The General Prologue

Whan that aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
Tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the ram his halve cours yronne,
And smale foweles maken melodye,
That slepen al the nyght with open ye
(so priketh hem nature in hir corages);
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,
To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;
And specially from every shires ende
Of engelond to caunterbury they wende,
The hooly blisful martir for to seke,
That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.
Bifil that in that seson on a day,
In southwerk at the tabard as I lay
Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage
To caunterbury with ful devout corage,
At nyght was come into that hostelrye
Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye,
Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle
In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle,
That toward caunterbury wolden ryde.
The chambres and the stables weren wyde,
And wel we weren esed atte beste.
And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste,
So hadde I spoken with hem everichon
That I was of hir felaweshipe anon,
And made forward erly for to ryse,
To take oure wey ther as I yow devyse.
But nathelees, whil I have tyme and space,
Er that I ferther in this tale pace,
Me thynketh it acordaunt to resoun
To telle yow al the condicioun
Of ech of hem, so as it semed me,
And whiche they weren, and of what degree,
And eek in what array that they were inne;
And at a knyght than wol I first bigynne.
A knyght ther was, and that a worthy man,
That fro the tyme that he first bigan
To riden out, he loved chivalrie,
Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie.
Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre,
And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre,
As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse,
And evere honoured for his worthynesse.
At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne.
Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne
Aboven alle nacions in pruce;
In lettow hadde he reysed and in ruce,
No cristen man so ofte of his degree.
In gernade at the seege eek hadde he be
Of algezir, and riden in belmarye.
At lyeys was he and at satalye,
Whan they were wonne; and in the grete see
At many a noble armee hadde he be.
At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene,
And foughten for oure feith at tramyssene
In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo.
This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also
Somtyme with the lord of palatye
Agayn another hethen in turkye.
And everemoore he hadde a sovereyn prys;
And though that he were worthy, he was wys,
And of his port as meeke as is a mayde.
He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde
In al his lyf unto no maner wight.
He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.
But, for to tellen yow of his array,
His hors were goode, but he was nat gay.
Of fustian he wered a gypon
Al bismotered with his habergeon,
For he was late ycome from his viage,
And wente for to doon his pilgrymage.
With hym ther was his sone, a yong squier,
A lovyere and a lusty bacheler,
With lokkes crulle as they were leyd in presse.
Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse.
Of his stature he was of evene lengthe,
And wonderly delyvere, and of greet strengthe.
And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie
In flaundres, in artoys, and pycardie,
And born hym weel, as of so litel space,
In hope to stonden in his lady grace.
Embrouded was he, as it were a meede
Al ful of fresshe floures, whyte and reede.
Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day;
He was as fressh as is the month of may.
Short was his gowne, with sleves longe and wyde.
Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde.
He koude songes make and wel endite,
Juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write.
So hoote he lovede that by nyghtertale.
He sleep namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale.
Curteis he was, lowely, and servysable,
And carf biforn his fader at the table.
A yeman hadde he and servantz namo
At that tyme, for hym liste ride so,
And he was clad in cote and hood of grene.
A sheef of pecok arwes, bright and kene,
Under his belt he bar ful thriftily,
(wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly:
His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe)
And in his hand he baar a myghty bowe.
A not heed hadde he, with a broun visage.
Of wodecraft wel koude he al the usage.
Upon his arm he baar a gay bracer,
And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler,
And on that oother syde a gay daggere
Harneised wel and sharp as point of spere;
A cristopher on his brest of silver sheene.
An horn he bar, the bawdryk was of grene;
A forster was he, soothly, as I gesse.
Ther was also a nonne, a prioresse,
That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy;
Hire gretteste ooth was but by seinte loy;
And she was cleped madame eglentyne.
Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne,
Entuned in hir nose ful semely,
And frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,
After the scole of stratford atte bowe,
For frenssh of parys was to hire unknowe.
At mete wel ytaught was she with alle:
She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle,
Ne wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe;
Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kepe
That no drope ne fille upon hire brest.
In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest.
Hir over-lippe wyped she so clene
That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sene
Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte.
Ful semely after hir mete she raughte.
And sikerly she was of greet desport,
And ful plesaunt, and amyable of port,
And peyned hire to countrefete cheere
Of court, and to been estatlich of manere,
And to ben holden digne of reverence.
But, for to speken of hire conscience,
She was so charitable and so pitous
She wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mous
Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde.
Of smale houndes hadde she that she fedde
With rosted flessh, or milk and wastel-breed.
But soore wepte she if oon of hem were deed,
Or if men smoot it with a yerde smerte;
And al was conscience and tendre herte.
Ful semyly hir wympul pynched was,
Hir nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas,
Hir mouth ful smal, and therto softe and reed;
But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed;
It was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe;
For, hardily, she was nat undergrowe.
Ful fetys was hir cloke, as I was war.
Of smal coral aboute hire arm she bar
A peire of bedes, gauded al with grene,
And theron heng a brooch of gold ful sheene,
On which ther was first write a crowned a,
And after amor vincit omnia.
Another nonne with hire hadde she,
That was hir chapeleyne, and preestes thre.
A monk ther was, a fair for the maistrie,
An outridere, that lovede venerie,
A manly man, to been an abbot able.
Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable,
And whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heere
Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere
And eek as loude as dooth the chapel belle.
Ther as this lord was kepere of the celle,
The reule of seint maure or of seint beneit,
By cause that it was old and somdel streit
This ilke monk leet olde thynges pace,
And heeld after the newe world the space.
He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen,
That seith that hunters ben nat hooly men,
Ne that a monk, whan he is recchelees,
Is likned til a fissh that is waterlees, --
This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystre.
But thilke text heeld he nat worth an oystre;
And I seyde his opinion was good.
What sholde he studie and make hymselven wood,
Upon a book in cloystre alwey to poure,
Or swynken with his handes, and laboure,
As austyn bit? how shal the world be served?
Lat austyn have his swynk to hym reserved!
Therfore he was a prikasour aright:
Grehoundes he hadde as swift as fowel in flight;
Of prikyng and of huntyng for the hare
Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.
I seigh his sleves purfiled at the hond
With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond;
And, for to festne his hood under his chyn,
He hadde of gold ywroght a ful curious pyn;
A love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was.
His heed was balled, that shoon as any glas,
And eek his face, as he hadde been enoynt.
He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt;
His eyen stepe, and rollynge in his heed,
That stemed as a forneys of a leed;
His bootes souple, his hors in greet estaat.
Now certeinly he was a fair prelaat;
He was nat pale as a forpyned goost.
A fat swan loved he best of any roost.
His palfrey was as broun as is a berye.
A frere ther was, a wantowne and a merye,
A lymytour, a ful solempne man.
In alle the ordres foure is noon that kan
So muchel of daliaunce and fair langage.
He hadde maad ful many a mariage
Of yonge wommen at his owene cost.
Unto his ordre he was a noble post.
Ful wel biloved and famulier was he
With frankeleyns over al in his contree,
And eek with worthy wommen of the toun;
For he hadde power of confessioun,
As seyde hymself, moore than a curat,
For of his ordre he was licenciat.
Ful swetely herde he confessioun,
And plesaunt was his absolucioun:
He was an esy man to yeve penaunce,
Ther as he wiste to have a good pitaunce.
For unto a povre ordre for to yive
Is signe that a man is wel yshryve;
For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt,
He wiste that a man was repentaunt;
For many a man so hard is of his herte,
He may nat wepe, althogh hym soore smerte.
Therfore in stede of wepynge and preyeres
Men moote yeve silver to the povre freres.
His typet was ay farsed ful of knyves
And pynnes, for to yeven faire wyves.
And certeinly he hadde a murye note:
Wel koude he synge and pleyen on a rote;
Of yeddynges he baar outrely the pris.
His nekke whit was as the flour-de-lys;
Therto he strong was as a champioun.
He knew the tavernes wel in every toun
And everich hostiler and tappestere
Bet than a lazar or a beggestere;
For unto swich a worthy man as he
Acorded nat, as by his facultee,
To have with sike lazars aqueyntaunce.
It is nat honest, it may nat avaunce,
For to deelen with no swich poraille,
But al with riche and selleres of vitaille.
And over al, ther as profit sholde arise,
Curteis he was and lowely of servyse.
Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous.
He was the beste beggere in his hous;
(and yaf a certeyne ferme for the graunt;
Noon of his bretheren cam ther in his haunt;)
For thogh a wydwe hadde noght a sho,
So plesaunt was his in principio,
Yet wolde he have a ferthyng, er he wente.
His purchas was wel bettre than his rente.
And rage he koude, as it were right a whelp.
In love-dayes ther koude he muchel help,
For ther he was nat lyk a cloysterer
With a thredbare cope, as is a povre scoler,
But he was lyk a maister or a pope.
Of double worstede was his semycope,
That rounded as a belle out of the presse.
Somwhat he lipsed, for his wantownesse,
To make his englissh sweete upon his tonge;
And in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe,
His eyen twynkled in his heed aryght,
As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght.
This worthy lymytour was cleped huberd.
A marchant was ther with a forked berd,
In mottelee, and hye on horse he sat;
Upon his heed a flaundryssh bever hat,
His bootes clasped faire and fetisly.
His resons he spak ful solempnely,
Sownynge alwey th' encrees of his wynnyng.
He wolde the see were kept for any thyng
Bitwixe middelburgh and orewelle.
Wel koude he in eschaunge sheeldes selle.
This worthy man ful wel his wit bisette:
Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette,
So estatly was he of his governaunce
With his bargaynes and with his chevyssaunce.
For sothe he was a worthy man with alle,
But, sooth to seyn, I noot how men hym calle.
A clerk ther was of oxenford also,
That unto logyk hadde longe ygo.
As leene was his hors as is a rake,
And he nas nat right fat, I undertake,
But looked holwe, and therto sobrely.
Ful thredbare was his overeste courtepy;
For he hadde geten hym yet no benefice,
Ne was so worldly for to have office.
For hym was levere have at his beddes heed
Twenty bookes, clad in blak or reed,
Of aristotle and his philosophie,
Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrie.
But al be that he was a philosophre,
Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre;
But al that he myghte of his freendes hente,
On bookes and on lernynge he it spente,
And bisily gan for the soules preye
Of hem that yaf hym wherwith to scoleye.
Of studie took he moost cure and moost heede,
Noght o word spak he moore than was neede,
And that was seyd in forme and reverence,
And short and quyk and ful of hy sentence;
Sownynge in moral vertu was his speche,
And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche.
A sergeant of the lawe, war and wys,
That often hadde been at the parvys,
Ther was also, ful riche of excellence.
Discreet he was and of greet reverence --
He semed swich, his wordes weren so wise.
Justice he was ful often in assise,
By patente and by pleyn commissioun.
For his science and for his heigh renoun,
Of fees and robes hadde he many oon.
So greet a purchasour was nowher noon:
Al was fee symple to hym in effect;
His purchasyng myghte nat been infect.
Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas,
And yet he semed bisier than he was.
In termes hadde he caas and doomes alle
That from the tyme of kyng william were falle.
Therto he koude endite, and make a thyng,
Ther koude no wight pynche at his writyng;
And every statut koude he pleyn by rote.
He rood but hoomly in a medlee cote.
Girt with a ceint of silk, with barres smale;
Of his array telle I no lenger tale.
A frankeleyn was in his compaignye.
Whit was his berd as is the dayesye;
Of his complexioun he was sangwyn.
Wel loved he by the morwe a sop in wyn;
To lyven in delit was evere his wone,
For he was epicurus owene sone,
That heeld opinioun that pleyn delit
Was verray felicitee parfit.
An housholdere, and that a greet, was he;
Seint julian he was in his contree.
His breed, his ale, was alweys after oon;
A bettre envyned man was nowher noon.
Withoute bake mete was nevere his hous
Of fissh and flessh, and that so plentevous,
It snewed in his hous of mete and drynke,
Of alle deyntees that men koude thynke.
After the sondry sesons of the yeer,
So chaunged he his mete and his soper.
Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in muwe,
And many a breem and many a luce in stuwe.
Wo was his cook but if his sauce were
Poynaunt and sharp, and redy al his geere.
His table dormant in his halle alway
Stood redy covered al the longe day.
At sessiouns ther was he lord and sire;
Ful ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire.
An anlaas and a gipser al of silk
Heeng at his girdel, whit as morne milk.
A shirreve hadde he been, and a contour.
Was nowher swich a worthy vavasour.
An haberdasshere and a carpenter,
A webbe, a dyere, and a tapycer, --
And they were clothed alle in o lyveree
Of a solempne and a greet fraternitee.
Ful fressh and newe hir geere apiked was;
Hir knyves were chaped noght with bras
But al with silver; wroght ful clene and weel
Hire girdles and hir pouches everydeel.
Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys
To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys.
Everich, for the wisdom that he kan,
Was shaply for to been an alderman.
For catel hadde they ynogh and rente,
And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente;
And elles certeyn were they to blame.
It is ful fair to been ycleped madame,
And goon to vigilies al bifore,
And have a mantel roialliche ybore.
A cook they hadde with hem for the nones
To boille the chiknes with the marybones,
And poudre-marchant tart and galyngale.
Wel koude he knowe a draughte of londoun ale.
He koude rooste, and sethe, and broille, and frye,
Maken mortreux, and wel bake a pye.
But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me,
That on his shyne a mormal hadde he.
For blankmanger, that made he with the beste.
A shipman was ther, wonynge fer by weste;
For aught I woot, he was of dertemouthe.
He rood upon a rounce, as he kouthe,
In a gowne of faldyng to the knee.
A daggere hangynge on a laas hadde he
Aboute his nekke, under his arm adoun.
The hoote somer hadde maad his hewe al broun;
And certeinly he was a good felawe.
Ful many a draughte of wyn had he ydrawe
Fro burdeux-ward, whil that the chapmen sleep.
Of nyce conscience took he no keep.
If that he faught, and hadde the hyer hond,
By water he sente hem hoom to every lond.
But of his craft to rekene wel his tydes,
His stremes, and his daungers hym bisides,
His herberwe, and his moone, his lodemenage,
Ther nas noon swich from hulle to cartage.
Hardy he was and wys to undertake;
With many a tempest hadde his berd been shake.
He knew alle the havenes, as they were,
Fro gootlond to the cape of fynystere,
And every cryke in britaigne and in spayne.
His barge ycleped was the maudelayne.
With us ther was a doctour of phisik;
In al this world ne was the noon hym lik,
To speke of phisik and of surgerye
For he was grounded in astronomye.
He kepte his pacient a ful greet deel
In houres by his magyk natureel.
Wel koude he fortunen the ascendent
Of his ymages for his pacient.
He knew the cause of everich maladye,
Were it of hoot, or coold, or moyste, or drye,
And where they engendred, and of what humour.
He was a verray, parfit praktisour:
The cause yknowe, and of his harm the roote,
Anon he yaf the sike man his boote.
Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries
To sende hym drogges and his letuaries,
For ech of hem made oother for to wynne --
Hir frendshipe nas nat newe to bigynne.
Wel knew he the olde esculapius,
And deyscorides, and eek rufus,
Olde ypocras, haly, and galyen,
Serapion, razis, and avycen,
Averrois, damascien, and constantyn,
Bernard, and gatesden, and gilbertyn.
Of his diete mesurable was he,
For it was of no superfluitee,
But of greet norissyng and digestible.
His studie was but litel on the bible.
In sangwyn and in pers he clad was al,
Lyned with taffata and with sendal;
And yet he was but esy of dispence;
He kepte that he wan in pestilence.
For gold in phisik is a cordial,
Therefore he lovede gold in special.
A good wif was ther of biside bathe,
But she was somdel deef, and that was scathe.
Of clooth-makyng she hadde swich an haunt,
She passed hem of ypres and of gaunt.
In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon
That to the offrynge bifore hire sholde goon;
And if ther dide, certeyn so wrooth was she,
That she was out of alle charitee.
Hir coverchiefs ful fyne weren of ground;
I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound
That on a sonday weren upon hir heed.
Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed,
Ful streite yteyd, and shoes ful moyste and newe.
Boold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe.
She was a worthy womman al hir lyve:
Housbondes at chirche dore she hadde fyve,
Withouten oother compaignye in youthe, --
But therof nedeth nat to speke as nowthe.
And thries hadde she been at jerusalem;
She hadde passed many a straunge strem;
At rome she hadde been, and at boloigne,
In galice at seint-jame, and at coloigne.
She koude muchel of wandrynge by the weye.
Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye.
Upon an amblere esily she sat,
Ywympled wel, and on hir heed an hat
As brood as is a bokeler or a targe;
A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large,
And on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe.
In felaweshipe wel koude she laughe and carpe.
Of remedies of love she knew per chaunce,
For she koude of that art the olde daunce.
A good man was ther of religioun,
And was a povre persoun of a toun,
But riche he was of hooly thoght and werk.
He was also a lerned man, a clerk,
That cristes gospel trewely wolde preche;
His parisshens devoutly wolde he teche.
Benygne he was, and wonder diligent,
And in adversitee ful pacient,
And swich he was ypreved ofte sithes.
Ful looth were hym to cursen for his tithes,
But rather wolde he yeven, out of doute,
Unto his povre parisshens aboute
Of his offryng and eek of his substaunce.
He koude in litel thyng have suffisaunce.
Wyd was his parisshe, and houses fer asonder,
But he ne lefte nat, for reyn ne thonder,
In siknesse nor in meschief to visite
The ferreste in his parisshe, muche and lite,
Upon his feet, and in his hand a staf.
This noble ensample to his sheep he yaf,
That first he wroghte, and afterward he taughte.
Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte,
And this figure he added eek therto,
That if gold ruste, what shal iren do?
For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste,
No wonder is a lewed man to ruste;
And shame it is, if a prest take keep,
A shiten shepherde and a clene sheep.
Wel oghte a preest ensample for to yive,
By his clennesse, how that his sheep sholde lyve.
He sette nat his benefice to hyre
And leet his sheep encombred in the myre
And ran to londoun unto seinte poules
To seken hym a chaunterie for soules,
Or with a bretherhed to been withholde;
But dwelte at hoom, and kepte wel his folde,
So that the wolf ne made it nat myscarie;
He was a shepherde and noght a mercenarie.
And though he hooly were and vertuous,
He was to synful men nat despitous,
Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne,
But in his techyng discreet and benygne.
To drawen folk to hevene by fairnesse,
By good ensample, this was his bisynesse.
But it were any persone obstinat,
What so he were, of heigh or lough estat,
Hym wolde he snybben sharply for the nonys.
A bettre preest I trowe that nowher noon ys.
He waited after no pompe and reverence,
Ne maked him a spiced conscience,
But cristes loore and his apostles twelve
He taughte, but first he folwed it hymselve.
With hym ther was a plowman, was his brother,
That hadde ylad of dong ful many a fother;
A trewe swynkere and a good was he,
Lyvynge in pees and parfit charitee.
God loved he best with al his hoole herte
At alle tymes, thogh him gamed or smerte,
And thanne his neighebor right as hymselve.
He wolde thresshe, and therto dyke and delve,
For cristes sake, for every povre wight,
Withouten hire, if it lay in his myght.
His tithes payde he ful faire and wel,
Bothe of his propre swynk and his catel.
In a tabard he rood upon a mere.
Ther was also a reve, and a millere,
A somnour, and a pardoner also,
A maunciple, and myself -- ther were namo.
The millere was a stout carl for the nones;
Ful byg he was of brawn, and eek of bones.
That proved wel, for over al ther he cam,
At wrastlynge he wolde have alwey the ram.
He was short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre;
Ther was no dore that he nolde heve of harre,
Or breke it at a rennyng with his heed.
His berd as any sowe or fox was reed,
And therto brood, as though it were a spade.
Upon the cop right of his nose he hade
A werte, and theron stood a toft of herys,
Reed as the brustles of a sowes erys;
His nosethirles blake were and wyde.
A swerd and bokeler bar he by his syde.
His mouth as greet was as a greet forneys.
He was a janglere and a goliardeys,
And that was moost of synne and harlotries.
Wel koude he stelen corn and tollen thries;
And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee.
A whit cote and a blew hood wered he.
A baggepipe wel koude he blowe and sowne,
And therwithal he broghte us out of towne.
A gentil maunciple was ther of a temple,
Of which achatours myghte take exemple
For to be wise in byynge of vitaille;
For wheither that he payde or took by taille,
Algate he wayted so in his achaat
That he was ay biforn and in good staat.
Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace
That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace
The wisdom of an heep of lerned men?
Of maistres hadde he mo than thries ten,
That weren of lawe expert and curious,
Of which ther were a duszeyne in that hous
Worthy to been stywardes of rente and lond
Of any lord that is in engelond,
To make hym lyve by his propre good
In honour dettelees (but if he were wood),
Or lyve as scarsly as hym list desire;
And able for to helpen al a shire
In any caas that myghte falle or happe;
And yet this manciple sette hir aller cappe.
The reve was a sclendre colerik man.
His berd was shave as ny as ever he kan;
His heer was by his erys ful round yshorn;
His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn
Ful longe were his legges and ful lene,
Ylyk a staf, ther was no calf ysene.
Wel koude he kepe a gerner and a bynne;
Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynne.
Wel wiste he by the droghte and by the reyn
The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn.
His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye,
His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye
Was hoolly in this reves governynge,
And by his covenant yaf the rekenynge,
Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age.
Ther koude no man brynge hym in arrerage.
Ther nas baillif, ne hierde, nor oother hyne,
That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne;
They were adrad of hym as of the deeth.
His wonyng was ful faire upon an heeth;
With grene trees yshadwed was his place.
He koude bettre than his lord purchace.
Ful riche he was astored pryvely:
His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly,
To yeve and lene hym of his owene good,
And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood.
In youthe he hadde lerned a good myster;
He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter.
This reve sat upon a ful good stot,
That was al pomely grey and highte scot.
A long surcote of pers upon he hade,
And by his syde he baar a rusty blade.
Of northfolk was this reve of which I telle,
Biside a toun men clepen baldeswelle.
Tukked he was as is a frere aboute,
And evere he rood the hyndreste of oure route.
A somonour was ther with us in that place,
That hadde a fyr-reed cherubynnes face,
For saucefleem he was, with eyen narwe.
As hoot he was and lecherous as a sparwe,
With scalled browes blake and piled berd.
Of his visage children were aferd.
Ther nas quyk-silver, lytarge, ne brymstoon,
Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon;
Ne oynement that wolde clense and byte,
That hym myghte helpen of his whelkes white,
Nor of the knobbes sittynge on his chekes.
Wel loved he garleek, oynons, and eek lekes,
And for to drynken strong wyn, reed as blood;
Thanne wolde he speke and crie as he were wood.
And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn,
Thanne wolde he speke no word but latyn.
A fewe termes hadde he, two or thre,
That he had lerned out of som decree --
No wonder is, he herde it al the day;
And eek ye knowen wel how that a jay
Kan clepen watte as wel as kan the pope.
But whoso koude in oother thyng hym grope,
Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophie;
Ay questio quid iuris wolde he crie.
He was a gentil harlot and a kynde;
A bettre felawe sholde men noght fynde.
He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn
A good felawe to have his concubyn
A twelf month, and excuse hym atte fulle;
Ful prively a fynch eek koude he pulle.
And if he foond owher a good felawe,
He wolde techen him to have noon awe
In swich caas of the ercedekenes curs,
But if a mannes soule were in his purs;
For in his purs he sholde ypunysshed be.
Purs is the ercedekenes helle, seyde he.
But wel I woot he lyed right in dede;
Of cursyng oghte ech gilty man him drede,
For curs wol slee right as assoillyng savith,
And also war hym of a significavit.
In daunger hadde he at his owene gise
The yonge girles of the diocise,
And knew hir conseil, and was al hir reed.
A gerland hadde he set upon his heed
As greet as it were for an ale-stake.
A bokeleer hadde he maad hym of a cake.
With hym ther rood a gentil pardoner
Of rouncivale, his freend and his compeer,
That streight was comen fro the court of rome.
Ful loude he soong com hider, love, to me!
This somonour bar to hym a stif burdoun;
Was nevere trompe of half so greet a soun.
This pardoner hadde heer as yelow as wex,
But smothe it heeng as dooth a strike of flex;
By ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde,
And therwith he his shuldres overspradde;
But thynne it lay, by colpons oon and oon.
But hood, for jolitee, wered he noon,
For it was trussed up in his walet.
Hym thoughte he rood al of the newe jet;
Dischevelee, save his cappe, he rood al bare.
Swiche glarynge eyen hadde he as an hare.
A vernycle hadde he sowed upon his cappe.
His walet lay biforn hym in his lappe,
Bretful of pardoun, comen from rome al hoot.
A voys he hadde as smal as hath a goot.
No berd hadde he, ne nevere sholde have;
As smothe it was as it were late shave.
I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare.
But of his craft, fro berwyk into ware,
Ne was ther swich another pardoner
For in his male he hadde a pilwe-beer,
Which that he seyde was oure lady veyl:
He seyde he hadde a gobet of the seyl
That seint peter hadde, whan that he wente
Upon the see, til jhesu crist hym hente.
He hadde a croys of latoun ful of stones,
And in a glas he hadde pigges bones.
But with thise relikes, whan that he fond
A povre person dwellynge upon lond,
Upon a day he gat hym moore moneye
Than that the person gat in monthes tweye;
And thus, with feyned flaterye and japes,
He made the person and the peple his apes.
But trewely to tellen atte laste,
He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste.
Wel koude he rede a lessoun or a storie,
But alderbest he song an offertorie;
For wel he wiste, whan that song was songe,
He moste preche and wel affile his tonge
To wynne silver, as he ful wel koude;
Therefore he song the murierly and loude.
Now have I toold you soothly, in a clause,
Th' estaat, th' array, the nombre, and eek the cause
Why that assembled was this compaignye
In southwerk at this gentil hostelrye
That highte the tabard, faste by the belle.
But now is tyme to yow for to telle
How that we baren us that ilke nyght,
Whan we were in that hostelrie alyght;
And after wol I telle of our viage
And al the remenaunt of oure pilgrimage.
But first I pray yow, of youre curteisye,
That ye n' arette it nat my vileynye,
Thogh that I pleynly speke in this mateere,
To telle yow hir wordes and hir cheere,
Ne thogh I speke hir wordes proprely.
For this ye knowen al so wel as I,
Whoso shal telle a tale after a man,
He moot reherce as ny as evere he kan
Everich a word, if it be in his charge,
Al speke he never so rudeliche and large,
Or ellis he moot telle his tale untrewe,
Or feyne thyng, or fynde wordes newe.
He may nat spare, althogh he were his brother;
He moot as wel seye o word as another.
Crist spak hymself ful brode in hooly writ,
And wel ye woot no vileynye is it.
Eek plato seith, whoso that kan hym rede,
The wordes moote be cosyn to the dede.
Also I prey yow to foryeve it me,
Al have I nat set folk in hir degree
Heere in this tale, as that they sholde stonde.
My wit is short, ye may wel understonde.
Greet chiere made oure hoost us everichon,
And to the soper sette he us anon.
He served us with vitaille at the beste;
Strong was the wyn, and wel to drynke us leste.
A semely man oure hooste was withalle
For to han been a marchal in an halle.
A large man he was with eyen stepe --
A fairer burgeys is ther noon in chepe --
Boold of his speche, and wys, and wel ytaught,
And of manhod hym lakkede right naught.
Eek therto he was right a myrie man,
And after soper pleyen he bigan,
And spak of myrthe amonges othere thynges,
Whan that we hadde maad oure rekenynges,
And seyde thus: now, lordynges, trewely,
Ye been to me right welcome, hertely;
For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye,
I saugh nat this yeer so myrie a compaignye
Atones in this herberwe as is now.
Fayn wolde I doon yow myrthe, wiste I how.
And of a myrthe I am right now bythoght,
To doon yow ese, and it shal coste noght.
Ye goon to caunterbury -- God yow speede,
The blisful martir quite yow youre meede!
And wel I woot, as ye goon by the weye,
Ye shapen yow to talen and to pleye;
For trewely, confort ne myrthe is noon
To ride by the weye doumb as a stoon;
And therfore wol I maken yow disport,
As I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort.
And if yow liketh alle by oon assent
For to stonden at my juggement,
And for to werken as I shal yow seye,
To-morwe, whan ye riden by the weye,
Now, by my fader soule that is deed,
But ye be myrie, I wol yeve yow myn heed!
Hoold up youre hondes, withouten moore speche.
Oure conseil was nat longe for to seche.
Us thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys,
And graunted hym withouten moore avys,
And bad him seye his voirdit as hym leste.
Lordynges, quod he, now herkneth for the beste;
But taak it nought, I prey yow, in desdeyn.
This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn,
That ech of yow, to shorte with oure weye,
In this viage shal telle tales tweye
To caunterbury-ward, I mene it so,
And homward he shal tellen othere two,
Of aventures that whilom han bifalle.
And which of yow that bereth hym best of alle,
That is to seyn, that telleth in this caas
Tales of best sentence and moost solaas,
Shal have a soper at oure aller cost
Heere in this place, sittynge by this post,
Whan that we come agayn fro caunterbury.
And for to make yow the moore mury,
I wol myselven goodly with yow ryde,
Right at myn owene cost, and be youre gyde,
And whoso wole my juggement withseye
Shal paye al that we spenden by the weye.
And if ye vouche sauf that it be so,
Tel me anon, withouten wordes mo,
And I wol erly shape me therfore.
This thyng was graunted, and oure othes swore
With ful glad herte, and preyden hym also
That he wolde vouche sauf for to do so,
And that he wolde been oure governour,
And oure tales juge and reportour,
And sette a soper at a certeyn pris,
And we wol reuled been at his devys
In heigh and lough; and thus by oon assent
We been acorded to his juggement.
And therupon the wyn was fet anon;
We dronken, and to reste wente echon,
Withouten any lenger taryynge.
Amorwe, whan that day bigan to sprynge,
Up roos oure hoost, and was oure aller cok,
And gradrede us togidre alle in a flok,
And forth we riden a litel moore than paas
Unto the wateryng of seint thomas;
And there oure hoost bigan his hors areste
And seyde, lordynges, herkneth, if yow leste.
Ye woot youre foreward, and I it yow recorde.
If even-song and morwe-song accorde,
Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale.
As evere mote I drynke wyn or ale,
Whoso be rebel to my juggement
Shal paye for al that by the wey is spent.
Now draweth cut, er that we ferrer twynne;
He which that hath the shorteste shal bigynne.
Sire knyght, quod he, my mayster and my lord,
Now draweth cut, for that is myn accord.
Cometh neer, quod he, my lady prioresse.
And ye, sire clerk, lat be youre shamefastnesse,
Ne studieth noght; ley hond to, every man!
Anon to drawen every wight bigan,
And shortly for to tellen as it was,
Were it by aventure, or sort, or cas,
The sothe is this, the cut fil to the knyght,
Of which ful blithe and glad was every wyght,
And telle he moste his tale, as was resoun,
By foreward and by composicioun,
As ye han herd; what nedeth wordes mo?
And whan this goode man saugh that it was so,
As he that wys was and obedient
To kepe his foreward by his free assent,
He seyde, syn I shal bigynne the game,
What, welcome be the cut, a goddes name!
Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye.
And with that word we ryden forth oure weye,
And he bigan with right a myrie cheere
His tale anon, and seyde as ye may heere.

The Knight's Tale

Whilom, as olde stories tellen us,
Ther was a duc that highte theseus;
Of atthenes he was lord and governour,
And in his tyme swich a conquerour,
That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.
Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne;
What with his wysdom and his chivalrie,
He conquered al the regne of femenye,
That whilom was ycleped scithia,
And weddede the queene ypolita,
And broghte hire hoom with hym in his contree
With muchel glorie and greet solempnytee,
And eek hir yonge suster emelye.
And thus with victorie and with melodye
Lete I this noble duc to atthenes ryde,
And al his hoost in armes hym bisyde.
And certes, if it nere to long to heere,
I wolde have toold yow fully the manere
How wonnen was the regne of femenye
By theseus and by his chivalrye;
And of the grete bataille for the nones
Bitwixen atthenes and amazones;
And how asseged was ypolita,
The faire, hardy queene of scithia;
And of the feste that was at hir weddynge,
And of the tempest at hir hoom-comynge;
But al that thyng I moot as now forbere.
I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere,
And wayke been the oxen in my plough.
The remenant of the tale is long ynough.
I wol nat letten eek noon of this route;
Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute,
And lat se now who shal the soper wynne;
And ther I lefte, I wol ayeyn bigynne.
This duc, of whom I make mencioun,
Whan he was come almoost unto the toun,
In al his wele and in his mooste pride,
He was war, as he caste his eye aside,
Where that ther kneled in the heighe weye
A compaignye of ladyes, tweye and tweye,
Ech after oother, clad in clothes blake;
But swich a cry and swich a wo they make
That in this world nys creature lyvynge
That herde swich another waymentynge;
And of this cry they nolde nevere stenten
Til they the reynes of his brydel henten.
What fold been ye, that at myn homcomynge
Perturben so my feste with criynge?
Quod theseus. Have ye so greet envye
Of myn honour, that thus compleyne and crye?
Or who hath yow mysboden or offended?
And telleth me if it may been amended,
And why that ye been clothed thus in blak.
The eldeste lady of hem alle spak,
Whan she hadde swowned with a deedly cheere,
That it was routhe for to seen and heere.
She seyde: lord, to whom fortune hath yiven
Victorie, and as a conqueror to lyven,
Nat greveth us youre glorie and youre honour,
But we biseken mercy and socour.
Have mercy on oure wo and oure distresse!
Som drope of pitee, thurgh thy gentillesse,
Upon us wrecched wommen lat thou falle.
For, certes, lord, ther is noon of us alle,
That she ne hath been a duchesse or a queene.
Now be we caytyves, as it is wel seene,
Thanked be fortune and hire false wheel,
That noon estaat assureth to be weel.
And certes, lord, to abyden youre presence,
Heere in this temple of the goddesse clemence
We han ben waitynge al this fourtenyght.
Now help us, lord, sith it is in thy myght.
I, wrecche, which that wepe and wayle thus,
Was whilom wyf to kyng cappaneus,
That starf at thebes -- cursed be that day! --
And alle we that been in this array
And maken al this lamentacioun,
We losten alle oure housbondes at that toun,
Whil that the seege theraboute lay.
And yet now the olde creon, weylaway!
That lord is now of thebes the citee,
Fulfild of ire and of iniquitee,
He, for despit and for his tirannye,
To do the dede bodyes vileynye
Of alle oure lordes whiche that been yslawe,
Hath alle the bodyes on an heep ydrawe,
And wol nat suffren hem, by noon assent,
Neither to been yburyed nor ybrent,
But maketh houndes ete hem in despit.
And with that word, withouten moore respit,
They fillen gruf and criden pitously,
Have on us wrecched wommen som mercy,
And lat oure sorwe synken in thyn herte.
This gentil duc doun from his courser sterte
With herte pitous, whan he herde hem speke.
Hym thoughte that his herte wolde breke,
Whan he saugh hem so pitous and so maat,
That whilom weren of so greet estaat;
And in his armes he hem alle up hente,
And hem conforteth in ful good entente,
And swoor his ooth, as he was trewe knyght,
He wolde doon so ferforthly his myght
Upon the tiraunt creon hem to wreke,
That al the peple of grece sholde speke
How creon was of theseus yserved
As he that hadde his deeth ful wel deserved.
And right anoon, withouten moore abood,
His baner he desplayeth, and forth rood
To thebes-ward, and al his hoost biside.
No neer atthenes wolde he go ne ride,
Ne take his ese fully half a day,
But onward on his wey that nyght he lay,
And sente anon ypolita the queene,
And emelye, hir yonge suster sheene,
Unto the toun of atthenes to dwelle,
And forth he rit; ther is namoore to telle.
The rede statue of mars, with spere and targe,
So shyneth in his white baner large,
That alle the feeldes glyteren up and doun;
And by his baner born is his penoun
Of gold ful riche, in which ther was ybete
The mynotaur, which that he slough in crete.
Thus rit this duc, thus rit this conquerour,
And in his hoost of chivalrie the flour,
Til that he cam to thebes and alighte
Faire in a feeld, ther as he thoughte to fighte.
But shortly for to speken of this thyng,
With creon, which that was of thebes kyng,
He faught, and slough hym manly as a knyght
In pleyn bataille, and putte the folk to flyght;
And by assaut he wan the citee after,
And rente adoun bothe wall and sparre and rafter;
And to the ladyes he restored agayn
The bones of hir housbondes that were slayn,
To doon obsequies, as was tho the gyse.
But it were al to longe for to devyse
The grete clamour and the waymentynge
That the ladyes made at the brennynge
Of the bodies, and the grete honour
That theseus, the noble conquerour,
Dooth to the ladyes, whan they from hym wente;
But shortly for to telle is myn entente.
Whan that this worthy duc, this theseus,
Hath creon slayn, and wonne thebes thus,
Stille in that feeld he took al nyght his reste,
And dide with al the contree as hym leste.
To ransake in the taas of bodyes dede,
Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede,
The pilours diden bisynesse and cure
After the bataille and disconfiture.
And so bifel that in the taas they founde,
Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde,
Two yonge knyghtes liggynge by and by,
Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely,
Of whiche two arcita highte that oon,
And that oother knyght highte palamon.
Nat fully quyke, ne fully dede they were,
But by hir cote-armures and by hir gere
The heraudes knewe hem best in special
As they that weren of the blood roial
Of thebes, and of sustren two yborn.
Out of the taas the pilours han hem torn,
And han hem caried softe unto the tente
Of theseus; and he ful soone hem sente
To atthenes, to dwellen in prisoun
Perpetuelly, -- he nolde no raunsoun.
And whan this worthy duc hath thus ydon,
He took his hoost, and hoom he rit anon
With laurer crowned as a conquerour;
And ther he lyveth in joye and in honour
Terme of his lyf; what nedeth wordes mo?
And in a tour, in angwissh and in wo,
This palamon and his felawe arcite
For everemoore; ther may no gold hem quite.
This passeth yeer by yeer and day by day,
Till it fil ones, in a morwe of may,
That emelye, that fairer was to sene
Than is the lylie upon his stalke grene,
And fressher than the may with floures newe --
For with the rose colour stroof hire hewe,
I noot which was the fyner of hem two --
Er it were day, as was hir wone to do,
She was arisen and al redy dight;
For may wole have no slogardie a-nyght.
The sesoun priketh every gentil herte,
And maketh hym out of his slep to sterte,
And seith arys, and do thyn observaunce.
This maked emelye have remembraunce
To doon honour to may, and for to ryse.
Yclothed was she fressh, for to devyse:
Hir yelow heer was broyded in a tresse
Bihynde hir bak, a yerde long, I gesse.
And in the gardyn, at the sonne upriste,
She walketh up and doun, and as hire liste
She gadereth floures, party white and rede,
To make a subtil gerland for hire hede;
And as an aungel hevenysshly she soong.
The grete tour, that was so thikke and stroong,
Which of the castel was the chief dongeoun,
(ther as the knyghtes weren in prisoun
Of which I tolde yow and tellen shal)
Was evene joynant to the gardyn wal
Ther as this emelye hadde hir pleyynge.
Bright was the sonne and cleer that morwenynge,
And palamoun, this woful prisoner,
As was his wone, by leve of his gayler,
Was risen and romed in a chambre an heigh,
In which he al the noble citee seigh,
And eek the gardyn, ful of braunches grene,
Ther as this fresshe emelye the shene
Was in hire walk, and romed up and doun.
This sorweful prisoner, this palamoun,
Goth in the chambre romynge to and fro,
And to hymself compleynynge of his wo.
That he was born, ful ofte he seyde, allas!
And so bifel, by aventure or cas,
That thurgh a wyndow, thikke of many a barre
Of iren greet and square as any sparre,
He cast his eye upon emelya,
And therwithal he bleynte and cride, a!
As though he stongen were unto the herte.
And with that cry arcite anon up sterte,
And seyde, cosyn myn, what eyleth thee,
That art so pale and deedly on to see?
Why cridestow? who hath thee doon offence?
For goddes love, taak al in pacience
Oure prisoun, for it may noon oother be.
Fortune hath yeven us this adversitee.
Som wikke aspect or disposicioun
Of saturne, by som constellacioun,
Hath yeven us this, although we hadde it sworn;
So stood the hevene whan that we were born.
We moste endure it; this is the short and playn.
This palamon answerde and seyde agayn:
Cosyn, for sothe, of this opinioun
Thow hast a veyn ymaginacioun.
This prison caused me nat for to crye,
But I was hurt right now thurghout myn ye
Into myn herte, that wol my bane be.
The fairnesse of that lady that I see
Yond in the gardyn romen to and fro
Is cause of al my criyng and my wo.
I noot wher she be womman or goddesse,
But venus is it soothly, as I gesse.
And therwithal on knees doun he fil,
And seyde: venus, if it be thy wil
Yow in this gardyn thus to transfigure
Bifore me, sorweful, wrecched creature,
Out of this prisoun help that we may scapen.
And if so be my destynee be shapen
By eterne word to dyen in prisoun,
Of oure lynage have som compassioun,
That is so lowe ybroght by tirannye.
And with that word arcite gan espye
Wher as this lady romed to and fro,
And with that sighte hir beautee hurte hym so,
That, if that palamon was wounded sore,
Arcite is hurt as muche as he, or moore.
And with a sigh he seyde pitously:
The fresshe beautee sleeth me sodeynly
Of hire that rometh in the yonder place,
And but I have hir mercy and hir grace,
That I may seen hire atte leeste weye,
I nam but deed; ther nis namoore to seye.
This palamon, whan he tho wordes herde,
Dispitously he looked and answerde,
Wheither seistow this in ernest or in pley?
Nay, quod arcite, in ernest, by my fey!
God helpe me so, me list ful yvele pleye.
This palamon gan knytte his browes tweye.
It nere, quod he, to thee no greet honour
For to be fals, ne for to be traitour
To me, that am thy cosyn and thy brother
Ysworn ful depe, and ech of us til oother,
That nevere, for to dyen in the peyne,
Til that the deeth departe shal us tweyne,
Neither of us in love to hyndre oother,
Ne in noon oother cas, my leeve brother;
But that thou sholdest trewely forthren me
In every cas, as I shal forthren thee, --
This was thyn ooth, and myn also, certeyn;
I woot right wel, thou darst it nat withseyn.
Thus artow of my conseil, out of doute,
And now thow woldest falsly been aboute
To love my lady, whom I love and serve,
And evere shal til that myn herte sterve.
Nay, certes, false arcite, thow shalt nat so.
I loved hire first, and tolde thee my wo
As to my conseil and my brother sworn
To forthre me, as I have toold biforn.
For which thou art ybounden as a knyght
To helpen me, if it lay in thy myght,
Or elles artow fals, I dar wel seyn.
This arcite ful proudly spak ageyn:
Thow shalt, quod he, be rather fals than I;
And thou art fals, I telle thee outrely,
For paramour I loved hire first er thow.
What wiltow seyen? thou woost nat yet now
Wheither she be a womman or goddesse!
Thyn is affeccioun of hoolynesse,
And myn is love, as to a creature;
For which I tolde thee myn aventure
As to my cosyn and my brother sworn.
I pose that thow lovedest hire biforn;
Wostow nat wel the olde clerkes sawe,
That "who shal yeve a lovere any lawe?"
Love is a gretter lawe, by my pan,
Than may be yeve to any erthely man;
And therfore positif lawe and swich decree
Is broken al day for love in ech degree.
A man moot nedes love, maugree his heed.
He may nat fleen it, thogh he sholde be deed,
Al be she mayde, or wydwe, or elles wyf.
And eek it is nat likly al thy lyf
To stonden in hir grace; namoore shal I;
For wel thou woost thyselven, verraily,
That thou and I be dampned to prisoun
Perpetuelly; us gayneth no raunsoun.
We stryve as dide the houndes for the boon;
They foughte al day, and yet hir part was noon.
Ther cam a kyte, whil that they were so wrothe,
And baar awey the boon bitwixe hem bothe.
And therfore, at the kynges court, my brother,
Ech man for hymself, ther is noon oother.
Love, if thee list, for I love and ay shal;
And soothly, leeve brother, this is al.
Heere in this prisoun moote we endure,
And everich of us take his aventure.
Greet was the strif and long bitwix hem tweye,
If that I hadde leyser for to seye,
But to th' effect. It happed on a day,
To telle it yow as shortly as I may,
A worthy duc that highte perotheus,
That felawe was unto duc theseus
Syn thilke day that they were children lite,
Was come to atthenes his felawe to visite,
And for to pleye as he was wont to do;
For in this world he loved no man so,
And he loved hym als tendrely agayn.
So wel they lovede, as olde bookes sayn,
That whan that oon was deed, soothly to telle,
His felawe wente and soughte hym doun in helle, --
But of that storie list me nat to write.
Duc perotheus loved wel arcite,
And hadde hym knowe at thebes yeer by yere,
And finally at requeste and preyere
Of perotheus, withouten any raunsoun,
Duc theseus hym leet out of prisoun
Frely to goon wher that hym liste over al,
In swich a gyse as I you tellen shal.
This was the forward, pleynly for t' endite,
Bitwixen theseus and hym arcite
That if so were that arcite were yfounde
Evere in his lif, by day or nyght, oo stounde
In any contree of this theseus,
And he were caught, it was acorded thus,
That with a swerd he sholde lese his heed.
Ther nas noon oother remedie ne reed;
But taketh his leve, and homward he him spedde.
Lat hym be war! his nekke lith to wedde.
How greet a sorwe suffreth now arcite!
The deeth he feeleth thurgh his herte smyte;
He wepeth, wayleth, crieth pitously;
To sleen hymself he waiteth prively.
He seyde, allas that day that I was born!
Now is my prisoun worse than biforn;
Now is me shape eternally to dwelle.
Noght in purgatorie, but in helle.
Allas, that evere knew I perotheus!
For elles hadde I dwelled with theseus,
Yfetered in his prisoun everemo.
Thanne hadde I been in blisse, and nat in wo.
Oonly the sighte of hire whom that I serve,
Though that I nevere hir grace may deserve,
Wolde han suffised right ynough for me.
O deere cosyn palamon, quod he,
Thyn is the victorie of this aventure.
Ful blisfully in prison maistow dure, --
In prison? certes nay, but in paradys!
Wel hath fortune yturned thee the dys,
That hast the sighte of hire, and I th' absence.
For possible is, syn thou hast hire presence,
And art a knyght, a worthy and an able,
That by som cas, syn fortune is chaungeable,
Thow maist to thy desir somtyme atteyne.
But I, that am exiled and bareyne
Of alle grace, and in so greet dispeir,
That ther nys erthe, water, fir, ne eir,
Ne creature that of hem maked is,
That may me helpe or doon confort in this,
Wel oughte I sterve in wanhope and distresse.
Farwel my lif, my lust, and my gladnesse!
Allas, why pleynen folk so in commune
On purveiaunce of god, or of fortune,
That yeveth hem ful ofte in many a gyse
Wel bettre than they kan hemself devyse?
Som man desireth for to han richesse,
That cause is of his mordre or greet siknesse;
And som man wolde out of his prisoun fayn,
That in his hous is of his meynee slayn.
Infinite harmes been in this mateere.
We witen nat what thing we preyen heere:
We faren as he that dronke is as a mous.
A dronke man woot wel he hath an hous,
But he noot which the righte wey is thider,
And to a dronke man the wey is slider.
And certes, in this world so faren we;
We seken faste after felicitee,
But we goon wrong ful often, trewely.
Thus may we seyen alle, and namely I,
That wende and hadde a greet opinioun
That if I myghte escapen from prisoun,
Thanne hadde I been in joye and perfit heele,
Ther now I am exiled fro my wele.
Syn that I may nat seen you, emelye,
I nam but deed; ther nys no remedye.
Upon that oother syde palamon,
Whan that he wiste arcite was agon,
Swich sorwe he maketh that the grete tour
Resouneth of his youlyng and clamour.
The pure fettres on his shynes grete
Weren of his bittre, salte teeres wete.
Allas, quod he, arcita, cosyn myn,
Of al oure strif, God woot, the fruyt is thyn.
Thou walkest now in thebes at thy large,
And of my wo thow yevest litel charge.
Thou mayst, syn thou hast wisdom and manhede,
Assemblen alle the folk of oure kynrede,
And make a werre so sharp on this citee,
That by som aventure or some tretee
Thow mayst have hire to lady and to wyf
For whom that I moste nedes lese my lyf.
For, as by wey of possibilitee,
Sith thou art at thy large, of prisoun free,
And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage
Moore than is myn, that sterve here in a cage.
For I moot wepe and wayle, whil I lyve,
With al the wo that prison may me yive,
And eek with peyne that love me yeveth also,
That doubleth al my torment and my wo.
Therwith the fyr of jalousie up sterte
Withinne his brest, and hente him by the herte
So woodly that he lyk was to biholde
The boxtree or the asshen dede and colde.
Thanne seyde he, o crueel goddes that governe
This world with byndyng of youre word eterne,
And writen in the table of atthamaunt
Youre parlement and youre eterne graunt,
What is mankynde moore unto you holde
Than is the sheep that rouketh in the folde?
For slayn is man right as another beest,
And dwelleth eek in prison and arreest,
And hath siknesse and greet adversitee,
And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee.
What governance is in this prescience,
That giltelees tormenteth innocence?
And yet encresseth this al my penaunce,
That man is bounden to his observaunce,
For goddes sake, to letten of his wille,
Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille.
And whan a beest is deed he hath no peyne;
But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne,
Though in this world he have care and wo.
Withouten doute it may stonden so.
The answere of this lete I to dyvynys,
But wel I woot that in this world greet pyne ys.
Allas, I se a serpent or a theef,
That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef,
Goon at his large, and where hym list may turne.
But I moot been in prisoun thurgh saturne,
And eek thurgh juno, jalous and eek wood,
That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood
Of thebes with his waste walles wyde;
And venus sleeth me on that oother syde
For jalousie and fere of hym arcite.
Now wol I stynte of palamon a lite,
And lete hym in his prisoun stille dwelle,
And of arcita forth I wol yow telle.
The somer passeth, and the nyghtes longe
Encressen double wise the peynes stronge
Bothe of the lovere and the prisoner.
I noot which hath the wofuller mester.
For, shortly for to seyn, this palamoun
Perpetuelly is dampned to prisoun,
In cheynes and in fettres to been deed;
And arcite is exiled upon his heed
For everemo, as out of that contree,
Ne nevere mo he shal his lady see.
Yow loveres axe I now this questioun:
Who hath the worse, arcite or palamoun?
That oon may seen his lady day by day,
But in prison he moot dwelle alway;
That oother wher hym list may ride or go,
But seen his lady shal he nevere mo.
Now demeth as yow liste, ye that kan,
For I wol telle forth as I bigan.
Explicit prima pars.
Whan that arcite to thebes comen was,
Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde allas!
For seen his lady shal he nevere mo.
And shortly to concluden al his wo,
So muche sorwe hadde nevere creature
That is, or shal, whil that the world may dure.
His slep, his mete, his drynke, is hym biraft,
That lene he wex and drye as is a shaft;
His eyen holwe, and grisly to biholde,
His hewe falow and pale as asshen colde,
And solitarie he was and evere allone,
And waillynge al the nyght, makynge his mone;
And if he herde song or instrument,
Thanne wolde he wepe, he myghte nat be stent.
So feble eek were his spiritz, and so lowe,
And chaunged so, that no man koude knowe
His speche nor his voys, though men it herde.
And in his geere for al the world he ferde,
Nat oonly lik the loveris maladye
Of hereos, but rather lyk manye,
Engendred of humour malencolik,
Biforen, in his celle fantastik.
And shortly, turned was al up so doun
Bothe habit and eek disposicioun
Of hym, this woful lovere daun arcite.
What sholde I al day of his wo endite?
Whan he endured hadde a yeer or two
This crueel torment and this peyne and wo,
At thebes, in his contree, as I seyde,
Upon a nyght in sleep as he hym leyde,
Hym thoughte how that the wynged God mercurie
Biforn hym stood and bad hym to be murie.
His slepy yerde in hond he bar uprighte;
An hat he werede upon his heris brighte.
Arrayed was this god, as he took keep,
As he was whan that argus took his sleep;
And seyde hym thus: to atthenes shaltou wende,
Ther is thee shapen of thy wo an ende.
And with that word arcite wook and sterte.
Now trewely, hou soore that me smerte,
Quod he, to atthenes right now wol I fare,
Ne for the drede of deeth shal I nat spare
To se my lady, that I love and serve.
In hire presence I recche nat to sterve.
And with that word he caughte a greet mirour,
And saugh that chaunged was al his colour,
And saugh his visage al in another kynde.
And right anon it ran hym in his mynde,
That, sith his face was so disfigured
Of maladye the which he hadde endured,
He myghte wel, if that he bar hym lowe,
Lyve in atthenes everemoore unknowe.
And seen his lady wel ny day by day.
And right anon he chaunged his array,
And cladde hym as a povre laborer,
And al allone, save oonly a squier
That knew his privetee and al his cas,
Which was disgised povrely as he was,
To atthenes is he goon the nexte way.
And to the court he wente upon a day,
And at the gate he profreth his servyse
To drugge and drawe, what so men wol devyse.
And shortly of this matere for to seyn,
He fil in office with a chamberleyn
The which that dwellynge was with emelye;
For he was wys and koude soone espye
Of every servaunt which that serveth here.
Wel koude he hewen wode, and water bere,
For he was yong and myghty for the nones,
And therto he was long and big of bones
To doon that any wight kan hym devyse.
A yeer or two he was in this servyse,
Page of the chambre of emelye the brighte;
And philostrate he seyde that he highte.
But half so wel biloved a man as he
Ne was ther nevere in court of his degree;
He was so gentil of condicioun
That thurghout al the court was his renoun.
They seyden that it were a charitee
That theseus wolde enhauncen his degree,
And putten hym in worshipful servyse,
Ther as he myghte his vertu excercise.
And thus withinne a while his name is spronge,
Bothe of his dedes and his goode tonge,
That theseus hath taken hym so neer,
That of his chambre he made hym a squier,
And gaf hym gold to mayntene his degree.
And eek men broghte hym out of his contree,
From yeer to yeer, ful pryvely his rente;
But honestly and slyly he it spente,
That no man wondred how that he it hadde.
And thre yeer in this wise his lif he ladde,
And bar hym so, in pees and eek in werre,
Ther was no man that theseus hath derre.
And in this blisse lete I now arcite,
And speke I wole of palamon a lite.
In derknesse and horrible and strong prisoun
Thise seven yeer hath seten palamoun
Forpyned, what for wo and for distresse.
Who feeleth double soor and hevynesse
But palamon, that love destreyneth so
That wood out of his wit he goth for wo?
And eek therto he is a prisoner
Perpetuelly, noght oonly for a yer.
Who koude ryme in englyssh proprely
His martirdom? for sothe it am nat I;
Therfore I passe as lightly as I may.
It fel that in the seventhe yer, of may
The thridde nyght, (as olde bookes seyn,
That al this storie tellen moore pleyn)
Were it by aventure or destynee --
As, whan a thyng is shapen, it shal be --
That soone after the mydnyght palamoun,
By helpyng of a freend, brak his prisoun
And fleeth the citee faste as he may go.
For he hadde yeve his gayler drynke so
Of a clarree maad of a certeyn wyn,
With nercotikes and opie of thebes fyn,
That al that nyght, thogh that men wolde him shake,
The gayler sleep, he myghte nat awake;
And thus he fleeth as faste as evere he may.
The nyght was short and faste by the day,
That nedes cost he moot hymselven hyde;
And til a grove faste ther bisyde
With dredeful foot thanne stalketh palamon.
For, shortly, this was his opinion,
That in that grove he wolde hym hyde al day,
And in the nyght thanne wolde he take his way
To thebes-ward, his freendes for to preye
On theseus to helpe him to werreye;
And shortly, outher he wolde lese his lif,
Or wynnen emelye unto his wyf.
This is th' effect and his entente pleyn.
Now wol I turne to arcite ageyn,
That litel wiste how ny that was his care,
Til that fortune had broght him in the snare.
The bisy larke, messager of day,
Salueth in hir song the morwe gray,
And firy phebus riseth up so bright
That al the orient laugheth of the light,
And with his stremes dryeth in the greves
The silver dropes hangynge on the leves.
And arcita, that in the court roial
With theseus is squier principal,
Is risen and looketh on the myrie day.
And for to doon his observaunce to may,
Remembrynge on the poynt of his desir,
He on a courser, startlynge as the fir,
Is riden into the feeldes hym to pleye,
Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye.
And to the grove of which that I yow tolde
By aventure his wey he gan to holde,
To maken hym a gerland of the greves
Were it of wodebynde or hawethorn leves,
And loude he song ayeyn the sonne shene:
May, with alle thy floures and thy grene,
Welcome be thou, faire, fresshe may,
In hope that I som grene gete may.
And from his courser, with a lusty herte,
Into the grove ful hastily he sterte,
And in a path he rometh up and doun,
Ther as by aventure this palamoun
Was in a bussh, that no man myghte hym se,
For soore afered of his deeth was he.
No thyng ne knew he that it was arcite;
God woot he wolde have trowed it ful lite.
But sooth is seyd, go sithen many yeres,
That feeld hath eyen and the wode hath eres.
It is ful fair a man to bere hym evene,
For al day meeteth men at unset stevene.
Ful litel woot arcite of his felawe,
That was so ny to herknen al his sawe,
For in the bussh he sitteth now ful stille.
Whan that arcite hadde romed al his fille,
And songen al the roundel lustily,
Into a studie he fil sodeynly,
As doon thise loveres in hir queynte geres,
Now in the crope, now doun in the breres,
Now up, now doun, as boket in a welle.
Right as the friday, soothly for to telle,
Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste,
Right so kan geery venus overcaste
The hertes of hir folk; right as hir day
Is gereful, right so chaungeth she array.
Selde is the friday al the wowke ylike.
Whan that arcite had songe, he gan to sike,
And sette hym doun withouten any moore.
Allas, quod he, that day that I was bore!
How longe, juno, thurgh thy crueltee,
Woltow werreyen thebes the citee?
Allas, ybroght is to confusioun
The blood roial of cadme and amphioun, --
Of cadmus, which that was the firste man
That thebes bulte, or first the toun bigan,
And of the citee first was crouned kyng.
Of his lynage am I and his ofspryng
By verray ligne, as of the stok roial,
And now I am so caytyf and so thral,
That he that is my mortal enemy,
I serve hym as his squier povrely.
And yet dooth juno me wel moore shame,
For I dar noght biknowe myn owene name;
But ther as I was wont to highte arcite,
Now highte I philostrate, noght worth a myte.
Allas, thou felle mars! allas, juno!
Thus hath youre ire oure lynage al fordo,
Save oonly me and wrecched palamoun,
That theseus martireth in prisoun.
And over al this, to sleen me outrely,
Love hath his firy dart so brennyngly
Ystiked thurgh my trewe, careful herte,
That shapen was my deeth erst than my sherte.
Ye sleen me with youre eyen, emelye!
Ye been the cause wherfore that I dye.
Of al the remenant of myn oother care
Ne sette I nat the montance of a tare,
So that I koude doon aught to youre plesaunce.
And with that word he fil doun in a traunce
A longe tyme, and after he up sterte.
This palamoun, that thoughte that thurgh his herte
He felte a coold swerd sodeynliche glyde,
For ire he quook, no lenger wolde he byde.
And whan that he had herd arcites tale,
As he were wood, with face deed and pale,
He stirte hym up out of the buskes thikke,
And seide: arcite, false traytour wikke,
Now artow hent, that lovest my lady so,
For whom that I have al this peyne and wo,
And art my blood, and to my conseil sworn,
As I ful ofte have told thee heerbiforn,
And hast byjaped heere duc theseus,
And falsly chaunged hast thy name thus!
I wol be deed, or elles thou shalt dye.
Thou shalt nat love my lady emelye,
But I wol love hire oonly and namo;
For I am palamon, thy mortal foo.
And though that I no wepene have in this place,
But out of prison am astert by grace,
I drede noght that outher thow shalt dye,
Or thow ne shalt nat loven emelye.
Chees which thou wolt, for thou shalt nat asterte!
This arcite, with ful despitous herte,
Whan he hym knew, and hadde his tale herd,
As fiers as leon pulled out his swerd,
And seyde thus: by God that sit above,
Nere it that thou art sik and wood for love,
And eek that thow no wepne hast in this place,
Thou sholdest nevere out of this grove pace,
That thou ne sholdest dyen of myn hond.
For I defye the seurete and the bond
Which that thou seist that I have maad to thee.
What, verray fool, thynk wel that love is free,
And I wol love hire maugree al thy myght!
But for as muche thou art a worthy knyght;
And wilnest to darreyne hire by bataille,
Have heer my trouthe, tomorwe I wol nat faille,
Withoute wityng of any oother wight,
That heere I wol be founden as a knyght,
And bryngen harneys right ynough for thee;
And ches the beste, and leef the worste for me.
And mete and drynke this nyght wol I brynge
Ynough for thee, and clothes for thy beddynge.
And if so be that thou my lady wynne,
And sle me in this wode ther I am inne,
Thow mayst wel have thy lady as for me.
This palamon answerde, I graunte it thee.
And thus they been departed til amorwe,
Whan ech of hem had leyd his feith to borwe.
O cupide, out of alle charitee!
O regne, that wolt no felawe have with thee!
Ful sooth is seyd that love ne lordshipe
Wol noght, his thankes, have no felaweshipe.
Wel fynden that arcite and palamoun.
Arcite is riden anon unto the toun,
And on the morwe, er it were dayes light,
Ful prively two harneys hath he dight,
Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne
The bataille in the feeld bitwix hem tweyne;
And on his hors, allone as he was born,
He carieth al the harneys hym biforn.
And in the grove, at tyme and place yset,
This arcite and this palamon ben met.
Tho chaungen gan the colour in hir face,
Right as the hunters in the regne of trace,
That stondeth at the gappe with a spere,
Whan hunted is the leon or the bere,
And hereth hym come russhyyng in the greves,
And breketh bothe bowes and the leves,
And thynketh, heere cometh my mortal enemy!
Withoute faille, he moot be deed, or I;
For outher I moot sleen hym at the gappe,
Or he moot sleen me, if that me myshappe, --
So ferden they in chaungyng of hir hewe,
As fer as everich of hem oother knewe.
Ther nas no good day, ne no saluyng,
But streight, withouten word or rehersyng,
Everich of hem heelp for to armen oother
As freendly as he were his owene brother;
And after that, with sharpe speres stronge
They foynen ech at oother wonder longe.
Thou myghtest wene that this palamon
In his fightyng were a wood leon,
And as a crueel tigre was arcite;
As wilde bores gonne they to smyte,
That frothen whit as foom for ire wood.
Up to the ancle foghte they in hir blood.
And in this wise I lete hem fightyng dwelle,
And forth I wole of theseus yow telle.
The destinee, ministre general,
That executeth in the world over al
The purveiaunce that God hath seyn biforn,
So strong it is that, though the world had sworn
The contrarie of a thyng by ye or nay,
Yet somtyme it shal fallen on a day
That falleth nat eft withinne a thousand yeer.
For certeinly, oure appetites heer,
Be it of werre, or pees, or hate, or love,
Al is this reuled by the sighte above.
This mene I now by myghty theseus,
That for to hunten is so desirus,
And namely at the grete hert in may,
That in his bed ther daweth hym no day
That he nys clad, and redy for to ryde
With hunte and horn and houndes hym bisyde.
For in his huntyng hath he swich delit
That it is al his joye and appetit
To been hymself the grete hertes bane,
For after mars he serveth now dyane.
Cleer was the day, as I have toold er this,
And theseus with alle joye and blis,
With his ypolita, the faire queene,
And emelye, clothed al in grene,
On huntyng be they riden roially.
And to the grove that stood ful faste by,
In which ther was an hert, as men hym tolde,
Duc theseus the streighte wey hath holde.
And to the launde he rideth hym ful right,
For thider was the hert wont have his flight,
And over a brook, and so forth on his weye.
This duc wol han a cours at hym or tweye
With houndes swiche as that hym list comaunde.
And whan this duc was come unto the launde,
Under the sonne he looketh, and anon
He was war of arcite and palamon,
That foughten breme, as it were bores two.
The brighte swerdes wenten to and fro
So hidously that with the leeste strook
It semed as it wolde felle an ook.
But what they were, no thyng he ne woot.
This duc his courser with his spores smoot,
And at a stert he was bitwix hem two,
And pulled out a swerd, and cride, hoo!
Namoore, up peyne of lesynge of youre heed!
By myghty mars, he shal anon be deed
That smyteth any strook that I may seen.
But telleth me what myster men ye been,
That been so hardy for to fighten heere
Withouten juge or oother officere,
As it were in a lystes roially.
This palamon answerde hastily,
And seyde, sire, what nedeth wordes mo?
We have the deeth disserved bothe two.
Two woful wrecches been we, two caytyves,
That been encombred of oure owene lyves;
And as thou art a rightful lord and juge,
Ne yif us neither mercy ne refuge,
But sle me first, for seinte charitee!
But sle my felawe eek as wel as me;
Or sle hym first, for though thow knowest it lite,
This is thy mortal foo, this is arcite,
That fro thy lond is banysshed on his heed,
For which he hath deserved to be deed.
For this is he that cam unto thy gate
And seyde that he highte philostrate.
Thus hath he japed thee ful many a yer,
And thou hast maked hym thy chief squier;
And this is he that loveth emelye.
For sith the day is come that I shal dye,
I make pleynly my confessioun
That I am thilke woful palamoun
That hath thy prisoun broken wikkedly.
I am thy mortal foo, and it am I
That loveth so hoote emelye the brighte
That I wol dye present in hir sighte.
Wherfore I axe deeth and my juwise;
But sle my felawe in the same wise,
For bothe han we deserved to be slayn.
This worthy duc answerde anon agayn,
And seyde, this is a short conclusioun.
Youre owene mouth, by youre confessioun,
Hath dampned yow, and I wol it recorde;
It nedeth noght to pyne yow with the corde.
Ye shal be deed, by myghty mars the rede!
The queene anon, for verray wommanhede,
Gan for to wepe, and so dide emelye,
And alle the ladyes in the compaignye.
Greet pitee was it, as it thoughte hem alle,
That evere swich a chaunce sholde falle;
For gentil men they were of greet estaat,
And no thyng but for love was this debaat;
And saugh hir blody woundes wyde and soore,
And alle crieden, bothe lasse and moore,
Have mercy, lord, upon us wommen alle!
And on hir bare knees adoun they falle,
And wolde have kist his feet ther as he stood;
Til at the laste aslaked was his mood,
For pitee renneth soone in gentil herte.
And though he first for ire quook and sterte,
He hath considered shortly, in a clause,
The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause,
And although that his ire hir gilt accused,
Yet in his resoun he hem bothe excused,
As thus: he thoghte wel that every man
Wol helpe hymself in love, if that he kan,
And eek delivere hymself out of prisoun.
And eek his herte hadde compassioun
Of wommen, for they wepen evere in oon;
And in his gentil herte he thoughte anon,
And softe unto hymself he seyde, fy
Upon a lord that wol have no mercy,
But been a leon, bothe in word and dede,
To hem that been in repentaunce and drede,
As wel as to a proud despitous man
That wol mayntene that he first bigan.
That lord hath litel of discrecioun,
That in swich cas kan no divisioun,
But weyeth pride and humblesse after oon.
And shortly, whan his ire is thus agoon,
He gan to looken up with eyen lighte,
And spak thise same wordes al on highte:
The God of love, a, benedicite!
How myghty and how greet a lord is he!
Ayeyns his myght ther gayneth none obstacles.
He may be cleped a God for his myracles;
For he kan maken, at his owene gyse,
Of everich herte as that hym list divyse.
Lo heere this arcite and this palamoun,
That quitly weren out of my prisoun,
And myghte han lyved in thebes roially,
And witen I am hir mortal enemy,
And that hir deth lith in my myght also;
And yet hath love, maugree hir eyen two,
Broght hem hyder bothe for to dye.
Now looketh, is nat that an heigh folye?
Who may been a fool, but if he love?
Bihoold, for goddes sake that sit above,
Se how they blede! be they noght wel arrayed?
Thus hath hir lord, the God of love, ypayed
Hir wages and hir fees for hir servyse!
And yet they wenen for to been ful wyse
That serven love, for aught that may bifalle.
But this is yet the beste game of alle,
That she for whom they han this jolitee
Kan hem therfore as muche thank as me.
She woot namoore of al this hoote fare,
By god, than woot a cokkow or an hare!
But all moot ben assayed, hoot and coold;
A man moot ben a fool, or yong or oold, --
I woot it by myself ful yore agon,
For in my tyme a servant was I oon.
And therfore, syn I knowe of loves peyne,
And woot hou soore it kan a man distreyne,
As he that hath ben caught ofte in his laas,
I yow foryeve al hoolly this trespaas,
At requeste of the queene, that kneleth heere,
And eek of emelye, my suster deere.
And ye shul bothe anon unto me swere
That nevere mo ye shal my contree dere,
Ne make werre upon me nyght ne day,
But been my freendes in all that ye may.
I yow foryeve this trespas every deel.
And they hym sworen his axyng faire and weel,
And hym of lordshipe and of mercy preyde,
And he hem graunteth grace, and thus he seyde:
To speke of roial lynage and richesse,
Though that she were a queene or a princesse,
Ech of you bothe is worthy, doutelees,
To wedden whan tyme is, but nathelees
I speke as for my suster emelye,
For whom ye have this strif and jalousye.
Ye woot yourself she may nat wedden two
Atones, though ye fighten everemo.
That oon of you, al be hym looth or lief,
He moot go pipen in an yvy leef;
This is to seyn, she may nat now han bothe,
Al be ye never so jalouse ne so wrothe.
And forthy I yow putte in this degree,
That ech of yow shal have his destynee
As hym is shape, and herkneth in what wyse;
Lo heere youre ende of that I shal devyse.
My wyl is this, for plat conclusioun,
Withouten any repplicacioun, --
If that you liketh, take it for the beste:
That everich of you shal goon where hym leste
Frely, withouten raunson or daunger;
And this day fifty wykes, fer ne ner,
Everich of you shal brynge an hundred knyghtes
Armed for lystes up at alle rightes,
Al redy to darreyne hire by bataille.
And this bihote I yow withouten faille,
Upon my trouthe, and as I am a knyght,
That wheither of yow bothe that hath myght, --
This is to seyn, that wheither he or thow
May with his hundred, as I spak of now,
Sleen his contrarie, or out of lystes dryve,
Thanne shal I yeve emelya to wyve
To whom that fortune yeveth so fair a grace.
The lystes shal I maken in this place,
And God so wisly on my soule rewe,
As I shal evene juge been and trewe.
Ye shul noon oother ende with me maken,
That oon of yow ne shal be deed or taken.
And if yow thynketh this is weel ysayd,
Seyeth youre avys, and holdeth you apayd.
This is youre ende and youre conclusioun.
Who looketh lightly now but palamoun?
Who spryngeth up for joye but arcite?
Who kouthe telle, or who kouthe it endite,
The joye that is maked in the place
Whan theseus hath doon so fair a grace?
But doun on knees wente every maner wight,
And thonked hym with al hir herte and myght,
And namely the thebans often sithe.
And thus with good hope and with herte blithe
They taken hir leve, and homward gonne they ride
To thebes, with his olde walles wyde.
Explicit secunda pars.
I trowe men wolde deme it necligence
If I foryete to tellen the dispence
Of theseus, that gooth so bisily
To maken up the lystes roially,
That swich a noble theatre as it was,
I dar wel seyen in this world ther nas.
The circuit a myle was aboute,
Walled of stoon, and dyched al withoute.
Round was the shap, in manere of compas,
Ful of degrees, the heighte of sixty pas,
That whan a man was set on o degree,
He letted nat his felawe for to see.
Estward ther stood a gate of marbul whit,
Westward right swich another in the opposit.
And shortly to concluden, swich a place
Was noon in erthe, as in so litel space;
For in the lond ther was no crafty man
That geometrie or ars-metrike kan,
Ne portreyour, ne kervere of ymages,
That theseus ne yaf him mete and wages,
The theatre for to maken and devyse.
And for to doon his ryte and sacrifise,
He estward hath, upon the gate above,
In worshipe of venus, goddesse of love,
Doon make an auter and an oratorie;
And on the gate westward, in memorie
Of mars, he maked hath right swich another,
That coste largely of gold a fother.
And northward, in a touret on the wal,
Of alabastre whit and reed coral,
An oratorie, riche for to see,
In worshipe of dyane of chastitee,
Hath theseus doon wroght in noble wyse.
But yet hadde I foryeten to devyse
The noble kervyng and the portreitures,
The shap, the contenaunce, and the figures,
That weren in thise oratories thre.
First in the temple of venus maystow se
Wroght on the wal, ful pitous to biholde,
The broken slepes, and the sikes colde,
The sacred teeris, and the waymentynge,
The firy strokes of the desirynge
That loves servantz in this lyf enduren;
The othes that hir covenantz assuren;
Plesaunce and hope, desir, foolhardynesse,
Beautee and youthe, bauderie, richesse,
Charmes and force, lesynges, flaterye,
Despense, bisynesse, and jalousye,
That wered of yelewe gooldes a gerland,
And a cokkow sittynge on hir hand;
Festes, instrumentz, caroles, daunces,
Lust and array, and alle the circumstaunces
Of love, which that I rekned and rekne shal,
By ordre weren peynted on the wal,
And mo than I kan make of mencioun.
For soothly al the mount of citheroun,
Ther venus hath hir principal dwellynge,
Was shewed on the wal in portreyynge,
With al the gardyn and the lustynesse.
Nat was foryeten the porter, ydelnesse,
Ne narcisus the faire of yore agon,
Ne yet the folye of kyng salomon,
Ne yet the grete strengthe of ercules --
Th-enchauntementz of medea and circes --
Ne of turnus, with the hardy fiers corage,
The riche cresus, kaytyf in servage.
Thus may ye seen that wysdom ne richesse,
Beautee ne sleighte, strengthe ne hardynesse,
Ne may with venus holde champartie,
For as hir list the world than may she gye.
Lo, alle thise folk so caught were in hir las,
Til they for wo ful ofte seyde allas!
Suffiseth heere ensamples oon or two,
And though I koude rekene a thousand mo.
The statue of venus, glorious for to se,
Was naked, fletynge in the large see,
And fro the navele doun al covered was
With wawes grene, and brighte as any glas.
A citole in hir right hand hadde she,
And on hir heed, ful semely for to se,
A rose gerland, fressh and wel smellynge;
Above hir heed hir dowves flikerynge.
Biforn hire stood hir sone cupido;
Upon his shuldres wynges hadde he two,
And blynd he was, as it is often seene;
A bowe he bar and arwes brighte and kene.
Why sholde I noght as wel eek telle yow al
The portreiture that was upon the wal
Withinne the temple of myghty mars the rede?
Al peynted was the wal, in lengthe and brede,
Lyk to the estres of the grisly place
That highte the grete temple of mars in trace,
In thilke colde, frosty regioun
Ther as mars hath his sovereyn mansioun.
First on the wal was peynted a forest,
In which ther dwelleth neither man ne best,
With knotty, knarry, bareyne trees olde,
Of stubbes sharpe and hidouse to biholde,
In which ther ran a rumbel in a swough,
As though a storm sholde bresten every bough.
And dounward from an hille, under a bente,
Ther stood the temple of mars armypotente,
Wroght al of burned steel, of which the entree
Was long and streit, and gastly for to see.
And therout came a rage and swich a veze
That it made al the gate for to rese.
The northren lyght in at the dores shoon,
For wyndowe on the wal ne was ther noon,
Thurgh which men myghten any light discerne.
The dore was al of adamant eterne,
Yclenched overthwart and endelong
With iren tough; and for to make it strong,
Every pyler, the temple to sustene,
Was tonne-greet, of iren bright and shene.
Ther saugh I first the derke ymaginyng
Of felonye, and al the compassyng;
The crueel ire, reed as any gleede;
The pykepurs, and eek the pale drede;
The smylere with the knyf under the cloke;
The shepne brennynge with the blake smoke;
The tresoun of the mordrynge in the bedde;
The open werre, with woundes al bibledde;
Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace.
Al ful of chirkyng was that sory place.
The sleere of hymself yet saugh I ther, --
His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer;
The nayl ydryven in the shode a-nyght;
The colde deeth, with mouth gapyng upright.
Amyddes of the temple sat meschaunce,
With disconfort and sory contenaunce.
Yet saugh I woodnesse, laughynge in his rage,
Armed compleint, outhees, and fiers outrage;
The careyne in the busk, with throte ycorve;
A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm ystorve;
The tiraunt, with the pray by force yraft;
The toun destroyed, ther was no thyng laft.
Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres;
The hunte strangled with the wilde beres;
The sowe freten the child right in the cradel;
The cook yscalded, for al his longe ladel.
Noght was foryeten by the infortune of marte
The cartere overryden with his carte:
Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun.
Ther were also, of martes divisioun,
The barbour, and the bocher, and the smyth,
That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his styth.
And al above, depeynted in a tour,
Saugh I conquest, sittynge in greet honour,
With the sharpe swerd over his heed
Hangynge by a soutil twynes threed.
Depeynted was the slaughtre of julius,
Of grete nero, and of antonius;
Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn,
Yet was hir deth depeynted ther-biforn
By manasynge of mars, right by figure.
So was it shewed in that portreiture,
As is depeynted in the sterres above
Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love.
Suffiseth oon ensample in stories olde;
I may nat rekene hem alle though I wolde.
The statue of mars upon a carte stood
Armed, and looked grym as he were wood;
And over his heed ther shynen two figures
Of sterres, that been cleped in scriptures,
That oon puella, that oother rubeus --
This God of armes was arrayed thus.
A wolf ther stood biforn hym at his feet
With eyen rede, and of a man he eet;
With soutil pencel depeynted was this storie
In redoutynge of mars and of his glorie.
Now to the temple of dyane the chaste,
As shortly as I kan, I wol me haste,
To telle yow al the descripsioun.
Depeynted been the walles up and doun
Of huntyng and of shamefast chastitee.
Ther saugh I how woful calistopee,
Whan that diane agreved was with here,
Was turned from a womman til a bere,
And after was she maad the loode-sterre;
Thus was it peynted, I kan sey yow no ferre.
Hir sone is eek a sterre, as men may see.
Ther saugh I dane, yturned til a tree, --
I mene nat the goddesse diane,
But penneus doghter, which that highte dane.
Ther saugh I attheon an hert ymaked,
For vengeaunce that he saugh diane al naked;
I saugh how that his houndes have hym caught
And freeten hym, for that they knewe hym naught.
Yet peynted was a litel forther moor
How atthalante hunted the wilde boor,
And meleagre, and many another mo,
For which dyane wroghte hym care and wo.
Ther saugh I many another wonder storie,
The which me list nat drawen to memorie.
This goddesse on an hert ful hye seet,
With smale houndes al aboute hir feet;
And undernethe hir feet she hadde a moone, --
Wexynge it was and sholde wanye soone.
In gaude grene hir statue clothed was,
With bowe in honde, and arwes in a cas.
Hir eyen caste she ful lowe adoun,
Ther pluto hath his derke regioun.
A womman travaillynge was hire biforn;
But for hir child so longe was unborn,
Ful pitously lucyna gan she calle,
And seyde, help, for thou mayst best of alle!
Wel koude he peynten lifly that it wroghte;
With many a floryn he the hewes boghte.
Now been thise lystes maad, and theseus,
That at his grete cost arrayed thus
The temples and the theatre every deel,
Whan it was doon, hym lyked wonder weel.
But stynte I wole of theseus a lite,
And speke of palamon and of arcite.
The day approcheth of hir retournynge,
That everich sholde an hundred knyghtes brynge
The bataille to darreyne, as I yow tolde.
And til atthenes, hir covenant for to holde,
Hath everich of hem broght an hundred knyghtes,
Wel armed for the werre at alle rightes.
And sikerly ther trowed many a man
That nevere, sithen that the world bigan,
As for to speke of knyghthod of hir hond,
As fer as God hath maked see or lond,
Nas of so fewe so noble a compaignye.
For every wight that lovede chivalrye,
And wolde, his thankes, han a passant name,
Hath preyed that he myghte been of that game;
And wel was hym that therto chosen was.
For if ther fille tomorwe swich a cas,
Ye knowen wel that every lusty knyght
That loveth paramours and hath his myght,
Were it in engelond or elleswhere,
They wolde, hir thankes, wilnen to be there, --
To fighte for a lady, benedicitee!
It were a lusty sighte for to see.
And right so ferden they with palamon.
With hym ther wenten knyghtes many on;
Som wol ben armed in an haubergeoun,
And in a brestplate and light gypoun;
And som wol have a paire plates large;
And som wol have a pruce sheeld or a targe;
Som wol ben armed on his legges weel,
And have an ax, and som a mace of steel --
Ther is no newe gyse that it nas old.
Armed were they, as I have yow told,
Everych after his opinioun.
Ther maistow seen, comynge with palamoun,
Lygurge hymself, the grete kyng of trace.
Blak was his berd, and manly was his face;
The cercles of his eyen in his heed,
They gloweden bitwixen yelow and reed,
And lik a grifphon looked he aboute,
With kempe heeris on his browes stoute;
His lymes grete, his brawnes harde and stronge,
His shuldres brode, his armes rounde and longe;
And as the gyse was in his contree,
Ful hye upon a chaar of gold stood he,
With foure white boles in the trays.
In stede of cote-armure over his harnays,
With nayles yelewe and brighte as any gold,
He hadde a beres skyn, col-blak for old.
His longe heer was kembd bihynde his bak;
As any ravenes fethere it shoon for blak;
A wrethe of gold, arm-greet, of huge wighte,
Upon his heed, set ful of stones brighte,
Of fyne rubyes and of dyamauntz.
Aboute his chaar ther wenten white alauntz,
Twenty and mo, as grete as any steer,
To hunten at the leoun or the deer,
And folwed hym with mosel faste ybounde,
Colered of gold, and tourettes fyled rounde.
An hundred lordes hadde he in his route,
Armed ful wel, with hertes stierne and stoute.
With arcita, in stories as men fynde,
The grete emetreus, the kyng of inde,
Upon a steede bay trapped in steel,
Covered in clooth of gold, dyapred weel,
Cam ridynge lyk the God of armes, mars.
His cote-armure was of clooth of tars
Couched with perles white and rounde and grete;
His sadel was of brend gold newe ybete;
A mantelet upon his shulder hangynge,
Bret-ful of rubyes rede as fyr sparklynge;
His crispe heer lyk rynges was yronne,
And that was yelow, and glytered as the sonne.
His nose was heigh, his eyen bright citryn,
His lippes rounde, his colour was sangwyn;
A fewe frakenes in his face yspreynd,
Bitwixen yelow and somdel blak ymeynd;
And as a leon he his lookyng caste.
Of fyve and twenty yeer his age I caste.
His berd was wel bigonne for to sprynge;
His voys was as a trompe thonderynge.
Upon his heed he wered of laurer grene
A gerland, fressh and lusty for to sene.
Upon his hand he bar for his deduyt
An egle tame, as any lilye whyt.
An hundred lordes hadde he with hym there,
Al armed, save hir heddes, in al hir gere,
Ful richely in alle maner thynges.
For trusteth wel that dukes, erles, kynges
Were gadered in this noble compaignye,
For love and for encrees of chivalrye.
Aboute this kyng ther ran on every part
Ful many a tame leon and leopart.
And in this wise thise lordes, alle and some,
Been on the sonday to the citee come
Aboute pryme, and in the toun alight.
This theseus, this duc, this worthy knyght,
Whan he had broght hem into his citee,
And inned hem, everich at his degree,
He festeth hem, and dooth so greet labour
To esen hem and doon hem al honour,
That yet men wenen that no mannes wit
Of noon estaat ne koude amenden it.
The mynstralcye, the service at the feeste,
The grete yiftes to the meeste and leeste,
The riche array of theseus paleys,
Ne who sat first ne last upon the deys,
What ladyes fairest been or best daunsynge,
Or which of hem kan dauncen best and synge,
Ne who moost felyngly speketh of love;
What haukes sitten on the perche above,
What houndes liggen on the floor adoun, --
Of al this make I now no mencioun,
But al th' effect, that thynketh me the beste.
Now cometh the point, and herkneth if yow leste.
The sonday nyght, er day bigan to sprynge,
Whan palamon the larke herde synge,
(although it nere nat day by houres two,
Yet song the larke) and palamon right tho
With hooly herte and with an heigh corage,
He roos to wenden on his pilgrymage
Unto the blisful citherea benigne, --
I mene venus, honurable and digne.
And in hir houre he walketh forth a pas
Unto the lystes ther hire temple was,
And doun he kneleth, and with humble cheere
And herte soor, he seyde as ye shal heere:
Faireste of faire, o lady myn, venus,
Doughter to jove, and spouse of vulcanus,
Thow gladere of the mount of citheron,
For thilke love thow haddest to adoon,
Have pitee of my bittre teeris smerte,
And taak myn humble preyere at thyn herte.
Allas! I ne have no langage to telle
Th' effectes ne the tormentz of myn helle;
Myn herte may myne harmes nat biwreye;
I am so confus that I kan noght seye
But, -- mercy, lady bright, that knowest weele
My thought, and seest what harmes that feele!
Considere al this and rewe upon my soore,
As wisly as I shal for everemoore,
Emforth my myght, thy trewe servant be,
And holden werre alwey with chastitee.
That make I myn avow, so ye me helpe!
I kepe noght of armes for to yelpe,
Ne I ne axe nat tomorwe to have victorie,
Ne renoun in this cas, ne veyne glorie
Of pris of armes blowen up and doun;
But I wolde have fully possessioun
Of emelye, and dye in thy servyse.
Fynd thow the manere hou, and in what wyse:
I recche nat but it may bettre be
To have victorie of hem, or they of me,
So that I have my lady in myne armes.
For though so be that mars is God of armes,
Youre vertu is so greet in hevene above
That if yow list, I shal wel have my love.
Thy temple wol I worshipe everemo,
And on thyn auter, where I ride or go,
I wol doon sacrifice and fires beete.
And if ye wol nat so, my lady sweete,
Thanne preye I thee, tomorwe with a spere
That arcita me thurgh the herte bere.
Thanne rekke I noght, whan I have lost my lyf,
Though that arcita wynne hire to his wyf.
This is th' effect and ende of my preyere:
Yif me my love, thow blisful lady deere.
Whan the orison was doon of palamon,
His sacrifice he dide, and that anon,
Ful pitously, with alle circumstaunces,
Al telle I noght as now his observaunces;
But atte laste the statue of venus shook,
And made a signe, wherby that he took
That his preyere accepted was that day.
For thogh the signe shewed a delay,
Yet wiste he wel that graunted was his boone;
And with glad herte he wente hym hoom ful soone.
The thridde houre inequal that palamon
Bigan to venus temple for to gon,
Up roos the sonne, and up roos emelye,
And to the temple of dyane gan hye.
Hir maydens, that she thider with hire ladde,
Ful redily with hem the fyr they hadde,
Th' encens, the clothes, and the remenant al
That to the sacrifice longen shal;
The hornes fulle of meeth, as was the gyse:
Ther lakked noght to doon hir sacrifise.
Smokynge the temple, ful of clothes faire,
This emelye, with herte debonaire,
Hir body wessh with water of a welle.
But hou she dide hir ryte I dar nat telle,
But it be any thing in general;
And yet it were a game to heeren al.
To hym that meneth wel it were no charge;
But it is good a man been at his large.
Hir brighte heer was kembd, untressed al;
A coroune of a grene ook cerial
Upon hir heed was set ful fair and meete.
Two fyres on the auter gan she beete,
And dide hir thynges, as men may biholde
In stace of thebes and thise bookes olde.
Whan kyndled was the fyr, with pitous cheere
Unto dyane she spak as ye may heere:
O chaste goddesse of the wodes grene,
To whom bothe hevene and erthe and see is sene,
Queene of the regne of pluto derk and lowe,
Goddesse of maydens, that myn herte hast knowe
Ful many a yeer, and woost what I desire,
As keepe me fro thy vengeaunce and thyn ire,
That attheon aboughte cruelly.
Chaste goddesse, wel wostow that I
Desire to ben a mayden al my lyf,
Ne nevere wol I be no love ne wyf.
I am, thow woost, yet of thy compaignye,
A mayde, and love huntynge and venerye,
And for to walken in the wodes wilde,
And noght to ben a wyf and be with childe.
Noght wol I knowe compaignye of man.
Now help me, lady, sith ye may and kan,
For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee.
And palamon, that hath swich love to me,
And eek arcite, that loveth me so soore,
(this grace I preye thee withoute moore)
As sende love and pees bitwixe hem two,
And from me turne awey hir hertes so
That al hire hoote love and hir desir,
And al hir bisy torment, and hir fir
Be queynt, or turned in another place.
And if so be thou wolt nat do me grace,
Or if my destynee be shapen so
That I shal nedes have oon of hem two,
As sende me hym that moost desireth me.
Bihoold, goddesse of clene chastitee,
The bittre teeris that on my chekes falle.
Syn thou art mayde and kepere of us alle,
My maydenhede thou kepe and wel conserve
And whil I lyve, a mayde I wol thee serve.
The fires brenne upon the auter cleere,
Whil emelye was thus in hir preyere.
But sodeynly she saugh a sighte queynte,
For right anon oon of the fyres queynte,
And quyked agayn, and after that anon
That oother fyr was queynt and al agon;
And as it queynte it made a whistelynge,
As doon thise wete brondes in hir brennynge,
And at the brondes ende out ran anon
As it were blody dropes many oon;
For which so soore agast was emelye
That she was wel ny mad, and gan to crye,
For she ne wiste what it signyfied;
But oonly for the feere thus hath she cried,
And weep that it was pitee for to heere.
And therwithal dyane gan appeere,
With bowe in honde, right as an hunteresse,
And seyde, doghter, stynt thyn hevynesse.
Among the goddes hye it is affermed,
And by eterne word writen and confermed,
Thou shalt ben wedded unto oon of tho
That han for thee so muchel care and wo;
But unto which of hem I may nat telle.
Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle.
The fires which that on myn auter brenne
Shulle thee declaren, er that thou go henne,
Thyn aventure of love, as in this cas.
And with that word, the arwes in the caas
Of the goddesse clateren faste and rynge,
And forth she wente, and made a vanysshynge;
For which this emelye astoned was,
And seyde, what amounteth this, allas?
I putte me in thy proteccioun,
Dyane, and in thy disposicioun.
And hoom she goth anon the nexte weye.
This is th' effect; ther is namoore to seye.
The nexte houre of mars folwynge this,
Arcite unto the temple walked is
Of fierse mars, to doon his sacrifise,
With alle the rytes of his payen wyse.
With pitous herte and heigh devocioun,
Right thus to mars he seyde his orisoun:
O stronge god, that in the regnes colde
Of trace honoured art and lord yholde,
And hast in every regne and every lond
Of armes al the brydel in thyn hond,
And hem fortunest as thee lyst devyse,
Accepte of me my pitous sacrifise.
If so be that my youthe may deserve,
And that my myght be worthy for to serve
Thy godhede, that I may been oon of thyne,
Thanne preye I thee to rewe upon my pyne.
For thilke peyne, and thilke hoote fir
In which thow whilom brendest for desir,
Whan that thow usedest the beautee
Of faire, yonge, fresshe venus free,
And haddest hire in armes at thy wille --
Although thee ones on a tyme mysfille,
Whan vulcanus hadde caught thee in his las,
And foond thee liggynge by his wyf, allas! --
For thilke sorwe that was in thyn herte,
Have routhe as wel upon my peynes smerte.
I am yong and unkonnynge, as thow woost,
And, as I trowe, with love offended moost
That evere was any lyves creature;
For she that dooth me al this wo endure
Ne reccheth nevere wher I synke or fleete.
And wel I woot, er she me mercy heete,
I moot with strengthe wynne hire in the place,
And, wel I woot, withouten help or grace
Of thee, ne may my strengthe noght availle.
Thanne help me, lord, tomorwe in my bataille,
For thilke fyr that whilom brente thee,
As wel as thilke fyr now brenneth me,
And do that I tomorwe have victorie.
Myn be the travaille, and thyn be the glorie!
Thy sovereyn temple wol I moost honouren
Of any place, and alwey moost labouren
In thy plesaunce and in thy craftes stronge,
And in thy temple I wol my baner honge
And alle the armes of my compaignye;
And everemo, unto that day I dye,
Eterne fir I wol bifore thee fynde.
And eek to this avow I wol me bynde:
My beerd, myn heer, that hongeth long adoun,
That nevere yet ne felte offensioun
Of rasour nor of shere, I wol thee yive,
And ben thy trewe servant whil I lyve.
Now, lord, have routhe upon my sorwes soore;
Yif me victorie, I aske thee namoore.
The preyere stynt of arcita the stronge,
The rynges on the temple dore that honge,
And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste,
Of which arcita somwhat hym agaste.
The fyres brenden upon the auter brighte,
That it gan al the temple for to lighte;
A sweete smel the ground anon up yaf,
And arcita anon his hand up haf,
And moore encens into the fyr he caste,
With othere rytes mo; and atte laste
The statue of mars bigan his hauberk rynge;
And with that soun he herde a murmurynge
Ful lowe and dym, and seyde thus, victorie!
For which he yaf to mars honour and glorie.
And thus with joye and hope wel to fare
Arcite anon unto his in is fare,
As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne.
And right anon swich strif ther is bigonne,
For thilke grauntyng, in the hevene above,
Bitwixe venus, the goddesse of love,
And mars, the stierne God armypotente,
That juppiter was bisy it to stente;
Til that the pale saturnus the colde,
That knew so manye of aventures olde,
Foond in his olde experience an art
That he ful soone hath plesed every part.
As sooth is seyd, elde hath greet avantage;
In elde is bothe wysdom and usage;
Men may the olde atrenne, and noght atrede.
Saturne anon, to stynten strif and drede,
Al be it that it is agayn his kynde,
Of al this strif he gan remedie fynde.
My deere doghter venus, quod saturne,
My cours, that hath so wyde for to turne,
Hath moore power than woot any man.
Myn is the drenchyng in the see so wan;
Myn is the prison in the derke cote;
Myn is the stranglyng and hangyng by the throte,
The murmure and the cherles rebellyng,
The groynynge, and the pryvee empoysonyng;
I do vengeance and pleyn correccioun,
Whil I dwelle in the signe of the leoun.
Myn is the ruyne of the hye halles,
The fallynge of the toures and of the walles
Upon the mynour or the carpenter.
I slow sampsoun, shakynge the piler;
And myne be the maladyes colde,
The derke tresons, and the castes olde;
My lookyng is the fader of pestilence.
Now weep namoore, I shal doon diligence
That palamon, that is thyn owene knyght,
Shal have his lady, as thou hast him hight.
Though mars shal helpe his knyght, yet nathelees
Bitwixe yow ther moot be som tyme pees,
Al be ye noght of o compleccioun,
That causeth al day swich divisioun.
I am thyn aiel, redy at thy wille;
Weep now namoore, I wol thy lust fulfille.
Now wol I stynten of the goddes above,
Of mars, and of venus, goddesse of love,
And telle yow as pleynly as I kan
The grete effect, for which that I bygan.
Explicit tercia pars.
Greet was the feeste in atthenes that day,
And eek the lusty seson of that may
Made every wight to been in swich plesaunce
That al that monday justen they and daunce,
And spenden it in venus heigh servyse.
But by the cause that they sholde ryse
Eerly, for to seen the grete fight,
Unto hir reste wenten they at nyght.
And on the morwe, whan that day gan sprynge,
Of hors and harneys noyse and claterynge
Ther was in hostelryes al aboute;
And to the paleys rood ther many a route
Of lordes upon steedes and palfreys.
Ther maystow seen devisynge of harneys
So unkouth and so riche, and wroght so weel
Of goldsmythrye, of browdynge, and of steel;
The sheeldes brighte, testeres, and trappures,
Gold-hewen helmes, hauberkes, cote-armures;
Lordes in parementz on hir courseres,
Knyghtes of retenue, and eek squieres
Nailynge the speres, and helmes bokelynge;
Giggynge of sheeldes, with layneres lacynge
(there as nede is they weren no thyng ydel);
The fomy steedes on the golden brydel
Gnawynge, and faste the armurers also
With fyle and hamer prikynge to and fro;
Yemen on foote, and communes many oon
With fyle and hamer prikynge to and fro;
Pypes, trompes, nakers, clariounes,
That in the bataille blowen blody sounes;
The paleys ful of peple up and doun,
Heere thre, ther ten, holdynge hir questioun,
Dyvynynge of thise thebane knyghtes two.
Somme seyden thus, somme seyde it shal be so;
Somme helden with hym with the blake berd,
Somme with the balled, somme with the thikke herd;
Somme seyde he looked grymme, and he wolde fighte;
He hath a sparth of twenty pound of wighte.
Thus was the halle ful of divynynge,
Longe after that the sonne gan to sprynge.
The grete theseus, that of his sleep awaked
With mynstralcie and noyse that was maked,
Heeld yet the chambre of his paleys riche,
Til that the thebane knyghtes, bothe yliche
Honured, were into the paleys fet.
Duc theseus was at a wyndow set,
Arrayed right as he were a God in trone.
The peple preesseth thiderward ful soone
Hym for to seen, and doon heigh reverence,
And eek to herkne his heste and his sentence.
And heraud on a scaffold made an oo!
Til al the noyse of peple was ydo,
And whan he saugh the peple of noyse al stille,
Tho shewed he the myghty dukes wille.
The lord hath of his heigh discrecioun
Considered that it were destruccioun
To gentil blood to fighten in the gyse
Of mortal bataille now in this emprise.
Wherfore, to shapen that they shal nat dye,
He wol his firste purpos modifye.
No man therfore, up peyne of los of lyf,
No maner shot, ne polax, ne short knyf
Into the lystes sende, or thider brynge;
Ne short swerd, for to stoke with poynt bitynge,
No man ne drawe, ne bere it by his syde.
Ne no man shal unto his felawe ryde
But o cours, with a sharpe ygrounde spere;
Foyne, if hym list, on foote, hymself to were.
And he that is at meschief shal be take
And noght slayn, but be broght unto the stake
That shal ben ordeyned on either syde;
But thider he shal by force, and there abyde.
And if so falle the chieftayn be take
On outher syde, or elles sleen his make,
No lenger shal the turneiynge laste.
God spede you! gooth forth, and ley on faste!
With long swerd and with maces fighteth youre fille.
Gooth now youre wey, this is the lordes wille.
The voys of peple touchede the hevene,
So loude cride they with murie stevene,
God save swich a lord, that is so good,
He wilneth no destruccion of blood!
Up goon the trompes and the melodye,
And to the lystes rit the compaignye,
By ordinance, thurghout the citee large,
Hanged with clooth of gold, and nat with sarge.
Ful lik a lord this noble duc gan ryde,
Thise two thebans upon either syde;
And after rood the queene, and emelye,
And after that another compaignye
Of oon and oother, after hir degree.
And thus they passen thurghout the citee,
And to the lystes come they by tyme.
It nas nat of the day yet fully pryme
Whan set was theseus ful riche and hye,
Ypolita the queene, and emelye,
And othere ladys in degrees aboute.
Unto the seetes preesseth al the route.
And westward, thurgh the gates under marte,
Arcite, and eek the hondred of his parte,
With baner reed is entred right anon;
And in that selve moment palamon
Is under venus, estward in the place,
With baner whyt, and hardy chiere and face.
In al the world, to seken up and doun,
So evene, withouten variacioun,
Ther nere swiche compaignyes tweye;
For ther was noon so wys that koude seye
That any hadde of oother avauntage
Of worthynesse, ne of estaat, ne age,
So evene were they chosen, for to gesse.
And in two renges faire they hem dresse.
Whan that hir names rad were everichon,
That in hir nombre gyle were ther noon,
Tho were the gates shet, and cried was loude:
Do now youre devoir, yonge knyghtes proude!
The heraudes lefte hir prikyng up and doun;
Now ryngen trompes loude and clarioun.
Ther is namoore to seyn, but west and est
In goon the speres ful sadly in arrest;
In gooth the sharpe spore into the syde.
Ther seen men who kan juste and who kan ryde;
Ther shyveren shaftes upon sheeldes thikke;
He feeleth thurgh the herte-spoon the prikke.
Up spryngen speres twenty foot on highte;
Out goon the swerdes as the silver brighte;
The helmes they tohewen and toshrede;
Out brest the blood with stierne stremes rede;
With myghty maces the bones they tobreste.
He thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste;
Ther stomblen steedes stronge, and doun gooth al;
He rolleth under foot as dooth a bal;
He foyneth on his feet with his tronchoun,
And he hym hurtleth with hors adoun;
He thurgh the body is hurt and sither take,
Maugree his heed, and broght unto the stake:
As forward was, right there he moste abyde.
Another lad is on that oother syde.
And some tyme dooth hem theseus to reste,
Hem to refresshe and drynken, if hem leste.
Ful ofte a day han thise thebanes two
Togydre ymet, and wroght his felawe wo;
Unhorsed hath ech oother of hem tweye.
Ther nas no tygre in the vale of galgopheye,
Whan that hir whelp is stole whan it is lite,
So crueel on the hunte as is arcite
For jelous herte upon this palamon.
Ne in belmarye ther nys so fel leon,
That hunted is, or for his hunger wood,
Ne of his praye desireth so the blood,
As palamon to sleen his foo arcite.
The jelous strokes on hir helmes byte;
Out renneth blood on bothe hir sydes rede.
Som tyme an ende ther is of every dede.
For er the sonne unto the reste wente,
The stronge kyng emetreus gan hente
This palamon, as he faught with arcite,
And made his swerd depe in his flessh to byte;
And by the force of twenty is he take
Unyolden, and ydrawe unto the stake.
And in the rescus of this palamoun
The stronge kyng lygurge is born adoun,
And kyng emetreus, for al his strengthe,
Is born out of his sadel a swerdes lengthe,
So hitte him palamoun er he were take;
But al for noght, he was broght to the stake.
His hardy herte myghte hym helpe naught:
He moste abyde, whan that he was caught,
By force and eek by composicioun.
Who sorweth now but woful palamoun,
That moot namoore goon agayn to fighte?
And whan that theseus hadde seyn this sighte,
Unto the folk that foghten thus echon
He cryde, hoo! namoore, for it is doon!
I wol be trewe juge, and no partie.
Arcite of thebes shal have emelie,
That by his fortune hath hire faire ywonne.
Anon ther is a noyse of peple bigonne
For joye of this, so loude and heighe withalle,
It semed that the lystes sholde falle.
What kan now faire venus doon above?
What seith she now? what dooth this queene of love,
But wepeth so, for wantynge of hir wille,
Til that hir teeres in the lystes fille?
She seyde, I am ashamed, douteless.
Saturnus seyde, doghter, hoold thy pees!
Mars hath his wille, his knyght hath al his boone,
And, by myn heed, thow shalt been esed soone.
The trompours, with the loude mynstralcie,
The heraudes, that ful loude yelle and crie,
Been in hire wele for joye of daun arcite.
But herkneth me, and stynteth noyse a lite,
Which a myracle ther bifel anon.
This fierse arcite hath of his helm ydon,
And on a courser, for to shewe his face,
He priketh endelong the large place
Lokynge upward upon this emelye;
And she agayn hym caste a freendlich ye
(for wommen, as to speken in comune,
Thei folwen alle the favour of fortune)
And was al his chiere, as in his herte.
Out of the ground a furie infernal sterte,
From pluto sent at requeste of saturne,
For which his hors for fere gan to turne,
And leep aside, and foundred as he leep;
And er that arcite may taken keep,
He pighte hym on the pomel of his heed,
That in the place he lay as he were deed,
His brest tobrosten with his sadel-bowe.
As blak he lay as any cole or crowe,
So was the blood yronnen in his face.
Anon he was yborn out of the place,
With herte soor, to theseus paleys.
Tho was he korven out of his harneys,
And in a bed ybrought ful faire and blyve;
For he was yet in memorie and alyve,
And alwey criynge after emelye.
Duc theseus, with al his compaignye,
Is comen hoom to atthenes his citee,
With alle blisse and greet solempnitee.
Al be it that this aventure was falle,
He nolde noght disconforten hem alle.
Men seyde eek that arcite shal nat dye;
He shal been heeled of his maladye.
And of another thyng they weren as fayn,
That of hem alle was ther noon yslayn,
Al were they soore yhurt, and namely oon,
That with a spere was thirled his brest boon.
To othere woundes and to broken armes
Somme hadden salves, and somme hadden charmes;
Fermacies of herbes, and eek save
They dronken, for they wolde hir lymes have.
For which this noble duc, as he wel kan,
Conforteth and honoureth every man,
And made revel al the longe nyght
Unto the straunge lordes, as was right.
Ne ther was holden no disconfitynge
But as a justes, or a tourneiynge;
For soothly ther was no disconfiture.
For fallyng nys nat but an aventure,
Ne to be lad by force unto the stake
Unyolden, and with twenty knyghtes take,
O persone allone, withouten mo,
And haryed forth by arme, foot, and too,
And eke his steede dryven forth with staves
With footmen, bothe yemen and eek knaves, --
It nas arretted hym no vileynye;
Ther may no man clepen it cowardye.
For which anon duc theseus leet crye,
To stynten alle rancour and envye,
The gree as wel of o syde as of oother,
And eyther syde ylik as ootheres brother;
And yaf hem yiftes after hir degree,
And fully heeld a feeste dayes three,
And conveyed the kynges worthily
Out of his toun a journee largely.
And hoom wente every man the righte way.
Ther was namoore but fare wel, have good day!
Of this bataille I wol namoore endite,
But speke of palamon and of arcite.
Swelleth the brest of arcite, and the soore
Encreesseth at his herte moore and moore.
The clothered blood, for any lechecraft,
Corrupteth, and is in his bouk ylaft,
That neither veyne-blood, ne ventusynge,
Ne drynke of herbes may ben his helpynge.
The vertu expulsif, or animal,
Fro thilke vertu cleped natural
Ne may the venym voyden ne expelle.
The pipes of his longes gonne to swelle,
And every lacerte in his brest adoun
Is shent with venym and corrupcioun.
Hym gayneth neither, for to gete his lif,
Vomyt upward, ne dounward laxatif.
Al is tobrosten thilke regioun;
Nature hath now no dominacioun.
And certeinly, ther nature wol nat wirche,
Fare wel phisik! go ber the man to chirche!
This al and som, that arcita moot dye;
For which he sendeth after emelye,
And palamon, that was his cosyn deere.
Thanne seyde he thus, as ye shal after heere:
Naught may the woful spirit in myn herte
Declare o point of alle my sorwes smerte
To yow, my lady, that I love moost;
But I biquethe the servyce of my goost
To yow aboven every creature,
Syn that my lyf may no lenger dure.
Allas, the wo! allas, the peynes stronge,
That I for yow have suffred, and so longe!
Allas, the deeth! allas, myn emelye!
Allas, departynge of oure compaignye!
Allas, myn hertes queene! allas, my wyf!
Myn hertes lady, endere of my lyf!
What is this world? what asketh men to have?
Now with his love, now in his colde grave
Allone, withouten any compaignye.
Fare wel, my sweete foo, myn emelye!
And softe taak me in youre armes tweye,
For love of god, and herkneth what I seye.
I have heer with my cosyn palamon
Had strif and rancour many a day agon
For love of yow, and for my jalousye.
And juppiter so wys my soule gye,
To speken of a servaunt proprely,
With alle circumstances trewely --
That is to seyen, trouthe, honour, knyghthede,
Wysdom, humblesse, estaat, and heigh kynrede,
Fredom, and al that longeth to that art --
So juppiter have of my soule part,
As in this world right now ne knowe I non
So worthy to ben loved as palamon,
That serveth yow, and wol doon al his lyf.
And if that evere ye shul ben a wyf,
Foryet nat palamon, the gentil man.
And with that word his speche faille gan,
For from his feet up to his brest was come
The coold of deeth, that hadde hym overcome,
And yet mooreover, for in his armes two
The vital strengthe is lost and al ago.
Oonly the intellect, withouten moore,
That dwelled in his herte syk and soore,
Gan faillen whan the herte felte deeth.
Dusked his eyen two, and failled breeth,
But on his lady yet caste he his ye;
His laste word was, mercy, emelye!
His spirit chaunged hous and wente ther,
As I cam nevere, I kan nat tellen wher.
Therfore I stynte, I nam no divinistre;
Of soules fynde I nat in this registre,
Ne me ne list thilke opinions to telle
Of hem, though that they writen wher they dwelle.
Arcite is coold, ther mars his soule gye!
Now wol I speken forth of emelye.
Shrighte emelye, and howleth palamon,
And theseus his suster took anon
Swownynge, and baar hire fro the corps away.
What helpeth it to tarien forth the day
To tellen how she weep bothe eve and morwe?
For in swich cas wommen have swich sorwe,
Whan that hir housbondes ben from hem ago,
That for the moore part they sorwen so,
Or ellis fallen in swich maladye,
That at the laste certeinly they dye.
Infinite been the sorwes and the teeres
Of olde folk, and folk of tendre yeeres,
In al the toun for deeth of this theban.
For hym ther wepeth bothe child and man;
So greet wepyng was ther noon, certayn,
Whan ector was ybroght, al fressh yslayn,
To troye. Allas, the pitee that was ther,
Cracchynge of chekes, rentynge eek of heer.
Why woldestow be deed, thise wommen crye,
And haddest gold ynough, and emelye?
No man myghte gladen theseus,
Savynge his olde fader egeus,
That knew this worldes transmutacioun,
As he hadde seyn it chaunge bothe up and doun,
Joye after wo, and wo after gladnesse,
And shewed hem ensamples and liknesse.
Right as ther dyed nevere man, quod he,
That he ne lyvede in erthe in some degree,
Right so ther lyvede never man, he seyde,
In al this world, that som tyme he ne deyde.
This world nys but a thurghfare ful of wo,
And we been pilgrymes, passynge to and fro.
Deeth is an ende of every worldly soore.
And over al this yet seyde he muchel moore
To this effect, ful wisely to enhorte
The peple that they sholde hem reconforte.
Duc theseus, with al his bisy cure,
Caste now wher that the sepulture
Of goode arcite may best ymaked be,
And eek moost honurable in his degree.
And at the laste he took conclusioun
That ther as first arcite and palamoun
Hadden for love the bataille hem bitwene,
That in that selve grove, swoote and grene,
Ther as he hadde his amorouse desires,
His compleynte, and for love his hoote fires,
He wolde make a fyr in which the office
Funeral he myghte al accomplice.
And leet comande anon to hakke and hewe
The okes olde, and leye hem on a rewe
In colpons wel arrayed for to brenne.
His officers with swifte feet they renne
And ryde anon at his comandement.
And after this, theseus hath ysent
After a beere, and it al over spradde
With clooth of gold, the richeste that he hadde.
And of the same suyte he cladde arcite;
Upon his hondes hadde he gloves white,
Eek on his heed a coroune of laurer grene,
And in his hond a swerd ful bright and kene.
He leyde hym, bare the visage, on the beere;
Therwith he weep that pitee was to heere.
And for the peple sholde seen hym alle,
Whan it was day, he broghte hym to the halle,
That roreth of the criyng and the soun.
Tho cam this woful theban palamoun,
With flotery berd and ruggy, asshy heeres,
In clothes blake, ydropped al with teeres;
And, passynge othere of wepynge, emelye,
The rewefulleste of al the compaignye.
In as muche as the servyce sholde be
The moore noble and riche in his degree,
Duc theseus leet forth thre steedes brynge,
That trapped were in steel al gliterynge,
And covered with the armes of daun arcite.
Upon thise steedes, that weren grete and white,
Ther seten folk, of whiche oon baar his sheeld,
Another his spere up on his hondes heeld,
The thridde baar with hym his bowe turkeys
(of brend gold was the caas and eek the harneys);
And riden forth a paas with sorweful cheere
Toward the grove, as ye shul after heere.
The nobleste of the grekes that ther were
Upon hir shuldres caryeden the beere,
With slakke paas, and eyen rede and wete,
Thurghout the citee by the maister strete,
That sprad was al with blak, and wonder hye
Right of the same is the strete ywrye.
Upon the right hond wente olde egeus,
And on that oother syde duc theseus,
With vessels in hir hand of gold ful fyn,
Al ful of hony, milk, and blood, and wyn;
Eek palamon, with ful greet compaignye;
And after that cam woful emelye,
With fyr in honde, as was that tyme the gyse,
To do the office of funeral servyse.
Heigh labour and ful greet apparaillynge
Was at the service and the fyr-makynge,
That with his grene top the hevene raughte;
And twenty fadme of brede the armes straughte --
This is to seyn, the bowes weren so brode.
Of stree first ther was leyd ful many a lode.
But how the fyr was maked upon highte,
Ne eek the names that the trees highte,
As ook, firre, birch, aspe, alder, holm, popler,
Wylugh, elm, plane, assh, box, chasteyn, lynde, laurer,
Mapul, thorn, bech, hasel, ew, whippeltree, --
How they weren feld, shal nat be toold for me;
Ne hou the goddes ronnen up and doun,
Disherited of hire habitacioun,
In which they woneden in reste and pees,
Nymphes, fawnes and amadrides;
Ne hou the beestes and the briddes alle
Fledden for fere, whan the wode was falle;
Ne how the ground agast was of the light,
That was nat wont to seen the sonne bright;
Ne how the fyr was couched first with stree,
And thanne with drye stikkes cloven a thre,
And thanne with grene wode and spicerye,
And thanne with clooth of gold and with perrye,
And gerlandes, hangynge with ful many a flour;
The mirre, th' encens, with al so greet odour;
Ne how arcite lay among al this,
Ne what richesse aboute his body is;
Ne how that emelye, as was the gyse,
Putte in the fyr of funeral servyse;
Ne how she swowned whan men made the fyr,
Ne what she spak, ne what was hir desir;
Ne what jeweles men in the fyre caste,
Whan that the fyr was greet and brente faste;
Ne how somme caste hir sheeld, and somme hir spere,
And of hire vestimentz, whiche that they were,
And coppes fulle of wyn, and milk, and blood,
Into the fyr, that brente as it were wood;
Ne how the grekes, with an huge route,
Thries riden al the fyr aboute
Upon the left hand, with a loud shoutynge,
And thries with hir speres claterynge;
And thries how the ladyes gonne crye;
Ne how that lad was homward emelye;
Ne how arcite is brent to asshen colde;
Ne how that lyche-wake was yholde
Al thilke nyght; ne how the grekes pleye
The wake-pleyes, ne kepe I nat to seye;
Who wrastleth best naked with oille enoynt,
Ne who that baar hym best, in no disjoynt.
I wol nat tellen eek how that they goon
Hoom til atthenes, whan the pley is doon;
But shortly to the point thanne wol I wende,
And maken of my longe tale an ende.
By processe and by lengthe of certeyn yeres,
Al stynted is the moornynge and the teres
Of grekes, by oon general assent.
Thanne semed me ther was a parlement
At atthenes, upon certein pointz and caas;
Among the whiche pointz yspoken was,
To have with certein contrees alliaunce,
And have fully of thebans obeisaunce.
For which this noble theseus anon
Leet senden after gentil palamon,
Unwist of hym what was the cause and why;
But in his blake clothes sorwefully
He cam at his comandement in hye.
Tho sente theseus for emelye.
Whan they were set, and hust was al the place,
And theseus abiden hadde a space
Er any word cam fram his wise brest,
His eyen sette he ther as was his lest.
And with a sad visage he siked stille,
And after that right thus he seyde his wille:
The firste moevere of the cause above,
Whan he first made the faire cheyne of love,
Greet was th' effect, and heigh was his entente.
Wel wiste he why, and what thereof he mente;
For with that faire cheyne of love he bond
The fyr, the eyr, the water, and the lond
In certeyn boundes, that they may nat flee.
That same prince and that moevere, quod he,
Hath stablissed in this wrecched world adoun
Certeyne dayes and duracioun
To al that is engendred in this place,
Over the whiche day they may nat pace,
Al mowe they yet tho dayes wel abregge.
Ther nedeth noght noon auctoritee t' allegge,
For it is preeved by experience,
But that me list declaren my sentence.
Thanne may men by this ordre wel discerne
That thilke moevere stable is and eterne.
Wel may men knowe, but it be a fool,
That every part dirryveth from his hool;
For nature hath nat taken his bigynnyng
Of no partie or cantel of a thyng,
But of a thyng that parfit is and stable,
Descendynge so til it be corrumpable.
And therfore, of his wise purveiaunce,
He hath so wel biset his ordinaunce,
That speces of thynges and progressiouns
Shullen enduren by successiouns,
And nat eterne, withouten any lye.
This maystow understonde and seen at ye.
Loo the ook, that hath so long a norisshynge
From tyme that it first bigynneth to sprynge,
And hath so long a lif, as we may see,
Yet at the laste wasted is the tree.
Considereth eek how that the harde stoon
Under oure feet, on which we trede and goon,
Yet wasteth it as it lyth by the weye.
The brode ryver somtyme wexeth dreye;
The grete tounes se we wane and wende.
Thanne may ye se that al this thyng hath ende.
Of man and womman seen we wel also
That nedes, in oon of thise termes two,
This is to seyn, in youthe or elles age,
He moot be deed, the kyng as shal a page;
Som in his bed, som in the depe see,
Som in the large feeld, as men may see;
Ther helpeth noght, al goth that ilke weye.
Thanne may I seyn that al this thyng moot deye.
What maketh this but juppiter, the kyng,
That is prince and cause of alle thyng,
Convertynge al unto his propre welle
From which it is dirryved, sooth to telle?
And heer-agayns no creature on lyve,
Of no degree, availleth for to stryve.
Thanne is it wysdom, as it thynketh me,
To maken vertu of necessitee,
And take it weel that we may nat eschue,
And namely that to us alle is due.
And whoso gruccheth ought, he dooth folye,
And rebel is to hym that al may gye.
And certeinly a man hath moost honour
To dyen in his excellence and flour,
Whan he is siker of his goode name;
Thanne hath he doon his freend, ne hym, no shame.
And gladder oghte his freend been of his deeth,
Whan with honour up yolden is his breeth,
Than whan his name apalled is for age,
For al forgeten is his vassellage.
Thanne is it best, as for a worthy fame,
To dyen whan that he is best of name.
The contrarie of al this is wilfulnesse.
Why grucchen we, why have we hevynesse,
That goode arcite, of chivalrie the flour,
Departed is with duetee and honour
Out of this foule prisoun of this lyf?
Why grucchen heere his cosyn and his wyf
Of his welfare, that loved hem so weel?
Kan he hem thank? nay, God woot, never a deel,
That both his soule and eek hemself offende,
And yet they mowe hir lustes nat amende.
What may I conclude of this longe serye,
But after wo I rede us to be merye,
And thanken juppiter of al his grace?
And er that we departen from this place
I rede that we make of sorwes two
O parfit joye, lastynge everemo.
And looketh now, wher moost sorwe is herinne,
Ther wol we first amenden and bigynne.
Suster, quod he, this is my fulle assent,
With al th' avys heere of my parlement,
That gentil palamon, youre owene knyght,
That serveth yow with wille herte, and myght,
And ever hath doon syn ye first hym knewe,
That ye shul of youre grace upon hym rewe,
And taken hym for housbonde and for lord.
Lene me youre hond, for this is oure accord.
Lat se now of youre wommanly pitee.
He is kynges brother sone, pardee;
And though he were a povre bacheler,
Syn he hath served yow so many a yeer,
And had for yow so greet adversitee,
It moste been considered, leeveth me;
For gentil mercy oghte to passen right.
Thanne seyde he thus to palamon the knight:
I trowe ther nedeth litel sermonyng
To make yow assente to this thyng.
Com neer, and taak youre lady by the hond.
Bitwixen hem was maad anon the bond
That highte matrimoigne or mariage,
By al the conseil and the baronage.
And thus with alle blisse and melodye
Hath palamon ywedded emelye.
And god, that al this wyde world hath wroght,
Sende hym his love that hath it deere aboght;
For now is palamon in alle wele,
Lyvynge in blisse, in richesse, and in heele,
And emelye hym loveth so tendrely,
And he hire serveth al so gentilly,
That nevere was ther no word hem bitwene
Of jalousie or any oother teene.
Thus endeth palamon and emelye;
And God save al this faire compaignye! amen.

