The Minor Poems of John Lydgate edited from all available mss. with an attempt to establish The Lydgate Canon: By Henry Noble MacCracken |
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Part II. SECULAR POEMS.
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 | The Minor Poems of John Lydgate |  |
379
II. Part II. SECULAR POEMS.
[Poems of Courtly Love.]
1. A BALLADE, OF HER THAT HATH ALL VIRTUES.
Loo here begynneþe a balade / whiche þat Lydegate
wrote at þe request of a squyer þat serued in loves court.
1
Fresshe lusty beaute, ioyned with gentylesse,Demure appert, glad chere with gouuernaunce,
Yche thing demenid by avysinesse,
Prudent of speeche, wisdam of dalyaunce,
Gentylesse, with wommanly plesaunce,
Hevenly eyeghen, aungellyk of vysage:
Al þis haþe nature sette in youre ymage.
2
Wyfly trouthe with Penolope,And with Gresylde parfyt pacyence,
Lyche Polixcene fayrely on to se,
Of bounte, beaute, having þexcellence
Of qweene Alceste, and al þe diligence
Of fayre Dydo, pryncesse of Cartage:
Al þis haþe nature sett in youre ymage.
380
3
Of Nyobe þe sure perseueraunce,Of Adryane þe gret stedfastnesse,
Assured trouthe, voyde of varyaunce,
With yonge Thesbe, exsaumple of kyndenesse,
Of Cleopatres abyding stabulnesse,
Meeknesse of Hester, voyde of al outrage:
Al þis haþe nature sette in your ymage.
4
Beaute surmounting with feyre Rosamounde,And with Isawde for to beo secree,
And lych Iudith in vertu to habounde,
And seemlynesse with qwene Bersabee
Innocence, fredame, and hye bountee,
Fulfilled of vertu, voyde of al damage:
Al þis haþe nature sette in youre ymage.
5
What shoulde I more reherce of wommanhede?Yee beon þe myrrour and verray exemplayre
Of whome þat worde and thought acorde in deed,
And in my sight fayrest of alle fayre,
Humble and meek, benyngne and debonayre,
Of oþer vertues with al þe surplusage
Which þat nature haþe sette in youre ymage.
6
I seo no lack, but oonly þat daungerHaþe in you voyded mercy and pytee,
Þat yee list not with youre excellence
Vpon youre seruantes goodely for to see;
Wher-on ful soore I compleyne me,
Þat routh is voyde to my disavauntage,
Siþe alle þees vertues be sette in youre ymage.
Lenvoye.
Go, lytel balade, and recomaunde meVn-til hir pyte, hir mercy, and hir grace;
But first be ware aforne, þat þou weel see
381
For ellys þou mayst haue leysier noon, ner space,
Truwly to hir to done my message,
Which haþe alle vertues sette in hir ymage.
2. A COMPLAINT, FOR LACK OF MERCY.
1
Grettere mater of dol an[d] heuynesse,Noe more cause haith no man to complayne
Than y, alas! wich langwysche yn sekenesse,
And at myn herte abyde the dedely payne,
Whiche daye and nyght dothe me so constreyne;
Suche a cotydyan halt me so greuusly,
And, worse than deth, my leche dothe disdeyne
Me to recure, for lacke of mercy.
2
The salt teres that fro myn yen reyne,Theyre tyme spente yn wepyng, & not els,
Which may be called the petows flodes tweyne;
And þe hede sprynge with his whofull welles
Of dedly constreynte my corage so compellys,
Lyke Nyobe and Myrra ffast by,
Wiche wepten euer, as theyre story tellys,
Withoute recure, for lacke of mercy.
3
Whate vayleth vertu wiche is not treteabill?Recure of sykenesse is hasty medecyne.
Whate vayleth bewte which ys nat mercyabill?
Whate vayleth a sterre when hit do nat schyne,
Or grete poure that lyste nat to declyne
His heres downe, to here pytusly
Compleynt of nedy, whiche yn theyre payne
Crye for recur, and there is no mercy.
382
4
Achilles swerde the egge was keruy[n]g,The plat therof was softe and recureabile;
Wownded of þe egge was mortall yn werkyng,
The fatall plate was medycynabill;
And thof so be of feith þat ye be stable,
Nere þat gode hope toke hede for my party,
I nere but dede, pleynely, þis is no fable,
Withoute recure, for lacke of mercy.
3. THE COMPLAINT OF THE BLACK KNIGHT.
Complaynte of a Louers Lyfe.
1
In May, when Flora, the fressh[e] lusty quene,The soyle hath clad in grene, rede, and white;
And Phebus gan to shede his stremes shene
Amyd the Bole, wyth al the bemes bryght;
And Lucifer, to chace awey the nyght,
383
To byd[de] lovers out of her slepe awake,
2
And hertys heuy for to reconforteFrom dreryhed of heuy nyghtis sorowe:
Nature bad hem ryse and [hem] disporte,
Ageyn the goodly, glad[e], grey[e] morowe,
And Hope also, with Saint Iohn to borowe
Bad in dispite of Daunger and Dispeyre,
For to take the holsome lusty eyre.
3
And wyth a sygh [I] gan for to abreydeOut of my slombre, and sodenly out stert
As he, alas, that nygh for sorowe deyde,
My sekenes sat ay so nygh myn hert.
But for to fynde socour of my smert,
Or attelest summe relesse of [my] peyn,
That me so sore halt in euery veyn,
4
I rose anon, and thoght I wol[de] goonVnto the wode, to her the briddes sing,
When that the mysty vapour was agoon,
And clere and feyre was the morownyng,
The dewe also lyk syluer in shynyng
Vpon the leves, as eny bavme suete,
Til firy Tytan with hys persaunt hete
384
5
Had dried vp the lusty lycour nywVpon the herbes in [the] grene mede,
And that the floures of mony dyuers hywe
Vpon her stalkes gunne for to sprede,
And for to splay[en] out her leves on brede
Ageyn the sunne, golde-borned in hys spere,
That dovn to hem cast hys bemes clere.
6
And by a ryuer forth I gan costey,Of water clere as berel or cristal,
Til at the last I founde a lytil wey
Tovarde a parke, enclosed with a wal
In compas rounde; and by a gate smal,
[W]ho-so that wolde, frely myght[e] goon
In-to this parke, walled with grene stoon.
7
And in I went to her the briddes songe,Which on the braunches, bothe in pleyn [and] vale,
So loude songe that al the wode ronge,
Lyke as hyt sholde sheuer in pesis smale;
And as me thoght[e] that the nyghtyngale
Wyth so grete myght her voys gan out wrest,
Ryght as her hert for love wolde brest.
8
The soyle was pleyn, smothe, and wonder softe,Al ouer-sprad wyth tapites that Nature
Had made her-selfe, celured eke a-lofte
385
That in her beaute they may not longe endure
Fro al assaute of Phebus feruent fere,
Which in his spere so hote shone, and clere.
9
The eyre atempre, and the smothe wyndeOf Zepherus, amonge the blosmes whyte,
So holsomme was, and so norysshing be kynde,
That smale buddes, and rounde blomes lyte,
In maner gan of her brethe delyte,
To yif vs hope [that] their frute shal take
Ayens autumpne, redy for to shake.
10
I sawe ther Daphene, closed vnder rynde,Grene laurer, and the holsomme pyne,
The myrre also, that wepeth euer of kynde,
The cedres high, vpryght as a lyne,
The philbert eke, that lowe dothe enclyne
Her bowes grene to the erthe dovne
Vnto her knyght icalled Demophovne.
11
Ther saw I eke [the] fressh[e] haw[e]thorneIn white motele, that so soote doth smelle,
Asshe, firre, and oke, with mony a yonge acorne,
And mony a tre mo then I can telle;
And me beforne I sawe a litel welle,
386
Vnder an hille, with quyke stremes colde.
12
The grauel golde, the water pure as glas,The bankys rounde the welle environyng,
And softe as veluet the yonge gras,
That ther vpon lustely gan s[pr]yng,
The sute of trees a-bout[e] compassyng
Her shadowe cast, closyng the wel[le] rounde,
And al the erbes grovyng on the grounde.
13
The water was so holsom, and so vertuous,Throgh myghte of erbes grovynge [ther] beside;
Nat lyche the welle wher as Narci[ss]us
Islayn was th[o]ro vengeaunce of Cupide,
Wher so couertely he did[e] hide,
The greyn of deth vpon ech[e] brynk,
That deth mot folowe, who that euere drynk;
14
Ne lyche the pitte of the Pegace,Vnder Parnaso, wher poetys slept;
Nor lyke the welle of [pure] chastite,
Whiche as Dyane with her nymphes kept,
When she naked in-to the water lept,
That slowe Acteon with his ho[u]ndes felle,
Oonly for he cam so nygh the welle.
387
15
But this welle, that I her reherse,So holsom was, that hyt wolde aswage
Bollyn hertis, and the venym perce
Of pensifhede, with al the cruel rage,
And euermore refresh[e] the visage
Of hem that were in eny werynesse
Of gret labour, or fallen in distresse.
16
And I that [had] throgh daunger and disdeynSo drye a thrust, thoght I wolde assay
To tast a draght of this welle or tweyn,
My bitter langour yf hyt myght alay;
And on the banke anon dovne I lay,
And with myn hede into the welle I raght,
And of the watir dranke I a good draght.
17
Wher-of me thoght I was refresshed welOf the brynnyng that sate so nyghe my hert,
That verely anon I gan to fele
An huge part relesed of my smert;
And therwith-alle anon vp I stert,
And thoght I wolde walke[n] and se more,
Forth in the parke and in the holtys hore.
18
And thorgh a launde as I yede apace,I gan about[e] fast[e] to be-holde;
I fonde anon a delytable place,
388
Whos names her for me shal not be tolde,
A-myde of which stode an erber grene,
That benched was with colours nyw and clene.
19
This erber was ful of floures ynde,Into the whiche, as I beholde gan,
Be-twex an hulfere and a wodebynde,
As I was war, I sawe ther lay a man
In blake and white colour, pale and wan,
And wonder dedely also of his hiwe,
Of hurtes greene, and fresh[e] woundes nyw;
20
And ouer-more destreyned with sekenesse,Besyde al this he was [ful] greuosly,
For vpon him he had a hote accesse,
That day be day him shoke ful petously,
So that for constreynt of hys malady,
And hertly wo, thus lyinge al alone,
Hyt was a deth for to se him grone.
21
Wherof astonied my fote I gan with-drawe,Gretly wondring what hit myght[e] be,
That he so lay and had[de] no felawe
Ne that I coude no wyght with him se,
Wherof I had routhe and eke pite;
I gan anon, so softly as I coude,
Amonge the busshes me priuely to shroude;
389
22
If that I myght in eny wise espye,What was the cause of his dedely woo,
Or why that he so pitously gan crie
On hys ffortune, and on his eure also;
With al my myght I leyde an ere to,
Euery worde to marke what he sayed[e],
Out of his swogh among as he abreyde.
23
But first, yf I shal make mensyounOf hys persone, and pleynly him discrive,
He was in sothe, with-out excepcioun,
To speke of manhod oon the best on lyve—
Ther may no man ayein[es] trouthe stryve—,
For of hys tyme, and of his age also,
He proued was, ther men shuld haue ado.
24
For oon the best ther of brede and lengtheSo wel ymade by good proporsioun,
Yf he had be in his delyuer strengthe;
But thoght and sekenesse wer occasioun,
That he thus lay in lamentacioun,
Gruffe on the grounde, in place desolate,
Sole by him-self, aw[h]aped and amate.
25
And for me semeth that hit ys syttyngHis wordes al to put in remembraunce,
To me that herde al his compleynyng
390
Yf ther-with-al I may yow do plesaunce:
I wol to yow, so as I can anone,
Lych as he seyde, reherse[n] euerychone.
26
But who shal helpe me now to compleyn?Or who shal now my stile guy or lede?
O Nyobe! let now thi teres reyn
Into my penne, and eke helpe in this nede
Thou woful Mirre, that felist my hert[e] blede
Of pitouse wo, and my honde eke quake,
When that I write for this mannys sake.
27
For vnto wo acordeth compleynyng,And delful chere vnto heuynesse,
To sorow also sighing and wepyng,
And pitouse morenyng vnto drerynesse,
And who that shal write[n] of distresse,
In partye nedeth to know[e] felyngly
Cause and rote of al such malady.
28
But I, alas, that am of wytte but dulleAnd haue no knowyng of suche mater,
For to discryve and wryte[n] at the fulle
The wofull compleynt, which that ye shul here;
But euen-like as doth a skryuener,
That can no more what that he shal write,
But as his maister beside dothe endyte:
391
29
Ryght so fare I, that of no sentementSey ryght noght as in conclusioun,
But as I herde, when I was present,
This man compleyn[e] wyth a pytouse soun;
For euen-lych, wythout addissyoun,
Or disencrese, outher mor or lesse,
For to reherse anon I wol me dresse.
30
And yf that eny now be in this place,That fele in love brennyng or fervence,
Or hyndered were to his lady grace,
With false tonges, that with pestilence
Sle trwe men, that neuer did offence
In worde ne dede, ne in their entent—
Yf eny such be here now present,
31
Let hym of routhe ley to audyenceWith deleful chere, and sobre contenaunce,
To here this man be ful high sentence,
His mortal wo, and his perturbaunce
Compleynyng, now lying in a traunce,
With loke vp-cast, and [with ful] reuful chere,
Theffect of which was as ye shal here.
Compleynt.
The thoght oppressed with inward sighes sore,The peynful lyve, the body langwysshing,
The woful gost, the hert[e] rent and tore,
392
The dedely face lyke asshes in shynyng,
The salt[e] teres that fro myn yen falle,
Parcel declare grounde of my peynes alle.
33
Whos hert ys grounde to blede on heuynesse,The thoght resseyt of woo and of compleynt,
The brest is chest of dule and drerynesse,
The body eke so feble and so feynt,
With hote and colde my acces ys so meynt,
That now I shyuer for defaute of hete,
And hote as glede now sodenly I suete.
34
Now hote as fire, now colde as asshes dede,Now hote for colde, [now colde] for hete ageyn,
Now colde as ise, now as coles rede
For hete I bren, and thus betwyxe tweyn
I possed am, and al forcast in peyn,
So that my hete pleynly as I fele
Of greuouse colde ys cause euerydele.
35
This ys the colde of ynwarde high dysdeyn,Colde of dyspite, and colde of cruel hate;
This is the colde that euere doth besy peyn,
Ayen[e]s trouthe to fight[en] and debate;
This ys the colde that wolde the fire abate
393
This ys the colde that will me begile.
36
For euere the better that in trouthe I ment,With al my myght feythfully to serue,
With hert and al to be dilygent,
The lesse thanke, alas, I can deserue.
Thus for my trouthe Daunger doth me sterue;
For oon that shuld my deth of mercie let,
Hath made Dispite now his suerde to whet
37
Ayen[e]s me, and his arowes to file,To take vengeaunce of wilful cruelte,
And tonges fals throgh her sleghtly wile
Han gonne a werre that wol not stynted be,
And fals Envye of wrathe, and Enemyte
Haue conspired ayens al ryght and lawe,
Of her malis, that Trouthe shal be slawe.
38
And Male-bouche gan first the tale telle,To sclaundre Trouthe of Indignacioun,
And Fals-report so loude ronge the belle,
That Mys-beleve and Fals-suspecioun
Haue Trouthe brought to hys dannacioun,
So that alas wrongfully he dyeth,
And Falsnes now his place occupieth,
39
And entred ys in-to Trouthes londe,And hath therof the ful possessyoun.
O ryghtful God! that first the trouthe fonde,
394
That Falshed shuld haue iurysdixioun
In Trouthes ryght, to sle him gilt[e]les?
In his fraunchise he may not lyve in pes.
40
Falsly accused, and of his foon for-iuged,Without ansuer, while he was absent,
He damned was, and may not ben excused:
For Cruelte satte in iugement
Of Hastynesse with-out avisement,
And bad Disdeyn do execute anon
His iugement in presence of hys fon.
41
Atturney non ne may admytted benTo excuse Trouthe, ne a worde to speke;
To Feyth or Othe the Iuge list not sen,
Ther ys no geyn but he wil be wreke.
O Lorde of Trouthe! to The I calle and clepe:
How may Thou se thus in Thy presence,
With-out[e] mercy mordred Innocence?
42
Now God! that art of Trouthe souereyn,And seest how I lye for Trouthe bounde,
So sore knytte in loves firy cheyn,
Euen at the deth thro-girt wyth mony a wounde,
That lykly ar neuer for to sounde,
And for my trouthe am damned to the dethe,
And noght abide but drawe alonge the brethe:
395
43
Consider and se in thyn eternal sight,How that myn hert professed whilom was,
For to be trwe with al my ful[le] myght
Oonly to oon the which[e] now, alas!
Of volunte, withoute more trespas,
Myn accusurs hath taken vnto grace,
And cherissheth hem my deth for to purchace.
44
What meneth this? what ys this wonder vreOf purveance, yf I shal hit calle,
Of God of Love, that fals hem so assure,
And trew, alas! dovn of the whele be falle?
And yet in sothe this is the worst of alle,
That Falshed wrongfully of Trouth hath the name,
And Trouthe ayenwarde of Falshed bereth the blame.
45
This blynde chaunce, this stormy aventureIn love hath most his experience;
For who that doth with trouth[e] most his cure,
Shal for his mede fynde most offence,
That serueth love with al his diligence;
For who can feyne vnder loulyhede,
Ne fayleth not to fynde grace and spede.
46
For I loved oon ful longe sythe agoonWith al my hert[e], body and ful[le] myght,
And to be ded my hert[e] can not goon
396
Thogh I be banysshed out of her syght,
And by her mouthe damned that I shal deye,
Vnto my behest yet I wil euer obeye.
47
For euere sithe that the worlde began,Who so lyste loke[n] and in storie rede,
He shal ay fynde that the trwe man
Was put abake, wher-as the falshede
I-furthered was; for Love taketh non hede
To sle the trwe, and hath of hem no charge,
Wher-as the fals goth frely at her large.
48
I take recorde of Palamides,The trwe man, the noble worthy knyght,
That euer loved, and of hys peyne no relese,
Not-withstondyng his manhode and his myght;
Love vnto him did ful grete vnright,
For ay the bette he did in cheualrye,
The more he was hindred by Envye;
49
And ay the bette he dyd in euery place,Throgh his knyghthode, and [his] besy peyn,
The ferther was he fro his ladys grace,
For to her mercie myght he neuer ateyn;
And to his deth he coude hyt not refreyn
For no daunger, but ay obey and serue,
As he best coude pleynly til he sterue.
397
50
What was the fyne also of Ercules,For al his conquest and his worthynesse,
That was of strengthe alone pereles?
For lyke as bokes of him list expresse,
He set[te] pilers thro his high provesse,
Away at Cades, for to signifie,
That no man myght hym passe in cheualrie.
51
The whiche pilers ben ferre by-yonde YndeBe-set of golde, for a remembraunce;
And for al that was he sete behynde
With hem that Love list febly avaunce;
For [he] him set last vpon a daunce,
Ayen[e]s whom helpe may no strife,
For al his trouth[e] [ȝit] he lost his lyfe.
52
Phebus also for al his persaunt lyght,When that he went her in erthe lowe,
Vnto the hert with [fresshe] Venus sight
Ywounded was, th[o]ro Cupides bowe,
And yet his lady list him not to knowe,
Thogh for her love his hert[e] did[e] blede,
She let him go, and toke of him non hede.
53
What shal I say of yong[e] Piramus?Of trwe Tristram for al his high renovne?
Of Achilles or of Antonyus?
398
What was the ende of her passion
But after sorowe dethe and then her graue.
Lo her the guerdon that [thes] louers haue!
54
But false Iasoun with his doublenesse.That was vntrwe at Colkos to Mede,
And Tereus, rote of vnkyndenesse,
And with these two eke the fals Ene:
Lo thus the fals, ay in oon degre,
Had in love her lust and al her wille,
And save falshed ther was non other skille.
55
Of Thebes eke [loo] the fals Arcite,And Demophon eke for his slouthe,
They had her lust and al that myght delyte,
For al her falshede and [hir] grete vntrouthe.
Thus euer Love, alas, and that is routhe,
His fals[e] legys furthereth what he may,
And sleeth the trwe vngoo[d]ly day be day.
56
For trwe Adon was slayn with the boreAmyde the forest in the grene shade,
For Venus love he felt al the sore.
But Vulcanus with her no mercy made,
The foule cherle had many nyghtis glade,
Wher Mars her [worthy] knyght, her [trewe] man,
To fynde mercy comfort noon he can.
399
57
Also the yonge fressh Ipomones,So lusty fre as of his corage,
That for to serue with al his hert [he] ches
Athalans, so feire of her visage;
But Love, alas, quyte him so his wage
With cruel Daunger pleynly at the last,
That with the dethe guerdonlesse he past.
58
Lo her the fyne of lover[e]s seruise!Lo how that Love can his seruantis quyte!
Lo how he can his feythful men dispise,
To sle the trwe men, and fals to respite!
Lo how he doth the suerde of sorowe byte
In hertis suche as must his lust obey,
To save the fals and do the trwe dey!
59
For feythe nor othe, worde ne assuraunce,Trwe menyng, awayte, or besynesse,
Stil[le] port ne feythful attendaunce,
Manhode ne myght in armes worthinesse,
Pursute of wurschip, nor [no] high provesse
In straunge londe rydinge, ne trauayle,
Ful lyte or noght in love dothe avayle.
60
Peril of dethe, nother in se ne londeHungre ne thrust, sorowe ne sekenesse,
Ne grete emprises for to take on honde,
400
Nor ofte woundynge at sawtes by distresse,
Nor iupartyng of lyfe, nor dethe also:
Al ys for noghte, Love taketh non hede therto.
61
But Lesynges with her fals flaterye,Thro her falshed and with her doublenesse,
With tales new, and mony feyned lye,
By False-Semlaunce, and Contrefet-Humblesse,
Vnder colour depeynt with Stidfastnesse,
With Fraude cured vnder a pitouse face,
Accept ben now rathest vnto grace,
62
And can hem-self now best[e] magnifieWith feyned port and presumpsion.
They haunce her cause with fals Surquedrie,
Vnder menyng of Double-Entencion,
To thenken on in her opynyon
And sey another, to set hym-selfe alofte,
And hynder Tr[o]uthe, as hit ys seyn ful ofte.
63
The whiche thing I bye now al to dere,Thanked be Venus and the god Cupide!
As hit is seen by myn oppressed chere,
And by his arowes that stiken in my syde,
That safe the dethe I no thing abide
Fro day to day, alas, the harde while,
When euere hys dart that hym list to fyle,
401
64
My woful hert[e] for to ryve atwo,For faute of mercye, and lake of pite
Of her that causeth al my peyn and woo,
And list not ones of grace for to see
Vnto my trouthe throgh her cruelte.
And most of al [ȝit] I me compleyn
That she hath ioy to laughen at my peyn,
65
And wilfully hath my dethe [y] sworne,Al gilt[e]les and wote no cause why,
Safe for the trouthe that I have hade aforne
To her allone to serue feythfully.
O God of Love! vnto the I crie,
And to thy blende double deyte
Of this grete wrong I compleyn[e] me,
66
And vnto thy stormy wilful variaunce,I-meynt with chaunge and gret vnstabl[en]esse,
Now vp, now down, so rennyng is thy chaunce,
That the to trust may be no sikernesse;
I wite hit no-thinge but thi doublenesse.
And who that is an archer, and ys blynde,
Marketh nothing, but sheteth by wenynge;
67
And for that he hath no discrecion,With-oute avise he let his arowe goo,
For lak of syght and also of resoun,
402
To hurt his frende rathir then his foo;
So doth this god with his sharpe flon,
The trwe sleeth and leteth the fals[e] gon.
68
And of his woundyng this is the worst of alle,When he hurteth he dothe so cruel wreche,
And maketh the seke for to crie and calle
Wnto his foo for to ben his leche,
And hard hit ys for a man to seche,
Vpon the poynt of dethe in [iu]-pardie,
Vnto his foo to fynde remedye.
69
Thus fareth hit now euen[ly] by me,That to my foo that yaf my hert a wounde,
Mot axe grace, mercie, and pite,
And namely ther wher noon may be founde;
For now my sore my leche wol confounde
And god of kynde so hath set myn vre,
My lyves foo to haue my wounde in cure.
70
Alas the while now that I was borne!Or that I euer saugh the bright[e] sonne!
For now I see that ful longe aforne,
Er I was borne, my destanye was sponne
By Parcas sustren, to sle me if they conne,
For they my dethe shopen or my shert,
Oonly for trouthe I may hit not astert.
71
The myghty Goddesse also of Nature,That vnder God hath the gouernaunce
Of worldly thinges commytted to her cure,
403
To yive my lady so moche suffisaunce
Of al vertues, and therwith-al purvyde
To mordre Trouthe, hath taken Daunger to guyde.
72
For bounte, beaute, shappe, and semelyhed,Prudence, wite, passyngly fairenesse,
Benigne port, glad chere with loulyhed,
Of womanhed ryght plentevous largesse,
Nature in her fully did empresse,
Whan she her wroght, and altherlast Dysdeyne,
To hinder Trouthe, she made her chambreleyne.
73
When Mystrust also, and Fals-suspecion,With Mys-Beleve she made for to be
Chefe of counseyle to this conclusion,
For to exile Routhe and eke Pite,
Out of her court to make Mercie fle,
So that Dispite now haldeth forth her reyn,
Thro hasty beleve of tales that men feyn.
74
And thus I am for my trouthe, alas!Mordred and slayn with wordis sharp and kene,
Gilt[e]les, God wote, of al trespas,
And lye and blede vpon this colde grene.
Now mercie, suete! mercye, my lyves quene!
And to youre grace of mercie yet I prey,
In your seruise that your man may dey.
404
75
But and so be that I shall deye algate,And that I shal non other mercye haue,
Yet of my dethe let this be the date
That by youre wille I was broght to my graue,
Or hastely yf that ye list me saue
My sharpe woundes that ake so and blede,
Of mercie charme, and also of womanhede.
76
For other charme pleynly ys ther noon,But only mercie, to helpe[n] in this case;
For thogh my wounde blede euere in oon,
My lyve, my deth stondeth in your grace;
And thogh my gilt be nothing, alace!
I axe mercie in al my best entent,
Redy to dye yf that ye assent.
77
For ther ayens shal I neuer striveIn worde ne werke, pleynly I ne may,
For leuer I haue then to be alyve
To dye sothely, and hit be her to pay;
Ye, thogh hit be this ech[e] same day,
Or when that euer her lust to deuyse,
Sufficeth me to dye in your seruise.
78
And God, that knowest the thoght of euery wyghtRyght as hit is, in euery thing thou maist se,
Yet er I dye, with al my ful[le] myght,
405
That ye, goodly, feir[e], fressh, and fre,
Which sle me oonly for defaut of routhe,
Er then I die, [ye] may know my trouthe.
79
For that in sothe suffic[et]he [vnto] me,And she hit knowe in euery circumstaunce;
And after I am wel[a]payed that she
Yf that her lyst of deth to do vengeaunce
Vnto me, that am vnder her legeaunce,
Hit sitte me not her doom to dysobey,
But at her lust wilfully to dey.
80
Wyth-out[e] gruching or rebellion,In wil or worde, holy I [me] assent,
Or eny maner contradixion,
Fully to be at her commaundement;
And yf I dye, in my testament
My hert I send, and my spirit also,
What so-euer she list with hem to do.
81
And alderlast to her womanhede,And to her mercy me I recommaunde,
That lye now here betwext hope and drede,
Abyding pleynly what she list commaunde
For vtterly—this nys no demaunde—
Welcome to me while me lasteth brethe,
Ryght at her cho[i]se, wher hit be lyf or dethe.
406
82
In this mater more what myght I seyn,Sithe in her honde and in her wille ys alle,
Bothe lyf and dethe, my ioy, and al my peyn;
And fynally my hest[e] holde I shall
Til my spirit, be destanye fa[ta]l,
When that her list, fro my body wynde;
Haue her my trouthe and thus I make an ynde.
83
And with that worde he gan sike as sore,Lyke as his hert[e] ryve wolde atweyne,
And holde his pese and spake a worde no more,
But for to se his woo and mortal peyn;
The teres gan[ne] fro myn eyen reyn
Ful piteusly for werry inwarde routhe,
That I hym sawe so languysshing for his trouthe.
84
And al this w[h]ile my-self I kep closeAmonge the bowes, and my-self gunne hide,
Til at the last the woful man arose,
And to a logge went[e] ther be-syde,
Wher al the May his custom was to abide,
Sole to compleyn of his peynes kene,
Fro yer to yer vnder the bowes grene.
85
And for be-cause that hit drowe to the nyght,And that the sunne his arke divrnall
I-passed was, so that his persaunt lyght,
407
Were in the wawes of the water fall,
Vnder the bordure of our occean,
His chare of golde his course so swyftly ran;
86
And while the twilyght and the rowes redeOf Phebus lyght wer deaurat a-lyte:
A penne I toke and gan me fast[e] spede,
The woful pleynt of this man to write,
Worde be worde, as he dyd endyte;
Lyke as I herde, and coude him tho reporte,
I haue here set, your hertis to dysporte.
87
Iff oght be mys, leyth the wite on me,For I am worthy for to bere the blame;
Yf eny thing mys-reported be,
To make this dite for to seme lame
Thro myn vnkynnyng, but for to seme the same
Lyke as this man his compleynt did expresse:
I axe mercie and foryeuenesse.
88
And as I wrote me thoght I sawe aferre,Fer in the west lustely appere
Esperus, the goodly bryght[e] sterre,
So glad, so feire, so persaunt eke of chere,
I mene Venus with her bemys clere,
That heuy hertis oonly to releve
Is wont of custom for to shew at eve.
89
And I as fast fel dovn on my kne,And euen thus to her I gan to preie:
“O lady Venus! so feire vpon to se,
408
For that ioy thou haddest when thou ley
With Mars thi knyght, whom Vulcanus founde
And with a cheyne vnvisible yow bounde,
90
“To-gedre both tweyne in the same while,That al the court above celestial,
At youre shame gan [to] laughe and smyle.
O feire lady! wel-willy founde at al,
Comfort to carefull! O goddesse immortal!
Be helpyng now, and do thy diligence,
To let the stremes of thin influence
91
“Descende dovne, in furtheryng of the trouthe,Namely of hem that lye in sorow bounde;
Shew now thy myght, and on her wo haue routhe
Er fals Daunger sle hem and confounde:
And specialy let thy myght be founde
For to socour, what so that thou may,
The trew[e] man, that in the erber lay;
92
“And al[le] trew[e] further for his sake,O glad[e] sterre! O lady Venus myn!
And [cause] his lady him to grace take;
Her hert of stele to mercy so enclyne,
Er that thy bemes go vp to declyne,
And er that thou now go fro vs adovne,
For that love thou haddest to Adon.”
409
93
And when [that] she was goon [vn]to her restI rose anon, and home to bed[de] went
For werry wery, me thoght hit for the best;
Preyng thus in al my best entent,
That al[le] trew[e], that be with daunger shent,
With mercie may, in reles of her peyn,
Recured be, er May come eft aye[y]n.
94
Andfor that I ne may noo lenger wake,Farewel, ye louers al[le] that be trewe!
Prayng to God, and thus my leve I take,
That er the sunne to morowe be ryse newe,
And er he haue ayen his rosen hewe,
That eche of yow may haue such a grace,
His ovne lady in armes to embrace.
95
I mene thus, that in al honeste,With-oute more ye may to-gedre speke
What-so yow list at good liberte,
That eche may to other her hert[e] breke,
On Ielosie oonly to be wreke,
That hath so longe of his malice and envie
Werred Trouthe with his tiranye.
Lenvoye.
Princes, pleseth hit your benigniteThis litil dite [for] to haue in mynde,
Of womanhede also for to se,
410
And pite eke, that longe hath [be] be-hynde,
Let [him] ayein be prouoked to grace;
For by my trouthe hit is ayen[e]s kynde,
Fals Daunger to occupie his place.
Lenvoye de quare.
Go, litel quayre, go vn-to my lyves quene,And my verry hertis souereigne,
And be ryght glad for she shal the sene;
Such is thi grace, but I, alas, in peyne
Am left behinde, and not to whom to pleyn;
For Mercie, Routhe, Grace, and eke Pite
Exiled be, that I may not ateyne,
Recure to fynde of myn adversite.
4. THE FLOURE OF CURTESY.
1
In Feuerier, whan the frosty moone,Was horned ful of Phebus firy lyght,
And that she gan to reyse her streames sone,
Saynt Valentyne, vpon thy blisful nyght
Of dewetee, whan glad is euery wight,
And foules chese, to voyde her olde sorowe,
Eueryche his make, vpon the next[e] morowe;
411
2
The same tyme, I herde a larke syngeFul lustely, agayne the morowe gray:
“Awake, ye louers, out of your slombringe,
This glad[e] morowe, in al the haste ye may;
Some obseruaunce dothe vnto this day,
Your choyse ayen of herte to renewe,
In confyrmyng for euer to be trewe.
3
“And ye that be, of chosyng, at your largeThis lusty day, by custome of nature,
Take vpon you the blisful holy charge
To serue Loue, whyle your lyfe may dure,
With herte, body, and al your besy cure,
For euermore, as Venus and Cipride
For you disposeth, and the god Cupyde.
4
“For ioye owe we playnly to obey[e]Vnto this lordes mighty ordynaunce,
And, mercylesse, rather for to d[e]ye
Than euer in you be founden varyaunce,
And, though your lyfe be medled with greuaunce,
And at your herte closed be your wounde,
Beth alway one, there as ye are bounde.”
5
That whan I had herde, and lysted longe,With deuoute herte, the lusty melodye
Of this heuenly comfortable songe,
So agreable as by ermonye,
I rose anon, and faste gan me hye
Towarde a groue, and the way [to] take,
Foules to sene eueryche chose his make.
6
And yet I was ful thursty in languisshyng;Myn ague was so feruent in his hete
Whan Aurora, for drery complaynyng,
Can distyl her chrystal teeres wete
Vpon the soyle, with syluer dewe so swete,
For she durste, for shame, not apere
Vnder the lyght of Phebus beames clere.
412
7
And so, for anguysshe of my paynes kene,And for constraynte of my sighes sore,
I set me downe vnder a laurer grene
Ful pitously; and alway more and more,
As I behelde into the holtes hore,
I gan complayne myn inwarde deedly smerte,
That aye so sore craunpisshed myn herte.
8
And whyle that I, in my drery payneSate and behelde aboute on euery tre
The foules sytte, alway twayne and twayne,
Than thought I thus, “Alas, what may this be,
That euery foule hath his lyberte
Frely to chose after his desyre
Eueryche his make thus, fro yere to yere?
9
“The sely wrenne, the tytemose also,The lytel redbrest, haue free election
To flyen yfere and togyther go
Where as hem lyst, aboute enuyron,
As they of kynde haue inclynacion,
And as Nature, emp[e]resse and gyde,
Of euery thyng lyst[e] to prouyde.
10
“But man alone, alas, the harde stounde,Ful cruelly, by kyndes ordynaunce,
Constrayned is, and by statute bounde,
And debarred from al suche plesaunce
What meneth this? What is this purueyaunce
Of God aboue, agayne al right of kynde,
Without[e] cause, so narowe man to bynde?”
11
Thus may I se[y]ne, and playne[n] [eke], alas!My woful houre and my disauenture,
That doulfully stonde in the same caas,
So ferre behynde, from al helth and cure.
My wounde abydeth lyke a sursanure,
For me Fortune so felly lyste dispose,
My harme is hyd, that I dare not disclose.
413
12
For I my herte haue set in suche a placeWher I am neuer lykely for to spede,
So ferre I am hyndred from her grace
That saue Daunger I haue none other mede;
And thus, alas! I not who shal me rede
Ne for myne helpe shape remedye,
For Male-bouche, and for false Enuye;
13
The whiche twayne aye stondeth in my weyMalyciously, and false Suspection
Is very cause also that I dey,
Gynnyng and rote of my distruction,
So that I fele, in conclusyon,
With her traynes that they wol me shende,
Of my labour that dethe mote make an ende.
14
Yet, or I dye, with herte, wyl, and thoughtTo God of Loue this auowe I make:
As I best can, howe dere that it be bought,
Where so it be that I slepe or wake,
Whyle Boreas dothe the leaues shake,
As I haue heyght, plainly, tyl I sterue,
For wel or wo, that I shal her serue.
15
And for her sake nowe this holy tyme,Saynt Valentyne! somwhat shal I write,
Al-though so be that I can not ryme,
Nor curyously by no crafte endyte,
Yet leuer I haue that she put the wyte
In vnconnyng than in neglygence,
Whateuer I saye of her excellence.
16
Whateuer I say, it is of du[we]te,In sothfastnesse, and no presumpcion;
This I ensure to you that shal it se,
That it is al vnder correction,
What I reherce in commendacion
Of her, that I shal to you, as blyue,
So, as I can, her vertues here discryue.
414
17
Ryght by example as the somer sonnePasseth the sterre with his beames shene,
And Lucyfer amonge the skyes donne
A-morowe sheweth, to voyde nyghtes tene,
So, verily, withouten any wene,
My lady passeth, who-so taketh hede,
Al tho alyue to speke of womanhede.
18
And as the ruby hath the soueraynteOf ryche stones and the regalye,
And the rose of swetenesse and beaute,
Of fresshe floures, without[en] any lye,
Ryght so, in sothe, with her goodly eye,
She passeth al in bountie and fayrenesse,
Of maner eke, and of gentylnesse.
19
For she is bothe the fayrest and the beste,To reken al in very sothfastnesse;
For euery vertue is in her at reste,
And furthermore, to speke of stedfastnesse,
She is the rote, and of semelynesse
The very myrrour, and of gouernaunce
To al example, withouten varyaunce.
20
Of porte benygne, and wonder glad of chere,Hauyng euermore her trewe aduertence
Alway to reason; so that her desyre
Is brideled aye by wytte and prouydence.
Thereto of wytte and of hye prudence
She is the welle, aye deuoyde of pride,
That vnto vertue her-seluen is the gyde.
21
And ouer this in her dalyaunceLowly she is, discrete and wyse [and fre],
And goodly glad by attemperaunce,
That euery wight of hygh and lowe degre
Are glad in herte with her for to be;
So that, shortly, if I shal not lye,
She named is “The Floure of Curtesye.”
415
22
And there to speke of femynyte,The leste mannysshe in comparyson,
Goodly abasshed, hauyng aye pyte
Of hem that ben in trybulacion,
For she alone is consolacion
To al that arne in mischefe and in nede,
To comforte hem of her womanhede.
23
And aye in vertue is her besy charge,Sadde and demure, and but of wordes fewe,
Dredeful also of tonges that ben large,
Eschewyng aye hem that lyste to hewe
Aboue her heed, her wordes for to shewe,
Dishonestly to speke of any wight;
She deedly hateth of hem to haue a syght.
24
The herte of whom so honest is and clene,And her entent so faythful and entere
That she ne may, for al the worlde, sustene
To suffre her eeres any worde to here
Of frende nor foe neyther ferre ne nere
Amysse resowning, þat hynder shulde his name,
And if she do, she wexeth reed for shame.
25
So trewly in menyng she is in-sette,Without chaungyng or any doublenesse;
For bountie and beautie are togyther knette
On her persone vnder faythfulnesse;
For voyde she is of newfanglenesse,
In herte aye one, for euer to perseuer
There she is sette, and neuer to disseuer.
26
I am to rude her vertues euerychoneCunnyngly to discryue and write,
For, wel ye wot, colour haue I none
Lyke her discrecion craftely to endyte,
For what I say, al it is to lyte;
Wherfore to you thus I me excuse,
That I aqueynted am not with no muse.
416
27
By rethorike my style to gouerneIn her preise and commendacion,
I am to blynde so hylye to discerne
Of her goodnesse to make discrypcion,
Saue thus I say, in conclusyon,
If that I shal shortly [her] commende,
In her is naught that Nature can amende.
28
For good she is, lyke to Polycene,And in fayrenesse to the quene Helayne,
Stedfast of herte as was Dorigene
And wyfely trouthe, if I shal not fayne,
In constaunce eke and faythe, she may attayne
To Cleopatre, and therto as secree
As was of Troye the whyte Antygone.
29
As Hester meke, lyke Judith of prudenceKynde as Alcest or Marcia Catoun,
And to Grisylde lyke in pacience,
And Ariadne of discrecioun,
And to Lucrece, that was of Rome toun,
She may be lykened, as for honeste,
And for her faythe, vnto Penelope.
30
To fayre Phyllis and to HipsyphileeFor innocence and for womanhede,
For semelynesse vnto Canace;
And ouer this, to speke of goodlyhede,
She passeth al that I can of rede,
For worde and dede, that she naught ne fal,
Acorde in vertue, and her werkes al.
31
For though that Dydo with wytte sageWas in her tyme stedfast to Enee,
Of hastynesse yet she dyd outrage,
And so for Iason dyd also Medee;
But my lady is so auysee
That, bountie and beautie bothe in her demeyne,
She maketh bountie alway souerayne.
417
32
This is to meane, bountie gothe afore,Lad by prudence, and hath the soueraynte,
And beautie foloweth, ruled by her lore,
That she ne fende her in no degre;
So that, in one, this goodly fresshe fre
Surmountyng al, withouten any were,
Is good and fayre in one persone yfere.
33
And though that I, for very ignoraunce,Ne may discryue her vertues by and by,
Yet on this day, for a remembraunce,
Onely supported vnder her mercy,
With quakyng honde, I shal ful humbly
To her hynesse, my rudenesse for to quyte,
A lytel balade here byneth endyte.
34
Euer as I can supprise in myn herte,Alway with feare, betwyxt drede and shame,
Leste out of lose any worde asterte
In this metre to make it seme lame;
Chaucer is deed, that had suche a name
Of fayre makyng, that, without[en] wene,
Fayrest in our tonge, as the laurer grene.
35
We may assay for to countrefeteHis gay[e] style, but it wyl not be;
The welle is drie, with the lycoure swete,
Bothe of Clye and of Caliope;
And, first of al, I wol excuse me
To her that is grounde of goodlyhede,
And thus I say vntyl her womanhede:—
Balade Symple
36
“With al my might and [in] my best entent,With al the faythe that mighty God of kynde
Me yaue, syth he me soule and knowyng sent,
I chese, and to this bonde euer I me bynde,
To loue you best, whyle I haue lyfe and mynde.”
Thus herde I foules, in the dawenyng,
Vpon the day of Saynte Valentyne synge.
418
37
“Yet chese I, at the begynnyng, in this entent,To loue you, though I no mercy fynde,
And if you lyste I dyed, I wolde assent,
As euer twynne I quicke out of this lyn[d]e.
Suffyseth me to sene your fethers ynde.”
Thus herde I foules in the mor[we]nynge
Vpon the daye of Saynte Valentyne synge.
38
“And ouer this, myne hertes luste to bente,In honour onely of the wodde-bynde,
Holy I yeue, neuer to repente
In ioye or wo, where-so that I wynde
To fore Cupyde, with his eyen blynde.”
The foules al, whan Tytan dyd springe,
With deuoute hert, me thought I herde synge.
Lenuoye
Princesse of beautie, to you I representThis symple dyte, rude as in makynge,
Of herte and wyl faythful in myn entent,
Lyke as this day foules herde I synge.
Here endeth the Floure of Curtesy
5. A GENTLEWOMAN'S LAMENT.
And here begynneþe a balade sayde by a gentilwomman
whiche loued a man of gret estate.
1
Allas! I wooful creature,Lyving betweene hope and dreed,
Howe might I þe woo endure,
In tendrenesse of wommanhede,
In langoure ay my lyff to leede,
And sette myn hert in suche a place,
Wher as I, be liklyhede,
Am euer vnlyke to stonde in grace!
419
2
Þer is so gret a differenceTweene his manheed and my symplesse,
Þat Daunger by gret vyolence
Haþe me brought in gret distresse;
And yit in verray sikurnesse,
Þoughe my desyre I neuer atteyne,
Yit withoute doublenesse
To love him best I shal not feyne.
3
For whane we were ful tendre of yeeris,Flouring booþe in oure chyldheed,
Wee sette to nothing oure desyres,
Sauf vn-to playe, and tooke noon heede,
And gaderd flowres in þe meede,
Of youþe þis was oure moost plesaunce,
And Love þoo gaf me for my meede
A knotte in hert of remembraunce,
4
Which þat neuer may beo vnbounde,Hit is so stedfast and so truwe,
For alwey oone I wol beo founde
His womman, and chaunge for no nuwe!
Wolde God þe sooþe þat he knewe,
Howe offt I sighe for his saake,
And he me list not onys ruwe,
Ne yyveþe no force, what yvell I make.
5
His poorte, his cheere, and his fygureBeon euer present in my sight,
In whos absence eeke I ensure,
I cane neuer be gladde ne light:
Fore he is my chosen knyght,
Þaughe hit to him ne beo not kouþe,
And so haþe he beon boþe day and night,
Truly fro my tendre youþe.
6
Emprynted in myn inwarde thought,And alwey shal til þat I deye,
420
Ne neuer shal, I dare weel seye.
His loue so soore me dooþe werreye,
God graunt hit tourne for þe best!
For I shal neuer, I dare wel sey,
Withoute his love lyve in rest.
7
A trouthe in tendre aage gonne,Of loue with longe perseueraunce,
In my persone so sore is ronne,
Þat þer may beo no varyaunce;
For al myn hertes souffysaunce
Is, wheþer þat I waake or wynk,
To haue hooly my remembraunce
On his persone, so mychil I thynk!
6. MY LADY DERE.
Amerous balade by Lydegate made at departyng of
Thomas Chauciers on þe kynges ambassade into Fraunce.
1
Euery maner creatureDisposed vn-to gentylesse,
Boþe of kynde and of nature,
Haþe in hert[e] moost gladnesse
Fo[r] tabyde in sothfastnesse
Wher his ioye is moost entier,
And I lyve euer in hevynesse
But whenne I se my lady dere.
421
2
Eke euery wight of verray kyndeIs glad and mury for to abyde
Wher þat [h]is wille, þought, and mynde
Beo fully sett on euery syde,
And wher-so þat I go or ryde,
I ne can be glad in no maner,
As God and Fortune list provyde,
But whanne I seo my lady der.
3
Who parteþe out of Paradys,Frome þat place so ful of glorye,
Wher as Mirthe is moste [of] prys,
And Ioye haþe souerain victorye,
What wonder whane he haþe memorye,
Of al, þoughe he beo dul of chere,
For I am euer in Purgatorye
But whanne I seo my lady dere.
4
Þe sterres of þe heghe hevenFeyrest shyne vn-to oure sight,
And þe planetis alle seven
Moost fulsomly yif þer hir light;
And Phebus with his bemis bright
Gladdest shyneþ in his speere,
But I am neuer glad ner light
Save whanne I seo my lady dere.
5
Eke Phebus in oure emyspirye,Affter derknesse of þe night,
At his vpryst [yolowe as golde clere]
Erly on morowe, of kyndely right,
Whanne cloudis blake haue no might
To chace awey his bemys clere;
Right so frome sorowe I stonde vpright
Whane þat I se my lady der.
422
6
Þe fooles þat flyeþe in þe eyre,And freshly singe and mirthes make,
In May þe sesoun is so feyre,
With all þe right oþe hem awake,
Reioyesseþe eueryche with his make,
With hure heuenly notes cleer;
Right þus al sorowe in me doþe slake
Whanne þat I se my lady der.
7
Þe hert, þe hynde in þe forestMoost luste beo of þeyre corage,
And euery maner oþer beest,
Boþe þe tame and eke sauvage,
Stonden most at avauntage
In laundis whanne þey renne efeer;
Þus euer glad is my visage
Whanne þat I se my lady dere.
8
I dare eke seyne þat buck and doAmonge þe holtis hore and gay,
Þe reynder and þe wylde roo,
In mersshes haue þeyre moste pley,
Wher þey beo voyde frome al affraye;
And even-lyke, with-oute were,
Myn hert is glad, boþe night and day,
Whane þat I seo my lady dere.
9
What is a fisshe out of the see,For alle his scales siluer sheene,
But ded anoon, as man may se?
Or in ryuers crystal clene,
Pyke, baþe, or tenche with ffynnes grene,
Out of þe water whane þey appere?
Þus deethe darteþe myn hert[e] kene
Þer I seo naught my lady dere.
423
10
Þe ruby standeþ best in þe ryngOf gold whanne hit is polisshed newe,
Þemeraude eke is ay lasting
Whil hit abydeþe with his hert truwe,
Þe saphyre with his hevenly hewe
Makeþe gounded eyen clere;
Þus my ioye doþe ay renewe
Whanne þat I se my lady dere.
11
Þe floures on þeyre stalkis vncloose,Springyng in þe bavmy med,
Þe lylyes and þe swoote roos,
Þe dayesyes, who takeþe hede,
Whanne Phebus doþe his bemys spred
In somer, lyke as men may lere;
So glad am I in thought and ded,
Whanne þat I seo my lady der.
12
In somer whanne þe sheene sunneHaþe shewed bright a gret space,
And towardes night þe skyes dunne
His clernesse doþe awey enchace;
Right so dedly and pale of face,
Mortal of look and eke of chere,
I wexe, suche wo me did enbrace
At partyng fro my lady der.
13
Summe folk in signe of hardynesseTakeþe hem to colour þat is red,
And summe in token of clennesse,
Weren whyte, takeþe heed,
And summe grene for lustynesse;
But I allas in blak appere,
And alwey shal, in sorowe and dred,
Til I seo nexst my lady dere.
424
14
Now God, þe which art eternal,And hast eche thing in gouernance,
And art also inmortal,
Stabled with-oute variaunce,
Fortune and guyde so my chaunce,
Of Þy power moste entier,
In abreggyng of my penaunce
Soone to seo my lady dere.
Lenuoye.
Go, lytel bille, in lowly wyse,Vn-to myn hertes souereyne,
And prey to hir for to devyse
Summe relees of my mortel peyne,
And wher þou er, rest not, ne feyne
Oonly of pitee to requerre
Þat she of mercy not disdeyne
To be my soueraine lady dere.
Devynayle par Pycard.
Take þe seventeþ in ordre setteLyneal of þe ABC,
First and last to-geder knette
Middes e-ioyned with an E,
And þer ye may beholde and se
Hooly to-gidre al entiere
Hir þat is, wher-so she be,
Myn owen souerayne lady dere.
7. A LOVER'S NEW YEAR'S GIFT
Amerous balade by Lydegate þat haþe loste his thanke of wymmen.
1
In honnour of þis heghe fest, of custume yere by yere,Is first for to remembre me vpon my lady dere.
425
All þe whyles þat I lyve to hir to be truwe,
Boþe to serue and love hir best with al myn hert entier.
2
For I haue maked myn avowe, in verray sothefastnesse,To beo hir faythful truwe man, withoute doublenesse,
Wher so euer þat I be ouþer fer or ner.
3
Hit voydeþe al myn hevynesse, boþe in thought and ded,Whane þat I remembre me vpon hir goodelyhed,
Because she is so wommanly, boþe of port and chere.
4
And as I stoode myself alloone, vpon þe Nuwe Yere night,I prayed vnto þe frosty moone, with hir pale light,
To go and recomaunde me vnto my lady dere.
5
And erly on þe nexst morowe, kneling in my cloos,I prayed eke þe shene sonne, þe houre whane he aroos,
To gon also and sey þe same in his bemys clere.
6
But þo þer came a clowdy thought, and gan myn hert assayle,And sayde me, howe my servyce þer me shoulde not avayle,
Til my lady mercylesse me hade brought on beer.
7
Hit is ful hard to grave in steel and in a flynt al-so,And yit men may smyte fyre of hem boþe two,
But I may of hir hert of steel mercye noon requere.
8
Þo came gode hope ageyne and gan myn hert adawe,And of myn hevy stormy thought apeese wel þe wawe,
And so þe skyes of dispeyre began to wexen clere.
9
And yit ageyne for hevynesse I gane me to compleyne,Þat she was so fer away, myn hertes soueraine,
Which to spek of wommanhed haþe in þis world no peer.
426
10
And whanne I thenke verrayly vpon hir wommanhed,And þer withal recorde also hir hevenly godelyhed,
I seo sheo is so fer fro me, allas, and I am here.
11
For sheo passeþe of beaute Isaude and Eleyne,I sey in soþe as thenkeþe me, for me list not feyne,
And yonge fresshe Polixene with hir eyen cler.
12
She passeþe eke of desport Dydo of Cartage,Adrean and Medea by fauour of vysage,
And eke alle þoo þat euer I sawe in any coost appere.
13
Penalapee was in hir tyme moost famous of fayrnesse,And Ester was ecalled eke myrour of gentylesse,
But yit noon of hem euerychoon is lyke my lady dere.
14
Iff I shal reherce also Gresyldes pacyence,My lady haþe, I dare wel sey, more passing eloquence
To reherse by and by hir vertus alle efeere.
15
I hade leuer a looke alloone withoute[n] any moreOf hir goodely eyen twoo myn haromes to restore,
Þanne haue alle oþer at my wille I rechche not who hit here.
16
I haue no thing to gyven hir at þis gladde tyme,But myn hert vndeparted, nowe þis first[e] pryme,
Þe which þis day I sende hir al hooly and entier.
17
And þis lytel symple gifft I prey hir nought refuse,Þe whiche þoughe hit but symple beo, but God wil me excuse,
For yif she toke hit not aright, I shulde hit bye to dere.
18
Who gyvethe his hert he graunteþe al his good[es] in substance,And vn-to hir I gif hit al withoute repentaunce,
And þat I am hir truwest man þer by she may hit lere.
427
19
Now go forthe, hert, and be right glad with hir to abyde,And wayt vpon hir day or night, wher þat she go or ryde,
And looke þow part not away, I charge, in no maner.
20
And þoughe þou soiourne euer þer hit shal not cost[e] gretFor constreynt of þe wyntur colde ner sunne with his het,
For despense of þe vitayle shal nought beo to deer.
21
Go nowe forþe, þou lytel songe, vpon my message,And sey howe þat I gyve hir hole with þe surplusage,
Hert, body, and al my good, and my servyce in fere.
22
Lat no wawes ner no wynde lettyn þy passage,Ne stormes of þe salt[e] see, ne no rokkes rage;
Þe streemes of hir hevenly looke shul alle þy sorowes steer.
23
Go forthe in hast, þou lytel songe, and no lenger tarye,Now vpon þe first day of þis Ianuarye,
And conferme fully vp my choyse ay frome yere to yere.
Explicit.
8. THE SERVANT OF CUPYDE FORSAKEN.
“Complaynt Lydegate.”
1
Ful longe I haue a seruant beVn-to mighty god Cupyde;
Thorughe his gret[e] crueltee
Euer I haue be set a-syde.
For cruwel Daunger was my guyde
Withoute mercy oþer grace,
And so for me can ay provyde,
I was forsake in euery place.
2
And wher I put me most in prees,Þer was I firþest esett abacke.
Disdeyne enseled my releesse,
428
So þat vpon me fel al þe wrack
Of hem þat list at loue chace;
Þer was of mercy so gret lacke
I was forsake in euery place.
3
I koude neuer go to-forneIn no servyce my-self tavaunce;
I blewe alwey þe bukkes horne,
So vnhappy was my chaunce;
And ay þe fyne of my plesaunce,
And cheef also of my pourchace,
Was to begynne a newe daunce
To be forsake in euery place.
4
Yif I loued in hye estate,Þer fonde I nought but disdeyne;
And lower dovne I fonde debate,
And þus I served euer in veyne;
Of hope þer was no dewe ne reyne
In no degre me to solace;
For which I may of trouthe seyne
I am forsake in euery place.
5
I loued some þat wer right feyre,Þat tooke of me no maner heed;
And some right fresshe and debonayre,
Þat gaf me daunger for my mede;
And some eke for hir wommanhed,
And some for hir goodely face;
Þat my fortune doþe me lede
To be forsaken in euery place.
6
And þer as I loued for richchessePouert plonged me a-dovne;
And wher I did moost bisynesse
Skorne was my conclusyoun
And for my truwe affeccioun
A deynous looke gan me manace;
Þat I may wryte for my resoun
I am forsake in euery place.
429
7
I loued some fer ronne in age,Al þoughe hit wer ful truwe chaffare;
And yonge eke ful wylde and rage,
And list not for no coste to spare;
And þus I pleyde Iacke þe Haare,
And gane to hoppe a newe trace,
And sange “Go, farewell feldfare,”
As man forsake in euery place.
8
Þer fonde I moost confusyounÞer as I did moost my cure;
And moost hade indignacioun
Wher as lengest I did endure;
And my woful aventure
Disdayne and Daunger did enbrace;
Þat I may singe þe Chaunteplure
As man forsake in euery place.
LENVOYE.
To alle wymmen þis compleyntWith cursed hert I nowe direct,
Whos corage is euer emeynt
With doubulnesse, suche is þe sect,
Which soþely no man may correct,
Youre nature haþe so double a face,
Whos galle ay newe doþe infect
Þe sugre of men in euery place.
[Satirical Poems.]
9. A BALLADE ON AN ALE-SELLER.
Hic nota de illis que vendunt servisiam in Cantuar.
Remembryng on the grete vnstabilnesse,The plesaunt looke also, the countenaunce,
The counterfett cheer, medlid withe dowbilnesse,
430
I tooke my penne, thus stondyng in a traunce;
Experiens had, the trouthe I nyl denye,
In you my-silf I nyll nomor affye.
Nota decepciones per signa.
Your callyng look, the sholdres ofte thwertyng,Your brestis bare, I dar riht weel assur,
Your lauhtir, and your sadde kissyng,
And I shold sey, be moste for to recure
Money out of purs, and call men to your lur;
Thes snaris leyd, withe guyle and trecherie
Makethe men to fonne, in you ther tryst taffie.
Nota decepcio per iuramenta.
This nat suffisithe, but yit ye be mor sliheTo make men put in you more affiaunce,
Your tresours tenvoce, and for to sett vp hihe
In eche of them ye putt withe desseyuaunce
A garlek hed, and swer thus in substaunce,—
“Whil the hed is hooll, withynne my chaplerie
I shal yow love, and moost in you affye.”
4
Whil in ther purs thei haue money to spende,Nouthir nyht nor day thei can themsilf withsette,
Till that ther spens be brouht fully to eende,
Than must thei borwe and bryng themsilfe in dette;
So in your love, your countenaunce hathe hem hette
And nat-for-this ye can weel bler ther ye,
And love a-nothir, whan they yow moste affye.
5
Your bewte and also your feyned plesaunceVenus to serue, withe all the surplusage,
Causeth men ful ofte to haue greuaunce,
To wandryn in mynde, and make men full vnsage
To walke allone, as men that don in rage,
Thouh ye seen this, ye will riht applie,
Your herte a way; in whom shall men affye?
431
6
To trewe Grisilde I wil nat compare,To Lucrece nor vnto Penelope;
Trew love in yow I trow is so ful rare
It were grete wrong, as me semethe, pardie,
To write your liff mong ther legendis to be,
From hym so soone in twynklyng of an ye
Your herte wil chaunge, that you moost dothe affie.
7
Gladly ye wil, to gete you acqueyntaunce,Calle men to drynke, althouhe thei therfor pay;
With your kissyng thouh that ye do pleasaunce
It shal be derrer, er thei go ther wey,
Than al ther ale, to them I dar weel saye.
Thus withe your ale, and withe your cheer so slye,
Ye them disseyve, that in yow moste affye.
8
Thouh natur in you hathe don her besy cur,And fourmed you withe bewtes and plesaunce;
Like as hir silfe wer set in your figur,
Off alle bewtes in yow be suffisaunce;
The fyne of all in you is variaunce;
Whan love is moost, rathest ye wil applie
Decet to them, that moost you don affie.
ffallere fallentem non est fraus.
Moost dewe rewarde, and also be guerdeunTo recompense your grete vnstabilnesse,
Your sotel guyle, and also your tresoun,
With gyle ageyn your guerdoun to redresse.
Sithe of deceit ye be first founderesse,
Put wite in you, and nat on my partye,
Your doubilnesse thouhe I nomor affye.
10
Soo litil [OMITTED]To no t [OMITTED]
But vn [OMITTED]
Men to [OMITTED]
All trew [OMITTED]
That name [OMITTED]
That men may [OMITTED]
432
11
Sithe in ther natur [OMITTED]Is founde them silfe and [OMITTED]
To ther honour ther na [OMITTED]
All this writyng reboundethe I [OMITTED]
Thouh it be rude & spoke in termys
The meenyng is, preys vnto them applie
That wil be trewe whan men in them affye.
(Explicit.)
10. BALLADE PER ANTIPHRASIM.
[1]
Vndir your hood is but oo contenaunce,Excludid is from you al doubilnesse,
Vnto your herte your tonge hathe accordaunce,
Off stedfast love yee may be cheeff goddesse,
To mocke nor to scorne your herte hathe no gladnesse,
Trewthe and your sadnesse your persone enlumyne;
Thes been as trewe of you, I bere witnesse,
As I goo loos, and teied am withe a lyne.
2
Your bewtes to write I haue no suffisaunce,In termys rude yit this I wil proceede:
Your port is meeke and sad in countenaunce;
The roosis reede, the lilly also, in-deede,
In dewe myxtur han grauntid you ther weede;
Moost like to mylk of you is necke and chyne;
Al this is trewe of you, withoute falsheede,
As I goo loos, and teied am with a lyne.
3
[OMITTED] esse[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED] trewe
[OMITTED] ewe
[OMITTED] prune
[OMITTED] he eschewe
[OMITTED] he a lyne.
433
4
[OMITTED] no displesaunce[OMITTED] shal the reed or see
[OMITTED] at in al variaunce
[OMITTED] sette and chaungyng euer wol be
[OMITTED] ers be nat displesid withe the
[OMITTED] put a-waye thes last stavis tweyne;
Thes be as sothe of you, wher that ye be,
As I goo loos, and teied am withe a lyne.
Explicit.
11. BYCORNE AND CHYCHEVACHE.
Loo sirs þe deuise of a peynted or desteyned clothe
for an halle a parlour or a chaumbre / deuysed by
Iohan Lidegate at þe request of a werþy citeseyn of London /
ffirst þere shal stonde an ymage in poete-wyse
seying þees thre balades /
1
O prudent folkes, takeþe heedAnd remembreþe, in youre lyves,
Howe þis story doþe proceed
Of þe housbandes and þeyre wyves,
Of þeyre acorde and of þeyre stryves
With lyf or deeþe, which to derrain
Is graunted to þees beestis tweyin.
And þane shalle þeer be purtrayed twoo
beestis oon fatte a noþer leene
2
Of Chichevache and of BycorneTreteþe hooly þis matere,
Whos story haþe taught vs here to-forne
434
Haue þeyre pasture, as yee shal here,
Of men and wymmen, in se[n]tence,
Thorugh souffraunce or thorughe inpacience.
3
For þis Bicorne of his natureWil noon oþer maner foode
But pacient men in his pasture;
And Chichevache eteþe wymmen goode;
And booþe þeos beestes, by þe roode,
Be fatte or leene, hit may not fayle,
Lyke lak or plente of þeyre vitayle.
Þanne shalle þer be pourtrayhed a fatte beest called Bycorne of þe
cuntrey of Bycornoys and seyne þees thre balades filowing
4
Of Bycornoys I am Bycorne,Ful fatte and rounde, here as I stonde,
And in maryage bonde and sworne
To Chichevage, as hir husbande,
Whiche wil not ete on see nor lande
But pacyent wyves debonayre
Which to hir husbandes beon [nat] contrayre.
5
Ful scarce, god wot, is hir vitayle,Humble wyves she fyndeþe so fewe,
For alweys at þe countretayle
Þeyre tunge clappeþe and doþe hewe;
Suche meke wyves I beshrewe,
Þat neyþer cane at bedde ne boord
Þeyre husbandes nought forbere on worde.
6
But my foo[d]e and my cherisshing,To telle pleynly, and not tarye,
Ys of suche folk whiche þer living
435
Ne frome þeyre lustis dar not varye,
Nor with hem holde no chaumpartye;—
Alle suche my stomake wol defye!
Þanne shal be pourtrayed a companye of
men comyng towardes þis beest Bicorne and sey þees foure balades.
7
Felawes, takeþe heede and yee may seeHowe Bicorne casteþe him to deuoure
Alle humble men, boþe you and me,
Þer is no gayne vs may socour;
Wo be þer-fore, in halle and bour,
To alle þees husbandes, which þeyre lyves
Maken maystresses of þeyre wyves.
8
Who þat so dooþe, þis is þe lawe,Þat þis Bycorne wol him oppresse,
And devowren in his mawe
Þat of his wyff makeþe his maystresse;
Þis wol vs bring in gret distresse,
For we for oure humylytee
Of Bycorne shal devowred be.
9
We stonden pleynly in suche cas,Þat þey to vs maystresses be,
We may wel sing and seyne allas!
Þat wee gaf hem þe souereynte;
For we be thralle and þey beo fre,
Wher-fore Bycorne, þis cruell beste,
Wol vs devowren at þe leest.
10
But who þat cane be souereyne,And his wyf teeche and chastyse,
Þat she dare not a worde geyne-seyne,
Nor disobeye no maner wyse,—
Of suche a man, I cane devyse,
436
Frome Bycornes iurisdiccyoun.
Þanne shal þer be a womman deuowred ypurtrayhed
in þe mouþe of Chichevache cryen to alle wyves
& sey þis balade.
11
O noble wyves, beoþe wel ware,Takeþe ensaumple nowe by me,
Or ellys, afferme weel I dare,
Yee shal beo ded, yee shal not flee;
Beoþe crabbed, voydeþe humylitee,
Or Chychevache ne wol not fayle
You for to swalowe in hir entrayle.
Þanne shal be þer purtrayhed a longe horned beest
sklendre and lene with sharpe teethe and on his body no thing saue skyn and boone.
12
Chychevache, þis is my name,Hungry, megre, sklendre, and lene,
To shewe my body I haue gret shame,
For hunger I feele so gret teene,
On me no fattnesse wol beo seene,
By cause þat pasture I fynde noon,
Þer fore I am but skyn and boon.
13
For my feding in existenceIs of wymmen þat beon meeke,
And lyche Gresylde in pacyence,
Or more, þeyre bountee for to eeke;
But I ful longe may goon and seeke
Or I cane fynde a gode repaaste
A-morowe to breke with my faaste.
14
I trowe þer beo a dere yeereOf pacyent wymmen nowe þeos dayes;
Who greueþe hem with worde or chere,
Let him be-ware of suche assayes;
For it is more þane thritty Mayes
437
But yit oone Gresylde neuer I fonde.
15
I fonde but oone, in al my lyve,And she was deed sith go ful yore;
For more pasture I wil not stryve
Nor seeche for my foode no more,
Ne for vitayle me to enstore;
Wymmen beon wexen so prudent
Þey wol no more beo pacyent.
Þanne shal þere be pourtrayhed affter Chichevache
an olde man with a baston on his bakke manassing
þe beest for þe rescowing of his wyff.
16
My wyff, allas! devowred is;Moost pacyente and mooste peysyble,
Sheo neuer sayde to me amysse,
Whome haþe nowe slayne þis beest horryble,
And for it is an inpossyble
To fynde euer suche a wyff,
I wil lyve sool during my lyff.
17
For nowe of nuwe for þeyre proweÞe wyves of ful hyegh prudence
Haue of assent made þeyre avowe,
For to exyle Pacyence,
And cryed, “Wolffes heed obedyence!”
To make Chichevache fayle
Of hem to fynde more vitayle.
18
Nowe Chichevache may fast longe,And dye for al hire cruweltee,
Wymmen haue made hem self so stronge
For to outraye Humylyte;
O cely housbandes! woo beon yee!
438
Ageyns youre wyves vyolence.
19
Yif þat yee suffre, yee beo but deed,Þis Bicorne awayteþe yowe so soore,
Eeke of youre wyves yee stonde in dreed
Yif yee geyne seye hem any more;
And þus yee stonde, and haue doone yoore,
Of lyff and deeth bytwix[en] tweyne,
Lynkeld in a double cheyne.
12. BEWARE OF DOUBLENESSE.
1
This worlde is ful of variaunceIn euery thing, whoo taketh hede,
That feyth and trust and al constaunce
Exiled ben, this is noo drede;
And, safe oonly in womanhede,
I kan see no sykyrnesse;
But for al that, yet as I rede,
Be-ware alwey of doublenesse.
2
Also these fresh somer floures,White and rede, blewe and grene,
Ben sodeynly with wynter shoures
439
That truste is noon, as ye may sene,
In no thinge, nor noo stedfastnesse;
Except in women, thus I mene,
Yet ay be-ware of doublenesse.
3
The croked moone—this is no tale—Som while is shene and bryght of hewe;
And after that ful derke and pale,
And euery monyth chaungeth newe;
That, who-so the verray sothe knewe,
Alle thynge is bilte on brotilnesse,—
Save that women ay be trewe,
Yet ay be-war of doublenesse.
4
The lusty fressh[e] somers dayAnd Phebus, with his bemes clere,
Towardes nyght they drawe away
And no lenger lyste appere;
So in this present lyfe now here,
Noo-thinge abytte in hys fairenesse,
Save women ay be founde entere
And devoide of doublenesse.
5
The see eke, with his sterne wawes,Eche day floweth new ageyn,
And by concourse of his lawes
440
After grete drought ther cometh a reyne,
That fare-wel alle her stablenesse,—
Save that women be hool and pleyne;
Yet ay be-war of doublenesse.
6
Fortunes whele gooth rounde aboutA thousande tymes, day and nyght,
Whos course stondeth euer in doute,
For to transmewe, she ys so lyght;
For which aduertyth in your syght
The vntrust of worldly fikelnesse,—
Saue women which, of kyndely ryght,
Ne haue no tachche of doublenesse.
7
What man may the wynde restreyne,Or holde a snake by the tayle,
Or a slepur eele constreyne
That yt wil voyde, withoute fayle?
Or whoo kan dryve so a nayle
To make sure new fanglenesse,—
Save women that kan guye her sayle
To rowe her boote with doublenesse?
8
Atte euery haven they kan arryveWhere as they woote ys good passage.
Of innocence they kan not strive
Wyth wawes, nor noo rokkes rage;
So happe ys her lodmanage
Wyth nelde and stoon her course to dresse,
That Salamon was not so sage
To fynde in hem noo doublenesse.
441
9
Wher-fore, who-so hem accuseOf any double entencion,
To speke rovne, outher to muse,
To pynche at hyr condicion—
Alle is but fals collusion,
I dar ryght welle the sothe expresse:
They haue no bette proteccion
But shrowde hem vnder doublenesse.
10
So wel ffortuned ys hir chaunceThe dise to turne vp so don,
With sis and synke they kan avaunce
And than by revolucion
They sette a felle conclusion
Of ambesase, in sothfastnesse,
Though clerkes make mencion
Ther kynde ys frete with doublenesse.
