Ballades Royal (1909) :: :: University of Virginia Library

Ballades Royal (1909)

Quixley, John

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[Ballades Royal]

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[Ballades Royal]

[Prologue.]

Who þat liste loke in þis litel tretice
May fynde what meschief is of auoutrie
Wherfore he þat will eschewe þat vice
He may see here to beware of folie
Gower it made in frenshe with grete studie
In balades ryale whos sentence here
Translated hath Quixley in this manere.

I.

1

The hye maker of euery creature,
That sowle of man made vn to his liknesse,
To whiche as by reson of hir nature
God hath yeuen temperate sobrenesse,
The body to rewle and [for] more fulnesse,
Endowed hit hath of discrecion,
The flesche to holde vnder by reson̄

2

For to þe soule þat is so clene & pure
Parteneth to loue god in stedfastnesse;
And nat encline to foule delite vnsure,
Be which it myght deserue peynful duresse;
Thassent is perilleus, as þat I gesse,
Therfore schuld be þe soules mocion
The flesche to holde vnder be reson.

3

In a gode soule is reson and mesure,
Whoos heritage is heuenesse blesse;
The body is ordeyned for engendrure,
As hir gode spouse wedded in sikernesse;
And booth been oon withouten doubilnesse,
So þat mesure take his lawfull seson
The flesche to holde vnder be reson.

II.

1

The soule in loue desires continence,
And to lyue chaste, euer in goddes syght:
The body by kyndely experience
Desirs a wife, to multiplie aryght:
Blessed soules! þat oon stuffeth heuen bright,
That other erthe, such is goddys auys;
If oon be good, þat othre is more of prys.

2

For the soule þat maketh prouidence
May nat of goddes rewarde fayle, be ryght;
For in it is mych more intelligence,
And more vnderstondyng of felyng myght
Then in þe body, for his issue bright.
No, forthy! god made all to his seruys;
If oon be good þat othre is more of prys.

3

To the soule, god hath yheuen science
Of gode and ill, to chese and haue in sight
That þe body haue nat al reuerence,
But for to beye þe soule bothe day & nyght.
Thilk god, þat all nature hath wroght & dyght,
Hath sette booth twoo in state at his devys;
If oon be good þat othre is more of prys.

III.

1

God bonde vs nat to þe moost parfitenesse,
But wolde þat we euer parfite schuld be.
Who þat to god voweth withoute excesse
His body for to lyve in chastite,
Myche is his mede; Who list nat this degree,
Bot take a wyf to haue lawful issue;—
God it plesyth al suche matrimoyne due.

2

So first, whan god made of his hye godenesse
Adam and Eue, in paradyse made he
Mariage of hem two in all clennesse;
That of thaire seede al erth schuld haue plentee.
There vndertaken was spousalitee
Of þe oolde lawe first; so to continue,
God it pleseth al suche matrimoyne due.

3

And sith þat god by his lawe ful expresse
Two persons hath ordeyned in vnitee,
Ryght is perfore (þat) boothe in oon herte compresse
Theire loue, withouten chaunge or sotiltee,
In welthe to lyue and in aduersitee,
Schee his goode leef, & he hir spous ful trewe;
God it pleseth al suche matrimoyne due.

IV.

1

With loue whan trowth hath his aqueyntance,
Joyful then beon suche mariages alle!
But who þat purposeth by Deceiuance

Or fals semblant, to schewe his loue at alle
To syght, and vnderneth hydeth his galle,
That is as who of hardes maath a corde,
When þe hert to þe semblant list discorde.

2

Thilk mariage is goode, ful of plesance,
That of a vertuous loue hath his calle,
But who for Auarice, taketh his chance
Of mariage or luste, his loue is thralle;
Neuere schal that gracieusly befalle,
For consciens schal hym euere remorde;
Whan þe hert to þe semblant list descorde.

3

Honeste loue, þat to trowth dooth obeissance,
Maketh mariages goode and ryalle,—
And who his hert in suche a gouernance
Dooth set, nat nedeth from his gode loue falle,
No of perillous chaunge to haue doutance;
For sayde it is, “auenturous balance
Is mariage,” bot loue then is no lorde
When þe hert to þe semblant list discorde.

V.

1

Grete merueille is, and myche ayhein reson,
That when a man hath taken vnto wyue
A woman, at his owne eleccion;
And after that his trouth breketh belyue,
And dayly, as longe as he is alyue,
Newe loue seketh, as þat he were a beste;
A mans trowth to breke it is not honeste.

2

Of wedloke þe hooly profession
Myche more worthe is, þen I here can descryue.
Vnder which Criste to incarnacion
And in þe virginel wombe did arriue:
Who this matere lyst ferther for to dryue,
Let hym loke this ordre of holy geste,—
A mans trouth to breke it is not honeste.

