Hoccleve's Works. II The minor poems in the Ashburnham Ms. Addit. 133. ... Edited by Sir Israel Gollancz |
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 | Hoccleve's Works. II |  |
1
I. Inuocacio ad patrem.
1
To thee / we make oure inuocacioun,Thow god / the fadir / which vn-to vs alle
Art eueremo / for our sauuacion
Reedy to heere vs / whan we to thee calle
In any cause / þat may happe & falle,
As fer / as sowneth in-to Rightwisnesse,
Which excede nat may thy blisfulnesse.
2
For thow, fadir / art trouthe and veritee;Thyn owne sone / þat same is also;
And syn it so is / what may bettre be,
If þat a man shal to the truthe go,
Than preye thee / withouten wordes mo,
Fadir of heuene / in thy sones name,
Foryeue our giltes / and relesse our blame.
3
Fadir and sone / yee been knyt for euereSo sadly / þat no thyng þat man may thynke
Or speke / yow may vnbynde or disseuere:
Than, fadir / lat our preyere in thee synke,
And of thy pitous mercy yeue vs drynke,
In tokne þat ther is no variance
Betwixt yow two / þat been but o substance,
4
O fadir god / kyng of eterne glorie,with herte repentaunt / we thee byseeche,
That thow haue of thy sone swich memorie,
That thy pitee / be no thyng for to seeche,
Our sorwes for to augmente or to eeche;
But þat by him / thyn ire asswagid be,
By-cause þat thyn owne sone is he.
2
5
For often by the intercessionOf sones / is the fadres wratthe appesid;
And they þat for hir gilt were in prison,
In yren bondes greuously disesid,
Deliured been / and of hir bondes esid,
Þat sholde han ronne in-to Dethes sentence,
Hadde nat be / the sones reuerence.
6
And nat oonly / yit grauntid was hir lyf,But ouer þat, han had encrees of grace:
Tho sones eek / weren so ententyf,
Þat of hir fadres / kowden they purchace
So greet loue / withynne a litil space,
Vn-to the gilty folk of which I spak,
Þat of good lordshipe hadde they no lak.
7
Thus fro seruantȝ voidith malencolieOf lordes / at hir sones good instaunce.
Almighty fadir of the heuenes hye,
we thee by-seeche / þat of our greuance
Thou vouche sauf to graunte vs allegeance,
At instance of thy blessid sone and deere,
And in thy loue / make vs shyne cleere.
8
The kay of grace grante vs for to take,Þat we may maken our confessioun
Vn-to thy name / and of our bondes blake
Vnbownden be, thurgh our contricioun
And aftir be of swich condicioun
As þat may lyke vn-to thy Deitee,
And othir nat / we preyen / moot it be.
9
And vs / whom þat our dissertes manaceThe mortel sentence / to lyf restore,
By preyere of thy sone / and sende vs grace
Thy lawes keepe / & wirke aftir thy lore,
And oure offenses þat stike in vs sore
3
Er our careyne in-to the eerthe creepe.
10
Whom shul we preye / our mene for to be,But thy sone / on the crois þat starf and dyde
For our trespas and oure iniquitee,
Þat sit preyyng for vs / on thy right syde?
He is the lamb / þat with his wowndes wyde
Before his tormentoures heeld his pees
For al his grief / al were he giltelees.
11
For whan his body scourgid was & bete,And al byspet was his blessid visage,
For aght they kowde rebuke him or threte,
He kepte him coy / he owtid no langage;
Ther mighte no thyng chaungen his corage,
But his torment / he took in pacience,
And dyde for our trespas and offense.
12
Fadir, beholde, of thy benignitee,And of iustice / we requeren this,
Þat syn thy sone / by the wil of thee,
Dyde to wynne / þat was thyn and his,
For to redresse þat / þat was amis,
Considere it / and reewe on vs tendrely,
Syn thow art callid fadir of mercy.
13
He is þat meek / and spotlees Innocent,Þat for our gilt / to dye / no thyng dradde,
which to his deeth / was maad obedient,
And in his torment / ful greet delyt hadde,
Remembrynge / how we synful folkes badde,
Redempt sholde be / thurgh his passioun,
Out of the daunger of the feend adoun.
14
Thy godhede him made our nature take,And wexe a man / of flessh and blood & boon,
And on the crois / he dyde for our sake:
4
Swich a louere was ther neuere noon.
Forgete our giltes / & remembre hem noght:
Mercyful lord / putte al out of thy thoght!
15
Lat thy loue ay to vs endure & laste!The gracious yen of thy magestee,
we the byseeche / on thy sone thow caste!
Shewe thy mercy and thyn hy pitee
which þat may thoght / spoken ne writen be;
And on thy sone / preeue hit heere in deede;
Beholde his sydes / and see how they bleede!
16
His giltlees handes / how they stremen / see,with blody stremes / and þat we han wroght
Ageyn thy wil / fadir, we preyen thee,
Foryeue it vs / and reuolue in thy thoght
How deere þat thy sone hath vs boght!
At gretter prys / ne mighte vs no man bye,
Than for our giltes and our synnes dye.
17
His feet and handes with nayles been perced:See whiche annoyes hath our Redemptour!
Alle his tormentes may not be reherced
By noon enditour ne by translatour,
Ne no wight elles / for so many a stour,
And so greuous, souffrid he for our synne,
Þat to telle al / mannes wit is to thynne.
18
With sharpe thornes / fadir, wel thow woost,Coroned was thy sone / & sore pyned,
And wowndid to the herte, and yald the goost.
An harder deeth may nat been ymagyned.
His fressh colour / þat whilom was beshyned
with swich beautee / þat it wolde al thyng glade,
wax wan and dusk and pale, and gan to fade.
19
Beholde thy sones humanitee,And mercy haue on our seek feeblenesse!
5
And lat our substance / in thyn herte impresse!
Thynke on thy sones peyne and heuynesse
As I before / spoken haue, & seid,
And vnbynde vs / þat been in synnes teid!
20
Fadir and lord of mercy, on vs reeweÞat for our synnes / stynken in thy sighte!
Thow grante vs grace vices to escheewe,
And of our synful birdon thow vs lighte!
Ageyn the feend / encorage vs to fight,
And stifly graunte vs in thy cause stonde,
And flitte nat / whan we take it on honde!
II. Ad filium Honor et Gloria.
1
O blessid chyld Iesu / what haast thow do,Þat for vs shuldist souffre swich Iewyse?
Louynge chyld / what stired thee ther-to,
That thow woldest be treted in swich wyse?
what causid thee to take þat empryse?
what was thy gilt, and thyn offense, I preye,
And cause of deeth / and dampnyng eek, I seye?
