Lydgate's Temple of Glas :: :: University of Virginia Library

Lydgate's Temple of Glas

Edited with introduction and notes by J. Schick

Lydgate, John (1370?-1451?)

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The Temple of Glas.

For thouȝt, constreint, and greuous heuines,
For pensifhede, and for heiȝ distres,
To bed I went nov þis oþir nyȝt,
Whan þat Lucina wiþ hir pale liȝt
Was Ioyned last wiþ Phebus in aquarie,
Amyd decembre, when of Ianuarie
Ther be kalendes of þe nwe yere,
And derk Diane, ihorned, noþing clere,
Had [hid] hir bemys vndir a mysty cloude:
Wiþin my bed for sore I gan me shroude,
Al desolate for constreint of my wo,
The long[e] nyȝt waloing to and fro,
Til at[te] last, er I gan taken kepe,
Me did oppresse a sodein dedeli slepe,
Wiþ-in þe which me þouȝt[e] þat I was
Rauysshid in spirit in [a] temple of glas—
I nyst[e] how, ful fer in wildirnes—
That foundid was, as bi lik[ly]nesse,
Not opon stele, but on a craggy roche,
Like ise Ifrore. And as I did approche,
Again þe sonne that shone, me þouȝt, so clere

As eny cristal, and euer nere and nere
As I gan neigh this grisli, dredful place,
I wex astonyed: the liȝt so in my face
Bigan to smyte, so persing euer in one
On euere part, where þat I gan gone,
That I ne myȝt noþing, as I would,
Abouten me considre and bihold,
The wondre estres, for briȝtnes of þe sonne;
Til at[te] last certein skyes donne,
Wiþ wind Ichaced, haue her cours I went
To-fore þe stremes of Titan and Iblent,
So þat I myȝt, wiþ-in and with-oute,
Where so I walk, biholden me aboute,
Forto report the fasoun and manere
Of al þis place, þat was circulere
In compaswise, Round bentaile wrouȝt.
And whan þat I hade long gone & souȝt,
I fond a wiket, and entrid in as fast
Into þe temple, and myn eiȝen cast
On euere side, now lowe & eft aloft.
And riȝt anone, as I gan walken soft,
If I þe soth ariȝt report[e] shal,
I sauȝe depeynt opon euere wal,
From est to west, ful many a faire Image
Of sondri louers, lich as þei were of age
I-sette in ordre, aftir þei were trwe,
Wiþ lifli colours wondir fressh of hwe.

And, as me þouȝt, I sauȝe somme sit & stonde,
And some kneling wiþ billis in hir honde,
And some with compleint, woful & pitous,
Wiþ doleful chere to putten to Venus,
So as she sate fleting in þe se,
Vpon hire wo forto haue pite.

And first of al I saugh þere of Car[ta]ge
Dido þe quene, so goodli of visage,
That gan complein hir aduenture & caas,
Hov she deceyued was of Eneas,
For al his hestis & his oþis sworne,
And said: ‘alas, þat euer she was borne,’
Whan þat she saugh þat ded she most[e] be.

And next I saugh the compleint of Medee,
Hou þat she was falsed of Iason.

And nygh bi Venus saugh I sit Addoun,
And al þe maner, hov þe bore him slough,
For whom she wepte & hade pein Inouȝe.

There saugh I also, hov Penalope,
For she so long hir lord ne myȝt[e] se,
Ful oft[e] wex of colour pale & grene.

And aldernext was þe fressh[e] quene,
I mene Alceste, the noble trw[e] wyfe,
And for Admete hou sho lost hir life,
And for hir trouth, if I shal not lie,
Hou she was turnyd to a dai[e]sie.

There was [also] Grisildis innocence,
And al hir mekenes, & hir pacience.

There was eke Isaude—& meni a noþir mo—

And al þe turment, and al þe cruel wo,
That she hade for Tristram al hir liue.

And hou þat Tesbie her hert[e] did[e] rife
Wiþ þilk[e] swerd of him Piramus;

And al þe maner, hou þat Theseus
The Minatawre slow amyd þe hous,
That was for-wrynkked bi craft of Dedalus,
When þat he was in prison shette in Crete.

And hou þat Phillis felt of loues hete
The grete fire of Demophon, alas,
And for his falshed and [for] his trespas
Vpon þe walles depeint men myȝt[e] se,
Hov she was honged vpon a filbert tre.

And mani a stori, mo þen I rekin can,
Were in þe tempil, & hov þat Paris wan
The faire Heleyne, þe lusti fressh[e] quene,
And hov Achilles was for Policene
I-slain vnwarli within Troi[e] toune:
Al þis sawe I, [walkynge vp & doun.
Ther sawe I] writen eke þe hole tale,
Hov Philomene into a nyȝtyngale
Iturned was, and Progne vnto a swalow;
And hov þe Sabyns in hir maner halowe
The fest of Lucresse ȝit in Rome tovne.

There saugh I also þe sorov of Palamoun,
That he in prison felt, & al þe smert,
And hov þat he, þurugh vnto his hert,

Was hurt vnwarli þurugh casting of an eyȝe
Of faire fressh, þe ȝung[e] Emelie,
And al þe strife bitwene him & his broþir,
And hou þat one fauȝt eke with þat oþir
Wiþ-in þe groue, til þei bi Theseus
Acordid were, as Chaucer telliþ us.

And forþirmore, as I gan bihold,
I sawȝ hov Phebus with an arow of gold
I-woundid was, þuruȝ oute in his side,
Onli bi envie of þe god Cupide,
And hou þat Daphne vnto a laurer tre
Iturned was, when she did[e] fle;

And hou þat Ioue gan to chaunge his cope
Oonli for loue of þe faire Europe,
And into [a] bole, when he did hir sue,
List of his godhode his fourme to transmwe;
And hou þat he bi transmutacioun
The shap gan take of Amphitrioun
For hir, Almen, so passi[n]g of beaute;
So was he hurt, for al his deite,
Wiþ loues dart, & myȝt it not ascape.

There sauȝ I also hou þat Mars was take
Of Vulcanus, and wiþ Venus found,
And wiþ þe Cheynes invisible bound.

Ther was also al þe poesie
Of him, Mercurie, and Phil[o]log[y]e,

And hou þat she, for hir sapience,
Iweddit was to god of eloquence,
And hou þe Musis lowli did obeie,
High into heuen þis ladi to conuei,
And with hir song hov she was magnified
With Iubiter to bein Istellified.

And vppermore depeint men myȝt[e] se,
Hov with hir ring, goodli Canace
Of euere foule þe ledne & þe song
Coud vndirstond, as she welk hem among;
And hou hir broþir so oft holpen was
In his myschefe bi þe stede of bras.

And forþermore in þe tempil were
Ful mani a þousand of louers, here & þere,
In sondri wise redi to complein
Vnto þe goddes, of hir wo & pein,
Hou þei were hindrid, some for envie,
And hou þe serpent of fals Ielousie
Ful many a louer haþ iput o bak,
And caus[e]les on hem Ilaid a lak.
And some þer were þat pleyned on absence,
That werin exiled & put oute of presence
Thuruȝ wikkid tungis & fals suspecioun,
[With-oute mercy or remyssyoun.]
And oþer eke her seruise spent in vain,
Thuruȝ cruel daunger, & also bi disdain;
And some also þat loued, soþ to sein,
And of her ladi were not louyd again.

