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'I'HE
CARISBROOKE LIBRARY.
II.




S2 1
THE THIRD    VOLUME
OF THIS LIBRARY,
THE EARLIER LIFE AND WORKS
OF
DANIEL DEFOE,
IVill be Published on the 25St of May iS$9.




THE


CARISBROOKE LIBRARY.
THE UNIVERSAL LIBRARY, now completed in sixty-three
cheap shilling volumes, has included English versions
of the " Iliad," of all extant plays of the Greek tragedians,
and of some plays of Aristophanes, of Sanskrit fables, and
of Virgil's "._Eneid."  It has followed the course of time
with English versions of the most famous works of Dante,
Boccaccio, Machiavelli, Rabelais, Cervantes, Moliere, as
recast by English dramatists, of Goethe's " Faust " and of
Schiller's Poems.  It has given currency also to a series of
the works of English writers, representative, as far as limits
would allow, of our own literature, from Richard of Bury's
" Philobiblon " to Sheridan's Plays and Emerson's Essays.
In the sequence of publication variety was aimed at, but in
the choice of books to be republished there was always the
unity of purpose that now allows the volumes to be arranged
in historical order, illustrating some of the chief epochs of
European literature, and especially of English literature, in
the long course of time.
THE CARISBROOKE LIBRARY, now begun, will continue
the work of its predecessor, with some changes of form and
method.  It will include books for which the volumes of
the former series did not allow sufficient room.  Sometimes in the " Universal Library " a large book-Hobbes's
" Leviathan," for example-was packed into small type.




iV


THE CARISBROOKE LIBRARY.


In the " Carisbrooke Library" there will be no small type.
The volumes will be larger; each of about four hundred
and fifty pages. They will be handsome library volumes,
printed with clear type upon good paper, at the price of
half-a-crown, and they will be published in alternate
months.  In the " Universal Library" the editor's introduction to each volume was restricted to four pages, and
there was no annotation.  In the " Carisbrooke Library,"
with larger leisure and a two months' interval between the
volumes, it will be possible for the editor to give more help
towards the enjoyment of each book.  There will be fuller
introductions, and there will be notes.
Since changes of method and form in the old Library
mean the beginning of a new Library with change of name,
a simple change is made from the universal to the particular;
from the purpose to the one who purposes; from the wide
world that yields fruitage for the mind, to the small spot of
earth where, if God please, in shades of evening one fruitgatherer will find new leisure to unburthen himself of his
little store.
In the " Carisbrooke Library," as in the predecessor of
which it is an extension, there will be order in disorder.
Variety will still be aimed at in sequence of the volumes,
while the choice of books to be issued will be still guided
by the desire to bring home to Englishmen, without unfair
exclusion of any form of earnest thought, as far as may be,
some living knowledge of their literature along its whole
extent, and of its relations with the wisdom and the wit of
the surrounding world.
HENRY MORLEY.




CONFESSIO AMANTIS.




I




Cates of the 5eveun Deabh 5ilns
BEING THE
CONFESSIO         AMANTIS
OF


JOHN


GOWER


EDITED BV


HENRY MORLEY, LL.D.
PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH LITERATURE AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
LONDON
LONDON
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS
BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL
GLASGOW, MANCHESTER, AND NEW YORK
1889




ISALLANTYNE, HANSON AN13 CO.
LUIN!3URGII ANL!) l..LoNU.'




X ^ — r —
/3XC^A —/        ^(C.INTRODUCTION.
TOHN GOWER'S book of old stories is here at last made
current among Englishmen of every degree. The first way
of its wider diffusion was by recitation of the story-tellers. It was
their business to give pleasures of imagination to the people
through their ears, when even the few who could read would
also listen with enjoyment to a tale recited with dramatic energy.
When the play of " Pericles ' brought one of Gower's tales upon
our stage in Shakespeare's time, John Gower himself was supposed to speak its Prologue in his chosen measure of eightsyllabled verse. His words then recalled to mind the old way
of reciting as well as reading.  The actor who, dressed as Gowcr,
came before the people, said to them:
"To sing a song that old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come;
Assuming man's infirmities
To glad your ear and please your eyes.
It hath been sung at festivals,
On ember eves and holy ales;
And lords and ladies in their lives
Have read it for restoratives."
To all of us Gower may now go on to repeat other lines of the
same Prologue:" If you, born in these latter times,
When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes;
And that to hear an old man sing
\May to your. wishes pleasure bring,
I life would wish, and that I might
Waste it for you, like taper light."
For my own part, I have long wished to make it possible that




X                  INTRODUCTION.
in these times his countrymen might again be pleased to hear
John Gower's song.
In the few editions of these tales hitherto published, Gower's
taper has burnt dimly, because they have been so presented as
to blur his light.  The first edition was Caxton's, printed at
Westminster, and dated 1493 [by mistake for I483]. The second
edition was "Imprinted at London in Flete strete by Thomas
Berthelette, Printer to the King's grace," in the year 1532. Berthelette published another edition in 1544.  These were the
editions of Gower's English poem read-and it was read-in the
good time of Queen Elizabeth. A copy of one of Berthelette's
editions was priced in a recent catalogue at I14. There was not
another edition until I8Io, when the "Confessio Amantis," printed
from Berthelette's edition, was included, with other works, in the
second of the twenty-one volumes of Chalmers's English Poets.
Next came in I857, and last of all, three handsome volumes of
large print, the "Confessio Amantis of John Gower, edited and
collated with the best Manuscripts by Dr. Reinhold Pauli."  Dr.
Pauli's edition of the text was based upon Berthelette. But there
were some corrections made by reference to MSS. for supply of
omissions and revision of the metre.
Here let me interpolate a word or two in hearty recognition of
Dr. Reinhold Pauli's services to English Literature. He was born
on the 25th of May 1823, and died on the 3rd of June 1882. He
was born in Berlin, studied at Berlin and Bonn, and came to
England in I847. For several years Pauli was private secretary
to Bunsen, and he did not return to Germany until i855, after
publishing here, in r85I, a study of King Alfred and his place in
English History. After returning to Germany he went on with a
continuation to Lappenberg's History, of which he published the
first volume in 1853, the third and last in x858. In I857, the
year in which his edition of this poem appeared, Pauli obtained
a Professorship in Rostock. In I859 he was transferred to the
University of Tiibingen, from which.he was degraded for the
independent spirit shown by him in an article on the condition of
Wiirtemberg, and sent down to teach in the Schonthal Seminary.
In 1864 he had begun a History of England since Waterloo, of




,4 Lo
3"
INTRODUCTION.                        xi
which the third and last volume appeared in 1875. In I867 he
became a Professor at Marburg, and in 1870 he went to the University of Gottingen. Pauli was essentially historian, with right
qualification for his work in breadth of culture and a clear sense
of the debts of the present to the past, which made him the more
ready to understand our duty to the future.
Old texts of the " Confessio Amantis" often destroy the music
of the verse. There are careless transpositions of words, droppings
or additions of words, substitutions of later for earlier forms, and
frequent omissions of the final e where English of Gower's time
required it. There are also in all the texts destructions of sense
by errors of punctuation. Dr. Pauli's edition was an improvemerit upon those that went before. It is not a fault, but a merit,
that he was unwilling to make any change without MS. authority.
Yet this fidelity obliged him to leave many broken lines. For
example, recognition of the fact that in Gower's English an adjective used definitely took a final e at once restores to music many
scores of lines that want a syllable in Caxton's, Berthelette's, and
Dr. Pauli's texts. Dr. Pauli's text has also, like Caxton's and
Berthelette's, now and then a full stop in what should be the
middle of a sentence.
But in all these texts, and especially in Dr. Pauli's, most of the
lines are right for those whose previous training has enabled them
to read Old English. There is really nothing wanted but a little
help to right accentuation to enable any reader, with or without previous training in Old English, to enjoy the "Confessio
Amantis."  Of course a fallible and mortal editor cannot avoid
some slips in the line for line accentuation of a poem of 30,000
lines. I believe, however, that the reader here has Gower's song
more nearly than in any former edition given as he sang it himself, nothing modernised, but rather with a few words carried
back to their original form for the recovery of the right rhythm of
a line. Gower's poem in this edition is so far from being jagged
and unmusical that, I hope, there is not a broken line in it from
first to last.
Many lines of the "Confessio Amantis" that, in the modern
way of reading them, would seem to halt, run easily when read




xii


INTRODUCTION.


with their own old accentuation.  In the present volume this
accentuation has been marked throughout, wherever it varied
from that of the present day. Gower's verse, as we may now
see, was, in fact, noticeable for its easy flow. His octosyllabics have some of the freedom that long afterwards gave grace
and power to blank verse, by the interlacing of sentences and
making frequent pauses and breaks of sense within the lines
and not at their close only. Gower's frequent rhyming of words
differing in sense but spelt alike we must regard now as a
blemish. He found, indeed, difference enough for a rhyme between identical words of which one was used as a verb, one as a
noun. But we may feel also that he does this because he is at
ease, and not because he is hard pressed.  He pours out his
ready rhymes with animation by the thousand. He runs them
into shrewd and homely couplets.  He varies their dramatic
effect by interlacing sentences with what Milton calls "the sense
variously drawn out from one verse into another."
If this text, meant to be popular and yet not modernised, adds,
as of course it must, some errors of its own, it has removed so
many current errors that to the student as well as to the general
reader it should bring Gower's Story Book much nearer home
than it has been able to come hitherto. I have avoided, except
in the case of manifest deviations from the first sense, all interference with the spelling of those old words which are most likely
to be mangled by transcribers and printers. Names of persons
were very often broken on the rack. In all the editions of the
"Confessio Amantis," from Caxton to Pauli, the Phrygian Dares
appears as Frigidilles; and Epicurus, obviously paired in a line with
his friend Menander, is called Epyloquorus. In all the editions
from Caxton to Pauli we read also of the plant under the star
'Cor Scorpionis,' that " His herbe is Astrology," where Astrology
is a misprint for Aristolochy, Aristolochia. I have corrected one
or two such errors, but have not meddled with forms of names
which are as Gower may possibly himself have written them.
But who was Gower?
John Gower, Chaucer's friend and fellow poet, may have been
born about the yenr 1327. He died in the year 1408, and was




IN TRODUCTIO0N.


11iii


blind during the last eight years of his life. His work as a writer
for the outside world was ended by his blindness in the year
1400, the year of Chaucer's death.
John Gower was a country gentleman, of the kindred of a Sir
Robert Gower who lies buried in Brabourne Church, about five
miles from Ashford in Kent. A manor of Kentwell in Suffolk,
which had belonged to Sir Robert Gower, found its way through
a series of family arrangementnts into the possession of John Gower
the poet.  John Gower acquired also a manor of Feltwell in
Norfolk; a manor of Moulton in Suffolk; and lands in Kent in
the parishes of Throwley and Stalesfield. He was a feoffee of the
Kentish manor of Aldington; he had a rental of ten pounds out
of the manor of Wigborough in Essex; and he signed a will in
the year 1373 at his own house in Kent, which was at Otford by
the river Darent. From 1390 until 1397, John Gower, described
not as priest but as clerk, held the rectory of Great Braxted in
Essex. This was within a mile of that manor of Wigborough from
which he drew ten pounds a year rental.
Gower's social position gave him access to the Court. He was
known personally to the King, and he held his rectory of Great
Braxted as a grant from Richard the Second. He wrote Balades
in French, which were designed chiefly for the pleasure of the
Court. But he was in his own way very much of a philosopher,
and liked life best in his own home with his own thoughts and
friends of his own choosing. He wrote three large poems, which
agreed in having Latin titles. One of them-" Speculum Meditantis "-was in French; one-" Vox Clamantis "-was in Latin
one-this our " Confessio Amantis "-was in English: these being
the three languages then used by English writers.
Of Gower's French poem-" Speculum Meditantis," the Mirror
of one Meditating-no copy can now be found. Some day, perhaps, a MS. of it will be discovered abroad in some quiet old
monastic library. A description of it was given in a MS. of the
English poem as "divided into twelve parts, and treating of the
Vices and the Virtues, and of the various degrees of this age." It
is added that the poem sought " to teach, by a right path, the way
whereby a transgressed sinner ought to return to the knowledge
of his Creator."




xiv


INTRODUCTION.


It may have been especially this book which caused Chaucer
to attach to his friend's name the epithet which has represented
during many years for many a reader almost his whole stock of
knowledge about John CGower;-that he was called " moral " by
Geoffrey Chaucer. John Locke four or five times in an essay on
Civil Government, written just after the English Revolution, with
a half playful seriousness delivered shots from Richard Hooker
out of a book which Locke's opponents looked upon as one of
their own great fortress guns. When doing so he took pleasure
in citing his author again and again as "the judicious Hooker."
Since that time " the judicious Hooker" has kept company with
"the moral Gower."
Chaucer's adjective was very naturally used in the dedication
of his Troilus and Cressida to two of his own intimate friends,
a poet and a philosopher, John Gower and Ralph Strode.
"O morall Gower, this book I direct
To thee and the philosophicall Strode,
To vouchen safe there need is to correct,
Of your benignite's and zeles good."
That the friendship between Chaucer and Gower was intimate
is proved by the fact that, in I378, when Chaucer was sent with
Sir Edward Berkeley to Lombardy on a political mission, he left
John Gower as one of two representatives who were to act for
him in his absence, appearing for him in the courts if any legal
proceedings should chance to be instituted.
Gower's " Confessio Amantis " was not written when Chaucer
in the close of Troilus and Cressida dedicated that poem to him;
and Troilus and Cressida seems also to have been written earlier
than Gower's Latin poem, "Vox Clamantis," the Voice of One
Crying. This poem was suggested by the Jack Straw Rebellion
of May 1381, which began at Gower's own doors, including people
who lived on estates of his own in Kent and Essex.
Now John Gower was a country gentleman averse to all violent
change. His bias was conservative. He looked with no favour
on the Lollards, as passages in the " Confessio Amantis" show,
and he felt keenly the danger of a triumph of mob law. But he
said in his "Vox Clamantis " that no blind Fortune governs the




INTRODUCTION.


XV


affairs of men; our world is as we make it; whatever happens to
us, "nos sumus in causa."  The disorder in his time, however
dangerous, must have its exciting causes in the life of the community, and he resolved to look through the whole framework of
our social system. This he would do in a poem that should
speak through Latin to the educated, boldly pointing out wrongs
to be righted without shaping war-cries for the ignorant All
England would have echoed to that bold crying out on the
condition of the clergy and the people if it had. been heard in
English, free as the Latin verses poured out with as much facility
as if Gower were writing in his mother-tongue. In those verses
Gower-a good orthodox Churchman-was outspoken in con-.
demning all corruption, even that by which the Papacy was
tainted. He was vigorous with calm invective of a righteous
man who had wit and humour at command for use in homeliest
plain speaking. "I do not," he said, "affect to touch the stars,
or write the wonders of the poles; but rather, with the common
human voice that is lamenting in this land, I write the ills I see.
God knows, my wish is to be useful; that is the prayer that directs
my labour. No hatred urges me. In the Voice of my Crying
there will be nothing doubtful, for every man's knowledge will be
its best interpreter." He prays that his verse may not be turgid;
that there may be in it no word of untruth; that each word may
answer to the thing it speaks of pleasantly and fitly; that he may
flatter in it no one, and seek in it no praise above the praise of
God. "Give me that there shall be less vice and more virtue for
my speaking." That is the true homeliness of the best English
literature, and in that spirit he wrote the " Confessio Amantis."
Gower's English poem, the "Confessio Amantis," was, like
Chaucer's " Canterbury Tales," a device for the stringing of a large
number of stories upon some slender thread of narrative that should
run through them all, in the way that had been made popular by
the great recent success of Boccaccio's "Decameron."  Gower
probably had written much of the " Confessio Amantis" before
Chaucer planned his "Canterbury Tales."  Both poets worked
sometimes on the same material; while, now and then, Gower
seems to have inspired Chaucer with a desire to tell again one of




xvi


INTRODUCTION.


his friend's good stories. It is difficult to know precisely when
Gower's "Confessio Amantis" was first written. In its earliest
form, as set forth in the Harleian hMS., 3490, Gower saidwithout then naming as a date "the yere sixtenthe of King
Richard "-that he wrote it at the request of Richard the Second.
He had met the King's barge when rowing on the Thames, and
Richard, having invited him on board, asked"That to his high6 worthynesse
Some newe thing I shulde boke,
That he himself it mighte loke
After the forme of my writin-g."
Gower adds that although he had long been out of health, he
did his best for the king"To make a boke after his heste,
And write in such a manner wise
Which may be wisdom to the wise,
And play to hem that list to play."'
Professor John W. Hales has reasoned that the work could only
have been thus undertaken, and completed-as it is in that first
form-with a loyal dedication to Richard II., at a time when
Gower had yet hope in the young King. Such hope was possible
only before the year 1386. In I386 the great barons of England
were active under the lead of the King's uncle, the Duke of
Gloucester, whom Gower in the Latin verse of a "Tripartite
Chronicle " has honoured as the Swan. Richard was then compelled to establish a Regency for twelve months.  Professor
Hales, looking for a date before I386, finds several allusions
that suggest to him the end of 1383 and the year 1384 as the
time when the poem may have been first written. Afterwards in
"the yere sixtenthe of King Richard," homage to the King was
struck out of the beginning and end of the poem. Bolingbroke
— Henry of Lancaster-was addressed in his place, and Gower,
like Langland, had turned his back upon an evil King whose
deposition was the best hope of the country.
The sixteenth year of King Richard, in which Gower changed
the dedication of his poem, was the year 1393. In 1393-4




INTRODUCTION.


xvii


Henry of Lancaster presented a collar to Gower, possibly in
recognition of the dedication thus transferred to him.  Gower
is represented on his tomb as wearing the collar of SS with a
small Swan chained; but Henry of Lancaster did not assume the
Swan as his badge until after the murder of Gloucester in i397.
The collar of SS must, therefore, have been a later gift.
In I397, the year of Gloucester's murder, for which Richard
was responsible, Gower resigned his Essex rectory, and resigned
the world.  Being then about seventy years old, he married
Agnes Groundolf in a chapel of his own, under rooms to which
he retired with her for the rest of his life within the Priory of St.
Mary Overies, now known as St. Saviour's, on the Southwark
side of London Bridge. The old Priory was then being for the
second time rebuilt, and (;ower contributed so liberally to the
building works that upon his death in 1408, after eleven years
of residence among them-during eight of the years blind-the
brethren built for him a handsome tomb, on which they carved
his figure in effigy. They represented him with his head resting
on the three books he had written, in French, Latin, and English.
They also paid him pious honour on a painted window which
another kind of piety has since destroyed. The tomb remains.
The effigy upon it helps us to recall him in his habit as he lived.
But in this volume his mind lives again for friendly and familiar
speech among all classes of his countrymen.
In the "Confessio Amantis" Gower, of course, so chose his
connecting matter that he might bring his tales into distinct
groups, with each group armed for battle against one -of the
Seven Deadly Sins.  He added one book more, based on a
work popular in the Middle Ages, the "Secretum Secretorum,"
ascribed to Aristotle.  It set forth the Duties of a King, and
Gower inserted it because he was writing the poem for King
Richard the Second, who was in much need of such instruction.
Gower contrived also to mix with his stories much knowledge
upon matters of philosophy and science. Indeed if we add all
the record of what Aristotle taught Alexander to the other good
doctrine of the Confessor, we have the substance of a fair
education for any modern reader who does not mind being five
B




xviii              INTRODUCTION.
hundred years behind the day. The book will have for many
readers an interest, apart from its tales, in its pleasant record of
the kind of knowledge that a well-trained man thought worth
diffusing in the latter half of the fourteenth century.
The reader to whom old English is new English will after
experience of a few pages slip into Gower's music, and find his
lines easier reading than some even of the good verse published
in our time.
In reading aloud these differences between old and new English
should be remembered:
(i) The old pronunciation of the vowels was nearer than it
now is to the practice abroad, as its survival in our country
dialects will help to show.
(2) WVords added to our vocabulary from the Norman French
were nearer to their source, and usually had their accents near the
close, as they are placed in French.
(3) As a general rule a vowel at the end of a word was
sounded if the next word began with a consonant, and had no
separate sound if the next word began with a vowel.
(4) Verbs in 'eth,' like 'cometh,' were pronounced often, but
not necessarily, without regarding the 'eth' as more of a syllable
than the ' es' in comnes.
(5) Where ' th' or 'v' came between two short syllables, as in
whether, other, ever, there was usually an elision. In the text
here given 'whether' was generally written 'where' (whe'er); in
other such words the reader makes the contraction for himself.
The metre tells him when to do so.
(6) The conjunction 'and' was not necessarily placed at the
beginning of a clause connected by it with preceding matter. Itmay stand within the clause as the word 'also' does in modern
English.
Some of Gower's commonest forms, like 'sigh' for saw, will
become quickly familiar. Because an equivocal word like 'not'
for 'ne wot'-know not-might cause a stumble now and then,
I have interpreted that and other such words rather often in
the footnotes, the purpose of those notes being to interrupt the
text as little as possible, while enabling the eye to take in at




INTRODUCTION.                      xix
once the meaning of an obsolete word or form. WANhere the same
word often recurs, the explanation is repeated often but not
always: often enough, it is hoped, for the convenience of a
reader who dips into the book for a tale or two, and has not
yet read it through. The only modernised word is the pronoun
'thee' in a few earlier pages of the volume. It had in Gower's
time, like 'me,' only one 'e.' This of course gives readers the
trouble of discriminating between pronoun and article., Wherever in the early pages of the book the word 'thee' is found,
the second ' e ' is of my adding; but after those earlier pages I
have avoided making even that slight alteration.
A few notes on the sources of Gower's Tales will be found in
the Table of Contents. Of John Gower himself and of his works
a fuller account than it is here possible to give will be found in
the fourth volume of my "English Writers."
CRISBROOKE,  MrC I889.
CARISBROOKE, Marclt 1889.




I




CONTENTS.
PAGES
PROLOGUE.........33-48
B0ook 3. E
THE LOVER AND HIS CONFESSOR..... 49-52
THE BEGINNING OF THE SHRIFT.,53
DANGERS OF SIGHT AND HEARING.... 53-57
Story of Acteon and Diana....              54
(From Booh I1I. of Ovid's Metamorphoses.)
Story of the Gorgons.                            54, 55
( PFrom Book IV. of Ovid's ilMetamorphoses.)
The Serpent Aspides........55, 56
(From Book XII. cap. iv. sedt. 12 of /i e Etymologia of St.
Isidore of Sevill,.
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS.
I. PRIDE..........57-95. Hypocrisy.
Story of Mundus and Paulina....      59-63
(From Joseplhus, Lib. XT VII cap. 3. Boccaccio's second
novel of the fourth day is of this tpe.)
Story of the Trojan Horse......    64, 65
(GoCer's Tales aof Troy are chiefly from Guido de Coloona,
)Dares Phirygius, or the Geste de Troie by Benoit de.St.
lMaure.
2. Inobedience........      66, 67
Story of the Knight Florentius.               68-74
(Used by Chaucer as his WVife of Bath's Tale.)




Xxii,.
XXll


CONTENTS.


PAGES
3. Surquederie........    74-76
Story of the Proud Knight Capaneus...       76
(From Book X. of the Thebaid of Statius.)
Story of the Trump of Death.                        76-79
(From the Speculum Ilistoriale of Vincent of Beauvais,
or from  its original in Damascenus's Romance of
Barlaam and yosaphat.)
Story of Narcissus.......    80, 80,8
(From Book Z11. of Ovid's Aeltamorpihoses.)
4. Boasting.........         82
Story of Alboin and Rosmunda....    82-84
(Front Part XVI!. of the Pantheon of Godfrey of VItei bo.)
5. Vainglory.....    85, 86
Story of Nebuchadnezzar.....    87-90
(From the Book of Daniel.)
Summary.
Story of the Wise Petronella.,..  i.     90-95
Joo tR I.
OF ENVY.
I. Grudging.
Story of Acis and Galatea.....    97-99
(From Book XIII. of Ovid's eIltamorphoses.)
2. Gladness at Grief of others.
Story of the Angel and Two Travellers... Ico, I01
(From the Fables of Avian.)
3. Detraction.
Story of the pious Constance..... 104-117
(Partly from the Speculum IHistoriale of Vincent of
Beauvais, and the Rhyme of Emare. Used by Chaucer
in the.lan of Lawes Tale.)
Story of Demetrius and Perseus, sons of Alexander 117-121
(The Treachery of Perseus fronm the Epitome of 7rogus
Pompeius, by Justinus, Lib. XXXII. cap. 2.  The
anecdote of the dog iin Valerius Maximus de Dictis et
PF-ctis Memorabilibus, Lib. I. cap. 5, sect. Rom. 3.)




CONTENTS.


xxiii


'ACGES
4. Dissimulation.
Story of Hercules and Dejanira. and the Dissimulation of Nessus..                I.  - I27
(Ovid; Heeroides, Ep. IX.; 1Ietal/orpihoses, Boo/ IX.V).
5. Supplantation.
Agamemnon's taking of Briseis from Achilles. 128, I29
(Geste of Troy.)
The Supplanting   of Troilus with   Cressida by
Diomede......           129
(Fromit Chazucer's _i7oilurs and Cressia'a.)
Story of Amphitryon's personating     Geta with
Alcmene........      129
Story of the Roman Emperor's son, the Caliph
of Egypt's daughter, and    the Knight's false
bachelor.......   29-T33
Story of Pope Boniface's Supplantation of Pope
Celestine........   33- 36
The Deaths of Abner and Achitophel...      137
Summary.
The Praise of Charity and Story of the Leprosy of
Constantine....... 138-42
3001ft HE
OF WRATH.
i. Melancholy.
Story of Canace from Ovid, Heroides, Ep. XI..      143
Against this story Chaucer protested in the Prologue to
the Man of Lawes 7ale, where he made the MAan of
Lawes, after givinig a list of tales that had been told
1by Chaucer, add"But certainly no word ne writeth he
Of thilke wicke ensample of Canace,
That loved here owen brother sinfully;
Of all swiche cursed stories I say fy."




xxiv                      CONTENTS.
PAGES
As all readers must agree with Chaucer, I omit this
tale. Gower against his own habitual good sense
has by some aberration of mind here made his Confessor tolerant of incest.  Chaucer condemns also the
repulsive incident of King Antiochus in the story of
Apollonius of Tyre. But that is necessary to the
tale, and Gower does not there, or anywhere else
than in the Tale of Canace, confuse the boundaries of
right and wrong: I have dropped, however, here and
there a few honest but unwholesome lines that no
reader will mniss.
Story of Tiresias and the Two Serpents..         145
2. Chiding.
Storyofthe Patienceof Socrates with a Chiding Wife  143, I49
Story of Tiresias, arbiter between Jupiter and Juno  149, 150
(From Ovid.)
Story of the Crow turned black....        50
3. Hate.
Story of the Revenge of King Nauplius for the
murder of his son Palamedes....  152, 153
( Geste of Troy.)
4. Contest.
5. Homicide.
Story of Diogenes and Alexander...  155-157
(From Valerius Maximus, Lib. I V cap. iii. sect. ext. 4.
Story of Pyramus and Thisbe..... 157-159
(From Book IV of Ovid's Metamorplhoses.)
Story of Phoebus and Daphne....   6I, 162
(From Book I. of Ovid's Metamorphoses.)
Story of Demophon and Acamas....  I62-I65
Story of Orestes.......   65-168
Story of Alexander and the Pirate...., 17 I
(From  Augustine De Civitate Dei and the Gesta
Komanorum. )




CONTENTS.


PAGES
Summary.
The Praise of Mercy, Story of the Reward of Telaphus, son of Achilles, for the Mercy he had
shown to Teucer..... 173-175
MO30k X1T.
OF SLOTH.
I. fDelay.
Delay of AEneas, that caused the Death of Dido. 177, I78
(Fromt Book XIV. of Oviid's MIetamophAoses.)
Delayed Return of Ulysses to Penelope.. I78, 179
Story of Grosteste's Brazen Head, and Seven
Years' Labour lost by Delay of Half a Minute      79
Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins..     I79
2. Pusillanimity.
Story of Pygmalion, who, by giving his whole mind
to it, made a stone live.  -...    I80, I8r
(5F)-onm Book X. of Ovid's Metamorphoses.)
3. Forgetfulness.
Story of Phyllis and Demophon.... 184-186
(Fromn Ep. II. of Ovid's Heroides and Chaucer's Legend
of Good Women.)
4. Negligence.
Story of Phaeton..                            I87, 188
(From Book II. of Ovid's illetamorphoses.)
Story of Icarus.......      188
(From Book VI7II. of Ovid's,Metamorphoses.)
c. Idleness.
Story of Rosiphele...89- 94
(From Helinand, thrtorgh the Lai du Trot.)
How Nauplius forced Ulysses to leave Penelope. 196, 197
How Protesilaus went to Troy....      I97
How Saul went to battle at Gilboa.      197, I98
How the Centaur Chiron taught Achilles..      198




.xxvi


CONTENTS.


PAGES
How Hercules won Dejanira..... 199, 200
How Aineas won Lavinia.....      200
Of the men whose industry shaped human knowledge (The Praise of Industry)... 201-206
6. Somnolence.
Story of Ceix......   c8-21 I
(F-om Book XI. of Ovid's lMelanzorp/hoses.)
Story of Argus and Mercury...          212
( rom Book I. of Ovid's Metalmorphoses.)
Story of Iphis and Anaxarete.... 214-216
(From Book XIV, of Ovid's Metamorpnioses.)
Boo0     I'T.
OF AVARICE.
Story of Midas....... 219-221
(Fromn Book XE. of Ovia's Melamoroposes.)
Story of Tantalus....... 221, 222
I. Jealousy, the Avarice of Love.
Story of Vulcan, Venus, and Mars... 224, 225
Digression upon the Religions of the Ancient World
and of the Jewish and Christian Faiths.. 225-238
Story of the Corruption of Thoas, Priest of
Minerva.......          238
Avarice in the Church..                     238-240
2. Cupidity.
Story of Virgil's Magic Mirror..      241-244
Story of the Choice between two Coffers.     244, 245
(From Boccaccio's Decameron, Day X, novel x, previously in Baarlaam and Josaphat, and in Vincent
of Beauvais' Speculum Historiale.)
Similar Story of the Emperor Frederick II., Two
Beggars and Two Pies.....    5, 246




CONTENTS.


xxvii


PAGES
Story of the Sordid Love of a Kings Steward of
Apulia.......      2. 48-250
3. False Witness and Perjury.
Story of Achilles and Deidamia.... 252-255
Story of Medea....... 2
(From Book VZL. of Ovid's Metamorphoses.)
Story of Phryxus and Hellen.,,.. 267-269


4. Usury.
Story of Echo..
5. Parsimony.
Story of Babio, who lost the love of Viola


272. 274, 275


6. Ingratitude.
Story of Bardus, the Fagot Gatherer... 276-278
(An Arabian Tale in the Calilah-u-Dunmnah, told
by Matthew Paris as a parable applied to false
friends by Richard L after his return front the
East. Also in the Gesta Romanorum.)
Story of Theseus and Ariadne..                 279-282
(Ovid, Heroides, Ep. X.)
7. Violent Seizure.


Story of Progne and Philomen
(From Book VI. of Ovid's Metamorphoses.)
8. Robbery.
Story of Neptune and Cornix.,    Jupiter and Callisto,,   The Fair Youth Phirinus,,   The Old Emperor Valentinian
9. Secret Theft.
Story of Phcebus and Leucothoe
(From Book III. of Ovid's Mletamorphoses.). 283-290. 290, 291. 291, 292
292, 293. 293, 294. 297, 298


Story of the Misadventure of Faunus with Hercules
and Eolen.....


298, 299




XXVlll


CONTENTS.


PAGES
io. Sacrilege.
Story of Nebuchadnezzar..... 300, 30
Story of the Theft of the Gold Beard, Mantle, and
Ring from the Image of Apollo....    30, 302
(Fromn the Gesta Romanorum.)
Story of the Abduction of Helen from the Temple
of Venus.......... 304-309
Summary.
The Praise of Liberality.... 309-312
fIoo1T 1.
OF GLUTTONY.
I. Drunkenness.
Story of Cupid the Blind Butler...   17, 318
Jupiter's Answer to a Prayer of Bacchus..    318
Tristram Drunk with Love for La Belle Isolde.   319
Story of Pirithous and the Centaurs... 319,320
Story of the Drunkenness of Galba and Vitellus.  320
2. Daintiness.
Story of Dives and Lazarus...             325, 326
Luxury of Nero..                               327
Story of Ulysses and Circe. 330-335
Story of Nectanabus and King Philip's wife
Olympia........      335-34
Summary.
The Praise of Wisdom  Teaching of Alexander.    342




CONTENTS.             xi


XXiX


PAGE"4
HIOWVA KIING \VAS TAUGHT.
What Aristotle taught Alexander..      34 3
Of Theorique...       344-352
Of Rhetoriquc.                              52-36o
Of Practique.                                       60
Theli Duties of a Kingm..                360-3-92
Storv of what is stronger than Wine, WNomnan, or.
the King                              361-364
Caesar anid the Poor Knight Cy-nicus.     65
AristippLus and Diogenies.              67, 368
Cxesar and the Man -who would be Wise.  69. 370
Ahab,) King of Israel..370-372
Fabricius and (;old of the Sanintes     ) 373, 3 7 4
The just Consul...374, 375
The Flayingc of the Unjust Judge..      37
13The Oath takeni by Lycurgus.            75, 376
11 The Pagani and the Jew,...   78-380,, Codrus, who died for his People.      80, 381
Pompey's lPity for a Captive King..      3
Leontius and Justinian.               81, 382!
(From Pewitis Diaconzus: flis/ar-ia.3'isceila, LId'.
Story of the Bull of Perillus.                     82
-Stories of the Tyrant Dionysius and of Lycaoni. 82, 383,
Story of Spertachus and Thamaris..              83,38
(From Justin, Lib. I., cap. viii., ViZ..1/ax. ix. i1o
ext. x.)
Story of Gideon.......380-3)S8
The Sparing of Agag.                          88, 389




xxx


CONTENTS.


PAGES
King Lucius and his Fool....... 390, 391
Story of Sardanapulus......      393
How Cyrus overcame the Lydians... 393, 394
How Amalek overcame the Hebrews...      394
OF LUST.
Story of Tarquin and Lucrece... 396-402
(From  Augustine's De Civitate Dei through  the
Gesta Romanorum.)
Story of Virginius....... 402-404
Story of Tobit...... 404, 405
Voofk    EE.
Of Unlawful Love...... 407-410
Story of Apollonius of Tyre.....  10-435
(From a Greek letlrical Romance translated in the
eleventh century into Latin prose, as 'Apollonii
7yrii Historia.' A version of it is in the Pantheon
of Godfrey of Viterbo, whence it was taken by Gozwe;r
and through Gower passed into the play of Pericles,
which is included among the plays of Shakeslpeare.
A French Prose Romance on the same subject was the
foundation of the English Chronicle of Apolyn of
Tyre, printed by Wynkin de Worde in 15 IO.)
THi SHRIFT ENDED       AND   THE LOVER'S Al,SOLUTION........,435-446




CONFESSIO AMANTI S.




a
I




CONFESSIO AMANTIS.
IPrologue.


@f gem, that writen us to-fore,
The bokes dwelle, and we
therfore
Ben taught of that was writen tho.1
Forthy good is, that we also
In oure time amonge us here
Do write of newe some matere
Ensampled of the olde wise,
So that it might in suche a wise,
Whan we be dede and elles where,
Belevd  to the worldes ere
In time comend after this.
But for men sain, and sothe it is,
That who that al of wisdom writ
It dulleth ofte a mann6s wit
To hem that shall it allday rede,
For thilke cause if that ye rede
I wold6 go the middel wey
And write a boke betwene the twey
Somwhat of lust, somwhat of lore,
That of the lasse or of the more
Som man may like of that I write.
And for that fe\w  men endite
In oure englisshe, I thenkd make '
A bok6 for Englondes sake
1 Tho, then.   2 Beleve, remain.
3 This,was the original form of the passage,
hIS. Harl. 3490:
In our englisshe I thenkd make
A bok6 for king Richardes sake,
To whom belongeth my legeaiince
With all min hertes obeisauince
In all that ever a legd man
Unto his king may don or can,
So ferforth, and me recommaunde
To him which all me may commaunde,


The yere sixtenthe of King Richard,
What shall befalle here afterward
God wote, for nowe upon this side
Men seen the worlde on every side
Preiend unto the highe regne
Which causeth every king to regne
That his corone longe stonde.
I thenke and have it understonde,
As it befell upon a tide,
As thing which shuld6 tho betide,
Under the town of newe Troy,
Which toke of Brute his firste joy,
In Themse, whan it was flowend,
As I by bot6 came rowdnd
So as Fortfine her time sette,
Mly lege lord perchaunce I mette.
And so befell as I came nigh
Out of my bote, whan he me sigh,
He bad me come into his barge.
And whan I was with him at large,
Amongds other thinges said
He hath this charge upon me laid
And bad me do my besinesse,
'hat to his highe worthynesse
Some newe thing I shulde boke,
That he him self it mighte loke
After the forme of my writing.
And thus upon his commaunding
Alin herte is well the more glad
To write so as he me bad.
And eke my fere is well the lasse,
That none envid shall compasse
Without a resonable wite1
To feigne and blame, that I write.
A gentil herte his tunge stilleth
'Ihat it malice none distilleth
But preise that is to be preised.
But he that hath his worde unpeised
And handleth out wrong any thing,
I pray unto the heven king
Fro such6 tunges he me shilde.
And netheles this world is wilde
Of suche jangling, and what befalle.
My kinges heste shall nought falle,
That I in hope to deserve
His thank ne shall his will observe
And elles were I nought excused.
1 Vite, blame.
C




34


CONFESSIO A3MANTIS.


In sondry wise so diversed,
That it wel nigh stant all reversed.
Als for to speke of time ago,
The cause why it chaungeth so
It nedeth nought to specifie,
The thing so open is at eye,
That every man it may beholde.
And netheles by daies olde,
Whan that the bokes weren lever,1
Writinge was beloved ever
Of hem that weren vertuous.
For here in erthc amonges us,
If no man write howe it stood,
The pris of hem that were good
Shulde, as who saith, a great partie,
Be lost; so for to magnifie
The worthy princes that tho were
The bokes shewen here and there
Wherof the worlde ensampled is,
And tho that diden then amis
Through tiranny and cruelte,
Right as they stonden in degre
So was the writinge of the werke.
Thus I which am a borel2 clerke
Purpose for to write a boke
After the worlde that whilom toke
Long time in olde daids passed.
But for men sain it is now lassedcl
In wors6 plight than it was tho,
For that thing may nought be refused
What that a king him selfe bit.4
Forth.y the simplesse of my wit
I thenke if that I may availe
In his service to travaile,
Though I sikenesse have upon honde
And longe have had, yet woll I fonde,5
So as I made my beheste,
To make a boke after his heste
And write in such a maner wise,
Which may be wisdome to the wise
And play to hem that list to play.
But in proverbe I have herde say,
That who that wel his werk beginneth,
The rather a good end he winneth.
And thus the prologue of my boke
After the world that whilom toke,
And eke somdele 6 after the newe
I woll beginnd for to newe.
1 Lcver, better loved.
'Borel, rough homespun.
3 Lassed, become smaller.
4 Bit, prays for.  5  vondc', Lry.
6 Somdelc/, some part.


I thenke for to touche also
The world which neweth every day,
So as I can, so as I may.
Though I sikenesse have upon honde
And longe have had, yet wvol I
fondel
To write and do my besinesse,
That in some part, so as I gesse,
The wise man may ben advised.
For this Prologue is so assised,
That it to Wisdome all belongeth;
That wise man that it underfongeth
He shal drawe into rem6mbraunce
The fortune of this worldes chaunce,
The which no man in his persone
May know6e, but the God alone.
Whan the Prologue is so dispended,
This boke shall afterward ben ended
Of Love, which doth many a wonder
And many a wise man hath put
under;
And in this wise I thenke to treatc
Towardes hem, that now be greate,
Betwene the vertue and the vice
Which longeth unto this office.
But for my wittes ben to smale
To tellen every mannes tale,
This boke, upon amendement,
To stonde at his commaundement,
With whom min herte is of accorde,
I sende unto min owne lorde
WVhich of Lancastre is Henry
named.
The highe god hath him proclamed
Full of knighthod and alle grace.
So wolde I now this werke embrace
With hol truste and with hol beleve:
God graunte I mote it well acheve.
~f I shall drawe into my minde
The time passdd, than I finde
The worlde stode in al his welthe,
Tho 2 was the life of man in helthe,
Tho was plente, tho was richesse,
Tho was the fortune of prowesse,
1i fo ic; try.  ' Tho, then,




PROLOGUE.


Tho was knighthode in pris by
name,
Wherof the wide worldes fame
Write in croniques is yet witholde.1
Justice of lawe tho was holde,
The privelege of regalie
Was sauf, and all the baronie
Worshipcd was in his estate.
The citees knewen no debate,
The people stode in obeisauince
Under the reule of governaunce,
And pees, with rightwisnesse keste,
With charit6 tho stode in reste,
Of mannes herte the cordge
Was sheweed than in the visage.
The word was liche to the conceipte
Withoute semblaunt of deceipte
Tho was there unenvfied love,
Tho was vertuie set above,
And vice was put under fote.
Now stant the crope under the
rote,
The worlde is chaunged overall,
And therof moste in speciall
That Lovc is falle into discorclc.
And that I take into recorde
Of every lond for his partie
The comun vois, which may nought
lie,
Nought upon one, but upon alle
It is that men now clepe and calle
And sain, that regnes ben devided,
In stede of love is hate guided,
The werre 2 wol no pees purchacc,
And lawe hath take her double
face,
So that justice out of the wey
With rightwisnesse is gone awe-.
And thus, to loke on every halve,:
Men sene the sor6 without salve,
Whiche al the worlde hath overtake.
Ther is no regne of alle out take,4
1 IVitholde, held or kept with us.
2 Were, war.
3 On cv'cry halve, on all sides.
4 Out take, excepted.


For every climat hath his dele 1
After the turninge of the whele
W\hich blinde Fortune overthroweth,
\Wherof the certain no man knoweth.
The heven wot what is to done.
But we that dwelle under the moni
Stonde in this worlde upon a
were,2
And namely but3 the power
Of hem that ben the world6s guides,
With good counseil on alle sides
Ben kept upright in suche a wise,
That Hat6 breke nought thassise
Of Love, whiche is all the chefe
To kepe a regne out of mischefe:
For alle reson wolde this,
I That unto him, which the' hevecd is,
The membr6s bux6m shall bowc,
And he shuldeeke here trouth alo\\w
With all his hert, and make hem
chere,
For good counseil is good to here:
All though a man be wise him selvc,
Yet is the wisclome more of twelv-c.
And if they stonden both in one,
To hope it wer6 than anone
That God his grac6 wolde sende
To make of thilkc wverre an encle,
Whiche every day now groweth
newe, —
And that is gretely for to rewe,
In speciall for Crist6s sake,
Which wolde his owne life forsake
Amonge the men to yeven pees.'
But nowe men tellen netheles,
That Love is fro the world departed,
So stant the pees uneven parted
With hem that liven now a daies.
But for to loke at all assaies,
To him, that wolde reson seche
After the comun worldes speche,
I Dele, share.
'i  poz az were, iii conflict and confusion.
Btt, unless.  4 Hlevea, head.
o Toyev, n fiPes, to give peace.




36


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


It is to wonder of thilke werre,
In which none wote who hath the
werre.1
For every lond him self deceiveth
And of disese his parte receiveth,
And yet ne take men no kepe.2
But thilke Lorde, whiche al may
kepe,
To whom no counseil may be hid
Upon the world, whiche is betid,
Amend6 that wherof men pleine
With trewe hertes and with pleine,
And reconcile Love agayne,
As he, whiche is king soverayne
Of all the worldes governaunce,
And of his highe purveiance
Afferme pees bitwene the londes
And take herecause into his hondes,
So that the world may stande
appesed
And his godhede also be plesed.
(o thenke upon the daies olde
The life of clerk6s to beholde,
Men sain, how that they were tho
Ensample and reule of alle tho
Which of wisd6m    the vertue
soughten.
Unto the God first they besoughten
As to the substaunce of here scole,
That they ne sholden nought befole
Her witte upon none erthly werkes,
Whiche were ayein th'estate of
clerkes,
And that they mighten flee the
vice,
Which Simon hath in his office,
Wherof he taketh golde in honde.
For thilke time, I understonde,
The Lumbarde made non eschaunge
The bisshopriches for to chaunge,
Ne yet a letter for to sende
For dignite ne for provende
1 That war in which none knows who has
the worse.
2 No kepe, no heed.


Or cured or withoute cure,
The chirche keie in adventure
Of armes and of brigantaille 1
Stood no thing than upon bataille,
To fight or for to make cheste 2
It thought hem thanne nought
hondste.
But of simplesce and pacience
They maden thanne no defence.
The courte of worldly regalie
To hem was thanne no bailie.
The vain hon6urwas noughtdesired,
Which hath the proude herte fired.
Humilit6 was tho witholde
And prid6 was a vice holde.3
Of holy chirche the largesse
Yaf thanne and dide great almesse
To pouer men that hadden nede.
They were eke chast in word and
dede,
Wherof the people ensample toke.
Their lust was al upon the boke,
Or for to preche or for to preie
To wisse 4 men the righte weie
Of such as stode of trouth unlered.
Lo, thus was Peters barge stered
Of hem that thilke tim6 5 were.
And thus came first to mannes ere
The feith of Criste, and alle good
Through hem that thanne weren
good
And sobre and chaste and large and
wise.
And now, men sain, is other wise.
Simon the cause hath undertake,
The world6s swerde on hond is take.
And that is wonder neth6les,
Whan Criste him self hath bodeG
pees
And set it in his Testament,
How now that holy chirche is went
Of that here lawe positife,
1 Brigantaille, armour.  2 Cheste, strife.
3 Holde, esteemed.  4 Wisse, teach.
5 Thiike time, in that time.
6 Bode. commanded.




PROLOGUE.


37


Hath set to makd werre and strife
For worldes goods which may
nought last!1
God wote the causd to the last
Of every right and wronge also.
But while the lawe is reuled so
That clerkds to the werre entende,
I not2 how that they shall amende
The woful worlde, in other thinges
To makd pees betwen the kinges
After the lawe of charitd,
Which is the propre duetd
Belongend unto the presthode.
But as it thinketh to manhode,
The heven is fer, the worlde is nigh,
And vainglorye is eke so sligh,t
Which covetise hath now witholde,4
That they none other thing beholde
But only that they mighten winne.
And thus the werres they beginne,
Wherof the holy chirche is taxed,
That in the point as it is axed
The disme 5 goth to the bataile,
As though Crist mightd nought
availe
To don hem right by other weie.
Into the swerd the chirchd keie
Is torndd, and the holy bede
Into cursinge, and every stede
Whiche sholdd stonde upon the
feith
And to this cause an erd leyth
Astondd is of the quarele.
That 6 sholde be the worldes hele
Is now, men sain, the pestilence,
Which hath exildd pacience
Fro the clergie in speciall.
And that is shewed overall
In any thing whan they be greved.
But if Gregoird be beleved
1 For the transitory goods of this world.
2 I owt, I know not.
3 Slifh, cunning.
4 Witholde, held with, had for comrade.
5 Disme, tithe.  6 That, that which.


As it is in the bokes write,
He dothe us somdele for to wite I
The cause of thilke prelacie,
Where God isnought ofcompaignie.
For every werke as it is founded
Shall stonde, or elles be confounded.
Who that only for Cristes sake
Desireth cure for to take
And nought for pride of tlilke
estate
To beare a name of a prelate,
He shal by reson do profite
In holy chirche, upon the plite
That he hath set his conscience.
But in the worldes reverence
Ther ben of suchd many glade
Whan they to thilke estate ben
made,
Nought for the merite of the charge
But for they wvolde hem self discharge
Of poudrte and becomd grete;
And thus for pompe and for beyete -
The scribe and eke the pharisee
Of MoYses upon the see
In the chaire on high ben set,
Wherof the feith is oftd let
Whiche is betaken 4 hem to kepe.
In Cristds cause all day they slepe,
But of the worlde is nought foryete.
For wel is him that now may gete
Office in court to be honoured.
The stronge cofre hath al devoured
Under the keie of avarice
The tresor of the benefice,
Wherof the pouer5 shulden clothe
And eteand drinkeand house bothe.
The charite goth all unknowe,
For they no greine of pite sowe,
And slouthd kepeth the librarie
Which longeth to the seintuarie.
I Doth us somdele for to oite, causes us in
some part to know.
2 For beyete, for what they can get.
3 Let, hindered.  4 Betaken, entrusted.
5 The auwer, the poor.




38


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


To studie upon tile worldds lore
Sufficeth now withoute more.
Delfcacie his swete tothe
Hath soffred so that it fordothe
Of abstinence al that ther is.
And for to loken over this,
If Etna brenne in the clergie,
Al openly to mannes eye
At Avignon thexperidnce
Therof hath yove an evidence
Of that men seen hem so devided.
And yet the cause is nought decided,
But it is saide and ever shall:
Bitwen two stooles is the fall,
Whan that men wenen best to sitte.
In holy chirche of suche a slitte
Is for to rewe unto us alle.
God graunte it mote wel befalle
Towardes him which hath the trouth.
But ofte is seen, that mochel slouth,
Whan men ben drunken of the
cuppe,
Doth mochel harme  whan fire is
uppe,
But if   somwho    the  flamme
staunche;
And so to speke upon this braunche
Which proud envie hath made to
springe
Of scisme, causeth for to bringe
This newe secte of Lollardie,
And also many an heresie,
Among the clerkes in hem selve.
It were better dike and delve
And stonde upon the righte feith
Than knowe al that the Bible saith
And erre as some clerkes do.
Upon the hond to were a shoe
And set upon the foot a glove,
Accordeth nought to the behove
Of resonable mannes use.
If men behelden the vertuse,
That Criste in erthe taught us here,
They shulden nought in such manere
1 Bit if unless.


Among hem that ben holden wise
The papacie so desguise
Upon divers election,
Whiche stant after thaffection
Of sondry londes al aboute.
But whan God wol it shal were oute,
For trouth mot stonden atte laste.
But yet they argumenten faste
Upon the Pope and his estate,
Wherof they fallen in great debate.
This clerk saith yea, that other nay,
And thus they drivd forth the day;
And eche of hem him self amendeth
O fworldesgood: butnone entendeth
To that which comun profite were.
They sain, that God is mighty there,
And shal ordeine what he wille;
There make they none other skille,
Where is the perill of the feith:
But every clerke his herte leith
To kepe his worlde in speciall;
And of the cause generall
Whiche unto holy chirche longeth,
Is none of hem that underfongeth 1
To shapen any resistance.
And thus the right hath no defence,
But there I love, there I holde.
Lo, thus to-broke is Criste's folde,
Wherof the flock withoute guide
Devoured is on every side,
In lacke of hem that ben unware
Shepherdes, ^which here wit beware2
Upon the worlde in other halve.
The sharp6 pricke in stede of salve
They usen now, wherof the hele'
They hurte of that they shulden
hele.4
And what sheep that is full of wulle
Upon his backe they toose and pulle
While ther is any thinge to pille.
And though there be none other
skille,
1 Uniderfongeth, undertakes,
' Beware, spend.
Hele, heel.
4 lele, heal.




PROLOGUE.


39


But oncly for they wold6 winne,
They leve noughtwhan theybeginne
Upon here acte to procede,
Whiche is nogood shepherdes dede.
And upon this also men sain
That fro the leese whiche is pleine,
Into the breres they forcacche
Here orf, for that theywolden lacche
With such duresse and so bereve
That shal upon the thornes leve
Of wullewhiche the brere hath tore,1
Wherof the sheep ben al to-tore,
Of that the herdes make hem lese.2
Lo, howtheyfeignen chalk forchese '
For though they speke and teche wel,
They don hem self therof no dele.
For if the wolf come in the wev,
Their gostly staf is then awey,
Wherof they    shulde  her flock
defende.
But if the pouer sheep offende
In any thing, though it be lite,3
They ben al redy for to smite;
And thus, howe ever that they tale,
The strokes falle upon the smale,
And upon other that bene greate
Hem lacketh herte for to beate,
So that under the clerk6s lawe
Men seen the merel al misdrawe.4
I wol nought say in generall,
For there ben somme in speciall,
In whome that al vertue dwelleth,
And tho ben, as thapostel telleth,
That God of his election
Hath cleped to perfection
In the maner as Aaron was.
They be nothinge in thilke cas
Of Simon, which the foldes gate
Hath lete and goth in othergate,
1 That fro the lecse, &c. That from' the
meadow which is open plain they hunt their
flock into the briars, because they would seize
profit by such hard treatment and so rob them
of wool that the briar has torn.
- Lese, lose.: Lite, little.
4 Thee mertel al misdrazee, the world all
drawn awry.


But they gone in the rightC weie.
There bene also somme as men
saie,
That folwen Simon atte heles  -
Whose cartd goeth upon wheles i
Of covetise and worldes pride,;
And holy chirch6 goth beside, '
Whiche sheweth outwarde a visige
Of that is nought in the corage.
For if men loke in holy chirche
Betwene the worde and that they
wirche,
There is a ful great difference.
They prechen us in audience,
That noman shall his soule empeire,'
For al is but a chery feire2
This worldes good, so as they telle.
Also they sain there is an helle,
Whiche unto mannes sinne is due,
And bidden us therfore escheue
That wicked is, and do the good.
Who that her wordEs understood
It thinketh they wolden do the
same;
But yet betwene ernest and game
Ful oft it torneth other wise.
With holy tales they devise,
How meritory is thilke dede
Of charit6 to clothe and fede
The pouer folke, and for to parte
The worldds good, but they departe
Ne thenken nought' fro that they
have.
Also they sain, good is to save
With penaunce and with abstinence
Of chastit6 the continence.
But pleinly for to speke of that,
I not 4 how thilke body fat,
Which they with deint6 met6s kepe,
And lein it softe for to slepe,
i Ezeire, damage.
2 Cheeryfeire, charivari.
Th7zey departe ne thenken 7noz0gh7, they do
not think of distributing.
4 Vot, ne wot, know not.




40


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Whan it hath elles of his wille,
With chastite shall stonde stille.
And netheles I can nought say
In aunter 1 if that I missay
Touchend of this, how ever it stonde,
I here and wol nought understonde,
For therof have I nought to done.
lBut he that made first the mone,
The high6 God of his goodnesse,
If ther be cause, he it redresse.
But what as any man can accuse,
This may reson of trouthe excuse.
The vice of hem that ben ungood
Is no reproef unto the good.
For every man his owne werkes
Shallbeare, andthus as of the clerkes
The goode men ben to commende,
And all these other God amende!
For they ben to the worldes eye
The mirrour of ensamplarie
To reulen and to taken hede
Betwene the men and the Godhede.
T "onw for to speke of the comune
9 It is to drede of that fortune
/VWhiche hath befalle in sondry
londes.
But often for defaute of bondes
Al sodeinlich er it be wist
A tonn6, whan his lie arist,2
To-breketh, and renneth al aboute
Whiche ellds sholde nought gone
oute.
And eke ful ofte a litel scar
Upon a banke, er men be ware,
Let in the streme which with gret
paine,
If ever, man it shal restraine.
Where lawd lacketh errour groweth,
He is nought wise who that ne
troweth,
For it hath proved oft er this.
And thus the comun clamour is
1 In azuzer, peradventure.
2 ItVan hizs lie arist, when its lees rise, when
its contents are fermenting.


In every lond where people dwelleth
And eche in his compleinte telleth,
How that the worlde is al miswent.
And therupon his argument
Yeveth every man in sondry wise.
But what man wolde him self avise
His conscience and nought misuse,
He may well at the first excuse
His God, whiche ever stant in one,
In Him there is defaut6 none.
So must it stonde upon us selve,
Nought only upon ten ne twelve,
But plenerlich 1 upon us alle,
For man is cause of that shal falle.
tRnb netheles yet som men write
And sayn Fortune is to wite;
And som men holde opinion
That it is constellacion,
Which causeth al that a man dothe;
God wot of bothe whiche is sothe.
The worlde as of his propre kinde
Was ever untrew, and as the blinde
Improperlich he demeth fame,
He blameth that is nought to blame
Andpreiseth that is noughttopreise.
Thus whan he shall the thinges
peise,3
Ther is deceipte in his balaunce
And al is that the variaunce
Of us, that shulde us better avise.
For after that we fall and rise
The worlde ariste and falleth with al,
So that the man is over al
His owne cause of wele and wo.
That we Fortune clep6 so
Out of the man him selfe it groweth.
And who that other wise troweth
Beholde the people of Israel.
For ever while they deden wel
Fortuned was hem debonaire;
And whan they deden the contraire
Fortune was contrariende.
So that it proveth wel at ende,
1 Pienerlich, fully.  2 To wile, to blame.
3 Peise, weigh.




PROLOGUE.


4I


Why that the worlde is wonderful
And may no while stond6 ful,
Though that it sem6 wel besein;
For every worldes thinge is vain
And ever goth the whele aboute
And ever stant a man in doute,
Fortt'in6 stant no while stille.
So hath ther no man al his wille,
Als far as ever a man may knowe
There lasteth no thing- but athrowe.1
The world stant ever upon debate,
So may be siker none estate,
Now here now there, now to now
fro,
Now up now down, the world goth
so
And ever hath done and ever shal.
Wherof I finde in special
A tal6 writen in the Bible,
Which must nedes be credible,
And that as in conclusion
Saith, that upon division
Stant why no worldes thing may
laste
Til it be drive to the laste,
And fro the firste regne of all
Unto this day how so befall
Of that the regnes be meva'ble,
The man him self hath be coupable,
Whiche of his propre governaunce
Fortuineth al the world6s chaunce.
The high almighty purveiaunce,
In whose etern6 r6membrafince
From first was every thing pres6nt,
He hath his prophecie sent
In suche a wise, as thou shalt here,
To Danidl of this matere,
How that this world shal tome and
wende
Till it be falle unto his ende;Wherof the tale tell I shal
In which it is betokened al.
1 Brt a thfrowe, but for a space of time.


As Nabugodonosor slepte
A sweven 1 him toke, the whichc he
kepte
Til on the morwe he was arise,
For he therof was sore agrise.
Til' Daniel his dreme he tolde
And praid him fair{, that he wolde
Arede what it token may,
And saide: a bedde where I lax
Me thought I sigh upon a stage,
Where stood a wonder straunge
ymage.
His hed with al the necke also
They were of fine gold, both6 two
His brest, his shuldersand his armes
Were al of silver, but the armes,
The wombe and al down to the kne
Of bras they were upon to se,
His legges were al made of steel,
So were his feet also somdele,
And somdele part to hem was take
Of erth6, which men pottds make.
The feble meind4 was with the
strong,
So might it nought wel stonde long.
And tho me thoughte, that I sigh
A great stone from an hill on high
Fell down of sodein aventure
Upon the feet of this figure,
With which stone al to-broke was
Gold, silver, erth6, steel and bras,
That al was into pouder brought
And so forth torned into nought.
This was thesweven which he had,
That Daniel anone arad
And saide him: that figure straunge
Betokeneth how the world shal
chaunge
And wax6 lasse worth and lasse,
Til it to nought all over passe.
The necke and hed, that weren
golde,
He saide how that betoken sholde


1 Sweven, dream.
a Sigh, saw.


2 Til, to.
4.Meind, mixed.




42


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


A worthy worlde, a noble, a riche
To which none after shal be liche.
Of silver that was over forthe
Shal ben a worlde of lasse worthe.
And after that the wombe of bras
Token of a wers worlde it was.
The steel which he sigh afterward
A world betokeneth more hard.
And yet the werste of every dele
Is last, than whan of erth and steel
He sigh the feet departed1 so,
For that betokeneth mochel wo.
Whan that the world devided is,
It mot algate fare amis,
For erth which meined is with steel
To-gider may nought laste wele,
But if that one that other waste,
So mot it nedes fail in haste.
The stone, whiche fro the hilly stage
He sigh down falle on that ymage
And hath it into pouder broke,
That swev-en hath Daniel unloke
And said, that it is Goddes might,
Which, whan men wenc most upright
To stond6, shal hem over caste.
And that is of this world the laste,
And than a new6 shal beginne,
From whiche a man shal never
twinne
Or al to paine or al to pees,
That world shal laste endeles.
Lo, thus expoundeth Daniel
The kinges sweven faire and wel
In Babiloine the citee,
W\her that the wisest of Caldee
Ne couthen witd 2 what it mente,
But he tolde al the hole entente,
As in partie it is befalle.
Of golde the first regne of alle
Was in that kinges time tho,
And lastc many daies so.
''lhere whiles that the monarchic
()f al the worlde in that partie
1 Defartcd, divided.  2 lIife, know.


To Babiloine was subgite
And helde him still in suche a plight,
Til that the world began diverse.
And that was, whan the kinge of
Perse,
Which Cyrus hight, ayein the pees
Forth with his son6 Cambis6s
Of Babiloine all that empire,
Right as they wolde hem self desire,
Put under in subjection
And toke it in possessi6n,
And slain was Baltazar the king,
\Which lost his regne and all his
thing.
And thus whan they it haddc
wonne,
The worlde of silver was begonne
And that of gold was passed oute;
And in this wise it goth aboute
Into the regne of Dariis,
And than it fell to Perse thus.
There Alisaundre put hem under,
Which wroght of armes many a
wonder,
So that the monarchfie lefte
With Grecs and here estate up lefte,
And Persiens gone under fote,
So suffre they that nedes mote.
And tho the world began of bras,
And that of silver ended was,
But for the tim6 thus it laste,
Til it befelld, that at laste
This king, whan that his day was
come,
With strength of deth wasovercome.
And netheles vet or he dide 1
He shope his regn6 to devide
To knightes, which him   hadde
served,
And after that they have deserved
Yaf the conquestes that le wanne,
\Wherof great werre tho beganne
Among hem that the regnes had,
Through proud envfi which hemlad,
1 Or hle didc, ere he died.




PROLOGUE.


43


Til it befelle avein hemi thus.
The noble Cesar Julius,
Which tho was kinge of Rome-londe,
\With great bataile and with strong
honde
All Grece, Perse and eke Caldee
Wan and put under, so that he
Nought al only of th'orient
But al the marche of th'occident
Gov6rneth under his empire
As he that was hole lord and sire
And helde through his chivalrie
Of al this worlde the monarchic
And was the first of that honouir
Which taketh name of Emperouir.
WVhere Rome thann6 wolde
assaile,
There mighte no thing contrevaile,
But every contre must obeie:
Tho goth the regne of bras aweic
And comen is the worlde of steel,
And stode above upon the whele.
As steel is hardest in his kinde
Above al other that men finde
Of metals, such was Rome tho
The mightiest and laste so
Long time amonge's the Romains,
Til they become so vilains,
That the fals emperouir Leo
With Constantin his sone also
The patrimonie and the richesse,
Which to Silvester in pure almesse
The firste Constantinus lefte,
Fro holy chirche they berefte.
But Adrian, which Pop6 was
And sawe the mischef of this cas,
Goth into Fraunce for to pleine
And praicth the great Charlemaine
For Cristes sake and soule hele,
That he wol take the quarele
Of holy chirche in his defence,
And Charles, for the reverence
Of God, the cause hath undertake
And with his host the waie hath
take


Over the mountes of Lumbardie.
Of Rome and al the tirannic
\Vith blody swerd he overcome
And the citee with strengthe nome
In suche a w ise and there lihe
wroughte,
That holychirche ayein he broughte
Into fraunchise, and doth restore
The Popes luste and yaf him more.
And thus whan he his God hath
served,
He toke, as he hath well deserved,
The diademe and was coroned
Of Rome, and thus was aband6ned
Thempire, whiche came never
ayeine
Into the hande of no Romaine.
But a long time it stode so stille
Under the Frensshe kinges wille,
Til that Fortfine her whele so lad,!
That afterward Lumbardes it had,
Nought by the swerd, but by
suffraunce
Of him that tho was king of
Fraunce,
\Whiche Carle Calvus clepecd was;
And he resigneth in this cas
Thempire of Rome unto Lowis
His cousin, which a Lumbarde is,
And so it laste into the yere
Of Alberte and of Berenger.
"2uf than upon dissension
They felle and in division
Among hem self that were grete,
So that they loste the beyete 2
Of worship and of worldes pees.
But in proverbe netheles
Men sain; ful seldome is, that
welthe
Can suffre his owne estate in helthe,
And that was in the Lumbardes
sene,
Suche comun strife was hem betwene
1 N0rome, took.  - 2 B' e  c. possession.




44


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Through covetise and through
envie,
That every man drough his partie,
Which mighte leden any route
WVithinne bourgh and eke withoute.
The comun right hath no felawe,
So that the governaunce of lawe
Was lost; and for necessite
Of that they stode in suche degre
Al only through division
Hem nedeth in conclusion
Of straunge londes helpe beside,
And thus for they hem self divide
And stonden out of reule uneven,
Of Alemaine princes seven
They chose, in this condici6n,
That upon here election
Thempire of Rome sholde stonde.
And thus they left it out of honde
For lacke of grace, and it forsoke
That Alemains upon hem toke.
And to confermen here estate
Of that they stoden in debate,
They token the possession
After the composicion
Among hem self, and ther upon
They made an Emperour anon,
Whos name as the cronique telleth
Was Othes, and so forth it dwelleth,
Fro thilke daie yet unto this,
Thempire of Rome hath ben and is
To thalemains: and in this wise
As ye to-fore have herd devise 1
How Daniel the sweven 2 expoundeth
Of that ymage, on whom     he
foundeth
The world whichafter sholde falle,Comen is the last token of alle.
Upon the feet of erthe and steel
So stant the world now every dele
Departed,3 which began right tho
W\han Rome was devided so.
1  )evise, relate.  2 Sweven, dream.
3 Ezery idel defarted, every part divided.


And that is for to rewe sore,
For alwey sithle more and more
The worlde empeireth 2 every day,
Wherof the sothe shewe may.
At Rome first if we beginne,
The walle and al the citee withinne
Stant in ruine and in decds,
The feld is where the palais was,
The towtn is wast, and over that
If we beholden thilke estate
Whiche whilome was of the Romains,
Of knighthod and of citizeins,
To peise 3 now with that beforne,
The chaf is take for the corne.
And for to speke of Romes might
Unnethes 4 stant ther ought upright
Of worship or of worldes good,
As it before time stood.
And why the worship is away
If that a man the sothe shall say,
The cause hath ben devisi6n,
Which moder of confusion
Is, where she cometh overall
Nought only of the temporall
But of the spiritual also.
The dede proveth it is so,
And hath do many daies er this,
Through venim which that medled"
is
In holy chirche of erthely thing.
For Crist him self maketh knowleching,
That no man may togeder serve
God and the World but if" he swerve
Froward that one, and stonde unstable:
And Cristes word may nought be
fable.
The thing so open is at theye,
It nedeth nought to specifie
1 Sithe, since.
'" Epfieireth2, grows worse.
I? Peise, weigh.  4 Unnethes, hardly.
- 1/edled, mixed.
6 But if, unless.




PROLOGUE.


45


Or speke ought more in this matere.
But in this wise a man may lere1
How that the worlde is gone aboute,
The whiche wel nigh is wered out
After the forme of that figure,
Which Daniel in his scripture
Expoundeth as to-fore is tolde:
Of bras, of silver and of golde
The worlde is passed and agone,
And nowe upon his olde tone2
It stant, of brutel3 erthe and steel
The whiche accorden never a
dele,4
So mot it nedes swerve aside
As thing the which men seen divide.
Vcapozfet warit unto us alle
And saith, that upon us is falle
Thend of the world, so may we
knowe
This ymage is nigh overthrowe
By which this world vas signified,
That whilom was so magnified
And nowe is olde and feble and
vile,
Full of mischefe and of perile,
And stant divided eke also
Lyke to the feet, that were so
As I tolde of the statue above.
And thus men seen, through lacke
of Love
Where as the lond divided is,
It mot algate fare amis.
And now, to loke on every side,
A man may se the world divide:
The werres ben so generall
Amonge the Cristen overall,
That every man now      secheth
wreche,5
And yet these clerkes alday preche
And sain, good dede may none be
Whiche stant nought upon charite.
1 Lorc, learn.
-> Tone, toes.  3 b'rutl, brittle.
4 VNever a dcle, never a bit.
6 lf'rcche, wreaking of vengeance.


I not 1 how charite sholde stonde
Where dedly werre is taken on
honde,
But al this wo is cause of man
The which that wit and reson can;
And that in token and in witnesse,
That ilke ymiige bare liknesse
Of man, and of none other beste.
For first unto the mannes heste
Was every creature ordeigned,
But afterward it was restreigned;
Whan that he fel they fellen eke,
Whan he wex seke they wexen seke;
For as the man hath passion
Of sikenesse, in comparison
So suffren other creatures.
Lo, first the hevenly figures.
ibe sonne and mone eclipsen
both
And ben with mannes sinne wroth;
The purest air, for sinne, alofte
Hath ben and is corrupt ful ofte;
Right now the highe windes blowe
And anon after they ben lowe,
Now cloudy and now clere it is;
So it may proven wel by this,
A mannes sinne is for to hate
Which maketh the welken to debate.
And for to se the properte
Of every thinge in his degre,
Benethe forth amonge us here
Al stant a like in this matere.
The see nowe ebbeth and nowe it
floweth,
The lond now welketh and now it
groweth;
Nowv be the trees with leves grene,
Now they be bare and no thing
sene;
Now be there lusty somer floures,
Now   be  there  stormy  winter
shoures;
1.\ot, know not.
2 For to Izatc, to be hated.




46


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Now be the daies, now the nightes,
So stant there no thing al uprightes:
Nowe it is light, nowe it is derke,
And thus stant al the worldes werke
After the disposicion
Of man, and his condici6n.
Forthy1 Gregoire in his morall
Saith, that a man in speciall
The lasse worlde 2 is properly;
And that he proveth redily.
For man of soule resonable
Is to an angel resemblable;
And lyke to beste, he hath feling
And lyke to tres, he hath growing.
The stones ben, and so is he,
Thus of his propre qualite
The man, as telleth the clergie,
Is as a worlde in his partie;
And whan this litel world mistorneth
The grete worlde al overtorneth.
The lond, the see, the firmament
They axen alle jugement
Ayein the man, and make him
warre,
Ther while him selfe stant out of
harre 3
The remenaun t wvol nought accorde:
And in this wise as I recorde
The man is cause of alle wo,
Why this worlde is divided so.
Divisi6n the gospel saith
One house upon an other laith,
Til that the regne al overthrowe.
And thus may every man wel knowe
Divisibn aboven alle
Is thing which maketh the world to
falle
And ever bath do, sith it began;
It may firste prove upon a man.
The which for his complexion
Is made upon division
1 Fo'rthz   for that.
2 The lasse worltdc. the microcosm.
3Out f fia);'c,. unhinged, out of ordc'r.


Of cold of hot of moist of drie,
He mot by verry kinde 1 die.
For the contraire of his estate
Stant evermore in such debate,
Til that a part be overcome
There may no final pees be nome.A
But otherwise if a man were
Made al togeder of one matere
Withouten interrupcion,
There shulde no corrupcion
Engendre upon that unite;
But for there is diversite
Within him selfe, he may noug-ht
laste
That he ne deieth at the laste.
But in a man yet over this
Full great division there is,
Through which that he is ever in
strife
While that him lasteth any life.
The body and the soule also
Among hem ben divided so,
Thatwhat thing that the bodyhateth
The soule loveth and debateth.
But netheles ful ofte is sene
Of Jwerre whiche is hem betwene,
The feble hath wonne the victoirc;
And whoso draweth into memoire
What hath befalle of olde and nevwe
He may that 'werre sord rewe;
Which first began in paradis:
For there was proved what it is
And what dises6 there it wrought,
For thilke werre tho 3 forth brought
The vice of alle dedly sinne
Through which division came inne
Among the men in erth6 here,
And was the cause and the matere,
Why God the grete flodes scnde
Of all the world and 4 made an cnde
1 A7indc, nature..2' Nomc, taken.
' Thzo, then.
4 A.4>u. Tle i place of "and " in a sentence
mi0ght be varied, as \\e vary the plact of
',;also."




PROLOGUE.


47


But Noe with his felaship,
Which only weren sauf by ship.
And over that through sinne it
come,
That Nembroth such emprise nome,
Vhan he the toure Babel on hight
Let make, as he that wolde fight
Ayein the high6 goddes might,
Wherof devided anon right
Was the languige in suche entent
There wiste non what other ment,
So that the) mighten nought procede.
And thus it stant of every dede
Where sinne taketh the case on
honde
It may upright nought longe stonde,
For sinne of her condicin
Is mother of divisi6n,
And token lwhan the world shall
faile.
For so saith Crist withoute faile,
That nigh upon the worldes ende
Pees and accorde away shall wende
And alle charitd shall cease
Among the men, and hate encrease.
And whan these tokens ben befall
All sodeinly the stone shall fall,
As Daniel it hath beknowe,
Which all this world shal overthrowe:
And every man shall than arise
To joie or elles to juise,l
Where that he shall for ever dwell,
Or straight to heven or straight to
hell.
In heven is pees and al accorde,
But helle is full of such discorde
That there may be no Love day.2
Forthy 3 good is, while a man
may,
JJuise, judgment.
Love-day, day of peacemlakiing by slub
mitting quarrels to the judgment of a Christian
iii ster.; l]'i.J;,  for that.


Echone to sette pees with other
And loven as his owne brother,
So may he winn6 worldes welthe
And afterwarde his soule helthe.
But wolde god that now were one
An other suche as Arione,
Whiche had an harpe of such tenmprure,
And therto of so good mesfire
He song, that he the bestes wilde
Made of his note tame and milde,
The hinde in pees with the le6n,
The wolfe in pees w-ith the motton,1
The hare in pees stood with the
hounde,
And every man upon this groundc
Whiche Arion that tilme herde,
As well the lorde as the shepherdc,
Hebrought hem all in good accorcl,
So that the comun with the lorde
And lord with the comnin also
He sette in Love bothe two
And put awey malencolie.
That was a lustie melodie
Whan every man wvith other loug1lh.2
And if ther were suche one now
VWhiche coude harpe as he thlo:
ded
He might availe in many a stede
To make pees where nowe is hate.
For whan men thenken to debate
I not4 what other thinge is good;
But wher that wisdom waxeth wood
And reson torneth into rage,
So that mestire0 upon outrage
Hath set this worlde, it is to drede;
For that bringethin the comun drede
Whiche stant at every mannds dore.
But wAhan the sharpnesse of the
spore
The horse side smit to sore
It greveth oftc. And now no more
I J.Totnt), shoe;,.  '2 L~taugh, laughledi


ko,.,  v05?,


4.Nf. know not.
c.i~':S;tU. to0;er. tijt.




48


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


As for to speke of this matere,
Which nonebut only God maystere.
So were good if at this tyde
That every man vpon his syde
Besought and prayed for the peace
Whiche is the cause of all incresse


Of worshippe and ofworldeswelthe,
Of hertes reste and soul6s helthe,
Without peace stonde no thinggood,
Forthy to Christ which shed his
blood
For peace byseketh alle men.
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen.




CONFESSIO


AMANTIS.


Joo 00e ].


tna  nought strecche up to the
heven
Min hond, ne setten al in even
This world, whiche ever is in balaunce;
It stant nought in my suffisaunce
So greate thinges to compisse.
But I mote lette it over passe
And treaten upon other thinges:
Forth$ the stile of my writinges
Fro this dayforth I thenke chaunge,
And speake of thinge is nought so
strange,
Whiche every kinde hath upon
honde,
And wherupon the world mote
stonde
And hath done sithen 1 it began
And shall while there is any man,
And that is Love; ofwhiche I mene
To treate, as after shall be sene,
In whiche there can no man him
reule
For Loves lawe is out of reule
That of to moche or of to lite2
Wellnigh is every man to wite.3
And netheles there is no man
In all this world so wise, that can
Of Love temper the mesure
But as it falleth in aventure.


For wit ne strengthe may nought
helpe
And he which elles wolde him
yelpe
Is rathest2 throwen under foote,
Ther can no wight therof do bote."
For yet was never such covine 4
That couth ordeine a medicine
To thing which God in lawe of
kinde
Hath set, for there may no man
finde
The righte salve for suche a sore.
It hath and shal be evermore
That Love is maister where he will,
There can no life make other skill,0
For where as ever him list to set
There is no might which him may
let.
But what shall fallen atte laste,
The sothe can no wisedom caste,
But as it falleth upon chaunce,
For if there ever was balaunce
Whiche of Fortune stant governed,
I may well leve as I am lerned
That Love hath that baldunce on
honde
Whiche wol no reson understonde.
1 Yelfe, boast.  2 Rathest, soonest.
3 Bote, remedy.  4 Covfne, contrivance.
5 'Kinde, Nature.  6 Skill, distinction.
7 Lezte as I am lerned, believe as I am
taught.


1 Sithen. since.        2 Lite, little.
3 To wite, to blame.


D




50


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


For Love is blinde and may nought
se,
Forthy there may no certeinte
Be sette upon his jugement.
But as the whele aboute went
He yeveth his graces undeserved,
And fro that man which hath him
served
Ful ofte he taketh awey his fees;
As he that plaieth at the dies 1
And therupon what shal befall
He not,2 til that the chaunce fall
Where3 he shall lese or he shal
winne.
And thus full ofte men beginne
That if they wisten what it ment
Theywolde chaunge all here entent.
ilnb for to prove that it is so
I am my selfe one of tho 4
Whiche to this scole am underfonge.1
For it is sithe go nought longe 6
As for to speake of this matere
I may you telle, if ye woll here,
A wonder hap which me befelle,
That was to me bothe harde and
felle,
Touchend of Love and his fortune,
The which me liketh to commune
And pleinly for to telle it oute
To hem that lovers ben aboute;
Fro point to pointe I wol declare
And writen of my woful care,
My woful day, my woful chaunce,
That men mow take remembrauince
Of that they shall-here after rede.
For in good feith this wolde I rede,7
That every man ensample take
Of wisedom which is him betake,8
And that he wote of good apprise 9
To teche it forth, for suche emprise
1 Dies, dice.   2 Not, knows not.
3 Where, whether.   4 Tho, them.
5 Underfonge, received.
6 Since not long ago.
7 Rede, counsel.  S Betake, entrusted.
9 And that which he knows to be worth
learning.


Is for to preise: and therfore I
Wol write and shewe all openly,
How love and I togider mette,
Wherof the worlde ensample fette
May 1 after this, whan I am go,
Of thilke unsely jolif wo,
Whose reule stant out of the wey,  iNow glad, and now gladnesse awey,
And yet it may nought be withstonde
For ought that men may understonde.
-';pon the point that is befalle
Of love, in which that I am falle,
I thenke telle my matere.
Now herken, who that woll it here,
Of my fortune how that it ferde
This enderday,2 as I forth ferde.:'
To walke, as I you telle may.
And that was in the moneth of May,
Whan every brid hath chose his
make
And thenketh his merthes for to
make
Of love, that he hath acheved.
But so was I no thing releved,
For I was further fro my love
Than erthe 'isTfro the heven above.
And for to speke of any spede a
So wiste I me none other rede,4
But as it were a man forfare 5
Unto the wood I gan to fare,
Nought forto sing6with the briddes,
For whan I was the wood amiddes
I fonde a swote grene pleine,
And there I gan my wo compleine
Wisshinge and wepinge allmin one';
For other mirthes made I none.
So hard me was that ilke throwe,7
That ofte sithes 8 overthrowe
1 Ensamtile fette may, may fetch example.
2 This enderday, this past day, lately.
3 Stede, success.  4 Rede, counsel.
5 Fogfare, undone.;, All r in one, all by myself.
7Throwe, throe.
Ofte sithes, many times.




BOOK I.


5r


To grounde I was, withoute brethe;
And ever I wisshed after dethe,
Whan I out of my peine awoke,
And caste up many a pitous loke
Unto the heven and saidd thus:
' thou Cupfde, O thou Veni's,
Thou god of love and thou goddesse,
Where is pite? where is mekenessc?
Now doth me 1 pleinly live or die,
For certes suche a maladie
As I now have, and longe have had.
It mighte make a wvise man mad,
If that it shuld6 longe endure.
O Venus, quene of loves cure,
Thou life, thou lust, thou mannes
hele,
Beholde my cause and my quarele
And yef me some part of thy grace,
So that I may finde in this place,
If thou be gracious or none!'
And with that worde I sawe anone
The Kinge of Love and Quene bothe.
But he, that king, with eyen wrothe
His chere aweiward fro me caste
And forthe he passed attd laste
But netheles er he forth wente
A firy dart me thought he hente'
And threwe it through min hert6
rote.3
In him fonde I none other bote,4
Forlengerlist him nought to dwelle.
But she, whiche is the source and
welle
Of wele or wo that shal betide
To heni that loven, at that tide
Abode, but for to tellen here
She cast on ime no goodly chere,
Thus neth6les to me she saide:
'What art thou, sonne?' And I
abraide
1 Dotfh  oet. cause me to.
" Henie. seized.
M lMin Ietrte rote, the root of my heart.
4 Bot'i renledv.  Abra-ide. s arted.


Right as a man doth out of slepe,
And therof toke she right good
kepec
And bad me nothing be adradde,
But for all that I was nought gladde,
IFor I ne sawe no cause vwhy.
And eft 2 she asketh, what was I?
I saide: 'A caitif that lyth here.
What wolde ye my lady dere?
Shall I be hole or elles die?
She saide: 'Telle thy maladic.
What is thy sore of which thou
pleinest,
Ne hide it nought,for if thou feignest
I can do thee no medicine.'
'Madame, I am a man of thine
That in thy Court have longe served
And axe that I have deserved,
Some wele after my longe wo.'
And she began to loure tho
And saide: 'There be many of you
Faitours,3 and so may be that thou
Art right suche one, and by faintise
Saist, that thou hast me do service.'
And netheles she wiste wele
My word stood on an other whele
Withouten any faiterie.
But algate of my maladie
She bad me tell and say her trouthe.
' Madame, if ye wolde have routhe,'
Quod I, 'than wolde I telle you.;
'Say forth,' quod she, 'and telle me
how,
Shewe me thy sikenesse every dele.'
' Madame, that can I do wele,
Be so my life therto wol laste.'
With that her loke on me she caste
And saide: 'In aunter4 if thou live
My wille is first, that thou be
shrive;


I 1 Kete, heed.
': Faitours, dissemblers.
4      /;i nit;terf. if it happen.


2 Eft, again.




52


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And netheles how that it is
I wot my selfe, but for all this
Unto mv Prest which cometh anone
I wxol thou telle it one and one,
Both al thy thought and al thy werke.
O Genius, min owne clerke,
Come forth, and here this mannes
shrifte,'
Quod Venus tho. And I uplifte
Min hede with that, and gan beholde
The self6 Prest, whiche as she
wolde
Was redy there and fet him doune
To here my Confession.
bi5s worthy prest, this holy man
To me spekend thus began
And saide: " Benedicite
My sone, of the felicite
Of Love and eke of all the wo
Thou shalt be shrive of bothe two.
What thou er 1 this for loves sake
Hast felt, let nothing be forsake;
Tel pleinly as it is befalle."
And with that worde I gan down
falle
On knees, and with devocion
And with full great contricion
I saide thanne! " Dominus
Min holy fader Genius,
So as thou haste experience
Of Love, for whose reverence
Thou shalt me shriven at this time,
I pray thee let me nought mistime
My.shrifte, for I am destourbed
In all min herte and so contourbed,
That I ne may my wittes gete;
So shal I moche thing foryete.2
But if thou wolt my shrifte oppose 3
Fro point to pointe, than I suppose
There shall nothing be left behinde.
But now my wittes be so blinde,
1 Er, ere.  2 Foryete, forget.
0Oppose, test by argument.


That I ne can my selfe teche."
Tho1 he beganne anon to preche,
And with his wordes debonaire
He saide to me softe and faire:
" My sone, I am assigned here
Thy s nrift to oppose anc here
By Venus the godd6sse above,
Whose prest I am touchend of love.
" But netheles for certain skill 2
I mote algate 3 and nedes will '
Nought only make my spekinges
Of Love, but of other thinges
That touchen to the cause of Vice.
For that belongeth to thoffice
Of Prest, whose ordre that hbere:
So that I wol nothing forbere
That I the Vices one and one
Ne shall thee shewen everichone,
Wherof thou might take evidence
To reule with thy conscience.
But of cncIusTion final
Conclude I wolde in speciall
For Love, whose servasuint I am
And why the cause is that I cam.
So thenke I to do bothe two,First that 4 min ordre lorigeth to
The Vices for to telle a rewe; 5
But nexte, above all other, shewe
Of Love I wol the propretes,
How tlat they stonde by degres
After the disposici6n
Of Venus, whose condicion
I must folwe as I am holde,
For I with Love am al witholde,6
So that the lasse I am to wite,7
Though I ne conne but a lite 8
Of other thinges that bene wise;
I am nought taught in suche a wise.
1 TAo, then; from an indeclinable tha.
When it means 'those,' it is from tha, plural
of 'that.'
2 Skill, discrimination.
M M1ote alg-ale, must always.
4 That which belongs to my calling.
5 A rewe, in row, in their order.
6 WIitholde, retained.
7 To wite, to blame. 8 Know but a little.




BOOK I.


53


For it is nought my comnun use
To speke of vices and vertfise,
But all of Love and of his lore,
For Venus bokes of no more.Me techen, nouther text ne glose.
But for als moche as I suppose
It sit a Prest to be wel thewed 1
And shame it is if he be lewed,:
Of my presthode after the fonne
I wol thy shrifte so enfonne,
That at the laste thou shalt here
The Vices, and to thy matere
Of Love I shal hem so remieve
That thou shalt knows what they
meve.
For what a man shall axe or saine
Touchend of shrifte, it mot be
pleine; 3
It nedeth nought to make it queinte,4
For Trouth his wordes wol nought
peinte.
That I wol axe of thee forthy,
My sone, it shal be so pleinly
That thou shalt knowe and understonde
The pointes of Shrift how that they
stoiid&e     '
[The Senses: S'igIt and Hearig.]
3ctwene the life and death I
herde
This Prestes tale er I answerde;
And than I praid him for to say
His will, and I it wolde obey
After the fonne of his apprise.
Tho spake he to me in such wise
And bad me, that I sholde shrive
As touchende of my witts fiye,
And shape that they were amended
Of that I hadde hem mispended.
I Vell tzhewed, of good manners.
2 Lewedt, unlearned as the common people.
3 Pleine, plain.
4 Queinte, ingeniously elaborated.


For tho1 be properly the gates,
Through which as to the hert
algates 2
Cometh all thing unto the feire
Which may the mannes foule empeire.3
And now this matter is brought in,
" My sone, I thenk6 first beginne
To wit4 how that thin eye hath
stonde,
The whiche is as I understonde
The moste principal of alle
Through whom that peril may befalle.
And for to speke in Loves kinde,
Full many suche a man may finde
Whiche ever caste aboute here eye
To loke if that they might aspie
Ful oft6 thing which hem ne toucheth,
But only that here herte soucheth 9
In hindringe of an other wight.
And thus ful many a worthy knight
And many a lusty lady bothe
Have be full ofte sithes wrothe;
So that an eye is as a thefe
To Love, and doth ful great meschefe;
And also for his owne part
Ful oft6 thilke firy dart
Of love, which that ever brenneth,
Through him0 into the herte renneth.
And thus a mannes eye ferst
Him self6 greveth altherwerst,7
And many a time that he knoweth
Unto his owne harme it groweth.
My sone, herken now forth'y
A tale, to be ware therby
1 Tho, those.  2 Algates, always.
3 Eompcire, impair, injure.
4 To wtit, to know.
'5 Soucheth, suspecteth.
(; I/im, (the eye). ' It' was used only in the
nominative and accusative. 'His' and 'him'
are both masculine and neuter.
7 Althzevwerst, worst of all.




54


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Thin eye for to kepe and warde,
So that it passe nought his warde.
"(' )ibd telleth in his boke
Ensample touchend of misloke
And saith, how whilom ther was one
A worthy lord, whiche Acteon
Was hote,1 and he was cousin nigh
To him that Thebes first on high
Upsette,2 which king Cadme hight.
This Acte6n, as he wel might,
Above all other cast his chere,3
And used it from yere to yere
With houndes and with grete homes
Among the wodes and the thornes
To make his hunting and his chace;
Where him best thought, in every
place,
To finde gamen in his way,
There rode he for to hunte and play.
So him befelle upon a tide 4
On his hunting as he gan ride
In a foreste alone he was;
He sigh5 upon the grene gras
The faire fresshe floures springe;
He herd among the leves singe
The throstel with the nightingale.
Thus, er he wist, into a dale
He came, wher was a litel pleine
All rounde aboute wel beseine
With busshes grene and cedres
high,And there within he caste his eye.
Amid the plaine he saw a welle
So faire there might no man telle,
In which Diana naked stood,
To bathe and piay her in the flood,
With many a nimphe which her
serveth.
But he his eye awey ne swerveth
Fro here, which was naked all.
And she was wonder wroth withall,
1  loe, called.
2 UIfsette. set up.
3 Cast his che7e, lifted Iis face,
4  O/z   a tide, upon a time.  Sigh, st\.


And him, as she which was goddesse,
Forshope anone, and the likenesse
She made him him taken of an herte,
Which was tofore his hib-h-des stert e,
That ronne besilich aboute
With many an home and many a
route,
That maden mochel noise and crie:
And att6 laste unhappilie
This hert his owne houndes slough
And him for vengeaunce all todrough.2
"Lo now, my sone, what it is
A man to caste his eye amis,
Which Acte6n hath dere abought;
Beware forthy 3 and do it nought.
For oft6, who that hedd toke,
Better is to winke than to loke.
And for to proven it is so
Ovide the poete also
A tale, whiche to this matere
Accordeth, saith, as thou shalt here.
g1T Methamor4 it telleth thus,
-ow-tat —arlord whiche Phorceus
Was hote,5 hadde doughters thre.
But upon their nativite
Such was the constellacion,
That out of mannes nacion
For kinde they be so miswent,
That to the likenesse of a serp6nt
They were bothe, and so that one
Of hem was cleped Stellibone,
That other suster Suriale,
The thrid, as telleth in the tale,
Medusa hight; and netheles
Of comun name Gorgones
In every contre there about,
As monstres whiche that men
doute,6
] 1,orshofpe, transformed.
2  I  t. to-drough, pulled to pieces.:' ];rt,( y, therefore.
4 2rethaior, (Ovid's) IMetamorphoses.
' lVas kotc, was called.
6 ]Dote, fear.




BOOK L


55


Men clepen 1 hem; and but one eye
Among hem thre in purpartie2
They had of which they mighte se,
Now hathe it this, nowe hath it
she.
After that cause and nede it ladde
By throwes eche of hem it hadde.:`
A wonder thing yet more amis
There was, wherof I telle al this:
W\hat man on hem his chere caste 4
And hem behelde, he was als faste
Out of a man into a stone
Forshape,5 and thus ful many one
Deceived were, of that they wolde
Misloke where that they ne shulde.
But Perseus that worthy knight,
Whom Pallas of her grete might
Halpe, and toke him a shield therto,
And eke the god Mercury also
Lent him a swerde, he, as it fell,
Beyond Athlans the highe hill
These monstres sought, and there
he fonde
Diverse men of thilke londe
Through sight of hem mistorne'd
were
Stondend as stones here and there.
But he,-which wisdome and prowesse
Hath of the god and the goddesse,The shielde of Pallas gan embrace,
With which he covereth sauf6 his
face,
Mercuries swerde and out he
drough,
And so he bare him that he slough
These dredfull monstres alle thre.
"Lo now, my sone, avise the,
That thou thy sight nought misuse;
Cast nought thin eye upon Meduse
1 Clefen, name.  2 Purfartie, share.
3 As cause and need directed, each of them
had it at times.
4 His chere caste, turned his face.
F 'orshape, transformed.
Sauf, safely.


That thou be torned into stone.
For so wise man was never none
But if he woll his eye kepe
And take of foul delite no kepe,l
That he with luste nis2 ofte nome
Through strengthe of love, and overcome.
Of mislokinge how it hath ferde,
As I have told, now hast thou herde.
"( X?  gode sone, take good hede,
And over this yet I thee rede,3
That thou beware of thin hering,
Which to the herte the tiding
Of many a vanite hath brought
To tarie with 4 a mannds thought.
And netheles good is to here
Such thing, wherof a man may lerc
That 6 to vertue is accordafint;
And toward all the remenauint
Good is to torne his er6 fro,
For elles but a man do so
Him may ful ofte misbefalle.
I rede ensample amonges alle,
Wherof to kepe wel an ere
It oughte put a man in fere.
"A serpent, which that aspidis
Is clepdd, of his kinde hath this,
That he the stone noblest of alle
The which that men carbuncle calle
Berethin his heed above on heighte.
For which whan that a man by
sleighte,
The stone to winne and him to
daunte
With his carecte " him wolde enchaunte,
Anone as he perceiveth that,
He lith down his one ere al plat
Unto the ground, and halt it faste,
And eke that other ere als faste
1.VAo keyc, no heed.  2 Aris, is not.
3 In addition to this I counsel you.
4 To tarie oiith, wherewith to corrupt,
French 'tarer.'
5 I.earn that which.; Carectc, magic spell.




CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


He stoppeth with his tail so sore,
That he the wordes lasse or more
Of his enchauntdment ne hereth.
And in this wise him selfe he
skiereth,l
So that he hath the wordes weived 2
And thus his ere is nought deceived.
"An other thing who that recordeth
Lyke unto this ensample accordeth,
Whiche in the tale of Troye I finde.
Sirenes of a wo nder kinde
Ben monstres, as the bokes tellen,
And in the Grete See 3 they dwellen,
Of body bothe and of visage
Like unto women of yonge age
Up fro the navel on high they be,
And down benethe, as men may se,
They bere of fisshes the figure.
And over this, of such nature
They ben, that with so swete a
steven 4
Like to the melodie of heven
In womannishe vois they singe,
With notes of so great likinge,
Of suche mesure, of suche musike,
Wherof the shippes they beswike 5
That passen by the costes there.
For whan the shipmen lay an ere
Unto the vois, in here avis 6
They wene it be a paradis,
Whiche after is to hem an helle.
For reson may nought with hem
dwelle
Whan they the grete lustes 7 here,
They conne nought here shippes
stere;
So besilich upon the note
They herken and in such wise
assote,8
1 Skiereth, secureth. 2 IVeived, set aside.
3 The Grete See, was the name of the Mediterranean.
4 Stezeen, voice.  5 Beswike, betray.
6 Here avis, their opinion.
7 Lustes, delight.
8 Assote, become besotted.


That they here righte cours and
weie
Foryete, and to their ere obeie,
And sailen till it so befalle
That they into the perill falle
Where as the shippes ben to-drawe
And they ben with the monstres
slawe.
But fro this peril netheles
With his wisd6m king Ulixes
Escapeth and it over passeth,
For he to-fore the hond compasseth
That no man of his compaignie
Hath power unto that folie
His ere for no lust to caste.
For he hem stopped alle faste,
That non of hem may here hem
sing.
So whan they comen forth sailing,
There was such governaunce on
honde
That they the monstres have withstonde,
And slain of hem a great partie.
Thus was he sauf with his navie
This wise king through governaunce.
"Herof, my sone, in remembrauince,
Thou might ensample taken here
As I have tolde, and what thou here
Be wel ware, and yef no credence
But if2 thou se more evidence.
For if thou woldest take kepe 3
And wisely couthest warde and
kepe
Thine eye and ere, as I have spoke,
Than haddest thou the gates stoke 4
Fro such foly as cometh to winne
Thin hertes wit whiche is withinne.
Wherof, that now thy love excedeth
Mesure, and many a peine bredeth:
1 Tofore the hoetd, before hand.
2 But if unless.
3 Take kepe, take heed.
4 Stokefro, barred against.




BOOK I.


57


But if thou couthest sette in reule
Tho two the thre weretli.to reule.
Forthy as of thy wittes five
I wol as nowe no more shrive,
But only of these ilke two.
Tel me, therfore, if it be so,Hast thou thine eye nought misthrowe?"
"My fader yea, I am beknowe,
I have hem cast upon Meduse,
Therof I may me nought excuse.
Min hert is growen into stone,
So that my lady there upon
Hath suche a printe of Love grave,
That I can nought my selfe save.'
'What saist thou sone, as of thin
ere?"
"My fader, I am gilty of there,
For whanneT 'my~lady here,
My wit with that hath lost his stere.
I do nought as Ulixes dede,
But falle anon upon the stede 2
Where as I se my lady stonde.
And there I do you understonde 3
I am to-pulled in my thought,
So that of reson leveth 4 nought
Wherof that I me may defende."
"My gode sone, God the amende.
For as me thenketh by thy speche
Thy wittes ben right far to seche.
As of thin ere and of thin eye
I wol no more specifie,
But I woll axen over this
Of other thing how that it is.
[Of the Seven Deadly Sins: and
PRIDE, the First of them.]
'W2 zone, as I thee shall enforme,
There ben yet of another fonne
1 FEth, easy. 'The two' are sight and hearing, which have been discussed; if you could
rule those two of the Five Senses, it would be
easy to rule the other three. Therefore of the
rest of the five, &c.
2 Stede, place.
3 Make you to understand.
4 Levtth, remaineth.


Of Dedly Vices, Seven applied,
Wherof the herte is ofte plied
To thing which after shal him greve.
The first of hem thou shalt beleve
Is Pride, whiche is principall,
And hath with him in speciall
Ministres five ful diverse,
Of which as I thee stmal reherse
The first is said Ypocrisie.
If thou art of his compaigne
Tel forth, my sone, and shrive thee
clene."
"I wote nought, fader, what ye
mene,
But this I wolde you beseche,
That ye me by somweie teche
What is to ben an ypocrite.
And than if I be for to wite 2
I wol beknowen 3 as it is."
" My sone, an ypocrite is this,A man vhich feigneth conscience
As though it were al innocence
Without, and is nought so withinne;
And doth so, for he wolde winne
Of his desire the vein estate:
And whan he cometh anone thereat,
He sheweth thann6 what he was;
The come is torned into gras,
That was a rose is than a thorne,
And he that was a lamb beforne
Is than a wolfe; and thus malice
Under the colour of justice
Is had, and, as the people telleth,
These Ordres witen4 where he
dwelleth
As he that of her5 counseil is;
And thilke world, which they er this
Forsoken, he draweth in ayeine;
He clotheth richesse, as men saine,
Under the simplest of pouerte
And doth to seme of great deserte
1 Plied, bent.
2 To owite, to blame.
3 Beknwowen, acknowledge and confess.
4 These religious orders know.
5 Her, their.




58


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Thingwhicheis litel worth withinne,
He saith, in open, fy! to sinne,
And in secre there is no vice
Of which that he nis a norice.1
And ever his chere is sobre and
softe,
And where he goth he blesseth ofte.
Wherof the blinde world he drecheth,2
But yet all only he ne strecheth
His reule upon religion.
But next to that condicion,
In suche as clepe hem holy cherche,
It sheweth eke howe he can werche
Amonge tho wide furr6d hodes
To geten hem the worldes goodes.
And they have self ben thilke same
Thatsetten most the world in blame,
But yet in contraire of here lore
There is nothing they loven more;
So that, feignend of light, they werke
The dedes whiche are inward derke,
And thus this double Ypocrisie
With his devoute apparancie,
A viser set upon his face
Wherof toward this worldes grace
He semeth to be right wel thewed,
And yet his herte is all beshrewed
But netheles he stant beleved
And hath his purpos ofte acheved
Of worship and of worldes welthe,
And taketh it as who saith by stelthe
Through coverture of his fallas.?
And right so in semblable cas
This Vice hath eke his officers
Among these other seculers
Of grete men,-for of the smale
As for to accompt he set no tale,4
But they that passen the comilne
With suche him liketh 5 to comune;
1.Norice, nurse.
2 Drecceth, troubleth.
3 Coverture of hisfallas, concealment of his
deceit.
4 Se.t no fae, makes no account.
5 Hit' li/kethf, it pleases him.


And where he saith he wol socoure
The people, there he wol devoure.
For now-a-day is many one
Which speketh of Peter and of John
And thenketh Judas in his herte;
There shall no worldes good astertc
His honde, and yet he yeveth almesse
And fasteth ofte and hereth messe
With mzea czul.a, whiche he saith;
Upon his brest ful ofte he leith
His hond and cast upward his
eye,
As though he Criste's face seie,
So that it semeth atte sight
As he alone al other might
Rescue with his holy bede.2
But yet his herte in other stede
Among his bedes most devoute
Goth in the worldes cause aboute,
How that he might his warison 3
Encrese, and in comparison
There ben lovers of suche a sorte,
That feignen hem an humble porte,
And al is but Ypocrisie,
Which with deceipte and flaterie
Hath many a worthy wife beguiled.
For whan he hath his tunge affiled
With softe speche and with lesingc
Than with his fals pit6us lokinge
He wolde make a woman wene
To gon upon the faire grene,
Whan that she falleth in the mire.
For if he may have his desire,
How so falle of the remenaunt,
He halt 4 no worde of covenaunt,
But er the time' that he spede
There is no sleighte at thilke nede,
Which any loves faitour ) may,
That he ne put it in assay
As him belongeth for to done.
The colour of the reiny mone
1 Asftirfe, escape from.  2 Beds, prayer.: I'Varison, advantage.
4 Iall, holds.  a Faitouw, dissembler.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


59


With medicine upon his face
He set, and than he axeth grace,
As he which hath sikenesse feigned;
WVhan his visage is so disteigned,
With eye up cast on her he siketh
And many a continaunce he piketh 1
To bringen her into beleve
Of thing which that he wold acheve,
Wherof he bereth the pale hewe,
And for he wolde seme trewe
He maketh him sike, whan he is
heil.
But whan he bereth lowest sail,
Than is he swiftest to beguile
The woman which that ilke while
Set upon him feith or credence.
" My sone, if thou thy conscience
Entamed hast in such a wise,
In shrifte thou the might avise
And telle it me, if it be so.'
" Min holy fader, certes no.
As for to feigne such sikenesse
It nedeth nought, for this witnesse
I take of God, that my coraige 3
Hath ben more sike than my visage.
And eke this may I well avowe,
So lowe couthe I never bowe
To feigne humilite withoute
That me ne liste better loute
With all the thoughtes of min herte.
For that thing shall me never
asterte,
I speke as to my lady dere,
To make her any feigned chere;
God wot well there I li6 nought,
My chere hath been such as my
thought.
For in good feith, this leveth wele,4
My wil was better a thousand dele
Than any chere that I couthe.5
"But sire, if I have in my youthe
1 Pikelt, pitches, sets up.
2 Entanmed, subdued.
o Corage, disposition of the heart.
4 Believe well.
5 Than any face that I could put on.


Done other wise in other place,
I put me therof in your grace.
For this excusen I ne shall,
That I have elles over all
To Love and to his compaignie
Be plein without ypocrisie.
But there is one, the whiche I serve,
All though I may no thank deserve.
To whom yet never unto this day
I saide onlich or 'ye' or 'nay,'
But if it so were in my thought
As touchend other say I nought
That I nam somdele for to wite1
Of that ye clepe an ypocrite."
"My sone, it sit wel every wight
To kepe his worde in trouth upright
Towardes Love in all wise.
For who that wold him wel avise
What hath befalle in this mat6re,
H e shulde nought with feigned chere
Deceive Love in no degre.
To Love is every herte fre,
But in deceipt if that thou feignest
And therupon thy luste atteignest,
That thou hast wonne with thy wile,
Though it thee lik6 for a while,
Thou shalt it afterward repente.
And for to prove min entente
I finde ensample in a cronique
Of hem that Love so beswike.'
Pf fell by olde daies thus,
Whil themperour Tiberius
The monarchie of Rome ladde,
There was a worthy Romain hadde
A wife, and she Paulin6 hight,
Which was to every mannes sight
Of al the cite the fairest
And as men saiden eke the best.
It is and hath ben ever yit
That so strong is no mannes wit,
Which through beaute ne may be
drawe
To love, and stonde under the lawe
1That I am not some part to blane.
2 Beswike. deceive.




6o


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Of thilke bore 1 freile kinde,
Which maketh the hertes eyen
blinde,
Where no reson may be communed.
And in this wise stode fortuined
Of whiche I wol this tale mene,
This wife, whiche in her lustes grene
Was faire and fressh and tender of
age.
She may nought lette the corage
Of him that wol on her assote."
There was a Duke, and he was
hote 3
Mundus, which had in his baillie 4
To lede the chevalerie
Of Rome, and was a worthy knight.
But yet hewas nought of such might
The strength of love to withstonde,
That he ne was so brought to honde,
That malgre where 5 he wol or no
This yongd wife he loveth so,
That he hath put all his assay
To winne thing which he ne may
Get of her graunt in no manere,
By yefte of gold, ne by praiere.
And whan he sigh,6 that by no
mede 7
Toward her love he mighte spede,
By sleighte feignend than he
wrought:
And therupon he him bethought,
How that there was in the cite
A temple of suche auctorite,
To which with great devoci6n
The noble women of the towne
Most comunlich a pelerinige
Gone for to praye thilke ymage,
Which the goddesse of childing is
And cleped was by name Ysis.
And in her temple thann6 were
To reule and to ministre there
1 Bore, born-born of that frail nature.
2 Assote, dote.  3 Hotle, called.
4 Baillie, office. h5 IWhere, whether.
6 Sigh, saw.  7 Mede, means, mode.


After the lawe which was tho,
Above all other prestes two.
This Duke, which thought his love
get,
Upon a day hem two to mete
Hath bede, and they come at his
heste,
Where that they had a riche feste.
And after mete in prive place
This lord, which wold his thank
purchace,
To eche of hem yaf thanne a yift
And spake so by waie of shrift,
He drough hem into his covine 1
To helpe and shape, how he Pauline
After his lust deceive might.
And theyher2 trouthes bothe plight,
That they by night her shulden
winne
Into the temple, and he therinne
Shall have of her all his entent.
And thus accorded forth they went.
Now list, through which Ypocrisie
Ordeigndd was the trecherie,
Wherof this lady was deceived.
These prestes hadden wel conceived,
That she was of great holinesse.
And with a counterfeit simplesse,
Which hid was in a fals corAge,
Feignend an hevenly message
They cam and saide unto her thus:
Pauline, the god Anubus
Hath sent us bothe prestes here
And saith, he wol to the appere
By nightes time him selfe alone,
For love he hath to thy persone.
And therupon he hath us bede,
That we in Ysis temple a stede
Honestly for thee purveie,
Where thou by night as we thee
saie
Of him shalt take a vision.
I Covine, secret treacherous agreement.
2 Her, their.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


For upon thy condici6n,
The whiche is chaste and full of
feith,
Suche price, as he us tolde, he leith,
That he wol stonde of thin accorde;
And for to beare herof recorde
He sende us hider bothe two.
Glad was her innocence tho
Ofsuche wordes as she herd,
With humble chere and thus answerd
And said6, that the goddes will
She was all redy to fulfill,
That by her husebondes leve
She wolde in Ysis temple at eve
Upon her goddes grace abide
To serven him the nightes tide.
The prestes tho gon home ayeine,
And she goth to her sovereine;
Of goddes will and as it was
She tolde him all the plaine cas,
Wherof he was deceived eke,
And bad that she her shuld6 meke
All hole unto the goddes heste.
And thus she, which was all honeste
To godward, after her entent
At night unto the temple went
Where that the false prestes were.
And they recefven her there
With suche a token of holinesse,
As though they seen a goddesse;
And all within in prive place
A softe bedde of larg6 space
They hadde made and encortined,
Where she was afterward engined.2
But she, whiche all hon6ur supposeth,
The false prestes than opposeth
And axeth by what observaunce
She mighte most to the plesaunce
Of god that nightes reule kepe.
And they her bidden for to slepe
1 And she told all the plain case, of how it
was the god's will. 'And' was not always
placed at the beginning of a clause.
2 Engined, trapped by a crafty contrivance.


Liggend upon the bedde a loft,
For, so they said, al still and soft
God Anubus her wolde awake.
The counseil in this wise take
The prestes fro this lady gone.
And she that wiste of guild none
In the maner as it was said
To slepe upon the bedde is leid,
In hope that she sholde acheve
Thing which stode than upon beleve
Fulfilled of all holinesse.
But she hath failed as I gesse,
For in a closet faste by
The Duke was hid so prively,
That she him mighte nought perceive.
And he that thoughte to deceive
Hath suche array upon him nome,1
That whan he wold unto her come
It shulde semen at her eye,
As though she verriliche seie
God Anubus, and in suche wise
This Ypocrite of his queintise
Awaiteth ever til she slept.
And than out of his place he crept
So stille, that she nothing herde,
And to the bed stalkend he ferde
And sodeinly, er she it wiste,
Beclipt in armes he her kiste,
Wherof in womannisshe drede
She woke and niste what to rede.2
But he with softe wordes milde
Comforteth her and saith, with
childe
He wolde her make in suche a
kinde,
That al the world shall have in
minde
The worshippe of that ilke sone;
For he shall with the goddes wone 3
And ben him selfe a god also.
With suche wordes and with mo,
1 None, taken.
2 Knew not what counsel to take.
3 Ilone, dwell.




62


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


The which he feigneth in his speche,
This ladies wit was al to seche,l
As she which alle trouthe weneth.
But he, that all untrouthe meneth,
With blinde tales so her ladde,
That all his will of her he hadde.
And whan him thought i t was inough,
Ayein the day he him withdrough
So prively, that she ne wiste
Where he be come, but as him liste
Out of the temple he goth his way.
And she began to bid and pray,
Upon the bare ground knelende,
And after that made her offrende
And to the prestes yeftes great
She yaf, and homeward by the strete
The Duke her mette and saide thus:
'The mighty god, whiche Anubus
Is hote, he save the Pauline,
For thou art of his discipline
So holy, that no mannes might
May do that he hath do to night,
Of thing which thou hast ever
eschued.
But I his grace have so pursued,
That I was made his lieutenauint.
Forthy by way of covenauint
Fro this day forth I am all thine,
And if thee like to be mine
That stant upon thin owne wille.'
She herde his tale and bare it stille
And home she went as it befell
Into her chambre and there she fell
Upon her bed to wepe and crie
And saide: 0 derke Ypocrisie,
Through whose dissimulation
Of false ymagination
I am thus wickedly deceived!
But that I have it apperceived
I thonke unto the goddes alle.


For though it ones be befalle
I shall never eft while that I live,
And thilke avow to god I yive.
And thus wependd she compleigneth
Her faire face and all disteigneth
With wofull teres of her eye,
So that upon this agonie
Her husebonde is inne come
And sigh 1 how she was overcome
With sonve, and axeth her what
her eileth.
And she with that her selfbeweileth
Well mor6 than she didde afore
And said: 'Alas, wifehode is lore
In me which whilom was honest,
I am none other than a beste
Nowe I defouled am of two!'
And as she mighte speake tho
Ashamed with a pitous onde,2
She tolde unto her husebonde
The soth of all the hole tale,
And in her speche dead and pale
She swouneth well nigh to the laste.
And he her in his armes faste
Upheld and ofte swore his oth,
That he with her is nothing wroth,
For wel he wot she may there
nought.
But netheles within his thought
His hert stode in a sory plite
And said, he wolde of that despite
Be venged how so ever it falle;
And send unto his frendes alle,
And whan they were come infere,'
He tolde hem upon this matere
And axeth hem what was to done.
And they avis6d were sone
And said, it thought hem for the
beste
To sette first his wife in reste
And after pleine to the king
Upon the matter of this thing.
Tho was his wofull wife comf6rted
1 Sig*'/, saw.
' (Onde. anger.  Zi /inf're, together.


1 All to seek, all away, as she who believes
all to be truth. 'To seek' was a phrase long
used to represent want of knowledge. So the
elder brother in Milton's Comus'I do not think my sister so to seek
Or so undisciplined in virtue's book.'




ROOK I.-PRIDE.


63


By alle waies and disported,
Til that she was somdele amended.
And thus a day or two dispended
The thridde day she goth to pleine
With many a worthy citezeine
And he with many a citezein.
Whan themperour it herde saine
And knew the falsehed of the vice,
He said he wolde do justice.
And first he let the prestes take,
And for they shulde it nought forsake
He put hem into questi6n.
But they of the suggesti6n
Ne couthe nought a word refuse,
But for they wold hem self excuse
The blame upon the Duke they
laide.
But thereayein the counseil saide,
That they be nought excused so
For he is one and they be two,
And two have more wit than one,
So thilke excusement was none.
And over that, was said hem eke
That whan men wolden vertue seke
Men shulden it in the prestds finde,
Their ordre is of so high a kinde,
That they be divisers 2 of the wey.
Forthy if any man forswey 3
Through hem, they be nought excustble,
And thus by lawe resonable
Among the wise jug6s there
The prestes bothd dampned were,
So that the prive trecher~
Hid under false Ypocrisie
Was thanne all openliche shewed,
That many a man hem hath beshrewed.
And whan the prestes weren dede,
The temple of thilk horrible dede
They thoughten purge and thilke
ymage
1 Forsake, deny.  2 Dl/'7sers, tellers.
3 ForYsey, swerve aside, go wrong.


VWhose cause was the pelrinage
They drowen out and also faste
Fer into Tiber they it caste,
\Vhere the river it hath defied.'
And thus the temple purified
They have of thilke horrible sinne,
Which was that time do 2 therinne.
Of this point such was the divise.
But of the duke was otherwise;
For3 he with love was bestad
His dome was nought so harde lad.
For love put ref6n awey
And can nought se the righte wey.
And by this cause he was respited,
So that the deth him was acquited,
But for all that he was exiled,
For he his love had so beguiled,
That he shall never come ayeine.
For he that is to trouth unpleine
He may nought failen of vengeaunce
And eke to tak6 remembraunce
Of that Ypocrisie hath wrought.
On other half, men shulde nought
To lightly leve all that they here,
But thanne shulde a wiseman stere
The ship, whan suchewindes blowe;
For first though they beginne lowe,
At ende they be nought mevable,4
But all to-broken mast and cable,
So that the ship, with sodain blast
Whan men leste wene, is overcast.
As now full ofte a man may se,
And of old time how it hath be
I finde a great experience,
W\Verof to take an evidence
Good is, and to beware also
Of the perill er him be woo."
"O(f hem   that ben so derk
withinne
At Troie also if we beginne,
1 Defied, digested. So in 'The Vision of
Piers Plowman,' wyn the roste to defye.'
2 At that time done.
3 For, because.
4 Mezvable, to be moved.; Before woe betides him.




64


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Ypocrisie it hath betraied.
For whanthe Grekes had all assaied
And founde that by no bataile
Ne by no siege it might availe
The town to winne through prowesse,
This Vice feigned of simplesse,
Through sleight of Calcas and of
Crise
It wan by such a maner wise:
An horse of brass they let do forge
Of suche entaile,1 of suche a forge,
That in this world was never man
That such an other werk began.
The crafty werkeman Epius
It made, and for to telle thus,
The Grekes that thoughten to beguile
The king of Troie in thilke while
With Antenor and with Enee,
That were bothe.of the citee
And of the counseil the wisest,
The richest and the mightiest,
In prive place so they trete
With fair beheste and yeftes grete
Of gold, that they hem have engfnod
To-gider and whan they be covined,
They feignen for to make pees,
And under that yet netheless
They shopen the destruction
Bothe of the king and of the town.
And thus the false pees was take
Of hem of Grece and undertake,
And therupon they founde a way,
Where strengthd mighte nought
away,
That sleighte shulde helpe thanne,
And of an inche a large spanne,2
By colour of the pees they made:
And tolden how they were glade
Of that they stoden in accorde,
And, for it shall ben of recorde,
1 Entaile, carving.
2 An ell should be got out of an inch under
outward show of the peace made.


Unto the king the Gregois saiden
By way of love and thus they
praiden,As they that wolden his thank
deserve,
A sacrifice unto Minerve
The pees to kepe in good entent
They must offre, or that they went.
The King, counseiled in the cas
By Antenor and Eneas,
Therto hath yoven his assent.
So was the pleine trouthe blent1
Through counterfeit Ypocrisie.
Of that they shulden sacrifie
The Grekes under the holinesse
Anone with alle besinesse
Here hors of brass let faire dight,
Which was to sene a wonder sight.
For it was trapped of him selve
And had of smale wheles twelve,
Upon the whiche men inowe
With craft toward the town it drowe,
And goth glistrend ayein the sonne.
Tho was there joie inough begonne,
For Troie in great devocion
Came also with procession
Ayein this noble sacrifice
With great honour, and in this wise
Unto the gates they it broughte:
But of here entre whan theysoughte,
The gates weren all to smale.
And therupon was many a tale;
But for the worship of Minerve,
To whom they comen for to serve,
They of the town which understood
That all this' thing was done for
good,
For pees, wherof that they ben
glade,
The gates that Neptunus made
A thousand winter ther to-fore
They have anone to-broke and tore,
The stronge walles down they bete,
So that into the large strete
1 Blent, blinded.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


65


This horse with great solempnite
Was brought withinne the cite,
And offred with great reverence,
Which was to Troie an evidence
Of love and pees for evermo.
The Gregois token lev6 tho
With all the hole felaship,
And forth they wenten into ship,
And crossen sail, and made hem
yare,l
Anone as though they wolden fare.2
But whan the blacke winter night
Withoute mone or sterre light
Bederk'd hath the water stronde,
Al prively they gone to londe
Full armed out of the navie.
Sinon, whiche made was here espie
\Withinne Troie, as was conspired,
Whan time was, a tokne hath fired,
And they with that here waie holden
And comen in, right as they Nwolden,
There as the gate wras to-broke.
The purpose was full take and spoke
Er any man may teke kepe,
Whil that the citee was aslepe;
They slowen al that was withinne
And token what they mightenwinne
Of such good as was suffisaunt
And brenden 3 up the remenaunt.
And thus come out the trecherie,
Which under false Ypocrisie
Was hid, and they that wende 4 pees
Tho mighten finde no releese
Of thilke swerd whiche al devoureth.
Full ofte and thus the swete soureth
Whan it is knowe to the taste,
He spilleth many a worde in waste
That shal with such a people trete,
For whan he wNeneth most beyete a
Than is he shape most to lese.
1 Yarc, ready.
2 As though they would go.
3 Brenden, burnt.
4 IVcnde, hoped for, expected.
5 Whcu he expects to get most.


And right so if a woman chese 1
Upon the word6s that she hereth,
Som man whan he most true appereth
Than is he furthest fro the trouthe.
But yet full ofte, and that is routhe,
They speden that ben most untrue
And loven every day a newe,
Wherof the life is after lothe
And love hath cause to be wrothe.
But what man that his lust desireth
Of love and therupon conspireth
With wordes feigned to deceive,
He shall nought faile to receive
His peine as it is ofte sene.
"Forthy my sone, as I the mene,
It sit thee well to taken hede,
That thou escheue of thy manhede
Ypocrisie and his semblaunt,
That thou ne be nought deceivaunt
To make a woman to beleve
Thing whiche is nought in thy
beleve.
For in suche feint Ypocrisie
Of Love is all the trecherie,
Through which love is deceived
ofte.
For feigned semblaunt is so softe,
Unnethes2 Love may be ware.
Forthy my sone, as I well dare,
I charge the to flee that vice,
That many a woman hath made
nice,
But loke thou deld nought withall."
"Iwis   my fader, no more I
shall.""Now, sone, kepe that thou hast
swore.
For this that thou hast herd before
Is said the firste point of Pride.
And next upon that other side
I Chcse, choose.
L Unethezs, not easily.
a Iwis (" gewis ") certainly.
E




66


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


To shrive and speken over this,
Touchend of Pride, yet there is
The Point Seconde I thee behote,1
Which Inobedience is hote.
Inobedience.
f)i5$ rice of Inobedience
Ayein the reule of conscience
All that is humble he disaloweth,
That he toward his God ne boweth
After the lawe's of his heste.2
Nought as a man, but as a beste
Whiche goth upon his lustes wilde
So goth this proude Vice 'unmilde,
That he disdeigneth alle lawe.
He not 3 what is to be felawe,
And serve may he nought for pride.
So is he ledde on every side
And is that selve of whom men
speke,
Which woll nought bowe er that he
breke.
I not 3 if Love might him plie,4
For elles for to justifie
His herte, I not 3 what might availe..Forthy 5 my sone, of suche entaile
If that thin herte be disposed,
Telle out and let it nought be glosed.
For if that thou unbuxome G be
To love, I not 3 in what degre
Thou   shalt thy  goode worde
acheve.'""My fader, ye shal well beleve,
The yonge6 whelpe which is affaited7
Hath nought his maister better
awaited
To couche whan he saith: go lowe,
Than I anone as I may knowe
My lady will me bowe more.
I Behote, promised.
2 Heste, commandment.
3 Not, knows not.
4 Plie, bend.
5 Forthy, therefore.
6 Unbttxome, unbending, un-bow-some.
7 Af-aiied, bound to some object, tamed.


But other while I grucche sore
Of some thingds that she doth,
Wherof that I woll telle soth.
For of two pointes I am bethought,
That though I wolde I mighte nought
Obeie unto my ladies hest;
But I dare make this behest
Sauf only of that ilke two,
I am unbuxome of no mo."
" What ben tho two, tell on," quod
he.
"My fader, this is one, that she
Commaundeth me my mouthe to
close,
And that I shulde her nought oppose
In love, of whiche I ofte preche,
And plenerlich 1 of suche a speche
Forbere and suffre her in pees.
But that ne might I netheles
For all this worlde obey iwis.2
For whan I am there as she is,
Though she my tales nought allowe,
Ayein her will yet mote I bowe
To seche if that I might have grace.
But that thing may I nought embrace
For ought that I can speke or do.
And yet full ofte I speke so,
That she is wroth and saith: be
stille.
If I that heste shall fulfille
And therto ben obedient,
Than is my cause fully shent,
For specheles may no man spede.
So wote I nought what is to rede.3
But certes I may nought obeie,
That I ne mote algate 4 saie
Some what of that I wolde mene,
For ever it is aliche grene
The greate love which I have,
Wherof I can nought bothe save
My speche and this obedience.
1 Pienerlich, fully, wholly.
' lvwis, certainly.
3I know not what is to be counselled.
4 Algate, always.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


67


And thus full ofte my silence
I breke, and is the firste point
Wherof that I am out of point
In this, and yet it is no Pride.
" Now than upon that other side
To tell my disobeisaunce,
Full sore it stant to my grevaunce
And may nought sinke into my wit.
Full oft6 time she me bit 1
To leven her and chese a newe;
And saith, if I the sothe knewe
How fer I stonde from her grace,
I shulde love in other place.
But therof wol I disobeie,
For also wel she mighte saie
'Go take the mone there it sit,'
As bringe that into my wit.
For there was never rooted tree
That stood so faste in his degree,
That I ne stonde more faste
Upon her love, and may nought
caste
Min herte awey all though I wolde.
For God wote though I never sholde
Sene her with eye after this daie,
Yet stant it so, that I ne maie
Her love out of my brest remue.
This is a wonder retenue,
That malgre wlhere2 she woll or
none
Min herte is evermo in one,
So that I can none other chese,
But whether that I winne or lese
I must her loven till I deie;
And thus I breke, as by that weie,
Herhestes and her cmmaundinges.
But trulich in none other thinges.
Forthy my fader, what is more
Touchende unto this ilke lore
I you beseche, after the forme
That ye pleinly me wolde enforme,
So that I may min herte reule
In Loves cause after the reule."
1,it, prays.
Wltere, whether.,z1urzmur andz Complain/.
Zowarb this Vice of which we
trete
There ben yet tweie of thilke
estrete,1
Her name is Murmur and Compleinte.
Ther can no man her chere peinte
To sette a glad semblaunt therinne:
For though Fortune make hem
winne,
Yet grucchen they; and if they lese
There is no waie for to chese
Wherof they mighten stonde appesed.
So ben they comunly disesed,
There may no welth ne no pouerte
Attempren hem to the deserte 3
Of buxomnesse by no wise.
For oft6 time they despise
The goodd fortune as the badde,
As they no mannes reson hadde,
Through Pride wherof they be
blinde.
And right of such a maner kinde
Ther be lovers, that though they
have
Of love all that they woldd crave,
Yet wol they grucche by some
weie.
That they wol nought to love obeie
Upon the trouth, as they do sholde.
And if hem lacketh that they wolde,
Anon they falle in such a peine,
That ever unbuxomly they pleine
Upon Fortune and curse and crie,
That they wol nought her hertes
plie
To suffre, till it better falle.
Forthy if thou amonges alle
1 OftJ/ilc estrete, of the same street, neigh;
bours.
IcHer, their.  3 Dcsei-r, merit.




68


CONFESSIO A1MANTIS.


Hast used this condicion,
My sone, in thy Confessi6n
Now tell me pleinly what thou
art.""My fader, I beknowe 1 a part
So as ye tolden here above
Of Murmur and Compleint of Love;
That for I se no spede comende,
Ayein Fortune compleignende
I am, as who saith, evermo
And eke full ofte time also.
Whan so as that I se or here
Of hevy word or hevy chere
Of my lady, I grucche anone,
But wordes dare I speke none
Wherof she mightd be displesed.
But in min herte I am disesed
With many a Murmur god it wote,
Thus drinke I in min owne swote.2
And though I make no semblaunt,
Min herte is all dis6beisauint,
And in this wise I me confesse
Of that ye clepe TInbuxomnesse.
Now telleth what your counseil
is."-: My sone, as I thee rede this,
What so befall of other weie,
That thou to loves hest obeie
Als fer as thou it might suffise.
For ofte sith:' in such a wise
Obedience in love availeth,
Where all a mannes strengthe
faileth:
Wherof if that thee list to wit,
In a cronique as it is writ
A great ensample thou might finde,
Which now come is into my minde.
f)crc wecs whilom by daies olde
A worthy knight, and as men tolde
He was neveu to themperour
And of his court a courteour.
Wifeles he was, Florent he hight,
He was a man that mochel might.
1 bLZkis; C''. confre-.  'e  S'tZuOfi. sw\\eat.
a OfCie ti/i, uftentimes.


Of armes he was desir6us,
Chivailerous and amorous,
And for the fame of worldes speche
Straunge aventreds for to seche
He rode the marches all aboute.
And fell a time, as he was oute,
Fortune, which may every threde
To-breke1 and knitte of mannes
spede,2
Shope, as this knight rode in a pas,
That he by strengthe taken was,
And to a castell they him ladde,
Where that he fewd frendes hadde.
For so it fell that ilke stounde,
That he hath with a dedly wounde,
Fightend, his owne hondes slain
Branchus, whiche to the Capitain
Was sone and heire, wherof ben
wrothe
The fader and the moder bothe.
That knight Branchus was of his
honde
The worthiest of all his londe,
Andfain theywolden do vengeauince
Upon Florent, but remembraince
That they toke of his worthinesse,
Of knighthode and of gentilesse,
And how he stood of cousinage
To themperour, made hem assuage,
And dorste nought slaine him for
fere.
In great desputeson they were
Among hem selfe, that3 was the
best.
There was a lady, the sliest
Of alle that men knewen tho,
So olde she might unnethes go,
And was grauntdame to the dede.
And she with that began to rede4
And saide hem she wol bring him
inne,
That she shal him to dethe winne
1 To-bi;-c.e, break up altogether.  To- is an
intensive prefix.
'2 Sict, prosperity.
|: WhVat.  4  lRcde, counsel.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


69


All only of his owne graunt
Through strength of verray covenaunt 1
Withoute blame of any wight.
Anone she sende for this knight
And of her sone she alleide 2
The deth, and thus to him she
saide:
'Florent, how so ever thou be to
wite a
Of Branchus deth, men shal respite
As now to takd vengement,
Be so thou stonde in jug6ment
Upon certein condicion,
That thou unto a question
Which I shall axe shalt answere.
And over this thou shalt eke swere,
That if thou of the sothe faile,
There shal non other thinge availe,
That thou ne shalt thy deth receive;
And for men shal thee nought deceive
That thou therof might ben avised,
Thou shalt have day and time
assised
And leve saufly for to wende,
Be so that at thy dai6s ende
Thou come ayein with thin avise.'
This knight, which worthy was and
wise,
This lady praieth, that he may wit
And have it under seales writ,
What question it sholde be
For which he shall in that degre
Stonde of his life in jeopartie.
With that she feigneth compaignie
And saith: 'Florent, on love it
hongeth
All that to min axingc longeth:What all women most desireThis woll I axe, and in thempire
Where thou hast moste knowleching
1 Verray coveenaaun, a true agreement.
2 Alleide, alleged.  3 To wite, to blame.


Tak6 counsdil of this axinge.'
Florent this thing hath undertake;
The day was set and time take:
Under his seale he wrote his othe
In such a wise, and forth he gothe
Home to his emes 1 courte ayein,
To whom his aventfir6 plein
He tolde, of that is him befalle.
And upon that they weren alle
The wisest of the londe assent,
But netheles of one assent
They might6 nought accorde plat,
One saide this, an other that;
After the disposition
Of natural complexion
To some woman it is plesadince
That to another is grevadince,
But suche a thinge in speciall
Whiche to hem alle in generall
Is most plesaunt and most desired
Above all other and most conspired,
Suche o 2 thing conne they nought
finde
By constellation ne kinde.s
And thus Florent withoute cure
NMot stonde upon his aventfire
And is al shape unto the lere,4
And in defaulte of his answere
This knight hath lever for to deie
Than breke his trouth, and for to lie
In place where he was swore,
And shapeth him gone ayein r, therfore.
" Whan time cam he toke his leve
That lenger wolde he nought beleve '
And praieth his eme he be nought
wroth,
For that is a point of his oth,
1  line. uncle.    '2 0. one.
3 Kitnd, nature.
4 Lere, learning (finding the answer to the
question).
t Makes himself ready to go back again.
Belez'e, remain.




70


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


He saith, that no man shal him
wreke,l
Though afterward men here speke
That he periventure deie.
And thus he wente forth his weie
Alone as a knight aventurous
And in his thought was curi6us
To witte what was best to do.
And as he rode alone so
And cam nigh there he wolde be,
In a fordst there under a tree
He sigh 2 where sat a creiitire,
A lothly womannissh figuire,
That for to speke of flesshe and
bone
So foule yet sigh he never none.
This knight behelde her redily,
And as he wolde have passed by
She cleped him and bad abide.
And he his hors heved 3 aside
Tho 4 torned and to her he rode
And there he hoved 5 and abode
To witte 6 what she wolde mene.
And she began him to bemene 7
And saide: 'Florent, by thy name
Thou hast on honde such a game
That but thou be the better avised
Thy deth is shapen and devised,
That al the world ne may thee save,
But if that thou my counseil have.'
Florent whan he this tale herde,
Unto this olde wight answerde
And of her counseil he her praide.
And she ayein to him thus saide:
' Florent, if I for thee so shape,
That thou through me thy deth
escape
And take worship of thy dede,
What shall I have to my mede?'
'What thing,' quod he, 'that thou
wolde axe.'


'I bid never a better taxe,'
Quod she, 'but first, or thou be
sped,
Thou shalt me levd suche a wed 1
That I woll have thy trouth on
honde,
That thou shalt be min husebonde.'
'Nay,' saith Florent, 'that may
nought be.'
' Ridd thanne forth thy way,' quod
she,
'And if thou go withoute rede,
Thou shalt be sekerliche dede.'
Florent behight 2 her good inough
Of londe, of rent, of parke, of
plough,
But all that compteth she at nought.
Tho fell this knight in mochel
thought,
Now goth he forth, now cometh
ayein,
He wot nought what is best to sain,
And thought as he rode to and fro,
That chesehe moteone of the two —
Or for to take her to his wife
Or elles for to lese his life.
And than he caste his avauntge,
That she was of so great an age
That she may live but a while,
And thought to put her in an ile
\Where that no man her shulde
knowe
Til she with deth were overthiowe.
And thu ththis yong lusty knight
Unto this olde lothly wight
Tho said: 'If that none other
chaunce
May mak6 my deliveraunce
But only thilke same speche
Which as thou saist thou shalt me
teche,
Have here min honde, I shal thee
wedde.'


1 Wreke, avenge.
o Hezed, head.
5 Hored, waited.
7 Bezene, bemoan.


2 Sigh, saw.
4 'rT, then.
6 To iCit, to know.
8 BuGt / unless.


1 WVed, pledge.
- Behiigtt, promised.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


71


And thus his trouth he leith to
wedde.
With that she frounceth up the
browe:
'This covenaunt woll I allowe,'
She saith, ' if any other thing
But that thou hast of my teching
Fro deth thy body may respite,
I woll thee of thy trouth acquite,
And elles by none other waie.
Now herken me what I shall saie:
Whan thou art come into the
place,
Where now   they maken great
manace
And upon thy coming abide,
They wol anone the same tide
Oppose thee of thine answere.
I wot thou wolt no thing forbei'e
Of that thou wenest be thy beste,
And if thou might so finde reste
Wel is, for than is ther no more.
And elles this shall be my lore,
That thou shalt saie:-Upon this
Molde
That alle Women Ievest wolde
Be Soverein of Mannes Love:For what woman is so above
She hath, as who saith, all her wille,
And elles may she nought fulfille
What thinge her were levest have.
With this answere thou shalt save
Thy self, and other wise nought.
And whan thou hast thy ende
wrought,
Come here ayein, thou shalt me
finde,
And let nothinge out of thy minde.'
He goth him forth with hevy chere,
As he that not 1 in what manere
He may this worldes joie atteigne:
For if he deie he hath a peine;
And if he live he mote him binde
To suche one which of alle kinde
1 Not, knows not.


Of women is the unsemlieste.
Thus wot he nought what is the
beste.
But be him lief or be him loth
Unto the castel forth he goth
His full answere for to yive
Or for to deie or for to live.
Forth with his counseil came the
lorde,
The thinges stoden of recorde,
He send up for the lady sone,
And forth she cam that old6 mone.1
In presence of the remenaunt
The strengthe of all the covenaunt
Tho was rehersed openly,
And to Florent she bad forthy
That he shall tellen his avise
As he that wot what is the prise.
Florent saith all that ever he couth,
But such word cam ther none to
mouth,
That he for yefte or for beheste
Might any wise his deth areste.
And thus he tarieth longe and late,
Til that this lady bad algate
That he shall for the dome finall
Yef2 his answere in speciall
Of that she had him first opposed.
And than he hath truly supposed,
That he him may of nothing yelpez
But if so by tho wordes helpe
WVhich as the woman hath him
taught,
Wherof he hath an hop6 caught
That he shall be excused so,
And tolde out plein his willd tho.
And whan that this matrond herde
The maner how this knight answerde,
She said: 'Ha, treson ' Wo thee be
That hast thus tolde the privete,
Whiche alle women most desire!
I wolde that thou were afire!'
1  lfone, wicked one, hag.
Yf, give.   3 Ye.;e, boast.




72


CONFESSIO AMA NTIS.


But netheles in suche a plite
Florent of his answere is quite.
And tho began his sorwe newe,
For he mot gone or ben untrewe
To hire which his trouthe hadde.
But he, which alle shame dradde,
Goth forth in stede of his penaunce
And taketh the fortune of his
chaunce
As he that was with trouth affaited.1
This olde wight him hath awaited
In plac6 where as he her lefte.
Florent his wofull hed up lifte
And sigh this vecke2 where that
she syt,
Which was the lothlieste wyght,
That ever man cast on his eye.
Her nase bass,3 her browes high,
Her eyen smal and depe set,
Her chekes ben with teres wet
And rivelin 4 as an empty skin
Hangend down unto the chin,
Her lippes shrunken ben for age,
There was no grace in her visage,
Her front was narwe, her lockes
hore,
She loketh forth as doth a more,5
Her neeke is short, her shulders
courbe,
That might a mannes lust distourbe,
Her body great and no thing small,
And shortly to descrive her all
She hath no lith 6 without a lack;
But liche unto the wolle sack
She profreth her unto this knight
And bad him, as he hath behight,
So as she hath by his warrant,
That he her holde covenauint.
And by the bridell she him seseth,
1 IitWl t'routh afaited, bound to truth
only. Goods and chattels might be promised
in Old French 'pour estre et demourer affaiz
et ypothequez.'
- Vecke, old woman.  Bass, low.
4 Rivelin, wrinkled, shrunk.
5 Witch, hag.; Liit, limb..


But god wot how that she him
pleseth
Of suche wordes as she speketh;
Him thenketh wel nigh his herte
breketh
For sorwe that he may nought fle
But if1 he wolde untrewe be.
Loke, how a seke man for his hele
Taketh baldemoin with canele 2
And with the mirre taketh the
sucre,
Right upon such a maner lucre
Stant Florent, as in this diete
He drinketh the bitter with the
swete,
He medleth sorwe with liking
And liveth so as who saith dying.
His youthe shall be cast awey
Upon suche one, which as the wey
Is olde and lothly overall.
But nede he mot that nede shall
He wolde algate his trouth6 holde
As every knight therto is holde
What hap so him is ever befalle,
Though she be the foulest of alle.
Yet to thonouir of womanhed
Him thought he shulde taken heed,
So that for pure gentilesse
As he her couthe best adresse,
In ragges as she was to-tore
He set her on his hors to-fore,
And forth he taketh his way softe.
No wonder though he siketh  ofte.
But as an oule fleeth by nighte
Out of all other briddes sighte,
Right so this knight on daies brode
In close him held, and shope his
rode
On nightes time till the tide
That he come there he wolde abide,
And prively withoute noise
He bringeth this foule greate coise 4
1 But if, unless.
2 Baldemoin uwith canele, gentian with cinnamnon.
3 Siketh, sigheth.  4 Coise, mistress.