2
I am the wownde of al thy greuance;I am the cause of thyn occisioun,
And of thy deeth / dessert / of thy vengeance
I am also verray flagicioun;
I causid thee thy greuous passioun;
Of thy torment I am solicitour,
Thow goddes sone / our Lord & Sauueour!
3
O goddes secree disposicioun,And wondirful and priuee iugement,
6
The wikkid man synneth / the good is shent;
The gilty trespaceth / the Innocent
Is beten / & the shrewe dooth offense,
The meek is dampned in his innocence.
4
The peyne þat the wikkid man disserueth,The giltelees receiueth paciently;
The lord his seruant in his gilt preserueth
Fro punyshyng / & bieth it deerly
Him-self / & þat the man dooth wikkidly,
God keepith him fro punisshyng & teene,
And al þat charge / him list for him susteene.
5
Fro whenne / blessid sone of god / fro whenneDescendid is thy greet humilitee?
whens comth the loue / we feele in thee brenne?
Fro whens eek is procedid thy pitee?
And fro whens growith thy benignitee?
whens streccith thy loue and affeccioun?
Fro whens is sprongen thy conpassioun?
6
I am he / þat wroght haue synfully,And thow, giltlees, took vp on thee the peyne:
I dide amis / I synned greuously,
For which thow greeued were in euery veyne:
Thy louyng charitee nat list desdeyne
To bye our gilt / thogh thow were innocent,
But on the crois souffriddist thy torment.
7
I woxe am prowd / thow keepist thy meeknesse;My flessh is bolned / thyn is woxen thynne;
Myn herte is wrappid in vnbuxumnesse;
And thow buxum / our soules for to wynne,
Boghtest deere our corrupt & roten synne;
My lust obeied vn-to glotonye,
But thee list nat / thee to þat lust applie.
7
8
I was vanysshid by concupiscence,For to eten of the vnleefful tree;
And for my lust and inobedience,
Thy feruent loue / & parfyt charitee,
O blisful chyld / to the crois ladden thee:
where as þat I took the deffendid thyng,
Thow deidest for me, Iesu, heuene kyng.
9
In mete & drynke / I delyte me;And on the gibet took thow greet duresse:
Betwixt tho two / is greet dyuersitee.
Taastid haue I the fair apples swetnesse;
Ofgalle thow taastist the bittirnesse:
Eeue me gladith / with a lawwhyng ye,
And weepynge vp-on thee / reewith Marie.
10
O Kyng of glorie / thow beholde & seewhat peynes thow suffriddist for our sake!
And syn þat we so deere costed thee,
Thow keepe vs fro the might of feendes blake!
Lat nat thy charitable loue asslake;
And graunte vs grace thee to loue & drede,
And yeue vs heuene whan þat we be dede!
III. Ad spiritum sanctum.
1
Now, holy goost, of the hy deitee,Loue and holy comunicacioun
Of fadir and sone / blessid thow be,
O thow benigne consolacioun
Of heuy folk / o, our sauuacioun,
O tendre hertid / cause of al quieete,
Our bittirnesse torne al in-to sweete!
2
And by thy mighty vertu, we thee preye,Þat oure hertes filthy priuetee
8
Thurgh thy mercy, ther make thyn entree,
O holy goost, there enhabyte thee;
And the dirk halkes of our soules lighte,
And glade with thy firy lemes brighte!
3
And oure hertes / whiche, by long roghnesse,welkid been / & forgoon han hir vigour,
By enchesoun of excessyf drynesse,
Dewe habundantly with thyn holsum shour!
Our soules lurkyng / sores and langour,
with thy brennyng dart and thy loues broond,
Visite and helpe / our helthe is in thyn hoond.
4
Kyndle eek and qwikne / with thy lyfly lemesOur slouthy hertes / of vertu bareyne;
Our soules perce with thy shynyng bemes!
To thy godhede / thow vs knytte and cheyne!
The ryuer of thy lust lat on vs reyne!
Of worldly sweet venym souffre vs nat taaste,
Ne our tyme in this world mis-spende and waaste!
5
O god, we thee byseeche, thow vs deeme:And our cause fro wikkid folk discerne!
Thow graunte vs grace thee to plese & qweeme,
And to thy wil and pleasaunce vs gouerne,
Our seekly freeltee beholde and concerne.
And reewe on our brotil condicioun,
And for our gilt sende vs contricioun!
6
wher thow makist thyn habitacioun,we knowen weel / and fully leeuen we,
Thow, for fadir and sone / a mansioun
Makist / in whom thee list herberwe thee,
Ful happy and ful blissid man is he,
For his spirit may reste sikirly
Vnabassht of the feend oure enemy.
9
7
Come on, confort of our soules seeknesse,And ay reedy in our necessitee!
Of wowndes leche / helpere in distresse,
O, come now foorth, strengthe of our freeltee,
Clensere of our gilt and iniquitee,
Releeuere of hem þat doun slippe and slyde,
Ground of meeknesse, & destroyour of pryde!
8
Of fadrelees children / o fadir free;Of widwes, esy / Iuge / & hope & trust;
Of poore folk / and in aduersitee
Refuyt & help / helpe vs / for so thow must;
Of oure soules / rubbe away the rust!
Thy grace to receyue / make vs able,
And kythe in vs / þat thow art merciable!
9
O lodesterre / of shipbreche seur port;O, oonly helthe of our mortalitee;
O, holy goost / cause of al our confort;
Singuler honur of alle þat be,
Telle vs / to whom recours haue may we,
But vn-to thee, þat with thyn holsum breeth,
Maist saue vs alle fro theternel deeth!
10
O, holy goost / lyke it to thy goodnesse,To oure axynge meekly condescende!
Mercy haue on our synne & wikkidnesse;
And fro the feendes malice vs deffende!
To fadir / sone / and to thee, we commende
Our soules / hem to haue in gouernance.
O, Trinitee, haue vs in remembrance!
IV. Ad beatam virginem.
1
Worsshipful maiden to the world / Marie,Modir moost louynge vn-to al man-kynde,
10
In hir distresse / haue vs in thy mynde!
Thurgh thy benigne pitee, vs vnbynde
Of our giltes / þat, in thy sones birthe,
To al the world broghtest the ioie & mirthe!
2
To whom shal I truste so sikirly,To axen help in my necessitee,
As vn-to thee / thow modir of mercy?
For to the world mercy cam in by thee;
Thow baar the lord of mercy / lady free,
who may so lightly mercy vs purchace
Of god thy sone / as thow, modir of grace?