And oþir eke, þat for pouerte
Durst in no wise hir grete aduersite
Discure ne open, lest þai were refusid;
And some for wanting also werin accusid,
And oþir eke þat loued secreli,
And of her ladi durst aske no merci,
Lest þat she would of hem haue despite;
And some also þat putten ful grete wite
On double louers, þat loue þingis nwe,
Thurgh whos falsnes hindred be þe trwe.
And some þer were, as it is oft[e] found,
That for her ladi meny a blodi wounde
Endurid haþ in mani [a] regioun,
Whiles þat an oþer haþ poscessioun
Al of his ladi, and beriþ awai þe fruyte
Of his labur and of al his suyte.
And oþer eke compleyned of Riches,
Hou he with Tresour doþ his besines
To wynnen al, againes kynd & ryȝt,
Wher trw louers haue force noon ne myȝt.
And some þer were, as maydens ȝung of age,
That pleined sore with peping & with rage,
That þei were coupled, againes al nature,
Wiþ croked elde, þat mai not long endure
Forto perfourme þe lust of loues plai:
For it ne sit not vnto fressh[e] May
Forto be coupled to oold[e] Ianuari—

Thei ben so diuers þat þei most[e] varie—
For eld is grucching & malencolious,
Ay ful of ire & suspecious,
And iouth entendeþ to Ioy & lustines,
To myrth & plai & to al gladnes.
‘Allas þat euer þat it shuld[e] fal,
So soote sugre Icoupled be with gal!’
These yong[e] folk criden oft[e] siþe,
And praied Venus hir pouer forto kiþe
Vpon þis myschef, & shape remedie.
And riȝt anon I herd oþir crie
With sobbing teris, & with ful pitous soune,
Tofore þe goddes, bi lamentacioun,
That were constrayned in hir tender youþe,
And in childhode, as it is oft[e] couþe,
Yentred were into religioun,
Or þei hade yeris of discresioun,
That al her life cannot but complein,
In wide copis perfeccion to feine,
Ful couertli to curen al hir smert,
And shew þe contrarie outward of her hert.
Thus saugh I wepen many a faire maide,
That on hir freendis al þe wite þei leide.
And oþer next I saugh þere in gret rage,

That þei were maried in her tendir age,
Wiþ-oute fredom of eleccioun,
Wher loue haþ seld domynacioun:
For loue, at laarge & [at] liberte,
Would freli chese, & not with such trete.
And oþer saugh I ful oft wepe & wring,
[That they in men founde swych variynge,]
To loue a seisoun, while þat beaute floureþ,
And bi disdein so vngoodli loureþ
On hir þat whilom he callid his ladi dere,
That was to him so plesaunt & entere;
But lust with fairnes is so ouergone,
That in her hert trouþ abideþ none.
And som also I sauȝ in teris reyne,
And pitousli on god & kynd[e] pleyne,
That euer þei would on eny creature
So mych beaute, passing bi mesure,
Set on a woman, to yeue occasioun
A man to loue to his confusioun,
And nameli þere where he shal haue no grace;
For wiþ a loke, forth-bi as he doþ pace,
Ful oft[e] falleþ, þuruȝ casting of an yȝe,
A man is woundid, þat he most nedis deye,
That neuer efter perauenture shal hir se.
Whi wil god don so gret a cruelte
To eny man, or to his creature,
To maken him so mych wo endure,

For hir percaas, whom he shal in no wise
Reioise neuer, but so forþ in Iewise
Ledin his life, til þat he be graue.
For he ne durst of hir no merci craue,
And eke perauenture, þouȝ he durst & would,
He can not wit, where he hir find[e] shuld.
I saugh þere eke, & þerof hade I rouþe,
That som were hindred for couetise & slouth,
And some also for her hastines,
And oþer eke for hir reklesnes—

But alderlast as I walk & biheld,
Beside Pallas wiþ hir cristal sheld,
Tofore þe statue of Venus set on height,
Hov þat þer knelid a ladi in my syȝt
Tofore þe goddes, which riȝt as þe sonne
Passeþ þe sterres & doþ hir stremes donne,
And Lucifer, to voide þe nyȝtes sorow,
In clerenes passeþ erli bi þe morow,
And so as Mai haþ þe souereinte
Of euere moneþ, of fairnes & beaute,
And as þe rose in swetnes & odoure
Surmounteþ floures, and bawme of al licour
Haueþ þe pris, & as þe rubie briȝt
Of al stones in beaute & in siȝt,
As it is know, haþ þe regalie:
Riȝt so þis ladi wiþ hir goodli eiȝe,

And with þe stremes of hir loke so briȝt,
Surmounteþ al þurugh beaute in my siȝte:
Forto tel hir gret semelines,
Hir womanhed, hir port, & hir fairnes,
It was a meruaile, hou euer þat nature
Coude in hir werkis make a creature
So aungellike, so goodli on to se,
So femynyn or passing of beaute,
Whos sonnyssh here, briȝter þan gold were,
Lich Phebus bemys shynyng in his spere—
The goodlihed eke of hir fresshli face,
So replenysshid of beaute & of grace,
So wel ennuyd bi Nature & depeint,
That Rose and lileis togedir were so meint,
So egalli bi good proporcioun,
That, as me þouȝt, in myn inspeccioun
I gan meruaile, hou god, or werk of kynd,
Miȝten of beaute such a tresour find,
To yeven hir so passing excellence.
For in goode faiþ, þuruȝ hir heiȝ presence
The tempil was enlumynd enviroun,
And forto speke of condicioun,
She was þe best þat myȝt[e] ben on lyve:
For þer was noon þat wiþ hir myȝt[e] striue,
To speke of bounte, or of gentilles,
Of womanhed, or of lowlynes,
Of curtesie, or of goodlihed,
Of spech, of chere, or of semlyhed,
Of port benygne, & of daliaunce,

The best[e] tauȝt, & þerto of plesaunce
She was þe wel, and eke of oneste
An exemplarie, & mirrour eke was she
Of secrenes, of trouth, of faythfulnes,
And to al oþer ladi & maistres,
To sue vertu, whoso list to lere.
And so þis ladi, benigne and humble of chere,
Kneling I saugh, al clad in grene and white,
Tofore Venus, goddes of al delite,
Enbrouded al with stones & perre
So richeli, þat ioi it was to se,
Wiþ sondri rolles on hir garnement,
Forto expoune þe trouth of hir entent,
And shew fulli, þat for hir humbilles,
And for hir vertu, and hir stabilnes,
That she was rote of womanli plesaunce.
Therfore hir woord wiþoute variaunce
Enbrouded was, as men myȝt[e] se:
‘De mieulx en mieulx,’ with stones and perre:
This [is] to sein þat she, þis benigue,
From bettir to bettir hir hert[e] doþ resigne,
And al hir wil, to Venus þe goddes,
Whan þat hir list hir harmes to redresse.

For as me þouȝt sumwhat bi hir chere,
Forto compleyne she hade gret desire:
For in hir hond she held a litel bil,
Forto declare þe somme of al hir wil,
And to þe goddes hir quarel forto shewe,
[Theffect of which was this In wordys fewe:]

1

‘O ladi Venus, modir of Cupide,
That al þis wor[l]d hast in gouernaunce,
And hertes high, þat hauteyn [ben] of pride,
Enclynyst mekeli to þin obeissaunce,
Causer of ioie, Relese of penaunce,
And with þi stremes canst eueri þing discerne
Thuruȝ heuenli fire of loue þat is eterne;

2

O blisful sterre, persant & ful of liȝt,
Of bemys gladsome, devoider of derknes,
Cheif recounford after þe blak nyȝt,
To voide woful oute of her heuynes,
Take nov goode hede, ladi & goddesse,
So þat my bil ȝour grace may atteyne,
Redresse to finde of þat I me compleyne.

3

For I am bounde to þing þat I nold;
Freli to chese þere lak I liberte;
And so I want of þat myn hert[e] would;

The bodi [is] knyt, al þouȝe my þouȝt be fre,
So þat I most, of necessite,
Myn hertis lust out[e]ward contrarie;
Thogh we be on, þe dede most[e] varie.

4

Mi worship sauf, I faile eleccioun,
Again al riȝt, boþe of god and kynd,
There to be knit vndir subieccion,
Fro whens ferre are boþ[e] witte & mynde;
Mi þouȝt goþe forþe, my bodi is behind:
For I am here, and yonde my remembraunce;
Atwixen two so hang I in balaunce.

5

Deuoide of ioie, of wo I haue plente;
What I desire, þat mai I not possede;
For þat I nold, is redi aye to me,
And þat I loue, forto swe I drede,
To my desire contrarie is my mede;
And þus I stond, departid euen on tweyn,
Of wille and dede Ilaced in a chaine.