11
Sampson hadde experienceThat women weren ful trew[e] founde
Whan Dalida of innocence
With sheres gan his hede to rounde;
To speke also of Rosamounde,
And Cleopatris feythfulnesse,
The storyes pleynly wil confounde
Men that apeche her doublenesse.
12
Sengle thing ne is nat preysed,Nor oo folde is of noo renovne,
In balaunce whan they be peysed
For lakke of weght they be bore dovne;
And for this cause of iuste resovne
These women alle, of ryghtwysnesse,
Of choys and free eleccion,
Muste love eschaunge and doublenesse.
442
Lenvoy.
O ye women whiche ben enclyned,By influence of youre nature,
To ben as pure as golde y-fyned,
In your trouthe for to endure,
Arme your-selfe in stronge armure,
Leste men assayle youre sikernesse;
Sette on your brest, your-self tassure,
A myghty shelde of doublenesse.
Explicit.
13. EXAMPLES AGAINST WOMEN.
1
T]o Adam and Eve Crist gave the soueraig[n]teOf Paradice, and domynacion,
A place fullfilled of all ffelicite,
The ffrutes all in there subieccion,
Save that of oon was made excepcion,
Which God forbade, the Bible canne devise,
They sholde it touche in no maner wyse.
2
Which vertu hadde agayn all maladie,Folk to preferre in youth in ther ffresshnes;
Who ate þerof sholde neuer die,
But leve ever in ioy and gladnes,
And nothir ffele trouble nor sikenes
But in that place haue ever hertis ease
And sufficiant of all that myght hem please,
3
Ever indure, and neuer ffall in age,For which it was called the tre of lyff.
But whan Adam was ffallen in dotage,
And agayn God beganne to holden stryff,
Through excityng of Eve, þat was his wyff,
And wilfully gave to here assent
Goddes preceptis to breke, and commaundment,
443
4
They were banysshed out of that blisfull lyf—Whan Adam gafe credence to a snake,
And wrecchidly gaue trust vnto his wyff,
Which did the apple of the serpent take,
And plesauntly did a present make
Vnto Adam, as she ffirst bygan
Deth to devise and poyson to man.
5
To Salamon also, Kynge of Israell,Sonne of Dauid, Crist gave in commaundment
With straungers in no wise that he sholde mell;
And for he not liste sue Cristis intent,
But to straunge women gave wilfully his assent,
Ther goddes worshippid, the Bible ye may see,
And folowed his own wyll, and sensualite,
6
Crist wolde hym chast[i]e, in this maner wise:Gave his kyngdom, aftir his mortall fate,
To Ieroboan his seruant, the Bible doth deuyse,
Disheretyng his heires from house and estate.
Who doth aftir women erly or late
Accomplyssh ther willes & desires euermore,
Grete wonder is at laste, but he repent sore.
7
Also Iacob his wyff, called Rachell,Her own faþer Laban mokked & disceyued;
Stale his goodes, the story doth it tell;
Leyde hem on the grownde, þe trouth well conceyved,
And fforthwith anoon, or it was perceyued,
Sate vpon them, these goodes for to hyde,
Disceyvyng her ffaþer with surquedry and pride.
8
Holyfernus also, leder of the osteOf Nebugodonoser, the grete warrioure,
Of all women loued Iudith most,
Trustyng to haue had her to his paramour;
But he, wyne-dronken, to slepe lay in his boure
With his own swerde, was it not [a] wonder,
Att two strokes she smote his nek a-sondir.
444
9
And Iob in ricches all othir did excellOf his contre, suche was þat tyme his grace,
And noon so poure, thus doth the story tell,
Was not alyve, borne as he was;
But was it not pite, in his most wrecchid caas,
In his most povert and moste myserie,
His wyf hym rebuked & on a donghyll left hym lye?
10
Sampson also, the strengest man of myghtThat ever was, loved Dalida the ffeyre,
On whom his hert was sett, both day & nyght,
She cowde here ffayne so meke and so debonayre,
Make hym suche chere whan hym list repaire;
But I may call here “Dalida the double,”
Cheff cause and rote of his mortall trouble.
11
For he ment trouth, and she was variable;He was ffeithfull, and she was vntrewe;
He was stedfast, and she [was] vnstable;
He trustith euer oon, she loved thynges newe;
She wered colours of many diuers hewe,
In stede of blewe, which is stedfast & clene,
She loved chaungis of many dyvers grene.
12
But to the purpose for to condiscende,Whan she of Sampson knewe the prevyte,
Here ffalshode shortly for to comprehende,
She made hym slepe full softly on hir kne,
And a sharp rasour aftir toke she
Shove of his here, large & of grete lengthe;
Wherby, allas, he lost all his strengthe.
13
Thus Sampson was by Dalida deceyved,She cowde so well fflatter, fforge, & ffeyne;
Which whan þe Philistens haue conceyued,
Vnwarly bounde hym in a myghty cheyne,
Cast hym in preson, put out his eyen tweyne,
And of despite after, as I fynde,
Att þer quernys made hym [for] to grynde.
445
14
Damage in erth is noon so greuousAs an enmy which is secre;
Nor pestilens noon so perilous
As falsnes, wher it is preve,
And specially in ffemynyte,
For wher women woll flitte & be variable,
Shall no man make hem stedfast & stable.
15
Thise olde ensamples ought i-nowgh sufficeMen to be ware, though ther were no newe;
But who-so listeth not by othir hym-silf chastice,
Othir woll by hym, whan he shall it rewe.
Some women outrage, some stedfast been & true;
Some renne in riote, of custome this is no faile,
Suche woll disceyue, there nature is so frayle.
Explicit.
14. A BALLADE OF JAK HARE.
Here gynneth a tale of froward Maymond
1
A ffroward knave pleynly to descryve,And a sloggard schortly to declare;
A precious knave that castith hym neuer to thryve,
His mouth weel weet, his slevis riht thredbare;
A Turnebroche, a boy for Hogge of Ware,
With louryng face noddyng and slombryng,
Of newe crystened and callid Iakke Hare—
Wich of a bolle can plukke out the lynyng.
446
2
This boy Maymond ful styborne of his bonys,Sloggy on morwen his lemes vp to dresse,
A gentel harlot chose out for the noonys,
Sone and cheeff eyr on-to dame Idylnesse,
Cosyn to Wecok, brother to Reklesnesse,
Wich late at eve and morwe at his rysyng
Ne hath no ioie to do no besynesse,
Saue of a tancard to plukke out þe lynyng.
3
A boy Chekrelyk was his sworen brotherOf euery dyssh a lypet out to take,
And Faffyntycol was also a-nother
Of euery brybe the caryage for to make,
And he can weell waytyn on an oven cake,
And of newe ale been at the clensyng,
And of purpos, his thrust for to slake,
Kan of a pecher plukke out the lynyng.
4
This knave be leyser wil don al his massage,And holde a tale with every maner wight;
Ful pale dronken, weell vernysshed of visage,
Whos tonge ay faileth whan it draweth to nyht,
Of o-candell he weneth too were lyght;
As barkyd leder his fface ys schynyng;
Glasy-eied, wol cleyme of dewe right
Out of a bolle to plukke out the lynyng.
5
He can a bedde an hors-kombe weell shake,Lyk as he wolde coraye his masteris hors,
And with his on hand his masteris doublet shake,
And with the tother preuyly kutte his purs;
Alle sweche knavis shul haue Cristys curs,
Erly on morwe at ther vprysyng;
To ffynde a boy I trowe ther be non wors
Out of a pot to plukke out the lynyng.
447
6
He may be sold vpon warantyse,As for a truaunt that no thyng wil doon;
To selle hors prouendre is his chef marchaundise,
And for a chevesaunce can pluke of ther shoon;
And at the dys pley the mony soon,
And with his wynnyngis he maketh his offryng,
At the ale stakes, sittyng ageyn the moon,
Out of a cuppe to plukke out the lynyng.
Lenvoye.
Wassail to Maymond and to his Iousy pate,Vnthryfft and he be to-gedre met;
Late at eve he wol onspere the gate,
And grope on morwe yif Riggis bak be wet,
And yif the bak of To-gace be out het;
His heuy nolle at mydmorwe vplyfftyng,
With on-wasshen handis, not lased his doublet,
Out of a bolle to plukke out the lynyng.
Explicit.
[_]
[Additional stanzas, probably spurious, from MS. Leyden Voss. 9, leaf 102.]
Off all thy warde thou art made officer,
That no man passe with-out licence off the;
Erly on morwe, er than the day be cleer,
Thou cast thy chenys, redy wolt thou be;
They be nat off iren nor off tree,
Thyn ars cheeff smyth on morwe at thi rysyng,
Weel the bett thou mayst thy cheyn lat flyee,
For off a bolle thou canst weel pluk out the lynyng.
That no man passe with-out licence off the;
Erly on morwe, er than the day be cleer,
Thou cast thy chenys, redy wolt thou be;
They be nat off iren nor off tree,
Thyn ars cheeff smyth on morwe at thi rysyng,
Weel the bett thou mayst thy cheyn lat flyee,
For off a bolle thou canst weel pluk out the lynyng.
And whan thou hast weel vernyssht thi pate,
To take a slap in hast thou wolt the dresse;
But wo is she that nyht shal be thi mate?
Thyn orgons so hihe be-gynne to syng thi messe,
With treble, mene & tenor discordyng, as I gesse,
That all the hogges that ben about lyggyng,
To syng with the they gyne them thedir dresse,
Which off a pott so well canst pluk tha lynyng.
To take a slap in hast thou wolt the dresse;
But wo is she that nyht shal be thi mate?
448
With treble, mene & tenor discordyng, as I gesse,
That all the hogges that ben about lyggyng,
To syng with the they gyne them thedir dresse,
Which off a pott so well canst pluk tha lynyng.
Yitt wassaille, onys, & thynne be thi thriffte,
With all thi orgonys & thi melodye,
Ful weel a couppe of good ale canst thou liffte,
And drynk it off & leve the cuppe drye,
I wold thi chenys had chenyd vp the weye,
Be-twen the cuppe, whan thou art lyfftyng,
And thi mouth, for thou art euer redye
Out off a cuppe to pluk out the lynyng.
With all thi orgonys & thi melodye,
Ful weel a couppe of good ale canst thou liffte,
And drynk it off & leve the cuppe drye,
I wold thi chenys had chenyd vp the weye,
Be-twen the cuppe, whan thou art lyfftyng,
And thi mouth, for thou art euer redye
Out off a cuppe to pluk out the lynyng.
15. AGAINST MILLERS AND BAKERS.
1
Put out his hed, lyst nat for to dare,But lyk a man vpon that tour to abyde.
For cast of eggys wil not oonys spare,
Tyl he be quaylled, body, bak, and syde;
His heed endooryd, and of verray pryde.
Put out his armys, shewith abrood his face;
The fenestrallys be made for hym so wyde
Cleymyth to been a capteyn of that place.
2
The bastyle longith of verray dewe ryghtTo fals bakerys, it is trewe herytage,
Severell to them, this knoweth euery wyght,
Be kynde assyngned for ther sittyng stage,
Wheer they may freely shewe out ther visage.
Whan they take oonys there possessioun
Owthir in youthe or in myddyl age,
Men doon hem wrong yif they take hym doun.
3
Let mellerys and bakerys gadre hem a gilde,And alle of assent make a fraternite;
449
The place amorteyse, and purchase liberte
For alle thoo that of ther noumbre be.
What evir it coost, afftir that they wende,
They may cleyme be iust auctorite
Vpon that bastile to make an end.
Explicit quod Lydgate.
16. THE ORDER OF FOOLS.
Here begynneth a tale of thre skore ffoolys and thre wich ar lyk neuer ffor to the.
1
The ordre of foolis, ful yore agoon be-gonne,Neuly professed encreseth the kovent.
Bachus and Iuno haue set a-broche a tonne
And brouht þe braynes on-to the exegent.
Markolff, ther foundour, patroun, & president,
Noumbre of this frary told iij skore and thre;
Echon registred, be greet avysement;
Endosed ther patent, that they shal neuer the.
2
Cheef of alle folys, men in bokys redeth,Able in his foly to holde resydence,
Is he that nouther loveth God nor dredith,
Nor to his chirche hath noon advertence,
Nor to his seyntys doth no reuerence,
And hath dysdeyn of ffolk in poverte,
To ffader, moder doth no benyvolence—
A-seele his patent, for he shal neuer the.
450
3
The sixte ffooll this frary to be-gynne,More than a fooll, braynles, maad, and wood,
Is he that neuer wyll forsake his synne;
Nor he that can nouht, nor lerne wil no good;
And he that hath two facys in on hood,
May ben enrollid in this ffraternyte;
Cherl of condicioun and born of gentyll blood
May cleyme of riht that he shal neuer the.
4
The tenthe fooll may hoppe vpon the ryng,Foote al afforn, and lede of riht the daunce,
He that al yeveth, and kepeth hym-self nothyng.
A double herte, fair ffeyned contenaunce;
A pretens face, treble in his dalyaunce;
Tonge spreynt with sugre, þe galle kept secre,
A perlous mouth is wers than spere or launce,
Thogh they be cherisshed, God let hem neuer the.
5
Off this fraternyte there is mo than oonProuerbe seyd in old language:
Tendre broweys skalt with a mary-boon,
For feble stomakys is holsom in potage;
The mary is good, the boon doth but damage.
In symulacyoun ys ffals duplycyte,
Who leveth the mary braideth on dotage,
And cheseth the boon, God let hym neuer the.
6
A fface vnstable, gasyng Est and South,With loude lauhtres entrith his language,
Gapeth as a rook, abrood goth iowe and mouth,
Lyk a iay enfomyned in hys cage,
Malapert of cheer and off vysage,
451
Of ech thyng medlith, his thrifft lith in morgage,
Devaunt a knave that schall neuer the.
7
In the book of prudent CypryanWich callid is ‘a gardeyn of his fflours,’
He seith a pulteer that selleth a fat swan
For a goselyng that greseth on bareyn clours;
And he that casteth his cloke a wey in shours,
Out of the tempest whan he may ffle;
Or whan that Sperado loveth paramours—
On of the nombre that schall neuer the.
8
And he also that halt hym-selff wys,Wich in werkyng hath noon experience,
Whos chaunce goth nouther on synk nor sis,
With ambes—as encreseth his dyspence;
A foltyssh face, rude of elloquence,
Bosteth with bordas, and at a bront wil ffle;
Tween wolle & gossomer is a gret difference,
Stuff for a chapman that is nat lyk to the.
9
I redde also of other ffoolys twoo:Thyng to chalenge to wich he hath no right,
And he in trouthe is a more ffooll also,
Wich al requereth that cometh in his sight.
And he is a ffooll wich on-to euery wight
Telleth his counsaill and his preuytee.
Who sekith werre and hath hym-selff no myht,
It were gret mervail that euer he sholde the.
10
Another fool with counterfeet vysageIs he that can falsly ffage and ffeyne,
Where that he be old or yong of age,
452
And he that doth his owne wyf dysdeyne,
And halt a-nother, of what estat she bee—
With other foolys enbrace hym in þe cheyne,
A warantyse that he schall neuer the.
11
Off this ffrary mo ffoolys to expresse:He that is to euery man contrarye,
And he that bosteth of his cursidnesse,
And he also that doth prolonge and tarye,
With fair hestis, from his promys to varye—
Breeffly to telle, I can noon other see—;
He lyk a ffugytyff, that ffleeth to seyntwarie
For dred of hangyng, for he schal neuer the.
12
He is a ffooll eek, as Senek seyth,That longe delaieth his purpos for to speede;
A gretter ffooll he that breketh his ffeith;
And he is a ffooll that doth no shame drede;
And he that hoteth, & faileth his frend at nede,
Whos promys braideth on duplycyte;
An hardy mous, that is bold to brede
In cattys eris, that brood shal neuer the.
13
And he is a ffooll that also yeveth credenceTo newe rumours and euery foltyssh ffable;
A dronklew fool that spareth for no dispence,
To drynke a taunt, tyl he slombre at þe table;
Among alle foolys that fool is most coupable
That is a-cursed, and hath ther-of deynte;
A pore beggere for to be vengable,
Purs Penylees in plees may neuer the.
14
And he that holdeth a quarel ageyn right,Halt his purpos stiborne ageyn resoun;
And he is a fooll, that is ay glad to ffyght,
453
Abit so longe tyl he be bete doun,
Dronke, lame, that he may nat ffle;
And who reioissheth to soioure in prisoun,
Enrolle hym vp, for he schall neuer the.
15
A lusty galaunt that weddit an old wicche,For gret tresour, because his purs is bare;
An hungry huntere þat handeth hym a bicche,
Nemel of mouth, for to mordre an hare;
Nyht riotours that wil no wareyn spare,
With-oute licence or ony lyberte,
Tyl sodeyn perel brynge hem in þe snare,
A ppreperatyf that they shal neuer the.
16
Who doth amys & lauheth hym-self to scorne;Or come to counsail or that he be callyd;
Or loude lawheth whan he sholde morne,
Among alle folis of riht he may be stallyd;
Purposeth his viage whan his hors is gallid;
Plukketh of his schoon toward his iourne;
Forsaketh fressh wyn, & drynkith ale appalid—
Swich foltyssh tast, God let hem neuer the.
17
And he þat is a ryotour all his lyff,And hath his felawe & neihebour in despiht,
And woundeth hym-self with his owne knyf,
Of o candel he weneth two were lyght,
Slepeth a day, and waccheth al the nyght,
Alle massis doon longe or he redy bee,
Suych on may cleyme be very title of riht,
To been a brother of them shal neuer the.
454
18
Who halt al his þe tresour þat he wissheth,And gadreth gossomer to pakke it for wolle;
And he is a fool affore þe net that ffissheth;
And he is a ffool þat doth þe ffetherys pulle
Of ffatte capouns, vp mewed to the ffulle,
And hath no thyng but bonys for his ffee—
Nullatensis aselyd hath a bulle
To alle suych, that noon of hem schall the.
19
Whan þe gandre greseth on the grene,The sleyhty ffox doth hir brood be-holde.
He taketh þe ffatte, casteth awey the lene;
And Isigrinus, cheef wardeyn of the ffolde,
Takith to his larder at what pris they be sold,
Grettest lambre, oon, or two, or thre;
In wynter nyhtes þe frostis been so colde,
The shepperde slepeth—God let hym neuer the.
20
A foreyn lyknesse wich shal no mon displese,By a straunge vnkouth comparysoun:
Whan þe belle-weder pastureth at his ese,
Though al þe flok haue but smal ffoysoun,
Slepeth at leiser, maketh noyse non, nor soun,
Careth for no more so he haue plente—
Alle tho that make suych a departysioun,
Among her sogettys, God let hem neuer the.
21
With ful wombe they preche of abstynence,Ther botel fild with fressh wyn or good ale,
Love weell rownyng, loutyng, and reuerence,
Newe fals report with many glosyng tale,
The iay more cherisshed than the nyhtyngale;
455
Plese more this daies whan stuffed is ther male,
Farsed with fflateryng—God let hem neuer the.
22
To gete this ffrary a confirmacyounOf somme vnthryffty bysshop Nullatense,
And graunteth hem a generall pardoun,
With a patent to begge ther dyspence,
Erly and late to walke with lycence,
With open walet ffreely in ech contre,
Ther bulle asselyd, concludyng in sentence:
Noon of this ordre is neuer lyk to the!
Explicit.
456
17. THE PAIN AND SORROW OF EVIL MARRIAGE.
1
G]lory vnto God, laude and benysounTo Iohn, to Petir, & also to Laurence,
Which haue me take vnder proteccioun
From the deluge of mortall pestilence,
And from the tempest of deedly violence,
And me preserved I fell not in the rage
Vnder the yoke and bondis of mariage.
2
I was in purpoce for to take a wiff,And for to haue wedded with-out auysenesse,
A full faire mayde; with hir to haue ladde my liff,
Whom that I loued of hasty wylfulnesse;
With othir ffolys talyved in distresse.
And some gave councell & ganne me to constreyne
To be partable of ther wofull peyne.
3
They lay vpon me, and hastid me full sore,Gave me councell with hem to be bounde,
And ganne to preyse eche day more & more
457
And besy weren my gladnesse to confounde,
Them-silf reioysyng both at eve & morowe
To haue a ffelowe to lyve with them in sorowe.
4
But of his grace God hath me preserved,To the wise councell of Aungelis three;
From Hell[e] gates they haue my-silf conserued,
In tyme of Vere when lovers lusty be,
And bright Phebus was ffresshest onto see,
In Gemyne, the lusty gladde seasoun,
Whan I to wedde caught first occasioun.
5
My ioy was sette in especiallTo wedde oon excellyng in fairnesse,
And through here beaute to haue made my-silf thrall,
Vnder the yoke of euerlastyng distresse;
But God all oonly of his grete goodnesse
Hath be an aungill as ye herde me tell,
Stopped my passage from thylke perelis of Hell.
6
Amonge thise aungelis, that were in nombre thre,There appered oon oute of the South,
Which that spake ffirst of all that trinite,
All of oon sentence, the mater [was] well couth,
And he was called “Iohn with the gildyn mouth,”
Which concludith by sentence full notable,
Wyves of custome be gladly variable.
7
Aftir this Iohn, the story seith also,In confirmacioun of ther ffragilite,
Howe that Petyr called the Corbelio
Affermyd pleynly, how wyfes gladly be
458
Right mastirfull, hasty and eke proude,
Crabbed of langage when þei lust cry lowde.
8
Who takith a wyf resceyveth a grete charge,In which he is like to haue a ffall;
With tempest possede as is a sely barge;
Wher he was fre, he makith hym-silf thrall,
Wyves of porte been so imperyall,
Husbondes dare not [theyre lustis] well gayne-say,
But lowly plie, and lowly hem obey.
9
[The husbond euer abideth in travaile,O laboure passed, ther comyth another newe;
And euery day she gynneth a bataile,
With false compleynyng to chaunge chiere and hewe;
Vnder suche falsenes she feyneth hir to be triewe,
She makith hir husbond rude as a dul asse,
Owt of whos daunger impossible is to passe.]
10
Thus wedlok is an endles penaunce,Husbondes knowe that haue experience,
A martirdome and a contynuaunce
Of sorowe ay lastyng, a deedly violence,
And this of wyves is gladly the sentence;
Vpon here husbondes when hem list be bold,
Howe they allone gouerne the howsold.
11
And if the husbond happe for to thryve,She saith it is here prudent purviaunce;
If they go bak ageynward and vnthryve,
459
He berith the wite of all suche ordynaunce:
If they be poure and fall in[to] distresse,
She sayth it is his ffoly and his lewdnesse.
12
And if [so be] he be no spere-man good,Hit may well hap he shall haue an horn,
A large bone to stuff wythall his hood,
A mowe be-hynde, and fayned chere beforn;
And if it ffall, that there good be lorn,
By auenture at even or at morowe,
The sely husbond shall haue all the sorowe.
13
The husbond hath grete cause to care,For wyff, for childe, for stuff and [for] mayne,
And if ought lacke, she woll swere and stare,
“He is a wastoure, and shall neuer the!”
But Salamon seith, ther be thynges thre,
Shrewed wyfes, rayne, and smokes blake,
Makith husbondes there howses to fforsake.
14
Wyves been bestes very vnstableIn ther desires, which may not chaunged be;
Like a swalowe which is insaciable,
Like perilous Caribdis of the trouble see,
A wawe calme, full of aduersite,
Whoes blandisshyng medled with myschaunce—
Callid Syrenes ay full of variaunce.
15
They hem reioise to see and to be sayne,And to seke sondry pilgremages;
At grete gaderynges to walken vpon the playne,
460
If they be ffaire, to shewe ther visages;
If they be ffowle of look or countenaunce,
They can amend it with plesaunt daliaunce.
16
Of ther nature they gretly hem delite,With holy fface fayned for the nones,
In seyntuaries ther ffrendes to visite,
More than for relikkes or any seyntis bones,
Though they be closed vnder precious stones;
To gete hem pardoun, like there olde vsages,
To kys no shrynes, but lusty yong images.
17
And to conclude shortly on reasoun,To speke of wedlok, of ffoles that be blent:
Ther is no more grevous ffell poysoun,
Ne noon so dredfull [peryllous] serpent,
As is a wyfe double in here entent;
Wherfore, yonge men, to eschewe sorowe & care,
Withdrawe your foot, or ye ffall in the snare.
Explicit.
461
18. RYGHT AS A RAMMES HORNE.
A Resoun of the Rammes Horne.
1
Al Right-Wisnesse dothe now procede,Sitte crowned liche an Emperesse;
Lawe hathe diffied Guerdoun & Mede,
And sette vp Trowthe as a goddesse.
Good Feithe hathe outraied Dowblenesse,
And Prudence seeth al thynge a-forne,
Kepyng the ordre of Stablenesse
Conueyed by lyne—right as a rammes horne.
462
2
Princes of custome maynteyne right yn dede,And prelates lyuen alle yn holynesse,
Knyȝthode wille suffre no falshede,
And presthode hathe refused al richesse;
Religious, of verray parfitenesse,
With vertues ben on hight vp-borne;
Enuye yn cloisters hathe noon entresse:
There loue conueyed—right as a rames horne.
3
Marchauntes of lucre take noon hede,And Vsure lith fetred yn distresse;
And for to speke or write of womanhede,
Thei ban[i]shed han from hem Nowfangelnesse;
And laborers done ay ther besynesse
That of the daie they wille none owre be lorne,
With swotte & trauaile avoydyng Idilnesse:
Conueyed be lyne—right as a rammes horne.
4
Pore folke pleyne hem for no nede,—These riche men dothe so grete almesse!
Plente eke dothe the hungry fede,
Clothe the naked & his wrecchednesse;
463
Sclandre from his tunge hathe plucked owte þe thorn;
Detraccioun his langage dothe represse:
Conueyed be lyne—right as a rammes horn.
5
Ipocrisie chaunged hathe his wede,Take an habite of vertuous gladnesse;
Deceyte dare not abrode is whynges sprede,
Nor Dissymulynge owte his hornes dresse;
For Trowthe of kynde wille shewe his brightnesse
Withowte eclipsynge, thowgh Falsnesse had hit sworn;
And for to afferme this dite by processe,
Hit is conueied—right as a rammes horn.
6
Owte of this londe—& elles God forbede!—Owtlawed ben Feynynge & Falsenesse;
And Flatrie is fled, for verrai drede;
Riche and pore haue chose hem to Sadnesse;
Women lefte Pride, & take hem to Mekenesse,
Whos paciens is now wette and shorne,
Ther tonges haue non tarage of sharpnesse:
Conueied be lyne—right as a rammes horne.
7
So now remembre, & prudentli take hede,How Vertu is of Vices lady & maistresse;
464
Thurgh right beleue, the dede bereth witnesse;
Eretikes han loste here frowardenesse,
Wedid the cokle from the pure corne:
Thus eche astate is gouerned, yn sothenesse,
Conueied be lyne—right as a rammes horne!
19. SO AS THE CRABBE GOTH FORWARD.
465
Takeþe heede my lordes for here foloweþe a balade of
þe same sentence made in oure englishe langage
by Daun Iohan Lidegate of Bury þe Munke / nowe
iugeþe yee þat beoþe kunyng / which yowe lykeþe
þe beter þe nsh or þenglissh.
1
Þis worlde is ful of stabulnesse,Þer is þer inne no varyaunce;
But trouthe, feyth, and gentylesse,
Secrenesse, and assuraunce,
Plente, ioye, and al playsaunce
466
Verrayly by ressemblaunce
So as þe crabbe goþe forward.
2
Þer is nowe founde no falsnesse,Right is so mighty of puissaunce;
Feyth haþe exyled doublenesse,
Fortune chaungeþe not hir chaunse,
Beheest abydiþe in constaunce,
Frenship is founde no coward,
Light with derkeness haþe acordaunce—
So as þe crabbe goþe forward.
3
Prynces soustene Rightwysnesse,Knighthood in Trouthe haþe whett his launce,
Lawe haþe putte Meede in gret distresse
And avoyded hir acqueyntaunce,
Pariuree in England and Fraunce
Is fledde byyonde Mount Godard,
Iuroures with Trouth haue allyaunce—
So as þe crabbe gooþe forwarde.
4
Sergeauntes, pledirs of Kyndenesse,Haue made oon Guerdoun a defyaunce;
Consistoryes for Hoolynesse,
Bytweene hem and Meede is gret distaunce;
Flatterye haþe lost his countenaunce,
Plentee is founden no nygarde,
Scarsytee is goone to meschaunce—
So as þe crabbe gooþe forwarde.
5
Iche man haþe enoughe Rychesse,Poure folke feele no grevaunce;
Preesthode lyveþe in parfytnesse,
467
Relygyoun haþe noon attendaunce
Vn-to þe worlde, but al vpward—
To gyf ensaumple, in substaunce,
Howe þat þe crabbe gooþe forward.
6
Takeþe heede also, bavysynesse,Wymmen frome Cartage to Constaunce
Ebaunysshed haue Newfangelnesse,
Putt in his place Perseueraunce;
In clergye is parfyte gouuernaunce;
Mesure with marchaundes is cheef stuward,
Weght holdeþe truwly þeyre ballaunce—
So as þe crabbe gooþe forwarde.
Lenvoye.
Prynce, þe reuers to expresseOf yche thing by contynuaunce:
Entendement Double is cheef maystresse,
Fals compassing by disseyvaunce,
Which causeþe alwey gret distourbaunce;
Frensshe, Englysshe, Normand, and Pycard,
Þe hevenly signe makeþe demonstraunce
Howe þat þe crabbe gooþe bakward!
468
[Narrative Poems.]
20. THE CHURL AND THE BIRD.
Incipit de Aue & Rustico.
1
Problemys, liknessis & ffiguresWhich previd been fructuous of sentence,
And han auctoritees groundid on scriptures
Bi resemblaunces of notable apparence,
With moralites concludyng in prudence,—
Lik as the Bible reherseth bi writyng,
How trees somtyme ches hem-silf a kyng;
2
First in ther chois they namyd the OliveTo regne among hem, Iudicum doth expresse,
But he hym-silf gan excusen blyve,
He myht nat forsakyn his fatnesse;
Nor the Figge-tre hir amerous swetnesse;
469
Which yeuyth comfort to al maner ages.
3
And semblably poetes laureate,Bi dirk parables ful convenyent,
Feyne that briddis & bestis of estat—
As roial eglis & leones—bi assent
Sent out writtis to hold a parlement,
And maade decrees breffly for to sey,
Som to haue lordship, & som to obey.
4
Eglis in the ayer hihest to take ther fliht,Power of leones on the grounde is seene,
Ceedre of trees hihest is of sight,
And the Laurel of natur is ay grene,
Of floures all Flora, goddes & queene;
Thus of al thyng ther been dyuersites,
Some of estat, & som of lowe degrees.
5
Poetes write wondirful liknessis,And vndir covert kepte hem silf ful cloos;
Bestis thei take, & fowlis, to witnessis,
Of whoos feynyng fables first arroos;—
And heere I cast vnto my purpoos
Out of Frenssh a tale to translate,
Which in a paunflet I radde & sauh but late.
470
6
This tale, which I make of mencioun,In groos rehersid, pleynly to declare,
Thre proverbis paied for raunsoun
Of a fair bird that was take in a snare,
Wondir desirous to scape out of hir care:—
Of myn auctour folwyng the processe,
So as it fill, in ordre I shal expresse.
7
Whilom ther was [in] a smal village,—As my auctour makith rehersail—
A cherl which had[de] lust & gret corage
Withyne hymsilf, bi diligent travaile,
Tarray his gardeyn with notable apparaile,
Off lenghte & brede ilich[e] square & longe,
Hedgid & dichid to make it sewr & strong.
8
Al thaleys were made pleyn with sond,The benchis turved with newe turvis grene,
Sote herbis with condittes at the hond,
That wellid vp ageyn the sonne shene,
Lich siluer stremys, as any cristal cleene,
The burbly wawis in ther vp boylyng
Round as berel, ther bemys out shewyng.
471
9
Mid the gardeyn stood a fressh laurer,Theron a brid syngyng, bothe day & nyht,
With sonnyssh fetheris brihter than gold wer,
Which with hir song makith heuy hertis liht,
That to bihold it was an heuenly siht
How toward evyn & in the daw[e]nyng,
She did hir peyn most amorously to syng.
10
Esperus afforcid hir corage,Toward euyn, whan Phebus gan to weste,
Among the branchis for hir avauntage,
To syng hir complyn & than gon to reste,
And at the risyng of the Queene Alceste
To syng ageyn, as it was to hir dewe,
Erly on morwe the day-sterre to salewe.
11
It was a verray heuenly melodieEuen & morwe to here the briddis song,
And the soote sewgred armonye
Of vncouth warblis & tewnes drawe along,
That al the gardeyn of the noise rong,
Til on a morwe, that Titan shon ful cleere,
The brid was trappid & cauht in a panteere.
12
The cherl was glad that he this brid hath take,Mery of cheer, of look, and of visage,
And in al hast he cast[e] for to make
472
And with hir song to reioissh his corage;
Tyl atte last the cely bryd a-brayde,
And sobirly to the cherl [s]he saide:—
13
“I am now take & stonde vndir daungeer,Hold[e] streite, & I may nat flee;
Adieu my song & al my notis cleer
Now that I haue lost my liberte,
Now am I thral, and somtyme I was fre,
And trust weel now I stonde in distresse,
I can-nat syng, nor make no gladnesse.
14
“And thouh my cage forged were of gold,And the pynaclis of berel & cristall,
I remembre a prouerbe seid of old,
‘Who lesith his fredam, in soth, he lesith all;
For I haue leuer vpon a braunche small
Meryly to syng among the woodis grene,
Than in a cage of siluer briht and shene.
15
“Song & prisoun haue noon accordaunce,Trowistow I wole syngen in prisoun?
Song procedith of ioie & plesaunce,
And prisoun causith deth & destruccioun;
Ryngyng of ffeteris makith no mery soun;
Or how shold he be glad or iocounde,
Ageyn his wil that lith in cheynes bounde?
473
16
“What vaileth it a leon to be a kyngOff bestis all, shet in a tour of ston?
Or an egle vndir streite kepyng,
Callid also kyng of ffoules euerychon?
Fy on lordship whan liberte is gon!
Answer heer-to, & late it nat asterte,
Who syngith mery, that syngith nat of herte?
17
“But if thou wilt reioissh my syngyng,Late me go flee free fro [al] daungeer,
And euery day in the morwenyng
I shal repair vn-to thi laurer
And fresshly syng with lusty notis cleer
Vndir thi chaumbir or aforn thyn halle,
Euery sesoun whan thou list me calle.
18
“To be shet vp & pynned vndir dredeNothyng accordith vn-to my nature;
Thouh I were fed with mylk & wastelbred,
And swete cruddis brouht to my pasture,
Yit hadde I leuer do my besy cure
Erly on morwe to shrape[n] in the vale
To fynde my dyner among the wormes smale.
19
“The labourer is gladder at his plow,Erly on morwe to feede hym on bacoun,
Than som man is, that hath tresour inow
474
And hath no fredam, with his pocessioun,
To gon at large, but as a bere at stake,
To passe his boundis, but if he leve take.
20
“Take this answeer for a ful conclusioun,To syng in prisoun thou shalt me neuer constreyn,
Tyl I have fredam in woodis vp and doun,
To flee at large on bouhis rouh & pleyn;
And of resoun thou shuldist nat disdeyn
Of my desir, but lawhen & haue game,
But who is a cherl wold eche man were the same.”
21
“Weel,” quod the cherl, “sith it wole nat beThat I desir, as be thi talkyng,
Maugre thi wil thou shalt chese oon of three,
Withyn a cage myryly to syng,
Or to the kechen I shal thi body bryng,
Pulle thi ffetherys that be so briht & cleere,
And aftir roste, or bake to my dyneer.”
22
Than quod the brid:—“To resoun sei nat I nay,Touchyng my song a ful resoun thu hast,
And whan my fetheris pullid ben away
Yiff I be rostid othir bake in past,
Thou shalt of me haue a ful small repast;
But yiff thou wilt werkyn bi my counsail,
Thou maist bi me han passyng gret avail.
475
23
“Yiff thou wilt on-to my rede assent,And sofre me gon frely fro prisoun
Without raunsom or any othir rent,
I shal the yeve a notable gret gwerdoun,
Thre greete wisdames, accordyng to resoun,
More of availe, take heed what I do profre,
Than al the gold that is shett in thi coofre.
24
“Trust me weel I shal the nat disseive,Whoo that shal teche, of resoun he shal go fre.”
“Weel,” quod the cherl, “telle on, anoon lat see.”
“Nay,” quod the brid, “thou shalt anon conceyve,
It sitt a mayster to have his liberte,
And at large to have his lessoun,
Have me nat suspectt, I meene no tresoun.”
25
“Weel,” quod the cherl, “I hold me weel content,I trust the promys which thou hast made to me.”
The brid fley forth, the cherl was at assent,
And took hir fliht vp to the lawrer tre.
Than thouht she thus:—“Now that I stond[e] free,
With snarys, panteris, I cast nat al my live,
Nor with no lymetwigges any more to stryve.
476
26
“He is a fool, that skapid is daunger,Hath brooke his ffeteris, & fled is from prisoun,
For to resort; for brent child dredith fyer;
Eche man bewar, of wisdam & resoun,
Of sugre strowid, that hidith fals poisoun;
Ther is no venym so perlious of sharppnesse,
As whan it hath of triacle a liknesse.
27
“Whoo dredith no perel, in perel he shal falle;Smothe watres beth oft-sithis deepe;
The quaile-pipe can most falsly calle,
Til the quaile vndir the nett doth creepe;
A blereyde fowler trust nat, thouh he weepe,
Eschew his thombe, of wepyng take non heed,
That smale briddis can nype bi the hed.
28
“And now that I sich daungers am askapid,I wole bewar, & a-forn provide,
That of no fowler I wole no more be iapid,
From ther lyme-twiggis I wol fleen ferr a-side,
Wher perel is, gret perel is tabide;—
Com nere thou cherl, take heed [vn-]to my speche,
Of thre wisdamys that I wole the teche.
29
“Yiff nat of wisdam to hasty credenceTo euery tale, nor to eche tidyng,
But considre of reson & prudence
477
Hasty credence hath causid gret hyndryng,
[Report of talis, & tydynges brought vp new
Makith many a man to be hold vntrewe.]
30
“For oo party take this for my raunsoun;Lerne the secounde, groundid on Scriptur:
Desir thou nat bi no condicioun
Thyng that is inpossible to recur;
Wordly desires stond al in aventure,
And whoo disireth to clymbe to hih a-loftt,
Bi sodeyn torn, felith often his fal vnsoftt.
31
“The thridde is this, bewar, bothe eue & morwe,Forgete it nat, but lerne this of me:
For tresour lost make nevir to grett sorwe,
Which in no wise may recured be;
For who takith sorwe for losse in that degre,
Rekne first his losse, & aftir rekne his peyne,
Off oo sorwe, he makith sorwis tweyne.”
32
Aftir this lessoun the brid began a song,Off hir escape gretly reioisshi[n]g,
And she, remembring also of the wrong
478
Off hir affray & of hir prisonyng,
Glad that she was at large & out of dreede,
Said on-to hym, houyng above his hede:—
33
“Thou were,” quod she, “a verry natural foole,To sofre me departe of thi lewdnesse,
Thou aughtist of riht to pleyn & makyn deole,
And in [thyn] hert[e] han grett hevynesse
That thou hast lost so passyng gret richesse,
Which myht suffise bi valew in rekeny[n]g
To pay the raunsom of a myhty kyng.
34
“Ther is a ston which callid is iagounce,Off old engendrid withynne my entrayle,
Which of fyne gold peiseth a gret vnce,
Citryne of colour, lik garnetes of entaile,
Which makith men victorious in bataile,
And who-so-euer bere on hym this stoon
Is ful assured of his mortal foon.
35
“Who hath this stoon in poscessioun,Shal sofre no povert, nor non indigence,
But of all tresour haue plente & foisoun,
And euery man shal doon hym reverence,
And noon enmye shal hym doon offence;
But from thyn handis now that I am goon,
Pleyn if þou wilt, for thi part is noon.
479
36
“It causith love, it makith men graciousAnd favorabil in euery mannys siht,
It makith accord attween folk envious,
Comfortith sorweful, makyth hevy hertis liht,
Lik thopasion of colour sonnyssh bright;—
I am a fool to telle þe al attonys,
Or teche a cherl the prys of precious stonys.
37
“Men shuld nat put a precious margariteAs rubies, saphires or othir stonys ynde,
Emeroudes, nor othir perlis whihte
To fore rude swyn, that love draff of kynde;
For a sowe delitith, as I fynde,
Moore in fowle draff hir pyggis for to glade,
Than in all the perre, that cometh of Garnade.
38
“Ech þing drawith vn-to his semblable:Fissh in the see, bestis on the stronde,
The eyr for fowlis of natur is covenable,
To a plowman for [to] tyle his londe,
And to a cherl, a mookfork in his honde;
I lese my tyme any moor to tarye,
[To telle a bovir of the lapidarye].
480
39
“That thou haddist, thou getist no more ageyn,Thy lyme twyggis & panteeris I defye.
To lete me gon thou were fowle ovir-seyn,
To leese thi richesse only for folie;
I am now free, to syngen & to flie
Wher that me list, & he is a fool at all
That goth at large, & makith hym-silf thrall.
40
“To heeryn a wisdam thyn eris ben half deeff,Lik an asse that listeth on a harpe,
Thou maist go pypen in a ivy leeff;
Bett is to me to syngyn on thornes sharpe,
Than in a cage, with a cherl to karpe,
For it was seyd of ffolkis yoore a-goon,
A cherlis cherl ful oft is woo-bigoon!”
41
The cherl felt his hert[e] parte on tweyn,For verry sorwe, and a-sondry rive.
“Allas,” quod he, “I may weel weepe & pleyn
As a wretche nevir lik to thryve,
But for tendewr in povert al my live,
For of foly & of wilfulnesse
I have now lost al holly my richesse.
42
“I was a lord, I crie, ‘Out on fortune!’Hadde gret tresour late in my kepyng,
Which myht haue made me long to contune
481
Yif that I hadde sett it in a ryng,
Born it on me, I hadde had good i-nowh,
I shold no more haue goon on-to the plowh!”
43
Whan the brid sauh the cherl thus moorne,And how that he was hevy of his cheere,
She took hir fliht, and gan ageyn retoorne,
Towardis hym, & seide as ye shal here:—
“O dulle cherl! wisdames for to leere
That I the tauht, al is left bi-hynde,
Racid awey, and cleene out of thi mynde.
44
“Tauht I the nat this wisdam in sentence:To every tale brouht to the of newe,
Nat hastily yeue ther-to credence,
Into tyme thou knowe that it were trewe?
All is nat gold that shewith goldissh hewe,
Nor stoonys all bi natur, as I fynde,
Be nat saphires that shewe colour ynde.
45
“In this doctryne I lost my labour,To teche the sich proverbis of substaunce.
Now maist thou seen thi blynded lewde errour;
For al my body, peised in balaunce,
Weieth nat an vnce, rewde is thi remembraunce,
I to have moore peise closyd in myn entraile,
Than al my body set for the countirtaile.
482
46
“Al my body weieth nat an vnce,How myht I than have in me a stoon,
That peisith more than doth a grett iagounce?
Thi brayn is dul, thi witt is al-most goon,
Off thre wisdamys thou hast forgeten on,
Thou shuldist nat, aftir my sentence,
To euery tale yeue to hasty credence.
47
“I bad al-so, bewar bothe day & morwe,For thyng lost of sodeyn aventur,
Thou sholdist nat make to mych sorwe,
Whan thou seest thou maist it nat recur;
Heer thou failist, which doost thi besi cur
In thi snare to catche me ageyn,
Thou art a fool, thi labour is in veyn.
48
“In the thridde also thou dost rave,I bad thou sholdist in no maner wyse,
Coueite thyng which thou maist nat have,
In which thou hast forgeten myn emprise,
That I may seyn, pleynly to devise,
Thou hast of madnesse forgeten all thre
Notable wisdamys, which I tauht[e] the.
49
“It were but foly with the for to carpe,Or to preche of wisdamys more or lasse,
I hold hym mad that bryngith foorth an harpe,
483
And mad is he that syngith a fool a masse;
And he most mad that dooth his besynesse
To teche a cherl termys of gentilnesse.
50
“And semblably in Aprill and in May,Whan gentil briddis make most melodie,
The cookkow syngen can but o lay,
In othir tymes she hath no fantasye;
Thus euery thyng, as clerkes specifie,
Frute on trees, & folk of euery age,
Fro whens thei cam, [thei taken] a tarage.
51
“The vynteneer tretith of his holsom wynes,Off gentil frute bostith the gardeneer,
The ffissher cast his hookis & his lynes,
To catche ffissh in euery fresh ryveer,
Of tilthe of lond tretith the boveer,
The cherl deliteth to speke of ribaudye,
The hunter to speek of venerye.
52
“All oon to the a ffaucoun & a kyte,As good an oule as a popyngay,
A donghyl doke, as deynte as a snyte;
484
Adieu, Sir Cherl, farwell, I flye my way ;
I cast me nevir hensforth, my lyvyng,
Aforn a cherl anymore to syng!”
Verba auctoris.
Ye folk that shal this fable seen & rede,New forgid talis counceilith yow to flee,
For losse of good takith no gret heede,
Beeth nat to sorwefful for noon aduersite,
Coveitith no-thyng that may nat bee,
And remembrith, wheer that euer ye gon,
A cherlis cherl is alwey woo-begon.
Lenvoie.
54
Vn-to purpoos this proverbe is ful riff,Rad & reportid bi oold remembraunce:
A childis brid. and a knaves wyff
Have oft[e] sithe gret sorwe & myschaunce.
Whoo hath freedam, hath al suffisaunce,
Better is freedam with litel in gladnesse,
Than to be thral in al wordly richesse.
55
Go, litel quaier, & recomaunde meVn-to my maistir with humble affeccioun;
485
Of thi rude makyng to have compassioun;
And as touchyng thi translacioun
Out of the Frenssh, how-euyr the Englysh be,
All thyng is seide vndir correccioun
With supportacioun of your benyngnyte.
Explicit Fabula de Ave & Rustico.
486
21. FABULA DUORUM MERCATORUM.
1
In Egipt whilom, as I reede and fynde,Ther dwellyd a marchaunt of hih & gret estat,
Nat oonly riche, but bountevous and kynde,
As of nature to hym it was innat
(For alle vertues in hym wern aggregat);
Of vices voyd, pitous and merciable,
And of his woord, as any centre, stable.
487
2
But, as me thynkith, it were convenient,Or in this tale I any ferther passe,
For to descryve to you, that be present,
Wher that this contre stant and in what place;
And, if I erre, I put me in your grace:
Forberith me now and heerith paciently;
For, as myn auctour seith, riht so sey I.
3
This riche lond, moost passaunt of plente,With Surry marchith toward thorient,
On which syde is eek the Rede Se;
And Libye stant ful in the occident;
Who castith the coostys of the firmament,
The Grete Se northward shal he fynde
And ferre by south Ethiope and Ynde.
4
As auctours witnesse, this lond is desolatOf cloude and reynes aboute in euery yle,
But yeer by yeer the soil is irrigat
And ouyrflowyd with the fflood of Nyle,
The which endurith but a certeyn whyle,
As for a norshyng, her frutys to fecunde,
With corn and greyn to make the lond habounde.
5
Of sondry frutys and of marchaundiseThoruh out envyroun it is so plentevous,
What mercymony that men list devise,
Is ther ful reedy and ful copious.
I hold it best to be compendious:
Of al richesse ther is such habundaunce,
That euery wiht hath ther[of] suffisaunce.
6
This worthy marchaunt, this Egipcien,Which I of spak, was named ferre and wyde;
For many oon, that hym had [neuer] seen,
488
And in a contre cald Baldac ther besyde
Anothir marchaunt, as by relacioun,
Of hym hadde herd and of his hih renoun.
7
This latter marchaunt was eek a worthy man,Ful weel belovid also in his contre;
In trouthe he hadde al, that euyr he wan,
And hym governyd evirmore in honeste.
From ech to othir the name began to fle,
That by report and by noon othir mene
Of her too lovys was maad a stable chene.
8
Revoluyth ech by contemplaciounAl of his freend the lyknesse and ymage:
Thynkyng hath grave with deep impressioun
Ech othris fourme, stature and visage;
Her hertys eye did alwey her message,
And mynde medleth in the memorial
And fet his foode in the ffantastical.
9
Thorugh-out her erys wellyd of memoryeThe soun of fame of hem so ferre-i-fet
Hath past and wonne the castel of victorye:
Foryetilnesse ne may it nat vnshet;
Love berith the keye and also the cliket,
As trewe porteer, that they mot needys dwelle
(So ar they loke) withyne myndys selle.
10
Vertu goth ferre, he may nat hyde his liht:Withoute feet a gret paas doth he renne,
And, wher he shyneth, no dirknesse of the nyht
His beemys dymmen, nor no cloude of synne.
Withoute smoke fire ne may nat brenne,
489
To seeke his feer in euery coost or place.
11
For, riht as falsnesse anoon fyndith out his feere,So trouthe and trouthe as faste been at accorde;
Tweyne of o kynde togidre drawe neere,
So strong of nature is the myhty corde.
Kynde is in werkyng a ful myhty lorde:
In love he lynketh hem, that be vertuous,
Riht as dissoluen thynges, that be contrarious.
12
For lich of lich is serchyd and enqueerid:To merthe longith to fynden out gladnesse,
And wo can weepe, thouh he be nat leryd,
And dool eek drawith vnto drerynesse;
Honour is weddyd vnto worthynesse.
Vnto his semblable thus euery thyng can drawe,
And nothyng bynde hem, but natur by hir lawe.
13
Repoort of vertu oonly by audienceFrom ech to othir hath brouht the blisful soun
Of thes too marchauntis disseueryd by absence,
That they been oon, as by affeccioun;
Ther may be maad no divisioun.
With-oute siht ech is to othir deere,
Love hath her hertys so soore set affyre.
14
By lond or se the good her chapmen caryeWas entircomownyd by her bothys assent:
Yiff oon hadde ouht plesaunt or necessarye,
Vnto the tothir anoon he hath it sent.
So ful they were of oon accordement,
As oon in too and too in oon for euere,
That nought, but deth, her love may disseuere.
490
15
Ferthere to telle, how it fel of thes too,As fortune wolde and eek necessite,
That he of Baldac to Egipt mvst goo
For marchaundise, that was in that contre.
Ful glad he was, that he his freend shal see:
A blisful wynd in-to his seyl hath blowe
His ship to dryve, ther as he may hym knowe.
16
Whan that he was arryved vnto londe,For ioye hym thouhte, he was in Paradys;
For euery lovere may weel vndirstonde,
That of frenship the moost sovereyn blys
Is for to be withouten any mys
In thilke place, wher rootid is his herte,
For to relese of love his peynes smerte.
17
For, riht as afftir the blake nyht of sorweGladnesse folwith thoruh suyng of the day,
And fressh flourys displayen by the morwe,
That wern toforn in dirknesse and affray,
And afftir wyntir sweth greene May:
Riht so of ffreendys her tristesse for to fyne
Is liht of presence, whan it to them may shyne.
18
O out on absence of hem, that loven trewe!O out on partyng by disseveraunce!
O ground of woo, of her feuere newe
(I meene, of freendys, that langour in distaunce)!
O bittir bale hangyng in ballaunce!
On the a clamour now I wil begynne,
That causist lovers assondir for to twynne.
19
But, as to them, that han i-tastyd galle,Mor aggreable is the hoony soote,
491
Is, whan they heryn kalendys of her boote.
Of lovers art ful bittir is the roote,
But weel is hym, that may the frute atteyne,
As whilom diden thes noble marchauntis tweyne.
20
For, whan that he of Egipt herde seye,How that his freend was entryd in-to the londe,
For verray ioye he felte his herte pleye,
And hym tencontre, he seyde, he wolde fonde,
And, whan they mette, he took hym by the honde
And kist hym aftir, and with vnfeyned cheere
He seide: “Wolcom, my feithful freend so deere.
21
Now haue I found, that I so longe haue souht.”“Wolcom,” he seide by rowe an hundryd sithe,
And to his place anoon he hath hym brouht
And hym receyved with herte glad and blithe.
He maad his menee her deveer doon as swithe,
That al wer reedy, that myht be to hym ese:
So fayn he was his freend to queeme and plese.
22
Vnto a chaumbre ful riche and weel arrayedAnoon he lad hym, which stood somwhat on heihte,
And seide: “Freend, I am ful weel appayed,
That I be grace of you haue cauht a sihte;
For nothyng moore myn herte myht[e] lihte;
Wherfore wolcom, also God me save,
Vn-to your owne, and to al that I have.”
23
Of mete and drynk, deyntees and vitaille,Of divers wynes ther was no skarsete,
Of straunge viaundys in sondry apparaille,
492
To moore and lasse it snowyd doun plente.
To rekken the fare and cours in thrifty wyse
A somerys day ne myht[e] nat suffise.
24
The riche beddyng of swte so weel beseyne,Passaunt and plesyng eek, the roial paramentis,
That for his freend this marchaunt did ordeyne,
With al the soun of dyvers instrumentys,
Revel disguysed with chaung of garnementis,
Of song and musyk the merthe and melodye—
Al to reherse my witt I can nat plye.
25
They ryde aboute with hauk & eek with houndys,He shewith hym maneers, castellis and eek tours;
Thoruh al his lordship he lat hym in the boundys
By park, by forest, by meedwys fressh of flowrs;
And, list he were pryked with paramours,
Ful many a lady and maiden by his side
On white palfreys he made for to ryde.
26
Of al his tresour withyne and withouteNothyng he hidith: of al he hadde a siht.
He saide: “Freend, withouten any doute,
What so I haue, is platly in your myht.
I feffe you fully in al my good and riht.
Beth glad and wolcom: I can sey you no more.
Haue her myn hand for now and evirmore.”
27
This straunge marchaunt thankyth hym with herte:Nay, “straunge” nat; allas, why seid I soo?
I spak amys, this woord now me asterte,
Sith in accord confederat been they too.
The boond is maad bothe for wele and woo.
I erryd foule to speke of straungenesse
Of tweyne allyed, so kneet in stabilnesse.
493
28
But, as I seyde, with al herte entieerHis freend he thankith of entent ful cleene,
For now presence hath maad the wedir cleer,
Of absence chacyd the mystis ful of teene.
Her ioiful somer is tapited al in greene,
Of stable blew is her bothen hewe
To shewe that too in love wer nevir so trewe.
29
This blisful lyff from day to day they leede,Tyl that fortune to them had enmyte.
Allas, for dool myn herte I feele bleede;
For evir vnwarly cometh aduersite.
This straunge marchaunt hath cauht infirmyte:
A brennyng feuere so soore did hym shake,
That fro the deth he trowith nat to skape.
30
A bed in haste was maad ful softely,In which he cowchyd, and gan to sike and groone.
His prayeer was to alle pitously,
That by hym-silf he myhte been alloone:
So kowde he best yeuen issu to his moone.
But than his freend for woo began to melte,
That al his peynes, he seemyd, that he felte.
31
Thus longith it to freendys, entirparteNat oonly merthe, but wo and hevynesse:
Yif oon hath peyne, bothe hertis it doth thoruh-darte,
Yif that her love be set in sikirnesse,
And, yif oon drye, bothe they haue distresse.
This is the ballaunce oonly of freendys riht:
Euenly to deele, wher they be glad or liht.
32
And for tassaye, yif it myht [hym] ese,The chaunbre is voyded, and he is left al sool.
Than to hym-seluen he spak in his disese
494
Now hoot, now coold I erre, as doth a fool.
Allas, and yit the cheffest of my peyne
Is, that I dar to no wiht weel compleyne.
33
“I am [i-] hurt, but closyd is my wounde:My dethis spere strykith in my brest;
My bollyng festrith, that it may nat sounde,
And yit no cicatrice shewith at the lest.
Cupidis darte on me hath maad arrest:
The cleer streemys of castyng of an ye
This is tharwe, me causith for to dye.
34
“And at myn herte is hoolly, that I feele,But aftir cure, God wot, I dar nat seche.
My sweete fo is hard as any steele.
Allas! vnmercy doth to cruel wreche;
For thilke flour, that myhte be my leche,
She wot riht nouht, what wo that I endure,
And to be ded I dar me nat discure.
35
“And eek my freend, whom I love moost of al,Yif that he knewh my secre maladye,
Ful cruel vengaunce shuld vpon me fal
For myn outrage, despiht and velanye,
That I durst evir clymbyn vp so hihe
To love that maiden kept for his owne stoor:
Thus must I deyen; what shuld I pleynen mor?
36
“I sauh ful many ladyes in the rowteSo fayr, so fressh i-brouht for my plesaunce,
But now for oon my liff lith al in dowte,
That of my deth ther is noon avoidaunce:
And yit the thyng, that doth me moost grevaunce,
Is, that I shulde to hym I am so bounde
Disnatural or traitour been i-founde.
495
37
“For thilke goodly, that he lovyd moost,I am abowte falsly hym to reve.
Love can no frenship, I se weel, in no coost.
Allas, Cupide disseyvable for to leve.
Love rechchith nat his freend [to] wrath and greve.
Allas, of love such is the fervent heete,
That litil chargith his freend for to leete.”
38
And, whil he lay in langour thus musyng,His freend wol besy was with al his myht
To serche aboute the lond envirounnyng:
His menee riden bothe day and niht
To founden som man, that wer expert arriht,
Or phisicien, for no cost wold he spare
To haue restoored the sike to weelfare.
39
Assemblyd been of leechis many oon,The beste and wisest, that he coude ffynde.
Vnto the sike they been i-comen echoon
To taste his poorys and for to deeme his kynde.
The[i] were ful besy to fynd out roote and rynde,
Of what humour was causyd his dissese,
And theron werke his accesse to appese.
40
With hem they brouhte, yif they sey[e] neede,Ful goode siropys to make dygestyues,
And therwithal the sonnere for to speede
Pelotes expert for evacuatyues,
Ful precious poudrys and confortatives,
That, whan they knew of maladyes the roote,
Nouht were behynden to werken for his boote.
496
41
Whan they haue serchid by signes his estat,They merveyle gretly what it myht[e] be,
That his fevere was nat interpollat,
But ay contynueth hoot and in oo degre.
They seide, certeyn, it was noon of the thre,
But yif it were oonly effymora;
For neithir etyk it was ne putrida.
42
Effymera hath his originalWhan mannys spiritys been in distemperaunce,
Or in-to excesse yif a wiht be fal
Of mete and drynk thoruh mysgovernaunce:
Of accidentis, of thouht, of perturbaunce,
Of hoot, of cold or greef in any maneer
This feuere cometh, as auctours tellen heer.
43
And putrida is causyd gladly thus:Whan any humour synneth in quantite,
Or whan his flowyng is to plentevous,
That he excedith mesoure in qualite.
Yiff by blood, anoon ye may it see;
Yif quantite ouht erre, espyeth it thus,
The fevere in phisyk is callyd sinochus.
44
And, yiff the humour in qualite exceedith,Or heete or blood passe his temperament,
In-to a fevere anoon a man it leedith
Clepid synocha by putrefaccioun shent.
And, yif of colra he take his groundement,
Pure or vnpure, citryn or vitellyne,
Gyles you techith to iuge it by vryne.
45
Also of etikes ther be kyndes thre,But oon ther is pereilous in special,
The which is, whan by [any] degre
497
In thilke humydite i-callyd radical;
The which ffevere is gladly incurable,
For drye tisyk is withal partable.
46
Off othir humours han thes leechys eekFul deepe enqueeryd to serchen out the trouthe
By every weye, that they cowde seek:
In hem was ffounde defawte noon nor slouthe;
But atte laste of o thyng ha they routhe,
That he were falle, for ouht they cowd espye,
For thouht or love into malencolye.
47
His vryne was remys, attenuatBy resoun gendryd of ffrigidite,
The veyne ryueers, for they wern oppilat,
It was ful thynne and wannyssh for to see;
The streihte passage causyd aquosite,
Withoute substaunce to voyde hym of colour,
That they dispeired been by his socour.
48
For, whan nature of vertu regitiffThoruh malencolye is pressyd and bor doun,
It is to dreede gretly of the liff,
But soone be ordeyned opposicioun;
For it was likly, that this passioun
Was eithir thouht or love, that men calle
Amor ereos, that he was in falle.
49
The roote wherof and the corrupciounIs of thilke vertu callid estimatiff,
As yif a man haue deep impressioun,
That ovirlordshipith his imagynatif,
And that the cours be forth successyf
To trowe a wiht for love mor fayr or pure,
Than evir hym ordeyned hath God or nature.
498
50
This causith man to fallen in manye,So arn his spiritis vexid by travayle.
Allas, that man shuld fallen in ffrenesye
For love of woman, that litil may avayle!
For now thes leechys, as by supposayle,
Konne of this man noon othir ffevir espye,
But that for love was hool his malladye
51
And, whan his freend the sothe gan vndirgropeOf this myscheef, he nat ne wolde abide;
But in to the chaunbyr anoon he is i-lope
And kneelyd adoun by his beddys syde.
He seyd: “Freend, to me nothyng thu hyde:
Telle me your herte, telle me your hevynesse,
And lat no thouht causen your drerynesse.
52
“Yiff loues ffevere do yow ouht to quake,Telle me the soth and rake nat in the fyre.
Out of your slombre, for shame, why nyl ye wake?
To me vncloose the somme of your desyre.
Be what she be, I shal do my deveere.
Allas, mystrust to lokke it vp fro me!
Telle on, for shame, com of and lat me see!
53
“Your freend mystruste, it is an hih repreeff,Or to concele from hym your priuyte.
Parauenture he may to your myscheeff
Fynde remedye sonnere, than may ye.
And sith in feith so deepe i-sworn be we,
I wol it weten withouten mor delay,
What may you helpyn, by God and by my fay.”
54
And alle the ladyes and maydenys of his hous,Bothe oold and yong, were brouht to his presence.
499
That for hir wysdam and hir excellence
Was moost of alle had in reverence,
The which this marchaunt for oon the beste alyve
Kept in his hous in purpoos hir to wyve.
55
Ful wys she was of so tendir age,Prudent and war and ful of honeste,
Devoyde cleene of vices and outrage,
Whos beaute flouryd and virginite,
Plesaunt of poort, roote of humylite,
Of maneer myrour and welle of womanheede,
Goodly abayssht and ffemynyn of dreede.
56
Hool of hir herte, benygne and immvtable,Nat frel, fadyng, but ful of affiaunce,
In moral vertu mesuryd and tretable,
Housoold to guye ful war of governaunce:
To been exaunple, kynde hir lyst avaunce,
That, yif I shal hir shortly comprehende,
In hir was nothyng, that nature myht amende.
57
The sike marchaunt, whan he hir beheeld,With dreedful herte and voys ful tymerous
He seide: “Certis, but mercy be my sheeld
To you, my freend, that ye be gracious,
That on my trespas ye be nat rigerous
To take vengaunce on myn hih folye,
That I was boold to sette myn herte so hihe.
58
“O, mercy, freend, and rewe vpon my liff:Deth fro my gilt, I wot, is resounable.
Love is gynnere and ground of al my striff.
But in o thyng I am inexcusable,
That I so love that fayr incomperable,
Which is to you so plesaunt and so meete:
And, to be slayn, to love I can nat leete.
500
59
“Do, what yow list: for, tyl myn herte ryve,I may nat chesyn, that I am hir man;
For, with my silf thouh I evirmor stryve,
Ther is noon othir, that I love can;
For hir in syknesse I am so pale and wan.
Thus I me confesse and put me in your grace:
My liff, my deeth is portrayed in hir face.”
60
This freendly marchaunt of this nat dysmayed,But with good herte saide, as ye may heere:
“Allas, my freend, why art thu so dismayed
For love, anoon sith thu maist han hir heere
With al hir beaute and cristal eyen cleere?
Betwix yow too in love to make a boond,
I gyf hir the: haue, tak hir by the hond.
61
“And ful and hool, as I haue any riht,I give hir the, which is so wys and sage.
Rys vp anoon and be riht glad and liht,
For I wil makyn between yow the maryage
And bere thexpence fully and costage
Of your weddyng,” and hath a day i-set
Of hir spousayl to see the knotte i-knet.
62
Anoon he ros supportyd by gladnesse,And doun he fel lowly on his kne,
And hym he thankyd for his gentillesse,
That fro the deth hath maad hym skapid fre.
“Allas,” he seide, “whan shal I thanken the,
That hast so freely thyn owne love forsake
Thy freend to save, and hool and sound to make?”
63
The passaunt costys, the feeste of her weddyng,Iustys and revel and al the purveiaunce,
The grete yiftys, the cheer so surmountyng—
501
For Ymeneus, that hath the governaunce
Of such feestys to make accordement,
Therto Fortune was therat present.
64
Thus is the syke of his langour lissyd,The blosme of bounte by frenshipe hath he wonne;
For hertly merthe to hym is now nat myssyd,
No shadwe of sorwe forfarith nat his sonne,
His freend to hym abrochyd hath the tonne
Of freendly triacle; for nevir I radde yit,
O freend to a-nothir that so weel hath hym quyt.
65
To hym relesyd he hath his hertly glorye,Hym silf dismyttid of his inward ioye;
The briht myrour, the liht of his memorye,
Which al his rancour by refut cowde coye,
He hath forsake, the guyere of his ioye,
His lives lanterne, staff of his crokyd age,
To bryng his freend in quiete out of rage.
66
Off this mateer what shuld I write mor?I wil entrete this processe forth in pleyn:
Hir and hir iowellys, hir richesse and hir stor
He hath hym youen, the stoory seith certeyn,
And hom with al repayred is ageyn
And lad hir with hym, as was his freendys wyl,
Which cowde nat feyne his plesaunce to fulfyl.
67
At ther departyng the moornyng for to wite,The wooful teerys, dolour and hevynesse,
Myn herte bleedith, whan I therof endite,
To knowe her trouble, turment and distresse.
But of this marchaunt lyst the kyndenesse:
502
Than love of hir, that sat so nyh his herte.
68
Moornyng for absence he is lefft allone:The tothir streiht to Baldoc, his contre,
With wyff and catel the riht weye is gone
And ther receyved with gret solennyte.
Her lyff they ledde in gret prosperite,
His wif and he of oon herte in quyete:
For with a bettir no man ne myht mete.
69
Ther was no stryff between hem nor debate,But ful accordid they be bothe nyht and day;
She hym obeyeth in al erlich and late:
Whan he seid “ya,” she coud nat sey “nay”,
A bettir wyff was nevir at al assay;
Ioyned in oon thus been her hertys too,
That nouht, but deth, her love may fordoo.
70
For alle wyves, as ferre as evir I kneuh,Withyne her brest hath growyng pacience:
Suffryng and meeke they been ilich[e] new;
But yiff so be, that men hem doon offence,
They love nat, men make experience
Of her lownesse. But lyst I hem displese,
Ye gete no more: passe ovir is an ese.
71
Thus leve I hem in her iolite(I meene thes too), ech lykyng othir weel;
I speke no mor of her felicite:
For no man may such ioye & merthe feel,
But he were expert to telle it euerydeel.
For to the marchaunt of Egipt will I turne,
Which for his freend in woo I lefte moorne.
503
72
But now, allas, who shal my stile guye,Or hen[ne]s forth who shall be my muse?
For verray dool I stond in iupartye:
Al merthe of makyng my mateer mot refuse.
Me in-to stoon transmwed hath Meduse
For verray stonyng of Fortunys fikylnesse,
That for the merveyle no woord I can expresse.
73
Allas, Meggera, I mot now vnto theOf herte calle to helpe me compleyne
And to thy sustir eek, Thesiphone,
That afftir ioye goddessys been of peyne.
O weepyng Mirre, now lat thy teerys reyne
In-to myn ynke so clubbyd in my penne,
That rowthe in swaggyng abrood[e] make it renne.
74
It sitt the nat enlwmyned for to beOf othir colour but oonly al of sable.
O doolful mateer! who so now reede the,
He may weel seyn, this world is ful chaungable;
For, how this marchaunt whilom so worshipable
(I meene of Egipt) Fortune did avale,
Mot be as now [the] remenaunt of my tale.
75
To hym Fortune hir falsnesse hath overt,Hir swift[e] wheel turned vp so doun;
For he is ffallen and plonget in povert
Thoruh vanysshyng of his possessioun.
Now al is brouht in-to destruccioun:
Rychesse and freendys been alle i-feere goon,
And he in myscheef is sool i-lefft aloon.
76
This newe Iob, i-cast in indigence,He weepith, wayleth, soleyn and solitarye;
504
And evir his liff he gan to curse and warye.
“O, out on neede of malys multipharye”:
He gan to crye in his ire and woo,
Lych a man in furye for-poosyd to and froo.
77
For remembraunce of oold prosperiteHath with a darte hym woundid to the herte.
Mor vnkouth was to hym aduersite,
That nevir to-forn no trouble did hym smerte;
For mor despeyred he was for a sterte,
That he ne hadde of woo noon excersise:
Hym thouhte, it was to hym a newe emprise.
78
Thus is the sweete of his tranquylliteFul neewly turned in-to bittirnesse;
Thus is he valyd adoun from hih degre
Ful many a steiher lowe in-to wrechydnesse.
His lyff he leedith al in werynesse;
For now Fortune hath chaungid newe his weede:
Freend nor foo ne took of hym noon heede.
79
But, by hym-silf walkyng in wildirnesse,He gan to pleyne his sodeyn poore estaat
And seide: “Allas, wher is the kyndenesse
Of alle my freendys to me disconsolaat?
I pley[e] sool, I am almoost chek-maat:
That whilom hadde my menee me aboute,
Now destitut I am beshet withoute.
80
“Now am I repreef to my freendys alle,Markyd of many and of the peeple fable.
Now wot I nat, to whom for helpe calle,
That sat so glorious somtyme at my table;
And they, that than wer to me servisable,
Han by despit at myscheef me forsake.
Gret cause haue I an outcry for to make.
505
81
“O out on shame of hauhtesse plongid lowe!O out on dolour of lordship brouht to nouht!
O out on richesse with vanyte forblowe,
Forsakyng soone and with gret travayle souht!
O worldly blisse, of me ful dere abouht,
Thy sodeyn turn now doublith my grevaunce
Mor than of it I nevir hadde had plesaunce.
82
“Now hongir, thrust, vnkouth as vnto me,Vnwarly sweth my passyd habundaunce.
Now cold, now nakyd in necessite
I walke aboute for my sustenaunce.
Whilom in plente and now al in grevaunce!
Allas, my fulle is derkyd in-to wane,
With wynd forwhirlyd as is a mvaunt ffane.
83
“O, in this world what woo and werynesse,What mortal torment assaileth al aboute!
What grevous molest and what besynesse
With many assaut in dreed doth vs to doute!
Now vp, now doun, as doth a curraunt goute,
So ar we travailed with solicitude:
The world with mowhes so weel can vs delude.
84
“But I knowe weel, who trustith on the moost,Shal be deceyued, whan he to the hath neede.