3
Lady / right as it is an impossibleÞat thow sholdest nat haue in remembrance
Why thow baar god / so it is incredible,
To any wight of catholyk creaunce,
Thee nat to reewe on our synful greuaunce:
For-thy, lady benigne and merciable,
Vn-to thy sone make vs acceptable!
4
O god, þat maad art sone vn-to womman,For mercy / & thow womman / which also
By grace art maad modir to god & man,—
Outhir reewe on vs wrecches ful of wo,
Thow sparyng / & thow preyynge / dooth so,
Or elles wisse vs / whidir for to flee,
To hem þat been mercyfullere than yee!
5
If it so be / as wel I woot it is,That so greuous is myn iniquitee,
And þat I haue wroght so moche amis,
So smal my feith / so slow my charitee,
And lord / so vnkonnynge is / vn-to thee
And thy modir / my lewdë orisoun,
So imparfyt my satisfaccioun,
11
6
Þat neithir of my giltes / indulgence,Ne grace of helthe / in no maner wyse
Disserued haue I / for my greet offense,
Lo, þat meene I / þat is my couetyse,
That where as my dissert may nat souffyse,
The grace & mercy of yow bothe tweye
Ne faille nat / þat is it / þat I preye.
7
Mercyful lord / haue vp-on me mercy!And lady, thy sone vn-to mercy meeue!
with herte contryt preye I thee meekly,
Lady, thy pitee / on me wrecche preeue.
Bisyly preye / for I fully leeue,
For whom thow preyest / god nat list denye
Thyn axynge / blessid maiden Marie!
V. Item de beata virgine.
1
Syn thow, modir of grace, haast euere in myndeAlle tho / þat vp-on thee han memorie,
Thy remembrance ay oghte oure hertes bynde
Thee for to honure / blisful qweene of glorie,
To alle cristen folk / it is notorie
Þat thow art shee / in whom þat al man-kynde
May truste fully / grace and help to fynde.
2
What wight is þat / that with angwissh and woTormented is / if he preye vn-to thee
Him to deliure / and to putte him ther-fro,
Þat thow ne voidest his aduersitee,
Thurgh preyere of thy wowndid charitee?
And thogh þat preye / may his tonge noght,
Yit holpe is he / thurgh cry of hertes thoght.
3
The oyle of thy mercy flowith eueremore;Ther-in noon ebbe hath Dominacion;
12
Serchith / and is our ful curacion,
That is the way of our sauuacion;
And syn þat ther-of is so greet plentee,
And thow so liberal / glad may we be.
4
Al þat the heuene of the eerthe takithAnd þat the eerthe / by heuenes moistnesse
Doun shed / foorth bryngith / thy vertu it makith,
So art thow ful of vertuous richesse.
Sterre of the See / whos shynynge brightnesse
The dirke soule of man / makith to shyne,
And him preserueth hoolly fro ruyne;
5
Thow cause of al our ioie / of lyf the tree,Þat fruyt of helthe baar perpetuel;
God, in the rynde of our mortalitee,
In thy body / him lappid euerydel,
And his hynesse enclyned / woot I wel,
vn-to the valeye of our lowlynesse,
Our firste gilt / with his blood to redresse.
6
The whyt flees of thy wombe virginal,Of which the gowne of perpetuel pees
was maad withouten mannes werk at al,
honur and thank / be to it endelees!
For thy sone in his passioun doutelees
It in-to purpre hath for man-kynde died,
For þat him list / with vs to been allied.
7
Thow worthy art vn-to the sonnes lightBe likned / and preserued for to be
The cleernesse of the moone shynyng bright;
For as an heuenely morwen / thy bountee
Eternel day hath gote vs / lady free,
That dirknesse of our soule away hath chaced,
And, out of thraldam, freedam vs purchaced.
13
8
Thow art shee / which þat strengthest hertes chaastewith a sad and constant perseuerance;
what þat we iustly preye / is sped in haaste,
Swich is thy grace & helply purueance
To keepe vs fro the feendes destourbance.
Thow mennes hertes / fyrest with the hete
Of feith and charite / as Clerkes trete.
9
And sooth it is, o heuenes Emperice,Þat thow for vs / beforn the rightwisnesse
Of god, thy sone / as our mediatrice,
Preyest of custumable bisynesse:
Cesse thow nat / syn, for our wrecchidnesse,
Our Redemptour / thee hath in þat office
Ordeyned / for to pourge vs of our vice.
10
Right as, among the membres of a man,Oonly his ye is perceptible of light;
In swich maneere / o thow blessid womman,
Among virgynes alle / haast the might
Oonly to shitte in thee / as it is right,
Theternel glorie of goddes magestee,
For thy clennesse and thyn humilitee.
11
If þat the feend / wynd of temptac[i]oun,Putte in oure hertes / or floodes of pryde,
Or othir vicious excitacioun,
Our soules fro thy sone to dyuyde,
Swich aduocatrice art thow for our syde,
That our tempestes / may no whyle laste;
At thy preyere / al styntid is as faste:
12
And to wedir of grace is torned al.To god so acceptable is thy preyere,
The feendes malice / hurte vs may but smal:
Syn thow with vs art / Crystes modir deere,
wel may the feend / abassht been in his cheere;
14
And thurgh thyn help / his labour naght auaillith
13
By thee thy sone grantith foryeuenesseTo synful men / to laboreres / reste,
To hem þat been in peril / sikirnesse,
To seek men / helthe / swich right as hem leste;
Of creatures alle / o thow the beste,
Feith among freendes / grantid is by thee,
And betwixt foos / pees and tranquillitee.
14
To hem þat in disese and angwissh be,Grauntid is also consolacioun;
In thynges þat been doutous / certaintee;
Solace and ioie in tribulacioun;
In exyl / reconsiliacioun;
In perisshynge / sikir hauene & port:
Thus artow euery-where / al our confort.
15
Syn swich power to the committid is,Þat soule of man is / as thee list it haue,
Amende, at oure axynge / that is mis;
Of duetee / we wole it axe and craue:
In thee / next god / is al þat vs may saue:
Thow, as thee list / his herte mayst enclyne,
And he consentith wel / þat thow it myne.
16
Thy sone hath boght our soules at swich prysÞat derrere mighte no thyng han be boght;
And he a chapman is nat / so vnwys,
Thogh þat we synful been in deede & thoght,
Our soules lightly leese / he thoghte it noght:
He mercy werneth neuere at thyn instance:
For-why / we thee preye of continuance.