6

For þouȝe I brenne with feruence and with hete,
Wiþ-in myn hert I mot complein of cold,
And þuruȝ myn axcesse thoȝe I sweltre and swete,
Me to complein, god wot, I am not boold,
Vnto no wiȝt, nor a woord vnfold
Of al my peyne, allas þe hard[e] stond!
That hatter brenne þat closid is my wounde.

7

For he þat haþ myn hert[e] feiþfulli,
And hole my luf in al honesti,
With-oute chaunge, al be it secreli,
I haue no space wiþ him forto be.
O ladi Venus, consider nov & se

Vnto þe effecte and compleint of my bil,
Siþ life and deþ I put al in þi wil.’

8

And þo me þouȝt þe goddes did enclyne
Mekeli hir hede, and softli gan expresse,
That in short tyme hir turment shuld[e] fyne,
And hou of him, for whom al hir distresse
Contynued had & al hir heuynes,
She shold haue Ioy, and of hir purgatorie
Be holpen sone, and so forþ lyue in glorie.

9

And seid[e]: ‘Douȝter, for þe sad[de] trouþe,
The feiþful menyng, & þe Innocence,
That planted bene, withouten eny slouþe,
In ȝour persone, deuoide of al offence,
So haue atteyned to oure audience,
That þuruȝ oure grace ȝe shul be wel releuyd,
I ȝov bihote of al þat haþ ȝov greued.

10

And for þat ȝe euer of oon entent,
Withoute chaunge or mutabilite,
Haue in ȝour peynes ben so pacient,
To take louli ȝoure aduersite,
And þat so long þuruȝ þe cruelte
Of old Saturne, my fadur vnfortuned,—
Your wo shal nov no lenger be contuned.

11

And þinkiþ þis: within a litel while
It shal asswage, and ouerpassen sone;

For men bi laiser passen meny a myle.
And oft also, aftir a dropping mone,
The weddir clereþ, & whan þe storme is done,
The sonne shineþ in his spere briȝt,
And ioy awakiþ whan wo is put to fliȝt.

12

Remembreþ eke, hou neuer ȝit no wiȝt
Ne came to wirship withoute some debate,
And folk also reiossh[e] more of liȝt,
That þei wiþ derknes were waped & amate;
Non manis chaunce is alwai fortunate,
Ne no wiȝt preiseþ of sugre þe swetnes,
But þei afore haue tasted bitternes.

13

Grisild[e] was assaied at[te] ful,
That turned aftir to hir encrese of Ioye;
Penalope gan eke for sorowis dul,
For þat [her] lord abode so long at Troie;
Also þe turment þere coude no man akoye
Of Dorigene, flour of al Britayne:
Thus euer ioy is ende and fine of paine.

14

And trusteþ þis, for conclusioun,
The end of sorow is ioi I-voide of drede;
For holi saintis, þuruȝ her passioun,
Haue heuen Iwonne for her souerain mede;
And plenti gladli foloiþ after nede:

And so my douȝter, after ȝour greuauns,
I ȝov bihote ȝe shul haue ful plesaunce.

15

For euer of loue þe maner and þe guyse
Is forto hurt his seruant, and to wounde;
And when þat he haþ tauȝte hem his emprise,
He can in ioi make hem to abounde;
And siþ þat ȝe haue in my lase be bound,
Wiþoute grucching or rebellion,
Ye most of riȝt haue consolacioun.

16

This is to sein—douteþ neuer a dele—
That ȝe shal haue ful poss[ess]ion
Of him þat ȝe cherissh nov so wel,
In honest maner, wiþ-oute offencioun,
Bicause I cnowe your entencion
Is truli set, in parti and in al,
To loue him best & most in special.

17

For he þat ȝe haue chosen ȝow to serue,
Shal be to ȝow such as ȝe desire,
Wiþ-oute chaunge, fulli, til he sterue:
So with my brond I haue him set afire,
And with my grace I shal him so enspire,
That he in hert shal be ryȝt at ȝour will,
Wherso ȝe list to saue him or to spill.

18

For vnto ȝow his hert I shal so lowe,
Wiþ-oute spot of eny doubelnes,
That he ne shal escape fro þe bowe—

Thouȝ þat him list þuruȝ vnstidfastnes—
I mene of Cupide, þat shal him so distres
Vnto your hond, wiþ þe arow of gold,
That he ne shal escapen þouȝ he would.

19

And siþe ȝe list, of pite and of grace,
In vertu oonli his ȝouþe to cherice,
I shal, baspectes of my benygne face,
Make him teschwe euere synne & vice,
So þat he shal haue no maner spice
In his corage to loue þingis nwe:
He shal to ȝou so plain be found & trwe.’

20

And whan þis goodli, faire, fressh of hwe,
Humble and benygne, of trouth crop & rote,
Conceyued had, hov Venus gan to rwe,
On hir praier plainli to do bote,
To chaunge hir bitter atones into soote,
She fel on kneis of heiȝ deuocion,
And in þis wise bigan hir orisoun:

21

‘Heiȝest of high, quene and Emperice,
Goddes of loue, of goode ȝit þe best,
Þat þuruȝ ȝour [beaute], withouten eny vice,
Whilom conquered þe appel at þe fest,
That Iubiter þurugh [his hygh request]
To al þe goddesse aboue celestial
Made in his paleis most imperial:

22

To ȝov my ladi, vpholder of my life,
Mekeli I þanke, so as I mai suffice,
That ȝe list nov, with hert ententif,
So graciousli for me to deuyse,
That while I liue, with humble sacrifise,
Vpon ȝour auters, ȝour fest ȝere bi ȝere,
I shal encense casten in þe fire.

23

For of ȝoure grace I am ful reconsiled
From euere trouble vnto Ioy & ease,
That sorois al from me ben exiled,
Siþ ye, my ladi, list nov to appese
Mi peynes old, & fulli my disease
Vnto gladnes so sodeinli to turne,
Hauyng no cause from hennes forþ to mourne.

24

For siþin ȝe so mekeli list to daunte
To my seruyce him þat loueþ me best,
And of ȝour bounte so graciousli to graunte,
That he ne shal varie, þouȝe him list,
Wherof myn hert is fulli brouȝ[t] to rest:

For nov and euer, o ladi myn benygne,
That hert and wil to ȝow hole I resigne.

25

Thanking yow with al my ful hert,
Þat, of ȝoure grace and visitacioun,
So humb[e]li list him to conuert
Fulli to bene at my subieccioun,
With-oute chaunge or transmutacioun,
Vnto his last: [now] laude and reuerence
Be to youre name and [to] your excellence.

26

This al and some & chefe of my request,
And hool substaunce of my ful entent,
Yow þankyng euer of ȝour graunt & hest,
Boþ nou and euer, þat ȝe me grace haue sent
To conquere him þat neuer shal repent
Me forto serue & humbli to please,
As final tresur of myn hertis ease.’

27

And þan anon Venus cast adoune
Into hir lap, braunchis white & grene
Of haw[e]thorn, þat wenten enviroun
Aboute hir hed, þat ioi it was to sene,
And bade hir kepe hem honestli & clene—
Which shul not fade ne nevir wexin old,
If she hir bidding kepe as she haþ told.

28

‘And as þese bowȝis be boþ faire & swete,
Folowiþ þeffect þat þei do specifie:
This is to sein, boþe in cold & hete,
Beþ of oon hert & of o fantasie,
As ar þese leues, þe which mai not die
Þuruȝ no dures of stormes, þat be kene,
No more in winter þen in somer grene.

29

Riȝt so bensaumple, for wele or for wo,
For ioy, turment, or [for] aduersite,
Wherso þat fortune fauour or be foo,
For pouert, riches, or prosperite,
That ȝe youre hert kepe in oo degre
To loue him best, for noþing þat ȝe feine,
Whom I haue bound so lowe vndir ȝoure cheine.’

30

And with þat worde þe goddes shoke hir hede,
And was in peas, and spake as þo no more.
And þerwithal, ful femynyne of drede,
Me þouȝte þis ladi sighen gan ful sore,
And said again: ‘Ladi þat maist restore
Hertes in Ioy from her aduersite,
To do ȝoure will de mieulx en mieulx magre.’