Wher is the clarioun of thy cry and boost,
That to [the] skyes my fame did[e] beede?
Who seruyth the, what shal be his meede:
Whan that he wenyth thu maist hym most availe,
Than in the hand rathest thu wilt hym fayle?”
85
O seely marchaunt, myn hand I feele quakeTo write thy woo in my translacioun;
Ful offte I weepe also for thy sake,
506
Of thy degree and transmutacioun.
Allas, to the I can no bet diffence
Than the to arme strongly in pacience.
86
Nat oonly thu, but euery man on lyve,How hih in throne he sittith exaltat,
Lat hym nat tempte ageyn[e]s God to stryve,
But take his sonde meekly withoute debat;
For who so do, he is infortunat.
No wele is worthy, that may no woo endure,
Wherfor ech man tak paciently his ewre.
87
For Senek seith with ful hih sentenceOf preef in povert, who-so that hym reede,
In thylke book he made of providence,
That he vnhappy is, withouten dreede,
Which nevir ne hadde adversite nor neede,
Of whom the goddys dempten pleynly thus:
“Withouten assay no man is vertuous.”
88
“And yiff a tre with frut be ovirlade,”In his Epistles he seith, as ye may see,
“Both braunche and bouh wol enclyne and fade.
And greyne oppressith to moche vberte.
Riht so it farith of fals felicite,
That yif his weihte mesure do exceede,
Than of a fal gretly is to dreede.”
89
But, why that God this marchaunt list visite,As I suppose, it was hym for to preeve.
Thouh he were wooful, he was the lasse wite,
Sith nevir afforn Fortune did hym greeve.
From his wantrust he was brouht in beleeve,
That he weel kneuh, this world was ful vnstable
And nat abydyng, but evirmor variable.
507
90
And, whan he kneuh the grete vnsikyrnesseOf worldly lust by preef in special,
On knees he fel with devout humblesse,
Ful lowe of herte, and thankyd God of al,
And sayde: “Lord, thouh I haue had a fal,
Ne put me nat fro thy proteccioun,
Sith I it take for my probacioun.
91
“But, goode Lord, lat me Thy grace fyndeAnd guye my wittis, that I be nat despeyred;
But me enspeere, puttyng in my mynde
Som hoope of refut, that am so soore appeyred.
And, thouh to richesse ther be no grees i-steyred
Tascenden vp, as I was wont to doone,
Yit, goode Lord, do confort to my boone.”
92
And, whil he lay thus in his orisoun,Ful poorly clad in ful symple weede,
His herte was brouht in consolacioun,
Which in-to lissyng his langour did leede.
He thouhte, he wolde preeve his freend at neede;
And vnto Baldac, for to make assay,
In pilgrym wise he took the rihte way.
93
And, whan he was comen to that londe,Ful soore afferd he was for to compleyne.
“Allas!” he seide, “myn herte dar nat fonde
Vnto my freend to shewen out my peyne,
That whiloom was in richesse so hauhteyne;
For to be ded, I dar for shamfastnesse;
Nat shewe a poynt to hym of my distresse.”
94
And eek, that it was somwhat late,Whan he was entryd in-to that cite,
Hym liked nat to knocken at the gate
508
And it was nyht: therfor he lefte be,
List of his freend he were anoon refusyd
As man vnknowe or for som spye accusyd.
95
In-to a temple foundid by dayes oldeHe is i-entryd, a place al desolat,
And leyd hym doun by the wallys colde,
So weyk, so wery, forwandryd and for-mat.
O pompe emporisshyd, whilom so elat!
Take heed, ye ryche, of what estat ye bee;
For in this marchaunt your myrour ye may see.
96
How many a man hath Fortune assayled,With sleihte i-cast, whan he best wende ha stonde,
Her habiriownys of steel also vnmayled!
For al her trust she nolde the lasse wonde
To pleye this pleye bothe with free and bonde.
For who stood evir yit in surete,
That in som siht infect was his degre?
97
For by exaumplys nature doth declare,Which is of God mynystir and vikeer;
Withoute tonge she biddith vs beware
By thylke sterrys, that shynen briht and cleer,
Which by her concours and mevyng circuleer,
In her discens westyng vndir wavys
Vs to enfourmen by chaungyng of hir lawys.
98
And fewe of hem alway to vs appeere,But yif it be the bere briht and sheene
In thilke plow, that Arthow doth it steere;
For yit Boetes, that twynkelith wondir keene,
Somwhile is dym, that men may nat hym seene;
509
By nyht hym hidith vndir our empeere.
99
The day doth passe of vanite and glorye,And nyht approchith, whan Titan is gon doun.
But who list wynne the palme by victorye,
The world to venquyssh ful of elacioun,
Lat hym despise as a chaunpioun
Al erthly lustys, that shynen but in dreede,
And of this marchaunt evir among tak heede.
100
Evir entirmedlyd is merthe and heuynesse,Now liht, now soory; now ioiful, now in woo;
Now cleer aloffte, now lowe in dirk[e]nesse,
As Iubiter hath couchyd tonnes too
Withyne his ceeleer, platly and no moo:
That oon is ful of ioye and gladnesse
That othir ful of sorwe and bittirnesse.
101
Who that wil entren to tamen of the sweete,He mvst as weel taken his aventure
To taste in bittir, or he the vessel leete,
And bothe ilich of strong herte endure;
He may nat clense the thykke from the pure:
Fo[r], who that wil swetnesse first abroche,
He mot be war, or bittir wol approche.
102
Of thes too i-dronken at the fulleHath this marchaunt, that I of spake erwhyle;
The laste beuere so maad his hed to dulle,
That he ne lest but litil lawh or smyle;
Expert he was bothe of trust and guyle:
For, wher that he his beddyng whilom chees,
Slept on the ground now nakyd herberwelees.
510
103
And whil that he lay sleepyng in this wise,An hap befel of too men in the toun,
Betwix the which a contek gan to ryse
Riht ther besyde with gret[e] noyse and soun:
That oon his felawe hath slayn and bore doun
Vndir the temple, wher as this marchaunt lay,
And lefft hym ther and fled anoon his way.
104
The toun was reised with rvmour riht anoonAnd to the temple faste gonne renne;
Now heer, now ther, ful swyft[e]ly they goon
To taken hym, that hadde wrouht this synne
Tyl atte laste they souhte han hym withynne
And with the noyse, as they gonne in threste,
The poore marchaunt abrayd out of his reste.
105
Riht sor astonyd, palen gan his hewe,Whan they hym asken, what mystir man he were,
Or yif that he thomycide knewe,
That hadde slayn the man, “that liggith there.”
And he anoon withouten dreed or fere
Seyde: “Certeynly, thouh ye me hange and drawe,
No wiht but I hath this man i-slawe.”
106
His covetise was to ha be ded,That he by deth hys myserye myht fyne;
His woo heeng on hym heuyere than led,
And pouerte did hym so moche pyne
He wolde, that deth had leyd hook and lyne
Tacacchyd hym in to his bittir las:
Therfor on hym he took this hih trespas.
107
“O Deth, desyred in aduersite,Whan thu art callyd, why nylt thu wrecchys heere?
And art so reedy in felicite
511
O com now, Deth, and maak of me thy feere,”
This marchaunt crieth in his wooful herte:
So ful he was of inward peynes smerte.
108
Anoon he was i-taken and i-boundeAnd cast in prisoun tyl on the nexte morwe,
And than i-taken and brouht, as they hym founde,
Afforn the iustice; for no man wold hym borwe.
To seen a fyn he hopith of his sorwe;
For-dempt he was thoruh his owne speche
By iugement to han for deth the wreche.
109
And than, as faste as he to deth was lad,His oold[e] freend happyd forby passe,
The which beheeld hym with cheer demvre & sad
And kneuh the feturys and signes of his face.
And anoon he prayeth leyseer to hym and space
For to been herd of hem in pacience
And stynt a whyle to yive hym audience.
110
“Sires,” he seith, “so it nat yow displese,This man is dampned so ful of innocence,
And gilt[e]les ye don hym this disese;
For I my silf haue wrouht this gret offence:
To me it fallith tencurren the sentence
Of deth, the trouthe weel to founde;
For with myn hand I gaff his dedly wounde!”
111
His herte was meevyd of oold naturesseTo save his freend and for hym for to deye;
And he was hent anoon and pullyd by duresse,
With swre arrest they handys on hym leye,
And al her lust meekly he did obeye;
512
Wher he was dampned by concours of the lawe.
112
Thoo was he lad with weepyng and pite,Toward his deth, of many hym besyde.
His poore freend was loos at liberte,
Which thouhte for woo deth thoruh his herte glyde;
Whyls in the prees the verray homycide,
That sothfastly that deede hadde i-wrouht,
Spak to hym-sylf thus in his owne thouht:
113
“Allas, myn herte, hard as the dyamaunt,How maist thu suffre this cruelte [to] seen!
Allas, thoruh remors why ne were I repentaunt
The southfast trouthe to be confessyd cleen?
Allas, this wrong! how may I thus susteen
To see afore me vngilte thus i-take
And lad to dethward oonly for my sake?
114
“O rihtwys God, to whom ech pryuyteIs pleyn and open to Thy magnyficence,
O Lord, that knowyst myn hyd iniquite:
Beholdyng al, O Sonne of Sapience,
Ne take no vengaunce of myn hih offence,
That I so longe concelyd haue the trouthe;
But of Thy mercy, Lord, haue on me routhe.
115
“For weel I wot, that of Thy rihtwysnesseThu mvst me punysshen at Thy iugement,
And thouh Thu suffre a while in esynesse,
Blood wil haue wreche, that wrongfully is spent.
O blood vngilte, O blood so innocent,
How canst thu gon to deth and nat compleyne,
To wreke the afftir on me with cruel peyne?
513
116
“To the hih God, eternal in His see,Blood crieth out, that is i-shad in wronge,
And seith: ‘O Lord, whan wilt Thu vengyd bee
Vpon our deth? why bydist Thu so longe?’
Of innocentys this is the noote and songe;
Wherfor I wol, whil I haue liff and space,
The sothe be-knowe, and put me in Thy grace.
117
“It is to moche, that I haue slayn oon;And, but I speke, toward is anothir,
The which is domb and stille as ony stoon,
For verray love for to save his brothir:
Everych is reedy to fonge deth for othir.
Now wyl I goon and pleynly me confesse
And for my gilt receyven the redresse.”
118
With open mouth lowde he gan to crye:“O ye disceyved peeple by errour!
That innocent, allas, why shal he dye,
Which nevir ne was his lyve trespasour?
Turneth ageyn and let be this clamour
And let to me her doom been hool reserved:
For I am he, that hath the deth disserved.
119
“Let hym go loos, sith he of gilt is fre:It is my silf, that hath the deede i-do.
Why wyl ye erren and punysshen verite
And let falsnesse at his large go?”
The peeple of this gan for to wondren tho,
And eek the iustices, of this sodeyn chaunce,
That alle here wittis wer hangid in ballaunce.
120
Yit nevirtheles thus they [haue] i-wrouhte:The ffirste the[i] vnbounde and this othir take,
514
Tofore the kyng and ther a processe make,
How ech of thes hath don for othrys sake,
And pray[e]n hym good iuge for to bee
To fynde a wey the trouthe for to see.
121
This worthy kyng to serchyn out the rihtShewith hym-silff bothe wys and eek tretable,
And made mercy to goon afforn his myht,
Shapyng a mene ful iust and resonable:
To alle thre he shewyd hym merciable;
Of al the crym, withyne woordys fewe,
Pardoun he grauntith, so they the trouthe shewe.
122
Of al the cas they haue no poynt i-sparyd(First of her ffrenship, ioye and adversite),
But woord by woord the stoory hool declaryd:
Bothe of thes tweyne the love and vnyte—
Ye han that herd, ye gete no mor of me,—
And how the thrydde hadde a conscience,
For his trespace so dampned innocence.
123
With gret merveile they wondryn on this thyng,To seen in frenship so hool affeccioun,
And specially this wise, worthy kyng
Gan wisshe of herte, that thoruh his regioun
Were ful affermyd an obligacioun
Off such enteernesse fro man to man aboute:
Off tresoun than ful litil wer to doute.
124
Ful hard it were tacomplisshen his desyrOr in his rewm[e] such a bargeyn dryve:
The aeyer infect, the wedir is nat cleer
Ne nevir ne shal, whil tresoun is so ryve;
For now of trowthe no man can contryve
A verray seel or thenpreent i-grave
Withoute a label his armes hool to save.
515
125
But, whan thys kyng hath thus doon hem grace,He let hem goo at her eleccioun,
And he of Baldac hat[h] lad hoom to his place
His poore freend with gret processioun.
He rayeth hym newe with good affeccioun
And seide: “Freend, your pensiffheed asswage
And for pouert ne beeth no more in rage.
126
“But here anoon, as ferre as it may laste,Of al my good halvendeel is youre:
I wyl, that it departyd be as faste
At your devise your pouert to socoure;
For our frenship shal every sesoun floure,
And in short tyme, I telle it you in pleyn,
Ye shul to richesse restooryd be ageyn.
127
“And than at erst avised ye may telle,Vnto your contre whedir ye wil returne
Or heer with me al your lyff[e] dwelle:
The choys is your; look no more ye moorne!
And whersobe ye goon or heer soiourne,
Haue heer my trouthe, our hertys shul been oon,
Whil breeth may laste, and nevir vnsondir goon.”
128
By egal witt his goodys everychonWer tho departyd betwix thes freendys too,
Bycause this marchaunt wold algatys gon
Hom to his contre, that he lovyd soo.
The stoory tellith, withoute woordys moo,
Riht in-to Egipt he is goon ageyn;
Of her frenship what shuld I you moor seyn?
129
I say you platly, so as it seemyth me;Of thyng weel preevyd to maken rehersayl
516
Lest tediouste your erys did assayl,
Sith ye it knowe, it may nothyng avayl
Of her frenship ferther more divyne:
For, as they gonne, so in love they ffyne.
Lenvoye.
Thus of this tale to you I make an eende.On my rewde tellyng of curtesye ye rewe,
And God I prey, that He His grace sende,
That euery freend to othir be as trewe,
As were thes marchauntis alway ilich[e] newe.
This my desyr in al degrees of men:
That it so be, I pray you, seith, “Amen.”
Explicit quod Lidgate.
22. GUY OF WARWICK.
Here gynneth the lyff off Guy of Warwyk.
1
Fro Cristis birthe complet nyne hundrid yeer,Twenty and seuene, by computacioun,
Kyng Ethelstan, as seith the Cronycleer,
Regnyng that tyme in Brutys Albyoun,—
517
Of them of Denmark, wich with myhty hond
Rod, brente, and slouh, made noon excepcioun,
By cruel force, thorugh out al this lond;
2
Spared nouther hih nor louh degre,Chirchis, collegis, but that they bete hem doun;
Myhty castellis, and euery greet cyte
In ther ffurie, by ffals oppressioun,
On-to the boundys of Wynchestre toun,
With suerd & feer they madyn al wast & wylde;
And in ther mortall persecucyoun
Spared nat women greet with chylde:
3
In this brennyng, ffurious cruelte,To Denmark pryncis, pompous & elat,
Lyk woode lyouns, void of all pite,
Did no favour to louh nor hih estaat.
Allas! this lond stood so dysconsolaat,
Froward Fortune hath at hem so dysdeyned,
Mars & Mercurie wer with hem at debaat,
That bothe þe kyng and pryncis wer distreyned
4
By froward force to take hem to the fflyght,Thes Danyssh pryncis ageyn hem wer so wood;
On hih hilles ther ffyres gaff suych lyght,
Fortune of werre in suych disioynt tho stood,
The peple robbed and spoiled of ther good,
For verray dreed of colour ded and pale,
518
Lyk a greet ryver fro mounteyns to þe vale.
5
Paraventure for sum old trespace,As is remembrid of antyquyte,
Of o persone hap, ffortune, and grace
Myhte be with-drawe, in cronycles ye may see;
Reed how þe myhty ffamous Iosue
Was put a-bak thre dayes in batayll,
The theffte of Nachor made Israell to ffle
Out of the ffeld, and in ther conquest faile.
6
Thus by the pryde and veyn ambyciounAnd cruel ffurie of thes pryncis tweyne
This rewm almost brouht to destruccyoun,
The swerd of Bellona gan at hem so disdeyne,
Lordis wer pensiff, þe porail gan compleyne;
Oon of thes tirauntys, callid Anelaphus,
And as myn auctour remembreth in serteyn,
The tother was named Genaphelus.
7
This myscheff, wers than strok of pestilence,God with his punsshyng is ffounde mercyable;
Suerd of a tyraunt punssheth with vyolence,
With ffurious hand mortall and vengable;
Wher ffolk repente, the Lord is ay tretable,
That sit above, wich halt all in his hond,
But thes tirauntys, to sheden blood most able,
With suerd & flawme troubled al this lond.
519
8
God ffor synne, by record of Scripture,Hath chastysed many a greet cyte,
And suffred hem gret myschef to endure,
Record Ierusalem, record on Nynyvee,
Paris in Fraunce hath had his part, parde,
For leccherie and veyn ambucyoun;
Palpable examples, at eye men may see,
Of Rome, Cartage, and of Troie toun.
9
This mater offte hath been exempleffyed,For lak of wisdam and of good consayll,
That peplys hertys wer nat ffull applyed
To sue vertu for ther owne avayll;
Wynd of glad Fortune bleuh nat in ther saill,
For ther dismeritees, God punshed hem of right,
Outrage & vices hath vengaunce at his tayll.
Thouh kyng Ethelstan was a manly knyght,
10
Cruell Danys Inglyssh blood to scheede,Ther swerd was wheet, & ther ffyres lyght;
Ȝit in cronycle, at leyser who lyst reede,
Kyng Ethelstan was a ffull noble knyght,
Though for a tyme eclypsed was his lyght;
Of his noblesse and royall mageste,
The hand of God stood alway in his myght
To chaunge his trouble in-to prosperyte.
11
The sonne is hatter affter sharpe schours,The glade morwe ffolweth the dirke nyght,
520
And affter mystys Phebus schyneth bright,
Affter trouble hertys be maad lyght;—
And, to conclude lyk as I began,
God lyst to caste his mercyable syght
Vpon his knyght, the fforseid Ethelstan.
12
In this mater fforther to procede,Constreynt of werre and gret aduersyte,
Made hym to drawe, in cronycle as I reede,
With alle his lordis of hih and louhe degre,
To haue a counsayll at Wynchestre the cyte,
Som remedye in all haste to provyde
Ageyn the malys and ffurious cruelte
Wrouht by the Danys in ther marcyal pride.
13
Off al the lond gadryd were the statys,Remedye to schapen in this mateere,
Pryncys, barouns, bysshopis and prelatys,
In that cyte assembled wern in ffeere,
Hap and ffortune shewyd hem heuy cheere,
Ther hope turned to dysesperaunce,
Knyghthood of armes had lost the maneere,
So destitute they were of spere and launce.
14
In that party was no remedye,Redres to ffynde, nor consolacyoun,
Mars set a-bak all ther chevalrye,
Thus stood the lond in desolacyoun,
Strong wer the Danys, proud by ambucioun:
521
Held with his lordis a counsayll in that toun
To ffynde a mene his myschef to redresse;
15
By grace of God how this myht ben amendydRecure to ffynde of ther aduersyte.
Breeffly to telle, they were thus condescendyd,
Benbassatrie or mene of som tretee,
Streyghtly driven off necessyte,
The kyng of Denmark with homage for to queme:
Or vnder tribute to haue this liberte,
As a soget reioysshe his dyademe;
16
Or ellis pleynly of partyes covenauntKyng Ethelstan for hym to ffynde a knyght
With Colybrond of Denmark the Geaunt,
Day assigned, to entre with hym in ffyght,
For to darreyne atween hem to the right,
Who shal reioisshe, with strong and myhty hond,
To holde a septre, by manhood and by myght,
And haue poscessioun in quyete of this lond.
17
The kyng, the lordis, beyng there present,Withoute respight, or loud dylacioun,
To yeve answere of ther ffynall entent,
How they list quyten hem, for short conclusioun:
Outher to make a resygnacyoun
Of septre & crowne, outher to ffynde a knyht,
As I seyde erst, to be ther champioun,
Geyn Colybrond, to entryn in-to ffight.
18
The Denmark dukis, of malys importable,Wood and wylful in ther marcyal rage,
522
Requyred in haste, ben bassat or massage,
To haue answere or pleggis for hostage,
Of this convencioun relacioun to sende
How they caste hem to puttyn in morgage
The lyff of tweyne to make a fynal ende.
19
This apoyntement so streitly was forth lad,Of ffurious haste they wolde haue no delay,
Kyng Ethelstan so hard[e] was be-stad,
And alle his pryncis put in gret affray;
Affore Wynchestre the proude dukis lay,
The kyng withinne, astoned in his mende,
And weel þe more, be-cause he knew no way
In his dyffence a champioun to ffynde.
20
Knew no bet mene, as in this mateer,Redres to ffynde, to resoun accordyng,
Than by assent to taken hym to prayeer,
He and his lordis, to wakyng and ffastyng,
Pore and riche, with-oute more tarying;
Alle attonys, as they wern off degre,
With salte teris, resembled in ther wepyng,
By penaunce doyng, to folk of Nynyvee.
21
From hih estatys doun to the porayll,Of alle degrees ffounde was no wyght
To vnderfonge themprise of this batayll,
Ageyn the Geaunt of Denmark ffor to ffight:
Herald of Harderne, þe noble famous knyht,
523
Fader in armes, in euery manhis sight;
Next Guy of Warwyk, of manhood lodesterre—
22
This seide Herald beyng tho absent,Out of this rewm to seke the sone of Guy,
Callid Raynbourne, in contrees adiacent,
And alle þe provyncis that stoode faste by,
Wich in yong age was stole traytourly,
By straunge marchauntis ongoodly lad away,
Felyce, his moder, wepyng tendirly,
For his absence compleynyng nyht and day.
23
Born by dyscent to ben hir ffadris hayr,Hir yonge sone Raynborne to succede,
In hir tyme was holde noon so ffayr,
Callid the example of trouthe and womanhede;
Rowand, hir ffader, for noblesse and manheede,
Erl of Warwyk, named oon the beste knyht
That was tho dayes, in story as I reede,
But he, allas! fflouryng in hys myght
24
Paide his dette of deth on-to nature,By Parcas sustren was sponne his lyves threede.
And, as the story remembreth by scripture,
Whan that Felyce conseyved hadde in deede,
By [this] seyde Guy, sone affter, as I reede,
He lyk a pilgrym endewed with all vertu
The nexte morwe chaunged hath his weede,
And spedde hym forth for love of Crist Ihesu;
524
25
Forsook the world, onknowe to euery wight,Of hih perfeccyoun to leven in penaunce,
Lefft wyff and kyn, and bekam Goddis knyght,
Whom for to serve was set all his plesaunce,
Content with lytel, Crist was his suffysaunce,
In wordly pompe he lyst not to soiourne.—
Callyng ageyn on-to remembraunce
Kyng Ethelstan, my penne I wyll retourne,
26
As I began, in ordre to proceede,Of his compleynt to make mencyoun:
Not clad in purpil, but chaunged hath his weede,
Blak for mornyng and desolacyoun,
Be-cause there was in all his regyoun
Founde no persone his quarell to dyffende;
To God above seyde this orysoun,
Bespreynt with teris, his grace doun to sende:
27
“O Lord,” quod he, “of moost magnyfycence,Cast doun Thyn erys vn-to my prayeere!
Remembre nat vp-on my greet offence
But fro my synnes turne a-way Thy cheere,
Disespeired, stondyng in doubyll were,
To lese my kyngdam, septre, and regalye,
But medyacioun of Thy Moder deere
Be gracious mene to saue my partye.
28
“My feith, myn hope, my trust, myn affyaunceAll hoolly restith in Thy proteccyoun;
525
Be blont and feble, my power is bore doun;
But grace with mercy list be my champioun,
Þorgh Þi support my foon shal me encombre!”
—While Ethelstan seyde this orysoun,
Or he was war, he ffyll in-to a slombre.
29
For wach and trouble lay in an agonye,Devoutly knelyng by his beddys syde;
The Lord above, wich can no man denye
That asketh grace, with meeknesse void of pride,
For His servaunt lyst gracyously provyde,
Which of His goodnesse sente an aungel doun,
Bad hym nat dreede, but set al ffeer a-syde,
Wich of His mercy had herd his orysoun.
30
Toward the kyng cast His look benygne,Bad hym truste al hoolly in His grace,
By a tookene and an entyeer-signe,
Which shal be shewed to hym in riht short space.
Of sleep a-dawed, the kyng lefft vp his fface,
Marked euerythyng, and prudently took heede
To whom the angel his heuynesse tenchase,
These wordis hadde, in story as I reede:
526
31
“From the voide al dyspeir and dreede,Whan Aurora shewith hir pale light,
To-morwen erly arys and take good heede,
For Crist Ihesu of Hys gracyous myght
To thy requeste hath cast doun His sight.
Trust vp-on Hym, and in þi trust be stable,
He shall conserve of equyte and ryght
Thy roiall tytle, ffor He ys mercyable.
32
“At Phebus vpriste set no lenger date,Whan silver deuh doth on the fflours ffleete,
Make thy passage toward the north gate,
Or that the sonne with his ffervent heete,
Hath on the levys dryed vp the weete;
Abide there meekly, and God shal to the sende,
Fyrst among pore a pilgrym thou shalt meete,
Entrete hym goodly, thy quarell to dyffende.
33
“Clad as a pilgrym in a brood sclaveyn,Old and forgrowe amongys the porayll,
Marke hym weell, and be riht weell serteyn,
At thy requeste that he schall nat ffayll
To accomplysshe manly thy batayll.
Trust on hym weell, and for thy purpartye,
With Goddis myht that he schall prevayll
In this mater thyn axing nat denye.”
34
The woordis seid, as ys rehersed heere,On-to the kyng, by revelacyoun,
The aungell dyd onwarly dysapeere,
527
Gaff thank to God off this avysioun.
Neuly reioisshed out off all hevynesse
With too bisshopis, as maad ys mencyoun,
And erlis tweyne, forth he gan hym dresse;
35
Thankyng the Lord of His benygne graunt,As he was bounde, of humble affeccyoun,
With his bisshopis and erlys exspectaunt,
At thilke party northward of the toun,
Lyk as the aungell, for short conclusioun,
Had told the hour on-to the kyng but late,
Whan poore ffolk, ffor sustentacyoun,
Hadde in costom to entren at the gate.
36
As the cronycle breeffly doth compile,Vnto purpos maketh rehersayll,
Of Iohn Baptyst affore in the vygyle,
How Guy of Warwik maad his arryvaylle
At Portysmouth, myn auctour wil nat ffayle,
In his writyng assignyng hour and tyme,
By grace of God, wich may most avaylle,
Tellith how Guy evene at the hour of pryme,
37
Whan briht Phebus, with his gold-tressed bemys,On hillis hih gan shewe his hevenly lyght,
Erly on morwe, and with his hoote stremys
Dried vp the deuh as perlis siluer bright,
Whan seide Guy, the noble famous knyght,
Repeired was from his long pylgrymage,
Fro Portysmouth took his weye right,
To Wynchestre holdyng his vyage.
528
38
By grace of God I deeme trew[e]lyGuy was hom sent in-to thys regyoun,
Here taccomplisshe, in knyghthood ffynally,
The laste empryse of his hih renoun,
He ffor to be the kyngys champioun,
Onknowe of alle; but whan he cam to lond,
To hym was maad pleyn relacyoun
Of his requestis, how it did[e] stond.
39
They told hym firste in ordre ceryously,Harald Harderne, that was so good a knyht,
Was goon to seke the sone off Guy,
Gretly desired of euery maner wight,
Wich by discent was born of verray riht
By tytle of Felyce, famous in womanhede,
At his repair, with grace of Cristis myght,
Erl of Warwyk iustly to succede.
40
They told hym also of the grete stryff,Tween them of Denmark & Ethelstan þe kyng,
And how that Rowand, ffader to hys wyff,
Old erl of Warwik, ful notable of levyng,
Was ded also;—and Guy herd euery thyng,
Of hih prudence kept hym-silff clos,
Lyk a pilgrym his leve there takyng,
Goth to Wynchestre anoon as he aroos.
41
Guy took his loggyng, whan it drouh to nyht,With pore men at an old hospytall,
529
Too hundrid pas withoute the north wall,
Where stondeth now a menstre ful roiall.
The nexte morwe, anoon as Guy a-wook,
God was his guyde, in especyall,
Mong pore men, the riht[e] weie he took
42
To the north gate, as grace did hym guye,By resemblaunce, so entryng in-to toun
As Dauid whilom cam ageyn Golye
To helpen Saul, by grace of God sent doun;
So for reffuge and ffor savacyoun,
Bothe of the kyng and of al this lond,
Guy was provided to be ther champioun
Ageyn the pompe off proude Colybrond.
43
By his habite and his pylgrym weede,Thilke tyme clad in a round sclaveyn,
Of whos array, whan the kyng took heede,
Sauh Goddis promys was nat maad in veyn,
Took vp his herte, and knew riht weel serteyn,
God faileth neuer His frend on see nor lond,
With wepyng teris his chekis spreynt lik reyn,
For verray gladnesse he took Guy by þe hond.
44
Besekyng hym, in moost louly wyse,With sobbyng cheer that routhe was to see,
To vnderfonge this knyhtly hih empryse;
530
To do socour in this necessyte;
In his dyffence that he wyll nat ffayll,
Geyn Colybrond his champioun for to be
For his party darreyne the batayll.
45
Guy, wonder sad of look and of vysage,Feynt and wery, and dulled of travayll,
Made his excuse that he was ffalle in age,
And out of ews more to be clad in mayll.
“My wil,” quod he, “yif it myhte avayll,
The cruell ire of Danys to appeese,
For comoun profit, good wil shal nat ffayll,
My lyf iuparte to set thys lond in ese.”
46
The kyng, the lordys, made greet instaunceTo this pylgrym with language and prayere;
Guy, for to doon vnto the kyng plesaunce
For Ihesus sake, and for His Moder deere,
Ys condescendyd, lyk as ye schall heere,
With Goddys grace, affter the covenaunt,
As the convencyoun iustly doth requere,
At place assigned to mete the Geaunt.
47
Off this empryse was maad no long delay,This convencyoun pleynly to darreyne,
Tyme set of Iule vp-on the xij. day,
Place assigned, and meetyng of thes tweyne,
The accord rehersed, the statute, and the peyne,
531
As the partyes were boundyn in serteyn,
For short conclusioun ther-by to a-byde.
48
Withoute the gate, remembred as I reede,The place callyd of antyquyte,
In Inglyssh tonge named Hyde Meede,
Or ellis Denmark, nat fer from the Cyte:
Meetyng togedre there men myghte see
Terryble strokys lyk the dent of thonder,
Sparklys out off ther harneys fflee,
That to be-holde, it was a verray wonder.
49
The old pylgrym quyt hym lyk a knyght,Spared nat the Geaunt to assaylle,
On his lefft shulder smet at hym with suych myht
Vndir the bordour of his aventayll
A streem of blood gan by his sydes rayll;
The Geaunt wood, this hydous Colybrond,
Thoughte it sholde gretly hym avayll
That Guyes suerd was broke out of his hond.
50
Whan Danys sauh Guy had lost his suerd,They cauhte a maner consolacyoun;
Guy, lyk a knyght in herte nat afferd,
Requered manly of the champioun
Sith he of wepnys hadde so gret foysoun
532
But Colybrond of indyngnacyoun
To his requeste gaff noon audyence.
51
For he was set on malys and on wrak,To execute his purpos set on pryde,
And while that he and Guy to-gedre spak,
All attonys Guy sterte out a-syde,
Cauhte a pollex, lyst no lenger byde,
Smette the Geaunt evene in the firste wounde,
Made his strok so myghtyly to glyde
That his lefft arme and shuldir ffyll to grounde;
52
With wich strok the Geaunt Colybrond,Al his armure and boody was maad reed,
Stoupyng a-syde, gan reche forth his hond,
To take a suerd, wherof Guy took heed.
God and grace that day gaff hym suych speed,
To put his name euer affter in memorie,
Fleih with his ax, smet of the sturdy heed
Of the Geaunt, and hadde of hym vyctorye.
53
This thyng accomplisshed by grace of Goddis hond,And by the prowesse of Guy, this noble knyght,
They of Denmark, as the statute bond,
Han crossed sail, and take ther weye right
Toward ther cuntre, nouther glad nor light,
Ther surquedye and ther pompe oppressed:
Kyng Ethelstan by grace of Goddys myht,
Hadde of Denmark the pompe ful repressed.
533
54
Ther froward pompe with meknesse was repressed,By Guy of Warwyk, as maad is mencioun,—
The kyng, the clergye devoutly haue hem dressed,
Pryncys, barouns and burgeis of the toun,
With al the comounte; for short conclusioun,
Hih and lowe, to speke in generall,
Hym to conveie with proscessioun,
On-to ther chirche callyd Cathedrall.
55
This seide Guy, ther knelyng on his kne,With gret meknesse made his oblacioun
Of thilke ex, with wich afforn that he
Hadde of Danys slayn the champioun,
Wich instrument thorugh al this regyoun;
Is yit callid “the ex of Colybrond,”
Kept among men of relygyoun
In the vestiarie, as ye shall vnderstond.
56
Whan al was doon, ther is no more to seyn,Guy in al haste caste of hys armure,
Lyk a pilgrym put on his sclaveyn.
The kyng ful goodly affter dyd his cure
That he myhte the grace so recure
Of this pilgrym to tellyn and nat spare,
In secre wyse to tellyn his aventure,
What was his name pleynly to declare.
57
“Certys,” quod Guy, “ye must haue me excused.Touchyng your ascyng and your petycioun,
534
In your desire for noon occasioun.
To myn excuse I haue ful greet resoun,
For I shal neuer dyscure this mateer
But vnder bond of a condycyoun,
Assuraunce maad tween yow and me, in feere;
58
“Alle your pryncys avoided by absence,Sool be our-silff, out of this cyte,
Noon but we tweyne beyng in presence,
With trouthe assured that ye shal be secre,
Duryng my lyf—ye gete no more of me—
To no persone, I aske no more avayll,
Of ffeith and oth, to hih nor louh degre,
That ye shall neuer dyscure my counsayll.”
59
This thyng confermed by promys ful roiall,Passed the subbarbys and boundys of the toun,
At a cros that stood ffeer ffrom the wall,
Ful devoutly the pilgrym knelith doun,
To sette asyde all suspecyoun.
“My lord,” quod he, “Of feith with-outen blame,
Your lyge man, of humble affeccyoun,
Guy of Warwyk trewly is my name.”
60
The kyng, astoned, gan chaunge cher and face,And in maner gan wepyn for gladnesse,
And al attonys he gan hym to enbrace
In bothe his armes, of royall gentylnesse,
With offte kyssyng of ffeithfull kyndenesse,
With grete proffres on the tother syde
Of gold, of tresour, and of gret rychesse
With-inne his paleys yif he wolde abyde.
535
61
Alle thes profres meekly he for-sook,And to the kynges royall mageste
Hym recomaundyng, anoon his weie he took.
At his departyng this avouh maad he,
With pitous wepyng, knelyng on his kne,
Vnto the kyng in ffull humble entent:
“Duryng my lyf, it may noon other bee,
Schall I neuer doon of this garnement.”
62
At ther departyng was but smal langage,Sweem of ther speche made interupcyoun;
The kyng goth hom,—Guy took his vyage
Toward Warwyk, his castell and his toun,
No man of hym hauyng suspecyoun.
Where day be day Felyce, his trewe wyf,
Fedde poore folk, of greet devocyoun,
To praie for hir, and for hir lordys lyf—
63
Thrittene in noumbre, myn auctour writeth so.Guy at his comyng forgrowe in his vysage,
Thre daies space he was oon of tho
That took almesse with humble and louh corage;
Thankyng the contesse, in haste took his viage
Nat fer fro Warwyk, the cronycle doth expresse,
Of aventure kam to an hermytage
Where he fond on dwellyng in wyldirnesse.
64
To hym he drouh, besechyng hym of graceFor a tyme to holde there soiour.
536
By deth is passed the ffyn of his labour;
Affter whos day Guy was his successour
Space of too yeer, by grace of Cryst Ihesu,
Dauntyng his flessh by penaunce and rigour,
Ay more and more encresyng in vertu.
65
God made him knowe the day he sholde deie,Thorugh his moost gracyous vysytacyoun,
Be an angel hys spirit to conveye
Affter his bodyly resolucyoun,
For his merites to the hevenly mansioun;
Affter he sente in haste his weddyng ryng
Vn-to his wyf, of trewe affeccyoun,
Praied hir come to been at his deyng.
66
And that she scholde doon hir besy cure,By a maner wyfly dyllygence,
In haste ordeyne for his sepulture
With no gret cost, nor with no gret dyspence.
Gan haste hir faste tyl she kam in presence
Where as he lay dedly and pale of fface;
Bespreynt with teris, knelyng with reuerence,
The dede body swownyng she did enbrace.
67
And as this notable, ffamous, worthy knyghtSente hir to seyne, eek be his massangeer,
In that place to burye hym anoon right,
Where as he lay afforn a smal auhteer,
And that she sholde doon trewly hir deveer,
For hir-silf dyspoce[n] and provyde
The xv day ffolwyng, the same yeer,
To be buryed ffaste be his syde.
537
68
Hys hooly wyf of al this thyng took heedLyk as Guy bad, lyst no lenger tarye,
To quyte hir-silf of trouthe and womanheed
She was ful loth ffrom his desire to varye;
Sente in al haste ffor the ordynarye,
Whiche ocupied in that dyocyse;
She was nat ffounde in o poynt contrarye
Al thyng taccomplisshe as ye han herd devyse.
69
And this mater breefly to conclude,At his exequyes, old and yong of age,
Of dyuerse statys there cam gret multytude
With gret devocyoun to that hermytage;
And lyk a prynce with al the surplusage,
They took hym vp, and leyd hym in his grave,
Ordeyned of God afforn of hih corage
Ageyn the Danys thys regyoun to save.
70
Whos sowle, I hope, restith now in glorye,With hooly spiritis above the ffirmament.
Felyce, his wyf, ay callyng to memorie
The day approchyng of hir enterment,
Afforn ordeyned in hir testament
Hir sone Reynborne be tytle of hir possede,
Heyr trewly born by lyneal dyscent,
In the Erldam of Warwyk to succede.
71
The stok descendyng of antyquyteTo Guy his ffader be tytle of mariage,
Affter whos deth, of lawe and equyte,
538
Affter al this, his mooder, of good age,
Hath yolde hir dette, by deth, vn-to nature.
Beside hir lord in the hermytage,
With a good ende was maad hir sepulture.
72
For more auctorite as of this mateer,Whos translacioun is suych in sentence,
Out of the Latyn maad by the cronycleer
Callyd of old Gerard Cornubyence,
Wich wrot the dedis with gret dilligence,
Of them that wern in Westsex crowned kynges,
Gretly comendyng for knyghtly excellence
Guy of Warwyk in his famous writynges.
73
Of whos noblesse ful gret heed he took,His marcyal name puttyng in remembraunce,
The xi. chapitle of his hystorial book,
The parfight lyf, the vertuous gouernaunce,
His wylful povert, hard goyng, and penaunce
Brought on-to me a chapitle to translate:
Yif ought be wrong in metre or in substaunce,
Putteth the wyte for dulnesse on Lydgate.
74
Meekly compiled vnder correccyoun,Lyf of Sir Guy, by dyllygent labour;
Sette aside pryde and presumpcioun,
Because he hadde of cadence no colour;
In Tullius' gardyn he gadrid neuer fflour,
Nor of Omerus he kam neuer in the meede:
Praying echon of support and ffavour
Nat to dysdeyne the clauses whan they reede.
Explicit.
539
23. THE DEBATE OF THE HORSE, GOOSE, AND SHEEP.
Incipit Disputacio inter Equum, Aucam, & Ouem.
A Disputation between a horse, a sheepe and a goose, for superiotitie
1
Controuersies, pleys & discordisAttween persones, wer it too or thre,
Sought out the ground bi wittnessis of recordis:
This was the costom of antiquyte;
Iuges wer sett that hadde auctor[i]te,
The cas conceyved stondyng indifferent,
Attween parties to yeue a iugement.
2
Parties assemblid of hih or lowe degre,Weren admittid to shewen in sentence
Ground of her quarell; the lawe made hem fre
Without excepcioun to come to audience,
Bi the president comaundid first silence,
540
Bi title of right ther grevis to declare.
3
Vpon this mater shortly to conclude,Nat yoor a-gon as I reherse shall,
I fond to purpos a similitude
Ful craftily depeyntid vpon a wall:
Tweyn sitt in ther estat roiall,
The hardy Leoun famous in al rewmys,
Themperiall Egle pershyng the sonne bemys.
4
These wer the dreedful roiall iugis tweyn,In ther estate sittyng, I took keepe,
That herde the parties bi & bi compleyn,
The Hoors, the Goos, & the symple Sheepe.
The processe was nat to profounde nor deepe,
Off ther debat, but contryued of a fable;
Which of them to man was most profitable.
5
Ech for his partie proudly gan procedeTenforce hym-silf, bi record of scriptur
In philosophie as clerkis seen or rede,
The prerogatives goven hem bi natur;
Which of these thre to euery creatur
In re puplica availeth most to man.
For his partie thus first the hors began:
6
“To procede breffly, & nat [long to] tarie,Fro the trowth that I do nat erre,
541
As is the hors bothe nyh & ferre,
Or so notable to man in pees & werre?
Hors in cronyclis, wo-so looke a-riht,
Hav be savacion to many a worthi knyht.
7
“Marcial prowessis in especiallGod hath bi hors yove to werreiours.
Record of Alisandre whoos hors Busifall
Made hym tascape many sharp[e] shours;
The golden char of old[e] conquerours
Toward the tryumphe for ther knyghtly deedis
Conveied were with four white steedis.
8
“Remembre of Ector the Troian chaumpioun,Whoos hors was callid whilom Galathe;
Vpon whos bak he pleyed the leoun,
And ofte sithe made the Grekis flee.
The stede of Perseus was callid the Pegase,
With swift[e] wengis, poetis seyn the same;
Was, for swifftnesse callid ‘the hors of Fame.’
9
“Eques, ab ‘equo,’ is seid of verray riht,And cheualer is saide of cheualrye;
In Duche, a rudder is a knyght;
Aragon tunge doth also specifie
542
Is name of worship & took bigynnyng
Off spooris of gold & cheeffly of rydyng.
10
“Thes emperours, thes princis & thes kynges,Whan thei been armyd in bright plate & mayle,
Withouten hors what wer her mustrynges,
Ther brode baneres & ther riche apparaile,
To-fore ther enmyes to shew them in bataile?
Withouten hors spere, swerde, no sheld
Miht litel a-vaile for to holde a feeld.
11
“The hardy prikeris vpon hors[e] bakBe sent to-forn what ground is best to take
In that ordynaunce, that ther be no lak
Bi providence the feelde whan thei shal make;
An hors wole weepe for his maistir sake;
Chaunser remembrith the swerd, the ryng, the glas,
Presentid wern vpon a stede of bras.
12
“Tween to hyllis the prophete ZacarieSauh steedis four: the first of hem was red,
In charis four the feeld to magnyfie;
The secunde was blak it is no dreed;
The thrydde was whight, bodi, nek, & hed;
The fourthe was dyuers, & euerichon wer strong:
And to knyghthood alle these colours long.
543
13
“The red hors was tokne of hardynesse,Which apperteneth to euery hardy knyht;
The cole-blak hew a sygne of sobirnesse,
Poraile oppressid to helpe them in ther right;
The mylk-whiht steede that was so glad of siht,
Tokne that knyhthod trewly shuld entende,
Holi chirche & preesthod to deffende.
14
“The many-fold colours, to speke in generall,Been sondry vertues & condiciouns,
As the fower vertues callid cardynall
Longyng to knyhthod tencrece ther hih renouns—
In re publica callid the chaumpiou[n]s,
Treuthe to sustene shewe hem siluen strong,
Bounde bi ther ordre so no man have wrong.
15
“Withouten hors iustis ne turney att allMay nat be holden, in werr ne in pees;
Nor in palestre nor pleyes marciall,
Yiff hors do faile may come to non encres,
Nor no man sothly dar put hym silf in pres
Withouten hors, for short conclusioun,
To atteyn the palme of tryumphal guerdoun.
16
“Lower degrees ther been of hors al-soDo grett profite to euery comounte:
544
Without[en] hors dayly ye may see,
Tilthe wer lost, ne wer hors parde;
The besi marchant to his avauntage
Nar shippis & hors coude make no cariage.
17
“The ship bi liknesse is clepid an hors of tree(Ful notably who can vndirstond)
To leden men & carien ouer see
As don these hors whan thei ar come to lond:
The poor man ledith vpon a lond
His litel capil his corn, his mele, to selle;
Whan it is grounde hors carye it hom melle.
18
“In wyntir seson, for to make bele cheer,Than is neede wode & stuff to carie;
Wyn, frute, & oyle to serve thoruh the yeer
Is brought to vynters, & to the appotecarie
Divers dragges & many a letuarie,
Sondry bales & shortly, al vitaill:
Off the cariage hors have the travaille.
19
“Hey nor otis (playnly who list lerne,)May from the feeld[is] nor the medewis grene
To the garner nothir fro the berne
545
And to purpos (I sei right as I meene)
Ther is no best (to rekne as I be-gan)
So necessarie as hors is on-to man.
20
“August is a seson mery & glad,Whan euery tre with newe frut is lade,
With drauht of hors the shevis been hom lad;
That moneth past, the levis gynne fade,
Which made in somer a plesant lusti shade:
What doon hors than (to speke in wordis pleyn,)?
The secunde crop thei carie hom roweyn.
21
“Bi draught of hors fro rivers & fro wellisBowges be brouht to brewers for good ale;
Leede, ston, & tymbre, cariage eek for bellis,
We bryng to chirches (of trouthe, this is no tale);
We lede cloth sakkis & many a large male,
And gladly somers ar sent euyr to-forn
With gardeviaundis; how myht we be for-born?
22
“Ye prudent iugis, the Egle & the Leoun,What I haue saide doth wisly advertise;
Weieth this mater in your discrecioun,
Whedir Goos or Sheep (pleynly to devise)
Off ther nature may in any wise
(Iustly demyth, lat it nat be sparid)
Vn-to an Hors be likned & comparid.
546
23
“That I have told is trouth, & no feynyng;No wiht of reson may a-geyn replie,
Goos nor Gandir nor no grene Goslyng,
But if he entre the boundis of envie:
Lat hir come forth & say for hir partie.”
“Yis, trust me weel for the I wil nat spar,
Lik as I fele my verdite to declar:
24
“Wher-as thou hast vnto thi pasturBut oo place to make in thi repair,
It is me grauntid pleynly by nature
Tabide in thre, lond, watir, & ayer;
Now a-mong flours & grevis that been fair,
Now bathe in rivers, swymme in many a pond,
For storme & shour as drie as on the lond.
25
“To myn entent mo thynges ye may seen,As expert knowen that been old:
Whan wilde gees hihe in the ayer vp fleen,
A pronostik o[f] snow & wedris colde
With her weenges displayed & vnfolde,
Kalendis bryng pleynly for to seye
A-geyn wyntir how men shal them purueye.
26
“The grees of gandris is good in medicyne,With sundry gummes tempred for the gout,
547
In thextremytes drawe the malice out;
Fethers of goos whan thei falle or mout,
To gadre hem vp heerdis hem delite,
Selle hem to fletchers, the grey with the whihte.
27
“Men plukke stalkes out of my weengis tweyn,Some to portraye, somme to noote & write,
Whan rethoriciens han doon ther besy peyn
Fressh epistolis & lettris to endite.
With-out writyng vaileth nat a myte;
For, yiff pennys & writyng wer a-way,
Off remembraunce we had lost the kay.
28
“Off gees also the deede is previd oftIn many a contre and many a regioun,
To make pilwes & fether-beddis soft,
Of provident men plukkid of the doun:
Thus, to make a pleyn comparisoun,
As pilwes been to chaumbris agreable,
So is hard strauh litteer for the stable.
29
“The fyme of Gees & greene Gos[e]lyngisGadred in May among the herbis soote
A-geyn brennyng, scaldyng, & many othir thynges,
Tempred with oile & buttir doth gret boote
Tasswage the peyn [that] perceth to the roote;
But hors[es] dunge as refus al-way
Is good for forneyssis, temprid with clay.
548
30
“A ded hors is but a fowle careyn,The ayr infectyng, [it] is so corrumpable;
But a fatt goos whan it is new[e] slayn,
In disshis of gold, a morsel agreable,
Is sewid vp atte kyngis table,
Swymmyng on lyve in watris cristallyn;
Tendre rostid requeerith to have good wyn.
31
“Th[r]ouh al the lond of Brutis Albion,For fetherid arwes (as I reherse can)
Goos is the best (as in comparisoun,)
Except fetheris of Pekok or of Swan:
Bi bowe & arwis sith the werr began,
Have Ynglysshmen, as it is red in story,
On her enmyes had many gret victory.
32
“Hors in the feeld may mustre in gret pride,Whan thei of trumpetis her the blody soun;
But whan an arwe hath perced thoruh his side,
To ground he goth & cast his maistir doun:
Entryng the feeld he pleyeth the leoun;
What folwith aftir? his careyn stynkith sore;
Sauf skyn & shoon men leve of hym no more.
33
“Mihty capteyns & knyhtis in the feeldMake her wardis & her ordynaunce:
549
Sett in dew ordre to have the gouernaunce;
Which at Peiters toke the kyng of Fraunce.
Thank to the Goos mote be yove of riht,
Which in that feeld so proudly took her flight.
34
“Slouth of my fliht for hasti necligenceOf presumcion the Goos was left bi-hynde,
Whan the famous worthi Duke of Clarence
Rood on Baiard with his eyn blynde,—
Fliht of my fetheris was put out of mynde;
And, for he sett of me that day no fors,
Ful litel or nouht availed hym his Hors.
35
“Bookis old remembren in sentenceSom tyme whan Rome bi his foon was take,
The Capitoile kept with gret deffence:
Noise of a gandr the Capteyn did awake;
Which thyng remembryd thei sett vp for his sake,
In her templis wondir wide & olde,
A large Gandr forgid of fyn golde.
36
“His wakir noise was the savaciounBi which the Capteyn ran vp to the wall:
Thus, bi a gandr recured was the toun,
Callid of the world cite most roiall,
Cite of Citees that day most principall.
Was euyr Hors in bookis that ye can rede,
Pro re publica that dide sich a deede?
550
37
“In the book of Chyvaler de Lynge.The stori tellith (as in sentement)
Ther wer childre of the roiall ligne
Born with cheynes which, whan thei wern of rent,
Thei turned to swannes by enchantement,
Took her fliht (the cronycle is ful cleer,)
And as swannys the[i] swomme in the riveer.
38
“This story is ful autentik & old,In Frenssh compiled often rad & seyn:
Of the cheynes was made a cuppe of gold
Which is yit kept as somme folkis seyn,
And bi descent it longith (in certeyn)
To the Herfordis; ye shal it fynde in dede
Ceriously who list the story reede.
39
“And semblably nat long her-to-forn,(I telle this tale as for this partie)
Ther was a man, in Lumbardy born,
To a goos turned bi craft of sorcerye,
A-bood so seuene yeer (me list nat to lye);
His writ fill of, tho stood he vp a man,
A-bood with the duke in seruyce of Melan.
40
“And for he was a man of hih degre,Born of good blood & notable in substaunce,
551
The seide merveile to put in remembraunce.
Peise all these thyngis iustly in balaunce,
And lat the Hors leven his boost & roos,
To be comparid othir to Gandir or Goos.
41
“Withynne Rome the Gandr was deified,Set in ther templis of gret affeccioun,
Bi senatours of costom magnyfied
As cheeff protector & saviour of the toun:
Lat Hors & Sheep ley her bost a-doun,
But yiff the Ram, with his brasen belle,
Can for the Sheep any bettir story telle.”
42
The Sheep was symple, loth to mak a-fray,Lik a beste disposid to meeknesse:
The sturdy Ram aduocat was that day:
Be-for the iuges anon he gan hym dresse,
With an exordie in Latyn, this texppresse:
“Verte pupurea, O Egle, & thou Leoun,
Induti sunt Arietes Ouium.
43
“Off this notable roiall hih scriptur,The blissid Doctour Austyn, as I reede,
Be maner [of a] gostly fayr figur
Off a chast Sheep (thus he doth procede,)
552
Brouht forth the Lambe, Lambe of most vertu,
The Lambe of Grace which is callid Ihesu.
44
“Austyn callith this Lambe, in his estat(Bi many-folde recorde of Scriptur,)
The Roial Lambe of colour purpurat,
Which for mankynde list passioun to endur,
Born of a maide bi grace, a-geyn nature,
Whan He, bi mene of hir humylite,
Took the meeke clothyng of our humanyte.
45
“Born bi descent to be bothe Preest & Kyng,Kyng bi successioun fro Dauid doun bi line,
Of purpil red was His roial clothyng,
This Agnus Dei born of a pur virgyne,
Which wessh a-wey all venym serpentyne
On Calvarie whan He for man was ded,
With His pur blood purpurat & red.
46
“This Paschale Lamb withouten spot, al whiht,Bi His passioun in Bosra steyned red,
Which cam from Edom, Lamb of most delite,
That yaff His bodi to man in forme of bred
On Sheerthursday be-forn ar He was ded.
Was euyr founde afore this in scriptur,
Off Hors or Goos so solempne a ffigur?
47
“This Lamb was Crist which lyneali doun cam,Bi descent conveide the peedegre
553
Bi Isaac, Iacob & so doun to Iesse,
Which, bi the vertu of His humylite,
List to be callid the blissid Lord Ihesu,
For His hih meekenesse Lamb of most vertu.
48
“And to reherse worldly comoditees,In re publica make no co[m]parison:
Ther is no best which, in all degrees,
Nouthir Tigre, Olifant, nor Gryffon—
Al thynges rekned thoruh euery region—
Doth so gret profite, Hors, nor Goos, nor Swan,
As doth the Sheep, vn-to the ese of man.
49
“Lat be thi bost, thou Hors, & thi iangelyng!Ley doun thi trapurs forgid of plate & maile!
Cast of thy brydyl of gold so fressh shynyng!
What may thi sadil or bos the availe?
This gostly Lamb hath doon a gret bataile;
Bi His meknesse He offred vp for man,
Clad in pur purpil venquysshid hath Satan.
50
“The Goos may gagle, the Hors may prike & praunce;Neithir of hem in prowes may atteyne
For to be set or put in remembraunce
A-geyn the Lamb, thouh thei ther-at disdeyn:
For comon profite he passith bothe tweyne,
554
To hym in valew be-tween poor & riche.
51
“Off Brutis Albion his wolle is cheeff richesse,In prys surmountyng euery othir thyng
Sauff greyn & corn: marchauntis al expresse,
Wolle is cheeff tresour in this lond growyng:
To riche & poore this beeste fynt clothyng:
Alle naciouns afferme vp to the fulle,
In al the world ther is no bettir wolle.
52
“Of Sheep al-so comyth pilet & eke fell,Gadrid in this lond for a gret marchaundise,
Caried ovir see wher men may it sell:
The wolle skynnys makith men to rise
To gret richesse in many sondry wise;
The Sheep al-so turnyth to gret profite,
To helpe of man berith furris blak & white.
53
“Ther is also made of [the] Sheepis skyn,Pilchis & glovis to dryve awey the cold.
Ther-of also is made good parchemyn,
To write on bookes in quaiers many fold;
The Ram of Colcos bar a flees of gold;
The flees of Gedeon of deuh delectable
Was of Maria a ffigur ful notable.
555
54
“His fleessh is natural restauracioun,As summe men seyn aftir gret siknesse:
Rostid or sodyn, holsom is motoun,
Wellid with growel, phisiciens expresse,
Ful nutritiff aftir a gret accesse.
The Sheep al-so concludyng dout[e]lees
Of his nature louyth rest & pes.
55
“Of the Sheep is cast a-way no thyng:His horn for nokkis, to haftis goth the bon;
To the lond gret profite doth his tirdelyng;
His talwe eke seruyth for plaistres mo than on;
For harp strynges his roppis serue echon;
Of his hed boiled [holl] with wolle & all,
Ther comyth a gelle, an oyneme[n]t ful roiall!
56
“For ache of bonys & also for brosourIt remedieth & dooth [men] ese ful blyve;
Causith men starkid bonys to recur;
Dede synnewis restorith a-geyn to live.
Blak sheepis wolle with fresh oile of olive—
Thes men of armys with charmys previd good,—
At a streiht neede thei can weel staunche blood.
57
“But to the Wolff contrarie of natur,As seyn auctours, it is the humble best,
Louyth no debat, for with eche creature,
556
Wher-fore, ye Iugis, I hold it for the best,
Rem publicam ye must of riht preferre,
Alwey consideryng that pees is bet than werre.
58
“In this mater breffly to conclude,Pees to preferre as to my devis,
Bi many an old previd symylitude:
Makith no delay, yeuyth to the Sheep the pris,
Of oon assent, sith that ye be wis;
Lat al werr & striff be sett a-side,
And vpon pees dooth with the Sheep a-bide.”
59
“Nay,” quod the Hors, “your request is wrong,Al thyng considerid me wer loth to erre:
The Sheep is cause & hath be ful long,
Of newe striff & of mortal werre.
The circumstancis me list nat to defferre:
Thi wolle was cause & gret occasion
Whi that the proude Duke of Burgo[uy]n
60
“Cam befor Caleis with Flemynges nat a fewe,Which yaff the sakkis & sarpleres of the toun
To Gaunt & Brugis his fredam for to shewe,
And of thi wolle hiht hem pocessioun;
But his boistous baistill first was bete doun;
He vnethe escapid with the liff:
What but thi wolle was cause of al this striff?
557
61
“Wher richesse is of wolle & sich good,Men drawe thidir that be rek[e]les,
And soudiours that braynles been, & wood,
To gete baggage put hem silf in prees:
Causist werre, seist thu louest pees.
And yiff ther wer no werre nor bataille,
Lityll or nouht gret Hors[is] shuld availe.”
62
“No,” quod the Goos, “nor my ffetheris white,Withoute werre shuld do non avauntage,
Nor hookid arwis profite but a lite:
To mete our e[n]myes magre ther visage,
And from our enmyes to save vs from damage,
Fliht of my ffetheris despite of Sheep echon,
Shal vs deffende a-geyn our mortal foon.”
63
“Sothe,” quod the Hors, “as in my inward siht,Without[en] werre (be-forn as I yow told),
We may nat save nor keepe [wele] our riht,
Our garisons nor our castelis old.
But her this Sheep rukyng in his fold,
Set litill stoor of swerd or arwis keene,
Whan he, in pees, may pastur on the greene.
64
“Yiff it so stood that no werre were,Lost wer the craft of these armoreres.
What shuld availe pollex, swerd or spere,
558
Bowes, crosbowes arwis or fletcheres?
All these instrumentis for the werre wrouht,
Yif werr stynt shuld[e] serue of nouht.
65
“Her occupacioun shold have non encres;Knyhthod nat flouren shuld in his estat;
In euery contre yiff ther were pees,
No man of armys shold be fortunat:
I preve that pees is grond of all debat,
For on five spookis lik as on a wheel,
Turnyth al the world, who can considre weel.
66
“Gyn first at pees which causith most richesse,And riches is the originall of pride,
Pride causith, for lak of rihtwissnesse,
Werre between rewmys, look, on euery side,
Hertis contrarye in pees can nat a-bide:
Thus, fynally (whoo can considre & see,)
Werre is cheff ground & cause of pouerte.
67
“Pouert bi werr brouht to disencrece,For lak of tresour than he can no more,
Sauff only this he crieth aftir pees.
And compleyneth on the werris sore:
He seith, ‘bi werris he hath goodis lore,’
Can no recur but grutchyng & disdeyn,
Seith he wold fayn have pees a-geyn.
559
68
Thus pride & richesse to conclude in a clause,Betwen thextremytes of pes & pouerte,
Off all debatis & werre be cheeff cause;
And, sith wollis bryngith in gret plente,
Wher thei habounde (as folk expert may se),
Than may I seyn (yiff men wole takyn keepe),
Werr is brouht in al only bi the Sheep.”
69
“Her is a gentil reson of an Hors!I trowe he be fallen in a dotage,
Which of madnesse bi wolle set no fors,
Falsly affermeth it doth non avauntage.
Vertuous plente may do no damage:
Sheep berith his wolle, I told so whan I gan,
Nat for hym-silf, but for profit of man.
70
“Divers comoditees that comen of the SheepCause no werris what men iangle or muse,
As in her gilt, ye Iuges, takith keep
What that I sei her innocence texcuse!
Of coveitise men may falsly mysvse
Her beenfetis & wrongly hem attwite
Of sich occasiouns wher he is nat to wite.
71
“What is the Sheep to blame in your sightWhan she is shoorn & of hir flessh made bare,
560
Causelees to stryve foolis wil nat spare.
Wher pees restith ther is al weelfare;
And sith the Sheep louyth pes of innocence,
Yeuyth to his party diffynytiff sentence.”
72
The roial Egle, the Leon, of assent,Al thyng considerid rehersid heer-to-forn
Of all these thre bi good avisement,
Of Hors, of Goos, of Ram, with his gret horn,
Sauh in re publica myht nat be for-born;
Bi short sentence tavoyde al discorde,
Cast a meene to sett hem at a-corde.
73
This was the meene tavoide first the stryves,And al old rancour with her hertis glade,
Vse her yiftes & her prerogatives
To that eende which that thei wer made,
War, with presu[m]pcioun her bakkis be nat lade,
Vndevidid with hert[e], will & thouht
To doon her office as natur hath hem wrouht.
74
The Hors, bi kynde, to lyve in travayle,Goos, with his Gooslynges [to] swymme in the lake,
The Sheep, whoos wolle doth so myche availe,
561
Her comparisouns bi on assent for-sake,
Al-wey remembryng how God & Natur,
To a good ende made euery creatur.
75
That noon [of hem] to othir shuld do no wrong,The ravenous wolf the sely lambe toppresse;
And thouh oon be more than an othir strong,
To the febler do no froward duresse.
Al extorcioun is groundid on falsnesse;
Will is no lawe whethir it be wrong or riht:
Treuthe is put doun, the feeble is put to fliht.
76
Odious of old been all co[m]parisouns,And of comparisons is gendrid hatereede;
All folk be nat of lik condiciouns,
Nor lik disposid of thouht, wil, or deede;
But this fable which that ye now reede,
Contreued was that who that hath grettest part
Off vertuous yiftis shold with his freend depart.
77
Thus all vertues alloone hath nat oo man:That oon lakkith God hath yove a-nothir:
That thou canst nat parcas a-nothir can:
So entircomon as brothir doth with brothir;
562
And in oo clause speke in wordis pleyn,
That no man shold of othir ha disdeyn.
[Amor uincit omnia]
The Auctour makith a lenvoie vpon all the mateer be-fore said.
78
Off this fable conceivith the sentence;At good leiser doth the mateer see,
Which importith gret intelligence
Yiff ye list take the moralite
Profitable to euery comounte,
Which includith in many sondry wise,
No man shuld of hih nor lowe degre,
For no prerogatiff his neihbore despise.
79
Som man is strong, hardi as a LeounTo bynde Beeris or Booris to oppresse,
Wher-as anothir hath gret discrecioun;
Som man hooly liveth in parfitnesse,
A-nothir besi to gadre gret richesse:
But with al this tak heed of this emprise,
No man presume so hih his hornes dresse,
For no prerogatiff his neihbour to despise.
80
Trappurs of gold ordeyned wer for steedis;Sheep in the pastur gresen with mekenesse,
Yit of ther wollis be woven riche weedis,
Of smothe doun maad pilwis for softnesse,
Fethirbeddis to sleep, whan men dresse
563
Rolle vp this problem, thynk what it doth expresse:
For no prerogatiffe thi neihbour nat despise.
81
The inward meenyng to-forn as it is told,The Hors is tokne of marcial noblesse
With his hi belle & bocis brood of gold.
Estat of tirantis the poraile doth oppresse;
The Woolff in ffoldis to Sheep doth duresse,
Rukkyng in ffoldis for dreed dar nat arryse,
Ye that han power be war in your hihnesse,
For no prerogatiff, your sogettis to despise.
82
A pronostik clerkis ber wittnesse:Beth war of Phebus that erly cast his liht,
Of reyn, of storme, of myste or of derknesse
Shal aftir folwe longe or it be nyht;
Signe of gret wyntir whan wild gees tak her fliht
Like as Natur hir stoundis can devise:
Lat hih nor lowe presumen of his myht,
For no prerogatiff his neihbour to despise.
83
Of many strange vncouth simylitude,Poetis of old fablis have contryvid,
Of Sheep, of Hors, of Gees, of bestis rude,
Bi which ther wittis wer secretly apprevid,
Vndir covert tyrauntis eeke reprevid
Ther oppressiouns & malis to chastise
Bi exanplis of resoun to be mevid,
For no prerogatiff poore folk to despise.
84
Fortunes cours dyversly is dressidBi liknessis of many othir tale;
Man, best, & fowle & fisshis been oppressid
564
Of grettest fissh devourid been the smale,
Which in natur is a ful straunge guyse,
To seen a Kokkow mordre a Nityngale,
An innocent brid of hattreede to despise.
85
With this processe who that be wroht or wood,Thynges contrarie be founde in euery kynde:
A cherl of berthe hatith gentil blood;
It wer a monstre a-geyn natur, as I fynde,
That a gret Mastyff shuld a Leoun bynde;
A parlious clymbyng whan beggerrs vp arise
To hih estat—merk this in your mynde—
Bi fals prerogatives ther neihbours to despise.
86
Fals supplantyng clymbyng vp of foolis,Vnto chaires of wordly dygnyte,
Lak of discrecioun sett iobbardis vpon stoolis,
Which hath distroied many a comounte:
Marcolff to sitt in Salamon-is see.
What folwith aftir? Nor resoun nor iustise,
Vn-iust promocioun & parcialite,
Bi fals prerogativis ther neihbours to despise.
87
Tweene riche & poore what is the difference,Whan deth approchith in any creature,
Sauff a gay tumbe ffressh of apparence?
The riche is shet with colours & pictur
To hide his careyn stuffid with fowle ordur;
The poore lith lowe aftir the comoun guyse,
To techyn al proude of resoun & natur,
For no prerogatiff ther neihbour to despise.
88
Ther was a kyng whilom as I rede,As is remembrid of ful yore a-gon,
Which cast away croune & purpil weede,
565
Of poore nor riche hym sempte thei wer al on,
Refusid his crounne gan to aduertise:
Pryncis buried in gold nor precious ston,
Shuld, of no pompe, ther suggettis nat despise.
89
This thyng was doon in Alisandris tyme,Bothe autentik & historiall;
Bood nat til nyht, left his estat at pryme,
His purpil mantil, his garnement roiall,
Texemplifie in especiall
To imperial power what perel is to a-rise:
Whoo clymbith hihest most dreedful is his fall
Beeth war, ye princis, your sogettis to despise.
90
Hih & low wer maad of oo mateer;Of erthe we cam, to erthe we shal a-geyn;
Thees emperours with diademys cleer,
With ther victories & triumphes in certeyn,
In charis of gold lat hem nat disdeyn,
Thouh thei, eche day, of newe hem silf disguyse.
Fortune is fals, hir sonne is meynte with reyn:
Beth war, ye pryncis, your suggettis to despise.
91
Hed & feete been necessary bothe;Feet beryn vp all & hedis shal provide;
Hors, Sheep, & Gees, whi shuld thei be wrothe,
For ther comoditees tabreyden vpon pride?
Natur hir giftis doth dyversly devide,
Whoos power lastith from Cartage into Fryse:
He lastith weel that wisly can a-byde,
For any prerogatiff his neihbour to dispise.
566
Conclusio.
To beest & foule Nature hath set a lawe:Ordeyned steedis in iustis for the knyht,
In carte & plouh stokkis for to drawe,
Sheep in ther pastur to grese day & nyht,
Gees to swymme a-mong to take ther fliht;
Of God & kynde to take ther ffraunchise,
Yeuyng exaumple that no maner wiht
For no prerogatiff his neihbour shal dispise.
Explicit.
24. ISOPES FABULES.
[_]
[MS. Trin. Coll. Camb. R. 3. 19, leaves 12–16, 236–237, completed by B.M. Harley 2251, leaves 262–265, 269e–270, back.]
PROLOGUE AND FABLE I. The Tale of the Cok, that founde a precyous stone, groundyd by Isopus, the phylosopher of Rome, that yche man shuld take in gree suche as God sent.
1
W]isdom ys more in prise, þen gold in cofers,To hem, þat haue sauour in lettrure.
Olde examples of prudent philosophers
Moche auaylyd to folke þat dyd her cure
To serche out lykenes in nature,
In whyche men myght conceue & clerely see
Notable sentence of gret moralyte.
2
Vnto purpos þe poete laureateCallyd Isopus dyd hym occupy
567
Fonde out fables, þat men myght hem apply
To sondry matyrs, yche man for hys party,
Aftyr þeyr lust, to conclude in substaunce,
Dyuerse moralytees set out to þeyr plesaunce.
3
Som of foules, of bestis and of fyssh,Thys Isopus founde out exsample pleyne.
Where syluer fayleþ, in a pewter dyssh
Ryall dentees byn oft tymes seyne,
And semblably poetes, in certeyne,
In fables rude includyd gret prudence
And moralytees full notable of sentence.
4
Vnder blak erþe byn precious stones founde,Ryche saphyres & charbuncles full ryall,
And, who þat myneþ downe lowe in þe grounde,
Of gold & syluer groweþ þe mynerall;
Perlys whyte, clere & orientall
Ben oft founde in muscle shellys blake,
And out of fables gret wysdom men may take.
5
For whyche I cast to folow þys poeteAnd hys fables in Englyssh to translate,
And, þough I haue no rethoryk swete,
Haue me excusyd: I was born in Lydgate;
Of Tullius gardeyn I passyd nat þe gate,
And cause, why: I had no lycence
There to gadyr floures of elloquence.
6
Yet, as I can, forþe I woll procedeIn þys labour & my style dresse
To do plesaunce to þeym, þat shall hit rede,
Requiryng hem of verrey gentylnes
Of her grace to rewe on my rudenes,
568
Whyche theym to plese translatyd was by me.
7
And, yef I fall bycause of ignoraunce,That I erre in my translacion,
Lowly of hert & feyþfull obeysaunce,
I me submyt to þeyr correccion,
Of hem, þat haue more clere inspeccion
In matyrs, þat touche poetry,
Me to reforme þat þey nat deny.
8
And, as myn auctor doþe at þe cok begyn,I cast me to folow hym in substaunce,
Fro þe trouþe in sentence nat to twyn,
As God and grace woll yeue me suffysaunce,
Compyle þys lybell for a remembraunce:
To the reders hereaftyr may be founde
The thanke þerof fully to rebounde.