17
Our Redemptour by thee, modir of grace,Grauntith honour / ioie and eternitee;
Let see / the mercy of thy sone embrace,
15
And thanne of grace / seur ynow been we;
For euere or this hath been thy bysynesse
To purchace of our gilt / foryeuenesse.
18
And now to stynte of þat helply custumeÞat vn-to man-kynde is so profitable,
No wight on him can taken or presume;
Thy kynde is nat for to be changeable,
But in vertu to be constant and stable;
And so thow art, lady / withouten faille;
we doute it naght / no[w] do foorth thy trauaille!
19
Lady / in whom al vertu hath his reste,Modir of mercy / modir of pitee,
Of al bountee / thow verray cofre & cheste,
Deffende vs fro the feendes sotiltee,
Þat vs nat greeue his greet iniquitee!
Thy tendre loue / vp-on vs wrecches preeue,
Þat been the sones exylid of Eeue!
20
Vn-to thy blissid sone / vs reconsyle;For to þat ende / and vn-to þat entente,
As thow wel woost / in-to this wrecchid yle
For our behoue / his fadir him doun sente.
In mannes loue / how feruently he brente,
His passion / witnesse bere may;
Remembre on þat / and preye for vs ay!
VI. Item de beata virgine.
1
Who so desirith to gete and conquereThe blisse of heuene / needful is a guyde
Him to condue / & for to brynge him there;
And so good knowe I noon for mannes syde,
As the roote of humblesse / & fo to pryde,—
16
Sook our Redemptour, the makere of al.
2
Betwixt god and man / is shee mediatriceFor oure offenses / mercy to purchace;
Shee is our seur sheeld ageyn the malice
Of the feend / þat our soules wolde embrace
And carie hem vn-to þat horrible place
where-as eternel peyne is, and torment,
More than may be spoke of / thoght or ment.
3
Now syn þat lady noble and gloriousTo al man-kynde hath so greet cheertee,
That in this slipir lyf and perillous,
Staf of confort and help to man is shee,
Conuenient is / þat to þat lady free
we do seruice / honour, & plesance;
And to þat ende / heere is a remembrance.
VII. The story of the Monk who clad the Virgin by singing Ave Maria.
Explicit prologus & incipit fabula
1
Ther was whilom / as þat seith the scripture,In France / a ryche man and a worthy,
That god and holy chirche to honure
And plese / enforced he him bisily;
And vn-to Crystes modir specially,
Þat noble lady / þat blissid virgyne,
For to worsshipe / he dide his might and pyne.
2
It shoop so / þat this man had a yong sone,Vn-to which he yaf informacion,
Euery day to haue in custume and wone
17
The angelike salutacion
.L. sythes / in worsship and honour
Of goddes modir / of vertu the flour.
3
By his fadres wil / a monk, aftirward,In thabbeye of seint Gyle / maad was he;
where-as he in penance / sharp & hard
Obserued wel his ordres duetee,
Lyuynge in vertuous religioustee;
And on a tyme / him to pleye and solace,
His fadir made him come hoom to his place.
4
Now was ther, at our ladyes reuerence,A chapel in it maad and edified,
In-to which / the monk, whan conuenience
Of tyme he had awayted & espied,
His fadres lore / to fulfille him hied;
And .L. sythes / with deuout corage
Seide Aue Marie / as was his vsage.
5
And whan þat he had endid his preyeere,Our lady, clothid in a garnement
Sleuelees, byfore him he sy appeere:
where-of the monk took good auisament,
Merueillynge him / what þat this mighte han ment;
And seide “.o. goode lady, by your leeue,
What garnament is this / and hath no sleeue?”
6
And she answerde / & seide / “this clothyngeThow hast me youen / for thow euery day,
.L. sythe Aue Maria seyynge,
honured hast me / hens foorth / I the pray,
Vse to treble þat / by any way,
And to euery .xthe. Aue / ioyne also
A pater noster / do thow euene so.
7
“The ferste .Lti. wole I þat seid beIn the memorie of the ioie and honour
18
which was right a wondirful confortour
To me / whan he seide, the Redemptour
Of al man-kynde I receyue sholde:
Greet was my ioie / whan he so me tolde.
8
“Thow shalt eek seyn the seconde .lty.In honur and in mynde of the gladnesse
That I had / whan I baar of my body
God and man / withouten wo or duresse.
The .iiide. lty / in thyn herte impresse,
And seye it eek with good deuocion,
In the memorie of myn Assumpcioun,
9
“Whan þat I was coroned queene of heuene,In which my sone regneth, and shal ay.”
Al this / was doon / þat I speke of and meene,
As the book seith / vp-on an halyday.
And than seide our lady, the glorious May,
“The nexte halyday / wole I resorte
To this place / thee to glade and conforte.”
10
And ther-with-al / fro thens departed shee,The monk in his deuocion dwellynge;
And euery day / Aue Maria / he
Seide / aftir hir doctryne & enformynge.
And the nexte haliday aftir suynge,
Our lady, fresshly arraied and wel,
To the monk cam beynge in þat Chapel,
11
And vn-to him seide / “beholde nowHow good clothyng and how fressh apparaille,
That this wyke / to me youen hast thow:
Sleeues to my clothynge now nat faille;
Thee thanke I / and ful wel for thy trauaille
Shalt thow be qwit / heere in this lyf present,
And in þat othir / whan thow hens art went.
19
12
“Walke now / and go hoom vn-to thabbeye.Whan thow comst / Abbot shalt thow chosen be;
And the Couent teche thow for to seye
My psalter / as byforn taght haue I thee.
The peple also / thow shalt in generaltee
The same lessoun to myn honur teche,
And in hire hurtes / wole I been hir leche.
13
“.Vij.e yeer lyue / shalt thow / for to doThis charge / & whan tho yeeres been agoon,
Thow passe shalt hens / & me come vn-to;
And of this / doute haue thow right noon.
By my psalter shal ther be many oon
Saued / and had vp to eternel blisse,
Þat, if þat nere / sholden there-of misse.”
14
Whan shee had seid / what lykid hire to seye,Shee vp to heuene ascendid vp and sty.
And soone aftir, Abbot of þat Abbeye
He maad was / as þat tolde him our lady.
The Couent and the peple deuoutly
This monk enformed / and taghte hir psalteer,
For to be seid after þat / vije. yeer.
15
Tho yeeres past / his soule was betaghtTo god / he heuene had vn-to his meede.
Who serueth our lady / leesith right naght;
Shee souffissantly / qwytith euery deede:
And now heer-aftir / the bettre to speede,
And in hir grace / cheerly for to stonde,
Hir psalteer for to seye / let vs fonde.
Explicit.
