE.]] Bot every time hath his certein,[1391] So moste it nedes thanne abide, Til afterward upon a tyde [Sidenote: Hic narrat quod, cum Tarquinus in obsidione Ciuitatis Ardee, vt eam destrueret, intentus fuit, Arrons filius eius Romam secreto adiens in domo Collatini hospitatus est; vbi de nocte illam castissimam dominam Lucreciam ymaginata fraude vi oppressit: vnde illa pre dolore mortua, ipse cum Tarquino patre suo tota conclamante Roma in perpetuum exilium delegati sunt.] Tarquinus made unskilfully A werre, which was fasteby Ayein a toun with walles stronge Which Ardea was cleped longe, 4760 And caste a Siege theraboute, That ther mai noman passen oute. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 252=] So it befell upon a nyht, Arrons, which hadde his souper diht, A part of the chivalerie With him to soupe in compaignie Hath bede: and whan thei comen were And seten at the souper there, Among here othre wordes glade Arrons a gret spekinge made, 4770 Who hadde tho the beste wif Of Rome: and ther began a strif,[1392] For Arrons seith he hath the beste. So jangle thei withoute reste, Til ate laste on Collatin, A worthi knyht, and was cousin To Arrons, seide him in this wise: ‘It is,’ quod he, ‘of non emprise To speke a word, bot of the dede, Therof it is to taken hiede.[1393] 4780 Anon forthi this same tyde Lep on thin hors and let ous ryde: So mai we knowe bothe tuo Unwarli what oure wyves do, And that schal be a trewe assay.’ This Arrons seith noght ones nay: On horse bak anon thei lepte In such manere, and nothing slepte, Ridende forth til that thei come Al prively withinne Rome; 4790 In strange place and doun thei lihte, And take a chambre, and out of sihte [Sidenote: =P. iii. 253=] Thei be desguised for a throwe, So that no lif hem scholde knowe. And to the paleis ferst thei soghte,[1394] To se what thing this ladi wroghte[1395] Of which Arrons made his avant: And thei hire sihe of glad semblant, Al full of merthes and of bordes; Bot among alle hire othre wordes 4800 Sche spak noght of hire housebonde. And whan thei hadde al understonde (5000*) Of thilke place what hem liste,[1396] Thei gon hem forth, that non it wiste, Beside thilke gate of bras, Collacea which cleped was, Wher Collatin hath his duellinge. Ther founden thei at hom sittinge Lucrece his wif, al environed With wommen, whiche are abandoned[1397] 4810 To werche, and sche wroghte ek withal, And bad hem haste, and seith, ‘It schal[1398] Be for mi housebondes were, Which with his swerd and with his spere[1399] Lith at the Siege in gret desese. And if it scholde him noght displese, Nou wolde god I hadde him hiere; For certes til that I mai hiere Som good tidinge of his astat, Min herte is evere upon debat. 4820 For so as alle men witnesse, He is of such an hardiesse, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 254=] That he can noght himselve spare, And that is al my moste care, Whan thei the walles schulle assaile.[1400] Bot if mi wisshes myhte availe, I wolde it were a groundles pet, Be so the Siege were unknet, And I myn housebonde sihe.’ With that the water in hire yhe 4830 Aros, that sche ne myhte it stoppe, And as men sen the dew bedroppe[1401] The leves and the floures eke, Riht so upon hire whyte cheke The wofull salte teres felle. Whan Collatin hath herd hire telle The menynge of hire trewe herte, Anon with that to hire he sterte, And seide, ‘Lo, mi goode diere, Nou is he come to you hiere, 4840 That ye most loven, as ye sein.’ And sche with goodly chiere ayein Beclipte him in hire armes smale, And the colour, which erst was pale, To Beaute thanne was restored, So that it myhte noght be mored. The kinges Sone, which was nyh, And of this lady herde and syh The thinges as thei ben befalle, The resoun of hise wittes alle 4850 Hath lost; for love upon his part Cam thanne, and of his fyri dart (5050*) [Sidenote: =P. iii. 255=] With such a wounde him hath thurghsmite, That he mot nedes fiele and wite Of thilke blinde maladie, To which no cure of Surgerie Can helpe. Bot yit natheles At thilke time he hield his pes, That he no contienance made, Bot openly with wordes glade, 4860 So as he couthe in his manere, He spak and made frendly chiere, Til it was time forto go. And Collatin with him also His leve tok, so that be nyhte With al the haste that thei myhte Thei riden to the Siege ayein. Bot Arrons was so wo besein With thoghtes whiche upon him runne, That he al be the brode Sunne 4870 To bedde goth, noght forto reste, Bot forto thenke upon the beste And the faireste forth withal, That evere he syh or evere schal, So as him thoghte in his corage, Where he pourtreieth hire ymage: Ferst the fetures of hir face, In which nature hadde alle grace Of wommanly beaute beset, So that it myhte noght be bet;[1402] 4880 And hou hir yelwe her was tresced[1403] And hire atir so wel adresced, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 256=] And hou sche spak, and hou sche wroghte, And hou sche wepte, al this he thoghte, That he foryeten hath no del, Bot al it liketh him so wel,[1404] That in the word nor in the dede[1405] Hire lacketh noght of wommanhiede. And thus this tirannysshe knyht Was soupled, bot noght half ariht, 4890 For he non other hiede tok, Bot that he myhte be som crok, Althogh it were ayein hire wille, The lustes of his fleissh fulfille; Which love was noght resonable, For where honour is remuable, It oghte wel to ben avised. Bot he, which hath his lust assised With melled love and tirannie, Hath founde upon his tricherie 4900 A weie which he thenkth to holde, [Sidenote: Audaces fortuna iuuat.] And seith, ‘Fortune unto the bolde (5100*) Is favorable forto helpe.’ And thus withinne himself to yelpe, As he which was a wylde man, Upon his treson he began: And up he sterte, and forth he wente On horsebak, bot his entente Ther knew no wiht, and thus he nam The nexte weie, til he cam 4910 Unto Collacea the gate Of Rome, and it was somdiel late, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 257=] Riht evene upon the Sonne set, As he which hadde schape his net[1406] Hire innocence to betrappe. And as it scholde tho mishappe, Als priveliche as evere he myhte He rod, and of his hors alyhte[1407] Tofore Collatines In, And al frendliche he goth him in,[1408] 4920 As he that was cousin of house. And sche, which is the goode spouse, Lucrece, whan that sche him sih, With goodli chiere drowh him nyh, As sche which al honour supposeth, And him, so as sche dar, opposeth Hou it stod of hire housebonde. And he tho dede hire understonde With tales feigned in his wise,[1409] Riht as he wolde himself devise, 4930 Wherof he myhte hire herte glade, That sche the betre chiere made, Whan sche the glade wordes herde, Hou that hire housebonde ferde. And thus the trouthe was deceived With slih tresoun, which was received To hire which mente alle goode; For as the festes thanne stode, His Souper was ryht wel arraied. Bot yit he hath no word assaied[1410] 4940 To speke of love in no degre; Bot with covert soubtilite [Sidenote: =P. iii. 258=] His frendly speches he affaiteth, And as the Tigre his time awaiteth[1411] In hope forto cacche his preie. Whan that the bordes were aweie And thei have souped in the halle, He seith that slep is on him falle, And preith he moste go to bedde; And sche with alle haste spedde, 4950 So as hire thoghte it was to done, That every thing was redi sone. (5150*) Sche broghte him to his chambre tho And tok hire leve, and forth is go Into hire oghne chambre by, As sche that wende certeinly Have had a frend, and hadde a fo, Wherof fell after mochel wo. This tirant, thogh he lyhe softe, Out of his bed aros fulofte, 4960 And goth aboute, and leide his Ere To herkne, til that alle were To bedde gon and slepten faste. And thanne upon himself he caste A mantell, and his swerd al naked He tok in honde; and sche unwaked Abedde lay, but what sche mette, God wot; for he the Dore unschette So prively that non it herde, The softe pas and forth he ferde 4970 Unto the bed wher that sche slepte,[1412] Al sodeinliche and in he crepte, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 259=] And hire in bothe his Armes tok. With that this worthi wif awok, Which thurgh tendresce of wommanhiede Hire vois hath lost for pure drede, That o word speke sche ne dar: And ek he bad hir to be war, For if sche made noise or cry, He seide, his swerd lay faste by 4980 To slen hire and hire folk aboute. And thus he broghte hire herte in doute, That lich a Lomb whanne it is sesed In wolves mouth, so was desesed Lucrece, which he naked fond: Wherof sche swounede in his hond, And, as who seith, lay ded oppressed. And he, which al him hadde adresced To lust, tok thanne what him liste, And goth his wey, that non it wiste, 4990 Into his oghne chambre ayein, And clepede up his chamberlein, And made him redi forto ryde. And thus this lecherouse pride To horse lepte and forth he rod; And sche, which in hire bed abod, Whan that sche wiste he was agon, Sche clepede after liht anon And up aros long er the day, And caste awey hire freissh aray, 5000 As sche which hath the world forsake, And tok upon the clothes blake: (5200*) [Sidenote: =P. iii. 260=] And evere upon continuinge, Riht as men sen a welle springe, With yhen fulle of wofull teres, Hire her hangende aboute hire Eres, Sche wepte, and noman wiste why. Bot yit among full pitously Sche preide that thei nolden drecche Hire housebonde forto fecche 5010 Forth with hire fader ek also. Thus be thei comen bothe tuo, And Brutus cam with Collatin, Which to Lucrece was cousin, And in thei wenten alle thre To chambre, wher thei myhten se The wofulleste upon this Molde, Which wepte as sche to water scholde. The chambre Dore anon was stoke, Er thei have oght unto hire spoke; 5020 Thei sihe hire clothes al desguised, And hou sche hath hirself despised, Hire her hangende unkemd aboute, Bot natheles sche gan to loute And knele unto hire housebonde; And he, which fain wolde understonde The cause why sche ferde so, With softe wordes axeth tho, ‘What mai you be, mi goode swete?’ And sche, which thoghte hirself unmete 5030 And the lest worth of wommen alle, Hire wofull chiere let doun falle [Sidenote: =P. iii. 261=] For schame and couthe unnethes loke. And thei therof good hiede toke, And preiden hire in alle weie That sche ne spare forto seie Unto hir frendes what hire eileth, Why sche so sore hirself beweileth, And what the sothe wolde mene. And sche, which hath hire sorwes grene, 5040 Hire wo to telle thanne assaieth, Bot tendre schame hire word delaieth, That sondri times as sche minte[1413] To speke, upon the point sche stinte. And thei hire bidden evere in on To telle forth, and therupon, Whan that sche sih sche moste nede, Hire tale betwen schame and drede Sche tolde, noght withoute peine. And he, which wolde hire wo restreigne, 5050 Hire housebonde, a sory man, Conforteth hire al that he can, (5250*) And swor, and ek hire fader bothe, That thei with hire be noght wrothe Of that is don ayein hire wille; And preiden hire to be stille, For thei to hire have al foryive. But sche, which thoghte noght to live, Of hem wol no foryivenesse, And seide, of thilke wickednesse 5060 Which was unto hire bodi wroght, Al were it so sche myhte it noght, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 262=] Nevere afterward the world ne schal Reproeven hire; and forth withal, Er eny man therof be war, A naked swerd, the which sche bar Withinne hire Mantel priveli, Betwen hire hondes sodeinly Sche tok, and thurgh hire herte it throng, And fell to grounde, and evere among, 5070 Whan that sche fell, so as sche myhte, Hire clothes with hire hand sche rihte, That noman dounward fro the kne Scholde eny thing of hire se: Thus lay this wif honestely, Althogh she deide wofully. Tho was no sorwe forto seke: Hire housebonde, hire fader eke Aswoune upon the bodi felle; Ther mai no mannes tunge telle 5080 In which anguisshe that thei were. Bot Brutus, which was with hem there, Toward himself his herte kepte, And to Lucrece anon he lepte, The blodi swerd and pulleth oute, And swor the goddes al aboute That he therof schal do vengance. And sche tho made a contienance, Hire dedlich yhe and ate laste In thonkinge as it were up caste, 5090 And so behield him in the wise, Whil sche to loke mai suffise. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 263=] And Brutus with a manlich herte Hire housebonde hath mad up sterte Forth with hire fader ek also In alle haste, and seide hem tho That thei anon withoute lette A Beere for the body fette; Lucrece and therupon bledende He leide, and so forth out criende 5100 He goth into the Market place[1414] Of Rome: and in a litel space (5300*) Thurgh cry the cite was assembled, And every mannes herte is trembled,[1415] Whan thei the sothe herde of the cas. And therupon the conseil was Take of the grete and of the smale, And Brutus tolde hem al the tale; And thus cam into remembrance Of Senne the continuance, 5110 Which Arrons hadde do tofore, And ek, long time er he was bore, Of that his fadre hadde do[1416] The wrong cam into place tho; So that the comun clamour tolde The newe schame of Sennes olde. And al the toun began to crie, ‘Awey, awey the tirannie Of lecherie and covoitise!’ And ate laste in such a wise 5120 The fader in the same while Forth with his Sone thei exile, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 264=] And taken betre governance. Bot yit an other remembrance That rihtwisnesse and lecherie Acorden noght in compaignie With him that hath the lawe on honde, That mai a man wel understonde, As be a tale thou shalt wite, Of olde ensample as it is write.[1417] 5130

[Sidenote: [TALE OF VIRGINIA.]] At Rome whan that Apius, [Sidenote: Hic ponit exemplum super eodem,[1418] qualiter Liuius Virginius dux excercitus Romanorum vnicam filiam pulcherimam habens cum quodam nobili viro nomine Ilicio, vt ipsam in vxorem duceret, finaliter concordauit. Set interim Apius Claudius tunc[1419] Imperator virginis formositatem, vt eam violaret, concupiscens, occasiones quibus matrimonium impedire, ipsamque ad sui vsum apprehendere posset, subdola conspiracione fieri coniectauit. Et cum propositum sui desiderii productis falsis testibus in iudicio Imperator habere debuisset, pater tunc ibidem presens extracto gladio filie sue pectus mortali vulnere per medium transfodit, dicens: ‘Malo michi de filia mea virginem habere mortuam, quam in sui scandalum meretricem reseruare viuentem.’] Whos other name is Claudius, Was governour of the cite, Ther fell a wonder thing to se Touchende a gentil Maide, as thus,[1420] Whom Livius Virginius Begeten hadde upon his wif: Men seiden that so fair a lif As sche was noght in al the toun. This fame, which goth up and doun, 5140 To Claudius cam in his Ere, Wherof his thoght anon was there, Which al his herte hath set afyre, That he began the flour desire Which longeth unto maydenhede, And sende, if that he myhte spede The blinde lustes of his wille. Bot that thing mai he noght fulfille, For sche stod upon Mariage; A worthi kniht of gret lignage, 5150 Ilicius which thanne hihte, Acorded in hire fader sihte (5350*) [Sidenote: =P. iii. 265=] Was, that he scholde his douhter wedde. Bot er the cause fully spedde, Hire fader, which in Romanie The ledinge of chivalerie In governance hath undertake, Upon a werre which was take Goth out with al the strengthe he hadde Of men of Armes whiche he ladde: 5160 So was the mariage left,[1421] And stod upon acord til eft. The king, which herde telle of this, Hou that this Maide ordeigned is To Mariage, thoghte an other. And hadde thilke time a brother, Which Marchus Claudius was hote, And was a man of such riote Riht as the king himselve was: Thei tuo togedre upon this cas 5170 In conseil founden out this weie,[1422] That Marchus Claudius schal seie Hou sche be weie of covenant To his service appourtenant Was hol, and to non other man; And therupon he seith he can In every point witnesse take, So that sche schal it noght forsake. Whan that thei hadden schape so, After the lawe which was tho, 5180 Whil that hir fader was absent, Sche was somouned and assent[1423] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 266=] To come in presence of the king And stonde in ansuere of this thing.[1424] Hire frendes wisten alle wel That it was falshed everydel, And comen to the king and seiden, Upon the comun lawe and preiden, So as this noble worthi knyht Hir fader for the comun riht 5190 In thilke time, as was befalle, Lai for the profit of hem alle Upon the wylde feldes armed, That he ne scholde noght ben harmed Ne schamed, whil that he were oute; And thus thei preiden al aboute. For al the clamour that he herde, The king upon his lust ansuerde, And yaf hem only daies tuo Of respit; for he wende tho, 5200 That in so schorte a time appiere[1425] Hire fader mihte in no manere. (5400*) Bot as therof he was deceived; For Livius hadde al conceived The pourpos of the king tofore, So that to Rome ayein therfore[1426] In alle haste he cam ridende, And lefte upon the field liggende His host, til that he come ayein. And thus this worthi capitein 5210 Appiereth redi at his day, Wher al that evere reson may [Sidenote: =P. iii. 267=] Be lawe in audience he doth, So that his dowhter upon soth Of that Marchus hire hadde accused He hath tofore the court excused. The king, which sih his pourpos faile, And that no sleihte mihte availe, Encombred of his lustes blinde The lawe torneth out of kinde,[1427] 5220 And half in wraththe as thogh it were, In presence of hem alle there Deceived of concupiscence Yaf for his brother the sentence, And bad him that he scholde sese This Maide and make him wel at ese; Bot al withinne his oghne entente He wiste hou that the cause wente, Of that his brother hath the wyte He was himselven forto wyte. 5230 Bot thus this maiden hadde wrong, Which was upon the king along, Bot ayein him was non Appel, And that the fader wiste wel: Wherof upon the tirannie, That for the lust of Lecherie His douhter scholde be deceived, And that Ilicius was weyved Untrewly fro the Mariage,[1428] Riht as a Leon in his rage, 5240 Which of no drede set acompte And not what pite scholde amounte, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 268=] A naked swerd he pulleth oute, The which amonges al the route He threste thurgh his dowhter side, And al alowd this word he cride: ‘Lo, take hire ther, thou wrongfull king,[1429] For me is levere upon this thing To be the fader of a Maide, Thogh sche be ded, than if men saide 5250 That in hir lif sche were schamed[1430] And I therof were evele named.’ (5450*) Tho bad the king men scholde areste His bodi, bot of thilke heste, Lich to the chaced wylde bor, The houndes whan he fieleth sor, Tothroweth and goth forth his weie, In such a wise forto seie This worthi kniht with swerd on honde His weie made, and thei him wonde, 5260 That non of hem his strokes kepte; And thus upon his hors he lepte, And with his swerd droppende of blod,[1431] The which withinne his douhter stod, He cam ther as the pouer was Of Rome, and tolde hem al the cas, And seide hem that thei myhten liere[1432] Upon the wrong of his matiere,[1433] That betre it were to redresce At hom the grete unrihtwisnesse, 5270 Than forto werre in strange place And lese at hom here oghne grace. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 269=] For thus stant every mannes lif In jeupartie for his wif Or for his dowhter, if thei be[1434] Passende an other of beaute. Of this merveile which thei sihe So apparant tofore here yhe, Of that the king him hath misbore,[1435] Here othes thei have alle swore 5280 That thei wol stonde be the riht. And thus of on acord upriht To Rome at ones hom ayein Thei torne, and schortly forto sein, This tirannye cam to mouthe, And every man seith what he couthe, So that the prive tricherie, Which set was upon lecherie, Cam openly to mannes Ere; And that broghte in the comun feere, 5290 That every man the peril dradde Of him that so hem overladde. Forthi, er that it worse falle,[1436] Thurgh comun conseil of hem alle Thei have here wrongfull king deposed, And hem in whom it was supposed The conseil stod of his ledinge[1437] Be lawe unto the dom thei bringe, Wher thei receiven the penance That longeth to such governance. 5300 And thus thunchaste was chastised, Wherof thei myhte ben avised (5500*) [Sidenote: =P. iii. 270=] That scholden afterward governe, And be this evidence lerne, Hou it is good a king eschuie The lust of vice and vertu suie.

[Sidenote: [TOBIAS AND SARA.]] To make an ende in this partie, Which toucheth to the Policie [Sidenote: Hic inter alia castitatis regimen concernencia loquitur quomodo Matrimonium, cuius status Sacramentum, quasi continenciam equiperans, eciam honeste delectacionis regimine moderari debet. Et narrat in exemplum, qualiter pro eo quod illi vii.^{tem} viri, qui Sarre Raguelis filie magis propter concupiscenciam quam propter matrimonium voluptuose nupserunt, vnus post alium omnes prima nocte a demone Asmodeo singillatim iugulati interierunt.] Of Chastite in special, As for conclusion final 5310 That every lust is to eschue Be gret ensample I mai argue: Hou in Rages a toun of Mede Ther was a Mayde, and as I rede, Sarra sche hihte, and Raguel Hir fader was; and so befell, Of bodi bothe and of visage Was non so fair of the lignage, To seche among hem alle, as sche; Wherof the riche of the cite, 5320 Of lusti folk that couden love, Assoted were upon hire love, And asken hire forto wedde. On was which ate laste spedde, Bot that was more for likinge, To have his lust, than for weddinge, As he withinne his herte caste, Which him repenteth ate laste. For so it fell the ferste nyht, That whanne he was to bedde dyht, 5330 As he which nothing god besecheth Bot al only hise lustes secheth, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 271=] Abedde er he was fully warm And wolde have take hire in his Arm, Asmod, which was a fend of helle, And serveth, as the bokes telle,[1438] To tempte a man of such a wise,[1439] Was redy there, and thilke emprise, Which he hath set upon delit, He vengeth thanne in such a plit, 5340 That he his necke hath writhe atuo.[1440] This yonge wif was sory tho, Which wiste nothing what it mente; And natheles yit thus it wente Noght only of this ferste man,[1441] Bot after, riht as he began, Sexe othre of hire housebondes Asmod hath take into hise bondes,[1442] So that thei alle abedde deiden, Whan thei her hand toward hir leiden, 5350 Noght for the lawe of Mariage, Bot for that ilke fyri rage (5550*) In which that thei the lawe excede: For who that wolde taken hiede What after fell in this matiere, Ther mihte he wel the sothe hiere. Whan sche was wedded to Thobie, And Raphael in compainie Hath tawht him hou to ben honeste, Asmod wan noght at thilke feste, 5360 And yit Thobie his wille hadde; For he his lust so goodly ladde, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 272=] That bothe lawe and kinde is served, Wherof he hath himself preserved, That he fell noght in the sentence. O which an open evidence[1443] Of this ensample a man mai se, That whan likinge in the degre [Sidenote: [CHASTITY.]] Of Mariage mai forsueie, Wel oghte him thanne in other weie 5370 Of lust to be the betre avised. For god the lawes hath assissed Als wel to reson as to kinde, Bot he the bestes wolde binde Only to lawes of nature, Bot to the mannes creature God yaf him reson forth withal, Wherof that he nature schal Upon the causes modefie,[1444] [Sidenote: Nota.[1445]] That he schal do no lecherie, 5380 And yit he schal hise lustes have. So ben the lawes bothe save And every thing put out of sclandre;[1446] As whilom to king Alisandre The wise Philosophre tawhte, Whan he his ferste lore cawhte, Noght only upon chastete, Bot upon alle honestete;[1447] Wherof a king himself mai taste, Hou trewe, hou large, hou joust, hou chaste 5390 Him oghte of reson forto be, Forth with the vertu of Pite,[1448] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 273=] Thurgh which he mai gret thonk deserve Toward his godd, that he preserve Him and his poeple in alle welthe Of pes, richesse, honour and helthe Hier in this world and elles eke. [Sidenote: Confessor.] Mi Sone, as we tofore spieke In schrifte, so as thou me seidest, And for thin ese, as thou me preidest, 5400 Thi love throghes forto lisse, That I thee wolde telle and wisse (5600*) The forme of Aristotles lore, I have it seid, and somdiel more Of othre ensamples, to assaie If I thi peines myhte allaie Thurgh eny thing that I can seie.[1449] [Sidenote: Amans.] Do wey, mi fader, I you preie: Of that ye have unto me told I thonke you a thousendfold. 5410 The tales sounen in myn Ere,[1450] Bot yit myn herte is elleswhere, I mai miselve noght restreigne, That I nam evere in loves peine: Such lore couthe I nevere gete, Which myhte make me foryete O point, bot if so were I slepte,[1451] That I my tydes ay ne kepte To thenke of love and of his lawe; That herte can I noght withdrawe. 5420 Forthi, my goode fader diere, Lef al and speke of my matiere[1452] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 274=] Touchende of love, as we begonne: If that ther be oght overronne Or oght foryete or left behinde Which falleth unto loves kinde,[1453] Wherof it nedeth to be schrive, Nou axeth, so that whil I live I myhte amende that is mys. [Sidenote: Confessor.] Mi goode diere Sone, yis. 5430 Thi schrifte forto make plein, Ther is yit more forto sein Of love which is unavised. Bot for thou schalt be wel avised Unto thi schrifte as it belongeth, A point which upon love hongeth And is the laste of alle tho, I wol thee telle, and thanne ho.

=Explicit Liber Septimus.=

FOOTNOTES:

[927] 13 þi time AdBTΔ, K (þe tymes lasse C)

[928] 15 drowe AM

[929] 25 matier AdBT

[930] 28 Declared AdBT

[931] 29 thre] þe H₁, AdBT, W

[932] 56 And þat AM ... B₂

[933] Latin Verses ii. 2 capit AdBT, W

[934] 87 is thilke] þis ilke H₁ ... B₂

[935] 89 S resumes

[936] 92 thre] þe AMH₁XRLB₂

[937] 108 The god] And he B The T He Ad

[938] 109 That] And AdBT

[939] 119 By chief AM ... C, W þe cheef L

[940] 161 experience M ... B₂, Δ

[941] 177 margin vocat A ... B₂ (except E)

[942] 190 The F

[943] 207 margin interim om. BΔ

[944] 236 ther ne] þerþe (the erthe &c.) ne AMH₁XGEL þerþe (om. ne) C erþe ne R line om. W

[945] 257 lyfliche AM liueliche W lif iche H₁ fissche Δ

[946] 262 Noman S, F

[947] 269 the om. AM

[948] 275 And B

[949] 298 is vpdrawe (vp drawe) C, AdBT, W

[950] 300 vpon alofte AM vp alofte T, Δ

[951] 303 befalle H₁EC, SAdB, W

[952] 319 margin hic om. A ... B₂, B, W (Nota hic om. Δ)

[953] 323 fyry drake E, BT

[954] 330 exaltaciouns AM

[955] 336 falle doun to gr.] doun (downe) to þe gr. (om. falle) AM ... B₂ falle doun to þe grounde J, T, W (thre grounde T)

[956] 339 exaltacioun AMH₁

[957] 361 Daily H₁ Baaly CL

[958] 365 forme AdBT

[959] 368 hou it om. Ad T it B

[960] 374 sond(ė) AMXGERCB₂

[961] 393 The CL Be AdT

[962] 429 fyr] ferst B firþ Ad

[963] 438 be hote AJMH₁XL, AdTΔ, K

[964] 445 chele] cold(e) AM ... B₂

[965] 449 margin est om. B

[966] 451 þe cold AdBT

[966m] 451 margin domus J, SB, F domus est ACB₂ &c.

[967] 456 his AdBT hyȝe X

[968] 464 margin cordi om. AM ... B₂

[969] 469 chief om. H₁ ... B₂ (is chief om. R)

[970] 478 increacioun AM ... B₂, W

[971] 480 Ordeineþ AH₁ ... B₂ Ordeyne M

[972] 483 forto] to AM

[973] 492 hath] þat AM ... B₂

[974] 508 haþ AMH₁, AdBTΔ, WK

[975] 510 fleissh(e) may H₁XRCLB₂ fleissh may him E

[976] 521 be told JGC, B betold (bitold) A, S, F

[977] 525 priuely AJM pleinly B₂

[978] 528 bookes B

[979] 541 Middelerþe (middelerþe) J, S, F myddel erþe AC, B

[980] 546 Cam AJ, F Cham C, SB

[981] 552 himselue AJM

[982] 575 margin Aufrica AJC, F Affrica SB

[983] 578 Vnto S ... Δ

[984] 584 Which AJC, F Whiche SB

[985] 597 haleth] lakkeþ AdBTΛ

[986] 620 Which AJ, S, F Whiche B

[987] 621 good JC, SB goode A, F

[988] 628 Alle oþre AJ, S, F Alle (Al) oþer EC, B

[989] Latin Verses iv. 4 quod H₁ ... B₂, B quis T

[990] 672 knowechi_n_ge F

[991] 684 tho] þe JXGL, AdBTΔ, K (þo S)

[992] 685 Paragr. in MSS at 686

[993] 694 Bot þorizonte FWK Be (By) þorizonte SAdBTΔΛ But (Bot) zorizonte AMYXGERCB₂ Bot þorughout (þurgh out &c.) JH₁L

[994] 717 it tawhte (taughte) A ... B₂

[995] 724 schal beknowe SΔ, FK

[996] 736 fulwonne FK rest ful wonne

[997] 769 and om. AMH₁XGR

[998] 798 wantounesse JC, B, F wantonnesse S wantonesse T

[999] 911 that] þe AMH₁G, AdBT, W

[1000] 933 vpon] whan AM

[1001] 935 f. margin De septima--dictus est om. B

[1002] 936 þe AM ... B₂, AdΔ

[1003] 956 bryht (bright) S ... Δ

[1004] 962 margin assequitur H₁E ... B₂ asseruntur X

[1005] 978 as it] and it E, AdBT it XL

[1006] 983 margin adesse H₁XGECR, SBΔ, W (Lat. om. JM, AdT)

[1007] 979-982 Four lines om. B

[1008] 984 þe beste AM ... B₂ his brest W

[1009] 1007 out of AdBT and of W

[1010] 1017 is om. AdBT

[1011] 1019 hous of AM

[1012] 1027 tuo] moo (mo) AM ... B₂

[1013] 1033 of o kynde H₁ERCB₂ of kynde XL

[1014] 1044 Hise F

[1015] 1058 be bore] bifore (before) AdBT

[1016] 1079 Monthe om. B

[1017] 1095 cold om. AdBT

[1018] 1100 Augst applied T, F August applied A ... B₂ (except E). SAdΔ, WK August plyed E, B

[1019] 1116 this] þe AMH₁XGRLB₂

[1020] 1148 To ... bore AMX ... L To ... lore B₂

[1021] 1163 he] it A ... B₂

[1022] 1181 f. formes ... enformes AdBT

[1023] 1223 unto] and to B

[1024] 1229 his signe AdBT

[1025] 1260 þe point AM ... B₂

[1026] 1261 Constantyn noble þe cite H₁XERCL Constantyne þe noble cite B₂

[1027] 1266 Aries haþ H₁ ... B₂

[1028] 1280 hihe] sihe (seye) BT

[1029] 1287 moist AJ, S, F moiste B

[1030] 1321 Is hette AM it hatteth Δ monþes BT mannes W

[1031] 1346 margin Berillis A ... B₂, W

[1032] 1361 as þe scole (om. seith) AMH₁XRLB₂ after þis scole E (as seiþ þe scole JGC)

[1033] 1372 margin Honochinus om. AM

[1034] 1383 grene] grete B, W

[1035] 1393 ellefþe JC, S, F elleþe A elleueþe B

[1036] 1400 him calleþ R, AdBT

[1037] 1404 margin Topaxion H₁ ... B₂

[1038] 1406 Topaxion (topaxione) H₁ ... CB₂ to paxione L

[1039] 1412 margin Astrologia (astrologia) A ... B₂, BΔ, H₃

[1040] 1413 Astrologie (astrologie) MH₁E, BΔ, H₃

[1041] 1445 which AJ, S, F whiche B

[1042] 1464 palmestrie H₁ ... B₂

[1043] 1473 Habraham JX, F rest Abraham

[1044] 1477 this] his AdBT

[1045] 1490 aren] been (ben) A ... B₂, W

[1046] 1493 such a wise MH₁CL, T, H₃

[1047] Latin Verses v. 1 sermones H₁ ... B₂, B

[1048] 4 pulcra AdBT

[1049] 1530 ferste A, S, F ferst (first) JC, B

[1050] 1545 in gras H₁CLB₂, W

[1051] 1574 and fo A ... B₂, AdT

[1052] 1577 þe worldes A ... B₂, BΔ

[1053] 1588 þis lore A ... B₂

[1054] 1589 his] þe AdBT

[1055] 1596 Tak (Taak) AC, SB Take J, F

[1056] 1597 and of AMR

[1057] 1618 he] me_n_ A me M

[1058] 1619 iugge AdBT

[1059] 1640 trewman AC, S, F trewe man B

[1060] Latin Verses vi. 4 Hec FKH₃Magd Ex A ... B₂, S ... ΔΛ, W regit BTΛ gerit Ad

[1061] 1651 ferst AJ, S, F ferste (firste) C, B

[1062] 1666 that om. AM ... B₂

[1063] 1670 Belongeþ to Icon. AM ... B₂

[1064] 1671 honeste M ... B₂ (except C), SΔ, WH₃

[1065] 1681 hih] his B

[1066] 1688 of] al AdBT

[1067] 1690 eek C, B eke (eeke) A, F

[1068] 1695 hou om. AM

[1069] 1698 þe staat (state) AMB₂, W þe estate R

[1070] 1711 behoveth] bilongeþ X, AdBT

[1071] 1718 margin existat AM ... B₂

[1072] 1718 are] been (ben) A ... B₂

[1073] 1744 wolde B

[1074] 1749 be wel A ... B₂ (except H₁ welbe)

[1075] 1751 margin Nota--designantur om. R, B, H₃

[1076] 1769 his worldes H₁ ... B₂

[1077] 1770 goode om. AM

[1078] 1789 as] and A ... B₂

[1079] 1791 And for he AM ... B₂

[1080] 1792 wisemen S, F wise men AJC, B

[1081] 1793 on] in AM ... C of L

[1082] 1795 margin asserit B

[1083] 1797 which A, F whiche B

[1084] 1800 Arpaphes AMH₁XCLB₂ Araphes R

[1085] 1805 he triste] þat trist(e) AM he trusteth Δ

[1086] 1815 anssuere F

[1087] 1836 of lord] a lord E, AdBT, W

[1088] 1842 þe S, FW a AC, B

[1089] 1882 I sih AdBT

[1090] 1883 And for AM

[1091] 1884 of Besaxis H₁XRCB₂ and Besaxis L

[1092] 1902 þe womman J, BT

[1093] 1932 Of] And M, AdBT

[1094] 1942 The A ... B₂

[1095] 1978 the om. J, AdBT

[1096] 1980 therupon] vpon AM

[1097] Latin Verses viii. 2 Eius FKH₃Magd rest Cuius

[1098] 1992 margin subditi omni] sub dicionu_m_ (subdicionu_m_) A ... B₂, B

[1099] 2015 bitwene (betwen) more AM ... B₂, Δ, WH₃

[1100] 2021 and pile] no pile AM

[1101] 2043 Paragr. here J, SB, F &c.

[1102] 2067 margin reuelare AM om. C

[1103] 2077 do] to H₁ ... B₂, AdBT

[1104] 2078 lawe AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1105] 2093 list (luste) to H₁EB₂, AdBT

[1106] 2106 vnto H₁ ... B₂, AdBT

[1107] 2122 king om. AM

[1108] 2128 which] þat AM ... B₂

[1109] 2140 Bilongeþ AdBT

[1110] 2150 margin Nota--Aristotilem om. BΔ secundum Aristotilem om. S

[1111] 2155 margin Seneca] Salomon B

[1112] 2158 been (ben) A ... B₂

[1113] 2198 not A, F noght S nought J, B

[1114] 2199 margin Tercio contra populum om. B, W

[1115] 2219 ff. margin Hic contra--deberes] Hic loquitur super eodem, et narrat quod, cum Diogenes et Arisippus philosophi a scolis Athenarum ad Cartaginem, vnde orti fuerant, reuertissent, Arisippus curie principis sui familiaris adhesit, Diogenes vero in quodam mansiunculo suo studio vacans permansit. Et contigit quod, cum ipse quodam die ad finem orti (ortus S) sui super ripam herbas quas elegerat (eligerat S) ad olera lauasset, superuenit ex casu Arisippus, dixitque ei, ‘O Diogenes, certe si Principi tuo placere scires, tu ad olera tua lauanda non indigeres.’ Cui ille respondit, ‘O Arisippe, certe si tu olera tua lauare scires, te in blandiciis et adulacionibus principi tuo seruire non oporteret.’ SBΔΛ (Lat. om. AdT)

[1116] 2243 and takþ B

[1117] 2251 and] and wiþ AM, Δ

[1118] 2262 þastat B

[1119] 2282 satte S, F sate W sat J, AdBT sitte (sit) AMH₁XGC sette (set) ERLB₂, Δ, H₃

[1120] 2294 so] þo GLB₂, AdBT, W

[1121] 2318 sein B sayne W

[1122] 2329 Bot] And AdBTΛ

[1123] 2330 Bot wher] And wher AM ... B₂ Wher now AdBTΛ

[1124] 2329*-2340* only in AdBTΛ (not SΔ)

[1125] 2332* seid T sayd B

[1126] 2331 euery AdBT

[1127] 2335 him wolde S ... Δ, W

[1128] 2337 as om. AM ... B₂ (except C)

[1129] 2352 is yit] it is C, AdBT

[1130] 2357 ff. margin Hic narrat--aduersabitur] Hic eciam contra vicium adulacionis ponit exemplum: et narrat quod, cum nuper Romanorum imperator contra suos hostes victoriam optinuisset, et cum palma triumphi (triumphe S) in vrbem redire debuisset, ne ipsum inanis glorie altitudo superextolleret, licitum fuit pro illo die quod vnusquisque peiora que sue condicionis agnosceret in aures suas apercius exclamaret, vt sic gaudium cum dolore compesceret, et adulantum voces, sique fuerant, pro minimo computaret. SBΔΛ (Lat. om. AdT)

[1131] 2363 eny om. AM

[1132] 2376 of loond A

[1133] 2377 margin fortunata A ... B₂

[1134] 2378 margin fuerit] fuit B₂ sint H₁ ... L

[1135] 2379 margin forte om. AM tokne S ... Δ

[1136] 2384 word(e) AMXLB₂

[1137] 2409 that] his B

[1138] 2412 it om. J, AdBT

[1139] 2414 ff. margin Hic eciam--reprimeret] Hic ponit exemplum super eodem; et narrat quod eodem die quo imperator intronizatus in palacio suo regio ad conuiuium in maiori leticia sedisset, ministri sui sculptores coram ipso procederent alta voce dicentes, ‘O imperator, die nobis cuius forme et vbi tumbam sculpture tue faciemus,’ vt sic morte remorsus huius vite blandicias obtemperaret, SBΔΛ but procederant SBΛ (Lat. om. AdT)

[1140] 2424 Disour] Gestour AM ... B₂

[1141] 2428 be om. AM

[1142] 2434 thing] king B₂, AdBT

[1143] 2444 Tho took AdB Sto cok T

[1144] 2460 be om. AM

[1145] 2461 as] and A

[1146] 2464 do worschipe] worschiped AdBT

[1147] 2469 boþe (both) AM ... B₂, AdBΔ, W

[1148] 2486 if om. AM, Δ

[1149] 2530 Irahel (Irael) J, S, FK rest Israel

[1150] 2536 margin adulatis A ... B₂

[1151] 2540 Irahel (Irael) AJ, S, FK rest Israel

[1152] 2546 fro BT

[1153] 2560 trew S, F trewe AC, B

[1154] 2562 I schal AM

[1155] 2594 Ther is on] is þer non B is þer on T

[1156] 2598 liked S ... Δ, W

[1157] 2609 þer S ... Δ

[1158] 2619 him AMX ... B₂, K

[1159] 2622 his] þe H₁, S ... Δ

[1160] 2633 this] þi S ... Δ

[1161] 2637 miht (might) JC, B mihte A, S, F

[1162] 2641 S has lost two leaves (ll. 2641-3004)

[1163] 2657 Irahel (Irael) J, FK rest Israel

[1164] 2689 flatering AdBT

[1165] 2691 euermore JM, B forthermore W

[1166] 2698 margin regiminis] Regis AM, BT, FW legis H₁ ... B₂ siue regis Δ (Lat. om. J, Ad, K)

[1167] 2710 lorde AH₁ lordeþ M

[1168] 2747 do] to AM

[1169] 2750 disputacioun AM ... B₂

[1170] 2762 menable AXG, FW moeuable (moueable &c.) H₁E, AdBT, K meuable (?) JMRCLB₂, Δ

[1171] 2775 Enclynd (Enclined) H₁ ... B₂, W

[1172] 2792 in to his AM ... B₂

[1173] 2794 putte AC, B put F

[1174] 2806 whiche AJ, B which C, F

[1175] 2814 non] anon MCB₂ (p. m.) gon E

[1176] 2840 good AdBT

[1177] 2850 f.