The Miller's Prologue

Whan that the knyght had thus his tale ytoold,
In al the route nas ther yong ne oold
That he ne seyde it was a noble storie,
And worthy for to drawen to memorie;
And namely the gentils everichon.
Oure hooste lough and swoor, so moot I gon,
This gooth aright; unbokeled is the male.
Lat se now who shal telle another tale;
For trewely the game is wel bigonne.
Now telleth ye, sir monk, if that ye konne
Somwhat to quite with the knyghtes tale.
The millere, that for dronken was al pale,
So that unnethe upon his hors he sat,
He nolde avalen neither hood ne hat,
Ne abyde no man for his curteisie,
But in pilates voys he gan to crie,
And swoor, by armes, and by blood and bones,
I kan a noble tale for the nones,
With which I wol now quite the knyghtes tale.
Oure hooste saugh that he was dronke of ale,
And seyde, abyd, robyn, my leeve brother;
Som bettre man shal telle us first another.
Abyd, and lat us werken thriftily.
By goddes soule, quod he, that wol nat I;
For I wol speke, or elles go my wey.
Oure hoost answerde, tel on, a devel wey!
Thou art a fool; thy wit is overcome.
Now herkneth, quod the millere, alle and some!
But first I make a protestacioun
That I am dronke, I knowe it by my soun;
And therfore if that I mysspeke or seye,
Wyte it the ale of southwerk, I you preye.
For I wol telle a legende and a lyf
Bothe of a carpenter and of his wyf,
How that a clerk hath set the wrightes cappe.
The reve answerde and seyde, stynt thy clappe!
Lat be thy lewed dronken harlotrye.
It is a synne and eek a greet folye
To apeyren any man, or hym defame,
And eek to bryngen wyves in swich fame.
Thou mayst ynogh of othere thynges seyn.
This dronke millere spak ful soone ageyn
And seyde, leve brother osewold,
Who hath no wyf, he is no cokewold.
But I sey nat therfore that thou art oon;
Ther been ful goode wyves many oon,
And evere a thousand goode ayeyns oon badde.
That knowestow wel thyself, but if thou madde.
Why artow angry with my tale now?
I have a wyf, pardee, as wel as thow;
Yet nolde I, for the oxen in my plogh,
Take upon me moore than ynogh,
As demen of myself that I were oon;
I wol bileve wel that I am noon.
An housbonde shal nat been inquisityf
Of goddes pryvetee, nor of his wyf.
So he may fynde goddes foyson there,
Of the remenant nedeth nat enquere.
What sholde I moore seyn, but this millere
He nolde his wordes for no man forbere,
But tolde his cherles tale in his manere.
M' athynketh that I shal reherce it heere.
And therfore every gentil wight I preye,
For goddes love, demeth nat that I seye
Of yvel entente, but for I moot reherce
Hir tales alle, be they bettre or werse,
Or elles falsen som of my mateere.
And therfore, whoso list it nat yheere,
Turne over the leef and chese another tale;
For he shal fynde ynowe, grete and smale,
Of storial thyng that toucheth gentillesse,
And eek moralitee and hoolynesse.
Blameth nat me if that ye chese amys.
The millere is a cherl, ye knowe wel this;
So was the reve eek and othere mo,
And harlotrie they tolden bothe two.
Avyseth yow, and put me out of blame;
And eek men shal nat maken ernest of game.

The Miller's Tale

Whilom ther was dwellynge at oxenford
A riche gnof, that gestes heeld to bord,
And of his craft he was a carpenter.
With hym ther was dwellynge a poure scoler,
Hadde lerned art, but al his fantasye
Was turned for to lerne astrologye,
And koude a certeyn of conclusiouns,
To demen by interrogaciouns,
If that men asked hym in certein houres
Whan that men sholde have droghte or elles shoures,
Or if men asked hym what sholde bifalle
Of every thyng; I may nat rekene hem alle.
This clerk was cleped hende nicholas.
Of deerne love he koude and of solas;
And therto he was sleigh and ful privee,
And lyk a mayden meke for to see.
A chambre hadde he in that hostelrye
Allone, withouten any compaignye,
Ful fetisly ydight with herbes swoote;
And he hymself as sweete as is the roote
Of lycorys, or any cetewale.
His almageste, and bookes grete and smale,
His astrelabie, longynge for his art,
His augrym stones layen faire apart,
On shelves couched at his beddes heed;
His presse ycovered with a faldyng reed;
And al above ther lay a gay sautrie,
On which he made a-nyghtes melodie
So swetely that all the chambre rong;
And angelus ad virginem he song;
And after that he song the kynges noote.
Ful often blessed was his myrie throte.
And thus this sweete clerk his tyme spente
After his freendes fyndyng and his rente.
This carpenter hadde wedded newe a wyf,
Which that he lovede moore than his lyf;
Of eighteteene yeer she was of age.
Jalous he was, and heeld hire narwe in cage,
For she was wylde and yong, and he was old,
And demed hymself been lik a cokewold.
He knew nat catoun, for his wit was rude,
That bad man sholde wedde his simylitude.
Men sholde wedden after hire estaat,
For youthe and elde is often at debaat.
But sith that he was fallen in the snare,
He moste endure, as oother folk, his care.
Fair was this yonge wyf, and therwithal
As any wezele hir body gent and smal.
A ceynt she werede, barred al of silk,
A barmclooth eek as whit as morne milk
Upon hir lendes, ful of many a goore.
Whit was hir smok, and broyden al bifoore
And eek bihynde, on hir coler aboute,
Of col-blak silk, withinne and eek withoute.
The tapes of hir white voluper
Were of the same suyte of hir coler;
Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye.
And sikerly she hadde a likerous ye;
Ful smale ypulled were hire browes two,
And tho were bent and blake as any sloo.
She was ful moore blisful on to see
Than is the newe pere-jonette tree,
And softer than the wolle is of a wether.
And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether,
Tasseled with silk, and perled with latoun.
In al this world, to seken up and doun,
There nys no man so wys that koude thenche
So gay a popelote or swich a wenche.
Ful brighter was the shynyng of hir hewe
Than in the tour the noble yforged newe.
But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne
As any swalwe sittynge on a berne.
Therto she koude skippe and make game,
As any kyde or calf folwynge his dame.
Hir mouth was sweete as bragot or the meeth,
Or hoord of apples leyd in hey or heeth.
Wynsynge she was, as is a joly colt,
Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt.
A brooch she baar upon hir lowe coler,
As brood as is the boos of a bokeler.
Hir shoes were laced on hir legges hye.
She was a prymerole, a piggesnye,
For any lord to leggen in his bedde,
Or yet for any good yeman to wedde.
Now, sire, and eft, sire, so bifel the cas,
That on a day this hende nicholas
Fil with this yonge wyf to rage and pleye,
Whil that hir housbonde was at oseneye,
As clerkes ben ful subtile and ful queynte;
And prively he caughte hire by the queynte,
And seyde, ywis, but if ich have my wille,
For deerne love of thee, lemman, I spille.
And heeld hire harde by the haunchebones,
And seyde, lemman, love me al atones,
Or I wol dyen, also God me save!
And she sproong as a colt dooth in the trave,
And with hir heed she wryed faste awey,
And seyde, I wol nat kisse thee, by my fey!
Why, lat be, quod she, lat be, nicholas,
Or I wol crie -- out, harrow -- and -- allas! --
Do wey youre handes, for youre curteisye!
This nicholas gan mercy for to crye,
And spak so faire, and profred him so faste,
That she hir love hym graunted atte laste,
And swoor hir ooth, by seint thomas of kent,
That she wol been at his comandement,
Whan that she may hir leyser wel espie.
Myn housbonde is so ful of jalousie
That but ye wayte wel and been privee,
I woot right wel I nam but deed, quod she.
Ye moste been ful deerne, as in this cas.
Nay, therof care thee noght, quod nicholas.
A clerk hadde litherly biset his whyle,
But if he koude a carpenter bigyle.
And thus they been accorded and ysworn
To wayte a tyme, as I have told biforn.
Whan nicholas had doon thus everideel,
And thakked hire aboute the lendes weel,
He kiste hire sweete and taketh his sawtrie,
And pleyeth faste, and maketh melodie.
Thanne fil it thus, that to the paryssh chirche,
Cristes owene werkes for to wirche,
This goode wyf went on an haliday.
Hir forheed shoon as bright as any day,
So was it wasshen whan she leet hir werk.
Now was ther of that chirche a parissh clerk,
The which that was ycleped absolon.
Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon,
And strouted as a fanne large and brode;
Ful streight and evene lay his joly shode.
His rode was reed, his eyen greye as goos.
With poules wyndow corven on his shoos,
In hoses rede he wente fetisly.
Yclad he was ful smal and proprely
Al in a kirtel of a lyght waget;
Ful faire and thikke been the poyntes set.
And therupon he hadde a gay surplys
As whit as is the blosme upon the rys.
A myrie child he was, so God me save.
Wel koude he laten blood and clippe and shave,
And maken a chartre of lond or acquitaunce.
In twenty manere koude he trippe and daunce
After the scole of oxenforde tho,
And with his legges casten to and fro,
And pleyen songes on a smal rubible;
Therto he song som tyme a loud quynyble;
And as wel koude he pleye on a giterne.
In al the toun nas brewhous ne taverne
That he ne visited with his solas,
Ther any gaylard tappestere was.
But sooth to seyn, he was somdeel squaymous
Of fartyng, and of speche daungerous.
This absolon, that jolif was and gay,
Gooth with a sencer on the haliday,
Sensynge the wyves of the parisshe faste;
And many a lovely look on hem he caste,
And namely on this carpenteris wyf.
To looke on hire hym thoughte a myrie lyf,
She was so propre and sweete and likerous.
I dar wel seyn, if she hadde been a mous,
And he a cat, he wolde hire hente anon.
This parissh clerk, this joly absolon,
Hath in his herte swich a love-longynge
That of no wyf took he noon offrynge;
For curteisie, he seyde, he wolde noon.
The moone, whan it was nyght, ful brighte shoon,
And absolon his gyterne hath ytake,
For paramours he thoghte for to wake.
And forth he gooth, jolif and amorous,
Til he cam to the carpenteres hous
A litel after cokkes hadde ycrowe,
And dressed hym up by a shot-wyndowe
That was upon the carpenteris wal.
He syngeth in his voys gentil and smal,
Now, deere lady, if thy wille be,
I praye yow that ye wole rewe on me,
Ful wel acordaunt to his gyternynge.
This carpenter awook, and herde him synge,
And spak unto his wyf, and seyde anon,
What! alison! herestow nat absolon,
That chaunteth thus under oure boures wal?
And she answerde hir housbonde therwithal,
Yis, God woot, john, I heere it every deel.
This passeth forth; what wol ye bet than weel?
Fro day to day this joly absolon
So woweth hire that hym is wo bigon.
He waketh al the nyght and al the day;
He kembeth his lokkes brode, and made hym gay;
He woweth hire by meenes and brocage,
And swoor he wolde been hir owene page;
He syngeth, brokkynge as a nyghtyngale;
He sente hire pyment, meeth, and spiced ale,
And wafres, pipyng hoot out of the gleede;
And, for she was of town, he profred meede.
For som folk wol ben wonnen for richesse,
And somme for strokes, and somme for gentillesse.
Somtyme, to shewe his lightnesse and maistrye,
He pleyeth herodes upon a scaffold hye.
But what availleth hym as in this cas?
She loveth so this hende nicholas
That absolon may blowe the bukkes horn;
He ne hadde for his labour but a scorn.
And thus she maketh absolon hire ape,
And al his ernest turneth til a jape.
Ful sooth is this proverbe, it is no lye,
Men seyn right thus, alwey the nye slye
Maketh the ferre leeve to be looth.
For though that absolon be wood or wrooth,
By cause that he fer was from hire sight,
This nye nicholas stood in his light.
Now ber thee wel, thou hende nicholas,
For absolon may waille and synge allas.
And so bifel it on a saterday,
This carpenter was goon til osenay;
And hende nicholas and alisoun
Acorded been to this conclusioun,
That nicholas shal shapen hym a wyle
This sely jalous housbonde to bigyle;
And if so be the game wente aright,
She sholde slepen in his arm al nyght,
For this was his desir and hire also.
And right anon, withouten wordes mo,
This nicholas no lenger wolde tarie,
But dooth ful softe unto his chambre carie
Bothe mete and drynke for a day or tweye,
And to hire housbonde bad hire for to seye,
If that he axed after nicholas,
She sholde seye she nyste where he was,
Of al that day she saugh hym nat with ye;
She trowed that he was in maladye,
For for no cry hir mayde koude hym calle,
He nolde answere for thyng that myghte falle.
This passeth forth al thilke saterday,
That nicholas stille in his chambre lay,
And eet and sleep, or dide what hym leste,
Til sonday, that the sonne gooth to reste.
This sely carpenter hath greet merveyle
Of nicholas, or what thyng myghte hym eyle,
And seyde, I am adrad, by seint thomas,
It stondeth nat aright with nicholas.
God shilde that he deyde sodeynly!
This world is now ful tikel, sikerly.
I saugh to-day a cors yborn to chirche
That now, on monday last, I saugh hym wirche.
Go up, quod he unto his knave anoon,
Clepe at his dore, or knokke with a stoon.
Looke how it is, and tel me boldely.
This knave gooth hym up ful sturdily,
And at the chambre dore whil that he stood,
He cride and knokked as that he were wood,
What! how! what do ye, maister nicholay?
How may ye slepen al the longe day?
But al for noght, he herde nat a word.
An hole he foond, ful lowe upon a bord,
Ther as the cat was wont in for to crepe,
And at that hole he looked in ful depe,
And at the laste he hadde of hym a sight.
This nicholas sat evere capyng upright,
As he had kiked on the newe moone.
Adoun he gooth, and tolde his maister soone
In what array he saugh this ilke man.
This carpenter to blessen hym bigan,
And seyde, help us, seinte frydeswyde!
A man woot litel what hym shal bityde.
This man is falle, with his astromye,
In some woodnesse or in som agonye.
I thoghte ay wel how that it sholde be!
Men sholde nat knowe of goddes pryvetee.
Ye, blessed be alwey a lewed man
That noght but oonly his bileve kan!
So ferde another clerk with astromye;
He walked in the feeldes, for to prye
Upon the sterres, what ther sholde bifalle,
Til he was in a marle-pit yfalle;
He saugh nat that. But yet, by seint thomas,
Me reweth soore of hende nicholas.
He shal be rated of his studiyng,
If that I may, by jhesus, hevene kyng!
Get me a staf, that I may underspore,
Whil that thou, robyn, hevest up the dore.
He shal out of his studiyng, as I gesse --
And to the chambre dore he gan hym dresse.
His knave was a strong carl for the nones,
And by the haspe he haaf it of atones;
Into the floor the dore fil anon.
This nicholas sat ay as stille as stoon,
And evere caped upward into the eir.
This carpenter wende he were in despeir,
And hente hym by the sholdres myghtily,
And shook hym harde, and cride spitously,
What! nicholay! what, how! what, looke adoun!
Awak, and thenk on cristes passioun!
I crouche thee from elves and fro wightes.
Therwith the nyght-spel seyde he anon-rightes
On foure halves of the hous aboute,
And on the thresshfold of the dore withoute:
Jhesu crist and seinte benedight,
Blesse this hous from every wikked wight,
For nyghtes verye, the white pater-noster!
Where wentestow, seinte petres soster?
And atte laste this hende nicholas
Gan for to sik soore, and seyde, allas!
Shal al the world be lost aftsoones now?
This carpenter answerde, what seystow?
What! thynk on god, as we doon, men that swynke.
This nicholas answerde, fecche me drynke,
And after wol I speke in pryvetee
Of certeyn thyng that toucheth me and thee.
I wol telle it noon oother man, certeyn.
This carpenter goth doun, and comth ageyn,
And broghte of myghty ale a large quart;
And whan that ech of hem had dronke his part,
This nicholas his dore faste shette,
And doun the carpenter by hym he sette.
He seyde john, myn hooste, lief and deere,
Thou shalt upon thy trouthe swere me heere
That to no wight thou shalt this conseil wreye;
For it is cristes conseil that I seye,
And if thou telle it man, thou art forlore;
For this vengeaunce thou shalt han therfore,
That if thou wreye me, thou shalt be wood.
Nay, crist forbede it, for his hooly blood!
Quod tho this sely man, I nam no labbe;
Ne, though I seye, I nam nat lief to gabbe.
Sey what thou wolt, I shal it nevere telle
To child ne wyf, by hym that harwed helle!
Now john, quod nicholas, I wol nat lye;
I have yfounde in myn astrologye,
As I have looked in the moone bright,
That now a monday next, at quarter nyght,
Shal falle a reyn, and that so wilde and wood,
That half so greet was nevere noes flood.
This world, he seyde, in lasse than an hour
Shal al be dreynt, so hidous is the shour.
Thus shal mankynde drenche, and lese hir lyf.
This carpenter answerde, allas, my wyf!
And shal she drenche? allas, myn alisoun!
For sorwe of this he fil almoost adoun,
And seyde, is ther no remedie in this cas?
Why, yis, for gode, quod hende nicholas,
If thou wolt werken after loore and reed.
Thou mayst nat werken after thyn owene heed;
For thus seith salomon, that was ful trewe,
Werk al by conseil, and thou shalt nat rewe. --
And if thou werken wolt by good conseil,
I undertake, withouten mast and seyl,
Yet shal I saven hire and thee and me.
Hastow nat herd hou saved was noe,
Whan that oure lord hadde warned hym biforn
That al the world with water sholde be lorn?
Yis, quod this carpenter, ful yoore ago.
Hastou nat herd, quod nicholas, also
The sorwe of noe with his felaweshipe,
Er that he myghte gete his wyf to shipe?
Hym hadde be levere, I dar wel undertake
At thilke tyme, than alle his wetheres blake
That she hadde had a ship hirself allone.
And therfore, woostou what is best to doone?
This asketh haste, and of an hastif thyng
Men may nat preche or maken tariyng.
Anon go gete us faste into this in
A knedyng trogh, or ellis a kymelyn,
For ech of us, but looke that they be large,
In which we mowe swymme as in a barge,
And han therinne vitaille suffisant
But for a day, -- fy on the remenant!
The water shal aslake and goon away
Aboute pryme upon the nexte day.
But robyn may nat wite of this, thy knave,
Ne eek thy mayde gille I may nat save;
Axe nat why, for though thou aske me,
I wol nat tellen goddes pryvetee.
Suffiseth thee, but if thy wittes madde,
To han as greet a grace as noe hadde.
Thy wyf shal I wel saven, out of doute.
Go now thy wey, and speed thee heer-aboute.
But whan thou hast, for hire and thee and me,
Ygeten us thise knedyng tubbes thre,
Thanne shaltow hange hem in the roof ful hye,
That no man of oure purveiaunce spye.
And whan thou thus hast doon, as I have seyd,
And hast oure vitaille faire in hem yleyd,
And eek an ax, to smyte the corde atwo,
Whan that the water comth, that we may go,
And breke an hole an heigh, upon the gable,
Unto the gardyn-ward, over the stable,
That we may frely passen forth oure way,
Whan that the grete shour is goon away,
Thanne shaltou swymme as myrie, I undertake,
As dooth the white doke after hire drake.
Thanne wol I clepe, -- how, alison! how, john!
Be myrie, for the flood wol passe anon. --
And thou wolt seyn, -- hayl, maister nicholay!
Good morwe, I se thee wel, for it is day. --
And thanne shul we be lordes al oure lyf
Of al the world, as noe and his wyf.
But of o thyng I warne thee ful right:
Be wel avysed on that ilke nyght
That we ben entred into shippes bord,
That noon of us ne speke nat a word,
Ne clepe, ne crie, but be in his preyere;
For it is goddes owene heeste deere.
Thy wyf and thou moote hange fer atwynne;
For that bitwixe yow shal be no synne,
Namoore in lookyng than ther shal in deede,
This ordinance is seyd. Go, God thee speede!
Tomorwe at nyght, whan men ben alle aslepe,
Into oure knedyng-tubbes wol we crepe,
And sitten there, abidyng goddes grace.
Go now thy wey, I have no lenger space
To make of this no lenger sermonyng.
Men seyn thus, -- sende the wise, and sey no thyng: --
Thou art so wys, it needeth thee nat teche.
Go, save oure lyf, and that I the biseche.
This sely carpenter goth forth his wey.
Ful ofte he seide allas and weylawey,
And to his wyf he tolde his pryvetee,
And she was war, and knew it bet than he,
What al this queynte cast was for to seye.
But nathelees she ferde as she wolde deye,
And seyde, allas! go forth thy wey anon,
Help us to scape, or we been dede echon!
I am thy trewe, verray wedded wyf;
Go, deere spouse, and help to save oure lyf.
Lo, which a greet thyng is affeccioun!
Men may dyen of ymaginacioun,
So depe may impressioun be take.
This sely carpenter bigynneth quake;
Hym thynketh verraily that he may see
Noees flood come walwynge as the see
To drenchen alisoun, his hony deere.
He wepeth, weyleth, maketh sory cheere;
He siketh with ful many a sory swogh;
He gooth and geteth hym a knedyng trogh,
And after that a tubbe and a kymelyn,
And pryvely he sente hem to his in,
And heng hem in the roof in pryvetee.
His owene hand he made laddres thre,
To clymben by the ronges and the stalkes
Unto the tubbes hangynge in the balkes,
And hem vitailled, bothe trogh and tubbe,
With breed and chese, and good ale in a jubbe,
Suffisynge right ynogh as for a day.
But er that he hadde maad al this array,
He sente his knave, and eek his wenche also,
Upon his nede to london for to go.
And on the monday, whan it drow to nyght,
He shette his dore withoute candel-lyght,
And dressed alle thyng as it sholde be.
And shortly, up they clomben alle thre;
They seten stille wel a furlong way.
Now, pater-noster, clom! seyde nicholay,
And clom, quod john, and clom, seyde alisoun.
This carpenter seyde his devocioun,
And stille he sit, and biddeth his preyere,
Awaitynge on the reyn, if he it heere.
The dede sleep, for wery bisynesse,
Fil on this carpenter right, as I gesse,
Aboute corfew-tyme, or litel moore;
For travaille of his goost he groneth soore,
And eft he routeth, for his heed myslay.
Doun of the laddre stalketh nicholay,
And alisoun ful softe adoun she spedde;
Withouten wordes mo they goon to bedde,
Ther as the carpenter is wont to lye.
Ther was the revel and the melodye;
And thus lith alison and nicholas,
In bisynesse of myrthe and of solas,
Til that the belle of laudes gan to rynge,
And freres in the chaunsel gonne synge.
This parissh clerk, this amorous absolon,
That is for love alwey so wo bigon,
Upon the monday was at oseneye
With compaignye, hym to disporte and pleye,
And axed upon cas a cloisterer
Ful prively after john the carpenter;
And he drough hym apart out of the chirche,
And seyde, I noot, I saugh hym heere nat wirche
Syn saterday; I trowe that he be went
For tymber, ther oure abbot hath hym sent;
For he is wont for tymber for to go,
And dwellen at the grange a day or two;
Or elles he is at his hous, certeyn.
Where that he be, I kan nat soothly seyn.
This absolon ful joly was and light,
And thoghte, now is tyme to wake al nyght;
For sikirly I saugh hym nat stirynge
Aboute his dore, syn day bigan to sprynge.
So moot I thryve, I shal, at cokkes crowe,
Ful pryvely knokken at his wyndowe
That stant ful lowe upon his boures wal.
To alison now wol I tellen al
My love-longynge, for yet I shal nat mysse
That at the leeste wey I shal hire kisse.
Som maner confort shal I have, parfay.
My mouth hath icched al this longe day;
That is a signe of kissyng atte leeste.
Al nyght me mette eek I was at a feeste.
Therfore I wol go slepe an houre or tweye,
And al the nyght thanne wol I wake and pleye.
Whan that the firste cok hath crowe, anon
Up rist this joly lovere absolon
And hym arraieth gay, at poynt-devys.
But first he cheweth greyn and lycorys,
To smellen sweete, er he hadde kembd his heer.
Under his tonge a trewe-love he beer,
For therby wende he to ben gracious.
He rometh to the carpenteres hous,
And stille he stant under the shot-wyndowe --
Unto his brest it raughte, it was so lowe --
And softe he cougheth with a semy soun --
What do ye, hony-comb, sweete alisoun,
My faire bryd, my sweete cynamome?
Awaketh, lemman myn, and speketh to me!
Wel litel thynken ye upon my wo,
That for youre love I swete ther I go.
No wonder is thogh that I swelte and swete;
I moorne as dooth a lamb after the tete.
Ywis, lemman, I have swich love-longynge,
That lik a turtel trewe is my moornynge.
I may nat ete na moore than a mayde.
 go fro the wyndow, jakke fool, she sayde;
As help me god, it wol nat be 'com pa me.'
I love another -- and elles I were to blame --
Wel bet than thee, by jhesu, absolon.
Go forth thy wey, or I wol caste a ston,
And lat me slepe, a twenty devel wey!
 allas, quod absolon, and weylawey,
That trewe love was evere so yvel biset!
Thanne kysse me, syn it may be no bet,
For jhesus love, and for the love of me.
Wiltow thanne go thy wey therwith? quod she.
Ye, certes, lemman, quod this absolon.
Thanne make thee redy, quod she, I come anon.
And unto nicholas she seyde stille,
Now hust, and thou shalt laughen al thy fille.
This absolon doun sette hym on his knees
And seyde, I am a lord at alle degrees;
For after this I hope ther cometh moore.
Lemman, thy grace, and sweete bryd, thyn oore!
The wyndow she undoth, and that in haste.
Have do, quod she, com of, and speed the faste,
Lest that oure neighebores thee espie.
This absolon gan wype his mouth ful drie.
Derk was the nyght as pich, or as the cole,
And at the wyndow out she putte hir hole,
And absolon, hym fil no bet ne wers,
But with his mouth he kiste hir naked ers
Ful savourly, er he were war of this.
Abak he stirte, and thoughte it was amys,
For wel he wiste a womman hath no berd.
He felte a thyng al rough and long yherd,
And seyde, fy! allas! what have I do?
Tehee! quod she, and clapte the wyndow to,
And absolon gooth forth a sory pas.
A berd! a berd! quod hende nicholas,
By goddes corpus, this goth faire and weel.
This sely absolon herde every deel,
And on his lippe he gan for anger byte,
And to hymself he seyde, I shal thee quyte.
Who rubbeth now, who froteth now his lippes
With dust, with sond, with straw, with clooth, with chippes,
But absolon, that seith ful ofte, allas!
My soule bitake I unto sathanas,
But me were levere than al this toun, quod he,
Of this despit awroken for to be.
Allas, quod he, allas, I ne hadde ybleynt!
His hoote love was coold and al yqueynt;
For fro that tyme that he hadde kist hir ers,
Of paramours he sette nat a kers;
For he was heeled of his maladie.
Ful ofte paramours he gan deffie,
And weep as dooth a child that is ybete.
A softe paas he wente over the strete
Until a smyth men cleped daun gerveys,
That in his forge smythed plough harneys;
He sharpeth shaar and kultour bisily.
This absolon knokketh al esily,
What, who artow? it am I, absalon.
And seyde, undo, gerveys, and that anon.
What, absolon! for cristes sweete tree,
Why rise ye so rathe? ey, benedicitee!
What eyleth yow? som gay gerl, God it woot,
Hath broght yow thus upon the viritoot.
By seinte note, ye woot wel what I mene.
This absolon ne roghte nat a bene
Of al his pley; no word agayn he yaf;
He hadde moore tow on his distaf
Than gerveys knew, and seyde, freend so deere,
That hoote kultour in the chymenee heere,
As lene it me, I have therwith to doone,
And I wol brynge it thee agayn ful soone.
Gerveys answerde, certes, were it gold,
Or in a poke nobles alle untold,
Thou sholdest have, as I am trewe smyth.
Ey, cristes foo! what wol ye do therwith?
Therof, quod absolon, be as be may.
I shal wel telle it thee to-morwe day --
And caughte the kultour by the colde stele.
Ful softe out at the dore he gan to stele,
And wente unto the carpenteris wal.
He cogheth first, and knokketh therwithal
Upon the wyndowe, right as he dide er.
This alison answerde, who is ther
That knokketh so? I warante it a theef.
Why, nay, quod he, God woot, my sweete leef,
I am thyn absolon, my deerelyng.
Of gold, quod he, I have thee broght a ryng.
My mooder yaf it me, so God me save;
Ful fyn it is, and therto wel ygrave.
This wol I yeve thee, if thou me kisse.
This nicholas was risen for to pisse,
And thoughte he wolde amenden al the jape;
He sholde kisse his ers er that he scape.
And up the wyndowe dide he hastily,
And out his ers he putteth pryvely
Over the buttok, to the haunche-bon;
And therwith spak this clerk, this absolon,
Spek, sweete bryd, I noot nat where thou art.
This nicholas anon leet fle a fart,
As greet as it had been a thonder-dent,
That with the strook he was almoost yblent;
And he was redy with his iren hoot,
And nicholas amydde the ers he smoot.
Of gooth the skyn an hande-brede aboute,
The hoote kultour brende so his toute,
And for the smert he wende for to dye.
As he were wood, for wo he gan to crye,
Help! water! water! water! help, for goddes herte!
This carpenter out of his slomber sterte,
And herde oon crien water as he were wood,
And thoughte, allas, now comth nowelis flood!
He sit hym up withouten wordes mo,
And with his ax he smoot the corde atwo,
And doun gooth al; he foond neither to selle,
Ne breed ne ale, til he cam to the celle
Upon the floor, and ther aswowne he lay.
Up stirte hire alison and nicholay,
And criden out and harrow in the strete.
The neighebores, bothe smale and grete,
In ronnen for to gauren on this man,
That yet aswowne lay, bothe pale and wan,
For with the fal he brosten hadde his arm.
But stonde he moste unto his owene harm;
For whan he spak, he was anon bore doun
With hende nicholas and alisoun.
They tolden every man that he was wood,
He was agast so of nowelis flood
Thurgh fantasie, that of his vanytee
He hadde yboght hym knedyng tubbes thre,
And hadde hem hanged in the roof above;
And that he preyed hem, for goddes love,
To sitten in the roof, par compaignye.
The folk gan laughen at his fantasye;
Into the roof they kiken and they cape,
And turned al his harm unto a jape.
For what so that this carpenter answerde,
It was for noght, no man his reson herde.
With othes grete he was so sworn adoun
That he was holde wood in al the toun;
For every clerk anonright heeld with oother.
They seyde, the man is wood, my leeve brother;
And every wight gan laughen at this stryf.
Thus swyved was this carpenteris wyf,
For al his kepyng and his jalousye;
And absolon hath kist hir nether ye;
And nicholas is scalded in the towte.
This tale is doon, and God save al the rowte!

The Reeve's Prologue

Whan folk hadde laughen at this nyce cas
Of absolon and hende nicholas,
Diverse folk diversely they seyde,
But for the moore part they loughe and pleyde.
Ne at this tale I saugh no man hym greve,
But it were oonly osewold the reve.
By cause he was of carpenteris craft,
A litel ire is in his herte ylaft;
He gan to grucche, and blamed it a lite.
So theek, quod he, ful wel koude I thee quite
With bleryng of a proud milleres ye,
If that me liste speke of ribaudye.
But ik am oold, me list not pley for age;
Gras tyme is doon, my fodder is now forage;
This white top writeth myne olde yeris;
Myn herte is also mowled as myne heris,
But if I fare as dooth an open-ers, --
That ilke fruyt is ever lenger the wers,
Til it be roten in mullok or in stree.
We olde men, I drede, so fare we:
Til we be roten, kan we nat be rype;
We hoppen alwey whil the world wol pype.
For in oure wyl ther stiketh evere a nayl,
To have an hoor heed and a grene tayl,
As hath a leek; for thogh oure myght be goon,
Oure wyl desireth folie evere in oon.
For whan we may nat doon, than wol we speke;
Yet in oure asshen olde is fyr yreke.
Foure gleedes han we, which I shal devyse, --
Avauntyng, liyng, anger, coveitise;
Thise foure sparkles longen unto eelde.
Oure olde lemes mowe wel been unweelde,
But wyl ne shal nat faillen, that is sooth.
And yet ik have alwey a coltes tooth,
As many a yeer as it is passed henne
Syn that my tappe of lif bigan to renne.
For sikerly, whan I was bore, anon
Deeth drough the tappe of lyf and leet it gon;
And ever sithe hath so the tappe yronne
Til that almoost al empty is the tonne.
The streem of lyf now droppeth on the chymbe.
The sely tonge may wel rynge and chymbe
Of wrecchednesse that passed is ful yoore;
With olde folk, save dotage, is namoore!
Whan that oure hoost hadde herd this sermonyng,
He gan to speke as lordly as a kyng.
He seide, what amounteth al this wit?
What shul we speke alday of hooly writ?
The devel made a reve for to preche,
Or of a soutere a shipman or a leche.
Sey forth thy tale, and tarie nat the tyme
Lo depeford! and it is half-wey pryme.
Lo grenewych, ther many a shrewe is inne!
It were al tyme thy tale to bigynne.
Now, sires, quod this osewold the reve,
I pray yow alle that ye nat yow greve,
Thogh I answere, and somdeel sette his howve;
For leveful is with force force of-showve.
This dronke millere hath ytoold us heer
How that bigyled was a carpenteer,
Peraventure in scorn, for I am oon.
And, by youre leve, I shal hym quite anoon;
Right in his cherles termes wol I speke.
I pray to God his nekke mote to-breke;
He kan wel in myn eye seen a stalke,
But in his owene he kan nat seen a balke.

The Reeve's Tale

At trumpyngtoun, nat fer fro cantebrigge,
Ther gooth a brook, and over that a brigge,
Upon the whiche brook ther stant a melle;
And this is verray sooth that I yow telle:
A millere was ther dwellynge many a day.
As any pecok he was proud and gay.
Pipen he koude and fisshe, and nettes beete,
And turne coppes, and wel wrastle and sheete;
Ay by his belt he baar a long panade,
And of a swerd ful trenchant was the blade
A joly poppere baar he is in his pouche;
Ther was no man, for peril, dorste hym touche.
A sheffeld thwitel baar he in his hose.
Round was his face, and camus was his nose;
As piled as an ape was his skulle.
He was a market-betere atte fulle.
Ther dorste no wight hand upon hym legge,
That he ne swoor he sholde anon abegge.
A theef he was for sothe of corn and mele,
And that a sly, and usaunt for to stele.
His name was hoote deynous symkyn.
A wyf he hadde, ycomen of noble kyn;
The person of the toun hir fader was.
With hire he yaf ful many a panne of bras,
For that symkyn sholde in his blood allye.
She was yfostred in a nonnerye;
For symkyn wolde no wyf, as he sayde,
But she were wel ynorissed and a mayde,
To saven his estaat of yomanrye.
And she was proud, and peert as is a pye.
A ful fair sighte was it upon hem two;
On halydayes biforn hire wolde he go
With his typet bounden aboute his heed,
And she cam after in a gyte of reed;
And symkyn hadde hosen of the same.
Ther dorste no wight clepen hire but dame;
Was noon so hardy that wente by the weye
That with hire dorste rage or ones pleye,
But if he wolde be slayn of symkyn
With panade, or with knyf, or boidekyn.
For jalous folk ben perilous everemo;
Algate they wolde hire wyves wenden so.
And eek, for she was somdel smoterlich,
She was as digne as water in a dich,
And ful of hoker and of bisemare.
Hir thoughte that a lady sholde hire spare,
What for hire kynrede and hir nortelrie
That she hadde lerned in the nonnerie.
A doghter hadde they bitwixe hem two
Of twenty yeer, withouten any mo,
Savynge a child that was of half yeer age;
In cradel it lay and was a propre page.
This wenche thikke and wel ygrowen was,
With kamus nose, and eyen greye as glas,
With buttokes brode, and brestes rounde and hye;
But right fair was hire heer, I wol nat lye.
This person of the toun, for she was feir,
In purpos was to maken hire his heir,
Bothe of his catel and his mesuage,
And straunge he made it of hir mariage.
His purpos was for to bistowe hire hye
Into som worthy blood of auncetrye;
For hooly chirches good moot been despended
On hooly chirches blood, that is descended.
Therfore he wolde his hooly blood honoure,
Though that he hooly chirche sholde devoure.
Greet sokene hath this millere, out of doute,
With whete and malt of al the land aboute;
And nameliche ther was a greet collegge
Men clepen the soler halle at cantebregge;
Ther was hir whete and eek hir malt ygrounde.
And on a day it happed, in a stounde,
Sik lay the maunciple on a maladye;
Men wenden wisly that he sholde dye.
For which this millere stal bothe mele and corn
An hundred tyme moore than biforn;
For therbiforn he stal but curteisly,
But now he was a theef outrageously,
For which the wardeyn chidde and made fare.
But therof sette the millere nat a tare;
He craketh boost, and swoor it was nat so.
Thanne were ther yonge povre scolers two,
That dwelten in this halle, of which I seye.
Testif they were, and lusty for to pleye,
And, oonly for hire myrthe and revelrye,
Upon the wardeyn bisily they crye
To yeve hem leve, but a litel stounde,
To goon to mille and seen hir corn ygrounde;
And hardily they dorste leye hir nekke
The millere sholde not stele hem half a pekke
Of corn by sleighte, ne by force hem reve;
And at the laste the wardeyn yaf hem leve.
John highte that oon, and aleyn highte that oother;
Of o toun were they born, that highte strother,
Fer in the north, I kan nat telle where.
This aleyn maketh redy al his gere,
And on an hors the sak he caste anon.
Forth goth aleyn the clerk, and also john,
With good swerd and with bokeler by hir syde.
John knew the wey, -- hem nedede no gyde, --
And at the mille the sak adoun he layth.
Aleyn spak first, al hayl, symond, y-fayth!
Hou fares thy faire doghter and thy wyf?
Aleyn, welcome, quod symkyn, by my lyf!
And john also, how now, what do ye heer?
Symond, quod john, by god, nede has na peer.
Hym boes serve hymself that has na swayn,
Or elles he is a fool, as clerkes sayn.
Oure manciple, I hope he wil be deed,
Swa werkes ay the wanges in his heed;
And forthy is I come, and eek alayn,
To grynde oure corn and carie it ham agayn;
I pray yow spede us heythen that ye may.
It shal be doon, quod symkyn, by my fay!
What wol ye doon whil that it is in hande?
By god, right by the hopur wil I stande,
Quod john, and se howgates the corn gas in.
Yet saugh I nevere, by my fader kyn,
How that the hopur wagges til and fra.
Aleyn answerde, john, and wiltow swa?
Thanne wil I be bynethe, by my croun,
And se how that the mele falles doun
Into the trough; that sal be my disport.
For john, y-faith, I may been of youre sort;
I is as ille a millere as ar ye.
This millere smyled of hir nycetee,
And thoghte, al this nys doon but for a wyle.
They wene that no man may hem bigyle,
But by my thrift, yet shal I blere hir ye,
For al the sleighte in hir philosophye.
The moore queynte crekes that they make,
The moore wol I stele whan I take.
In stide of flour yet wol I yeve hem bren.
-- The gretteste clerkes been noght wisest men, --
As whilom to the wolf thus spak the mare.
Of al hir art ne counte I noght a tare.
Out at the dore he gooth ful pryvely,
Whan that he saugh his tyme, softely.
He looketh up and doun til he hath founde
The clerkes hors, ther as it stood ybounde
Bihynde the mille, under a levesel;
And to the hors he goth hym faire and wel;
He strepeth of the brydel right anon.
And whan the hors was laus, he gynneth gon
Toward the fen, ther wilde mares renne,
And forth with wehee, thurgh thikke and thurgh thenne.
This millere gooth agayn, no word he seyde,
But dooth his note, and with the clerkes pleyde,
Til that hir corn was faire and well ygrounde.
And whan the mele is sakked and ybounde,
This john goth out and fynt his hors away,
And gan to crie harrow! and weylaway!
Oure hors is lorn, alayn, for goddes banes,
Step on thy feet! com of, man, al atanes!
Allas, our wardeyn has his palfrey lorn.
This aleyn al forgat, bothe mele and corn;
Al was out of his mynde his housbondrie.
What, whilk way is he geen? he gan to crie.
The wyf cam lepynge inward with a ren.
She seyde, allas! youre hors goth to the fen
With wilde mares, as faste as he may go.
Unthank come on his hand that boond hym so,
And he that bettre sholde han knyt the reyne!
Allas, quod john, aleyn, for cristes peyne
Lay doun thy swerd, and I wil myn alswa.
I is ful wight, God waat, as is a raa;
By goddes herte, he sal nat scape us bathe!
Why ne had thow pit the capul in the lathe?
Ilhayl! by god, alayn, thou is a fonne!
Thise sely clerkes han ful faste yronne
Toward the fen, bothe aleyn and eek john.
And whan the millere saugh that they were gon,
He half a busshel of hir flour hath take,
And bad his wyf go knede it in a cake.
He seyde, I trowe the clerkes were aferd.
Yet kan a millere make a clerkes berd,
For al his art; now lat hem goon hir weye!
Lo, wher he gooth! ye, lat the children pleye.
They gete hym nat so lightly, by my croun.
Thise sely clerkes rennen up and doun
With keep! keep! stand! stand! jossa, warderere,
Ga whistle thou, and I shal kepe hym heere!
But shortly, til that it was verray nyght,
They koude nat, though they dide al hir myght,
Hir capul cacche, he ran alwey so faste,
Til in a dych they caughte hym atte laste.
Wery and weet, as beest is in the reyn,
Comth sely john, and with him comth aleyn.
Allas, quod john, the day that I was born!
Now are we dryve til hethyng and til scorn.
Oure corn is stoln, men wil us fooles calle,
Bathe the wardeyn and oure felawes alle,
And namely the millere, weylaway!
Thus pleyneth john as he gooth by the way
Toward the mille, and bayard in his hond.
The millere sittynge by the fyr he fond,
For it was nyght, and forther myghte they noght;
But for the love of God they hym bisoght
Of herberwe and of ese, as for hir peny.
The millere seyde agayn, if ther be eny,
Swich as it is, yet shal ye have youre part.
Myn hous is streit, but ye han lerned art;
Ye konne by argumentes make a place
A myle brood of twenty foot of space.
Lat se now if this place may suffise,
Or make it rowm with speche, as is youre gise.
Now, symond, seyde john, by seint cutberd,
Ay is thou myrie, and this is faire answerd.
I have herd seyd, -- man sal taa of twa thynges
Slyk as he fyndes, or taa slyk as he brynges. --
But specially I pray thee, hooste deere,
Get us som mete and drynke, and make us cheere,
And we wil payen trewely atte fulle.
With empty hand men may na haukes tulle;
Loo, heere oure silver, redy for to spende.
This millere into toun his doghter sende
For ale and breed, and rosted hem a goos,
And boond hire hors, it sholde namoore go loos;
And in his owene chambre hem made a bed,
With sheetes and with chalons faire yspred
Noght from his owene bed ten foot or twelve.
His doghter hadde a bed, al by hirselve,
Right in the same chambre by and by.
It myghte be no bet, and cause why?
Ther was no roumer herberwe in the place.
They soupen and they speke, hem to solace,
And drynken evere strong ale atte beste.
Aboute mydnyght wente they to reste.
Wel hath this millere vernysshed his heed;
Ful pale he was for dronken, and nat reed.
He yexeth, and he speketh thurgh the nose
As he were on the quakke, or on the pose.
To bedde he goth, and with hym goth his wyf.
As any jay she light was and jolyf,
So was hir joly whistle wel ywet.
The cradel at hir beddes feet is set,
To rokken, and to yeve the child to sowke.
And whan that dronken al was in the crowke,
To bedde wente the doghter right anon;
To bedde goth aleyn and also john;
Ther nas na moore, -- hem nedede no dwale.
This millere hath so wisely bibbed ale
That as an hors he fnorteth in his sleep,
Ne of his tayl bihynde he took no keep.
His wyf bar hym a burdon, a ful strong;
Men myghte hir rowtyng heere two furlong;
The wenche rowteth eek, par compaignye.
Aleyn the clerk, that herde this melodye,
He poked john, and seyde, slepestow?
Herdestow evere slyk a sang er now?
Lo, swilk a complyn is ymel hem alle,
A wilde fyr upon thair bodyes falle!
Wha herkned evere slyk a ferly thyng?
Ye, they sal have the flour of il endyng.
This lange nyght ther tydes me na reste;
But yet, nafors, al sal be for the beste.
For, john, seyde he, als evere moot I thryve,
If that I may, yon wenche wil I swyve.
Som esement has lawe yshapen us;
For, john, ther is a lawe that says thus,
That gif a man in a point be agreved,
That in another he sal be releved.
Oure corn is stoln, sothly, it is na nay,
And we han had an il fit al this day;
And syn I sal have neen amendement
Agayn my los, I will have esement.
By goddes sale, it sal neen other bee!
This john answerde, alayn, avyse thee!
The millere is a perilous man, he seyde,
And gif that he out of his sleep abreyde,
He myghte doon us bathe a vileynye.
Aleyn answerde, I counte hym nat a flye.
And up he rist, and by the wenche he crepte.
This wenche lay uprighte, and faste slepte,
Til he so ny was, er she myghte espie,
That it had been to late for to crie,
And shortly for to seyn, they were aton.
Now pley, aleyn, for I wol speke of john.
This john lith stille a furlong wey or two,
And to hymself he maketh routhe and wo.
Allas! quod he, this is a wikked jape;
Now may I seyn that I is but an ape.
Yet has my felawe somwhat for his harm;
He has the milleris doghter in his arm.
He auntred hym, and has his nedes sped,
And I lye as a draf-sak in my bed;
And when this jape is tald another day,
I sal been halde a daf, a cokenay!
I wil arise and auntre it, by my fayth!
-- Unhardy is unseely, -- thus men sayth.
And up he roos, and softely he wente
Unto the cradel, and in his hand it hente,
And baar it softe unto his beddes feet.
Soone after this the wyf hir rowtyng leet,
And gan awake, and wente hire out to pisse,
And cam agayn, and gan hir cradel mysse,
And groped heer and ther, but she foond noon.
Allas! quod she, I hadde almoost mysgoon;
I hadde almoost goon to the clerkes bed.
Ey, benedicite! thanne hadde I foule ysped.
And forth she gooth til she the cradel fond.
She gropeth alwey forther with hir hond,
And foond the bed, and thoghte noght but good,
By cause that the cradel by it stood,
And nyste wher she was, for it was derk;
But faire and wel she creep in to the clerk,
And lith ful stille, and wolde han caught a sleep.
Withinne a while this john the clerk up leep,
And on this goode wyf he leith on soore.
So myrie a fit ne hadde she nat ful yoore;
He priketh harde and depe as he were mad.
This joly lyf han thise two clerkes lad
Til that the thridde cok bigan to synge.
Aleyn wax wery in the dawenynge,
For he had swonken al the longe nyght,
And seyde, fare weel, malyne, sweete wight!
The day is come, I may no lenger byde;
But everemo, wher so I go or ryde,
I is thyn awen clerk, swa have I seel!
Now, deere lemman, quod she, go, far weel!
But er thow go, o thyng I wol thee telle:
Whan that thou wendest homward by the melle,
Right at the entree of the dore bihynde
Thou shalt a cake of half a busshel fynde
That was ymaked of thyn owene mele,
Which that I heelp my sire for to stele.
And, goode lemman, God thee save and kepe!
And with that word almoost she gan to wepe.
Aleyn up rist, and thoughte, er that it dawe,
I wol go crepen in by my felawe;
And fond the cradel with his hand anon.
By god, thoughte he, al wrang I have mysgon.
Myn heed is toty of my swynk to-nyght,
That makes me that I ga nat aright.
I woot wel by the cradel I have mysgo;
Heere lith the millere and his wyf also.
And forth he goth, a twenty devel way,
Unto the bed ther as the millere lay.
He wende have cropen by his felawe john,
And by the millere in he creep anon,
And caughte hym by the nekke, and softe he spak.
He seyde, thou john, thou swynes-heed, awak,
For cristes saule, and heer a noble game.
For by that lord that called is seint jame,
As I have thries in this shorte nyght
Swyved the milleres doghter bolt upright,
Whil thow hast, as a coward, been agast.
Ye, false harlot, quod the miller, hast?
A, false traitour! false clerk! quod he,
Thow shalt be deed, by goddes dignitee!
Who dorste be so boold to disparage
My doghter, that is come of swich lynage?
And by the throte-bolle he caughte alayn,
And he hente hym despitously agayn,
And on the nose he smoot hym with his fest.
Doun ran the blody streem upon his brest;
And in the floor, with nose and mouth tobroke,
They walwe as doon two pigges in a poke;
And up they goon, and doun agayn anon,
Til that the millere sporned at a stoon,
And doun he fil bakward upon his wyf,
That wiste no thyng of this nyce stryf;
For she was falle aslepe a lite wight
With john the clerk, that waked hadde al nyght,
And with the fal out of hir sleep she breyde.
Help! hooly croys of bromeholm, she seyde,
In manus tuas! lord, to thee I calle!
Awak, symond! the feend is on me falle.
Myn herte is broken; help! I nam but deed!
Ther lyth oon upon my wombe and on myn heed.
Help, symkyn, for the false clerkes fighte!
This john stirte up as faste as ever he myghte,
And graspeth by the walles to and fro,
To fynde a staf; and she stirte up also,
And knew the estres bet than dide this john,
And by the wal a staf she foond anon,
And saugh a litel shymeryng of a light,
For at an hole in shoon the moone bright;
And by that light she saugh hem bothe two,
But sikerly she nyste who was who,
But as she saugh a whit thyng in hir ye.
And whan she gan this white thyng espye,
She wende the clerk hadde wered a volupeer,
And with the staf she drow ay neer and neer,
And wende han hit this aleyn at the fulle,
And smooth the millere on the pyled skulle,
That doun he gooth, and cride, harrow! I dye!
Thise clerkes beete hym weel and lete hym lye;
And greythen hem, and tooke hir hors anon,
And eek hire mele, and on hir wey they gon.
And at the mille yet they tooke hir cake
Of half a busshel flour, ful wel ybake.
Thus is the proude millere wel ybete,
And hath ylost the gryndynge of the whete,
And payed for the soper everideel
Of aleyn and of john, that bette hym weel.
His wyf is swyved, and his doghter als.
Lo, swich it is a millere to be fals!
And therfore this proverbe is seyd ful sooth,
Hym thar nat wene wel that yvele dooth;
A gylour shal hymself bigyled be.
And god, that sitteth heighe in magestee,
Save al this compaignye, grete and smale!
Thus have I quyt the millere in my tale.

The Cook's Prologue

The cook of londoun, whil the reve spak,
For joye him thoughte he clawed him on the bak.
Ha! ha! quod he, for cristes passion,
This millere hadde a sharp conclusion
Upon his argument of herbergage!
Wel seyde salomon in his langage,
-- Ne bryng nat every man into thyn hous; --
For herberwynge by nyghte is perilous.
Wel oghte a man avysed for to be
Whom that he broghte into his pryvetee.
I pray to god, so yeve me sorwe and care
If evere, sitthe I highte hogge of ware,
Herde I a millere bettre yset a-werk.
He hadde a jape of malice in the derk.
But God forbede that we stynte heere;
And therfore, if ye vouche-sauf to heere
A tale of me, that am a povre man,
I wol yow telle, as wel as evere I kan,
A litel jape that fil in oure citee.
Oure hoost answerde and seide, I graunte it thee.
Now telle on, roger, looke that it be good;
For many a pastee hastow laten blood,
And many a jakke of dovere hastow soold
That hath been twies hoot and twies coold.
Of many a pilgrym hastow cristes curs,
For of thy percely yet they fare the wors,
That they han eten with thy stubbel goos;
For in thy shoppe is many a flye loos.
Now telle on, gentil roger by thy name.
But yet I pray thee, be nat wroth for game;
A man may seye ful sooth in game and pley.
Thou seist ful sooth, quod roger, by my fey!
But -- sooth pley, quaad pley, -- as the flemyng seith.
And therfore, herry bailly, by thy feith,
Be thou nat wrooth, er we departen heer,
Though that my tale be of an hostileer.
But nathelees I wol nat telle it yit;
But er we parte, ywis, thou shalt be quit.
And therwithal he lough and made cheere,
And seyde his tale, as ye shul after heere.

The Cook's Tale

A prentys whilom dwelled in oure citee,
And of a craft of vitailliers was hee.
Gaillard he was as goldfynch in the shawe,
Broun as a berye, a propre short felawe,
With lokkes blake, ykembd ful fetisly.
Dauncen he koude so wel and jolily
That he was cleped perkyn revelour.
He was as ful of love and paramour
As is the hyve ful of hony sweete:
Wel was the wenche with hym myghte meete.
At every bridale wolde he synge and hoppe;
He loved bet the taverne than the shoppe.
For whan ther any ridyng was in chepe,
Out of the shoppe thider wolde he lepe --
Til that he hadde al the sighte yseyn,
And daunced wel, he wolde nat come ayeyn --
And gadered hym a meynee of his sort
To hoppe and synge and maken swich disport;
And ther they setten stevene for to meete,
To pleyen at the dys in swich a streete.
For in the toune nas ther no prentys
That fairer koude caste a paire of dys
Than perkyn koude, and therto he was free
Of his dispense, in place of pryvetee.
That fond his maister wel in his chaffare;
For often tyme he foond his box ful bare.
For sikerly a prentys revelour
That haunteth dys, riot, or paramour.
His maister shal it in his shoppe abye,
Al have he no part of the mynstralcye.
For thefte and riot, they been convertible,
Al konne he pleye on gyterne or ribible.
Revel and trouthe, as in a lowe degree,
They been ful wrothe al day, as men may see.
 this joly prentys with his maister bood,
Til he were ny out of his prentishood,
Al were he snybbed bothe erly and late,
And somtyme lad with revel to newegate.
But atte laste his maister him bithoghte.
Upon a day, whan he his papir soghte,
Of a proverbe that seith this same word,
Wel bet is roten appul out of hoord
Than that it rotie al the remenaunt.
So fareth it by a riotous servaunt;
It is ful lasse harm to lete hym pace,
Than he shende alle the servantz in the place.
Therfore his maister yaf hym acquitance,
And bad hym go, with sorwe and with meschance!
And thus this joly prentys hadde his leve.
Now lat hym riote al the nyght or leve.
And for ther is no theef withoute a lowke,
That helpeth hym to wasten and to sowke
Of that he brybe kan or borwe may,
Anon he sente his bed and his array
Unto a compeer of his owene sort,
That lovede dys, and revel, and disport,
And hadde a wyf that heeld for contenance
A shoppe, and swyved for hir sustenance.