20
VIII. “Lepistre de Cupide.”
1
Cupido / vn-to whos commandementThe gentil kynrede / of goddes on hy
And peple infernal been obedient,
And the mortel folk seruen bisyly;
Of goddesse Sitheree / sone oonly,
To alle tho / þat to our deitee
Been sogettes / greetynges senden we.
2
In general / we wole þat yee knoweÞat ladyes of honur and reuerence,
And othir gentil wommen, han I-sowe
Swich seed of conpleynte in our audience,
Of men þat doon hem outrage & offense,
Þat it oure eres greeueth for to heere,
So pitous is theffect of hir mateere,
3
And passyng alle londes / on this yleThat clept is Albioun / they moost conpleyne;
They seyn þat there is croppe and roote of gyle,
So can tho men dissimulen and feyne,
with standyng dropes in hire yen tweyne,
whan þat hire herte / feelith no distresse,
To blynde wommen with hir doublenesse.
4
His wordes spoken been so sighyngly,And with so pitous cheere and contenance,
That euery wight þat meeneth trewely
Deemeth / þat they in herte han swich greuance:
They seyn / so importable is hir penance,
Þat, but hir lady / list to shewe hem grace,
They right anoon moot steruen in the place.
5
“A, lady myn” / they seyn / “I yow ensure,Shewe me grace / & I shal euere be,
whyles my lyf may lasten & endure,
21
As possible is / and keepe al thyng secree,
As þat your seluen lykith þat I do,
And elles moot myn herte breste on two.”
6
Ful hard is it to knowe a mannes herte,For outward may no man the truthe deeme,
whan word out of his mowth / may ther noon sterte,
But it sholde any wight by reson qweeme;
So is it seid of herte / it wolde seeme.
O feithful womman, ful of Innocence,
Thow art betrayed by fals apparence!
7
By process / wommen meeued of pitee,weenyng al thyng were / as þat tho men seye,
Granten hem grace of hir benignitee,
For they nat sholden for hir sake deye;
And with good herte sette hem in the weye
Of blisful loue / keepe it if they konne:
Thus othir whyle been the wommen wonne.
8
And whan the man / the pot hath by the stele,And fully of hire hath possessioun,
with þat womman he keepith nat to dele
Aftir / if he may fynden in the toun
Any womman / his blynd affeccion
On to bestowe / foule moot he preeue:
A man, for al his ooth / is hard to leeue.
9
And for þat euery fals man / hath a make,As vn-to euery wight / is light to knowe,
whan this Traitour the womman hath forsake,
He faste him speedith / vn-to his felowe;
Til he be there / his herte is on a lowe;
His fals deceit / ne may him nat souffyse,
But of his treson / tellith al the wyse.
10
Is this a fair auant / is this honour,A man him-self to accuse & diffame?
22
And brynge a womman to a sclaundrous name,
And telle how he / hir body hath doon shame?
No worsship may he thus / to him conquere,
But ful greet repreef vn-to him and here.
11
To here / nay / yit was it no repreef;For al for pitee was it þat shee wroghte;
But he þat breewid hath al this mescheef,
Þat spak so faire / & falsly inward thoghte,
His be the shame / as it by reson oghte,
And vn-to here / thank perpetuel,
Þat in a neede helpe can so wel.
12
Al thogh þat men, by sleighte & sotiltee,A cely / symple / and ignorant womman
Betraye / is no wondir / syn the Citee
Of Troie / as þat the storie telle can,
Betrayed was / thurgh the deceit of man,
And set a-fyre / & al doun ouerthrowe,
And finally destroyed / as men knowe.
13
Betrayen man nat Remes grete and kynges?what wight is þat / can shape a remedie
Agaynes false / & hid purposid thynges?
who can the craft, tho castes to espye,
But man / whos wil ay reedy is tapplie
To thyng þat sovneth in-to hy falshede?
wemmen / be waar of mennes sleighte / I rede.
14
And forthermore, han the men in vsage,Þat where-as they nat likly been to speede,
Swiche as they been / with a double visage
They procuren / for to pursue hir neede,
He preyeth him / in his cause proceede,
And largely / him qwytith his trauaille:
Smal witen wommen / how men hem assaille!
23
15
To his felawe an othir wrecche seith,“Thou fisshist faire / shee þat hath thee fyrid,
Is fals / and inconstant / & hath no feith;
Shee for the rode of folk is so desyrid,
And as an hors fro day to day is hyrid,
That whan thow twynnest from hir conpaignie,
An othir comth / and blerid is thyn ye.
16
“Now prike on faste / & ryde thy iourneye;whyl thow art ther / shee, behynde thy bak,
So liberal is / she can no wight withseye,
But qwikly of an othir take a snak;
For so the wommen faren, al the pak:
who-so hem trustith, hangid moot he be!
Ay they desiren chaunge & noueltee.”
17
Where-of procedith this / but of enuye:For he him-self / here ne wynne may,
Repreef of here he spekth, and villenye,
As mannes labbyng tonge is wont alway:
Thus sundry men ful often make assay
For to destourbe folk in sundry wyse,
For they may nat accheuen hire empryse.
18
Ful many a man eek wolde for no good,Þat hath in lone / spent his tyme & vsid,
Mon wiste / his lady / his axyng withstood,
And þat he were of his lady refusid,
Or waast & veyn were / al þat he had musid;
wherfore / he can no bettre remedie,
But on his lady / shapith him to lie.
19
“Euery womman,” he seith / “is Light to gete;Can noon seyn nay / if shee be wel I-soght;
who so may leiser han / with hire to trete,
Of his purpos / ne shall he faille noght,
But on maddyng he be so deepe broght,
24
Þat louen wommen nat / as þat I gesse.”
20
To sclaundre wommen thus / what may profyteTo gentils namly / þat hem armen sholde,
And in deffense of wommen hem delyte,
As þat the ordre of gentillesse wolde.
If þat a man list / gentil to be holde,
Al moot he flee / þat is to it contrarie;
A sclaundryng tonge / is ther-to Aduersarie.
21
A foul vice is / of tonge to be light;For who so mochil clappith / gabbith ofte.
The tonge of man, so swift is and so Wight,
Þat w[h]an it is areisid vp on lofte,
Reson it sueth / so slowly and softe
Þat it him neuere ouertake may:
Lord, so the men been trusty at assay!
22
Al be it þat men fynde / o womman nyce,Inconstant / rechelees / or variable,
Deynous / or prowd, fulfillid of malice,
withoute feith or loue / & deceyuable,
Sly / qweynte & fals / in al vnthrift coupable,
wikkid and feers / & ful of crueltee,
It folwith nat / swiche alle wommen be.
