The Pilgrimage of the Life of Man Englisht by John Lydgate, A.D. 1426, from the French of Guillaume De Deguileville, A.D. 1330, 1355. The Text Edited by F. J. Furnivall ... With Introduction, Notes, Glossary and Indexes by Katharine B. Locock |
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Prolog of the Translator, John Lydgate.
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 | The Pilgrimage of the Life of Man |  |
Prolog of the Translator, John Lydgate.
q Vi peregrinatis, hunc per librum docearis
Que bona uel dubia s[it fugienda] via.
Que bona uel dubia s[it fugienda] via.
[y] e worldly folk, avysë yow betymes
Wych in thys lyff [ne] ben [but as pylgrimes],
Lyk straungerys [fferë fro youre Cuntre]
Vnfraunchysed and [voyde off lyberte];
ffor schortly herë yovre poscessyon
ys yove to yow but for a schort sesoun,
Nor the tresovrë wych that ye possede
ys but thyng lent ho so kan takë hede,
ffor clerkys seyn how [that] al erthly thyng
Stowndëmel, and by vnwar chaungyng,
Whan folk lest wenë & noon hede ne take,
Her mayster oldë sodeynly for-sake.
Thyng myn to-day a-nother hath to-morwe;
That kam wyth Ioye departeth ay wyth sorwe;
And thyng ywonne wyth Ioyë and gladnesse,
Ay dysseuereth wyth wo and hevynesse.
No tresour here, wyth O man wyl abyde;
Who strengest halt ther rathest hyt wyl slyde;
ffortune ys lady with hyr double face,
Of every thyng that sodeynly doth pace;
Sche pryncesse ys of al worldly glorye,
And off al Ioyë that ys transytórye;
Sche ys off chere so varyaunt & dovble,
Hyr kalm ys euere meynt with wo & trovble,
And hyr sugre [ys] vnder-spreynt wyth galle:
Thys hyr vsage vn-to estatys alle,
To schewe fayrest whan sche ys most to drede;
Of hyh ne lowh sche taketh noon other hede,
ffor wych [let] no man vp-on hyr assure,
ffor sche ys lyke to the chavnteplure;
Wo after Ioye & after song wepyng,
Thys hyr cvstom in every maner thyng.
In on estate she neuere doth contyune.
Thys stormy quen, wych callyd ys Fortune
Hyr gyfftys allë in conclusion,
Be not but gyffytys off confusion.
ffor worthynesse in Armes nor vyctórye
Arn in effect but thingës transytórye
Nor hih conquest, nor domynacion,
Peplys to puttë in subieccyon.
It al schal passe as doth a somer flovr;
In thys world herë, holdyng no soiovr
No thyng abyt, shortly for to wryte,
Good lyff exepte, and only ovr meryte.
Wych in thys lyff [ne] ben [but as pylgrimes],
Lyk straungerys [fferë fro youre Cuntre]
Vnfraunchysed and [voyde off lyberte];
ffor schortly herë yovre poscessyon
ys yove to yow but for a schort sesoun,
Nor the tresovrë wych that ye possede
ys but thyng lent ho so kan takë hede,
ffor clerkys seyn how [that] al erthly thyng
Stowndëmel, and by vnwar chaungyng,
Whan folk lest wenë & noon hede ne take,
Her mayster oldë sodeynly for-sake.
Thyng myn to-day a-nother hath to-morwe;
That kam wyth Ioye departeth ay wyth sorwe;
And thyng ywonne wyth Ioyë and gladnesse,
Ay dysseuereth wyth wo and hevynesse.
No tresour here, wyth O man wyl abyde;
Who strengest halt ther rathest hyt wyl slyde;
ffortune ys lady with hyr double face,
Of every thyng that sodeynly doth pace;
Sche pryncesse ys of al worldly glorye,
And off al Ioyë that ys transytórye;
Sche ys off chere so varyaunt & dovble,
Hyr kalm ys euere meynt with wo & trovble,
And hyr sugre [ys] vnder-spreynt wyth galle:
Thys hyr vsage vn-to estatys alle,
2
Of hyh ne lowh sche taketh noon other hede,
ffor wych [let] no man vp-on hyr assure,
ffor sche ys lyke to the chavnteplure;
Wo after Ioye & after song wepyng,
Thys hyr cvstom in every maner thyng.
In on estate she neuere doth contyune.