Thus euer sleping and dremyng as I lay,
Within þe tempil me þouȝt[e] þat I sey
Gret pres of folk, with murmur wondirful,
To croude and shove—þe tempil was so ful—
Euerich ful bise in his owne cause,
That I ne may shortli in a clause
Descriuen al þe Rithes & þe gise,
And eke I want kunnyng to deuyse,
Hou som þer were with blood, encense & mylk,

And som with floures sote & soft as silk,
And some with sparovis & dovues faire & white,
That forto offerin gan hem to delite
Vnto þe goddes, wiþ sigh & with praier,
Hem to relese of þat þai most desire;
That for þe prese, shortli to conclude,
I went my wai for þe multitude,
Me to refressh oute of þe prese allone.
And be my self me þouȝt, as I gan gone
Wiþ-in þe Estres & gan awhile tarie,
I saugh a man, þat welke al solitarie,
That as me semed for heuines and dole
Him to complein, þat he walk so sole,
Wiþ-oute espiing of eni oþir wiȝt.
And if I shal descryuen him ariȝt,
Nere þat he hade ben in heuynes,
Me þouȝt he was, to speke of semelynes,
Of shappe, of fourme, & also of stature,
The most passing þat euir ȝit nature
Made in hir werkis, & like to ben a man;
And þerwith-al, as I reherse can,
Of face and chere þe most gracious,
To be biloued, happi and Ewrous.
But as it semed outward by his chere,
That he compleyned for lak of his desire—
For by himself, as he walk vp & doune,
I herd him make a lamentacioun,

And seid: ‘Allas! what þing mai þis be,
That nou am bound, þat whilom was so fre,
And went at laarge, at myn eleccioun:
Nou am I cauȝt vnder subieccioun,
Forto bicome a verre homagere
To god o[f] loue, where þat, er I come here,
Felt in myn hert riȝt nouȝt of loues peine;
But nov of nwe within his fire cheyne
I am enbraced, so þat I mai not striue
To loue and serue, whiles þat I am on lyue,
The goodli fressh, in þe tempil yonder
I saugh riȝt nov, þat I hade wonder,
Hou euer god, forto reken all,
Myȝt make a þing so celestial,
So avngellike on erþe to appere.
For wiþ þe stremes of hir eyen clere
I am Iwoundid euen to þe hert,
Þat fro þe deþ, I trow, I mai not stert.
And most I mervaile þat so sodenli
I was Iȝolde to bene at hir merci,
Wherso hir list, to do me lyue or deie:
Wiþ-oute more I most hir lust obeie
And take mekeli my sodein auentur.
For siþ my life, my deþ, and eke my cure
Is in hir hond, it would[e] not auaile
To gruch agein; for of þis bataile
The palme is hires, & pleinli þe victorie.
If I rebelled, honour non ne glorie

I myȝt[e] not, in no wise, acheue.
Siþ i am yold, hou shuld I þan preue
To gif a werre—I wot it wil not be—
Thouȝ I be loos, at laarge I mai not fle.
O god of loue, hov sharp is nov þin arowe!
Hou maist þou nov so cruelli & narowe,
With-oute cause, hurt[e] me and wound,
And tast non he le, my soris forto sound!
But lich a brid, þat fleith at hir desire,
Til sodeinli within þe pantire
She is Icauȝt, þouȝ she were late at laarge—
A nwe tempest for-casteþ now my baarge,
Now vp nov dovne with wind it is so blowe,
So am I possid and almost ouerþrowe,
Fordriue in dirknes with many a sondri wawe.
Alas! when shal þis tempest ouerdrawe,
To clere þe skies of myn aduersite,
The lode ster when I [ne] may not se,
It is so hid with cloudes þat ben blake.
Alas when wil þis turment ouershake?
I can not wit, for who is hurt of nwe
And blediþ in ward, til he wex pale of hwe,
And haþ his wound vnwarli fressh & grene,
And is not kouþe vnto þe harmes kene
Of myȝti Cupide, þat can so hertis davnte
That no man may in your werre him vaunte

To gete a pris, but oonli bi mekenes—
For þere ne vaileþ strif ne sturdines—
So mai I sain, þat with a loke am yold,
And haue no power to stryue þouȝe I would.
Thus stand I euen bitwix life and deþ
To loue & serue, while þat I haue breþ,
In such a place where I dar not pleyn,
Lich him þat is in turment & in pein,
And knoweþ not, to whom forto discure;
For þere þat I haue hoolly set my cure,
I dar not wele, for drede & for daunger,
And for vnknowe, tellen hou þe fire
Of louis brond is kindled in my brest.
Thus am I murdrid & slain at þe lest
So preueli within myn [owne] þouȝt.
O ladi Venus, whom þat I haue souȝt,
So wisse me now what me is best to do,
Þat am distrauȝt within my self[en] so,
That I ne wot what way for [to] turne,
Sauf be my self solein forto mourne,
Hanging in balaunce bitwix hope & drede,
Withoute comfort, remedie or rede.
For hope biddiþ pursue & assay;
And drede againward answeriþ & saiþ nai;
And now wiþ hope I am set on loft,
But drede and daunger, hard & noþing softe,
Haue ouerþrowe my trust and put adoune;
Nou at my laarge, nou feterid in prisone,

Nov in turment, nov in souerein glorie,
Nou in paradise & nov in purgatorie,
As man dispeired in a double were,
Born vp wiþ hope, & þan anon daunger
Me drawiþ abak, and seith it shal not be.
For where as I, of myn aduersite,
Am bold somwhile merci to requere,
Þan comeþ dispeire & ginneþ me to lere
A nwe lessoun, to hope ful contrare—
Thei be so diuers þei would do me varie—
And þus I stond dismaied in a traunce:
For whan þat hope were likli me tauaunce,
For drede I tremble and dar a woord not speke.
And if it so be þat I not oute breke
To tel þe harmes, þat greuen me so sore,
But in myself encrese hem more & more,
And to be slain fulli me delite,
Þen of my deþ sho is noþing to wite;
For but if she my constreint pleinli knwe,
Hou shuld she euer opon my paynis rwe!
Thus oft[e] tyme with hope I am I-mevid
To tel hir al of þat I am so greued,
And to ben hardi on me forto take
To axe merci; but drede þan doþ awake,
And þurgh wanhope answeriþ me again,
Þat bettir were, þen she haue disdeyne,

To deie at onys, vnknow of eny wiȝt.
And þere-with[-al] bitt hope anon ryȝt
Me to be bold, to prayen hir of grace;
For siþ al vertues be portreid in hir face,
It were not sitting þat merci were bihind.
And riȝt anone within my self I finde
A nwe ple brouȝt on me with drede,
Þat me so maseþ þat I se no spede,
Bicause he seith, þat stoneiþ al my bloode,
I am so symple & she is so goode.
Thus hope and drede in me wil not ceasse
To plete and stryue myn harmes to encrese.
But at þe hardest ȝit, or I be dede,
Of my distresse siþ i can no rede,
But stond[e] dovmb stil as eni stone,
Tofore þe goddes I wil me hast anone,
And complein withoute more sermon;
Þouȝ deth be fin & ful conclusioun
Of my request, ȝit I will assai.’
And riȝt anon me þouȝ[te] þat I say
This woful man, as I haue memorie,
Ful lowli entre into an oratorie,
And knelid [a]doun in ful humble wise
Tofore þe goddes, and gan anon deuyse
His pitous quarel wiþ a doleful chere,
Sayyng riȝt þus, anone as ȝe shul here:

31

‘Redresse of sorow, o Citheria,
That wiþ þe stremes of þi plesaunt hete
Gladest þe contre of [al] Cirrea,
Where þou hast chosen þi paleis & þi sete,
Whos briȝt bemes ben wasshen and of[t] wete
In the riuer of Elicon þe well:
Haue nou pite of þat I shal here tell.

32

And not disdeyneþ of ȝour benignite,
Mi mortal wo, o ladi myn, goddes,
Of grace & bounte and merciful pite,
Benig[ne]li to helpen and to redresse;
And þouȝ so be I can not wele expresse
The greuous harmes þat I fele in myn hert,
Haueþ neuer þe les merci of my smert.