23
whan þat the hy god / angels fourmed hadde,Among hem alle / whethir ther was noon
Þat fownden was malicious & badde?
Yis / men wel knowen / ther was many oon
Þat for hir pryde / fil from heuene anoon.
Shal man therfore alle angels prowde name?
Nay / he þat that susteneth / is to blame.
24
Of .xiie. apostles / oon a traitour was;The remanaunt / yit goode were and treewe;
Thanne, if it happe / men fynden par cas
25
And deeme nat / þat they been alle vntreewe.
I see wel mennes owne falsenesse
Hem causith / wommen for to truste lesse.
25
O, euery man oghte han an herte tendreVn-to woman / & deeme hire honurable,
whethir his shap be eithir thikke or sclendre,
Or he be badde or good / this is no fable:
Euery man woot / þat wit hath resonable,
Þat of a womman / he descendid is,
Than is it shame / speke of hire amis.
26
A wikkid tree / good fruyt may noon foorth brynge;For swich the fruyt is / as þat is the tree.
Take heede / of whom thow took thy begynnynge!
lat thy modir be mirour vn-to thee!
Honure hire / if thow wilt honurid be;
Despyse thow nat hire / in no maneere,
lest þat ther-thurgh thy wikkidnesse appeere.
27
An old prouerbe seid is in englissh:Men seyn þat brid or foul is deshonest,
what so it be / and holden ful cherlissh,
Þat wont is to deffoule his owne nest.
Men to seye of wommen wel / it is best,
And nat for to despise hem ne depraue,
If þat hem list hire honur keepe and saue.
28
Ladyes eek conpleynen hem on Clerkis,Þat they han maad bookes of hir deffame,
In whiche / they lakken wommennes werkis,
And speken of hem / greet repreef and shame,
And causelees / hem yeue a wikkid name:
Thus they despysid been on euery syde,
And sclaundred / and belowen on ful wyde.
29
Tho wikkid bookes / maken mencion,How they betrayeden, in special,
26
And many oon mo / who may rehercen al
The tresoun / þat they haue doon & shal?
who may hire hy malice conprehende?
Nat the world / Clerkes seyn / it hath noon ende.
30
Ouyde, in his book callid RemedieOf loue / greet repreef of wommen writith;
where-in I trowe / he dide greet folie,
And euery wight / þat in swich cas delitith;
A clerkes custume is whan he endytith
Of wommen, be it prose / rym or vers,
Seyn they be wikke / al knowe he the reuers.
31
And þat book scolers lerne in hir childhede,For they of wommen be waar sholde in age,
And for to loue hom / euere been in drede,
Syn to deceyue is set al hir corage.
They seyn / peril to caste, is auantage,
Namely swich / as men han in be trappid;
For many a man / by wommen han mis-happid.
32
No charge / what so þat the Clerkes seyn:Of al hir wrong wrytyng do we no cure;
Al hir labour and trauaille is in veyn;
For, betwixt vs & my Lady nature,
Shal nat be souffred, whyl the world may dure,
Clerkes, by hire outrageous tirannye,
Thus vp-on wommen kythen hire maistrye.
33
Whilom ful many of hem were in our cheyneTyd / and lo now / what for vnweeldy age,
And for vnlust / may nat to loue atteyne,
And seyn / þat loue is but verray dotage;
Thus / for þat they hem-self lakken corage,
They folk excyten / by hir wikked sawes,
For to rebelle ageyn vs and our lawes.
27
34
But maugree hem þat blamen wommen moost,Swich is the force of oure impressioun,
Þat sodeynly We felle can hir boost,
And al hir wrong ymaginacioun,
It shal nat been in hire elleccioun,
The foulest slutte / in al a town refuse,
If þat vs list / for al þat they can muse.
35
But hire in herte as brennyngly desyreAs thogh shee were a duchesse or a qweene;
So can We mennes hertes sette on fyre,
And as vs list / hem sende ioie & teene.
They that to wommen been I-whet so keene,
Our sharpe strokes, how sore they smyte,
Shul feele and knowe / & how they kerue & byte.
36
Pardee, this greet Clerk, this sotil Ouyde,And many an othir, han deceyued be
Of wommen / as it knowen is ful wyde,
what no men more / & þat is greet deyntee,
So excellent a Clerk / as þat was he,
And othir mo / þat kowde so wel preche,
Betrappid wern / for aght they kowde teche.
37
And trustith wel þat it is no meruaille,For wommen kneewen pleynly hire entente;
They wiste / how sotilly / they kowde assaille
Hem / and what falshode in herte they mente;
And tho Clerkes / they in hir daunger hente:
with o venym an othir was destroyed,
And thus the Clerkes often were anoyed.
38
This, ladyes / ne gentils, natheleesweren nat they / þat wroghten in this wyse;
But swiche filthes þat wern vertulees,
They qwitten thus / thise olde Clerkes wyse,
To Clerkes for-thy / lesse may souffyse
28
For honur shuln they gete noon therby.
39
If þat tho men þat louers hem pretende,To wommen weren feithful / goode & treewe,
And dredden hem to deceyue and offende,
wommen to loue hem wolde nat escheewe;
But euery day hath man an herte neewe;
It vp-on oon abyde can no whyle:
what force is it / swich oon for to begyle?
40
Men beren eek the wommen vp-on honde,Þat lightly, and withouten any peyne,
They wonne been / they can no wight withstonde,
Þat his disese list to hem conpleyne:
They been so freel / they mowe hem nat restreyne;
But who-so lykith / may hem lightly haue;
So been hire hertes esy / in to graue.
41
To maistir Iohn de Meun / as I suppose,Than it was a lewde occupacioun,
In makynge of the Romance of the Rose;
So many a sly ymaginacioun
And perils / for to rollen vp and doun;
So long procees / so many a sly cautele,
For to deceyue a cely damoisele.
42
Nat can We seen ne in our / wit conprehende,Þat art and peyne and sotilte may faille
For to conquere, and soone make an ende,
whan man a feeble place shal assaille,
And soone also / to venquisshe a Bataille,
Of which no wight dar make resistence,
Ne herte hath noon / to stonden at deffense.
43
Than moot it folwen of necessitee,Syn art askith / so greet engyn & peyne,
A womman to deceyue / what shee be,
29
As þat some of the sotil Clerkes feyne;
But they been / as þat wommen oghten be,
Sad, constaunt / and fulfillid of pitee.
44
How freendly was Medea to Iasoun,In the conqueryng of the flees of gold!
How falsly quitte he hire affeccion,
By whom victorie he gat / as he hath wold!