9
The Cok of kynde haþe a crest redeShape lyke a crowne, token of gret noblesse,
By whyche he haþe, whyle hit stont on hys hede,
As clerkis seyn, corage & hardynes,
And of hys berde melancolyk felnes:
Aboute hys nek by mercyall apparayll
Nature haþe yeue hym a stately auentayll.
10
Thys hardy foule with brest & voyce so clereMost trewly kepeþ þe tydes of þe nyght,
Of custom namyd comon astrologere
In throwpes smale to make þeyr hertis lyght;
With spores sharpe enarmyd for to fyght
Lyke a champion iustly doþe attende,
As a proud capten, hys broode for to defende;
569
11
Beteþ hys wyngis, aforn or he do syngB[i]t sluggy hertis out of þeyr slepe to wake,
When Lucyfer toward þe dawnyng
Lawgheth in þe oryent & haþe þe west forsake
To chase awey þe myghty clowdys blake:
Towarde Aurora þys foule, who takeþ kepe,
Byddyþ folk ayene awake out of þeyr slepe,
12
Whos waker callyng þryes tolde in nombreWith treble laudes youe to þe Trinite,
Slouþe auoydyng, clepeþ folk out of þer slombre
(Good hope repeyreþ to all, þat heuy bee),
Comforteþ þe seke in hys infirmite,
Causeþ merchauntis & pylgryms to be glad,
The þeuys swerde hyd vndyr þe shad.
13
Callyd þe prophete of ioy & all gladnes,Embassiatour of Phebus fyry lyght,
Whyche put awey by musicall swetnes
The vgly blaknes of þe derk[e] nyght;
For whyche me semeth, me shuld of dew[e] ryght
For .iij. causes preferre þys foule among,
For waker kepyng, for hardynes & song.
14
Thys foule ys waker ayen þe vyce of slouþe,In vertu strong & hardy as a lyon,
Stable as a geaunt, opon a grounde of trouþe,
Ayene all vyces þe morall champion,
And with þe entewnes of hys melodious soun
He yeueþ ensample, as he hys voyce doþ reyse,
Howe day & nyght we the lord shall preyse.
570
15
And, for because hys brest ys strong & cleereAnd on hys tipto dysposeþ for to syng,
He ys of poettis callyd Chaunceleer.
And, as myn auctour remembreþ by wrytyng,
Whylom þys foule in a glad mornyng
Reioysyd hym ayene the son[ne] shene
With all hys flok to walke opon a grene.
16
He was furst besy for to breke hys faste,With hys wyues about hym euerychone,
On a small donghyll to fynde a good repaste
Gan scrape & sporne & fast about[e] gone.
Hyd in þe dong hyll he fonde a iacynct stone,
Yet hys labour & hys besy cure
Was for nat elles, but for hys pasture.
17
He yaue ensample, whyche gretly may auayle,As he was oonly taught by nature,
To auoyde slouþe by dylygent trauayle,
By honest labour hys lyuelood to procure.
For, who woll þryue, labour must endure;
For idylnes & froward negligence
Makeþ sturdy beggars for lak of þeyr dyspence.
18
Losengowres, þat fele hem strong ynough,Whyche haue sauour in slouþe & slogardy,
Haue leuer to beg, þen go at þe plough,
Dyche or delue, þeymsylf to occupy.
Thus idylnes[se] causeþ rob[e]ry
In vacant pepyll, þat to and fro dyd wende:
For þeft arestyd at Tyburn make an ende.
571
19
They be no men, but folkis bestiall,Voyde of reson oonly for lak of grace,
Whyche ete & drynke & labour nat at all.
The cok was besy hys lyuelood to purchase
The long day in many diuerse plase,
Hym & hys broode oonly to forstre, in trouþe,
Suche folke rebukyng, þat lyue in slombre & slouþe.
20
Vertu gynneþ at occupacion,Vyces all procede of idelnesse,
Vnto þeues foundres & patroun;
As thryft commeþ of vertuous besynesse,
So of myschyef slouth ys chief maistresse:
Thys ydelnes causeþ folk in dede
To waste þeyr dayes in myschief & in nede.
21
With scrapyng, spornyng all þe long[e] dayThe cok was besy hym & hys broode to fede,
Founde a iacyncte, whyche in þe donghyll lay,
A ryche stone & a precious, as I rede;
Of whyche stone when þe cok toke hede,
Stynt awhyle, sodenly abrayde,
And to þe ston euyn þus he sayde:
22
“Who þat knew þy nature & þy kynde,All þe propurtees, whyche of the be tolde,
A ieweller, yef he þe myght fynde,
Wolde for þy vertues close þe in golde.
Euax to the yeueþ praysyng manyfolde,
Whos lapydary bereþ opynly wytnesse,
Geyn sorow & wo[e] þou bryngest in gladnesse.
572
23
“The best iacyncte in Ethiope ys foundeAnd ys of colour lyke þe saphyre ynde,
Comforteþ men, þat ly in prison bounde,
Makeþ men strong & hardy of hys kynde,
Contract synewes þe iacyncte doþ vnbynde:
Yet for all þy vertuous excellence
Twene þe & me ys no conuenience.
24
“For me þou shalt in þys place abyde,With the I haue lyght or nought to done.
Late þese merchantis, þat go so ferr & ryde,
Trete of þy valew, wheþer hit be late or sone,
Deme how þe cherle came furst in þe mone:
Of suche mysteryes I take but lytell hede;
Me lyst nat hewe chyppes aboue myn hede.
25
“Precyous stones longen to iewellersAnd to princes, when þey lyst wel be seyn:
To me more deynte in bernes or garners
A lytell rewarde of corn or good greyn.
To take þys stone to me hit were but veyn:
Set more store (I haue hit of nature)
Among rude chaffe to shrape for my pasture.
26
“Lyke as folkis of relykis haue deynte,Theron þey set a valew or a pryce,
Hygh maters profounde & secree
Ne shuld nat without gret auyce
Be shewyd in opyn to hem, þat be nat wyse;
For, as a wyseman in wysdom haþe delyte,
Ryght so a foole of doctrine haþe dyspyte.
27
“Golde & stones be for a kyngis hede,Stele ys tryed for platis in armure,
573
Brasse for belles, iren long to endure
(Thus euery þyng foloweþ hys nature),
Pryncys to reygne, knyghtis for batayll,
Plowmen for tylþe, shypmen for to sayll.
28
“The hert desyreþ to drynke of crystall welles,The swan to swymme in large brood riueres,
The gentyll faucon with gesse & ryche belles
To cache hys pray lyke to hys desyres,
I with my brode to scrape afore garneres:
Precious stonys noþyng apperteyne
To gese nor fovlys, þat pasture on þe grene.
29
“Of þeyr nature as folke byn dysposyd,Diuersely þey make eleccion.
Double of vertu þe saphyr in gold closyd.
Yche man cheseþ lyke hys opinion:
On cheseþ þe best of wysdom & reson,
And anoþer (hys eyen byn so blynde)
Cheseþ þe werst, þe best he lyt behynde.”
Lenuoy.
30
Though þys fabyll be boysters & rurall,Ye may þeryn consider þyngis þre:
Howe þat diligence in especiall
Haþe agayn slouþe caught þe souereynte,
And, where fre choyse haþ hys liberte,
Cheseþ þe werst in ernest or in game,
Who, but hymsylf, þerof ys to blame?
31
Who foloweþ vertu, vyces doþ eschew,He cheseþ þe best in myn opinion.
574
Small simple grayne, þen stones of hygh renoun,
Of all tresour chief possessioun.
Suche as God sent, eche man take at gre,
Nat prowde with ryches nor groge with pouerte.
32
The worldly man laboreth for rychesse,And on þe worlde he set all hys intent.
The vertuos man to auoyde all ydelnesse
With suffisaunce hold hymsylf content.
Eche man þerfore with suche as God haþ sent,
Thanke þe Lorde, in vertu kepe hem stable,
Whyche ys conclusioun of þys lytyll fable.
Explicit.
FABLE II. The Tale of the Wolfe and the Lambe groundyd opon Isopus, the phylosophor of Rome, ayenst raueyn & tiranny.
33
R]yght as atwene turment & delycesThere ys in kynde a gret difference,
Ryght so atwene vertues lyfe & vyces
There may be no iust conuenience:
Malyce contrary to pure innocence,
And phylosophers by wrytyng bere recorde,
Twene trowþe & fraude may be non acorde.
34
Atwene rancour & humble pacienceTher ys in nature a gret diuision:
A sely shepe make may no resistence
Ageyn þe power of a strong lyon;
A dwerfe to fyght with a champyon
Were to febyll in a felde to endure,
By lykenes agayn nature.
575
35
Grete pykes, þat swymme in large stewes,Smaller fysshe most felly þey deuour.
Who haþe most myght, þe febler gladly sewes:
The pore haþe few hys party to socour.
The rauenous wolf opon þe lambe doþe lour;
Of whyche Isopus in hys booke
Full notably thys example he toke.
36
The lambe, þe wolf[e], contrary of nature,Euer diuerse & noþyng oon þey þynke.
Boþe at onys of soden auenture
To a fresshe ryuer þey came downe to drynke:
At þe hede spryng hy opon þe brynke
Stondeþ þe wolfe, a froward beste of kynde;
The sely lambe stood fer abak behynde.
37
Who þat is froward of condicionAnd disposyd to malyce & outrage,
Can sone seke & fynde occasion
Pyke a quarell for to do damage;
And vnto purpose malycious of corage
The furyos wolfe out with hys venym brake,
And euyn þys vnto þe lambe he spake:
38
“Lyke þy ffadyr, þou art false & doubleAnd hym resemblest of dysposicion,
For he was wont my water here to trouble,
To meue þe þyk, þat lay low doune:
Þat I myght haue no recreacioune
To drynk my fyll of water pure and clere,
He was so contrary to trouble þys ryuere.
39
“And þou of malyce art com to do þe same,Sekest occasion by trobly vyolence
576
To fynde mater and for to do offence.”
The lambe answerd with humble reuerence:
“Thys may nat be; þe preef ys seyn full oft:
I stond beneþe, & ye stond aloft.
40
“From þe hyll þe ryuer downe dyscendeþ:For to ascende hit were ageyn nature.
That I stond here hit noþyng yow offendeþ:
The trowble goþe low, aboue hit ys most pure;
The clere ys youres, but I must endure,
Tyll ye haue dronke, and þen at erst begyn,
Take, as hit falleþ, þe þyk with the þyn.
41
“I may nat chese: þe choyse to yow ys fall.Hyt were but foly for me with yow to stryue.
Ye shall for me haue your desyres all:
Of your ryght I wyll nat yow depryue.”
But þe wolfe a cause gan contryue
Ageyn the lambe of naturall haterede,
Seyd vnto hym quakyng in hys drede:
42
“Thy feynyd speche flatteryng & benygne,I see hit well in myn inward syght,
How þou dost ayene me malygne
To vex me wrongfully, yef þou haddyst myght.
The lawe shall part vs, whyche of vs haþ ryght.”
But he no lenger on þe lawe abood,
Deuouryd þe lambe & aftyr soke hys blood.
43
The lambe was sleyn, for he seyd soþ.Thus was law tornyd to rauyne,
Dome execute by þe wolfis tothe;
By whyche lawe Naboth lost hys vyne,
Whylom commaundyd by law, whyche ys dyuyne,
No rauenous beste (þe Byble doþ deuyse)
Shuld be offred to God in sacryfyse.
577
44
Herdys be rekles þe lambe for to defende,Take noon hede on theyr flock to tary;
Ther hounde ys muett, whyche þat shuld attende
To kepe þe wache fro wolues most contrary;
Fewe sheperdys & many mercynary,
That falsly entre, as Iohns gospell tolde,
By þe wyndow into Crystis folde.
45
The lambe ys clyppyd, chese and mylke ys peysyd,On felle & flesshe ys set a certayn pryse,
For tylþe of lond þe dong ys also preysyd,
Noþyng foryete (sheperdys be so wyse):
The beest ys spoylyd & nat without avyse.
The wolf haþ so ferre þe lambe purchasyd,
That he ys deuouryd & haþ noþyng trespasyd.
46
The ram in Colches bare a flees of golde;Therof he was dyspoylyd by Iason,
The body left hoole, lyke as hit ys tolde.
But shepe þese dayes be spoylyd to þe bon;
For þer be wolfes many mo þen oon,
That clyp lamborn at sessions & at shyres
Bare to þe bone, & yet þey haue no sheres.
47
The sely lambe ys spoylyd to þe bones,The wolf goþ fre, wheþer hit be ryght or wrong.
When [a] iorrour haþe caught sauour ones
To be forsworn, custom makeþ hym strong.
Si dedero ys now so mery a song,
Haþ founde a practyk by lawe to make a preef
To hang a trew man & saue an errant theef.
48
With empty hande men may noon hawkis lewreNor cache a iorrour, but yef he yeue hym mede.
The pore pleteþ: what ys hys auenture?
Voyde purse causeþ he may nat spede.
The lambe put bak, þe wolf þe daunce doþ lede.
578
Causyd Isopus þys tale for to feyne.
Conclusio.
49
The wolfe ys lykenyd to folkys rauenous,The sely lambe resembleþ þe porayle;
The wolfe ys gredy, fell, cruell, dyspituous,
The lambe content with grasse for hys vytayle.
The[i] dey[e] boþe: þe wolfe may nat auayle,
Be hit for houndis caren most corumpable,
The lambe vp seruyd at þe kyngis table.
50
As men deserue, þey receue þeyr guerdon.On repentaunte þe tyraunt goþ to hell.
The pore man with small possession
Vertuosly doþ in þe erþe dwell,
Content with lytell doþ trewly by and sell
And of hoole hert can loue God & drede;
When he goþ hens, haþe heuen to hys mede.
51
To encrese vertu and vyces to confoundeExample here shewyd of gret diuersyte;
By Isopus was þys fable founde,
Where ys rehersyd, toforne as ye may se,
The wolfis felnesse, þe lambes properte;
The lambe commendyd for naturall mekenes
The wolfe rebuked for rauenous felnes.
Explicit.
FABLE III. The Tale of the Frogge and þe Mowse foundyd by Isopus, þe philosophor, groundyd ayenst deceyte.
52
B]y a decree of Natures law,Peysyd egally þe balance of reson,
579
Shall of deceyte receue þe guerdon.
Salary to feynyng ys simulacion.
Who by dyssimelyng & fraude doþ procede,
Lyke a defrauder receue shall hys mede.
53
Som reioyse þeym in malyce & in fraudeAnd couertely to hynder þeyr neyghbors.
As men deserue, reporte yeueþ theym þeyr lawde.
Cloþe falsly wouen may kepe no fresshe colours.
The dorre on donghyll, þe bee on holsom floures,
As þey receue, þey bryng home to theyr heue:
The oon doþe damage, þe oþer doþ releue.
54
Aftyr þeyr naturall disposicionsIn man & beste ys shewyd experyence:
Som haue to vertew þeyr inclinacions,
Oone to profyte, anoþer to do offence;
Som man pesyble, som man doþ violence;
Som man delyteþ in trouþe in hys entent,
Anoþer reioyseþ to be fraudulent.
55
Who þat meneþ treson or falsnesWith a pretence outward or frenshyp or frendlyhede,
Face counterfete of feynyd fals gladnes,
Of all enemyes suche oon ys most to drede,
And Isopus to purpos, as I rede,
Telleþ how a ffrosshe felle & contraryouse,
Dowble of entent, deceuyd haþe þe movse.
56
Of þys fable þe processe for to tell,The frosshe of custom abode at a ryuer;
The mowse also soiornyd at a myll,
That stood besyde from all dangere;
And a morow, when Phebus shone full clere,
580
The mowse besought hym goodly to abyde.
57
Lad hym vp to þe myll alofte,Shewyd hym the hoper, þe trowgh & þe myll stone,
On a corne sak made hym syt softe,
Seyde, he shuld to dyner go anone,
Leyde afore hym greynes many oone:
To shewe hym of gentylnes gret fauourure
The second course he brought in mele & floure.
58
“See,” quoth þe mowse, “þys ys a mery lyfe.Here ys my lordshyp & dominacion.
I lyue here esyly out of noyse & stryfe.
Thys cloos all hoole ys in my subieccion.
Suffisaunce ys my possessione.
As I haue appetyte, I dyne late or sone;
For Gyb, þe catte, haþe here noþyng to done.
59
“As mesemeþ, I am here ryght well easyd.Better ys quyete, þen troble with ryches.
A poreman, þat ys with lytyll plesyd,
Laboreþ truly, meneþ no falsenes
And ys sequestryd fro worldly besynes,
He may at nyght by many sondry preues
Meryly slepe for any fere of theues.
60
“Blessyd be pouerte, þat causeþ assurance,Namely when gladnes doþ hys brydyll lede.
What God sendeþ, hit ys to þeyr plesance,
Thankeþ þe lorde, grogeþ for no nede.
As he fyndeþ, þeron he doþ hym fede.
Thus am I content here in my householde
As well as Cresus was with all hys golde.
581
61
“Tresour of Mygdas medelyd was with drede,Broke slepes, reft hym hys libertees.
The pore man slepeþ fearelese, takeþ noon hede,
Who ryde or go: hys gatis opyn bee.
And I suppose, noman ys more free
Nor more assuryd, to myne opynyon,
Then glad pouert with small possession.
62
“Salomon wryteþ, howe hit ys bet by halfeA lompe of brede with reioysyng,
Then at festis to haue a rostyd calfe
With heuy chere, frownyng or grogyng.
Nature ys content with full lytell þyng.
As men seyen & reporte, at þe leste,
Nat many deyntees, but good chere makeþ a feste.
63
“Where a tyraunt haþ power noon nor myght,Ys sewre abydyng vnto þe porayll.
Diogenes was with hys towne as lyght,
As Alysaundre with all hys apparayll.
Thys lytyll mylle fynt me my vytayll:
I haue þerin as gret lust and ioy,
As kyng Priamus had in hys towne of Troy.
64
“The poreman mery in hys cotage,As ys þe merchaunt in hys stuffyd house;
The plowman glad with bacon & potage,
As in þeyr paleyse byn prynces gloriouse.
And, þough þat I be but a lytell movse,
Ther ys no lorde, mo castelles haþ to kepe,
Then I haue hernes & hooles in to crepe.
65
“Abyde with me all nyght in þys mylle,That we togedyr may haue our dalyaunce.
582
When frendis mete, ys ioy & plesaunce.
At eue at soper we shall haue a petaunce,
And, when Aurora to-morow doþ apere,
Or we departe, we shall dyne in fere.”
66
The ffrosshe answeryd & gan hys tale telle:“I haue had here plente of vytayll,
Of fresshe lycour þys ys a baren mylle.
I prayse no feeste, where good drynke doþ fayll,
And what ys worþe all þe apparayll
Of diuerse deyntees to a mannys lust,
When aftyr mete men gon awey a thrust?
67
“Good drynke at festes makeþ all þe chere,Well sesenyd mete, of good drynke habundance.
Here fast[e] by ys a brode ryuere,
Whyche of fresshe watyr haþ all suffisaunce.
Bacus, Thetis be causers of plesaunce,
And, to discure þe sentence of my þought,
Where þey two fayle, I sey, þe fest ys nought.”
68
They passyd forþe by a grene mede:The syluer dew toward þe mornyng
Haþe of þe mowse soylyd so þe wede,
That he haþ lost hys power of rennyng.
Thus were þese wormes contrary of lyuyng:
The frosshe delyteþ to abyde in mory lakys,
The mowse to fede hym on chese & tendyr cakys.
69
The mowse was wery with þe frosshe to abyde,But þe frosshe with a false feynyd chere
583
Ys myne abydyng vppon þe water clere.
Lat vs go swymme ouer þe ryuere,
And, lyke as I haue vnto þe tolde,
Thow shalt abyde & see þere my householde.”
70
The mowse answeryd quakyng in hys drede:“I haue of swymmyng noon experience.”
“No,” quoth þe frosshe, “I shall tey a threde
About þy nek by gret diligence,
The other ende shall for þy defence
At my leg sore be knyt behynde
Ouer þe broke passage for to fynde.”
71
Thus gan þe ffrosshe couertly to feyneOf false fraude þe lytell mowse to drowne.
The frosshe by swymmyng dyd hys besy peyne
To make þe mowse lowe to plonge downe.
Forþe goþ þe frosshe, þe mowse for fere gan sowne,
And in þys whyle a kyte, or þey toke hede,
Raught hem boþe vp hangyng by þe þrede.
72
Fatte was þe ffrosshe, þe mowse sklender & lene;The frosshe deuouryd because of hys fatnes.
The threde to-brake, þe mowse fell on þe grene,
Fro deþe escapyd: þe frosshe for hys falsnes
Gwerdon receueþ of vnkyndenes.
For conclusion clerk[is] put in mynde,
Lawe & nature pleynyn on folke vnkynde.
Conclusio.
73
Of vyces all, shortly to conclude,Ther ys no vyce in comparyson
To þe vyce of ingratitude;
584
More to be drad, me semeþ, of reson:
Preseruatyf made for pestylence,
But agayn fraude may be no defence.
74
In þys fable for an exemplary,For þe party of pure innocence,
The mowse ys but sympyll, nat contrary,
Where þe frosshe by fraude & violence
Vnder colour of frendly dylygence
Was euer besy hys felow to encloy:
The cause out sought hit dyd hymsylf dystroy.
75
To a deceyuour by ryght, as hit ys founde,Kynde requyreþ in folkis fraudulent,
Where fraud ys vsyd, fraude mot rebounde,
Gwerdon for fraude most conuenient;
For whyche Isopus in hys fynall entent
Thys fable wrote full soþly in hys wyt:
Who useþ fraude, with fraude shalbe quyt.
Explicit.
FABLE IV. The Tale of þe Hownde and þe Shepe groundyd ayen periure & false wytnes founde by Isopus.
76
T]he world made diuerse by froward folkis tweyne,By a false iorrour and a false wytnesse,
Horryble monstres enbrasyd in a cheyne
Trouþe forto assayle & greuosly to oppresse,
Whyche forto clypse þe lyght of ryghtwysnesse
Be nat aferde with hande put forþe toforn
Vppon a boke falsely to be forsworn!
77
With cancryd lyppes & with tung[e] doubleTwene ryght & wrong forþe þey woll procede,
585
To be forsworn on a boke for mede,
Of conscience þey take so lytell hede;
Whyche þyng to preue by exsamples full notable
Of olde Isopus whylom wrote þys fable.
78
Hauyng thys conceyte, set hit for a grounde;By maner lyknes rehersyng in sentence,
He wrete þer was whylom a gret hounde,
Whyche toke a quarell by hatefull violence
Agayns a shepe simple of innocence,
Whyche stood alone voyde of all refuge,
Constreynyd by force to apere afore a iuge.
79
Agenst the sheepe, quakyng in his drede,Withouten support of any proctour,
This ravenous hound thus wrongely gan procede,
His tale aforsyng like a false iurrour:
How he had lent the sheepe, his neygh[e]bour,
A large lofe, his hunger to releve,
As he was redy by lawe for to preve.
80
And his quarel more to fortefye,The sely shepe to bryng[en] in distresse,
He affermed it, and falsly did lye,
Towchyng his loff, that he of kyndenesse
Toke it the sheepe, whan he stoode in distresse
Of mortal hunger, whan plente dide faile,
Likly to dye for lak of vitaile.
81
Straitly requyreng the iuge in this matiereTo yeve hym audience and to do hym right,
By apparence shewyng ful sad chiere,
586
The sely sheepe, astonyed in his sight,
Stoode abasshed ful like an innocence;
To help hym-self cowde fynd[e] no diffence.
82
Towchyng the loff requyred by the hound,With humble chiere the sheepe did it deny,
Sothly affermyng, levyng on this ground,
Vnto his day he neuer on no party
No loff receyved, and loth he was to ly,
Prayeng the iuge, that he myght frely gon,
For other aunswer plainly cowde he none.
83
Quod the iuge: “The lawe thow must abide,Til ther be yoven sentence of iugement;
I may no favour do to nowther side,
But atwene both stande indifferent,
As rightful iuge of hert and hole intent,
Til I may se by lawe to make me strong,
Whiche of the partyes have right or wrong.”
84
The lawe, first founde on a triew[e] grounde,May nat declyne from his stabilnesse.
The iuge, abraidyng, axed of the hound,
“Hastow,” quod he, “record or witnesse
This douteful cause to set in sikernesse,
For to stynt[en] al contrauersy
Be triewe report of suche as wil nat ly?”
85
The hound answerd: “My cause is iust and triewe,And my-self in lawe here for to aquyte,
I have brought two, that the couenant knewe,
The faithful wolf, in trowth that doth delite,
And with hym comyth the gentil foule, the kyte,
Chose for the nones by report of theyr names,
As folke wele knowe, that dredith sclaundre and shames.
86
“To offende trewth the wolf doth gretly drede,He is so stidefast and triew of his nature;
587
He had lever grete hunger to endure,
Lovyng no raveyn vnto his pasture,
Thanne take a chykken, by record of writyng,
To his repast, or any goselyng.”
87
The hound, to acomplissh thend of his entent,Agayn the sheepe to susteyne his partye
Witnesse tweyne brought in iugement,
The wolf, the puttok that were ful loth to ly;
And for to stynte the contrauersy
Of this matier, they vpon hem toke
To lay theyr hondis boldly vpon a booke.
88
Mote they be hanged on high by the halse,Be-cawse they swore wetyngly vntriewe!
The hound wele wiste his [com]playnt was false,
The sheepe condempned, tristy and pale of hewe,
The twey witnesse, albe it they ne knewe
The matier false, rehersed here to-forn,
Yit drad they nat falsely to be forsworn.
89
Thus al thre were false by oon assent,The hound, the wolf, and the cursid kyte,
The sheepe, allas, though he were innocent,
By doome compelled, as Isopos doth write,
To pay the loff, his dettis to acquyte,
Thus constrayned, the lawe dide hym compelle,
At grete myschief his wynter flees to selle.
90
The ram of Colchos bare a flees of gold,Whiche was conquered manly by Iason;
But this sheepe, whan he his flees hath sold,
With cold constrayned, wynter cam vpon,
Deyd at myschief, socour had he none;
Be-twene the wolf and the puttok that nought were lost in veyne,
As myn auctour sayth, parted was the kareyne.
588
91
The sheepe thus deyd, his body al to-rent,The ravenous wolf the kareyne did assaile;
The hound recouered his part by iugement;
The false kyte cast hym nat to faile,
To have a repast vpon his adventaile.
Thus in this world by extorcion veriliche
Poore folk be devoured alwey by the riche.
92
By examples, in stwes long and large,Of grete fissh devoured bien the smale.
Hardy is the bote that stryvith agenst the barge.
To ouerpresse a pore man the riche set no tale.
A cloth sakke stuffid, shame it is to pike a male.
What nedith the see to borwe of smale rivers,
Or a grete barne to borow of strait garners?
93
Al suche outrages and inconveniencesTakith origynal of pillage and ravyne;
An extorcioner, to amend his expences,
Can make the poore to bowe and declyne;
Lierne this prouerbe, founde of old doctryne,
“Suche as have no conscience of no maner wronges,
Of other mennys ledir can kut ful large thonges.”
94
The shepe is ded, the puttok hath his part,Ioynt from ioynt the wolf hath rent a-sunder,
The hound by dome recouered hath his part,
Suche false practik is vsed here and yonder:
The fiebler playneth, and that is litel wonder.
Al suche raveyne on poraile to theyr distresse
Beganne at false iurrours and at false witnesse.
95
To a false witnesse, record in Salamon,Prouerbiorum, .iij. thynges bien compared
A shrew[e]d dart, an hoked arow is oon,
589
Yit vnder trety somtyme they be spared;
But a false witnesse hath this avauntage
With mowth infect alwey to do damage.
96
Agayne sharpe quarels helpith a pavice,Agayne arowes may be made defence,
And though a swerd be riche and of grete price,
Somtyme he sparith for to do offence;
But a false iurrour, by mortal violence,
Nat only causith men her bloode to shede,
But makith hem lese theyr lyf and goode for meede.”
97
Ageyne verray poyson ordeyned is triacle,As auctours sayne, by craft of medicyne;
But ageyn a iurrour there were no bettir obstacle
Than to geld hym yong, hys venym to declyne,
That no false braunche myght spryng of his lyne,
For the nombre suffisith only of ij. or iij.
To enfecte a shyre or a grete contre.
98
It is remembred by record of auctours,As writeth Holcot vpon sapience,
How ther folwith .iij. incomoditees
Of false forsweryng ageyn conscience:
First, rehersith this auctour in sentence,
Vpon a booke whan a false iurrour
Forswerith hym-self, he is to God a traytour.
99
There-vpon, this matier to conclude,That false forsweryng is to God treason,
First he makith this simylitude:
That if a man withyn a regioun
Wold countrefete, by false collusioun,
The kynges seale, the people to begile,
What were he worthy to deye by civile?
590
100
And semblaly, who can considre wele,The name of God, ordeyned to impresse,
Is the signacle of the celestial seale,
Yoven to al Cristen of trowth to bere witnesse,
And who that euer mysvsith it in falsenesse,
Holcot affermyth it, for short conclusioun,
That he to God doth opinly treason.
101
Who with his hand the Holy Booke doth towche,And to record takith Cristes name,
On Holy Writ, I dare me wele avowche,
If he swere falsely, gretely is to blame,
Hande of periurye to his eternal shame;
God and His werkis he doth vtterly forsake,
And to the fiend for euer he doth hym take.
102
In His preceptis, whiche that be devyne,God bad man bere no false witnesse,
And of oure faith to folwe the doctryne.
Periury is enemy to al rightwisnesse;
What man for lucre or for [gret] richesse
Wilbe forsworn, by sentence of clerkis,
Falsly forsakith God and al His werkis.
103
Who swerith by God, his hand leyd on a booke,He causith God, auctours doth expresse,
Vnto the record of the charge he toke,
In right or wronge, in trowth or in falsenesse,
To preve his oth Hym takith to wittnesse:
If his causyng to make his party strong,
Falsly concludith, he doth to God grete wrong.
104
Of periurye the trespas is ful huge,Wonder perilous in Oure Lordis sight,
For the iurrours first disseyvith the iuge,
Causith his neyghburgh for to lese his right,
His conscience hurt, of grace blent the light,
591
Lyke to be dampned, but he amendis make.
105
Isopos iurrours doth discryve,Callith theym Arpies, houndes infernal,
With ravenous feete, wynged to flee blyve,
Like to Carberos, that receyvith al,
Gredy Tantalus, whos hunger is nat smal;
And be suche peple, who that takith kepe,
As sayth my[n] auctour, devoured was the shepe.
106
Thus false forsweryng, frawde, and extorcioun,With false witnesse afore God be dampnable,
But if they make diew satisfaccioun,
Thynges to restore, wherof they bien culpable;
And for suche folkes Isopos wrote this fable,
To this intent, that I have told aforn,
What peril it is falsly to be forsworn.
107
Late al false iurrours have this in mynde,Remembre at shyres and at cessions:
Who is forsworn, settith God behynde,
And puttith the fiend in ful possessioun
Of soule and body, vnder his dampcioun,
Toforn his deth, but if he have repentaunce,
Or make restitucioun, or do som penaunce.
Here endith the .iij. fable of Isopos, what perel it is to be forsworn wetyngly, as was the wolf and the kyte for synguler love, that they hadde to the hounde, and to have the sheepe ded and slayn, as iurrours dampne þe triewe and save the false.
592
FABLE V. How the wollffe diseyvyd the crane, Isopus, translatyd by Iohn Lydgat.
108
In Isopus forther to proced,Towchynge the vyce of wnkynd[e]nesse,
In this tretes a lytyll fabill I rede
Of engratytude, ioynyd to falsenesse,
How that a wolff, of cursyd frowardnesse
Was to the crane, of malyce, as I fynde,
For a good torne falce founden and wnkynd.
109
The fable is this: when bestes everychoneHelde a feste and a solempnyte,
Ther was a wolffe strangled with a bone,
And constraynyd by grete adversyte,
Des[es]peyryd relyvyd for to be,
For remede playnly knew he none,
So depe downe enteryd was the bone.
110
Thorow all the cort surg[e]ons wer sought,Yf eny were abydynge them a-monge;
At the last the crane was forthe brought,
Bycaws his neke was slender, sharp, & longe,
To serche his throt wher þe bone stode wronge,
For whiche perlows occupacion
The wolff behyte hym a full grete guerdon.
111
The bone out browght by subtile delygenceOf the crane, by crafft of surgery,
The court all hole being in presence,
593
The wolffe frowardly his promys gan deny,
Sayd, “It suffisith,”—and gan to make stryffe,—
“Out of his mouthe that he scapid with his lyffe.”
112
The wolffe denyed that he had be-hyte,Sowght a-gayne hym froward occacion,
Seyd, he had don hym grete wn-ryght,
And hym deseyvyd by fals colusion,
Whan he his byll putte so low a-downe
In his throt to pyke a-wey the bone;
Other reward of hym gett he none!
113
Caste on the crane a full cruell loke,Withe opyn mouthe gan to approche nere,
“When thow,” quod he, “the sayd[e] bone toke
Out of my throt thow were in my daunger,
Thy sharpe beke, neke, eyen, and chere
Atwene my tethe, sharp[e] whet & kene,
Thy lyffe in iubardy, the truthe was welle sene.
114
“At that tyme thy power was but small,Ageyne me to holde were or stryff,
For whiche thow art boundyn in speciall
To thanke me thow scapidest withe thy lyff,
Owt of my iawes, sharper than file or knyff,
Stode desolate in many manar wyse,
Streynyd in the bondes full narow of my fraunchyse.”
115
And semblably, makyng a fals excuseTo pay theyr dewte wnto the poraile,
594
[Gverdounles] to make them to travayle
Yf they aught ax, tyrauntes them assayle,
And of malys constreyne them so for drede,
They not so hardy of them to ax ther mede.
116
The tyraunt hathe possescions and riches,The poure travelythe for meate, drynke, & fode,
The ryche dothe the laborar oppresse,
For his labour denyethe hym hys lyflode,
The lambe must suffre, the wolffes bene so wode;
A playne ensample declaryd how men done,
Shewde in the crane that plukkyd away þe bone.
[Moralization.]
117
Prayer of princes is a commaundement,The poure obayethe, they dare none othar do,
Presept of tyrantes is so vyolent,
Who-evar sey nay, nede it muste be so,
Hove they ther lust, they care for no mo;
The wolffe made holle, of very froward pryde,
Sofferyd the crane rewardles to abyde.
118
The crane was chese to be a surg[i]on,To save the wolffe, as ye have hard beforne,
Toke out the bone, whiche no man migh[t]e sene,
Whiche thynge accomplyshyd, his labour he had lorne,
The wolffe made hym blow the bokk[e]s horne,—
As it fallythe at preffe, offt[e] sithe,
Fayr behestes makythe foles ofte-tyme blythe.
119
Isophus, the famous olde poyete,This fable wrote for a memoryalle,
595
Atwen tyrauntes & folke that bene rurall,
The poure hathe lytell, the extorssionar hathe all,
His body, his lyffe, the laborar enpartythe,
The riche hathe all, & no-thynge he departythe.
120
The morallyte of this tale out sowght,The crane is lyke the folke, that for drede
Travayll for tyrantes, & reseve nowght
Bwt fowll rebukes for [a] ffynalle mede;
Thus connselynge, yow that this talle dothe rede,
Whill that yowr hond is in the wolffes mowthe,
Remembre that with tyrauntes merci ys wncothe.
121
To pley withe tyraunts I holde it is no iape,To oppres the poure they have no concience,
Fly frome daunger, yf ye may askape,
Thynke on the crane that dyd his delygence
To helpe the wolfe, but he do recompence,
His kyndenes maneshed hym, as I fynde,
This tall applyinge a-gayn folke that be wn-kynde.
finis
Iohn Lydgat, wryten by Iohn Stow.
FABLE VI. THE SUN'S MARRIAGE
122
Agayne the vice also of tirannyIn oo contray or in on regioun,
Oon is to mekil, poetis specifye,
596
For whiche Isopos makith mencyoun,
Vnto purpos bryngith in a fabil,
To be rehersed moral and notabil.
123
The tale is this, convynable and mete,The moralite remembrid in sentence;
First in Cancro, whan Phebus takith his hete,
Inportable ful ofte is his fervence,
That som while the persynge violence
Of his beames, oft or men take heede,
The soyle consumyth of herbe, grayne, and seede.
124
In somer season whan Phebus shadde his streames,The orasont clierly to enlumyne,
It so byfelle, that with his fervent beames
On Tellus lordship brent vp braunche and vyne,
Til a false lust his corage dide inclyne,
Causyng hym to fal in dotage,
To wedde a wif, born of hie parage.
125
But for to procede for the comowne availe,He hath his lettres and [his] brief[e]s sent
To goddis, goddessis, beyng of his counsaile,
Of erthe, of see, and of the firmament,
And Saturne ther to be present,
With Parchas sustren, that in the nombre thre
Ben callid of poetis spynners of destyne.
126
In this matier was grete contrauersyeAtwene the goddes and goddesses of grete prise,
Towchyng this mariage and this straunge ally,
Whether they shal holde to shewe theyr devise;
Til it fel, that a philosophre wise,
Called Theofrast, a man ronne ferre in age,
Gaf sentence as towchyng this mariage.
127
Ioyned with hym to gyve iugementOf this alliaunce in especial,
597
The Romayn poete Cocus Marcial,
Cloto, Lachesis, that spynne the threde smal,
And Antropos, withouten difference,
To gyve hereon a diffinytif sentence.
128
Among these owmperis was werre none, ne stryf,But concludyd to accord, al beyng of assent,
That, if so be that Phebus take a wyf,
And procreacioun be vnto hym sent,
By his lynage therth[e] shuld be brent;
This is to sayne, that no erthely creature
Hete of ij. sunnes may nowhile endure.
129
Thus concludyng, it doth inow suffice,Vnto heven oo sunne to shyne bright,
Twey sunnes were like in many wise,
To brenne al the erth, by fervence of theyr myght;
And, semblaly, who-so looke aright,
O myghti tiraunt suffisith in a shyre
Al the contrey for to sette a-fuyre.
130
If he have eyres for to succede,Folowe theyr fader in successioun,
By tirauntry, than are they more to drede
In theyr ravyne and extorcioun,
By theyr counseil and false convencioun;
For multitude of robbers, where they gon,
Doth more damage, sothly, than doth oon.
131
Men may at the ie se a prefOf this matere, old and yong of age,
Lasse is to drede the malice of oo thief,
So sayne merchauntis, ridyng in theyr viage,
But wher many on awaytith on the passage,
Ther standith the parell, as it is often sene,
By whiche example ye wote what I mene.
598
132
Oon ageyn oon may make resistence,Oon ageyn many, the conquest is vnkowth;
Nombre of tirauntis thurgh theyr violence
Pursweth the pore, both est and sowth;
Gredy wolfis, that comyn with open mowth,
Vpon a folde theyr nature can declare
By experience, whether they wil hurt or spare.
133
By example of Phebus, as to-fore is previdBy an vnkowth moral for liknes,
Whervpon this fable was contryved
By Isopos of grete advisenesse,
Plainly to shewe and opinly to expresse,
If oo tiraunt the people may constrayne,
Than the malice is worse and damagith more of twayne.
Here endith the .vj. fable of Isopos, disclosyng what
hurt or hyndryng tirauntis done, where they may
have power.
FABLE VII. Thys ffable is of þe hound that bare the chese, gronddyd on Isopus agaynst covetousness, translatyd by Iohn Lydgat, made in Oxforde.
134
An olde proverbe hathe bene sayd, and shall,Towchynge the vyce of grete covetyce—
Who all covetythe, offt he losythe all—
Where-wppon Isophus dothe devyce
A morall fabyll, rehersing in this wyse,
How a grete hownd over a bryge sqware
A large chese in his mouthe he bare.
599
135
Castynge his loke downe to the ryver,By apparence and fals yllusion,
As hym thought, a chese ther did apere,
And was nought els but a reflexion
Of the chese in his posescion;
Wiche to cache, whan he dyd his payne,
Opynynge his mouthe, he lost bothe twayne.
136
By whiche exsample men may conceyve & lere,By experience prevyd in many place,
Who all covetythe, faylyth offt in fere,
One man allone may not all purchace,
Nor in armys all the worlde enbrace,
A meane is best withe good governaunce,
To them that be content withe suffisaunce.
137
Ther is no man that lyvythe more at easeThan he that can withe lytill be content;
Even contrary, he standithe evar in disseasse
That in his hert with covetyce is blent;
Withe suche fals etykes many a man is shent:
Lyke as the hownd, not content withe one chese,
Desyryd tweyne, bothe he dyd lese.
finis
600
[Political Poems.]
25. A BALLADE, IN DESPYTE OF THE FLEMYNGES.
And in despyte of þe Flemynges, an Englissh man made this English yn baladdys:
1
Off stryvys new, & fraudulent falsnesse,Who-so lyst to seek out þe cheef occasioun,
Late hym resorte, & his wey[e] dresse,
In-to Flaundrys, streyght to the Blak Lyoun,
Whiche hathe compassed, be fals collusioun,—
Lyk in his standard as betyn is the signe,—
That meved his countre of presumpcioun,
Ageyn Ingelond frowardly to malygne,
2
Fyrst to remembre, the deede beryth wytnesse,Of his fadyr mowrdred be tresoun,
How Herry the Fyfthe, of knyghtly gentylnesse,
Had of his dethe manly compassioun,
Leete digge hym vp, stank for corrupcioun,
Of a prynce a mercyable sygne.
But thou ageynward, be fals decepioun,
Madest Flaundrys ageyn Ingelond to malygne.
3
Thou madist an oothe, be gret avisynesse,Vpon the sacrament at Amyas, in that toun,
Ay to be trewe, voyde of dobylnesse,
But vndyr the courteyne of fals collusioun
Thou gat at Araas an absolucioun,
Thy feyned feythe vp falsly to resygne,
Causyng Flaundrys, to ther confusioun,
Ageyn Ingelond prowdly to malyngne.
601
4
The pees purposyd at Araas, in soothnesse,Whan our embassatourys, of hool affeccioun,
Cam goodly thedyr, dyd ther bysinesse,
To haue concluded a parfyt vnyoun
Twyxt to reavmus, for ful conclusioun,
Thou shewyng there a face ful benyg[n]e
Vndyr a veyle of fals decepcioun,
Record of Flaundrys, whiche falsly dothe malygne.
5
What hast thou wonne with al thy bysinesse,And alle thy tentys to Caleys caryed doun,
Thyn ordynauncys, whiche cost gret rychesse,
Bastyle, and cartys of fagot gret foysoun,
Of thy gounnys the dredful noyse and soun,
Peyse al togedyr, with many anothyr sygne?—
Thy cowardly flyght, cokeney of a chaumpyoun
Whiche darst not fyght, and canst so wel malygne.
26. ON GLOUCESTER'S APPROACHING MARRIAGE.
And nowe here begynneþe a comendable balade by
Lydegate Daun Iohan at þe reuerence of my Lady
of Holand and of my Lord of Gloucestre to fore þe
day of þeyre maryage in þe desyrous tyme of þeyre truwe lovyng.
1
Thorugh gladde aspectis of þe god Cupyde,And ful acorde of his moder deere,
Ful offt[e] syþes list aforne provyde,
By cours eterne of þe sterres cleere,
Hertis in loue for to ioyne in feere,
602
By influence of God and of nature.
2
Þe heven aboue disposeþe many thingesWhich witt of man can not comprehende:
Þe faatal ordre of lordes and of kynges
To make somme in honnour hye ascende,
And somme al-so ful lowe to descende,
And in loue eeke to lacen and constreyne,
Hertes tenbrace in Iubiters cheyne.
3
Þus cam in first þe knotte of allyaunceBetweene provynces and worþy regyouns,
Folkes to sette in pees and acordaunce,
To beon alloone in þeyre affeccouns
And to exclude alle devysyouns,
Of contekk, stryff of batayle, and of werres,
Þe first cause pourtreyed in þe sterres.
4
For noman may þordeynaunce eschuwe,Thinges disposed by cours celestyal,
Ner destenye to voyde nor remuwe,
But oonly God þat lordshipeþe al;
For thorughe His might moost imperyal,
Þeternal Lord, moost discrete and saage,
He brought in first þordre of maryage.
5
Ensaumple in bookes þer beon moo þane oon,Þinward pithth whoo so list to charge,
Executid is of so yoore agoon,
Recorde I take of Calydoyne and Arge,
Howe þoo landes so broode, so wyde, so large,
Were marked oon þe story list not feyne,
By maryage, wheeche a-fore were tweyne.
603
6
And in cronycles autentyk and oldeMany a story of antiquytee
Vn-to þis pourpoos rehersed is and tolde,
Howe maryages haue grounde and cause be
Betwene landes of pees and vnytee,
And here to-forne, as made is remembraunce,
Þe werre stynt of England and of Fraunce.
7
And, as I hope, of hert and menyng truweÞe mortal werre ceesse shal and fyne,
Betwene þoo booþe, and pees ageyne renuwe,
To make loue with cleer beemys shyne,
By þe meene of hir þat heeght Katheryne,
Ioyned til oon, his deedis can you telle,
Henry þe Fyffte, of knighthoode sours and welle.
8
And firþerdovne for to specefye,Þe dewe of grace distille shal and reyne
Pees and acorde for to multeplye,
In þe boundes here of oure Brettaygne
To fynde a wey wherby we may atteyne
Þat Duchye of Holand by hool affeccoun
May beo allyed with Brutus Albyoun.
9
Þat þey may beo oon body and oon hert,Rooted on feyth, devoyde of doublenesse,
And eeke to seen cleerly and aduerte
A nuwe sonne to shynen of gladnesse,
In booþe londes, texcluden al derknesse
Of oolde hatred and of al rancour,
Brought in by meene of oon þat is þe floure
10
Thoroughe oute þe worlde called of wommanheed,Truwe ensaumple and welle of al goodenesse,
Benyngne of poorte, roote of goodelyheed,
Sooþefast myrrour of beaute and fayrnesse,
I mene of Holand þe goodely fresshe Duchesse,
604
Is by descent imperyal of lyne.
11
As Hester meeke, and as Iudith saage,Flouring in youþe lyke to Polixseene,
Secree feythful as Dydo of Cartage,
Constant of hert lyche Ecuba þe qweene,
And as Lucresse in loue truwe and cleene,
Of bountee, fredame, and of gentylesse,
She may be called wel lady and maystresse.
12
Feyre was Heleyne, liche as bookes telleþe,And renommed as of seemlynesse;
But sheo in goodnesse fer aboue excelleþe,
To rekken hir trouthe and hir stedfastnesse,
Hir gouuernaunce and hir hye noblesse,
Þat if she shal [be] shortly comprehendid,
In hir is no thing þat might beon amended.
13
Þer-to she is descreete and wonder saddeIn hir appoorte, who so list taake heede,
Right avysee, and woumanly eeke gladde,
And Dame Prudence dooþe ay hir brydel leede,
Fortune, and Grace, and Raysoun eeke in deede
In alle hir werkis with hir beon allyed,
Þat thoroughe þe worlde hir naame is magnefyed.
14
To þe poore she is also ful mercyable,Ful of pytee and of compassyoun,
And of nature list not to beo vengeable,—
Þoughe hit so beo sheo haue occasyoun;
Þat I suppose nowe in no regyoun
Was neuer a better at alle assayes founden,
So miche vertu dooþe in hir habounden.
605
15
A heven it is to beon in hir presence,Who list consydre hir governaunce at al,
Whos goodely looke in verray existence
So aungellyk and so celestyal,
So femynyne, and in especial,
Hir eyeghen sayne, who so looke weel,
“Foryoven is oure wraththe euery deel.”
16
And hir colours beon black, whyte, and rede:Þe reed in trouthe tookeneþe stabulnesse,
And þe black, whoo so takeþe heede,
Signefyeth parfyt soburnesse,
Þe whyte also is tooken of clennesse,
And eeke hir word is in verray sooþe
Ce bien raysoun al þat euer she dooþe.
17
And sith she is by discent of bloodÞe grettest borne oone of hem on lyve,
And þer-with-al moost vertuous and goode,
Þe trouthe pleynly yif I shal descryue,
Suche grace I hope of nuwe shal arryue
With hir komyng thoroughe al þis lande
Þat þer shal beo a perpetuelle bande,
18
Parfourmyng vp by knott of maryageWith helpe of God betweene þis lady bright
And oon þat is sooþely of his aage,
Thoroughe al þis worlde oon þe best knyght,
And best pourveyed of manhood and of might,
In pees and werre thoroughe his excellence,
And is also of wisdam and prudence
19
Moost renommed; for to rekken al,Frome eest to west, as of heghe prowesse,
In daring-doo and deedes marcyal,
He passeþ alle thorughe his worþynesse,
Þat yif I shall þe trouthe cleer expresse,
606
To beo regystred in þe Hous of Ffaame.
20
Egally ye with þe Worþy Nyen;For with Parys he haþe comlynesse,
In trouth of loue with Troyllus he dooþe shyne,
And with Hectour he haþe eeke hardynesse,
With Tedeus he haþe fredam and gentylesse,
Wal of Bretayne, by manly vyolence,
Ageyne hir foomen to standen at defence.
21
Slouth eschuwing, he dooþe his witt applyeTo reede in bookis, wheeche þat beon moral,
In Hooly Writt with þe allegorye,
He him delyteþe to looke in specyal,
In vnderstonding is noone to him egal,
Of his estate expert in poetrye,
With parfounde feeling of phylosofye.
22
With Salamoun haþe he sapyence,Faame of knighthoode with Cesar Iulius,
Of rethoryk and eeke of eloquence
Equypollent with Marcus Tulius,
With Hanubal he is victorious,
Lyche vn-to Pompey for his hyeghe renoun,
And to gouuerne egale with Cypyoun.
23
Þis Martys sone and sooþefastly his heyre,So wolde God of his eternal might
He ioyned were with hir þat is so feyre,
Þe fresshe duchesse, of whome I speek now right,
Sith he in hert is hir truwe knyght,
For whome he wryteþe in goode aventure
Sanz plus vous belle perpetuelly tendure.
607
24
Þane were þis lande in ful sikurnesseAgeyns þassaute of alle oure mortell foone,
Farewell þanne al trouble and hevynesse
Yif so were þees landes were alle oon,
And God I prey it may beo doone anoon,
Of his might so gracyously ordeyne
Þat pees fynal were sette betweene hem tweyne.
25
And I dare weel afferme fynallyThorughe oute þis lande, of hye and lowe degree,
Þat alle folkes preyen ful specyally
Þis thing in haast may executed be;
And þou þat art oon and twoo and thre,
Þis gracious werk dispoose for þe best,
For to conclude þe fyne of þeyre request.
26
And Ymeneus, þow fortune þis matere;Thoroughe helpe of Iuno, nexst of þyne allye,
Maake a knotte feythful and entiere,
As whylome was betweene Phylogonye
And Mercurye, eeke so hyegh a-bove þe skye,
Wher þat Clyo and eeke Calyopye
Sange with hir sustren in noumbre thryes three.
27
And alle yee goddes beoþe of oon acordeÞat haue youre dwelling aboue þe firmament,
And yee goddesses, devoyde of al descoorde,
Beoþe weel-willy and also dilygent,
And þowe, Fortune, bee also of assent
Þis neodful thing texecuyt yerne,
Thorugh youre power which þat is eterne.
Lenvoye
Pryncesse of bountee, of fredam emparesse.Þe verray loodsterre of al goodelyhede,
Lowly I prey vn-to youre hyeghe noblesse
608
And wher so it be þis bille þat yee reed,
Haþe mercy ay on myn ignoraunce,
Sith I it made, bytwix hope and dreed,
Of hoole entent yowe for tyl do plesaunce.
and þus eendeþe heere þis balade.
27. A COMPLAINT FOR MY LADY OF GLOUCESTER AND HOLLAND.
Here bygynneþe a complaynte of a solitarye persone
compleyning þabsence of þe moste renommed and
best beloued pryncesse þat euer of hire estate in
þeos dayes came in to þis reaume of Logres by þe
weye of mariage and so sodeynly vnordynatly
departed hens, as hit is sayde and spouken in
many regyouns by þe hegheste estates þer.
1
A Solytarye, soore compleynyng,Sat weping by a water syde,
Yeeris and dayes a wayting,
Which with goode hope dyd ay abyde,
On folke þat rowe or forby ryde,
To here tyþinges in þeyre passage,
Þat might his hertely sorowe aswage.
609
2
And many a-noþer creatureSat wayting on þat fresshe ryver,
In feythful hope for to recure
At some on daye of al þe yeere,
Þat þe sonne shal shyne clere
Tenchace awaye with his brightnesse
Þe cloudes of alle þeyre hevynesse.
3
Þer were boþe olde and yonge of age,Wheche vowed with hole entencyoun
To faste, and goon on pilgrymage
Til sayntes of al þat regyoun,
Þat God wolde here þeyre orysoun
To sende hire home amonges þeyme alle,
For whame so offt þey clepe and calle.
4
Þey wepped for hir long absenceAnd cryed owte on fals Fortune,
Þat sheo not did hire dilygence
To glade þeyre hertes in comune.
With sobbing þayre song þey gane entune,
Preying þe Lord of Rightwysnesse
Of mercy þeyre haromes to redresse.
5
And þus compleynyng of piteeÞe ladyes of þat regyoun,
Wymmen of heghe and lowe degree,
Gane make þayre lamentacioun
And sayde, “O Lord, sende vs nowe downe
610
Whiche þat so long haþe beon vs froo.
6
“Sende hire soone home as it is right,And graunt hire grace and goode passage,
For to reioysse hire owen knight
With-outen stryff and al owtrage,
Tavoyden al þe hevy rage
Of folkes, moo þane oon or tweyne,
Þat sorest for hire sake compleyne.”
7
Whyle þey þeos pytous wordes saydeVppon þe stronde in þeyre distresse,
Hem thought þey saughe a myrmayde
Ressemblyng vn-to a chaunteresse,
Of faace lyke a soreceresse,
Vppon a toure with a gret route
Of wychches sittyng rounde abowte.
8
Þey were of courage serpentyneBy apparence of looke and sight
Besy to bowe and tenclyne,
With al þeyre power and þeyre might,
Þe prynces hert ageynst al right,
His noblesse night and day to trouble
His hert in love to make hit double.
9
Þeos fals Circes songe ful lowdeAnd with hire song hire wychches alle,
611
With þayre sugre tempre galle.
Vengeaunce of right mot on hem falle!
For whoo supplaunteþe, of equytee,
By processe shal supplaunted be.
10
Þis cirenes nuwe crafft oute soughtBy þayre fals incantacyouns,
And fals medecynes þey wrought
To tempre þeyre confeccyouns,
In metys and dyuers pocyouns,
Þe prynce[s] hert agaynst al lawe
Frome his promesse his hande to drawe;
11
To make him strange and beo forsworneVn-to þat goodely fayre pryncesse,
Wher thorughe his name and fame are lorne,
But God þe sonner þayme redresse,
As al þis lande cane bere witnesse,
Yong and olde crying in oone,
“Owt on þe wychches euerych oone.”
12
Þe Solytarye tooke here-of kepe,Hade pytee of þeyre woful sownes,
In his drem as he laye and slepe,
Herde in alle citees and alle townes,
Howe wymmen made þeyre orysouns
Desyrouse þat pryncesse to see,
And for hire comyng raunsoned to be.
612
13
“God bryng hire home,” þus þey gan crye,“And gyff vs grace to seon hire soone,
Our ioye, oure gladnesse, to multeplye;
O Lorde above, nowe here oure boone,
Or chaungyng of þe nexst[e] moone;”
Þat with þe noyce þey did make,
He gane owt of his slepe awake.
14
And so as he coude vnderstande,He gane to do his besy cure,
Tooke towardes morowe his penne on hande,
And thought remembre it by scripture,
Þey song lyche to þe Chaunteplure,
Þe peoples menyng for tacquyte,
Was cause why þat he did it wryte.
15
Þis dreme he wrote of truwe entent,Off feyth and hoole affeccioun,
Thre hundreþe thousand dyd assente
Of peples in þat regyoun;
And eke for right conclusyoun
Alle þe folk boþe yong and olde,
Which þat dwell in þat housholde.
16
Þeyre truwe names shal beo knoweAffterwardes, with Goddes grace,
Whane blake mystes ar leyde lowe
And clere trouth shall shewe his face,
Wychches, bawdes, away tenchace,
613
Ageynst trouth þat may not vayle.
17
And vnder colour of þis dreme,Þis Solytarye bereþe witnesse,
Ryche and pore of al þis reme
With hole hert and al lownesse
Hem recomaunden to þat pryncesse,
Preying with al humylytee
Þat þey may it soone see.
18
Awayting on hire eche a day,Affter hir comyng clepe and crye,
Þey thenke she is to long aweye,
She is beloued so entierely,
Thorughe al þe londe; and specyally
Of hye and lowe, to reken alle,
Hir godsone affter hire doþe calle.
28. THE TITLE AND PEDIGREE OF HENRY VI
Here begynneth a remembraunce of a peedeugre how
that the kyng of Englond, Henry the Sext, is truly
borne heir vnto the Corone of Fraunce by lynyall
successioun, als wele on his ffader side, Henry the
Fifth, whom God assoill, as by Kateryne queen of
Englond, his modir, whom God assoile; made by
Lydygate Iohn the monke of Bury, at Parys, by
þe instaunce of my Lord of Warrewyk.
Þe prolog.
Trouble hertis to sette in quyete,
And make folkys their language for to lette,
Which disputen in their opynyons
Touching the ligne of two regions,
The right, I mene, of Inglond and of Fraunce,
To put awey all maner [of] variaunce,
Holy the doute and þe ambyguyte,
To sette the ligne where hit shuld[e] be,
And where hit aught iustly to abide,
Wrongfull claymes for to set aside,
I meved was shortly in sentement
By precept first and commaundement
Of the nobly prince and manly man,
Which is so knyghtly & so moche can,
My lord of Warrewyk, so prudent & wise,
Beyng present that tyme at Parys
Whan he was than repaired agein
From Seint Iulian of Mavns, oute of Mayn,
Resorted home, as folkys telle conne,
From the castell þat he had[de] wonne
Thurgh his knyghthode and his hy noblesse,
And thurgh his wysdom & his hy prowesse.
And make folkys their language for to lette,
614
Touching the ligne of two regions,
The right, I mene, of Inglond and of Fraunce,
To put awey all maner [of] variaunce,
Holy the doute and þe ambyguyte,
To sette the ligne where hit shuld[e] be,
And where hit aught iustly to abide,
Wrongfull claymes for to set aside,
I meved was shortly in sentement
By precept first and commaundement
Of the nobly prince and manly man,
Which is so knyghtly & so moche can,
My lord of Warrewyk, so prudent & wise,
Beyng present that tyme at Parys
Whan he was than repaired agein
From Seint Iulian of Mavns, oute of Mayn,
Resorted home, as folkys telle conne,
From the castell þat he had[de] wonne
Thurgh his knyghthode and his hy noblesse,
And thurgh his wysdom & his hy prowesse.
Gladly he chevith what so he begynne,
Sesyng not tyll he his purpos wynne,
The fyn þerof berith witnessing.
Lyf and goodis for title of his kyng
He sparith not to put in iuperdye,
Oonly the right for to magnifie
Of him that is to him moste souerain,
Henry the Sext, of age ny fyve yere ren,
Borne to be kyng of worthie reamys two.
And God graunt that it may be so,
Septure and crowne þat he may in dede,
As he hath right, in peas to possede.
Sesyng not tyll he his purpos wynne,
The fyn þerof berith witnessing.
Lyf and goodis for title of his kyng
He sparith not to put in iuperdye,
Oonly the right for to magnifie
Of him that is to him moste souerain,
Henry the Sext, of age ny fyve yere ren,
Borne to be kyng of worthie reamys two.
And God graunt that it may be so,
Septure and crowne þat he may in dede,
As he hath right, in peas to possede.
And to put his title in remembraunce,
Whiche that he hath to Inglond and to Fraunce,
The noble, þat worthi varioure,
Whiche may be callid a very conquerour,
Who lyst considre and serche by and by
His grete emprise in ordre ceriously,
And specially to encrece his glory,
Who list remembre þe grete high victory
Which that he had in Vernoill in Perche,
Full notable in boke[s] oute to serche,
In cronycles to be song & rad;
And this prince, moste discrete & sad,
My lord of Bedford, of Fraunce þe regent,
Was the first that did his entent,
By grete advys and ful hy prudence,
Thurugh his labour & his diligence,
That made serche in cronycle full notable,
By the clerk which he knew moste able,
Renomed of wysdom and science,
Worthie eke of fame and of credence.
Whiche that he hath to Inglond and to Fraunce,
The noble, þat worthi varioure,
Whiche may be callid a very conquerour,
Who lyst considre and serche by and by
His grete emprise in ordre ceriously,
And specially to encrece his glory,
Who list remembre þe grete high victory
615
Full notable in boke[s] oute to serche,
In cronycles to be song & rad;
And this prince, moste discrete & sad,
My lord of Bedford, of Fraunce þe regent,
Was the first that did his entent,
By grete advys and ful hy prudence,
Thurugh his labour & his diligence,
That made serche in cronycle full notable,
By the clerk which he knew moste able,
Renomed of wysdom and science,
Worthie eke of fame and of credence.
And I, as he that durst not withsey,
Humbly his biddyng did obey,
Ful desirous him to do plesaunce,
With fere suppresed for my ignoraunce,
And in my hert quakyng for drede;
And as I kend began to taken hede
Vnto the Frenssh compiled by Laurence,
In substaunce filowyng the substaunce
Of his writyng and compilacioun.
All be þat I in my translacioun
To my helpe nor to my socoure
Of rethoryk have no maner floure,
Yit shal I folow my maistre douteles,
Calot, and be not recheles
Liche his writyng my stiel to direct;
Wher I dar pray hem to correct,
I mene tho þat shall hit sene or rede;
And right forth, who so lyst take hede,
Vndir favour and supportacioun,
Thus I begyn on my translacioun.
Humbly his biddyng did obey,
Ful desirous him to do plesaunce,
With fere suppresed for my ignoraunce,
And in my hert quakyng for drede;
And as I kend began to taken hede
Vnto the Frenssh compiled by Laurence,
In substaunce filowyng the substaunce
Of his writyng and compilacioun.
All be þat I in my translacioun
To my helpe nor to my socoure
Of rethoryk have no maner floure,
Yit shal I folow my maistre douteles,
Calot, and be not recheles
Liche his writyng my stiel to direct;
Wher I dar pray hem to correct,
I mene tho þat shall hit sene or rede;
And right forth, who so lyst take hede,
Vndir favour and supportacioun,
Thus I begyn on my translacioun.
Here endith the prolog, and begynneth the translacioun.
Crist Ihesu, Prince and souerain Lord
Of vnyte, of peas, and of accorde,
Seyng the myschief & þe hie distaunce
Betwene the kynges of Englond and of Fraunce;
616
By occasioun of the mortall werre;
Seyng also the grete confusioun
Of both reames, by devisioun
Thurgh feyned falshed caused cursidly
By the Dolphyn, that so horribly
Made sleen withoute drede or shame,
At Monstreux, a toun of grete fame,
Iohn duc of Burgoyne, by grete violence,
Doyng to him honure & reuerence,
And euermore of inyquite,
By false tresoun and cursed cruelte
Compassed; alas! þat was to grete a ruth
Undir colour and shadowe of veray trouth,
In dispite of the Chirche, alas!
Hauyng no reward in þis horrible cas
To suerte nor othe ymade to-forne,
Nor asurance in holy place asworne,
The high lord, Herry Bully, to offende;
That wit of man coude not comprehende,
That this Dolfyn shuld in any wise
So hygh tresoun compassen or devise,
Himself, alas! in hindryng of his name,
Thurgh the world to sclaundre & to blame;
Causing in soth his vnabilite
For to succede to any dignite,
Of knyghtly honure to regne in any lond,
As by letres ensealid with his hond
Clerly recorde, truth[e] woll not vary,
He to his othe wirching the contrary:
Consideryng this & peised in balaunce,
Touching the right of true enheritaunce,
God thurgh his myght who can vndirstond
More of grace than of mannes hond,
All oure trouble to enden & to fyne,
By purveaunce, which þat is devyne,
Provided hath of his hy[e] grace
For reames two large to compasse
A rightfull heir, I dare hit wel endite,
As þis figure vnto euery wight
617
To forein blode þat it not ne chaunge,
The crowne to put in non hondis straunge,
But it conveied þere it shuld be.
Verily, liche as ye may se,
The pee-degre doth hit specifie,
The figure, lo, of the genelagye,
How that God list for her purchase
Thurgh his power and benigne grace,
An heir of peas by iust successioun,
This ffigure makith clere demonstracioun,
Ageins which noman may maligne,
But þat he stondith in þe veray ligne,
As ye may se, as descendid is
Of the stok and blode of Seint Lowys;
Of which we aught of equite & right
In oure hertis to be glad and light,
That we may se with euery circumstaunce
Direct the lyne of Englond & of Fraunce.
On þe othir part byhold & ye may se
How this Herry in þe eight degre
Is to Seint Lowys sone & very heir;
To put awey all doute & dispair,
God hath for vs so graciously provided,
To make al oon that first was devided,
That this Herry stonding in the lyne,
Thurgh Goddis hond & purviaunce devyne,
Is iustly borne, to voide all variaunce,
For to be kyng of Englond & of Fraunce;
To whom we owe truly to obey
In euery thing, ther is nomore to sey;
By whom we se the werre doutelesse
Fully finisshed, brought in werre & peas,
Betwix this noble worthi reames twayn,
Ful long aforne with labour & grete payn
Sought & required, which ben now at rest,
Thanked be God, þat all doth for the best;
And that this peas in sothfast vnyte,
Be endid sone withoute strif or plee,
By thavise and mediacioun
618
Sworne and asured by full besy peyn
Of both parties at Trois in Champoigne.
Charlis þe Sext makyng thassurance,
Thilke tyme beyng kyng of Fraunce;
The quene also sworne in the same wise,
And after hem, as I shal devise,
The boke also entouchid with his hond,
Was Herry sworne, kyng of Eng[e]lond,
Heir of Fraunce, and also regent,
And Phelip eke beyng þere present,
Duc of Burgoyne, assured eke & sworne,
Sone to the duc of whom I spake byforne,
That slayn was & murdred traitoursly;
Than thre astatis beyng by & by,
Prelatis, Erles, Lordis, and Barons,
Sworne and assured, of both regions,
As the traite fully hath devised.
And there in Troys also was solempnesed
The mariage, to conferme vp the peas;
And to declare the maner douteles
Of this weddyng, who so lyst to serche,
At Seint Petirs Aundels of the chirche,
The said Herry, manly & prudent,
Of Englond kyng, of Fraunce the regent,
Etrouthed hath my lady Kateryn,
And þe mystery wich that is devyne.
O[f] mariage by grete reuerence,
The sacrement for the excellence
He hath worshipped, and full humbly
In the chirch made axid openly,
After custume of hy or low degre,
To shew ensample of humylite.
In the chirche thries of Seint Iohn,
Liche the custume of new & yore agon,
Thries publisshed in open audience,
As the lawe byndeth in sentence.
Touching the statuyt in cas of mariage,
For any fauour of blode or lynage,
The cours suyng in all his hole entent,
619
From poynt to poynt list no thing withdrawe,
The bonde filowyng of Holy Chirche lawe,
Notwithstonding his astate riall:
But in his chirche þan parochiall
Of Seint Iohn he came with good entent,
For to receive the holy sacrement
Of mariage, he and Kateryn,
As ye toforne haue herd me determyn.
The which Herry if I shal discryve,
I dare wele sey þere was neuer on lyve
No manlier to speke of worthinesse,
Of gouernaunce, nor of hy prowesse,
Whiche thurgh his manhode & grete labour,
Lyche a notable worthi conquerour
Cesid not, thurgh his besy peyne,
Iustly to bring worthi reames twayn
Vndir oo crowne by desceynt of lyne;
For which he may among þe Worthie Nyne
Truly be set & reconed for oon,
Who can take hede among hem euerichone.
And of this Henry, of knyghthode moste famous,
Moste avisy, and moste victorious,
From Seint Lowys in the right[e] lyne,
I sey, of him and of Kateryne,
Doun in ordre by corious lyneall,
Descendid is from þe stok riall
Of Seint Lowis, who can vndirstond,
Henry the Sext, borne in Eng[e]lond,
For to possede by enheritaunce
Crownes two of Englond & of Fraunce,
By true title, as ye haue hard toforne,
The first yere in soth that he was born.
By the which of [hem] he & his fader dere
Both[e] two passing in oon yere,
Eueriche in haste suyng aftir othir,
By pitous faate, hit wold be non othir,
The yere of grace by computacioun
A thousand foure hundrid by conclusioun
Twenty and two, who so compte right.
620
Ioy & rest which is eternall,
In his court aboue celestiall;
And graunt oure kyng ioy, honure & glorye,
Peas & quiete, & of his foon the victorye,
To loue his people, & to be loved ayen,
As þei loued her lord most souerain,
Charles þe Sext, which was his aiell;
And in doctryne he norisshed be aswele,
And als wys and prudent fynally,
As was his fader callid eke Henry.
Graunt him grace & also good fortune,
In his regnes also to contynue
His riall lyne also to habound,
And that hit may verily be founde
Hy to encrece in worship & vertue,
As an heir blessed of Ihesu,
And of renoun excellent in vertue.
To drawen oute a true peedegrue,
Lyneally descending even adoun
From Seint Lowys, most famous of renoun,
And renommed of parfite holynesse;
And specially, the trouth[e] to expresse,
Amonges oþer to reken euerychone,
Of Frenssh-men oonly þere was oon
From the trouth which wold not varie,
Oure liege lord chosen secretary
For his feithfull true diligence,
Which by name callid is Laurence
Calet, of the Counseill clerk,
Which toke on him þe laboure of this werk,
Euer aftir to be rad & song;
First to compile hit in þe Frenssh tong,
Compendiously drawe hit in sentence
In that language, by grete prouidence,
As he þat was passing excellent,
In rethoryk famous & eloquent,
And diligent withouten any slouth
To declare oute the trouth,
The chaf to voide & take the true corne.
621
My Lord of Warrewyk, ful worthi of renoun,
Of high prudence & discrecioun,
Touching þe writyng of this Calot clerk,
Draw into Frenssh by his besy werk,
Gaf me precept in conclusioun
To make therof a playn translacioun
In Englissh tong, & bad me hit translate.