Thys stormy quen, wych callyd ys Fortune
Hyr gyfftys allë in conclusion,
Be not but gyffytys off confusion.
ffor worthynesse in Armes nor vyctórye
Arn in effect but thingës transytórye
Nor hih conquest, nor domynacion,
Peplys to puttë in subieccyon.
It al schal passe as doth a somer flovr;
In thys world herë, holdyng no soiovr
No thyng abyt, shortly for to wryte,
Good lyff exepte, and only ovr meryte.
Trusteth ther-for, ye folk of euery age,
That yowre lyff her ys but a pylgrymage;
ffor lyk pylgrymes ye passë to & ffro,
Whos Ioye ys euere meynt A-mong with wo.
Al worldly blyssë, medlyd ys with stryff;
ffor ay the cöurs, of thys mortal lyff,
Euerych hovr doth to hys boundys drawe;
To al pylgrymës kynd hath set a lawe,
Eche day to Renne a party on ther way;
Oldë ner yong, ther may no man sey nay,
Lyk a Ryuer sterne, and of gret myght,
Ne restyth nat nouther [by] day nor nyght,
To holde hys cours as ledeth hym the streem,
Ryght so, pylgrymes to-ward Ierusaleem
Haste on her way in thys world, & echone
To-ward that cyte, or to Babylone.
Lyk ther merytes, & lyk to ther degres,
They be Receyved at on of thys cytees,
Ytakyn innë, so as they dysserve;
And deth, ay redy with hys dart to kerue,
Lyth in a-wayt, dredful off manacys,
To send palmerys to on off thys placys.
A-geyne whas strokë, helpeth no medycyne,
Salue, tryacle but grace only dyvyne,
ffolk to conveye to ther desyred place:
And many brygaunt the weye doth manace,
No man ys sur hym syluen to diffend;
Wherfore I rede, lat euery whyht a-mend
Hys lyff be tyme, whil he hath liberte.
That yowre lyff her ys but a pylgrymage;
ffor lyk pylgrymes ye passë to & ffro,
Whos Ioye ys euere meynt A-mong with wo.
Al worldly blyssë, medlyd ys with stryff;
ffor ay the cöurs, of thys mortal lyff,
Euerych hovr doth to hys boundys drawe;
To al pylgrymës kynd hath set a lawe,
Eche day to Renne a party on ther way;
Oldë ner yong, ther may no man sey nay,
Lyk a Ryuer sterne, and of gret myght,
Ne restyth nat nouther [by] day nor nyght,
To holde hys cours as ledeth hym the streem,
Ryght so, pylgrymes to-ward Ierusaleem
Haste on her way in thys world, & echone
To-ward that cyte, or to Babylone.
Lyk ther merytes, & lyk to ther degres,
They be Receyved at on of thys cytees,
Ytakyn innë, so as they dysserve;
And deth, ay redy with hys dart to kerue,
Lyth in a-wayt, dredful off manacys,
To send palmerys to on off thys placys.
3
Salue, tryacle but grace only dyvyne,
ffolk to conveye to ther desyred place:
And many brygaunt the weye doth manace,
No man ys sur hym syluen to diffend;
Wherfore I rede, lat euery whyht a-mend
Hys lyff be tyme, whil he hath liberte.
And that folk may the Ryhtë weyë se
Best assuryd to-wardë ther passage,
Lat hem be-holde[n] in the pylgrymage,
Which callyd ys pylgrymage de movnde,
In the wych fful notably ys fovnde,
Lernyd, and tavht, who can well construe,
What folk schal take, & what they schal eschue.
In thys book, yf [that] they redë yerne,
Pylgrymës schal the verray trouthë lerne,—
yiff they sette ther trewë dyllygence
To vnderstondë clerly the sentence,—
What hyt menyth, & the moralyte;
Ther they may, as in a merovr, se
holsom thynges, & thynges full notable;
What ys prevyd, & what thyng ys dampnable,
What ys holsom, the sovlë for to save,
Whan the body ys leyd in hys grave.