How may this man / for shame be so bold
To falsen hire / þat from deeth & shame
him kepte / and gat him so greet prys & name?
45
Of Troie also the traitour Eneas,The feithlees man / how hath he him forswore
To Dydo / þat Queene of Cartage was,
Þat him releeued of his greeues sore?
what gentillesse mighte she do more
Than shee, with herte vnfeyned, to him kidde?
And what mescheef / to hire of it betidde!
46
In our legende of martirs may men fynde,who-so þat lykith ther-in for to rede,
That ooth noon / ne byheeste may men bynde:
Of repreef ne of shame han they no drede;
In herte of man / conceites trewe arn dede;
The soile is naght / ther may no trouthe growe:
To womman / is hir vice nat vnknowe.
47
Clerkes seyn also / ther is no maliceVn-to wommannes crabbid wikkidnesse.
O / womman / how shalt thow thy self cheuyce,
Syn men of thee / so mochil harm witnesse?
Yee / strah / do foorth / take noon heuynesse!
Keepe thyn owne / what men clappe or crake,
And some of hem shuln smerte / I vndirtake.
48
Malice of wommen / what is it to drede?They slee no men / destroien no Citees;
30
Betraye Empyres / Remes ne Duchees;
Ne men byreue hir landes ne hir mees,
Folk enpoysone / or howses sette on fyre,
Ne fals contractes maken for noon hyre.
49
Trust, parfyt loue / and enteer charitee,Feruent wil / and entalentid corage
To thewes goode / as it sit wel to be,
Han wommen ay of custume & vsage;
And wel they can a mannes ire asswage
with softe wordes, discreet & benigne:
What they been inward / shewith owtward signe.
50
wommannes herte / to no crewelteeEnclyned is / but they been charitable,
Pitous / deuout / ful of humilitee,
Shamefast / debonaire and amiable,
Dreedful / and of hir wordes mesurable:
what womman / thise hath nat per auenture,
Follwyth nothyng the way of hir nature.
51
Men seyn / oure firste modir, nathelees,Made al man-kynde leese his libertee,
And nakid it of ioie / doutelees
For goddes heeste / disobeied shee,
whan shee presumed / to ete of the tree
which god forbad / þat shee nat ete of sholde,
And nad the feend been / no more she wolde.
52
Thenuyous swellyng / þat the feend our foHad vn-to man in herte / for his welthe
Sente a serpent / and made hire to go
To deceyue Eeue / and thus was mannes welthe
Byreft him by the feend / right in a stelthe.
The womman nat knowyng / of the deceit,
God woot / ful fer was it from hir conceit.
31
53
Wherfore We seyn / this good womman EeueOur fadir Adam ne deceyued noght:
Ther may no man for a deceit it preeue
Proprely / but if þat shee in hir thoght
Had it conpassid first / or it was wroght:
And for swich was nat / hire impressioun,
Men calle it may no deceit, by resoun.
54
No wight deceyueth / but he it purpose:The feend this deceit caste / & nothyng shee:
Than is it wrong for to deeme or suppose
Þat shee sholde of þat gilt / the cause be.
wytith the feend / and his be the maugree;
And for excusid haue hire Innocence,
Sauf oonly þat shee brak obedience.
55
Touchynge which / ful fewe men ther been—Vnnethes any, dar We saufly seye,
Fro day to day as men mowe wel seen—
But þat the heeste of god they disobeye:
This haue in mynde, sires / We yow preye;
If þat yee be discreet and resonable,
Ȝee wole hire holde the more excusable.
56
And wher men seyn / in man is stidfastnesse,And womman is of hir corage vnstable:
who may of Adam bere swich witnesse?
Tellith on this / was he nat changeable?
They bothe weren in a cas semblable,
Sauf willyngly the feend deceyued Eeue;
So dide shee nat Adam / by your leeue.
57
Yit was þat synne happy to man-kynde;The feend deceyued was / for al his sleighte;
For aght he kowde him / in his sleightes wynde,
God, to descharge man-kynde of the weighte
Of his trespas / cam doun from heuenes heighte;
32
And souffred deeth / man to deliure of pyne.
58
And god, fro whom / ther may no thyng hid be,If he in womman / knowe had swich malice,
As men of hem recorde in generaltee,
Of our lady / of lyf reparatrice
Nolde han be born / but for þat shee of vice
was voide / and of al vertu, wel he wiste,
Endowid / of hire be born him liste.
59
Hire hepid vertu / hath swich excellence,Þat al to weyk is mannes facultee
To declare it / & therfore, in suspense,
Hir due laude / put moot needes be.
But this We Witen verraily / þat shee,
Next god, the best freend is / þat to man longith;
The keye of mercy / by hir girdil hongith.
60
And of mercy / hath euery wight swich neede,Þat cessyng / it / farwel the ioie of man!
Of hir power / it is to taken heede;
Shee mercy may / wole, & purchace can.
Displese hir nat / honureth þat womman,
And othir wommen alle / for hir sake,
And but yee do / your sorwe shal awake.
61
Thow precious gemme / martir Margarete,Of thy blood dreddist noon effusioun!
Thy martirdom / ne may We nat foryete.
O constant womman, in thy passioun
Ouercam the feendes temptacioun,
And many a wight / conuerted thy doctryne,
Vn-to the feith of god / holy virgyne.
62
But vndirstondith / We commende hir noghtBy encheson of hir virginitee:
Trustith right wel / it cam nat in our thoght,
32
And euere shal / but this leeueth wel yee:
Hir louyng herte / and constant to hir lay,
Dryue out of remembrance we nat may.
63
In any book also / wher can yee fyndeÞat of the wirkes / or the deeth, or lyf
Of Ihesu spekth / or makith any mynde,
Þat wommen him forsook / for wo or stryf?
wher was ther any wight so ententyf
Abouten him / as wommen? perdee, noon!
Thapostles him forsooken euerichoon.
64
wommen forsook him noght / for al the feithOf holy chirche / in womman lefte oonly:
This is no lees / for thus holy writ seith;
Looke / and yee shuln so fynde it hardily;
And therfore it may preeued be ther-by,
That in womman regneth al the constaunce,
And in man is al chaunge & variaunce.
65
Now holdith this for ferme / and for no lye,Þat this treewe / & iust commendacioun
Of wommen / is nat told / for flaterie,
Ne to cause hem pryde or elacioun,
But oonly, lo / for this entencioun,
To yeue hem corage of perseuerance
In vertu / & hir honur to enhaunce.