And to reherce þe very true date
Of this labour, when I first bygan,
Hit was in soth, as I reherce can,
The monyth of Iuyll twenty daies comen,
And eight ouere, when þe sonne shone
Made his paleys & his duellyng place
Ameddis the heuen in the thrid[de] face,
The signe I mene callid the Lioun,
Which is the toure & chief mansioun
Where Phebus hath moste souerain dignite
And thilke tyme in the thritteneth degre
He entred was of the same signe,
Thatempre wedir lusty and benigne,
Saturne beyng in the Scorpyoun,
In which he hath no domynacioun,
Ne dignite, shortly for to tary;
Iubiter in þe Sagittary
Seven degres wher he is dignified,
Full fortunat & gretly magnified;
Furious Mars, þe ferfull red[e] sterre,
Causar of stryf, patroun of þe werre,
With his bemes cast moste feruently,
Was two pocys passed of Gemeny;
Fressh Venus, lady of Citheroun,
Was nyne degrees entred the Lyoun;
And þe mone, with her hernes pale,
From the Bolle gan her cours availe;
The same tyme when þat Mercurious
In the Lioun had[de] take his hous,
Ful contrary to his dignite,
Beyng tho in the tenth degre;
And of the Bulle also douteles
622
Entred was the hed of the Dragoun;
And his taill in thopposicioun;
The same tyme, as I vndirstond,
My Lord bad me þis werk take an hond.
That he may se his generacioun
Vnto the forteth multiplicacioun
Victoriously for to regnen here,
Aftir this lif aboue the sterres clere,
God him graunt oonly of his grace
Of mercy þere for to haue a place.
29. ROUNDEL FOR THE CORONATION OF HENRY VI.
Here endith þe genologie of Kyng Henry þe Sext,
and folowith a roundell of him ayens his coronacioun, made by Lydegate daun Iohn.
(1)
Reioice, ye reames of Englond & of Fraunce,A braunche þat sprang oute of the floure-de-lys,
Blode of Seint Edward and Seint Lowys,
God hath this day sent in gouernaunce.
(2)
God of nature hath yoven him suffisaunce,Likly to atteyne to grete honure and pris.
(3)
O hevenly blossome, o budde of all plesaunce,God graunt the grace for to ben als wise
As was thi fader by circumspect advise,
Stable in vertue, withoute variaunce.
Explicit.
623
30. THE SOTELTES AT THE CORONATION BANQUET OF HENRY VI (1432).
[This was the first cours at his coronacion, that is to say, first,
ffurmentie, with venyson. Viande Royal plantid with losenges of
golde. Borehedes in castelles of earmed with golde. Beef. Moton.
Signet. Capon stued. Heron. Grete pike. A redde lech with
lions corven theryn of white. Custade Rooial with a leparde of
golde sittyng theryn. Fritour like a sonne with a flour de lice
therynne. A sotelte, Seint Edward and Seint Lowes armed in cote
armours bryngyng yn bitwene hem the Kyng in his cote armour
with this scripture suyng:]
1
Loo here twoo kynges righte perfit and right good,Holy Seint Edwarde and Seint Lowes:
And see the braunch borne of here blessid blode;
Live, among Cristen moost souereigne of price,
Enheretour of the floure de lice!
God graunte he may thurgh help of Crist Ihesu
This sixt Henry to reigne and be as wise
And hem resemble in knyghthod & vertue.
[Here foloweth the second course; that is to wite: Viande blank, barrid of golde. Gely partid writen and notid Te Deum Laudamus. Pigge endored. Crane. Bitore. Conyes. Chikyns endored. Partrich. Pecok enhakyll. Greate breame. Leches white with an antelop of redde corven theryn, a crowne about his neck with a cheyne of golde. Flampayne poudred with lepardis and floure de lices of golde. Fritour, a lepardis hedde with ij ostrich fethers. A sotelte, themperour and the kyng that ded is, armed, and here mantelles of the garters; and the kyng that nowe is, knelyng bifore hem with this reasoun:]
2
Ageinst miscreauntes themperour SigismoundHath shewid his myght which is imperial;
Sithen Henry the Vth so noble a knyght was founde
For Cristes cause in actis martial;
624
To give exaumple to kynges that succede
And to his braunche in especiall
While he dothe regne to love God & drede.
[The iijd course sueth; that is to say:—Blaunde Surrey poudrid with quatrefoilis gilt. Venyson rostid. Egrettes. Curlewe. Cokkes. Plover. Quailis. Snytes. Grete birdes. Larkes. Carpe. Crabbe. Lech of iij colours. A colde bakemete like a shelde quarterly redde and white, set with losenges & gilt, and floures of borage. Fritour crispes. A sotelte of Our Lady sittyng and hir Childe in hir lappe, and she holdyng in hir hand a crowne and Seint George knelyng on that oo side and Seint Denyse on that other side, presentyng the Kyng, knelyng, to Our Lady, with this reason folowyng;]
3
O blessid Lady, Cristes moder dere,And thou Seint George, þat callid art hir knight;
Holy Seint Denyse, O martir moost entier,
The sixt Henry here present in your sight,
Shewith of grace on hym your hevenly light,
His tendre yougth with vertue doth avaunce,
Bore by discent and by title of right
Iustly to reigne in England and in Fraunce.
31. BALLADE TO KING HENRY VI UPON HIS CORONATION.
Loo here filowing beginneþe a balade whiche Daun
Iohan Lidegate þe Munk of Bury made vn to þe
Kyng þis same yeere of his coronacion.
625
1
Moost noble prynce of Cristin prynces alle,Flouring in youþe and vertuous innocence,
Whome God aboue list of his grace calle
Þis day testaate of knyghtly excellence,
And to be crowned with duwe reuerence,
To gret gladdnesse of al þis regyoun,
Lawde and honnour to þy magnyfycence
And goode fortune vn-to þyn heghe renoun.
2
Royal braunche descendid frome twoo lynesOf Saynt Edward and of Saynt Lowys,
Hooly sayntes translated in þeyre shrynes,
In þeyre tyme manly, prudent, and wys;
Arthour was knyghtly, and Charlles of gret prys,
And of alle þeos þy grene tendre aage
By þe grace of God, and by His avys,
Of manly prowesse shal taaken a terrage.
3
God of His grace gaf to þy kynredeÞe palme of conquest, þe laurier of victorye,
Þey loued God and worshiped Him in deede,
Wher-fore hir names He haþe putte in memorye;
Made hem to regne for vertu in His glorye,
And sith [þat] þou art borne of hir lynaage.
To fore alle thinges þat beon transytorye
Loue God and dreed, and so gynne þy passage.
4
Dovne frome þe heven thre floure delys of golde,Þe feelde of asure, were sent til Clodove.
To signefye, in story it is tolde,
Parfyte, byleeve and sooþefast vnytee
626
For to declaare þat þe lyne of Fraunce
Shoulde in þeyre trouth parfyte and stable be,
Grounded on feyth, with-outen varyaunce.
5
And sith þou art frome þat noble lyneDescendid dovne, be stedfast of byleeve,
Þy knightly honnour let hit shewe and shyne,
Shewe þy power and þy might to preove
Ageyns alle þoo þat wolde þe chirche greve,
Cherisshe þy lordes, haate extorcion,
Of þyne almesse þy people þou releve,
Ay on þy comunes having compassyoun.
6
Noble prynce, þe heeghe lord to qweeme,Susteyne right, trouthe þou magnefye,
Differre vengeaunce alwey or þou deeme,
And gif no doome til þou heere yche partye,
Til noþer part þy fauour not applye,
And eeke consydre in þyne estate royal
Þe Lord above which no man may denye
Indifferently seeþe and considerþe al.
7
God sende þis day vn-to þy regalyeOf alle vertues hevenly influence,
First of alle, þy staate to magnefye,
With Salamons souerain sapyence,
To gouuerne þy witt and þyn heghe prudence,
Lyche Kyng Dauid to be, loo, mercyable,
Which of pitee, whane men him did offence,
Mercy preferring, list not beo vengeable;
627
8
Noblesse and force in wexing lyche Sampsoun;Resemble in knyghthoode to worþy Iosue,
And þat þou mayst beo Goddes Chaumpyoun,
As þat he was, Iudas þe Makabe;
With Alysaundres magnanymyte,
Conquest, victorye, with Cesar Iulyus,
His pacyence and his tranquyllytee,
And in souffraunce to beon als vertuous;
9
Provydent wit[h] Brutus Cassius,Hardy as Hector, whanne tyme dooþe requere,
Vyces eschuwyng as Fabricyus,
Constant of hert, and also als entier
As Zenocratees, whas renoun shoone so clere;
Wronges forgeting as noble Cypyon,
Clement with Tytus: with al þees in feere,
In alle þy deedis conquest an heghe renoun.
10
In alle þy werkis hauntyng rightwysnesse,As þemperour þat called was Traian;
With Thiberye fredame and gentylesse,
Attemperaunce with prudent Gracyan,
And in þy doomys lyche Iustynyan,
Noo thing conclude til þou see þe fyn,
Pees preferring as Octovyan,
Þe Chirche cherisshing lyke to Constantyne.
11
And þat þou mayst beo resemblable foundeHeretykes and Lollardes for to oppresse,
Lych þemperour, worthy Sygesmound,
And as þy fader, floure of hye prowesse,
628
Woyded al Cokil fer oute of Syon,
Crystes spouse sette in stabulnesse,
Outraying foreyns þat came frome Babylon.
12
God graunt þee grace for to resemble in alVn-to þeos noble worthy conquerrours,
Longe to contynue in þyn estate royal,
And to be lyche to þy progenytours;
To gadre þe vertue oute of fresshe floures,
As did þy fader, myrrour of manhede;
And to represse of vyces alle þe shoures,
With fynal grace to loue God and dreed.
13
Fynally, remembring of resounCroppe and roote of þat royal lyne
[Frome] which þou came, folowe þe discrecion
Of þy fader which þat did so shyne
In al vertu; pleynly to termyne,
Lat him beo þy myrrour and þy guyde,
With þe goode lyf of qweene Katheryne,
Þy blessid moder, in þat oþer syde.
14
Of goode rootes springing by vertue,Most growe goode fruyt by necessyte
Whane influence by þe lord Ihesu
Is sent adowne frome his hevenly cytee;
And God I prey, of his hye bountee,
Of fader and moder in þy tendre youþe
To taake ensaumple, regnyng in þy see,
And beon in vertu als famous and als kouþe:
629
15
With him in knyghthode to haue excellence,Lyke þy moder in vertuous goodnesse;
And lyche hem booþe grounde þy conscyence
To loue þy Lord in parfyte stabulnesse,
Goode lyve and longe alle vyces to represse,
Love of þy lieges, pees and obeyssaunce,
[With alle vertues þat longe to gentylesse]
Þy right reioyssing of England and of Fraunce.
Lenvoye.
16
Prynce excellent, be feythful, truwe and stable;Dreed God, do lawe, chastyce extorcyoun,
Be liberal, of courage vnmutable,
Cherisshe þe Chirche with hoole affeccyoun,
Loue þy lyeges of eyþer regyoun,
Preferre þe pees, eschuwe werre and debate,
And God shal sende frome þe heven adovne
Grace and goode hure to þy royal estate.
17
Be mercyful, not hasty ne vengeable,Lightly forgyf where as þou seest raysoun,
Be rightful iuge, be manly, beo tretable,
Þy right ay sugre with remyssyoun,
Deeme not to soone, but make dylacion,
Ruwe on þe poore and folk desconsolate,
And God shal sende frome þe heven adoune
Grace and goode hure to þy royale estate.
18
In þy beheestes beo not varyable,Holde þy promesses made of entencion,
630
Voyde þy reaume frome [all] discencyoun,
Eschuwe flaterye and adulacioun,
Folkes recounsyle þat stonde desolate,
And God shal sende frome þe heven adoun
Grace and goode hure vn-to þy royale state.
32. KING HENRY VI'S TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO LONDON, 21 FEB., 1432.
Ordenaunces ffor the Kyng made in the Cite off London.
1
Towarde the ende off wyndy Februarie,Whanne Phebus was in the Fysshe eronne,
Out off the Sygne, which called is Aquarie,
Newe kalendes wern entred and begonne
Off Marchis komyng, and the mery sonne
Vpon a Thursday shewed his bemys briht
Vppon London, to make hem glade and liht.
2
The stormy reyne off alle theyre hevynesseWere passed away and alle her olde grevaunce,
For the vjte Herry, roote off here gladnesse,
Theyre hertis ioye, theyre worldis suffisaunce,
By trewe dissent crovnyd kyng off Fraunce,
The hevene reioysyng the day off his repayre
Made his komyng the wedir to be so ffayre.
631
3
A tyme, I trowe, off God ffor hym provided,In alle the hevenes there was no clowde seyn,
From other dayes that day was so devided,
And ffraunchised ffrom mistys and ffrom reyn,
The eyre attempred, the wyndis smoth and pleyn,
The citeȝenis thurh-oute the Citee
Halwyd that day with grete solempnyte.
4
And lyke ffor Dauyd, affter his victorie,Reioyssed was alle Ierusalem,
So this Citee with lavde, pris, and glorie,
For ioye moustred lyke the sonne beem,
To yeve ensample thur[u]h-out the reem;
Alle off assent, whoso kan conseyve,
Theyre noble kyng wern gladde to resseyve.
5
Theyr clothing was off colour fful covenable,The noble Meire cladde in reede velvette,
The Sheryves, the Aldermen fful notable,
In ffurred clokes, the colour skarlette;
In statly wyse, when they were mette,
Eche oon well horsed made no delay,
But with here Meire roode fforth in her way.
6
The citeȝenis echoon off the Citee,In here entent that they were pure and clene,
Chees hem off white a fful ffeyre lyuere,
In euery craffte, as yt was well sene;
To showe the trouthe that they dyd[e] mene
Toward the Kyng hadd made hem ffeythfully
In soundry devyses enbrowdred richely.
7
And fforto remembre off other alyens;First Ieneweys, though they were straungers,
632
And Esterlinges gladde in her maners,
Canveyed with sergeauntes and other officers
Estatly horsed, affter the Meire rydyng,
Passed the subbarbes to mete with the kyng.
8
To the Blake-heeth whanne they dydde atteyne,The Meire, off prudence in especyall,
Made hem hove in rengis tweyne,
A strete bitwene eche partye lyke a wall,
Alle cladde in white, and the moste princypall
Afforn in reede with theire Meire rydyng
Tyl tyme that he sauh the Kyng komyng.
9
Thanne with his sporys, he toke his hors anoon,That to beholde yt was a noble siht,
How like a man he to the kyng ys goon
Riht well cherid, off herte gladde and liht;
Obey[i]ng to him as him ouht off riht:
And affter that he konnyngly abrayde,
And to the kyng evyn thus he sayde.
“Sovereyn Lorde and noble Kyng, ye be welcome out off youre Reeme off Fraunce into this your blessed Reeme off Englond, and in speciall vnto your moste notable Citee off London, othir wyse called youre Chaumbre; We thankyng (thanke) God off the goode and gracious arenyng (H. athenyng) off youre Crovne off Fraunce. Beseching his Mercyfull Grace to sende yow prosperite and many yeers, to the comforte off alle youre lovynge peple.”
10
But fforto tellen alle the circumstaunces,Off euery thing shewed in sentence,
Noble devyses, dyuers ordenaunces
Conveyed by scripture with ffull grete excellence,
Alle to declare I have noone eloquence,
633
Forto correcte where as they se nede.
11
First whanne he passed was the FabourEntryng the Brigge off this noble town,
Ther was a pyler reysed lyke a tour
And ther-on stoode a sturdy champeoun,
Off looke and chere sterne as a lyoun,
His swerde vp rered proudely gan manace,
Alle fforeyn enmyes ffrom the Kyng to enchace.
12
And in deffence off his [e]state ryallThe geaunt wolde abyde eche aventure;
And alle assautes that wern marcyall,
For his sake he proudely wolde endure,
In tokne wheroff he hadde a scripture
On eyther syde declaryng his entent,
Which seyde thus by goode avysement:
13
“Alle tho that ben enemyes to the Kyng,I shall hem clothe with confusioun,
Make him myhty with vertuous levyng
His mortall foon to oppressen and bere adoun,
And him to encresen as Cristis champioun,
Alle myscheffes ffrom hym to abrigge
With the grace off God at thentryng off the Brigge.”
14
Twoo antelopes stondyng on eytheyr sydeWith the armes off Englond and off Fraunce,
In tokenyng that God shall ffor hym provyde,
As he hath tytle by iuste enheritaunce
To regne in pees, plente and plesaunce;
Sesyng off werre, that men mow ryde or goon,
As trewe lieges, theyre hertes made both oon.
634
15
Ferthermore, so as the Kyng gan ryde,Midde off the Brigge ther was a tour on loffte,
The Lorde off Lordes beyng ay his guyde,
As He hath be and yitt wole be ffull offte;
The tour arrayed with welvettes soffte,
Clothis off golde, sylke, and tapcerye,
As apperteynyth to his regalye.
16
And at his komyng, off excellent beaute,Beyng off port most womanly off chere,
Ther yssed oute emperesses three;
Theyre heer dysplayed as Phebus in here spere,
With crovnettes off golde and stones clere;
At whos out komyng they yaff such a liht,
That the byholders were stonyed in theire siht.
17
The ffirst off hem called was Nature,As she that hath vnder her demeyne,
Man, beeste, and ffoule, and euery creature,
With-inne the bondys off hire goldyn cheyn;
Eke heven, and erthe, and euery creature
This emperesse off custume doth enbrace;
And next hire komyth hire sustre called Grace,
18
Passyng ffamous, and off grete reuerence,Moste desired in all regions;
For wher that euer she with here precence,
She bryngeth gladnes to citees and tovns;
Off alle well ffare she holdeth the possessions,
For, I dar say, prosperyte in no place
No while abydith, but yff ther be grace.
19
In tokne that Grace shulde longe contuneVnto the Kyng she shewed hire ffull benyngne;
635
Apperyng to hym with many a noble sygne,
And ryall toknes, to shewe that he was dygne,
Off God dysposed as Grace lyst to ordeyne,
Vpon his heede to were crovnes tweyne.
20
Thes three ladyes, alle off oon entent,Three goostly gifftes, hevenly and devyne,
Vnto the Kyng anoon they dydde present,
And to His Hyhnesse they dydd anoon enclyne;
And, what they were pleynly to termyne,
Grace gaff him ffirst at his komyng
Twoo riche gifftes, Sciens and Kunnyng;
21
Nature gaff him eke strenth and ffeyrenesse,Forto be lovyd and dredde off euery wiht;
Fortune gaff him eke prosperite and richesse,
With this scripture apperyng in theire siht,
To him applyed off verrey dewe riht,
“First vndirstonde and ioyfully procede
And lange to regne” the scripture seyde in dede.
22
This ys to mene, who-so vndirstonde a-riht,Thow shalt be Fortune haue lange prosperite;
And be Nature thow shalt haue strenth and myht,
Forth to procede in lange ffelicite;
And Grace also hath graunted vnto the,
Vertuously lange in thy ryall citee,
With septre and crovne to regne in equyte.”
23
On the riht hande off thes emperessesStoode sevyn maydenys verrey celestyall;
Lyke Phebus bemys shone hire goldyn tresses,
Vpon here heedes eche havyng a cornall,
Off porte and chere semyng inmortall,
636
So aungelyk they wern off theyre ffigures.
24
Alle cladde in white, in tokne off clennesse,Lyche pure virgynes as in theyre ententys,
Shewyng outward an hevenly ffressh brihtnesse;
Stremed with sonys were alle theire garmentis,
Afforne provyded ffor pure innocentis,
Most columbyne off chere and off lokyng,
Mekely roos vp at komyng off the Kyng.
25
They hadde an bawdrykes alle off saffir hewe,Goynge outward gan the Kyng salewe,
Hym presentyng with her gifftes newe,
Lyche as theym thouht yt was vnto hem dewe,
—Which goostly gifftes here in ordre sewe,
Dovne dessendyng as syluere dewe ffro hevyn,
Alle grace include with-inne thes gifftes sevyn;
26
Thes ryall gifftes ben off vertue mosteGoostly corages, moste sovereynly delyte;
Thes gifftes called off the Hooly Gooste,
Outward ffigured ben vii dowys white—
And seyyng to him, lyke as clerkes write,
“God the ffulfille with intelligence
And with a spyryt off goostly sapience.
27
“God sende also vnto thy moste vaylleThe to preserve ffrom alle hevynesse,
A spyrit off strenth, and off goode counsaylle,
Off konnyng, drede, pite and lownesse.”
Thus thes ladyes gan theire gifftes dresse,
Graciously at theyre oute komyng,
Be influence liht vpon the Kyng.
637
28
Thes emperesses hadde on theyre leffte sydeOther sevyn virgynes, pure and clene,
Be attendaunce contenuelly to abyde,
Alle cladde in white, smytte ffulle off sterres shene;
And to declare what they wolde mene
Vnto the Kyng with fful grete reuerence
Thes were theire gifftes shortly in sentence:
29
“God the endewe with a crovne off glorie,And with septre off clennesse and pytee,
And with a swerde off myht and victorie,
And with a mantel off prudence cladde thow be,
A shelde off ffeyth fforto defende the,
An helme off helthe wrouht to thyn encrees,
Girt with a girdyll off love and parfyte pees.”
30
Thes sevyn virgyns, off siht most hevenly,With herte, body, and handes reioysynge,
And off othir cheris appered murely
For the Kyngis gracious home komynge;
And ffor gladnesse they beganne to synge,
Moste aungelyk with hevenly armonye,
This same roundell, which I shall now specyfye:
31
“Sovereyne Lorde, welcome to youre citee;Welcome, oure Ioye, and oure Hertis Plesaunce,
Welcome, oure Gladnesse, welcome, oure Suffisaunce,
Welcome, welcome, riht welcome mote ye be.
“Syngyng to-fforn thy ryall Mageste,
We say off herte, withoute variaunce,
Sovereyne Lorde, welcome, welcome ye be.
638
32
“Meire, citeȜenis and alle the comounte,At youre home komyng now out off Fraunce,
Be grace relevyd off theyre olde grevaunce,
Syng this day with grete solempnyte,
Sovereyne Lorde, welcome to youre citee.”
33
Thus resseyvyd, an esy paas rydyng,The Kyng is entred into this Citee:
And in Cornhill anoon at his komyng,
To done plesaunce vnto his Magestee,
A tabernacle surmountyng off beaute,
Ther was ordeyned, be fful ffressh entayle,
Richely arrayed with ryall apparayle.
34
This tabernacle off moste magnyficence,Was off his byldyng verrey imperyall
Made ffor the lady callyd Dame Sapience;
To-fore whos fface moste statly and ryall
Wern the sevyn sciences called lyberall
Rounde aboute, as makyd ys memorie,
Which neuere departed ffrom hire consistorie.
35
First ther was Gramer, as I reherse gan,Chieff ffounderesse and roote off all konnyng,
Which hadde a-fforne hire olde Precian;
And Logyk hadde afforn hire stondyng
Arestotyll moste clerkely dysputyng;
And Rethoryk hadde eke in hire presence,
Tulyus, called Mirrour off Eloquence;
36
And Musyk hadde, voyde off alle discorde,Boece, hire clerke, with hevenly armonye,
639
Forto practyse with sugred melodye
He and his scolers theyre wyttes dydde applye,
With touche off strenges on orgons eke pleyng,
Theyre craffte to shewe at komyng off the Kyng;
37
And Arsmetryk, be castyng off nombrarye,Chees Pyktogeras ffor hire partye;
Called chieff clerke to governe hire lybrarye,
Euclyde toke mesours be craffte off Gemetrye;
And alderhyhest stode Astronomye,
Albunisar last with hire off sevyn,
With instrumentis that rauht vp into hevyn.
38
The chieff pryncesse called SapienceHadde to-forn hire writen this scripture:
“Kynges,” quod she, “moste off excellence,
By me they regne and moste in ioye endure,
For thurh my helpe, and my besy cure,
To encrece theyre glorie and hyh renoun,
They shull off wysdome haue ffull possessioun.”
39
And in the ffront off this tabernacle,Sapience a scripture ganne devyse
Able to be redde with-oute a spectakle,
To yonge kynges seyynge in this wyse,
“Vnderstondith and lernyth off the wyse,
On riht remembryng the hyh lorde to queme,
Syth ye be iuges other ffolke to deme.”
40
Ferthermore the matere doth devyse:The Kyng, procedyng fforth [vp]on his way,
Kome to the Conduyte made in cercle wyse;
Whame to resseyve, ther was made no delay,
And myddys above in ffull riche array,
640
Middis off the throne rayed lyke a kyng.
41
Wham to governe, ther was ffigured tweyne,A lady, Mercy, satte on his riht syde;
On his lyffte hande, yff I shall nat ffeyne,
A lady, Trouthe, his domes to provyde;
The lady Clemens aloffte dydde abyde,
Off God ordeyned in the same place
The Kyngis throne strongely to enbrace.
42
For, by the sentence off prudent Salamon,Mercy and Riht kepyn euery kyng,
And Clemence kepte by Resoun
His myhty throne ffrom myschieff and ffallyng,
And makith yt stronge with lange abydyng;
For I darr say thes sayde ladyes three
A kyng preserve in lange prosperytee.
43
Thanne stoode also affore the seyde kyngTwoo iuges with ffull hyh noblesse—
Viij sergeauntes echon representyng
For comvne profyte, doom and rihtwysnesse—
With this scripture, which I shall expresse:
“Honour off kyngys, in euery mannys siht,
Of comyn custum lovith equyte and riht.”
44
Kyng Dauyd wrote, the Sawter berith wytnesse,“Lorde God,” quod he, “thy dome yeve to the Kyng,
And yeve thy trouthe and thy rihtwysnesse
The Kyngis sone here in his levyng”;
To vs declaring, as by theyre writyng,
641
Folke that be trewe and well expert in lawe.
45
The Kyng fforth rydyng entryd Chepe anoon,A lusty place, a place off alle delycys;
Kome to the Conduyt, wher, as cristall stoon,
The watir ranne like welles off Paradys,
The holsome lykour, ffull riche and off grete prys,
Lyke to the water off Archedeclyne,
Which by miracle was turned into wyne.
46
Thetes, which that is off waters chieff goddesse,Hadde off the welle power noon ne myht,
For Bachus shewed there his ffulsomnesse
Off holsome wynes to euery manere wiht;
For wyn off nature makith hertes liht,
Wherfore Bachus, at reuerence off the Kyng,
Shewed oute his plente at his home komyng.
47
Wyn ys a likour off recreacioun,That day presentyd in tokne off alle gladnesse,
Vnto the Kyng off ffamous and hyh renoun,
From vs texile alle manere hevynesse;
For with his komyng, the dede berith wytnesse,
Out off the londe he putte away alle trouble,
And made off newe oure ioyes to be double.
48
Eke at thes welles there were virgyns threeWhich drewe wyn vp off ioye and off plesaunce,
Mercy and Grace, theyre suster eke Pyte;
Mercy mynystred wynes off attemperaunce,
Grace shedde hire likour off goode gouernaunce,
And Pitee profered with ffull goode ffoysoun
Wynes off comforte and consolacioun.
642
49
The wyn off Mercy staunchith by natureThe gredy thristis off cruell hastynesse,
Grace with hire likour cristallyne and pure
Defferrith vengaunce off ffurious woodnesse,
And Pitee blymsith the swerde off Rithwysnesse;
Covenable welles, moste holsom off savour,
Forto be tasted off euery governour.
50
O! how thes welles, who-so take goode hede,With here likours moste holsome to atame,
Affore devysed notably in dede
Forto accorden with the Meirys name;
Which by report off his worthy ffame
That day was busy in alle his gouernaunce,
Vnto the Kyng fforto done plesaunce.
51
Ther were eke treen, with leves ffressh off hewe,Alle tyme off yeer, ffulle off ffruytes lade,
Off colour hevynly, and euery-liche newe,
Orenges, almondis, and the pome-gernade,
Lymons, dates, theire colours ffressh and glade,
Pypyns, quynces, blaunderell to disport,
And the pome-cedre corageous to recomfort;
52
Eke the ffruytes which more comvne be—Quenynges, peches, costardes and wardouns,
And other meny ffull ffayre and ffressh to se;
The pome-water and the gentyll ricardouns;
And ageyns hertes ffor mutygaciouns
Damysyns, which with here taste delyte,
Full grete plente both off blak and white.
53
And besydis this gracious paradys,Alle ioye and gladnesse fforto multyplye,
643
There dydde appere lyke ffolkes off ffeyrye;
The toon was Ennok, the tothir Elye,
The Kyng presentyng theire gifftes ffull notable,
That God conferme his state ay to be stable.
54
The ffirst seyde, with benyngne chere,Gretly desirynge his prosperyte,
That noon enemyes have in him power,
Nor that no childe by ffalse iniquyte
Parturble neuere his ffelicite;
Thus olde Ennok the processe gan well telle,
And prayd ffor the Kyng as he roode by the welle.
55
Affter, Elyas, with his lokkes hoore,Seyde well devoutly, lokyng on the Kyng,
“God conserve the and kepe the euermore,
And make him blessid, here in erthe levyng,
And preserve him in alle manere thyng,
And specially amongis kynges alle,
In enemyes handes that he neuere ffalle.”
56
And at fronteur off thes welles clere,Ther was a scripture komendyng the lykour;—
“Yee shall drawe waters, with goode chere,
Oute off welles off oure Savyour,
Which have vertue to curen alle langour,
Be influence off her grete swetnesse,
Hertes avoydyng off alle theire hevynesse.”
57
Thanne ffrom thes welles off ffulsome habundaunce,With theyr lykours as eny cristall clene,
The Kyng roode fforth, with sobre contenaunce,
Towarde a castell bilt off iaspar grene,
Vpon whos toures the sonne shone shene,
644
This kyngis tytle off England and off Fraunce.
58
Twoo green treen ther grewe vp-[a]riht,Fro Seint Edward and ffro Seint Lowys,
The roote y-take palpable to the siht,
Conveyed by lynes be kyngis off grete prys;
Some bare leopardes, and some bare fflouredelys,
In nouther armes ffounde was there no lak,
Which the sixte Herry may now bere on his bak.
59
The [pe]degree be iuste successioun,As trewe cronycles trewly determyne,
Vnto the Kyng ys now dessended dovn
From eyther partye riht as eny lyne;
Vpon whos heede now ffresshely done shyne
Two riche crovnes most sovereyn off plesaunce
To brynge inne pees bitwene England and Fraunce.
60
Vpon this castell on the tothir sydeThere was a tree, which sprange out off Iesse,
Ordeyned off God ffull longe to abyde;—
Dauyd crovnyd ffirst ffor his humylite
The braunches conveyd, as men myht[e] se,
Lyneally and in the Genologie,
To Crist Ihesu, that was born off Marie.
61
And why the Iesse was sette on that partye,This was the cause in especyall,
For next to Paulis, I dar well specefye,
Is the partye moste chieff and princypall,
Callyd off London the chirche cathederall,
Which ought off reson the devyse to excuse,
To alle thoo that wolde ageyn yt ffroune or muse.
645
62
And ffro that castell the Kyng fforth gan him dresseToward Poulys, chieff chirche off this citee,
And at Conduyt a liht, and a lyknesse
Indevysible made off the Trinite,
A throne compassid off his ryall see;
Aboute which, shortly to conclude,
Off hevenly aungelles wern a grete multitude;
63
To whom was yoven a precept in scripture,Wrete in the ffrontour off the hyh[e] stage,
That they shulde done theyre besy cure,
To kepe the Kyng [sure] ffrom alle damage
In his lyff here, duryng alle his age,
Hys hyh renoun to sprede and shyne fferre,
And off his twoo reemes to sese the mortall werre.
64
And laste was wretyn in the ffronterys:“I shall ffulfille him with ioye and habundaunce,
And with lengthe off [many] holsome yeerys,
And I shall shewe him my helpe with alle plesaunce,
And off his lieges ffeythfull obeyssaunce,
And multyplye and encrese his lyne
And make his noblesse thurh the worlde to shyne.
65
“Love off his peple, ffauour off alle straungers,In bothe his remys pees, reest, and vnyte,
Be influence off the nyne sperys,
Longe to co[n]tune in his ryall see,
Grace to cherice the Meire and the Citee,
Longe in his mynde to be conceyved
With how good will, that day he was resseyved.”
646
66
Comyng to Poulis ther he liht adovn,Entryng the chirche ffull demure off chere,
And there to mete him with processioun
Was the Erchebisshop, and the Chaunceller,
Lyncoln, and Bathe, off hoole herte and entier,
Salysbury, Norwich, and Ely,
In pontyficall arrayed richely.
67
Ther was the Bisshop off Rouchestre also,The Dene off Paulys, the Chanons euerychon,
Off dew[e]te as they auht to do,
On processioun with the Kyng to goon;
And thouh I kan nat reherse hem oon by oon,
Yitt dar I say, as in theyre entent,
To do theyre devere ffull trewly they ment.
68
Lyke theyre estates fforth they ganne procede;With obseruaunces longyng ffor a kyng
Solempnely gan him conveye in dede
Vp into the chirche with ffull devoute syngyng;
And whanne he hadde made his offryng,
The Meire, the citezenis, abode and lefft him nouht,
Vnto Westmynstre tyl they hadde him brouht;
69
Where alle the covent, in copys richely,Mette with him off custume as they ouht;
The Abbot affter moste solempnely
Amonges the relikes the septre oute souht
Off Seint Edward, and to the Kyng it brouht;
Thouh it were longe, large, and off grete weyht,
Yitt on his shuldres the Kyng bare it on heyht,
70
Into the mynstre, while alle the belles ronge,Tyl he kome to the hyh awtere;
647
And the peple, gladde off looke and chere,
Thanked God with alle here hertes entere,
To se theire Kyng with twoo crovyns shyne,
From twoo trees trewly ffette the lyne.
71
And affter that, this ys the verrey sothe,Vnto his paleys off kyngly apparaylle,
With his lordes the Kyng [anon] fforth goothe
To take his reste affter his travaylle;
And than off wysdome, that may so mych avaylle,
The Meire, the citezenis, which alle this dyd se,
Ben home repeyred into hire citee.
72
The Shereves, the Aldermen in ffere,The Saturday alther next suyng,
Theire Meire presented, with theyre hertes entere,
Goodly to be resseyved off the King;
And at Westminster confermed theire askyng,
The Meyre and they with ffull hole entent
Vnto the Kyng a gyffte gan to present.
73
The which giffte they goodly haue dysposyd,Toke an hamper off golde that shene shone,
A Ml pounde off golde ther-inne yclosyd;
And ther-with-all to the Kyng they goone
And ffylle on knees to-forn him euerychoone,
Full humbly the trouthe to devyse,
And to the Kyng the Meire seyde in this wyse:
‘Most Cristen Prynce and noble Kyng, the goode ffolke off youre moste notable Citee off London, otherwyse cleped youre Chambre, beseching in here moste lowly wyse they mowe be recomaunded to Youre Hyhnesse and that yt kan lyke vnto Your Noble Grace to resseyve this lytyll gyffte, gyffyn with a goode wille off trouthe and
648
74
Be gladde, O London! be gladde and make grete ioye,Citee of Citees, off noblesse precellyng,
In thy bygynnynge called Newe Troye;
For worthynesse thanke God off alle thyng,
Which hast this day resseyved so thy Kyng,
With many a signe and many an obseruaunce
To encrese thy name by newe remembraunce.
75
Suche ioye was neuere in the Consistorie,Made ffor the tryvmphe with alle the surplusage,
Whanne Sesar Iulius kam home with his victorie;
Ne ffor the conqueste off Sypion in Cartage;
As London made in euery manere age,
Out off Fraunce at the home komyng
In-to this citee off theyre noble Kyng.
76
Off sevyn thinges I preyse this citee:Off trewe menyng, and ffeythfull obseruaunce,
Off rihtwysnesse, trouthe, and equyte,
Off stablenesse ay kepte in lygeaunce;
And ffor off vertue thow hast such suffisaunce,
In this lande here and other landes alle
The Kyngis Chambre off custume men the calle.
Lenvoye.
O noble Meir! be yt vnto youre plesaunce,And to alle that duelle in this citee,
On my rudenesse and on myn ygnoraunce,
Off grace and mercy fforto haue pitee,
My symple makyng fforto take at gree;
Considre this, that in moste lowly wyse
My wille were goode fforto do yow servyse.
649
33. BALLADE ON A NEW YEAR'S GIFT OF AN EAGLE, PRESENTED TO KING HENRY VI.
Þis balade was gyven vn to þe kyng Henry ye .vj.
and to his moder þe qweene Kateryne sittyng at
þe mete vpon þe yeris day in þe Castell of Hertford
made by Ledegate, &c.
1
Þis hardy foole, þis bridde victoryous,Þis staately foole, mooste imperyal,
Of his nature fiers and corageous,
Called in Scripture þe foole celestyal—
Þis Yeeris Day to youre estate ryal
Lowly presenteþe tencresce of your glorye
Honnour and knighthoode, conquest and victorye.
2
Þis staately bridde dooþe ful heghe soore,Percyng þe beemys of þe heghe sonne,
And of his kynde excelleþe euermoore
In soryng vp above þe skyes donne;
And for þis bridde haþe þe crowne wonne
Above briddes alle, presenteþe to your glorye
Honnour of knyghthoode, conquest and victorye.
3
Þis foole is sacred vnto IubyterÞe lord of lordes in þe heghe heven,
Weel-willing planete, beholding frome so fer
Aboue þe paleys of þe sterres seven
Alle constillacyouns þat any man kan neven;
Þis saame foole presenteþe to youre glorye,
Honnour of knighthoode, conquest and victorye.
650
4
Þis is þe foole, as clerkis telle can,Which leete dovne falle in þe natiuyte
Of Cryst Ihesu vn-to Octouyan
Þe grene olyue of pees and vnytee,
Whane þe heghe Lord tooke oure humanytee;
Þis ryal egle sendeþe to youre glorye
Honnour of knighthoode, conquest and victorye.
5
Þis is þe foole which EzechyelIn his avysyoun saughe ful yoore agoon—
He saughe foure beestis tournyng on a wheele,
Amonges wheeche þis ryal brydde was oon,
Called in Scripture þevangelyst Saint Iohan;
Þis Yeeris Day presenting to your glorye
Honnour of knighthoode, conquest and victorye.
6
Þis ryal bridde, moost peersande of hir sight,Ageyne Phebus stremys moost shyning fresshe and sheene
Blencheþe neuer for al þe cleer light;
Presenteþe also vn-to þe noble qweene
Þat sitteþe nowe here, ful gracyous on to seene,
Þis Yeris Day dovne frome þat hevenly see
Helþe and welfare, ioye and prosparytee.
7
Þis foole also, by tytle of hir nature,Of fooles alle is qweene and emperesse;
Flyeþe heghest and lengest may endure,
Bating hir wynges with-oute werynesse
To Iuvoos Castel; in heven a gret goddesse:
Sendeþe to you, Pryncesse, here sitting in youre see,
Helthe and welfare, ioye and prosparytee.
8
He sendeþe also vn-to youre hye noblesseOf alle vertus fulsome haboundaunce,
651
Which wee þee mene by gracyous allyaunce
To sette in pees England and Fraunce—;
To whos hyenesse dovne frome þe hevenly see
Helthe and welfare, ioye and prosparytee.
9
Þis bridde in armys of emperoures is borne,Which in þe tyme of Cesar Iulius,
In Roome appering whane Cryst Ihesu was borne,
Of a mayde moost clene and vertuous;
Wherfore O Pryncesse, happy and gracyous,
To you presenteþe þis egle as he dooþe flee
Helthe and welfare, ioye and prosparytee.
10
Þis foole with briddes haþe holde his parllement,Where as þe lady which is called Nature
Sate in hir see, lyche a presydent;
And alle, yche oon, þey dyd hir besy cure
To sende to yowe goode happe, good aventure,
Alle youre desyres acomplisshed for to beo,
Helth and welfare, ioye and prosparytee.
Lenvoye.
Mooste noble Prynce, which in especyalExcelle alle oþer, as maked is memorye,
Þis day beo gif to youre estate ryal,
As I sayde erst, honnour, conquest, victorye,—
Lyche as þis egle haþe presented to your glorye;
And to yowe, Pryncesse! he wol also þer be
Helth and welfare, ioye and prosparytee.
652
[Occasional Poems.]
34. VERSES ON CAMBRIDGE.
1
By trew[e] recorde of the Doctor Bede,That some tyme wrotte so mikle with his hand,
And specially—remembringe as I reede
In his Cronicles made of England—
Amoung other thyngs, as ye shall understand—
Whom for myne aucthour I dare alleage—
Kouth þe translation & buylding of Cambridge;
2
With hym accordynge, Alfride the Croniclere—Seriouslye who lyst his booke to see,
Made in þe tyme when he was Thresurere
Of Beverley, an old famouse cytye—
Affirme & seyne, the Universitie
Off Cambridge & studye fyrst began
By þat wrytinge, as I reporte can.
3
He rehersing first for commendacion,By þat wrytinge, how that old cytie
Was stronglie whalled with towers manye one,
Builte & finished with great libertie,
Notable & famous, of greate authoritie,
As theis authors accordinge sayne þe same,
Of Cantabro takyng first his name.
4
Like as I finde—reporte I can none other—This Canteber tyme of his lyvynge
To Pertholyne he was germayne brother,
Duke in tho dayes, in Ireland a great kynge,
Chieffe & principall cause of that buildyng;
The wall about & towers as they stoode
Was sett & builte upon a large floode,
653
5
Named Cantebro, a large brode ryver,And after Cante called Cantebro.
This famous citie, this write the cronicler,
Was called Cambridge; rehersing eke also
In þat booke theis authors bothe twoe.
Towching the date, as I rehear[s]e can,
Fro thilke tyme that the world began
6
Fower thowsand complete, by accompt[e]s clere,And three hundreth by computacion,
Ioyned therto eight & fortie yeare,
When Cantebro gave the foundacion
Of thys cytie & this famous towne,
And of this noble universitie,
Sett on this ryver which is called Cante;
7
And fro the greate transmigracionOf kyns reconned in the Byble of old,
Fro Ierusalem to Babylon
Two hundreth wynter & thirtie years told—
Thus to write myne author maketh me bold—
When Cantebro, as it [is] well kouthe,
At Atheynes scholed in his youth,
8
All his wytts greatlye did applieTo have acquayntance by great affection,
With folke experte in philosophie.
From Atheynes he brought with him downe
Philosophers most sovereigne of renowne,
Unto Cambridge, playnlye this is the case,
Anaxamander & Anaxogoras,
9
With many other, myne Authours dothe declare;To Cambridge fast[e] can hym spede,
With philosophers, & let for no cost spare,
654
Of whoes teachynge great profit þat gan spread
And great increase rose of his doctrine;
Thus of Cambridge þe name gan first shyne
10
As chieffe schoole & universitie.Unto this tyme fro the daye it began,
By clere reporte, in many a far countre;
Unto the reigne of Cassibellan—,
A woorthie prynce & a full knightlie man,
As sayne cronicles, who with his might[y] hand
Let Iulius Cesar to arryve in this land—,
11
Five hundreth yere, full thirtie yere & twentieFro Babylons transmigracion,
That Cassibelane reigned in Britaine,
Which, by his notable royall discrecion,
To increase that studdie of great affection,
I meane of Cambridge the Universitie
Franchised with manye a libertie.
12
By the meane of his royall favor,From countreis about[en] manye one,
Divers schollers, by diligent labour,
Made þat resorte of great affection;
To that stooddie great plentye there cam downe,
To gather fruits of wysedome & science
And sondrie flowers of sugred eloquence.
13
And as it is put eke in memorie,Howe Iulius Cesar, entring this region,
On Cassybellan after his victorye,
Tooke with him clarks of famous renowne
Fro Cambridge, & ledd them to Rome Towne;
Thus by process remembred here-to-forne,
Cambridg was founded long or Chryst was borne—
655
14
Five hundreth yere, thirtie & eke nyne.In this matter ye gett no more of me,
Reherse I wyll no more at this tyme.
Theis remembranc[e]s have great authoritie,
To be preferred of long antiquitie;
For which by recorde, all clarks seyne þe same,
Of heresie Cambridge bare never blame.
35. DEATH'S WARNING.
1
Syth that ye lyste to be my costes,And in your book to set[ten] myne image,
Wake and remembre wyth grete auys[in]es,
Howe my custome and mortall vsage
Ys for to spare nether olde ne yonge of age,
But that ye nowe in thys world leuyng,
Afore be redy or I my belle rynge.
2
My dredefull spere [that ys] full sharpe ygroundeDoth yow now, lo, here thys manace,
Armour ys noon that may withstande hys wounde
Ne whom I merke ther ys non other grace,
To fynde respite of day, oure, ne space;
Wherfore be redy, and haue no dysdeyne
Yef of my commyng the tyme be vncerteyne.
3
Remembre your yeres almost past be,Of flowryng age lasteth but a seasoun,
656
Beaute declyneth, hys blossom falleth doune,
And lytyll and lytyll, tyll by successioun
Cometh croked elde, vnwarly [in] crepyng,
With hys patent purely than manysshyng.
4
The gospell byddeth than [to] wake and pray[e];For of my commyng there ys no tyme sette,
Ne no man knoweth [the hour] when he shall d[e]ye,
Ne agayne myne entre no gate may be shutte;
Twene me and kynde ther ys a knot [y-knet]
That in thys worlde euery lyuyng creature
For Adams synne must dye of nature.
5
O worldely folke, auerteth and take hedeWhat vengeaunce and punycioun
God shall take, after ye be dede,
For your trespas and youre transgressioun,
Whyche breken hys preceptes ayenst all reasoun;
Ye haue foryete howe, with hys precious bloode
Yow for to saue, he dyed on the roode.
6
Lerne for to dye and hate for to lye,Of olde offens amonge haue repentaunce,
And to eschewe all skorne and mok[e]ry[e],
Ayenst vyces do almes and penaunce,
And for to haue moste souueranly plesaunce,
To sewe the pathes of oure lorde Ihesu,
Trewe exampeler of grace and vertew,
7
Whyche for oure sake and oure redempcioun,And for oure loue was nayled to a tree,
657
And nothyng asketh of hygh ne lowe degree,
Recompensed ayenwarde for to be,
But that we sette all holy oure ententes,
For to fulfyll hys commaundmentys,
8
Wherby men may that prudent be and wyse,The ioyes clayme, whyche be eternall,
And entre [ageyn] in-to paradyse,
From whens [our fadyr] Adam had a fall;
To whyche place aboue celestiall,
O Cryste Ihesu, so brynge vs to that glory,
Whyche by thy dethe had[dest] the victory.
Amen.
36. ON THE DEPARTING OF THOMAS CHAUCER (1417).
Balade made by Lydegate at þe Departyng
of Thomas Chaucyer on Ambassade in-to France
1
O þow Lucyna, qwene and empyresseOf waters alle, and of floodes rage,
And cleped art lady and goddesse
Of iorneying and fortunate passage,
Governe and guye by grace þe vyage,
Þowe Heuenly Qweene, sith I of hert[e] prey
My maystre Chaucyer goodely to convey,
2
Him to expleyten, and firþerne on his wayWith holsome spede, ay in his iournee.
658
Hym to fauour whane he is on þe see,
Preserving him frome al aduersytee,
Frome al trouble of wynde and eke of wawe.
And lat þy grace so to him adawe
3
Þat wher to hym may beo moost plesaunce,Þer make him lande, he and his meynee.
And God I prey, þe whyle he is [in] Fraunce,
To sende him helthe and prosparytee,
Hasty repayre hoome to his cuntree,
To reconfort þer with his presence
Folkys þat mowrne moost for his absence.
4
For soþely nowe þagreable sonneOf housholding and fulsum haboundaunce
Eclipsid is, as men recorden konne,
Þat founden þer so ryche souffisaunce,
Fredam, bountee, with gode governaunce,
Disport, largesse, ioye and al gladnesse,
And passingly goode chere with gentylesse.
5
Ceres also, goddesse of welfare,Was ay present, hir chaare with plentee lade;
And Bacus þer ne koude neuer spare
With his lykour hertes for to glade,
Refresshe folkis þat were of colour fade,
With his conduytes moost plentyvous habounde,
Þe wellis hed so fulsome ay is founde.
6
His moost ioye is innly gret repayreOf gentilmen of heghe and lowe estate,
Þat him thenkeþ, boþe in foule and fayre,
With-outen hem he is but desolate;
And to be loued þe moost fortunate
Þat euer I knewe, with othe of soþefastnesse,
Of ryche and pore, for bounteuouse largesse.
659
7
And gentyl Molyns, myn owen lord so der,Lytel merveyle þoughe þow sighe and pleyne;
Now to forgone þin owen pleying feere,
I wot right wel, hit is to þe gret peyne.
But haue good hope soone for to atteyne
Þin hertis blisse agayne, and þat right sone,
Or foure tymes echaunged be þe mone.
8
Lat be youre weping, tendre creature,By my sainte Eleyne fer away in Ynde.
How shoule ye þe gret woo endure
Of his absence, þat beon so truwe and kynde?
Haþe him amonge enprynted in your mynde,
And seythe for him, shortly in a clause,
Goddes soule to hem þat beon in cause.
9
Ye gentilmen dwelling envyroun,His absence eke ye aught to compleyne,
For farwell nowe, as in conclusyoun
Youre pleye, your ioye, yif I shal not feyne;
Farwel huntyng and hawkyng, boþe tweyne,
And farewel nowe cheef cause of your desport,
For he absent, farewel youre recomfort.
10
Late him not nowe out of remembraunce,But euer amonge haþe him in memoyre;
And for his saake, as in youre dalyaunce,
Saythe euery day deuotely þis memoyr(r)e,
“Saint Iulyan, oure ioye and al oure gloyre,
Come hoome ageyne, lyche as we desyre,
To suppowaylen al þe hole shyre.”
11
And for my part, I sey right as I thenk,I am pure sory and hevy in myn hert,
More þan I expresse can wryte with inke,
Þe want of him so sore doþe me smert;
But for al þat hit shal me nought astert,
Daye and night, with hert[e] debonayre,
And prey to God, þat he soone may repayre.
660
37. OF THE SODEIN FAL OF PRINCES IN OURE DAYES.
Here folowen seven balades made by Daun Iohn
Lydegate of þe sodeine fal of certain Princes
of Fraunce and Englande nowe late in oure dayes.
1
Beholde þis gret prynce Edwarde þe Secounde,Which of diuers landes lord was and kyng,
But so governed was he, nowe vnderstonde,
By suche as caused foule his vndoying,
For trewly to telle yowe with-oute lesing,
He was deposed by al þe rewmes assent,
In prisoun murdred with a broche in his foundament.
2
Se howe Richard, of Albyon þe kyng,Which in his tyme ryche and glorious was,
Sacred with abyt, with corone, and with ring,
Yit fel his fortune so, and eke his cas,
Þat yvel counseyle rewled him so, elas!
For mys-treting lordes of his monarchye,
He feyne was to resigne and in prysone dye.
3
Lo Charles, of noble Fraunce þe kyng,Taken with seknesse and maladye,
Which lefft him never vnto his eonding,
Were it of nature, or by sorcerye,
Vnable he was for to governe or guye
His reaume, which caused suche discencyon,
Þat fallen it is to gret destruccion.
661
4
Se nowe þis lusty Duc of Orlyaunce,Which floured in Parys of chiuallerie,
Broþer to Charles, þe kyng of Fraunce:
His yong[e] hert[e] thought[e] never to dye,
But for he vsed þe synne of lecherye,
His cosin to assent[e] was ful fayene,
Þat he in Parys was murdred and foule slayne.
5
Of Edward þe Thridde Thomas his sone,Of Gloucestre Duc, Constable of England,
Which to love trouth was ever his wone,
Yet not-with-stonding his entent of trouthe,
He murdred was at Caleys, þat was routhe,
And he to God and man moste acceptable,
And to þe comvne profit moste fauorable.
6
Lo here þis Eorlle and Duc of Burgoyne boþe,Oon of þe douspiers and deen of Fraunce,
Howe fortune gan his prosparite to looþe,
And made him putte his lyff in suche balaunce
Þat him navayled kyn nor allyaunce,
Þat for his mourder he mortherd was and slayne,
Of whos deth þErmynakes were fayne.
7
Þis Duc of Yrland, of England Chaumburleyn,Which is plesaunce so he ledde his lyff,
Tyl fortune of his welthe hade disdeyn,
Þat causeles he parted was frome his wyff,
Which grounde was of gret debate and stryff,
And his destruccion, if I shal not lye,
For banned he was, and did in meschef dye.
662
38. HORNS AWAY.
Here gynneth a Dyte of Womenhis Hornys
1
Off God and kynde procedith al bewte;Crafft may shewe a foreyn apparence,
But nature ay must haue the souereynte.
Thyng countirfeet hath noon existence.
Tween gold and gossomer is greet dyfference;
Trewe metall requeryth noon allay;
Vnto purpos by cleer experyence,
Beute wol shewe, thogh hornys wer away.
2
Ryche attyres of stonys and perre,Charbonclys, rubyes of moost excellence,
Shewe in dirknesse lyght where so they be,
By ther natural hevenly influence.
Doublettys of glas yeve a gret evydence,
Thyng counterfeet wol faylen at assay;
On this mater concludyng in sentence,
Beute wol shewe, thogh hornes were away.
3
Aleyn remembreth—his compleynt who lyst see,In his book of ffamous elloquence—
663
He sauh Nature in hir moost excellence,
Vpon hir hed a kerche[f] of Valence,
Noon other richesse of counterfet array:
Texemplyfie by kyndely provydence,
Beute wol shewe, thogh hornes wer away.
4
Famous poetis of antyquyte,In Grece and Troye renomed of prudence,
Wrot of Queen Heleyne and Penolope,
Of Pollycene, with hir chast innocence;
For wyves trewe calle Lucrece to presence;
That they wer faire ther can no man sey nay;
Kynde wrouht hem with so gret dyllygence,
Ther beute kouth, hornys wer cast away.
5
Clerkys recorde, by gret auctoryte,Hornes wer yove to bestys ffor dyffence—
A thyng contrarie to ffemynyte,
To be maad sturdy of resystence.
But arche wives, egre in ther vyolence,
Fers as tygre ffor to make affray,
They haue despit, and ageyn concyence,
Lyst nat of pryde, ther hornes cast away.
Lenvoye.
6
Noble pryncessis, this litel schort dyte,Rudely compyled, lat it be noon offence
664
Though it be rad in your audyence;
Peysed euery thyng in your iust aduertence,
So it be noon dysplesaunce to your pay,
Vnder support of your pacyence,
Yeveth example hornes to cast away.
7
Grettest of vertues ys humylyte,As Salamon seith, sonne of sapyence,
Most was accepted onto the Deyte;
Taketh heed herof, yeveth to his wordis credence,
How Maria, which hadde a premynence
Above alle women, in Bedlem whan she lay,
At Crystys birthe no cloth of gret dispence,
She wered a kouercheef, hornes wer cast away.
8
Off birthe she was hihest of degre,To whom alle angellis dyd obedyence,
Of Dauid-is lyne wich sprang out of Iesse;
In whom alle vertues by iust convenyence,
Maad stable in God by goostly confydence,
This rose of Iericho, ther greuh non suych in May,
Pore in spirit, parfit in pacyence,
In whom alle hornes of pride wer put away.
9
Modyr of Ihesu, myrour of chastyte,In woord nor thouht that neuere dyd offence,
Trewe examplire of virgynyte,
Hed-spryng and welle of parfit contynence,
665
Koude alle hir vertues reherse on-to this day;
Noble pryncessis, of meek benyvolence,
Be example of hir your hornes cast away.
Explicit.
39. LYDGATE'S LETTER TO GLOUCESTER.
1
Riht myhty prynce, and it be your wille,Condescende leiser for to take,
To seen the content of this litil bille,
Which whan I wrot, myn hand I felte quake.
Tokne of mornyng, weryd clothys blake,
Cause my purs was falle in gret rerage,
Lynyng outward, his guttys wer out shake,
Oonly for lak of plate and of coignage.
2
I souhte leechys for a restoratiff,In whom I fond no consolacioun,
Appotecaryes for a confortatiff,
Dragge nor dya was noon in Bury toun;
Botme of his stomak was tournyd vp-so-doun,
A laxatif did hym so gret outrage,
Made hym slendre by a consumpcioun,
Oonly for lak of plate and of coignage.
666
3
Ship was ther noon, nor seilis reed of hewe,The wynd froward to make hem ther to londe,
The flood was passyd, and sodeynly of newe,
A lowh ground-ebbe was faste by the stronde;
No maryneer durste take on honde,
To caste an ankir for streihtnesse of passage,
The custom skars as folk may vndirstonde,
Oonly for lak of plate and of coignage.
4
Ther was no tokne sent doun from the Tour,As any gossomer the countirpeys was liht;
A ffretyng etyk causyd his langour
By a cotidian whi[c]h heeld hym day and nyht;
Sol and Luna were clypsyd of ther liht,
Ther was no cros, nor preent of no visage,
His lynyng dirk, ther wer no platys briht,
Oonly for lak and scarsete of coignage.
5
Harde to likke hony out of a marbil stoon,For ther is nouthir licour nor moisture;
An ernest grote, whan it is dronke and goon,
Bargeyn of marchauntys, stant in aventure;
My purs and I be callyd to the lure
Off indigence, our stuff leyd in morgage.
But ye, my Lord, may al our soor recure,
With a receyt of plate and of coignage.
6
Nat sugre-plate, maad by thappotecarye,Plate of briht metal, yevith a mery soun,
In Boklerys-bury is noon such letuary.
Gold is a cordial, gladdest confeccioun,
667
Aurum potabile for folk ferre ronne in age,
In quynt-essence best restauracioun
With siluer plate, enprentyd with coignage.
[Lenvoye.]
7
O seely bille, why art thu nat ashamyd,So malapertly to shewe out thy constreynt?
But pouert hath so nyh thy tonne attamyd
That nichil habet is cause of thy compleynt.
A drye tisyk makith oold men ful feynt;
Reediest weye to renewe ther corage,
Is a fressh dragge, of no spycis meynt,
But of a briht plate, enpreentyd with coignage.
8
Thu mayst afferme, as for thyn excus,Thy bareyn soyl is sool and solitarye;
Of cros nor pyl ther is no reclus,
Preent nor impressioun in al thy seyntuarye.
To conclude breefly, and nat tarye,
Ther is no noyse herd in thyn hermytage,
God sende soone a gladdere letuarye
With a cleer soun of plate and of coignage.
Explicit quod Lydgate.
668
40. THE MUMMING AT BISHOPSWOOD.
Nowe here nexst folowyng ys made a balade by
Lydegate, sente by a poursyvant to þe Shirreves
of London, acompanyed with þeire breþerne vpon
Mayes daye at Busshopes wod, at an honurable
dyner, eche of hem bringginge his dysshe.
1
Mighty Flourra, goddes of fresshe floures,Whiche cloþed hast þe soyle in lousty grene,
Made buddes springe with hir swote showres
By influence of þe sonne so sheene;
To do plesaunce of entent ful clene
Vn-to þestates wheoche þat nowe sitte here,
Haþe Veere dovne sent hir owen doughter dere,
2
Making þe vertue þat dured in þe roote,Called of clerkes þe vertue vegytable,
For to trascende, moste holsome and moste swoote,
In-to þe crope, þis saysoun so greable.
Þe bawmy lykour is so comendable
Þat it reioyþe with þe fresshe moysture
Man, beeste, and foole, and every creature
3
Whiche haþe repressed, swaged, and bore dovneÞe grevous constreinte of þe frostes hoore;
And caused foolis, ffor ioye of þis saysoune,
To cheese þeire makes þane by natures loore,
With al gladnesse þeire courage to restore,
Sitting on bowes fresshly nowe to synge
Veere for to salue at hir home comynge;
4
Ful pleinly meninge in þeire ermonyeWynter is goone, whiche did hem gret payne,
669
Thanking Nature þeire goddesse souereyne
Þat þey nowe have no mater to compleyne,
Hem for to proygne every morwenyng
With lousty gladnesse at Phebus vprysinge.
5
And to declare þe hye magnifysenceHowe Vere inbringeþe al felicytee,
Affter wynters mighty vyolence
Avoydinge stormys of al adversytee;
For sheo haþe brought al prosperitee
To alle þestates of þis regyoun
At hir comynge to-fore youre hye renoun:
6
To þe mighty prynces þe palme of þeire victorie;And til knighthode nowe sheo doþe presente
Noblesse in armes, lawde, honnour, & glorie;
Pees to þe people in al hir best entente,
With grace and mercy fully to consente
Þat provydence of hye discressioun
Avoyde descorde and al devysyoun.
7
Wynter shal passe of hevynesse and trouble,F[l]owres shal springe of perfite charite,
In hertes þere shal be no meninge double,
Buddes shal [blosme] of trouþe and vnytee,
Pleinly for to exyle duplicytee,
Lordes to regne in þeire noble puissance,
Þe people obeye with feythful obeyssaunce.
8
Of alle estates þere shal beo oone ymage,And princes first shal ocupye þe hede,
And prudent iuges, to correcte outrages,
Shal trespassours const[r]eynen vnder drede,
Þat innosentes in þeire lowlyhede
As truwe comvnes may beo þeire socour,
Truwly contune in þeire faithful labour.
670
9
And by þe grace of Oure Lorde IhesuÞat Holly Chirche may have parseueraunce,
Beo faythfull founde in al [vertu],
Mayre, provost, shirreff, eche in his substaunce;
And aldremen, whiche haue þe governaunce
Over þe people by vertue may avayle,
Þat noone oppression beo done to þe pourayle.
10
Þus as þe people, of prudent pollycye,Pryncis of þe right shal governe,
Þe Chirche preye, þe iuges iustefye,
And knighthode manly and prudently discerne,
Til light of trouþe so clerely þe lanterne:
Þat rightwysnesse thorughe þis regyoune
Represse þe derknesse of al extorcyoune.
11
Þeos be þe tyþinges, wheoche þat Weer haþe brought,Troubles exylinge of wynters rude derknesse;
Wherfore reioye yowe in hert, wille, and thought,
Somer shal folowe to yowe off al gladnesse;
And siþen sheo is mynistre of lustynesse,
Let hir beo welcome to yowe at hir comyng,
Sith sheo to yowe haþe brought so glad tyþinge.
12
Þe noble princesse of moste magnifisence,Qweene of al ioye, of gladde suffisaunce,
May is nowe comen to Youre Hye Excellence,
Presenting yowe prosperous plesaunce,
Of al welfare moste foulsome haboundance,
As sheo þat haþe vnder hir demayne
Of floures fresshe moste holsome and soueraine.
671
Lenvoye to alle þestates present.
13
Þis Princesse haþe, by favour of nature,Repared ageine þat wynter haþe so fade,
And foolis loustely recvvre
Þeire lusty notes and þeire enemye glade,
And vnder braunches vnder plesant shade
Reioyssing þaire with many swote odoures,
And Zepherus with many fresshe [shoures].
14
Topyted fayre, with motleys whyte and rede,Alle hilles, pleynes, and lusty bankes grene,
And made hir bawme to fleete in every mede,
And fury Tytane shewe oute heos tresses sheene,
And vppon busshes and hawthornes kene,
Þe nightingale with plesant ermonye
Colde wynter stormes nowe sheo doþe defye.
15
On Parnoso þe lusty muses nyene,Citherra with hir sone nowe dwellis,
Þis sayson singe and þeire notes tuwyne
Of poetrye besyde þe cristal wellis;
Calyope þe dytes of hem tellis,
And Orpheus with heos stringes sharpe
Syngeþe a roundell with his temperd herpe.
16
Wher-fore to alle estates here present,Þis plesant tyme moste of lustynesse,
May is nowe comen to fore yow of entent
To bringe yowe alle to ioye and fresshnesse,
Prosparitee, welfare, and al gladnesse,
And al þat may Youre Hyenesse qweeme and pleese,
In any parte or doone youre hertes eese.
672
41. A MUMMING AT ELTHAM.
Loo here begynneþe a balade made by daun Iohn
Lidegate at Eltham in Cristmasse, for a momyng
tofore þe kyng and þe Qwene.
1
Bachus, which is god of þe glade vyne,Iuno and Ceres, acorded alle þeos three,
Thorughe þeyre power, which þat is devyne,
Sende nowe þeyre gifftes vn-to Your Magestee:
Wyne, whete and oyle by marchandes þat here be,
Wheeche represent vn-to Youre Hye Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plente and gladnesse.
2
For þeos gifftes pleynly to descryve,Wheche in hem-self designe al souffisaunce:
Pees is betokened by þe grene olyve;
In whete and oyle is foulsome haboundaunce;
Wheche to Youre Hyenesse for to do plesaunce,
Þey represente nowe to Houre Hye Noblesse,
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladnesse.
3
Ysaak, þe patryark ful olde,Gaf his blessing with his gifftes three
Vn-to Iacobe; in Scripture it is tolde,
Genesis yee may hit reede and see.
And semblabully þe Hooly Trynytee,
Your staate blessing, sent to Youre Hye Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladnesse.
4
In þe olyve He sendeþe to yowe pees,Þe Lord of Lordes, þat lordshipeþe euery sterre,
673
He stint shal of Mars þe cruwel werre;
And þane youre renoun shal shyne in londes ferre
Of youre two reavmes, graunting to Your Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plentee and gladnesse.
5
For Mars þat is mooste furyous and woode,Causer of stryff and desobeyssaunce,
Shal cesse his malice; and God þat is so goode,
Of vnytee shal sende al souffysaunce.
He ioyne þe hertes of England and of Fraunce,
Bassent of booþe sent to your Hye Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladnesse.
6
Iuno þat is goddesse of al tresore,Sende eeke hir gyfftes to your estate royal:
Laude of knight-hoode, victorie and honnour,
Ageyns mescreantes in actes marcyal—
For Crystes feyth yee enhaunce shal;
Repeyre ageyne, and regne in Your Noblesse—,
Pees with youre lieges, plentee and gladnesse.
7
And al þis whyle Ceres, goddesse of corne,Shal where yee ryde mynistre you victayle;
Provydence, hir sustre, goo byforne
And provyde, soo þat no thing ne fayle;
Bachus also, þat may so miche avayle:
Alle of acorde present to Your Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladnesse.
8
Þis God, þis Goddesse, of entent ful goode,In goodely wyse also þeyre gyfftes dresse
To yowe, Pryncesse, borne of Saint Lowys blood;
Frome yowe avoyding al sorowe, al hevynesse,
Frome yeere to yeere in verray sikrenesse;
To you presenting, yif yowe list aduerte,
Ay by encreesse ioye and gladnesse of hert.
674
9
Þey wol þeyre gyfftes with you and youres dwellePees, vnytee, plentee and haboundaunce,
So þat Fortune may hem not repelle,
Ner hem remuwe thorughe hir varyaunce;
Graunting also perseueraunt constaunce;
To you presenting, yif yowe list aduerte,
Ay by encresse ioye and gladnesse of hert.
10
To Youre Hyenesse þey gif þe fresshe olyve,By pees texyle awaye al hevynesse;
Prosparytee [eeke] during al your lyve.
And Iuno sent you moost excellent ricchesse,
Loue of al people, grounded in stablenesse.
With þis [reff(r)ete, yif yowe list] aduerte,
Ay by [encresse ioye and gladnesse of hert.]
11
Ceres also sent foulsomnesse,Frome yeere to yeere in your court tabyde.
Aduersyte shal þer noon manase,
But care and sorowe for ever sette asyde,
Happe, helthe and grace chosen to be youre guyde.
And with al þis present, yif yee aduerte,
Ay beo encresse, ioye [and] gladnesse of hert.
Lenvoie.
Prynce excellent, of your benignytee,Takeþe þees gyfftes, sent to your Hye Noblesse,
Þis hyeghe feest frome þeos yche three:
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladdnesse,
As Bacus, Iuno and Ceres bere witnesse.
To you, Pryncesse, also, yif yee aduerte,
Ay beo encresse, ioye [and] gladdnesse of hert.
675
42. A MUMMING AT HERTFORD.
Nowe foloweþe here þe maner of a bille by wey of supplicacion putte to þe kyng holding his noble feest of Cristmasse in Þe Castel of Hertford as in a disguysing of þe rude vpplandisshe people compleynyng on hir wyves, with þe boystous aunswere of hir wyves, devysed by Lydegate at þe request of þe Countre Roullour Brys slayne at Loviers.
Moost noble Prynce, with support of Your GraceÞer beon entred in-to youre royal place,
And late e-comen in-to youre castell,
Youre poure lieges, wheche lyke no-thing weel;
Nowe in þe vigyle of þis nuwe yeere
Certeyne sweynes ful [froward of ther chere]
Of entent comen, [fallen on ther kne],
For to compleyne vn-to Yuoure Magestee
Vpon þe mescheef of gret aduersytee,
Vpon þe trouble and þe cruweltee
Which þat þey haue endured in þeyre lyves
By þe felnesse of þeyre fierce wyves;
Which is a tourment verray importable,
A bonde of sorowe, a knott vnremuwable.
For whoo is bounde or locked in maryage,
Yif he beo olde, he falleþe in dotage.
And yong[e] folkes, of þeyre lymes sklendre,
Grene and lusty, and of brawne but tendre,
Phylosophres callen in suche aage
A chylde to wyve, a woodnesse or a raage.
For þey afferme þer is noon eorþely stryff
May beo compared to wedding of a wyff,
And who þat euer stondeþe in þe cas,
He with his rebecke may sing ful offt ellas!
676
He may with hem vpon þe daunce goon,
Leorne þe traas, booþe at even and morowe,
Of Karycantowe in tourment and in sorowe;
Weyle þe whyle, ellas! þat he was borne.
For Obbe þe Reeve, þat gooþe heere al to-forne,
He pleyneþe sore his mariage is not meete,
For his wyff, Beautryce Bittersweete,
Cast vpon him an hougly cheer ful rowghe,
Whane he komeþe home ful wery frome þe ploughe,
With hungry stomake deed and paale of cheere,
In hope to fynde redy his dynier;
Þanne sitteþe Beautryce bolling at þe nale,
As she þat gyveþe of him no maner tale;
For she al day, with hir iowsy nolle,
Hathe for þe collyk pouped in þe bolle,
And for heed aache with pepir and gynger
Dronk dolled ale to make hir throte cleer;
And komeþe hir hoome, whane hit draweþe to eve,
And þanne Robyn, þe cely poure Reeve,
Fynde noone amendes of harome ne damage,
But leene growell, and soupeþe colde potage;
And of his wyf haþe noone oþer cheer
But cokkrowortes vn-to his souper.
Þis is his servyce sitting at þe borde,
And cely Robyn, yif he speke a worde,
Beautryce of him dooþe so lytel rekke,
Þat with hir distaff she hitteþe him in þe nekke,
For a medecyne to chawf with his bloode;
With suche a metyerde she haþe shape him an hoode.
And Colyn Cobeller, folowing his felawe,
Haþe hade his part of þe same lawe;
For by þe feyth þat þe preost him gaf,
His wyff haþe taught him to pleyne at þe staff;
Hir quarter-strooke were so large and rounde
Þat on his rigge þe towche was alwey founde.
Cecely Soure-Chere, his owen precyous spouse,
Kowde him reheete whane he came to house;
677
Ageyne oon worde, alweys he hade tweyne;
Sheo qwytt him euer, þer was no thing to seeche,
Six for oon of worde and strookes eeche.