BOOK I.-PRIDE., J


To his castell in suche a wise,
That no man might her shape avise,
Til she into the chambre came,
Where he his prive counseil name
Of 1 suche men as he most truste
And told hem, that he nedes muste
This beste o wedde to his wife,
For elles had he lost his life.
The prive women were assent'
That sholden ben of his assent.
Her ragges they anone of drawe
And as it was that time lawe
She haddd bath, she hadde rest,
'  And was arraied to the best.
But with no craft of combes brode
They might her hore lockes shode,4
And she ne wolde nought be shore
For no counseil, and they therfore
With suche attire as tho was used
Ordeinen,5 that it was excused
And had so craftilich aboute
Thatnoman mighte seen hemoute.6
But whan she was fullich arraied
And her attire was all assaied,
Tho was she fouler unto se.
But yet it may non other be,
They wer6 wedded in the night;
So wo begone was never knight
As he was than of mariige.
And she began to pleie and rage
As who saith, I am well inough;
But he therof nothing ne lough.7
For she toke thann6 chere on honde
And clepeth him her husebonde
And saith: 'My lord, go we to
bedde,
For I to that entent6 wedde
That thou shalt be my worldEs
blisse.'
1 Took private counsel with.
2 This beast.: Assent, sent to her.
4 Part her hoary locks.
5 Set it in order.
6 So craftily surrounded with the customary
headgear that onto could see any grey locks
peep out of it.
7 Lough, laughed.


And profreth him with that to kisse,
As she a lusty lady were.
His body mighte well be there,
But as of thought and memorie
His hert was in purgdtorie.
But yet for strengthe of matrimoine
He mighte make non essoine,
That he ne mote algates plie
To gon to bed of compaignie.
And whan they were a bedde naked
Withoute slepe he was awaked,
He torneth on that other side
For that he wolde his eyen hide
Fro loking of that foule wight.
The chamber was all full of light,
The courtines were of sendall
thinne,
This newd bride which lay withinne,
Though it be nought with his
accorde,
In armes she beclept her lorde
And praid, as he was torned fro
He wolde him torne ayeinward tho.
'For now,' she saith, 'we be both
one.'
But he lay stille as any stone,
And ever in one she spake and
praide
And bad him thenke on that he. saide,
Whan that he toke herbythehonde.
He herd and understood the bonde,
How he was set to his penaunce.
And as it were a man in traunce
He torneth him all sodeinly
And sigh a lady lay him by
Of eighten6 winter age,
Which was the fairest of visage,
That ever in all this world he sigh.
And as he wolde have take her
nigh,
She put her hond, and by his leve
Besought him that he wolde leve,
And saith, that for to winne or lese
He mot one of two thinges chese,




74


COVNFESSIO AMANTIS.


Where 1 he woll have her such on
night
Or elles upon daies light,
For he shall nought have both6
two.And he began to sorwe tho
In many a wise and caste his
thought,
But for al that yet couth he nought
Devise him self which was the best.
And she that wolde his hertes rest
Praieth that he shulde chese algate,
Til at the last6 longe and late
He saide: ' 0, ye my lives hele,
Say what ye liste in my quarele.
I not 2 what answere I shall yive,
But ever while that I may live
I woll that ye be my maistresse;
For I can nought my selfe gesse
Which is the best unto my chois,
Thus graunt I you min hole vois,
Chese for us bothe, I you praie,
And what as ever that ye sale,
Right as ye wolle so woll I.'
'My lord,' she saide, 'graunt mercy,
For of this word that ye now sain.That ye have made me Soverein
My destine is overpassed,
That never hereafter shall be
lassed 3
My beaute which that I now have,
Til I be take into my grave.
Both night and day as I am now
I shall all way be such to you.
The kinges daughter of Cecile
I am; and fell but sith a while,4
As I was with my fader late,
That my stepmoder for an hate,
Whichtoward me shehathbegonne,
Forshope 5 me, till I hadde wonne
The love and the sovereinte
1 IVlhere. whether.
' aot, know not.;Lassed, lessened.
4.ith a while, a while since.
Forskope, transformed.


Of what knight that in his degr6
All other passeth of good name.
And as men sain ye ben the same
The dede proveth it is so;
Thus am I yourds evermo.'
Tho was plesaunce and joie inough,
Echone with other pleid and lough,
They live longe, and well theyferde,
And clerkes that this chaunce herde
They writen it in evidence
To teche how that obedience
May well fortune a man to love
And se, him in his luste above,
As it befell unto this knight.
"Forthy, my sone, if thou do
right,
Thou shalt unto thy love obeie
And folwe her will by alld weie."'; Min holy fader, so I will.
For ye have told me such a skill
Of this ensample now to-fore,
That I shall evermo therfore
Here afterward min observaunce
To love and to his obeissaunce
The better kepe, and over this 1
Of Pride if there ought ell6s is
Wherof that I me shriv6 shall,
What thing it is in speciall,
My fader, axeth, I you pray."
Now list, my sone, and I shall say.
For yet there is Surquederie,2
Which stant with Pride of compaignie,
Wherof that thou shalt here anone
To knowe if thou have gult or
none,
Upon the forme as thou shalt here;
Now understond well the matere. /
Surqziederie.
gitrqueberie is thilke Vice
Of Pride which the third office


1 Over thiis, beyond this.
2 Surquederie, presumption.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


75


Hath in his court and wol nought
knowe
The trouth6 till it overthrowe.
Upon his fortune and his grace
Cometh hadl -,uist1 full ofte a place,
For he doth all his thing by gesse
And voideth alle sikernesse;
None other counseil good    him
semeth
But such as he him selfe demeth.
For in such wise as he compdsseth
His wit alone all other passeth,
And is with Pride so thorough
sought
That he all other set at nought,
And weneth of him selven so
That such as he there be no mo
So fair, so semely, ne so wise,
And thus he wolde beare a prise
Above all other, and nought forthy
He saith nought on6s graunt mercy2
To God, which alle grac6 sendeth,
So that his witt6s he despendeth
Upon him selfe, as though there were
No God which might availe there,
But all upon his ownd wit
He stant, till he fall in the pit
So fer that he may nought arise.
"And right thus in the sam6 wise
The Vice upon the cause of Love
So proudely set the hert above
And doth him pleinly for to wene,
That he to loven any quene
Hath worthinesse and suffisaunce.
And so without6 purveiaunce
Full ofte he heweth up so highe,
That chippes fallen in his eye;
And eke full ofte he weneth this,
There as he nought beloved is
1 Iad I wist, if I had only known. " H.i1-wist" wasa popularphrase for the repentance
of the rash. So in Spenser's "Motlcer Hubbard's Tale ""Most miserable man, whom wicked Fate
Hath brought to court, to sue for Had-ywist!"
2 Graunt mercy, gramercy, great thanks!


To be beloved altherbeste.
Now, sone, telle what so thee leste
Of this that I have told thee here."' Ha fader, be nought in a were.1
I trowe there be no man lesse
Of any maner worthinesse
That halt him lesse worthy than I
To be beloved, and nought forthf
I say in excusing of me
To alle men, that love is fre.
And certes that mayno man werne.2
For love is of him selfe so derne,~
It luteth in a mannes herte.
But that ne shall me nought asterte5
To wen6 for to be worthy
To loven, but in her mercy.
But sir, of that ye wolde mene,
That I shulde other wis6 wene
To be beloved than I was,
I am beknowe as in this cas."" My gode son{e, telle me how."Now list, and I woll telle you,
My gode fader, how it is.
Full ofte it hath befalle er this
Through hope, that was nought
certein,
My wening hath be set in vein
To trust in thing that helpe me
nought
But onlich of min owne thought.
For as it semeth that a bell
Like to the wordes that men tell
Answereth right so, no more ne
lesse,
To you, my fader, I confesse
Such will my wit hath over set,
That what so hop6 me behet G
Full many a time I wene it soth,
But finally no spede it doth.
Thus may I tellen, as I can,
Wening beguileth many a man.
1 In a muere, in confusion or doubt.
2 IVerne, refuse.  3 Derae, secret.
4 L.uteth, lies hidden.
5 Drive me to think myself worthy of love,
but through her mercy.
ti le be/tet, promises me.




76


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


So hath it me, right wel I wot,
For if a man wol in a bote
Whiche is withoute botme rowe,
He must nedes be overthrowe.
Right so wening hath fard by me,
For whan I wende next have be
As I by my wening caste,
Than was I furthest atte laste,
And as a fool my bowe unbende
Whan all was failed that I wende.
Forthy, my fader, as of this
That my wening hath gone amis
Touchend unto surquederie,
Yef me my penaunce or I die.
But if ye wolde in any forme
Of this mat6r a tale enforme,
Which were ayein this Vice set,
I shulde far6 well the bet."" gti sone, in alle maner wise
Surquederie is to despise,
Wherof I finde writ6 thus:The proude knight Capaneus
He was of suche surquederie,
That he through his chivalerie
Upon him self so mochel triste,1
That to the goddes him ne liste
In no quarel6 to beseche,
But saide it was an idel speche
Which cause was of pure drede,
For lacke of hert and for no nede.
And upon such presumption
He held this proude opinion,
Till att6 laste upon a day
Aboute Thebes, where he lay,
Whan it of siege was belaine,
This knight, as the croniques saine,
In alle mannes sighte there,
Whan he was proudest in his gere
And thought how nothing might
him dere,2
Full armed with his shield and
spere
As he the cite wvolde assaile,
God toke him self6 the bataile
I Triste, trusted.  2 Dere, hurt.


Ayein his pride, and fro the sky
A firy thonder sodeinly
He sende and him to pouder smote.
And thus the Pride, which was hote
Whan he most in his strengthe
wende,
Was brent and lost withouten ende.
So that it proveth well therfore
The strength of man is sone lore,1
But if2 that he it well gov6rne.
And over this a man may lerne,
That eke full ofte time it greveth
What that a man him self beleveth,
As thoughitshulde him well beseme
That he all other men can deme 3
And hath foryete his ownd vice.
A tale of hem that be so nice
And feigne hem self to be so wise
I shall thee telle in suche a wise,
Wherof thou shalt ensample take,
That thou no such thing undertake.
finbe upon surquederie,
How that whilom of Hungarie
By olde daies was a king
Wise and honest in alle thing.
And so befell upon a daie,
And that was in the month of May,
As thilke time it was usaunce,
This king with noble purveiauince
Hathforhim selfehis chare4 arraied,
Wherin he wolde ride amaied 5
Out of the cite for to pleie
With lordes and with great nobleie
Of lusty folk that were yonge,
Where some' pleide andsomesonge,
And somd gone and some ride,
And some prick her horse aside
And bridlen hem now in now oute.
The kinge his ey6 cast aboute,
Til he was atte laste ware
And sigh comend ayein his chare
1 Lore, lost.     2 But if, unless.
DemEe, judge.   4 Chaore, chariot.
5 Amaied, a-Maying. Professor Skeat, in
explaining this peculiar construction, started
from the phrase in "Piers Plowman" "they
gon a begged" for " they go a begging."




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


77


Two pilgrim6s of so great age,
That lich unto a drie ymage
They weren pale and fade hewed,
And as a busshe, whiche is besnewed,
Here berdes weren hore and white,
There was of kindd 1 but a lite
That they ne semen fully dede.
They comen to the king and bede 2
Some of his good, pur a charite.
And he with great humilite
Out of his chare to grounde lepte
And hem in both his armes kepte
And kist hem bothe foot and honde
Before the lordes of his londe
And yaf hem of his good therto.
And whan he hath this dede do
He goth into his chare ayeine.
Tho 4 was murmur, tho was disdeine,
Tho was compleinte on every side,
They saiden of their owne pride
Echone till other, ' What is this?
Our king hath do this thing amis
So to abesse 5 his roialt6,
That every man it mighte se,
And humbled him iri such a wise
To hem that were of none emprise.'
Thus was it spoken to and fro
Of hem that wer6 with him tho
All prively behinde his backe.
But to him selfd no man spake.
The kinges brother in presdnce
Was thilke time, and great offence
He toke therof and was the same
Above all other which moste blame
Upon his legd lord hath laid,
And hath unto the lordes said
Anone as he may time finde,
There shall nothing be left behinde,
That he wol speke unto the king.
Now list what fell upon this thing.
1 0okinde, by nature lic, little.
2 h'de', pray.  3 Pzr(pouyr), for.
4 Tho, then.,5 Abesse, abase.


The weder was merie and fair
inough,
Echone with other pleid and lough
And fellen into tal6s newe,
How that the fresshe flour6s grewe,
And how the grene lev6s spronge,
And how that love amonge the
yonge
Began the hertes thanne awake,
And every brid hath chose his
make.
And thus the Maies day to thende
They lede, and home ayein they
wende.
The king was nought so sone come,
That whan he had his chambre
nome,
His brother ne was redy there
And brought a tale unto his ere
Of that he didde such a shame
In hindring of his owne' name,
Whan he him selfd wolde dreche 1
That to so vile a pouer wrecche
Him deigneth shewe such simplesse
Ayein the state of his noblesse.
And saith, he shall it no more use
And that he mot him selfe excuse
Toward his lorde's everichone.
The king stood still as any stone
And to his tale an ere he laide
And thoughte more than he saide.
But netheles to that he herde
Well curteisly the king answerde
And tolde, it shulde ben amended.
And thus whan that here tale is
ended,
All redy was the bord and cloth,
The king unto his souper goth
Among the lordes to the halle.
And whan they hadde souped alle,
They token leve and forth they go.
The king bethought him selfe tho,
How he his brother may chastie,
That he through his surquederie
1 DrechAc, trouble.




78


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


Toke upon honde to dispreise
Humilite, which is to preise,
And therupon yaf such counseil
Toward his king, that was nougi;t
heil,
Wherof to be the better lered
He thenketh to make him afered.
It fell so, that in thilke dawe 1
There was ordeigned by the lawe
A trompe with a sterne breth,
Which was cleped the Trompe of
Deth.
And in the court where the king
was
A certein man this trompe of brass
Hath in keping and therof serveth,
That whan alord his deth deserveth,
He shall this dredfull trompe blowe
To-fore his gate, and make it knowc
How that the jugement is yive
Of deth, which shall nought be
foryive.
The king whan it was night anone
This man assent2 and bad him gone
To trompen at his brothers gate.
And he, which mot so done algate,
Goth forth and doth thekingeshest.
This lord, which herde of this
tempest
That he to-fore his gatd blewe,
Tho wist he by the lawe and knewe
That he was sekerliche dede.
And as of helpe he wist no rede,
But sende for his frendes all
And tolde hem how it is befalle.
And they him axe cause why,
But he the sothe nought forthl'
Ne wist, and there was sorwe tho.
For it stood thilke time so,
This trompe was of such sentence,
That there ayein no resistance
They couthe ordein6 by no weie,
That he ne mot algatd deie,
But if so that he may purchace
1 Dawc, day.  2 Assent, sent to.


To get his lege lordes grace.
Here wittes therupon they caste
And ben appointed atte laste.
This lorde a worthy lady had
Unto his wife, whiche also drad
Her lordes deth, and children five
Betwene hem two they had alive,
That weren yonge and tender of age
And of stature and of visage
Right faire and lusty on to se.
Tho casten they, that he and she
Forth with their children on the
morwe,
As they that were full of sorwe,
All naked but of smock and sherte
To tendre with the kinges herte
His grace shulden go to seche
And pardon of the deth beseche.
Thus passen they that wofull night,
And erly whan they sigh it light
They gone hem forth in suche a wise,
As thou to-fore hast herd divise,
All naked but here shertes on
Theyl wepte and made mochel
mone.
1- ere hair hang6nd about here eres,
With sobbing and with sory teres
This lord goth than an humble pas
That whilom proud and noble was,
\Vherof the citd sore a flight
Of hem that sawen thilke sight.
And neth6less all openly
With such weping and witlrsuch cry
Forth with his children and his wife
He goth to praic for his life.
Unto the court whan they be come
And men therin have hede nome,
There was no wight, if he hem sigh,
From water might6 kepe his eye
For sorwe which they maden tho.
The king supposeth of this wo
And feigneth as he nought ne wiste,
But nethdles at his upriste
1 A. fligt, was afflicted, grieved.
' SuiVoseth, makes believe.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


79


MIen tolden him, howe that it ferde.
And whan that he this wonder
herde,
In hast he goth into the halle.
And all at ones down they falle,
If any pite may be founde.
The king, which seeth hem go to
grounde,
Hath axed hem what is the ferc,
Why they be so dispuiled there.
His brother said: 'H a, lord, mercy!
I wote none other caus6 why,
But only that this night full late
The trompe of deth was at my gate
In token that I shuld6 deie;
Thus we be com6 for to preie
That ye my worldes deth respite.
'Ha, fool, how thou art for to
wite,' 1
The kinge unto his brother saith,
'That thou art of so litel feith,
That only for a trompes soun
Hath gone dispuiled through the
town
Thou and thy wife in such manere
Forth with thy children that ben here
In sight of alld men aboute.
For that thou saist, thou art in
doubte 2
Of deth which standeth under the
lawe
Of man, and man it may withdrawe,
So that it may perchaunce faile,
Now shalt thou nought forthb merveile,
That I down from my chare alight,
Whan I beheld to-fore my sight
In hem that were of so great age
Min owne deth through here
ymrge,
Which God hath set by lawe of
kinde,
Wherof I may no bote 3 finde.
1 To wite, to blame.  2 Double, fear.
3 Bote, remedy.


For well I wot, suche as they be
Right suche am I in my degr6,
Of flesshe and blood, and so shall
deie.
And thus though I that lawe obeie
Of which that kinges ben put under,
It ought ben well the lasse wonder
Than thou, which art withoute nede
For lawe of londe in suche a drede,
Which for to accompte is but a jape
As thing which thou might overscape.
Forthy, my brother, after this
I rede that sithen it so is
That thou canst drede a man so
sore,
Drede God with all thin herte more.
Forall shall deie and all shall passe,
As well a leon as an asse,
As well a begger as a lorde,
Towardes dethe in one accorde
Theyshullen stonde.' And in this
wise
The kinge with his wordes wise
His brother taught and all foryive.
Forthy, my sone, if thou wolt live
In Vertue, thou must Vice escheue
And with lowe herte humblessd sue,
So that thou be nought surquedous.:'"My fader, I am amorous,
Wherof I wolde you beseche
That ye me some ensample techc,
'Which  might in  Loves causd
stonde."" My sone, thou shalt understonde
In Love and other thingds alle,
If that surquederie falle,
It may to him nought well betide
Which useth thilke Vice of Pride,
Which torneth wisdom to wening
And sothfastnesse into lesing
Through foll imagination.
And for thin enformation,




80


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That thou this Vice as I thee rede
Escheu6 shalte, a tale I rede,
Which fell whilom by daies olde,
So as the clerke Ovide tolde.,ere was whilom    a lord6s
sone,
Which of his Pride a nice wone 1
Hath caught, that worthy to his
liche 2
To sechen all the worldes riche
There was no woman for to love.
So high he set him selfe above
Of stature and of beaut6 bothe,
That him thought alle women lothe.
So was there no comparison
As towarde his condition.
This yonge lord Narcizus hight.
No strength of Love bowd might
His herte, whiche is unaffiled.3
But atte laste he was beguiled.
For of the goddes purveiaunce
It felle him on a day perchaunce,
That he in all his proude fare
Unto the forest gan to fare
Amonge other, that there were,
To hunten and disporte him there.
And whan he cam into the place,
Where that he wolde make his
chace,
The houndes weren in a throwe
Uncoupled and the hornes blowe,
The gretd herte anone was founde
With swifte feet set on the grounde.
And he with spore in horse side
Him hasteth faste for to ride,
Till alle men be left behinde.
And as he rode under a linde
Beside a roche, as I thee telle,
He sigh where spronge a lusty
welle.
The day was wonder hote withalle,
And suche a thurst was on him
falle,
1 IVore, custom.  2 Liche, body.
3 Uunffiled, attached to no one.


That he must outher deie or drinke.
And downe he light and by the
brinke
He tide his hors unto a braunche
And laid him lowe for to staunche
His thurst. And as he cast his
loke
Into the welle and hede toke,
He sigh the like of his visage
And wende there were an ymige
Ofsuche a nimphe, as tho was say,1
Wherof that love his herte assay
Began, as it was after sene
Of his sotie2 and made him wene
It were a woman; that he sigh.3
The more he cam the welle nigh,
The nere cam she to him ayein,
So wist he never what to sain;
For whan he wepte he sigh her
wepe,
And whan he cried he toke good
kepe,
The same worde she cried also;
And thus began the newe wo,
That whilom was to him so straunge.
Tho made him    Love an harde
eschaunge
To set his herte and to beginne
Thing whiche hemight never winne.
And ever amonge he gan to loute,4
And praith that she to him come
oute.
And other while he goth afer
And other while he draweth ner
And ever he founde herin one place.
He wepeth, he crieth, he axeth
grace,
There as he mighte gete none.
So that ayein a roche of stone,
As he that knewe none other rede,
He smote him   self til he was
dede.
1 Tho was say, then was seen.
2 Sotie, folly.  3 Si/g/, saw.
4 Loutc, bow.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


8r


Wherof the nimph6s of the welles
And other that there weren elles
Unto the wodes belongdnde
The body, which was dede ligende,
For pur6 pitd that they have
Under grav6 they begrave.1
And than out of his sepulture
There spronge anone perdventbire
Of flour6s suche a wonder sight,
That men ensample take might
Upon the ded6s whiche he dede.
And tho was sene in thilkd stede,
For in the winter fressh and faire
The flourds ben, whiche is contraire
To kinde, and so was the folie
Which felle of his Surquederie.
" Thus he which Love had in
disdeigne,
Worst of all other was beseine,
And as he set his prise most hie,
He was lest worthy in Loves eye
And most bejaped in his wit,
Wherof the remembraunce is yit;
So that thou might ensample take,
And eke all other, for his sake.'"" My fader, as touchend of me
This Vice I thenke for to fle,
Whiche of his wening overthroweth
And namdlich2 of thing which
groweth
In Loves cause or well or wo,
Yet prided I me never so.
But woldd God that grac6 sende,
That toward me my lady wende
As I towardes hir6 wene,
My love shulde so be sene
There shulde go no Pride a place.
But I am fer fro thilk6 grace
And for to speke of time nowe
So mote I suffre and praie you
That ye woll axe on other side,
If there be any point of Pride
Wherof it nedeth me to be
shrive."1 Begrave, bury.  2' Nameltic/i, especially.


M' My son6, God it thee foryive,
If thou have any thing misdo
Touchend of this, but evermo
Ther is another yet of Pride
Which couthe never his wordes
hide,
That he ne wold him selfe avaunt.
There may nothing his tunge daunt,
That he ne clappeth as a belle,
Wherof if thou wolt that I telle
It is behovely for to here,
So that thou might thy tunge stere
Toward the worlde and stonde in
grace,
Which lacketh ofte in many a place
To him that can nought sitt6 stille,
Whiche ellds shuld have all his
wille
Boas/ting.
gCe vice clep6d Avauntdnce1
With Pride bath take his Acqueintaince,
So that his ownd prise he lasseth
Whan he such mesure overpasseth,,
That he his ownd herald is.
That first was wel is thann6 mis,
That was thankworthy is than
blame,
And thus the worship of his name
Through pride of his avauntarie
He torneth into vilenie.
I rede, how that this proude Vice
Hath thilke wind in his office
Which through the blastes that he
bloweth
The mann6s fame he overthroweth
Of vertue which shulde elles
springe
Unto the worldes knoulechinge.
But he fordoth it all to sore,
And right of such a maner lore
There ben lov6rs; forthy if thou
Art one of hem, tell and say how,
1 Azvantdnce, vaunting, boasting.
F




82


CONFESSIO


Whan thou hast taken any thinge
Of lov6s yefte or ouche 1 or ringe,
Or toke upon thee for the colde
Some goodly word that thee was
tolde
Of frendly chere or token or letter,
Wherof thin hertd was the better,
Of that she sendd thee gretinge,
Hast thou for pride of thy likinge
Made thin avaunt where as thee
liste? ")" I wolde, fader, that ye wiste
My consciinc6 lith not here.
Yet had I never such matere,
Wherof min herte might amende,
Nought of so mochel as she sende
By mouth and saide, 'grete him
wel.'
And thus for that there is no dele
Wherof to makd min avaunt,
It is to reson accordaunt,
That I may never, but I lie,
Of lov6 make avauntarie.
Iwote nought what I shulde have do
If that I had encheson so
As ye have said here many one;
But I found cause never none,
But Daunger which me welnigh
slough.
Therof I couthd telle inough
And of none other avauntaunce.
Thus nedeth me no repentaunce.
Now axeth further of my life,
For herof am I nought gultife."
" My sone, I am wel paid withall.
For wite it wel in speciall,
That love of his verray justice
Above all other ayein this Vice
At alle times most debateth
With all his hert and most it hateth.
And eke in alld maner wise
Avauntarie is to despise,
As by ensample thou might wite,
Whiche I finde in the bokds write.
l 07ucze, jewel in its setting.


A3MANTIS.         /
\ Of hem that we Lombirdes now; calle
Albinus was the firste of alle
Which bard crowne of Lombardie,
And was of great chivalerie
In werre ayeinst divers kinges.
So felle it amonge other thinges
That he that time a werrd had
With Gurmund which the Geptes
lad,l
And was a mightie kinge also.
But nethdles it fell him so
Albinus slough him in the felde,
Ther halpe him nouther spere ne
shelde,
That he ne smote his heved of
thanne,
Wherof he toke awey the panne,
Of whiche he saide he woldd make
A cupp6 for Gurmundds sake
To kepe and drawe into memoire
Of his bataile the victoire.
And thus when he the felde had
wonne,
The londe anon was overronne
And sesdd in his ownd honde;
Where he Gurmundes doughter
fonde,
Which maide Rosemundd hight,
And was in every mannes sight
A fair, a fressh, a lusty one.
His herte fell to her anone,
And suche a love on her he cast,
That he her wedded attd last.
And after that long time in reste
With her he dwelleth, and to the
beste
They love eche other wonder wele.
But she that kepeth the blindd
whele,
Venus, when they be most above
In all the hottest of her love,
Her whele she torneth: and they
felle
1 Lad, led.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


83


In the maner, as I shall telle.
This king which stood in all his
welth
Of pees, of worship and of helth,
And felt him on no sid6 greved
As he that hath his worlde acheved,
Tho thought he wolde a festd make
And that was for his wives sake,
That she the lordds att6 feste,
That were obeisaunt to his heste,
May knowe. And so forth there
upon
He lette ordeigne and send anon
By letters and by messengers
And warndd all his officers,
That eyery thing be well arraied,
The great6 sted6s were assaied
For justinge and for tornement,
And many a perled garn6ment
Embrouded was ayein the day.
The lord6s in her beste array
Be comen at the time set;
One jisteth well, an other bet,
And other while they torney;
And thus they casten care awey
And token lustes upon honde.
And after thou shalt understonde
To mete into the kinges halle
They comen, as they be bidden alle.
And whan they wer6 set and served
Than after, as it was deserved
To hem that worthy knightes were,
So as they setten here and there,
The prise was yove and spoken out
Among the heralds all about.
And thus benethe and eke above
All was of arm6s and of love,
Wherof abouten attd bordes
Men had many sondry wordes,
That of the mirthe which they made
The kinge him self began to glade
Within his hert and toke a Pride
And sigh the cupp6 stonde aside,
Which made was of Gurmundds
bed,


As ye have herd, when he was ded,
And was with golde and rich6 stones
Beset and boundd for the nones,
And stode upon a fote on highte
Of burndd golde, and with great
slighte
Of werkmenship it was begrave
Of such worke as it shuld6 have
And was poliss6d eke so clene
That no signe of the scull was sene
But as it were a grips 1 eye.
The king bad bere his cuppe awey
Which stood before himon theborde
And fette thilke.2 Upon his worde
The sculle is fette and wine therinne,
Wherof he bad his wife beginne:
'Drink with thy fader, dame,' he
said.
And she to his bidding obeid
And toke the sculle, andwhather list
Shedrank, as shewhich nothingwist
What cup it was. And than all out
The kinge in audidnce about
Hath tolde, it was her faders sculle,
So that the lord6s knows shulle
Of his bataile a soth witn6sse,
And made avaunt through what
prowdsse
He hath his wiv6s lov6 wonne,
Whiche of the sculle hath so begonne.
Tho was there mochel pride alofte,
They spoken all, and she was softe,
Thenkend on thilke unkindd Pride,
Of that her lord, so nigh her side,
Avaunteth him that he hath slaine
And piked out her faders braine
And of the sculle had made a cuppe.
She suffreth all till they were uppe,
And tho she hath sekenessd feigned
And goth to chambre and hath
compleigned


1 Grzpes, eagle's.
2 F^tte thilke, fetch that one.




84


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Unto a maide which she triste,1
So that none other'wight it wiste.
_-    This maid6 Glodeside is hote,
To whom this lady hath behote 2
Of ladiship all that she can
"To vengen her upon this man,
Which did her drink 3 in suche a
plite
Among hem all6 for despite
Of her and of her fader bothe,
Wherof her thoughtes ben so
wrothe,
She saith, that she shall nought be
glad,
Till that she se him so bestad
That he no mor6 make avaunt.
And thus they felle in covenaunt,
That they accorden att6 laste
With suche wiles as they caste,
'That they wol get of here accorde
Some orped4 knight toslethis lorde.
And with this sleight6 they beginne,
How they Helmegd mighten winne,
Which was the king6s bottler,
A proude and lusty bachiler,
And Glodeside he loveth hote.
And she to make him more assote 5
Her love graunteth, and by nighte
They shape how they to-gider
mighte
A bedd6 mete. And done it was
This sam6 night. And in this cas
The quene her self the night
seconde
Went in her stede and there she
fonde
A chambre derkd without light
And goth to bedd6 to this knight.
And he to kepe his observaunce
To lov6 doth his obeisaunce
And weneth it be Glodeside.
And she than after lay a side
1 Triste, trusted.
2 Behote, promised.
3 Did her drink, caused her to drink.
4 Orield, bold.  5 Assote, to dote.


And axeth him what he hath do,
And who she was she tolde him tho
Andsaid: 'Helmege, I amthyquene,
Now shall thy lov6 well be sene
Of that thou hast thy will6 wrought;
Or it shall sor6 ben abought,
Or thou shalt worche, as I thee saie.
And if thou wolt by suche a waie
Do my plesauince and holde it stille,
For ever I shall ben at thy wille
Bothe I and all min heritage.'
Anone the wilde loves rage,
In which no man him can gov6rne,
Hath made him that he can nought
werne,1
But felle all hole to her assent,
And thus the whele is all miswent,\
The which Fortune hath upon t
honde.
For how that ever it after stonde,
They shope among hem such a wile
The king was ded within a while.
So slily came it nought aboute,
That they ne ben discovered out,
So that it thought hem for the beste
To fle, for ther6 was no reste.
And thus the tresor of the kinge
They trusse, and mochel other
thinge,
And with a certaine felaship
They fled and went awey by ship
And helde her right cours from
thenne
Till that they comen to Ravenne,
Where they the dukes help6 sought.
And he, so as they him besought,
A plac6 graunteth for to dwelle.
But after, whan he herde telle
Of the man&r how they have do,
The duke let shape for hem so,
That of a poison which they drunke
They hadden that they have beswurike.2J     /        "
1 Werne, refuse.
2 Beswvunke, laboureetfor.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


And all this made Avaunt of Pride.
Good is therfore a man to hide
His owne prise, for if he speke,
He may lightly his thank6 breke.
In armes lith none avauntance
To him, which thenketh his name
avaunce
And be renomed of his dede.
And also who that thenketh to spede
Of Love hemaynought him avaunte.
For what man thilke Vic6 haunte,
His purpose shall full ofte faile.
In armes he that woll travaile
Or ellis Lov6s grace atteigne,
His lose tunge he mot restreigne,
Whiche bereth of his hon6ur the
keie.
"Forthy my sone, in alle waie
Take right good hede of this
matere."" I thonke you, my fader dere,
This scole is of a gentil lore.
And if there be ought elles more
Of Prid6 whiche I shall escheue,
Nowe axeth forth, and I woll sue1
What thing, that ye me woll enforme."" My sone, yet in other forme
There is a Vice of Prides lore,
Which like an hawk whan he will
sore,
Fleeth up on high in his delices
After the likinge of his vices
And woll no mannes reson knowe
Till he down falle and overthrowe.
This vice Vaynglorie is hote,
Wherof, my sone, I thee behote
To trete and speke in suche a wise,
That thou thee might better avise.
Vainglory.
'4e0 proude Vice of Veinglorie
Remembreth nought of purgatorie,
1 Sue, follow,


His world6s joies ben so grete,
Him thenketh of heven no beyete.1
This lives pompe is all his pees,
Yet shall he deid nethdies,
And therof thenketh he but a lite,2
For all his lust is to delite
In new4 thinges, proude and veine,
Als ferforth as he may atteine.
I trowe, if that he mighte make
His body newe, he wolde take
A newe forme and leve his olde.
For what thing that he may beholde
The which to comun use is straunge,
Anone his olde guise chaunge
He woll, and falle therupon
Lich unto the cameli6n,
Whiche upon every sondry hewe
That he beholt he mote newe
His colour; and thus unavised
Ful oftd time he stant desguised.
More jolif than the brid in Maie,
He maketh him ever fressh and gaie
And doth all his array desguise,
So that of him the newe guise
Of lusty folke all other take.
And eke he can carollds make,
Roundel, balade and virdlay.
And with all this, if that he may
Of lov6 gete him avauntage
Anone he wext of his corage
So over glad, that of his ende
He thenketh there is no deth
comende.
For he hath than at alld tide
Of love such a maner Pride,
Him thenketh his joy is enddles.
"Now   shrive thee, sone, in
Godd6s pees
And of thy love tell me plein,
If that thy glorie hath be so
vayne.""' My fader, as touchend of all
I may nought well ne nought ne
shall
1 Beyete, gain.  2 Lite, little.




86


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Of vayn glorie excus6 me,
That I ne have for love be
The better address6d and arraied.
And also I have ofte assaied
Roundel, balaide and vir6lay
For her on whom min herte lay,
To make and also for to peinte
Carollds with my wordes queinte
To sett6 my purpos alofte.
And thus I sang hem forth full ofte
In halle and eke in chambre aboute
And made merie among the route:
But yet ne ferde I nought the bet.
Thus was my glorie in vayn beset
Of all the joie that I made.
For when I wolde with her glade
And of her love songes make,
She saide, it was nought for her
sake,
And liste nought my songes here,
Ne witen what the wordes were.
So for to speke of min array
Yet couth I never be so gay
Ne so well make a songe of love,
Wherof I mighte ben above
And have enchesonl to be glad.
But rather I am ofte adrad
For sorwe, that she saith me nay.
And netheles I woll nought-say,
That I nam glad on other side
For fam6 that can nothing hide.
All day woll bringe unto min ere
Of that men speken here and there,
How that my lady berth the prise,
How she is faire, how she is wise,
How she is womanlich of chere.
Of all this thing whan I may here,
What wonder is though I be fain.
And eke whan I may here sain
Tidfnges of my ladis hele,
All though I may nought with her
dele,
Yet am I wonder glad of that.
For whan I wote her good estate,
1 Encheson, occasion.


As for that time I dare well swere,
None other sorw6 may me dere.
Thus am I gladed in this wise.
But, fader, of your lor6s wise,
Of whiche ye be fully taught,
Now tell me if ye thenketh ought,
That I therof am for to wite." 1
" Of that there is, I thee acquite,
My sone," he saide, " and for thy
good
I woll6 that thou understood,
For I thenke upon this matere
To tell a tale, as thou shalt here,
How that ayein this proud6 Vice
The high6 God of his justice
Is wrothe and great vengeauinc6
doth.
Nowe herken a tale, that is soth,
Though it be nought of Loves
kinde.
A great ensample thou shalt findc
This Veinglori6 for to fle,
Whiche is so full of vanit6.
CiCere nwa, a king, that mochel
might,
Which Nabugodonosor hight,
Of whom that I spake here to-fore.
Yet in the bible this name is bore,
For all the worldein thorient
Was hole at his commaundement,
As than of kinges to his liche
Was none so mighty ne so riche,
To his empire and to his lawes
As who saith all in thilk6 dawes
Were obeisauint and tribute bere,
As though he god of erthe were.
With strengthe he putte kingde
under
And wrought of Pride many a
wonder,
He was so full of Veinglorie,
That he ne hadde no memorie,
That there was any God but he
For pride of his prosperite.
1 To -wile, to blame.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


87


Till that the highc' King of Kinges,
Which seeth and knoweth all1
thinges,
Whose ey6 may nothinge asterte
The privetes of mannes herte,l
They speke and sounen in his ere
As though they loude windes were,
He tok6 vengeaunce of his Pride.
But for he wolde a while abide
To loke if he wolde him amende,
To him afore token he sende.
And that was in his slepe by night
This proude kinge a wonder sight
Had in his sweven 2 there he lay.
Him thought upon a mery day,
As he beheld the world aboute,
A tre full growe he sigh3 there oute
Which stood the world amiddes
even,
Whos height6 straught up to the
heven.
The lev6s weren faire and large,
Of fruit it bore so ripe a charge,
That alle men it mightd fede.
He sigh also the bowes sprede
Above all erth, in which6 were
The kinde of alle briddes there.
And eke him thought he sigh also
The kinde of alle best6s go
Under the tre abouten round
And fedden hem upon the ground.
As he this wonder stood and sigh,
Him thought he herdeavois on high
Criende, and saide aboven alle:
'Hewe down this tree andlet it falle,
The leves let defoule in haste
And do the fruit destruie and waste;
And let ofshreden every braunche,
But atte roote be let it staunche.
Whan all his Pride is cast to
grounde
The root6 shall be fast6 bounde;
1 From whose eye the secrets of man's heart
may in no wise escape.
2 Swevern, dream.
3 Sigh, saw.


And shall no mannes herte bere,
But every lust he shall forbere
Of man, and lich an oxe his mete
Of gras he shall purchace and ete,
Till al the waters of the heven
Have wasshen him by tim6s seven,
So that he be through-knowe
aright
What is the hevenliche might,
And be made humble to the wille
Of Him which may all save and
spille.'
This king out of his sweven abraide 1
And he upon the morwe it saide
Unto the clerkes which he hadde.
But none of hem the soth aradde,
Was none his sweven couth undo.
And it stood thilk6 tim6 so,
This kinge had in subjection
Judee and of affecti6n
Above al other one Daniel
He loveth, for he couthd well
Divine that none other couthe.
To him were alle thingds couthe,
As he it hadde of Goddes grace.
He was before the kinges face
Assent and bode 2 that he shulde
Upon the point the kinge of toldcc
The fortune of his sweven expounde,
As it shulde afterward be founde.
Whan Danidl this sweven herde,
He stood long time, er he answerde,
And made a wonder bevy chere.4
The king toke hede of his manere
And bad him telle that he wiste
As he to whome he mochel triste,5
And said, he wolde nought be
wroth.
But Danidl was wonder loth
1 Awoke suddenly from his dream.
' Sent for and commanded.
3 Ofitode, told of.
4 Hezy ctzere, sad face.
5 Triste, trusted.




88


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And said: ' Upon thy fomen alle,
Sir king, thy sweven mote falle.
And netheles touchend of this
I woll thee tellen howe it is,
And what disese is to thee shape,
God wote if thou it shall escape.
The highe tre which thou hast sein,
With lef and fruit so wel besein,
The which stood in the world
amiddes,
So that the bestes and the briddes
Govi-rned were of him alone,
Sir King, betokeneth thy persone
Which stonde above all erthely
thinges.
Thus regnen under thee the kinges
And all the people unto thee louteth 1
And all the worlde thy person
douteth,2
So that with vein honofir deceived
Thou hast the reverence weived3
Fro him whiche is thy kinge above,
That thou for drede ne for love
Wolt nothing knowen of this God,
Which now for thee hath made a
rod,
Thy Vaynglorie and thy folie
With grete peines to chastie.
And of the vois thou herdest speke,
Which bad the bowes for to breke
And hewe and felle down the tre,
That word belongeth unto thee.
Thy regne shall be overthrowe,
And thou despuiled for a throwe.4
But that the roote shulde stonde,
By that thou shalt wel understonde,
There shall abiden of thy regne
A time ayein whan thou shall regne.
And eke of that thou herdest saie
To take a mannes hert aweie
And sette there a bestiall,
So that he lich an oxe shall
1 Louteth, bows.
2 D)oetelt, fears.
3 Wei-ved, put aside.
4 Tkrowfe, space of time.


Pasture, and that he be bereined
By times seven and sore peined,
Till that he knowe his Goddes
mightes,
Than shall he stond ayein uprightes.
All this betokeneth thine estate,
Which now with God is in debate:
Thy mannes forme shall be lassed,
Till seven yere ben overpassed,
And in the likenesse of a beste
Of gras shall be thy roiall feste,
The weder shall upon thee rayne.
And understonde, that all this payne
Which thou shalt suffre thilk6 tide,
Is shape all only for thy Pride
Of Vaynglorie and of the sinne
Which thou hast longe stondeninne.
So upon this condicion
Thy sweven hath exposicion.
But er this thing befalle in dede,
Amende thee, this wold I rede,
Yif and departed thin almesse,
Do mercy forth with rightwisnesse,
Beseche and praie the highe grace,
For so thou might thy pees purchace
With God and stonde in good accorde.'
But Pride is loth to leve his lorde
And wol nought suffre Humilite
With him to stonde in no degre.
And whan a ship hath lost his stere,
Is none so wise that may him stere
Ayein the wawes in a rage.
This proude king in his cordge
Humilit6 hath so forlore,
That for no sweven he sigh to-fore
Ne yet for all that Daniel
Him hath counseil6d every dele,
He let it passe out of his minde
Through Vaynglorie, and as the
blinde
He seth no weie er him be wo.
And fel withinne a time so,
DepZarte, divide, distribute.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


89


As he in Babiloinc wente,
The Vanitc of Pride him hente.'
His hert aros of vayn glorie,
So that he drough to memorie
His lordship and his regalie
With wordds of surquederie.
And whan that he him most avaunteth,
That Lord, which Vaynglorie daunteth,
All sodeinlich, as who saith treis,2
WVhere that he stood in his paleis
He toke him fro the menn6s sight.
Was none of hem so warethat might
Set ey6 where that he becom.
And thus was he from his kingdom
Into the wilde forest drawe,
Where that the mightyGoddes lawe
Through his powdr did him transforme
Fro man into a best6s forme.
And lich an oxe under the fote
He graseth as he nedes mote
To geten him his lives fode.
Tho thought him cold6 grasses
goode,
That whilome ete the hot6 spices,
Thus was he torned fro delices.
The wine which he was wont to
drinke,
He toke than of the welles brinke
Or of the pit or of the slough,
It thought him thann6 good inough.
In stede of chambres well arraied
He was than of a bussh well paied;
The hardd ground he lay upon,
For other pilw6s had he non,
The stormes and the reines fall,
The windes blowe upon him all,
He was tormented day and night.
Such was the highd Goddes might,
Till seven yere an ende toke.
Upon him self tho gan he loke:
I  leite, seized.
As who seith treis, in a trice.


In stede of mete gras and streis;
In stede of handes longe cleis;
In stede of man a bestes like;
He sigh,; and than he gan to sike 4
For cloth of golde and of perrie.Which him was wont to magnifie.
When he beheld his cote of heres
He wepte and with full wofull teres
Up to the heven he caste his chere~
WVepdnd and thoughtin thismanere;
Though he no wordds mightd winne,
Thus said his hert and spake
withinne:
'0 mighty God, that all hast
wrought
And all might bring ayein to
nought,
Now knowe I wel but all of thee
This world hath no prosperity,
In thin aspect ben alle aliche
The pouer man and eke the riche,
Withoute thee there may no wight,
And thou above all other might.
O mighty Lord, toward my vice
Thy mercy medle7 with justice,
And I woll make a covenaunt
That of my life the remenaunt
I shall it by thy grace amende
And in thy lawd so dispende,
That Vaynglorie I shall escheue,
And bowe unto thin heste, and sue
Humilite, and that I vowe.'
And so thenkend he gan down
bowe,
And though him lacks vois of
speche,
He gan up with his fete areche
And wailend in his bestly steven 9
He made his plaint unto the heven.
He kneleth in his wise and braieth
To seche mercy and assaieth
1 C/is, claws.    2 Like, body.; Sigh, saw.      4 Si/Jc, sigh.
5 Perri', precious stones.
e Ch/zere, colntenance.
7 Medie, mix, join.  Szevezn, voice.




9o


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


His God, which made him nothing
straunge.1
Whan that he sigh his Pride
chaunge
Anone as he was humble and tame
He found toward his God the same,
And in a twinkeling of a loke
His mann6s forme ayein he toke
And was reformed to the regne
In whiche that he was wont to
regne,
So that the Pride of Vaynglorie
Ever after out of memorie
He lett it passe.  And thus is
shewed
What is to ben of Pride unthewed 2
Ayein the highe Godd6s lawe,
To whom no man may be felawe.
"Forthy my sone, take good
hede
So for to lede thy manhede,
That thou ne be nought lich a beste.
But if thy life shall ben honeste
Thou must Humblesse take on
honde,
For thann6 might thou siker stonde,
And for to speke it other wise
A proud man can no love assise.3
For though a woman wolde him
plese,
His Prid6 can nought ben at ese.
There may no man to mochelblame
A Vic6 which is for to blame.
Forthy men shulden nothing hide
That mighte fall in blame of Pride,
Whiche is the worste Vice of alle,
Wherof so as it was befalle
The tale I thenke of a cronique
To telle, if that it may thee like,
So that thou might Humblesse sue
And eke the Vice of Pride escheue,
1 Showed himself no whit estranged-did
not turn from him.
2 Unthezved, showing want of discipline
against the law of the high God to whom, &c.
A assise, be in session with.


Wherof the glorie is false and
vaine,
Which God him    self hath in
disdeine,
That though it mount6 for athrowe,'
It shall down falle and overthrowe.
1 tding whilom was yonge and
wise,
The which set of his wit great prise.
Of depe ymaginations
And straunge interpretations,
Problemds and demaundes eke
His wisedom was to finde and seke,
Wherof he wolde in sondry wise
Opposen hem that weren wise.
But none of hem it mightde bere
Upon his word to yive answedre
Out taken 2 one, which was a
knight,
To him was every thing so light,
That al so sone as he hem herde
The kinges wordes he answerde,
What thing the king him axe wolde,
Whereof anone the trouth he tolde.
The king somdele had an envie
And thought he wolde his wittes
plie
To sete some conclusion,
Which shulde be confusion
Unto this knight, so that the name
And of wisdom the highe fame
Toward him selfe he wolde winne.
And thus of all his wit withinne
This king began to studie and muse
What straunge mater he might use
The knight6s wittes to confounde,
And atte last he hath it founde:
And for the knight anon he sente,
That he shall telle what he mente.
Upon thre points stood the matere
Of questions as thou shalte here.
' The firste point of all6 thre
Was this: ' What thing in his degre
1 Thra'zoe, space of tinme.
2 Out taken, except.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


9I1


Of all this world hath nedd lest
And yet men helpe it allthermest.'l
The seconde is: 'What moste
is worth
And of costage is lest put forth.'
The thrid is: 'Which is of most
cost
And lest is worth and goth to lost.'
The king these thre demaundes
axeth,
To the knight this law he taxeth,
That he shall gone and comen ayein
The thriddeweke andtell him pleine
To every point, what it amounteth.
And if so be that he niscountetl
To make in his answere a faile,
There shall none other thinge
availe,
The king saith, but he shall be dede
And lese his goodds and his hede.
This knight was sory of this thinge
And wolde excuse him to the kinge;
But he ne woldehim nought forbere,
And thus the knight of his answere
Goth home to take avisement.
But after his entendement
The more he cast his wit aboute,
The more he stant therof in doubte.
Tho wist he well the kinges herte,
That he the deth ne shulde asterte2
And suche a sorwe to him hath take,
That gladship he hath all forsake.
He thoughtd first upon his life,
And after that upon his wife,
Upon his children eke also,
Of whiche he had doughteres two.
The yongest of hem had of age
Fourtene yere, and of visage
She was right faire and of stature
Lich to an hevenlich figure,
And of maner and goodly speche;
Though men wolde alle londes
seche,
1 Allthermewcst, most of all.
2 Asserte, escape from.


They shulden nought have founde
her like.
She sigh her fader sorwe and sike
And wist6 nought the cause why.
So cam she to him prively
And that was, wher he made his
mone
Within a gardin all him one.1
Upon her knees she gan down falle
With humble herte and to him calle
And saide: 'O goode fader dere,
Why make ye thus hevy chere
And I wot nothinge how it is?
And well ye knowd, fader, this,
What aventure that you felle
Ye might it saufly to me telle,
For I have ofte herd you saide,
That ye such truste have on me
laide,
That to my suster ne to my brother
In all this worlde ne to none other
Ye durste telle a privetd
So well, my fader, as to me.
Forthy,2 my fader, I you praie
Ne casteth nought that hert awaie,
For I am she, that wolde kepe
Your honour.' And with that to
wepe
Her eye may nought be forbore,
She wissheth for to ben unbore,
Er that her fader so mistriste
To tellen her of that he wiste.
And ever among 'Mercy' she cride,
That he ne shulde his counseil
hide
From hire, that so wolde him good
And was so nigh in fiesshe and
blood.
So that, with weping, attd laste
His chere 3 upon his childe he caste
And sorwefull' to that she praide
He tolde his tale and thus he saide:
1 All i, z one, by himself alone.
I Fort/y, therefore.
3 C/zere, countenance.




92


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


'The sorwe, doughter, which I
make
Is nought all only for my sake,
But for thee bothe and for you alle.
For suche a chaunce is me befalle,
That I shall er this thridde day
Lese 1 all that ever I lese may,
My life and all my good therto.
Therfore it is I sorwe so.'
'What is the cause, alas,' quod
she,
'My fader, that ye shulden be
Dede and destruied in sucheawise?'
And he began the points devise,2
Which as the king tolde him by
mouthe
And said her pleinly, that he couthe
Answeren to no point of this.
And she, that hereth howe it is,
Her counseil yaf and saide tho: 3
' My fader, sithen 4 it is so,
That ye can se none other weie,
But that ye must nedes deie,
I wolde pray you of o thinge,Let me go with you to the kinge,
And ye shall make him understonde,
How ye, my wittes for to fonde,5
Have laid your answere upon me,
And telleth him in such degre
Upon my worde ye wol abide
To life or deth what so betide.
For yet perchaunce I may purchace
With some good word the kinges
grace,
Your life and eke your good to save.
For oft6 shall a woman have
Thing whiche a man may nought
areche.6
The fader herd his doughters speche
And thought there was no reson in,
And sigh his own6 life to winne
3 Lese, lose.  2 Dev'ise, relate.
a T/o, then.  4 Sit/enz, since.
5 IFoule, try.  6 Areche, reach to.


He couthe done him self no cure.
So better him thought in aventure
To put his life and all his good,
Than in the maner as it stood
His life incertein for to lese.
And thus thenkend he gan to chese1
To do the counseil of his maid
And toke the purpose, which she
said.
The day was comen and forth they
gon,
Unto the court they come anon,
Where as the kinge in his jugement
Was set, and hath this knight assent.
Arrai6d in her beste wise
This maiden with her word6s wise
Her fader ledde by the honde
Into the place, where he fonde
The king with otherwhich he wolde,
And to the king knel6nd he tolde
As he enformed was to-fore,
And praith the king, that he therfore
His doughters wordes woldd take,
And saith that he woll undertake
Upon her wordes for to stonde.
Tho was ther great merveile on
honde,
That he, which was so wise a knight,
His life upon so yonge a wight
Besette wolde in jeopartie,
And many it helden for folie.
But at the laste neth6les
The king commaundeth ben in
pees,
And to this maide he cast his chere
And saide, he wolde her tald here,
And bad her speke, and she began:
'My leg6 lord, so as I can,'
Quod she, 'the pointes which I
herde,
They shull of reson ben answerde.
The first I understonde is this,
What thinge of all the worlde it is,


1 Chese, choose.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


93


Which men most helpe and hath
lest nede.
My lege lord, this wolde I rede
The erthe it is, whiche evermo
With mannes labour is bego
As well in Winter as in Maie.
The mann6s honde doth what he
may
To helpe it forth and make it riche,
And forthy men it delve and diche
And eren   it with strength of
plough,
Wher it hath of him self inough
So that his nede is att= leste.
For every man and birde and beste
Of flour and gras and roote and
rinde
And every thing by way of kinde
Shall sterve,2 and erthe it shall become;
As it was out of erth6 nome
It shall to therth6 torne ayein.
And thus I may by reson sein
That erthe is most6 neddles
And most men helpe it nethdles,
So that, my lord, touchend of this
I have answerde how that is.
'That other point I understood,
Which most is worth and most is
good
And costeth lest a man to kepe,
My lorde, if ye woll take kepe,
I say it is Humilit6,
Through which6 the high Trinite
As for deserte of pur6 Love
Unto Mari6 from above
Of thathe knewe herhumble entente
His ownd sone adown he sente,
Above all other and 3 her he chese
For that vertu which bodeth pees.
So that I may by reson calle
Humilite most worthe of alle,
1 Eren, till.   2 Sterve, die.
3 And he chose her above all other. " And"
used in the middle of a clause, as we might
now use " also.'


And lest it costeth to mainteine
In all the worlde, as it is seine.
For who that hath humblesse on
honde
He bringeth no werres into londe,
For he desireth for the best
To setten every man in reste.
Thus with your highe reverence
Me thenketh that this evidence
As to this point is suffisauint.
'And touchend of the remenauint,
Whiche is the thridde of your
axinges,
What lest is worth of alle thinges
And costeth most, I telle it Pride,
Which may nought in the Heven
abide.
For Lucifer with hem that felle
Bar Pride with him into helle.
There was Pride of to grete cost,
Whan he for Pride hath Heven
lost;
And after that in paradise
Adam for Pride lost his prise
In middel-erth. And eke also
Pride is the cause of all6 wo,
That all the world ne may suffise
To staunche of Pride the reprise.1
Pride is the heved 2 of all sinne,
Which wasteth all and may nought
winne.
Pride is of every mis: the pricke,
Pride is the worste of all wicke,
And costeth most and lest is worth
In place where he hath his forth.
'That have I said that I woll
say
Of min answe're and to you pray,
My lege lorde, of your office,
Thatye suchgrace and suche justice
Ordeigne for my fader here,
That after this whan men it here,
1Retrise, reproach.  ' Hed. head.::is, thing amiss; wrong.




94


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


The world therof may speke good.'
The king, which reson understood
And hath all herde how she hath
said,
Was inly glad and so well paid,
That all his wrath is over go.
And he began to loke tho
Upon this maiden in the face,
In which he found so mochel grace,
That all his prise on her he laide
In audience and thus he saide:
'My faire maide, well thee be
Of thin answere, and eke of thee
Me liketh well, and as thou wilte
Foryive be thy faders gilte.
And if thou were of such lignage,
That thou to me were of parage
And that thy fader were a pere,
As he is now a bachele're,
So siker as I have a life,
Thou sholdest thanne be my wife.
But this I saie netheles,
That I woll shap6 thin encrese,
What worldes good that thou wolt
crave
Are of my yift, and thou shalt have.'
And she the king with wordes
wise
Knelende thonketh in this wise:
' My lege lord, god mot you quite.1
My fader here hath but a lite
Of warison,2 and that he wende
Had all be lost, but now amende
He may well through your noble
grace.'
With that the king right in his
place
Anon forth in that fresshd hete
An erldome, which than of eschete
Was latd falle into his honde,
Unto this knight, with rent and
londe,
1 Quite, requite.
2 Little of reward for service done.


Hath yove and with his chartre
sesed.1
And thus was all the noise appesed.
This maiden, which sate on her
knees
To fore the kingds charitees,
Commendeth and saith evermore:
'My lege lord, right now to-fore
Ye saide, and it is of recorde,
That if my fader were a lorde
And pere unto these other grete,
Ye wolden for nought elles lette,
That I ne sholdd be your wife.
And thus wote every worthy life
A kinges worde mot nede be holde.
Forth~ my lord, if that ye wolde
So great a charitd fulfille,
God wote it werd well my wille.
For he, which was a bachelere,
My fader, is now made a pere;
So whan as ever that I cam,
An erles doughter nowe I,am.'
( This yonge king, which peised
all
Her beaute and her wit withall,
As he which was with love hente,
Anone therto yaf his assente.
He mighte nought the place asterte
That she nis lady of his herte.
So that he toke her to his wife
To holdd while that he hath life.
And thus the king toward his
knight
Accordeth him as it is right.
And over this, good is to wite 2
In the cronique as it is write
This noble kinge, of whom I tolde,
Of Spaind by tho daids olde
The kingdom had in governaunce,
And as the boke maketh remembraunce
Alphonse was his propre name.
The knight also, if I shall name,
1 Sesed, "seisin" (possession), given.
'2 To wite, to know.




BOOK I.-PRIDE.


95


Danz Petro hight, and as men telle
His doughter wis6 Petronelle
Was cleped, which was full of grace.
And that was sene in thilk6 place,
Where she her fader out of tene1
Hath brought, and made her selfe
a quene,
Of that she hath so well desclosed
The points wherof she was opposed.
"Lo now, my sone, as thou might
here,
Of all this thing to my matere
But one I take, and that is Pride,
To whom no grace may betide.
In Heven he fell out of his stede,
And Paradise him was forbede;
The goode men in erthe him hate,
So that to helle he mote algate,
Wheree very Vertue shall be weived 2
And every Vic6 be resceived.
But Humblesse is all other wise,
Which most is worth, and no reprise 3
It taketh ayein, but softe and faire
If any thing stant in contraire
With humble speche it is redressed.
Thus was this yong6 maiden blessed,
The whiche I spake of now to-fore.
Her faders life she gat therfore
1 Tene, anxious grief.
'2 leived, put aside.
3 Reprise, reproach.


And wan withall the kinges love.
Forth) my sone, if thou wolt love,
It sit thee well to leve Pride
And taken Humblesse on thy side,
The more of gracd thou shalt
gete. -
" My fader, I woll nought foryete
Of this that ye have told me here,
And if that any such manere
Of humble port may love appaie,
Here afterwarde I thonke assaie.
But now forth over I beseche,
That ye   more   of my   shrifte
seche.""My gode sone, it shall be do.
Now herken and lay an er6 to,
For as touchend of Prides fare
Als ferforth as I can declare
In cause of Vice, in cause of love
That hast thou pleinly herde above,
So that there is no more to saie
Touchend of that; but other waie
Touchend Envie I thenkd telle,
Whiche hath the propre kinde of
helle,1
Withoute cause to misdo
Toward him self and other also;
Hereafterward as understonde
Thou shalt the spieces,2 as they
stonde.
1 Which hath from hell its proper nature.
2 Species. classification into its several kin(s.




M3oofk E.
OF ENVY.


onw after Pride the secouinde
There is, which many a
wofull stounde,
Towardes other berth aboute
Within him self and nought withoute.
For in his thoughthe brenneth ever,
Whan that he wote an other lever'
Or more vertu6s than he,
Which passeth him in his degre;
Therof he taketh his maladie.
That Vice is cleped hot Envie.
Forthy, my sone, if it be so,
Thou art or hast ben one of tho,2
As for to speke in Loves cas
If ever yet thin herte was
Seke of another mannes hele?" 3
"So god avaunce my quarele,
My fader, ye 4 a thousand sithe.
Whan I have sene another blithe
Of love and hadde a goodly chere,
Ethna, which brenneth yere by yere,
Was thanne nought so hote as I
Of thilke sore which prively
Mine hertes thought withinne brenneth.
The ship, which on the wawes
renneth
And is forstormed and forblowe,5
1 Lever, more beloved.
2 Tho, those.
3 Sick of another man's health.
4 Ye, yea.
5, For" is an intensive prefix.


Is nought more peinedfor a throwe'
Than I am thanne whan I se
Another which that passeth me
In that fortune of Loves yifte.
But fader, this I telle in shrifte,
That is no where but in o place.
For who that lese or finde grace
In other stede, it may nought greve.
But this ye may right well beleve,
Toward my lady that I serve,
Though that I wistd for to sterve,
Min hert is full of such folk,
That I my selfe may nought chast',
Whan I the Court se of Cupide
Approche unto my lady side
Of hem that lusty ben and fresshe,
Though it availe hem nought a
resshe,2
But only that they ben of speche,
My sorwe is than nought to seche.
But whan they rounen 3 in her ere,
Than groweth all my moste fere.
And namely 4 whan they talen
longe,
My sorwes thanne be so stronge,
Of that I see hem well at ese
I can nought telle my disese.
But, sire, as of my lady selve,
Though she have wowers, ten or
twelve,
1 Tlhrowe, space of time.
2 Resshe, rush.
3 Rounen, whisper.
4 Namely, especially.




BOOK II.-ENVY


97


For no mistrust I have of her
Me greveth nought, for certes, sir,
I trowe in all this world to seche
N is woman, that in dede and
speche
Woll better avise her what she
doth,
Ne better, for to saie a sothe,
Kepe her hon6ur at alle tide
And yet get her a thank beside.
But netheles I am beknowe,
That whan I se at any throwe 1
Or elles if I may it here,
That she make any man good
chere,
Though I therof have nought to
done,
My thought woll entermete 2 him
sone.
For though I be my selven straunge
Envie maketh min herte chaunge,
That I am sorwefully bestad
Of that I se another glad
With hire, but of other all
Of Lov6 what so may befall,
Or that he faile or that he spede,
Therof take I but litel hede.
Nowe have I said, my fader, all,
As of this point in speciall
As ferforthly as I have wiste.
Now axeth, fader, what you liste.""My sone, ere I axe any more
I thenke somdele for thy lore
Tell an ensample of this matere
Touchend Env~-, as thou shalt here.
'; Write in Civil6 this I finde,
Though it be nought the houndes
kinde
To ete chaff, yet woll he werne
An oxe, which cometh to the berne,
Therof to taken any fode.
And thus who that it understode
1 TIzrazowe, space of time.
'L;tetrltete, go apart from.:a As far forth as I have known.


It stant of Love in many a place,
Who that is out of Loves grace
And may him selven nought availe,
He wold an other shold6 faile.
And if he may put any lette,
He doth al that he may to lette.
AWherof I finde, as thou shalt wit,
To this purpos a tale write.
" fi)cre ben of suche mo than
twelve,
That ben nought able as of hem
selve
To gett6 love, and for Envie
Upon all other they aspic.
And for1 hem lacketh that they
wolde,
They kepe that none other sholde
Touchend of love his cause spede;
Wherof a great ensample I rede,
Whiche unto this matere accordeth,
As Ovide in his boke recordeth,
How Poliphemus whilom wrought,
Whan that he Galathe besought
Of love, whiche he may nought
lacche,2
That made him for to waite and
wacche
By alle waies howe it ferde;
Till at 'the last he knewe and herde
How that an other hadd6 leve
To lov6 there, as he mot leve
As for to speke of any spede;
So that he knew none other rede
But for to waiten upon alle
Till he may se the chaunce falle,
That he her love might6 greve,
Whiche he him self may nought
acheve.
This Galathe, saith the poete,
Above all other was unmete:
Of beaute, that men thanne knewe,
And had a lusty love, and trewe
For, because.
2 Lacczhe. catch, secure.
I UnmSctl, beyond measure.
G




98


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


A bacheler in his degr6,
Right such an other as was she;
On whom she hath her hert6 set,
So that it mighte nought be let
For yift6 ne for no beheste,
That she ne was all at his heste.2
This yonge knight Acis was hote,'
Whiche her ayeinwarde also hote 4
All only loveth and no mo.5
Herof was Poliphemus wo
Through pure Envie and ever aspide
And waiteth 6 upon every side,
Whan he to-gider might6 se
This yonge Acis with Gaiath6.
So longe he waiteth to and fro,
Till at the laste he founde hem two
In priv6 place, where they stood
To speke and have her wordes good.
The place, where as he hem sigh,7
It was under a banke nigh
The greatd se, and he above
Stood and behelde the lusty love,
Whiche eche of hem to other made
With goodly chere and wordes glade
That all his hert hath sette a fire
Of pure Envie. And as a vire 8
Which flieth out of a mighty bowe,
Away he fledd6 for a throwe,9
As he that was for love wode,
Whan that he sigh how that it
stode.
This Polipheme a geaunt was.
And whan he sigh the sothl cas,
How Galath6 him hath forsake
And Acis to her lov6 take,
His hert6 may it nought forbere
That he ne roreth as a bere
And as it were a wild6 beast
In whom no reson might areste.
He ranne Ethn. the hill about,
Where never yet the fire was out,
1 Let, hindered.  "_ Iesfc, commland.
3s Hote. named.  4 Iotc, hotly.
5 No wo, no more, no one else.
t Waiteth, watcheth. 7 Sigh, saw.
8 Vi'c, arrow.  s Thirowe, space of timc.


Fulfilled of sorwe and great disesc
That he sigh Acis well at ese.
Till atte last he him bethoughte
As he which all Envie soughte,
And torneth to the banke ayein
Where he with Galathe hath sein
That Acis, whom   he thoughte
greve,
Though he him self may nought
releve.
This geaunt with his rude might
Part of the banke he shof down
right,
The whiche even upon Acis fille,1
So that with falling of this hille
This Poliphemus Acis slough,
Wherof she made sorwe inough.
And as she fledde from the londe,
Neptuinus toke her by the honde
And kept her in so faste a place
Fro Polipheme and his manace,
That he with al his false Envie
Ne might atteigne her compaignie.
This Galathe, of whom I speke,
That of her self may nought be
wreke,2
Withouten any semblaunt feigned
She hath her loves deth compleigned,
And with her sorwe and with her
wo
She hath the goddes moved so,
That they of pite and of grace
Have Acis in the same place,
'here he lay dede, into a welle
Transformed, as the bokes telle,
With fresshe stremes and with clere,
As he whilom with lusty chere
Was fressh his love for to queme.3
And with this rude Polipheme
For his Envie and for his hate
They  were wroth.   And   thus
algate,
1 Fil/c, fcll.  '2 lrcikc,  avenged.
u Qucrme, please.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


99


"My sone, thou might understonde,
That if thou wolt in grace stonde
With Love, thou must leve Envie:
And as thou wolt for thy partie
Toward thy love stonde fre
So must thou suffre another be,
What so befalle upon thy chaunce.
For it is an unwise vengeauince
Which to none other man is lefe
And is unto him selve grefe."'l —
"My fader, this ensample is
good,
But how so ever that it stood
With Poliphemus love as tho,2
It shall nought stonde with me so
To worchen any felonie
In love for no suche envie.
Forthy if there ought elles be,
Now axeth forth, in what degre
It is, and I me shall confesse
With shrifte unto your holinesse.
"(i Xf gode sone, yet there is
A Vic6 revers unto this,
Whiche envious taketh his gladnesse
Of that he seeth the hevinesse
Of other men. For his welfare
Is, whan he wote another care
Of that an other hath a falle,
He thenketh him selfe arist3 with
alle.
Suche is the gladship of Envie
In worldes thing and in partie
Full ofte times eke also
In Loves cause it stant right so.
If thou, my sone, hast joie had,
Whan thou an other sigh unglad,
Shrive thee therof."-" My fader,
yis.
I am beknowe 4 unto you this
1 Which pleases no other man and grieves
oneself.
2 77tw, then.
3 A  ist, lifted up.
4 Bekjowc, to confess.


Of these lovers that loven streite,I
And for that point which they
coveite
Ben pursuauintes from yere to yere
In Loves court, when I may here
How that they climbe upon the
whele,
And whan they wene all shall be
wele
They ben down throwen atte laste,
Than am I fed of that they faste,
And laugh of that I se hem loure.
And thus of that they brewe soure
I drinke swete, and am well esed
Of that I wote they ben disesed.
But this whiche I you telle here
Is only for my lady dere,
That for none other that I knowe
Me recheth nought who overthrowe
Ne who that stonde in love upright;
But be he squier, be he knight,
Which to my lady warde2 pursueth
The more he lost of that he sueth,
The more me thenketh that I winne,
And am the more glad withinne
Of that I wote him sorwe endure;
For ever upon suche aventure
It is a comfort, as men sain,
To him the which is wo besein 3
To sene an other in his peine,
So that they bothe may compleine.
Where I myself may nought availe,
To sene an other man travaile
I am right glad if he be let.4
And though I fare nought the bet,
His sorwe is to min herte a game,
Whan that I knowe it is the same
Which to my lady stant enclined
And hath his love noughttermfned,5
I am right joyfull in my thought.
If such Envie greveth ought,
1 Streitc, strictly, intensely.
" To my lady vwarde, toward nly lady.
3 Wo besein, clothed in sorrow.
4 Lcf, hindered.
5 Termizzecd, brought to the desired end.




I00


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


As I beknowe me coupable,
Ye that be wise and resonable,
My fader, telleth your avise."" My sone, Envie in to no prise
Of such a forme I understonde
Ne mighte by no reson stonde.
For this Envie hath such a kinde,
That he woll set himself behinde
To hinder with another wight,
And gladly lese his owne right
To make another lese his.
And for to knowen how so it is
A tale lich to his matere
I thenke telle, if thou wolte here,
To shewe properly the Vice
Of this Envie and the malice.
" Of gupifer thus I finde iwrite,
How whilom that he wolde wite 2
Upon the pleinte 6 whiche he herde
Among the men, how that it ferde,
As of her wrong condici6n
To do justificaci6n.
And for that cause down he sent
An aungel, which aboute went
That he the sothe knowd may.
So it befell upon a day
This aungel which him shuld enforme
Was clothed in a mannes forme
And overtoke, I understonde,
Two men that wenten over londe,
Through which he thoughte to
aspie
His cause and goth in compaignie.
This aungel with his wordes wise
Opposeth hem in sondry wise,
Now loude wordes and now softe,
That made hem to desputen ofte.
And eche of hem his reson hadde,
And thus with tales he hem ladde
With good examinacion
Till he knew the condicion
What men they were bothe two;
1 Lese, lose.  2 Wite, know.
3 P/leiie, complaint.


And sigh wel atte laste tho,
That one of hem was coveitous,
And his felaw was enviouis.
And thus, whan he hath knouleching,
Anone he feigndd departing
And said he mote algate wende.
But herken now what fell at ende,
For than he made hem understonde,
That he was there of Goddes
sonde; 1
And said hem for the kindeship
That they have done him felaship
He wolde do some grace ayein,
And bad that one of hem shuld sain
What thinge him is levest to crave,
And he it shall of yifte have.
And over that 2 eke forth with all
He saith that other have shall
The double of that his felawe axeth:
And thus to hem his grace he taxeth.
The coveitous was wonder glad,
And to that other man he bad
And saith, that he first axe sholde;
For he supposeth that he wolde
Make his axing of worldes good;
For than he knewe well howe it
stood,
That he him self by double weight
Shall efte take; and thus by sleight
By cause that he wolde winne
He badde his felaw first beginne.
This envious, though it be late
Whan that he sigh 3 he mote algate
Make his axineg first, he thought
If he worship or profit sought,
It shall be doubled to his fere:4
That wold he chese in no manere.
But than he sheweth what he was
Towarde Envie, and in this cas
Unto this aungel thus he saide
And for his yifte this he praide,
1 Sonde, sending.
2 Over that, beyond that.
3 Sigh, saw.
4 Fere, companion.




BOOK I.L-ENVY.


10I


To make him blinde on his one eye,
So that his felaw no thing sigh.
This word was nought so sonespoke,
That his one eye anon was loke,
And his felaw forth with also
Was blinde on both his even two.
Tho was that other gladde inough,
That one wept, that other lough,
He set his one eye at no cost
Wherof that other two hath lost.
Of thilke ensample, which fell tho,
Men tellen now full ofte so.
The worlde empeireth 1 comunly
And yet wot none the cause whyv;
For it accordeth nought to kinde 2
Min owne harme to seche and
finde,
Of that I shall my brother greve
I mighte never wel acheve.
What saist thou, sone, of this
folie? ""My fader, but 3 I shulde lie
Upon the point which ye have
saide,
Yet was min herte never laide
But in the wise as I you tolde.
But evermore if that ye wolde
Ought elles to my shrifte saie
Touchend Envie, I wolde praie."-," My sone, that shall well be do.
Now herken and lay thin ere to.
I" oucbenb as of envious brood
I wot nought one of alle good,
But netheles suche as they be
Yet there is one, and that is he,
Which cleped is Detraction.
And to conferme his action
He hath witholde Malebouche,4
Whose tunge nouther pill ne
crouche 5
May hire so that he pronounce
1 Emfieirethz grows worse.
Kinide, nature.  But, unless.
4 Witholde Malebouche, held N ith Evil
Mlouth.
5 Pill ne crouche, plunder nor coin.


A  plein  good word withouten
frounce,1
WVher behinde a mannes backe;
For though he preise he find some
lacke,
Whiche of his tale is av the laste
That all the prise shall overcaste.
And though there be no cause why,
Yet woll he jangle nought forth',
As he whiche hath the heraldic
Of hem that usen for to lie.
For as the nettle whiche up renneth
The fresshe rede roses brenneth
And maketh hem fade and pale of
heiwe,
Right so this fals envious hewe 2
In every place where he dwelleth
With false wordes where he telleth
He torneth preising into blame
And worship into vorldes shame.
Of such lesinge as he compisseth
Is none so good that he ne passeth
Betwene his tethe and is backbited
And through his falsetunge endited.
Lich to the sharnebudes: kinde,
Of whose nature' this I finde,
That in the hotest of the day,
Whan comen is the mery May,
He spret his winge and up he fleeth
And under all aboute he seeth
The faire lusty floures springe.
But therof hath he no likinge.
But where he seeth of any beste
The filthe, there he maketh his feste
And there upon he woll alighte,
There liketh him none other siglte
Right so this jangler envious,
Though he a man se vertuou"i
And full of good conrdicion,
Therof maketh he no mencion.
But elles, be it nought so lite,4
Wherof that he may set a wite,"
1 Frounce, frown.  2 If ewe, servant.
3 Sharnebudes, shard-beetle's.
4 Lite, little.  5 IV/te, blame.




r^r'I A7T  T 77 cc T   A 71' A N,'T'rr


102               k1\ VV JL L' no 0J1 I
There renneth he with open mouth
Behinde a mart and maketh it
couth.1
But all the vertue whiche he can
That woll he hide, of every man,
And openly the vice telle,
As he which of the scole of helle
Is taught, and fostred with Envie
Of housholde and of compaignie,
Where that hehath his propre office
To sette on every man a vice.
How so his mouth be comel',
His worde sit e'ermore awry
And saith the worste that he may.
And in this wise now a daye
In Loves court a man may here
Full ofte pleine of this matere;
That many envious tale is stered,2
Where that it may nought be answered
But yet full ofte it is beleved;
And many a worthy love is greved
Through backbitinge of false Envie.
"If thou have made suche janglerie
In Loves court, my sone, er this,
Shrive thee therof."-" My fader,
yis.
But wite ye how, nought openly
But otherwhil6 prively,
Whan I my dere lady mete
And thenke how that I am nought
mete
Unto her highe worthinesse,
And eke I se the besinesse
Of all this yonge lusty route
Which all day pursue her aboute,
And eche of hem his time awaiteth,
And eche of hem his tale affaiteth,3
All to deceive an innocent
Which woll nought be of her 4 assent.
1 Coutli, known.
2 Stered, stirred up.
3 Affaiteth, submitteth.
4  tHe, thllir.


J/ fJ IJL1.  V lL A..l 1.


And for men sain 'unknowen unkiste,'
Her thombe she holt in her fiste
So close within her owne honde
That ther6 winneth no man londe;
She leveth nought all that she
hereth
And thus ful ofte her self she
skiereth 1
And is all ware of had I ivzst.
But for all that min hert ariste
Whan I these comun lovers see
That wol nought holden hem to thre
But well nigh loven over al,
Min hert is envious with all,
And ever I am adrad of guile,
In aunter if with any wile
They might her innocence enchaunte.
Forthy my words full ofte I haunte
Behinde hem so as I dare,
Wherof my lady may beware.
I say what ever cometh to mouth,
And wers I wolde if that I couth.
For whan I come unto her speche
All that I may enquere and seche
Of such deceipte I telle it all,
And ay the worst in speciall.
So faine I wolde that she wist
How litel they ben for to trist,
And what they wold and what they
mente
So as they be of double entente,
Thus toward hem that wicke mene "
My wicked word was ever grene.
And netheles the soth to telle
In certein if it so befelle
That althertrewest man ibore 4
To chese amonge a thousand score,
Which were all fully for to triste,
My lady loved, and I it wiste,
1 Skiereth, secureth.
2 Had I known. Old phrase to express a
repentance come too late.
3 Those who mean wickedly.
4 The truest of all men born.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


I03


Yet rather than he shulde spede
I wolde suche tales sprede
To my lad', if that I might,
That I shuld all his love unright,
And therto wolde I do my peine.
For certes though I shulde feigne
And telle that was never thought,
For all this worlde I mighte nought
To suffre an other fully winne
There as I am yet to beginne;
For be they good or be they bad
I wolde none my lady had.
And that me maketh full ofte aspie
And usen wordes of Envie,
And for to make hem bere a
blameAnd that is but of thilke sameThe whiche unto my lady drawe,
For ever on them I roungel and
gnawe
And hinder hem all that ever I
maie.
And that is, sothly for to saie,
But only to my lady selve;
I telle it nought to ten ne twelve,
Therof I wol me well avise
To speke or jangle in any wise
That toucheth to my ladies name,
The whiche in ernest and in game
I wolde save, in to my deth;
For me were lever to lacke breth
Than speken of her name amis.
Now have ye herd touchend of this,
My fader, in Confession
And therfore of Detraction
In Love, of that I have mispoke,
Tell how ye will it shall be wroke.
I am all redy for to bere
My peine, and also to forbere
What thing that ye woll nought
allowe;
For who is bounden, he must bowe.
So woll I bowe unto your hest,
For I dare make this behest,
1 RozinCge nip.


That I to you have nothing hid,
But told right as it is betid,
And otherwise of no misspeche
MSy conscience for to seche.
I can nought of Envie finde
That I misspoke have ought bet
hinde,
Wherof love oughte be mispaide.
Now have ye herde and I have
saide,
What woll ye fader, that I do?"' My sone, do no more so,
But ever kepe thy tunge still,
Thou might the more have thy will.
For as thou saist thy selven here,
Thy lady is of such manere,
So wise so ware in alle thinges,
It nedeth of no bakbitinges,
That thou thy lady misenforme:
For whan she knoweth all the
forme,
How that thy self art enviouis,
Thou shalt nought be so graciois,
As thou paraunter1 shuldest be
elles.
There wol no man drinke of the
welles,
Whiche as he wote2 is poison inne.
And ofte suche as men beginne
Towardes other, such they finde,
That set hem ofte fer behinde
Whan that they wenen be before.
My gode sone, and thou therfore
Be ware and leve thy wicked speche,
Wherof hath fallen ofte wreche:
To many a man before this time.
For who so wol his hondes lime,4
They musten be the more unclene.
For many a mote shall be sene,
Thatwolde nought cleve ell6s there;
Andthatshulde everywise manfere.
For who so woll another blame,
He seketh ofte his ownd shame,
1 Parauznfer, peradventure.
' Iote, knows.  3 IVreche, revenge.
4 Take birdlime in his hands.




10o4


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


Which elles mighte be right stille.
Forthy if that it be thy wille
To stonde upon amendement,
A tale of great entendement
I thenke telle for thy sake,
Wherof thou might ensample take.
"<l worfrO1 knight in Cristes
lawe
Of great6 Rome, as is the sawe,
The sceptre hadde for to right,
Tibery Constantin he hight,
Whos wife was cleped Italie.
But they to-gider of progenie
No children hadde but a maide,
And she the God so wel apaide 1
That al the wide worldes fame
Spake worship of her gode name.
Constance, as the cronique saith,
She hight, and was so full of faith
That the greatest of Barbarie,
Of hem whiche usen marchandie,
She hath converted, as they come
To her upon a time in Rome
To shewen such thing as they
brought
Which worthely of hem she bought.
And over that2 in suche a wise
She hath hem with her wordes wise
Of Cristes feith so full enformed,
That they therto ben all conformed,
So that baptisme they receiven
And all her3 false goddes weiven.
"Whan they ben of the feith
certein,
They gone to Barbarfe ayein,
Andthere the Souldan for hem sente
And axeth hem to what entente
They have her firste feith forsake.
And they, whiche hadden undertake
The righte feith to kepe and holde,
The mater of her tale tolde
With all the hole circumstauince.
1 A.4ide,. pleased.
2 Over that, beyond that.
3  Yer, their.


And whan the Souldan of Constaunce,
Upon the point that they answerde,
The beaute and the grace herde,
As he which thanne was to wedde,
In alle haste his cause spedde
To sende for the mariage.
And furthermore with good corage
He saith, be sot he may her have,
That Crist, that came this world
to save,
He woll beleve, and thus recorded
They ben on either side accorded.
And there upon to make an ende
The Souldan his hostages sende
To Rome, of princes sones twelve.
\Wherof the fader in him selve
Was glad, and with the Pope avised.
Two Cardinales he hath assised
With other lordes many mo,
That with his doughter shulden go
To se the Souldan be converted.
"But that which never was wel
herted
EnvYe tho gan to travaile
In disturbauince of this spousaile
So prively that none was ware.
The Moder which the Souldan bare
Was than alive, and thoughte this
Unto her selfe: if it so is,
My sone him wedde in this manere,
Than have I lost my joies here,
For min estate shall so be lassed.
Thenkend thus, she hath compassed
By sleight how that she may beguile
Her sone, and fell within a while,
Betwene hem two whan that they
were,
She feigned wordes in his ere
And in this wise gan to say:
'My sone, I am by double way
With all min herte glad and blithe,
For that my selfe have oftd sithe


1 Be so, if so be.
2 Oftdsithe, oftentimes.




BOOK II.-ENVY


10s


Desired thou wolte, as men saith,
Receive and take a newe feith,
W\hich shall be forthringe of thy
life.
And eke so worshipfull a wife
The doughter of an emperotir
To wedde, it shall be great honoir.
Forth) 1 my sone, I you beseche,
That I such gracd might areche,
\Whan that mydoughter come shall,
That I may than in speciall,
So as me thenketh it is honeste,
Be thilke which the firste feste
Shall make unto her welcominge.'
"The Souldan graunteth her
axinge.
And she therof was gladde inough,
For under that anone she drough
With false wordes that she spake
Covin 2 of dethe behinde his backe.
And therupon her ordinaunce
She madc so, that whan Constance
Was comen forth with the Romains,
Of clerkes and of citezeins
A riche feste she hem made.
And moste whan they weren glade
With false covin, which she hadde,
Her close Envie tho she spradde.
And alle tho, that hadden be
Or in appert or in prive
Of counseil to the mariage,
She slough hem in a sodein rage
Endlong the borde as they be set,
So that it mighte nought be let.
Her owne sone was nought quite,"
But died upon the same plite.
But what the highe God woll spare
It may for no perill misfare.
This worthy maiden which was
there
Stode than as who saith dede for
fere
1 Fortif, therefore.
2 Co7'in, secret contrivance.
3 Quite, acquitted.


To se the fest how that it stood.
Whiche all was torned into blood.
The dissh forth with the cuppe and
all
Bebled 1 they weren over all;
She sigh hem die on every side,
No wonder though she wepte and
cride
Makend man'- a wofull mone.
When all was slain but she al one,
This olde fend, this Sarazin
Let take anone this Constantin
\Vith all the good she thiderbrought
And hath ordeigndd as she thought
A naked ship withoute stere,
In which the good and her in fere,
Vitdled full for yeres five,
Where that the winde it wold6
drive,
She put upon the wawes wilde.
" But he, which alle thinges may
shilde
Thre yere til that she cam to londe
Her ship to stere hath take on
honde,
And in Northumberlond arriveth;
And happeth thanne that she
driveth
Under a castell with the flood,
Whiche upon Humber banke stood.
And was the kinges owne also
The whiche Allee was cleped tho;
A Saxon, and a worthy knight,
But he beleveth nought aright.
Of this castell was castellaine
Elda the kinges chamberlaine,
A knightly man after his lawe.
And whan he sigh upon the wawe:'
The ship drivend alone so,
He badde anone men shulden go
To se what it betoken may.
This was upon a somer day
1 Bebled, covered with blood.
" A rrizevtf, touches shore.
Saw upon the waves.




io6


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


The ship was loked and she founde.
Elda within a litel stounde 1
It wist, and with his wife anone
Toward this yonge lady gone,
Where that they founde great
richesse.
But she her wolde nought confesse,
Whan they her axen what she was.
And netheles upon the cas
Out of the ship with great worship
They toke her into felaship
As they that weren of her glade.
But she no maner joie made,
But sorweth sore of that she fonde
No christendome in thilke londe;
But elles she hath all her will,
And thus with hem she dwelleth
still.
Dame Hermegild, which was the
wife '
Of Elda, liche her owne life
Constance loveth; and fell so
Spekend all day betwene hem two
Through grace of Goddes purveiaunce
This maiden taughte the creauince
Unto this wife so parfitly,
Upon a day that faste by
In presence of her husebonde,
Where they go walkend on the
stronde,
A blinde man which cam ther ladde
Unto this wife criend he badde
With bothe his hondes up and
praide
To her, and in this wise he saide:
' 0 Hermegilde, which Cristes feith
Enformend as Constance saith
Received hast: yif me my sight!'
"Upon this worde her herte
aflight
Thenkend what was beste to done,
But netheles she herde his bone'2
And saide: c Intrust of Cristes lawe,
1 Stounde, interval, hour.  2 Bone, petition.


Which done was on the crosse and
slawe,1
Thou blinde man beholde and se!'
With that, to God upon his kne
Thonkend, he toke his sight anone,
Wherof they merveil everychone,
But Elda wondreth most of alle;
This open thing whiche is befalle
Concludeth2 him by suche a way
That he the feith mo nede obey.
" Now list what fell upon this
thinge.
This Elda forth unto the kinrige
A morwe toke his way and rode,
And Hermegild at home abode
Forth with Constance well at ese.
Elda, which thought his king to
plese,
As he that than unwedded was,
Of Constance all the pleine cas,
As godelich as he couth, tolde.
The king was glad, and said he
wolde
Come thider in suche a wise,
That he him might of her avise.3
The time appointed forth withall
This Elda truste in speciall
Upon a knight which fro childhode
He had updrawe into manhode,
To him he tolde all that he thought;
Wherof that after him forthought.4
And netheles at thilke tide
Unto his wife he bad him ride
To make redy alle thinge
Ayeinst the cominge of the kinge;
And saith that he him self to-fore
Thenketh for to come, and bad
therfore
That he him kepe,5 and tolde him
whan.
1 The law of Christ who was put upon the
cross and slain.
' Concludeth, decides.
3 Him avise, take note.
4 Him forthought, it repented him.
Hiim kete, have care for him, look for him.




BOOK II.-EN VY.


IC7


This knight rode forth his waie than.
And soth was, that of tim6 passed
He had in all his wit compassed,
Howe he Constance mighte winne.
But he sigh tho no spedel therinne.
Wherof his lust began to abate,
And that was love is thanne hate.
Of her honouir he had Envie,
So that upon his trecherie
A lesinge2 in his herte he cast.
Til he come home he hieth fast,
And doth his lady to understonde
The message of her husebonde.
And therupon the longe daie
They setten thinges in arraie,
That all was as it shulde be
Of every thinge in his degre.
And whan it came into the night,
This wife with her hath to bedde
dight
Where that this maiden with her
lay.
This false knight upon delay,
Hath taried till they were aslepe,
As he that woll his time kepe
His dedly werkes to fulfille.
And to the bed he stalketh stille,
Where that he wiste was the wife,
And in his honde a rasour knife
He bar, with whiche her throte he
cut
And prively the knife he put
Under that other beddes side,
Where that Constance lay beside.
Elda come horn the same night
And stille with a prive light,
As he that wolde nought awake
His wife, he hath his waie take
Into the chambre, and there liggend
He fonde his dede wife bledend,
Where that Constance faste by
Was falle aslepe; and sodeinly


He cried aloude, and she awoke,
And forth with all she cast a loke
And sigh this lady blede there,
Wherof swounende dede for fere
She was, and stille as any stone
She laie, and Elda therupon
Into the castell clepeth out,
And up sterte every man about;
Into the chambre forth they went.
But he whiche all untrouthe ment
This false knight among hem all
Upon this thing whiche is befall
Saith that Constance hath don this
dede.
And to the bed with that he yede
After the falsehed of his speche
And made him there for to seche,'
And fond the knife where he it laid.
And than he cried and than he
said:
'Lo, se the knife all bloody here,
What nedeth more in this matere
To axe?' and thus her innocence
He sclaundreth there in audience
With false wordes, whiche he
feigneth.
But yet for al that ever he pleineth.
" Elda no full credence toke.
And happed that there lay a boke,
Upon the which, whan he it sighe,
This knight hath swore, and said
on highe
That alle men it mighten wite,2 -'Now by this boke which here is
write,
Constance is gultif well I wote.'
With that the honde of Heven him
smote
In token of that he was forswore,
That he has bothe his eyen lore,:
Out of his hed the same stounde
They stert, and so they were
founde.


1 Sigh tJo no spede, saw then no success.
'" Lesinge, falsehood.


1 Sec/e, seek.       2 Iife, know.
3 Lore, lost.




Io8


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


A vois was herd whan that they fel,
Which saide: ' O0 dampned man
to helle,
Lo, thus hath God thy sclaunder
wroke,
That thou ayein Constance hath
spoke:
Beknowe the sothe 1 er that thou
deie.'
And he tolde out his felonie
And starf forth with his tale anone.
Into the grounde where alle gone,
This dede lady was begrave.
Elda, which thought his honour
save
All that he may, restreigneth sorwe.
"For by the second day a
morwe
The king came, as they were accorded,
And whan it was to him recorded,
What God hath wrought upon this
chaunce,
He toke it into remembrauince
And thoughte more than he saide;
For all his hole herte he laide
Upon Constance, and saide he
shulde
For love of her, if that she wolde,
Baptisme' take and Cristes feith
Beleve, and over that he saith
He wol her wedde, and upon this
Assured eche til other is.
And for to make shorte tales
There came a bisshop out of Wales
Fro Bangor, and Lucie he hight,
Which through the grace of God
almight
The king with many an other mo
He cristn6d, and betwene hem two
He hath fulfilled the mariage.
But for no lust ne for no rage
She tolde hem never what she was.
And netheles upon this cas
1 Confess the truth.


The king was glad, how so it stood,
For well he wist and understood
She was a noble creature.
The highe Maker of Nature
Her hath visited in a throwe,
That it was openliche knowe
She was with childe by the kinge,
Wherof above all other thinge
He thonketh God and was right
glad.
And fell that time he was bestad
Upon a werre, and muste ride.
And while he shulde there abide
He left at home to kepe his wife
Suche as he knewe of holy life,
Elda forth with the bisshop eke.
And he with power go to seke
Ayein the Scottes for to fonde1
The werre whiche he toke on
honde.
The time set of kinde is come,
This lady hath her chambre nome 2
And of a sone bore fulle,
Wherof that she was joiefull,
She was delivered sauf and sone.3
The bisshop, as it was to done,
Yaf him baptisme and Moris calleth.
And therupon as it befalleth
With letters writen of recorde
They send unto her lege lorde
That kepers weren 4 of the quene.
And he, that shulde go betwene,
The messanger to Knaresburgh
(Which town he shulde passe
thurgh)
Ridende cam the firste daie;
The kinges moder there lay,
Whose righte name was Domilde,
Whiche after all the cause spilde.
For he, which thonk deserve wolde,
Unto this lady goth and tolde
1 Fontde, try issues in.
2 Nowme, taken.
3 Safe and sound.
4 They that were keepers of the queen sent
to their liege lord.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


I09


Of his message al how it ferde.
And she with feigned joie it herde
And yaf him yeftes largely,
But in the night al prively
She toke the letters whiche he had,
Fro point to point and overrad 1
As she that was through out untrewe,
And let do writen other newe
In stedeof hem, and thus they speke.
'Our lege lord, we thee beseke,
That thou with us ne be nought
wroth,
Though we such thing as is thee
loth
Upon our trouthe certifie.
Thy wife, whiche is of fairie,
Of suche a child delivered is,
Fro kindd,2 which stant all amis.
But for it shulde nought be saie
We have it kept out of the waie
For drede of pure worides shame,
A pouer childe, and in the name
Of thilke whiche is so misbore,
We toke and therto we be swore.
That none but only you and we
Shall knowen of this privete.
Morice it hat, and thus men wene
That it was boren of the queue
And of thine owne bodie gete.
But this thing may nought be foryete,
That thou ne sende us worde anone.
What is thy wille therupon.'
"This letter, as thou hast herd
devise,
Vas counterfet in suche a wise,
That no man shulde it apperceive.
And she which thoughte to deceive
It laith where she that other toke.
This messanger, whan he awoke,
And wist nothfnge how it was,
Arose and rode the greate pas


And toke his letter to the kinge.
And whan he sigh 1 this wonder
thinge,
He maketh the messanger no chere,
But netheles in wise manere
He wrote ayein,and yaf him charge
That they lie suffre nought at large
His wife to go but kepe her still,
Till they have herd more of his
will.
' This messanger was yefteles,
But with his letter netheles,
Or be him lefe or be him loth,
In alle haste ayeine he goth
By Knaresburgh, and as he went,
Unto the moder his entent
Of that he fond toward the kinge
He tolde, and she upon this thinge
Saith, that he shulde abide all night
$And made him feste and chere
aright,
Feignend as though she couthe him
thonke.2
But he with strong wine which he
dronke
Forth with the travaile of the day
Was drunke aslepe, andwhile he lay
She hath his letters oversay,
And formed in an other way
There was a newe letter write,
" Which saith: 'I do you for to
wite,
That through the counseil of you two
I stonde in point to ben undo,
As he whiche is a king deposed,
For every man it hath supposed
How that my wife Constance is fay.
And if that I, they sain, delay
To put her out of compaignie,
The worship of my regalie
Is lore, and over this they telle
Her child shal nought among hem
dwelle


I And read them over from point to point.  I  Si,.h, saw.
' Fro kinde, contrary to nature.      1  2 Coittie him thovni, paid him thanks.




I IO


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


To claimen any heritage.
So can I se none avauntSge,
But all is lost, if she abide.
Forthy to loke on every side
Toward the mischefe as it is
I charge you and bidde this,
That ye the same ship vittaile,
In which that she toke arrivaile,
Therin and putteth 1 bothe two
Her self forth with her childe also,
And so forth brought into the depe
Betaketh her the see 2 to kepe.
Of fourd daies time I set
That ye this thing no lenger let,"
So that your life be nought forfete.'
" And thus this letter counterfete
The messanger, which was unware,
Upon the kinges halve bare
And where he shulde it hath betake.
But whan that they have hede take
And rad that writen is withinne,
So great a sorwe they beginne,
As they her 4 owne moder sighen
Brent in a fire before her4 eyen.
There was wepifnge and there was
wo,
But finally the thinge is do.
Upon the see they have her
brought,
But she the cause wiste nought,
And thus upon the flood they
wone 5
This lady with her yonge sone.
And than her hondes to the heven
She straught, and with a milde
steven 6
Knelend upon her bare kne
She saide: ' 0 highe mageste,
Which seest the point of every
trouth,
Take of thy wofull woman routh
1 Therin and iutteth, and put therein.
Betakedh her the see, corminit her to the
sea.
3 Let, delay.    4  /es', their.
5 Wane, dwell.   6 Steven, voice.


And of this child that I shal
kepe!' 1
And with that word she gan to
wepe
Swounend as dede, and there she
lay.
But he, whiche alle thinges may,
Conf6rteth her, and atte laste
She loketh, and her eyen caste
Upon her childe, and sayde this:
'Of me no maner charge it is
What sorwe I suffre, but of thee
Me thenketh it is great pitee,
For if I sterve thou shalt deie,
So mote I nedes by that weie
For moderhed and for tendernesse
With all min hole besinesse
Ordeigne me for thilke office
As she which shall be thy norice.'
Thus was she strengthed for t>
stonde.
And tho she toke her childe in
honde
And yaf it souke and ever amonge
She wepte and otherwhile songe
To rocke with her childe aslepe;
And thus her owne childe to kepe
She hath under the Goddes cure.
"And so fell upon aventuire,
Whan thilke yere hath made his
ende,
Her ship, so as it moste wende,
By strength of wind which God
hath yive
Estward was into Spaine drive
Right fast under a castell walle
Where that an hethen admiralle
Was lorde, and he a steward had
One Thelous, whiche al was bad,
A fals knight and a renegate.
He goth to loke in what estate
The ship was comen, and there lie
fonde


Shai ke eie, have to take care of (sihall,
with the sense of obligation).




BOOK II.-ENVY.


III


Forth with a childe upon her honde
This lady where she was alone.
He toke good hede of the pers6ne
And sigh she was a worthy wight,
And thought he wolde upon the
night
Demene her at his owne wille;
And let her be therinne stille,
That no man sigh she noughtl
that day.
At Goddes wille and thus she lay
Unknow6 what her shall betide.
And fell so that by nightes tide
This knight withoute felaship
Hath take a boot and cam to ship
And thought of her his lust to take,
And swore, if she him daunger
make,
That certainly she shulde deie.
She sigh there was none other weie
And saide he shulde her well conf6rte,
That he first loked out at porte,
That no man were nigh the stede
Which mighte knowe what they
dede,
And than he may do what he wolde.
He was right glad that she so tolde,
And to the port anone he ferde.
"She praieth God, and he her
herde.
And sodeinlich he was out throwe
And dreint,2 and tho3 began to
blowe
Winde mevable fro the londe,
And thus the mighty Goddes honde
Her hath conveidd and defended.
And whan thre yere ben full despended,
Her ship was drive upon a dale,
Where that a great navie laie
Of shippes, all the worlde at ones.
And as God woldd for the nones
1 She saw not any man.
-' Dreint, drowned.  3 'hto, then.


Her ship goth in amonge hem alle
And stint nought er it be befalle
And hath that vessel under gete
Which maister was of all the flete:
But there it resteth and abode.
This grete ship on anker rode,
The lord come forth, and whan lie
sigh
That other ligge on bord so nigh
He wondreth what it mighte be,
And bad men to go in and se.
This lady tho was crope a side
As she that wolde her selven hide,
For she ne wiste what they were.
They sought about and fond her
there
Andbroughtenup herchildeandher.
And therupon this lord to spire 1
Began fro whenne that she came
And what she was. Quod she:
'I am
A woman wofully bestad.
I had a lorde and thus he bad.
That I forth with my litel sone
Upon the wawes shulde wone.
But why the cause was I not.'
But he whiche all thinges wot
Yet hath, I thonk him, of his might
My childe and me so kepte upright,
That we be sauf6 bothe two.'This lorde her axeth evermo
How she beleveth, and she saith:
I leve and trust in Cristes feith,
Which died upon the rode tre.''What is thy name?' tho quod he.
' My name is Custe,' she him saide.
But furthermore for nought he
praide
Of her estate to knowe pleine,
She wolde him nothing elles saine
But of her name, which she feigned,
All other thinges she restreigned,
That o word more she ne tolde.
This lord than axeth if she wolde
1.;fi'rc enquire, ':peir."  A2 -o, knov not.




112


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


With him abide in compaignie,
And saide, he came from Barbarie
To Rome ward and home he went.
Tho she supposeth what it ment
And saith, she wolde with him wende
And dwelle unto her lives ende,
If it so be to his plesauince.
And thus upon her aicqueintauince
He tolde her pleinly as it stood,
Of Rome how that the gentil blood
In Barbarie was betraied
And therupon he hath assaied
By werre, and taken such vengeaunce
That none of thilke euil alliauince,
By whom the treson was compassed,
Is from the swerd alive passed.
But of Constanc6 how it was
That couthe 1 he knowe by no cas
Where she becam, so as he said;
Her ere unto his word she laid,
But furthermore made she no chere.
And netheles in this mat6re
It happed that ilke time so
This lord with whom she shulde go
Of Rome was the senatoiur
And of her fader themperour
His brother doughter hath to wive,
Which hath her fader eke on live,2
And was Salustes cleped tho,
His wife Heleine hight also,
To whom Constance was cousine.
Thus to the sike a medicine
Hath God ordeigned of his grace,
That forthwith in the same place
This senatour his trouthe plight
For ever while he live might
To kepe her in worship and in wele,
Be so that God woll yive her hele,
This lady,whichFortuine himsende.
And thus by shippe forth sailende
Her and her childe to Rome be
brought,
And to his wife tho he besought
1 Coutke, could.  ' On live, alive.


To take her into compaignfe.
And she, which couth of curtesie
All that a good wife shulde conne,1
Was inly glad, that she hath wonne
The felaship of so good one.
This emperouires doughter Custe
Forth with the doughter of Saluste
Was kept, but no man redely
Knew what she was, and nought
forthy
They thoughten well she hadde be
In her estate of high degre,
And every life her loveth wele.
"Now herken: thilke unstable
whele
Whiche ever torneth went aboute.
The king Allee, while he was oute,
As thou to-fore hast herd this cas,
Deceived through his moder was.
But whan that he come home avein,
He axeth of his chamberlain
And of the bisshop eke also,
Where they the quene hadden do.
And they answerde there he bad
And have him thilke letter rad
Whiche he hem sende for warrant,
And tolde him pleinly as it stant,
And sain, it thought hem great pite
To se a worthy one as she
With suche a childe as there was
bore
So sodeinly to be forlore.
He axeth hem, what child that
were.
And they him saide, that no where
In all the world, though men it
sought,
Was never woman     that forth
brought
A fairer child than it was one.
And than he axeth hem anone,,
Why they ne hadden writen so.
They tolden, so they hadden do.
1 Who knew all that a good wife should
know of courtesy.




BOOK II.


He saide, nay. They saiden, yis.
The letter shewed, rad 1 it is,
Which they forsoken every dele.2
Tho was it understonde wele
That there is treson in the thinge.
The messanger to-fore the kinge
Was brought and, sodeinlich opposed
As he which no thinge hath supposed
But alle wel, began to saie,
That he no where upon the waie
Abode but only in a stede,::
And cause why that he so dede,
Was, as he wente to and fro,
At Knaresburgh by nightes two
The kinges moder made him
dwelle.
And when the king it herde telle,
Within his hert he wiste als faste
The treson whiche his moder caste;
And thought he wolde nought
abide
But forth right in the same tide
He toke his hors and rode anone,
With him there riden many one,
To Knaresburgh, and forth they
wente
And lich the fire which thonder
hente 4
In suche a rage, as saith the boke,
His moder sodeinlich he toke
And saide unto her in this wise:
'  beste of helle, in what juise 5
Hast thou deserved for to deie,
That hast so falsely put aweie
With treson of thy backbitinge
The trewest at my knoulechinge
Of wives and the most honest?
But I wol mak6 this behest,
1 Red, read.
2 Forsoken, denied in every part.
3 A stede, one place.
4 Hente, pursued and seized, i.e., lightning,
the fire on which the thunder pounced.
5 Jufse, judgment.


-ENVY                       T13
I shall be venged or1 I go.'
And let a fir6 do make tho
And bad men for to caste her inne.
But first she tolde out ail the sinne,
And did hem alle for to wite
How she the letters hadd6 write,
Fro point to point as it was
wrought.
And tho she was to dethe brought
And brent to-fore her sones eye,
Wherof these other, whiche it sighe
And herden how the cause stood,
Sain, that the jugement was good
Of that her sone her hath so served;
For she it hadde wel deserved
Through treson of her false tunge,
Which through the lond was after
songe,
Constance and' every wight compleineth.
But he, whom alle wo distreigr-eth,
This sorwefull king, was so bestad
That he shall never more be glad,
He saith, eftsone for to wedde
Till that he wisthow that she spedde
Which hadde ben his firste wife;
And thus his yonge unlusty life
He driveth forth so as he may.
" Till it befel upon a day,
Whan he his werres hadde acheved
And thought he wolde be releved
Of soule hele upon the feith
Whiche he hath take, than he saith,
That he to Rome in pelrinaige
Wol go, where Pope was Pelage,
To take his absoluci6n.
And upon this condici6n
He made Edwin his lieutena'int,
Whiche heir to him was apparauint,
That he the lond in his absence
Shall reule. And thus byproviddnce
Of alle thinges well begonne
He toke his leve and forth is gone.
1 Or, ere.
' And every one laments for Constance.
H




I r1


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


" Elda, which was with him tho
there,
Er they fulliche at Rome wvere,
Was sent to-fore to purveie,
And he his guide upon the weie,
In helpd to ben herbergeour 1
Hath axed who was senatour,
That he his name mighte kenne.
Of Capadoce, he saide, Arcenne
He hight and was a worthy knvght.
To him goth Elda tho forth right
And tolde him of his lord tidfng
And praide, that for his comfnige
He wvolde assigne him herbergage.
And he so did of good cornge.
" Whan all is do that was todone,
The kinge him self cam after sone.
This senatour whan that he come
To Custe and to his wife at home,
Hath tolde howsuche a Kinge Allee
Of great array to the citee
Was come, and Cust upon his tale
With herte close and colour pale
A swoune 2 felle, and he merveileth
So sodeinly what thinge her eileth,
And caught her up, and whan she
woke
She siketh with a pitous loke
And feigneth sikenesse of the see,
But it was for the kinge Allee,
For joie which fell in her thought,
That God him hath to towne
brought.
This King hath spoke with the
Pope
And tolde all that he couthe grope
What greveth in his conscience,
And than he thought in reverence
Of his estate, er that he went
To make a feste, and thus he sent
Unto the senatouir to come
Upon the morwe and other some
1 Herlergeour, one sent before to provide
lodgings for a stately company.
'2 A swnooif, in swoon.


To sitte with him at the mete.
This tale hath Custe nought foryete,
But to Morfce her sone tolde
That he upon the morwe sholde
In all that ever he couth and
might
Be present in the Kinges sight,
So that the Kinge him ofte sigh.
Morice to-fore the King6s eye
Upon the morwe, where he sat,
Full ofte stood, and upon that
The King his chere upon him
caste
And in his face him thought als
faste
He sigh his owne wife Constance,
For Nature, as in resemblauince
Of face, him liketh so to clothe
That they were of a suite bothe.
The King was moved in his thought
Of that he sigh, and knew it nought;
This childe he loveth kind6ly,
And yet he wot no cause why;
But wel he sigh and understode,
That he toward Arcenne stode,
And axeth him anone right there
If that this childe his sone were.
He saide: 'ye,1 so I him calle,
And wolde it were so befalle,
But it is all in other wise.'
And tho 2 began he to devise,
How he the childds moder fonde
Upon the see, from 3 every londe,
Within a ship was stereles;
And how this lady helpeles
Forth with her childe he hath forth
drawe.
The Kinge hath understood his
sawe
The childes name and axeth tho,
And what the moder hight also,
That he him wolde telle he praide.
] Ye, yea.      2 7Tho, then.:' FrToz awna from,




BOOK II.-ENVY.


1I5


' \orfce this childe is hote,' he
saide,
' His moder hatte Custe, and this
I not 2 what maner name it is.'
But Allee wiste wel inough,
WVherof somdele smilend he lough.
For Custe in Saxon is to saine
Constance upon the word Romaine.
But who that couthe specifie,
What tho fell in his fantasie,
And how his witte aboute renneth
Upon the love in which he brenneth
It were a wonder for to here.
For he was nouther there ne here,
But clene out of him selfe awey,
That he not what to thenke or say,
So faine he wolde it were she;
Wherof his hertes privete
Began the werre of ye and nay,
The whiche in such balauince lay
That contenauince for a throwe 3
He loste, till he mighte knowe
The soth. But in his memorie
The man which lieth in purgatorie,
Desireth nought the Heven more
That he ne longeth also sore
To wite what him shall betide.
And whan the bordes were aside
And every man was rise aboute,
The Kinge hath weived all the route
And with the senatouir alone
He spake and praid him of a bone,4
To se this Custe where she dwelleth
At home with him, so as he telleth.
The senatouir was wel apaide;
This thing no lenger was delaide.
To se this Custe goth the Kinge,
And she was warned of the thinge,
And with Heleine forth she came
Ayein the Kinge, and he tho name 5
1 Hote, called.
' ",of, know not., Throwe, space of time.
4 Bone, petition.
5 Name, took.


Good hede, and whan he sigh his
wife,
Anone with all his hertes life
He caught her in his armes and
kiste.
Was never wight that sigh ne wiste
A man that more joi6 made,
Wherof they weren all glade
Which herde tellen of this chaunce.
This King tho with his wife Constance,
Whiche had a great part of his will,
In Rome for a time still
Abode and made him well at ese.
But so yet couth he never plese
His wife, that she him wolde saine
Of her estate the trouthe pleine,
Of what contre that she was bore
Ne what she was, and yet therfore
With all his wit he hath done seke.
Thus as they ligh in bedde and
speke,
She praith him and counseileth
both,
That for the worship of hem both
So that her thought it were honeste
He wolde an honourible feste
Make er he went in that citee,
Where themperouir him self shall
be.
He graunteth all that she him
praide.
But as men in that time saide,
This emperouir, fro thilke day
That first his doughter went away,
He was than after never gladde,
But what that any man him badde
Of grac6 for his doughter sake
That grace wolde he nought forsake,2
And thus ful great almesse he dede,
Wherof he hadde many a bede.3
1 Sigh ne wisfe, saw or knew.
3 Forsake, refuse.
B:'  ede, prayer.




In6


CONFESSIO AIMANTIS.


" This Emperoir out of the towne,
Within a ten mile enviroune,
Where as it thought him for the
beste
Hath sondry places for to reste,
And as fortune wolde tho
He was dwellend at one of tho.
The kinge Allee forth with thassent
Of Custe his wife hath thider sent
Morice his sone, as he was taught,
To   themperour, and  he goth
straught
And in his fader halvel he sought
As hewhiche of his lordship sought,
That of his highe worthinesse
He wolde do so great mekenesse
His owne town to come and se
And yive a time in the citee,
So that his fader might him gete
That he wolde ones with him ete.
This lorde hath graunted his requeste.
And whan the day was of the feste,
In worship of her 2 Emperour
The kinge and eke the senatour
Forth with her wives bothe two,
With many a lorde and lady mo,
On hors gan riden him ayeine,
Till it befell upon a pleine
They sigh where as he was comend.
With that Constance anone praiend
Spake to her lord that he abide,
'So that I may to-fore ride
To ben upon his bienvenue 3
The firste which shall him salue.'
And thus after her lordes graunte
Upon a mule white amblaunte
Forth with a fewe rode this quene.
They wondred what she wolde
mene,
And riden after softe pas.
But whan this lady comen was
To themperour, in his presence
1 On his father's behalf.  2 Her, their.
3 Bienvenue, welcome.


She saide aloude in audience:
'My lord, my fader, wel you be!
And of this time that I se
Your honour and your gode hele,
Whiche is the helpe of my quarele,
I thonke unto the goddes might.'
For joie his herte was aflight
Of that she tolde in remembraunce.
And whan he wiste, it was Constance,
Was never fader half so blithe.
Wepend he kiste her often sithe,
So was his hert all overcome,
For though his moder were come
Fro deth to life out of the grave,
He might no more wonder have
Than he hath whan that he her
sigh.
With that her owne lord come nigh
And is to themperour obeied.
And whan the fortune is bewreied,1
How that Constance is come
aboute,
So harde an herte was none oute
That he for pite tho ne wepte.
Arcennus which her fonde and
kepte
Was thanne glad of that is falle,
So that with joie among hem alle
They riden in at Rome gate.
This Emperour thought all to late,
Till that the Pope were come
And of the lordes sende some
To pray him that he wolde haste.
And he cam forth in alle haste,
And whan that he this tale herde,
How wonderly this chaunce ferde,
He thonketh god of his miracle,
To whos might may be none obstacle.
The King a noble feste hem made,
And thus they weren alle glad.
A parlement er that they went
They setten, unto this entent,
1 Bewreied, disclosed.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


lI 7


To putten Rome in full espeire,l
That Morice was apparant heire
And shulde abid6 with hem stille,
For such was all the londes wiiie.
" Whan every thing was fully
spoke
Of sorwe and queint 2 was all the
smoke,
Tho toke his leve Allee the Kinge
And with full many a riche thinge
Which themperour him    hadde
yive
He goth a gladde life to live.
For he Constancehath in his honde,
Which was the comfort of the londe.
For whan that he cam home ayein,
There is no tunge that might sain,
What joid was that ilke stounde
Of that he hath his quene founde,
\Vhich first was sent of Goddes
sonde:3
Whan she was driven upon the
stronde,
By whom the misbeleve of sinne
Was lefte and Cristes feith came
inne
To hem that whilome werd blinde.
But he, which hindreth every kinde
And for no gold may be forbought,
The Deth, comend er he besought
Toke with this king such acqueintatince
That he with all his retenatince
Ne mighte nought defend his life;
And thus he parteth from his wife
Which thanne made sorwe inough.
And therupon her herte drough
To leven Engelond for ever
And go where that she hadde lever,
To Rome whann6 4 that she came.
And thus of all the lond she nam 5
1 Esleire, hope.
2 Queint, quenched; and all the smoke of
sorrow was quenched..Sonde, sending.  4 IVIhanne, whence.
n5.m, took.


Her leve, and goth to Rome ayein.
And after that the bok6s sail
She was nought there but a throwe
Whan Deth, of kinde,1 hath overthrowe
Her worthy fader, which men saide
That he betwene her armes deide.
And afterward the yere suende
Tho God hath made of her an ende,
And fro this worldes fairie
Hath take her into compaignie.
"l Morice her sone was corotined,
Which so ferforth was abandouined
To Cristes feith that men him
calle
iMorfce the Christenest of alle.
And thus the whel meving of Love
Was atte laste set above.
And so, as thou hast herd to-fore,
The false tunges weren lore
Whiche upon Lovc wolden lie.
Forthy touchend of this Envie,
Which longeth unto Bakbitfnge,
Be war6 thou make no lesinge
In hindring of another wight.
And if thou wolt be taught aright,
What mischefe Bakbitinge doth,
By other waie a tale soth
Now might thou here next suende,
Which to this Vice is accord6nde.
" jn a cronique as thou shalt
wite
A great ensample I finde write,
Whiche I shall telle upon this
thinge.
Philip of Macedoine Kinge
Two sones hadde by his wife,
Whose fame yet in Grece is rife.
Demetrius the firste brother
Was hote 4 and Perseuts that other.
Demetrius men saiden tho 5
The better knight was of the two,
I Of kinde, in the course of Nature.
'2 Fairie, changes and illusions.
L! ore, lost.  4 Hole, called.
Tiio, tlien.




II8


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


To whom the lond was attendant
As he, whiche heir was appardnt
To regne after his faders day.
But that thing which no water may
Ouenche in this world, but ever
brenneth,
Into his brothers hert it renneth,
The proud Envie of that he sighe 1
His brother shulde climbe on highe
And he to him mot than obeie;
That may he suffre by no waie,
With strengthe durst he no thing
fonde,2
So toke he lesinge upon honde
When he sigh time, and spake
therto.
For it befell that time so
His fader grete werres hadde
With Rome, whiche he streite ladde
Through mighty hond of his manh6d,
As he whichhath inoughknighthod,
And ofte hem hadde fore greved.
But er the werre were acheved,
As he was upon ordenaunce
At home in Grece, it fell par
chaunce
Demetrius, whiche ofte aboute
Ridend was, stode that time out,
So that this Perse in his absence,
Which bar the tunge of pestilence
With. false wordes whiche   he
feigneth
Upon his owne brother pleineth
In privete behinde his bake,
And to his fader thus he spake:
' My dere fader, I am holde
By way of kinde, as reson wolde,
That I fro you shall nothing hide
Which mighte torne in any side
Of youre estate into grevauince.
Forthy min hertes obeisafnce
As toward you I thenke kepe.
1 Sighle, saw.
2 F''onde, try.


For it is good ye take kepe 1
Upon a thing whiche is me tolde.
My brother hath us alle solde
To hem of Rome, and you also,
For thanne they behote 2 him so
That he with hem shall regne in
pees.
Thus hath he cast, for his encres,
That your estate shall go to nought.
And this to prove shall be brought
So ferforth that I undertake
It shall nought wel mow be forsake.'
'"The kinge  upon this tale
answerd
And said, 'If this thing which he
herd
Be soth and may be brought to
prove,
It shall nought be to his behove 4
Which so has shapen us the werste,
For he him self shall be the ferste
That shall be dede, if that I may.'
Thus afterwarde upon a day,
Whan that Demetrius was come,
Anone his fader hath him nome 5
And bad unto his brother Perse,
That he his tale shall reherse
Of thilke treson whiche he tolde.
And he whiche all untrouthe wolde
Counseileth that so high a nede
Be treted where as it may spede,
In comun place of jugement.
The King therto yaf his assent.
"Demetrius was put in holde,
Wherof that Perseuis was bolde.
Thus stood the trouth under the
charge
And the falsehede goth at large.
Which through behest hath overcome
The greatest of the lordes some,
1 Take keie, take heed.
2 Btehole, promised.  Fa]');1saXe, denied.
4 Bjc/wve, advantage. 5 ozVae, taken.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


II9


That priveliche of his accorde
They stonde as witnesse of recorde,
The juge was made favourdble;
Thus was the lawe deceivble
So ferforth that the trouthe fonde
Rescousse1 none, and thus the
londe
Forth with the King deceived were:
The giltelez was dampndd there
And deide upon accusement.
But suche a fals conspir6ment,
Though it be priv6 for a throwc,z
God wolde nought it were unknowe,
And that was afterward wel proved
In him which hath the deth controved
Of that his brother was so slaine.
This Perseuis was wonder faine
As he that tho was apparaint
Upon the regnes and expectant,
Wherof he wax so proude and veine
That he his fader in disdeigne
Hath take, and sette at none accompte,
As he which thought him to surmounte,
That where he was first debonaire
He was tho rebell and contraire,
And nought as heir but as a kinge
He toke upon him alle thinge
Of malice and of tirannie
In contempte of regalitie
Livend his fader, and so wrought
That whan the fader him bethought
And sighe to whether side it drough,
Anone he wiste well inough
How Perse after his false tonge
Hath so thenvious belle ronge,
That he hath slain his owne brother:
Wherof as thanne he knew none
other
But sodeinlv' the juge he nome 4
1  ]esconss4, rescue.
2 Throwc, space of time.: Heir apparent to the kingdom.
4 Nomie, took.


Which corrupt sat upon the dome,1
In suche a wise and 2 hath him
pressed
That he the soth him hath confessed
Of all that hath ben spoke and do.
More sory than the king was tho
Was never man upon this molde,
And thought in certain that he
wolde
Vengeaunce take upon this wronge.
But thother partie was so stronge,
That for the lawe of no statute
There may no right ben execute.
And upon this division
The lond was torned tip so downe,
\Wherof his herte is so distraught
That he for pure sorwe hath caught
The maladie of which nature
Is queint ' in every creature.
"And whan this King was passed
thus,
This false tunged Perseuts
The regiment 4 hath underfonge.
But there may nothing stonde longe
Whiche is nought upon trouthe
grounded.
For God, which hath al thinge
bounded
And sigh 5 the falsehed of his guile,
Hath set him but a litel while
That he shall regne upon depose,
For sodeinlich right as a rose
So sodeinliche down he felle.
" In thilke time, so it befelic,
This newe King of news pride
With strengthe shope him for to
ride
And saide he wolde Rom' waste;
|Wherof he made a besy haste,
1 Uofin the donte, in judgment.
2 And in such a wise.
3 Of zhicht ature is quciut, by which nature
is extinguished (caught his death).
i 4 Regiment, rule.  a Sigh, saw.
6 Ride, make raid.




120


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And hath assembled him an host
In all that ever he might most,
What man that mighte wepen bere
Of all he wolde none forbere.
So that it mighte nought be nombred
The folke which was after encombred
Through him that God wolde overthrow.
" Anon it was at Rome know
The pompe, which that Perse lad,
And the Romaines that time had
A consul which was cleped thus
By name Paul Emilius,
A noble, a worthy knight withalle,
And he which chef was of hem alle
This werre on honde hath undertake.
And whan he shulde his leve take
Of a yong doughter which was his,
She wepte, and he what cause it is
Her axeth, and she him answerde,
'That Perse is dede;' and he it
herde
And wondreth what she mene
wolde.
And she upon childeh6d him tolde,
That Perse, her litel hounde, is
dede.
With that he pulleth up his hede
And made right a glad visage
And said, how it was a presage
Touchend unto that other Perse,
Of that Fortune him shuldeadverse.
He saith for suche a prenostike
Most of an hound was to him like,
For as it is an houndes kinde
To berke upon a man behinde,
Right so behinde his brothers bake
With false wordes whiche he spake
He hath do slaine, and that is routh.
But he whiche hateth all untrouth
The highe God it shall redresse,
For so my doughter prophetesse
Forth with her litel houndes dethe


Betokeneth; and thus forth he geth
Comf6rted of this evidence
With the Romains in his defence
Ayein the Grekes that ben comende.
This Perseus, as nought seende
This mischef which   that him
abode,
With all his multitude rode
And prided him upon this thinge,
Of that he was become a Kinge,
And howe he had his regne gete.
But he hath all the right foryete
Which longeth unto governaunce,
Wherof through   Goddes ordenaunce
It felle upon the winter tide
That with his hoste he shulde ride
Over Danubie thilke flood,
Whiche all befrose thanne stood
So harde, that he wende wele
To passe. But the blinde whele,
Which torneth ofte er men be
ware
Thilke ice which that the horsmen
bare
To-brake, so that a great partie
Was dreint 1 of the chivalerie;
The rerewarde it toke aweie,
Came none of hem to londe drey.2
"Paulus, this worthy knight
Romain,
By his aspie it herde sain,
And hasteth him all that he may,
So that upon that other day 3
He came where he thishostbehelde,
And that was in a large felde,
Wherein the banners ben displaied.
He hath anone his men arraied,
And whan that he was embatailed
He goth and hath the felde assailed
And slough and toke all that he
fonde,
Wherof the Macedonie londe


1 Dreint, drowned.        Dry land.
3 That other day, the second day.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


121


Which, through king Alisaundre
honoured
Long time stood, tho was devoured;
To Perse and all that infortuine
They wite,' so that the comune
Of all the londe his heire exile:
And he dispeired 2for the while
Desguised in a pouer wede
To Rome goth; and there, for nede,
The craft which thilke time was
To worche in laton 3 and in bras
He lerneth for his sustenaunce.
Such was the sones purveiaunce.
And of his fader it is saide,
In strong pris6n that he was laide
In Albe, where that he was dede
For hunger and defaulte of brede.
The hounde was token and prophecie
That liche an hounde he shulde deie
Which lich was of conditi6n
Whan he with his detracti6n
Barke on his brother so behinde.
" Lo, whatprofit a manmayfinde,
Which hinder woll an other wight.
Forth5 with all thin hole might,
My sone, escheue thilke vice."
"My fader, elles were I nice.
For ye therfore so well have spoke,
That it is in min herte loke
And ever shall; but of Envie,
If there be more in his bailie 4
Towardds Love, say me what."'M My sone, as guile under the hat
With sleightes of a tregetour5
Is hid, Envie of such coloiur
Hath yet the fourthe deceivaunt,
The whiche is cleped Fals Semblaunt,
Wherof the mater and the forme
1 And to Perseus they give the blame for all
that misfortune.
Disfieired, in despair.
3 Laton, latten, brass with an alloy of tin.
4 jIailie, government.
5 Treetfonr, sleight-of-hand man.


Nowe herken, and I thee shall enforme.
"c  f fats semblaunt if I shall
telle
Above all other it is the welle
Out of the which deceipte floweth.
There is no man so wise that
knoweth
Of thilke flood whiche is the tide,
Nehowe he shulde him selven guide
To take sauf passage there.
And yet the wind to mannes ere
Is softe, and as it semeth oute
It maketh clere weder all aboute.
But though it seme, it is nought so.
For Fals Semblaunt hath ever mo
Of his counseil in compaignie
The derke untrewe Ypocrisie
Whose word discordeth to his
thought.
Forthy they ben to-gider brought
Of one covine, of one housholde,
As it shall after this be tolde.
Of Fals Semblaunt it nedeth
nought
To telle of olde ensamples ought.
For all day in experience
A man may see thilke evidence
Of faire word6s, whiche he hereth.
But yet the barge Envie stereth
And halt it ever fro the londe,
Where Fals Semblaunt with ore in
honde
It roweth and will nought arrive
But let it on the wawes drive
In great tempest and great debate,
Wherof that Love and his estate
Empeireth.2  And therf6re I rede,
My sone, that thou fle and drede
This Vice and, what that other sain,
Let thy semblaunt be trewe and
plein.
For Fals Semblaunt is thilke Vice,
Which never was without office,
1 Halt, holds.  2 Emleireth, are impaired.




122


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Where that Envie thenketh to guile
He shall be for that ilke while
Of prive counseil messagere.
For whan his semblaunt is most
clere
Than is he most derke      in his
thought;
Though men him se, they knowe
him nought.
But as it sheweth in the glas
Thing which therinne never was,
So sheweth it in his visage
That never was in his corige.1
Thus doth he all his thing by
sleighte.
Now lith thy conscience in weighte,
My gode sone, and shrive thee
here
If thou were ever custumere
To Fals Semblaunt in any wise.'""For ought I can me yet avise,
My gode fader, certes no;
If I for love have ought don so,
Now axeth, I wolde pray you.
For elles I wot never how
Of Fals Semblaunt that I have
gilt." 2
"My sone, and sithena that
thou wilt
That I shall axe, gabbe nought,
But telle if ever was thy thought
WVith Fals Semblaunt and Coverture
To wite of any creature
How that he was with love ladde,
So were he sory, were he gladde.
WVhan than thou wistest howe it
were,
All that he rouned 4 in thin ere
Thou toldest forth in other place
1 That which never was in the thought of
his heart. Courage was any feeling from the
heart. When the small birds make melody,
says Chaucer, ' so pricketh hem Nature in her
corages,' that is, they sing with all their hearts.
2 Gilt, been guilty.  3 Sjihen, since.
4 Rouned, whispered.


To setten him fro Loves grace
Of what woman that thee best liste,
There as no man his counseil wiste
But thou, by whom he was deceived
Of love, and from his purpose
weived,1
And thoughtest that his disturbaunce
Thin owne cause shuld avauince,
As who saith I am so sely 2
There may no mannes privete
Ben heled 3 half so well as min.
Art thou, my sone, of suche engin?
Tell on."-" My god6 fader, nay,
As for the more part, I saie.
But of somedele I am beknowe4
That I may stonde in thilke rowe
Amonges hem that saundres5 use.
I woll nought me therof excuse,
That I with such colouir ne steine,
Whan I my beste semblant feigne
To my fel6w, till that I wote
All his counseil both colde and hote.
For by that cause I make him chere
Till I his love knowe and here.
And if so be min herte soucheth6
That ought unto my lady toucheth
Of love that he woll me telle,
Anon I renne unto the welle
And caste water in the fire,
So that his cart amid the mire
By that I have his counseil knowe
Full ofte sith 7 I overthrowe
Whan that heweneth best to stonde.
But this I do you understonde,8
If that a man love elles where,
So that my lady be nought there,
And he me tell, I will it hide,
There shall no worde escape aside.
For with deceipt of no semblaunt


1 leived, put aside.     2 Sely, simple.;3 Heidd, concealed.
4 I confess as to some part.
5 Saunldres, sandal wood (as a dye).
o Soucheth, suspects.
7 Ofte sith, oftentimes.
8 Doyou, imake you to understand.




BOOK II.-ENVY


I23


To him breke I no covenaunt.
Me liketh nought in other place
To lette no man of his grace,
Ne for to ben inquisitife
To knowe an other mannes life,
Where that he love or love nought
That toucheth nothing to my
thought,
But all it passeth through min ere
Right as a thing that never were
And is foryete and laid beside.
But if it toucheth any side
My lady, as I have er spoken,
Min eres ben nought thannd loken.
For certes whannd that betit,1
My will, min herte and all my wit
Ben fully set to herken and spire 2
What any man woll speke of hire.
Thus have I feigned compaignie
Full ofte for3 I wolde aspie
What thinge it is that any man
Tell of my worthy lady can.
And for two causes I do this.
The firstd cause wherof is,
If that I might of herken and seike
That any man of her misspeke,
I woll excuse her so fully
That whan she wist it inderly,4
Min hope shulde be the more
To have her thank for evermore.
That other cause, I you assure,
Is, why that I by coverture
Have feigned semblaunt ofte time
To hem that passen all day by me
And ben lovers als well as I,
For this I wene truely,
That there is of hem alle none,
That they ne loven everychone
My lady. For sothlich I leve 5
And durste setten it in preve,
Is none so wise that shulde asterte,6
1 Befit, betides,
2 Spire, speir, seek narrowly.
3 For, because.  4 Inderly, thoroughly.
5 Leze, believe.  6,Astere, escape.


But 1 he were lusties in his herte,
For why and he my lady sigh,2
Her visage and her goodlich eye,
But he her loved er he went.
And for that suche is min entent,
That is the cause of min aspie,
Why that I feigne compaignie
And make felowe over all.
For gladly wolde I knowen all
And holdd me covert alway,
That I full ofte ye or nay
Ne list answere in any wise,
But feignen semblaunt as the wise
And herken tales, till I knowe
My ladies lovers all arowe.
And whan I here how they have
wrought,
I fare as though I herd it nought
And as I no worde understood.
But that is nothing for her good,
For leveth well, the soth is this,
That whan I knowe all how it is,
I woll nought furthren hem a lie
But all the werste I can endite
I tell it unto my lady plat
For furthering of min own estate
And hinder hem all that I may.
But for all that yet dare I say
I finde unto my self no bote,
All though min herte nedes mote,
Through strength of love, all that
I here
Discover unto my lady dere.
For in good feith I have no might
To heled fro that swete wight
If that it toucheth her any thinge.
But this wote wel the heven kinge,
That sithen first the world began
Unto none other straunge man
Ne feigned I semblauint ne chere
To wite or axe of his matere,
Though that he loved ten or twelve
Whan it was nought myladies selve.


1 But, unless.      2 If he saw my lady.
3 Held, conceal.




.-i-  r " T' 'C'T /-  A ATA 'A r7' C1


124              LuuIV r1coo
But if he wold axe allny rede
Alonlich of his owne hede,
How he with other love ferde,
His tales with min eres I herde
But to min herte came it nought
Ne sank no deper in my thought,
But held counseil as I was bede,
And tolde it never in other stede,1
But let it passen as it come.
Now fader, say, what is thy dome,
And how thou wolt that I be
peined 2
For such semblaunt as I have
feigned.""My sone, if reson woll be
peised,3
There may no Vertue ben unpreised
Ne Vice none be set in prise.
Forthy, my sone, if thou be wise
Do no viser upon thy face
Which wolde nought thin hert
embrace.
For if thou do, within a throwe
To other men it shall be knowe,
So might thou lightly fall in blame
And lese a great part of thy name.
And netheles in this degre
Full ofte time thou might se
Of suche men as now a day
This Vice setten in assay,
I speke it for no mannes blame
But for to warne thee the same.
My sone, as I may here talke
In every place where I walke,
I not4 if it be so or none
But it is many daie's gone
That I first herde telle this,
How Fals Semblaunt hath be and is
Most comunly from yere to yere
With hem that dwelle among us
here
Of suche as we Lumbardes calle.
1 Stede, place.  2 Peined, put to penance.
3 Peised, weighed.  4 NoT, know not.
t,   AVot, know not.


J.i-1liAiV 1 1o.


For they ben the sliest of alle
So as men sain in towne about
To feigne and sheue thing without
Whiche is revers to that withinne,
Wherof that they full ofte winne
Whan they by reson shulde' lese.
They ben the last, and yet they
chese,
And we the firste, and yet behinde
We gone there as we shulden finde
The profit of our owne londe,
Thus gone they free withouten
bonde
To done her profit all at large,
And other men bere all the charge.
Of Lumbardes unto this covine
Whiche alle londes conne engine1
May Fals Semblaunt in especiall
Be likened, for they over all
Where that they thenken for to
dwelle,
Among hem self, so as they telle,
First ben enformed for to lere 2
A craft which cleped is Facrere.3
For if Facrere come about
Than afterward hem stant no doubt
To voide with a subtil honde
The beste' goodes of the londe,
And bringe' chaffe and take corne.
Where as Facrere' goth beforne
In all his waie he fint no lette,
That dore can none ussher shette,
In whiche he list to take entre.
And thus the counseil most secre
Of every thing Facrere knoweth
Whiche into straunge place he
bloweth
Where as he wote 4 it may most
greve.
And thus Facrere maketh beleve.
So that full ofte he hath deceived
Er that he may ben apperceived.
1 To this secret contrivance of the Lombards,
who can outwit all nations.
2 Lere, learn.  3 F3ac7rere, dissimulation.
4 Wote, knows.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


I 25


Thus is this Vice for to drede,
For who these olde bokes rede
Of suche ensamples as were er,
Him ought6 be the more ware
Of alle tho that feigne chere,
Wherof thou shalte a tale here.
(" of fats eseblcmnt whiche is
beleved,
Ful many a worthy wight is greved
And was long time or we were
bore.
To thee, my sone, I will therfore
A tale tell of Fals Semblaunt
Which falseth many a covenatint
And many a fraude of fals counseil
There ben hangend upon his sail.
And that aboughten gilteles
Both Deianire and Hercules,
The whiche in great disese fell
Through Fals Semblaunt, as I shall
tell.
"Whan Hercules within a throwe
All only hath his herte throwe
Upon this faire Deianire,
It fell him on a day desire,
Upon a river as he stood,
That passe he wolde over the flood
Withoute bote and with him lede
His love, but he was in drede
For tendresse of that swet6 wight,
For he knewe nought the forde
aright.
There was a geaunt tlanne nigh,
Which Nessus hight, and whan he
sigh
This Hercules and Deianire,
Within his herte he gan conspire
As he which through his trecherie
Hath Hercules in great envie,
Whiche he bare in his herte loke,
And than he thought it shall be
wroke.
But he ne durste netheles
Ayein this worthie Hercules
1 Or, ere.


Fall in debate as for to feight,
But feigned semblaunt all by sleigllt
Of frendship and of alld good,
And cometh where as they both
stood
And makethhemallthecherehe can
And saith, that as her' owne man
He is all redy for to do
What thinge he may; and it fel so,
That they upon this semblaunt
triste 2
And axen him, if that he wiste
What thinge hem were best to done,
So that they mighten sauf and sone
The water passe, he and she.
And whan Nessfis the privete
Knew of her herte what it ment,
As he that was of double entent
He made hem right a glad visage.
And whan he herde of the passage
Of him and her, he thoughte guile
And feigneth semblant for a while
Todone hem plesaunce and servise,
But he thought all an other wise.
"This Nessus with his wordds
sligh
Yaf such counseil to-fore her eye,
Which semeth outward profitable
And was withinne deceivable.
He bad hem of the stremes depe
That they beware and take kepe.
So as they knowe nought the pas.
But for to helpe in suche a cas
He saith him self, that for her ese
He wolde, if that it mighte hem
plese,
The passage of the water take
And for this lady undertake
To bere her to that other stronde
And sauf to set her up a londe,
And Hercules may than also
The waie knowe, how he shall go.
And herto they accorden all.
But what as after shall befall
1 Her, their.  " Triste, trust.




126


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


Well paid was Hercules of this.
And this geaunt also glad is
And toke this lady up alofte
And set her on his shulder softe
And in the flood began to wade
As he which no grucchinge made,
And bare her over sauf and sounde.
But whan he stood on dri6 grounde
And Hercules was fer behinde,
He set his trouth all out of minde,
Who so therof be lefe or loth
With Deianire forth he goth,
As he that thoughte to dissever
The compaignie of hem for ever.
Whan Hercules therof toke hede,
As faste as ever he might him specie
He hieth after in a throwe.
And hapneth that he had a bowe,
The whiche in alle hast he bende,
As he that wolde an arwe sende,
Whiche he to-fore had envenfmed.
He hath so well his shotte timed,
That he him through the body
smette
And thus the false wight he lette.'
But list now, suche a felonie.
Whan Nessus wist he shulde deie,
He toke to Deianire his sherte,
Which with the blood was of his
herte
Through out disteigned over all,
And tolde how she it kepe shall
And prively to this entent,
That if her lorde his herte went
To love in any other place,
This shert, he saith, hath suche a
grace,
That if she may so mochel make
That he the sherte upon him take,
He shall all other lette in veine
And torne unto her love ayeine.
' Who was so glad butDeianire?
Her thought her herte was on a
fire,
1 Lefte, delayed, stopped.


Till it was in her cofre loke,
So that no word therof was spoke.
"The daies gone, the yeres passe,
The hertds waxen lasse and lasse
Of hem that ben to love untrewe.
This Hercules with herte newe
His love hath set on Eolen,
And therof speken alle men.
This Eolen, this faire maide
Was as men thilke time saide
The kinges doughter of Eurice.
And she made Hercules so nice
Upon her love and so assote,1
That he him clotheth in her cote,
And she in his was clothed ofte,
And thus feblesse is set alofte
And strengthe was put under fote.
There can no man therof do bote.
Whan Deianire hath    herd this
speche,
There was no sorwe for to seche,
Of other helpe wot she none
But goth unto her cofre anone,
With wepend eye and wofull herte
She toke out thilke unhappy sherte,
As she that wende wel to do,
And brought her werke aboute so,
That Hercules this shert on dede
To suche entent as she     was
bede
Of Nessus, so as I said er.
But therof was she nought the ner,
As no fortuned may be weived,
With Fals Semblant she was deceived.
But whan she wende best have
wonne,
She lost all that she hath begonne.
For thilke shert unto the bone
His body sette a fire anone
And cleveth so it may nought
twinne 2
For the venim, that was therinne.
1 Assote, made to dote.
|   Twzinne, be separated.




BOOK II-.ENVY.