The Introduction to the Man of Law's Tale

Oure hooste saugh wel that the brighte sonne
The ark of his artificial day hath ronne
The ferthe part, and half an houre and moore,
And though he were nat depe ystert in loore,
He wiste it was the eightetethe day
Of aprill, that is messager to may;
And saugh wel that the shadwe of every tree
Was as in lengthe the same quantitee
That was the body erect that caused it.
And therfore by the shadwe he took his wit
That phebus, which that shoon so clere and brighte,
Degrees was fyve and fourty clombe on highte;
And for that day, as in that latitude,
It was ten of the clokke, he gan conclude,
And sodeynly he plighte his hors aboute.
Lordynges, quod he, I warne yow, al this route,
The fourthe party of this day is gon.
Now, for the love of God and of seint john,
Leseth no tyme, as ferforth as ye may.
Lordynges, the tyme wasteth nyght and day,
And steleth from us, what pryvely slepynge,
And what thurgh necligence in oure wakynge,
As dooth the streem that turneth nevere agayn,
Descendynge fro the montaigne into playn.
Wel kan senec and many a philosophre
Biwaillen tyme moore than gold in cofre;
For -- los of catel may recovered be,
But los of tyme shendeth us, -- quod he.
It wol nat come agayn, withouten drede,
Namoore than wole malkynes maydenhede,
Whan she hath lost it in hir wantownesse.
Lat us nat mowlen thus in ydelnesse.
Sire man of lawe, quod he, so have ye blis,
Telle us a tale anon, as forward is.
Ye been submytted, thurgh youre free assent,
To stonden in this cas at my juggement.
Acquiteth yow now of youre biheeste;
Thanne have ye do youre devoir atte leeste.
Hooste, quod he, depardieux, ich assente;
To breke forward is nat myn entente.
Biheste is dette, and I wole holde fayn
Al my biheste, I kan no bettre sayn.
For swich lawe as a man yeveth another wight,
He sholde hymselven usen it, by right;
Thus wole oure text. But nathelees, certeyn,
I kan right now no thrifty tale seyn
That chaucer, thogh he kan but lewedly
On metres and on rymyng craftily,
Hath seyd hem in swich englissh as he kan
Of olde tyme, as knoweth many a man;
And if he have noght seyd hem, leve brother,
In o book, he hath seyd hem in another.
For he hath toold of loveris up and doun
Mo than ovide made of mencioun
In his episteles, that been ful olde.
What sholde I tellen hem, syn they been tolde?
In youthe he made of ceys and alcione,
And sitthen hath he spoken of everichone,
Thise noble wyves and thise loveris eke.
Whoso that wole his large volume seke,
Cleped the seintes legende of cupide,
Ther may he seen the large woundes wyde
Of lucresse, and of babilan tesbee;
The swerd of dido for the false enee;
The tree of phillis for hire demophon;
The pleinte of dianire and of hermyon,
Of adriane, and of isiphilee;
The bareyne yle stondynge in the see;
The dreynte leandre for his erro;
The teeris of eleyne, and eek the wo
Of brixseyde, and of the, ladomya;
The crueltee of the, queene medea,
Thy litel children hangynge by the hals,
For thy jason, that was of love so fals!
O ypermystra, penelopee, alceste,
Youre wifhod he comendeth with the beste!
But certeinly no word ne writeth he
Of thilke wikke ensample of canacee,
That loved hir owene brother synfully;
Of swiche cursed stories I sey fy!)
Or ellis of tyro appollonius,
How that the cursed kyng antiochus
Birafte his doghter of hir maydenhede,
That is so horrible a tale for to rede,
Whan he hir threw upon the pavement.
And therfore he, of ful avysement,
Nolde nevere write in none of his sermons
Of swiche unkynde abhomynacions,
Ne I wol noon reherce, if that I may.
But of my tale how shal I doon this day?
Me were looth be likned, doutelees,
To muses that men clepe pierides --
Methamorphosios woot what I mene;
But nathelees, I recche noght a bene
Though I come after hym with hawebake.
I speke in prose, and lat him rymes make.
And with that word he, with a sobre cheere,
Bigan his tale, as ye shal after heere.

The Man of Law's Prologue

O hateful harm, condicion of poverte!
With thurst, with coold, with hunger so confoundid!
To asken help thee shameth in thyn herte;
If thou noon aske, with nede artow so woundid
That verray nede unwrappeth al thy wounde hid!
Maugree thyn heed, thou most for indigence
Or stele, or begge, or borwe thy despence!
Thow blamest crist, and seist ful bitterly,
He mysdeparteth richesse temporal;
Thy neighebor thou wytest synfully,
And seist thou hast to lite, and he hath al.
0parfay, seistow, somtyme he rekene shal,
Whan that his tayl shal brennen in the gleede,
For he noght helpeth needfulle in hir neede.
Herkne what is the sentence of the wise:
Bet is to dyen than have indigence;
Thy selve neighebor wol thee despise.
If thou be povre, farwel thy reverence!
Yet of the wise man take this sentence:
Alle the dayes of povre men been wikke.
Be war, therfore, er thou come to that prikke!
If thou be povre, thy brother hateth thee,
And alle thy freendes fleen from thee, allas!
O riche marchauntz, ful of wele been yee,
O noble, o prudent folk, as in this cas!
Youre bagges been nat fild with ambes as,
But with sys cynk, that renneth for youre chaunce;
At cristemasse myrie may ye daunce!
Ye seken lond and see for yowre wynnynges;
As wise folk ye knowen al th' estaat
Of regnes; ye been fadres of tidynges
And tales, bothe of pees and of debaat.
I were right now of tales desolaat,
Nere that a marchant, goon is many a yeere,
Me taughte a tale, which that ye shal heere.

The Man of Law's Tale

In surrye whilom dwelte a compaignye
Of chapmen riche, and therto sadde and trewe,
That wyde-where senten hir spicerye,
Clothes of gold, and satyns riche of hewe.
Hir chaffare was so thrifty and so newe
That every wight hath deyntee to chaffare
With hem, and eek to sellen hem hire ware.
Now fil it that the maistres of that sort
Han shapen hem to rome for to wende;
Were it for chapmanhod or for disport,
Noon oother message wolde they thider sende,
But comen hemself to rome, this is the ende;
And in swich place as thoughte hem avantage
For hire entente, they take hir herbergage.
Sojourned han thise merchantz in that toun
A certein tyme, as fil to hire plesance.
And so bifel that th' excellent renoun
Of the emperoures doghter, dame custance,
Reported was, with every circumstance,
Unto thise surryen marchantz in swich wyse.
Fro day to day, as I shal yow devyse.
This was the commune voys of every man:
Oure emperour of rome -- God hym see! --
A doghter hath that, syn the world bigan,
To rekene as wel hir goodnesse as beautee,
Nas nevere swich another as is shee.
I prey to God in honour hire susteene,
And wolde she were of al europe the queene.
In hire is heigh beautee, withoute pride,
Yowthe, withoute grenehede or folye;
To alle hire werkes vertu is hir gyde;
Humblesse hath slayn in hire al tirannye.
She is mirour of alle curteisye;
Hir herte is verray chambre of hoolynesse,
Hir hand, ministre of fredam for almesse.
And al this voys was sooth, as God is trewe.
But now to purpos lat us turne agayn.
Thise marchantz han doon fraught hir shippes newe,
And whan they han this blisful mayden sayn,
Hoom to surrye been they went ful fayn,
And doon hir nedes as they han doon yoore,
And lyven in wele; I kan sey yow namoore.
Now fil it that thise marchantz stode in grace
Of hym that was the sowdan of surrye;
For whan they cam from any strange place,
He wolde, of his benigne curteisye,
Make hem good chiere, and bisily espye
Tidynges of sondry regnes, for to leere
The wondres that they myghte seen or heere.
Amonges othere thynges, specially,
Thise marchantz han hym toold of dame custance
So greet noblesse in ernest, ceriously,
That this sowdan hath caught so greet plesance
To han hir figure in his remembrance,
That al his lust and al his bisy cure
Was for to love hire while his lyf may dure.
Paraventure in thilke large book
Which that men clepe the hevene ywriten was
With sterres, whan that he his birthe took,
That he for love sholde han his deeth, allas!
For in the sterres, clerer than is glas,
Is writen, God woot, whoso koude it rede,
The deeth of every man, withouten drede.
In sterres, many a wynter therbiforn,
Was writen the deeth of ector, achilles,
Of pompei, julius, er they were born;
The strif of thebes; and of ercules,
Of sampson, turnus, and of socrates
The deeth; but mennes wittes ben so dulle
That no wight kan wel rede it atte fulle.
This sowdan for his privee conseil sente,
And, shortly of this matiere for to pace,
He hath to hem declared his entente,
And seyde hem, certein, but he myghte have grace
To han custance withinne a litel space,
He nas but deed; and charged hem in hye
To shapen for his lyf som remedye.
Diverse men diverse thynges seyden;
They argumenten, casten up and doun;
Many a subtil resoun forth they leyden;
They speken of magyk and abusioun.
But finally, as in conclusioun,
They kan nat seen in that noon avantage,
Ne in noon oother wey, save mariage.
Thanne sawe they therinne swich difficultee
By wey of reson, for to speke al playn,
By cause that ther was swich diversitee
Bitwene hir bothe lawes, that they sayn
They trowe, that no cristen prince wolde fayn
Wedden his child under oure lawe sweete
That us was taught by mahoun, oure prophete.
And he answerde, rather than I lese
Custance, I wol be cristned, doutelees.
I moot been hires, I may noon oother chese.
I prey yow hoold youre argumentz in pees;
Saveth my lyf, and beth noght recchelees
To geten hire that hath my lyf in cure;
For in this wo I may nat longe endure.
What nedeth gretter dilatacioun?
I seye, by tretys and embassadrie,
And by the popes mediacioun,
And al the chirche, and al the chivalrie,
That in destruccioun of mawmettrie,
And in encrees of cristes lawe deere,
They been acorded, so as ye shal heere:
How that the sowdan and his baronage
And alle his liges sholde ycristned be,
And he shal han custance in mariage,
And certein gold, I noot what quantitee;
And heer-to founden sufficient suretee.
This same accord was sworn on eyther syde;
Now, faire custance, almyghty God thee gyde!
Now wolde som men waiten, as I gesse,
That I sholde tellen al the purveiance
That th' emperour, of his grete noblesse,
Hath shapen for his doghter, dame custance.
Wel may men knowen that so greet ordinance
May no man tellen in a litel clause
As was arrayed for so heigh a cause.
Bisshopes been shapen with hire for to wende,
Lordes, ladies, knyghtes of renoun,
And oother folk ynowe, this is th' ende;
And notified is thurghout the toun
That every wight, with greet devocioun,
Sholde preyen crist that he this mariage
Receyve in gree, and spede this viage.
The day is comen of hir departynge;
I seye, the woful day fatal is come,
That ther may be no lenger tariynge,
But forthward they hem dressen, alle and some.
Custance, that was with sorwe al overcome,
Ful pale arist, and dresseth hire to wende;
For wel she seeth ther is noon oother ende.
Allas! what wonder is it thogh she wepte,
That shal be sent to strange nacioun
Fro freendes that so tendrely hire kepte,
And to be bounden under subjeccioun
Of oon, she knoweth nat his condicioun?
Housbondes been alle goode, and han ben yoore;
That knowen wyves; I dar sey yow na moore.
Fader, she seyde, thy wrecched child custance,
Thy yonge doghter fostred up so softe,
And ye, my mooder, my soverayn plesance
Over alle thyng, out-taken crist on-lofte,
Custance youre child hire recomandeth ofte
Unto youre grace, for I shal to surrye,
Ne shal I nevere seen yow moore with ye.
Allas! unto the barbre nacioun
I moste anoon, syn that it is youre wille;
But crist, that starf for our redempcioun
So yeve me grace his heestes to fulfille!
I, wrecche womman, no fors though I spille!
Wommen are born to thraldom and penance,
And to been under mannes governance.
I trowe at troye, whan pirrus brak the wal,
Or ilion brende, at thebes the citee,
N' at rome, for the harm thurgh hanybal
That romayns hath venquysshed tymes thre,
Nas herd swich tendre wepyng for pitee
As in the chambre was for hire departynge;
But forth she moot, wher-so she wepe or synge.
O firste moevyng! crueel firmament,
With thy diurnal sweigh that crowdest ay
And hurlest al from est til occident
That naturelly wolde holde another way,
Thy crowdyng set the hevene in swich array
At the bigynnyng of this fiers viage,
That crueel mars hath slayn this mariage.
Infortunat ascendent tortuous,
Of which the lord is helplees falle, allas,
Out of his angle into the derkeste hous!
O mars, o atazir, as in this cas!
O fieble moone, unhappy been thy paas!
Thou knyttest thee ther thou art nat receyved;
Ther thou were weel, fro thennes artow weyved.
Imprudent emperour of rome, allas!
Was ther no philosophre in al thy toun?
Is no tyme bet than oother in swich cas?
Of viage is ther noon eleccioun,
Namely to folk of heigh condicioun?
Noght whan a roote is of a burthe yknowe?
Allas, we been to lewed or to slowe!
To shippe is brought this woful faire mayde
Solempnely, with every circumstance.
Now jhesu crist be with yow alle! she sayde;
Ther nys namoore, but farewel, faire custance!
She peyneth hire to make good contenance;
And forth I lete hire saille in this manere,
And turne I wole agayn to my matere.
The mooder of the sowdan, welle of vices,
Espied hath hir sones pleyn entente,
How he wol lete his olde sacrifices;
And right anon she for hir conseil sente,
And they been come to knowe what she mente.
And whan assembled was this folk in-feere,
She sette hire doun, and seyde as ye shal heere.
Lordes, quod she, ye knowen everichon,
How that my sone in point is for to lete
The hooly lawes of our alkaron,
Yeven by goddes message makomete.
But oon avow to grete God I heete,
The lyf shal rather out of my body sterte
Or makometes lawe out of myn herte!
What sholde us tyden of this newe lawe
But thraldom to oure bodies and penance,
And afterward in helle to be drawe,
For we reneyed mahoun oure creance?
But, lordes, wol ye maken assurance,
As I shal seyn, assentynge to my loore,
And I shal make us sauf for everemoore?
They sworen and assenten, every man,
To lyve with hire and dye, and by hire stonde,
And everich, in the beste wise he kan,
To strengthen hire shal alle his frendes fonde;
And she hath this emprise ytake on honde,
Which ye shal heren that I shal devyse,
And to hem alle she spak right in this wyse:
We shul first feyne us cristendom to take, --
Coold water shal nat greve us but a lite!
And I shal swich a feeste and revel make
That, as I trowe, I shal the sowdan quite.
For thogh his wyf be cristned never so white,
She shal have nede to wasshe awey the rede,
Thogh she a font-ful water with hire lede.
O sowdanesse, roote of iniquitee!
Virago, thou semyrame the secounde!
O serpent under femynynytee,
Lik to the serpent depe in helle ybounde!
O feyned womman, al that may confounde
Vertu and innocence, thurgh thy malice,
Is bred in thee, as nest of every vice!
O sathan, envious syn thilke day
That thou were chaced from oure heritage,
Wel knowestow to wommen the olde way!
Thou madest eva brynge us in servage;
Thou wolt fordoon this cristen mariage.
Thyn instrument so, weylawey the while!
Makestow of wommen, whan thou wolt bigile.
This sowdanesse, whom I thus blame and warye,
Leet prively hire conseil goon hire way.
What sholde I in this tale lenger tarye?
She rydeth to the sowdan on a day,
And seyde hym that she wolde reneye hir lay,
And cristendom of preestes handes fonge,
Repentynge hire she hethen was so longe;
Bisechynge hym to doon hire that honour,
That she moste han the cristen folk to feeste, --
To plesen hem I wol do my labour.
The sowdan seith, I wol doon at youre heeste;
And knelynge thanketh hire of that requeste.
So glad he was, he nyste what to seye.
She kiste hir sone, and hoom she gooth hir weye.
Arryved been this cristen folk to londe
In surrye, with a greet solempne route,
And hastifliche this sowdan sente his sonde,
First to his mooder, and al the regne aboute,
And seyde his wyf was comen, out of doute,
And preyde hire for to ryde agayn the queene,
The honour of his regne to susteene.
Greet was the prees, and riche was th' array
Of surryens and romayns met yfeere;
The mooder of the sowdan, riche and gay,
Receyveth hire with also glad a cheere
As any mooder myghte hir doghter deere,
And to the nexte citee ther bisyde
A softe paas solempnely they ryde.
Noght trowe I the triumphe of julius,
Of which that lucan maketh swich a boost,
Was roialler ne moore curius
Than was th' assemblee of this blisful hoost.
But this scorpioun, this wikked goost,
The sowdanesse, for al hire flaterynge,
Caste under this ful mortally to stynge.
The sowdan comth hymself soone after this
So roially, that wonder is to telle,
And welcometh hire with alle joye and blis.
And thus in murthe and joye I lete hem dwelle;
The fryt of this matiere is that I telle.
Whan tyme cam, men thoughte it for the beste
That revel stynte, and men goon to hir reste.
The tyme cam this olde sowdanesse
Ordeyned hath this feeste of which I tolde,
And to the feeste cristen folk hem dresse
In general, ye, bothe yonge and olde.
Heere may men feeste and roialtee biholde,
And deyntees mo than I kan yow devyse;
But al to deere they boghte it er they ryse.
O sodeyn wo, that evere art successour
To worldly blisse, spreynd with bitternesse!
The ende of the joye of oure worldly labour!
Wo occupieth the fyn of oure gladnesse.
Herke this conseil for thy sikernesse:
Upon thy glade day have in thy mynde
The unwar wo or harm that comth bihynde.
For shortly for to tellen, at o word,
The sowdan and the cristen everichone
Been al tohewe and stiked at the bord,
But it were oonly dame custance allone.
This olde sowdanesse, cursed krone,
Hath with hir freendes doon this cursed dede,
For she hirself wolde al the contree lede.
Ne ther was surryen noon that was converted,
That of the conseil of the sowdan woot,
That he nas al tohewe er he asterted.
And custance han they take anon, foot-hoot,
And in a ship al steerelees, God woot,
They han hir set, and bidde hire lerne saille
Out of surrye agaynward to ytaille.
A certein tresor that she thider ladde,
And, sooth to seyn, vitaille greet plentee
They han hire yeven, and clothes eek she hadde,
And forth she sailleth in the salte see.
O my custance, ful of benignytee,
O emperoures yonge doghter deere,
He that is lord of fortune be thy steere!
She blesseth hire, and with ful pitous voys
Unto the croys of crist thus seyde she:
O cleere, o welful auter, hooly croys,
Reed of the lambes blood ful of pitee,
That wessh the world fro the olde iniquitee,
Me fro the feend and fro his clawes kepe,
That day that I shal drenchen in the depe.
Victorious tree, proteccioun of trewe,
That oonly worthy were for to bere
The kyng of hevene with his woundes newe,
The white lamb, that hurt was with a spere,
Flemere of feendes out of hym and here
On which thy lymes feithfully extenden,
Me kepe, and yif me myght my lyf t' amenden.
Yeres and dayes fleet this creature
Thurghout the see of grece unto the strayte
Of marrok, as it was hire aventure.
On many a sory meel now may she bayte;
After hir deeth ful often may she wayte,
Er that the wilde wawes wol hire dryve
Unto the place ther she shal arryve.
Men myghten asken why she was nat slayn
Eek at the feeste? who myghte hir body save?
And I answere to that demande agayn,
Who saved danyel in the horrible cave
Ther every wight save he, maister and knave,
Was with the leon frete er he asterte?
No wight but god, that he bar in his herte.
God liste to shewe his wonderful myracle
In hire, for we sholde seen his myghty werkis;
Crist, which that is to every harm triacle,
By certeine meenes ofte, as knowen clerkis,
Dooth thyng for certein ende that ful derk is
To mannes wit, that for oure ignorance
Ne konne noght knowe his prudent purveiance.
Now sith she was nat at the feeste yslawe,
Who kepte hire fro the drenchyng in the see?
Who kepte jonas in the fisshes mawe
Til he was spouted up at nynyvee?
Wel may men knowe it was no wight but he
That kepte peple ebrayk from hir drenchynge,
With drye feet thurghout the see passynge.
Who bad the foure spirites of tempest
That power han t' anoyen lond and see,
Bothe north and south, and also west and est,
Anoyeth, neither see, ne land, ne tree?
Soothly, the comandour of that was he
That fro the tempest ay this womman kepte
As wel whan she wook as whan she slepte.
Where myghte this womman mete and drynke have
Thre yeer and moore? how lasteth hire vitaille?
Who fedde the egipcien marie in the cave,
Or in desert? no wight but crist, sanz faille.
Fyve thousand folk it was as greet mervaille
With loves fyve and fisshes two to feede.
God sente his foyson at hir grete neede.
She dryveth forth into oure occian
Thurghout oure wilde see, til atte laste
Under an hoold that nempnen I ne kan,
Fer in northhumberlond the wawe hire caste,
And in the sond hir ship stiked so faste
That thennes wolde it noght of al a tyde;
The wyl of crist was that she sholde abyde.
The constable of the castel doun is fare
To seen this wrak, and al the ship he soghte,
And foond this wery womman ful of care;
He foond also the tresor that she broghte.
In hir langage mercy she bisoghte,
The lyf out of hir body for to twynne,
Hire to delivere of wo that she was inne.
A maner latyn corrupt was hir speche,
But algates therby was she understonde.
The constable, whan hym lyst no longer seche,
This woful womman broghte he to the londe.
She kneleth doun and thanketh goddes sonde;
But what she was she wolde no man seye,
For foul ne fair, thogh that she sholde deye.
She seyde she was so mazed in the see
That she forgat hir mynde, by hir trouthe.
The constable hath of hire so greet pitee,
And eek his wyf, that they wepen for routhe.
She was so diligent, withouten slouthe,
To serve and plesen everich in that place,
That alle hir loven that looken in hir face.
This constable and dame hermengyld, his, wyf,
Were payens, and that contree everywhere;
But hermengyld loved hire right as hir lyf,
And custance hath so longe sojourned there,
In orisons, with many a bitter teere,
Til jhesu hath converted thurgh his grace
Dame hermengyld, constablesse of that place.
In al that lond no cristen dorste route;
Alle cristen folk been fled fro that contree
Thurgh payens, that conquereden al aboute
The plages of the north, by land and see.
To walys fledde the cristyanytee
Of olde britons dwellynge in this ile;
Ther was hir refut for the meene while.
But yet nere cristene britons so exiled
That ther nere somme that in hir privetee
Honoured crist and hethen folk bigiled,
And ny the castel swiche ther dwelten three.
That oon of hem was blynd and myghte nat see,
But it were with thilke eyen of his mynde
With whiche men seen, after that they ben blynde.
Bright was the sonne as in that someres day,
For which the constable and his wyf also
And custance han ytake the righte way
Toward the see a furlong wey or two,
To pleyen and to romen to and fro;
And in hir walk this blynde man they mette,
Croked and oold, with eyen faste yshette.
In name of crist, cride this blinde britoun,
Dame hermengyld, yif me my sighte agayn!
This lady weex affrayed of the soun,
Lest that hir housbonde, shortly for to sayn,
Wolde hire for jhesu cristes love han slayn,
Til custance made hire boold, and bad hire wirche
The wyl of crist, as doghter of his chirche.
The constable weex abasshed of that sight,
And seyde, what amounteth al this fare?
Custance answerde, sire, it is cristes myght,
That helpeth folk out of the feendes snare.
And so ferforth she gan oure lay declare
That she the constable, er that it was eve
Converted, and on crist made hym bileve.
This constable was nothyng lord of this place
Of which I speke, ther he custance fond,
But kepte it strongly many a wyntres space
Under alla, kyng of al northhumbrelond,
That was ful wys, and worthy of his hond
Agayn the scottes, as men may wel heere;
But turne I wole agayn to my mateere.
Sathan, that evere us waiteth to bigile,
Saugh of custance al hire perfeccioun,
And caste anon how he myghte quite hir while,
And made a yong knyght that dwelte in that toun
Love hire so hoote, of foul affeccioun,
That verraily hym thoughte he sholde spille,
But he of hire myghte ones have his wille.
He woweth hire, but it availleth noght;
She wolde do no synne, by no weye.
And for despit he compassed in his thoght
To maken hire on shameful deeth to deye.
He wayteth whan the constable was aweye,
And pryvely upon a nyght he crepte
In hermengyldes chambre, whil she slepte.
Wery, forwaked in hire orisouns,
Slepeth custance, and hermengyld also.
This knyght, thurgh sathanas temptaciouns,
Al softely is to the bed ygo,
And kitte the throte of hermengyld atwo,
And leyde the blody knyf by dame custance,
And wente his wey, ther God yeve hym meschance!
Soone after cometh this constable hoom agayn,
And eek alla, that kyng was of that lond,
And saugh his wyf despitously yslayn,
For which ful ofte he weep and wroong his hond,
And in the bed the blody knyf he fond
By dame custance. Allas! what myghte she seye?
For verray wo hir wit was al aweye.
To kyng alla was toold al this meschance,
And eek the tyme, and where, and in what wise
That in a ship was founden this custance,
As heer-biforn that ye han herd devyse.
The kynges herte of pitee gan agryse,
Whan he saugh so benigne a creature
Falle in disese and in mysaventure.
For as the lomb toward his deeth is broght,
So stant this innocent bifore the kyng.
This false knyght, that hath this tresoun wroght,
Berth hire on hond that she hath doon thys thyng.
But nathelees, ther was greet moornyng
Among the peple, and seyn they kan nat gesse
That she had doon so greet a wikkednesse;
For they han seyn hire evere so vertuous,
And lovynge hermengyld right as hir lyf.
Of this baar witnesse everich in that hous,
Save he that hermengyld slow with his knyf.
This gentil kyng hath caught a greet motyf
Of this witnesse, and thoghte he wolde enquere
Depper in this, a trouthe for to lere.
Allas! custance, thou hast no champioun,
Ne fighte kanstow noght, so weylaway!
But he that starf for our redempcioun,
And boond sathan (and yet lith ther he lay),
So be thy stronge champion this day!
For, but if crist open myracle kithe,
Withouten gilt thou shalt be slayn as swithe.
She sette hire doun on knees, and thus she sayde:
Immortal god, that savedest susanne
Fro false blame, and thou, merciful mayde,
Marie I meene, doghter to seint anne,
Bifore whos child angeles synge osanne,
If I be giltlees of this felonye,
My socour be, for ellis shal I dye!
Have ye nat seyn somtyme a pale face,
Among a prees, of hym that hath be lad
Toward his deeth, wher as hym gat no grace,
And swich a colour in his face hath had,
Men myghte knowe his face that was bistad,
Amonges alle the faces in that route?
So stant custance, and looketh hire aboute.
O queenes, lyvynge in prosperitee,
Duchesses, and ye ladyes everichone,
Haveth som routhe on hire adversitee!
An emperoures doghter stant allone;
She hath no wight to whom to make hir mone.
O blood roial, that stondest in this drede,
Fer been thy freendes at thy grete nede!
This alla kyng hath swich compassioun,
As gentil herte is fulfild of pitee,
That from his eyen ran the water doun.
Now hastily do fecche a book, quod he,
And if this knyght wol sweren how that she
This womman slow, yet wol we us avyse
Whom that we wole that shal been oure justise.
A britoun book, written with evaungiles,
Was fet, and on this book he swoor anoon
She gilty was, and in the meene whiles
An hand hym smoot upon the nekke-boon,
That doun he fil atones as a stoon,
And bothe his eyen broste out of his face
In sighte of every body in that place.
A voys was herd in general audience,
And seyde, thou hast desclaundred, giltelees,
The doghter of hooly chirche in heigh presence;
Thus hastou doon, and yet holde I my pees!
Of this mervaille agast was al the prees;
As mazed folk they stoden everichone,
For drede of wreche, save custance allone.
Greet was the drede and eek the repentance
Of hem that hadden wrong suspecioun
Upon this sely innocent, custance;
And for this miracle, in conclusioun,
And by custances mediacioun,
The kyng -- and many another in that place --
Converted was, thanked be cristes grace!
This false knyght was slayn for his untrouthe
By juggement of alla hastifly;
And yet custance hadde of his deeth greet routhe.
And after this jhesus, of his mercy,
Made alla wedden ful solempnely
This hooly mayden, that is so bright and sheene;
And thus hath crist ymaad custance a queene.
But who was woful, if I shal nat lye,
Of this weddyng but donegild, and namo,
The kynges mooder, ful of tirannye?
Hir thoughte hir cursed herte brast atwo.
She wolde noght hir sone had do so;
Hir thoughte a despit that he sholde take
So strange a creature unto his make.
Me list nat of the chaf, ne of the stree,
Maken so long a tale as of the corn.
What sholde I tellen of the roialtee
At mariage, or which cours goth biforn;
Who bloweth in a trumpe or in an horn?
The fruyt of every tale is for to seye:
They ete, and drynke, and daunce, and synge, and pleye.
They goon to bedde, as it was skile and right;
For thogh that wyves be ful hooly thynges,
They moste take in pacience at nyght
Swiche manere necessaries as been plesynges
To folk that han ywedded hem with rynges,
And leye a lite hir hoolynesse aside,
As for the tyme, -- it may no bet bitide.
On hire he gat a knave child anon,
And to a bisshop, and his constable eke,
He took his wyf to kepe, whan he is gon
To scotlond-ward, his foomen for to seke.
Now faire custance, that is so humble and meke,
So longe is goon with childe, til that stille
She halt hire chambre, abidyng cristes wille.
The tyme is come a knave child she beer;
Mauricius at the fontstoon they hym calle.
This constable dooth forth come a messageer,
And wroot unto his kyng, that cleped was alle,
How that this blisful tidyng is bifalle,
And othere tidynges spedeful for to seye.
He taketh the lettre, and forth he gooth his weye.
This messager, to doon his avantage,
Unto the kynges mooder rideth swithe,
And salueth hire ful faire in his langage:
Madame, quod he, ye may be glad and blithe,
And thanketh God an hundred thousand sithe!
My lady queene hath child, withouten doute,
To joye and blisse to al this regne aboute.
Lo, heere the lettres seled of this thyng,
That I moot bere with al the haste I may.
If ye wol aught unto youre sone the kyng,
I am youre servant, bothe nyght and day.
Donegild answerde, as now at this tyme, nay;
But heere al nyght I wol thou take thy reste.
To-morwe wol I seye thee what me leste.
This messager drank sadly ale and wyn,
And stolen were his lettres pryvely
Out of his box, whil he sleep as a swyn;
And countrefeted was ful subtilly
Another lettre, wroght ful synfully,
Unto the kyng direct of this mateere
Fro his constable, as ye shal after heere.
The lettre spak the queene delivered was
Of so horrible a feendly creature
That in the castel noon so hardy was
That any while dorste ther endure.
The mooder was an elf, by aventure
Ycomen, by charmes or by sorcerie,
And every wight hateth hir compaignye.
Wo was this kyng whan he this lettre had sayn,
But to no wight he tolde his sorwes soore,
But of his owene hand he wroot agayn,
Welcome the sonde of crist for everemoore
To me that am now lerned in his loore!
Lord, welcome be thy lust and thy plesaunce;
My lust I putte al in thyn ordinaunce.
Kepeth this child, al be it foul or feir,
And eek my wyf, unto myn hoom-comynge.
Crist, whan hym list, may sende me an heir
Moore agreable than this to my likynge.
This lettre he seleth, pryvely wepynge,
Which to the messager was take soone,
And forth he gooth; ther is na moore to doone.
O messager, fulfild of dronkenesse,
Strong is thy breeth, thy lymes faltren ay,
And thou biwreyest alle secreenesse.
Thy mynde is lorn, thou janglest as a jay,
Thy face is turned in a newe array.
Ther dronkenesse regneth in any route,
Ther is no conseil hyd, withouten doute.
O donegild, I ne have noon englissh digne
Unto thy malice and thy tirannye!
And therfore to the feend I thee resigne;
Lat hym enditen of thy traitorie!
Fy, mannysh, fy! -- o nay, by god, I lye --
Fy, feendlych spirit, for I dar wel telle,
Thogh thou heere walke, thy spirit is in helle!
This messager comth fro the kyng agayn,
And at the kynges moodres court he lighte,
And she was of this messager ful fayn,
And plesed hym in al that ever she myghte.
He drank, and wel his girdel underpighte;
He slepeth, and he fnorteth in his gyse
Al nyght, til the sonne gan aryse.
Eft were his lettres stolen everychon,
And countrefeted lettres in this wyse:
The king comandeth his constable anon,
Up peyne of hangyng, and on heigh juyse,
That he ne sholde suffren in no wyse
Custance in-with his reawme for t' abyde
Thre dayes and o quarter of a tyde;
But in the same ship as he hire fond,
Hire, and hir yonge sone, and al hir geere,
He sholde putte, and croude hire fro the lond,
And charge hire that she never eft coome theere.
O my custance, wel may thy goost have feere,
And, slepynge, in thy dreem been in penance,
Whan donegild cast al this ordinance.
This messager on morwe, whan he wook,
Unto the castel halt the nexte way,
And to the constable he the lettre took;
And whan that he this pitous lettre say,
Ful ofte he seyde, allas! and weylaway!
Lord crist, quod he, how may this world endure,
So ful of synne is many a creature?
O myghty god, if that it be thy wille,
Sith thou art rightful juge, how may it be
That thou wolt suffren innocentz to spille,
And wikked folk regne in prosperitee?
O goode custance, allas! so wo is me
That I moot be thy tormentour, or deye
On shames deeth; ther is noon oother weye.
Wepen bothe yonge and olde in al that place
Whan that the kyng this cursed lettre sente,
And custance, with a deedly pale face,
The ferthe day toward hir ship she wente.
But nathelees she taketh in good entente
The wyl of crist, and knelynge on the stronde,
She seyde, lord, ay welcome be thy sonde!
He that me kepte fro the false blame
While I was on the lond amonges yow,
He kan me kepe from harm and eek fro shame
In salte see, althogh I se noght how.
As strong as evere he was, he is yet now.
In hym triste I, and in his mooder deere,
That is to me my seyl and eek my steere.
Hir litel child lay wepyng in hir arm,
And knelynge, pitously to hym she seyde,
Pees, litel sone, I wol do thee noon harm.
With that hir coverchief of hir heed she breyde,
And over his litel eyen she it leyde,
And in hir arm she lulleth it ful faste,
And into hevene hire eyen up she caste.
Mooder, quod she, and mayde bright, marie,
Sooth is that thurgh wommanes eggement
Mankynde was lorn, and damned ay to dye,
For which thy child was on a croys yrent.
Thy blisful eyen sawe al his torment;
Thanne is ther no comparison bitwene
Thy wo and any wo man may sustene.
Thow sawe thy child yslayn bifore thyne yen,
And yet now lyveth my litel child, parfay!
Now, lady bright, to whom alle woful cryen,
Thow glorie of wommanhede, thow faire may,
Thow haven of refut, brighte sterre of day,
Rewe on my child, that of thy gentillesse,
Rewest on every reweful in distresse.
O litel child, allas! what is thy gilt,
That nevere wroghtest synne as yet, pardee?
Why wil thyn harde fader han thee spilt?
O mercy, deere constable, quod she,
As lat my litel child dwelle heer with thee;
And if thou darst nat saven hym, for blame,
So kys hym ones in his fadres name!
Therwith she looked bakward to the londe,
And seyde, farewel, housbonde routhelees!
And up she rist, and walketh doun the stronde
Toward the ship, -- hir folweth al the prees, --
And evere she preyeth hire child to holde his pees;
And taketh hir leve, and with an hooly entente
She blisseth hire, and into ship she wente.
Vitailled was the ship, it is no drede,
Habundantly for hire ful longe space,
And othere necessaries that sholde nede
She hadde ynogh, heryed be goddes grace!
For wynd and weder almyghty God purchace,
And brynge hire hoom! I kan no bettre seye,
But in the see she dryveth forth hir weye.
Alla the kyng comth hoom soone after this
Unto his castel, of the which I tolde,
And asketh where his wyf and his child is.
The constable gan aboute his herte colde,
And pleynly al the manere he hym tolde
As ye han herd -- i kan telle it no bettre --
And sheweth the kyng his seel and eek his lettre,
And seyde, lord, as ye comanded me
Up peyne of deeth, so have I doon, certein.
This messager tormented was til he
Moste biknowe and tellen, plat and pleyn,
Fro nyght to nyght, in what place he had leyn;
And thus, by with and sotil enquerynge,
Ymagined was by whom this harm gan sprynge.
The hand was knowe that the lettre wroot,
And al the venym of this cursed dede,
But in what wise, certeinly, I noot.
Th' effect is this, that alla, out of drede,
His mooder slow -- that may men pleynly rede --
For that she traitour was to hire ligeance.
Thus endeth olde donegild, with meschance!
The sorwe that this alla nyght and day
Maketh for his wyf, and for his child also,
Ther is no tonge that it telle may.
But now wol I unto custance go,
That fleteth in the see, in peyne and wo,
Fyve yeer and moore, as liked cristes sonde,
Er that hir ship approched unto londe.
Under an hethen castel, atte laste,
Of which the name in my text noght I fynde,
Custance, and eek hir child, the see up caste.
Almyghty god, that saveth al mankynde,
Have on custance and on hir child som mynde,
That fallen is in hethen hand eft soone,
In point to spille, as I shal telle yow soone.
Doun fro the castel comth ther many a wight
To gauren on this ship and on custance.
But shortly, from the castel, on a nyght,
The lordes styward -- God yeve hym meschance! --
A theef, that hadde reneyed oure creance,
Cam into ship allone, and seyde he sholde
Hir lemman be, wher-so she wolde or nolde.
Wo was this wrecched womman tho bigon;
Hir child cride, and she cride pitously.
But blisful marie heelp hire right anon;
For with hir struglyng wel and myghtily
The theef fil over bord al sodeynly,
And in the see he dreynte for vengeance;
And thus hath crist unwemmed kept custance.
O foule lust of luxurie, lo, thyn ende!
Nat oonly that thou feyntest mannes mynde,
But verraily thou wolt his body shende.
Th' ende of thy werk, or of thy lustes blynde,
Is compleynyng. Hou many oon may men fynde
That noght for werk somtyme, but for th' entente
To doon this synne, been outher slayn or shente!
How may this wayke womman han this strengthe
Hire to defende agayn this renegat?
O golias, unmesurable of lengthe,
Hou myghte david make thee so maat,
So yong and of armure so desolaat?
Hou dorste he looke upon thy dredful face?
Wel may men seen, it nas but goddes grace.
Who yaf judith corage or hardynesse
To sleen hym olofernus in his tente,
And to deliveren out of wrecchednesse
The peple of god? I seye, for this entente,
That right as God spirit of vigour sente
To hem, and saved hem out of meschance,
So sente he myght and vigour to custance.
Forth gooth hir ship thurghout the narwe mouth
Of jubaltare and septe, dryvynge ay
Somtyme west, and somtyme north and south,
And somtyme est, ful many a wery day,
Til cristes mooder -- blessed be she ay! --
Hath shapen, thurgh hir endelees goodnesse,
To make an ende of al hir hevynesse.
Now lat us stynte of custance but a throwe,
And speke we of the romayn emperour,
That out of surrye hath by lettres knowe
The slaughtre of cristen folk, and dishonour
Doon to his doghter by a fals traytour,
I mene the cursed wikked sowdanesse
That at the feeste leet sleen bothe moore and lesse.
For which this emperour hath sent anon
His senatour, with roial ordinance,
And othere lordes, God woot, many oon,
On surryens to taken heigh vengeance.
They brennen, sleen, and brynge hem to meschance
Ful many a day; but shortly, this is th' ende,
Homward to rome they shapen hem to wende.
This senatour repaireth with victorie
To rome-ward, saillynge ful roially,
And mette the ship dryvynge, as seith the storie,
In which custance sit ful pitously.
Nothyng ne knew he what she was, ne why
She was in swich array, ne she nyl seye
Of hire estaat, althogh she sholde deye.
He bryngeth hire to rome, and to his wyf
He yaf hire, and hir yonge sone also;
And with the senatour she ladde hir lyf.
Thus kan oure lady bryngen out of wo
Woful custance, and many another mo.
And longe tyme dwelled she in that place,
In hooly werkes evere, as was hir grace.
The senatoures wyf hir aunte was,
But for al that she knew hire never the moore.
I wol no lenger tarien in this cas,
But to kyng alla, which I spak of yoore,
That for his wyf wepeth and siketh soore,
I wol retourne, and lete I wol custance
Under the senatoures governance.
Kyng alla, which that hadde his mooder slayn,
Upon a day fil in swich repentance
That, if I shortly tellen shal and playn,
To rome he comth to receyven his penance;
And putte hym in the popes ordinance
In heigh and logh, and jhesu crist bisoghte
Foryeve his wikked werkes that he wroghte.
The fame anon thurgh rome toun is born,
How alla kyng shal comen in pilgrymage,
By herbergeours that wenten hym biforn;
For which the senatour, as was usage,
Rood hym agayns, and many of his lynage,
As wel to shewen his heighe magnificence
As to doon any kyng a reverence.
Greet cheere dooth this noble senatour
To kyng alla, and he to hym also;
Everich of hem dooth oother greet honour.
And so bifel that in a day or two
This senatour is to kyng alla go
To feste, and shortly, if I shal nat lye,
Custances sone wente in his compaignye.
Som men wolde seyn at requeste of custance
This senatour hath lad this child to feeste;
I may nat tellen every circumstance, --
Be as be may, ther was he at the leeste.
But sooth is this, that at his moodres heeste
Biforn alla, durynge the metes space,
The child stood, lookynge in the kynges face.
This alla kyng hath of this child greet wonder,
And to the senatour he seyde anon,
Whos is that faire child that stondeth yonder?
I noot, quod he, by god, and by seint john!
A mooder he hath, but fader hath he noon
That I of woot -- and shortly, in a stounde,
He tolde alla how that this child was founde.
But God woot, quod this senatour also,
So vertuous a lyvere in my lyf
Ne saugh I nevere as she, ne herde of mo,
Of worldly wommen, mayde, ne of wyf.
I dar wel seyn hir hadde levere a knyf
Thurghout hir brest, than ben a womman wikke;
There is no man koude brynge hire to that prikke.
Now was this child as lyk unto custance
As possible is a creature to be.
This alla hath the face in remembrance
Of dame custance, and ther on mused he
If that the childes mooder were aught she
That is his wyf, and pryvely he sighte,
And spedde hym fro the table that he myghte.
Parfay, thoghte he, fantome is in myn heed!
I oghte deme, of skilful juggement,
That in the salte see my wyf is deed.
And afterward he made his argument:
What woot I if that crist have hyder ysent
My wyf by see, as wel as he hire sente
To my contree fro thennes that she wente?
And after noon, hoom with the senatour
Goth alla, for to seen this wonder chaunce.
This senatour dooth alla greet honour,
And hastifly he sente after custaunce.
But trusteth weel, hire liste nat to daunce,
Whan that she wiste wherfore was that sonde;
Unnethe upon hir feet she myghte stonde.
Whan alla saugh his wyf, faire he hire grette,
And weep, that it was routhe for to see;
For at the firste look he on hire sette,
He knew wel verraily that it was she.
And she, for sorwe, as doumb stant as a tree,
So was hir herte shet in hir distresse,
Whan she remembred his unkyndenesse.
Twyes she swowned in his owene sighte;
He weep, and hym excuseth pitously.
Now god, quod he, and alle his halwes brighte
So wisly on my soule as have mercy,
That of youre harm as giltelees am I
As is maurice my sone, so lyk youre face;
Elles the feend me fecche out of this place!
Long was the sobbyng and the bitter peyne,
Er that hir woful hertes myghte cesse;
Greet was the pitee for to heere hem pleyne,
Thurgh whiche pleintes gan hir wo encresse.
I pray yow alle my labour to relesse;
I may nat telle hir wo until to-morwe,
I am so wery for to speke of sorwe.
But finally, whan that the sothe is wist
That alla giltelees was of hir wo,
I trowe an hundred tymes been they kist,
And swich a blisse is ther bitwix hem two
That, save the joye that lasteth everemo,
Ther is noon lyk that any creature
Hath seyn or shal, whil that the world may dure.
Tho preyde she hir housbonde mekely,
In relief of hir longe, pitous pyne,
That he wolde preye hir fader specially
That of his magestee he wolde enclyne
To vouche sauf som day with hym to dyne.
She preyde hym eek he sholde by no weye
Unto hir fader no word of hire seye.
Som men wolde seyn how that the child maurice
Dooth this message unto this emperour;
But, as I gesse, alla was nat so nyce
To hym that was of so sovereyn honour
As he that is of cristen folk the flour,
Sente any child, but it is bet to deeme
He wente hymself, and so it may wel seeme.
This emperour hath graunted gentilly
To come to dyner, as he hym bisoughte;
And wel rede I he looked bisily
Upon this child, and on his doghter thoghte.
Alla goth to his in, and as hym oghte,
Arrayed for this feste in every wise
As ferforth as his konnyng may suffise.
The morwe cam, and alla gan hym dresse,
And eek his wyf, this emperour to meete;
And forth they ryde in joye and in gladnesse.
And whan she saugh hir fader in the strete,
She lighte doun, and falleth hym to feete.
Fader, quod she, youre yonge child custance
Is now ful clene out of youre remembrance.
I am youre doghter custance, quod she,
That whilom ye han sent unto surrye.
It am I, fader, that in the salte see
Was put allone and dampned for to dye.
Now, goode fader, mercy I yow crye!
Sende me namoore unto noon hethenesse,
But thonketh my lord heere of his kyndenesse.
Who kan the pitous joye tellen al
Bitwixe hem thre, syn they been thus ymette?
But of my tale make an ende I shal;
The day goth faste, I wol no lenger lette.
This glade folk to dyner they hem sette;
In joye and blisse at mete I lete hem dwelle
A thousand foold wel moore than I kan telle.
This child maurice with sithen emperour
Maad by the pope, and lyved cristenly;
To cristes chirche he dide greet honour.
But I lete al his storie passen by;
Of custance is my tale specially.
In the olde romayn geestes may men fynde
Maurices lyf; I bere it noght in mynde.
This kyng alla, whan he his tyme say,
With his custance, his hooly wyf so sweete,
To engelond been they come the righte way,
Wher as they lyve in joye and in quiete.
But litel while it lasteth, I yow heete,
Joye of this world, for tyme wol nat abyde;
Fro day to nyght it changeth as the tyde.
Who lyved euere in swich delit o day
That hym ne moeved outher conscience,
Or ire, or talent, or som kynnes affray,
Envye, or pride, or passion, or offence?
I ne seye but for this ende this sentence,
That litel while in joye or in plesance
Lasteth the blisse of alla with custance.
For deeth, that taketh of heigh and logh his rente,
Whan passed was a yeer, evene as I gesse,
Out of this world this kyng alla he hente,
For whom custance hath ful greet hevynesse.
Now lat us prayen God his soule blesse!
And dame custance, finally to seye,
Toward the toun of rome goth hir weye.
To rome is come this hooly creature,
And fyndeth hire freendes hoole and sounde;
Now is she scaped al hire aventure.
And whan that she hir fader hath yfounde,
Doun on hir knees falleth she to grounde;
Wepynge for tendrenesse in herte blithe,
She heryeth God an hundred thousand sithe.
In vertu and in hooly almus-dede
They lyven alle, and nevere asonder wende;
Til deeth departeth hem, this lyf they lede.
And fareth now weel! my tale is at an ende.
Now jhesu crist, that of his myght may sende
Joye after wo, governe us in his grace,
And kepe us alle that been in this place! amen

The Man of Law's Epilogue

(Owre hoost upon his stiropes stood anon,
And seyde, goode men, herkeneth everych on!
This was a thrifty tale for the nones!
Sir parisshe prest, quod he, for goddes bones,
Telle us a tale, as was thi forward yore.
I se wel that ye lerned men in lore
Can moche good, by goddes dignitee!
The parson hem answerde, benedicite!
What eyleth the man, so synfully to swere?
Oure host answerde, o jankin, be ye there?
I smelle a lollere in the wynd, quod he.
Now! goode men, quod oure hoste, herkeneth me;
Abydeth, for goddes digne passioun,
For we schal han a predicacioun;
This lollere heer wil prechen us somwhat.
Nay, by my fader soule, that schal he nat!
Seyde the shipman; heer schal he nat preche;
He schal no gospel glosen here ne teche.
We leven alle in the grete god, quod he;
He wolde sowen som difficulte,
Or springen cokkel in our clene corn.
And therfore, hoost, I warne thee biforn,
My joly body schal a tale telle,
And I schal clynken you so mery a belle,
That I schal waken al this compaignie.
But it schal not ben of philosophie,
Ne phislyas, ne termes queinte of lawe.
Ther is but litel latyn in my mawe!)

The Wife of Bath's Prologue

Experience, though noon auctoritee
Were in this world, is right ynogh for me
To speke of wo that is in mariage;
For, lordynges, sith I twelve yeer was of age,
Thonked be God that is eterne on lyve,
Housbondes at chirche dore I have had fyve, --
If I so ofte myghte have ywedded bee, --
And alle were worthy men in hir degree.
But me was toold, certeyn, nat longe agoon is,
That sith that crist ne wente nevere but onis
To weddyng, in the cane of galilee,
That by the same ensample taughte he me
That I ne sholde wedded be but ones.
Herkne eek, lo, which a sharp word for the nones,
Biside a welle, jhesus, God and man,
Spak in repreeve of the samaritan:
Thou hast yhad fyve housbondes, -- quod he,
-- And that ilke man that now hath thee
Is noght thyn housbonde, -- thus seyde he certeyn.
What that he mente therby, I kan nat seyn;
But that I axe, why that the fifthe man
Was noon housbonde to the samaritan?
How manye myghte she have in mariage?
Yet herde I nevere tellen in myn age
Upon this nombre diffinicioun.
Men may devyne and glosen, up and doun,
But wel I woot, expres, withoute lye,
God bad us for to wexe and multiplye;
That gentil text kan I wel understonde.
Eek wel I woot, he seyde myn housbonde
Sholde lete fader and mooder, and take to me.
But of no nombre mencion made he,
Of bigamye, or of octogamye;
Why sholde men thanne speke of it vileynye?
Lo, heere the wise kyng, daun salomon;
I trowe he hadde wyves mo than oon.
As wolde God it were leveful unto me
To be refresshed half so ofte as he!
Which yifte of God hadde he for alle his wyvys!
No man hath swich that in this world alyve is.
God woot, this noble kyng, as to my wit,
The firste nyght had many a myrie fit
With ech of hem, so wel was hym on lyve.
Yblessed be God that I have wedded fyve!
Welcome the sixte, whan that evere he shal.
For sothe, I wol nat kepe me chaast in al.
Whan myn housbonde is fro the world ygon,
Som cristen man shal wedde me anon,
For thanne, th' apostle seith that I am free
To wedde, a goddes half, where it liketh me.
He seith that to be wedded is no synne;
Bet is to be wedded than to brynne
What rekketh me, thogh folk seye vileynye
Of shrewed lameth and his bigamye?
I woot wel abraham was an hooly man,
And jacob eek, as ferforth as I kan;
And ech of hem hadde wyves mo than two,
And many another holy man also.
Wher can ye seye, in any manere age,
That hye God defended mariage
By expres word? I pray yow, telleth me.
Or where comanded he virginitee?
I woot as wel as ye, it is no drede,
Th' apostel, whan he speketh of maydenhede,
He seyde that precept therof hadde he noon.
Men may conseille a womman to been oon,
But conseillyng is no comandement.
He putte it in oure owene juggement;
For hadde God comanded maydenhede,
Thanne hadde he dampned weddyng with the dede.
And certes, if ther were no seed ysowe,
Virginitee, thanne wherof sholde it growe?
Poul dorste nat comanden, atte leeste,
A thyng of which his maister yaf noon heeste.
The dart is set up for birginitee:
Cacche whoso may, who renneth best lat see.
But this word is nat taken of every wight,
But ther as God lust gyve it of his myght.
I woot wel that th' apostel was a mayde;
But nathelees, thogh that he wroot and sayde
He wolde that every wight were swich as he,
Al nys but conseil to virginitee.
And for to been a wyf he yaf me leve
Of indulgence; so nys it no repreve
To wedde me, if that my make dye,
Withouten excepcion of bigamye.
Al were it good no womman for to touche, --
He mente as in his bed or in his couche;
For peril is bothe fyr and tow t' assemble:
Ye knowe what this ensample may resemble.
This is al and som, he heeld virginitee
Moore parfit than weddyng in freletee.
Freletee clepe I, but if that he and she
Wolde leden al hir lyf in chastitee.
I graunte it wel, I have noon envie,
Thogh maydenhede preferre bigamye.
It liketh hem to be clene, body and goost;
Of myn estaat I nyl nat make no boost.
For wel ye knowe, a lord in his houshold,
He nath nat every vessel al of gold;
Somme been of tree, and doon hir lord servyse.
God clepeth folk to hym in sondry wyse,
And everich hath of God a propre yifte,
Som this, som that, as hym liketh shifte.
Virginitee is greet perfeccion,
And continence eek with devocion,
But crist, that of perfeccion is welle,
Bad nat every wight he sholde go selle
Al that he hadde, and gyve it to the poore
And in swich wise folwe hym and his foore.
He spak to hem that wolde lyve parfitly;
And lordynges, by youre leve, that am nat I.
I wol bistowe the flour of al myn age
In the actes and in fruyt of mariage.
Telle me also, to what conclusion
Were membres maad of generacion,
And of so parfit wys a wight ywroght?
Trusteth right wel, they were nat maad for noght.
Glose whoso wole, and seye bothe up and doun,
That they were maked for purgacioun
Of uryne, and oure bothe thynges smale
Were eek to knowe a femele from a male,
And for noon oother cause, -- say ye no?
The experience woot wel it is noght so.
So that the clerkes be nat with me wrothe,
I sey this, that they maked ben for bothe,
This is to seye, for office, and for ese
Of engendrure, ther we nat God displese.
Why sholde men elles in hir bookes sette
That man shal yelde to his wyf hire dette?
Now wherwith sholde he make his paiement,
If he ne used his sely instrument?
Thanne were they maad upon a creature
To purge uryne, and eek for engendrure.
But I seye noght that every wight is holde,
That hath swich harneys as I to yow tolde,
To goon and usen hem in engendrure.
Thanne sholde men take of chastitee no cure.
Crist was a mayde, and shapen as a man,
And many a seint, sith that the world bigan;
Yet lyved they evere in parfit chastitee.
I nyl envye no virginitee.
Lat hem be breed of pured whete-seed,
And lat us wyves hoten barly-breed;
And yet with barly-breed, mark telle kan,
Oure lord jhesu refresshed many a man.
In swich estaat as God hath cleped us
I wol persevere; I nam nat precius.
In wyfhod I wol use myn instrument
As frely as my makere hath it sent.
If I be daungerous, God yeve me sorwe!
Myn housbonde shal it have bothe eve and morwe,
Whan that hym list come forth and paye his dette.
An housbonde I wol have, I wol nat lette,
Which shal be bothe my dettour and my thral,
And have his tribulacion withal
Upon his flessh, whil that I am his wyf.
I have the power durynge al my lyf
Upon his propre body, and noght he.
Right thus the apostel tolde it unto me;
And bad oure housbondes for to love us weel.
Al this sentence me liketh every deel --
Up stirte the pardoner, and that anon:
Now, dame, quod he, by God and by seint john!
Ye been a noble prechour in this cas.
I was aboute to wedde a wyf; allas!
What sholde I bye it on my flessh so deere?
Yet hadde I levere wedde no wyf to-yeere!
Abyde! quod she, my tale is nat bigonne.
Nay, thou shalt drynken of another tonne,
Er that I go, shal savoure wors than ale.
And whan that I have toold thee forth my tale
Of tribulacion in mariage,
Of which I am expert in al myn age,
This is to seyn, myself have been the whippe, --
Than maystow chese wheither thou wolt sippe
Of thilke tonne that I shal abroche.
Be war of it, er thou to ny approche;
For I shal telle ensamples mo than ten.
--Whoso that nyl be war by othere men,
By hym shul othere men corrected be. --
The same wordes writeth ptholomee;
Rede in his almageste, and take it there.
Dame, I wolde praye yow, if youre wyl it were,
Seyde this pardoner, as ye bigan,
Telle forth youre tale, spareth for no man,
And teche us yonge men of youre praktike.
Gladly, quod she, sith it may yow like;
But that I praye to al this compaignye,
If that I speke after my fantasye,
As taketh not agrief of that I seye;
For myn entente is nat but for to pleye.
Now, sire, now wol I telle forth my tale. --
As evere moote I drynken wyn or ale,
I shal seye sooth, tho housbondes that I hadde,
As thre of hem were goode, and two were badde.
The thre were goode men, and riche, and olde;
Unnethe myghte they the statut holde
In which that they were bounden unto me.
Ye woot wel what I meene of this, pardee!
As help me god, I laughe whan I thynke
How pitously a-nyght I made hem swynke!
And, by my fey, I tolde of it no stoor.
They had me yeven hir lond and hir tresoor;
Me neded nat do lenger diligence
To wynne hir love, or doon hem reverence.
They loved me so wel, by God above,
That I ne tolde no deyntee of hir love!
A wys womman wol bisye hire evere in oon
To gete hire love, ye, ther as she hath noon.
But sith I hadde hem hoolly in myn hond,
And sith they hadde me yeven al hir lond,
What sholde I taken keep hem for to plese,
But it were for my profit and myn ese?
I sette hem so a-werke, by my fey,
That many a nyght they songen -- weilawey! --
The bacon was nat fet for hem, I trowe,
That som men han in essex at dunmowe.
I governed hem so wel, after my lawe,
That ech of hem ful blisful was and fawe
To brynge me gaye thynges fro the fayre.
They were ful glad whan I spak to hem faire;
For, God it woot, I chidde hem spitously.
Now herkneth hou I baar me proprely,
Ye wise wyves, that kan understonde.
Thus shulde ye speke and bere hem wrong on honde;
For half so boldely kan ther no man
Swere and lyen, as a womman kan.
I sey nat this by wyves that been wyse,
But if it be whan they hem mysavyse.
A wys wyf shal, it that she kan hir good,
Bere hym on honde that the cow is wood,
And take witnesse of hir owene mayde
Of hir assemt; but herkneth how I sayde:
Sire olde kaynard, is this thyn array?
Why is my neighbores wyf so gay?
She is honoured over al ther she gooth;
I sitte at hoom I have no thrifty clooth.
What dostow at my neighebores hous?
Is she so fair? artow so amorous?
What rowne ye with oure mayde? benedicite!
Sire olde lecchour, lat thy japes be!
And if I have a gossib or a freend,
Withouten gilt, thou chidest as a feend,
If that I walke or pleye unto his hous!
Thou comest hoom as dronken as a mous,
And prechest on thy bench, with yvel preef!
Thou seist to me it is a greet meschief
To wedde a povre womman, for costage;
And if that she be riche, of heigh parage,
Thanne seistow that it is a tormentrie
To soffre hire pride and hire malencolie.
And if that she be fair, thou verray knave,
Thou seyst that every holour wol hire have;
She may no while in chastitee abyde,
That is assailled upon ech a syde.
Thou seyst som folk desiren us for richesse,
Somme for oure shap, and somme for oure fairnesse,
And som for she kan outher synge or daunce,
And som for gentillesse and daliaunce;
Som for hir handes and hir armes smale:
Thus goth al to the devel, by thy tale.
Thou seyst men may nat kepe a castel wal,
It may so longe assailled been over al.
And if that she be foul, thou seist that she
Coveiteth every man that she may se,
For as a spaynel she wol on hym lepe,
Til that she fynde som man hire to chepe.
Ne noon so grey goos gooth ther in the lake
As, seistow, wol been withoute make.
And seyst it is an hard thyng for to welde
A thyng that no man wole, his thankes, helde.
Thus seistow, lorel, whan thow goost to bedde;
And that no wys man nedeth for to wedde,
Ne no man that entendeth unto hevene.
With wilde thonder-dynt and firy levene
Moote thy welked nekke be tobroke!
Thow seyst that droppyng houses, and eek smoke,
And chidyng wyves maken men to flee
Out of his owene hous; a! benedicitee!
What eyleth swich an old man for to chide?
Thow seyst we wyves wol oure vices hide
Til we be fast, and thanne we wol hem shewe, --
Wel may that be a proverbe of a shrewe!
Thou seist that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes,
They been assayed at diverse stoundes;
Bacyns, lavours, er that men hem bye,
Spoones and stooles, and al swich housbondrye,
And so been pottes, clothes, and array;
But folk of wyves maken noon assay,
Til they be wedded; olde dotard shrewe!
And thanne, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe.
Thou seist also that it displeseth me
But if that thou wolt preyse my beautee,
And but thou poure alwey upon my face,
And clepe me faire dame in every place.
And but thou make a feeste on thilke day
That I was born, and make me fressh and gay;
And but thou do to my norice honour,
And to my chamberere withinne my bour,
And to my fadres folk and his allyes, --
Thus seistow, olde barel-ful of lyes!
And yet of oure apprentice janekyn,
For his crispe heer, shynynge as gold so fyn,
And for he squiereth me bothe up and doun,
Yet hastow caught a fals suspecioun.
I wol hym noght, thogh thou were deed tomorwe!
But tel me this: why hydestow, with sorwe,
They keyes of thy cheste awey fro me?
It is my good as wel as thyn, pardee!
What, wenestow make an ydiot of oure dame?
Now by that lord that called is seint jame,
Thou shalt nat bothe, thogh that thou were wood,
Be maister of my body and of my good;
That oon thou shalt forgo, maugree thyne yen.
What helpith it of me to enquere or spyen?
I trowe thou woldest loke me in thy chiste?
Thou sholdest seye, wyf, go wher thee liste;
Taak youre disport, I wol nat leve no talys.
I knowe yow for a trewe wyf, dame alys.
We love no man that taketh kep or charge
Wher that we goon; we wol ben at oure large.
Of alle men yblessed moot he be,
The wise astrologien, daun ptholome,
That seith this proverbe in his almageste --
Of alle men his wysdom is the hyeste
That rekketh nevere who hath the world in honde.
By this proverbe thou shalt understonde,
Have thou ynogh, what thar thee recche or care
How myrily that othere folkes fare?
For, certeyn, olde dotard, by youre leve,
Ye shul have queynte right ynogh at eve.
He is to greet a nygard that wolde werne
A man to light a candle at his lanterne;
He shal have never the lasse light, pardee.
Have thou ynogh, thee thar nat pleyne thee.
Thou seyst also, that if we make us gay
With clothyng, and with precious array,
That it is peril of oure chastitee;
And yet, with sorwe! thou most enforce thee,
And seye thise wordes in the apostles name:
 in habit maad with chastitee and shame
Ye wommen shul apparaille yow, quod he,
And noght in tressed heer and gay perree,
As perles, ne with gold, ne clothes riche.
After thy text, ne after thy rubriche,
I wol nat wirche as muchel as a gnat.
Thou seydest this, that I was lyk a cat;
For whoso wolde senge a cattes skyn,
Thanne wolde the cat wel dwellen in his in;
And if the cattes skyn be slyk and gay,
She wol nat dwelle in house half a day,
But forth she wole, er any day be dawed,
To shewe hir skyn, and goon a-caterwawed.
This is to seye, if I be gay, sire shrewe,
I wol renne out, my borel for to shewe.
Sire olde fool, what helpeth thee to spyen?
Thogh thou preye argus with his hundred yen
To be my warde-cors, as he kan best,
In feith, he shal nat kepe me but me lest;
Yet koude I make his berd, so moot I thee!
Thou seydest eek that ther been thynges thre,
The whiche thynges troublen al this erthe,
And that no wight may endure the ferthe.
O leeve sire shrewe, jhesu shorte thy lyf!
Yet prechestow and seyst and hateful wyf
Yrekened is for oon of thise meschances.
Been ther none othere maner resemblances
That ye may likne youre parables to,
But if a sely wyf be oon of tho?
Thou liknest eek wommenes love to helle,
To bareyne lond, ther water may nat dwelle.
Thou liknest it also to wilde fyr;
The moore it brenneth, the moore it hath desir
To consume every thyng that brent wole be.
Thou seyest, right as wormes shende a tree,
Right so a wyf destroyeth hire housbonde;
This knowe they that been to wyves bonde. --
Lordynges, right thus, as ye have understonde,
Baar I stifly myne olde housbondes on honde
That thus they seyden in hir dronkenesse;
And al was fals, but that I took witnesse
On janekyn, and on my nece also.
O lord! the peyne I dide hem and the wo,
Ful giltelees, by goddes sweete pyne!
For as an hors I koude byte and whyne.
I koude pleyne, and yit was in the gilt,
Or elles often tyme hadde I been spilt.
Whose that first to mille comth, first grynt;
I pleyned first, so was oure werre ystynt.
They were ful glade to excuse hem blyve
Of thyng of which they nevere agilte hir lyve.
Of wenches wolde I beren hem on honde,
Whan that for syk unnethes myghte they stonde.
Yet tikled I his herte, for that he
Wende that I hadde of hym so greet chiertee!
I swoor that al my walkynge out by nyghte
Was for t' espye wenches that he dighte;
Under that colour hadde I many a myrthe.
For al swich wit is yeven us in oure byrthe;
Deceite, wepyng, spynnyng God hath yive
To wommen kyndely, whil that they may lyve.
And thus of o thyng I avaunte me,
Atte ende I hadde the bettre in ech degree,
By sleighte, or force, or by som maner thyng,
As by continueel murmur or grucchyng.
Namely abedde hadden they meschaunce:
Ther wolde I chide, and do hem no plesaunce;
I wolde no lenger in the bed abyde,
If that I felte his arm over my syde,
Til he had maad his raunson unto me;
Thanne wolde I suffre hym do his necetee.
And therfore every man this tale I telle,
Wynne whose may, for al is for to selle;
With empty hand men may none haukes lure.
For wynnyng wolde I al his lust endure,
And make me feyned appetit;
And yet in bacon hadde I nevere delit;
That made me that evere I wolde hem chide.
For thogh the pope hadde seten hem biside,
I wolde nat spare hem at hir owene bord;
For, by my trouthe, I quitte hem word for word.
As helpe me verray God omnipotent,
Though I right now sholde make my testament,
I ne owe hem nat a word that it nys quit.
I broghte it so aboute by my wit
That they moste yeve it up, as for the beste,
Or elles hadde we nevere been in reste.
For thogh he looked as a wood leon,
Yet sholde he faille of his conclusion.
Thanne wolde I seye, -- goode lief, taak keep
How mekely looketh wilkyn, oure sheep!
Com neer, my spouse, lat me ba thy cheke!
Ye sholde been al pacient and meke,
And han a sweete spiced conscience,
Sith ye so preche of jobes pacience.
Suffreth alwey, syn ye so wel kan preche;
And but ye do, certein we shal yow teche
That it is fair to have a wyf in pees.
Oon of us two moste bowen, doutelees;
And sith a man is moore resonable
Than womman is, ye moste been suffrable.
What eyleth yow to grucche thus and grone?
Is it for ye wolde have my queynte allone?
Wy, taak it al! lo, have it every deel!
Peter! I shrewe yow, but ye love it weel;
For if I wolde selle my bele chose,
I koude walke as fressh as is a rose;
But I wol kepe it for youre owene tooth.
Ye be to blame, by god! I sey yow sooth. --
Swiche manere wordes hadde we on honde.
Now wol I speken of my fourthe housbonde.
My fourthe housbonde was a revelour;
This is to seyn, he hadde a paramour;
And I was yong and ful of ragerye,
Stibourn and strong, and joly as a pye.
How koude I daunce to an harpe smale,
And synge, ywis, as any nyghtyngale,
Whan I had dronke a draughte of sweete wyn!
Metellius, the foule cherl, the swyn,
That with a staf birafte his wyf hir lyf,
For she drank wyn, thogh I hadde been his wyf,
He sholde nat han daunted me from drynke!
And after wyn on venus moste I thynke,
For al so siker as cold engendreth hayl,
A likerous mouth moste han a likerous tayl.
In wommen vinolent is no defence, --
This knowen lecchours by experience.
But, lord crist! whan that it remembreth me
Upon my yowthe, and on my jolitee,
It tikleth me aboute myn herte roote.
Unto this day it dooth myn herte boote
That I have had my world as in my tyme.
But age, allas! that al wole envenyme,
Hath me biraft my beautee and my pith.
Lat go, farewel! the devel go therwith!
The flour is goon, ther is namoore to telle;
The bren, as I best kan, now moste I selle;
But yet to be right myrie wol I fonde.
Now wol I tellen of my fourthe housbonde.
I seye, I hadde in herte greet despit
That he of any oother had delit.
But he was quit, by God and by seint joce!
I made hym of the same wode a croce;
Nat of my body, in no foul manere,
But certeinly, I made folk swich cheere
That in his owene grece I made hym frye
For angre, and for verray jalousye.
By god! in erthe I was his purgatorie,
For which I hope his soule be in glorie.
For, God it woot, he sat ful ofte and song,
Whan that his shoo ful bitterly hym wrong.
Ther was no wight, save God and he, that wiste,
In many wise, how soore I hym twiste.
He deyde whan I cam fro jerusalem,
And lith ygrave under the roode beem,
Al is his tombe noght so curyus
As was the sepulcre of hym daryus,
Which that appeles wroghte subtilly;
It nys but wast to burye hym preciously.
Lat hym fare wel, God yeve his soul reste!
He is now in his grave and in his cheste.
Now of my fifthe housbonde wol I telle.
God lete his soule nevere come in helle!
And yet was he to me the mooste shrewe;
That feele I on my ribbes al by rewe,
And evere shal unto myn endyng day.
But in oure bed he was so fressh and gay,
And therwithal so wel koude he me glose,
Whan that he wolde han my bele chose,
That thogh he hadde me bete on every bon,
He koude wynne agayn my love anon.
I trowe I loved hym best, for that he
Was of his love daungerous to me.
We wommen han if that I shal nat lye,
In this matere a queynte fantasye;
Wayte what thyng we may nat lightly have,
Therafter wol we crie al day and crave.
Forbede us thyng, and that desiren we;
Preesse on us faste, and thanne wol we fle.
With daunger oute we al oure chaffare;
Greet prees at market maketh deere ware,
And to greet cheep is holde at litel prys:
This knoweth every womman that is wys.
My fifthe housbonde, God his soule blesse!
Which that I took for love, and no richesse,
He som tyme was a clerk of oxenford,
And hadde left scole, and wente at hom to bord
With my gossib, dwellynge in oure toun;
God have hir soule! hir name was alisoun.
She knew myn herte, and eek my privetee,
Bet than oure parisshe preest, so moot I thee!
To hire biwreyed I my conseil al.
For hadde myn housbonde pissed on a wal,
Or doon a thyng that sholde han cost his lyf,
To hire, and to another worthy wyf,
And to my nece, which that I loved weel,
I wolde han toold his conseil every deel.
And so I dide ful often, God it woot,
That made his face often reed and hoot
For verray shame, and blamed hymself for he
Had toold to me so greet a pryvetee.
And so bifel that ones in a lente --
So often tymes I to my gossyb wente,
For evere yet I loved to be gay,
And for to walke in march, averill, and may,
Fro hous to hous, to heere sondry talys --
That jankyn clerk, and my gossyb dame alys,
And I myself, into the feeldes wente.
Myn housbonde was at londoun al that lente;
I hadde the bettre leyser for to pleye,
And for to se, and eek for to be seye
Of lusty folk. What wiste I wher my grace
Was shapen for to be, or in what place?
Therfore I made my visitaciouns
To vigilies and to processiouns,
To prechyng eek, and to thise pilgrimages,
To pleyes of myracles, and to mariages,
And wered upon my gaye scarlet gytes.
Thise wormes, ne thise motthes, ne thise mytes,
Upon my peril, frete hem never a deel;
And wostow why? for they were used weel.
Now wol I tellen forth what happed me.
I seye that in the feeldes walked we,
Til trewely we hadde swich daliance,
This clerk and I, that of my purveiance
I spak to hym and seyde hym how that he,
If I were wydwe, sholde wedde me.
For certeinly, I sey for no bobance,
Yet was I nevere withouten purveiance
Of mariage, n' of othere thynges eek.
I holde a mouses herte nat worth a leek
That hath but oon hole for to sterte to,
And if that faille, thanne is al ydo.
I bar hym on honde he hadde enchanted me, --
My dame taughte me that soutiltee.
And eek I seyde I mette of hym al nyght,
He wolde han slayn me as I lay upright,
And al my bed was ful of verray blood;
But yet I hope that he shal do me good,
For blood bitokeneth gold, as me was taught.
And al was fals; I dremed of it right naught,
But as I folwed ay my dames loore,
As wel of this as of othere thynges moore.
But now, sire, lat me se, what I shal seyn?
A ha! by god, I have my tale ageyn.
Whan that my fourthe housbonde was on beere,
I weep algate, and made sory cheere,
As wyves mooten, for it is usage,
And with my coverchief covered my visage,
But for that I was purveyed of a make,
I wepte but smal, and that I undertake.
To chirche was myn housbonde born a-morwe
With neighebores, that for hym maden sorwe;
And jankyn, oure clerk, was oon of tho.
As help me god! whan that I saugh hym go
After the beere, me thoughte he hadde a paire
Of legges and of feet so clene and faire
That al myn herte I yaf unto his hoold.
He was, I trowe, a twenty wynter oold,
And I was fourty, if I shal seye sooth;
But yet I hadde alwey a coltes tooth.
Gat-tothed I was, and that bicam me weel;
I hadde the prente of seinte venus seel.
As help me god! I was a lusty oon,
And faire, and riche, and yong, and wel bigon;
And trewely, as myne housbondes tolde me,
I hadde the beste quoniam myghte be.
For certes, I am al venerien
In feelynge, and myn herte is marcien.
Venus me yaf my lust, my likerousnesse,
And mars yaf me my sturdy hardynesse;
Myn ascendent was taur, and mars therinne.
Allas! allas! that evere love was synne!
I folwed ay myn inclinacioun
By vertu of my constellacioun;
That made me I koude noght withdrawe
My chambre of venus from a good felawe.
Yet have I martes mark upon my face,
And also in another privee place.
For God so wys be my savacioun,
I ne loved nevere by no discrecioun,
But evere folwede myn appetit,
Al were he short, or long, or blak, or whit;
I took no kep, so that he liked me,
How poore he was, ne eek of what degree.
What sholde I seye? but, at the monthes ende,
This joly clerk, jankyn, that was so hende,
Hath wedded me with greet solempnytee;
And to hym yaf I al the lond and fee
That evere was me yeven therbifoore.
But afterward repented me ful soore;
He nolde suffre nothyng of my list.
By god! he smoot me ones on the lyst,
For that I rente out of his book a leef,
That of the strook myn ere wax al deef.
Stibourn I was as is a leonesse,
And of my tonge verray jangleresse,
And walke I wolde, as I had doon biforn,
From hous to hous, although he had it sworn;
For which he often tymes wolde preche,
And me of olde romayn geestes teche;
How he symplicius gallus lefte his wyf,
And hire forsook for terme of al his lyf,
Noght but for open-heveded he hir say
Lookynge out at his dore upon a day.
Another romayn tolde he me by name,
That, for his wyf was at a someres game
Withouten his wityng, he forsook hire eke.
And thanne wolde he upon his bible seke
That ilke proverbe of ecclesiaste
Where he comandeth, and forbedeth faste,
Man shal nat suffre his wyf go roule aboute.
Thanne wolde he seye right thus, withouten doute:
-whoso that buyldeth his hous al of salwes,
And priketh his blynde hors over the falwes,
And suffreth his wyf to go seken halwes,
Is worthy to been hanged on the galwes! --
But al for noght, I sette noght an hawe
Of his proverbes n' of his olde sawe,
Ne I wolde nat of hym corrected be.
I hate hym that my vices telleth me,
And so doo mo, God woot, of us than I.
This made hym with me wood al outrely;
I nolde noght forbere hym in no cas.
Now wol I seye yow sooth, by seint thomas,
Why that I rente out of his book a leef,
For which he smoot me so that I was deef.
He hadde a book that gladly, nyght and day,
For his desport he wolde rede alway;
He cleped it valerie and theofraste,
At which book he lough alwey ful faste.
And eek ther was somtyme a clerk at rome,
A cardinal, that highte seint jerome,
That made a book agayn jovinian;
In which book eek ther was tertulan,
Crisippus, trotula, and helowys,
That was abbesse nat fer fro parys;
And eek the parables of salomon,
Ovides art, and bookes many on,
And alle thise were bounden in o volume.
And every nyght and day was his custume,
Whan he hadde leyser and vacacioun
From oother worldly occupacioun,
To reden on this book of wikked wyves.
He knew of hem mo legendes and lyves
Than been of goode wyves in the bible.
For trusteth wel, it is an impossible
That any clerk wol speke good of wyves,
But if it be of hooly seintes lyves,
Ne of noon oother womman never the mo.
Who peyntede the leon, tel me who?
By god! if wommen hadde writen stories,
As clerkes han withinne hire oratories,
They wolde han writen of men moore wikkednesse
Than al the mark of adam may redresse.
The children of mercurie and of venus
Been in hir wirkyng ful contrarius;
Mercurie loveth wysdam and science,
And venus loveth ryot and dispence.
And, for hire diverse disposicioun,
Ech falleth in otheres exaltacioun.
And thus, God woot, mercurie is desolat
In pisces, wher venus is exaltat;
And venus falleth ther mercurie is reysed.
Therfore no womman of no clerk is preysed.
The clerk, whan he is oold, and may noght do
Of venus werkes worth his olde sho,
Thanne sit he doun, and writ in his dotage
That wommen kan nat kepe hir mariage!
But now to purpos, why I tolde thee
That I was beten for a book, pardee!
Upon a nyght jankyn, that was oure sire,
Redde on his book, as he sat by the fire,
Of eva first, that for hir wikkednesse
Was al mankynde broght to wrecchednesse,
For which that jhesu crist hymself was slayn,
That boghte us with his herte blood agayn.
Lo, heere expres of womman may ye fynde,
That womman was the los of al mankynde.
The redde he me how sampson loste his heres:
Slepynge, his lemman kitte it with hir sheres;
Thurgh which treson loste he bothe his yen.
Tho redde he me, if that I shal nat lyen,
Of hercules and of his dianyre,
That caused hym to sette hymself afyre.
No thyng forgat he the care and the wo
That socrates hadde with his wyves two;
How xantippa caste pisse upon his heed.
This sely man sat stille as he were deed;
He wiped his heed, namoore dorste he seyn,
But -- er that thonder stynte, comth a reyn! --
Of phasipha, that was the queen of crete,
For shrewednesse, hym thoughte the tale swete;
Fy! spek namoore -- it is a grisly thyng --
Of hire horrible lust and hir likyng.
Of clitermystra, for hire lecherye,
That falsly made hire housbonde for to dye,
He redde it with ful good devocioun.
He tolde me eek for what occasioun
Amphiorax at thebes loste his lyf.
Myn housbonde hadde a legende of his wyf,
Eriphilem, that for an ouche of gold
Hath prively unto the grekes told
Wher that hir housbonde hidde hym in a place,
For which he hadde at thebes sory grace.
Of lyvia tolde he me, and of lucye:
They bothe made hir housbondes for to dye;
That oon for love, that oother was for hate.
Lyvia hir housbonde, on an even late,
Empoysoned hath, for that she was his fo;
Lucia, likerous, loved hire housbonde so
That, for he sholde alwey upon hire thynke,
She yaf hym swich a manere love-drynke
That he was deed er it were by the morwe;
And thus algates housbondes han sorwe.
Thanne tolde he me how oon latumyus
Compleyned unto his felawe arrius
That in his gardyn growed swich a tree
On which he seyde how that his wyves thre
Hanged hemself for herte despitus.
-- O leeve brother, -- quod this arrius,
-- Yif me a plante of thilke blissed tree,
And in my gardyn planted shal it bee. --
Of latter date, of wyves hath he red
That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed,
And lete hir lecchour dighte hire al the nyght,
Whan that the corps lay in the floor upright.
And somme han dryve nayles in hir brayn,
Whil that they slepte, and thus they had hem slayn.
Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hire drynke.
He spak moore harm than herte may bithynke;
And therwithal he knew of mo proverbes
Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes.
-- Bet is, -- quod he, -- thyn habitacioun
Be with a leon or foul dragoun,
Than with a womman usynge for to chyde --
-- Bet is, -- quod he, -- hye in the roof abyde,
Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous;
They been so wikked and contrarious,
They haten that hir housbondes loven ay. --
He seyde, -- a womman cast hir shame away,
Whan she cast of hir smok; -- and forthermo,
-- A fair womman, but she be chaast also,
Is lyk a gold ryng in a sowes nose. --
Who wolde wene, or who wolde suppose,
The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne?
And whan I saugh he wolde nevere fyne
To reden on this cursed book al nyght,
Al sodeynly thre leves have I plyght
Out of his book, right as he radde, and eke
I with my fest so took hym on the cheke
That in oure fyr he fil bakward adoun.
And he up stirte as dooth a wood leoun,
And with his fest he smoot me on the heed,
That in the floor I lay as I were deed.
And whan he saugh how stille that I lay,
He was agast, and wolde han fled his way,
Til atte laste out of my swogh I breyde.
-- O! hastow slayn me, false theef? -- I seyde,
-- And for my land thus hastow mordred me?
Er I be deed, yet wol I kisse thee. --
And neer he cam and kneled faire adoun,
And seyde, -- deere suster alisoun,
As help me god! I shal thee nevere smyte.
That I have doon, it is thyself to wyte.
Foryeve it me, and that I thee biseke! --
And yet eftsoones I hitte hym on the cheke,
And seyde, -- theef, thus muchel am I wreke;
Now wol I dye, I may no lenger speke. --
But atte laste, with muchel care and wo,
We fille acorded by us selven two.
He yaf me al the bridel in myn hond,
To han the governance of hous and lond,
And of his tonge, and of his hond also;
And made hym brenne his book anon right tho.
And whan that I hadde geten unto me,
By maistrie, al the soveraynette,
And that he seyde, -- myn owene trewe wyf,
Do as thee lust the terme of al thy lyf;
Keep thyn honour, and keep eek myn estaat --
After that day we hadden never debaat.
God helpe me so, I was to hym as kynde
As any wyf from denmark unto ynde,
And also trewe, and so was he to me.
I prey to god, that sit in magestee,
So blesse his soule for his mercy deere.
Now wol I seye my tale, if ye wol heere.
The frere lough, whan he hadde herd al this;
Now dame, quod he, so have I joye or blis,
This is a long preable of a tale!
And whan the somonour herde the frere gale,
Lo, quod the somonour, goddes armes two!
A frere wol entremette hym everemo.
Lo, goode men, a flye and eek a frere
Wol falle in every dyssh and eek mateere.
What spwkestow of preambulacioun?
What! amble, or trotte, or pees, or go sit doun!
Thou lettest oure disport in this manere.
Ye, woltow so, sire somonour? quod the frere;
Now, by my feith, I shal, er that I go,
Telle of a somonour swich a tale or two,
That alle the folk shal laughen in this place.
Now elles, frere, I bishrewe thy face,
Quod this somonour, and I bishrewe me,
But if I telle tales two or thre
Of freres, er I come to sidyngborne,
That I shal make thyn herte for to morne,
For wel I woot thy pacience is gon.
Oure hooste cride pees! and that anon!
And seyde, lat the womman telle hire tale.
Ye fare as folk that dronken ben of ale.
Do, dame, telle forth youre tale, and that is best.
Al redy, sire, quod she, right as yow lest,
If I have licence of this worthy frere.
Yis, dame, quod he, tel forth, and I wol heere.