That euery man be wepenles That come in to &c. H₁ ... B₂

[1178] 2857 lest] heer (here) AM ... B₂

[1179] 2858 Thus AM

[1180] 2863 igerd (I gerde &c.) AM ... B₂

[1181] 2887 he om. B

[1182] (2889-2916 om. R)

[1183] 2900 vpon H₁ ... B₂

[1184] 2920 margin qui om. BT

[1185] 2926 margin subditos suos om. A ... B₂

[1186] 2938 margin delegatur BT

[1187] 2951 and om. A (p. m.)

[1188] 2967 no man JC, B noman A, F

[1189] 2977 as] and AdBT

[1190] 2989 ȝe wol AdBT I wold Δ

[1191] 2993 swere H₁ ... B₂, Ad, WK

[1192] 3000 lest] heer (here) AM ... B₂

[1193] 3003 schop (schoop) AJC, B schope F

[1194] 3005 S resumes

[1195] 3020 which AC, S, F whiche B

[1196] 3040 to om. A ... CB₂

[1197] 3060 hadde AdBT

[1198] 3063 such JC, SB suche A, F

[1199] 3086 he lad AM, Δ he bad B₂

[1200] 3088 To do H₁ ... B₂

[1201] Latin Verses x. 2 vbi H₁ ... B₂

[1202] 3110 margin graciosius H₁ ... B₂, W

[1203] 3122 margin No_ta_ F om. AC, B

[1204] 3135 Philosophre] holy book BTΛ

[1205] 3149*-3180* Only in BTΛ (Ad defective). Text follows B

[1206] 3150* scholde] þ_at_ scholde T

[1207] 3163* þis tale T

[1208] 3137-3162 Placed after 3360* in SΔ

[1209] 3142 ff. margin Troianus--proponebat om. BT

[1210] 3143 This A, F Thus B

[1211] 3148 conseilleir F

[1212] 3159 pitous (petous) JH₁LB₂, Δ, W piteous R piteuous X

[1213] 3207*-3360* Only in SAdBTΔΛ (Ad defective to l. 3269*). Text follows S

[1214] 3222* margin pietatem om. B

[1215] 3223* marg. excerciam S

[1216] 3228* marg. pro tempore om. BT

[1217] 3231* marg. asinum sibi restitui BTΛ

[1218] 3234* marg. nocumentum S nocumenta B

[1219] 3244* marg. quadam valle BT

[1220] 3251* margin after decreuit B adds et cum o_mn_i sui cordis i_n_timo deo gr_aci_as egit

[1221] 3212* betwene S

[1222] 3220* art] arþ S

[1223] 3232* I om. BT

[1224] 3242* And T

[1225] 3256* Boþoghte S

[1226] 3265* vnneþes T

[1227] 3278* On þis on þat AdBTΛ

[1228] 3283* rod] goþ T

[1229] 3292* Iuerie AdT Iewerie B Iurie S

[1230] 3305* dom (doom) AdBT dome S

[1231] 3311* made SAdBΔΛ mad T

[1232] 3312* whan B

[1233] 3327* hol BT hole SAd

[1234] 3339* lond AdBT londe S

[1235] 3342* discretely S

[1236] 3348* many wise AdB

[1237] After 3360* ins. 3137-3162 SΔ rest proceed with 3163 ff.

[1238] 3176 margin se] seipsum BT, H₃ eligere om. BT

[1239] 3174 if it so AM

[1240] 3186 his om. AM an W

[1241] 3198 thoghte to relieve] of his byleeue AM

[1242] 3218 in Ermonie AM

[1243] 3225 on his heed B

[1244] 3233 margin restuit F

[1245] 3235 and ful AM ... B₂

[1246] 3244 was] is ȝit S ... Δ

[1247] 3271 margin in om. H₁ ... B₂, BTΔ

[1248] 3274 margin in exemplum S ... Δ

[1249] 3279 margin in om. BT

[1250] 3270 with] þe XGERL by H₁ no B₂

[1251] 3271 pitous (petows) MH₁XLB₂, Δ, WH₃ piteuous AdT

[1252] 3276 al is SAdBT is Δ

[1253] 3279 of his ire Δ in his A in hie M

[1254] 3298 margin tiranni om. A ... B₂

[1255] 3298 To whom AM ... B₂, Ad Inne whom W hom Δ

[1256] 3326 this caste] it cast B is cast Ad, H₃ þis made A ... B₂

[1257] 3330 vnto AdBT to Δ

[1258] 3332 which] þat AM ... B₂

[1259] 3338 couenable AM ... R coueable L couable B₂ (C defect.)

[1260] 3340 ago (a go) H₁E, BΔ, WH₃

[1261] 3342 of] at A ... B₂ om. W

[1262] 3362 margin Iupiter om. BT

[1263] 3387 nature þis AdBT natures þus AM ... B₂

[1264] 3397 i tamed AM ... B₂

[1265] 3412 areste] haue reste AM

[1266] 3420 margin precipue om. A ... B₂

[1267] 3436 margin offerre A ... B₂ (offerri G, W)

[1268] 3423 hapned XERCB₂ papned L

[1269] 3429 to mannes b. AM ... B₂

[1270] 3432 as he by sente A as by sente M alle by dissent W

[1271] 3440 Til god S ... Δ

[1272] 3448 His AM

[1273] 3454 dydinge AM

[1274] 3464 hir(e) power H₁, BTΔ, W ouerpasse AM

[1275] 3465 With] By AM ... B₂

[1276] 3476 tobrieken S, F tobreken (to breken) AJC, B

[1277] 3483 of om. AM

[1278] 3484 no] not (noght) AM ... B₂ (except E)

[1279] 3505 f. him ... him AdBT, W

[1280] 3510 him om. AM ... B₂, Δ

[1281] 3523 Why] Wiþ AdBT

[1282] 3530 Knighthode R, B, W

[1283] 3551 þogh it be lich to a fable A þoght it be lich a fable M

[1284] 3556 And wonder dredful noise it made AdBT

[1285] 3574 hield (heeld) A, S, F heelde (helde) C, B helden J

[1286] 3575 causa F

[1287] 3589 and reste AM ... B₂

[1288] 3592 wher of þat his knighthede H₁ ... B₂ wher of his knyhthede AM, AdΔ, H₃ (knythlihiede F)

[1289] 3607 hardinesse R, AdBTΔ, W

[1290] 3615 forþere (forþre, forþer) AM ... B₂ (forþe X)

[1291] 3628 Irahel (Irael) J, S, F rest Israel

[1292] 3639 hem L, S ... Δ he A ... CB₂, Λ, FWKMagd

[1293] 3641 thre] these W

[1294] 3652 delit(e) H₁ ... B₂, W

[1295] 3672 out om. AdBT

[1296] 3677 my lust AM

[1297] 3683 nomo JC, S, F no mo(o) A, B

[1298] 3688 which] þat AM ... B₂

[1299] 3689 scholde AdBT

[1300] 3692 his] þis AM ... B₂, AdBTΔ, Magd

[1301] 3701 he ferde] aferde AM

[1302] 3704 slep] sweuen(e) AM ... L (slep G)

[1303] 3716 his host E, B, Magd

[1304] 3727 despeir AJMH₁RLB₂, AdBTΔ, W

[1305] 3728 schullen B

[1306] 3748 his] þis H₁G, BΔ

[1307] 3752 per] þe AdBT þair L

[1308] 3763 forto] þo to AM B₂ to W

[1309] 3773 hole J, S, F holly AC, B

[1310] 3797 what þat AM ... B₂

[1311] 3800 in] and AM ... RLB₂

[1312] 3819 myht (might) AC, B myhte (mihte) J, S, F

[1313] 3854 flen (fle) SΔ

[1314] 3861 non F

[1315] 3902 I my regne] I may regne C, W I regne AdT in my regne H₁E in me regne XRLB₂

[1316] 3903 thi] þe AMC

[1317] 3984 wel þanne AMH₁, AdΔ wel than al W

[1318] 3989 al of þis BT of al þis Ad al this W

[1319] 3990 What tyme B

[1320] 4004 that] þe AdBT

[1321] 4020 thanne] þat A ... B₂

[1322] 4031 þe parlement AM

[1323] 4037 which þat H₁ ... B₂, BT, W þat Ad

[1324] 4044 to fore (tofore) AM ... B₂, W

[1325] 4081 þi (þy) right MH₁L, BΔ

[1326] 4091 him AM

[1327] 4092 a lyte S alyte (alite) AJC, B, F

[1328] 4093 þenkest take B

[1329] 4115 is om. FWK

[1330] 4123 Al Irahel (Irael) J, S, FK Al Israhel (Israel &c.) AM ... B₂, W Of Israel G, AdBT

[1331] 4160 is on] but oon (on &c.) AM ... B₂

[1332] 4161 oonly (only) AM ... B₂

[1333] 4174 bot] and AM ... B₂

[1334] 4183 How him were leuere AdBT

[1335] 4185 an hondred AM ... B₂

[1336] 4186 þus AdBT, W

[1337] 4194 good] god F

[1338] 4208 ferste (first &c.) AM ... B₂ fist Ad

[1339] 4212 þenk C, S, F þenke AJ, B

[1340] 4222 good] at home S ... Δ

[1341] 4239 firste (ferst &c.) H₁ ... B₂, W fist(e) M, Ad

[1342] 4245 hihe (hye) AJC, S, F hih B

[1343] 4262 set A, S, F sette C, B

[1344] 4266 wommen AM ... B₂, W

[1345] 4269 womman J, AdBT, W

[1346] 4277 it om. AdBTΔ (ins. S)

[1347] 4312 I] men S ... Δ

[1348] 4314 Sardanapallus E, Δ, W

[1349] 4316 marg. Sardanapallus ER, Δ, W

[1350] 4317 marg. mulieri A ... B₂ (except E)

[1351] 4322 marg. voluptati H₁ ... B₂

[1352] 4321 waxþ (waxeþ, wexeþ) A ... B₂, Δ, W

[1353] 4331 þer as ... þer as AM

[1354] 4336 how þat þe king AMLB₂ how þe k. H₁ ... C

[1355] 4357 many JC, SB manye A, F

[1356] 4362 that] it AM ... B₂

[1357] 4365 margin viuatur AM vincit W

[1358] 4367 margin mirum H₁ ... B₂

[1359] 4372 marg. stabilire A ... B₂

[1360] 4375 marg. tempore B₂, BT

[1361] 4378 marg. indefenbiles F

[1362] 4381 betidd S, F betidde AC, B be tid J

[1363] 4395 fleyssly F

[1364] 4402 put AJ, S, F putte C, B

[1365] 4408 margin hic om. BT

[1366] 4415 ff. margin contaminati--ceciderunt] contaminati sunt (om. graciam--ceciderunt) BT

[1367] 4411 Irael (Irahel) J, S, FK rest Israel

[1368] 4415 of ȝong age B

[1369] 4424 aboughte MH₁GE, AdBΔ

[1370] 4435 god om. A

[1371] 4471 þastat (þe astate) AdBT

[1372] 4492 of which B om. Ad

[1373] 4525 kut (kutt) AJC, S, F cutte B

[1374] 4526 toward] vnto AdBT

[1375] 4557 f. As more ... is told AdB As more ... tolde T

[1376] 4559 margin Aristotiles om. B

[1377] 4572 fille H₁ ... B₂ fulle AM

[1378] 4573 tho] þe H₁ ... B₂, AdΔ, W

[1379] 4574 Anthonie AJ, F Antonie S antoigne B

[1380] 4581 Antonie S Anthonie A Antoine J, B, F

[1381] 4595 margin nuper Rome] rome nuper BT nup_er_ A om. M

[1382] 4610 he hadde AM ... B₂

[1383] 4611 a] þe LB₂, Δ om. AM, T

[1384] 4628 ye me] I me AdBT

[1385] 4641 Whan þe lordes AM

[1386] 4646 The B₂, AdBT

[1387] 4662 þo he AdBT

[1388] 4688 told C, SB, F tolde A

[1389] 4737 ground F therthe] þer he AdBT þere (þer) H₁YXGERC, Λ

[1390] 4746 the] þat S ... Δ

[1391] 4754 Paragraph in MSS. at 4757

[1392] 4772 ther] þus B

[1393] 4780 Wher of (Wherof) AdBT, K

[1394] 4795 the om. A

[1395] 4796 þis ladyes B þeis ladis Ad þise lady (s erased) T

[1396] 4803 him AXGCR

[1397] 4810 were X, AdBT

[1398] 4812 seide B

[1399] 4814 swerd] schield (shelde) H₁, B

[1400] 4825 schulde (scholde) M, AdBT

[1401] 4832 dewe droppe AM, W

[1402] 4880 let GEC, AdBT

[1403] 4881 hir om. B her(e) H₁XR

[1404] 4886 liked SAdBT

[1405] 4887 in the dede] in dede AMXLB₂

[1406] 4914 And he AdBT

[1407] 4918 he lighte AdBT

[1408] 4920 he om. AdBT

[1409] 4929 þis wise AdBT

[1410] 4940 he om. AM

[1411] 4944 the om. AM a H₁

[1412] 4971 In to AdBT

[1413] 5043 f. minte ... stinte J, SB, F mente ... stente AEC

[1414] 5101 vnto X ... B₂

[1415] 5104 mannes herte trembled H₁ ... B₂, W manne herte trembled AM

[1416] 5113 fadre S, F fader AJC, B

[1417] 5130 olde ensample C, F old (oold) ensample AJ, B olde ensamples SΔ

[1418] 5133 margin super eodem om. B

[1419] 5140 margin tunc om. BT

[1420] 5135 and þus FWKMagd

[1421] 5161 þis Mariage SBTΔ

[1422] 5171 þe weie GB₂, S ... Δ

[1423] 5182 somo_u_ned (or som_m_oned) AJ, F somoned C, SB

[1424] 5184 stood (stode) H₁ ... B₂ stante W

[1425] 5201 schorte J, S, F schort AC, B

[1426] 5206 And þoughte to be þer þerfore H₁ ... B₂

[1427] 5220 torned AM ... B₂

[1428] 5239 fro] for J, AdBT

[1429] 5247 take (taake) AC, S, F tak J, B

[1430] 5251 aschamed ALM, Δ

[1431] 5263 Al with ... of blood T Al wiþ ... al blod B Wiþ ... al blode Ad

[1432] 5267 seide AJ, SB seid F

[1433] 5268 þis AMB₂

[1434] 5275 And for AdBT Or of W

[1435] 5279 haþ him AM, W

[1436] 5293 ffor þey B

[1437] 5327 withinne] which in AdBT

[1438] 5336 serued B

[1439] 5337 in such CRB₂

[1440] 5341 wriþe AJC, SB wriþ F

[1441] 5345 of] for AdBT

[1442] 5348 hise bondes J, S, FK his hondes H₁ ... B₂, AdTBΔ, WMagd hondes (om. his) AM

[1443] 5366 Of which AdBT, W O such H₁

[1444] 5379 cause AdBT

[1445] 5380 marg. Nota A, F om. C, B

[1446] 5383 put AJ, SB pit F

[1447] 5388 honeste H₁ ... B₂, Δ, WK

[1448] 5392 the om. AM

[1449] 5407 which I AdBT

[1450] 5411 so̅u̅n̅en F

[1451] 5417 S has lost two leaves (5417-viii. 336)

[1452] 5422 al om. H₁ ... B₂, AdBT

[1453] 5426 in to (into) AMB₂

Incipit Liber Octavus.

[Sidenote: [LECHERY.]] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 275=]

i. Que fauet ad vicium vetus hec modo regula confert, Nec nouus econtra qui docet ordo placet. Cecus amor dudum nondum sua lumina cepit, Quo Venus impositum deuia fallit iter.

The myhti god, which unbegunne Stant of himself and hath begunne [Sidenote: Postquam ad instanciam Amantis confessi Confessor Genius super hiis que Aristotiles Regem Alexandrum edocuit, vna cum aliarum Cronicarum exemplis seriose tractauit, iam vltimo in isto octauo volumine ad confessionem in amoris causa regrediens tractare proponit super hoc, quod nonnulli primordia nature ad libitum voluptuose consequentes, nullo humane racionis arbitrio seu ecclesie legum imposicione a suis excessibus debite refrenantur. Vnde quatenus amorem concernit Amantis conscienciam pro finali sue confessionis materia Genius rimari conatur.] Alle othre thinges at his wille, The hevene him liste to fulfille Of alle joie, where as he Sit inthronized in his See, And hath hise Angles him to serve, Suche as him liketh to preserve, So that thei mowe noght forsueie: Bot Lucifer he putte aweie, 10 With al the route apostazied Of hem that ben to him allied, Whiche out of hevene into the helle[1454] From Angles into fendes felle; Wher that ther is no joie of lyht, Bot more derk than eny nyht [Sidenote: =P. iii. 276=] The peine schal ben endeles; And yit of fyres natheles Ther is plente, bot thei ben blake, Wherof no syhte mai be take. 20 Thus whan the thinges ben befalle, That Luciferes court was falle Wher dedly Pride hem hath conveied, Anon forthwith it was pourveied Thurgh him which alle thinges may; [Sidenote: [THE ORIGIN OF MANKIND.]] He made Adam the sexte day In Paradis, and to his make Him liketh Eve also to make, And bad hem cresce and multiplie. For of the mannes Progenie, 30 Which of the womman schal be bore, The nombre of Angles which was lore, Whan thei out fro the blisse felle, He thoghte to restore, and felle In hevene thilke holy place Which stod tho voide upon his grace. Bot as it is wel wiste and knowe,[1455] Adam and Eve bot a throwe, So as it scholde of hem betyde, In Paradis at thilke tyde 40 Ne duelten, and the cause why, Write in the bok of Genesi, As who seith, alle men have herd, Hou Raphael the fyri swerd In honde tok and drof hem oute, To gete here lyves fode aboute [Sidenote: =P. iii. 277=] Upon this wofull Erthe hiere. Metodre seith to this matiere,[1456] As he be revelacion It hadde upon avision, 50 Hou that Adam and Eve also Virgines comen bothe tuo Into the world and were aschamed, Til that nature hem hath reclamed To love, and tauht hem thilke lore, That ferst thei keste, and overmore Thei don that is to kinde due, Wherof thei hadden fair issue. A Sone was the ferste of alle, And Chain be name thei him calle;[1457] 60 Abel was after the secounde, And in the geste as it is founde, Nature so the cause ladde, Tuo douhtres ek Dame Eve hadde, The ferste cleped Calmana Was, and that other Delbora. [Sidenote: [LAWS OF MARRIAGE.]] Thus was mankinde to beginne; Forthi that time it was no Sinne The Soster forto take hire brother, Whan that ther was of chois non other: 70 To Chain was Calmana betake,[1458] And Delboram hath Abel take,[1459] In whom was gete natheles Of worldes folk the ferste encres. Men sein that nede hath no lawe, And so it was be thilke dawe [Sidenote: =P. iii. 278=] And laste into the Secounde Age,[1460] Til that the grete water rage, Of Noë which was seid the flod,[1461] The world, which thanne in Senne stod, 80 Hath dreint, outake lyves Eyhte. Tho was mankinde of litel weyhte; Sem, Cham, Japhet, of these thre, That ben the Sones of Noë, The world of mannes nacion Into multiplicacion Was tho restored newe ayein So ferforth, as the bokes sein, That of hem thre and here issue Ther was so large a retenue, 90 Of naciouns seventy and tuo; In sondri place ech on of tho The wyde world have enhabited. Bot as nature hem hath excited, Thei token thanne litel hiede, The brother of the Sosterhiede To wedde wyves, til it cam Into the time of Habraham.[1462] Whan the thridde Age was begunne, The nede tho was overrunne,[1463] 100 For ther was poeple ynouh in londe: Thanne ate ferste it cam to honde, That Sosterhode of mariage Was torned into cousinage, So that after the rihte lyne The Cousin weddeth the cousine. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 279=] For Habraham, er that he deide, This charge upon his servant leide, To him and in this wise spak, That he his Sone Isaäc 110 Do wedde for no worldes good, Bot only to his oghne blod: Wherof this Servant, as he bad, Whan he was ded, his Sone hath lad To Bathuel, wher he Rebecke Hath wedded with the whyte necke; For sche, he wiste wel and syh, Was to the child cousine nyh. And thus as Habraham hath tawht, Whan Isaäc was god betawht, 120 His Sone Jacob dede also, And of Laban the dowhtres tuo, Which was his Em, he tok to wyve, And gat upon hem in his lyve, Of hire ferst which hihte Lie, Sex Sones of his Progenie, And of Rachel tuo Sones eke: The remenant was forto seke, That is to sein of foure mo, Wherof he gat on Bala tuo, 130 And of Zelpha he hadde ek tweie. And these tuelve, as I thee seie, Thurgh providence of god himselve Ben seid the Patriarkes tuelve; Of whom, as afterward befell, The tribes tuelve of Irahel[1464] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 280=] Engendred were, and ben the same That of Hebreus tho hadden name, Which of Sibrede in alliance For evere kepten thilke usance 140 Most comunly, til Crist was bore. Bot afterward it was forbore Amonges ous that ben baptized; For of the lawe canonized The Pope hath bede to the men,[1465] That non schal wedden of his ken Ne the seconde ne the thridde. Bot thogh that holy cherche it bidde,[1466] So to restreigne Mariage, Ther ben yit upon loves Rage 150 Full manye of suche nou aday That taken wher thei take may. For love, which is unbesein Of alle reson, as men sein, Thurgh sotie and thurgh nycete, Of his voluptuosite He spareth no condicion Of ken ne yit religion, Bot as a cock among the Hennes, Or as a Stalon in the Fennes, 160 Which goth amonges al the Stod, Riht so can he nomore good, Bot takth what thing comth next to honde. [Sidenote: Confessor.] Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde, That such delit is forto blame. Forthi if thou hast be the same [Sidenote: =P. iii. 281=] To love in eny such manere, Tell forth therof and schrif thee hiere. [Sidenote: Amans.] Mi fader, nay, god wot the sothe, Mi feire is noght of such a bothe,[1467] 170 So wylde a man yit was I nevere, That of mi ken or lief or levere Me liste love in such a wise: And ek I not for what emprise I scholde assote upon a Nonne, For thogh I hadde hir love wonne, It myhte into no pris amonte,[1468] So therof sette I non acompte. Ye mai wel axe of this and that, Bot sothli forto telle plat, 180 In al this world ther is bot on The which myn herte hath overgon; I am toward alle othre fre. Full wel, mi Sone, nou I see [Sidenote: Confessor.] Thi word stant evere upon o place,[1469] Bot yit therof thou hast a grace, That thou thee myht so wel excuse Of love such as som men use,[1470] So as I spak of now tofore. For al such time of love is lore, 190 And lich unto the bitterswete; For thogh it thenke a man ferst swete, He schal wel fielen ate laste That it is sour and may noght laste. For as a morsell envenimed, So hath such love his lust mistimed, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 282=] And grete ensamples manyon A man mai finde therupon.

[Sidenote: [EXAMPLES OF INCEST. CALIGULA.]] At Rome ferst if we beginne, Ther schal I finde hou of this sinne 200 [Sidenote: Hic loquitur contra illos, quos Venus sui desiderii feruore inflammans ita incestuosos efficit, vt neque propriis Sororibus parcunt. Et narrat exemplum, qualiter pro eo quod Gayus Caligula tres sorores suas virgines coitu illicito opressit, deus tanti sceleris peccatum impune[1471] non ferens ipsum non solum ab imperio set a vita iusticia vindice priuauit.[1472] Narrat eciam aliud exemplum super eodem, qualiter Amon filius Dauid fatui amoris concupiscencia preuentus, sororem suam Thamar a sue virginitatis pudicicia inuitam deflorauit, propter quod et ipse a fratre suo Absolon postea interfectus, peccatum sue mortis precio inuitus redemit.] An Emperour was forto blame, Gayus Caligula be name, Which of his oghne Sostres thre Berefte the virginite: And whanne he hadde hem so forlein,[1473] As he the which was al vilein, He dede hem out of londe exile. Bot afterward withinne a while God hath beraft him in his ire His lif and ek his large empire: 210 And thus for likinge of a throwe For evere his lust was overthrowe. Of this sotie also I finde, [Sidenote: [AMMON.]] Amon his Soster ayein kinde, Which hihte Thamar, he forlay; Bot he that lust an other day Aboghte, whan that Absolon His oghne brother therupon, Of that he hadde his Soster schent, Tok of that Senne vengement 220 And slowh him with his oghne hond: And thus thunkinde unkinde fond.

[Sidenote: [LOT AND HIS DAUGHTERS.]] And forto se more of this thing, The bible makth a knowleching, [Sidenote: Hic narrat, qualiter Loth duas filias suas ipsis consencientibus carnali copula cognouit, duosque ex eis filios, scilicet Moab et Amon, progenuit, quorum postea generacio praua et exasperans contra populum dei in terra saltim promissionis vario grauamine quam sepius insultabat.] Wherof thou miht take evidence Upon the sothe experience. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 283=] Whan Lothes wif was overgon And schape into the salte Ston,[1474] As it is spoke into this day, Be bothe hise dowhtres thanne he lay, 230 With childe and made hem bothe grete,[1475] Til that nature hem wolde lete, And so the cause aboute ladde That ech of hem a Sone hadde, Moab the ferste, and the seconde Amon, of whiche, as it is founde, Cam afterward to gret encres[1476] Tuo nacions: and natheles, For that the stockes were ungoode,[1477] The branches mihten noght be goode; 240 For of the false Moabites Forth with the strengthe of Amonites, Of that thei weren ferst misgete, The poeple of god was ofte upsete In Irahel and in Judee,[1478] As in the bible a man mai se. [Sidenote: Confessor.] Lo thus, my Sone, as I thee seie, Thou miht thiselve be beseie Of that thou hast of othre herd: [Sidenote: [INCEST.]] For evere yit it hath so ferd, 250 Of loves lust if so befalle That it in other place falle Than it is of the lawe set, He which his love hath so beset Mote afterward repente him sore. And every man is othres lore; [Sidenote: =P. iii. 284=] Of that befell in time er this[1479] The present time which now is May ben enformed hou it stod, And take that him thenketh good, 260 And leve that which is noght so. Bot forto loke of time go,[1480] Hou lust of love excedeth lawe, It oghte forto be withdrawe; For every man it scholde drede, And nameliche in his Sibrede, Which torneth ofte to vengance: Wherof a tale in remembrance, Which is a long process to hiere, I thenke forto tellen hiere. 270

[Sidenote: [APOLLONIUS OF TYRE.]] ii. Omnibus est communis amor, set et immoderatos Qui facit excessus, non reputatur amans. Sors tamen vnde Venus attractat corda, videre Que racionis erunt, non racione sinit.