3

Of wedloke þat hye and gode beneison
Of god & of þe holy goost myssyue,
By holy chirche, doon with deuocion
Enspireth þe sacrament terme of lyue;
Nat to be dissolued bot lyf actiue
Tobserue, and ay clennesse in hert arreste;
A mans trouth to breke it is not honeste.

VI.

1

Nectanabus, which of Egipt was kyng,
To defoule Olimpias þat was queene
Of Macedoyn, Philip hir lorde beyng
Absent, did suche labour as þat was seene
That Alisandre was goot hem betweene.
Bot what of ioye thay fonde in þaire errure?
The ende scheweth al the sore auenture.

2

If synne be nye, grace away gooth rennyng;
That preued wele, for þat synne was so keene
The son þe fadre slowgh withoute knowyng;
Therfore take hede, wittyng, & nothyng weene
That suche auoutrie with grief and teene
Venged wil be, of so grete forfeture;
The ende scheweth all the sore auenture.

3

Kyng Vlixes, to plese flesshly likyng,
Fro Penolopee dide hym fast to fleene;
Brak hir his trowth, & toke another yhyng,
Circes, to loue and gat of hir so scheene
Thelegonus, which, as þat storyes meene,
His fader slewe, loo! suche an engendrure
The ende scheweth al the sore auenture.

VII.

1

In þe desert of the hye & grete Inde,
He þat two pylers of brasse did ordeyne,
Hercules, toke his wyf, as I fynde,
The faire Deyanire, þat is to seyne
Of Calidoyne þe kynges doughter soleyne;
Conquerd hir of Achelois by bataille,—
Grete peril is to breke a mans spousaille.

2

Anoon lewdly after chaunged his mynde
For Eolen, þat he his spouse souuereyne
Hated, that other made hym so foole blynde
That what of hym sche list haue or atteyne
Was his plesir; no thynge wolde he restreyne,
The begynnyng and eende can not euenly faille:
Grete peril is to breke a mans spousaille.

3

Hit neuer was ne be schal in man kynde,
Bot of suche synne vengeance mot nede be pleyne.
For hercules þat fals was and vn kynde

Of a venymed schert was foul deseyne,
And brent hym self; parched euery veyne,
Of his mysdede he bare þe countre taylle.
Grete peril is to breke a mans spousaille.

VIII.

1

The noble knyght Jason, þat fro Colchos
The flees of golde by the helpe of Medee
Conquerd, wherof he (he) had ful mychel loos,—
Thurgh oute þe worlde he gate renommee,
The yhonge lady then praysed of beautee
With hym he toke, and wedded at deuyse;
Brokyn wedloke god will venge & dispise.

2

When Medee beste truste to haue hir lord cloos
In hir loue, and tweyne childre borne had sche,
Then hir forsoke Jason, and toke purpos
An other to loue, & breke his seuretee:—
That was Creusa kyng Creons doghter free—
Wher of vengance befell of due Justise;
Broken wedloke god will venge & despise.

3

When Medea this knewe, aanone sche roos
With angry hert, and ayens al pitee
Hir yhonge two sons, as thai had been hire foos,
In a grete raage sche slowgh, þat he myght see
How fals he was to hir, and thus was he
Despised, & his schame gan for tarise.
Broken wedloke god will venge & despise.

IX.

1

That Auoutier þat dooth continuance
In his foule synne, & hath therof delite,
Full litel can he drede goddes vengeance;
Wherof I fynde a Cronyque thus I-write
For ensample, gode is it to recite;
A man may note what it dooth signifie.
Horrible is þe synne of auoutrie.

2

Agamenon, þat had in gouuernance
Of grekes all þe chosyn̄ floure soubgite
At troye, whan þat he was moost of puissance,
Climestre his wyfe was mychel to wyte;
For Egistus sche loued nat a lite,
And brake wedloke, to hir grete vilenye,
Horrible is þe synne of auoutrie.

3

Agamenon of deeth suffred penance,
And be treson̄ was slayn̄, withoute respite,
Of his owne wyfe, þat had no repentance.
What fell þerof? Orestes had despit,
And with [his] hand he slewe hir in þat plite:
And Egist was hanged on̄ galowes hye;
Horrible is þe synne of auoutrie.

X.

1

Loo, þe fairest worldly creature,
Þe wyfe of kyng of grece Menelay,
Whiche was þe fool synnere ouer mesure,
Helayne, for whom Parys made hym full gay,
After all her lust thoght it was no play,
Whan troye destroyed was, and brent to grounde;
So hye a synne god will of ryght confounde.

2

Tarquinius þe proude myght not endure
In his synne longe, for he foul did assay
To breke wedloke, be force of his luxure,
Chaste Lucresse Collatyns wyf bylay,
And he perfore exiled was for ay;
Sche for sorowe slewe hir selfe in þat stounde;
So hye a syn̄ne god will of ryght confounde.