Þer was no meen bytweene hem for to goone;
What euer he wan, clowting olde shoone
Þe wykday, pleynly þis is no tale,
Sheo wolde on Sondayes drynk it at þe nale.
His part was noon, he sayde not oonys nay;
Hit is no game but an hernest play,
For lack of wit a man his wyf to greeve.
Þeos housbondemen, who-so wolde hem leeve,
Koude yif þey dourst telle in audyence
What foloweþe þer of wyves to doone offence;
Is noon so olde ne ryveld on hir face,
Wit tong or staff but þat she dare manase.
Mabyle, God hir sauve and blesse,
Koude yif hir list bere here of witnesse:
Wordes, strookes vnhappe, and harde grace
With sharp[e] nayles kracching in þe face.
I mene þus, whane þe distaff is brooke,
With þeyre fistes wyves wol be wrooke.
Blessed þoo men þat cane in suche offence
Meekly souffre, take al in pacyence,
Tendure suche wyfly purgatorye.
Heven for þeyre meede, to regne þer in glorye,
God graunt al housbandes þat beon in þis place,
To wynne so heven for His hooly grace.
Nexst in ordre, þis bochier stoute and bolde
Þat killed haþe bulles and boores olde,
Þis Berthilmewe, for al his broode knyff,
Yit durst he neuer with his sturdy wyff,
In no mater holde chaumpartye;
And if he did, sheo wolde anoon defye
His pompe, his pryde, with a sterne thought,
And sodeynly setten him at nought.
Þoughe his bely were rounded lyche an ooke
She wolde not fayle to gyf þe first[e] strooke;
For proude Pernelle, lyche a chaumpyoun,
Wolde leve hir puddinges in a gret cawdroun,
678
But with hir skumour reeche him on þe heued.
Shee wolde paye him; and make no delaye,
Bid him goo pleye him a twenty deuel wey.
She was no cowarde founde at suche a neode,
Hir fist ful offt made his cheekis bleed;
What querell euer þat he agenst hir sette,
She cast hir not to dyen in his dette.
She made no taylle, but qwytt him by and by;
His quarter sowde, she payde him feythfully,
And his waages, with al hir best entent,
She made þer-of noon assignement.
Eeke Thome Tynker with alle hees pannes olde,
And alle þe wyres of Banebury þat he solde—
His styth, his hamour, his bagge portatyf—
Bare vp his arme whane he faught with his wyff.
He foonde for haste no better bokeller
Vpon his cheeke þe distaff came so neer.
Hir name was cleped Tybot Tapister.
To brawle and broyle she nad no maner fer,
To thakke his pilche, stoundemel nowe and þanne,
Thikker þane Thome koude clowten any panne.
Nexst Colle Tyler, ful hevy of his cheer,
Compleyneþe on Phelyce his wyff, þe wafurer.
Al his bred with sugre nys not baake,
Yit on his cheekis some-tyme he haþe a caake
So hoot and nuwe, or he can taken heede,
Þat his heres glowe verray reede,
For a medecyne whane þe forst is colde,
Making his teethe to ratle, þat beon oolde.
Þis is þe compleynt, þat þeos dotardes oolde
Make on þeyre wyves, þat beon so stoute and bolde.
Þeos holy martirs, preued ful pacyent,
Lowly beseching in al hir best entent,
Vn-to Youre Noble Ryal Magestee
To graunte hem fraunchyse and also liberte,
Sith þey beoþe fetird and bounden in maryage,
A sauf-conduyt to sauf him frome damage.
Eeke vnder support of youre hyeghe renoun,
679
Conquest of wyves is ronne thoroughe þis lande,
Cleyming of right to haue þe hyegher hande.
But if you list, of youre regallye,
Þe Olde Testament for to modefye,
And þat yee list asselen þeyre request,
Þat þeos poure husbandes might lyf in rest,
And þat þeyre wyves in þeyre felle might
Wol medle amonge mercy with þeyre right.
For it came neuer of nature ne raysoun,
A lyonesse toppresse þe lyoun,
Ner a wolfesse, for al hir thyraunye,
Ouer þe wolf to haven þe maystrye.
Þer beon nowe wolfesses moo þane twoo or three,
Þe bookys recorde wheeche þat yonder bee.
Seoþe to þis mater of mercy and of grace,
And or þees dotardes parte out of þis place,
Vpon þeyre compleynt to shape remedye,
Or þey beo likly to stande in iupardye.
It is no game with wyves for to pleye,
But for foolis, þat gif no force to deye!
Takeþe heed of þaunswer of þe wyves.
Touching þe substance of þis hyeghe discorde,We six wyves beon ful of oon acorde,
Yif worde and chyding may vs not avaylle,
We wol darrein it in chaumpcloos by bataylle.
Iupart oure right, laate or ellys raathe.
And for oure partye þe worthy Wyff of Bathe
Cane shewe statutes moo þan six or seven,
Howe wyves make hir housbandes wynne heven,
Maugre þe feonde and al his vyolence;
For þeyre vertu of parfyte pacyence
Parteneþe not to wyves nowe-adayes,
Sauf on þeyre housbandes for to make assayes.
Þer pacyence was buryed long agoo,
Gresyldes story recordeþe pleinly soo.
680
No counseyle keepe, but þe trouth oute telle;
We beo not borne by hevenly influence
Of oure nature to keepe vs in sylence.
For þis is no doute, euery prudent wyff
Haþe redy aunswere in al suche maner stryff.
Þoughe þeos dotardes with þeyre dokked berdes,
Which strowteþe out as þey were made of herdes,
Haue ageyn hus a gret quarell nowe sette,
I trowe þe bakoun was neuer of hem fette,
Awaye at Dounmowe in þe Pryorye.
Þey weene of vs to haue ay þe maystrye;
Ellas! þeos fooles, let hem aunswere here-to;
Whoo cane hem wasshe, who can hem wring alsoo?
Wryng hem, yee, wryng, so als God vs speed,
Til þat some tyme we make hir nases bleed,
And sowe hir clooþes whane þey beoþe to-rent,
And clowte hir bakkes til somme of vs beo shent;
Loo, yit þeos fooles, God gyf hem sory chaunce,
Wolde sette hir wyves vnder gouuernaunce,
Make vs to hem for to lowte lowe;
We knowe to weel þe bent of Iackys bowe.
Al þat we clayme, we clayme it but of right.
Yif þey say nay, let preve it out by ffight.
We wil vs grounde not vpon wommanhede.
Fy on hem, cowardes! When hit komeþe to nede,
We clayme maystrye by prescripcyoun,
Be long tytle of successyoun,
Frome wyff to wyff, which we wol not leese.
Men may weel gruchche but þey shal not cheese.
Custume is vs for nature and vsaunce
To set oure housbandes lyf in gret noysaunce.
Humbelly byseching nowe at oon worde
Vnto oure Liege and Moost Souerein Lord,
Vs to defende of his regallye,
And of his grace susteenen oure partye,
Requering þe statuyt of olde antiquytee
Þat in youre tyme it may confermed bee.
681
Þe complaynte of þe lewed housbandes with þe cruwell aunswers of þeyre wyves herde, þe kyng yiveþe þer-vpon sentence and iugement.
Þis noble Prynce, moost royal of estate,Having an eyeghe to þis mortal debate,
First aduerting of ful hyeghe prudence,
Wil vnavysed gyve here no sentence,
With-oute counseylle of haste to procede,
By sodeyne doome; for he takeþe heede
To eyþer partye as iuge indifferent,
Seing þe paryll of hasty iugement;
Pourposiþe him in þis contynude stryffe
To gif no sentence þer-of diffynytyff,
Til þer beo made examynacyoun
Of oþer partye, and inquysicyoun.
He considereþe and makeþe Raysoun his guyde,
As egal iuge enclyning to noo syde;
Not-with standing he haþe compassyoun
Of þe poure housbandes trybulacyoun,
So offt arrested with þeyre wyves rokkes,
Which of þeyre distaves haue so many knokkes;
Peysing also, in his regallye,
Þe lawe þat wymmen allegge for þeyre partye,
Custume, nature, and eeke prescripcyoun,
Statuyt vsed by confirmacyoun,
Processe and daate of tyme oute of mynde,
Recorde of cronycles, witnesse of hir kuynde:
Wher-fore þe Kyng wol al þis nexst[e] yeere
Þat wyves fraunchyse stonde hoole and entier,
And þat no man with-stonde it, ne with-drawe,
Til man may fynde some processe oute by lawe,
Þat þey shoulde by nature in þeyre lyves
Haue souerayntee on þeyre prudent wyves,
A thing vnkouþe, which was neuer founde.
Let me be-ware þer-fore or þey beo bounde.
Þe bonde is harde, who-soo þat lookeþe weel;
Some man were leuer fetterd beon in steel,
Raunsoun might help his peyne to aswaage,
But whoo is wedded lyueþe euer in seruage.
682
Man þat was gladde to bynde him prysonier,
Þoughe þat his prysoun, his castell, or his holde
Wer depeynted with asure or with golde.
Explicit.
43. A MUMMING AT LONDON.
Lo here filoweþe þe deuyse of a desguysing to fore þe gret estates of þis lande, þane being at London, made by Lidegate Daun Iohan, þe Munk of Bury. of Dame Fortune, Dame Prudence, Dame Rightwysnesse and Dame Fortitudo. beholdeþe, for it is moral, plesaunt and notable. Loo, first komeþe in Dame Fortune.
Loo here þis lady þat yee may see,Lady of mutabilytee,
Which þat called is Fortune,
For seelde in oon she dooþe contune.
For as shee haþe a double face,
Right so euery houre and space
She chaungeþe hir condycyouns,
Ay ful of transmutacyouns.
Lyche as þe Romans of þe Roose
Descryveþe hir, with-outen glose,
And telleþe pleyne, howe þat she
Haþe hir dwelling in þe see,
Ioyning to a bareyne roche.
And on þat oon syde dooþe aproche
A lytel mountaygne lyke an yle;
Vpon which lande some whyle
Þer growen fresshe floures nuwe,
Wonder lusty of þeyre huwe,
Dyuers trees, with fruyte elade.
And briddes, with þeyre notes glaade,
683
In þeyre hevenly hermonye
Somme sing on hye, and some lowe.
And Zepherus þeer dooþe eeke blowe
With his smooþe, attempree ayre.
He makeþe þe weder clere and fayre
And þe sesoun ful of grace.
But sodeynly, in lytel space,
Vpon þis place mooste ryal
Þer comeþe a wawe and for-dooþe al.
First þe fresshe floures glade
On þeyre stalkes he doþe faade.
To þeyre beautee he dooþe wrong;
And þanne farweel þe briddes song.
Braunche and boughe of euery tree
She robbeþe hem of hir beautee,
Leef and blossomes downe þey falle.
And in þat place she haþe an halle,
Departed and wonder desguysee.
Frome þat oon syde, yee may see,
Ceryously wrought, for þe noones,
Of golde, of syluer, and of stoones,
Whos richesse may not be tolde.
But þat oþer syde of þat hoolde
Is ebylt in ougly wyse,
And ruynous, for to devyse;
Daubed of clay is þat doungeoun,
Ay in poynt to falle adoun.
Þat oon fayre by apparence,
And þat ooþer in existence
Shaken with wyndes, rayne and hayle.
And sodeynly þer dooþe assayle
A raage floode þat mancyoun,
And ouerfloweþe it vp and doun.
Her is no reskous, ner obstacle
Of þis ladyes habytacle.
And as hir hous is ay vnstable,
Right so hir self is deceyuable:
In oo poynt she is neuer elyche;
684
And thorughe hir mutabilytee
Casteþe him to morowe in pouertee.
Þe proddest she can gyve a fal:
She made Alexaundre wynnen al,
Þat noman him with stonde dare,
And caste him dovne, er he was ware.
So did sheo Sesar Iulius:
She made him first victorius,
Þaughe to do weel sheo beo ful looþe;
Of a bakers sonne, in sooþe,
She made him a mighty emperrour,
And hool of Roome was gouuernour,
Maugrey þe Senaat and al þeyre might;
But whanne þe sonne shoone mooste bright
Of his tryumphe, fer and neer,
And he was corouned with laurier,
Vnwarly thorughe hir mortal lawe
With bodekyns he was eslawe
At þe Capitoyle in Consistorye,
Loo, affter al his gret victorye.
See, howe þis lady can appalle
Þe noblesse of þeos prynces alle.
She haþe two tonnys in hir celler;
Þat oon is ful of pyment cler,
Confeit with sugre and spyces swoote
And manny delytable roote.
But þis is yit þe worst of alle:
Þat oþer tonne is ful of galle;
Whoo taasteþe oon, þer is noon ooþer,
He moste taaste eeke of þat toþer.
Whos sodeyne chaunges beon not sofft,
For nowe sheo can reyse oon alofft,
Frome lowghe estate til hye degree.
In olde storyes yee may see
Estates chaunge, whoo takeþe keepe.
For oon Gyges, þat kepte sheepe,
Sheo made, by vertu of a ring,
For to be made a worþy kyng;
And by fals mourdre, I dare expresse,
685
Moost odyous of alle thinges.
And Cresus, ricchest eeke of kynges,
Was so surquydous in his pryde,
Þat he wende, vpon noo syde
Noon eorþely thing might him pertourbe,
Nor his ryal estate distourbe.
Til on a night a dreme he mette,
Howe Iuvo in þe ayre him sette
And Iubiter, he vnderstondes,
Gaf him water vn-to his handes,
And Phebus heelde him þe towayle.
But of þis dreme þe devynayle
His doughter gane to specefye,
And fer to-forne to prophesye,
Whiche called [was] Leryopee.
Sheo sayde, he shoulde an hanged bee;
Þis was hir exposicyoun.
Loo, howe his pruyde was brought adovne.
And alle þeos chaunges, yif þey beo sought,
Þis fals lady haþe hem wrought,
Avaled with þeyre sodeyne showres
Þe worþynesse of conquerroures.
Reede of poetes þe comedyes;
And in dyuers tragedyes
Yee shal by lamentacyouns
Fynden þeyre destruccyouns—
A thousande moo þan I can telle—,
In-to mescheef howe þey felle
Dovne frome hir wheel, on see and lande.
Þer-fore, hir malys to withstande,
Hir pompe, hir surquydye, hir pryde,
Yif she wol a whyle abyde,
Foure ladyes shall come heer anoon,
Which shal hir power ouergoone,
And þe malys eeke oppresse
Of þis blynde, fals goddesse,
Yif sheo beo hardy in þis place
Oonys for to shewe hir double face.
686
Nowe komeþe here þe first lady of þe foure, Dame Prudence.
Loo, heer þis lady in youre presenceOf poetis called is Dame Prudence,
Þe which with hir mirrour bright,
By þe pourveyaunce of hir forsight
And hir myrrour, called provydence,
Is strong to make resistence
In hir forsight, as it is right,
Ageyns Fortune and al hir might.
For Senec seyþe, who þat can see,
Þat Prudence haþe eyeghen three,
Specyally in hir lookynges
To considre three maner thinges,
Alweyes by goode avysement:
Thinges passed and eeke present,
And thinges affter þat shal falle.
And she mot looke first of alle,
And doon hir inwarde besy peyne,
Thinges present for to ordeyne
Avysely on euery syde,
And future thinges for to provyde,
Þe thinges passed in substaunce
For to haue in remembraunce.
And who þus dooþe, I say þat hee
Verrayly haþe yeghen three
Comitted vn-to his diffence,
Þe truwe myrrour of prouydence.
Þane þis lady is his guyde,
Him to defende on euery syde
Ageyns Fortune goode and peruerse
And al hir power for to reuerse.
For fraunchysed and [at] liberte,
Frome hir power to goo free,
Stonde alle folkes, in sentence
Wheeche beon gouuerned by Prudence.
687
Nowe sheweþe hir heer þe secounde lady, Dame Rigwysnesse.
Seoþe here þis lady, Rightwysnesse.Of alle vertues she is pryncesse,
For by þe scales of hir balaunces
Sheo sette hem alle in gouuernaunces.
She putteþe asyde, it is no dreede,
Frenship, fauour and al kyns meede.
Love and drede she setteþe at nought,
For rightful doome may not beo bought.
And Rightwysnesse, who can espye,
Haþe neyþer hande ner yeghe.
She loste hir hande ful yore agoone,
For she resceyueþe gyfftes noone,
Noþer of freonde, neyþer of foo.
And she haþe lost hir sight al-soo,
For of right sheo dooþe provyde,
Nought for to looke on neyþer syde,
To hyeghe estate, ner lowe degree,
But dooþe to boþen al equytee,
And makeþe noon excepcyoun
To neyþer part, but of raysoun.
And for þe pourpos of þis mater
Of a iuge yee shal heere,
Which neuer his lyff of entent
Þer passed no iugement
By his lippes of falsnesse;
Of whome þe story dooþe expresse,
Affter his deeþe, by acountes cleer,
More þane three hundreþe yeer,
His body, as is made mencyoun,
Was tourned vn-to corrupcyoun,
Þe story telleþe, it is no dreed;
But lyche a roos, swoote and reed,
Mouþe and lippes werne yfounde,
Nought corrupte, but hoole and sounde.
For trouth is, þat he did expresse
In alle hees doomes of rithwysnesse.
688
Was with him of acqweyntaunce,
Which him made in his ententys
To gyf alle rightwyse iugementis.
Where fore þis lady, which yee heer see
With hir balaunces of equytee,
Haþe þe scaalis honged soo,
Þat she haþe no thing to doo
Neuer with Fortunes doublenesse.
For euer in oon stant Rightwysnesse,
Nowher moeving too ne froo
In no thing þat she haþe to doo.
Loo, heer komeþe in nowe þe thridde lady, called Fortitudo.
Takeþe heede, þis fayre lady, loo,Ycalled is Fortitudo,
Whame philosophres by þeyre sentence
Ar wonte to cleepe Magnyfysence.
And Fortitudo soþely sheo hight,
Ageyns alle vyces for to fight,
Confermed as by surtee
Ageynst all aduersytee.
In signe wher of sheo bereþe a swerde,
Þat sheo of no thing is aferd.
For comune profit also she,
Of verray magnanymyte,
Thinges gret dooþe vnderfonge,
Taking enpryses, wheeche beon stronge.
And moost sheo dooþe hir power preove
A communaltee for to releeve,
Namely vpon a grounde of trouthe;
Þanne in hir þer is no slouthe
For to maynteyne þe goode comune.
And alle þassautes of fortune,
Of verray stidfastnesse of thought
Alle hir chaunges she sette at nought.
689
Thorough hir mighty excellence
She armed þeos philosophres oolde,
Of worldely thing þat þey nought tolde
Recorde vpon Dyogenes,
On Plato and on Socrates.
She made Cypion of Cartage
To vnderfongen in his aage
For comune proufyte thinges gret;
And for no dreed list not leet,
Ageynst Roome, þat mighty tovne,
For to defende his regyoun.
Sheo made Hector for his cytee
To spare for noon aduersytee,
But, as a mighty chaumpyoun,
In þe defence of Troyes toun
To dye with-outen feer or dreed.
And þus þis lady, who takeþe heed,
Makiþe hir chaumpyoun[e]s strong,
Parayllous thinges to vnderfong,
Til þat þey þeyre pourpos fyne.
Recorde of þe worthy nyen,
Of oþer eeke þat weere but late,
I meene prynces of latter date.
Herry þe Fyfft, I dare sey soo,
He might beo tolde for oon of þoo;
Empryses wheeche þat were bygonne
He lefft not til þey weere wonne.
And I suppose, and yowe list see,
Þat þees ladyes alle three
Wer of his counseyle doutelesse,
Force, Prudence and Rightwysnesse.
Of þeos three he tooke his roote,
To putte Fortune vnder foote.
And sith þis lady, in vertu strong,
Sousteneþe trouthe, and dooþe not wrong,
Late hir nowe, to more and lasse,
Be welcome to yowe þis Cristmasse.
690
And þeos edoone, komeþe inne þe feorþe lady, cleped Dame Feyre and Wyse Attemperaunce.
Þis feorþe lady þat yee seon heer,Humble, debonayre and sadde of cheer,
Ycalled is Attemperaunce;
To sette al thing in gouuernaunce
And for hir sustres to provyde,
Vyces alle shal circumsyde,
And setten hem in stabulnesse.
With hir Cousin Soburnesse
She shal frome vyces hem restreyne
And in vertu holde hir reyne,
And þer-inne gyf hem libertee,
Eschuwing alle dishonestee;
And hem enfourmen by prudence,
For to haue pacyence,
Lownesse and humylytee,
And pruyde specyally to flee.
Contynence frome gloutonye,
Eschuwe deshoneste compaignye,
Fleen þe dees and þe taverne,
And in soburnesse hem gouverne;
With hert al þat euer þey can,
In vertu loven euery man;
Sey þe best ay of entent:
Whoo þat seyþe weel, dooþe not repent.
Detraccion and gloutouny,
Voyde hem frome þy companye
And al rancoure sette asuyde.
Be not to hasty, but euer abyde,
Specyally to doone vengeaunce;
In aboode is no repentaunce.
And in vertu whoo is þus sette,
Þanne beo þeos sustres weel ymette;
And sooþely, if it beo discerned,
Who by þeos foure is þus gouuerned—
Þus I mene: þat by Prudence
He haue þe myrrour of Provydence.
691
Naamely parylles, or þey falle—
And who þat haue by gouuernaunce
Of Rightwysnesse þe ballaunce,
And strongly holde in his diffence
Þe swerd of hir Magnyfycence:
Yee beon assured frome al meschaunce,
Namely whanne þat Attemperaunce
Hir sustre gouuerneþe al three.
Frome Fortune yee may þane go free,
Booþe alwey in hert and thought.
Whyle yee beo soo, ne dreed hir nought,
But avoydeþe hir acqweyntaunce
For hir double varyaunce,
And fleoþe oute of hir companye
And alle þat beon of hir allye.
And yee foure susters, gladde of cheer,
Shoule abyde here al þis yeer
In þis housholde at libertee;
And ioye and al prosparytee
With yowe to housholde yee shoule bring.
And yee all foure shal nowe sing
With al youre hoole hert entiere
Some nuwe songe aboute þe fuyre,
Suche oon as you lykeþe best;
Lat Fortune go pley hir wher hir list.
Explicit.
44. A MUMMING AT WINDSOR.
Nowe foloweþe nexst þe devyse of a momyng to fore
þe Kyng Henry þe Sixst, being in his Castell of
Wyndesore, þe fest of his Crystmasse holding þer,
made by Lidegate daun Iohn, þe Munk of Bury;
howe þampull and þe floure delys came first to þe
kynges of Fraunce by myrakle at Reynes.
692
1
Mooste noble Prynce of Cristen prynces alle,To Youre Hyeghnesse lat hit beo plesaunce,
In youre presence men may to mynde calle,
Howe þat whylom oure worthy reavme of Fraunce
Conuerted was frome þeyre mescreaunce,
Whane þe Lord of Lordes caste a sight
Vpon youre lande and made His grace alight.
2
For in þe heghe, hevenly consistorye,Be ful acorde of þe Trynitee,
As in cronycles maked is memorye,
Þe Lord, which is called oon, twoo and thre,
His eyeghe of mercy caste on Cloudovee,
Shadde His grace of goostely influence
Towardes þat kyng, having his aduertence,
3
Þat he shoulde passe frome paganymes laweBy prescyence, which þat is devyne,
His hert al hoolly and him self withdrowe
Frome his ydooles, and alle hees rytes fyne,
Whane hevenly grace did vpon him shyne,
By meene oonly and by devoute preyer
Of Saint Cloote, moost goodly and entier.
4
Hir hertely loue, hir meditacyouns,Hir wacche, hir fasting and hir parfyt lyf,
Hir stedfast hoope, hir hooly orysouns,
Hir conuersacyoun moost contemplatyff
Stynt in Fraunce of Mawmetrye þe stryff,
Causing þe lawe, moost souerein of vertue
To sprede abroode of oure Lord Ihesu.
5
Hir meryte caused and hir parfit entent,Þat Crystes feyth aboute þer did sprede,
Whane þat an aungel was frome heven sent
Vn to an hermyte, of parfyt lyf in deed,
Presented it, whoo-so can take heed;
693
And in þe feelde of golde three floure delys.
6
At Ioye en Vale, with-oute more obstacle,Fel al þis cas, where þaungel doune alight,
A place notable, chosen by myracle,
Which thorughe al Fraunce shadde his bemys light.
God of his grace caste on þat place a sight,
For to þat reavme in passing avauntage
In þilke vale was sette þat hermytage.
7
Al þis came in, whoo-so list to seen,I dare afferme it with-oute any dreed,
By parfytnesse of þe hooly qweene,
Saynte Cloote, floure of wommanheed.
What euer she spake, acordant was þe deed:
I mene it þus, þat worde and werke were oon;
It is no wonder, for wymmen soo beon echoon.
8
Hir hoolynesse Fraunce did enlumyneAnd Crystes fayth gretly magnefye.
Loo what grace dooþe in wymmen shyne,
Whas assuraunce noman may denye.
To seye pleyne trouth nys no flaterye;
But stabulnesse in wymmen for to fynde,
Deemeþe youre selff wher it komeþe hem of kynde.
9
For thorughe meeknesse, yif it be aduerted,Of Saynte Cloote, and thorugh hir hyeghe prudence,
Kyng Cloudovee was to oure feyth conuerted.
In hir þer was so entier diligence,
Fully devoyde of slouthe and necglygence,
Ne stynt nought, til þat hir lord haþe take
Þe feyth of Cryst and his errour forsake.
10
Þis made, þe kyng þat Crystes feyth tooke,For he was booþe manly and rightwys,
694
And in his sheelde he bare thre floure delys,
Sent frome heven, a tresore of gret prys;
Affter at Reynes, þe story telleþe þus,
Baptysed lowly of Saint Remigius.
11
Þampolle of golde a colver brought adovne,With which he was, þis hooly kyng, ennoynt.
Gret prees þer was stonding envyroun,
For to beholde þe kyng frome poynt to poynt.
For where as he stoode, in gret desioynt,
First a paynyme, by baptyme anoon right
Was so conuerted, and bekame Crystes knight.
12
At Reynes yit þat hooly vnccyounConserued is for a remembraunce,
And of coustume, by reuolucyoun
Of God provyded, with due observaunce,
Tannoynte of coustume kynges wheeche in Fraunce
Ioustely succeede, þe story dooþe vs leere;
Of which Sixst Henry, þat nowe sitteþe here,
13
Right soone shal, with Goddes hooly grace,As he is borne by successyoun,
Be weel resceyued in þe same place
And by vertu of þat vnccyoun
Atteyne in knighthoode vn-to ful hye renoun,
Resceyve his coroune, he and his successours,
By tytle of right, lyche hees progenytours.
14
Nowe, Royal Braunche, O Blood of Saint Lowys,So lyke it nowe to Þy Magnyfycence,
Þat þe story of þe flour delys
May here be shewed in þyne heghe presence,
And þat þy noble, royal Excellence
Lyst to supporte, here sitting in þy see,
Right as it fell þis myracle to see.
695
45. A MUMMING FOR THE MERCERS OF LONDON.
And nowe filoweþe a lettre made in wyse of balade by
Daun Iohan, brought by a poursuyaunt in wyse of mommers desguysed to fore þe Mayre of London,
Eestfeld, vpon þe twelffeþe night of Cristmasse,
ordeyned ryallych by þe worthy merciers, citeseyns of London.
1
Moost mighty Lord, Iubyter þe Greet,Whos mansyoun is ouer þe sonnes beem,
Frome þens þat Phebus with his feruent heet
Reflecteþe his light vpon þe swyfft streeme
Of Ewfratees towardes Ierusalem,
Dovne coosteying, as bookys maken mynde,
By Lubyes landes, thorughe Ethyope and Ynde;
2
Conveyed dovne, where Mars in CyrreaHaþe bylt his paleys vpon þe sondes rede,
And she, Venus, called Cytherrea,
Venus is called þe goddesse of love. She is called Cytherea affter Cytheron, þe hill wher she is worshiped. Perseus is a knight which þat rood vpon an hors þat was called Pegase. Þe nyen Muses dwelle bysyde Ellycon, þe welle; wheeche beon þe nyen sustres of Musyk and of Eloquences and Calyope is oone of hem.
On Parnaso, with Pallas ful of drede;
And Parseus with his furyous steede
Smote on þe roche where þe Muses dwelle,
Til þer sprange vp al sodeynly a welle,
3
Called þe welle of Calyope,Mooste auctorysed amonges þees Cyryens—;
Of which þe poetes þat dwelle in þat cuntree,
And oþer famous rethorycyens,
And þey þat cleped beon musycyens,
Ar wont to drynk of þat hoolsome welle,
Which þat alle oþer in vertu dooþe excelle—;
696
4
Bacus is cleped god of wyne and Thagus is a ryver of which þe gravelles and þe sandes beon of golde. Tulius a poete and a rethorisyen of Rome. Macrobye an olde philosofre. Ovyde and Virgilius weren olde poetes, þat oon of Rome, þat oþer of Naples afore þe tyme of Cryst. Fraunceys Petrark was a poete of Florence. So were Bochas and Dante withinne þis hundreþe yeere; and þey were called laureate for þey were coroned with laurer in token þat þey excelled oþer in poetrye. Poetes feynen þat þe gret god Iubiter came dovne from heven for to rauisshe a kynges doughter cleped Europa, affter whame alle þe cuntreys of Europ bereþe þe name.
Of ryche Thagus, þe grauellys alle of gold,
Which gyveþe a light agens þe sonne cleer,
So fresshe, so sheene, þat hit may not beo tolde;
Where Bellona haþe bylt a stately hoolde—
In al þis worlde, I trowe, þer is noon lyche—
Of harde magnetis and dyamandes ryche:—
5
And of þat welle drank some tyme TuliusAnd Macrobye, ful famous of prudence;
Ovyde also, and eeke Virgilius,
And Fraunceys Petrark, myrour of eloquence;
Iohan Bocas also, flouring in sapyence.
Thoroughe þat sugred bawme aureate
Þey called weren poetes laureate.—
6
Oute of Surrye, by many straunge stronde,Þis Iubiter haþe his lettres sent,
Thoroughe oute Europe, where he did lande,
And frome þe heven came dovne of entent,
To ravisshe shortly in sentement
Fayre Europe, mooste renommed of fame,
Affter whame yit al Europe bereþe þe name.
7
And thorughe Egypte his poursuyant is comme,Dovne descendid by þe Rede See,
And haþe also his right wey ynomme
Thoroughe valeye of þe Drye Tree
By Flomme Iordan, coosteying þe cuntree,
Where Iacob passed whylome with his staff,
Taking his shippe, to seylen at poort Iaff.
8
And so forþe downe his iourney can devyse,In Aquarye whane Phebus shoon ful sheene,
Forþe by passing þe gret gulff of Venyse;
And sayled forþe soo al þe ryver of Geene;
In which see regneþe þe mighty qweene,
697
Where nymphes syng, hir honnour to exalte.
9
And þer he saughe, as he gan approche,With inne a boote a fissher drawe his nette
On þe right syde of a crystal rooche;
Fisshe was þer noon, for þe draught was lette.
And on þoon syde þer were lettres sette
Þat sayde in Frenshe þis raysoun: Grande travayle;
Þis aunswere nexst in ordre: Nulle avayle.
10
Þanne seyling forþe bysyde many a rokk,He gane ful fast for to haaste him dovne
Thoroughe þe daunger and streytes of Marrokk,
Passing þe parayllous currant of Arragoun;
So foorþe by Spaygne goyng envyroun,
Thoroughe out þe Raas and rokkes of Bretaygne,
Þe Brettysshe see til þat he did atteyne
11
Thoroughe þilk sakk, called of Poortland;And towardes Caleys holding his passage,
Lefft Godwyn sandes, by grace of Goddes hand—
Havyng his wynde to his avauntage,
Þe weder cleer, þe stormes lefft hir raage—
Entryng þe see of Brutes Albyon,
Nowe called Themse thoroughe al þis regyon.
12
And in a ffeeld, þat droughe in to þe eest,Besyde an ylande, he saughe a shippe vnlade
Which hade sayled ful fer towarde þe West;
Þe caban peynted with floures fresshe and glaade
And lettres Frenshe, þat feynt nyl ne faade:
Taunt haut e bas que homme soyt,
Touz ioures regracyer dieux doyt.
13
And in a boote on þat oþer sydeAnoþer fissher droughe his nette also,
698
With so gret plentee, he nyst what til do.
And þer were lettres enbrouded not fer froo,
Ful fresshly wryten þis worde: grande peyne;
A[nd] cloos acording with þis resoun: grande gayne.
14
Þe noble yllande, where he saughe þis sight,Gaf vn-to him a demonstracion,
Taught him also by þe Poolys light,
He was not fer frome Londones tovne.
And with a floode þe pursuyaunt came downe,
Lefft þe water, and at Thems stronde,
With owte aboode, in haaste he came to lande,
15
Where certayne vesselles nowe by þe anker ryde.Hem to refresshe and to taken ayr,
Certein estates, wheche purveye and provyde
For to vysyte and seen þe noble Mayr
Of þis cytee and maken þeyre repayr
To his presence, or þat þey firþer flitte,
Vnder supporte, þat he wol hem admytte.
46. A MUMMING FOR THE GOLDSMITHS OF LONDON.
And nowe filoweþe a lettre made in wyse of balade by
Ledegate Daun Iohan, of a mommynge, whiche þe goldesmythes of þe Cite of London mommed in
right fresshe and costele welych desguysing to þeyre Mayre Eestfeld, vpon Candelmasse day at
nyght, affter souper; brought and presented vn to þe Mayre by an heraude, cleped Fortune.
699
1
Þat worþy Dauid, which þat sloughe Golye,Þe first kyng þat sprang oute of Iesse,
Of God echosen, þe bookes specefye,
By Samuel sette in his royal see,
With twelve trybus is comen to þis citee,
Brought royal gyfftes, kyngly him taquyte,
Þe noble Mayre to seen and to vysyte.
2
Þe first trybe, þe Byble cane well telle,Is called Iuda, þe hardy, strong lyoun.
Fro whos kynrede—for hit did excelle—
Cryst lyneally he came adowne,
Which lyche David was þe chaumpyoun
Þat sloughe þe tyraunt, to gete him-self a prysse,
Man to restore ageyne to Paradys.
3
Þis noble Dauid, moost mighty and moost goode,Is nowe descended in his estate royal
With alle þe trybus of Iacobus blood,
For to presenten in especial
Gyfftes þat beon boþe hevenly and moral,
Apperteyning vn-to good gouuernaunce,
Vn-to þe Mayre for to doo plesaunce.
4
Frome his cytee of IherusalemHe is come dovne of humble wille and thought;
Þe arke of God, bright as þe sonne beeme,
In-to þis tovne he haþe goodely brought,
Which designeþe, if hit be wel sought,
Grace and good eure and long prosperitee
Perpetuelly to byde in þis cytee.
5
O yee Levytes, whych bere þis lordes arke,Dooþe youre devoyre with hevenly armonye
Þe gret mysterye deuoutely for to marke,
With laude and prys þe Lord to magnefye;
Of oon acorde sheweþe your melodye,
700
Nowe to þe Mayre with hoole and truwe entent.
6
Whylome þis arke, abyding in þe housOf Ebdomadon, brought in ful gret ioye;
For in effect it was more gracyous
Þanne euer was Palladyone of Troye.
Hit did gret gladnesse and hit did accoye
Thinges contrarye and al aduersytee.
Þeffect þer-of, whane Dauid did see,
7
And fully knewe, howe God list for to blesseThorughe his vertu and his mighty grace,
Þat of gladdnesse þey might nothing mysse—
Wher hit aboode any maner spaace,
God of His might halowed so þe place—
Wherfore Kyng Dauid, by gret deuocion,
Maade of þis ark a feyre translacion
8
In-to his hous and his palays royal,Brought by þe Levytes with gret solempnytee;
And he him-self in especyal
Daunsed and sang of gret humylyte,
And ful deuoutely lefft his ryaltee,
With Ephod gyrt, lyche preestis of þe lawe,
To gyf ensaumple howe pryde shoulde be withdrawe
9
In yche estate, who list þe trouth serche,And to exclude al veyne ambycyoun,
Specyally fro mynistres of þe Chirche,
To whome hit longeþe by deuocyoun,
To serve God with hool deffeccyoun
And afforne him mynistre in clennesse,
Bensaumple of Dauid for al his worþynesse.
10
Nowe ryse vp, Lord, in-to Þy resting place,Aark of Þyne hooly halowed mansyoun,
701
Keepe and defende in þy proteccion
Þe Meyre, þe citeseyns, þe comunes of þis tovne,
Called in cronycles whylome Nuwe Troye,
Graunte hem plente, vertu, honnour and ioye.
11
And for þat meeknesse is a vertu feyre,Worþy Dauid, with kyngly excellence,
In goodely wyse haþe made his repayre,
O noble Mayre, vn-to youre presence,
And to youre hyeghnesse with freondly dilygence
Þis presande brought, oonly for þe best,
Perpetuelly þis tovne to sette at rest,
12
Of purpoos put þis aark to youre depoos,With good entent, to make youre hert light;
And þoo three thinges, which þer inne beo cloos,
Shal gif to yowe konnyng, grace and might,
For to gouuerne with wisdome, pees and right
Þis noble cytee, and lawes suche ordeyne,
Þat no man shal haue cause for to compleyne.
13
A wrytt with-inn shal vn-to you declareAnd in effect pleynly specefye,
Where yee shal punysshe and where as yee shal spare,
And howe þat Mercy shal Rygour modefye.
And youre estate al-so to magnefye,
Þis aark of God, to make you gracyous,
Shal stille abyde with you in youre hous.
14
For whyles it bydeþe stille in youre presence,Þe hyeghe Lord shal blesse booþe yowe and youres,
Of grace, of fortune sende yowe influence
And of vertue alle þe fresshe floures;
And of aduersytee voyde awey þe shoures,
Sette pees and rest, welfare and vnytee
Duryng youre tyme thoroughe-oute þis cytee.
702
[Didactic Poems.]
47, 48. A DIETARY, AND A DOCTRINE FOR PESTILENCE.
[A DOCTRINE FOR PESTILENCE.]
1
Who will been holle & kepe hym from sekenesseAnd resiste the strok of pestilence,
Lat hym be glad, & voide al hevynesse,
Flee wikkyd heires, eschew the presence.
Off infect placys, causyng the violence;
Drynk good wyn, & holsom meetis take,
Smelle swote thyng[es] & for his deffence
Walk in cleene heir, eschew[e] mystis blake.
2
With voide stomak outward the nat dresse.Risyng erly, with fyr have assistence,
Delite in gardeyns for ther gret swetnesse,
To be weele claad do thi dilygence.
Keep welle thi-silf from incontynence,
In stiwes, bathis, no soiour that thou make,
Opnyng of humours this doth gret offence,
Walke in cleene heir, eschewe mystis blake.
3
Ete nat gret flessh for no greedynesse,And fro frutes hold thyn abstynence,
Poletis & chekenys for ther tendirnesse
Ete hem with sauce, and spar nat for dispence,
Verious, vynegre, & thynfluence
Of holsom spices, I dar vndirtake,
The morwe sleep, callid gyldene in sentence,
Gretly helpith ayeen the mystis blake.
703
[THE DIETARY.]
4
For helthe of body keep fro cold thyn hed,Ete no rawe mete, take good heed herto,
Drynk holsom wyn, feede the on lyht bred,
With an appetite ryse from thi mete also,
With women aged flesshly have na a do,
Vpon thy sleep drynk neuyr of thi cuppe,
Glad toward bedde and at morwe, bothe too,
And vse nevir late for to suppe.
5
Leveyn bred, the past itempred cleene,And weel decoct made of good whete flour,
Day & half old in tast it shal be seene,
And eschew excesse of labour.
Walk in gardeyns sote of ther savour,
Temperatly, and take also good keep,
Gorge vpon gorge is cause of gret langour,
And in especial flee meridian sleep.
6
In thi drynkis put cleene sawge & rewe,Bothe be good & holsom of natur,
And phisik seith, the rose flour-is dewe,
And Ypocras recordith in scriptur
Good wyn is holsom to euery creatur
Take in mesur, with v. addiciouns,
Strong, fressh, & cold, off tarage, & verdur,
Most comendid a-mong al naciouns.
7
Shortly for helth vse this pollicie:Voide awey al surfete & excesse,
Abstynence ageyns glotonye,
Reer sopers & froward drounk[e]nesse,
Gapyng, yixnyng, & noddyng hevynesse,
Embassetours afforn sent for the best,
Nase routyng, slombryng & ydilnesse,
Bit agid men betymes go to rest.
704
8
A repleet stomak causith gret damage,Gronyng, grucchyng, walkyng at mydnyth,
Bothe in folkis old & yong of age;
A litill sopeer at morwe makith men liht,
Ther be thre lechees consarue a mannys myht,
First a glad hert, he carith lite or nouht,
Temperat diet, holsom for every wiht,
And best of all, for no thyng take no thouht.
9
Care a-way is a good medycyne,Digest afforn, preparat with gladnesse,
An holsom dia distyllyng from the vyn
Of Bachus gardeyn corages to redresse,
Aurum potabile, in hoot or cold seekenesse,
Hard to be bouht for folk in poverte,
Watir growell, wacheth of grennesse,
Abatith the brennyng of ther infirmyte.
10
Greedi souper & drynkyng late at eveCausith of fflewme gret superfluyte;
Colre adust doth the stomak greve,
Malencolik a froward gest, parde!
Off mykil or litel cometh al infirmyte,
Attween thes too for lak of governaunce,
Dryve out a mene, excesse or scarsete,
Set thi botaill vpon temperaunce.
11
I mene as thus, for any froward deliteYiff ther falle a lust of fals excesse,
That wold agrotye thi natural appetite,
Thi digestioun with surfetis to oppresse,
Of hoot or colde, be war that non accesse
Nor vncouth agew vnwarely the assaile,
Moderat diet ageyns al seekenesse,
Is best phisicien to mesur thyn entraile.
12
All this processe concludith vp[on] tyme,Temperat diet kyndly digestioun,
705
Naturall appetite abydyng his sesoun,
Foode accordyng to the complexioun,
Stondyng on iiij, flewme or malencolie,
Sanguey colre so conveid bi resoun,
Voidyng al trouble of froward maladie.
13
And yiff so be leechis doth the faile,Than take good heed to vse thynges thre,
Temperat diet, temperat travaile,
Nat malencolius for non adversite,
Meeke in trouble, glad in pouerte,
Riche with litel, content with suffisaunce,
Nevir grucchyng, mery lik thi degre,
Yiff phisik lak, make this thi gouernance.
14
To euery tale soone yif not credence,Be nat to hasty nor sodeynli vengeable,
To poore folk do no violence,
Curteis of language, of fedyng mesurable,
On sondry metis not gredy atte table,
In feedyng gentil, prudent in daliaunce,
Cloos of tungge, of word nat deceivable,
To sei the best set alwey thi plesaunce.
15
Have in hate mouthis that be double,Suffre at thi table no detraccioun;
Have despite of folk that sow[e] trouble
Of fals rounners & adulacioun,
Withynne thi coort suffre no divisioun,
Which in thyn housold shal cause gret encrece,
Of al weelfare, prosperite, & foisoun
With thi neihbore live in rest & pes.
16
Be clenly claad aftir thyn estat,Passe nat thi boundis, keep thi promys blive,
With thre folk be nat at debate,
First with thi bettir be war for to stryve,
Ageyn thi felaw no quarell do contryve,
706
Wher[for] I counsel pursewe al thi lyve
To live in pes & gete the a good name.
17
Fire at morwe & toward bed at eve,Ageyn mystis blake & heir of pestilence,
Be-tyme at messe thou shalt the bettir cheeve,
First at thi risyng to God do reverence,
Visite the poore with enteer diligence,
On al nedy have pite & compassioun,
And God shal sende the grace & influence
The tenchrece, & thi possessioun.
18
Suffre no surfetis in thyn hous at nyht,War of rer sopers & of gret excesse,
Of noddyng hedis & of candil liht,
Off slouthe on morwe, & slombryng ydilnesse,
Which of al vices is cheeff port[e]resse,
Voide al dronklew[e] liers & letchours,
Of all vnthryft exile the cheeff maistresse,
That is to say dees pleiers & hasardours.
19
Aftir mete bewar, make no sleepe,Hed, foote & stomak preserve ay from colde,
Be nat to pensiff, of thouht take no keepe,
Aftir thi rent mayntene thyn housold.
Suffir in tyme, in thi riht be bold,
Swer non othis, no man to be-gyle,
In youthe be lust[i], sad whan thou art old,
No wordly ioie lastith her but a while.
20
Dyne nat at morwe before thyn appetite,Cleer heir & walkyng makith good digestioun,
Tween mele drynk nat for no froward delite,
But thrust or travail geve the occasioun,
Over salt metis do gret oppressioun
To feeble stomakis whan thei can nat refreyn
For thynges contrarie to ther complexioun,
Off gredy handis the stomak hath gret peyn.
707
21
Thus in too thyngis stondith al the weltheOf sowle & bodi, who so list hem sewe,
Moderat foode yeueth to man his helthe,
And all surfetis doth fro hym remewe,
And charite to the sowle is dewe;
This receiht bouht is of non appotecarie,
Off Maister Antony, nor of Maister Hewe;
To all indifferent richest dietarie!
Explicit.
49. DUODECIM ABUSIONES.
- Rex sine sapiencia.
- Dominus sine consilio.
- Miles sine probitate.
- Diues sine elemosina.
- Senex sine religione.
- Pauper superbus.
- Episcopus sine doctrina.
- Mulier sine castitate.
- Iudex sine iusticia.
- Populus sine lege.
- Seruus sine timore.
- Adolescens sine obediencia.
1
Goo forth, Kyng, reule the by sapyence;Bysshop, be able to mynystre doctryne;
Lord, to treu counceyle yeue audyence;
Womanhed, to chastyte euer enclyne;
Knyght, lete thy dedes worshyp determyne;
Be rightuous, Iuge, in sauyng [of] thy name;
Ryche, doo almes, lest thou lese blys with shame.
2
People, obeye your kyng and the lawe;Age, be thou ruled by good religyon;
True Seruaunt, be dredfull & kepe the vnder awe,
And thou, Poure, fye on presumpcyon;
Inobedyence to yougth is vtter destruccyon,
Remembre you how God hath sette you, lo!
And doo your parte, as ye ar ordeynd to.
708
50. FOUR THINGS THAT MAKE A MAN A FOOL, AND OTHER SAYINGS OF DAN IOHAN.
I. A seying of Daun Iohan.
Þer beoþe foure thinges þat makeþ man a fool.
Honnour first puteþe him in oultrage
And aldernexst solytarye and sool.
Þe secound is vnweldy crooked aage,
Wymmen also bring men in dotage,
And mighty wyne in many dyuers wyse
Distempren folk wheche beon holden wyse.
Honnour first puteþe him in oultrage
And aldernexst solytarye and sool.
Þe secound is vnweldy crooked aage,
Wymmen also bring men in dotage,
And mighty wyne in many dyuers wyse
Distempren folk wheche beon holden wyse.
yit of þe same.
Þer beon foure thinges causing gret folye.Honnour first and vnweldy aage;
Wymmen and wyne, I dare eeke specefye,
Make wyse men fallen in dotage
Wherfore, by counseyle of phylosofres saage,
In gret honnour, lerne þis of me,
With þyne estate haue humylytee.
709
III. Another Version of the Four Things.
Quatuor infatuant, honor, etas, femina, vinum.
Wurship, women, wyne, vnweldy age
Maken men to fonne for lakke of ther resoun;
Elde causeth dulnesse and dotage;
Worship causeth chaunge of condicioun;
Excesse of wyne blyndeth discrecioun;
And bookes alle, that poetes wroot and radde,
Seyn women moste maken men to madde.
[Ye wilbe shent, Dane Iohan Lidegate for your triew seyeng.]
IV. On Worldly Worship.
Worldly worship is ioye transitory,Vnsure assuraunce, highnes declinable,
Vaynegloryous gladnes, flatery proditory,
Disceyt disceyvous ful dissymulable,
To mannys soule most preiudiciable,
In whiche who hym most surely assurith
In most vnsuerte perilously endurith.
Verbum Magistri I. Lidgate. quasi honor mundi.
710
V. Balade de Bone Counseyle.
Yif hit befalle, þat God þee list visyteWith any tourment or aduersytee,
Thank first þe Lord; and, þy-self to qwyte,
Vpon souffraunce and humylytee
Founde þou þy qwarell, whateuer þat it be.
Make þy defence,—and þou shalt haue no losse—
Þe remembraunce of Cryst and of His Crosse.
51. THE KINGS OF ENGLAND SITHEN WILLIAM CONQUEROR.
(A REVISED VERSION, WITH STANZAS ALSO FOR EARLIER KINGS.)
1
Froom tyme of Brute, auctours do specefye,Two hundrid & fowr & twenty be succession
Kynges regned, til tyme þe monarchie
Deuouht Alffrede took pocession,
To Hooly Chirche which had gret deuocion
In .vj. parties his goodes dide deuyde,
Regned .xxixte. yeer is beried at Hyde.
2
Next in ordre bi successionEdward seniour, his sone, crownyd kyng,
Which toward God had gret deuocion,
Repared chirches of newe and old byldyng,
Large in exspence, Argus in iustifying,
Four & twenty yer he bar his crown in deede,
Beried at Seynt Swythynes, þe cronycle ye may reede.
711
3
Aftyr this Edward, be trewe enheritaunceHis sone Athelstan was crownyd, as I fynde,
Whoos noble fame put in remembraunce
Of Mydilton and Mechelneye the abbeys byldyng,
Gaf greet pocessions to chirches as maad is mynde,
Ful .xvje. yeer reygnd, & had good rest,
At Malmysbury list buried in his chest.
4
His brothre Edmond, whan Ethelstan was ded,Meke and prudent, louyng good consayl,
Be riht title þe crowne took on hed,
Contynwed vj. yeer in sorouh & gret trauayl,
Lyncoln, Notyngham, Leycetyr to his avail
Gat bi conquest, mawgre the Danys myhtily;
Cronycle[s] witnesse, is buried at Glastonbury.
5
Aftyr Edmond, as seith myn auctour,His brothir Edreed to make allyaunce,
Regned .ix. yeer, bar gret fauour,
& for gracious gostly gouernaunce
In his deying, as maad is remembraunce,
Heryng Seynt Dunstan aungelis song on hih,
Edreed restith in pesable memory.
6
Next to Edreed regned Kyng EdwyneStraunge of condicions, as bookys speceffye,
Sone to Edmond descendyng doun be lyne,
Exiled Seyn Dunstan of furyous tyrannye,
The .vijte. kyng sith gan the monarchye;
Bar the Crown fully .iiij. yeer
Buried at Wynchestr, þus seith the Cronycleer.
7
Brothir to Edwyne was Edgar, as I reede,At whoos birth aungellys with melodious song
Song on hih, as auctours write in deede,
“Bi the birthe of Edgar pees be you among,”
In tyme of Dunstan, bore to Yngelond,
Regned .xvje. yeer, riht enherytour,
Buried at Glastonbury as seith myn auctour.
712
8
Next peaseable Edgar regned his son Edward,Be trewe title get in mariage,
His stepmodyr, to hym ful froward,
Wolde haue prefferrid hir sone of tendre age,
Did hir cure in werk & eek language,
Regned .iiij. yeer as cronycles determyne,
At Shafftysbury lith buried in his shryne.
9
Aftyr kyng & martir Edward did succedeEgelredus breeffly to expresse,
xxviijte yeer bar his crown in deede,
Lik as cronycles clerly ber witnesse,
Lith at Westmenstyr, lyued ay in gret distresse,
Affter the prophecye of Seyn Dunstan, as I reed,
Deth for moordre fynally was his meed.
10
Aftyr þe deth, as maad is mynde,Of Egelredus fil greet dyvision,
Lordis purposid to destroye þat kynde;
The Londonerys, hauy[ng] contrary disposicion
With summe estatis which of discrecion
Took his sone Edmond with therynside
Excludyng Knute to regne did hym prouyde.
11
Aftyr Edmond Knute took þe monarchyeRegned .xix. yeer, bar gret fauour,
A Dane of byrthe, exiled al the lye
Of his predecessours þat noon enheritour,
In this region shulde be successour:
The lond consentyng to hym be flaterye,
Lithe at Wynchestre in þe old monasterye.
12
Harald Harfoot, afftyr Knute was ded,V. yeer regnyd bi succession;
With besy trauaille the crown bar on his hed,
In greet contraversye took pocession
Of his reem, as maad is mencion;
His brothre spyryng þe crowne to possede,
Buried at Westmynster, þe cronycle ye may reed.
713
13
Hardekanut, wondyrful vengable,Of his regne deyde þe second yeer,
Ageyn nature as tirant vntretable
Reysed þe body, as seith the Cronycleer,
Of his brothre thoruh extort poweer,
Throwh it in Tempse; at Westmenster buryed was,
Afftyr in þe chyrch-yeerd of Danys so stood þe cas.
14
Of Egelredus retournyth ageyn þe lyneBlissed Edward entrith trewe enherytour
xxiiijte yeer as mayde & pure virgyne,
Bar þe crowne, regned & had grete labour,
To his suggettis releef and cheef socour,
Lith at Westmenster in his noble shryne,
Werkyng myracles thoruh grace þat is dyuyne.
15
Duk Harald afftyr this was kyng,Regned a while in gret glorye,
Boold and hardy, wyly in werkyng,
Had greet fortune, tyl out of Normandye
Cam William Conquerour with a fair meynye,
Mette in þe feeld & to-gidre ranne,
Woundid to þe deth, buried at Waltham.
16
This myghti William Duk of Normandie,As bookis olde make mencion,
Bi iust title and bi his chyualrie
Maad kyng bi conquest of Brutis Albion,
Put out Haralde, took possession,
Bar his crown ful xxj yeer,
Buried at Cane, thus seith þe cronycleer.
17
Nexte in ordre bi successionWilliam Rufus his son, crownyd kyng,
Which to Godward had no deuocion,
Destroied cherchis of newe & olde beeldyng
To make a forest plesant for huntyng,
714
Buried at Wynchestir, þe cronycle ye may reede.
18
His brothir next, callid þe first Herry,Was at London crownyd, as I fynde,
Whos brodir Roberd, Duk of Normandy,
Gan hym werreye, the cronycle makith mynde,
Reconciled, al rancour set behynde,
Ful xxxi[ij], bi recorde of writyng,
[Yeres] he regned; buried at Redyng.
19
His cosyn Stephan, whan first Herry was ded,Toward Ynglond gan to crosse his sail.
Therchebisshopp sett vpon his hed
A rich crown, beyng of his conseil;
xix yeer with soruh and gret trauail,
He bar his crown, hadde neuer rest,
At Feuersham lith buried in a chest.
20
Herry the Second, son of themperesse,Was crowned next a ful manly knyht
As bookes olde pleynly do expresse,
This forseide Herre bi froward force & myht
Slouh Seyn Thomas, for Hooly Cherchis right,
Yeeres .xxxv. regned, as it is made mynde,
At Fount Euerard lith buried as I fynde.
21
Richard his son, next bi succession,First of that name, strong, hardy, & notable,
Was crownyd kyng, callid Cuer de Leon,
With Sarsyn hedys seruyd at his table,
Slayn at Chalus bi deth lamentable,
The space regned fully of .ix. yeer,
His hert buried at Rone at hih auter.
22
Next Kyng Richard regned his brothir Iohn,Aftir sone entrid in-to Fraunce,
Lost al Ange and Normandye a-noon,
715
And as it is put in remembraunce
xviij yeer kyng of this region,
Lith at Wircester deied of poyson.
23
Herry the iijde his sone, of ix yeer age,Was at Gloucester crowned, as I reed;
Long werr he hadde with his baronage,
Gretly delited in almesse-deed,
lxj yeer he regned heer in deede
Buried at Westmynster, bi record of writyng,
Day of Seynt Edmond, marter, maid, & kyng.
24
Edward the First, with the shankes long,Was aftir crowned that was so good a knyht,
Wan Scotlond, maugre the Scottis strong,
And all Walys despyt of al ther myht;
Duryng his lyff meyntened trouth & riht,
xxxv yeer he was heer kyng,
Lith at Westmynster this trouth and no lesyng.
25
Edward his sone, callid Carnarvan,Succedyng aftir to make his alliaunce,
As the cronycle weel reherse can
Weddid the douhtir of the kyng of Fraunce,
On Thomas Lancaster bi deth he took vengaunce;
xix yeer heelde heer his regalye,
Buried at Gloucestr, bookis specifye.
26
The iijde Edward, born at Wyndesor,Which in knyhthode had so gret a pris,
Enheritour of Fraunce withoute mor
Bar on his armys quartle iij flour delis,
And he gat Caleis bi his prudent devis,
Regned in Ynglond lj yeer,
Lith at Westmynstre, thus seith the cronycler.
716
27
Sone of Prynce Edward, Richard the Secound,In whos tyme was pes and gret plente,
Weddid Queen Anne of Bewme, as it is found,
Isabell aftir of Fraunce, who list see,
xxij yeer he regned heer, parde;
At Langley buried first, so stood the cas,
Aftir to Westmynster his body caried was.
28
Herry the iiijte next crowned, in certeyn,A famous knyht and of greet seemlynesse,
From his exil whan he cam hoom ageyn,
Trauailed aftir with werr & gret siknesse;
xiiij yeer he regned, in sothnesse,
Lith at Cantirbury in that hooly place.
God of His mercy, do his soule grace.
29
The Fifte Herry, of knyhthod lood[e]sterr,Wis and riht manly, pleynly to termyne,
Riht fortunat preevid in pes & werr,
Gretly expert in marcial disciplyne,
Able to stonde among the Worthi Nyne!
Regned x yeer, who so list han rewarde,
Lith at Westmynster nat ferr fro Seynt Edwarde.
30
The Sext Herry, brouht foorth in al vertu,Bi iust title, born bi enheritaunce.
Afforn provided, bi grace of Crist Ihesu,
To wer too crownys in Yngland & in Fraunce,
To whom God hath yovyn souereyn suffisaunce
Of vertuous liff, and chose hym for his knyht,
Long to reioissh and regne heer in his riht.
Explicit.
723
52. A TRETISE FOR LAUANDRES.
(1)
Yee maisteresses myne, and clenly chamberys,That haue to doe with my Ladis atyere
Atendythe ay as honest officers,
Sith youre fee, youre wages, and youre hyre
Is duly paide, than sette youre desyre
How to doo youre godely obseruaunce,
Wayt all be well & that may you avaunce.
(2)
Loke well youre lawne, youre homple, & youre LakePlesaunce, Reyns, & eke the fin Champeyn,
Ye washe cleyn fro mole, and spottes blake,
That wyn, nor oyle, nor yit non inke distyen
Keuerchif or cloth aboute youre souerayn.
Bot wasshe hem clene, & yf ye lust to lere,
How ye schall doo thes verses techen here.
(3)
Vinum lacte lava oleumque licore fabarumIncaustum vino cetera mundat aqua.
(4)
Of wyn away the moles may ye wesshe,In mylk whyt; the fletyng oyly spott
Wyth lye of beenes make hit clene & fresshe.
Wasshe with wyn the feruent inkes blot,
All oder thynges clensed well, ye wot,
Wyth water cler, is purged & made clene,
But thes thre clense, wyn, mylkes, and beene.
724
53. THE NINE PROPERTIES OF WINE.
The ix. properties of wyne per Iohanem Lidgate.
Wyne of nature hathe properties nyne,
Comfortythe coragis, clarifiethe the syght,
Gladdeth the herte this lycor most devyne,
Hetythe the stomake of his natural myght,
Sharpithe wittis, gevith hardines in fight,
Clensyth wounds, engendrithe gentyll blode;
Licor of licor, at festis makyth men lyght,
Scoureth þe palat, through fyne þe color good.
The nyne properties of wyne per Iohanem Lidgate.
54. A PAGEANT OF KNOWLEDGE.
Septem sunt gradus magnatum.
Thys world ys born vp by astates seuyn,Prynce[s] ordeynyd to susteyn [þe] ryght,
Prestes to pray, þe iustyces to deme euyn,
Marchauntes in sellyng to do trouþe in weyght,
For comon profyte fyght[e] shal þe knyght,
Plowman in tylþe, þe laborer in trauayll.
Artyfycers diligent day and nyght.
The ryche her almes to parte with þe porayll.
725
Officia dictorum magnatum.
Pryncys. To vs longeþ prestys to gouerne,Presthode And we be bounde to lyue in parfytnes.
Iuges. Betwene ryght & wrong our office doþ dyscerne.
Merchantes. In bying & sellyng we shall do no falsnes.
Knyghthode. We shull defende trouþe & ryghtwysnes.
Plowman. Our occupacion to tyll & sowe þe lond,
Werkemen. And by our labour we voyden idylnes.
Rycheman. We delyuer our almes with our hond.
Explicit.
Septem Pagine sequntur sapiencie.
Prima de Prudencia.
Thynges passyd remembre & well dyuyde,Thynges present consider & well gouerne,
For þynges commyng prudently prouyde,
Peyse matyrs or þou deme or dyscerne,
[Lat right in causes holde the lantern,]
Twene frende & foo stond euyn, & be egall,
And for no mede be nat parciall.
Secunda de Iusticia.
Furst in þy mesure loke þer be no lak,Of þy weyghtes hold iustly þe balaunce,
Be trew in rekenyng, set no som abak,
And in þy worde lat be no variaunce;
Of chere be sad, demure of gouernaunce,
Set folk at rest, & apese all trouble,
Beware of flaterers & of tongys double.
Tercia de Temperancia.
By sapience tempre þou þy corage,Of hasty ire daunt þe passion;
Dyffer vengeance tyll þy wraþe aswage,
Reuerence þe good for þeyr condicion;
Punyssh pacyently þe transgression
726
Mercy preferryng or þou do rygour.
Quarta de Discrecione.
Discrecion, modyr & pryncesse,Of all vertues to gouerne hem & gye,
And elumyneþ with lyght of hygh noblesse
Crownes of kynges, hold vp þeyr regaly,
Conserueþ reames, by prudent polycy,
Causeþ prouinces & euery gret cyte
To contynew in long prosperyte.
Quinta de Racione.
Thys emperesse, verrey celestiall,Most aungelyk of contenaunce and chere,
To rewle man he be nat bestiall,
God yaue hym reson, hys owne doughter dere,
Princesse of princesses, most souereyn & entere,
To brydell in man þe froward volunte
That he not err by sensualyte.
Sexta de Placencia & Bona Voluntate.
Thys fayre lady, whyche callyd ys Plesaunce,And eke Good Wyll, her owne doughter dere,
Beseke all folk, aftyr theyr suffysaunce,
With all þeyr hert, to make ryght good chere,
With suche disport as þey fynde[n] here,
And þat hem lyst benygnely aduertyse,
Who þat ys welcom haþe all þat may suffyse.
Septima de Fasetia & Nurturia.
Thys goodly lady callyd Curtesy,And her sustyr, whos name ys Nurture,
By þeyr offyce longyng to gentry
Lowly requyryd to euery creature,
As ferre as myght & power may endure,
727
To be content with suche as þey here fynde.
Explicit.
The fynders of the vij. sciences artificiall.
I]ubal was fadyr & fynder of song,Of consonantes, and of armony,
By noyse & strooke of hamors þat were strong.
Fro Iubal came furst þe melody
Of sugryd musyk, and of mynstralsy,
So procedyng down fro man to man
Practyke of concorde, as I haue told, began.
Saturne.
Saturne taught furst þe tylþe of londe,Hys doughter Ceres made men ere & sowe,
The goldyn worde he compassyd with his honde,
Of sede and grayne þe difference to knowe,
Of trees, herbes, growyng hygh & lowe;
Somer seson, þere bawme aboue moste swote,
And in cold wynter þer vertu in the rote.
Mars.
Though myghty Mars be callyd god of werres,Prudent Pallas founde out furst armure,
Thys godde, þys goddes, syt among þe sterres,
Tubalcaym of stele founde þe temprure,
Forgyd plates, long[e] to endure,
And þus these iij., by marciall apparayll,
Be callyd in bokes patrones of batayll.
Minerua.
Crafte of wolles & of cloth weuyngFounde Minerua, of spynnyng chief goddesse;
And Delbora of lynen cloþe makyng
The practyke sought, bokes bere wytnesse;
In all suche craft was a chief masteresse;
728
Fonde out furst breche, myn auctor lyst nat ly.
Diana.
Lo, here Diana, princesse of venery,In forest walkyng lyke an hunteresse,
Hauyng her paleyce ferre aboue the sky,
Callyd Lucina there shewyng her bryghtnes,
Of huntyng, hawkyng, fysshyng, chefe goddesse,
Euery moneþ her cours she doþe renew,
Now full, now wane, now bryght, now pale of hewe.
Mercurius.
Mercury, callyd for mannys gret auayleGod of eloquence, and merchandyse;
Argon fond furst craft of shyp & sayle,
And Neptunus þe saylyng gan deuyse
To passe þe see, in many sondry wyse,
Whyche to merchauntes ys full necessary,
Theyr stuff, theyr bales, fro londe to londe to cary.
Phebus.
Phebus fond furst craft of medicine,By touche of pounce, veyne, & inspeccions.
Esculapius taught þe doctrine
To knowe þe qualytees of .iiij. compleccions,
Of letuaryes, drogges, & pocions;
And among all þere ys noþyng more mete
To helthe of man þen temperat diete.
Explicit.
The .vij. sciences callyd lyberall.
O]f seuyn sciences, callyd lyberall,Gramer techeþ congruite & wrytyng,
Philosophy in especiall
Telleþ natures of euery maner thyng,
Ars metryk craft of proporcionyng,
729
Astronomy by diurnall meuyng
The world gouerneth, by heuynly influence.
Auctors of seuyn sciences.
Auctor of gramer was whilom Precian,Ewclyd excellyd in craft of geometry,
Tully in rethoryk was a famous man,
Hermogines fadyr of phylosophy,
Boys wrote of musyk & of melody,
Of methephysyk wrote Aristotyles,
Albimazar of astronomy,
Founders of sciences & vertuos encrese.
Explicit.
The Dysposicion of the .vij. planettes.
S]aturne disposeþ a man to melancoly,Iubiter reyseþ man to gret nobles,
And sturdy Mars to stryfe werre & enuy,
Phebus to wysdom & to hygh prowes,
Mercurius to be changeable & dowbylnes,
The moone mutable, now glad, & now drypyng,
And Gere Venus, full of new fangylnes,
Makyn men vnstable here in her lyuyng.
Explicit.
The dysposicion of the xij. sygnes.
20
A]ries ys hoot, & also colerykAnd in þe hede kepeþ hys dominacion;
Taurus in þe þrote, be man hoole or seke,
That part haþ he in supportacion;
Geminus eke by reuelucion
Haþe in armes hys influence & werkyng,
How shuld a man þan be stedfast of lyuyng?
21
Cancer haþe the brest in hys demayne,Of the hert lordshyp haþe þe Lyon,
730
Of nouell & wombe, & Libra lower downe.
The membres of man gouerneþ þe Scorpioun,
By thys reson the philosofyrs seyng
Ys that man cannat be stedfast in lyuyng.
22
Of all the sygnes rekenyd here-to-forn,The thyes of man gouerneþ þe Sagyttary
And knees & legges haþe þe Capricorn,
Eke þe calfe downeward perteyneþ to Aquary
And fro þe feete, I wyll nat long[er] tary,
Piscis haþ theym in hys kepyng;
Howe shuld a man þan be stedefast of lyuyng?
Explicit.
[Iohn Lidgat: Stow.]
The disposicion of þe iiij. elementes.
23
T]he world so wyde, the ayre so remeuable,The ȝely man so lytell of stature,
The greue & þe ground of cloþyng so mutable,
The fyre so hote & subtyle of nature,
Watyr neuer in oon, what creature
Made of þese .iiij., whyche be so flyttyng
May stable be, here in hyr lyuyng?
24
Man of þe erþe haþe slouþe & heuynes,Flux and reflux by water made vnstable,
Kyndely of ayre he haþ also swetnes,
Be fyre made hasty, wode, & not tretable;
To erþe ayene, by processe comparable,
Selde or neuer in oon poynt abydyng,
Howe shuld he þan be stable in lyuyng?
25
Fyre resolueth erthe to be watery,And watery þynges fyre turneþ in eyre,
Makeþ harde þynges nesshe, and fyre eke naturall[y]
Makeþ nesshe þynges harde by his soden repeyr,
Though harde he ys þat shone bryght & feyre,
731
How shuld he þan be stable in lyuyng?
26
Ayre of kynde yeueþ inspiracionTo mannys hert þyng most temperatyf,
And kyndly hete yeueþ respiracion,
Of subtyll, rare, & a gret medegatyf,
To tempre þe spyrytes by vertew vegetatyf;
And syþ þat ayre in man ys þus meuyng,
How shuld he þan be stedfast of lyuyng?
27
Watyr somwhyle ys congeylyd to crystall,Colde & moyst as of hys nature,
Now ebbeþ, now floweþ, whyche in speciall
The myght of þe mone doþe her course recure,
And syþ þys element by recorde of scripture,
Ys oon of þe .iiij, compact of our makyng,
I wold enquere, what maner creature,
Made of þese .iiij, were stedfast of lyuyng?
Explicit.
[Iohn Lidgatt: Stow.]
The disposicion of þe iiij. complexyons.
28
T]he sanguyne man of blood haþe hardynes,Wrought to be louyng, large of dyspence,
The fleumatyk man slow, oppressyd with dulnes,
Whyte of vysage, rude of elloquence,
And syþ þer ys in man suche difference,
By complexions diuersely workyng,
Answere herto, concludyng þys sentence,
How þat man myght be stedfast of lyuyng.
29
The coleryk man, subtyle & dysseuable,Sclender, lene, & cytryne of hys colour,
Wroþe sodenly, wood, & nat tretable,
And full of envy, malyce, & rancour,
Dry, þursty, & a gret wastour,
732
With pompe & bost hasty to do rygour,
Ben soche men stable here in þeyr lyuyng?
30
Melancolyk of hys complexioun,Dysposyd of kynde for to be fraudulent,
Malicious, froward, & be decepcioun
Forgyng discordes, double of hys entent;
Whyche þynges peysyd by good avysement,
I dar conclude, as to my felyng,
By confirmacion as in sentement,
Few men byn here stabyll in her lyuyng.
Explicit.
[Iohn Lydgatt: Stow.]
The dysposicion of þe .iiij. tymes of þe yere.
31
M]an haþ in somer drynesse & hete,In theyr bok as auctors lyst expresse,
And when Phebus entreþ þe Ariete
Dygest humours vpward done hem dresse,
Porys opyn þat seson, of swetnesse
And exaltacions, diuerse wyrkyng,
How shuld man [þan] be stable in lyuyng?