I27


And he than as a wilde man
Unto the highe wode he ran,
And as the clerke Ovide telleth,
The grete trees to grounde he
felleth
With strengthe al of his owne might
And made an hughe fire upright
And lept therin him self at ones
And brent him self both flessh and
bones;
Which thinge cam through Fals
Semblai'nt
That false Nessus the geaunt
Made unto him and to his wife,
Wherof that he hath lost his life,
And she sory for evermo.
" Forthy my sone, er thee be wo
I rede be wel ware therfore.
For whan so great a man was lore,1
It ought to yive a great conceipt
To warne all other of such deceipt. "'Graunt mercy, fader; I amware
So fer, that I no more dare
Of Fals Semblaunt take,icqueintaunce,
But rather I wol do penaunce,
That I have feigned chere er this.
Now axeth forth, what so there is
Of that belongeth to my shrifte."'" My sone, yet there is the fifte,
Whiche is conceived of envie
And cleped is supplantarie,
Through whos compassement and
guile
Ful many a man hath lost his while
In love as wel as other wise,
Here after as I shall devise.,e.icc of Supplantici6n
With many a fals collacidn
Whiche he conspireth all unknowe,
Full ofte time hath overthrowe
The worship of another man.
So wel no life awaite can
1 Lore, lost.


Ayein his sleighte for to caste,
That he his purpose atte laste
Ne hath, er that it be withset.1
But most of all his hert is set
In court upon these great offices
Of dignites and benefices.
Thus goth he with his sleighte
about
To hinder and shove another out
And stonden with his sligh compls
In stede there another was,
And so to set him selven inne.
He recheth nought be so he winne
Of that another man shall lese,
And thus full ofte chalk for chese
He chaungeth with full litel coste,
Wherof another hath the loste
And he the profit shall receive.
For his Fortune is to deceive
And for to chaunge upon the whele
His wo with other mennes wele;
Of that another man availeth
His own estate thus he up haileth
And taketh the brid to his beyete,2
Where other men the busshes bete.
My sone, and in the same wise
There ben lovers of suche emprise,
That shapen hem to be relieved
Where it is wronge to ben acheved,
For it is other mannes right
i  hiche he hath taken, day and
night,
To kepe for his owne store,
Toward him self for evermore
And is his proper by the lawe,
Which thing that axeth no felawe,
If Lov6 holde his covenaunt.
But they that worchen by supplant,
Yet wolden they a man supplant
And take a part of thilke plant,
Whiche he hath for him selv6 set.
And so ful ofte is all unknet
1 Wifliset, upset.
I Takes the bird for his own profit.
'roper, property.




I 28


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That some man weneth be right
faste.
For Suipplaunt with his slie caste
Full ofte happeneth for to mowe
Thing which another man hath
sowe,
And maketh comuin of proprete
With sleighte and with subtilite,
As men may sen from yere to yere.
Thus claimeth he the bote to stere
Of whiche another maister is.
" Forthy my sone, if thou er this
Hast ben of such profession,
Discover thy confession.
Hast thou supplanted anyman?"" For ought that I you telle can,
Min holy fader, as of dede
I am withouten any drede
And giltdles but of my thought,
My conscience excuse I nought.
For were it wronge or were it right,
Me lacketh no thinge but might
That I ne wolde longe er this
Of other mannes love iwis1
By way of supplantati6n
Have made appropriation
And holde that I never bought,
Though it another man forthought.2
And all this speke I but of one,
For whom I let all other gone.
But her I may nought overpasse
That I ne mote alway compisse,
Me rought nought by what queYntise,3
So that I might in any wise
Fro suche that my lady serve,
Her herte make for to swerve
Withouten any part of love.
For by the goddes alle above
I wolde it mighte so befalle,
That I alone shuld hem alle
Supplant and welde her at my wille.
And that thing may I nought fulfille,
1 Ietis, certainly.  2 Forthought, grieved.: I should not care by what ingenious device.


But if I shulde strengthe make.
And that I dare nought undertake
Though I were as was Alisaunder,
For therof might arise a sclaunder.
And certes that shall I do never,
For in good feith yet had I lever
In my simplesse for to deie,
Than worche such supplantarie.
Of other wise I woll nought say
That, if I founde a siker way,
I wolde as for conclusion
Worche after supplantacion
So highe a love for to winne.
Now fader, if that this be sinne,
I am all redy to redresse
Thegilt, of whiche I me confesse.""c My gode sone, as of Supplant
Thee there nought drede a.nt nte
quant
As for no thing that I have herde,
But only that thou haste misferde
Thenkend, and that me liketh
nought,
For God beholt a mannes thought.
And if thou understood in soth
In Loves caus6 what it doth
A man to ben a supplantotir,
Thou woldest for thin own honotir
By double waie take kepe.
"First for thin own estate to kepe,
To be thy self so well bethought
That thou supplanted wer6 nought.
And eke for worship of thy name
Towardes other do the same
And suffre every man have his.
But netheles it was and is
That in awaite 2 at all assaies
Supplant of love is in our waies;
The lief full ofte for the lever
Forsaketh,3 and so it hath done
ever.
Ensample I finde therupon,
At Troie how that Agamemnon
1 Behlta, beholds,  2 Azwaite, watch.
3 Leaves the loved for the more loved.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


I29


Supplanted hath the worthy knight
Achilles for that swete wight,
Which named was Brisseida;
And also of Criseida,
Whom Troilus to love ches,1
Supplanted hath Di6medes.
Of Geta and Amphitri6ne,
That whilom were both as one
Of frendship and of compaignie,
I rede how that Supplantarie
In Love, as it betide tho,
Beguiled hath one of hem two.
For this Gets, that I of mene,
To whom the lusty faire Alcmene
Assured was by way of love,
Whan hebest wendehave ben above
And sikerest of that he hadde,
Cupido so the cause ladde,
That while he was out of the way,
Amphitrion her love away
Hath take, and in this forme he
wrought.
By night unto the chambre he
sought
Where that she lay, and with a wile
He counterfeteth for the while
The vois of Get in suche a wise,
That made her of her bedde arise
Wenende, that it were he,
She wende, that it were soth.
Lo, what supplant of Love doth.
This Geta forth bejaped went,
And yet ne wist he what it ment.
Amphitrion him hath supplanted
With sleight of love and her enchaunted,
And thus put every man out other.
The ship of Love hathlost his rother,
So that he can no reson stere.
And for to speke of this matere
Touchende Love and his supplaunt
A tale, whiche is accordaunt,
Unto thin ere I thenke enforme.
Now herken, for this is the forme.
1 Ches, chose.


"< Osf fiilie cfiee chefe of alle,
Which men the noble Rome calle,
Er it was set to Cristes feith,
There was, as the cronique saith,
An emperour, the whiche it ladde
In pees, that he no werres hadde.
There was no thing dis6beisauint,
Which was to Rome appertenauint,
But all was torned into rest.
To some it thought hem for the
best,
To some it thought nothinge so.
And that was only unto tho
Whoseherte stoodupon knighthode.
But most of alle his manhode
The worthy sone of themper6ur,
Which wolde ben a werri6ur,
As he that was chivalerous,
Of worldes fame and desirous,
Began his fader to beseche,
That he the werres mighte seche
In straungd marches for to ride.
His fader saide he shulde abide
And wolde graunte him no leve.
But he, which wolde nought beleve,l
A knight of his to whom he trist,
So that his fader nothing wist,
He toke and tolde him his corage,2
That he purposeth a viage,
If that Fortune with him stonde.
He said how that he wolde fonde
The Grete See 4 to passe unknowe
And there abide for a throwe 5
Upon the werres to travaile.
And to this point withoute faile
This knight, whan he hath herde
his lorde,
Is swore and stant of his accorde.
And they that bothe yonge were,
So that in prive counseil there
1 Beeve, remain.
2 His corage, the thought of his heart.
3 Fonde, try.
4 Grete See, Mediterranean.
5 For a thirowe, for a time.




I30


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


They ben assented for to wende;
And therupon to make an ende
Tresure inough with hem they
token.
And whan the tine is best they
loken
That sodeinlich in a galeie
Fro Rome-lond theywent their waie
And lond upon that other side.
" The worlde fell so thilke tide,
Whiche ever his happes hath
div6rse,
The grete Souldan than of Perse
Ayein the Caliphe of Egipte
A werre, which that him beclipte,1
Hath in a marche costeauint.2
And he, which was a pursuivaunt
Worship of armes to atteigne,
This Romain, let anon ordeigne
That he was redy every dele.
And whan he was arraied wele
Of every thing which him belongeth,
Straught unto Kaire his wey he
fongeth,3
Wher he the Souldan thann6 fonde
And axeth that within his londe
He might him for the werre serve
As he which woll his thank deserve.
The Souldan was right glad withall
And well the more in speciall,
Whan that he wist he was Romain.
But what was elles incertain
That might he wite by no way.
And thus the knight of whom I say
Toward the Souldan is belefte
And in the marches now and efte,
Where that the dedly werres were,
He wrought6 such    knighthode
there,
That every man spake of him good.
"And thilke time so it stood,
1 Beclifte, surrounded.
23 Marchtcosteauint, border country.
8 Fongegt, takes.


This mighty Souldan by his wife
A doughter hath, that in this life
Men saide there was none so faire;
She shulde ben her faders heire,
And was of yeres ripe inough,
Her beaute many an herte drough
To bowen to that ilke lawe,
Fro which 'no life may be withdrawe.
And that is Love', whose nature
Set life and deth in a venture
Of hem that knighthode undertake.
This lusty peine hath overtake
The hert of this Romain so sore,
That to knighthode more and more
Prowesse avaunteth his corage.
Lich to the leon in his rage,
Fro whom that alle bestes fle;
Such was this knight in his degre.
Where he was armed in the felde,
Ther durste none abide his shelde.
Great price1 upon the werre he
hadde.
"But she, whiche all the chaunce
ladde,
Fortune shope the marches so,
That by thassent of bothe two
The Souldan and the Caliphe eke
Bataile upon a day they seke,
Which was in suche a wise set,
That lenger shulde it nought be let.
They made hem stronge on every
side,
And whan it drough toward the tide,
That the bataile shulde be,
The Souldan in great privete
A gold ringe of his doughter toke
And made her swere upon a boke
And eke upon the goddes all,
That if fortune so befall
In the bataile that he deie,That she shall thilke man obeie
And take him to her husebonde,
Which thilke same ring to honde
1 Price, praise.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


I3I


Her shulde bringe after his deth.
"This hath she swore, and forth
he geth
With all the power of his londe
Unto the marche, where he fonde
His enemy full embatailed.
The Souldan hath the feld assailed.
They that ben hardy sone assemblen,
Wherof the dredfull hertes tremblen.
That one sleeth, and that other
sterveth,1
But above all his prise deserveth
This knightly Romain; where he
rode
His dedly swerd no man abode,
Ayein the which was no defence,
Egipte fledde in his presence,
And they of Perse upon the chace
Pursuen, but I not2 what grace
Befell, an arwe out of a bowe
All sodeinly within a throwe
The Souldan smote, and there he
lay.
The chas is left for thilke day,
And he was bore into a tent.
The Souldan sigh how that it went,
And that he shulde algate deie.
And to this knight of Romainie,
As unto him whome he most triste,
His doughters ring, that none it
wiste,
He toke and tolde him all the cas,
Upon her othe what token it was
Of that she shulde ben his wife.
Whan this was said, the hertes life
Of this Souldin departeth sone.
And therupon, as was to done,
The dede body well and faire
They carry till they come at Kaire,
There he was worthely begrave.
"The lordes, whiche as wolden
save
I Sterveth, dies. 2 Not, know not (ne wot).


The regne, which was desolate,
To bringe it into good estate
A parlement they set anone.
Now herken what fell therupon.
This youge lord, this worthy knight
Of Rome upon the same night
That they a morwe trete sholde,
Unto his bacheler he tolde
His counseil, and the ring with al
He sheweth, through which that he
shall,
He saith, the kinges doughter
wedde,
For so the ring was leid to wedde,1
He tolde, into her faders honde,
That with what man that she it
fonde
She shulde him take unto her lorde.
'And thus,' he saith, 'stant of recorde.
But no man wot who hath this
ring.'
This bacheler upon this thing
His ere and his entent6 laid
And thoughts more than he said;
And feigneth with a fals visage,
That he was glad, but his corage
Was all set in another wise.
These olde philosophres wise
They writen upon thilke while,
That he may best a man beguile
In whom the man hath most
credence.
And this befell in evidence
Toward this yonge lord of Rome.
His bacheler, which hadd6 come
Whan that his lord by nighte
slepte,
This ring, the which his maister
kepte,
Out of his purs awey he dede
And put another in the stede.
'" A morwe whan the court is set
The yonge lady was forth fet,
1 To wedde, as pledge.




132


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


To whom the lordes done homaige,
And after that of maricge
They treten and axen of her wille.
But she, which thoughte to fulfille
Her faders hest in this matere,
Said openly, that men may here,
The charge whiche her fader bad.
Tho was this lorde of Rome glad
And drough toward his purs anone,
But all for nought, it was agone.
His bacheler it hath forth drawe
And axeth therupon the lawe,
That she him holde covenaunt.
The token was so suffisauint,
That it ne mighte be forsake.
And neth6les his lorde hath take
Quarele ayein his owne man,
But for no thing that ever he can
He might as thanne nought be
herde,
So that his claime is unanswerde,
And he hath of his purpos failed.
"This bacheler was tho counseiled
And wedded and of thilke empire
He was coro'ne'd lord and sire,
And all the lond him hath received;
Wherof his lord, which was deceived,
A siknesse er the thridde morwe
Conceived hath of dedly sorwe.
And as he lay upon his deth,
There while him lasteth speche
and breth
He sende for the worthiest
Of all the londe and eke the best
And tolde hem all the sothe tho,
That he was sone and heire also
Of themperouir of grete Rome,
And how that they to-gider come,
This knight and he, right as it was
He tolde hem all the pleine cas.
And for that he his counseil tolde,
That other hath all that he wolde


And he hath failed of his mede.
As for the good he taketh none hede
He saith, but only of the love,
Of which he wend have ben above.
And therupon by letter write
He doth his fader for to wite
Of all the mater how it stode.
And thanne with an hertely mode
Unto the lordes he besought
To tell his lady howe he bought
Her love, of whiche another gladdeth.
Andwith thatworde his hewefadeth
And saide: ' a dieu my lady swete.'
The life hath lost his kindely hete,
And he lay dede as any stone,
Wherof was sory many one,
But none of alle so as she.
"This false knight in his degre
Arested was and put in holde.
For openly whan it was tolde
Of the tres6n, whiche is befalle,
Throughout the lond they saiden
alle,
If it be soth that men suppose
His owneuntrouth him shall depose.
And for to seche an evidence
With honour and great reverence,
Wherof theymighte knowe an ende,
To themper6ur anon they sende
The letter whiche his sone wrote.
And whan that he the sothd wote,
To tell his sorwe is endeles;
But yet in haste netheles
Upon the tale whiche he herde,
His steward into Perse ferde
With many a worthy Romain eke
His lege tretour for to seke.
And whan they thider come were,
This knight him hath confessed
there,
How falsly that he hath him bore,
Wherof his worthy lord was lore.2
1 His lege trefour, his traitorous liegeman.
2 Lore, lost.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


I 33


" Tho saiden some he shuldd
deie,
But yet they founden such a weie,
That he shall nought be dede in
Perse,
And thus the skilles ben diverse.
By cause that he was coroned,
Of that the lond was abandoned
To him, all though it were unright,
There is no peine for him dight,
But to this point and to this ende
They graunten wel, that he shall
wende
With the Romafns to Rome ayein.
And thus accorded full and plein
The quicke body with the dede
With leve tak6 1 forth they lede,
Where that supplant hath his juise.2
Wherof that thou thee might avise
Upon this enformacion
Touchend of Supplantaci6n,
That thou, my sone, do nought so
And for to take hede also
What Supplant doth in other halve,
There is no man can finde a salve
Pleinly to helen suche a sore.
It hath and shall ben evermore,
Whan Pride is with Envie joint,
He suffreth no man in good point,
Where that he may his honour let.
And therupon if I shall set
Ensample, in holy chirche I finde
How that Supplant is nought behinde.
God wote, if that it now be so.
For in cronique of time ago
I finde a tale concordble
Of Supplant, which that is no fable,
In the maner as I shall telle
So as whilom the thinges felle.
At t'ome as it hath oft6 falle
The Viker Generall of alle
Of hem that leven Cristes feith
1 Leve take, leave taken.
2 Juise (judicium), judgment.


His laste day,- which none withsaith,Hath shette as to the worldes eye;
Whos name, if I shall specifie,
He hight6 Pop6 Nicholas.
And thus whan that he pass6d was,
The Cardinals, that wolden save
The forme of lawe in the conclave,
Gon for to chese a newe Pope,
And after that they couthe agrope
Hath eche of hem said his entent.
Til atte laste they assent
Upon an holy clerk recluse,
Which full was of gostly vertuse.
His pacience and his simplesse
Hath set him into highe noblesse.
Thus was he Pope canonised
With great honour and intronised.
And upon chaunce, as it is falle,
His nam6 Celestin men calle;
Which notified was by bulle
To holy chirche, and to the fulle
In alle londes magnified.
But every worship is envfed,
And that was thilk6 time sene.
For whan this Pope, of whome I
mene,
Was chose and other set beside,
A Cardinal was thilke tide,
Which the papate long hath desired
And therupon gretely conspired.
But whan he sigh fortune is failed,
For which long time he hath travailed,
That ilke fire whiche Ethna brenneth
Throughout his wofull herte renneth,
Whiche is resembled to Envie,
Wherof Supplant and Trecherie
Engendred is. And netheles
He feigneth love, he feigneth pees.
Outward he doth the reverence,
But all within his conscience
Through fals ymaginacion
He thoughte Supplantacion.




134


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And therupon a wonder wile
He wroughte. For at thilke while
It fel so, that of his lignage
He hadde a clergeon of yonge age,
Whom he hath in his chambre
affaited.1
"This Cardinal his time hath
waited
And with his wordes sly and queint,
The whiche he couthe wisely peint,
He shope this clerke, of whiche I
telle,
Toward the Pope for to dwelle,
So that within his chamber a night
He lay, and was a prive wight
Toward the Pope on nightes tide;
May no man fle that shall betide.
" This Cardinal, which thoughte
guile,
Upon a day, whan he hath while,
This yonge clerke unto him toke
And made him swere upon a boke
And tolde him what his wille was.
And forth with al a trompe of bras
He hath him take and bad him
this:
'Thou shalt,' he saide, ' whan
time is
Awaite and take right good kepe,
Whan that the Pope is fast aslepe
And that none other man be nigh.
And thanne that thou be so sligh
Through out the trompe into his
ere,
Fro heven as though a vois it were,
To soune of such prolaci6n,
That he his meditaci6n
Therof may take, and understonde
As though it were of Goddes sonde.
And in this wis6 thou shalt say,
That he do thilk estate away
Of Pope, of whiche he stant honoured,
So shall his sould be socoured
1 Affaied, adapted to his purpose.


Of thilke worship atte last
In heven which shall ever last.'
" This clerk, whan he hath herd
the form,
How he the Pope shuld enform,
Toke of the Cardinal his leve
And goth him home, till it was eve.
And prively the trompe he hedde,
Til that the Pope was a bedde.
And at the midnight, whan he
knewe
The Pope slepte, than he blewe
Within his trompe through the wall
And tolde, in what maner he shall
His Papacfi leve, and take
His firste estate. And thus awake
This holy Pope he made thries,
Wherof diverse fantasies
Upon his grete holinesse
Within his hert he gan impresse.
The Pope full of innocence
Conceiveth in his conscience
That it is Goddes wil he cesse.1
But in what wise he may relesse
His highe estate, that wote he
nought.
And thus within him selfe be
thought,
He bare it stille in his memoire,
Till he cam to the consistoire,
And there in presence of hem alle
He axeth if it so befalle,
That any Pope cesse wolde,
How that the lawe it suffre sholde.
They seten alle stille and herde,
Was none, which to the point
answerde;
For to what purpos that it ment
There was no man knew his entent
But only he which shope the guile.
"This Cardinal the sam6 while
All openly with wordes pleine
Saith if the Pope woll ordeigne,
1 Cesse, abdicate.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


I35


That there be suche a law6wrought,
Than might he cesse, and elles
nought.
"And as he saide, done it was.
The Pope anone upon the cas
Of his papall auctorite
Hath made and yove the decre.
And whan the lawe was confermed
In due forme and all affermed,
This innocent which was deceived
His papacie anone hath weived,1
Renounced and resigned eke.
That other was no thing to seke,
But underneth6 suche a jape
He hath so for him selfe shape,
That how as ever it him beseme
The mitre with the diademe
He hath through Supplantaci6n
And in his confirmacion,
Upon the fortune of his grace,
His name was cleped Boneface.
1" Under the viser of Envie,
Lo, thus was hid the trecherie
Whiche hath beguildd many one.
But such counseil theremaybe none
Which treson, whan it is conspired,
That it nis lich the sparke fired
Up in the roof, which for a throwe
Lith hid til, whan the winde's blowe,
It blaseth out on every side.
This Boneface, which can nought
hide
The trecherie of his supplaunt,
Hath openly made his avaunt,
How he the papacie hath wonne.
But thing which is with wrong begonne
May never stonde wel at ende.
Where Pride shall the bowe bende,
He shet 2 ful oft out of the way.
And thus the Pope, of whom I say,
Whan that he stood on high the
whele,
1 Weived, put aside.
2 S/Fet, shoots.


He can nought suffre himself be
wele.
Envie, whiche is loveles,
And Pride, whiche is lawe'les,
With such tempdste made him erre,
That charite goth out of herre.1
So that upon misgovernaunce
Ayein Lewifis the King of Fraunce
He toke quarell of his oultrage
And said, he shulde don homage
Unto the chirche bodely.
But he, that wist no thinge why
He shulde do so great service
After the worlde in suche a wise,
Withstood the wrong of that
demaunde,
For nought the Pope may commaunde
The King woll nought the Pope
obeie.
This Pope tho by alle weie
That he may worche of violence,
Hath sent the bulle of his sentence
With cursinge and with enterdite.
The king upon this wrongfull plite
To kepe his regne from servdge,
Counseil6d was of his barnage,2
That might with might shall be
withstond.
Thus was the caus6 tak on hond,
And saiden, that the papacie
They wolden honouir and magnifie
In all that ever is spirituall,
But thilke Pride temporall
Of Boneface in his persone
Ayein that ilke wronge alone
They wolde stonden in debate,
And thus the man and nought the
state
The Frensshe shopen by her might
To greve. And fel there was a
knight
Sire Guilliam de Langharet,
Which was upon this cause set.
1 Goes off its hinges.  2 Barnae, baronage.




136


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And therupon he toke a route
Of men of armes and rode oute,
So longe and 1 in awaite he lay,
That he aspied upon a day
The Pope was at Avinon
And shulde ride out of the town
Unto Pontsorge, the whiche is
A castell in Provence of his.
Upon the way and as he rode,
This knight, whiche hoved and
abode
Embuisshed upon horsebake,
All sodeinlich upon him brake
And hath him by the bridell sesed
And said: 'O thou, which hast
disesed
The courte of Fraunce by thy
wronge,
Now shalt thou singe an other
songe.
Thin enterdite and thy sentence
Ayein thin owne conscience
Hereafter thou shalt fele and grope.
We pleigne nought ayein the Pope,
For thilke name is honourable,
But thou, whiche hast be deceivible
And trecherous in all thy werke,
Thou Boneface, and proude clerke,
Misleder of the papacie,
Thy fals6 body shall abie 2
And suffre, that it hath deserved.'
"Lo, thus this supplanter was
served.
For they him ladden into Fraunce
And setten him to his penaunce
Within a toure in harde bondes,
Where he for hunger both his
hondes
Ete of and died, God wote how.
1 So longe and, and so long. This way of
placing "and" occurs frequently throughout
the poem. Here it recurs six lines lower
down.
2 Abie. "Abye" means buy, that is, "pay
for." "Abide" would mean "wait for," as this
knight "hoved" (hovered about a spot) and
abode, waited for, Pope Boniface.


Of whome the writinge is yet now
Registred as a man may here,
Which speketh and saith in this
maner:
'Thin entre lich a fox was sligh,
Thy regne also with pride on high
Was lich the leon in his rage,
But atte laste of thy passdge
Thy deth was to the houndes like.'
" Suche is the letter of his cronique
Proclamed in the court of Rome,
Wherof the wise ensample nome.1
And yet as ferforth as I dare,
I rede all other men beware
And that they loke well algate,
That none his owne estate translate
Of holy chirche in no degre
By fraude ne by subtilte.
For thilke honour whiche Aaron
toke
Shall none receive as saith theboke,
But he be cleped,2 as he was.
What shall I thenken in this cas
Of that I here nowe a day?
I not,3 but he which can and may
By reson both and by nature
The helpe of every mannds cure
He kepe Simon fro the folde.
"For Joachim, thilke abbot tolde,
How suche daies shulden falle,
That comunlich in places alle
The chapmen of such mercerie
With fraude and with supplantarie
So many shulden beie and selle,
That he ne may for shame telle
So foule a sinne in mannes ere.
But God forbede that it were
In oure daie's, that he saith.
For if the clerk beware 4 his faith
In chapmanhode at suche a faire
The remenaunt mot nede empeire 5
1 Nome, took.
2 But he be cleped, unless he be called.
3 Not, know not.  4 Beware, barter.
5 Enzieire, grow worse.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


137


Of all that to the world belongeth.
For whan that holy chirche wrongeth,
I not what other thing shall righte.
And netheles at mannes sighte
Envif for to be preferred
Hath conscience so differred,
That no man loketh to the Vice
Whiche is the moder of malice,
And that is thilke fals Envie,
Which causeth many a trecherie.
For where he may another se
That is more gracious than he,
It shall nought stonden in his might
But if he hinder suche a wight.
And that is well nigh over all
This Vice is now so generall.
" Envie thilke unhap indrough,
Whan Joab by deceipt6 slough
Abner, for drede he shulde be
With king David such as was he.
"And through Envie also it felle
Of thilke fals Achitofelle,
For his counseil was nought
acheved
But that he sigh Cusy beleved
With Absolon and him forsake,
He henge him selfe upon a stake.
" Senec witnesseth openly,
How that Envie properly
Is of the Court the comun wenche.
And halt taverne for to schenche 1
That drink which maketh the herte
brenne,
And doth 2 the wit aboute renne
By every waie to compisse
How that he might all other passe,
As he which through unkindeship
Envifeth every felaship.
So that thou might well knowe and
se,
There is no Vice suche as he
First toward God abhominable
And to mankinde unprofitable.
1 Schenchec, pour out.  2 Doth, causes.


And that by wordes but a fewe
I shall by reson prove and shewe.
" Envie if that I shall descrive,
He is nought shaply for to wive
In erth among the women here.
For there is in him no matere
Wherof he mighte do plesaunce.
First for his hevy contenaunce
Of that he semeth ever unglad
He is nought able to be hadde,
And eke he brenneth so withinne,
That kinde may no profit winne,
Wherof he shulde his love plese.
For thilke blood, which shuld have
ese
To regne among the moiste veines,
Is drie of thilke unkindly peines
Through which Envie is fired ay.
And this by reson prove I may,
That toward Love Envie is nought;
And other wise if it be sought,
Upon what side as ever it falle
It is the werst6 Vice of alle,
Which of him self hath most malice.
For understond that every Vice
Some cause hath wherof it groweth.
But of Envie no man knoweth
Fro whenne he cam, but out of
helle.
For thus the wise clerkes telle,
That no spirit but of malice
By way of kinde upon a Vice
Is tempted, and by such a way
Envie hath kinde 1 put away
And of malice hath his stering,
Wherof he maketh his ba.kbiting,
And is him self therof disesed;
So may there be no kinde plesed.
For ay the more that he envieth,
The more ayein him self he plieth.
Thus stant Envie in good espeire
To ben him self the divels heire
As he whiche is his nexte liche
And furthest from the heven riche.
1 Kzindd, nature.




138


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


For there may he never wone.1
" ForthL my gode der6 sone,
If thou wolt finde a siker way
To lov6, put Envie away." —
" Min holy fader, reson wolde,
That I this Vice escheu6 sholde.
But yet to strengthen my corAge
If that ye wolde in avauntage
Therof set a recoverir,
It were to me a great desir,
That I this Vic6 mighte flee."" Now understond, my sone, and
see,
There is phisique for the seke
And Vertues for the Vices eke.
Who that the Vices wolde escheue,
He mot by reson thanne sue 2
The Vertues. For by thilk6 way
He may the Vices done away;
For they to-gider may nought dwelle.
For as the water of the welle
Of fire abateth the malice,
Right so Vertu fordoth the Vice.
c" Ayein Envie is Charite,
Whiche is the moder of pite,
That maketh a mannes hert6 tender,
That it may no malice engender
In him that is inclined therto.
For his corage is tempred so,
That though he might him self
releve
Yet wolde he nought another greve,
But rather for to do plesaunce
He bereth him   selven the grevaunce,
So fain he wolde another ese.
Wherof, my sone, for thin ese
Now herken a tale, whiche I rede,
And understonde it well I rede.4
"'  mong the bokes of Latin
I finde it writ of Constantin,
The worthy emperour of Rome,
Such infortunes to him come
1 Wone, dwell.  2 Sue, follow.
3 tRede, read.  4 Rede, advise.


Whan he was in his lusty age,
The lepre caught in his visage
And so forth over all aboute
That he ne might6 riden oute.
So left he bothb shield and spere,
As he that might him nought bestere,
And heldehim in his chamber close.
Through all the world the fame
arose.
The grete clerkes ben assent
And cor at his commaund6ment
To tret upon this lord6s hele.
So long6 they to-gider dele,
That they upon this medicine
Appointen hem and determine,
That in the maner as it stood
They wolde him bath in childes
blood
Withinne seven winter age.
Foras they sain, that shulde assuage
The leper and all the violence,
Which that they knewe of accidence
And nought by way ofkinde is falle.
And therto they accorden alle
As for finall conclusion,
And tolden her opinion
To themperouir. And he anone
His counseil toke, and therupon
With letters and with seales out
They send in every londe about
The yong6 children for to seche,
Whose blood, they said, shulde be
leche
For themperoures maladie.
" There was inough to wepe and
crie
Among themoders; whantheyherde
How wofully this cause ferde.
But neth4les they moten bowe,
And thus wom6n there come inowe,
With children soukend on the tete;
Tho was there many terds lete.
" But were hem liefe or were hem
loth,




rr/' T rTr  T TaT 7Vr.DL LJu1r 11


The women and the children both
Into the paleis forth be brought
With many a sory hertds thought
Of hem whiche of her 1 body bore
The children hadde, and so forlore
Within a while shulden se.
The moders wepe in her degre
And many of hem a swound falle,
The yongd babies crieden alle.
This noise arose, this lorde it herde
And lokdd out, and how it ferde
He sigh, and as who saith abraide
Out of his slepe and thus he saide:
'0 thou divine purveaunce,
Which every man in the balaunce
Of kinde hast formdd to be liche,The pouer is bore as is the riche
And dieth in the samd wise;
Upon the fole, upon the wise,
Sikndsse and hele entdr comune;
May none escheue that fortune
Which kinde hath in her lawe sette;
Her strengthe and beaute ben besette
To every man aliche free;
That she preferreth no degree
As in the disposicion
Of bodely complexion.
And eke, of sould resonable,
The pouer childe is bore as able
To vertue as the kingds sone.
For every man his owne wone 2
After the lust of his assay
The Vice or Vertue chese may.
Thus stonden alle men fraunchised,
But in estate they ben devised;
To some worship and richdsse,
To some pou6rte and distresse;
One lordeth and an other serveth:
But yet as every man deserveth
The world yeveth nought his yeftes
here.
And certes he hath great matere
1 Her, their.
2 His-wnie wone, according to his own usage.


-LY V I.                J39
To ben of good condici6n,
Whiche hath in his subjection
The men that ben of his semblaunce.'
And eke he tokehis remembrauince,
How he that madd lawe of kinde
Wolde every man to lawe binde,
And bad a man, suche as he wolde
Toward him self, right such he
sholde
Toward an other done also.
"And thus this worthy lord as tho1
Set in balau'nce his owne estate
And with him self stood in debate
And thoughte, howe it was nought
good
To se so mochel mannes blood
Be spilt by cause of him alone.
" He sigh also the grete mone
Of that the moders were unglad,
And of the wo the children made
Wherof that all his herte tendreth,
And such pite within engendreth
That him was lever for to chese
His owne body for to lese,
Than se so great a mordre wrought
Upon the blood which gilteth
nought.
Thus for the pite whiche he toke,
All other leches he forsoke
And put him out of aventure
Al only into Goddes cure
And saith: ' Who that woll maister
be
He mot be servaunt to pite.'
So ferforth he was overcome
With charite, that he hath nome
His counseil and his officers,
And badde unto his tresorers,
That they his tresour all about
Departe 2 among the pouer route
Of women and of children bothe,
Wherof they might hem fede and
clothe
] As tho, as then.  2 Deparle. part out, divide.




140


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And saufly tornen home ayein
Withoute loss of any grein.
Through Charite thus he dispendeth
His good, wherofthat he amendeth
Thepouer people andcountrevaileth
The harm that he hem sotravaileth.
And thus the wofull nightes sorwve
To joie is torned on the morwe.
All was thanking, all was blessing,
Whiche erst was wepinge and
cursing.
These women gone home glad
inough,
Echone for joie on other lough
And praiden for this lordes hele,
Whiche hath relesed the quarele
And hath his owne will forsake
In Charite for Goddes sake.
But now hereafter thou shalte here
What God hath wrought in this
matere,
As he that doth all equite.
To him that wroughte Charite
He was ayeinward charitous
And to pite he was pitous.
For it was never knowe yit,
That Charite goth unaquit.
The night whan he was laid to
slepe,
The high6 God, which wold him
kepe,
Saint Peter and saint Poule him
sende,
By whom   he wolde his lepre
amende.
They two to him slepend appere
Fro God, and said in this manere:
'   Constantin, for thou  hast
served
Pite, thou hast pite deserved.
Forthy thou shalt such pite have,
That God through pite woll the save.
So shalt thou double hele finde,
First for thy bodeliche kinde,
And for thy wofull soule also.


Thou shalt ben hole of bothd two.
And for thou shalt the nought despeire,
Thy lepr6 shall no more empeire
Till thou wolt sende therupon
Unto the mount of Celi6n,
Where that Silvdster and his clergie
To-gider dwelle in compaignie
For drede of the, which many a day
Hast ben a fo to Cristes lay 1
And hast destruied to mochel shame
The prechours of his holy name.
But nowthou hast somdele appesed
Thy God and with good ded6
plesed,
That thou thy pits hast bewared
Upon the blood which thou hast
spared.
Forthy to thy salvaci6n
Thou shalt have informaci6n,
Such as Silvester shall the teche,
The nedeth of none other leche.'
This emperour, whiche all this
herde:
Graunt mercf Lorde, he answerde,
I woll do so as ye me say.
But of o thing I wolde pray,
What shall I telle unto Silvdstre
Or of your name or of your estre?" 2
And they him tolden what they
hight
And forth with all oute of his sight
They passen up into the heven.
And he awoke out of his sweven 3
And clepeth, and men come anone
And tolde his dreme, and therupon
In suche a wise as he hem telleth
The mount wher that Silvester
dwelleth
They have in alle haste sought,
And founde he was, and with hem
brought
To themperour, which to him tolde
1 Lay, law, faith.  2 Estre, being.
3 Sweven, dream.




BOOK II.-ENVY.


I4I


His sweven and elles whathewolde.
And whan Silv6ster hath herd the
king
He was right joyfull of this thing,
And him began with all his wit
To techen upon Holy Writ.
First how mankinde was forlore,
And how the highe God therfore
His Sone sende from above,
Which bore was for mannes love;
And after of his owne chois
He toke his deth upon the crois;
And how in grave he was beloke,
And how that he hath helle broke
And toke hem out that were him
leve.1
And for to make us full beleve
That he was verray Goddes Sone
Ayein the kinde of mannes wone
Fro deth he rose the thridde day.
And whan he wolde, as he well
may,
He stigh up to his Father even
With flessh and blood into the
heven;
And right so in the sam6 forme,
In flessh and blood, he shall retorne,
Whan time cometh, to quicke and
dede
At thilkd wofull Day of Drede,
Where every man shall take his
dome
Als well the maister as the grome.
The mighty kinges retenue
That Day may stonde of no value
With world6s strengthe to defende;
For every man mot than entende
To stond upon his ownd dedes
And leve all other mennes nedes.
That Day may no couns6il availe,
The pledour and the plee shallfaile;
The sentence of that ilke day
May none appele sette in delay;
1 Leve, dear.


There may no gold the jugd plie
That he ne shall the sothe trie
And setten every man upright,
As well the plowman as the knight.
The leude man, the gret6 clerke
Shall stonde upon his owne werke;
And suche as he is founde tho,
Such shall he be for evermo,
There may no peine be relesed,
There may no joi6 ben encresed,
But end6les as they have do
He shall receive one of two.
"And thus Silvester with his
sawe
The ground of all the new6 lawe
With great devoci6n he precheth
Fro point to point and plainly
techeth
Unto this hethen emper6ur
And saith: ' The highe Creatour
Hath underfonge his Charite
Of that he wroughte suche pite,
Whan he the children had on honde.'; Thus whan this lord hath understonde
Of all this thing how that it ferde,
Unto Silvdster he than answerde
With all his hole herte and saith,
That he is redy to the feith.
And so the vessell, which for blood
Was made, Silvester, there 1 it stood
With clene water of the welle
In alle haste he let do felle
And sette Constantin therinne
All naked up unto the chinne.
And in the while it was begunne,
A light, as though it were a sunne,
Fro heven into the place come
Where that he toke his christendome,
And ever amonge the holy tales
Lich as they weren fisshes scales
They fellen from him now and efte,
Till that there was nothing belefte
1 There, where.




142


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Of all this grete maladie.
For he that wolde him purifie
The highe God hath made him
clene,
So that there lefte nothing sene.
He hath him clensed bothe two
The body and the soule also.
Tho 1 knew this emperouir in dede,
That Cristes feith was for to drede,
And sende anone his letters out
And let do crien all aboute
Up pein of deth, that no man
weive,
That he baptisme ne receive.
After his moder quene Eleine
He sende, and so betwene hem
tweine
They treten, that the citee all
Was christned, and she forth with
all.
This emperour, which hele hath
found,
Withinne Rome anone let founde
Two churches, which that he did
make2
For Peter and for Poules sake,
Of whom he hadde a vision
And yaf therto possession
Of lordship and of worldes good.
And how so that his will was good
Toward the Pope and his fraunchise,
Yet hath it proved otherwise
To se the worching of the dede.
For in cronique thus I rede
Anone as he hath made the yefte
A vois was herde on high the lefte,3
Of which all Rome was adradde
And said: 'This day is venim
shadde
In Holy Chirche, of temporall
1 Tho, then.
2 Did vmake, caused to be made.
3 Lefte, air.


Which medleth lwith the spirituall.'
And how it stant of that degrd
Yet a man may the sothe se,
God may amende it, whan he wille,
I can therto none other skille.
But for to go there I began,
How Charitd may helpe a man
To bothe worldes, I have saide.
And if thou have an er6 laide,
My sone, thou might understonde,
If Charite be take on honde,
There folweth after mochel grace.
Forth~ if that thou wolt purcha/ce
How that thou might Envid flee,
Acqueint6 the with Charite,
Whicheis theVertue Sovereine."" My fader, I shall do my peine.
For this ensample whiche ye tolde
With all min herte I have witholde,
So that I shall for evermore
Escheue EnvIe well the more.
And that I have er this misdo
Yive me my penaunce er I go.
And over that to my matere
Of shrift6, why we sitten here
In privetd betwene us twey,
Now axeth what there is I prey."" My godd sone, and for thy lore
I woll the telld what is more,
So that thou shalt the Vices knowe.
For whan they be to thee full
knowe,
Thou might hem wel the better
eschue.
And for this cause I thenk6 sue
The form6 bothe and the matere,
As now suend6 thou shalt here,
Which Vice stant nexte after this.
And whan thou wost how that it is,
As thou shalt here my devise,
Thou might thyself the better avise.


1 OMedleti/, mingleth.




FBook EEH.
O F  WRA TH.


f ftou the Vices list to knowe,
My sone, it hath nought be
unknowe
Fro first that men their swerdes
grounde,
That there nis one upon this
grounde
A Vice foreine fro the lawe,
Wherof that many a good felawe
Hath be destraught by sodein
chaunce.
And yet to kinde no plesaunce
It doth, but where he most acheveth
His purpose, most to kinde he
greveth,
As he whiche out of conscience
Is enemy unto pacience.
And is by name one of the Seven,
Whiche oft hath set the world uneven,
And cleped is the cruel Ire,
Whose herte is evermore on fire
To speke amis, and to do, bothe,
For his servaunts ben ever wrothe."
"My gode fader, tell me this
What thinge is Ire? "-" Sone, it is
That in our englissh Wrath is hote,
Whiche hath his wordes ay so hote,
That all a mannes pacience
Is fired of the violence.
For he with him hath ever five
Servaunts, that helpen him to strive.
The first of hem Malencoly


Is cleped, whiche in compaignie
An hundred times in an houre
Woll as an angry beste loure,
And no man wot the cause why.
My sone, shrive the now forthV,
Hast thou be Malencolien? "" Ye fader, by saint Julien.
But 1 I untrew6 wordes use
I may me nought therof excuse.
And all maketh Love, well I wote,
Of which min herte is ever hote.
So that I brenne as dothe a glede
For wrathe that I may nought
spede.
And thus full oft a day for nought
Saufe onlich of min owne thought
I am so with my selven wroth,
That how so that the game goth
With other men, I am nought glad
But I am well the more unglad;
For that is other mennes game
It torneth me to pur6 grame.2
Thus am I with my self oppressed
Of thought the whiche I have impressed,
That all wakdnd I dreme and mete,3
That I with her alone mete 4
And pray her of some good answere.
But for she wol nought gladly swere,
She saith me 'Nay' withouten othe.
And thus waxe I withinnd wrothe


1 But, unless.
3 Mete, dream.


2 Grame, vexation.
4 MIete, meet




I44


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That outward I am all affraied
And so distempred and so esmaied,
A thousand times on a day
There souneth in min eres ' Nay,'
The which she said6 me to-fore.
Thus be my wittes all forlore.
And nam6ly 1 whan I beginne
To reken with my self withinne,
How many yeres ben agone,
Sith I have truely loved one
And never toke of her other hede,
And ever a lich6 for to spede
I am, the more I with her dele,
So that min hap and all min hele
Me thenketh is ay the lenger the
ferre.2
That bringeth my gladship out of
herre,
Wherof my wittes ben empeired
And I, as who saith, all dispeired,
For finally whan that I muse
And thenke, how she woll me refuse,
I am with Anger so bestad,
For al this world might I be glad.
And for the whil6 that it lasteth
All up so down my joie it casteth,
And ay the further that I be
Whan I ne may my lady se,
The more I am redf to Wrathe,
That for the touching of a lath
Or for the torning of a stre 3
I wode4 as doth the wilde see
And am so malencoliouis,
That there nis servaunt in min
house
Ne none of tho that be aboute,
That eche of hem ne stant in doute
And wenen that I shulde rave,
For anger that they se me have.
And so they wonder more and lasse,
Til that they seen it overpasse.
But fader, if it so betide,
1 Namdly, especially. 2 Ferre, farther.
3 Stre, straw.  4 Wode, rage madly.


That I approche at any tide
The place where my lady is,
And thanne that her like iwis
To speke a goodly word unto me,
For all the gold that is in Rome
Ne couth I after that be wroth,
But all min anger overgoth.
So glad I am of the presence
Of hir6, that I all offence
Foryete, as though it were nought
So over glad is than my thought.
And netheles, the soth to telle,
Ayeinward if it so befelle,
That I at thilk6 time sigh
On me that she miscaste her eye,
Or that she liste nought to loke,
And I therof good hede toke,
Anone into my first estate
I torne and am with that so mate,1
That ever it is aliche wicke.
And thus min honde ayein the
pricke
I hurte and have don many a day,
And go so forth as I go may
Full ofte biting on my lippe
And make unto my self a whippe
With whiche in many a chele and
hete
My wofull herte is so tobete,2
That all my wittes ben unsofte,
And I am wrothe I not 3 how ofte.
And all it is malencolie,
Which groweth on the fantasie
Of Love that me woll nought
loute.4
So bere I forth an angry snoute
Full many times in a yere.
But fader, now ye sitten here
In Loves stede, I you beseche,
That some ensample ye me teche,
Wherof I may my self appese."" My sone, for thin hertes ese
1 Mate, deadened in spirit.
2 Tobete, to is an intensive prefix.
3 Not, know not.
4 Love that will not bow to me.




BOOK III.-WRATH.


i 45


I shall fulfille thy praiere,
So that thou might the better lere,
What mischefe that thisVice stereth,
Whiche in his anger nought forbereth,
Wherof that after him forthenketh,
Whan he is sobre, and that he
thenketh
Upon the folie of his dede.
But if thou ever in cause of Love
Shalt deme, and thou be so above
That thou might lede it at thy wille,
Let never through thy Wrathe spille
Whiche every kinde shulde save.
For it sit every man to have
Reward to love and to his might,
Ayein whos strengthe may no wight.
What Nature hath set in her lawe,
Ther may no mannes might withdrawe,
And who that worcheth thereayein,
Full ofte time it hath be sein,
There hath befalle great vengeaunce,
Wherof I finde a remembraunce.
" Ovibe after the time tho
Tolde an ensample and saide so,
How that whil6m Tiresias,
As he walkende goth par cas,
Upon an high mountein he sigh
Two serpentes in his waie nigh.
And they so, as nature hem taught,
Assembled were, and he tho cought
A yerde, which he bare on honde,
And thoughte, that he wolde fonde1
To letten hem, and smote hembothe,
Wherof the goddes weren wrothe.
And for he hath destourbed kinde
And was so to Nature unkinde,
Unkindelich he was transformed,
That he, which erst a man was
formed,
Into a woman was forshape;
That was to him an angry jape.
1 Fonde, try.


But for that he with anger wrought
His anger angerliche he bought.
"Lo, thus my sone, Ovide hath
write,
Wherof thou might by reson wite
More is a man than suche a beste,
So might it never ben honeste
A man to wrathen him to sore
Of that another doth the lore
Of kinde, in whiche is no malice,
But only that it is a Vice.
And though a man be resondble,
Yet after kinde he is mevable
To lov6 where 1 he woll or none.
Thenk thou, my sone, therupon
And do Malencolie awey,
For love hath ever his lust to pley
As he which wold no life greve.""My fader, that I may well leve 2
All that ye tellen it is skille,3
Let every man love as he wille,
Be so it be nought my lady,
For I shall nought be wroth thereby.
But that I wrath and fare amis
Alone upon my self it is,
That I with bothe love and kinde
Am so bestad, that I can finde
No wey howe I it may astert,
Which stant upon min owne hert
And toucheth to none other life
Sauf onely to that swet6 wife,
For whom, but if it be amended,
My gladde dai6s ben dispended,
That I my self shall nought forbere
The Wrath the whiche now I bere,
For therof is none other liche.
Nowe axeth forth I you beseche
Of Wrathe, if there ought elles is,
Wherof to shrive."-" Sone vis.
Of Wrathe the sec6nd is Chest,4
Which hath the windes of tempest
To kepe, and many a sodein blast
He bloweth, wherof ben agast


1 IWhere, whether.
3.Skille, reason.


' Leve, believe.
4 Chest, strife.
K




I46


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


They that desiren pees and rest.
He is that ilke ungoodliest,
Which many a lusty love hath
twinned,
For he bereth ever his mouth unpinned,
So that his lippes ben unloke
And his cordge is all to-broke,
That every thingwhichehe can telle,
It springeth up as doth a welle,
Which maynone of his stremes hide,
But renneth out on every side.
So boilen up the foule sawes,
That Cheste wote 1 of his felawes.
For as a sive 2 kepeth ale,
Right so can cheste kepe a tale;
All that he wote he woll disclose
And speke er any man oppose.
As a citee withoute a walle,
Where men may gon out overalle
Withouten any resistance,
So with his croked eloquence
He speketh all that he wot withinne,
Wherof men lese more than winne.
For often time of his chiding
He bringeth to house such tidifng
That mak6th werre at beddes hede.
He is the levein of the brede
Which soureth all the past 3 about.
Men oughtwell suche one to doute.4
For ever his bowe is redy bent,
Andwhome he hit I tell him shent,5
If he may perce him with his tonge.
And eke so loude his belle is ronge,
That of the noise and of the soune
Men feren him in all the towne
Well more than they done of
thonder;
For that is cause of more wonder.
For with the windes, which he
bloweth,
1 Wote, knows.     2 Sive, sieve.
3 The leaven of the bread that turns all the
paste sour.
4 Doute, fear.
5 I tell him shent, I count him put to shame.


Full oftd sith he overthroweth
The citees and the polecie,
That I have herd the people crie
And echone saide in his degre:
'Ha, wickd tunge, wo thou be!'
For men sain, that the hardd boneAll though him selve have noneA tunge braketh it all to pieces.
He hath so many sondry spieces 1
Of Vice, that I may nought wele
Descrive hem by a thousand dele.2
But whan that he to Cheste falleth,
Full many a wonder thing befalleth,
For he ne can no thing forbere.
Now tell, my sone, thin answere,
If it hath ever so betid,
That thou at any time hast chid
Toward thy love." —" Fader, nay.
Such Chest6 yet unto this day
Ne made I never, God forbede.
For er I singe suche a crede,
I hadde lever to be lewed,
For thanne were I all beshrewed
And worthy to be put abacke
With all the sorwe upon my backe,
That any man ordeigne couthe.
But I spake never yet by mouthe
That unto Cheste mighte touche.
And that I durst right wel avouche
Upon her selfe as for witnesse.
For I wote of her gentilesse,
That she me wolde wel excuse,
That I no suche thinges use.
And if it shulde so betid,
That I algates must chid,
It mighte nought be to my Love.
For so yet was I never above
For all this wide world to winne,
That I durst any word beginne,
By which she might have ben
amoved,
And I of Cheste also reproved.
But rather if it might her like,
1 Spieces, species, kinds.
2 By a thousandth part.




BOOK III.-WRA TH.


I47


The beste wordes wolde I pike 1
Whiche I couthe in min herte chese
Andservehemforthin stedeofchese,
For that is helpelich to defie; 2
And so I wolde my wordes plie,
That mighten Wrath and Cheste
avale 3
With telling of my soft6 tale.
Thus dar I maken a forward,
That never unto my lady ward
Yet spake I word in suche a wise,
Wherof that Cheste shulde arise.
Thus say I nought that I full ofte
Ne have, whan I spake most softe,
Par cas said more than inough;
But so well halt no man the plough,
That he ne balketh other while;
Ne so wel can no man affile
His tunge, that somtime in rape 4
Himmaysomelight word overscape,
And yet ne meneth he no cheste.
But that I have ayein her heste
Full ofte spoke, I am beknowe.5
And how, mywille is that ye knowe;
For whan my time cometh about
That I dar speke and say all out
My longe love of which she wot,
That ever in one aliche hot
Me greveth, than all my disese
I telle, and though it her displese
I speke it forth and nought ne leve.
And though it be beside her leve
I hope and trowe netheles,
That I do nought ayein the pees.
For though I telle her all my thought,
She wot well that I chide nought.
Men may the highe God beseche,
And he wol here a mannes speche
And be nought wroth of thathe saith,
So yiveth it me the more feith
And maketh me hardy soth to say,
1 Pike, pick.
2 Defie, digest. This belief was the origin
of the old custom of ending dinner with cheese.
3 Avale, bring down.  4 Rape, haste.
5 I confess,             "


That I dar wel the better prey
My lady, whiche a woman is.
For though I telle her that er is
Of lovd, which me greveth sore,
Her oughte nought be wroth the
more,
For I withoute noise or cry
My plaintd make all buxomly,
To putten all Wrath away,
This dar I say unto this day
Of Cheste, in ernest or in game,
My lady shall me no thing blame.
"But ofte time it hath betid,
That with my selven I have chid,
That no man couthe better chide,
And that hath ben at every tide,
Whan I cam to my selve alone.
For than I made a prive mone,
And every tale by and by
Whiche as I spake to my lady,
I thenke and peise in my balauince
And drawe into my remembraunce.
And than, if that I finde a lacke
Of any word that I misspake,
Which was to moche in any wise,
Anone my wittes I despise
And make a chiding in min herte
That any word me shulde asterte1
Whicheas I shuldehaveholdeninne
And so forth after I beginne
And loke if there was elles ought
To speke, and I ne spake it nought.
And than if I may seche and finde,
That any word ben left behinde,
Whiche as I shulde more have spoke,
I wold upon my self be wroke
And chide with my selven so,
That all my wit is over-go.
For no man may his time lore
Recover, and thus I am therfore
So overwroth in all my thought,
That I my self chide all to nought.
Thus for to moche, or for to lite,
Full ofte I am my self to wite.2
1 Asterte, escape.  2 Wite, blame.




148


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


But all that may me nought availe,
With Chest6 though I me travaile,
But oule on stoke and stoke on oule
The mor6 that a man defoule,
Men witen welwhich haththewerse.
And so to me nis worth a kerse,1
But torneth unto min owne hede,
Though I till that I were dede
Wolde ever chide in suche a wise
Of Love, as I to you devise.
But fader, now ye have all herd
In this mandr, howe I have ferd
Of Cheste and of Dissension,
Yif me your absolucion.""My sone, if thatthou wistest all,
What Chest6 doth in speciall
To love and to his welwilling,
Thou woldest fleen his knowleching
And lern6 to be debonaire.
For who that most can spek6 faire
Is most accordend unto love.
Fair speche hath oft brought above
Full many a man, as it is knowe,
Whiche ell6s shuld have ben right
lowe
And failed mochel of his wille.
Forth2 hold thou thy tunge stille
And let thy wit thy will areste
So that thou fall6 nought in cheste,
Whiche is the source of great distaunce,
And take into thy r6membraunce,
If thou might getf paciince,
Which is the leche of all offence,
As tellen us these old6 wise.
For whan nought ell6s may suffise
By strength6 ne by mannes wit,
Than pacience it over sit
And over cometh it at laste.
But he may never long6 laste,
Which woll nought bow er that he
breke.
Take hede, sone, of that I speke.""My fader, of your goodly speche
1 Kerse, cress.


And of the wit, whiche ye me teche,
I thonke you with all min hert.
For that word shall me never astert,
That I ne shall your wordes holde
Of pacience, as ye me tolde,
Als ferforth as min hert6 thenketh
And of myWrath it me forthenketh.
But fader, if ye forth with all
Some good ensample in speciall,
Me wolden teche of some cronique,
It shulde well min herte like
Of pacience for to here,
So that I might in my mat6re
The more unto my love obey
And putten my disese awey."' T~Q sote, a man to bye him
pees
Behoveth suffre as Socrates
Ensample lefte, whiche is write,
And for thou shalt the sothe wite
Of this ensample, what I mene,
All though it be now litel sene
Among the men thilke evidence,
Yet he was upon pacience
So set, that he him self assay
In thing, which might him most
mispay,
Desireth and a wicked wife
He weddeth, which is sorwe and
strife
Ayein his ese was contraire.
But he spake ever soft and faire,
Till it befell, as it is tolde,
In winter, whan the day is colde,
This wife was fro the welle come,
Where that a pot with water nome1
She hath and brought it into house,
And sigh how that her sely spouse
Was set and looked on a boke
Nigh to the fire, as he which toke
His ese as for a man of age.
And she began the wode rage
And axeth him,what divel he thought
Andbareonhond, thathimnerought
1  rNote, taken.




BOOK III.-WRATH.


149


What labour that she tokeon honde,
And saith, that suche an husebonde
Was to a wife nought worth a stre.1
He saide nouther nay ne ye,
But helde him stille and lete her
chide.
And she, which may her self nought
hide,
Began withinne for to swelle
And that shebrought in fro the welle,
The water pot, she hent a lofte
And bad him speke, and he all softe
Sat stille andnoughtaword answerd.
And she was wroth that he so ferd,
And axeth him, if he be dede,
And all the water on his hede
She poured out and bad him awake.
Buthe, whiche wolde nought forsake
His pacience, thanne spake
And said, how that he fond no lake
In nothing which she hadde do,
For it was winter time tho,
And winter, as by wey of kinde,
Which stormy is as men it finde,
First maketh thewindes for to blowe
And after that, within a throwe,
He reineth and the water gates
Undoth, and thus my wife algates,
Which is with reson well besein,
Hath made mebothewinde and rein
After the seson of the yere.
And than he set him ner the fire
And as he might his clothes dreide,2
That he nomore o word ne saide,
Wherof he gat him somdele rest,
For that him thought was for the
best.
" I not 3 if thilke ensample yit
Accordeth with a mannes wit
To suffre as Socrates dede.
And if it fal in any stede
A man to lese so his galle,
1 Sire, straw.
2 Dried his clothes as well as he could.
3 Not, know not.


Him ought among the women alle
In Love court by jugement
The name bere of pacient
To yive ensample to the good
Of pacience how that it stood,
That other men it mighte knowe.
And, sone, if thou at any throwe
Be tempted ayein pacience,
Take hede upon this evidence,
It shall par cas the lass6 greve." —
"My fader, so as I believe
Of that shall be no maner nede,
For I woll take so good hede,
That er I fall in suche assay
I thinke escheue, if that I may.
But if there be ought elles more,
Wheref I might6 tak6 lore
I prai6 you, so as I dare,
Now telleth, that I may beware,
Some other tale of this mater."" Sone, it is ever good to lere
Wherof thou might thy word restreigne
Er that thou falle in any peine.
For who that can no counseil hide,
He may nought faile of wo beside,
Which shall befalle, er he it wite,
As I finde in the bok6s write.
Yet cam therenever good of strife
To seche in all a mannes life,
Though it beginne on pur6 game
Full ofte it torneth into grame
And doth grevauince on.som6 side.
Wherof the gret6 clerk Ovide
After the lawd which was tho,
Of Jupiter and of Juno
Maketh in his bokes menci6n,
How they felle at dissenci6n,
In manner as it were a borde,1
As they begunnd for to worde
Among hem self in privdt6.
And that was upon this degre,
Whiche of the two more amorous is
Or man or wife. * And upon this


1 Borde, jest.




150


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


They mighten nought accorde in one
And toke a juge therupon,
Which cleped is Tiresias
And bede him demen in this cas.
And he withoute avis6ment
Ayein Jun6 yaf jugement.
This Goddesse upon his answere
Was wroth and wolde nought forbere,
But tok awey for evermo
The light from both his eyen two.
Whan Jupiter this harm hath sein
Another bienfait there ayein
He yaf and suche a grace him doth
That, for he wiste he saide soth,
A soth-saier he was for ever.
But yet that other were lever
Have had the loking of his eye
Than of his word the prophecie.
But how so that the sothe went,
Strife was the cause of that he hent
So great a peine bodily.
" My sone, be thou ware thereby
And hold thy tunge stille close,
For who that hath his word disclose
Er that he wite what he mene
He is full ofte nigh his tene 1
And leseth full many time grace,
Wher that he wold his thank purchice.
And over this, my sone dere,
Of other men, if thou might here
In privite what they have wrought,
Hold counseil and discoveritnought,
For Cheste can no counseil hele,2
Or be it wo or be it wele,
And take a tale into thy minde,
The which of olde ensample I finde.
Cebts, which maketh the daies
light,
A love he hadde, which tho hight
Cornide, whom aboven alle
He pleseth. But what shall befalle
Of love, there is no man knoweth.
I Tene, vexation.  2 Hele, conceal.


But as fortune her happes throweth,
So it befell upon a chaunce,
A yong knight toke her icqueintaunce
And had of her all that he wolde.
But afals bird, which she hath holde
And kept in chambre of pure youthe
Discovereth all that ever he couthe.
The briddes name was as tho
Corvus, the which was than also
Well more white than any swan,
And he, the shrewe, al that he can
Of his lad2 to Phebus saide.
And he for wrath his swerd out
braide,
With which Cornide anone he
slough.
But after, him was wo inough
And toke a full great repentauince,
Wherof in token andremembrauince
Of hem whiche usen wicke speche,
Upon this brid he toke his wreche,
That there he was snow-white to-fore
Ever afterward cole black therfore
He was transformed, as it sheweth.
And many aman yethimbeshreweth
And clepen him into this day
A raven, by whom yet men may
Take evidence, whan he crieth,
That some mishap it signifieth.
Beware therfore and say the best,
If thou wolt be thy self in rest,
My gode sone, as I the rede.
And suche a daies be now fele 1
In Loves Courte, as it is saide,
That let her tunge's gone unteide.
My sone, be thou none of tho
To jangle and telle tal6s so,
And namely 2 that thou ne chide,
For Cheste can no counseil hide,
For Wrathe saide never wele."" My fader, sothe is every dele,
That ye me teche, and I woll holde,
The reule to whiche I am holde,
1 Fele, many.  2 Namely, especially.




BOOK III.-VWRA TH.


5 r


To fie the Cheste, as ye me bidde:
For well is him, that never chidde.
Now telle me forth if there be more,
As touchinge unto wrathes lore.""@f wroatie yet there is another,
Whiche is toCheste his owne brother,
And is by name cleped Hate,
That suffreth nought within his gate,
That there come other love or pees,
For he woll make no relese
Of no debate whiche is befalle.
Now speke, if thou arte one of alle,
That with this Vice hath be witholde." 1 -"As yet foroughtthatyemetolde,
My fader, I not what it is.""In good feith, sone, I trowe
yis.""'My fader, nay, but ye me
lere.""Now list, my sone, and thou
shalt here.
Hate is a Wrathe nought shewend,
But of long time gaderend,
And dwelleth in the herte loken
Till he se time to be wroken.
And than he showeth his tempest
More sodein than the wilde beste,
Which wot nothifng, what mercy is.
My sone, art thou knowen of
this? ""My gode fader, as I wene,
Nowwote I somedele what ye mene,
But I dare saufly make an othe,
My lady was me never lothe.
I woll nought swere netheles,
That I of Hate am gilteles.
For whan I to my lady ply
Fro day to day and mercy cry,
And she no mercy on me laith,
But shorte word6s to me saith,
Though I my lady love algate,
Tho wordes mote I nedes hate,
And woldd they were all dispent
1 PWi//wlde, held with.


Or so fer out of londe went
That I never after shuld hem here:
And yet love I my lady dere.
Thus is there Hate, as ye may se,
Betwene my ladies word and me.
The worde I hate and her I love,
What so me shall betide of love.
But furthermore I woll me shrive,
That I have hated all my live
These janglers, whiche of her envie
Ben ever redy for to lie.
For with her fals compassement
Full often they have made me shent
And hindred me full ofte time,
Whan they no cause wisten by me,
But onlich of her owne thought.
And thus have I full ofte bought
The lye and drank nought of the
wine.
I wolde her hap were such as mine.
For how so that I be now shrive,
To hem ne may I nought foryive,
Untill I se hem at debate
With Love, and thanne min estate
They mighten by her owne deme
And loke how wel it shuld hem
queme 1
To hinder a man, that loveth sore.
And thus I hate hem evermore,
Til Love on hem wold done his
wreche;
For that I shall alway beseche
Unto the mighty Cupido,
That he so mochel wolde do,
So as he is of Love a god,
To smite hem with the same rod,
WVith whiche I am of Love smiten,
So that they mighten know and
witen,
How hindring is a wofull peine
To him that love wold atteigne.
Thus ever on hem I wait and hope,
Till I may se hem lepe a lope 2
1 Quene, be pleasing.
2 LeySe a goe, take a leap.




I52


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And halten on the same sore,
Whiche I do now for evermore.
I wolde thanne do my might
So for to stonden in her light,
That they ne shulden have a wey
To that they wolden put awey.
I wolde hem put out of the stede
Fro Love, right as they me dede
With that they speke of me by
mouthe,
So wolde I do, if that I couthe
Of hem, and thus so God me save
Is all the Hate that I have
Toward these janglers every dele,
I wolde all other ferde wele.
Thus have I, fader, said my wille.
Say ye now forth, for I am stille.""My sone, of that thou hast me
said
I holde me nought fully paid,'
That thou wold haten any man
To that accorden I ne can,
Though he have hindred thee tofore.
But this I telle thee therfore,
Thou might upon my benison
Well haten the condicion
Of tho jangl6rs, as thou me toldest,
But furthermore, of that thou
woldest
Hem hinder in any other wise,
Suche Hate is ever to despise.
Forthj my sone, I wold thee rede,
That thou drawe in by frendly hede
That thou ne might nought do by
Hate,
So might thou gete love algate
And sette thee, my sone, in rest.
For thou shalt finde it for the best,
And over this so as I dare
I rede, that thou be right ware
Of other mennes Hate about,
Whiche every wise man shuldedout,
For Hate is ever upon await.
1 Paid, satisfied.


And as the fissher on his bait
Sleeth, whan he seeth the fisshes
faste,
So whan he seeth time atte last
That he may worche an other wo,
Shall no man tornen him ther fro,
That Hate nill his felonie
Fulfill and feigne compaignie.
Yet netheles for fals semblaunt
Is toward him of covenaunt
Witholde, so that under bothe
The prive wrathe can him clothe,
That he shall seme a great beleve.
But ware thee well, that thou ne
leve
All that thou seest to-fore thin eye,
So as the Gregois whilom sigh;
The boke of Troie who so rede,
There may he finde ensample in
dede.
" gone, after the destructi6n,
Whan Troy was alle bet6 down
And slain was Priamus the king,
The Gregois, which of all this thing
Ben cause, tornen home ayein.
There mayno man his hap withsain,
It hath ben sene and felt full ofte,
The harde time after the softe.
Byseeas they forth homeward went,
A rage of great tempest hem hent.1
Juno let bende her partie bow,
The sky wax derke, the 'wind gan
blow,
The firy welken gan to thonder,
As though the world shuld al
asonder.
From heven out of the water gates
The reiny storm fell down algates,
And all her tacle made unwelde,
That no man might him self bewelde.
There may men here shipmen crie
That stood in aunter for to die.
He that behinde sat to stere
1 thent, seized.




BOOK III. -WRATH.


I53


Maynought the fore stempne1 here;
The ship arose ayein the wawes,
The lodesman hath lost his lawes,
The see bet in on every side,
They nisten what fortune abide,
But setten hem all in goddes will,
Where 2 he wolde hem save or spill.
And it fell thilke time thus,
There was a kinge, which Nauplus
Was hote, and he a sond hadde
At Troie, which the Gregois ladde
As he that was made prince of alle,
Till that Fortune let him falle.
His name was Pahimid6s,
But through an Hate netheles
Of som of hem his deth was caste
And he by treson overcaste.
His fader, whan he herde it telle,
He swore, if ever his time felle,
He wolde himvengeif that he might,
And therto his avow he hight.
And thus this king through priv6
Hate
Abode upon a waite algate,
For he was nought of sucheemprise,
To vengen him in open wise.
" The fame, which goth widd
where,
Maketh knowe, how that the Gregois were
Homward with al the felaship
Fro Troy upon the see by ship.
Nauplus, whan he this understood
And knew the tides of the flood
And sigh the wind blowto the londe,
A great deceipt anone he fonde
Of priv6 Hate, as thou shalte here,
Wherof I telle all this matere.
"This kingthe wedergan beholde
And wiste well, they moten holde
Her coursendlonge his marche right,
And made upon the derke night
Of grete shides and of blockes


Great fire ayeine the greate rockes,
To shew upon the hilles high,
So that the flete of Grece it sigh.
And so it fell right as he thought,
This flete, which an haven sought,
The brighte fires sighe a fer,
And they ben drawen ner and ner
And wende well and understood
How all that fire was made for good
To shewe where men shulde arrive.1
And thiderward they hasten blive.2
In semblaunt as men sain is guile,
And that was proved thilke while.
The ship, which wend his helpe
accroche,3
Drof all to pieces on the roche.
And so there deden ten or twelve
There no man mighte helpe him
selve,
For there theywenden4 deth escape
Withouten helpe her deth was shape.
Thus they that comen first to-fore
Upon the rock6s ben forlore.
But through the noise and through
the cry
The other weren ware therby,
And whan the day began to rowe,5
Tho mighten they the soth6 knowe,
That where they wenden frendds
finde,
They fonde frendship all behinde.
The londe than was son6 weived,
Where that they hadden be deceived,
And toke hem to the high6 see,
Therto they saiden alle ye,
Fro that day forthe and ware they
were
Of that they had assaied there.
" My sone, herof thou might avise.
How fraud6 stant in many wise
Amonges hem that guile thinke.
There is no scrivener with his inke,
1 Arrkie, come to the shore.
2 Blivc, quickly.  3 Accroche, increase.
4 Jl'enienz, hoped.  5 Ro7? t. dawn.


1 Fore; stfe;mize, voice in the bows.
2 Where, whether.       3 Shidcs, logs.




I54


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Whiche half the fraude write can,
That stant in suche a maner man.
Forth$ the wisd men ne demen
The thinges after that they semen,
But after that they knowe and finde.
'The mirrour sheweth in his kinde
As he had all the world withinne,
And is in soth nothing therinne.
And so fareth Hatd for a throwe,1
Till he a man hath overthrowe;
Shall no manl knowe by his chere,
Whiche is avaunt ne whiche arere.
Forth~ my sond, thenke on this."" My fader, so I woll iwis,2
And if there more of Wrath6 be,
Nowe axeth forth pour charite,
As ye by your bokes knowe,
And I the sothd shall beknowe."" KP> sone, thou shalt understonde,
That yet towarde Wrathd stonde
Of dedly Vices other two.
And for to telle her names so
It is Contek and Homicide,
That ben to drede on every side.
Contek so as the bokes sain
Foolhast hath to his chamberlain,
By whose counseil all unavised
Is pacience most despised,
Till Homicide with him mete.
Fro mercy they ben all unmete
And thus ben they the worst of alle
Of hem whiche unto Wrath6 falle
In dede bolth and eke in thought.
For they accompte her Wrath at
nought
But if there be sheding of blood.
And thus liche to a beste wode
They knowen nought the god of life,
Be so they have swerde or knife
Her dedly wrath6 for to wreke,
Of pite list hem nought to speke.
None other reson they ne fonge,
But that they ben of mightes stronge.
1 Throwe, space of time.  2 -Iwis, certainly.


But ware hem well in other place,
Where every man behoveth grace;
For there I trowe it shall him faile,
To whom no mercy might availe,
But wroughten upon tirannie,
That no pite ne might hem plie.
Now tell, my sone." —" My fader,
what? "If thou hast be coupable of that?"
" Myfader, nay, Crist meforbede;
I onliche speke of the dede
Of which I never was coupable
Withouten cause resonable.
But this is nought to my matere
Of shrifte, why we sitten here.
For we ben set to shrive of Love,
As we beganne first above.
And neth6les I am beknowe,
That as touchend of loves throwe,
Whan I my wittes overwende,
Min hertes Contek hath none ende,
But ever stant upon debate
To great disese of min estate,
As for the time that it lasteth.
For whan my fortune overcasteth
Her whele and is to me so straunge,
And that I se she woll nought
chaunge,
Than cast I all the worlde about
And thenk howe I at home in dout
Have all mytime in vein despended
And se nought how to be amended,
But rather for to be empeired,
As he that is well nigh despeired.
For I ne may no thank deserve,
And ever I love and ever I serve
And ever I am a liche nere,
Thus, for I stonde in suche a were,
I am as who saith out of herre.1
And thus upon my self I werre,
I bringe and put out alle pees.
That I full ofte in such a rees 2
Am wery of min owne life,
1 Out ofherre, unhinged.
2 Rees, stir of battle.




BOOK III.-WRATH.


155


So that of Contek and of Strife
I am beknowe and have answerde,
As ye, my fader, now have herde.
Min herte is wonderly begone
With counseil, wherof wit is one,
Whiche hath reson in compaignie
Ayein the which6 stant partie
Will, which hath Hope of his accorde.
And thus they bringen up discorde,
Witte and Reson counseilen ofte,
That I min herte shulde softe
And that I shulde Will remue1
And put him out of retenue
Or elles holde him under fote.
For as they sain, if that he mote
His owne reule have upon honde,
There shall no Witbenunderstonde
Of Hope; also they tellen this,
That over all where that he is
He set the herte in jeopartie
With wishing and with fantasie,
And is noughttrewe of that he saith,
So that there is on him no feith.
Thus with Reson and Witte avised
Is Will and Hope all day despised.
Reson saith, that I shuldd leve
To love, where there is no leve
To spede, andWill saith there ayein
That such an herte is to vilain
Which dare nought love till that he
spede;
Let Hope serve at suche nede.
He saith eke, where an herte sit
All hole governed upon Wit,
He hath this lives lust forlore.
And thus min herte is all to-tore
Of suche a Contek, as they make.
But yet I may nought Will forsake
That he nis maister of my thought,
Or that I spede, or spede nought.;""Thou dost, my sone, ayeinst
the right,
But Love is of so great a might,
1 Remnue, remove.


His lawe may no man refuse,
So might thou there the better
excuse.
And netheles thou shalt be lerned,
That thy Will shulde be governed
Of Reson mord than of Kinde;
Wherof a tale write I finde.
3 pgifosopbre of which men
tolde
There was whilom by daies olde,
And Diogenes than he hight,
So olde he was that he ne might
The world travaile, and for the best
He shope him for to take his rest
And dwelle at home in suche a wise,
That nigh his house he let devise
Endlonge upon an axel tree
To set a tonne in suche degree
That he it mighte torne aboute;
Wherof one heed was taken oute
For he therinne sitte shulde
And torne him selve as he wolde
And take the eire and se the hevcn
And deme of the planetes seven
As he which couthd mochel what.1
And thus full ofte there he sat
To muse in his philosophie
Sole withouten compaignie;
So that upon a morwe tide
A thing which shuld6 tho betide,
Whan he was sette here as him list
To loke upon the sonne arist,
Wherof the propertie he sigh,
It felld, there cam ridend nigh
King Alisaundre with a route.
And as he cast his eye aboute
He sigh this tonne, and what it ment
He wolde wite, and thider sent
A knight, by whom he might it
knowe.
And he him self that ilke throwe
Abode and hoveth there sti!!e.
This knight after the kinges wille
1 Couthe mnochel what. knew a good deal,
much what, a formation similar to somewhat.




I56


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


With spore made his horse to gone
And to the tonne he came anone,
Where that he fonde a man of age,
And he him tolde the message,
Suche as the kinge him hadd6 bede,
And axeth why in thilke stede 1
The tonne stood and what it was.
And he, which understood the cas,
Sat still and spake no worde ayein.
The knight bad speke and saith:
'Vilain,
Thou shalt me telle, er that I go,
It is thy king, whiche axeth so.'
' My king,' quod he, 'that were
unright.'
'What is he thann6?' saith the
knight,
'Is he thy man?' 'That say I
nought,'
Quod he, ' but this I am bethought,
My mannes man how that he is.'
' Thou liest, false cherle, iwis,' 2
The knight him said and was right
wroth,
And to the kinge ayein he goth
And told him, how this man
answerde.
The king whan he this tale herde
Bad that they shulden all abide,
For he him self wold thider ride.
Andwhan hecame to-fore thetonne,
He hath his tale thus begonne:
'Al heil,' he saith, 'what man art
thou?'
Quod he: 'Such one as thou seest
now.'
/ The king, which hadde wordes wise,
His age wolde nought despise
But saith: ' My fader, I thee pray,
That thou me wolt the cause say,
How that I am thy mannes man?'
'Sire king,'quod he, 'and that I can,
If thou wilt.'-' Yea,' saith the
king.1 Stede, place.  -  2 Iwis, certainly.


Quod he: ' This is the sothe thing:
Sith I first reson understood
And knew what thing was evil and
good,
The Will, whiche of my body
moveth,
Whos werkes that the god reproveth,
I have restreigned evermore
Of him which stant under the lore
Of Reson, whos subject he is,
So that he may nought done amis.
And thus by wey of covenaunt
Will is my Man and my Servaunt
And ever hath be and ever shall.
And thy Will is thy Principal
And hath the lordship of thy wit,
So that thou couthest never yit
Take a day rest of thy labouir.
But for to be a conquerouir
Of worldes good, which may nought
laste,
Thou hiest ever a lichc faste,
Where thou no Reson hast towinne.
And thus thy Will is cause of sinne
And is thy Lord to whom thou
servest,
Wherof thou litel thank deservest.'
The king, of that he thus answdrd,
Was nothing wroth, but when he
herd
Thehighdwisedom, whiche hesaide,
With goodly wordes this he praide,
That he him wold6 tell his name.
'I am,' quod he, ' that ilk6 same,
Which that men Diogenes calle.'
Tho was the king right glad with
alle,
For he had herd ofte to-fore
What man he was, so that therfore
He saide: ' 0 wise Diogdne,
Now shall thy grete wit be sene,
For thou shalt of my yifte have,
What worldes thinge thou wolt
crave.)




BOOK III.-WRATH.


I57


Quod he: 'Than hove out of my
sonne
And lete it shine into my tonne,
For thou benimst me1 thilk6 yifte,
Which lith nought in thy might to
shifte:
None other good of thee menedeth.'
"The king, whom every contrd
dredeth,
Lo, thus he was enform6d there;
Wherof, my sone, thou might lere,
How that thy Wil shal nought be
leved,
Where it is nought of Wit releved.
And thou hast said thy self er this,
How that thy Wil thy maister is,
Through which thin hertes thought
withinne
Is ever of contek to beginne,
So that it greatly is to drede,
That it no homicide brede.
For Love is of a wonder kinde
And hath his wittes ofte blinde,
That they fro mannes Reson falle.
But whan that it is so befalle,
That Will shall his corage lede
In Loves cause, it is to drede;
Wherof I finde ensample write,
Whjche is behovely for to wite.
'   rebe a tale, and telleth this,
The itee which Semiramis
EnclosEd hath with walle about
Of worthy folk with many a rout
Was inhabited here and there.
Amongd the which two there were
Above all other noble an-d great,
Dwellend tho within a strete
So nigh to-gider, as it was sene,
That there was nothing hem betwene
But wowe2 to wowe and walle to
walle.
1 Benin st ze, takest away from me.
2 Iowe, wall. "Wowe" and " wall" are
equivalent, like " follow" and "sue" fourteen
lines later.


This o lord hath in speciallee
A sone, a lusty bacheler,
In all the towne was none his pere.
That other had a doughter eke
In all the lond that for to seke
Men wisten none so faire as she.
And fell so, as it shulde be,
This faire doughter nigh this sone,
As they to-gider thanne wone,1
Cupid hath so the thinges shape,
That theyne mihthis hnnrndsccape
That he his fire on hem ne caste,
Wherof her herts he overcaste
To folwe thilke lore and sue,
Whichneverman yet might escheue.
And that was Love, as it is happed,
Whiche hath her hertes, so betrapped,
That they by alle waies seche,
How that they mighten winne a
speche
Her wofull peine for to lesse.
Who loveth wel, it may nought
misse,
And namely2 whan there ben two
Of one accord, how so it go,
But if that they some waie finde,
For Love is ever of suche a kinde
And hath his folk so wel affaited,
That how so that it be awaited,
There may no man the purpos let.3
And thus betwene hem two they set
An hole upon a wal to make
Through which they have her counseil take
At alle times, whan they might.
This fair6 maiden Tisbe hight
And he, whom that she loved hote,
Was Piramus by name hote.
So longe her lesson they recorden,
Til atte laste they accorden
By nightes time for to wende
Alone out fro the townes ende,
1 Vone, dwell.  2 Namdly, especially.
Let, hinder.




I58


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Where was a welle under a tree,
And who cam first, or she or he,
He shulde stille there abide.
So it befell the nightes tide
This maiden which desguised was,
All privdly the softe pas
Goth through the large town unknowe,
Till that she cam within a throwe
Where that she liked for to dwelle
At thilke unhappy freshe welle,
Which was also the forest nigh;
Where she comend agon sigh
Into the feld to take his pray
In haste. And she tho fledde away,
So as Fortun6 shulde falle,
For fere, and let her wimpel1 falle
Nigh to the wel upon therbage.
This wilde leon in his rage
A beste whiche he found there out
Hath slain, and with his bloody snout
Whan he hath eten what he wolde,
To drinke of thilk6 strem6s colde
Come to the welle, where he fonde
The wimpel, whiche out of her honde
Was falle, and he it hath to-drawe,
Bebledde aboute and all forgnawe.
And than he straught2 him for to
drinke
Upon the fresshe welles brinke,
And after that out of the plein
He torneth to the wode ayein.
And Tisbe durste nought remewe,
But as a brid which were in mewe,3
Within a bussh she kept her close
So stille that she nought arose
Unto her self and pleigneth ay.
And fell, while that she ther6 lay,
This Piramus cam after sone
Unto the welle and by the mone
He found her wimpel bloody there.
Cam never yet to mannes ere
1 Wimiel, neck-covering.
2 Straught, stretched.:; Mewe, cage for moulting birds.


Tidinge ne to mannes sight
Merveille which so sore aflight1
A mannes herte, as it tho dede
To him, whiche in the same stede
With many a woful c6mpleignfnge
Began his hondes for to wringe
As he which deemeth sikerly
That she be dede. And sodeinly
His swerd all naked out he braide
In his Foolhaste and thus he saide:
'I am cause of this felonie,
So it is reson that I deie,
And she is dede by cause of me.'
And with that worde upon his kne
He fell, and to the goddes alle
Up to the heven he gan to calle
And praie, sithen2 it was so
That he maynought his love as tho3
Have in this world, that of her grace
He might her have in other place,
For here wolde he nought abide,
He saith. But as it shall betide,
The pomel of his swerd to ground
He set and through his hert awound
He made up to the bare hilte,
And in this wise him self spilte '
With his Foolhaste, and deth he
nam.4
For she within a while cam,
Where he lay dede upon his knife,
So woful yet was never life
As Tisbe was. Whan she him sigh,
She mighte nought one worde on
high
Out spek6, for her herte shette,
That of her life no pris she sette
But dede swounend down she felle;
Till after whan it so befelle,
That she out of her traunce awoke,
With many a wofull pitous loke
Her eye alwey among she caste
Upon her love and atte laste
She caught herbrethand saidethus:
1 AfTight, afflicted.  2 Sithen, since.
3 Tho, then.     4 Namn, took.




BOOK III.-WRA TH.


I59


' O thou, which cleped art Venus,
Goddesse of Love, and thou Cupide,
Which Loves cause hast for to guide,
I wot now wel that ye be blinde,
Of thilke unhap whiche I nowe finde
Only betwene my love and me.
This Piramus, whiche here I se
Bledend, 0, what hath he deserved?
For he your hest hath kept and
served,
And was yonge and I both also,
Alas, why do ye with us so?
Ye set.our hertes both on fire
And made us suche thing desire
Wherof that we no skill6 couthe.
But thus our freshe lusty youthe
Withouten joy is all despended,
Which thing may never ben
amended.
For as for me this woll I say,
That me is lever for to deie
Than live after this sorwefull day.'
And with this word where as he lay
Her love in armes she embraseth
Her owne deth and so purchaseth,
That now she wepte and now she
kiste,
Till atte laste, ere she it wiste,
So great a sorwe is to her falle
Whiche overgoth her wittes alle,
And she, which mighte nought
asterte,
The swerdes pointe ayein her herte
She set and fell down therupon,
Wherof that she was dede anone.
And thus both on a' swerd bledend
They were founden dede liggenD
'- ' Now thou, my sone, hast herd
this tale
Beware that of thin ownd bale
Thou be nought cause in thy Foolhaste,
Andkepe that thou thyWit newaste
Upon thy thought in aventure,
1 A, one.


Wherof thy lives forfeture
May falle. And if thou have so
thought
Erthis, tell onandhideitnought."' My fader, upon Loves side
My conscience I wol nought hide,
How that for love of purd wo
I have ben oft6 moved so
That with my wishes if I might
A thousand times, I you plight,
I hadd6 storven 1 in a day.
And therof I me shrive may,
Though Lov6 fully me ne slough,
My will to deic was inough.
So am I of my Will coupable,
And yet is she nought merciable
Which may me yiv6 life and hele,
But that herlist nought with medele
I wot by whos conseil it is
And him wolde I long time er this,
And yet I wolde and ever shall,
Sleen and destruie in speciall.
The golde of nine kinges londes
Ne shulde him sav6 fro min hondes,
In my power if that he were.
But yet him stant of me no fere,
For nought that ever I can mandce
He is the hinderer of my grace,
Til he be dede I may nought spede.
So mote I ned6s taken hede
And shape how that he were awey,
If I therto may finde a wey.""My sone, tell me now forthy
Whiche is that mortal enemy,
That thou mandcest to be dede."" My fader, it is suche a quede 2
That where I come, he is to-fore
And doth so that my cause is lore."
"What is his name?"   It is
Daunger,
Whiche is my ladies counseiler,
For I was never yet so sligh
To come in any placd nigh
1 Storven, died.
2 Qued'e, foul one.




I60


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Where as she was, by night or day,
That Daunger ne was redy ay,
With whom for speche ne for mede
Yet might I never of Love spede.
For ever I this findd soth,
All that my lady saith or doth
To me Daunger shall make an ende.
And that maketh al my world miswende,
And ever I axe his helpe, but he
May be wel cleped sauns pit6.
For ay the more I to him bowe,
The lasse he woll my tale allowe.
He hath my lady so engleued 1
She woll nought, that he be remeued.
For ever he hongeth on her saile
And is so prive of counseile,
That ever whan I have ought bede,
I finde Daunger in her stede
And min answere of him I have.
But for no mercy that I crave,
Of mercy never a point I hadde.
I find his answer ay so badde,
That wors6 might it never be.
And thus betwen Daunger and me
Is ever werre til he deie.
But might I ben of such maistrie,
That I Daunger had overcome,
With that were all my joie come.
Thus wolde I wonde for no sinne
Ne yet for all this world to winne,
If that I might6 finde a sleight
To lay all min estate in weight
I wolde him fro the Court desever
So that he come ayeinward never,
Therfore I wisshe and wolde fain
That he were in some wise slain,
For while he stant in thilke place
Ne gete I nought my ladies grace.
Thus hate I dedely thilke Vice
And wolde he stood in none office
In plac6 where my lady is.
For if he do, I wot wel this,
I Engleued, fastened to him.


That outher he shall deie or I
Within a while, and nought forthy
On my lady full ofte I muse,
Now that she may her self excuse.
For if I deie in suche a plite
Me thenketh she might nought be
quite,1
That she ne were an homicide.
And if it shuld6 so betide,
As god forbede it shulde be,
By double way it is pite.
For I, which all my Will and Wit
Have yove and served ever yit,
And than I shuld in suche a wise,
In rewarding of my service
Be dede, me thenketh it were routh.
And furthermore I telle trouth,
She that hath ever be wel named,
She were worthy than to be blamed
And of res6n to ben appeled,
Whan with o word she might have
heled
A man, and suffreth him to deie.
Ha, who sigh ever such a way?
Ha, who sigh ever such destresse?
Withoute pite gentilesse,
Withoute mercy womanhede,
That woll so quite 2 a man his mede
Whiche ever hath be to Lov6 trewe.
'" My gode fader, if ye rewe
Upon my tale, tell me now,
And I wol stinte and herken
you."" My sone, attempre thy corage
Fro Wrath and let thin hert assuage,
For who so wol him underfonge,
He may his grace abide longe
Or he of Love be received
And eke also, but it be weived,3
There mighte mochel thing befalle
That shulde make a man to falle
Fro Love, that never afterwarde
Ne durst he loke thiderwarde.
1 Quite, acquitted.  2 So requite.
3 Unless it (Wrath) be put aside.




BOOK III.-WRATH.


I6I


In harde waies men gon softe,
And er they climbe avise hem ofte,
And men seen all day, that rape 1
reweth.
And who so wicked aie breweth
Full ofte he mot the worse drinke;
Better it is to flete than sinke;
Better is upon the bridel chewe
Than if he fel and overthrewe
The hors and stick6d in the mire;
To casten water in the fire
Better is than brenne upal the hous.
The man whiche is malicious
And foolhastif, full ofte he falleth.
And selden is whan Love him calleth.
Forthv better is to suffre a throwe 2
Than to be wilde and overthrowe.
Suffraunce hath ever be the best
To wishen him that secheth rest.
And thus if thou wolt Love spede,
My sone, suffre, as I the rede.
What may the mous ayein the cat?
And for this cause I axe that,
Who may to Love make a werre,
That he ne hath him self the werre?
Love axeth pees and ever shall,
And who that fighteth most withall,
Shall lest conquere of his emprise.
For this they tellen that ben wise,
Whiche is to strive and have the
werse
To hasten, is nought worth a kerse.
Thing that a man may nought
acheve,
That may noughtwel be done at eve,
It mot abidd till the morwe.
Ne haste nought thine owne sorwe,
My sone, and take this in thy witte,
He hath nought lost that wel abitte.4
Ensample, that it falleth thus,
1 Rape, haste. Icelandic " hrapa," headlong
hurry. It is the word used in the phrase "rap
out an oath."
A throwe, for a time.
3 Kerse, cress.
4 Abilte, abides, waits (like our ' everything
comes to him who waits ").


Thou might well take of Piramus,
Whan he in haste his swerd out
drough
And on the point him selven slough
For love of Tisbe pitously
For 1 he her wimpel fond bloody
And wende a beste her haddd slain,
Where as him ought have be right
fain,
For she was there al sauf beside.
But for he woldd nought abide,
This mischef fell. Forthy beware,
My sone, as I thee war'ne dare,
Do thou no thinge in suche a rees,2
For suffraunce is the well of pees,
Though thou to Loves Court pursue,
Yet sit it wel that thou escheue
That thou the Court nought overhaste,
For so thou might thy time waste.
But if thin hap therto be shape,
It may nought helpe for to rape,
Therfore attempre thy corage,
Foolhaste doth none avauntage,
But ofte it set a man behinde
In cause of love, and thus I finde
By olde ensample as thou shalt here
Touchend of love in this matere.
1 maiben whilom there was one,
Which Daphn6 hight, and such was
none
Of beaute than, as it was saide.
Phebus his love hath on her laide,
And therupon to her he sought
In his Foolhaste and so besought
That she with him no restd hadde,
For ever upon her love he gradde,4
And she said ever unto him nay.
So it befelle upon a day
Cupid6, whiche hath every chaunce
Of love under his governaunce,
Sigh Phebus hasten him so sore,
And for he shulde him haste more


1 Fr, because.
3 Butf?f, unless.


' Res, rush.
4 Gradde, cried out.
L




l62


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And yet nought speden atte laste
A dart throughout his hert he caste,
Which was of golde and all a fire,
That made him many fold desire
Of love mor6 than he dede.
To Daphne eke in the same stede
A dart of led he caste and smote,
Which was all colde and no thing
hote.
And thus Phebus in love brenneth
And in his haste aboute renneth
To loken if that he might winne.
But he was ever to beginne,
For ever away fro him she fled,
So that he never his love sped.
And for to make him full beleve,
That no Foolhaste might acheve
To gete love in such degre,
This Daphne into a lorer tre
Was torned, whiche is ever grene
In t6k-en, as yet it may be sene,
That she shall dwelle a maiden stille
And Phebus failen of his wille.
By suc/he ensamples as they stonde,
My sone, thou might understonde
To hasten love is thing in vein
Whan that Fortune is there ayein,
rTo take where a man hath leve
Good is, and elles he mot leve.
For whan a mannds happes failen,
There is nonehastemayavailen."i" My fader, graunt merc' of this.
But while I se my lady is
No tree, but holde her owne forme,
There may me no man so enforme,
To 'Vhether part Fortune' wende,
That I unto mty lives ende
Ne w;ol her s'erven evermo.""My son6, sitheh it is so,
I say no more, but in this cas
Beware, howe it with Phebus was.
Nought only up6n Loves chaunce,
But upbn every goverhaunce,
Which falleth unto mannes dede,
Foolhaste is ever for to dredcle,


And that a man good counseil take
Er he his purpose undertake,
For counseilput Foolhaste awey."" Now gode fader, I you prey,
That for to wisse me the more,
Some good ensample upon this lore
Ye wold me telle, of that is writ,
That I the better mighte wit,
Howe I Foolhast6 shulde escheue
And the wisd6me ofcounseil sue.""ip s;one, that thou might
enforme
Thy paciince upon the forme
Of olde ensamples as they felle,
Nowe understond, what I shall telle.
" When noble Troie was belein
And overcome, and home ayein
The Gregois torne'd fro the siege,
The kinges found her own6 liege
In many places, as men saide,
That hem forsoke and disobeide.
Among the whiche fell this case
To Demephon and Athemas,
That weren kinges bothe two
And bothe weren served so,
Her leges wolde hem nought receive,
So that they mote algates weive
To seche londe in other place
For there founde they no grace.
Wherof they token hem to rede
And soughten frendes atte nede,
And eche of hem assureth other
To helpe as to his owne brother
To veingen hem of thilke oultrage
And winne ayein her heritage.
And thus they ride aboute faste
To geten hem helpS, and atte laste
They hadden power suffisaunt
And maden than a covenaunt,
That they ne shulde no life save,
Ne prest, ne clerk, ne lord, ne
knave,
Ne wife, ne childe of that they finnde
1 T'T' 'c`', turil  abide.




BOOK III.-WRATH.


I63
a


Which bereth visage of mannes
kinde,
So that no life shall be socouired,
But with the dedelyswerddevoured.
In such Foolhaste her ordinaunce
They shapen for to do vengeaunce.
Whan this purp6se was wist and
knowe
Among here host, tho was there
blowe
Of wordes many a speche aboute.
Of yonge men the lusty route
Were of this tald glad inough,
There was no care for the plough;
As they that weren foolhastif
They ben accorded to the strife
And sain, it may nought ben to great
To vengen hem of such forfet.
Thus saith the wilde unwisd tonge
Of hem that there weren yonge.
"But Nestor, which was olde
hore,
The salve sigh to-fore the sore
As he that was of counseil wise.
So that anone by his advise
There was a priv6 counseil nome,
The lordes ben to-gider come.
" This Demephon and Athemas
Her purpos tolden as it was.
They setten alle still and herde,
Was non but Nestor hem answerde.
He baddehem, if they wolden winne,
They shulden se, er they beginne,
Her ende and set her first entent
That they hem after ne repent.
And axeth hem this question,
To what finall conclusion
They wolde regn6 kinges there,
If that no people in londd were?
And saith, it were a wonder wierdl
To seen a king become an hierd,
Where no life is but only beste
Under the legeaunce of his heste.2
1 Wierd, destiny.
2 Only beasts under allegiance to his command.


For who that is of man no kinge
The remenaunt is as no thinge.
He saith eke, if they pourpose holde
To slee the people, as they two wolde,
Whan they it mightd noughtrestore,
All Grece it shulde abegge sore 1
To se the wilde bestd wone 2
Wihere whilom dwelt amannes sone.
And for that cause he bad hem trete
And stint of tho manaces grete.
'Bet is to winne by faire speche,'
He saith, 'than such vengeaunce
seche.
For whan a man is most above,
Him nedeth most to gete him love.'
"Whan Nestor hath this tale
saide,
Ayein him was no word withsaide;
It thought hem all he saide wele;
And thus Fortune her dedly whele
Fro werre torneth into pees.
But forth they wenten netheles,
And whan the contrees herde sain,
How that her kinges be besein
Of suche a power as they ladde,
Was none so bold that hem ne dradde
And for to seche pees and grith 3
They sende and praide anon forthwith,
So that the kinegs ben appesed
And every mannes hert is esed.
All was foryete and nought recorded,
Andthustheybento-gideraccorded.
The kinges were ayein received,
And pees was take and wrath6
weived
And all through counseil which was
good
Of him that reson understood.
"By this ensample, sone, attempre
Thin hert and let no Will distempre
1 Abegge sore, abye,-pay for-it sorely.
2 Wo/e, dwell.
3 Gritk was a secured interval of peace;;' frith " was peace generally.




I64


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Thy Wit, and do no thing by might,
Which may be do by love and
right.
Foolhaste is cause of mochel wo,
Forthy my sone, do nought so.
And as touchend of homicide,
Which toucheth unto Loves side,
Ful ofte it falleth unavised
Through Will which is nought wel
assised,
Whan Wit and Reson ben awey
And that Foolhaste is in the wey,
Wherof hath falle great vengeaunce.
Forthy take into remernbraunce
To love in suche a maner wise,
That thou deserve no juise.
For well I wot, thou might nought
lette,
That thou ne shalt thin herte sette
To love, where 1 thou wolt or none.
But if thy wit be overgone,
So that it torne unto malice,
There wot no man of thilke Vice,
What perill that there may befalle.
Wherof a tale amonges alle
Whiche is great pite for to here
I thenke for to tellen here,
That thou such mordre might withstonde,
Whan thou the tale hast understonde.
Of Zroic at thilke noble towne,
Whose fame stant yet of renowne
And ever shall to mannes ere,
The siege laste longe there
Er that the Grekes it mighte winne,
While Priamus was king therinne.
But of the Grekes that lien aboute,
Agamenon lad all the route.
This thinge is knowen overall,
But yet I thenke in speciall
To my matere therupon
Telle in what wise Agamenon
1 Where, whether.


Through chauncewhich may nought
be weived
Of love untrewee was deceived.
An olde sawe is: who that is sligh
In place where he may be nigh
He maketh the ferre leve loth 1
Of love, and thus ful ofte it goth.
There while Agamenon bata'illeth
To winne Troie and it assaileth
From home and was long time fer,
Egistus drough his quene ner
And with the leiserwhiche hehadde
This lady at his will he ladde.
Climestre was her righte name,
She was therof greatly to blame
To love there it may nought laste,
But fell to mischefe atte laste.
For whan this noble worthy knight
Fro Troie came, the firste night
That he at home a bedde lay
Egistus longe er it was day,
As this Climestre him had assent
And weren bothe of one assent,
By treson slough him in his bed.
But morder, which may nought ben
hed,
Sprong out to every mannes ere,
Wherof the lond was full of fere.
Ag-amenon hath by this quene
A sone, and that was after sene.
But yet as than he was of youth
A babe which no reson couth.
And as God wolde, it felle him thus,
A worthy knight Taltibius.
This yonge childe hath in keeping.
And whan he herde of this tiding,
Of this treson, of this misdede,
He gan within him self to drede
In aunter if this false Egiste
Upon him come er he it wiste
To take and morther of his malice
This child whiche he hath to norice;
And for that cause in alle haste
1 The cunning man who can come near makes
loathed the loved one who is farther off.




BOOK III.-WRA TH.


165


Out of the londe he gan him haste
Andto thekinge of Crete he straught
And him this yonge lorde betaughtl
And praid him for his faders sake,
That he this child wolde undertake
And kepe him till he be of age,
So as he was of his lignage,
And told him over all the cas,
How that his fader morthred was,
And how Egistus, as men saide,
Was king, to whom the londe obeide.
"AndwhanYdomeneus the kinge
Hath understonding of this thinge,
Which that this knight him hadde
told,
He made sorwe manyfold
And toke the childe unto his warde
And saide he wolde him kepe and
warde,
Till that he were of such a might
To handle a swerde and ben a knight
To venge him at his owne will.
And thus Horestes dwelleth still,
Such was the childes righte name,
Whiche after wroughte mochel
shame
In vengeaunce of his faders deth.
" The time of yeres overgeth
That he was man of brede and
lengthe,
Of wit, ofmanhode, and ofstrengthe,
A fair persone amonges alle.
And he began to clepe and calle
As he which come was to man,
Unto the kinge of Crete than
Praiende that he wold him make
A knight and power with him take,
For lenger wolde he nought beleve,2
He saith, but praith the kinge of
leve
To gone and claim his heritage
And vengen him of thilke oultrage
Which was unto his fader do.
The kinge assenteth well therto
1 Betaught, entrusted.  2 Beleve, remain.


With great honoir and knight him
maketh
And great power to him betaketh.1
And gan his journe for to caste
So that Horestes atte laste
His leve toke and forth he goth
As he that was in herte wroth.
His firste pleinte to bemene 2
Unto the citee of Athene
He goth him forth and was received,
So there was he nought deceived.
The duke and tho that weren wise
They profren hem to his service,
And he hem thonketh of her proffer
And saith him self he wol gone offer
Unto the goddes for his spede,
And alle men him yive rede.
So goth he to the temple forth,
Of yiftes that be mochel worth
His sacrifice and his offringe
He made. And after his axinge
He was answerde, if that he wolde
His state recover, than he sholde
Upon his moder do vengeaunce
So cruel, that the remembraunce
Therof might evermore abide,
As she that was an homicide
And of her owne lord mordrice.
Horestes, whiche of thilke office
Was nothing glad, as than he
praide
Unto the goddes there and saide,
That they the jugement devise,
How she shall take the juise.3
And therupon he had answere,
That he her pappes shulde of-tere
Out of her breast his owne hondes,
And for ensample of alle londes
With hors she shulde be to-drawe,
Till houndes had her bones gnawe
W\ithouten any sepulture.
This was a wofull aventure.
1 Betaketh, entrnsteth.  2 Be ienee, bemoan.
3 J/use, judgment (judicium).




I66


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


"And whan Horestes hath all
herde,
How that the goddes have answerde,
Forth with the strengthe whiche he
lad,
The duke and his power he had
And to a citee forth they gone,
The which was cleped Cropheone,
Where as Phorcuiswas lord and sire,
Which profreth him withouten hire
His helpe and all that he may do,
As he that was right glad therto
To greve his mortal enemy,
And tolde him certain cause why,
How that Egiste in mariage
His doughter whilom of full age
Forlay and afterward forsoke,
Whan he Horestes moder toke.
Men sain: old sinne newe shame.
Thus moreand morearose theblame
Ayein Egiste on every side.
" Horestes with his host to ride
Began, and Phorcus with him wente,
I trowe Egist him shall repente.
They riden forth unto Micene,
There lay Climestre thilke quene,
The whiche Horestes moder is.
And whan she herde telle of this,
The gates were fast6 shette,
And they were of her entre lette.1
Anone this citee was withoute
Belain and sieged all aboute,
And ever among they it assaile
Fro day to night. and so travaile
Till atte laste they it wonne;
Tho was there sorwe inough begonne.
C" Horestes did his moder calle
Anone to-fore the lordes alle
And eke to-fore the people also,
To her and tolde his tale tho
And saide: 'O cruel beste unkinde,
How mightest thou thin herte finde,
1 Hindered from entering.


For any luste of loves draught
That thou accordest to the slaught
Of him which was thin owne lorde?
Thy treson stant of such recorde,
Thou might thy werkes nought
forsake,
So mote I for my faders sake
Vengeaunce upon thy body do,
As I commaunded am therto.
Unkindely for thou hast wrought,
Unkindelich it shall be bought:
The sone shall the moder slee,
For that whilom thou saidest ye
To that thoushuldestnayhave said.'
Andhe with that his honds hath laid
Upon his moder breast anone
And rent out from the bare bone
Her pappes both and caste away
Amiddes in the cart6 way,
And after toke the dede cors
And lete it be drawe awey with hors
Unto the hounde, unto the raven,
She was none other wise graven.1
Egistus, which was elles where,
Tidinges comen to his ere,
How that Micene was belain,
But what was more herd he nought
sain.
\TWith great mance and mochelboste
He droughpower andmadean hoste
And came in the rescousse 2 of the
town.
But all the sleight of his treson
Horestes wist it by a spie
And of his men a great partie
He made in busshement abide
To waite 3 on him in suche a tide,
That he ne might her hond escape.
And in this wise as he hath shape
The thing befell, so that Egist
Was take er he him selfe it wist,
And was forth brought his hondes
bonde,
1 Gravent, buried.  2 Rescozusse, rescue.
a Waite, watch.




BOOK III.-WRATH.


I67


As whan men have a traitor fonde.
And tho that weren with him take,
Whiche of treson were overtake,
To-gider in one sentence falle.
But false Egiste above hem alle
WVas demed to diverse peine,
The worste that men couthe ordeigne,
And so forth after by the lawe
He was unto the gibet drawe,
Where he above all other hongeth,
As to a traitor it belongeth.
The Fame with her swifte winges
Aboute fligh and bare tidinges
And made it couth in alle londes,
How that Horestes with his hondes
Climestre his owne moder slough.
Some sain, he did well inough,
And some sain, he did amis,
Divers opinion there is;
That she is dede they speken alle,
But pleinly howe it is befalle
The matere in so litel throwe 1
In sothe there might no man knowe
But they that weren at the dede.
And comunlich in every nede
The worste speche is rathest herde
And leved,2 till it be answerde.
The kinges and the lordes great
Begonne Horestes for to threat
To putten him out of his regne,He is nought worthy for to regne,
The child which sloughhis moderso,
They said; and therupon also
The lordes of comuin assent
The time sette of parlement,
And to Athenes king and lorde
To-gider come of one accorde,
To knowe how that the sothe was,
So that Horestes in this cas
They senden after, and he come.
"King Menelay the wordes nome
And axeth him of this matere.
And he, that all it mighten here,
1 In so short a time. 2 Lezvd, believed.


Answe'rde andtolde his tale at large,
And how the goddes in his charge
Commaunded him in suche a wise
His owne hond to do juise.1
And with this, tale a duke arose,
Which was a worthy knight of lose,2
His name was Menesteuis,
And saide unto the lord6s thus:
'The wrechd3 whiche Horestes
dede,
It was thinge of the goddes bede
And nothinge of his cruelte:
And if there were of my degre
In all this place suche a knight
That wolde sain it was no right,
I woll it with my body prove.'
And therupon he cast his glove
And eke this noble duke alleide
Full many an other skill4 and saide,
She hadde well deserved wreche,
Firstfor the causeof spouse breche,5
And after wrought in suche a wise,
That all the worlde it ought agrise,6
Whan that she for so foul a vice
Was of her owne lord mordrice.
They sitten alld still and herde,
But therto was no man answerde,
It thought hem all he saide skille,
There is no man withsay it wille.
Whan they upon the reson musen
Horestes alle they excusen,
So that with great solempnitd
He was unto his dignite
Receivdd and corouned kinge.
And tho befell a wonder thinge.
Egfona whan she it wiste,
Which was the doughter of Egiste
And suster on the moder side
To this Horest, at thilke tide,
Whan she herde how her brother
sped,
For pure sorwe whiche her led,
1 faise, judgment.  C Lose, praise, fame.
3 IVreche, vengeance. 4 Alleged... reason.
5 Sp4ousse breche, adultery.
6 Agrise, to terrify.




i68


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That he ne hadde ben exiled,
She hath her owne life beguiled
Anone and henge her self6 tho.
It hath and shall ben evermo
To mordre who that woll assente
He may nought faile to repente.
This false Egiona was one
Whiche to mordre Agamenon
Yaf her accorde and her assent,
So that by goddes jugement,
Though other none man it wolde,
She toke her juise as she sholde,
And as she to an other wrought
Vengeaunceupon her self she sought
And hath of her unhappy wit
A modre with a modre quit.
Suche is of modre the vengeaunce.
"Forthy my sone, in remembraunce
Of this ensample take good hede.
For who that thenketh his love spede
With mordre, he shall with worldes
shame
Him self and eke his love shame."" My fader, of this aventuire,
Whiche ye have tolde, I you assure
My herte is sory for to here;
But onely for I wolde lere
What is to done and what to leve.
And over this now by your leve.
That ye me wolde telle I pray,
If there be leful any way
Withoute sinne a man may slee.""My sone, in sondry wise ye.1
What man that is of traiterie
Of mordre or elles robberie
Atteint, the juge shal not let
But he shal seen of pure det
And doth great sinne if that he
wonde.3
For who, thatlawehathuponhonde,
And spareth for to do justice
For mercy, doth nought his office,
1 Ye, yea.  2 Del, debt, obligation.
3 IZonde, turn aside.


That he his mercy so bewareth,l
Whan for o shrewv, whiche he
spareth,
A thousand gode men he greveth;
With such mercy who that beleveth
To plese God, he is deceived
Or elles reson mot be weived.
The lawe stoode or 2 we were bore,
How that a kinges swerde is bore
In signe that he shall defende
His true people and make an ende
Of suche, as wolden hem devoure.
" Lo, thus my sone, to succour
The lawe, and comun right towinne,
A man may slee withoute sinne
And do therof a great almesse
So for to kepe rightwisnesse.
And over this 3 for his contree
In time of werre a man is free
Him self, his house, and eke his
londe
Defende with his owne honde
And sleen, if that he may no bet,
After the lawe whiche is set."" Now fader, than I you beseche
Of hem that dedly werres seche
In worldes cause and sheden blood,
If suche an homicide is good? " —
"My sone, upon thy question
The trouth of min opinion,
Als ferforth as my wit arecheth
And as the pleine lawe techeth,
I wol thee telle in evidence
To reule with thy conscience.
igfe jigj gjob of his justice
That ilke foul horrible Vice
Of Homicide he hath forbede
By Moises, as it was bede.
Whan Goddes sone also was bore
He sent his aungel down therfore,
Whom thesheph6rdes herden singe:
'Pees to the men of welwillinge
In erthe be amonge us here.'
1 lBcwaretll, expends.  2 Or ere.
3 Over this, beyond this.




BOOK III.-IVRATH.


I69


So for to speke in this matere
After the lawe of charite,
There shall no dedly werre be.
And eke Nature it hath defended
And in her lawd Pees commended,
Whiche is the chefe of mannes welth,
Of mann6s life, of mannes helth.
But dedly Werre hath his covine
Of Pestilence and of Famine,
Of Pouerte and of alle wo,
Wherof this world we blamen so
Which now the werre hath under
fote,
Till God him self therof do bote.1
For alle thing, which God hath
wrought,
In erthe, Werre itbringeth to nought.
The chirche is brent, the prest is
slain,
The wife, the maide is eke forlain,
The lawe is lore and God unserved:
I not2 what mede he bath deserved,
That suche werres ledeth inne.
If that he do it for to winne,
First to accompte his grete coste,
Forth with the folke that he hath
loste
As to the worldes reckeninge,
There shall he findd no winninge.
And if he do it to purchace
The heven, mede of suche a grace
I can nought speke, netheles
Crist hath commaunded Love and
Pees.
And who that worcheth the revers,
I trowe his mede is full divers.
And sithen thanne' that we finde,
That werres in her owne kinde
Ben toward God of no deserte
And eke they bringen in pouerte
Of worldds good, it is merveile
Among the men what it may eile
That they a pees ne connen sette.
I trowe Sinn6 be the lette,
1 Do botc, cause remedy.  2.ot, know not.


And every mede of Sinne is deth.
So wote I never howe it geth.
But we, that ben of o 1 beleve
Among us self, this wolde I leve.'2
That better it were Pees to chese
Than so by double weie lese.
I not if that it now so stonde,
But this a man may understonde,
Who that these old6 bokes redeth,
That covetise is one which ledeth
And broughte first the werres inne.
At Grece if that I shall beginne,
There was it proved howe it stood
To Perse, whiche was full of good.
They maden werre in speciall
And so they didden over all
Where great richesse was in londe,
So that they leften nothing stonde
Unwerred, but onliche Archade.
For there they no werres made
Because it was barein and pouer,
Wheroftheymighte nought recouer
And thus pouerte was forbore,
He that nought had nought hath
lord.
But yet it is a wonder thinge,
Whan that a riche worthy kinge
Or other lord, what so he be,
Woll axe and claime properte
In thing to whiche he hath no right
But only of his grete might.
For this may every man well wite,
That bothe Kinde and Lawe write
Expressely stonden there ayein.
But he mot nedes somewhat sain,
All though there be no reson inne,
Which secheth cause for to winne.
ForWit that is with Will oppressed,
Whan covetise him hath adressed
And alle reson put away,
He can well finde such a way
To werre where as ever him liketh,
Wherof thathethe worde entriketh,:
l 0, one.  2 LIeze, believe.
E3 nt/-rikelh, deceives by intrigue.




170


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That many a man of him compleigneth.
But yet alway some cause he
feigneth
And of his wrongfull herte he
demeth
That all is well what ever him
semeth
Be so that he may winne inough.
For as the true man to the plough
Only to the gaigndge entendeth,
Right so the werriour despendeth
His time and hath no conscience.
And in this point for evidence
Of hem that suche werres make,
Thou might a great ensample take
How they her tirannie excusen
Of that they wrongful werres usen,
And how they stonde of one accorde,
The souldeour forth with the lorde,
The pouer man forth with the riche,
As of corage they ben liche
To mak6 werres and to pille
For lucre and for none other skille,1
Wherof a propre tale I rede,
As it whilom befelle in dede.
" Of fint, whom all this erthe
dradde
Whan he the world so overladde
Through werre, as it fortuned is,
King Alisaundre, I rede this,
How in a marche where he lay
It fell parchaunce upon a day
A rover of the see was nome,2
Which many a man had overcome
And slain and take her good away.
This pilour as the bokes say,
A famous man in sondry stede
Was of the werkes whiche he dede.
This prisoner to-fore the kinge
Was brought, and therupon this
thinge
In audience he was accused,
1 Skille, reason.  2 Name, taken.


And he his dede hath nought excused
Andpraid the king to donehimright
And said: ' Sire, if I were of might,
I have an herte liche to thine;
For if thy power were mine,
My wille is most in speciall
To rifle and geten over all
The large worldes good about.
But for I lede a pouer route
And am as who saith at mischefe,
The name of pilour and of thefe
I bere, and thou which routes great
Might lede and take thy beyete
And dost right as I wold6 do,
Thy name is nothing cleped so,
But thou art named emperolr.
Our dedes ben of one coloir
And in effecte of one deserte,
But thy richesse and my pouerte
They be nought taken evenliche,
And netheles he that is riche
This day, to morwe hemaybepouer,
And in contrarie also recouer
A pouer man to grete richesse.
Men sain forthp let rightwisenesse
Be peised even in the balauince.'
"The king his hardycontenaunce
Behelde, and herd his wordes wise,
And said unto him in this wise:
' Thin answere I have understonde,
Wherof my will is, that thou stonde
In my service and stille abide.'
And forth with al the same tide
He hath him terme of life witholde
The more andforheshuldbenbolde,
He made him knight and yaf him
lond,
Whiche afterward was of his honde
An orped 2 knight in many a stede
And great prowesse of armes dede,
As the croniques it recorden.
And in this wise they accorden,
The whiche of her condicion
Be set upon destructi6n,
1 Beyete, gains.  2 Orfedd, distinguished.




BOOK III.-WRA TH.


I7I


Such capitain such retenue.1
But for to see to what issue
The king befalleth at the laste,
It is great wonder that men caste
Her herte upon such wrong to winne
Where no beyete may ben inne
And doth disese on every side;
But whan Reson is put aside
And Will governeth the corage,
The faucon which fleeth ramage 2
And suffreth no thing in the way
Wherof that he may take his pray,
Is nought more set upon ravine
Than thilke man whiche his covine
Hath set in suche a maner wise.
For all the world ne may suffise
To Wil whiche is nought resonable.
Wherof ensample concordAble
Lich to this point of which I mene
Was upon Alisaundre sene,
Whiche hadde set all his entent
So as Fortuneg with him went,
That Reson mighthim non governe,
But of his Wille he was so sterne,
That all the worlde he overran
And what him list he toke and wan.
In Ynde the superiouir
Whan that he was full conquerour
And had his wilfull pourpos wonne
Of all this erth under the sonne,
This king homward to Macedoine
Whan that he cam to Babiloine
And wende moste in his empire,
As he which was hole lorde and
sire,
In honour for to be received,
Most sodenliche he was deceived
And with strong poison envenimed.
And as he hath the world mistimed
Nought as he shulde with his wit,
Nought as he wolde it was acquit.
Thus was he slain that whilom
slough,
1 Like master like man.  2 Ramdge, wild.


And he which riche was inough
This day, tomorwe hehaddenought.
And in such wise as he hath wrought
In disturbauince of world6s pees,
His werre he fond than endeles,
In which for ever discomfite
He was.   Lo, now for what profite
Of werre it helpeth for to ride,
For covetise and worldes pride
To slee the world6s men aboute
As bestes, whiche gone there oute.
For every life which reson can 1
Oweth wel to knowd that a man
Ne shulde through no tirannie
Lich to these other bestes deie
Til Kinde 2 wolde for him sende.
I not how he it might amende
Which taketh awey for evermore
The life that he may nought restore.
"Forthy my sone, in alle wey
Be wel avised I thee prey
Of slaughter that thou be coupible
Withoute cause resonable."1" My fader, understonde it is,
That ye have said, but over this
I pray you telle me nay or ye,
To passe over the great6 see
To werre and sle the Sarasin
Is that the lawe? "- " Sone min,
To preche and suffre for the feith
That I have herd the gospel saith,But for to sle, that here I nought.
Cristwith hisown6deth hath bought
All other men and made hem fre
In token of parfit charite,
And after 3 that he taught him selve
Whan hewas dede these othertwelve
Of his apostles went aboute
The holy feith to prechen oute,
Wherof the deth in sondry place
They suffre, and so God of his grace
The feith of Crist hath made arise.
But if they wolde in other wise
1 Everybody capable of reason.
2 Kinde, Nature.  3 After, according to.




I72


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


By werre have brought in the
creaince,
It hadd6 yet stonde in balaunce.
And that may proven in the dede;
For what mal the croniques rede,
Fro first that Holy Chirche hath
weived 1
To preche and hath the swerd received,
Wherof the werres ben begonne,
A great partie of that was wonne
To Crist6s feith stant now miswent.
God do therof amend6ment
So as he wot what is the best.
But sone, if thou wilt live in rest
Of conscience well assised,
Er that thou slee, be wel avised;
For man, as tellen us the clerkes,
Hath God above all erthly werkes
Ordeigned to be principall,
And eke of soule in speciall
He is made lich to the godhede:
So sit it wel to taken hede
And for to loke on every side
Er that thou falle on homicide,
Which sinne is now so generall
That it wel nigh stant overall
In Holy Chirche and elles where.
But all the while it is so there,
The world mot ned6 fare amis.
For whan the well of pite is
Through covetise of worldes good
Defouled with sheding of blood,
The remenaunte of folke about
Unneth6 stonde in any doubt
To werre eche other and to slee,
So it is all nought worth a stre,2
The Charite wherof we prechen,
For we do no thing as we techen.
And thus the blinde conscience
Of Pees hath lost thilke evidence
Which Crist upon this erthe taught.
Now may men se mordre and manslaught
1 Weivzed, put aside.  2 Stre, straw.


Liche as it was by dai6s olde,
Whan men the sinnes bought and
solde.
"' n Orece aford Cristes feith,
I rede as the croniqu6 saith
Touchend of this matere thus,
In thilk6 time how Peleuis
His own6 brother Phocus slough.
But for he hadde gold inough
To yive, his sinn6 was despensed
With golde wherof it was compensed.
Achastus, which with Venus was
Her prest, assoiled 1 in that cas
Al were there no repentaunce.
And as the boke maketh remeinbraiince,
It telleth of Medee also,
Of that she slough her sones two
Egeuis in the same plite
Hath made her of her sinne quite.2
The sone eke of Amphforas,
Whose right6 name Almeuis was,
His moder slough Eriphele,
But Achilo the prest and he,
So as the bok6s it recorden,
For certain some of golde accorden
That thilke horrible sinfull dede
Assoiled was; and thus for mede
Of worldes good it falleth ofte,
That homicide is set alofte
Here in this life: but after this
There shall be knowe, how that it is
Of hem that suchd thingds wirche,
And how also that Holy Chirche
Let suche sinn6s passe quite,
And how theywoldehem self acquite
Of dedely werres, that they make.
For who that wold ensample take,
The lawd whiche is naturel,
By wey of Kinde sheweth wel
That homicide in no degre
Which werreth ayein charite
Among the menne shulde dwelle.
1 Assoilld, absolved.  2 Quite, acquitted.




BOOK III.-WRATH.


I73


For after that the bokes telle,
To seche in all the worlde riche
Men shall nought finde upon his
liche 1
A beste for to take his prey,
And sithen Kind hath suche a wey,
Than is it wonder of a man,
Which kinde hath and reson can,
That he woll outher more or lasse
His kinde and reson overpasse
And slee that is to him semblable.
So is the man nought resonable
Ne kinde, and that is nought
honeste,
Whan he is worse than a beste.
"Among the bokes which I finde
Solins speketh of a wonder kinde
And saith of foules there is one,
Whiche hath a face of blood and
bone
Like to a man in resemblaunce.
And if it falle so parchaunce,
As he whiche is a foule of pray,
That he a man finde in his way,
He woll him sleen if that he may.
But afterward the same day
Whan he hath eten all his felle
And that shall be beside a welle
In whichd he woll drinke take
Of his visage and seeth the make
That he hath slain, anone he
thenketh
Of his misdede, and it forthenketh
So greatly that for pure sorwe
He liveth nought till on the morwe.
By this ensample it may well sue,
That man shall homicide escheue,
For ever is mercy good to take.
But if the lawe it hath forsake
And that justice is there ayein,
Ful oftetime I have herd sain
Amonges hem that werres hadden,
That they somwhile her cause
ladden
1 Upon his own kind.


By mercy, whan they might have
slain,
Wherof that they were after sain.
And sone, if that thou wolt recorde
The vertue of misericorde,
Thou sighe never thilke place,
Where it was used lacke grace;
For every lawe and every kinde
The mannes wit to mercy binde,
And namely the worthy knightes,
Whan that they stonden most uprightes
And ben most mighty for to greve,
They shulden thanne most releve
Him whom they mighten overthrowe,
And by ensample a man may
knowe
He may nought failen of his mede
That hath merc'. For this I rede.
In a croniquc I finde thus,
Whan Achilles with Thelaphus
His sone toward Troid were,
It fell hem er they comen there
Ayein Theucer the kinge of Mese
To make werre and for to sese
His lond as they that wolden regne
And Theucer put out of his regne.
And thus the marches they assaile,
But Theucer yaf to hem bataile.
They foughten on both sides faste,
But so it hapneth attd laste
This worthy Greke this Achilles
The king amonge all other ches,
As he that was cruel and felle,
With swerd in honde on him he felle
And smote him with a dethes
wounde,
That he unhorsed fell to grounde.
Achilles upon him alight
And wolde anone, as he wel might,
Have slain him fulliche in the place,
But Thelaphus his faders grace
For him besought, and for pite
Praith that he wolde let him be,




174


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And cast his shield betwene hem
two.
Achilles axeth him why so.
And Thelaphus his cause tolde
And saith, that he is mochel holde,
For whilom Theucer in a stede
Great grace and socour to him dede,
Andsaith that he him wolde acquite
And praith his fader to respite.
Achilles tho withdrough his honde;
But all the power of the londe
Whan that they sigh her king thus
take
They fled and han the feld forsake.
The Grekes unto the chace falle
And for the moste part of alle
Of that contre the lordes great
Theytoke andwonne a great beyete.
Anone after this victorie,
The king, whiche haddd memorie,
Upon the grete mercy thought
Which Thelaphus toward him
wrought,
And in presence of all the londe
He toke him faire by the honde
And in this wise he gan to say:
'My sone, I mot by double way
Love and desire thin encrees,
First for thy fader Achilles
Whilom full many a day ere this
Whan that I shulde have fare amis
Rescousse did in my quarele
And kept all min estate in hele,
How so there falle now distauince
Amonges us, yet remembrafince
I have of mercy whiche he dede
As than, and thou nowe in this stede
Of gentilesse and of fraunchise
Hast do mercy the same wise;
So woll I nought that any time
Be lost of that thou hast do by me,
For how so this fortuine falle
Yet stant my truste aboven alle,
For the mercy whiche now I finde,
That thou wolt after this be kinde;


And for that suche is min espeir
And for my sone and for min heire
I thee receive, and all my londe
I yive and sese into thin honde.'
And in this wise they accorde,
The cause was misericorde,
The lordes do her obeisaunce
To Thelaphus, and purveaunce
Was made so that he was cor6ned
And thus was mercy reguerd6ned
Whiche he to Theucer did to-fore.
"Lo, this ensample is made
therfore,
That thou might take remembraunce,
My sone, and, whan thou seest a
chaunce,
Of other mennes passion
Take pite and compassion,
And let nothing to the be lef
Which to another man is gref.
And after this if thou desire
To stonde ayein the Vice of Ire,
Counseile thee with pacience
And take into thy conscience
Mercy to be thy governour,
So shalt thou fele no rancour,
Wherof thin herte shall debate
With Homicide ne with hate
For Cheste or for Malencolie.
Thou shalt be softe in compaignie
Withoute Contek or Foolhaste,
For ell6s might thou longe waste
Thy time, er that thou have thywille
Of Love; for the weder stille
Men preise, and blamed the tempestes.""My fader, I woll do your hestes,
And of this point ye have me taught
Toward my self the better saught 1
I thinke be while that I live.
But for als mochel as I am shrive
Of Wrath and all his circumstaunce,
Yef what ye list to my penaunce
1 Saigvht, reconciled.




BOOK III.-WRATH.


175


And axeth further of my life,
If other wise I be giltif
Of anything, that touchethsinne."" My sone, erwe depart a twinne,1
I shall behinde no thing leve."" My gode fader, by your leve
Than axeth forth what so ye liste,
For I have in you such a triste 2
As ye that be my soule hele,
That ye fro me nothing wol hele,3
For I shall telle you the trouthe.""My sone, art thou coulpable of
Slouthe
In any point, which to him longeth? ""My fader, of tho points me
longeth 4
1 A twinne, separated. 2 Triste, trust.
3 Hele, conceal.
4 I long to know plainly.


To wite pleinly what they mene,
So that I may me shrive clene.""Now herken, I shal tho points
devise,
And understond well min apprise.
For shrifte stant of no value
To him   that woll him  nought
vertue
To leve of Vice the folie,
For worde is wind, but the maistrie
Is that a man him self defende
Of thing whiche is nought to commende,
Whereof ben fewe now a day.
And netheles so as I may
Make unto thy memorie know
The points of Slouthe thou shalt
knowe.




:300F ITF.
OF SLOTH.


pont the Vices to procede
After the cause of mannes
dede
The firste point of Slouth I calle
Lachesse,l and is the chefe of alle
And hath this properlich of kind
To leven alle thing behind,
Of that he mighte do nowe here
He tarieth all the longe yere
And evermore he saith: ' To morwe,'
And so he woll his time borwe
Andwissheth after: God mesende,2
That whan he weneth have an ende,
Than is he furthest to beginne.
Thus bringeth he many a mischefe
inne
Unware, till that he be mischeved
And may nought thannd be releved.
And right so nouther more ne lesse
It stant of Love and of Lachesse.
Some time he sloutheth on a day,
That he never after gete may.
"c Now, sone, as of this ilke thing
If thou have any knouleching
That thou to Love hast done er this,
Tell on."-" My gode fader, yis.
As of Lachesse I am beknowe,
That I may stonde upon his rowe,
As I that am clad of his suite,
For whanne I thoughte my pursuite
To make, and therto set a day
1 Lackesse, slackness.  2 For a godsend.


To speke unto that swete may,1
Lachesse bad abide yit
And bare on honde it was no Wit
Ne time' for to speke as tho.2
Thus with his tales to and fro
My time in tarieng he drough;
Whan there was time good inough,
He said another time is better,
Thou shalt now senden her a letter
And par cas write more plein
Than thou by mouthe durstest sain.
Thus have I lette time slide
For slouthe, and kepte nought my
tide,
So that Lachesse with his vice
Full oft hath made my wit so nice,
That what I thought to speke or do
With tarieng he held me so
Til whan  I wolde and mightd
nought.
I not what thing was in my thought
Or it was drede, or it was shame,
But ever in ernest and in game
I wit there is long time passed,
But yet is nought the love lassed,
Whiche I unto my lady have;
For though mytunge is slow to crave
At alle time, as I have bede,
Min hert stant ever in o stede
And axeth besiliche grace,
The whiche I may nought yet embrace,
I May, maid.     Tho, then.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


I 7 7


And god wot that is malgre min.
For this I wot right well afin,1
My grace cometh so selde aboute,
That is the Slouthe, which I doubte
More than of all the remenaunt
Whiche is to Love appartenaunt.
" And thus as touchend of Lachesse,
As I have tolde, I me confesse
To you, my fader; I beseche
That furthermore ye wol me teche,
And if there be to this matere
Some goodly tale for to here,
How I may do Lachesse awey,
That ye it wolden telle, I prey.""To wisse the, my sone, and rede,'-'
Among the tales whiche I rede,
An olde ensample therupon
Now herken, and I wol telle on.
"11]tvein acCesse in Lovds cas
I finde, how whilom Eneds,
Whom Anchises to sone hadde,
With great navie, which he ladde.
Fro Troie arriveth at Cartage.
Wherfore a while his herbergage
He toke, and it betidde so
With her which was a quene tho
Of the citee, his acqueintauince
He wax, whos name in remembraunce
Is yet, and Dido was she hote,
Which loveth Eneas so hote
Upon the wordes whiche he saide,
That all her hert on him she laide
And did all holy what he wolde.
But after that, as it be sholde,
Fro thenne he goth toward Itaile
By ship and there his arrivaile
Hath take and shope him for to
ride.
But she, which may nought longe
abide
The hote peine of loves throwe,:
I Afin, at last.  2 Rede, counsel.
3 Thrave, throe.


Anon within a litel throwe I
A letter unto her knight hath write
And did him pleinly for to wite
If he made any tarieng
To drecche 2 of his ayein comming,
That she ne might him fele and se,
She shulde stonde in such degre
As whilom stood a swan to-fore
Of that she hadde her make lore 3
For sorwe a fether into her brain
She shof and hath her selve slain.
As king Menander in a lay
The soth hath founde, where she lay
Spraulend with her wing6s twey
As she which shuld6 thann6 deie
For love of him which was her make.
And so shal I do for thy sake
This quene saide, wel I wote.
" Lo, to Enee thus she wrote
With many another word of pleint.
But he which had his thoughtes feint
Towardes Love and full of Slouthe,
His time let, and that was routhe.
For she, which loveth him to-fore,
Desireth ever more and more
And whan she sigh him tary so,
Her herte was so full of wo,
That compleignend manyfolde
She hath her owne tale tolde
Unto her self and thus she spake:
'Ha, who found eyer suche a lacke
Of Slouth in any worthy knight?
Now wote I well my deth is dight
Through him, which shuld have be
my life.'
But for to stinten all this strife
Thuswhan she sighnone other bote,
Right even unto her hert6 rote
A naked swerd anone she threste
And thus she gat her selve reste
In remembrauince of alle slowe.
"Wherof, my sone, thou might
knowe,
1 Throwe, space of time.  Drecche, delay.
1 Make lore, lost her mate.
M




I78


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


How tarieng upon the nede
In Loves cause is for to drede.
And that hath Dido sore abought,
Whose deth shall ever be bethought.
And evermore if I shal seche
In this matere another speche
In a cronique I finde write
A tale, whiche is good to wite.
" At Vroie whan king Ylixes
Upon the siege, among the pres
Of hem that worthy knightds were,
Abode long time stille there,
In thilke time a man may se,
How goodly that Penelope,
Which was to him his trewve wife,
Of his Lachesse was pleintife,
Wherof to Troie she him sende
Her will by letter, thus spekende:
'My worthy love and lord also,
It is and hath ben ever so,
That where a woman is alone
It maketh a man in his persone
The more hardy for to wowe,
In hope that she wolde bowe
To such thinge as his wille were,
While that her lord were ell6s where.
And of my self I telle this,
For it so longe passed is
Sith first that ye fro home wente,
That well nigh every man is wente
To there I am while ye be oute,
Hath made and eche of hem aboute
Which love can my love seche
With great prai6re and me beseche.
And some maken great manice,
That if they mighten come in place,
Where that they mighten her 1 will
have,
There is no thing me shulde' save,
That they ne wolde werche thinges.
And som6 tellen me tidinges,
That ye ben dede, and some sain,
That certainly ye ben besain 2
1 Her, their.  2 Besain, resolved.


To love a newe and leve me.
But how as ever that it be,
I thonke unto the goddes alle
As yet for ought that is befalle,
May no man do my chekes rede.
But netheles it is to drede,
That Lachesse in continuaunce
Fortune mighte suche a chaunce,
Whichnoman after sholdeamende.'
"Lo, thus this lady compleignende
A letter unto her lord hath write
And praid him, that he wolde wite
And thenke how that she was al his,
And that he tarie nought in this,
But that he wold his love acquite
To her ayeinward, and nought write
But come him self in alle haste,
That he none other paper waste,
So that he kepe and holde his
trouthe
Withoute let of any Slouthe.
"Unto her lord and love liege
To Troie, where the grete siege
Was laid, this letter was conveied.
And he, which wisdome hath purveied
Of all that to res6n belongeth,
With gentil herte it underfongeth.
And whan he hath it overrad,
In parte he was right inly glad
And eke in parte he was disesed.1
But love his hert hath so through
sesed
With pure ymaginacion,
That for none occupaci6n
Whiche he can take on other side
He may nought flit his herte aside
Fro that his wife him had enformed,
Wherof he hath him self conformed
With all the will of his corage
To shape and take the viige
Homeward, what time that he may.
So that him thenketh of a day
A thousand yere till he may se
1 Disesed, made uneasy.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


I79


The visage of Penelope,
Whiche he desireth most of alle.
And whan the time is so befalle
That Troi6 was distruied and brent,
He made non delaiement,
But goth him home in alle hie,1
Where that he found to-fore his eye
His worthy wife in good estate,
And thus was cessed the debate
Of Love, and Sloutlhe was excused,
Which doth great harm wher it is
used,
And hindreth many a cause honest.
" For of the grete clerk Grostest
I rede how busy that he was
Upon the clergie an heved2 of bras
To forge and make it for to telle
Of suche thing6s as befelle.
And seven yeres besinesse
He laide, but for the Lachesse
Of half a minute of an houre
Fro firsts he began laboure
He lost all that he hadde do.
And other while it fareth so
In Loves caus6, who is slowe,
That he without under the wowe 3
By night6 stant full oft a colde,
Which mighte, if that he hadde
wolde
His time kept, have be withinne.
But Slouthe may nought profit
winne,
But he may singe in his carole,
How latewar came to the dole,4
Where he no good receive might.
And that was proved well by night
Whilome of the maidens five,
Whan thilke lord came for to wive,
For that her5 oile was awey
To light her lampes in his wey,
Her Slouthe brought it so aboute
Fro him that they be shet withoute.
1 Hie, haste.     2 Zieved, head.
a Ioawe, wall.
4 Late-aware came to the sharing.
5 Her, their.


"Wherof, my sone, be thou ware,
Als ferforth as I telle dare.
For Lov6 must6 ben awaited,
And if thou be nought well affaited1
In Love to escheue Slouthe,
My son6, for to telle trouthe
Thou might nought of thy self ben
able
To winne love or make it stable,
All though thou mightest love
acheve."" My fader, that I may well leve.
But me was never assigned place
Where yet to geten any grace,
Neme was non such time appointed,
For than I wolde I were unjointed
Of every limme that I have
And I ne shulde kepe and save
Min houre bothe and eke my stede,
If my lady it hadde bede.
But she is otherwise avised
Than graunte suche a time assised.
And netheless of my Lachesse
There hath be no default I gesse
Of time loste, if that I mighte.
But yet her liketh nought alighte
Upon no lure which I caste.
For ay the more I crie faste
The lasse her liketh for to here.
So for to speke of this matere
I seche that I may nought finde,
I haste and ever I am behinde
And wot nought what it may
amounte.
But fader, upon min accompte,
Whiche ye ben set to examine
Of shrifte after the discipline,
Say what your beste counseile is."" My sone, my counseil is this.
How so it stonde of tim6 go,
Do forth thy besinesse so,
That no Lachesse in thee be founde,
For Slouthe is mighty to confounde
1.4ffAited, adapted to the purpose.




i80


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


The spede of every mannes werke.
For manyaVice, as saith the clerke,
There hongen upon Slouthes lappe
Of suche as make a man mishappe
To pieigne and tell of had-I-wist.1
And therupon if that thee list
To knowe of Slouthes cause more
In special yet overmore
There is a Vice full grevable
To him which is therof coulpable,
And stant of alle Vertue bare
Here after as I shall declare.
"'ouctenb of stoutt) in his
degre,
There is yet Pusillamite,
Which is to say in this langage
He that hath litel of corage
And dare no mannes werk beginne;
So may he nought by reson winne.
For who that nought dareundertake
By right he shall no profit take.
But of this Vice the nature
Dare nothing set in aventure,
Him lacketh bothe worde and dede,
Wherof he shuld his cause spede.
He woll no manhode understonde,
For ever he hath drede upon honde
All is perill that he shall say,
Him thenkeththewolfeis inthe way.
And of ymaginaci6n
He maketh his excusaci6n
And feigneth cause of pure drede
And ever he faileth atte nede
Till all be spilt that he with deleth.
He hath the sore which no man
heleth,
The whiche is cleped lacke ofherte;
Though every grace about him
sterte,
He woll nought ones stere his fote,
So that by reson lese he mote
That woil nought aunter for to
winne.


' And so forth, sone, if we beginne
To speke of Love and his service,
There ben truantes in suche a wise,
That lacken herte whan best were
They speken of Love, and right for
fere
They waxen dombe and dare nought
telle,
Withouten soun as doth the belle
Whiche hath no clapper for to
chime.
And right so they as for the time
Ben herteles withoute speche
Of Love and dare nothing beseche:
And thus they lese and winn6
nought.
Forthy, my sone, if thou art ought
Coulp4ble as touchend of this
Slouthe,
Shrive thee therof and tell me
trouthe."" My fader, I am all beknowe
That I have ben one of the slowe
As for to telle in Loves cas.
Min herte is yet and ever was
As though the world shuld al tobreke,
So ferful that I dare nought speke
Of what purp6s that I have nome
Whan I toward my lady come,
But let it passe and overgo."" My sone, do no mor6 so.
For after that a man pursueth,
To Love so Fortuine sueth
Ful oft and yiveth her happy
chaunce
To him  which maketh continuaunce
To preie love and to beseche,
As by ensample I shall the teche.
Z finbe, how whilom there was
one,
Whose name was Pigmale6n,
Which was a lusty man of youthe.


