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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[Satirical Poems.]
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 | The Minor Poems of John Lydgate |  |
[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!
| The Minor Poems of John Lydgate | |