33

This is to sein: o clere heuens liȝt,
That next þe sonne cercled haue ȝour spere,
Siþ ȝe me hurten wiþ ȝour dredful myȝt
Bi influence of ȝour bemys clere,
And þat I bie ȝour seruise nov sodere,
As ȝe me brouȝt into þis maledie,
Beþ gracious and shapeþ remedie.

34

For in ȝow hoolli liþ help of al þis case,
And knowe best my sorow & al my peyne:
For drede of deþ hou I ne der, allas!

To axen merci ones ne me compleyne.
Nou wiþ ȝoure fire hire hert[e] so restreyne,
With-oute more, or I deie at þe lest,
That she mai wete what is my requeste:

35

Hov I noþing in al þis world desire,
But forto serue, fulli to myn ende,
That goodli fressh, so womanli of chere,
With-oute chaunge, while I haue life & mynde;
And þat ȝe wold me such grace send
Of my seruyse, þat she not disdeyne,
Siþen hir to serue I may me not restreyne,

36

And siþ þat hope haþe ȝeue me hardines
To loue hir best and neuer to repent,
Whiles þat I lyue, with al my bisenes
To drede and serue, þouȝ daunger neuer assent.
And hereopon ȝe knowen myn entent,
Hov I haue vowed fulli in my mynde
To ben hir man, þouȝ I no merci finde.

37

For in myn hert enprentid is so sore
Hir shap, hir fourme, and al hir semelines,
Hir port, hir chere, hir goodnes more & more,
Hir womanhede, & eke hir gentilnes,
Hir trouth, hir faiþ & hir kynd[e]nes,
With al vertues, Iche set in his degre;
There is no lak, saue onli of pite.

38

Hir sad demening, of wil not variable,
Of looke benygne & roote of al plesaunce,
And examplaire to al þat wil be stable,
Discrete, prudent, of wisdom suffisaunce,
Mirrour of wit, ground of gouernaunce,
A world of beaute compassid in hir face,
Whose persant loke doþ þuruȝ myn hert[e] race;

39

And ouer þis secre & wondre trwe,
A welle of fredome, and riȝt bovntevous,
And euer encresing in vertue nwe & nwe,
Of spech goodli and wonder gracious,
Deuoide of pride, to pore not dispitous,
And if þat I shortli shal not feyne,
Saue opon merci I noþing can compleyne.

40

What wonder þan þouȝ I be wiþ drede
Inli supprised forto axen grace
Of hir þat is a quene of womanhed?
For wele I wot, in so heigh a place
It wil not ben; þerfor I ouerpace,
And take louli what wo þat I endure,
Til she of pite me take vnto hir cure.

41

But oone avowe pleinli here I make,
That wheþir so be she do me lyve or deye,
I wil not grucch, but humble it take,

And þank[e] god, & wilfulli obey;
For, be my trouth, myn hert shal not reneye,
For life ne deþ, merci ne daunger,
Of wil and þouȝt to ben at hir desire,

42

To bene as trwe, as was Antonyus
To Cleopatre, while him lasted breþe,
Or vnto Tesbe ȝung[e] Piramus
Was feiþful found, til hem departid deþe:
Riȝt so shal I, til Antropos me sleiþe,
For wele or wo, hir faithful man be found,
Vnto my last, lich as myn hert is bounde,

43

To loue aswel as did Achilles
Vnto his last þe faire Polixene,
Or as þe gret famous Hercules,
For Dianyre þat felt þe shottes kene—
Riȝt so shal I, y sei riȝt as I mene,
Whiles þat I lyve, hir boþe drede and serue,
For lak of merci þouȝ she do me sterve.

44

Nou ladi Venus, to whom noþing vnknowe
Is in þe world, I-hid ne not mai be—
For þere nys þing, neþir heigh no lowe,
Mai be concelid from ȝour privete—
Fro whom my menyng is not nov secre,
But witen fulli þat myn entent is trwe,
And lich my trowth nov on my peyn[e] rwe.

45

For more of grace þan presumpcioun
I axe merci, and not of duete,
Of louli humblesse, wiþoute offensioun,
That ȝe enclyne, of ȝour benygnyte,
Your audience to myn humylite,
To graunt[e] me, þat to ȝov clepe & calle,
Somdai relese ȝit of my paynes alle.

46

And siþ ȝe haue þe guerdon & þe mede
Of al louers pleinli in ȝour hond,
Nou of [your] grace and pite takeþ hede
Of my distresse, þat am vndir ȝour bond
So lovli bound, as ȝe wele vndirstond:
Nou in þat place, where I toke first my wound,
Of pite sufferiþ my helth mai be found—

47

That lich as she me hurt[e] wiþ a siȝte,
Riȝt so with helpe let hir me sustene,
And as þe stremes of hir eyȝen briȝt
Whilom myn hert, with woundis sharp & kene,
Thuruȝ perced haue, and ȝit bene fressh & grene:
So as she me hurt, nou let hir me socoure,
Or ellis certein I mai not long endure.

48

For lak of spech I can sey nov no more:
I haue mater, but [I] can not plein;
Mi wit is dulle to telle al my sore;

A mouth I haue, & ȝit for al my peyne,
For want of woordis I may not nov atteyne
To tell[en] half þat doþ myn hert[e] greue,
Merci abiding, til she me list releue.

49

But þis theffecte of my mater finalle:
Wiþ deþ, or merci, reles forto finde.
For hert, bodi, þought, life, lust and alle,
Wiþ al my reson and alle my ful mynde,
And fiue wittes, of oon assent I bind
To hir seruice, wiþ-outen eny strife,
And make hir princesse of my deþ or life.

50

And ȝov I prai of routh and eke pite,
O goodli planet, o ladi Venus briȝt,
That ȝe ȝoure sone of his deite—
Cupid I mene, þat wiþ his dredful myȝt
And wiþ his brond, þat is so clere of liȝte,
Hir hert[e] so to fire and to mark,
As ȝe me whilom brent[e] with a spark:

51

That euenlich, and with þe same fire,
She mai be het, as I nov brenne & melt,
So þat hir hert be flaumed bi desire,
That she mai knowe bi feruence hou I swelt;
For of pite pleinli if she felt
The selfe hete þat doþ myn hert enbrace,
I hope of rouþe she would do me grace.’

52

And þerwithal Venus, as me þouȝt,
Toward þis man ful benyg[ne]li
Gan cast hir eyȝe, liche as þouȝ she rouȝt
Of his disease, and seid ful good[e]li:
‘Siþ it is so þat þou so humb[e]lie,
Wiþ-oute grucchyng, oure hestis list obey,
Toward þin help I wil anon puruey.

53

And eke my sone Cupide, þat is so blind,
He shal ben helping, fulli to perfourme
Ȝour hole desire, þat noþing behind
Ne shal be left: so we shal refourme
The pitous compleint, þat makiþ þe to mourne,
That she for whom þou soroist most in hert,
Shal þuruȝ hir merci relese al þi smert,

54

Whan she seþ tyme þuruȝ oure purueaunce.
Be not to hasti, but suffre alway wele:
For in abidyng þuruȝ lowli obeissaunce
Liþe ful redresse of al þat ȝe nov fele,
And she shal be as trw as eny stele
To ȝowe allone, þuruȝ oure myȝt & grace,
Ȝif ȝe lust mekeli abide a litel space.

55

But vndirstondeþ þat al hir cherisshing
Shal ben grovndid opon honeste,
That no wiȝt shal, þurugh euil compassing,

Demen amys of hir in no degre:
For neiþer merci, rouþe, ne pite
She shal not haue, ne take of þe non hede
Ferþer þen longiþ vnto hir womanhede.

56

Beþe not astoneid of no wilfulnes,
Ne nouȝt dispeired of þis dilacioun;
Lete reson bridel lust bi buxumnes,
Withoute grucching or rebellioun;
For ioy shal folov al þis passioun:
For who can suffre turment & endure,
Ne mai not faile þat folov shal his cure.