1 Had-I-wist, if 1 had only known. See
note I, page 75.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


I8I


The werkes of entaile 1 he couthe
Above all other men as tho.
And through Fortune it felle him so
As he, whom Love shall travaile,
He made an ymage of entaile
Lich to a woman in semblaunce
Of feture and of contenaunce,
So faire yet never was figure.
Right as a lives creature
She semeth, for of yvor white
He hath it wrought of such deiite,
That she was rody on the cheke
And rede on both her lippes eke,
Wherof that he him self beguileth,
For with a goodly loke she smileth:
So that through pure impression
Of his ymagination
With all the herte of his coralge
His love upon this faire ymage
He set, and her of love preide.
But she no worde ayeinward said.
The longe day what thing he dede
This ymage in the same stede 2
Was ever by, that atte mete
He wold her serve and praideherete
And put unto her mouth the cup.
And whan the bord was taken up,
He did as he would her embrace.
And ever among he axeth grace,
As though she wiste what it mente.
And thus him self he gan tormente
With such disese of loves peine,
Thatno man might him more peine.
But how it were of his penautnce
He made such continuaunce
Fro day to night and praid so longe,
That his praiere is underfonge,
Which Venus of her grace herde
By night, and whan that he worst
ferde
And it lay in his naked arme,
The cold ymaige he feeleth warme
Of flesshe and bone and full of life.
Lo, thus he wanne a lusty wife,
1 Enlailc:  carving, sculpture.   2 Siede, place.


\Vhiche obeisatint was at his will.
And if he wolde have hold him still
And nothing spoke, he shuld have
failed.
"By this ensample thou might
finde,
That word may worche above
kinde.
Forth5", my sone, if that thou spare
To speke, lost is all thy fare,
For Slouthe bringeth in alle wo.
'; And over this to loke also,
It semeth Love is welwillende
To hem that ben continuende
With besy herte to pursue
Thing which that is to Love due.
Wherof, my sone, in this matere
Thou might ensample taken here,
That with thy grete besinesse
Thou might atteigne the richesse
Of Love, that there be no Slouth.'"But fader, so as it is right
In forme of shrifte to beknowe
What thing belongeth to the
slowe,
Your faderhode I wolde pray,
If there be further any way
Touchend unto this ilke Vice."Go szone, 1e, of this office
There serveth one in special,
Which lost hath his memorial,
So that he can no wit witholde
In thing which he to kepe is holde,
Wherof full ofte him self he greveth.
And who that most upon him leveth,
Whan that his wittes ben so weived,
He may full lightly be deceived.
To serve Accidie in his office,
There is of Slouth an other Vice,
W\hich cleped is Foryetelnesse,
That nought may in his herte impresse
Of vertue, which reson hath set,
So clene his wittes he foryete.




I82


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


For in the tellinge of his tale
No more his herte than his male 1
Hath remembrauinceof thilk6 forme
Wherof he sholde his wit enforme
As than, and yet ne wot he why.
Thus is his purpos nought forthy
Forlore, of that he wolde bidde,
And scarsely if he saith the thridde2
To love of that he hadde ment.
Thus many a lover hath be shent.
Telle on therefore, hast thou ben
one
Of hem that Slouth hath so begonne? "" Ye fader, ofte it hath ben so,
That whan I am my lady fro
And thenke me toward her drawe,
Than cast I many a newe lawe
And all the world torne up so down
And so recorde I my lessoun
And write in my memoriall
What I unto her telle shall,
Right all the mater of my tale.
But all nis worth a nutteshale.
For whan I come there she is,
I have it all foryete iwis
Of that I thoughte for to telle;
I can nought than unnethes spelle
That I wende altherbest have rad,
So sore I am of her adrad.
For as a man that sodeinly
A gost beholdeth so fare I,
So that for fere I can nought gete
My wit, but I my self foryete,
That I wot never what I am,
Ne whider I shall, ne whenne I
cam,
But muse as he that were amased.
Lich to the boke in whiche is rased
The letter and may nothing be rad
So ben my wittes overlad,
That what as ever I thought have
spoken,
It is out of min herte stoken,
1 Mi~ale, bag.  2 T'hridec, third.


And stonde as who saith doumbe
and defe,
That all nis worth an yvy lefe
Of that I wende well have saide.
And atte last I make abraide,1
Cast up min heed and loke aboute
Right as a man that were in doubte
And wot not where he shall become.
Thus am I oft all overcome
There as I wende best to stonde.
But after, whan I understonde
And am in other place alone,
I make many a wofull mone
Unto my self and speke so:
'Ha fool, where was thine herte
tho
Whan thou thy worthy lady sigh,
Were thou afered of her eye?
For of her hond there is no drede,
So well I knowe her womanhede,
That in her is no more oultrage
Than in a childe of thre yere age.
Whyhast thou drede of so good one,
Whom alle vertue hath begone,2
That in her is no violence
But goodlyhede and innocence
Withouten spot of any blame.
Ha, nice herte, fy for shame,
A cowarde herte of love unlered,
Wherof art thou so sore afered,
That thou thy tunge suffrest fresc
And wolt thy gode wordes lese,
Whan thou hast founde time and
space:
How sholdest thou deserve grace,
Whan thou thy self darst axe none,
But all thou hast foryete anone?'
And thus dispute in Loves lore,
Buthelpenefinde I nought themore,
But stomble upon min owne treine
And make an eking 3 of my peine.
1.ake abraide, start suddenly, as from
sleep.
2 Begone, gone round about, wholly occupied, as in " woe-bhegone.": Eking, increasiig.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


I83


For ever whan I thenke amonge,
Howe all is on my self alonge
I say: ' O fool of alle fooles
Thoufarest as he betwenetwo stoles
That wolde sit and goth to grounde.
It was ne never shall be founde
Betwene Foryetelnesse and Drede,
That man shulde any caus6 spede.'
And thus, min holy father dere,
Toward mly self, as ye may here,
I pleigne of my foryetelnesse.
But ell6s all the businesse,
That may be take of mannes thought,
My herte taketh and is through
sought
To thenken ever upon that swete
Withoute Slouthe I you behete.
For what so falle or wel or wo,
That thought foryete I nevermo,
Where so I laugh or so I loure
Nought half a minute of an houre
Ne might I lette out of my minde
But if I thought upon that ende:
Therof me shall no Slouthe lette,
Till Deth out of this world me fette,
All though I had on suche a ring,
As Moises through his enchauntfng
Sometime in Ethiope made,
Whan that he Tharbis wedded had,
Which ringa bare of oblivion
The name, and that was by reson,
That were it on a finger sate,
Anone his Love he so foryate,
As though he had it never knowe.
And so it fell that ilk6 throwe,
Whan Tharbis had it on her honde,
No knouleching of him she fonde,
But all was clene out of memoire,
As men may reden in histoire.
And thus he wente quite away,
That never after that ilke day
She thought, that there was such a
one;
All was foryete and overgone.
But in good feith so may nought I.


For she is ever faste by
So nigh, that she min herte toucheth
That for no thing that Slouthe
voucheth
I may foryete her, lefe ne loth.
For over all where as she goth,
Min herte folweth her aboute.
Thus may I say withouten doubte,
For bet, for wers, for ought, for
nought
She passeth never fro my thought.
But whan I am there as she is,
Min hert, as I you said er this,
Sometime of her is sore adrad
And sometime it is overglad
All out of reule and out of space.
For whan I se her goodly face
And thenke upon her highe pris,
As though I were in paradis,
I am so ravisshed of the sight,
That speke unto her I ne might
As for the time, though I wolde.
For I ne may my witte unfolde
To finde o worde of that I mene,
But all it is foryete clene.
And though I stonde there a mile,
All is foryete for the while;
A tunge I have and wordes none.
And thus I stonde and thenke alone
Of thing that helpeth ofte nought.
But what I had afore thought
To speke, whan I come there,
It is foryete, as nought ne were.
And stond amased and assoted,
That of no thing which I have noted
I can nought than a note singe,
But all is out of knoulechinge.
Thus what for joy and what for drede
All is foryeten atte nede,
So that, my fader, of this Slouthe
I have you said the pleine trouthe,
Ye may it, as ye list, redresse.
For thus stant my foryetelnesse
And eke my pusillamite.
Say now forth what ye list to me,




I84


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


For I wol only do by you."" My sone, I have wel herd, how
thou
Hast said, and that thou must
amende.
For Love his grace wol nought sende
To that man which dare axe none.
For this we knowen everychone,
A mannes thought withoute speche
God wot, and yet that man beseche
His will is.' For withoute bedes
He doth his grace in fewe stedes.
And what man thatforyetehim selve,
Among athousand be nought twelve
Thatwolhim take in remembrauince,
But let him falle and take his
chaunce.
Forthy pull up a besy herte,
My sone, and let no thing asterte
Of Love fro thy besinesse.
For touching of foryetelnesse,
Which many alovehath set behinde,
A tale of great ensample I finde,
Wherof it is pite to wite
In the maner as it is write.
ting 'pemepbon whan he by
ship
To Troie ward with felaship
Sailend goth upon his wey,
It hapneth him at Rodepey,
As Eolus him hadde blowe
To londe and rested for a throwe.
And fell that ilke time thus,
That the doughter of Ligurgtis,
Which quene was of the contre,
Was sojourned in that citee
Within a castel nigh the stronde,
Where Demephon cam up to londe.
Phillis she hight and of yong age
And of stature and of visage
She had all that her best besemeth.
Of Demephon right wel her quemeth,2
1 Although God knows our thoughts, yet his
will is that we utter them in prayer.
2 Her queemeth, is agreeable to her.


Whan he was come and made him
chere.
And he, that was of his manere
A lusty knight, ne might asterte
That he ne set on her his herte,
So that within a day or two
He thought, how ever that it go,
He wolde assaie the fortune;
And gan his herte to comune
With goodly wordes in her ere,
And for to put her out of fere
He swore and hath his trouthe
plight
To be for ever her owne knight.
And thus with her he stille abode
There, while his ship on anker rode,
And had inough of time and space
To speke of love and seche grace.
This lady herd all that he saide,
And how he swore and how he
praide,
Which was as an enchauntement
To here, that was as innocent.
As though it were trouthe and feith
She leveth all that ever he saith,
And as her in fortune sholde
She graunteth himall that he wolde.
Thus was he for the time in joie,
Til that he shulde go to Troie,
But tho she made mochel sorwe
And he his trouthe laid to borwe 1
To come and if that he live may
Ayein within a monthe day.
And therupon they kisten bothe,
But were hem leef or werehem lothe
To ship he goth, and forth he went
To Troy, as was his first entent.
The daies go, the monthe passeth,
Her love encreseth and his lasseth;
For him she lefte slepe and mete,
And he his time hath all foryete,
So that this wofull yongd quene,
Which wot nought what it mighte
mene,
To borwe, in pledge.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


I85


A letter send and praid him come
And saith how she is overcome
With strengthe of love in suche a
wise,
That she nought longe may suffise
To liven out of his presence,
And put upon his conscience
The trouthe whiche he hath behote,
Wherof she loveth him so hote,
She saith, that if he lenger lette
Of such a day as she him sette,
She shulde sterven in his Slouthe,
Which were a shame unto his
trouthe.
This letter is forth upon her sonde,
Wherof somdele comf6rt on honde
She toke, as she that wolde abide
And waite upon that ilke tide
Which she hath in her letter write.
But now is pite for to wite,
As he did erst, so he foryate
His time eftsone and over-sate.
But she, which mighte nought do so,
The tide awaiteth evermo
And cast her eye upon the see.
Somtimd nay, somtime ye,
Somtime he cam, somtime nought.
Thus she disputeth in her thought
And wot nought what she thenke
may.
But fastend all the longe day
She was into the derke night;
And tho she hath do set up light
In a lanterne on high alofte
Upon a toure, where she goth ofte
In hope that in his comminge
He shulde se the light brenninge,
Wherof he might his weies right
To come where she was by night.
But all for nought, she was deceived,
For Venus hath her hope weived
And shewed her upon the sky
How that the day was faste by,
So that within a litel throwe
The daies light she mighte knowe;


Tho she beheld the see at large:
And whan she sigh there was no
barge
Ne ship, als fer as she may kenne,
Down fro the tour she gan to renne
Into an herber all her owne.
Where many a wonder wofull mone
She made, that no life it wist,
As she which all her joie mist,
That now she swouneth, now she
pleigneth,
And all her face she disteigneth
With ter6s, whiche as of a welle
The stremes from her eyen felle.
So as she might, and ever in one,
She cleped upon Demephon
And said: 'Alas, thou slowe wight,
Where was there ever suche a
knight,
That so through his ungentilesse
Of Slouthe and of Foryetelnesse
Ayein his trouthe brak his steven.'
And tho her eye up to the heven
She cast and saide: 'O thou unkinde,
Here shalt thou through thy Slouthe
finde,
If that the list to come and se,
A lady dede for love of the,
So as I shall my selve spille,
Whome, if it hadde be thy wille,
Thou mightest save well inough.
With that upon a grene bough
A ceinte ofsilke, which she there had,
She knette, and so her self she lad
That she about her white swere 2
It did, and henge her selven there.
Wherof the goddes were amoved,
And Demephon was so reproved,
That of the goddes providence
Was shape suche an evidence
Ever afterward ayein the slowe,
That Phillis in the sam6 throwe 3
1 Steven, voice.  2 Swere, neck.
3 Throwe, space of time.




i86


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Was shape into a nutte-tre,
That alle men it mighte se,
And after Phillis philliberd
This tre was cleped in the yerd,
And yet for Demephon to shame
Into this day it bereth the name.
This wofullchauncehowthat it ferde
Anone as Demephon it herde
And every man it hadde in speche,
His sorwe was nought tho to seche,
He gan his Slouthe for to banne,2
But it was all to late thanne.
"Lo, thus, my sone, might thou
wite
Ayein this Vice how it is write,
For no man may the harm6s gesse,
That fallen through Foryetelnesse,
Wherof that I thy shrift have herd.
But yet of Slouthe how it hath ferd
In other wise I thenke oppose,
If thou have gilt, as I suppose.
utlfifleb of Slouthes exemplaire
There is yet one his secretaire,
And he is cleped Negligence,
Which woll nought loke his evidence,
Wherof he may beware to-fore.
But whan he hath his cause lore
Than is he wise after the honde,
Whan helpd may no maner bonde
Than atte firste wold he binde.
Thus evermore he stant behinde,
Whan he the thing may nought
amende,
Than is he ware, and saith at ende:
'Ha, wolde god I hadde knowe'
Wherof bejaped with a mowe 3
He goth, for whan the grete stede
Is stole than he taketh hede
And maketh the stable-dore fast.
Thus ever he pleith an after cast
Of all that he shall say or do.
I Philliberd, filbert.
2  bianne, put under interdict.;  IoiC1e, mouth, grimace.


He hath a maner eke also,
Him list nought lerne to be wise,
For he sette of no vertu prise
But as him liketh for the while,
So feleth he ful ofte guile
Whan that he weneth siker to
stonde.
And thus thou might wel understonde,
My sone, if thou art suche in love
Thou might nought come at thin
above
Of that thou woldestwel acheve."*"Min holy fader, as I leve,
I may wel with sauf conscience
Excuse me of Negligence
Towardes Love in alle wise.
For though I be none of the wise,
I am so truly amorouis,
That I am ever curious
Of hem that conne best enforme
To knowe and witen all the forme,
What falleth unto Lov6s craft.
But yet ne fond I nought the haft
Which might unto the blade accord e.
For never herd I men recorde
What thinge it is that might availe
To winne love withoute faile.
Yet so fer couthe I never finde
Man that by reson ne by kinde
Me couthe teche suche an arte,
That he ne fail6d of a parte.
And as toward min owne wit
Contrive I couthd never yit
To finden any sikernesse,
That me might other more or lesse
Of Love make for to spede.
For leveth wel withouten drede,
If that there were suche a wey
As certainly as I shall deie
I hadde it lerned longe ago;
But I wot wel there is none so.
And netheles it may wel be
I am so rude in my degre
And eke my witt6s ben so dull,




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


187


That I ne may nought to the full
Atteigne unto so highe a lore.
But this I dar say overmore,
All though my Wit ne be nought
stronge,
It is nought on my Will alonge;
For that is besy night and day
To lerne all that he lerne may,
How that I might6 Love winne.
But yet I am as to beginne
Of that I wold6 make an ende,
And for I not 1 how it shall wende,
That is to me my most6 sorwe.
But I dare tak6 God to borwe,
As after min entendement
None other wise negligent
Than I you say have I nought be.
Forthy pur saintd charit6
Tell me, my fader, what you
semeth."" In good feith, sone, wel me
quemeth,
That thou thy self hast thus acquit
Toward this Vice in which no wit
Abid6 may, for in an houre
He lest 2 all that he may laboure
The longe yere, so that men sain
What ever he doth it is in vein.
For through the Slouth of Negligence
There was yet never such science
Ne vertue which was bodely,
That nis destruied and lost therby.
Ensample that it hath be so,
In boke I findd write also.
"ebus, which isthe sonne hote,
That shineth upon erthe hote
And causeth every lives helth,
He hadde a sone in all his welth,
Which Pheton hight, and he desireth
And with his moder he conspireth,
The which was cleped Clemene,
For helpe and counseil, so that he
1 Not, know not.  2 Lcst, lost.


His faders carte 1 lede might
Upon the fair6 daies light.
And for this thing they bothe praide
Unto the fader, and he saide,
He wolde wel, but forth with all
Thre points he bad in speciall
Unto his sone in alle wise,
That he him shulde wel avise
And take it as by wey of lore.
First was, that he his hors to sore
Ne prike; and over that he tolde,
That he the reines faste holde;
And also that he be right ware
In what maner he lede his chare,
That he mistake nought his gate,
But upon avisement algate
He shulde bere a siker eye,
That he to lowe ne to high
His carte drive at any throwe,
Wherof that he might overthrowe.
And thus by Phebus ordenaunce
Toke Pheton into governaunce
The sonnes carte, which he ladde.
But he such veine glorie hadde
Of that he was set upon high,
That he his own estate ne sigh
Through negligence, and toke none
hede.
So might he welnoughtlonge spede.
For he the hors withouten lawe
The carte let aboute drawe
Where as hem liketh wantonly,
That atte laste sodeinly,
For he no reson wolde knowe,
This firy cart he drove to lowe
And fireth all the worlde aboute;
Wherof they weren all in doubte,
And to the god for helpe criden
Of suche unhappes as betiden.
Phebus, which sigh the negligence,
How Pheton ayein his defence 2
His chare hath drive outeof the wvey
Ordeigneth that he fel awey
1 Carte, chariot.
2 Defence, forbidding.




i88


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Out of the cart into the flood
And dreinte. Lo now, how it stood
With him, that was so negligent,
That fro the highe firmament,
For that he wolde go to lowe,
He was anone down overthrowe.
In high estate it is a Vice
To go to lowe, and in service
It greveth for to go to high,
Wherof a tale in poesie
f finbe, how whilom Dedalus
Whiche hadde a sone and Icharus
He hight, and though hem thoughte
lothe
In such prison they weren bothe
With Minotaurus, that aboute
They mighten no where wenden
oute.
So they begonne for to shape
How they the prison might escape.
This Dedalus, which fro his youthe
Was taughtandmanycraftes couthe,
Of fethers and of other thinges
Hath made to flee divers6 winges
For him and for his sone also;
To whome he yaf in charg6 tho
And bad him thenke therupon,
How that his wingds ben set on
With wex, and if he toke his flight
To high, all sodeinlich he might
Make it to melte with the sonne.
And thus they have her flight begonne
Out of the prison faire and softe.
And whan they weren both alofte,
This Icharus began to mounte
And of the counseil none acompte
He sett6 whiche his fader taught,
Til that the sonne his winges caught,
Wherof it malt, and fro the hight
Withouten helpe of any flight
He fell to his destruction.
And lich to that condition
There fallen ofte times fele
For lacke of governaunce in wele


Als wel in love as other wey."" Now gode fader, I you prey,
If there be more in this matere
Of Slouthd, that I might it here."" My sone, as for thy diligence,
Whiche every mannes consciince
By reson shulde reule and kepe,
If that thee list to take kepe,
I wol thee tell aboven alle,
In whom no vertu may befalle,
Whiche yiveth unto the Vices rest
And is of Slouthe the slowest.,lmong these other of Slouthes
kinde,
Whiche alle labour set behinde,
And hateth alle besinesse,
There is yet one, whiche Idelnesse
Is cleped, and is the norice
In mann6s kinde of every Vice,
Which secheth esds many folde.
In winter doth he nought for colde;
In somer may he nought for hete;
So wether that he frese or swete,
Or be he in, or be he oute,
He woll ben idel all aboute,
But if he plei6 ought at dees.
For who as ever tak6 fees
And thenketh worship to deserve,
There is no lord whome he woll serve
As for to dwelle in his service,
But if it were in suche a wise,
Of that he seeth par aventure,
That by lordship and coverture
He may the mord stond6 stille
And use his Idelnesse at wille.
For he ne woll no travail take
To ride for his ladies sake,
But liveth all upon his wisshes,
And as a cat wold etd fisshes
Withoute weting of his cles,
So wolde he do, but netheles
He faileth ofte of that he wolde.
" My sone, if thou ofsuche a molde
Art made, now tell me plein thy
shrift.'"



BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


189


"Nay fader, god I yive a yift,
That toward Love, as by my wit
All idel was I never yit,
Ne never shall, while I may go.""Now, sone, telle me than so,
What hast thou done of besiship
To Love and to the ladyship
Of here which thy lady is? "' —
" My fader, ever yet er this
In every place, in every stede,
What so my lady hath me bede,
With all min herte obedient
I have therto be diligent.
And if so is that she bid nought,
What thing that than into my
thought
Cometh first, of that I may suffise,
I bowe and profre my service.
Somtime in chambre, somtime in
halle,
Right so as I se the times falle,
And whan she goth to here masse
That time shall nought overpasse,
That I napproche her ladyhede
In aunter if I may her lede
Unto the chapel and ayein,
Than is nought all my wey in vein.
Somdele I may the better fare,
Whan I, that may nought fele her
bare,
May lede her clothed in min arme.
But afterwarde it doth me harme
Of pure ymagination,
For thanne this collation
I make unto my selven ofte
And say: 'Ha lord, howshe is softe,
How she is round, how she is small,
Now wold6 God, I hadde her all
Without6 daunger at my wille!'
'And than I sike and sitte stille,
Of that I se my besy thought
Is torned idel into nought.
But for all that let I ne may,
Whan I se time another day,
That I ne do my besinesse


Unto my ladies worthinesse.
For I therto my wit affaite 1
To se the times and awaite
What is to done, and what to leve.
And so whan time is, by her leve
What thing she bit me don, I do,
And where she bit me gon, I go,
And whan her list to clepe, I come.
Thus hath she fulliche overcome
Min Idelnesse til I sterve,
So that I mot her nedes serve.
For as men sain, nede hath no lawe,
Thus mote I nedely to her drawe;
I serve, I bowe, I loke, I loute,
Min eye folweth her aboute.
What so she wolle so woll I,
Whan she woll sit, I kneld by,
And whan she stont, than woll I
stonde,
And whan she taketh her werk on
honde
Of weving or of embrouderie,
Than can I nought but muse and
prie
Upon her fingers longe and smale.
And nowe I thenke, and nowe I tale,
And nowe I singe, and nowe I sike,
And thus my contenaunce I pike.2
And if it falle, as for a time
Her liketh nought abide by me
But busien her on other thinges,
Than make I other tarienges
To drecche forth the longe day,
For me is loth departe away.
And than I am so simple of port,
That for to feigne some desporte
I pleie with her litel hound
Nowe on the bed, nowe on the
ground,
Now with the briddes in the cage,
For there is none so litel page
Ne yet so simple a chamberere,
That I ne make hem alle chere,
1 Affaite, bring to fitness.
2 Pike, make peep.




I90o


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


All for they shulde speke wele.
Thus mow ye se my besy whele,
That goth nought ideliche aboute.
And if her list to riden oute
On pelrinage or other stede,
I come, though I be nought bede,
And take her in min arme alofte
And set her in her sadel softe
And so forth lede her by the bridel,
For that I wolde nought ben idel.
And if her list to ride in chare,
And than I may therof beware,
Anone I shape me to ride
Right even by the chares side.
And as I may, I speke amonge,
And other while I singe a songe,
Whiche Ovide in his bokes made,
And said: ' O whiche sorwes glad,
O which woffill prosperite
Belongeth to the propret6
Of Love? Who so wold him serve,
And yet there fro may no man swerve,
That he ne mot his lawe obey.'
And thus I ride forth my wey
And am right besy overall
With herte, and with my body all,
As I have saide you here to-fore.
My god6 fader tell therfore
Of Idelnesse if I have gilt."" My sone, but thou telle wilt
Ought elles than I may now here,
Thou shalt have no penaunc6 here.
And neth6les a man may se,
How now a dai6s that there be
Full many of such hertes slowe,
That woll nought besien hem to
knowe
What thing Love is, til attd last,
That he with strengthe hem overcast
That malgr6 hem they mot obey
And done all idelship awey
To serve wel and besiliche.
But, sone, thou art none of sich,
For Love shall thee wel excuse.


But otherwise if thou refuse
To love thou might so par cas
Ben idel, as somtime was
A kinges doughter unavised,
Til that Cupide her hath chastised,
Wherof thou shalt a tal6 here
Accordant unto this matere.
f   Itrmenie I rede thus,
There was a king whiche Herupus
Was hote, and he a lusty maide
To doughter had, and as men saide
Her namd was Rosiphele,
Which tho was of great renome.
For she was bothe wise and faire
And shulde ben her faders heire.
But she had o defaulte of Slouthe
Towardes Love, and that was routhe.
For so well couthd no man say
Which mighte set her in the way
Of Lovds occupaci6n
Through none ymaginacion;
That scol6wolde she noughtknowe.
And thus she was one of the slowe
As of suche hertes besinesse,
Till whanne Venus the goddesse,
Which Loves Court hath for to
reule,
Hath brought her into better reule
Forth with Cupide, and with his
might,
For they merveile of suche a wight,
Which tho was in her lusty age
Desireth not of mariige.
For he, that highe hert6s loweth,
With firydartes whichehethroweth,
Cupide, whiche of Love is god,
In chastisinge hath made a rod
To drive away her wantonnesse,
So that within a while I gesse
She had on suche a chaunce spornedl
That all her mod was overtorned,
Which first she had, of slowe
manere.
For thus it felle, as thou shalt here.
1 Sforned, stumbled against.




BOOK IV. -SLOTH.


191


Whan come was the month of
May,
She wold6 walke upon a day,
And that was er the sonne arist,
Of women but a fewe it wist.
And forth she went6 prively
Unto the park was fast6 by,
All softe walkend on the gras,
Till she came there the launde was,
Through which ther ran a great
rivere.
It thought her faire and saide:
' Here
I woll abide under the shawe,'
And bad her women to withdrawe
And there she stood alone stille
To thenke what was in her wille.
She sigh the swote floures springe,
She herde gladde foul6s singe,
She sigh the best6s in her kinde,
The buck, the doo, the hert, the
hinde,
The male go with the femele.
And so began there a quarele
Betwene Love and her owne herte,
Fro which shecouthe nought asterte.
And as she cast her eye aboute,
She sigh clad in one sute a route
Of ladies, where they comen ride
A longe under the wodes side.
On faire amblende hors they set,
That were all white, faire and great,
And everychon6 ride on side.
The sadels were of suche a pride
With perle and gold so well begone,
So riche sigh she never none.
In kirtles and in cop6s riche
They weren clothed alle aliche,
Departed even of white and blewe
With all lustes that she knewe
They were embrouded over all.
Her bodies weren longe and small,
The beaute fair upon her 2 face
It may none erthly thing deface,
1 Launxd, lawn.  2 Her, their.


Corounes on her hede they bere
As eche of hem a quend were,
That all the golde of Cresus halle
The lest6 coronall of alle
Ne might have bought after the
worth.
Thus comen they ridende forth.
The kinges doughter, which this
sigh,
For pure abasshe drewe her adrigh
And helde her close under a bough
And let hem passen stille inough.
For as her thought in her avise,
To hem that weren of suche a price
She was nought worthy to axen there
Fro whenne they come, or what
they were;
But lever than this worldes good
She wolde have wist how that it
stood
And put her hede a litel out,
And as she loked her aboute,
She sigh comend under the linde
A woman upon an hors behinde.
The hors on which she rode was
black,
All lene and galled upon the back
And halted as he were encloied,2
Wherof the woman was annoied.
Thus was the hors in sory plight,
But for all that a sterre whit
Amiddes in her front she hadde.
Her sadel eke was wonder badde,
In which the wofull woman sat.
And netheles there was with that
A rich4 bridel for the nones
Of golde and preciouise stones;
Her cote was somdele to-tore,
About her middel twenty score
Of horse halters and well mo
There hingen atte time tho.
Thus whan she came the lady nigh,
Than toke she better hede and sigh
1 Adriglh, aside.
o Encloied, hurt with a nail in shoeing.




I92


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


The woman fair was of visage,
Fresh, lusty, yong and tendre of age.
And so this lady, there she stood,
Bethought her well and understood,
That this, which came ridende tho,
Tidinges couthe telle of tho
Whiche as she sigh to-fore ride,
And put her forth and praide abide
And said: 'Ha suster, let me here,
What ben they that riden now here
And ben so richely arraied?'
This woman, which came so esmaied,1
Answerde with full softe speche
And said: 'Madame, I shall you
teche,
These are of tho, that whilom were
Servaunts to love and trouthe bere
There as they had their hertes sette.
Fare well, for I may nought be lette.
Madame, I go to my service,
So must I haste in alle wise,
Forthy madame, yif me leve.
I may nought longe with you leve.' 2
'Ha, gode suster, yet I prey,
Tell me, why ye be so besey
And with these halters thus begone?'
'Madame, whilom I was one,
That to my fader hadde a king.
But I was slowe and for no thing
Me liste nought to Love obey,
And that I now full sore abey,3
For 4 I whilom no love hadde,
My hors is now feble and badde
Aud all to-tore is min array,
And every yere this fressh6 May
These lusty ladies ride aboute,
And I must nedes sue her route
In this maner, as ye now se
And trusse her halters forth with me
And am but as her horse knave.
1 Esmaied, troubled, but possibly a-Maying,
for "esmaier" meant also in old French to
crown with green leaves.
2 Leve, remain.  3 Abey, pay for.
4 For, because.


None other office I ne have,
Hemthenketh I amworthyno more,
For I was slowe in Loves lore
Whan I was able for to lere
And wold6 nought the tales here
Of hem that couthen Love teche.'
'Now tell me than, I you beseche,
Wherof that riche bridel serveth?'
With that her chere away she
swerveth
Andgan towepe and thus she tolde:
'This bridel, which ye now beholde,
So riche upon min horse hed;
Madame, afore er I was dede,
Whan I was in my lusty life,
There fell into min hert a strife
Of love, which me overcome,
So that therafter hede I nome
And thought I wolde love a knight;
That laste well a fourtenight,
For it no lenger might6 laste,
So nigh my life was atte laste.
But nowe alas to late ware
That I ne had him loved ere,
For deth cam so in haste by me,
Er I therto had any time,
That it ne mighte ben acheved.
But for all that I am releved
Of that my will was good therto
That Love suffreth it be so
That I shall such a bridel were.
Nowe have ye herd all min answere,
To God, madame, I you betake,1
And warneth alle for my sake,
Of Love that they be nought idel,
And bid hem thenke upon my bridel.'
And with that worde all sodeinly
She passeth as it were a skie2
All clene out of this ladies sight.
And tho for fere her herte aflight
And saide to her self: ' Helas!
I am right in the same cas.
But if I live after this day,
I shall amende it if I may.'
1 Betake, entrust, commend. 2 Skie, shadow.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


I93


And thus homwird this lady went
And chaunged all her first entent
Within her herte, and gan to swere
That she no halters wolde bere.
"Lo sone, here might thou taken
hede,
How Idelnesse is for to drede,
Nameliche of love, as I have write.
Fo thou might understonde and
wite,
Among the gentil naci6n
Love is an occupaci6n
Which for to kepe his lustes save
Shold every gentil herte have;
For as the lady was chastised,
Right so the knight may ben avised
Which idel is and woll nought serve
To Love, he may par cas deserve
A greater peine than she hadde,
Whan she aboute with her ladde
The horse halters; and forthy
Good is to be ware therby.
But for to loke aboven alle
These maidenes how so it falle,
They shulden take ensample of this,
Whiche I have tolde, for soth it is.
And thilke Love is well at ese,
Which set is upon mariAge,
For that dare shewen the visage
In alle places openly.
A great merveile it is forth',
How that a maiden wolde lette
That she her time ne besette
To haste unto that ilke feste,
Wherof the Love is all honeste.
Men may recover loss of good,
But so wise man yet never stood
Which may recover time ilore.
So may a maiden well therfore
Ensample take, of that she straungeth
As thouhast understonde above.""My fader, as toward the love
Of maidens for to telle trouthe,
Ye have thilke Vice of Slouthe


Me thenketh right wonder wel declared,
That ye the women have nought
spared
Of hem that tarien so behinde.
But yet it falleth in my minde
Toward the men, how that ye speke
Of hem that woll no travail seke
In cause of Love, upon deserte,
To speke in wordes so coverte
I not what travail that ye ment."" My sone, and after min entent
I woll the telle what I thought,
How whilom men her loves bought
Through great travaile in straunge
londes,
Where that they wroughten with
her hondes
Of armes many a worthy dede
In sondry place, as men may rede.
"That every love of pure kinde
Is first forth drawe, well I finde.
But netheless yet over this
Deserte doth so, that it is
The rather had in many place.
Forthy who secheth Loves grace
Where that these worthy women
are,
He maynought than him selvedspare
Upon his travail for to serve
Wherof that he may thank deserve;
Where as these men of armes be
Sometime over the Grete See,
So that by londe and eke by ship
He mot travaile for worship
And make many hastif rodes,
Somtime in Pruse, somtime in
Rodes,
And some time into Tartarie,
So that these heralds on him crie:
'Vailant, vailant, lo, where he
goth!'
And than he yiveth hem golde and
cloth,


N




194


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


So that his fame mighte springe
And to his ladies ere bringe
Some tiding of his worthinesse;
So that she might of his prowesse
Of that she herde men recorde
The better unto his love accorde
And daunger put out of her mood,
Whan alle men recorden good,
And that she wot well for her sake
That he no travail woll forsake.
" Mysone,of thistravaile I mene;
Now shrif the, for it shall be sene,
If thou art idel in this cas."" My fader ye, and ever was
For as me thenketh truely,
That every man doth more than I
As of this point, and if so is,
That I have ought so done er this,
It is so litel of accompt
As who saith it may nought amount
To winne of love his lusty yifte.
For this I telle you in shrifte,
That me were lever her love winne
Than Kaire and all that is therinne.
And for to sleen the hethen alle
I notl what good there mighte
falle,
So mochel blood though ther be
shad.
This finde I writen, how Crist bad
That no man other shuld6 slee.
\Vhat shulde I winne over the see,
If I my lady lost at home?
But passe they the salte fome
To whom Crist bad they shulden
preche
To all the world and his feith teche.
But now they rucken 2 in her nest
And resten as hem liketh best
In all the swetenesse of delices.
Thus they defenden 3 us the Vices
And sit hem selven all amidde;
To sleen and fighten they us bidde
1 Not, know not.  2.Rucken, squat.
3 Dfendcn, forbid.


Hem whom they shuld, as the boke
saith,
Converten unto Cristes feith.
But herof have I great merveile,
How they wol bidde me traveile.
A Sarazin if I slee shall,
I slee the soule forth withall,
And that was never Cristes lore.
But now Ho 1 there, I say no more.
But I woll speke upon my shrifte
And to Cupide I make a yifte,
That who as ever pris deserve
Of armes, I wol Love serve,
As though I shuld hem bothe kepe,
Als well yet wolde I take kepe,
Whan it were time to abide
And for to travaile and to ride,
For how as ever a man laboure,
Cupide appointed hath his houire.
" For I have herde tell also,
Achilles left his arme's so
Both of him self and of his men
At Troie for Polfxenen
Upon her love whan he felle,
That for no chaunce that befelle
Among the Grekes or up or down
He wolde nought ayein the town
Ben armed, for the love of her.
And so me thenketh, leve sir,
A man of armes may him reste
Somtime in hope for the beste,
If he may finde a werre ner;
What shulde I thanne go so fer
In straungd londes many a mile
To ride, and lese at home there
while
My love? it were a short beyete 2
To winne chaffe and lese whete.
But if my lady bidde wolde,
That I for her love sholde
Travail, me thenketh truely,
I mighte flee through out the sky
And go through out the depe see,
1 Ho! was the cry for stopping in the chase.
2 Beycte, gain.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


r9g


For all ne sette I at a stre,1
What thank that I might elles gete.
What helpeth a man have mete,
Where drinkd lacketh on the borde,
What helpeth any mannes worde
To say howe I travaile faste,
VWhere as me faileth atte laste
That thing whiche I travaile fore.
O, in good time were he bore,
That might atteigne suche a mede.
But certes if I mighte spede
With any maner besinesse
Of worldes travail, than I gesse
There shulde me none idelship
Departen from her ladyship.
But this I se on daies now,
The blinde god, I wot nought how,
Cupido, which of love is lorde,
He set the thinges in discorde,
That they that lest to love entende
Full ofte he woll hem yive and sende
Most of his grace, and thus I finde,
That he that sholde go behinde,
Goth many a tined fer to-fore.
So wote I nought right well therfore,
On whether bord that I shall saile.
Thus can I nought myself counseile,
But all I set on aventure
And am, as who saith, out of cure
For ought that I can say or do;
For evermore I finde it so,
The more besinesse I lay,
The more that I knele and pray
With gode word6s and with softe,
The more I am refused ofte
WVith besinesse and may nought
winne,
And in goodfeith that is great sinne.
For I may say of dede and thought,
That idel man have I be nought,
For how as ever I be deslaied.
Yet evermore I have assaied.
But though my besinesse laste,
All is but idel att6 laste,
1 SIre, straw.


For whan theffect is Idelnesse,
I not what thing is besinesse.
Say what availeth all the dede,
Which nothing helpeth atte nede?
For the Fortune of every fame
Shall of his ende bere a name.
And thus for ought is yet befalle,
An idel man I woll me calle
As after min entendement.
But upon your amenddment,
Min holy fader, as you semeth
My reson and my cause demeth.'"C My sone, I have herde of thy
matere,
Of that thou hast thee shriven
here.
And for to speke of idel fare
Mhe semeth that thou tharst1 nought
care,
But only that thou might nought
spede.
And therof, sone, I woll thee rede,
Abide and haste nought to faste,
Thy dedes ben every day to caste,
Thou nost,2 what chaunc6 shall
betide.
Better is to waite upon the tide
Than rowe ayein the stremes
stronge.
For though so be thee thenketh
longe,
Par cas the revolucion
Of heven and thy condicion
Ne be nought yet of one accorde.
But I dare make this recorde
To Venus, whose prest that I am,
That sithen that I hider cam
To here, as she me bad, thy life,
Wherof thou elles be giltife,
Thou might herof thy conscience
Excuse and of great diligence,
Which thou to love hast so dispended,
Thou oughtest wel to be comended.
1 ThantsI, needst...Vosl, knowest not.




I96


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


But if so be that there ought faile,
Of that thou slouthest to travaile
In armes, for to ben absent,
And for thou makest an argument
Of that thou saidest here above,
How Achilles through strength of
love
His armes lefte for a throwe,
Thou shalt an other tale knowe,
Whiche is contrarie, as thou shalt
wite.
For this a man may finde write,
Whan that knighthode shall be
werred,
Lust may nought thanne be preferred,
The bed mot thanne be forsake
And shield and spere onhonde take,
Which thing shall make hem after
glad,
Whan they be worthy knightes
made,
Wherof, so as it cometh to honde,
A tale thou shalt understonde,
How that a knight shall armes sue,
And for the while his ese eschue.
"-po0n rnigdtfobe Irede thus,
How whilom whan the king Nauplus,
The fader of Palamides,
Came for to preien Ulixes
With other Gregois eke also,
That he with hem to Troie go,
Where that the siege shulde be,
Anone upon Penelope,
His wife, whom that he loveth hote,
Thenkend, wolde hem nought behote.
But he shope than a wonder wile
How that he shulde hem best beguile,
So that he mighte dwelle stille
At home and weld his love at wille.
Wherof erly the morwe day
Out of his bed where that he lay


Whan he was up, he gan to fare
Into the felde and loke and stare
As he which feigneth to be wode,l
He toke a plough where thatitstood,
Wherin anone in stede of oxes
He let do yoken grete foxes,
And with greatsaltthelondehe sewe.
But Nauplus,which the cause knewe,
Ayein the sleighte which he feigneth
Another sleight anone ordeigneth.
And fell that time Ulixes hadde
A childe to sone, and Nauplusradde
How men that sone take sholde
And setten him upon the molde,
Where that his faderheldthe plough
Inthilke furgh which he thodrough.
For in such wise he thought assay
Howe it Ulixes shulde pay,
If that he were wode or none.
The knightes for this child forth
gone,
Telemacus anone was fette
To-fore the plough and even sette,
Where that his fader shulde drive.
But whan he sigh his childe as blive2
He drof the plough out of the way,
And Nauplus tho began to say
And hath half in a jape cried:
'O Ulixes, thou art aspied,
What is all this thou woldest mene?
For openlich it is now sene
That thou hast feigned all this thing,
Which is great shame to a king
Whan that for lust of any slouthe
Thou wolt in a quarel of trouthe
Of arme's thilke honour forsake
And dwelle at home for love's sake.
For better it were honour to winne
Than love which likinge is inne.
Forth2 take worship on honde
And elle's thou shalt understonde
These other worthy kinges alle
Of Grece, which unto thee calle,
Towardes thee wol be right wroth
1 IVode, mad.  2 As bivre, quickly.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


I 9 7


And greve the par chaunce both,
Which shall be to thee double shame
Most for the hindringe of thy name,
That thou for slouthe of any love
Shalt so thv lustes set above
And leve of armes the knighthode,
Whiche is the prise of thy manhode
And oughte first to be desired.'
"But he, which had his herte
fired,
Upon his wife, whan he this herd,
Nought o   word there ayein answerd,
But torneth home halving ashamed
And hath within him self so tamed
His hertd, that all the sotie
Of lov6 for chivalerie
He lefte, and be him leef or loth
To Troie with hem forth he goth
That he him might6 nought excuse.
Thus stant it, if a knight refuse
The lust of armes to travaile;
There may no worldes ese availe,
But if worshfpd be with all.
And that hath shewed overall,
For it sit wel in alle wise
A knight to ben of high emprise
And putten alle drede away,
For in this wise I have herd say,
"f lw worfth ftnigjtf Prothesalay
On his passage where he lay
Towardes Troie thilke siege
She which was all his owne liege
Laodomie his lusty wife,
Which for his love was pensife
As he whiche all her herte hadde,
Upon a thing wherof she dradde
A letter for to make him dwelle
Fro Troie send him, thus to telle,
How she hath axed of the wise
Touchend of him in suche a wise,
That they have done her understonde,
1 0, one.


Towardes other how so it stonde,
The destin6 it hath so shape,
Thatheshallnought the deth escape
In cas that he arrive at Troy.
Forthe' as to her worldes joy
With all her herte she him preide
And many another cause alleide,
That he with her at home abide.
But he hath cast her letter aside
As he which tho no maner hede
Toke of her wommanische drede
And forth he goth, as nought ne
were,
To Troy, and was the firstd there
Which londeth and toke arrivaile,
For him was lever in the bataile
He saith to deien as a knight
Than for to live in all his might
And be reproved of his name.
Lo, thus upon the worldes fame
Knighthode hath ever yet beset,
Which with no cowardis is let.
' )f ftildtg6  auf also I finde,
Whan Samuel out of his kinde,
Through that the Phitonesse hath
lered,
In Samarie was arered1
Long time after that he was dede.
The kinge Saul him axeth rede,
If that he shall go fight or none.
And Samuel him said anone:
The firste day of the bataile
Thou shalt be slain withoute faile
And Jonathas thy sone also.
But how as ever it felle so,
This worthy knight of his corAge
Hath undertak6 the vidge
And wolde nought his knighthode
let 2
For no perill he couthe set;
Wherof that bothe his sone and he
Upon the mounte of Gelbog
Assemblen with her enemies.
For they knighthode of such a pris
1 Arered, raised up.  2 Let, hinder.




i98


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


By olde daies thanne helden,
That they none other thing behelden.
And thus the fader for worship
Forth with his sone of felaship
Through lust of armes weren dede
As men may in the bible rede,
They whos knighthode is yet in
minde
And shall be to the worldes ende.
" And for to loken overmore
It hath and shall ben evermore,
That of knighthode the prowesse
Is grounded upon hardiesse
Of him that dare wel undertake.
And who that wolde ensample take
Upon the forme of knightes lawe,
How that Achilles was forth drawe
With Chiro, which Centaurus hight,
Of many a wonder here he might.
For it stood thilke time thus,
That this Chiro this Centaurus
Within a large wildernesse,
Where was ledn and leonesse,
The lepard and the tigre also
With hert and hinde, buk and doo,
Had his dwelling as tho befell
Of Peleon upon the hill,
Wherof was thanne mochel speche,
There hath Chiro this child to teche
What time he was of twelve yere
age.
Wherfore to maken his corage
The more hardy by other wey
In the for6st to hunt and pley,
Whan that Achilles walke wolde
Centaurus bad that he ne sholde
After no beste make his chas
Which wolde fleen out of his place
As buk and doo and hert andhinde,
With which he may no werr6 finde.
Buttho thatwolden himwithstonde,
There shuld he with his dart on
honde
Upon the tigre and the ledn


Purchace and make his venis6n,1
As to a knight is accordafint.
And therupon a covenaunt
This Chiro with Achilles set,
That every day withouten let
He shulde such a cruel beste
Or sle or wounden atte leste,
So that he might a token bring
Of blood upon his home coming.
And thus of that Chiro him taught
Achilles such an herte caught,
That he no more a leon drad
Whan he his dart on honde had
Than if a leon were an asse.
And that hathmade him for to passe
All other knightes of his dede,
Whan it cam to the grete nede,
As it was afterward wel knowe.
" Lo, thus, my sone, thou might
knowe
That the corage of hardiesse
Is of knighthode the prowesse,
Which is to Love suffisaunt
Aboven all the remenaunt
That unto Loves Court pursue.
But who that wol no Slouth eschue
Upon knighthode and nought travaile
I not what love him shuld availe,
But every labour axeth why
Of some reward, wherof that I
Ensamples couthd tel inough
Of hem that toward love drough
By olde daies, as they shulde." —
"My   fader, therof here  I
wolde.""  y sone, it is wel resondble
In place which is honourable
If that a man his herte sette,
That than he for no Slouthe lette
To do what longeth to manhede.
For if thou wolt the bokes rede
Of Launcelot and other mo,
Theremightthou seenhowitwastho


1 Vcnison, hunted game.




BOOK IV'.-SLOTH.


I99


Of armes, for they wvold atteigne
To Lov6 which withouten peine
Mayr nought be get of Idelnesse.
And that I take to witnesse
An old cronique in speciall,
The whiche into memoriall
Is write, for his loves sake
How that a knight shal undertake.
ber. mas a king, which Oenes
Was hoten and he under pees
Held Calidoine in his empire
And had a doughter Deianire;
Men wist in thilkd time none
So fair a wight as she was one.
And as she was a lusty wight,
Right so was than a noble knight,
To whom Mercuirie fader was.
This knight the two pillers of'bras,
The which6 yet a man may finde,
Set up in the desert of Ynde,
That was the worthy Hercules,
Whos name shall be endeles
For the merveiles which he wrought.
This Hercules the love sought
Of Deianire, and of his thing
Unto her fader which was king
He spake touch end of mariage.
The king knowend his high lignacge
And drad also his mightes sterne
To him   ne durst his doughter
werne1
And netheles, this he him saide,
How Achelous, er he, first preide
To wedden her, and in accorde
They stood, as it was of rec6rde.
But for all that this he him graunteth,
That which of hem that other
daunteth
In armes, him she shulde take,
And that the king hath undertake.
This Achelous was a geaunt,
A subtil man, a deceivaunt,
1 Werne, refuse.


Which through magique and sorcerie
Couth all the worlde of trecherie.
And whan that he this tale herde.
How upon that the king answerde,
With Hercules he muste feight,
He trusteth nought upon his sleight
Al onely, whan it cometh to nede;
But that which voideth alle drede
And every noble herte stereth,
The love that no life forbereth
For his lady whom he desireth,
With hardiesse his hertd fireth.
And send him word withoutd faile,
That he woll take the bataile.
They setten day, they chosen felde,
The knightes covered under shelde
To-gider come at timed sette
And eche one is with other mette.
It fel they foughten both on foot,
There was no stone, there was no
root,
Whiche mighte letten hem the wey,
But all was voide and take awev.
They smiten strokes but a fewe,
For Hercules, which wolde shewe
His gretd strengthe as forthe nones,
He stert upon him all at ones
And caught him in his armes
stronge.
This geaunt wote he may nought
longe
Endure under so harde bondes,
And thought he wold out of his
hondes
By sleight in some maner escape.
And as he couthe him self forshape,
In likenesse of an adder he slipte
Out of his honde and forth he
skipte;
And efte, as he that fight6 wolle,
He torneth him into a bolle
And gan to belwe in suche a soune,
As though the world shuld al go
doune.




200


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


The grounde he sporneth and he
traunceth,
His large hornes he avaunceth
And cast hem here and there
aboute.
But he which stant of hem no
doubte
Awaiteth wel whan that he cam
And him by bothe homes nam
And all at ones he him caste
Unto the grounde and held him
faste,
That he ne mighte with no sleight
Out of his hond get upon height,
Till he was overcome and yolde,
And Hercules hath what he wolde.
The kinge him graunteth to fulfille
His axing at his owne wille;
And she,for whom he hadde served,
Her thought he hath her wel deserved.
"( nea$ eke within Itaile
Ne had he wonne the bataile
And done his might so besily
Ayein king Turne his enemy,
He hadde nought Lavine wonne,
But for he hath him over ronne
And gete his pris, he gat her love.
" By these ensamples here above
Lo, now, my sone, as I have told,
Thou might wel se, who that is bold
And bar travaile and undertake
The cause of Love, he shall be take
The rather unto Loves grace;
For comunliche in worthy place
The women loven worthinesse
Of manhode and of gentilesse,
Forthegentils ben most desired.""<'  [ fabet, but I were enspired
Through lore of you, I wot no way
What gentilesse is for to say,
Wherof to telle I you beseche.""The ground, my sone, for to
seche
Upon this diffinicion


The worldes constitucion
Hath set the name of gentilesse
Upon the fortune of richesse,
Which of long time is falle in age.
Than is a man of high lignage
After the forme as thou might here
But no thing after the matere.
For who that reson understond
Upon richesse it may nought stond,
For that is thing which faileth ofte.
For he that stant to day alofte
And all the worlde hath in his
wones,1
To morwe he falleth all at ones
Out of richesse into pouerte;
So that therof is no deserte,
Which gentilesse maketh abide.
And for to loke on other side
How that a gentilman is bore,
Adam, whiche alle was to-fore
With Eve his wife, as of hem two,
All was aliche gentil tho;
So that of generacion,
To make declaraci6n,
There may no gentilesse be.
For to the reson if we se
Of mannes birthe the mesure,
It is so comun to nature,
That it yiveth every man aliche,
As well to the pouer as to the riche,
For naked they ben bore bothe;
The lorde hath no more for to clothe
As of him self that ilke throwe,
Than hath the pouerest of the rowe.
And whan they shullen bothe passe,
I not of hem whiche hath the lasse
Of worldes good, but as of charge
The lorde is more for to charge,
Whan God shall his accompte here.
For he hath had his lustes here.
But of the body which shall deie,
All though there be divers6 wey
To deth, yet is there but one ende,
To which that every man shallwende
1 Wones, dwellings.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


20I


As well the begger as the lorde
Of o I nature, of one accorde.
She, which our olde moder is,
The erth6 both6 that and this
Receiveth and alich devoureth,
That she to nouther part favoureth.
So wote I nothing after kinde,
Where I may gentilesse finde,
For lacke of vertue lacketh grace,
Wherof richesse in many place
Whan men best wen6 for to stonde
All sodeinly goth out of honde:
But vertue set in the corage,
There may no world be so salvage,
Which might it take and done away
Till whanne that the body deie;
And than he shall be riched so,
That it may faile nevermo.
So that may well be gentilesse,
Which yiveth so great a sikernesse,
For after the condici6n
Of resonable entenci6n,
The which out of the soule groweth
And the Vertue fro Vice knoweth,
Wherof a man the Vice eschueth
Withoute Slouth, and Vertue sueth,
That is a verray gentilman;
And nothing elles whiche he can
Ne which he hath, ne which he may.
But for all that yet now a day
In Loves Court to taken hede,
The pouer Vertue shall nought
spede,
Where that the riche Vice woweth.
For selde it is, that Love alloweth
The gentil man withouten good,
Though his conditi6n be good.
But if a man of bothe two
Be riche and vertuouis also,
Than is he well the more worth.
But yet to put him selve forth
He must done al his besinesse,
For nouther good ne gentilesse
May helpen hem whiche idel be.
1 0, one.


But who that woll in his degre
Travaile so as it belongeth,
It happeth ofte that he fongeth
Worship and ese bothe two.
For ever yet it hath be so,
That love honest in sondry wev
Profiteth, for it doth awey
The Vice, and as the bokes sain,
It maketh curteis to the vilain
And to the coward hardiesse
It yiveth, so that the verray prowesse
Is caused upon Loves reule
To him that can manhode reule,
And eke toward the womanhede,
Who that therof woll taken hede.
For they the better affaited be
In every thinge, as men may se,
For love hath ever his lust6s grene
In gentil folke, as it is sene,
Which thing there may no kind
areste.
I trowe, that there is no beste,
If he with love shulde acqueint,
That he ne wold6 make it queint
As for the while that it laste.
And thus I conclude att6 laste,
That they ben idel, as me semeth,
Whiche unto thing   that Love
demeth
Forslouthen that they shulden do;
And over this, my sone, also
After the Vertue morall eke
To speke of Love, if I shall seke,
Among the holy bokes wise,
I finde write in suche a wise
Who loveth nought is here as dede,
For Love above all other is hede,
Whiche hath the Vertues for to
lede,
Of all that unto mannes dede
Belongeth. For of idelship
He hateth all the felaship,
For Slouthe is ever to despise,
Whiche in disdeigne hath all apprise,




202


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


And that accordeth nought to man.
For he that wit and reson can,
It sit him wel that he travaile
Upon such thing which might availe,
For idelship is nought comended,
But every law it hath defended.1
And in ensample thereupon
The noble wise Salomon,
Whiche had of every thinge insight,
Saith: 'As the briddes to the flight
Ben mad6, so the man is bore
To labour,' whiche is nought forbore
To hem that thenken for to thrive.
For we, which6 nowe are alive,
Of hem that besy whilom were
Als wel in scole as elles where
Now every day ensample take,
That if it wer6 now to make
Thing which that they first founden
out,
It shold6 nought be brought about.
Her2 liv6s thanne were longe,
Her wittes great, her might6s
stronge,
Her hertes full of besinesse,
Wherof the worldes redinesse
In body both and in corage
Stant ever upon his avauntage.
And for to drawe into memoire
Her names both and her histoire,
Upon the vertu of her dede
In sondry bok6s thou might rede.
"o3f everL; wisbom the parfit
The highe God of his spirft
Yaf unto men in erthe here
Upon the forme and the matere
Of that he wolde make hem wise.
And thus cam in the first apprise
Of bokes and of alle good
Through hem that whilom understood
The lore which to hem was yive,
VTherof these other that now live
Ben every day to lerne new.
1 Defended, forbidden.  2 Her, their.


But er the time that men sue
And that the labour forth it brought,
There was no corn, though men it
sought,
In none of all the feldes oute.
And er the wisdom cam aboute
Of hem that first the bokes write,
This may wel every wise man wite,
There was great labour eke also.
Thus was none idel of the two:
That one the plough hath undertake
With labour which the hond hath
take;
That other toke to studie and muse
As he which wold6 nought refuse
The labour of his wittes alle.
And in this wise it is befalle
Of labour which that they begonne
We be now taught of that we conne.
Her besinesse is yet to sene,
That it stant ever aliche grene,
All be it so the body deie
The name of hem shall never awev.
In the croniques as I finde
Cham, whos labouir is yet in minde,
Was he which first the letters fonde
And wrote in Hebreu with hishonde,
Of natural philosophy
He found first also the clergy.
Cadmus the letters of Gregois
First made upon his owne chois.
Theges of thing which shal befalle
He was the first augure of alle.
And Philemon by the visage
Found to descrive the corage.
Claudius, Esdras and Sulpices,
Trismegist,   Pyth'g'ras,  Frige
Dares,'
Menander and Epicurus,
Solinus, Pandas, Josephus
1 Ste, sowed seed.
2 Frigidilles of the hMS. is evidently Phrygian Dares, whose Trojan Chronicle was then
of high authority. As Epicurus was a friend
of Menander's-they were born in the same
year-he must be the writer whom the MS.
calls Ephiloquorus.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH


20o3


The firste were of enditours
Of old cronique and eke auctot'rs.
And Herodot in his science
Of metre, of rime and of cadence
The firste was of which men note.
And of musique also the note
In mannes voise or softe or sharpe
ThatfoundeJubAl. Andof theharpe
The mery soune, whiche is to like,
That founde Paulius with phisique.
Zeuxis found first the portreture,
And Promethies the sculpture,
After what forme that hern thought
The   resemblaunce  anon  they
wrought.
Tubal in iron and in stele
Found first the forge and wrought
it wele,
And Jadahel, as saith the boke,
First made nette and fisshes toke.
Of hunting eke he found the chace,
Which now is knowe in manyplace;
A tent of cloth with corde and stake
He set up first and did it make.
Berconius of cokerie
First made the delicacie.
The craft Minerve of wolle fonde
And made cloth her owne honde.
And Delbora made it of line,1
The women were of great engine.2
But thing which yiveth us mete and
drinke
And doth the labour for to swinke
To till the londes and set the vines,
Wherof the cornes and the wines
Ben sustenaunce to mankinde,
In olde bokes as I finde,
Saturnus of his owne wit
Hath founde first, and more vit
Of chapmenhode he found the wey
And eke to coigne the money
Of sondry metal, as it is,
He was the firste man of this.
But how that metal cam a place
1 Line, linen.  2 Engfne, ingenuity.


Through mann6s wit and goddes
grace
The route of philosophres wise
Contreveden by sondry wise
First for to get it out of mine
And after for to trie and fine.
And also with great diligence
They founde thilke experience,
Which cleped is alconomy,1
Wherof the silver multiply
They made, and eke the golde also.
And for to telle howe it is so,
Of bodies seven in speciall
With foure spirits joint withall
Stant the substance of this matere.
The bodies whiche I speke of here
Of the planettes ben begonne.
The golde is titled to the Sonne,
The Mone of silver hath his part,
And iron that stond upon Mart,
The leed after Satorne groweth,
And Jupiter the brass bestoweth,
The copper set is to Vends,
And to his part Mercurius
Hath the quick silver, as it falleth,
The whiche after the boke it calleth
Is first of thilke foure named
Of spirites which ben proclaimed.
And the spirit, whiche is secounde
In sal ammoniak is founde.
The thridde spirit sulphur is,
The fourthe suende after this
Arsenicum by name is hote.
With blowing and with fires hote
In these thinges, whiche I say,
They worchen by diverse way.
For as the philos6phre tolde,
Of golde and silver they ben holde
Two principal extremities,
To whiche all other by degrees
Of the metalles ben accordauint.
And so through kinde resemblaunt,
That what man couthe awaie take
The rust of which they waxen blacke,
1 A conomy, alchemy.




204


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And the savouir of the hardnesse,
They shulden take the likenesse
Of golde or silver parfitly.
But for to worche it sikerly
Betwene the corps and the spirit,
Er that the metall be parfft,
In seven formes it is set
Of all. And if that one be let 1
The remenaunt may nought availe,
But other wise it may nought faile.
For they by whom this art was
founde,
To every point a certain bounde
Ordeignen, that a man may finde
This craft is wrought by wey of
kinde
So that there is no fallas inne.
But what man that this werk beginne,
He mote awaite at every tide,
So that nothfng be left aside.
First of the distillation
Forth with the congelation
Solucion, discention,
And kepe in his entention
The point of sublimation,
And forth with calcinati6n
Of verray approbation
Do that there be fixation
With tempred hetes of the fire,
Till he the parfit elixire
Of thilke philos6phres stone
May gete, of which that many one
Of philosophres whilom write.
And if thou wolt the names wite
Of thilke stone with other two
Whiche as the clerkes maden tho,
So as the bokes it recorden,
The kinde of hem I shall recorden.
"These olde philosophres wise
By wey of kinde in sondry wise
Thre stones made through clergy.2
The firste if I shall specify,
Was clepdd vegetabiZis,
1 Le!, impeded.  2 Clergy, learning.


Of which the propre vertue is
To mannes held for to serve
As for to kepe and to preserve
The body fro sikenesses alle,
Till deth of kinde upon him falle.
"The stone sec6nde I thee behote
Is lafiis animalis hote,
The whose vertue is propre and
couth
For ere and eye and nase andmouth,
Wherof a man may here and se
And smelle and taste in his degre.
And for to fele and for to go
It helpeth a man, of bothe two
The witteds five he underfongeth
To kepe as it to him belongeth.
" The thridde stone in speciall
By name is cleped minerall,
Which the metalles of every mine
Attempreth till that they ben fine,
And pureth hem by such a wey
That all the vice goth awey
Of rust, of stinke and of hardnesse.
And whan they ben of such clennesse,
This minerall, so as I finde,
Transformeth all the firste kinde
And maketh hem able to conceive
Through his vertue and to receive
Both in substaince and in figure
Of golde and silver the nature.
For they two ben thextremities
To whiche after the propreties
Hath every metal his desire
With helpe and comfort of the fire
Forth with this stone, as it is said,
Which to the Sonne and Moneis laid;
For to the redde and to the white
This stone hath power to profite,
It maketh multiplication
Of golde and the fixation
It causeth, and of his habite
He doth the werke to be parfite
Of thilke elixir: which men calle
Alconomy, as is befalle




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


205


To hem that whilom were wise.
But nowe it stant all otherwise.
They speken fast of thilke stone,
But how to make it now wot none
After the sothe experience.
And netheles great diligence
They setten upon thilke dede
And spillen more than they spede.
For alle way they finde a lette 1
Which bringeth in pouerte and dette
To hem, that rich6 were afore.
The loss is had, the lucre is lore,
To get a pound they spenden five,
I not how such a craft shall thrive
In the maner as it is used.
It were better be refused
Than for to worchen upon wene 2
In thing which stant nought as they
wene.
But noughtforthy, who thatitknewe,
The science of him self is trewe
Upon the forme as it was founded,
Wherof the names yet be grounded
Of hem that first it founden out.
And thus the fame goth about
To such as soughten besinesse
Of vertue and of worthinesse,
Of whom if I the names calle.
Hermes was one the first of alle,
To whom this art is most applied.
Geber therof was magnified
And Ortolan and Morien,
Among the which is Avicen,
Which found and wrote a great
partie
The practique of alconomie.
Whose bokes pleinly, as they stonde
Upon this craft, few understonde;
But yet to put hem in assay,
There ben full many now a day
That knowen litel what they mene.
It is nought one to wite and wene
In forme of wordes they it trete,
But yet they failen of beyete,


For of to moche or of to lite
There is algate found a wite,'
So that they folwe nought the line
Of the parfite medicine,
Which grounded is upon nature.
But they that writen the scripture
Of Greke, Arabe and of Caldee,
They were of suche auctorite,
That they first founden out the way
Of all that thou hast herd me say,
Wherof the cronique of her lore
Shall stonde in prise for evermore.
But toward oure marches here
Of the Latins, if thou wolt here
Of hem that whilom vertuous
Were and therto laborious,
Carmente made of her engine
The firste letters of Latine,
Of which the tunge Romain cam,
Wherof that Aristarchus nam
Forth with Donat and Dindimus
The firste reule of scole, as thus
How that Latin shall be compouned
And in what wise it shall be souned,
That every word in his degre
Shall stond upon congruite.
And thilke time at Rome also
Ther was Tullius Cicero
That writeth upon rethorique,
How that men shuld her wordes
pike
After the forme of eloquence,
Which is, men sain, a great prudence.
And after that out of Hebrew
Jerome, which the langage knew,
The Biblein which the laweis closed
Into Latine he hath transposed.
And many an other writer eke
Out of Caldee, Arabe and Greke
With great labour the bokes wise
Translateden. And otherwise
The Latins of hem self also
Her study at thilke time so
1 IWife, blame.


1 Lette, hindrance.    ' Wene, expectation.




206


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


With great travaile of scole toke
In sondry forme for to boke,
That we may take her evidences
Upon the lore of the sciences,
Of craftes bothe and of clergie;
Among the whiche in poesie
To the lovers Ovide wrote
And taught, if love be to hote,
In what maner it shulde akele.
" Forthy my sone, if that thou
fele,
That Love wringe the to sore,
Behold Ovide and take his lore."" My fader, if they mighte spede
My love, I wolde his bok6s rede.
And if they techen to restreigne
My love, it were an idel peine
To lerne a thing which may nought
be.
For lich unto the grene tre
If that men take his root awey,
Right so min herte shulde deie
If that my love be withdrawe.
Wherof touchend unto this sawe
There is but onely to pursue
My Love, and Idelship escheue. "" My gode song, soth to say,
If there be siker any way
To love, thou hast said the best.
For who that woll have all his rest
And do no travaile at the nede,
It is no reson that he spede
In Lov6s caus6 for to winne.
For he which dare nothing beginne,
I not what thinge he shulde acheve.
But over this thou shalt beleve,
So as it sit thee well to knowe,
That there ben other Vices slowe,
Which unto Love don great lette,
If thou thin hert upon hem sette.
Zowarb the slowe progeny
There is yet one of compaigny,
And he is cleped Sompnolence,
Which doth to Slouth his reverence
As he which is his chamberlein,


That many an hunderd time hath
lein
To slepe whan he shulde wake.
He hath with Love trewes take,
That wake who so wake will,
If he may couche adown his bill
He hath all wowed what him list,
That oft he goth to bed unkist
And saith, that for no druery
He woll nought leve his sluggardy.
For though no man it wold allowe,
To slepe lever than to wowe
Is his maner, and thus on nightes,
Whan he seeth the lusty knightes
Revelen where these women are,
Awey he skulketh as an hare
And goth tobed and laith himsofte;
And of his Slouth he dremeth ofte,
How that he sticketh in the mire,
And how he sitteth by the fire
And claweth on his bare shankes.
And how he climeth up the bankes
And falleth in the slades 1 depe.
But thannd who so take kepe
Whan he is fall in suche a dreme
Right as a ship ayein the strerne
He routeth with a slepy noise
And brustleth as a monk6s froise 2
Whan it is throwe into the panne.
And otherwhil6 seld6 whanne
That he may dreme a lusty sweven,
Him thenketh as though he were
in heven
And as the world were holy his;
And than he speketh of that and this
And maketh his exposition
After his disposition
Of that he wold, in such a wise
He doth to Love all his servise,
I not what thank he shall deserve.
But sone, if thou wolt Love serve,
I rede that thou do nought so.""Ha, gode fader, certes no.
I hadde lever by my trouth,
1 Slades, valleys.  ' Frise, pancake.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


207


Er I were set on such a Slouth
And bere such a slepy snout,
Bothe eyen of my hede were out.
For me were better fully deie
Than I of suche sluggardie
Had any name, God me shielde.
" For certes, fader Genius,
Yet unto now it hath be thus
At alle time if it befelle
So that I mightd come and dwelle
In placd there my lady were,
I was nought slow ne slepy there.
For than I dare well undertake,
That whan her list on nightes wake
Inchambre as to car6le anddaunce,
Me thenketh I may me more
avaunce
If I may gone upon her honde,
Than if I wonne a kinges londe.
For whan I may her hond beclippe,
\Vith such gladnesse I daunce and
skippe
Me thenketh I touche nought the
floor,
Theroo, which renneth on the moor,
Is thann6 nought so light as I.
So mow ye witen all forthf,
That for the time slepe I hate.
And whan it falleth other gate,
So that her like nought to daunce,
But on the dees to caste chaunce,
Or axe of Love some demaunde,
Or elles that her list commaunde
To rede and here of Troilus,Right as she wold, or so or thus,
I am all redy to consent.
And if so is, that I may hent
Somtime amonge a good leisfr,
So as I dare of my desir
I telle a part, but whan I prey,
Anone she biddeth me go my wey
And saith: ' It is fer in the night: '
And I swere, it is even light.
But as it falleth atte laste,
There may no worldes joie laste,


So mote I nedes fro her wende
And of my wacche make an ende.
And if she thanne hede toke
How pitouslich on her I loke,
Whan that I shall my leve take,
Her ought of mercy for to slake
Her daunger, which saith ever nay.
But he saith often, 'Have good day,'
That loth is for to take his leve.
Therfore while I may beleve,1
I tarie forth the night alonge.
For it is nought on me alonge
To slepe that I so soone go
Till that I mote algate so,
And thanne I bidd: ' God her se,'
And so down knelende on my kne
I take leve, and if I shall
I kisse her and go forth withall.
And other while, if that I dore,
Er I come fully atte dore,
I torne ayein and feigne a thing,
As though I hadde lost a ring
Or somwhat elles, for I wolde
Kisse her eftsone, if that I sholde.
But selden is, that I so spede.
And whan I se that I mot nede
Departen, I departe, and thanne
With all my herte I curse and
banne
That ever slepe was made for eye.
For as me thenketh I might drie y
Withoute slepe to waken ever
So that I shulde nought dissever
Fro her in whom is all my light.
And than I curse also the night
With all the will of my corage
And say: 'Away thou black ymage,
Which of thy derke cloudy face
Makest all the worldes light deface
And causest unto slepe a way,
By which I mot now gone away
Out of my ladies compaignie.
O slepy night, I thee defie,


1 Belevf, remain.      ' Dore, dare.
3 Drie. endure.




208


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And wolde that thou lay in presse
With Proserpine the goddesse
And with Pluto the helle king.
For till I se the daies spring,
I sette slepe nought at a risshe.'
And with that worde I sigh and
wisshe
And say: ' Ha, why ne were it day,
For yet my lady than I may
Beholde, though I do no more.
But slepe,-I not wherof it serveth,
Of which no man his thank deserveth
To get him love in any place,
But is an hindrer of his grace
And maketh hem dede as for a
throwe
Right as a stoke were overthrowe.
And so, my fader, in this wise
The slepy nightes I despise
And ever amiddes of my tale
I thenke upon the nightingale,
Which slepeth nought by wey of
kinde
For love, in bokes as I finde.
Thus atte last I go to bedde
And yet min herte lith to wedde
With her where as I came fro,
Though I departe hewoll nought so.
There is no lock may shet him out,
Him nedeth nought to gon about
That perce may the harde wal,
Thus is he with her overall.
And thus my selven I torment,
Til that the dede slepe me hent.
But thanne by a thousand score
Wel more than I was to-fore
I am tormented in my slepe,
But that I dreme is nought on shepe,
For I ne thenk6 nought on wulle,
But I am drecched 1 to the fulle
Of Love that I have to kepe,
That now I laugh and now I wepe
And now I lese and now I winne
1 Drecched, troubled, vexed.


And now I ende and now beginne.
And other while I dreme and mete,1
That I alone with her mete
And that Daunger is left behinde.
And than in slepe such joy I finde,
That I ne bede never awake.
But after, whan I hede take,
And shall arise upon the morwe,
Than is all torned into sorwe,
Nought for the cause I shall arise,
But for I mette 2 in suche a wise,
And atte last I am bethought,
That all is vein and helpeth nought,
But yet me thenketh by my wille
I wold have lay and slepe stille
To meten ever of such a sweven,3
For than I had a slepy heven.""My sone, and for thou tellest so,
A man may finde of time ago,
That many a sweven hath be certain,
All be it so that som men sain
That swevens ben of no credence.
But for to shewe in evidence
That they full ofte sothe thinges
Betoken, I thenke in my writinges
To telle a tale therupon,
Which fell by olde daies gone.
" jtis finbe ~ writen in poesy.
Ceix the king of Troceny
Hadde Alceon6 to his wife,
Which as her owne hert6s life
Him loveth. And he had also
A brother, which was cleped tho
Dedalion, and he par cas
Fro kinde of man forshape was
Into a goshauke for likenesse;
Wherof this king great hevinesse
Hath take and thought in his corage
To gone upon a pelrinage
Into a straunge region,
Where he hath his devoci6n
To done his sacrifice and prey
If that he might in any wey
1 Mete, dream.  2 Arette, dreamt.
3 Sweven, a dream.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


209


Toward the goddes finde grace
His brothers hele to purchace,
So that he mighte be reformed
Of that he hadde be transformed.
To this purpose and to this ende
This king is redy for to wende
As he which woldd go by ship.
And for to done him felaship
His wife unto the see him brought
Withall her herte, and him besought
That he the time her wold6 sain
Whan that he thoughte come ayein.
Within, he saith, two monthes day.
And thus in alle haste he may
He toke his leve and forth he saileth,
Wepend and she her self bewaileth
Andtorneth home there she camfro.
But whan the monthds were ago,
The which he set of his coming
And that she herdd no tiding,
There was no care for to seche
Wherof the goddes to beseche.
Tho she began in many a wise
And to Juno her sacrifice
Above all other most she dede
And for her lord she hath so hede
To wite and knowehowthatheferd,
That Juno the goddesse her herde
Anone, and upon this matere
She badde Yris her messagere
To Slepes hous that she shal wende
And bid him that he make an ende
By sweven, and shewe all the cas
Unto this lady how it was.
"This Yris fro the highe stage,
Whiche undertake hath the message,
Her reiny cope did upon,
The which was wonderly begone
With colours of divdrse hewe
An hunderd mo than men it knewe,
The heven liche unto a bowe
She bende, and she cam downe lowe
The God of Slepe where that she
fond,


And that was in a straunge lond
Which marcheth 1 upon Chimery.
For there, as saith the poesy,
The God of Slepe hath made his
hous,
\Vhiche of entaile is merveilous.
" Under an hill there is a cave
Which of the sonne may nought
have,
So that no man may knowe aright
The point betwene the day and
night.
There is no fire, there is no sparke,
There is no dor6 which may charke,2
Wherof an eye shulde unshet,
So that inward there is no let.
And for to speke of that withoute,
There stant no great tre nigh aboute,
Wheron there mighte crowe or pie
Alight6 for to clepe or crie.
There is no cock to crowd day,
Ne beste none which noisd may
The hille, but all aboute round
There is growend upon the ground
Poppy, which bereth the sede of
slepe,
With other herbds suche an hepe.
A stille water for the nones
Renndnd upon the smalle stones,
Which hight of Lethes the rivdr,
Under that hille in such maner
There is, which yiveth great appetite
To slepe. And thus ful of delite
Slepe hath his hous, and of his
couche
Within his chambre if I shall touche
Of hebenus that slepy tre
The bordes all aboute be,
And for he shulde slepe softe
Upon a fether bed alofte
He lith with many a pilwe of doun,
The chambre is strowed up and
doun
1 zarchetk, borders.  2 Charke, creak.
0




CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


210


With swevenes many a thousand
fold.
Thus came Yrfs into this holde
And to the bed, whiche is all black,
She goth, and ther with Slepe she
spake,
And in this wise as she was bede
The message of Jun6 she dede.
Full ofte her wordes she reherceth,
Er she his slepy eres perceth
With mochel wo. But atte laste
His slombrend eyen he upcaste
And said her, that it shal be do,
Wherof amonge a thousand tho
Within his hous that slepy were
In speciall he chese out there
Thre, whiche shulden do this dede.
The first of hem, so as I rede,
Was Morpheus, the whose nature
Is for to take the figure
Of that persone that him liketh,
Wherof that he ful ofte entrikethl
The life which slepe shal by night.
And Ithecus that other hight,
Which hath the vois of every soune,
The chere and the condiciouin
Of every life what so it is.
The thridde suend after this
Is Panthasas, which may transforme
Of every thing the righte forme
And chaunge it in another kinde.
Upon hem thre, so as I finde,
Of swevens stant all thMppar6nce,
Which other while is evidence
And other while but a jape.~
But netheles it is so shape,
That Morpheus by night alone
Appereth unto Alceone
In likenesse of her husebonde
Al naked dede upon the stronde,
And how he dreint 3 in speciall
These other two it shewen all.
The tempest of the blacke cloude
1 Entlriketh, deceives.  2 Jate, trick, jest.
3 Dreint, was drowned.


The wodel see, the windes loude
All this she met,' and sigh him
deien,
Wherof that she began to crien
Slepend abedde there she lay.
And with that noise of her affray
Her women sterten up aboute,
Whiche of her lady were in doubte
And axen her how that she ferde.
And she right as she sigh and herde
Her sweven hath tolde hem every
dele.
And they it halsen 3 alle wele
And sain, it is a token of good;
But til she wist how that it stood,
She hath no comfort in her herte.
Upon the morwe and up she sterte
And to the see where as she met 2
The body lay withoute lete
She drough, and whanne she cam
nigh
Starke dede, his armes sprad, she
sigh
Her lord fletend upon the wawe,
Wherof her wittes be withdrawe.
And she which toke of deth no kepe,
Anone forth lepte into the depe
And wold have caught him in her
arme.
This infortune of double harme
The goddes from the heven above
Beheld, and for the trouthe of love
Whiche in this worthy lady stood,
They have upon the salte' flood
Her dreinte lorde and her also
Fro deth to life torned so,
That they ben shapen into briddes
Swimmend upon the wawe amiddes.
And whan she sigh her lord livend
In likenesse of a bird swimmend,
And she was of the same sort,
So as she mighte do disport
Upon the joie which she hadde,


1 Wod6, raging.         2 Mfet, dreamed.
3 Halsen, embrace.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


^ I I


Herwinges both abrode she spradde
And him so as she may suffise
Beclipt and kist in suche a wise
As she was whilome wont to do.
Her winges for her arm6s two
She toke and for her lippes softe
Her harde bille, and so ful ofte
She fondeth in her briddes forme,
If that she might her self conforme
To do the plesaunce of a wife
As she did in that other life.
Forthough shehaddeher power lore
Her will stood as it was to-fore,
And serveth him so as she may.
Wherof into this ilke day
To-gider upon the see they wone,1
Where many a doughter and a sone
They bringen forth of briddes
kinde.
And for men shulden take in minde
This Alceon the trewe' quene,
Her briddes yet as it is sene
Of Alceon 2 the namd bere.
"Lo thus, my sone, it may thee
stere
Of swevens for to take kepe;
For oft6 time a man a slepe
May se what after shall betide.
ForthS; it helpeth at some tide
A man to slepe as it belongeth;
But Slouthe no life underfongeth
Whiche is to Love appertenaunt."" My fader, upon the covenaunt
I dare wel make this avowe,
Of alle my life into nowe
Als fer as I can understonde
Yet took I never slepe on honde
Whan it was time for to wake,
For though min eye it wolde take,
Min herte is ever there ayein.
But nethdles to speke it plein
All this that I have said you here
Of my wakinge, as ye may here,
It toucheth to my lady swete,
1 Wone, dwell.  2 Alceon, halcyon.


For other wise I you behete.1
In straunge place whan I go
Me list no thing to wake6 so.
For whan the women listen play
And I her se nought in the way
Of whome I shulde merthe take,
Me list nought longe for to wake
But if it be for pure shame
Of that I wolde escheue a name,
That they ne shuld have cause none
To say: ' Ha, where goth such one
That hath forlore his contenaunce,'
And thus among I singe and daunce
And feigne lust thereas none is.
For ofte sith I fele this,
Of thought which in min herte
falleth,
Whan it is night min hede appalleth,2
And that is for I se her nought
Whiche is the waker of my thought.
And thus as timelich as I may
Ful oft, whan it is brode day,
I take of all these other leve
And go my wey, and they beleve
That seen par cas her loves there,
And I go forth as nought ne were
Unto my bed, so that alone
I may there ligge, sigh and grone
And wisshen all the longe night,
Til that I see the daies light.
I not if that be Sompnolence,
But upon youre conscience,
Min holy fader, demeth ye.""My sone, I am well paid 4 with
the,
Of slepe that thou the sluggardy
By night in loves compaignie
Eschued hast, and do thy pain
So that thy love dare nought pleine.
But only slepe helpeth kind
Somtime in phisique as I finde,
1 Iyoiu behete, I promise you.
2 Atppalleth, becomes weak.
3 Beleve, remain.
4 Paid, pleased.




212


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Whan it is take by mesure,
But he which can no slepe mesure
Upon the reule as it belongeth
Ful ofte of sodein chauncehefongeth
Suche infortune that him greveth.
But who these olde bokes leveth
Of Sompnolence howe it is write,
There may a man the sothe wite,
If that he wolde ensample take,
That other while is good to wake;
Wherof a tale in poesy
I thenke for to specify.
" @tibe' efetef in his sawes,
How Jupiter by old6 dawes
Lay by a maidd whiche Yo
Was cleped, wherof that Juno
His wife was wrothe and the goddesse
Of Yo torneth the likenesse
Into a cow to gon there oute
The larg6 feldes all aboute
And gette her mete upon the grene.
And therupon this highe quene
Betoke her Argus for to kepe,
For he was selden wont to slepe;
And yet he had an hunderd eyen,
And all alich6 wel they sighen.
Now herke how that he was beguiled.
Mercury, which was all affiled 1
This cow to stele, he camedesguised
And had a pipe wel devised
Upon the notes of musique,
Wherof he might his er6s like.
And over that he had affaited
His lusty tales and awaited
His time. And thus into the felde
He came, where Argus he behelde
With Yo, which beside him went.
With that his pipe anon he hent
And gan to pipe in his manere
Thing which was slepy for to here.
And in his piping ever amonge
He tolde him such a lusty songe,
Affled, adapted.


That he the fool hathbrought aslepe,
There was none eye that might
kepe
His hede, which Mercury of-smote.
And forth withall anone foot hote
He stale the cow whiche Argus
kepte,
And all this fel for that he slepte.
Ensample it was to many mo,
That mochel slepe doth ofte wo
Whan it is timd for to wake.
For if a man this Vice take
In Sompnolence and him delite,
Men shuld upon his dore write
His epitaphe and on his grave,
For he to spille and nought to save
Is shape as though he wer6 dede.
( Forthy my sone, hold up thin
hede
And let no slepe thin eye englue,
But whan it is to reson due."" My fader, as touchend of this
Right so as I you tolde it is,
That ofte abedde whan I sholde
I may nought slepe though I wolde.
For Love is ever fast6 by me,
Which taketh none hede of due timd,
For whan I shall min eyen close,
Anone min hert he woll oppose
And hold his scole in such a wise
Till it be day that I arise,
That selde it is whan that I slepe.
And thus fro Sompnolence I kepe
Min eye. And forthy if there be
Ought ellds more in this degre
Now axeth forth."-" My sone, yis.
For Slouth6, whiche as moder is
The forth drawer and the norfce
To man of many a dredful Vice,
Hath yet another, last of alle,
Which many a man hath made to
falle
Where that he might never arise,
Wherof for thou thee shalt avise
Er thou so with thy self misfare,




rT- /I /T~' ~ X   r ~ 7   r / '   TT


D. LJUifk I V


WVhat Vice it is I woll declare.
'"aban,toutb hath don all
that he may
To driv6 forth the longd day,
Till it becom6 to the nede,
Than atte last upon the dede
He loketh how his time is lore,
And is so wo begone therfore
That he within his thought conceiveth
Tristesse, and so him self deceiveth
That he Wanhope 1 bringeth inne,
Where is no comfort to beginne.
But every joy him is deslaied,
So that within his herte affraied
A thousand time with one breth
Wep6nd he wissheth after deth,
Whan he Fortune6 fint adverse.
For than he woll his hope reherse,
As though his world were all forlore,
And saith, ' Alas, that I was bore,
How shall I A^? how shall I do?
For now For e is thus my fo,
I wot well God me woll nought
helpe,
What shulde I than of joies yelpe,2
Whan there no bote 3 is of my care;
So overcast is my welfare,
That I am shapen all to strife;
Helas, that I nere of this life,
Er I be fullich overtake!'
And thus he woll his sorwe make,
As God him might6 nought availe.
But yet ne woll he nought travaile
To helpe him self at suche a nede,
But sloutheth under suche a drede
Whiche is affermed in his herte
Right as he mighte nought asterte
The worldes wo which he is inne.
Also whan he is falle in sinne,
Him thenketh he is sofercoulpible,
That god woll nought be merciable
So great a sinn6 to foryive,.-OLJu In.                  2I3
And thus he leveth to be shrive.
And if a man in thilk6 throwe
Wold him counseile, he wol nought
knowe
The soth6, though a man it finde.
For Tristesse is of suche a kinde,
That for to mainten his foly,
He hath with him obstinacy,
Which is within of suche a Slouth
That he forsaketh alle trouth
And woll unto no reson bowe.
And yet ne can he nought abowe 1
His owne skille, but of hede
Thus dwineth 2 he till he be dede,
In hindring of his owne estate.
For where a man is obstinate,
Wanhope folweth atte laste,
Whiche maynoughtlonge afterlaste
Till Slouthe make of him an ende.
But God wot whiderhe shall wende!
"My sone, and right in such
manere,
There be lovers of hevy chere,
That sorwen more than is nede,
Whan they be taried of her spede
And conne nought hem selven rede,
But lesen hope for to spede
And stinten love to pursue.
And thus they faden hide and hewe
And lustles in her hertes waxe.
Herof it is that I wolde axe,
If thou, mysone, arte one of tho?""Ha, gode fader, it is so,
Outtake o point, I am beknowe,3
For elles I am overthrowe
In all that ever ye have saide;
My sorwe is evermore unteide
And secheth over all my veines.
But for to counseile of my peines,
I can no bote do therto.
And thus withouten hope I go,
So that my wittes ben empeired
And I as who saith am dispeired
1 Abowe, maintain.
' Dwivneth, wastes, pines.
3 I confess, except as to one point.


1 Fanhope, despair.  '2. Yle, boast.
3 oate, remedy.




214


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


To winne love of thilke swete,
Withoute whom, I you behete,
Min herte that is so bestadde
Right inly never may be gladde.
For by my trouth I shall nought lie
Of pure sorwe whiche I drie 1
Forthatshe saith she willme nought,
With drecchinge2 of min owne
thought
In suche a Wanhope I am falle,
That I ne can unnethes calle
As for to speke of any grace
My ladies mercy to purchdce.
But yet I saie nought for this
That all in my default it is
That I cam never yet in stede
Whan time was, that I my bede
Ne saide and as I dorste tolde.
But never found I that she wolde
For ought she knewe of min entent
To speke a goodly worde assent.
And netheles this dare I say,
That if a sinfull wolde prey
To God of his foryivenesse
With half so great a besinesse
As I have do to my lady
In lack of axing of mercy,
He shulde never come in helle.
And thus I may you sothly telle,
Sauf only that I crie and bidde,
I am in Tristesse all amidde
And fulfilled of desperaunce.
And therof yef me my penaunce,
Mmin holy fader, as you liketh."" My sone, of that thin hertesiketh
With sorwe might thou nought
amende,
Till Love his grace woll thee sende,
For thou thin owne cause empeirest
What time as thou thy selfdespeirest.
I not what other thinge availeth
Of hope whan the herte faileth,
For suche a sore is incurable,
And eke the goddes ben vengedble,
1 Drie, endure.  2 Drccchinge, vexing.


And that a man may right well
frede,1
These olde bokes who so rede
Of thing which hath befalle er this,
Now here, of what ensample it is.
-'3ilom by old6 daies fer
Of Mese was the king Theucer,
Whiche had a knight to sone Iphis.
Of love and he so mastred is,
That he hath set all his coraige
As to reward of his ligndge
Upon a maide of lowe estate.
But though he were a potestate
Of worldes good, he was subgit
To love and put in suche a plite
That he excedeth the mesure
Of reson, that him self assure
He can nought. For the more he
praid,
The lasse love on him she laid.
He was with love unwise constreigned,
And she with reson was restreigned.
The lustes of his herte he sueth,
And she for drede shame eschueth,
And as she shulde, toke good hede
To save and kepe her womanhede.
And thus the thing stood in debate
Betwene his lust and her estate,
He yaf, he send, he spake by mouth,
But yet for ought that ever he couth
Unto his spede he found no wey,
So that he cast his hope awey.
Within his hert he gan despeire
Fro day to day and so empeire
That he hath lost all his delite
Of lust, of slepe, of appetite,
That he through strength of love
lasseth,
His wit and reson overpasseth
As he whiche of his life ne rought.2
His deth upon him self he sought,
So that by night his wey he nam,
There wiste none where he becam.
1 Frede, feel.  2 Rought, recked.




BOOK IV.-SLOTH.


2I5


The night was derk, there shone
no mone,
To-fore the gates he cam sone,
Where that this yonge maiden was,
And with this wofull w\orde, 'Helas,'
His dedly pleint6s he began
So stille that there was no man
It herde, and than he saidd thus:
'  thou Cupide, 0 thou Venus,
Fortuined by whose ordenaunce
Of love is every mannes chaunce,
Ye knowen all min hole hert,
That I ne may your hond astert,
On you is ever that I crie,
And you deigneth nought to plie
Ne toward me your ere encline.
Thus for I se no inedicine
To make an ende of my quarele,
My deth shall be in stede of hele.
Ha, thou my wofull lady dere,
Which dwellest with thy fader here
And slepest in thy bedde at ese,
Thou wost nothing of my disese,
How thou and I be now unmete.
Ha lord, what sweven shalt thou
mete?
What dremes hast thou now on
honde?
Thou slepest there, and I here
stonde,
Though I no deth to thee deserve.
Here shall I for thv love sterve,
Here shall I a kings sone deie
For love and for no felony;
Where thou therof have joy orsorwe,
Here shalt thou se me dede to
morwe.
0 herte hard aboven alle,
This deth, which shall to me befalle,
For that thou wol nought do my
grace.
Yet shall be tolde in many a place;
That I am dede for love and trouth
In thy defaulte and in thy slouth,
Thy daunger shall to many mo


Ensample be for evertmo,
Whan they my wofull deth recorde.'
And with that worde he toke a corde
\With which upon the gate tre
He henge him self, that was pite.
The morwe cam, the night is gone,
Men comen out and sigh anone,
Where that this yong6 lord was dede.
There was an hous withoute rede,
For no man knewe the causd why,
There was wepinge, there was cry.
This maiden, whan that she it herde
And sigh this thing howe it misferde,
Anone she wist6 what it ment,
And all the cause how it went
To all the world she tolde it out
And preith to hem that were about
To take of her the vengeauince,
For she was cause of thilke chaunce
Why that this kinges sone is spilt.1
She taketh upon her self the gilt
And is all redy to the peine
Whiche any man herwold ordeigne,
And but if any other wolde,
She saith, that she her selve sholde
Do wreche with her owne honde,
Through out the woride in every
londe
That every life 2 therof shall speke
How she her self it shuld6 wreke.
She wepeth, she crieth, she swouneth
ofte,
She cast her eyen up alofte
And said among full pitously:
0 god, thou wost wel it am I,
For whom Iphis is thus beseine,
Ordeignd so, that men may saine
A thousand winter after this,
How suche a maiden did amis,
And as I didd6 do to me
For I ne didde no pite
To him which for my love is lore,
Do no pite to me therfore.'
1 S5'ilt, destroyed.  ' Life, body.




216


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And with this word she fell to
grounde
A swoune, and there she lay
astounde.
" The goddes, which her pleintes
herd
And sigh how wofully she ferd,
Her life they toke awey anone
And shopen her into a stone
After the forme of her ymage
Of body both and of visage.
And for the merveile of this thing
Unto this place came the king
And eke the quene and many mo,
And whan they wisten it was so,
As I have tolde it here above,
How that Iphis was dede for love
Of that he hadde be refused,
They helden alle men excused
Andwondren upon the vengeauince.
And for to kepe remembraunce
This faire ymage maiden liche,
With compaignie noble and riche
With torche and great solempnite
To Salamine the cite,
They lede and carie forth withall
This dede corps, and saine it shall
Beside thilke ymage have
His sepulture and be begrave.1
This corps and this ymaige thus
Into the cite to Venus,
Where that goddesse her temple
had,
To-gider bothe two they lad.
This ilke ymage as for miracle
Was set upon an high pinacle
That alld men it mighte knowe,
And under that they maden lowe
A tombe riche for the nones
Of marbre and eke of jaspre stones,
Wherin that Iphis was beloken
That evermore it shall be spoken.
And for men shall the sothe wite
They have her epitaphe write
1 Begrave, buried.


As thing which shulde abide stable,
The letters graven in a table
Of marbre were and saiden this:
'Here lith, which sloughe him self,
Iphis
For love of Araxarathen,
And in ensample of tho women
That suffren men to deie so,
Her forme a man may se also,
How it is torned flesshe and bone
Into the figure of a stone.
He was to neisshl and she to harde,
Beware forthy here afterwarde,
Ye men and women, bothe two,
Ensampleth you of that was tho.'
"Lo thus, my sone, as I thee say
It greveth by diverse way
In Desespeire a man to falle,
Which is the laste braunch of alle
Of Slouthe, asthouhast herd devise,
Wherof that thou thy self avise
Good is, er that thou be deceived
Wher that the grace of hope is
weived."" My fader, how so that it stonde,
Now have I pleinly understonde
Of Slouthe's Court the properte,
Wherof touchend in my degre
For ever I thenke to beware.
But over this so as I dare
With all min hert I you beseche,
That ye me wolde enforme and teche,
What there is more of your apprise
In Love als well as otherwise,
So that I may me clene shrive."My sone, while thou art alive
And hast also thy fulle minde,
Among the Vices, which I finde,
There is yet one such of the Seven
Which all this world hathsetuneven
And causeth many thinges wronge
Where he the cause hath underfonge;
Wherof hereafter thou shalt here
The forme bothe and the matere.
1 Neissh, delicate.




00oot IT.
OF AVARICE.


'Frirst whan the highe God began
This worlde and that the kind
of man
Was fall into no gret encress,
For worldes good was tho 1 no press
But all was set to the comune,
They speken than of no fortune
Or for to lese or for to winne,
Till Avarice brought it inne.
And that was whan the world was
woxe
Of man, of hors, of shepe, of oxe,
And that men knewen the money,
Tho wente pees out of the wey
And werre came on every side,
Whiche alle love laid aside
And of comun his propre made,
So that in stede of shovel and spade
The sharpe swerd was take on honde.
And in this wise it cam to londe
Wherof men maden diches depe
And highe walles for to kepe
The gold which Avarice encloseth.
But all to litel him supposeth,
Though he might all the world purchase.
For what thing that he mayembrace
Of golde, of catel or of londe,
He let it never out of his honde,
But get him more and halt it fast,
As though the world shuld ever last.


So is he lich unto the helle,
For as these olde bokes telle,
What cometh ther in lass or more
It shall departe nevermore.
Thus whan he hath his cofre loken,
It shall nought after ben unstoken 1
But whan him list to have a sight
Of gold, how that it shineth bright,
That he theron may loke and muse,
For otherwise he dare nought use
To take his part or lasse or more.
So is he pouer, and evermore
Him lacketh that he hath inough.
An oxe draweth in the plough
Of that him self hath no proffte,
A shep right in the same plite
His wolle bereth, but on a day
An other taketh the flees away.
Thus hath he, that he nought ne
hath,
For he therof his part ne tath,2
To say how suche a man hath good
Who so that reson understood
It is unproperliche said;
That good hath him and halt him
taid 3
That he ne gladdeth noughtwithall,
But is unto his good a thrall
And a subgit; thus serveth he
Where that he shulde maister be:


1 Tho, then.


1 Unstooken, unbarred.    2 Tath, taketh.
< Taid, tied.




218


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Suche is the kinde of thavarous.
" My sone, as thou art amorous,
Tell if thou fare of Love so."" My fader, as it semeth, no,
That avarous yet never I was,
So as ye setten me the cas.
For as ye tolden here above
In full possession of love
Yet was I never here to-fore,
So that me thenketh well therfore
I may excuse well my dede.
But of my will withoute drede
If I that tresor mighte gete
It shulde never be foryete
That I ne wolde it faste holde,
Till God of Love him selv6 wolde
That deth us shuld departe atwo.
For leveth well, I love her so,
That even with min owne life,
If I that swete lusty wife
Might ones welden at my wille,
For ever I wold holde her stille.
And in this wise, taketh kepe,
If I her had I wolde her kepe;
And yet no friday wolde I fast,
Though I her kepte and helde fast.
Fy on the bagges in the kist,
I had inough if I her kist.
For certes if she were min,
I had her lever than a mine
Of gold, for all this worldes riche
Ne mightd make me so riche
As she, that is so inly good
I sette nought of other good;
For might I gett6 such a thing,
I had a tresor for a king,
And though I wolde it faste holde,
I wer6 thanne wel beholde.
But I might pip6 now with lasse
And suffre that it overpasse,
Nought with my will, for thus I
wolde
Ben avarous if that I sholde.
But fader, I you herde say,
How thavarouis hath yet some way,


Wherof he may be glad.  For he
May, whan him list, his tresor se
And grope and fele it all aboute.
But I full ofte am shet theroute,
There as my worthy tresor is,
So is my life lich unto this
That ye me tolden here to-fore,
How that an oxe his yoke hath bore
For thing that shulde him nought
availe;
And in this wise I me travaile.
For who that ever hath the welfare
I wot wel that I have the care,
For I am had and nought ne have
And am as who saith loves knave.
Now demeth in your owne thought,
If this be avarice or nought.""My sone, I have of thee no
wonder,
Though thou to serve be put under
With Love, which to kinde accordeth.
But so as every boke recordeth,
It is to finde no plesaunce
That man above his sustenaunce
Unto the gold shall serve and bowe,
For that may no resdn avowe.
But Avarice neth6les,
If he may geten his encres
Of gold, that wold he serve and
kepe,
For he taketh of nought ell6s
kepe,
But for to fille his bagges large;
And all is to him but a charge,
For he ne parteth nought withall,
But kepeth it as a servaunt shall,
And thus though that he multiply
His gold6, without tresory
He is, for man is nought amended
With gold but if it be despended
To mannes use, wherof I rede
A tale and take therof good hede
Of that befell by olde tide,
As telleth us the clerke Ovide.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


219


3iact)us, which is the god of
wine,
Accordant unto his divine
A prest the which Cillenus hight
He had, and fell so, that by night
This prest was drunke and goth
astraied.
Wherof the men were evil apaied
In Phrigilond, where as he went.
But atte last a cherle him hent
With strength of other felaship,
So that upon his drunkeship
They bounden him with cheines
faste
And forth they lad him also faste
Unto the king, which highte Mide.
But he that wolde his Vice hide
This curteis king toke of him hede
And bad, that men him shulde lede
Into a chambre for to kepe,
Till he of leiser hadde slepe.
And tho thisprestwas soneunbound
And up a couche fro the ground
To slepe he was laid soft inough.
And whan he woke, the king him
drough
To his presence and did him chere,
So that this prest in such manere
While that him liketh ther he
dwelleth,
And al this he to Bachus telleth
Whan that he cam to him ayein.
And whan that Bachus herdd sain
How Mide hath done his curtesy,
Him thenketh, it were a vilany
But he reward him for his dede,
So as he might of his godhede.
Unto this king this god appereth
And clepeth, and that other hereth.
This god to Mide thonketh faire
Of that he was so debonaire
Toward his prest, and bad him say
What thinge it were he wold6 pray
He shulde it have, of worldes good.
This king was glad and stille stood


And was of his axinge in doubte
And all the worlde he cast aboute,
IWhat thing was best for his estate.
And with him self stood in debate
Upon thre pointes, which I finde
Ben levest unto mannes kinde.
The first of hem it is delite,
The two ben worship and profite.
And than he thought, if that I crave
Delite, though I delite may have,
Delite shall passen in my age;
That is no siker avauntage.
For every joie bodely
Shall ende in wo, delite fortlh
Woll I nought chese. And if worship
I axe and of the world lordship,
That is an occupation
Of proude ymaginati6n,
Which maketh an hertd vein withinne j
There is no certain for to winne,
For lorde and knave is all o wey
Whan they be bore and whan they
deie.
And if I profite axe wolde,
I not in what maner I sholde
Of worldes good have sikernesse,
For every thefe upon richesse
Awaiteth for to robbe and stele.
Such good is cause of harmes fele;
And also though a man at ones
Of all the world within his wones1
The tresor might have every dele,
Yet had he but one mannes dele
Toward him self, so as I thinke,
Of clothing and of mete and drinke,
For more, out tak6 vanit6,
There hath no lord in his degre.
And thus upon these points
diverse
Diverselich he gan reherce,
What point it thought him for the
best.
But pleinly for to get him rest
1 i!gones, dwellings.




220


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


He can no siker waie cast,
And netheles yet atte laste
He fell upon the covetise
Of gold, and than in sondry wise
He thought, as I have said to-fore,
How tresor may be sone lore,
And hadde an inly great desir
Touchende of such recoverir,
How that he might his cause availe
To gete him gold withoute faile.
Within his hert and thus he preiseth
The gold, and saith how that he
peiseth
Above all other metal most.
The gold, he saith, may lede an
hoste
To make werre ayein a king,
The gold put under alld thing
And set it whan him list above,
The gold can make of hatd love
Andwerreof pees and right of wrong
And long to short and short to long.
Withoutd gold may be no fest,
Gold is the lord of man and best
And may hem bothe beie and selle,
So that a man may sothly telle
That all the world to golde obeieth.
'"Forth~ this king to Bachus
preieth
To graunt him gold, but he excedeth
Mesure mord than him nedeth.
Men tellen, that the malady,
Which cleped is ydropesy
Resembled is unto this Vice
By way of kinde of Avarice.
The more ydropesie drinketh,
The more him thursteth, for him
thinketh
That he may never drink his fille.
So that there may no thing fulfille
The lustes of his appetite,
And right in such a maner plite
Stant Avarice and ever stood;
The more he hath of worldes good,


The more he wolde it kepe streite
And ever more and more coveite,
And right in such condicion
Without6 good discrecion
This king with Avarice is smitte,
That all the worlde it mighte witte.
For he to Bachus thanne preide,
That therupon his honde he leide,
It shulde through his touche anone
Become gold; and therupon
This god him graunteth as he bad.
Tho was this kinge of Phrige glad.
And for to put it in assay
With all the haste that he may
He toucheth that, he toucheth this,
And in his hond all gold it is;
The stone, the tre, the leef, the gras,
The flour, the fruit, all gold it was.
Thus toucheth hewhile he maylaste
To go, but hunger attd laste
Him toke so, that he must nede
By wey of kinde his hunger fede.
The cloth was laid, the bord was set
And all was forth to-fore him set
His dissh, his cup, his drink, his
mete,
But whan he wolde or drinke or ete
Anone as it his mouth cam nigh
It was all gold, and than he sigh
Of Avarice the folie.
And he with that began to crie
And preide Bachus to foryive
His gilt and suffre him for to live
And be such as he was to-fore,
So that he were nought forlore.
This god which herd of this grevauince
Toke routhe upon his repentauince
And bad him go forth redely
Unto a flood was faste by,
The which Pactole thanne hight,
In whiche als clene as ever he might
He shuld him wasshen overall,
And said him thanne that he shall
Recover his first estate ayein.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


22


This king right as he herde sain
Into the flood goth fro the lond
And wissh him bothe fote and hond,
And so forth all the remenaunt
As him was set in covenaunt.
And than he sigh merveiles straunge,
The flood hiscolourgan to chaunge,
The gravel with the smale stones
To gold they torne both atones,
And he was quite of that he hadde,
And thus Fortunehis chaunce ladde.
And whan he sigh his touch awey,
He goth him home the righte we)
And liveth forth as he did er
And put all Avarice afer
And the richesse of gold despiseth
And saith, that mete and cloth
suffiseth.
Thus hath this king experience,
How fooles done the reverence
To gold, which of his owne kinde
Is lasse worth than is the rinde
To sustenaunce of mannds food.
And than he made lawes good
And all his thing set upon skille,
He bad his people for to tille
Her lond and live under the lawe,
And that theyshulde also forth drawe
Bestaile and seche none encrees
Of gold, whiche is thebreche of pees.
For this a man may finde write,
To-fore the time, er gold was smite
In coigne, that men the florein
knewe,
There was welnighe no man untrewe.
Tho was there nouther shield ne
spere
Ne dedly wepen for to bere;
Tho was the town withouten walle,
Whiche nowe is clos6d over alle;
Tho was there no brocage in lond,
Which now taketh every cause on
hond.
So may men knowe how the florein
Was moder first of malengin


And bringer in of alle werre,
Wherof this world stant out ofherre.1
Through the counseil of Avarice,
Whiche of his owne proprd Vice
Is as the helle wonderful,
For it may nevermore be full,
That what as ever cometh therinne
Awey ne may it never winne.
" But sone min, do thou nought so,
Let all suche Avarice go
And take thy part of that thou hast.
I bidde nought that thou do wast,
But hold largesse in his mesuire.
And if thou se a creatuire,
Which through pouerte is falle in
nede,
Yef him some good, for this I rede
To him that wol nought yeven here
What peinehe shal have elles where.
There is a pein amonges alle
Benethe in helle, which men calle
The wofull peine of Tantaly,
Of which I shall thee redely
Devise how men therin stonde.
In helle thou shalt understonde
There is a flood of thilk office,
Which serveth all for Avarice.
What man that stonde shall therinne
He stant up even to the chinne,
Above his hede also there hongeth
A fruit which to that peine longeth,
And that fruit toucheth ever in one
His overlippe, and therupon
Such thirst and hunger him assaileth,
That never his appetite ne faileth.
But whan he wolde his hunger fede
The fruit withdraweth him at nede,
Andthoughhe hevehis hedeon high
The fruit is ever aliche nigh,
So is the hunger wel the more.
And also though him thurste sore
And to the water bowe adown,
The flood in such condicion
1 Unhinged.




22


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Avaleth, that his drinke arecche
He may nought. Lo now, whiche
a wreche,
That meteand drinkeis him so couth
And yet ther cometh none in his
mouth!
Lich to the peines df this flood
Stant Avarice in worldes good,
He hath inough and yet himnedeth,
For his scarcenesse it himforbedeth
And ever his hunger after more
Travaileth him aliche sore,
So is he peindd overall.
Forthy thy good6s forth withal,
My sone, lok6 thou despende,
Wherof thou might thy self amende
Both here and eke in other place.
And also if thou wolt purchace
To be beloved, thou must use
Largesse, for if thou refuse
To yive for thy loves sake,
It is no reson that thou take
Of love that thou woldest crave.
Forth~ if thou wolt grace have,
Be graciouls and do largesse,
Of Avarice and 2 the sikenesse
Escheue above all other thinge,
Andtake ensample ofMidethekinge
And of the flood of helle also,
Where is inough of alle wo.
And though there were no matere
But onely that we finden here,
Men oughten Avarice eschue;
For what man thilke Vice sue,
He gete him self but litel rest.
For how so that the body rest,
The hert upon the gold travAileth,
Whom many a nightes drede assaileth.
For though he ligge a bedde naked,
His herte is evermore awaked
And dremeth as he lith to slepe
1 Avaleth, goes lower.
2 Of Avarice and, &c.; And Escheue, &c.
See note, page 6r. This construction is frequent throughout the poem.


How besy that he is to kepe
His tresor, that no thefe it stele;
Thus hath he but a wofull wele.
And right so in the same wise,
If thou thy self wolt wel avise,
There be lovers of suche inow,
That wollen unto reson bowe
If so be that they come above,
Whan they ben maisters of her love
And that they shulden be most glad
With love, they ben most bestad,
So fain they wolden holde it all.
Her herte, her eye is overall,
And wenen every man be thefe
To stele awey that hem is lefe;
Thus through her owne fantasy
They fallen into jelousy.
Than hath the ship to-brokhis cable
With every winde and is mev-,ble." I" My fader, for that ye now telle,
I have herd oftetime telle
Of Jelousy, but what it is
Yet understode I never er this.
Wherfore I wolde you beseche,
That yeme wolde enforme andteche
What maner thing it mighte be.""     T, sone, that is hard to me,
But netheles as I have herd
Now herke, and thou shalt be
answerd.
Among the men lack of manhode
In maridge upon wif-hode
Maketh that a man him self deceiveth,
Wherof it is that he conceiveth
That ilke unsely malady,
The whiche is cleped Jelous',
Of whiche if I the proprete
Shall telle after the nicete
So as it worcheth on a man,A fever it is cotidian,
Whiche every day wol come aboute
Where so a man be in or oute,
I And is to be moved by every wind.




T rIr - T T   A TX  A n rT/i r


UJL/JU\ Y.

At home if that a man wol wone
This fever is than of comun wone
Most grevous in a mann6s eye,
For than he maketh him tote and
pry;
Where so as ever his love go,
She shall nought with her litel toe
Misteppe, but he se it all.
His eye is walkend overall,
Where that she singe or that she
daunce,
He seeth the leste countenaunce;
If she loke on a man aside
Or with him rowne at any tide,
Or that she laugh or that she loure,
His eye is there at every houre.
And whan it draweth to the night,
If she than be withoute light,
Anone is all the gamd shent.
For than he set his parlement
To speke it whan he cometh to bed
And saith: 'If I were now to wed,
I wolde never more have wife.'
And so he torneth into strife
The lust of lov6s duetd
And al upon diversite.
If she be fresshe and well arraied,
He saith her banner is desplaied
To clepe in gestes by the way;
And if she be nought wel besey o
And that her list nought to be glad,
He bereth on honde that she is
mad
And loveth nought her husebonde;
He saith, he may wel understonde,
That if she wolde his compaignie,
She shulde than afore his eye
Shew all the plesure that she might.
So that by daie ne by night
She not what thing is for the best,
But liveth out of alld rest.
For what as ever him list to sain,
She dare nought speke o worde
ayein,
1 Wone, custom.  2  resey, clothed.


-,   l 1v.II.1            223
But wepeth and holt her iippds
close.
She may wel writ6, 'Sans repose,'
The wife, which is to such one
maried.
Of all women be he waried,1
For with his fever of jelous'
His eche daies fantasy
Of sorwe is ever alich6 grene,
So that there is no lov6 sene
While that him list at home abide.
And whan so is he woll out ride,
Than hath he redy his aspy
Abiding in her compaigny
A jangler, an ill mouthed one,
That she ne may no whider gone
Ne speke o word, ne ones loke,
But he ne wol it wende and croke
And tome after his owne entent,
Though she no thing but honour
ment.
Whan that the lord cometh home
ayein
The jangler muste somwhat sain.
So what withoute and whatwithinne
This fever is ever to beginne,
For where he cometh he can nought
ende
Til deth of him hath made an ende.
For though so be that he ne here,
Ne se, ne wite, in no manere
But all honofire and womanhede,
Therof the jelous taketh none hede,
But as a man to Love unkinde
He cast his stafe and as the blinde
And fint defaulte where is none;
As who so dremeth on a stone
How he is laid, and groneth ofte
Whan he lieth on his pilwes softe.
So is there nought but strife and
chest,
Whan Love shulde make his fest.
I wot the time is ofte cursed,
That ever was the gold unpursed,
i1 [Varied, cursed.




224


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


The which was laid upon the boke,
Whan that all other she forsoke
For love of him, but all to late
She pleigneth, for as than algate
She mot forbere and to him bowe,
Though he ne wolde that allowe;
For man is lord of thilke faire,
So may the woman but empeire
If she speke ought ayein his wille,
And thus she bereth her peine stille.
But if this fever a woman take
She shall be wel more harde shake,
For though she bothe se and here
And finde that there is no matere,
She dare but to her selve pleigne,
And thus she suffreth double peine.
"Lo thus, my sone, as I have
write,
Thou might of jelousi6 wite
His fever and his condicion,
Which is full of suspicion.
But wherof that this fever groweth,
Who so these old6 bokes troweth,
There may he finde how it is.
For they us teche and telle this,
How that this fever of jelousy
Somdele it groweth of sot 1
Of love and somdele of untrust.
For as a sikman lest his lust,2
And whan he may no savour gete
He hateth than his owne' mete,
Right so this feverous malady,
Which caused is of fantasy,
Maketh the jelouis in feble plite
To lese of love his appetite
Through feigned enformaci6n
Of his ymaginacion.
But finally to taken hede
Men may wel make a liklyhede
Betwene him whiche is avarous
Of golde and him that is jelous
Of love, for in o degre
They stonde both, as semeth me;
1 Sot9(sottise), folly.
Loses his enjoyment.


That one wold have his baggds still
And nought departen 1 with his will
And dare nought for the theves slepe
So faine he wolde his tresor kepe;
That other maynought well be glad,
For he is evermore adrad
Of these lovers that gone aboute,
In aunter if they put him oute.
So have they bothe litel joy
As wel of love as of money.
"Now hast thou, sone, of my
teching
Of jelousy a knouleching,
That thou might understonde this,
Fro whenne he cometh and what
he is,
And eke to whom that he is like.
Beware forthy thou be not sike
Of thilke fever, as I have spoke,
For it woll in him self be wroke.
For Love hateth no thing more,
As men may findd by the lore
Of hem that whilom were wise,
How that they speke in many
wise."" My fader, soth is that ye sain;
But for to loke there ayein
Before this time how it is falle,
Wherof there might ensample falle
To suche men as ben jelous
In what maner it is grevous,
Right fain I wolde ensample
here."" My godd sone, at thy praiere
Of suche ensamples as I finde,
So as they comen now to minde
Upon this point of time gone,
I thenke for to tellen one.
)Xvibd wrote of many thinges,
Among the whiche in his writinges
He told a tale in poesy,
Which toucheth unto jelousy
Upon a certain cas of Love.
Among the goddes al above
1 Departen, distribute.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


225


It felle at thilke time thus.
The god of fire, which Vulcanus
Is hote and hath a craft forth with
Assigned for to be the smith
Of Jupiter, and his figuire
Both of visage and of stature
Is lothly and malgracious;
But yet he hath within his hous
As for the liking of his life
The faire Venus to his wife.
But Mars, which of batailles is
The god, an eye had unto this,
As he which was chivalerous.
It felle him to ben amorous,
And thought it was a great pite
To se so lusty one as she
Be coupled with so lourdl a wight,
So that his peine day and night
He did, if he her winne might.
And she that had a good insight
Toward so noble a knightly lord
In love fel of his accord.
There lacketh nought but time and
place,
That he nis siker of her grace.
But whan two hertes fallen in one,
So wise a wait 2 was never none
That at sometime they ne mete;
And thus this faire lusty swete
With Mars hath ofte compaigny.
But thilke unkinde jelousy,
Which evermore the herteopposeth,
MakethVulcanuis that he supposeth
That it is nought wel overall;
And to him self he said, he shall
Aspie better, if that he may.
And so it felle upon a day,
That he this thing sosleightlyledde,
He founde hem bothe two abedde.
With stronge cheines he hem
bounde,
As he to-gider hem had founde,
And lefte hem both ligge so
And gan to clepe and crie tho
1 Lourt, dull, heavy.  lait, watch.


Unto the goddes all aboute.
And they assembled in a route
Come all at ones for to se,
But none amendes hadde he,
But was rebuked here and there
Of hem that lov6s frendes were,
And saiden that he was to blame,
For if there felle him any shame
It was through his misgovernaunce,
And thus he loste contenaunce
This god and let his cause falle,
And they to scorne him laughen alle.
Forthy my sone, in thine office
Beware, that thou be nought jelous,
Whiche ofte time hath shent the
hous.""My fader, this ensample is hard,
How such thing to the hevenward
Among the goddes mighte falle.
For there is but o god of alle,
Whichis the lord of heven and helle.
But if it like you to telle
How suche goddes come aplace,
Ye mighten mochel thank purchace,
For I shall be wel taught withall.""My sone, it is thus overall
With hem, that stonden misbeleved,
That suche goddes ben beleved
In sondry place sondry wise.
Amonges hem which be unwise,
There is betaken of credence,
Wherof that I the difference
In the maner as it is write
Shall do thee pleinly for to wite.
"cr " ritf ncas bore among us
here
Of the beleves that tho were,
In foure formes thus it was.
They of Caldee as in this cas
Had a beleve by hem selve,
Which stoodupon the signes twelve,
Forth eke with the planetes seven,
Whiche as they sighen upon the
heven
P




226


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


Of sondry constellacion
In her ymaginacion
With sondry kerfe and portreture
They made of goddes the figuire.
In thelementes and eke also
They hadden a beleve tho.
And all was that unresonable,
For thelementes ben servisaible
To man. And ofte of accidence,
As men may se thexperience,
They ben corrupt by sondry way,
So may no mannes reson say
That they ben god in any wise.
And eke if men hem wel avise,
The sonne and mone eclipsen both,
That be hem lef or be hem loth
They suffre, and what thing is passible 1
To ben a god is inpossible.
These elements ben creatures,
So ben these hevenly figures,
Wherof may wel be justified,
That they may nought ben deified.
And who that taketh away thonour,
Which due is to the creatouir,
And yiveth it to the creature,
He doth to great a forfeiture.
But of Caldee' netheles
Upon this feith though it be lesse
They holde affermed the creaunce,
So that of helld the penaunce,
As folk which stant out of beleve,
They shall receive, as we beleve.
"Of the Caldees so in this wise
Stant the beleve out of assise.
But in Egipt6 worst of alle
The feith is fals, how so it falle,
For they diverse best6s there
Honour, as though theygoddeswere.
And neth6lesse yet forth withall
Thre goddes most in speciall
They have forth with a goddesse,
In whome is all her sikernesse.
Tho goddes be yet clep6d thus
1 Passiblh, capable of -uffering.


Orus, Tiphon and Isirus.
They were brethren alle thre
And the goddesse in her degre
Her suster was and Ysis hight,
Whom Isirus forlay by night
And helde her after as his wife.
So it befell, that upon strife
Tiphon hath Isre his brother slain,
Which had a child to sone, Orain,
And he his faders deth to herte
So toke, that it may nought asterte
That he Tiphon after ne slough,
Whan he was ripe of age inough.
But yet thegipcienes trowe
For all this errour, which they knowe,
That these brethern ben of might
To sette and kepe Egipt upright
And overthrowe if that hem like.
But Ysis, as saith the cronique,
Fro Grece into Egipte cam
And she than upon honde nam
To teche hem for to sowe and ere,
Which no man knew to-fore there.
And whanne thegipcfens sigh
The feldes full afore her eye,
And that the lond began to greine,
Which whilom hadde be bareine,
For therthe bare after the kinde
His due charge, this I finde,
That she of berthe the goddesse
Is cleped, so that in distresse
The women therupon childing
To her they clepe and her offrfng
They berenwhan that they ben light.
Lo, howe Egipt all out of sight
Fro reson stant in misbeleve,
For lacke of lore as I beleve.
"Among the Grekesout ofthewey
As they that reson put awey
There was, as the cronique saith,
Of misbeleve an other feith,
That theyhergoddes and goddesses
As who saith token all to gesses
Of suche as weren full of vice,
To whom they mad6 sacrifice.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


227


"The Highe God, so as they
saide,
To whom they moste worship laide,
Saturnus hight, and king of Crete
He hadde be. But of his sete
He was put down as lie which stood
In frenesy and was so wode 1
That fro his wife, which Rea hight,
His owne children he to plight
And ete hem of his comune wone.3
But Jupiter, which was his sone
And of full age, his fader bonde
And kut of with his ownd honde
His genitals, whiche also faste
Into the depe see he caste,
Wherof the Grekes afferme and say
That, whan they were cast awey
Came Venus forth by wey of kinde.
And of Saturne also I finde,
Howe afterwarde into an ile
This Jupiter him didde exile,
Where that he stood in great mischefe.
Lo, what a god they maden chefe!
And sithen that suche one was he
Which stood most high in his degre
Among thegoddes, thou might know
These other that ben more low
Ben litel worth, as it is founde.
" For Jupiter was the secouinde,
Whiche Juno had unto his wife.
And yet a lechour all his life
He was and in avouterie 4
He wroughte many a trecherie.
And for he was so full of vices,
They cleped him God of Delices,
Of whom if thou wolt more wite
Ovide the poete hath write.
But yet her sterres bothe two
Saturne and Jupiter also
They have, although they ben to
blame,
Attitled to her owne name.
1 Wode, mad. 2 Topligeht, plucked to pieces.
3 Of his coamuze wone, as his usual custom.
4 Avozouterie, adultery.


I" Mars was an other in that lawe,
The which in Dace was forth drawe,
Of whom the clerk Vegecius
Wrote in his boke and tolde thus,
Howe he into Itaile came
And such fortune there he nam,
That he a maiden hath oppressed.
Whiche in her ordre was professed
As she which was the prioresse
In Vest6s temple the goddesse,
So was she well the more to blame.
Dame Ylia this ]adye name
Men clepe, and eke she was also
The kinges doughter, that was tho,
Which Minitor by name hight.
So that ayein the lawes right
Mars thilke time upon her that
Remus and Romulus begat,
Whiche after, whan they come in
age,
Of knighthode and of vassellage
Itaile al hole they overcome
And foundeden the grete Rome.
In armes and of suche emprise
They weren, that in thilke wise
Her fader Mars for the merveile
The God is cleped of Bataile.
They were his children bothe two,
Through hem he toke his name so,
There was none other cause 'whv.
And yet a sterre upon the sky
He hath unto his name applied,
In which that he is signified.
" An other god they hadden eke,
To whom for counseil they beseke;
The which was brother to Venfis,
Apollo men him clepe thus.
He was an hunte upon the hilles,
There was with him no vertue elles
Wherof that any bokes carpe,
But only that he couthe harpe,
Which whan he walked over londe
Full ofte time he toke on honde
To get him with his sustenaufnce
For lack of other purveafince.




228


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And otherwhile of his falshede
He feigneth him to conne arecde
Of thingwhich afterward shuld falle,
Wherof among his sleightes alle
He hath the leud6 1 folk deceived,
So that the better he was received.
Lo now, through what creacion
He hath deificacion
And cleped is the God of Wit,
To suche as be the fooles yet.
"An other god, to whom they
sought,
Mercuirie hight, and him ne rought
What thing he stale, ne whom he
slough.
Of sorcery he couthe inough,
That whan he wold him self transforme,
Full oft6 time he toke the forme
Of woman and his owne lefte.
So did he well the more thefte.
A great speker in alle thinges
He was also and of lesinges
An autor, that men wiste none
An other suche as he was one.
And yet they maden of this thefe
A god which was unto hem lefe,
And cleped him in tho beleves
The God of Marchants and of
Theves.
But yet a sterre upon the heven
He hath of the planetes seven.
But Vulcanus, of whom I spake,
He had a courbe 2 upon the back,
And therto he was hippe-halt,
Of whom thou understonde shalt,
He was a shrewe in al his youth
And he none other vertue couth
Of craft to helpe him selve with
But only that he was a smith
With Jupiter, whiche in his forge
Diverse thinges made him forge;
So wote I nought for what desire
They clepen him the God of Fire.
1 Leudd, unlearned.  2 Courbe, hump.


King of Cicile Ypolitus
A sone he had, and Eolus
He hight, and of his faders graunt
He held by way of covenaunt
The governaunce of every ile
Which was longend unto Cicile,
Of hem that fro the lond forein
Lay ope the windes alle pleine.1
And fro thilke iles into the londe
Full ofte cam the wind to honde;
After the name of him forthy
The windes cleped Eoly
They were, andhe the God of Winde.
Lo now, how this beleve is blinde.
The king of Crete Jupiter,
The same, whiche I spake of er,
Unto his brother, which Neptune
Was hote, it list him to comune
Parte of his good, so that by ship
Hemadehim stronge of thelordship
Of all the see in tho parties,
Where that he wrought his tirannies,
And the straunge iles aboute
Hewan, that every man hath doubte
Upon his marche 2 for to saile.
For he anone hem wolde assaile
And robbe what thing that they
ladden,
His sauf conduit butif3theyhadden.
Wherof the comun vois aros
In every lond, that suche a los
He caught, all nere it worth a stre,
That he was cleped of the See
The God by name, and yet he is
With hem that so beleve amis.
This Neptune eke was thilke also,
Which was the firste founder tho
Of noble Troy, and he forthy
Was well the mor6 lett6 by.
The loresman of the shepherdes
And eke of hem that ben netherdes,
Was of Archade and hight6 Pan,
1 Laid up a full store of all the winds.
' Marche, borders.  3 Bet if, unless.




BOOK V.-AVARICE.


229


Of whom hath spoke many a man.
For in the wode of Nonartigne
Enclos6d with the trees of pigne
And on the mount of Parasie
He had of bestes the bailie,1
And eke beneth in the valey,
Where thilk6 river, as men may say,
Which Ladon highte, made his
cours,
He was the chefe of governours
Of hem that kepten tam6 bestes,
\Vherof they maken yet the festes
In the citee of Stimfalides.
And forth withall yet netheles
He taughte men the forth drawing
Of bestaile and eke the making
Of oxen and of hors the same,
Howmenhemshulde ride and tame,
Of foules eke, so as we finde,
Full many a subtil craft of kinde
He found, which no man knew tofore.
Men did him worship eke therfore,
That he the first in thilke londe
Was, which the melodie fonde
Of reedes whan they weren ripe,
With double pipes for to pipe.
Therof he yaf the firste lore,
Till afterward men couthe more;
To every crafte of mannes helpe
He had a redy wit to helpe
Through natural experience.
And thus thurh nice reverence
Of fooles, whan that he was dede,
The foot was torned to the hede
And clepen iim God of Natuire,
For so they maden his figure.
"An other god, so as they fele,
Whiche Jupiter upon Semele
Begat in his avouterie,
Whom, for to hide his lecherie
That none therof shail take kepe,
In a mountaigne for to kepe
Which Dion hight and was in Ynde
1 Bailie, custody.


He send, in bokLs as I finde,
And he by nam6 Bachus hight,
Which afterward, whan that he
might,
A wastor was and all his rent
In lwine and bordel 1 he despent.
But yet all were he wonder bad
Among the Grekes a name he had,
They cleped him the God of Wine
And thus a gloton was divine.
" There was yet Esculapius
A god in thilke time as thus.
His craft stood upon surgerie,
But for the luste of lecherie,
That he to Daires doughter drough,
It fell that Jupiter him slough.
And yet they made him nought
forth)'
A god, and wist no cause why.
In Rome he was long time so
A god among the Romains tho,
For as they saide of his presence
There was destruied a pestilence
Whan they to thile of Delphos went;
And that Apollo with him sent
This Esculapius his sone
Among the Romains for to wone;
And there he dwelte for a while,
Till afterwarde into that ile
Fro when he cam ayeine he torneth,
Where all his life that he soj6rneth
Among the Grekes till that he
deiede.
And they upon him thannd leide
His name, and God of Medicine
He hatte after that ilke line.
" An other god of Hercules
They made, which was neth6les
A man, but that he was so stronge
In al this world that brode and longe
So mighty was no man as he.
MIerveiles twelve in his degre,
As it was couth in sondry londes,
He dide with his owne hondes
1 Bordel, revelry.




230


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Ayein geaunts and monstres both,
The whiche horrible were and loth.
But he with strength hem overcam,
Wherof so great a price he nam,
That they him clepe among6s alle
The God of Strengthe and to him
calle.
And yet there is no reson inne,
For he a man was full of sinne,
Which proved was upon his ende,
For in a rage him self he brende.
And suche a cruell mannes dede
Accordeth nothing with godhede.
They had of goddes yet an other,
Which Pluto hight, and was the
brother
Of Jupiter, and he fro youth
With every word which cam   to
mouth,
Of any thing, whan he was wroth,
He wold6 swere his comun othe
By Lethen and by Flegeton,
By Cochitum and Acheron,
The whiche after the bokes telle
Ben the chefe floodes of the helle;
By Segne and Stige he swore also,
That ben the depe pittes two
Of helle the most principall.
Pluto these othes over all
Swore of his comun custuma'ince,
Till it befelle upon a chaunce,
That he for Jupiteres sake
Unto the goddes let do make
A sacrifice, and for that dede
One of the pittes for his mede
In hell of whiche I spake of er
Was graunted him, and thus he
there
Upon the fortune of this thinge
The name toke of Helld Kinge.
" Lo, these goddes and well mo
Among the Grekes they had tho,
And of goddesses many one,
Whose names thou shalthereanone,
And in what wise they deceiven


The fooles, whiche her feith receiven.
"So as Saturne is soveraine
Of false goddes, as they saine,
So is Cybeles of goddesses
The moder, whom withoute gesses
The folkE prein, honouir, and serve
As they the whiche her lawe observe.
But for to knowen upon this,
Fro when she cam and what she is,
Bethincia the contre hight,
Where she cam first to mannes sight.
And after was Saturnes wife,
By whom thre children in her life
She bare, and they were cleped tho
Juno, Neptunus and Pluto,
The which of nice fantasy
The people wolde deify.
And for her children weren so
Cybeles thanne was also
Made a goddesse, and theyher calle
The Moder of the Goddes alle.
So was that name bore forth,
And yet the cause is litel worth.
A vois unto Saturne tolde,
How that his owne sone him sholde
Out of his regne put away,
And he because of thilke wey
That him was shape suche a fate,
Cybele his wife began to hate
And eke her progenie bothe.
And thus while that they were wroth e
By Philerem upon a day
In his avouterie he lay,
On whom he Jupiter begat.
And thilke child was after that
Which wrought al that was prophecied,
As it to-fore is specified.
So whan that Jupiter of Crete
Was king, a wife unto him mete
The doughter of Cybele he toke,
And that was Juno, saith the boke
Of his deffication
After the fals opinion
That I have tolde, so as they mene.




BOOK V.-A VA RICE.


23


And for this Juno was the quene
Of Jupiter and suster eke,
The fooles unto hir6 seke
And sain, that she is the Goddesse
Of Regnes bothe and of Richesse,
And eke she, as they understonde,
The water nimphes hath in honde
To leden at her owne heste.
And whan her list the sky tempeste
The reinbowe is her messagere.
Lo, which a misbeleve is here
That she goddesse is of the sky,
I wot none other cause why.
" An other goddesse is Minerve,
To whom the Grekes obey and
serve.
And she was nigh the greate lay 1
Of Triton founds, where she lay
A child for-cast, but what she was
There knew no man the sothe cas.
But in Aufiique she was laide
In the maner as I have saide
And caried fro that ilke place
Into an ile fer in Trace,
The which Pallene thannd hight,
Where a norice hir kepte and dight.
And after for she was so wise,
That she found first in her avise
The cloth making of woll and line,
Men saiden that she was divine,
And the Goddesse of Sapience
They clepen her in that credence.
Of the goddesse, which Pallas
Is clep6d, sondry speche was.
One saith her fader was Pallaunt,
Whiche was in his time a geaunt,
A cruell man, a batailous.
An other saith, how in his hous
She was the cause why he deiede.
And of this Pallas some eke saide
That she was.Martes wife, and so
Among the men that weren tho
Of misbeleve in the riot
The Goddesse of Batailes hole
1 Lay, lake.


She was, and yet she bereth the
name.
Now loke, how they be for to blame.
" Saturnus after his exile
Fro Crete cam in great perile
Into the londes of Itaile
And there he dide great merveile,
Wherof his name dwelleth yit.
For he founde of his ownd wit
The firste crafte of plough tilling,
Of ering 1 and of corn sowing,
And how men shulden sette vines
And of the grapes make wines;
All this he taught. And it fell so
His wife, the which cam with him tho,
Was cleped Cereres by name,
And for she taught also the same
And was his wife that ilk6 throwe,
As it was to the people knowe,
They made of Ceres a goddesse,
In whom her tilth6 yet they blesse
And sain that Tricolonius
Her sond goth amonges us
And maketh the corn good chepe
or dere,
Right as her list, from yere to yere,
So that this wife because of this
Goddesse of Cornes cleped is.
" King Jupiter, which his likfng
Whilom fulfilled in alle thing,
So priveliche about he ladde
His lust, that he his will6 hadde
Of Latoni and on her that
Diane his doughter he begat
Unknowen of his wife Juno.
But afterward she knewe it so,
That Latona for drede fled
Into an il6, where she hid
Her wombe which of childe aros.
Thilke ile cleped was Delos,
In which Diana was forth brought
And kept so thatherlackethnought.
And after whan she was of age,
She toke none hede of marige,
1 Ering, ploughing.




232


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


But out of mannes compaigny
She toke her all to venery 1
In forest and in wildernesse,
For there was all her besinesse
By day and eke by nightes tide
With arwds brode under the side
And bow in honde, of which she
slough
And toke all that her list inough
Of bestes which ben chaceable.
Wherof the cronique of this fable
Saith that the gentils most of alle
Worshippen her, and to her calle
And the Goddesse of highe Hilles,
Of grene trees, of fresshe welles
They clepen her in that beleve,
Which that no reson may acheve.
" Proserpina, which doughterwas
Of Cereres, befell this cas:
While she was dwelling in Cicile,
Her moder in that ilke while
Upon her blessing and her hest
Bad that she shulde ben honest
And lerne for to weve and spinne
And dwell at home and kepe her
inne.
But she cast all that lore awey,
And as she went her out to pley
To gader floures in a pleine,
And that was under the mountaigne
Of Ethna, fell the same tide
That Pluto cam that waie ride.
And sodeinly, er she was ware,
He toke her up into his chare,2
And as they riden in the felde,
Her grete beaute he behelde,
Which was so plesaunt in his eye,
That for to holde in compaignie
He wedded her, and helde her so
To ben his wife for evermo.
And as thou hast to-fore herde telle,
How he was cleped God of Helle,
So is she clep6d the Goddesse
Because of him, ne more ne lesse.
1 Vene>y, hunting.  2 Chare, car, chariot.


"Lo thus, my sone, as I the tolde
The Grekes whil6m by daies olde
Her goddes had in sondry wise,
And through the lore ofherapprise
The Romains helden eke the same
And in the worshippe of her name
To every god in speciaell
They made a temple forth withall
And eche of hem his yeres day
Attitled hadde. And of array
The temples weren than ordeigned,
And eke the people was constreigned
To come and done her sacrifice.
The prestes eke in her office
Solempne maden thilke festes.
And thus the Grekes lich to bestes
The men in stede of God honour,
Which mighten nought hem self
soccour
While that they were alive here.
" And over this as thou shalt here
The Grekes fulfilled of fantasy
Sain eke that of the hilles high
The goddes ben in speciall,
But of her name in generall
They hoten alle Satiry.
" There benof Nimphes proprely
In the beleve of hem also:
Oreades they saiden tho
Attitled ben to the montaignes;
And for the wodes in demeines
To kepe tho ben Driades;
Of fresshe welles Naiades;
And of the nimphes of the see
I finde a tale in proprete,
How Dorus whilom king of Grece,
Whiche had of infortune a piece,
His wife forth with his doughter alle
So as the happes shulden falle
With many a gentilwoman there
Dreint in the salte see they were,
Wherofthe Grekes that time saiden
And such a name upon hem laiden,
1 Apprise, teaching.




BOOK V.-AVARICE.


233


NereYdes that they ben hote,
The nimphes whiche that they note
To regne upon the stremes salte.
Lo now, if this beleve halte.
But of the nimphes as they telle,
In every place where they dwelle
They ben all redy obeisallnt
As damiselles attendatint
To the goddesses, whose servise
They mote obey in alle wise,
Wherof the Grekes to hem beseke
WVith tho that ben goddesses eke,
And have in hem a great cred6nce.
And yet without experience
Saufe onely of illusion,
Which was to hem dampnacion.
" For men also that were dede
They hadden goddes as I rede,
And tho by name Manes highten,
To whom ful great hono'ir they
dighten,
So as the Grekes lawd saith,
Which was ayein the righte feith.
" Thus have I tolde a great partie,
But all the hole progenie
Of goddes in that ilke time
To longe it were for to rime.
But yetofthatwhichthouhast herde
Of misbeleve, howe it hath ferde,
There is a great diversite.""Myfader, right so thenketh me.
But yet o thinge I you beseche,
Which stant in alle menn6s speche,
The God and the Goddesse of Love,
Of whom ye nothing here above
Have told, ne spoken of her fare,
That ye me wolde now declare,
How they first come to thatname. "" Mysone, I have it leftfor shame,
Because I am her owne prest.
But for they stonde nigh thy brest
Upon the shrifte of thy matere,
Thou shalt of hem the sothe here,
And understond now well the cas.
Venus Saturnms doughter was,


Which alle Daunger put awey
Of Love and found to lust a wey,
So that of her in sondry place
Diverse men fell into grace,
And such a lusty life she ladde,
That she diverse children hadde,
Now one by this, now one by that.
Of her it'was that Mars begat
A child which cleped was Armene,
Of her cam also Andragene,
To whom Mercuirie father was.
Anchises begat Eneas
Of her also, and Ericon
Biten begatte, and therupon
Whan that she sigh ther was none
other
By Jupiter her owne brother
She lay, and he begat Cupfde.
And thilke sone upon a tide,
Whan he was come unto his age,
He had a wonder fair visage
And founde his mother amorous,
And he was also lecherous.
So whan they weren bothe alone,
As he whiche eyen hadde none
To se reson, his mother kist,
And she also that nothing wist
But that whiche to his lust belongeth,
To bene her love him underfongeth.
Thus was he blinde and she unwis.
But netheles this cause it is
Which Cupide is the god of love,
For he his mother derste love,
And she, which through her lustes
fonde
Diverse lov6s toke on honde
Wel mo than I the telle here.
And for she wolde her selve skere,1
She made comun that disporte
And set a lawe of such a porte
That every woman mighte take
What man her list and nought
forsake
1 Skere, clear, free.