The Wife of Bath's Tale

In th' olde dayes of the kyng arthour,
Of which that britons speken greet honour,
Al was this land fulfild of fayerye.
The elf-queene, with hir joly compaignye,
Daunced ful ofte in many a grene mede.
This was the olde opinion, as I rede;
I speke of manye hundred yeres ago.
But now kan no man se none elves mo,
For now the grete charitee and prayers
Of lymytours and othere hooly freres,
That serchen every lond and every streem,
As thikke as motes in the sonne-beem,
Blessynge halles, chambres, kichenes, boures,
Citees, burghes, castels, hye toures,
Thropes, bernes, shipnes, dayeryes --
This maketh that ther ben no fayeryes.
For ther as wont to walken was an elf,
Ther walketh now the lymytour hymself
In undermeles and in morwenynges,
And seyth his matyns and his hooly thynges
As he gooth in his lymytacioun.
Wommen may go now saufly up and doun.
In every bussh or under every tree
Ther is noon oother incubus but he,
And he ne wol doon hem but dishonour.
And so bifel it that this kyng arthour
Hadde in his hous a lusty bacheler,
That on a day cam ridynge fro ryver;
And happed that, allone as he was born,
He saugh a mayde walkynge hym biforn,
Of which mayde anon, maugree hir heed,
By verray force, he rafte hire maydenhed;
For which oppressioun was swich clamour
And swich pursute unto the kyng arthour,
That dampned was this knyght for to be deed,
By cours of lawe, and sholde han lost his heed --
Paraventure swich was the statut tho --
But that the queene and othere ladyes mo
So longe preyeden the kyng of grace,
Til he his lyf hym graunted in the place,
And yaf hym to the queene, al at hir wille,
To chese wheither she wolde hym save or spille.
The queene thanketh the kyng with al hir myght,
And after this thus spak she to the knyght,
Whan that she saugh hir tyme, upon a day:
Thou standest yet, quod she, in swich array
That of thy lyf yet hastow no suretee.
I grante thee lyf, if thou kanst tellen me
What thyng is it that wommen moost desiren.
Be war, and keep thy nekke-boon from iren!
And if thou kanst nat tellen it anon,
Yet wol I yeve thee leve for to gon
A twelf-month and a day, to seche and leere
An answere suffisant in this mateere;
And suretee wol I han, er that thou pace,
Thy body for to yelden in this place.
Wo was this knyght, and sorwefully he siketh;
But what! he may nat do al as hym liketh.
And at the laste he chees hym for to wende,
And come agayn, right at the yeres ende,
With swich answere as God wolde hym purveye;
And taketh his leve, and wendeth froth his weye.
He seketh every hous and and every place
Where as he hopeth for to fynde grace,
To lerne what thyng wommen loven moost;
But he ne koude arryven in no coost
Wher as he myghte fynde in this mateere
Two creatures accordynge in-feere.
Somme seyde wommen loven best richesse,
Somme seyde honour, somme seyde jolynesse,
Somme riche array, somme seyden lust abedde,
And oftetyme to be wydwe and wedde.
Somme seyde that oure hertes been moost esed
Whan that we ben yflatered and yplesed.
He gooth ful ny the sothe, I wol nat lye.
A man shal wynne us best with flaterye;
And with attendance, and with bisynesse,
Been we ylymed, bothe moore and lesse.
And somme seyen that we loven best
For to be free, and do right as us lest,
And that no man repreve us of oure vice,
But seye that we be wise, and no thyng nyce.
For trewely ther is noon of us alle,
If any wight wol clawe us on the galle,
That we nel kike, for he seith us sooth.
Assay, and he shal fynde it that so dooth;
For, be we never so vicious withinne,
We wol been holden wise and clene of synne.
And somme seyn that greet delit han we
For to been holden stable, and eek secree,
And in o purpos stedefastly to dwelle,
And nat biwreye thyng that men us telle.
But that tale is nat worth a rake-stele.
Pardee, we wommen konne no thyng hele;
Witnesse on myda, -- wol ye heere the tale?
Ovyde, amonges othere thynges smale,
Seyde myda hadde, under his longe heres,
Growynge upon his heed two asses eres,
The whiche vice he hydde, as he best myghte,
Ful subtilly from every mannes sighte,
That, save his wyf, ther wiste of it namo.
He loved hire moost, and trusted hire also;
He preyede hire that to no creature
She sholde tellen of his disfigure.
She swoor him, nay, for al this world to wynne,
She nolde do that vileynye or synne,
To make hir housbonde han so foul a name.
She nolde nat telle it for hir owene shame.
But nathelees, hir thoughte that she dyde,
That she so longe sholde a conseil hyde;
Hir thoughte it swal so soore aboute hir herte
That nedely som word hire moste asterte;
And sith she dorste telle it to no man,
Doun to a mareys faste by she ran
Til she cam there, hir herte was a-fyre --
And as a bitore bombleth in the myre,
She leyde hir mouth unto the water doun:
Biwreye me nat, thou water, with thy soun,
Quod she; -- to thee I telle it and namo;
Myn housbonde hath longe asses erys two!
Now is myn herte al hool, now is it oute.
I myghte no lenger kepe it, out of doute.
Heere may ye se, thogh we a tyme abyde,
Yet out it moot; we kan no conseil hyde.
The remenant of the tale if ye wol heere,
Redeth ovyde, and ther ye may it leere.
This knyght, of which my tale is specially,
Than that he saugh he myghte nat come therby,
This is to seye, what wommen love moost,
Withinne his brest ful sorweful was the goost.
But hoom he gooth, he myghte nat sojourne;
The day was come that homward moste he tourne.
And in his wey it happed hym to ryde,
In al this care, under a forest syde,
Wher as he saugh upon a daunce go
Of ladyes foure and twenty, and yet mo;
Toward the whiche daunce he drow ful yerne,
In hope that som wysdom sholde he lerne.
But certeinly, er he cam fully there,
Vanysshed was this daunce, he nyste where.
No creature saugh he that bar lyf,
Save on the grene he saugh sittynge a wyf --
A fouler wight ther may no man devyse.
Agayn the knyght this olde wyf gan ryse,
And seyde, sire knyght, heer forth ne lith no wey.
Tel me what that ye seken, by youre fey!
Paraventure it may the bettre be;
Thise olde folk kan muchel thyng, quod she.
My leeve mooder, quod this knyght, certeyn
I nam but deed, but if that I kan seyn
What thyng it is that wommen moost desire.
Koude ye me wisse, I wolde wel quite youre hire.
Plight me thy trouthe heere in myn hand, quod she,
The nexte thyng that I requere thee,
Thou shalt it do, if it lye in thy myght,
And I wol telle it yow er it be nyght.
Have heer my trouthe, quod the knyght, I grante.
Thanne, quod she, I dar me wel avante
Thy lyf is sauf; for I wol stonde therby,
Upon my lyf, the queene wol seye as I.
Lat se which is the proudeste of hem alle,
That wereth on a coverchief or a calle,
That day seye nay of that I shal thee teche.
Lat us go forth, withouten lenger speche.
Tho rowned she a pistel in his ere,
And bad hym to be glad, and have no fere.
Whan they be comen to the court, this knyght
Seyde he had holde his day, as he hadde hight,
And redy was his answere, as he sayde.
Ful many a noble wyf, and many a mayde,
And many a wydwe, for that they been wise,
The queene hirself sittynge as a justise,
Assembled been, his answere for to heere;
And afterward this knyght was bode appeere.
To every wight comanded was silence,
And that the knyght sholde telle in audience
What thyng that worldly wommen loven best.
This knyght ne stood nat stille as doth a best,
But to his questioun anon answerde
With manly voys, that al the court it herde:
My lige lady, generally, quod he,
Wommen desiren to have sovereynetee
As wel over his housbond as hir love,
And for to been in maistrie hym above.
This is youre mooste desir, thogh ye me kille.
Dooth as yow list; I am heer at youre wille.
In al the court ne was ther wyf, ne mayde,
Ne wydwe, that contraried that he sayde,
But seyden he was worthy han his lyf.
And with that word up stirte the olde wyf,
Which that the knyght saugh sittynge on the grene:
Mercy, quod she, my sovereyn lady queene!
Er that youre court departe, do me right.
I taughte this answere unto the knyght;
For which he plighte me his trouthe there,
The firste thyng that I wolde hym requere,
He wolde it do, if it lay in his myghte.
Bifore the court thanne preye I thee, sir knyght,
Quod she, that thou me take unto thy wyf;
For wel thou woost that I have kept thy lyf.
If I seye fals, sey nay, upon thy fey!
This knyght answerde, allas! and weylawey!
I woot right wel that swich was my biheste.
For goddes love, as chees a newe requeste!
Taak al my good, and lat my body go.
Nay, thanne, quod she, I shrewe us bothe two!
For thogh that I be foul, and oold, and poore,
I nolde for al the metal, ne for oore,
That under erthe is grave, or lith above,
But if thy wyf I were, and eek thy love.
My love? quod he, nay, my dampnacioun!
Allas! that any of my nacioun
Sholde evere so foule disparaged be!
But al for noght; the ende is this, that he
Constreyned was, he nedes moste hire wedde;
And taketh his olde wyf, and gooth to bedde.
Now wolden som men seye, paraventure,
That for my necligence I do no cure
To tellen yow the joye and al th' array
That at the feeste was that ilke day.
To which thyng shortly answeren I shal:
I seye ther nas no joye ne feeste at al;
Ther nas but hevynesse and muche sorwe.
For prively he wedded hire on the morwe,
And al day after hidde hym as an owle,
So wo was hym, his wyf looked so foule.
Greet was the wo the knyght hadde in his thoght,
Whan he was with his wyf abedde ybroght;
He walweth and he turneth to and fro.
His olde wyf lay smylynge everemo,
And seyde, o deere housbonde, benedicitee!
Fareth every knyght thys with his wyf as ye?
Is this the lawe of kyng arthures hous?
Is every knyght of his so dangerous?
I am youre owene love and eek youre wyf;
I am she which that saved hath youre lyf,
And, certes, yet ne dide I yow nevere unright;
Why fare ye thus with me this firste nyght?
Ye faren lyk a man had lost his wit.
What is my gilt? for goddes love, tel me it,
And it shal been amende, if I may.
Amended? quod this knyght, allas! nay, nay!
It wol nat been amended nevere mo.
Thou art so loothly, and so oold also,
And therto comen of so lough a kynde,
That litel wonder is thogh I walwe and wynde.
So wolde God myn herte wolde breste!
Is this, quod she, the cause of youre unreste?
Ye, certeinly, quod he, no wonder is.
Now, sire, quod she, I koude amende al this,
If that me liste, er it were dayes thre,
So wel ye myghte bere yow unto me.
But, for ye speken of swich gentillesse
As is descended out of old richesse,
That therfore sholden ye be gentil men,
Swich arrogance is nat worth an hen.
Looke who that is moost vertuous alway,
Pryvee and apert, and moost entendeth ay
To do the gentil dedes that he kan;
Taak hym for the grettest gentil man.
Crist wole we clayme of hym oure gentillesse,
Nat of oure eldres for hire old richesse.
For thogh they yeve us al hir heritage,
For which we clayme to been of heigh parage,
Yet may they nat biquethe, for no thyng,
To noon of us hir vertuous lyvyng,
That made hem gentil men ycalled be,
And bad us folwen hem in swich degree.
Wel kan the wise poete of florence,
That highte dant, speken in this sentence.
Lo, in swich maner rym is dantes tale:
-- Ful selde up riseth by his brances smale
Prowesse of man, for god, of his goodnesse,
Wole that of hym we clayme oure gentillesse; --
For of oure eldres may we no thyng clayme
But temporel thyng, that man may hurte and mayme.
Eek every wight woot this as wel as I,
If gentillesse were planted natureelly
Unto a certeyn lynage doun the lyne,
Pryvee and apert, thanne wolde they nevere fyne
To doon of gentillesse the faire office;
They myghte do no vileynye or vice.
Taak fyr, and ber it in the derkeste hous
Bitwix this and the mount of kaukasous,
And lat men shette the dores and go thenne;
Yet wole the fyr as faire lye and brenne
As twenty thousand men myghte it biholde;
His office natureel ay wol it holde,
Up peril of my lyf, til that it dye.
Heere may ye se wel how that genterye
Is nat annexed to possessioun,
Sith folk ne doon hir operacioun
Alwey, as dooth the fyr, lo, in his kynde.
For, God it woot, men may wel often fynde
A lordes sone do shame and vileynye;
And he that wole han pris of his gentrye,
For he was boren of a gentil hous,
And hadde his eldres noble and vertuous,
And nel hymselven do no gentil dedis,
Ne folwen his gentil auncestre that deed is,
He nys nat gentil, be he duc or erl;
For vileyns synful dedes make a cherl.
For gentillesse nys but renomee
Of thyne auncestres, for hire heigh bountee,
Which is a strange thyng to thy persone.
Thy gentillesse cometh fro God allone.
Thanne comth oure verray gentillesse of grace;
It was no thyng biquethe us with oure place.
Thenketh how noble, as seith valerius,
Was thilke tullius hostillius,
That out of poverte roos to heigh noblesse.
Reedeth senek, and redeth eek boece;
Ther shul ye seen expres that it no drede is
That he is gentil that dooth gentil dedis.
And therfore, leeve housbonde, thus conclude:
Al were it that myne auncestres were rude,
Yet may the hye god, and so hope I,
Grante me grace to lyven vertuously.
Thanne am I gentil, whan that I bigynne
To lyven vertuously and weyve synne.
And ther as ye of poverte me repreeve,
The hye god, on whom that we bileeve,
In wilful poverte chees to lyve his lyf.
And certes every man, mayden, or wyf,
May understonde that jhesus, hevene kyng,
Ne wolde nat chese a vicious lyvyng.
Glad poverte is an honest thyng, certeyn;
This wole senec and othere clerkes seyn.
Whoso that halt hym payd of his poverte,
I holde hym riche, al hadde he nat a sherte.
He that coveiteth is a povre wight,
For he wolde han that is nat in his myght;
But he that noght hath, ne coveiteth have,
Is riche, although ye holde hym but a knave.
Verray poverte, it syngeth proprely;
Juvenal seith of poverte myrily:
-- The povre man, whan he goth by the weye,
Bifore the theves he may synge and pleye.
Poverte is hateful good and, as I gesse,
A ful greet bryngere out of bisynesse;
A greet amendere eek of sapience
To hym that taketh it in pacience.
Poverte is this, although it seme alenge,
Possessioun that no wight wol chalenge.
Poverte ful ofte, whan a man is lowe,
Maketh his God and eek hymself to knowe.
Poverte a spectacle is, as thynketh me,
Thurgh which he may his verray freendes see.
And therfore, sire, syn that I noght yow greve,
Of my poverte namoore ye me repreve.
No, sire, of elde ye repreve me;
And certes, sire, thogh noon auctoritee
Were in no book, ye gentils of honour
Seyn that men sholde an oold wight doon favour,
And clepe hym fader, for youre gentillesse;
And auctours shal I fynde, as I gesse.
Now ther ye seye that I am foul and old,
Than drede you noght to been a cokewold;
For filthe and eelde, also moot I thee,
Been grete wardeyns upon chastitee.
But nathelees, syn I knowe youre delit,
I shal fulfille youre worldly appetit.
Chese now, quod she, oon of thise thynges tweye:
To han me foul and old til that I deye,
And be to yow a trewe, humble wyf,
And nevere yow displese in al my lyf;
Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair,
And take youre aventure of the repair
That shal be to youre hous by cause of me,
Or in som oother place, may wel be.
Now chese yourselven, wheither that yow liketh.
This knyght avyseth hym and sore siketh,
But atte laste he seyde in this manere:
My lady and my love, and wyf so deere,
I put me in youre wise governance;
Cheseth youreself which may be moost plesance,
And moost honour to yow and me also.
I do no fors the wheither of the two;
For as yow liketh, it suffiseth me.
Thanne have I gete of yow maistrie, quod she,
Syn I may chese and governe as me lest?
Ye, certes, wyf, quod he, I holde it best.
Kys me, quod she, we be no lenger wrothe;
For, by my trouthe, I wol be to yow bothe,
This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good.
I prey to God that I moote sterven wood,
But I to yow be also good and trewe
As evere was wyf, syn that the world was newe.
And but I be to-morn as fair to seene
As any lady, emperice, or queene,
That is bitwixe the est and eke the west,
Dooth with my lyf and deth right as yow lest.
Cast up the curtyn, looke how that it is.
And whan the knyght saugh verraily al this,
That she so fair was, and so yong therto,
For joye he hente hire in his armes two,
His herte bathed in a bath of blisse.
A thousand tyme a-rewe he gan hire kisse,
And she obeyed hym in every thyng
That myghte doon hym plesance or likyng.
And thys they lyve unto hir lyves ende
In parfit joye; and jhesu crist us sende
Housbondes meeke, yonge, and fressh abedde,
And grace t' overbyde hem that we wedde;
And eek I praye jhesu shorte hir lyves
That wol nat be governed by hir wyves;
And olde and angry nygardes of dispence,
God sende hem soone verray pestilence!

The Friar's Prologue

This worthy lymytour, this noble frere,
He made alwey a maner louryng chiere
Upon the somonour, but for honestee
No vileyns word as yet to hym spak he.
But atte laste he seyde unto the wyf,
Dame, quod he, God yeve yow right good lyf!
Ye han heer touched, also moot I thee,
In scole-matere greet difficultee.
Ye han seyd muche thyng right wel, I seye;
But, dame, heere as we ryde by the weye,
Us nedeth nat to speken but of game,
And lete auctoritees, on goddes name,
To prechyng and to scole eek of clergye.
But if it lyke to this compaignye,
I wol yow of a somonour telle a game.
Pardee, ye may wel knowe by the name
That of a somonour may no good be sayd;
I praye that noon of you be yvele apayd.
A somonour is a rennere up and doun
With mandementz for fornicacioun,
And is ybet at every townes ende.
Oure hoost tho spak, a! sire, ye sholde be hende
And curteys, as a man of youre estaat;
In compaignye we wol have no debaat.
Telleth youre tale, and lat the somonour be.
Nay, quod the somonour, lat hym seye to me
What so hym list; whan it comth to me lot,
By god! I shal hym quiten every grot.
I shal hym tellen which a greet honour
It is to be a flaterynge lymytour;
And eek of many another manere cryme
Which nedeth nat rehercen at this tyme;
And his office I shal hym telle, ywis.
Oure hoost answerde, pees, namoore of this!
And after this he seyde unto the frere,
Tel forth youre tale, my leeve maister deere.

The Friar's Tale

Whilom ther was dwellynge in my contree
And erchedeken, a man of heigh degree,
That boldely dide execucioun
In punysshynge of fornicacioun,
Of wicchecraft, and eek of bawderye,
Of difamacioun, and avowtrye,
Of chirche reves, and of testamentz,
Of contractes and of lakke of sacramentz,
Of usure, and of symonye also.
But certes, lecchours dide he grettest wo;
They sholde syngen if that they were hent;
And smale tytheres weren foule yshent,
If any persoun wolde upon hem pleyne.
Ther myghte asterte hym no pecunyal peyne.
For smale tithes and for smal offrynge
He made the peple pitously to synge.
For er the bisshop caughte hem with his hook,
They weren in the erchedeknes book.
Thanne hadde he, thurgh his jurisdiccioun,
Power to doon on hem correccioun.
He hadde a somonour redy to his hond;
A slyer boye nas noon in engelond;
For subtilly he hadde his espiaille,
That taughte hym wel wher that hym myghte availle.
He koude spare of lecchours oon or two,
To techen hym to foure and twenty mo.
For thogh this somonour wood were as an hare,
To telle his harlotrye I wol nat spare;
For we been out of his correccioun.
They han of us no jurisdiccioun,
Ne nevere shullen, terme of alle hir lyves. --
Peter! so been the wommen of the styves,
Quod the somonour, yput out of oure cure!
Pees! with myschance and with mysaventure!
Thys seyde oure hoost, and lat hym telle his tale.
Now telleth forth, thogh that the somonour gale;
Ne spareth nat, myn owene maister deere. --
This false theef, this somonour, quod the frere,
Hadde alwey bawdes redy to his hond,
As any hauk to lure in engelond,
That tolde hym al the secree that they knewe;
For hire acqueyntace was nat come of newe.
They weren his approwours prively.
He took hymself a greet profit therby;
His maister knew nat alwey what he wan.
Withouten mandement a lewed man
He koude somne, on peyne of cristes curs,
And they were glade for to fille his purs,
And make hym grete feestes atte nale.
And right as judas hadde purses smale,
And was a theef, right swich a theef was he;
His maister hadde but half his duetee.
He was, if I shal yeven hym his laude,
A theef, and eek a somnour, and baude.
He hadde eek wenches at his retenue,
That, wheither that sir robert or sir huwe,
Or jakke, or rauf, or whoso that it were
That lay by hem, they tolde it in his ere.
Thus was the wenche and he of oon assent;
And he wolde fecche a feyned mandement,
And somne hem to chapitre bothe two,
And pile the man, and lete the wenche go.
Thanne wolde he seye, freend, I shal for thy sake
Do striken hire out of oure lettres blake;
Thee thar namoore as in this cas travaille.
I am thy freend, ther I thee may availle.
Certeyn he knew of briberyes mo
Than possible is to telle in yeres two.
For in this world nys dogge for the bowe
That kan an hurt deer from an hool yknowe
Bet than this somnour knew a sly lecchour,
Or an avowtier, or a paramour.
And for that was the fruyt of al his rente,
Therfore on it he sette al his entente.
And so bifel that ones on a day
This somnour, evere waityng on his pray,
Rood for to somne an old wydwe, a ribibe,
Feynynge a cause, for he wolde brybe.
And happed that he saugh bifore hym ryde
A gay yeman, under a forest syde,
A bowe he bar, and arwes brighte and kene;
He hadde upon a courtepy of grene,
An hat upon his heed with frenges blake.
Sire, quod this somnour, hayl, and wel atake!
Welcome, quod he, and every good felawe!
Wher rydestow, under this grene-wode shawe?
Seyde this yeman, wiltow fer to day?
This somnour hym answerde and seyde, nay;
Heere faste by, quod he, is myn entente
To ryden, for to reysen up a rente
That longeth to my lordes duetee.
Artow thanne a bailly? ye, quod he.
He dorste nat, for verray filthe and shame
Seye that he was a somonour, for the name.
Depardieux, quod this yeman, deere broother,
Thou art a bailly, and I am another.
I am unknowen as in this contree;
Of thyn aqueyntance I wolde praye thee,
And eek of bretherhede, if that yow leste.
I have gold and silver in my cheste;
If that thee happe to comen in oure shire,
Al shal be thyn, right as thou wolt desire.
Grantmercy, quod this somonour, by my feith!
Everych on ootheres hand his trouthe leith,
For to be sworne bretheren til they deye.
In daliance they ryden forth and pleye.
This somonour, which that was as ful of jangles,
As ful of venym been thise waryangles,
And evere enqueryng upon every thyng,
Brother, quod he, where is now youre dwellyng
Another day if that I sholde yow seche?
This yeman hym answerde in softe speche,
Brother, quod he, fer in the north contree,
Where-as I hope som tyme I shal thee see.
Er we departe, I shal thee so wel wisse
That of myn hous ne shaltow nevere mysse.
Now, brother, quod this somonour, I yow preye,
Teche me, whil that we ryden by the weye,
Syn that ye been a baillif as am I,
Som subtiltee, and tel me feithfully
In myn office how that I may moost wynne;
And spareth nat for conscience ne synne,
But as my brother tel me, how do ye.
Now, by my trouthe, brother deere, seyde he,
As I shal tellen thee a feithful tale,
My wages been ful streite and ful smale.
My lord is hard to me and daungerous,
And myn office is ful laborous,
And therfore by extorcions I lyve.
For sothe, I take al that men wol me yive.
Algate,by gleyghte or by violence,
Fro yeer to yeer I wynne al my dispence.
I kan no bettre telle, feithfully.
Now certes, quod this somonour, so fare I.
I spare nat to taken, God it woot,
But if it be to hevy or to hoot.
What I may gete in conseil prively,
No maner conscience of that have I.
Nere myn extorcioun, I myghte nat lyven,
Ne of swiche japes wol I nat be shryven.
Stomak ne conscience ne knowe I noon;
I shrewe thise shrifte-fadres everychoon.
Wel be we met, by God and by seint jame!
But, leeve brother, tel me thanne thy name,
Quod this somonour. In this meene while
This yeman gan a litel for to smyle.
Brother, quod he, wiltow that I thee telle?
I am a feend; my dwellyng is in helle,
And heere I ryde aboute my purchasyng,
To wite wher men wol yeve me any thyng.
My purchas is th' effect of al my rente.
Looke how thou rydest for the same entente,
To wynne good, thou rekkest nevere how;
Right so fare I, for ryde wolde I now
Unto the worldes ende for a preye.
Al! quod this somonour, benedicite! sey ye?
I wende ye were a yeman trewely.
Ye han a mannes shap as wel as I;
Han ye a figure thanne determinat
In helle, ther ye been in youre estat?
Nay, certeinly, quod he, ther have we noon;
But whan us liketh, we kan take us oon,
Or elles make yow seme we been shape
Somtyme lyk a man, or lyk an ape,
Or lyk an angel kan I ryde or go.
It is no wonder thyng thogh it be so;
A lowsy jogelour kan deceyve thee,
And pardee, yet kan I moore craft than he.
Why, quod this somonour, ryde ye thanne or goon
In sondry shap, and nat alwey in oon?
For we, quod he, wol us swiche formes make
As moost able is oure preyes for to take.
What maketh yow to han al this labour?
Ful many a cause, leeve sire somonour,
Seyde this feend, but alle thyng hath tyme.
The day is short, and it is passed pryme,
And yet ne wan I nothyng in this day.
I wol entende to wynnyng, if I may,
And nat entende oure wittes to declare.
For, brother myn, thy wit is al to bare
To understonde, althogh I tolde hem thee.
But, for thou axest why labouren we --
For somtyme we been goddes instrumentz,
And meenes to doon his comandementz,
Whan that hym list, upon his creatures,
In divers art and in diverse figures.
Withouten hym we have no myght, certayn,
If that hym list stonden ther-agayn.
And somtyme, at oure prayere, han we leve
Oonly the body and nat the soule greve;
Witnesse on job, whom that we diden wo.
And somtyme han we myght of bothe two,
This is to seyn, of soule and body eke.
And somtyme be we suffred for to seke
Upon a man, and doon his soule unreste,
And nat his body, and al is for the beste.
Whan he withstandeth oure temptacioun,
It is a cause of his savacioun,
Al be it that it was nat oure entente
He sholde be sauf, but that we wolde hym hente.
And somtyme be we servant unto man,
As to the erchebisshop seint dunstan,
And to the apostles servent eek was I.
Yet tel me, quod the somonour, feithfully,
Make ye yow newe bodies thus alway
Of elementz? the feend answerde, nay.
Somtyme we feyne, and somtyme we aryse
With dede bodyes, in ful sondry wyse,
And speke as renably and faire and wel
As to the phitonissa dide samuel.
(and yet wol som men seye it was nat he;
I do no fors of youre dyvynytee.)
But o thyng warne I thee, I wol nat jape, --
Thou wolt algates wite how we been shape;
Thou shalt herafterward, my brother deere,
Come there thee nedeth nat of me to leere.
For thou shalt, by thyn owene experience,
Konne in a chayer rede of this sentence
Bet than virgile, while he was on lyve,
Or dant also. Now lat us ryde blyve,
For I wole holde compaignye with thee
Til it be so that thou forsake me.
Nay, quod this somonour, that shal nat bityde!
I am a yeman, knowen is ful wyde;
My trouthe wol I holde, as in this cas.
For though thou were the devel sathanas,
My trouthe wol I holde to my brother,
As I am sworn, and ech of us til oother,
For to be trewe brother in this cas;
And bothe we goon abouten oure purchas.
Taak thou thy part, what that men wol thee yive,
And I shal myn; thus may we bothe lyve.
And if that any of us have moore than oother,
Lat hym be trewe, and parte it with his brother.
I graunte, quod the devel, by my fey.
And with that word they ryden forth hir wey.
And right at the entryng of the townes ende,
To which this somonour shoop hym for to wende,
They saugh a cart that charged was with hey,
Which that a cartere droof forth in his wey.
Deep was the wey, for which the carte stood.
The cartere smoot, and cryde as he were wood,
Hayt, brok! hayt, scot! what spare ye for the stones?
The feend, quod he, yow fecche, body and bones,
As ferforthly as evere were ye foled,
So muche wo as I have with yow tholed!
The devel have al, bothe hors and cart and hey!
This somonour seyde, heere shal we have a pley.
And neer the feend he drough, as noght ne were,
Ful prively, and rowned in his ere:
Herkne, my brother, herkne, by thy feith!
Herestow nat how that the cartere seith?
Hent it anon, for he hath yeve it thee,
Bothe hey and cart, and eek his caples thre.
Nay, quod the devel, God woot, never a deel!
It is nat his entente, trust me weel.
Axe hym thyself, it thou nat trowest me;
Or elles stynt a while, and thou shalt see.
This cartere thakketh his hors upon the croupe,
And they bigonne to drawen and to stoupe.
Heyt! now, quod he, ther jhesu crist yow blesse,
And al his handwerk, bothe moore and lesse!
That was wel twight, myn owene lyard boy.
I pray God save thee, and seinte loy!
Now is my cart out of the slow, pardee!
Lo, brother, quod the feend, what tolde I thee?
Heere may ye se, myn owene deere brother,
The carl spak oo thing, but he thoghte another.
Lat us go forth abouten oure viage;
Heere wynne I nothyng upon cariage.
Whan that they coomen somwhat out of towne,
This somonour to his brother gan to rowne:
Brother, quod he, heere woneth an old rebekke,
That hadde almoost as lief to lese hire nekke
As for to yeve a peny of hir good.
I wole han twelf pens, though that she be wood,
Or I wol sompne hire unto oure office;
And yet, God woot, of hire knowe I no vice.
But for thou kanst nat, as in this contree,
Wynne thy cost, taak heer ensample of me.
This somonour clappeth at the wydwes gate.
Com out, quod he, thou olde virytrate!
I trowe thou hast som frere or preest with thee.
Who clappeth? seyde this wyf, benedicitee!
God save you, sire, what is youre sweete wille?
I have, quod he, of somonce here a bille;
Up peyne of cursyng, looke that thou be
To-morn bifore the erchedeknes knee,
T' answere to the court of certeyn thynges.
Now, lord, quod she, crist jhesu, kyng of kynges,
So wisly helpe me, as I ne may.
I have been syk, and that ful many a day.
I may nat go so fer, quod she, ne ryde,
But I be deed, so priketh it in my syde.
May I nat axe a libel, sire somonour,
And answere there by my procuratour
To swich thyng as men wole opposen me?
Yis, quod this somonour, pay anon, lat se,
Twelf pens to me, and I wol thee acquite.
I shal no profit han therby but lite;
My maister hath the profit, and nat I.
Com of, and lat me ryden hastily;
Yif me twelf pens, I may no lenger tarye.
Twelf pens! quod she, now, lady seinte marie
So wisly help me out of care and synne,
This wyde world thogh that I sholde wynne,
Ne have I nat twelf pens withinne myn hoold.
Ye knowen wel that I am povre and oold;
Kithe youre almesse on me povre wrecche.
Nay thanne, quod he, the foule feend me fecche
If I th' excuse, though thou shul be spilt!
 allas! quod she, God woot, I have no gilt.
Pay me, quod he, or by the swete seinte anne,
As I wol bere awey thy newe panne
For dette which thou owest me of old.
Whan that thou madest thyn housbonde cokewold,
I payde at hoom for thy correccioun.
Thou lixt! quod she, by my savacioun,
Ne was I nevere er now, wydwe ne wyf,
Somoned unto youre court in al my lyf;
Ne nevere I nas but of my body trewe!
Unto the devel blak and rough of hewe
Yeve I thy body and my panne also!
And whan the devel herde hire cursen so
Upon hir knees, he seyde in this manere,
Now, mabely, myn owene mooder deere,
Is this youre wyl in ernest that ye seye?
The devel, quod she, so fecche hym er he deye,
And panne and al, but he wol hym repente!
Nay, olde stot, that is nat myn entente,
Quod this somonour, for to repente me
For any thyng that I have had of thee.
I wolde I hadde thy smok and every clooth!
Now, brother, quod the devel, be nat wrooth;
Thy body and this panne been myne by right.
Thow shalt with me to helle yet to-nyght,
Where thou shalt knowen of oure privetee
Moore than a maister of dyvynytee.
And with that word this foule feend hym hente;
Body and soule he with the devel wente
Where as that somonours han hir heritage.
And god, that maked after his ymage
Mankynde, save and gyde us, alle and some,
And leve thise somonours goode men bicome!
Lordynges, I koude han toold yow, quod this frere,
Hadde I had leyser for this somonour heere,
After the text of crist, poul, and john,
And of oure othere doctours many oon,
Swiche peynes that youre hertes myghte agryse,
Al be it so no tonge may it devyse,
Thogh that I myghte a thousand wynter telle
The peynes of thilke cursed hous of helle.
But for to kepe us fro that cursed place,
Waketh, and preyeth jhesu for his grace
So kepe us from the temptour sathanas.
Herketh this word! beth war, as in this cas:
The leoun sit in his awayt alway
To sle the innocent, if that he may.
Disposeth ay youre hertes to withstonde
The feend, that yow wolde make thral and bonde.
He may nat tempte yow over youre myght,
For crist wol be youre champion and knyght.
And prayeth that thise somonours hem repente
Of hir mysdedes, er that the feend hem hente!

The Summoner's Prologue

This somonour in his styropes hye stood;
Upon this frere his herte was so wood
That lyk an aspen leef he quook for ire.
Lordynges, quod he, but o thyng I desire;
I yow biseke that, of youre curteisye,
Syn ye han herd this false frere lye,
As suffreth me I may my tale telle.
This frere bosteth that he knoweth helle,
And God it woot, that it is litel wonder;
Freres and feendes been but lyte asonder.
For, pardee, ye han ofte tyme herd telle
How that a frere ravyshed was to helle
In spirit ones by a visioun;
And as an angel ladde hym up and doun,
To shewen hym the peynes that the were,
In al the place saugh he nat a frere;
Of oother folk he saugh ynowe in wo.
Unto this angel spak the frere tho:
Now, sire, quod he, han freres swich a grace
That noon of hem shal come to this place?
Yis, quod this aungel, many a millioun!
And unto sathanas he ladde hym doun.
-- And now hath sathanas, -- seith he, -- a tayl
Brodder than of a carryk is the sayl.
Hold up thy tayl, thou sathanas! -- quod he;
 -- shewe forth thyn ers, and lat the frere se
Where is the nest of freres in this place! --
And er that half a furlong wey of space,
Right so as bees out swarmen from an hyve,
Out of the develes ers ther gonne dryve
Twenty thousand freres on a route,
And thurghout helle swarmed al aboute,
And comen agayn as faste as they may gon,
And in his ers they crepten everychon.
He clapte his tayl agayn and lay ful stille.
This frere, whan he looked hadde his fille
Upon the tormentz of this sory place,
His spirit God restored, of his grace,
Unto his body agayn, and he awook.
But natheles, for fere yet he quook,
So was the develes ers ay in his mynde,
That is his heritage of verray kynde.
God save yow alle, save this cursed frere!
My prologe wol I ende in this manere.

The Summoner's Tale

Lordynges, ther is in yorkshire, as I gesse,
A mersshy contree called holdernesse,
In which ther wente a lymytour aboute,
To preche, and eek to begge, it so no doute.
And so bifel that on a day this frere
Hadde preched at a chirche in his manere,
And specially, aboven every thyng,
Excited he the peple in his prechyng
To trentals, and to yeve, for goddes sake,
Wherwith men myghte hooly houses make,
Ther as divine servyce is honoured,
Nat ther as it is wasted and devoured,
Ne ther it nedeth nat for to be yive,
As to possessioners, that mowen lyve,
Thanked be god, in wele and habundaunce.
Trentals, seyde he, deliveren fro penaunce
Hir freendes soules, as wel olde as yonge, --
Ye, whan that they been hastily ysonge,
Nat for to holde a preest holy and gay --
He syngeth nat but o masse in a day.
Delivereth out, quod he, anon the soules!
Ful hard it is with flesshhook or with oules
To been yclawed, or to brenne or bake.
Now spede yow hastily, for cristes sake!
And whan this frere had seyd al his entente,
With qui cum patre forth his wey he wente.
Whan folk in chirche had yeve him what hem leste,
He wente his wey, no lenger wolde he reste,
With scrippe and tipped staf, ytukked hye,
In every hous he gan to poure and prye,
And beggeth mele and chese, or elles corn.
His felawe hadde a staf tipped with horn,
A peyre of tables al of yvory,
And a poyntel polysshed fetisly,
And wrooth the names alwey, as he stood,
Of alle folk that yaf hym any good,
Ascaunces that he wolde for hem preye.
Yif us a busshel whete, malt, or reye,
A goddes kechyl, or a trype of chese,
Or elles what yow lyst, we may nat cheese;
A goddes halfpeny, or a masse peny,
Or yif us of youre brawn, if ye have eny;
A dagon of youre blanket, leeve dame,
Oure suster deere, -- lo! heere I write youre name, --
Bacon or beef, or swich thyng as ye fynde.
A sturdy harlot wente ay hem bihynde,
That was hir hostes man, and bar a sak,
And what men yaf hem, leyde it on his bak.
And whan that he was out at dore, anon
He planed awey the names everichon
That he biforn had writen in his tables;
He served hem with nyfles and with fables.
Nay, ther thou lixt, thou somonour! quod the frere.
Pees, quod oure hoost, for cristes mooder deere!
Tel forth thy tale, and spare it nat at al.
So thryve I, quod this somonour, so I shal!
So longe he wente, hous by hous, til he
Cam til an hous ther he was wont to be
Refresshed moore than in an hundred placis.
Syk lay the goode man whos that the place is;
Bedrede upon a couche lowe he lay.
Deus hic! quod he, o thomas, freend, good day!
Seyde this frere, curteisly and softe.
Thomas, quod he, God yelde yow! ful ofte
Have I upon this bench faren ful weel;
Heere have I eten many a myrie meel.
And fro the bench he droof awey the cat,
And leyde adoun his potente and his hat,
And eek his scrippe, and sette hym softe adoun.
His felawe was go walked into toun
Forth with his knave, into that hostelrye
Where as he shoop hym thilke nyght to lye.
O deere maister, quod this sike man,
How han ye fare sith that march bigan?
I saugh yow noght this fourtenyght or moore.
God woot, quod he, laboured have I ful soore,
And specially, for thy savacion
Have I seyd many a precious orison,
And for oure othere freendes, God hem blesse!
I have to day been at youre chirche at messe,
And seyd a sermon after my symple wit,
Nat al after the text of hooly writ;
For it is hard to yow, as I suppose,
And therfore wol I teche yow al the glose.
Glosynge is a glorious thyng, certeyn,
For lettre sleeth, so as we clerkes seyn.
There have I taught hem to be charitable,
And spende hir good ther it is resonable;
And there I saugh oure dame, -- a! where is she?
Yond in the yerd I trowe that she be,
Seyde this man,and she wol come anon.
Ey, maister, welcome be ye, by seint john!
Seyde this wyf, how fare ye, hertely?
The frere ariseth up ful curteisly,
And hire embraceth in his armes narwe,
And kiste hire sweete, and chirketh as a sparwe
With his lyppes: dame, quod he, right weel,
As he that is youre servent every deel,
Thanked be god, that yow yaf soule and lyf!
Yet saugh I nat this day so fair a wyf
In al the chirche, God so save me!
Ye, God amende defautes, sire, quod she.
Algates, welcome be ye, by my fey!
Graunt mercy, dame, this have I founde alwey.
But of youre grete goodnesse, by youre leve,
I wolde prey yow that ye nat yow greve,
I wole with thomas speke a litel throwe.
Thise curatz been ful necligent and slowe
To grope tendrely a conscience
In shrift; in prechyng is my diligence,
And studie in petres wordes and in poules.
I walke, and fisshe cristen mennes soules,
To yelden jhesu crist his propre rente;
To sprede his word is set al myn entente.
Now, by youre leve, o deere sire, she,
Chideth him weel, for seinte trinitee!
He is as angry as a pissemyre,
Though that he have al that he kan desire,
Though I hym wrye a-nyght and make hym warm,
And over hym leye my leg outher myn arm,
He groneth lyk oure boor, lith in oure sty.
Oother desport right noon of hym have I;
I may nat plese hym in no maner cas.
O thomas, je vous dy, thomas! thomas!
This maketh the feend; this moste ben amended.
Ire is a thyng that hye God defended,
And therof wol I speke a word or two.
Now, maister, quod the wyf, er that I go,
What wol ye dyne? I wol go theraboute.
Now dame, quod he, now je vous dy sanz doute,
Have I nat of a capon but the lyvere,
And of youre softe breed nat but a shyvere,
And after that a rosted pigges heed --
But that I nolde no beest for me were deed --
Thanne hadde I with yow hoomly suffisaunce.
I am a man of litel sustenaunce;
My spirit hath his fostryng in the bible.
The body is ay so redy and penyble
To wake, that my stomak is destroyed.
I prey yow, dame, ye be nat anoyed,
Though I so freendly yow my conseil shewe.
By god! I wolde nat telle it but a fewe.
Now, sire, quod she, but o word er I go.
My child is deed withinne thise wykes two,
Soone after that ye wente out of this toun.
His deeth saugh I by revelacioun,
Seide this frere, at hoom in oure dortour.
I dar wel seyn that, er that half an hour
After his deeth, I saugh hym born to blisse
In myn avision, so God me wisse!
So didde oure sexteyn and oure fermerer,
That han been trewe freres fifty yeer;
They may now -- God be thanked of his loone! --
Maken hir jubilee and walke allone.
And up I roos, and al oure covent eke,
With many a teere trillyng on my cheke,
Withouten noyse or claterynge of belles;
Te deum was oure song, and nothyng elles,
Save that to crist I seyde an orison,
Thankynge hym of his revelacion.
For, sire and dame, trusteth me right weel,
Oure orisons been moore effectueel,
And moore we seen of cristes secree thynges,
Than burel folk, although they weren kynges.
We lyve in poverte and in abstinence,
And burell folk in richesse and despence
Of mete and drynke, and in hir foul delit.
We han this worldes lust al in despit.
Lazar and dives lyveden diversly,
And divers gerdon hadden they therby.
Whoso wol preye, he moot faste and be clene,
And fatte his soule, and make his body lene.
We fare as seith th' apostle; clooth and foode
Suffisen us, though they be nat ful goode.
The clennesse and the fastynge of us freres
Maketh that crist accepteth oure preyeres.
Lo, moyses fourty dayes and fourty nyght
Fasted, er that the heighe God of myght
Spak with hym in the mountayne of synay.
With empty wombe, fastynge many a day,
Receyved he the lawe that was writen
With goddes fynger; and elye, wel ye witen,
In mount oreb, er he hadde any speche
With hye god, that is oure lyves leche,
He fasted longe, and was in contemplaunce.
Aaron, that hadde the temple in governaunce,
And eek the othere preestes everichon,
Into the temple whan they sholde gon
To preye for the peple, and do servyse,
They nolden drynken in no maner wyse
No drynke which that myghte hem dronke make,
But there in abstinence preye and wake,
Lest that they deyden. Taak heede what I seye!
But they be sobre that for the peple preye,
War that I seye -- namoore, for it suffiseth.
Oure lord jhesu, as hooly writ devyseth,
Yaf us ensample of fastynge and preyeres.
Therfore we mendynantz, we sely freres,
Been wedded to poverte and continence,
To charite, humblesse, and abstinence,
To persecucioun for rightwisnesse,
To wepynge, misericorde, and clennesse.
And therfore may ye se that oure preyeres --
I speke of us, we mendynantz, we freres --
Been to the hye God moore acceptable
Than youres, with youre feestes at the table.
Fro paradys first, if I shal nat lye,
Was man out chaced for his glotonye;
And chaast was man in paradys, certeyn.
But herkne now, thomas, what I shal seyn.
I ne have no text of it, as I suppose,
But I shal fynde it in a maner glose,
That specially oure sweete lord jhesus
Spak this by freres, whan he seyde thus:
-- Blessed be they that povere in spirit been. --
And so forth al the gospel may ye seen,
Wher it be likker oure professioun,
Or hirs that swymmen in possessioun.
Fy on hire pompe and on hire glotonye!
And for hir lewednesse I hem diffye.
My thynketh they been lyk jovinyan,
Fat as a whale, and walkynge as a swan,
Al vinolent as botel in the spence.
Hir preyere is of ful greet reverence,
Whan they for soules seye the psalm of davit;
Lo, -- buf! -- they seye, -- cor meum eructavit! --
Who folweth cristes gospel and his foore,
But we that humble been, and chaast, and poore,
Werkeris of goddes word, nat auditours?
Therfore, right as an hauk up at a sours
Up springeth into th' eir, right so prayeres
Of charitable and chaste bisy freres
Maken hir sours to goddes eres two.
Thomas! thomas! so moote I ryde or go,
And by that lord that clepid is seint yve,
Nere thou oure brother, sholdestou nat thryve.
In our chapitre prayer we day and nyght
To crist, that he thee sende heele and myght
Thy body for to weelden hastily.
God woot, quod he, nothyng therof feele i!
As help me crist, as I in fewe yeres,
Have spent upon diverse manere freres
Ful many a pound; yet fare I never the bet.
Certeyn, my good have I almoost biset.
Farwel, my gold, for it is al ago!
The frere answerde, o thomas, dostow so?
What nedeth yow diverse freres seche?
What nedeth hym that hath a parfit leche
To sechen othere leches in the toun?
Youre inconstance is youre confusioun.
Holde ye thanne me, or elles oure covent,
To praye for yow been insufficient?
Thomas, that jape nys nat worth a myte.
Youre maladye is for we han to lyte.
A! yif that covent half a quarter otes!
A! yif that covent foure and twenty grotes!
A! yif that frere a peny, and lat hym go!
Nay, nay, thomas, it may no thyng be so!
What is a ferthyng worth parted in twelve?
Lo, ech thyng that is oned in himselve
Is moore strong than whan it is toscatered.
Thomas, of me thou shalt nat been yflatered;
Thou woldest han oure labour al for noght.
The hye god, that al this world hath wroght,
Seith that the werkman worthy is his hyre.
Thomas, noght of youre tresor I desire
As for myself, but that al oure covent
To preye for yow is ay so diligent,
And for to buylden cristes owene chirche.
Thomas, if ye wol lernen for to wirche,
Of buyldynge up of chirches may ye fynde,
If it be good, in thomas lyf of inde.
Ye lye heere ful of anger and of ire,
With which the devel set youre herte afyre,
And chiden heere the sely innocent,
Youre wyf, that is so meke and pacient.
And therfore, thomas, trowe me if thee leste,
Ne stryve nat with thy wyf, as for thy beste;
And ber this word awey now, by thy feith,
Touchynge swich thyng, lo, what the wise seith:
-- Withinne thyn hous ne be thou no leon;
To thy subgitz do noon oppression,
Ne make thyne aqueyntances nat to flee. --
And, thomas, yet eft-soones I charge thee,
Be war from hire that in thy bosom slepeth;
War fro the serpent that so slily crepeth
Under the gras, and styngeth subtilly.
Be war, my sone, and herkne paciently,
That twenty thousand men han lost hir lyves
For stryvyng with hir lemmans and hir wyves.
Now sith ye han so hooly and meke a wyf,
What nedeth yow, thomas, to maken stryf?
Ther nys, ywys, no serpent so cruel,
Whan man tret on his tayl, ne half so fel,
As womman is, whan she hath caught an ire;
Vengeance is thanne al that they desire.
Ire is a synne, oon of the grete of sevene,
Abhomynable unto the God of hevene;
And to hymself it is destruccion.
This every lewed viker or person
Kan seye, how ire engendreth homycide.
Ire is, in sooth, executour of pryde.
I koude of ire seye so muche sorwe,
My tale sholde laste til to-morwe.
And therfore preye I god, bothe day and nyght,
An irous man, God sende hym litel myght!
It is greet harm and certes greet pitee
To sette an irous man in heigh degree.
Whilom ther was an irous potestat,
As seith senek, that, durynge his estaat,
Upon a day out ryden knyghtes two,
And as fortune wolde that it were so,
That oon of hem cam hoom, that oother noght.
Anon the knyght bifore the juge is broght,
That seyde thus, -- thou hast thy felawe slayn,
For which I deme thee to the deeth, certayn. --
And to another knyght comanded he,
-- Go lede hym to the deeth, I charge thee, --
And happed, as they wente by the weye
Toward the place ther he sholde deye,
The knyght cam which men wenden had be deed.
Thanne thoughte they it were the beste reed
To lede hem bothe to the juge agayn.
They seiden, -lord, the knyght ne hath nat slayn
His felawe; heere he standeth hool alyve. --
-- Ye shul be deed, -- quod he, -- so moot I thryve!
That is to seyn, bothe oon, and two, and thre! --
And to the firste knyght right thus spak he,
-- I dampned thee; thou most algate be deed.
And thou also most nedes lese thyn heed,
For thou art cause why thy felawe deyth. --
And to the thridde knyght right thus he seith,
-- Thou hast nat doon that I comanded thee. --
And thus he dide doon sleen hem alle thre.
Irous cambises was eek dronkelewe,
And ay delited hym to been a shrewe.
And so bifel, a lord of his meynee,
That loved vertuous moralitee,
Seyde on a day bitwix hem two right thus:
-- A lord is lost, if he be vicius;
And dronkenesse is eek a foul record
Of any man, and namely in a lord.
Ther is ful many an eye and many an ere
Awaityng on a lord, and he noot where.
For goddes love, drynk moore attemprely!
Wyn maketh man to lesen wrecchedly
His mynde and eek his lymes everichon. --
-- The revers shaltou se, -- quod he, -- anon,
And preve it by thyn owene experience,
That wyn ne dooth to folk no swich offence.
Ther is no wyn bireveth me my myght
Of hand ne foot, ne of myne eyen sight. --
And for despit he drank ful muchel moore,
An hondred part, than he hadde don bifoore;
And right anon this irous, cursed wrecche
Leet this knyghtes sone bifore hym fecche,
Comandynge hym he sholde bifore hym stonde.
And sodeynly he took his bowe in honde,
And up the streng he pulled to his ere,
And with an arwe he slow the child right there.
-- Now wheither have I a siker hand or noon? --
Quod he; -- is al my myght and mynde agon?
Hath wyn bireved me myn eyen sight? --
What sholde I telle th' answere of the knyght?
His sone was slayn, ther is namoore to seye.
Beth war, therfore, with lordes how ye pleye.
Syngeth placebo, and -- I shal, if I kan, --
But if it be unto a povre man.
To a povre man men sholde his vices telle,
But nat to a lord, thogh he sholde go to helle.
Lo irous cirus, thilke percien,
How he destroyed the ryver of gysen,
For that an hors of his was dreynt therinne,
Whan that he wente babiloigne to wynne.
He made that the ryver was so smal
That wommen myghte wade it over al.
Lo, what seyde he that so wel teche kan?
-- Ne be no felawe to an irous man,
Ne with no wood man walke by the weye,
Lest thee repente; -- I wol no ferther seye.
Now, thomas, leeve brother, lef thyn ire;
Thou shalt me fynde as just as is a squyre.
Hoold nat the develes knyf ay at thyn herte --
Thyn angre dooth thee al to soore smerte --
But shewe to me al thy confessioun.
 nay, quod the sike man, by seint symoun!
I have be shryven this day at my curat.
I have hym toold hoolly al myn estat;
Nedeth namoore to speken of it, seith he,
But if me list, of myn humylitee.
Yif me thanne of thy gold, to make oure cloystre,
Quod he, for many a muscle and many an oystre,
Whan othere men han ben ful wel at eyse,
Hath been oure foode, our cloystre for to reyse.
And yet, God woot, unnethe the fundement
Parfourned is, ne of our pavement
Nys nat a tyle yet withinne oure wones.
By god! we owen fourty pound for stones.
Now help, thomas, for hym that harwed helle!
For elles moste we oure bookes selle.
And if yow lakke oure predicacioun,
Thanne goth the world al to destruccioun.
For whoso wolde us fro this world bireve,
So God me save, thomas, by youre leve,
He wolde bireve out of this world the sonne.
For who kan teche and werchen as we konne?
And that is nat of litel tyme, quod he,
But syn elye was, or elise,
Han freres been, that funde I of record,
In charitee, ythanked be oure lord!
Now thomas, help, for seinte charitee!
And doun anon he sette hym on his knee.
This sike man wax wel ny wood for ire;
He wolde that the frere had been on-fire,
With his false dissymulacioun.
Swich thyng as is in my possessioun,
Quod he, that may I yeve yow, and noon oother.
Ye sey me thus, how that I am youre brother?
Ye, certes, quod the frere, trusteth weel.
I took oure dame oure lettre with oure seel.
Now wel, quod he, and somwhat shal I yive
Unto youre hooly covent whil I lyve;
And in thyn hand thou shalt it have anon,
On this condicion, and oother noon,
That thou departe it so, my deere brother,
That every frere have also muche as oother.
This shaltou swere on thy professioun,
Withouten fraude or cavillacioun.
I swere it, quod this frere, by my feith!
And therwithal his hand in his he leith,
Lo, heer my feith; in me shal be no lak.
Now thanne, put in thyn hand doun by my bak,
Seyde this man, and grope wel bihynde.
Bynethe my buttok there shaltow fynde
A thyng that I have hyd in pryvetee.
A! thoghte this frere, that shal go with me!
And doun his hand he launcheth to the clifte,
In hope for to fynde there a yifte.
And whan this sike man felte this frere
Aboute his tuwel grope there and heere,
Amydde his hand he leet the frere a fart,
Ther nys no capul, drawynge in a cart,
That myghte have lete a fart of swich a soun.
The frere up stirte as dooth a wood leoun, --
A! false cherl, quod he, for goddes bones!
This hastow for despit doon for the nones.
Thou shalt abye this fart, if that I may!
His meynee, whiche that herden this affray,
Cam lepynge in and chaced out the frere;
And forth he gooth, with a ful angry cheere,
And fette his felawe, ther as lay his stoor.
He looked as it were a wilde boor;
He grynte with his teeth, so was he wrooth.
A sturdy paas doun to the court he gooth,
Wher as ther woned a man of greet honour,
To whom that he was alwey confessour.
This worthy man was lord of that village.
This frere cam as he were in a rage,
Where as this lord sat etyng at his bord;
Unnethes myghte the frere speke a word,
Til atte laste he seyde, God yow see!
This lord gan looke, and seide, benedicitee!
What, frere john, what maner world is this?
I se wel that som thyng ther is amys;
Ye looken as the wode were ful of thevys.
Sit doun anon, and tel me what youre grief is,
And it shal been amended, if I may.
I have, quod he, had a despit this day,
God yelde yow, adoun in youre village,
That in this world is noon so povre a page
That he nolde have abhomynacioun
Of that I have receyved in youre toun.
And yet ne greveth me nothyng so soore,
As that this olde cherl with lokkes hoore
Blasphemed hath oure hooly covent eke.
Now, maister, quod this lord, I yow biseke, --
No maister, sire, quod he, but servitour,
Thogh I have had in scole that honour.
God liketh nat that -- raby -- men us calle,
Neither in market ne in youre large halle.
No fors, quod he, but tel me al youre grief.
Sire, quod this frere, and odious meschief
This day bityd is to myn ordre and me,
And so, per consequens, to ech degree
Of hooly chirche, God amende it soone!
Sire, quod the lord, ye woot what is to doone.
Distempre yow noght, ye be my confessour;
Ye been the salt of the erthe and the savour.
For goddes love, youre pacience ye holde!
Tel me youre grief; and anon hym tolde,
As ye han herd biforn, ye woot wel what.
The lady of the hous ay stille sat
Til she had herd what the frere sayde.
Ey, goddes mooder, quod she, blisful mayde!
Is ther oght elles? telle me feithfully.
Madame, quod he, how thynke ye herby?
How that me thynketh? quod she, so God me speede,
I seye, a cherl hath doon a cherles dede.
What shold I seye? God lat hym nevere thee!
His sike heed is ful of vanytee;
I holde hym in a manere frenesye.
Madame, quod he, by god, I shal nat lye
But in on oother wyse may be wreke,
I shal disclaundre hym over al ther I speke,
This false blasphemour, that charged me
To parte that wol nat departed be,
To every man yliche, with meschaunce!
The lord sat stille as he were in a traunce,
And in his herte he rolled up and doun,
How hadde this cherl ymaginacioun
To shewe swich a probleme to the frere?
Nevere erst er now herde I of swich mateere.
I trowe the devel putte it in his mynde.
In ars-metrike shal ther no man fynde,
Biforn this day, of swich a question.
Who sholde make a demonstracion
That every man sholde have yliche his part
As of the soun or savour of a fart?
O nyce, proude cherl, I shrewe his face!
Lo, sires, quod the lord, with harde grace!
Who evere herde of swich a thyng er now?
To every man ylike, tel me how?
It is an inpossible, it may nat be.
Ey, nyce cherl, God lete him nevere thee!
The rumblynge of a fart, and every soun,
Nis but of eir reverberacioun,
And evere it wasteth litel and litel awey.
Ther is no man kan deemen, by my fey,
If that it were departed equally.
What, lo, my cherl, lo, yet how shrewedly
Unto my confessour to-day he spak!
I holde hym certeyn a demonyak!
Now ete youre mete, and lat the cherl go pleye;
Lat hym go honge hymself a devel weye!
Now stood the lordes squier at the bord,
That karf his mete, and herde word by word
Of alle thynges whiche I have yow sayd.
My lord, quod he, be ye nat yvele apayd,
I koude telle, for a gowne-clooth,
To yow, sire frere, so ye be nat wrooth,
How that this fart sholde evene deled be
Among youre covent, if it lyked me.
Tel, quod the lord, and thou shalt have anon
A gowne-clooth, by God and by seint john!
My lord, quod he, whan that the weder is fair,
Withouten wynd or perturbynge of air,
Lat brynge a cartwheel heere into this halle;
But looke that it have his spokes alle, --
Twelve spokes hath a cartwheel comunly.
And bryng me thanne twelve freres, woot ye why?
For thrittene is a covent, as I gesse.
Youre confessour heere, for his worthynesse,
Shal parfoune up the nombre of his covent,
Thanne shal they knele doun, by oon assent,
And to every spokes ende, in this manere,
Ful sadly leye his nose shal a frere.
Youre noble confessour -- there God hym save! --
Shal holde his nose upright under the nave.
Thanne shal this cherl, with bely stif and toght
As any tabour, hyder been ybroght;
And sette hym on the wheel right of this cart.
Upon the nave, and make hym lete a fart.
And ye shul seen, up peril of my lyf,
By preeve which that is demonstratif,
That equally the soun of it wol wende,
And eke the stynk, unto the spokes ende.
Save that this worthy man, youre confessour,
By cause he is a man of greet honour,
Shal have the firste fruyt, as resoun is.
The noble usage of freres yet is this,
The worthy men of hem shul first be served;
And certeinly he hath it well disserved.
He hath to-day taught us so muche good
With prechyng in the pulpit the he stood,
That I may vouche sauf, I sey for me,
He hadde the firste smel of fartes thre;
And so wolde al his covent hardily,
He bereth hym so faire and hoolily.
The lord, the lady, and ech man, save the frere,
Seyde that jankyn spak, in this matere,
As wel as euclide dide or ptholomee.
Touchynge the cherl, they seyde, subtiltee
And heigh wit made hym speken as he spak;
He nys no fool, ne no demonyak.
And jankyn hath ywonne a newe gowne. --
My tale is doon; we been almost at towne.

The Clerk's Prologue

Sire clerk of oxenford, oure hooste sayde,
Ye ryde as coy and stille as dooth a mayde
Were newe spoused, sittynge at the bord;
This day ne herde I of youre tonge a word.
I trowe ye studie aboute som sophyme;
But salomon seith -- every thyng hath tyme. --
For goddes sake, as beth of bettre cheere!
It is no tyme for to studien heere.
Telle us som myrie tale, by youre fey!
For what man that is entred in a pley,
He nedes moot unto the pley assente.
But precheth nat, as freres doon in lente,
To make us for oure olde synnes wepe,
Ne that thy tale make us nat to slepe.
Telle us som murie thyng of aventures.
Youre termes, youre colours, and youre figures,
Keepe hem in stoor til so be that ye endite
Heigh style, as whan that men to kynges write.
Speketh so pleyn at this tyme, we yow preye,
That we may understonde what ye seye.
This worthy clerk benignely answerde:
Hooste, quod he, I am under youre yerde;
Ye han of us as now the governance,
And therfore wol I do yow obeisance,
As fer as resoun axeth, hardily.
I wol yow telle a tale which that I
Lerned at padowe of a worthy clerk,
As preved by his wordes and his werk.
He is now deed and nayled in his cheste,
I prey to God so yeve his soule reste!
Fraunceys petrak, the lauriat poete,
Highte this clerk, whos rethorike sweete
Enlumyned al ytaille of poetrie,
As lynyan dide of philosophie,
Or lawe, or oother art particuler;
But deeth, that wol nat suffre us dwellen heer,
But as it were a twynklyng of an ye,
Hem bothe hath slayn, and alle shul we dye.
But forth to tellen of this worthy man
That taughte me this tale, as I bigan,
I seye that first with heigh stile he enditeth,
Er he the body of his tale writeth,
A prohemye, in the which discryveth he
Pemond, and of saluces the contree,
And speketh of apennyn, the hilles hye,
That been the boundes of west lumbardye,
And of mount vesulus in special,
Where as the poo out of a welle smal
Taketh his firste spryngyng and his sours,
That estward ay encresseth in his cours
To emele-ward, to ferrare, and venyse;
The which a long thyng were to devyse.
And trewely, as to my juggement,
Me thynketh it a thyng impertinent,
Save that he wole conveyen his mateere;
But this his tale, which that ye may heere.

The Clerk's Tale

Ther is, right at the west syde of ytaille,
Doun at the roote of vesulus the colde,
A lusty playn, habundant of vitaille,
Where many a tour and toun thou mayst biholde,
That founded were in tyme of fadres olde,
And many another delitable sighte,
And saluces this noble contree highte.
A markys whilom lord was of that lond,
As were his worthy eldres hym bifore;
And obeisant, ay redy to his hond,
Were alle his liges, bothe lasse and moore.
Thus in delit he lyveth, and hath doon yoore,
Biloved and drad, thurgh favour of fortune,
Bothe of his lordes and of his commune.
Therwith he was, to speke as of lynage,
The gentillest yborn of lumbardye,
A fair persone, and strong, and yong of age,
And ful of honour and of curteisye;
Discreet ynogh his contree for to gye,
Save in somme thynges that he was to blame;
And walter was this yonge lordes name.
I blame hym thus, that he considered noght
In tyme comynge what myghte hym bityde,
But on his lust present was al his thoght,
As for to hauke and hunte on every syde.
Wel ny alle othere cures leet he slyde,
And eek he nolde -- and that was worst of alle --
Wedde no wyf, for noght that may bifalle.
Oonly that point his peple bar so soore
That flokmeele on a day they to hym wente,
And oon of he, that wisest was of loore --
Or elles that the lord best wolde assente
That he sholde telle hym what his peple mente,
Or elles koude he shewe wel swich mateere --
He to the markys seyde as ye shul heere:
O noble markys, youre humanitee
Asseureth us and yeveth us hardinesse,
As ofte as tyme is of necessitee,
That we to yow mowe telle oure hevynesse.
Accepteth, lord, now of youre gentilesse
That we with pitous herte unto yow pleyne,
And lat youre eres nat my voys desdeyne.
Al have I noght to doone in this mateere
Moore than another man hath in this place,
Yet for as muche as ye, my lord so deere,
Han alwey shewed me favour and grace
I dar the bettre aske of yow a space
Of audience, to shewen oure requeste,
And ye, my lord, to doon right as yow leste.
For certes, lord, so wel us liketh yow
And al youre werk, and evere han doon, that we
Ne koude nat us self devysen how
We myghte lyven in moore felicitee,
Save o thyng, lord, if it youre wille be,
That for to been a wedded man yow leste;
Thanne were youre peple in sovereyn hertes reste.
Boweth youre nekke under that blisful yok
Of sovereynetee, noght of servyse,
Which that men clepe spousaille or wedlok;
And thanketh, lord, among youre thoghtes wyse
How that oure dayes passe in sondry wyse;
For thogh we slepe, or wake, or rome, or ryde,
Ay fleeth the tyme; it nyl no man abyde.
And thogh youre grene youthe floure as yit,
In crepeth age alwey, as stille as stoon,
And deeth manaceth every age, and smyt
In ech estaat, for ther escapeth noon;
And al so certein as we knowe echoon
That we shul deye, as uncerteyn we alle
Been of that day whan deeth shal on us falle
Accepteth thanne of us the trewe entente,
That nevere yet refuseden thyn heeste,
And we wol, lord, if that ye wole assente,
Chese yow a wyf, in short tyme atte leeste,
Born of the gentilleste and of the meeste
Of al this land, so that it oghte seme
Honour to God and yow, as we kan deeme.
Delivere us out of al this bisy drede,
And taak a wyf, for hye goddes sake!
For if it so bifelle, as God forbede,
That thurgh youre deeth youre lynage sholde slake,
And that a straunge successour sholde take
Youre heritage, o, wo were us alyve!
Wherfore we pray you hastily to wyve.
Hir meeke preyere and hir pitous cheer
Made the markys herte han pitee.
Ye wol, quod he, myn owene peple deere,
To that I nevere erst thoughte streyne me.
I me rejoysed of my liberte.
That seelde tyme is founde in mariage;
Ther I was free, I moot been in servage.
But nathelees I se youre trewe entente,
And truste upon youre wit, and have doon ay;
Wherfore of my free wyl I wole assente
To wedde me, as soone as evere I may.
But ther as ye han profred me to-day
To chese me a wyf, I yow relesse
That choys, and prey yow of that profre cesse.
For God it woot, that children ofte been
Unlyk hir worthy eldress hem bifore;
Bountee comth al of god, nat of the streen
Of which they been engendred and ybore.
I truste in goddes bountee, and therfore
My mariage and myn estaat and reste
I hym bitake; he may doon as hym leste.
Lat me allone in chesynge of my wyf, --
That charge upon my bak I wole endure.
But I yow preye, and charge upon youre lyf,
That what wyf that I take, ye me assure
To worshipe hire, whil that hir lyf may dure,
In word and werk, bothe heere and everywheere,
As she and emperoures doghter weere.
And forthermoore, this shal ye swere, that ye
Agayn my choys shul neither grucche ne stryve;
For sith I shal forgoon my libertee
At youre requeste, as evere moot I thryve,
Ther as myn herte is set, ther wol I wyve;
And but ye wole assente in swich manere,
I prey yow, speketh namoore of this matere.
With hertely wyl they sworen and assenten
To al this thyng, ther seyde no wight nay;
Bisekynge hym of grace, er that they wenten,
That he wolde graunten hem a certein day
Of his spousaille, as soone as evere he may;
For yet alwey the peple somwhat dredde,
Lest that the markys no wyf wolde wedde.
He graunted hem a day, swich as hym leste,
On which he wolde be wedded sikerly.
And seyde he dide al this at hir requeste.
And they, with humble entente, buxomly,
Knelynge upon hir knees ful reverently,
Hym thonken alle; and thus they han an ende
Of hire entente, and hoom agayn they wende.
And heerupon he to his officeres
Comaundeth for the feste to purveye,
And to his privee knyghtes and squieres
Swich charge yaf as hym liste on hem leye;
And they to his comandement obeye,
And ech of hem dooth al his diligence
To doon unto the feeste reverence.
Explicit prima pars
Noght fer fro thilke paleys honurable,
Wher as this markys shoop his mariage,
There stood a throop, of site delitable,
In which that povre folk of that village
Hadden hir beestes and hir herbergage,
And of hire labour tooke hir sustenance,
After that the erthe yaf hem habundance.
Amonges thise povre folk ther dwelte a man
Which that was holden povrest of hem alle;
But hye God somtyme senden kan
His grace into litel oxes stalle;
Janicula men of that throop hym calle.
A doghter hadde he, fair ynogh to sighte,
And grisildis this yonge mayden highte.
But for to speke of vertuous beautee,
Thanne was she oon the faireste under sonne;
For povreliche yfostred up was she,
No likerous lust was thurgh hire herte yronne.
Wel ofter of the welle than of the tonne
She drank, and for she wolde vertu plese,
She knew wel labour, but noon ydel ese.
But thogh this mayde tendre were of age,
Yet in the brest of hire virginitee
Ther was enclosed rype and sad corage;
And in greet reverence and charitee
Hir olde povre fader fostred shee.
A fewe sheep, spynnynge, on feeld she kepte;
She wolde noght been ydel til she slepte.
And whan she homward cam, she wolde brynge
Wortes or othere herbes tymes ofte,
The whiche she shredde and seeth for hir lyvynge,
And made hir bed ful hard and nothyng softe;
And ay she kepte hir fadres lyf on-lofte
With everich obeisaunce and diligence
That child may doon to fadres reverence.
Upon grisilde, this povre creature,
Ful ofte sithe this markys sette his ye
As he on huntyng rood paraventure;
And whan it fil that he myghte hire espye,
He noght with wantown lookyng of folye
His eyen caste on hire, but in sad wyse
Upon hir chiere he wolde hym ofte avyse,
Commendynge in his herte hir wommanhede,
And eek hir verty, passynge any wight
Of so yong age, as wel in chiere as dede.
For thogh the peple have no greet insight
In verty, he considered ful right
Hir bountee, and disposed that he wolde
Wedde hire oonly, if evere he wedde sholde.
The day of weddyng cam, but no wight kan
Telle what womman that it sholde be;
For which merveille wondred many a man,
And seyden, whan they were in privetee,
Wol nat oure lord yet leve his vanytee?
Wol he nat wedde? allas; allas, the while!
Why wole he thus hymself and us bigile?
But nathelees this markys hath doon make
Of gemmes, set in gold and in asure,
Brooches and rynges, for grisildis sake;
And of hir clothyng took he the mesure
By a mayde lyk to hire stature,
And eek of othere aornementes alle
That unto swich a weddyng sholde falle.
The time of undren of the same day
Approcheth, that this weddyng sholde be;
And al the paleys put was in array,
Bothe halle and chambres, ech in his degree;
Houses of office stuffed with plentee
Ther maystow seen, of deyntevous vitaille
That may be founde as fer al last ytaille.
This roial markys, richely arrayed,
Lordes and ladyes in his compaignye,
The whiche that to the feeste weren yprayed,
And of his retenue the bachelrye,
With manya soun of sondry melodye,
Unto the village of the which I tolde,
In this array the righte wey han holde.
Grisilde of this, God woot, ful innocent,
That for hire shapen was al this array,
To fecchen water at a welle is went,
And cometh hoom as soone as ever she may;
For wel she hadde herd seyd that thilke day
The markys sholde wedde, and if she myghte,
She wolde fayn han seyn som of that sighte.
She thoghte, I wole with othere maydens stonde,
That been my felawes, in oure dore and se
The markysesse, and therfore wol I fonde
To doon at hoom, as soone as it may be,
The labour which that longeth unto me;
And thanne I may at leyser hire biholde,
If she this wey unto the castel holde.
And as she wolde over hir thresshfold gon,
The markys cam and gan hire for to calle;
And she set doun hir water pot anon,
Biside the thresshfold, in an oxes stalle,
And doun upon hir knes she gan to falle,
And with sad contenance kneleth stille,
Til she had herd what was the lordes wille.
This thoghtful markys spak unto this mayde
Ful sobrely, and seyde in this manere:
Where is youre fader, o grisildis? he sayde.
And she with reverence, in humble cheere,
Answerde, lord, he is al redy heere.
And in she gooth withouten lenger lette,
And to the markys she hir fader fette.
He by the hand thanne took this olde man,
And seyde thus, whan he hym hadde asyde:
Janicula, I neither may ne kan
Lenger the plesance of myn herte hyde.
If that thou vouche sauf, what so bityde,
Thy doghter wol I take, er that I wende,
As for my wyf, unto hir lyves ende.
Thou lovest me, I woot it wel certeyn,
And art my feithful lige man ybore;
And al that liketh me, I dar wel seyn
It liketh thee, and specially therfore
Tel me that poynt that I have seyd bifore,
If that thou wolt unto that purpos drawe,
To take me as for thy sone-in-lawe.
This sodeyn cas this man astonyed so
That reed he wax; abayst and al quakynge
He stood; unnethes seyde he wordes mo,
But oonly thus: lord, quod he, my willynge
Is as ye wole, ne ayeynes youre likynge
I wol no thyng, ye be my lord so deere;
Right as yow lust, governeth this mateere.
Yet wol I, quod this markys softely,
That in thy chambre I and thou and she
Have a collacioun, and wostow why?
For I wol axe if it hire wille be
To be my wyf, and reule hire after me.
And al this shal be doon in thy presence;
I wol noght speke out of thyn audience.
And in the chambre, whil they were aboute
Hir tretys, which as ye shal after heere,
The peple cam unto the hous withoute,
And wondred hem in how honest manere
And tentifly she kepte hir fader deere.
But outrely grisildis wondre myghte,
For nevere erst ne saugh she swich a sighte.
No wonder is thogh that she were astoned
To seen so greet a gest come in that place;
She nevere was to swiche gestes woned,
For which she looked with ful pale face.
But shortly forth this matere for to chace,
Thise arn the wordes that the markys sayde
To this benigne, verray, feithful mayde.
Grisilde, he seyde, ye shal wel understonde
It liketh to youre fader and to me
That I yow wedde, and eek it may so stonde,
As I suppose, ye wol that it so be.
But thise demandes axe I first, quod he,
That, sith it shal be doon in hastif wyse,
Wol ye assente, or elles yow avyse?
I seye this, be ye redy with good herte
To al my lust, and that I frely may,
As me best thynketh, do yow laughe or smerte,
And nevere ye to grucche it, nyght ne day?
And eek whan I sey 'ye,' ne sey nat 'nay,'
Neither by word ne frownyng contenance?
Swere this, and heere I swere oure alliance.
Wondrynge upon this word, quakynge for drede,
She seyde, lord, undigne and unworthy
Am I to thilke honour that ye me beede,
But as ye wole youreself, right so wol I.
And heere I swere that nevere willyngly,
In werk ne thogh, I nyl yow disobeye,
For to be deed, though me were looth to deye.
This is ynogh, grisilde myn, quod he.
And forth he gooth, with a ful sobre cheere,
Out at the dore, and after that cam she,
And to the peple he seyde in this manere:
This is my wyf, quod he, that standeth heere.
Honoureth hire and loveth hire, I preye,
Whoso me loveth; ther is namoore to seye.
And for that no thyng of hir olde geere
She sholde brynge into his hous, he bad
That wommen sholde dispoillen hire right theere;
Of which thise ladyes were nat right glad
To handle hir clothes, wherinne she was clad.
But nathelees, this mayde bright of hewe
Fro foot to heed they clothed han al newe.
Hir heris han they kembd, that lay untressed
Ful rudely, and with hir fyngres smale
A corone on hire heed they han ydressed,
And sette hire ful of nowches grete and smale.
Of hire array what sholde I make a tale?
Unnethe the peple hir knew for hire fairnesse,
Whan she translated was in swich richesse.
This markys hath hire spoused with a ryng
Broght for the same cause, and thanne hire sette
Upon an hors, snow-whit and wel amblyng,
And to his paleys, er he lenger lette,
With joyful peple that hire ladde and mette,
Conveyed hire, and thus the day they spende
In revel, til the sonne gan descende.
And shortly forth this tale for to chace,
I seye that to this newe markysesse
God hath swich favour sent hire of his grace,
That it ne semed nat by liklynesse
That she was born and fed in rudenesse,
As in a cote or in an oxe-stalle,
But norissed in an emperoures halle.
To every wight she woxen is so deere
And worshipful that folk ther she was bore,
And from hire birthe knewe hire yeer by yeere,
Unnethe trowed they, -- but dorste han swore --
That to janicle, of which I spak bifore,
She doghter were, for, as by conjecture,
Hem thoughte she was another creature.
For though that evere vertuous was she,
She was encressed in swich excellence
Of thewes goode, yset in heigh bountee,
And so discreet and fair of eloquence,
So benigne and so digne of reverence,
And koude so the peples herte embrace,
That ech hire lovede that looked in hir face.
Noght oonly of saluces in the toun
Publiced was the bountee of hir name,
But eek biside in many a regioun,
If oon seide wel, another seyde the same;
So spradde of hire heighe bountee the fame
That men and wommen, as wel yonge as olde,
Goon to saluce, upon hire to biholde.
Thus walter lowely -- nay, but roially --
Wedded with fortunat honestetee,
In goddes pees lyveth ful esily
At hoom, and outward grace ynogh had he;
And for he saugh that under low degree
Was ofte vertu hid, the peple hym heelde
A prudent man, and that is seyn ful seelde.
Nat oonly this grisildis thurgh hir wit
Koude al the feet of wyfly hoomlinesse,
But eek, whan that the cas required it,
The commune profit koude she redresse.
Ther nas discord, rancour, ne hevynesse
In al that land, that she ne koude apese,
And wisely brynge hem alle in reste and ese.
Though that hire housbonde absent were anon,
If gentil men or othere of hire contree
Were wrothe, she wolde bryngen hem aton;
So wise and rype wordes hadde she,
And juggementz of so greet equitee,
That she from hevene sent was, as men wende,
Peple to save and every wrong t' amende.
Nat longe tyme after that this grisild
Was wedded, she a doghter hath ybore.
Al had hire levere have born a knave child,
Glad was this markys and the folk therfore;
For though a mayde child coome al bifore,
She may unto a knave child attayne
By liklihede, syn she nys nat bareyne.
Explicit secunda pars.
Ther fil, as it bifalleth tymes mo,
Whan that this child had souked but a throwe,
This markys in his herte longeth so
To tempte his wyf, hir sadnesse for to knowe,
That he ne myghte out of his herte throwe
This merveillous desir his wyf t' assaye;
Nedelees, God woot, he thoghte hire for t' affraye.
He hadde assayed hire ynogh bifore,
And foond hire evere good; what neded it
Hire for to tempte, and alwey moore and moore,
Though som men preise it for a subtil wit?
But as for me, I seye that yvele it sit
To assaye a wyf whan that it is no nede,
And putten hire in angwyssh and in drede.
For which this markys wroghte in this manere:
He cam allone a-nyght, ther as she lay,
With stierne face and with ful trouble cheere,
And seyde thus: grisilde, quod he, that day
That I yow took out of youre povere array,
And putte yow in estaat of heigh noblesse, --
Ye have nat that forgeten, as I gesse?
I seye, grisilde, this present dignitee,
In which that I have put yow, as I trowe,
Maketh yow nat foryetful for to be
That I yow took in povre estaat ful lowe,
For any wele ye moot youreselven knowe.
Taak heede of every word that y yow seye;
Ther is no wight that hereth it but we tweye.
Ye woot youreself wel how that ye cam heere
Into this hous, it is nat longe ago;
And though to me that ye be lief and deere,
Unto my gentils ye be no thyng so.
They seyn, to hem it is greet shame and wo
For to be subgetz and been in servage
To thee, that born art of a smal village.
And namely sith thy doghter was ybore
Thise wordes han they spoken, doutelees.
But I desire, as I have doon bifore,
To lyve my lyf with hem in reste and pees.
I may nat in this caas be recchelees;
I moot doon with thy doghter for the beste,
Nat as I wolde, but as my peple leste.
And yet, God woot, this is ful looth to me;
But nathelees withoute youre wityng
I wol nat doon; but this wol I, quod he,
That ye to me assente as in this thyng.
Shewe now youre pacience in youre werkyng,
That ye me highte and swore in youre village
That day that maked was oure mariage.
Whan she had herd al this, she noght ameved
Neither in word, or chiere, or contenaunce;
For, as it semed, she was nat agreved.
She seyde, lord, al lyth in youre plesaunce.
My child and I, with hertely obeisaunce,
Been youres al, and ye mowe save or spille
Youre owene thyng; weketh after youre wille.
Ther may no thyng, God so my soule save,
Liken to yow that may displese me;
Ne I desire no thyng for to have,
Ne drede for to leese, save oonly yee.
This wyl is in myn herte, and ay shal be;
No lengthe of tyme or deeth may this deface,
Ne chaunge my corage to another place.
Glad was this markys of hire answeryng,
But yet he feyned as he were nat so;
Al drery was his cheere and his lookyng,
Whan that he sholde out of the chambre go.
Soone after this, a furlong wey or two,
He prively hath toold al his entente
Unto a man, and to his wyf hym sente.
A maner sergeant was this privee man,
The which that feithful ofte he founden hadde
In thynges grete, and eek swich folk wel kan
Doon execucioun in thynges badde.
The lord knew wel that he hym loved and dradde;
And whan this sergeant wist his lordes wille,
Into the chambre he stalked hym ful stille.
Madame, he seyde, ye moote foryeve it me,
Though I do thyng to which I am constreyned.
Ye been so wys that ful wel knowe ye
That lordes heestes mowe nat been yfeyned;
They mowe wel been biwailled or compleyned,
But men moote nede unto hire lust obeye,
And so wol I; ther is namoore to seye.
This child I am comanded for to take, --
And spak namoore, but out the child he hente
Despitously, and gan a cheere make
As though he wolde han slayn it er he wente.
Grisildis moot al suffre and al consente;
And as a lamb she sitteth meke and stille,
And leet this crueel sergeant doon his wille.
Suspecious was the diffame of this man,
Suspect his face, suspect his word also;
Suspect the tyme in which he this bigan.
Allas! hir doghter that she loved so,
She wende he wolde han slawen it right tho.
But nathelees she neither weep ne syked,
Conformynge hire to that the markys lyked.
But atte laste to speken she bigan,
And mekely she to the sergeant preyde,
So as he was a worthy gentil man,
That she moste kisse hire child er that it deyde.
And in hir barm this litel child she leyde
With ful sad face, and gan the child to blisse,
And lulled it, and after gan it kisse.
And thus she seyde in hire benigne voys,
Fareweel my child! I shal thee nevere see.
But sith I thee have marked with the croys
Of thilke fader -- blessed moote he be! --
That for us deyde upon a croys of tree,
Thy soule, litel child, I hym bitake,
For this nyght shaltow dyen for my sake.
I trowe that to a norice in this cas
It had been hard this reuthe for to se;
Wel myghte a mooder thanne han cryd allas!
But nathelees so sad stidefast was she
That she endured al adversitee,
And to the sergeant mekely she sayde,
Have heer agayn your litel yonge mayde.
Gooth now, quod she, and dooth my lordes heeste;
But o thyng wol I prey yow of youre grace,
That, but my lord forbad yow, atte leeste
Burieth this litel body in som place
That beestes ne no briddes it torace.
But he no word wol to that purpos seye,
But took the child and wente upon his weye.
This sergeant cam unto his lord ageyn,
And of grisildis wordes and hire cheere
He tolde hym point for point, in short and pleyn,
And hym presenteth with his doghter deere.
Somwhat this lord hadde routhe in his manere,
But nathelees his purpos heeld he stille,
As lordes doon, whan they wol han hir wille;
And bad this sergeant that he pryvely
Sholde this child ful softe wynde and wrappe,
With alle circumstances tendrely,
And carie it in a cofre or in a lappe;
But, upon peyne his heed of for to swappe,
That no man sholde knowe of his entente,
Ne whenne he cam, ne whider that he wente;
But at boloigne to his suster deere,
That thilke tyme of panik was countesse,
He sholde it take, and shewe hire this mateere,
Bisekynge hire to doon hire bisynesse
This child to fostre in alle gentillesse;
And whos child that it was he bad hire hyde
From every wight, for oght that may bityde.
The sergeant gooth, and hath fulfild this thyng;
But to this markys now retourne we.
For now gooth he ful faste ymaginyng
If by his wyves cheere he myghte se,
Or by hire word aperceyve, that she
Were chaunged; but he nevere hire koude fynde
But evere in oon ylike sad and kynde.
As glad, as humble, as bisy in servyse,
And eek in love, as she was wont to be,
Was she to hym in every maner wyse;
Ne of hir doghter noght a word spak she.
Noon accident, for noon adversitee,
Was seyn in hire, ne nevere hir doghter name
Ne nempned she, in ernest nor in game.
Explicit terci pars
In this estaat the passed been foure yeer
Er she with childe was, but, as God wolde,
A knave child she bar by this walter,
Ful gracious and fair for to biholde.
And whan that folk it to his fader tolde,
Nat oonly he, but al his contree merye
Was for this child, and God they thanke and herye.
Whan it was two yeer old, and fro the brest
Departed of his norice, on a day
This markys caughte yet another lest
To tempte his wyf yet ofter, if he may.
O nedelees was she tempted in assay!
But wedded men ne knowe no mesure,
Whan that they fynde a pacient creature.
Wyf, quod this markys, ye han herd er this,
My peple sikly berth oure mariage;
And namely sith my sone yboren is,
Now is it worse than evere in al oure age.
The murmur sleeth myn herte and my corage,
For to myne eres comth the voys so smerte
That it wel ny destroyed hath myn herte.
Now sey they thus: -- whan walter is agon,
Thanne shal the blood of janicle succede
And been oure lord, for oother have we noon.
Swiche wordes seith my peple, out of drede.
Wel oughte I of swich murmur taken heede;
For certeinly I drede swich sentence,
Though they nat pleyn speke in myn audience.
I wolde lyve in pees, if that I myghte;
Wherfore I am disposed outrely,
As I his suster servede by nyghte,
Right to thenke I to serve hym pryvely.
This warne I yow, that ye nat sodeynly
Out of youreself for no wo sholde outreye;
Beth pacient, and therof I yow preye.
I have, quod she, seyd thys, and evere shal:
I wol no thyng, ne nyl no thyng, certayn,
But as yow list. Naught greveth me at al,
Though that my doughter and my sone be slayn, --
At youre comandement, this is to sayn.
I have noght had no part of children tweyne
But first siknesse, and after, wo and peyne.
Ye been oure lord, dooth with youre owene thyng
Right as yow list; axeth no reed at me.
For as I lefte at hoom al my clothyng,
Whan I first cam to yow, right so, quod she,
Lefte I my wyl and al my libertee,
And took youre clothyng; wherfore I yow preye,
Dooth youre plesaunce, I wol youre lust obeye.
And certes, if I hadde prescience
Youre wyl to knowe, er ye youre lust me tolde,
I wolde it doon withouten necligence;
But now I woot youre lust, and what ye wolde,
Al youre plesance ferme and stable I holde;
For wiste I that my deeth wolde do yow ese,
Right gladly wolde I dyen, yow to plese.
Deth may noght make no comparisoun
Unto youre love. And whan this markys say
The constance of hys wyf, he caste adoun
His eyen two, and wondreth that she may
In pacience suffre al this array;
And forth he goth with drery contenance,
But to his herte it was ful greet plesance.
This ugly sergeant, in the same wyse
That he hire doghter caughte, right so he,
Or worse, if men worse kan devyse,
Hath hent hire sone, that ful was of beautee.
And evere in oon so pacient was she
That she no chiere maade of hevynesse,
But kiste hir sone, and after gan it blesse;
Save this, she preyede hym that, if he myghte,
Hir litel sone he wolde in erthe grave,
His tendre lymes, delicaat to sighte,
Fro foweles and fro beestes for to save.
But she noon answere of hym myghte have.
He wente his wey, as hym no thyng ne roghte;
But to boloigne he tendrely it broghte.
This markys wondred, evere lenger the moore,
Upon hir pacience, and if that he
Ne hadde soothly knowen therbifoore
That parfitly hir children loved she,
He wolde have wend that of som subtiltee,
And of malice, or for crueel corage,
That she hadde suffred this with sad visage.
But wel he knew that next hymself, certayn,
She loved hir children best in every wyse.
But now of wommen wolde I axen fayn
If thise assayes myghte nat suffise?
What koude a sturdy housbonde moore devyse
To preeve hir wyfhod and hir stedefastnesse,
And he continuynge evere in sturdinesse?
But ther been folk of swich condicion
That whan they have a certein purpos take,
They kan nat stynte of hire entencion,
But, right as they were bounden to a stake,
They wol nat of that firste purpos slake.
Right so this markys fulliche hath purposed
To tempte his wyf as he was first disposed.
He waiteth if by word or contenance
That she to hym was changed of corage;
But nevere koude he fynde variance.
She was ay oon in herte and in visage;
And ay the forther that she was in age,
The moore trewe, if that it were possible,
She was to hym in love, and moore penyble.
For which it semed thus, that of hem two
Ther nas but o wyl; for, as walter leste,
The same lust was hire plesance also.
And, God be thanked, al fil for the beste.
She shewed wel, for no worldly unreste
A wyf, as of hirself, nothing ne sholde
Wille in effect, but as hir housbonde wolde.
The sclaundre of walter ofte and wyde spradde,
That of a crueel herte he wikkedly,
For he a povre womman wedded hadde,
Hath mordred bothe his children prively.
Swich murmur was among hem comunly.
No wonder is, for to the peples ere
Ther cam no word, but that they mordred were.
For which, where as his peple therbifore
Hadde loved hym wel, the sclaundre of his diffame
Made hem that they hym hatede therfore.
To been a mordrere is an hateful name;
But nathelees, for ernest ne for game,
He of his crueel purpos nolde stente;
To tempte his wyf was set al his entente.
Than that his doghter twelve yeer was of age,
He to the court of rome, in subtil wyse
Enformed of his wyl, sente his message,
Comaundynge hem swiche bulles to devyse
As to his crueel purpos may suffyse,
How that the pope, as for his peples reste,
Bad hym to wedde another, if hym leste.
I seye, he bad they sholde countrefete
The popes bulles, makynge mencion
That he hath leve his firste wyf to lete,
As by the popes dispensacion,
To stynte rancour and dissencion
Bitwixe his peple and hym; thus seyde the bulle,
The which they han publiced atte fulle.
The rude peple, as it no wonder is,
Wenden ful wel that it hadde be right so;
But whan thise tidynges came to grisildis,
I deeme that hire herte was ful wo.
But she, ylike sad for everemo,
Disposed was, this humble creature,
The adversitee of fortune al t' endure,
Abidynge evere his lust and his plesance,
To whom that she was yeven herte and al,
As to hire verray worldly suffisance.
But shortly if this storie I tellen shal,
This markys writen hath in special
A lettre, in which he sheweth his entente,
And secreely he to boloigne it sente.
To the erl of panyk, which that hadde tho
Wedded his suster, preyde he specially
To bryngen hoom agayn his children two
In honurable estaat al openly.
But o thyng he hym preyede outrely,
That he to no wight, though men wolde enquere,
Sholde nat telle whos children that they were,
But seye, the mayden sholde ywedded be
Unto the markys of saluce anon.
And as this erl was preyed, so dide he;
For at day set he on his wey is goon
Toward saluce, and lordes many oon
In riche array, this mayden for to gyde,
Hir yonge brother ridynge hire bisyde.
Arrayed was toward hir mariage
This fresshe mayde, ful of gemmes cleere;
Hir brother, which that seven yeer was of age.
Arrayed eek ful fressh in his manere.
And thus in greet noblesse and with glad cheere,
Toward saluces shapynge hir journey,
Fro day to day they ryden in hir wey.
Explicit quarta pars.
Among al this, after his wikke usage,
This markys, yet his wyf to tempte moore
To the outtreste preeve of hir corage,
Fully to han experience and loore
If that she were as stidefast as bifoore,
He on a day, in open audience,
Ful boistously hath seyd hire this sentence:
Certes, grisilde, I hadde ynogh plesance
To han yow to my wyf for youre goodnesse,
As for youre trouthe and for youre obeisance,
Noght for youre lynage, ne for youre richesse;
But now knowe I in verray soothfastnesse
That in greet lordshipe, if I wel avyse,
Ther is greet servitute in sondry wyse.
I may nat doon as every plowman may.
My peple me constreyneth for to take
Another wyf, and crien day by day;
And eek the pope, rancour for to slake.
Consenteth it, that dar I undertake;
And trewely thus muche I wol yow seye,
My newe wyf is comynge by the weye.
Be strong of herte, and voyde anon hir place,
And thilke dowere that ye broghten me,
Taak it agayn; I graunte it of my grace.
Retourneth to youre fadres hous, quod he;
No man may alwey han prosperitee.
With evene herte I rede yow t' endure
The strook of fortune or of aventure.
And she agayn answerde in pacience,
My lord, quod she, I woot, and wiste alway,
How that bitwixen youre magnificence
And my poverte no wight kan ne may
Maken comparison; it is no nay.
I ne heeld me nevere digne in no manere
To be youre wyf, no, ne youre chamberere.
And in this hous, ther ye me lady maade --
The heighe God take I for my witnesse,
And also wysly he my soule glaade --
I nevere heeld me lady ne mistresse,
But humble servant to youre worthynesse,
And evere shal, whil that my lyf may dure,
Aboven every worldly creature.
That ye so longe of youre benignitee
Han holden me in honour and nobleye,
Where as I was noght worthy for to bee,
That thonke I God and yow, to whom I preye
Foryelde it yow; ther is namoore to seye.
Unto my fader gladly wol I wende,
And with hym dwelle unto my lyves ende.
Ther I was fostred of a child ful smal,
Til I be deed my lyf ther wol I lede,
A wydwe clene in body, herte, and al.
For sith I yaf to yow my maydenhede,
And am youre trewe wyf, it is no drede,
God shilde swich a lordes wyf to take
Another man to housbonde or to make!
And of youre newe wyf God of his grace
So graunte yow wele and prosperitee!
For I wol gladly yelden hire my place,
In which that I was blisful wont to bee.
For sith it liketh yow, my lord, quod shee,
That whilom weren al myn hertes reste,
That I shal goon, I wol goon whan yow leste.
But ther as ye me profre swich dowaire
As I first broghte, it is wel in my mynde
It were my wrecched clothes, nothyng faire,
The whiche to me were hard now for to fynde.
O goode god! how gentil and how kynde
Ye semed by youre speche and youre visage
The day that maked was oure mariage!
But sooth is seyd -- algate I fynde it trewe,
For in effect it preeved is on me --
Love is noght oold as whan that it is newe.
But certes, lord, for noon adversitee,
To dyen in the cas, it shal nat bee
That evere in word or werk I shal repente
That I yow yaf myn herte in hool entente.
My lord, ye woot that in my fadres place
Ye dide me streepe out of my povre weede,
And richely me cladden, of youre grace.
To yow broghte I noght elles, out of drede,
But feith, and nakednesse, and maydenhede;
And heere agayn your clothyng I restoore,
And eek your weddyng ryng, for everemore.
The remenant of youre jueles redy be
Inwith youre chambre, dar I saufly sayn.
Naked out of my fadres hous, quod she,
I cam, and naked moot I turne agayn.
Al youre plesance wol I folwen fayn;
But yet I hope it be nat youre entente
That I smoklees out of youre paleys wente.
Ye koude nat doon so dishonest a thyng,
That thilke wombe in which youre children leye
Sholde biforn the peple, in my walkyng,
Be seyn al bare; wherfore I yow preye,
Lat me nat lyk a worm go by the weye.
Remembre yow, myn owene lord so deere,
I was youre wyf, though I unworthy weere.
Wherfore, in gerdon of my maydenhede,
Which that I broghte, and noght agayn I bere,
As voucheth sauf to yeve me, to my meede,
But swich a smok as I was wont to were,
That I therwith may wrye the wombe of here
That was youre wyf. And heer take I my leeve
Of yow, myn owene lord, lest I yow greve.
The smok, quod he, that thou hast on thy bak,
Lat it be stille, and bere it forth with thee.
But wel unnethes thilke word he spak,
But wente his wey, for routhe and for pitee.
Biforn the folk hirselven strepeth she,
And in hir smok, with heed and foot al bare,
Toward hir fadre hous forth is she fare.
The folk hire folwe, wepynge in hir weye,
And fortune ay they cursen as they goon;
But she fro wepyng kepte hire eyen dreye,
Ne in this tyme word ne spak she noon.
Hir fader, that this tidynge herde anoon,
Curseth the day and tyme that nature
Shoop hym to been a lyves creature.
For out of doute this olde poure man
Was evere in suspect of hir mariage;
For evere he demed, sith that it bigan,
That whan the lord fulfild hadde his corage,
Hym wolde thynke it were a disparage
To his estaat so lowe for t' alighte,
And voyden hire as soone as ever he myghte.
Agayns his doghter hastily goth he,
For he by noyse of folk knew hire comynge,
And with hire olde coote, as it myghte be
He covered hire, ful sorwefully wepynge.
But on hire body myghte he it nat brynge,
For rude was the clooth, and moore of age
By dayes fele than at hire mariage.
Thus with hire fader, for a certeyn space,
Dwelleth this flour of wyfly pacience,
That neither by hire wordes ne hire face,
Biforn the folk, ne eek in hire absence,
Ne shewed she that hire was doon offence;
Ne of hire heighe astaat no remembraunce
Ne hadde she, as by hire contenaunce.
No wonder is for in hire grete estaat
Hire goost was evere in pleyn humylitee;
No tendre mouth, noon herte delicaat,
No pompe, no semblant of roialtee,
But ful of pacient benyngnytee,
Discreet and pridelees, ay honurable,
And to hire housbonde evere meke and stable.
Men speke of job, and moost for humblesse,
As clerkes, whan hem list, konne wel endite,
Namely of men, but as in soothfastnesse,
Though clerkes preise wommen but a lite,
Ther kan no man in humbless hym acquite
As womman kan, ne kan been half so trewe
As wommen been, but it be falle of newe.
Fro boloigne is this erl of panyk come,
Of which the fame up sprang to moore and lesse,
And to the peples eres, alle and some,
Was kouth eek that a newe markysesse
He with hym broghte, in swich pompe and richesse
That nevere was ther seyn with mannes ye
So noble array in al west lumbardye.
The markys, which that shoop and knew al this,
Er that this erl was come, sente his message
For thilke sely povre grisildis;
And she with humble herte and glad visage,
Nat with no swollen thoght in hire corage,
Cam at his heste, and on hire knees hire sette,
And reverently and wisely she hym grette.
Grisilde, quod he, my wyl is outrely,
This mayden, that shal wedded been to me,
Received be to-morwe as roially
As it possible is in myn hous to be,
And eek that every wight in his degree
Have his estaat, in sittyng and servyse
And heigh plesaunce, as I kan best devyse.
I have no wommen suffisaunt, certayn,
The chambres for t' arraye in ordinaunce
After my lust, and therfore wolde I fayn
That thyn were al swich manere governaunce.
Thou knowest eek of old al my plesaunce;
Thogh thyn array be badde and yvel biseye,
Do thou thy devoir at the leeste weye.
Nat oonly, lord, that I am glad, quod she,
To doon youre lust, but I desire also
Yow for to serve and plese in my degree
Withouten feyntyng, and shal everemo;
Ne nevere, for no wele ne no wo,
Ne shal the goost withinne myn herte stente
To love yow best with al my trewe entente.
And with that word she gan the hous to dighte,
And tables for to sette, and beddes make;
And peyned hire to doon al that she myghte,
Preyynge the chambereres, for goddes sake,
To hasten hem, and faste swepe and shake;
And she, the mooste servysable of alle,
Hath every chambre arrayed and his halle.
Abouten undren gan this erl alighte,
That with hym broghte thise noble children tweye,
For which the peple ran to seen the sighte
Of hire array, so richely biseye;
And thanne at erst amonges hem they seye
That walter was no fool, thogh that hym leste
To chaunge his wyf, for it was for the beste.
For she is fairer, as they deemen alle,
That is grisilde, and moore tendre of age,
And fairer fruyt bitwene hem sholde falle,
And moore plesant, for hire heigh lynage.
Hir brother eek so fair was of visage
That hem to seen the peple hath caught plesaunce,
Commendynge now the markys governaunce.
O stormy peple! unsad and evere untrewe!
Ay undiscreet and chaungynge as a fane!
Delitynge evere in rumbul that is newe,
For lyk the moone ay wexe ye and wane!
Ay ful of clappyng, deere ynogh a jane!
Youre doom is fals, youre constance preeveth;
A ful greet fool is he that on yow leeveth.
Thus seyden sadde folk in that citee,
Whan that the peple gazed up and doun;
For they were glad, right for the noveltee,
To han a newe lady of hir toun.
Namoore of this make I now mencioun,
But to grisilde agayn wol I me dresse,
And telle hir constance and hir bisynesse. --
Ful bisy was grisilde in every thyng
That to the feeste was apertinent.
Right noght was she abayst of hire clothyng,
Thogh it were rude and somdeel eek torent;
But with glad cheere to the yate is went
With oother folk, to greete the markysesse,
And after that dooth forth hire bisynesse.
With so glad chiere his gestes she receyveth,
And konnyngly, everich in his degree,
That no defaute no man aperceyveth,
But ay they wondren what she myghte bee
That in so povre array was for to see,
And koude swich honour and reverence,
And worthily they preisen hire prudence.
In al this meene while she ne stente
This mayde and eek hir brother to commende
With al hir herte, in ful benyngne entente,
So wel that no man koude hir pris amende.
But atte laste, whan that thise lordes wende
To sitten doun to mete, he gan to calle
Grisilde, as she was bisy in his halle.
Grisilde, quod he, as it were in his pley,
How liketh thee my wyf and hire beautee?
Right wel, quod she, my lord; for, in good fey,
A fairer saugh I nevere noon than she.
I prey to God yeve hire prosperitee;
And so hope I that he wol to yow sende
Plesance ynogh unto youre lyves ende.
O thyng biseke I yow, and warne also,
That ye ne prikke with no tormentynge
This tendre mayden, as ye han doon mo;
For she is fostred in hire norissynge
Moore tendrely, and, to my supposynge,
She koude nat adversitee endure
As koude a povre fostred creature.
And whan this walter saugh hire pacience,
Hir glade chiere, and no malice at al,
And he so ofte had doon to hire offence,
And she ay sad and constant as a wal,
Continuynge evere hire innocence overal,
This sturdy markys gan his herte dresse
To rewen upon hire wyfly stedfastnesse.
This is ynogh, grisilde myn, quod he;
Be now namoore agast ne yvele apayed.
I have thy feith and thy benyngnytee,
As wel as evere womman was, assayed,
In greet estaat, and povreliche arrayed.
Now knowe I, dere wyf, thy stedfastnesse, --
And hire in armes took and gan hire kesse.
And she for wonder took of it no keep;
She herde nat what thyng he to hire seyde;
She ferde as she had stert out of a sleep,
Til she out of hire mazednesse abreyde.
Grisilde, quod he, by god, that for us deyde,
Thou art my wyf, ne noon oother I have,
Ne nevere hadde, as God my soule save!
This is thy doghter, which thou hast supposed
To be my wyf; that oother feithfully
Shal be myn heir, as I have ay disposed;
Thou bare hym in thy body trewely.
At boloigne have I kept hem prively;
Taak hem agayn, for now maystow nat seye
That thou hast lorn noon of thy children tweye.
And folk that ootherweys han seyd of me,
I warne hem wel that I have doon this deede
For no malice, ne for no crueltee,
But for t' assaye in thee thy wommanheede,
And nat to sleen my children -- God forbeede! --
But for to kepe hem pryvely and stille,
Til I thy purpos knewe and al thy wille.
Whan she this herde, aswowne doun she falleth
For pitous joye, and after hire swownynge
She bothe hire yonge children to hire calleth,
And in hire armes, pitously wepynge,
Embraceth hem, and tendrely kissynge
Ful lyk a mooder, with hire salte teeres
She bathed bothe hire visage and hire heeres.
O which a pitous thyng it was to se
Hir swownyng, and hire humble voys to heere!
Grauntmercy, lord, God thanke it yow, quod she,
That ye han saved me my children deere!
Now rekke I nevere to been deed right heere;
Sith I stonde in youre love and in youre grace,
No fors of deeth, ne whan my spirit pace!
O tendre, o deere, o yonge children myne!
Youre woful mooder wende stedfastly
That crueel houndes or som foul vermyne
Hadde eten yow; but god, of his mercy,
And youre benyngne fader tendrely
Hath doon yow kept, -- and in that same stounde
Al sodeynly she swapte adoun to grounde,
And in hire swough so sadly holdeth she
Hire children two, whan she gan hem t' embrace,
That with greet sleighte and greet difficultee
The children from hire arm they gonne arace.
O many a teere on many a pitous face
Doun ran of hem that stooden hire bisyde;
Unnethe abouten hire myghte they abyde.
Walter hire gladeth, and hire sorwe slaketh;
She riseth up, abaysed, from hire traunce,
And every wight hire joye and feeste maketh
Til she hath caught agayn hire contenaunce.
Walter hire dooth so feithfully plesaunce
That it was deyntee for to seen the cheere
Bitwixe hem two, now they been met yfeere.
Thise ladyes, whan that they hir tyme say,
Han taken hire and into chambre gon,
And strepen hire out of hire rude array,
And in a clooth of gold that brighte shoon,
With a coroune of many a riche stoon
Upon hire heed, they into halle hire broghte,
And ther she was honured as hire oghte.
Thus hath this pitous day a blisful ende,
For every man and womman dooth his myght
This day in murthe and revel to dispende
Til on the welkne shoon the sterres lyght.
For moore solempne in every mannes syght
This feste was, and gretter of costage,
Than was the revel of hire mariage.
Ful many a yeer in heigh prosperitee
Lyven thise two in concord and in reste,
And richely his doghter maryed he
Unto a lord, oon of the worthieste
Of al ytaille; and thanne in pees and reste
His wyves fader in his court he kepeth,
Til that the soule out of his body crepeth.
His sone succedeth in his heritage
In reste and pees, after his fader day,
And fortunat was eek in mariage,
Al putte he nat his wyf in greet assay.
This world is nat so strong, it is no nay,
As it hath been in olde tymes yoore,
And herkneth what this auctour seith therfoore.
This storie is seyd, nat for that wyves sholde
Folwen grisilde as in humylitee,
For it were inportable, though they wolde;
But for that every wight, in his degree,
Sholde be constant in adversitee
As was grisilde; therfore petrak writeth
This storie, which with heigh stile he enditeth.
For, sith a womman was so pacient
Unto a mortal man, wel moore us oghte
Receyven al in gree that God us sent;
For greet skile is, he preeve that he wroghte.
But he ne tempteth no man that he boghte,
As seith seint jame, if ye his pistel rede;
He preeveth folk al day, it is no drede,
And suffreth us, as for oure excercise,
With sharpe scourges of adversitee
Ful ofte to be bete in sondry wise;
Nat for to knowe oure wyl, for certes he,
Er we were born, knew al oure freletee;
And for oure beste is al his governaunce.
Lat us thanne lyve in vertuous suffraunce.
But o work lordynges, herkneth er I go:
It were ful hard to fynde now-a-dayes
In al a toun grisildis thre or two;
For if that they were put to swiche assayes,
The gold of hem hath now so badde alayes
With bras, that thogh the coyne be fair at ye,
It wolde rather breste a-two than plye.
For which heere, for the wyves love of bathe --
Whos lyf and al hire secte God mayntene
In heigh maistrie, and elles were it scathe --
I wol with lusty herte, fressh and grene,
Seyn yow a song to glade yow, I wene;
And lat us stynte of ernestful matere.
Herkneth my song that seith in this manere:
Grisilde is deed, and eek hire pacience,
And bothe atones buryed in ytaille;
For which I crie in open audience,
No wedded man so hardy be t' assaille
His wyves pacience in trust to fynde
Grisildis, for in certein he shal faille.
O noble wyves, ful of heigh prudence,
Lat noon humylitee youre tonge naille,
Ne lat no clerk have cause or diligence
To write of yow a storie of swich mervaille
As of grisildis pacient and kynde,
Lest chichevache yow swelwe in hire entraille!
Folweth ekko, that holdeth no silence,
But evere answereth at the countretaille.
Beth nat bidaffed for youre innocence,
But sharply taak on yow the governaille.
Emprenteth wel this lessoun in youre mynde,
For commune profit sith it may availle.
Ye archewyves, stondeth at defense,
Syn ye be strong as is a greet camaille;
Ne suffreth nat that men yow doon offense.
And sklendre wyves, fieble as in bataille,
Beth egre as is a tygre yond in ynde;
Ay clappeth as a mille, I yow consaille.
Ne dreed hem nat, doth hem no reverence,
For though thyn housbonde armed be in maille,
The arwes of thy crabbed eloquence
Shal perce his brest, and eek his aventaille.
In jalousie I rede eek thou hym bynde,
And thou shalt make hym couche as doth a quaille.
If thou be fair, ther folk been in presence,
Shewe thou thy visage and thyn apparaille;
If thou be foul, be fre of thy dispence;
To gete thee freendes ay do thy travaille;
Be ay of chiere as light as leef on lynde,
And lat hym care, and wepe, and wrynge, and waille!
This worthy clerk, whan ended was his tale,
Oure hooste seyde, and swoor, by goddes bondes,
Me were levere than a barel ale
My wyf at hoom had herd this legende ones!
This is a gentil tale for the nones,
As to my purpos, wiste ye my wille;
But thyng that wol nat be, lat it be stille.