3

A Prince, Mundus, þat Rome had in his cure,
In Ysis Temple, þe moneth of May
Belay Pauline, of chastitee tresure,
By two prestes assent to þat foule play,
Wherof he banysht was withoute delay,—
Hanged were þe prestes as lawe then founde;
So hye a synne god will of ryght confounde.

XI.

1

Albyns, þat was a prince ful batailleus,
And þat first was kyng of all lumbardie,
Slewe his enmye as kyng victorieus,
Gurmund, which þat afore held chiualrie,
His doughter Rosamunde, þe beale cherie,
He weddyd after þat, but what may last?
Who euil doth, he mon be vnderthrast.

2

A wedloke suche was neuer gracieuse,
Where god lyst not it to senitifie.
The lady, whiche was wroth & yrous

That he hir fader slewe, anoon in hye
Hir owne husband to loue she gan denye,
And to Elmege, straunger, hir hert sche cast.
Who euyl dooth, he mon̄ be vnderthrast.

3

Of synne spryngeth an ende malicieus,
For by poyson, made by grete sotelee,
Albins was dede, & sche, þat lichereus,
With hir Elmege, was brent for felonye
By þe duc of Rauenne in þe baillye
Of his palays, juggement was past,
Who euill dooth, he mon be vnderthrast.

XII.

1

The noble kyng of Athenes, Pandion,
Twoo doghters begat, Progne & Philomene;
Which bothe were vnder the proteccion̄
Of kyng Tereus, of Trace where he þe scheen
Lady Progne hath wedded, and made hir queene.
Bot þat other sister loued he myche more;
Wykked lyfe maath a man tabye ful sore.

2

Of foole delyte, contrarie to reson̄,
This Tereus kyng, by falshede ther foresene,
The virginite rauysht be treson
Of Philomene, þat no falshede couthe wene;
And brak his wedlok, for whiche son̄ was seene
That fro wele was turned all his lore.
Wykked lyfe maath a man̄ tabye ful sore.

3

Over cruele was vengeance þerof doon,
For his yhonge son̄ his wyfe there slewe for tene,
And put his flesshe to sere decoccion̄,
And gafe þe fader to eete all bedeene,—
Therfore anone was he forschapen̄ cleene
To a lapwynk, lo þe vengeance þerfore!
Wykked lyfe maath a man tabye ful sore.

XIII.

1

Seint Abraham, chief of þe lawe oolde,
Froom Canaan fledde for a grete famine,
And toke with hym his wyfe, and what he wolde,
Vnto Egipte where he dredde of couyne,
When̄ Pharao toke to concubyne
His wyfe Sarrai, he made ful grete murnyng.
Lordes of estate schuld tempre thair lykyng.

2

This Abraham dred myche þe kyng so bolde,
That he nat durst gaynstande þe said rauyne,
For to haue pees, þerof compleyne he nolde,
Therfore dyd hym þe kyngs fauour encline;
Bot yhit þe synne most haue his discipline,
For god chastiside hit, to be tokynyng,—
Lordes of estate schuld tempre ther lykyng.

3

Sodeynly or men wyst what befalle scholde
Thurghoute Egipt ther fell such a moryne
That Pharao, when his men hym þat tolde,
And what meschief, noon other medicyne
So astonyed couthe he then ymagyne,
But restored Sarray, with forthynkyng;
Lordes of estat schuld tempre ther lykyng.

XIV.

1

Myche is man[ne]s flesshe frele and vileyne;
Withouten grace may no man here do wele.
Therof scheweth þe bible, in certeyne,
Whan kyng Dauid did morther his knyght lele,
Vry, in þe bataille for Bersabee la bele;
A wyfe sche was, bot for þat he ne spared.
Noon is siker þat god hath not in warde.

2

The beautee þat he see in hir soleyne
Made hym of na poair his lustes frele
For to abstene, so þat of lufe þe peyne
Made hym to fall ayhenis god as rebelle.
Oon syn with another will entermelle.
Manslaght and auoutry had of hym garde.
Noon is siker þat god hath not in warde.

3

Bot he of his pitee souuereyne
Gafe grace vn to Dauid his prophet lele,
Tamende his gylt, saue þat betwix hem tweyne
The childe getyn̄ deyed, thus did god dele;
For swete a soure; yhit by his prayers fele
Mercy asht he, mercy fande he rewarde.
Noon is siker þat god hath not in warde.

XV.

1

Open been bothe Cronyk and historie
Of lancelote and of Tristram also,—
And yhit their foly is in þe memorye

For ensampil, yheuyng vn to all tho
That been alyve, nat for to lyuen̄ so.
Beware! I rede, of other mens folye:
O brid by a nother can hym chastie.

