Lydgate's Reson and Sensuallyte Edited from the Fairfax MS. 16 (Bodleian) and the additional MS. 29,729 (Brit. Mus.) by Ernst Sieper |
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Cy comence Lauctour son trayte. |
 | Lydgate's Reson and Sensuallyte |  |
Cy comence Lauctour son trayte.
After this Fortune sone,
Which ofter changeth as the mone,
Had throgh hir subtil gyn be-gonne
To yive me drynke of her tonne,
Of which she hath, with-oute wer,
Couched tweyn in hir celler:
That oon ful of prosperite,
The tother of aduersyte,
Myd hir wonderful taverne,
Wyth the which she dooth gouerne
Euery maner creature,
With-oute[n] ordre or mesure,
By a maner ful dyuerse.
Which ofter changeth as the mone,
Had throgh hir subtil gyn be-gonne
To yive me drynke of her tonne,
Of which she hath, with-oute wer,
Couched tweyn in hir celler:
That oon ful of prosperite,
The tother of aduersyte,
Myd hir wonderful taverne,
Wyth the which she dooth gouerne
Euery maner creature,
With-oute[n] ordre or mesure,
By a maner ful dyuerse.
The ton of hem she kan reverse
With a drynke ful preciouse,
Ryght sote and ryght delyciouse,
Of which no man kan drynk hys fille,
Thogh he haue plente at his wille,
So ful hyt is of fals delyte,
Throgh his gredy Appetite,
So ydropyke is hys lust
That plenty non may stavnche his thrust.
With a drynke ful preciouse,
Ryght sote and ryght delyciouse,
Of which no man kan drynk hys fille,
Thogh he haue plente at his wille,
3
Throgh his gredy Appetite,
So ydropyke is hys lust
That plenty non may stavnche his thrust.
The tother drynke, in sothfastnesse,
Ys so ful of bitternesse
To hem that taste it, this no fable,
Lothsome and alle habomynable.
And of this ilke drynkes tweyne
Serveth fortune, in certeyne,
To alle foolkys eve and morowe,
Some with Joye and some with sorowe,
After fortune lyst ordeyne.
And thus, when I had do my peyne
To knowe sothely, in sentence,
The verray trewe difference
Of this drynkys ful notable:
First of the swetnesse delytable
And of the tothris bitternesse,
Which broghte men in gret distresse,
Causynge hem her lyve to lothe;
And whan y knyw the kynde of bothe:
The same tyme, this no nay,
In a morowe so as I lay
In my bed wythin a cloos,
Whan the clere sonne Aroos
In grene ver ful of delyt,
Which prikketh with his appetyt
This lusty hertys amerouse,
The seson is so graciouse,
For this seson, with-outen fayle,
Clotheth with newe apparayle
Alle the erthe, this verray trewe,
With many sondry dyuers hewe;
The same tyme, in special,
The day and nyght be lych egal.
Ys so ful of bitternesse
To hem that taste it, this no fable,
Lothsome and alle habomynable.
And of this ilke drynkes tweyne
Serveth fortune, in certeyne,
To alle foolkys eve and morowe,
Some with Joye and some with sorowe,
After fortune lyst ordeyne.
And thus, when I had do my peyne
To knowe sothely, in sentence,
The verray trewe difference
Of this drynkys ful notable:
First of the swetnesse delytable
And of the tothris bitternesse,
Which broghte men in gret distresse,
Causynge hem her lyve to lothe;
And whan y knyw the kynde of bothe:
The same tyme, this no nay,
In a morowe so as I lay
In my bed wythin a cloos,
Whan the clere sonne Aroos
In grene ver ful of delyt,
Which prikketh with his appetyt
This lusty hertys amerouse,
The seson is so graciouse,
For this seson, with-outen fayle,
Clotheth with newe apparayle
Alle the erthe, this verray trewe,
With many sondry dyuers hewe;
The same tyme, in special,
The day and nyght be lych egal.
| Lydgate's Reson and Sensuallyte | |