234


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


To ben as comun as she wolde.
She was the first also which tolde
That women shulde her body selle.
Semiramis so as men telle
Of Venus kepte thilke apprise.
And so did in the same wise
Of Rome faire Neabolie,
Which lift her body to Reg6lie.
She was to every man felawe
And held the lust of thilke lawe
Which Venus of her self beganne,
Wherof that she the name wanne
Why men her clepen the Goddesse
Of Love and eke of gentilesse,
Of worldds lust and of plesaunce.
" Se now the foule miscreaunce
Of Grekes in thilke time tho,
Whan Venus toke her name so.
There.was no cause under the mone
Of which they hadden tho to done
Of wel or wo where so it was,
That they ne token in that cas
A god to helpe or a goddesse,
Wherof to take my witnesse,
"The kingof BragmanDindimus
Wrote unto Alisaundre thus
In blaminge of the Grek6s feith
And of the misbeleve he saith
How they for every membre hadden
A  sondry god, to whom    they
spradden
Her armes and of help besoughten.
"Minerve for the hede they
soughten,
For she was wise, and of a man
The wit and reson which he can
Is in the celles of the brain,
Wherof they made her soverain.
" Mercuirie, which was in his
dawes
A great speker of false lawes,
On him the keping of the tunge
They laiden, whan they speke or
sunge.
"For Bachus was a gloten eke


Him for the throt6 they beseke,
That he it woldd wasshen ofte
With suot6 drinkes and with softe.
The god of shulders and of armes
Was Hercules, for he in armes
The mightiest6 was to fight,
To him tho limmes they behight.
The godwhom that they clepen Mart
The brest to kepe hath for his part,
For with the herte in his ymage
That he addresse to his corage.
And of the galle the goddesse,
For she was ful of hastinesse,
Of wrath and light to greve also,
They made and said, it was Juno.
"' Cupide, which the brond of fire
Bare in his hond, he was the sire
Of the stomack, which boileth ever,
WTVherof the lustes ben the lever.
"Thus was dispers in sondry
wise
The misbeleve as I devise
With many an ymage of entaile 1
Of suche as might hem   nought
availe.
For they withoute lives chere
Unmighty ben to se or here
Or speke or do or elles fele,
And yet the fool6s to hem knele
Whiche is her own6 handes werke.
Ha lord, how this beleve is derke
And fer fro resondble wit,
And netheles they don it yit.
That was o day a ragged tre
To morwe upon his mageste
Stant in the temple wel besein;
How might a mannes reson sain,
That such a stock may helpe or
greve?
But they that ben of such beleve
And unto suchd goddes calle,
It shall to hem right so befalle
And failen att6 moste nede.
But if thee list to taken hede


1 Graven image.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


And of the first yminge wite.
Petronius therof hath write
And eke Nigargorus also,
And they afferme and write so,
That Prometheus was to-fore
And foundd the first craft therfore,
And CirophAnes, as they telle,
Through counseil whichl was take
in helle,
In remembrauince of his lignage
Let setten up the first ymalge.
Of Cirophanes saith the boke
That he for sorwe which he toke
Of that he sigh his sone dede,
Of comfort knew none other rede
But let do make in remembraufnce
A faire ymage of his semblatince
And set it in the market place,
Which openly to-fore his face
Stood every day to done him ese.
And they that thanne wolde plese
The fader, shuiden it obey 1
\Vhan that they comen thilke wey.
"And of Ninuis king of Assire
I rede, how that in his empire
He was, next after, the secouind
Of hem that first ymages found.
For he right in semblable cas
Of Belus, which his fader was
Fro Nermbroth in the righte line,
Let make of gold and stones fine
A precious ymdge riche
After his fader evenliche,
And therupon a law he sette
That every man of purd dette
With sacrifice and with trudge
Hon6ure shulde thilk ymage,
So that withinne time it felle
Of Belus cam the name of Belle,
Of Bel cam Belzebub and so
The misbeleve wente tho.
"The thrid ymage next to this
WVas whan the king of Grece, Apis,
Was dede, they maden a figtire
1 Make obeisance to.


In resemblatince of his stat'ire.
Of this king Apis saith the boke,
That Serapis his name toke,
In whom through long continuatilnce
Of misbeleve a great creatince
They hadden and the reverence
Of sacrifice and of encence
To him they made. And as they
telle
Among the wonders that befelle,
Whan Alisaundre fro Candace
Cam ridend in a wilde place
Under an hille a cave he fond,
And Candalus, whiche in that lond
Was bore and was Candaces sone,
Him told, how that of comun wone
The goddes were in thilke cave.
And he that wolde assay and have
A knoulechinge if it be soth,
Light of his hors and in he goth
And fond therinne that he sought.
For through the fendes sleight him
thought
Among6s other goddes mo
That Serapis spake to him tho.
\Vhom he sigh there in great array.
And thus the fend fro day to day
The worship of ydolatrie
Drough forth upon the fantasie
Of hem that weren thanne blinde
And couthen nought the trouthe
finde.
Thus hast thou herd in what degre
Of Grece, and Egipte and Caldee
The misbeleves whilom stood,
And how so that they be nought
good
Ne trew6, yet they sprongen oute,
WVherof the wide worlde aboute
His parte of misbeleve toke.
Til so befelle, as saith the boke,
That God a people for him selve
Hath chose of the lignages twelve,
Wherof the sothe redely,
As it is write in Genesy,




236


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


I thenke telle in suche a wise,
That it shall be to thin apprise.
"c Iffer fte ftoob, fro which Noe
Was sauf, the worlde in his degre
Was made as who saith new ayein
Of flour, of fruit, of gras, of grein,
Of beest, of brid and of mankinde,
Whiche everhath be toGod unkinde.
For nought withstonding all the fare
Of that this world was made so bare,
And afterward it was restored,
Amongthemen was nothing mored1
Towardes God of good living,
But all was tornd to liking
After the flessh, so that foryete
Was he which yaf hemlife and mete,
Of heven and erth6 creatoir.
And thus cam forth the great errour,
That they the highe God ne knewe,
But maden other goddes newe,
As thou hast herd me said to-fore.
There was no man that time bore,
That he ne had after his chois
A god to whom he yaf his vois,
Wherof the misbeleve cam
Into the time of Abraham.
But he found out the righte wey,
Howe only men shulden obey
The highe God, which weldeth all
And ever hath done and ever shall
In heven, in erth and eke in helle,
There is no tunge his might may telle.
This patriarch to his lignage
Forbad that they to none ymage
Encline sholden in no wise,
But her offrende and sacrifise
With all the hole hertes love
Unto the mighty God above
They shulde yive and to no mo.
And thus in thilke time tho
Began that sect upon this erthe,
Whiche of beleves was the ferthe.
Of rightwisnesse it was conceived,
So must it nedes be received
1.Morcd, increased.


Of him that alle right is inne,
The highe God, which wolde winne
A people unto his owne feith.
On Abraham the ground he laith
And made him for to multiply
Into so great a progeny,
That they Egipte all over spradde.
But Pharao with wrong hem ladde
In servitude ayein the pees,
Til God let sende MoYses
To make the deliveraunce.
Andfor his people great vengeaunce
He toke, which is to here a wonder.
The king was slain, the lond put
under,
God bad the Redde See devide,
Which stood upright on every side
And yaf unto his people a wey
That they on foot it passed drey
And gone so forth into desert,
Where for to kepe hem in covert
The dai6s whan the sonne brent
A large cloude hem over went,
And for to wissen hem by night
A firy piller hem alight.
And whan that they for hunger
pleigne,
The mighty God began to reine
Manna fro heven down to grounde,
Wherof that eche of hem hath founde
His foode such right as him list.
And for they shuld upon him trist
Right as who set a tonne abroche
He percede the harde roche
And spronge out water all at wille,
That man and beste hath dronk his
fille.
And afterward he yaf the lawe
To Moises, that hem withdrawe
They shulde nought fro that he bad.
And in this wis6 they be lad,
Til they toke in possession
The londes of promissidn,
Where that Caleph and Josue
The marches upon such degre




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


237


Departen 1 after the lignSage
That eche of hem as heritage
His purparty 2 hath underfonge.
And thus stood this beleve longe,
Whiche of prophetes was governed.
And they had eke the people lerned
Of great honouir that shuld hem
falle,
But atte moste nede of alle
They faileden, whan Crist was bore.
But how that they her feith have lore
It nedeth nought to tellen all,
The matere is so generall.
"Whan Lucifer was best in heven
And oughte most have stonde in
even,
Towardes God he toke debate,
And for that he was obstinate
And wolde nought to trouth encline
He fel for ever into ruine.
"And Adam eke in Paradis,
Whan he stood most in all his pris
After the state of innocence,
Ayein the God brake his defence 3
And fell out of his place awey.
And right by such a maner wey
The Jewes in her beste plite,
Whan that they sholden most parfite
Have stonde upon the prophecy,
Tho fellen they to most foly
And him which was fro heven come
And of a maid his flessh hath nome
And was among hem bore and fed,
As men that wolden nought be sped
Of Goddes Sone, with o vois
They heng and slough upon the
crois,
Wherof the parfite of her lawe
Fro thenn6 forth hem was withdrawe,
So that they stonde of no merit,
But in a truage 4 as folk subgit
1 De6arten, divide.  2 Purparty, share.
3 His defence, his prohibition (that which
was "defendu ").
4 Truagc, homage.


Withoute proprete of place
They liven oute of Goddes grace,
Dispers in alle londes oute.
And thus the feith is come aboute,
That whilome in the Jewes stood,
Whiche is nought parfitlich6 good.
To speke as it is now befalle
There is a feith aboven alle,
In which the trouthe is comprehended,
Wherof that we ben all amended.
"The high almighty magest6
Of rightwisnesse and of pite
The sinne which that Adam wrough t,
Whan he sigh time, ayein he bought
And send His Sone fro the heven
To sette mannes soule in even,
Which thanne was so sore fall
Upon the point which was befall
That he ne might him self arise.
" regoirff saiff) in his apprise:
It helpeth nought a man be bore,
If Goddes Sone were unbore,
For thann6 through the firste sinne,
Which Adam whilom brought us
inne,
There shulden alle men be lost;
But Crist restoreth thilke lost
And bought it with his flesshe and
blood.
And if we thenken how it stood
Of thilke raunson which he paid,
As saint Gregoire it wrote and said,
All was behovely to the man.
For that wherof his wo began
Was after cause of all his welth.
Whan he which is the welle of
helth,
The highe creatouir of life,
Upon the nede of such a strife
So wolde he for his creatuire
Take on him self the forfeiture
And suffre for the mannes sake.
Thus may no reson wel forsake 1
1 Forsake, deny.




238


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That ilke sinne original
Ne was the cause in speciall
Of mannes worship atte last
Which shall withouten ende last.
For by that cause the godhede
Assembled was to the manhede
In the Virgin6, where he nome
Our flesshe and verray man become
Of bodely fraternite,
Wherof the man in his degre
Stant more worth, as I have told,
Than he stood erst by many fold,
Through baptismeof the newelawe,
Of which Crist lord is and felawe.
And thus the Highe Godd6s might,
Which was in the Virgine alight,
The mannes soule has reconciled,
Which hadde longe ben exiled.
So stant the feith upon beleve
Withoute which may non acheve.
But this beleve is so certain
To bigge mannes soule ayein,
So full of grace and of vertt,
That what man clepeth 2 to Jesti
In clene life forth with goode dede,
He may nought faileof Heven mede
Which taken hath the righte feith.
For ell6s, as the gospel saith,
Salvaci6n there may be none.
And for to preche therupon
Crist bad to his apostles alle,
The whos power as now is falle
On us that ben of holy chirche,
If we the gode dedes werche;
For feith only sufficeth nought
But if good dede also be wrought.
"Now were it good, that thou
forthy,
Which through baptisme proprely
Art unto Cristes feith professed,
Beware that thou be nought oppressed
With anticristes Lollardie.
For as the Jewes prophecie
1 BiSg'e, buy.  2 Wha;tver man calls. -


Was set of God for avauntagc,
Right so this newe tapinage1
Of Lollardi' goth aboute
To sette Cristes feith in doubte.
The saints that weren us to-fore,
By whom the feith was first up bore
That holy chirche stood releved,
They oughten better be beleved
Than these whiche that men knowe
Nought holy, though they feigne
and blowe
Her Lollardy in menn6s ere.
But if thou wolt live out of fere
Such newe lore I rede escheue,
Andhold forth right the weyand sue
As thin auncestres did er this,
So shalt thou nought beleve amis.
Crist wroughte first and after taught
So that the dede his word araught,
He yaf ensample in his pers6ne
And we tho wordes have alone,
Like to the tree with lev6s grene
Upon the which no fruit is sene.
"The prest Thoas, which of
Minerve
The temple hadde for to serve.
And the Palladion of Troy
Kept under keie, for monaie
Of Anthenor whiche he hath nome
Hath suffred Anthenor to come
And the Palladion to stele,
Wherof the worship and the wele
Of the Troianls was overthrowe.
But Thoas atte same throwe,
Whan Anthenor this jeuele toke,
Winkende cast awey his loke
For a deceipte and for a wile,
As he that shuld him self beguile
He hid his eyen fro the sight
And wende wel that he so might
Excuse his false conscience.
I wot nought if thilke evidence
Now at this time in her estates
Excuse mighte the prelates,
1 Tap;narc, secret skulking.




BOOK V.-AVARICE.


239


Knowend how that the feith discreseth
And alle moral vertu ceseth
Wherof that they the keies bere.
But yet hem liketh nought to stere
Her gostlich eye for to se
The worlde in his adversitd:
They wol no laboure undertake
To kepe that hem is betake.'
Crist deide him self for the feith,
But now our ferful prelate saith;
'The life is swete,' and that he
kepeth
So that the feith unholpe slepeth,
And they unto her ese entenden
And in her lust her life despenden,
And every man doth what him list.
Thus stant this world fulfilled of
mist,
That no man seeth the righte wey.
The wardes of the chirche key
Through mishandlifng  ben miswreint,2
The worldes wawe   hath welnigh
dreint
The ship which Peter hath to stere,
The forme is kept, but the matere
Transformed is in other wise.
But if they weren gostly wise
And that the prelats weren good,
As they by olde daies stood,
It were thanne litel nede
Among the men to taken hede
Of that they heren Pseudo 4 telle,
Which now is come for to dwelle
To sowe cockel with the corn
So that the tilthe is nigh forlorn,
Which Crist sew first his owne hond.
Now stant the cockel in the lond,
Where stood whilom    the gode
greine,
For the prelats now, as men sain,
1 Betake, entrusted.
~'2 Mfiswreint, wrenched out of shape.
3 }Vazuc, wave.  4 Pscidc, false.


Forslouthen that theysholden tille.
And that I trowe be the skille '
Whan there is lacke in hem above,
The people is straunged to the love
Of trouth in cause of ignoraunce.
For where there is no purveaunce
Of light, men erren in the derke.
But if the prelats wolden werke
Upon the feith which they us teche,
Men sholden nought her waid seche
Withoute light as now is used;
Men se the charge all day refused
Whiche holy chirche hath undertake.
But who that wolde ensample
take,
Gregoire upon his Omelie
Ayein the Slouthe of Prelacie
Compleigneth him and thus he saith:
'Whan Peter, fader of the feith,
At domesday shall with him bring
Judeam, which through his preching
He wan, and Andrew with Achay
Shall come his dettd for to pay,
And Thomas eke with his beyete
Of Ynde, and Paul the routes grete
Of sondry londes to present,
And we fulfilled of londe and rent
Whiche of this worlde we holden
here,
With voide hondes shall appere,
Touchend our cure spirituall
Whiche is our charge in speciall,
I not what thing it may amounte
Upon thilke ende of our accompte
Where Crist him self is auditour,
Which taketh none hede of vein
honouer.
Thoffice of the chauncellerie
Or of the kinges tresorie
Ne for ne write ne for ne taile 3
To warrant may nought than availe.
1 ForslozlJie z, waste by their slouth.
- Skille, reason.
Taile, tally, used for checki.g of accounts.




240


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


The worldwhich now so welwe trow
Shall make us thanne but a mowe,
So passe we withoute mede,
That we none otherwise spede
But as we rede that he spedde,
The whiche his lordes besant 1 hadde
And therupon gat none encres.
But at his time netheles
What other man his thank deserve
The world so lusty is to serve
That we with him ben all accorded,
And that is wist and well recorded
Through out this erthe in alle londes;
Let knightes winne with her hondes,
For oure tungd shall be still
And stande upon the flesshes will;
It were a travail for to preche
The feith of Crist, as for to teche
The folke painim; it woll nought be:
But every prelate holde his see
With alle such as he may gete
Of lusty drinke and lusty mete,
Wherof the body fat and full
Is unto gostly labour dull
And slough to handle thilke plough.
But elles we ben swifte inough
Toward the worldes Avarice.
And that is as a sacrifice,
Which after that thapostle saith
Is openly ayein the feith
Unto the ydols yove and graunted,
But netheles as it is now haunted
And vertue chaunged into vice,
So that Largesse is Avarice,
In whose chapitre now we trete."" My fader, this matere is bete
So far, that ever while I live
I shall the better hede yive
Unto my self by many wey.
But over this now wolde I prey
To wite, what the braunches are
Of Avarice, and how they fare
Als well in love as otherwise."" My sone, and I the shall devise
1 Besant, a gold coin of Byzantium; talest.


In suche a maner as they stonde,
So that thou shalt hemunderstonde.
" Pame tRvarice is nought soleine,l
Which is of gold the capiteine.
But of her Courte in sondry wise
After the scole of her apprise
She hath of servaunts many one,
Wherof that Covetise is one,
Which goth the large worlde about
To seche thavauntages out
Where that he may the profit winne
To Avarice and bringeth it inne.
That one halt and that other draweth,
There is no day which hem bedaweth 2
No more the sonne than the mone,
Whan there is any thing to done,
And namely with Covetise,
For he stant out of all assise
Of resondble mannes fare
Where he purposeth him to fare
Upon his lucre and his beyete.
The smalle path, the large strete,
The furlonge and the longe mile,
All is but one for thilke while.
And for that he is such one holde,
Dame Avarice him hath witholde,3
As he which is the principall
Outward,4 for he is over all
A purveiour and an espy.
For right as of an hungry py
The storve bestes ben awaited,
Right so is Covetise affaited
To loke where he may purchace,5
For by his will he wolde embrace
All that this wide world beclippeth.
But ever he somwhat overhippeth6
That he ne may nought all fulfille
The lustes of his gredy wille.
But where it falleth in a londe,
1 Soleie, single.
" Bedaweth, awakes.
3 Wito/lde, held with.
4 Outward, watcher outside.
5 Purchace, get booty.
OverhieSthk, hops over.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


24T


That Covetise in mighty honde
Is set, it is full hard to fede.
For than he taketh none other hede
But that he may purchce and gete,
His conscience hath all foryete
And nought what thing it may
amounte
That he shall afterwarde accompte.
But as the luce 1 in his degre
Of tho that lasse ben than he
The fisshes gredily devoureth,
So that no water hem soccoilreth,
Right so no lawv  may rescowe
Fro him that woll no right allowe.
For where that such one is of might,
His will shall stondein stede of right.
Thus be the men destruied full ofte,
Till that the grete God alofte
Ayein so great a Covetise
Redresse it in his owne wise.
And in ensample of all tho
I finde a tal6 write so,
The which for it is good to lere
Herafterward thou shalt it here.
" tian 'lomd stoob in noble
plite,
Virgile, which was tho parfite,
A Mirrour made of his clergie 2
And sette it in the townes eye
Of marbre on a piller without,
That they by thritty mile about
By day and eke also by night
In that Mirrour beholde might
Her ennemies, if any were,
With all her ordenaunce there
Which they ayein the citee cast.
So that while thilke Mirrour last,
Ther was no lond which might
acheve
With werre Rome for to greve,
Wherof was great envie tho.
And fell that ilke time so.
That Rome hadde werres stronge
Ayein Cartage, and stoden longe
1  lrute, pike.  2 By his learningl.


The two citees upon debate.
Cartagde sigh the strong estate
Of Rome in thilke mirrour stonde,
And thought all prively to fonde
To overthrowe it by some wile.
And Hanibal was thilkd while
The prince and leader of CartAge,
Which haddd set all his corage
Upon knighthode in such a wise
That he by worthy and by wise
And by none other was counseiled,
WVherof the world is yet merveiled
Of the maistries that he wrought
Upon the marches which he sought.
And fell in thilke time also,
The kinge of Puile, which was tho,
Thought ayein Rom6 to rebelle,
And thus was take the quarelle,
How to destruie the Mirrour.
Of Rome tho was emperoiir
Crassus, which was so covetous,
That he was ever desirous,
Of gold to gete the pilage,
Wherof that Puile and eke Cartage
With philosophres wise and great
Beginne of this matere to treat.
And atte last in this degre
There weren philos6phres thre
To do this thing whiche undertoke;
And therupon they with hem toke
A great tresure of gold in cofres
To Rome, and thus these philosophres
To-gider in compaignie went,
But no man wist6 what they ment.,Whan they to Rome come were,
So prively they dwelte there
As they that thoughten to deceive;
Was none that might of hem perceive
Till they in sondry stedes have
Her gold under the erth begrave
In two tres6rs that to beholde
They sholden seme as they were
olde.


Q




24-2


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And so forth than upon a day
All openly in good array
To themperouir they hem present
And tolden it was her entent
To dwellen under his servise;
And he hemrt axeth in what wise.
And they him told in such a plite 1
That eche of hem had a spirite
The which slepend anight appereth
And hem by sondry dremes lereth
After the world that hath betid,
Under the grounde if ought be hid
Of old tresor at any throwe,
They shall it in her swevenes2
knowe.
And upon this condition
They sain, what gold under the town
Of Rome is hid, they woll it finde,
There shulde nought beleft behinde
Be so that he the halv6 dele
Hem graunt, and he assenteth wele.
And thus cam Sleighte for to dwelle
With Covetise as I the telle.
This emperour bad redely,
That they be loged faste by,
Where he his own6 body lay.
And whan it was at morwe day,
That one of hem saith that he mette,
Where he a gold hord shulde fette,
Wherof this emperouir was glad.
And therupon anone he bad
His minours for to go and mine,
And he him self of that covine
Goth forth withall, and at his honde
The tresor redy there he fonde
Where as they said it shuld6 be.
And who was thann6 glad but he?
" Upon that other day secounde
They have an othergold hordfounde.
Which the seconde maister toke
Upon his sweven and undertoke.
And thus the soth experience
To themperour yaf such credence,
1 Pifte, promise.  2 Swaezvenes, dreams.
A fette, dreamed.


That all his trust and all his feith
So sikerliche on hem he laith
Of that he found him so releved,'
That they ben parfitly beleved,
As though they were goddes thre.
Now herkeneth the subtilite
The thridde maister shulde mete,
Whiche as theysaiden was unmete2
Above hem all, and couthe most,
And he withoute noise or bost
All privelich, so as he wolde,
Upon the morwe his swevenes tolde
To themperouir right in his ere
And said him, that he wiste where
A tresor was so plenteouis
Of golde and eke so precious
Of jeuelles and of rich stones,
That unto all his hors at ones
It were a charge suffisaunt.
This lord upon this covenaunt
Was glad and axeth where it was:
The maister said, under the glas.
He tolde him eke as for the mine
He wolde ordeignd such engine,
That they the werk shulde undersette
With timber, and withoute lette
Men may the tresor saufly delve,
So that the Mirrour by him selve
Without empeirement shal stonde.
All this the maister upon honde
Hath undertake in alld wey.
This lord, whiche had his wit awvey
And was with Covetis6 blent,
Anone therto yaf his assent.
And thus they mine forth withall,
The timber set up over all,
Wherof the piller stood upright;
Till it befell upon a night
These clerkes, whan they were ware
How that the timber only bare
The piller where the Mirrour
stood,1 Releved, enriched, as by reliefs and fines.
'I2 Ut iete, immeasurably.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


243


Her sleighte no man understood,They go by night unto the mine
With pitch, with sulphre and rosine,
And whan the citee was aslepe,
A wild6 fire into the depe
They cast among the timber werke,
And so forth while the night was
derke
Desguised in a pouer array
They passeden the towne er day.
And whan they come upon an hille,
They sighen how the Mirrour felle,
Wherof they made joy inough,
And eche of hem with other lough
And saiden, 'Lo, what Covetise
May do with hem that be nought
wise!'
And that was proved afterwarde,
For every lond to Rome warde,
Whiche hadde be subgit to-fore,
Whan this Mirrouir was so forlore
And they the wonder herde say,
Anone begunne disobey
With werres upon every side.
And thus hath Rom6 lost his pride
And was defouled over all.
For this I finde of Hanibal,
That he of Romains in a day
Whan he hem found out of array,
So great a multitude slough,
That of gold ringes which he drough
Of gentil hondes that ben dede
Busshelles fulle thre I rede
He filled, and made a brigge also
That he might over Tiber go
Upon the corps that dede were
Of the Romains whiche he slough
there.
" But now to speke of the juise,
The which after the Covetise
Was take upon this emperour,
For he destruied the Mirrour,
It is a wonder for to here.
The Romains maden a chaiere
And set her emperour therinne


And saiden, for he wolde winne
Of gold the superfluite,
Of golde he shulde such plente
Receiv6 till he saide 'ho.'
And with gold which they hadde tho
Boilende hot within a panne,
Into his mouth they poure thanne.
And thus the thurst of gold was
queint
With goldwhiche hadde benatteint.
"Wherof, my sond, thou might
here,
Whan Covetise hath lost the stere
Of reson.ble governaunce,
There falleth ofte great grevaunce.
For there may be no worse thing
Than Covetise about a king.
If it in his persone be
It doth the more adversite;
And if it in his counseil stonde
It bringeth all day mischefe to
honde
Of comun harme; and if it growe
Within his court, it woll be knowe.
For thanne shall the king be pilled.1
The man, whiche hath his londe
tilled,
Awaiteth nought more redely
The hervest, than they gredily
Ne maken thanne warde and wacche
Where they the profit mighten
cacche.
And yet full oft it falleth so,
As men may sene among hem tho,
That he which most coveiteth fast
Hath leest avauntage atte last.
For whan fortune is there ayein,
Though he coveite it is in veine,
The happes ben nought alle liche,
One is made pouer, an other riche,
The court to some it doth profite,
And some ben ever in o plite.
And yet they both aliche sore
Coveite, but fortuine is more
1 Pilled, fleeced.




244


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Unto that o part favourible;
And though it be nought resonAble,
This thing a man may sene al day,
Wherof that I the telle may
After ensample in remembrafince,
How every man may take his
chaunce
Or of richesse or of pouerte,
How so it stonde of the deserte.
Here is nought every thing acquit,
For oft a man may se this yit
That who best doth lest thank shal
have;
It helpeth nought, the world to
crave,
Whiche out of reule and of mesutre
Hath ever stonde in aventure
Als well in court as elles where;
And how in olde dai6s there
It stood so as the thinges felle,
I thenke a tale for to telle.
"t n a croniqud this I rede:
About a kinge as it must nede
There was of knightes and squiers
Great route and eke of officers.
Some of long time him hadden served
And thoughten that they have deserved
Avauncement and gone withoute;
And some also ben of the route
That comen but a while agone,
And they avaunced were anone.
These olde men upon this thing
So as they durst ayein the king
Among hem self compleignen ofte.
But there is nothing said so softe,
That it ne cometh out at last.
The king it wist anone als fast
As he which was of high prudence.
He shope therfore an evidence
Of hem that pleignen in that cas,
To knowe in whose default it was.
And all within his owne entent,
That no man wiste what it ment
Anone he let two cofres make


Of one semblaunce and of o make,
So lich that no life thilke throwe 1
That one may fro that other knowe.
They were into his chambre
brought,
But no man wot why they be
wrought.
And netheles the king hath bede,
That they be set in prive stede,
As he that was of wisdom sligh.
Whan he therto his time sigh
All privelich, that none it wist,
His owne hondes that o kist
Of fine golde and of fine perrie,
The which out of his tresorie
Was take, anone he filde full,
Thatother cofreof strawe and mull 2
With stones meind he filde also.
Thus be they fulle bothe two.
So that erliche upon a day
He bad withinne where he lay
There shulde be to-fore his bedde
A borde up set and faire spredde.
And than he let the cofres fet,
Upon the borde and did hem set.3
He knew the names well of tho,
The whiche ayein him grucche so
Both of his chambre and of his
halle,
Anone and sende for hem alle
And saide to hem in this wise:
'There shall no man his hap
despise;
I wot well ye have longe served,
And God wot what ye have deserved.
But if it is along on me
Of that ye unavaunced be
Or ellds it belonge on you,
The sothe shall be proved now
To stoppe with your evil worde.
Lo here two cofres on the borde,
1 Nobody at that time.
2 Mull, dirt, rubbish.
> And caused them to be set upon the
board.




BOOK V.-AVARICE.


245


Chese whiche you list of bothe two
And witeth well, that one of tho
Is with tresor so full begon
That if ye happe therupon
Ye shal be riche men for ever.
Now chese and take whiche you is
lever.
But be well ware, er that ye take,
For of that one I undertake
There is no maner good therinne
Whereof ye mighten profit winne.
Now goth to-gider of one assent
And taketh your advisement,
For but I you this day avaunce
It stant upon your owne chaunce:
All only in default of grace
So shall be shewed in this place
Upon you alle well and fine,
That no defaulte shall be mine.'
"They knelen all and with one
vois
The king they thonken of this chois.
And after that they up arise
And gon aside and hem avise
And atte last6 they accorde,
Wherof her tale to recorde
To what issue they be falle
A knight shall speke for hem alle.
He kneleth down unto the king
And saith, that they upon this thing
Or for to winne or for to lese
Ben all avised for to chese.
"Tho toke this knight a yerd on
hond
And goth there as the cofres stond
And with thassent of everychone
He laith his yerde upon one
And saith the king how thilke same
They chese in reguerd6n by name,
And preith him that they might it
have.
The king, which wold his honour
save,
When he hath herd the comun vois
Hath graunted hem her owne chois


And toke hem therupon the key.
But for he wolde it were say
What good they have as they suppose,
He bad anone the cofre unclose,Which was fulfilled with straw and
stones,
Thus be they served all at ones.
This king than in the same stede
Anone that other cofre undede,
Where as they sighen great richesse
Wel more than they couthen gesse.
' Lo,' saith the king, 'nowmayye se,
That there is no defaulte in me,
Forthy my self I woll acquite
And bereth ye your owne wite 1
Of that fortune hath you refused.'
Thus was this wise king excused,
And they lefte of her evil speche
And mercy of her king beseche.
" ombeTe to this matere like
I finde a tale, how Frederike,
Of Rome that time emperour,
Herde, as he went, a great clamour
Of two beggers upon the way,
That one of hem began to say:
Ha lord, wel may the man be riche,
Whom that a king list for to riche.'
That other said: 'No thinge so,
But he is riche and well bego,
To whom that God wol sende wele.'
And thus they maden wordes fele,
Wherof this lord hath hede nome
And did hem bothe for to come
To the paleis where he shall ete,
And bad ordeigne for her mete
Two pastees which he let do make;
A capon in that one was bake,
And in that other, for to winne,
Of floreins all that may withinne
He let do put a great richesse,
And even aliche as man may gesse
Outward they were bothe two.
This begger was commaunded tho,
1 Wife, blame.




246


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


He that which held him to the king,
That he first chese upon this thing.
Hesigh hem, buthe felthem nought,
So that upon his owne thought
He chese the capon and forsoke
That other, which his felaw toke.
But whan he wist how that it ferde,
He said aloud, that men it herde:
' Now have I certainly conceived,
That he may lightly be deceived
That tristeth unto mannes helpe.
But wel is him, that God wol helpe,
For he stant on the siker side,
Whiche elles shulde go beside.
I se my felaw wel recouer,
And I mot dwelle stille pouer.
Thus spake the begger his entent,
And pouerhe cam andpouerhe went,
Of that he hath richesse sought
His infortuine it wolde nought.
So may it shewe in sondry wise
Betwene Fortune and Covetise
The chaunce is cast upon a dee,
But yet full oft a man may see
Inough of suche netheles
Which ever put hem self in pres
To get hem good, and yet they faile.
"And for to speke of this entaile
Touchend of Love in thy matere,
My gode sone, as thou might here,
That right as it with tho men stood
Of infortuine of worldes good,
As thou hast herd me tell above,
Right so full ofte it stant by Love;
Though thou coveite it evermore
Thou shalt nought have o dele the
more,
But only that which the is shape,
The remenaunt is but a jape.
And netheles inough of tho
There ben that now coveiten so
That where as they a woman se,
To ten or twelve though there be,
The love is now so unavised
That where the beaute stant assised


The mannes herte anone is there
And rouneth1 tales in her ere
And saith, how that he loveth streite.
And thus he set him to coveite,
An 'hundred though he sigh a day,
So wolde he more than he may.
So for the grete Covetise
Of soty2 and of fool emprise
In eche of hem he fint sonmwhat,
That pleseth him, or this or that:
Some one, for she is white of skinne,
Some one, for she is noble of kinne,
Someone, for she hath a rody cheke,
Some one, for that she semeth meke,
Some one, for she hath eyen grey,
Some one, for she can laugh and pley,
Someone, forshe is longeand small,
Some one, for she is lithe and tall,
Some one, forshe is pale and bleche,
Some one, for she is softe of speche,
Some one, for that she is camused,3
Some one, for she hath nought ben
used,
Some one, for she can daunce and
sing,
So that some thing of his liking
He tint; and though no more he
fele
But that she hath a litel hele,
It is inough, that he therfore
Herlove; and thus an hundred score,
While theybe new, he wolde he had,
Whomheforsaketh she shall bebad.
The blinde man no colour demeth,
But all is one right as him semeth;
So hath his lust no jugement
Whom Covetise of Love blent.4
Him thenketh, to his Covetise,
How all the world ne may suffise,
For by his will he wolde have all,
If that it mighte so befall.
So is he comun as the strete,
1 2Rouncth, whisper.  2 Sofy, folly.
2 Catwusted, with a curve in the nose.
4 B/,, t, blinds.




BOOK V.-AVARICE.


247


I sette nought of his beyete.
My sone, hast thou such covetise? "'" Nay fader, such love I despise,
And while I live shal don ever,
For in good feith yet had I lever
Than to coveite in suche a wey
To ben for ever till I deie
As pouer as Job and loveles
Out taken one, for haveles
His thonkds 1 is no man alive,
For that a man shulde all unthrive
There ought no wise man coveite,
The lawe was nought set so streite.
Forthy my self withall to save
Suche one there is I wolde have
And none of all this other mo."" My sone, of that thouwoldest so,
I am nought wroth; but over this
I woll the tellen howe it is.
For there be men which other wise
Right only for the covetise
Of that they seen a woman riche,
There wol they all her love affiche.
Nought for the beaute of her face,
Ne yet for vertu, ne for grace,
Which she hath elles right inough,
But for the parke and for the plough
And other thing which therto
longeth,
For in none other wise hem longeth
To love but2 they profit finde.
And if the profit be behinde,
Her 3 love is ever lesse and lesse,
For after that she hath richesse
Her love is of proporti6n.
If thou hast such conditi6n,
My sone, tell right as it is.""Min holy fader, nay iwis,
Condici6n such have I none.
For truly fader, I love one
So well, with all min hertes thought,


That certds though she hadde
nought
And were as pouer as Medeai,
Which was exildd for Creusi,
I wolde her nought the lasse love;
Ne though she were at her above
As was the riche quene Candace,
Which to deserve love and grace
To Alisaundre that was king
Yaf many a worthy riche thing;
Or elles as Pantasilee,
Which was the quene of Feminee
And great richesse with her nam
Whan she for love of Hector cam
To Troy in rescousse of the tow.;
I am of such condicioun,
That though my lady of her selve
Were al so riche as suche twelve,
I couthe nought though it were so
No better love her than I do.
For I love in so pleine 1 a wise,
That for to speke of Covetise
As for pouerte or for richesse
MIy love is nouther more ne lesse.
For in good feith I trowe this,
So covetous no man there is
For why and he my lady sigh
That he through loking of his eye
Ne shuld have such a stroke withinne
That for no gold he mighte winne
He shuld6 nought her love asterte
But if he lefte there his herte:
Be so it were such a man
That couthe skille of a woman.
For there ben men so rudd some
Whan they among the women come
They gon under protection,
That love and his affection
Neshalnoughttakehem bythe sieve
For they ben out of that beleve;
Hem lusteth of no lady chere,
But ever thenken there and here
Where that her golde is in the cofre
And wvol none other lovr profer.
1 Pleine, full.


1 Haveles his thonkes, wanting possession,
with his own good will.
2 But, unless.            3 Ier their.




248


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


But who so wot whatloveamounteth
And by reson truliche accompteth,
Than may he knowe and taken hede
That all the lust of womanhede
Which may ben in a ladies face
My lady hath, and eke of grace,
If men shuld yiven her apprise
They may wel say how she is wise
And sober and simple of countenaunce,
And all that to good governaunce
Belongeth of a worthy wight
She hath pleinly. For thilke night
That she was bore as for the nones
Nature' set in her at ones
Beaute with bounte so besein,
That I may well afferme and sain,
I sigh yet never creature
Of comlyhede and of feture
In any kinges region
Be liche her in comparison.
And therto, as I have you tolde,
Yet hath she more a thousand folde
Of bounte, and shortly to telle
She is the pure' hede and welle
And mirrour and ensample of good;
Who so her vertues understood
Me thenketh it ought inough suffise
Withouten other Covetise
To love suche one and to serve,
Which with her chere can deserve
To be beloved better iwis
Than she par cas that richest is
And hath of golde a million.
Suche hath be min opini6n
And ever shall.  But netheles
I say she is nought have'les,'
That she nis riche and well at ese
And hath inough wherwith to plese
Of worldes good whom that her list.
But o thing wold I wel ye wist,
That never for no worlde's good
Min hert unto ward hire stood,
But only right for pure love,
1 Havdles, wanting possessions.


That wot the highe God above.
Now fader, what say ye therto?"" My sone, I say it is wel do.
For take of this right good beleve,
What man that wol him self releve
To love in any other wise
He shall wel finde his Covetise
Shall sore greve him atte laste,
For such a love may nought laste.
But now men sain in oure daies
Men inaken but a few assaies
But if the cause be richesse,
Forth) the love is well the lesse.
And who that wold ensamples telle
By olde daies as they felle,
Than might a man wel understonde
Such love maynought longe stonde.
Now herken, sone, and thou shalt
here
A great ensample of this matere.
go frefe upon the cas of love,
So as we tolden here above,
I finde write a wonder thing.
Of Puile whilom was a king,
A man of high complexion
And yong, but his affection
After the nature of his age
Was yet not falle in his corage
The lust of women for to knowe.
So it betid upon a throwe,
This lord fell into great sikenesse.
Phisique hath done the besinesse
Of sondry cures many one
To make him hole, and therupon
A worthy maister which there was,
Yaf him counseil upon this cas,
That if he wolde have parfite hele,
He shulde with a woman dele.
For than he said him redely,
That he shal be al hole therby,
And other wise he knew no cure.
The king, which stood in aventure
Of life and deth for medicine,
Assented was, and of covine
His steward, whom he trusteth well,




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


249


He toke and told him every dele,
How that this maister hadde said.
And therupon he hath him praid
And charged upon his legeaunce,
That he do make purveauince
And badde him, how that ever it
stood,
That he shall spare for no good,
For his will is right well to pay.
The steward said, he wolde assay.
"But now here after thou shalt
wite,
As I finde in the bokes write,
What Covetise in Love doth.
This steward, for to telle soth,
Amonges all the men alive
A lusty lady hath to wive,
Which netheles for gold he toke
And nought for love, as saith the
boke.
A riche marchaunt of the londe
Her fader was, and he her fonde
So worthely and such richesse
Of worldes good and such largesse
With her he yaf in mariSge,
That only for thilke avauntaSge
Of good the steward hath her take,
For lucre and nought for loves sake.
And that was afterward wel sene.
Nowe herken, what it wolde mene.
This steward in his owne hert
Sigh that his lord may nought astert
His maladie but he have
A lusty woman him to save,
And tho he wolde yive inough
Of his tresor; wherof he drough
Great Covetise into his minde
And set his honour fer behinde.
Thus he whom gold hath oversette
Was trapped in his owne nette.
The gold hath made his wittes lame,
So that sechend his owne shame
He rouneth in the kinges ere
And said him that he wiste where
A gentil and a lusty one


Tho was, and thider wold he gone,
But he mote yive yeftes great,
For but it be through great beyete
Of gold, he said, he shuld nought
spede.
The king him bad upon the nede
That take an hundred pound he
sholde
And yive it where that he wolde,
Be so it were in worthy place.
And thus to stonde in loves grace
This king his gold hath aband6ned.
And whan this tale was full rouned,
The steward toke the gold and went
Within his herte and many a went1
Of covetise than he caste,
Wherof a purpos atte laste
Ayein love and ayein his right
He toke and saide, how thilke night
His wife shall ligge by the king.
And goth thenkend upon this thing
Toward his inn till he cam home
Into the chambre, and than he nome
His wife and tolde her al the cas.
And she, which red for shame was,
With bothe her hondes hath him
praid
Knelend and in this wise said,
That she to reson and to skill
In what thing that he bidde will
Is redy for to done his heste
But2 this thing that were nought
honeste,
That he for gold her shulde selle.
And he tho with his wordes felle
Forth with his gastly countenaunce
Saith, that she shall done obeisauince
And folwe his wille in every place.
And thus through strength of his
manace
Her innocence is overladde,
Wherof she was so sore adradde,
That she his will mot nede obey.
And therupon was shape a wey.
1 lWent, turn.  2 But, except.




250


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


When it was nigh upon the day
The steward thanne where she lay
Cam to the bed and in this wise
Hath bidde that she shulde arise.
The king saith: ' Nay, she shall
nought go.'
Thestewardsaidayein: 'Noughtso,
For she mot gone er it be knowe,
And so I swore at thilke throwe,
Whan I her fette to you here.'
The king his tale wol nought here
And saith how that he hath her
bought
Forthy she shall departe nought,
But who she was he knew nothing.
Tho cam the steward to the king
And praid him that withoute shame
In saving of her gode name
He mighte leaden home ayeine
This lady, and hath told him pleine
How that it was his owne wife.
The king his ere unto this strife
Hathleid, and whan that he it herde,
Well nigh out of his wit he ferde
And said: ' Ha, caitif most of alle,
Where was it ever er this befalle,
That any cokard in this wise
Betoke his wife for covetise.
Thouhast botheherand mebeguiled
And eke thin own estate reviled,
Wherof that buxom unto the
Here after shall she never be.
For this avow to God I make
After this day, if I the take,
Thou shalt behonged and to-drawe.
Now loke anone thou be withdrawe,
So that I se the never more!'
This steward thanne drad him sore,
With all the haste that he may
And fled awey the same day,
And was exiled out of lond.
Lo, there a nice husebond,
Which thus hath loste his wife for
ever.
But netheles she hadde a lever;


The king her weddeth and honoureth,
Wherof her name she soccouureth,
Which erst was lost through covetise
Of him that lad her other wise
And hath him self also forlore.
" My sone, be thou ware therfore,
Where thou shalt love in any place,
That thou no Covetise embrace,
The which is nought of Loves kinde.
But for all that a man may finde
Now in this time of thilke rage
Full great disese in mariage,
Whan venim medleth with the sucre
And mariage is made for lucre
Or for the lust or for the hele,
What man that shall with other dele
He may nought faile to repent."" My fader, such is min entent.
But netheles good is to have,
For good may ofte time save
The love which shulde elles spille.
But God which wot min hertes wille
I dar wel takd to witnesse,
Yet was I never for richesse
Beset with mariage none,
For all min herte is upon one
So frely that in the persone
Stant all my world6s joy alone.
I axe nouther park ne plough,
If I her hadde, it were inough,
Her love shulde me suffise
Withouten other Covetise.
Lo now, my fader, as of this
Touchend of me right as it is
My shrifte I am beknowe plein,
And if ye wol ought elles sain
Of Covetise if there be more
In Love, agropeth out the sore.
Ttp son6, thou shalt understonde,
How Covetise hath yet on honde
In speciall two counseilors,
That ben also his pr6curors.
The first of hem is Fals Witnesse,




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


25I


Which ever is redy to witnesse
What thing his maister woll him
hote.1
Perjuirie is the second hote,2
Which spareth nought to swere an
othe
Though it be fals and God be
wrothe,
That one shall fals witnesse bere,
That other shall the thing forswere
When he is charged on the boke.
So what with hoke and what with
croke
They make her maister ofte winne
And woll noughtknow6whatis sinne
For Covetise, and thus men sain
They maken many a fals bargafn.
There may no trewe quarel arise
In thilke queste of thilke assise
Where as they two the people enforme.
For they kepe ever o 3 maner forme,
That upon golde her4 conscience
They founde and take her evid6nce.
And thus with Fals Witnesse and
othes
They winne hem mete, drink and
clothes.
Right so there be, who that hem
knewe,
Of these lovers ful many untrewe.
Now may a woman finde inow,
That eche of hem whan he shall
wowe
Anone he woll his hand down lain
Upon a boke and swere and sain
That he woll feith and trouthe bere.
And thus he profreth him to swere
To serven ever till he deie,
And all is verray trechery.
For whan the soth him selven trieth,
The more he swereth the more he
lieth,


Whan he his feith maketh alithermest,1
Than may a woman trust him lest,
For till he may his will acheve,
He is no lenger for to leve.
Thus is the trouth of love exiled,
And many a good woman beguiled.
"And eke to speke of Fals Witnesse
There be now many such I gesse,
That lich unto the provisours
They make her prive procurours
To tell how there is such man,
Which is worthy to love and can
All that a good man shulde conne,
So that with lesing is begonne
The cause, in which they wvoll
procede.
And al so siker as the Crede
Theymake of that they knowen fals,
And thus full oft about the hals 2
Love is of false men embraced.
But love which is so purchbced,
Cometh afterward to litel prise.
Forthy, my sone, if thou be wise,
Now thou hast herd this evidence,
Thou might thin owne conscience
Oppose, if thou hast be such one."" Nay God wot, fader, I am none
Ne never was, for, as men saith,
Whan thataman shall make his feith
His hert and tunge must accorde.
For if so be that they discorde
Than he is fals, and elles nought,
And I dare say as of my thought
In love it is nought discordable
Unto my word, but accordable.
And in this wise, fader, I
May righte well swere and saufi,'
That I my lady love well,
For that accordeth every dele'
It nedeth nought to my soth sawe
That I witness6 shuld6 drawe
1 AZllthennest, most of all.
2 Hals. neck.


1 Hote, command.
3 0, one.


" Hole, called.
4 I//e;, their.




252


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Into this day, for ever yit
Ne might it sinke into my wit
That I my counseil shoulde say
To any wight or me bewrey 1
To sechen helpe in such manere,
But onely for my lady dere.
And though a thousand men it wiste
That I her love, and than hem liste
With me to swere and to witnesse,
Yet were that no fals witn6sse.
For I dare unto this trouth dwelle,
I love her more than I can telle.
Thus am I, fader, gilteles,
As ye have herde, and netheles
In youre dome I put it all."" My sone, wite in speciall
It shall nought comunliche faile,
All though it for a time availe
That Fals Witnesse his cause spede
Upon the point of his falshede;
It shall well afterward be kid,
Wherof so as it is betid
Ensample of such thinges blinde
In a cronique write I finde.
Ie gIobbesse of tl)e see Thetis,
She had a sone, and his name is
Achilles, whom to kepe and warde,
While he was yonge, and into warde
She thought him saufly to betake
As she which dradde for his sake
Of that was said of prophecie,
That he at Troie sholde deie
Whan that the citee was belein.
Forthy so as the bokes sain,
She cast her wit in sondry wise,
How she him mighte so desguise
That no man shuld his body knowe.
And so befell that ilke throwe
While that she thought upon this
dede,
There was a king, which Lichomede
Was hote, and he was well begone
With faire doughters many one
And dwelte fer out in an ile.
1 Ale bewrey, disclose myself.


Now shalt thou here a wonder wile.
This quene which the mother was
Of Achilles, upon this cas
Her sone as he a maiden were
Let clothen in the same gere,
Which longeth unto womanhede.
And he was yonge and toke none
hede
But suffreth all that she him dede,
Wherof she hath her women bede
And chargeth by her othes alle,
How so it afterward befalle,
That they discovernought thisthing,
But feigne and make a knouleching
Upon the counseil which was nome,
In every place,here they come
To telle and to witnesse this,
Howe he her ladies doughter is.
And right in such a maner wise
She bad they shuld her don servise,
So that Achilles underfongeth
As to a yong lady belongeth
Honour, service and reverence.
For Thetis with great diligence
Him hath so taught and so affaited
That, how so that he were awaited,
With sobre and goodly contenaunce
He shuld his womanhede avaunce
That none the sothe knowe might,
But that in every mannes sight
He shulde seme a pure maide.
And in such wise as she him said
Achilles, which that ilke while
Was yonge, upon him selfe to smile
Began, whan he was so besein.
And thus after the bokes sain
With frette of perle upon his hede
All fresshe betwene white and red,
As he which tho was tender of age,
Stood the colour in his visage,
That for to loke upon his cheke
And seen his childly maner eke
He was a woman to beholde.
And than his moder to him tolde,
That she him hadde so begone




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


253


By caus6 that she thoughte gone
To Lichomede at thilke tide,
Where that she said, he shulde abide
Amonge his doughters for to dwelle.
Achilles herd his moder telle
And wiste nought the cause why.
And netheles full buxomly
He was redy to that she bad,
Wherof his moder was right glad.
To Lichomede and forth they went,
Andwhan the king knewe her entent
And sigh this yonge doughter there,
And that it came unto his ere
Of such rec6rd, of such witnesse,
He hadde right a great gladnesse
Of that he bothe sigh and herde,
As he that wot nought how it ferde
Upon the counseil of the nede.
But for all that king Lichomede
Hath toward him his doughter take
And for Thetis his moder sake
He put her into compaigny
To dwelle with DeYdamy,
His owne doughter the eldest,
The fairest and the comliest
Of al his doughters which he had.
Lo, thus Thetis the cause lad
And lefte there Achilles feigned,
As he which hath him selfrestreigned
In all that ever he may and can
Out of the maner of a man
And toke his womanisshe chere,
Wherof unto his beddefere
DeYdamy he hath by night,
Where kinde will him selve right
After the philosophres sain,
There may no wight be there ayein.
And it befell that ilke throwe
At Troie, where the siege lay
Upon the cause of Menelay
And of his quene dame Heleine,
The Gregois hadden mochel peine
All day to fight and to assaile.
But for they mighten nought availe
So noble a citee for to winne


A prive counseil they beginne
In sondry wise where they treat
And atte laste among the great
They fellen unto this accorde,
That Protheus of his recorde,
Which was an astronomien
And eke a great magicien,
Shulde of his calculation
Sechen of constellation
How they the citee mighten gette;
And he, which hadd6 nought forvete
Of that belongeth to a clerke,
His study set upon this werke.
So longe his wit about he caste,
Till that he founde out atte laste,
But if they hadden Achilles
Her werre shall ben endeles.
And over that he tolde hem pleine
In what man{r he was beseine
And in what placehe shall be founde:
So that within a litel stounde1
Ulixes forth with Diomede
Upon this point to Lichomede
Agimenon to-gider sente.
But Ulixes, er he forth wente,
Which was one of the moste wise
Ordeined hath in such a wise,
That he the moste riche array
Wherof a woman may be gay
With him he toke manifolde;
And overmore, as it is tolde,
An harneis for a lusty knight,
Which burned was as silver bright,
Of swerde, of plate, and eke of maile,
As though he shulde do bataile,
He toke also with him by ship.
And thus to-gider in felaship
Forth gone this Diomede and he
In hope till they mighten se
The place where Achilles is.
Thewind stood thannenought amis,
But every topsailecole 2 it blewe,
Till Ulixes the marches knewe,
1 Stounde, interval of time, hour.
2 Tepfsailecole. Cole, in Godefroy's Dictionnaire de 1 A4itenne LangIfe Fl )anfaise, is an




254


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Where Lichomede his regne had.
The stiresman so well him lad
That they ben comen sauf to londe,
Where they gone out upon the
stronde
Into the burgh, where that they
founde
The king; and he which hath
facounde,1
Ulixes, dide the message.
But the counseile of his cordge,2
Why that he came, he tolde nought,
But underneth he was bethought
In what maner he might aspie
Achilles fro Deidamy
And fro these other that there were,
Full many a lusty lady there.
"They plaide hem there a day
or two,
And as it was fortuined so,
It fell that time in suche a wise
To Bachus that a sacrifice
These yonge ladies shulden make.
And for the straunge mennes sake
That   comen   fro the siege  of
Troy,
They maden well the more joy.
There was revell, there was dauncinrr
And every life 3 which couthe sing
Of lusty women in the route
A fressh car6ll hath song aboute.
But for all this yet nethdles
The Grekes unknowe of Achilles
So weren, that in no degre
They couthen wite which was he
Ne by his vois, ne by his pas.
Ulixes than upon the cas
A thing of high prudence hath
wrought.
unexplained word illustrated by this passage:
"Se mistrent en barges, et alerent aux salandres, et en prisrent les xvii. et 'une echapa,
qui estoit a la cole."
1 Facounde, eloquence.
2 Cordge, thought in his heart.
3 Life, body.


For thilk array which he hath
brought
To yive among the women there
He let do fetten 1 all the gere
Forth, with a knightes harneis eke.
In all the contre for to seke
Men sholden nought a fairer se.
And every thing in his degre
Endelong upon a bourde he laide.
To Lichomede and than he preide,
That every lady chese sholde
What thing of alle that she wolde
And take it as by way of yift,
For they hem self it shuld6 shift
He saide after her owne wille.
Achilles thanne stood nought stille,
\Vhan he the bright6 helm behelde,
The swerd, the hauberk and the
shelde,
His herte fell therto anone,
Of all that other wold he none;
The knightes gere he underfongeth
And thilke array which that belongeth
Unto the women he forsoke.
And in this wise, as saith the boke,
Theyknowen thanne whichehe was,
For he goth forth the gret6 pas
Into the chambre where he lay,
Anone and made no delay,
He armeth him in knightly wise,
That better can no man devise.
And as fortune shulde falle,
He came so forth to-fore hem alle
As he which tho was glad inough.
But Lichomede nothing lough 2
Whan that he sigh how that it ferde.
For than he wiste well and herde
His doughter hadd6 be forlain.
But that he was so oversein
The wonder overgoth his wit.
For in cronique is write yit
Thing which shall never be foryete,
1 Let dofetten, caused to be fetched.
2 Loug/i, laughed,




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


253


How that Achilles hath begete
Pirrds upon Deidam',
Wherof came out the trecherv
Of Fals Witnesse when he saide
How that Achilles was a maide.
But that was nothing sene tho,
For he is to the siege go
Forth-with Ulixes and Diomede.
" Lo, thus was proved in the dede
And fully spoke at thilke while,
If o woman an other beguile
Where is there any sikernesse,
Whan Thetis which was than goddesse
Deidamy hath so bejaped,
I not how it shall bene escaped
\Vith tho women whose innocence
Is now al day throughsuch credence
Deceiv6d ofte as it is sene
Withmen that suchuntrouthe mene.
For they ben sligh in suche a wise,
That theyby sleight and byqueintise
Of fals witness6 bringen inne
That doth hem ofte for to winne
Where they ben nought worthy
therto.
Forthy, my sone, do nought so."" My fader, as of fals witnesse
The trouth and the matere expresse
Touchend of love, howe it hathferde,
As ye have tolde I have well herde.
But for ye saiden other wise,
How thilke Vice of Covetise
Hath yet Perjurie of his accorde,
If that you list of some recorde
To tellen an other tale also
In Loves cause of time ago,
What thing it is to be forswore,
I woldd preie you therfore,
\herof I might ensample take."X"     gobd $one, and for thy
sake
Touchend of this I shall fulfill
Thin axing at thin owne will
And the matere I shall declare


How the women deceived are
Whan they so tendre hert6s bere
Of that they heren men so swere.
But whan it cometh unto thassay,
They finde it fals another day,
As Jason did unto Medee,
Which stant yet of auctorit6
In token and in memorial],
Wherof the tale in speciall
Is in the boke of Troie write,
Which I shall do the for to wite.
ICn Grece whilom was a king,
Of whom the fame and knouleching
Beleveth 1 yet, and Peleuis
He highte, but it fell him thus,
That his Fort'ine her whele so lajd,
That he no childe his owne had
To regnen after his decess.
He had a brother netheles,
Whose righte name was Eson,
And he the worthy knight Jason
Begat, the which in every londe
All other pass6d of his honde
In armes, so that he the best
Was named and the worthiest.
He soughte worship over all.
Now herken, and I telle shall
An adventure' that he sought,
Which afterward full dere he bought.
There was an ile, which Colchos
Was cleped, and therof aros
Great speche in every londe aboute,
That such merveile was none oute
In all the wide world no where
As tho was in that ile there.
There was a shqpe, as it was tolde,
The which his flees bare all of
golde,
And so the goddeSs had it sette
That it ne might away be fette
By power of no worldes wight.
And yet full many a worthy knight
It had assaied as they dorste,
And ever it fell hem to the worste.
1 Beleveth, remains.




256


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


But he that wolde it nought forsake
But of his knighthode undertake
To do what thing therto belongeth,
This worthy Jason, sore alongeth
To se the straunge regions
And knowe the conditions
Of other marches where he went.
And for that cause his hole entent
He sette Colchos for to seche
And therupon he made a speche
To Peleus his enmel the king.
And he wel paid was of that thing
And shope anone for his passage
And such as were of his lignge
With other knights whichehechees
With him he toke, and Hercules
Which full was of chiv-lerie
With Jason went in compaignie,
And that was in the month of May
Whan colde stormes were away;
The wind was good, the ship was
yare,
They toke herleve and forth theyfare.Toward Colch6s. But on the way
What hem befelle is long to say,
How Lamedon the king of Troy,
Which oughte well have made hem
joy
Whan they to rest a while him preide,
Out of his lond he them congeide.
And so fell the dissenti6n
Whiche after was destruction
Of that citee, as men may here.
But that is nought to my matere,
But thus the worthy folk Gregois
Fro that king which was nought
curtois
And fro his londe with sail updrawe
They went hem forth, and many a
sawe
They made and many a great
manace;
Till atte last into that place
W\hich as they soughte they arrive,
1 Eme, uncle.


And striken sail and forth as blive1
They sent unto the king and tolden
Who weren there and what they
wolden.
Oetes, which was thanne king,
Whan that he herde this tiding
Of Jason which was comen there,
And of these other what they were,
He thoughte done hem great
worship.
For they anone come out of ship
And straught unto the king they
wente
And by the honde Jason he hente,
And that was at the paleis gate,
So fer the king came on his gate
Toward Jas6n to done him chere.
And he, whom lacketh no manere,
Whan he the king sigh in presence
Yaf him ayein such reverence
As to the kinges state belongeth.
And thus the king him underfongeth
And Jason in his arme he caught
And forth into the hall he straught,
And there they sit and speke of
thinges.
And Jason tolde him tho tidinges
Why he was come, and faire him
preide
Tohastehis time, andthekiingsaide:
'Jason, thou art a worthy knight,
But it lieth in no mannes might
To done that thou art come fore.
There hath bene many a knight
forlore
Of that they wolden it assaie.'
But Jason wolde him nought esmaie
And saide: 'Of every worldds cure
Fortune stant in aventuire,
Paraunter 2 well, paraunter wo.
But how as ever that it go,
It shall be with min honde assaied.
1 As blive, quickly.
2 Paraunter, peradventure




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


257


The king tho helde him nought
wel paied,
For he the Grekes sore dredde,
In aunter if Jason ne spedde
He mighte therof bere a blame,
For tho was all the worldes fame
In Grece as for to speke of armes.
Forthy he drad him of his harmes
And gan to prechen and to prey.
But Jason wolde  u     ey,
But sai   wolde his purpos holde
For ought that any man him tolde.
The king whan he these wordes herde
And sigh how that this knight
answerde,
Yet for he wolde make him glad,
After Medea gone he bad,
Which was his doughter, and she
cam
And Jason, which good hede nam,
Whan he her sigh ayein her goth.
And she, which was himnothing loth,
Welcomed him into that londe
And softe toke him by the honde
Arnd down they setten bothe same.'
She had herd spoken of his name
And of his grete worthinesse,
Forthy she gan her eye impresse
Upon his face and his stature
And thought, how never creature
Was so welfarend as was he.
And Jason right in such degr6
Ne mighte nought witholde his loke,
But so good hede on her he toke
That him ne thought under the
heven
Of beaute sigh he never her even
With all that felle to womanhede.
Thus eche of other token hede
Though there no word was of recorde,
Her hertes both of one accorde
Ben sette to loven, but as tho
There mighten ben no wordes mo.
1 Bothd same, both together.


The king made him great joy and
fest,
To all his men he yaf an hest,
So as they wolde his thank deserve
That they shulde alle Jason serve
While that he wolde there dwelle.
And thus the day, shortly to telle,
With many merthes they dispent,
Till night was come, and tho they
went;
Echone of other toke his leve,
Whan they no lenger mighten leve.1
I not 2 how Jason that night slepe,
But well I wot, that of the shepe
For which he cam into that ile
He thoughte but a litel while;
All was Medea that he thought,
So that in many wise he sought
His wit, wakend er it was day,
Some time ye, some time nay,
Some time thus, some time so,
As he was stered to and fro
Of love and eke of his conquest,
As he was holde of his behest.
And thus he rose up by the morwe
And toke him self seint John to
borwe 3
And saide, he wolde filst be-inje
At l19e and after for to wimne
The flees of gold for which he come,
And thus tohim good herte henome.
( Medea right the same wise
Till day cam, that she must arise,
Lay and bethought her all the night
How she that noble worthy knight
By any waie mighte wedde.
And wel she wist, if he ne spedde
Of thing which he had undertake,
She might her self no purpose take.
For if he deiede of his bataile,
She muste than algate faile
1 LevLe, remain.  2 Not, know not.
3 Seint Joh/t to borwe, St. John for surety,
a common way of invoking a saint in the Middle
Ages. Jason swore, like a good knight, by St.
John.
R




258


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


To geten him, whan he were dede.
Thus she began to sette rede
And torne about her wittes all
To loke how that it mighte fall,
That she with him had a leisir
To speke and telle of her desir.
And so it fell the same' day
That Jason with that swete may 1
To-gider set and hadden space
To speke, and he besought her
grace.
And she his tale goodly herde
And afterward she him answerde
And saide': 'Jason, as thou wilt
Thou might be sauf, thou might
be spilt,
For witte well, that never man,
But if he couthe that I can,
Ne mighte that fortune acheve,
For which thou comest. But as I
leve,
If thou wolt holde covenaunt
To love of all the remenaunt,
I shall thy life and honour save,
That thou the flees of gold shalt
have.'
He said: 'Al at your owne wille,
Madame, I shall truly fulfille
Your heste, while my life may last.
Thus longe he praid and atte last
Shegraunteth, andbehight him this,
That whan night cometh and it
time is
She wolde him sende certainly
Such one that shulde him prively
Alone into her chambre bringe.
He thonketh her of that tidifnge,
For of that grace is him begonne
Him thenketh al other thinges
wonne.
"The day made ende and lost
his sight
And comen was the derke night,
Whiche all the daies eye blent.
1 IIay, maid.


"Jason toke leve and forth he
went,
And whan he cam out of the prees
He toke to counseil Hercules
And tolde him how it was betid,
And praide it shulde well ben hid,
And that he wolde loke about
The whiles that he shall be out.
Thus as he stood and hede name,
A maiden fro Medea came,
The fairest and the wisest eke.
And she with simple chere and
meke,
Whan she him sigh, wax all ashamed,
Tho was her tal6 newe entamed
For sikernesse of mariage,
She fette forth a riche ymage,
Was the figure of Jupiter,
And Jason swore and saide there,
That also Svis god shuld him helpe,
That if Medea did him helpe,
That he his purpose mightd winne,
They shulde never part atwinne,
But ever while him lasteth life,
He wolde' holde her for his wife.
They hadden bothe what they wolde.
And than at leiser she him tolde  y o
And gan fro point to point enforme
Of this bataile and all the forme,
/Whiche as he shulde finde' there,
Whan he to thile 1 come were.
She saide, at entre of the pas
How Mars,which God ofArmes was,
Hath set twooxen sterneandstoute,
That casten fire and flame aboute
Both atte mouth and at the nase,
So that they setten all on blase
What thing that passeth hem betwene.
And furthermore upon the grene
There goth, the flees of gold to kepe,
A serpent which may never slepe.
Thus who that ever it shulde winne,
The fire to stoppe he mot begin.e
1 Tkild, the island.




BOOhK V. A VARICE.


259


Which that the fierce bestes caste,
And daunt he mot hem atte laste,
So that he mayhem yoke and drive,
And there upon he mot as blive
The serpent with such strength
assaile
That he may sleen him by bataile,
Of which he mot the teeth outdrawe,
As it belongeth to that lawe.
And than he must the oxen yoke
Til they have with a ploughto-broke
A furgh of lond, in which arow
The teeth of thadder he must sow.
And therof shull arise knightes
Well armed at alle rightes;
Of hem is nought to taken hede,
For eche of hem in hastihede
Shall other slee with dethes wounde.
And thus whan they ben laid to
grounde
Than mot he to the goddes pray
And go so forth and take his pray.
But if he faile in any wise
Of that ye here me devise,
There may be set non other wey,
That he ne must algates deie.
'Now have I told the peril all
I woll you tellen forth withall,'
Go, Quod Mede, to Jason tho,
'That ye shull knowen er ye go
Ayein the venim and the fire,
What shall be the recoverire.
But, sire, for it is nigh day,
Ariseth up, so that I may
Deliver you what thing I have
That may yourlife and honour save.'
Tho toke she forth a riche tie
Made all of gold and of perrie,
Out of the which she nam a ring,
The stone was worth all other thing.
She said6, while he wold it were,
There mighte no peril him dere;2
In water may it nought be dreint,
Where as itcometh the fireis queint,
I Tic, casket.  2 Derc, injure.


It daunteth eke the cruel heste,
There may none quad that man
areste,
Where so he be on see or londe,
That hath this ring upon his honde.
And over that she gan to sain,
That if a man will ben unsein,
Within his hond hold close the
stone
And he may invisible one.
The ring to Jason she betaught2
And so forth after she him taught
What sacrifice he shulde make.
And gan out of her cofre take
Him thought an hevenly figure,
Which all by charme and by conjure
Was wrought, andeke itwas through
writ
With names which he shulde wite,
As she him taughte tho to rede,
And bad him as he wolde spede
Withoute rest of any while,
Whan he were londed in that ile,
He shue' make hiscrfice
And rede is carect3 in the wise
As she him taught, on knees down
bent
Thre sithes 4 toward orient.
For so shuld he the goddes plese
And win him selven mochel ese.
And whan he had it thries radde
To open a buist 5 she him badde,
That she there toke him in present,
And was full of such oignement
That there was fire ne venim none
That shulde fastne him upon
Whan that he were anoint withall.
Forthy she taught him how he shall
Anoint his armds all aboute,
And for he shulde nothing doubte
She toke him than a maner6 glue
The which was of so great ve-rtue1 Quad, evil.  2 Belaught, entrusted.
3 Carect, written charm.
4.Sitkcs, times.  3 Bidsf/ box.
6 A nmtaer. a kind of.




26o


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That where a man it shulde cast
It shulde binde anon so fast
That no man might it done away.
And that she bad by alle way
He shulde into the mouth6s throw
Of tho twein oxen that fire blow,
Therof to stoppen the malice
The glue shall serve of that office.
And over that, her oignement
Her ring and her enchauntement
Ayein the serpent shulde him were,1
Till he him slee with swerd or spere.
And than he may saufly inough
His oxen yoke into the plough
And the teeth sowe in such a wise
Till he the knightes se arise,
And eche of other down be laide
In suche a maner as I have saide.
" Lo, thus Medea for Jason
Ordeineth, and praieth therupon
That he nothing foryete sholde,
And eke she praieth him that he
wolde,
Whan he hath all his armes done,
To grounde knele and thonkeanone
The goddes, and so forth by ese
The flees of golde he shulde sese.
And whan he had it sesed so,
That than he were sone ago
WVithouten any tarieng.
Whan this was said, into weping
She fel, as she that was throughnome
i With love and so fer overcome
That all her worlde on him she
sette.
But whan she sigh there was nolette,
That he mot nedes part her fro,
She toke him in her armes two
An hunderd times andgan him kisse
And said: '0, all my worldes blisse,
My trust, my lust, my life, min hele,
To ben thin helpe in this quarele
I pray unto the goddes alle!'
1 Were, protect.


And with that word she gan down
falle
Of swoune, and he her uppe nam,
And forth with that the maiden cam,
And they to bed anone her brought,
And thanne Jason her besought
And to her saide in this manere:
' My worthy lusty lady dere,
Comf6rteth you, for by my trouth
It shall nought fallen in my slouth
That I ne woll throughout fulfille
Your hestes at your owne wille.
And yet I hope to you bringe
Within a while such tidinge,
The which shall make us bothe
game.'
" Butfor hewoldekepe hername,
Whan that he wist it was nigh day,
He saide, ' Adewe my swete may.'
And forth with him he nam his gere
Which as she hadde takehim there,
And straught unto his chambre went
And goth to bedde and slepe him
hent 1
And lay that no man him awoke,
For Hercules hede of him toke,
Till it was underne 2 high and more.
And than he gan to sighe sore
And sodeinlich he braide of slepe,
And they than token of him kepe;
His chamberleins ben sone there
And maden redy all his gere,
And he arose and to the king
He went and said how to that thing
For which he cam he wolde go.
The king therof was wonder wo
And for he wolde him fain withdraw,
He told him many a dredefull sawe.
But Jason wolde it nought recorde
And atte laste they accorde.
Whan that he wolde nought abide,
A bote was redy atte tide,
I Hent, seized.
2 Underne, time of a light refreshment between breakfast and dinner, or between dinner
and supper.




BOOK V.-A VA RICE.


261


In which this worthyknightofG rece,
Full armed up at every piece
To his bataile which belongeth,
Toke ore in hond and sore him
longeth
Till he the water passed were.
" Whan he cam to that ile there,
He set him on his knees down
straught
And his carecte, as he was taught,
He rad and made his sacrifice
And sith anoint him in that wise
As Medeai him hadde bede;
And than arose up fro that stede,
And with the glue the fire he queint;
And anone after he atteint
The grete serpent and him slough.
But erst he hadde sorwe inough,
For that serpent made him travaile
So hard and sore of his bataile,
That now he stood and nowe he fell,
For longe time it so befell
That with his swerd and with his
spere
He might4 nought that serpent dere,
He was so sherded 1 all aboute
It held all egge tole 2 withoute,
He was so rude and hard of skin
There might no thinge go therein.
Venim and fire to-gider he cast,
That he Jas6n so sore ablast
That if ne were his oicnement,
His ring and his enchauntement,
WhictPMedea toke hfi-before,
He hadde with that worm be lore.'
But of vertu which therof cam
Jason the dragon overcam
And he anone the teeth out drough
And set his oxen in his plough,
With which he brake a piece of lond
And sewe hem with his owne hond.
Tho might he great merveile se,
Of every toth in his degre
1 Sherded, scaled.  2 Egge tol,, edge tools.
3 Lore, lost.


Sprong up a knight with spere and
sheld,
Of which anone right in the feld
Echone slough other, and with that
Jason Medea not foryat,
On both his knees he gan down falle
And yaf thank to the goddes alle.
The flees he toke and goth to bote, v
The sonn6 shineth bright and hote,
The flees of gold shone forth with
all,
The water glistred over all.
Medea wept and sighed ofte
And stood upon a toure alofte;
All prively within her selve,
There herd it nouther ten ne twelve,
She praid and said  0, god him
spede,
The knight, which hath my maidenhede.'
And ay she loketh toward thile,
But whan she sigh within a while
The flees glistr6nd ayein the sonne,
She said: 'Ha lord, now all is
wonne,
My knight the feld hath overcome,
Now wolde god, he were come.
Ha lord, I wold he were alonde.'
But I dare take this on honde,
If that she hadde winges two,
She wold have flowe unto him tho
Straught there he was unto the bote.
The day was clere, the sonne hote,
The Gregois weren in great doubt
The while that her lord was out,
They wisten nought what shuld
betide,
But waited ever upon the tide
To se what ende shulde falle.
There stoden eke the nobles alle
Forthwith the comunes of the town,
And as they loken up and down,
They weren ware within a throwe
Where cam the bote which they
wel knowe,




262


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And sigh howJason brought his prey.
And tho they gonnen alle say
And criden alle with o steven: 1
'Ha, where was ever undertheheven
So noble a knight, as Jason is?'
And wel nigh alle saiden this,
That Jason was a faire knight,
For it was never of mannes might
The flees of gold so for to winne,
And thus to tellen they beginne.
With that the king cam forth anone
And sightheflees, how that it shone.
/ And whan Jas6n cam to the londe,
The kinge him selve toke his honde
And kist him and great joy him
made.
The Gregois weren wonder glade
Anid of that thing right merry hem
thought
And forth with hem the flees they
brought,
And eche on other gan to ligh.2
But wel was him that mighte nigh
To se there of the proprete,
And thus they passen the citee
And gone unto the paleis straught.
"Medea, which    foryat her
nought,
Was redy there and said anon:
' Welcome, 0 worthyknightJason!'
She wolde have kist him wonderfain,
But shame torned her ayein,
It was nought the manere as tho,3
Forthy she dorste nought do so.
She toke her leve, and Jason went
Into his chambre and she him sent
Her maiden to sene how he ferde.
The which whan that she sigh and
herde,
How that he hadde faren out
And that it stood well all about,
She tolde her lady what she wist,
And she for joy her maiden kist.
I.Sezve,, voice.  2 Lighi, laugh.
s Tha, then.


The bathes weren than araied
With herbes tempred and assaied
And Jason was unarmed sone
And dide as it befell to done;
Into his bathe he went anone
And wisshe him clene as any bone,
He toke a soppe and out he cam
And on his best array he nam
And kempt his hede whan he was
clad,
And goth him forth all merry and
glad
Right straught into thekinges halle.
The king cam with his knightes alle
And maden him glad welcoming.
And he hem tolde tho tiding
Of this and that, how it befell,
Whan that he wan the shepes fell.
Medea whan she was asent 1
Come sone to that parlement,
And whan she mighte Jason se,
Was none so -lad of all as she.
There was no joie for to seche,
Of him made every man a speche,
Some man said one, some said other,
But though he were goddes brother
And mighte make fire and thonder,
There mighte be no more wonder
Than was of him in that citee.
Echone taught other ' This is he
Whiche hath in his power withinne
That all the world ne mighte winne!
Lo, here the best of alle good!'
Thus saiden they, that there stood
And eke that walked up and down
Both of the court and of the town.
' " The time of souper cam anon,
They wisshen and therto they gon;
Medea was with Jason set,
Tho was there many a deinte fet
And set to-fore hem on the bord,
But none so liking as the word
Which was there spoke among hem
two,
1 A sent, sent for.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


263


So as they dorste speke tho.
But though they hadden litel space,
Yet they accorden in that place
How Jason shulde come at night,
\Whan every torche and every light
Were out, and than of other thinges
They speke aloud for suipposinges
Of hem that stoden there aboute,
For love is evermore in doubte,
If that it be wisly governed
Of hem that ben of love lerned.
Whan al was done, that clissh and
cup
And cloth and bord and all was up,
They waken while hem list to wake,
And after that they leve take
And gon to bedd6 for to reste.
And whan him thoughte for the
beste,
That every man was fast a slepe,
Jason, that wolde his time kepe,
Goth forth stalkend all prively
Unto the chambre and redely
There was a maide, which him kept,
Medea woke and no thing slept,
So that they hadden joy inow.
And tho they setten -whn and how
That she with him awey shal stele,
With wordes such and other fele.1
Whan all was treted to an ende,
Jas6n toke leve and gan forth wende
Unto his owne chambre in pees.
There wist it non but Hercules.
"He slept and ros, whan it was
time,
And whan it fel toward6s prime,
He toke to him such as he triste
In secre, that none other wiste,
And told hem of his counseil there
And saidd that his wille were,
That they to ship had alle thing
So privelich in thevening,
That no man might her2 dede aspie
But tho that were of compaignie,
1 Fete, many.   2 Her, their.


For he woll go withoute leve
And lenger woll he nought beleve,1
But he ne wolde at thilke throwe
The king or quene shulde it knowe.
They said, all this shall well be do.
And Jason truste well therto.
"Medea in the mene while,
Which thought her fader to beguile,
The tresor which her fader hadde
With her all prively she ladde
And with Jason at time set
Away she stale and found no let
And straught she g  her into ship
Of Grece with that felaship.
And theyanone drough up the saile,
And all that night this was counseil;
But erly whan the sonne shone
Men sigh how that they were gone
And come unto the kinge and tolde.
And he the sothe knowe wolde
And axeth, where his doughter was.
There was no word, but 'Out alas,
She was ago.' 2 The moder wept,
The fader as a wodeman lept
And gan the time for to warie
And swore his othe he wold nought
tarie,
That with galiote and with galey
The same cours the same wey
Which Jason toke he wolde take,
If that he-might him overtake.
To this they saiden alle ye.
Anone as they were atte see
And all as who saith at one worde,
They gone withinne shippes horde,
The sail goth up, and forth they
straught,
But none esploit therof they caught,
And so they tornen home ayein,
For all that labour was in vein.
Jason to Grece with his pray
Goth through the see the rightd
way.
l Beleve, remain.  2 Ago, gone.
3 L'arie, curse




264


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Whan he there come and men it
tolde,
They maden joie yong and olde.
"Eso6n whan that he wist of this,
How that his sone comen is
And hath acheved that he sought
And home with him Medea brought,
In all the wide world was none
So glad a man as he was one.
To-gider ben these lovers tho,
Till that they hadden son6s two
Wherof they weren bothe glade,
And olde Eson great joi6 made
To seen thencrees of his lignage,
For he was of so great an age
That men awaiten every day
Whan that he shulde gone away.
Jas6n, which sigh his fader olde,
Upon Medea made him bolde
Of art magfque which she couth,
And praieth her that his faders
youth
She wold6 make ayeinward newe.
And she that was toward him trewe
Behight him that she wolde it do,
Whan that she time sigh therto.
But what she did in that matere
It is a wonder thing to here,
But yet for the novellerie
I thenke telle a great partie.
" Thus it befell upon a night,
Whan there was nought but sterre
light,
She was vanisshed right as her list,
That no wight but her self it wist.
And that was atte midnight tide;
The world was still on every side,
With open hede and foot all bare
Her hair to-sprad she gan to fare,
Upon her clothes gert she was
All specheles and on the gras
She glode forth as an adder doth.
None other wise she ne goth,
Till she came to the fresshe flood,
And there a while she withstood,


Thries she torned her aboute
And thries eke she gan down loute,
And in the flood she wete her hair,
And thries on the water there
She gaspeth with a drecchinge onde1
And tho she toke her speche on
honde.
First she began to clepe and calle
Upwarde unto the sterrds alle,
To winde, to air, to see, to londe
She preide and eke helde up her
honde
To Echates and gan to crie,
Whiche is goddesse of sorcerie,
She saide, ' Helpeth at this nede,
And as ye maden me to spede
Whan Jason came the flees to seche,
So help me now, I you beseche!'
With that she loketh and was ware,
Down fro the sky there came achare,
The which dragons aboute drowe.
And thoshe ganher hededownbowe
And up she stigheandfaire and well
She drove forth by chare and wheel
Above in thaire among the skies;
The londe of Crete in tho parties
She sought, and faste gan her hie,
And therupon the hulles high
Of Othrin and Olimpe also
And eke of other hulles mo
She founde and gadreth herbes
suote,
She pulleth up some by the rote
And many with a knife she shereth
And all into her char she bereth.
Thus whan she hath the hulles
sought,
The floodes thereforyate she nought
Eridian and Amphrisos,
Peneie and eke SpercheYdos,
To hem she went and there she
nome
Both of the water and of the fome,
The sonde and eke thesmalle stones
1 Drecching onde, troubled breath.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


265


Whiche as she chese out for the
nones,
And of the Redde See a part
That was behovelich to her art
She toke, and after that about
She soughte sondry sedes out
In feldes and in many greves
And eke a part she toke of leves.
But thing which might her most
availe
She found in Crete and inThessaile.
In daies and in nightes nine,
With great travaile and with great
peine
She was purveyed of every piece
And torneth homward into Grece.
Before the gates of Eson
Her chare she let away to gone
And toke out first that was therinne,
For tho she thoughte to beginne
Such thing as semeth impossible
And made her selven invisible,
As she that was with thaire enclosed
And might of no man be desclosed.
She toke up turves of the londe
Withoute helpe of mannds honde
And heled with the grene gras,
/Of whiche an alter made there was
Unto Echates the goddesse
Of art magique and the maistresse.
And este an other to invent,
As she which did her hole intent,
Tho toke she feldwode2 and verveine,
Of herbes ben noughtbetter tweine,
Of which anone withoute let
These alters ben aboute set.
Two sondry pittes faste by
She made, and with that hastdly
A wether which was black she
slough,
And out therof the blood she drough
And did into the pittds two,
Warm milk she put also therto


With hony meind,1 and in such wise
She gan to make her sacrifice
And cried and praide forth withall
To Pluto the god infernal
And to the quene Proserpine.
And so she sought out all the line
Of hem that longen to that craft,
Behinde was no name last,
And praid hem all, as she well couth,
To graunt Eson his firste youth.
This olde Eson brought forth was
tho; 2
Away she bad all other go
Upon peril that mighte falle,
And with that word they wenten alle
And left hem there two alone.
And tho she gan to gaspe and gone
And mad6 signes many one
And said her wordes therupon,
And with spellinge and her charmes
She toke Eson in both her armes
And made him for to slepe fast
And him upon her herbes cast
The blacke wether to Tshe toke
And hew the flesshe as doth a coke,
On either alter part she laide,
And with the charmes that she saide
A fire down fro the sky alight
And made it for to brenne light.
And whan Medea sigh it brenne,
Anone she gan to sterte and renne
The firy alters all about.
There was no beste which goth out
More wildd than she semeth there.
Aboute her shulders heng her hair
As though she were oute of herminde
And torned to another kinde.
Tho lay there certain wode cleft
Of which the pieces now and eft
She made hem in the pittes wete
And put hem in the firy hete
And toke the bronde with all the
blase
And thries she began to rase
1 MIeiid, mixed.  2 Tho, then.


[*


1 Heled, covered.     2 Felwood, gentian.




266


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


About Eson there as he slept.
And eft with water which she kept
She made a cercle about him thries
And eft with fire of sulphre twies
Full many another thing she dede,
Whiche is nought writen in the
stede.
But tho she ran so up and doune
She made many a wonder soune,
Somtime lich unto the cock,
Somtime unto the laverock,
Somtime cacleth as an hen,
Somtime speketh as don men.
And right so as herjargon straungeth
In sondrywise herforma chaungeth,
She semeth faire and no woman,
For with the craftes that she can
She was as who saith a goddesse,
And what her liste more or lesse
She did, in bokes as we finde,
That passeth over mannes kinde.
But who that woll of wonders here,
What thing she wrought in this
matere
To make an ende of that she gan,
Such merveil herd6 never man.
" Apointed in the newe mone,
Whan it was time for to done,
She set a caldron on the fire,
In which was al the hole attire
Whereon the medicind stood,
Of juse, of water, and of blood,
And let it boile in suche a plite
Till that she sigh the spume white.
And tho she cast in rinde and rote
And sede and floure that was for
bote,
With many an herbe and many a
stone
Wherof she hath there many one.
And eke Cimpheiuis, the serp6nt,
To her hath all her scal6s lent,
Chelidre her yafe her adders skin,
And she to boilen cast hem in,
And parte eke of the horned oule,


The which men here on nightes
houle,
And of a raven which was tolde
Of nin6 hundred winter olde
She toke the hede with all the bille.
And as the medicfne it wille
She toke her after the bowele
Of the seewolf and for the hele
Of Eson, with a thousand mo
Of thinges that she hadde tho.
In that caldr6n to-gider as blive
She put and toke than of olive
A drie braunche hem with to stere,'
The which anon gan floure and bere
And waxe all fresshe and grene
ayein.
Whan she this vertue haddd sene,
She let the leeste droppe of alle
Upon the bare floure 2 down falle:
Anon there sprong up floure and gras
Where as the droppe fallen was,
And waxe anotle all medow grene
So that it mighte well be sene.
Medea thanne knewe and wist
Her medicine is for to trist 3
And goth to Eson there he lay
And toke a swerd was of assay.
With which a wounde upon his side
She made, that there out may slide
The blood withinn6 which was olde
And sike and trouble and feble and
colde.
And tho she toke unto his use
Of herbes all the beste juse
And poured it into his wounde,
That made his veines full and sounde.
And tho she made his woundes close,
And toke his honde, and up he rose.
And tho she yaf him drinke a
draught
Of which his youth ayein he caught,
His hede, his herte and his visage
Lich unto twenty winter age,
1 Stere, stir.  2 Ban /floure, bare ground.
3 To trist, to be trusted.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


267


His hord haires were away,
And lich unto the fresshe May
Whan passdd ben thecolde shoures,
Right so recovereth he his floures.
" Lo, what might any man devise
A woman shewe in any wise
More hertely love in any stede
Than Medea to Jason dede.
First she made him the flees to winne,
And after that fro kith and kinne
With great tresor with himshestale,
And to his fader forth with all
His elde hath torned into youthe,
Which thing none other woman
couthe.
But how it was to her aquit,
The r6membraunce dwelleth yit.
King Peleuis his eme was dede,
Jason bare croune upon hns hede,
Medea hath fulfilled his will,
But whan he shuld of right fulfill
The trothe which to her afore
He had in thile of Colchos swore,
Tho was Medea most deceived.
For he an other hath received
Which doughter was to king Creon,
Creusi she hight, and thus Jason,
As he that was to love untrewe,
Medea left and toke a newe;
But that was after sone abought.1
Medea with her art hath wrought
Of cloth of golde a mantel riche,
Which semeth worth akinges riche,2
And that was unto Creusa sent
In name of yeft and of present,
For susterhode hem was betwene.
And whan that yongd fresshe quene
That mantel lapped her aboute,
Anon therof the fire sprang oute
And brent her bothe flesshe and bon.
Tho cam Medea to Jason
With both his sones on her honde
And said, 'O thou of every londe
The most untrewe creature,
1.Abao ght, paid for.  f Riche, kingdom.


Lo, this shall be thy forfeitire.'
With that she both his sones slough
Before his eye, and he out drough
His swerd and wold have slain her
tho,But farewell, she was ago
Unto Pallas-the court above,
Where as she pleigneth upon love,
As she that was with that goddesse,
And he was lefte in great distresse.
- "Thus might thou se, what sorwe
it doth
To swere an oth, which is nought L/
soth,
In Loves cause namely.
My sone, be well ware forthN'
And kepe that thou be nought forswore.
For this, whiche I have told to-fore,
Ovide telleth every dele"My fader, I may leve it wele,
For I have herde it ofte say,
How Jason toke the flees awey
Fro Colchos, but yet herde I nought,
Bywhom it was first thider brought.
And for it were good to here,
If that you list at my praiere
To telle I woldd you beseche."" My sone, who thatwoll itseche,
In bokes he may finde it write.
And netheles, if thou wolt wite
In the maner as thou hast preide,
I shall the tell, how it is saide.
ie fame of thilke shepes felle
Whiche in Colchos, as it befelle,
Was all of gold, shal never deie,
Wherof I thenke for to say,
Howe it cam first into that ile.
There was a king in thilke while
Towardes Grece, and Athemas
The cronique of his name was.
And had a wif, which Philen hight.
By whom, so as Fortune it dight,
He had of children yonge two.
Frixus the firste' was of tho,




268


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


A knave 1 child right faire with all.
A doughter eke the which men call
Hellen, he hadde by his wife.
But for there may no mannes life
Endure upon this erthe here,
This worthy quene, as thou might
here,
Er that the children were of age,
Toke of her ende the passage
With great worship and was begrave: 2
What thing it liketh God to have
It is great reson to ben his.
Forth2 this king, so as it is,
With great suffrince it underfongeth.
And afterward, as him belongeth,
Whan it was time for to wedde,
A newe wife he toke to bedde,
Whiche Yno hight and was a maide
And eke the doughter as men saide
Of Cadmd, whiche a king also
Was holde in thilke daies tho.
Whan Yno was the kinges make
She cast how that she mighte make
These children to her fader loth
And shope a wile ayein hem both,
Which to the king was all unknowe.
A yere or two she let do sowe
The lond with sode whete aboute,
Wherof no corn may springen oute.
And thus by sleight and by covine
Aros the derth and the famine
Through out the londe in such a wise,
So that the king a sacrifice
Upon the point of this distresse
To Ceres, which is the goddesse
Of corne, hath shape him for to yive,
To loke, if it may be foryive
The mischefe which was in his londe.
But she, which knewe to-fore the
honde 3
The circumstance of all this thing,
1.Knave, boy.  2 Begrave, buried.
3 To-fore the honde, beforehand.


Ayein the coming of the king
Into the temple hath shape so
Of her accord, that alle tho
Which of the temple prestes were,
Have said and full declared there
Unto the king, but if so be
That he deliver the contrd
Of Frixus and of Hellen bothe,
With whom   the goddes ben so
wrothe
That while tho children ben withinne
Such tilthe shall no man beginne
Wherof to get him any corne;
Thus was it said, thus was it sworne
Of all the prestes that there are.
And she which causeth all this fare,
Said eke thertowhat that she wolde.
And every man than after tolde
So as the quene had hem preide.
"The king, which hath his ere
leide
And leveth 1 all that ever he herde,
Unto her tales thus answerde
And saith, that lever him is to chese
His children bothe for to lese
Than him and all the remenaunt
Of hem which are appertenaunt
Unto the lond whiche he shall kepe.
And bade his wife to take kepe
In what manere is best to done,
That they delivered were sone
Out of this worlde. And she anone
Two men ordeineth for to gone,
But first she made hem for to swere
That they the children shulde bere
Unto the see, that none it knowe,
And hem therinne both6 throwe.
The children to the see ben lad,
Where in the wise as Yno bad
These men be redy for to do.
But the goddesse which Juno
Is hote appereth in the stede
And hath unto the men forbede
1 Lceveth, believes.




BOOK V.-AVARICE.


269


That they the children nought ne
slee,
But bad hem loke into the see
And taken hede of that they sighen.
There swam a shepe to-fore her eyen,
Whose flees of burned gold was all.
And this goddesse forth with all
Commaundeth that withoute let
They shulde anon the children set
Above upon the shepes back.
And all was do, right as she spak,
Wherof the men gone home ayein.
"And fell so, as the bokes sain,
Hellen the yonge maiden tho,
Whiche of the see was wo bego,
For pure drede her hert hath lore,
That fro the shepe which hath her
bore.
As she that was swounende feint,
She fell and hath her self adreint.
With Frixus and this shepe forth
swam,
Till he to thile of Colchos cam,
Where Juno the goddesse he fonde,
Which toke the shepe unto the londe
And set it there in such a wise,
As thou to-fore hast herd devise,
WVherof cam after all the wo,
Why Jason was forswore so
Unto Medee, as it is spoke.""My fader, who that hathto-broke
His trouth, as ye have tolde above,
He is nought worthy for to love
Ne be beloved, as me semeth.
But every newe love quemeth
To him that newe fangel is.
And netheles now after this,
If that you list to taken hede
Upon my shrift6 to procede
In Loves cause ayein the Vice
Of Covetise and Avarice,
What there is more I wolde wite."" My sone, this I finde write,
There is yet one of thilke brood,
Which only for the worldes good


To make a tresor of money
Put alle conscience awey.
Wherof in thy confessi6n
The name and the conditi6n
I shall here afterward declare,
Which maketh one riche an other
bare.
'ipon ffe bencd sittend on high
With Avarice Usure I sigh,
Ful clothed of his owne suite,
Which after gold maketh chase and
suite
With his brocours, thatrenne aboute
Liche unto racches 1 in a route.
Such lucre is none above grounde,
Which is nought of tho racches
founde.
For where they se beyete sterte,
That shall hem in no wise asterte
But they it drive into the net
Of lucre, whiche Us'ire hath set.
Usuire with the riche dwelleth,
To all that ever he bieth and selleth
He hath ordeined of his sleight
Mesure double and double weight.
OutwaSrd he selleth by the lasse
And with the more he maketh his
tasse,2
Wherof his hous is full withinne.
He recheth nought be so he winne,
Though thatthere lese ten ortwelve.
His love is all toward him selve
And to none other but he se
That he may winne suche thre.
For where he shallought yiveorlene
He woll ayeinward take a bene
There he hath lent the smalle pese.3
And right sotherebenmanyof these
Lovers, that though they love a lite4
That scarsly wolde it weie a mite,
Yet wol they have a pound ayein,
As doth Usure in his bargain.
1 Racches, scenting hounds.
' Tasse, heap.
3; Will take a bean where he has ient a pea.
4 Lite, little.




270


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


But certes such Usufre unliche
It falleth more unto the riche
Als well of love as of beyete
Than unto hem that ben nought
grete,
And as who saith ben simple and
pouer;
For selden is whan they recouer
But if it be through great deserte,
And netheles men se pouerte
With pursufte of contenaunce1
Full oft6 make a great chevaunce
And take of love his avauntage
Forth with the helpe of his brocIge
Thatmaken seme where it is nought.
And thus full ofte is lov6 bought
For litel what, and mochel take
With false weightes that they make.
"Now sone, of that I saide above
Thou wost what Usure is of Love.
Tell me forthy what so thou wilt,
If thou therof hast any gilt? "" My fader nay, for ought I here.
For of tho points ye tolden here
I will you by my trouth assure,
My weight of love and my mesfire
Hath be more large and more certeine
Than ever I toke of love ayeine.
For so yet couthe I never of sleighte
To take ayein by double weighte
Of love more than I have yive.
For also wis mote I be shrive
And have remission of sinne,
And so yet couth I never winne
Ne yet so mochel soth to sain,
That ever I might have half ayein
Of so full love as I have lent.
And if mine hap were so well went,
That for the hole I might have half,
Me thenketh I were a goddes half.
Forwhere Usure wold have double,
My conscience is nought so trouble,
1 Pursutte of contwnauuwcc, continued perscvcrallnce.


I bidde never as to my dele
But of the hole an halven dele.
That is none excess as methenketh,
But netheles it me forthenketh.
For well I wot that wol nought be,
For every day the better I se
That how so ever I yive or lene
My love in place that I mene,
For ought that ever I axe or crave
I can nothing ayeinwarde have.
But yet for that I wol nought lete
What so befall of my beyete,
That I ne shall her yive and lene
My love and all mythought soclene,
That toward me shall nought beleve.1
And if she of her godd leve
Rewarde wol me nought ayein,
I wot the last of my bargein
Shall stonde upon so great a lost,
That I may never more the cost
Recouer in this world till I deie,
So that touch6nd of this partie
I may me well excuse and shall;
And for to speke forth withall,
If any brocour for me went
That point come never inmin entent,
So that the more me merveileth
What thing it is my lady eileth,
That all min herte and all my time
She hath, and do no better by me.
" I have herd said, that thought
is free
And netheles in privete
To you, my fader, that bene here
Min hole shrifte for to here,
I dare min hert6 well disclose
Touchend Usuirie, as I suppose,
Whiche, as ye telle, in love is used.
My lady may nought ben excused
That for o loking of her eye
Min hole herte till I deie
With all that ever I may and can
She hath me wonne to her man,
1 'ekve, remain.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


271


Wherof me thenketh good reson
wolde
That she somdele rewarde sholde,
And yive a part there she hath all.
I not what falle herafter shall,
But into now yet dare I sain
Her listd never yive ayein
A goodly word in such a wise
Wherof min hopd might arise
My grete love to recompense.
I not how she her conscience
Excuse wol of this Ustire
By large weight and great mesure.
She hath mylove and I have nought
Of that which I have dere abought,
And with min herte I have it paide,
But all this is aside laide,
And I go loveles aboute.
Her oughte stonde in full great
doubte,
Till she redresse suche a sinne
That she wol al my love winne
And yiveth me nought to live by.
Noughtal so mochas ' raunt mercy'
Her list to say, of which I might
Some of my grete peine alight.
But of this point, lo, thus I fare,
As he that paieth for his chaffare
And bieth it dere and yet hath none,
So mote he nedes pouer gone.
Thus bie I dere and have no love,
That I ne may nought come above
To winne of love none encrese.
But I me ville neth6lese
Touchend Usure of love aquite,
And if my lady be to wite 1
I pray to God such grace her sende
That she by time it motamende.""My sone, of that thou hast answdrde
Touchend Usure I have al herde,
How thou of love hastwonne smale.
But that thou tellest in thy tale
And thy lad' therof accusest,
1 To wite, to blame.


MIe thenketh tho wordes thou misusest.
For by thin owne knouleching
Thou saist, how she for one loking
Thy hole hert fro the she toke,
She may be such that her o loke
Is worth thine herte many folde,
So hast thou well thin hertd solde
Whan thou hast that is mor6
worthe.
And eke of that thou tellest forthe,
How that her weight of love uneven
Is unto thine, under the heven
Stood never in even that balaunce
Which stont in loves governaunce.
Such is the statute of his lawe,
That though thy lov6 more drawe
And peise in the balafince more,
Thou might nought axe ayein therfore
Of du&dt, but all of grace.
For Love is Lorde in every place,
There may no lawe him justify,
By reddour ne by compaigny 1
That he ne wol, after his wille,
Whom that him liketh spede or
spille.
To love a man may well beginne.
But whether he shall lese or winne
That wot no man, til att6 last.
Forthy coveite nought to fast,
My sone, but abide thin ende,
Parcas all may to goode wende.
But that thou hast me tolde and
saide
Of o thing I am right well paide,
That thou by sleighte ne by guile
Of no brocouir hast otherwhile
Engfned love, for such6 dede
Is sord venged as I rede.
"Brocours of love, that deceiven,
No wonder is though they receiven
After the wrong that they deserven.
For whom as ever that they serven


1 By force or fellovship.




272


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And do plesauncd for a while,
Yet atte last her owne guile
Upon her owne hede descendeth,
Which God of his vengeaunce
sendeth.
As by ensample of time ago
A man may finde it hath be so.
" t felU 50ome ftime, as it was
sene,
The highe goddesse and the quene
Juno tho had in compaigny
A maiden full of trechery.
For she was ever in accorde
With Jupiter, that was her lorde,
To get him other loves newe
Through such brocage, and was
untrewe
All other wise than him nedeth.
But she, the which no shame dredeth,
With queinte wordes and with she
Blent in such wise her ladies eye
As she to whom that Juno trist,
So that therof she nothing wist.
But so prive may be nothing,
That it ne cometh to knouleching,
Thing done upon the derke night
Is after knowe on daies light.
So it befell, that atte last
All that this slighe maiden cast
Was overcast and overthrowe.
For as the sothe mot be knowe,
To Juno it was done understonde,
In what mandre her husebonde
With fals brocage hath take usure
Of love more than his mesure,
Whan he toke other than his wife;
Wherof this maiden was giltife,
Whiche haddd ben of his assent.
And thus was all the game shent.
She suffred him, as she mot nede,
But the brocofir of his misdede,
She which her counseil yaf therto,
On her is the vengeaunc6 do;
For Juno with her wordes hote
This maiden, which Eccho was hote,


Reproveth and saith in this wise:
' 0 traiteresse, of which service
Hast thou thin owne lady served,
Thou hast great pein6 well deserved
That thou canst maken it so queint.
Thy slighe wordes for to peint
Towardes me that am thy quene,
Wherof thou madest me to wene,
That my husbonde trewe were
Whan that he loveth elles where
All be it so him nedeth nought.
But upon the it shall be bought
Whiche art prive to tho doinges,
And me full ofte of thy lesinges
Deceived hast. Nowe is the day,
That I thy wile quit6 may,
And for thou hast to me conceled
That my lorde hath with other deled,
I shall the sette in suche a kinde
That ever unto the worldes ende
All that thou herest thou shalt telle
And clappe it out as doth a belle.
And with that word she was forshape,
There may no vois her mouthe escape:
What man that in the wodes crieth,
Withouten faile Eccho replieth;
Andwhatword that him lust to sain,
The same word she saith ayein.
Thus she, which whilome haddeleve
To dwelle in chambre, mot beleve1
In wodes and on hilles both,
For such brocage as wives loth,
Which doth her lordes hertes
chaunge
And love in other places straunge.
" Forthy if ever it so befalle
That thou, my sone, amonges alle
Be weddedman, hold that thou hast,
For than all other love is waste;
O wife shal wel to the suffise,
And than if thou for covetise
Of love woldest axe more,
1 Beleve, remain.




BOOK V'.-A VARICE.


273


Thou shuldest don ayein the lore
Of alle hem that trewd be."" My fader, as in this degre
My conscience is nought accused,
For I no such brocage have used
Wherof that lust of love is wonne.
Forthf speke forth, as ye begonne,
Of Avarice upon my shrifte.""My sone, I shall the braunches
shifte
By order so as they ben set,
On whom no good is wel beset.
ltinb JtRaricc of his lignSgc
For counseil and for cousinage
To be witholde ayein Largesse
Hath one, whose name is said
Scarsnesse,
The which is keper of his hous
And is so throughout avarous,
That he no good let out of honde;
Though God him selfitwolddfonde,
Of yifte shuld he no thing have.
And if a man it wolde crave,
He muste thanne faile nede
Where God him selve may nought
spede.
And thus Scarsnesse in every place
By reson may no thank purchace.
And netheles in his degre
Above all other most prive
With Avarice stant he this.
For he governeth that there is
In eche estate of his office
After the reule of thilkd vice
He taketh, he kepeth, he halt, he
bint,
That lighter is to fle 1 the flint
Than gete of him in hard or neisshe
Only the value of a reisshe
Of good in helping of an other,
Nought though it were his owne
brother.
For in the cas of yift and lone
Stant every man for him alone.
1 lie, flay.


Him thenketh, of his unkindship,
That him nedeth no felaship
Be so the bagge and he accorden,
Him reccheth nought what men
recorden
Of him, or be it evil or good,
For all his truste is on his good;
So that alone he falleth ofte,
Whan he best weneth stonde alofte,
Als well in love as other wise.
For love is ever of some reprise
To him that woll his love holde.
Forthy my sone, as thou art holde
Touchend of this tell me thy shrifte,
Hast thou be scarse or large of yifte
Unto thy love, whom thou servest.
For after that thou well deservest
Of yifte, thou might be the bet.
For that good holde I well beset
Forwhich thou might the better fare,
Than is no wisdom for to spare.
For thus men sain in every nede,
He was wise that first made mede.
For where as medd may nought
spede,
I not what helpeth other dede.
Full ofte he faileth of his game,
That will with idel 1 hond reclame
His hawke, as many a nice doth.
Forthy my sone, tell me soth
And say the trouth, if thou hast be
Unto thy love or scarse or fre? "" My fader, it hath stonde thus,
That if the tresor of Cresuis
And all the golde of Octavien,
Forth with the richesse of Yndien
Of perles and of richd stones
Were all to-gider min at ones,
I set it at no more accompt
Than wolde a bare straw amount
To yive it her all in a day,
Be so that to that swete may
It mighte like or more or lesse.
And thus because of my scarsnesse
1 Idel, empty.
S




274


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Ye may well understond and leve
That I shall nought the worse
acheve
The purpos which is in my thought,
But yet I yaf her never nought
Ne therto durst a profre make.
For well I wot she woll nought take,
And yive woll she nought also,
She is escheue of both6 two.
And this I trowe be the skill
Towardes me, for she ne will
That I have any cause of hope,
Nought al so mochel as a drope.
But toward other as I may se
She taketh and yiveth in such degre,
That as by wey of frendelyhede
She can so kepe her womanhede
That everyman speketh of her wele.
But she wol take of me no dele,
And yet she wot wel that I wolde
Yive and do bothe what I sholde
To plesen her in all my might,
By reson this wote every wight.
For that may by no wey asterte,
There she is maister of the herte
She mot be maister of the good.
For god wot wel that all my mood
Andallmin herte andall mythought
And all my good while I have ought,
Als frely as God hath it yive,
It shall be hers, the while I live,
Right as herlist her self commaunde.
So that it nedeth no demaunde
To axe me if I have be scarse
To love, for as to tho parse 1
I will answeren and say no.""My sone, that is right well do.
For often times of scarsnesse
It hath ben seen, that for the lesse
Is lost the more, as thou shalt here
A tale, lich to this matere.
$cairsnes$e acub <otre accorden never,
For every thing is wel the lever
1 Tho parse, those charms.


Whan that a man hath bought it
dere.
And for to speke in this matere
For sparing of a litel cost
Full ofte time a man hath lost
The large cote for the hood.
What man that scarse is of his good
And wolnoughtyive, he shall nought
take,
With yift a man may undertake
The high6 God to plese and queme,
With yift aman the world may deme.
For every creature bore
If thou him yive is glad therfore,
And every gladship, as I finde,
Is comfort unto lov6s kinde
And causeth ofte a man to spede;
So was he wise that first yaf mede.
For Mede kepeth Love in hous,
But where the men ben coveitouis
And sparen for to yive a parte,
They knowen nought Cupfdes arte.
For his fortune and his apprise
Disdeigneth alle covetise
And hateth alle nigardie.
And for to loke of this partie
A sothe ensample, howe it is so,
I finde write of Babio,
Which had a love at his menage,
There was no fairer of her age
And highte Viola by name,
Which full of youth and full of game
Was of her selfe and large and free.
But such an other chinche as he
Men wisten nought in all the londe,
And had affaited to his honde
His servant, the which Spodius
Was hote. And in this wis6 thus
The worldes good of suffisaunce
Was had, but liking and plesafince
Of that belongeth to richesse
Of love stode in great distresse,
So that this yongd lusty wight
Of thing which fell to loves right
C Chinch t, miser.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


275


Was evil served over all,
That she was wo bego withall.
Til that Cupide and Venus eke
A medicine for the seke
Ordeind wolden in this cas;
So as fortuine thannX was
Of love upon the destine
It fell right as it shulde be.
A fresshe, a free, a frendly man,
That nought of Avarice can,
Which Croceus by name hight,
Toward this swetd cast his sight
And there she was cam in presence;
She sigh him large of his despense
And amorous and glad of chere,
So that her liketh well to here
The goodly wordes which he saide,
And therupon of love he praide.
Of love was all that he ment,
To love and for she shulde assent
He yaf her yiftes ever among.
But for men sain that 'Mede is
strong'
It was well sene at thilke tide,
For as it shulde of right betide
This Viola largesse hath take
And the nigard she hath forsake.
Of Babio she will no more,
For he was grucchend evermore,
There was with him none other fare,
But for to pinche and for to spare,
Of worldes muck to get encres.
So goth the wrecche loveles
IBejaped for his Scarsit':
And he that large was and fre
And set his herte to despende,
This Croceus his bowd bende
Which Venus toke him for to holde,
And shot as ofte as ever he wolde.
"Lo, thus departeth lovehis lawe,
That what man woll nought be
felawe
To yive and spende, as I the telle,
He is nought worthy for to dwelle
In Loves Court to be relieved.


Forthn my sone, if I be leved,
Thou shalt be large of thy despense."" My fader, in my conscience
If there be any thinge amis.
I wolde amende it after this
Toward my love namely.""My sone, well and redely
Thou saist, so that well paid withall
I am, and further if I shall
Unto thy shrifte specifie
Of Avarice the progenie,
What Vice sueth after this,
Thou shalt have wonder how it is
Among the folke in any regne,
That such a Vice mighte regne,
Whiche is comune at all assaies,
As men may finde now a daies.
Zjve Tice like unto the Fende,
Which neveryet was manns frende,
And cleped is Unkinddship,
Of covine and of felaship
With Avarice he is witholde.
Him thenketh he shuld nought ben
holde
Unto the moder which him bare.
Of him may never man beware.
He wol nought knowe the merite
For that he wolde it nought aquite,
Which in this worlde ismochelused,
And fewe ben therof excused.
To tell of him is endeles,
But thus I saie netheles,
Where as this Vice cometh to londe
There taketh no man his thanke
on honde;
Though he with all his mightes
serve
He shall of him no thank deserve;
He taketh what any man will yive
But while he hath o day to live
He wol no thing rewarde ayein,
He gruccheth for to yive o grein
Where he hath take a berne full.
That maketh a kinds herte dull,




276


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


To set his trust in such frendship
There as he tint no kindeship.
And for to speke wordes pleine,
Thus here I many a man compleigne
That nowe on daies thou shalt finae
At nede fewe frendes kinde.
What thou hast done for hem tofore
It is foryeten as it were lore.1
The bokes speken of this Vice
And telle how God of his justice
By way of kinde, and eke nature
And every liflich creature,
The lawe also, who that it can,
They dampnen an unkinde man.
"It is all one, to say Unkinde
Asthingwhichdoneisayein Kinde,2
For it with Kinde never stood
A man to yielden evil for good.
For who that wold6 taken hede,
A beste is glad of a good dede
And loveth thilke creature
After the lawe of his nature
And doth him ese. And for to se
Of this matere auctorite,
Full ofte time it hath befalle;
Wherof a tale amonges alle,
Which is of olde ensamplarie,
I thenke for to specifie.
go spete of an unkinde man
I finde, how whilome Adrian
Of Rome, which a great lorde was,
Upon a day as he par cas
To wode in his hunting went,
It hapneth at a sodein went,
After the chase as he pursueth,
Through happe, which no man
escheueth,
He felle unware into a pit,
Where that it mighte nought be let.
The pit was depe, and he fell lowe,
That of his men none mighte knowe
Where he became, fornonewas nigh
1 Lore, lost..  2 Kinde, nature.


Which of his fall the mischefe sigh.
And thus alone there he lay
Clepende and criend all the day
For socoure and deliverance,
Till ayein eve it fell per chance,
A while er it began to night,
A pouer man which Bardus hight
Cam forthe walkend with his asse
And hadde gadered him a tasse1
Of grene stickes and of drie
To selle whom that wolde hem bie,
As he which had no livelode
But whan he mighte suche a lode
To towne with his asse carie.
And as it fel him for to tarie
That ilke time nigh the pit
And hath the trusse faste knit,
Heherde avois, which cried dimme,
And he his ere to the brimme
Hath leide and herde it was a man,
Which saide, ' helpe here Adrian,
And I will yive half my good!'
The pouer man this understood
As he that wolde gladly win,
And to this lord which was within
He spake and said, 'If I the save,
What sikernesse shall I have
Of covenant, that afterwarde
Thou wolt me yive such rewarde,
As thou behightest now before?'
That other hath his othes swore
By heven and by the goddes alle,
If that it mighte so befalle
That he out of the pit him brought,
Of all the goodes which he ought 2
He shall have even halven dele.
This Bardus said, he wolde wele.
And with this worde his asse anon
He let untrusse, and therupon
Down goth the corde into the pit,
To whiche he hath at ende knit
A staff, wherby, he saide, he wolde
That Adrian him shulde holde.
But it was tho per chaunce falle,
1 Tasse, heap.  2 Ou7ott, owned.




BOOK V.-AVARICE.


277


Into that pit was also falle
An Ape, which at thilke throwe,
Whan that the corde cam down lowe,
All sodeinly therto he skipte
And it in both his armes clipte.
And Bardus with his asse anone
Him hath up draw, and he is gon.
But whan he sigh it was an Ape,
He wend all hadde ben a jape
Of faierie, and sore him dradde.
And Adrian eft sone gradde
For helpe and cride andpreide faste.
And he eftsone his corde caste.
But whan it came unto the grounde,
A great serpent it hath bewounde,
The which Bardus anoneupdrough.
And than him thoughte wel inough,
It was fantasme that he herde
The vois, and he therto answerde:
'What wight art thou in goddes
name?'
' I am,' quod Adrian, 'the same,
Whose good thou shalt have even
halfe.'
Quod Bardus ' Than a goddes halfe
The thridde time assaie I shall.'
And cast his corde forth withall
Into the pit, and whan it came
To him, this lord of Rome it name
And therupon him hath adressed
And with his hond ful ofte blessed.
And than he bad to Bardus ' Hale!'1
And he, which understood his tale,
Betwene him and his asse all softe
Hath drawe and set him up a lofte
Withouten harm all esely.
He saith not ones 'graunt mercy,'2
But straught him forth to the citee
And let this pouer Bardus be.
And neth6les this simple man
His covenaunt, so as he can,
Hath axed. And that other saide,
If so be that he him upbraide
1 Hale, " Haul up!"
2 Graunt mercy, thank you.


Of ought that hath be spoke or do,
It shall be vengd of him so
That him were better to be dede.
And he can tho no other rede;
But on his asse ayein he cast
His trusse and hieth homward fast.
And whan that he came home to bed,
He tolde his wife how that he sped.
" But finally, to speke ought more
Unto this lorde he drad him sore,
So that a word ne durst he sain.
And thus upon the morwe ayein
In the maner as I recorde,
Forth with his asse and with his
corde
To gader wode, as he did er,
He goth, and whan that he cam ner
Unto the place where he wolde,
He gan his Ape anone beholde,
Which had gadered al aboute
Of stickes here and there a route
And leide hem redy to his honde,
Wherof he made his trusse and
bonde.
Fro daie to daie and in this wise
This Ape profreth his servise,
So that he had of wode inough.
Upon a time and as he drough
Toward the wode, he sigh beside
The greate gastly serpent glide
Till that she cam in his presence,
And in her kinde a reverence
She hath him do, and forth withall
A stone more bright than a cristall
Out of her mouth to-fore his way
She let down fall and went away,
For that he shall nought ben adrad.
"Tho was this pouer Bardus glad,
Thonkende God, and to the stone
He goth and taketh it up anone
And hath great wonder in his witte
How that the beste him hathaquitte
Where that the mannes sone hath
failed
For whom he hadde most travailed.




278


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


But all he put in Goddes honde
And torneth home, and what he
fonde
Unto his wife he hath it shewed
And they, that weren bothe lewed,
Accorden that he shulde it selle.
And he no lenger wolde dwelle l
But forth anone upon the tale
The stone he profreth to the sale;
And right as he him selfe it sette,
The jueller anone forth fette
The golde and made his paiement,
Therof was no delaiement.
Thus whan this stone was bought
and sold,
Homward with joid many fold
This Bardus goth,and whan he cain
Hom to his hous and that he nam
His gold out of his purs withinne,
He fonde his stone also therinne,
Wherof for joy his herte plaide,
Unto his wife and thus he saide,
'Lo, here my golde, —lo, here my
stone! '
His wife hath wonder therupon,
And axeth him how that may be.
'Now by mytrouth, I not,' 2 quodhe,
'But I dare swere upon a boke
That to my marchant I it toke,
And he it hadde whan I went.
So know I nought to what entent
It is now here, but it be grace.
Forth to morwe in other place
I will it founde 3 for to selle,
And if it woll nought with him
dwelle,
But crepe into my purse ayein,
Than dare I saufly swere and sain,
It is the vertue of the stone.'
"The morwe came, andheis gone
To seche about in other stede
His stone to selle, and so he dede
And lefte it with his chapman there.


But whan that he came elles where,
In presence of his wife at home,
Out of his purs and that he nome
His golde, he founde his stone withal.
And thus it felle him overal
Where he it solde in sondrie place,
Such was the fortune and the grace.
But so well may nothing be hid,
That it nis atte lastd kid.1
This famd goth aboute Rome
So ferforth, that the wordes come
To themperour Justinian,
And he let sende for the man
And axed him, how that it was.
"And Bardus tolde him all the cas,
How that the worme and eke the
beste,
Al though they made no beheste,
His travaile hadden well aquit.
But he which had a mannes wit
And made his covenant by mouth
And swore therto all that he couth
To parte and yiv6 half his good
Hath now foryete how that it stood,
As he which wol no trouthe holde.
This emperour al that he tolde
Hatllherde andthilke unkindenesse,
He said, he wolde him selfredresse.
And thus in court of jugement
This Adrian was than assent,2
And the quar6ll in audience
Declared was in the presdnce
Of themperotir and many mo;
Wherof was mochel speche tho
And great wondring among the
press.
But atte laste netheless,
For the partie which hath pleigned
The law hath demed and ordeigned
By hem that were avised wele,
That he shal have the halven dele
Throughout of Adrianes good.
And thus of thilke unkinde blood
Stant the memoire unto this day,
1 Kid, made known.  2 Assent, sent for.


1 ])tv/.i', lclay.
iNot, know not.           3  o'undJ, try.   |




BOOK V.-AVARICE.


279


Where that every wise man may
Ensamplen him and take in minde
What shame it is to ben unkinde,
Ayein the which reson debateth
And every creature it hateth.
"Forthy my sone, in thy office
I rede flee that ilke Vice.
For right as the cronique saith
Of Adrian, how he his feith
Foryat for worldes covetise,
Ful oft in suche a maner wise
Of lovers now a man may se
Ful many that unkinde be,
For wel behote and evil last
That is her life,1 for atte last
Whan that they have her wille do
Her love is sone after ago.
What saist thou, sone, to this
cas? ""My fader, I wil say, Helas,
That ever such a man was bore
Which whan he hath his trouthe
swore
And hath of love what he wolde,
That he at any tim6 sholde
Ever after in his herte finde
To falsen and to ben unkinde.
" But, fader, as touchend of me,
I may nought stond in that degre.
For I toke never of love why
That I ne may wel go therby
And do my profite ell6s where
For any spede I finde there,
I dare wel thenken, all about.
But I ne dare nought speke it out,
And if I dorst I wolde pleigne,
That she for whom I suffre peine
And love her ever aliche hote,
That nouther yive ne behote
In rewarding of my service
It list 2 her in no maner wise.
I wol nought say that she is kinde,
And for to say she is unkinde
1 Well promised and ill Derformed, that is
their life.
2 List, pleases.


That dare I nought by God above
Which demeth every herte of love,
He wot that on min ownG side
Shall none unkindeship abide;
If it shall with my lady dwelle,
Therof dare I no more telle.
Now, gode fader, as it is
Tell me, what thenketh you of
this? "My sone, of that unkindeship,
The which toward thy ladisship
Thou pleignest, for she woll the
nought,
Thou art to blamen of thy thought.
For it may be that thy desire,
Though it brenne ever as doth the
fire,
Par cas to her honour misset,
Or elles time come nought yet
Which stant upon thy destine.
Forthy my sone, I rede the
Thenk well, what ever the befalle,
For no man hath his lustes alle.
But as thou toldest me before
That thou to love art nought forswore
And hast done non unkindenesse,
Thou might therof thy grace blesse
And leve nought that continuance,
For there may be no such grevince
To love as is Unkindeship.
Wherof to kepe thy worship,
So as these olde bokes tale,
I shall the telle a redy tale.
Now herken and be ware therby,
For I will telle it openly.
" 4tinos, as telleth the poete,
The which whil6m was king of
Crete,
A sone had and Androchee
He hight. And so befell that he
Unto Athenes for to lere
Was sent, and so he bare him there
For that he was of high ligndge,
Such pride he toke in his corage,




280


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


That he foryeten hath the scoles,
And in riot among the fooles
He didde many thinges wronge
And used thilk6 life so longe,
Til att6 last of that he wrought
He found the mischefe which he
sought,
Wherof it fell that he was slain.
His fader, which it herde sain,
Was wroth, and all that ever he might
Of men of armes he him dight
A strong power and forth he went
Unto Athenes, where he brent
The pleine contre al aboute.
The cit6s stood of him in doubte 1
As they that no defence had
Ayein the power which he lad.
Egeus which was there king
His counseil toke upon this thing,
For he was than in the citee,
So that of pees into tretee
Betwene Min6s and Egeuis
They fell, and bene accorded thus,
That king Min6s fro yere to yere
Receive shal as thou shalt here
Out of Athenes for trudge
Of men that were of mighty age
Person6s nine, of which he shall
His wille dol in speciall
For vengeaunce of his sones deth,
None other grace there ne geth
But for to take the juise,2
And that was don in suche a wise.
Upon which stood a wonder cas.
For thilke time so it was,
Wherof that men yet rede and sing,
King Minos had in his keping
A cruel monster, as saith the gest.
For he was-half man and half beste,
And Minotaurus he was hote,
Which was begotten in a riote
Upon Pasiphe, his owne wife,
Whil he was out upon the strife
Of thilke greate siege at Troie.
1 Doubte, fear.  2 Juisc, judgment.


But she which lost hath alle joie
Whan that she sigh this monsterbore
Bad men ordeigne anon therfore.
And fell that ilke time thus,
There was a clerke, one Dedalus,
Which hadde ben of her assent 1
Of that her world was so miswent
And he made of his owne wit,
Wherof the remembrauince is yit,
For Minotaur6 suche a hous
That was so stronge and merveil6us
That what man that withinne went,
There was so many a sondry went
That he ne shulde nought come out,
But gone amased all about.
And in this hous to locke and warde
Was Minotaurus put in warde,
That what life 2 that therinn6 cam,
Or man or beste, he overcam
And slough, and fed him therupon.
And in this wis6 many one
Out of Athenes for truage
Devoured weren in that rage.
For every yere they shope hem so,
They of Athenes er they go
Toward that ilk6 wofull chaunce
As it was set in ordenaunce,
Upon Fortune her lot they cast;
Till that Theseiis atte laste,
Which was the kinges sone there
Amonges other that there were,
In thilke yere as it befell
The lot upon his chaunce fell.
He was a worthy knight withall,
And whan he sigh his chaunce fall,
He ferde as though he toke none
hede,
But all that ever he might spede
With him and with his felaship
Forth into Crete he goth by ship,
Wherethattheking Min6she sought
And profreth all that he him ought
Upon the point of her accorde.
1 Of her assent, sent for by her.
2 Lzf, body; /what life, whoever.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


28I


This sterne king, this cruel lorde,
Toke every day one of the nine
And put into the discipline
Of Minotaure to be devoured.
But Theseus was so favoLired
That he was kept till atte last,
And in the meane while he cast
What thing him were best to do.
And fell, that Ariadne tho,
Which was the doughter of Minos,
And hadde herd the worthy los'
Of Theseuis and of his might
And sigh he was a lusty knight,
Her hole herte on him she laide.
And he also of love her praide
So ferforth that they were alone,
And she ordeineth than anone
In what maner she shuld him save.
And shope so, she did him have
A clue of threde of which withinne
First atte dore he shall beginne
With him to tak6 that one ende,
That whan he wold ayeinward wende
He might6 go the same wey.
And over this so as I say,
Of pitch she toke him a pelote,2
The which he shulde into the throte
Of Minotaur6 caste right.
Such wepon also for him she dight,
That he by reson may nought faile
To make an ende of his bataile.
For she him taught in sondry wise
Till he was knowe of thilke emprise
How he this beste shulde quelle.
And thus short tale for to telle,
So as this maiden him had taught
Theseuis with this monster faught
And smote of his hede, the whiche
he nam,
And by the thred, so as he cam
He goth ayein, til he were out.
So was great wonder all about;
MIinos the tribute hath relesed,
1 Loc, praise.
2 Toke him a pelote, gave him a ball.


And so was all the werre cesed
Betwene Athenes and hem of Crete.
" Butnow to speke ofthilke swete
Whose beaute was withoute wan,
This faire maiden Adriane,
Whan that she sigh Theseius sounde
Was never yet upon this grounde
A gladder wight than she was tho.
Theseuis dwelt a day or two
Where that Minos great chere him
ded.
Theseils in a prive sted
Hath with this maiden spoke and
rouned,1
That she to him was abandouined;
For he so faire tho behight 2
That ever while he liv6 might
He shuld her take for his wife
And as his owne hertes life
He wolde her love and trouthe bere.
And she, which mighte nought forbere,
So sore loveth him ayein,
That what as ever he wold sain
With all her hertd she beleveth.
And thus his purpos he acheveth,
So that assured of his trouthe
With him she went, and that was
routhe.
Fedra her yonge suster eke,
A lusty maide, a sobre, a meke,
Fulfilled of all curtesie,
For susterhode and compaignie
Of love which was hem betwene,
To sen her suster made a quene
Her fader lefte and forth she went
With him which all his first entent
Foryat within a litel throwe.3
So that it was all over throwe
Whan she best wend it shulde stonde.
The ship was blowe fro the londe,
Wherinne that they sailend were.
This Ariadne had mochel fere
1 Rouzed, whispered.
2 Tho bethight, then promised.
3  'hrowe, space of time.




282


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Of that the wind so loude blewe,
As she which of the see ne knewe,
And praide for to reste a while.
And so fell that upon an ile
Which Chio highte they ben drive,
Where he to her hath leve yive,
That she shall lond and take her
rest,
But that was nothing for her best.
For whan she was to londe brought,
She, which that time thoughte
nought
But alle trouth and toke no kepe,
Hath laid her softe for to slepe,
As she which longe hath ben forwacched.
But certes she was evil macched
And fer from alle loves kinde.
For more than the beste 1 unkinde
Theseus, which no trouthe kept,
While that this yonge lady slept,
Fulfilled of all unkindeship
Hath all foryete the godeship,
Whiche Ariadne him hadde do,
And bad unto the shipmen tho
Hale up the saile and nought abide,
And forth he goth the same tide
Towarde Athenes, and her on londe
He lefte, which lay nigh the stronde
Slepende til that she awoke.
But whan that she cast up her loke
Toward the stronde and sigh no
wight,
Her hert6 was so sore aflight 2
That she ne wiste what to thinke
But drough her to the water brinke,
Where she beheld the see at large.
She sigh no ship, she sigh no barge
Als ferforth as she mighte kenne.
'Ha lord,' she saide, 'which a senne,
As all the world shall after here,
Upon this wofull woman here
This worthy knight hath done and
wrought,
1 Beste, beast.  2 A/light, afflicted.


I wend I had his love bought,
And so deserved atte nede,
Whan that he stood upon his drede,
And eke the love he me behight.
It is great wonder, how he might
Towardes me now ben unkinde,
And so to let out of his minde
Thing which hesaidhis ownemoutl.
But after this, whan it is couth
And drawe into the worldes fame,
It shall ben hindring of his name.
For well he wote, and so wote I,
He yafe his trouthd bodily
That he min honour shulde kepe.'
And with that word she gan to wepe
And sorweth more than inough.
Her faire tresses she to-drough
And with her self toke such a strife,
That she betwene the deth and life
Swounende lay full oft amonge.
And all was this on him alonge,
Which was to love unkindd so,
Wherof the wrong shall evermo
Stond in cronique of remembrau n ce.
And eke it axeth a vengeaunce
To ben unkinde in loves cas
So as Theseius thanne was,
All though he were a noble knight.
For he the lawe of loves right
Forfeited hath in alle way,
That Ariadne le put away,
Which was a great unkinde dede.
And after this, so as I rede,
Fedra, the which her suster is,
He toke in stede of her, and this
Fell afterward to mochel tene.
For thilke Vice of whiche I mene,
Unkindeship, where that it falleth
The troutheof mannes hert it palleth
That he can no good dede acquite,
So may he stonde of no merite
Towardes God and eke also
Men clepen him the worldes fo,
For he no more than the Fende
Unto none other man is frende,




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


283


But all toward him self alone.
' ForthS' my sone, in thy persone
This Vice above all other fle."My fader, as ye techen me,
I thenke don in this matere.
But over this now wold I here,
~Wherof I shall me shrive more."
" My gode sone, as for thy lore,
After the reule of Covetise,
I shall the proprete devise
Of every Vice by and by.
Now herke and be wel ware therby.
"c ~n fe liginage of Avarice,
My sone, yet there is a Vice,
His righte name it is Ravine,
Which hath a route of his covine.
Ravine among the maisters dwelleth,
And with his servants as men telleth
Extorcion is now witholde.
Ravine of other menn6s folde
Maketh his larder and paieth
nought.
For where as ever it may be sought
In his hous there shall no thing
lacke,
And that ful ofte abieth the packe
Of pouer men that dwelle aboute;
Thus stant the comune people in
doubte,
Which can do none amendement.
For whan him faileth paiement,
Ravine maketh non other skille,
But taketh bv strength al that he
wille.
So ben there in the same wise
Lovers, as I the shall devise,
That whan nought elles may availe,
Anone with strengthe they assaile
And get of love the sesine
Whan they se time, by ravine.
' Forthy my sone, shrive the
here,
If thou hast ben a ravinere
Of love."-"' Certes, fader, no,


For I my lady lovd so
For though I were as was Pompey
That all the world me wolde obey,
Or elles such as Alisaundre,
I wolde nought do suche a sclaunder.
It is no good man, which so doth.""In gode feith, sone, thou saist
soth.
For he that woll of purveance
By such a wey his lust avance
He shall it after sore abie,
But if 1 these olde ensamples lie."" Now, god6 fader, tell me one,
So as ye connen many one,
Touchend of love in this matere. "|  Now list, my sone, and thou
shalt here
So as it hath befall er this
In loves cause how that it is,
A man to take by ravine
The preie which is feminine.
Ztere was a roiac noble kinge,
A riche of alle worldes thinge,
Which of his propre enheritaunce
Athenes had in governaunce,
And whoso thenke therupon,
His name was king Pandion.
Two doughters had he by his
wife,
The which he loved as his life.
The firste doughter Progne hight,
And the seconde, as she well might,
Was cleped faire Philomene,
To whom fell after mochel tene.2
The fader of his purveance
His doughter Progne wolde avance,
And yafe her unto mariage
A worthy king of high lignage,
A noble knight eke of his honde,
So was he kid 3 in every londe.
Of Trace he hight Teriefis,
i The clerke Ovide telleth thus.
I bu  7J,..es*-   1 cusrro..


1 But it, tunless.       -  rene. sorrow.
1i         A id, made known, renowned.




284


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


This Terius his wife home lad,
A lusty life with her he had
Till it befell upon a tide,
This Progne, as she lay him beside,
Bethought her how it mighte be
That she her suster mighte se;
And to her lorde her will she saide
With goodly wordes and him praide
That she unto her mighte go,
And if it liked him nought so,
That than he wolde him selve wende,
Or elles by some other sende
Which might her dere suster grete
And shape how that they mighten
mete.
Her lorde anone to that he herde
Yaf his accorde and thus answerde:
'I woll,' he saide, 'for thy sake,
The wey after thy suster take
My self and bring her, if I may.'
And she with that, there as she lay,
Began him in her armes clippe
And kist him with her softe lippe
And saide: ' Sire, graunt mercy.'
And he sone after was redy
And toke his leve for to go.
In sory time did he so.
This Terei's goth forth to shippe
With him and all his felashippe.
By sea the righte cours he nam
Unto the contre till he cam
Where Philomene was dwelling,
And of her suster the tiding
He tolde and tho they weren glad
And mochel joie of him they made.
The fader and the moder bothe
To leve her doughter were lothe
But if they weren in presence,
And netheles at reverence
Of him that wolde him self travaile,
They wolde nought he shulde faile,
And that they praiden yive her leve.
And she that wolde nought beleve1
In alle haste made her vare 2
1 Bele, stay behind.  "2  are, ready.


Toward her suster for to fare
With TeriSes and forth she went.
And he with al his hole entent
Whan she was fro her frendes go
Assoteth of her love so
His eye might he nought witholde
That he ne must on her beholde,
And with the sight he gan desire
And set his owne hert a fire.
And fire whan it to tow approcheth
To him anon the strength accrocheth,l
Till with his hete it be devoured,
The tow ne may nought be soccoured.
And so the tirann ravinere,
Whan that she was in his powere,
And he therto sigh time and place,
As he that lost hath all his grace,
Foryate he was a wedded man,
And in a rage on her he ran
Right as a wolf that taketh his pray.
And she began to crie and pray:
'O fader dere, o moder dere,
Now help!' But they ne might it
here,
And she was of to litel might
Defence ayein so rude a knight
To make whan he was so wode
That he no reson understode.
But whan she to her selve come
And of her mischefe hede nome
And knewe how that she was no
maide,
With wofull herte thus she saide:
'O thou of alle men the worst,
Where was there everman that dorst
Do such a dede as thou hast do?
That day shall falle, I hope so,
That I shall tell out all my fille
And with my speche I shall fulfille
The wide worlde in brede and
length
That thou hast do to meby strength.
] Accroche/tt, increaseth.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


285


If I among the people dwelle
t Unto the people I shall it telle;
And if I be withinne wall
Of stones closed, than I shall
Unto the stones clepe and crie,
And tellen hem thy felonie;
And if I to the wod6s wende,
There shall I telld tale and ende
And crie it to the briddes out,
That they shall here it all about:
For I so loude it shall reherce.
That my vois shall the heven perce,
That it shall soune in Goddes ere.
Ha false man, where is thy fere?
0 more cruel than any beste,
How hast thou holden thy behest
Which thou unto mysuster madest?
O thou, which alle love ungladest
And art ensample of all untrewe,
Now wolde god my suster knewe
Of thin untrouthe, how that it stood!'
And he than as a leon wode1
With his unhappy hondes strong
He caught her by the tresses long
With whiche he bonde both her
armes,
That was a feble dede of armes,
And to the grounde anone her cast,
And out he clippeth also fast
Her tunge with a paire of sheres.
So what with blode and what with
teres,
Out of her eyne and of her mouth,
He made her faire face uncouth.
She lay swounend unto the dethe,
There was unnethes any brethe.
But yet whan he her tungd refte,
A litel part therof he lefte.
But she withall no word may soune
But chitre 2 and as a brid jargoune.
And netheles that wode hounde
Her body hent up fro the grounde
And sent her there as by his will
She shulde abide, in prison still
1 Wode, madly raging.  2 Chitre, chirp.


For ever mo. But now take hede
What after fell of this misdede.
Whan all this mischefe was befalle,
This Tereuis, that foule him falle,
Unto his contre home he tigh,1
And whan he cam his paleis nigh,
His wife alredy there him kept.
Whan he her sigh, anon he wept,
And that he dide for deceipt,
For she began to axe him streit:
'Whereismysuster?' Andhe saide
That she was dede, and Progne
abraide,
As she that was a wofull wife,
And stood betwene her deth and life
Because she herde such tiding.
But for she sigh her lord weping,
She wende nought but alle trouth
And hadde wel the more routh.
The perles were tho forsake
To her and blackd clothes take,
As she that was gentil and kinde.
In worship of her susters minde 2
She made a riche enterement,3
For she found none amendement
To sighen or to sobbe more,
So was there guile under the gore.
"Now leve we this king and
quene,
And torne ayein to Philomene.
As I began to tellen erst,
Whan she cam into prison ferst,
It thought a   kings doughter
straunge
To make so sodefn a chaunge
Fro welth unto so great a wo.
And she began to thenke tho,
Though she by mouthe nothing
praide,
Within her herte thus she saide:
'0 thou, almighty Jupiter,
That highe sittest and lokest fer,
1 Tigh, drew.
2 In reverence to her sister's memory.
g' Enterdment, interment, funeral pomp.




286


CONFESSIO AIMANTIS.


Thou suffrest many a wrong doing,
And yet it is nought thy willing.
To the there may nothing ben hid,
Thou wost1 how it is me betid.
I wolde I hadde nought be bore.
For than I hadde nought forlore
My speche and my virginite.
But gode lord, all is in the,
Whan thou therof wolt do vengeaunce
And shape my deliveraiunce!'
And ever among this lady wepte
And thoughte that she never kepte
To be a worldes woman more,
And that she wissheth evermore.
But ofte unto her suster dere
Her herte speketh in this manere
And saide: Ha suster, if ye knewe
Of min estate ye wold6 rewe
I trowe, and my deliverauince
Ye wolde shape, and do vengeaunce
On him that is so fals a man.
And netheles, so as I can,
I woll you send some tokening,
Wherof ye shall have knouleching
Of thing I wot that shall you loth
The which you toucheth and me
both.'
And tho within a while als tite 2
She wafe a cloth of silke all white
With letters and ymagery,
In which was all the felony,
Which Teruis to her hath do,
And lapp6d it to-gider tho
And set her signet therupon
And sent it unto Progne anon.
The messager which forth it bare,
What it amounteth is nought ware,
And netheles to Progne he goth
And prively taketh her the cloth
And went ayein right as he cam,
The Court of him none hede name.
'Whan Progne of Philomene
herde
1 Wost. knowect,  '2 Als fife, promptly.


She wolde knowe how that it ferde,
And openeth that the man hath
brought
And wot therby what hath be
wrought
And what mischefe there is befalle.
In swoune tho she gan down falle,
And efte arose and gan to stonde,
And eft she taketh the clothe on
honde,
Beheld the letters and thymnges,
But atte last of suche oultrdges
She said, 'Wepfng is nought the
bote,'
And swereth, if that she live mote
It shall be vengdd other wise.
And with that she gan her avise,
How first she might unto her winne
Her suster, that no man withinne,
But only they that were swore,
It shulde knowe, and shope therfore,
That Tereuis nothing it wist,
And yet right as her selven list
Her suster was delivered sone
Out of pris6n, and by the mone
To Progne she was brought by
night.
Whan eche of other had a sight
In chambre there they were alone,
They maden many a pitous mone.
But Progne most of sorwe made,.
Which sigh her suster pale and fade
And spech6les and deshonofired
Of that she hadde be defloured,
And eke upon her lord she thought
Of that he so untruely wrought
And had his espousaile broke,
She maketh a vow it shall be wroke.
And with that word she kneleth
down
Weping in great devocioun,
Unto Cupide and to Venus
She praid and said6 thann6 thus:
1 Bote, remedy.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


287


0 ye, to whom no thing asterte
Of Love may, for every herte
Ye knowe, as ye that ben above
The God and the Godde'sse of Love,
Ye witen well, that ever yit
With al min herte and all my wit
I have ben trewe in my degre
And ever thoughte for to be,
And never love in other place
But all only the king of Trace
Whiche is my lord and I his wife.
But now alas this wofull strife,
That I him thus ayeinward finde
The most untrewe and most unkinde
That ever in ladies armes lay,
And wel I wot that he ne may
Amend his wronge, it is so great,
For he to litel of me lete
Whan he min own6- suster toke
And me that am his wife forsoke.'
Lo, thus to Venus and Cupide
She praid, and furthermoreshe cride
Unto Apollo the highest
And said: ' 0 mighty god of rest,
Thou do vengeaunce of this debate,
My suster and all her estate
Thou wost, and I shall bere a blame
Of that my suster hath a shame,
That Teries to her I sent.
And well thou wost, that min entent
Was all for worship and for good.
O lord, that yivest the lives food
To every wight, I pray the here
These wofull susters that ben here,
And let us nought to the ben loth,
We ben thin owne women both.'
Thus pleigneth Progne and axeth
wreche,
And thoughher suster lacke speche,
To him that alle thinges wote
Her sorwe is nought the lasse hote.
But he that thanne herd hem two
Him ought have sorwed evermo.4Asterie, ecape.