And to knowë wych be cyteseyns,
Trewë burgeys, & ekë fraunkeleyns,
Wych in good lyff and vertu do excelle,
In Ierusaleem perpetually to duelle,
Whan the Iugge & Lord, that lyveth evere,
In hys doom assovnder shal dysseuere
Hys chosë shep, wasshe in the lambys blood,
Wych for mankyndë starff vpon the rood;
And putte the kydës to dampnacion,
wych ha noon part of Crystys passyon,
Endlesly there to lyve in peyne,
Where Lucyffer lyth bovnden in his cheyne.
ffro the wych, God euery man defende,
And grauntë gracë, our lyff here to mende,
To-ffor the ffyn of ovrë pylgrymage.
ffor, save hys grace, we ha noon avauntage,
No thyng is cleyme as be tytle of ryht,
But of mercy, wych ay lyth in hys myght,
Vn-to synnerys, that deye repentaunt,
To yive pardon off hys benynge graunt,
[The] Wych ys to hem, vn-to ther refut,
Proteccyon and truë sauff-conduit,
Hem to savë, that thay be nat lorn.
Best assuryd to-wardë ther passage,
Lat hem be-holde[n] in the pylgrymage,
Which callyd ys pylgrymage de movnde,
In the wych fful notably ys fovnde,
Lernyd, and tavht, who can well construe,
What folk schal take, & what they schal eschue.
In thys book, yf [that] they redë yerne,
Pylgrymës schal the verray trouthë lerne,—
yiff they sette ther trewë dyllygence
To vnderstondë clerly the sentence,—
What hyt menyth, & the moralyte;
Ther they may, as in a merovr, se
holsom thynges, & thynges full notable;
What ys prevyd, & what thyng ys dampnable,
What ys holsom, the sovlë for to save,
Whan the body ys leyd in hys grave.
And to knowë wych be cyteseyns,
Trewë burgeys, & ekë fraunkeleyns,
Wych in good lyff and vertu do excelle,
In Ierusaleem perpetually to duelle,
Whan the Iugge & Lord, that lyveth evere,
In hys doom assovnder shal dysseuere
Hys chosë shep, wasshe in the lambys blood,
Wych for mankyndë starff vpon the rood;
And putte the kydës to dampnacion,
wych ha noon part of Crystys passyon,
Endlesly there to lyve in peyne,
Where Lucyffer lyth bovnden in his cheyne.
ffro the wych, God euery man defende,
And grauntë gracë, our lyff here to mende,
To-ffor the ffyn of ovrë pylgrymage.
ffor, save hys grace, we ha noon avauntage,
4
But of mercy, wych ay lyth in hys myght,
Vn-to synnerys, that deye repentaunt,
To yive pardon off hys benynge graunt,
[The] Wych ys to hem, vn-to ther refut,
Proteccyon and truë sauff-conduit,
Hem to savë, that thay be nat lorn.
And thys book, the wych I spake off to-fforn,
I mene, the book Pylgrymage de Movnde,
Morall of vertu, of materys ful profovnde,
Maad & compylyd in the Frenchë tonge,
ffull notáble to be rad & songe.
To every pylgryme, vertuous of lyff,
The mater is so contemplatyff;
In all the book, ys not lost a word.
I mene, the book Pylgrymage de Movnde,
Morall of vertu, of materys ful profovnde,
Maad & compylyd in the Frenchë tonge,
ffull notáble to be rad & songe.
To every pylgryme, vertuous of lyff,
The mater is so contemplatyff;
In all the book, ys not lost a word.
Thys consydred full wysly of my lord
Of Salysbury, the noble manly knyht,
Wych in Fravncë, for the kyngys Ryht,
In the werre hath meny day contunyd;
Whom God & gracë han ful wel ffortunyd
In thenpryses wych he hath vndertake;
Lyff and godes, for the kyngys sake,
Knyhtly Inpartyd thys prince vertuous;
Ay in the ende beyng victoryous,
Swych grace & Eur, God to hym hath sent,
Wych gaff me ffyrst in comavndement
Thys seydë book in Englysshe for to make,
As I koude, [al] only for hys sake.
Be-cause he woldë that men schold[e] se,
In ovre tonge, the grete moralyte
Wych in thys book ys seyde & comprehendyd,
That yt ne myhte (me semyth) be Amendyd;
The auctour, wych that dyde hyt ffyrst compyle,
So vertuously spent ther-on hys whyle.
And of entent to do my lord plesaunce,
In hys worschepë, for a remembravnce,
As I am bovnde for to be hys man,
I wyl translate hyt sothly as I kan,
After the lettre, in ordre effectuelly.
Thogh I not folwe the wordës by & by,
I schal not faillë teuchyng the substaunce,
Thogh on makyng I ha no suffysaunce;
ffor my wrytyng, in conclusion,
ys al yseyd vnder correcion.