[Sidenote: Hic loquitur adhuc contra incestuosos amantum coitus. Et narrat mirabile exemplum de magno Rege Antiocho, qui vxore mortua propriam filiam violauit: et quia filie Matrimonium penes alios impedire voluit, tale ab eo exiit edictum, quod si quis eam in vxorem peteret, nisi ipse prius[1481] quoddam problema questionis, quam ipse Rex proposuerat, veraciter solueret, capitali sentencia puniretur. Super quo veniens tandem discretus iuuenis princeps Tyri Appolinus questionem soluit; nec tamen filiam habere potuit, set Rex indignatus ipsum propter hoc in mortis odium recollegit. Vnde Appolinus a facie Regis fugiens, quam plura, prout inferius intitulantur, propter amorem pericla passus est.] Of a Cronique in daies gon, The which is cleped Pantheon, In loves cause I rede thus, Hou that the grete Antiochus, Of whom that Antioche tok His ferste name, as seith the bok, Was coupled to a noble queene, And hadde a dowhter hem betwene: Bot such fortune cam to honde, That deth, which no king mai withstonde, 280 Bot every lif it mote obeie, This worthi queene tok aweie. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 285=] The king, which made mochel mone, Tho stod, as who seith, al him one Withoute wif, bot natheles His doghter, which was piereles Of beaute, duelte aboute him stille. Bot whanne a man hath welthe at wille, The fleissh is frele and falleth ofte, And that this maide tendre and softe, 290 Which in hire fadres chambres duelte,[1482] Withinne a time wiste and felte: For likinge and concupiscence[1483] Withoute insihte of conscience The fader so with lustes blente, That he caste al his hole entente His oghne doghter forto spille. This king hath leisir at his wille[1484] With strengthe, and whanne he time sih, This yonge maiden he forlih: 300 And sche was tendre and full of drede, Sche couthe noght hir Maidenhede Defende, and thus sche hath forlore The flour which sche hath longe bore. It helpeth noght althogh sche wepe, For thei that scholde hir bodi kepe Of wommen were absent as thanne; And thus this maiden goth to manne, The wylde fader thus devoureth His oghne fleissh, which non socoureth,[1485] 310 And that was cause of mochel care. Bot after this unkinde fare [Sidenote: =P. iii. 286=] Out of the chambre goth the king, And sche lay stille, and of this thing, Withinne hirself such sorghe made, Ther was no wiht that mihte hir glade, For feere of thilke horrible vice. With that cam inne the Norrice Which fro childhode hire hadde kept, And axeth if sche hadde slept, 320 And why hire chiere was unglad. Bot sche, which hath ben overlad Of that sche myhte noght be wreke, For schame couthe unethes speke; And natheles mercy sche preide With wepende yhe and thus sche seide: ‘Helas, mi Soster, waileway, That evere I sih this ilke day! Thing which mi bodi ferst begat Into this world, onliche that 330 Mi worldes worschipe hath bereft.’ With that sche swouneth now and eft, And evere wissheth after deth, So that welnyh hire lacketh breth. That other, which hire wordes herde, In confortinge of hire ansuerde, To lette hire fadres fol desir[1486] Sche wiste no recoverir: Whan thing is do, ther is no bote, So suffren thei that suffre mote; 340 Ther was non other which it wiste. Thus hath this king al that him liste [Sidenote: =P. iii. 287=] Of his likinge and his plesance, And laste in such continuance, And such delit he tok therinne, Him thoghte that it was no Sinne; And sche dorste him nothing withseie. Bot fame, which goth every weie, To sondry regnes al aboute The grete beaute telleth oute 350 Of such a maide of hih parage: So that for love of mariage The worthi Princes come and sende, As thei the whiche al honour wende,[1487] And knewe nothing hou it stod.[1488] The fader, whanne he understod, That thei his dowhter thus besoghte, With al his wit he caste and thoghte[1489] Hou that he myhte finde a lette; And such a Statut thanne he sette, 360 And in this wise his lawe he taxeth, That what man that his doghter axeth,[1490] Bot if he couthe his question Assoile upon suggestion Of certein thinges that befelle, The whiche he wolde unto him telle, He scholde in certein lese his hed. And thus ther weren manye ded, Here hevedes stondende on the gate, Till ate laste longe and late, 370 For lacke of ansuere in the wise,[1491] The remenant that weren wise [Sidenote: =P. iii. 288=] Eschuieden to make assay. [Sidenote: De aduentu Appolini in Antiochiam, vbi ipse filiam Regis Antiochi in vxorem postulauit.] Til it befell upon a day Appolinus the Prince of Tyr, Which hath to love a gret desir, As he which in his hihe mod Was likende of his hote blod, A yong, a freissh, a lusti knyht, As he lai musende on a nyht 380 Of the tidinges whiche he herde, He thoghte assaie hou that it ferde. He was with worthi compainie Arraied, and with good navie To schipe he goth, the wynd him dryveth, And seileth, til that he arryveth: Sauf in the port of Antioche He londeth, and goth to aproche The kinges Court and his presence. Of every naturel science, 390 Which eny clerk him couthe teche, He couthe ynowh, and in his speche Of wordes he was eloquent; And whanne he sih the king present, He preith he moste his dowhter have. The king ayein began to crave, And tolde him the condicion, Hou ferst unto his question He mote ansuere and faile noght, Or with his heved it schal be boght: 400 And he him axeth what it was. [Sidenote: Questio Regis Antiochi.] The king declareth him the cas [Sidenote: =P. iii. 289=] With sturne lok and sturdi chiere,[1492] To him and seide in this manere: [Sidenote: Scelere vehor, materna carne vescor, quero patrem meum, matris mee virum, vxoris mee filium.] ‘With felonie I am upbore, I ete and have it noght forbore Mi modres fleissh, whos housebonde Mi fader forto seche I fonde, Which is the Sone ek of my wif. Hierof I am inquisitif; 410 And who that can mi tale save, Al quyt he schal my doghter have; Of his ansuere and if he faile, He schal be ded withoute faile. Forthi my Sone,’ quod the king, ‘Be wel avised of this thing,[1493] Which hath thi lif in jeupartie.’ [Sidenote: Responsio Appollini.] Appolinus for his partie, Whan he this question hath herd,[1494] Unto the king he hath ansuerd 420 And hath rehersed on and on The pointz, and seide therupon: ‘The question which thou hast spoke, If thou wolt that it be unloke, It toucheth al the privete Betwen thin oghne child and thee, And stant al hol upon you tuo.’ [Sidenote: Indignacio Antiochi super responsione Appolini.[1495]] The king was wonder sory tho, And thoghte, if that he seide it oute, Than were he schamed al aboute. 430 With slihe wordes and with felle He seith, ‘Mi Sone, I schal thee telle, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 290=] Though that thou be of litel wit, It is no gret merveile as yit, Thin age mai it noght suffise: Bot loke wel thou noght despise Thin oghne lif, for of my grace Of thretty daies fulle a space I grante thee, to ben avised.’ [Sidenote: De recessu Appollini ab Antiochia.] And thus with leve and time assised 440 This yonge Prince forth he wente, And understod wel what it mente, Withinne his herte as he was lered,[1496] That forto maken him afered The king his time hath so deslaied. Wherof he dradde and was esmaied,[1497] Of treson that he deie scholde, For he the king his sothe tolde; And sodeinly the nyhtes tyde, That more wolde he noght abide, 450 Al prively his barge he hente And hom ayein to Tyr he wente: And in his oghne wit he seide For drede, if he the king bewreide, He knew so wel the kinges herte, That deth ne scholde he noght asterte, The king him wolde so poursuie. Bot he, that wolde his deth eschuie, And knew al this tofor the hond, Forsake he thoghte his oghne lond, 460 That there wolde he noght abyde; For wel he knew that on som syde[1498] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 291=] This tirant of his felonie Be som manere of tricherie To grieve his bodi wol noght leve. [Sidenote: De fuga Appolini per mare[1499] a Regno suo.] Forthi withoute take leve, Als priveliche as evere he myhte,[1500] He goth him to the See be nyhte In Schipes that be whete laden:[1501] Here takel redy tho thei maden 470 And hale up Seil and forth thei fare.[1502] Bot forto tellen of the care That thei of Tyr begonne tho, Whan that thei wiste he was ago, It is a Pite forto hiere. They losten lust, they losten chiere, Thei toke upon hem such penaunce, Ther was no song, ther was no daunce, Bot every merthe and melodie To hem was thanne a maladie; 480 For unlust of that aventure Ther was noman which tok tonsure, In doelful clothes thei hem clothe,[1503] The bathes and the Stwes bothe Thei schetten in be every weie; There was no lif which leste pleie Ne take of eny joie kepe, Bot for here liege lord to wepe; And every wyht seide as he couthe, ‘Helas, the lusti flour of youthe, 490 Our Prince, oure heved, our governour, Thurgh whom we stoden in honour,[1504] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 292=] Withoute the comun assent Thus sodeinliche is fro ous went!’ Such was the clamour of hem alle. [Sidenote: Nota[1505] qualiter Thaliartus Miles, vt Appolinum veneno intoxicaret, ab Antiocho in Tyrum missus, ipso ibidem non inuento Antiochiam rediit.] Bot se we now what is befalle Upon the ferste tale plein, And torne we therto ayein. Antiochus the grete Sire, Which full of rancour and of ire 500 His herte berth, so as ye herde, Of that this Prince of Tyr ansuerde, He hadde a feloun bacheler, Which was his prive consailer, And Taliart be name he hihte:[1506] The king a strong puison him dihte Withinne a buiste and gold therto,[1507] In alle haste and bad him go Strawht unto Tyr, and for no cost Ne spare he, til he hadde lost[1508] 510 The Prince which he wolde spille. And whan the king hath seid his wille, This Taliart in a Galeie[1509] With alle haste he tok his weie: The wynd was good, he saileth blyve, Til he tok lond upon the ryve Of Tyr, and forth with al anon Into the Burgh he gan to gon, And tok his In and bod a throwe. Bot for he wolde noght be knowe, 520 Desguised thanne he goth him oute; He sih the wepinge al aboute, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 293=] And axeth what the cause was, And thei him tolden al the cas, How sodeinli the Prince is go. And whan he sih that it was so, And that his labour was in vein, Anon he torneth hom ayein, And to the king, whan he cam nyh, He tolde of that he herde and syh, 530 Hou that the Prince of Tyr is fled, So was he come ayein unsped. The king was sori for a while, Bot whan he sih that with no wyle He myhte achieve his crualte,[1510] He stinte his wraththe and let him be. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus in portu Tharsis applicuit, vbi in hospicio cuiusdam magni viri nomine Strangulionis hospitatus est.] Bot over this now forto telle Of aventures that befelle Unto this Prince of whom I tolde,[1511] He hath his rihte cours forth holde 540 Be Ston and nedle, til he cam To Tharse, and there his lond he nam. A Burgeis riche of gold and fee Was thilke time in that cite, Which cleped was Strangulio, His wif was Dionise also: This yonge Prince, as seith the bok, With hem his herbergage tok;[1512] And it befell that Cite so Before time and thanne also, 550 Thurgh strong famyne which hem ladde Was non that eny whete hadde. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 294=] Appolinus, whan that he herde[1513] The meschief, hou the cite ferde, Al freliche of his oghne yifte His whete, among hem forto schifte, The which be Schipe he hadde broght, He yaf, and tok of hem riht noght. Bot sithen ferst this world began, Was nevere yit to such a man 560 Mor joie mad than thei him made: For thei were alle of him so glade, That thei for evere in remembrance Made a figure in resemblance Of him, and in the comun place[1514] Thei sette him up, so that his face[1515] Mihte every maner man beholde, So as the cite was beholde;[1516] It was of latoun overgilt: Thus hath he noght his yifte spilt. 570 [Sidenote: Qualiter Hellicanus ciuis Tyri Tharsim veniens Appolinum de insidiis Antiochi premuniuit.[1517]] Upon a time with his route[1518] This lord to pleie goth him oute, And in his weie of Tyr he mette A man, the which on knees him grette,[1519] And Hellican be name he hihte, Which preide his lord to have insihte Upon himself, and seide him thus, Hou that the grete Antiochus Awaiteth if he mihte him spille. That other thoghte and hield him stille, 580 And thonked him of his warnynge, And bad him telle no tidinge,[1520] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 295=] Whan he to Tyr cam hom ayein, That he in Tharse him hadde sein. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus portum Tharsis relinquens, cum ipse per mare nauigio securiorem quesiuit, superueniente tempestate nauis cum omnibus preter ipsum solum in eadem contentis iuxta Pentapolim periclitabatur.] Fortune hath evere be muable And mai no while stonde stable: For now it hiheth, now it loweth, Now stant upriht, now overthroweth, Now full of blisse and now of bale, As in the tellinge of mi tale[1521] 590 Hierafterward a man mai liere, Which is gret routhe forto hiere. This lord, which wolde don his beste, Withinne himself hath litel reste, And thoghte he wolde his place change And seche a contre more strange. Of Tharsiens his leve anon He tok, and is to Schipe gon:[1522] His cours he nam with Seil updrawe, Where as fortune doth the lawe, 600 And scheweth, as I schal reherse, How sche was to this lord diverse, The which upon the See sche ferketh. The wynd aros, the weder derketh, It blew and made such tempeste, Non ancher mai the schip areste, Which hath tobroken al his gere; The Schipmen stode in such a feere, Was non that myhte himself bestere, Bot evere awaite upon the lere, 610 Whan that thei scholde drenche at ones. Ther was ynowh withinne wones [Sidenote: =P. iii. 296=] Of wepinge and of sorghe tho; This yonge king makth mochel wo So forto se the Schip travaile: Bot al that myhte him noght availe; The mast tobrak, the Seil torof, The Schip upon the wawes drof, Til that thei sihe a londes cooste. Tho made avou the leste and moste,[1523] 620 Be so thei myhten come alonde; Bot he which hath the See on honde, Neptunus, wolde noght acorde, Bot altobroke cable and corde,[1524] Er thei to londe myhte aproche, The Schip toclef upon a roche, And al goth doun into the depe. Bot he that alle thing mai kepe Unto this lord was merciable, And broghte him sauf upon a table, 630 Which to the lond him hath upbore; The remenant was al forlore, Wherof he made mochel mone.[1525] [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus nudus super litus iactabatur, vbi quidam piscator ipsum suo collobio vestiens ad vrbem Pentapolim direxit.] Thus was this yonge lord him one, Al naked in a povere plit:[1526] His colour, which whilom was whyt,[1527] Was thanne of water fade and pale, And ek he was so sore acale That he wiste of himself no bote, It halp him nothing forto mote 640 To gete ayein that he hath lore. Bot sche which hath his deth forbore, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 297=] Fortune, thogh sche wol noght yelpe, Al sodeinly hath sent him helpe, Whanne him thoghte alle grace aweie; Ther cam a Fisshere in the weie, And sih a man ther naked stonde, And whan that he hath understonde The cause, he hath of him gret routhe, And onliche of his povere trouthe 650 Of suche clothes as he hadde With gret Pite this lord he cladde. And he him thonketh as he scholde, And seith him that it schal be yolde, If evere he gete his stat ayein, And preide that he wolde him sein If nyh were eny toun for him. He seide, ‘Yee, Pentapolim, Wher bothe king and queene duellen.’ Whanne he this tale herde tellen, 660 He gladeth him and gan beseche That he the weie him wolde teche: And he him taghte; and forth he wente And preide god with good entente To sende him joie after his sorwe. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolino Pentapolim adueniente ludus Gignasii per vrbem publice proclamatus est.] It was noght passed yit Midmorwe, Whan thiderward his weie he nam,[1528] Wher sone upon the Non he cam. He eet such as he myhte gete, And forth anon, whan he hadde ete, 670 He goth to se the toun aboute, And cam ther as he fond a route [Sidenote: =P. iii. 298=] Of yonge lusti men withalle; And as it scholde tho befalle, That day was set of such assisse, That thei scholde in the londes guise, As he herde of the poeple seie,[1529] Here comun game thanne pleie; And crid was that thei scholden come Unto the gamen alle and some[1530] 680 Of hem that ben delivere and wyhte, To do such maistrie as thei myhte. Thei made hem naked as thei scholde, For so that ilke game wolde, As it was tho custume and us,[1531] Amonges hem was no refus: The flour of al the toun was there And of the court also ther were, And that was in a large place Riht evene afore the kinges face, 690 Which Artestrathes thanne hihte. The pley was pleid riht in his sihte, And who most worthi was of dede Receive he scholde a certein mede And in the cite bere a pris. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus ludum gignasii vincens in aulam[1532] Regis ad cenam honorifice receptus est.] Appolinus, which war and wys Of every game couthe an ende, He thoghte assaie, hou so it wende, And fell among hem into game: And there he wan him such a name, 700 So as the king himself acompteth That he alle othre men surmonteth, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 299=] And bar the pris above hem alle. The king bad that into his halle At Souper time he schal be broght;[1533] And he cam thanne and lefte it noght, Withoute compaignie al one: Was non so semlich of persone, Of visage and of limes bothe, If that he hadde what to clothe. 710 At Soupertime natheles The king amiddes al the pres Let clepe him up among hem alle, And bad his Mareschall of halle[1534] To setten him in such degre That he upon him myhte se. The king was sone set and served, And he, which hath his pris deserved[1535] After the kinges oghne word, Was mad beginne a Middel bord, 720 That bothe king and queene him sihe. He sat and caste aboute his yhe And sih the lordes in astat, And with himself wax in debat Thenkende what he hadde lore, And such a sorwe he tok therfore, That he sat evere stille and thoghte, As he which of no mete roghte. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus in cena recumbens nichil comedit, set doloroso vultu, submisso capite, ingemiscebat;[1536] qui tandem a filia Regis confortatus cytharam plectens cunctis audientibus citharisando vltramodum complacuit.] The king behield his hevynesse, And of his grete gentillesse 730 His doghter, which was fair and good And ate bord before him stod, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 300=] As it was thilke time usage, He bad to gon on his message And fonde forto make him glad. And sche dede as hire fader bad, And goth to him the softe pas And axeth whenne and what he was, And preith he scholde his thoghtes leve. He seith, ‘Ma Dame, be your leve 740 Mi name is hote Appolinus, And of mi richesse it is thus, Upon the See I have it lore. The contre wher as I was bore, Wher that my lond is and mi rente, I lefte at Tyr, whan that I wente: The worschipe of this worldes aghte,[1537] Unto the god ther I betaghte.’[1538] And thus togedre as thei tuo speeke, The teres runne be his cheeke. 750 The king, which therof tok good kepe, Hath gret Pite to sen him wepe, And for his doghter sende ayein, And preide hir faire and gan to sein That sche no lengere wolde drecche, Bot that sche wolde anon forth fecche Hire harpe and don al that sche can To glade with that sory man. And sche to don hir fader heste 760 Hir harpe fette, and in the feste Upon a Chaier which thei fette Hirself next to this man sche sette: [Sidenote: =P. iii. 301=] With harpe bothe and ek with mouthe To him sche dede al that sche couthe To make him chiere, and evere he siketh, And sche him axeth hou him liketh. ‘Ma dame, certes wel,’ he seide, ‘Bot if ye the mesure pleide Which, if you list, I schal you liere, It were a glad thing forto hiere.’ 770 ‘Ha, lieve sire,’ tho quod sche, ‘Now tak the harpe and let me se[1539] Of what mesure that ye mene.’ Tho preith the king, tho preith the queene, Forth with the lordes alle arewe, That he som merthe wolde schewe; He takth the Harpe and in his wise He tempreth, and of such assise Singende he harpeth forth withal, That as a vois celestial 780 Hem thoghte it souneth in here Ere, As thogh that he an Angel were.[1540] Thei gladen of his melodie, Bot most of all the compainie The kinges doghter, which it herde, And thoghte ek hou that he ansuerde,[1541] Whan that he was of hire opposed,[1542] Withinne hir herte hath wel supposed That he is of gret gentilesse. Hise dedes ben therof witnesse 790 Forth with the wisdom of his lore; It nedeth noght to seche more, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 302=] He myhte noght have such manere, Of gentil blod bot if he were. Whanne he hath harped al his fille, The kinges heste to fulfille, Awey goth dissh, awey goth cuppe, Doun goth the bord, the cloth was uppe, Thei risen and gon out of halle. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus cum Rege pro filia sua erudienda retentus est.] The king his chamberlein let calle, 800 And bad that he be alle weie A chambre for this man pourveie, Which nyh his oghne chambre be. ‘It schal be do, mi lord,’ quod he. Appolinus of whom I mene Tho tok his leve of king and queene And of the worthi Maide also, Which preide unto hir fader tho, That sche myhte of that yonge man[1543] Of tho sciences whiche he can 810 His lore have; and in this wise The king hir granteth his aprise, So that himself therto assente. Thus was acorded er thei wente, That he with al that evere he may This yonge faire freisshe May Of that he couthe scholde enforme;[1544] And full assented in this forme Thei token leve as for that nyht. [Sidenote: Qualiter filia Regis Appolinum ornato apparatu vestiri fecit, et ipse ad puelle doctrinam in quampluribus familiariter intendebat: vnde placata puella in amorem Appolini exardescens infirmabatur.] And whanne it was amorwe lyht, 820 Unto this yonge man of Tyr Of clothes and of good atir [Sidenote: =P. iii. 303=] With gold and Selver to despende This worthi yonge lady sende: And thus sche made him wel at ese, And he with al that he can plese Hire serveth wel and faire ayein.[1545] He tawhte hir til sche was certein Of Harpe, of Citole and of Rote,[1546] With many a tun and many a note[1547] 830 Upon Musique, upon mesure, And of hire Harpe the temprure He tawhte hire ek, as he wel couthe. Bot as men sein that frele is youthe, With leisir and continuance This Mayde fell upon a chance, That love hath mad him a querele Ayein hire youthe freissh and frele, That malgre wher sche wole or noght,[1548] Sche mot with al hire hertes thoght 840 To love and to his lawe obeie; And that sche schal ful sore abeie. For sche wot nevere what it is, Bot evere among sche fieleth this:[1549] Thenkende upon this man of Tyr, Hire herte is hot as eny fyr, And otherwhile it is acale; Now is sche red, nou is sche pale Riht after the condicion Of hire ymaginacion; 850 Bot evere among hire thoghtes alle, Sche thoghte, what so mai befalle,[1550] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 304=] Or that sche lawhe, or that sche wepe, Sche wolde hire goode name kepe For feere of wommanysshe schame. Bot what in ernest and in game,[1551] Sche stant for love in such a plit, That sche hath lost al appetit Of mete, of drinke, of nyhtes reste,[1552] As sche that not what is the beste;[1553] 860 Bot forto thenken al hir fille Sche hield hire ofte times stille Withinne hir chambre, and goth noght oute: The king was of hire lif in doute, Which wiste nothing what it mente. [Sidenote: Qualiter tres filii Principum filiam Regis singillatim in vxorem suis supplicacionibus postularunt.] Bot fell a time, as he out wente To walke, of Princes Sones thre Ther come and felle to his kne; And ech of hem in sondri wise Besoghte and profreth his servise, 870 So that he myhte his doghter have. The king, which wolde his honour save,[1554] Seith sche is siek, and of that speche Tho was no time to beseche; Bot ech of hem do make a bille[1555] He bad, and wryte his oghne wille, His name, his fader and his good; And whan sche wiste hou that it stod, And hadde here billes oversein, Thei scholden have ansuere ayein. 880 Of this conseil thei weren glad, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 305=] And writen as the king hem bad, And every man his oghne bok Into the kinges hond betok, And he it to his dowhter sende, And preide hir forto make an ende And wryte ayein hire oghne hond, Riht as sche in hire herte fond. [Sidenote: Qualiter filia Regis omnibus aliis relictis Appolinum in maritum preelegit.] The billes weren wel received, Bot sche hath alle here loves weyved, 890 And thoghte tho was time and space To put hire in hir fader grace,[1556] And wrot ayein and thus sche saide: ‘The schame which is in a Maide With speche dar noght ben unloke, Bot in writinge it mai be spoke; So wryte I to you, fader, thus: Bot if I have Appolinus, Of al this world, what so betyde, I wol non other man abide. 900 And certes if I of him faile, I wot riht wel withoute faile Ye schull for me be dowhterles.’ This lettre cam, and ther was press Tofore the king, ther as he stod; And whan that he it understod, He yaf hem ansuer by and by, Bot that was do so prively, That non of othres conseil wiste. Thei toke her leve, and wher hem liste 910 Thei wente forth upon here weie. [Sidenote: Qualiter Rex et Regina in maritagium filie sue cum Appolino consencierunt.] The king ne wolde noght bewreie [Sidenote: =P. iii. 306=] The conseil for no maner hihe, Bot soffreth til he time sihe: And whan that he to chambre is come, He hath unto his conseil nome This man of Tyr, and let him se The lettre and al the privete, The which his dowhter to him sente: And he his kne to grounde bente 920 And thonketh him and hire also, And er thei wenten thanne atuo, With good herte and with good corage Of full Love and full mariage The king and he ben hol acorded. And after, whanne it was recorded Unto the dowhter hou it stod, The yifte of al this worldes good[1557] Ne scholde have mad hir half so blythe: And forth withal the king als swithe, 930 For he wol have hire good assent, Hath for the queene hir moder sent. The queene is come, and whan sche herde Of this matiere hou that it ferde, Sche syh debat, sche syh desese, Bot if sche wolde hir dowhter plese, And is therto assented full. Which is a dede wonderfull, For noman knew the sothe cas Bot he himself, what man he was; 940 And natheles, so as hem thoghte, Hise dedes to the sothe wroghte [Sidenote: =P. iii. 307=] That he was come of gentil blod: Him lacketh noght bot worldes good, And as therof is no despeir, For sche schal ben hire fader heir,[1558] And he was able to governe. Thus wol thei noght the love werne Of him and hire in none wise, Bot ther acorded thei divise[1559] 950 The day and time of Mariage. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus filie Regis nupsit, et prima nocte cum ea concubiens ipsam impregnauit.] Wher love is lord of the corage, Him thenketh longe er that he spede; Bot ate laste unto the dede The time is come, and in her wise With gret offrende and sacrifise Thei wedde and make a riche feste, And every thing which was honeste[1560] Withinnen house and ek withoute It was so don, that al aboute 960 Of gret worschipe, of gret noblesse[1561] Ther cride many a man largesse[1562] Unto the lordes hihe and loude; The knyhtes that ben yonge and proude, Thei jouste ferst and after daunce. The day is go, the nyhtes chaunce Hath derked al the bryhte Sonne; This lord, which hath his love wonne, Is go to bedde with his wif, Wher as thei ladde a lusti lif,[1563] 970 And that was after somdel sene, For as thei pleiden hem betwene, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 308=] Thei gete a child betwen hem tuo, To whom fell after mochel wo. [Sidenote: Qualiter Ambaciatores a Tyro in quadam naui Pentapolim venientes mortem Regis Antiochi Appolino nunciarunt.] Now have I told of the spousailes.[1564] Bot forto speke of the mervailes Whiche afterward to hem befelle, It is a wonder forto telle. It fell adai thei riden oute,[1565] The king and queene and al the route, 980 To pleien hem upon the stronde, Wher as thei sen toward the londe A Schip sailende of gret array. To knowe what it mene may, Til it be come thei abide; Than sen thei stonde on every side, Endlong the schipes bord to schewe, Of Penonceals a riche rewe. Thei axen when the schip is come: Fro Tyr, anon ansuerde some, 990 And over this thei seiden more The cause why thei comen fore Was forto seche and forto finde Appolinus, which was of kinde[1566] Her liege lord: and he appiereth, And of the tale which he hiereth He was riht glad; for thei him tolde, That for vengance, as god it wolde, Antiochus, as men mai wite, With thondre and lyhthnynge is forsmite;[1567] 1000 His doghter hath the same chaunce, So be thei bothe in o balance. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 309=] ‘Forthi, oure liege lord, we seie In name of al the lond, and preie, That left al other thing to done, It like you to come sone And se youre oghne liege men With othre that ben of youre ken, That live in longinge and desir[1568] Til ye be come ayein to Tyr.’ 1010 This tale after the king it hadde Pentapolim al overspradde, Ther was no joie forto seche; For every man it hadde in speche And seiden alle of on acord, ‘A worthi king schal ben oure lord: That thoghte ous ferst an hevinesse Is schape ous now to gret gladnesse.’ Thus goth the tidinge overal. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolino cum vxore sua impregnata a Pentapoli versus Tyrum nauigantibus, contigit vxorem, mortis articulo angustiatam, in naui filiam, que postea Thaisis vocabatur, parere.] Bot nede he mot, that nede schal: 1020 Appolinus his leve tok, To god and al the lond betok With al the poeple long and brod, That he no lenger there abod.[1569] The king and queene sorwe made, Bot yit somdiel thei weren glade Of such thing as thei herden tho: And thus betwen the wel and wo To schip he goth, his wif with childe, The which was evere meke and mylde 1030 And wolde noght departe him fro, Such love was betwen hem tuo. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 310=] Lichorida for hire office Was take, which was a Norrice, To wende with this yonge wif, To whom was schape a woful lif. Withinne a time, as it betidde, Whan thei were in the See amidde, Out of the North they sihe a cloude; The storm aros, the wyndes loude 1040 Thei blewen many a dredful blast, The welkne was al overcast, The derke nyht the Sonne hath under, Ther was a gret tempeste of thunder: The Mone and ek the Sterres bothe In blake cloudes thei hem clothe, Wherof here brihte lok thei hyde.[1570] This yonge ladi wepte and cride, To whom no confort myhte availe; Of childe sche began travaile, 1050 Wher sche lay in a Caban clos: Hire woful lord fro hire aros, And that was longe er eny morwe, So that in anguisse and in sorwe Sche was delivered al be nyhte And ded in every mannes syhte;[1571] Bot natheles for al this wo A maide child was bore tho. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus vxoris sue mortem planxit.] Appolinus whan he this knew, For sorwe a swoune he overthrew,[1572] 1060 That noman wiste in him no lif. And whanne he wok, he seide, ‘Ha, wif, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 311=] Mi lust, mi joie, my desir,[1573] Mi welthe and my recoverir, Why schal I live, and thou schalt dye? Ha, thou fortune, I thee deffie, Nou hast thou do to me thi werste. Ha, herte, why ne wolt thou berste, That forth with hire I myhte passe?[1574] Mi peines weren wel the lasse.’ 1070 In such wepinge and in such cry His dede wif, which lay him by, A thousend sithes he hire kiste; Was nevere man that sih ne wiste A sorwe unto his sorwe lich; For evere among upon the lich[1575] He fell swounende, as he that soghte His oghne deth, which he besoghte Unto the goddes alle above With many a pitous word of love; 1080 Bot suche wordes as tho were Yit herde nevere mannes Ere, Bot only thilke whiche he seide. The Maister Schipman cam and preide With othre suche as be therinne, And sein that he mai nothing winne Ayein the deth, bot thei him rede, He be wel war and tak hiede, The See be weie of his nature Receive mai no creature 1090 Withinne himself as forto holde, The which is ded: forthi thei wolde, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 312=] As thei conseilen al aboute, The dede body casten oute. For betre it is, thei seiden alle, That it of hire so befalle, Than if thei scholden alle spille. The king, which understod here wille[1576] [Sidenote: Qualiter suadentibus nautis corpus vxoris sue mortue in quadam Cista plumbo et ferro obtusa[1577] que circumligata Appolinus cum magno thesauro vna cum quadam littera sub eius capite scripta recludi et in mare[1578] proici fecit.] And knew here conseil that was trewe, Began ayein his sorwe newe 1100 With pitous herte, and thus to seie: ‘It is al reson that ye preie. I am,’ quod he, ‘bot on al one, So wolde I noght for mi persone Ther felle such adversite. Bot whan it mai no betre be, Doth thanne thus upon my word,[1579] Let make a cofre strong of bord, That it be ferm with led and pich.’ Anon was mad a cofre sich,[1580] 1110 Al redy broght unto his hond; And whanne he sih and redy fond This cofre mad and wel enclowed, The dede bodi was besowed In cloth of gold and leid therinne. And for he wolde unto hire winne Upon som cooste a Sepulture, Under hire heved in aventure Of gold he leide Sommes grete And of jeueals a strong beyete[1581] 1120 Forth with a lettre, and seide thus: [Sidenote: Copia littere Appolini capiti vxoris sue supposite.] ‘I, king of Tyr Appollinus, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 313=] Do alle maner men to wite, That hiere and se this lettre write, That helpeles withoute red Hier lith a kinges doghter ded: And who that happeth hir to finde, For charite tak in his mynde,[1582] And do so that sche be begrave With this tresor, which he schal have.’ 1130 Thus whan the lettre was full spoke,[1583] Thei haue anon the cofre stoke, And bounden it with yren faste, That it may with the wawes laste, And stoppen it be such a weie, That it schal be withinne dreie, So that no water myhte it grieve. And thus in hope and good believe Of that the corps schal wel aryve, Thei caste it over bord als blyve. 1140 [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus, vxoris sue corpore in mare proiecto, Tyrum relinquens cursum suum versus Tharsim nauigio dolens arripuit.] The Schip forth on the wawes wente; The prince hath changed his entente,[1584] And seith he wol noght come at Tyr As thanne, bot al his desir Is ferst to seilen unto Tharse. The wyndy Storm began to skarse, The Sonne arist, the weder cliereth, The Schipman which behinde stiereth, Whan that he sih the wyndes saghte, Towardes Tharse his cours he straghte. 1150 [Sidenote: Qualiter corpus predicte defuncte super litus apud Ephesim quidam medicus nomine Cerymon cum aliquibus suis discipulis inuenit; quod in hospicium suum[1585] portans et extra cistam ponens, spiraculo vite in ea adhuc inuento, ipsam plene sanitati restituit.] Bot now to mi matiere ayein, To telle as olde bokes sein, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 314=] This dede corps of which ye knowe With wynd and water was forthrowe Now hier, now ther, til ate laste At Ephesim the See upcaste The cofre and al that was therinne. Of gret merveile now beginne Mai hiere who that sitteth stille; That god wol save mai noght spille. 1160 Riht as the corps was throwe alonde, Ther cam walkende upon the stronde A worthi clerc, a Surgien, And ek a gret Phisicien, Of al that lond the wisest on, Which hihte Maister Cerymon; Ther were of his disciples some. This Maister to the Cofre is come,[1586] He peiseth ther was somwhat in, And bad hem bere it to his In, 1170 And goth himselve forth withal. Al that schal falle, falle schal; They comen hom and tarie noght; This Cofre is into chambre broght, Which that thei finde faste stoke, Bot thei with craft it have unloke. Thei loken in, where as thei founde A bodi ded, which was bewounde[1587] In cloth of gold, as I seide er, The tresor ek thei founden ther 1180 Forth with the lettre, which thei rede. And tho thei token betre hiede; [Sidenote: =P. iii. 315=] Unsowed was the bodi sone, And he, which knew what is to done,[1588] This noble clerk, with alle haste Began the veines forto taste, And sih hire Age was of youthe, And with the craftes whiche he couthe He soghte and fond a signe of lif. With that this worthi kinges wif 1190 Honestely thei token oute, And maden fyres al aboute; Thei leide hire on a couche softe, And with a scheete warmed ofte Hire colde brest began to hete, Hire herte also to flacke and bete. This Maister hath hire every joignt With certein oile and balsme enoignt, And putte a liquour in hire mouth, Which is to fewe clerkes couth, 1200 So that sche coevereth ate laste: And ferst hire yhen up sche caste, And whan sche more of strengthe cawhte, Hire Armes bothe forth sche strawhte, Hield up hire hond and pitously Sche spak and seide, ‘Ha, wher am I?[1589] Where is my lord, what world is this?’ As sche that wot noght hou it is. Bot Cerymon the worthi leche Ansuerde anon upon hire speche 1210 And seith, ‘Ma dame, yee ben hiere, Where yee be sauf, as yee schal hiere [Sidenote: =P. iii. 316=] Hierafterward; forthi as nou Mi conseil is, conforteth you: For trusteth wel withoute faile, Ther is nothing which schal you faile, That oghte of reson to be do.’ Thus passen thei a day or tuo; Thei speke of noght as for an ende, Til sche began somdiel amende, 1220 And wiste hireselven what sche mente. [Sidenote: Qualiter vxor Appolini sanata domum religionis peciit, vbi sacro[1591] velamine munita castam omni tempore se vouit.] Tho forto knowe hire hol entente,[1590] This Maister axeth al the cas, Hou sche cam there and what sche was. ‘Hou I cam hiere wot I noght,’ Quod sche, ‘bot wel I am bethoght Of othre thinges al aboute’: Fro point to point and tolde him oute Als ferforthli as sche it wiste. And he hire tolde hou in a kiste 1230 The See hire threw upon the lond, And what tresor with hire he fond, Which was al redy at hire wille, As he that schop him to fulfille With al his myht what thing he scholde. Sche thonketh him that he so wolde, And al hire herte sche discloseth, And seith him wel that sche supposeth Hire lord be dreint, hir child also; So sih sche noght bot alle wo.[1592] 1240 Wherof as to the world nomore Ne wol sche torne, and preith therfore [Sidenote: =P. iii. 317=] That in som temple of the Cite, To kepe and holde hir chastete, Sche mihte among the wommen duelle. Whan he this tale hir herde telle, He was riht glad, and made hire knowen That he a dowhter of his owen Hath, which he wol unto hir yive To serve, whil thei bothe live, 1250 In stede of that which sche hath lost; Al only at his oghne cost[1593] Sche schal be rendred forth with hire.[1594] She seith, ‘Grant mercy, lieve sire, God quite it you, ther I ne may.’ And thus thei drive forth the day, Til time com that sche was hol; And tho thei take her conseil hol,[1595] To schape upon good ordinance And make a worthi pourveance[1596] 1260 Ayein the day whan thei be veiled. And thus, whan that thei be conseiled, In blake clothes thei hem clothe, This lady and the dowhter bothe, And yolde hem to religion. The feste and the profession After the reule of that degre Was mad with gret solempnete, Where as Diane is seintefied; Thus stant this lady justefied 1270 In ordre wher sche thenkth to duelle. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus Tharsim nauigans, filiam suam Thaisim Strangulioni et Dionisie vxori sue educandam commendauit; et deinde Tyrum adiit, vbi cum inestimabili gaudio a suis receptus est.] Bot now ayeinward forto telle [Sidenote: =P. iii. 318=] In what plit that hire lord stod inne: He seileth, til that he may winne[1597] The havene of Tharse, as I seide er; And whanne he was aryved ther, And it was thurgh the Cite knowe,[1598] Men myhte se withinne a throwe, As who seith, al the toun at ones, That come ayein him for the nones, 1280 To yiven him the reverence, So glad thei were of his presence: And thogh he were in his corage Desesed, yit with glad visage He made hem chiere, and to his In, Wher he whilom sojourned in, He goth him straght and was resceived. And whan the presse of poeple is weived, He takth his hoste unto him tho, And seith, ‘Mi frend Strangulio, 1290 Lo, thus and thus it is befalle, And thou thiself art on of alle, Forth with thi wif, whiche I most triste.[1599] Forthi, if it you bothe liste, My doghter Thaise be youre leve I thenke schal with you beleve As for a time; and thus I preie, That sche be kept be alle weie, And whan sche hath of age more, That sche be set to bokes lore. 1300 And this avou to god I make, That I schal nevere for hir sake [Sidenote: =P. iii. 319=] Mi berd for no likinge schave, Til it befalle that I have In covenable time of age Beset hire unto mariage.’ Thus thei acorde, and al is wel, And forto resten him somdel, As for a while he ther sojorneth, And thanne he takth his leve and torneth 1310 To Schipe, and goth him hom to Tyr, Wher every man with gret desir Awaiteth upon his comynge. Bot whan the Schip com in seilinge, And thei perceiven it is he,[1600] Was nevere yit in no cite Such joie mad as thei tho made; His herte also began to glade Of that he sih the poeple glad.[1601] Lo, thus fortune his hap hath lad; 1320 In sondri wise he was travailed, Bot hou so evere he be assailed, His latere ende schal be good. [Sidenote: Qualiter Thaysis vna cum Philotenna Strangulionis et Dionisie filia omnis sciencie et honestatis doctrina imbuta est: set Thaisis Philotennam precellens in odium mortale per inuidiam a Dionisia recollecta est.] And forto speke hou that it stod Of Thaise his doghter, wher sche duelleth, In Tharse, as the Cronique telleth, Sche was wel kept, sche was wel loked, Sche was wel tawht, sche was wel boked, So wel sche spedde hir in hire youthe That sche of every wisdom couthe, 1330 That forto seche in every lond So wys an other noman fond, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 320=] Ne so wel tawht at mannes yhe. Bot wo worthe evere fals envie![1602] For it befell that time so, A dowhter hath Strangulio, The which was cleped Philotenne: Bot fame, which wole evere renne, Cam al day to hir moder Ere, And seith, wher evere hir doghter were 1340 With Thayse set in eny place, The comun vois, the comun grace Was al upon that other Maide, And of hir doghter noman saide. Who wroth but Dionise thanne? Hire thoghte a thousend yer til whanne Sche myhte ben of Thaise wreke Of that sche herde folk so speke. And fell that ilke same tyde, That ded was trewe Lychoride, 1350 Which hadde be servant to Thaise, So that sche was the worse at aise, For sche hath thanne no servise Bot only thurgh this Dionise, Which was hire dedlich Anemie Thurgh pure treson and envie. Sche, that of alle sorwe can, Tho spak unto hire bondeman, Which cleped was Theophilus, And made him swere in conseil thus, 1360 That he such time as sche him sette Schal come Thaise forto fette, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 321=] And lede hire oute of alle sihte, Wher as noman hire helpe myhte,[1603] Upon the Stronde nyh the See, And there he schal this maiden sle. This cherles herte is in a traunce, As he which drad him of vengance Whan time comth an other day; Bot yit dorste he noght seie nay, 1370 Bot swor and seide he schal fulfille[1604] Hire hestes at hire oghne wille. [Sidenote: Qualiter Dionisia Thaysim, vt occideretur,[1605] Theophilo seruo suo tradidit, qui cum noctanter longius ab vrbe ipsam prope litus maris interficere proposuerat, Pirate ibidem prope[1608] latitantes Thaisim de manu Carnificis eripuerunt, ipsamque vsque Ciuitatem Mitelenam ducentes, cuidam Leonino scortorum ibidem magistro vendiderunt.[1609]] The treson and the time is schape, So fell it that this cherles knape[1606] Hath lad this maiden ther he wolde[1607] Upon the Stronde, and what sche scholde Sche was adrad; and he out breide A rusti swerd and to hir seide, ‘Thou schalt be ded.’ ‘Helas!’ quod sche, ‘Why schal I so?’ ‘Lo thus,’ quod he, 1380 ‘Mi ladi Dionise hath bede, Thou schalt be moerdred in this stede.’ This Maiden tho for feere schryhte, And for the love of god almyhte Sche preith that for a litel stounde Sche myhte knele upon the grounde, Toward the hevene forto crave, Hire wofull Soule if sche mai save:[1610] And with this noise and with this cry,[1611] Out of a barge faste by, 1390 Which hidd was ther on Scomerfare, Men sterten out and weren ware [Sidenote: =P. iii. 322=] Of this feloun, and he to go, And sche began to crie tho, ‘Ha, mercy, help for goddes sake! Into the barge thei hire take, As thieves scholde, and forth thei wente. Upon the See the wynd hem hente, And malgre wher thei wolde or non,[1612] Tofor the weder forth thei gon, 1400 Ther halp no Seil, ther halp non Ore, Forstormed and forblowen sore In gret peril so forth thei dryve, Til ate laste thei aryve At Mitelene the Cite. In havene sauf and whan thei be, The Maister Schipman made him boun, And goth him out into the toun, And profreth Thaise forto selle. On Leonin it herde telle, 1410 Which Maister of the bordel was, And bad him gon a redy pas To fetten hire, and forth he wente,[1613] And Thaise out of his barge he hente, And to this bordeller hir solde.[1614] And he, that be hire body wolde[1615] Take avantage, let do crye, That what man wolde his lecherie Attempte upon hire maidenhede, Lei doun the gold and he schal spede. 1420 And thus whan he hath crid it oute In syhte of al the poeple aboute, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 323=] He ladde hire to the bordel tho.[1616] [Sidenote: Qualiter Leoninus Thaisim ad lupanar destinauit, vbi dei gracia preuenta ipsius virginitatem nullus violare potuit.] No wonder is thogh sche be wo:[1617] Clos in a chambre be hireselve, Ech after other ten or tuelve Of yonge men to hire in wente; Bot such a grace god hire sente, That for the sorwe which sche made Was non of hem which pouer hade 1430 To don hire eny vileinie. This Leonin let evere aspie, And waiteth after gret beyete; Bot al for noght, sche was forlete, That mo men wolde ther noght come.[1618] Whan he therof hath hiede nome, And knew that sche was yit a maide, Unto his oghne man he saide, That he with strengthe ayein hire leve Tho scholde hir maidenhod bereve. 1440 This man goth in, bot so it ferde, Whan he hire wofull pleintes herde And he therof hath take kepe, Him liste betre forto wepe Than don oght elles to the game. And thus sche kepte hirself fro schame, And kneleth doun to therthe and preide[1619] Unto this man, and thus sche seide: ‘If so be that thi maister wolde That I his gold encresce scholde,[1620] 1450 It mai noght falle be this weie: Bot soffre me to go mi weie [Sidenote: =P. iii. 324=] Out of this hous wher I am inne, And I schal make him forto winne In som place elles of the toun, Be so it be religioun,[1621] Wher that honeste wommen duelle. And thus thou myht thi maister telle, That whanne I have a chambre there, Let him do crie ay wyde where, 1460 What lord that hath his doghter diere, And is in will that sche schal liere Of such a Scole that is trewe, I schal hire teche of thinges newe, Which as non other womman can[1622] In al this lond.’ And tho this man Hire tale hath herd, he goth ayein, And tolde unto his maister plein That sche hath seid; and therupon, Whan than he sih beyete non 1470 At the bordel be cause of hire, He bad his man to gon and spire A place wher sche myhte abyde, That he mai winne upon som side Be that sche can: bot ate leste Thus was sche sauf fro this tempeste.[1623] [Sidenote: Qualiter Thaisis a lupanari virgo liberata, inter sacras mulieres hospicium habens, sciencias quibus edocta fuit nobiles regni puellas ibidem edocebat.] He hath hire fro the bordel take, Bot that was noght for goddes sake, Bot for the lucre, as sche him tolde. Now comen tho that comen wolde 1480 Of wommen in her lusty youthe, To hiere and se what thing sche couthe: [Sidenote: =P. iii. 325=] Sche can the wisdom of a clerk, Sche can of every lusti werk[1624] Which to a gentil womman longeth, And some of hem sche underfongeth To the Citole and to the Harpe, And whom it liketh forto carpe Proverbes and demandes slyhe, An other such thei nevere syhe, 1490 Which that science so wel tawhte: Wherof sche grete yiftes cawhte, That sche to Leonin hath wonne; And thus hire name is so begonne Of sondri thinges that she techeth, That al the lond unto hir secheth Of yonge wommen forto liere. [Sidenote: Qualiter Theophilus ad Dionisiam mane rediens affirmauit se Thaisim occidisse; super quo Dionisia vna cum Strangulione marito suo dolorem in publico confingentes,[1625] exequias et sepulturam honorifice quantum ad extra subdola coniectacione fieri constituerunt.] Nou lete we this maiden hiere, And speke of Dionise ayein And of Theophile the vilein,[1626] 1500 Of whiche I spak of nou tofore. Whan Thaise scholde have be forlore, This false cherl to his lady Whan he cam hom, al prively He seith, ‘Ma Dame, slain I have[1627] This maide Thaise, and is begrave In prive place, as ye me biede. Forthi, ma dame, taketh hiede And kep conseil, hou so it stonde.’[1628] This fend, which this hath understonde, 1510 Was glad, and weneth it be soth: Now herkne, hierafter hou sche doth.[1629] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 326=] Sche wepth, sche sorweth, sche compleigneth,[1630] And of sieknesse which sche feigneth Sche seith that Taise sodeinly Be nyhte is ded, ‘as sche and I Togedre lyhen nyh my lord.’ Sche was a womman of record, And al is lieved that sche seith; And forto yive a more feith, 1520 Hire housebonde and ek sche bothe In blake clothes thei hem clothe, And made a gret enterrement;[1631] And for the poeple schal be blent, Of Thaise as for the remembrance, After the real olde usance A tumbe of latoun noble and riche With an ymage unto hir liche Liggende above therupon Thei made and sette it up anon. 1530 Hire Epitaffe of good assisse Was write aboute, and in this wise It spak: ‘O yee that this beholde, Lo, hier lith sche, the which was holde[1632] The faireste and the flour of alle, Whos name Thaïsis men calle. The king of Tyr Appolinus Hire fader was: now lith sche thus. Fourtiene yer sche was of Age, Whan deth hir tok to his viage.’ 1540 [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus in regno suo apud Tyrum existens parliamentum fieri constituit.] Thus was this false treson hidd, Which afterward was wyde kidd, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 327=] As be the tale a man schal hiere. Bot forto dare mi matiere,[1633] To Tyr I thenke torne ayein, And telle as the Croniqes sein. Whan that the king was comen hom, And hath left in the salte fom His wif, which he mai noght foryete, For he som confort wolde gete, 1550 He let somoune a parlement, To which the lordes were asent; And of the time he hath ben oute, He seth the thinges al aboute, And told hem ek hou he hath fare,[1634] Whil he was out of londe fare; And preide hem alle to abyde, For he wolde at the same tyde Do schape for his wyves mynde, As he that wol noght ben unkinde. 1560 Solempne was that ilke office, And riche was the sacrifice, The feste reali was holde: And therto was he wel beholde; For such a wif as he hadde on In thilke daies was ther non. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus post parliamentum Tharsim pro Thaise filia sua querenda adiit, qua ibidem non inventa abinde navigio recessit.] Whan this was do, thanne he him thoghte Upon his doghter, and besoghte Suche of his lordes as he wolde, That thei with him to Tharse scholde, 1570 To fette his doghter Taise there: And thei anon al redy were, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 328=] To schip they gon and forth thei wente, Til thei the havene of Tharse hente. They londe and faile of that thei seche Be coverture and sleyhte of speche: This false man Strangulio, And Dionise his wif also, That he the betre trowe myhte, Thei ladden him to have a sihte 1580 Wher that hir tombe was arraied. The lasse yit he was mispaied, And natheles, so as he dorste, He curseth and seith al the worste Unto fortune, as to the blinde, Which can no seker weie finde; For sche him neweth evere among, And medleth sorwe with his song. Bot sithe it mai no betre be, [Sidenote: Qualiter Nauis Appolini ventis agitata portum vrbis Mitelene in die quo festa Neptuni celebrare[1635] consueuerunt applicuit; set ipse pre dolore Thaysis filie sue, quam mortuam reputabat, in fundo nauis obscuro iacens lumen videre noluit.] He thonketh god and forth goth he[1636] 1590 Seilende toward Tyr ayein. Bot sodeinly the wynd and reyn Begonne upon the See debate, So that he soffre mot algate The lawe which Neptune ordeigneth; Wherof fulofte time he pleigneth, And hield him wel the more esmaied Of that he hath tofore assaied. So that for pure sorwe and care, Of that he seth his world so fare, 1600 The reste he lefte of his Caban, That for the conseil of noman [Sidenote: =P. iii. 329=] Ayein therinne he nolde come, Bot hath benethe his place nome, Wher he wepende al one lay, Ther as he sih no lyht of day. And thus tofor the wynd thei dryve, Til longe and late thei aryve With gret distresce, as it was sene, Upon this toun of Mitelene, 1610 Which was a noble cite tho. And hapneth thilke time so, The lordes bothe and the comune The hihe festes of Neptune Upon the stronde at the rivage, As it was custumme and usage, Sollempneliche thei besihe. [Sidenote: Qualiter Athenagoras vrbis Mitelene Princeps, nauim Appollini inuestigans, ipsum sic contristatum nichilque respondentem consolari satagebat.] Whan thei this strange vessel syhe Come in, and hath his Seil avaled, The toun therof hath spoke and taled. 1620 The lord which of the cite was,[1637] Whos name is Athenagoras, Was there, and seide he wolde se What Schip it is, and who thei be That ben therinne: and after sone, Whan that he sih it was to done, His barge was for him arraied, And he goth forth and hath assaied. He fond the Schip of gret Array, Bot what thing it amonte may, 1630 He seth thei maden hevy chiere, Bot wel him thenkth be the manere [Sidenote: =P. iii. 330=] That thei be worthi men of blod,[1638] And axeth of hem hou it stod; And thei him tellen al the cas, Hou that here lord fordrive was, And what a sorwe that he made,[1639] Of which ther mai noman him glade. He preith that he here lord mai se, Bot thei him tolde it mai noght be, 1640 For he lith in so derk a place,[1640] That ther may no wiht sen his face: Bot for al that, thogh hem be loth, He fond the ladre and doun he goth, And to him spak, bot non ansuere Ayein of him ne mihte he bere[1641] For oght that he can don or sein; And thus he goth him up ayein. Tho was ther spoke in many wise[1642] Amonges hem that weren wise, 1650 Now this, now that, bot ate laste [Sidenote: Qualiter precepto Principis, vt Appolinum consolaretur, Thaisis cum cithara sua ad ipsum in obscuro nauis, vbi jacebat, producta est.] The wisdom of the toun this caste, That yonge Taise were asent. For if ther be amendement To glade with this woful king, Sche can so moche of every thing, That sche schal gladen him anon. A Messager for hire is gon, And sche cam with hire Harpe on honde, And seide hem that sche wolde fonde 1660 Be alle weies that sche can,[1643] To glade with this sory man. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 331=] Bot what he was sche wiste noght, Bot al the Schip hire hath besoght That sche hire wit on him despende, In aunter if he myhte amende, And sein it schal be wel aquit. Whan sche hath understonden it, Sche goth hir doun, ther as he lay, Wher that sche harpeth many a lay 1670 And lich an Angel sang withal; Bot he nomore than the wal Tok hiede of eny thing he herde. And whan sche sih that he so ferde, Sche falleth with him into wordes, And telleth him of sondri bordes, And axeth him demandes strange, Wherof sche made his herte change, And to hire speche his Ere he leide And hath merveile of that sche seide. 1680 For in proverbe and in probleme Sche spak, and bad he scholde deme In many soubtil question:[1644] Bot he for no suggestioun Which toward him sche couthe stere, He wolde noght o word ansuere, Bot as a madd man ate laste[1645] His heved wepende awey he caste, And half in wraththe he bad hire go. Bot yit sche wolde noght do so, 1690 And in the derke forth sche goth, Til sche him toucheth, and he wroth, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 332=] And after hire with his hond He smot: and thus whan sche him fond Desesed, courtaisly sche saide, ‘Avoi, mi lord, I am a Maide; And if ye wiste what I am, And out of what lignage I cam, Ye wolde noght be so salvage.’ [Sidenote: Qualiter, sicut deus destinauit, pater filiam inuentam recognouit.] With that he sobreth his corage 1700 And put awey his bevy chiere. Bot of hem tuo a man mai liere What is to be so sibb of blod: Non wiste of other hou it stod, And yit the fader ate laste His herte upon this maide caste, That he hire loveth kindely, And yit he wiste nevere why. Bot al was knowe er that thei wente; For god, which wot here hol entente,[1646] 1710 Here hertes bothe anon descloseth. This king unto this maide opposeth, And axeth ferst what was hire name,[1647] And wher sche lerned al this game, And of what ken that sche was come.[1648] And sche, that hath hise wordes nome, Ansuerth and seith, ‘My name is Thaise, That was som time wel at aise: In Tharse I was forthdrawe and fed, Ther lerned I, til I was sped, 1720 Of that I can. Mi fader eke I not wher that I scholde him seke; [Sidenote: =P. iii. 333=] He was a king, men tolde me: Mi Moder dreint was in the See.’ Fro point to point al sche him tolde, That sche hath longe in herte holde, And nevere dorste make hir mone Bot only to this lord al one, To whom hire herte can noght hele, Torne it to wo, torne it to wele, 1730 Torne it to good, torne it to harm. And he tho toke hire in his arm,[1649] Bot such a joie as he tho made Was nevere sen; thus be thei glade, That sory hadden be toforn. Fro this day forth fortune hath sworn To sette him upward on the whiel; So goth the world, now wo, now wel: This king hath founde newe grace, So that out of his derke place 1740 He goth him up into the liht, And with him cam that swete wiht, His doghter Thaise, and forth anon Thei bothe into the Caban gon Which was ordeigned for the king, And ther he dede of al his thing, And was arraied realy. [Sidenote: Qualiter Athenagoras Appolinum de naui in hospicium honorifice recollegit, et Thaisim, patre consenciente, in vxorem duxit.] And out he cam al openly, Wher Athenagoras he fond, The which was lord of al the lond:[1650] 1750 He preith the king to come and se His castell bothe and his cite, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 334=] And thus thei gon forth alle in fiere, This king, this lord, this maiden diere.[1651] This lord tho made hem riche feste With every thing which was honeste,[1652] To plese with this worthi king, Ther lacketh him no maner thing: Bot yit for al his noble array Wifles he was into that day, 1760 As he that yit was of yong Age;[1653] So fell ther into his corage The lusti wo, the glade peine Of love, which noman restreigne Yit nevere myhte as nou tofore. This lord thenkth al his world forlore, Bot if the king wol don him grace; He waiteth time, he waiteth place, Him thoghte his herte wol tobreke, Til he mai to this maide speke 1770 And to hir fader ek also For mariage: and it fell so, That al was do riht as he thoghte, His pourpos to an ende he broghte, Sche weddeth him as for hire lord; Thus be thei alle of on acord. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus vna cum filia et eius marito nauim ingredientes a Mitelena vsque Tharsim cursum proposuerunt. Set Appolinus in sompnis ammonitus versus Ephesim, vt ibidem in templo Diane sacrificaret, vela per mare diuertit.] Whan al was do riht as thei wolde, The king unto his Sone tolde Of Tharse thilke traiterie, And seide hou in his compaignie 1780 His doghter and himselven eke Schull go vengance forto seke. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 335=] The Schipes were redy sone, And whan thei sihe it was to done, Withoute lette of eny wente With Seil updrawe forth thei wente Towardes Tharse upon the tyde. Bot he that wot what schal betide, The hihe god, which wolde him kepe, Whan that this king was faste aslepe,[1654] 1790 Be nyhtes time he hath him bede To seile into an other stede:[1655] To Ephesim he bad him drawe, And as it was that time lawe, He schal do there his sacrifise; And ek he bad in alle wise That in the temple amonges alle His fortune, as it is befalle, Touchende his doghter and his wif He schal beknowe upon his lif. 1800 The king of this Avisioun Hath gret ymaginacioun, What thing it signefie may; And natheles, whan it was day, He bad caste Ancher and abod; And whil that he on Ancher rod, The wynd, which was tofore strange, Upon the point began to change, And torneth thider as it scholde. Tho knew he wel that god it wolde, 1810 And bad the Maister make him yare, Tofor the wynd for he wol fare [Sidenote: =P. iii. 336=] To Ephesim, and so he dede. And whanne he cam unto the stede Where as he scholde londe, he londeth With al the haste he may, and fondeth To schapen him be such a wise, That he may be the morwe arise And don after the mandement Of him which hath him thider sent. 1820 And in the wise that he thoghte, Upon the morwe so he wroghte; His doghter and his Sone he nom, And forth unto the temple he com With a gret route in compaignie, Hise yiftes forto sacrifie. The citezeins tho herden seie Of such a king that cam to preie Unto Diane the godesse, And left al other besinesse, 1830 Thei comen thider forto se The king and the solempnete. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus Ephesim in templo Diane sacrificans, vxorem suam ibidem velatam inuenit; qua secum assumpta in Nauim, versus Tyrum regressus est.] With worthi knyhtes environed The king himself hath abandoned Into the temple in good entente. The dore is up, and he in wente,[1656] Wher as with gret devocioun Of holi contemplacioun Withinne his herte he made his schrifte; And after that a riche yifte 1840 He offreth with gret reverence, And there in open Audience[1657] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 337=] Of hem that stoden thanne aboute,[1658] He tolde hem and declareth oute His hap, such as him is befalle, Ther was nothing foryete of alle. His wif, as it was goddes grace, Which was professed in the place, As sche that was Abbesse there, Unto his tale hath leid hire Ere: 1850 Sche knew the vois and the visage, For pure joie as in a rage Sche strawhte unto him al at ones, And fell aswoune upon the stones,[1659] Wherof the temple flor was paved. Sche was anon with water laved, Til sche cam to hirself ayein, And thanne sche began to sein: ‘Ha, blessed be the hihe sonde, That I mai se myn housebonde, 1860 That whilom he and I were on!’[1660] The king with that knew hire anon, And tok hire in his Arm and kiste; And al the toun thus sone it wiste. Tho was ther joie manyfold, For every man this tale hath told As for miracle, and were glade, Bot nevere man such joie made As doth the king, which hath his wif. And whan men herde hou that hir lif 1870 Was saved, and be whom it was, Thei wondren alle of such a cas: [Sidenote: =P. iii. 338=] Thurgh al the Lond aros the speche Of Maister Cerymon the leche And of the cure which he dede. The king himself tho hath him bede, And ek this queene forth with him,[1661] That he the toun of Ephesim Wol leve and go wher as thei be, For nevere man of his degre 1880 Hath do to hem so mochel good; And he his profit understod, And granteth with hem forto wende. And thus thei maden there an ende, And token leve and gon to Schipe With al the hole felaschipe. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus vna cum vxore et filia sua Thyrum applicuit.] This king, which nou hath his desir, Seith he wol holde his cours to Tyr. Thei hadden wynd at wille tho, With topseilcole and forth they go,[1662] 1890 And striken nevere, til thei come To Tyr, where as thei havene nome,[1663] And londen hem with mochel blisse. Tho was ther many a mowth to kisse, Echon welcometh other hom, Bot whan the queen to londe com, And Thaise hir doghter be hir side, The joie which was thilke tyde Ther mai no mannes tunge telle: Thei seiden alle, ‘Hier comth the welle 1900 Of alle wommannysshe grace.’ The king hath take his real place, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 339=] The queene is into chambre go: Ther was gret feste arraied tho; Whan time was, thei gon to mete, Alle olde sorwes ben foryete, And gladen hem with joies newe: The descoloured pale hewe Is now become a rody cheke, Ther was no merthe forto seke, 1910 Bot every man hath that he wolde.[1664] [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus Athenagoram cum Thaise vxore sua super Tyrum coronari fecit.[1665]] The king, as he wel couthe and scholde, Makth to his poeple riht good chiere; And after sone, as thou schalt hiere, A parlement he hath sommoned, Wher he his doghter hath coroned Forth with the lord of Mitelene, That on is king, that other queene: And thus the fadres ordinance This lond hath set in governance,[1666] 1920 And seide thanne he wolde wende[1667] To Tharse, forto make an ende Of that his doghter was betraied. Therof were alle men wel paied,[1668] And seide hou it was forto done: The Schipes weren redi sone, And strong pouer with him he tok;[1669] Up to the Sky he caste his lok,[1670] And syh the wynd was covenable. [Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus a Tyro per mare versus Tharsim iter arripiens vindictam contra Strangulionem et Dionisiam vxorem suam pro iniuria, quam ipsi Thaisi filie sue intulerunt, iudicialiter assecutus est.] Thei hale up Ancher with the cable, 1930 The Seil on hih, the Stiere in honde,[1671] And seilen, til thei come alonde [Sidenote: =P. iii. 340=] At Tharse nyh to the cite; And whan thei wisten it was he, The toun hath don him reverence. He telleth hem the violence, Which the tretour Strangulio And Dionise him hadde do Touchende his dowhter, as yee herde;[1672] And whan thei wiste hou that it ferde,[1673] 1940 As he which pes and love soghte, Unto the toun this he besoghte, To don him riht in juggement. Anon thei were bothe asent With strengthe of men, and comen sone, And as hem thoghte it was to done, Atteint thei were be the lawe And diemed forto honge and drawe, And brent and with the wynd toblowe, That al the world it myhte knowe: 1950 And upon this condicion The dom in execucion Was put anon withoute faile. And every man hath gret mervaile, Which herde tellen of this chance, And thonketh goddes pourveance, Which doth mercy forth with justice. Slain is the moerdrer and moerdrice Thurgh verray trowthe of rihtwisnesse, And thurgh mercy sauf is simplesse 1960 Of hire whom mercy preserveth; Thus hath he wel that wel deserveth. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 341=] [Sidenote: Qualiter Artestrate Pentapolim Rege mortuo, ipsi de regno Epistolas super hoc Appolino direxerunt: vnde Appolinus vna cum vxore sua ibidem aduenientes ad decus imperii cum magno gaudio coronati sunt.] Whan al this thing is don and ended, This king, which loved was and frended, A lettre hath, which cam to him Be Schipe fro Pentapolim, Be which the lond hath to him write,[1674] That he wolde understonde and wite Hou in good mynde and in good pes Ded is the king Artestrates, 1970 Wherof thei alle of on acord Him preiden, as here liege lord, That he the lettre wel conceive[1675] And come his regne to receive, Which god hath yove him and fortune; And thus besoghte the commune Forth with the grete lordes alle. This king sih how it was befalle,[1676] Fro Tharse and in prosperite He tok his leve of that Cite 1980 And goth him into Schipe ayein: The wynd was good, the See was plein, Hem nedeth noght a Riff to slake, Til thei Pentapolim have take. The lond, which herde of that tidinge, Was wonder glad of his cominge; He resteth him a day or tuo And tok his conseil to him tho, And sette a time of Parlement, Wher al the lond of on assent 1990 Forth with his wif hath him corouned, Wher alle goode him was fuisouned. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 342=] Lo, what it is to be wel grounded:[1677] For he hath ferst his love founded Honesteliche as forto wedde, Honesteliche his love he spedde And hadde children with his wif, And as him liste he ladde his lif; And in ensample his lif was write,[1678] That alle lovers myhten wite 2000 How ate laste it schal be sene Of love what thei wolden mene. For se now on that other side, Antiochus with al his Pride, Which sette his love unkindely, His ende he hadde al sodeinly,[1679] Set ayein kinde upon vengance, And for his lust hath his penance. [Sidenote: Confessor ad Amantem.[1680]] Lo thus, mi Sone, myht thou liere What is to love in good manere, 2010 And what to love in other wise: The mede arist of the servise; Fortune, thogh sche be noght stable, Yit at som time is favorable To hem that ben of love trewe. Bot certes it is forto rewe To se love ayein kinde falle, For that makth sore a man to falle, As thou myht of tofore rede. Forthi, my Sone, I wolde rede 2020 To lete al other love aweie, Bot if it be thurgh such a weie [Sidenote: =P. iii. 343=] As love and reson wolde acorde. For elles, if that thou descorde, And take lust as doth a beste, Thi love mai noght ben honeste; For be no skile that I finde [Sidenote: [THE LOVER REQUIRES COUNSEL.]] Such lust is noght of loves kinde. [Sidenote: Confessio Amantis, vnde pro finali conclusione consilium Confessoris impetrat.] Mi fader, hou so that it stonde, Youre tale is herd and understonde, 2030 As thing which worthi is to hiere, Of gret ensample and gret matiere, Wherof, my fader, god you quyte. Bot in this point miself aquite I mai riht wel, that nevere yit I was assoted in my wit, Bot only in that worthi place Wher alle lust and alle grace Is set, if that danger ne were. Bot that is al my moste fere: 2040 I not what ye fortune acompte, Bot what thing danger mai amonte I wot wel, for I have assaied; For whan myn herte is best arraied And I have al my wit thurghsoght Of love to beseche hire oght, For al that evere I skile may,[1681] I am concluded with a nay: That o sillable hath overthrowe A thousend wordes on a rowe 2050 Of suche as I best speke can; Thus am I bot a lewed man. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 344=] Bot, fader, for ye ben a clerk Of love, and this matiere is derk, And I can evere leng the lasse, Bot yit I mai noght let it passe,[1682] Youre hole conseil I beseche, That ye me be som weie teche What is my beste, as for an ende. Mi Sone, unto the trouthe wende 2060 Now wol I for the love of thee, And lete alle othre truffles be.[1683]