For sorwe which was hem betwene.
With signe's pleigneth Philomene,
And Progne saith: 'It shal be
wreke,
That all the world therof shall speke.'
"And Progne tho sikenesse
feigned,
Wherof unto her lord she pleigned
And preith she mote her chambre
kepe
And as her liketh wake and slepe.
And he her graunteth to be so.
And thus to-gider ben they two,
That wold him but a litel good.
Now herke hereafter, how it stood
Of wofull auntres that befelle.
These susters, that ben bothe' felle,
And that was nought on hem alonge
But only on the greate wronge
Which Tereuis hem hadde do,
They shopen for to venge hem tho.
This Tereius by Progne his wife
A sone hath, which as his life
He loveth, and Ithfs he hight.
His moder wistd well she might
Do Ter~eis no more greve
Than slee his child which was so
leve.
Thus she that was as who saith mad
Of wo which hath her overlad,
Without insight of moderhede
Foryat pite and loste drede
And in her chambre prively
This childd without noise or cry
She slough and hewe him all to
pieces.
And after with diverse spieces
The flessh whan it was so to-hewe,
She taketh and maketh therof a
sewe,1
With which the fader at his mete
Was served till he had him ete
That he ne wist how that it stood.
But thus his owne flessh and blood
1.Sewe. broth. stew.




288


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Him self devoureth ayeine kinde,
As he that was to-fore unkinde.
And than er that he were arise,
For that he shulde bene agrise
To shewen him the child was dede,
This Philomene toke the hede
Betwene two disshes, and all wrothe
Tho camen forth the susters bothe
And setten it upon the bord.
And Progne than began the word
And saide: ' 0 werst of alle wicke,
Of conscience whom no pricke
May stere, lo, what thou hast do,
Lo, here ben now we susters two.
O raviner, lo here thy prey,
With whom so falslich on the wey
Thou hast thy tirannif wrought,
Lo, now it is somedele abought
And beter it shall, for of thy dede
The world shall ever sing and rede
In remembraunce of thy defame,
For thou to love hast done such
shame,
That it shall never be foryete.'
With that he sterte up fro the mete,
And shove the bord into the flore,
And caught aswerd anoneand swore
That they shulde of his hondes deie.
And they unto the goddes crie
Begunne with so loude a steven,
That they were herde unto the
heven,
And in the twinkeling of an eye
The goddes that the mischefe sigh
Her formes chaunged alle thre.
Echone of hem in his degre
Was torned into a briddes kinde
Diverselich as men may finde.
After thestate that they were inne
Her formes were set a twinne,
And as it telleth in the tale
The first i-nto a nightingale
Was shape, and that was Philomene,
Which in the winter is nought sene,
For thannd ben the levds falle


And naked ben the busslies alle.
For after that she was a brid
Her will was ever to ben hid
And for to dwelle in prive place,
That no man shulde sen her face
For shame which may nought ben
lassed
Of thing that was to-fore passed,
And halt her clos the winter day.
But whan the winter goth away
And that nature' the goddesse
Woll of her owne fre largesse
With herbes and with floures bothe
The feldes and the medewes clothe,
And eke the wodes and the greves
Ben heled 1 all with grene leves,
So that a brid her hide may
Betwene March, Aprille and May,
She that the winter2 held her clos
For pure shame and nought aros,
Whan that shesighthebowes thicke
And that there is no bare sticke
But all is hid with leves grene,
To wode cometh this Philomene
And maketh her firstd yeres flight,
Where as she singeth dayand night,
And in her song all openly
She maketh her pleint and saith:
'  why,
O why ne were I yet a maide?'
For so these olde wise saide
Which understoden what she ment,
Her notes ben of suche entent.
And eke they said, how in her songe
She maketh great joy and merth
amonge
And saith: ' Ha, now I am a brid,
Ha, now my face may ben hid!'
Thus medleth she with joie wo
And with her sorwe merth also,
So that of loves maladie
She maketh diverse melodie
And saith: ' Love is a wofull blisse,
I Greves.. heled, groves.. covered.
2 The winter, during winter.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


289


A wisdom, which can no man wisse,
A lusty fever, a wounde softe.'
This note she reherseth ofte
To hem which understonde her tale.
" Now have I of this nightingale,
Which erst was cleped Philomene,
Told all that ever wolde mene
Both of her forme and of her note,
Wherof men may the story note.
And of her suster Progne I finde,
How she was torned out of kinde
Into a swalwe swift of wing,
Which eke in winter lith swouning
There as she may no thing be sene,
But whan the world is woxe grene
And comen is the somer tide,
Than fleeth she forth and ginneth
to chide
And chitereth out in her langage
\Vhat falshede is in mariage;
And telleth in a maner speche
Of Tereus the spouse breche.
She wol nought in the wodes dwelle,
For she wold openliche telle,
And eke for that she was a spouse,
Among the folk she cometh to house
To do these wives understonde
The falshode of her husdbonde,
That they of hem beware also,
For there be many untrewe of tho.
"Thus ben the susters briddes
both
And ben toward the men so loth,
That they ne woll for pure shame
Unto no mannes hond be tame,
For ever it dwelleth in her minde
Of that they found a man unkinde,
And that was false Tereus.
If suche one be amonge us
I not, but his condition
Men say in every regi6n
Withinne town and eke without
Now regneth comunlich about.
And netheles in remembrauince
I woll declare what vengeauince


The goddes hadden him ordeigned,
Of that the sustershaddenpleigned.
For anone after he was chaunged
And from his owne kinde straunged,
A lapp6winke made he was
And thus he hoppeth on the gras,
And on his heed there stont upright
A crest in token of a knight,
And yet unto this day, men saith,
A lappewinke hath lost his feith
And is the brid falsest of alle.
" Beware, my sone, er the so falle,
For if thou be of such covine
To get of love by ravine
Thy lust, it may the falle thus,
As it befell of Tereuis.""My fader, nay, Goddes forbode,
Me were lever be fortrode,
With wilde hors and be to-drawe,
Er I ayein love and his lawe
Did any thing, or loude or still.
Which were nought my ladies will.
Men saien that every love hath
drede,
So folweth it that I her drede,
For I her love, and who so
dredeth,To plese his love and serve, him
nedeth.
Thus may ye knowen by this skill,
That no Ravine done I will
Ayein her will by such a wey.
But while I live I will obey,
Abiding on her courtesie
If any mercy wolde her plie.1
" Forthy my fader, as of this
I wot nought I have do amis.
But furthermore I you beseche,
Some other point that ye me teche,
And axeth forth if there be ought,
That I may be the better taught.""Tan A  s ovefise in pouer
estate
Stont with him self upon debate
1 Plie, bend, turn.
T




290


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Through lacke of his misgovernaunce,
That he unto his sustenaunce
Ne can non other waie finde
To get him good, than as the blinde
Which seeth nought what shal after
fall,
That ilke Vice which men call
Of Robbery he taketh on honde,
Wherof by water and by londe
Of thing which other menbeswinke
He get him cloth and mete and
drinke,
Him reccheth nought what he beginne
Through thefte so that he may winne.
Forthy to maken his purchas
He lith awaitend on the pas,
And what thing that he seeth ther
passe
He taketh his parte or more or lasse
If it be worthy to be take,
He can the pack6s well ransake.
So prively bereth none about
His gold that he ne fint it out,
Or other juell what it be
He taketh it as his proprete
In wodes and in feldes eke.
Thus Robberie goth to seke
Where as he may his purchas finde.
And right so in the same kinde
My gode sone, as thou might here,
To speke of love in the matere
And make a verray resemblance
Right as a thefe maketh chevesance
And robbeth mennds goodes about
Inwodeand felde where he goth out,
So be there of these lovers some
In wild6 stedes 2 where they come
And finden there a woman able
And therto place covenable,
Withoute leve er that they fare
They take a parte of that chaffare.
1 Pcswinkc, obtain by labour.
- 5tcIdcs, plalc's.


But therof wot nothing the wife
At home, which loveth as her life
Her lord and sit all day wisshing
After her lordes home coming.
But whan he cometh home at eve
Anone he maketh his wife beleve,
For she nought elles shulde knowe
He telleth her, how his hunt hath
blowe
And howe his houndes have well
ronne,
And how there shone amery sonne,
And how his hawkes flowen wele.
But he wol telle her never a dele,
How he to love untrewe was
Of that he robbed in the pas
And toke his lust under the shawe
Ayein Love and ayein his lawe.
"Which thing, my sone, I the
forbede,
For it is an ungoodly dede.
For who that taketh by robberie
His love, he may nought justifie
His cause, and so ful ofte sithe 1
For ones that he hath ben blithe
He shall ben after sory thries.
Ensamples for such robberies
I find6 write as thou shalt here
Accordend unto this matere.
"(  reibe, ovow lwt)itom was a
maide
The fairest, as Ovide saide,
Which was in hire time tho.
And she was of the chambre also
Of Pallas, which is the goddesse
And wife to Marte, of whom prowesse
Is yov6 to these worthy knightes,
For he is of so greate mightes,
That he governeth the bataile;
Withouten him may nought availe
The strong6 hond, but he it helpe,
There may no knight of armes
yelpe 2
1 (fJc si/t; many timnes   " YilPe, boast




BOOK V. —A VARICE.


29I


But he fight under his banere.
But now to speke of my matere
This faire, fresshe, lusty may1
Alone as she went on a day
Upon the stronde for to play,
There came Neptuinus in the way,
Which hath the see in governaunce,
And in his herte such plesaunce
He toke whan he this maiden sigh,
That all his hert aros on high.
For he so sodeinlich unware
Beheld the beaute that she bare,
And cast anone within his hert
That she him shall no way astert.
This maiden which Cornix by name
Was hote, dredend alle shame,
Sigh that she mighte noughtdebate,
And well she wist he wolde algate
Fulfill his lust of robberie,
Anone began to wepe and crie
And said, ' O Pallas noble quene,
Shew now thy might, and letbesene,
To kepe and save min honouir!'
That word was nought so sone
spoke,
Whan Pallas shopd recoverir
After the will and the desire
Of hire which a maiden was,
And sodeinlich upon this cas
Out of her womanisshe kinde
Into a bridd6s like I finde
She was transformed forth withall,
So that Neptunus nothing stal
Of such thing that he wolde have
stole.
With fethers blacke as any cole
Out of his armes in a throwe
She fleigh before his even a crowe:
Which was to her a more delite
To kepe her maidenhede white
Under the wede of fethers blacke,
In perles white than forsake
That 2 no life may restore ayein.
But thus Neptuine his hert in vein
1 May, maid.  2 T/at, that which.


Hath upon robberie; set.
The bird is flowe and he was let
The faire maid him hath escaped,
Wherof for ever he was bejaped
And scorned of that he hath lore.
"My sone, be thou ware therfore,
So as I shall the yet devise
Another tale therupon,
Which fell by oldd daies gone.
eting ficf)a&6 upon his wife
A doughter had, a goodly life
And clene maide of worthy fame,
Calistona whose rightd name
Was cleped, and of many a lorde
She was besought, but her accorde
To love might6 no man winne,
As she whiche hath no lust therinne,
But swore within her hert and saide,
That she woll ever ben a maide.
Wherfore, to kepe her selfe in pees,
With suche as Amadriades
Were cleped, wodemaidens tho,
And with the nimphes eke also
Upon the spring of fresshe welles
She shope to dwelle and no where
elles.
And thus came this Calistona
Into the wode of TegeA,
Where she virginite behight
Unto Diane, that on a day
'Was priveliche stole away.
For Jupiter through his queintise
From her it toke in suche a wise,
So that it mighte nought be hid.
And therupon it is betid,
Diane, whiche it herde tell,
In prive place unto a welle
With nimphes al a compaigny
Was come and in a ragery
She saide, that she bathe wolde,
And bad that every maiden sholde
With her all naked bath also.
And tho began the prive wo.




292


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


With shame from her the nimphds
fled,
Till whanne that nature her spedde,
That of a son6, which Archas
Was named, she delivered was.
And tho Juno, which was the wife
Of Jupiter, wrothe and hastife
In purpose for to do vengeauince,
Came forth upon this ilke chaunce,
And to Calistona she spake
And set upon her many a lacke
And said: ' Ha, now thou art atake,
That thou thy werk might nought
forsake.
Ha, thou ungoodly ypocrite,
How thou art greatly for to wite.
Thy grete beaute shall be torned,
Through which that thou hast be
mistorned,
Thy larg6 front, thy eyen gray
I shall hem chaunge in other way,
And all the feture of thy face
In such a wise I shall deface,
That every man the shall forbere.'
With that the likenesse of a here
She toke and was forshape anone.
Within a time and therupon
Befell, that with a bow in honde
To hunte and game for to fonde
Into that wode goth to play
Her sone Archas, and in his way
It hapneth that this bere came.
Andwhan that she good hede name,
Where that he stood under the
bough,
She knewe him well and to him
drough,
For though she had her forme lore,
The love was nought lost therf6re
Whichkindehathset underhis lawe.
Whan she under the wode' shawe
Her child beheld, she was so glad
That she with both her armes sprad,
As though she were in womanhede,


Toward him come and toke none
hede
Of that a bow he bare bent.
And he with that an arwe hath
hent1
And gan to teise 2 it in his bowe,
As he, that can none other knowe
But that it was a beste wilde.
But Jupiter, which wolde shilde
The moder and the sone also,
Ordeineth for hem bothe two
That they for ever were save.
" But thus, my sone, thou might
have
Ensample, and by other wey
In old6 bok6s as I rede,
Such robberfe is for to drede,
And namnlich of thilke good
Whiche every woman that is good
Desireth for to kepe and holde
As whilom was by daies olde.
For if thou here my tale wele
Of that was tho, thou might somdele
Of olde ensamples taken hede
How that the floure of maidenhede
Was thilkd time holde in pris.
And so it was, and so it is,
And so it shall for ever stonde,
And for thou shalt it understonde,
Now herken a tale next suend,
How maidenhede is to commend.
()f [lome among the gestes olde
I find, how that Valery tolde,
That what man tho was emperour
Of Rome he sholde done honour
To the virgin, and in the wey
Where he her mete, he shulde obey
In worship of virginite,
Which tho was a great dignite
Nought onlich of the women tho,
But of the chast6 men also
It was commended over all.
And for to speke in speciall
Touchend of men ensample I finde.
1 Zent, seized.  2 Teise, stretch.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


293


': Phirins, which was of mannes
kinde
Above all other the fairest
Of Rome and eke the comeliest,
That well was hire which him
might
IBeholde and have of him a sight.
Thus was he tempted ofte sore,
But for he wolde be no more
Among the women so coveited,
The beaute of his face streited
He hath, and thrust out both his
eyne,
That alle women whiche it sein
Than afterwarde of him ne rought.
Andthus his maidenhedehebought.
' So may I prov6 wel forthy
Above all other under the sky,
Who that the vertues wolde peise,
Virginite is for to preise,
Which as thapocalips recordeth
To Criste in heven best accordeth.
So may it shewe well therfore
As I have tolde it here to-fore,
In heven and eke in erth also
It is accept to bothe two.
Out of his flesshe a man to live
Gregoire hath this ensample yive
And saith: It shall rather be told 1
Lich to an aungel manyfold
Than to the life of mannes kinde;
There is no reson for to finde,
But only through the grace above,
In flesshe without flesshly love
A man to live chaste here.
And netheles a man may here
Of suche that have ben er this,
And yet there ben, but for it is
A vertue which is selde wonne,
Now I this matter have begonne
I thenke tellen over more,
Which is, my sone, for thy lore,
If that the list to taken hede,
To trete upon the maidenhede.
1 Told, accounted.


" The boke saith that a manne's
life
Upon knighthodein werre and strife
Is set among his enemies.
The freile flessh, whose nature is
Ay redy for to sporne and fall,
The firste foman is of all.
For thilke werre is redy ay,
It werreth night, it werreth day,
So that a man hath never rest.
Forthy is thilke knight the best
Through might and grace of oddes
sonde
Which that bataile may withstonde,
Wherof yet dwelleth the memoire
Of hem that whilome the victoire
Of thilke dedly werre hadden,
The high prowesse which they ladden
Wherof the soule stood amended,
Upon this erth yet is commended.
EJn emperour by thilke daies
There was, and he at all assaies
A worthy knight was of his honde,
Therewas nonesuch in all thelonde,
But yet for all his vassellage 1
He stood unwedded all his age,
And in cronique as it is tolde
He was an hundred winter olde.
And hadde ben a worthy knight
Both of his lawe and of his might.
But whan men wolde his knighthood peise
And of his dedes of armes preise
Of that he dide with his hondes,
Whan he the kinges and the londes
To his subjecti6n put under,
Of all that prise hath he no wonder,
For he it set of none accompte
And said, all that may nought
amounte
Ayein a point whiche he hath nome,
That he his flessh hath overcome.
1 I'assellame, valour in arms, as in Chaucer's
"Knight's Tale" and in Barbour's "Bruce."




CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


29,4


He was a virgine, as he said;
On that bataile his pris he laid.
Lo now, my sone, avise the." —
" Ye, fader, all this may well be.
But if all other dide so,
The world of men were sone ago; 1
And in the lawe a man may finde
How God to man by wey of kinde
Hath set the world to multiply.
And who that woll him justify,
It is inough to do the lawe.
And netheles your god6 sawe
Is good to kepe, who so may,
I woll nought there ayein say nay."
"c ai son6r, take it as I say,
If maidenhed be take away
W\ithoute lawes ordenauince,
It may nought failen of vengeat'ince.
" And if thou wolt the sothe
wite,
Behold a tale which is write,
How that the king Agamenon
Whan he the citee of Lesbon
Hath won, a maiden there he fonde
Which was the fairest of the londe
In thilke time that men wist.
He toke of hir6 what him list
Of thing which was most preciouis,
Wherof that she was daungero'iis.
This faire maiden cleped is
Criseid, the doughter of Crisfs,
Which was that time speciall
Of thilke temple principall
\Vhere Phebus had his sacrifice,
So was it well the more vice.
Agamenon was than in way
To Troie ward and toke awey
This maiden, whiche he with him
lad,
So greate lust in her he had.
But Phebus which hath great
disdein
Of that his maiden was forlein,
Anone as he to Troie came,
1 A-go, gone.


Vengeatince upon this dede he
name 1
And send a comune pestilence.
They soughten than her evidence
And maden calculacion,
To knowe in what condicion
This deth cam in so sodeinly,
And atte laste redely
The cause and eke the man they
founde,
And forth withal the same stounde
Ag;amenon opposed was,
Whiche hath beknowen all the cas
Of the folif, which he wrought.
And therupon mercy they sought
Toward the god in sondry wise
With praier and with sacrifice;
The maiden home ayein they sende
And yaf her good inough to spende
For ever while she shulde live,
And thus the sinne was foryive
And all the pestilence cesed.
" Lo, what it is to ben encresed
Of love whiche is evil wonne.
It werd better nought begonne
Than take a thing withoute leve
Which thou must after nedes levec
And yet have malgre forth with all.
Forthy to robben over all
In loves cause if thou beginne,
I not what ese thou shalt winne.
My son6, be well ware of this,
For thus of robbery it is."" My fader, your ensamplarie
In loves cause of robberie
I have it right well understonde.
But over this how so it stonde,
Yet wol I wite of your apprise,
What thing is more of Covetise.
wifit  oveftis yet I finde
A servaunt of the samd kinde,
Which Stelth is hote, and micherie2
With him is ever in compaignie.
Of whom if I shall telle soth
1 zamfc, took.  2 Jlicewrie, secrecy.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


295


He stalketh as a pecock doth
And taketh his preie so coverte,
That no man wote it in aperte.
For whan he wot the lord from home
Than woll he stalke about and come,
And what thing he fint in his wev
Whan that he seeth the men awev
He steleth it and goth forth withall
That therof no man knowv shall.
And eke full ofte he goth anight
Withoute mone or sterr6 light
And with his craft the doreunpiketh
And takeththerinne whathimliketh.
And if the dore be so shet,
That he be of his entre let,
He woll in atte window crepe,
And while the lord is fast aslepe,
He steleth what thing him best list,
And goth his wey er it be wist.
Full ofte also by light of day
Yet woll he stele and make assay,
Under the cote his honde he put
Till he the mannes purs have kut
And rifleth that he fint therinne.
And thus he auntreth him to winne
And bereth an horn and nought ne
bloweth
For no man of his counseil knoweth
What he may get of his miching,
It is all bile 1 under the wing.
And as an hound that goth to folde
And hath there take what he wolde
His mouth upon the gras he wipeth,
And so with feigned chere him
slipeth,
That what as ever of shepe he
strangle
There is no man therof shall jangle
And for to knowen who it dede;
Right so doth stelthe in every stede,
Vhere as him list his preie take.
He can so well his cause make
And so well feigne and so well glose
That there ne shall no man suppose
1 Bile, bill.


But that he were an innocent,
And thus a mann6s eye he blent.
So that this crafte I may remneve
Withouten helpe of any meve.
There be lovers of that degre,
Which all her lust in privetd
As who saith getten all by Stelth
And ofte atteignen to great welth
As for the time that it lasteth.
For love awaiteth ever and casteth
How he may stele and cacche his
pray
Whan he therto may finde a way.
For be it night, or be it day
Hetaketh his part, whan thathe may,
And if he may no more do
Yet woll he stele a cuss 2 or two.
"My son5, what saist thou therto,
Telle, if thou diddest ever so.""My fader, how? "-" My sone,
thus,
If thou hast stolen any cuss
Or other thingwhich thertolongeth,
For no man suche theves hongeth;
Tell onforth and saythetrouth.""My fader, nay; and that is
routh,
For by my will I am a thefe,
But she that is to me most lefe,
Yet durst I never in privete
Nought ones take her by the kne
To stele of her or this or that,
And if I durst I wot well what.
And netheles but if I lie
By stelth6 ne by robberie
Or love, which fell in my thought,
To hire did I never nought;
But as men sain, where hert is failed
There shall no castel be assailed.
But though I hadde hertds ten
And were as stronge as alle men.
If I be nought min owne man
And dare nought usen that I can.
1 Rlemeve, change to another field of enterprise; from Money to Love.
- Cuss, kiss,




296


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


I may my selve nought recouer
Though I be never man so pouer.
I bere an herte and here it is,
So that me faileth wit in this
How that I shulde of mine accorde
The servant lede ayein the lorde.
For if my foot wold owhere go,
Or that min hond wolde elles do,
Whan that min hert is there avein
The remenaunt is all in vein.
And thus me lacketh alle wele,
And yet ne dare I nothing stele
Of thing which longeth unto love,
And eke it is so high above
I may nought well therto arecche,
But if so be at time of speche
Full selde if than I stele may
A worde or two and go my way.
Betwene her high estate and me
Comparison there may none be,
So that I fele and well I wote
All is to hevy and to hote
To set on honde without leve.
And thus I mot algate leve
To stele that I may nought take,
And in this wise I mot forsake
To ben a thefe ayein my will
Of thing which I may nought fulfill.
c For that serpent which never
slept
The flees of gold so well ne kept
In Colchos, as the tale is tolde,
As my lady a thousand folde
To kepe her body night and day.
She hath a wardein redy ay,
Which is so wounderfull a wight,
That him ne may no mannes might
With swerd ne with no wepon daunt,
Ne with no sleight of charme enchaunt
Wherof he might be made tame,
And Daunger is his righte name,
Whiche under lock and under key,
That no man may it stele awey,
Hath al the tresor underfonge


That unto love may belonge.
The leste loking of her eye
May nought be stole, if he it sigh;
And who so gruccheth for so lite
He wolde sone set a wite
On him that wolde stele more.
And that me greveth wonder sore,
For this proverb is ever newe,
That stronge lockes maken trewe
Of hem that wolden stele and pike.
For so wel can there no man slike
By him ne by no other mene,
To whom Daunger wol yive or lene
Of that tresor he hath to kepe.
So though I wolde stalke and crepe
And waiteon eve and eke on morwe,
Of Daunger shal I nothing borwe,
And stele wot wel may I nought.
And thus I am right wel bethought,
While Daunger stont in his office,
Of Stelthe, which ye clepe a Vice,
I shall be gilty never mo.
Therfore I wold he were ago
So fer that I never of him herde
How so that afterward it ferde,
For than I mighte yet par cas
Of love make some purchas
By stelth or by some other way,
That now fro me stont fer away.
"But, fader, as ye tolde above,
How Stelth6 goth anight for love,
I may nought wel that point forsake,
That ofte times I ne wake
On nightes whan that other slepe.
But now, I pray you take kepe,
Whan I am logged in such wise
That I by nighte may arise
At some window and loken out
And se the housing al about,
So that I may the chambre knowe
In which my lady, as I trowe,
Lith in her bed and slepeth softe,
Than is min hert a thefe ful ofte,
For there I stonde to behold
1 Smooth the way.




BOOK Vl.-A;VARICE.


297


Tile longe nightds that ben cold
And thenke on her that lieth there.
But atte laste whan I finde
That I am fall into my minde,
And se that I have stonde longe
And have no profit underfonge,
Than stalke I to my bed withinne.
And this is all that ever I winne
Of love, whan I walke on night.
My will is good, but of my might
Me lacketh both and of my grace,
For what so that my thought embrace
Yet have I nought the better ferde.
My fader, lo, now have ye herde
What I by Stelth of Love have do,
And how my will hath be therto;
If I be worthy to penaunce,
I put it to your ordenaunce."'" My sone, of stelth I the behete,
Though it be for a time swete,
At ende it doth but litel good,
As by ensample how that it stood
Whilom, I may the telld now.""I pray you, fader, say me
how.""My sone, of him, which goth
by day
By wey of stelthe to assay
In love's cause and taketh his pray,
Ovide said, as I shall say,
And in his Methamor he tolde
A tale which is good to holde.
)be poet upon this matere
Of Stelthe wrote in this manere.
Venus, which hath the lawe inhonde
Of thing which may nought be withstonde,
As she which the tresor to warde
Of love hath within her warde,
Phebus to love hath so constreigned
That he withoute rest is peined
With all his hertd to coveite
A maiden which was warded streite
Withinne chambre and kept so clos


That selden was whan she desclos
Goth with her moder for to play.
Leucotho;, so as men say,
This maiden hight, and Orchamus
Her fader was. And befell thus,
This doughter that was kept so dere
And hadde be from yere to yere,
Upon the whose nativitd
Of comeliheed and of beaute
Nat'ire hath set all that she may,
That lich unto the fresshe May,
Whiche other monthes of the yere
Sourmounteth, so withoute pere
Was of this maiden the fetuire,
Wherof Phebuis out of mestire
Her loveth and on every side
Awaiteth what so may betide.
In his await so longe he lay
Till it befell upon a day
That he through out her chambre
wall
Came in all sodeinlich and stall
That thing which was to him so
lefe.
But wo the while, he was a thefe,
For Venus, which was enemy
Of thilke lov6s michery,
Descovereth all the pleine cas
To Climene, which thanne was
Toward Phebis his concubine.
And she, to lett6 the covine
Of thilke love, dedely wrothe,
To pleign upon this maide she goth
And tolde her fader howe it stood,
Wherof for sorwe well nigh wode
Unto her moder thus he saide:
' Lo, what it is to kepe a maide.
To Phebus dare I nothing speke
But upon her it shall be wreke.'
And bad with that do make a pit,
Wherin he hath his doughter set,
As he that woll no pit6 have,
So that she was all quike begrave
And deide anone in his presence.
But Phebus, for the reverence




298


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


Of that she hadde be his love,
Hath wrought through his power
above
That she sprong up out of the molde
Into a flour, was named Golde,
Which stant governed of the sonne.
And thus whan love is evil wonne,
Full ofte it cometh to repentail."" My fader, that is no merveile,
Whan that the counceil is bewreied.
For in your tale as it betid,
Venus descovereth all the cas,
And eke also brode day it was
Whan Phebus such a stelthd
wrought,
Wherof the maide in blame he
brought,
That afterwards he was so lore.
But for ye saiden now to-fore,
How Stelth of Love goth by night
And doth his thinges out of sight,
Therof me lust also to here
A tale lich to the matere,
Wherof I might ensample take."
"My gode sone', for thy sake,
So as it befell by daies olde
And so as the poet it tolde,
Upon the nightes michery
Now herken a tale of poesy.
ifl)e migftiest of alle men,
Whan Hercules with Eolen,
Which was the love of his cordge,
To-gider upon a pelrinage
Towarde Rome shulden go,
It fell hem by the waie so,
That they upon a day a cave
Within a roche founden have,
Which was real and glorious
And of entaile curiouis,
By name and Thophis it was hote.
The sonne shone tho wonder hote,
As it was in the somer tide.
"This Hercules, which byhis side
Hath Eolen his love there,
\VWhan they at thilke cave were,


He said, he thought it for the best,
That she her for the hete rest
All thilke day. And so befell,
This cave was under the hill
Of Timolus, which was begrowe
With vines, and at thilke throwe
Faunus with Saba the goddesse,
By whom the large wildernesse
In thilke time' stood governed,
Were in a place, as I am lerned,
Nigh by, which Bachuswode hight.
"This Faunus toke a great insight
Of Eolen, that was so nigh,
For whan that he her beaute sigh,
Out of his wit he was assoted
And in his herte it hath so noted,
That he forsoke the nimphes alle
And said, he wolde, how so it falle,
Assay an other for to winne,
He set his hertes thought withinne,
And therupon his time awaiteth.
Now take good hede, how love
affaiteth
Him which withal is overcome.
Faire Eolen whan she was come
With Hercules into the cave,
She said him, that she wolde have
His clothes of and hire bothe,
And eche of hem shulde other cloth e.
And all was do right as she bad,
He hath her in his clothds clad
And cast on her his gulion,
Which of the skin of a leon
Was made, as he upon the wey
It slough, and over this to pley
She toke his grete mace also
And knet it at her girdel tho.
So was she lich the man arraied,
And Hercules than hath assaied
To clothen him in her array.
And thus they jape forth the day,
Till that her souper redy were.
And whan they hadden souped there,
They shopen hem to go to rest,
And as it thought hem for the best,




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


299


They bad, as for that ilk6 night,
Two sondry beddes shuld be dight,
WVherin that they to reste gone
Eche by hem self in sondry place.
Fair Eolen hath set the mace
Besides her beddes heved above,
And with the clothes of her love
She belled 1 all her bed aboute.
And he, which had nothing in
doubte,
Her wimpel wonde about his cheke,
Her kirtel and her mantel eke
Abrode upon his bed he spredde,
And thus they slepen both a bedde.
And what of travail, what of wine
The servaunts like to dronken swine
Beganne for to route 2 faste.
This Faunus, whichhis stelthe caste,
\Was thanne comen to the cave
And found, they weren alle save;
Withoute noise and in he went,
The derke night his sighte blent,
And yet it hapned him to go
Where Eolen a bedde tho
Was laid alone for to slepe.
But for he wolde take kepe
Whose bed it was, he made assay
And of a leon where it lay
The cote hefounde and eke hefeleth
The mace, and than hishertelkeleth,
That there durst he nought abide;
But stalketh upon every side
And sought aboute with his honde
That other bed, till that he fonde
Where lay bewimpled a visage.
Tho was he glad in his corage,
For he her kirtel founde also
And eke her mantel bothe two
Bespred upon the bedde alofte,
And wende well it were she.
And thus in stede of Eole
Anone he profreth him to love,
But he, which sigh a man above,
This Hercules him threw togrounde
1 Hclled, covered.  2 Route, snore.


So sore, that they have him founde
Liggende there upon the morwe,
And tho was nought a litel sorwe
That Faunus of him selve made.
But elles there they were all glade
And loughen him to scorne aboute,
Saba with nimphes all a route
Came down to loke howthat it ferde,
And whan that they the sothc herde
He was bejaped over all.
"' My sone, be thou ware with all
In aunter if the so betide
As Faunus didd thilke tide,
Wherofthou might be shamed so. "" Min holy fader, certes no.
But if I hadde right good leve,
Such micherie I thenke leve.
My fainte herte woll nought serve,
For malgr6 wolde I nought deserve
In thilke place where I love.
But for ye tolden here above
Of Covetise and his pilage,
If there be more of that lignage.
Wrhich toucheth to my shrifte, I
pray,
That ye therof me wolde say,
So that I may the Vice escheue.""C My sone, if I by order sue
The Vices as they stonde a rowe,
Of Covetise thou shalt knowe,
There is yet one, which is the last,
In whom there may no Vertue last,
For he with God him self debateth,
Wherof that all the heven him
hateth.
re f)ig6 (f){ob, whicheallegood
Purveied hath for mannes food
Of clothes and of mete and drinke,
Bade Adam, that he shulde swinke
To geten him his sustenaunce,
And eke he set an ordenaunce
Upon the lawe of Mofses,
That though a man be haveles,
Yet shall he nought by thefte stele.
But now a dai6s there ben fele,




300


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That woll no labour undertake;
But what they may by stelthe take
They holde it sikerliche wonne.
And thus the lawe is overronne,
Which God hath set, and namely
With hem that so untruely
The goodes robbe of Holy Chirche.
The thefte, which they thanne
wirche,
By name is cleped Sacrilegge,
Ayein the whom I thenke allegge.
Upon three points as we ben taught
Stont Sacrilege, and elles nought.
The firste point is for to say,
Whan that a thefe shall stele away
The holy thing from holy place.
The seconde is, if he purchdce
By way of theft an holy thinge
The whiche upon his knowlechinge
Fro holy place away was toke.
The thirde point, as saith the boke,
Is suche, as whereas ever it be,
In wode, in felde, or in cite,
Shall no man stele by no wise
That halowed is to the servise
Of God whiche alle thinges wote.
But there is nouther cold ne hote,
Whiche he for God or man woll
spare,
So that the body may wel fare
And that he may the world escape,
The heven him thinketh is but a jape
Of his condicidn to telle,
Which rifelethbotheboke and belle,
So forthwith all the remenaunt
To Goddes hous appurtenaunt,
Where that he shulde bid his bede,
He doth his theft in holy stede,
Andtakethwhat thing hefint therin.
For whan he seeth that he may win
He wondeth for no cursednesse
That he ne breketh the holinesse
And doth to God no reverence.
For he hath lost his conscience,
That thoughthepresttherfore curse,


He saith, he fareth nought the
worse.
And for to speke it other wise,
What man that lasseth the fraunchise
And takethof Holy Chirch his pray,
I not what bedes he shall pray
Whan hefro Godwhich hathyive all
The purpartie in specidll,
Which unto Crist him self is due,
Benimth; he maynought wel eschue
The peine comend afterward,
For he hath made his foreward
With sacrilegge for to dwelle,
Which hath his heritage in helle.
" And if we rede of tholde lawe,
I finde write in thilke lawe,
Of princes how there weren thre
Coupdble sore in this degre.
That one of hem was cleped thus
The proude king Antiochus;
That other Nabuzardan hight,
Which of his cruelte behight
The temple to destruie and waste,
And so he did in alle haste;
The thridde, which was after
shamed,
Was Nabugodonosor named,
And he Jerusalem put under
Of sacrilegge and many a wonder
There in theholytemplehe wrought,
Which Baltazir his heire abought,
Whan Mane Techel Phares write
Was on the wall, as thou might wite
So as the bible it hath declared.
But for al that it is nought spared
Yet now a day that men ne pille
And maken argument and skille
To sacrilegge as it belongeth,
For what man that there after
longeth
He taketh none hede what he doth.
And if a man shall telle soth,
Of guile and of subtilite
Is none so sligh in his degre




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


3or


To feigne a thing for his beyete
As is this Vice of whiche I trete.
He can so priveliche pike,
He can so well his wordes slike
To put away suspicion,
That in his excusation
There shall no man defalte finde.
And thus full ofte men be blinde,
That stonden in his word deceived,
Er his queintise be perceived.
But netheles yet other while
For all his sleight and all his guile
Of that he wolde his werke forsake,1
He is atteint and overtake.
Wherof thou shalte a tale rede,
In Rome as it befell in dede.
Atr c-omc cam to the creaunce
Of Cristes feith, it fell perchaunce,
Cesr, which tho was emperour,
Him liste for to done honour
Unto the temple Apollinis,
And made an ymage upon this,
The which was cleped Apoll6,
Was none so riche in Rome tho 2
Of plate of golde a berde he hadde,
Thewhich his brestallover spradde
Of golde also withoute faile
His mantell was of large entaile
Beset with perrie 3 all about,
Forth right he straught his finger
out
Upon the which he had a ringe,
To seen it was a riche thing
A fine carbuncle for the nones
Most precious of alle stones.
' And fell that time in Rome thus
There was a clerke one Lucius,
A courte6ur, a famous man,
Of every wit somwhat he can,
Out take that him lacketh reule
His owne estat to guide and reule.
How so it stood of his speking,
He was nought wise in his doing.
1 Forsake, deny.  Tho, then.
F'errie, precious stones.


But every riote atte last
Mot nedes falle, and may nought
laste.
After the mede of his deserte
So fell this clerke into pouerte
And wiste nought how for to rise,
Wherof in many a sondry wise
He cast his wittes here and ther,
He loketh nigh, he loketh fer,
Till on a time that he come
Into the temple, and hede he nome
Where that the god Apollo stood,
He sigh the richesse and the good
And thought he wold6 by some way
The tresor picke and stele away;
And therupon so sleighly wrought
That his purp6se about he brought,
And went awey unapperceived.
Thus hath the man his god deceived;
His ring, his mantel and his berd,
As he which nothing was aferd,
All privdly with him he bare.
And whan the wardeins weren ware
Of that her god despuil6d was,
Hem thought it was a wonder cas
How that a man for any wele
Durst in so holy place stele,
And namely so great a thing.
This tale came unto the king
And was through spoken over all.
But for to knowe in speciall,
What maner man hath do the dede,
They soughten helpe upon the
nede
And maden calculaci6n,
Wherof by demonstracion
The man was founde with the good;
In jugCment and whan he stood,
The king hath axed of him thus:
Say thou, unsely Lucius,
Why hast thou don this sacrilegge?'My lord, if I the cause allegge,
Quod he ayein, me thenketh this,
That I have do nothing amis.




302


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Thre points ther ben, which I have
do:
Wherof the firste point stant so,
That I the ring have take away;
As unto that, this woll I say,
Whan I the god behelde about,
I sigh how he his hond straught out
And profred me the ring to yive.
And I, which wolde gladly live
Out of pouerte, through his largesse
It underfang, so that I gesse
As therof I am nought to wite.1
And overmore I woll me quite
Of gold that I the mantel toke;
Gold in his kind, as saith the boke,
Is hevy both and colde also.
And for that it was hevy so,
AMe thought it was no garnement
Unto the god convenient
To clothen him the somer tide.
I thought, upon that other side,
Howgold is colde, and such a clothe
By reson oughte to be lothe
In winter time for the chele.
And thus thenkende thoughtds fele
As I min eie aboute cast,
His large berd than atte last
I sigh, and thought anone therfore,
How that his fader him before
Which stood upon the same place,
Was berdles with a yongly face.
And in such wise, as ye have herde,
I toke away the sones berde
For that his fader hadde none
To make hem liche, and hereupon
I axe for to ben excused.'
"Lo thus, where sacrilegge is used,
A man can feigne his conscience
And right upon such evidence
In Loves cause if I shall trete,
There ben of suche small and great,
If they no leiser finden elles
They wol nought won den for the
belles,
1 To wite, to blame.


Ne though they sen the prest at
masse,
That wol they leten overpasse,
If that they finden her love there
They stande and tellen in her ere
And axe of God none other grace
While they ben in that holy place.
But er they gon some avauntage
There will they have and some
pilage
Of goodly word or of beheste,
Or elles they take att6 leste
Out of her honde a ring or glove,
So nigh the weder they will hove,
As who saith she shall nought foryete
Now I this token of her have gete.
Thus halwe they the highe feste,
Such thefte may no chirch areste,
For all is lefull that hem liketh,
To whom that elles it misliketh.
And eke right in the selve kinde
In greate citees men may finde
This lusty folk that make hem gay
And waite upon the haliday,
In chirches and in minstres eke
They gon the women for to seke,
And where that such one goth about
To-fore the fairest of the route
Where as they sitten all a rewe,
There will he moste his bodyshewe,
His croket 1 kempt and theron set
An ouche 2 with a chapelet
Or ell6s one of grene leves
Which late came oute of the greves,
All for he shulde sem6 fressh.
And thus he loketh on his flessh
Right as an hawke which hath a sight
Upon the fowl there he shall light,
And as he were a fairie
He sheweth him to-fore her eye
In holy place where they sitte
1 Croket, crocquet, a large roll of crossed hair
once in the fashion.
2' O chdk, jewel, or jewel setting... grczcs,
groves.




BOOK V.-AVARICE.


303


Al for to make her hertes flitte.
His ey6 no where woll abide
But loke and pry on every side
On her and her, as him best liketh,
And other while among he siketh;
Thenketh one of hem 'That was
for me!'
And so there thenken two or thre
And yet he loveth none of alle,
But where as ever his chaunce falle;
And netheles to say a soth
The cause why that he so doth,
Is for to stele an herte or two
Out of the chirche er that he go.
And as I said it here above,
All is that sacrilegge of love,
For well may be he steleth awey
That he never after yelde may.
Tell me forthy, my sone, anone,
Hast thou do sacrilegge or none
As I have said in this manere?;'" My fader, as of this matere
I woll you tellen redely
What I have do, but truely
I may excuse min entent,
That I never yet to chirche went
In such maner as ye me shrive,
For no woman that is on live.
The cause why I have it laft
May be for I unto that craft
Am nothing able for to stele,
Though there be women nought so
fele.
But yet woll I nought saie this
Whan I am there my lady is,
In whom lith holy my quarele,
And she to chirche or to chapele
Woll go to matins or to messe
That time I waite well and gesse,
To chirche I come, and there I
stonde,
And though I take a boke on honde
My contenaunce is on the boke
But toward her is all my loke.
And if so fall&. that I pray


Unto my God and somwhat say
Of Pater ilosler or of Crede
All is for that I wolde spede,
So that my bede in holy chirche
There mighte some miracle wirche
My ladies herte for to chaunge,
Which ever hath be to me so
straunge;
So that all my devocion
And all my contemplaci6n
With all min herte and my corage
Is only set on her ymage.
And ever I waite upon the tide
If she loke any thing aside,
That I me may of her avise;
Anone I am with Covetise
So smite that me were lefe
To be in holy chirche a thefe,
But nought to stele a vestement
For that is nothing my talent.
But I wol stele if that I might
A glad word or a goodly sight.
And ever my service I profre,
And namely whan she woll gone
offre,
For than I lede her, if I may.
For somwhat wold I stele away
Whan I beclippe her on the waste,
Yet atte last I stele a taste,1
And other while 'graunt mercy'
She saith, and so win I therby
A lusty touch, a good worde eke,
But all the remenaunt to seke
Is fro my purpos wonder fer.
So may I say, as I said er,
In holy chirch if that I wowe,
Mv conscience I wolde allowe
Be so that up amendement
I mighte get assignement
Where for to spede in other place;
Such sacrilegge I hold a grace.
"And thus, my fader, soth to say
In chirche right as in the way
1 Taste, touch (MtAte). So a knight might
in the old romances taste his horse; or a
damsel taste a hero'. - wound.




304


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


If I might ought of love take
Such hansel have I nought forsake.
But finally I me confesse,
There is in me no halinesse
While I her se in haly stede.
And yet for ought that ever I dede
No sacrilegge of her I toke
But if it were of worde or loke
Or elles if that I her fredde 1
Whan I toward offring her ledde,
Take therof what I take may
For elles bere I nought away,
For though I wolde ought elles have
All other thinges ben so save
And kept with such a privilegge
That I may do no sacrilegge;
God wot my wille netheles.
Though I must nedes kepe pees
And malgre min so let it passe,
My will therto is nought the lasse,
If I might other wise away.
Forthy, my fader, I you pray,
Tell what you thenketh therupon,
If I therof have gilt or none.""Thy will, my sone, is for to
blame,
The remenaunt is but a game
That I have herd the telle yit.
But take this lore into thy wit,
That alle thing hath time and stede,
The chirche serveth for the bede,2
The chambre is of an other speche;
But if thou wistest of the wreche
How sacrilegge it hath abought,
Thou woldest better ben bethought.
Andfor thou shalt the more amende,
A tale I will on the despende.
" o ate men as who saithknowe
It is, and in the world through blowe,
How that of Troie Lamed6n
To Hercules and to Jason,
Whan toward Colchos out of Grece
By see sailend, upon a piece
Of londe of Troie reste preide.
1 Fredde, felt.  ' Bede, prayer.


But he hem wrothfully congeide,1
And for they found him so villein,
Whan they came into Grece ayein
With power that they gette might
Towardes Troie they hem dight
And there they token such vengeaunce,
Wherof stant yet theremembrauince.
For they destruied king and all
And leften but the brente wall,
The Grekes of Troians many slow2
And prisoners they toke inow,
Among the whiche there was one
The kinges doughter Lamedon
Esiona the faire thing
Which unto Thelamon the king
By Hercules and by thassent
Of all the hole parlement
Was at his wille yove and graunted.
And thus hath Grece Troid daunted,
Andhome they torne in suchmanere.
But after this, now shalt thou here
The cause, why I this tale telle,
Upon the chaunce that befelle.
' King Lamedon, which deide
thus,
He had a sone one Priamus,
Which was nought thilkd time at
home,
But whan he herd of this, he come
And found how the citee was falle,
Which he began anon to walle
And made there a citee newe,
That they which other londesknewe
Tho saiden that of lime and stone
In all the world so faire was none.
And on that o side of the town
The king let maken Ylion,
Thathighd toure, thatstrongd place,
Which was adrad of no manace
Of quarele nor of none engine.
And though men wolde makeamine,
No mannes craft it might approche,
For it was set upon a roche
1 Cotneide, expelled.  S,5low, slew.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


305


The walles of the towne about,
Hem stood of all the world no doubt.And after the proportio1in
Six gates were there of the town
Of such a forme of such entaile
That hem to se was great merveile.
The diches weren brode and depe,
A fewe men it mighte kepe
From all the world, as semeth tho
But if 2 the goddes weren fo.
Great prees unto that citee drough,
So that there was of people inough
Of burgeis that therinne dwellen,
There may no mannes tunge tellen,
How that citee was riche and good.
"Whan all was made and all
well stood,
King Priamus tho him bethought
What they of Grecd whilom wrought,
And what was of her swerd devoured,
And how his suster deshonouired
With Thelamon away was lad.
And tho thenkend he wex unglad
And set anone a parlement
To which the lordes were assent.3
In many wise there was spoke,
How that they mighten bene awroke,
But atte laste nethdles
They saiden all accorde and pees;
To setten every parte in rest
It thought hem thanne for the best
With resondble amendement.
And thus was Anthenor forth sent
To axen Esiona ayein
And witen what they wolden sain.
" So passeth he the see by barge
To Grece for to say his charge,
The which he said6 redely
Unto the lordes by and by.4
But where he spake in Grece aboute,
1 Doubt, fear.
2 But iff unless.
3 Assent, sent for, summoned.
4 By and by, immediately. " Py and by,"
" presently," " anon," and some other words of
promptitude, have grown into senses that express some little delay.


He herde nought but wordes stoute
And nameliche of Thelamon.
The maiden wolde he nought forgon,
He saide, for no maner thing,
And bad him gone home tohis king,
For there gat he none amende
For ought he couthe do or sende.
"This Anthenor ayein gothhome
Unto his king, and whan he come,
He tolde in Grece of that he herde,
And how that Thelamon answerde,
And how they were at her above,
That they wol nouther pees ne love
But every man shall done his best.
But for men sain, that night hath
rest,
The king bethought him all that
night,
And erly whan the day was light
He toke counseil of this matere,
And they accorde in this manere,That he withouten any let
A certain time shulde set
A parlement to ben avised,
And in this wise it was avised.
Of parl6ment he set a day,
And that was in the month of May.
This Priamus had in his ight 1
A wife, and Hecuba she hight,
By whom at that time eke had he
Sones five and doughters thre
Besiden hem and thritty mo,
And weren knightes alle tho 2
But nought upon his wife begete,
But elles where he might hem gete
Of women which he hadde knowe.
Such was the world that ilk6throwe,
So that he was of children riche
So therof was no man him liche.
Of parlement the day was come.
There ben the lordes all and some,
Tho was pronounced and purposed
And all the cause hem was desclosed,
1Ight, possession.  2 Tho, those.
U




306
a


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


How Anthenor in Grec6 ferde.
They sitten alle still and herde,
And tho spake every man aboute;
There was allegged many a doubte,
And many a proud word spoke also.
But for the moste parte as tho
They wisten nought what was the
beste
Or for to werre or for to reste.
But he that was withoute fere,1
Hector, among the lordes there
His tale tolde in suche a wise
And saide: 'Lordes, ye ben wise,
Ye knowen this als well as I,
Above all other most worthy
Stant now in Grece the manhod
Of worthinesse and of knighthod.
For who so woll it wel agrope,
To hem belongeth all Europe,
Whiche is the thridde parte even
Of all the world under the heven.
And we be but of folk a fewe,
So were it reson for to shewe
The peril er we fall therinne.
Bet is to leve than beginne
Thing whichas may nought ben
acheved,
He is nought wise, that find him
greved
And doth so that his greve be more.
For who that loketh all to-fore
Andwoll nought se what is behinde,
He may full ofte his harmes finde.
Wickis to strive and have the worse,
We have encheson for to curse,
This wote I well, and for to hate
The Grekes, but er that we debate
With hem that ben of such a might
It is full good that every wight
Be of him self right well bethought.
But as for me thus say I nought,
For while that my life woll stonde,
If that ye tak6 werre on honde,
Fall it to the best or to the werst,
1 Fer'   companion, equal.


I shall my selven be the ferst
To greven hem what ever I may.
I woll nought ones saie nay
To thing which that your counceil
demeth,
For unto me well more it quemeth
The werre certes than the pees.
But this I saie netheles,
As me belongeth for to say.
Now shape ye the beste way.'
"Whan Hector hath said his avis
Next after him tho spake Paris,
Which was his brother, and alaidet
What him best thought, and thus
he saide:
Strong thing it is to suffre wronge.
And suffr6 shame is more stronge;
But we have suffred both6 two:
And, for all that, yet have we do
What so we mightd to reforme
The pees, whan \we in suche a forme
Sent Anthenor, as ye wel knowe.
And they her grete wordes blowe
Upon her wrongfull dedes eke,
And he that woll him self nought
meke
To pees and list no reson take,
Men sain reson him wol forsake.
For in the multitude of men
Is nought the strengthc, for with ten
It hath be sene in true quarele
Ayein an hunderd false dele
And had the better, of Goddes grace.
Thus hath befalle in many place.
And if it like unto you alle,
I will assay how so it falle
Our enemies if I may greve,
For I have caught a gret beleve
Upon a point I wol declare.
'This ender day as I gan fare
To hunt unto the gret6 herte
Which was to-fore min houndes
sterte,
And every man went on his side
1.laide, alleged.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


307


Him to pursue, and I to ride
Began to chase, and soth to say,
Within a while, out of my way
I rode, and nistd where I was,
And slepe caught me and on the
grasse
Beside a welle I laid me down
To slepe, and in a visi6n
To me the god Mercurie cam,
Goddesses thre with him he nam
Minerve, Venus and Juno,
And in his honde an appel tho
He helde of gold with letters write.
And this he dide me to wite
How that they put hem upon me,
That to the fairest of hem thre
Of gold that appel shulde I yive.
With ech of hem tho was I shrive
And eche one faire me behight.1
But Venus said, if that she might
That appel of my yifte gete,
She wolde it nevermore foryete;
And saide, how that in Grece londe
She wolde bring into min honde
Of all this etthd the fairest:
So that me thought it for the best
To her and yaf the appel tho.
Thus hope I well if that I go
That she for me woll so ordeigne
That they mat6re for to pleigne
Shull have or that I come ayein.
Nowe have ye herd that I woll sain,
Say ye what stant in your avis.'And every man tho saide his,
And sondry causes they recorde,
But atte laste they accorde
That Paris shall to Grece wende.
And thus the parlement toke ende.
" Cassandra whan she herd of this,
The which to Paris suster is,
Anone she gan to wepe and weile
And said: 'Alas, what may us eile,
Fortuned with her blinde whele
1 Faizre behight, promised fairly, made fair
proinise5.


Ne woll nought let us stondd wele,
For this I dare well undertake,
That if Paris his waie take,
As it is said that he shall do,
We ben for ever than undo.'The which-Cassandrathannehight
In all the world as it bereth sight,In bokes as men finde write,
Is that Sibille of whom ye wite,1
That alle men yet clepen sage.
Whan that she wist of this vi.ge,
How Paris shall to Grec6 fare,
No woman mighte worse fare
Ne sorwe more than she did..
And right so in the same stede
Ferd Helenus which was her brother,
Of prophecy and such another,
And all was holdd but a jape,
So that the purpos which was shape,
Orwere hem lefe or were hem lothe,
Was holde, and into Grece he goth,
This Paris, with his retenaunce.
And as it fell upon his chaunce,
Of Grece he londeth in an ile,
And him was told the same while
Of folk which he began to freine,
Tho was in thile quene Heleine,
And eke of contrds there about
Of ladies many a lusty rout,
With mochel worthy people also.
And why they comen thider tho
The cause stood in such a wvise
For worship and for sacrifice
That they to Venus wolden make,
As they to-fore had undertake,
Some of good will, some of behest,
For thanne was her highe fest
Within a temple which was there.
Whan Paris wiste what they were,
Anone he shope his ordenauince
To gone and done his obeisaufnce
To Venus on her halidav
And did upon 3 his best array.
1 lVite, know.  2 Freine, make inquiry.
' Did u/on, put on.




308


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


With great richesse he him behongeth
As it to such a lord belongeth,
He was nought armed netheles,
But as it were in londe of pees.
And thus he goth forth out of ship
And taketh with him his felaship;
In such manere as I you say
Unto the Temple he helde his way.
" Tidinge, which goth over all
To greate and smalld forth withall,
Come to the quenes ere and tolde
How Paris come, and that he wolde
l)o sacrifice to Venus.
And whan she herde telle thus,
She thought, how that it ever be,
That she woll him abide and se.
( Forth cometh Paris with glad
visage
Into the Temple on pelrinage,
Where unto Venus the goddesse
He yiveth and offreth great richesse
And praieth her that he praie wolde.
And than aside he gan beholde,
And sigh where that this lady stood,
And he forth in his fresshe mood
Goth there she was, and made her
chere
As he well couth in his manere,
That of his wordes such plesaunce
She toke, that all her aqueintaunce
Als ferforth as the herte lay
He stale er that he went away.
So goth he forth and toke his leve
And thought anone, as it was eve,
He wolde done his sacrilegge,
That many a man shuldeit abegge.1
Whan he to ship ayein was come
To him he hath his counseil nome 2
And all devisdd the matere
In such a wise as thou shalt here.
Withinne night all prively
His men he warneth by and by
That they be redy armed sone
1 Abegge, abye, pay for.  2 NA'ome, taken.


For certain thing whiche is to done.
And they anone ben redy alle
And echone other gan to calle
And went hem out upon the stronde
And toke a purpos there on londe
Of what thing that they wolden do,
Toward the Temple and forth
they go.
So fell it of devocion
Heleine in contemplacion
With many an other worthy wight
Was in the Temple and woke all
night
To bid and pray unto thymAge
Of Venus, as was than usage,
So that Paris right as him list
Into the Temple er they it wist
Came with his men all sodeinly.
And all at ones set askry 1
In hem which in the Temple were,
For tho was mochel people there,
But of defence was no bote,
So suffren they that suffre mote.
Paris unto the quen6 wente
And her in both his arm6s hente
With him and with his felaship
And forth they bere her into ship.
Up goth the saile, and forth they
went,
And suche a wind Fortuine hem sent,
Till they the haven of Troi6 caught,
Where out of ship anone they
straught
And gone hem forth toward the town,
The which came with procession
Ayein Paris to sene his pray.
And every man began to say
To Paris and his felaship
All that they couthen of worship,
Was none so litel man in Troy
That he ne made merthe and joy
Of that Paris had wonne Heleine.
But all that merthe is sorwe and
peine
1 Askry, screaming.




BOOK V.-A VARICE.


3o9


To Helenus and to Cassandre.
For they it tolden1 shame and
sclaundre
And loss of all the comun grace,
That Paris out of haly place
By stelth hath take a mannes wife,
Wherof that he shall lese his life,
And many a worthy man therto,
And all the citee be fordo
Which never shall be made ayein.
And so it fell, right as they sain,
The sacrilegge which he wrought
Was cause why the Gregois sought
Unto the town and it belay
And wolden never part away
Till what by sleight and what by
strength
They had it wonne in brede and
length
And brent and slain that was
withinne.
" Now se, my sone, which a sinne
Is sacrilegge in haly stede.
Beware therfore, and bid thy bede 2
And do nothing in haly chirche
But that thoumightbyreson wirche.
And eke take hede of Achill6s,
Whan he unto his love chees
Polfxena that was also
In haly Temple of Apollo,
Which was the cause why he deide
And all his lust was laid aside.
And Troilus upon Creseide
Also his firste love laide
In haly place, and how it ferde
As who saith all the world it herde.
Forsake he was for Diomede,
Such was of love his laste' mede.
"Forthy) my sone, I wvolde rede
By this ensample as thou might rede
Seche elles where thou wilt thy grace
And ware thee well, in haly place,
What thou to love do or speke
Toaiden, accounted, reckoned.
2 Bid thy bede, pray thy prayer.


In aunter if it so be wreke 1
As thou hast herd me tell to-fore,
And take good hede also therfore.
~'(pon fte forme of Avarice
More than of any other Vice
I have devided in parties
The braunches, which of compaignies
Through out the world in generall
Be now the leders over all
Of Covetise and Perjurie,
Of Fals Brocaige and Usurie,
Of Scarsenesse and of Unkindeship,
Which never drough to felaship,
Of Robberie and of Prive Stelth,
Which done is for the worldes welth,
Of Ravine and of Sacrilegge,
Which   maketh the conscience
agregge; 2
All though it may richesse atteigne,
It floureth but it shall not greine
Unto the fruit of rightwisnesse.
But who that wolde do Largesse
Upon the reule as it is yive,
So might a man in trouthe live
Toward his God and eke also
Toward the World, for bothe two
Largesse awaiteth, as belongeth
To neither part that he ne wrongeth.
He kepeth him self, he kepeth his
frendes,
So stant he sauf to both his endes;
That he excedeth no mesure,
So well he can him self mesure:
Wherof, my sone, thou shalt wite 3
So as the philosophre hath write,
" Betwene the two extremites
Of Vic6 stont the propertes
Of Vertue, and to prove it so
Take Avarice and take also
The Vice of Prodegalite,
Betwene hem Liberalite,
1 Wrkc,. avenged.
o Agreggbe, feel overburdened.
lVite, know.




310o


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


Which is the Vertue of Largesse,
Stant and governeth his noblesse.
For tho two Vices in discorde
Stond ever, as I find of recorde;
So that betwene her two debate
Largesse reuleth his estate,
For in such wise as Avarice,
As I to-fore have told the Vice,
Through streit holding and through
scarsnesse
Stant as contraire to largesse,
Right so stant Prodegalite
Revers, but nought in such degre.
For so as Avarice spareth
And for to kepe his tresor careth,
That other all his own and more
Ayein the wise mannes lore
Yiveth and despendeth here and
there,
So that him reccheth never where;
While he may borwe he woll despende
Till att6 last he saith  ' I wende.'
But that is spoken all to late,
For than is pouerte at the gate
And taketh him even by the sieve,
For erst woll he no wisdom leve.
And right as Avarice is sinne,
That woldhis tresor kepe and winne,
Right so is Prodegalitd.
But of Largesse in his degre,
Which even stant betwene the two,
The highe God and man also
The vertue eche of hem commendeth.
For he him selven first amendeth,
That over all his name spredeth,
And to all other where it nedeth
He yiveth his good in such a wise
That he maketh many a man arise
Which elles shuld6 falle low.
Largess6 may nought be unknowe,
For what lond that he regneth inne,
1  iuwende, I will turn (over a new leaf), will
change my way.


It may nought faile for to winne
Through his deserte love and grace,
Where it shall faile in other place.
And thus, betwene to moch and lite,
Largess6, which is nought to wite,l
Holt ever forth the middel way.
But who that torme wol away
Fro that to Prodegalite,
Anone he left the proprete
Of Vertu and goth to the Vice.
For in such wise as Avarice
Leseth for scarsenesse his good
name,
Right so that other is to blame,
Which through his wast mestire
excedeth.
For no man wot what harm that
bredeth
But mochel joie ther betideth,
Where that Largesse an hertle
guideth.
For his mesure is so governed,
That he in bothe parts is lerned
To God and to the World also,
He doth res6n to bothe two.
The pouer folk of his almesse
Relieved ben in the distresse
Of thurst of hunger and of colde,
Ne yift of him was never solde
But frely yive, and neth6les
The mighty God of his encres
Rewardeth him of double grace,
The heven he doth him to purchase
And yiveth him eke theworldes good.
And thus the cote for the hood
Largesse taketh, and yet no sinne
He doth, how so that ever he winne.
What man hath hors, men yiven
him hors,
And who ne hath, of him no force,'
For he may thenne on fote go;
The world hath ever stonde so.
But for to loken of the tweie,
1 o w' qite, to be blamed.
2  ofoVi ecc, no matter.




BOOK V.-AVARICE.


3I I


A man to go the siker weie,
Bet is to yive than to take,
With yifte a man mayfrendds make,
But who that taketh or great or small,
He taketh a charge forth with all
And stant nought fre til it be quit.
So for to deme in mannds wit,
It helpeth more a man to have
His owne good than for to crave
Of other men and make him bonde
Wher elles he may stond unbonde.
Senec counseileth in this wise
And saith: ' But if the good suffice
Unto the liking of the will,
Withdrawethylust and hold thestill
And be to thy good suffisahint,
For that thing is appurtenaunt
To trouthe and causeth to be fre
After the reule of charite,
Which first beginneth of him selve.
For if thou richest other twelve,
Wherof thou shalt thyself be pouer,
I not what thank thou might recouer.
While that a man hath good to yive,
With greate routes he may live
And hath his frendes over all,
And everich of him telle shall,
The while he hath his fulle packe
They say, ' A good feliw is Jacke.'
But whan it faileth attd last,
Anone his prise they overcast,
For than is there none other lawe,
But Jacke was a good felawe.'
Whan they him pouer and nedy se,
They let him passe and fare well he;
Al that he wvend of compaignie
Is thanne torned to folie.
" But now to speke in other kinde
Of Love, a man may suchd finde,
That where they come in every rout,
They cast and wast her love about
Till all her time is overgone,
And thanne have they love none.
For he that loveth over all,
It is no reson that he shall


Of love have any proprete.
Forthy' my sone, avise the,
If thou of love hast ben to large;
For suche a man isnought to charge.
And if it so be, that thou hast
Despended al thy time in wast
And set thy love in sondry place,
Though thou the substaunce of thy
grace
Lese at the last, it is no wonder,
For he that put him selven under
As who saith comun over all,
He leseth the love speciall
Of any one, if she be wise.
For love shall nought here his prise
By reson, whan it passeth one.
So have I sen full many one,
That were of love wel at ese,
Which after fell in great disese
Through wast of lovd, that they spent
In sondry places where they went.
Right so, my sone, I axe of the,
If thou with prodegalite
Hast here and    there thy lovwasted?""My fader, nay, but I have tasted
In many a place as I have go.
And yet love I never one of tho
But for to drive forth the day.
For leveth well, my hert is ay
Withoute mo for evermore
All upon one, for I no more
Desird but her love alone.
So make I many a privde mone,
For well I fele I have despended
My longd love and nought amenlcdd
My spede, for ought I findd yit.
If this be wast, unto your wit,
Of love and prodegalite,
Now, gode fader, demeth ye.
But of o thing I woll me shrive,
That I shall for no love thrive
But if her self me woll releve.";
'; My sone, that I may well leve,1
1 Lcve, believe.




312


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And netheles me semeth so
For ought that thou hast yet misdo
Of time whiche thou hast spended,
It may with grace ben amended.
For thing which may be worth the
cost
Perchaunce is nouther wast ne lost,
For what thing stant on aventuire
That can no worldes creature
Tell in certain how it shall wende
Till he therof may sene an ende.
So that I note 1 as yet therfore,
If thou, my sone, hast wone or lore.
For ofte time, as it is sene,
Whan somer hath lost all his grene
And is with winter wast and bare,
That him is left nothing to spare,1 Note, know not.


All is recovered in a throwe;
The colde windes overblowe,
And stilled ben the sharpe shoures,
And sodeinlich ayein his floures
The somer happneth, and is riche,
And so parcas thy grace is liche.
My sone, though thou be now pouer
Of love, yet thou might recouer.""My fader, certes graunt mercy,
Ye have me taught so redily,
That ever while I live shall
The bet I may be ware with all
Of thing which ye have said er this.
But evermore how that it is
Toward my shrifte as it belongeth,
To wit of other points me longeth,
Wherof that ye me wolden teche
With all min herte I you beseche."




3oofh FYE.
OF GLUTTONY.


be grete sinne originall,
Which every man in general
Upon his birth hath envenimed,
In Paradis it was mistimed,
Whan Adam of thilke appel bote,
His swete morcel was to hote,
Which dedly 1 made' the mankinde.
And in the bokes as I finde
This Vice, which so out of reule
Hath set us all, is cleped Gule,
Ofwhich the braunche's ben sogreat
That of hem all I wol nought treat,
But only as touchend of two
I thenke speke and of no mo.
Wherof the first is Dronkeship
Which bereth the cuppe felaship.
Ful many a wonder doth this Vice,
He can make of a wisman nice,
And of a fool that him shall seme
That he can all the lawe deme
And yiven every jugement
Which longeth to the firmament
Both of the sterre and of the mone.
And thus he maketh a great clerk
sone
Of him that is a lewde man.
There is no thing, whiche he ne can
While he hath dronkeshiponhonde,
He knoweth the see, he knoweth
the stronde,
He is a noble man of armes,And yet no strength is in his armes.
1 Dedly, mortal.


There he was stronge inow to-fore
With dronkeship it is forlore,
And all is chaunged his estate
And wext anone so feble and mate,1
That he may nouther go ne come,
But all to-gider he is benome 2
The power both of honde and fote
So that algate abide he mote,
And all his witt6s he foryete.
The which is to him such a lete 3
That he wot never what he doth,
Ne which is fals ne which is soth,
Ne which is day ne which is night,
As for the time he knoweth no wight4
That he ne wot so moch as thisWhat maner thing him selven is
Or he be man or he be beste.
That holde I right a sory feste,
Whan he that reson understode
So sodeinlich is woxe wode
Or elles lich the dede man
Which nouther go ne speke can.
Thus ofte he is to bedd6 brought,
But where helith yet wot he nought,
Till he arise upon the morwe
And than he saith, '0, which a sorwe
It is for to be drinkeles,'
So that half drunke in such a rees
With drie mouth he sterte him up
And saith,'Now baillezca the cuppe.'
1 Mate, dull, flat.
' 2 Bezome, deprived of.
I  q Lete, hindrance.
4 No wight, no whit.




3I4


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That made him lese his wit at eve
Is than a morwe all his beleve,
The cuppe is all that ever him pleseth
And also that him most diseseth,
It is the cuppe whom he serveth,
Which alle cares from him kerveth
And all the bales to him bringeth.
I njoy he wepeth, in sorwe he singeth,
For dronkeship is so divers
It may no while stonde invers,
He drinketh the wine, but atte last
The wine drinketh him and bint
him fast
And laith him drunk6 by the walle
As him which is his bonde thralle
And all in his subjecti6n.
And lich to such condicidn
As for to speke it otherwise
It falleth, that the moste wise
Ben other while of Love adoted
And so bewhapped and assoted 1
Of dronken men that never yit
Was none which half so lost his wit
Of drinke, as they of such thing do
Which cleped is the jolif wo,
And waxen of her owne thought
So drunke that they knowe nought,
What reson is, or more or lesse.
Such is the kinde of that siknesse,
And that is nought for lacke of
braine,
But Love is of so great a maine 2
That where he taketh a herte on
honde,
There may no thing his might withstonde.
The wise Salomon was nome,
And stronge Sampson overcome,
The knightly David him ne might
Rescoue that he with the sight
Of Bersabe ne was bestade.
Virgile also was overlade,
And Aristotle was put under.
1 Bewihahpci and ad ssofed, knocked over and
besotted.
2 Maine, strength.


' Forthy my sone, it is no wonder,
If thou be drunke of Love amonge,
Which is above all other stronge.
And if so is that thou so be,
Tell me thy shrift in privete,
It is no shame of such a thewe
A yong man to be dronkelewe.
Of such phisique I can a parte,
And as me semeth by that arte
Thou shuldest by phisonom2
Be shapen to that malady
Of love drunk, and that is routhe.""Ha, holy fader, all is trouthe
That ye me telle, I am beknowe,
That I with Love am so bethrowe 1
And al min herte is so through
sunke
That I am veriliche drunke,
And yet I may both speke and go.
But I am overcome so
And torned fro my self so clene
That oft I wot nought what I mene,
So that excusen I ne may
My herte fro the firste day
That I cam to my lady kith.2
I was yet sobre never sith,
Where 3 I her se or se her nought;
With musing of min owne thought
Of love which min herte assaileth
So drunke I am that my wit faileth
And all my braine is overtorned,
And my manere so mistorned,
That I foryete all that I can
And stonde like a mased man,
That ofte whan I shulde play
It maketh me drawe out of the way
In solein 4 place by my selve,
As doth a laborer to delve
Which can no gentilmannes chere.5
Or elles as a lewde frere,
Whan he is put to his penaunce,
1 Bet/hrozse, cast down.
2 Cmn kith, became known.: Where, whether.
4 Sl/ein, single.
5 IWho knows nothing of the good manners
of a gentleman.




BOOK VI.-GLUTTONY.


3I5


Right so lese I my contenaunce.
And if it nedes so betide,
That I in compaign' abide,.
Where as I muste daunce and singe
The hove-daunce 1 and carolinge,
Or for to go the newe fote,
I may nought wel heve up my fote,
If that she be nought in the way.
For than is all my merth away,
And waxe anone of thought so full,
Wherof my limmes ben so dull,
I may unethes2 gon the pas.
For thus it is and ever was,
Whan I on suche thoughtes muse,
The lust and merthe that men use,
Whan I se nought my lady by me,
All is foryete for the time
So ferforth that my wittes chaungen
And alle lustes fro me straungen,
That they sain alle truelyr
And swere, that it am nought I.
For as the man which ofte drinketh
The wine thatinhisstomacksinketh
Wexth drunke and witles for a
throwe,
Right so my lust is overthrowe,
And of min owne thought so mate3
I waxe, that to min estate
There is no limme will me serve,
But as a drunken man I swerve
And suffre such a passi6n,
That men have great compassion
And everich by him self merveileth
What thing it is that me so efleth.
Such is the maner of my wo,
Which time that I am her fro,
Till efte ayein that I her se.
But than it were a nic6te
To telle you how that I fare.
For whan I may upon her stare,
Her womanheed, her gentilesse,
Min hert is full of such gladnesse
That overpasseth so my wit
1 Hr',e-daunce, court dance.
>2 Unetzgs, not easily.
wMate, dull, dead.


That I wot never where it sit,
But am so drunken of that sight
Me thenketh for the time I might
Right sterte through the hole wall.
And than I may well, if I shall,
Both singe and daunce and lepe
about
And holde forth the lusty rout.
But netheles it falleth so
Full ofte that I fro her go
Ne may, but as it were a stake
I stonde, avisement to take
And loke upon her faire face,
That for the while out of the place
For all the world ne might I wende.
Such lust comth than into my
minde,
So that withoute mete and drinke
Of lusty thoughtes which I thinke,
Me thenketh I might6 stonden ever.
And so it were to me lever
Than such a sightd for to leve,
If that she woldd yive me leve
To have so mochel of my will.
And thus thenkend I stonde still
Withoute blenching of min eye,
Right as me thoughte that I sigh
Of paradis the moste joy.
And so there while I me rejoy;
Unto min herte a great desire
The which is hoter than the fire
All sodeinliche upon me renneth,
That all my thought withinne brenneth
And am so ferforth overcome
That I not where I am become,
So that among tho hertes stronge
In stede of drinke I underfonge
A thought so swete in my corage,
That never piment 1 ne vernage 2
Was half so swete for to drinke.
For as I wolde, than I thinke,
1 Piment, wine with a third part of honey
spiced with powder of cloves, mace, cinnamon,
cubebs, and galingale.
2 Vernage, a white wine.




3i6


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


As though I were at min above,
For so through drunke I am of love,
That all that my sot'i demeth
Is soth as than it to me semeth.
And while I may tho thoughtes kepe
Me thenketh as though I were aslepe
And that I were in Goddes barme.1
But whan I se min owne harme
And that I sodeinliche awake
Out of my thought and hede take
How that the sothe stant in dede,
Than is my sikernesse in drede
And joie torned into wo,
So that the hete is all ago
Of such sotie as I was inne.
And than ayeinward I beginne
To take of love a newe thorst,
The which me greveth alltherworst,
For thann cometh the blanche fever
With chele and maketh me so to
chever 2
And so it coldeth at min herte,
That wonder is how I asterte 3
In suche a point that I ne deie.
For certes there was never keie
Ne frosen is upon the walle
More inly cold than I am alle.
And thus suffre I the hote chele
Which passeth other peines fele,
In colde I brenne and frese in hete
And than I drinke a bitter swete
With drie lippe and eyen wete.
Lo, thus I temper my diete
And take a draught of such reles 4
That all my wit is herteles
And all min herte there it sit
Is as who saith withoute wit,
So that to prove it by res6n
In making of comparison
There may no difference be
Betwen a drunken man and me,
But all the werst of everychone
Is ever that I thurst in one,


The more that my herte drinketh
The more I may, so      that me
thinketh,
My thurst shall never be acqueint.1
God shielde that I be nought dreint
Of such a superfluit'.
For well I fele in my degre
That all my wit is overcast,
Wherof I am the more agast
That in defaulte of ladyship
Perchaunce in such a dronkeship
I may be dead er I beware.
For certes, fader, this I dare
Beknowe and in my shrifte telle,
But 2 I a draught have of that welle
In which my deth is and my life,
My joy is torned into strife,
That sobre shall I never worthe,3
But as a drunken man forworthe,4
So that in londe, where I fare,
The lust is lore of my welfare,
As he that may no bote finde.
Butthismethenkethawonderkinde,
As I am drunke of that I drinke
Of these thoughtes that I thinke
Of which I finde no reles,
But if I mighte netheles
Of suche a drinke as I coveite
So as me list have o receite,
I shulde assobre 5 and fare wele.
But so Fortune upon her whele
On high me deigneth noughttosette,
For evermore I finde a lette.
The boteler is nought my frend
Which hath the keie by the bend.6
I may well wissh and that is waste,
For well I wot so fressh a taste,
But if my grace be the more,
I shall assaie nevermore.
Thus am I drunke of that I se,
For tasting is defended me,
1 Acqeint, quenched.
o But, unless.
3 Wortih, become.
4 Forauorthe, perish.
5 Assobre, become sober.
The key on his girdle, or band.




1 Barmze, bosom.
3 Asterte, escape.


" Chieer, shiver.
4   elds, relish.




BOOK VI.-GLUTTONY.


317


And I can nought my selven
staunche,
So that, my fader, of this braunche
I am giltif, to telle trouth.""My sone, that me thenketh
routh.
For lovedrunke is the mischefe
Above all other the moste chefe,
If he no lusty thought assay
Which may his sory thurst allay,
As for the time yet it lesseth
To him which other joi6 misseth.
"Forthy my sone, aboven all
Think well how so it the befall,
And kepe thy wittes that thou hast
And let hem nought be drunke in
wast.
But netheles there is no wight,
That may withstonde Loves might.
But why the cause is, as I finde,
But that there is diverse kinde
Of lovedrunke: why men pleigneth
Afterthe court which all ordeigneth,
I will the tellen the manere,
Now list, my sone, and thou shalt
here.
Por fbe   forfline  of every
chaunce
After the goddes purveaunce
To man it groweth from above,
So that the spede of every love
Is shape there, er it befalle.
For Jupiter aboven alle,
Which is of goddes soverain,
Hath in his celler, as men sain,
Two tonnes full of love drinke
That maketh many an herte sinke
And many an herte also to flete,'
Or of the soure or of the swete.
That one is full of such piment,
Which passeth all entendement
Of mannes wit if he it taste,
And maketh a jolif herte in haste.
"That other bitter as the galle,
1Flete, float, swim.


Which maketh amannes herte palle,
Whose dronkeship is a siknesse
Through feling of the bitternesse.
Cupide is boteler of bothe,
Which to the leve and to the lothe
Yiveth of the swete andof the soure,
That some laugh and some loure.
But for so much as he blinde is
Full ofte time he goth amis
And taketh the badde for the good,
Which hindreth many amannes food
Withoute cause and furthereth eke.
So be there some of love seke
Which ought of reson to ben hole,
And some come to the dole
In happe and as hem selven lest
Drinke undeserved of the best.
"And thus this blinde botelere
Yiveth of the trouble in stede of
chere
And eke the cherein stedeoftrouble.
Lo, how he can the hertes trouble
And maketh men drunke al upon
chaunce
Withoute lawe of governaunce.
If he drawe of the swete tonne,
Than is the sorwe all overronne
Of lovedrunke, and shall nought
greven
So to be drunken every even,
For all is thanne but a game.
But whan it is nought of the same
And he the better tonne draweth,
Such dronkeship an herte gnaweth
And febleth all a mannes thought,
That better him were have drunke
nought
And all his brede have eten drie,
For than he lest his lusty wey
With dronkeship and wot nought
whider
To go, the waies ben so slider,
In whiche he may par cas so falle
That he shall breke his wittes alle.
1 Lest, please.


le




3I8


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And in this wise men be drunke
And the drinke they have drunke.
But alle drinken nought alike,
For some shall singe and some shal
sike,
So that it me no thing mervefleth,
My sone, of love that the eyleth.
For wel I knowe by thy tale,
That thou hast drunken of the
dwale 1
Which bitter is, till God the sende
Such grace that thou might
amende.
But sone, thou shalt bid and pray
In such a wise as I shall say,
That thou the luste well atteigne
Thy wofull thurstes to restreigne
Of Love and taste the swetenesse,
As Bachus did in his distresse,
Whan bodeliche thurst him hent
In straunge londes, where he went.
"     its '3acbus sone of Jupiter
Was hote,2 and as he wente fer
By his faders assignement
To make a wer in Orient
And great power with him he ladde,
So that the higher hond he hadde
And victoire of his enemies
And torneth homward with his
prise.
In suche a contre which was drie
A mischefe fell upon the wey,
As he rode with his compaigny
Nigh to the strondes of Lubie,
There mighte they no drinke finde
Of water ne of other kinde,
So that him self and all his hoste
Were for default of drinke almoste
Distruied, and than Bachus praid
To Jupiter, and thus he said:
'0 high6 fader, that seest all,
To whom is reson that I shall
Beseche and pray in every nede,
Behold, my fader, and take hede
1 Dwale, nightshade.  2 Hote, called.


This wofull thurst that we be inne,
To staunche and graunt us for to
winne
And saufe unto the contre fare
Where that' our lusty loves are
Waitend upon our home coming.'
And with the vois of his praying,
Which herd was to the godd6s high,
He sigh anone to-fore his eye
A wether which the grounde hath
sporned,
And where he hath it overtorned,
There sprang a welle fressh and
clere,
Wherof his owne botelere
After the lustes of his will
Was every man, to drinke his fill.
And for this ilke grete grace
Bachus upon the same place
A riche temple let arere,
Which ever shuld6 stonde there
To thursty men in remembrauince.
"Forthy, my sone, after this
chaunce
It sit the well to taken hede
So for to pray upon thy nede,
As Bachus praidd for the well.
And thenke as thou hastherdmetell
How grace he gradde 1 and grace
he had,
He was no fool that first so rad.
For selden get a domb man londe,
Take that proverbe, and understonde
That wordes ben of vertue gret.
Forth~ to speke thou ne let
And axe and pray erely and late
Thy thurst to quenche, and thenke
algate,
The boteler which bereth the key
Is blinde, as thou hast herd me say.
And if it mighte so betide,
That he upon the blinde side
Par cas the swete tonne araught,
l Gradde, cried for,




BOOK VI.-GLUTTONY.


3I9


Than shat thou have a lusty draught
And waxe of lovedrunke sobre.
And thus I rede thou assobre
Thin herte in hope of suche a grace,
For dronkeship in every place
To whether sid6 that it tome
Doth harme and maketh a man to
sporne 1
And ofte falle in suche a wise,
Where he par cas may nought arise.
"And for to loke in evidence
Upon the sothe experience
So as it hath befall er this,
In every mannes mouth it is
How Tristram was of love drunke
With Bele Isolde, whan they drunke
The drink which Brangweine hem
betok
Er that king Mark his eme her toke
To wife, as it was after knowe.
And eke, my sone, if thou woltknowe
As it hath fallen over more
In loves cause, and what is more
Of dronkeshippe for to drede
As it whilom befell in dede,
VWherof thou might the better
escheue
Of drunke men that thou ne sue
The compaigny in no manere,
A great ensample thou shalt here.
f)is finbe P wrife in poesy
Of thilke faire Ypotasy,
Of whose beaut6 there as she was
Spake everyman. And fell par cas,
That Piroth6us so him spedde,
That he to wife her shulde wedde,
Wherof that he great joie made.
And for he wolde his love glade
Ayein the day of mariage
By mouthd bothe and by message
His frendes to the fest he praid,
With great worship and as men said
He hath this yonge lady spoused.
And whan that they were alle housed
1.forne, strike with the foot; stumble.


And set and served atte mete,
There was no wine, which may
begete
That there ne was plenty inough.
But Bachus thilke tonne drough,
Wherof by way of dronkeship
The greatest of the felaship
Were out of reson overtake,
And Venus, which hath also take
The cause most in speciall,
Hath yive him drinke forth with all
Of thilke cuppe whiche exciteth
The lust wherin a man deliteth.
And thus by double weie drunke
Of lust that ilke firv funke
Hath made hem as who saith half
wode,2
That they no reson understode
Ne to none other thing they seen
But hire which to-fore her eyen
Was wedded thilke same day;
That fresshe wife, that lusty may
Of her it was all that theythoughten
And so ferforth her lustes soughten
That they the whichd named were
Centauri, at the feste there
Of one assent, of one accorde,
This yonge wife malgre her lorde
In suche a rage away forth ladden,
As they which none insight ne
hadden
But only to her drunke fare,
Which many a man hath made
misfare
In love als wel as other wey.
Wherof, if I shall more say
Upon the nature of this Vice,
Of custume and of exercise
The mannes grace how it fordoth,
A tale, which was whilom soth
Of fooles that so drunken were,
I shall reherce unto thin ere.
a rebe in a cronique thus
Of Galba and of Vitellius,
1;unke, touchwood, spark.  2 IFod., mad.




320


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


The which of Spaine bothe were
The greatest of all other there,
And bothe of o condition
After the disposition
Of glotony and dronkeship,
That was a sory felaship.
Forthis thoumightwelunderstonde,
That man may nought well longe
stonde
Which is wine drunkeof comun use,
For he hath lore the vertues
Wherof that Reson shuldhim clothe,
And that was sen upon hem bothe.
Men sain there is non evidence
Wherof to knowe a difference
Betwene the drunken and the wode,
For they ben never nouther gode;
For where that wine doth wit awey
Wisdome hath lost the righte wey,
That he no maner Vice dredeth;
No more than a blind man thredeth
His nedel by the sonnes light,
No more is Reson than of might
Whan he with dronkeship is blent.
And in this point they weren shent
This Galba both and eke Vitelle
Upon the cause as I shall telle,
Wherof good is to taken hede.
For they two through her dronkenhede
Of witles excitation
Oppressed all the nacion
Of Spaine, for all foul usauince,
Which done was of continuaunce
Of hem which all day drunke were.
There was no wife ne maiden there
What so they were or faire or foule
Whom they ne taken to defoule,
Wherof the lond was often wo.
And eke in other thinges mo
They wroughten many a sondry
wronge.
But how so that the day be longe,
The derke night cometh atte last.
God wolde nought they shulden last,


And shope the lawe in suche a wise
That they through dome to the juise
Ben dampned for to be forlore.
But they that hadden be to-fore
Enclined to alle drunkenesse,
Her ende thannd bare witnesse;
For they in hope to assuage
The peine of dethe upon the rage
That they the lasse shulden fele,
Of wine let fill full a mele
And drunken till so was befall
That they her strengthes losten all
Withouten wit of any braine,
And thus they ben half dede slaine,
That hem ne greveth but a lite.
" My sone, if thou be for to wite
In any point which I have said,
Wherof thy wittes bene unteid,
I rede clepe hem home ayein."'" I shall do, fader, as ye sain,
Als ferforth as I may suffise.
But well I wot that in no wise
The dronkeship of Love awey
I may remue by no wey,
It stant nought upon my fortune.
But if you list6 to comuine
Of the seconde glotony,
Which cleped is Delicacy,
Wherof ye speken here to-fore,
Beseche I wolde you therfore."My sone, as of that ilke Vice
Which of all other is the norice,
And stant upon the retenue
Of Venus, so as it is due,
The proprete how that it fareth
The boke herafter now declareth.
)f ftis c4apifre, in which we
trete,
There is yet one of such diete
To which no pouer may atteigne,
For all is past as paindemaine 1
And sondry wine and sondry drinke
Wherof that he woll ete and drinke
1 Past asb aindemaine, diet unattainable by
the poor; all pastry, as fine white bread, &c.




BOOK VI.-GLUTTONY.


32I


His cokds ben for him affaited,
So that his body is awaited
That him shall lacke no delite
Als ferforth as his appetite
Suffiseth to the metes hote.
Wherof the lusty Vice is hote
Of gule the Delicacy,1
Which all the hole progeny
Of lusty folke hath undertake
To fede while that he may take
Richesse, wherof to be founde.
Of abstinence he wot no bounde,
To what profit it shuldd serve.
And yet phisique of his conserve
Maketh many a restauraci6n
Unto his recreacion,
Which woldd be to Venus lefe.
Thus for the point of his relefe
The coke which shal his mete array
But he the bet his mouth assay
His lordes thank shall ofte lese
Er he be served to the chese.
For there may lacke nought so lite2
That he ne fint anone a wite,3
For but his lust be fully served
There hath no wight his thank deserved,
And yet for mannes sustenaunce
To kepe and holde in governaunce
To him that woll his hele gete
Is none so good as comun mete.
For who that loketh on the bokes,
It saith, confecti6n of cokes
A man him shulde well avise
How he it toke and in what wise.
For who that useth that he knoweth
Full seldensiknesseonhim groweth,
And who that useth metes straunge
Though his natire empeire and
chaunge
It is no wonder, leve sone,
Whan that he doth ayein his wone 4
To take' metes and drinkes newe,
I Delicacy of the gullet.  2 Lite, little.
Wifte, blallme.  4 Wone, custom.


The which it shulde alwey eschewe
For in phisique this I finde,
That Usance is the seconde Kinde.1
"And right so chaungeth his
estate
He that of Love is delicate,
For though he hadde to his honde
The beste wife of all the londe
Or the faireste love of alle,
Yet wolde his herte on other falle
And thinke hem more delicious
Than he hath in his owne hous.
Men sain it is now ofte so,
Avise hem well, that they so do,
And for to speke in other way
Full ofte time I have herd say,
Thathe which hath no love acheved
Him thenketh that he is nought
relieved
Though that his lady make him
chere,
So as she may in good manere
Her honour and her name save,
But he the surplus mighte have;
Nothing withstanding her estate,
Of love more delicate,
He set her chere at no delite
But he have all his appetite.
" IMy sone, if it with the be so,
Tell me? "-" Min holy fader, no.
For delicate in such a wise
Of Love, as ye to me devise,
Ne was I never yet giltife.
For if I hadde suche a wife,
As ye speke of, what shulde I more?
For than I wolde never more
For lust of any womanhede
Min herte upon none other fede.
And if I did, it were a waste.
But all withoute such repaste
Of lust as ye me tolde above,
Of wife or yet of other love,
I faste and may no fode gete,
So that for lack of deintie mete
1 Use is second Nature.
x




322


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Of whiche an herte may be fedde,
I go fastende to my bedde.
But might I getten as ye tolde
So mochel that my lady wolde
Me fede with her glad semblaunt.
Though me lacke all theremenaunt,
Yet shulde I somdele ben abeshed1
And for the time' wel refreshed.
But certes, fader, she ne doth;
For in good feith to telle soth
I trowe, though I shulde sterve,
She wolde nought her eye swerve
My herte with one goodly loke
To fede, and thus for such a coke
I may go fasting evermo.
But if so is that any wo
May fede a mannes herte wele,
Therof I have at every mele
Of plente more than inough.
But that is of him self so tough,
My stomack may it nought defie.2
Lo, such is the Delicacie
Of Love which min herte fedeth,
Thus have I lacke of that me nedeth.
But for all this yet netheles,
I say, I am nought giltdles,
That I somdele am delicate.
For elles were I fully mate
But if that I some lusty stounde
Of comfort and of ese founde
To take of love some repast;
For though I with the fulle taste
The lust 3 of Love may nought fele,
Min hunger otherwise I kele
Of smale lustes whiche I pike,
And for a time yet they like,
If that ye wisten, what I mene."" Now, gode sone, shrivetheclehe
Of suche deinties as ben good
Wherof thou takest thin herte
food."'I My fader, I you shall reherce,
I Abesized, astonished.
' De/ie, digest.
3 Lust, pleasure, in no bad sense; so lustythe German "lustig."


How that my fodes ben diverse,
So as they fallen in degre.
One feding is of that I se,
An other is of that I here,
The thridde, as I shall tellen here,
It groweth of min owne thought.
And elles shulde I live nought,
For whom that faileth food of herte
He may nought well the dethe asterte.
" Of sight is all my firste food,
Through which min eye of alle good
Hath that to him is accordaunt
A lusty fode suffisaunt.
Whan that I go toward the place
Where I shall se my ladies face,
Min eve, whiche is loth to faste,
Beginneth to hunger anone so faste
That him thenketh of an houre thre,
Till I there come and he her se.
And than after his appetite
He taketh a food of such delite,
That him none other deintie nedeth,
Of sondry sightes he him fedeth.
He seeth her face of such colour
That fressher is than any flouir,
Heseeth her front is largeand pleine
Withoute frounce of any greine;
He seeth her even liche an heven;
He seeth her nase straughte and
even;
He seeth her rudde upon the cheke;
He seeth her redde lippes eke;
Her chinne accordeth to the face,
All that he seeth is full of grace;
He seethherneckeroundeandclene,
Therinn6 may no bone be sene;
He seeth her handes faire and white,
For all this thinge without wite
He may se naked atte leste,
So is it well the more feste
And well the more delfcacie
Unto the feding of min eye.
He seeth her shape forth with all,
Her body rounde, her middel small,




BOOK VI.-GLUTTONY.


So well begone with good array,
Which passeth all the lust of May
Whan he is most with softe shoures
Full clothed in his lusty floures.
With suche sightes by and by
lin eye is fed, but finally,
Whan he the port and the manere
Seeth of her womanisshe chere,
Than hath he such delite on honde
Him thenketh he might stille stonde
And that he hath full suffisaunce
Of livelode and of sustenaunce
As to his part for evermo.
And if it thought all other so,
Fro thenne wolde he never wende
But there unto the worldes ende
He wolde abide, if that he might,
And feden him upon the sight.
For though I mighte stonden ay
Into the time of dom6sday
And loke upon her ever in one,
Yet whan I shulde fro her gone
Min ey6 wolde, as though he faste,
Ben hunger storven also faste
Till eft ayein that he her see,
Such is the nature of min eve.
There is no lust so deintefull,
Of which a man shall nought be full
Of that the stomack underfongeth,
But ever in one min eye longeth
For loke, how that a goshawk tireth.1
Right sodoth he, whan thathepireth
And toteth on her womanhede,
For he may never fully fede
His lust, but ever a liche sore
Him hungreth, so that he the more
Desireth to be fed algate.
And thus min eye is made the gate
Through which the deinties of my
thought
Of lust ben to min herte brought.
Right as min eyd with his loke
Is to min herte a lusty coke
1 Tifeth, tears and plucks in feeding, as a
bird of prey.


Of Loves fode delicate.
Right so min ere in his estate,
Whereas min eye may nought
serve,
Can well min hertes thank deserve
And feden him fro day to day
W\ith suche deintes, as he may.
For thus it is, that over all
Where as I come in speciall
I may here of my lady prise:
I here one say, that she is ivise;
An other saith, that she is good;
And some men sain, of worthy blood
That she is come, and is also
So fair, that no where is none so;
And some men preise her goodly
chere
Thus every thing that I may here
Which souneth to my lady good,
Is to min ere a lusty food.
And eke min ere hath over this
A deinty feste, whan so is
That I may here her selven speke,
For than anone my faste I breke
On suche wordes as she saith,
That full of trouth and full of feith
They ben, and of so good disporte,
That to min ere great comf6rte
They done as they that ben delices.
For all the metes and the spices
That any Lumbard couthe make
Ne be so lusty for to take
Ne so ferforth restauratife
I say as for min ownd life,
As be the wordes of her mouth,
For as the windes of the south
Ben most of an11 debonaire,
So whan her list to speke faire
The vertue of her goodly speche
Is verrily min hertes leche.1
And if it so befall amonge
That she carole upon a songe,
Wlhan I it here I am so fed
That I am fro my self so led
1 Lcchc. phyvician.




324


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


As though I were in Paradis,
For certes as to min avis,
Whan I here of her vois the steven1
Me thenkth it is a blisse of heven.
And eke in otherwise also
Ful ofte time it falleth so
Min ere with a good pitaunce
Is fed of reding of romaunce
Of Ydoine and of Amadas,
That whilom weren in my cas,
And eke of other many a score,
That loveden longe er I was bore;
For whan I of her loves rede,
Min ere with the tale I fede
And with the lust of her histoire.
Somtime I drawe into memoire
How sorwe may nought ever last,
And so cometh hope in atte last,
Whan I none other fode knowe.
And that endureth but a throwe,
Right as it were a chery feste.
But for to compten atte lest,
As for the while yet it eseth
And somdele of min hert appeseth.
For what thing to min ere spredeth,
Which is plesaunt, somdele it fedeth,
With wordes such as he may gete,
My lust in stede of other mete.
" Lo thus, my fader, as I you say
Of lust the which min eye hath see
And eke of that min ere hath herde,
Full ofte I have the better ferde.
And tho two bringen in the thridde,
The which hath in min herte amidde
His place take to array
The lusty fode whiche assay
I mote, and namelich on nightes,
Whan that me lacketh alle sightes,
And that min hering is awey,
Than is he redy in the wey
My rere souper 2 for to make,
Of which min hertes fode I take.
"This lusty cok6s name is hote
] ESteven, voice, sound.
' Rere souher, a supper after supper for the
luxurious who sat up late.


Thought, which hath ever his
pottes hote
Of love boilend on the fire
With fantasy and with desire,
Of which er this full ofte he fed
Min herte whan I was a bed.
And than he set upon my borde
Both every sight and every worde
Of lust which I have herd or seen.
But yet is nought my fest all plein,
But all of woldes and of wisshes
Therof have I my fulle disshes,
But as of feling and of taste
Yet might I never have o repaste.
And thus as I have said a-forn,
I licke hony on the thorn,
And as who saith upon the bridel
I chewe, so that all is idel,
As in effect the fode I have.
But as a man that wolde him save
Whan he is sike by medicine,
Right so of love the famine
I fonde in all that ever I may
To fede, and drive forth the day
Till I may have the grete fest
Which all min hunger might arest.
"Lo, suche ben my lustes thre,
Of that I thenke. here and se,
I take of love my fedifng
Withoute tasting or feling,
And as the plover doth of aire
I live, and am in good espeire
That for no such delfcacy
I trowe I do no gloteny.
And netheles to your avis,
Min holy fader, that ben wis,
I recommaunde min estate
Of that I have ben delicate."" My sone, I understonde wele
That thou hast told here every dele,
And as me thenketh by thy tale
It ben delites wonder smale
Wherof thou takest thy loves fode.
But, sone, if that thou understode,
What is to ben delicious,




BOOK VI.-GLUTTONY.


325


Thou woldest nought ben curious
Upon the lust of thin estate
To ben to sore delicate
WVherof that thou res6n excede;
For in the bokes thou might rede,
If mannes wisdom shall be sued
It ought6 wel to ben escheued
In Love als well as other way;
For as these haly bokes say,
The bodely delices alle
In every point how so they falle
Unto the soule done greva'ince.
And for to take in remembradnce
A tale accordaunt unto this,
Which of great understanding is
To mannes soule resondble,
I thenke tell and is no fable.
"L )f r'isfds worb who wol it
rede
How that this Vice is for to drede
In thevangile it telleth pleine,
Which mote algatd be certeine
For Crist himself it berethwitnesse.
And though the clerke and the
clergesse
In Latin tunge it rede and singe
Yet for the more knoulechinge
Of trouthe, which is good to wite,
I shal declare as it is write
In English, for thus it began.
"  rtist saitf: There was a
riche man,
A mighty lord of great estate,
And he was eke so delicate
Of his clothing that every day
Of purpure and bisse1 he made
him gay
And ete and drank therto his fill
After the lustes of his will
As he which all stode in delice
And toke none hede of thilke Vice.
And as it shuld6 so betide,
A pouer laz6r upon a tide
Came to the gate and axed mete.
1 Bisse, finest linen.


But there might he nothing gete
His dedely hunger for to staunche,
For he which had his fulle paunche
Of alle lustds atte borde
Nedeigneth nought tospekeaworde
Onlich a crumme for to vive
Wherof the pouer mighte live
Upon the yift of his almesse.
Thus lay this pouer in great distresse
A colde and hungry at the gate,
Fro which he mighte go no gate
So was he wofully besene.
And as these haly bokes sain,
The houndes comen fro the halle,
Where that this sike man was falle,
And as he lay there for to deie,
The woundes of his malady
They licken, for to done him ese.
But he was full of such disese
Thathemaynought thedeth escape.
But as it was that time shape
The soule fro the body passeth,
And he whom nothing overpasseth,
The highe God up to the heven
Him toke, where he hath set him
even
In Abrahames barmel on high,
Where he the hevens joie sigh
And had all that he hav6 wolde.
And fell as it befalle sholde,
This riche man the sam6 throwe
With sodein deth was overthrowe
And forth withouten any went
Unto the helle straught he went,
The fende into the fire him droughl
Where that he hadde peine inough
Of flame which that ever brenneth.
And as his eye aboute renneth,
Toward the heven he cast his loke.
Where that he sigh and hede toke
How Lazar set was in his see
Als fer as ever he mighte see
With Abraham, and than he praide
Unto the patriarch and saide:
1 Barme, bosom.  -2 Vent, turning.




326


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


' Send Lazar down fro thilke sete
And do that he his finger wete
In water, so that he may droppe
Upon my tunge for to stoppe
The grete hete in which I brenne.'
But Abraham answerde thenne
And saide to him in this wise:
'My sone, thou the might avise
And take into thy remembrauince
How Lazar hadde great penauince
While he was in that other life.
But thou in all thy lust jolife
The bodely delfces soughtest,
Forthl so as thou thanne wroughtest,
Now shalt thou take thy rewarde
Of dedely peine here afterwarde
In helle, which shall ever last.
And this Lazar now atte last
This worldes peine is overronne,
In heven and hath his life begonne
Of joie which is endeles.
But that thou praiest netheles,
That I shall Lazar to the sende
With water on his finger ende
Thine hote tunge for to kele,
Thou shalt no such6 graces fele,
For to that foule place of sinne
For ever in which thou shalt ben
inne,
Cometh none out of this place thider
Ne none of you may comen hider,
Thus be ye parted now a-two.'
The rich ayeinward cride tho:
' O Abraham, sithe it so is,
That Lazar may nought do me this
Whiche I have axed in this place,
I wold6 pray an other grace.
For I have yet of bretherne five
That with my fader ben a-live
To-gider dwellend in one hous,
To whom, as thou art gracious,
I praie, that thou woldest sende
Lazar, so that he mighte wende
To warne hem how the worlde is
went,


That afterward theybenought shent
Of suche peines as they deie.
Lo, this I praie and this I crie,
How I maynought myselfamende.'
The patriarche anone suende
To this praier answerde: ' Nay,'
And saide him, how that every day
His bretheren mighten knowe and
here
Of Moises on erthe here
And of prophetes other mo,
What hem    was best.  And he
saith: ' No,
But if there might a man arise
From deth to life in suche a wise
To tellen hem how that it were,'
He saide', 'than of pure fere
They shulden well beware therby.'
Quod Abraham: ' Nay sikerly,
For if they now will nought obey
To such as techen hem the wey
And all day preche and all day telle
Howthat it stantof heven and helle,
Theywollnought thann6 taken hecle
Though it befelle so in dede
That any dede man were arered,
To ben of him no better lered
Than of an other man alive.'
" If thou, my sone. canst descrive
This tale, as Crist him self it tolde,
Thou shalt have cause to beholde
To se so great an evidence,
Wherof the sothe experience
Hath shewe.d openlich at eye,
That bodely delfcacy
Of him which yiveth none almesse,
Shall after falle in great distresse.
And that was sene upon the riche,
For he ne wolde unto his liche
A crumme yiven of his brede,
Than afterward whan he was dede
A droppe of water him was wernecl.1
Thus may a mannes wit be lerned
Of hem that so delites taken
1 Jl'Crnzcd, denied.




BOOK VI.-GL UTTONY.


327


Whan they with deth benovertaken,
That erst was swete isthanne soure.
But he that is a governo'ir
Of worldes good, if he be wise,
Within his herte he set no prise
Of all the worlde, and yet he useth
The good that he nothing refuseth,
As he which lord is of the thinges,.
The ouches and the riche ringes,
The cloth of gold and the perrie
He taketh, and yet delicacie
He leveth though he wear all this.
The beste mete that there is
He eteth, and drinketh the beste
drinke,
But how that ever he ete or drinke
Delicacie he put awey
As he which goth the righte wey
Nought only for to fede and clothe
His body, but his soule bothe.
But they that taken other wise
Her lustes, ben none of the wise,
And that whilom was shewed eke,
If thou these olde bokes seke.
" That man that wolde him well
avise,
Delicacy is to despise
Whan Kinde accordeth nought
withall,
Wherof ensample in speciall
)f wLero wmitom may be tolde,
Whiche ayein kinde manifolde
His lustes toke, till atte last,
That God him wolde all overcast,
Of whom the cronique is so plein,
Me lust no more of him to sain.
And netheles for glotony
Of boddly delicacy
To knowe his stomack how it ferde,
Of that no man to-fore herde
Whichhewithin him self bethought,
A wonder subtil thing he wrought.
Thre men upon election
Of age and of complexion
Lich to him self by alld way


He toke towardes him to play,
And ete and dranke as well as he,
Therof was no diversite.
For every day whan that they ete
To-fore his owne bord they sete,
And of such mete as he was served,
All though they had it nought deserved,
They token service of the same.
But afterward all thilke game
\Vas into wofull ernest torned.
For whan they were thus sojorned.
Within a time at after-mete
Nero, which hadd6 nought for-ete
The lustes of his frele estate,
As he which all was delicate
To knowe thilke experience,
The men let come in his presence.
And to that one the same tide
A courser that he sholde ride
Into the felde anone he bad,
Wherof this man was wonder glad
And goth to pricke and praunce
about.
That other, while that he was out,
He laide upon his bed to slepe.
The thridde, which he wolde kepe
Within his chambre faire and softe,
He goth now up now down ful ofte,
Walkend apace, that he ne slepte
Till he which on the courser lepte,
Was comen fro the felde ayein.
Nero than, as the bokes sain,
These men did done take alle thre
And slough hem for he wolde se
The whose   stomack was best
defied.1
And whan he hath the sothe tried,
He found that he which goth the pas
Defied best of alle was,
Which afterward he used ay.
And thus what thing unto his pay
Was most plesant, he lefte none;
With every lust he was begone
1 Was defied, had digested.




328


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Wherof the body mighte glade,
For he no abstinence made;
But althermost of erthly thinges
Of women unto the likinges
Nero set all his hole herte,
For that lust shuld him nought
asterte.
Whan that the thurst of love him
caught
Where that him list he toke a
draught,
He spareth nouther wife ne maide,
That such another, as men saide,
In all this world was never yit.
He was so drunke in all his wit
Through sondry lustes which he
toke,
That ever while there is a boke
Of Nero men shall rede and sing
Unto the worldes knouleching.
"'My gode sone, as thou hast
herde,
For ever yet it hath so ferde,
Delicacy in Loves cas
Withoute reson is and was.
For where that love his herte set
Him thenketh it might be no bet,
All though it be nought fully mete
The luste of love is ever swete.
Lo, thus to-gider of felaship,
Delfcacy and dronkeship,
Wherof Reson stant out of herre,1
Havemadefull many awise man erre
In Loves cause most of all.
For than how so that ever it fall
Wit can no reson understonde,
But let the governaunce stonde
To Will, which thanne wexeth so
wilde
That he cannought him selven shilde
Fro the perill, but out of fere
The way he secheth here and there,
Him reccheth nought upon what
side,
1 Out of erre, off its hinges.


For ofte time he goth beside
And doth such thingwithoute drede,
Wherof him oughte wel to drede.
But whan that Love assoteth sore,
It passeth alle mennes lore,
What lust it is that he ordeigneth
There is no mannes might restreigneth,
And of God taketh he none hede,
But laweles withoute drede,
His purpos for he wolde acheve,
Ayein the points of the beleve
He tempteth heven, erth and helle,
Here afterward as I shall telle.
" Who dare do thing, which Love
ne dare?
To Love is every lawe unware,
But to the lawes of his hest
Thefissh, the fowl, theman,thebeste
Of all the worldes kinde louteth.
For Love is he which nothing
doubteth,1
In mannes herte where he sit
He compteth nought toward his wit
The wo no more than the wele,
No more the hete than the chele,
No more the wete than the drie,
No more to live than to deie,
So that to-fore ne behinde
He seeth no thing but as the blinde.
Withoute insight of his corage
He doth merveiles in his rage
To what thing that he wol him
drawe.
There is no God, there is no lawe
Of whom that he taketh any hede,
But as Bayard the blinde stede
Till he falle in the dicche a midde
He goth therenoman willhim bidde,
He stant so ferforth out of reule,
There is no wit that may him reule.
And thus to tell of him in soth,
Full many a wonder thing he doth,
That were better to be laft,


1 Doubteth, feareth.




BOOK VI.-GLUTTONY.


329


Among the whiche is wicche craft,
That some men clepen sorcery,
Which for to winne his druer 1
With many a circumstaunce he
useth,
There is no point which he refuseth.
The craft, which that Saturnus fonde,
To make prickes in the sonde,
That geomaunce clep6d is,
Ful oft he useth it amis;
And of the flood his ydromat'ince;
And of the fire the piroma'ince:
With questions echone of tho
He tempteth ofte, and eke also
Aeromaunce in jugement
To Love he bringeth of his assent.
For these craftes as I finde
A man may do by way of kinde
Be so it be to good entent.
But he goeth all other went,2
For rather er he shulde faile
With nigromaunce he wolde assaile
To make his incantacion
With hote subfumigacion,
Thilke art which specular 3 is hote
And used is of comun rote
Among paiens which that craft eke,4
Of whiche is auctorThoszthe Greke,
He wercheth one and one by rowe.
Razel is nought to him unknowe,
The Salomones Candary,
His Ydeac, his Eutony,
The figure and the boke withall
Of Balamuz and of Ghenball,
The seale and therupon thymage
Of Thebith for his avauntage
Hetaketh, and some what of Gibere,
Which helplich is to this matere.
Babylla to her sones seven
Which hath renounced to the heven,
1 Druerf, love.
2 Went, turning, cross way.
3 Sfecular, miswritten "spatula" in MS.
The chapter "De Speculatoria" follows that
on Geomancy in Cornelius Agrippa, "De Vanitate Scientiarum."
4 Eke, increase, extend.


With Cernes bothe square and
rounde,
He traceth ofte upon the grounde,
Makend his invocation.
And for full enformation
The scole, which Honorius
Wrote, he pursueth. And lo, thus
Magique he useth for to winne
His love, and spareth for no sinne.
And over that of his sot'
Right as he secheth sorcery
Of hem that ben magiciens,
Right so of the naturiens
Upon the sterres from above
His wey he secheth unto love
Als fer as he hem understondeth.
In many a sondry wise he fondeth,
He maketh ymige, he maketh
sculpture,
He maketh writfng, he maketh
figuire,
He maketh his calculations,
He maketh his demonstrations,
His hours of astronomy
He kepeth as for that party
Which longeth to the inspection
Of love and his affection,
He wolde into the helle seche
The devel him selve to beseche
If that he wiste for to spede
To gete of love his lusty mede.
Where that he hath his herte set
He bidde never far6 bet,
Ne wit of other heven more.
My sone, if thou of such a lore
Hast ben er this, I rede the leve."" Min holy fader, by your leve
Of all that ye have spoken here
Which toucheth unto this matere,
To telle soth right as I wene,
I wot nought o word what ye mene.
I woll nought say if that I couth
That I nolde in my lusty youth
Beneth in helle and eke above
To winn6 with my ladies love




330


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Done al that ever that I might.
For therof have I none insight
Where afterward that I become
So that I wonne and overcome
Her love which I most coveite.""My sone, that goth wonder
streite.
For this I may well telle soth,
There is no man the which so doth
For all the craft that he can caste,
That he ne bieth it atte laste.
For often he that will beguile
Is guiled with the same guile,
And thus the guiler is beguiled,
As I finde in a boke compiled
To this matere an olde histoire,
The which comth now     to my
memoire
And is of great ensemplary
Ayein the vice of sorcery,
Wherof none ende may be good.
But how whil6m therof it stood,
A tale which is good to knowe
To the, my sone, I shall beknowe.
Lmnong f)em, which at Troid
were,
Ulixes at the siege there
Was one by name in speciall
Of whom yet the memoriall
Abit, for while there is a mouthe
For ever his name shall be couthe.
He was a worthy knight and king
And clerk knowend of every thing,
He was a great rethorien,
He was a great magicien;
Of Tullius the rethorique,
Of king Zorastes the magique,
Of Tholome thastronomy,
Of Plato the philosophy,
Of Daniel the slepy dremes,
Of Neptune eke the water stremes,
Of Salomon and the proverbes,
Of Macer all the strength of herbes,
And the phisique of Ypocras,
And lich unto Pithagoras


Of surgery he knew the cures.
But some what of his aventuires.
Which shall to my matere accorde,
To the, my sone, I will recorde.
" This king, of which thou hast
herd sain,
From Troy as he goth home ayein
By ship, he found the see diverse
With many a windy storm reverse.
But he through wisdom which he
shapeth
Ful many a great peril escapeth,
Of whiche I thenke tellen one,
Howthat malgrethenedeland stone
Wind-drive he was all sodeinlv
Upon the strondes of Cilly,
Where that he must abide a while.
Twey quenes weren in that ile
Calipso named and Circes.
And whan they herde, how Ulixes
Is londed there upon the rive,
For him they senden also blive.1
W ith him such as he wolde he nam
And to the court to hem he cam.
These quenes were as two goddesses
Of art magiqu6 sorceresses,
That what lord come to that rivage,
They make him love in such a rage
And upon hem assote so,
That they woll have, er that he go,
All that he hath of worldes good.
Ulixes well this understood,
They couthe moch, he couthe more.
They shape and cast ayein him sore
And wrought many a subtil wile
But yet they might him nought
beguile;
But of the men of his navie
They two forshope 2 a great partie,
May none of hem withstonde her
hestes:
Some part they shopen into bestes,
Some part they shopen into foules,
1 Rive, shore; also blive, very quickly; aran,
took.
2 Those two (queens) transformed.




BOOK VI.-GLUTTONY.


33r


To beres, tigres, apes, oules,
Or ellds by some other wev,
Ther might no thing hem disobey,
Such craft they had above kinde.
But that art couthd they nought finde
Of which Ulixes was deceived,
That he ne hath hem alle weived
And brought hem into such a rote '
That upon him they bothe assote.
And through the science of his arte
He toke of hem so well his parte
That he begat Circes with childe,
He kepte him sobre and made hem
wilde,
He set him selve so above
That with hergood and with her love,
Who that therof be leve or loth,
All quite into his ship he goth.
Circes to-swolle bothe sides
He left, and waiteth on the tides,
And straugh1t throughout the salt6
fome
He taketh his cours and comth him
home,
Where as he found Penelope,
A better wife there may none be,
And yet there ben inough of good.
But who her goodship understood
Fro first that she wifehode toke,
How many loves she forsoke
And how she bare her all about
Therewhiles that her lord was out,
He mighte make a great avaunt,
Amonges all the remenaunt,
That she was one of all the best.
Well might he set his herte in rest,
This king, whan he her founde in
hele.
For as lie couthe in wisdom dele,
So couthe she in womanhede.
And whan she sigh withouten drede
Her lord upon his owne grounde,
That he was come sauf and sounde,
1 Roe, practice; routine, as in the phrase
*'repeat by rote."


In all this world ne mighte be
A gladder woman than was she.
"The fame which mav nought
be hid
Throughout the londe is sond kid,
Her king is comen home ayein;
There may no man the fulle sain
How that they weren alle glad
So mochel joy of him they made;
The presents every day be newed,
He was with yiftes all besnewed,
The people was of him so glad
That though none other man hem
bad
Taillage upon hem self they sette,
And as it were of pure dette
They yive her good6s to the king.
This was a glad home welcoming.
" Thus hath Ulixes whathewolde,
His wife was such as she be sholde,
His people was to him subgite,
Him lacketh nothing of delite.
" But Fortune is of such a fleight
That whan a man is most on height
She maketh him rathest for to falle,
There wot no man what shall befalle.
The happes over mann6s hede
Ben honge with a tender threde;
That provdd was on Ulixes,
For whan he was most in his pees
Fortune6 gan to make him u erre
And set his welthe al out of herre.
Upon a day as he was mery,
As though there might him no thing
dery,'
Whan night was come he goth to
bedde,
With slepe and both his even
fedde.
And while he slept he met a sweven,
Him thought he sigh a statue even
Which brighter than the sonn6
shone.
A man it semed was it none,
1 Dery, hurt.




332


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


But yet it was as in figure
Most lich to mannes creatuire.
But as of beaute hevenlich
It was most to an aungel lich,
And thus betwene aungel and man
Beholden it this king began,
And suche a lust toke of the sight,
That fain he wolde, if that he might,
The forme of that figuire embrace.
And goth him forth toward that
place
Where he sigh that ymdge tho,
And takth it in his armes two
And it embraceth him ayein
And to the king thus gan it sain:
' Ulixes, understond wel this,
The token of our acqueintaunce is
Here afterward to mochel tene;
The love that is us betwene,
Of that we now such joie make,
That one of us the deth shall take,
Whan time cometh of destine,
It may none otherwise be.'
Ulixes tho began to pray
That this figure wolde him say
What wight he is, that saith him so.
This wight upon a spere tho
A pensel 1 which was well begone
Embrouded, sheweth him anone,
Thre fisshes all of o coloir
In maner as it were a toure
Upon the pensel were wrought.
Ulixes knew this token nought
And praith to wite, in some partie,
What thinge it mighte signifie.
' A signe it is,' the wight answerde,
Of an empire;' and forth he ferde
All sodeinly, whan he that said.
" Ulixes out of slepe abraid,
And that was right ayein the day,
That lenger slepen he ne may.
Men sain, a man hath knouleching
Save of him self of alle thing;
1 Pensel, a small banner hanging from a
lance.


His owne chaunce noman knoweth,
But as Fortine it on him throweth.
Was never yet so wise a clerk,
Which mighte knowe all Goddes
werk,
Ne the secret which God hath sette
Ayein a man may nought be lette.
Ulixes though that he be wise,
With all his wit in his avise
The more that he his sweven accompteth
The lasse he wot what it amounteth.
For all his calculation
He seeth no demonstration
As pleinly for to knowe an ende.
But netheles, how so it wende,
He drad him of his owne sone;
That maketh him well the more
astone
And shope therfore anone withall
So that withinne castell wall
Thelemachum his sone he shette
Andupon him strong wardehesette.
The sothe further he ne knewe,
Till that Fortune him overthrewe.
But netheles for sikernesse,
Where that he mighte wit and gesse
A place strengest in his londe,
There let he make of lime and sonde
A strengthe where he wolde dwelle,
Was never man yet herde telle
Of suche an other as it was.
And for to strength him in that cas
Of all his lond the sikerest
Of servants and the worthiest
To kepen him withinne warde
He set his body for to warde;
And made such an ordenaunce
For love, ne for aqueintauince,
That were it erely were it late
They shulde let in at the gate
No maner man, what so betid,
But if so were him self it bid.
" But all that might him nought
availe,




BOOK VI.-GLUTTONY.


For whom Fortuine wol assaile
There may be no such resistence
Which mightd make a man defence,
All that shall be, mot fall algate.
This Circes whiche I spake of late,
On whom Ulixes hath begete
A child, though he it have foryete,
Whan time came, as it was wone,
She was deliverd of a sone,
Which cleped is Thelogonus.
This child whan he was bore thus
About his moder to full age
That he can reson and langaige
In good estate was drawe forth.
And whan he was so mochel worth
To stonden in a mann6s stede,
Circes his mother hath him bede,
That he shall to his fader go
And told him all to-gider tho
\Vhat man he was that him begat.
And whan Thelogonus of that
Was ware, and hathfull knouleching
How that his fader was a king,
He praith his moder faire this
To go where that his fader is.
And she him graunteth thathe shall,
And made him redy forth with all.
' It was that time such usaunce,
That every man the conoissaunce
Of his contr6 bare in his honde,
Whan he went into straunge londe.
And thus was every man therfore
Wel knowe, where that he was bore,
For espiall and mistrowinges
They dide thanne suche thinges
That every man might other knowe.
So it befell that ilke throwe
Thelogonus, as in this cas,
Of his contre the signe was
Thre fisshes, which he shulde bere
Upon the penon of a spere.
And whan that he was thus arraied
And hath his harneis all assaied,
That he was redy every dele,
His moder bad him fare wele


And said him, that he shuld6
swithe 1
His fader grete a thousand sithe.
Thelogonus his moder kist
And toke his leve, and where he wist
His fader was, the wvaie name,
'fill he unto Nachai6 came,
Which of that lond the chefe citee
Was cleped, and there axeth he
'Where was the kinge and how he
ferde.
And whan that he the sothe herde,
Where that the king Ulixes was,
Alone upon his hors great pas
He rode him forth, and in his honde
He bare the signal of his londe
With fisshes thre, as I have tolde,
And thus he went unto that holde
Where that his owne fader dwelleth.
The cause why he comth, he telleth
Unto the kepers of the gate,
And wolde have comen in there at,
But shortly they him saide nay.
And he als faire as ever he may
Besought and tolde hem of this,
How that the king his fader is.
But they with proude wordes great
Began to manace and to threte
But 2 he go fro the gate fast
They wolde him take and sette fast.
Fro wordes unto strokes thus
They felle, and so Thelogonus
Was sore hurte and well nigh dede,
But with his sharpe speres hede
He maketh defence, how so it falle,
And wan the gate upon hem alle
And hath slain of the beste five.
And they ascriden also blive
Through out the castell all about;
On every side men come out,
Wherof the king6s herte afflight,
And he with all the hast he might
A spere caught and forth he goth
As he that was nigh wode for wroth.


1 Swithe, strongly.:- But, unless.




334


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


He sigh the gates full of blood,
Thelogonus and where he stood
He sigh also, but he ne knewe
What man it was, but to him threwe
His spere, and he sterte out a side,
But destine which shall betide,
Befell that ilke time so,
Thelogonus knew nothing tho
What man it was that to him caste,
And while his owne spere laste,
With all the signe therupon,
He cast unto the kinge anon
And smot him with a dedly wounde.
Ulixes fell anone to grounde,
Tho every man, 'The king! the
king!'
Began to cry, and of this thing
Thelogonus which sigh the cas
On knes he fell and saide: 'Alas,
I have miin owne fader slain!
Now wolde I deie wonder fain,
Now sle me who that ever will,
For certes it is right good skill.' 1
He crieth, he wepeth, he saith therfore:
'Alas, that ever was I bore,
That this unhappy destin6
So wofully comth in by me!'
This king, which yet hath lifeinough,
His herte ayein to him he drough
And to that vois an ere he laide
And understood all that he saide
And gan to speke and saide on
high:
' Bring me this man.' And whan
he sigh
Thelogonus, his though he sette
Upon the sweven which he mette,2
And axeth, that he mighte se
His spere, on which the fisshes thre
He sigh upon the pensel wrought.
Tho wist he well, it faileth nought,
And bad him that he telle sholde
1 Skill, reason.
S-' 3w;tczc.. i;cft, dream.. dreamed.


Fro whenne he came and what he
wolde.
Thelogonus in sorwe and wo
So as he mighte tolde tho
Unto Ulixes all the cas,
How that Circes his moder was,
And so forth said him every dele,
How that his moder grete him wele,
And in what wise she him sent.
Tho wist Ulixes what it ment,
And toke him in his armes softe
And all bledende kist him ofte
And saide: ' Sone, while I live,
This infortune I the foryive.'
After his other sone in hast
He send, and he began him hast
And cam unto his fader tite.
But whan he sigh him in such plite,
He wold have ronne upon that
other
Anone and slain his owne brother,
Ne hadde be that Ulixes
Betwene hem made accorde and
pees,
And to his heir Thelemachus
He bad that he Thelogonus
With all his power shulde kepe
Till he were of his woundes depe
All hole, and than he shulde him
yive
Lond where upon he mighte live.
Thelemachus whan he this herde,
Unto his fader he answerde
And saide, he wolde don his wille.
So dwelle they to-gider stille
These brethren, and the fader
sterveth.
" Lo, wherof sorcerie serveth.
Through sorcery his lust he wan,
Through sorcery his wo began,
Through sorcery his love he chese,
Through sorcery his life he lese.
The child was gete in sorcery,
The which did all his felon,-.
Ti/e, quickly.




BOOK VI.-GLUTTONY.


335


Thing which was ayein kinde
wrought
Unkindeliche it was abought:
The child his ownd fader slough,
That was unkindeship inough.
" Forth' take hede how that it is,
So for to winne love amis,
Which endeth all his joy in wo.
For of this arte I find also,
That hath be do for Loves sake,
Wherof thou might ensample take,
A great cronique emperiall
Which ever into memoriall
Among the men, how so it wende,
SIll dwelle to the worldes ende.
j)ec l)iZgf) creaft6 of thinges,
Which is the king of alle kinges,
Full many wonder worldes chaunce
Let slide under his sufferaunce,
There wot no man the cause why
But he, the which is Almighty.
And that was proved whilom thus.
Whan that the king Nectanabus,
Which had Egipte for to lede,
But for he sigh to-fore the dede
Through magique of his sorcerie,
Wherof he couth a great partie,
His enemies to him comend,
Fro whom he might him nought
defend,
Out of his owne lond he fledde
And in the wise as he him dredde
It fell, for all his wicchecraft,
So that Egipte him was beraft.
And he desguised fledde away
By ship and held the righte way
To Macedoine, where that he
Arriveth at the chefe citee.
Thre yomen of his chambre there
All only for to serve him were,
The which he trusteth wonder wele
For they were trewe as any stele.
And hapneth that they with him
ladde
Par'e of the bestC good he hadde,


They take logginge in the town
After the dispositioun,
Where as him thoughtd best to
dwelle.
He axeth than and herde telle
How that the kinge was out go
Upon a werre he hadde tho.
But in that citee thanne was
The quene which Olimpias
Was hote and with solempnite
The feste of her nativite,
As it befell. was thanne holde.
And for her lust to be jebol
And preisdd of the people about
She shope her for to riden out
At after-mete all openly.
Anone were alle men reda,
And that was in the month of May.
This lusty quene in good array
Was set upon a mule white,
To sene it was a great delite
The joie that the citee made.
With fressh6 thinges and with glade
The noble town was all behonged,
And every wight was sore alonged
To se this lusty lady ride.
There was great merth on alle side
Where as she passeth by the strete,
There was ful many a timbre bete
And many a maidd carolende.
And thus through out the town
pleiende
This quene unto the pleine rode,
Where that she hoved and abode
To se diverse games pley,
The lusty folk joust and tourne).
And so forth every other man
Which pleie couth his pley began
To plese with this noble quene.
" Nectdnabis came to the grene
Amonges other and drough him
nigh.
But whan that he this lady sigh
And of her beaute hed6 toke,
He couthe nought witholde his loke




336


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


To se nought elles in the felde,
But stood and only her behelde.
Of his clothinge and of his gere
He was unliche all other there,
So that it hapneth atte laste
The quene on him her eve caste
And kne"w t'hat he was straunge
anone.
But he behelde her ever in one
Withoute blenching of his chere.
She toke good hede of his manere
And wondreth why he dide so,
And bad men shulde for him go.
He came and did her reverence.
And she him axeth in silence
From whenne he cam and what he
wolde.
And he with sobre wordes tolde,
He saith: ' Madame, a clerk I am
To you and in message I cam
The whiche I may nought tellen
here,
But if it liketh you to here,
It mot be said so priyely
Where none shall be but ye and I.
"Thus for the time he toke his
leve.
The day goth forth till it was eve
That every man mot leve his werk.
And she thought everupon this clerk,
What thing it is that he wold mene.
And in this wise abode the quene
And passeth over thilke night,
Till it was on the morwe light.
She sende for him, and he came,
With him his astrolabe he-name,'
Which was of fine gold precious
With points and cercles merveilofis.
And eke the hevenly figtlres
Wrought in a boke full of peintuires
He toke this lady for to shewe
And tolde of eche of hem by rewe
The cours and the condition.
And she h trh great ' ati on
1 Nawae, took.


Sate still and herde what he wolde.
And thus whan heseeth time he tolde
And feigneth with his wordes wise
A tale and saith in such a wise:
' Madame, but a while ago,
Where I was in Egipte tho
And rad in scole of this science,
It fell into my conscience
That I unto the temple went
And there with all min hole entent
As I my sacrifice dede
One of the goddes hath me bede
That I you warne privel~,
So that ye make you redy,
And that ye be nothing agast,
For he such love hath to you cast,
That ye shull bene his owne dere
And he shall be your beddefere
Till ye conceive and be with childe.'
And with that word she wax all milde
And somdele red became for shame
And axeth him that goddes name,
Which so woll done her compaigny.
And he said: 'Amos of Luby.'
And she saith: ' That may I nought
leve,
But if I se a better preve.'
' Madam6,' quod Nectainabuis,
' In token that it shall be thus
This night for enformation
Ye shall have an avsion
That Amos shall to you appere
To shewe and teche in what manere
The thing shall afterward befalle.
Ye oughten well aboven alle
To make joy of such a lorde.
For whan ye ben of one accorde
He shall a sone of you begete
Which with his swerd shall win and
gete
The wide worldein length and brede,
All erthly kinges shall him drede.
And in such wise I you behote
The god of erthe he shall be hote.'
If this be soth,' thoquod the quene,




BOOK VI. —GLUTTONY.


337


'This night, thou saiest, it shall be
sene.
And if it falle into my grace,
Of god Amos that I purchace
To take of him so great worship,
I wol do the such ladiship,
WNherof thou shalt for evermo
Be riche.' And he her thonketh
tho
And toke his leve and forth he went.
She wiste litel what he ment.
/ For it was guile and sorcer  ~
All that she toke for prophecy.
Nectnabis throughout the day
Whan he cam home where as he lay
His chambre by him self betoke
And overtorneth many a boke
And through the craft of artemaige
Of wexe he forg6d an ymcige.
He loketh his equaci6ns
And eke the constellaci6ns,
He loketh the conjunctions,
He loketh the recepti6ns,
His signe, his houre, his ascendent,
And draweth Fortune of his assent.
The name of quene Olimpias
In thilke ymage written was
Amiddes in the front above.
And thus to winne his lust of love
Nectanabtis this werk hath dight.
And whan it cam withinne night,
That every wight is fall aslepe,
He thought he wolde his tirre kepe
As he, whiche hath his houre
apointed.
And thanne first he hath anointed
With sondry herbes that figure
And therupon he gan conjure,
So that through his enchantement
This lady, which was inn ocnt
And wiste nothing of this guile,
Met"'as she slept thike while,
How fro the heven came a light,
Whiche all her chambre mad6 light.
1 Arteriage, Art Magic.  2 AMef, dreamed.


And as she loketh to and fio,
She sigh, her thought, a draon tho,
Whose scherdes 1 shinen as the
sonne,
And hath his soft6 pas begonne
With all the chere that he may
Toward the bed there as she lay,
Till he came to the beddes side.
And she lay still and nothing cride,
For he did all his thinges faire
And was courtefs and debonaire.
And as he stood her fast6 by,
His forme he chaungeth sodeinly,
And the figire of man he nome
To her and into bed he come,
And she was wonder glad withall.
NectSanabus, which causeth all
Of this metrede 2 the substaunce.
Whan hesigh time his nigromafince
He stint and nothing more saide
Of his carecte, and she abraide
Out of her slepe and leveth vwele
That it is soth than every dele
Of that this clerke her hadde tolde,
And was the glader many folde
In hope of suche a glad metrede
Which after shall befalle in dede.
She longeth sore after the day,
That she her sweven telle may
To this guilofir in privdte,
Which knewe it al so well as she.
And neth6les on morwe sone
She left al other thing to done
And for him send, and all the cas
She tolde him pleinly as it was
And said6, how than well she wist
That she his wordes mighte trist,
For she founde her avisidn
Right after the conditi6n
Which he her hadde told to-fore,
And praid him hertely therfore,
That he her holde covenant
So forth of all the remenant,
1 Sclhrdes, scales.
2 Metrede, dream-counsel.
Y




338


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That she may through his ordenaunce
Towardes god do such.plesauince,
That she wakend6 might him kepe
In such wise as she met 1 a slepe.
And he that couth of guile inough,
Whan he this herd, for joy he lough
And saith: 'Madame, it shall be do.
But this I warn6 you therto,
This night whan that he comth to
play,
That there be no life 2 in the way
But I that shall at his liking
Ordeind so for his comifng
That ye ne shull nought of him faile.
For this, madame, I you counseile,
That ye it kepe so prive,
That no wight elles but we thre
Have knouleching how that it is;
For elles might it fare amis
Ifye didought that shulde him greve.'
And thus he makth her to beleve
And feigneth under guile feith.
But netheles all that he saith
She troweth. And ayein the night
She hath within her chambre dight,
Where as this guiler faste by
Upon this god shall privdly
Awaite, as he makth her to wene.
And thus this noble gentil quene,
Whan she most trusted, was deceived.
"The night come, and the chambre is weived,
Nectdnabus hath take his place,
And whan he sigh the time and space,
Through the deceipt of his magique
He put him out of mannes like
And of a dragon toke the forme,
As he, which wolde him all conforme
To that she sigh in sweven er this;
And thus to chambre come he is.
The quend lay a bed and sigh
And hopeth ever as he cam nigh,
1 Met, dreamed.  2 "-o Fife, no body.


That he god of Lubfe were,
So hath she well the iessd fere.
But for he wold her more assure.
Yet efte he chaungeth his figure
And of a wether the likenesse
He toke in signe of his nobldsse,
With large hornmes for the nones
Of fine gold and riche stones.
A corone on his heved he bare
And sodeinlich, er she was ware,
As he whiche alle guile can,
His forme he torneth into man.
All though she were in part deceived,
Yet for all that she hath conceived
The worthiest of alle kithe,
Which ever was to-fore or sithe
Of conquest and chivalerie,
So that through guile and sorcerie
There was that noble knight begonne,
Which all the worlde hath after
wonne.
Thus fell the thing which falle
sholde,
Nectdnabuis hath that he wolde,
With guile he hath his love sped,
With guile he came into the bed,
With guile he goth him out ayein.
He was a shrewded chamberlein
So to beguile a worthy quene,
And that on him was after sene.
But netheles the thing is do.
This false god was sone go
With his deceipt and helde him
close,
Till morwe cam that he arose,
And tho, whan time and leiser was,
The quend tolde him all the cas
As she that guile none supposeth,
And of two points shehimopposeth.
One was, if that this god no more
Woll come ayein, and overmore
How she shall stonden in accorde
With king Philfppe her owne lorde%




BOOK VI.-GLUTTONY.


339


When he comth home and seeth
her grone.
'Madame,' he saith, 'let me
alone,
As for the god I undertake
That whan it liketh you to take
His compaigny at any throwc,
If I a day to-fore it knowe
He shall be with you on the night,
And he is well of such a might
To kepe you from alle blame.
Forth2 comforte you, madame,
There shall none other cause be.'
Thus toke he leve and forth goth he.
And tho began he for to muse
How he the quene might excuse
Toward the king of tlmhis-fawe,
And found a craft amonges alle,
Through which he hath a see foule
daunted1
With his magique and so enchaunted,
That he flew forth whan it was night
Unto the king6s tente right,
Where that he lay amidde hishoste.
"(And whan he was a-slepd most,
With that the see foule to him
brought,
An other charme which he wrought
At home within his chambre still,
The kinge he torneth at his will,
And maketh him for to dremeandse
The dragon and the privete
Which was betwene him and the
quene.
And over that he made him wene
In sweven that the god Am6s,
Whan he up fro the quene aros,
Toke forth a ring wherin a stone
Was set and grave therupon
A sonne, in which,whan he cam nigh,
A leon with a swerd he sigh.
And with that prent, as he so mette,2
Upon the quenes wombe he sette
1 A sea-fowl tamed.  ' Metfe, dreamed.


A seal, and goth him forth his way;
With that the sweven went away.
And tho began the king awake
And sigheth for his wives sake
Where as he lay within his tent,
And hath great wonder whatitment.
With that he hasted him to rise
Anone and sent after the wise,
Among the whiche there was one,
A clerke, his name is Amphione,
Whan he the kinges sweven herde,
What it betokneth he answe'rde
And saith: 'As sikerly as the life
A god hath laien l.-thy wife
Anid got a sone which shall winne
The world and all that is withinne.
As leon is the king of bestes
So shall the world obey his hestes,
Which with his swerd shal al be
wonne
Als fer as shineth any sonne.'
" The king was doubtif of this
dome,
But netheles whan that he come
Ayein into his owne lond,
His wife with childe great he fond;
He mightd nought him selven stere
That he ne made her hevy chere.
But he which couthe of al1l sorwe,
Nectanabuis, upon the morwe
Through the deceipt ofnigromaunce
Toke of a dragon the semblauince
And where the king sat in his halle.
Cam in rampend among hem alle
With such' a noise and such a rore
That they agast were all so sore
As though they shulde deie anone.
And netheles he greveth none,
But goth toward the deis on high.
And whan he cam the quen6 nigh,
He stint his noise and in his wise
To her he profreth his servfce
And laith his hede upon her barme,
And she with goodly chere her anne
About his necke ayeinward laide,




340


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And thus the quene with him plaide
In sight of alle men about.
And atte last he gan to lout
And obeisaunce unto her make,
As he that wolde his leve take.
And sodeinly his lothely forme
Into an egle he gan transforme,,And fligh and set him on a raile,
Wherof theking had greatmerveile.
For there he pruneth him andpiketh,
As doth an hawk whan him wel
liketh,
And after that him self he shoke,
Wherof that all the halle quoke,
As it a terremote 1 were.
They saiden alle, god was there,
In suche a rees and forth he fligh.
"The king which all this wonder
sigh,
Whan he cam to his chambre alone,
Unto the quene made his mone
And of foryivenesse he her praide.
For than he knew well, as he saide,
She was with child6 with a god.
"Thus was the king withoute rod
Chastised and the quene excused
Of that she hadde ben accused.
And for the greater evidence
Yet after that in the presence
Of king Philip and other mo,
Whan they ride in the feldes tho,
A fesaunt came before her eye
The whiche anone, as they her sigh
Fleende, let an ey 2 down falle,
And it to-brake to-fore hem alle.
And as they token therof kepe,
They sigh out of the shelle crepe
A litel serpent on the grounde,
Which rampeth all aboute rounde,
And in ayein he woll have wonne,
But for the brenning of the sonne
It mighte nought, and so it deide.
And therupon the clerkes saide:
'As the serpent, wvhen it was out,


Went environ the shelle aboute
And mighte' nought torne in ayein,
So shall it fallen in certein,This child the world shall environe
And above alle the corone
Him shall befall, and in yonge age
He shall desire in his corage,
Whan all the worlde is in his honde
To torne ayein unto the londe
Where he was bore, and in his wey
Howeward he shall with poison dey.'
" The king whiche al this sigh
and herde
Fro that day forth how so it ferde
His jalousie hath all foryete.
But he, whiche hath the child begete,
Nectinabuis in privite
The time of his nativit6
Upon the constellation
Awaiteth and relation
Maketh to the quene, how she snall
do,
And every houre appointeth so
That no mini'te therof was lore.
So that in due time is bore
This childe, and forthwith therupon
There fellen wonders many one;
Of terremote universele;
The sonne tokek.colaxiof stele
And lost his light; thewindes blewe
And many strengthes overthrewe;
The see his propre kindd chaungeth
And all the worlde his forme
straungeth;
The thunder with his firy leven
So cruel was upon the heven,
That every efthely creatuire
Tho thought his life in aventuire.
The tempest att6 laste ceseth,
The child is kepte, his age encreseth,
And Alisaundre his name is hote;
To whom Calistre and Aristote
To techen him philosophy
Entenden, and astronomy
With other thinges which he couth,


1 Terrenotl, earthquake.


2 Ey, egg.




BOOK VI.-GLUTTONY.