The Merchant's Prologue

Wepyng and waylyng, care and oother sorwe
I knowe ynogh, on even and a-morwe,
Quod the marchant, and so doon other mo
That wedded been. I trowe that it be so,
For wel I woot it fareth so with me.
I have awyf, the worste that may be;
For thogh the feend to hire ycoupled were,
She sholde I yow reherce in special
What sholde I yow reherce in special
Hir hye malice? she is a shrewe at al.
Ther is a long and large difference
Bitwix grisildis grete pacience
And of my wyf the passyng crueltee.
Were I unbounden, also moot I thee!
I wolde nevere eft comen in the sanre.
We wedded men lyven in sorwe and care.
Assaye whoso wole, and he shal fynde
That I seye sooth , by seint thomas of ynde,
As for the moore part, I sey nat alle.
God shilde that it sholde so bifalle!
A! goode sire hoost, I have ywedded bee
Thise monthes two, and moore nat, pardee;
And yet, I trowe, he that al his lyve
Wyflees hath been, though that men wolde him ryve
Unto the herte, ne koude in no manere
Tellen so muchel sorwe as I now heere
Koude tellen of my wyves cursednesse!
Now, quod oure hoost, marchaunt, so God yow blesse,
Syn ye so muchel knowen of that art
Ful hertely I pray yow telle us part.
Gladly, quod he, but of myn owene soore,
For soory herte, I telle may namoore.

The Merchant's Tale

Whilom ther was dwellynge in lumbardye
A worthy knyght, that born was of pavye,
In which he lyved in greet prosperitee;
And sixty yeer a wyflees man was hee,
And folwed ay his bodily delyt
On wommen, ther as was his appetyt,
As doon thise fooles that been seculeer.
And whan that he was passed sixty yeer,
Were it for hoolynesse or for dotage,
I kan nat seye, but swich a greet corage
Hadde this knyght to been a wedded man
That day and nyght he dooth al that he kan
T' espien where he myghte wedded be,
Preyinge oure lord to graunten him that he
Mighte ones knowe of thilke blisful lyf
That is bitwixe an housbonde and his wyf,
And for to lyve under that hooly boond
With which that first God man and womman bond.
Noon oother lyf, seyde he, is worth a bene;
For wedlok is so esy and so clene,
That in this world it is paradys.
Thus seyde this olde knyght, that was so wys.
And certeinly, as sooth as God is kyng,
To take a wyf it is a glorious thyng,
And namely whan a man is oold and hoor;
Thanne is a wyf the fruyt of his tresor.
Thanne sholde he take a yong wyf and a feir,
On which he myghte engendren hym and heir,
And lede his lyf in joye and in solas,
Where as thise bacheleris synge allas,
Whan that they funden any adversitee
In love, which nys but childyssh vanytee.
And trewely it sit wel to be so,
That bacheleris have often peyne and wo;
On brotel ground they buylde, and brotelnesse
They fynde, whan they wene sikernesse.
They lyve but as a bryd or as a beest,
In libertee, and under noon arreest,
Ther as a wedded man in his estaat
Lyveth a lyf blisful and ordinaat,
Under this yok of mariage ybounde.
Wel may his herte in joy and blisse habounde,
For who kan be so buxom as a wyf?
Who is so trewe, and eek so ententyf
To kepe hym, syk and hool, as is his make?
For wele or wo she wole hym nat forsake;
She nys nat wery hym to love and serve,
Thogh that he lye bedrede, til he sterve.
And yet somme clerkes seyn it nys nat so,
Of whiche he theofraste is oon of tho.
What force though theofraste liste lye?
Ne take no wyf, quod he, for housbondrye,
As for to spare in houshold thy dispence.
A trewe servant dooth moore diligence
Thy good to kepe, than thyn owene wyf,
For she wol clayme half part al hir lyf.
And if that thou be syk, so God me save,
Thy verray freendes, or a trewe knave,
Wol kepe thee bet than she that waiteth ay
After thy good and hath doon many a day.
And if thou take a wyf unto thyn hoold,
Ful lightly maystow been a cokewold.
This sentence, and an hundred thynges worse,
Writeth this man, ther God his bones corse!
But take no kep of al swich vanytee;
Deffie theofraste, and herke me.
A wyf is goddes yifte verraily;
Alle othere manere yiftes hardily,
As londes, rentes, pasture, or commune,
Or moebles, alle been yiftes of fortune,
That passen as a shadwe upon a wal.
But drede nat, if pleynly speke I shal,
A wyf wol laste, and thyn hous endure,
Wel lenger than thee list, paraventure.
Mariage is a ful greet sacrement.
He which that hath no wyf, I holde hym shent;
He lyveth helplees and al desolat, --
I speke of folk in seculer estaat.
And herke why, I sey nat this for noght,
That womman is for mannes helpe ywroght.
The hye god, whan he hadde adam maked,
And saugh him al allone, bely-naked,
God of his grete goodnesse syde than,
Lat us now make an helpe unto this man
Lyk to hymself; and thanne he made him eve.
Heere may ye se, and heerby may ye preve,
That wyf is mannes helpe and his confort,
His paradys terrestre, and his disport.
So buxom and so vertuous is she,
They moste nedes lyve in unitee.
O flessh they been, and o fleesh, as I gesse,
Hath but oon herte, in wele and in distresse.
A wyf! a, seinte marie, benedicite!
How myghte man han any adversitee
That hath a wyf? certes, I kan nat seye.
 the blisse which that is bitwixe hem tweye
Ther may no tonge telle, or herte thynke.
If he be povre, she helpeth hym to swynke;
She kepeth his good, and wasteth never a deel;
Al that hire housbonde lust, hire liketh weel;
She seith nat ones nay, whan he seith ye.
Do this, seith he; al redy, sire, seith she.
O blisful ordre of wedlok precious,
Thou art so murye, and eek so vertuous,
And so commended and appreved eek
That every man that halt hym worth a leek,
Upon his bare knees oughte al his lyf
Thanken his God that hym hath sent a wyf,
Or elles preye to God hym for to sende
A wyf, to laste unto his lyves ende.
For thanne his lyf is set in sikernesse;
He may nat be deceyved, as I gesse,
So that he werke after his wyves reed.
Thanne may he boldely beren up his heed,
They been so trewe, and therwithal so wyse;
For which, if thou wolt werken as the wyse,
Do alwey so as wommen wol thee rede.
Lo, how that jacob, as thise clerkes rede,
By good conseil of his mooder rebekke,
Boond the kydes skyn aboute his nekke,
For which his fadres benyson he wan.
Lo, how that jacob, as thise clerkes rede,
By wys conseil she goddes peple kepte,
And slow hym olofernus, whil he slepte.
Lo abigayl, by good conseil, how she
Saved hir housbonde nabal, whan that he
Sholde han be slayn; and looke, ester also
By good conseil delyvered out of wo
The peple of god, and made hym mardochee
Of assuere enhaunced for to be.
Ther nys no thyng in gree superlatyf,
As seith senek, above and humble wyf.
Suffre thy wyves tonge, as catoun bit;
She shal comande, and thou shalt suffren it,
And yet she wole obeye of curteisye.
A wyf is kepere of thyn housbondrye;
Wel may the sike man biwaille and wepe,
Ther as ther nys no wyf the hous to kepe.
I warne thee, if wisely thou wolt wirche,
Love wel thy wyf, as crist loved his chirche.
If thou lovest thyself, thou lovest thy wyf;
No man hateth his flessh, but in his lyf
He fostreth it, and therfore bidde I thee,
Cherisse thy wyf, or thou shalt nevere thee.
Housbonde and wyf, what so men jape or pleye,
Of worldly folk holden the siker weye;
They been so knyt ther may noon harm bityde,
And namely upon the wyves syde.
For which this januarie, of whom I tolde,
Considered hath, inwith his dayes olde,
The lusty lyf, the vertuous quyete,
That is in mariage hony-sweete;
And for his freendes on a day he sente,
To tellen hem th' effect of his entente.
With face sad his tale he hath hem toold.
He seyde, freendes, I am hoor and oold,
And almost, God woot, on my pittes brynke;
Upon my soule somwhat moste I thynke.
I have my body folily despended;
Blessed be God that it shal been amended!
For I wol be, certeyn, a wedded man,
And that anoon in al the haste I kan.
Unto som mayde fair and tendre of age,
I prey yow, shapeth for my mariage
Al sodeynly, for I wol nat abyde;
And I wol fonde t' espien, on my syde,
To whom I may be wedded hastily.
But forasmuche as ye been mo than I,
Ye shullen rather swich a thyng espyen
Than I, and where me best were to allyen.
But o thyng warne I yow, my freendes deere,
I wol moon oold wyf han in no manere.
She shal nat passe twenty yeer, certayn;
Oold fissh and yong flessh wolde I have ful fayn.
Bet is, quod he, a pyk than a pykerel,
And bet than old boef is the tendre veel.
I wol no womman thritty yeer of age;
It is but bene-straw and greet forage.
And eek thise olde wydwes, God it woot,
They konne so muchel craft on wades boot,
So muchel broken harm, whan that hem leste,
That with hem sholde I nevere lyve in reste.
For sondry scoles maken sotile clerkis;
Womman of manye scoles half a clerk is.
But certeynly, a yong thyng may men gye,
Right as men may warm wex with handes plye.
Wherfore I sey yow pleynly, in a clause,
I wol noon oold wyf han right for this cause.
For if so were I hadde swich myschaunce,
That I in hire ne koude han no plesaunce,
Thanne sholde I lede my lyf in avoutrye,
And go streight to the devel, whan I dye.
Ne children sholde I none upon hire geten;
Yet were me levere houndes hand me eten,
Than that myn heritage sholde falle
In straunge hand, and this I telle yow alle.
I dote nat, I woot the cause why
Men sholde wedde, and forthermoore woot I,
Ther speketh many a man of mariage
That woot namoore of it than woot my page,
For whiche causes man sholde take a wyf.
If he ne may nat lyven chaast his lyf,
Take hym a wyf with greet devocioun,
By cause of leverful procreacioun
Of children, to th' onour of God above,
And nat oonly for paramour or love;
And for they sholde leccherye eschue,
And yelde hir dette whan that it is due;
Or for that ech of hem sholde helpen oother
In meschief, as a suster shal the brother;
And lyve in chastitee ful holily.
But sires, by youre leve, that am nat I.
For, God be thanked! I dar make avaunt,
I feele my lymes stark and suffisaunt
To do al that a man bilongeth to;
I woot myselven best what I may do.
Though I be hoor, I fare as dooth a tree
That blosmeth er that fruyt ywoxen bee;
And blosmy tree nys neither drye ne deed.
I feele me nowhere hoor but on myn heed;
Myn herte and alle my lymes been as grene
As laurer thurgh the yeer is for to sene.
And syn that ye han herd al myn entente,
I prey yow to my wyl ye wole assente.
Diverse men diversely hym tolde
Of mariage manye ensamples olde.
Somme blamed it, somme preysed it, certeyn;
But atte laste, shortly for to seyn,
As al day falleth altercacioun
Bitwixen freendes in disputisoun,
Ther fil a stryf bitwixe his bretheren two,
Of whiche that oon was cleped placebo,
Justinus soothly called was that oother.
Placebo seyde, o januarie, brother,
Ful litel nede hadde ye, my lord so deere,
Conseil to axe of any that is heere,
But that ye been so ful of sapience
That yow ne liketh, for youre heighe prudence,
To weyven fro the word of salomon.
This word seyde he unto us everychon:
Wirk alle thyng by conseil, -- thus seyde he,
-- And thanne shaltow nat repente thee. --
But though that salomon spak swich a word,
Myn owene deere brother and my lord,
So wysly God my soule brynge at reste,
I holde youre owene conseil is the beste.
For, brother myn, of me taak this motyf,
I have now been a court-man al my lyf,
And God it woot, though I unworthy be,
I have stonden in ful greet degree
Abouten lordes of ful heigh estaat;
Yet hadde I nevere with noon of hem debaat.
I nevere hem contraried, trewely;
I woot wel that my lord kan moore than I.
With that he seith, I holde it ferme and stable;
I seye the same, or elles thyng semblable.
A ful greet fool is any conseillour
That serveth any lord of heigh honour,
That dar presume, or elles thanken it,
That his conseil sholde passe his lordes wit.
Nay, lordes been no fooles, by my fay!
Ye han youreselven shewed heer to-day
So heigh sentence, so holily and weel,
That I consente and conferme everydeel
Youre wordes alle and youre opinioun.
By god, ther nys no man in al this toun,
Ne in ytaille, that koude bet han sayd!
Crist halt hym of this conseil ful wel apayd.
And trewely, it is an heigh corage
Of any man that stapen is in age
To take a yong wyf; by my fader kyn,
Youre herte hangeth on a joly pyn!
Dooth now in this matiere right as yow leste,
For finally I holde it for the beste.
Justinus, that ay stille sat and herde,
Right in this wise he to placebo answerde:
Now, brother myn, be pacient, I preye,
Syn ye han seyd, and herkneth what I seye.
Senek, amonges othere wordes wyse,
Seith that a man oghte hym right wel avyse
To whom he yeveth his lond or his catel.
And syn I oghte avyse me right wel
To whom I yeve my good awey from me,
Wel muchel moore I oghte avysed be
To whom I yeve my body for alwey.
I warne yow wel, it is no childes pley
To take a wyf withouten avysement.
Men moste enquere, this is myn assent,
Wher she be wys, or sobre, or dronkelewe,
Or proud, or elles ootherweys a shrewe,
A chidestere, or wastour of thy good,
Or riche, or poore, or elles mannyssh wood.
Al be it so that no man fynden shal
Noon in this world that trotteth hool in al,
Ne man, ne beest, swich as men koude devyse;
But nathelees it oghte ynough suffise
With any wyf, if so were that she hadde
Mo goode thewes than hire vices badde;
And al this axeth leyser for t' enquere.
For, God it woot, I have wept many a teere
Ful pryvely, syn I have had a wyf.
Preyse whoso wole a wedded mannes lyf,
Certein I fynde in it but cost and care
And observances, of alle blisses bare.
And yet, God woot, my neighebores aboute,
And namely of wommen many a route,
Seyn that I have the mooste stedefast wyf,
And eek the mekeste oon that bereth lyf;
But I woot best where wryngeth me my sho.
Ye mowe, for me, right as yow liketh do;
Avyseth yow -- ye been a man of age --
How that ye entren into mariage,
And namely with a yong wyf and a fair.
By hym that made water, erthe, and air,
The yongeste man that is in al this route
Is bisy ynough to bryngen it aboute
To han his wyf allone. Trusteth me,
Ye shul nat plesen hire fully yeres thre, --
This is to seyn, to doon hire ful plesaunce.
A wyf axeth ful many an observaunce.
I prey yow that ye be nat yvele apayd.
Wel, quod this januarie, and hastow sayd?
Straw for thy senek, and for thy proverbes!
I counte nat a panyer ful of herbes
Of scole-termes. Wyser men than thow,
As thou hast herd, assenteden right now
To my purpos. Placebo, what sey ye?
I seye it is a cursed man, quod he,
That letteth matrimoigne, sikerly.
And with that word they rysen sodeynly,
And been assented fully that he sholde
Be wedded whanne hym liste, and where he wolde.
Heigh fantasye and curious bisynesse
Fro day to day gan in the soule impresse
Of januarie aboute his mariage.
Many fair shap and many a fair visage
Ther passeth thurgh his herte nyght by nyght,
As whoso tooke a mirour, polisshed bryght,
And sette it in a commune market-place,
Thanne sholde he se ful many a figure pace
By his mirour; and in the same wyse
Gan januarie inwith his thoght devyse
Of maydens whiche that dwelten hym bisyde.
He wiste nat wher that he myghte abyde.
For if that oon have beaute in hir face,
Another stant so in the peples grace
For hire sadnesse and hire benyngnytee
That of the peple grettest voys hath she;
And somme were riche, and hadden badde name.
But nathelees, bitwixe ernest and game,
He atte laste apoynted hym on oon,
And leet alle othere from his herte goon,
And chees hire of his owene auctoritee;
For love is blynd alday, and may nat see.
And whan that he was in his bed ybroght,
He purtreyed in his herte and in his thoght
Hir fresshe beautee and hir age tendre,
Hir myddel smal, hire armes longe and sklendre,
Hir wise governaunce, hir gentillesse,
Hir wommanly berynge, and hire sadnesse.
And whan that he on hire was condescended,
Hym thoughte his choys myghte nat ben amended.
For whan that he hymself concluded hadde,
Hym thoughte ech oother mannes wit so badde
That inpossible it were to repplye
Agayn his choys, this was his fantasye.
His freendes sente he to, at his instaunce,
And preyed hem to doon hym that plesaunce,
That hastily they wolden to hym come;
He wolde abregge hir labour, alle and some.
Nedeth namoore for hym to go ne ryde;
He was apoynted ther he wolde abyde.
Placebo cam, and eek his freendes soone,
And alderfirst he bad hem alle a boone,
That noon of hem none argumentes make
Agayn the purpos which that he hath take,
Which purpos was plesant to god, seyde he,
And verray ground of his prosperitee.
He seyde ther was a mayden in the toun,
Which that of beautee hadde greet renoun,
Al were it so she were of smal degree;
Suffiseth hym hir yowthe and hir beautee.
Which mayde, he seyde, he wolde han to his wyf,
To lede in ese and hoolynesse his lyf;
And thanked God that he myghte han hire al,
That no wight his blisse parten shal.
And preyed hem to laboure in this nede,
And shapen that he faille nat to spede;
For thanne, he seyde, his spirit was at ese.
Thanne is, quod he, no thyng may me displese,
Save o thyng priketh in my conscience,
The which I wol reherce in youre presence.
I have, quod he, herd seyd, ful yoore ago,
Ther may no man han parfite blisses two, --
This is to seye, in erthe and eek in hevene.
For though he kepe hym fro the synnes sevene,
And eek from every branche of thilke tree,
Yet is ther so parfit felicitee
And so greet ese and lust in mariage,
That evere I am agast now in myn age
That I shal lede now so myrie a lyf,
So delicat, withouten wo and stryf,
That I shal have myn hevene in erthe heere.
For sith that verray hevene is boght so deere
With tribulation and greet penaunce,
How sholde I thanne, that lyve in swich plesaunce
As alle wedded men doon with hire wyvys,
Come to the blisse ther crist eterne on lyve ys?
This is my drede, and ye, my bretheren tweye,
Assoilleth me this question, I preye.
Justinus, which that hated his folye,
Answerde anon right in his japerye;
And for he wolde his longe tale abregge,
He wolde noon auctoritee allegge,
But seyde, sire, so ther be noon obstacle
Oother than this, God of his hygh myracle
And of his mercy may so for yow wirche
That, er ye have youre right of hooly chirche,
Ye may repente of wedded mannes lyf,
In which ye seyn ther is no wo ne stryf.
And elles, God forbede but he sente
A wedded man hym grace to repente
Wel ofte rather than a sengle man!
And therfore, sire -- the beste reed I kan --
Dispeire yow noght, but have in youre memorie,
Paraunter she may be youre purgatorie!
She may be goddes meene and goddes whippe;
Thanne shal youre soule up to hevene skippe
Swifter than dooth and arwe out of bowe.
I hope to god, herafter shul ye knowe
That ther nys no so greet felicitee
In mariage, ne nevere mo shal bee,
That yow shal lette of youre savacion,
So that ye sue, as skile is an reson,
The lustes of youre wyf attemprely,
And that ye plese hire nat to amorously,
And that ye kepe yow eek from oother synne.
My tale is doon, for my wit is thynne.
Beth nat agast herof, my brother deere,
But lat us waden out of this mateere.
The wyf of bethe, if ye han understonde,
Of mariage, which we have on honde,
Declared hath ful wel in litel space.
Fareth now wel, God have yow in his grace.
And with this word this justyn and his brother
Han take hir leve, and ech of hem of oother.
For whan they saughe that it moste nedes be,
They wroghten so, by sly and wys tretee,
That she, this mayden, which that mayus highte,
As hastily as evere that she myghte,
Shal wedded be unto this januarie.
I trowe it were to longe yow to tarie,
If I yow tolde of every scrit and bond
By which that she was feffed in his lond,
Or for to herknen of hir riche array.
But finally ycomen is the day
That to the chirche bothe be they went
For to receyve the hooly sacrement.
Forth comth the preest, with stole aboute his nakke,
And bad hire be lyk sarra and rebekke
In wysdom and in trouthe of mariage;
And seyde his orisons, as is usage,
And croucheth hem, and bad God sholde hem blesse,
And made al siker ynogh with hoolynesse.
Thus been they wedded with solempnitee,
And at the feeste sitteth he and she
With othere worthy folk upon the deys.
Al ful of joye and blisse is the paleys,
And ful of instrumentz and of vitaille,
The mooste deyntevous of al ytaille.
Biforn hem stoode instrumentz of swich soun
That orpheus, ne of thebes amphioun,
Ne maden nevere swich a melodye.
At every cours thanne cam loud mynstralcye,
That nevere tromped joab for to heer,
Nor he theodomas, yet half so cleere,
At thebes, whan the citee was in doute.
Bacus the wyn hem shynketh al aboute,
And venus laugheth upon every wight,
For januarie was bicome hir knyght,
And wolde bothe assayen his corage
In libertee, and eek in mariage;
And with hire fyrbrond in hire hand aboute
Daunceth biforn the bryde and al the route.
And certeinly, I dar right wel seyn this,
Ymeneus, that God of weddyng is,
Saugh nevere his lyf so myrie a wedded man.
Hoold thou thy pees, thou poete marcian,
That writest us that ilke weddyng murie
Of hire philologie and hym mercurie,
And of the songes that the muses songe!
To smal is bothe thy penen, and eek thy tonge,
For to descryven of this mariage.
Whan tendre youthe hath wedded stoupyng age,
Ther is swich myrthe that it may nat be writen.
Assayeth it youreself, thanne may ye witen
If that I lye or noon in this matiere.
Mayus, that sit with so benyngne a chiere,
Hire to biholde it semed fayerye.
Queene ester looked nevere with swich an ye
On assuer, so meke a look hath she.
I may yow nat devyse al hir beautee.
But thus muche of hire beautee telle I may,
That she was lyk the brighte morwe of may,
Fulfild of alle beautee and plesaunce.
This januarie is ravysshed in a traunce
At every tyme he looked on hir face;
But in his herte he gan hire to manace
That he that nyght in armes wolde hire streyne
Harder than evere parys dide eleyne.
But nathelees yet hadde he greet pitee
That thilke nyght offenden hire moste he,
And thoughte, allas! o tendre creature,
Now wolde God ye myghte wel endure
Al my corage, it is so sharp and keene!
I am agast ye shul it nat sustene.
But God forbede that I dide al my myght!
Now wolde God that it were woxen nyght,
And that the nyght wolde lasten everemo.
I wolde that al this peple were ago.
And finally he dooth al his labour,
As he best myghte, savynge his honour,
To haste hem fro the mete in subtil wyse.
The tyme cam that resoun was to ryse;
And after that men daunce and drynken faste,
And spices al aboute the hous they caste,
And ful of joye and blisse is every man, --
Al but a squyer, highte damyan,
Which carf biforn the knyght ful many a day.
He was so ravysshed on his lady may
That for the verray peyne he was ny wood.
Almoost he swelte and swowned ther he stood,
So soore hath venus hurt hym with hire brond,
As that she bar it daunsynge in hire hond;
And to his bed he wente hym hastily.
Namoore of hym as at this tyme speke I,
But there I lete hym wepe ynogh and pleyne,
Til fresshe may wol rewen on his peyne.
O perilous fyr, that in the bedstraw bredeth!
O famulier foo, that his servyce bedeth!
O servant traytour, false hoomly hewe,
Lyk to the naddre in bosom sly untrewe,
God shilde us alle from youre aqueyntaunce!
O januarie, dronken in plesaunce
In mariage, se how thy damyan,
Thyn owene squier and thy borne man,
Entendeth for to do thee vileynye.
God graunte thee thyn hoomly fo t' espye!
For in this world nys worse pestilence
Than hoomly foo al day in thy presence.
Parfourned hath the sonne his ark diurne;
No lenger may the body of hym sojurne
On th' orisonte, as in that latitude.
Night with his mantel, that is derk and rude,
Gan oversprede the hemysperie aboute;
For which departed is this lusty route
Fro januarie, with thank on every syde.
Hoom to hir houses lustily they ryde,
Where as they doon hir thynges as hem leste,
And whan they sye hir tyme, goon to reste.
Soone after than, this hastif januarie
Wolde go to bedde, he wolde no lenger tarye.
He drynketh ypocras, clarree, and vernage
Of spices hoote, t' encreessen his corage;
And many a letuarie hath he ful fyn,
Swiche as the cursed monk, daun constantyn,
Hath writen in his book de coitu;
To eten hem alle he nas no thyng eschu.
And to his privee freendes thus seyde he:
For goddes love, as soone as it may be,
Lat voyden al this hous in curteys wyse.
And they han doon right as he wol devyse.
Men drynken, and the travers drawe anon.
The bryde was broght abedde as stille as stoon;
And whan the bed was with the preest yblessed,
Out of the chambre hath every wight hym dressed;
And januarie hath faste in armes take
His fresshe may, his paradys, his make.
He lulleth hire, he kisseth hire ful ofte;
With thikke brustles of his berd unsofte,
Lyk to the skyn of houndfyssh, sharp as brere --
For he was shave al newe in his manere --
He rubbeth hire aboute hir tendre face,
And seyde thus, allas! I moot trespace
To yow, my spouse, and yow greetly offende,
Er tyme come that I wil doun descende.
But nathelees, considereth this, quod he,
Ther nys no werkman, whatsoevere he be,
That may bothe werke wel and hastily;
This wol be doon at leyser parfitly.
It is no fors how longe that we pleye;
In trewe wedlok coupled be we tweye;
And blessed be the yok that we been inne,
For in oure actes we mowe do no synne.
A man may do no synne with his wyf,
Ne hurte hymselven with his owene knyf;
For we han leve to pleye us by the lawe.
Thus laboureth he til that the day gan dawe;
And thanne he taketh a sop in fyn clarree,
And upright in his bed thanne sitteth he,
And after that he sang ful loude and cleere,
And kiste his wyf, and made wantown cheere
He was al coltissh, ful of ragerye,
And ful of jargon as a flekked pye.
The slakke skyn aboute his nekke shaketh,
Whil that he sang, so chaunteth he and craketh.
But God woot what that may thoughte in hir herte,
Whan she hym saugh up sittynge in his sherte,
In his nyght-cappe, and with his nekke lene;
She preyseth nat his pleyyng worth a bene.
Thanne seide he thus, my reste wol I take;
Now day is come, I may no lenger wake.
And doun he leyde his heed, and sleep til pryme.
And afterward, whan that he saugh his tyme,
Up ryseth januarie; but fresshe may
Heeld hire chambre unto the fourthe day,
As usage is of wyves for the beste.
For every labour somtyme moot han reste,
Or elles longe may he nat endure;
This is to seyn, no lyves creature,
Be it of fyssh, or bryd, or beest, or man.
Now wol I speke of woful damyan,
That langwissheth for love, as ye shul heere;
Therfore I speke to hym in this manere:
I seye, o sely damyan, allas!
Andswere to my demaunde, as in this cas.
How shaltow to thy lady, fresshe may,
Telle thy wo? she wole alwey seye nay.
Eek if thou speke, she wol thy wo biwreye.
God be thyn helpe! I kan no bettre seye.
This sike damyan in venus fyr
So brenneth that he dyeth for desyr,
For which he putte his lyf in aventure.
No lenger myghte he in this wise endure,
But prively a penner gan he borwe,
And in a lettre wroot he al his sorwe,
In manere of a compleynt or a lay,
Unto his faire, fresshe lady may;
And in a purs of sylk, heng on his sherte
He hath it put, and leyde it at his herte.
The moone, that at noon was thilke day
That januarie hath wedded fresshe may
In two of tawr, was into cancre glyden;
So longe hath mayus in hir chambre abyden,
As custume is unto thise nobles alle.
A bryde shal nat eten in the halle
Til dayes foure, or thre dayes atte leeste,
Ypassed been; thanne lat hire go to feeste.
The fourthe day compleet fro noon to noon,
Whan that the heighe masse was ydoon,
In halle sit this januarie and may,
As fressh as is the brighte someres day.
And so bifel how that this goode man
Remembred hym upon this damyan,
And seyde, seynte marie! how may this be,
That damyan entendeth nat to me?
Is he ay syk, or how may this bityde?
His squieres, whiche that stooden ther bisyde,
Excused hym by cause of his siknesse,
Which letted hym to doon his bisynesse;
Noon oother cause myghte make hym tarye.
That me forthynketh, quod this januarie,
He is a gentil squier, by my trouthe!
If that he deyde, it were harm and routhe.
He is as wys, discreet, and as secree
As any man I woot of his degree,
And therto manly, and eek servysable.
And for to been a thrifty man right able.
But after mete, as soone as evere I may,
I wol myself visite hym, and eek may,
To doon hym al the confort that I kan.
And for that word hym blessed every man,
That of his bountee and his gentillesse
He wolde so conforten in siknesse
His squier, for it was a gentil dede.
Dame, quod this januarie, taak good hede,
At after-mete ye with youre wommen alle,
Whan ye han been in chambre out of this halle,
That alle ye go se this damyan.
Dooth hym disport -- he is a gentil man;
And telleth hym that I wol hym visite,
Have I no thyng but rested me a lite;
And spede yow faste, for I wole abyde
Til that ye slepe faste by my syde.
And with that word he gan to hym to calle
A squier, that was marchal of his halle,
And tolde hym certeyn thynges, what he wolde.
This fresshe may hath streight hir wey yholde,
With alle hir wommen, unto damyan.
Doun by his beddes syde sit she than,
Confortynge hym as goodly as she may.
This damyan, whan that his tyme he say,
In secree wise his purs and eek his bille,
In which that he ywriten hadde his wille,
Hath put into hire hand, withouten moore,
And softely to hire right thus seyde he:
And softely to hire right thus seyde he:
Mercy! and that ye nat discovere me,
For I am deed if that this thyng be kyd.
This purs hath she inwith hir bosom hyd,
And wente hire wey; ye gete namoore of me.
But unto januarie ycomen is she,
That on his beddes syde sit ful softe.
He taketh hire, and kisseth hire ful ofte,
And leyde hym doun to slepe, and that anon.
She feyned hire as that she moste gon
Ther as ye woot that every wight moot neede;
And whan she of this bille hath taken heede,
She rente it al to cloutes atte laste,
And in the pryvee softely it caste.
Who studieth now but faire fresshe may?
Adoun by olde januarie she lay,
That sleep til that the coughe hath hym awaked.
Anon he preyde hire strepen hire al naked;
He wolde of hire, he seyde, han som plesaunce,
And seyde hir clothes dide hym encombraunce,
And she obeyeth, be hire lief or looth.
But lest that precious folk be with me wrooth,
How that he wroghte, I dar nat to yow telle;
Or wheither hire thoughte it paradys or helle.
But heere I lete hem werken in hir wyse
Til evensong rong, and that they moste aryse.
Were it by destynee or aventure,
Were it by influence or by nature,
Or constellacion, that in swich estaat
The hevene stood, that tyme fortunaat
Was for to putte a bille of venus werkes --
For alle thyng hath tyme, as seyn thise clerkes --
To any womman, for to gete hire love,
I kan nat seye; but grete God above,
That knoweth that noon act is causeless,
He deme of al, for I wole hole my pees.
But sooth is this, how that this fresshe may
Hath take swich impression that day
Of pitee of this sike damyan,
That from hire herte she ne dryve kan
The remembrance for to doon hym ese.
Certeyn, thoghte she, whom that this thyng displese,
I rekke noght, for heere I hym assure
To love hym best of any creature,
Though he namoore hadde than his sherte.
Lo, pitee renneth soone in gentil herte!
Heere may ye se how excellent franchise
In wommen is, whan they hem narwe avyse.
Som tyrant is, as ther be many oon,
That hath an herte as hard as any stoon,
Which wolde han lat hym sterven in the place
Wel rather than han graunted hym hire grace;
And hem rejoysen in hire crueel pryde,
And rekke nat to been an homycide.
This gentil may, fulfilled of pitee,
Right of hire hand a lettre made she,
In which she graunteth hym hire verray grace.
Ther lakketh noght, oonly but day and place,
Wher that she myghte unto his lust suffise;
For it shal be right as he wole devyse.
And whan she saugh hir tyme, upon a day,
To visite this damyan gooth may,
And sotilly this lettre doun she threste
Under his pilwe, rede it if hym leste.
She taketh hym by the hand, and harde hym twiste
So secrely that no wight of it wiste,
And bad hym been al hool, and forth she wente
To januarie, whan that he for hire sente.
Up riseth damyan the nexte morwe;
Al passed was his siknesse and his sorwe.
He kembeth hym, he preyneth hym and pyketh,
He dooth al that his lady lust and lyketh;
And eek to januarie he gooth as lowe
As evere dide a dogge for the bowe.
He is so plesant unto every man
(for craft is al, whoso that do it kan)
That every wight is fayn to speke hym good;
And fully in his lady grace he stood.
Thus lete I damyan aboute his nede,
And in my tale forth I wol procede.
Somme clerkes holden that felicitee
Stant in delit, and therfore certeyn he,
This noble januarie, with al his myght,
In honest wyse, as longeth to a knyght,
Shoop hym to lyve ful deliciously.
His housynge, his array, as honestly
To his degree was maked as a kynges.
Amonges othere of his honeste thynges,
He made a gardyn, walled al with stoon;
So fair a gardyn woot I nowher noon.
For, out of doute, I verraily suppose
That he that wroot the romance of the rose
Ne koude of it the beautee wel devyse;
Ne priapus ne myghte nat suffise,
Though he be God of gardyns, for to telle
The beautee of the gardyn and the welle,
That stood under a laurer alwey grene.
Ful ofte tyme he pluto and his queene,
Proserpina, and al hire fayerye,
Disporten hem and maken melodye
Aboute that welle, and daunced, as men tolde.
This noble knyght, this januarie the olde,
Swich deyntee hath in it to walke and pleye,
That he wol no wight suffren bere the keye
Save he hymself; for of the smale wyket
He baar alwey of silver a clyket,
With which, whan that hym leste, he it unshette.
And whan he wolde paye his wyf hir dette
In somer seson, thider wolde he go,
And may his wyf, and no wight but they two;
And thynges whiche that were nat doon abedde,
He in the gardyn parfourned hem and spedde.
And in this wyse, many a murye day,
Lyved this januarie and fresshe may.
But worldly joye may nat alwey dure
To januarie, ne to creature.
O sodeyn hap! o thou fortune unstable!
Lyk to the scorpion so deceyvable,
That flaterest with thyn heed whan thou wolt stynge;
Thy tayl is deeth, thurgh thyn envenymynge.
O brotil joye! o sweete venym queynte!
O monstre, that so subtilly kanst peynte
Thy yiftes under hewe of stidefastnesse,
That thou deceyvest bothe moore and lesse!
Why hastow januarie thus deceyved,
That haddest hym for thy fulle freend receyved?
And now thou hast biraft hym bothe his ye,
For sorwe of which desireth he to dyen.
Allas! this noble januarie free,
Amydde his lust and his prosperitee,
Is woxen blynd, and that al sodeynly,
He wepeth and he wayleth pitously;
And therwithal the fyr of jalousie,
Lest that his wyf sholde falle in som folye,
So brente his herte that he wolde fayn
That som man bothe hire and hym had slayn.
For neither after his deeth, nor in his lyf,
Ne wolde he that she were love ne wyf,
But evere lyve as wydwe in clothes blake,
Soul as the turtle that lost hath hire make,
But atte laste, after a month or tweye
His sorwe gan aswage, sooth to seye;
For whan he wiste it may noon oother be,
He paciently took his adversitee,
Save, out of doute, he may nat forgoon
That he nas jalous everemoore in oon;
Which jalousye it was so outrageous,
That neither in halle, n' yn noon oother hous,
Ne in noon oother place, neverthemo,
He nolde suffre hire for to ryde or go,
But if that he had hond on hire alway;
For which ful ofte wepeth fresshe may,
That loveth damyan so benyngnely
That she moot outher dyen sodeynly,
Or elles she moot han hym as hir leste.
She wayteth whan hir herte wolde breste.
Upon that oother syde damyan
Bicomen is the sorwefulleste man
That evere was; for neither nyght ne day
Ne myghte he speke a word to fresshe may,
As to his purpos, of no swich mateere,
But if that januarie moste it heere,
That hadde an hand upon hire everemo.
But nathelees, by writyng to and fro,
And privee signes, wiste he what she mente,
And she knew eek the fyn of his entente.
O januarie, what myghte it thee availle,
Thogh thou myghte se as fer as shippes saille?
For as good is blynd deceyved be
As to be deceyved whan a man may se.
Lo, argus, which that hadde an hondred yen,
For al that evere he koude poure or pryen,
Yet was he blent, and, God woot, so been mo,
That wenen wisly that it be nat so.
Passe over is an ese, I sey namoore.
This fresshe may, that I spak of so yoore,
In warm wex hath emprented the clyket
That januarie bar of the smale wyket,
By which into his gardyn ofte he wente;
And damyan, that knew al hire entente,
The cliket countrefeted pryvely.
Ther nys namoore to seye, but hastily
Som wonder by this clyket shal bityde,
Which ye shul heeren, if ye wole abyde.
O noble ovyde, ful sooth seystou, God woot,
What sleighte is it, thogh it be long and hoot,
That love nyl fynde it out in som manere?
By piramus and tesbee may men leere;
Thogh they were kept ful longe streite overal,
They been accorded, rownynge thurgh a wal,
Ther no wight koude han founde out swich a sleighte.
But now to purpos: er that dayes eighte
Were passed, er the month of juyn, bifil
That januarie hath caught so greet a wil,
Thurgh eggyng of his wyf, hym for to pleye
In his gardyn, and no wight but they tweye,
That in a morwe unto his may seith he:
Rys up, my wyf, my love, my lady free!
The turtles voys is herd, my dowve sweete;
The wynter is goon with alle his reynes weete.
Com forth now, with thyne eyen columbyn!
How fairer been thy brestes than is wyn!
The gardyn is enclosed al aboute;
Com forth, my white spouse! out of doute
Thou hast me wounded in myn herte, o wyf!
No spot of thee ne knew I al my lyf.
Com forth, and lat us taken oure disport;
I chees thee for my wyf and my confort.
Swiche olde lewed wordes used he.
On damyan a signe made she,
That he sholde go biforn with his cliket.
This damyan thanne hath opened the wyket,
And in he stirte, and that in swich manere
That no wight myghte it se neither yheere,
And stille he sit under a bussh anon.
This januarie, as blynd as is a stoon,
With mayus in his hand, and no wight mo,
Into his fresshe gardyn is ago,
And clapte to the wyket sodeynly.
Now wyf, quod he, heere nys but thou and I,
That art the creature that I best love.
For by that lord that sit in hevene above,
Levere ich hadde to dyen on a knyf,
Than thee offende, trewe deere wyf!
For goddes sake, thenk how I thee chees,
Noght for no coveitise, doutelees,
But oonly for the love I had to thee.
And though that I be oold, and may nat see,
Beth to me trewe, and I wol telle yow why.
Thre thynges, certes, shal ye wynne therby:
First, love of crist, and to youreself honour,
And al myn heritage, toun and tour;
I yeve it yow, maketh chartres as yow leste;
This shal be doon to-morwe er sonne reste,
So wisly God my soule brynge in blisse.
I prey yow first, in covenant ye me kisse;
And though that I be jalous, wyte me noght.
Ye been so depe enprented in my thoght
That, whan that I considere youre beautee,
And therwithal the unlikly elde of me,
I may nat, certes, though I sholde dye,
Forbere to been out of youre compaignye
For verray love; this is withouten doute.
Now kys me, wyf, and lat us rome aboute.
This fresshe may, whan she thise wordes herde,
Benyngnely to januarie answerde,
But first and forward she bigan to wepe.
I have, quod she, a soule for to kepe
As wel as ye, and also myn honour,
And of my wyfhod thilke tendre flour,
Which that I have assured in youre hond,
Whan that the preest to yow my body bond;
Wherfore I wole answere in this manere,
By the leve of yow, my lord so deere:
I prey to God that nevere dawe the day
That I ne sterve, as foule as womman may,
If evere I do unto my kyn that shame,
Or elles I empeyre so my name,
That I be fals; and if I do that lak,
Do strepe me and put me in a sak,
And in the nexte ryver do me drenche.
I am a gentil womman and no wenche.
Why speke ye thus? but men been evere untrewe,
And wommen have repreve of yow ay newe.
Ye han noon oother contenance, I leeve,
But speke to us of untrust and repreeve.
And with that word she saugh wher damyan
Sat in the bussh, and coughen she bigan,
And with hir fynger signes made she
That damyan sholde clymbe upon a tree,
That charged was with fruyt, and up he wente.
For verraily he knew al hire entente,
And every signe that she koude make,
Wel bet than januarie, hir owene make;
For in a lettre she hadde toold hym al
Of this matere, how he werchen shal.
And thus I lete hym sitte upon the pyrie,
And januarie and may romynge ful myrie.
Bright was the day, and blew the firmament;
Phebus hath of gold his stremes doun ysent,
To gladen every flour with his warmnesse.
He was that tyme in geminis, as I gesse,
But litel fro his declynacion
Of cancer, jovis exaltacion.
And so bifel, that brighte morwe-tyde,
That in that gardyn, in the ferther syde,
Pluto, that is kyng of fayerye,
And many a lady in his compaignye,
Folwynge his wyf, the queene proserpyna,
Which that he ravysshed out of ethna
Whil that she gadered floures in the mede --
In claudyan ye may the stories rede,
How in his grisely carte he hire fette --
This kyng of fairye thanne adoun hym sette
Upon a bench of turves, fressh and grene,
And right anon thus seyde he to his queene:
My wyf, quod he, ther may no wight seye nay;
Th' experience so preveth every day
The tresons whiche that wommen doon to man.
Ten hondred thousand (tales) tellen I kan
Notable of youre untrouthe and brotilnesse.
O salomon, wys, and richest of richesse,
Fulfild of sapience and of worldly glorie,
Ful worthy been thy wordes to memorie
To every wight that wit and reson kan.
Thus preiseth he yet the bountee of man:
-- Amonges a thousand men yet foond I oon,
But of wommen alle foond I noon. --
Thus seith the kyng that knoweth youre wikkednesse.
And jhesus, filius syrak, as I gesse,
Ne speketh of yow but seelde reverence.
A wylde fyr and corrupt pestilence
So falle upon youre bodyes yet to-nyght!
Ne se ye nat this honurable knyght,
By cause, allas! that he is blynd and old,
His owene man shal make hym cokewold.
Lo, where he sit, the lechour, in the tree!
Now wol I graunten, of my magestee,
Unto this olde, blynde, worthy knyght
That he shal have ayen his eyen syght,
Whan that his wyf wold doon hym vileynye.
Thanne shal he knowen al hire harlotrye,
Bothe in repreve of hire and othere mo.
Ye shal? quod proserpyne, wol ye so?
Now by my moodres sires soule I swere
That I shal yeven hire suffisant answere,
And alle wommen after, for hir sake;
That, though they be in any gilt ytake,
With face boold they shulle hemself excuse,
And bere hem doun that wolden hem accuse.
For lak of answere noon of hem shal dyen.
Al hadde man seyn a thyng with bothe his yen,
Yit shul we wommen visage it hardily,
And wepe, and swere, and chyde subtilly,
So that ye man shul been as lewed as gees.
What rekketh me of youre auctoritees?
I woot wel that this jew, this salomon,
Foond of us wommen fooles many oon.
But though that he ne foond no good womman,
Yet hath ther founde many another man
Wommen ful trewe, ful goode, and vertuous.
Witnesse on hem that dwelle in cristes hous;
With martirdom they preved hire constance.
The romayn geestes eek make remembrance
Of many a verray, trewe wyf also.
But, sire, ne be nat wrooth, al be it so,
Though that he seyde he foond no good womman,
I prey yow take the sentence of the man;
He mente thus, that in sovereyn bontee
Nis noon but god, but neither he ne she.
Ey! for verray god, that nys but oon,
What make ye so muche of salomon?
What though he made a temple, goddes hous?
What though he were riche and glorious?
So made he eek a temple of false goddis.
How myghte he do a thyng that moore forbode is?
Pardee, as faire as ye his name emplastre,
He was a lecchour and an ydolastre,
And in his elde he verray God forsook;
And if this God ne hadde, as seith the book,
Yspared hem for his fadres sake, he sholde
Have lost his regne rather than he wolde.
I sette right noght, of al the vileynye
That ye of wommen write, a boterflye!
I am a womman, nedes moot I speke,
Of elles swelle til myn herte breke.
For sithen he seyde that we been jangleresses,
As evere hool I moote brouke my tresses,
I shal nat spare, for no curteisye,
To speke hym harm that wolde us vileynye.
Dame, quod this pluto, be no lenger wrooth;
I yeve it up! but sith I swoor myn ooth
That I wolde graunten hym his sighte ageyn,
My word shal stonde, I warne yow certeyn.
I am a kyng, it sit me noght to lye.
And I, quod she, a queene of fayerye!
Hir answere shal she have, I undertake.
Lat us namoore wordes heerof make;
For sothe, I wol no lenger yow contrarie.
Now lat us turne agayn to januarie,
That in the gardyn with his faire may
Syngeth ful murier than the papejay,
Yow love I best, and shal, and oother noon.
So longe aboute the aleyes is he goon,
Til he was come agaynes thilke pyrie
Where as this damyan sitteth ful myrie
An heigh among the fresshe leves grene.
This fresshe may, that is so bright and sheene,
Gan for to syke, and seyde, allas, my syde!
Now sire, quod she, for aught that may bityde,
I moste han of the peres that I see,
Or I moot dye, so soore longeth me
To eten of the smale peres grene.
Help, for hir love that is of hevene queene!
I telle yow wel, a womman in my plit
May han to fruyt so greet an appetit
That she may dyen, but she of it have.
Allas! quod he, that I ne had heer a knave
That koude clymbe! allas, allas, quod he,
For I am blynd! ye, sire, no fors, quod she;
-- But wolde ye vouche sauf, for goddes sake,
The pyrie inwith youre armes for to take,
For wel I woot that ye mystruste me,
Thanne sholde I clymbe wel ynogh, quod she,
So I my foot myghte sette ypon youre bak.
Certes,quod he, theron shal be no lak,
Mighte I yow helpen with myn herte blood.
He stoupeth doun, and on his bak she stood,
And caughte hire by a twiste, and up she gooth --
Ladyes, I prey yow that ye be nat wrooth;
I kan nat glose, I am a rude man --
And sodeynly anon this damyan
Gan pullen up the smok, and in he throng.
And whan that pluto saugh this grete wrong,
To januarie he gaf agayn his sighte,
And made hym se as wel as evere he myghte.
And whan that he hadde caught his sighte agayn,
Ne was ther nevere man of thyng so fayn,
But on his wyf his thoght was everemo.
Up to the tree he caste his eyen two,
And saugh that damyan his wyf had dressed
In swich manere it may nat been expressed,
But if I wolde speke uncurteisly;
And up he yaf a roryng and a cry,
As dooth the mooder whan the child shal dye:
Out! he gan to crye,
O stronge lady stoore, what dostow?
And she answerde, sire, what eyleth yow?
Have pacience and resoun in youre mynde!
I have yow holpe on bothe youre eyen blynde.
Up peril of my soule, I shal nat lyen,
As me was taught, to heele with youre eyen,
Was no thyng bet, to make yow to see,
Than strugle with a man upon a tree.
God woot, I dide it in ful good entente.
Strugle! quod he, ye algate in it wente!
God yeve yow bothe on shames deth to dyen!
He swyved thee, I saugh it with myne yen,
And elles be I hanged by the hals!
 thanne is, quod she, my medicyne fals;
For certeinly, if that ye myghte se.
Ye wolde nat seyn thise wordes unto me.
Ye han som glymsyng, and no parfit sighte.
 I se, quod he, as wel as evere I myghte,
Thonked be god! with bothe myne eyen two,
And by my trouthe, me thoughte he dide thee so.
 ye maze, maze, goode sire, quod she;
This thank have I for I have maad yow see.
Allas, quod she, that evere I was so kynde!
Now, dame, quod he, lat al passe out of mynde.
Com doun, my lief, and if I have myssayd,
God helpe me so, as I am yvele apayd.
But, by my fader soule, I wende han seyn
How that this damyan hadde by thee leyn,
And that thy smok hadde leyn upon his brest.
Ye sire, quod she, ye may wene as yow lest.
But, sire, a man that waketh out of his sleep,
He may nat sodeynly wel taken keep
Upon a thyng, ne seen it parfitly,
Til that he be adawed verraily.
Right so a man that longe hath blynd ybe,
Ne may nat sodeynly so wel yse,
First whan his sighte is newe come ageyn,
As he that hath a day or two yseyn.
Til that youre sighte ysatled be a while,
Ther may ful many a sighte yow bigile.
Beth war, I prey yow; for, by hevene kyng,
Ful many a man weneth to seen a thyng,
And it is al another than it semeth.
He that mysconceyveth, he mysdemeth.
And with that word she leep doun fro the tree,
This januarie, who is glad but he?
He kisseth hire, and clippeth hire ful ofte,
And on hire wombe he stroketh hire ful softe,
And to his palays hoom he hath hire lad.
Now, goode men, I pray yow to be glad.
Thus endeth heere my tale of januarie;
God blesse us, and his mooder seinte marie!

The Merchant's Epilogue

Ey! goddes marcy! seyde oure hooste tho,
Now swich a wyf I pray God kepe me fro!
Lo, whiche sleightes and subtilitees
In wommen been! for ay as bisy as bees
Been they, us sely men for to deceyve,
And from the soothe evere wol they weyve;
By this marchauntes tale it preveth weel.
But doutelees, as trewe as any steel
I have a wyf, though that she povre be,
Nut of hir tonge, a labbyng shrewe is she,
And yet she hath an heep of vices mo;
Therof no fors! lat alle swiche thynges go.
But wyte ye what? in conseil be it seyd,
Me reweth soore I am unto hire teyd.
For, and I sholde rekenen every vice
Which that she hath, ywis I were to nyce;
And cause why, it sholde reported by
And toold to hire of somme of this meynee, --
Of whom, it nedeth nat for to declare,
Syn wommen konnen outen swich chaffare;
And eek my with suffiseth nat therto,
To tellen al, wherfore my tale is do.

The Squire's Prologue

Squier, com neer, if it youre wille be,
And sey somwhat of love; for certes ye
Konnen theron as muche as any man.
Nay, sire, quod he, but I wol seye as I kan
With hertly wyl; for I wol nat rebelle
Agayn youre lust; a tale wol I telle.
Have me excused if I speke amys;
My wyl is good, and lo, my tale is this.

The Squire's Tale

At sarray, in the land of tartarye,
Ther dwelte a kyng that werreyed russye,
Thurgh which ther dyde many a doughty man.
This noble kyng was cleped cambyuskan,
Which in his tyme was of so greet renoun
That ther was nowher in no regioun
So excellent a lord in alle thyng.
Hym lakked noght that longeth to a king.
As of the secte of which that he was born
He kepte his lay, to which that he was sworn;
And therto he was hardy, wys, and riche,
And pitous and just, alwey yliche;
Sooth of this word, benigne, and honurable;
Of his corage as any centre stable;
Yong, fressh, and strong, in armes desirous
As any bacheler of al his hous.
A fair persone he was and fortunat,
And kepte alwey so wel roial estat
That ther was nowher swich another man.
This noble kyng, this tartre cambyuskan,
Hadde two sones on elpheta his wyf,
Of whiche the eldeste highte algarsyf,
That oother sone was cleped cambalo.
A doghter hadde this worthy kyng also,
That yongest was, and highte canacee.
But for to telle yow al hir beautee,
It lyth nat in my tonge, n' yn my konnyng;
I dar nat undertake so heigh a thyng.
Myn englissh eek is insufficient.
It moste been a rethor excellent,
That koude his colours longynge for that art,
If he sholde hire discryven every part.
I am noon swich, I moot speke as I kan.
And so bifel that whan this cambyuskan
Hath twenty wynter born his diademe,
As he was wont fro yeer to yeer, I deme,
He leet the feeste of his nativitee
Doon cryen thurghout sarray his citee,
The laste idus of march, after the yeer.
Phebus the sonne ful joly was and cleer;
For he was neigh his exaltacioun
In martes face, and in his mansioun
In aries, the colerik hoote signe.
Ful lusty was the weder benigne,
For which the foweles, agayn the sonne sheene,
What for the sesoun and the yonge grene,
Ful loude songen hire affecciouns.
Hem semed han geten hem protecciouns
Agayn the swerd of wynter, keene and coold.
This cambyuskan, of which I have yow toold,
In roial vestiment sit on his deys,
With diademe, ful heighe in his paleys,
And halt his feeste so solempne and so ryche
That in this world ne was ther noon it lyche;
Of which if I shal tellen al th' array,
Thanne wolde it occupie a someres day;
And eek it nedeth nat for to devyse
At every cours the ordre of hire servyse.
I wol nat tellen of hir strange sewes,
Ne of hir swannes, ne of hire heronsewes.
Eek in that lond, as tellen knyghtes olde,
Ther is som mete that is ful deynte holde,
That in this lond men recche of it but smal;
Ther nys no man that may reporten al.
I wol nat taryen yow, for it is pryme,
And for it is no fruyt, but los of tyme;
Unto my firste I wole have my recours.
And so bifel that after the thridde cours,
Whil that this kyng sit thus in his nobleye,
Herknynge his mynstralles hir thynges pleye
Biforn hym at the bord deliciously,
In at the halle dore al sodeynly
Ther cam a knyght upon a steede of bras,
And in his hand a brood mirour of glas.
Upon his thombe he hadde of gold a ryng,
And by his syde a naked swerd hangyng;
And up he rideth to the heighe bord.
In al the halle ne was ther spoken a word
For merveille of this knyght; hym to biholde
Ful bisily they wayten, yonge and olde.
This strange knyght, that cam thus sodeynly,
Al armed, save his heed, ful richely,
Saleweth kyng and queene and lordes alle,
By ordre, as they seten in the halle,
With so heigh reverence and obeisaunce,
As wel in speche as in his contenaunce,
That gawayn, with his olde curteisye,
Though he were comen ayeyn out of fairye,
Ne koude hym nat amende with a word.
And after this, biforn the heighe bord,
He with a manly voys seide his message,
After the forme used in his langage,
Withouten vice of silable or of lettre;
And, for his tale sholde seme the bettre,
Accordant to his wordes was his cheere,
As techeth art of speche hem that it leere.
Al be it that I kan nat sowne his stile,
Ne kan nat clymben over so heigh a style,
Yet seye I this, as to commune entente,
Thus muche smounteth al that evere he mente,
If it so be that I have it in mynde.
He seyde, the kyng of arabe and of inde,
My lige lord, on this solempne day
Saleweth yow, as he best kan and may,
And sendeth yow, in honour of youre feeste,
By me, that am al redy at youre heeste,
This steede of bras, that esily and weel
Kan in the space of o day natureel --
This is to seyn, in foure and twenty houres --
Wher-so yow lyst, in droghte or elles shoures,
Beren youre body into every place
To which youre herte wilneth for to pace;
Withouten wem of yow, thurgh foul or fair;
Or, if yow lyst to fleen as hye in the air
As dooth an egle whan hym list to soore,
This same steede shal bere yow evere moore,
Withouten harm, til ye be ther yow leste,
Though that ye slepen on his bak or reste,
And turne ayeyn with writhyng of a pyn.
He that it wroghte koude ful many a gyn.
He wayted many a constellacion
Er he had doon this operacion,
And knew ful many a seel and many a bond.
This mirour eek, that I have in myn hond,
Hath swich a myght that men may in it see
Whan ther shal fallen any adversitee
Unto youre regne or to youreself also,
And openly who is your freend or foo.
And over al this, if any lady bright
Hath set hire herte on any maner wight,
If he be fals, she shal his tresoun see,
His newe love, and al his subtiltee,
So openly that ther shal no thyng hyde.
Wherfore, ageyn this lusty someres tyde,
This morour and this ryng, that ye may see,
He hath sent to my lady canacee,
Youre excellente doghter that is heere.
The vertu of the ryng, if ye wol heere,
Is this, that if hire lust it for to were
Upon his thombe, or in hir purs it bere,
Ther is no fowel that fleeth under the hevene
That she ne shal wel understonde his stevene,
And knowe his menyng openly and pleyn,
And answere hym in his langage ageyn;
And every gras that groweth upon roote
She shal eek knowe, and whom it wol do boote,
Al be his wondes never so depe and wyde.
This naked swerd, that hangeth by my syde,
Swich verty hath that, what man so ye smyte,
Thurgh out his armure it wole kerve an byte,
Were it as thikke as is a branched ook;
And what man that is wounded with the strook
Shal never be hool til that yow list, of grace,
To stroke hym with the plat in thilke place
Ther he is hurt; this is as muche to seyn,
Ye moote with the platte swerd ageyn
Stroke hym in the wounde, and it wol close.
This is a verray sooth, withouten glose;
It failleth nat whils it is in youre hoold.
And whan this knyght hath thus his tale toold,
He rideth out of halle, and doun he lighte.
His steede, which that shoon as sonne brighte,
Stant in the court as stille as any stoon.
This knyght is to his chambre lad anoon,
And is unarmed, and to mete yset.
The presentes been ful roially yfet, --
This is to seyn, the swerd and the mirour,
And born anon into the heighe tour
With certeine officers ordeyned therfore;
And unto canacee this ryng is bore
Solempnely, ther she sit at the table.
But sikerly, withouten any fable,
The hors of bras, that may nat be remewed,
It stant as it were to the ground yglewed.
Ther may no man out of the place it dryve
For noon engyn of wyndas or polyve;
And cause why? for they kan nat the craft.
And therfore in the place they han it laft,
Til that the knyght hath taught hem the manere
To voyden hym, as ye shal after heere.
Greet was the prees that swarmeth to and fro
To gauren on this hors that stondeth so;
For it so heigh was, and so brood and long,
So wel proporcioned for to been strong,
Right as it were a steede of lumbardye;
Therwith so horsly, and so quyk of ye,
As it a gentil poilleys courser were.
For certes, fro his tayl unto his ere,
Nature ne art ne koude hym nat amende
In no degree, as al the peple wende.
But everemoore hir mooste wonder was
How that it koude gon, and was of bras;
It was of fairye, as the peple semed.
Diverse folk diversely they demed;
As many heddes, as manye wittes ther been.
They murmureden as dooth a swarm of been,
And maden skiles after hir fantasies,
Rehersynge of thise olde poetries,
And seyden it was lyk the pegasee,
The hors that hadde wynges for to flee;
Or elles it was the grekes hors synon,
That broghte troie to destruccion,
As man moun in thise olde geestes rede.
Myn herte, quod oon, is everemoore in drede;
I trowe som men of armes been therinne,
That shapen hem this citee for to wynne.
It were right good that al swich thyng were knowe.
Another rowned to his felawe lowe,
And seyde, he lyeth, for it is rather lyk
An apparence ymaad by som magyk,
As jogelours pleyen at thise feestes grete.
Of sondry doutes thus they jangle and trete,
As lewed peple demeth comunly
Of thynges that been maad moore subtilly
Than they kan in hire lewednesse comprehende;
They demen gladly to the badder ende.
And somme of hem wondred on the mirour,
That born was up into the maister-tour,
Hou men myghte in it swiche thynges se.
Another answerde, and seyde it myghte wel be
Naturelly, by composiciouns
Of anglis and of slye reflexiouns,
And seyde that in rome was swich oon
They speken of alocen and vitulon,
And aristotle, that writen in hir lyves
Of queynte mirours and of perspectives,
As knowen they that han hire bookes herd.
And oother folk han wondred on the swerd
That wolde percen thurghout every thyng,
And fille in speche of thelophus the kyng,
And of achilles with his queynte swerd
For he koude with it bothe heele and dere.
Right in swich wise as men may with the swerd
Of which right now ye han youreselven herd.
They speken of sondry hardyng of metal,
And speke of medicynes therwithal,
And how and whanne it sholde yharded be,
Which is unknowe, algates unto me.
Tho speeke they of canacees ryng,
And seyden alle that swich an wonder thyng
Of craft of rynges herde they nevere noon,
Save that he moyses and kyng salomon
Hadde a name of konnyng in swich art.
Thus seyn the peple, and drawen hem apart.
But nathelees somme seiden that it was
Wonder to maken of fern-asshen glas,
And yet nys glas nat lyk asshen of fern;
But, for they han yknowen it so fern,
Therfore cesseth hir janglyng and hir wonder.
As soore wondren somme on cause of thonder,
On ebbe, on flood, on gossomer, and on myst,
And alle thyng, til that the cause is wyst.
Thus jangle they, and demen, and devyse,
Til that the kyng gan fro the bord aryse.
Phebus hath laft the angle meridional,
And yet ascendynge was the beest roial,
The gentil leon, with his aldiran,
Whan that this tartre knyg, this cambyuskan,
Roos fro his bord, ther as he sat ful hye.
Toforn hym gooth the loude mynstralcye,
Til he cam to his chambre of parementz,
Ther as they sownen diverse instrumentz,
That it is lyk an hevene for the heere.
Now dauncen lusty venus children deere,
For in the fyssh hir lady sat ful hye,
And looketh on hem with a freendly ye.
This noble kyng is set upon his trone.
This strange knyght is fet to hym ful soone,
And on the daunce he gooth with canacee.
Heere is the revel and the jolitee
That is nat able a dul man to devyse.
He moste han knowen love and his servyse,
And been a feestlych man as fressh as may,
That sholde yow devysen swich array.
Who koude telle yow the forme of daunces
So unkouthe, and swiche fresshe contenaunces,
Swich subtil lookyng and disymulynges
For drede of jalouse meenes aperceyvynges?
No man but launcelot, and he is deed.
Therfore I passe of al this lustiheed;
I sey namoore, but in this jolynesse
I lete hem, til men to the soper dresse.
The styward bit the spices for the hye,
And eek the wyn, in al this melodye.
The usshers and the squiers been ygoon,
The spices and the wyn is come anoon.
They ete and drynke; and whan this hadde and ende,
Unto the temple, as reson was, they wende.
The service doon, they soupen al by day.
What nedeth yow rehercen hire array?
Ech man woot wel that at a kynges feeste
Hath plentee to the meeste and to the leeste,
And deyntees mo than been in my knowyng.
At after-soper gooth this noble kyng
To seen this hors of bras, with al a route
Of lordes and of ladyes hym aboute.
Swich wondryng was ther on this hors of bras
That syn the grete sege of troie was,
Theras men wondreden on an hors also,
Ne was ther swich a wondryng as was tho.
But fynally the kyng axeth this knyght
The vertu of this courser and the myght,
And preyde hym to telle his governaunce.
This hors anoon bigan to trippe and daunce,
Whan that this knyght leyde hand upon his reyne,
And seyde, sire, ther is namoore to seyne,
But, whan yow list to ryden anywhere,
Ye mooten trille a pyn, stant in his ere,
Which I shal telle yow bitwix us two.
Ye moote nempne hym to what place also,
Or to what contree, that yow list to ryde.
And whan ye come ther as yow list abyde,
Bidde hym descende, and trille another pyn,
For therin lith th' effect of al the gyn,
And he wol doun descende and doon youre wille,
And in that place he wol abyde stille.
Though al the world the contrarie hadde yswore,
He shal nat thennes been ydrawe ne ybore.
Or, if yow liste bidde hym thennes goon,
Trille this pyn, and he wol vanysshe anoon
Out of the sighte of every maner wight,
And come agayn, be it by day or nyght,
Whan that yow list to clepen hym ageyn
In swich a gyse as I shal to yow seyn
Bitwixe yow and me, and that ful soone.
Ride whan yow list, ther is namoore to doone.
Enformed whan the kyng was of that knyght,
And hath conceyved in his wit aright
The manere and the forme of al this thyng,
Ful glad and blithe, this noble doughty kyng
Repeireth to his revel as biforn.
The brydel is unto the tour yborn
And kept among his jueles leeve and deere,
The hors vanysshed, I noot in what manere,
Out of hir sighte; ye gete namoore of me.
But thus I lete in lust and jolitee
This cambyuskan his lordes festeiynge,
Til wel ny the day bigan to sprynge.
Explicit prima pars.
The norice of digestioun, the sleep,
Gan on hem wynke and bad hem taken keep
That muchel drynke and labour wolde han reste;
And with a galpyng mouth hem alle he keste,
And seyde that it was tyme to lye adoun,
For blood was in his domynacioun.
Cherisseth blood, natures freend, quod he.
They thanken hym galpynge, by two, by thre,
And every wight gan drawe hym to his reste,
As sleep hem bad; they tooke it for the beste.
Hire dremes shul nat now been toold for me;
Ful were hire heddes of fumositee,
That causeth dreem of which ther nys no charge.
They slepen til that it was pryme large,
The mooste part, but it were canacee.
She was ful mesurable, as wommen be;
For of hir fader hadde she take leve
To goon to reste soone after it was eve.
Hir liste nat appalled for to be,
Ne on the morwe unfeestlich for to se,
And slepte hire firste sleep, and thanne awook.
For swich a joye she in hir herte took
Bothe of hir queynte ryng and hire mirour,
That twenty tyme she changed hir colour;
And in hire sleep, right for impressioun
Of hire mirour, she hadde a visioun.
Wherfore, er that the sonne gan up glyde,
She cleped on hir maistresse hire bisyde,
And seyde that hire liste for to ryse.
Thise olde wommen that been gladly wyse,
As is hire maistresse, answerde hire anon,
And seyde, madame, whider wil ye goon
Thus erly, for the folk been alle on reste?
 I wol, quod she, arise, for me leste
Ne lenger for to slepe, and walke aboute.
Hire maistresse clepeth wommen a greet route,
And up they rysen, wel a ten or twelve;
Up riseth fresshe canacee hireselve,
As rody and bright as dooth the yonge sonne,
That in the ram is foure degrees up ronne --
Noon hyer was he whan she redy was --
And forth she walketh esily a pas,
Arrayed after the lusty seson soote
Lightly, for to pleye and walke on foote,
Nat but with fyve or sixe of hir meynee;
And in a trench forth in the park gooth she.
The vapour which that fro the erthe glood
Made the sonne to seme rody and brood;
But nathelees it was so fair a sighte
That it made alle hire hertes for to lighte,
What for the seson and the morwenynge,
And for the foweles that she herde synge.
For right anon she wiste what they mente,
Right by hir song, and knew al hire entente.
The knotte why that every tale is toold,
If it be taried til that lust be coold
Of hem that han it after herkned yoore,
The savour passeth ever lenger the moore,
For fulsomnesse of his prolixitee;
And by the same resoun, thynketh me,
I sholde to the knotte condescende,
And maken of hir walkyng soone an ende.
Amydde a tree, for drye as whit as chalk,
As canacee was pleyyng in hir walk,
Ther sat a faucon over hire heed ful hye,
That with a pitous voys so gan to crye
That all the wode resouned of hire cry.
Ybeten hadde she hirself so pitously
With bothe hir wynges, til the rede blood
Ran endelong the tree ther-as she stood.
And evere in oon she cryde alwey and shrighte,
And with hir beek herselven so she prighte,
That ther nys tygre, ne noon so crueel beest,
That dwelleth outher in wode or in forest,
That nolde han wept, if that he wepe koude,
For sorwe of hire, she shrighte alwey so loude.
For ther nas nevere yet no man on lyve,
If that I koude a faucon wel discryve,
That herde of swich another of fairnesse,
As wel of plumage as of gentillesse
Of shap, of al that myghte yrekened be.
A faucon peregryn thanne semed she
Of fremde land; and everemoore, as she stood,
She swowneth now and now for lak of blood,
Til wel neigh is she fallen fro the tree.
This faire kynges doghter, canacee,
That on hir fynger baar the queynte ryng,
Thurgh which she understood wel every thyng
That any fowel may in his leden seyn,
And koude answeren hym in his ledene ageyn,
Hath understonde what this faucon seyde,
And wel neigh for the routhe almoost she deyde.
And to the tree she gooth ful hastily,
And on this faukon looketh pitously,
And heeld hir lappe abrood, for wel she wiste
The faukon moste fallen fro the twiste,
Whan that it swowned next, for lak of blood.
A longe whil to wayten hire she stood,
Til atte laste she spak in this manere
Unto the hauk, as ye shal after heere:
What is the cause, if it be for to telle,
That ye be in this furial pyne of helle?
Quod canacee unto this hauk above.
Is this for sorwe of deeth or los of love?
For, as I trowe, thise been causes two
That causen moost a gentil herte wo;
Of oother harm it nedeth nat to speke.
For ye youreself upon yourself yow wreke,
Which proveth wel that outher ire or drede
Moot been enchesoun of youre cruel dede,
Syn that I see noon oother wight yow chace.
For love of god, as dooth youreselven grace,
Or what may been youre help? for west nor est
Ne saugh I nevere er now no bryd ne beest
That ferde with hymself so pitously.
Ye sle me with youre sorwe verraily,
I have of yow so greet compassioun.
For goddes love, com fro the tree adoun;
And as I am a kynges doghter trewe,
If that I verraily the cause knewe
Of youre disese, if it lay in my myght,
I wole amenden it er that it were nyght,
As wisly helpe me grete God of kynde!
And herbes shal I right ynowe yfynde
To heel with youre hurtes hastily.
Tho shrighte this faucon yet moore pitously
Than ever she dide, and fil to grounde anon,
And lith aswowne, deed and lyk a stoon,
Til canacee hath in hire lappe hire take
Unto the tyme she gan of swough awake.
And after that she of hir swough gan breyde,
Right in hir haukes ledene thus she seyde:
That pitee renneth soone in gentil herte,
Feelynge his similitude in peynes smerte,
Is preved alday, as men may it see,
As wel by werk as by auctoritee;
For gentil herte kitheth gentillesse.
I se wel that ye han of my distresse
Compassion, my faire canacee,
Of verray wommanly benignytee
That nature in youre principles hath set.
But for noon hope for to fare the bet,
But for to obeye unto youre herte free,
And for to maken othere be war by me,
As by the whelp chasted is the leon,
Right for that cause and that conclusion,
Whil that I have a leyser and a space,
Myn harm I wol confessen er I pace.
And evere, whil that oon hir sorwe tolde,
That oother weep as she to water wolde,
Til that the faucon bad hire to be stille,
And, with a syk, right thus she seyde hir wille:
Ther I was bred -- allas, that ilke day! --
And fostred in a roche of marbul gray
So tendrely that no thyng eyled me,
I nyste nat what was adversitee,
Til I koude flee ful hye under the sky.
Tho dwelte a tercelet me faste by,
That semed welle of alle gentillesse;
Al were he ful of treson and falsnesse,
It was so wrapped under humble cheere,
And under hewe of trouthe in swich manere,
Under plesance, and under bisy peyne,
That no wight koude han wend he koude feyne,
So depe in greyn he dyed his coloures.
Right as a serpent hit hym under floures
Til he may seen his tyme for to byte,
Right so this God of loves ypocryte
Dooth so his cerymonyes and obeisaunces,
And kepeth in semblaunt alle his observaunces
That sownen into gentillesse of love.
As in a toumbe is al the faire above,
And under is the corps, swich as ye woot,
Swich was this ypocrite, bothe coold and hoot.
And in this wise he served his entente,
That, save the feend, noon wiste what he mente,
Til he so longe hadde wopen and compleyned,
And many a yeer his service to me feyned,
Til that myn herte, to pitous and to nyce,
Al innocent of his crouned malice,
Forfered of his deeth, as thoughte me,
Upon his othes and his seuretee,
Graunted hym love, on this condicioun,
That everemoore myn honour and renoun
Were saved, bothe privee and apert;
This is to seyn, that after his desert,
I yaf hym al myn herte and al my thoght --
God woot and he, that ootherwise noght --
And took his herte in chaunge of myn for ay.
But sooth is seyd, goon sithen many a day,
-- A trewe wight and a theef thenken nat oon. --
And whan he saugh the thyng so fer ygoon
That I hadde graunted hym fully my love,
In swich a gyse as I have seyd above,
And yeven hym my trewe herte as free
As he swoor he yaf his herte to me;
Anon this tigre, ful of doublenesse,
Fil on his knees with so devout humblesse,
With so heigh reverence, and, as by his cheere,
So lyk a gentil lovere of manere,
So ravysshed, as it semed, for the joye,
That nevere jason ne parys of troye --
Jason? certes, ne noon oother man
Syn lameth was, that alderfirst bigan
To loven two, as writen folk biforn --
Ne nevere, syn the firste man was born,
Ne koude man, by twenty thousand part,
Countrefete the sophymes of his art,
Ne were worthy unbokelen his galoche,
Ther doublenesse or feynyng sholde approche,
Ne so koude thonke a wight as he dide me!
His manere was an hevene for to see
Til any womman, were she never so wys,
So peynted he and kembde at point-devys
As wel his wordes as his contenaunce.
And I so loved hym for his obeisaunce,
And for the trouthe I demed in his herte,
That if so were that any thyng hym smerte,
Al were it never so lite, and I it wiste,
Me thoughte I felte deeth myn herte twiste.
And shortly, so ferforth this thyng is went,
That my wyl was his willes instrument;
This is to seyn, my wyl obeyed his wyl
In alle thyng, as fer as reson fil,
Kepynge the boundes of my worshipe evere.
Ne nevere hadde I thyng so lief, ne levere,
As hym, God woot! ne nevere shal namo.
This laste lenger than a yeer or two,
That I supposed of hym noght but good.
But finally, thus atte laste it stood,
That fortune wolde that he moste twynne
Out of that place which that I was inne.
Wher me was wo, that is no questioun;
I kan nat make of it discripsioun;
For o thyng dar I tellen boldely,
I knowe what is the peyne of deeth therby;
Swich harm I felte for he ne myghte bileve.
So on a day of me he took his leve,
So sorwefully eek that I wende verraily
That he had felt as muche harm as I,
Whan that I herde hym speke, and saugh his hewe.
But nathelees, I thoughte he was so trewe,
And eek that he repaire sholde ageyn
Withinne a litel while, sooth to seyn;
And resoun wolde eek that he moste go
For his honour, as ofte it happeth so,
That I made vertu of necessitee,
And took it wel, syn that it moste be.
As I best myghte, I hidde fro hym my sorwe,
And took hym by the hond, seint john to borwe,
And seyde hym thus: lo, I am youres al;
Beth swich as I to yow have been and shal. --
What he answerde, it nedeth noght reherce;
Who kan sey bet than he, who kan do werse?
Whan he hath al wel seyd, thanne hath he doon.
-- Therfore bihoveth hire a ful long spoon
That shal ete with a feend, -- thus herde I seye.
So atte laste he moste forth his weye,
And forth he fleeth til he cam ther hym leste.
Whan it cam hym to purpos for to reste,
I trowe he hadde thilke text in mynde,
That -- alle thyng, repeirynge to his kynde,
Gladeth hymself; -- thus seyn men, as I gesse.
Men loven of propre kynde newefangelnesse,
As briddes doon that men in cages fede.
For though thou nyght and day take of hem hede,
And strawe hir cage faire and softe as silk,
And yeve hem sugre, hony, breed and milk,
Yet right anon as that his dore is uppe,
He with his feet wol spurne adoun his cuppe,
And to the wode he wole, and wormes ete;
So newefangel been they of hire mete,
And loven novelries of propre kynde;
No gentillesse of blood ne may hem bynde.
So ferde this tercelet, allas the day!
Though he were gentil born, and fressh and gay,
And goodlich for to seen, and humble and free,
He saugh upon a tyme a kyte flee,
And sodeynly he loved this kyte so
That al his love is clene fro me ago;
And hath his trouthe falsed in this wyse.
Thus hath the kyte my love in hire servyse,
And I am lorn withouten remedie!
And with that word this faucon gan to crie,
And swowned eft in canacees barm.
Greet was the sorwe for the haukes harm
That canacee and alle hir wommen made;
They nyste hou they myghte the faucon glade.
But canacee hom bereth hire in hir lappe,
And softely in plastres gan hire wrappe,
Ther as she with hire beek hadde hurt hirselve.
Now kan nat canacee but herbes delve
Out of the ground, and make salves newe
Of herbes preciouse and fyne of hewe,
To heelen with this hauk. Fro day to nyght
She dooth hire bisynesse and al hire myght,
And by hire beddes heed she made a mewe,
And covered it with veluettes blewe,
In signe of trouthe that is in wommen sene.
And al withoute, the mewe is peynted grene,
In which were peynted alle this false fowles,
As ben thise tidyves, tercelettes, and owles;
Right for despit were peynted hem bisyde,
Pyes, on hem for to crie and chyde.
Thus lete I canacee hir hauk kepyng;
I wol namoore as now speke of hir ryng,
Til it come eft to purpos for to seyn
How that this faucon gat hire love ageyn
Repentant, as the storie telleth us,
By mediacion of cambalus,
The kynges sone, of which that I yow tolde.
But hennesforth I wol my proces holde
To speken of aventures and of batailles,
That nevere yet was herd so grete mervailles.
First wol I telle yow of cambyuskan,
That in his tyme many a citee wan;
And after wol I speke of algarsif,
How that he wan theodora to his wif,
For whom ful ofte in greet peril he was,
Ne hadde he ben helpen by the steede of bras;
And after wol I speke of cambalo,
That faught in lystes with the bretheren two
For canacee er that he myghte hire wynne.
And ther I lefte I wol ayeyn bigynne.
Explicit secunda pars.
Appollo whirleth up his chaar so hye,
Til that the God mercurius hous, the slye --

The Franklin's words to the Squire

In feith, squier, thow hast thee wel yquit
And gentilly. I preise wel thy wit,
Quod the frankeleyn, considerynge thy yowthe,
So feelyngly thou spekest, sire, I allow the!
As to my doom, ther is noon that is heere
Of eloquence that shal be thy peere,
If that thou lyve; God yeve thee good chaunce,
And in vertu sende thee continuance!
For of thy speche I have greet deyntee.
I have a sone, and by the trinitee,
I hadde levere than twenty pounnd worth lond,
Though it right now were fallen in myn hond,
He were a man of swich discrecioun
As that ye been! fy on possessioun,
But if a man be vertuous withal!
I have my sone snybbed, and yet shal,
For he to vertu listeth nat entende;
But for to pleye at dees, and to despende
And lese al that he hath, is his usage.
And he hath levere talken with a page
Than to comune with any gentil wight
Where he myghte lerne gentillesse aright.
Straw for youre gentillesse! quod oure hoost.
What, frankeleyn! pardee, sire, wel thou woost
That ech of yow moot tellen atte leste
A tale or two, or breken his biheste.
That knowe I wel, sire, quod the frankeleyn.
I prey yow, haveth me nat in desdeyn,
Though to this man I speke a word or two.
Telle on thy tale withouten wordes mo.
Gladly, sire hoost, quod he, I wole obeye
Unto your wyl; now herkneth what I seye.
I wol yow nat contrarien in no wyse
As fer as that my wittes wol suffyse.
I prey to God that it may plesen yow;
Thanne woot I wel that it is good ynow.