The more that the nede is hyh, The more it nedeth to be slyh [Sidenote: [THE CONFESSOR REPLIES.]] To him which hath the nede on honde. I have wel herd and understonde, Mi Sone, al that thou hast me seid, [Sidenote: Hic super Amoris causa finita confessione, Confessor Genius Amanti ea que sibi salubrius expediunt, sano consilio finaliter iniungit.] And ek of that thou hast me preid, Nou at this time that I schal As for conclusioun final 2070 Conseile upon thi nede sette:[1684] So thenke I finaly to knette This cause, where it is tobroke, And make an ende of that is spoke.[1685] For I behihte thee that yifte Ferst whan thou come under my schrifte, That thogh I toward Venus were, Yit spak I suche wordes there, That for the Presthod which I have, Min ordre and min astat to save, 2080 I seide I wolde of myn office To vertu more than to vice [Sidenote: =P. iii. 345=] Encline, and teche thee mi lore. Forthi to speken overmore Of love, which thee mai availe, Tak love where it mai noght faile:[1686] For as of this which thou art inne, Be that thou seist it is a Sinne, And Sinne mai no pris deserve, Withoute pris and who schal serve, 2090 I not what profit myhte availe. Thus folweth it, if thou travaile, Wher thou no profit hast ne pris, Thou art toward thiself unwis: And sett thou myhtest lust atteigne,[1687] Of every lust thende is a peine, And every peine is good to fle; So it is wonder thing to se,[1688] Why such a thing schal be desired. The more that a Stock is fyred, 2100 The rathere into Aisshe it torneth; The fot which in the weie sporneth Fulofte his heved hath overthrowe; Thus love is blind and can noght knowe[1689] Wher that he goth, til he be falle: Forthi, bot if it so befalle[1690] With good conseil that he be lad, Him oghte forto ben adrad. For conseil passeth alle thing To him which thenkth to ben a king; 2110 And every man for his partie A kingdom hath to justefie, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 346=] That is to sein his oghne dom. If he misreule that kingdom, He lest himself, and that is more Than if he loste Schip and Ore And al the worldes good withal: For what man that in special Hath noght himself, he hath noght elles, Nomor the perles than the schelles; 2120 Al is to him of o value: Thogh he hadde at his retenue The wyde world riht as he wolde, Whan he his herte hath noght withholde Toward himself, al is in vein. And thus, my Sone, I wolde sein, As I seide er, that thou aryse, Er that thou falle in such a wise That thou ne myht thiself rekevere: For love, which that blind was evere, 2130 Makth alle his servantz blinde also. My Sone, and if thou have be so, Yit is it time to withdrawe, And set thin herte under that lawe,[1691] The which of reson is governed And noght of will. And to be lerned, Ensamples thou hast many on Of now and ek of time gon,[1692] That every lust is bot a while; And who that wole himself beguile, 2140 He may the rathere be deceived. Mi Sone, now thou hast conceived [Sidenote: =P. iii. 347=] Somwhat of that I wolde mene; Hierafterward it schal be sene If that thou lieve upon mi lore; For I can do to thee nomore Bot teche thee the rihte weie: Now ches if thou wolt live or deie.

[Sidenote: [THE CONTROVERSY.]] Mi fader, so as I have herd Your tale, bot it were ansuerd, 2150 [Sidenote: Hic loquitur de controuersia, que inter Confessorem et Amantem in fine confessionis versabatur.] I were mochel forto blame. Mi wo to you is bot a game, That fielen noght of that I fiele;[1693] The fielinge of a mannes Hiele Mai noght be likned to the Herte: I mai noght, thogh I wolde, asterte, And ye be fre from al the peine Of love, wherof I me pleigne. It is riht esi to comaunde; The hert which fre goth on the launde 2160 Not of an Oxe what him eileth; It falleth ofte a man merveileth Of that he seth an other fare, Bot if he knewe himself the fare, And felt it as it is in soth, He scholde don riht as he doth, Or elles werse in his degre: For wel I wot, and so do ye, That love hath evere yit ben used, So mot I nedes ben excused. 2170 Bot, fader, if ye wolde thus Unto Cupide and to Venus [Sidenote: =P. iii. 348=] Be frendlich toward mi querele, So that myn herte were in hele Of love which is in mi briest, I wot wel thanne a betre Prest Was nevere mad to my behove. Bot al the whiles that I hove[1694] In noncertein betwen the tuo,[1695] And not if I to wel or wo[1696] 2180 Schal torne, that is al my drede, So that I not what is to rede. Bot for final conclusion I thenke a Supplicacion With pleine wordes and expresse Wryte unto Venus the goddesse, The which I preie you to bere And bringe ayein a good ansuere. Tho was betwen mi Prest and me Debat and gret perplexete: 2190 Mi resoun understod him wel, And knew it was soth everydel That he hath seid, bot noght forthi Mi will hath nothing set therby. For techinge of so wis a port[1697] Is unto love of no desport; Yit myhte nevere man beholde Reson, wher love was withholde, Thei be noght of o governance. And thus we fellen in distance, 2200 Mi Prest and I, bot I spak faire, And thurgh mi wordes debonaire [Sidenote: =P. iii. 349=] Thanne ate laste we acorden,[1698] So that he seith he wol recorden To speke and stonde upon mi syde To Venus bothe and to Cupide; And bad me wryte what I wolde, And seith me trewly that he scholde Mi lettre here unto the queene. And I sat doun upon the grene 2210 [Sidenote: [THE SUPPLICATION.]] Fulfilt of loves fantasie, And with the teres of myn ÿe In stede of enke I gan to wryte The wordes whiche I wolde endite[1699] Unto Cupide and to Venus, And in mi lettre I seide thus.

The wofull peine of loves maladie, [Sidenote: Hic tractat formam cuiusdam Supplicacionis, quam ex parte Amantis per manus Genii Sacerdotis sui Venus sibi porrectam acceptabat.] Ayein the which mai no phisique availe, Min herte hath so bewhaped with sotie, That wher so that I reste or I travaile,[1700] 2220 I finde it evere redy to assaile Mi resoun, which that can him noght defende: Thus seche I help, wherof I mihte amende.

Ferst to Nature if that I me compleigne, Ther finde I hou that every creature Som time ayer hath love in his demeine, So that the litel wrenne in his mesure Hath yit of kinde a love under his cure;[1701] And I bot on desire, of which I misse: And thus, bot I, hath every kinde his blisse. 2230

[Sidenote: =P. iii. 350=] The resoun of my wit it overpasseth, Of that Nature techeth me the weie To love, and yit no certein sche compasseth Hou I schal spede, and thus betwen the tweie I stonde, and not if I schal live or deie. For thogh reson ayein my will debate, I mai noght fle, that I ne love algate.

Upon miself is thilke tale come, Hou whilom Pan, which is the god of kinde, With love wrastlede and was overcome:[1702] 2240 For evere I wrastle and evere I am behinde, That I no strengthe in al min herte finde, Wherof that I mai stonden eny throwe; So fer mi wit with love is overthrowe.

Whom nedeth help, he mot his helpe crave, Or helpeles he schal his nede spille: Pleinly thurghsoght my wittes alle I have,[1703] Bot non of hem can helpe after mi wille; And als so wel I mihte sitte stille, As preie unto mi lady eny helpe: 2250 Thus wot I noght wherof miself to helpe.[1704]

Unto the grete Jove and if I bidde, To do me grace of thilke swete tunne, Which under keie in his celier amidde Lith couched, that fortune is overrunne, Bot of the bitter cuppe I have begunne, I not hou ofte, and thus finde I no game;[1705] For evere I axe and evere it is the same.

[Sidenote: =P. iii. 351=] I se the world stonde evere upon eschange, Nou wyndes loude, and nou the weder softe; 2260 I mai sen ek the grete mone change, And thing which nou is lowe is eft alofte; The dredfull werres into pes fulofte Thei torne; and evere is Danger in o place, Which wol noght change his will to do me grace.

Bot upon this the grete clerc Ovide, Of love whan he makth his remembrance, He seith ther is the blinde god Cupide, The which hath love under his governance, And in his hond with many a fyri lance[1706] 2270 He woundeth ofte, ther he wol noght hele; And that somdiel is cause of mi querele.[1707]

Ovide ek seith that love to parforne Stant in the hond of Venus the goddesse, Bot whan sche takth hir conseil with Satorne, Ther is no grace, and in that time, I gesse, Began mi love, of which myn hevynesse Is now and evere schal, bot if I spede: So wot I noght miself what is to rede.

Forthi to you, Cupide and Venus bothe, 2280 With al myn hertes obeissance I preie, If ye were ate ferste time wrothe, Whan I began to love, as I you seie, Nou stynt, and do thilke infortune aweie,[1708] So that Danger, which stant of retenue With my ladi, his place mai remue.

[Sidenote: =P. iii. 352=] O thou Cupide, god of loves lawe, That with thi Dart brennende hast set afyre Min herte, do that wounde be withdrawe, Or yif me Salve such as I desire: 2290 For Service in thi Court withouten hyre To me, which evere yit have kept thin heste, Mai nevere be to loves lawe honeste.

O thou, gentile Venus, loves queene,[1709] Withoute gult thou dost on me thi wreche; Thou wost my peine is evere aliche grene For love, and yit I mai it noght areche: This wold I for my laste word beseche,[1710] That thou mi love aquite as I deserve, Or elles do me pleinly forto sterve. 2300

[Sidenote: [VENUS REPLIES TO THE SUPPLICATION.]] Whanne I this Supplicacioun With good deliberacioun, [Sidenote: Hic loquitur qualiter Venus, accepta Amantis Supplicacione, indilate ad singula respondit.] In such a wise as ye nou wite, Hadde after min entente write Unto Cupide and to Venus, This Prest which hihte Genius It tok on honde to presente, On my message and forth he wente To Venus, forto wite hire wille. And I bod in the place stille, 2310 And was there bot a litel while, Noght full the montance of a Mile, Whan I behield and sodeinly I sih wher Venus stod me by. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 353=] So as I myhte, under a tre To grounde I fell upon mi kne, And preide hire forto do me grace: Sche caste hire chiere upon mi face, And as it were halvinge a game[1711] Sche axeth me what is mi name.[1712] 2320 ‘Ma dame,’ I seide, ‘John Gower.’ ‘Now John,’ quod sche, ‘in my pouer Thou most as of thi love stonde; For I thi bille have understonde, In which to Cupide and to me Somdiel thou hast compleigned thee, And somdiel to Nature also. Bot that schal stonde among you tuo, For therof have I noght to done; For Nature is under the Mone 2330 Maistresse of every lives kinde, Bot if so be that sche mai finde[1713] Som holy man that wol withdrawe His kindly lust ayein hir lawe;[1714] Bot sielde whanne it falleth so, For fewe men ther ben of tho, Bot of these othre ynowe be, Whiche of here oghne nycete Ayein Nature and hire office Deliten hem in sondri vice, 2340 Wherof that sche fulofte hath pleigned, And ek my Court it hath desdeigned[1715] And evere schal; for it receiveth Non such that kinde so deceiveth. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 354=] For al onliche of gentil love Mi court stant alle courtz above And takth noght into retenue Bot thing which is to kinde due, For elles it schal be refused. Wherof I holde thee excused, 2350 For it is manye daies gon, That thou amonges hem were on Which of my court hast ben withholde; So that the more I am beholde Of thi desese to commune, And to remue that fortune, Which manye daies hath the grieved. Bot if my conseil mai be lieved, Thou schalt ben esed er thou go Of thilke unsely jolif wo, 2360 Wherof thou seist thin herte is fyred: Bot as of that thou hast desired After the sentence of thi bille, Thou most therof don at my wille, And I therof me wole avise. For be thou hol, it schal suffise: Mi medicine is noght to sieke[1716] For thee and for suche olde sieke,[1717] Noght al per chance as ye it wolden,[1718] Bot so as ye be reson scholden, 2370 Acordant unto loves kinde.[1719] For in the plit which I thee finde, So as mi court it hath awarded, Thou schalt be duely rewarded; [Sidenote: =P. iii. 355=] And if thou woldest more crave, It is no riht that thou it have.’

iii. Qui cupit id quod habere nequit, sua tempora perdit, Est vbi non posse, velle salute caret. Non estatis opus gelidis hirsuta capillis, Cum calor abcessit, equiperabit hiems; Sicut habet Mayus non dat natura Decembri, Nec poterit compar floribus esse lutum; Sic neque decrepita senium iuvenile voluptas Floret in obsequium, quod Venus ipsa petit.[1720] Conveniens igitur foret, vt quos cana senectus Attigit, vlterius corpora casta colant. (10)