32
Autumpne to Veer foundyn ys contrary,As Galien seyþ in all hys qualytees,
Disposyng a man þat season to vary,
To many vncouþe straunge infirmitees,
Of canyculer dayes takyng þe propertees,
By reuelacion of manyfold changyng,
How shuld man þan be stable in lyuyng?
33
Man haþe in wynter in þis present lyfe,By dysposicion, colde and humylyte,
Whyche season ys to fleume nutrytyfe,
Spoyleþ herbe and tre of þer fresshe beaute,
Closeþ, constreyneþ, the poores, men may se,
Causeþ kyndly hete, inwarde to be wyrkyng,
How shuld man þen be stable in lyuyng?
733
34
By Veere man haþe hete and eke moystour,A-twene boþe a man[er] of temperaunce,
On whyche tweyne gret lust he doþ recouer,
Yef colde not put hym in dystemperaunce.
Thus meynt with drede ys mannys gouernance,
Ay in no certeyn, by recorde of wrytyng,
Howe shuld he than be stable in lyuyng?
Explicit.
The Dysposicion of þe World.
[by Lydgatt: Stow.]
T]he monþes vary, eueryche haþ his sygne
And harde hit ys all wedyrs for to know,
The tyme somewhyle ys gracious & benygne,
And vppon hilles and valeys þat ben low
The iiij. wyndes contrariosly do blow
In every storme man ys here abydyng,
Som to release, & som to overthrow,
How shuld man þan be stedfast of lyuyng?
36
The worldly answer, fortune transmutable,Trust of lordshyp a feynt sekernes,
Euery seson varyeth, frendshyp ys vnstable,
Now myrthe, now sorow, now hele, now sekenes,
Now ebbe of pouert, now flodys of ryches,
All stont in chaunge, now losse, now wynnyng,
Tempest in see & wyndes sturdynes
Makeþ men vnstable & ferefull of lyuyng.
37
Tytan somwhyle fresshly doþe appere,Then commeþ a storme & doþ hys lyght deface,
The soile of somer with floures glad of chere
Wynters rasure doþe all awey rase;
All erþely þynges sodenly do passe
Whyche may haue here no seker abydyng,
Eke all astates false fortune doth manase,
How shuld a man þan be stedfast of lyuyng?
734
38
Beholde & see þe transmutacion,Howe þe seson of grene lusty age,
Force of Iuuentus, strong, hardy as a lyoun,
Tyme of manhode, wysdom, sad of corage,
And howe Decrepitus turnyth to dotage,
Cast all in a balance, & foryete noþyng,
And thow shalt fynd þis lyfe a pylgremage,
In whyche þer ys no stedfast abydyng.
39
Then lyft vp thyne ey vnto [þe] heuyn,And pray þy Lord, whyche ys eternall,
That syt so ferr aboue þe sterres seuyn,
In hys p[a]lace most imperyall,
To graunt þe grace, here in þys lyfe mortall,
Contricion, shryft, & howsyll at þy departyng,
And, er þou passe hens, remyssion finall
Towarde þe lyfe, where ioy ys euerlastyng.
Explicit.
Amen.
[Iohn Lydgat: Stow.]
54B. A PAGEANT OF KNOWLEDGE, ANOTHER VERSION OF THE LAST PART.
1
The world so wyd, the hair so remevable,The cely man so litel of stature,
The greve and the ground of clothyng so mutable,
The fyr so hoot and sotil of nature,
The watir nevir in oon, what creature
Maad of thes foure that been thus flettyng,
Miht of resoun perseueren by any cure,
Or stedfast been heer in his livyng.
735
2
Man hath of erthe slowthe and hevynesse,Flux and refflux by watir made unstable,
Kyndly of hayr he hath also swiftnesse,
By fyr maad hasty, wood, and nat tretable;
To erthe ageyn by processe corumpable,
Seelde or nevir in o point abydyng,
Now glad, now hevy, now froward, now tretable,
How shuld he than be stedfast of lyvyng?
3
Off erthe he hath ioyntes, flessh, and boonys,And of watir ful manyfold humours,
Hayr in his arters disposyd for the noonys,
Fir in his herte, by record of auctours;
Complexionat of sondryfold colours,
Now briht as Phebus, now reyn, and now shynyng,
Now silver dewh, now fressh with April flours,
How shuld man than be stedfast of lyvyng?
4
With Ver he hath drynesse and moisture,Attwen bothe bamaner attemperaunce,
In which tweyne deliteth hym nature,
Yiff coold nat put hym in distemperaunce;
Thus meynt with dreed is mannys gouernaunce,
Ay in invncerteyn, by record of writyng,
Now wood, now sobre, now prudent in daliaunce,
How shuld man than be stedfast in livyng?
5
Man hath with somyr drynesse and heete,In ther bookys as auctours lyst expresse,
Whan Phebus entrith in the Ariete,
Digest humours vpward doon hem dresse,
Poorys opnyng, that sesoun of swetnesse!
With exalaciouns and mystis descendyng,
Titan to erly whan he his cours doth dresse,
Of his briht shynyng no stedfast abyding.
6
Autumpne to Ver foundyn is contrary,Galien seith in al ther qualitees,
Disposyng man that sesoun doth so vary,
736
Of canyculer dayes takyng the propirtees,
By revolucioun of manyfold chaungyng,
In spiritual state temperal comowneeres,
How shuld he than be stedfast of livyng?
7
Man hath with wyntir in this present lyff,By disposicioun cold and humydite,
Which sesoun is to flewme nutritiff,
Spoleth tre and herbe of al ther fressh bewte;
The dayes-eye drepith, leesith hir liberte,
Poores constreyned no roseer out shewyng,
Fresshnesse of corages that sesoun makith ffle,
How shuld man than be stedfast of livyng?
8
Fyr resoluethe erthe by watry,And watry thynges fyr turneth into hayr,
Makith hard thyng neisshe and also naturally,
Neisshe thyng hard by his sodeyn repair;
Thowith hard yis that shoon as cristal fayr,
Which element hath in man ful greet werkyng,
Feith, hope, and charite shal outraye al dispayr,
Thouh alle men be nat stedfast of lyvyng,
9
Ayer of nature yevith inspiracioun,To mannys herte thyng moost temperatiff,
Off kyndly heete gevyth respiracioun,
Sotil, rare, and a gret mytigatiff,
To tempre the spiritis by vertu vegetatiff;
And sith that hayr in man is thus meevyng,
By manyfoold sawt he troublyd in his liff,
How shuld man than be stedfast in livyng?
10
Watir somwhile is congelyd to cristall,Coold and moist, as of his nature,
Now ebbith, fflowith, which, in especiall,
Miht of the moone doth hir cours recure;
And sith that element, by record of Scripture,
737
I wold enqueer what maneer creature
Maad of thes foure were stedfast of living?
11
The sangueyn man of blood hath hardynesse,Wrouht to be lovyng, large of his dispence,
The fflewmatyk slowh, oppressyd with dolnesse,
Whit of visage, rude of elloquence;
And sith ther is in man suche difference
Of complexiouns dyversly werkyng,
Answer heerto concludyng in sentence,
How that he myhte be stable of his livyng.
12
The coleryk man sotil and deceyuable,Slendir, leene, and citryn of colour,
Wroth sodeynly, wood and nat tretable.
Ay ful of yre, of malys, and rancour,
Drye and adust and a gret wastour,
And disposyd to many sondry thyng,
With pompe and boost hasty to do rigour,
Been such men stable heer in ther livyng?
13
Malencolik of his complexioun,Dispoosid of kynde for to be fraudelent,
Malicious, froward, and by decepcioun,
Which thynges peysed by good avisement,
Forgyng discordes double of his entent;
I dar conclude as to my feelyng,
By confirmacioun as in sentement,
Fewe men be stable heer in ther livyng.
14
Satourn disposith to malencolye,Iubiter reiseth men to hih noblesse,
And sturdy Mars to striff, werre, and envye,
Phebus to wysdam and to hih prowesse,
Mercurius to chaung and doubilnesse,
The moone mutable, now glad, and now drepyng,
And gery Venus, ful of newfangilnesse,
Makith man vnstable heer in this livyng.
738
15
The world vnsuyr, fortune transmutable,Trust on lordship a feynt sekirnesse;
Ech sesoun varieth frenship oft vnstable,
Now glad, now hevy, now helthe, now syknesse;
An ebbe of pouert next floodys of richesse,
Al staunt on chaung, now los and now wynnyng;
Tempest on se, and wyndes sturdynesse
Make men vnstable and feerful of livyng.
16
Titan somwhile fresshly doth appeere,Than comyth a storm and doth his liht difface,
The soyl in somyr with floures glad of cheere,
Wyntris rasour doth al away arrace;
Al erthly thyng sodeynly doth pace,
Which may haue heer no siker abydyng,
Eek alle estatys fals ffortune doth manace;
How shuld man than be stedfast of lyvyng?
17
Considre and see the transmutacioun,How the sesoun of greene lusty age,
Force of iuventus, hardy as lioun,
Tyme of manhood, wisdam, sad corage,
And how decrepitus turneth to dotage,
Al cast in ballaunce, be war, forget nothyng,
And thu shalt fynde this lyff a pilgrymage,
In which ther is no stedfast abydyng.
18
Man! left vp thyn eye to the heuene,And pray the Lord, which is eternal,
That sitt so ferre above the sterrys sevene,
In his paleys moost imperyal,
To graunt the grace heer in this liff mortal,
Contricioun, shrifft, hoosyl at thy partyng,
And, or thu passe, remyssioun fynal,
Toward that lyf wher ioye is ay lastyng!
Explicit Iohan Lydgate.
739
55. STANS PUER AD MENSAM.
Here gynneth stans puer ad mensam.
1
My dere sone, first þiselff enableWith al thyn herte to vertuous disciplyne
Affore thy souereyn stondyng at the table,
Dispose thy thouht affter my doctryne,
To al norture thy corage do inclyne.
First whane thou spekist be nat reklees,
Kepe feet & ffyngeris, hondis stille in pees.
2
Be symple of cheer, cast not thy look asyde,Gase nat aboute, turnyng over all;
Ageyn the post lat nat thy bak abyde;
Make nat the merour also of the wall,
Pike nat thy nase, and in especyall
740
To-fore thy souereyn cracche ne rubbe nought.
3
Who speketh to the in ony maner plase,Lombysshly cast nat thyn hed adoun,
But with sad cheer looke hym in fface;
Walke demurely by stretys in toun,
And advertyse of wisdam and resoun.
With dyssolute langage thou do noon offence
To-fore thy souereyn, while he is in presence.
4
Pare clene þi nailles, thyn hondis wasshe alsoTo-ffore mete, and whan thou doost aryse;
Sitte in that place thou art assigned to;
Prese not to hye in no maner wyse;
And [t]yl thou se affore the thy servyse,
Be nat to hasty vpon bred to bight
Of gredynesse lyst men þe wolde atwight.
5
Grennyng and mowes at þe table eschewe;Crie nat to loude; kepe honestly silence;
Tenboce þi iowes with bred it is not dewe;
741
Drynk nat brydeled for haste nor necligencce;
Kepe clene þi lippes fro faat of flesshe or fessh;
Wipe fair thy spone, leue it nat in thy dissh.
6
Off brede i-beete no soppis that thou make;To soupe loude it is ageyn gentylnesse;
With mouth enbrued þi cuppe thou nat tak;
In ale or wyne with hond leue no ffatnesse;
Foule nat þi napry for no reklesnesse,
Neuer at mete be war gynne no stryff;
Thy teeth also ne pike not with thy knyff.
7
Off honest myrth let be thy dalyaunce;Swere none othis, speke no rebaudrye;
The beste morcellis, have this in remembraunce,
Hooll to thyselff alway do nat applye;
Parte with thy ffelawe, for that is cortesie:
Lade not þi trenchour with many remyssailis;
And fro blaknesse alwey kepe thy nayllis.
742
8
Off curtesie it is ageyn the lawe,With sounde dishonest for to do offence;
Of old surfetys abrayde nat þi ffelawe;
Toward þi souereyn have ay thyn aduertence;
Pley with no knyff, take heede to my sentence;
At mete and soper kepe þe stille and soffte;
Eek to and ffro meve not thy ffoot to offte.
9
Droppe nat þi brest with sauce ne with potage;Brynge no knyves onscored to the table;
Fylle nat thy spone, lyst in the caryage
It went beside, wich wer nat comendable;
Be quyk and redy, meek and seruysable,
Weell awaytyng to ffulfylle anoon
What þi souereyn comaundeth the to doon.
10
And wherso be that thow dyne or suppe,Of gentilnesse take salt with thy knyff;
And be weell war thow blowe nat in þi cuppe
Reuerence þi felaus, gynne with hem no stryff;
To thy power kepe pes all thy lyff.
Interupte nat, where so that thow wende,
No man his tale, tyl he haue maad an ende;
743
11
With thy ffynger marke nat thy tale;Be weel avised, namely in tender age,
To drynke in mesour bothe wyne and ale;
Be nat copious also of language;
As tyme requyreth, shewe out thy vysage,
To glad ne to sory, but atween tweyne,
For los or lucre or ony cas sodeyne.
12
Be meek in mesour, nat hasty, but tretable;Ouer mekyll is nat worth in no thyng;
To childer longeth nat to be vengable,
Sone mevyd and sone fforgeuyng;
And as it is remembrid by old writyng,
Wratthe of children sone is overgoon,
Withe an appell partyes be maad at oon.
13
In childeris werre now myrthe, now debate,In her quarell is no greet vyolence;
Now pley, now wepyng, selde in on estate;
To her pleyntes yeve no gret credence;
A rod refourmeth al her insolence;
744
Who spareth the yerde, al vertu set asyde.
Lenvoye.
Go, lytel bylle, bareyn of elloquence,Pray yonge childer þat þe shall se or reede,
Thogh thou be compendious of sentence,
Of thy clauses for to taken heede,
Wich to al vertu shal her youthe leede.
Of the writyng, thogh ther be no date,
Yif ouht be mys,—in woord, sillable, or dede,—
Put al diffaute vpon Iohn Lydgate.
Explicit.
[Little Homilies with Proverbial Refrains.]
56. AMOR VINCIT OMNIA MENTIRIS QUOD PECUNIA.
1
Eche man folwith his owne fantasyeLiche as it fallith in his oppinioun,
His witte enclyneng vnto that partie
745
Whiche of the two by ust comparisoun
Love or money in valew doth excede?
To gyve an answer for short conclusioun,
Love is sette bakke, gold goth byfore, and mede.
2
Fressh lusty lovers professed to Venus,Sworn to service of the god Cupyde,
Suche of corage as bene amerous,
On theyr hye hors prowdly whan they ride
Seyn how that love sette euery thyng aside;
The revers founde in bookis, who list reede,
Make no comparisoun, wayte on the tyde,
Love is set bakke, gold goth byfore, and mede.
3
Remembre Troye, of Troylus and Cres[e]ide,Eche in theyr tyme furtherd to plesaunce;
But what fille after longe or Troylus deyde?
A false serpent of chaunge and variaunce
Withouten any lengger attendaunce
Put out Troylus, and set in Dyomede.
What shal I say or conclude in substaunce?
Love was set bakke, gold went afore, and mede.
4
Men seyn how Amor vincit omnia,Of hie noblesse love is so corageous;
But folk expert seyn how pecunia
Put at preef is more victorious.
Toforne Haniball preferrid was Cresus,
Wher gold and tresoure makith folk to spede,
An evidence how Cupide and Venus
In al suche case, ben set abak for mede.
746
5
Ovyde saith, whos writyng is ful kowth,How Socrates for al his sapience,
The Greke Omerus with his sugre mowth,
Tullius put out for al theyr eloquence;
Where love in povert lakkith his dispence,
Farewele! adieu! prayer ne may nat spede
The cause out sought, of longe experience,
Olde aqueyntaunce is set abakke for mede.
6
Love peysith nat ageyne an hevy purs,Trowth is nat herd where lak is of richesse,
A false forswerer dredith nat Goddis kurs,
To be forsworn for lucre in his falsenesse;
Reken storyes of marcial noblesse,
Prowesse of princes, allyaunce of hye kynrede,
The old auctours can bere hereof witnesse,
Love hath ful oft be set abak for mede.
7
Take it for a custome, it wil be non other,In worldly quarels lucre goth toforn.
A man for wynnyng wil forsake his brothir,
Som tyme for lucre weede above the corn,
For lucre alday men wilbe forsworn,
Chaunge hath be founde som tyme in wommanhede;
In al suche case love blowith the bukkis horn,
Where olde acqueyntaunce is sette abak for meede.
8
Paris, for love he gate the qwene Heleyne;Cleopatras loved Anthonius tresoure,
Trewe Piramus he felt also grete peyne,
For love of Thesbe suffred grete langoure;
Kynge Alisaundre, the grete conqueroure,
747
Concludyng thus, in al worldly laboure
Love in al thyng is set abak for mede.
9
Ovyde doth write that goddis and goddessisHave a delite gyftes for to take,
And of custom princis and princessis,
Who gevith hem ought, they wil it nat forsake;
Love may go pley, and his dogge hey shake,
For any friend he fyn[dith] at strayt nede;
Thus concludyng, short proces for to make,
Frendship goth bak, gold goth before, and mede.
10
Frenship on these dayes in fayre langage feynedWith a gladd chiere, outward, wordes of liberte,
At a straite suche love nys but disdeyned,
To fynde socour in his necessite;
Al nys nat golde that shyneth bright, parde!
Money as revel ay the daunce doth lede;
Love is put bak by false duplicite,
For in eche court, gold goth before, and mede.
11
The world vnsure, fortune is variable,Booth right friendly founde in prosperite;
Put at assay, if they abide stable,
Outher of them in tyme of aduersite,
Pref thy friende afore, and thou shalt se
Whom thow maist trust, thy iournay for to spede;
As thow fyndest, so make thyn owne suerte,
Whiche of them both, love goth tofore, or mede.
748
12
Al worldly frenship is straunge and right dyuers.Lete al men trust as they causes fynde;
Dede to bihest doth oft the reuers,
Theffect in werk goth lame and halt behynde;
Of obligacions som sealis ben so blynd
That men may neither se the printe ne rede;
Thynk thervpon lete it nat out of mynde,
Whiche goþ before frenship, money, or mede?
13
The faire behestis maken foolis gladde,Fye on the werk whan hestis ben contrayre!
Like to a tre, with fressh blosmes ladde,
Whiche that in Aprill so lusti be and fayre;
But whan in August folk[es] do repayre
To gadre his fruyte, there is none found in dede:
Of suche friendis there be mo than a payre,
Save with fayre chiere they love nat but for mede.
14
But for to grounde oure love in sikernesse,And sette asyde fraude and decepcioun,
Late vs to God al oure wittis dresse
Where feyth abydith, and al perfeccioun
And perfite love hath his foundacioun:
Suche love as wil nat faile his friende at nede,
But love for love in the heuenly regioun
God yevith to man, for his eternal mede.
15
There men shal fynde ioy and al gladnesse,The love excellyng of Dalida and Sampson,
Passe Octovian or Cresus in riches,
749
And in fayrenesse transcendyng Absolon;
Sette ther your love and ye shul nat myspede
That Cite bilt with euery precious ston,
Ther for to dwelle for youre eternal mede.
16
Vp to that court now do youre loves dresse,Vnto that gracious gostly mansioun,
Whiche that excellith in beaute and brightnes
Rome, Cartage, Troye and Ilioun;
Of hevenly rubyes bilt is that dongeoun,—
God graunt vs grace there oure lyf to lede!
And clayme [by] love to have possessioun,
With hym for love, that suffre[d] his sides bleede.
17
Who seyth that Amor vincit omnia,He saith ful triew, playnly to expresse,
Nought erthely love, whiche with pecunia
Sette trouth aside be fraude and doublenesse;
But perfite love, whiche hath none interesse
To erthly thyngges, neyther in word ne dede;
Suche love grounded in love and stablenesse
Shal have of God his gwerdoun and his mede.
750
57. CONSULO QUISQUIS ERIS.
CONSULO QUISQUIS ERIS, QUI PACIS FEDERA QUERIS, CONSONUS
ESTO LUPIS, CUM QUIBUS ESSE CUPIS.
1
I conseyl[e] what-so-euyr thou be,Off policye, forsight, and prudence,
Yiff thou wilt lyve in pees and vnite,
Conforme thy-sylff and thynk on this sentence,
Wher-so-evere thou hoold residence,
Among woluys be woluyssh of corage,
Leoun with leouns, a lamb for innocence,
Lyke the audience so vttir thy language.
2
The vnycorn is cauht with maydenys song,By dispocicioun, record of scripture;
With cormerawntys make thy nekke long,
In pondys deepe thy prayes to recure;
Among foxis be foxissh of nature,
Mong ravynours thynk for avauntage,
With empty hand men may noon haukys lure,
And lyke the audience so vttir thy language.
3
With hooly men speke of hoolynesse,And with a glotoun be delicat of thy ffare,
With dronke men do surfetys by excesse,
751
With woodecokkys lerne for to dare,
And sharpe thy knyff with pilours for pilage;
Lyke the market so preyse thy chaffare,
And lyke the audience so vttre thy language.
4
With an otir spare ryveer noon nor pond,With them that forett robbe conyngerys;
A bloodhound with bowe & arwe in hond,
Mawgre the wach of fosterys and parkerys;
Lyke thy felaship spare no daungerys,
For lyff nor deth thy lyff put in morgage,
Mong knyhtes, squyers, chanouns, monkes, fryers,
Lyke the audience vttir thy language.
5
Danyel lay a prophete ful notable,Of God preservyd in prysoun with lyouns;
Where God lyst spare, a tygre is nat vengable,
No cruel beestys, berys, nor gryffouns;
And yif thu be in cavys with dragouns,
Remembre how Abacuk brought the potage
So feere to Danyel, to many regiouns,
As caas requerith so vttre thy language.
6
With wyse men talke of sapience,With philosophres speke of philosophie,
With shipmen, seyleng that haue experience,
In troubly seis how they shal hem guye;
And with poetys talke of poetrye;
752
But where thou comyst in ony companye,
Lyke the audience so vttir thy language.
7
This litel ditee concludith in menyng,Who that cast hym this rewle for to kepe,
Mot conforme hym lyke in euery thyng,
Wher he shal byde, vnto the felashipe;
With wachmen wake; with sloggy folkes sleepe;
With wood men wood; with frentyk folk savage;
Renne with beestys; with wilde wormys creepe;
And like the audience vttir thy language.
VERBA TRANSLATORIS.
8
Mong alle thes I counceyl yit take heed,Wher thu abydest or reste in any place,
In cheef love God, and with thy love ha dreed,
And be feerful ageyn Hym to trespace;
With vertuous men encrece shall thy grace,
And vicious folk arn cause of gret damage,
In every ffelaship so for thysilf purchace,
Wher vertu regnyth, ther vttir thy language.
9
Be paied with litel, content with suffisaunce,Clymb nat to hih, thus biddith Socrates;
Glad pouert is of tresours moost substaunce,
And Catoun seith is noon so greet encres
Off wordly tresours, as for to live in pees,
753
I take record of Diogenees,
Which to Alisaundre had this language.
10
His paleys was a litel poore tonne,Which on a wheel with hym he gan carye,
Bad this emperour ride out of his sonne,
Which dempt hym-sylf richer than Kyng Darye,
Kept with his vessel fro wyndis moost contrarye,
Wherin he made daily his passage,
This philosophre with pryncys lyst nat tarye,
Nor in ther presence to vttre no language.
11
Attwen thes tweyne a greet comparysoun,Kyng Alisaundir he conqueryd al,
Diogenes lay in a smal dongoun;
Lyke sondry wedrys which turnyd as a bal,
Fortune to Alisaundir gaff a sodeyn ffal;
The philosophre disposed his coignage,
He thouht vertu was moor imperrial
Than his acqueyntaunce, with al his proud language.
12
Antonye and Poule dispised al richesse,Lyved in desert of wilful poverte;
Sesar and Pompey of marcial woodnesse,
By ther envious compassyd cruelte,
Twen Germanye and Affryk was gret enmyte;
No comparisoun twen good greyn and fforage;
Preise every thyng like to his degre;
And lyke the audience so vttir thy language.
754
13
I fond a lyknesse depict vpon a wal,Armed in vertues, as I walk up and doun,
The hed of thre ful solempne and roial,
Intellectus, Memorye, and Resoun;
With eyen and erys of cleer discrecioun,
Mouth and tonge avoiden al outrage,
Ageyn the vice of fals detraccioun,
To do no surfet in woord nor in language.
14
Hand and armys with this discrecioun,Wher-so man have force or ffebilnesse,
Trewly to meene in his affeccioun,
For fraude or favour to folwe rihtwisnesse;
Entrailes inward, devocioun with meeknesse,
Passyng Pigmalioun which graued his ymage;
Preyd to Venus, of lovers cheef goddesse,
To graunt it lyff and quyknesse of language.
15
Of hool entent pray we to Crist Iesu,To quyke a figure in our conscience,
Reson as hed, with membris of vertu,
Aforn rehersyd breeffly in sentence;
Vndir support of his magnificence,
Crist so lyst governe our wordly pilgrymage,
Tween vice and vertu to sette a difference,
To his plesaunce to vttren our language.
Explicit.
755
58. A FREOND AT NEODE.
Here begynneþe a Polletyke Balade Ryale made by
þat approbate Poete Lidegate þe Munk of Burye
with þe gode Refrayde, To fynde a freonde at neode.
1
Late whane Aurora of Tytane toke leve,Nought longe agone in a gladde mor[we]nyng,
Soole by my self walking in a greve,
Goldyne Phebus feyre in chare shyninge,
I harde a larke in maner compleyninge,
Seying þis refreyde, I toke þer off heede,
“Þe worlde is divers, ffortune is chaungyng,
Ful weele is him þat fyndeþe a freonde at neede.”
2
Gret noumbre of frendes in prosperiteeWhylest fortune sheweþe hir lookes glade;
Gret prees of coustume is abowte þe tree,
While þat boughes beon with fruytes lade;
But whane þe braunches beon bareine and fade
Þat he revested is in wynters weede,
Fare weele þe prees, þis liknesse þat I made,
Is agayne hem þat fayle þeire freonde at neede.
3
Þe ryche man haþe freondes gret plentee,Every wight redy til do him plesaunce.
But folke þat beon fallen in pouerte
Noman desireþe to haue þeire qweyntance,
To þeyme men chaunge chere and contenaunce,
756
Lat every man have þis in remembraunce
It is ful vnkouþe to fynde a freonde at nede.
4
Whilome Horaste was freonde vnto Pilade,Never to part as seyþe Ovydius,
In frowarde fortune ne in þeire stoundes glade,
So did Achilles and Patreolus,
Þe duc Prothee and eke duc Theseus,
Þeire thoughtes oone in herte, wille, and dede,
Giving ensaumple to prynces vertuous,
Howe gret a tresore to fynde a freonde at nede.
5
Kyng Dauid alsoo and freondly Ionathas,Loved as brether voyde of devisyoun,
Þey sparde not for daunger nor manasse
Ne for al Saulus fel parsecucyoun,
Ay to contynue in oone opynyoun,
And never dessever for no foreine dede,
Texemplefie by short conclusioun
Howe muche avayleþe to fynde a frende at nede.
6
Þer is a storye noted in substaunceOf knightes tweyne, Amys and Amylon,
As þey were lyke of chere and countenaunce,
Of all þeire fayture made none excepcion,
Booþe of one porte and one condicion
Hole, vndeparted of courage and manhede,
As by þere fatal constillacyoun
Echeone til oþer feythfull founde at nede.
7
Rethor Tulius, De Amicicia,Hyest of vertues frenship doþe preferre,
In þe hevenly courte supra cidera,
With gods goddesse caste heos beemis ferre,
In whos clere stremis pilgrymes may not erre,
What cooste or parte heos lightes for to shede,
A precyous tresore founde in pees and werre,
A man to fynde a feythful freonde at nede.
757
8
Þe doctrinal þus writeþe is me toldeÞereinne concludeþe pleinly by sentence,
For nuwe knowelegge chaunge not þy freondes alde.
Straunge bypathes doone offt gret offence,
Til vnkouþe folke þat fayle exparience
Vnto what parte þat pathe doþe hem lede,
By whiche ensaumple gif to my worde credence,
Kepe wele þat freonde þat wil not fayle at neede.
9
Þeos stately freondes boþe of worde and chere,Salmon calþe hem felawes at þe table,
As at feestis at dyners and sowpere,
With feyre byhestis as þey were vaillable,
But at þe point, adieux, al nys but fable,
Save worde and wynde conclusion of þeire crede,
As weþercok þeire faites beo founde vnstable,
Yitte wele is him þat fyndeþe a freonde at nede.
10
And who þat haþe his feithfull freonde ef wonneVndesseuered þeire hertis knitte in feere
Tulius seyþe, þeire frenship is lyche sunne,
Whane it sitte hyest in þe midday spere
Þat wyndy clowdes approchen man no nere,
Nothing but cleer heos bemys ay sprede,
Þeire frenship wol not twynne in no manere,
For lyff nor deþe to fayle his freonde at nede.
11
By þe counseyle of prudent Salamon,Yif þou of freondes make elleccion
By gode avyse cheese þee vnto such one,
Preved and expert of olde affeccion,
And whane þou haste of him pocession,
Þane for no nuwe þou chaunge him I þee rede,
Of golde of tresore make no comparisoun,
To him þat wil not fayle his freonde at nede.
12
Þere ben eke freondes founden for a tymeWheche þat endure but a smal saysoun,
Of whiche chaunge is aye þe nuwe pryme,
758
Gerisshe, stormisshe of entencion,
Liche march weder, let noman take hede,
Preyse as þou fyndest in þyne opynioun,
And chese þy freonde þat wol not fayle at neode.
13
Þe sone of Syrake called was Ihesus,Whiche in heos dytes hade so gret a fame,
Seþe þere beo freondes of langage glorious
Þeire worde and worke not lyke who list atame
For hem he callþe freonde but of name,
Þeire heestis suspecte, deperted is þeire wede,
But þey of frenship bere but þe surname,
Be no fals feynier, þat faileþe freonde at nede.
14
Alle one to me þat freonde þat doþe no gode,And þat enemye þat doþe me no damage,
As Ianus Byfronus twoo faces in oone hode
Byhinde and fore double of þeire vysage,
Peyse yee hem boþe with footeles avauntage,
Oone countrepeyse þeire love and þeire haterede,
A smal destinccion sette in þeire ymage,
Þeire trust, þeire hate conclude all one at nede.
15
Þere beon freondfull freondes in wele and woo,And ever elych[e] truwe in þeire entent,
And þere beo freondes, Salamon seyþe eke soo,
Feyning, flatering, fals, and fraudelente,
And some beo double of entendement,
Þat flourisshe and floure, but þei do not feede,
Of whome I may conclude in sentement,
Alle suche wol fayle þeire freonde at his neode.
16
Blessed þis man þat dooþe his freonde socour,Him to support at neode frome his mescheef,
Incomporable to golde or suche tresore,
Bavme or tryacle agenst alkyns greef,
Of pryce no charboncle ne perlle is so cheef,
759
He may beo marked and trusted, I let you leve,
As for to fynde so feythfull freonde at neode.
17
O Cryste Ihesu, whos frenship may not fayle,For love of man þat suffred passyoun,
And with Golye þat heldest gret battayle,
Oure Dauid þat sloughe bere and lyoun,
Oure Moyses, oure Gedeon, oure Sampson,
On Calvarie þat list for vs to blede
For Maries sake be oure proteccion
And helpe alle þoo þat calne þee at þeire nede.
59. A DITTY UPON HASTE.
Here enduth the songe on þis worde / Who sueth
vertu, vertu schall he leere / And begyneth the dite
on þis worde He hasteth weel þat wysely can abyde.
1
Alle haste is odious, where as discressionOff wylfulnesse hath non int[e]resse,
And sodeyne rauncour oppressed hath reson,
And extort power rebukyd riȝtwisenesse,
Nameli when fraude, flateri, & ffalsenesse
Geyne consience haue trouth[e] sette aside,
Afforne providid all surfetys to represse;
He hastuth weele þat wysely can abyde.
2
The hasti man ffayleth neuer woo,Haste contrarious enemy to sadnesse,
And wylful haste to wisdam gretteste foo,
760
Cheef of counsell to ffurius dronkenesse,
Spor of vengaunce whan woode man lyste ride,
In eueri mater Salamon bereth wittenesse,
He hasteth weele þat wyseli can abyde.
3
Geyne foltysche haste without avisinesse,Whan out of counsell exiled is prudence,
What folewuth aftur but rancour & rudenesse?
Lak of thre mirrouris longyng to prouydence
Of tyme passed, ffutur & presence,
Grounde of all damage for wantyng of a gyde,
To ffolewe þe councell of parfite pacyence,
He hastuth wele þat wysely can abyde.
4
Haste ageyne reson requireth repentaunce,Haste vnavysed braydeth on neclygence,
Haste puttuth al counseyle in distemperaunce,
Hasty report & hasti false credence,
Hasti mevyng & hasti violence,
In þem þat lyste not afforne provyde
For to remembre in þer advertence
He hastuth wele þat wysely can abyde.
5
Proverbiorum, Salamon speketh of thre,Alle were to hasti & noon of hem was good,
The ffyrste of them of ffurious cruelte
Was of kynde hasty to scheede bloode,
As whylom Cayme geyne Abel was to wood
For he in his offeryng lyste ryȝtfully devide,
Cayme accursed Abel in grace stood,
He hastuth wele þat wysely can abyde.
761
6
Off a nother Salamon bereth wyttenesse,Whech [hastith] faste toward his heritage,
Of coveytyse to gedre grete richesse,
In hope þerby to gete grete avauntage
He maketh his god of tresour & coygnage
What ffolewuth aftur, the schippes seyle wyde,
Such folke alday dye or þer myddyll age,
He hastuth wele þat wysely can abyde.
7
Tryste is not best þat cometh afforne his tyme,Ner hasty clymbynge to grete possession.
Nexte Phebus vpryste þe next oure is prime,
And mydday folewuth by iyste succession.
Caste weel þyn houres by revolucyoun,
Dethys horlage wul not passe his tyde,
Be-war þat complyne, preferre not his sesoun,
He hastuth wele þat wysely can abyde.
8
Hasty blosomes a sodeyne wynde doth [shake]The seluer deuh a-morewe clere schynynge
Wyth bryght bemes of Tytan been vptake,
Or heete of mydmorewe þe mystis doth doun brynge,
And þus his ffareth by hasty vp clymbynge,
Sodeyne rysynge doth sodeynly doun slyde,
Take þe moralite vpon þis worde thynkynge,
He hastuth weel þat wysely can abyde.
9
At prime-tens, men seen hit wel at ye,Hasty ffrutus haue no longe resydens,
Ryght feyre outward þe coore doth putrifye,
Dayly perceyuyd of olde experyence;
Clymbyng of beggers to worldely excellence,
762
What folewuth þerof? Al such false apparence
Though hit schyne outwarde, hit wyl no while abyde.
10
Eche thyng is beeste take in his sesoun,Thend of Auguste disposeth his ventagys,
Caneculer dayes bryng home venyson,
In May & Iune bryddys synge in cagys,
Corn at hervest is brought home by cariagys,
Off hey moneth Iule hath set þe tyde,
In temperat weder men goon on pylgrymagis,
He hastuth well þat wysely can abyde.
11
Asael was hasti of rennyng,More swyft of cours than outher hert or hynde,
Lyste not take of Abner the warnyng,
Sleyne for his hast In Regum as y ffynde,
Troian stori of Patroclus maketh mynde,
When he for hast geyne Hector wolde ryde,
Off presumpcyon his yen were to blynde
He hastuth weel þat wesely can abyde.
12
Furius hast made Hector lese his lyffOf hateful yre, for he ȝaff no credense
Vnto þe dreme of his notable wyff,
Causyng his deth by fatall influence,
Troyus champyoun cheff wall of þer defence,
Geyne Iunoos bydyng allas, why wolde he ryde?
Geyne Parchas sustren is made no resistence,
He hastuth weele þat wysely can abyde.
13
Achylles spere vnwarly made hym bleede,Perced his hert, þe heed was whette so keene,
Fortune quyt hym, ther stoory who lyste reede,
For haste he hadde toward Pollycene,
His deth compasyd by Ercula þe Queene,
763
That deth for deth departed þem betweene,
He hastuth weel þat wysely can abyde.
14
Hasty sechyng & rauaschyng of Heleyne,Whan Paris ryued vp at Citheron,
Maade Erles mortally dysdeyne,
Geyne Troians leyde siege to þer towne,
Looste ther relyquyt called Palladyon,
Froward cheer offeryng to Venes & Cupide,
Causyng the brennyng of ryche Ylion,
He hastuth weel þat wysely can abyde.
15
The amerous haste of Philles who lyste see,For longe abydyng of proude Demophon,
Maade sche was turned to a philbert tree,
And bare philbertis passyng grete ffuson.
Hasti desyris, wyfly affeccion,
Off Penolape recorde of Ovide,
For Vluxes fyl ofte sithes downe,
He hastuth weel þat wysely can abyde.
16
The hasti werres & þe ffurious rageAtwyxe þe tweyne ffamous myghti touns.
Atwene þe Romaynes & cite of Cartage,
Caused in Auffryk grete desolacyouns,
Deth & distruccyon of thre Scipions,
Tytus Lyuyus þer trivmphus wyl not hyde,
Concludyng thus monge all condicions,
That haste is beeste which wysely can abyde.
17
Euer be war of hasti ffrowarde speche,Kepe close þy tonge from rekeles langage,
Geyn hurt of tonges harde to fynde a leche,
764
Swyft of wynge sclaunder doth his message,
And frowarde ffame splayeth his fflyȝt ful wyde.
Good report is best in eueri age,
And haste is best þat wysely can abyde.
18
That hast is good wheche hastuth to vertue,And slouthe is good þat vengaunce doth differre.
Best of all hastus is haste towarde Ihesu,
Haste hym to serue for suche haste may not erre,
Criste brought [in] pees, Sathan brought in werre,
Pursewe for pees, & late pees be þy gyde,
Lette parfyte cherite be þy loode sterre,
Suche haste is beste who can þer-on abyde.
19
In wykkyd haste was neuer founde speede,Slouth to be vengid, men seyne such slouth is good,
Haste to Criste Ihesu meynt with loue & dreede,
Wyth remembraunce he starff apon þe Rood,
And for mankynde spent his presyous blood,
Wyth a scharpe spere persyng thourgh his syde,
To vynqusche Sathan no scheltron is so good,
As Cristus Passion who can þer on abyde.
20
Lerne in ȝouth to proffyte in vertu,Thyn[g]e take in ȝouth hath good impression,
A goode begynnynge requireth a good issu,
A good preamble a good conclusyon,
For vertuous lyff vertuous gwerdon,
His bryght bemes vertu can not hyde;
Haste in all perylys to Cristus Passion,
Embrace þat baner, & do þer-by a-byde.
Explicit quod Lydgate.
765
60. LOOK IN THY MEROUR, AND DEEME NOON OTHIR WIGHT.
1
Toward the eende of ffroosty Ianuarye,Whan watry Phebus had his purpoos take
For a sesoun to sojourne in Aquarye,
And Capricorn hadde vttirly forsake,
Toward Aurora a-morwe as I gan wake
A feldefare ful eerly took hir fliht,
To fore my study sang with hir fetheris blake:
“Look in thy merour and deeme noon othir wiht.”
2
Thouh the Pecok haue wengys briht and sheene,Grauntyd be nature to his gret avayl,
With gold and azour and emeroudis grene,
And Argus eyen portrayed in his tayl,
Berth up his fethrys displayed like a sayl,—
Toward his feet whan he cast doun his sight,
Tabate his pryde ther is no bet counsayll;—
Look in thy merour and deeme noon othir wiht.
3
The kyng of ffoulys moost imperyal,Which with his look percith the fervent sonne,
The Egle, as cheef of nature moost roial,
As oolde clerkys weel devise konne;
To Phebus paleys by flight whan he hath wonne,
What folwith aftir for al his gret[e] myght?
Bit men remembre vpon his fetherys donne;
Look in thy merour and deeme noon othir wiht.
766
4
In large lakys and riveers fressh rennyng,The yelwe Swan famous and aggreable,
Ageyn his deth melodyously syngyng,
His fatal notys pitous and lamentable;
Pleynly declare in erthe is no thyng stable,
His byl, his feet, who[so] look ariht,
In tokne of moornyng be of colour sable;
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
5
The hardy Lioun, of beestys lord and kyng,Whan he sit crownyd as prynce of wyldirnesse,
Alle othir beestys obeye at his biddyng,
As kynde hath tauht hem, ther lady & maistresse;
But natwithstondyng his bestial sturdynesse,
Whan he is moost furyous in his myht,
Ther comyth a quarteyn, seith in his gret accesse,
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
6
The Tigre of nature excellith of swiftnesse,The Lynx with lookyng percith a stoon wal,
The Vnycorn, by musical swetnesse,
Atwen too maydenys is take and hath a fal;
Al wordly thyng turneth as a bal,
The Hert, the Roo, been of ther cours ful liht,
By ther prerogatives, but noon allone hath al;
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
7
Among alle beestys the Leoun is moost strong,Of nature the Lamb hath gret meeknesse,
The Wolff dispoosid by raveyn to do wrong,
The sleihty Fox smal polayl doth oppreesse;
To ffissh in watir the Otir doth duresse,
Greet difference atwix day and nyht,
Lak of discrecioun causeth gret blyndenesse,
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
767
8
Thouh thu have poweer, oppresse nat the porail,Of o mateer was maad ech creature,
Pryde of a tyraunt a sesoun may prevayl,
A cherl to regne is contrary to nature;
No vengable herte shal no while endure,
Extort power nor fals vsurpyd myht,
Lyst for no doctryne nor techyng of Scripture,
Look in ther myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
9
Reyse vp a beggere that cam vp of nouht,Set in a chayer of wordly dignite.
Whan fals presumpcioun is entryd in his thouht,
Hath cleene forgete his stat of pouerte;
An asse, vp reysed vnto the roial see
Off a leoun, knowith nat day fro nyht;
A ffool lyst nat, in his prosperyte,
Look in his myrour and deem noon othir wiht.
10
Thus by a maner of simylitude,Tirauntys lyknyd to beestis ravynous,
Folk that be humble, pleynly to conclude,
Resemble beestys meek and vertuous;
Som folk pesible, som contrarious,
Stoundemel now heuy and now liht,
Oon is froward, anothir is gracious,
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
11
Som man of herte disposed to pryde,By disposicioun of froward surquedye,
Som man may suffre and long tyme abyde,
Som man vengable of oold malencolye;
Som man consvmyd with hate and fals envye,
To hold a quareel whethir it be wrong or riht,
But vnto purpoos this mateer to applye,
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
768
12
No man is cleer withoute som trespace,Blissed is he that nevir did offence,
O man is meeke, anothir doth manace,
Som man is fers, som man hath pacience;
Oon is rebel, anothir doth reuerence,
Som man coorbyd, som man goth vpriht;
Lat ech man cerche his owne conscience,
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
13
Thynges contrary be nat accordyng,A poore man proud is nat comendable,
Nor a fayr saphir set in a copir ryng,
A beggers thret with mouth to be vengable;
Nor fayr behestys of purpoos varyable;
A lordis herte, a purs that peiseth liht;
Outward gay speche, in meenyng disseyvable;
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
14
Som yeue no fors for to be forsworn,Oonly for lucre abraydyng on falsnesse;
Som can dissymele and blowe the bukkys horn,
By apparence of feyned kyndenesse;
Vndir flours of fraudelent fresshnesse,
The serpent dareth with his scalys briht,
Galle vndir sugre hath doubyl bittirnesse,
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
15
Cure nat thy conceyt with no feyned glosys,Som goldene flours have a bittir roote,
Sharp thornys hyd somtyme vndir roosys,
Fowl heyr oppressyd with synamomys soote;
Lat fals presumpcioun pley bal vndir foote,
Torchis comparyd to Phebus beemys briht;
What doth cleer perle on a bawdy boote?
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
769
16
Kynde in hir werkys can hyndre and preferre,Set differencys many moo than oon,
Attwen Phebus and a litel sterre,
Twen a fflynt and a precious stoon;
Twen a dul masoun and Pigmalioon,
Twen Tercites and Hector, a good knyht,
Lat euerey man gnawe on his owne boon,
Look in his myrour and deeme noon othir w[iht].
17
Som man is strong berys for to bynde,Anothir feeble preferryd with prudence;
Oon swyft to renne, anothir comyth behynde;
Oon hath slewthe, anothir diligence:
Som man hath konnyng, lakkith elloquence;
Som hath force, yit they dar nat fiht;
Pees most profiteth with this experience,
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
18
Som man hath bewte, anothir hath goodnesseOon hath ioye, anothir aduersite;
Som man fortune and plentevous ricnesse,
Som man content and glad with pouerte;
Som oon hath helthe, anothir infirmyte;
What euyr God sent, thank hym with al thy myght;
Grucch nat ageyn, and lerne oon thyng of me,
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
19
There is no gardeyn so ful of fressh flouris,But that ther been among som weedys seene;
The holsome roser for al his soote odouris,
Growith on thornys prykyng sharp and keene;
Alcestis flowr, with whit, with red and greene,
770
In stormys dreepith, conseyue what I meene,
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
20
The somerys day is nevir or seelden seyn,With som cleer hayr, but that ther is som skye;
Nor no man erthly so vertuous in certeyn,
But that he may been hyndred by envye;
A voys distwnyd troublith al melodye,
As seyn musiciens which knowe that craft a-riht;
On trewe accoord stant al melodye;
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
21
Comparysouns conceyued in nature,By a moralite of vertuous lyknesse,
Lat euery man doon his besy cure,
To race out pride and sette in first meeknesse,
Geyn covetise compassioun and almesse;
Fro poore peple lat no man turne his siht;
Geyn flesshly lust, chastite and clennesse,
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
22
Off euery man, by repoort of language,Affile thy tunge of trewe affeccioun,
Of hast nor rancour with mouth do no damage,
Restreyne thy corage fro fals detraccioun,
Fro flatrye and adulacioun;
Withstond[e] wrong, susteyne trewthe and riht,
Fle doubilnesse, fraude, and collusioun,
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
23
No man of kynde is moore suspecious,Than he that is moost vicious and coupable,
By cause he halteth and is nat vertuous,
771
A gallyd hors wyl wyncen in a stable,
For noyse of sadlys, heuy outhir liht;
A fool that is by repoort repreeuable,
Shuld look yn his myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
24
That man for vertu may were a dyademe,With stoonys xij remembryd by auctours,
And as a kyng weel crowned he may beene,
That hath no weed growyng among his flours;
Thouh Aprille haue many soote shours,
Fro Iubiter an vnwar thundir liht,
Seith with an hayl fro Sagittaries tours,
Look in thy myrour and deeme noon othir wiht.
25
With vertuous pite and iust compassioun,Rewe on thy neihbour whan he is coupable,
Lat mercy modefie rigerous correccioun,
Alle we be synners thouh God be nat vengable;
We myht nat lyve but he wer merciable,
That his pacience peysed a-doun his riht;
Affore your doomys, ye Iuges moost notable,
Look in your merours or ye deeme any wiht.
26
Set a myrour of hih discreciounTo-fore youre face by polityk governaunce;
Farith faire with them that han contricioun,
And for ther surffetys in herte have repentaunce;
Lat nat your swerd be whet to do vengaunce,
Twen flat and egge thouh shapnesse tokne liht,
The flat of mercy preent in your remembraunce,
Look weel your myrour or ye deeme any wiht.
772
Lenvoye.
Go litel bille withoute title or date,And of hool herte recomaund[e] me,
Which that am callyd Iohn Lydgate,
To alle tho folk which lyst to haue pite
On them that suffre trouble and adversite,
Beseche hem alle that the shal reede a-riht,
Mercy to medle with trouthe and equyte,
Look weel your myrours and deeme noon othir wiht.
Explicit.
61. A SONG OF JUST MESURE.
1
By witte of man al thyng that is contryved,Standith in proporcioun, plainly to conclude,
In old auctours lyke as it is discryved,
Whether it be depnesse or longitude,
Cast out by compas of height or latitude,
By peyse, by nombre, tryed out by equite,
To voyde al errour fro folkis that ben rude,
Nothyng commendyd but it in mesure be.
2
Mesours of musyk bene the spieris nyne,Mevid by mesure with hevenly armony;
Lower in erth compas, squyer, and lyne,
Voyde al errours cause of geometrye;
Sownyng of instrumentis, concorde of mynstralcye,
773
Swetnesse of mesure causith al melodye,
By perfit musyk if it in mesure be.
3
Without mesure may non artificereIn his wirkyng parfitely procede,
Peyntour, steynour, mason, nor carpentere,
Without mesure accomplissh nat in dede;
Where mesure fayleth, wrong wrought is euery dede,
Of thyng to longe the superfluite
Mesure cutte of, and thus who can take heede,
Iche thyng is praysed if it in mesure be.
4
Whan mesure faileth in dome or iugement,Rightwisnes is tourned to woodenesse,
A rigurous iuge, a foltissh president,
With hate and rancour doth his vertu dresse;
Vengeaunce by envye theyre reason doth oppresse;
Whan they ben blynde and can no mesure se,
False rooted malice and cruel wilfulnesse,
Wil suffre no mesure in theyr court to be.
5
[A crownyd asse rude, that can no goode,That wylle play a countarffetyd lyon,
And he allso that is a cherll of blode
Brought vp of naght vnto dominacion;
A Scottysche hare lyke to a fell gryffon,
The lyknesse made contraryous of degre,
In theyr accord is no conuencion,
Nor in ther meethyng ther may no mesure be.]
6
An olde prouerbe, mesour is tresoure,Where mesure faileth is disconuenience;
In rethorik stant no parfite colour,
But if it be conveyed by cadence,
If mesure lak, what vailith eloquence?
774
Of euery craft and of eche scyence,
Receyvith his price, if it in mesure be.
7
[Who that presumythe to make in mytar or prose,Or to accomplyshe matters of poetry,
Withe-oute mesure to endyte texte or glose,
Or usyth his tonge in truthe or flaterye,
Oute of mesur, for to say sooth or ly,
Whan over-mykile is, and grett scarsete,
A mene is best eche man his witt to plye
What-evar he doo, that it in mesure be.]
8
[Temperyd by mesur is every medysyn,Proporcion sent unto the Apotecarie,
Helthe Recuryd, folowynge the doctryne
Ypocras set in his diatary,
Surfatt to mesure is noyous and contrarie,
Wher-by is causyd grett in-fermyte,
In this mattar what sholde I longar tarye,
Wher mesure reygnyth, ther may non exses be.]
9
Where mesure reygnith, subgettis lyve in peas;Roote of discorde is froward tyrannye:
Favour in mesure causith grete incres,
And out of mesure it causith grete envye.
Men must by mesour rigour modifye,
Atwixt love and hate mesure doth equyte;
Wherfor late souerayns vse this policye,
What-euer they do late it in mesure be.
10
Lete men be mesure werk other travaile,Mesoure biddith men do none outrages;
And he that euer of mesure takith counsaile,
775
The coke by mesour sesonyth his potages,
A temperat hete egall in oone degre,
By decoccioun to take theyr avauntages,
Aforn provyded that al in mesure be.
11
Disport with labour among is necessary;Travaile requyrith a recreacioun;
Pees and werre ben thynges ful contrary:
Mesure of eueriche grauntith his season;
Chaunge and diuersite of complexioun
In sundry agees set aduersite,
Nat to glad ne to hevy of condicioun,
But al is wele so it in mesure be.
12
That [play] is goode that causith no damage,Honest disport that causith none hyndryng.
Blessid of God is also that langage,
That kepith his tunge fro froward bakbytyng;
And blessid is he that saith wele of al thyng,
And blissed is he whiche in his pouerte,
List thank God, voyde of al grucchyng,
And doth nothyng but it in mesure be.
13
Late euery man wisely aduertise,He shal agayne receyve suche mesoure,
By egal peyse and in the same wise,
So as he weyeth vn-to his neyghboure;
Be it of hate, fauour, or rancoure;
The gospel tellith, lerne this of me,
So as thow weyest be mercy or rigoure,
The mesure same shal be don to the.
776
62. MESURE IS TRESOUR.
1
Men wryte of oold how mesour is tresour,And of al grace ground moost principall,
Of vertuous lyf[e] suppoort & eek favour,
Mesour conveyeth and governyth all,—
Trewe examplayr and orygynall,
To estaatys of hyll and lowe degree,
In ther dewe ordre, for, in especiall,
Alle thyng is weel so it in mesure be.
2
Mesure is roote of al good policye,Sustir-germayn vnto discrecioun,
Of Poopys, Prelatys, it beryth vp the partye,
Them to conduce in hyh perfeccioun,
To leve in preyour and in devocioun,
Yeve good exaunple of pees and vnite,
That al ther werkys, for shoort conclusioun,
With trewe mesure may commendid be.
3
Al theyr doctryne, nor all ther hoolynesse,Kunnyng, language, wisdam, nor science,
Studye on bookys, in prechyng besynesse,
Almesse-dede, fastyng, nor abstinence,
Clothe the nakyd with cost and dispence,
Rekne alle these vertues, compassioun, and pite,
Avayllith nought, pleynly in sentence
But ther be mesure and parfight charyte.
4
Myghty emp[er]ours, noble wourthy kynges,Pryncis, dukys, erlys, and barounnys,
Ther greete conquestys, ther surquedous rydynges,
But ther be mesure in ther condicyounnys,
That attemperaunce conveye ther renownys,
Rekne vp the noblesse of euery conquerour,
What availlith al ther pocessiounnys,
But ther ende conclude in iust mesure?
777
5
Kyng Alisaundre, that gat al myddyl-erthe,Affryk, Ayse, Ewrope, and eek Ynde,
And slowh Porrus with his dreedful swerde,
Yit in his conquest mesure was set behynde;
For which, ye lordys, lefft vp your eyen blynde!
The stoon of paradys was ffyn of his labour,
In al his conquest, haue ye wel in mynde,
Was sett ferre bak for lak of iust mesure.
6
Knyghthood in Grece and Troye the CiteTook hys principlys, and next in Rome toun,
And in Cartage, a famous greet cuntre,
Recoord of Hanybal and wourthy Scipioun;
The greete debaatys and the divisioun
Among these kyngdammys by marcial labour,
Fynal cause of ther destruccioun,
Was fawte of vertu and lakkyng of mesure.
7
To knyghthood longith the Chirche to suppoorte,Wydewys, and maydenys, and poore folke to diffende,
Men in ther ryght knyghtly to recoumfoorte,
To comoun profight nyght and day entende,
Ther lyff, ther good manly to dispende,
To punysshe extorcioun, raveyne, and ech robbour,
And brynge[n] alle vnto correccioun,
That be froward vnto the iust mesour.
8
Trewe iuges and sergeauntis of the lawe,For hate or frenshippe they shal ther doomys dresse,
With-oute excepcioun, and ther hand with-drawe,
Fro meede and yifftes alle surffetys to represse;
Holde trouthe and sustene rightwisnesse,
Mercy preferre alwey to-for rigour,
That fals for-sweryng haue there noon interesse,
For lak of trouthe and lak of iust mesour.
9
So egally ther doomys to avaunce,Of God and trouthe alwey to takyn hede,
And Cambises to haue in remembraunce,
778
Of poore folk, the causys they shall speede,
To moordre nor theffte they shal doo no favour,
In al ther doomys of conscience to dreede,
That ryght goo not bak, equite, nor mesour.
10
Meyris, sherevys, aldirmen, cunstablys,Which that governe bourghes and citees,
Kepith your fraunchise and statutys profitablys,
That moost avaylle may to the Comountees;
In no wise lese nought your libertees,
Accorde ech man with his trewe neyhbour,
As ye ar bounde to hih and lowh degrees,
That peys and wheyghte be kept, and iust mesour.
11
A-mong yoursilf suffre noon extorcioun,Let no wrong be doo vnto the poraylle,
On theffte and manslaughte doo execucioun,
Beth weel providid for stuff and for vitaylle;
Let no devisioun, Salamon doth counsaylle,
With-inne your-silf holde no socour;
And for a tresour which greetly may avaylle,
Among alle thyng kepe peys and iust mesour.
12
Famous marchauntys, that ferre cuntrees ryde,With al ther greete rychesse and wynnynges,
And artificerys, that at hom abyde,
So ferre castyng in many sundry thynges,
And been expert in wondirful konnyngges,
Of dyvers crafftys tavoyden al errour;
What may avaylle al your ymagynynges,
Withoute proporciouns of weyghte and iust mesour?
13
Rekne vp phesyk with all ther letuaryes,Grocerys, mercerys, with ther greet habundaunce,
Expert surgeyns, prudent potecaryes,
And all ther weyghtes peysed in ballaunce,
Masouns, Carpenterys, of Yngelond and of Fraunce,
779
All set at nought to rekne in substaunce,
Yiff peys or weyghte doo lakke, or iust mesour.
14
Ploughmen, carterys, with othir laborerys,Dichers, delverys, that greet travaylle endure,
Which bern vp all, and haue doon many yeerys,
The staatis alle set here in portrature,
On Goddys wyll, and also by nature,
Alle oon ymage diuers in ther degree,
Shulde be alle oon, by recoord of Scripture,
Be large mesour of parfight charyte.
15
Fro yeer to yeer thexperience is seyn,Ne were the plough no staat myght endure;
The large feeldys shulde be bareyn,
No corn vp-growe nor greyn in his verdure,
Man to suppoorte, nor beeste in his nature,
For which we shulde of trouthe for our socour
Wourshippe the plough, sithe euery creature
Hath of the ploughman his lyffloode be mesour.
16
So as the shepperde wacchith vpon ther sheep,The hoote somyr, the coolde wynterys nyght,
Spiritual heerdys shulde take keep
In Crystes foolde, with al ther ful[le] myght,
By vertuous doctryne as they ar holde of ryght,
To save ther sogettys fro wolvys fell rygour,
That heretikys quenche nat the lyght
Of Crystes feith nor of iust mesour.
17
Heerdys with sheep shul walke in good pasture,And toward nyght sewrly sette a foolde,
Of Isaac and Iacob a ful pleyn figure,
That wer shepperdws whyloom be dayes oolde;
Which lyk prelatys and bysshoppes as I toolde,
Thestaatys here sett in charyte shal governe,
By good exaumple in heete and froostys coolde,
That ryght and mesure shal holde vp the lanterne.
780
18
Strong as Herculees of manhood & of myght,I am set here to stondyn at dyffence,
Wrong to represse, and to suppoorte ryght.
With this burdoun of sturdy violence;
But vnto alle that wyl doo reuerence,
To alle the staatys sett here in portrature,
I shall to hem make no resistence,
That be gouernyd iustly be mesure.
19
Among boorys, beerys, and leounnys,Myn office is to walke in wyldirnesse,
Reste a-nyght in cavys and dongeounnys,
Tyl Phebus shewe a-morwen his bryghtnesse
Now stonde I here to kepe in sekirnesse
This hows in sewyrte, with al my besy cure,
To letyn in folk, that of gentilnesse
Lyst hem governe iustly be measure.
Explicit quod Lydgate.
63. AS A MYDSOMER ROSE.
1
Lat no man booste of konnyng nor vertu,Off tresour, richesse, nor of sapience,
Off wordly support, for al comyth of Ihesu
Counsayl, confort, discrecioun, and prudence,
Prouisioun, forsight, and providence,
781
Somman hath wisdam, somman hath elloquence,
Al stant on chaung, lyke a mydsomyr roose.
2
Holsom in smellyng be the soote fflourys,Ful delitable outward to the sight;
The thorn is sharp, curyd with fressh colouris,
Al is nat gold that outward shewith bright;
A stokfyssh boon in dirknesse yevith a light,
Twen ffair and foul, as God list dispoose,—
A difference atwix[en] day and nyght,
Al stant on chaung, lyke a mydsomyr roose.
3
Floures open vpon euery grene,Whan the larke, messager of day,
Salueth the vprist of the sonne shene
Moost amerously in Apryl and in May,
And Aurora, ageyn the morwe gray,
Causith the dayeseye hir crowne to vncloose;
Worldly gladnesse is medlyd with affray,
Al stant on chaung, like a mydsomyr roose.
4
Atwen the cokkow and the nightyngaleTher is a maner straunge difference.
On fressh braunchys syngith the woode-wale;
Iayes in musyk haue smal experyence,
Chateryng pyes whan they come in presence,
Moost malapert ther verdite to purpoose,
Al thyng hath favour breffly in sentence,
Off soffte or sharp, lyke a mydsomyr roose.
782
5
The roial lioun leete calle a parlement,Alle beestys abowte hym enviroun,
The wolff of malys, beyng ther present,
Vpon the lamb compleyned, ageyn resoun;
Said he maad his watir vnholsom,
His tendir stomak to hyndre and vndespoose;
Raveynours reigne, the innocent is bore doun,
Al stant on chaung, lyk a mydsomer roose.
6
Al wordly thyng braydeth vpon tyme,The sonne chaungith, so doth the pale moone,
The aureat noumbre in kalenderys set for prime,
Fortune is double, doth favour for no boone,
And who that hath with that queen to doone,
Contrariously she wyl his chaunce dispoose.
Who sittith hihest moost like to falle soone,
Al stant on chaung, like a mydsomyr roose.
7
The goldene chaar of Phebus in the hayr,Chasith mystes blake, that day dar not appeere,
At whos vprist mounteyns be made so fayr
As they were newly gilt with his beemys cleere;
The nyht doth folwe, appallith al his cheere,
Whan westerne wawes his streemys ouer-cloose,
Rekne al bewte, al fresshnesse that is heere,
Al stant on chaung, lyke a mydsomyr roose.
783
8
Constreynt of coold makith flours dareWith wyntir froostis, that they dar nat appeere.
Al clad in russet the soyl of greene is bare,
Tellus and Imo be dullyd of ther cheere
By revolucioun and turnyng of the yeere,
As gery March his stoundys doth discloose,
Now reyn, now storm, now Phebus bright & cleere,
Al stant on chaung like a mydsomyr roose.
9
Wher is now Dauid, the moost worthy kyngOf Iuda and Israel, moost famous and notable?
And wher is Salomon moost souereyn of konnyng,
Richest of bildyng, of tresour incomparable?
Face of Absolon, moost fair, moost amyable,
Rekne vp echon, of trouthe make no gloose,
Rekne vp Ionathas, of frenship immutable,
Al stant on chaung lyke a mydsomyr roose.
10
Wher is Iulius, proudest in his empyre,With his tryumphes moost imperyal?
Wher is Pirrus, that was lord and sire
Of Ynde in his estat roial?
And wher is Alisaundir that conqueryd al?
Failed leiser his testament to dispoose.
Nabugodonosor or Sardonapal?
Al stant on chaung like a mydsomyr roose.
11
Wher is Tullius, with his sugryd tonge?Or Crisistomus, with his goldene mouth?
The aureat ditees that be red and songe
784
The tragedyes divers and vnkouth
Of moral Senek, the mysteryes to vncloose?
By many example this mateer is ful kouth,
Al stant on chaung like a mydsomyr roose.
12
Wher been of Fraunce al the dozepeers,Which in Gawle hadde the governaunce?
Vowes of the Pecok, with al ther proude cheers?
The worthy nyne with al ther hih bobbaunce?
Troian knyhtis, grettest of alliaunce?
The fflees of gold, conqueryd in Colchoos?
Rome and Cartage, moost souereyn of puissaunce?
Al stant on chaung, like a mydsomyr roos.
13
Put in a som al marcial policye,Compleet in Affryk and boundys of Cartage,
The Theban legioun example of cheualrye,
At Rodamus Ryuer was expert ther corage,
Ten thousand knyhtes born of hih parage,
Ther martirdam, rad in metre and proose,
Ther goldene crownys, maad in the heuenly stage,
Fressher than lilies, or ony somyr roose.
14
The remembraunce of euery famous knyht,Ground considerid, is bilt on rihtwisnesse.
Race out ech quarel that is not bilt on riht;
785
Lawrer of martirs foundid on hoolynesse,—
Whit was maad red, ther tryumphes to discloose.
The whit lillye was ther chaast clennesse,
Ther bloody suffraunce was no somyr roose.
15
It was the Roose of the bloody feeld,Roose of Iericho, that greuh in Beedlem;
The five Roosys portrayed in the sheeld,
Splayed in the baneer at Ierusalem.
The sonne was clips and dirk in euery rem
Whan Crist Ihesu five wellys lyst vncloose,
Toward Paradys, callyd the rede strem,
Off whos five woundys prent in your hert a roose.
Explicit.
64. A PRAISE OF PEACE.
1
Mercy and Trouthe mette on an hih mounteyn,Briht as the sonne with his beemys cleer
Pees and Iusticia walkyng on the pleyn,
And with foure sustryn moost goodly of ther cheer,
List nat departe, nor severe in no maneer,
Of oon accoord by vertuous encrees,
Ioyned in Charite, pryncesses moost enteer,
Mercy and Trouthe, Rihtwisnesse and Pees.
786
2
Misericordia, ground and originalOf this processe Pax is conclusioun
Rihtwisnesse, of vertues pryncipal,
The swerd to modefye of execucioun
With a sceptre of discrecioun,
Ther sustir Equitas wil put hir silf in prees
Which with hir noble mediacioun
Sette alle vertues in quiete and in pees.
3
In this woord Pax, ther be lettrys thre,P set to-forn for polityk Prudence,
A for Augmentum, and moore Auctorite,
X for Χρυς moost digne of reverence,
Which on a cros, by mortal violence
With blood and watir wrot by a relees
Of our trespacys, and for ful confidence
With hym to regne in his eternal pees,
4
An inward pees ther is eek of the herte,Which callid is a pees of conscience,
A pees set outward, which that doth averte
To wordly tresours with to gret dilligence;
Glad pees in pouert, groundid on pacience,
Professyd to which was Diogenees,
Which gruchyd nevir for noon indigence
Such as God sent, content in werre and pees.
5
Ther is also a pees contemplatifOf parfiht men in ther professioun,
As som that leede a solitary lif
In fastyng, prayng, and devout orisoun
Visite the poore, and of compassioun
Nakyd and needy, and hungry socourlees,
And poore in spirit, which shal haue ther guerdoun
With Crist to regne in his eternal pees.
787
6
Pees is a princesse, douhtir to Charite,Kepyng in reste cites and roial touns,
Folk that be froward, set in tranquyllite,
Monarchies and famous regiouns
Pees preseruyth them from divisiouns,
As seith the philisophre, callid Socratees,
A-mong alle vertues makith a discripcioun
He moost comendith this vertu callid pees.
7
Pees is a vertu pacient and tretable,Set in quyet discoord of neihbours,
Froward cheerys pees makith amyable,
Of thorny roseers pees gradrith out the flours,
Makith the swerd to ruste of conquerours
Provided by poeetys, nat slouh nor reklees,
And mediacioun of wise enbassitours,
The spere, maad blont, brouht in love and pees.
8
And who that list plente of pees possede,Live in quyete fro sclaundre and diffame,
Our Lord Ihesus he muste love and drede,
Which shal preserve hym fro wordly trouble & shame,
This woord Ihesus in Nazareth took his name,
Brouht by an angil, which put hym silf in prees,
Whan Gabriel cam, the gospeleer seith the same,
Brouht gladdest tydynges þat evir was of pees.
9
And in reioisshyng of this glad tydyngAngelis song devoutly in the ayr
Gloria in excelsis at comyng of this kyng,
And thre kynges hauyng ther repayr
With a sterre that shoon so briht and fayr
Brouht hem to Bedleem, a place that they chees,
Of ther viage brouht out of dispayr,
Where, poorly loggyd, they fond the kyng of pees.
788
10
Briht was the sterre ovir the dongoun moostWher the Heuenly Queen lay poorly in iesyne,
With the seven douhtren of the Hooly Goost
On hire awaytyng, moodir and virgine,
Tofore whos face lowly they did enclyne,
Song Laudes Deo pastores doutlees,
Fyl doun to ground, bowyd bak and chyne,
And of ther song the refreit was of pees.
11
Of thes seven douhtren of the Hooly Goost,Caritas in love brente briht as levene,
And for bicause that she lovyd moost,
Hir contemplacioun, rauht vp to the heuene.
The next sustir in ordre, as I can nevene,
Was Pacience, which put hir silf in prees,
And moost was besy of alle the sustryn sevene
Folk at discoord to settyn hem in pees.
12
Gaudium in Spiritu to reiosshe euery wrong,For Cristes comyng among her sustrys alle,
With a glad spirit this was hir newe song,
Gaudete in Domino, born in an oxis stalle,
A newe myracle in Bedleem is now falle,
Kyng Dauid-is heir mong prophetis perlees,
Shal at Ierusalem in that royal halle
As lord of lordys callyd souereyn lord of pees.
13
In thes seven sustryn was no divisiounCheef of ther consayl wac Humylitas,
Content with litel was Discrecioun,
Moost meke of alle was Leta Paupertas,
Alle of accord, cause that Benignitas
Set governaunce, that none was reklees,
Of cardinal vertues perfecta societas,
What-evir they wrouhte, concludid vpon pees.
789
14
Thes sustryn alle, pacient and pesible,Lyk ther princesse, moost fayr, moost gracious,
Callyd Maria, as ferre as was posible
Fulfilled with vertues she was moost plentevous,
Queen of Hevene lay in a symple hous,
A poore stable mong beestys rewleless
An oxe, an asse, no courseers costious,
In a streiht rakke lay ther the Kyng of Pees.
15
At Cristes birthe, as I reherse can,This pees cam in almoost at merk mydnyht,
Tyme of thempyre of Octovian,
Whan Sibile cast hir look vpriht
Toward the Orient, and sauh an auhteer briht
Callyd Ara Celi, of beute peerlees,
Theron an empresse, moost fayr of face and siht,
A child in hir armys, callyd cheef Lord of Pees.
16
This pees of grace long while did endure,Tyme that iij. kynges wer conveyd with the sterre,
Tyl Herodes, of froward aventure,
Geyn Ihesus by malys gan a werre,
Sent his knyhtes both[e] nyh and ferre,
Slouh Innocentys, of malys giltlees,
In Bedleem boundys this Tyraunt list so erre,
Ageyn the prynce callyd souereyn Lord of Pees.
17
This Herodis, tiraunt ful of pryde,In his malys surquedous and cruel,
Thoruh alle the citees that stood there be-syde,
Slouh alle the childre, geyn Crist he was so fel;
Of compassioun moost pitously Rachel
Wepte whan she sauh the knyhtes mercilees,
Slouh so hir childre, born in Israel,
For his sake souereyn Lord of Pees.
790
18
Ther be figures dolorous of pite,Of fals tyrauntes vengable to do wraak,
Caym slouh Abel for his gret equite,
Attwen Ismael was stryff and Isaak,
Esaw wolde haue founde a laak
Cause that Iacob was put out of prees,
By Rebecca a while set a-baak,
Atwen the brethre, tyl ther wer maad a pees.