The Franklin's Prologue

Thise olde gentil britouns in hir dayes
Of diverse aventures maden layes,
Rymeyed in hir firste briton tonge;
Whiche leyes with hir instrumentz songe,
Or elles redden hem for hir plesaunce,
And oon of hem have I in remembraunce,
Which I shal seyn with good wyl as I kan.
But, sires, by cause I am a burel man,
At my bigynnyng first I yow biseche,
Have me excused of my rude speche.
I lerned nevere rethorik, certeyn;
Thyng that I speke, it moot be bare and pleyn.
I sleep nevere on the mount of pernaso,
Ne lerned marcus tullius scithero.
Colours ne knowe I none, withouten drede,
But swiche colours as growen in the mede,
Or elles swiche as men dye or peynte.
Colours of rethoryk been to me queynte;
My spririt feeleth noght of swich mateere.
But if yow list, my tale shul ye heere.

The Franklin's Tale

In armorik, that called is britayne,
Ther was a knyght that loved and dide his payne
To serve a lady in his beste wise;
And many a labour, many a greet emprise
He for his lady wroghte, er she were wonne.
For she was oon the faireste under sonne,
And eek therto comen of so heigh kynrede
That wel unnethes dorste this knyght, drede,
Telle hire his wo, his peyne, and his distresse.
But atte laste she, for his worthynesse,
And namely for his meke obeysaunce,
Hath swich a pitee caught of his penaunce
That pryvely she fil of his accord
To take hym for hir housbonde and hir lord,
Of swich lordshipe as men han over hir wyves.
And for to lede the moore in blisse hir lyves,
Of his free wyl he swoor hire as a knyght
That nevere in al his lyf he, day ne nyght,
Ne sholde upon hym take no maistrie
Agayn hir wyl, ne kithe hire jalousie,
But hire obeye, and folwe hir wyl in al,
As any lovere to his lady shal,
Save that the name of soveraynetee,
That wolde he have for shame of his degree.
She thanked hym, and with ful greet humblesse
She seyde, sire, sith of youre gentillesse
Ye profre me to have so large a reyne,
Ne wolde nevere God bitwixe us tweyne,
As in my gilt, were outher werre or stryf.
Sire, I wol be youre humble trewe wyf;
Have heer my trouthe, til that myn herte breste.
Thus been they bothe in quiete and in reste.
For o thyng, sires, saufly dar I seye,
That freendes everych oother moot obeye,
If they wol longe holden compaignye.
Love wol nat been constreyned by maistrye.
Whan maistrie comth, the God of love anon
Beteth his wynges, and farewel, he is gon!
Love is a thyng as any spirit free.
Wommen, of kynde, desiren libertee,
And nat to been constreyned as a thral;
And so doon men, if I sooth seyen shal.
Looke who that is moost pacient in love,
He is at his advantage al above.
Pacience is an heigh vertu, certeyn,
For it venquysseth, as thise clerkes seyn,
Thynges that rigour sholde nevere atteyne.
For every word men may nat chide or pleyne.
Lerneth to suffre, or elles, so moot I goon,
Ye shul it lerne, wher so ye wole or noon;
For in this world, certein, ther no wight is
That he ne dooth or seith somtyme amys.
Ire, siknesse, or constellacioun,
Wyn, wo, or chaungynge of complexioun
Causeth ful ofte to doon amys or speken.
On every wrong a man may nat be wreken.
After the tyme moste be temperaunce
To every wight that kan on governaunce.
And therfore hath this wise, worthy knyght,
To lyve in ese, suffrance hire bihight,
And she to hym ful wisly gan to swere
That nevere sholde ther be defaunte in here.
Heere may men seen an humble, wys accord;
Thus hath she take hir servant and hir lord, --
Servant in love, and lord in mariage.
Thanne was he bothe in lordshipe and servage.
Servage? nay, but in lordshipe above,
Sith he hath bothe his lady and his love;
His lady, certes, and his wyf also,
The which that lawe of love acordeth to.
And whan he was in this prosperitee,
Hoom with his wyf he gooth to his contree,
Nat fer fro pedmark, ther his dwellyng was,
Where as he lyveth in blisse and in solas.
Who koude telle, but he hadde wedded be,
The joye, the ese, and the prosperitee
That is bitwixe and housbonde and his wyf?
A yeer and moore lasted this blisful lyf,
Til that the knyght of which I speke thus,
That of kayrrud was cleped arveragus,
Shoop hym to goon and dwelle a yeer or tweyne
In engelond, that cleped was eek briteyne,
To seke in armes worshipe and honour;
For al his lust he sette in swich labour;
And dwelled there two yeer, the book seith thus.
 now wol I stynten of this arveragus,
And speken I wole of dorigen his wyf,
That loveth hire housbonde as hire hertes lyf,
For his absence wepeth she and siketh,
As doon thise noble wyves whan hem liketh.
She moorneth, waketh, wayleth, fasteth, pleyneth;
Desir of his presence hire so destreyneth
That al this wyde world she sette at noght.
Hire freendes, whiche that knewe hir hevy thoght,
Conforten hire in al that ever they may.
They prechen hire, they telle hire nyght and day
That causelees she sleeth hirself, allas!
And every confort possible in this cas
They doon to hire with al hire bisynesse,
Al for to make hire leve hire hevynesse.
 by process, as ye knowen everichoon,
Men may so longe graven in a stoon
Til som figure therinne emprented be.
So longe han they conforted hire, til she
Receyved hath, by hope and by resoun,
The empreyntyng of hire consolacioun,
Thurgh which hir grete sorwe gan aswage;
She may nat alwey duren in swich rage
 and eek arveragus, in al this care,
Hath sent hire lettres hoom of his welfare,
And that he wol come hastily agayn;
Or elles hadde this sorwe hir herte slayn.
 hire freendes sawe hir sorwe gan to slake,
And preyde hire on knees, for goddes sake,
To come and romen hire in compaignye,
Awey to dryve hire derke fantasye.
And finally she graunted that requeste,
For wel she saugh that it was for the beste.
 now stood hire castel faste by the see,
And often with hire freendes walketh shee,
Hire to disporte, upon the bank an heigh,
Where as she many a ship and barge seigh
Seillynge hir cours, where as hem liste go.
But thanne was that a parcel of hire wo,
For to hirself ful ofte, allas! seith she,
Is ther no ship, of so manye as I se,
Wol bryngeth hom my lord? thanne were myn herte
Al warisshed of his bittre peynes smerte.
 another tyme them wolde she sitte and thynke,
And caste hir eyen dounward fro the brynke.
But whan she saugh the grisly rokkes blake,
For verray feere so wolde hir herte quake
That on hire feet she myghte hire noght sustene.
Thanne wolde she sitte adoun upon the grene,
And pitously into the see biholde,
And seyn right thus, with sorweful sikes colde --
 eterne god, that thurgh thy purveiaunce
Ledest the world by certein governaunce,
In ydel, as men seyn, ye no thyng make,
But, lord, thise grisly feendly rokkes blake,
That semen rather a foul confusion
Of werk than any fair creacion
Of swich a parfit wys God and a stable
Why han ye wroght this werk unresonable?
For by this werk, south, north, ne west, ne eest,
Ther nys yfostred man, ne bryd, ne beest;
It dooth no good, to my wit, but anoyeth.
So ye nat, lord, how mankynde it destroyeth?
An hundred thousand bodyes of mankynde
Han rokkes slayn, al be they nat in mynde,
Which mankynde is so fair part of thy werk
That thou it madest lyk to thyn owene merk.
Thanne semed it ye hadde a greet chiertee
Toward mankynde; but how thanne may it bee
That ye swiche meenes make it to destroyen,
Whiche meenes do no good, but evere anoyen?
I woot wel clerkes wol seyn as hem leste,
By argumentz, that al is for the beste,
Though I ne kan the causes nat yknowe.
But thilke God that made wynd to blowe
As kepe my lord! this my conclusion.
To clerkes lete I al disputison.
But wolde God that alle thise rokkes blake
Were sonken into helle for his sake!
Thise rokkes sleen myn herte for the feere.
Thus wolde she seyn, with many a pitous teere.
 hire freendes sawe that it was no disport
To romen by the see, but disconfort,
And shopen for to pleyen somwher elles.
They leden hire by ryveres and by welles,
And eek in othere places delitables;
They dauncen, and they pleyen at ches and tables.
 so on a day, right in the morwe-tyde,
Unto a gardyn that was ther bisyde,
In which that they hadde maad hir ordinaunce
Of vitaille and of oother purveiaunce,
They goon and pleye hem al the longe day.
And this was on the sixte morwe of may,
Which may hadde peynted with his softe shoures
This gardyn ful of leves and of floures;
And craft of mannes hand so curiously
Arrayed hadde this gardyn, trewely,
That nevere was ther gardyn of swich prys,
But if it were the verray paradys.
The odour of floures and the fresshe sighte
Wolde han maked any herte lighte
That evere was born, but if to greet siknesse,
Or to greet sorwe, helde it in distresse;
So ful it was of beautee with plesaunce.
At after-dyner gonne they to daunce,
And synge also, save dorigen allone,
Which made alwey hir compleint and hir moone,
For she ne saugh hym on the daunce go
That was hir housbonde and hir love also.
But nathelees she moste a tyme abyde,
And with good hope lete hir sorwe slyde.
 upon this daunce, amonges othere men,
Daunced a squier biforn dorigen,
That fressher was and jolyer of array,
As to my doom, than is the month of may.
He syngeth, daunceth, passynge any man
That is, or was, sith that the world bigan.
Therwith he was, if men sholde hym discryve,
Oon of the beste farynge man on lyve;
Yong, strong, right vertuous, and riche, and wys,
And wel biloved, and holden in greet prys.
And shortly, if the sothe I tellen shal,
Unwityng of this dorigen at al,
This lusty squier, servant to venus,
Which that ycleped was aurelius,
Hadde loved hire best of any creature
Two yeer and moore, as was his aventure,
But nevere dorste he tellen hire his grevaunce.
Withouten coppe he drank al his penaunce.
He was despeyred; no thyng dorste he seye,
Save in his songes somwhat wolde he wreye
His wo, as in a general compleynyng;
He seyde he lovede, and was biloved no thyng.
Of swich matere made he manye layes,
Songes, compleintes, roundels, virelayes,
How that he dorste nat his sorwe telle,
But langwissheth as a furye dooth in helle;
And dye he moste, he seyde, as dide ekko
For narcisus, that dorste nat telle hir wo.
In oother manere than ye heere me seye,
Ne dorste he nat to hire his wo biwreye,
Save that, paraventure, somtyme at daunces,
Ther yonge folk kepen hir observaunces,
It may wel be he looked on hir face
In swich a wise as man that asketh grace;
But nothyng wiste she of his entente.
Nathelees it happed, er they thennes wente,
By cause that he was hire neighebour,
And was a man of worshipe and honour,
And hadde yknowen hym of tyme yoore,
They fille in speche; and forth, moore and moore,
Unto his purpos drough aurelius,
 and whan he saugh his tyme, he seyde thus --
 madame, quod he, by God that this world made,
So that I wiste it myghte youre herte glade,
I wolde that day that youre arveragus
Wente over the see, that I, aurelius,
Hadde went ther nevere I sholde have come agayn.
For wel I woot my servyce is in vayn;
My gerdon is but brestyng of myn herte.
Madame, reweth upon my peynes smerte;
For with a word ye may me sleen or save.
Heere at youre feet God wolde that I were grave!
I ne have as now no leyser moore to seye;
Have mercy, sweete, or ye wol do me deye!
 she gan to looke upon aurelius --
Is this youre wyl, quod she, and sey ye thus?
Nevere erst, quod she, ne wiste I what ye mente.
But now, aurelie, I knowe your entente,
By thilke God that yaf me soule and lyf,
Ne shal I nevere been untrewe wyf
In word ne werk, as fer as I have wit;
I wol been his to whom that I am knyt.
Taak this for fynal answere as of me.
But after that in pley thus seyde she --
 aurelie, quod she, by heighe God above,
Yet wolde I graunte yow to been youre love,
Syn I yow se so pitously complayne.
Looke what day that endelong britayne
Ye remoeve alle the rokkes, stoon by stoon,
That they ne lette ship ne boot to goon, --
I seye, whan ye han maad the coost so clene
Of rokkes that ther nys no stoon ysene,
Thanne wol I love yow best of any man,
Have heer my trouthe, in al that evere I kan.
Is ther noon oother grace in yow? quod he.
 no, by that lord, quod she, that maked me!
For wel I woot that it shal never bityde.
Lat swiche folies out of youre herte slyde.
What deyntee sholde a man han in his lyf
For to go love another mannes wyf,
That hath hir body whan so that hym liketh?
 aurelius ful ofte soore siketh;
Wo was aurelie whan that he this herde,
And with a sorweful herte he thus answerde;
 madame, quod he, this were inpossible!
Thanne moot I dye of sodeyn deth horrible.
And with that word he turned hym anon.
Tho coome hir othere freendes many oon,
And in the aleyes romeden up and doun,
And nothyng wiste of this conclusioun,
But sodeynly bigonne revel newe
Til that the brighte sonne loste his hewe;
For th'orisonte hath reft the sonne his lyght, --
This is as muche to seye as it was nyght! --
And hoom they goon in joye and in solas,
Save oonly wrecche aurelius, allas!
He to his hous is goon with sorweful herte.
He seeth he may nat fro his deeth asterte;
Hym semed that he felte his herte colde.
Up to the hevene his handes he gan holde,
And on his knowes bare he sette hym doun,
And in his ravyng seyde his orisoun.
For verray wo out of his wit he breyde.
He nyste what he spak, but thus he seyde;
With pitous herte his pleynt hath bigonne
Unto the goddes, and first unto the sonne;
 he seyde, appollo, God and governour
Of every plaunte, herbe, tree, and flour,
That yevest, after thy declinacion,
To ech of hem his tyme and his seson,
As thyn herberwe chaungeth lowe or heighe,
Lord phebus, cast thy merciable eighe
On wrecche aurelie, which that am but lorn.
Lo, lord! my lady hath my deeth ysworn
Withoute gilt, but thy benignytee
Upon my dedly herte have som pitee.
For wel I woot, lord phebus, if yow lest,
Ye may me helpen, save my lady, best.
Now voucheth sauf that I may yow devyse
How that I may been holpen and in what wyse.
 youre blisful suster, lucina the sheene,
That of the see is chief goddesse and queene
(though neptunus have deitee in the see,,
Yet emperisse aboven hym is she),
Ye knowen wel, lord, that right as hir desir
Is to be quyked and lighted of youre fir,
For which she folweth yow ful bisily,
Right so the see desireth naturelly
To folwen hire, as she that is goddesse
Bothe in the see and ryveres moore and lesse.
Wherfore, lord phebus, this is my requeste --
Do this miracle, or do myn herte breste --
That now next at this opposicion
Which in the signe shal be of the leon,
As preieth hire so greet a flood to brynge
That fyve fadme at the leeste it oversprynge
The hyeste rokke in armorik briteyne;
And lat this flood endure yeres tweyne.
Thanne certes to my lady may I seye,
'holdeth youre heste, the rokkes been aweye.'
 lord phebus, dooth this miracle for me.
Preye hire she go no faster cours than ye;
I seye, preyeth your suster that she go
No faster cours than ye thise yeres two.
Thanne shal she been evene atte fulle alwey,
And spryng flood laste bothe nyght and day.
And but she vouche sauf in swich manere
To graunte me my sovereyn lady deere,
Prey hire to synken every rok adoun
Into hir owene dirke regioun
Under the ground, ther pluto dwelleth inne,
Or nevere mo shal I my lady wynne.
Thy temple in delphos wol I barefoot seke.
Lord phebus, se the teris on my cheke,
And of my peyne have som compassioun.
And with that word in swowne he fil adoun,
And longe tyme he lay forth in a traunce.
 his brother, which that knew of his penaunce,
Up caughte hym, and to bedde he hath hym broght.
Dispeyred in this torment and this thoght
Lete I this woful creature lye;
Chese he, for me, wheither he wol lyve or dye.
 arveragus, with heele and greet honour,
As he that was of chivalrie the flour,
Is comen hoom, and othere worthy men.
O blisful artow now, thou dorigen,
That hast thy lusty housbonde in thyne armes,
The fresshe knyght, the worthy man of armes,
That loveth thee as his owene hertes lyf.
No thyng list hym to been ymaginatyf,
If any wight hadde spoke, whil he was oute,
To hire of love; he hadde of it no doute.
He noght entendeth to no swich mateere,
But daunceth, justeth, maketh hire good cheere;
And thus in joye and blisse I lete hem dwelle,
And of the sike aurelius wol I telle.
 in langour and in torment furyus
Two yeer and moore lay wrecche aurelyus,
Er any foot he myghte on erthe gon;
Ne confort in this tyme hadde he noon,
Save of his brother, which that was a clerk.
He knew of al this wo and al this werk;
For to noon oother creature, certeyn,
Of this matere he dorste no word seyn.
Under his brest he baar it moore secree
Than evere dide pamphilus for galathee.
His brest was hool, withoute for to sene,
But in his herte ay was the arwe kene.
And wel ye knowe that of a sursanure
In surgerye is perilus the cure,
But men myghte touche the arwe, or come therby.
His brother weep and wayled pryvely,
Til atte laste hym fil in remembraunce,
That whiles he was at orliens in fraunce,
As yonge clerkes, that been lykerous
To redern artes that been curious,
Seken in every halke and every herne
Particuler sciences for to lerne --
He hym remembred that, upon a day,
At orliens in studie a book he say
Of magyk natureel, which his felawe,
That was that tyme a bacheler of lawe,
Al were he ther to lerne another craft,
Hadde prively upon his desk ylaft;
Which book spak muchel of the operaciouns
Touchynge the eighte and twenty mansiouns
That longen to the moone, and swich folye
As in oure dayes is nat worth a flye, --
For hooly chirches feith in our bileve
Ne suffreth noon illusioun us to greve.
And whan this book was in his remembraunce,
Anon for joye his herte gan to daunce,
And to hymself he seyde pryvely;
My brother shal be warisshed hastily;
For I am siker that ther be sciences
By whiche men make diverse apparences,
Swiche as thise subtile tregetoures pleye.
For ofte at feestes have I wel herd seye
That tregetours, withinne an halle large,
Have maad come in a water and a barge,
And in the halle rowen up and doun.
Somtyme hath semed come a grym leoun;
And sometyme floures sprynge as in a mede;
Somtyme a vyne, and grapes white and rede;
Somtyme a castel, al of lym and stoon;
And whan hem lyked, voyded it anon.
Thus semed it to every mannes sighte.
Now thanne conclude I thus, that if I myghte
At orliens som oold felawe yfynde
That hadde thise moones mansions in mynde,
Or oother magyk natureel above,
He sholde wel make my brother han his love.
For with an apparence a clerk may make,
To mannes sighte, that alle the rokkes blake
Of britaigne weren yvoyded everichon,
And shippes by the brynke comen and gon,
And in swich forme enduren a wowke or two.
Thanne were my brother warisshed of his wo;
Thanne moste she nedes holden hire biheste,
Or elles he shal shame hire atte leeste.
 what sholde I make a lenger tale of this?
Unto his brotheres bed he comen is,
And swich confort he yaf hym for to gon
To orliens that he up stirte anon,
And on his wey forthward thanne is he fare
In hope for to been lissed of his care.
 whan they were come almoost to that citee,
But if it were a two furlong or thre,
A yong clerk romynge by hymself they mette,
Which that in latyn thriftily hem grette,
And after that he seyde a wonder thyng --
I knowe, quod he, the cause of youre comyng.
And er they ferther any foote wente,
He tolde hem al that was in hire entente.
 this briton clerk hym asked of felawes
The whiche that he had knowe in olde dawes,
And he answerde hym that they dede were,
For which he weep ful ofte many a teere.
 doun of his hors aurelius lighte anon,
And with this magicien forth is he gon
Hoom to his hous, and maden hem wel at ese.
Hem lakked no vitaille that myghte hem plese.
So wel arrayed hous as ther was oon
Aurelius in his lyf saugh nevere noon.
 he shewed hym, er he wente to sopeer,
Forestes, parkes ful of wilde deer;
Ther saugh he hertes with hir hornes hye,
The gretteste that evere were seyn with ye.
He saugh of hem an hondred slayn with houndes,
And somme with arwes blede of bittre woundes.
He saugh, whan voyded were thise wilde deer,
Thise fauconers upon a fair ryver,
That with hir haukes han the heron slayn.
 tho saugh he knyghtes justyng in a playn;
And after this he dide hym swich plesaunce
That he hym shewed his lady on a daunce,
On which hymself he daunced, as hym thoughte.
And whan this maister that this magyk wroughte
Saugh it was tyme, he clapte his handes two,
And farewel! al oure revel was ago,
And yet remoeved they nevere out of the hous,
Whil they saugh al this sighte merveillous,
But in his studie, ther as his bookes be,
They seten stille, and no wight but they thre.
 to hym this maister called his squier,
And seyde hym thus -- is redy oure soper?
Almoost an houre it is, I undertake,
Sith I yow bad oure soper for to make,
Whan that thise wrothy men wenten with me
Into my studie, ther as my bookes be.
 sire, quod this squier, whan it liketh yow,
It is al redy, though ye wol right now.
Go we thanne soupe, quod he, as for the beste.
Thise amorous folk somtyme moote han hir reste.
 at after-soper fille they in tretee
What somme sholde this maistres gerdon be,
To remoeven alle the rokkes of britayne,
And eek from gerounde to the mouth of sayne.
 he made it straunge, and swoor, so God hym save,
Lasse than a thousand pound he wolde nat have,
Ne gladly for than somme he wolde nat goon.
 aurelius, with blisful herte anoon,
Answerde thus -- fy on a thousand pound!
This wyde world, which that men seye is round,
I wolde it yeve, if I were lord of it.
This bargayn is ful dryve, for we been knyt.
Ye shal be payed trewely, by my trouthe!
But looketh now, for no necligence or slouthe
Ye tarie us heere no lenger than to-morwe.
 nay, quod this clerk, have heer my feith to borwe.
 to bedde is goon aurelius whan hym leste,
And wel ny al that nyght he hadde his reste.
What for his labour and his hope of blisse,
His woful herte of penaunce hadde a lisse.
 upon the morwe, what that it was day,
To britaigne tooke they the righte way,
Aurelius and this magicien bisyde,
And been descended ther they wolde abyde.
And this was, as thise bookes me remembre,
The colde, frosty seson of decembre.
 phebus wax old, and hewed lyk laton,
That in his hoote declynacion
Shoon as the burned gold with stremes brighte;
But now in capricorn adoun he lighte,
Where as he shoon ful pale, I dar wel seyn,
The bittre frostes, with the sleet and reyn,
Destroyed hath the grene in every yerd.
Janus sit by the fyr, with double berd,
And drynketh of his bugle horn the wyn;
Biforn hym stant brawen of the tusked swyn,
And nowel crieth every lusty man.
 aurelius, in al that evere he kan,
Dooth to this maister chiere and reverence,
And preyeth hym to doon his diligence
To bryngen hym out of his peynes smerte,
Or with swerd that he wolde slitte his herte.
 this subtil clerk swich routhe had of this man
That nyght and day he spedde hym that he kan
To wayten a tyme of his conclusioun;
This is to seye, to maken illusioun,
By swich an apparence or jogelrye --
I ne kan no termes of astrologye --
That she and every wight sholde wene and seye
That of britaigne the rokkes were aweye,
Or ellis they were sonken under grounde.
So atte laste he hath his tyme yfounde
To maken his japes and his wrecchednesse
Of swich a supersticiuos cursednesse.
His tables tolletanes forth he brought,
Ful wel corrected, ne ther lakked nought,
Neither his collect ne his expans yeeris,
Ne his rootes, ne his othere geeris,
As been his centris and his argumentz
And his proporcioneles convenientz
For his equacions in every thyng.
And by his eighte speere in his wirkyng
He knew ful wel how fer alnath was shove
For the heed of thilke fixe aries above,
That in the ninthe speere considered is;
Ful subtilly he kalkulled al this.
 whan he hadde founde his firste mansioun,
He knew the remenaunt by propocioun,
And knew the arisyng of his moone weel,
And in whos face, and terme, and everydeel;
And knew ful weel the moones mansioun
Acordaunt to his operacioun,
And knew also his othere observaunces
For swiche illusiouns and swiche meschaunces
As hethen folk useden in thilke dayes.
For which no lenger maked he delayes,
But thurgh his magik, for a wyke or tweye,
It semed that alle the rokkes were aweye.
 aurelius, which that yet despeired is
Wher he shal han his love or fare amys,
Awaitheth nyght and day on this myracle;
And whan he knew that ther was noon obstacle,
That voyded were thise rokkes everychon,
Doun to his maistres feet he fil anon,
And seyde, I woful wrecche, aurelius,
Thanke yow, lord, and lady myn venus,
That me han holpen fro my cares colde.
And to the temple his wey forth hath he holde,
Where as he knew he sholde his lady see.
And whan he saugh his tyme, anon-right hee,
With dredful herte and with ful humble cheere,
Salewed hath his sovereyn lady deere --
 my righte lady, quod this woful man,
Whom I moost drede and love as best I kan,
And lothest were of al this world displese,
Nere it that I for yow have swich disese
That I moste dyen heere at youre foot anon,
Noght wolde I telle how me is wo bigon.
But certes outher moste I dye or pleyne;
Ye sle me giltelees for verray peyne.
But of my deeth thogh that ye have no routhe,
Avyseth yow er that ye breke youre trouthe.
Repenteth yow, for thilke God above,
Er ye me sleen by cause that I yow love.
For, madame, wel ye woot what ye han hight --
Nat that I chalange any thyng of right
Of yow, my sovereyn lady, but youre grace --
But in a gardyn yond, at swich a place,
Ye woot right wel what ye bihighten me;
And in my hand youre trouthe plighten ye
To love me best -- God woot, ye seyde so,
Al be that I unworthy am therto.
Madame, I speke it for the honour of yow
Moore than to save myn hertes lyf right now, --
I have do so as ye comanded me;
And if ye vouche sauf, ye may go see.
Dooth as yow list; have youre biheste in mynde,
For, quyk or deed, right there ye shal me fynde.
In yow lith al to do me lyve or deye, --
But wel I woot the rokkes been aweye.
 he taketh his leve, and she astoned stood;
In al hir face nas a drope of blood.
She wende nevere han come in swich a trappe.
Allas, quod she, that evere this sholde happe!
For wende I nevere by possibilitee
That swich a monstre or merveille myghte be!
It is agayns the proces of nature.
And hoom she goth a sorweful creature;
For verray feere unnethe may she go.
She wepeth, wailleth, al a day or two.
And swowneth, that it routhe was to see.
But why it was to no wight tolde shee,
For out of towne was goon arveragus.
But to hirself she spak, and seyde thus,
With face pale and with ful sorweful cheere,
In hire compleynt, as ye shal after heere --
 allas, quod she, on thee, fortune, I pleyne,
That unwar wrapped hast me in thy cheyne,
Fro which t'escape woot I no socour,
Save oonly deeth or elles dishonour;
Oon of thise two bihoveth me to chese.
But nathelees, yet have I levere to lese
My lif than of my body to have a shame,
Or knowe myselven fals, or lese my name;
And with my deth I may be quyt, ywis.
Hath ther nat many a noble wyf er this,
And many a mayde, yslayn hirself, allas!
Rather than with hir body doon trespas?
 yis, certes, lo, thise stories beren witnesse --
Whan thritty tirauntz, ful of cursednesse,
Hadde slayn phidon in atthenes atte feste,
They comanded his doghtres for t'areste,
And bryngen hem biforn hem in despit,
Al naked, to fulfille hir foul delit,
And in hir fadres blood they made hem daunce
Upon the pavement, God yeve hem meschaunce!
For which thise woful maydens, ful of drede,
Rather than they wolde lese hir maydenhede,
They prively been stirt into a welle,
And dreynte hemselven, as the bookes telle.
 they of mecene leete enquere and seke
Of lacedomye fifty maydens eke,
On whiche they wolden doon hir lecherye.
But was ther noon of al that compaignye
That she nas slayn, and with a good entente
Chees rather for to dye than assente
To been oppressed of hir maydenhede.
Why sholde I thanne to dye been in drede?
Lo, eek, the tiraunt aristoclides,
That loved a mayden, heet stymphalides,
Whan that hir fader slayn was on a nyght,
Unto dianes temple goth she right,
And hente the ymage in hir handes two,
Fro which ymage wolde she nevere go.
No wight ne myghte hir handes of it arace
Til she was slayn, right in the selve place.
 now sith that maydens hadden swich despit
To been defouled with mannes foul delit,
Wel oghte a wyf rather hirselven slee
Than be defouled, as it thynketh me.
What shal I seyn of hasdrubales wyf,
That at cartage birafte hirself hir lyf?
For whan she saugh that romayns wan the toun,
She took hir children alle, and skipte adoun
Into the fyr, and chees rather to dye
Than any romayn dide hire vileynye.
Hath nat lucresse yslayn hirself, allas!
At rome, whan that she oppressed was
Of tarquyn, for hire thoughte it was a shame
To lyven whan that she had lost hir name?
The sevene maydens of milesie also
Han slayn hemself, for verrey drede and wo,
Rather than folk of gawle hem sholde oppresse.
Mo than a thousand stories, as I gesse,
Koude I now telle as touchynge this mateere.
Whan habradate was slayn, his wyf so deere
Hirselven slow, and leet hir blood to glyde
In habradates woundes depe and wyde,
And seyde, my body, at the leeste way,
Ther shal no wight defoulen, if I may.
 what sholde I mo ensamples heerof sayn,
Sith that so manye han hemselven slayn
Wel rather than they wolde defouled be?
I wol conclude that it is bet for me
To sleen myself than been defouled thus.
I wol be trewe unto arveragus,
Or rather sleen myself in som manere,
As dide demociones doghter deere
By cause that she wolde nat defouled be.
O cedasus, it is ful greet pitee
To reden how thy doghtren deyde, allas!
That slowe hemself for swich a manere cas.
As greet a pitee was it, or wel moore,
The theban mayden that for nichanore
Hirselven slow, right for swich manere wo.
Another theban mayden dide right so;
For oon of macidonye hadde hire oppressed,
She with hire deeth hir maydenhede redressed.
What shal I seye of nicerates wyf,
That for swich cas birafte hirself hir lyf?
How trewe eek was to alcebiades
His love, that rather for to dyen chees
Than for to suffre his body unburyed be.
Lo, which a wyf was alceste, quod she.
What seith omer of good penalopee?
Al grece knoweth of hire chastitee
Pardee, of laodomya is writen thus,
That whan at troie was slayn protheselaus,
Ne lenger wolde she lyve after his day.
The same of noble porcia telle I may;
Withoute brutus koude she nat lyve,
To whom she hadde al hool hir herte yive.
The parfit wyfhod of arthemesie
Honured is thurgh al the barbarie.
O teuta, queene! thy wyfly chastitee
To alle wyves may a mirour bee.
The same thyng I seye of bilyea,
Of rodogne, and eek valeria.
 thus pleyned dorigen a day or tweye,
Purposynge evere that she wolde deye.
But nathelees, upon the thridde nyght,
Hoom cam arveragus, this worthy knyght,
And asked hire why that she weep so soore;
And she gan wepen ever lenger the moore.
Allas, quod she, that evere was I born!
Thus have I seyd, quod she, thus have I sworn --
And toold hym al as ye han herd bifore;
It nedeth nat reherce it yow namoore.
This housbonde, with glad chiere, in freendly wyse
Answerde and seyde as I shal yow devyse --
Is ther oght elles, dorigen, but this?
 nay, nay, quod she, God helpe me so as wys!
This is to muche, and it were goddes wille.
 ye, wyf, quod he, lat slepen that is stille.
It may be wel, paraventure, yet to day.
Ye shul youre trouthe holden, by my fay!
For God so wisly have mercy upon me,
I hadde wel levere ystiked for to be
For verray love which I to yow have,
But if ye sholde youre trouthe kepe and save.
Trouthe is the hyeste thyng that man may kepe --
But with that word he brast anon to wepe,
And seyde, I yow forbede, up peyne of deeth,
That nevere, whil thee lasteth lyf ne breeth,
To no wight telle thou of this aventure, --
As I may best, I wol my wo endure
Ne make no contenance of hevynesse,
That folk of yow may demen harm or gesse.
 and forth he cleped a squier and a mayde --
Gooth forth anon with dorigen, he sayde,
And bryngeth hire to swich a place anon.
They take hir leve, and on hir wey they gon
But they ne wiste why she thider wente.
He nolde no wight tellen his entente.
 paraventure an heep of yow, ywis,
Wol holden hym a lewed man in this
That he wol putte his wyf in jupartie.
Herkneth the tale er ye upon hire crie.
She may have bettre fortune than yow semeth;
And whan that ye han herd the tale, demeth.
 this squier, which that highte aurelius,
On dorigen that was so amorous,
Of aventure happed hire to meete
Amydde the toun, right in the quykkest strete,
As she was bown to goon the wey forth right
Toward the gardyn ther as she had hight.
And he was to the gardyn-ward also --
For wel he spyed whan she wolde go
Out of hir hous to any maner place.
But thus they mette, of aventure or grace,
And he saleweth hire with glad entente,
And asked of hire whiderward she wente;
And she answerde, half as she were mad,
Unto the gardyn, as myn housbonde bad,
My trouthe for to holde, allas! allas!
 aurelius gan wondren on this cas,
And in his herte hadde greet compassioun
Of hire and of hire lamentacioun,
And of arveragus, the worthy knyght,
That bad hire holden al that she had hight,
So looth hym was his wyf sholde breke hir trouthe
And in his herte he caughte of this greet routhe,
Considerynge the beste on every syde,
That fro his lust yet were hym levere abyde
Than doon so heigh a cherlyssh wrecchednesse
Agayns franchise and all gentillesse;
For which in fewe wordes seyde he thus --
 madame, seyth to youre lord arveragus,
That sith I se his grete gentillesse
To yow, and eek I se wel youre distresse,
That him were levere han shame (and that were routhe)
Than ye to me sholde breke thus youre trouthe,
I have wel levere evere to suffre wo
Than I departe the love bitwix yow two.
I yow relesse, madame, into youre hond
Quyt every serement and every bond
That ye han maad to me as heerbiforn,
Sith thilke tyme which that ye were born.
My trouthe I plighte, I shal yow never repreve
Of no biheste, and heere I take my leve,
As of the treweste and the beste wyf
That evere yet I knew in al my lyf.
But every wyf be war of hire biheeste!
Or dorigen remembreth, atte leeste.
Thus kan a squier doon a gentil dede
As wel as kan a knyght, withouten drede.
 she thonketh hym upon hir knees al bare,
And hoom unto hir housbonde is she fare,
And tolde hym al, as ye han herd me sayd;
And be ye siker, he was so weel apayd
That it were inpossible me to wryte.
What sholde I lenger of this cas endyte?
 arveragus and dorigen his wyf
In sovereyn blisse leden forth hir lyf.
Nevere eft ne was ther angre hem bitweene.
He cherisseth hire as though she were a queene,
And she was to hym trewe for everemoore.
Of thise two folk ye gete of me namoore.
 aurelius, that his cost hath al forlorn,
Curseth the tyme that evere he was born --
Allas, quod he, allas, that I bihighte
Of pured gold a thousand pound of wighte
Unto this philosophre! how shal I do?
I se namoore but that I am fordo.
Myn heritage moot I nedes selle,
And been a beggere; heere may I nat dwelle,
And shamen al my kynrede in this place,
But I of hym may gete bettre grace.
But nathelees, I wole of hym assaye,
At certeyn dayes, yeer by yeer, to paye,
And thanke hym of his grete curteisye.
My trouthe wol I kepe, I wol nat lye.
 with herte soor he gooth unto his cofre,
And broghte gold unto his philosophre,
The value of fyve hundred pound, I gesse,
And hym bisecheth, of his gentillesse,
To graunte hym dayes of the remenaunt;
And seyde, maister, I dar wel make avaunt,
I failled nevere of my trouthe as yit,
For sikerly my dette shal be quyt
Towardes yow, howevere that I fare
To goon a-begged in my kirtle bare.
But wolde ye vouche sauf, upon seuretee,
Two yeer or thre for to respiten me,
Thanne were I wel; for elles moot I selle
Myn heritage; ther is namoore to telle.
 this philosophre sobrely answerde,
And seyde thus, whan he thise wordes herde --
Have I nat holden covenant unto thee?
 yes, certes, wel and trewely, quod he.
 hastow nat had thy lady as thee liketh?
 no, no, quod he, and sorwefully he siketh.
 what was the cause? tel me if thou kan.
 aurelius his tale anon bigan,
And tolde hym al, as ye han herd biroore;
It nedeth nat to yow reherce it moore.
 he seide, arveragus, of gentillesse,
Hadde levere dye in sorwe and in distresse
Than that his wyf were of hir trouthe fals.
The sorwe of dorigen he tolde hym als;
How looth hire was to been a wikked wyf,
And that she levere had lost that day hir lyf,
And that hir trouthe she swoor thurgh innocence,
She nevere erst hadde herd speke of apparence.
That made me han of hire so greet pitee;
And right as frely as he sente hire me,
As frely sente I hire to hym ageyn,
This al and som; ther is namoore to seyn.
This philosophre answerde, leeve brother,
Everich of yow dide gentilly til oother.
Thou art a squier, and he is a knyght;
But God forbede, for his blisful myght,
But if a clerk koude doon a gentil dede
As wel as any of yow, it is no drede!
 sire, I releesse thee thy thousand pound,
As thou right now were cropen out of the ground,
Ne nevere er now ne haddest knowen me.
For, sire, I wol nat taken a peny of thee
For al my craft, ne noght for my travaille.
Thou hast ypayed wel for my vitaille.
It is ynogh, and farewel, have good day!
And took his hors, and forth he goth his way.
Lordynges, this question, thanne, wol I aske now,
Which was the mooste fre, as thenketh yow?
Now telleth me, er that ye ferther wende.
I kan namoore; my tale is at an ende.

The Physician's Tale

 ther was, as telleth titus livius,
A knyght that called was virginius,
Fulfild of honour and of worthynesse,
And strong of freendes, and of greet richesse.
 this knyght a doghter hadde by his wyf;
No children hadde he mo in al his lyf.
Fair was this mayde in excellent beautee
Aboven every wight that man may see;
For nature hath with sovereyn diligence
Yformed hire in so greet excellence,
As though she wolde seyn, lo! I, nature,
Thus kan I forme and peynte a creature,
Whan that me list; who kan me countrefete?
Pigmalion noght, though he ay forge and bete,
Or grave, or peynte; for I dar wel seyn,
Apelles, zanzis, sholde werche in veyn
Outher to grave, or peynte, or forge, or bete,
If they presumed me to countrefete.
For he that is the formere principal
Hath maked me his vicaire general,
To forme and peynten erthely creaturis
Right as me list, and ech thyng in my cure is
Under the moone, that may wane and waxe;
And for my werk right no thyng wol I axe;
My lord and I been ful of oon accord.
I made hire to the worshipe of my lord;
So do I alle myne othere creatures,
What colour that they han, or what figures.
Thus semeth me that nature wolde seye.
 this mayde of age twelve yeer was and tweye,
In which that nature hadde swich delit.
For right as she kan peynte a lilie whit,
And reed a rose, right with swich peynture
She peynted hath this noble creature,
Er she were born, upon hir lymes fre,
Where as by right swiche colours sholde be;
And phebus dyed hath hire tresses grete
Lyk to the stremes of his burned heete.
And if that excellent was hire beautee,
A thousand foold moore vertuous was she.
In hire ne lakked no condicioun
That is to preyse, as by discrecioun.
As wel in goost as body chast was she;
For which she floured in virginitee
With alle humylitee and abstinence,
With alle attemperaunce and pacience,
With mesure eek of beryng and array.
Discreet she was in answeryng alway;
Though she were wis as pallas, dar I seyn,
Hir facound eek ful wommanly and pleyn,
No countrefeted termes hadde she
To seme wys; but after hir degree
She spak, and alle hire wordes, moore and lesse,
Sownynge in vertu and in gentillesse.
Shamefast she was in maydens shamefastnesse,
Constant in herte, and evere in bisynesse
To dryve hire out of ydel slogardye.
Bacus hadde of hir mouth right no maistrie;
For wyn and youthe dooth venus encresse,
As men in fyr wol casten oille or greesse.
And of hire owene vertu, unconstreyned,
She hath ful ofte tyme syk hire feyned,
For that she wolde fleen the compaignye
Where likly was to treten of folye,
As is at feestes, revels, and at daunces,
That been occasions of daliaunces.
Swich thynges maken children for to be
To soone rype and boold, as men may se,
Which is ful perilous, and hath been yoore.
For al to soone may she lerne loore
Of booldnesse, whan she woxen is a wyf.
 and ye maistresses, in youre olde lyf,
That lordes doghtres han in governaunce,
Ne taketh of my wordes no displesaunce.
Thenketh that ye been set in governynges
Of lordes doghtres, oonly for two thynges --
Outher for ye han kept youre honestee,
Of elles ye han falle in freletee,
And knowen wel ynough the olde daunce,
And han forsaken fully swich meschaunce
For everemo; therfore, for cristes sake,
To teche hem vertu looke that ye ne slake.
 a theef of venysoun, that hath forlaft
His likerousnesse and al his olde craft,
Kan kepe a forest best of any man.
Now kepeth wel, for if ye wole, ye kan.
Looke wel that ye unto no vice assente,
Lest ye be dampned for youre wikke entente;
For whoso dooth, a traitour is, certeyn.
And taketh kep of that that I shal seyn --
Of alle tresons sovereyn pestilence
Is whan a wight bitrayseth innocence.
 ye fadres and ye moodres eek also,
Though ye han children, be it oon or mo,
Youre is the charge of al hir surveiaunce,
Whil that they been under youre governaunce.
Beth war, that by ensample of youre lyvynge,
Or by youre necligence in chastisynge,
That they ne perisse; for I dar wel seye,
If that they doon, ye shul it deere abeye.
Under a shepherde softe and necligent
The wolf hath many a sheep and lamb torent.
Suffiseth oon ensample now as heere,
For I moot turne agayn to my matere.
 this mayde, of which I wol this tale expresse,
So kepte hirself hir neded no maistresse;
For in hir lyvyng maydens myghten rede,
As in a book, every good word or dede
That longeth to a mayden vertuous,
She was so prudent and so bountevous.
For which the fame out sprong on every syde,
Bothe of hir beautee and hir bountee wyde,
That thurgh that land they preised hire echone
That loved vertu, save envye allone,
That sory is of oother mennes wele,
And glad is of his sorwe and his unheele.
(the doctour maketh this descripcioun).
 this mayde upon a day wente in the toun
Toward a temple, with hire mooder deere,
As is of yonge maydens the manere.
Now was ther thanne a justice in that toun,
That governour was of that regioun.
And so bifel this juge his eyen caste
Upon this mayde, avysynge hym ful faste,
As she cam forby ther as this juge stood.
Anon his herte chaunged and his mood,
So was he caught with beautee of this mayde,
And to hymself ful pryvely he sayde,
This mayde shal be myn, for any man!
 anon the feend into his herte ran,
And taughte hym sodeynly that he by slyghte
The mayden to his purpos wynne myghte.
For certes, by no force ne by no meede,
Hym thoughte, he was nat able for to speede;
For she was strong of freendes, and eek she
Confermed was in swich soverayn bountee,
That wel he wiste he myghte hire nevere wynne
As for to make hire with hir body synne.
For which, by greet deliberacioun,
He sente after a cherl, was in the toun,
Which that he knew for subtil and for boold.
This juge unto this cherl his tale hath toold
In secree wise, and made hym to ensure
He sholde telle it to no creature,
And if he dide, he sholde lese his heed.
Whan that assented was this cursed reed,
Glad was this juge, and maked him greet cheere,
And yaf hym yiftes preciouse and deere.
 whan shapen was al hire conspiracie
Fro point to point, how that his lecherie
Parfouned sholde been ful subtilly,
As ye shul heere it after openly,
Hoom gooth the cherl, that highte claudius.
This false juge, that highte apius,
(so was his name, for this is no fable,
But knowen for historial thyng notable;
The sentence of it sooth is, out of doute),
This false juge gooth now faste aboute
To hasten his delit al that he may.
And so bifel soone after, on a day,
This false juge, as telleth us the storie,
As he was wont, sat in his consistorie,
And yaf his doomes upon sondry cas.
This false cherl cam forth a ful greet pas,
And seyde, lord, if that it be youre wille,
As dooth me right upon this pitous bille,
In which I pleyne upon virginius;
And if that he wol seyn it is nat thus,
I wol it preeve, and fynde good witnesse,
That sooth is that my bille wol expresse.
 the juge answerde, of this, in his absence,
I may nat yeve diffynytyf sentence.
Lat do hym calle, and I wol gladly heere;
Thou shalt have al right, and no wrong heere.
 virginius cam to wite the juges wille,
And right anon was rad this cursed bille;
The sentence of it was as ye shul heere --
 to yow, my lord, sire apius so deere,
Sheweth youre povre servant claudius
How that a knyght, called virginius,
Agayns the lawe, agayn al equitee,
Holdeth, expres agayn the wyl of me,
My servant, which that is my thral by right,
Which fro myn hous was stole upon a nyght,
Whil that she was ful yong; this wol I preeve
By witnesse, lord, so that it nat yow greeve.
She nys his doghter nat, what so he seye.
Wherfore to yow, my lord the juge, I preye,
Yeld me my thral, if that it be youre wille.
Lo, this was al the sentence of his bille.
 virginius gan upon the cherl biholde,
But hastily, er he his tale tolde,
And wolde have preeved it as sholde a knyght,
And eek by witnessyng of many a wight,
That al was fals that seyde his adversarie,
This cursed juge wolde no thyng tarie,
Ne heere a word moore of virginius,
But yaf his juggement, and seyde thus --
 I deeme anon this cherl his servant have;
Thou shalt no lenger in thyn hous hir save.
Go bryng hire forth, and put hire in oure warde.
The cherl shal have his thral, this I awarde.
 and whan this worthy knyght virginius,
Thurgh sentence of this justice apius,
Moste by force his deere doghter yiven
Unto the juge, in lecherie to lyven,
He gooth hym hoom, and sette him in his halle,
And leet anon his deere doghter calle,
And with a face deed as asshen colde
Upon hir humble face he gan biholde,
With fadres pitee stikynge thurgh his herte,
Al wolde he from his purpos nat converte.
 doghter, quod he, virginia, by thy name,
Ther been two weyes, outher deeth or shame,
That thou most suffre; allas, that I was bore!
For nevere thou deservedest wherfore
To dyen with a swerd or with a knyf.
O deere doghter, endere of my lyf,
Which I have fostred up with swich plesaunce
That thou were nevere out of my remembraunce!
O doghter, which that art my laste wo,
And in my lyf my laste joye also,
O gemme of chastitee, in pacience
Take thou thy deeth, for this is my sentence.
For love, and nat for hate, thou most be deed;
My pitous hand moot smyten of thyn heed.
Allas, that evere apius the say!
Thus hath he falsly jugged the to-day --
And tolde hire al the cas, as ye bifore
Han herd; nat nedeth for to telle it moore.
 o mercy, deere fader! quod this mayde,
And with that word she bothe hir armes layde
Aboute his nekke, as she was wont to do.
The teeris bruste out of hir eyen two,
And seyde, goode fader, shal I dye?
Is ther no grace, is ther no remedye?
 no, certes, deere doghter myn, quod he.
 thanne yif me leyser, fader myn, quod she,
My deeth for to compleyne a litel space;
For, pardee, jepte yaf his doghter grace
For to compleyne, er he hir slow, allas!
And, God it woot, no thyng was hir trespas,
But for she ran hir fader first to see,
To welcome hym with greet solempnitee.
And with that word she fil aswowne anon,
And after, whan hir swownyng is agon,
She riseth up, and to hir fader sayde,
Blissed be god, that I shal dye a mayde!
Yif me my deeth, er that I have a shame;
Dooth with youre child youre wyl, a goddes name!
 and with that word she preyed hym ful ofte
That with his swerd he sholde smyte softe;
And with that word aswowne doun she fil.
Hir fader, with ful sorweful herte and wil,
Hir heed of smoot, and by the top it hente,
And to the juge he gan it to presente,
As he sat yet in doom in consistorie.
And whan the juge it saugh, as seith the storie,
He bad to take hym and anhange hym faste;
But right anon a thousand peple in thraste,
To save the knyght, for routhe and for pitee,
For knowen was the false iniquitee.
The peple anon had suspect in this thyng,
By manere of the cherles chalangyng,
That it was by the assent of apius;
They wisten wel that he was lecherus.
For which unto this apius they gon,
And caste hym in prisoun right anon,
Ther as he slow hymself; and claudius,
That servant was unto this apius,
Was demed for to hange upon a tree,
But that virginius, of his pitee,
So preyde for hym that he was exiled;
And elles, certes, he had been bigyled.
The remenant were anhanged, moore and lesse,
That were consentant of this cursednesse,
 heere may men seen how synne hath his merite.
Beth war, for no man woot whom God wol smyte
In no degree, ne in which manere wyse
The worm of conscience may agryse
Of wikked lyf, though it so pryvee be
That no man woot therof but God and he.
For be he lewed man, or ellis lered,
He noot how soone that he shal been afered.
Therfore I rede yow this conseil take --
Forsaketh synne, er synne yow forsake.

The Introduction to the Pardoner's Tale

Oure hooste gan to swere as he were wood;
Harrow! quod he, by nayles and by blood!
This was a fals cherl and a fals justise.
As shameful deeth as herte may devyse
Come to thise juges and hire advocatz!
Algate this sely mayde is slayn, allas!
Allas, to deere boughte she beautee!
Wherfore I seye al day that men may see
That yiftes of fortune and of nature
Been cause of deeth to many a creature.
Hire beautee was hire deth, I dar wel sayn.
Allas, so pitously as she was slayn!
Of bothe yiftes that I speke of now
Men han ful ofte moore for harm than prow.
But trewely, myn owene maister deere,
This is a pitous tale for to heere.
But nathelees, passe over, is no fors.
I pray to God so save thy gentil cors,
And eek thyne urynals and thy jurdones,
Thyn ypocras, and eek thy galiones,
And every boyste ful of the letuarie;
God blesse hem, and oure lady seinte marie!
So moot I theen, thou art a propre man,
And lyk a prelat, by seint ronyan!
Seyde I nat wel? I kan nat speke in terme;
But wel I woot thou doost myn herte to erme,
That I almoost have caught a cardynacle.
By corpus bones! but I have triacle,
Or elles a draughte of moyste and corny ale,
Or but I heere anon a myrie tale,
Myn herte is lost for pitee of this mayde.
Thou beel amy, thou pardoner, he sayde,
Telle us som myrthe or japes right anon.
 it shal be doon, quod he, by seint ronyon!
But first, quod he, heere at this alestake
I wol bothe drynke and eten of a cake.
 but right anon thise gentils gonne to crye,
Nay, lat hym telle us of no ribaudye!
Telle us som moral thyng, that we may leere
Som wit, and thanne wol we gladly heere.
 I graunte, ywis, quod he, but I moot thynke
Upon som honest thyng while that I drynke.

The Pardoner's Prologue

 lordynges, quod he, in chirches whan I preche,
I peyne me to han an hauteyn speche,
And rynge it out as round as gooth a belle,
For I kan al by rote that I telle.
My theme is alwey oon, and evere was --
Radix malorum est cupiditas.
 first I pronounce wheenes that I come,
And thanne my bulles shewe I, alle and some.
Oure lige lordes seel on my patente,
That shewe I first, my body to warente,
That no man be so boold, ne preest ne clerk,
Me to destourbe of cristes hooly werk.
And after that thanne telle I forth my tales;
Bulles of popes and of cardynales,
Of patriarkes and bishopes I shewe
And in latyn I speke a wordes fewe,
To saffron with my predicacioun,
And for to stire hem to devocioun.
Thanne shewe I forth my longe cristal stones,
Ycrammed ful of cloutes and of bones, --
Relikes been they, as wenen they echoon.
Thanne have I in latoun a sholder-boon
Which that was of an hooly jewes sheep.
Goode men, I seye, taak of my wordes keep;
If that this boon be wasshe in any welle,
If cow, or calf, or sheep, or oxe swelle
That any worm hath ete, or worm ystonge,
Taak water of that welle and wassh his tonge,
And it is hool anon; and forthermoore,
Of pokkes and of scabbe, and every soore
Shal every sheep be hool that of this welle
Drynketh a draughte. Taak kep eek what I telle --
If that the good-man that the beestes oweth
Wol every wyke, er that the cok hym croweth,
Fastynge, drynken of this welle a draughte,
As thilke hooly jew oure eldres taughte,
His beestes and his stoor shal multiplie.
 and, sires, also it heeleth jalousie;
For though a man be falle in jalous rage,
Lat maken with this water his potage,
And nevere shal he moore his wyf mystriste,
Though he the soothe of hir defaute wiste,
Al had she taken prestes two or thre.
 heere is a miteyn eek, that ye may se.
He that his hand wol putte in this mitayn,
He shal have multipliyng of his grayn,
Whan he hath sowen, be it whete or otes,
So that he offre pens, or elles grotes.
 goode men and wommen, o thyng warne I yow --
If any wight be in this chirche now
That hath doon synne horrible, that he
Dar nat, for shame, of it yshryven be,
Or any womman, be she yong or old,
That hath ymaad hir housbonde cokewold,
Swich folk shal have no power ne no grace
To offren to my relikes in this place.
And whoso fyndeth hym out of swich blame,
He wol come up and offre in goddes name,
And I assoille him by the auctoritee
Which that by bulle ygraunted was to me.
 by this gaude have I wonne, yeer by yeer,
An hundred mark sith I was pardoner.
I stonde lyk a clerk in my pulpet,
And whan the lewed peple is doun yset,
I preche so as ye han herd bifoore,
And telle an hundred false japes moore.
Thanne peyne I me to strecche forth the nekke,
And est and west upon the peple I bekke,
As dooth a dowve sittynge on a berne.
Myne handes and my tonge goon so yerne
That it is joye to se my bisynesse.
Of avarice and of swich cursednesse
Is al my prechyng, for to make hem free
To yeven hir pens, and namely unto me.
For myn entente is nat but for to wynne,
And nothyng for correccioun of synne.
I rekke nevere, whan that they been beryed,
Though that hir soules goon a-blakeberyed!
For certes, many a predicacioun
Comth ofte tyme of yvel entencioun;
Som for plesance of folk and flaterye,
To been avaunced by ypocrisye,
And som for veyne glorie, and som for hate.
For whan I dar noon oother weyes debate,
Thanne wol I stynge hym with my tonge smerte
In prechyng, so that he shal nat asterte
To been defamed falsly, if that he
Hath trespased to my bretheren or to me.
For though I telle noght his propre name,
Men shal wel knowe that it is the same,
By signes, and by othere circumstances.
Thus quyte I folk that doon us displesances;
Thus spitte I out my venym under hewe
Of hoolynesse, to semen hooly and trewe.
 but shortly myn entente I wol devyse --
I preche of no thyng but for coveityse.
Therfore my theme is yet, and evere was,
Radix malorum est cupiditas.
Thus kan I preche agayn that same vice
Which that I use, and that is avarice.
But though myself be gilty in that synne,
Yet kan I maken oother folk to twynne
From avarice, and soore to repente.
But that is nat my principal entente;
I preche nothyng but for coveitise.
Of this mateere it oghte ynogh suffise.
 thanne telle I hem ensamples many oon
Of olde stories longe tyme agoon.
For lewed peple loven tales olde;
Swiche thynges kan they wel reporte and holde.
What, trowe ye, that whiles I may preche,
And wynne gold and silver for I teche,
That I wol lyve in poverte wilfully?
Nay, nay, I thoghte it nevere, trewwly!
For I wol preche and begge in sondry landes;
I wol nat do no labour with myne handes,
Ne make baskettes, and lyve therby,
By cause I wol nat beggen ydelly.
I wol noon of the apostles countrefete;
I wol have moneie, wolle, chese, and whete,
Al were it yeven of the povereste page,
Or of the povereste wydwe in a village,
Al sholde hir children sterve for famyne.
Nay, I wol drynke licour of the vyne,
And have a joly wenche in every toun.
But herkneth, lordynges, in conclusioun --
Youre likyng is that I shal telle a tale.
Now have I dronke a draughte of corny ale,
By god, I hope I shal yow telle a thyng
That shal be reson been at youre likyng.
For though myself be a ful vicious man,
A moral tale yet I yow telle kan,
Which I am wont to preche for to wynne.
Now hoold youre pees! my tale I wol bigynne.

The Pardoner's Tale

 in flaundres whilom was a compaignye
Of yonge folk that haunteden folye,
As riot, hasard, stywes, and tavernes,
Where as with harpes, lutes, and gyternes,
They daunce and pleyen at dees bothe day and nyght,
And eten also and drynken over hir myght,
Thurgh which they doon the devel sacrifise
Withinne that develes temple, in cursed wise,
By superfluytee abhomynable.
Hir othes been so grete and so dampnable
That it is grisly for to heere hem swere.
Oure blissed lordes body they totere, --
Hem thoughte that jewes rente hym noght ynough;
And ech of hem at otheres synne lough.
And right anon thanne comen tombesteres
Fetys and smale, and yonge frutesteres,
Syngeres with harpes, baudes, wafereres,
Whiche been the verray develes officeres
To kyndle and blowe the fyr of lecherye,
That is annexed unto glotonye.
The hooly writ take I to my witnesse
That luxurie is in wyn and dronkenesse.
 lo, how that dronken looth, unkyndely,
Lay by his doghtres two, unwityngly;
So dronke he was, he nyste what he wroughte.
 herodes, whoso wel the stories soghte,
Whan he of wyn was repleet at his feeste,
Right at his owene table he yaf his heeste
To sleen the baptist john, ful giltelees.
 senec seith a good word doutelees;
He seith he kan no difference fynde
Bitwix a man that is out of his mynde
And a man which that is dronkelewe,
But that woodnessse, yfallen in a shrewe,
Persevereth lenger than doth dronkenesse.
O glotonye, ful of cursednesse!
O cause first of oure confusioun!
O original of oure dampnacioun,
Til crist hadde boght us with his blood agayn!
Lo, how deere, shortly for to sayn,
Aboght was thilke cursed vileynye
Corrupt was al this world for glotonye.
 adam oure fader, and his wyf also,
Fro paradys to labour and to wo
Were dryven for that vice, it is no drede.
For whil that adam fasted, as I rede,
He was in paradys; and whan that he
Eet of the fruyt deffended on the tree,
Anon he was out cast to wo and peyne.
O glotonye, on thee wel oghte us pleyne!
O, wiste a man how manye maladyes
Folwen of excesse and of glotonyes,
He wolde been the moore mesurable
Of his diete, sittynge at his table.
Allas! the shorte throte, the tendre mouth,
Maketh that est and west and north and south,
In erthe, in eir, in water, men to swynke
To gete a glotoun deyntee mete and drynke!
Of this matiere, o paul, wel kanstow trete --
Mete unto wombe, and wombe eek unto mete,
Shal God destroyen bothe, as paulus seith.
Allas! a foul thyng is it, by my feith,
To seye this word, and fouler is the dede,
Whan man so drynketh of the white and rede
That of his throte be maketh his pryvee,
Thurgh thilke cursed superfluitee.
 the apostel wepyng seith ful pitously,
Ther walken manye of whiche yow toold have I --
I seye it now wepyng, with pitous voys --
That they been enemys of cristes croys,
Of whiche the ende is deeth, wombe is hir god!
O wombe! o bely! o stynkyng cod,
Fulfilled of dong and of corrupcioun!
At either ende of thee foul is the soun.
How greet labour and cost is thee to fynde!
Thise cookes, how they stampe, and streyne, and grynde,
And turnen substaunce into accident,
To fulfille al thy likerous talent!
Out of the harde bones knokke they
The mary, for they caste noght awey
That may go thurgh the golet softe and swoote.
Of spicerie of leef, and bark, and roote
Shal been his sauce ymaked by delit,
To make hym yet a newer appetit.
But, certes, he that haunteth swiche delices
Is deed, whil that he lyveth in tho vices.
 a lecherous thyng is wyn, and dronkenesse
Is ful of stryvyng and of wrecchednesse.
O dronke man, disfigured is thy face,
Sour is thy breeth, foul artow to embrace,
And thurgh thy dronke nose semeth the soun
As though thou seydest as sampsoun, sampsoun!
And yet, God woot, sampsoun drank nevere no wyn.
Thou fallest as it were a styked swyn;
Thy tonge is lost, and al thyn honeste cure;
For dronkenesse is verray sepulture
Of mannes wit and his discrecioun.
In whom that drynke hath dominacioun
He kan no conseil kepe, it is no drede.
Now kepe yow fro the white and fro the rede,
And namely fro the white wyn of lepe,
That is to selle in fysshstrete or in chepe.
This wyn of spaigne crepeth subtilly
In othere wynes, growynge faste by,
Of which ther ryseth swich fumositee
That whan a man hath dronken draughtes thre,
And weneth that he be at hoom in chepe,
He is in spaigne, right at the toune of lepe, --
Nat at the rochele, ne at burdeux toun;
And thanne wol he seye sampsoun, sampsoun!
 but herkneth, lordynges, o word, I yow preye,
That alle the sovereyn actes,dar I seye,
Of victories in the olde testament,
Thurgh verray god, that is omnipotent,
Were doon in abstinence and in preyere.
Looketh the bible, and ther ye may it leere.
 looke, attila, the grete conquerour,
Deyde in his sleep, with shame and dishonour,
Bledynge ay at his nose in dronkenesse.
A capitayn sholde lyve in sobrenesse.
And over al this, avyseth yow right wel
What was comaunded unto lamuel --
Nat samuel, but lamuel, seye I;
Redeth the bible, and fynde it expresly
Of wyn-yevyng to hem that han justise.
Namoore of this, for it may wel suffise.
 and now that I have spoken of glotonye,
Now wol I yow deffenden hasardrye.
Hasard is verray mooder of lesynges,
And of deceite, and cursed forswerynges,
Blaspheme of crist, manslaughtre, and wast also
Of catel and of tyme; and forthermo,
It is repreeve and contrarie of honour
For to ben holde a commune hasardour.
And ever the hyer he is of estaat.
The moore is he yholden desolaat.
If that a prynce useth hasardrye.
In alle governaunce and policye
He is, as by commune opinioun,
Yholde the lasse in reputacioun.
 stilboun, that was a wys embassadour,
Was sent to corynthe, in ful greet honour,
Fro lacidomye, to make hire alliaunce.
And whan he cam, hym happede, par chaunce,
That alle the gretteste that were of that lond,
Pleyynge atte hasard he hem fond.
For which, as soone as it myghte be,
He stal hym hoom agayn to his contree,
And seyde, ther wol I nat lese my name,
Ne I wol nat take on me so greet defame,
Yow for to allie unto none hasardours.
Sendeth othere wise embassadours;
For, by my trouthe, me were levere dye
That I yow sholde to hasardours allye.
For ye, that been so glorious in honours,
Shul nat allyen yow with hasadours
As by my wyl, ne as by my tretee.
This wise philosophre, thus seyde hee.
 looke eek that to the kyng demetrius,
The kyng of parthes, as the book seith us,
Sente him a paire of dees of gold in scorn,
For he hadde used hasard ther-biforn;
For which he heeld his glorie or his renoun
At no value or reputacioun.
Lordes nay fynden oother maner pley
Honest ynough to dryve the day awey.
 now wol I speke of othes false and grete
A word or two, as olde bookes trete.
Gret sweryng is a thyng abhominable,
And fals sweryng is yet moore reprevable.
The heighe God forbad sweryng at al,
Witnesse on mathew; but in special
Of sweryng seith the hooly jeremye,
Thou shalt swere sooth thyne othes, and nat lye,
And swere in doom, and eek in rightwisnesse;
But ydel sweryng is a cursednesse.
Bihoold and se that in the firste table
Of heighe goddes heestes honurable,
Hou that the seconde heeste of hym is this --
Take nat my name in ydel or amys.
Lo, rather be forbedeth swich sweryng
Than homycide or many a cursed thyng;
I seye that, as by ordre, thus it stondeth;
This knoweth, that his heestes understondeth,
How that the seconde heeste of God is that.
And forther over, I wol thee telle al plat,
That vengeance shal nat parten from his hous
That of his othes is to outrageous.
By goddes precious herte, and by his nayles,
And by the blood of crist that is in hayles,
Sevene is my chaunce, and thyn is cynk and treye!
By goddes armes, if thou falsly pleye,
This daggere shal thurghout thyn herte go! --
This fruyt cometh of the bicched bones two,
Forsweryng, ire, falsnesse, homycide.
Now, for the love of crist, that for us dyde,
Lete youre othes, bothe grete and smale.
But, sires, now wol I telle forth my tale.
 thise riotoures thre of which I telle,
Longe erst er prime rong of any belle,
Were set hem in a taverne for to drynke,
And as they sat, they herde a belle clynke
Biforn a cors, was caried to his grave.
That oon of hem gan callen to his knave --
Go bet, quod he, and axe redily
What cors is this that passeth heer forby;
And looke that thou reporte his name weel.
 sire, quod this boy, it nedeth never-a-deel;
It was me toold er ye cam heer two houres.
He was, pardee, an old felawe of youres;
And sodeynly he was yslayn to-nyght,
Fordronke, as he sat on his bench upright.
Ther can a privee theef men clepeth deeth,
That in this contree al the peple sleth,
And with his spere he smoot his herte atwo,
And wente his wey withouten wordes mo.
He hath a thousand slayn this pestilence.
And, maister, er ye come in his presence.
Me thynketh that it were necessarie
For to be war of swich an adversarie.
Beth redy for to meete hym everemoore;
Thus taughte me my dame; I sey namoore.
By seinte marie! seyde this taverner,
The child seith sooth, for he hath slayn this yeer,
Henne over a mile, withinne a greet village,
Bothe man and womman, child, and hyne, and page;
I trowe his habitacioun be there.
To been avysed greet wysdom it were,
Er that he dide a man a dishonour.
 ye, goddes armes! quod this riotour,
Is it swich peril with hym for to meete?
I shal hym seke by wey and eek by strete,
I make avow to goddes digne bones!
Herkneth, felawes, we thre been al ones;
Lat ech of us holde up his hand til oother,
And ech of us bicomen otheres brother.
And we wol sleen this false traytour deeth.
He shal be slayn, he that so manye sleeth,
By goddes dignitee, er it be nyght!
 togidres han thise thre hir trouthes plight
To lyve and dyen ech of hem for oother,
As though he were his owene ybore brother.
And up they stirte, al dronken in this rage,
And forth they goon towardes that village
Of which the taverner hadde spoke biforn.
And many a grisly ooth thanne han they sworn,
And cristes blessed body al torente --
Deeth shal be deed, if that they may hym hente!
 whan they han goon nat fully half a mile,
Right as they wolde han troden over a stile,
An oold man and a povre with hem mette.
This olde man ful mekely hem grette,
And seyde thus, now, lordes, God yow see!
 the proudeste of thise riotoures three
Answerde agayn, what, carl, with sory grace!
Why artow al forwrapped save thy face?
Why lyvestow so longe in so greet age?
 this olde man gan looke in his visage,
And seyde thus -- for I ne kan nat fynde
A man, though that I walked into ynde,
Neither in citee ne in no village,
That wolde chaunge his youthe for myn age;
And therfore moot I han myn age stille,
As longe tyme as it is goddes wille.
Ne deeth, allas! ne wol nat han my lyf
Thus walke I, lyk a restelees kaitif,
And on the ground, which is my moodres gate,
I knokke with my staf, bothe erly and late,
And seye leeve mooder, leet me in!
Lo how I vanysshe, flessh, and blood, and skyn!
Allas! whan shul my bones been at reste?
Mooder, with yow wolde I chaunge my cheste
That in my chambre longe tyme hath be,
Ye, for an heyre clowt to wrappe in me!
But yet to me she wol nat do that grace,
For which ful pale and welked is my face.
 but, sires, to yow it is no curteisye
To speken to an old man vileynye,
But he trespasse in word, or elles in dede.
In hooly writ ye may yourself wel rede --
Agayns an oold man, hoor upon his heed,
Ye sholde arise; wherfore I yeve yow reed,
Ne dooth unto an oold man noon harm now,
Namoore than that ye wolde men did to yow
In age, if that ye so longe abyde.
And God be with yow, where ye go or ryde!
I moot go thider as I have to go.
 nay, olde cherl, by god, thou shalt not so,
Seyde this oother hasardour anon;
Thou partest nat so lightly, by seint john!
Thou spak right now of thilke traytour deeth,
That in this contree alle oure freendes sleeth.
Have heer my trouthe, as thou art his espye,
Telle where he is, or thou shalt it abye,
By god, and by the hooly sacrement!
For soothly thou art oon of his assent
To sleen us yonge folk, thou false theef!
 now, sires, quod he, if that yow be so leef
To fynde deeth, turne up this croked wey,
For in that grove I lafte hym, by my fey,
Under a tree, and there he wole abyde;
Noght for youre boost he wole him no thyng hyde.
Se ye that ook? right there ye shal hym fynde.
God save yow, that boghte agayn mankynde,
And yow amende! thus seyde this olde man;
And everich of thise riotoures ran
Til he cam to that tree, and ther they founde
Of floryns fyne of gold ycoyned rounde
Wel ny an eighte busshels, as hem thoughte.
No lenger thanne after deeth they soughte,
But ech of hem so glad was of that sighte,
For that the floryns been so faire and brighte,
That doun they sette hem by this precious hoord.
The worste of hem, he spak the firste word.
 bretheren, quod he, taak kep what that I seye;
My wit is greet, though that I bourde and pleye.
This tresor hath fortune unto us yiven,
In myrthe and joliftee oure lyf to lyven,
And lightly as it comth, so wol we spende.
Ey! goddes precious dignitee! who wende
To-day that we sholde han so fair a grace?
But myghte this gold be caried fro this place
Hoom to myn hous, or elles unto youres --
For wel ye woot that al this gold is oures --
Thanne were we in heigh felicitee.
But trewely, by daye it may nat bee.
Men wolde seyn that we were theves stronge,
And for oure owene tresor doon us honge.
This tresor moste ycaried be by nyghte
As wisely and as slyly as it myghte.
Wherfore I rede that cut among us alle
Be drawe, and lat se wher the cut wol falle;
And he that hath the cut with herte blithe
Shal renne to the toun, and that ful swithe,
And brynge us breed and wyn ful prively.
And two of us shul kepen subtilly
This tresor wel; and if he wol nat tarie,
Whan it is nyght, we wol this tresor carie,
By oon assent, where as us thynketh best.
That oon of hem the cut broghte in his fest,
And bad hem drawe, and looke where it wol falle;
And if fil on the yongeste of hem alle,
And forth toward the toun he wente anon.
And also soone as that he was gon,
That oon of hem spak thus unto that oother --
Thou knowest wel tho art my sworen brother;
Thy profit wol I telle thee anon.
Thou woost wel that oure felawe is agon.
And heere is gold, and that ful greet plentee,
That shal departed been among us thre.
But nathelees, if I kan shape it so
That it departed were among us two,
Hadde I nat doon a freendes torn to thee?
 that oother answerde, I noot hou that may be.
He woot wel that the gold is with us tweye;
What shal we doon? what shal we to hym seye?
 shal it be conseil? seyde the firste shrewe,
And I shal tellen in a wordes fewe
What we shal doon, and brynge it wel aboute.
 I graunte, quod that oother, out of doute,
That, by my trouthe, I wol thee nat biwreye.
 now, quod the firste, thou woost wel we be tweye;
And two of us shul strenger be than oon.
Looke whan that he is set, that right anoon
Arys as though thou woldest with hym pleye,
And I shal ryve hym thurgh the sydes tweye
Whil that thou strogelest with hym as in game,
And with thy daggere looke thou do the same;
And thanne shal al this gold departed be,
My deere freend, bitwixen me and thee.
Thanne may we bothe oure lustes all fulfille,
And pleye at dees right at oure owene wille.
And thus acorded been thise shrewes tweye
To sleen the thridde, as ye han herd me seye.
 this yongeste, which that wente to the toun,
Ful ofte in herte he rolleth up and doun
The beautee of thise floryns newe and brighte.
O lord! quod he, if so were that I myghte
Have al this tresor to myself allone,
Ther is no man that lyveth under the trone
Of God that sholde lyve so murye as i!
And atte laste the feend, oure enemy,
Putte in his thought that he sholde poysen beye,
With which he myghte sleen his felawes tweye;
For-why the feend foond hym in swich lyvynge
That he hadde leve him to sorwe brynge.
For this was outrely his fulle entente,
To sleen hem bothe, and nevere to repente.
And forth he gooth, no lenger wolde he tarie,
Into the toun, unto a pothecarie,
And preyde hym that he hym wolde selle
Som poyson, that he myghte his rattes quelle;
And eek ther was a polcat in his hawe,
That, as he seyde, his capouns hadde yslawe,
And fayn he wolde wreke hym, if he myghte,
On vermyn that destroyed hym by nyghte.
 the pothecarie answerde, and thou shalt have
A thyng that, also God my soule save,
In al this world ther is no creature,
That eten or dronken hath of this confiture
Noght but the montance of a corn of whete,
That he ne shal his lif anon forlete;
Ye, sterve he shal, and that in lasse while
Than thou wolt goon a paas nat but a mile,
This poysoun is so strong and violent.
 this cursed man hath in his hond yhent
This poysoun in a box, and sith he ran
Into the nexte strete unto a man,
And borwed of hym large botelles thre;
And in the two his poyson poured he;
The thridde he kepte clene for his drynke.
For al the nyght he shoop hym for to swynke
In cariynge of the gold out of that place.
And whan this riotour, with sory grace,
Hadde filled with wyn his grete botels thre,
To his felawes agayn repaireth he.
 what nedeth it to sermone of it moore?
For right as they hadde cast his deeth bifoore,
Right so they han hym slayn, and that anon.
And whan that this was doon, thus spak that oon --
Now lat us sitte and drynke, and make us merie,
And afterward we wol his body berie.
And with that word it happed hym, par cas,
To take the botel ther the poyson was,
And drank, and yaf his felawe drynke also,
For which anon they storven bothe two.
 but certes, I suppose that avycen
Wroot nevere in no canon, ne in no fen,
Mo wonder signes of empoisonyng
Than hadde thise wrecches two, er hir endyng.
Thus ended been thise homycides two,
And eek the false empoysonere also.
 o cursed synne of alle cursednesse!
O traytours homycide, o wikkednesse!
O gloronye, luxurie, and hasardrye!
Thou blasphemour of crist with vileynye
And othes grete, of usage and of pride!
Allas! mankynde, how may it bitide
That to thy creatour, which that the wroghte,
And with his precious herte-blood thee boghte,
Thou art so fals and so unkynde, allas?
 now goode men, God foryeve yow youre trespas,
And ware yow fro the synne of avarice!
Myn hooly pardoun may yow alle warice,
So that ye offre nobles or sterlynges,
Or elles silver broches, spoones, rynges.
Boweth youre heed under this hooly bulle!
Cometh up, ye wyves, offreth of youre wolle!
Youre names I entre heer in my rolle anon;
Into the blisse of hevene shul ye gon.
I yow assoile, by myn heigh power,
Yow that wol offre, as clene and eek as cleer
As ye were born. -- and lo, sires, thus I preche.
And jhesu crist, that is oure soules leche,
So graunte yow his pardoun to receyve,
For that is best; I wol yow nat deceyve.
 but, sires, o word forgat I in my tale --
I have relikes and pardoun in my male,
As faire as any man in engelond.
Whiche were me yeven by the popes hond.
If any of yow wole, of devocion,
Offren, and han myn absolucion,
Com forth anon, and kneleth heere adoun,
And mekely receyveth my pardoun;
Or elles taketh pardoun as ye wende,
Al newe and fressh at every miles ende,
So that ye offren, alwey newe and newe,
Nobles or pens, whiche that be goode and trewe.
It is an honour to everich that is heer
That ye mowe have a suffisant pardoneer
T'assoile yow, in contree as ye ryde,
For aventures whiche that may bityde.
Paraventure ther may fallen oon or two
Doun of his hors, and breke his nekke atwo.
Looke which a seuretee is it to yow alle
That I am in youre felaweshipe yfalle,
That may assoille yow, bothe moore and lasse,
Whan that the soule shal fro the body passe.
I rede that oure hoost heere shal bigynne,
For he is moost envoluped in synne.
Com forth, sire hoost, and offre first anon,
And thou shalt kisse the relikes everychon,
Ye, for a grote! unbokele anon thy purs.
 nay, nay! quod he, thanne have I cristes curs!
Lat be, quod he, it shal nat be, so theech!
Thou woldest make me kisse thyn olde breech,
And swere it were a relyk of a seint,
Though it were with thy fundement depeint!
But, by the croys which that seint eleyne fond,
I wolde I hadde thy coillons in myn hond
In stide of relikes or os seintuarie.
Lat kutte hem of, I wol thee helpe hem carie;
They shul be shryned in an hogges toord!
 this pardoner answerde nat a word;
So wrooth he was, no word ne wolde he seye.
 now, quod oure hoost, I wol no lenger pleye
With thee, ne with noon oother angry man.
But right anon the worthy knyght bigan,
Whan that he saugh that al the peple lough,
Namoore of this, for it is right ynough!
Sire pardoner, be glad and myrie of cheere;
And ye, sire hoost, that been to me so deere,
I prey yow that ye kisse the pardoner.
And pardoner, I prey thee, drawe thee neer,
And, as we diden, lat us laughe and pleye.
Anon they kiste, and ryden forth hir weye.