Venus, which stant withoute lawe In noncertein, bot as men drawe [Sidenote: Hic in exemplum contra quoscunque viros inveteratos amoris concupiscenciam affectantes loquitur Venus, huiusque Amantis Confessi supplicacionem quasi deridens, ipsum pro eo quod senex et debilis est, multis exhortacionibus insufficientem redarguit.[1721]] Of Rageman upon the chance, Sche leith no peis in the balance, 2380 Bot as hir lyketh forto weie; The trewe man fulofte aweie Sche put, which hath hir grace bede, And set an untrewe in his stede. Lo, thus blindly the world sche diemeth In loves cause, as tome siemeth:[1722] I not what othre men wol sein,[1723] Bot I algate am so besein, And stonde as on amonges alle Which am out of hir grace falle: 2390 It nedeth take no witnesse, For sche which seid is the goddesse, To whether part of love it wende, Hath sett me for a final ende The point wherto that I schal holde. For whan sche hath me wel beholde, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 356=] Halvynge of scorn, sche seide thus: ‘Thou wost wel that I am Venus, Which al only my lustes seche; And wel I wot, thogh thou beseche 2400 Mi love, lustes ben ther none, Whiche I mai take in thi persone; For loves lust and lockes hore[1724] In chambre acorden neveremore, And thogh thou feigne a yong corage, It scheweth wel be the visage That olde grisel is no fole: There ben fulmanye yeres stole With thee and with suche othre mo,[1725] That outward feignen youthe so 2410 And ben withinne of pore assay. Min herte wolde and I ne may Is noght beloved nou adayes; Er thou make eny suche assaies To love, and faile upon the fet, Betre is to make a beau retret; For thogh thou myhtest love atteigne, Yit were it bot an ydel peine, Whan that thou art noght sufficant To holde love his covenant. 2420 Forthi tak hom thin herte ayein, That thou travaile noght in vein, Wherof my Court may be deceived. I wot and have it wel conceived, Hou that thi will is good ynowh; Bot mor behoveth to the plowh, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 357=] Wherof the lacketh, as I trowe: So sitte it wel that thou beknowe[1726] Thi fieble astat, er thou beginne Thing wher thou miht non ende winne. 2430 What bargain scholde a man assaie, Whan that him lacketh forto paie? Mi Sone, if thou be wel bethoght,[1727] This toucheth thee; foryet it noght: The thing is torned into was; That which was whilom grene gras,[1728] Is welked hey at time now.[1729] Forthi mi conseil is that thou Remembre wel hou thou art old.’ [Sidenote: [THE COMPANIES OF LOVERS.]] Whan Venus hath hir tale told, 2440 And I bethoght was al aboute,[1730] [Sidenote: Qualiter super derisoria Veneris exhortacione contristatus Amans, quasi mortuus in terram corruit, vbi, vt sibi videbatur, Cupidinem cum innumera multitudine nuper Amantum variis turmis assistencium conspiciebat.] Tho wiste I wel withoute doute,[1731] That ther was no recoverir; And as a man the blase of fyr With water quencheth, so ferd I;[1732] A cold me cawhte sodeinly,[1733] For sorwe that myn herte made Mi dedly face pale and fade Becam, and swoune I fell to grounde. And as I lay the same stounde, 2450 Ne fully quik ne fully ded, Me thoghte I sih tofor myn hed Cupide with his bowe bent, And lich unto a Parlement, Which were ordeigned for the nones, With him cam al the world at ones [Sidenote: =P. iii. 358=] Of gentil folk that whilom were Lovers, I sih hem alle there Forth with Cupide in sondri routes. Min yhe and as I caste aboutes, 2460 To knowe among hem who was who, I sih wher lusty Youthe tho,[1734] As he which was a Capitein, Tofore alle othre upon the plein Stod with his route wel begon, Here hevedes kempt, and therupon Garlandes noght of o colour, Some of the lef, some of the flour, And some of grete Perles were; The newe guise of Beawme there, 2470 With sondri thinges wel devised, I sih, wherof thei ben queintised. It was al lust that thei with ferde, Ther was no song that I ne herde, Which unto love was touchende; Of Pan and al that was likende[1735] As in Pipinge of melodie Was herd in thilke compaignie So lowde, that on every side It thoghte as al the hevene cride 2480 In such acord and such a soun Of bombard and of clarion With Cornemuse and Schallemele, That it was half a mannes hele So glad a noise forto hiere. And as me thoghte, in this manere [Sidenote: =P. iii. 359=] Al freissh I syh hem springe and dance, And do to love her entendance After the lust of youthes heste. Ther was ynowh of joie and feste, 2490 For evere among thei laghe and pleie, And putten care out of the weie, That he with hem ne sat ne stod. And overthis I understod, So as myn Ere it myhte areche, The moste matiere of her speche Was al of knyhthod and of Armes,[1736] And what it is to ligge in armes With love, whanne it is achieved. [Sidenote: De nominibus illorum nuper Amantum, qui tunc Amanti spasmato, aliqui iuuenes, aliqui senes, apparuerunt. Senes autem precipue tam erga deum quam deam amoris pro sanitate Amantis recuperanda multiplicatis precibus misericorditer instabant.] Ther was Tristram, which was believed 2500 With bele Ysolde, and Lancelot Stod with Gunnore, and Galahot With his ladi, and as me thoghte, I syh wher Jason with him broghte His love, which that Creusa hihte, And Hercules, which mochel myhte, Was ther berende his grete Mace, And most of alle in thilke place He peyneth him to make chiere With Eolen, which was him diere. 2510 Theseüs, thogh he were untrewe To love, as alle wommen knewe, Yit was he there natheles With Phedra, whom to love he ches: Of Grece ek ther was Thelamon, Which fro the king Lamenedon [Sidenote: =P. iii. 360=] At Troie his doghter refte aweie, Eseonen, as for his preie, Which take was whan Jason cam Fro Colchos, and the Cite nam 2520 In vengance of the ferste hate; That made hem after to debate, Whan Priamus the newe toun Hath mad. And in avisioun Me thoghte that I sih also Ector forth with his brethren tuo; Himself stod with Pantaselee, And next to him I myhte se, Wher Paris stod with faire Eleine, Which was his joie sovereine; 2530 And Troilus stod with Criseide, Bot evere among, althogh he pleide, Be semblant he was hevy chiered, For Diomede, as him was liered, Cleymeth to ben his parconner. And thus full many a bacheler, A thousend mo than I can sein, With Yowthe I sih ther wel besein Forth with here loves glade and blithe. And some I sih whiche ofte sithe 2540 Compleignen hem in other wise; Among the whiche I syh Narcise And Piramus, that sory were.[1737] The worthy Grek also was there, Achilles, which for love deide: Agamenon ek, as men seide, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 361=] And Menelay the king also I syh, with many an other mo, Which hadden be fortuned sore In loves cause. And overmore 2550 Of wommen in the same cas, With hem I sih wher Dido was, Forsake which was with Enee; And Phillis ek I myhte see, Whom Demephon deceived hadde; And Adriagne hir sorwe ladde, For Theseüs hir Soster tok And hire unkindely forsok. I sih ther ek among the press Compleignende upon Hercules 2560 His ferste love Deyanire, Which sette him afterward afyre: Medea was there ek and pleigneth Upon Jason, for that he feigneth, Withoute cause and tok a newe; Sche seide, ‘Fy on alle untrewe!’ I sih there ek Deÿdamie, Which hadde lost the compaignie Of Achilles, whan Diomede To Troie him fette upon the nede. 2570 Among these othre upon the grene I syh also the wofull queene Cleopatras, which in a Cave[1738] With Serpentz hath hirself begrave Alquik, and so sche was totore,[1739] For sorwe of that sche hadde lore [Sidenote: =P. iii. 362=] Antonye, which hir love hath be: And forth with hire I sih Tisbee, Which on the scharpe swerdes point For love deide in sory point; 2580 And as myn Ere it myhte knowe, She seide, ‘Wo worthe alle slowe!’ The pleignte of Progne and Philomene Ther herde I what it wolde mene, How Tereüs of his untrouthe Undede hem bothe, and that was routhe; And next to hem I sih Canace, Which for Machaire hir fader grace Hath lost, and deide in wofull plit. And as I sih in my spirit, 2590 Me thoghte amonges othre thus The doghter of king Priamus, Polixena, whom Pirrus slowh, Was there and made sorwe ynowh, As sche which deide gulteles For love, and yit was loveles. And forto take the desport, I sih there some of other port,[1740] And that was Circes and Calipse, That cowthen do the Mone eclipse, 2600 Of men and change the liknesses, Of Artmagique Sorceresses; Thei hielde in honde manyon, To love wher thei wolde or non. Bot above alle that ther were Of wommen I sih foure there, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 363=] Whos name I herde most comended: Be hem the Court stod al amended; For wher thei comen in presence, Men deden hem the reverence, 2610 As thogh they hadden be goddesses, Of al this world or Emperesses. And as me thoghte, an Ere I leide, And herde hou that these othre seide, ‘Lo, these ben the foure wyves, Whos feith was proeved in her lyves: For in essample of alle goode With Mariage so thei stode, That fame, which no gret thing hydeth, Yit in Cronique of hem abydeth.’ 2620 Penolope that on was hote, Whom many a knyht hath loved hote, Whil that hire lord Ulixes lay[1741] Full many a yer and many a day Upon the grete Siege of Troie: Bot sche, which hath no worldes joie Bot only of hire housebonde, Whil that hir lord was out of londe, So wel hath kept hir wommanhiede, That al the world therof tok hiede, 2630 And nameliche of hem in Grece. That other womman was Lucrece, Wif to the Romain Collatin; And sche constreigned of Tarquin To thing which was ayein hir wille, Sche wolde noght hirselven stille, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 364=] Bot deide only for drede of schame In keping of hire goode name, As sche which was on of the beste. The thridde wif was hote Alceste, 2640 Which whanne Ametus scholde dye Upon his grete maladye, Sche preide unto the goddes so, That sche receyveth al the wo And deide hirself to yive him lif: Lo, if this were a noble wif.[1742] The ferthe wif which I ther sih, I herde of hem that were nyh Hou sche was cleped Alcione, Which to Seyix hir lord al one[1743] 2650 And to nomo hir body kepte; And whan sche sih him dreynt, sche lepte Into the wawes where he swam,[1744] And there a Sefoul sche becam, And with hire wenges him bespradde For love which to him sche hadde.[1745] Lo, these foure were tho Whiche I sih, as me thoghte tho, Among the grete compaignie Which Love hadde forto guye: 2660 Bot Youthe, which in special Of Loves Court was Mareschal, So besy was upon his lay, That he non hiede where I lay[1746] Hath take. And thanne, as I behield, Me thoghte I sih upon the field, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 365=] Where Elde cam a softe pas Toward Venus, ther as sche was. With him gret compaignie he ladde, Bot noght so manye as Youthe hadde:[1747] 2670 The moste part were of gret Age, And that was sene in the visage,[1748] And noght forthi, so as thei myhte, Thei made hem yongly to the sihte: Bot yit herde I no pipe there[1749] To make noise in mannes Ere,[1750] Bot the Musette I myhte knowe, For olde men which souneth lowe,[1751] With Harpe and Lute and with Citole. The hovedance and the Carole, 2680 In such a wise as love hath bede, A softe pas thei dance and trede; And with the wommen otherwhile With sobre chier among thei smyle, For laghtre was ther non on hyh. And natheles full wel I syh That thei the more queinte it made For love, in whom thei weren glade. And there me thoghte I myhte se The king David with Bersabee, 2690 And Salomon was noght withoute; Passende an hundred on a route Of wyves and of Concubines, Juesses bothe and Sarazines,[1752] To him I sih alle entendant: I not if he was sufficant,[1753] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 366=] Bot natheles for al his wit He was attached with that writ Which love with his hond enseleth, Fro whom non erthly man appeleth. 2700 And overthis, as for a wonder,[1754] With his leon which he put under,[1755] With Dalida Sampson I knew, Whos love his strengthe al overthrew. I syh there Aristotle also, Whom that the queene of Grece so[1756] Hath bridled, that in thilke time Sche made him such a Silogime, That he foryat al his logique; Ther was non art of his Practique, 2710 Thurgh which it mihte ben excluded That he ne was fully concluded To love, and dede his obeissance. And ek Virgile of aqueintance I sih, wher he the Maiden preide, Which was the doghter, as men seide, Of themperour whilom of Rome; Sortes and Plato with him come, So dede Ovide the Poete. I thoghte thanne how love is swete, 2720 Which hath so wise men reclamed, And was miself the lasse aschamed, Or forto lese or forto winne In the meschief that I was inne: And thus I lay in hope of grace. And whan thei comen to the place [Sidenote: =P. iii. 367=] Wher Venus stod and I was falle, These olde men, with o vois alle To Venus preiden for my sake. And sche, that myhte noght forsake 2730 So gret a clamour as was there, Let Pite come into hire Ere; And forth withal unto Cupide Sche preith that he upon his side Me wolde thurgh his grace sende Som confort, that I myhte amende, Upon the cas which is befalle. And thus for me thei preiden alle Of hem that weren olde aboute, And ek some of the yonge route, 2740 Of gentilesse and pure trouthe I herde hem telle it was gret routhe, That I withouten help so ferde. And thus me thoghte I lay and herde.

Cupido, which may hurte and hele In loves cause, as for myn hele [Sidenote: [CUPID AND THE LOVER.]] Upon the point which him was preid Cam with Venus, wher I was leid [Sidenote: Hic tractat qualiter Cupido Amantis senectute confracti viscera perscrutans, ignita sue concupiscencie tela ab eo penitus extraxit, quem Venus postea absque calore percipiens, vacuum reliquit: et sic tandem prouisa Senectus, racionem inuocans, hominem interiorem per prius amore infatuatum mentis sanitati plenius restaurauit.] Swounende upon the grene gras. And, as me thoghte, anon ther was 2750 On every side so gret presse, That every lif began to presse, I wot noght wel hou many score, Suche as I spak of now tofore, Lovers, that comen to beholde, Bot most of hem that weren olde: [Sidenote: =P. iii. 368=] Thei stoden there at thilke tyde, To se what ende schal betyde Upon the cure of my sotie. Tho myhte I hiere gret partie 2760 Spekende, and ech his oghne avis Hath told, on that, an other this: Bot among alle this I herde, Thei weren wo that I so ferde, And seiden that for no riote An old man scholde noght assote; For as thei tolden redely, Ther is in him no cause why, Bot if he wolde himself benyce;[1757] So were he wel the more nyce. 2770 And thus desputen some of tho, And some seiden nothing so, Bot that the wylde loves rage In mannes lif forberth non Age; [Sidenote: Nota.[1758]] Whil ther is oyle forto fyre, The lampe is lyhtly set afyre, And is fulhard er it be queynt, Bot only if it be som seint, Which god preserveth of his grace. And thus me thoghte, in sondri place 2780 Of hem that walken up and doun Ther was diverse opinioun: And for a while so it laste, Til that Cupide to the laste, [Sidenote: [THE FIERY DART WITHDRAWN.]] Forth with his moder full avised, Hath determined and devised [Sidenote: =P. iii. 369=] Unto what point he wol descende. And al this time I was liggende Upon the ground tofore his yhen, And thei that my desese syhen 2790 Supposen noght I scholde live; Bot he, which wolde thanne yive His grace, so as it mai be, This blinde god which mai noght se, Hath groped til that he me fond; And as he pitte forth his hond[1759] Upon my body, wher I lay, Me thoghte a fyri Lancegay, Which whilom thurgh myn herte he caste, He pulleth oute, and also faste 2800 As this was do, Cupide nam His weie, I not where he becam, And so dede al the remenant Which unto him was entendant, Of hem that in Avision I hadde a revelacion, So as I tolde now tofore. [Sidenote: [THE HEALING OF LOVE.]] Bot Venus wente noght therfore, Ne Genius, whiche thilke time[1760] Abiden bothe faste byme. 2810 And sche which mai the hertes bynde In loves cause and ek unbinde, Er I out of mi trance aros, Venus, which hield a boiste clos, And wolde noght I scholde deie, Tok out mor cold than eny keie [Sidenote: =P. iii. 370=] An oignement, and in such point Sche hath my wounded herte enoignt, My temples and my Reins also.[1761] And forth withal sche tok me tho 2820 A wonder Mirour forto holde, In which sche bad me to beholde And taken hiede of that I syhe; Wherinne anon myn hertes yhe I caste, and sih my colour fade, Myn yhen dymme and al unglade, Mi chiekes thinne, and al my face With Elde I myhte se deface, So riveled and so wo besein, That ther was nothing full ne plein, 2830 I syh also myn heres hore. Mi will was tho to se nomore Outwith, for ther was no plesance;[1762] And thanne into my remembrance I drowh myn olde daies passed, And as reson it hath compassed, [Sidenote: Quod status hominis Mensibus anni equiperatur.[1763]] I made a liknesse of miselve Unto the sondri Monthes twelve, Wherof the yeer in his astat Is mad, and stant upon debat, 2840 That lich til other non acordeth. For who the times wel recordeth, And thanne at Marche if he beginne, Whan that the lusti yeer comth inne, Til Augst be passed and Septembre, The myhty youthe he may remembre [Sidenote: =P. iii. 371=] In which the yeer hath his deduit Of gras, of lef, of flour, of fruit,[1764] Of corn and of the wyny grape. And afterward the time is schape[1765] 2850 To frost, to Snow, to Wind, to Rein, Til eft that Mars be come ayein: The Wynter wol no Somer knowe, The grene lef is overthrowe, The clothed erthe is thanne bare, Despuiled is the Somerfare,[1766] That erst was hete is thanne chele. And thus thenkende thoghtes fele, I was out of mi swoune affraied, Wherof I sih my wittes straied,[1767] 2860 And gan to clepe hem hom ayein. And whan Resoun it herde sein That loves rage was aweie, He cam to me the rihte weie, And hath remued the sotie Of thilke unwise fantasie, Wherof that I was wont to pleigne, So that of thilke fyri peine I was mad sobre and hol ynowh. Venus behield me than and lowh, 2870 And axeth, as it were in game, What love was. And I for schame Ne wiste what I scholde ansuere; And natheles I gan to swere That be my trouthe I knew him noght; So ferr it was out of mi thoght, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 372=] Riht as it hadde nevere be. ‘Mi goode Sone,’ tho quod sche, ‘Now at this time I lieve it wel, So goth the fortune of my whiel; 2880 Forthi mi conseil is thou leve.’ ‘Ma dame,’ I seide, ‘be your leve, Ye witen wel, and so wot I, That I am unbehovely Your Court fro this day forth to serve:[1768] And for I may no thonk deserve, And also for I am refused, I preie you to ben excused. And natheles as for the laste,[1769] Whil that my wittes with me laste, 2890 Touchende mi confession I axe an absolucion Of Genius, er that I go.’ [Sidenote: [THE ABSOLUTION.]] The Prest anon was redy tho, And seide, ‘Sone, as of thi schrifte Thou hast ful pardoun and foryifte; Foryet it thou, and so wol I.’ [Sidenote: Amans.] ‘Min holi fader, grant mercy,’ Quod I to him, and to the queene[1770] I fell on knes upon the grene, 2900 And tok my leve forto wende. [Sidenote: [LEAVE-TAKING OF VENUS.]] Bot sche, that wolde make an ende, As therto which I was most able, A Peire of Bedes blak as Sable Sche tok and heng my necke aboute; Upon the gaudes al withoute [Sidenote: =P. iii. 373=] Was write of gold, Por reposer.[1771] ‘Lo,’ thus sche seide, ‘John Gower, Now thou art ate laste cast, This have I for thin ese cast, 2910 That thou nomore of love sieche. Bot my will is that thou besieche And preie hierafter for the pes, And that thou make a plein reles To love, which takth litel hiede Of olde men upon the nede, Whan that the lustes ben aweie: Forthi to thee nys bot o weie, In which let reson be thi guide; For he may sone himself misguide, 2920 That seth noght the peril tofore. Mi Sone, be wel war therfore, And kep the sentence of my lore And tarie thou mi Court nomore, Bot go ther vertu moral duelleth,[1772] Wher ben thi bokes, as men telleth,[1773] Whiche of long time thou hast write. For this I do thee wel to wite, If thou thin hele wolt pourchace, Thou miht noght make suite and chace, 2930 Wher that the game is nought pernable;[1774] It were a thing unresonable, A man to be so overseie. Forthi tak hiede of that I seie; For in the lawe of my comune We be noght schape to comune, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 374=] Thiself and I, nevere after this. Now have y seid al that ther is[1775] Of love as for thi final ende: *Adieu, for y mot fro the wende.’ 2940 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 375=] And with that word al sodeinly, Enclosid in a sterred sky,[1776] Venus, which is the qweene of love, Was take in to hire place above, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 376=] More wiste y nought wher sche becam.[1777] And thus my leve of hire y nam,[1778] And forth with al the same tide Hire prest, which wolde nought abide, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 377=] Or be me lief or be me loth, Out of my sighte forth he goth, 2950 And y was left with outen helpe. So wiste I nought wher of to yelpe, Bot only that y hadde lore My time, and was sori ther fore. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 378=] And thus bewhapid in my thought, Whan al was turnyd in to nought, I stod amasid for a while, And in my self y gan to smyle Thenkende uppon the bedis blake, And how they weren me betake, 2960 For that y schulde bidde and preie. And whanne y sigh non othre weie Bot only that y was refusid, Unto the lif which y hadde usid I thoughte nevere torne ayein: And in this wise, soth to seyn, Homward a softe pas y wente, Wher that with al myn hol entente[1779] Uppon the point that y am schryve I thenke bidde whil y live.[1780] 2970

[Sidenote: [THE AUTHOR PRAYS FOR THE STATE OF ENGLAND.]] iv. Parce precor, Criste, populus quo gaudeat iste; Anglia ne triste subeat, rex summe, resiste. Corrige quosque status, fragiles absolue reatus; Vnde deo gratus vigeat locus iste beatus.

He which withinne daies sevene[1781] This large world forth with the hevene [Sidenote: Hic in anno quartodecimo Regis Ricardi orat pro statu regni, quod a diu diuisum nimia aduersitate periclitabatur.[1782]] Of his eternal providence Hath mad, and thilke intelligence In mannys soule resonable Hath schape to be perdurable, Wherof the man of his feture Above alle erthli creature Aftir the soule is immortal, To thilke lord in special, 2980 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 379=] As he which is of alle thinges The creatour, and of the kynges Hath the fortunes uppon honde, His grace and mercy forto fonde Uppon my bare knes y preie, That he this loud in siker weie Wol sette uppon good governance.[1783] For if men takyn remembrance What is to live in unite,[1784] Ther ys no staat in his degree 2990 That noughte to desire pes, With outen which, it is no les, To seche and loke in to the laste, Ther may no worldes joye laste.[1785] [Sidenote: [EVIL OF DIVISION IN THE LAND.]] Ferst forto loke the Clergie, Hem oughte wel to justefie Thing which belongith to here cure, As forto praie and to procure Oure pes toward the hevene above, And ek to sette reste and love 3000 Among ous on this erthe hiere. For if they wroughte in this manere Aftir the reule of charite, I hope that men schuldyn se This loud amende. And ovyr this,[1786] To seche and loke how that it is[1787] Touchende of the chevalerie, Which forto loke, in som partie Is worthi forto be comendid, And in som part to ben amendid, 3010 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 380=] That of here large retenue The lond is ful of maintenue, Which causith that the comune right[1788] In fewe contrees stant upright. Extorcioun, contekt, ravine[1789] Withholde ben of that covyne, Aldai men hierin gret compleignte Of the desease, of the constreignte, Wher of the poeple is sore oppressid: God graunte it mote be redressid. 3020 For of knyghthode thordre wolde That thei defende and kepe scholde The comun right and the fraunchise[1790] Of holy cherche in alle wise, So that no wikke man it dere, And ther fore servith scheld and spere:[1791] Bot for it goth now other weie, Oure grace goth the more aweie. And forto lokyn ovyrmore, Wher of the poeple pleigneth sore, 3030 Toward the lawis of oure lond, Men sein that trouthe hath broke his bond And with brocage is goon aweie, So that no man can se the weie Wher forto fynde rightwisnesse. And if men sechin sikernesse Uppon the lucre of marchandie,[1792] Compassement and tricherie Of singuler profit to wynne, Men seyn, is cause of mochil synne, 3040 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 381=] And namely of divisioun, Which many a noble worthi toun Fro welthe and fro prosperite Hath brought to gret adversite. So were it good to ben al on, For mechil grace ther uppon[1793] Unto the Citees schulde falle, Which myghte availle to ous alle, If these astatz amendid were, So that the vertus stodyn there 3050 And that the vices were aweie: Me thenkth y dorste thanne seie, This londis grace schulde arise. [Sidenote: [THE DUTY OF A KING.]] Bot yit to loke in othre wise,[1794] Ther is a stat, as ye schul hiere, Above alle othre on erthe hiere, Which hath the loud in his balance: To him belongith the leiance Of Clerk, of knyght, of man of lawe; Undir his hond al is forth drawe[1795] 3060 The marchant and the laborer; So stant it al in his power Or forto spille or forto save.[1796] Bot though that he such power have, And that his myghtes ben so large, He hath hem nought withouten charge,[1797] To which that every kyng ys swore: So were it good that he ther fore First un to rightwisnesse entende, Wherof that he hym self amende 3070 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 382=] Toward his god and leve vice, Which is the chief of his office; And aftir al the remenant He schal uppon his covenant Governe and lede in such a wise, So that ther be no tirandise, Wherof that he his poeple grieve, Or ellis may he nought achieve That longith to his regalie. For if a kyng wol justifie 3080 His lond and hem that beth withynne,[1798] First at hym self he mot begynne, To kepe and reule his owne astat, That in hym self be no debat Toward his god: for othre wise[1799] Ther may non erthly kyng suffise Of his kyngdom the folk to lede, Bot he the kyng of hevene drede. For what kyng sett hym uppon pride And takth his lust on every side 3090 And wil nought go the righte weie, Though god his grace caste aweie No wondir is, for ate laste He schal wel wite it mai nought laste,[1800] The pompe which he secheth here. Bot what kyng that with humble chere Aftir the lawe of god eschuieth The vices, and the vertus suieth,[1801] His grace schal be suffisant To governe al the remenant 3100 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 383=] Which longith to his duite; So that in his prosperite The poeple schal nought ben oppressid, Wherof his name schal be blessid, For evere and be memorial. [Sidenote: [THE BOOK COMPLETED.]] And now to speke as in final, Touchende that y undirtok [Sidenote: Hic in fine recapitulat super hoc quod in principio libri primi promisit se in amoris causa specialius tractaturum. Concludit enim quod omnis amoris delectacio extra caritatem nichil est. Qui autem manet in caritate, in deo manet.] In englesch forto make a book Which stant betwene ernest and game, I have it maad as thilke same 3110 Which axe forto ben excusid, And that my bok be nought refusid Of lered men, whan thei it se,[1802] For lak of curiosite: For thilke scole of eloquence Belongith nought to my science, Uppon the forme of rethoriqe My wordis forto peinte and pike, As Tullius som tyme wrot. Bot this y knowe and this y wot, 3120 That y have do my trewe peyne With rude wordis and with pleyne, In al that evere y couthe and myghte, This bok to write as y behighte, So as siknesse it soffre wolde; And also for my daies olde, That y am feble and impotent, I wot nought how the world ys went. So preye y to my lordis alle Now in myn age, how so befalle, 3130 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 384=] That y mot stonden in here grace:[1803] For though me lacke to purchace Here worthi thonk as by decerte, Yit the symplesse of my poverte Desireth forto do plesance To hem undir whos governance I hope siker to abide. [Sidenote: [FAREWELL TO EARTHLY LOVE.]] But now uppon my laste tide That y this book have maad and write, My muse doth me forto wite, 3140 And seith it schal be for my beste Fro this day forth to take reste, That y nomore of love make, Which many an herte hath overtake, And ovyrturnyd as the blynde Fro reson in to lawe of kynde; Wher as the wisdom goth aweie[1804] And can nought se the ryhte weie How to governe his oghne estat, Bot everydai stant in debat[1805] 3150 Withinne him self, and can nought leve. And thus forthy my final leve I take now for evere more, Withoute makynge any more, Of love and of his dedly hele, Which no phisicien can hele. For his nature is so divers, That it hath evere som travers Or of to moche or of to lite, That pleinly mai noman delite,[1806] 3160 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 385=] Bot if him faile or that or this. Bot thilke love which that is Withinne a mannes herte affermed, And stant of charite confermed, [Sidenote: [HEAVENLY LOVE.]] Such love is goodly forto have, Such love mai the bodi save, Such love mai the soule amende, The hyhe god such love ous sende Forthwith the remenant of grace;[1807] So that above in thilke place 3170 Wher resteth love and alle pes, Oure joie mai ben endeles.

Explicit iste liber, qui transeat, obsecro liber Vt sine liuore vigeat lectoris in ore. Qui sedet in scannis celi det vt ista Iohannis Perpetuis annis stet pagina grata Britannis. Derbeie Comiti, recolunt quem laude periti,[1808] Vade liber purus, sub eo requiesce futurus.[1809]

* * * * *

*Adieu, for I mot fro the wende. And gret wel Chaucer whan ye mete,[1810] 2941* As mi disciple and mi poete: For in the floures of his youthe In sondri wise, as he wel couthe, Of Ditees and of songes glade, The whiche he for mi sake made, The loud fulfild is overal: Wherof to him in special Above alle othre I am most holde.[1811] For thi now in hise daies olde 2950* Thow schalt him telle this message, That he upon his latere age, To sette an ende of alle his werk,[1812] As he which is myn owne clerk, Do make his testament of love, As thou hast do thi schrifte above, So that mi Court it mai recorde.’ ‘Madame, I can me wel acorde,’ Quod I, ‘to telle as ye me bidde.’ And with that word it so betidde,[1813] 2960* Out of my sihte al sodeynly,[1814] Enclosed in a sterred sky, Up to the hevene Venus straghte,[1815] And I my rihte weie cawhte,[1816] Hom fro the wode and forth I wente,[1817] Wher as with al myn hole entente,[1818] Thus with mi bedes upon honde,[1819] For hem that trewe love fonde I thenke bidde whil I lyve Upon the poynt which I am schryve. 2970*

[Sidenote: [THE AUTHOR PRAYS FOR THE KING.]] iv.* Ad laudem Cristi, quem tu, virgo, peperisti, Sit laus Ricardi, quem sceptra colunt leopardi. Ad sua precepta compleui carmina cepta, Que Bruti nata legat Anglia perpetuata.[1820]

He which withinne dayes sevene This large world forth with the hevene [Sidenote: Hic in fine libri honorificos que virtuosos illustrissimi Principis domini sui Regis Anglie Ricardi secundi mores, sicut dignum est, laude commendabili describens, pro eiusdem status salubri conseruacione cunctipotentem deuocius exorat.] Of his eternal providence Hath mad, and thilke intelligence[1821] In mannes soule resonable Enspired to himself semblable, Wherof the man of his feture Above alle erthly creature[1822] After the soule is immortal, To thilke lord in special, 2980* As he which is of alle thinges The creatour, and of the kinges Hath the fortunes upon honde,[1823] His grace and mercy forto fonde Upon mi bare knees I preye, That he my worthi king conveye, Richard by name the Secounde,[1824] In whom hath evere yit be founde[1825] Justice medled with pite, Largesce forth with charite. 2990* In his persone it mai be schewed What is a king to be wel thewed, Touchinge of pite namely: [Sidenote: [THE KING COMMENDED.]] For he yit nevere unpitously Ayein the liges of his lond,[1826] For no defaute which he fond, Thurgh cruelte vengaunce soghte; And thogh the worldes chaunce in broghte[1827] Of infortune gret debat, Yit was he not infortunat: 3000* For he which the fortune ladde, The hihe god, him overspradde Of his Justice, and kepte him so,[1828] That his astat stood evere mo Sauf, as it oghte wel to be;[1829] Lich to the Sonne in his degree, Which with the clowdes up alofte Is derked and bischadewed ofte,[1830] But hou so that it trowble in their,[1831] The Sonne is evere briht and feir, 3010* Withinne himself and noght empeired:[1832] Althogh the weder be despeired, The hed planete is not to wite.[1833] Mi worthi prince, of whom I write, Thus slant he with himselve clier,[1834] And doth what lith in his power[1835] Not only hier at hom to seke[1836] Love and acord, but outward eke,[1837] As he that save his poeple wolde. So ben we alle wel beholde[1838] 3020* To do service and obeyssaunce To him, which of his heyh suffraunce[1839] Hath many a gret debat appesed,[1840] To make his lige men ben esed;[1841] Wherfore that his Croniqe schal For evere be memorial To the loenge of that he doth.[1842] For this wot every man in soth, What king that so desireth pes,[1843] He takth the weie which Crist ches: 3030* And who that Cristes weies sueth, It proveth wel that he eschueth The vices and is vertuous,[1844] Wherof he mot be gracious Toward his god and acceptable. And so to make his regne stable,[1845] With al the wil that I mai yive I preie and schal whil that I live, As I which in subjeccioun Stonde under the proteccioun,[1846] 3040* And mai miselven not bewelde,[1847] What for seknesse and what for elde,[1848] Which I receyve of goddes grace. But thogh me lacke to purchace [Sidenote: [THE AUTHOR PRESENTS HIS BOOK TO THE KING.]] Mi kinges thonk as by decerte,[1849] Yit the Simplesce of mi poverte Unto the love of my ligance Desireth forto do plesance: And for this cause in myn entente This povere bok heer I presente[1850] 3050* Unto his hihe worthinesse, Write of my simple besinesse,[1851] So as seknesse it suffre wolde.[1852] And in such wise as I ferst tolde, Whan I this bok began to make,[1853] In som partie it mai be take[1854] As for to lawhe and forto pleye; And forto loke in other weye,[1855] It mai be wisdom to the wise: So that somdel for good aprise[1856] 3060* And eek somdel for lust and game[1857] I have it mad, as thilke same[1858] Which axe forto ben excused,[1859] That I no Rethoriqe have used Upon the forme of eloquence, For that is not of mi science; But I have do my trewe peyne With rude wordes and with pleyne To speke of thing which I have told.[1860] [Sidenote: [FAREWELL TO EARTHLY LOVE.]] But now that I am feble and old,[1861] 3070* And to the worschipe of mi king In love above alle other thing[1862] That I this bok have mad and write,[1863] Mi Muse doth me forto wite[1864] That it is to me for the beste Fro this day forth to take reste,[1865] That I nomore of love make.[1866] But he which hath of love his make[1867] It sit him wel to singe and daunce,[1868] And do to love his entendance 3080* In songes bothe and in seyinges After the lust of his pleyinges, For he hath that he wolde have: But where a man schal love crave[1869] And faile, it stant al otherwise.[1870] In his proverbe seith the wise, Whan game is best, is best to leve:[1871] And thus forthi my fynal leve, With oute makyng eny more,[1872] I take now for evere more 3090* Of love and of his dedly hele,[1873] Which no phisicien can hele. For his nature is so divers, That it hath evere som travers Or of to moche or of to lite, That fully mai noman delyte, But if him lacke or that or this.[1874] But thilke love which that is Withinne a mannes herte affermed, [Sidenote: [HEAVENLY LOVE.]] And stant of charite confermed, 3100* That love is of no repentaile; For it ne berth no contretaile, Which mai the conscience charge, But it is rather of descharge,[1875] And meedful heer and overal. Forthi this love in special[1876] Is good for every man to holde,[1877] And who that resoun wol beholde,[1878] Al other lust is good to daunte: Which thing the hihe god us graunte[1879] 3110* Forth with the remenant of grace So that of hevene in thilke place Wher resteth love and alle pes,[1880] Oure joye mai ben endeles.[1881]

FOOTNOTES:

[1454] 13 the om. AM ... B₂, AdBTΔΛ, W

[1455] 37 wiste AJ, F wist C, B

[1456] 48 his A

[1457] 60 Cham AJ Chaym (Caym) H₁ ... B₂, AdBT, W

[1458] 71 Cham AJM Chaym (Caym) H₁ ... B₂, AdBT, W

[1459] 72 Delbora H₁ ... B₂ (Debora E), Δ, W

[1460] 77 into A, FW vnto CLB₂, B

[1461] 79 the om. A

[1462] 98 Habraham J, FK rest Abraham

[1463] 100 was þo AML

[1464] 136 tribus MH₁CB₂, TΔ, W Irahel (Irael) J, FK rest Israel

[1465] 145 bode H₁ ... B₂, AdBT

[1466] 148 it om. GC, BΔ

[1467] 170 in such AdBTΔ

[1468] 177 I myhte AM

[1469] 185 The AM, W

[1470] 188 such AJ, B suche F

[1471] 210 margin impune om. BT, W inpunitu_m_ E

[1472] 212 margin priuauit] preliauit H₁ ... B₂

[1473] 205 so om. AdBT

[1474] 228 vnto MCL, BT

[1475] 231 and made] he made AM ... B₂, AdTB

[1476] 237 gret AC, B grete F

[1477] 239 not (nought) goode AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1478] 245 Irahel as in l. 136

[1479] 257 And þat AdBT

[1480] 262 ago AM ... B₂, AdBTΔ

[1481] 280 margin ipse prius FK, om. A ... B₂, BT (Lat. om. AdΔ, W)

[1482] 291 chambre (chamber) MH₁XEC, AdBTΔ, WK

[1483] 293 and] of AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1484] 298 The king H₁ ... B₂, AdBT

[1485] 310 which om. B

[1486] 337 S resumes

[1487] 354 the om. AdBT, W

[1488] 355 how þat H₁ ... B₂, AdB

[1489] 358 soghte (soughte) A ... CB₂, SAdTB (In al wise he him be þowt Δ)

[1490] 362 that om. BTΔ, W

[1491] 371 þis wise EB₂, BΔ

[1492] 403 sturne F sterne A, SB lok] word B

[1493] 416 of of F

[1494] 419 this] þat AdBT the B₂

[1495] 428 margin Indignacio--Appolini om. SΔ (as also the marginal notes following down to l. 1020)

[1496] 443 his om. B

[1497] 446 esmaied JEC, S, FK amaied (amayed) AMH₁XGRLB₂, AdBT dismaied Δ, W

[1498] 462 tyde AMX, W

[1499] 467 margin mare om.