19
The Apocalips remembryd of seyn Iohn,In his avisiouns the Ewangelist took heede,
With a sharp swerd he sauh ridyng Oon,
Fers and proudly vpon a poleyn steede,
Of colour reed, his iourne for to speede,
By his array vengable and reklees,
Whos power was bothe in lengthe and breede
To make werre and distroye pees.
20
His swerd wex bloody in the mortal werre,Attween Grekys and them of Troye toun,
Gan spreede abrood, bothe nyh and ferre,
Thebes aforn brouht to destruccioun,
Kyng Alisaundre put Darye doun,
In Perce and Meede, the crowne whan he chees,
Vowes of the Pecok, the Frenssh makith mencioun,
Pryde of the werrys moost contrary vnto pees.
21
Othir werrys, that were of latter age,Afftir Ierusaleem and gret Babiloon,
Werrys attween Roome and Cartage
Of thre Scipiouns, moost souereyn of renoun,
Rekne Hanybal, the proude champioun,
Brak Rome wallys, furyous and reklees,
At the laste stranglyd with poisoun,
Of marcial ire koude lyve nevir in pees.
791
22
Al werre is dreedful, vertuous pees is good,Striff is hatful, pees douhtir of plesaunce,
In Charlys tyme ther was shad gret blood,
God sende vs pees twen Ynglond and Fraunce;
Werre causith povert, pees causith habundaunce,
And attween bothen for ther moor encrees,
Withoute feynyng, fraude, or varyaunce,
Twen al Cristene Crist Ihesus send vs pees.
23
The Fifte Herry preevyd a good knyht,By his prowesse and noble chivalrye,
Sparyd nat to pursue his riht,
His title of Fraunce and of Normandye,
Deyed in his conquest, and we shall alle dye,
God graunt vs alle, now aftir his discees,
To sende vs grace attween ech partye,
By loue and charyte, to live in parfiht pees:
24
Criste cam with pees at his Natiuite,Pees songe of angelis for gladnesse in Bedleem,
And of his mercy to make vs alle fre,
He suffryd deth at Ierusaleem,
The day wex dirk, the sonne lost his beem,
The theef to Paradys by mercy gan in prees,
Gladdest kalendis to euery Cristen reem,
For vs to come to evir-lastyng pees.
Explicit quod Lydgate.
792
65. RYME WITHOUT ACCORD
1
All thyng in kynde desirith thyng i-like,But the contrary hatis euery thyng,
Save only mankynd can neuer wele lyke,
Without he have a volumus livyng,
Flesshly desire, and gostly norisshyng,
In oone persone can neuer be wrought,
Fuyre and water, to-gyder al brennyng,
It may wele ryme, but it accordith nought.
2
A man that vsith to serve lordis twayne,The whiche holdith contrary to oone oppynioun,
To please hem both, and serve no disdayne,
And to be triewe, without touche of treasoun,
Now to talk with that oon, and with that other rowne,
To telle hym a thyng that neuer was [i]-wrought,
And to bryng this to a goode conclusioun,
It may wele ryme, but it accordith nought.
3
A myghti kyng, a pore regioun,An hasty hede, a comunalte nat wise,
Mikel almes-dede and false extorcioun,
Knyghtly manhod, and shameful cowardise,
An hevenly hevene, a peyneful paradise,
A chast doctryne with a false thought,
First don on heede, and sithen witte to wise,
It may wele ryme, but it accordith nought.
4
Freely to spende and to folwe covetise,To se burgyons on a dede drye stok,
A gay temple withoute divyne service,
A byrdles cage, a key withouten lok,
A tombe shyppe alway ridyng on a rok,
A riche bisshop convauncyd with right noght;
And to bryng this to a goode [OMITTED]
It may wele ryme, but it accordith nought,
793
5
To have a galle, and be clepid a douffe,To be my friend, and gyve me false counsaile,
To breke myn hede, and yeve me an houffe,
To ben a prist, and fight in eche bataile,
To lye in bedde, and a strong castel to assaile,
To be a merchaunt, where nothyng may be bought,
To have a wyf with a fikel tayle,
It may wele ryme, but it accordith nought.
6
A prowde hert in a beggers brest,A fowle visage with gay temples of atyre,
Horrible othes with an holy prist,
A iustice of iuges to selle and lete to hyre,
A knave to comande and have an empire,
To yeve a iugement of that neuer was wrought,
To preche of pees and sette eche man on fyre,
It may wele ryme, but it accordith nought.
7
A leche to thryve where none is sore ne sike,An instrument of musyk withouten a sown,
A scorpion to be both mylde and meke,
A cloyster man euer rennyng in the towne,
First to kille and sith to graunt pardoun,
To yeve a stone to hem that of brede the besought,
To make a shippard of a wielde lyoun,
It may wele ryme, but it accordith nought.
8
A lewde wrecche to were a skarlet gowne,With blac lamb furre without purfile of sable,
A goode huswyf alwey rennyng in towne,
A chield to thryve that is vnchastisable,
But euer inconstaunte and lightly chaungeable,
To make moche of them that neuer wol be [o]ught,
And take a Rome Renner without a lesyng fable,
It may wele ryme, but it accordith nought.
9
Religioun men alway wonnyng in the court,Also curatis evil ther children to love,
To be forsworn they hold it but a bord,
794
The riche man cherissith the poore to robbe and reve,
Hym to disseyve that of trust the besought,
To hele dede men with gresse on the greve,
It may wele ryme, but it accordith nought.
10
To do reddour alwey without grace or mercy,A powche ful of straw, a prowde purs penyles,
Trew tayled land ayenst the right to bye,
A blynde borne man to pley wele at chesse,
First to dyne and after go to messe,
A chield without noryce to be vpbrought,
To kepe trewe weight and selle peper by gesse,
It may wele ryme, but it accordith nought.
11
Now almighti God, sith it is as thow wost,Among mankynd made suche variaunce,
Send downe thy sonde from the Holi Gost,
And festen in vs love and concordaunce;
And with suche dedis, Lord, thow vs avaunce,
That we be neuer streyned with worme nor mought,
And bryng vs al to thyn enheritaunce,
With thi precious bloode, as thow vs bought.
795
66. SAY THE BEST, AND NEVER REPENT.
[Ballade.]
1
Who seith the best shal neuer repent,A vertu callid of full grete reuerens;
For euery wiseman, to saue hym from reprefe,
Doth kepe his tong fful couert in scilens;
And men that bith most expert in prudens
Seyn of old tyme, that “tong brekith boone,”
Of his nature, “though he hymself haue none.”
2
Crokid langage is a ful perilous thefe,Robbith the fame of vertuous innocens,
Take the darnel and cast corn fro the sheffe,
Sugurat gall with aureat eloquens,
Noise of disslaunder is wers þan pestilens,
Which comyth of tonges as men se mo þan oon,
And brekyth bonys though he hymself haue none.
3
Hit were bettir he fed hym on raw [befe],Than with his slaundir mortal violens,
So for to sett his venym at a prefe,
To hurt a man which is not in presens,
And faile treacle to make resistens;
Ageyn such tonges as persse vnto þe boone,
Of their nature, þou þei hamself haue none.
4
Of viceȝ al, to seyn euyl is the chef,That maybe told or rekenyd in sentens,
For cankerid mouthis doth most mortal grefe,
Namly when princeȝ list to yeue hem audiens,
For slaughtyr of sword doth not so grete offens
As mordir of tonges, expert of yore agone,
For he brekith bonys though he himself haue none.
796
5
He gaderith vp the vicious relefeOf menneȝ maners be froward diligens,
Disseuerith frendship of folk þat were most lefe,
And cuttith asondir theire old benevolens,
For ech fals tong hath þis, of experiens,
Ageyn eche vertu to abutt anoone,
Thus brekith he bonys, and hymself hath none.
[Text.]
6
When the siluer deweȝ soteFrom the heuyn down gan still
To bryng the bawme oute of the rote,
Aftyr kalendes of Aprill,
Within a park I found a bill
Vndir a bank beside a bent,
Directid to folk þat lyst speke yll,
“Who seith the best shall neuer repent.”
7
To sey the best, hit greuyth nought,Both of folkes hiegh and low,
Lete the trouth be first out sought,
And deme no man till þou hym know;
Among good greyn no cockill sow
To peyr no man in thyn entent,
A foole hath redy bent his bow
To shete his bolt, till he repent.
8
For in this world þer is no man,Where so a man to list fer sech,
Nor so vertuous no woman,
But may be hynderid be cursid spech
Venym of tung doth grete wrech,
And al þat euer þer-to assent,
For with þis lesson I wil hym tech,
“Who seith the best shal neuer repent.”
797
9
Alas, fals conspiracion,Hath hynderid many a creature,
Vnkynd subplantacion,
Who may the sore ther-of endure?
The wound ther-of hath no mesure,
Hit perssith deppir þan doth a tent,
Take heed, therfore, to this scripture,
“Who seith the best shal neuer repent.”
10
A word, when hit is onys i-spooke,May not be callid ayen of new;
When tonges arn to wyde vnlooke,
Hit makith many man to rew.
Theire spech is clad in dowbill hwe
To compace thynges þat neuer was ment,
Thei slaundir falsly folkes trew,
Ho seith the best shal neuer repent.
11
Most perilous hurt þat is on lyueAs inward smytyng at the bak,
A bacbiter for to discryue
Behynd folk he doth most wrak.
On folk absent he settith a bak,
Of such as be most innocent;
Of lesinges so i-stuffid is his sak,
That folkes welfare he doth repent.
12
And tho tunges be most to witeThat for suger yeuyn gall
Ageyn good wol hamself delite
To sey the worst in boure and hall,
And to eclipsyn and apall
Ech thyng be appeyrment
Therfore I sey to one and all
Who seith þe best shal neuer repent.
13
Caton writith þat good tungOf vertuous hath the first price,
No man may stop whan thei be rong,
798
A slaundir of one goth vp so suyse,
By fals report or iugement;
Therfore folk[es] þat be wise,
To sey the best shal neuer repent.
14
There is som tong can mater ffynd,Afore folk to fflatyr and glose,
And cursidly can sey behynd,
And of fals slaundir his sak vnclose,
Resemblyng and braydyng on a rose,
Outward fayre, and thorn in his entent,
Wherfore late ech man hym dispose
To sey wele, and he shal neuer repent.
15
Ther was on callid Diotropes,Of whom Seynt Iohn makith mencion;
Whois tong couth neuer be in pees
But brought folk at discencion,
With fals spech and detraxcion,
For ech mannys tong was rent,
Wherfore ech of such condicion
Were good to chaunge lest he repent.
16
Many a lady and princesseOf hiegh estate, and many a maide
Tonges haue brought in heuynesse,
Th[r]ough slaundir of tong falsly seid,
And where the venym doth abreid
Of recles tonges necligent,
Therfore, remembr the on þat I seid,
“Who seith þe best shal neuer repent.”
17
Salamon be writyng berith record,He had abhominacion
Of tonges þat shew fals discord,
Among folkes by diuysion;
By hois cursid conclusion
799
Therfore lern in this lesson,
Who seith þe best shal neuer repent.
18
Sey the best of more and lesseOf low also and hiegh estate,
Lete not langage to sone passe
Nor bryng no folkes at debate.
To their name sey not chekmate,
Speke not withoute avisement
But lern this word, erly and late,
“Who seith the best shal not repent.”
19
Good seing doth ful greete plesaunce,To God truly and to ech man.
Ther folowith þer-of no repentaunce
Who to hym first þat slaundir ganne.
The poison fro the Deuyll out-ranne
Rote and branch fro hym oute went,
Therfore þe best reed þat I canne,
To sey wele and hit neuer repent.
20
Ther is no wers þat thei þat most deme,Ne more lewdir in theire lyuyng,
For with a circumstaunce thei make to seme,
Wele trewir in tast þan euer was trew thyng.
And al is long in cursid fauoryng
Of them þat lust hire of such oblocucion,
Almyghty Ihesu, heuyn kyng,
Staunch cruel tonges and fals detraxion.
21
Nature of God askith vengeaunceOn falshed and vnkyndnes,
For þer is neithir sword nor launce
So whet to kerue with sharpnes,
As tonges ful of doubylnes,
For all the world with hem is shent,
Therefore, for most sekyrnes,
Who seith þe best shal neuer repent.
Et ibi finis Inde.
800
67. SEE MYCHE, SAY LYTELL AND LERNE TO SOFFAR IN TYME.
1
See myche, say lytell, & lerne to soffar in tyme;Emprynte thes thre in thy remembraunce.
Lyke as the mone chaungith a-fore the pryme
So faryth this worlde, replett with variaunce.
Ofte lewde langage cawsyth gret distaunce,
Wherefore wyse Caton seythe to olde and yonge,
“The first cheffe vertwe is to kepe oure tonge.”
2
So wolde God, that thes fals tonges allMovynge and clappyng lyke þe leffe of aspe,
Whos daly venym more bittar is then galle,
Were bounden eche one & closed with a claspe
Tyll trwthe & temparaunce lyst them to wnhaspe;
For falce detractyon, lesyng, and slaundar
Hathe slayne more people then dyde kynge Alisander!
3
Yff in this lyffe thow wilt encrese & echeThy worldely ioye, thyne ease, and thyn welfare,
Be well avysed at all tymes of thy speche,
And safe the sure frome Sathan and his snare.
Ofte fals report of tonges kyndels care;
Wherfore in spekynge at no tyme is he ydell
That can his tonge att alle tymes wyselye brydell.
4
A lytell sparke ofte sette a tonne a-fyreBut when it [brennythe], it is not lyghtely quent.
O worde myse spoken may bringe the in the myre.
801
A falce tonge may floryshe well and peynt
As for a while, but evar the end is shame;
And wo is hym whos tonge hath lost his name.
5
Lytell medelynge causeth quiete & rest;Ovar busy was nevar yet commendable.
Loke where thow art in dout, & deme þe best,
Dele not with dobblenesse, ne be not dessayvable,
Recheles and rakle ar offt tymes reprevable;
Wherfore, thy self and thow wolt kepe fro cryme,
Se myche, sa[y] lytell, and lerne to suffar in tyme.
Explicit (Lidgat)
68. EVERY THING TO HIS SEMBLABLE.
“A NATURAL BALADE BY LYDEGATE.”
Here nowe followeþe a balade ryal made by Lidegate
affter his resorte to his religyon with þe refrayde
howe every thing draweþe to his semblable.
1
Trete every man as he is disposed;With holy men entrete of holynesse,
Þambissyous man loveþe to be glosed,
Þe marcyal prynce to here of hys prowesse,
Þe hardy knight of werre and worþynesse,
Þe rightful iuge to make heos doomes stable,
Þamorous squyer relesse of his distresse,
Thus every thing draweþe to his semblable.
802
2
The conqueror reioyeþe heos victoriesAnd heos tryvmphus gladde in his entent,
Þastrologier of heos aquatories
With þastrelabur to take þascendent,
Moeving of sterres, coursse of þe firmament,
Constillacions for to make hem greable,
By influence doune frome heven sent
Þus every thing draweþe to his semblable.
3
Philosofres trete of philosophye,With þe marchande of tresore and richchesse,
And with þe poete entreteþe of poesye,
With gentylemen entrete of gentylesse,
And serve þe ruyde affter þeire rudynesse,
Who correyþe horsse resorteþe to þe stable,
Plowman in tilthe settþe al his besynesse,
Þus every thinge draweþe to his semblable.
4
Men þat beon entirde into religyounEntrete and talke of þeire obedyence,
Musyssyen of instrument and sovne,
Rethorien of craffte of elloquence,
Þe vercefyour of metres and cadence,
Geometryen sette markis covenable,
By squyre and compas to showe evydence,
Howe every thing draweþe to his semblable.
5
Þe smyth in forging, þarmorier in aremure,In steele tryinge he cane al þe doctryne,
By crafft of Ewclyde mason doþe his cure,
To suwe heos mooldes ruyle, and his plumblyne,
Þe craffty ffynour cane þe golde wele fyne,
803
Maþe saphyres, rubyes, on a foyle to shyne,
Þus every þing draweþe to his semblable.
6
Þalknamystre treteþe of myneralles,And of metalles þe alteracyouns,
Of sulphur, mercury, of alomys, of sallis,
And of þeire sundry generacyouns,
And what is cause in þeire comixstyons,
Why somme beo clene, some leprous, and not able,
Fixing of spirites with sublymacions,
Þus every thing draweþe to his semblable.
7
In ryche colours delyteþe þe peyntour,Þe ymageour in ymages of entayle,
And in proporcion reioyeþe þe steynour,
Þe brouderer in vnkouþe apparayle.
Þe man of armes in plate and stronge mayle,
Þe tayllours slye, to shewe hemself notable,
In nuwe devyse [to] Fraunce, Duche, and Ytayle,
Þus every thinge draweþe to his semblable.
8
Of waters demyng þe phisicyen,Of þe comfytes þexspert appoticarye,
Of þemplastres treteþe þe surgen,
Of moderate dyete as þe yeere doþe varye,
Þe famous clerk haþe ioye of his librarye,
As for tresore to him mooste acceptable,
Grossiers of baales and divers letwarie,
Þus every thing draweþe to his semblable.
9
Þe besye hunter is gladde to fynde game,Þe fissher leyþe heos nettis and heos dragges,
Þe foouler murþerþe þe wylde with þe tame,
804
With hevy lumpes to stuffe heos large bagges,
Selleþe hem for money whane þey beo chargeable,
Þe turffman turff, þe ffenman [delvith] flagges,
Þus every thing draweþe to his semblable.
10
Prevydent husbandes done þeire dilygenceThorowe oute þe yeere þeire saysouns for to knowe,
Devoyding slouþe and froward necgligence,
To cheese þeire tymes whane þei shal eyre or sowe,
Þeire haye, þeire corne, to repe, bynde, or mowe,
Sette oute þeire falowes, pastures, and lande ayreable,
Governe þeire hyrdes affter þe wynde doþe blowe,
Þus every thing draweþe to his semblable.
11
[The gardyner in erbis and in rootis,The laborer doth hegge about his croft,
The cordewaner on sundry shone and bootis,
And on the last for to tourne hem oft,
The curriour on ledres hard and soft
To the weryng to make hem profitable.
Plummers on stieplis and towris clymming aloft,
Thus euery thyng drawith to his semblable.]
12
Þe glover casteþe to make heos gloves sheyte,Þat þey sitte streyte vppon þe mans hande,
Þe marynier amonge þe wawes weete,
Holdeþe his coursse to many vnkouþe lande,
By the streytes of Marroke and many dredful sande,
And ryde on ankre tyed with many a cabull,
Til þey arryve and reste hem on þe strande,
Þus every thinge draweþe to his semblable.
805
13
Wevinge of clooþe, of wol, and eke of lyne,In bookis olde as men may rede and see,
Was one þe first as autours do termyne,
Of þe seven crafftes called mechanycee,
And Cayme was first þat bylde feire citee,
By masonry[e] made it defensable,
And sloughe Abel of hateful cruweltee,
Þus every thing draweþe to his semblable.
14
Þe pyebaker leteþe heos pyes blode,With stobul-geesse selleþe garlec dere,
Þe vynter, gladde of vendages goode
Of beestis fatte reioyeþe þe bochier,
Parkis replenisshed gladeþ þe parker,
And in comparysoun of thinges comporable,
Þe ffatter conyes þe gladder þe wariner,
Þus every thing draweþe to his semblable.
15
Þe mighty archier in bowes that beo stronge,In craffty takle boosteþe þe fflechcher,
Þe ioynours of bourdons, of speres [round and longe],
In feyre knyves gladeþe þe cuttiller,
Of sharp swerdes þe ffourbour garnisshed clere
Made for þe werre of proef vnreprevable,
Champyoun ful gladde, withouten pere,
Þus every thing draweþe to his semblable.
16
Þe chappechirche þe persone cane deceyve,Þe fals and coveytous acorded be,
Þe patrouns to permute lycence to resceyve,
806
Frome þeire prelate comþe þavctorite,
Archedens and denys þer to beo favourable,
Þey alle acorde vppon duplicyte,
Þeos folkes alle drawen to þeire semblable.
17
At sessyons and assyses þere moste cheef,Iurours al redy þere, for-sworne for mede,
To honge þe truwe and save þerrant theef,
Tendyte preestis of God þey haue no drede,
Þe belleweder to fore þe daunce doþe lede,
Echone acurst in conscyence ful coupable,
Ley hande on booke þe Sysour taþe none hede,
For every thing draweþe to his semblable.
18
A shrewed payer maþe muche longe delaye,With fals byhestis and fals flatterye,
Ay gladde to borowe and looþe ageine to paye,
He haþe of custume where he cane best aspye,
Where men haue golde, þider wol he hye,
Creaunce on weddis with face receyvable,
And feyrest speker whane he casteþe to lye,
Þus every thing draweþe to his semblable.
19
Gladde is þe larke Aurora to salue,Þe nightingale on cedres for to singe,
Gladde is þe mawvys as it is til him duwe,
Kalendes of [Aprill and of May to] brynge,
Gladde is þe throstel whane þe floures spring[e]
807
For ioye þey proigne hem evyry mor[we]nyng
Þus every thing draweþe to his semblable.
20
Gladde beo beestis to walke in þeire pasture,Þe raveynous wolff and þe stowte lyoun,
Þe swyfft tygre his ravyne to recure,
And for to stynge glad is þe scorpyoun,
So to devowre wol þe foule dragoun,
Ay of his kynde þe serpent to vengeable,
And þus of natural inclynacyoun,
Every thing draweþe to his semblable.
21
[Iren is drawer] of þademantes stone,Þe gootis blode dissolveþe it of nature,
Þe mighty Achate, auctours seyne eche one,
Of heos enemys doþe victorye recure
Þus of kynde here every creature,
Reioyseþe him, soþely it is no fable,
His owen place of nature holdþe most sure
And causeþe him to drawe to his semblable.
22
Man was ordeynde talyved in Paradys,Til he was founde frowarde of entente,
Lefft Goddes heeste, þerfore he was not wyse,
And gaf his credence to a fals serpente,
Forsoke his dwelling aboffe the firmament,
Chase eorþely thinges of nature corumpable,
And was frowarde by fals avysement
Til drawe to God, to whome he was semblable.
808
23
God gaf to man hevenly intelligenceWith heos aungelles þat beon so hye in heven,
Feoling with beestis more excellence,
Lyving with trees as clerkis cane it neven,
Knowing of ellementis þe thondres leven,
Beinge with stoones excepte he is chaungeable,
To knowe þe Kyng above þe sterres seven
Sith He to hem of nature is semblable.
24
Þe heven ordeynde for folke contemplatyff,Þe worlde for men þat þereindwelle,
As fore deserte here in þis present lyff
Þe goode gone vp, þe curssed drawe to helle,
Affter þeire merytes eche shal haue his celle;
O Lorde of Lordes, þat art so mercyable,
In Paradys graunte vs drynke of þe welle,
Whiche to þyne ymage madest man semblable.
25
Lyfft vp þyne eyeghe, man, and have rewarde,Vnto þat lord þat is þy saveour,
Þyne hertes looke caste not bakwarde,
Which with his bloode was þy redemptour,
Made þee of nought and was þy creatour,
Of his gret mercy which is incomporable.
Prerogatyff moste souereine of honour,
Vn-to his ymage list make þee semblable.
Explicit.
809
69. THAT NOW IS HAY SOME-TYME WAS GRASE.
Here begyneth a balade whych Iohn Lydgate the
Monke of Bery wrott & made at þe commaundement
of þe Quene Kateryn as in here sportes she
wallkyd by the medowes that were late mowen in the monthe of Iulij.
1
Ther is full lytell sikernesHere in this worlde but transmutacion,
The sonne by þe morowe gyvyth bryghtnes,
But towardes eve his bemes gon downe.
And thus all thynge, be revolucion,
Nowe ryche, now pore, now haut, now base,
By resemblaunce to myn opynyon,
That now is heye some tyme was grase.
2
Take hede nowe in this grene mede,In Apryll howe thes floures sprynge,
And on theyr stalke splaye and sprede
In lustye May in eche mornynge;
But whan Iuyn cometh, the ben droppynge,
And sharpe sythes lygge them full base,
Therfore I seye, in my wrytynge,
That nowe is heye som tyme was grasse.
3
Thes rede roses and the whyteAt mydsomer bene full fresche & soote,
Then folke gretly them delyte
To them to smelle for hertes bote;
Then sone a geyne in-to theyr rote
The bawme of them is brought full base,
Theyr vertwe lythe than vndar fote,
That nowe is hey som tymes was gras.
810
4
In somer men here the nyghtyngalle,And fele fowles in theyr armonye,
Erly and late on hylle and vale
That makyn full hevenly melodye;
But in wyntar, who lyst aspye,
Theyr lowde songe is browght full base,
By whiche ensample I may applye
That now is heye some tyme was grase.
5
Ther may nothynge here longe contynueFor to endure in his freshenys,
The whelle so turnythe of Dame Fortune
By chaungynge of her doublenes,
For olde defasethe all fayrenys,
And all beawtie bryngyth full base.
So here a sample and a lyknes
That now is heye some tyme was grase.
6
Wymen that bene most freshe of faceAnd moste lusty in all theyr corage,
Proses of yeres can all defface,
And chaunge the colours of theyr vysage,
“Chekemate to beawtye,” seyth rymplyd age,
When theyr fayrnys is browght full base;
Behold ensample in yowr passage
That now is hey some tyme was grase.
7
Whilome full feyre was Polixene,So was Creseyde; so was Helene
Dido also of Cartage quene,
Whos beaute made many one pleyne;
But dethe came laste and can dysteyne
Their freshenes, and made them full base,
Youre remembraunce let not disdeyne,
That now is heye some tyme was gras.
811
8
Hester was fayrest on to seHer tyme of most excellence,
And Gresylde surmontynge of beaute,
But she and all her pacience
Wer buryed with dethes violence,
And in her grave brought full base,
Wherfore have evar in yowr advartence
That now is hey some tym was grase.
9
Remembre vpon the Worthi Nyne,Of Kynge David and of Iosue,
The whiche in knyghthod deden shyne,
Forget not Iudas Machabe,
What was the fyne of all thes thre,
When dethe hade brought theyr poure base,
By whiche ensample yow may se
That nowe is heye sometyme was grase.
10
Hector of Troy, and Iulius,And Alisandar most myghty kynge,
The story of them tellyth thus,
For all theyr conquest and rydynge,
For all theyr ryches and gederynge,
Dethe made them to be layd full base,
Remembre therfore in thy thynkyng,
That now is hey some tym was gras.
11
Arthur, most worthy of renowne,And Charls, the myghty emperowre,
And good Godfray of Bolyoune,
Of knyghthod clepyd susteynoure,
What was the fyne of theyr laboure?
Whan dethe provyens hath brought base,
But for to shewe that everyche floure,
That nowe is heye some tyme was grase.
12
Nowe it is day, nowe it is nyght;Nowe it is fowlle, nowe it is feyre;
Nowe it is derke, nowe it is lyght;
812
Nowe hope in luve, nowe false dispayre;
Nowe on the hylle, now brought full base;
Nowe clymben hiegh vppon the steyre,
That nowe is heye some tyme was grase.
13
Nowe clothed in blake, nowe clothed in grene;Nowe lustye, nowe in sobernes;
Now clothe of golde that shynyth shene,
Nowe rede, in token of hardynes,
Nowe all in white, for clennes,
Nowe sise, nowe synke, nowe ambbes aas;
The chaunce stondes in no stabulenes,
That now is hey some tyme was grase.
14
Nowe thes tres blosome and blome,Nowe the leves fade and falle;
Nowe suger, nowe swete synamome,
Nowe tryakle, nowe bytar galle;
Nowe yowthe, nowe age þat dothe apall;
Nowe ioye, nowe myrthe, nowe alas;
And thynke a-mongest thes chaungis all
That nowe is heye: some tyme was gras.
15
Nowe men reioys, nowe men complayne;Nowe can thes wimen flattar and wepe;
Nowe dothe it shyn, nowe dothe it rayne;
Nowe on drye soylle, nowe in the depe;
Nowe stonde vpryght, nowe lowe to crepe;
Nowe rune, nowe go an esy pase,
Nowe mene a wake, nowe folke a slepe;
Nowe that is heye some tyme was grase.
16
In this mater lat ws not tarye;Alle stont on chaunge, who list to see,
Every thynge here dothe chaunge and varye,
Nowe feythe, nowe mutabylyte;
Nowe vpon tweyne, nowe vpon thre;
813
Ensample in medowes thow mayst se
That nowe is heye some tyme was grase.
Explicit Lydgat.
Lenvoye.
Go forth anon, thou short dite,Bydde folke not trust this worlde at all,
Bydde theme remembre on þe cite
Which is a-bove celestiall;
Of precious stones bylt is the wall,
Who clymbeth theder gothe nevar base,
Out of that place may be no fall,
Ther is no heye but all fresh grase.
/Finis quod Lydgat of Bery/.
70. THE COK HATH LOWE SHOONE.
1
Svm man goth stille of wysdam & resoun,A-forn provided, can kepe weel scilence;
Ful offte it noyeth be recoord of Catoun
Large language concludyng off no sentence;
Speche is but fooly and sugryd elloquence
Medlyd with language wheer man haue noght to don.
An old proverbe groundid on sapience
Alle goo we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
2
To thynke mochyl, and seyn but smal,Yiff thow art feerffull to ottre thy language,
It is no wisdam a man to seyn out al,
Sum bird can synge merily in his cage.
The stare wyl chatre and speke of long vsage,
Though in his speche there be no great resoun,
Kepe ay thy tounge fro surffeet and outrage,
All go we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
814
3
Unavised speke no-thyng to-forn,Nor of thy tounge be nat rekkelees,
Vttre nevir no darnel with good corn,
Be-gyn no trouble whan men trete of pees,
Scilence is good, and in euery prees,
Which of debate yevith noon occasyoun,
Pacience preysed of prudent Socratees,
Alle go we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
4
Comoun astrologeer, as folk expert weel knowe,To kepe the howrys and tydis of the nyght,
Sumtyme hih and sumtyme he syngith lowe,
Dam[e] Pertelot sit with hire brood doun-right;
The Fox comyth neer with-oute candellyght,
To trete of pees menyng no tresoun,
To avoyde al gile and ffraude he hath behight;
Alle go we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
5
Vndir fals pees ther may be covert ffraude,Good cheer outward with face of innocence,
Feyned fflaterye with language of greet laude:
But what is wers than shynyng apparence,
Whan it is prevyd ffals in existence?
Al is dul shadwe, whan Phebus is doun goon,
Berkyng behynde, ffawnyng in presence;
Alle go we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
6
The royall egle with his ffetherys dunne,Of nature so hih takith his flyght,
No bakke of kynde may looke ageyn the sunne,
Of ffrowardnesse yit wyl he ffleen be nyght,
And quenche laumpys, though they brenne bright.
Thynges contrarye may nevir accorde in oon,
A fowle gloowerm in dirknesse shewith a lyght;
Alle go we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
7
The wourld is tournyd almoost vp so doun:Vndir prynces ther dar noon officeer
Peyne of his lyff do noon extorcioun;
815
Where-evir he walke al the longe yeer,
Awtentyk his seelys euerychoon,
Vp peyne of cursyng I dar remembre heer;
Alle goo we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
8
Alle estatys of good condiciounWill noon of them offende his conscience;
Bysshoppis, prelatys of oon affeccioun
Kepe ther chargys, of entieer dilligence;
Avaunsyd persownys holde residence
Among ther parysshens make a departysoun
Of ther tresours to folk in indigence,
Alle goo we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
9
I saugh a kevell, corpulent of stature,Lyk a materas redlyd was his coote,
And theron was sowyd this scripture,
“A good be stille is weel wourth a groote;”
It costith nat mekyl to be hoote,
And paye ryght nought whan the feyre is doon,
Suych labourerys synge may be roote,
Alle goo we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
10
Atwen a ship with a large seyl,And a cokboot that goth in Tempse lowe,
The toon hath oorys to his greet avayl,
To spede his passage whan the wynd doth blowe;
A blynd maryneer that doth no sterre knowe,
His loodmaunage to conveye doun,
A ffressh comparisoun, a goshawk and a crowe;
Alle go we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
11
The royall egle with his fetherys dunne,Whoos eyen been so cleer and so bryght,
Off nature he perce may the sunne,
The owgly bakke wyl gladly fleen be nyght;
Dirk cressetys and laumpys that been lyght,
816
Daryth in his shelle, yit may he se no sight;
Alle go we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
12
The pecok hath fetherys bryght and shene,The cormeraunt wyl daryn in the lake,
Popyngayes froo Paradys comyn al grene,
Nyghtynggales al nyght syngen and wake,
For long absence and wantyng of his make:
Withoute avys make no comparysoun,
Atween a laumperey and a shynyng snake;
Alle go we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
13
There is also a thyng in-comparable,By cleer rapoort in al the wourld thorugh right;
The ryche preferryd, the poore is ay cowpable,
In ony quarell gold hath ay moost myght;
Evir in dirknesse the owle takith his flight,
It were a straunge vnkouth devisyoun,
Tersites wrecchyd, Ector moost wourthy knyght;
Alle goo we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
14
Is noon so proude, pompous in dignyte,As he that is so sodeynly preferryd
To hih estaat, and out of poverte,
Draco volans on nyght his tayl is sterryd?
Stelle eratice, nat ffix for they been erryd,
Stable in the eyr is noon inpressioun,
This wourld wer stable, yif it were nat werryd;
Alle goo we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
15
Among estatys whoo hath moost quiete,Hih lordshippes be vexid with bataylle,
Tylthe of ploughmen ther labour wyl nat lete,
Geyn Phebus vprist syngen wyl the quaylle;
The amerous larke of nature wyl nat faylle,
Ageyn Aurora synge with hire mery sown,
No laboureer wyl nat for his travaylle;
Alle goo we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
817
16
Foo vnto hevys and enemy is the drane:Men with a tabour may lyghtly cacche an hare,
Bosard with botirflyes makith beytis for a crane,
Brechelees beerys be betyn on the bare;
Houndys for favour wyl nat spare,
To pynche his pylche with greet noyse and soun,
Slepith he merye that slombryth with greet care;
Alle goo we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
17
I sauh a krevys with his klawes longe,Pursewe a snayl poore and impotent,
Hows of this snayl the wallys wer nat stronge,
A slender shelle the sydes, al to-rent;
Whoo hath no goold his tresoure soone [is] spent,
The snayl-is castel but a sklendir coote,
Whoo seith trouthe offte he shall be shent;
A good be stille is offte weel wourth a groote.
18
Whoo hath noon hors, on a staff may ryde;Whoo hath no bed, may slepyn in his hood;
Whoo hath no dyneer, at leyser must abyde,
To staunche his hungir abyde vpon his ffood;
A beggers appetight is alwey ffressh and good,
With voyde walet whan al his stuff is doon,
For fawte of vitaylle may knele afore the Rood;
Alle goo we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
19
The ryche man sit stuffyd at his table,The poore man stant hungry at the gate,
Of remossaylles he wolde be partable,
The awmeneer seyth he cam to late;
Off poore men doolys is no sekir date,
Smal or ryght nought whan the feeste is doon,
He may weel grucche and with his tounge prate;
Alle goo we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
20
A good be stille is weel wourth a groote,Large language causith repentaunce,
The kevel wroot in his rydlyd coote,
818
Whoo cast his iourne in Yngelond or in Fraunce,
With gallyd hakeneys, whan men haue moost to doon,
A ffool presumptuous to cacche hym acqueyntaunce;
Alle goo we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
21
Whoo that is hungry & hath no-thyng but boonys,To staunche his apetyght is a froward foode,
Among an hundryd oon chose out for the noonys,
To dygestioun repastys be nat goode;
To chese suych vitaylles ther braynes wer to woode,
That lyoun is gredy that stranglith goos or capoun,
Fox and ffulmard, to-gidre whan they stoode,
Sang, be stylle, the Cok hathe lowe shoon.
22
Here al thyng and kepe thy pacience,Take no quarell, thynk mekyl & sey nought,
A good be stille with discreet scilence,
For a good grote may not wel be bought;
Keep cloos thy tounge, men sey that free is thought,
A thyng seid oonys outhir late or soon,
Tyl it be loost stoole thyng is nat sought;
Alle goo we stille, the Cok hath lowe shoon.
Explicit quod Lydgate.
71. THEY THAT NO WHILE ENDURE (TWO VERSIONS).
First Version.
1
This wyde woourld is so large of space,No man hath poweer it holly to restreyne:
Kyng Alisaundre myght not alwey enbrace
Al to conquere, though he did his peyne;
Nor riche Cresus nevir myght atteyne
With tresour gadryd by soort or aventure,
Whan fortune list at hym disdeyne,
But that he afftir myght no whyle endure.
819
2
Myghty prynces, abydyng on the werrys,Which them delyte in there oppynyouns,
As ferre as Phebus shyneth or his sterres,
By ther conquest in diuers regiouns,
To gadre vp al to ther pocessiouns,
What fallith of them? recoord of scripture,
Whoo al conveyeth, by manyfoold resouns,
Heer lordshippe here may no whyle endure.
3
Certeyn folk be diuersly disposyd,Summe for the wourld as it shulde evir laste,
Summe in ther consceyt fully be purpoosyd
Al ther studye and ther wittys caste,
Previd this dayes and tymes that be past,
Care no ferther, but lyk the chaunteplure;
But wheer so be that they suppe or faste,
Whoo nat providith, shal no while endure.
4
A knyght in werrys hardy as a lyoun,And hasty squyers that been amerous,
Or a facoun that flyeth for the herown,
Nor a grehound on boorys coragious,
Nor he that is to stryve desirous,
For noon of alle, I do yow weel assure,
Of folk fool-hardy, causelees despitous,
Off kyndely ryght may no whyle endure.
5
Nor no woman that bargeyneth hire bewte,Ne no greet glotoun nor no chyderesse,
Nor a strong theef, bydyng in o cuntre,
Ne noon morderer, nor no fals sorceresse,
Nor noo wastour that spendith by excesse,
Ne he that falsly doth ony lond recure,
And he that vsith to bere fals witnesse,
Of right me semyth they shuld not longe endure.
6
For he that is a comoun cutpurs,And vsith longe to ryote on nyght,
Nor he that hath of ech man Goddys curs,
820
Nor an owle that fleth be dayes lyght,
Nor a seruaunt froward to come to lure,
Ne he that hath disdeyn of euery wyght,
Off right me semyth they may not longe endure.
7
Therfore in this be wys, and take good counsayl,And prey God fro suych vices teschewe them in-dede,
For comoun profight and for our greet avayl,
In our diffence that we may procede,
In alle vertues, and therto also to takyn hede
To exclude necligence that he may recure
By devoute prayeer to helpe in suych a nede
Thorugh mercy and grace, and so longe endure.
Explicit.
71B. THEY THAT NO WHILE ENDURE
Second Version.
1
A knyght that is hardy as a lyon,Ner a squyer that is amerous,
Ner a goshawke that ffleeth for the heron,
Ner a grehounde on bores corageous,
Ner he that forto stryue is desirous,
None of all these, I doo yow well assure,
Off kyndely ryght may no while endure.
2
Ner a womman that sellith her beaute,Ner a glotton ner a chydresse,
Ner a theeffe abyding in oo contre,
Ner a murdrer ner a felonesse,
Ner a waster that spendith by excesse
821
Off kyndely right may no while endure.
3
Ner he that is a comune cut purs,Ner he that vseth to ryott long on nyght,
Ner he that hathe of eche man Goddes curs,
Ner he that dothe to euery man vnright,
Ner an owell that ffleeth by dayes light,
None of all these, I do yow well assure,
Off kyndely right may no whyle endure.
4
Ner he that vseth of custome for to lye,Ner he that fforgeth tydyngges ay vntrewe,
Ner he that drynketh tyll slepe falle in his ye,
Ner he that loueth euery day a newe,
Ner these vynters that her wynes brewe,
None of all these, I do yow well assure,
Of kyndely right may no while endure.
5
Ner he that ioyeth to wyueth hym on a wich,Ner he that ioyeth to horse hym on a mare,
Ner he also that houndeth hym on a bich,
Ner he that lyst no warayne for to spare,
Ner he that holdeth bothe with hounde & hare,
None of all these, I do yow well assure,
Of kyndely right may no while endure.
6
Ner he that is withholde with euery lorde,Ner he that can nat a-byde in noo contre,
Ner he that vseth to make folke att discorde,
Ner he that can not sey well in noo degre,
Butt lete his tung iangle att libertee,
None of all these, I do yow well assure,
Of kyndely right may no while endure.
822
7
Ner he that vseth to bryng folke in deffame,Ner he that can haue no paciense,
Ner he that vseth to hynder mannes name,
Ner he that hathe no man in reuerense,
Ner he that passeth his wynnynges by dispense,
None of all these, I do yow well assure,
Off kyndely right may no whyle endure.
8
Ner he that boroweth, and caste hym neuer to pay,Ner he that swereth falsely forto wynne,
Ner he that beheth and allway dothe delaye,
Ner he that neuer lyst schryve hym of his synne;
There as I lefft, I will ayen begynne,—
None of all these, I do yow well assure,
Of kyndely right may no while endure.
Lenvoy.
72. A THOROUGHFARE OF WOE.
1
Lyft up the ieen of your aduertence,Ye that beth blynde with worldly vanyte,
No better myrrour than experience,
For to declare his mutabilite.
Lo! now with ioye, now with aduersite,
To erthly pilgrymes that passen to and froo,
Fortune shewith ay, by chaungyng hir see,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
2
Boys in his booke of Consolacioun,Writeth and rehersith fortunes variaunce,
And makith there a playne discripcioun,
823
For who til hir, lo! hath attendaunce,
Is liche a pilgryme passyng to and froo,
To shewe to vs with sugred false plesaunce,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
3
In this world here is none abidyng place,But that it is by processe remuable:
For who had euer in erth suche a grace,
To make fortune for to abide stable:
Hir double face is so variable,
Seeth by these pilgrymes that passen to and fro,
To prudent folkes an ymage acceptable,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
4
Nis nat this world liche a pilgrymage,Wher high ne lowe no while may abyde?
Liche a fayre peynture sette on a stage,
That sodainly is oft so cast aside?
Fy on pompe, and fy on worldly pride,
Whiche bien but pilgrymes passyng to and froo,
To shewe plainly, who that can provide,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
5
Oure fader Adam bygan with sore travaile,Whan he was flemed out of Paradice.
Lord! what myght than gentillesse availe,
The first[e] stokke of labour toke his price;
Adam in the tilth whilom was holden wyse,
And Eve in spynnyng prudent was also,
For to declare as be myn advise,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
6
Is nat the cart and the laborious plough,Of lordes riches and of theyr haboundaunce
Roote and grounde, if they kowde have i-nowgh,
And hold hem content with fortunes chaunce.
But covetise oppressith souffisaunce,
824
To shewen allas and maken demonstraunce,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
7
And for to telle plainly and nat to spare,Whiche bien the worthy surmountyng noblesse,
That han be tymes passid this thurghfare,
And kowde therin fynde no surenesse,
For to abyde but chaunge and doublenesse,
What was ther fyne whan that they shuld goo?
Redith the cronycles and trouth shal expresse,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
8
Who was more knyghtly than was Iosue,Whiche hyng vp kynges there at Gabaon?
Or more manly than Iudas Machabe,
Meker than Dauid, wiser than Salamon?
Or fayrer founde than was Absolon?
Icheon but pilgrymes passyng to and froo;
Takyng ensample also by Sampson,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
9
Hector was slayne also of Achilles,As he hym mette vnwarly in bataile,
And Iulius was murthred in the prese,
Whan senatours at Rome hym dide assaile.
What myght the conquest of Alisaundre availe?
Al ner but pilgrymes passyng to and froo,
Plainly to declare to riche and to the poraile,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
10
Remembrith how that many a riche realme,Hath bien to-forn cast downe and ouerthrowe,
Prynces of provynces whilom Ierusalem,
Was for his synne somtyme brought ful lowe,
Seede of discord also that was sowe,
825
Gyvith evidence to make men to knowe,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
11
Of Babyloyne the grete Balthasar,Whan he sat hyest in his estate royal,
Ful sodainly, or he list be ware,
Had from his crowne a ful dredeful fal;
Mane techel phares writen on the walle,
Taught hym plainly what wey he shuld goo,
To vs concludyng in especial,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
12
[The gret stryffe and the deuisyon]Betwene Pompey and Cesar Iulius,
Was grounde and cause why that Rome town
Distroyed was, cronycles tellen vs;
Cesar slayne by Brutus Cassius,
Makyng thempire vnto declyne to goo,
For to reporte plainly vnto vs,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
13
Hertis devided have caused mochel wrake;Recorde on Fraunce and Parys the fayre citee,
Betwene Burgoynoun and hateful Armynake,
Gynnyng and roote of grete mortalite,
Shedyng of bloode, slaughter, and aduersite,
As Martis chaunce torned to and froo,
To yeve ensample if men kowde se,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
14
The fyft Henry, the myghti conquerour,To sette rest atwene Ingland and Fraunce,
Dide his peyne and diligent labour,
As he wele kydde by knyghtly gouernaunce,
[But o allas, fortunes varyaunce]
To grete hyndryng of these reames twoo,
Toke hym awey, to shewe vs in substaunce,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
826
15
Clarence the Duk, ensample of gentilesse,Of fredam callid the verray exemplayre;
The Duk of Excestre, ful famous of prowesse,
Though he were knyghtly, he was eke debonayre;
But for al that fortune was yit contrayre:
To both these dukes, allas! why dide she so?
But for hir list to shewe by mortal chaunce,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
16
Of Salusbury the manly Montagw,Though he was preved in armys a goode knyght,
The fatal day yit myght he nat eschewe,
Whan that he dyed for his kynges right,
And Parchas sustren list preve ther yvel myght,
Of his paradice, whan it come therto,
To make a myrrour how we may have a sight,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
17
Stabilnesse is founde in nothyng,In worldly honour who so lokith wele;
For deth ne sparith emperour ne kyng,
Though they be armed in plates made of steele:
He castith downe princes from Fortunes wheele,
As hir spokes rounde about[e] goo,
To exemplifye, who that markith wele,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
18
God sent aforn ful oft his officers,To dukes, erles, barouns of estate,
Sommoneth also by his mynisters
Surquidous people, pompous and elate,
Ageyns whos somons they dare make no debate,
Obey his preceptis and may nat go ther fro,
To signifie to pope and to prelate,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
827
19
Of his bedils the names to expresse,And of his sergeauntis, as I can endite,
To somowne he sendith langour and sikenesse,
And som with povert hym list to visite;
To iche estate so wele he can hym qwyte,
Markyng his seruantis with tokens where they goo,
To shewe hem plainly as I dare wele write,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
20
Whom that he lovith, the Lord forgeth hym nought,I meane the children of his heritage,
He gyvith hem leuerey of gold ne perle i-wrought;
The prente whiche he bare in his pilgremage,
Scorne and rebuke cast in his visage,
He pacient and sayde nothyng therto,
But gaf ensample to euery maner of age,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
21
Thankith God with humble pacience,Whan he yow visiteth with suche aduersite,
Heven nys nat wonne with worldly influence,
With gold ne tresour ne grete prosperite,
But with suffraunce and with humylite,
For this lyf heere, take goode heede therto,
Faileth ay at nede wherby ye may se,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
22
Kynges princis, most souerayne of renoun,For al theyr power, theyr myght, theyr excellence,
Nor philosophers of euery regioun,
Nor the prophetes preferred by science,
Were nat fraunchised to make resistence,
But liche pilgrymes whan it cam therto,
To shewe ensample and playn evidence,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
828
23
Reken vp the realmes and the monarchyes,Of erthly princes, reigneng in theyr glorye,
With theyre sceptres and theyr regalyes,
With theyr tryumphes conquerid bi victorye,
Theyr marcial actes entitled by memorye,
And to remembre whan that al this is doo,
They doo but shewe a shadew transitorye,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
24
O, ye maysters, that cast shal yowre lookeVpon this dyte made in wordis playne,
Remembre sothly that I the refreyd tooke,
Of hym that was in makyng souerayne,
My mayster Chaucier, chief poete of Bretayne,
Whiche in his tragedyes made ful yore agoo,
Declared triewly and list nat for to feyne,
How this world is a thurghfare ful of woo.
73. TIMOR MORTIS CONTURBAT ME.
1
So as I lay this othir nyght,In my bed tournyng vp so doun,
Whan Phebus with his beemys bryght
Entryd the signe of the Lyoun,
I gan remembre with-inne my resoun
Vpon wourldly mutabilite,
And to recoorde wel this lessoun
Timor mortis conturbat me.
2
I thoughte pleynly in my devise,And gan considre in myn entent,
How Adam whyloom in Paradise
Desceyved was of a fals serpent
To breke Goddys comaundement,
829
Lernyd by short avisement
Tymor mortis conturbat me.
3
For etyng of an appyl smalHe was exyled froom that place;
Sathan maade hym to haue a fall
To lese his fortune and his grace,
And froom that gardeyn hym enchace
Fulle ferre froom his felicite;
And thanne this song gan hym manace,
Timor mortis conturbat me.
4
And had nought been his greet offence,And this greet transgressioun,
And also his inobedience
Of malice and of presumpcioun;
Gyf credence ageyn al resoun
To the Develys iniquite,
We had knowe no condicioun
Of timor mortis conturbat me.
5
This lastyd forth al the age;Ther was noon othir remedye,
The venym myght nevir aswage
Whoos poysoun sprong out of envye,
Off pryde, veynglorye, and surquedye:
And lastyng til tyme of Noye,
And he stood eek in iupartye
Of timor mortis conturbat me.
6
Froom our forn ffadir this venym cam,Fyndyng nevir noon obstacle,
Melchisedech, nor of Abraham,
Ageyn this poysoun by noon pyacle,
But of his seed ther sprang tryacle;
Figure of Isaak, ye may rede and see,
Restoore to lyff by hih myracle,
Whan timor mortis conturbat me.
830
7
Moyses with his face bryghtWhich cleer as ony sunne shoon;
Iosue that was so good a knyght
That heng the kynges of Gabaoon;
Nor the noble myghty Gedeoon
Had no poweer nor no powste,
For ther ffamous hih renoun,
Ageyn timor mortis conturbat me.
8
Sampson that rent the liounOn pecis smale, thus stood the caas;
Nor Dauid that slowh the champyoun,—
I meene the myghty greet Golias—
Nor Machabeus the strong Iudas,
Ther fatal ende whoo so lyst see,
Bothe of Symon and Ionathas,
Was timor mortis conturbat me.
9
In the Apocalips of Seyn Iohn,The chapitlys whoo so can devyde,
The Apoostyl thoughte that he sawh oon
Vpon a paale hors did ryde,
That poweer hadde on euery syde,
His name was Deth thorugh cruelte,
His strook whoo so that durste abyde
Was timor mortis conturbat me.
10
Rekne alle the Wourthy NyneAnd these olde conquerours;
Deth them made echoon to fyne
And with his dedly mortal shours,
Abatyd hath ther fressh[e] flours;
And cast hem doun froom hih degree,
And eek these myghty emperours
With timor mortis conturbat me.
11
These ladyes that were so fressh of faceAnd of bewte moost souereyn,
Ester, Iudith, and eek Candace,
831
And eek the goodly wywes tweyne
Marcya and Penelope,
Were embracyd in the cheyne
Of timor mortis conturbat me.
12
What may all wourldly good avaylle?Strengthe, konnyng and rychesse,
Nor victorye in bataylle,
Fame, conquest, nor hardynesse,
Kyngdammys to wynne, or oppresse,
Youthe, helthe nor prosperyte?
All this hath here no sykirnesse
Ageyn timor mortis conturbat me.
13
Whan youthe hath doon his passageAnd lusty yeerys been agoon,
Thanne folwith afftir crookyd age
Slak skyn, and many a wery boon;
The sunne is dirk that whyloom shoon
Of lusty youthe and fresshe bewte,
Whan othir socour is ther noon
But timor mortis conturbat me.
14
In August whan the levys falleWyntir folwith afftir soone,
The grene of somyr doth appalle,
The wourld is chaungeable as the moone;
Than is there no moore to doone,
But providence in ech degree
Of recure, whan ther is no boone
Saaff timor mortis conturbat me.
15
Ech man be war and wys befornOr sodeyn deth come hym to saylle,
For there was nevir so myghty born,
Armyd in platys nor in maylle,
That whan deth doth hym assaylle
832
To thynke afore what myght avaylle
On timor mortis conturbat me.
16
Enpreente this mateer in your mynde,And remembre wel on this lessoun,
Al wourldly good shal leve be hynde,
Tresour and greet pocessioun.
So sodeyn transmutacioun
Ther may no bettir socour be
Thanne ofte thynke on Cristes passioun
Whan timor mortis conturbat me.
74. TYED WITH A LYNE.
1
The more I go, the further I am behynde;The further behynd, the nere the weyes end;
The more I seche, the wers can I fynd;
The lighter leve, the lother for to wend;
The lengger I serve, the more out of mynd;
Is this fortune, or is it infortune?
Though I go loose, I tyed am with a lyne.
2
Drye in the see, and wete vpon the stronde;Brenne in watir, in fuyre fresyng;
In reveris thurstlew, and moyst vpon the lond;
Gladde in mournyng, in gladnes compleyneng;
The fuller wombe, the gredyer in etyng;
Is this fortune, or is it infortune?
Though I go loose, I teyed am with a luyne.
3
A wery pees, and pees amyd the weere;The better felaw, the rathir at discorde;
The neere at hande, the sonner set a-ferre;
Accorde debatyng, debatyng at accorde;
Furthest fro court, grettest with the lorde;
833
Though I go loose, I tyed am with a lyne.
4
A wepyng laughter, a mery glad wepyng;A fresy thowe, a meltyng fryse;
The slowar paas, the further in rennyng;
The more I renne, the more wey I lese;
The grettest losse whan I my chaunce do chese;
Is this fortune, or is it infortune?
Though I go loose, I teyed am with a lyne.
5
Weryles I walke ay in trouble and travaile,Euer travilyng without werynes;
In labour idel, wynnyng that may nat availe;
A troubled ioy, a ioyeful hevynes;
A sobbyng songe, a chierful distres;
Is it fortune, or is it infortune?
Though I go loose, I tyed am with a lyne.
6
Wakyng a bedde, fastyng at the table;Riche with wysshis, pore of possessioun;
Stable vnassured, assured eke vnstable;
Hope dispeyred, a gwerdonles gwerdon;
Trusty disceyte, feythful decepcioun;
Is this fortune, or is it infortune?
Though I go loose, I tiede am wythe a lyne.
7
A mournyng myrth, sobrenes savage,Prudent foly, stidefast wildenesse;
Providence conveyed ay with rage;
A dronken sadnesse, and a sad drunkenesse;
A woode wisdom, and a wise woodenesse;
Is this fortune, or is it infortune?
Though I go loose, I tyed am with a lyne.
8
Vnhappy everous fortune infortunat;An hertles thought, a thoughtlees reme[m]braunce;
Lo what avauntage! and sodainly chekmate,
834
Thus al the world stant in variaunce:
Late men dispute, whethir this be fortune?
No man so loose, but he is tied with a luyne.
9
The world vnsure, contrary al stablenesse,Whos ioye is meynt ay with adversite;
Now light, now hevy, now sorwe, now gladnes;
Ebbe after floode of al prosperite.
Set al asyde and lierne this of me,
Trust vpon fortune? Defye false fortune,
And al recleymes of hyr double luyne.
10
The gretter lord, the lasse his assuraunce;The sikerest lyffe is in glad pouerte;
Both high and lough shal go on dethis daunce,
Renne vnto Powlis, beholde the Machabe;
Fraunchise of phisyk makith no man go free;
Trust vpon God, defye fals fortune,
And al recleymes of hyr double luyne.
11
Lothest departyng where is grettest richesse;Al worldly tresour goth to the world agayne;
To kepe it longe may be no sikernesse,
Of grete receytis grete rekenyng in certayne.
Whan we gon hens al this shalbe but vayne;
Trust vpon God, defye false fortune,
That al recleymes of hir double luyne.
12
Nothyng more sure than al men shal deye,Late men aforne make theyr ordynaunce;
vij. dedis of mercy shal best for vs purveye,
And almesdede shal make achevisaunce,
Texclude by grace the rigour of vengeaunce;
For Cristis passioun mavgre false fortune,
Shal-recleyme vs to his merciable luyne.
835
75. A SONG OF VERTU.
1
As of hony men gadren out swetnesse,Of wyn and spices is maad good ypocras,
Fro silver wellys þat boyle vp with fresshnesse
Cometh cristal watir rennyng a gret pas;
So as Phebus perceth thoruh the glas,
With briht beemys, shynyng in his speere,
Byforn our dayes this prouerbe provid was,—
Of prudent folk men may vertu leere.
2
Quyk lusty sprynges, that boile vp in the welle,Do gret refresshyng and counfort to the siht,
Mong holsom herbys in vertu that excelle,
What folwith aftir makith hertis glad and liht;
Good hair a morwe aftir the dirke nyht,
Passyng holsom al sesouns of the yeere,
Concludyng thus of verray trouthe and riht,—
W[h]o sueth vertu, vertu he shal leere.
3
Frut fet fro fer tarageth of the tre,Wyn takith his pris of the holsom vyne,
Of puryd flour maad holsom breed parde,
As clerkys wyse is holsom the doctryne;
The wyntres nyht is glad whan sterrys shyne,
836
And the Maydewh round lik perlys fyne,—
Who sueth vertu, vertu he shal leere.
4
Ech thyng of kynde drawith to his nature,Som to profite in wysdam and science,
Som also to studyen in scripture,
A fool is dullyd of slouth and necligence;
Konnyng conqueryd with long experyence,
Which noble tresour may nat be bouht to deere,
And who that doth his enteer dilligence,—
Vertu to sewe, vertu he shal leere.
5
A yong braunch wol soone wexe wrong,Dispoosyd of kynde for to been a crook,
The ffyr of nature wyl growe vpriht and long,
Hoot ffir and smoke makith many an angry cook;
The fissh for beit goth to the angil-hook,
The larke with song is Phebus massageer,
A thryvyng scoler riht eerly to his book,—
Who sewith vertu, vertu he shal leere.
6
Off rethoricyens men lerne fressh language,Of hooly seyntes procedith parfitnesse,
Of furyou[s] folk debate and gret outrage,
Of marcial pryncis vertuous hih noblesse,
Of wise wisdam, of gentil gentillesse;
For lyk hymsilf kynd wyl ay appeere,
A cherl of nature wil brayde on rewdnesse,—
Who seweth vertu, vertu he shal leere.
837
7
Lusty hertys in gladnesse them delite,Set al ther study on occupacioun,
In ioye and myrthe, riht as an ypocrite
Reioysith hymsylf in symylacioun;
And bakbiters in fals detraccioun,
To hurt wers than brymbyl, busk, or breere,
Contrary to vertu of condicioun,—
Who sueth vertu, vertu he shal leere.
8
Off knyhtis knyhthood expert in pees and werre;Marchauntys by travayle gadre greet richesse;
Be nedle and stoon and by the lood-sterre,
Maryners ay ther cours they dresse;
And massageers with wacch and gret swiftnesse,
Texpleyte ther iourne al tymes of the yeere,
Ther grettest foo is slouthe and ydilnesse,—
To alle tho that vertu list to leere.
9
Love Hooly Chirche, do therto reuerence,Do no man wrong, mayntene rihtwisnesse;
Thouh thu be strong, do no violence,
Specially no poore man oppresse;
With glad herte parte thyn almesse;
In prosperite be nat to proud of cheere,
In aduersite be pacient with meeknesse;
Sewe aftir vertu, and vertu thu shalt leere.
10
Touchyng also thyn occupacioun,Departe thy tyme prudently on thre,
First in prayer and in orisoun,
Trauayl among is profitable to the;
Reede in bookys of antiquyte,
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And it shal tourne to gret comodite,—
Sewe aftir vertu, and vertu thu shalt leere.
11
Be no sloggard, fle from ydilnesse;Connyng conquer by vertuous dilligence;
Slouthe of vices is cheef porteresse,
And a step-moodir to wysdam and science;
Labour cheef guyde to profit in prudence,
With vertuous lyff take heed of this mateere,
Withdrawe thyn hand from froward necligence;
Sewe aftir vertu, and vertu thu shalt leere.
12
Sith thu were wrouht to be celestial,Lat resoun brydle thy sensualite,
Geyn froward lustys flesshly and bestial,
Ageyn al wordly disordinat vanyte;
With fortunys fals mutabilite,
Peysed how short tyme thu shalt abyden heere,
Pray Crist Ihesu, of mercy and pite,
Or thu parte hens, vertu so to leere.
13
With tyme and space and goostly remembraunce,Of oold surfetys to haue contricioun,
Shrifft, and hosyl, and hooly repentaunce,
With a cleer mynde of Crystes passioun,
His v. woundys and blood that raileth doun,
Vpon the Cros He bouht the so deere,
Cleyme of His mercy to haue possessioun,
With Hym to dwelle above the sterrys cleere.
Explicit.
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76. A WICKED TUNGE WILLE SEY AMYS.
A resoun de fallacia mundi.
1
Considere welle with eueri circumstaunce,Of what estate euer that thowe be,
Riche, stronge or myghti of puysaunce,
Prudent or wis, discrete or avyse,
The dome of folkes yn sothe thow maiste not fle.
What-euer thow do, truste right welle this,—
A wicked tunge wille alwei sey a-mys.
2
For yn thi port or yn thyn apparaile,Ȝif thow be glad or honestli be-seyne,
A-noon the peple of malis wille not faile,
With-owte aduyse or resoun, for to seyne
That thyn arrai is made, or wrowght yn veyne.
What, suffre hem speke! & truste right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwei sey a-mys.
3
Thow wolt to kynges ben equypolent,With grete lordes euene and peregal,
And ȝif thow be to-torne & to-rent,
Then wille thei seyne, & ianglyn ouer al,
Thow art a slogarde, that neuer thryue shal.
Ȝitte suffre hem speke, & trust[e] right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwey sey a-mys.
840
4
Ȝif thow be feire, excellyng of beaute,Than wille they seyne that thow art amerous.
Ȝif thow be fowle & owgle vn-to see,
They wille afferme that thow art vycious,
The peple of langage is so despitous.
Suffre al ther speche & trust[e] right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwey sey a-mys.
5
Ȝif hit be-falle, that thow take a wif,Thei will falsly seyne yn ther entent
Thow art lyke euer to lyue yn strif
Voide of al reste, with-owte allegement;
Wyues ben maistres, thus there iugement.
Ȝitte suffre ther speche, & truste right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwei sey a-mys.
6
And ȝif so be that of perfitnesseThow haste a-vowed to lyue yn chastite,
Than wille folkes of thy person expresse
Thow art ympotent tengendre yn thi degre.
And thus whether thou be chaste or dislaue
Suffir hem speke, & truste right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwei sei a-mys.
7
Ȝif thow be fatte owther corpolent,Than wille folke seyn thow art a grete glotoun,
A deuowrer or ellis vinolent;
Ȝif thow be lene or megre of fassioun,
Calle the a negard yn ther oppynyoun,
841
A wicked tonge wille alwei sei a-mys.
8
Ȝif thow be riche, somme wille ȝeue the laude,And seyne, hit cometh of prudent gouernaunce;
And somme wille sai[en], hit comyth of fraude,
Owther be sleighte or false cheuysshaunce.
To seyne her worste folke han so grete plesaunce:
What, suffre hem sai! & triste right welle this,
A wicked tonge wille alwei sei a-mys.
9
Ȝif thow be sad and sowbre of contenaunce,Men will seyn thow thenkest somme tresoun;
And ȝif thow be glad of daliaunce,
Men wil deme it dissolucioun,
Callen faire speche adulacioun
Ȝitte let hem speke & trist[e] right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwey sey a-mys.
10
And who that is holi bi perfeccioun,Men of malice wil cal hym ypocrite;
And who that is meri of clene entencioun
Men seyne yn riot he dothe hym delite
Somme morne yn blak, somme laweth in clothis white,
What, suffre hem speke, & triste right wel this
A wicked tonge wil alwey sei a-mys.
11
Honest a-rai, men deme it pompe & pride,And who go pore men calleth hym a wastour;
And who go stille, men marke hym on the side,
Seyn that he is a spie or a gylour,
Who wasteth not, men seyn he hathe tresour,
842
A wicked tonge wil alwey sey a-mys.
12
Who speketh moche me[n] calle hym prudent,And who that debateth, men seyn he is hardi.
And who seyeth litel, with grete sentement,
Somme folke wil hym atwyten of foli
Trouth is putte doun, & vp goth flaterie,
And who liste pleynli to know the cause of this,
A wicked tonge alwey seyinge a-mys.
13
For thowgh a man were as pacientAs was Dauid thorow his humylite,
Or with Salamon yn wysdom as prudent,
Or yn knyȝthode egal with Iosue,
Or manli preuyd as Iudas Machabe,
Ȝitte for al that, trist[e] right wel this,
Somme wicked tonge wolde sei of hym a-mys.
14
And thowgh a man had[de] the prewesseOf worthi Ector, Troies champioun,
The loue of Troylis, or the kyndenesse,
Or of Cesar the famous high renoun,
With al Alisaundres domynacioun,
Ȝit for al that, trist[e] right wel this,
Somme wicked tonge wil sey of hym a-mys.
15
Or thowgh a man of hye or lowe degreOf Tullyus had the sugred eloquence,
Or of Senek the moralite,
843
The conquest of Charlous, Arturs magnyficence,
Ȝit for al that, triste right wel this,
Somme wicked tonge wol sey of hym a-mys.
16
Towchyng of wymmen the perfite innocence,Thowgh they had of Ester the mekenesse,
Or Gresildis humble pacience,
Or of Iudith the preued stabulnesse,
Or Pollicenys virgynal clennesse,
Ȝit dar I seyne, & triste right wel this,
Somme wicked tonge wole sey [of hem] a-mys.
17
The wifli trowthe of PenolopeThowgh thei had yn her possessioun,
Elenes beaute, the kyndenesse of Mede,
The loue vnfeyned of Mercia Catoun,
Or of Alceste the trewe affeccioun,
Ȝit dar I sain, & triste right wel this,
Somme wicked tonge wole sey of hem a-mys.
18
Than seweth it that no man mai escheweThe swerde of tongus, but hit wole kerue & bite,
Ful harde hit is a man for to remewe
Out of ther daunger hymsilf for to a-quyte,
Woo to thoo tongis that hem so delite
To hyndre and sclaundre, and sette her studie yn this,
And ther plesaunce, al-wai [to] say a-mys.
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19
Moste noble princes, cherissheris of vertu,Remembreth ȝow of hygh discrecioun,
The first vertu most plesyng to Ih[es]u
Be the writyng and sentence of Catoun
Is a gode tonge, yn his oppynyoun.
Chastiseth the reuers, & of wisdom dothe this,
Voideth ȝowre heryng from al that sey a-mys.
77. THE WORLD IS VARIABLE.
1
Toward Aurora in the monyth of Decembre,Walkyng alloone in contemplacioun,
On flittyng fortune I gan me remembre,
Callyng to mynde wourldly variacioun
In poyntes dyvers be computacioun,
Prevyng that she ay was vntretable;
And euere my mynde concludid this resoun
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
2
Musis poetichall includyng royalte,In feyned tragedyes put therto delyght,
Philisoffres moral, hih of auctorite,
Thorugh experience of konnyng had delight.
Among the Romayns previd was the knyght
Whanne ad Rem puplicam he was profitable,
With dynt of swerd lyst to diffende ryght,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
3
Off his crafft talkyth the artificeer,Frute folwith the tarage of the tree,
Beyn twygges cause smokyng feer
A beggere sett in a chayer of degree,
Hym silff not knowyng in souereyn dignite,
845
Clene forgetith his consanguinite,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
4
In the goldene wourld ech man kept his degree,Chevalrye delityd nat with marchaundise,
Nyse array in the comunaltee
Lefft was, lyst them nat desguyse;
Knyghtes in bataylle took greet empryse,
Here laureat crownys to make perdurable.
Al wourldly rychesse for wourship did despise
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
5
In the Capitolye among the senatoursHonowryd he was, writyng whoo list se,
Which lyst nat spare fel and sharpe shours,
The right to diffende of the comunalte,
Pryvat avayl lyst in no degree
Vnto hym sylf make acceptable,
In metal corrupt put noon felicite,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
6
The owle with the egle doth nat compare,Ne the lamb with the furious lyoun,
The sleyghty ffox pleyeth with the hare,
In feyned pees, to fals conclusioun,
Ryght delyuered for ambicioun
Vnto trewthe is nat appliable,
Colowryd trety conuertible with tresoun
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
7
An argement sophistical doth me conclude,Hym which to resoun yevith aduertence,
Dalida Sampson sotilly did delude,
Materys sumtyme put be in suspence,
Which partyes doth put to greet exspence,
Wrechydnesse causyd that is detestable,
Manhood withstondith in the prime temps
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
846
8
Mars goddesse souereyn of bataylleBrennyng Venus doth exyle froom hire ryght,
Which shewyn hire sylff in countirfeet apparaylle,
Froom his propirte drawith the hardy knyght
In marcial prowesse that put shulde his delyght,
Holdyng of the swerd to hym moost covenable,
Enemyes foreyn to put vnto flight,
Exsperience shewyth the wourld is varyable.
9
Off nedyl and stoon direccioun fayllyng,In his iourne the shipman doth erre,
In Aurora a-fore Phebus doth spryng,
Risyth with Esperus, namyd the day sterre,
Thy tydy shepperde to save froom mortal werre,
His owne sheep to hym moost amyable,
On fooldys foreyn lyst nat looke to ferre,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
10
Whoom the egle lyst to diffende,Be poweer absolute moost imperial,
To hym vengeaunce wyl not ostende,
Othir foolys in poweer not egal,
Othir conserve in a boody natural,
Ech membre to othir supportable,
Whoos contrarye destroyeth the body political,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
11
The eraunt theef is hange be the purs,Smal polaylle the kyte doth offende,
Of the Chirche they purchace Crystes curs,
Ageyn the sensours colours which pretende,
A summe notable for hem to dispende,
Rollyd at Rome in the audyte countable,
Vndir colowryd pretens mateerys which diffende,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
12
Ageyn Aurora the cok doth meryly crowe,Which for envye redily doth fight,
Countirfeet poetis seedys doun sowe,
847
Al is not goold which shynyth cleer & bryght,
A beggere to a lord is not comperable,
Lyk in apparaylle which apperyth to sight,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
13
Vnprofitable talkyng with-oute discrecioun,As of Aristotyll doth teche the sentence,
Is men to comowne ffailyng discrecioun,
On teermys passyng there intelligence;
A beggere to trete the hih magnificence
Off a prynce famous and aggreable,
Contrarye doth take for wisdam vnprudence,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
Lenvoye
Goo, litil bille, and vndir socourTo euery estaat, this proverbe present,
Ech tale is endid, as it hath favour,
For among many ech man seith his entent.
A greet multitude in oon to make assent
Thyng celestial is, and devynable,
Envye feerfull for devyne iugement,
Experience shewith the wourld is varyable.
Explicit quod Lydgate.
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