341


Also to teche him in his youth
Nectanabus toke upon honde.
But every man may understonde
Of sorcery, how that it wende,
It woll him selve prove at ende,
And namely for to beguile
A lady which withoutd guile
Supposethtrouthall that she hereth.
But often he that evil stereth,
His ship is dreint therin amidde,
And in this cas right so betidde.
NectanabiIs, upon a night
Whan it was faire and sterre light,
This yonge lord lad upon high
Above a toure, where as he sigh
The sterrds such as he accompteth,
And saith what eche of hem
amounteth,
As though he knewe of alle thing.
But yet hath he no knouleching
What shal unto him self befalle.
Whan he hath tolde his wordds alle,
This yonge lord than him opposeth
And axeth if that he supposeth
What deth he shul him selve dey.
He saith: ' Or fortune is awey
And every sterre hath lost his wone,
Or ellds of min owne sone
I shall be slain, I may nought fle.'
Thought Alisaundre in privete:
'Herof this olde dotard lieth.'
And er that other ought aspieth
All sodeinlich his olde bones
He shof over the wall at ones
And saith him: ' Lie down there a
part!
Wherof now serveth all thin art?
'Thou knewe all other mennes
chaunce
And of thy self hast ignoraunce;
That thou hast said amonges alle
Of thy persone is nought befalle.'
"Nectinabus, which hath his
dethe,
Yetwhile him lasteth life andbrethe


To Alisaundre he spake and said
That he with wrong blame on him
laid.
Fro point to point and all the cas
He tolde, how he his sone was.
Tho he which sory was inough,
Out of the dich his fader drough
And tolde his moder how it ferde,
In counseil and whan she it herde,
And knew the tokens which he tolde,
She nisted what she saie sholde,
But stood abasshed as for the while
Of this magique and all the guile.
She thought, how that she was
deceived,
That she hath of a man conceived
And wende a god it hadde be.
But netheles in such degre
So as she might her honour save
She shope the body was begrave.
And thus Nectinabus abought
The sorcerie, which he wrought,
Though he upon the creatrires
Through his carectes and figures
The maistry and the power hadde
His Creat6r to nought him ladde,
Ayein whose lawe his craft he useth,
Whan he for lust his god refuseth
And toke him for the devels craft.
Lo, what profit is him belaft:
That thing, through which he wend
have stonde,
First him exildd out of londe
Whichwas his own, and from a king
Made him to be an underling,
And sithen to deceive a quene,
That torneth him to mochel tene,
Through lust of love he gat him
hate,
That ende couth he nought abate
His olde sleightes which he cast,
Yonge Alisaundre him overcast;
His fader which him misbegat
He slough, a great mishap was that.
Niste, knew not.




342


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


But for o mis an other mis
Was yolde, and so full ofte it is.
Nectanabuis his craft miswent,
So it misfell him er he went.'
I not what helpeth that clergy 2
Which maketh a man to do foly',
And namelich of nigromauince,
Which stont upon the miscreaunce.
" And for to se more evidence
Porasfes, which thexperience
Of art magique first forth drough,
Anone as he was bore he lough,
Which token was of wo suinge,
For of his owne controvinge
He found magique and taught it
forth,
But all that was him litel worth.
For of Surrie a worthy king
Him slewe and that was his ending.
But yet through him this craft is
used,
And he through all the world accused,
For it shall never well acheve
That stont nought right with the
beleve.
But lich to wolle is evil sponne,
Who leseth him self hath litel wonne,
An ende proveth every thing.
";aiuI, which was of Jew6sking,
Up peine of deth forbad this arte,
And yet he toke therof his parte.
The Phitonisse in Samary
Yaf him counseil by sorcery,
Which after fell to mochel sorwe,
For he was slain upon the morwe.
To conne mochel thing it helpeth,
But of to moche no man yelpeth.a
So for to loke on every side,
Magique may nought well betide.
"Forthy mysone, I woll the rede,
That thou of these ensamples drede,
That for no lust of erthly love
1 IVent, weened.  2 Clergy, learning.
3 Y'lpeth, boasts.


Thou seche so to come above
Wherof as in the worldes wonder
Thou shaltfor ever be put under."'" My gode fader, graunt merc'.
For ever I shall beware therby
Of Love what me so befalle
Such sorcery aboven alle.
Fro this day forth I shall escheue,
That so ne woll I nought pursue
My lust of Love for to seche.
But this I wolde you beseche
Beside that me stant of Love,
As I you herde speke above,
How Alisaundre was betaught
Of Aristotle and so well taught
Of all that to a king belongeth,
Wherof my herte sor6 longeth
To wite what it wolde mene.
For by reson I wolde wene,
But if I herde of thinges straunge,
Yet for a time it shulde chaunge
My peine and liss6 me somdele.""My gode son6, thou saiest wele.
For wisdom, how that ever it
stonde,
To him that can it understonde
Doth great profit in sondry wise;
But touchend of so high a prise,
Which is nought unto Venus knowe,
I may it nought my selve knowe,
Which of her Court am all forth
drawe
And can no thing but of her lawe.
But netheles to knowe more
As wel as thou me longeth sore.
And for it helpeth to comuine
All be they nought to me comune,
The scoles of philosophy
Yet thenk I for to specify
In boke as it is comprehended,
Wherof thou m ightest ben amended.
For though I be nought all cunning
Upon the forme of this writing,
Some part therof yet I have herde,
In this matere how it hath ferde.




HO AS TH EE.
HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT.


)    ceniut the prest of love,
MIy sone, as thou hast praid
above,
That I the scol6 shall declare
Of Arstotle and eke the fare
Of Alisaundre,   how   he  was
taught,
I am somdele therof destraught.
For it:s nowight the matere
Of love, why we sitten here
To shrive so as Venus badde,
But netheles for it is gladde,
So as thou saist, for thin apprise
To here of suche thinges wise,
Wherof thou might thy time lisse,
So as I can, I shall the wisse.
For Wisdom is at every throwe
Above ~ll other thing to knowe
In Loves cause and elles where.
Forthy ny sone, unto thin ere,
Though it be nought in the registre
Of Venus, yet of that Calistre
And Aristotle whilom write
To Alisiundre, thou shalt wite.
But for the lores ben diverse
I thenk. first to the reherce
The nature of philosophy,
Which Aristotle of his clergy
Wise aid experte in the Sci6nces,
Declared thilke intelligences,
As of tie points in principall.
Wherof the first in speciall
Is Theorique, which is grounded


On him which al the worlde hath
founded,
Which comprehended al the lore.
And for to loken overmore
Next of Sciences the secouinde
Is Rhetorique, whose facounde
Above all other is eloquent.
To telle a tale in jugement
So well can no man speke as he.
The lastd Science of the thre
It is Practique, whose office
The Vertu trieth fio the Vice
And techeth upon gode thewes 1
To fle the compaigny of shrewes,2
Which stant in diposici6n
Of mannes fre election.
Iractique enformeth eke the reule,
How that a worthy King shall reule
His realme both in werre and pees.
Lo, thus danz 3 Aristotelds
These thre Sciences bath devided
And the nattire also decided
Wherof that eche of hem shall serve.
The firste, which is the conserve
And keper of the remenaunt,
As that which is most suffisaunt
And chefe of the philosophy,
If I therof shall specify,
So as the philos6phre tolde,
Now herke and kepe that thou it
holde.
1 Thewzes, manners, morals.
2 Shrewes, evil men.
3,Dazz, Dominus, applied toa Graduate in Arts.




344


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


" Osf tLCeoriqtu principall
The philos6phre in speciall
The propretes hath determfned,
As thilke which is enlumined
Of wisdom and of high prudence
Above all other in his science,
And stant departed upon thre.
The first of which in his degre
Is cleped in philosophy
The Science of Theology,
That other named is Phisique,
The thridde is said Mathematiquc.
Theology is that science,
Which unto man yiveth evidence
Of thing which is nought bodely,
Wherof men knowe redely
The High Almighty Trinite,
Which is o God in Unite
WXithouten ende and beginning
And Creator of alle thing,
Of erthe, of heven and of helle,
Wherof as olde bokcs telle
The philos6phre in his res6n
Wrote upon this conclusi6n,
And of his writing in a clause
He clepeth God the First6 Cause,
Which of him self is thilke good
Withoute whom nothing is good,
Of which that every creature
Hath his being and his nature.
After the being of the thinges
There ben thre formes of beinges.
"Thing, which began and ende
shall,
That thing is cleped temporall.
There is also by other way
Thing which began and shall nought
dey
As soules that ben spirituell,
Her being is perpetuell.
But there is one above the sonne
Whose time never was begonne
And endeles shall ever be,
That is the God, whose mageste
All other thinges shall governe,


And his Being is sempiterne.
The God, to whom that all honoir
Belongeth, he is Creatour.
And other ben his creatures,
He commaundeth the natures
That they to him obeien alle.
Withouten him, what so befalle,
Her might is none and He may1 all:
The God was ever and ever shall,
And they begonne of his assente.
The times alle be present
To God, and to hem alle unknowe,
But whathim liketh that they knowe.
Thus both an aungel and a nan,
The which of all that God began
Be chefe, obeien Goddes might,
And He stont end6les up right.
To this Science ben prive
The Clerkes of Divinite,
The which unto the people prechen
The feith ofHalyChirche andtechen,
Which in one cas upon beleve
Stant more than they conni preve
By wey of argument sensible.
But netheles it is credible
And doth a man great mede have
To him that thenketh hin: self to
save.
Theology in such a wise
Of highe Science and apprise
Above all other stant unlike
And is the first of Theorique.
" Phisique is after the ssc6nde,
Through which the phibs6phre
hath fonde
To techen sondry knouleclinges
Upon the bodeliche thinges
Of man, of beste, of herbe, of stone,
Of fisshe, of foule, of everichone
That ben of bodely substaunce,
The nature and of the substaunce.
Through this Science it is fullsought,
Which vaileth and which vaileth
nought.
1 MZay, has power over.




BOOK VII-HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 345


"The thridde point of Theorique,
Which clep6d is Mathematique,
Devided is in sondry wise
And stant upon divers apprise.
The ferst of whiche is Arsmetique,1
And the second is said Musique,
The thridde is eke Geometrie,
Also the forth Astronomie.
" Of Arsmetique the matere
Is that of which a man may lere,
What algorisme 2 innombreamounteth,
Whan that the wise man accompteth
After the formal proprete
Of algorismes a, be, ce.
By which multiplicati6on
Is made and diminution
Of sommes by thexperience
Of this art and of this science.
" The seconde of mathematique,
Which is the Science of Musique,
That techeth upon Harmonie
A man to make melodie
By vois and soune of instrument
Through notes of accordement,
The whiche men pronounce alofte,
Now sharpe notes and now softe
Now highd notes and now lowe,
Asbythe gamme3 amanmay knowe,
Which techeth the prolaci6n
Of note and the condition.
Mathematique of his Science
Hath yet the thridde intelligence
Full of wisdo6m and of clergie
And cleped is Geometrie,
Through which that a man hath the
sleight
Oflength,ofbrede, ofdepth, of height
To knowe the proporci6n
By verray calculacion
Of this Science. And in this wise
These olde philosophres wise
Of all this worldes erthe rounde
1 A rsmeftique, Arithmetic.
2 Algowisnme, Algebra.
3 Gamine, gamut.


How large, how thicke was the
grounde,
Contrived in thexperience,
The cercle and the circumference
Of every thing unto the heven
They setten point and mesure even.
" Mathematifque above the erth,
Of High Sci6nce above, the ferth
Which speketh upon Astronomie
And techeth of the sterres high,
Beginning upward fro the mone.
But first, as it was for to done
This Aristotle in other thing
Unto this worthy yong6 king
The kinde of every elemdnt,
Which stant under the firmament,
How it is made and in what wise
Fro point to point he gan devise.
" He, which natureth every kinde,
The mighty God, so as I finde,
Of Man, which is his creature,
Hath so devided the nature
That none till other well accordeth.
And by the cause it so discordeth
The life, which feleth the siknesse,
May stond upon no sikernesse.
"Of therthe, which is colde and
dry,
The kinde of man Malencoly
Is cleped, and that is the firste,
The mostungoodlich and thewerste.
What man hath that complexion,
Full of ymagination
Of dredes and of wrathfull thought,
He fret him selven all to nought.
" The water, which is moist and
colde,              [folde,
M aketh Fleume,1 which is maniForyetel, slow and wery sone
Of every thing whiche is to done.
What man that taketh his kind
of thair,
He shall be light, he shall be fair.
1 Fleume, phlegm of the phlegmatic temperament.




346


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


For his complexion is blood,
Of alle there is none so good,
Where as he hath love undertake,
Wronge is it, if that he forsake.
"The first of his condici6n
Appropreth the complexi6n,
Whose propretes ben drie and hote,
Which in a man is coler 1 hote.
It maketh a man ben enginous
And swifte of fote and eke irous.2
Of conteke and fool hastifnesse
He hath a right great besinesse.
After the kinde of thelement
Thus stant a mannes kinde went 3
As touchend his complexi6n
Upon sondry divisi6n
Of dry, of moist, of chele, of hete,
And eche of hem his owne sete
Appropred hath within a man.
And first to telle as I began
The Splen is to Malencoly
Assigned for herbgergery.4
' The moiste Fleume with the
colde
Hath in the Lunges for his holde
Ordeined him a propre stede
To dwell6 there as he is bede.
" To the Sanguine Complexion
Nature of his inspecti6n
A propre hous hath in the Liver
For his dwellinge made deliver.5
"The drie Coler with his hete
By wey of kinde his propre sete
Hath in the Galle, where he dwelleth,
So as the philosdphre telleth.
" Now over this is for to wite,
As it is in phisiqud write
OfLiver, ofLunge, ofGalle, ofSplen,
They all unto the herte ben
Servauints, and eche in his office
1 Coler, choler, bile.
2 Irous, given to anger, choleric.: Kiindts ent, natural turn or bent.
4 The Spleen is assigned to Melancholy for
its place of lodging.
Deliczer, free, supple.


Entendeth to don him service,
As he, which is chefe lord above.
The Liver maketh him for to love,
The Lunge yiveth him wey of speche,
The Galle serveth to do wreche.
The Splen doth him to laugh and play
Whan all unclennesse is away.
Lo, thus hath eche of hem his dede
To susteignen hem and fede.
In time of recreation
Nature hath in creation
The Stomack for a comun coke
Ordeined so, as saith the boke:
The Stomack coke is for the hall
And boileth mete for hem all
To make hem mighty for to serve
The Herte, that he shall nought
sterve.
For as a King in his empire
Above all other is lorde and sire,
So is the Herte principall,
To whom Res6n in speciail
Is yove as for the governaunce.
"And thus natuirehis purveauince
Hath made for man to liven here.
But God which hath the Soule dere
Hath formed it in other wise
That can no man pleinly devise.
But as the clerkes us enforme,
That lich to God it hath a forme,
Through which figfire and which
likendsse
The Soule hath many an high
noblesse
Appropred to his owne kinde.
But oft her witt6s ben made blinde
Al onelich of this ilke pointe,
That her abiding is conjointe
Forth with the body for to dwelle.
" That one desireth toward belle,
That other upward to the heven;
So shall they never stonde in even
But if the Flessh be overcome
And that the Soule have holynomet
1 IHoly rnoic, wholly taken.




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 347


The governaunce, and that is selde
While that the Flessh him  may
bewelde.
All erthely thing which God began,
Was only made to serve man,
But he the Soul all onely made
Him selven for to serve and glade.
All other bestes that men finde
They serve unto her owne kinde,
But to Reson the Soule serveth,
Wherof the man his thank deserveth
And get him with his workes good
The perdurable lives food.
"c Of what matere it shall betolde
A tale liketh many folde
The bet if it be spoke pleine,
Thus thenke I for to torne ayeince
And tellen plenerly therfore
Of therthe, wherof now to-fore
I spake, and of the water eke,
So as these olde bok6s speke,
And sette properly the bounde
After the forme of mappemounde,'
Through which the ground by putparties
Departed is in thre parties,
That is Asie, Aufrique, Europe,
The which under the heven cope
As fer as streccheth any ground
Begripeth all this erthe round.
But after that the highe wreche 2
The water wei6s let out seche
And overgo the hilles high,
Which every kinde made deie
That upon middel erthe stood
Out tak6 Noe and his blood,
His sones and his doughters thre
They weren saufand so was he.
Her names, who that rede right,
Sem, Cham, Japhet the brethern
hight,
And whanne thilke almighty honde
1 Mapfiemounde, Mappa Mundi, map of the
wor!d.
2 The hAighe wrcche, the vengeance of God.


Withdrough the water fro the londe
And all the rage was away
And erthe was the mannes way,
The sones thre, of which I tolde,
Right after that hem selve wolde,
This world departe they begonne.t
"Asia, which lay to the sonne
Upon the marche of orient,
Was graunted by commuine assent
To Sem, which was the sone eldest,
For that partYe was the best
And double as moch as other
two.
And was that time bounded so,
Wher as the flood which men Nile
calleth,
Departeth fro his cours andfalleth
Into the see Alexandrine,
There taketh Asie first sesine >2
Toward the west, and over this
Of Canahim, where the flood is
Into the Grete See rennend,
Fro that into the world6s end
Estwarde Asie it is algates
Till that men comen to the gates
Of Paradis, and there ho.3
And shortly for to speke it so
Of orient in generall
Within his bounde Asie hath all.
" And than upon that other side
Westwarde, as it fell thilke tide,
The brother, which was hote
Cham,
Unto his parte Aufrique nanm.
Japhet Europe tho toke he;
Thus parten they the worlde on thre.
But yet there ben of londes fele 4
In occident as for the chele,
In oriente as for the hete,
Which of the people be forlete
As lond deserte, that is unable,
For it may nought ben habitable.
1 They began to divide this world.
2 Sesfne, seizin, possession.
3 Ho, stop.    4 Fele, many.




348


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


"The water eke hath sondry
bounde,
After the lond where it is founde,
And taketh hisnameofthilke londes
Where that it renneth on the
strondes.
But thilk6 see, which hath no wane,
Is cleped the Great Oceane,
Out of the which arise and come
The highe flodes all and some.
Is none so litel welle spring,
Which therenetaketh his beginning,
And lich a man that lacketh breth
By wey of kinde so it geth
Out of the see and in ayein,
The water, as the bokes sain.
" Of Elements the propretes
How that they stonden by degres,
As I have told now might thou here,
My gode sone, all the matere
Of erthe, of water, afre and fire.
And for thou saist, that thy desire
Is for to witen overmore
The forme of Aristotles lore,
He saith in his entendement
That yet there is an Element
Above the foure, and is the fifte
Set of the highe Goddes yifte,
The which that orbis cleped is.
And therupon he telleth this,
That as the shelle hole and sounde
Encloseth all aboute rounde
What thingwithin an ey1 belongeth,
Right so this orbis underfongeth
These Elementes everychone
Which I have spoke of one and one.
"But over this now take good
hede,
My sone, for I wol procede
To speke upon Mathematique,
Which grounded is on Theorique.
The Science of Astronomy
I thenke for to specify,
Withoute which to telle plein2
1.,, egg.


All other Science is in veine
Toward the scole of erthly thinges.
For as an egle with his winges
Fleeth above alle that men finde,
So doth this Science in his kinde.
"Benethe upon this erthe here
Of alld thinges the matere,
As tellen us they that ben lerned,
Of thing above it stont governed,
That is to sain of the plan6tes
The cheles bothe and eke the hetes,
The chaunces of the worlde also,
That we Fortuine clepen so
Among the mennds naci6n,
All is through constellacion;
Wherof that some man hath the
wele,
And some men have diseses fele
In love as well as other thinges.
The state of realmes and of kinges
In time of pees, in time of werre,
It is conceived of the sterre.
And thus saith the Naturien,
Whiche is an Astronomien.
But the Divine saith other wise,
That if men were good and wise
And plesant unto the Godhede
They shulden nought the sterres
drede.
For o man if him well befalle
Is more worth than ben they alle
Toward6s him that weldeth all.
But yet the lawe originall,
Which he hath set in the natures,
Mot worchen in the creatures,
That therof may be none obstacle
But if1 it stonde upon miracle
Through praier of some haly man.
And forthy so as I began
To speke upon Astronomy
As it is write in the clergy,
To telle how the planetes fare,
Some parte I thenke to declare,
My sone, unto thin audience.
1 But if, unless.




BOOK VII.-HOIV A KING WAS TAUGHT. 349


"t Jt$ronomv is the Science
Of wisdom and of high conning
Which maketh a man have knouleching
Of sterres in the fermament,
Figuire, cercle and movement
Of eche of hem in sondry place,
And what betwene hem is of space,
How so they move or stond6 fast,
All this it telleth to the last.
Assembled with Astronomy
Is eke that ilke Astrology,
The which in jugements accompteth
Theffect what every sterre amounteth.
And how they causen manya wonder
To the climats I that stond hem
under.
And for to telle it more pleine
These olde philosophres saine
That orbis which I spake of er
Is that which we fro therthe afer
Beholde, and firmament it calle,
in which the sterres stonden alle,
Among the which in speciall
Planetes seven principall
There ben, that mannes sighte
demeth
By thorizont as to us semeth.
And also there ben Signe's twelve,
Which haveher cercles by hem selve
Compassed in the zodiaque
In which they have her places take,
And as they stonden in degre
Her cercles more or lasse be
Made after the proportion
Of therthe, whose condicion
Is set to be the foundament
To susteigne up the firmament.
And by this skill a man may knowe,
The mor6 that they stonden lowe
The more ben the cercles lasse,
That causeth why that some passe
Her due' cours to-fore an other.
I Clintdts, regions, climes.


But now, my leve dere brother,
As thou desirest for to wite
What I finde in the bokes write,
To telle of the Planetes Seven
How that they stonde upon the
heven,
And in what point that they ben in,
Take hede, for I woll begin,
So as the philosophre taught
To Alisaundre and it betaught,
Wherof that he was fully taught
Of w isdom which was him betaught.
"Beneth all other stant the Mone,
The which hath with the See to done
Of flodes high and ebbes lowe
Upon his chaunge it shall be knowe.
And every fissh which hath a shelle
Mote in his governauince dwelle
To wexe and wane in his degre,
As by the Mone a man may se,
And all that stant upon the grounde
Of his moisture it mot be founde.
All other sterres, as men finde,
Ben shinend of her owne kinde
Out take only the mone light,
Which is nought of him selve
bright,
But as he taketh it of the Sonne.
And yet he hath nought all full
wonne
His light that he nis somdele
derke.
But what the let is of that werke
In almagest 1 it telleth this.
The Mones cercle so lowe is,
Wherof the Sonne out of his stage
Ne seth him nought with full visage
For he is with the ground beshaded,
So that the Mone is somdele faded
And may nought fully shine clere.
But what man under his powere
Is bore, he shall his place chaunge
And seche many londe's straunge.
1 Almagest, Ptolemy's collection of the observations of the old astronomers.




35o.195


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


And as of this condici6n
The Monds disposici6n
Upon the londe of Alemaigne
Is set, and eke upon Britaigne,
Which is now clepdd Engelonde,
For they travaile in every londe.
" Of the Planetes the sec6nde
Above the Mone hath take his
bonde
Mercure, and his nature is this,
That under him who that bore is,
In boke he shall be studi6us
And in writinge curi6us
And slowe and lustles to travaile
In thing whiche elles might availe.
He loveth ese, he loveth rest,
So is he nought the worthiest.
But with somdele besinesse
His hert is set upon richesse.
And as in this condicion
Theffect and disposici6n
Of this Planete and of his chaunce
Is most in Borgone and in Fraunce.
Next to Mercure as woll befalle
Stant that Planete which men calle
Venus, whose constellaci6n
Governeth all the naci6n
Of lovers, where they spede or none,
Of which I trowe thou be one.
But whiderward thin happes wende,
Shall this Planete shewe at ende,
As it hath do to many mo,
To some wel, to somd wo.
And netheles of this Planete
The most party is softe and swete.
" For who that therof taketh his
berth
He shall desire joy and merth,
Gentil, curteis and debonaire
To speke his wordds softe and faire,
Such shall he be by wey of kinde.
And over all where he may finde
Plesauince of love, his herte boweth
With all his might and ther he
woweth.


Venus of love the goddesse
Is cleped, but of wantonesse
The climate of her lechery
Is most comuine in Lumbardy.
"Next unto this Planete of love
The bright6 Sonne stant above,
Which is the hinderer of the night
And furtherer of the daies light,
As he which is the worldes eye,
Through whom the lusty compaignie
Of foules by the morwe singe,
The freshe floures sprede and
springe,
Thehighetre the groundbeshadeth,
And every mannds herte gladdeth.
And for it is the Hede Planete,
How that he sitteth in his fete,
Of what richesse, of what nobley
These bok6s telle, and thus they
say.
"Of golde glistrend spoke and
whele
The sonne his carte 1 hath faire and
wele,
In whiche he sitte, and is cor6ned
With brighte stones envir6ned,
Of which if that I speke shall
There be to-fore in speciell
Set in the front of his cordne
Thre stones, which that no pers6ne
Hath upon erthe, and the first is
By name cleped licuchis.
That other two be cleped thus
Astrices and ceramius.
In his cor6ne, also behinde,
By olde bokes as I finde,
There ben of worthy stones thre
Set ech of hem in his degre,
Wherof a cristall is that one,
Which that cor6ne is set upon.
The seconde is an adamant.
The thridde is noble and avenaint,
Which cleped is ydriades.
And over this yet netheles
1 Carte, chariot.




BOOK VII.-HOTW A KING TWAS TAUGHT. 35I


Upon the sides of the werke,
After the writing of the clerke,
There sitten five stones mo,
The smaragdine is one of tho,
Jaspis and elitropius
And vendides and jacinctus.
Lo, thus the corone is beset,
Wherof it shineth well the bet,
And in such wise his light to sprede
Sit with his diademe on hede
The sonne shinend in his carte.
And for to lede him swithe and
smarte
After the brighte daies lawe
There ben ordein6d for to drawe
Four hors his chare and him withall,
Wherof the names telle I shall.
Erithefts the first is hote,
The which is red and shineth hote,
The second Acteos the bright,
Lampes the thridde courser hight,
And Philogeus is the ferth,
That bringen light unto this erth
And gone so swifte upon the
heven,
In foure and twenty houre's even
The carte with the brighte sonne
They drawe, so that over ronne
They have under the cercles high
All middel erthe in suche an hie.'
"And thus the sonne is over all
The Chefe Planete imperiall,
Above him and beneth him thre
And thus betwene hem regneth he
As he that hath the middel place
Among the Seven, and of his face
Be glad all erthly creatures
And taken after the natures
Her ese and recreacion.
And in his constellaci6n
Who that is bore in speciall,
Of good will and of liberall
He shall be founde in alle place
And also stonde in mochel grace
] Hie. haste,


Toward the lordes for to serve
And great proffte and thank deserve.
And over that it causeth yit
A man to be subtil of wit,
To worch in golde, and to be wise
In every thing which is of prise.
But for to speken in what coste
Of all this erth he regneth moste,
As for wisdom it is in Grece,
Where is appropred thilke spiece.
" Mars the planete bataillofis
Next to the sonne gloriouis
Above stant and doth merveiles
Upon the fortune of batailes.
The conquerouirs by daie's olde
Were unto this planete holde.
But who that his nativite
Hath take upon the proprete
Of Martes disposicion
By wey of constellacion,
He shall be fiers and fool hastife
And desirouis of werre and strife.
But for to tellen redely
In what climate most communly
That this Planete hath his effecte,
Said is, that he hath his aspecte
Upon the Haly Londe so cast,
That there is no pees stedefast.
" Above Mars upon the heven
The Sixte Planete of the Seven
Stant Jupiter the delicate,
Which causeth pees and no debate.
For he is cleped the Planerte,
Which of his kinde softe and swete
Attempreth all that to him longeth.
And whom this Planete underfongeth
To stonde upon his regiment,'
He shall be meke and pacie'nt
And fortunate to marchan&d
And lusty to delfcacy
In every thing which he shall do.
This Jupiter is cause also
1 Regimtent, rul:.




352


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Of the science of lighte werkes,
And in this wise tellen clerkes
He is the planete of delices.
But in Egipte of his offices
He regneth most in speciall,
For there be lustes over all
Of all that to this life befalleth.
For there no stormy weder falleth,
Which mighte greve man or beste,
And eke the londe is so honeste,
That it is plenteous and pleine,
There is no idel ground in veine.
And upon such felicite
Stant Jupiter in his degre.
" The highest and aboven alle
Stant that Planete, which men calle
Satirnus, whose complexi6n
Is colde, and his condici6n
Causeth malice and cruelt6
To him the whose nativite
Is set under his governauince.
For all his werkes ben grevauince
And enemy to mannes hele,
In what degre that he shall dele.
His climate is in orient,
Where that he is most violent.
" Of the Planetes by and by,
How that they stonde upon the sky,
Fro point to point as thou might here
Was Alisaundre made to lere.
But over this touchernd his lore
Of thing that they him taughtemore
Upon the scoles of clergy,
Now herken the philosophy.
" He which departeth dayfronight,
That one derke that other bright,
Of seven daies made a weke;
A month of foure wekes exe,
He hath ordeindd in his lawe;
Of monthes twelve and eke forthdrawe
He hath also the longe yere.
And as he set of his powere
Accordaunt to the daies seven
Planetds seven upon the heven,


As thou to-fore hast herd devise,
To speke right in such a wise
To every monthd by him selve
Upon the heven, of signes twelve
He hath after his ordinall
Assigned one in speciall,
Wherof so as I shall rehercen
The tides of the yere diversen.
But pleinly for to make it knowe
How that the signes sit a rowe,
Eche after other by degre
In substaunce and in propretd
^e 3obidque comprehendeth
Within his cercle and it appendeth.
" The firste of whiche netheles
By name is cleped Aries,
Which lich a wether of stature
Resembled is in his figure.
And as it saith in almageste
Of sterres twelve upon this beste
Ben set, wherof in his degre
The wombe hath two, the heved
hath thre,
The taile hath seven, and in thiswise,
As thou might here me devise,
Stant Aries, which hote and drie
Is of him self, and in partie
He is the receipt and the hous
Of mighty Mars the batailous.
And overmore eke as I finde
The Creator of alle kinde
Upon this Signe first began
The world, whan that he made man,
And of this constellacidn
The verray operaci6n
Availeth, if a man therinne
The purpose of his werk beginne,
For than he hath of proprete
Good spede and great felicite.
" The twelve monthes of the yere
Attitled under the powere
Of these twelve signds stonde,
Wherof that thou shalt understonde
This Aries out of the twelve
Hath Marche attitled for him selve,




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 353


Whan every brid shall chese his
make,
And every nedder and every snake
And every reptile which may move,
His might assaieth for to prove
To crepen out ayein the sonne,
Whan Verl hisseson hath begonne.
"Taurus the seconde after this
Of Sign6s which figtired is
Unto a bulle, drie and colde,
And as it is in bok6s toide
He is the hous appurtenaunt
To Venus somdele descordafint.
This bulle is eke with sterres set,
Through which he hath his hornes
knet
Unto the taile of Aries,
So is he nought there sterreles.
Upon his brest eke eightetene
He hath, and eke as it is sene
Upon his tail stonde other two.
His month assigned eke also
Is Averil, which of his shoures
Minfstreth wav unto the floures.
"The thridde Signe is Gemini,
Which is fig'ired redely
Lich to two twinnes of man kinde,
That naked stonde. And as I
finde,
They ben with sterres wel bego,
The heved hath parte of thilke two,
That shine upon the bulles taile,
So ben they both of o paraile.
But on the wombe of Gemini
Ben fivd sterrds nought forth.
And eke upon the fete be twey,
So as these oldd bokes say,
That wise Tholomeus wrote.
His propre monthd wel I wote
Assigned is the lusty May,
Whan every brid upon his lay
Among the grend lev6s singeth,
And love of his pointured stingeth
After the lawes of nature
1 Ver, the Spring.


The youthe of every creatufre.
" Cancer after the reule and space
Of Sign6s halt the forthe place.
Like to the crabbe he hath semblatince
And hath unto his retinafince
Sixten6 sterres, wherof ten,
So as these olde wise men
Descrive, he bereth on him to-fore
And in the middle two before
And four he hath upon his ende,
Thus goth he sterr6d in his kende.
And of him self is moist and colde
And is the propre hous and holde
Which apperteineth to the Mone
And doth what longeth him to done.
The month of Juin unto this Signe
Thou shalte after the reule assigne.
" The fifte Signe is Leo hote,
Whos kinde is shape drie and hote,
In whom the Sonne hath herbergage.
And the semblauince of his ymage
Is a leon, which in baillie
Of sterres hath his purpartie,
The fourd which as Cancer hath
Upon his ende, Leo tath
Upon his heved, and thann6 neste
He hath eke foure upon his breste,
And one upon his tail behinde.
In old6 bok6s as we finde.
His propre month is Juil by name,
In which men pleien many a game.
"After Leo Virgo6 the nexte
Of Signes clep6d is the sexte,
Wherof the figure is a maide,
And as the philos6phre saide,
She is the welth and the rising,
The lust, the joy and the likifng
Unto Mercure. And soth to say
She is with sterr6s well beseie,
Wherof Leo hath lent her one,
Which sit on high her heved upon.
HIer wombe hath five, her fete also
Have other five, and ever mc
z




354


CONFESSIO AiMANTIS.


Touchend as of complexi6n
By kindly disposition
Of drie and cold this maiden is.
And for to tellen over this
Her month as thou shalte understonde,
Whan every felde hath corne in
honde
And many a man his backe hath
plied,
Unto this signe is Augst applied.
" After Virg6 to reknen even
Libra sit in the nombre of seven,
Which hath figfire and resemblaince
Unto a man which a balaunce
Bereth in his honde as for to weie,
In boke and as it may be seie.
Diverse sterres to him longeth,
Wherof on heved he underfongeth
First thre, and eke his wombe hath
two,
And down beneth eight other mo.
This signe is hote and moiste both,
The whiche thinges be nought loth
Unto Venus, so that alofte
She resteth in his hous full ofte,
And eke Saturnus often hied
Is in this signe and magnified.
Hispropre month is said Septembre,
Which yiveth men cause to remembre,
If any sore be left behinde
Of thing which greve may to kinde.
"Among the Signes upon height
The signe, whiche isnombred eight,
Is Scorpio, which as felon
Figcired is a Scorpi6n.
But for all that yet nethelesse
Is Scorpio nought sterrdlesse.
For Libra graunteth him his ende
Of eightd sterres, where he wende,
The which upon his heved assised
He bereth, and eke there ben devised
Upon his wombe sterres thre
And eight upon his taile hath he.


Which of his kinde is moist and colde
And unbehovely manyfolde.
He harmeth Venus and empeireth,
But Mars unto his hous repeireth,
But ware whan they to-gider dwellen.
His propre monthe is, as men tellen,
Octobre, whichbringeththe kalende
Of Winter, that comethnext suende.
" The ninth signe in Novembre
also,
Which folweth after Scorpio,
Is cleped Sagittarius,
The whos figuire is marked thus;
A monstre with a bowe on honde,
On whom that sondry sterres stonde,
Thilke eight of whiche I spake tofore,
The which upon the tail ben lore
Of Scorpio the heved all faire
Be spreden of the Sagittaire,
And eight of other stonden even
Upon his wombe, and other seven
There stonden on his tail behindc,
And he is hote and drie of kinde.
To Jupiter his hous is fre.
But to Mercure in his degre,
For they be nought of one assent,
He worcheth great empeirement.
This signe hath of his propretd
A monthe, whiche of duete
After the seson that befalleth
The ploughes oxe in winter stalleth.
And fire into the halle he bringeth
And thilkde drinke of which men
singeth.
He torneth must into the wvine,
Than is the larder of the swine.
That is Novembre which I mene,
Whlan that the leef hath lost his grene
"Thetenthe Signe drie and colde,
The which is Capricornus tolde,
Unto a gote hath resemblaince.
For whosd love and aqueintauince
Within his housd to sojorne
It liketh well unto Satorne,




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 355


But to the MIone it liketh nought,
For no profit is ther6 wrought.
This Signe as of his proprete
Upon his heved hath sterres thre
And eke upon his wombe two
And twey upon his taile also.
Decembre after the yer6s forme,
So as the bokes us enforme,
Withdaies shorte and nightes longe
This ilk6 Signe hath underfonge.
"Oftho that sitte upon theheven
Of Signes in the nombre elleven
Aquariuis hath take his place
And stant well in Satornds grace,
Which dwelleth in his herbergage.
But to the Sonne he doth oultrage.
This Signe is verraily resembled
Lich to a man which halte assembled
In either honde a water spout,
\Wherof the stremes rennen out.
He is of kindc moist and hote,
And he that of the sterres wote
Saith, that he hath of sterr6s two
Upon his heved, and bene of tho
That Capricorn hath on his ende.
And as the bokes maken minde
That Tholomeus made him selve,
He hath eke on his wombd twelve,
And twey upon his ende stonde.
Thou shalte also this understonde,
The frosty colde Janevere,
Whan comen is the newt yere,
That Janus with the double face
In his chare hath take his place
And loketh upon bothe sides
Some dele toward the winter tides,
Some dele toward the yere suende,
That is the monthe belong6nde
Unto this Signe, and of his dole
He viveth the firste primerole.1
" The twelfthe, which is last of alle
Of sign6s, Piscis men it calle,
The which, as telleth the scripture,
Bereth of two fisshes the figure.
1 Primerole, priumro:e.


So is he colde and moist of kinde,
And eke with sterr6s as I finde
Beset in sondry wise, as thus
Two of his ende Aquarius
Hath. lent unto his heved, and two
This Signe hath of his owne also
Upon his wombe, and over this
Upon his ende also there is
A nombre of twenty sterres bright,
Which is to sene a wonder sight.
Toward this signe into his hous
Comth Jupiter the gloriouis,
And Venus eke with him accordeth
To dwellen, as the boke recordeth.
The Month unto this signeordeined
Is Februar, which is bereined.
And with londflodes in his rage
At fordes letteth 1 the passage.
"Nowhastthouherdthepropretc
Of Signes, but in his degre
Albumazare vet over this
Saith, so as therthe parted is
In fourd5, right so ben devised
Thesignes twelve.andstondeassised
That eche of hem in his partie
Hath his climate to justifie.
Wherof the firstd regiment
Toward the parte of orient
From Anti6che and that contr6
Govdrned is of Signes thre,
That is Cancer, Virg6, Le6.
And towarde occident also
From Armeny, as I am lerned,
Of Capricorne it stant governed,
Of Piscis and Aquarius.
And after hem I finde thus
Southward fro Alisaundre forth
Tho Sign6s, whiche most ben worth
In governaunce of that doaire,2
Libra they ben and Sagittaire
With Scorpio, which is conjoint
With hem to stonde upon that point
Of Constantnople the cite,
So as the bo6ks tellen me.
1 Lettf~ti, hindlicr.  2.Doaire proviuce,




3S6


CONFESSIO A1MANTIS.


The last of this division
Stant untoward Septemtrion,
Where as by wey of purveiauince
Hath Aries the governaiince
Forth with Taurus and Gemini.
Thus ben the Signes proprely
Devided, as it is reherced,
Wherof the londes ben diversed.
"<0o fjus, mP zone, as thou
might here,
Was Alisaundre made to lere
Of hem that weren for his lore.
But now to loken overmore
Of other sterres how they fare
I thenke hereafter to declare,
So as king Alisaundre in youth
Of him that suche signes couth
Enformed was to-fore his eye
By night upon the sterres sigh.
C" Upon sondry creacion
Stant sondry operacion,
Some worcheth this, some worcheth
that;
The fire is hote in his estate
And brenneth what hemayatteigne,
The water may the fire restreigne,
The which is colde and moist also.
Of other thinge it fareth right so
Upon this erthe among us here.
And for to speke in this man6re
Upon the heven, as men may finde
The sterr6s ben of sondry kinde
And worchen many sondry thinges
To us that bene her underlinges.
Among the which6 forth withall
Nectanabus in speciall,
Which was an astronomien
And eke a great magicien
And undertake hath thilke emprise,
To Alisaundre in his apprise
As of magiqu6 naturele
To knowe, enformeth him somdele
Of certein sterres what they mene,
Of which he saith there ben fiftene.
And sondrily to everichone


A gras belongeth and a stone,
Wherof men worchen many a
wonder
To sette thing bothe up and under.
" To telle right as he began
The firste sterre Aldeboran,
The clerest and the most of alle,
By righte name men it calle,
Which liche is of condition
To Mars and of complexion
To Venus, and hath therupon
Carbunculum his propre stone.
His herbe is Anabulla named,
Which is of great vertule proclamed.
" The seconde is nought vertules
Clota, or elles Pliades
It hatte and of the Mones kinde
He is. And also this I finde,
He taketh of Mars complexion,
And lich to such condition
His stone appropred is Cristall,
And eke his herbe in speciall
The vertuouis Fen6l it is.
"The thridd6, which comth after
this,
Is hote Algol the clere rede,
Whiche of Satorne as I may rede
His kind6 taketh and eke of Jove
Complexion to his behove.
His propre stone is Diamaunt,
Which is to him most azccordaunt.
His herbe, which is him betake,
Is hote Eleborum the blacke.
"So as it falleth upon lot
The fourthe sterre is Alhaiot,
Which in the wise as I saide er
Of Satorne and of Jupiter
Hath take his kinde, and therupon
The Saphir is his propre stone,
Marrubium his herbe also,
The which accorden bothe two.
"And Canis major in his like
The fifte sterre is of magique,
The whos6 kinde is Venerien,
As saith this astronomien.




BOOK VII. —HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 357


His propre stone is said Berille,
But for to worche and to fulfille
Thing which to this Science falleth,
There is an herbe, which men
calleth
Saveine, and that behoveth nede
To him that woll his purpos spede.
" The sixte suende after this
By name Canis minor is.
The which sterre is Mercuriall
By wey of kinde, and forth withall
As it is writen in the carte
Complexion he taketh of Marte.
His stone and herbe as saith the
scole
Ben Achates and Primerole.
" The seventh sterre in speciall
Of this Science is Ariall,
Which sondrynature underfongeth.
The stone which propre unto him
longeth,
Gorgonza proprel' it hight.
His herbe also, which he shall right,
Upon the worching as I mene
Is Celidoine fresshe and grene.
"Sterre Ala corvi upon height
Hath take his place in nombre of
eight,
Which of his kinde mot performe
The will of Maarte and of Satorne,
To whom Lapacia the gret
Is herbe, but of no beyete.
His stone is Honochinus hote,
Through which men worchen great
riote.
' The ninthe sterre faire and:vele
By name is hote Alaezele,
Which taketh his propre kinde thus
Bothe of MIercure and of Venus.
His stone is the grene Emeraude
To whom is yoven many a laude.
Saulge is his herbe appurtenaunt
Aboven all the remenaunt.
" The tenthe sterre is Almareth,
Which upon life and upon deth


Through kinde of Jupiter and Marte
He doth what longeth to his parte.
His stone is Jaspe and of Plantaine
He hath his herbe soveraine.
" The sterre eleventh is Venenas,
The whose nature is, as it was,
Take of Ven'is and of the Mone
Inthing which he hath for to done,
Of Adamaunt is that perrie,
In whiche he worcheth his maistrie.
Thilke herbe also, which him befalleth,
Cicorea the boke him calleth.
"Alpheta in the nombre sit
And is the twelfte sterr6 yit,
Of Scorpio which is governed,
And taketh his kinde as I am lerned
And hath his vertue in the stone
Which cleped is Topazion.
His herbe propre is Rosmarine,
Which shapen is for his covine.
" Of these sterres which I mene,
Cor Scorpionis is thrittene,
The whos natured Mart and Jove
Have yoven unto his behove.
His herbe is aristolochy,1
Which folweth his astronomy.
The stone which this sterre alloweth,
Is Sardis which unto him boweth.
" The sterre which stant next the
last,
Nature of him this name cast
And clepen him Botercadent,
Which of his kind obedient
Is to Mercure and to Venus.
His stone is said Crisolitus.
His herbe is clep6d Satureie,
So as these olde bokes saie.
" But now the laste sterre of alle
The Taile of Scorpio men calle,
Which to Mercure and to Satorne
By wey of kinde mot retorne
1 Arisfolochy, miswritten ': astrology."  Cornelius Agrippa, De Occult. Phil., Lib. I., cap.
32, gives the plants under Coay Scorfpiovis as
Aristolochia and Crocus.




358


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


After the preparation
Of duie constellation.
The Calcidoine unto him longeth
Whichforhis stone heunderfongeth.
Of Majoran his herbe is grounded.
Thus have I said how they ben
founded
Of every sterre in special1,
Which hath his herbe and stone
withall,
As Hermes in his bokes olde
Witnessc bereth, of that I tolde.
" Now hast thou herd, in suche
a wise
These noble philosophres wise
Enformeden this yonge king
And made him have a knouleching
Of thing which first to the partie
Belongeth of philosophie,
Which Theorfque cleped is,
As thou to-fore hast herde er this.
But now to speke of the seconde,
Whiche Aristotle hath also founde
And techeth how to speke faire,
Whiche is a thing full necessaire
To counterpeise the balaunce,
Where lacketh other suffisaunce.
"Above all erthly creatuires
The Highe Maker of natuires
The Word to man hath yove alone,
So that the speche of his persone
Or for to lese, or for to winne
The   hertes  thought which  is
withinne,
May shewe what it wolde mene.
And that is no where elles sene
Of kinde with none other beste.
So shulde he be the more hon6st,
To whom God yaf so worthy a yifte,
And loke well that he ne shifte
His Wordes to none wicked use,
For Word the techer of vertuse
Is cleped in philosophy.
Wherof touchende this party
Is rhetorlque the science


Appropred to the reverence
Of Wordes that ben resonable.
And for this art shall be vailable
With goodly wordes for to like
It hath Gramaire, it hath Logiquie,
That serven both unto the speche.
Gramaire first hath for to teche
To speke upon congruite.
Logique hath eke in his degre
Betwene the trouthe and the falshode
The pleine wordes for to shode,1
So that nothing shall go beside
That he the right ne shall decide,
Wherof full many a great debate
Reformed is to good estate
And pees susteigned up alofte
With esy wordes and with softe,
Where strengthe shulde let it falle.
The philos6phre amonges alle
Forthy commendeth this science,
Which hath the reule of eloquence.
In stone and gras vertfie there is,
But yet the bokes tellen this,
ThatWorde above all erthlythinges
Is vertuo6s in his dofinges,
Where so it be to evil or good.
For if the Wordes semen good
And be well spoke at mannes ere
Whan that there is no trouthe there,
They done full oft full great deceipt.
For whan the Word to the conceipt
Descordeth in so double a wise,
Such Rhetorfque is to despise
In every place and for to drede.
" For of Ulixes thus I rede,
As in the boke of Troy is founde,
His eloquence and his faco'inde
Of goodly wordes which he tolde
Hath made that Anthenor him
solde
The town whichehe with treson wan.
Worde hath beguiled many a man,
XWith word the wildd beste is daun ted,
1 Shode, divide, discriminate.




BOOKI VII.-HOJTV A KING TWAS TA UGH'T. 359


With word the serpent is enchaunted,
Of wordes mong the men of armes
Ben  wound6s   heled  with  the
charmes,
Where lacketh other medicine
Worde hath under his discipline
Of sorcerie the carectes.
The wordes ben of sondry sectes,
Of evil and eke of good also.
The wordes maken frende of fo,
And fo of frende, and pees of werre,
And werre of pees, and out of herre
The word the worldes cause entriketh
And reconcileth who on him liketh.
The worde under the cope of heven
Set every thing or odde or even.
Withword the Highe God is plesed,
WVith word the wordes ben appesed.
The softe word the loude stilleth,
W\here lacketh good the word fulfilleth
To make amendes fol the wronge.
Whan wordds medlen with the songe,
It doth plesauncd well the more.
But for to loke upon the lore,
Iow Tullius his rhetorique
Componeth, there a man may pike
How that he shall his wordes set.
HIow he shall lose, howheshall knet,
And in what wise he shall pronounce
His tale pleine without frounce.
WVherof ensample if thou wilt seche,
Take hede and rede whilom the
speche
" Of Julius and Cicero,
Which consul was of Rome tho,
Of Caton eke, and of Silene
1Behold the wordes hem betwene,
WVhan the treson of Cateline
Discovered was, and the covine
Of hem that were of his assent
Was knowe and spoke in parlement,


And axed howe and in what wise
Men sholden done him to jufse.
Silanus first his tale tolde
To trouth and as he was beholde
The comun profit for to save,
He saide how treson shuldd have
A cruel dethe.  And thus they
speke,
The consul both and Caton eke,
And saiden that for suche a wronge
There may no peine be to stronge.
But Julius with wordes wise
His tale tolde all other wise,
As he whichwolde her detherespfte,
And foundeth howe he might excite
The juges through his eloquence
Fro deth to torne the sentence
And set her hertes to pite.
Now tolden they, now tolde he:
They speken pleine after the lawe;
But he the wordes of his sawe
Coloi'reth in an other wey
Spekend. And thus betwene ti;e
twev
To trete upon this jugdment
Made eche of hem his argument.
Wherof the talds for to here
There may a man the scole lere
Of Rhetorfqud the eloquence,
Whiche is the seconde of Science
Touchende to Philosophie,
Wherof a man shall justifie
His wordes in dispditeson
And knette upon conclusion
His argument in suche a forme,
Which may the pleine trouthe enforme
And the subtil cautele abate,
Whiche everytrue man shall debate.
"The firstS, whiche is Theorique,
And the sec6nde Rhetonque
Sciences of Philosophy,
I have hem tolde as in party,
So as the philosophre it tolde
To Alisaundre. And now I wolde




360


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Tell of the thridde, what it is,
The which Practfqu6 cleped is.
"Lracftfqnu  stant upon thre
thinges
Toward the governaunce of kinges.
Wherofthe firste Ethique is named,
The whose Sci6nce stant proclamed
To teche of vertue thilke reule,
Howthat a King him self shall reule
Of his moral condition
WVith worthy disposition,
Of good living in his persone,
Which is the chefe of his corone.
It maketh a kinge also to lerne
Howe he his body shall governe,
Howe he shall wake, how he shall
slepe,
How that he shall his hele kepe
In mete, in drinke, in clothing eke.
There is no wisdom for to seke
As for the reule of his persone,
The which that this science allone
Ne techeth as by wey of kinde
That there is nothing left behinde.
"That other point, which to
practique
Belongeth, is Economique,
Which techeth thilke honeste,
Through which a King in his degre
His wife and child shal reule and
guie
So forth with all the compaignie
Which in his houshold shall abide,
And his estate on every side
In such manere for to lede
That he his houshold ne mislede.
"Practique hath yet the thridde
apprise,
Which techeth how and in what wise
Through his purveied ordenaunce
A King shall set in governauncc
His realme, and that is Policie
Which longeth unto Regalie
In time of werre, in time of pees,
To worship and to good encrees


Of clerke, of knight, and of marchaunt,
And so forth all the remenaunt
Of all the comun people about
WVithinn6 burgh and eke without
Of hem that ben artificers,
AWhiche usen craftes and mestiers,
Whose art is cleped mechanique;
And though they ben nought alle
like,
Yet netheles how so it falle,
O 1 lawe mot governe hem alle,
Or that they lese, or that they winne,
After the state that they ben inne.
" Lo, thus this worthy yonge king
Was fully taught of every thing
Which mighte yive entendement
Of good reule and good regiment
To suche a worthy prince as he.
But of verray necessite
The philosophre him hath betake
Five points, which he hath undertake
To kepe and holde in observafince
As for the worthy governauince
Which longeth to his Regalie
After the reule of Policie.
'" o etere  man belongeth lore,
But to no man belongeth more
Than to a King which hath to lede
The people als for his kinghede.
He may hem bothe save and spille,
And for it stant upon his wille
It sit him well to ben avised
And the vertues which are assised
Unto a Kinges regiment 2
To take in his entendement,
Wherof to tellen as they stonde
Hereafterward now woll I fondeo
Among the Vertues one is chefe
And that is Trouthe, which is lefe
To God and eke to man also.
And for it hath ben ever so,
Taught Aristotle as he well couth
1 0 one.    2 Reghncni, rule.




BOOK VII.-HOWTV A KING WAS TAUGHT. 361


To Alisaundre, how in his youth
He shulde of Trouthe thilke grace
With all his hole herte embrace,
So that his word be trewe and pleine
Toward the world, and so certeine
That in him be no double speche.
For if men shulde Trouthe seche
And found it nought within a King,
It were an unsittcnde 1 thing.
The worde is token of that within,
There shall a worthy king begin
To kepe his tunge and to be trewe,
So shall his price ben ever newe.
Avise him every man to-fore
And be well ware, er he be swore,
For afterwarde it is to late
If that he wolde his word debate.
For as a King in speciall
Above all other is princip'll
Of his power, so shulde he be
Most vertuous in his degre.
And that may well be signified
By his cor6ne and specified.
" The gold betokneth excellence,
That men shuld done him reverence
As to her lege soveraine.
The stones, as the bokes saine,
Commended ben in treble wise.
First they ben hard and thilke
assise
Betokeneth in a King constaunce,
So that there shall no variauince
Be found in his condicion.
And also by description
The vertue whiche is in the stones,
A verray signe is for the nones
Of that a king shall ben honest
And holde trewely his behest
Of thing which longeth to kinghede.
The bright6 colour, as I rede,
Which is in the stones shinend,
Is in figire betokenend
The cronique of this worldes fame
Which stant upon his gode name.
1 Uwsittendt, unbecoming.


The cercle, which is rounde aboute
Is token of all the londe aboute,
Which stant under his gerarchie,
That he it shall well kepe and guie.
And for that Trouthe how so it falle
Is the Vertue Soveraine of aile
That longeth unto regiment,
A tale whlich is evident
Of Trouthe in commendacidn,
Toward thin enformacion,
My sone, herafter thou shalt here
Of a cronique in this matere.
Jl fte cronique it dothreherce,
A soldan whilom was of Perse,
Which Daires hight, and Ytaspis
His fader was. And sothe it is,
That through wisd6m and high
prudence
More than for any reverence
Of his lignage as by descent
The regne of thilke empiree he hent.
And as he was him selfe wise
The wise men he held in prise,
And sought hem out on every side
That toward him they shulde abide.
Among the whiche thre there were.
That most service unto him bere
As they which in his chambre
lighen
And all hiscounceil herdandsighen.
Her names ben of straunge note,
Harpaghes was the firste hote,
And Manachaz was the secounde,
Zorobabel, as it is founde
In the cronique, was the thridde.
This soldan what so him betidde
To hem he triste most of alle,
Wherof the case is so befalle:
This lord, which hath conceiptes
depe,
Upon a night whan he hath slepe,
As he which hath his wit disposed,
Touchendapointhem hath opposed.
The kinges question was this,
Of thinges thre which strongest is,




362


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


The Wine, theWoman or the King?
And that they shulde upon this
thing
Of her answere avised be,
He yaf hem fully daies thre
And hath behote hem by his feith
That who the beste reson saith
He shall receive a worthy mede.
"Upon this thing they token hede
And stoden in dispuiteson,
That by divers opinion
Of arguments that they have holde
Harpaghes first his tale tolde
And said, how that the strength of
kinges
Is mightiest of alle thinges.
For King hath power over man,
And man is he which reson can,
As he which is of his natuire
The moste noble cre'atuire
Of alle tho that God hath wrought.
And by that skill it semeth nought,
He saith, that any erthly thing
May be so mighty as a King.
A King may spille, a King may
save,
A King may make of lorde a knave
And of a knave a lord also,
The power of a King stant so,
That he the lawes overpasseth.
What he woll make lasse he lasseth.
What he woll make more he moreth.
And as a gentil faucon soreth,
H e fleeth that no man him reclameth,
But he alone all other tameth
And stant him self of lawd fre.
Lo, thus a Kinges might, saith he,
So as his reson can argue,
Is strengest and of most val6e.
"But Manachaz saith other wvise,
That Wine is of the more emprise,
And that he sheweth by this way.
The Wine full ofte taketh away
The reson fro the mannes herte,
The Wine can make a creple sterte


And a deliver 1 man unwelde,
It maketh a blind man to behelde
And a bright eyed seme derke,
It maketh a lewde man a clerke,
And fro the clerkes the clergy
It taketh awey, and cowardy
It torneth into hardiesse,
Of avarice it maketh largesse.
The Wine maketh eke the good
blood,
In which the soule, which is good,
Hath chosen her a resting place
While that the life herwoll embrace.
And by this skille Manachaz,
Answered hath upon this cas
And saith, that Wine by wey of
kind
Is thing which may the hertes bind
Well more than the Regalie.
" Zorobabel for his partie
Said as him thoughte for the best,
That Women ben the mightiest.
The Kinge and the Vinour also
Of Women comen bothe two.
And eke he said, how that manhede
Through strengthe unto thewomanhede
Of love, where he woll or none,
Obeie shall, and therupon
To shewe of Women the maistrie
A tale whiche he sigh with eye
As for ensample he tolde this.
" How Apemen, of Besazis
WNhich doughter was, in the paleis
Sittend upon his highe cleis,
Whan he was hottest in his ire
Toward the great of his empire,
Cyrus the King tiraunt she toke.
And only with her goodly loke
She made him debonaire and meke,
And by the chin and by the cheke
She luggeth him right as her list,
That now she japeth and now she
kist
1 Deliver, free of movement, lithe.




BOOK VII. —HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 363


And doth with him what ever her
liketh.
Whan that she loureth than he
siketh,
And whan she gladeth he is glad.
And thus this King was overlad
With hire which his lemman was.
" Among the men is no solas
If that there be no Woman there,
For but if that the Woman were
This worldes joie were awey.
Through hem men finden out the
wey
To knighthode and to worldes fame,
They make a man to drede shame
And honour for to be desired.
Through the beaute of hem is fired
The dart of which Cupide throweth,
Wherof the jolif peine groweth
Which al the worlde hath under fote.
A Woman is the mannes bote,
His life, his deth, his wo, his wele.
And this thing may be shewed wele,
H-ow that Women ben good and
kinde,
For in ensample thus I finde.
"Whan thatthedukeAdmetuslay
Sike in his bed, that every day
Men waiten whan he shulde dey,
Alcest his wife goth for to prey
With sacrifice unto Minerve,
As she which woldd thank deserve,
To wite answ6re of the goddesse,
How that her lorde of his sikenesse,
Wherof he was so wo beseine,
Recover might his hele ayeine.
Lo, thus she cride and thus she
praide,
Till atte last a vois her saide,
That if she wolde for his sake
The maladie suffre and take
And deie her self, he shulde live.
Of this answere Alcest hath yive
Unto Minerve great thonking,
So that her dethe and his living


She chese with all her hole entent,
And thus accorded home she went.
Into the chambre whan she came,
Her housebonde anone she name
In bothe her armes and him kist,
And spake unto him what her list.
And therupon within a throwe
The goode wife was overthrowe
And deied, and he was hole in
haste.
So may a man by reson taste,
How next after the God above
The trouth of Women and the love,
In whom that all grace is founde,
Is mightiest upon this grounde
And most behovely manyfolde.
" Lo, thus Zorobabel hath tolde
The tale of his opinion.
But for finall conclusi6n,
What strengest is of erthly thinges
The Wine, the Women or the
Kinges,              [alle
He saith, that Trouthe above hem
Is mightiest, how ever it falle.
The Trouthe how so it ever come
May for no thing ben overcome.
It may well suffre for a throwe,
But atte last it shall be knowe.
The proverbe is, who that is trewe,
Him shall his while 1 never rewe.
For how so that the cause wende
The trouthe is shameles atte ende.
But what thing that is troutheles
It may nought well be shameles,
And shame hindereth every wight.
So proveth it, there is no might
Withoute Trouthe in no degre.
And thus for trouthe of his decre
Zorobabel was most commended,
Wherof the question was ended
And he received hath his mede
For Trouthe, which to mannes nede
Is most behovelich over all.
Forth was Trouthe in speciAll
1 While, time.




364


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


The firste point in observaince
Betake unto the governauince
Of Alisaundre, as it is saide;
For therupon the ground is laide
Of every Kinges regiment,
As thing which most convenient
Is for to set a king in even
Bothe in this worlde and eke in
heven.
"; I'te  after Zrottfd  the secounde
In Policie as it is founde,
Which serveth to the worldes fame
In worship of a Kinges name,
Largesse it is, whose privilege
There may non avarice abrege.
The worldes good was first comuine,
But afterward upon Fortune
Was thilk6 comun profit cessed.
For whan the people stood encressed
And the lignages woxen great,
Anone for singular beyete
Drough every man to his partie,
Wherof come in the first envie
With  great debate and werres
stronge,
And last among the men so longe
Till no man wiste who was who
Ne which was frende ne which
was fo.
Till atte laste in every londe
Within hem self the people fonde,
That it was good to make a King
Which might appesen all this thing
And yive right to the lignages
In parting of her heritages
And eke of all her other good.
And thus above hem alle stood
The King upon his regaly,
As he which hath to justify
The worldes good fro covetise.
So sit it well in alle wise
A King betwene the more and lesse
To sette his herte upon Largesse


Toward him self and eke also
Towarde his people. And if nought
so,
That is to sain, if that he be
Toward him selfe large and fre
And of his people take and pille,
Largesse by no wey of skille
It may be said, but Avarice,
Which in a Kinge is a great Vice.
"A King behoveth eke to fle
The Vice of Prodegalite,
That he mesuire in his expence
So kepe that of indigence
He may be sauf. For who that
nedeth,
In all his werk the wors he spedeth.
As Aristotle upon Chaldee
Ensample of great auctorite
Unto king Alisaundre taught
Of thilke folk that were unsaught1
Toward her King for his pillage.
Wherof he bad in his corige
That he unto thre points entende
Where that he wolde his good despende.
" First shulde he loke how that
it stood
That all were of his owne good
The yiftes which he wolde yive,
So might he wel the better live.
" And eke he must taken hede
If there be cause of any nede
Which oughte for to be defended,
Er that his goodes ben despended.
" He mote eke as it is befalle
Amonges other thinges alle
Se the desertes of his men,
And after that they ben of ken
And of estate and of merite
He shall hem largdlich aquite,
Or for the werre, or for the pees,
That none honouir fall in decrees
Which mightd torne into diffame,


1 Unsaughit, out of accord (First English,
saht, peace, reconcilement).




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 365


But that he kepe his gode name,
So that he be nought holde unkinde.
For in cronique a tale I finde,
Which speketh somdele of this
matere,
Herafterward as thou shalte here.
"gtn Lom6 to pursue his right
There was a worthy pouer knight
Which came alone for to sain
His cause, when the court was plein
Where Julius was in presence.
And for him lacketh of despense
There was with him none advocate
To make plee for his estate.
But though him lacke for to plede
Him lacketh nothing of manhede.
He wiste well his purse was pouer,
But yet he thought hisright recouer,
And openly pouerte aleide
To themperour, and thus he saide:
'O Julius, lord of the lawe,
Behold, my counseil is withdrawe
For lacke or gold to thine office
After the law6s of justice.
Help, that I hadde counseil here
Upon the trouthe of my matere.'
And Julius with that anone
Assigndd him a worthy one.
But he him self no word ne spake.
This knight was wroth and found a
lake 1
In themperoulr, and saide thus:
'O thou unkinde Julius,
Whan thou in thy bataile were
Up in Aufrique, and I was there,
My might for thy rescousse I did
And putte no man in my stede.
Thou wost what woundes there I had,
But here I finde the so bad,
That the ne list to speke o worde
Thine owne mouth, norof thinhorde
To yive a florein me to helpe.
How shulde I thann mne beyelpe 2
Fro this day forth of thy largesse,
1 Lake, lack.  2 Beyelpe, boast.


Whan such a great unkindenesse
Is found in suche a lorde as thou?
This Julius knew well inough
Thatall was soth which hehim tolde.
And for he wold6 nought ben holde
Unkind, he toke his cause on honde,
And as it were of Goddes sonde,
He yaf him good inough to spende
For ever unto his lives ende.
"And thus shuld every worthy
king
Take of his knightes knouleching
Whan that he sigh they hadden nede,
For every service axeth mede.
But other, which have nought deserved
Through vertue but of japes served,
A King shall nought deserv6 grace,
Though he be large in suche a place.
" It sit well every king to have
Discretion whan men him crave,
So that he may his yifte wite;
Wherof I finde a tale write,
How Cinichus a pouere knight
A somme which was over might,
Praied of his king Antigonus.
The kinge answerde to him thus
And said, how such a yifte passeth
His pouer estate.  And than he
lasseth
And axeth but a litel peny,
If that the king wold yive him any.
" The king answerd, it was to
small
For him which was a lord reall,
To yive a man so litel thinge,
It were unworship in a kinge.
" By this ensample a King may
lere,
That for to yive is in manere,
For if a King his tresor lasseth
Without honour and thankeles
passeth,
W\han he him self woll so beguile
I not who shall compleigne his while




366


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Ne who by right him shall releve.
But netheles this I beleve
To helpe with his owne londe
Belongeth every man his honde
To set upon necessite.
"And eke his Kinges realte
Mote every legd man comf6rte
With good and body to supporte,
Whan they se cause resonable.
For who that is nought entendable
To holde upright his Kinges name,
Him oughte for to be to blame.
" Of Policie and over more
To speke in this matere more
So as the philos6phre tolde,
A King after the reule is holde
To modifie and to adresse
His yiftes upon such largesse
That he mesiire nought excede.
" For if a King fall into nede,
It causeth ofte sondry thinges,
Whiche are ungoodly to the kinges.
What man will nought him self
mesure,
Men seen ful ofte that mesuire
Him hath forsake. And so doth he
That useth prodegalite,
Which is the moder of pouerte,
Wherof the londes ben deserte.
And namely whan thilkl vice
About a King stant in office
And hath witholde of his party
The covetouise flatery
Which many a worthy King deceiveth,
Er he the fallace apperceiveth
Of hem that serven to the glose.
For they that connen plese and
glose
Ben, as men tellen, the norices
Unto the fostring of the Vices,
Wherof full ofte netheles
A King is blamed gilteles.
A Philos6phre, as thou shalt herej
Spake to a King of this matere


And said him well how that flatrours
Coupable were of thre errouirs.
One was toward the goddes high,
That weren wroth of that they sigh,
The mischefe which befalle sholde
Of that the false flatrour tolde
Toward the King.  Another was,
Whan they by sleight and by fallas
Of feigned wordes make him wene
That black is whiteand blew is grene
Touchend of his condici6n.
For whan he doth extorcion
With many an other Vice mo,
Men shall nought finden one of tho
To grucche or speke there ayein,
But holden up his oile 1 and sain,
That all is well what ever he doth.
And thus of fals they maken soth,
So that her Kinges eye is blent
And wot nought how the worlde is
went.
The thridde errouir is harm commune,
With which the people mot cornmuine
Of wronges that they bringen inne.
And thus they werchen treble sinne
That ben flatrouirs about a king.
There mighte be no wors6 thing
About a kinges regaly,
Than is the Vice of Flatery.
And netheles it hath ben used
That it was never yet refused,
As for to speke, in Court Reaill.
For there it is most speciell
And may nought longe be forbore.
But whan this Vice of hem is bore
That sholden the Vettuies forth
bringe,
And Trouthe is torned to Lesinge,
It is, as who saith, ayein kinde,
Wherof an old ensample I finde.
"Among these other tales wise
Of philosophres in this wise
1 His oile. his affirmation.




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 367


g rebe, how whilom two there were
And to the scole for to lere
Unto Athenes fro Carta.ge
Her frendes whan they were of age,
Hem   sende.  And   there they
stoden longe
Till they such lore have underfonge
That in her tim6 they surmounte
All other men, that to accompte
Of hem was tho the grete fame.
The first of hem his righte name
Was Diogenes thannd hote,
In whom was founde no riote.
His felaw Aristippus hight,
Which mochel couthe and mochel
might.
But atte laste soth to sain
They bothe tornen home ayein
Unto Cartage and scole lete.
This Diogenes no beyete
Of worldes good or lasse or more
Ne soughte for his longe lore,
But toke him only for to dwelle
At home. And as the bokes telle,
His house was nigh to a rivere
Beside a brigge, as thou shalt here.
There dwelleth he and taketh his
rest,
So as it thought him for the best,
To studie in his philosophie,
As he which wolde so defie
The worldes pompe on every side.
'" But Aristippe his boke aside
Hath laid, and to thecourt he wente,
Where many a wile and many a
wente 1
With flatery and wordes softe
He caste and hath compassed ofte
How he his princ6 mighte plese.
And in this wise he gate him ese
Of veine honouir and worldes good,
The lond6s reule upon him stood.
The king of him was wonder glad,
And all was do what thinge he bad,
1 IV;tc, turn.


Bothe in the courte and ekewithout
With flatery he brought about
His purpos of the worldes werke,
Which was ayein the state of clerke,
So that philosophy he lefte
And to richesse him self uplefte.
Lo, thus had Aristippe his will.
But Diogenes dwelte still
At home and loked on his boke.
He soughte nought the worldes croke
For veine honouir ne for richesse,
But all his hertes besinesse
He sette to be vertuofis.
And thus within his owne hous
He liveth to the suffisauince
Of his having. Andfell perchaunce,
This Diogene upon a day,
And that was in the month of May,
Whan that these herbes ben holsome,
He walketh for to gader some
In his gardin, of which his joutes'
He thoughte have, and thus aboutes
Whan he hath gadred what him
liketh,
He sethim thanne'downe and piketh
And wisshe his herbes in the flood
Upon the which his gardin stood
Nigh to the brigge, as I tolde ere.
And hapneth while he sitteth there,
Cam Aristippus by the strete
With many hors and routes grete
And straught unto the brigge he
rode
Where that he hoved and abode,
For as he cast his eyd nigh
His felaw Diogene he sigh,
And what he dede he sigh also,
Wherof he saide to him so:
'0 Diogene, God the spede.
It were certes litel nede
To sitten here and wortes pike
If thou thy prince couthest like 2
1 Joules or jotes, beeLs; also legumes used
in old cookery.
-  Lii;:', li'.-:e.




368


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


So as I can in my degre.'
O Aristippe,' ayein quod he,
'If that thou couthest so as I
Thy wortes pike trud6l,
It were als litel nede or lasse
That thou so worldly wol compasse
With flaterfi for to serve,
Wherof thou thenkest to deserve
Thy princes thank and to purchace
Howthoumight stondenin hisgrace
For getting of a litel good.
If thou wolt take into thy mood
Res6n, thou might by reson deme,
That so thy prince for to queme 1
Is nought to reson accordaint,
But it is greatly descordaunt
Unto the scoles of Athene.'
"Lo, thus answerde Diogene
Ayein the clerkes flaterie.
But yet men sene thessamplerie
Of Aristippe is well received
And thilke of Diogene is weived.
Office in court and gold in coffre
Is now, men sain, the philos6phre
Which hath the worship in thehalle.
But flaterie passeth alle
In chambre whom the court avaunceth.
For upon thilke lot it chaunceth
To be beloved now a day.
" I not if it be ye or nay,
How Dante the poete answerde
To a flatrour, the tale I herde.
Upon a strife betwene hem two
He said him, there ben many mo
Of thy servauntes than of min.
For the poete of his covine
Hath none that woll him cloth and
fede,
But a flatrouir may reule and lede
A king with all his londe about.
So stant the wisd man in doubt
Of hem that to folie drawe,
For such is now the comun lawe.
1 Queme, please.


But as the comune vois it telleth,
Where now that flaterie dwelleth
In every londe under the sonne,
There is full many a thing begonne
Which were better to be lefte;
That hath be shewed now and efte
"~lut if a prince him wolde
reule
Of the Romains after the reule
In thilke time as it was used,
This Vice shulde be refused
Wherof the princes ben assoted.
But where the pleind trouth is noted,
There may a prince wel conceive
That he shall nought him self deceive
Of that he hereth wordes pleine,
For him ther nought1 by reson
pleigne
That warned is er him be wo.
And that was fully prov6d tho,
Whan Rome was the worldes chefe,
The sothesaier tho was lefe,
Which wolde nought the trouth6
spare
But with his wordes plaine and bare
To themperour his sothes tolde,
As in cronique it is witholde,
Here afterwarde as thou shalt here
Accordend unto this matere.
"To se this olde ensemplarie,
That whilom was no flaterie
Toward the princes, wel I finde,
Wherof so as it comth to minde,
My sone, a tale unto thin ere,
While that the worthy princes were
At Rome, I thenke for to telle.
For whan the chaunces so befelle,
That any emperour as tho
Vict6rie had upon his fo
And so forth came to Rome ayein,
Of treble honoir he was certain,
Wherof that he was magnified.
' The first, as it is specified,
1 7zKghl, ought not.




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING TVAS TAUGHT. 369


Was, whan he cam at thilke tide,
The chare, in which he shuld6 ride
Four white sted6s sholde drawe;
Of Jupiter by thilke lawe
The cote he shuld6 were also.
His prison6rs eke sholden go
Endlong the chare on either honde,
And all the noble of the londe
To-fore and after with him come
Riddnd and broughten him to Rome
In token of his chivalrie,
And for none other flaterie.
And that was shew6d forth withall
Where he sat in his chare reall
Beside him was a ribald set
Which had his wordes so beset
To themperouir in all his glorie
He said6: ' Take into memorie,
For all this pompe and all this pride
Let no justice gon aside,
But know thy self, what so befalle.
For men seen ofte time falle
Thing which men wende siker
stonde.
Though thou victorie have on honde,
Fortune' may nought stonde alwey;
The whele perchaunce another day
May torne and thou might overthrowe,
There lasteth nothing buta throwe.'
"' With these wordes and with mo
This ribald, which sat with him tho,
To themperot'r his tale tolde.
And overmore what ever he wolde
Or were it evil or were it good
So plainly as the trouthe stood,
He spareth nought but speketh it out.
And so might every man about,
The day of that solempnite,
His tale tellen as wele as he
To themperouir all openly.
And all was this the cause why,
That while he stood in his noblesse
He shulde his vanit6 represse
With such6 wordes as he herde.


"; Lo now, how thilke time it ferde
Toward so high a worthy lorde.
For this I finde eke of recorde,
Which the cronique hath auctorized,
What emperot'r was entronized
The firste day of his corone,
Where he was in his real throne
And helde his fest in the paleis
Sittend upon his highe deis,
With all the lust that may be gete
Whan he was gladest at his mete,
And every minstrell hadd6 pleide
And every disour hadde saide
What most was plesant to his ere,
Than atte laste comen there
His masons for they sholden crave
Where that he wolde be begrave,
And of what stone his sepultlire
They sholden make, and what
sculpture
He wolde ordeign6 therupon.
Tho was there flaterie none
The worthy princes to bejape,
The thing was otherwise shape
With good counseile; and otherwise
They were hem selven thann6 wise
And understoden well and knewen;
Whan such6 softe windes blewen
Of flatery into her ere
They setten nought her hertes there.
But whan theyherde wordes feigned
The pleine trouth it hath desdeigned 1
Of hem that weren so discrete.
So toke the flaterer no beyete
Of him that was his prince tho.
And for to proven it is so,
A tale, which befell in dede,
In a cronique of Rome I rede.
estdr upon his reall throne
Where that he sat in his persone
And was highest in all his pris,
A man which wolde make him wise
1 Feigned words undervalued the plain truth
in men of such discernment.
2 A




37o


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Fell down knelend in his presence
And did him such a reverence
As though the high6 God it were.
Men hadden great merveile there
Of the worshipe which he dede.
This man aros fro thilke stede
And forth withall the same tide
He goth him up and by his side
He set him down as pere and pere
And saide, 'If thou that sittest here
Art God which alld thinges might,
Than have I do worship aright
As to the God; and other wise,
If thou be nought of thilke assise,
But art a man suche as am I,
Than may I sit the faste by,
For we be bothe of one kinde.'
" Cesar answerde and saide: C O
blinde,
Thou art a fol, it is well sene
Upon thy self. For if thou wene
I be a God, thou dost amis
To sit where thou seest God is.
And if I be a man also,
Thou hast a great folie' do,
Whan thou to such one as shall deie
The worship of thy God awey
Hast yiven so unworthily.
Thus may I prove redely,
Thou art nought wise.' And they
that herde,
How wisely that the king answerde,
It was to hem a newe lore,
Wherof they dradden him the more,
And broughten nothing to his ere
But if it trouthe and reson were.
So ben there many in such a wise,
That feignen wordes to be wise
And all is verray flatery
To him which can it well aspy.
" The kinde flatrour can nought
love
But for to bring him self above,
For how that ever his maister fare,
So that him self stonde out of care


Him reccheth nought. And thus
ful ofte
Deceived ben with wordes softe
The kinges that ben innocent.
Wherof as for chastiement
The wis6 philos6phre saide:
' What king that so his tresure laide
Upon such folke, he hath the lesse
And yet ne doth he no largesse
But harmeth with his owne honde
Him self and eke his owne londe.
And that by many a sondry wey,
Wherof if that a man shall sey
As for to speke in generall
Where such thing falleth over all
That any king him self misreule.The philos6phre upon his reule
In speciall a cause set
Whiche is and ever hath be the let
In governauince about a king
Upon the mischefe of the thing,
And that, he saith, is Flater',
Wherof to-fore as in party,
What Vice it is, I have declared.
For who that hath his wit bewared 1
Upon a flatrour to beleve,
Whan that he weneth best acheve
His gode world, it is most fro.
And for to proven it is so
Ensamples there ben many one,
Of whiche if thou wolt knowen one,
It is behovely for to here
What whilom fell in this matere.
Rmuong fte hinles in the bible
I finde a tale and is credible
Of him, that whilom Achab hight,
Which had all Israel to right.
But who that couthe glose softe
And flater, such he set alofte
In great estate and made hem riche.
But they that speken wordes liche
To trouthe and wolde it nought forbere
For hem was none estate to here,
1 Be.wared, spent.




BOOK VI. —HOTJ A KING TWAS TAUGHT. 37T


The courte of suchd toke none hede.
Till attd last upon a nede,
That Benedab kinge of Surie,
Of Israel a great partfe,
W\hich Ramoth Galatid was hote,
Hath sesdd. And of that riote
He toke counseile in sondry wise,
But nought of hem that weren wise.
And nethdles upon this cas
To strengthen him, for Josephas
Which thannd was kinge of Judee
He sendci for to come, as he
Which through frendshfp and alliaunce
\Vas next to him of alqueintauince.
For Joram sone of Josaphath
Achabbes doughter wedded hath,
Which highte faire Godelie.
And thus cam into Samar'
King Josaphat, and he found there
The king Achdb. And when they
were
To-gider spekend of this thing,
This Josaphat saith to the king,
How that he wolde gladly here
Some true prophet in this matere,
That he his counseil mighte yive
To what point it shall be adrive.
And in that time so befell
There was such one in Israel,
Which set him all to flateri,
And he was cleped Sedech',
And after him Achdib hath sent.
And he at his commaunddment
To-fore him cam, and by a sleight
He hath upon his heved on height
Two large hornes set of bras,
As he whiche all a flatrour was,
And goth rampend as a leon
And cast his hornes up and down
And bad men ben of good espeire,
For as the hornes percen thaire
He saith, withouten resistance,
So wist he well of his science
That Benedab is discomfite.


Whan Sedechy upon this plite
Hath told this tale unto his lorde,
Anone they were of his accorde
Prophetes false many mo
To bere up oile 1 and alle tho
Affermen that which he hath tolde;
Wherof the king Achab was bolde
And yaf hem yiftes all aboute.
But Josaphat was in great doubte
And held fantosme all thathe herdc,
Praiend Achlb how so it ferde,
If there were any other man,
The which of prophecie/ can,
To here him speke erthat they gone.
Quod Achab thann6: 'There is one,
A brothel, which Micheas hight.
But he ne comth nought in my sight
For he hath long in prison laien,
Him liked never yet to saien
A goodly word to my plesafince.
And netheles at thine instafince
He shall come out, and than he may
Say as he saide many a day;
For yet he saide never wele.'
Tho Josaphat began some dele
To gladen him in hope of trouthe,
And bad withouten any slouthe
That men him shuld6 fette 2 anone.
And they that weren for him gone
Whan that they comen where he was
They tolden unto Micheas
The manere how that Sedechy
Declardd hath his prophecy.
And therupon they pray him faire
That he woll said no contraire
Wherof the king may be desplesed,
For so shall every man be esed,
And he may helpe him self also.
Micheas upon trouthe tho
His hertd set and to hem saithAll that belongd to his feith
I To bere utf oile, to sustain the affirmation
(of Zedekiah).  Oil or oile is an old form  of
oui, yes.  " Oil, iiar 7na foi, sire, oil wmiti
volontiers," says each of the false prophets to
Ahab. See note, p. 366.
2 Fette, fetch.




CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And of none other feigned thing
That woll he tell unto the king,
Als fer as God hath yive him grace.
Thus came this prophete into place,
Where he the kinges wille herde.
And he therto anone answerde
And saide unto him in this wise:
' My lege lord, for my service,
Which trewe hath stonden ever yit,
Thou hast me with pris6n aquite.
But for all that I shall nought glose
Of trouthe als far as I suppose;
And as touchend of thy bataile
Thou shalt nought of the sothe faile.
For if it like the to here,
As I am taught in that matere,
Thou might it understonde sone.
But what is afterward to done
Avise the, for this I sigh,
I was to-fore the throne on high,
Where all the world me thoughtd
stode,
And there I herde and understode
The vois of God with wordes clere
Axend and saide in this manere:
' In what thing may I best beguile
The king Achab?' And for a while
Upon this point they speken fast.
Tho said a spirit atte last:
' I undertake this emprise.'
And God him axeth in what wise.
'I shall,' quod he, ' deceive and lie
With flater6nd6 prophecie
In suche mouthes as he leveth.'
And he which alle thing acheveth,
Bad him go forth and do right so.
And over this I sigh also
The noble people of Israel
Dispers as shepe upon an hill
Without a keper unarraied.
And as they wente about astraied,
I herde a vois unto hem sain:
' Goth home into your hous ayein,
Till I for you have better ordeigned.'
Quod Sedechie: *Thou hast feigned


This tale in angring of the king.'
And in a wrathe upon this thing
He smote Micheen upon the cheke;
The king him hath rebuked eke;
And every man upon him cride.
Thus was he shent on every side
Ayein and into prison ladde,
For so the kinge him selvd badde.
The trouthd mighte nought ben
herde;
But afterward as it hath ferde,
The dede proveth his entent.
Achab to the bataile went,
Where Benedab for all his shelde
Him slough, so that upon the felde
His people goth about astray.
But God, which alle thinges may,
So doth that they no mischefe have.
Her king was dede and they ben
save,
And home ayein in Goddes pees
They wente, and all was founde les1
That Sedech' hath said to-fore.
So sit it wel a king therfore
To loven hem that trouth6 mene.
For atte last it will be sene,
That flatery is nothing worth.
" But now to my matere forth
As for to speken overmore
After the philos6phres lore,
The thriddd point of policy
I thenk6 for to specify.
"'batf is a Ionb, where men
be none?
What ben the men which are allone
Without a kinges governaunce?
What is a king in his legeaunce
Where that thereisnolaweinlonde?
What is to take lawe on honde,
But if the juges weren trewe?
These olde worldes with the newe
Who that woll take in evidence
There may he se thexperience
W\hat thing it is to kepe lawe: Les, leasings, untruth.




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING TVAS TAUGHT. 373


Through which the wrongds be
withdrawe
And   rightwisness6  stant commended,
Wherof the regnes ben amended.
For where the lawe may comfine,
The lordes forth with the comune
Eche hath his propre duete.
And eke the kinges realti
Of bothe his worship underfongeth,
To his estate as it belongeth,
Whiche of his high6 worthinesse
Hath to governe rightwisnesse,
As he which shall the lawd guide.
And netheles upon some side
His power stant above the lawe
To yive both and to withdrawe
The forfet of a mannes life.
But thinges which are excessife
Ayein the lawe he shal nought do
For love ne for hate also.
" The mightds of a king be gret.
But yet a worthy king shall let
Of wrong to done all that he might,
For he which shall the people right,
It sit wel to his regaly
That he him self first justify
Towardes God in his degrc.
For his estate is elles fre
Toward all other in his persone,
Sauf only to the God alone
Which woll him self a king chastise
Where that none other may suffise.
" So were it good to taken hede
That first a king his owne dede
Betwene the Vertue and the Vice
Redresse, and than of his justice
So set in even the balauince
Towardes other in governaince,
That to the pouer and to the riche
His lawes mighten stonden liche,
He shall excepte no persone.
But for he may nought all him one
In sondry places do justice,
He shall of his reail office


With wise consideration
Ordeigne his deputation
Of suche juges as ben lerned,
So that his people be governed
By hem that tru6 ben and wise.
For if the lawe of covetise
Be set upon a juges honde,
Wo is the people of thilk6 londe,
For wrong may nought him selven
hide.
But ell6s, on that other side,
If lawe stondd with the right
The people is glad and stant upright,
Where as the lawe is resonable.
The comun people stant mevable,
And if the lawe torne amis,
The people also mistorndd is.
" And in ensample of this matere
Of Maximin a man may here,
Of Rome which was emperouir,
That whan he made a governour
By wey of substituci6n
Of province or of regi6n,
He wold6 first enquire his name
And lete it openly proclame
What man he were, or evil or good.
And upon that his name stood
Enclined to vertue or to vice,
So wolde he set him in office,
Or elles put him all awey.
Thus held the lawe his rightd wey,
Which found no let of covetise.
The world stood than upon the wise,
As by ensample thou might rede
And holde it in thy minde I rede.
n a cronique I findd thus,
How that Gaius Fabricius,
Which whilom was consul of Rome
By whom the lawes yede and come,
Whan the Sampnites tohimbrought
A somme of gold and him besought
To don hem favour in the lawe,
Toward the gold he gan him drawe
Wherof in alle mennes loke
A part up in his honde he toke,




374


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Which to his mouth in alle haste
He put it for to smelle and taste
And to his eye and to his ere,
But he ne found no comfort there.
And than he gan it to despise
And tolde unto hem in this wise:
'I not what is with gold to
thrive,
Whan none of all my wittes five
Find favour ne delite therinne.
So is it but a nice sinne
Of gold to ben to covetous.
But he is riche and glorious
Which hath in his subjectio6n
Tho men which in possession
Ben riche of gold, and by this skill,
For he may all day whan he will
Or be hem lefe or be hem lothe
Justice done upon hem bothe.'
"Lo, thus he said. And with
that worde
He threw to-fore hem on the borde
The gold out of his honde anone,
And said hem, that he wolde none.
So that he kept his liberte
To do justice and equite,
Withoutd lucre of such richesse.
Thereben now feweof suche I gesse.
For it was thilke times used,
That every juge was refused
Which was nought frend to comun
right,
But they that wolden stonde upright
For trouthe only to do justice
Preferred were in thilke office
To deme and juge comun lawe,
Which now men sain is all withdrawe.
"To sette a lawec and kepe it
nought
There is no comune profit sought.
But above alle nethdles
The lawe which is made for pees
Is good to kepd for the best,
For that set alle men in rest.


The rightful emperouir Conrde
To kepe pees such lawe made
That none withinne the citd
In destorbaunce of unite
Durst ones meven a matere.
For in his time as thou might here,
What point that was for lawe set
It shulde for no good be let 1
To what persone that it were.
And this brought in the comun fere
Why every man the lawe dradde,
For there was none which favour
hadde.
0o cs fl)Cse oflb bokes sain,
I finde write, how a Romain,
Which consul was of the pretoire,
Whose name was Carmidotoire,
He set a lawe for the pees
That none, but he be wepenles,
Shall come into the counseil hous,
And elles as maliciois
He shal ben of the lawe dede.
To that statuite, and to that rede
Accorden alle, it shall be so,
For certein cause which was tho.
Now list, what fell therafter sonc.
This consul hadde for to done
And was into the feldes ride.
And they him hadde longe abide,
That lordes of the counseil were,
And for him sende, andhe cam there
With swerd begert, and hath foryete
Till he was in the counseil sete.
Was none of hem that madc speche
Till he him self it woldd seche,
And founde outthe default him selve.
And than he saide unto the twelve
Which of the Senate weren wise:
' I have deserved the juise
In haste that it were do.'
And they him saiden alle no,
F! or well they wist it was no vice,
Vhan he 1e thotught6e no malice
I      1 ],'r;,,o,:vdbc lei, be stayed ior no money
consideration.




BOOK VII.-HOIT A KING WAS TAUGHT. 375


But onlich of a litel slouth.
And thus they leften as for routh
To do justice upon his gilte,
For that he shulde nought be spilte.
And whan he sigh the maner how
They wolde him save, he made avow
With manful herte, and thus he
saide,
That Rome shuld6 never abraide
His heires whan he were of dawe
That her auncdstre brake the lawe.
Forthy er that they weren ware,
Forthwith the same swerde he bare
The statute of his lawe kepte,
So that all Rome his dethebewepte.
"C Jt off)cr place also I rede,
Where that a juge his owne dede
He wol nought venge of lawe broke,
The king it hati him selven wroke.
The grete king, which Cambises
Was hote, a juge laweles
He found, and into remembrauince
He did upon him such vengeaunce:
Out of his skin he was beflain
All quick, and in that wise slain,
So that his skin was shape all mete
And nailed on the samd sete,
Where that his sone shulde sitte:
Avise him if he wolde flitte
The lawe for the covetise,
There sigh he redy his juise.
"Thus in defalte of other juge
The king mote otherwhile juge
To holden up the rightd lawe.
And for to speke of tholde dawe
To take ensample of that was tho,
I finde a tale write also,
How that a worthy prince is holde
The lawes of his londe to holde,
First for the highe Goddes sake
And eke for that him is betake
The people for to guide and lede,
Whichis the charge of hiskinghede.
1 IV'tan 1ze wcre ofdawc, when his days were!lded.


" it a cronique I rede thus
Of the rightfull Ligurgifis,
Which of Athenes prince was,
How he the lawe in every cas
Wherof he shulde his people reule,
Hath set upon so good a reule
In all this world that cite none
Of lawe was so well begone;
Forth with the trouthe of governaunce
There was among hem no distaunce,
But every man hath his encrees;
There was withoute werre pees,
Without envrif love stood;
Richesse upon the comune good
And nought upon the singuler
Ordeined was; and the power
Of hem that weren in estate,
Was sauf; wherof upon debate
There stood no thing, so that in
reste
Might every man his herte restc.
"And whan this noble rightfull
king,
Sigh how it ferde of all this thing
Wherof the people stood in ese,
He which for ever wolde plese
The highe God whose thank he
sought,
A wonder thing than he bethought
And shope, if that it mighte be,
How that his lawe in the cite
Might afterward for ever laste.
And therupon his wit he caste,
What thing him were best to feigne,
That he his purpose might atteigne.
A parlement and thus he set
His wisdom where that he beset
In audience of great and sma;e.
And in this wise he tolde his tale:
' God wote, and so ye woten alle,
Here afterward how so it falle,
Yet into now my will hath be
To do justice and equite
In forthring of comun profite,




376


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Such hath ben ever my delite.
But of o thing I am beknowe,
The which my will is that ye knowe.
The lawe which I toke on honde,
Was all to-gider of Goddes sonde
And no thinge of min owne wit,
So mote it nede endure yit
And shall do lenger, if ye will,
For I wol telle you the skill.
The god Mercurius and no man
He hath me taught all that I can
Of such6 lawes as I made,
Wherof that ye ben all1 glad.
It was the god and no thing I,
Which did all this, and now forth'
He hath commaunded of his grace,
That I shall come into a place
Which is forein, out in an ile,
Where I mot tarie for a while
With him to spekeand he hath bede.
For as he saith, in thilke stede
He shall me suche thinges telle
That everwhile theworld shal dwelle
Athenes shall the better fare.
But first er that I thider fare,
For that I wolde that my lawe
Amonges you ne be withdrawe
There whiles that I shall be oute,
Forthy to setten out of doubte
Both you and me, thus wol I pray,
That ye me wolde assure and say
With such an othe as ye woll take,
That eche of you shall undertake
My lawes for to kepe and holde.'
"They saiden alle, that they wolde.
And thereupon they s wore h ere othe,
That fro that time that he goth
Till he to hem be come ayeine
They shuld his lawes well and pleine
In every point kepe and fulfill.
Thus hath Ligurgius his will,
And toke his leve and forth he went.
But list now well to what entent
Of rightwisnesse he did so.
For after that he was ago


He shope him never to be founde:
So that Athenes, which was bounde,
Never after shulde be relesed,
Ne thilke gode lawe cesed,
Which was for comun profit set.
And in this wise he hath it knet,
He which the commun profite
sought,
The kinghis owne estate ne rought.1
To do profite to the comuine
He toke of exile the fortune
And lefte of prince thilke office
Only for love and for justice,
Through which he thought, if that
he might,
For ever after his deth to right
The cite which was him betake.
Wherof men ought ensample take
The gode lawes to avaunce
With hem which under governaunce
The lawes have for to kepe.
For who that wolde take kepe
Of hem that firste lawes founde,
Als fer as lasteth any bounde
Of londe her names yet ben knowe.
And if it like the to knowe
Someof her nam6s, howtheystonde,
Now herke and thou shalt understonde.
Of everv bienfaitf the merite
The God him self it woll aquite.
And eke full ofte it falleth so,
The worlde it woll aquite also,
But that maynought ben even liche.
The God he yiveth the heven riche,
The world yifth only but a name
Which stant upon the gode fame
Of hem that done the gode dede.
And in this wise double mede
Receiven they that done well here,
Wherof if that the list to here
After the fame as it is blowe,
There might thou well the sothd
knowe,
1 Rought, cared for.




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 377


How thilke honeste besinesse
Of hem that first for rightwisnesse
Among the men the lawds made,
May never upon this erthd fade.
For ever while there is a tunge,
Her names shall be rede and sunge
And holde in the croniqud write,
So that the men it sholden wite
To speke good, as they well oughten,
Of hem that first the lawes soughten
In forthring of the worldes pees.
Unto the Hebrews was Moises
The first, and to thegipciens
Mercurius, and to Trojens
First was Numa Pompilius,
To Athenes Ligurgius
Yave first the lawe, and to Gregois,
Foroneus hath thilke vois,
And Romulus to the Romains;
For suche men that ben vilains,
The lawe in such awise ordeigneth,
Tiat what man to thelawe pleigneth,
Be so the juge stond upright,
He shall be served of his right.
And so ferforth it is befalle
That lawe is come among us alle,
God leve it mote well bene holde,
As every king therto is holde.
For thing whiche is of kinges set,
With kinegs ought it nought be let.
What king of lawe taketh no kepe
By lawe he may no regne kepe.
Do lawe away, what is a king?
Where is the right of any thing,
If that there be no lawe in londe?
This ought a king well understonde,
As he which is to lawe swore,
That if the lawe be forbore
Withouten execuci6n,
It maketh a lond torne up so down,
Which is unto the king a sclaundre.
Forth> unto king Alisaundre
The wise philos6phre bad
That he him selve first be lad
Of lawe, and forth than over all


To do justice in generall,
That all the wide lond aboute
The justice of his lawe doubte,1
And thanne shall he stonde in rest.
For therto lawe is one the best
Above all otier erthly thing
To make a lege drede his king.
"But how a king shall gete him
love
Toward the highe God above
And eke among the men in erthe
This nexte point, which is the ferthe
Of Aristotles lore, it techeth,
Wherof who that the scold secheth
What policie that it is
The boke reherceth after this.
Pt nebefl) nought that I delate
The pris which preised is algate
And hath bene ever and ever shall,
Wherof to speke in speciell
It is the vertue of Pite,
Through which the highe mageste
Was stered, whan his sone alight
And in Pite the world to right
Toke of the maide flessh and blood.
Pite was cause of thilke good,
Wherof that we ben alle save.
Well ought a man Pite to have
And the vertue to set in prise,
Whanhe him self whiche is All Wise
Hath shewed why itshallbepreised.
Pite may nought be counterpeised
Of tirannif with no peise.
For Pitd maketh a king curteise
Both in his worde and in his dede.
It sit well every legd drede
His king, and to his hest obey.
And right so by the same wey
It sit a king to be pitous
Toward his people and graci6us
Upon the reule of governaiunce,
So that he worche no vengeaunce
Which may be cleped cruelte.
Justice which doth equite
1 Double, fear, reverence.




378


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Is dredful, for he no man spareth
But in the lond, where Pite fareth
The king may never faile of love,
For Pite through the grace above
So as the philosophre affermeth,
His regne in good estate confermeth.
Thapostel James in this wise
Saith, what man shulde do juise
And hath not Pite forth with all,
The dome of him which demeth all
He may him self ful sore drede,
That him shall lacke upon the nede
To finde Pite whan he wolde.
For who that Pite woll beholde,
It is a point of Cristes lore;
And for to loken overmore
It is behovely, as we finde,
To reson and to lawe of kinde.
Cassiodore in his aprise telleth:
'The Regne is sauf, where Pite
dwelleth.'
And Tullius his tale avoweth
Andsaith: Whatkingto Piteboweth
And with Pite stont overcome,
He hath that shilde of grace nome
Which to the kinges yiveth victoire.
" Of Alisaundre in his histoire
I rede, how he a worthy knight
Of sodein wrath and not of right
Forjuged hath, and he appelleth.
And with that word the king quareleth
And saith: ' None is above' me.'
' That wote I wel mylorde,' quod he,
Fro thy lordship appele I nought,
But fro thy Wrath in all my thought
To thy Pite stant min appele.'
The king, which understode him
wele,
Of pure Pite yave him grace.
And eke I rede in other place
Thus saide whilom Constantine'
'What empero'ir that is encline
To Pite for to be servaunt,
Of all the worldes remenaunt


He is worthy to ben a lord.'
" gn olbe bolts of recorde
Thus finde I write of ensamplaire:
Trajan the worthy debonaire,
By whomthat Rome stood gove'rned,
Upon a time. as he was lerned
Of that he was to fimili6r,
He saide unto that counceller
That for to ben an emperofir
His wil was nought for vein honour
Ne yet for reddour 1 of justice,
But if he might in his office
His lordes and his people plese.
Him thought it were a greater ese
With love her hertes to him drawe,
Than with the drede of any lawe.
For whan a thing is do for doubte,
Ful ofte it cometh the wors aboute
But where a kinge is pietouis
He is the more gracious,
That mochel thrift him shall betide
Which elles shulde torne aside.
" o bo pWitf, support, and grace
The philosophre upon a place
In his writing of daies olde
A tale of great ensample tolde
Unto the king of Macedoine,
How betwene Kaire and Babeloine,
Whan comen is the somer hete,
It hapneth two men for to mete
As they shulde entren in a pas
Where that the wildernesse was.
And as they wenten forth spekende
Under the large' wodes ende,
That o man axeth of that other:
'What man art thou, my levd
brother?
Which is thy creaunce and thy
feith?'
' I am paie'n,' that other saith,
'And by the lawe which I use,
I shall nought in my feith refuse
To loven alle men aliche.
The pouer both and eke the riche;
1 Rlcddour (oidezur), rigour.




BOOK VII.-HOTV A KING WAS TAUGHT. 379


Whan they ben glad I shall be glad,
And sory whan they ben bestad
So shall I live in unite
With every man in his degre:
For right as to my self I wolde,
Right so toward al other I sholde
Be graci'ous and debonaire.
Thus have I told the soft and faire
My feith, my lawe, and my crea'ince.
And if the list for aqueintaunce,
Now tell, what manerman thou art?'
And he answerde upon his part:
I am a Jewe, and by my lawe
I shall to no man be felawe
To kepe him trouth in word ne dede
But if he be withoute drede
A verray Jew right as am I.
For elles I may trewely
Bereve him bothe life and good.'
"The paien herde and understood
And thought it was a wonder lawe;
And thus upon her sondry sawe
Talkende bothe forth they went.
The day was hote, the sonne brent,
The paien rode upon an asse,
And of his catell more and lasse
With him a riche trusse he ladde.
' The Jew, which all untrouthe
hadde
And went upon his feet beside,
Bethought him how he mighte ride,
And with his wordes sligh and wise
Unto the paien in this wise
He said: ' 0, now it shall be sene
What thing it is thou woldest mene.
For if thy lawe{ be certain,
As thou hast tolde, I dare well sain
Thou wolt beholde my destresse,
Which am so full of werinesse
That I ne may unethe go,
And let me ride a mile or two
So that I may my body ese.'
The paien wold him nought displese


Of that he spake, but in pitd
It list him for to knowe and se
The pleint6 which that other made.
And for he wolde his hert6 glade,
He light and made him nothing
straunge,
Thus was there made a newe
chaunge.
The paien goth, the Jewe alofte
Was set upon his asse softe.
So gone they forth carpende faste
On this and that, till atte laste
The paien mighte go no more
And praide unto the Jew therfore
To suffre him ride a litel while.
The Jew, which thought him to
beguile,
Anone rode forth the grete pas
And to the paien in this cas
He saide: Thou hast do thy right
Of that thou haddest me behight
To do succour upon my nede,
And that accordeth to the dede,
As thou art to the lawe holde.
And in such wise, as I the tolde,
I thenke also for my partie
Upon the lawe of Jewerie
To worche and do my duete.
Thin asse shall go forth with me
With all thy good, which I have
sesed,
And that I wot thou art disesed
I am right glad and nought mispaid.'
And whan he hath these wordes
said,
In alle haste he rode away.
" This paien wot none other way,
But on the grounde he kneleth even,
His handes up unto the heven,
And said: 'O highe sothfastnesse,
That lovest alle rightwisnesse,
Unto thy dome, lorde, I appele,
B1eholde and deme my querele
With humble herte I the beseche,
The mercy bothe and eke the wreche




38o


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


I set all in thy jugement.'
And thus upon his marrement
This paien hath made his preiere.
And than he rose with drery chere
And goth him forth, and in his gate
He cast his eye about algate
The Jewe if that he mighte se.
But for a time it may nought be,
Till atte last ayein the night,
So as God wolde he went aright
As he which held the highe wey,
And than he sigh in a valley,
Where that the Jewe liggend was,
All bloody, dede upon the gras,
Which straungled was of a leon.
And as he loked up and down,
He found his asse faste by
Forth with his harneis redely
All hole and sound as he it lefte
Whan that the Jewe it him berefte:
Wherof he thonked God knelende.
" Lo, thus a man may knowe at
ende,
How the pitous pite deserveth.
For what man that to Pite serveth,
As Aristotle it bereth witnesse,
God shall his fomen so represse,
That they shall ay stond under fote.
Pite men sain is thilke rote
Wherof the vertues springen alle.
What infortuine that befalle
In any lond, lack of Pite
Is cause of thilke adversitd;
And that alday may shewe at eye,
Who that the world discretely sigh.
Good is that every man therfore
Take hede of that is said to-fore.
For of this tale and other inowe
These noble princes whilom drowe
Her evidence and her apprise,
As men may finde in many a wise,
Who that these olde bokes rede.
And though they ben in erthe dede,
Her gode name may nought deie
For Pite which they wold obey


To do the dedes of mercy.
And who this tale redelyRemembre, as Arist6tle it tolde,
He may the will of God beholde
Upon the point as it was ended,
Wherof that Pite stood commended,
Whiche is to Charite felawe,
As they that kepen both o lawe.
' Of Pite for to speke pleine,
Which is with mercy well beseine,
Full ofte he woll him selve peine
To kepe an other fro the peine.
For Charite the moder is
Of Pite, which nothing amis
Can suffre if he it may amende.
It sit to every man livdnde
To be pitous, but none so wele
As to a king, which on the whele
Fortune hath set aboven all.
For in a king, if so befalle
That his pite be ferme and stable,
To all the londe it is vailable
Only through grace of his persone.
For the pite of him alone
May all the large roialme save.
So sit it wel a king to have
Pite.  For this Valeire tolde
And said, how that by daies olde
6oblts, which was in his degree
King of Athenes the citee,
A werre he had ayein Dorence.
And for to take his evidence,
What shall befalle of the bataile,
He thought he wolde him first
counseile
With Apollo, in whom he triste,
Through whose answere thus he
wiste
Of two points that he mighte
chese,Or that he wolde his body lese
And in bataile him selve deie,
Or ellds the sec6nde wey
To seen his people discomfite.
But he, which Pite hath parfite




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 381


Upon the point of his beleve,
The people thoughte to releve
And chese him selve to be dede.
Where is now such another hede
Which wolde for the limmes die?
And netheles in some partie
It ought a kinges herte stere
That he his lege men forbere.
And eke toward his enemies
Full ofte he may deserve prise
To take of Pite remembraunce
Where that he mighte do vengeaunlce.
For whan a king hath the victoire
And than he drawe into memoire
To do pite in stede of wreche
He may nought fail of thilk6 speche
Wherof arist the worldes fame,
To yive a prince a worthy name.
"P rebe,   onm mW)itoln that
Pompey,
To whom that Rome must obey,
A werre had in jeopartie
Ayein the king of Armenie,
Which of long time him  hadde
greved.
But atte last it was acheved,
That he this king discomfit hadde
And forth with him to Rome ladde
As prisoner, where many a day
In sory plite and pouer he lay,
The corone on his hede deposed,
Withinne walles fast enclosed.
And with full great humilite
He suffreth his adversite.
Pompeie sigh his pacience
And toke pite with conscience,
So that upon his highe deis
To-fore all Rome in his paleis,
As he that wolde upon him rewe,
Let vive him his coron6 newe
And his estate all full and pleine
Restoreth of his regne ayein
And said, 'it was more goodly thing S
To make than undone a king,


To him which power had of bothe.'
Thus they, that weren bothe wrothe,
Accorden hem to finall pees.
And yet justice nethelees
Was kept and in nothing offended,
Wherof Pompey is yet commended.
There may no king him self excuse
But if justice he kepe and use,
Which, for to escheu6 cruelte,
He mote attempre with Pite.
Of cruelte the felony
Engendred is of tirann-',
Ayein the whose condition
God is him self the champion
Whose strength6 may no man withstonde.
For ever yet it hath so stonde
That God a tiraunt over ladde.
But where Pite the reine ladde
There mighte no fortiune last,
Which was grevouis. But atte last
The God him self it hath redressed.
Pite is thilke vertue blessed,
Which never let his maister falle.
But Cruelte though it so falle
That it may regne for a throwe,
God woll it shall ben over throwe,
Wherof ensamples ben inough
Of hem that thilke merel drowe.1
Of crtuefe I rede thus,
Whan the tirAnt Leoncius
XVas to thempire of Rome arrived,
Fro which he hath with strengthe
prived
The pietouis Justinian,
As he which was a cruel man,
His nase of and his lippes both
He kutte, for he wolde him loth
Unto the people and make unable.
But he which all is merciable,
The highe God ordeineth so,
That he within a time also,
1 Thilke wnerel drowe, stuffered that pain.
Traire la merele, in old French, meant to expose oneself to danger, endure pain or fatigue
(Godefroy).




382


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Whan he was strongest in his ire,
Was shoven out of his empire.
Tiberius the power hadde
And Rome after his will he ladde,
And for Leonce in suche a wise
Ordeineth that he toke juise
Of nase and lippes bothe two,
For that he did another so
Which more worthy was than he.
Lo, which a fall hath Cruelte,
And Pite was set up ayein.
For after that the bokes sain,
Terbellis king of Bulgarie
With helpe of his chivalerie
Justinian hath unprisoned
And to thempire ayein cordned.
" gn a cronique I finde also
Of Siculus, which was eke so
A cruel king like the tempest,
The whom no pite might arest.
He was the first, as bokes say,
Upon the see which found galey
And let hem makl for the werre,
As he which all was out of herre 1
Fro pite and misericorde,
For therto couthe he nought accorde;
But whom he mighte slainheslough,
And therof was he glad inough.
He had of counseil many one,
Among the which6 there was one,
By name which Perillus hight.
And he bethought him, howhe might
Unto the tirant do liking.
And of his own ymagining
Let forge and make a bulle of bras,
And on the side cast there was
A dore, where a man may inne
Whan he his peind shall beginne
Through fire which that men put
under.
And all this did he for a wonder,
That whan a man for peine cride,
The bull of bras, which gapeth wide,
1 Out of lertrc, unhinged, broken away.


It shulde seme as though it were
A bellewing in a mannes ere
And nought the crieng of a man.
But he which alle sleightds can,
The Devil that lith in hell6 fast,
Him that it cast hath overcast,
That for a trespas which he dede
He was put in the same stede,
And was him self the first of alle
Which was into that pein6 falle
That he for other men ordeigneth.
There was no man that him compleigneth.
Of tyranny and cruelte
By this ensample a king may se
Him selfeandeke his counseilbothe,
How they ben to mankindd lothe
And to the God abhominable.
Ensamples that ben concordable
I finde of other princes mo,
As thou shalt here of time ago.
"' Ze;gre e firant Dionise,
Which mannes life set of no prise,
Unto his hors full ofte he yafe
The men in stede of corne and
chafe.
So that the hors of thilke stood1
Devoureden the mann6s blood,
Till fortune atte lastd came
That Hercules him overcame,
And he right in the sam6 wise
Of this tirant toke the juise.
As he till other men hath do
The same deth he deied also,
That no pite him hath socoured
Till he was of his hors devoured.
" Of Lichaon also I finde,
How he ayein the lawe of kinde
His hostes slough and into mete
He made her bodies to ben ete
With other men within his hous.
But Jupiter the glorious,
Which was commeved of this thing,
Vengeauince upon this cruel king
1,S'oo, stud.




BOOK VII.-HOTV A KING WAS TAUGHT. 383


So toke that he fro mannes forme
Into a wolfe him let transforme.
And thus the cruelte was kid
Which of long time he hath hid.
A wolfe he was than openly,
The whose natfire prively
He had in his condicion.
And unto this conclusion
That tiranny is to despise,
I finde ensample in sondry wise
And namelich of hem full ofte,
The whom Fortfine hath set alofte
Upon the werres for to winne.
But how so that the wrong beginne
Of tiranny, it may nought laste,
But suche as they done atte laste
To other men suche on hem falleth.
For ayein suche pite calleth
Vengeauince to the God above.
For who that hath no tendre love
In saving of a mannes life,
He shall be founde so giltife
That whan he wold6 mercy crave,
In time of nede he shall none have.
" Of the natuire this I finde,
The fierc6 leon in his kinde,
Which goth rampend after his pray,
If he a man finde in his way
He woll him slain if he withstonde.
But if the man couth understonde
To fall anone to-fore his face
In signe of mercy and of grace,
The leon shall of his natu're
Restreigne his ire in such mesu're
As though it were a beste tamed,
And torne awey halfing ashamed,
Thathe theman shall nothing greve.
How shulde than a prince acheve
The worldes grace. if that he wolde
Destruie a man whan he is yolde
And stant upon his mercy all?
"But for to speke in speciall
There have be such and yet there be,
Tiraunts, whose hertes no pite
May to no point of mercy ply,


That they upon her tiranny
Ne gladen hem the men to slee.
And as the rages of the see
Jen unpitofis in the tempest.
Right so may no pite arest
Of cruelte the great oultr.age,
Which the tirafint in his corige
Engendred hath, wherof I finde
A tale, which cometh now to minde.
Z rebe in otbd bofi6s thus,
There was a duke, which Spertachus
Men clepe, and was a werriot'ir,
A cruel man, a conquerofir
With strongc power which lie lad.
For this condition he had,
That wherehim hapneth the victoire,
His lust and all his moste gloire
Was for to slee and nought to save.
Of raunsom wolde he no good have
For saving of a mannes life,
But all goth to the swerde and knife
So lefe him was the mann6s blood.
And netheles yet thus it stood,
So as Fortilne aboute went,
He fell right heire as by descent
To Pers and was coroned king.
And whan the worship of this thing
Was falle, and he was kinge of
Perse,
If that they weren first diverse,
The tirannYes which he wrought,
A thousand fold wel more he sought
Than afterward to do malice,
Till God vengeafince ayein the vice
Hath shape. For upon a tide,
Whan he was highest in his pride,
In his rancouir and in his hete,
Ayein the quene of Massegete,
Which Thamaris that tim6 hight,
He made werre all that i:e might.
And she which wolde her lond
defende
Her owne sone ayein him sende
Which the defence hath undertake,
But he discomfit was and take.




384


CONFESSIO AMA NTIS.


And whan this king him had in
honde,
He wol no mercy understonde,
But did him sleen in his presence.
The tiding of this violence
Whan it cam to the moders ere,
She sende anone ay wide where
To suche frendes as she had,
A great power till that she lad
In sondry wise, and tho she cast
How she this king may overcast.
And atte last accorded was,
That in the daunger of a pas,
Through which this tiraunt shulde
pas,
She shope his power to compas
With strength of men by such a wey
That he shall nought escape awey.
And whan she hadde thus ordeigned,
She hath her owne body feigned
For fere as though she wold6 flee
Out of her londe. Andwhan thathe
Hathherde howthatthis ladyfledde,
So fast after the chace he spedde,
That lie was founde out of array.
For it betid upon a day
Into the pas whan he was falle,
Thembusshements' to-breken alle
And him beclipt on every side,
That flee ne might he nought aside.
So that there weren dede and take
Two hundred thousand for his sake
That weren with him of his hoste.
And thus was laid the grete boste
Of him and of his tiranny.
It halp no mercy for to cry
To him which whilom dide none.
For he unto the quene anone
Was brought, and whan that she
him sigh,
This word she spake and said on
high:
'O man, which out of mannes
kinde
Reson of man hast left behinde


And lived worse than a beste
Whom pite mightd nought areste;
The mannes blood to shede and
spille,
Thou haddest never yet thy fille,
But now the laste time is come,
That thy malice is overcome;
As thou till other men hast do,
Now shall be do to the right so.'
Tho bad thisladythat mensholde
A vessel bringe, in which she wolde
Se the vengeauince of his juise
Which she began anone devise,
And toke the princes which he ladde,
By whom his chefe counseil he
hadde.
And while hem lasteth any breth,
She made hem blede to the deth
Into the vessel where it stood,
And whan it was fulfild of blood,
She caste this tiraunt therinne
And said him: ' Lo, thus might
thou winne
The lustes of thine appetite.
In blood was whilom thy delite,
Nowshalt thou drinken all thy fille.'
And thus onlich of Goddes wille
He which that wolde him selven
straunge
To pite, found mercy so straunge
That he withoute grace is lore.
"So may it shewe well therefore,
That crueltd hath no good ende.
But pite how so that it wende
Maketh that God is merciable,
If there be cause resonable,
Why that a King shall be pitous.
But elles if he be doubtous
To sleen in cause of rightwisnesse,
It may be said no pitousnesse
But it is pusillamite,
Whiche every princd shulde flee.
For if pite mesuire excede,
Knighthode may nought wel procede




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 385


To do justise upon the right.
For it belongeth to a knight
As gladly for to fight as reste
To set his lege people in reste
Whan that the werre upon hem
falleth.
For than he mote as it befalleth
Of his knighthode as a leon
Be to the people a champion
Withouten any pite feigned.
For if manhode be restreigned,
Or be it pees or be it werre,
Justic6 goth all out of herre,
So that knighthode is set behinde.
"  f lristotfes lore I finde,
A King shall make good visage
That no man knowe of his corage
But all honouir and worthinesse.
For if a King shall upon gesse
Withoute verray cause drede,
He may be liche to that I rede,And though that be liche to a fable,
Thensample is good and resonable.
"As it by olde daies fell,
I rede whilom that an hill
Up in the londes of Archade
A wonder dredfull noise it made.
For so it fell that ilk6 day,
This hill on his childinge lay.
Andwhan thethrowds on him come,
His noise lich the day of dome
WVas ferefull in a mannes thought
Of thing which that they sighe
nought.
But well they herden all aboute
The noise of which they were in
doubte,
As they that wenden to be lore
Of thing which thanne was unbore.
The nere this hill was upon chaunce
To taken his deliveraunce,
The more unbuxomlich he cride;
And every man was fled aside
For drede and left his owne hous.
And atte last it was a mous


The which was bore and to norice
Betake. And tho they helde hem
nice,
For they withoute cause dradde.
Thus if a King his hert6 ladde
With every thing that he shall here,
Ful ofte he shuldedchaungehis chere
And upon fantasie drede
Whan that there is no cause of
drede.
(3r)ace to his prince tolde,
That him were lever that he wolde
Upon knighthode Achillem sue
In time of werre than escheue
So as Thersites did at Troy.
Achilles al his hole joy
Set upon armes for to fight;
Thersites sought all that he might
Unarmed for to stonde in reste.
But of the two it was the beste,
That Achilles upon the nede
Hath do, wherof his knightlihede
Is yet commended overall.
tBing,afomuon in speciall
Saith: 'As there is a time of pees,
So is a tim6 netheles
Of werre, in whiche a prince algate
Shall for the comun right debate
And for his owne worship eke.
But it behoveth nought to seke
Only the werre for worship,
But to the right of his lordship
Which he is holdd to defende
Mote every worthy prince entende
Betwene the simplesse of pite
And the foolhaste of cruelte.
Where stant the verray hardiesse,
There mote a king his herte adresse,
Whan it is time to forsake
And whan time is also to take
The dedly werres upon honde,
That he shall for no drede wonde 1
If rightwisnesse be withall.
For God is mighty over all
1      uo.c', tul a~ide.


2 13




386


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


To furtheren everymannes trouthe;
But it be through his owne slouthe,
And namely the kinges nede
It may nought faile for to spede.
For he stant one for hem alle,
So mote it well the better falle.
And wel the more God favouireth,
Whan he the comun right socofireth.
And for to se the soth in dede,
Behold the bibleand thou might redc
Of great ensamples many one,
Wherof that I wil tellen one.
".'tpon a time as it befell
Ayein Jude and Israel,
Whan sondry kinges come were
In purpos to destruid there
The people which God kepte tho,
It stood in thilke daies so,
That Gedeon, which shulde lede
The Goddes folk, toke him to rede
And sende in all the lond aboute,
Till he assembled hath a route
With thritty thousand of defenco
To fight and make resistence
Ayein the which hem wolde assaile.
And netheles that o bataile 1
Of thre that weren enemis,
Was double more than was all his,.Wherof that Gedeon him drad,
That he so litel people had.
But he which alle thing may helpe,
Where that there lacketh mannes
helpe,
To Gedeon his aungel sent
And bad, er that he further went,
All openly that he do cry
That every man in his party
Which wolde after his owne will
In his delite abide still
At home in any maner wise
For purchace or for covetise,
For lust of love or lacke of herte,
He shuldd nought aboute sterte
But holde him still at home in pees.


Wherof upon the morwe he lees
Wel twenty thousand men and mo
The which after the cry ben go.
Thus was with him but only left
The thridde parte, and yet God eft
His aungel send and saide this
To Gedeon: If it so is
That I thin help shall undertake,
Thou shalt yet lasse people take
By whom my will is that thou spede.
Forthy to morwe take good hede
Unto the flood whan ye be come,
What man that hath the water nome
Up in his hande and lappeth so,
To thy part chese out all tho,
And him which wery is to swinke
Upon his wombe and lith to drinke
Forsake, and put hem al awey.
For I am mighty alle wey
Where as me list min help to shewe
In gode men though they be fewe.
"This Gedeon awaiteth wele
Upon the morwe and every dele,
As God him bad, right so he dede.
And thus ther leften in that stede
With him thre hundred and no mo,
The remenaunt was all ago.
Wherof that Gedeon merveileti
And therupon with God couns6ileth
Pleining as ferforth as he dare.
And God, which wolde he were ware
That he shall spede upon his right,
Hath bede him go the same night
And take a man with him to here
What shall be spoke in this matere
Among the hethen enemies,
So may he be the more wise,
What afterwarde him shall befalle.
This Gedeon amonegs alle
Phara, to whom he triste most,
By night toke toward thilk6 host,
NVhich logged was in a valey,
To herd what they wolden say.
Upon his fote and as he ferde
Two Sarazins spekend he herde.


1 bataile, army.




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 387


Ouod one: 'Arede my sweven
aright,
Whiche I met2 in my slepe to-night.
Me thought I sigh a barly cake,
Which frothe hille his weyhathtake
And come rollend down at ones,
And as it were for the nones
Forth in his cours so as it ran
The kinges tent of Madian,
Of Amalech, of Amorie,
Of Amon and of Jebuseie
And many another tente mo
With grete noise as me thought tho
It threw to grounde and over cast
And all his host so sore agast,
That I awoke for pure drede.'
'This sweven can I well arede,'
Quod thother Sarazin anone,
' The barly cake is Gedeon,
Which fro the hill down sodeinly
Shall come and sette such askry
Upon the kinges and us both,
That it shall to us alle lothe.
For in such drede he shall us bringe,
That if we hadd6 flight of winge,
The wey one fote in our despeire
We sholden leve and flee in thaire.3
For there shal nothing him withstonde.'
WVhan Gedeon hath understonde
This tale, he thonketh God of alle,
And privelich ayein he stalle,
So that no life 4 him hath perceived.
And than he hath fully conceived,
That he shall spede. And therupon
The night suend he shope to gone
This multitude' to assaile.
Now shalt thou here a great
merveile,
With whatwisdome thathewrought.
The litel people which he brought
Was none of hem that he ne hath
1 Sweven, dream.  2 Met, dreamt.
a In our despair we should leave the way of
going on foot, and fly in the air.
4 Voa life, nobody.


A pot of erthe, in whiche he tath
A light brenning in a cresset,
And eche of hem eke a trompet
Bare in his other hond beside.
And thus upon the night6s tide
Duke Gedeon whan it was derke
Ordeineth him unto his werke,
And parteth than his folke in thre
And chargeth hem that they ne flee,
And taught hem how they shuld
askry
All in o vois par compaigny.
And what worde eke they shulde
speke,
And how they shulde her pottes
breke
Echone with other, whan they herde
That he him selve first so ferde.
For whan they come into the stede,
He bad hem do right as he dede.
And thus stalkende forth a pas
This noble duke whan timd was
His pot to-brake and loude askride,
And tho they breke on every side.
The trompe was nought for to seke,
He blewe and so they blewen eke
With such a noise amonge hem
alle,
As though the heven shulde falle.
The hill unto her vois answerde.
This hoste in the valey it herde
And sigh how that hill was alight,
So what of hering and of sight
They caughten such a sodein fere,
That none of hem be lefte there.
The tentes holy they forsoke
That they none other good ne toke,
But only with her body bare
They fledde, as doth the wilde hare.
And ever upon the hill they blewe
Till that they sighen time and knewe
That they be fled upon the rage.
And whan they wiste their avauntage,
They fell anone unto the chace.




388


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


"Thus might thouse,howGoddes
grace
Unto the gode men availeth.
But elles ofte time it faileth
To such as be nought well disposed.
This tale nedeth nought be glosed,
For it is openliche shewed,
That God to hem that ben well
thewed
Hath yove and graunted thevictoire,
So that thensample of this histoire
Is good for every King to holde.
First in himself that he beholde
If he be good of his living,
And that the folk which he shal bring
Be good also, for than he may
Be glad of many a mery day
In what that ever he hath to done.
For he which sit above the mone
And alle thing may spill and spede
In every cause and every nede,
His gode King so well adresseth,
That all his fomen he represseth,
So that there may no man him dere.
And also well he can forbere
And suffre a wicked king to falle
In hondes of his fomen alle.
"(( om furtfermore if I shall
sain
Of my matere and tome ayein
To speke of Justice and Pit6
After the reule of Realte,
This may a King well understonde,
Knighthode mot be take on honde
Whan that it stant upon the nede,
He shall no rightfull cause drede,
No more of werre than of pees,
If he woll stond6 blameles.
For suche a cause a king may have,
That better him is to slee than save;
Wherof thou might ensample finde.
The highe maker of mankinde
By Samuel to Saul bad,
That he shall nothing ben adrad
Ayein king Agag for to fight.


For this the Godhede him behight,
That Agag shall be overcome.
And whan it is so ferforth come,
That Saul hath him descomfite,
The God bad make no respite,
That he ne shulde him sleen anone.
But Saul let it overgone
And dide nought the Goddes heste.
For Agag made a great beheste1
Of raunsom which he wolde yive.
King Saul suffreth him to live
And feigneth pite forth withall.
But he which seeth and knoweth all,
The highe God, of that he feigneth
To Samuel upon him pleigneth,
And send him word for that he lefte
Of Agag that he ne berefte
The life, he shall nought only deie
Him self, but fro his Regalie
He shall be put for evermo,
Nought he but eke his heire also,
That it shall never come ayein.
"Thus might thou se the sothe
plein,
That of to moch and of to lite
Upon the princes stant the wite.2
But ever it was a Kinges right
To do the dedes of a knight.
For in the hondes of a King
The dethe and life is all o thing
After the lawes of justice;
To sleen, it is a dedly vice
But if a man the deth deserve.
And if a king the life preserve
Of him which oughtd for to deie,
He sueth nought thensamplarie,
Which in the bible is evident,
How David in his testament,
Whan he no lenger mighte live,
Unto his sone in charge hath yive,
That he Joab shall sleen algate.
And whan David was gone his gate,
The yonge wisd Salomone
1 Belesie, promise.
- Wite, blame.




BOOK VII.-HOWTI A KING WTAS TAUGHT. 389


His faders heste did anone
And slew Joab in such a wise,
That they that herden the juise
Ever after dradden him the more.
And God was eke well paid therfore
That he so wolde his herte ply
The lawds for to justify.
And yet he kepte forth withall
Pite, so as a prince shall,
That he no tirannie wrought.
He found the wisdom which he
sought,
And was so rightfull netheles
That all his life he stood in pees,
That he no dedly werres had,
For every man his wisdom drad.
And as he was him selve wise,
Right so the worthy men of prise
He hath of his counsdil witholde,
For that is every prince holde
To make of such his retenue
Which wise ben, and to remue
The fooles. For there is no thing,
Which may be better about a king
Than counseil, which is the substaiince
Of all a kinegs governau'nce.
"     n alntomon a man may se.
What thing of most necessite
Unto a worthy King belongeth,
Whan he his kingdom     underfongeth.
God bad him chesd what he wolde
And saide him that he have sholde
What he wold axe, as of o thing.
And he, which was a newe king,
Forth therupon his bone 1 praide
To God, and in this wise saide:
'O king, by whom that I shall
regne,
Yive me Wisd6me that I my regne
Forth with the people which I have
To thin hon6ur may kepe and save.'
Whan Salomon his bone hath taxed,
1 Bone, boon.


The God of that which he hath
axed
Was right well paid and graunteth
sone
Nought all only that he his bone
Shall have of that, but of richesse,
Of hele, of pees, of high noblesse,
Forth with Wisdom at his axinges,
Which stant aboveallother thinges.
"But what king woll his regne
save,
First him behoveth for to have
After the God and his beleve
Such counseil which is to beleve 1
Fullfild of trouth and rightwisnesse.
But above all in his noblesse
Betwene the reddour and pite
A king shall do suche equite
And sette the balaunce in even,
So that the highe God in heven
And all the people of his nobley
Loingee2 unto his name say.
For most above all erthly good,
Where that a king him self is good,
It helpeth; for in other wey
If so be that a king forswey,3
Full oft er this it hath be sain,
The comun people is overlain
And hath the Kinges sin abought4
All though thepeople agulte nought.
Of that the King his Godmisserveth,
The people taketh that he deserveth;
Here in this world, but elles where
I not how it shall stonde there.
Forthy good is a king to triste
First to him self, as he ne wiste
None other help but God allone,
So shall the reule of his persone
Within him self through providence
Ben of the better conscience.
And for to finde ensample of this
1 Beleve, remain.  '2 Loenge, praise.
3 Forszwey, become remiss, not awake to his
duty.
4 Abouhtzc, paid for, suffered for.




39a


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


A tale I rede, and soth it is.
" An a cronfque it telleth thus,
The King of Rome Luciuis
Within his chambre upon a night
The steward of his hous a knight
Forth with his chamberlein also
To counseil haddd bothe two,
And stoden by the chimenee
To-gider spekend alle thre.
And hapneth that the Kinges fole
Sat by the fire upon a stole,
As he that with his babel 1 plaide,
And yet he herde all that theysaide,
And therof toke they non hede.
The King hem axeth what to rede
Of such matere as cam to mouth.
And they him tolden as they couth.
Whan all was spoke of that they
ment,
The King with all his hole entent
That atte last hem axeth this,
What King men tellen that he is
Among the folk touchend his name,
Or it be pris, or it be blame,
Right after that they herden sain
He bad hem for to telle it plein,
That they no point of soth forbere
By thilke feith that they him bere.
"The steward first upon this thing
Yaf his answere unto the King
And thoughte glose in this matere
And said, als fer as he can here,
His name is good and honourable.
Thus was the steward favourable,
That he the trouthe plein ne tolde.
The King than axeth, as he sholde,
The chamberlein of his avise,
And he, that was subtil and wise
And somdele thought upon hisfeith,
Him tolde, how all the people saith,
That if his counceil were trewe,
They wiste thanner well and knewe,
That of him self he shulde be
A worthy King in his degre.
1 Babel, bauble.


And thus the counseil he accuseth
In party, and the king excuseth.
"The fool, which herde of all
the cas,
What time as Godd6s wille was,
Sigh, that they saiden nought
inough,
And hem to scorne bothe louh,
And to the king he saide tho:
Sir king, if that it were so
Of wisdome in thin owne mode,
That thou thy selven were good,
Thy counseil shulde nought be bad.'
The king therof merveile had,
Whan that a fool so wisely spake,
And of him self found out the lacke
Within his owne conscience.
And thus the fooles evidence,
Which was of goddes grace enspired,
Maketh, that good counseil was
desired.
He put awey the vicious
And toke to him the vertuous.
The wrongfull lawes ben amended,
The londes good is well despended,
The people was no more opressed
And thus stood every thing redressed.
For where a king is propre wise
And hath such as him selven is
Of his counseil, it may nought faile,
That every thing ne shal availe.
The Vices thanne gone awey,
And every Vertu holt his wey,
WVherof the highe God is plesed
And all the londes folke is esed.
For if the comun people cry
And than a king list nought to ply
To here what the clamour wolde,
And other wise than he sholde
Desdaineth for to done hem grace,
It hath be seen in many place,
There hath befalle great contraire,
And that I finde of ensamplaire.




BOOK VI —HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 39I


"After the deth of Salomone,
Whan thilke wise king was gone
And Robots in his pers6ne
Receive shulde the cor6ne,
The people upon a parlem6nt
Avised were of one assent
And all unto the king they preiden
With comun vois and thus they
saiden:
'Our lege lord, we the beseche,
That thou receive ourhumble speche
And graunt us that which reson will
Or of thy grace or of thy skill.
Thy fader, while he was alive
And mighte bothe graunt and prive,
Upon the werkes which he had
The comun people streite lad,
Whan he the temple made ne\e.
Thing which men never afore
knewe
He brought up than of his tallhge,
And all was under the visage
Of werkes which he made tlo.
But now it is befalle so,
That all is made right, as he saide,
And he was riche whan he deide.
So that it is no maner nede,
If thou therof wolt taken hede,
To pilen of the people more,
Which long time hath be greved
sore.
And in this wise as we the say,
With tender herte we the prey,
That thou relessd thilke dette,
Which upon us thy fader sette.
And if the like to done so,
We ben thy men for evermo
To gone and comen at thin heste.'
"The King, which herde this
requeste,
Saith, that he wolde ben avised,
And hath therof a time assised,
And in the while as he him thought
Upon this thing counseil he sought.
And first the wisd knight6s olde,


To whom that he his tale tolde,
Counseillen him in this mandre,
That he with love and with glad
chere
Foryive and graunt all that is axed
Of that his fader hadd6 taxed.
For so he may his regne acheve
With thing which shall hem litel
greve.
"The King hem herd and over
passeth
And with these other his wit compasseth
That yonge were and nothing wise.
And they these olde men despise
And saiden: 'Sir, it shall be shame
For ever unto thy worthy name,
If thou ne kep6 nought thy right,
While thou art in thy yonge might,
Which that thin olde fader gat.
But say unto the people plat,
That while thou livest in thy londe,
The leste finger of thin honde
It shall be stronger over all,
Than was thy faders body all.
And thus also shall be thy tale,If he hem smote with roddes smale,
With scorpi6ns thou shalt hem
smite.
And where thy fader toke a lite,
Thou thenkest take mochel more,
Thus shaltthou makehem dredesore
The grete hert of thy corige,
So for to holde hem in servige.'
"This yonge king him hath conformed
To done as he was last enformed,
Which was to him his undoing.
For whan it came to the speking,
He hath the yonge counseil holde,
That he the same wordes tolde
Of all the people in audience.
And whan they herden the sentence
Of his malice and the manice,
Anone to-fore his ownd face




392


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


They have him oultrely refused
And with full great reprove accused.
So they beginne for to rave,
That he was faine him self to save.
For as the wilde wode rage
Of windes maketh the see salvage
And that was calm bringth into
wawe,
So for defalt and grace of lawe,
The people is stered all at ones
Andforththeygone outof his wones,
So that of the lignages twelve,
Two tribus onely by hem selve
With him abiden and no mo.
So were they for evermo
Of no retorne without espeire
Departed fro the rightfull heire
Of Israel with comun vois.
A king upon her owne chois
Among hem self anone they make
And have her yonge lord forsake.
A pouer knight Jeroboas
They toke and lefte Robods,
Which rightfull heire was by descent.
Lo, thus the yonge cause went,
For that the counseil was nought
good
The regne fro the rightfull blood
Ever afterward devided was.
So may it proven by this cas,
That yong counseil, which is to
warme,
Or men beware, doth ofte harme.
Old age for the counseil serveth,
And lusty youth his thank deserveth
Upon the travail which he doth.
And bothe for to say a soth
By sondry cause for to have,
If that he will his regne save,
A king behoveth every day,
That one can and that other may
Be so the kinge hem bothe reule,
Or ell6s all goth out of reule.
" And upon this matere also


A question betwene the two
Thus writen in a boke I fonde,
Where 1 it be better for the londe
A King him selve to be wise
And so to bere his owne prise,
And that his counseil be nought
good;
Or otherwise if it so stood,
A King if he be vicious
And his counseil be vertuous:
It is answerde in suche a wise,
That better it is that they be wise,
By whom that the counseil shall
gone.
For they be many, and he is one,
And rather shall an one man
With fals counseil, for ought he can,
From his wisd6me be made to fall,
Than he alone shuld hem all
Fro vices into vertue chaunge,
For that is well the more straunge.
Forth&; the lond may well be glad,
Whose king with good counseil is
lad,
Which set him unto rightwisnesse,
So that his highe worthinesse
Betwene the reddour and pite
Doth mercy forth with equite.
A king is holden over all
To pite, but in speciall
To hem, where he is most beholde,
They shulde his pite most beholde
That ben the leges of the londe,
For they ben ever under his honde
After the goddes ordenaunce
To stonde upon his governatince.
)f fjemperour Anthonius
I find, how that he saide thus:
' Lever him were for to save
One of his leges than to have
Of enemies a thousand dede.'
And thus he lerned as I rede
Of Cipio, which hadde be
Consul of Rome. And thus to se
1 Where, whether.




BOOK VII.-HOT V A KING TIVAS TAUGHT. 393


Divers ensamples how they stonde,
A King, which hath the charge on
honde
The comun people to governe,
If that he woll, he may well lerne
Is none so good to the plesaunce
Of God, as is good governa'ince.
And every governaunce is due
To pit6; thus I may argue
That pite is the foundement
Of every Kinges regiment.
If it be medled with justice,
They two remeven alle Vice
And ben of Vertue most vailable
To make a Kinges regne stable.: Lo, thus the foure points to-fore
In Governaunce as they ben bore
Of Trouthe first and of Largesse,
Of Pite forth with Rightwisnesse,
I have hem tolde. And over this
The fifte point, so as it is
Set of the reule of Polic',
Wherof a king shall modefy
The fleshly lustes of nature,
Now thenke I telle of such mnesure,
That both6 kinde shall be served
And eke the lawe of God observed.
" It sit a man by wey of kinde
To love, but it is nought kinde
A man for love his wit to lese.
For if the month of Juil shall frese
And that December shall be hote,
The yere mistorneth wel I wote.
To seen a man from his estate
Through his soty effeminate
And leve that a man shall do,
It is as hose above the sho
To man, which ought nought to be
used.
But yet the world hath oft accused
Full grete princes of this dede,
How they for love hem self mislede,
Wherof manhode stood behinde
Of olde ensamples as men finde.
These olde gestes tellen thus,


That whilom Sardanapallus,
Which held all hole in his empire
The grete kingdom of Assire,
Was through the slouth of his
corage
Fall into thilke firy rage
Of love which the men assoteth,
Wherof him self he so ri6teth,
And wax so ferforth womanissh,
That ayein kinde, as if a fissh
Abide wold upon the londe,
In women suche a luste he fonde,
That he dwelt ever in chambre still
And only wrought after the will
Of women, so as he was bede,
They taughten him a lace to braide
And weve a purs and to enfile
A perle. And fell that ilke while,
One Arbactus the prince of Mede
Sigh how this king in womanhede
Was falle fro chivilerie,
And gate himhelpe and compaignie
And wroughte so that atte last
This king out of his regne he cast,
Which was undone for ever mo.
And yet men speken of him so,
That it is shame for to here;
Forthy to love is in manere.
For where a prince his lustes sueth,
That he the werre nought pursueth,
Whan it is time to bene armed,
His contre stant full ofte harmed,
Whan thenemies ben woxe bolde,
That they defence none beholde.
Full many a londe hath so be lore,
As men may rede oft time afore
Of hem that so her eses soughten,
Which after they full dere aboughten.
0o mocjel ese is nothing worth,
For that set every vice forth
And every vertue put a backe,
Wherof pris torneth into lacke,
As in cronique I may reherse,
Which telleth, howthe king of Perse
That Cyrus hight, a werre hadde




394


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Ayein the people which he dradde
Of a contre which Lidos hight.
But yet for ought that he do might
As in bataile upon the werre,
He had of hem alway the werre.1
And whan he sigh and wist it wele,
That he by strengthe wan no dele,
Than att6 last he cast a wile
This worthy people to beguile
And toke with hem a feigned pees,
Which shulde lasten endelees,
So as he saide in wordes wise,
But he thought all in other wise.
For it betid upon the cas
Whan that this people in reste was
They token eses many folde,
And worldes ese as it is tolde
By way of kinde is the norlce
Of every lust which toucheth vice.
Thus whan they were in lustes falle,
The werres ben forgotten alle.
\Vas none which wolde the worsh fp
Of armes, but in idelship
They putten besinesse away
And token hem to daunce and play,
And every man doth what him liste.
But whan the king of Perse it wiste,
That they unto folie entenden,
With his power, whan they lest
wenden,
More sodeinly than doth thethunder
He came for ever and put hem under.
And thus hath lecherie lore
The londe which had be to-fore
The best of hem that were tho.
"And in the bible I finde also
A tale lich unto this thing,
How Amalech the paien king,
Whan that he mighte by no wey
Defend his londe and put awey
The worthy people of Israel,
This Sarazin, as it befell,
Through the counseil of Balaam
A rout of fair6 women nam,
1 The wcrrc, the worse.