57

For toforn all she shal þe louen best:
So shal I here, withoute offencioun,
Bi influence enspire[n] in hir brest,
In honest wise, wiþ ful entencioun,
Forto enclyne, bi clene affeccioun,
Hir hert fulli on þe to haue rouþe,
Bicause I know þat þou menyst trouþe.

58

Go nov to hir, where as she stant aside,
Wiþ humble chere & put þe in hir grace,
And al biforne late hope be þi guide,
And þouȝe þat drede would[e] with þe pace,
It sitteþ wel; but loke þat þou arace
Out of þin hert wanhop & dispaire,
To hir presence er þou haue repaire.

59

And merci first shal þi wai[e] make,
And honest menyng aforn do þi message,
To make merci in her hert awake;
And secrenes, to furþer þi viage,
Wiþ humble port to hir þat is so sage,
Shul menes ben, & I myself also
Shal þe fortune er þi tale be do.

60

Go forþe anon, & be riȝt of goode chere:
For specheles noþing maist þou spede;
Be goode of trust, & be noþing in were,
Siþ I myself shal helpen in þis nede;
For at þe lest, of hir goodlihed,
She shal to þe hir audience enclyne,
And lovli þe here, til þou þi tale fyne.

61

Fore wele þou wost, ȝif I shal not feine,
Withoute spech þou maist no merci haue:
For who þat wil of his preve peine
Fulli be cured, his life to help & saue,
He most mekeli oute of his hertis graue
Discure his wound, & shew it to his lech,
Or ellis deie for defaute of spech.

62

For he þat is in myschef rekeles
To sechen help, I hold him but a wrecch;
And she ne mai þin hert[e] bring in peas,
But if þi compleint to hir hert[e] strecch.

Wouldist þou be curid, & wilte no salue fecch,
It wil not be: for no wiȝte may atteyne
To come to blis, if he lust lyue in peyne.

63

Therfore at ones go in humble wise
Tofore þi ladi & louli knele adoun,
And in al trouth þi woordis so deuyse,
That she on þe haue compassioun:
For she þat is of so heigh renoun
In al vertues as quene & souerain,
Of womanhed shal rwe opon þi pein.’

And whan þe goddes þis lesson hade him told,
Aboute me so as I gan bihold,
Riȝt for astoneid I stode in a traunce,
To seen þe maner & þe covntenaunce
And al þe chere of þis woful man,
That was of hwe deedli pale & wan,
Wiþ drede supprised in his owne þouȝt,
Making a chere as þouȝ he rouȝt[e] nouȝt
Of life ne deþ, ne what so him bitide:
So mych fere he hade on euere side,
To put him forþe forto tel his peyne
Vnto his ladi, oþer to compleyne,
What wo he felt, turment or disease,
What dedli sorov his hert[e] did[e] sease,
For rouþe of which his wo as I endite,
Mi penne I fele quaken as I write.

Of him I had so gret compassioun,
Forto reherse his weymentacioun,
That, wel vnneþe þouȝ with my self I striue,
I want connyng, his peynes to discryue.
Allas! to whom shal I for help[e] cal?
Not to þe Musis, for cause þat þei ar al
Help of riȝt in ioi & not in wo,
And in maters þat þei delite also,
Wherfore þei nyl directe as nov my stile,
Nor me enspiren, allas þe hard[e] while!
I can no ferþer but to Thesiphone
And to hir sustren forto help[e] me,
That bene goddesses of turment & of peyne.
Nou lete ȝoure teris into myn inke reyne,
With woful woordis my paper forto blot,
This woful mater to peint[e] not, but spotte,
To tell þe maner of þis dredful man,
Vpon his compleint, when he first bigan
To tel his ladi, when he gan declare
His hid[de] sorois, and his euel fare,
That at his hert constreyned him so sore,
Theffecte of which was þis with-oute more:

64

‘Princes of iouþe, & flour of gentilesse,
Ensaumple of vertue, ground of curtesie,

Of beaute rote, quene & eke maistres
To al women hou þei shul hem gie,
And soþefast myrrour to exemplifie
The riȝt[e] wei of port & womanhed:
What I shal sai of merci takeþ hede—

65

Biseching first vnto ȝoure heigh nobles,
Wiþ quaking hert of myn inward drede,
Of grace and pite, & nouȝt of riȝtwisnes,
Of verrai rouþe, to help[en] in þis nede:
That is to saie, o wel of goodlihed,
That I ne recch, þouȝ ȝe do me deie,
So ȝe list first [to] heren what I saie.

66

The dredful stroke, þe gret[e] force & myȝt
Of god Cupide, þat no man mai rebel,
So inwardli þuruȝ out myn hert[e] riȝt
I-persid haþ, þat I ne mai concele
Myn hid[de] wound, ne I ne may apele
Vnto no grettir: þis myȝti god so fast
Yow [for] to serue haþ bound me to my last,

67

That hert and al, withoute strife, ar yolde,
For life or deþ, to ȝoure seruise alone,
Riȝt as þe goddes myȝti Venus would:
Toforne hir mekeli when I made my mone,
She me constreyned, without chaunge, anone

To ȝoure seruise, & neuer forto feyne,
Where so ye list to do me ease or peyne.

68

So þat I can noþing but merci crie
Of ȝov my ladi—& chaungen for no nwe—
That ȝe list goodl[i], tofore [er þat] I deyȝe,
Of verrey rouþe opon my peynes rwe.
For be my trouþe, & ȝe þe soþe knwe,
What is þe cause of myn aduersite,
On my distres ȝe would haue pite.

69

For vnto ȝow trwe & eke secre
I wole be found, to serue as I best can,
And þerwith-al as lowli in ich degre
To ȝow allone, as euir ȝit was man
Vnto his ladi, from þe tyme I gan,
And shal so forþe, withouten eny slouþe,
Whiles þat I lyue, bi god & be my trouþe.

70

For leuyr I had to dei[e]n sodeinli,
Than yow offend in any maner wise,
And suffre peynes inward priueli,
Than my seruise ȝe shuld as nov despise.
For I riȝt nouȝt wil asken in no wise,
But for ȝoure seruaunt ȝe would me accepte,
And, whan I trespace, goodli me correcte,

71

And forto graunt, of merci, þis praier,
Oonli of grace and womanl[i] pete,
Fro dai to dai þat I myȝt[e] lere

Ȝow forto please, & þerwith-al þat ȝe,
When I do mys, list [for] to teche me,
In ȝoure seruyse hou þat I mai amende
From hens-forþe, and neuyr ȝow offende.

72

For vnto me it doþ inouȝ suffise,
That for ȝoure man ȝe would me reseyue,
Fulli to ben, as ȝou list deuyse,
And as ferforþe my wittes con conceyue,
And þerwithal, lich as ȝe perseyue
That I be trwe, to guerdone me of grace,
Or ellis to punyssh aftir my trespace.

73

And if so be þat I mai not atteyne
Vnto ȝour merci, ȝit graunteþ at [þe] lest,
In ȝour seruice, for al my wo & peyne,
That I mai deiȝen aftir my bihest.
This is al & som, þe fine of my request:
Oþir with merci ȝour seruant forto saue,
Or merciles þat I mai be graue.

74

And whan þis benygne, of hir entent trwe,
Conceyued haþ þe compleint of þis man,
Riȝt as þe fressh rodi rose nwe
Of hir coloure to wexin she bigan;
Hir bloode astonyed so from hir hert[e] ran
Into hir face, of femyny[ni]te:
Thuruȝ honest drede abaisshed so was she.

75

And humb[e]le she gan hir eiȝen cast
Towardis him, of hir benygnyte,
So þat no woord bi hir lippes past
For hast nor drede, merci nor pite.
For so demeyned she was in honeste,
That vnavised noþing hir astert:
So mych of reson was compast in hir hert—

76

Til, at þe last, of rouþe she did abraide,
When she his trouþe and menyng did[e] fele,
And vnto him ful goodli spake & seide:
‘Of ȝoure [be]hest and of ȝour menyng wele,
And ȝoure seruise so feiþful eueredel,
Which vnto me so lowli now ȝe offre,
Wiþ al my hert I þanke ȝow of ȝoure profir—

77

That for as mych as ȝoure entent is sette
Oonli in vertu, I-bridelid vnder drede,
Ȝe most of riȝt nedis fare þe bette
Of ȝoure request, and þe bettir spede.
But as for me, I mai of womanhede
No ferþir graunt to ȝov in myn entent
Thanne as my ladi Venus wil assent.