[1500] F as evere he] as he H₁ ... B₂, Ad as þey BT

[1501] 469 In] Her(e) AdBTΛ be] ben wiþ AdBTΔΛ, W

[1502] 471 hale up] haleþ AM ... B₂, AdBTΛ

[1503] 483 deelful (deleful) AML, W deedful (dedful) H₁ ... CB₂, AdTΛ dedly B

[1504] 492 stonden B₂, AdBTΔ, WK

[1505] 496 margin Nota om. A ... B₂, BT (Lat. om. SAdΔ)

[1506] 505 Taliart F Thaliart AJ, SB

[1507] 507 box AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1508] 510 spare he FK rest spare

[1509] 513 Taliart J, F Thaliart A, SB

[1510] 535 He] His F

[1511] 539 which B

[1512] 548 him H₁, AdBT

[1513] 553 whan (when) AJC, B whanne S, F

[1514] 565 the om. AMH₁XRL, Ad a B

[1515] 566 him FWK it ACLB₂, B

[1516] 568 So as] So þat AM ... B₂ (So as G)

[1517] 573 margin prenunciauit B preminuit M

[1518] 571 a route AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1519] 574 the which on knees] which on his knees E, B which on knees H₁XRLB₂, AdTΔ

[1520] 582 no] for no H₁E ... B₂

[1521] 590 As in telling(e) AM, AdT ffor as in telling(e) H₁ ... B₂

[1522] 598 ygon B

[1523] 620 avou (avow) A, B, F a vow (a vou) J, S, K

[1524] 624 altobroke A, S, F al tobroke C, B al to broke J

[1525] 633 Therof (Ther of) A ... B₂, AdBT Wherefore W

[1526] 635 a om. AMR

[1527] 636 was whilom AM ... B₂, AdBT was som tyme J

[1528] 667 Than (Thanne) AM ... B₂, AdBT afterward B

[1529] 677 As was herd AdBT

[1530] 680 game MH₁, AdBTΔ, W gamis X

[1531] 685 As] And AM ... B₂, AdBT tho] þe H₁ ... B₂, AdBT, WK om. Δ

[1532] 697 margin aula A ... B₂, BT

[1533] 705 schulde (scholde) AdBT, W

[1534] 714 his Mareschal of h. J, S, FK his Marchal of his h. AM ... CB₂, BT his marschal of the h. Δ, W þe Marchal of his h. Ad (ll. 704-714 om. L)

[1535] 718 hadde B

[1536] 732 margin maxime ingemiscebat A ... B₂, BT (Latin om. SAdΔ)

[1537] 747 of þis worldes aghte J, SΔ, FWK þer of (þerof) which I aughte AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1538] 748 I þer(e) H₁ ... B₂, AdBT

[1539] 772 taakþ (takeþ) AM

[1540] 782 he] it AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1541] 786 hou that] of þat AH₁ ... B₂, AdBT þat M howe W

[1542] 787 he was] it was H₁ ... B₂, AdBT

[1543] 809 that] þe H₁ ... B₂, AdBT

[1544] 817 he scholde AdB

[1545] 827 Hire] He AdBT

[1546] 829 of Citole] citole B and citole K

[1547] 830 tun] time X, B

[1548] 839 wolde AdBT

[1549] 845 Touching(e) AM ... B₂, AdBTΛ

[1550] 852 may so AMR

[1551] 856 and in game] what in game ME, B and what in game CLB₂, AdT

[1552] 859 and drinke MCL, BT of drinkyng W

[1553] 860 that om. AMH₁

[1554] 872 hir(e) honour AJH₁ ... L, AdBT

[1555] 875 to make AdBT

[1556] 892 put AJ, S, F putte C, B

[1557] 928 þe worldes A ... B₂, AdT

[1558] 946 fadres (faders) AM ... B₂ (except E), AdΔ

[1559] 950 Paragraph here F ther] al (alle) AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1560] 958 which was] þat was W was Ad was riht AM ... B₂, BT

[1561] 961 and gret AMH₁E ... B₂, BT and of gret X

[1562] 962 many man AH₁EC, AdBT many me_n_ X

[1563] 970 lede B

[1564] 975 spousales FK

[1565] 979 adai (aday) J, F a dai (a day) AC, SB

[1566] 994 was FWK is A ... B₂, S ... Δ

[1567] 1000 forto smyte AM

[1568] 1009 liuen in AH₁ ... B₂, AdBTΔ

[1569] 1024 lengerr F

[1570] 1047 here (her) AC, SB hire J, F

[1571] 1056 deide AdBT

[1572] 1060 a swoune JC, SB, F aswoune A

[1573] 1063 and my desir AdBT, W and desir J

[1574] 1069 it myhte FWK

[1575] 1076 For evere] Was euer(e) AH₁ ... B₂, AdBT Was neu_er_e M

[1576] 1098 Latin here and at 1122, 1141, 1151, 1324, 1373, 1424 om. SΔ (up to 2029 om. Δ)

[1577] 1102 margin obtusa q_ue_ C, B obtusaq_ue_ A, F

[1578] 1106 marg. in mari A ... B₂, BT

[1579] 1107 þis AdBT

[1580] 1110 sich (siche, swiche) AJMRB₂, BΔ, W such (suche) H₁XECL, SAdT, FK

[1581] 1120 of jeueals a] of Ieweles (Iewels) AM ... B₂, AdBT of the Ieweles a W

[1582] 1128 tak AJ, S, F take C, B

[1583] 1131 whan (when) AJ, SB whan_n_e F

[1584] 1142 This prince AJM, SΔ

[1585] 1156 margin suum om. A ... B₂, BT

[1586] 1168 the] þis BΔ, W

[1587] 1178 was iwounde (I wounde &c.) AM ... L was I bounde B₂ lay ywounde AdBT

[1588] 1184 which ... is] þat ... was AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1589] 1206 Ha om. MXR, AdBT, W

[1590] 1222 hol (hool) C, B, F hole AB₂

[1591] 1224 margin sacro] facto BT

[1592] 1240 sih] seiþ AML

[1593] 1252 line om. B

[1594] 1253 schal] haþ AdBT

[1595] 1258 took(e) LB₂ AdBT, W

[1596] 1260 made AH₁ ... B₂, AdBT

[1597] 1274 seiled AdBT

[1598] 1277 And FW Tho ACLB₂, B

[1599] 1293 whiche A, S, F which JC, B

[1600] 1315 And parceiuen þat it B

[1601] 1319 þe FW his ACLB₂, B

[1602] 1334 worþe J, F worþ AC, SB

[1603] 1364 wher þat AM ... B₂, AdBT, W

[1604] 1371 swer(e) E ... B₂, K sware X

[1605] 1373 margin occideret A ... B₂, BT

[1606] 1374 cherlissh (cherlische &c.) H₁ ... B₂, AdBT, K

[1607] 1375 wher(e) H₁ ... B₂, AdBTΔ, W

[1608] 1378 margin Pirate ibidem prope] Pirate ibidem A ... B₂ ibidem BT

[1609] 1383 margin reddiderunt AM

[1610] 1388 þat sche AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1611] 1389 and þis cry A

[1612] 1399 thei] sche B

[1613] 1413 fecchen (fechen) AM ... B₂, AdB sechen T

[1614] 1415 hir] he AM ... B₂, AdBT1

[1615] 1416 And þat he by (be) H₁ ... B₂ And þat by AM

[1616] 1423 Paragraph here in MSS.

[1617] 1424 No wonder þough sche were wo B No wonder þogh sche be wo Ad

[1618] 1435 nomen wolde þer noght come K nomen wolden þeer (þer) come AM no man (noman) wolde þer(e) come H₁ ... B₂, AdBT mo men wolde ther none come W

[1619] 1447 kneled BTΔ

[1620] 1450 good BT

[1621] 1456 be of rel. AM ... B₂, BT

[1622] 1465 Which þat AM ... B₂, BT

[1623] 1476 fro] of AM ... B₂, BT

[1624] 1484 eny AM ... B₂, B

[1625] 1503 margin configentes F

[1626] 1500 Theophile AJC, T, F Theophil B

[1627] 1505 ich haue AM

[1628] 1509 kepeþ BT

[1629] 1512 Now se her after B Now hiere after T

[1630] 1513 sorweth] crieþ BT

[1631] 1523 make BT om. W

[1632] 1534 the om. AM, Δ, W

[1633] 1544 forto clare] to declare AM ... B₂, BT

[1634] 1555 told A, B, F tolde C

[1635] 1593 margin celebrari A ... B₂, BT, W

[1636] 1590 Paragraph here FWK, at 1595 in most other copies

[1637] 1621 þat cite H₁XELB₂, BT

[1638] 1633 be] were B

[1639] 1637 which a s. AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1640] 1641 so] þe AM

[1641] 1646 here LB₂, Δ, W

[1642] 1649 Paragraph here ALB₂, BT at 1652 J, SAd, FW Tho] Thus A ... B₂

[1643] 1661 all(e) þe weies AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1644] 1683 many F many a ALB₂, B, W

[1645] 1687 madd man S madd mad man F

[1646] 1710 hol B, F hole AB₂

[1647] 1713 was FW is ALB₂, B

[1648] 1715 that om. AM, W

[1649] 1732 toke J, S, F tok (took) AEC, B

[1650] 1750 þat lond AJM, SΔ

[1651] 1754 maiden] doughter B

[1652] 1756 which was þo h. AM

[1653] 1761 of yong] ȝong of E, B

[1654] 1790 þe king JC

[1655] 1792 vnto H₁ ... B₂, AdB, W

[1656] 1836 he in F in he A ... B₂, S ... Δ, WK

[1657] 1842 euidence AdBT

[1658] 1843 thanne aboute] al (alle) aboute AM ... B₂, AdT þer aboute B

[1659] 1854 aswowe AM aswowen B

[1660] 1861 That] Which AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1661] 1877 þe queene AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1662] 1890 topseil(e) cole H₁ ... B₂, AdBTΔ, W

[1663] 1892 havene] haue C, AdBT, W þe haue_n_ B₂

[1664] 1911 what he w. X ... B₂, AdBT

[1665] 1912 ff. margin Qualiter--fecit om. BΔ

[1666] 1920 lord B

[1667] 1921 thanne] þat AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1668] 1924 Wher of (Wherof) H₁ ... B₂, AdBT, W

[1669] 1927 And FW A ACLB₂, B

[1670] 1928 Up to] Vpon AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1671] 1931 on honde AM ... B₂, AdBT, W

[1672] 1939 he herde AM, W

[1673] 1940 wiste(n) how it AM ... B₂, AdBT, W

[1674] 1967 In which AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1675] 1973 wil (wol) conceyue H₁EL, W wol(e) resceyue AdBT

[1676] 1978 is befalle AdB, W was falle L

[1677] 1992 was him AM, Δ, W

[1678] 1999 his lif was write A ... B₂, S ... Δ as it is write FWK

[1679] 2006 he hadde al] he hadde J, SΔ (had) hadde (had) AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1680] 2009 margin Confessor ad Amantem om. JEC, AdBT Confessor B₂, Δ, W

[1681] 2047 skile] sike AdBT

[1682] 2056 let S, F lete AJ, B

[1683] 2062 truffles AJC, S, F trifles (triffles) L, B travailes W

[1684] 2071 Conseile J, S, F Conseil (Counseil) AC, B

[1685] 2073 Thi (þy) cause A ... B₂, S ... Δ where] þer B

[1686] 2086 noght faile] auaile AM ... B₂, AdBT (line om. R)

[1687] 2095 sett] siþe (siþ, seþþe &c.) JH₁ERLB₂, AdBT, W sertein if Δ

[1688] 2098 it is H₁, FK is it AJMX ... B₂, S ... Δ, W

[1689] 2104 This BT Thi Ad And W

[1690] 2106 so be befalle F

[1691] 2134 set AJ, S, F sette CLB₂, B

[1692] 2138 agon (a goon) H₁RCB₂, AdBT, W

[1693] 2153 That feelen noght of þat (om. I fiele) A That feelen noght . be likned to þe herte M

[1694] 2178 while AM ... B₂, AdBT, W

[1695] 2179 no certein AdBT the] þo AM

[1696] 2180 if] wher AM ... B₂, AdBT

[1697] 2195 techinge J, SΔ, FWK touchynge (touching) AM ... B₂, AdBTΛ

[1698] 2203 þei (þey) acorden AdBT

[1699] 2214 wol(e) AdBT

[1700] 2220 or I trauaile J, S, F the rest or trauaile

[1701] 2228 a love] of loue AM ... B₂, BT (Haþ love of kinde ȝit Ad)

[1702] 2240 was] is AdBT

[1703] 2247 þurghout BT

[1704] 2251 ȝelpe AdBTΛ

[1705] 2257 I fynde BTΔ

[1706] 2270 his om. B

[1707] 2271 wher AdBT

[1708] 2284 þis infortune AdBT þilke fortune B₂, Δ that ilke infortune W

[1709] 2294 gentile AJ, S, F gentil C, B

[1710] 2298 wold J, S, F wolde AC, B

[1711] 2319 agame AJMRL, AdT in game Δ in grame W

[1712] 2320 is] was A ... B₂, SBTΔ

[1713] 2332 if] it AMXE ... B₂, B

[1714] 2334 Hire B

[1715] 2342 disteigned AH₁XRLB₂ distreigned M restreigned E

[1716] 2367 f. Two lines om. S ... Δ (ins. Λ)

[1717] 2368 The which is holsom to þe seke H₁ ... B₂

[1718] 2369 f.

Noght al as þou desire woldest Bot so as þou be resoun scholdest

S ... Δ

[1719] 2371-2376 Six lines om. S ... Δ

[1720] Latin Verses iii. 8 obsequium] obsessum X ... L obessum B₂

[1721] 2379 ff. margin Hic in exemplum--redarguit] Hic narrat qualiter indignata Venus, amantis languidi infirmitatem inspiciens, ne quid amplius in curia sua attemptare presumat, ipsum insufficientem tanquam pro medicina pluribus exemplis exhortabatur S ... ΔΛ

[1722] 2386 tome S, F to me AJC, B

[1723] 2387 wolde H₁ ... B₂, AdBT

[1724] 2403 Mi loues AM, Λ My loue AdBT (Ad ends with this line)

[1725] 2409 with om. AM ... B₂, BT

[1726] 2428 sitte AJC, F sit B

[1727] 2433 if þat þou wel beþought (be þought) X ... B₂, BTΛ if that thou wel the be thouht H₁

[1728] 2436 The which AM ... B₂, BTΛ (þ_at_ whilom was þe grene gras Δ)

[1729] 2437 as time now AM ... B₂, BTΛ

[1730] 2441 Than I AM, BΛ Whan I H₁ ... B₂, T

[1731] 2442 And wist(e) wel AM ... B₂, BTΛ

[1732] 2445 ferd AJ, S, F ferde C, B

[1733] 2446 And cold AM

[1734] 2462 line om. B

[1735] 2476 margin Pan id est deus nature A ... B₂

[1736] 2497 It was AM ... B₂, BT

[1737] 2543 Priamus AM, B, W

[1738] 2573 graue BT

[1739] 2575 Alquik F Al quik AJ, SB, K

[1740] 2598 þ_er_e F þer (þ_er_) AJC, B

[1741] 2623 Vluxes BT

[1742] 2646 Lo, if] See wher AM ... B₂, BT

[1743] 2650 Which Ceix (om. to) B Which to seke X Which for to se W

[1744] 2653 wawe A ... B₂, S ... Δ

[1745] 2656 which] þat AM ... B₂, BT

[1746] 2664 he lay X, BT (line om. Δ p. m.)

[1747] 2670 manye] fele AM ... B₂, BT

[1748] 2672 here visage AM ... B₂, BT

[1749] 2675 pipes AM ... B₂, BT piper Δ

[1750] 2676 noise] merþe AM ... B₂, BT

[1751] 2678 sowned AM ... B₂, BT

[1752] 2694 Iuesses eek AM Iues boþe (Iewes both) KW Iewes (Iues &c.) eek H₁ ... B₂, BT

[1753] 2696 wher he was AM wher(e) he were X ... B₂, BT if he were H₁, W

[1754] 2701 no wonder B

[1755] 2702 put AJ, F putte C, B

[1756] 2706 so] also E, BT þo Δ

[1757] 2769 benyce J, S, FK be nyce (by nice &c.) AM ... B₂, BTΔ, W

[1758] 2775 margin No_ta_ LB₂, F No_ta_ b_e_n_e_ C om. A ... R, SBTΔ, WK

[1759] 2796 pitte F putte AJC, SB

[1760] 2809 whiche S, F which AJC, B

[1761] 2819 margin Nota contra senes voluptuosos, quorum calor refrigescente natura extinctus est SBTΔ (om. Λ)

[1762] 2833 Outwiþ SΔ, FWK Out wiþ AJM, TΛ Therwiþ (Ther wiþ) H₁ ... B₂ On which B

[1763] 2837 margin equiperatur A equipatur C, BT, F

[1764] 2848 of flour of lef AM ... CB₂ and floure of leef L

[1765] 2850 þis time H₁ ... B₂

[1766] 2856 Somerfare S, F somer fare AJC, B

[1767] 2860 straied] frayed AM ... B₂

[1768] 2885 forth] for EC, BTΛ

[1769] 2889 for to laste BT

[1770] 2899 the om. AM

[1771] 2907 pur AM ... B₂, B, W pour H₁, T

[1772] 2925 moral vertu AM ... B₂, W vertu morar S

[1773] 2926 Wher ben þe M, TΛ Ther ben þe B

[1774] 2931 p_er_nable J, SΔ, FK parnable W p_ro_uable (prouable) AM ... B₂, BTΛ

[1775] 2938 Here begins a new hand in F and ll. 2938-2966 are over an erasure.

[1776] 2942 serred S

[1777] 2945 wiste ST wist B, F

[1778] 2946 hire (hir) BTΔ, WK here S, F

[1779] 2968 hol B, F hole S

[1780] 2970 lieue F

[1781] 2971 The J, B

[1782] 2973 ff. margin Hic in anno--periclitabatur SΔ, FK om. BTΛ, W

[1783] 2987 Wol] Wel S

[1784] 2989 liue BTΔ, W lieue S, FK

[1785] 2994 wordles F

[1786] 3005 f. Paragraph begins And ouer þis S To seche FWK No Paragraph BT

[1787] 3006 how þ_at_ is B howe it is W

[1788] 3013 comune (com_m_une) SBT, F comyn W

[1789] 3015 contekt FK contect SBT Contek W contek and Magd contel and Δ

[1790] 3023 comun B, F comune ST

[1791] 3026 þer fore (þerfore) FK þerof (þer of) SBTΔ, W

[1792] 3037 machandie F merchandie S

[1793] 3046 mechil F mekull W mochil SBT

[1794] 3054 oþre wise S, F oþer w. BTΔ, WK

[1795] 3060 is al B

[1796] 3063 forto ... forto S for to ... forto F for to ... for to BT

[1797] 3066 wiþouten F wiþoute SBT

[1798] 3081 beþ F ben (be) SBTΔ, WK

[1799] 3085 oþre wise F oþrewise S oþerwise BT othir wyse W

[1800] 3094 nouȝt F noght S nought B not T, W

[1801] 3098 vertu B

[1802] 3113 whan_n_e F

[1803] 3131 mot ST, W mote B, F

[1804] 3147 Hand in F changes again

[1805] 3150 euerydai F euery day SBT

[1806] 3160 noman F no man SBT

[1807] 3169 fforþwiþ F fforþ wiþ SBT

[1808] EXPLICIT 5 f. Last two lines om. AJCL

[1809] 6 sub eo q_ue_ recumbe S

[1810] 2941* ff. This conclusion is in first recension copies only, A ... B₂ &c. But ll. 2941*-2961* also in Λ. All variations from A are noted.

[1811] 2949* moost A

[1812] 2953* eende A al J

[1813] 2960* world AMX betidde (bitidde) JH₁ECB₂ by tydde (be tidde) AMRL

[1814] 2961* sihte (sighte) JR syht (sight) AMH₁ECLB₂

[1815] 2963* f. straghte: cawhte AM strauhte: cauhte J straght(e): caght(e) RL straughte: caughte EC

[1816] 2964* righte (rihte) JEC riht (right) AMH₁R

[1817] 2965* Hoom AM and om. C

[1818] 2966* hole J hoole AM

[1819] 2967* f. hoonde: foonde AM

[1820] Latin Verses iv.* 3 ceptra AM

[1821] 2974* mad J maad A

[1822] 2978* erþly C eerþli AM erþely JH₁ERLB₂

[1823] 2983* f. hoonde: foonde AM

[1824] 2987* be J

[1825] 2988* byfounde A by founde M

[1826] 2995* f. loond: foond A

[1827] 2998* inbroughte JH₁

[1828] 3003* kepte ECB₂ kept AJMH₁RL

[1829] 3005* bee A

[1830] 3008* bischadewed (byshadewed) AMH₁E by schadewed (by schadowed) RCLB₂ beschaded J

[1831] 3009* Bot JH₁

[1832] 3011* Wiþin AM

[1833] 3013* hed (hede) JM heed A heued H₁E ... B₂

[1834] 3015* f. clier: power J cleer: poweer A

[1835] 3016* dooþ AM

[1836] 3017* only hier at hom to seke J oonly heer athoom to seeke A

[1837] 3018* acord JER acorde AC eeke AEC

[1838] 3020* been AMC by holde AM

[1839] 3022* hihe H₁RLB₂ hie J

[1840] 3023* a gret (agret) JCL a grete (agrete) AMH₁ &c.

[1841] 3024* been A

[1842] 3037* f. dooþ: sooþ AMR

[1843] 3029* f. pees: chees AMR

[1844] 3033* f. vertuows: graciows AM

[1845] 3036* And for to CB₂ maake A

[1846] 3040* Stoonde AM the] his J

[1847] 3041* by welde AMH₁

[1848] 3042* sekenesse AMH₁R

[1849] 3045* be J

[1850] 3050* bok J book AC

[1851] 3052* besinesse (besynesse) JH₁RL bisinesse A busynesse C

[1852] 3053* seeknesse (seknesse) JC seekenesse (sekenesse &c.) AMH₁R

[1853] 3055* book by gan to maake A

[1854] 3056* by taake A

[1855] 3058* looke A ooþer AM

[1856] 3060* f. somdeel A

[1857] 3061* of game J

[1858] 3062* as AJM for H₁XRCLB₂

[1859] 3063* been A

[1860] 3069* f. toold: oold A

[1861] 3070* Bot J

[1862] 3072* ooþer A

[1863] 3073* book A &c.

[1864] 3074* dooþ AM

[1865] 3076* taake A

[1866] 3077* nomoore of loue maake A

[1867] 3078* Bot J maake A

[1868] 3079* sit J sitte AMRCLB₂

[1869] 3084* Bot J

[1870] 3085* alooþerwise A

[1871] 3087* Whan game is beste A

[1872] 3089* f. moore: moore A

[1873] 3091* f. heele: heele AM

[1874] 3097* f. Bot J

[1875] 3104* Bot J

[1876] 3106* love om. AM

[1877] 3107* hoolde A

[1878] 3108* wol byholde (biholde) ARCL wil biholde B₂ wel be holde J wel byholde M

[1879] 3110* ous J

[1880] 3113* pees AMC

[1881] 3114* been endelees AM At the end Amen MXERCLB₂

[1882]=Epistola super huius opusculi sui complementum= =Iohanni Gower a quodam philosopho transmissa.=

Quam cinxere freta, Gower, tua carmina leta Per loca discreta canit Anglia laude repleta. Carminis Athleta, satirus, tibi, siue Poeta, Sit laus completa quo gloria stat sine meta.

* * * * *

[1883]=Quia[1884] vnusquisque, prout a deo accepit, aliis impartiri tenetur, Iohannes Gower super hiis que deus sibi sensualiter[1885] donauit villicacionis sue racionem, dum tempus instat,[1886] secundum aliquid alleuiare cupiens,[1887] inter labores et ocia ad aliorum noticiam tres libros doctrine causa forma subsequenti propterea composuit.=

=Primus liber Gallico sermone editus in decem diuiditur partes, et tractans de viciis et virtutibus,[1888] necnon et de variis huius seculi gradibus,[1889] viam qua peccator transgressus ad sui creatoris agnicionem redire debet, recto tramite docere conatur. Titulusque[1890] libelli istius Speculum Meditantis[1891] nuncupatus est.=

[1892]=Secundus enim liber sermone latino metrice compositus tractat de variis infortuniis tempore Regis Ricardi Secundi in Anglia contingentibus. Vnde non solum regni proceres et communes tormenta passi sunt, set et ipse crudelissimus rex suis ex demeritis ab alto corruens in foueam quam fecit finaliter proiectus est. Nomenque voluminis huius Vox Clamantis intitulatur.=

[1893]=Tercius iste liber qui ob reuerenciam strenuissimi domini sui domini Henrici de Lancastria, tunc Derbeie Comitis, Anglico sermone conficitur, secundum Danielis propheciam super huius mundi regnorum mutacione a tempore regis Nabugodonosor vsque[1894] nunc tempora distinguit.[1895] Tractat eciam secundum Aristotilem[1896] super hiis quibus rex Alexander tam in sui regimen[1897] quam aliter[1898] eius disciplina edoctus fuit. Principalis tamen huius operis[1899] materia[1900] super amorem et infatuatas amantum passiones fundamentum habet. Nomenque sibi appropriatum Confessio Amantis specialiter[1901] sortitus est.=

FOOTNOTES:

[1882] EPISTOLA huius operis sui AJECL huius operis vel opusculi sui XRB₂ huius opusculi Δ

[1883] QUIA VNUSQUISQUE ins. AJXERCLB₂, BTΛ, F om. SΔ, Magd (MH₁G, Ad, WKH₃ defective at the end)

[1884] 1 Qvuia F

[1885] 2 sensualiter] intellectualiter A ... B₂

[1886] 3 dum tempus instat om. BTΛ

[1887] 4 ff. inter labores--composuit] tres precipue libros per ipsum dum vixit doctrine causa compositos ad aliorum noticiam in lucem seriose produxit. BTΛ

[1888] 8 f. necnon--gradibus om. BTΛ

[1889] 9 ff. viam--conatur] viam precipue qua peccator in penitendo Cristi misericordiam assequi poterit, tota mentis deuocione finaliter contemplatur BTΛ

[1890] 11 Titulusque] titulus AX ... B₂

[1891] Speculum hominis A ... B₂ Speculum mediantis B

[1892] 13 ff. Secundus enim liber, sermone latino versibus exametri et pentametri compositus, tractat super illo mirabili euentu qui in Anglia (anglica J) tempore domini Regis Ricardi secundi anno regni sui quarto contigit, quando seruiles rustici impetuose contra nobiles et ingenuos regni insurrexerunt. Innocenciam tamen dicti domini Regis tunc minoris etatis causa inde excusabilem pronuncians, culpas aliunde, ex quibus et non a fortuna talia inter homines contingunt enormia, euidencius declarat. Titulusque voluminis huius, cuius ordo Septem continet paginas, Vox clamantis nominatur A ... B₂

Secundus liber versibus exametri et pentametri sermone latino componitur, tractat de variis infortuniis tempore regis Ricardi secundi in Anglia multipliciter contingentibus, vbi pro statu regni compositor deuocius exorat. Nomenque voluminis huius, quod in septem diuiditur partes, Vox clamantis intitulatur BTΛ

[1893] 20 ff. Tercius iste liber (liber iste J) Anglico sermone in octo partes diuisus, qui ad instanciam serenissimi Principis dicti domini Regis Anglie Ricardi secundi conficitur A ... B₂ Tercius iste liber qui in octo partes diuisus ob reuerenciam stren. dom. sui dom. Henrici de Lanc. &c. BT

[1894] 24 vsque in nunc T

[1895] 24 distingui B

[1896] 25 Nectanabum et Aristotilem A ... B₂

[1897] 26 regimine X ... B₂

[1898] 26 f. eius disciplina--materia om. AX ... B₂ eorum disciplina &c. J

[1899] 27 operis] libri J

[1900] 28 ff. super amorem et amantum condiciones fundamentum habet: vbi variarum Cronicarum historiarumque sentencie, necnon Poetarum Philosophorumque scripture ad exemplum distinccius inseruntur. Nomenque presentis opusculi Confessio Amantis specialiter intitulatur. A ... B₂ (but all except J have finem for sentencie).

[1901] 30 specialiter om. Λ

TO KING HENRY THE FOURTH[1902]

IN PRAISE OF PEACE[1903]

[1904]Electus Cristi, pie Rex Henrice, fuisti, Qui bene venisti cum propria regna petisti; Tu mala vicisti que bonis bona restituisti, Et populo tristi noua gaudia contribuisti. Est michi spes lata quod adhuc per te renouata Succedent fata veteri probitate beata, Est tibi nam grata gracia sponte data.

O worthi noble kyng, Henry the ferthe,[1905] In whom the glade fortune is befalle The poeple to governe uppon this erthe,[1906] God hath the chose in comfort of ous alle:[1907] The worschipe of this lond, which was doun falle,[1908] Now stant upriht thurgh grace of thi goodnesse, Which every man is holde forto blesse.

The highe god of his justice allone The right which longeth to thi regalie Declared hath to stonde in thi persone, 10 And more than god may no man justefie. Thi title is knowe uppon thin ancestrie, The londes folk hath ek thy riht affermed; So stant thi regne of god and man confermed.

Ther is no man mai seie in other wise, That god himself ne hath thi riht declared,[1909] Whereof the lond is boun to thi servise,[1910] Which for defalte of help hath longe cared: Bot now ther is no mannes herte spared To love and serve and wirche thi plesance, 20 And al is this thurgh godes pourveiance.[1911]

In alle thing which is of god begonne Ther folwith grace, if it be wel governed: Thus tellen thei whiche olde bookes conne, Whereof, my lord, y wot wel thow art lerned. Axe of thi god, so schalt thou noght be werned Of no reqweste which is resonable; For god unto the goode is favorable.

Kyng Salomon, which hadde at his axinge Of god what thing him was levest to crave,[1912] 30 He ches wisdom unto the governynge[1913] Of goddis folk, the whiche he wolde save: And as he ches it fel him forto have; For thurgh his wit, whil that his regne laste, He gat him pees and reste unto the laste.[1914]

Bot Alisaundre, as telleth his histoire,[1915] Unto the god besoghte in other weie, Of all the world to winne the victoire, So that undir his swerd it myht obeie. In werre he hadde al that he wolde preie, 40 The myghti god behight him that beheste, The world he wan, and had it of conqweste.[1916]

Bot thogh it fel at thilke time so, That Alisandre his axinge hath achieved, This sinful world was al paiene tho,[1917] Was non which hath the hihe god believed: No wondir was thogh thilke world was grieved, Thogh a tiraunt his pourpos myhte winne; Al was vengance and infortune of sinne.

Bot now the feith of Crist is come a place 50 Among the princes in this erthe hiere, It sit hem wel to do pite and grace; Bot yit it mot be tempred in manere: For as thei finden cause in the matiere[1918] Uppon the point, what aftirward betide, The lawe of riht schal noght be leid aside.

So mai a kyng of werre the viage Ordeigne and take, as he therto is holde, To cleime and axe his rightful heritage In alle places wher it is withholde: 60 Bot other wise if god himsilve wolde Afferme love and pes betwen the kynges, Pes is the beste above alle erthely thinges.[1919]

Good is teschue werre, and natheles A kyng may make werre uppon his right, For of bataile the final ende is pees. Thus stant the lawe, that a worthi knyght Uppon his trouthe may go to the fight; Bot if so were that he myghte chese, Betre is the pees, of which may no man lese. 70

<Sustene> pes oghte every man alyve,[1920] First for to sette his liege lord in reste, And ek these othre men that thei ne stryve; For so this world mai stonden ate beste.[1921] What kyng that wolde be the worthieste, The more he myghte oure dedly werre cesse, The more he schulde his worthinesse encresse.

Pes is the chief of al the worldes welthe, And to the heven it ledeth ek the weie; Pes is of soule and lif the mannes helthe, 80 Of pestilence and doth the werre aweie. Mi liege lord, tak hiede of that y seie, If werre may be left, tak pes on honde, Which may noght be withoute goddis sonde.

With pes stant every creature in reste; Withoute pes ther may no lif be glad: Above alle othre good pes is the beste, Pes hath himself whan werre is al bestad, The pes is sauf, the werre is evere adrad:[1922] Pes is of alle charite the keie,[1923] 90 Which hath the lif and soule forto weie.

My liege lord, if that the list to seche The sothe essamples that the werre hath wroght,[1924] Thow schalt wiel hiere of wisemennes speche That dedly werre turneth into noght. For if these olde bokes be wel soght,[1925] Ther myght thou se what thing the werre hath do, Bothe of conqueste and conquerour also.

For vein honour or for the worldes good Thei that whilom the stronge werres made, 100 Wher be thei now? Bethenk wel in thi mod. The day is goon, the nyght is derk and fade, Her crualte, which mad hem thanne glade, Thei sorwen now, and yit have noght the more; The blod is schad, which no man mai restore.

=T=he werre is modir of the wronges alle; It sleth the prest in holi chirche at masse, Forlith the maide and doth hire flour to falle.[1926] The werre makth the grete Citee lasse, And doth the lawe his reules overpasse. 110 There is no thing wherof meschef mai growe Which is noght caused of the werre, y trowe.

The werre bringth in poverte at hise hieles, Wherof the comon poeple is sore grieved; The werre hath set his cart on thilke whieles Wher that fortune mai noght be believed. For whan men wene best to have achieved, Ful ofte it is al newe to beginne: The werre hath no thing siker, thogh he winne.

Forthi, my worthi prince, in Cristes halve, 120 As for a part whos feith thou hast to guide,[1927] Ley to this olde sor a newe salve,[1928] And do the werre awei, what so betide: Pourchace pes, and set it be thi side,[1929] And suffre noght thi poeple be devoured, So schal thi name evere after stonde honoured.[1930]

If eny man be now or evere was[1931] Ayein the pes thi preve counseillour, Let god ben of thi counseil in this cas,[1932] And put awei the cruel werreiour.[1933] 130 For god, which is of man the creatour, He wolde noght men slowe his creature Withoute cause of dedly forfeture.

Wher nedeth most, behoveth most to loke. Mi lord, how so thi werres ben withoute, Of time passed who that hiede toke, Good were at hom to se riht wel aboute; For everemor the werste is forto doute: Bot if thou myghtest parfit pes atteigne, Ther schulde be no cause forto pleigne. 140

Aboute a kyng good counseil is to preise Above alle othre thinges most vailable; Bot yit a kyng withinne himself schal peise, And se the thinges that ben resonable, And ther uppon he schal his wittes stable Among the men to sette pes in evene, For love of him which is the kyng of hevene.

=H=a, wel is him that schedde nevere blod,[1934] Bot if it were in cause of rihtwisnesse: For if a kyng the peril undirstod, 150 What is to sle the poeple, thanne y gesse, The dedly werres and the hevynesse, Wherof the pes distourbid is ful ofte Schulde at som time cesse and wexe softe.

O kyng fulfild of grace and of knyghthode,[1935] Remembre uppon this point for Cristes sake, If pes be profred unto thi manhode, Thin honour sauf, let it noght be forsake. Though thou the werres darst wel undirtake, Aftir reson yit tempre thi corage, 160 For lich to pes ther is non avantage.

My worthi lord, thenk wel, how so befalle,[1936] Of thilke lore, as holi bokes sein, Crist is the heved and we ben membres alle, Als wel the subgit as the sovereign:[1937] So sit it wel that charite be plein, Which unto god himselve most acordeth, So as the lore of Cristes word recordeth.

In tholde lawe, er Crist himself was bore, Among the ten comandementz y rede 170 How that manslaghtre schulde be forbore; Such was the will that time of the godhede: And aftirward, whanne Crist tok his manhede,[1938] Pes was the ferste thing he let do crie Ayein the worldes rancour and envie.[1939]

And er Crist wente out of this erthe hiere, And stigh to hevene, he made his testament,[1940] Wher he beqwath to his disciples there And yaf his pes, which is the foundement Of charite, withouten whos assent 180 The worldes pes mai nevere wel be tried,[1941] Ne love kept, ne lawe justefied.

The Jewes with the paiens hadden werre,[1942] Bot thei among hemself stode evere in pes: Whi schulde thanne oure pes stonde out of herre,[1943] Which Crist hath chose unto his oghne encres? For Crist is more than was Moïses, And Crist hath set the parfit of the lawe, The which scholde in no wise be withdrawe.

To yive ous pes was cause whi Crist dide; 190 Withoute pes may no thing stonde availed: Bot now a man mai sen on everi side How Cristes feith is every dai assailed,[1944] With the Paiens destruid, and so batailed That for defalte of help and of defence Unethe hath Crist his dewe reverence.

=T=he righte feith to kepe of holy chirche The firste point is named of knyghthode, And everi man is holde forto wirche Uppon the point which stant to his manhode.[1945] 200 Bot now, helas, the fame is sprad so broode, That everi worthi man this thing compleigneth,[1946] And yit ther is no man which help ordeigneth.[1947]

The worldes cause is waited overal, Ther ben the werres redi to the fulle; Bot Cristes oghne cause in special, Ther ben the swerdes and the speres dulle; And with the sentence of the popes bulle, As forto do the folk paien obeie,[1948] The chirche is turned al an other weie. 210

It is to wondre above a mannys wit[1949] Withoute werre how Cristes feith was wonne, And we that ben uppon this erthe yit Ne kepe it noght, as it was first begonne. To every creature undir the sonne Crist bad himself how that we schulden preche,[1950] And to the folk his evangile teche.

More light it is to kepe than to make; Bot that we founden mad tofore the hond[1951] We kepe noght, bot lete it lightly slake. 220 The pes of Crist hath altobroke his bond, We reste ourselve and soeffrin every lond To slen ech other as thing undefendid: So stant the werre, and pes is noght amendid.

Bot thogh the heved of holy chirche above Ne do noght al his hole businesse Among the men to sette pes and love,[1952] These kynges oughten of here rightwisnesse Here oghne cause among hemself redresse: Thogh Petres schip as now hath lost his stiere, 230 It lith in hem that barge forto stiere.

If holy cherche after the duete Of Cristes word ne be noght al avysed To make pes, acord and unite Among the kinges that ben now devised, Yit natheles the lawe stant assised Of mannys wit to be so resonable, Withoute that to stonde hemselve stable.[1953]

Of holy chirche we ben children alle, And every child is holden forto bowe 240 Unto the modir, how that evere it falle,[1954] Or elles he mot reson desalowe: And for that cause a knyght schal ferst avowe The right of holi chirche to defende, That no man schal the previlege offende.

Thus were it good to setten al in evene The worldes princes and the prelatz bothe, For love of him which is the king of hevene: And if men scholde algate wexe wrothe, The Sarazins, whiche unto Crist be lothe, 250 Let men ben armed ayein hem to fighte;[1955] So mai the knyht his dede of armes righte.

=U=ppon thre pointz stant Cristes pes oppressed: Ferst holy cherche is in hirsilf divided,[1956] Which oughte of reson first to be redresced; Bot yit so highe a cause is noght decided. And thus, whan humble pacience is prided, The remenant, which that thei schulden reule, No wondir is though it stonde out of reule.

Of that the heved is siek, the limes aken: 260 These regnes that to Cristes pes belongen For worldes good these dedly werres maken, Whiche helpeles as in balance hongen.[1957] The heved above hem hath noght undirfongen To sette pes, bot every man sleeth other, And in this wise hath charite no brother.

The two defaltes bringen in the thridde, Of mescreantz, that sen how we debate, Betwen the two thei fallen in amidde,[1958] Wher now aldai thei finde an open gate. 270 Lo, thus the dedly werre stant algate; Bot evere y hope of King Henries grace That he it is which schal the pes embrace.

My worthi noble prince and kyng enoignt, Whom god hath of his grace so preserved, Behold and se the world uppon this point,[1959] As for thi part that Cristes pes be served: So schal thin highe mede be deserved To him which al schal qwiten ate laste, For this lif hiere mai no while laste. 280

See Alisandre, Ector and Julius, See Machabeu, David and Josue, See Charlemeine, Godefroi, Arthus,[1960] Fulfild of werre and of mortalite. Here fame abit, bot al is vanite; For deth, which hath the werres under fote, Hath mad an ende of which ther is no bote.

So mai a man the sothe wite and knowe,[1961] That pes is good for every king to have: The fortune of the werre is evere unknowe, 290 Bot wher pes is, ther ben the marches save.[1962] That now is up, to morwe is under grave; The mighti god hath alle grace in honde, With outen him pes mai nought longe stonde.[1963]

=O=f the Tenetz to winne or lese a chace,[1964] Mai no lif wite er that the bal be ronne: Al stant in god, what thing men schal pourchace, Thende is in him er that it be begonne. Men sein the wolle, whanne it is wel sponne, Doth that the cloth is strong and profitable, 300 And elles it mai nevere be durable.[1965]

The worldes chaunces uppon aventure Ben evere sett, bot thilke chaunce of pes Is so behoveli to the creature, That it above alle othre is piereles:[1966] Bot it mai noght be gete natheles[1967] Among the men to lasten eny while, Bot wher the herte is plein withoute guyle.