The Shipman's Tale

 a merchant whilom dwelled at seint-denys,
That riche was, for which men helde hym wys.
A wyf he hadde of excellent beautee;
And compaignable and revelous was she,
Which is a thyng that causeth more dispence
Than worth is al the chiere and reverence
That men hem doon at festes and at daunces.
Swiche salutaciouns and contenances
Passen as dooth a shadwe upon the wal;
But wo is hym that payen moot for al!
The sely housbonde, algate he moot paye,
He moot us clothe, and he moot us arraye,
Al for his owene worshipe richely,
In which array we daunce jolily.
And if that he noght may, par aventure,
Or ellis list no swich dispence endure,
But thynketh it is wasted and ylost,
Thanne moot another payen for oure cost,
Or lene us gold, and that is perilous.
 this noble marchaunt heeld a worthy hous,
For which ne hadde alday so greet repair
For his largesse, and for his wyf was fair,
That wonder is; but herkneth to my tale.
Amonges alle his gestes, grete and smale,
Ther was a monk, a fair man and a boold --
I trowe a thritty wynter he was oold --
That evere in oon was drawynge to that place.
This yonge monk, that was so fair of face,
Aqueynted was so with the goode man,
Sith that hir firste knoweliche bigan,
That in his hous as famulier was he
As it is possible any freend to be.
 and for as muchel as this goode man,
And eek this monk, of which that I began,
Were bothe two yborn in o village,
The monk hym claymeth as for cosynage;
And he agayn, he seith nat ones nay,
But was as glad therof as fowel of day;
For to his herte it was a greet plesaunce.
Thus been they knyt with eterne alliaunce,
And ech of hem gan oother for t'assure
Of bretherhede, whil that hir lyf may dure.
Free was daun john, and namely of dispence,
As in that hous, and ful of diligence
To doon plesaunce, and also greet costage.
He noght forgat to yeve the leeste page
In al that hous; but after hir degree,
He yaf the lord, and sitthe al his meynee,
Whan that he cam, som manere honest thyng;
For which they were as glad of his comyng
As fowel is fayn whan that the sonne up riseth.
Na moore of this as now, for it suffiseth.
But so bifel, this marchant on a day
Shoop hym to make redy his array
Toward the toun of brugges for to fare,
To byen there a porcioun of ware;
For which he hath to parys sent anon
A messager, and preyed hat daun john
That he sholde come to seint-denys to pleye
With hym and with his wyf a day or tweye,
Er he to brugges wente, in alle wise.
This noble monk, of which I yow devyse,
Hath of his abbot, as hym list, licence,
By cause he was a man of heigh prudence,
And eek an officer, out for to ryde,
To seen hir graunges and hire bernes wyde,
And unto seint-denys he comth anon.
Who was so welcome as my lord daun john,
Oure deere cosyn, ful of curteisye?
With hym broghte he a jubbe of malvesye,
And eek another, ful of fyn vernage,
And volatyl, as ay was his usage.
And thus I lete hem ete and drynke and pleye,
This marchant and this monk, a day or tweye.
The thridde day, this marchant up ariseth,
And on his nedes sadly hym avyseth,
And up into his countour-hous gooth he
To rekene with hymself, as wel may be,
Of thilke yeer how that it with hym stood,
And how that he despended hadde his good,
And if that he encressed were or noon.
His bookes and his bagges many oon
He leith biforn hym on his countyng-bord.
Ful riche was his tresor and his hord,
For which ful faste his countour-dore he shette;
And eek he nolde that no man sholde hym lette
Of his acountes, for the meene tyme;
And thus he sit til it was passed pryme.
Daun john was rysen in the morwe also,
And in the gardyn walketh to and fro,
And hath his thynges seyd ful curteisly.
This goode wyf cam walkynge pryvely
Into the gardyn, there he walketh softe,
And hym saleweth, as she hath doon ofte.
A mayde child cam in hire compaignye,
Which as hir list she may governe and gye,
For yet under the yerde was the mayde.
O deere cosyn myn, daun john, she sayde,
What eyleth yow so rathe for to ryse?
Nece, quod he, it oghte ynough suffise
Fyve houres for to slepe upon a nyght,
But it were for an old appalled wight,
As been thise wedded men, that lye and dare
As in a fourme sit a wery hare,
Were al forstraught with houndes grete and smale.
But deere nece, why be ye so pale?
I trowe, certes, that oure goode man
Hath yow laboured sith the nyght bigan,
That yow were nede to resten hastily.
And with that word he lough ful murily,
And of his owene thought he was reed.
This faire wyf gan for to shake hir heed
And seyde thus, ye, God woot al, quod she.
Nay, cosyn myn, it stant nat so with me;
For, by that God that yaf me soule and lyf,
In al the reawme of france is ther no wyf
That lasse lust hath to that sory pley.
For I may synge -- allas and weylawey
That I was born, -- but to no wight, quod she,
Dar I nat telle how that it stant with me.
Wherfore I thynke out of this land to wende,
Or elles of myself to make an ende,
So ful am I of drede and eek of care.
This monk bigan upon this wyf to stare,
And seyde, allas, my nece, God forbede
That ye, for any sorwe or any drede,
Fordo youreself; but telleth me youre grief.
Paraventure I may, in youre meschief,
Conseille or helpe; and therfore telleth me
Al youre anoy, for it shal been secree.
For on my porthors here I make an ooth
That nevere in my lyf, for lief ne looth,
Ne shal I of no conseil yow biwreye.
The same agayn to yow, quod she, I seye.
By God and by this porthors I yow swere,
Though men me wolde al into pieces tere,
Ne shal I nevere, for to goon to helle,
Biwreye a word of thyng that ye me telle,
Nat for no cosynage ne alliance,
But verraily, for love and affiance.
Thus been they sworn, and heerupon they kiste,
And ech of hem tolde oother what hem liste.
Cosyn, quod she, if that I hadde a space,
As I have noon, and namely in this place,
Thanne wolde I telle a legende of my lyf,
What I have suffred with I was a wyf
With myn housbonde, al be he youre cosyn.
Nay, quod this monk, by God and seint martyn,
He is na moore cosyn unto me
Than is this leef that hangeth on the tree!
I clepe hym so, by seint denys of fraunce,
To have the moore cause of aqueyntaunce
Of yow, which I have loved specially
Aboven alle wommen, sikerly.
This swere I yow on my professioun.
Telleth youre grief, lest that he come adoun;
And hasteth yow, and gooth youre wey anon.
My deere love, quod she, o my daun john,
Ful lief were me this conseil for to hyde,
But out it moot, I may namoore abyde.
Myn housbonde is to me the worste man
That evere was sith that the world bigan.
But sith I am a wyf, it sit nat me
To tellen no wight of oure privetee,
Neither abedde, ne in noon oother place;
God shilde I sholde it tellen, for his grace!
A wyf ne shal nat seyn of hir housbonde
But al honour, as I kan understonde;
Save unto yow thus muche I tellen shal:
As helpe me god, he is noght worth at al
In no degree the value of a flye.
But yet me greveth moost his nygardye.
And wel ye woot that wommen naturelly
Desiren thynges sixe as wel as I:
They wolde that hir housbondes sholde be
Hardy, and wise, and riche, and therto free,
And buxom unto his wyf, and fressh abedde.
But by that ilke lord that for us bledde,
For his honour, myself for to arraye,
A sonday next I moste nedes paye
An hundred frankes, or ellis I am lorn.
Yet were me levere that I were unborn
Than me were doon a sclaundre or vileynye;
And if myn housbonde eek it myghte espye,
I nere but lost; and therfore I yow preye,
Lene me this somme, or ellis moot I deye.
Daun john, I seye, lene me thise hundred frankes.
Pardee, I wol nat faille yow my thankes,
If that yow list to doon that I yow praye.
For at a certeyn day I wol yow paye,
And doon to yow what plesance and service
That I may doon, right as yow list devise.
And but I do, God take on me vengeance
As foul as evere hadde genylon of france.
This gentil monk answerde in this manere:
Now trewely, myn owene lady deere,
I have, quod he, on yow so greet a routhe
That I yow swere, and plighte yow my trouthe,
That whan youre housbonde is to flaundres fare,
I wol delyvere yow out of this care;
For I wol brynge yow an hundred frankes.
And with that word he caughte hire by the flankes,
And hire embraceth harde, and kiste hire ofte.
Gooth now youre wey, quod he, al stille and softe,
And lat us dyne as soone as that ye may;
For by my chilyndre it is pryme of day.
Gooth now, and beeth as trewe as I shal be.
Now elles God forbede, sire, quod she;
And forth she gooth as jolif as a pye,
And bad the cookes that they sholde hem hye,
So that men myghte dyne, and that anon.
Up to hir housbonde is this wyf ygon,
And knokketh at his countour boldely.
Quy la? quod he. Peter! it am I,
Quod she; what, sire, how longe wol ye faste?
How longe tyme wol ye rekene and caste
Youre sommes, and youre bookes, and youre thynges?
The devel have part on alle swiche rekenynges!
Ye have ynough, pardee, of goddes sonde;
Com doun to-day, and lat youre bagges stonde.
Ne be ye nat ashamed that daun john
Shal fasting al this day alenge goon?
What! lat us heere a messe, and go we dyne.
Wyf, quod this man, litel kanstow devyne
The curious bisynesse that we have.
For of us chapmen, also God me save,
And by that lord that clepid is seint yve,
Scarsly amonges twelve tweye shul thryve
Continuelly, lastynge unto oure age.
We may wel make chiere and good visage,
And dryve forth the world as it may be,
And kepen oure estaat in pryvetee,
Til we be deed, or elles that we pleye
A pilgrymage, or goon out of the weye.
And therfore have I greet necessitee
Upon this queynte world t' avyse me;
For everemoore we moote stonde in drede
Of hap and fortune in oure chapmanhede.
To flaundres wol I go to-morwe at day,
And come agayn, as soone as evere I may.
For which, my deere wyf, I thee diseke,
As be to every wight buxom and meke,
And for to kepe oure good be curious,
And honestly governe wel oure hous.
Thou hast ynough, in every maner wise,
That to a thrifty houshold may suffise.
Thee lakketh noon array ne no vitaille;
Of silver in thy purs shaltow nat faille.
And with that word his countour-dore he shette,
And doun he gooth, no lenger wolde he lette.
But hastily a messe was ther seyd,
And spedily the tables were yleyd,
And to the dyner faste they hem spedde,
And richely this monk the chapman fedde.
At after-dyner daun john sobrely
This chapman took apart, and prively
He seyde hym thus: cosyn, it standeth so,
That wel I se to brugges wol ye go.
Go and seint austyn spede yow and gyde!
I prey yow, cosyn, wisely that ye ryde.
Governeth yow also of youre diete
Atemprely, and namely in this hete.
Bitwix us two nedeth no strange fare;
Farewel, cosyn; God shilde yow fro care!
And if that any thyng by day or nyght,
If it lye in my power and my myght,
That ye me wol comande in any wyse,
It shal be doon, right as ye wol devyse.
O thyng, er that ye goon, if it may be,
I wolde prey yow; for to lene me
An hundred frankes, for a wyke or tweye,
For certein beestes that I moste beye,
To stoore with a place that is oures.
God helpe me so, I wolde it were youres!
I shal nat faille surely of my day,
Nat for a thousand frankes, a mile way.
But lat this thyng be secree, I yow preye,
For yet to-nyght thise beestes moot I beye.
And fare now wel, myn owene cosyn deere;
Graunt mercy of youre cost and of youre cheere.
This noble marchant gentilly anon
Answerde and seyde, o cosyn myn, daun john,
Now sikerly this is a smal requeste.
My gold is youres, whan that it yow leste,
And nat oonly my gold, but my chaffare.
Take what yow list, God shilde that ye spare.
But o thyng is, ye knowe it wel ynogh,
Of chapmen, that hir moneie is hir plogh.
We may creaunce whil we have a name;
But goldlees for to be, it is no game.
Paye it agayn whan it lith in youre ese;
After my myght ful fayn wolde I yow plese.
Thise hundred frankes he fette forth anon,
And prively he took hem to daun john.
No wight in al this world wiste of this loone,
Savynge this marchant and daun john allone.
They drynke, and speke, and rome a while and pleye,
Til that daun john rideth to his abbeye.
The morwe cam, and forth this marchant rideth
To flaundres-ward; his prentys wel hym gydeth,
Til he came into brugges murily.
Now gooth this marchant faste and bisily
Aboute his nede, and byeth and creaunceth.
He neither pleyeth at the dees ne daunceth,
But as a marchaunt, shortly for to telle,
He let him lyf, and there I lete hym dwelle.
The sonday next the marchant was agon,
To seint-denys ycomen is daun john,
With crowne and berd al fressh and newe yshave.
In al the hous ther nas so litel a knave,
Ne no wight elles, that he nas ful fayn
For that my lord daun john was come agayn.
And shortly to the point right for to gon,
This faire wyf acorded with daun john
That for thise hundred frankes he sholde al nyght
Have hire in his armes bolt upright;
And this acord parfourned was in dede.
In myrthe al nyght a bisy lyf they lede
Til it was day, that daun john wente his way,
And bad the meynee farewel, have good day!
For noon of hem, ne no wight in the toun,
Hath of daun john right no suspecioun.
And forth he rydeth hoom to his abbeye,
Or where hym list; namoore of hym I seye.
This marchant, whan that ended was the faire,
To seint-denys he gan for to repaire,
And with his wyf he maketh feeste and cheere,
And telleth hire that chaffare is so deere
That nedes moste he make a chevyssaunce;
For he was bounden in a reconyssaunce
To paye twenty thousand sheeld anon.
For which this marchant is to parys gon
To borwe of certeine freendes that he hadde
A certeyn frankes; and somme with him he ladde.
And whan that he was come into the toun,
For greet chiertee and greet affeccioun,
Unto daun john he gooth first, hym to pleye;
Nat for to axe or borwe of hym moneye,
But for to wite and seen of his welfare,
And for to tellen hym of his chaffare,
As freendes doon whan they been met yfeere.
Daun john hym maketh feeste and murye cheere,
And he hym tolde agayn, ful specially,
How he hadde wel yboght and graciously,
Thanked be god, al hool his marchandise;
Save that he moste, in alle maner wise,
Maken a chevyssaunce, as for his beste,
And thanne he sholde been in joye and reste.
Daun john answerde, certes, I am fayn
That ye in heele ar comen hom agayn.
And if that I were riche, as have I blisse,
Of twenty thousand sheeld sholde ye nat mysse,
For ye so kyndely this oother day
Lente me gold; and as I kan and may,
I thanke yow, by God and by seint jame!
But nathelees, I took unto oure dame,
Youre wyf, at hom, the same gold ageyn
Upon youre bench; she woot it wel, certeyn,
By certeyn tokenes that I kan hire telle.
Now, by youre leve, I may no lenger dwelle;
Oure abbot wole out of this toun anon,
And in his compaignye moot I goon.
Grete wel oure dame, myn owene nece sweete,
And fare wel, deere cosyn, til we meete!
This marchant, which that was ful war and wys,
Creanced hath, and payd eek in parys
To certeyn lumbardes, redy in hir hond,
The somme of gold, and gat of hem his bond;
And hoom he gooth, murie as a papejay,
For wel he knew he stood in swich array
That nedes moste he wynne in that viage
A thousand frankes aboven al his costage.
His wyf ful redy mette hym atte gate,
As she was wont of oold usage algate,
And al that nyght in myrthe they bisette;
For he was riche and cleerly out of dette.
Whan it was day, this marchant gan embrace
His wyf al newe, and kiste hire on hir face,
And up he gooth and maketh it ful tough.
Namoore, quod she, by god, ye have ynough!
And wantownly agayn with hym she pleyde,
Til atte laste thus this marchant seyde:
By go, quod he, I am a litel wrooth
With yow, my wyf, although it be me looth.
And woot ye why? by god, as that I gesse
That ye han maad a manere straungenesse
Bitwixen me and my cosyn daun john.
Ye sholde han warned me, er I had gon,
That he yow hadde an hundred frankes payed
By redy token; and heeld hym yvele apayed,
For that I to hym spak of chevyssaunce;
Me semed so, as by his contenaunce.
But nathelees, by god, oure hevene kyng,
I thoughte nat to axen hym no thyng.
I prey thee, wyf, ne do namoore so;
Telle me alwey, er that I fro thee go,
If any dettour hath in myn absence
Ypayed thee, lest thurgh thy necligence
I myghte hym axe a thing that he hath payed.
This wyf was nat afered nor affrayed,
But boldely she seyde, and that anon;
Marie, I deffie the false monk, daun john!
I kepe nat of his tokenes never a deel;
He took me certeyn gold, that woot I weel, --
What! yvel thedam on his monkes snowte!
For, God it woot, I wende, withouten doute,
That he hadde yeve it me bycause of yow,
To doon therwith myn honour and my prow,
For cosynage, and eek for beele cheere
That he hath had ful ofte tymes heere.
But sith I se I stonde in this disjoynt,
I wol answere yow shortly to the poynt.
Ye han mo slakkere dettours than am i!
For I wol paye yow wel and redily
Fro day to day, and if so be I faille,
I am youre wyf; score it upon my taille,
And I shal paye as soone as ever I may.
For by my trouthe, I have on myn array,
And nat on wast, bistowed every deel;
And for I have bistowed it so weel
For youre honour, for goddes sake, I seye,
As be nat wrooth, but lat us laughe and pleye.
Ye shal my joly body have to wedde;
By god, I wol nat paye yow but abedde!
Forgyve it me, myn owene spouse deere;
Turne hiderward, and maketh bettre cheere.
This marchant saugh ther was no remedie,
And for to chide it nere but folie,
Sith that the thyng may nat amended be.
Now wyf, he seyde, and I foryeve it thee;
But, by thy lyf, ne be namoore so large.
Keep bet my good, this yeve I thee in charge.
Thus endeth now my tale, and God us sende
Taillynge ynough unto oure lyves ende. Amen

The Words of the Host to the Prioress

Wel seyd, by corpus dominus, quod oure hoost,
Now longe moote thou saille by the cost,
Sire gentil maister, gentil maryneer!
God yeve the monk a thousand last quade yeer!
A ha! felawes! beth ware of swich a jape!
The monk putte in the mannes hood an ape,
And in his wyves eek, by seint austyn!
Draweth no monkes moore unto youre in.
But now passe over, and lat us seke aboute,
Who shal now telle first of al this route
Another tale; and with that word he sayde,
As curteisly as it had been a mayde,
My lady prioresse, by youre leve,
So that I wiste I sholde yow nat greve,
I wolde demen that ye tellen sholde
A tale next, if so were that ye wolde.
Now wol ye vouche sauf, my lady deere?
Gladly, quod she, and seyde as ye shal heere.

The Prioress' Prologue

O lord, oure lord, thy name how merveillous
Is in this large world ysprad, quod she;
For noght oonly thy laude precious
Parfourned is by men of dignitee,
But by the mouth of children thy bountee
Parfourned is, for on the brest soukynge
Somtyme shewen they thyn heriynge.
Wherfore in laude, as I best kan or may,
Of thee and of the white lyle flour
Which that the bar, and is a mayde alway,
To telle a storie I wol do my labour;
Nat that I may encressen hir honour,
For whe hirself is honour and the roote
Of bountee, next hir sone, and soules boote.
O mooder mayde! o mayde mooder free!
O bussh unbrent, brennynge in moyses sighte,
That ravyshedest doun fro the dietee,
Thurgh thyn humbless, the goost that in th' alighte,
Of whos vertu, whan he thyn herte lighte,
Conceyved was the fadres sapience,
Help me to telle it in thy reverence!
Lady, thy bountee, thy magnificence,
Thy vertu, and thy grete humylitee,
Ther may no tonge expresse in no science;
For somtyme, lady, er men praye to thee,
Thou goost biforn of thy benyngnytee,
And getest us the lyght, of thy preyere,
To gyden us unto thy sone so deere.
My konnyng is so wayk, o blisful queene,
For to declare thy grete worthynesse
That I ne may the weighte nat susteene;
But as a child of twelf month oold, or lesse,
That kan unnethes any word expresse,
Right so fare I, and therfore I yow preye,
Gydeth my song that I shal of yow seye.

The Prioress' Tale

Ther was in asye, in a greet citee,
Amonges cristene folk, a jewerye,
Sustened by a lord of that contree
For foule usure and lucre of vileynye,
Hateful to crist and to his compaignye;
And thurgh the strete men myghte ride or wende,
For it was free and open at eyther ende.
A litel scole of cristen folk ther stood
Doun at the ferther ende, in which ther were
Children an heep, ycomen of cristen blood,
That lerned in that scole yeer by yere
Swich manere doctrine as men used there,
This is to seyn, to syngen and to rede,
As smale children doon in hire childhede.
Among thise children was a wydwes sone,
A litel clergeon, seven yeer of age,
That day by day to scole was his wone,
And eek also, where as he saugh th' ymage
Of cristes mooder, hadde he in usage,
As hym was taught, to knele adoun and seye
His ave marie, as he goth by the weye.
Thus hath this wydwe hir litel sone ytaught
Oure blisful lady, cristes mooder deere,
To worshipe ay, and he forgat it naught,
For sely child wol alday soone leere.
But ay, whan I remembre on this mateere,
Seint nicholas stant evere in my presence,
For he so yong to crist dide reverence.
This litel child, his litel book lernynge,
As he sat in the scole at his prymer,
He alma redemptoris herde synge,
As children lerned hire antiphoner;
And as he dorste, he drough hym ner and ner,
And herkned ay the wordes and the noote,
Til he the firste vers koude al by rote.
Noght wiste he what this latyn was to seye,
For he so yong and tendre was of age.
But on a day his felawe gan he preye
T' expounden hym this song in his langage,
Or telle hym why this song was in usage;
This preyde he hym to construe and declare
Ful often tyme upon his knowes bare.
His felawe, which that elder was than he,
Answerde hym thus: this song, I have herd seye,
Was maked of our blisful lady free,
Hire to salue, and eek hire for to preye
Fo been oure help and socour whan we deye.
I kan namoore expounde in this mateere;
I lerne song, I kan but smal grammeere.
And is this song maked in reverence
Of cristes mooder? seyde this innocent.
Now, certes, I wol do my diligence
To konne it al er cristemasse be went.
Though that I for my prymer shal be shent,
And shall be beten thries in an houre,
I wol it konne oure lady for to honoure!
His felawe taughte hym homward prively,
For day to day, til he koude it by rote,
And thanne he song it wel and boldely,
Fro word to word, acordynge with the note.
Twies a day it passed thurgh his throte,
To scoleward and homward whan he wente;
On cristes mooder set was his entente.
As I have seyd, thurghout the juerie,
This litel child, as he cam to and fro,
Ful murily than wolde he synge and crie
O alma redemptoris everemo.
The swetnesse hath his herte perced so
Of cristes mooder that, to hire to preye,
He kan nat stynte of syngyng by the weye.
Oure firste foo, the serpent sathanas,
That hath in jues herte his waspes nest,
Up swal, and seide, o hebrayk peple, allas!
Is this to yow a thyng that is honest,
That swich a boy shal walken as hym lest
In youre despit, and synge of swich sentence,
Which is agayn youre lawes reverence?
Fro thennes forth the jues han conspired
This innocent out of this world to chace.
And homycide therto han they hyred,
That in an aleye hadde a privee place;
And as the child gan forby for to pace,
This cursed jew hym hente, and heeld hym faste,
And kitte his throute, and in a pit hym caste.
I seye that in a wardrobe they hym threwe
Where as thise jewes purgen hire entraille.
O cursed folk of herodes al newe,
What may youre yvel entente yow availle?
Mordre wol out, certeyn, it wol nat faille,
And namely ther th' onour of God shal sprede;
The blood out crieth on youre cursed dede.
O martir, sowded to virginitee,
Now maystow syngen, folwynge evere in oon
The white lamb celestial -- quod she --
Of which the grete evaungelist, seint john,
In pathmos wroot, which seith that they that goon
Biforn this lamb, and synge a song al newe,
That nevere, flesshly, wommen they ne knewe.
This poure wydwe awaiteth al that nyght
After hir litel child, but he cam noght;
For which, as soone as it was dayes lyght,
With face pale of drede and bisy thoght,
She hath at scole and elleswhere hym soght,
Til finally she gan so fer espie
That he last seyn was in the juerie.
With moodres pitee in hir brest enclosed,
She gooth, as she were half out of hir mynde,
To every place where she hath supposed
By liklihede hir litel child to fynde;
And evere on cristes mooder meeke and kynde
She cride, and atte laste thus she wroghte:
Among the cursed jues she hym soghte.
She frayneth and she preyeth pitously
To every jew that dwelte in thilke place,
To telle hire if hir child wente oght forby.
They seyde nay; but jhesu, of his grace,
Yaf in hir thoght, inwith a litel space,
That in that place after hir sone she cryde,
Where he was casten in a pit bisyde.
O grete god, that parfournest thy laude
By mouth of innocentz, lo, heere thy myght!
This gemme of chastite, this emeraude,
And eek of martirdom the ruby bright,
Ther he with throte ykorven lay upright,
He alma redemptoris gan to synge
So loude that al the place gan to rynge.
The cristene folk that thurgh the strete wente
In coomen for to wondre upon this thyng,
And hastily they for the provost sente;
He cam anon withouten tariyng,
And herieth crist that is of hevene kyng,
And eek his mooder, honour of mankynde,
And after that the jewes leet he bynde.
This child with pitous lamentacioun
Up taken was, syngynge his song alway,
And with honour of greet processioun
They carien hym unto the nexte abbay.
His mooder swownynge by the beere lay;
Unnethe myghte the peple that was theere
This newe rachel brynge fro his beere.
With torment and with shameful deeth echon
This provost dooth thise jewes for to sterve
That of this mordre wiste, and that anon.
He nolde no swich cursednesse observe.
Yvele shal have that yvele wol deserve;
Therfore with wilde hors he dide hem drawe,
And after that he heng hem by the lawe.
Upon this beere ay lith this innocent
Biforn the chief auter, whil masse laste;
And after that, the abbot with his covent
Han sped hem for to burien hym ful faste;
And whan they hooly water on hym caste,
Yet spak this child, whan spreynd was hooly water,
And song o alma redemptoris mater!
This abbot, which that was an hooly man,
As monkes been -- or elles oghte be --
This yonge child to conjure he bigan,
And seyde, o deere child, I halse thee,
In vertu of the hooly trinitee,
Tel me what is thy cause for to synge,
Sith that thy throte is kut to my semynge?
My throte is kut unto my nekke boon,
Seyde this child, and, as by wey of kynde,
I sholde have dyed, ye, longe tyme agon.
But jesu crist, as ye in bookes fynde,
Wil that his glorie laste and be in mynde,
And for the worship of his mooder deere
Yet may I synge o alma loude and cleere.
This welle of mercy, cristes mooder sweete,
I loved alwey, as after my konnynge;
And whan that I my lyf sholde forlete,
To me she cam, and bad me for to synge
This anthem verraily in my deyynge,
As ye han herd, and whan that I hadde songe,
Me thoughte she leyde a greyn upon my tonge.
Wherfore I synge, and synge moot certeyn,
In honour of that blisful mayden free,
Til fro my tonge of taken is the greyn;
And after that thus seyde she to me;
-- My litel child, now wol I fecche thee,
Whan that the greyn is fro thy tonge ytake.
Be nat agast, I wol thee nat forsake. --
This hooly monk, this abbot, hym meene I,
His tonge out caughte, and took awey the greyn,
And he yaf up the goost ful softely.
And whan this abbot hadde this wonder seyn,
His salte teeris trikled doun as reyn,
And gruf he fil al plat upon the grounde,
And stille he lay as he had ben ybounde.
The covent eek lay on the pavement
Wepynge, and herying cristes mooder deere,
And after that they ryse, and forth been went,
And tooken awey this martir from his beere;
And in a tombe of marbul stones cleere
Enclosen they his litel body sweete.
Ther he is now, God leve us for to meete!
O yonge hugh of lyncoln, slayn also
With cursed jewes, as it is notable,
For it is but a litel while ago,
Preye eek for us, we synful folk unstable,
That, of his mercy, God so merciable
On us his grete mercy multiplie,
For reverence of his mooder marie. Amen

The Prologue to the Tale of Sir Thopas

Whan seyd was al this miracle, every man
As sobre was that wonder was to se,
Til that oure hooste japen tho bigan,
And thanne at erst he looked upon me,
And seyde thus: what man artow? quod he;
Thou lookest as thou woldest fynde an hare,
For evere upon the ground I se thee stare.
Approche neer, and looke up murily.
Now war yow, sires, and lat this man have place!
He in the waast is shape as wel as I;
This were a popet in an arm t' enbrace
For any womman, smal and fair of face.
He semeth elvyssh by his contenaunce,
For unto no wight dooth he daliaunce.
Sey now somwhat, syn oother folk han sayd;
Telle us a tale of myrthe, and that anon.
Hooste, quod I, ne beth nat yvele apayd,
For oother tale certes kan I noon,
But of a rym I lerned longe agoon.
Ye, that is good, quod he; now shul we heere
Som deyntee thyng, me thynketh by his cheere.

The Tale of Sir Thopas

Listeth, lordes, in good entent,
And I wol telle verrayment
Of myrthe and of solas;
Al of a knyght was fair and gent
In bataille and in tourneyment,
His name was sire thopas.
Yborn he was in fer contree,
In flaundres, al biyonde the see,
At poperyng, in the place.
His fader was a man ful free,
And lord he was of that contree,
As it was goddes grace.
Sire thopas wax a doghty swayn;
Whit was his face as payndemayn,
His lippes rede as rose;
His rode is lyk scarlet in grayn,
And I yow telle in good certayn,
He hadde a semely nose.
His heer, his berd was lyk saffroun,
That to his girdel raughte adoun;
His shoon of cordewane.
Of brugges were his hosen broun,
His robe was of syklatoun,
That coste many a jane.
He koude hunte at wilde deer,
And ride an haukyng for river
With grey goshauk on honde;
Therto he was a good archeer;
Of wrastlyng was ther noon his peer,
Ther any ram shal stonde.
Ful many a mayde, bright in bour,
They moorne for hym paramour,
Whan hem were bet to slepe;
But he was chaast and no lechour,
And sweete as is the brembul flour
That bereth the rede hepe.
And so bifel upon a day,
For sothe, as I yow telle may,
Sire thopas wolde out ride.
He worth upon his steede gray,
And in his hand a launcegay,
A long swerd by his side.
He priketh thurgh a fair forest,
Therinne is many a wilde best,
Ye, bothe bukke and hare;
And as he priketh north and est,
I telle it yow, hym hadde almest
Bitid a sory care.
Ther spryngen herbes grete and smale,
The lycorys and the cetewale,
And many a clowe-gylofre;
And notemuge to putte in ale,
Wheither it be moyste or stale,
Or for to leye in cofre.
The briddes synge, it is no nay,
The sparhauk and the papejay,
That joye it was to heere;
The thrustelock made eek his lay,
The wodedowve upon the spray
She sang ful loude and cleere.
Sire thopas fil in love-longynge,
Al whan he herde the thrustel synge,
And pryked as he were wood.
His faire steede in his prikynge
So swatte that men myghte him wrynge;
His sydes were al blood.
Sire thopas eek so wery was
For prikyng on the softe gras,
So fiers was his corage,
That doun he leyde him in that plas
To make his steede som solas,
And yaf hym good forage.
O seinte marie, benedicite!
What eyleth this love at me
To bynde me so soore?
Me dremed al this nyght, pardee,
An elf-queene shal my lemman be
And slepe under my goore.
An elf-queene wol I love, ywis,
For in this world no womman is
Worthy to be my make
In towne;
Alle othere wommen I forsake,
And to an elf-queene I me take
By dale and eek by downe!
Into his sadel he clamb anon,
And priketh over stile and stoon
An elf-queene for t' espye,
Til he so longe hath riden and goon
That he foond, in a pryve woon,
The contree of fairye
So wilde;
For in that contree was ther noon
That to him durste ride or goon,
Neither wyf ne childe;
Til that ther cam a greet geaunt,
His name was sire olifaunt,
A perilus man of dede.
He seyde, child, by termagaunt!
But if thou prike out of myn haunt,
Anon I sle thy steede
With mace.
Heere is the queene of fayerye,
With harpe and pipe and symphonye,
Dwellynge in this place.
The child seyde, also moote I thee,
Tomorwe wol I meete with thee,
Whan I have myn armoure;
And yet I hope, par ma fay,
That thou shalt with this launcegay
Abyen it ful sowre.
Thy mawe
Shal I percen, if I may,
Er it be fully pryme of day,
For heere thow shalt be slawe.
Sire thopas drow abak ful faste;
This geant at hym stones caste
Out of a fel staf-slynge.
But faire escapeth child thopas,
And al it was thurgh goddes gras,
And thurgh his fair berynge.
Yet listeth, lordes, to my tale
Murier than the nightyngale,
For now I wol yow rowne
How sir thopas, with sydes smale,
Prikyng over hill and dale,
Is comen agayn to towne.
His myrie men comanded he
To make hym bothe game and glee,
For nedes moste he fighte
With a geaunt with hevedes three,
For paramour and jolitee
Of oon that shoon ful brighte.
Do come, he seyde, my mynstrale,
And geestours for to tellen tales,
Anon in myn armynge,
Of romances that been roiales,
Of popes and of cardinales,
And eek of love-likynge.
They fette hym first the sweet wyn,
And mede eek in a mazelyn,
And roial spicerye
Of gyngebreed that was ful fyn,
And lycorys, and eek comyn,
With sugre that is trye.
He dide next his white leere,
Of cloth of lake fyn and cleere,
A breech and eek a sherte;
And next his sherte an aketoun,
And over that an haubergeoun
For percynge of his herte;
And over that a fyn hawberk,
Was al ywroght of jewes werk,
Ful strong it was of plate;
And over that his cote-armour
As whit as is a lilye flour,
In which he wol debate.
His sheeld was al of gold so reed,
And therinne was a bores heed,
A charbocle bisyde;
And there he swoor on ale and breed
How that the geaunt shal be deed,
Bityde what bityde!
His jambeux were of quyrboilly,
His swerdes shethe of ivory,
His helm of latoun bright;
His sadel was of rewel boon,
His brydel as the sonne shoon,
Or as the moone light.
His spere was of fyn ciprees,
That bodeth werre, and nothyng pees,
The heed ful sharpe ygrounde;
His steede was al dappull gray,
It gooth an ambil in the way
Ful softely and rounde
In londe.
Loo, lordes myne, heere is a fit!
If ye wol any moore of it,
To telle it wol I fonde.
Now holde youre mouth, par charitee,
Bothe knyght and lady free,
And herkneth to my spelle;
Of bataille and of chivalry,
And of ladyes love-drury
Anon I wol yow telle.
Men speken of romances of prys,
Of horn child and of ypotys,
Of beves and sir gy,
Of sir lybeux and pleyndamour, --
But sir thopas, he bereth the flour
Of roial chivalry!
His goode steede al he bistrood,
And forth upon his wey he glood
As sparcle out of the bronde;
Upon his creest he bar a tour,
And therinne stiked a lilie flour, --
God shilde his cors for shonde!
And for he was a knyght auntrous,
He nolde slepen in noon hous,
But liggen in his hoode;
His brighte helm was his wonger,
And by hym baiteth his dextrer
Of herbes fyne and goode.
Hymself drank water of the well,
As dide the knyght sire percyvell
So worthy under wede,
Til on a day --

The Host's Interruption of the Tale of Sir Thopas

Namoore of this, for goddes dignitee,
Quod oure hooste, for thou makest me
So wery of thy verray lewednesse
That, also wisly God my soule blesse,
Myne eres aken of thy drasty speche.
Now swich a rym the devel I biteche!
This may wel be rym dogerel, quod he.
Why so? quod I, why wiltow lette me
Moore of my tale than another man,
Syn that it is the beste rym I kan?
By god, quod he, for pleynly, at a word,
Thy drasty rymyng is nat worth a toord!
Thou doost noght elles but despendest tyme.
Sire, at o word, thou shalt no lenger ryme.
Lat se wher thou kanst tellen aught in geeste,
Or telle in prose somwhat, at the leeste,
In which ther be som murthe or som doctryne
Gladly, quod I, by goddes sweete pyne!
I wol yow telle a litel thyng in prose
That oghte liken yow, as I suppose,
Or elles, certes, ye been to daungerous.
It is a moral tale vertuous,
Al be it told somtyme in sondry wyse
Of sondry folk, as I shal yow devyse.
As thus: ye woot that every evaungelist,
That telleth us the peyne of jhesu crist,
Ne seith nat alle thyng as his felawe dooth;
But nathelees hir sentence is al sooth,
And alle acorden as in hire sentence,
Al be ther in hir tellyng difference.
For somme of hem seyn moore, and somme seyn lesse,
Whan they his pitous passioun expresse --
I meene of mark, mathew, luc, and john --
But doutelees hir sentence is al oon.
Therfore, lordynges alle, I yow biseche,
If that yow thynke I varie as in my speche,
As thus, though that I telle somwhat moore
Of proverbes than ye han herd bifoore
Comprehended in this litel tretys heere,
To enforce with th' effect of my mateere,
And though I nat the same wordes seye
As ye han herd, yet to yow alle I preye
Blameth me nat; for, as in my sentence,
Shul ye nowher fynden difference
Fro the sentence of this tretys lyte
After the which this murye tale I write.
And therfore herkneth what that I shal seye,
And lat me tellen al my tale, I preye.

The Tale of Melibee

A yong man called melibeus, myghty and
Riche, bigat upon his wyf, that called was prudence,
a doghter which that called was sophie./
Upon a day bifel that he for his desport is
Went into the feeldes hem to pleye./ His wyf
And eek his doghter hath he left inwith his hous,
Of which the dores weren faste yshette./ Thre
Of his olde foes han it espyed, and setten laddres
To the walles of his hous, and by wyndowes
been entred,/ and betten his wyf,
And wounded his doghter with fyve mortal
woundes in fyve sondry places, -- / this is to
Seyn, in hir feet, in hire handes, in hir erys, in
Hir nose, and in hire mouth, -- and leften hire
For deed, and wenten awey./
Whan melibeus retourned was in to his hous,
And saugh al this meschief, he, lyk a mad man,
Rentynge his clothes, gan to wepe and crie./
Prudence, his wyf, as ferforth as she dorste,
Bisoghte hym of his wepyng for to stynte;/ but
Nat forthy he gan to crie and wepen
Evere lenger the moore./
This noble wyf prudence remembred
Hire upon the sentence of ovide, in his book
That cleped is the remedie of love, where as
He seith/ he is a fool that destourbeth the
Mooder to wepen in the deeth of hire child,
Til she have wept hir fille as for a certein tyme;/
And thanne shal man doon his diligence with
Amyable wordes hire to reconforte, and preyen
Hire of hir wepyng for to stynte./ For which
Resoun this noble wyf prudence suffred hir
Housbonde for to wepe and crie as for a certein
Space;/ and whan she saugh hir tyme, she
Seyde hym in this wise: allas, my lord, quod
She, why make ye youreself for to be
Lyk a fool?/ for sothe it aperteneth nat
To a wys man to maken swich a sorwe./
Youre doghter, with the grace of god, shal
Warisshe and escape./ And, al were it so that
She right now were deed, ye ne oughte nat, as
For hir deeth, youreself to destroye./ Senek
Seith: the wise man shal nat take to greet disconfort
for the deeth of his children;/ but,
Certes, he sholde suffren it in pacience as wel
As he abideth the deeth of his owene
Propre persone. -- /
This melibeus answerde anon, and
Seyde, what man, quod he, sholde of his
Wepyng stente that hath so greet a cause for
To wepe?/ jhesu crist, oure lord, hymself
Wepte for the deeth of lazarus hys freend./
Prudence answerde: certes, wel I woot attempree
wepyng is no thyng deffended to hym
That sorweful is, amonges folk in sorwe, but it
Is rather graunted hym to wepe./ The apostle
Paul unto the romayns writeth, -- man shal rejoyse
with hem that maken joye, and wepen
With swich folk as wepen. -- / ut though attempree
wepyng be ygraunted, outrageous
wepyng certes is deffended./
Mesure of wepyng sholde be considered,
after the loore that techeth us senek:/
-- whan that thy frend is deed, -- quod he, -- lat
Nat thyne eyen to moyste been of teeris, ne
To muche drye; although the teeris come to
Thyne eyen, lat hem nat falle;/ and whan thou
Hast forgoon thy freend, do diligence to gete
Another freend; and this is moore wysdom than
For to wepe for thy freend which that thou has
Lorn, for therinne is no boote. -- / and therfore,
If ye governe yow by sapience, put awey sorwe
Out of youre herte./ Remembre yow that
Jhesus syrak seith, -- a man that is joyous and
Glad in herte, it hym conserveth florissynge
In his age; but soothly sorweful herte
Maketh his bones drye. -- / he seith eek
Thus, that sorwe in herte sleeth ful many
A man./ Salomon seith that right as motthes
In shepes flees anoyeth to the clothes, and
The smale wormes to the tree, right so anoyeth
Sorwe to the herte./ Wherfore us oghte, as wel
In the deeth of oure children as in the los of
Oure othere goodes temporels, have pacience./
Remembre yow upon the pacient job. Whan
He hadde lost his children and his temporeel
Substance, and in his body endured and receyved
ful many a grevous tribulacion, yet
Seyde he thus:/ -- oure lord hath yeve it me;
Oure lord hath biraft it me; right as oure lord
Hath wold, right so it is doon; blessed
Be the name of oure lord! -- /
To thise forseide thynges answerde
Melibeus unto his wyf prudence: alle thy
Wordes, quod he, been sothe, and therto profitable;
but trewely myn herte is troubled with
This sorwe so grevously that I noot what to
Doone./
Lat calle, quod prudence, thy trewe
Freendes alle, and thy lynage whiche that been
Wise. Telleth youre cas, and herkneth what
They seye in conseillyng, and yow governe after
Hire sentence./ Salomon seith, -- werk alle thy
Thynges by conseil, and thou shalt never repente.
Thanne, by the conseil of his wyf prudence,
This melibeus leet callen a greet congregacion
Of folk;/ as surgiens, phisiciens, olde folk and
Yonge, and somme of his olde enemys reconsiled
as by hir semblaunt to his love and
Into his grace;/ and therwithal ther
Coomen somme of his neighebores that
Diden hym reverence moore for drede than for
Love, as it happeth ofte./ Ther coomen also
Ful many subtille flatereres, and wise advocatz
lerned in the lawe./
And whan this folk togidre assembled weren,
This melibeus in sorweful wise shewed hem his
Cas./ And by the manere of his speche it
Semed that in herte he baar a crueel ire, redy
To doon vengeaunce upon his foes, and sodeynly
desired that the werre sholde bigynne;/
But nathelees, yet axed he hire conseil
Upon this matiere./ A surgien, by licence
and assent of swiche as weren
Wise, up roos, and to melibeus seyde as ye may
Heere:/
Sire, quod he, as to us surgiens aperteneth
that we do to every wight the beste that
We kan, where as we been withholde, and to
Oure pacientz that we do no damage;/ wherfore
it happeth many tyme and ofte that whan
Twey men han everich wounded oother, oon
Same surgien heeleth hem bothe;/ wherfore
Unto oure art it is nat pertinent to norice werre
Ne parties to supporte./ But certes, as to the
Warisshynge of youre doghter, al be it so that
She perilously be wounded, we shullen do so
Ententif bisynesse fro day to nyght that with
The grace of God she shal be hool and
Sound as soone as is possible./
Almoost right in the same wise the
Phisiciens answerden, save that they seyden a
Fewe woordes moore:/ that right as maladies
Been cured by hir contraries, right so shul men
Warisshe werre by vengeaunce./
His neighebores ful of envye, his feyned
Freendes that semeden reconsiled, and his flatereres/
maden semblant of wepyng, and empeireden
and agreggeden muchel of this matiere
in preisynge greetly melibee of myght, of
Power, of richesse, and of freendes, despisynge
The power of his adversaries,/ and seiden outrely
that he anon sholde wreken hym on
His foes, and bigynne werre./
Up roos thanne an advocat that was
Wys, by leve and by conseil of othere that were
Wise, and seide:/ lordynges, the nede for
Which we been assembled in this place is a ful
Hevy thyng and an heigh matiere,/ by cause
Of the wrong and of the wikkednesse that hath
Be doon, and eek by resoun of the grete damages
that in tyme comynge been possible to
Fallen for this same cause,/ and eek by resoun
Of the grete richesse and power of the parties
Bothe;/ for the whiche resouns it were a
Ful greet peril to erren in this matiere./
Wherfore, melibeus, this is oure sentence:
we conseille yow aboven alle thyng
That right anon thou do thy diligence in
Kepynge of thy propre persone in swich
A wise that thou ne wante noon espie ne
Wacche, thy persone for to save./ And after
That, we conseille that in thyn hous thou sette
Sufficeant garnisoun so that they may as wel
Thy body as thyn hous defende./ But certes,
For to moeve werre, ne sodeynly for to doon
Vengeaunce, we may nat demen in so litel
Tyme that it were profitable./ Wherfore we
Axen leyser and espace to have deliberacion in
This cas to deme./ For the commune proverbe
Seith thus: -- he that soone deemeth,
Soone shal repente. -- / and eek men seyn
That thilke juge is wys that soone under-
Stondeth a matiere and juggeth by leyser;/ for
Al be it so that alle tariyng be anoyful, algates it
Is nat to repreve in yevynge of juggement ne
In vengeance takyng, whan it is sufficeant
And resonable./ And that shewed oure lord
Jhesu crist by ensample; for whan that the
Womman that was taken in avowtrie was broght
In his presence to knowen what sholde be doon
With hire persone, al be it so that he wiste wel
Hymself what that he wolde answere, yet ne
Wolde he nat answere sodeynly, but he wolde
Have deliberacion, and in the ground he wroot
Twies./ And thise causes weaxen deliberacioun,
and we shal thanne, by the grace of
God, conseille thee thyng that shal be profitable./
n=11035>Up stirten thanne the yonge folk atones, and
The mooste partie of that compaignye han
Scorned this olde wise man, and bigonnen
to make noyse, and seyden that/
Right so as, whil that iren is hoot, men
Sholden smyte, right so men sholde wreken hir
Wronges whil that they been fresshe and newe;
And with loud voys they criden werre!
Werre!/
Up roos tho oon of thise olde wise, and with
His hand made contenaunce that men sholde
Holden hem stille and yeven hym audience./
Lordynges, quod he, ther is ful many a man
That crieth -- werre! werre! -- that woot ful litel
What werre amounteth./ Werre at his bigynnyng
hath so greet an entryng and so large, that
Every wight may entre whan hym liketh, and
Lightly fynde werre;/ but certes what ende
That shal therof bifalle, it is nat light to
Knowe./ For soothly, whan that werre is
Ones bigonne, ther is ful many a child
Unborn of his mooder that shal sterve yong by
Cause of thilke werre, or elles lyve in sorwe and
Dye in wrecchednesse./ And therfore, er that
Any werre bigynne, men moste have greet conseil
and greet deliberacion./ And whan this
Olde man wende to enforcen his tale by resons,
Wel ny alle atones bigonne they to rise for to
Breken his tale, and beden hym ful ofte his
Wordes for to abregge./ For soothly, he that
Precheth to hem that listen nat heeren his
Wordes, his sermon hem anoieth./ For jhesus
Syrak seith that musik in wepynge ia a noyous
Thyng; this is to seyn: as muche availleth to
Speken bifore folk to which his speche anoyeth,
as it is to synge biforn hym that
Wepeth./ And whan this wise man
Saugh that hym wanted audience, al
Shamefast he sette hym doun agayn./ For
Salomon seith: ther as thou ne mayst have
Noon audience, enforce thee nat to speke./
I see wel, quod this wise man, that the commune
proverbe is sooth, that -- good conseil
Wanteth whan it is moost nede. -- /
Yet hadde this melibeus in his conseil many
Folk that prively in his eere conseilled hym
Certeyn thyng, and conseilled hym the contrarie
in general audience./
Whan melibeus hadde herd that the gretteste
partie of his conseil weren accorded that
He sholde maken werre, anoon he consented to
Hir conseillyng, and fully affermed hire
Sentence./ Thanne dame prudence,
Whan that she saugh how that hir
Housbonde shoop hym for to wreken hym on
His foes, and to bigynne werre, she in ful humble
wise, whan she saugh hir tyme, seide to
Hym thise wordes:/ my lord, quod she, I
Yow biseche as hertely as I dar and kan, ne
Haste yow nat to faste, and for alle gerdons, as
Yeveth me audience./ For piers alfonce seith,
-- whoso that dooth to thee oother good or harm,
Haste thee nat to quiten it; for in this wise thy
Freend wole abyde, and thyn anemy shal the
Lenger lyve in drede. -- / the proverbe seith, -- he
Hasteth wel that wisely kan abyde, -- and in
Wikked haste is no profit./
This melibee answerde unto his wyf prudence:
I purpose nat, quod he, to werke by
Thy conseil, for many causes and resouns.
For certes, every wight wolde holde me
Thanne a fool;/ this is to seyn, if I, for
Thy conseillyng, wolde chaungen thynges
That been ordeyned and affermed by so manye
Wyse./ Secoundely, I seye that alle wommen
Been wikke, and noon good of hem alle. For -- of
A thousand men, -- seith salomon, -- I foond o
Good man, but certes, of alle wommen, good
Womman foond I nevere.--/ and also, certes,
If I governed me by thy conseil, it sholde
Seme that I hadde yeve to thee over me
The maistrie; and God forbede that it so
Weere!/ for jhesus syrak seith that -- if the
Wyf have maistrie, she is contrarious to hir
Housbonde./ -- and salomon seith: -- nevere in
Thy lyf to thy wyf, ne to thy child, ne to
Thy freend, ne yeve no power over thy-
Self; for bettre it were that thy children aske
Of thy persone thynges that hem nedeth, than
Thou see thyself in the handes of thy
Children. -- / and also if I wolde werke
By thy conseillyng, certes, my conseil
Moste som tyme be secree, til it were tyme
That it moste be knowe, and this ne may noght
Be./ (car il est escript, la genglerie des
Femmes ne puet riens celler fors ce qu' elle ne
Scet./ Apres, le philosophre dit, en mauvais
Conseil les femmes vainquent les hommes: et
Par ces raisons je ne dois point user de ton conseil.)/
n=11064>Whanne dame prudence, ful debonairly and
With greet pacience, hadde herd al that hir
Housbonde liked for to seye, thanne axed she
Of hym licence for to speke, and seyde in this
Wise:/ my lord, quod she, as to youre firste
Resoun, certes it may lightly been answered.
For I seye that it is no folie to chaunge conseil
Whan the thyng is chaunged, or elles whan
The thyng semeth ootherweyes than it
Was biforn./ And mooreover, I seye
That though ye han sworn and bihight
To perfourne youre emprise, and nathelees ye
Weyve to perfourne thilke same emprise by
Juste cause, men sholde nat seyn therfore that
Ye were a liere ne forsworn./ For the book
Seith that -- the wise man maketh no lesyng
Whan he turneth his corage to the bettre. --/
And al be it so that youre emprise be establissed
and ordeyned by greet multitude of folk,
Yet that ye nat accomplice thilke ordinaunce,
But yow like./ For the trouthe of thynges and
The profit been rather founden in fewe folk that
Been wise and ful of resoun, than by greet multitude
of folk ther every man crieth and clatereth
what that hym liketh. Soothly swich multitude
is nat hones./ And as to the seconde
Resoun, where as ye seyn that alle wommen
Been wikke; save youre grace, certes ye despisen
alle wommen in this wyse, and -- he that
Al despiseth, al displeseth, -- as seith the
Book./ And senec seith that -- whose
Wole have sapience shal no man dispreyse,
but he shal gladly techen the science
That he kan withouten presumpcion or pride,/
And swiche thynges as he noght ne kan, he
Shal nat been ashamed to lerne hem, and enquere
of lasse folk than hymself. -- / and, sire,
That ther hath been many a good womman,
May lightly be preved./ For certes, sire, oure
Lord jhesu crist wolde nevere have descended
To be born of a womman, if alle wommen hadden
been wikke./ And after that, for the grete
Bountee that is in wommen, oure lord jhesu
Crist, whan he was risen fro deeth to lyve,
Appeered rather to a womman than to
His apostles./ And though that salomon
seith that he ne foond nevere womman
good, it folweth nat therfore that alle wommen
ben wikke./ For though that he ne foond
No good womman, certes, many another man
Hath founden many a womman ful good and
Trewe./ Or elles, per aventure, the entente of
Salomon was this, that, as in sovereyn bounte,
He foond no womman;/ this is to seyn, that ther
Is no wight that hath sovereyn bountee save
God allone, as he hymself recordeth in hys
Evaungelie./ For ther nys no creature so good
That hym ne wanteth somwhat of the
Perfeccioun of god, that is his makere./
Youre thridde reson is this: ye seyn that
If ye governe yow by my conseil, it sholde
Seme that ye hadde yeve me the maistrie and
The lordshipe over youre persone./ Sire, save
Youre grace, it is nat so. For if it so were that
No man sholde be conseilled but oonly of hem
That hadden lordshipe and maistrie of his persone,
men wolden nat be conseilled so ofte./
For soothly thilke man that asketh conseil of
A purpos, yet hath he free choys wheither he
Wole werke by that conseil or noon./ And as
To youre fourthe resoun, ther ye seyn that the
Janglerie of wommen kan hyde thynges that
They wot noght, as who seith that a womman
Kan nat hyde that she woot;/ sire, thise wordes
Been understonde of wommen that been
Jangleresses and wikked;/ of whiche
Wommen men seyn that thre thynges
Dryven a man out of his hous, -- that is to seyn,
Smoke, droppyng of reyn, and wikked wyves,/
And of swiche wommen seith salomon that -- it
Were bettre dwelle in desert than with a woman
that is riotous. --/ and sire, by youre leve,
That am nat I;/ for ye han ful ofte assayed my
Grete silence and my grete pacience, and eek
How wel that I kan hyde and hele thynges that
Men oghte secreely to hyde./ And soothly, as
To youre fifthe resoun, where as ye seyn that
In wikked conseil wommen venquisshe men,
God woot, thilke resoun stant heere in
No stede./ For understoond now, ye
Asken conseil to do wikkednesse;/ and if
Ye wole werken wikkednesse, and youre wif
Restreyneth thilke wikked purpos, and overcometh
yow by reson and by good conseil,/
Certes youre wyf oghte rather to be preised
Than yblamed./ Thus sholde ye understonde
The philosophre that seith, -- in wikked conseil
Wommen venquisshen hir housbondes. -- / and
Ther as ye blamen alle wommen and hir resouns,
I shal shewe yow by manye ensamples
That many a womman hath ben ful good, and
Yet been, and hir conseils ful hoolsome
And profitable./ Eek som men han seyd
That the conseillynge of wommen is
Outher to deere, or elles to litel of pris./ But al
Be it so that ful many a womman is badde, and
Hir conseil vile and noght worth, yet han men
Founde ful many a good womman, and ful discret
and wis in conseillynge./ Loo, jacob, by
Good conseil of his mooder rebekka, wan the
Benysoun of ysaak his fader, and the lordshipe
Over alle his bretheren./ Judith, by hire good
Conseil, delivered the citee of bethulie, in
Which she dwelled, out of the handes of olofernus,
that hadde it biseged and wolde have al
Destroyed it./ Abygail delivered nabal hir
Housbonde fro david the kyng, that wolde
Have slayn hym, and apaysed the ire of the
Kyng by hir wit and by hir good conseillyng./
hester, by hir good conseil,
Enhaunced greetly the peple of God in
The regne of assuerus the kyng./ And the
Same bountee in good conseillyng of many a
Good womman may men telle./ And mooreover,
Whan oure lord hadde creat adam, oure
Forme fader, he seyde in this wise:/ -- it is nat
Good to been a man alloone; make we to
Hym an helpe semblable to hymself. -- / heere
May ye se that if that wommen were nat
Goode, and hir conseils goode and profitable,/
oure lord God of hevene wolde
Nevere han wroght hem, ne called hem
Help of man, but rather confusioun of man./
And ther seyde oones a clerk in two vers,
-- What is bettre than gold? jaspre. What is
Bettre than jaspre? wisedoom./ And what is
Better than wisedoom? womman. And what is
Bettre than a good womman? nothyng. -- / and,
Sire, by manye of othre resons may ye seen
That manye wommen been goode, and hir
Conseils goode and profitable./ And therfore,
sire, if ye wol triste to my conseil, I shal
Restoore yow youre doghter hool and
Sound./ And eek I wol do to yow so
Muche that ye shul have honour in this
Cause./
Whan melibee hadde herd the wordes of his
Wyf prudence, he seyde thus:/ I se wel that
The word of salomon is sooth. He seith that
-- Wordes that been spoken discreetly by ordinaunce
been honycombes, for they yeven swetnesse
to the soule and hoolsomnesse to the
Body. -- / and, wyf, by cause of thy sweete
Wordes, and eek for I have assayed and preved
Thy grete sapience and thy grete trouthe, I wol
Governe me by thy conseil in alle thyng./
Now, sire, quod dame prudence, and syn
Ye vouche sauf to been governed by my conseil,
I wol enforme yow how ye shul governe
Yourself in chesynge of youre conseillours./
ye shul first in alle youre werkes
Mekely biseken to the heighe God that
He wol be youre conseillour;/ and shapeth yow
To swich entente that he yeve yow conseil and
Confort, as taughte thobie his sone:/ -- at alle
Tymes thou shalt blesse god, and praye hym
To dresse thy weyes, and looke that alle thy
Conseils been in hym for everemoore. -- / seint
Jame eek seith: -- if any of yow have nede of
Sapience, axe it of god. -- / and afterward
Thanne shul ye taken conseil in youreself, and
Examyne wel youre thoghtes of swich thyng
As yow thynketh that is bes for youre
Profit./ And thanne shul ye dryve fro
Youre herte thre thynges that been contrariouse
to good conseil;/ that is to seyn, ire,
Coveitise, and hastifnesse./
First, he that axeth conseil of hymself, certes
He moste been withouten ire, for manye
Causes./ The firste is this: he that hath greet
Ire and wratthe in hymself, he weneth alwey
That he may do thyng that he may nat do./
And secoundely, he that is irous and
Wrooth, he ne may nat wel deme;/ and
He that may nat wel deme, may nat wel
Conseille./ The thridde is this, that he that is
Irous and wrooth, as seith senec, ne may nat
Speke but blameful thynges,/ and with his
Viciouse wordes he stireth oother folk to angre
And to ire./ And eek, sire, ye moste dryve
Coveitise out of youre herte./ For the aposthe
seith that coveitise is roote of alle
Harmes./ And trust wel that a coveitous
Man ne kan noght deme ne thynke, but
Oonly to fulfille the ende of his coveitise;/ and
Certes, that ne may nevere been accompliced;
For evere the moore habundaunce that he hath
Of richesse, the moore he desireth./ And, sire,
Ye moste also dryve out of youre herte hastifnesse;
for certes,/ ye ne may nat deeme for
The beste by a sodeyn thought that falleth in
Youre herte, but ye moste avyse yow on it
Ful ofte./ For, as ye herde her biforn, the
Commune proverbe is this, that -- he that
Soone deemeth, soone repenteth. -- / sire,
Ye ne be nat alwey in lyk disposicioun;/
For certes, somthyng that somtyme semeth to
Yow that it is good for to do, another tyme it
Semeth to yow the contrarie./
Whan ye han taken conseil in youreself, and
Han deemed by good deliberacion swich thyng
As yow semeth bes,/ thanne rede I yow that
Ye kepe it secree./ Biwrey nat youre conseil
To no persone, but if so be that ye wenen
Sikerly that thurgh youre biwreyyng youre
Condicioun shal be to yow the moore profitable./
for jhesus syrak seith, -- neither
To thy foo, ne to thy frend, discovere nat
Thy secree ne thy folie;/ for they wol yeve yow
Audience and lookynge and supportacioun in
Thy presence, and scorne thee in thyn absence.
-- / another clerk seith that -- scarsly
Shaltou fynden any persone that may kepe conseil
secrely. -- / the book seith, -- whil that thou
Kepest thy conseil in thyn herte, thou kepest
It in thy prisoun;/ and whan thou biwreyest
Thy conseil to any wight, he holdeth
Thee in his snare. -- / and therfore yow
Is bettre to hyde youre conseil in youre
Herte than praye him to whom ye han biwreyed
Youre conseil that he wole kepen it cloos and
Stille./ For seneca seith: -- if so be that thou
Ne mayst nat thyn owene conseil hyde, how
Darstou prayen any oother wight thy conseil
Secrely to kepe? -- / but nathelees, if thou wene
Sikerly that the biwreiyng of thy conseil to a
Persone wol make thy condicion to stonden in
The bettre plyt, thanne shaltou tellen hym thy
Conseil in this wise./ First thou shalt make no
Semblant wheither thee were levere pees or
Werre, or this or that, ne shewe hym nat thy
Wille and thyn entente. / for trust wel that
Comunli thise conseillours been flatereres,/
namely the conseillours of grete
Lordes;/ for they enforcen hem alwey
Rather to speken plesante wordes, enclynynge
To the lordes lust, than wordes that been trewe
Or profitable./ And therfore men seyn that the
Riche man hath seeld good conseil, but if he
Have it of hymself./
And after that thou shalt considere thy
Freendes and thyne enemys./ And as touchynge
thy freendes, thou shalt considere which
Of hem been moost feithful and moost wise
And eldest and most approved in conseillyng;/
and of hem shalt thou aske
Thy conseil, as the caas requireth./ I
Seye that first ye shul clepe to youre conseil
Youre freendes that been trewe./ For salomon
Seith that -- right as the herte of a man deliteth in
Savour that is soote, right so the conseil of trewe
Freendes yeveth swetnesse to the soule -- / he
Seith also, -- ther may no thyng be likned to the
Trewe freend;/ for certes gold ne silver ben nat
So muche worth as the goode wyl of a
Trewe freend. -- / and eek he seith that
-- A trewe freend is a strong deffense;
Who so that it fyndeth, certes he fyndeth a
Greet tresour. -- / thanne shul ye eek considere
If that youre trewe freendes been discrete and
Wise. For the book seith, -- axe alwey thy conseil
of hem that been wise. -- / and by this same
Resoun shul ye clepen to youre conseil of youre
Freendes that been of age, swiche as han seyn
And been expert in manye thynges and been
Approved in conseillynges./ For the book seith
That -- in olde men is the sapience, and in longe
Tyme the prudence. -- / and tullius seith that
-- Grete thynges ne been nat ay accompliced by
Strengthe, ne by delivernesse of body, but by
Good conseil, by auctoritee of persones, and by
Science; the whiche thre thynges ne been nat
Fieble by age, but certes they enforcen
And encreescen day by day. -- / and
Thanne shul ye kepe this for a general
Reule: first shul ye clepen to youre conseil a
Fewe of youre freendes that been especiale;/
For salomon seith, -- manye freendes have thou,
But among a thousand chese thee oon to be
Thy conseillour. -- / for al be it so that thou first
Ne telle thy conseil but to a fewe, thou mayst
Afterward telle it to mo folk if it be nede./ But
Looke alwey that thy conseillours have thilke
Thre condiciouns that I have seyd bifore, that
Is to seyn, that they be trewe, wise, and of
Oold experience./ And werke nat alwey in
Every nede by oon counseillour allone; for somtyme
bihooveth it to been conseilled by
Manye./ For salomon seith, -- salvacion
Of thynges is where as ther been manye
Conseillours. -- /
Now, sith that I have toold yow of which
Folk ye sholde been conseilled, now wol I
Teche yow which conseil ye oghte to eschewe/.
First, ye shul eschue the conseillyng of fooles;
For salomon seith, -- taak no conseil of a fool,
For he ne kan noght conseille but after his
Owene lust and his affeccioun. -- / the book
Seith that -- the propretee of a fool is this: he
Troweth lightly harm of every wight, and lightly
Troweth alle bountee in hymself. -- / thou shalt
Eek eschue the conseillyng of alle flatereres,
Swiche as enforcen hem rather to preise youre
Persone by flaterye than for to telle yow
The soothfastnesse of thynges./ Wherfore
tullius seith, -- amonges alle the
Pestilences that been in freendshipe the gretteste
is flaterie. -- and therfore is it moore nede
That thou eschue and drede flatereres than any
Oother peple./ The book seith, -- thou shalt
Rather drede and flee fro the sweete wordes of
Flaterynge preiseres than fro the egre wordes
Of thy freend that seith thee thy sothes. -- / salomon
seith that -- the wordes of a flaterere is a
Snare to cacche with innocentz. -- / he seith also
That -- he that speketh to his freend wordes of
Swetnesse and of plesaunce, setteth a net biforn
his feet to cacche hym. -- / and therfore
Seith tullius, -- enclyne nat thyne eres to flatereres,
ne taak no conseil of the wordes
Of flaterye. -- / and caton seith, -- avyse
Thee wel, and eschue the wordes of swetnesse
and of plesaunce. -- / and eek thou shalt
Eschue the conseillyng of thyne olde enemys
That been reconsiled./ The book seith that -- no
Wight retourneth saufly into the grace of his
Olde enemy. -- / and isope seith, -- ne trust nat
To hem to whiche thou hast had som tyme
Werre or enemytee, ne telle hem nat thy
Conseil. -- / and seneca telleth the cause why:
 -- it may nat be. -- seith he, -- that where greet
Fyr hath longe tyme endured, that ther
Ne dwelleth som vapour of warmness.
-- / and therfore seith salomon, -- in
Thyn olde foo trust nevere. -- / for sikerly,
Though thyn enemy be reconsiled, and maketh
thee chiere of hymylitee, and lowteth to
Thee with his heed, ne trust hym nevere./ For
Certes he maketh thilke feyned humilitee moore
For his profit than for any love of thy persone,
By cause that he deemeth to have victorie over
Thy persone by swich feyned contenance, the
Which victorie he myghte nat have by strif or
Werre./ And peter alfonce seith, -- make no
Felawshipe with thyne olde enemys; for if thou
Do hem bountee, they wol perverten it into
Wikkednesse. -- / and eek thou most eschue
The conseillyng of hem that been thy servantz
and beren thee greet reverence, for
Peraventure they seyn it moore for drede
Than for love./ And therfore seith a philosophre
in this wise: ther is no wight
Parfitly trewe to hym that he to soore dredeth.
-- / and tullius seith, ther nys no myght
So greet of any emperour that longe may endure,
but if he have moore love of the peple
Than drede. -- / thou shalt also eschue the conseiling
of folk that been dronkelewe, for they
Ne kan no conseil hyde./ For salomon seith,
 -- ther is no privetee ther as regneth dronkenesse.
-- / ye shul also han in suspect the conseillyng
of swich folk as conseille yow o thyng
Prively, and conseille yow the contrarie
Openly./ For cassidorie seith that -- it
Is a manere sleighte to hyndre, whan he
Sheweth to doon o thyng openly and werketh
Prively the contrarie. -- / thou shalt also have
In suspect the conseillyng of wikked folk, for
The book seith, -- the conseillyng of wikked folk
Is alwey ful of fraude. -- / and david seith, -- blisful
is that man that hath nat folwed the con --
Seilyng of shrewes. -- / thou shalt also eschue
The conseillyng of yong folk, for hir conseil is
Nat rype./
Now, sire, sith I have shewed yow of
Which folk ye shul take youre conseil, and of
Which folk ye shul folwe the conseil,/
now wol I teche yow how ye shal
Examyne youre conseil, after the doctrine
of tullius./ In the examynynge thanne
Of youre conseillour ye shul considere manye
Thynges./ Alderfirst thou shalt considere that
In thilke thyng that thou purposest, and upon
What thyng thou wolt have conseil, that verray
Trouthe be seyd and conserved; this is to seyn,
Telle trewely thy tale./ For he that seith fals
May nat wel be conseilled in that cas of which
He lieth./ And after this thou shalt considere the
Thynges that acorden to that thou purposest for
To do by thy conseillours, if resoun accorde
therto;/ and eek if thy myhgt may
Atteine therto; and if the moore part and
The bettre part of thy conseillours acorde therto,
Or noon./ Thanne shaltou considere what
Thyng shal folwe of that conseillyng, as hate,
Pees, werre, grace, profit, or damage, and
Manye othere thynges./ And in alle thise
Thynges thou shalt chese the beste, and weyve
Alle othere thynges./ Thanne shaltow considere
of what roote is engendred the matiere of
Thy conseil, and what fruyt it may conceyve
And engendre./ Thou shalt eek considere
Alle thise causes, fro whennes they been
Sprongen./ And whan ye han examyned
youre conseil, as I have seyd, and
Which partie is the bettre and moore profitable,
and han approved it by manye wise folk
And olde,/ thanne shaltou considere if thou
Mayst parfourne it and maken of it a good
Ende./ For certes, resoun wol nat that any
Man sholde bigynne a thyng, but if he myghte
Parfourne it as hym oghte;/ ne no wight sholde
Take upon hym so hevy a charge that he
Myghte nat bere it./ For the proverbe seith,
 -- he that to muche embraceth, distreyneth
litel. -- / and catoun seith, -- assay
To do swich thyng as thou hast power to
Doon, lest that the charge oppresse thee so
Soore that thee bihoveth to weyve thyng that
Thou hast bigonne. -- / and if so be that thou
Be in doute wheither thou mayst parfourne a
Thing or noon, chese rather to suffre than bigynne./
and piers alphonce seith, -- if thou hast
Myght to doon a thyng of which thou most
Repente, it is bettre nay than ye. -- / this is
To seyn, that thee is bettre holde thy tonge
Stille than for to speke./ Thanne may ye understonde
by strenger resons that if thou hast
Power to parfourne a werk of which thou shalt
Repente, thanne is it bettre that thou suffre
than bigynne./ Wel seyn they that
Defenden every wight to assaye a thyng
Of which he is in doute wheither he may parfourne
it or noon./ And after, whan ye han
Examyned youre conseil, as I have seyd biforn,
And knowen wel that ye may parfourne youre
Emprise, conferme it thanne sadly til it be at
And ende./
Now is it resoun and tyme that I shewe yow
Whanne and wherfore that ye may chaunge
Youre conseillours withouten youre repreve./
Soothly, a man may chaungen his purpos and
His conseil if the cause cesseth, or whan a newe
Caas bitydeth./ For the lawe seith that -- upon
Thynges that newely bityden bihoveth
Newe conseil. -- / and senec seith, -- if thy
Conseil is comen to the eeris of thyn enemy,
chaunge thy conseil. -- / thou matst also
Chaunge thy conseil if so be that thou fynde
That by errour, or by oother cause, harm or
Damage may bityde./ Also if thy conseil be
Dishonest, or ellis cometh of dishonest cause,
Chaunge thy conseil./ For the lawes seyn that
 -- alle bihestes that been dishoneste been of no
Value -- ;/ and eek if so be that it be inpossible,
or may nat goodly be parfourned
Or kept./
And take this for a general reule, that
Every conseil that is affermed so strongly that
It may nat be chaunged for no condicioun that
May bityde, I seye that thilke conseil is wikked./
n=11232>This melibeus, whanne he hadde herd the
Doctrine of his wyf dame prudence, answerde
In this wyse:/ dame, quod he, as yet into
This tyme ye han wel and covenably taught me
As in general, how I shal governe me in the
Chesynge and in the withholdynge of my conseillours./
but now wolde I fayn that ye wolde
Condescende in especial,/ and telle me how liketh
yow, or what semeth yow, by oure conseillours
that we han chosen in oure present
nede./
My lord, quod she, I biseke yow in al
Humblesse that ye wol nat wilfully replie agayn
My resouns, ne distempre youre herte, thogh I
Speke thyng that yow displese./ For God woot
That, as in myn entente, I speke it for youre
Beste, for youre honour, and for youre profite
Eke./ And soothly, I hope that youre benyngnytee
wol taken it in pacience./ Trusteth me
Wel, quod she, that youre conseil as in this
Caas ne sholde nat, as to speke properly, be
Called a conseillyng, but a mocioun or a moevyng
of folye,/ in which conseil ye han
Erred in many a sondry wise./
First and forward, ye han erred in
Th' assemblynge of youre conseillours./ For ye
Sholde first have cleped a fewe folk to youre
Conseil, and after ye myghte han shewed it
To mo folk, if it hadde been nede./ But certes,
Ye han sodeynly cleped to youre conseil a greet
Multitude of peple, ful chargeant and ful anoyous
for to heere./ Also ye han erred, for theras
Ye sholden oonly have cleped to youre conseil
Youre trewe frendes olde and wise./ Ye han
Ycleped straunge folk, yonge folk, false flatereres,
And enemys reconsiled, and folk that
Doon yow reverence withouten love./
And ekk also ye have erred, for ye han
Broght with yow to youre conseil ire, coveitise,
And hastifnesse,/ the whiche thre thinges been
Contrariouse to every conseil honest and profitable;/
the whiche thre thinges ye han nat
Anientissed or destroyed hem, neither in youreself,
ne in youre conseillours, as yow oghte./
Ye han erred also, for ye han shewed to youre
Conseillours youre talent and youre affeccioun
To make werre anon, and for to do vengeance./
They han espied by youre wordes to
What thyng ye been enclyned;/ and
Therfore han they rather conseilled
Yow to youre talent that to youre profit./
Ye han erred also, for it semeth that yow
Suffiseth to han been conseilled by thise
Conseillours oonly, and with litel avys,/
Whereas in so greet and so heigh a nede
It hadde been necessarie mo conseillours
And moore deliberacion to parfourne youre emprise./
ye han erred also, for ye ne han nat
Examyned youre conseil in the forseyde manere,
ne in due manere, as the caas requireth./
Ye han erred also, for ye han maked no division
bitwixe youre conseillours; this is to
Seyn, bitwixen youre trewe freendes and
Youre feyned conseillours;/ ne ye han
Nat knowe the wil of youre trewe
Freendes olde and wise;/ but ye han cast alle
Hire wordes in an hochepot, and enclyned
Youre herte to the moore part and to the gretter
Nombre, and there been ye condescended./
And sith ye woot wel that men shal alwey
Fynde a gretter nombre of fooles than of wise
Men,/ and therfore the conseils that been at
Congregaciouns and multitudes of folk, there as
Men take moore reward to the nombre than to
The sapience of persones,/ ye se wel that in
Swiche conseillynges fooles han the maistrie./
Melibeus answerde agayn, and seyde,
I graunte wel that I have erred;/ but there
As thou hast toold me heerbiforn that he nys
Nat to blame that chaungeth his conseillours in
Certein caas and for certeine juste causes,/ I am
Al redy to chaunge my conseillours right as thow
Wolt devyse./ The proverbe seith that -- for
To do synne is mannyssh, but certes for to persevere
longe in synne is werk of the devel. -- /
To this sentence answered anon dame
Prudence, and seyde:/ examineth,
Quod she, youre conseil, and lat us see
The whiche of hem han spoken most resonably
And taught yow best conseil./ And for as
Muche as that the examynacion is necessarie,
Lat us bigynne at the surgiens and at the phisiciens,
that first speeken in this matiere./ I sey
Yow that the surgiens and phisiciens han
Seyd yow in youre conseil discreetly, as hem
Oughte;/ and in hir speche seyden ful wisely
That to the office of hem aperteneth to doon to
Every wight honour and profit, and no wight
For to anoye;/ and after hir craft to doon greet
Diligence unto the cure of hem which
That they han in hir governaunce./
And, sire, right as they han answered
Wisely and discreetly,/ right so rede I that they
Been heighly and sovereynly gerdoned for hir
Noble speche;/ and eek for they sholde do the
Moore ententif bisynesse in the curacion of
Youre doghter deere./ For al be it so that they
Been youre freendes, therfore shal ye nat suffren
that they serve yow for noght,/ but ye
Oghte the rather gerdone hem and shewe
Hem youre largesse./ And as touchynge
The proposicioun which that the phisiciens
encreesceden in this caas, this is to seyn./
That in maladies that oon contrarie is warisshed
By another contrarie,/ I wolde fayn knowe hou
Ye understonde thilke text, and what is youre
Sentence./
Certes, quod melibeus, I understonde
It in this wise:/ that right as they han
Doon me a contrarie, right so sholde I
Doon hem another./ For right as they
Han venged hem on me and doon me wrong,
Right so shal I venge me upon hem and doon
Hem wrong;/ and thanne have I cured oon contrarie
by another./
Lo, lo, quod dame prudence, how lightly
Is every man enclined to his owene desir and
To his owene plesaunce!/ certes, quod she,
The wordes of the phisiciens ne sholde nat
Han been understonden in thys wise./ For
Certes, wikkednesse is nat contrarie to wikkednesse,
ne vengeance to vengeaunce, ne
Wrong to wrong, but they been semblable./
and therfore o vengeaucne is
Nat warisshed by another vengeaunce,
Ne o wroong by another wroong,/ but everich
Of hem encreesceth and aggreggeth oother./
But certes, the wordes of the phisiciens sholde
Been understonden in this wise:/ for dood and
Wikkednesse been two contraries, and pees and
Werre, vengeaunce and suffraunce, discord and
Accord, and manye othere thynges./ But certes,
Wikkednesse shal be warisshed by goodnesse,
Discord by accord, werre by pees, and
So forth of othere thynges./ And heerto
Accordeth seint paul the apostle in
Manye places./ He seith: -- ne yeldeth nat
Harm for harm, ne wikked speche for wikked
Speche;/ but do wel to hym that dooth thee
Harm, and blesse hym that seith to thee harm./
And in manye othere places he amonesteth pees
And accord./ But now wol I speke to yow of
The conseil which that was yeven to yow
By the men of lawe and the wise
Folk,/ that seyden alle by oon accord,
As ye han herd bifore,/ that over alle
Thynges ye shal doon youre diligence to kepen
Youre persone and to warnestoore youre hous;
And seyden also that in this caas yow oghten
For to werken ful avysely and with greet deliberacioun./
and, sire, as to the firste point, that
Toucheth to the kepyng of youre persone,/ ye
Shul understonde that he that hath werre
Shal everemoore mekely and devoutly
Preyen, biforn alle thynges,/ that jhesus
Crist of his mercy wol han hym in his
Proteccion and been his sovereyn helpyng at
His nede./ For certes, in this world ther is no
Wight that may be conseilled ne kept sufficeantly
Withouten the kepyng of oure lord jhesu
Crist./ To this sentence accordeth the prophete
david, that seith,/ -- if God ne kepe the
Citee, in ydel waketh he that it kepeth. -- /
Now, sire, thanne shul ye committe the kepyng
of youre persone to youre trewe freendes,
That been approved and yknowe,/ and
Of hem shul ye axen help youre persone
For to kepe. For catoun seith: -- if thou hast
Nede of help, axe it of thy freendes;/ for ther
Nys noon so good a phisicien as thy trewe
Freend. -- / and after this thanne shul ye kepe
Yow fro alle straunge folk, and fro lyeres, and
Have alwey in suspect hire compaignye./ For
Piers alfonce seith, -- ne taak no compaignye by
The weye of a straunge man, but if so be that
Thou have knowe hym of a lenger tyme./ And
If so be that he falle into thy compaignye
Paraventure, withouten thyn assent,/ enquere
thanne as subtilly as thou mayst of
His conversacion, and of his lyf bifore, and feyne
Thy wey; seye that thou wolt thider as thou
Wolt nat go;/ and if he bereth a spere, hoold
Thee on the right syde, and if he bere a swerd,
Hoold thee on the lift syde. -- / and after this
Thanne shul ye kepe yow wisely from all swich
Manere peple as I have seyd bifore, and hem
And hir conseil eschewe./ And after this
Thanne shul ye kepe yow in swich manere/
That, for any presumpcion of youre strengthe,
That ye ne dispise nat, ne accompte nat the
Myght of youre adversarie so litel, that ye lete
The kepyng of youre persone for youre
Presumpcioun;/ for every wys man
Dredeth his enemy./ And salomon
Seith: -- weleful is he that of alle hath drede;/
For certes, he that thurgh the hardynesse of
His herte, and thurgh the hardynesse of
Hymself, hath to greet presumpcioun, hym shal
Yvel bityde. -- / thanne shul ye everemoore contrewayte
embusshementz and alle espiaille./
For senec seith that -- the wise man that
Dredeth harmes, eschueth harmes,/ ne
He ne falleth into perils that perils eschueth.
-- / and al be it so that it seme that
Thou art in siker place, yet shaltow alwey do
Thy diligence in kepynge of thy persone;/ this
Is to seyn, ne be nat necligent to kepe thy persone,
nat oonly for thy gretteste enemys, but
Fro thy leeste enemy./ Senek seith: -- a man
That is well avysed, he dredeth his leste enemy.
-- / ovyde seith that -- the litel wesele
Wol slee the grete bole and the wilde
Hert. -- / and the book seith, -- a litel
Thorn may prikke a kyng ful soore, and
An hound wol holde the wolde boor. -- / but
Nathelees, I sey nat thou shalt be so coward
That thou doute ther wher as is no drede./ The
Book seith that -- somme folk han greet lust to
Deceyve, but yet they dreden hem to be deceyved.
-- / yet shaltou drede to been empoisoned,
and kepe the from the compaignye of
Scorneres./ For the book seith, -- with scorneres
make no compaignye, but flee hire
Wordes as venym. -- /
Now, as to the seconde point, where
As youre wise conseillours conseilled yow to
Warnestoore youre hous with gret diligence,/
I wolde fayn knowe how that ye understonde
Thilke wordes and what is youre sentence./
Melibeus answerde, and seyde, certes, I understande
it in this wise: that I shal warne --
Stoore myn hous with toures, swiche as han
Castelles and othere manere edifices, and armure,
and artelries;/ by whiche thynges I may
My persone and myn hous so kepen and deffenden
that myne enemys shul been in drede
Myn hous for to approche./
To this sentence answerde anon prudence:
Warnestooryng, quod she, of heighe toures
And of grete edifices apperteyneth somtyme
to pryde./ And eek men make
Heighe toures, and grete edifices with
Grete costages and with greet travaille; and
Whan that they been accompliced, yet be they
Nat worth a stree, but if they be defended by
Trewe freendes that been olde and wise./ And
Understoond wel that the gretteste and strongeste
garnysoun that a riche man may have, as
Wel to kepen his persone as his goodes, is/
That he be biloved with hys subgetz and with
His neighebores./ For thus seith tullius, that
 -- ther is a manere garnysoun that no man may
Vanquysse ne disconfite, and that is/ a lord to
Be biloved of his citezeins and of his
Peple. -- /
Now, sire, as to the thridde point,
Where as youre olde and wise conseillours
Seyden that yow ne oghte nat sodeynly ne
Hastily proceden in this nede,/ but that yow
Oghte purveyen and apparaillen yow in this caas
With greet diligence and greet deliberacioun;/
Trewely, I trowe that they seyden right wisely
And right sooth./ For tullius seith: -- in every
Nede, er thou bigynne it, apparaille thee with
Greet diligence. -- / thanne seye I that in vengeance-
takyng, in were, in bataille, and
In warnestooryng,/ er thow bigynne, I
Rede that thou apparaille thee therto,
And do it with greet deliberacion./ For tul
Lius seith that -- longe apparaillyng biforn the
Bataille maketh short victorie. -- / and cassidorus
seith, -- the garnysoun is stronger, whan
It is longe tyme avysed. -- /
But now lat us speken of the conseil that
Was accorded by youre neighebores, swiche
As doon yow reverence withouten love,/
Youre olde enemys reconsiled, youre flatereres,/
that conseilled yow certeyne
Thynges prively, and openly conseilleden
Yow the contrarie;/ the yonge folk also, that
Conseilleden yow to venge yow, and make
Werre anon./ And certes, sire, as I have seyd
Biforn, ye han greetly erred to han cleped
Swich manere folk to youre conseil,/ which
Conseillours been ynogh repreved by the re/
Souns aforeseyd./ But nathelees, lat us now
Descende to the special. Ye shuln first
Procede after the doctrine of tullius./
Certes, the trouthe of this matiere, or of
This conseil, nedeth nat diligently enquere;/
For it is wel wist whiche they been that han
Doon to yow this trespas and vileynye,/ and
How manye trespassours, and in what manere
They han to yow doon al this wrong and al this
Vileynye./ And after this, thanne shul ye examyne
the seconde condicion which that the
Same tullius addeth in this matiere./ For tullius
put a thyng which that he clepeth
 -- consentynge -- ; this is to seyn,/ who been
They, and which been they and how
Manye, that consenten to thy conseil in thy
Wilfulnesse to doon hastif vengeance./ And
Lat us considere also who been they, and how
Manye been they, and whiche been they, that
Consenteden to youre adversaries./ And certes,
As to the first poynt, it is wel knowen whiche
Folk been they that consenteden to youre hastif
Wilfulnesse;/ for trewely, alle tho that conseilleden
yow to maken sodeyn were ne been nat
Youre freendes./ Lat us now considere whiche
Been they that ye holde so greetly youre
Freendes as to youre persone./ For al
Be it so that ye be myghty and riche,
Certes ye ne been but allone,/ for certes ye ne
Han no child but a doghter,/ ne ye ne han
Brotheren, ne cosyns germayns, ne noon oother
Neigh kynrede,/ wherfore that youre enemys
For drede wholde stinte to plede with yow, or
To destroye youre persone./ Ye knowen also
That youre richesses mooten been dispended
in diverse parties,/ and whan
That every wight hath his part, they ne
Wollen taken but litel reward to venge thy
Deeth./ But thyne enemys been thre, and they
Han manie children, bretheren, cosyns, and
Oother ny kynrede./ And though so were that
Thou haddest slayn of hem two or tree, yet
Dwellen ther ynowe to wreken hir deeth and
To sle thy persone./ And though so be that
Youre kynrede be moore siker and stedefast
Than the kyn of youre adversarie,/ yet nathelees
youre kynrede nys but a fer kynrede;
they been but litel syb to yow,/
And the kyn of youre enemys been ny
Syb to hem. And certes, as in that, hir condicioun
is bet than youres./ Thanne lat us considere
also if the conseillung of hem that conseilleden
yow to taken sodeyn bengeaunce,
Wheither it accorde to resoun./ And certes, ye
Knowe wel -- nay. -- / for, as by right and resoun,
Ther may no man taken vengeance on no wight
But the juge that hath the jurisdiccioun of it,/
Whan it is graunted hym to take thilke vengeance
hastily or attemprely, as the lawe
Requireth./ And yet mooreover of thilke
Word that tullius clepeth -- consentynge,
-- / thou shalt considere if thy myght and
Thy power may consenten and suffise to thy
Wilfulnesse and to thy conseillours./ And certes
Thou mayst wel seyn that -- nay. -- / for sikerly,
as for to speke proprely, we may do
No thyng, but oonly swich thyng as we may
Doon rightfully./ And certes rightfully ne mowe
Ye take no vengeance, as of youre
Propre auctoritee./ Thanne mowe ye
Seen that youre power ne consenteth
Nat, ne accordeth nat, with youre wilfulnesse./
Lat us now examyne the thridde point, that
Tullius clepeth -- consequent. -- / thou shal understonde
that the vengeance that thou purposest
for to take is the consequent;/ and
Therof folweth another vengeaunce, peril, and
Werre, and othere damages withoute nombre,
Of whiche we be nat war, as at this tyme./
And as touchynge the fourthe point,
That tullius clepeth -- engendrynge, -- /
Thou shalt considere that this wrong
Which that is doon to thee is engendred of the
Hate of thyne enemys,/ and of the vengeance-
Takynge upon that wolde engendre another
Vengeance, and muchel sorwe and wastynge
Of richesses, as I seyde./
Now, sire, as to the point that tullius clepeth
-- causes, -- which that is the laste point,/ thou
Shalt understonde that the worng that thou hast
Receyved hath certeine causes,/ whiche that
Clerkes clepen oriens and efficiens, and causa
Longinqua and causa propinqua, this is
To seyn, the fer cause and the ny cause./
The fer cause is almyghty god, that is
Cause of alle thynges./ The neer cause is thy
Thre enemys.// the cause accidental was hate./
The cause material been the fyve woundes of
Thy doghter./ The cause formal is the manere
Of hir werkynge that broghten laddres
And cloumben in at thy wyndowes./
The cause final was for to sle thy doghter.
it letted nat in as muche as in hem was./
But for to speken of the fer cause, as to what
Ende they shul come, or what shal finally bityde
Of hem in this caas, ne kan I nat deeme but
By conjectynge and by supposynge./ For we
Shul suppose that they shul come to a wikked
Ende,/ by cause that the book of decrees seith,
 -- seelden, or with greet peyne, been causes
Ybroght to good ende whanne they been baddely
bigonne. -- /
Now, sire, if men wolde axe me why that
God suffred men to do yow this vileynye, certes,
I kan nat wel answere, as for no soothfastnesse./
for th' apostle seith that -- the
Sciences and the juggementz of oure
Lord God almyghty been ful depe;/ ther may
No man comprehende ne serchen hem suffisantly.
-- / nathelees, by certeyne presumpciouns
and conjectynges, I holde and bileeve/
That god, which that is ful of justice and of
Rightwisnesse, hath suffred this bityde by juste
Cause resonable./
Thy name is melibee, this is to seyn,
 -- a man that drynketh hony. -- / thou hast
Ydronke so muchel hony of sweete temporeel
richesses, and delices and honours of
This world,/ that thou art dronken, and hast
Forgeten jhesu crist thy creatour./ Thou ne
Hast nat doon to hym swich honour and reverence
as thee oughte,/ ne thou ne hast nat
Wel ytaken kep to the wordes of ovide, that
Seith,/ -- under the hony of the goodes of
The body is hyd the venym that sleeth
The soule -- / and salomon seith, -- if thou
Hast founden hony, ete of it that suffiseth;/
for if thou ete of it out of mesure, thou
Shalt spewe, -- and be nedy and povre./ And
Peraventure crist hath thee in despit, and hath
Turned awey fro thee his face and his eeris of
Misericorde;/ and also he hath suffred that thou
Hast been punysshed in the manere that thow
Hast ytrespassed./ Thou hast doon
Synne agayn oure lord crist;/ for certes,
The three enemys of mankynde, that is to
Seyn, the flessh, the feend, and the world,/
Thou hast suffred hem entre in to thyn herte
Wilfully by the wyndowes of thy body,/ and
Hast nat defended thyself suffisantly agayns
Hire assautes and hire temptaciouns, so that they
Han wounded thy soule in fyve places;/ this is
To seyn, the deedly synnes that been entred into
Thyn herte by thy fyve wittes./ And in the
Same manere oure lord crist hath woold and
Suffred that thy three enemys been entred
into thyn house by the wyndowes,/
And han ywounded thy doghter in the
Forseyde manere./
Certes, quod melibee, I se wel that ye
Enforce yow muchel by wordes to overcome
Me in swich manere that I shal nat venge me
Of myne enemys,/ shewynge me the perils and
The yveles that myghten falle of this vengeance./
but whoso wolde considere in alle
Vengeances the perils and yveles that myghte
Sewe of vengeance-takynge,/ a man wolde
Nevere take vengeance, and that were
Harm;/ for by the vengeance-takynge
Been the wikked men dissevered fro the
Goode men,/ and they that han wyl to do wikkednesse
restreyne hir wikked purpos, whan
They seen the punyssynge and chastisynge of
The trespassours./
(et a ce respont dame prudence, certes,
Dist elle, je t' ottroye que de vengence vient
Molt de maulx et de biens;/ mais vengence
N' appartient pas a un chascun fors seulement
Aux juges et a ceulx qui ont la juridicion sur
Les malfaitteurs.)/ and yet seye I moore, that
Right as singuler persone synneth in
Takynge vengeance of another man,/
Right so synneth the juge if he do no
Vengeance of hem that it han disserved./ For
Senec seith thus: -- that maister, -- he seith, -- is
Good that proveth shrewes. -- / and as cassidore
seith, -- a man dredeth to do outrages
Whan he woot and knoweth that it despleseth
To the juges and the sovereyns. -- / and another
Seith, -- the juge that dredeth to do right, maketh
men shrewes. -- / and seint paul the apostle
seith in his epistle, whan he writeth unto
The romayns, that -- the juges beren nat
The spere withouten cause,/ but they
Beren it to punysse the shrewes and mysdoers,
and for to defende the goode men./ If ye
Wol thanne take vengeance of youre enemys, ye
Shul retourne or have youre recours to the juge
That hath the jurisdiccion upon hem,/ and he
Shal punysse hem as the lawe axeth and requireth./
A! quod melibee, this vengeance liketh
Me no thyng./ I bithenke me now and take
Heede how fortune hath norissed me fro my
Childhede, and hath holpen me to passe
Many a stroong paas./ Now wol I assayen
hire, trowynge, with goddes help,
That she shal helpe me my shame for to
Venge./
Certes, quod prudence, if ye wol werke
By conseil, ye shul nat assaye fortune by
No wey,/ ne ye shul nat lene or bowe unto
Hire, after the word of senec;/ for -- thynges that
Been folily doon, and that been in hope of
Fortune, shullen nevere come to good ende. -- /
And, as the same senec seith, -- the moore cleer
And the moore shynyng that fortune is, the
Moore brotil and the sonner broken she
Is -- ./ Trusteth nat in hire, for she nys
Nat stidefast ne stable;/ for whan thow
Trowest to be moost seur or siker of hire help,
She wol faille thee and deceyve thee./ And
Where as ye seyn that fortune hath norissed
Yow fro youre childhede,/ I seye that in so
Muchel shul ye the lasse truste in hire and in
Hir wit./ For senec seith, -- what man that is
Norissed by fortune, she maketh hym
A greet fool. -- / now thanne, syn ye desire
and axe vengeance, and the vengeance
that is doon after the lawe and bifore
The juge ne liketh yow nat,/ and the vengeance
That is doon in hope of fortune is perilous and
Uncertein,/ thanne have ye noon oother remedie
but for to have youre recours unto the sovereyn
juge that vengeth alle vileynyes and
Wronges./ And he shal venge yow after that
Hymself witnesseth, where as he seith,/ -- leveth
the vengeance to me, and I shal
Do it. -- /
Melibee answerde, if I ne venge me
Nat of the vileynye that men han doon to me,/
I sompne or warne hem that han doon to me
That vileynye, and alle othere, to do me another
Vileynye./ For it is writen, -- if thou take no
Vengeance of an oold vileynye, thou sompnest
Thyne adversaries to do thee a newe vileynye. -- /
And also for my suffrance men wolden do
Me so muchel vileynye that I myghte neither
Bere it ne susteene,/ and so sholde I
Been put and holden overlowe./ For
Men seyn, -- in muchel suffrynge shul
Manye thynges falle unto thee whiche thou
Shalt nat mowe suffre. -- /
Certes, quod prudence, I graunte yow
That over -- muchel suffraunce is nat good./ But
Yet ne folweth it nat therof that every persone
To whom men doon vileynye take of it vengeance;/
for that aperteneth and longeth al
Oonly to the juges, for they shul venge the
Vileynyes and injuries./ And therfore tho two
Auctoritees that ye han seyd above been
Oonly understonden in the juges./ For
Whan they suffren over-muchel the
Wronges and the vileynyes to be doon withouten
punysshynge,/ the sompne nat a man
Al oonly for to do newe wronges, but they
Comanden it./ Also a wys man seith that the
Juge that correcteth nat the synnere comandeth
and biddeth hym do synne. -- / and the juges
And sovereyns myghten in hir land so muchel
Suffre of the shrewes and mysdoeres/ that they
Sholden, by swich suffrance, by proces of
Tyme wexen of swich power and myght that
They sholden putte out the juges and the
Sovereyns from hir places,/ and atte laste
Maken hem lesen hire lordshipes./
But lat us now putte that ye have leve to
Venge yow./ I seye ye been nat of myght and
Power as now to venge yow;/ for if ye wole
Maken comparisoun unto the myght of youre
Adversaries, ye shul fynde in manye thynges
That I have shewed yow er this that hire condicion
is bettre than youres./ And therfore
Seye I that it is good as now that ye suffre
and be pacient./
Forthermoore, ye knowen wel that
After the comune sawe, -- it is a woodnesse a
Man to stryve with a strenger or a moore
Myghty man than he is hymself;/ and for to
Stryve with a man of evene strengthe, that is
To seyn, with as strong a man as he is, it is
Peril;/ and for to stryve with a weyker man, it
Is folie. -- / and therfore sholde a man flee stryvynge
as muchel as he myghte./ For salomon
Seith, -- it is a greet worshipe to a man to
Kepen hym fro noyse and stryf. -- / and
If it so bifalle or happe that a man of
Gretter myght and strengthe than thou art do
Thee grevaunce,/ studie and bisye thee rather
To stille the same grevaunce than for to venge
Thee./ For senec seith that -- he putteth hym in
Greet peril that stryveth with a gretter man
Than he is hymself. -- / and catoun seith, -- if a
Man of hyer estaat or degree, or moore myghty
Than thou, do thee anoy or grevaunce, suffre
Hym;/ for he that oones hath greved thee,
May another tyme releeve thee and
Helpe. -- / yet sette I caas, ye have bothe
Myght and licence for to venge yow,/ I
Seye that ther be ful manye thynges that shul
Restreyne yow of vengeance-takynge,/ and
Make yow for to enclyne to suffre, and for to
Han pacience in the wronges that han been
Doon to yow./ First and foreward, if ye wole
Considere the defautes that been in youre
Owene persone,/ for whiche defautes God hath
Suffred yow have this tribulacioun, as I
Have seyd yow heer-biforn./ For the
Poete seith that -- we oghte paciently
Taken the tribulacions that comen to us, whan
We thynken and consideren that we han disserved
to have hem. -- / and seint gregorie
Seith that -- whan a man considereth wel the
Nombre of his defautes and of his synnes,/ the
Peynes and the tribulaciouns that he suffreth
Semen the lesse unto hym;/ and in as muche
As hym thynketh his synnes moore hevy and
Grevous,/ in so muche semeth his peyne
The lighter and the esier unto hym. -- /
Also ye owen to enclyne and bowe youre
Herte to take the pacience of oure lord jhesu
Crist, as seith seint peter in his epistles./
Jhesu crist, -- he seith, -- hath suffred for us and
Yeven ensample to every man to folwe and
Sewe hym;/ for he dide nevere synne, ne nevere
cam ther a vileyns word out of his mouth./
Whan men cursed hym, he cursed hem noght;
And whan men betten hym, he manaced hem
Noght. -- / also the grete pacience which the
Seintes that been in paradys han had in tribulaciouns
that they han ysuffred, withouten
Hir desert or gilt,/ oghte muchel stiren
Yow to pacience./ Forthermoore ye
Sholde enforce yow to have pacience,/ considerynge
that the tribulaciouns of this world but
Litel while endure, and soone passed been and
Goon,/ and the joye that a man seketh to have
By pacience in tribulaciouns is perdurable,
After that the apostle seith in his epistle./ The
Joye of god, he seith, is perdurable,
That is to seyn, everelastynge./ Also
Troweth and bileveth stedefastly that he
Nys nat wel ynorissed, ne wel ytaught, that kan
Nat have pacience, or wol nat receyve pacience./
for salomon seith that -- the doctrine
And the wit of a man is knowen by pacience. -- /
And in another place he seith that -- he that is
Pacient governeth hym by greet prudence. -- /
And the same salomon seith, -- the angry and
Wrathful man maketh noyses, and the pacient
Man atempreth hem and stilleth. -- / he seith
Also, -- it is moore worth to be pacient
Than for to be right strong;/ and he
That may have the lordshipe of his
Owene herte is moore to preyse than he that
By his force or strengthe taketh grete citees. -- /
And therfore seith seint jame in his epistle that
 -- pacience is a greet vertu of perfeccioun. -- /
Certes, quod melibee, I graunte yow,
Dame prudence, that pacience is greet vertu
Of perfeccioun;/ but every man may nat have
The perfeccioun that ye seken;/ ne I nam
Nat of the nombre of right parfite men,/
For myn herte may nevere been in pees
Unto the tyme it be venged./ And al be it so
That it was greet peril to myne enemys to do
Me a vileynye in takynge vengeance upon me,/
Yet tooken they noon heede of the peril, but
Fulfilleden hir wikked wyl and hir corage./
And therfore me thynketh men oghten nat
Repreve me, though I putte me in a litel peril
For to venge me,/ and though I do a greet
Excesse, that is to seyn, that I venge
Oon outrage by another./
A, quod dame prudence, ye seyn
Youre wyl and as yow liketh,/ but in no caas
Of the world a man sholde nat doon outrage
Ne excesse for to vengen hym./ For cassidore
Seith that -- as yvele dooth he that vengeth hym
By outrage as he that dooth the outrage. -- / and
Therfore ye shul venge yow after the ordre of
Right, that is to seyn, by the lawe, and noght
By excesse ne by outrage./ And also, if ye
Wol venge yow of the outrage of youre adversaries
in oother manere than right comandeth,
ye synne./ And therfore seith senec
That -- a man shal nevere vengen shrewednesse
by shrewednesse. -- / and if ye seye that
Right axeth a man to defenden violence by violence,
and fightyng by fightyng,/ certes ye seye
Sooth, whan the defense is doon anon withouten
intervalle or withouten tariyng or delay,/
for to deffenden hym and nat for to
Vengen hym./ And it bihoveth that a man
Putte swich attemperance in his deffense/
that men have no cause ne matiere
to repreven hym that deffendeth
Hym of excesse and outrage, for ellis were it
Agayn resoun./ Pardee, ye knowen wel that
Ye maken no deffense as now for to deffende
Yow, but for to venge yow;/ and so seweth
It that ye han no wyl to do youre dede attemprely./
and therfore me thynketh that pacience
is good; for salomon seith that -- he that
Is nat pacient shal have a greet harm. -- /
Certes, quod melibee, I graunte yow that
Whan a man is inpacient and wrooth, of that
That toucheth hym noght and that aperteneth
Nat unto hym, though it harme hym, it
Is no wonder./ For the lawe seith that
 -- he is coupable that entremetteth hym or
Medleth with swych thyng as aperteneth nat
Unto hym. -- / and salomon seith that -- he that
Entremetteth hym of the noyse or strif of another
man is lyk to hym that taketh an hound
By the eris. -- / for right as he that taketh a
Straunge hound by the eris is outherwhile biten
With the hound,/ right in the same wise is it
Resoun that he have harm that by his inpacience
medleth hym of the noyse of another
Man, wheras it aperteneth nat unto hym./ But
Ye knowen wel that this dede, that is to seyn,
My grief and my disese, toucheth me
Right ny./ And therfore, though I be
Wrooth and inpacient, it is no merveille./
And, savynge youre grace, I kan nat seen that it
Myghte greetly harme me though I tooke vengeaunce./
for I am richer and moore myghty
Than myne enemys been;/ and wel knowen ye
That by moneye and by havynge grete possessions
been alle the thynges of this world governed./
and salomon seith that -- alle
Thynges abeyen to moneye. -- /
Whan prudence hadde herd hir housbonde
avanten hym of his richesse and of his
Moneye, dispreisynge the power of his adversaries,
she spak, and seyde in this wise:/
Certes, deere sire, I graunte yow that ye been
Riche and myghty,/ and that the richesses been
Goode to hem that han wel ygeten hem and wel
Konne usen hem./ For right as the body of a
Man may nat lyven withoute the soule, namoore
May it lyve withouten temporeel goodes./ And
By richesses may a man gete hym grete
Freendes./ And therfore seith pamphilles:
-- if a net -- herdes doghter, -- seith
He, -- be riche, she may chesen of a thousand
Men which she wol take to hir housbonde;/
For, of a thousand men, oon wol nat forsaken
Hire ne refusen hire. -- / and this pamphilles
Seith also: -- if thow be right happy -- that is to
Seyn, if thou be right riche -- thou shalt fynde
A greet nombre of felawes and freendes./ And
If thy fortune change that thou wexe povre,
Farewel freendshipe and felaweshipe;/ for thou
Shalt be alloone withouten any compaignye,
But if it be the compaignye of povre
Folk. -- / and yet seith this pamphilles
Moreover that -- they that been thralle and
Bonde of lynage shullen been maad worthy and
Noble by the richesses. -- / and right so as by
Richesses ther comen manye goodes, right so
By poverte come ther manye harmes and
Yveles./ For greet poverte constreyneth a man
To do manye yveles./ And therfore clepeth
Cassidore poverte the mooder of ruyne,/ that
Is to seyn, the mooder of overthrowynge
Or fallynge doun./ And therfore seith
Piers alfonce: -- oon of the gretteste adversitees
of this world is/ whan a free man by
Kynde or of burthe is constreyned by poverte
To eten the almesse of his enemy, -- / and the
Same seith innocent in oon of his bookes. He
Seith that -- sorweful and myshappy is the condicioun
of a povre beggere;/ for if he axe nat
His mete, he dyeth for hunger;/ and if he axe,
He dyeth for shame; and algates necessitee
constreyneth hym to axe. -- / and
Seith salomon that -- bet it is to dye than
For to have swich poverte. -- / and as the same
Salomon seith, -- bettre it is to dye of bitter deeth
Than for to lyven in swich wise. -- / by thise
Resons that I have seid unto yow, and by manye
Othere resons that I koude seye,/ I graunte yow
That richesses been goode to hem that geten
Hem wel, and to hem that wel usen tho richesses./
and therfore wol I shewe yow hou ye
Shul have yow and how ye shul bere yow in
Gaderynge of richesses, and in what
Manere ye shul usen hem./
First, ye shul geten hem withouten
Greet desir, by good leyser, sokyngly and nat
Over-hastily./ For a man that is to desirynge
To gete richesses abaundoneth hym first to
Thefte, and to alle othere yveles;/ and therfore
seith salomon, -- he that hasteth hym to
Bisily to wexe riche shal be noon innocent. -- /
He seith also that -- the richesses that hastily cometh
to a man, soone and lightly gooth and
Passeth fro a man;/ but that richesse that
Cometh litel and litel, wexeth alwey and
Multiplieth. -- / and, sire
Richesses by youre wit and by youre
Travaille unto youre profit;/ and that withouten
Wrong or hamr doynge to any oother persone./
For tha lawe seith that -- ther maketh no man
Himselven riche, if he do harm to another
Wight. -- / this is to seyn, htat nature deffendeth
and fordedeth by right that no man make
Hymself riche unto the harm of another persone./
and tulliur seith that -- no sorwe, ne no
Drede of deeth, ne no thyng that may
Falle unto a man,/ is so muchel agayns
Nature as a man to encressen his owene
Profit to the harm of another man./ And
Though the grete man and the myghty men
Geten richesses moore lightly than thou, / yet
Shaltou nat been ydel ne slow to do thy profit,
For thou shalt in alle wise flee ydelnesse. -- / for
Salomon seith that -- ydelnesse techeth a man to
Do manye yveles. -- / and the same salomon
Seith that -- he that travailleth and bisieth
Hym to tilien his land, shal eten breed;/
But he that is ydel and casteth hym to
No bisynesse ne occupacioun, shal falle into
Poverte, and dye for hynger. -- / and he that is
Ydel and slow kan nevere fynde covenable
Tyme for to doon his profit./ For ther is a
Versifiour seith that -- the ydel man excuseth hym
In wynter by cause of the grete coold, and in
Somer by enchesoun of the greete heete. -- / for
Thise causes seith caton, -- waketh and enclyneth
nat yow over -- muchel for to slepe, for overmuchel
reste norisseth and causeth manye
Vices. -- / and therfore seith seint jerome,
 -- dooth somme goode dedes that the devel,
Which is oure enemy, ne fynde yow nat
Unocupied. -- / for the devel ne taketh
Nat lightly unto his werkynge swiche as
He fyndeth occupied in goode werkes./
Thanne thus, in getynge richesses, ye mosten
Flee ydelnesse./ And afterward, ye shul use
The richesses which ye have geten by youre wit
And by youre travaille,/ in swich a manere that
Men holde yow nat to scars, ne to sparynge, ne
To fool-large, that is to seyen, over-large a
Spendere./ For right as men blamen an avaricious
man by cause of his scarsetee and
Chyncherie,/ in the same wise is he to
Blame that spendeth over-largely./ And
Therfore seith caton: -- use, -- he seith, -- thy richesses
that thou hast geten/ in swich a manere
That men have no matiere ne cause to calle
The neither wrecche ne chynche;/ for it is a
Greet shame to a man to have a povere herte
And a riche purs. -- / he seith also: -- the goodes
That thou hast ygeten, use hem by mesure, --
That is to seyn, spende hem mesurably;/
for they that folily wasten and
Despenden the goodes that they han,/
What they han namoore propre of hir owene,
They shapen hem to take the goodes of another
Man./ I seye thanne that ye shul fleen avarice;/
usynge youre richesses in swich manere
That men seye nat that youre richesses been
Yburyed,/ but that ye have hem in
Youre myght and in youre weeldynge./
For a wys man repreveth the avaricious
Man, and seith thus in two vers:/ -- wherto and
Why burieth a man his goodes by his grete
Avarice, and knoweth wel that nedes moste
He dye?/ for deeth is the ende of every man
As in this present lyf. -- / and for what cause or
Enchesoun joyneth he hym or knytteth he hym
So faste unto his goodes/ that alle hise wittes
Mowen nat disseveren hym or departen
Hym from his goodes,/ and knoweth
Wel, or oghte knowe, that whan he is
Deed he shal no thyng bere with hym out of
This world?/ and therfore seith seint austyn
That -- the avaricious man is likned unto helle,/
That the moore it swelweth. The moore desir it
Hath to swelwe and devoure. -- / and as wel as
Ye wolde eschewe to be called an avaricious
Man or chynche,/ as wel sholde ye kepe yow
And governe yow in swich a wise that
Men calle yow nat fool-large./ Therfore
seith tullius: -- the goodes, -- he seith,
 -- of thyn hous ne sholde nat been hyd ne kept
So cloos, but that they myghte been opened
By pitee and debonairetee; -- / that is to seyn, to
Yeven part to hem that han greet nede;/ -- ne
Thy goodes shullen nat been so opene to been
Every mannes goodes. -- / afterward, in getynge
Of youre richesses and in usynge hem, ye shul
Alwey have thre thynges in youre herte,/ that
Is to seyn, oure lord god, conscience,
And good name./ First, ye shul have
God in youre herte,/ and for no richesse
Ye shullen do no thyng which may in any
Manere displese god, that is youre creator
And makere./ For after the word of salomon,
 -- it is bettre to have a litel good with the love
Of god,/ than to have muchel good and tresour,
and lese the love of his lord god./ And
The prophete seith that -- bettre it is to been
A good man and have litel good and
Tresour,/ than to been holden a shrewe
And have grete richesses. -- / and yet seye
I ferthermoore, that ye sholde alwey doon youre
Bisynesse to gete yow richesses,/ so that ye
Gete hem with good conscience./ And th' apostle
seith that -- ther nys thyng in this world
Of which we sholden have so greet joye as
Whan oure conscience bereth us good witnesse.
-- / and the wise man seith, -- the substance
of a man is ful good, whan synne
Is nat in mannes conscience. -- / afterward,
in getynge of youre richesses and
In usynge of hem,/ yow moste have greet bisynesse
and greet diligence that youre goode
Name be alwey kept and conserved./ For salomon
seith that -- bettre it is an moore it availleth
a man to have a good name, than for
To have grete richesses. -- / and therfore he
Seith in another place, -- do greet diligence,
Seith salomon, -- in kepyng of thy freend and
Of thy goode name;/ for it shal lenger abide
With thee than any tresour, be it never
So precious. -- / and certes he sholde nat
Be called a gentil man that after god
And good conscience, alle thynges left, ne
Dooth his diligence and bisynesse to kepen his
Goode name./ And cassidore seith that -- it is
Signe of a gentil herte, whan a man loveth and
Desireth to han a good name. -- / and therfore
Seith seint austyn that -- ther been two thynges
That arn necessarie and nedefulle,/ and that
Is good conscience and good loos;/ that is to
Seyn, good conscience to thyn owene persone
Inward, and good loos for thy neighebor
Outward. -- / and he that trusteth hym so
Muchel in his goode conscience/ that he
Displeseth, and setteth at noght his goode
Name or loos, and rekketh noght though he
Kepe nat his goode neam, nys but a crueel
Cherl./
Sire, now have I shewed yow how ye shul
Do in getynge richesses, and how ye shullen
Usen hem,/ and I se wel that for the trust
That ye han in youre richesses ye wole moeve
Werre and bataille./ I conseille yow that ye
Bigynne no were in trust of youre richesses,
For thay ne suffisen noght werres to
Mayntene./ And therfore seith a philosophre,
hthat man that desireth and
Wole algates han werre, shal nevere have suffisaunce;/
for the richer that he is, the gretter
Despenses moste he make, if he wole have worshipe
and victorei. -- / and salomon seith that
 -- the gretter richesses that a man hath, the mo
Despendours he hath. -- / and, deere sire, al be
It so that for youre richesses ye mowe have
Muchel folk,/ yet bihoveth it nat, ne it is nat
Good, to bigynne werre, whereas ye mowe in
Oother manere have pees unto youre
Worshipe and profit./ For the victorie
Of batailles that been in this world lyth
Nat in greet nombre or multitude of the peple,
Ne in the vertu of man,/ but it lith in the wyl
And in the hand of oure lord God almyghty./
And therfore judas machabeus, which was
Goddes knyght,/ whan he sholde fighte agayn
His adversarie that hadde a gretter nombre and
A gretter multitude of folk and strenger than
Was this peple of machabee,/ yet he reconforted
his litel compaignye, and seyde
Right in this wise:/ -- als lightly, -- quod
He, -- may oure lord God almyghty yeve
Victorie to a fewe folk as to many folk;/ for the
Victorie of a bataile comth nat by the grete
Nombre of peple,/ but it cometh from oure
Lord God of hevene. -- / and, deere sire, for as
Muchel is ther is no man certein if he be
Worthy that God yeve hym victorie, (ne plus
Que il est certain se il est digne de l' amour de
Dieu), or naught, after that salomon seith,/
Therfore every man sholde greetly drede
Werres to bigynne./ And by cause that
In batailles fallen manye perils,/ and
Happeth outher while that as soone is the grete
Man slayn as the litel man;/ and as it is writen
In the seconde book of kynges, -- the dedes of
Batailles been aventurouse and nothyng certeyne,/
for as lightly is oon hurt with a spere
As another; -- / and for ther is gret peril in
Werre; therfore sholde a man flee and eschue
Werre, in as muchel as a man may
Goodly./ For salomon seith, -- he that
Loveth peril shal falle in peril -- /
After that dame prudence hadde spoken in
This manere, melibee answerde, and seyde:/
I see wel, dame prudence, that by youre faire
Wordes, and by youre resouns that ye han
Shewed me, that the werre liketh yow no
Thyng;/ but I have nat yet herd youre conseil,
How I shal do in this nede./
Certes, quod she, I conseille yow that ye
Accorde with youre adversaries and that
Ye have pees with he./ For seint jame
Seith in his epistles that -- by concord and
Pees the smale richesses wexen grete,/ and by
Debaat and discord the grete richesses fallen
Doun. -- / and ye knowen wel that oon of the
Gretteste and moost sovereyn thyng that is in
This world is unytee and pees./ And therfore
Seyde oure lord jhesu crist to his apostles in
This wise:/ -- wel happy and blessed been they
That loven and purchacen pees, for they
Been called children of god. -- /
A, quod melibee, now se I wel that
Ye loven nat myn honour ne my worshipe./
Ye knowen wel that myne adversaries han
Bigonnen this debaat and bryge by hire outrage,/
and ye se wel that they ne requeren ne
Preyen me nat of pees, ne they asken nat to be
Reconsiled./ Wol ye thanne that I go and meke
Me and obeye me to hem, and crie hem
Mercy?/ for sothe, that were nat my
Worshipe./ For right as men seyn that
-- over-greet hoomlynesse engendreth dispreisynge,
-- so fareth it by to greet hymylitee
Or mekenesse./
Thanne bigan dame prudence to maken
Semblant of wratthe, and seyde:/ certes, sire,
Sauf youre grace, I love youre honour and youre
Profit as I do myn owene, and evere have
Doon;/ ne ye, ne noon oother, seyn nevere
The contrarie./ And yit if I hadde seyd that
Ye sholde han purchaced the pees and the
Reconsilacioun, I ne hadde nat muchel
Mystaken me, ne seyd amys./ For the
Wise man seith, -- the dissensioun bigynneth
by another man, and the reconsilyng bygynneth
by thyself. -- / and the prophete seith,
 -- flee shrewednesse and do goodnesse;/ seke
Pees and folwe it, as muchel as in thee is. -- /
Yet seye I nat that ye shul rather pursue to
Youre adversaries for pees than they shuln to
Yow./ For I knowe wel that ye been so hard-
Herted that ye wol do no thyng for
Me./ And salomon seith, -- he that hath
Over-hard an herte, atte laste he shal
Myshappe and mystyde. -- /
Whanne melibee hadde herd dame prudence
Maken semblant of wratthe, he seyde in this
Wise:/ dame, I prey yow that ye be nat displesed
of thynges that I seye,/ for ye knowe
Wel that I am angrey and wrooth, and that is
No wonder;/ and they that been wrothe witen
Nat wel what they don, ne what they
Seyn./ Therfore the prophete seith that
 -- troubled eyen han no cleer sighte. -- / but
Seyeth and conseileth me as yow liketh, for I
Am redy to do right as ye wol desire;/ and if
Ye repreve me of my folye, I am the moore
Holden to love yow and to preyse yow./ For
Salomon seith that -- he that repreveth hym
That dooth folye,/ he shal fynde gretter grace
Than he that deceyveth hym by sweete
Wordes. -- /
Thanne seide dame prudence, I
Make no semblant of wratthe ne anger, but
For youre grete profit./ For salomon seith,
 -- he is moore worth that repreveth or chideth
A fool for his folye, shewynge hym semblant
Of wratthe,/than he that supporteth hym and
Preyseth hym in his mysdoynge, and laugheth
At his folye. -- / and this same salomon seith
Afterward that -- by the sorweful visage of a
Man, -- that is to seyn by the sory and hevy contenaunce
of a man,/ -- the fool correcteth
And amendeth hymself. -- /
Thanne seyde melibee, I shal nat
Koone answere to so manye faire resouns as ye
Putten to me and shewen./ Seyeth shorthly
Youre wyl and youre conseil, and I am al redy
To fulfille and parfourne it./
Thanne dame prudence discovered al hir
Wyl to hym, and seyde,/ I conseille yow,
Quod she, aboven alle thynges, that ye make
Pees bitwene God and yow;/ and beth
Reconsiled unto hym and to his grace./
For, as I have seyd yow heer biforn, god
Hath suffred yow to have this tribulacioun and
Disese for youre synnes./ And if ye do as I sey
Yow, God wol sende youre adversaries unto
Yow,/ and maken hem fallen at youre feet,
Redy to do youre wyl and youre comande --
Mentz./ For salomon seith, -- whan the condicioun
of man is plesaunt and likynge to god,/
He chaungeth the hertes of the mannes adversaries
and constreyneth hem to biseken
hym of pees and of grace. -- / and
I prey yow lat me speke with youre adversaries
in privee place;/ for they shul nat
Knowe that it be of youre wyl or of youre adsent./
and thanne, whan I knowe hir wil and
Hire entente, I may conseille yow the moore
Seurely./
Dame, quod melibee, dooth youre wil and
Youre likynge;/ for I putte me hoolly in
Youre disposicioun and ordinaunce./
Thanne dame prudence, whan she
Saugh the goode wyl of hir housbonde, delibered
and took avys in hirself,/ thinkinge how
She myghte brynge this nede unto a good conclusioun
and to a good ende./ And whan she
Saugh hir tyme, she sente for thise adversaries
To come unto hire into a pryvee place,/ and
Shewed wisely unto hem the grete goodes that
Comen of pees,/ and the grete harmes
And perils that been in werre;/ and
Seyde to hem in a goodly manere hou
That hem oughten have greet repentaunce/ of
The injurie and wrong that they hadden doon
To melibee hir lord, and unto hire, and to hire
Doghter./
And whan they herden the goodliche wordes
Of dame prudence,/ they weren so supprised
And ravysshed, and hadden so greet joye of
Hire that wonder was to telle./ A, lady, quod
They, ye han shewed unto us the blessynge
Of swetnesse, after the sawe of david the
Prophete;/ for the reconsilynge which
We been nat worthy to have in no manere,/
but we oghte requeren it with greet contricioun
and humylitee,/ ye of youre grete
Goodnesse have presented unto us./ Now se
We wel that the science and the konnynge
Of salomon is ful trewe./ For he seith that
 -- sweete wordes multiplien and encreescen
Freendes, and maken shrewes to be debonaire
and meeke. -- /
Certes, quod they, we putten oure
Dede and al oure matere and cause al hooly in
Youre goode wyl/ and been redy to obeye to
The speche and comandement of my lord melibee./
and therfore, deere and benygne lady,
We preien yow and biseke yow as mekely as we
Konne and mowen,/ that it lyke unto youre
Grete goodnesse to fulfillen in dede youre goodliche
wordes./ For we consideren and knowelichen
that we han offended and greved
My lord melibee out of mesure,/ so ferforth
that we be nat of power to maken
His amendes./ And therfore we oblige and
Bynden us and oure freendes for to doon al
His wyl and his comandementz./ But peraventure
he hath swich hevynesse and swich wratthe
To us -- ward, by cause of oure offense,/ that he
Wole enjoyne us swich a peyne as we mowe
Nat bere ne susteene./ And therfore, noble
Lady, we biseke to youre wommanly
Pitee/ to taken swich avysement in this
Nede that we, ne oure freendes, be nat
Desherited ne destroyed thurgh oure folye./
Certes, quod prudence, it is an hard
Thyng and right perilous/ that a man putte
Hym al outrely in the arbitracioun and juggement,
and in the myght and power of his enemys./
for salomon seith, -- leeveth me, and
Yeveth credence to that I shal seyn: I seye, --
Quod he, -- ye peple, folk and governours of
Hooly chirche,/ to thy sone, to thy wyf,
To thy freend, ne to thy broother,/ ne
Yeve thou nevere myght ne maistrie of
Thy body whil thou lyvest. -- / now sithen he
Deffendeth that man sholde nat yeven to his
Broother ne to his freend the myght of his
Body,/ by a strenger resoun he deffendeth and
Forbedeth a man to yeven hymself to his enemy./
and nathelees I conseille you that ye
Mystruste nat my lord,/ for I woot wel and
Knowe verraily that he is debonaire and
Meeke, large, curteys,/ and nothyng desirous
ne coveitous of good ne richesse./
For ther nys nothyng in this world that he
Desireth, save oonly worshipe and honour./
Forthermoore I knowe wel and am right seur
That he shal nothyng doon in this nede withouten
my conseil;/ and I shal so werken in this
Cause that, by the grace of oure lord god, ye
Shul been reconsiled unto us./
Thanne seyden they with o voys, worshipful
lady, we putten us and oure goodes
Al fully in youre wil and disposicioun,/
And been redy to comen, what day that
It like unto youre noblesse to lymyte us or assigne
us,/ for to maken oure obligacioun and
Boond as strong as it liketh unto youre goodnesse,/
that we mowe fulfille the wille of yow
And of my lord melibee./
Whan dame prudence hadde herd the answeres
of thise men, she bad hem goon agayn
Prively;/ and she retourned to hir lord melibee,
and tolde hym how she foond his
Adversaries ful repentant,/ knowelechynge
ful lowely hir synnes and trespas,
And how they were redy to suffren al peyne,/
Requirynge and preiynge hym of mercy and
Pitee./
Thanne seyde melibee: he is wel worthy
To have pardoun and foryifnesse of his synne.
That excuseth nat his synne,/ but knowelecheth
It and repenteth hym, axinge indulgence./ For
Senec seith, ther is the remissioun and
Foryifnesse, where as the confessioun is -- ;/
For confessioun is neighebor to innocence./
and he seith in another place that -- he
That hath shame of his synne and knowlecheth
It, is worthy remissioun. -- and therfore I assente
and conferme me to have pees;/ but it
Is good that we do it nat withouten the assent
And wyl of oure freendes./
Thanne was prudence right glad and joyeful,
and seyde:/ certes, sire, quod
She, ye han wel and goodly answered;/
For right as by the conseil, assent, and
Help of youre freendes ye han been stired to
Venge yow and maken werre,/ right so withouten
hire conseil shul ye nat accorden yow
Ne have pees with youre adversaries./ For the
Lawe seith: -- ther nys no thyng so good by wey
Of kynde as a thyng to be unbounde by hym
That it was ybounde. -- /
And thanne dame prudence, withouten delay
or tariynge, sente anon hire messages for
Hire kyn, and for hire olde freendes which
That were trewe and wyse,/ and tolde hem
By ordre in the presence of melibee al this mateere
as it is aboven expressed and declared,/
and preyden hem that they
Wolde yeven hire avys and conseil what
Best were to doon in this nede./ And whan
Melibees freendes hadde taken hire avys and
Deliberacioun of the forseide mateere,/ and
Hadden examyned it by greet bisynesse and
Greet diligence,/ they yave ful conseil for to
Have pees and reste,/ and that melibee sholde
Receyve with good herte his adversaries
To foryifnesse and mercy./
And whan dame prudence hadde herd
The assent of hir lord melibee, and the conseil
of his freendes/ accorde with hire wille
And hire entencioun,/ she was wonderly glad
In hire herte, and seyde:/ ther is an old
Proverbe, quod she, seith that -- the goodnesse
that thou mayst do this day, do it,/
And abide nat ne delaye it nat til tomorwe.
-- / and therfore I conseille that
Ye sende youre messages, swiche as been
Discrete and wise,/ unto youre adversaries,
Tellynge hem on youre bihalve/ that if they
Wole trete of pees and of accord,/ that they
Shape hem withouten delay or tariyng to comen
Unto us./ Which thyng parfourned was
In dede./ And whanne thise trespassours
and repentynge folk of hire folies,
That is to seyn, the adversaries of melibee,/
Hadden herd what thise messagers seyden unto
Hem,/ they weren right glad and joyeful, and
Answereden ful mekely and benignely,/ yeldynge
graces and thankynges to hir lord melibee
and to al his compaignye;/ and shopen
Hem withouten delay to go with the messagers,
And obeye to the comandement of hir
Lord melibee./
And right anon they tooken hire wey
To the court of melibee,/ and tooken with hem
Somme of hire trewe freendes to maken feith
For hem and for to been hire borwes./ And
Whan they were comen to the presence of
Melibee, he seyde hem thise wordes:/ it standeth
thus, quod melibee, and sooth it is, that
Ye,/ causelees and withouten skile and
Resoun,/ han doon grete injuries and
Wronges to me and to my wyf prudence,
And to my doghter also./ For ye han entred
Into myn hous by violence,/ and have doon
Swich outrage that alle men knowen wel that
Ye have disserved the deeth./ And therfore
Wol I knowe and wite of yow/ wheither ye
Wol putte the punyssement and the chastisynge
And the vengeance of this outrage in the wyl
Of me and of my wyf prudence, or ye
Wol nat?/
Thanne the wiseste of hem thre answerde
for hem alle, and seyde,/ sire, quod
He, we knowen wel that we been unworthy
To comen unto the court of so greet a lord and
So worthy as ye been./ For we han so greetly
Mystaken us, and han offended and agilt in
Swich a wise agayn youre heigh lordshipe,/
That trewely we han disserved the deeth./ But
Yet, for the grete goodnesse and debonairetee
That al the world witnesseth of youre
Persone,/ we submytten us to the excellence
and benignitee of youre gracious
Lordshipe,/ and been redy to obeie to alle youre
Comandementz;/ bisekynge yow that of youre
Merciable pitee ye wol considere oure grete
Repentaunce and lowe submyssioun,/ and
Graunten us foryevenesse of oure outrageous
Trespas and offense./ For wel we knowe that
Youre liberal grace and mercy strecchen hem
Ferther into goodnesse than doon oure outrageouse
giltes and trespas into wikkednesse,/
al be it that cursedly and
Dampnablely we han agilt agayn youre
Heigh lordshipe./
Thanne melibee took hem up fro the ground
Ful benignely,/ and receyved hire obligaciouns
And hir boondes by hire othes upon hire plegges
And borwes,/ and assigned hem a certeyn day
To retourne unto his court,/ for to accepte and
Receyve the sentence and juggement that
Melibee wolde comande to be doon on
Hem by the causes aforeseyd./ Whiche
Thynges ordeyned, every man retourned
To his hous./
And whan that dame prudence saugh hir
Tyme, she freyned and axed hir lord melibee/
What vengeance he thoughte to taken of his
Adversaries./
To which melibee answerde, and seyde:
Certes, quod he, I thynke and purpose me
Fully / to desherite hem of al that evere they
Han, and for to putte hem in exil for
Evere./
Certes, quod dame prudence, this
Were a crueel sentence and muchel agayn resoun./
for ye been riche ynough, and han
No nede of oother mennes good;/ and ye
Myghte lightly in this wise gete yow a coveitous
name,/ which is a vicious thyng, and
Oghte been eschued of every good man./ For
After the sawe of the word of the apostle,
-- coveitise is roote of alle harmes. -- /
And therfore it were bettre for yow to
Lese so muchel good of youre owene, than for
To taken of hir good in this manere;/ for bettre
it is to lesen good with worshipe, than it
Is to wynne good with vileynye and shame./
And everi man oghte to doon his diligence and
His bisynesse to geten hym a good name./
And yet shal he nat oonly bisie hym in kepynge
of his good name,/ but he shal also enforcen
hym alwey to do somthyng by
Which he may renovelle his good name./
For it is writen that -- the olde good loos
Or good name of a man is soone goon and
Passed, whan it is nat newed ne renovelled. -- /
And as touchynge that ye seyn ye wole exile
Youre adversaries,/ that thynketh me muchel
Agayn resoun and out of mesure,/ considered
The power that they han yeve yow upon hemself./
and it is writen that -- he is worthy
To lesen his privilege, that mysuseth the
Myght and the power that is yeven
Hym. -- / and I sette cas ye myghte enjoyne
hem that peyne by right and by
Lawe,// which I trowe ye mowe nat do,/ I seye
Ye mighte nat putten it to execucioun peraventure,/
and thanne were it likly to retourne
To the werre as it was biforn./ And therfore,
If ye wole that men do yow obeisance,
Ye moste deemen moore curteisly;/ this
Is to seyn, ye moste yeven moore esy sentences
and juggementz./ For it is writen that
 -- he that moost curteisly comandeth, to hym
Men moost obeyen. -- / and therfore I prey yow
That in this necessitee and in this nede ye caste
Yow to overcome youre herte./ For senec seith
That -- he that overcometh his herte, overcometh
Twies. -- / and tullius seith: -- ther is no
Thyng so comendable in a greet lord/ as
Whan he is debonaire and meeke, and
Appeseth him lightly. -- / and I prey yow that ye
Wole forbere now to do vengeance,/ in swich
A manere that youre goode name may be kept
And conserved,/ and that men mowe have
Cause and mateere to preyse yow of pitee and
Of mercy,/ and that ye have no cause to
Repente yow of thyng that ye doon./
For senec seith, -- he overcometh in an
Yvel manere that repenteth hym of his victorie.
-- / wherfore I pray yow, lat mercy been in
Youre herte,/ to th' effect and entente that
God almighty have mercy on yow in his laste
Juggement./ For seint jame seith in his epistle:
-- juggement withouten mercy shal be doon
To hym that hath no mercy of another wight. -- /
Whanne melibee hadde herd the grete skiles
And resouns of dame prudence, and hire
Wise informaciouns and techynges,/ his
Herte gan enclyne to the wil of his wif,
Considerynge hir trewe entente,/ and conformed
hym anon, and assented fully to werken
After hir conseil;/ and thonked god, of whom
Procedeth al vertu and alle goodnesse, that
Hym sente a wyf of so greet discrecioun./ And
Whan the day cam that his adversaries sholde
Appieren in his presence,/ he spak unto
Hem ful goodly, and seyde in this wyse:/
Al be it so that of youre pride and heigh
Presumpcioun and folie, and of youre necligence
and unkonnynge,/ ye have mysborn yow
And trespassed unto me,/ yet for as muche as
I see and biholde youre grete humylitee,/ and
That ye been sory and repentant of youre
Giltes,/ it constreyneth me to doon yow
Grace and mercy./ Wherfore I receyve
Yow to my grace,/ and foryeve yow outrely
alle the offenses, injuries, and wronges that
Ye have doon agayn me and myne,/ to this
Effect and to this ende that God of his endelees
mercy/ wole at the tyme of oure diynge
Foryeven us oure giltes that we han trespassed
To hym in this wrecched world./ For doutelees,
if we be sory and repentant of the synnes
And giltes which we han trespassed in
The sighte of oure lord god,/ he is so
Free and so merciable/ that he wole foryeven
us oure giltes,/ and bryngen us to the
Blisse that nevere hath ende. Amen.