78

For she wele knowiþ I am not at my laarge
To done riȝt nouȝt but bi hir ordinaunce;
So am I bound vndir hir dredful charge,
Hir lust to obey withoute variaunce.

But for my part, so it be plesaunce
Vnto þe goddes, for trouþe in ȝour emprise,
I ȝow accepte fulli to my seruyse.

79

For she myn hert haþ in subieccioun,
Which holi is ȝoures and neuer shal repent,
In þouȝt nor dede, in myn eleccioun:
Witnes on Venus, þat knoweþ myn entent,
Fulli to obei hir dome and Iugement,
So as hir lust disposen and ordeyne,
Riȝt as she knoweþ þe trouth of vs tweyne.

80

For vnto þe time þat Venus [list] prouyde
To shape a wai for oure hertis ease,
Boþe ȝe and I mekeli most abide,
To take a[t] gre, & not of oure disease
To grucch agein, til she list to appese
Oure hid[de] wo, so inli þat constreyneþ
From dai to day & oure hert[es] peyneþ.

81

For in abiding, of wo & al affray—
Whoso can suffre—is founden remedie,
And for þe best ful oft is made delay,
Er men be heled of hir maladie;
Wherfore, as Venus list þis mater to guie,
Late vs agreen & take al for þe best,
Til her list set oure hertes boþe at rest.

82

For she it is þat bindeþ & can constreyne
Hertes in oon, þis fortunate planete,
And can relesen louers of her peyne,
To turne fulli hir bitter into swete.
Nou blisful goddes, doun fro þi sterri sete,
Vs to fortune, caste ȝour stremes shene,
Like as ȝe cnow þat we trouþe mene.’

83

And þerwithal, as I myn eyȝen cast
Forto perceiue þe maner of þese twein,
Tofore þe goddes mekel[i] as þei past,
Me þouȝt I saw, with a golden cheyne,
Venus anon enbracen & constrein
Her boþ[e] hertes, in oon forto perseuer,
Whiles þat þei liue and neuer to desseuer.

84

Saiyng riȝt þus with a benygne chere:
‘Siþ it is so ȝe ben vndir my myȝt,
Mi wille is þis, þat ȝe, my douȝter dere,
Fulli accepte þis man, as hit is riȝt,
Vnto ȝour grace anon here in my siȝt,
That euer haþ ben so louli ȝou to serue:
It is goode skil ȝour þank þat he desserue.

85

Your honour saue, and eke ȝour womanhed,
Him to cherissen it sittiþ ȝov riȝt wele,
Siþ he is bound, vnder hope & drede,
Amyd my cheyne þat maked is of stele;

Ȝe must of merci shape þat he fele
In ȝov som grace for his long seruise,
And þat in hast, like as I shal deuyse.

86

This is to sein: þat ȝe taken hede,
Hou he to ȝov most faiþful is & trwe
Of al ȝour seruauntis, & noþing for his mede
Of ȝov ne askiþ but þat ȝe on him rwe;
For he haþe vowid to chaunge for no nwe,
For life nor deþ, for ioy[e] ne for peyne—
Ay to ben ȝours, so as ȝe list ordeyne.

87

Wherfore ȝe must—or ellis it were wrong—
Vnto ȝour grace fulli hym receyue,
In my presence, bicause he haþ so long
Holli ben ȝoures, as ȝe may conceyue
That, from ȝoure merci nov if ȝe him weyue,
I wil my self recorden cruelte
In ȝoure persone, & gret lak of pite.

88

Late him for trouth þen find[e trouth] agein;
For long seruice guerdone him with grace,
And lateþ pite wei[e] doun his pein;
For tyme is nov daunger to arace
Out of ȝoure hert, and merci in to pace;
And loue for loue would[e] wele biseme
To yeve agein, and þis I pleinli deme.

89

And as for him, I wil bene his borow
Of lowlihed and bise attendaunce,
Hou he shal bene, boþ at eue & morov,
Ful diligent to don his obseruaunce,
And euer awayting ȝou to do plesaunce;
Wherfore, my sone, list & take hede
Fulli to obey as I shal þe rede.

90

And first of al, my wil is þat þou be
Feiþful in hert and constant as a walle,
Trwe, humble and meke, & þerwithal secre,
Withoute chaunge in parti or in al;
And for no turment, þat þe fallen shal,
Tempest þe not, but euer in stidfastnes
Rote þin hert, and voide doublenes.

91

And forþermore, haue in reuerence
Thes women al for þi ladi sake,
And suffre neuer þat men hem don offence,
For loue of oon; but euermore vndirtake
Hem to defend, wheþer þei slepe or wake,
And ay be redi to holden champartie
With al[le] þo, þat to hem haue envie.

92

Be curteis ay and lowli of þi spech
To riche and poure, ai fressh & welbesein,
And euer bisie, weies forto sech
All trwe louers to relese of her peyne,
Siþ þou art oon; and of no wiȝt haue disdein—
For loue haþ pouer hertis forto daunt—
And neuer for cherisshing þe to mych auaunte.

93

Be lusti eke, deuoid of al tristesse,
And take no þouȝt, but euer be Iocond,
And nouȝt to pensif for non heuynes;
And with þi gladnes let sadnes ay be found;
When wo approcheþ, lat myrþ most habound,
As manhod axeþ; and þouȝ þou fele smert,
Lat not to manie knowen of þin hert.

94

And al vertues biseli þou sue,
Vices eschew, for þe loue of oon;
And for no tales þin hert[e] not remue:
Woorde is but winde, þat shal sone ouergon.
What euer þou here, be dovmb as eny ston,
And to answere to sone not þe delite;
For here she standeþ þat al þis shal þe quite.

95

And where þou be absent or in presence,
None oþirs beaute lat in þin herte myne,
Siþ I haue ȝyue hir of beaute excellence,
Aboue al oþir in vertue forto shine;
And þenk in fire hou men ar wont to fyne
This purid gold, to put it in assay:
So þe to preue, þou ert put in delay.

96

But tyme shal come þou shalt for þi sufferaunce
Be wele apaide, and take for þi mede
Thi liues Ioy and al þi suffisaunce,

So þat goode hope alway þi bridel lede.
Lat no dispeire hindir þe with drede,
But ay þi trust opon hir merci grovnd,
Siþ noon but she may þi sores sound.

97

Eche houre and tyme, weke, dai and ȝere,
Be iliche feithful, and varie not for lite;
Abide awhile, & þan of þi desire
The time neigheth, þat shal þe most delite;
And lete no sorov in þin hert[e] bite
For no differring, siþ þou shalt for þi mede
Reioise in pees þe floure of womanhede.

98

Thenk hou she is þis wor[l]dis sonne & liȝt,
The sterre of beaute, flour eke of fairnes—
Boþe crop and rote—and eke þe rubie briȝt
Hertes to glade Itroubled with derknes,
And hou I haue made hir þin hertes emperesse:
Be glad þerfore to be vndir hir bonde.
Nou come nere, douȝter, & take him bi þe hond,

99

Vnto þis fyne þat, after al þe showres
Of his turment, he mai be glad and liȝt,
W[h]an, þuruȝ ȝoure grace, ȝe take him to be ȝoures
For euermore, anon here in my syȝt;
And eeke also I wil, as it is ryȝt
Withoute more his langour forto lisse,
In my presence anon þat ȝe him kisse—

100

That þere mai be of al ȝoure old[e] smertis
A ful relese vndir ioy assured;

And þat oo lok be of ȝoure boþe hertes
Shet with my key of gold so wel depured,
Oonli in signe þat ȝe haue recured
Ȝoure hole desire here in þis holi place,
Within my temple, nou in þe ȝere of grace.