Of Salysbury, the noble manly knyht,
Wych in Fravncë, for the kyngys Ryht,
In the werre hath meny day contunyd;
Whom God & gracë han ful wel ffortunyd
In thenpryses wych he hath vndertake;
Lyff and godes, for the kyngys sake,
Knyhtly Inpartyd thys prince vertuous;
Ay in the ende beyng victoryous,
Swych grace & Eur, God to hym hath sent,
Wych gaff me ffyrst in comavndement
Thys seydë book in Englysshe for to make,
As I koude, [al] only for hys sake.
Be-cause he woldë that men schold[e] se,
In ovre tonge, the grete moralyte
Wych in thys book ys seyde & comprehendyd,
That yt ne myhte (me semyth) be Amendyd;
The auctour, wych that dyde hyt ffyrst compyle,
So vertuously spent ther-on hys whyle.
And of entent to do my lord plesaunce,
In hys worschepë, for a remembravnce,
As I am bovnde for to be hys man,
I wyl translate hyt sothly as I kan,
After the lettre, in ordre effectuelly.
Thogh I not folwe the wordës by & by,
5
Thogh on makyng I ha no suffysaunce;
ffor my wrytyng, in conclusion,
ys al yseyd vnder correcion.
And of the tyme playnly, & of the date
Whan I be-gan thys book to translate,
yt was a thovsand (by computacion)
Affter crystys incarnacion,
ffour hundryd ouer, nouther fer ne nere,
The surples ouer, syxe & twenty yere,
My lord that tymë beyng at Parys,
Wych gaff me charge, by hys dyscrete avys,
As I seyde erst, to settë myn entent
Vp-on thys book to be [ful] dyllygent,
And to be-gynne vp-on thys labour,
Allë folkys be-sechyng of ffavour,
That on thys book after-ward schal rede;
And that hym lyst nat to taken hede
To the makyng, but to the sentence;
ffor I am bareyn of all eloquence.
Ther-for I pray, what so that be seyde,
[Off gentyll]esse not to be evel apayde,
And my rudnessë helpyn to excuse,
ffor in metre I ha ne with me no muse:
Noon of the nyne that on Parnase duelle,
Nor she that ys [the] lady of the welle,
Calliopë, be sydë cytheron,
Gaff to my pennë, plente nor fuson̄
Of hyr licovr, whan thys work was [be]gonne.
Nor I drank no-wer of the sugryd tonne
Off Iubiter, couchyd in hys celer,
So strange I fonde to me hys boteler,
Off poetys [i]callyd Ganymede.
Whan I be-gan thys book to translate,
yt was a thovsand (by computacion)
Affter crystys incarnacion,
ffour hundryd ouer, nouther fer ne nere,
The surples ouer, syxe & twenty yere,
My lord that tymë beyng at Parys,
Wych gaff me charge, by hys dyscrete avys,
As I seyde erst, to settë myn entent
Vp-on thys book to be [ful] dyllygent,
And to be-gynne vp-on thys labour,
Allë folkys be-sechyng of ffavour,
That on thys book after-ward schal rede;
And that hym lyst nat to taken hede
To the makyng, but to the sentence;
ffor I am bareyn of all eloquence.
Ther-for I pray, what so that be seyde,
[Off gentyll]esse not to be evel apayde,
And my rudnessë helpyn to excuse,
ffor in metre I ha ne with me no muse:
Noon of the nyne that on Parnase duelle,
Nor she that ys [the] lady of the welle,
Calliopë, be sydë cytheron,
Gaff to my pennë, plente nor fuson̄
Of hyr licovr, whan thys work was [be]gonne.
Nor I drank no-wer of the sugryd tonne
Off Iubiter, couchyd in hys celer,
So strange I fonde to me hys boteler,
Off poetys [i]callyd Ganymede.
But to my labour now I woll me spede,
Prayng ech reder me to reconforte,
Benignëly my rudenesse to supporte.
ffor wherso be my thonk, I lese or wynne,
Wyth yowrë gracë thus I wyll be-gynne.
Prayng ech reder me to reconforte,
Benignëly my rudenesse to supporte.
ffor wherso be my thonk, I lese or wynne,
Wyth yowrë gracë thus I wyll be-gynne.
Here endyth the prologe off the translatour.
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