The pes is as it were a sacrement Tofore the god, and schal with wordes pleine 310 Withouten eny double entendement Be treted, for the trouthe can noght feine: Bot if the men withinne hemself be veine, The substance of the pes may noght be trewe, Bot every dai it chaungeth uppon newe.

Bot who that is of charite parfit, He voideth alle sleightes ferr aweie, And sett his word uppon the same plit, Wher that his herte hath founde a siker weie: And thus whan conscience is trewly weie, 320 And that the pes be handlid with the wise,[1968] It schal abide and stonde in alle wise.

Thapostle seith, ther mai no lif be good Which is noght grounded uppon charite, For charite ne schedde nevere blod, So hath the werre as ther no proprite: For thilke vertu which is seid pite With charite so ferforth is aqweinted, That in hire may no fals semblant be peinted.[1969]

=C=assodre, whos writinge is auctorized, 330 Seith, wher that pite reigneth, ther is grace,[1970] Thurgh which the pes hath al his welthe assised, So that of werre he dredeth no manace. Wher pite dwelleth, in the same place Ther mai no dedly cruelte sojorne, Wherof that merci schulde his weie torne.[1971]

To se what pite forth with mercy doth, The croniqe is at Rome in thilke empire Of Constantin, which is a tale soth; Whan him was levere his oghne deth desire 340 Than do the yonge children to martire, Of crualte he lafte the querele, Pite he wroghte and pite was his hele.

For thilke mannes pite which he dede God was pitous and mad him hol at al;[1972] Silvestre cam, and in the same stede Yaf him baptisme first in special, Which dide awai the sinne original, And al his lepre it hath so purified, That his pite for evere is magnified.[1973] 350

Pite was cause whi this emperour Was hol in bodi and in soule bothe, And Rome also was set in thilke honour Of Cristes feith, so that the lieve of lothe, Whiche hadden be with Crist tofore wrothe, Resceived weren unto Cristes lore:[1974] Thus schal pite be preised evermore.

=M=y worthi liege lord, Henri be name, Which Engelond hast to governe and righte, Men oghten wel thi pite to proclame, 360 Which openliche in al the worldes sighte Is schewed with the help of god almighte, To yive ous pes, which longe hath be debated, Wherof thi pris shal nevere ben abated.

My lord, in whom hath evere yit be founde[1975] Pite withoute spot of violence, Kep thilke pes alwei withinne bounde, Which god hath planted in thi conscience: So schal the cronique of thi pacience Among the seintz be take into memoire 370 To the loenge of perdurable gloire.[1976]

And to thin erthli pris, so as y can, Which everi man is holde to commende, I, Gower, which am al thi liege man, This lettre unto thin excellence y sende, As y which evere unto my lives ende Wol praie for the stat of thi persone In worschipe of thi sceptre and of thi throne.[1977]

=N=oght only to my king of pes y write, Bot to these othre princes cristene alle, 380 That ech of hem his oghne herte endite, And see the werre er more meschief falle:[1978] Sette ek the rightful Pope uppon his stalle, Kep charite and draugh pite to honde, Maintene lawe, and so the pes schal stonde.

=Explicit carmen de pacis commendacione, quod ad laudem et memoriam serenissimi principis domini Regis Henrici quarti suus[1979] humilis orator Iohannes Gower composuit.[1980] Et nunc sequitur epistola in qua idem Ioannes pro statu et salute dicti domini sui apud altissitmum deuocius exorat.=

[1981]Rex celi deus et dominus, qui tempora solus Condidit, et solus condita cuncta regit; Qui rerum causas ex se produxit et vnum In se principium rebus inesse dedit; Qui dedit vt stabili motu consisteret orbis Fixus ineternum mobilitate sua; Quique potens verbi produxit ad esse creata, Quique sue mentis lege ligauit ea; Ipse caput regum, reges quo rectificantur, Te que tuum regnum, rex pie, queso, regat.[1982] 10 Grata superueniens te misit gracia nobis, Quo sine labe salus nulla perante fuit. Sic tuus aduentus noua gaudia sponte reduxit, Quo prius in luctu lacrima maior erat: Nos tua milicies pauidos releuauit ab ymo, Quos prius oppressit ponderis omne malum: Ex probitate tua, quo mors latitabat in vmbra, Vita resurexit clara que regna regit: Sic tua sors sortem mediante deo renouatam Sanat et emendat, que prius egra fuit. 20 O pie rex, Cristum per te laudamus, et ipsum Qui tibi nos tribuit terra reuiua colit. Sancta sit illa dies qua tu tibi regna petisti, Sanctus et ille deus qui tibi regna dedit. Qui tibi prima tulit, confirmet regna futura, Quo poteris magno magnus honore frui. Sit tibi progenies ita multiplicata per euum, Quod genus inde pium repleat omne solum. Quicquid in orbe boni fuerit, tibi summus ab alto Donet, vt in terris rex in honore regas: 30 Omne quod est turpe vacuum discedat, et omne Est quod honorificum det deus esse tuum. Consilium nullum, pie rex, te tangat iniquum, In quibus occultum scit deus esse dolum. Absit auaricia, ne tangat regia corda, Nec queat in terra proditor esse tua. Sic tua processus habeat fortuna perhennes, Quo recolant laudes secula cuncta tuas: Nuper vt Augusti fuerant preconia Rome,[1983] Concinat in gestis Anglia leta tuis. 40 O tibi, rex, euo detur, fortissime, nostro Semper honorata sceptra tenere manu: Stes ita magnanimus quod, vbi tua regna gubernas, Terreat has partes hostica nulla manus: Augeat imperium tibi Cristus et augeat annos, Protegat et nostras aucta corona fores: Sit tibi pax finis, domito domineris in orbe, Cunctaque sint humeris inferiora tuis.[1984] Sic honor et virtus, laus, gloria, pax que potestas[1985] Te que tuum regnum magnificare queant.[1986] 50 Cordis amore boni, pie rex, mea vota paraui; Corpore cum nequii, seruio mente tibi: Ergo tue laudi que tuo genuflexus honori[1987] Verba loco doni pauper habenda tuli. Est tamen ista mei, pie rex, sentencia verbi, Fine tui regni sint tibi regna poli.

FOOTNOTES:

[1902] The text is that of the MS. at Trentham Hall (T). Variations marked Th are those of the copy in Chaucer’s Works, ed. 1532, ff. 375 v^o-377.

[1903] No title in T Iohan Gower vnto the worthy and noble kynge Henry the fourth Th

[1904] Latin Verses placed at the end of the poem Th

[1905] 1 O Noble worthy kyng Th

[1906] 3 uppon this] here vpon Th

[1907] 4 chosen Th

[1908] 8 highe Th high T

[1909] 16 thi] the Th

[1910] 17 bounde Th

[1911] 21 this is Th goddes purueyaunce Th godespourveiance T

[1912] 30 to om. Th

[1913] 31 the om. Th

[1914] 35 unto the] in to his Th

[1915] 36 his storie Th

[1916] 42 he om. Th

[1917] 45 paynem Th

[1918] 54 as om. Th

[1919] 63 erthly Th

[1920] 71 S.... pes (erasure after S) T To stere peace Th eueriche on lyue Th

[1921] 74 lande may stande Th

[1922] 89 euer TTh

[1923] 90 al TTh

[1924] 93 that] what Th

[1925] 96 ysought Th

[1926] 108 here T her Th

[1927] 121 hast be gyde Th

[1928] 122 Ley Th Leie T

[1929] 124 sette TTh

[1930] 126 euer TTh

[1931] 127 euer TTh

[1932] 129 Lete T Lette Th

[1933] 130 put Th putte T

[1934] 148 neuer TTh

[1935] 155 and knighthode Th

[1936] 162 þenke T thynke Th

[1937] 165 the subgit] be subiecte Th

[1938] 173 But afterwarde Th

[1939] 175 Ayenst Th

[1940] 177 stighed Th

[1941] 181 neuer TTh

[1942] 183 paynyms Th

[1943] 185 erre Th

[1944] 194 paynems Th

[1945] 200 which] þ_at_ Th

[1946] 202 worthi om. Th

[1947] 203 is there Th which] that Th

[1948] 209 payne Th

[1949] 211 a] any Th

[1950] 216 how om. Th

[1951] 219 the om. Th

[1952] 227 men] people Th

[1953] 238 him selfe Th

[1954] 241 euer TTh

[1955] 251 ayenst Th

[1956] 254 is om. Th hersilf T her selfe Th

[1957] 263 helpples T helplesse Th

[1958] 269 Betwene TTh

[1959] 276 Beholde TTh

[1960] 283 Godfray and Arthus Th

[1961] 288 mai] many Th

[1962] 291 ben] is Th

[1963] 294 pes] men Th

[1964] 295 Off (for OF) T

[1965] 301 neuer TTh

[1966] 305 That is aboue al other peerles Th

[1967] 306 begete Th

[1968] 321 the pes] these Th

[1969] 329 here T her Th

[1970] 331 ther om. Th

[1971] 336 wei T way Th

[1972] 345 made Th

[1973] 350 euer TTh

[1974] 356 were TTh

[1975] 365 euer TTh

[1976] 371 loenge] legende Th

[1977] 378 and thy throne Th

[1978] 382 mor T

[1979] EXPLICIT 3 suis Th

[1980] 4 Et nunc--exorat om. Th

[1981] Instead of the Latin lines that follow Th has here the lines ‘Electus Cristi--sponte data,’ which in T stand at the beginning, and after these without a break, ‘Henrici quarti--futura deus,’ twelve lines which are written at the end of the Trentham MS.

[1982] 10 Teque T

[1983] 39 augusti T

[1984] 48 Cuncta que T

[1985] 49 paxque T

[1986] 50 Teque T

[1987] 53 laudique T

NOTES

LIB. V. (continued)

1980. F has a stop after ‘Avarice,’ but see note on l. 3966.

1982 ff. The meaning seems to be that they make no distinction of day or night when there is work of this kind to be done.

2004. overhippeth, i. e. leaps over or omits something, so that he has not all that he desires. The word is used in Piers Plowman, xv. 379, of omitting passages in the services of the Church.

2015 ff. Cp. Mirour de l’Omme, 6253 ff.,

‘Sicomme le Luce en l’eaue gloute Du piscon la menuse toute, Qu’il presde luy verra noer, Ensi ly riches,’ &c.

2031 ff. The tale of Virgil’s Mirror is from the French prose Roman des Sept Sages, as published by Le Roux de Lincy. It might easily be shown that Gower did not follow either the French metrical version or the Latin Historia Septem Sapientum. The English metrical version published by Weber is from a source similar to that of Gower’s story, but it differs in some points. Gower seems to be responsible for the introduction of Carthage and Hannibal.

2099. slepende a nyht, i. e. while they slept.

2101. Cp. Prol. 182.

2115. he his oghne body, i. e. ‘he himself.’

2150 f. This point is omitted in the English metrical version.

2157 f. The English metrical version is very similar, ‘We schulle the ymage so undersette, That we ne schal hit nothing lette.’

2168. That is, the timber having been set up.

2198 ff. This about Hannibal is introduced here as if taken from a different source, ‘For this I finde,’ &c.

2238f. Cp. Mirour, 10651, ‘Plus que gaigners son augst attent.’

2273 ff. The tale of the Two Coffers is essentially the same story as that which we have in Boccaccio Decam. x. i, and essentially different from that which is told in Vit. Barlaam et Josaphat, cap. vi, as a sequel to the story of the Trump of Death. The story which we have here and in Boccaccio is not at all connected with the idea of choosing by the outward appearance. The coffers are exactly alike, and the very point of the situation lies in the fact that the choice is a purely fortuitous one. The object was to show that they who complained were persons who had fortune against them, and that this was the cause of their having failed of reward, and not any neglect on the part of the king. I cannot say what the source was for Gower; certainly not Boccaccio, whose story is altogether different in its details.

2391 ff. With this story may be compared that in the Gesta Romanorum, 109, where by a choice between three pasties, one containing money, a decision is come to as to whether it is God’s will that a certain sum shall be restored to its owner, who is a miser.

2476. tall, i. e. comely, elegant.

2481. Cp. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, D 259.

2507. His thonkes, ‘of his own good will’: cp. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, A 1626, &c.

2543 ff. See Hist. Alexandri Magni de Preliis, f 1, ed. Argent. 1489.

2547 ff. Rom. de Troie, 23283 ff.

2563. Cp. ii. 2025.

2587. ‘If men shall estimate her value.’ The reading of the text is also that of S.

2643 ff. This story is to be found in the Roman des Sept Sages. Gower follows the same French prose version as before, 2031 ff.

2677. it stod. In this kind of expression the verb is usually subjunctive, as Prol. 481, i. 991, iv. 182, &c.

2752. a weie. This is also the reading of S.

2815 f. A rather more violent displacement than usual of the conjunction, ‘And fled away with all the haste,’ &c. Cp. l. 3947.

2835. hele seems here to mean ‘profit,’ in a worldly sense.

2872. According to the New Engl. Dict. this is the same as the Dutch ‘heepe,’ ‘heep,’ meaning a pruning-hook. ‘As there is no cognate word in O. E., its appearance in Gower, and this apparently in a proverbial phrase, is not easy to account for.’ In any case the phrase here seems equivalent to ‘by hook or by crook.’

2937. F has punctuation after ‘dai,’ but this is clearly a case of the inverted order of the conjunction: cp. note on Prol. 155, and below on l. 3966.

2961 ff. The story is probably taken from Statius, Achill. i. 197 ff., where however it is told at much greater length. For Gower’s acquaintance with the Achilleis, cp. iv. 1968 ff.

3002 ff. Cp. Achill. i. 338 ff.

3004 f. That is, howsoever his behaviour might be watched.

3082. Protheüs. According to Statius, Achill. i. 494 ff., Protesilaus rebuked Calchas for not having discovered Achilles, upon which Calchas revealed the truth. Perhaps the mention of Protesilaus suggested to Gower the idea of Proteus, of whom he had heard as one who could change his form at will, see l. 6672, and perhaps as having prophesied the birth and greatness of Achilles (Ovid, Metam. xi. 221 ff.).

3119. topseilcole, see note on viii. 1890.

3138 f. Cp. Achill. i. 812 ff.

3247 ff. The first part of the story of Jason and Medea (ll. 3247-3926) is taken from Benoît (Rom. de Troie, 703-2062), and not from Guido, as may be easily shown by comparison of the texts. For example, Guido tells all the conditions of the enterprise, about the fire-breathing bulls, the serpent’s teeth and so on, at the beginning of the story, whereas Benoît more dramatically introduces them into the instructions given to Jason by Medea (Rom. de Troie, 1337-1374, 1691-1748), and in this he is followed by Gower (3505-3540). Guido says nothing about the sleeplessness of the serpent (Rom. de Troie, 1357 f., Conf. Am. v. 3514), nor about repeating the charm ‘contre orient’ (Rom. de Troie, 1700), nor does he mention the thanksgiving which Jason is to offer up to the gods after his victory and before he takes the fleece (Rom. de Troie, 1735 f., Conf. Am. v. 3626 ff.). The sleep of Jason after leaving Medea is omitted by Guido (Rom. de Troie, 1755 ff., Conf. Am. v. 3665 ff.), and also the bath which he took after his adventure (Rom. de Troie, 1999, Conf. Am. v. 3801). There is no need to multiply instances, which will be observed by every careful reader. We have seen on other occasions that Gower prefers Benoît to Guido, and not without excellent reasons. Guido indeed makes this story even more prosaic than usual, and combines it with matter-of-fact discussions about the magic powers of Medea and the virtues of the various stones which she used.

Gower, however, does not follow Benoît in a slavish manner. He omits or alters the details of the story very happily at times, and he adds much of his own. Thus he omits all mention of the evil motives of Peleus (or Pelias), and makes the proposal to seek the golden fleece come from Jason; he passes over the story of the dispute with Laomedon, which was necessary to the Roman de Troie, but not to the story of Jason taken separately; he adds the discourse of Jason with Oëtes on his arrival; he omits the details about Medea’s hair and eyes, her arms and her chin (Rom. de Troie, 1254 ff.), and dwells rather upon the feelings which the two lovers had for one another at first sight (3376 ff.). When they are together at night, it is Medea, according to our author, and not Jason, who suggests that it is time to rise and to speak of what has to be done (3547 ff.); and Gower adds the scene of parting (3634-3659), the description of Jason’s return over the sea and of Medea’s feelings meanwhile upon her tower, and the sending of the maid to inquire how he did. Finally, he much improves the story by making the flight take place at once, instead of prolonging Jason’s stay for a month.

Chaucer, who tells the story in a rather perfunctory manner, follows Guido (Leg. of Good Women, 1396 ff.).

3291. And schop anon, &c. This might be understood of Peleus, who, according to the original story, gave orders for the building of the ship; but better perhaps of Jason, ‘And schop’ for ‘And he schop,’ cp. l. 4590 and vi. 1636.

3376. herd spoke: cp. 4485, ‘I have herd seid.’

3388. That is, ‘they took heed each of other.’ For the plural verb cp. 3439.

3416. That is, ‘he took St. John as his pledge’ of a good issue, ‘he committed himself to the care of St. John.’ The expression was often used in connexion with setting out on a journey: cp. Chaucer, Compl. of Mars, 9.

3422. Cp. iv. 3273, vi. 2104. The expression in vi. 1621 f., ‘to ful age, That he can reson and langage,’ that is, ‘till he is of full age and knows reason,’ &c., is much of the same kind.

3488. dede him helpe. We must take this second ‘helpe’ as a substantive, otherwise the rhyme would not be good. The rule is that words identical in form can only be combined in rhyme when they have some difference of meaning.

3509. to thyle. The idea was that the golden fleece was guarded in a small island adjacent to the larger ‘isle of Colchos.’ See Rom. de Troie, 1791 ff.,

‘Ilec li covient à passer, Ou voille ou non, un bras de mer; Mès estreiz est, ne dure mie Gaires plus de lieue et demie. De l’altre part est li isliax, Non mie granz, mès molt est biax.’

3533. dethes wounde, ‘deadly wound’: cp. iii. 2657, ‘And smot him with a dethes wounde,’ and also the genitives ‘lyves’ for ‘living’ and ‘worldes’ for ‘worldly,’ i. 1771, iv. 382, &c.

3573. hold, i. e. let him hold: cp. viii. 1128, 1420.

3579 ff. According to Benoît Medea gave him first the magic figure, ‘une figure Fete par art et par conjure’ (cp. 3580), then the ointment and the ring, and after that a writing, the words of which he was to repeat three times when he came to the place. Gower changes the order of things, and combines the writing with the ‘hevenely figure,’ describing it as written over with names which he is to repeat in the manner mentioned.

3632. That thanne he were, &c., that is, she prayed that he would soon be gone.

3654. ‘It shall not be owing to any sloth of mine if I do not,’ &c.

3665 ff.

‘Dedanz son lit s’est tost cochiez Endormi sei en eslepas; Car tot esteit de veiller las: Et quant il ot dormi grant piece, Tant qu’il estoit ja halte tierce, Levez s’est,’ &c. Rom. de Troie, 1756 ff.

‘undren hih’ is in the French ‘halte tierce.’

3681. recorde, ‘take note of.’

3688. The reading of X here, ‘And forth with all his wey he fongeth,’ is also that of GOAd₂.

3707. scherded: perhaps the word is suggested by Benoît’s expression, ‘Les escherdes hérice’ (Rom. de Troie, 1905).

3711. A literal translation of Rom. de Troie, 1906, ‘Feu et venin gitot ensenble.’ With the lines that follow cp. Rom. de Troie, 1911 ff.

3731 ff. The picturesque elements here are perhaps partly suggested by Rom. de Troie, 1869 ff.

3747. That he ne were, expressing a wish: cp. iv. 3414, ‘Helas, that I nere of this lif,’ equivalent to ‘why ne were I,’ l. 5979.

3781 f. ‘leyhe’ seems to be modified in form for the sake of the rhyme, the usual form in Gower being ‘lawhe.’

3786. naght, in rhyme for ‘noght’: cp. ‘awht,’ ‘auht,’ i. 2770, v. 6073.

3789. So Ovid, Metam. vii. 144 ff.,

‘Tu quoque victorem complecti, barbara, velles, Obstitit incepto pudor,’ &c.,

but it is also in Benoît, Rom. de Troie, 1991 f.

3793 ff. The sending of the maid, with the pretty touch in l. 3800, is an addition by Gower.

3890. Cp. i. 1516.

3904. this was conseil, ‘this was a secret’: cp. iii. 778, vi. 2326; so Chaucer, Cant. Tales, C 819, ‘Shal it be conseil?’ cp. D 966, E 2431.

3927 ff. Benoît tells no more of Jason’s life after his return to Greece, saying that Dares relates no more, and he does not wish to tell stories that may not be true, ‘N’en velt fere acreire mençonge.’ From this point then Gower follows Ovid, Metam. vii. 159-293, and it must be understood that the illustrative quotations in the notes are from this passage.

3947. ‘And prayed her that by the magic art which she knew,’ &c. For the order of words cp. 2815 f.

3957 f. Ovid makes it full moon, l. 180, but afterwards, l. 188, says ‘Sidera sola micant.’

3962 ff.

‘Egreditur tectis vestes induta recinctas, Nuda pedem, nudos humeris infusa capillos, Fertque vagos mediae per muta silentia noctis Incomitata gradus.’ Metam. vii. 182 ff.

The comparison to the adder in l. 3967 is Gower’s own.

3966. F has a stop after ‘specheles,’ there being a natural tendency even in the best copies to treat ‘and’ or ‘for’ as the beginning of a new clause: so (to take examples from the fifth book only) v. 231, 410, 444, 2318, 2937, 5096, in all which places F has apparently wrong punctuation in connexion with this kind of inverted order.

3971 ff.

‘Ter se convertit, ter sumptis flumine crinem Irroravit aquis, ternis ululatibus ora Solvit’: 189 f.

3981. The punctuation is that of F, but perhaps we ought rather to read,

‘Sche preide and ek hield up hir hond, To Echates and gan to crie.’

3986. help. For this use of the imperat. sing, (with ‘helpeth’ just above) see Introduction, p. cxviii.

3994.

‘Sublimis rapitur, subiectaque Thessala Tempe Despicit, et Creteis regionibus applicat angues:’ 222 f.

Gower very naturally understood this to mean that Medea visited Crete, and hence the confusion of geography. He could not be expected to know that Othrys and Olympus were mountains of Thessaly, and hence that the ‘Creteis’ or ‘cretis’ of his manuscript was probably a corruption.

4000 f.

‘et placitas partim radice revellit, Partim succidit curvamine falcis ahenae.’ 226 f.

4005. Eridian, i. e. Apidanus.

4006.

‘Necnon Peneus, necnon Spercheïdes undae Contribuere aliquid.’ 230 f.

4011. the rede See. Perhaps Gower read ‘rubrum mare’ for ‘refluum mare’ in Metam. vii. 258.

4031 ff.

‘statuitque aras e caespite binas, Dexteriore Hecates, at laeva parte Iuventae.’ 240 f.

4039. ‘verbenis, silvaque incinxit agresti,’ 242. Gower took ‘silva agrestis’ as the name of a herb and ingeniously translated it into ‘fieldwode.’

4052 f. ‘Umbrarumque rogat rapta cum coniuge regem,’ 249. Our author is able to supply the names correctly.

4064-4114. This picturesque passage is for the most part original.

4127 ff. ‘Nec defuit illic Squamea Cinyphii tenuis membrana chelydri,’ 272. Gower understood this to mean ‘the scales of Cinyphius (or Cimphius) and the skin of Chelidrus.’

4134. ‘novem cornicis saecula passae,’ 274.

4137. Ovid speaks of the entrails of a werwolf, ‘Ambigui prosecta lupi,’ &c.

4156. For omission of relative cp. l. 4205 and note on i. 10.

4175 ff. The story here is only summarized by Ovid, Metam. vii. 394-401. Gower of course knew it from other sources.

4219. ‘intrat Palladias arces,’ Metam. vii. 398. This means Athens, but it is misunderstood by Gower.

4251. Philen, i. e. Nephele. Hyginus tells this story much as it is told here (except that it was the mother of the children who provided the ram), but he gives the name in its Latin form, as ‘Nebula.’ Note the mistake as to this name in the margin, appearing in all MSS. except SΔΛ.

4299 ff. Note the confused construction of the sentence: cp. note on i. 98.

4391. The metaphor of hunting is still kept up: the gain which they pursue is started like a hare and driven into the net.

4399. Outward, that is, when he gives things out, cp. ‘withinne’ below.

4452. I were a goddeshalf. This seems to mean, ‘I should be content,’ that is, I should be ready to say ‘In God’s name let it be so.’ For the expression cp. l. 5016, ‘Thanne a goddes half The thridde time assaie I schal.’ In the New Engl. Dict. (‘half’) it is said to be used ‘to add emphasis to a petition, command, or expression of consent or resignation’: cp. Chaucer, Book of the Duchess, 370, 757.

4455. I biede nevere ... Bot, ‘I demand only.’ In this expression ‘biede’ and ‘bidde’ have been confused, as often. Thus we have ‘I bidde nevere a betre taxe,’ i. 1556, ‘That I ne bede nevere awake,’ iv. 2905, in the latter of which ‘bede’ may be either pret. subj. of ‘bidde,’ or pres. ind. equivalent to ‘biede,’ and vi. 1356, ‘He bede nevere fare bet’ where ‘bede’ is apparently pret. subj. of bidde; while in the English Rom. of the Rose, 791, we have ‘Ne bode I nevere thennes go,’ in which ‘bode’ must be pret. subj. of ‘biede.’

4465. lete: see note on i. 3365.

4549 ff. Cp. i. 42 ff.

4557 f. ‘No law may control him either by severity or by mildness.’ For the use of ‘compaignie’ in the sense of ‘friendliness’ cp. i. 1478, and below, l. 7759.

4583 ff. Ovid, Metam. iii. 362 ff., but the circumstances are somewhat modified to suit Gower’s purpose. According to Ovid Echo’s fault was that she talked too much and diverted Juno’s attention, and her punishment was that her speech was confined to a mere repetition of what she heard. Here the crime is rather that she cunningly concealed in her speech what she ought to have told, and the punishment is that she is obliged to tell everything that comes to her ears.

4590. ‘And through such brocage he was untrue,’ &c. For the omission of the pronoun see note on i. 1895.

4623. maken it so queinte, ‘be so cunning’: cp. iv. 2314, where however ‘queinte’ has a different meaning.

4642. hire mouth ascape, i. e. escape being repeated by her mouth.

4661. The aspiration of ‘hem,’ so as to prevent elision, is very unusual: cp. Introduction, p. cxxv.

4668 ff. ‘I shall arrange in their due order those branches of Avarice on which no wealth is well bestowed,’ that is, those which make no return for what is bestowed upon them, viz. Usury and Ingratitude.

4708. of som reprise, i. e. ‘of some cost,’ cp. i. 3414,

‘Which most is worth, and no reprise It takth ayein,’

that is, it costs nothing.

4724. with ydel hand, ‘with empty hand,’ that is, without a lure. This seems to be the original meaning of the adjective: see _New Eng. Dict._ ‘idle.’

4731. the gold Octovien. The treasures of Octovien (or Octavian) were proverbial: cp. Rom. de Troie, 1684 f.,

‘Unques Oteviens de Rome Ne pot conquerre tel aveir,’

and again 28594,

‘Se li tresors Octoviens Fust lor, si lor donassent il.’

The expression here seems to be in imitation of the French form without preposition, as in the latter of the above quotations.

The French Roman d’Othevien, found in the Bodleian MS. Hatton 100, and reproduced in two English versions, has nothing to do with the treasures of Octovien, for which see William of Malmesbury, Gesta Regum, ii. § 169 f. The treasures were supposed to be buried at Rome or elsewhere, and several persons, especially the Pope Silvester (Gerbert), were said to have seen them, but not to have been permitted to carry them away. They appear also in the Roman des Sept Sages.

4748. eschu of. The adjective is used by Chaucer with ‘to’ (or ‘for to’) and infin., Cant. Tales, E 1812, I 971. We may note the spelling here with reference to Chaucer’s rhyme in the former passage.

4763. ‘It may not by any means be avoided that,’ &c.

4774. as to tho pars, ‘as regards those matters’: ‘pars’ is the French plural form, cp. Mirour, 7386, where apparently ‘pars’ means ‘duties.’

4787. Cp. l. 7716, where the saying has a different application. The proverb is here used of those who are, as we say, penny wise and pound foolish. In the other passage it is applied to the opposite case of gaining the coat for the hood.

4808 ff. This story is founded on the so-called Comedia Babionis, one of those Latin elegiac poems in a quasi-dramatic form which were popular in the fourteenth century. Others of the same class are Geta and Pamphilus. In the original, Viöla is Babio’s step-daughter, with whom he is in love, and who is taken in marriage against his will by Croceus. The serving-man is Fodius, not Spodius, and most of the piece is concerned with an intrigue between him and the wife of Babio. See Wright’s Early Mysteries, p. 65.

4899. comth to londe, ‘appears’: cp. l. 18.

4921. who that it kan, that is, as any one who knows it will witness: cp. l. 4927, ‘For, as any one who observes may know, a beast is,’ &c.

4937 ff. This story, which is of Eastern origin, is told near the end of the Speculum Stultorum (i. e. Burnellus), with which Gower was acquainted, as we know from the Vox Clamantis. The names there are Bernardus and Dryānus, and the animals are three, a serpent, an ape, and a lion. A similar tale is told by Matthew Paris, under the year 1195, as related by King Richard I in order to recommend liberality in the cause of Christendom. In this the rich man is Vitalis, a Venetian, and the poor man’s name is not given. The animals in the pit are a lion and a serpent. Vitalis thanks his deliverer, and appoints a time for him to come to his palace in Venice and receive the promised reward of half his goods; but when he comes, he is refused with contumely. The magic qualities of the gem which the serpent brings are not mentioned in the story of Vitalis.

5010 f. So in the Speculum Stultorum, ‘Tunc ita Bernardus, Sathanae phantasmate lusum Se reputans, dixit,’ &c.

5022. blessed, i. e. crossed himself. This ceremony plays a considerable part in the story of Vitalis, for by it he is preserved from the wild beasts while in the pit.

5025. Betwen him and his Asse, that is, he and his ass together: cp. l. 5381. The expression is imitated from the French, cp. Roman de Troie, 5837.

5093. There is a stop after ‘Purs,’ no doubt rightly, in F. On the other hand the stop after ‘wif’ in l. 5096 must be wrong.

5123 f. Cp. 4597 ff.

5215. standt. For this spelling cp. ‘bidt,’ iv. 1162.

5231 ff. The outline of this story might have been got from Ovid and from Hyginus, Fab. 40-43, but several points of detail suggest a different source. These are, for example, the idea that the son of Minos went to Athens to study philosophy, the statement of the number of persons sent as a tribute to Minos, the incident of the ball of pitch given by Ariadne to Theseus to be used against the Minotaur, and the name of the island where Ariadne was deserted. In the first and third of these Gower agrees with Chaucer, Legend of Good Women, 1894 ff., but his story is apparently quite independent, so that in regard to, these matters we must assume a common source: cp. L. Bech in Anglia, v. 337 ff.

as telleth the Poete. The authority referred to here must be Ovid (cp. i. 386, ii. 121, v. 6713, 6804, &c.). He slightly mentions the death of Androgeus, Metam. vii. 458, and relates the war of Minos against Megara at some length (Metam. viii. 1 ff), very briefly summarising the remainder of the story. Chaucer follows Ovid more fully here, telling the story of Nisus, to which Gower does not think it necessary to refer.

5248. dighte. This is the form of spelling here in S as well as F: so also in l. 5352.

5264 f. Hyginus says seven persons each year: Chaucer seems to conceive it as one every third year. The usual account is seven youths and seven maidens either every year or once in nine years.

5302. many on. Perhaps we should read ‘manye on’ with S and F, as vii. 2191, ‘manye an other.’

5319. This expression occurs also in ll. 5598 and 7553.

5360. fawht. Elsewhere this verb has preterite ‘foghte,’ as iii. 2651, iv. 2095, but the strong form ‘faught’ is used by Chaucer, e. g. Cant. Tales, B 3519, and this in fact is the originally correct form.

5413. Chyo. Ovid says ‘Dia,’ that is Naxos.

5507. His rihte name: cp. Mirour, 409, ‘par son droit noun Je l’oi nommer Temptacioun,’ 4243, ‘Si ot a noun par droit nommant,’ &c. and other similar expressions.

5510. as men telleth: cp. l. 6045, ‘men seith.’

5511. According to the margin Extortion is the mother of Ravine.

5550. femeline, used repeatedly both as adjective and as substantive in the Mirour de l’Omme.

5551 ff. The tale of Tereus is from Ovid, Metam. vi. 424-674, in some parts abbreviated and in others expanded, with good judgement usually in both cases, so that this is one of Gower’s best-told tales. He omits the long account given by Ovid of the way in which Pandion was persuaded to allow Philomela to accompany Tereus (Metam. vi. 447-510), the incidents of the rescue of Philomela from her imprisonment, which no doubt he felt would be unintelligible to his readers (587-600), and many of the more shocking details connected with the death of Itys and the feast upon his flesh. On the other hand he has added the prayer and reflections of Philomene in her prison (ll. 5734-5768), the prayers of the two sisters (5817-5860), the words of Progne to Tereus (5915-5927), and especially the reflections on the nightingale and the swallow at the end of the story (5943-6029). This latter part is quite characteristic of our author, and as usual it is prettily conceived.

Chaucer, who tells the story in the Legend of Good Women, 2228-2393, was weary of it even from the beginning (2257 f.), and omits the conclusion altogether, either as too shocking or as not suiting with his design. So far as he goes, however, he follows Ovid more closely than Gower.

5555. See note on Prol. 460.

5598. So also ll. 5319, 7553.

5623. Ovid’s comparison is to fire catching dry straw and leaves, Metam. vi. 456 f.

5643 ff. Ovid compares her state after the deed was done to that of a lamb hurt by a wolf and still trembling, or a dove which has escaped wounded from a bird of prey (527-530). Here, on the other hand, the idea is of being held fast, so that she cannot move or escape; while Chaucer, using the same similes as Ovid, applies the comparison less appropriately to her fear of the violence yet to come.

5651. Cp. Metam. vi. 531, ‘Mox ubi mens rediit.’

5663 ff.

‘si copia detur, In populos veniam; si silvis clausa tenebor, Implebo silvas, et conscia saxa movebo.’ Metam. vi. 545 ff.

5670. I suspect the combination ‘tale and ende’ may have arisen from some such phrase as ‘to sette tale on ende’ (or ‘an ende’), meaning to begin a speech: see New Engl. Dict. under ‘ende.’

5676. where is thi fere? that is, ‘where is thy fear of the gods?’ We must not take ‘fere’ in the sense of ‘companion’ or ‘equal,’ because in that case it could not properly rhyme with ‘Ere.’

5690 f.

‘comprensam forcipe linguam Abstulit ense fero.’ Metam. vi. 556 f.

Gower must be commended for omitting the tasteless lines which follow in Ovid about the severed tongue, and still more the shocking statement, which even Ovid accompanies with ‘vix ausim credere,’ of 561 f.

5709. tyh, preterite of ‘ten,’ from OE. ‘tēon,’ meaning ‘draw,’ and hence ‘come.’

5724. The punctuation follows F, ‘To hire’ meaning ‘in her case,’ cp. l. 4182, vii. 4937. It would suit the sense better perhaps to set the comma after ‘forsake,’ and to take ‘To hire’ with what follows: cp. note on l. 3966, where it is shown that the punctuation of F is often wrong in such cases as this.

5726. hir Sostres mynde, ‘her sister’s memory.’

5730. guile under the gore, that is, deceit concealed, as it were, under a cloak: cp. l. 6680. The expression ‘under gore’ is common enough, meaning the same as ‘under wede,’ and this alliterative form looks like a proverbial expression.

5734-5768. All this is original.

5737. so grete a wo: cp. l. 6452, and see Introduction, p. cx.

5778. ‘nec scit quid tradat in illis,’ Metam. vi. 580.

5793. ‘Non est lacrimis hic, inquit, agendum, Sed ferro,’ Metam. vi. 611.

5802 ff. According to Ovid this was done under cover of a Bacchic festival (587 ff.).

5816-5860. This is all original.

5840. to lytel of me let: see note on l. 1004.

5891 ff. Gower does well in omitting the circumstances of this which Ovid gives (619-646), and in partially covering the horror of it by the excuse of madness, but there is one touch which ought to have been brought in, ‘Ah, quam Es similis patri!’ (621).

5910 ff. Ovid says that Philomela threw the gory head into the father’s face, and that Tereus endeavoured to vomit up that which he had eaten. Our author has shown good taste in not following him.

5915 ff. This speech is not in Ovid.

5943-6029. Nearly all this is Gower’s own. Ovid only says, ‘Quarum petit altera silvas: Altera tecta subit’ (668 f.). We have already observed upon our author’s tendency to make additions of this symbolical kind to the stories which he takes from Ovid: see note on i. 2355.

6020. The reading ‘here’ is given both by S and F, but ‘hire’ (‘hir’), supported by AJMXGCB₂, BT, W, seems to be required by the sense. She informs them of the falseness of her husband, that they also may learn to beware of them, that is of husbands. The combination of ‘here’ with the singular ‘housebonde,’ meaning ‘their husbands,’ would be very harsh.

6041 ff.

‘Ille dolore suo, poenaeque cupidine velox, Vertitur in volucrem, cui stant in vertice cristae, Prominet immodicum pro longa cuspide rostrum. Nomen Epops volucri, facies armata videtur.’

Metam. vi. 671 ff.