66
The more vertu / the lasse is the pryde:Vertu so noble is / and worthy in kynde,
Þat vice & shee / may nat in feere abyde;
Shee puttith vice / cleene out of mynde;
Shee fleeth from him / shee leueth him behynde.
O womman / þat of vertu art hostesse,
Greet is thyn honur & thy worthynesse!
67
Than thus we wolen conclude and deffyne:we you commaunde, our Ministres echoon,
34
Þat of tho men vntreewe / our rebel foon,
Yee do punisshement / and þat anoon;
Voide hem our Court / & banisshe hem for euere,
So þat ther-ynne / they ne come neuere.
68
Fulfillid be it / cessyng al delay;Looke ther be noon excusacion!
writen in their / the lusty monthe of May,
In our Paleys / wher many a milion
Of louers treewe / han habitacion,
The yeer of grace / ioieful & iocounde,
M.CCCC. and secounde.
“Explicit epistola Cupidinis.”
IX. Balade to King Henry V.
“Ceste balade ensuante feust faite pur la bien venue du tresnoble Roy. H. le. vt., que dieu pardoint, hors du Roialme de France / cestassauoir sa dareine venue.”
1
Victorious cristen Prince / our lord souereyn,Our lige lord ful dred and douted / we
youre humble and buxum liges treewe / seyn
Right thus / vn-to your rial dignitee:
Henri the .vthe. / welcome be yee!
welcome be your famous excellence,
Swerd of knyghthode / & flour of sapience!
2
Yee been welcome / heir and Regent of France,Our gracious kyng / the ensaumple of honour!
Right feithfully / with hertes obeissance,
welcome be yee / worthy Conquerour,
which, no peril eschuyng / ne labour
In armes / knyghtly han yow put in prees,
And twixt two Remes / knyt han vp the pees!
35
3
Your worthynesse / excedith & surmountithThe prowesse of kynges / & prynces alle!
Fame so seith / thus al the world acountith.
what may we seyn / or what may we yow calle!
we can for noon aart þat may happe or falle,
Your worthy deedes / as vs oghte / preise;
They been so manye / and so mochil peyse.
4
Ignorance is vn-to vs swich a fo,If we dilate sholde / and drawe a-long
Your prys and thank / we kowden nat do so:
So litil seyn / we sholde / & do yow wrong,
Nat on our willes / but wittes along:
And syn þat ther-to oure intelligence
Souffysith nat / we keepe moot silence.
5
But, souerein lord lige / as we seide aboue,welcome be your excellent hynesse
with al our spirites and hertes loue!
More welcome / than we can expresse!
Your hy presence is tresor & richesse
To vs ful greet / for why / to vs echone,
welcome be your peereles persone.
Cest tout.
X. Three Roundels.
“Cy ensuent trois chaunceons / lune / con pleynante a la dame monoie / & lautre la response dele a cellui qui se conpleyet & la tierce / la commendacion de ma dame
(1)
Wel may I pleyne on yow, Lady moneye,Þat in the prison of your sharp scantnesse
Souffren me bathe in wo and heuynesse,
And deynen nat of socour me purueye.
36
(2)
whan þat I baar of your prison the keye,Kepte I yow streite? nay, god to witnesse!
Well may I [pleyne on yow, Lady moneye,
Þat in the prison of your sharp scantnesse
Souffren me bathe in wo and heuynesse,
And deynen nat of socour me purueye].
(3)
I leet yow out / o, now, of your noblesse,Seeth vn-to me / in your deffaute, I deye.
Well may I [pleyne on yow, Lady moneye,
Þat in the prison of your sharp scantnesse
Souffren me bathe in wo and heuynesse,
And deynen nat of socour me purueye].
(4)
Yee saillen al to fer / retourne, I preye!Conforteth me ageyn this Cristemesse!
Elles I moot in right a feynt gladnesse
Synge of yow thus / & yow accuse, & seye:
Well may I [pleyne on yow, Lady moneye,
Þat in the prison of your sharp scantnesse
Souffren me bathe in wo and heuynesse,
And deynen nat of socour me purueye].
La response.
(1)
Hoccleue / I wole / it to thee knowen be,I, lady moneie / of the world goddesse,
Þat haue al thyng vndir my buxumnesse,
Nat sette by thy pleynte risshes three.
(2)
Myn hy might haddest thow in no cheertee,Whyle I was in thy slipir sikirnesse.
Hoccleue [/ I wole / it to thee knowen be,
I, lady moneie / of the world goddesse,
Þat haue al thyng vndir my buxumnesse,
Nat sette by thy pleynte risshes three].
37
(3)
At instance of thyn excessif largesse,Becam I of my body delauee.
Hoccleue [/ I wole / it to thee knowen be,
I, lady moneie / of the world goddesse,
Þat haue al thyng vndir my buxumnesse,
Nat sette by thy pleynte risshes three].
(4)
And syn þat lordes grete obeien me,Sholde I me dreede / of thy poore symplesse?
My golden heed akith for thy lewdnesse.
Go, poore wrecche / who settith aght by thee?
Hoccleue / I wole / it to thee knowen be,
I, lady moneie / of the world goddesse,
Þat haue al thyng vndir my buxumnesse,
Nat sette by thy pleynte risshes three.
Cest tout.
Hoccleve's Humorous Praise of his Lady.
(1)
Of my lady, wel me reioise I may:hir golden forheed is ful narw & smal;
hir browes been lyk to dym reed coral;
And as the Ieet / hir yen glistren ay.
(2)
Hir bowgy cheekes been as softe as clay,with large Iowes and substancial.
Of my lady, [wel me reioise I may:
hir golden forheed is ful narw & smal;
hir browes been lyk to dym reed coral;
And as the Ieet / hir yen glistren ay].
(3)
Hir nose / a pentice is, þat it ne shalReyne in hir mowth / thogh shee vp-rightes lay.
Of [my lady, wel me reioise I may:
hir golden forheed is ful narw & smal;
hir browes been lyk to dym reed coral;
And as the Ieet / hir yen glistren ay].
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(4)
Hir mowth is nothyng scant / with lippes gray;Hir chin vnnethe / may be seen at al;
Hir comly body / shape as a foot-bal:
And shee syngith / ful lyk a papeJay.
Of [my lady, wel me reioise I may:
hir golden forheed is ful narw & smal;
hir browes been lyk to dym reed coral;
And as the Ieet / hir yen glistren ay].
Cest tout.
After our song / our mirthe & our gladnesse
Heer folwith a lessoun of heuynesse
Heer folwith a lessoun of heuynesse
Salomon Extrema gaudij luctus occupat, &c.
[OMITTED] | Hoccleve's Works. II | |