2

Al tyme of yhere þe faire of loue sotie
Is open to all þat lyst choese of two
Cupides tonnes, to which þe peple flye,
That oon̄ is swete, & such is þer no moo;
That other bitter is of peyne & woo;
Betwix hem two god is to modifie.
Oon brid by a nother can hym chastie.

3

To som̄ þat in fortune will hem affie,
Sche is bothe white and blak, now frend, now foo:
Now lyue in ioye, now in purgatorie,
Withouten rest, withouten rewle: se, lo!
How sche tourneth þe face hir sutoure fro.
Therfore fole is þat in lust wol affie.
Oon brid by a nother can hym chastie.

XVI.

1

Men fyndes oft in diuers scripture
Many worthi, þat in armes had renoun;
But few þere were þat of chaste loue were sure,
Ne þat clenly kept thaire condicioun,—
As Valentinian made his sermoun
To þe Romayns, alle be syche auys;
“Who þat his flessh venqueth most haue þe prys.”

2

For he þat ouercoms al auenture
Of þe worlde, schuld haue a grete guerdoun.
More owe he then, whome pryks þe flesshly cure,
If he holde hit sugit vnder his abandoun,
Heuen to deserue, se this comparisoun,
Whether the world is bet or paradise?
Who þat his flessh venqueth most haue þe prys.

3

And loue þat hath armes in his tenure,
Ful stronge it is, bot þe professioun
Of verray loue surmonteth al nature,
And maath a man lyve in lawe of resoun.
In mariage is the parfeccioun,
Kepe he his trowth, þat in þis ordre lys.
Who þat his flessh venqueth most haue þe pays.

XVII.

1

Trewe loue is betwix twoo þe holy bonde
That all her lyfe stant, withoute departyng,
As was þe trouth yplyght in þe ryght honde
At þe chirche dore; but when other lykyng
From twoo to three maketh a newe changyng
Then loue is non: what is þat auantage?
To oon̄ is oone ynogh in mariage.

2

No loue þat is com̄une wil not longe stonde;
A man to haue oone wyfe,—it is plesyng,
But he þat ay chaunges fro londe to loonde
And in oon̄ place, can nat haue his bydyng:
Vnto Gawayn may he be resemblyng,
Curteys of loue, bot he was ouer volage;
To oon is oone ynogh in mariage.

3

He may be lyke to þe moone nerehond,
That first gode loue schewith in apperyng,
When̄ he a wyfe to haue taketh on honde,
Thof white or broune sche be; & maath changyng
To a newe by morne, trust wele þat suche thyng
Shal he abye ryght sore at his passage;
To oon is oone ynough in mariage.

XVIII.

1

Whoo þat of goolde hath [gret] aboundance
Grete wroong he dooth þat from a nother wight
His money steeleth, ryght so [þe] meschaunce
Will fall to hym þat preeseth day & nyght,
A nother mans wyfe, to defoule by myght,
And his owene forsaketh for a newe;
Such loue was neuer gode ne may be trewe.

2

Of three blessed estats of gouuernance,
Wedloke is þe second rewled aryght:
Whoo þat ordre setteth in fool plesance
Miche may be doute, for peyne þat is hym dyght.
Therefore gud is, wedloke in cristes syght
To kepe honeste, waare auoutier vntrewe!
Suche loue was neuer goode ne may be trewe.

3

The conscience schuld weye al in balance,
That when̄ he of his fool delyte hath syght
To haue remors & weue al such foul chance,

For els no doute he shall lake heuens lyght.
O gode wedloke! thi lyfe is faire and bryght;
O avoutier! beware to continewe!
Suche loue was neuer gode ne may be trewe.

XIX.

1

A philosophre of a grete citee
Whilom þer was, and of ful grete honour;
Which after yhouth thoght þat ryght wele myght he
His body stroonge emploie, as a lichour
In fool delyte, so prykked hym þat stour;
But grace of crist made hym soon̄ repentyng,
God of heuen, our blys without endyng.

2

He wrote þat auoutier punysht shal be
To leese a lym, or prisonned ful soure,
Or schame shall hym falle of dishoneste,
Or elles pouert withoute eny socour,
Or sodeyn deeth to his grete dishonour;
Whoo enspyred thus hym to teche suche thyng?
God of heuen, our blys without endyng.

3

To all þe worldes vniversitee
This balade be ensample and myrrour:
And whoo lyst nat to stonde in this degree,
Rather or þat he fall into errour
Of (flesshly) lust, I rede he chese þat peramour
That is, was, and euer schall be lastyng,—
God of heuen, our blys without endyng.

Amen. Explicit.

Square brackets indicate editorial insertions or emendations.