The lapwing is identified with the hoopoe because of its crest. In the Traitié, xii, where this story is shortly told, Tereus is changed into a ‘hupe,’

‘Dont dieus lui ad en hupe transformée, En signe qu’il fuist fals et avoltier,’

while at the same time in the Mirour, 8869 ff., the ‘hupe’ is represented as the bird which tries to deceive those who search for its nest, a description which obviously belongs to the lapwing.

6047. Cp. Chaucer, Parl. of Foules, 347, ‘The false lapwyng ful of trecherye.’

6053. goddes forebode: cp. Chaucer, Leg. of Good Women, 10,

‘But goddes forbode but men schulde leve,’

where the second form of text has

‘But god forbede but men shulde leve.’

We must take ‘forebode’ as a substantive.

6073. auht: modified to suit the rhyme: so ‘awht,’ i. 2770, and ‘naght,’ l. 3786, rhyming with ‘straght.’ The regular forms for Gower are ‘oght,’ ‘noght.’

6145 ff. This is from Ovid, Metam. ii. 569-588. Gower has judiciously kept it apart from the story of Coronis and the raven, told by him in the second book, with which it is combined in rather a confusing manner by Ovid. The story is somewhat expanded by Gower.

6150. wif to Marte: cp. 1214 f.

6169. And caste: cp. l. 4590, and see note on i. 1895.

6197. ‘mota est pro virgine virgo, Auxiliumque tulit,’ Metam. ii. 579 f., but Ovid says nothing of any special prayer to Pallas for help, nor does he represent that Cornix was before in attendance upon that goddess.

6207 ff. This is original and characteristic of our author.

6225 ff. This story is from Ovid, Metam. ii. 409-507, but Gower evidently knew it from other sources also, for the name Calistona (or Callisto) is not given by Ovid, who calls her ‘virgo Nonacrina’ and ‘Parrhasis.’ Hyginus tells it in various forms, Fab. 177 and Poet. Astr. ii. 2.

6255. According to Ovid, Diana was quite ignorant of the fact, though the nymphs suspected it.

6258. in a ragerie, that is ‘in sport’: cp. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, E 1847, and the use of the verb ‘rage,’ e. g. i. 1764 and _Cant. Tales_, A 257, 3273, 3958.

6275 ff. ‘I procul hinc, dixit, nec sacros pollue fontes,’ Metam. ii. 464.

6281. F has a stop after ‘schame.’

6291 ff. This address is mostly original: cp. Metam. ii. 471 ff.

6334 ff.

‘Arcuit omnipotens, pariterque ipsosque nefasque Sustulit, et celeri raptos per inania vento Imposuit caelo vicinaque sidera fecit.’

Metam. ii. 505 ff.

Latin Verses, x. The idea expressed is that though examples of virginity can only be produced through marriage, yet virginity is nobler than marriage, as the flower of a rose is nobler than the stock from which it springs. Marriage, in fact, replenishes the earth, but virginity heaven: cp. Trait. ii.

6359 ff. Cp. Mirour, 17119 ff., where the saying is attributed to Jerome, who says in fact that precedence was given in the streets to the Vestal Virgins by the highest magistrates, and even by victors riding in the triumphal car (adv. Jovin. ii. 41).

6372 ff. Cp. Mirour, 18301 ff. The anecdote is taken from Valerius Maximus, Mem. iv. 5, but the name in the original is ‘Spurina,’ and he does not thrust out his eyes, but merely destroys the beauty of his face. In the Mirour it is ‘Coupa ses membres.’

6385 ff. ‘So may I prove that, if a man will weigh the virtues, he will find that virginity is to be praised above all others.’ The sentence is disordered for the sake of the rhymes: cp. ii. 709 ff.

6389. The quotation from the Apocalypse is given in the margin of SΔ and in Mirour, 17053 ff. The reference is to Rev. xiv. 4.

6395* ff. Cp. Mirour, 17067 and note.

6398 ff. This also appears in Mirour, 17089 ff., and Traitié, xvi. It may have been taken from the Epistola Valerii ad Rufinum.

6402. The margin makes him ‘octogenarius,’ and so it is also in the Mirour and Traitié, as well as in the Epistola Valerii.

6435 ff. This shows more knowledge than could have been got from the Roman de Troie. The story is told by Hyginus, Fab. 121, but not exactly as we have it here. This ‘Criseide douhter of Crisis’ should be distinguished from the Criseide daughter of Calchas (Briseïda in the Roman de Troie), who is associated with Troilus, if it is worth while making distinctions where so much confusion prevails.

6442. dangerous, that is, ‘grudging’ or ‘reluctant’: cp. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, D 1090, and see note on i. 2443.

6452. So grete a lust: cp. l. 5737 and Introduction, p. cx.

6498. as a Pocok doth. It is difficult to see the appropriateness of the comparison, for to ‘stalke’ is to go cautiously or secretly, and that is evidently the meaning here, so that any idea of display is out of the question. The peacock was supposed to be ashamed of its ugly feet, cp. Mirour, 23459, and in the Secretum Secretorum we actually have the expression ‘humilis et obediens ut pavo,’ translated by Lydgate (or Burgh) ‘Meeke as a pecock.’ Albertus Magnus says, ‘Cum aspicitur ad solem, decorem ostentat, et alio tempore occultat quantum poterit’ (De Animalibus, 23). There seems to have been a notion that it was liable to have its pride humbled and to slink away ashamed.

6526. bile under the winge, that is, concealed, as a bird’s head under its wing: apparently proverbial.

6541. I mai remene ... mene. This is apparently the reading of the MSS. The meaning of ‘remene’ is properly to bring back. It is used earlier, i. 279, with reference to the application of the teaching about vices generally to the case of love, and here it seems to have much the same sense. ‘So that I may apply what has been said about this craft directly’ (‘Withouten help of eny mene’) to the case of lovers, they being very evidently offenders in this way.

6581. hire it is: but in l. 4470, ‘It schal ben hires.’

6608 ff. For the construction see note on i. 718.

6620. Danger: see note on i. 2443.

6634. slyke: cp. l. 7092*, ‘He can so wel hise wordes slyke.’ The word means properly to smoothe, hence to flatter: cp. the modern ‘sleek.’

6635. Be him, &c., i. e. by his own resources or by the help of any other.

6636. To whom: see note on i. 771.

6654. a nyht, i. e. by night, also written ‘anyht,’ ii. 2857.

6672. Protheüs, that is Proteus: cp. note on l. 3082.

6674. in what liknesse, ‘into any form whatsoever.’

6680. under the palle, ‘in secret,’ like ‘under the gore,’ l. 5730.

6713 ff. From Ovid, Metam. iv. 192-255, but with several changes. In the original story the Sun-god came to Leucothoe by night and in the form of her mother. Clytie (not Clymene) discovered the fact (without the aid of Venus) and told it to the father; and it was an incense plant which grew from the place where Leucothoe was buried.

6757. For the expression cp. iii. 2555, ‘Achastus, which with Venus was Hire priest.’

6779. This change into a flower which follows the sun is suggested by Metam. iv. 266 ff., where we are told that Clytie was changed into a heliotrope. Here it is a sun-flower apparently.

6807 ff. From Ovid, Fasti, ii. 305-358. The ‘mistress’ of whom Ovid speaks is Omphale, but Gower supposed it to be Iole. He gets ‘Thophis’ as the name of the cave from a misunderstanding of l. 317, and apparently he read ‘Saba’ for ‘Lyda’ in l. 356, out of which he has got his idea of a goddess Saba with attendant nymphs. This feature, though based on a mistake, is a decided improvement of the story, which is told by Gower in a spirited and humorous manner.

6848 ff. The reading of X in this passage is also that of GOAd₂.

6899. The punctuation is that of F.

6932. al a route: so iv. 2145, cp. l. 6257, ‘al a compainie.’

7013. Cp. Mirour, 7181 ff.

7048. This is a nautical metaphor, ‘so near the wind will they steer.’ The verb ‘love’ is the modern ‘luff,’ meaning to bring a ship’s head towards the wind. The substantive ‘lof’ (genit. ‘loves’) means in ME. a rudder or some similar contrivance for turning the ship, and ‘love’ here seems to mean simply to steer. The rhyme with ‘glove’ makes ‘love’ from ‘lufian’ out of the question, even if it gave a satisfactory sense.

7140. gon offre. The ceremony of ‘offering’ after mass was one which involved a good deal of etiquette as regards precedence and so on, cp. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, A 449 ff., and ladies apparently were led up to the altar on these occasions by their cavaliers.

7179. ‘If I might manage in any other way,’ like the expression ‘(I cannot) away with,’ &c.

7195 ff. The story comes no doubt from Benoît, Rom. de Troie, 2851-4916, where it is told at much greater length. Guido does not differ much as regards the incidents related by Gower, but by comparing the two texts in some particular places we can tell without much difficulty which was Gower’s source. For example, in the speech of Hector Benoît has,

‘Veez Europe que il ont, La tierce partie del mont, Où sont li meillor chevalier.’ 3791 ff.,

while Guido says, ‘Nostis enim ... totam Affricam et Europam hodie Grecis esse subiectam, quanta Greci multitudine militum sunt suffulti,’ &c. See below, 7340 ff.

The story is told by Gower with good judgement, and he freely omits unnecessary details, as those of the mission of Antenor to Greece. The debate in Priam’s parliament is shortened, and the speeches of Hector and Paris much improved.

7197 ff. Cp. 3303 ff.

7202. The sentence is broken off and resumed in a different form: see note on i. 98.

* * * * *

7015* ff. Cp. Mirour, 7156 ff.

7033*. And that, i. e. ‘And provided that.’

7092*. See note on l. 6634.

7105* ff. The tale is told also in the Mirour de l’Omme, 7093-7128. It is to be found in the Gesta Romanorum (which however is not Gower’s source), and in various other places. Cicero tells what is practically the same story of Dionysius of Syracuse (De Nat. Deorum, iii. 34), but the acts of sacrilege were committed by him in various places. The golden mantle was taken from the statue of Zeus at Olympia, and the beard from that of Aesculapius at Epidaurus, the justification in this latter case being that Apollo, the father of Aesculapius, was always represented without a beard. Those who repeated the anecdote in the Middle Ages naturally missed this point. We may note that Dyonis is the name given in the Mirour.

* * * * *

7213 ff. Cp. Rom. de Troie, 2779 ff.

7235 ff. Rom. de Troie, 3029 ff. Gower has judiciously cut short the architectural details.

7275. Esionam: see note on l. 6719.

7307. in his yhte, ‘in his possession.’ For the substance of these lines cp. Rom. de Troie, 2915-2950.

7372. schape ye, imperative, for schapeth; so ‘Sey ye’ in l. 7435.

7377. Strong thing, i. e. a hard thing to bear. This is apparently a translation of the French ‘fort,’ which was very commonly used in the sense of ‘difficult’: see the examples in Godefroy’s Dictionary, e. g. ‘forte chose est de çou croire,’ ‘fors choses est a toi guerroier ancontre moi.’

7390 ff. ‘Ten men have been seen to deal with a hundred and to have had the better.’

7400. Rom. de Troie, 3842, ‘L’autrier ès kalendes de Mai,’ &c. The word ‘ender’ is an adjective meaning ‘former,’ originally perhaps an adverb. It is used only in the expressions ‘ender day’ and ‘ender night.’ The combination ‘enderday’ occurs in i. 98.

7420. Rom. de Troie, 3889 f.,

‘Cascune conseilla à mei Privéement et en segrei,’ &c.

7451 ff. For Cassandra as the Sibyl cp. Godfrey of Viterbo, Pantheon, p. 214 (ed. 1584).

7497 f.

‘Molt est isnele Renommée, Savoir fist tost par la contrée,’ &c.

Rom. de Troie, 4299 ff.

7555 ff. The further incidents of the embarkation and of the voyage home, Rom. de Troie, 4505-4832, are omitted.

7576 f. Cp. Rom. de Troie, 4867 ff.

7591 ff. This incident is related in the Rom. de Troie, 17457 ff. The occasion was an anniversary celebration at the tomb of Hector, and though the temple of Apollo is not actually named here by Benoît, it has been previously described at large as Hector’s burial place.

7597 ff. The scene in Chaucer’s Troilus, i. 155 ff., is well known. He took it from Boccaccio.

7612. In the treatment of Avarice Gower has departed entirely from the plan of fivefold division which he follows in the first three books, as throughout in the Mirour. In the sixth book he deliberately declines to deal with more than two of the branches of Gule (vi. 12f.), and the treatment of Lechery is also irregular.

7651. here tuo debat, i. e. the strife of those two.

7716. the Cote for the hod: that is, he gets a return larger than the amount that he gave; a different form of the expression from that which we have in l. 4787.

7719. hors: probably plural in both cases.

7724. ‘If a man will go by the safe way.’

7736 ff. This saying is not really quoted from Seneca, but from Caecilius Balbus, Nug. Phil. xi. It must have been in Chaucer’s mind when he wrote ‘Suffice unto thy good, though it be smal,’ that is, ‘Adapt thy life to thy worldly fortune.’

7830 f. I take this to mean, ‘And suddenly to meet his flowers the summer appears and is rich.’ For the meaning of ‘hapneth’ see the examples in the New English Dictionary.

7838. be war: written as one word in F and afterwards divided by a stroke.

LIB. VI.

Latin Verses. i. 6. ruit seems to be transitive, ‘casts down.’

i. 7. Rather involved in order: ‘on the lips which Bacchus intoxicates and which are plunged in sleep.’

4. mystymed, ‘unhappily produced.’ In other places, as i. 220, iii. 2458, the word seems to mean to order or arrange wrongly. The OE. ‘mistīmian’ means to happen amiss.

7. dedly, ‘mortal,’ i. e. subject to death.

34. wext, ‘he waxeth’: for the omission of the pronoun see note on i. 1895 and cp. ll. 149, 213, 367, below.

57. For the form of expression cp. i. 380, ii. 2437, and below, l. 106.

59. sterte is for ‘stert,’ pres. tense.

70. in vers, that is ‘in order.’ The word ‘vers’ is given in Godefroy’s Dictionary with the sense ‘state,’ ‘situation’; e. g. Rom. de la Rose, 9523 ff.,

‘Malement est changies li vers, Or li vient li gieus si divers, Qu’el ne puet ne n’ose joer.’

71 f. Cp. Mirour, 8246 f.

84. the jolif wo: cp. i. 88, vii. 1910, and Balades, xii. 4, ‘Si porte ades le jolif mal sanz cure.’

105. of such a thew, ‘by such a habit’ (i. e. of love), to be taken with ‘dronkelew.’

144. hovedance, ‘court dance’: see New Eng. Dictionary.

145. the newefot: written thus as one word in S and F: it must be regarded as the name of some dance.

160. it am noght I: cp. Chaucer, Leg. of G. Women, 314, ‘sir, hit am I,’ Cant. Tales, A 1736, &c.

188. holde forth the lusti route: perhaps simply, ‘continue to be with the merry company.’ See ‘forth’ in the Glossary.

218. vernage: the same wine that is called ‘gernache’ or ‘garnache’ in the Mirour de l’Omme, ‘vernaccia’ in Italian, but whether a wine of Italy or Greece seems uncertain.

221. at myn above: see note on iv. 914.

239. the blanche fievere: cp. Chaucer, Troilus, i. 916, with Skeat’s note.

249. Cp. Chaucer, Troilus, i. 420, ‘For hete of cold, for cold of hete, I dye.’

253. of such reles: this seems to men ‘of such strength,’ and ‘relais’ perhaps has a somewhat similar sense in Mirour, 3021,

‘C’est droit qu’il sente le relais De la tempeste et de l’orage.’

As in the modern ‘relay,’ the idea of ceasing or of relaxation may be accompanied by the notion of fresh vigour taking the place of exhaustion, and so the word may stand simply for strength or freshness.

If this explanation is not admissible, we must suppose that ‘reles’ means here the power of relaxing or dissolving.

285 f. Cp. Rom. de la Rose, 4326 f.,

‘C’est la soif qui tous jors est ivre, Yvrece qui de soif s’enyvre.’

290. liste: perhaps pret. subjunctive; so l. 606, and ‘leste,’ 357.

296. be the bend, i. e. ‘by the band,’ at his girdle.

311 f. ‘This for the time alleviates the pain for him who has no other joy.’ ‘As for the time yit’ means simply ‘for the time,’ cp. ll. 738, 893.

321. For ‘men’ with singular verb cp. ii. 659, v. 5510, 6045, vii. 1352, and Chaucer, Cant. Tales, A 149, &c.

330 ff. Cp. viii. 2252 ff. and. Traitié, xv. 2. The poet referred to in the margin is perhaps Homer, who is quoted in the Rom. de la Rose as authority for an arrangement somewhat similar to that described here:

‘Jupiter en toute saison A sor le suel de sa maison, Ce dit Omers, deus plains tonneaus; Si n’est viex hons ne garçonneaus, N’il n’est dame ne damoisele, Soit vielle ou jone, laide ou bele, Qui vie en ce monde reçoive, Qui de ces deus tonneaus ne boive. C’est une taverne planière, Dont Fortune la tavernière Trait aluine et piment en coupes’ &c. 6836 ff. (ed. Méon).

Gower has applied the idea especially to the subject of love, and has made Cupid the butler instead of Fortune. The basis in Homer is Il. xxiv. 527 ff.,

δοιοὶ γάρ τε πίθοι κατακείαται ἐν Διὸς οὔδει, κ.τ.λ.

360. trouble is properly an adjective, cp. v. 4160. The corrupt reading ‘chere’ for ‘cler’ has hitherto obscured the sense.

399 ff. This story of Bacchus is told by Hyginus, Poet. Astr. ii, under the heading ‘Aries.’

437. a riche temple. This was the temple of Jupiter Ammon.

439. ‘To remind thirsty men’ of the power of prayer.

485 ff. The story is from Ovid, Metam. xii. 210 ff.

502 f. thilke tonne drouh, wherof, &c., ‘drew such wine for them that by it,’ &c. See note on i. 771 and cp. ll. 618 and 1249 of this book.

537. I do not know what authority is referred to.

598. unteid, ‘set free,’ so ‘wandering abroad.’

609. The name of this second branch of Gluttony has not been mentioned before.

632 f. ‘so long as he has wealth by which he may be provided with the means.’ For the use of ‘founde’ cp. v. 2690 and Chaucer, Cant. Tales, C 537, ‘How gret labour and cost is thee to fynde!’ (addressing the belly).

640. for the point of his relief, ‘in order to please him,’ so below ‘he is noght relieved,’ l. 678.

656. toke, subjunctive, ‘how he should take it.’

662. After this line a couplet is inserted by Pauli from the Harleian MS. 7184 (H₃),

To take metes and drinkes newe, For it shulde alwey eschewe.’

The lines are nonsense and have no metre. They come originally from K, the copyist of which apparently inserted them out of his own head, to fill up a space left by the accidental omission of two lines (645 f.) a little above in the same column. He was making his book correspond column for column with the copy, and therefore discovered his mistake when he reached the bottom, but did not care to draw attention to it by inserting what he had omitted.

663. ‘Physique’ is apparently meant for the Physics of Aristotle, and something very like this maxim is to be found there, but the quotation, ‘Consuetudo est altera natura,’ is actually taken from the Secretum Secretorum (ed. 1520, f. 21).

664. The transposition after this line of the passage ll. 665-964, which occurs in MSS. of the second recension, is not accidental, as we see by the arrangements made afterwards for fitting in the passage (l. 1146). The object apparently was to lay down the principle ‘Delicie corporis militant aduersus animam,’ illustrated by the parable of Dives and Lazarus, before proceeding to the discussion of ‘Delicacie’ in the case of love, and this is perhaps the more logical arrangement; but the alteration, as it is made, involves breaking off the discussion here of the ill effects of change, and resuming it after an interval of nearly two hundred lines.

674. Avise hem wel, i. e. ‘let them take good heed.’

683. ‘Without regard to her honour’: cp. Balades, xxii. 4, ‘Salvant toutdis l’estat de vostre honour.’

709. abeched, from the French ‘abechier,’ to feed, used properly of feeding young birds. The word ‘refreched’ is conformed to it in spelling.

728. The reading of Pauli, ‘I say I am nought gilteles,’ just reverses the sense. Berthelette has the text right here.

738. for a time yit: cp. 311, ‘As for the time yit,’ and 893, ‘As for the while yit.’

770. ‘Without wrinkle of any kind,’ cp. Mirour, 10164, ‘Car moult furont de noble grein’; or perhaps ‘Without the smallest wrinkle,’ ‘grein’ being taken to stand for the smallest quantity of a thing: cp. ii. 3310.

778. Cp. Chaucer, Book of the Duchess, 939 ff.

785. schapthe. For this form, which is given by S and F, cp. the word ‘ssepþe,’ meaning ‘creature’ or ‘form,’ which occurs repeatedly in the Ayenbite of Inwyt.

800. ‘And if it seemed so to all others.’ The person spoken of throughout this passage as ‘he,’ ‘him,’ is the eye of the lover. This seems to itself to have sufficient sustenance by merely gazing on the beloved object, and if it seemed so to all others also, that is, to the other senses, the eye would never cease to feed upon the sight: but they, having other needs, compel it to turn away.

809. as thogh he faste: the verb seems to be pret. subjunctive, as ‘syhe’ down below.

817. tireth. This expresses the action of a falcon pulling at its prey: cp. Chaucer, Troilus, i. 787, ‘Whos stomak foules tiren everemo.’ The word is used in the same sense also in the Mirour, 7731.

845. mi ladi goode, ‘my lady’s goodness.’

857. Lombard cooks were celebrated, and there was a kind of pastry called ‘pain lumbard,’ Mirour, 7809.

879. The romance of Ydoine and Amadas is one of those mentioned at the beginning of the Cursor Mundi. It has been published in the ‘Collection des poètes français du moyen âge’ (ed. Hippeau, 1863). Amadas is the type of the lover who remains faithful through every kind of trial.

891. a cherie feste: cp. Prol. 454. It is an expression used for pleasures that last but a short time: cp. Audelay’s Poems (Percy Soc. xiv) p. 22,

‘Hit fallus and fadys forth so doth a chere fayre’

(speaking of the glory of this world).

893. Cp. 311, 738.

897. he, i. e. my ear.

908. me lacketh: the singular form is due perhaps to the use of the verb impersonally in many cases.

961. excede, subjunctive, ‘so as to go beyond reason.’

986 ff. This story furnishes a favourable example of our author’s style and versification. It is told simply and clearly, and the verse is not only smooth and easy, but carefully preserved from monotony by the breaking of the couplet very frequently at the pauses: see 986, 998, 1006, 1010, 1016, &c.

995. We have remarked already upon Gower’s fatalism, iii. 1348, &c. Here we may refer also to ll. 1026, 1613, 1702, for further indications of the same tendency.

1059. is overronne, that is, ‘has passed beyond.’

1110. descryve, apparently ‘understand,’ ‘discern,’ perhaps by that confusion with ‘descry’ which is noted in the New Engl. Dictionary.

1149 f. These two lines are omitted without authority by Pauli.

1176. That is, though they had rendered no services for which they ought to be so distinguished.

1180. sojorned: the word is used in French especially of a horse kept in stable at rack and manger and refreshed for work: see Mirour, Glossary.

1216. ‘So that that pleasure should not escape him.’

1245. out of feere, ‘without fear.’

1262. unwar, here ‘unknown’: cp. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, B 427, ‘The unwar wo or harm that comth behinde.’

1295. Originally geomancy seems to have been performed, as suggested in this passage, by marks made in sand or earth, then by casual dots on paper: see the quotations under ‘geomancy’ in the New Engl. Dictionary. Gower here mentions the four recognized kinds of divination, by the elements of earth, water, fire, and air.

1306 ff. It is practically certain that Gower was acquainted with the treatise ascribed to Albertus Magnus, called Speculum Astronomiae or De libris licitis et illicitis (Alberti Magni Opera, v. 655 ff.), since he seems to follow it to a great extent not only here, but also in his list of early astronomers (vii. 1449 ff.). There are however some things here which he must have had from other sources; for there is no mention in the above-mentioned treatise of ‘Spatula,’ ‘Babilla,’ ‘Cernes,’ ‘Honorius.’

1312. comun rote, that is, apparently, ‘common custom.’ The word ‘rote’ is used also below, l. 1457, where it appears to mean ‘condition.’ It must be the same as that which appears in the phrase ‘by rote,’ and it is difficult to believe that it can be the French ‘route,’ as is usually said. The rhyme here and in l. 1457, as well as those in Chaucer (with ‘cote,’ ‘note’), show that the ‘o’ had an open sound, and this would be almost impossible from French ‘ou.’ The expression ‘par routine’ or ‘par rotine’ is given by Cotgrave as equivalent to the English ‘by rote,’ but I am not aware of any use of such an expression in French as early as the fourteenth century. Many of the examples of the phrase ‘by rote’ seem to have to do with singing or church services (cp. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, B 1712, Piers Plowmans Crede, 379), and Du Cange gives a quotation in which ‘rotae’ seems to mean ‘chants’ or ‘hymns’ (‘rota,’ 6). From such a sense as this the idea of a regular order of service, and thence of ‘custom,’ ‘habit,’ might without much difficulty arise.

1314 ff. The following passage from the Spec. Astronomiae, cap. 10, gives most of the names and terms which occur in these lines: ‘Ex libris vero Toz Graeci est liber de stationibus ad cultum Veneris, qui sic incipit: Commemoratio historiarum ... Ex libris autem Salomonis est liber de quatuor anulis, quem intitulat nominibus quatuor discipulorum suorum, qui sic incipit: De arte eutonica et ideica, &c. Et liber de nouem candariis.... Et alius paruus de sigillis ad dæmoniacos, qui sic incipit: Caput sigilli gendal et tanchil.’

1316. Razel. ‘Est autem unus liber magnus Razielis, qui dicitur liber institutionum,’ &c. In MS. Ashmole 1730 there is a letter to Dr. Richard Napier from his nephew at Oxford, speaking of a book of Solomon in the University Library called Cephar Raziel, that is, he explains, ‘Angelus magnus secreti Creatoris,’ of which he proposes to make a copy, having obtained means of entering the library at forbidden hours. Again, in MS. Ashmole 1790 there is a description of this book.

1320. ‘cui adiungitur liber Beleni de horarum opere,’ Spec. Astron. p. 661. The seal of Ghenbal is the ‘sigillum gendal,’ mentioned in the former citation.

1321 f. thymage Of Thebith. Thebith (or Thebit) stands for Thabet son of Corah, a distinguished Arabian mathematician, to whom were attributed certain works on astrology and magic that were current in Latin. Thus we find Thebit de imaginibus very commonly in MSS., and a Liber Thebit ben Corat de tribus imaginibus magicis was printed in 1559 at Frankfort. In this latter book the author says, ‘Exercentur quoque hae imagines in amore vel odio, si fuerit actor earum prouidus et sapiens in motibus coeli ad hoc utilibus.’ Thebith is mentioned several times in the Spec. Astronomiae, e. g. p. 662, ‘Super istis imaginibus reperitur unus liber Thebith eben Chorath,’ &c. We must take ‘therupon’ in l. 1321 to mean ‘moreover,’ for it is not to be supposed that the image of Thebith was upon the seal of Ghenbal.

1338. The ‘Naturiens’ are those who pursue the methods of astrology, as opposed to those who practise necromancy (‘nigromance’) or black magic.

1356. He bede nevere: see note on v. 4455.

1359. red, originally written ‘rede’ in F, but the final letter was afterwards erased. See Introduction, p. cxiv.

1371 f. The rhyme requires that ‘become,’ ‘overcome’ shall either be both present or both preterite (subjunctive), and ‘wonne’ seems to decide the matter for preterite. The only difficulty is ‘have I’ for ‘hadde I’ in l. 1370, the latter being required also by the sense (for the reference is to the former time of youth), but not given by the MSS. ‘So that I wonne’ means ‘Provided that I won.’

1391 ff. This story is from the Roman de Troie, 28571-28666, 29629-30092. Guido does not differ as to the main points, but there are several details given by Gower from Benoît which are not found in Guido. In particular the ensign carried by Telegonus is mentioned by Guido only in telling of the dream of Ulysses. Some of the passages which tend to show that Benoît was our author’s authority are noted below.

1408. al the strengthe of herbes: a poem De Viribus Herbarum passed in the Middle Ages under the name of Macer.

1422. The mention of ‘nedle and ston’ in this connexion is a rather daring anachronism, for which of course Gower is responsible.

1424. Cilly. Benoît says ‘les isles d’Oloi,’ and Guido ‘in Eolidem insulam,’ but Sicily has been mentioned shortly before.

1438 f. Cp. Rom. de Troie, 28594 ff. Guido does not mention it.

1441. ‘S’el sot des arz, il en sot plus,’ Rom. de Troie, 28641.

1445 ff. Benoît says nothing of this, but the story of the adventures of Ulysses was to some extent matter of common knowledge in the Middle Ages. Gower may have had it from Ovid, Metam. xiv. 277 ff. Guido says in a general way that Circe was in the habit of transforming those who resisted her power into beasts.

1457. into such a rote, that is, ‘into such a habit’ (or ‘condition’): see note on l. 1312.

1467. toswolle bothe sides, ‘with both her sides swollen’: cp. Rom. de Troie, 28660 f.,

‘Et si li lesse les costez Toz pleins, ço quit, de vif enfant.’

1474. understode: subj., see note on Prol. 460.

1481. on of al the beste, see note on iv. 2606.

1513 f. margin. This quotation is not from Horace, but from Ovid, Pont. iv. 3. 35. Cp. Mirour, 10948, where the same quotation occurs and is attributed as here to ‘Orace.’

1524. The form ‘stature’ is required by the metre here, and is given by the best MSS. of the second and third recensions. In Prol. 891, where ‘statue’ occurs, it is reduced to a monosyllable by elision, and so it is in Chaucer, Cant. Tales, A 975, 1955. The forms ‘statura,’ ‘stature,’ are found with this sense in the Latin and French of the time.

1541 ff.

‘Et si me disoit: Hulixes Saiches, ceste conjuncions, Cist voloir, ceste asembloisons, Que de moi et de toi desirres, Ce sunt dolors et mortex ires.’

Rom. de Troie, 29670 ff.

The prediction, however, that one of the two would have his death by reason of their meeting comes later, 29699, whereas Guido combines the materials here much in the same way as Gower.

1552 ff. This idea of a pennon embroidered with a device is Gower’s own conception, constructed from the not very clear or satisfactory account of the matter given by his authority here and later, 29819 ff. The fact is that Benoît did not understand the expression used in the Latin book (the so-called ‘Dictys Cretensis’) which he was here following, the passage being probably corrupt in his copy, and consequently failed to make it intelligible to his readers. The original statement (made with reference to the ensign carried afterwards by Telegonus) is, ‘Ithacam venit gerens manibus quoddam hastile, cui summitas marinae turturis osse armabatur, scilicet insigne insulae eius in qua genitus erat.’ The meaning apparently is that his spearhead was made of a sea-turtle’s shell. Benoît, in recounting the vision, says that the figure which appeared bore upon the steel head of his lance a crown worked of the bone of a sea-fish,

‘Portoit une coronne ovrée D’os de poisson de mer salée.’ 29687 f.

Then afterwards, in telling of the departure of Telegonus to seek his father, he says that, to show of what country he was, he bore on the top of his lance the sign of a sea-fish worked like a tower,

‘En semblance de tor ovrée.’ 29822.

Guido apparently was not able to make much of this, and after saying, in the account of the dream, that at the top of the lance there appeared ‘quedam turricula tota ex piscibus artificiose composita’ (Bodl. MS. Laud 645, with variants ‘craticula,’ MS. Add. 365, ‘curricula,’ printed editions), he subsequently omitted mention of the recognisance.

1561 f. A signe it is ... Of an Empire. Benoît has,

‘Que c’iert d’ampire conoissance Et si aperte demostrance Que por ce seroient devis,’ &c. 29695 ff.,

which may perhaps mean, ‘that it was the cognisance of a kingdom and a sign that they should be divided.’ In Guido, however, it is ‘hoc est signum impie disiunccionis’ (MS. Laud 645 and printed text), or ‘hoc est signum impii et disiunccionis’ (MS. Add. 365).

1567 f. Cp. 2296 ff.

1603 ff. For the order of the clauses here cp. ii. 709, iv. 3520 ff.

1622 ff. That, for ‘Til that’; cp. iv. 3273, v. 3422.

1636. ‘And he made himself ready forthwith.’ For the omission of the pronoun even where the subject is changed cp. v. 3291, 4590.

1637 ff. Cp. Rom. de Troie, 29824 ff. Guido says nothing about it.

1643. That is, ‘to avoid espial and wrong suspicions.’

1656. Rom. de Troie, 29801 f.,

‘A Hulyxes, qui fut ses druz, Mande par lui v. c. saluz.’

Guido says nothing about this.

1660. Nachaie, a mistake for ‘Acaie,’

‘Tant qu’il vint droit en Acaie’;

and this again seems to be from ‘Ithaca.’

1685. and welnyh ded: cp. Rom. de Troie, 29906 f. Guido says only ‘et ab illis est grauiter vulneratus.’

1689. Gower has judiciously reduced the number from fifteen (Rom. de Troie, 29902).

1696. for wroth, that is, ‘by reason that he was wroth’: see note on iv. 1330. We can hardly take ‘wroth’ as a substantive.

1701. ‘Se il ne fust un poi guenchiz,’ Rom. de Troie, 29939.

1707. With al the signe, ‘together with the signe,’ like the French ‘ove tout’; cp. Mirour 4 (note).

1745 f. Rom. de Troie, 30022 ff. Guido omits this.

1769 ff. For this repetition cp. 2095 ff.

1785. The ‘Cronique imperial’ is evidently the story itself, and not any particular book in which it is to be found.

1789 ff. The authority which is mainly followed by our author for this story is the Anglo-Norman Roman de toute Chevalerie, by Eustace (or Thomas) of Kent. The beginning of this, including all that we have to do with here, has been printed by M. Paul Meyer in his book on the Alexander romances, ‘Bibliothèque française du moyen âge’ vol. iv. pp. 195-216. Gower was acquainted, however, also with the Latin Historia Alexandri de Preliis, and has made use of this in certain places, as (1) in the account of Philip’s vision (2129-2170) where he probably found the French unintelligible, and (2) in the story of the death of Nectanabus (2289 ff.), of which the Latin authority certainly gives the more satisfactory account.

The following are some of the points in which Gower agrees with the Roman de toute Chevalerie against the two Latin versions of the story, viz. the Historia de Preliis and the Res Gestae Alexandri of Valerius: (1) the celebration by Olympias of the festival of her nativity, when she rides out on a white mule and is first seen by Nectanabus, ll. 1823-1880; (2) the omission of the sealing of the queen’s womb by Nectanabus, this being introduced only in Philip’s vision; (3) the question of the queen as to how she shall procure further interviews with the god, and the answer of Nectanabus, ll. 2109 ff.; (4) the circumstances connected with the egg from which the serpent was hatched, ll. 2219 ff. The English metrical Romance of Alexander, printed by Weber, is also taken from the Roman de toute Chevalerie, and consequently the details of it are for the most part the same as those in Gower. It is certain, however, that Gower does not follow this. It would be quite contrary to his practice to follow an English authority, and apart from this there are many small matters here in which he agrees with the French as against the English, e. g. the name Nectanabus, which is Neptanabus in the English (Anectanabus in the Hist. de Preliis), the mention of the nativity of Olympias as the occasion of her festival, ‘Grant feste tint la dame de sa nativité,’ the use of the word ‘artemage,’ l. 1957, the incident of the dragon being changed into an eagle, l. 2200; and such points of correspondence as may seem to suggest a connexion between the two English writers, as in ll. 1844 f., 2231 f., are also to be found in the French. The English alliterative Romance of Alexander follows the Hist. de Preliis, and consequently it agrees with Gower in the two passages which have been referred to above.

1798. The sentence is broken off and finished in a different manner. See note on i. 98, and cp. vii. 3632.

1811. Thre yomen, &c. This is an addition by Gower. According to the original story Nectanabus was alone, and this would evidently be the better for his purpose.

1828. list. This may be present tense, ‘it pleases.’ Loss of the final e in the preterite would hardly occur except before a vowel: see Introduction, p. cxv. The French original lays stress here on the extravagant desire that women have to display themselves.

1831. At after, i. e. ‘After,’ used especially of meals, cp. l. 1181, and Chaucer, Cant. Tales, B 1445, F 918 ‘at after diner,’ E 1921 ‘At after mete,’ F 302, 1219 ‘At after soper,’ for which references, as for many others elsewhere, I am indebted to Prof. Skeat’s very useful Glossary.

1844 f. The French has

‘E tymbres e tabours ont e leur corns corné,’ 130,

and later

‘Plus de mil damoisels ount le jur karolé, 140.

The English version of the second line,

‘There was maidenes carolying,’

comes very near to Gower.

1924. Bot if I sihe, ‘unless I should see,’ pret. subj.

1943 ff. This promise is not in the French.

1959 ff. The astrological terms in these lines are due to Gower. The original says that Nectanabus laid the image in a bed with candles lighted round it, bathed it in the juice of certain herbs, and said his charms over it.

1997. such thing ... Wherof: cp. ll. 502, 2398.

2005 f.

‘Nectanabus idunc ses karectes fina.’

2062. putte him. We should rather read ‘put him’ with S and F: see Introduction, p. cxvi. The French romance here grotesquely represents Nectanabus as making up a disguise for himself with a ram’s head and a dragon’s tail, which he joins together with wax, ‘e puis dedens se mist.’ The Latin Hist. de Preliis says simply that he changed himself into a dragon.

2074 ff. The French has,

‘Une pel de moton ouvec les cornes prist, Une coroune d’or sur les cornes assist.’

The punctuation after ‘tok’ is that of F, but I suspect that ‘in signe of his noblesse’ belongs really in sense to 2076 f., and refers rather to the crown than to the horns, in which case we ought to set a full stop after ‘bar.’

2113. seth hire grone, that is, in child-bed.

2128 ff. The French romance, following Valerius in the main, gives a rather confused account of Philip’s dream. Gower has turned from it to the Historia de Preliis.