That lusty were and yonge of age,
And bad hem gon to the lignage
Of these Hebrews. And forth they
went
With eyen grey and browes bent
And well arraied everychone.
And whan they come were anone
Among thebrews, was none in sight
But cacche who that cacche might,
And grace anone began to faile,
That whan they comen to bataile,
Than afterward in sory plite
They were take and discomfite,
So that within a litel throwe,
The might of hem was overthrowe,
That whilom were wont to stonde,
Till Phinees the cause on honde
Hath take this vengea'ince last.
But than it cesed atte last.
For God was paid of that he dede,
For where he found upon a stede
A couple which misferde so
Throughout he smote hem bothe two
And let hem ligge in mennes eye,
Wherof all other which hem sigh
Ensampled hem upon the dede
And praiden unto the godhede
Her olde sinnes to amende.
And he which wold his mercy sende
Restored hem to newe grace.
Thus may it shewe in sondry place
Of chastete how the clenn6sse
Accordeth to the worthinesse
Of men of armes over all.
But most of all in specill
This vertue to a King belongeth,
For upon his fortune it hongeth
Of that his lond shall spede or spill.
Forthy but if a King his will
Fro lust6s of his flessh restreigne,
Ayein him self he maketh a treigne,
Into the whiche if that he slide,
Him were better go beside.
For every man may understonde
How for a time that it stonde,




BOOK VII.-HOWT  A KING WAS TAUGHT. 395


It is a sory lust to like,
Whose ende maketh a man to sike1
And torneth joies into sonve.
The brighte sonne by the monrwe
Beshineth nought the derke night;
The lusty youth of mannes might,
In age but it stonde wele,
Mistorneth all the laste whele.
"That every worthy prince is
holde
Within him self him self beholde
To se the state of his pers6ne
And thenke, how there be joies none
Upon this erthl made to last,
And how the flesshe shall at last
The lustes of his life forsake,
Him ought a great ensample take
Of Salomon, Ecclesiaste,
The fame of whom shall ever laste,
That he the mighty God forsoke,
Ayein the lawe whan he toke
His wives and his concubines,
Of hem that were Sarazines,
For which lie did ydolatrie.
For this I rede of his soty,
She of Sidoine so him ladde,
That he knelend his armes spradde
To Astrathen with great humblesse,
Which of herlondwas the goddesse.
And she that was of Moabite
So ferforth made him to delite
Through lust, which al his wit
devoureth,
That he Chamos her god honouireth.
An other Amonite also
With love him hath assoted so,
Her god Moloch that with encense
He sacreth and doth reverence
In such a wise as she him bad.
Thus was the wisest overlad
With blinde lustes which he sought,
But he it afterward abought.
"For Achids Selonites,
1 Sike, sigh.
2 The bright morning sun.


Which was prophet, er his deces,
While he was in his lustds alle,
Betokeneth what shall after falle.
For on a day, whan that he mette
Jer6boam, the knight he grette 1
And bad him that he shulde abide
To here what him shall betide.
And forth withall Achias cast
His mantel of, and al so fast
He kut it into pieces twelve,
Wherof two parts toward him selve
He kept, and all the remenaunt,
As God hath set his covenaunt,
He toke unto Jer6bois
Of Nabal which the sone was
And of the king6s court a knight.
And said him, 'Such is Goddtes
might,
As thou hast sene departed 2 here
My mantel, right in such manere
After the deth of Salomon
God hath ordein6d therupon,
This regne than he shall devide,
Which time thou shalt eke abide,
And upon that divisi6n
The regne, as in proporci6n
As thou hast of my mantel take,
Thou shalt receive I undertake.'
0, which a sinne violent,
Wherof so wise a king was shent,
That he vengeaunce of his persone
Was nought inough to take alone,
But afterward, whan he was passed,
It hath his heritage lassed,
As I more openly to-fore
The tale tolde; and thus therfore
The philos6phre upon this thing
Writ and counsieled to a king,
That he the forfete of luxure
Shall tempre and reule of such
mesure
Which be to kinde suffisaunt
And eke to reson accordafint,
So that the lust6s ignoraunce


1 Grete, greeted.. Departed, divided.




396


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Be cause of no misgovernaunce,
Through which that he be overthrowe
As he that woll no reson knowe.
" For of Ant6nie thus I rede,
Which of Severus was the sone,
That he his life of comun wone
Yaf holy unto thilke vice,
And ofte time he was so nice,
Wherofnature her hath compleigned
Unto the God, which hath desdeigned
The werkes which Ant6nie wrought
Of lust which he full sore abought;
For God his forfete hath so wroke,
That in cronique it is yet spoke.
But for to take remembraunce
Of speciAll misgovernaunce
Through covetise and injustice
Forth with the remenaunt of vice,
I finde a tale, as thou shalt here,
Which is thensample of this matere.
go cts f)ese ofbd gestes sain,
The proude tirannish Romain
Tarquinius, which was than king
And wrought many a wrongful
thing,
Of sones he had many one,
Among the which Arrons was one
Lich to his fader in maneres,
So that within a fewe yeres
With treson and with tiranny
They wonne of londe a great party
And token hede of no justice,
Which duie was to her office
Upon the reule of governaunce.
But al that ever was plesauince
Unto the flesshes lust they toke.
And fell so, that they undertoke
A werre, which was nought acheved,
But often time it had hem greved,
Ayein a folk which thann6 hight
The Gabiens, and all by night
Thus Arrons whan he was at home
In Rome a prive place he nome


Within a chambre and bete him
selve
And made him woundes ten or
twelve
Upon the backe, as it was sene.
And so forth with his hurtes grene
In all the haste that he may
He rode and cam that other day
Unto Gabie the citee
And in hewent. And whan that he
Was knowe, anone the gat6s shette,
The lordes all upon him sette
With drawe swerdds upon honde.
And Arrons wolde hem nought
withstonde,
And saide: 'I am here at your
wille,
As lefe it is that ye me spille,
As if min owne fader dede.'
And forth within the same stede
He praide hem that they wolde se;
And shewed hem in what degre
His fader and his brethren bothe,
Which as he saide weren wrothe,
Him hadde beten and reviled
And out of Rome for ever exiled.
And thus he made hem to beleve
And saide, if that he might acheve
His purpos, it shall well be yolde
Be so that they him helpe wolde.
Whan that the lordes hadde sene,
How wofully he was besene,
They toke pite of his greve.
But yet it was hem wonder leve
That Rome him had exiled so.
The Gabiens by counseil tho
Upon the goddes made him swere,
That he to hem shall trouthe bere
And strengthen hem with all his
might.
And they also him hath behight
To helpe him in his quarele.
They shope thanne for his hele
That he was bathed and anoint
Till that he was in lusty point,




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 397


And what he wolde than he had,
That he all hole the cite lad
Right as he wolde him self devise.
And than he thought him in what
wise
He might his tirannY6 shewe,
And to his counseil toke a shrewe 1
\Vhom to his fader forth he sent.
In his message and he tho went
And praied his fader for to say
By his avise and finde a wey
How they the cite mighten winne
While that he stood so well therinne.
And whan the messager was come
To Rome and hath in counseil nome
The king, it fell perchaunc6 so
That they were in a gardin tho,
This messager forth with the king.
And whan he hadde told the thing
In what maner6 that it stode,
And that Tarqufnus understode
By the message how that it ferde,
Anone he toke in honde a yerde,
And in the gardin as they gone
The lilie croppes one and one
WVhere that they weren sprongen
out
He smote of as they stood about,
And said unto the messagere:
'Lo, this thing which I do now here
Shall be in stede of thin answere.
And in this wise as I me here,
Thou shalte unto my sone telle.'
And he no lenger wolde dwelle,
But toke his leve and goth withall
Unto his lorde and tolde him all,
How that his fader hadde do.
Whan Arrons herde him telle so,
Anone he wiste what it ment,
And therto sette all his entent
Till he through fraude and trecher'
The princes hevedes of Gaby
Hath smiten of and all was wonne.
His fader cam to-fore the sonne
1 S/irace, plotter of evil.


Into the town with the Romains
And toke and slew the citezeins
Withoute reson or pite,
That he ne spareth no degre.
And for the spede of this conquest
He let do make a riche fest
With a solempnd sacrifice
In Phebus temple, and in this wise,
Whan the Romains assembled were
In presence of hem alle there,
Upon thalter whan all was dight
And that the firds were alight,
From under thalter sodeinly
An hidous serpent openly
Cam out and hath devoured all
The sacrifice, and eke withall
The fires queint, and forth anone,
So as he cam so is he gone
Into the depe ground ayein.
And every man began to sain,
' Ha lord, what may this signify?'
And therupon they pray and cry
To Phebus, thattheymighten knowe
Thecause. Andhethe samethrowe
With gastly vois, that all it herde,
The Romains in this wise answerde
And said, how for the wickednesse
Of pride and of unrightwisnesse
That Tarquin and his sone hath do
The sacrifice is wasted so,
Which mighte nought ben acceptable
Upon such sinne abhomindble.
And over that yet he hem wisseth
And saith, that which of hem first
kisseth
His tmoder, he shall take wreche
Upon the wronge. And of that
speche
They ben within her hertds glade,
Though they outward no semblaunt
made.
There was a knight, which Brutus
hight,
And he with all the haste he might




398


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


To grounde fell and there he kiste,
But none of hem the cause wiste,
But wenden that he hadde sporned
Perchaunce and so was overtorned.
But Brutus all an other ment,
For he knew well in his entent,
How therthe of every mannes kinde
Is moder. But they weren blinde
And sighen nought so fer as he.
But whan they leften the citee
And comen home to Rome ayein,
Than every man, which was Romain
And moder hath, to her he bende
Andkist, and eche ofhem thus wende
To be the first upon the chaunce
Of Tarquin for to do vengeaunce,
So as they herden Phebus sain.
But every time hath his certain,
So must it nedds than abide,
Till afterward upon a tide
Tarquinius made unskilfully
A werre, which was faste by,
Ayein a town with walles stronge,
Which Arded was cleped longe,
And cast a siege there about
That there may no man passen out.
So it befell upon a night
Arrons, which had his souper dight,
A parte of the chivalerie
With him to suppe in compaignie
Hath bede. And whan they comen
were
And setten at the suppe there,
Among her other wordes glade
Arrons a great spekfing, made,Who hadde tho the beste wife
Of Rome? And thus began a strife,
For Arrons saith he hath the best.
So janglen they withouten reste,
Till atte last one Collatine,
A worthy knight and was cousine
To Arrons, said him in this wise:
'It is,' quod he, 'of none emprise
To speke a word, but of the dede
Whierof it is to taken hede.


Anone forthy this same tide
Lepe on thy hors and let us ride,
So may we knowe bothe two
Unwarely what our wives do,
And that shall be a trewe assay.'
"This Arrons saith nought ones
nay.
On horseback anone they lepte
In such manere and nothing slepte
Rid6nde forth till that they come
All privelich withinne Rome,
In strange place and down theylight
And take a chambre out of sight.
They be desguised for a throwe,
So that no life 1 hem shulde knowe,
And to the paleis first they sought
To se what thing these ladies
wrought,
Of whiche Arrons had made his
vaunt.
And theyher sigh of glad semblaunt
All full of merthes and of bordes.'
But among all her other wordes
She spake nought of her husebonde.
And whan they had all understoncle
Of thilke' place what hem list,
They gone hem forth that ncne it
wist
Beside thilke gate of bras,
Collacea which clepdd was,
Where Collatin hath his dwelling.
There founden they at home sitting
Lucrece his wife all envir6ned
With women which were aband6ned
To werche, and she wrought eke
withall
And bad hem haste and said: ' It
shall
Be for min husebondes were,
Which with his swerd and with his
spere
Lith at siege in great disese,
And if it shulde him nought displese,
Now wolde God, I had him here.
1 No I/f, no b o ody.  -' Ba'rdes, jests.




BOOK VII.-HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 399


For certes till that I may here
Some good tiding of his estate,
My herte is ever upon debate.
For so as alle men witnesse,
He is of such an hardiesse,
That he can nought him selvespare,
And that is all my moste care
Whan theythewalles shuldeassaile.
But if my wisshes might availe,
I wolde it were a groundles pit
Be so the siege were unknit,
And I my husebonde sigh.'
With that the water in her eye
Arose, that she ne might it stoppe,
And as men sene the dew bedroppe
The leves and the floures eke,
Right so upon her white cheke
The wofull salte teres felle.
" Whan Collatin hath herde her
telle
The mening of her trewe herte,
Anone with that to her he sterte
And saide: ' Lo, my goodd dere,
Now is he come to you here
That ye most loven as ye sain.
And she with goodly chere ayein
Beclipt him in her armes smale.
And the colo'ir which erst was pale
To beaute thanne was restored
So that it mighte nought be mored.
The kinges sone, which was nigh,
And of this lady herde and sigh
The thinges as they ben befalle,
The reson of his wittes alle
Hath lost, for love upon his parte
Cam than and of his firy darte
With such a wounde him    hath
through smite,
That he must nedes fele and wite
Of thilke blindd malady,
To which no cure of surgery
Can helpe. But yet neth6les
At thilke time he helde his pees
That he no countenaunce made
But openly with vordes glade,


So as he couthe in his inanere,
He spake and made frendely chere
Till it was time for to go.
And Collatin with him also
His leve toke, so that by night,
With all the haste that they might,
They riden to the siege ayein.
But Arrons was so wo besein
With thoughtes which upon him
runne
That he all by the brodc sunne
To bedd6 goth nought for to reste,
But for to thenke upon the beste
And the fairest6 forth with alle,
That ever he sigh or ever shalle,
So as him thought in his corage
Where he portreieth her ymage.
First the fetuires of her face,
In which nattire had alle grace
Of womanly beaute beset
So that it mighte nought be bet.
And how her yelwe hair was tressed
And her attire so wel adressed.
And how she spake, and how she
wrought,
And how she wepte, and how she
thought,
That he foryeten hath no dele
But all it liketh him so wele
That in the vorde nor in dede
He lacked nought of womanhede.
" And thus this tirannisshe knight
Was soupled, but nought half
aright,
For he none other hede toke,
But that he might by somme croke,
All though it were ayein her wille,
The lustes of his flessh fulfille,
Which love was nought resona'ble;
For wher honouir is remevable,
It oughte well to ben avised.
But he, which hath his lust assised
With melled 1 love and tirannie,
Hath found upon his trecherie
1,/ellei, mingled.




400


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


A wey the which he thenketh to
holde,
And saith, 'Fortune unto the bolde
Is favorable for to helpe.'
And thus within him self to yelpe,
As he which was a wilde man
Upon his treson he began.
And up he sterte, and forth he wenre
On hors6backe, but his entente
There knew no wight, and thus he
name
The nexte waie, till he came
Unto Collacea the gate
Of Rome, and it was somdele late
Right even upon the sonne sette.
And he which hadde shape his nette
Her innocence to betrappe,
And as it shulde tho mishappe,
As privelich as ever he might
He rode and of his hors alight
To-fore Collatines inn
And all frendelich goth him in,
As he that was cousin of house.
And she which is the goode spouse,
Lucrece, whan that she him sigh,
W'ith goodly chere drewe him nigh
As she which all honour supposeth
And him so as she dare opposeth
How it stood of her husebonde.
And he tho did her understonde
With tales feigned in this wise
Right as he wolde him self devise
Wherof he might her hert6 glade,
That she the better cher6 made.
Whan she the gladde wordes herde
How that her housebonde ferde.
And thus the trouthe was deceived
With slie tres6n which was received
To hir6 which mente alle good.
For as the festds thanne stood,
His souper was right wel arraied,
But yet he hath no word assaied
To speke of love in no degre.
But with covdrt subtilite
His frendly speches he affaiteth,


And, as the tigre, his time awaiteth
In hope for to cacche his pray.
"Whan that the bordes were awey
And they have soupdd in the halle,
He saith that slepe is on him falle,
And praith, he mote go to bedde.
And she with alld haste spedde
So as her thought it was to done,
That every thing was redy sone.
She brought him to his chambre tho
And toke her leve, and forth is go
Into her owne chambre by.
And she that wende certainly
Have had a frend then had a fo,
Wherof fell after mochel wo.
"This tiraunt though he lie softe
Out of his bedde aros full ofte
And goth about and laid his ere
To herken till that alld were
To bedde gone and slepten faste.
And than upon him self he caste
A mantel and his swerde all naked
He toke in honde, and she unwaked
A bedde lay. But what she mette,1
God wot, for he the dore unshette
So prively that none it herde,
The softe pas and forth he ferde
Into the bed where that she slepte,
All sodeinly and in he crepte.
And her in bothe his armes toke.
With that this worthy wife awoke,
Which through tendresse of womanhed
Her vois hath lost for pure drede,
That o word speke she ne dare.
And eke he bad her to beware,
For if she made noise or cry,
He said, his swerd lay fastd by
To sleen her and her folke about.
And thus he brought her herte in
doubt,
That lich a lamb whan it is sesed
In wolves mouth, so was disesed
Lucrece, who lay dede oppressed.
1  iL[c'te, dreamed.




BOOK VII.-HOtW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 40or


And he, which all him hadde adressed
To lust, toke thanne what him liste
And goth his wey, that none it wiste,
Into his owne chambre ayein
And clep6d up his chamberlein
To horse lept and forth he rode.
And she, which in her bed abode,
Whan that she wist he was agone,
She clepdd after light anone
And up aros long er the day
And cast awey her fressh array,
As she which hath the worldforsake,
And toke upon the cloth6s blacke.
And ever upon continuing,
Right as men se a welle spring,
With eyen full of wofull teres
Her hair hangend about her eres
She wepte, and no man wiste why.
But yet among full pitouslv'
She praied that they nolden drecchel
Her husebonde for to fecche
Forthwith her fader eke also.
Thus be they comen bothe two,
And Brutus cam with Collatine,
Which to Lucrece was cousine,
And in they wenten alle thre
To chambre, where they mighte se
The wofullest upon this molde,
Which wepte as she to water sholde.
Thechambre dore anone was stoke,2
Er they have ought unto her spoke.
They sigh her clothes all disguised,
And how she hath her self despised
Her haire hangend unkemt about.
But netheles she gan to lout
And knele unto her husebonde.
Andhe, which fain wold understonde
The cause why she fared so.
With softe wordes axed tho:
'What mayyou be.' mygode swete?'
And she, which thought her self
unmete
1 Drecche, delay.  2 Stoke, barred.; What may be to you? How is it with you?


And the lest worth of women alle,
Her woful chere let down falle
For shame and couthe unnethes 1
loke,
And they therof good hede toke
And praiden her in alle way,
That she ne spare for to say
Unto her frendes what her eileth,
Why she so sore her self bewaileth,
And what the sothe wolde mene.
Andshe, which hathher sorwe grene,
Her wo to telle thanne assaieth,
But tendre shame her word delaieth,
That sondry times as she mente
To speke upon the point she stente.
And they her beden ever in one
To telle forth, and there upon,
Whan that she sigh she muste nede,
Her tale betwene shame and drede
She told6, nought withoute peine.
And he, which wolde her wo restreigne,
Her husebond, a sory man,
Comf6rteth her all that he can
And swore, and eke her fader both,
That they with hire be noughtwroth
Of that is do ayein her wille,
And praieden her to be stille,
For they to her have all foryive.
But she, which thoughte nought to
live,
Of hem woll no foryivenesse
And said, of thilke wickednesse,
\Which was to hire body wrought,
All were it so she might it nought,
Never afterward the world ne shall
Reproven her, and forthwithall,
Er any man therof be ware,
A naked swerd, the which she bare
Within her mantel prively,
Betwene her hondes sodeinly
She toke, and through her hert it
throng,
And fell to ground, and ever among,
1 Unnethes, hardly (not easily).
2 C




402


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Whan that she fell, so as she might,
Her clothes with her hond she right,
That no man downward fro theknee
Shuld any thinge of her then se.
Thus lay this wife honestel',
All though she diede wofully.
Tho was no sorwe for to seke,
Her husbonde and her fader eke
A swoune upon the body felle.
There may no mannes tunge telle,
In which anguishe that they were.
But Brutus, which was with hem
there,
Toward him self his herte kept
And to Lucrece anone he lept,
The bloody swerde and pulleth out
And swore the goddes al about
That he therof shall do vengeaunce.
And she tho made a countenat'nce
Her dedly eye and atte laste
In thonking as it were up cast,
And so behelde him in the wise
While she to loke may suffise.
And Brutus with a manly herte
Her husdbonde hath made up sterte
Forth with her fader eke also
In alle haste and said hem tio,
That they anone withoute lette
A bere for the body fette.
Lucrece and therupon bled6nd
He laide and so forth out criend
He goth unto the market place
Of Rome. And in a litel space
Through cry the cite was assembled,
And every mannds herte trembled
Whan theythesoth herde of the cas.
And thereupon the counseil was
Take of the great and of the smale.
And Brutus tolde hem all the tale.
And thus cam into remembraUnce
Of sinne the continuatince
Which Arrons hadde do to-fore,
And eke long time er he was bore
Of that his fader hadde do,
The wrong came into place tho,


So that the comun clamour tolde
The newe shame of sinnes olde.
And all the town began to cry:
'Awey, awey the tiranny
Of lechery and covetise!'
And atte last in such a wise
The fader in the same while
Forth with the sone they exile
And taken better governaunce.
" But yet an otherremembraunce
That rightwisnesse and lechery
Accorden nought in compaigny
With him that hath the lawe on
honde,
That may a man well understonde.
As by a tale thou shalt wite
Of olde ensample as it is write.
"( t B{om6 whan that Appius,
Whose other name was Claudium,
Was governour of the citee,
There fell a wonder thing to se
Touchend a gentil maide, as thus,
Whom Livius Virginius
Begeten had upon his wife.
Men saiden, that so faire a life
As she was nought in all the town.
This fame, which goth up and
down,
To Claudius came in his ere,
Wherofhis thought anone was there,
But she stood upon mariage.
A worthy knight of great lignige,
Iliciuis which thanne hight,
Accorded in her faders sight
Was that he shulde his doughter
wedde.
But er the cause were fully speddc,
Her fader, which in Romanie
The leding of the chivalrie
In governaunce hath undertake,
Upon a werre which was take,
Goth out with all the strength he
hadde
Of men of armes which he ladde.
So was the maritgd left




BOOK VII —HOW A KING WAS TAUGHT. 403


And stood upon accord till eft.
" The King, which herde telle of
this,
How that this maide ordeined is
To mariage, thought another,
And hadde thilk6 time a brother,
Which Marchus Claudius was hote,
And was a man of such riote
Right as the King him selve was;
They two to-gider upon this cas
In counseil founden out the wey,
That Marchus Claudius shall sey
How she by wey of covenaunt
To his servfce apurtenaunt
Was hole, and to none other man.
And there upon he saith he can
In every point witndssd take,
So that she shall it nought forsake.1
Whan that they hadden shape so
After the lawe which was tho,
While that her fader was absent,
She was somoned and assent2
To come in presence of the King,
And stood in answere of this thing.
Her frendds wisten all wele
That it was falshede every dele,
And comen to the Kinge and saiden
Upon the comun lawe and praiden
So as this noble worthy knight,
Her fader, for the comun right
In thilke time, as was befalle,
Lay for the profit of hem alle
Upon the wilde feldes armed,
That he ne shuld6 nought ben
harmed
Ne shamed while that he were out.
And thus they praiden all about.
"For all the clamour thathe herde
The King upon his lust answerde
And yaf hem only daids two
Of respit. For he wende tho,
That in so short a time appere
Her fader might in no manere.
But as therof he was deceived.
1 Forsake, deny.  2 Ass/nf, sent for.


For Livius had all conceived
The purpos of the King to-fore,
So that to Rome ayein therfore
In alle hast he came riddnd
And left upon the feld liggend
His host till that he came ayein.
And thus this worthy capitain
Appereth redy at his day,
Where all that ever reson may
By lawe in audience he doth,
So that his doughter upon soth
Of that Marchuis her had accused
He hath to-fore the Court excused.
"The King, which sigh his purpos faile,
And that no sleighlte might availe,
Incombred of his lustes blinde
The lawe torneth out of kinde,
And halfe in wrath as though it were
In presence of hem alle there
Deceived of concupiscence
Yaf for his brother the sentence
And bad him that he shulde sese
This maide and make him well at
ese.
But all within his own entent
He wist how that the cause went,
Of that his brother hath the wite
He was him selven for to wite.1
But thus this maiden haddd wronge
Which was upon the King alonge,
But ayein him was none apele,
And that the fader wiste wele.
Wherof upon the tirannie,
That for the lust of lecherie
His doughter shulde be deceived,
And that Ilicius was weived
Untruly fro the mariSge,
Right as a leon in his rage,
Which of no drede set accompt
And not what pitd shulde amount,
A naked swerde he pull1d out,
The which among6s all the rout
1 Of that for which his brother had the blame
he was himself to be held guilty.




4o4


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


He threste through his doughters
side,
And all aloude thus he cride:
'Lo, take her there thou wrongfull
king,
For me is lever upon this thing
To be the fader of a maide,
Though she be dede, than if men
saide
That in her life she were shamed
And I therof were evil named.'
Tho bad the king men shulde areste
His body, but of thilke heste
Like to the chaced wilde bore
The hound6s whan he feleth sore
To-throweth and goth forth his wey,
In such a wis6 for to sey
This worthy knight with swerd in
honde
His weie made, andthey him wonde,1
That none of hem his strokes kepte,
And thus upon his hors he lepte
And with his swerd droppend of
blood,
The which within his doughter stood,
He cam thereas the power was
Of Rome and tolde hem all the cas
And saidhem,that theymightenlere
Upon the wronge of this matere,
That better it were to redresse
At home the great unrightwisnesse,
Than for to werre in straunge place
And lese at home her owne grace.
For thus stant every mann6s life
In jeopartie for his wife
And for his doughter if they be
Passend an other of beaute.
Of this merveile which they sigh
So apparauint to-fore her eye,
Of that the king him hath misbore,
Her othes they have alle swore
That they woll stonde by the right.
And thus of one accorde upright
To Rome at ones home avein
1 IWonde, fear.


They torne and shortly for to sain
This tirannie cam to mouth,
And every man saith what he couth,
So that the prive trecher',
Which set was upon lechery,
Cam openly to mannes ere,
And that brought in the comun fere,
That every man the perill dradde
Of him that so hem overladde.
For they, or that 1 it worse falle.
Through comun counseil of hem alle
They have her wrongful King deposed,
And hem in whom it was supposed
The counseil stood of his leding,
By lawe unto the dome they bring,
Where they receiven the penauince
That longeth to such governauince.
And thus thunchaste was chastised;
Wherof they mighten ben avised
That sholden afterward governe,
And by this evidence lerne
How it is good a Kinge eschue
The lust of vice and vertue sue.
3o maIhe an enbe in this partie,
Which toucheth to the policie
Of chastete in speciall,
As for conclusion finall
That every lust is to eschue
By great ensample I may argue,
Howe in Rages a town of Mede
There was a maide, and as I rede,
Sarra she hight, and Raguel
Her fader was. And so befell
Of body bothe and of visage
Was none so faire of the lignage
To seche among hem all, as she,
Wherof the riche of the citee
Of lusty folk, that couthen love,
Assoted were upon her love
And axen hire for to wedde.
One was which atte last6 spedde,
But that was more for liking
To have his lust than for wedding,
1 0r thJat. before.




BOOK VII.-HOWI A KING WAS TAUGHT. 405


As he within his herte caste,
Whiche him repenteth atte laste.
For so it fell the firste night,
That whan he was to bedde dight
As he which no thing God besecheth,
But all only his lustes secheth,
Asmod, which was a fend of helle
And serveth as the bokes telle
To tempte a man in such a wise,
Was redy there, and thilke emprise
Whiche he hath set upon delite
He vengeth than in such a plite
That he his neck hath writh atwo.
This yongd wife was sory tho,
Which wiste nothing what it ment.
And neth6less yet thus it went
Nought only for this firste man,
But after right as he began,
Six other of her husebondes
Asmod hath take into his hondes,
So that they all abedde deiede,
Whan they her hond toward her
leide,
Nought for the lawe of maritge,
But for that ilke firy rage
In which that they the lawe excede.
For who that wolde taken hede
What after fell in this matere,
There might he well the sothe here
Whan she was wedded to Thobie,
And Raphael in compaigny
Hath taught him how to be hon6st.
Asmod wan nought at thilke fest,
And yet Thoby his wille hadde,
For he his lust so godely ladde
That bothe lawe and kinde is
served,
Wherof he hath him self preserved
That he fell nought in the sentence.
Of which an open evidence
By this ensample a man may se,
That whan liking in the degre
Of lmaria.ge may forswey,
Well ought him than in other wey


Of lust to be the better avised.
For God the lawes hath assised
As well to reson as to kinde,
But he the bestes wolde binde
Only to lawes of nature,
But to the mannes creature
God yaf him reson forth withall
Wherof that he nature shall
Upon the causes modify,
That he shall do no lechery,
And yet he shall his lustes have,
So ben the lawes bothe save
And every thing put out of sclaunder,
As whilom to king Alisaundre
The wise philosophre taught,
Whan he his firste lore caught,
Nought only upon chastete,
But als upon alle honeste.
Wherof a King him self may taste,
How trewe, how large, how juste,
how chaste
Him ought of reson for to be
Forth with the vertue of pite.
Through which he may great thank
deserve
Toward his God, that he preserve
Him and his people in alle welthe
Of pees, richesse, honouir and helthe
Here in this worlde and elles eke.
" My sone, as we to-for6 speke
In shrifte, so as thou me saidest,
And for thin ese, as thou mepraidest,
Thy love throwes for to lisse,
That I the wolde telle and wisse
The fonne of Aristotles lore,
I have it said, and somdele more
Of other ensamples to assaie
If I thy peines mighte alaie
Through any thing whiche I can
say.""Do wey, my fader, I you pray;
Of that ye have unto me tolde
I thonke you a thousand folde;
The tales sounen in min ere,
But yet min herte is elles where;




406


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


I may my selve nought restreigne
That I nam ever in loves peine.
Such lore couthe I never gete,
Which mighte make me foryete
0 point, but if so were I slepte,
That I my tides ayeine kepte
To thenke of love and of his lawe,
That herte can I nought withdrawe.
Forthy, my gode fader dere,
Leve and speke of my matere
Touchend of Love as we begonne,
If that there be ought over ronne
Or ought foryete or left behinde


Which falleth unto Loves kinde,
Wherof it nedeth to be shrive,
Now axeth, so that while I live
I might amende that is amis.""c My gode dere sone, yis.
Thy shrifte for to make plein,
There is yet more for to sain
Of Love which is unavised.
But for thou shalt be well avised
Unto thy shrifte as it belongeth,
A point which upon love hongeth
And is the laste of alle tho,
I woll the telle, and thanne 'ho.; 1
1 Then stop.




J Sooh r'EEE.


clj miitfp ([ob, which unbe(^onne
Stant of him self and hath begonne
All other thing6s at his will,
The heven him liste to fulfill
Of alle joie, where as he
Sit enthronifzd in his see
And hath his aungels him to serve,
Such as him liketh to preserve
So that they mowe nought forswey,
But Lucifer he put awey
With al the route apostazfed
Of hem that ben to him allied,
Which out of heven into helle
From aungels into fendes felle,
Where that there is no joy of light,
But more derk than any night,
The peine shall ben endeless.
And yet of fires netheles
There is plente, but they ben blacke,
Vherof no sightd may be take.
"Thus whan the thinges ben
befalle,
That Luciferes Court was falle
Where dedly pride hem hath conveied,
Anone forthwith it was purveied
Through him which alle thinges
may,
He made Adam the sixte day
In Paradise, and to his make
Him liketh Eve also to make
And bad hem cresce and multiply.


For of the mannes progeny
Which of the woman shall be bore,
The nombre of aungels which was
lore
Whan they out fro the blisse felle
He thoughtd to restore, and fille
In heven thilke holy place
Which stood tho voide upon his
grace.
But as it is well wist and knowe,
Adam and Ev6 but a throwe,
So as it shuld of hem betide,
In Paradise at thilke tide
Ne dwelten, and the cause why
Write in the boke of Genesy
As who saith all men have herdc,
How Raphael the firy swerde
In honde toke and drove hem out
To gete her lives food about
Upon this wofull erthe here.
Mletodrd saith to this matere,
As he by revelacion
It had upon avision
How that Addm and Eve also
Virgines comen bothd two
Into the world and were ashamed
Till that nature hath hem reclaimed
To love and taught hem thilke lore
That first they kiste and over more
They done that is to kinde due,
Wherof they hadden faire issue.
A sond was the firste of alle,
And Chaim by name they him calle.




408


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Abel was after the secouinde
And in the geste as it is founde
Nature' so the caus6 ladde,
Two doughters eke dame Eve hadde,
The firste cleped Calmana
Was, and that other Delbora.
Thus was mankinde to beginne,
Forthy that time it was no sinne
The suster for to take the brother,
Whan that ther was of chois non
other.
To Chaim was Calmana betake,
And Delboram hath Abel take,
In whom was gete netheles
Of worldes folk the first encres.
Men sain that nede hath no lawe,
And so it was by thilke dawe
And laste unto the seconde age,
Till that the grete water rage
Of Noe, which was said the flood,
The world, which than in sinne stood,
Hath dreint, out take lives eight.
Tho was mankinde of litel weight.
Sem, Cam, Japhet, of these thre,
That ben the sones of Noe,
The worlde of mannes nation
Into multiplication
Was tho restored new ayein
So ferforth as these bokes sain,
That of hem thre and her issuie
There was so large a retenuie
Of nations seventy and two,
In sondry place eche one of tho
The wide world have enhabited.
But as natuire hem hath excited,
They token thanne litel hede
The brother of the susterhede
To wedde wives, till it cam
Into the time of Abraham,
Whan the thridde age was begonne,
The nede tho was overonne,
For there was people inough in londe.
Then atte first it came to honde,
That susterhede of mariage
Was tornedd into cousinige,


So that after the righte line
The cousin weddeth the cousine.
For Abraham er that he deied
This charge upon his servaunt leied
To him and in this wise spake,
That he his sone Isaac
Do wedde for no worldes good,
But only to his owne blood.
Wherof the servaunt as he badde,
Whan he was dede, his sone hath
ladde
To Bathuel, where he Rebecke
Hath wedded with the white necke.
For she, he wiste well and sigh,
Was to the childe cousin nigh.
"And thus as Abraham hath
taught,
Whan Isaac was God betaught,
His sone Jacob did also
And of Labin the doughters two.
Which was his eme,1 he toke to wife
And gate upon hem in his life,
Of her firste which hight6 Lie,
Six sones of his progenie,
And of Rachel two sones eke;
The remenaunt was for to seke,
This is to sain of fourd mo,
Wherof he gate on Bala two
And of Zelpha he had eke twey.
And these twelve, as I the say,
Through providence of God him
selve
Ben said 2 the Patriarkes Twelve.
Of whom as afterward befel
The tribes twelf of Israel
Engendred were, and ben the same,
That of Hebrews tho hadden name,
Which of sibred a in aliaunce
For ever kepten thilke usaunce
Most comunly, till Crist was bore.
But afterward it was forbore
Among us that ben baptized.
For of the lawe canonized
J Eic, 1uncle.   2 Said, named.
S ~;) i;cc, kindred.




BOOK VIII.


4C9


The Pope hath bode to the men,
That none shall wedden of his kin
Ne the sec6nde ne the thridde.
But though that Holy Chirche it
bidde,
So to restreigne maridge,
There ben yet upon loves rage
Ful many of suche now a day,
That taken where they take may.
For love, whiche is unbesein
Of alle reson, as men sain,
Through sotie and through nicet6
Of his voluptuositd
He spareth no condici6n
Of kin ne yet religion.
My sone, thou shalt understonde,
That such delite is for to blame.
Forthy if thou hast be the same
To love in any such manere,
Tell forth therof and shrive tihe
here."" My fader, nay, God wot the
sothe,
My faire is nought in such a bothe,
So wilde a man yet was I never,
That of my kin, or leve or lever,
Me liste love in such a wise.
And eke I not for what emprise
I shulde assote upon a nonne,
For though I had her love wonne
It might into no prise amounte,
So therof set I none accompte.
Ye may well axe of this and that,
But sothly for to telle plat,
In all this world there is but one,
The which my herte hath over gone.
I am toward all other fre."' Full well, my sone, now I se
Thy word stant ever upon o place,
But yet therof thou hast a grace,
That thou the might so well excuse
Of love, such as some men use,
So as I spake of now to-fore.
For all such time of love is lore,,And lich unto the bitter swete,


For though it thenke a man first
swete,
He shall well felen atte laste,
That it is soure and maynoughtlaste.
For as a morcel envenimed,
So hath such love his lust mistimed,
And great ensamples many one
A man may find6 therupon.
"t t omn 1  first if we begin,
There shal I find howe of this sin
An emperofir was for to blame,
Gaius Caligula by name,
Which of his owne susters thre
Berefte the virginite,
And did hem out of londe exile.
But afterward within a while
God hath beraft him in his ire
His life, and eke his large empire.
" Of this soty also I finde
Amon his suster ayein kinde,
Which highte Thamar, he forlay,
But he that lust another day
Aboughte, whan that Absolon
His owne brother there upon,
Of that he had his suster shent,
Toke of that sinne vengement
Andsloughhim with his owne honde.
And thus thunkinde unkinde fonde.
" And for to se more of this thing
The bible maketh a knouleching,
Wherofthou might take evidence
Upon the soth experience.
Whan Lothes wife was overgone
And shape unto the salte stone,
As it is spoke unto this day,
By both his doughters than he lay.
And so the cause about he ladde,
That eche of hem a sone hadde,
Moab the first and the secouinde
Amon; of which as it is founde
Cam afterward to great encres
Two nati6ns. And n6theles
For that the stockes were ungood,
The braunches mighten nought ben:ood.




4IO


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


For of the false Moabites
Forth with the strength of Amonites,
Of that they weren first misget,
The people of God was ofte upset
In Israel and in Judee,
As in the bible a man may se.
"Lo thus, my sone, as I the say,
Thou might thy selve be besay
Of that thou hast of other herdce,
For ever yet it hath so ferde,
Of loves lust if so befalle
That it in other place falle
Than it is of the lawe sette.
He, which his love hath so besette
Mote afterward repent him sore,
And every man is others lore.
Of that befell in time er this,
The present time which nowe is
May ben enformed how it stood.
And take that him thenketh good
And leve that which is nought so.
But for to loke of time ago,
How lust of love excedeth lawe,
It oughte for to be withdrawe.
For every man it shulde drede
And namelich in his sibrede,
Which torneth ofte to vengeadince,
Wherof a tale in rdmembraunce,
Which is a long process to here,
I thenke for to tellen here.
f a crolniquce in daies gon,
The which is cleped Panteon,
In loves cause I rede thus,
How that the great Antiochus,
Of whom that Antioche toke
His firste name, as saith the boke,
Was coupled to a noble quene,
And had a doughter hem betwene.
But such fortune' cam to honde,
That deth, which no kind may withstonde
But every life it mote obey,
This worthy quene toke awey.
The king, which madc mochel mone,
Tho stood as who saith all him one


\Vithoute wife, but netheles
His doughter which was pereles
Of beaute dwelt about him stille.
But whan a man hath welth at wille
The flesshe is frele and falleth ofte,
And that this maide tendreandsofte
Whiche in her faders chambre
dwelte
Within a tim6 wist and felte,
It helpeth nought all though she
wepe,
For they that shulde her body kepe
Of women were absent as than,
And thus this maiden goth to man.
The wilde fader thus devoureth
His owne flessh, which none socotireth,
And that was cause of mochel care.
But after this unkinde fare
Out of the chambre goth the king.
And she lay still and of this thing
Within her self such sorwe made
There was no wight, that might
her glade,
For fere of thilke horrible vice.
With that came inne the norice,
Which fro childhode h erhadde kepte
And axeth if she hadde slepte,
And why her chere was unglad.
But she, which hath ben overlad
Of that she mightd nought bewreke,
For shame6 couth unethes speke.
And netheles mercy she praide
With wepingeye and thus she saide:
Helas, my suster, wailoway,
That ever I sigh this ilke day.
My worldes worship is berefte.'
With that she swounethnow and efte
And ever wissheth after deth,
So that welnigh her lacketh breth.
" That other, which her wordes
herde,
In comfortfng of her answerde.
' Whan thing is do, there is no bote.
So suffren they that suffren mote.




BOOK VIII.


4II


There was none other, which it wist.'
Thus hath this king all that him list
And such delite he toke there in,
Him thoughtd that it was no sin.
And she durst him no thingwithsay.
But Fame, which goth every way,
To sondry regnes all aboute
The greate beaute telleth oute
Of such a maide of high parage.
So that for love of mariage
Theworthyprinces come and sende,
As they the which all honour wende
Andknewnothing howthat it stode.
' The fader whan he understode
That they his doughter thus besought,
With all his wit he cast and sought
How that he mighte finde a lette,
And such a statute than he sette
And in this wise his lawe taxeth,
That what man that his doughter
axeth,
But if he couthe his question
Assoile 1 upon suggestion
Of certein thinges that befelle,
The which he wolde unto him telle,
He shulde in certein lese his hede.
And thus there were many dede,
Her hedes stonding on the gate,
Till atte laste long and late
For lacke of answere in this wise
The remenaunt that weren wise
Escheueden to make assay.
"' Till it befell upon a day
Appollinus the prince of Tire,
Which hath to love a great desire,
A yonge, a fresh, a lusty knight,
As he lay musing on a night
Of the tidingds, which he herde,
He thought assay how that it ferde.
He was with worthy compaignie
Arraied and with good navie
To ship he goth, the winde him
driveth,
1 Assoile, solve.


And saileth till that he arriveth
Sauf in the porte of Antioche.
He londeth and goth to approche
The kinges court and his presence.
'" Of every natural science
Whiche any clerke couth him teche
He couth inough, and in his speche
Of wordes he was eloqutnt.
And whan he sigh the king present,
He praieth he mote his doughter
have.
The king ayein began to crave
And tolde him the condici6n,
How first unto his question
He mote answere and faile nought,
Orwith his heved it shall be bought.
And he him axeth, what it was.
' The king declareth him the cas
With sterne loke and stordy chere,
To him and said in this manere:
'With felony I am upbore,
I ete, and have it nought forlore,
My moders flesh, whose husebonde,
My fader, for to seche I fonde,
Which is the sone eke of my wife.
Herof I am inquisitife.
And who that can my tale save
Al quite he shall my doughter have.
Of his answere and if he faile,
He shall be dede withoute faile.
Forthy my sond, quod the king,
Be wel avised of this thing,
Which hath thy life in jeopartie.
Appollinus for his partie
Whan he that question had herde,
Unto the king he hath answerde
And hath reherced one and one
The points and saide therupon:
'The questi6n, which thou hast
spoke,
If thou wolt that it be unloke,
It toucheth all the privetd
Betwene thin ownd child and the
And stant all hole upon you two.'
The king was wonder sory tho




412


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And thought, if that he said it out,
Than were he shamed all about.
With slighe wordes and with felle
He saith: ' My sone, I shall the telle,
Though that thou be of litel wit,
It is no great merveile as yit,
Thin age may it nought suffise.
But loke wel thou nought despise
Thin owne life, for of my grace
Of thritty daies full a space
I graunte the, to ben avised.'
"And thus with leve and time
assised
This yonge prince forth he wente
And understode wel what it mente.
Within his herte as he was lered,
That for to maken him afered
The kinge his time hath so delaied,
Wherof he drad and was amaied
Of treson that he deie sholde
For he the king his sothe tolde.
And sodeinly the nightes tide,
That more wolde he nought abide,
Al prively his barge he hente
And home ayein to Tire he wente.
And in his owne wit he saide,
For drede, if he the king bewraide
He knew so wel the kinges herte
That deth ne shulde he nought
asterte,1
The king him wolde so pursue.
But he that wolde his deth escheue
Andkneweallthis to-fore the honde,
Forsake he thought his owne londe,
That there wolde he nought abide.
For wel he knew that on some side
This tiraunt of his felonie
By some manere of trecherie
To greve his body woll nought leve.
' Forth' withouten taking leve
As privelich as ever he might
He goth him to the see by night,
Her shippes ben with whete laden,
Her takil redy tho they maden
I Astcrtc, escape.


And haleth sail and forth they fare.
But for to tellen of the care,
That they of Tire baren tho,
Whan that they wist he was ago,
It is a pite for to here.
They losten lust, they losten chere,
Theytokeupon hem such penaunce,
There was no song, there was no
daunce,
But every merthe and melodK
To hem was than a malady,
For unlust of that aventuire.
Therewasno manwhich toke tonsure,
In dolfull clothes they hem clothe.
The bathes and the stewes bothe
They shetten in by every wey.
There was no life which liste pley
Ne take of any joie kepe,
But for her lege lord to wepe,
And every wight said as he couth:
' Helas, the lusty floure of youth,
Ourprince, ourheved, ourgovern6ur,
Through whom we stonden in
honour,
Withoute the comiune assent,
That sodeinly is fro us went!'
Such was the clamour of hem alie.
<" But se we now what is befalle
Upon the firste tale pleine
And torne we therto ayeine.
" Antiochus the grete sire.
Which full of rancour and of ire
His herte bereth so as ye herde
Of that this prince of Tire answerde,
He had a felow bacheler,
Which was his prive counseiler
And Taliart by name he hight.
The king a strong poison him dight
Within a buist1 and gold therto,
In alle haste and bad him go
Straught unto Tire and for no cost
Ne spare till he hadde lost
The prince which he wolde spill.2
And whan the king hath said hiswill
I l>Buist, box.  2' Sill, destroy.




BOOK VIII.


413


This Taliart in a galey
With all the haste he toke his wey.
The wind was good,they saileth blive,
Till he toke lond upon the rive
Of Tire and forth with all anone
Into the burgh he gan to gone
Andtoke hisinneand bodeathrowe.
But for he wolde nought be knowe,
Desguis6d than he goth him out.
He sigh the weping all about
And axeth, what the causd was.
And they him tolden all the cas,
How sodeinly the prince is go.
And whan he sigh that it was so
And that his labour was in veine
Anone he torneth hone ayeine
And to the king whan he cam nigh
He tolde of that he herde and sigh,
How that the prince of Tire is fled,
So was he come ayein unsped.
The king was sory for a while
But whan he sigh that with no wile
He might acheve his cruelte,
He stint his wrath and let him be.
" But over this now for to telle
Of adventures that befelle
Unto this prince, of which I tolde,
He hath his righte cours forth holde
By stone and nedel till he cam
To Tharse, and ther his londe he
nam.
A bourgeis riche of golde and fee
Was thilke time in that citee,
Which cleped was Strangulio,
His wife was Dionise also.
This yonge prince, as saiththeboke,
With him his herbergg6 toke.
And it befell that citee so
Before time and than also
Through stronge famin whiche hem
lad
Was none that any whete had.
Appollindis, whan that he herde
The mischefe, how the citee ferde,
All frelich of his ownd vifte


His whete among hem for to shifte,
The which by ship hehadde brought,
He yave, and toke of hem right
nought.
But sithen first this world began,
Was never vet to such a man
Morejoie made, than theyhim made.
For they were all of him so glade
That they for ever in remembraiince
Made a fig'ire in resemblaince
Of him and in a comun place
They set it up, so that his face
Mighlt every maner man beholde
So as the citee was beholde,
It was of laton 1 over gilt.
Thus hath he nought his yifte spilt.
' Upon a timef with a route
This lord to pleie goth him oute
And in his way of Tire he mette
Aman, which on hiskneeshim grette,
And Hellican by name he hight,
Which praide his lord to have insight
Upon him self and said him thus,
How that the great Antiochus
Awaiteth if he might him spille.
That other thought and helde him
stille
And thonked him of his warning
And bad him telle no tiding,
Whan he to Tire cam home ayeine,
That he in Tharse him hadde seine.
"Fortune hath ever be muable
And may no while stondd stable.
For now it higheth, now it loweth,
Now   stant upright, now  overthroweth,
Now full of bliss and now of bale,
As in the telling of my tale
Here afterward a man may lere,
Which is great routhe for to here.
"This lord, which wolde done
his best,
1 Lafon, latten, an alloy of copper with tin;
the material of ancient church brasses.




414


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Within him self hath litel rest
And thought he wolde his place
chaunge
And seke a contre mord straunge.
Of Tharsiens his leve anone
He toke and is to shippe gone.
His cours he nam with saile updrawe,
Where as Fortune doth the lawe
And sheweth as I shall reherce
How she was to this lord diverse,
Thewhich upon the see sheferketh.i
The winde aros, the wether derketh,
It blew and made such tempest,
None anker may the ship arest,
Which hath to-broken all his gere.
The shipmen stood in such a fere,
Was none that might him self
bestere,
But ever awaite upon the lere 2
Whan that they sholden drenche
at ones.
There was inough within the wones
Of weping and of sorwe tho.
The yonge king maketh mochel wo
So for to se the ship travaile,
But allthat might himnoughtavaile.
The mast to-brake, the sail to-rofe,z
The ship upon the wawes drofe,
Till that they se the londes coste,
Tho madeavowthe leste and moste,
Be so they mighten come a londe.
But he which hath the se on honde,
Neptunus, wolde nought accorde,
But all to-brake cable and corde,
Er they to londe mighte approche.
The ship to-clef upon a roche
And all goth down into the depe.
But he that alld thing may kepe
Unto this lord was merciable
And brought him sauf upon a table 4
Which tothe londehim hathupbore;
The remenaunt was all forlore.
Herof he made mochel mone.
] Ferketh, hastens.  2 Wait to learn.
To-rofe, was riven to shreds.
4 Table, plank.


"Thus was this yong6 lorde alone
All naked in a pouer plite.
His colour which was whilom white
Was than of water fade and pale,
And eke he was so sore a cale,1
That he wist of him self no bote,
It helpe him no thing for to mote 2
To gete ayein that he hath lore.
But she which hath his dethforbore,
Fortune, though she woll nought
yelpe,3
All sodeinly hath sent him helpe
Whan him thought alle grace awey.
There came a fissher in the wey
And sigh a man there naked stonde.
And whan that he hath understonde
The cause, he hath of him great
routh
And onlich of his pouer trouth
Of suche clothes as he hadde
With great pite this lord he cladde.
And he him thonketh as he sholde
And saithhimthat it shall be yolde,4
If ever he gete his state ayein,
And praieth, that he wolde him sain
If nigh were any town for him.
He said: Ye, Pentopolim,
Where bothe king and quene
dwellen.'
Whan he this tale herde tellen,
He gladdeth him and gan beseche,
That he the wey him woldd teche.
And he him taught. And forth he
went
And praidd God with good entent
To sende him joy after his sorwe.
'It was nought passed yet midmorwe,5
Than thiderward his wey he nam,
Where sone upon the none he canl.
He ete such as he might gete,
And forth anone whan he had ete,
1 A cale, a cold.  2  l1oe. sue.
3 Yelpe, boast.  4 Yolde, repaid.
5 Mfidnzorw-te, half way between sunrise and
noon.




BOOK VIII.


4I5


He goth to se the town about,
And cam there as he found a rout
Of yongc lusty men withall.
And as it shulde tho befall,
That day was set of such assise,
That they shulde in the londes gise
As he herde of the people say
Her comun game thanne pley.
And cried was, that they shuld come
Unto the games all and some
Of hem that ben deliver 1 and wight
To do such maistry as they might.
They made hem    naked as they
sholde,
For so that ilke game wolde
And it was tho custume and use,
Amonges hem was no refuse.
The floure of all the town was there
And of the court also there were,
And that was in a large place
Right even before the kinges face,
Whiche Artestrates thanne hight.
The pley was pleied right in his sight,
And who most worthy was of dede
Receive he shulde a certain mede
And in the citee bere a price.
"Appollinus which ware and wise
Of every game couth an ende,
He thought assay how so it wende.
And fell among hem into game,
And there he wanne him such a
name,
So as the king him self accompteth,
That he all other men surmounteth
And bare the prise above hem alle.
The king bad that into his halle
At souper time he shall be brought.
And he cam than and lefte it nough:,
Withoute compaigny alone.
Was none so semelich of persone,
Of visage and of limm6s bothe,
If that he hadde what to clothe.
At souper time netheles


The king amiddes all the pres
Let clepe him up amonge hem alle
And bad his mareshall of his halle
To setten him in such degre
That he upon him might6 se.
The king was sone sette and served,
And he which had his prise deserved
After the kinges owne worde,
Was made begin a middel borde
That bothe kingandquenehimsigh.
He sette and cast about his eve,
And sigh the lordes in estate
And with him self wax in debate
Thenkend of what he hadde lore,
And such a sorwe he toke therfore,
That he sat ever still and thought,
As he which of no mete rought.
"The king behelde his hevinesse
And of his grete gentilesse
His doughter which was faire and
good
And atte bord before him stood,
As it was thilke time usage,
He bad to go on his message
And founde' for to make him glad.
And she did as her fader bad
And goth to him the soft6 pas
And axeth whenne andwhat he was,
And praith he shulde his thoughtes
leve.
" Hesaith: ' Madame,byyourleve.
My name is hote Appollinus,
And of my richesse it is thus,
Upon the see I have it lore.
The contre where as I was bore,
Where that mylond is and myrente,
I lefte at Tire whan that I wente,
The worship there of which I oug-it
Unto the God I there betought.'
And thus to-gider as theytwo speke,
The ter6s ran down by his cheke.
The king, which therof toke good
kepe,
Had great pite to se him wepe


1 Dellzer, supple. Chaucer's Squire was
"' wonderly deliver and grete of strength."


I Founde, try.




4i6


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And for his doughter send ayein
And praid her faire and gan to sain
That she no lenger wolde drecche,1
But that she wolde anone forth
fecche
Her harpe and done all that she can
To gladde with that sory man.
And she to done her faders hest
Her harpe set and in the feste
Upon a chare which they sette
Her self next to this man she sette.
With harpe both and eke with
mouthe
To him she did all that she couthe
To make him chere, and ever he
siketh,
And she him axeth how him liketh.
' Madame, certes well,' he saide,
But if ye the mesiir6 plaide
Which, if you list, I shall you lere,
It were a glad thing for to here.'
'Ha, leve sire,' tho quod she,
' Now take the harpe and let me se,
Of what mesure that ye mene.'
" Tho praith the king, tho praith
the quene,
Forth with the lordes all arewe,
That he some merthe wolde shewe.
He taketh the harpe and in his wise
He tempreth, and of suche assise
Singend he harpeth forth withall
Tiat as a vois celestiall
Hem thought it souned in her ere,
As though that he an aungel were.
They gladen of his melody,
But most of all the company
The kinges doughter, whichitherde,
And thought eke of that he answerde
Whan that it was of her apposed,
Within her hert hath well supposed
That he is of great gentilesse;
His dedes ben therof witnesse
Forth with the wisdome of his lore,
It nedeth nought to seche more.
1 Drecche, delay.


He might nought have such manere,
Of gentil blood but if he were.
Whan he hath harped all his fill
The king6s heste to fulfill,
Away goth dish, away goth cup,
Down goth the bord, the cloth was
up,
They risen and gone out of halle.
"The king his chamberlein let
calle
And bad, that he by alle wey
A chambre for this man purvey,
Which nigh his owne chambre be.
' It shall be do, my lord,' quod he.
C Appollinus, of whom I mene,
Tho toke his leve of king and quene
And of the worthy maide also,
Which praid unto her fader tho,
That she might of the yonge man
Of tho sciences which he can,
His lore have. And in this wise
The king her graunteth his apprise,
So that him self therto assent.
Thus was accorded er they went
That he with all that ever he may
This yonge faire freshe may 1
Of that he couth6 shulde enforme.
And ful assented in this forme
They token leve as for that night.
"And whan it was on morwe right,
Unto this yonge man of Tire
Of clothes and of good attire
With gold and silver to despende
This worthy yonge lady sende.
And thus she made him well at ese,
And he with all that he can plese
Her serveth well and faire ayeine.
He taught her till she was certeine
Of harps, citole and of riote 2
With many a tune and many a note,
Upon musique, upon mesure,
And of her harpe the temprure
1.l1ay, maid.
2 Citole, a stringed instrument played with
the fingers; 'riote, rote, three-stringed fiddle
played with a bow.




BOOK VIII.


4T7


He taught her eke, as he well couth.
But as men sain that frele is youth,
With leiser and continuaunce,
This maide fell upon a chaunce,
That love hath made him a quarele
Ayeine her youthe fresh and frele,
That malgre where1 she wold or
nought.
She mot with all her hertes thought
To love and to his lawe obey.
And that she shall full sore abey,
For she wot never what it is.
But ever among she feleth this,
Thenkend upon this man of Tire,
Her herte is hote as any fire,
And otherwise it is acale.2
Now is she red, now is she pale
Right after the condition
Of her ymagination.
But ever among her thoughtes alle,
She thoughte, what so may befalle,
Or that she laugh, or that she wepe,
She wolde her gode name kepe
For fere of womanisshe shame.
But what in ernest, what in game,
She stant for love in such a plite
That she hath lost all appetite
Of mete and drinke, of nightes rest,
As she that not 3 what is the best.
But for to thenken all her fille
She helde her ofte times stille
Within her chambre and goth
nought out.
The king was of her life in doubt,
Which wiste nothing what it ment.
' But fell a time, as he out went
To walke, of princes sones thre
There came and felle to his knee,
And eche of hem in sondry wise
Besought and profreth his service,
So that he might his doughter have.
The king, which wold her honour
save,
I Where, whether., Acale, acold.  3 vot, knows not.


Saith, she is sike, and of that speche
Tho was no time to beseche,
But eche of hem to make a bille
He bad and write his owne wille.
His name, his fader and his good.
And whan shewisthow that it stood,
And had her billes oversein,
They shulden have answere ayein.
Of this counseil they weren glad
And writen as the king hem bad,
And every man his owne boke
Into the kinges bond betoke.
And he it to his doughter sende
And praide her for to make an ende
And write ayein her owne honde,
Right as she in her hert6 fonde.
"The billes weren well received,
But she hath all her loves weived
And thoughte tho was time and space
To put her in her faders grace
Andwrote <,yein and thus she saide:
'The shame which is in a maide
With speche dare nought beunloke,
But in writing it may be spoke.
So write I to you, fader, thus,
But if I have Appollinus,
Of all this world what so betide
I woll non other man abide.
And certes if I of him faile
I wot right well withoute faile
Ye shull for me be doughterles.'
This letter came, and there was pres
To-fore the king there as he stode.
And whan that he it understode,
He yave hem answere by and by.
But that was done so priv6ly,
That none of others counseil wiste.
They toke her leve, and where hem
liste,
They wente forth upon her wey.
"The king ne wolde nought
bewrey
The counseil for no maner high,1
But suffreth i.i11 he time sigh.
1 ZHigh, for It:, haste.




418


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And whan that he to chambre is
come,
He hath unto his counseil nome
This man of Tire and lete him se
The letter, and all the privdte
Thewhich his doughter tohimsente.
And he his kne to grounde bente
And thonketh him and her also.
And er they wenten than a two
With good herte and with good
corige
Of full love and full mariage
The kingeand heben hole accorded.
And after, whan it was recorded
Unto the doughter how it stood,
The yifte of all this worldds good
Ne shuld have made her half so
blithe.
Andforthwithallthekingealsswithe,
For he woll have her good assent,
Hath for the quene her moder sent.
The quene is come, and whan she
herde
Of this matere how that it ferde,
She sigh debate she sigh disese
But if she wolde her doughter plese,
And is therto assented ful,
Whiche is a dede wonderful,
For no man knew the sothe cas,
But he him self, what man he was.
And netheles so as hem thought
His dedes to the sothe wrought,
That he was come of gentil blood,
Him lacketh nought but worldes
good,
And as therof is no despeire,For she shall be her faders heire
And he was able to governe,
Thuswoll theynought the lovdwerne1
Of him and hire by no wise,
But all accorded they devise
The day and time of marinige,
Where love is lorde of the corage.
Him thenketh longe er that he spede,
1 Werne, forbid.


But atte laste unto the dede
The time is come, and in her wise
With great offrdnd and sacrifice
They wedde and make a riche fest,
And every thing was right honest
Withinne hous and eke without.
It was so done, that all about
Of great worship and great noblesse
There cried many a man largesse
Unto the lordes high and loude.
The knightes, that ben yonge and
proude,
They jeste 1 first and after daunce.
The day is go, the nightes chaunce
Hath derked all the brighte sonne.
This lord hath thus his love wonne.
" Now have I tolde of the spousailes.
But for to speke of the merveiles,
Which afterward to hem befelle,
It is a wonder for to telle.
" It fell a day they riden out
Thekingeandquene and all the rout
To plei6n hem upon the stronde,
Where as theyseen toward the londe
A ship sailend of great array;
To knowe what it mene may,
Till it be come they abide.
Than se they stonde on every side
Endlong the shippes bord to shewe
Of penouncels a riche rewe.
Theyaxen whenne the ship is come.
Fro Tire, anone answerde some.
And over this they saiden more
The cause why they comen fore
Was for to seche and for to finde
Appollinus, which is of kinde
Her lege lord. And he appereth
And of the tale whiche he hereth
He was right glad, forthey him tolde,
Thatforvengeaince,as Godit wolde,
Antiochus as men may wite
With thunder and lightning is forsmite.


1 JesteS joust.




BOOK VIII.


419


His doughterhath the same chaunce.
So be they both in o balaunce.
Forthy, our lege lord, we say
In name of all the lond and pray,
That left all other thing to done
It like you to come sone
And se your owne lege men
With other that ben of your ken
That live in longing and desire
Till ye be come ayein to Tire.
This tale after the king it had
Pentapolim all oversprad.
There was no joid for to seche,
For every man it had in speche
And saiden all of one accorde:
'A worthy king shall ben our lorde;
That thought us first an hevinesse
Is shape us now to great gladnesse.'
Thus goth the tiding over all.
'But nede he mot that nede shall.
Appollinus his leve toke,
To God and all the lond betoke
With all the people longe and brode,
That he no lenger there abode.
"The kingand quene sorwe made,
But yet somdele they weren glade
Of such thing as they herden tho.
And thus betwene the wele and wo
To ship he goth, his wife with childe,
The which was ever meke and milde
And wolde nought departe him fro,
Such love was betwene hem two.
Lichorida for her office
Was take, which was a norice,
To wende with this yonge wife,
To whom was shape a wofull life.
Within a time, as it betid,
Whan they were in the see amid,
Out of the north they sigh a cloude,
The storme aros, the windes loude
Theyblewen many a dredefull blast,
The welken was all overcast.
The derke night the sonne hath
under,
1 Betoake, commended, entrusted.


There was a great tempest of
thunder.
The mone and eke the sterres bothe
In blacke cloudes they hem clothe,
Wherof her brighte loke they hide.
This yong6 lady wept and cride
To whom no comfort might availe,
Of childe she began travaile
Where she lay in a caban close.
Her wofull lord fro her arose,
And that was long er any morwe,
So that in anguish and in sorwe
She was delivered all by night
And deiede in every mannes sight.
" But netheles for all this wo
A maide child was bore tho.
"Appollinus whan he this knewe,
For sorwe a swoune he overthrewe
That no man wist in him no life.
And whan he woke, he saide: 'Ha,
wife,
My joy, my lust and my desire,
My welth and my recoverire,
Why shall I live, and thoushaltdeie?
Ha, thou Fortune, I the defie,
Now hast thou do to me thy werst.
Ha, herte, why ne wolt thou berst,
That forth with her I mightd passe?
My paines were well the lasse.
In such wepifng and suche crie
His dede wife which lay him by
A thousand sithes he her kiste,
Was never man that sigh ne wiste
A sorwe to his sorwe liche,
Was ever among upon the liche.1
He fell swounende as he that thought
His owne deth, which he besought
Unto the goddes all above
With many a pitous word of love.
But suche wordes as tho were
Yet herde never mannes ere,
But only thilke which he saide.
The maister shipman came and
praide
1 The liche, the body (of his dead wife).




420               CONFESSI
With other such as ben therinne,
And sain that he maynothingwinne
Ayein the deth, but they him rede
He be well ware and take hede,
The see by wey of his nature
Receive may no creature
Within him self as for to holde
The which is dede. Forthy they
wolde,
As they counseilen all about,
The dede body casten out.
For better it is, they saiden all,
That it of hire so befall,
Than if they shulden alle spille.
"The king, which understode
her will
And knew her counseil that was
trewe,
Began ayein his sorwe newe
With pitous hert and thus to say:
'It is all reson that ye pray.
I am,' quod he, 'but one alone,
So wolde I nought for my persone
There felle such adversite.
But whan it may no better be
Doth thanne thus upon my worde,
Let make a coffre stronge of borde,
That it be firm with led and piche.'
Anone was made a coffre siche
All redy brought unto his honde.
And whan he sighe and redy fonde
This coffre made and well englued,
The ded6 body was besewed
In cloth of gold and laid therinne.
And for he wolde unto her winne
Upon some coste 1 a sepult-ure,
Under her heved in adventure
Of gold he laide sommes great
And of juels a strong beyete
Forth with a letter, and said thus:
' I, king of Tire, Appollinus
Doth alle maner men to wite,
That here and se this letter write,
That helpeles withoute rede
1 Coste, coast.


0 AMANTIS.


Here lith a kinges doughter dede,
And who that hapneth her to finde
For charite take in his minde
And do so that she be begrave
With this tres6rwhichhe shal have.'
'; Thus whan the letter was full
spoke,
They have anone the coffre stoke
And bounden it with iron faste,
That it may with the wawves laste,
And stoppen it by such a wey
That it shall be withinne drey,
So that no water might it greve.
And thus in hope and good beleve
Of that the corps shall well arrive,
They cast it over borde as blive.
'The ship forth on the wawes
went.
The princehath chaunged his entent,
And saith, he woll nought come at
Tire
As thanne, but all his desire
Is first to sailen unto Tharse.
The windy storm began to scarse,
The sonne arist, the weder clereth,
The shipmanwhichbehinde stereth,
Whanthathe sighthe windes saught,
Towardes Tharse his cours he
straught.
' But now to my matere ayein,
To telle as olde bokes sain
This dede corps of whiche ye knowe
With winde -and water was forth
throwe,
Now here, now there, till atte last
At Ephesim the see upcast
The coffre and all that was therinne.
Of great merveile now beginne
May here who that sitteth still.
That God woll savemay nought spill.
Right as the corps was throwe a
londe,
There cam walkend upon the stronde
A worthy clerke and surgien
And eke a great phisicien,




BOOK VIII.


42I


Of all that lond the wisest one,
Which highte maister Cerimon.
There were of his disciples some.
This maister is to the coffre come,
He peiseth there was somwhat in
And bad hem bere it to his inne,
And goth him selve forth with all.
All that shall falle, falle shall.
"They comen home and tarie
nought.
This coffre into his chambre is
brought,
Which that they finde faste stoke,
But they with craft it have unloke.
They loken in, whereas they founde,
A body dede, which was iwounde
In cloth of gold, as I said ere.
The tresor eke they founden there
Forth with the letter, which they rede.
And tho they token better hede.
Unsowed was the body sone,
As he that knewe what was to done,
This noble clerk with alle haste
Began the veines for to taste.1
And sigh her age was of youthe;
And with the craftes which he
couthe
He sought and found a signe of life.
With that this worthy kinges wife
Honestely they token out
And maden fires all about.
They laid her on a couche softe,
And with a shete warmed ofte
Her colde brest began to hete,
Her herte also to flacke2 and bete.
This maister hath her every jointe
With certain oil andbalsmeanointe,
And put a liquour in her mouthe
Which is to fewe clerkes couthe,
So that she covereth atte laste.
And first her eyen up she caste,
And whan she more of strengthe
caught,
Her armes bothe forth she straught,
1 Taste, try by touch.  2 Flacke, flutter.


Held up her hond and pitousl'
She spake and saide: 'Where am I?
Where is my lord, what world is
this?'
As she that wot nought how it is.
But Cerimon that worthy leche
Answerde anone upon her speche
And said: 'Madame, ye ben here,
Where ye be sauf, as ye shall here
Hereafterward, forth2 as now
My counseil is, comf6rteth you.
For tristeth wel, withoute faile,
There is no thing which shall you
faile,
That ought of reson to be do.'
Thus passen they a day or two;
They speke of nought as foran ende,
Till she began somdele amende,
And wist her selven what she mente.
"Tho for to knowe her hole
entente
This maister axeth all the cas,
How she cam there, and what she
was.
'How I came here, wote I nought,'
Quod she, 'but wel I am bethought
Of other thinges all about
Fropoint to point,'andtoldehim out
Als ferforthly as she it wiste.
And he her tolde how in a kiste
The see her threwe upon the londe,
And what tresor with her he fonde,
Which was all redy at her will,
As he that shope him to fulfill
With al his might what thing he
shuld.
She thonketh him that he so wolde,
And all her herte she discloseth
And saith him well that she supposeth,
Her lord be dreint, her childe also.
So sigh she nought but alle wo.
Wherof as to the world no more
Ne woll she torne and praieth therfore,




422


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That in some temple of the citee
To kepe and holde her chastete
She might among the womendwelle.
Whan he this tale herde telle
He was right glad, and made her
knowen
That he a doughter of his owen
Hath, which he woll unto her yive
To serve while they bothe live,
In stede of thatwhich shehath loste;
All only at his owne coste
She shall be rendred forth with her.
She saith, ' Graunt mercy, leve sir,
God quite it you, there I ne may.'
And thus they drive forth the day
Till time cam that she was hole.
And tho they take her counseil hole
To shape upon good ordenauince
And make a worthy purveaunce
Ayein the day whan they be veiled.
And thus whan that they were
counseiled,
In blacke clothes they hem clothe
This lady and the doughter bothe
And yolde hem to religi6n.
The feste and the professi6n
After the reule of that degre
Was made with great solempnite,
Where as Diane is sanctified.
Thus stant this lady justified
In ordre where she thenketh to
dwelle.
"But now ayeinward for to telle,
In what plite that her lord stood inne.
He saileth till that he may winne
The haven of Tharse, as I saide ere.
And whan he was arrived there,
Tho it was through the cite knowe,
Men mighte se within a throwe
As who saith all the towne at ones.
They come ayein him for the nones
To yiven him the reverence,
So glad they were of his presence.
And though he were in his cora;ge
Disesed, yet with glad visage


He made hemchere and to his inne,
Where he whilom sojourned in,
He goth him straught and was
received.
And whan the press of people is
weived,
He taketh his host unto him tho
And saith, ' My frend Strangulio,
Lo thus and thus it is befalle.
And thou thy self art one of alle,
Forth with thy wife, which I most
trist,
Forthy if it you bothe list,
My doughter Thaise by your leve
I thenk6 shall with you beleve
As for a time, and thus I pray
That she be kept by alle way,
And whan she hath of age more,
That she be set to bokes lore.
And this avow to God I make,
That I shall never for her sake
My berde for no liking shave
Till it befalle that I have
In covenable time of age
Besette her unto mariage.
" Thus they accorde, and all i3
well.
And for to resten him somdele
Yet for a while he ther soj6rneth,
And than he taketh his leve and
torneth
To ship and goth him home to Tire,
Where every man with great desire
Awaiteth upon his coming.
But whan the ship cam in sailing
And they perceiven it is he,
Was never vet in no citee
Such joid made, as they tho made.
His hert also began to glade
Of that he seeth his people glad.
Lo, thus Fortune his hap hath lad,
In sondry wise he was travailed.
But how so ever he be assailed,
His latter ende shall be good.
"And for to speke how that it stood




BOOK VIII.


423


Of Thaise his doughter, wher she
dwelleth,
In Tharse as the cronique telleth
She was well kept, she was well loked,
She was wel taught, she was wel
boked,
So well she sped her in her youth
That she of every wisdom couth,
That for to seche in every londe
So wise an other no man fonde
Ne so well taught at mannes eye.
But wo worth ever false envy.
For it befell that time so,
A doughter hath Strangulio,
The which was cleped Philotenne.
But Fame, which woll ever renne,
Came all day to her moders ere
And saith, wher ever her doughter
were
With Thaise set in any place
The commun vois the commun grace
Was all upon that other maide,
And of her doughter no man saide.
Who was wroth but Dionise than?
Her thought a thousand yere till
whan
She mighte be of Thaise wreke
Of that she herde folk so speke.
And fell that ilke samen tide,
That dede was trewe Lichoride
Whiche hadd6 be servaf'int to
Thaise,
So that she was the wors at ese.
For she hath thanne no servise
But onely through this Dionise
Which was her dedlich enemy.
Through pur6 treson and envy
She that of alle sorwe can
Tho spake unto her bondeman
Which cleped was Theophilus
And made him swere in counseil
thus,
That he such time as she him set
Shall come Thaise for to fet
And lede her out of alle sight


Where that no man her helpe might
Upon the strond6 nigh the see,
And there he shall this maiden slee.
This cherles hert is in a traunce,
As hewhich drad him of vengeadince
Whan time comth an other day.
But yet durst he nought saie nay,
But swore and said he shall fulfill
Her hestes at her owne will.
" The treson and the time is shape,
So fell it that this cherlish knape 1
Hath lad this maiden where he wold
Upon the stronde, and what she
sholde
She was adrad, and he out braide
A rusty swerde and to her saide:
'Thou shalt be dede.'    'Alas,'
quod she,
'Why shall I so?' 'Lo thus,'quodhe,
'My lady Dionise hath bede,
Thoushaltbemurdred in this stede.'
This maiden tho for fere shrighte
And for the love of God Allmighte
She praith that for a litel stounde
She mighte knele upon the grounde
Toward the heven for to crave,
Her wofull soule if she may save.
And with this noise and with this cry,
Out of a barge faste by,
Whichhidwas there on scomer-fare,2
Men sterten out and weren ware
Of this felon, and he to go,
And she began to crie tho,
'Ha, mercy, help for Goddes sake,'
Into the barge they her take,
Astheves shulde,and forththeywent.
Upon the see the wind hem hent
And malgre where theywolde ornon e
To-fore the weder forth they gone,
There halp no sailthere halp none ore
Forstormed and forblowen sore
1 Knape, lad.
- Scomner-fare,? for lying in wait in creeks,
from some word having its root in sc't or scn,
to cover and conceal, whence skaa, sceddo,
shadow?




424


CONFESSIO A MANTIS.


In great peril so forth they drive,
Till atte laste they arrive
At Mitelene the citee.
In haven sauf and whan they be
The maister shipman made him
boune
And goth him out into the towne
And profreth Thaise for to selle.
One Leonin it herdd telle,
Which maister of the bordel was,
And bad him gon a redy pas
To fecchen her, and forth he went
And Thaise out of his barge he hent
And solde her to the bordel tho.
No wonder is though she be wo
Clos in a chambre by her self.
Eche after other ten or twelf
Of yonge men in to her went.
But suche a grace God her sent,
That for the sorwve which she made,
Was none of hem which power had
To done her any vilainy.
" This Leonin let ever aspy
And waiteth after great beyete,
But all for nought, she was forlete,
That no man wolde there come.
Whan he therof hath hede nome
He sent his man, but so it ferde,
Whan he her wofull pleintes herde
And he therof hath take kepe,
Him liste better for to wepe
Than don ought ellds to the game.
And thus shekepte herselffro shame
And kneled down to therthe and
praide
Unto this man and thus she saide:
If so be, that thy maister wolde
That I his gold encrese sholde
It may nought falle by this wey,
But suffre me to go my wey
Out of this hous where I am in,
And I shall make him for to win
In some place elles of the town,
Be so it be of religioun,
] Bozue, ready.


Where that honeste women dwelle.
And thus thou might thy maister
telle,
That whan I have a chambre there
Let him do cry ay wide where,
What lord that hath his doughter
dere
And is in will that she shall lere
Of such a scole that is trewe,
I shall her teche of thinges newe
Whiche as none other woman can
In all this londe.' And tho this man
Her tale hath herde he goth ayein
And tolde unto his maister plein,
That she hath saide. Andtherupon,
Whan that he sigh beyete none
At the bordel because of hire,
He bad his man to gon and spire
A place where she might abide,
That he may winne upon some side
By that she can. But atte lest
Thus was she sauf of this tempest.
" He hath her fro thebordel take,
But that was nought for Goddes
sake,
But for the lucre, as she him tolde.
Now comen tho that comen wolde,
Of women in her lusty youth
To hereand sewhat thing she couth.
She can the wisdome of a clerke,
She can of any lusty werke
Which to a gentil woman longeth.
And some of hem she underfongeth
To the citole and to the harpe,
And whom it liketh for to carpe
Proverbes and demaundes sligh
An other such they never sigh
Which that sciencd so well taught,
Wherof she grete yiftes caught,
That she to Leonin hath wonne.
And thus her name is so begonne
Of sondry thinges that she techeth,
That all the londe to her secheth
Of yonge women for to lere.
"Now lette we this maiden here




BOOK VIII.


425


And speke of Dionise ayeine
And of Theophile the vilaine
Of which I spake of now to-fore,
Whan Thais6shulde havebeforlore.
This false cherle to his ladl
Whan he cam home all prively,
He saith,' Madame, slain I have
This maide Thaise, and is begrave
In prive place, as ye me bede.
Forthy, madame, taketh hede
And kepe counseil, how so it
stonde.'
This fend, which hath this understonde,
Was glad and weneth it be soth.
Now herke, hereafter how she doth.
She wepeth, she sorweth, she compleigneth,
And of sikeness6 which she feigneth,
She saith, that Thaise sodeinly
By night is dede, as she and I
To-gider lien nigh my lorde.
She was a woman of recorde,
And all is leved that she saith.
And for to yive a more feith,
Her husebonde and eke she bothe
In blacke clothes they hem clothe,
And make a great enterrement.
And for the people shall be blent
Of Thaise as for the remembrauince,
After the real 1 olde usaunce
A tumbe of laton noble and riche
With an ymage unto her liche
Liggend abov6 therupon
They made and set it up anon.
Her epitaphe of good assise
Was write about, and in this wise
It spake: 'O ye, that this beholde,
Lo, here lieth she, the which was
holde
The fairest and the floure of alle,
Whose name Thaisis men calle.
The king of Tire Appollinus
Her fader was, now lieth she thus.!


Fourtene yere she was of age,
Whan deth her toke to his viage.'
Thus was this false treson hid,
Which afterward was wide kid,
As by the tale a man shall here.
But to declar6 my matere
To Tire I thenk6 torne ayein
And telle as the croniques sain.
Whan that theking was comen home
And hath left in the salte fome
His wife which he may nought
foryete,
For he some comfort wolde gete
He let sommone a parlement,
To which the lordes were assent.1
And of the time he hath ben out,
He seeth the thinges all about;
And tolde hem eke, how he hath fare,
While he was out of londe fare,
And praide hem all to abide,
For he wolde at the samd tide
Do shape for his wives minde 2
As he that woll nought ben unkinde.
Solempne was that ilke office,
And riche was the sacrifice,
The festd really 3 was holde.
And therto was he well beholde:
For suche a wife as he had one
In thilke daies was there none.
< Whan this was done, than lie
him thought
Upon his doughter, and besought
Such of his lordes as he wolde,
That they with him to Tharse sholde
To fet his doughter Thaise there,
And they anone all redy were.
To ship they gone and forth they went
Till they the haven of Tharse hent.
They londe and faile of that they
seche,
By coverture and sleight of speche.
This false man Strangulio
And Dionise his wife also,
1 Assent, summoned.
In memory of his wife.
3 Redlly, royally.


1 Real, regal.




426


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That he the better trowe might,
They ladden him to have a sight,
Where that her tombe was arraied,
The lasse yet he was mispaied.
And netheles so as he durst,
He curseth and saith all the worst
Unto Fortune, as to the blinde,
Which can no siker weie finde,
For she him neweth ever amonge
And medleth sorwe with his songe.
But sithe it may no better be,
He thonketh God and forth goth he
Sailend6 toward Tire ayeine.
But sodeinly the winde and reine
Began upon the see debate,
So that he suffre mote algate
The lawe, which Neptufne
deineth,
Wherof full ofte time he pleigneth
And held him wel the more esmaied
Of that he hath to-fore assaied.
So that for pure sorwe and care
Of that he seeth this world so fare,
The reste he leveth of his caban,
That for the counseil of no man
Ayein therin he nolde come
But bath beneth his place nome,
Where he wepend allone lay
There as he sigh no light of day.
"And thus to-fore the wind they
drive
Till longe and late they arrive
With great distresse, as it was sene,
Upon this town of Mitelene,
Which was a noble cite tho.
And happneth thilke time so,
The lordes both and the commune
The highe festes of Neptune
Upon the strond at the rivage,
As it was custume and usage,
Solempneliche they besigh.
" Whan they this straunge vessel
sigh
Come in, and hath his saile avaled,1
1 Avaled, lowered.


The town therof hath spoke and.
taled.
The lord which of that cite was,
Whose name is Athenagoras,
Was there and said, he wold6 se
What ship it is, and who they be
That ben therin. And after sone,
Whan that he sigh it was to done,
His barge was for him arraied,
And he goth forth and hath assaied.
He found the ship of great array,
But what thing it amounte may,
He sigh they maden hevy chere,
Butwellhimthenkethbythemanere,
That they be worthy men of blood,
And axeth of hem how it stood.
And they him tellen all the cas,
How that her lord fordriv6 was,
And what a sorwe that he made
Of which there may no man him
glade.
He praieth that he her lord may se.
But theyhim tolde it maynought be,
For he lith in so derke a place
That there may no wight sen his face.
But for all that, though hem be loth,
He found the ladder and down he
goth
And to him spake, but none answdr
Ayein of him ne might he bere,
For ought that he can do or sain.
And thus he goth him up ayein.
" Tho was there spoke in many
wise
Amonges hem that weren wise,
Now this, now that, but att6 last
The wisdom of the town thus cast,
That yonge Thaise were assent.
For if there be amendement
To gladde with this wofull king,
She can so moch of every thing
That she shall gladen him anone.
"A messager for her is gone.
And she came with her harp on honde
And saidehem, that she wolde fonde




BOOK VIII.


427


By alle weies that she can,
To gladde with this sory man.
And what he was, she wiste nought.
But all the ship her hath besought
That she her wit on him despende
In aunter if he might amende,
And sain, ' It shall be well aquit.'
\Vhan she hath understonden it,
She goth her down, there as he lay,
Where that she harpeth many a lay
And lich an aungel sang with alle.
But he no more than the walle
Toke hede of any thing he herde.
And whan she sigh that he so ferde,
She falleth with him unto wordes,
And telleth him of sondry bordes,
And axeth him demaundes straunge
Wherof she made his hert6 chaunge,
And to her speche his ere he laide
And hath merveile, of that she saide.
For in proverbe and in probleme
She spake and bade he shuldedeme
In many a subtil question.
But he for no suggesti6n
Which toward him she couthe stere
He wolde nought o word answere,
But as a mad man atte laste,
His heved weping awey he caste
And half in wrath he bad her go.
But yet she wolde nought do so,
And in the derke forth she goth,
Till she him toucheth, and he wroth
And after hird with his honde
He smote. And thus whan she
him fonde
Disesed, courteisly she saide:
'Avoy my lorde, I am a maide.
And if ye wiste what I am,
And out of what lignage I cam,
Ye wolde nought be so salvage.'
With that he sobreth his corige
And put awey his hevy chere.
But of hem two a man may lere,
What is to be so sibbe of blood.
None wist of other how it stood,


And yet the fader atte last
His herte upon this maide cast,
That he her loveth kindely,
And yet he wiste never why;
But all was knowe er that they went.
For God, which woteher hole entent,
Her hert6s both anone descloseth.
This king unto this maide opposeth
And axeth first, What is her name,
And where she lerned all this game,
And of what kin that she was come?
And she, that hath his word6snome,
Answereth and saith: ' My name
is Thaise,
That was sometime well at ese.
In Tharse I was forthdrawe and
fedde,
There lerned I till I was spedde
Of that I can. My fader eke
I not1 where that I shulde him seke,
He was a king, men tolde me.
My moder dreint was in the see.'
Fro point to point all she him tolde,
That she hath longe in herte holde,
And never durste make her mone,
But only to this lord allone,
To whom her hertecannoughthele,2
Torne it to wo tome it to wele,
Torne it to good torne it to harme.
And he tho toke her in his arme.
But such a joy as he tho made
Was never sene; thus be they glade
That sory hadden be to-forne.
Fro this day forth Fortune hath
sworne
To set him upward on the whele;
So goth the world; now wo, now wele.
"This king hath founde newe
grace,
So that out of his derke place
He goth him up into the light.
And with him cam that swet6 wight
His doughterThaise, and forth anone
They bothe into the caban gone
1 Not, know not.  I Hele, conceal.




428


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Which was ordeined for the kinge.
And there he did of all his thinge
And was arraied really,
And out he cam all openly
Where Athenagoras he fonde
The which was lorde of all the
londe.
He praieth the king to come and se
His castell bothe and his citee.
And thus they gone forth all in fere,
This king, this lord, this maiden
dere.
This lord tho made hem riche feste
With every thing which was
honeste
To plese with this worthy kinge,
Ther lacketh hem no maner thinge.
But yet for al his noble array
Wifeles he was unto that day,
As he that yet was yonge of age.
So fell there into his corage
The lusty wo, the gladde peine
Of love which no man restreigne
Yet never might as now to-fore.
This lord thenketh all his world
forlore
But if the king woll done him grace.
He waiteth time he waiteth place
Him thought his herte woll to-breke,
Till he may to this maide speke
And to her fader eke also
For mariage. And it fell so,
That all was do, right as he thought,
His purpos to an ende he brought,
She wedded him as for her lorde;
Thus be they alle of one accorde.
" Whan al was do right as they
wolde,
The kinge unto his sone tolde
Of Tharse thilke treterie,
And said, how in his compaignie
His doughter and him selven eke
Shall go vengeaince for to seke.
The shippes were redy sone.
And whan they sigh it was to done


Withoute let of any went,1
With saile up drawe forth they wente
Towardes Tharse upon the tide.
But he that wot what shall betide,
The highe God which wolde him
kepe,
Whan that this king was faste a slepe
By nightes time he hath him bede
To saile unto another stede;
To Ephesim he bad him drawe,
And as it was that time lawe,
He shall do there his sacrifice.
And eke he bad in alle wise,
That in the temple among6s alle
His Fortune, as it is befalle,
Touchend his doughter and his wife
He shall beknowe upon his life.
The king of this avisidn
Hath great ymaginacion
What thinge it signifie may.
And nethdles whan it was day
He bad cast anker and abode.
And while that he on anker rode,
The wind, which was to- for6
straunge,
Upon the point began to chaunge
And torneth thider as it shulde.
Thoknewehe well, that God it wolde,
And bad the maistermake him yare,
To-fore the wind for he swold fare
To Ephesim, and so he dede.
And whan he came into the stede,
Where as he shuld6 londe, he londeth
With all the haste he may, and
fondeth
To shapen him in suche a wise,
That he may by the morwe arise
And done after the maundement
Of him, which hath him thider sent.
And in the wise that he thouglr,
Upon the morwe so he wrought.
His doughter and his sone he nome
And forth unto the temple he come
] Let af any wenit, hindrance of any turning
aside.




BOOK VIII.


429


With a great route in compaign~
His yiftes for to sacrif-.
The citezeins tho herden say
Of such a king that came to pray
Unto Diane the goddesse
And lefie all other besinesse,
They comen thider for to se
The king and the solempnite.
"With worthy knightes envir6ned
The king him self hath aband6ned
Into the temple in good entente.
The dore is up and in he wente,
Whereas with great devocion
Of holy contemplaci6n
Within his hertehemade his shrifte.
And after that a riche yifte
He offreth with great reverence,
And there in open audience
Of hem that stoden all about
He tolde hemr and declareth out
His hap such as him is befalle;
There was no thing foryete of alle.
His wife, as it was Goddes grace,
Which was professed in the place
As she that was abbesse there,
Unto his tale hath laid her ere,
She knew the vois and the visage,
For pur6 joy as in a rage
She straught unto him all at ones
And fell a swoune upon the stones
Wherof the temple flore was paved.
She was anone with water laved,
Till she came to her self ayein.
And thanne she began to sain:
'Ha, blessed be the highe sonde,
That I may se min husdbonde,
Which whilom he and I were one.'
The king with that knewe heranone
And toke her in his arme and kist,
And all the town thus sone it wist.
Tho was there joie manyfold,
For every man this tale hath told
As for miracle, and were glade.
But never man such joie made
As doth the kingwhichhathhiswife.


And whan men herde how that her
life
Was saved and by whom it was,
They wondren all of suche a cas.
Through all the londe arose the
speche
Of maister Cerimon the leche
And of the cure which he dede.
The king him self tho hathhimbede
And eke this quene forth with him,
That he the town of Ephesim
Woll leve and go where as they be,
For never man of his degre
Hath do to hem so mochel good.
And he his profite understood
And graunteth with hem for to
wende.
And thus they maden there anende
And token leve and gone to ship
With all the hole felaship.
"This king, which now hath his
desire,
Saith he woll holde his cours to Tire.
They hadden wind at wille tho
With topsail-cole,1 and forth they go.
And striken never till they come
To Tire wher as they haven nome,
And londen hem with mochel blisse.
There was many a mouth to kisse,
Eche one welcometh other home.
But whan the quene to londe come
And Thaise her doughterby her side,
The joie which was thilke tide
There may no mannes tunge telle.
They saiden all, 'Here cometh the
welle
Of alle womanisshe grace.'
The king hath take his real place,
The quene is into chambre go;
There was great feste arraied tho.
Whan time was they gone to mete,
All olde sorwes ben foryete,
And gladen hem with joies newe.
The descolouired pald hewe
1 See note, page 253.




43~


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Is now become a ruddy cheke,
There was no merthe for to seke,
But every man hath what he wolde,
The king as he well couthe and
sholde
Maketh to his people right good
chere.
And after sone, as thou shalt here,
A parlement he hath sommoned,
Wherehehis doughter hath coroned
Forth with the lorde of Mitelene,
That one is king, that other quene.
And thus the faders ordenaunce
This londe hath set in governaunce,
And saide that he wolde wende
To Tharse for to make an ende
Of that his doughter was betraied,
Wherof were alle men well paied,
And said, how it was for to done.
" The shippes weren redy sone.
A strong power with him he toke,
Up to the sky he cast his loke
And sigh the wind was covenable.
They hale up anker with the cable,
They sail on high, the stere on honde,
They sailen till they come a londe
At Tharse nigh to the citee.
And whan they wisten it was he,
The town hath done him reverence.
He telleth hem the violence,
Which the tretouir Strangulio
And Dionise him hadde do
Touchdnde his doughter, as yeherde.
And whan they wist6 how it ferde,
As he which pees and love sought,
Unto the town this he besought
To done him right in jugement.
Anone they were both assent
With strengthe of men, and comen
sone,
And as hem thought it was to done,
Atteint they were by the lawe
And demed for to honge and drawe
And brent and with the wind toblowe,


That all the world it mighte knowe,
And upon this condici6n
The dome in execucion
Was put anone withoute faile.
And everyman hath great mervefle,
Whiche herde tellen of this chaunce,
And thonketh Goddes purveaunce,
Which dothmerc2 forthwith justice.
Slain is the mordrer and mordrice
Through verray trouth of rightwisnesse,
And through mercy sauf is simplesse
Of hire whom mercy preserveth;
Thus hath hewel thatwel deserveth.
"Whan all this thing is done
and ended,
This king which loved was and
frended,
A letter hath, which came to him
By shippe fro Pentapolim,
In which the lond hath to him write
That he wolde understonde and
wite,
Howin goodmindeandin good pees
Dede is the kinge Artestrates,
Wherof they all of one accorde
Him praiden, as her legd lorde,
That he the letter wol conceive
And come his regne to receive
Which God hath yove him and
Fortune.
And thus besoughte the commuine
Forth with the grete lordes alle.
This king sigh how it was befalle,
Fro Tharse and in prosperite
He toke his leve of that citee
And goth him into ship ayein.
Thewind was good, the sewas plein,
Hem nedeth nought a riff to slake,1
Till they Pentapolim have take.
The lond which herde of that tiding
Was wonder glad of his coming.
He resteth him a day or two
And toke his counseil to him tho
1 To slacken a reef.




BOOK VIII.


43


And set a time of parlement,
Where all the londe of one assent
Forth with his wife have him coroned,
Where alle good him was foisoned.1
" Lo, what it is to be well
grounded.
For he hath first his love' founded
Honestelich as for to wedde,
Honestelich his love he spedde
And hadde children with his wife,
And as him list he lad his life.
And in ensaumple his life was write,
That alle lovers mighten wite
How atte last it shal be sene
Of love what they wolden mene.
For se now, on that other side,
Antiochus with all his pride
Which set his love unkindely,
His ende he hadde sodeinly
Set ayein kinde upon vengeaunce,
And for his lust hath his penaunce.
"Lo thus, my sone,might thou lere,
What is to love in good manere,
And what to love in other wise.
The mede ariseth of the service,
Fortine' though she be nought
stable,
Yet at somtime is favourable
To hem that ben of love trewe.
But certes it is for to rewe
To se love ayein kinde falle,
Forthat maketh sore a man to falle,
As thou might of to-fore rede.
Forthy my sone, I wolde rede
To let all other love awey,
But if it be through such a wey
As love and resonwold accorde."", p faber,howsothatitstonde,
Your tale is herde and understonde,
As thing which worthy is to here,
Of great ensample andgretematere,
Wherof, my fader, God you quite.
But in this point my self acuite
1 Foisondc, poured out profusely.


I may right wel, that never yit
I was assoted in my wit,
But onely in that worthy place
Where alle lust and alle grace
Is set, if that Daunger ne were,
But that is all my moste fere.
I not what ye Fortune accompte,
But what thing Daunger may
amounte
I wot wel, for I have assaied.
For whan min hert is best arraied
And I have all my wit through sought
Of love to beseche her ought,
For all that ever I skille may
I am concluded with a nay,
That o sillable hath over throwe
A thousand wordes on a rowe
Of suche as I best speke can,
Thus am I but a lewde man.
But fader, for ye ben a clerke
Of love, and this matere is derke
And I can ever lenger the lasse
But yet I may nought let it passe,
Your hole counseil I beseche,
That ye me by some weie teche,
What is my best, as for an ende."" Mysone, untothe trouthewende
Now woll I for the love of the
And lete all other trifles be.
"The more that the nede is high,
The more it nedeth to be sligh
To him which hath the nede on
honde.
I have well herd and understonde,
My sone, all that thou hast me saied
Andeke of that thou hast me praied.
Nowe at this time that I shall
As for conclusi6n finill
Counseil upon thy nede set,
So thenke I finally to knet
Thy cause where it is to-broke,
And make an ende of that is spoke.
For I behighte the that yift
First whan thou come under my
shrift,




432


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


That though I toward Venus were,
Yet spake I suche wordes there,
That for thepresthode which I have,
Min order and min estate to save,
I saide, I wolde of min office
To vertu more than to vice
Encline and teche the my lore.
Forthy to speken overmore
Of Love which the may availe,
Take Love where it may nought faile.
For as of this which thou art in,
By that thou seest it is a sinne,
And sinne may no prise deserve,
Withoute prise and who shall serve
I not what profit might availe.
Thus folweth it, if thou travaile
Where thou no profit hast ne prise
Thou art toward thy self unwise,
And sith thou mightest lust atteine,
Of every lust the ende is peine
And every pein is good to flee.
So it is wonder thing to se
Why such a thing shall be desired.
The more that a stock is fired
The rather 1 into ashe it torneth.
The fote which in the weie sporneth
Full ofte his heved hath overthrowe.
Thus Love is blinde and can nought
knowe
Where that he goth till he be falle.
Forthy but if it so befalle
With good counseil that he be lad,
Him oughte for to ben adrad.
For counseil passeth alle thing
To him which thenketh to ben a
king.
And every man for his party
A kingdom hath to justify,
That is to sain, his owne dome.
If he misreul6 that kingdome,
He lest him self, and that is more,
Than if he loste ship and ore
And all the worldes good with all.
For what man that in speciall
1 R~ather, sooner.


Hath nought him self, he hath
nought elles,
No more the perles than the shelles,
All is to him of o valueThough he had all his retenue
The wide world right as he woldeWhan he his hert hath nought
witholde
Toward him self, all is in vein.
And thus, my sone, I wolde sain,
As I said er, that thou arise
Er that thou falle in such a wise
That thou ne might thy selfrekever;
For Love, which that blindwas ever,
Maketh all his servauntsblindealso.
" My sone, and if thou have be so,
Yet it is time' to withdrawe
And set thin hert under that lawe
The which of Reson is governed
And nought of Will. And to be
lerned
Ensamples thou hast many one
Of now and eke of timd gone,
That every lust is but a while.
And who that woll him self beguile,
He may the rather be deceived.
My son6, now thou hast conceived
Somwhat of that I wolde mene,
Here afterward it shall be sene,
If that thou leve upon my lore.
For I can do to the no more,
But teche the the righte way.
Now chese, if thou wilt live or
deie."" e4T faber, so as I have herde
Your tale, but it were answerde,
I were mochel for to blame.
My wo to you is but a game,
That feleth nought of that I fele.
The feling of a mannds hele
May nought be likened to the herte;
I wot that though I wolde asterte
And ye be fre from all the peine
Of love wherof I me pleine,
It is right esy to commaunde.




BOOK VIII.


433


Thehert whichfre goth onthelaunde
Not of an oxe what him eileth,
It falleth oft a man merveileth
Of that he seeth another fare.
But if he knew himself the fare
And felt it as it is in soth,
He shulde do right as he doth
Or elles wors in his degre.
For wel I wote and so do ye,
That love hath ever yet ben used,
So mote I nedes ben excused.
But fader, if ye wolde thus
Unto Cupide and to Venus
Be frendly toward my quarele,
So that my herte were in hele
Of love which is in my breste,
I wot wel than a better preste
Was never made to my behove.
But all the while that I hove
In none certein betwene the two,
And not where 2 I to well or wo
Shall torne, that is all my drede,
So that I not what is to rede.
But for finall conclusi6n
I thenke a supplicaci6n
With pleine wordes and expresse
Write unto Venus the goddesse,
The which I praie you to bere
And bring ayein a good answere."
40o was betwene my prest
and me
Debate and great perplexete.
My Reson understode him wele
And knewe it was soth every dele
That he hath said, but nought forthy
My Will hath no thing set ther by.
For touching of so wise a porte
It is unto love no disporte.
Yet mighte never man beholde
Res6n, where Love was witholde,3
They be nought of o governaunce.
And thus we fellen in distaunce
My prest and I, but I spake faire
1 Not, knows not.
2 Not where, know not whether.
3 Witholde, held with.


And through my wordes debonaire
Than atte lastd we accorden,
So that he saith, he woll accorden
To speke and stond upon my side
To Venus both and to Cupide,
And bad me write what I wolde.
And said me truly that he sholde
My letter bere unto the quene.
And I sat down upon the grene
Fulfilled of Loves fantasy
And with the teres of min eve
In stede of inke I gan to write
The wordes which I wol endite
Unto Cupide and to Venus,
And in my letter I saide thus:1eC wofutf peine of loves
maladie,
Ayein the which may no phisique
availe,             [sotie,
Min hert hath so bewhapped with
That where so that I reste or travaile
I finde it ever redy to assaile
Myreson,whichthatcanhim nought
defende.
Thus seche I help wherof I might
amende.
First to Nature if that I me compleine,
Therefinde I howthat everycreatuire
Somtime a yere1 hath love in his
demaine,
So that the litelwrenneinhismesure
Have yet of kinde a love under his
cure.
And I but one desir6, which I misse,
And thus but I hath every kinde his
blisse.
The reson of my wit it overpasseth,
Of that Nature teche me the wey
To love and yet no certein she
compasseth
1 At some time in each year.
2 E




434


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


How shal I spede; and thus betwen
the twey
I stondeandnot1 if I shalllive or dey.
For though Res6n ayein my will
debate,
I may nought flee that I ne love
algate.
Upon my self this ilke tale come,
How whilom Pan, which is the god
of kinde,
With Love wrestled and was overcome,
For ever I wrestle and ever I am
behinde,2
That I no strength in all min herte
finde
Wherof that I may stonden any
throwe,
Sofermywitwithlove is overthrowe.
Whomnedeth help, he mot his helpe
crave
Or helpeles he shall his nede spille.
Pleinly throughsought my wittes al
I have,
But none of hem can help after my
wille.
And al so well I mighte site stille
As pray unto my lady of any helpe,
Thus wote I nought wherof my self
to helpe.
Unto the grete Jove and if I bid
Todo me grace of thilke swetetonne
Which under key in his celler amid
Lith couched, that Fortune is overronne;
But of the bitter cuppe I have begonne,               [game,
I not how ofte, and thus finde I no
For ever I axe and ever it is the same.
1 Not, know not.
2 For e'er I wrestl' and e'er I am behind. So
in last line of next stanza but one, " e'er"...
' e'er."


I se the world stond ever upon
eschaunge,
Now windes loude, now the weder
softe,
I may seekethegrete' mond chaunge,
And thing which now is low is eft
alofte;
The dredful werres into pees ful ofte
They torne, and ever is Daunger in
o place,
Which wolde chaunge his Will to
do me grace.
But upon this the gret6 clerk Ovfde,
Of Love whan he maketh r6membraunce,
He saith: Ther is the blinde god
Cupide,
The which hath love under his
governaunce
And in his hond with many a firy
launce
He woundeth ofte where he woll
nought hele,
And that somdele is cause of my
quarele.
O vide eke saith, that love to performe
Stant in the hond of Venus the
godddsse,
But whan she taketh counseil with
Satorne
There is no grace, and in that time
I gesse
Began my love, of which min hevinesse
Is now and ever shall, but if I spede,
So wot I nought my self what is to
rede.
ForthS to you, Cupide and Venus
both,
With all min hertes obeisauince I
pray,
If ye were atte firsts timd wroth,




BOOK VIII.


435


Whan I began to loven, I you say,
Now stint, and do thilk6 Fortune
away,
So that Daunger, which stant of
retenue
With my lady, his plac6 may remue.
O thou Cupide, god of loves lawe,
That with thy dart brennend hast
set a fire
My herte, do that wounde be withdrawe,
Or yive me salve, suche as I desire.
For service in thy court withouten
hire
To me which ever yet have kept
thin heste,
May never be to loves lawe honeste.
O thou, gentile Venus, loves quene,
Without6 gilt thou dost on me thy
wreche,
Thouwost mypeinis everalichgrene
For love, and yet I may it nought
arecche.1
Thus wolde I for my laste word
beseche
That thou my love aquite as I
deserve,
Or ellis do me pleinly for to sterve.
'fcbarn P this supplicacion
With good deliberacion,
In suche a wise as ye now wite,
Had after min entente write
Unto Cupide and to Venus,
This preste which hight Genius
It toke on honde to presente.
On my message and forth he wente
To Venus for to wit her wille.
And I bode in the place stille
And was there but a litel while
Noughtfull the mountance of a mile,
Whan I behelde and sodeinli
1 Arecche. reach to.


I sigh where Venus stood me by.
So as I might, under a tree
To grounde I felle upon my knee
And preid her for to do me grace.
She cast her chere upon my face
And as it were halving a game
She axeth me, what was my name.
'Madame,' I saide, 'Iohan Gower.'
Now Iohan,' quod she, 'in my
power
Thou must as of thy love stonde.
For I thy bill have understonde
In which to Cupide and to me
Somdelethou hast compleigned the;
And somdele to Nature also,
But that shall stondeamong you two
For therof have I nought to done,
For Nature is under the mone
Maistresse of every lives kinde,
But if so be that she may finde
Some holyman that woll withdrawe
His kindely lust, ayein her lawe.
But seldewhan it falleth so,
For few6 men there ben of tho.
But of these other inowe be,
Whiche of her owne nicite
Ayein Nature and her office
Deliten hem in sondry vice
Wherof that she full oft hath
pleigned;
And eke my Courtit hath disdeigned
And ever shall, for it receiveth
None such that kinde so desceiveth.
For all onlich of gentil love
My Court stant alle Courts above
And taketh nought into retenue
But thing which is to Kind6 due.
For elles it shall be refused,
Wherof I hold6 the excused.
For it is many daies gone,
That thou amonges hem were one
Which of my court shallbe witholde,
So that the more I am beholde
Of thy disese to commune
And to remiie that Fortune




436


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


Which many dai6s hath the greved.
But if my counseil may be leved,
Thou shalt be esed er thou go
Of thilke unsely jolif wo
Wherof thou saist thin hert is fired.
But as of that thou hast desired
After the sentence of thy bill,
Thou must therof done at my will
And I therof me woll avise.
For be thou hole, it shall suffice;
My medicine is nought to seke
The which is holsome to the seke,
Nought all perchaunce as ye it wolde
But so as ye by reson sholde,
Accordaunt unto loves kinde.
For in the plite which I the finde,
So as my Court it hath awarded,
Thou shalt be duely rewarded.
And if thou woldest more crave,
It is no right that thou it have.'
Tenus, which stant withoute
lawe,
In none certeine, but as men drawe
Of rageman upon the chaunce,
She laith no peise in the balaunce,
But as her liketh for to weie
The trewd man full ofte aweie
She put, which hath her grace bede,
And sette an untrue in his stede.
Lo, thus blindly the world she
demeth
In Loves cause, as to me semeth,
I not what other men wold sain
But I algate am so beseine,
And stonde as one amonges alle
Which am out of her grac6 falle.
It nedeth take no witnesse,
For she, which said is the goddesse
To whether parte of love it wende,
Hath set me for a finall ende
The point wherto that I shall holde.
For whan she hath me well beholde
Halving of scorne she saide thus:
"Thou wost well that I am Vent'is,
Which all onlSy my lustes seche.


And well I wot though thou beseche
My love lustes ben there none
Which I may take in thy persone,
For loves lust and lockes hore
In chambre accorden nevermore.
And though thou feigne a yong
corage,
It sheweth well by thy visage,
That olde grisel is no fole.
There ben full many yeres stole
With the and other suche mo
That outward feignen youthe so
And ben within of pouer assay.
' My herte wolde, and I ne may,'
Is nought beloved now a daies.
Er thou make any such assaies
To love, and faile upon thy fete,
Bet is to make beau retrete.'
" My sone, if that thou well bethought,
This toucheth the, foryete it nought,
The thing is torned into 'was.'
The which was whilome grene gras
Is welked heie as tim6 now.
Forthy my counseil is, that thou
Remembre well how thou art olde."
Whan Venus hath her tale tolde,
And I bethought was all aboute,
And wiste wel withouten doubte
That there was no recoverire,
And as a man the blase of fire
With water quencheth, so ferde I.
A colde me caught sodeinly;
For sorwe that my herte made
My dedly face pale and fade
Becam, and swoune I fel to grounde.
Jhtb as a lap the same stounde
Ne fully quick, ne fully dede,
Me thought I sigh to-fore min hede
Cupfde with his bowd bent
And like unto a parlement
Which were ordeined for the nones,
With him cam all the world atones
Of gentil folke, that whilom were
Lov6rs, I sigh hem alle there




BOOK VIII.


437


Forth with Cupide in sondryroutes.
Min eye and as I cast aboutes
To know among hem who was who,
I sigh where lusty youthe tho,
As he which was a capitein
To-fore all other upon the plein
Stood with his route well begon,
Her hedes kempt, and therupon
Garlond6s, nought of o colour,
Some of the lefe some of the floure,
And some of gretd perles were.
The newe guise of Beawme there
With sondry thinges well devised
I sigh, wherof they be queintised.
It was all lust that they with ferde.
There was no song that I ne herde
Which unto love was touching,
Of Pan and all that was liking,
As in piping of melodie
Was herde in thilke compaignie,
So loude that on every side
It thought as all the heven cride
In suche accorde and suche a soune
Of bombarde and of clarioine
With cornemuise and with shalmele,
That it was half a mannes hele
So glad a noise for to here.
And as me thought inthismanere
All fresshe I sigh hem springe and
daunce,
And do to love her entendat'nce
After the lust of youthes hest,
There was inough of joy and fest.
For ever among theylaugh and pley
And putten care out of the wey,
That he with hem ne sat ne stode.
And over this I understode,
So as min ere it might arecche,
The moste matere of her speche
It was of knighthode and of armes,
And what it is to ligge in armes
With love whan it is acheved.
There was Tristram, which was
beleved
With Bele Isolde, and Lancelot


Stode with Gunn6r, and Galahot
With his ladx, and as me thought,
I sigh where Jason with him brought
His love, which Creiisa hight.
And Hercules which mochel might
W\as there bering his great mace,
And most of all in thilke place
He peineth him to make chere
With Eolen which was him dere.
Theseiis though he were untrewe
To love, as alle women knewe,
Yet was he there netheles
With Fedra which to love he ches.
Of Grece eke there was Thelamon,
Which fro the kinge Lamedon
At Troy his doughter reft away
Ese6nen as for his pray,
Which take was whan Jason cam
Fro Colchos and the citee nam
In vengeaunce of the firste hate
That made hem after to debate
Whan Priamus the newe town
Hath made. And in avisiotin
Me thoughte that I sigh also
Hector forth with his brethern two,
Him self stood with Pantasilee,
And next to him I mighte see,
WhereParis stoodwithfaire Heleine,
Which was his joie soveraine.
And Troilus stood with Creseide.
But ever among although he pleide,
By semblaunt he was hevy chered.
For Diomede, as him was lered,
Claimeth to be his partenere.
And thus full many a bachelere,
A thousand mo than I can sain,
With youth I sigh there well besein
Forth with her loves glad and blith.
And some I sigh, which ofte sith
Compleignen hem in sondry wise,
Among the which I sigh Narcise
And Piramus, that sory were.
The worthy Greke also was there,
Achilles, which for love deied.
AgSmenon eke as men saied,




438


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And Menelay the King also
I sigh with many an other mo
Which hadden be fortufned sore
In loves cause. And overmore
Of women in the same cas
With hem I sigh where Dido was
Forsake which was with Enee.
And Phillis eke I mighte see,
Whom Demophon deceived hadde,
And Adriagne her sorwe ladde,
For Theseus her suster toke
And her unkindely forsoke.
I sigh there eke among the pres
Compleigning upon Hercules
His firsts love Deianire,
Which set him afterward a fire.
Medea was there eke and pleigneth
Upon Jason for that he feigneth
Withoute cause and toke a newe,
She saide, ' Fie on all untrewe!'
I sigh there Deidamie,
Which hadde lost the compaignie
Of Achilles, whan Diomede
To Troy him fet upon the nede.
Among these other upon the grene
I sigh also the wofull quene
Cleopatrds, which in a cave
With serpents hath her self begrave
All quick,1 and so she was to-tore
For sorwe of that she hadd6 lore
Antonie, which her love hath be.
And forth with her I sigh Tisbe,
Whichon the sharp6 swerdes pointe
For love deied in sory pointe.
And as min ere it mighte knowe,
She said6, 'Wo worth alle slowe.'
The pleint of Progne and Philomene
There herde I what it wolde mene,
How Tereuis of his untrouthe
Undid hem both, and that was
routhe.
And next to hem I sigh Canace,
Which for Machair her faders grace
Hath lost and deied in wofull plite.
1 Bcgra-zv  all quick, buried alive.


And as I sigh in my spirite,
Me thought amonges other thus
The doughter of king Priamus,
Polixena, whom Pirrus slough,
Was there and made sorwe inough,
As she which deide gilteles
For love, and yet was loveles.
And for to take the desporte
I sigh there some of other porte,
And that was Circes and Calipse,
That couthen do the mone clipse,
Of men and chaunge the liknesse,
Of artmagiqu6 sorceresse,
They helde in honde many one
To love, where they wolde or none.
But above alle that there were
Of women I sigh foure there,
Whose name I herde most commended.
By hem the court stode all amended.
For where they comen in presence
Men diden hem the reverence
As though they hadden ben goddesses
Of all this world or emperesses.
And as me thought an ere I laid
And herde, howthat these other said:
' Lo, these ben the foure wives,
Whose feith was proved in her lives
For in ensample of all good
With mariage so they stood
That Fam6, which no great thing
hideth
Yet in cronique of hem abideth.'
Penelope that one was hote,
Whom many a knight hath loved
hote
While that her lorde Ulixes laie
Full many a yere and many a daie
Upon the grete siege of Troy:
But she which hath no worldes joy
But only of her husdbonde,
While that her lord was out of londe,
So well hath kept her womanbede,
That all the world therof toke hede




BOOK VIII.


439


And namelich of hem in Grece.  They made hem yongly to the sight.
That other woman was Lucrece,  But yet herde I no pipes there
Wife to the Romain Collatine.  To make merth in mannes ere,
And she constreigned of Tarquine  But the musique I mighte knowe
To thing which was ayein her will, For olde men, which souned lowe
She wolde nought her selven still,  With harpe and lute and with citole
But deide only for drede of shame  The hove daunce and the carole,1
In keping of her gode name,    In suche a wise as love hath bede,
As she which was one of the beste. A softe pas they daunce and trede,
The thridde wife was hote Alceste, And with the women otherwhile
Which whan Admetus shulde die  With sobre chere among they smile,
Upon his grete maladie,        For laughter was there none on
She praied unto the goddes so,     high.
That she receiveth all the wo  And netheles full well I sigh
Anddeied her selftoyivehim life,-  That they the more queint it made
Se where this were a noble wife!  For love in whom they weren glade.
The ferthe wife which I there sigh, And there me thought I mighte see
I herde of hem that were nigh,  The king David with Bersabee,
How she was cleped Alcione,    And Salomon was nought withoute
Which Ceix hire lord allone    Passing an hundred in a route
And to no mo her body kepte,   Of wives and of concubines;
And whan she sighe him dreint, Jewesses eke and Sarazines
she lepte                  To him I sigh all entendauint.
Into the wawes where he swam,  I not where he were suffisaunt.
And there a see foule she becam.  But netheles for all his wit
And with her winges him besprad  He was attached with that writ
For love that she to him had.  Which Love with his hondenseleth,
Lo, these foure weren tho,   From whom none erthly man apWhich I sigh as me thoughte tho    peleth.
Among the grete compaignie,    And over this, as for no wonder,
Which love hadde for to gie.1  With his le6n, which he put under,
But Youthe, which in speciAll  With DAlil Samps6n I knewe,
Of Loves court was mareshall,  Whos love his strength all overSo besy was upon his lay,          threwe.
That he none hede where he lay  I sigh there Aristotle also,
Hath take. And than as I behelde, Whom that the quene of Grece al so
Me thought I sigh upon the felde,  Hath bridled, that in thilke time
Where Elde came a softd pas    She made him such a silogime,
Toward Venus, there as she was,  That he foryate all his logique,
Withhim great compaigniehe ladde, There wasnonearteof his practique,
But nought so fele as Youth6 hadde. Through which it mighte ben exThe moste part were of great age,  cluded,
And that was sene in her visage,  That he ne was full3" concluded
And nought forthv. so as they might,
1,                       -/ lovd dan ce, court dance. Caro.e, an old
1 Gie, guide.        round dance.




440


CONFESSIO AMIANTIS.


To love and did his obeisaunce.
And eke Virgile of aqueintauince
I sigh, where he the maiden praid
Which was the doughter, as men
said,
Of themperour whilom of Rome.
Sortes and Plato with him come,
So did Ovfde the poete.
I thoughte than how love is swete
Which hath so wise men reclamed,
And was my self the lasse ashamed
Or for to lese or for to winne
In the mischefe that I was inne,
And thus I lay in hope of grace.
And whan they comen to the place,
Where Venus stood and I was falle,
These olde men with o vois alle
To Venus praiden for my sake.
And she that mighte nought forsake
So great a clamour as was there,
Let pit6 come into her ere
And forth with all unto Cupide
She praieth that he upon his side
Me wolde through his grace sende
Some comfort, that I might amende
Upon the cas which is befalle.
And thus for me they praiden alle
Of hem that weren old aboute,
And eke some of the yonge route,
Of gentilesse and pure trouth
I herde hem tel it was great routh,
That I withouten help so ferde.
And thus me thought I lay andherde.
Cupide, which maie hurtand hele
In Loves cause, as for min hele
Upon the pointwhich him was praid
Cam with Venus where I was laid
Swounend upon the grene gras.
And as me thought anone there was
On every side so great pres,
That every life began to pres,
I wot nought wel how many score,
Suche as I spake of now to-fore,
Lovers, that comen to beholde,
But most of hem that weren olde.


They stoden there at thilke tide
To se what ende shall betide
Upon the cure of my sotie.
Tho might I here great partie
Spekend, and eche his own avis
Hath tolde, one that another this.
But among alle this I herde,
They weren wo that I so ferde,
And saiden that for no ri6te
An olde man shuld nought assote.
For as they tolden redely
There is in him no cause why,
But if he wold him self be nice,
So were he well the more nice.
And thus desputen some of tho,
And some saiden no thing so,
But that the wilde loves rage
In mannes life forbereth none age,
While there is oile for to fire
The lampe is lightly set a fire
And is full hard er it be queint,
But only if he be some seint,
Which God preserveth of his grace.
Andthus methoughtin sondryplace,
Of hem that walken up and down
There was divers opinioun.
And for a while so it laste,
Till that Cupide to the laste,
Forth with his moder full avised
Hath determined and devised,
Unto what point he woll descend.
And all this time I was liggend
Upon the ground to-fore his eyen.
And they that my disese sighen
Supposen nought I shulde live.
But he which wolde thanne yive
His grace, so as it maie be,
This blindegodwhich may noughtse
Hath groped till that he me fonde.
And as he putte forth his honde
Upon my body, where I lay,
Me thought a firy lancegay
Which whilom through my hert he
cast
He pulleth out, and al so fast




BOOK VIII.


441


As this was do, Cupidd nam
His wey; I not where he becam;
And so did all the remenaunt
Which unto him was entendaunt
Of hem that in avision
I had a revelacion,
So as I tolde now to-fore.
~ut 'genus wrenid nought therfore,
Ne Genius, which thilke time
Abiden bothe faste by me.
And she, which maythe hertes binde
In loves cause and eke unbinde,
Er I out of my traunce arose,
Venus, which helde a buiste close
And wolde nought I sholde deie,
Toke out, more colde then ony keie
An oignement, and in such point
She hath my wounded hert anoint,
My temples and my reins also.
And forth with all she toke me tho
A wonder mirrour for to holde,
In which she bad me to beholde
And take hede of that I sigh;
Wherin anone min hertes eye
I cast and sigh my colour fade,
Min eien dim and all unglade,
My chekes thinne, and all my face
With elde I mighte se deface,
So riveled and so wo besein
That there was no thing full ne plein.
I sigh also min haires hore,
My will was tho to se no more,
On which for there was no plesaunce.
And than into my remembrauince
I drough min olde daies passed,
And as reson it hath compassed,
I made a likenesse of my selve
Unto the sondry monthes twelve,
Wherof the yere in his estate
Is made, and stant upon debate,
That lich til other none accordeth.
For who the times wel recordeth,
And than at Marche if he beginne,
Whan that the lustyyerecomth inne


TillAugst be passed and Septembre,
The mightyyouth hemayremembre,
In which the yere hath his deduit
Of grass, of lefe, of floure, of fruit,
Of come, and of the winy grape.
And afterward the time is shape
To frost, to snow, to wind, to rain,
Till eft that March be come ayein.
The Winter woll no Somer knowe,
The grene lefe is overthrowe,
The clothed erth is thanne bare,
Despuiled is the somer fare,
That erst was hete is thanne chele.
And thus thenkende thoughtes fele
I was out of my swoune aftraid,
Wherof I sigh my wittes straid
And gan to clepe hem home ayein.
Alnb wfan 'teson it herde sain
That loves rage was awey,
He cam to me the righte wey
And hath remeved the sotie
Of thilke unwise fantasie
Wherof that I was wont to plein,
So that of thilke firy pein
I was made sobre and hole inough.
Venus beheld me than and lough
And axeth, as it were in game,
"'What love was?" And I for shame
Ne wistd what I shulde answere.
And netheles I gan to swere
That " By my trouth I knewe him
nought."
So fer it was out of my thought,
Right as it hadde never be.
" My gode sone," tho quod she,
" Now at this time I leve it wele,
So goth the fortune of my whele.
Forthy' my counseil is, thou leve.""Madame," I saide, "by your
leve,
Ye weten well, and so wote I,
That I am unbehovely
Your Court fro this day for to serve.
And for I may no thank deserve,
I Dcdunit, delight.




442


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And also for I am refused,
I praie you to ben excused.
And netheles as for to laste,
While that my wittes with me laste,
Touchend4 my confessi6n,
I axe an absoluti6n
Of Genius, er that I go."
The prest anone was redy tho,
And saide: "'Sone, as of thy shrifte,
Thou hast full pardon and foryifte.
Foryete it thou, and so will I."
"Min holy fader, graunt mercy,"
Quod I to him, and to the quene
I fell on knees upon the grene,
And toke my leve for to wende.
But she, that wolde make an ende,
As therto, which I was most able,
A paire of bedes blacke as sable
She toke and heng my necke about.
Upon the gaud6s all without
Was write of gold fur refposer.
" Lo," thus she said, l Iohan Gower,
Now thou art atte laste caste.
Thus have I for thin ese caste
That thou no more of love seche.
But my will is, that thou beseche
And pray hereafter for the pees,
And that thou make a plein relees
To love which taketh litel hede
Of olde men upon the nede,
Whan that the lustes ben awey,
Forthy to the nis but o wey,
In which let Reson be thy guide.
For he may sone him self misguide,
That seeth nought the perill to-fore.
" My sone, be well ware therfore
And kepe the sentence of my lore
Tarie thou in my court no more,
But go there vertue moral dwelleth,
Wherebenthybokes, as men telleth,
Whiche of long time thou hastwrite.
For this I do the well to wite,
If thou thin hele wolt purchace
Thou might nought make sute and
chace


Where that the game is nought
provable,
It were a thing unresonable,
A man to be so overseie.
Forthy take hede of that I sale.
For in the lawe of my commune
We be nought shape to commune,
Thy self and I, never after this.
Now have I said all that there is
Of love, as for thy final ende.
Adieu, for I mot fro the wende."l
1 MS. Harl. 3490:
And gretewell Chaucer, whan ye mete,
As my disciple and my poete.
For in the floures of his youth,
In sondry wise, as he well couth,
Of dittees and of songes glade,
The which he for my sake made,
The lond fulfilled is over all,
Wherof to him in speciall
Above all other I am most holde.
Forthy now in his daies olde
Thou shalt him telle this message,
That he upon his later age
To sette an end of all his werke,
As he, which is min owne clerke,
Do make his testament of love,
As thou hast do thy shrifte above,
So that my court it may recorde.
Madame, I can me well accorde,
Quod I, to telle as ye me bidde.
And with that worde it so betidde
Out of my sight all sodeinly,
Enclosed in a sterry sky,
Up to the heven Venus straught.
And I my righte waie sought
Home fro the wode and forth I wente,
Where as with al min hole entente
Thus with my bedes upon honde
For hem that true love fonde
I thenke bidde while I live,
Upon the point which I am shrive.
He, which withinne daies seven
The large world forth with the heven
Of his eternal providence
Hath made and thilke intelligence
In mannes soule resonable,
Wherof the man of feture
Of alle erthly creature
After the soule is immortall,




BOOK VIII.


443


And with that word all sodeinly
Enclosed in a sterred sky
Venus, which is the quene of love,
Was take into her place above,
More wist I nought where she
becam.
And thus my leve of her I nam.
And forth with al that same tide
To thilke lord in speciall
As he, which is of alle thinges
The creator and of the kinges
Hath the fortune upon honde
His grace and mercy for to fonde,
Upon my bare knees I pray,
That he my worthy king convey
Richard by name the secounde,
In whom hath ever yet be founde
Justice medled with pite,
Largesse forth with charite,
In his persone it may be shewed,
What is a king to be well thewed
Touching of pite namely,
For he yet never unpetously
Ayein the leges of his londe
For no defaute which he fonde
Through cruelte vengeaunce sought.
As though the worldes chaunce in
brought
Of infortune great debate,
Yet was he nought infortunate,
For he, which the fortune ladde,
The highe god him overspradde
Of his justice and kept him so,
That his estate stood evermo
Sauf as it oughte wel to be
Lich to the sonne in his degre,
Which with the cloudes up alofte
Is derked and beshadewed ofte,
But how so that it trouble in thaire
The sonne is ever bright and faire
Within him self and nought unpeired,
All though the weder be despeired,
The heved planete is nought to wite.
My worthy prince, of whom I write,
Thus stant he with him selve clere
And doth what lith in his powere,
Nought only here at home to seke
Love and accorde, but outward eke,
As he, that save his people wolde.
So ben we alle well beholde


Her Prest, which wolde nought
abide,
Or be me lefe or be me loth,
Out of my sighte forth he goth.
And I was left withouten helpe,
So wist I nought wherof to yelpe,
But only that I hadde lore
My time and was sorfe therfore.
To do service and obeisaunce
To him, which of his high suffraunce
Hath many a great debate appesed
To make his lege men ben esed,
Wherefore that his cronique shall
For ever be memoriall
To the loenge of that he doth.
For this wote every man in soth,
What king that so desireth pees,
He taketh the way which Criste ches,
And who that Christes weies sueth,
It proveth well that he escheueth
The vices and is vertuous,
Wherof he mot be gracious
Toward his god and acceptable.
And so to make his regne stable
With all the will that I may yive
I pray and shall while that I live,
As I which in subjection
Stonde under the protection
And may my selven nought bewelde,
What for sikenesse and what for elde,
Which I receive of goddes grace,
But though me lacke to purchace
My kinges thank as by deserte,
Yet the simplesse of my pouerte
Unto the love of my legeaunce
Desireth for to do plesaunce.
And for this cause in min entent
This pouer book here I present
Unto his highe worthinesse
Write of my simple besinesse,
So as sikenesse it suffre wolde,
And in such wise as I first tolde,
Whan I this boke began to make,
In some partie it may be take
And for to laugh and for to pley,
And for to loke in other wey
It may be wisdom to the wise,
So that somedele for good apprise,
And eke somedele for lust and game
I have it made for thilke same.




444


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


And thus bewhaped in my
thought,
Whan all was torned into nought,
I stood amased for a while,
And in my self I gan to smile,
Thenkend upon the bedes blacke,
And how they wveren me betake
For that I shuld6 bid and praie.
And whan I sigh none other waie,
But only that I was refused,
Unto the life whiche I had used
I thoughte never torne ayein.
And in this wise soth to sain
Homward a softe pas I went,
Where thatwith all min hole entent,
Upon the point that I am shrive,
I thenke bidde while I live.. e, which withinne daies seven
This large worlde forth with the
heven,
Of his eternal providence
Hath made, and thilke intelligence
In mannes soule resonable
Hath shape to be perdurable,
Wherof the man of his fetuire
Above all erthly creature
After the soule is immortall,
To thilke lorde in speciall,
As he which is of alle thinges
The Creator and of the kinges
Hath the fortunes upon honde,
His grace and mercy for to fonde,
Upon my bare knees I praie,;laf be fbis tonbe in siker waie
Woll set upon good governaunce.
For if men take in remembraunce,
What is to live in unite,
There is no state in his degre,
That ne ought to desire pes,
Withoute which it is no les
To seche and loke into the past,
There may no worldes joie last.
Uiirst for to lokl; the clergie,


Hem oughte well to justifie
Thing which belongeth to their cure,
As for to praie and to procure
Our pees toward the heven above,
And eke to sette rest and love
Among us on this erthe here;
For if they wrought in this manere
After the reule of charite
I hope that men sholden se
This lond amende.
Anb over this
To seche and loke how that it is
Touchend of the chivalerie,
Which for to loke in some partie
Is worthie for to be commended
And in some part to be amended,
That of her large retenue
The lond is full of maintenue,
Which causeth that the comun right
In fewe contres stont upright.
Extorcion, contek, ravine
Witholde ben of that covine.
All day men here great compleint
Of the disese, of the constreint,
Wherof the people is sore oppressed,
God graunt it mot6 be redressed.
For of knighthode thorder wolde,
That they defende and kepe sholde
The comun right and the fraunchise
Of Holy Chirche in alle wise,
So that no wicked man it dere,
Andtherofserveth shielde andspere.
But for it goth now other waie,
Our grace goth the more awaie.
tInb for to token overmore,
Wherof the people pleignen sore
Toward the lawes of our londe,
Men sain that trouth hath broke
his bonde
And with brocage is gone awey,
So that no man can se the wey,
Where for to finde rightwisnesse.
lnb if metn iec in sikernesse
Upon the lucre of marchandie,
Compassement and trecherie




BOOK VIII.


445


Of singular profit to winne,
Men sain is cause of mochel sinne,
And namely of division,
Which many a noble worthy town
Fro welth and fro prosperity
Hath brought to great adversite;
So were it good to ben all one.
For mochel grace therupon
Unto the citees shulde fall,
Which might availe to us all,
If these estates amended were,
So that the Vertues stoden there,
And that the Vices were away,
Me thenketh I dorste thanne say,
This londes grace shulde arise.
5ut _fet to lote in other wise,
There is a state, as ye shall here,
Above all other on erthe here,
Which hath the londe in his
balaunce;
To him belongeth the legeaunce
Of clerke, of knight, of man of lawe,
Under his honde all is forthdrawe
The marchaunt and the laborer,
So stant it all in his power
Or for to spille, or for to save.
But though thathe such powerhave,
And that his mightes ben so large,
He hath hem nought withouten
charge
To which that ever2 king is swore.
So were it good, that he therfore
First unto rightwisnesse entende,
Wherof that he him self amende
Toward his God, and leve vice,
Which is the chefe of his office.
And after all the remenaunt
He shall upon his covenaunt
Governe and lede in such a wise,
So that there be no tirannise
Wherof that he his people greve.
Or elles may he nought acheve
That longeth to his Regalie.,.or if a ting will justifie
Hislondeandhem thatben withinne,


First at him self he mot beginne
To kepe and reule his own estate,
That in him self be no debate
Toward his God. For otherwise
Ther may none erthly King suffise
Of his kingdom the folk to lede,
But he the King of Heven drede.
For what King sette him upon pride
And taketh his lust on every side
And will nought go the rightd weie,
Though God his grace cast aweie,
No wonder is, for atte last
He shall well wite it maynought last,
The pompe whiche he secheth here.
But what King that with humble
chere
After the Lawe of God escheueth
The Vices, and the Vertues sueth,
His grace shall be suffisafint
To governe all the remenauint,
Which longeth unto his duete;
So that in his prosperite
The people shall nought be oppressed,
Wherof his name shall be blessed
For ever and be memoriall.
<Anb now to speke as in finall
Touchende that I undertoke
In English for to make a boke
Which stant betwene ern6st and
game,
I have it made as thilke same,
Which ax6 for to be excused,
And that my boke benoughtrefused
Of lered men whan they it se
For lack of curiosite;
For thilke scole of eloquence
Belongeth nought to my science,
Upon the forme of rhetorique
My wordes for to peint and pike,
As Tullius somtime wrote.
But this I knowe and this I wote,
That I have do my trewe peine
With rud6 wordes and with pleine




446


CONFESSIO AMANTIS.


In all that ever I couthe and might,
This boke to write as I behight,
So as siknesse it suffer wolde.
And also for my daies olde
That I am feble and impotent,
I wot nought how the worlde is
went,1
So pray I to my lordes alle,
Now in min age, how so befalle,
That I mot stonden in her grace.
For though me lacke to purchace
Her worthy thank, as by deserte,
Yet the simplesse of my pouerte
Desireth for to do plesauince
To hem under whose governaunce
I hope siker to abide.
But now, upon my last6 tide,
That I this boke have made and
write,
My Muse doth me for to wite
And saith, it shall be for my beste,
Fro this day forth to take reste,
That I no more of love make,2
Which many a herte hath overtake
And overtorned as the blinde
Fro reson into lawe of kinde,
1 Went, turned.
2 Make, write poetry.


Where as the wisdom goth aweie
And can nought se the righte weie
How to governe his own estate,
But every day stant in debate
Within him self andcannoughtleve.
~,nb ftusforftt mpt finaWfeve
I take now for evermore
Without6 making 1 any more
Of love and of his dedly hele,
Which no phisicien can hele.
For his nature is so divers,
That it hath ever some travers
Or of to moch or of to lite,
That pleinly may no man delite,
But if him faile or that or this.
But thilke Love, which that is
Within a mannes herte affirmed
And stant of Charite confirmed,
Such Love is goodly for to have,
Such Love may the body save,
Such Love may the soule amende,
The Highe God such Love us sende
Forth with the remenaunt of grace,
So that above in thilke place,
Where resteth Love and alle Pees,
Our joie may ben endeles.
1 AMakizg, writing poems.


Exfilicit iste liber, qui transeat obsecro liber,
Ut sine Zivore vigeat lectoris in ore.
Qui sedet in scaemnis celi det, ut ista O7joannis
Perpetuis annis stet iagina grata Britannis.


P.ALLANTYNE PRESS: EDINBURGH AND LONDON.




MORLEY'S UNIYERSAL LIBRARY.
Complete in Sixty- Three JVolumes, ONE SHILLIANG each, cloth,
cut edges; or Is. 6d. Parchment Back, uncut edges.
I. SHERIDAN'S PLAYS.
2. PLAYS FROM MOLIERE. By ENGLISH DRAMATISTS.
3- MARLOWE'S FAUSTUS AND GOETHE'S FAUST.
4. CHRONICLE OF THE CID.
5. RABELAIS' GARGANTUA, AND THE HEROIC DEEDS OF PANTAGRUEL.
6. THE PRINCE. By MACHIAVELLI.
7. BACON'S ESSAYS.
8. DEFOE'S JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR.
9. LOCKE ON CIVIL GOVERNMENT; with SIR ROBERT FILMER'S
PATRIARCHA.
io. BUTLER'S ANALOGY OF RELIGION.
ii. DRYDEN'S VIRGIL.
12. SIR WALTER SCOTT'S DEMONOLOGY AND WITCHCRAFT.
13. HERRICK'S HESPERIDES.
14. COLERIDGE'S TABLE-TALK; with THE ANCIENT MARINER AND
CHRISTABEL.
15. BOCCACCIO'S DECAMERON.
i6. STERNE'S TRISTRAM SHANDY.
17. HOMER'S ILIAD. Translated by GEORGE CHAPMAN.
iS. MEDIZEVAL TALES.
I9. JOHNSON'S RASSELAS; and VOLTAIRE'S CANDIDE.
20. PLAYS AND POEMS. By BEN JONSON.
21. HOBBES'S LEVIATHAN.
22. BUTLER'S HUDIBRAS.
23. IDEAL COMMONWEALTHS; MORE'S UTOPIA; BACON'S NEW
ATLANTIS; and CAMPANELLA'S CITY OF THE SUN.
24. CAVENDISH'S LIFE OF WOLSEY.
25 & 26. DON QUIXOTE (Two Volumes).
27. BURLESQUE PLAYS AND POEMS.
28. DANTE'S DIVINE COMEDY. LONGFELLOW'S Translation.
29. GOLDSMITH'S VICAR OF WAKEFIELD, PLAYS, AND POEMS.
30. FABLES AND PROVERBS FROM THE SANSKRIT.
3i. CHARLES LAMB'S ESSAYS OF ELIA.




VMORLEY S UNIVERSAL LIBRARY —continued.
32. THE HISTORY OF THOMAS ELLWOOD. Written by Himself.
33- EMERSON'S ESSAYS, REPRESENTATIVE MEN, AND SOCIETY
AND SOLITUDE.
34. SOUTHEY'S LIFE OF NELSON.
35. DE QUINCEY'S OPIUM-EATER, SHAKSPEARE, GOETHE.
36. STORIES OF IRELAND. By MARIA EDGEWORTH.
37. THE PLAYS OF ARISTOPHANES. Translated by FRERE.
38. SPEECHES AND LETTERS. By EDMUND BURKE.
39. THOMAS A KEMPIS' IMITATION OF CHRIST.
40. POPULAR SONGS OF IRELAND. Collected by THOMAS CROFTON
CROKER.
4I. THE PLAYS OF JESCHYLUS. Translated by R. POTTER.
42. GOETHE'S FAUST. lThe Second Part.
43. FAMOUS PAMPHLETS.
44. SOPHOCLES. Translated by FRANCKLIN.
45. TALES OF TERROR AND WONDER.
46. VESTIGES OF THE NATURAL HISTORY OF CREATION.
47. THE BARONS' WARS, &c. By MICHAEL DRAYTON.
48. COBBETT'S ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN.
49. THE BANQUET OF DANTE. Translated by ELIZABETH P. SAYER.
50. WALKER'S ORIGINAL.
51. POEMS AND BALLADS BY SCHILLER.
52. PEELE'S PLAYS AND POEMS.
53. HARRINGTON'S OCEANA.
54. EURIPIDES-ALCESTIS, &c.
55. ESSAYS. By WINTHROP MACKWORTH PRAED.
56. TRADITIONAL TALES. ALLAN CUNNINGHAM.
57. HOOKER'S ECCLESIASTICAL POLITY. Books I.-IV.
58. EURIPIDES-THE BACCHANALS, and other PLAYS.
59. WALTON'S LIVES OF DONNE, WOTTON, HOOKER, GEORGE
HERBERT, &c.
60. ARISTOTLE ON GOVERNMENT.
6i. EURIPIDES-HECUBA, and other PLAYS.
62. RABELAIS' HEROIC DEEDS OF PANTAGRUEL. Books III., IV.,
and V.
63. A MISCELLANY.
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS,
LONDON, GLASGOW, MANCHESTER, AND NEW YORK.




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