101

Eternalli, be bonde of assuraunce,
The cnott is knytt, which mai not ben vnbovnd,
That al þe goddis of þis alliaunce,
Saturne, & Ioue, & Mars, as it is fovnde,
And eke Cupide, þat first ȝou did[e] wounde,
Shal bere record, & euermore be wreke
On which of ȝou his trouþe first doþe breke:

102

So þat bi aspectes of hir fers[e] lokes,
Wiþ-oute merci, shal fal[le] þe vengeaunce
Forto be raced clene out of my bokes,
On which of ȝow be found[e] variaunce.
Þerfore atones setteþ ȝour plesauns
Fulli to ben, while ȝe haue life and mynd,
Of oon accord vnto ȝoure lyues ende,

103

That, if þe spirit of nvfangilnes
In any wise ȝoure hertis would assaile,
To meve or stir to bring in doubilnes
Vpon ȝour trouþe to giuen a bataile,
Late not ȝoure corage ne ȝoure force fail,
Ne non assautes ȝov flitten or remeve:
For vn-assaied men may no trouþe preue.

104

For white is whitter, if it be set bi blak,
And swete is swettir eftir bitternes,
And falshode euer is drive & put a-bak,
Where trouþe is rotid withoute doubilnes;
Wiþ-out[e] prefe may be no sikirnes
Of loue or hate; and þerfor of ȝow t[w]oo
Shal loue be more, þat it was bouȝt with wo.

105

As euere þing is had more [in] deinte,
And more of pris, when it is dere bouȝt;
And eke þat loue stond more in surete,
When it tofore with peyne, wo & þouȝt
Conquerid was, first when it was souȝt;
And euere conquest haþ his excellens,
In his pursuite as he fint resistence:

106

And so to ȝow more sote and agreable
Shal loue be found—I do ȝou plein assure—
Wiþ-oute grucching þat ȝe were suffrable
So low, so meke, pacientli tendure,
That al atones I shal nov do my cure
For nov and euer ȝour hertis so to bynd,
That nouȝt but deþ shal þe knot vnbynd.

107

Nou in þis mater what shuld I lengir dwel?
Comeþ [off] at ones, and do as I haue seide.

And first, my douȝter, þat bene of bounte well,
In hert and þouȝt be glad, and wele apaied
To done him grace þat haþ, & shal, obeid
Ȝour lustes euer, and I wole for his sake
Of trouþe to ȝow be bounde and vndertake.’

108

And so forþewith, in presence as þei stonde
Tofore þe goddes, þis ladi faire & wele
Hir humble seruaunt toke goodli bi þe honde,
As he toforne here mekeli did knele,
And kissed him after, fu[l]fillyng eueredele
Fro point to point in ful þrifti wise,
As ȝe toforne haue Venus herd deuyse.

109

Thus is þis man to ioy and al plesaunce,
From heuynes & from his peynes old,
Ful reconsiled, and haþ ful suffisaunce
Of hir þat euer ment[e] wel, & would:
That in goode faith, and I tell[e] shuld
The inward myrþe dide hir hertis brace,
For al my life it were to lit a space.

110

For he haþe wonne hir þat he loueþ best,
And she to grace haþe take him of pite;
And þus her hertis beþe boþe set in rest,
Wiþ-outen chaunge or mutabilite,
And Venus haþ, of hir benygnete,
Confermed all—what [shal] I lenger tarie?—
This tweyn in oon, and neuere forto varie:

111

That for þe Ioy in þe temple aboute
Of þis accord, bi gret solempnyte,
Was laude and honoure with-in and with-oute
Ȝeue vnto Venus, and to þe deite
Of god Cupide, so þat Caliope
And al hir sustren in hir armonye
Gunne with her song þe goddes magnyfie.

112

And al at ones, with notes loude & sharpe,
Thei did her honour & her reuerence,
And Orpheus among hem with his harp
Gan strengis touch with his diligence,
And Amphioun, þat haþe suche excellence
Of musike, ay dide his bisynes
To please and queme Venus þe goddes,

113

Oonli for cause of þe affinite
Betwix þese twoo not likli to desseuere;
And euere louer of louȝ & heiȝ degre
Gan Venus pray, fro þens forþ & euer
That hool of hem þe loue may perseuere,
Wiþ-oute[n] ende, in suche plite as þei gonne,
And more encrese þat it of hard was wonne.

114

And so þe goddes, hering þis request,
As she þat knew þe clene entencioun
Of boþe hem tweyne, haþ made a ful bihest,
Perpetuelli, by confirmacioun,

Whiles þat þei lyue, of oon affeccioun
Thei shal endure—þer is no more to sein—
Þat neiþer shal haue mater to compleyne.

115

‘So ferforþ euer in oure eternal se
The goddes haue, in her presscience,
Fulli deuysed þuruȝ hir deite,
And holi concludid bi hir influence,
That þuruȝ hir myȝt and iust[e] providence
The loue of hem, bi grace and eke fortune,
Wiþ-oute chaunge shal euer in oon contune.’

116

Of which[e] graunt, þe tempil enviroun,
Þuruȝ heiȝ confort of hem þat were present,
Anone was gon[n]e with a melodius sowne,
In name of þo þat trouþ in loue ment,
A ballade nwe in ful goode entent,
Tofore þe goddes with notes loude & clere,
Singyng riȝt þus anon as ȝe shal here:

117

‘Fairest of sterres, þat, wiþ ȝoure persant liȝt
And with þe cherisshing of ȝoure stremes clere,
Causen in loue hertes to ben liȝt,
Oonli þuruȝ shynyng of ȝoure glade spere:
Nou laude and pris, o Venus, ladi dere,
Be to ȝour name, þat haue withoute synne
Þis man fortuned his ladi forto wynne.

118

Willi planet, O Esperus so briȝt,
Þat woful hertes can appese and stere,
And euer ar redi þuruȝ ȝour grace & myȝt
To help al þo, þat bie loue so dere,
And haue power hertis to set on fire:
Honor to ȝow of all þat bene here-inne,
That haue þis man his ladi made to wynne.

119

O myȝti goddes, daister after nyȝt,
Glading þe morov whan ȝe done appere,
To voide derknes þuruȝ fresshnes of ȝour siȝt,
Oonli with twinkeling of ȝoure plesaunt chere:
To ȝov we þank, louers þat ben here,
That ȝe þis man—and neuer forto twyn—
Fortuned haue his ladi forto wynne.’

And with þe noise and heuenli melodie
Which þat þei made in her armonye
Þuruȝ oute þe temple, for þis manes sake,
Oute of my slepe anone I did awake,
And for astonied knwe as þo no rede;
For sodein chaunge oppressid so with drede
Me þouȝt I was cast as in a traunce:
So clene away was þo my remembraunce
Of al my dreme, wher-of gret þouȝt & wo
I hade in hert, & nyst what was to do,
For heuynes þat I hade lost þe siȝt

Of hir þat I, all þe long[e] nyȝt,
Had dremed of in myn auisioun:
Whereof I made gret lamentacioun,
Bicause I had neuer in my life aforne
Sei[n] none so faire, fro time þat I was borne;
For loue of whome, so as I can endite,
I purpose here to maken & to write
A litil tretise, and a processe make
In pris of women, oonli for hir sake,
Hem to comende, as it is skil & riȝt,
For here goodnes, with al my ful[le] myȝt—
Prayeng to hir þat is so bounteuo[u]s,
So ful of vertue and so gracious,
Of womanhed & merciful pite
This simpil tretis forto take in gre,
Til I haue leiser, vnto hir heiȝ renoun
Forto expoune my forseid visioun,
And tel in plein þe significaunce,
So as it comeþ to my remembraunce,
So þat her-after my ladi may it loke.
Nou go þi wai, þou litel rude boke,
To hir presence, as I þe comaund,
And first of al þou me recomavnd
Vnto hir & to hir excellence,
And prai to hir þat it be noon offence,
If eny woorde in þe be myssaide,
Biseching hir she be not euel apaied;
For as hir list, I wil þe efte correcte,
When þat hir likeþ againward þe directe:
I mene þat benygne & goodli of face.
Nou go þi way & put þe in hir grace.