The Monk's Prologue

Whan ended was my tale of melibee,
And of prudence and hire benignytee,
Oure hooste seyde, as I am feithful man,
And by that precious corpus madrian,
I hadde levere than a barel ale
That goodelief, my wyf, hadde herd this tale!
For she nys no thyng of swich pacience
As was this melibeus wyf prudence.
By goddes bones! whan I bete my knaves,
She bryngeth me forth the grete clobbed staves,
And crieth, -- slee the dogges everichoon,
And brek hem, bothe bak and every boon! --
And if that any neighebor of myne
Wol nat in chirche to my wyf enclyne,
Or be so hardy to hire to trespace,
Whan she comth hoom she rampeth in my face,
And crieth, -- false coward, wrek thy wyf!
By corpus bones, I wol have thy knyf,
And thou shalt have my distaf and go spynne! --
Fro day to nyght right thus she wol bigynne.
 -- allas! -- she seith, -- that evere I was shape
To wedden a milksop, or a coward ape,
That wol been overlad with every wight!
Thou darst nat stonden by thy wyves right! --
This is my lif, but if that I wol fighte;
And out at dore anon I moot me dighte,
Or elles I am but lost, but if that I
Be lik a wilde leoun, fool-hardy.
I woot wel she wol do me slee som day
Som neighebor, and thanne go my way;
For I am perilous with knyf in honde,
Al be it that I dar nat hire withstonde,
For she is byg in armes, by my feith:
That shal he fynde that hire mysdooth or seith, --
But lat us passe awey fro this mateere.
My lord, the monk, quod he, by myrie of cheere,
For ye shul telle a tale trewely.
Loo, rouchestre stant heer faste by!
Ryde forth, myn owene lord, brek nat oure game.
But, by my trouthe, I knowe nat youre name.
Wher shal I calle yow my lord daun john,
Or daun thomas, or elles daun albon?
Of what hous be ye, by youre fader kyn?
I vowe to god, thou hast a ful fair skyn;
It is a gentil pasture ther thow goost.
Thou art nat lyk a penant or a goost:
Upon my feith, thou art som officer,
Som worthy sexteyn, or som celerer,
For by my fader soule, as to my doom,
Thou art a maister whan thou art at hoom;
No povre cloysterer, ne no novts,
But a governour, wily and wys,
And therwithal of brawnes and of bones,
A wel farynge persone for the nones.
I pray to god, yeve hym confusioun
That first thee broghte unto religioun!
Thou woldest han been a tredefowel aright.
Haddestow as greet a leeve, as thou hast myght,
To parfourne al thy lust in engendrure,
Thou haddest bigeten ful many a creature.
Allas, why werestow so wyd a cope?
God yeve me sorwe, but, and I were a pope,
Nat oonly thou, but every myghty man,
Though he were shorn ful hye upon his pan,
Sholde have a wyf; for al the world is lorn!
Religioun hath take up al the corn
Of tredyng, and we borel men been shrympes.
Of fieble trees ther comen wrecched ympes.
This maketh that oure heires been so sklendre
And feble that they may nat wel engendre.
This maketh that oure wyves wole assaye
Religious folk, for ye mowe bettre paye
Of venus peiementz than mowe we;
God woot, no lussheburghes payen ye!
But be nat wrooth, my lord, though that I pleye.
Ful ofte in game a sooth I have herd seye!
This worthy monk took al in pacience,
And seyde, I wol doon al my diligence,
As fer as sowneth into honestee,
To telle yow a tale, or two, or three.
And if yow list to herkne hyderward,
I wol yow seyn the lyf of seint edward;
Or ellis, first, tragedies wol I telle,
Of whiche I have an hundred in my celle.
Tragedie is to seyn a certeyn storei,
As olde bookes maken us memorie,
Of hym that stood in greet prosperitee,
And is yfallen out of heigh degree
Into myserie, and endeth wrecchedly.
And they ben versified communely
Of six feet, which men clepen exametrron.
In prose eek been endited many oon,
And eek in meetre, in many a sondry wyse.
Lo, this declaryng oghte ynogh suffise.
Now herkneth, if yow liketh for to heere.
But first I yow biseeke in this mateere,
Though I by ordre telle nat thise thynges,
Be it of popes, emperours, or kynges,
After hir ages, as men writen fynde,
But tellen hem som bifore and som bihynde,
As it now comth unto my remembraunce,
Have me excused of myn ignoraunce.

The Monk's Tale

I wol biwaille, in manere of tragedie,
The harm of hem that stoode in heigh degree,
And fillen so that ther nas no remedie
To brynge hem out of hir adversitee.
For certein, whan that fortune list to flee,
Ther may no man the cours of hire withholde.
Lat no man truste on blynd prosperitee;
Be war by thise ensamples trewe and olde.
At lucifer, though he an angel were,
And nat a man, at hym wol I bigynne.
For though fortune may noon angel dere,
From heigh degree yet fel he for his synne
Doun into helle, where he yet is inne.
O lucifer, brightest of angels alle,
Now artow sathanas, that mayst nat twynne
Out of miserie, in which that thou art falle.
Loo adam, in the feeld of damyssene,
With goddes owene fynger wroght was he,
And nat bigeten of mannes sperme unclene,
And welte al paradys savynge o tree.
Hadde nevere worldly man so heigh degree
As adam, til he for mysgovernaunce
Was dryven out of hys hye prosperitee
To labour, and to helle, and to meschaunce.
Loo sampsoun, which that was annunciat
By th' angel, longe er his nativitee,
And was to God almyghty consecrat,
And stood in noblesse whil he myghte see.
Was nevere swich another as was hee,
To speke of strengthe, and threwith hardynesse;
But to his wyves toolde he his secree,
Thurgh which he slow hymself for wrecchednesse.
Sampsoun, this noble almyghty champioun,
Withouten wepen, save his handes tweye,
He slow and al torente the leoun,
Toward his weddyng walkynge by the weye.
His false wyf koude hym so plese and preye
Til she his conseil knew; and she, untrewe,
Unto his foos his conseil gan biwreye,
And hym forsook, and took another newe.
Thre hundred foxes took sampson for ire,
And alle hir tayles he togydre bond,
And sette the foxes tayles alle on fire,
For he on every tayl had knyt a brond;
And they brende alle the cornes in that lond,
And alle hire olyveres, and vynes eke.
A thousand men he slow eek with his hond,
And hadde no wepen but an asses cheke.
Whan they were slayn, so thursted hym that he
Was wel ny lorn, for which he gan to preye
That God wolde on his peyne han some pitee,
And sende hym drynke, or elles moste he deye;
And of this asses cheke, that was dreye,
Out of a wang-tooth sprang anon a welle,
Of which he drank ynogh, shortly to seye;
Thus heelp hym god, as judicum telle.
By verray force at gazan, on a nyght,
Maugree philistiens of that citee,
The gates of the toun he hath up plyght,
And on his bak ycaryed hem hath hee
Hye on an hill whereas men myghte hem see.
O noble, almyghty sampsoun, lief and deere,
Had thou nat toold to wommen thy secree,
In al this world ne hadde been thy peere!
This sampson nevere ciser drank ne wyn,
Ne on his heed cam rasour noon ne sheere,
By precept of the messager divyn,
For alle his strengthes in his heeres weere.
And fully twenty wynter, yeer by yeere,
He hadde of israel the governaunce.
But soone shal he wepe many a teere,
For wommen shal hym bryngen to meschaunce!
Unto his lemman dalida he tolde
That in his heeris al his strengthe lay,
And falsly to his foomen she hym solde.
And slepynge in hir barm, upon a day,
She made to clippe or shere his heres away,
And made his foomen al his craft espyen;
And whan that they hym foond in this array,
They bounde hym faste and putten out his yen.
But er his heere were clipped or yshave,
Ther was no boond with which men myghte him bynde;
But now is he in prison in a cave,
Were-as they made hym at the queerne grynde.
O noble sampsoun, strongest of mankynde,
O whilom juge, in glorie and in richesse!
Now maystow wepen with thyne eyen blynde,
Sith thou fro wele art falle in wrecchednesse.
The ende of this caytyf was as I shal seye.
His foomen made a feeste upon a day,
And made hym as hire fool biforn hem pleye;
And this was in a temple of greet array.
But atte laste he made a foul affray;
For he two pilers shook and made hem falle,
And doun fil temple and al, and ther it lay, --
And slow hymself, and eek his foomen alle.
This is to seyn, the prynces everichoon,
And eek thre thousand bodyes, were ther slayn
With fallynge of the grete temple of stoon.
Of sampson now wol I namoore sayn.
Beth war by this ensample oold and playn
That nomen telle hir conseil til hir wyves
Of swich thyng as they wolde han secree fayn,
If that it touche hir lymes or hir lyves.
Of hercules, the sovereyn conquerour,
Syngen his werkes laude and heigh renoun;
For in his tyme of strengthe he was the flour.
He slow, and frate the skyn of the leoun;
He of centauros leyde the boost adoun;
He arpies slow, the crueel bryddes felle;
He golden apples rafte of the dragoun;
He drow out cerberus, the hound of helle;
He slow the crueel tyrant busirus,
And made his hors to frete hem, flessh and boon;
He slow the firy serpent venymus;
Of acheloys two hornes he brak oon;
And he slow cacus in a cave of stoon;
He slow the geant antheus the stronge;
He slow the grisly boor, and that anon;
And bar the hevene on his nekke longe.
Was nevere wight, sith that this world bigan,
That slow so manye monstres as dide he.
Thurghout this wyde world his name ran,
What for his strengthe and for his heigh bountee,
And every reawme wente he for to see.
He was so stoong that no man myghte hym lette.
At bothe the worldes endes, seith trophee,
In stide of boundes he a pileer sette.
A lemman hadde this noble champioun,
That highte dianira, fressh as may;
And as thise clerkes maken mencioun,
She hath hym sent a sherte, fressh and gay.
Allas! this sherte, allas and weylaway!
Envenymed was so subtilly withalle,
That er that he had wered it half a day,
It made his flessh al from his bones falle.
But nathelees somme clerkes hire excusen
By oon that highte nessus, that it maked.
Be as be may, I wol hire noght accusen;
But on his bak this sherte he wered naked,
Til that his flessh was for the venym blaked.
And whan he saugh noon oother remedye,
In hoote coles he hath hymselven raked,
For with no venym deigned hym to dye.
Thus starf this worthy, myghty hercules.
Lo, who may truste on fortune and throwe?
For hym that folweth al this world of prees,
Er he be war, is ofte yleyd ful lowe.
Ful wys is he that kan hymselven knowe!
Beth war, for whan that fortune list to glose,
Thanne wayteth she her man to overthrowe
By swich a wey as he wolde leest suppose.
The myghty trone, the precious tresor,
The glorious ceptre, and roial magestee
That hadde the kyng nabugodonosor
With tonge unnethe may discryved bee.
He twyes wan jerusalem the citee;
The vessel of the temple he with hym ladde.
At babiloigne was his sovereyn see,
In which his glorie and his delit he hadde.
The faireste children of the blood roial
Of israel he leet do gelde anoon,
And maked ech of hem to been his thral.
Amonges othere daniel was oon,
That was the wiseste child of everychon;
For he the dremes of the kyng expowned,
Whereas in chaldeye clerk ne was ther noon
That wiste to what fyn his dremes sowned.
This proude kyng leet maken a statue of gold,
Sixty cubites long and sevene in brede;
To which ymage bothe yong and oold
Comanded he to loute, and have in drede,
Or in a fourneys, ful of flambes rede,
He shal be brent that wolde noght obeye.
But nevere wolde assente to that dede
Daniel, ne his yonge felawes tweye.
This kyng of kynges proud was and elaat;
He wente that god, that sit in magestee,
Ne myghte hym nat bireve of his estaat.
But sodeynly he loste his dignytee,
And lyk a beest hym semed for to bee,
And eet hey as an oxe, and lay theroute
In reyn; with wilde beestes walked hee,
Til certein tyme was ycome aboute.
And lik an egles fetheres wax his heres;
His nayles lyk a briddes clawes weere;
Til God relessed hym a certeyn yeres,
And yaf hym wit, and thanne with many a teere
He thanked god, and evere his lyf in feere
Was he to doon amys or moore trespace;
And til that tyme he leyd was on his beere,
He knew that God was ful of myght and grace.
His sone, which that highte balthasar,
That heeld the regne after his fader day,
He by his fader koude noght be war,
For proud he was of herte and of array;
And eek an ydolastre was he ay.
His hye estaat assured hym in pryde;
But fortune caste hym doun, and ther he lay,
And sodeynly his regne gan divide.
A feeste he made unto his lordes alle,
Upon a tyme, and bad hem blithe bee;
And thanne his officeres gan he calle:
Gooth, bryngeth forth the vesseles, quod he,
Whiche that my fader in his prosperitee
Out of the temple of jerusalem birafte;
And to oure hye goddes thanke we
Of honour that oure eldres with us lafte.
Hys wyf, his lordes, and his concubynes
Ay dronken, whil hire appetites laste,
Out of thise noble vessels sondry wynes.
And on a wal this kyng his eyen caste,
And saugh an hand, armlees, that wroot ful faste,
For feere if which he quook and siked soore.
This hand, that balthasar so soore agaste,
Wroot mane, techel phares, and namoore.
In all that land magicien was noon
That koude expoune what this lettre mente;
But daniel expowned it anoon,
And seyde, kyng, God to thy fader lente
Glorie and honour, regne, tresour, rente;
And he was proud, and nothyng God ne dradde,
And therfore God greet wreche upon hym sente,
And hym birafte the regne that he hadde.
He was out cast of mannes compaignye;
With asses was his habitacioun,
And eet hey as a beest in weet and drye,
Til that he knew, by grace and by resoun,
That God of hevene hath domynacioun
Over every regne and every creature;
And thanne hadde God of hym compassioun,
And hym restored his regne and his figure.
Eek thou, that art his sone, art proud also,
And knowest alle thise thynges verraily,
And art rebel to god, and art his foo.
Thou drank eek of his vessels boldely;
Thy wyf eek, and thy wenches, synfully
Dronke of the same vessels sondry wynys;
And heryest false goddes cursedly;
Therfore to thee yshapen ful greet pyne ys.
This hand was sent from God that on the wal
Wroot mane, techel, phares, truste me;
Thy regne is doon, thou weyest noght at al.
Dyvyded is thy regne, and it shal be
To medes and to perses yeven, quod he.
And thilke same nyght this kyng was slawe,
And darius occupieth his degree,
Thogh he therto hadde neither right ne lawe.
Lordynges, ensample heerby may ye take
How that in lordshipe is no sikernesse;
For whan fortune wole a man forsake,
She bereth awey his regne and his richesse,
And eek his freendes, bothe moore and lesse.
For what man that hath freendes thurgh fortune,
Mishap wol maken hem enemys, I gesse;
This proverbe is ful sooth and ful commune.
Cenobia, of palymerie queene,
As writen persiens of hir noblesse,
So worthy was in armes and so keene,
That no wight passed hire in hardynesse,
Ne in lynage, ne in oother gentillesse.
Of kynges blood of perce is she descended.
I seye nat that she hadde moost fairnesse,
But of his shap she myghte nat been amended.
From hire childhede I fynde that she fledde
Office of wommen, and to wode she wente,
And many a wolde hertes blood she shedde
With arwes brode that she to hem sente.
She was so swift that she anon hem hente;
And whan that she was elder, she wolde
Leouns, leopardes, and beres al torente,
And in hire armes weelde hem at hir wille.
She dorste wilde beestes dennes seke,
And rennen in the montaignes al the nyght,
And slepen under a bussh, and she koude eke
Wrastlen, by verray force and varray myght,
With any yong man, were he never so wight.
Ther myghte no thyng in hir armes stonde.
She kepte hir maydenhod from every wight;
To no man deigned hire for to be bonde.
But atte laste hir freendes han hire maried
To odenake, a prynce of that contree,
Al were it so that she hem longe taried.
And ye shul understonde how that he
Hadde swiche fantasies as hadde she.
But natheless, whan they were knyt in-feere,
They lyved in joye and in felicitee;
For ech of hem hadde oother lief and deere.
Save o thyng, that she wolde nevere assente,
By no wey, that he sholde by hire lye
But ones, for it was hire pleyn entente
To have a child, the world to multiplye;
And also soone as that she myghte espye
That she was nat with childe with that dede
Thanne wolde she suffre hym doon his fantasye
Eft-soone, and nat but oones, out of drede.
And if she were with childe at thilke cast,
Namoore sholde he pleyen thilke game
Til fully fourty wikes weren past;
Thanne wolde she ones suffre hym do the same.
Al were this odenake wolde or tame,
He gat namoore of hire, for thus she seyde,
It was to wyves lecherie and shame,
In oother caas, if that men with hem pleyde.
Two sones by this odenake hadde she,
The whiche she kepte in verty and lettrure;
But now unto oure tale turne we.
I seye, so worshipful a creature,
And wys therwith, and large with mesure,
So penyble in the werre, and curteis eke,
Ne moore laboure myghte in werre endure,
Was noon, though al this world men sholde seke.
Hir riche array ne myghte nat be told,
As wel in vessel as in hire clothyng.
She was al clad in perree and in gold,
And eek she lafte noght, for noon huntyng,
To have of sondry tonges ful knowyng,
Whan that she leyser hadde; and for to entende
To lerne bookes was al hire likyng,
How she in vertu myghte hir lyf dispende.
And shortly of this storie for to trete,
So doghty was hir housbonde and eek she,
That they conquered manye regnes grete
In the orient, with many a fair citee
Apertanaunt unto the magestee
Of rome, and with strong hond held hem ful faste,
Ne nevere myghte hir foomen doon hem flee,
Ay whil that odenakes dayes laste.
Hir batailles, whoso list hem for to rede,
Agayn spor the kyng and othere mo,
And how that al this proces fil in dede,
Why she conquered, and what title had therto,
And after, of hir meschief and hire wo,
How that she was biseged and ytake, --
Lat hym unto my maister petrak go,
That writ ynough of this, I undertake.
Whan odenake was deed, she myghtily
The regnes heeld, and with hire propre hond
Agayn hir foos she faught so cruelly
That ther nas kyng ne prynce in al that lond
That he nas glad, if he that grace fond,
That she ne wolde upon his lond werreye.
With hire they maden alliance by bond
To been in pees, and lete hire ride and pleye.
The emperour of rome, claudius
Ne hym bifore, the romayn galien,
Ne dorste nevere been so corageus,
Ne noon ermyn, ne noon egipcien,
Ne surrien, ne noon arabyen,
Withinne the feeld that dorste with hire fighte,
Lest that she wolde hem with hir handes slen,
Or with hir meignee putten hem to flighte.
In kynges habit wente hir sones two,
As heires of hir fadres regnes alle,
And hermanno and thymalao
Hir names were, as persiens hem calle.
But ay fortune hath in hire hony galle;
This myghty queene may no while endure.
Fortune out of hir regne made hire falle
To wrecchednesse and to mysaventure.
Aurelian, whan that the governaunce
Of rome cam into his handes tweye,
He shoop upon this queene to doon vengeaunce.
And with his legions he took his weye
Toward cenobie, and shortly for to seye,
He made hire flee, and atte laste hire hente,
And fettred hire, and eek hire children tweye,
And wan the land, and hoom to rome he wente.
Amonges othere thynges that he wan,
Hir chaar, that was with gold wroght and perree,
This grete romayn, this aurelian,
Hath with hym lad, for that men sholde it see.
Biforen his triumphe walketh shee,
With gilte cheynes on hire nekke hangynge.
Coroned was she, as after hir degree,
And ful of perree charged hire clothynge.
Allas, fortune! she that whilom was
Dredeful to kynges and to emperoures,
Now gaureth al the peple on hire, allas!
And she that helmed was in starke stoures,
And wan by force townes stronge and toures,
Shal on hir heed now were a vitremyte;
And she that bar the ceptre ful of floures
Shal bere a distaf, hire cost for to quyte
O noble, o worthy petro, glorie of spayne,
Whom fortune heeld so hye in magestee,
Wel oghten men thy pitous deeth complayne!
Out of thy land thy brother made thee flee,
And after, at a seege, by subtiltee,
Thou were bitraysed and lad unto his tente,
Where as he with his owene hand slow thee,
Succedynge in thy regne and in thy rente.
The feeld of snow, with th' egle of blak therinne,
Caught with the lymrod coloured as the gleede,
He brew this cursednesse and al this synne.
The wikked nest was werker of this nede.
Noght charles olyver, that took ay heede
Of trouthe and honoure, but of armorike
Genylon-olyver, corrupt for meede,
Broghte this worthy kyng in swich a brike.
O worthy petro, kyng of cipre, also,
That alisandre wan by heigh maistrie,
Ful many an hethen wroghtestow ful wo,
Of which thyne owene liges hadde envie,
And for no thyng but for thy chivalrie
They in thy bed han slayn thee by the morwe.
Thus kan fortune hir wheel governe and gye,
And out of joye brynge men to sorwe.
Off melan grete barnabo viscounte,
God of delit, and scourge of lumbardye,
Why sholde I nat thyn infortune acounte,
Sith in estaat thow cloumbe were so hye?
Thy brother sone, that was thy double allye,
For he thy nevew was, and sone-in-lawe,
Withinne his prisoun made thee to dye, --
But why, ne how, noot I that thou were slawe.
Off the erl hugelyn of pyze the langour
Ther may no tonge telle for pitee.
But litel out of pize stant a tour,
In which tour in prisoun put was he,
And with hym been his litel children thre;
The eldest scarsly fyf yeer was of age.
Allas, fortune! it was greet crueltee
Swiche briddes for to putte in swich a cage!
Dampned was he to dyen in that prisoun,
For roger, which that bisshop was of pize,
Hadde on hym maad a fals suggestioun,
Thurgh which the peple gan upon hym rise,
And putten hym to prisoun, in swich wise
As ye han herd, and mete and drynke he hadde
So smal, that wel unnethe it may suffise,
And therwithal it was ful povre and badde.
And on a day bifil that in that hour
Whan that his mete wont was to be broght,
The gayler shette the dores of the tour.
He herde it wel, but he spak right noght,
And in his herte anon ther fil a thoght
That they for hunger wolde doon hym dyen.
Allas! quod he, allas, that I was wroght!
Therwith the teeris fillen from his yen.
His yonge sone, that thre yeer was of age,
Unto hym seyde, fader, why do ye wepe?
Whanne wol the gayler bryngen oure potage?
Is ther no morsel breed that ye do kepe?
I am so hungry that I may nat slepe.
Now wolde God that I myghte slepen evere!
Thanne sholde nat hunger in my wombe crepe;
Ther is no thyng, save breed, that me were levere.
Thus day by day this child bigan to crye,
Til in his fadres barm adoun it lay,
And seyde, farewel, fader, I moot dye!
And kiste his fader, and dyde the same day.
And whan the woful fader deed it say,
For wo his armes two he gan to byte,
And seyde, allas, fortune, and weylaway!
Thy false wheel my wo al may I wyte.
His children wende that it for hunger was
That he his armes gnow, and nat for wo,
And seyde, fader, do nat so, allas!
But rather ete the flessh upon us two.
Oure flessh thou yaf us, take oure flessh us fro,
And ete ynogh, -- right thus they to hym seyde,
And after that, withinne a day or two,
They leyde hem in his lappe adoun and deyde.
Hymself, despeired, eek for hunger starf;
Thus ended is this myghty erl of pize.
From heigh estaat fortune awey hym carf.
Of this tragedie it oghte ynough suffise;
Whoso wol here it in a lenger wise,
Redeth the grete poete of ytaille
That highte dant, for he kan al devyse
Fro point to point, nat o word wol he faille.
Although that nero were as vicius
As any feend that lith ful lowe adoun,
Yet he, as telleth us swetonius,
This wyde world hadde in subjeccioun,
Bothe est and west, (south), and septemtrioun.
Of rubies, saphires, and of peerles white
Were alle his clothes brouded up and doun;
For he in gemmes greetly gan delite.
Moore delicaat, moore pompous of array,
Moore proud was nevere emperour than he;
That like clooth that he hadde wered o day,
After that tyme he nolde it nevere see.
Nettes of gold threed hadde he greet plentee
To fisshe in tybre, whan hym liste pleye.
His lustes were al lawe in his decree,
For fortune as his freend hym wolde obeye.
He rome brende for his delicasie;
The senatours he slow upon a day
To heere how that men wolde wepe and crie;
And slow his brother, and by his suster lay.
His mooder made he in pitous array,
For he hire wombe slitte to biholde
Where he conceyved was; so weilaway!
That he so litel of his mooder tolde.
No teere out of his eyen for that sighte
Ne cam, but seyde, a fair womman was she!
Greet wonder is how that he koude or myghte
Be domesman of hire dede beautee.
The wyn to bryngen hym comanded he,
And drank anon, -- noon oother wo he made.
Whan myght is joyned unto crueltee,
Allas, to depe wol the venym wade!
In yowthe a maister hadde this emperour
To teche hym letterure and curteisye,
For of moralitee he was the flour,
As in his tyme, but if bookes lye;
And whil this maister hadde of hym maistrye,
He maked hym so konnyng and so sowple
That longe tyme it was er tirannye
Or any vice dorste on hym uncowple.
This seneca, of which that I devyse,
By cause nero hadde of hym swich drede,
For he fro vices wolde hym ay chastise
Discreetly, as by word and nat by dede, --
Sire, wolde he seyn, an emperour moot nede
Be vertuous and hate tirannye --
For which he in a bath made hym to blede
On bothe his armes, til he moste dye.
This nero hadde eek of acustumaunce
In youthe agayns his maister for to ryse,
Which afterward hym thoughte a greet grevaunce;
Therefore he made hym dyen in this wise.
But natheless this seneca the wise
Chees in a bath to dye in this manere
Rather than han another tormentise;
And thus hath nero slayn his maister deere.
Now fil it so that fortune liste no lenger
The ye pryde of nero to cherice,
For though that he were strong, yet was she strenger.
She thoughte thus, by god! I am to nyce
To sette a man that is fulfild of vice
In heigh degree, and emperour hym calle.
By god! out of his sete I wol hym trice;
Whan he leest weneth, sonnest shal he falle.
The peple roos upon hym on a nyght
For his defaute, and whan he it espied,
Out of his dores anon he hath hym dight
Allone, and ther he wende han been allied,
He knokked faste, and ay the moore he cried,
The fastere shette they the dores alle.
Tho wiste he wel, he hadde himself mysgyed,
And wente his wey; no lenger dorste he calle.
The peple cried and rombled up and doun,
That with his erys herde he how they seyde,
Shere is this false tiraunt, this neroun?
For fere almoost out of his wit he breyde,
And to his goddes pitously he preyde
For socour, but it myghte nat bityde.
For drede of this, hym thoughte that he deyde,
And ran into a gardyn hym to hyde.
And in this gardyn foond he cherles tweye
That seten by a fyr full greet and reed.
And to thise cherles two he gan to preye
To sleen hym, and to girden of his heed,
That to his body, whan that he were deed,
Were no despit ydoon for his defame.
Hymself he slow, he koude no bettre reed,
Of which fortune lough, and hadde a game.
Was nevere capitayn under a kyng
That regnes mo putte in subjeccioun,
Ne strenger was in feeld of alle thyng,
As in his tyme, ne gretter of renoun,
Ne moore pompous in heigh presumpcioun
Than oloferne, which fortune ay kiste
So likerously, and ladde hym up and doun,
Til that his heed was of, er that he wiste.
Nat oonly that this world hadde hym in awe
For lesynge of richesse or libertee,
But he made every man reneyen his lawe.
Nabugodonosor was god, seyde hee;
Noon oother God sholde adoured bee.
Agayns his heeste no wight dar trespace,
Save in bethulia, a strong citee,
Where eliachim a preest was of that place.
But taak kep of the deth of oloferne:
Amydde his hoost he dronke lay a-nyght,
Withinne his tente, large as is a berne,
And yet, for al his pompe and al his myght,
Judith, a womman, as he lay upright
Slepynge, his heed of smoot, and from his tente
Ful pryvely she stal from every wight,
And with his heed unto hir toun she wente.
What nedeth it of kyng anthiochus
To telle his hye roial magestee,
His hye pride, his werkes venymus?
For swich another was ther noon as he.
Rede which that he was in machabee,
And rede the proude wordes that he seyde,
And why he fil fro heigh prosperitee,
And in an hill how wrecchedly he deyde.
Fortune hym hadde enhaunced so in pride
That verraily he wende he myghte attayne
Unto the sterres upon every syde,
And in balance weyen ech montayne,
And alle the floodes of the see restrayne.
And goddes peple hadde he moost in hate;
Hem wolde he sleen in torment and in payne,
Wenynge that God ne myghte his pride abate.
And for that nichanore and thymothee
Of jewes weren venquysshed myghtily,
Unto the jewes swich an hate hadde he
That he bad greithen his chaar ful hastily,
And swoor, and seyde ful despitously
Unto jerusalem he wolde eftsoone,
To wreken his ire on it ful cruelly;
But of his purpos he was let ful soone.
God for his manace hym so soore smoot
With invisible wounde, ay incurable,
That in his guttes carf it so and boot
That his peynes weren importable.
And certeinly the wreche was resonable,
For many a mannes guttes dide he peyne.
But from his purpos cursed and dampnable,
For al his smert, he wolde hym nat restreyne,
But bad anon apparaillen his hoost;
And sodeynly, er he was of it war,
God daunted al his pride and al his boost.
For he so soore fil out of his char
That it his limes and his skyn totar,
So that he neyther myghte go ne ryde,
But in a chayer men aboute hym bar,
Al forbrused, bothe bak and syde.
The wreche of God hym smoot so cruelly
That thurgh his body wikked wormes crepte,
And therwithal he stank so horribly
That noon of al his meynee that hym kepte,
Theither so he wook, or ellis slepte,
Ne myghte noght the stynk of hym endure.
In this meschief he wayled and eek wepte,
And knew God lord of every creature.
To al his hoost and to hymself also
Ful wlatsom was the stynk of his careyne;
No man ne myghte hym bere to ne fro.
And in this stynk and this horrible peyne,
He starf ful wrecchedly in a monteyne.
Thus hath this robbour and this homycide,
That many a man made to wepe and pleyne,
Swich gerdoun as bilongeth unto pryde.
The storie of alisaundre is so commune
That every wight that hath discrecioun
Hath herd somwhat or al of his fortune.
This wyde world, as in conclusioun,
He wan by strengthe, or for his hye renoun
They weren glad for pees unto hym sende.
The pride of man and beest he leyde adoun,
Wherso he cam, unto the worldes ende.
Comparisoun myghte nevere yet maked
Bitwixe hym and another conquerour;
For al this world for drede of hym hath quaked.
He was of knyghthod and of fredom flour;
Fortune hym made the heir of hire honour.
Save wyn and wommen, no thing myghte aswage
His hye entente in armes and labour,
So was he ful of leonyn corage.
What pris were it to hym, though I yow tolde
Of darius, and an hundred thousand mo
Of kynges, prices, dukes, erles bolde
Whiche he conquered, and broghte hem into wo?
I seye, as fer as man may ryde or go,
The world was his, -- what sholde I moore devyse?
For though I write or tolde yow everemo
Of his knyghthod, it myghte nat suffise.
Twelf yeer he regned, as seith machabee.
Philippes sone of macidoyne he was,
That first was kyng in grece the contree.
O worthy, gentil alisandre, allas,
That evere sholde fallen swich a cas!
Empoysoned of thyn owene folk thou weere;
Thy sys fortune hath turned into aas,
And yet for thee ne weep she never a teere.
Who shal me yeven teeris to compleyne
The deeth of gentillesse and of franchise,
That al the world weelded in his demeyne,
And yet hym thoughte it myghte nat suffise?
So ful was his corage of heigh emprise.
Allas! who shal me helpe to endite
False fortune, and poyson to despise,
The whiche two of al this wo I wyte?
By wisedom, manhede, and by greet labour,
From humble bed to roial magestee
Up roos he julius, the conquerour,
That wan al th' occident by land and see,
By strengthe of hand, or elles by tretee,
And unto rome made hem tributarie;
And sitthe of rome the emperour was he,
Til that fortune weex his adversarie.
O myghty cesar, that in thessalie
Agayn pompeus, fader thyn in lawe,
That of the orient hadde al the chivalrie
As fer as that the day bigynneth dawe,
Thou thurgh thy knyghthod hast hem take and slawe,
Save fewe folk that with pompeus fledde,
Thurgh which thou puttest al th' orient in awe.
Thanke fortune, that so wel thee spedde!
But now a litel while I wol biwaille
This pompeus, this noble governour
Of rome, which that fleigh at this bataille.
I seye, oon of his men, a fals traitour,
His heed of smoot, to wynnen hym favour
Of julius, and hym the heed he broghte.
Allas, pompeye, of th' orient conquerour,
That fortune unto swich a fyn thee broghte!
To rome agayn repaireth julius
With his triumphe, lauriat ful hey;
But on a tyme brutus cassius,
That evere hadde of his hye estaat envye,
Ful prively hath maad conspiracye
Agayns this julius in subtil wise,
And caste the place in which he sholde dye
With boydekyns, as I shal yow devyse.
This julius to the capitolie wente
Upon a day, as he was wont to goon,
And in the capitolie anon hym hente
This false brutus and his othere foon,
And stiked hym with boydekyns anoon
With many a wounde, and thus they lete hym lye;
But nevere gronte he at no strook but oon,
Or elles at two, but if his storie lye.
So manly was this julius of herte,
And so wel lovede estaatly honestee,
That though his deedly woundes soore smerte,
His mantel over his hypes caste he,
For no man sholde seen his privetee;
And he lay of diyng in a traunce,
And wiste verraily that deed was hee,
Of honestee yet hadde he remembraunce.
Lucan, to thee this storie I recomende,
And to swetoun, and to valerie also,
That of this storie writen word and ende,
How that to thise grete conqueroures two
Fortune was first freend, and sitthe foo.
No man ne truste upon hire favour longe,
But have hire in awayt for everemoo;
Witnesse on alle thise conqueroures stronge.
This riche cresus, whilom kyng of lyde,
Of which cresus cirus soore hym dradde,
Yet was he caught amyddes al his pryde,
And to be brent men to the fyr hym ladde.
But swich a reyn doun fro the welkne shadde
That slow the fyr, and made hym to escape;
But to be war no grace yet he hadde,
Til fortune on the galwes made hym gape.
Whanne he escaped was, he kan nat stente
For to bigynne a newe werre agayn.
He wende wel, for that fortune hym sente
Swich hap that he escaped thurgh the rayn,
That of his foos he myghte nat be slayn;
And eek a sweven upon a nyght he mette,
Of which he was so proud and eek so fayn
That in vengeance he al his herte sette.
Upon a tree he was, as that hym thoughte,
Ther juppiter hym wessh, bothe bak and syde,
And phebus eek a fair towaille hym broughte
To dryen hym with; and therfore was his pryde,
And to his doghter, that stood hym bisyde,
Which that he knew in heigh sentence habounde,
He bad hire telle hym what it signyfyde,
And she his dreem bigan right thus expounde:
The tree, quod she, the galwes is to meene,
And juppiter bitokneth snow and reyn,
And phebus, with his towaille so clene,
Tho been the sonne stremes for to seyn.
Thou shalt anhanged be, fader, certeyn;
Reyn shal thee wasshe, and sonne shal thee drye.
Thus warned hym ful plat and eek ful pleyn
His doghter, which that called was phanye.
Anhanged was cresus, the proude kyng;
His roial trone myghte hym nat availle.
Tragedies noon oother maner thyng
Ne kan in syngyng crie ne biwaille
But that fortune alwey wole assaille
With unwar strook the regnes that been proude;
For whan men trusteth hire, thanne wol she faille,
And covere hire brighte face with a clowde.

The Knight's Interruption of the Monk's Tale

Hoo! quod the knyght, good sire, namoore of this!
That ye han seyd is right ynough, ywis,
And muchel moore; for litel hevynesse
Is right ynough to muche folk, I gesse.
I seye for me, it is a greet disese,
Whereas men han been in greet welthe and ese,
To heeren of hire sodeyn fal, allas!
And the contrarie is joye and greet solas,
As whan a man hath been in povre estaat,
And clymbeth up and wexeth fortunat,
And there abideth in prosperitee.
Swich thyng is gladsom, as it thynketh me,
And of swich thyng were goodly for to telle.
Ye, quod oure hooste, by seint poules belle!
Ye seye right sooth; this monk he clappeth lowde.
He spak how fortune covered with a clowde
I noot nevere what; and als of a tragedie
Right now ye herde, and, pardee, no remedie
It is for to biwaille ne compleyne
That that is doon, and als it is a peyne,
As ye han seyd, to heere of hevynesse.
Sire monk, namoore of this, so God yow blesse!
Youre tale anoyeth al this compaignye.
Swich talkyng is nat worth a boterflye,
For therinne is ther no desport ne game.
Wherfore, sire monk, or daun piers by youre name,
I pray yow hertely telle us somwhat elles;
For sikerly, nere clunkyng of youre belles,
That on youre bridel hange on every syde,
By hevene kyng, that for us alle dyde,
I sholde er this han fallen doun for sleep,
Althogh the slough had never been so deep;
Thanne hadde your tale al be toold in veyn.
For certeinly, as that thise clerkes seyn,
Whereas a man may have noon audience,
Noght helpeth it to tellen his sentence.
And wel I woot the substance is in me,
If any thyng shal wel reported be.
Sir, sey somwhat of huntyng, I yow preye.
Nay, quod this monk, I have no lust to pleye.
Now lat another telle, as I have toold.
Thanne spak oure hoost with rude speche and boold,
And seyde unto the nonnes preest anon,
Com neer, thou preest, com hyder, thou sir john!
Telle us swich thyng as may oure hertes glade.
Be blithe, though thou ryde upon a jade.
What thogh thyn hors be bothe foul and lene?
If he wol serve thee, rekke nat a bene.
Looke that thyn herte be murie everemo.
Yis, sir, quod he, yis, hoost, so moot I go,
But I be myrie, ywis I wol be blamed.
And right anon his tale he hath attamed,
And thus he seyde unto us everichon,
This sweete preest, this goodly man sir john.

The Nun's Priest's Tale

A povre wydwe, somdeel stape in age
Was whilom dwellyng in a narwe cotage,
Biside a grove, stondynge in a dale.
This wydwe, of which I telle yow my tale,
Syn thilke day that she was last a wyf,
In pacience ladde a ful symple lyf,
For litel was hir catel and hir rente.
By housbondrie of swich as God hire sente
She foond hirself and eek hir doghtren two.
Thre large sowes hadde she, and namo,
Three keen, and eek a sheep that highte malle.
Ful sooty was hire bour and eek hir halle,
In which she eet ful many a sklendre meel.
Of poynaunt sauce hir neded never a deel.
No deyntee morsel passed thurgh hir throte;
Hir diete was accordant to hir cote.
Repleccioun ne made hire nevere sik;
Attempree diete was al hir phisik,
And exercise, and hertes suffisaunce.
The goute lette hire nothyng for to daunce,
N' apoplexie shente nat hir heed.
No wyn ne drank she, neither whit ne reed;
Hir bord was served moost with whit and blak, --
Milk and broun breed, in which she foond no lak,
Seynd bacoun, and somtyme an ey or tweye;
For she was, as it were, a maner deye.
A yeerd she hadde, enclosed al aboute
With stikkes, and a drye dych withoute,
In which she hadde a cok, hight chauntecleer.
In al the land, of crowyng nas his peer.
His voys was murier than the murie orgon
On messe-dayes that in the chirche gon.
Wel sikerer was his crowyng in his logge
Than is a clokke or an abbey orlogge.
By nature he knew ech ascencioun
Of the equynoxial in thilke toun;
For whan degrees fiftene weren ascended,
Thanne crew he, that it myghte nat been amended.
His coomb was redder than the fyn coral,
And batailled as it were a castel wal;
His byle was blak, and as the jeet it shoon;
Lyk asure were his legges and his toon;
His nayles whitter than the lylye flour,
And lyk the burned gold was his colour.
This gentil cok hadde in his governaunce
Sevene hennes for to doon al his plesaunce,
Whiche were his sustres and his paramours,
And wonder lyk to hym, as of colours;
Of whiche the faireste hewed on hir throte
Was cleped faire damoysele pertelote.
Curteys she was, discreet, and debonaire,
And compaignable, and bar hyrself so faire,
Syn thilke day that she was seven nyght oold,
That trewely she hath the herte in hoold
Of chauntecleer, loken in every lith;
He loved hire so that wel was hym therwith.
But swich a joye was it to here hem synge,
Whan that the brighte sonne gan to sprynge,
In sweete accord, my lief is faren in londe!
For thilke tyme, as I have understonde,
Beestes and briddes koude speke and synge.
And so bifel that in a dawenynge,
As chauntecleer among his wyves alle
Sat on his perche, that was in the halle,
And next hym sat this faire pertelote,
This chauntecleer gan gronen in his throte,
As man that in his dreem is drecched soore.
And whan that pertelote thus herde hym roore,
She was agast, and seyde, herte deere,
What eyleth yow, to grone in this manere?
Ye been a verray sleper; fy, for shame!
And he answerde, and seyde thus: madame,
I pray yow that ye take it nat agrief.
By god, me mette I was in swich meschief
Right now, that yet myn herte is soore afright.
Now god, quod he, my swevene recche aright,
And kepe my body out of foul prisoun!
Me mette how that I romed up and doun
Withinne our yeerd, wheer as I saugh a beest
Was lyk an hound, and wolde han maad areest
Upon my body, and wolde han had me deed.
His colour was bitwixe yelow and reed,
And tipped was his tayl and bothe his eeris
With blak, unlyk the remenant of his heeris;
His snowte smal, with glowynge eyen tweye.
Yet of his look for feere almoost I deye;
This caused me my gronyng, doutelees.
Avoy! quod she, fy on yow, hertelees!
Allas! quod she, for, by that God above,
Now han ye lost myn herte and al my love.
I kan nat love a coward, by my feith!
For certes, what so any womman seith,
We alle desiren, if it myghte bee,
To han housbondes hardy, wise, and free,
And secree, and no nygard, ne no fool,
Ne hym that is agast of every tool,
Ne noon avauntour, by that God above!
How dorste ye seyn, for shame, unto youre love
That any thyng myghte make yow aferd?
Have ye no mannes herte, and han a berd?
Allas! and konne ye been agast of swevenys?
Nothyng, God woot, but vanitee in sweven is.
Swevenes engendren of replecciouns,
And ofte of fume and of complecciouns,
Whan humours been to habundant in a wight.
Certes this dreem, which ye han met to-nyght,
Cometh of the greete superfluytee
Of youre rede colera, pardee,
Which causeth folk to dreden in hir dremes
Of arwes, and of fyr with rede lemes,
Of rede beestes, that they wol hem byte,
Of contek, and of whelpes, grete and lyte;
Right as the humour of malencolie
Causeth ful many a man in sleep to crie
For feere of blake beres, or boles blake,
Or elles blake develes wole hem take.
Of othere humours koude I telle also
That werken many a man sleep ful wo;
But I wol passe as lightly as I kan.
Lo catoun, which that was so wys a man,
Seyde he nat thus, -- ne do no fors of dremes? --
Now sire, quod she, whan we flee for the bemes,
For goddes love, as taak som laxatyf.
Up peril of my soule and of my lyf,
I conseille yow the beste, I wol nat lye,
That bothe of colere and of malencolye
Ye purge yow; and for ye shal nat tarie,
Though in this toun is noon apothecarie,
I shal myself to gerbes techen yow
That shul been for youre hele and for youre prow;
And in oure yeerd tho herbes shal I fynde
The whiche han of hire propretee by kynde
To purge yow bynethe and eek above.
Foryet nat this, for goddes owene love!
Ye been ful coleryk of compleccioun;
Ware the sonne in his ascencioun
Ne fynde yow nat repleet of humours hoote.
And if it do, I dar wel leye a grote,
That ye shul have a fevere tercaine,
Of an agu, that may be youre bane.
A day or two ye shul have digestyves
Of wormes, er ye take youre laxatyves
Of lawriol, centaure, and fumetere,
Or elles of ellebor, that groweth there,
Of katapuce, or of gaitrys beryis,
Of herbe yve, growyng in oure yeerd, ther mery is;
Pekke hem up right as they growe and ete hem yn.
By myrie, housbonde, for youre fader kyn~
Dredeth no dreem, I kan sey yow namoore.
Madame, quod he, graunt mercy of youre loore.
But nathelees, as touchyng daun catoun,
That hath of wysdom swich a greet renoun,
Though that he bad no dremes for to drede,
By god, men may in olde bookes rede
Of many a man moore of auctorite
Than evere caton was, so moot I thee,
That al the revers seyn of this sentence,
And han wel founden by experience
That dremes been significaciouns
As wel of joye as of tribulaciouns
That folk enduren in this lif present.
Ther nedeth make of this noon argument;
The verray preeve sheweth it in dede.
Oon of the gretteste auctour that men rede
Seith thus: that whilom two felawes wente
On pilgrimage, in a ful good entente;
And happed so, yhey coomen in a toun
Wher as ther was swich congregacioun
Of peple, and eek so streit of herbergage,
That they ne founde as muche as cotage
In which they bothe myghte ylogged bee.
Wherfore they mosten of necessitee,
As for that nyght,departen compaignye;
And ech of hem gooth to his hostelrye,
And took his loggyng as it wolde falle.
That oon of hem was logged in a stalle,
Fer in a yeerd, with oxen of the plough;
That oother man was logged wel ynough,
As was his aventure or his fortune,
That us governeth alle as in commune.
And so bifel that, longe er it were day,
This man mette in his bed, ther as he lay
How that his felawe gan upon hym calle,
And seyde,, -- allas! for in an oxes stalle
This nyght I shal be mordred ther I lye.
Now help me,deere brother, or I dye.
In alle haste com to me! -- he sayde.
This man out of his sleep for feere abrayde;
But whan that he was wakened of this sleep,
He turned hym, and took of this no keep.
Hym thoughte his dreem nas but a vanitte.
Thus twies in his slepyng dremed hee;
And atte thridde tyme yet his felawe
Cam, as hym thoughte, and seide, -- I am now slawe.
Bihood my bloody woundes depe and wyde!
Arys up erly in the morwe tyde,
And at the west gate of the toun, -- quod he,
-- A carte ful of dong ther shaltow se,
In which my body is hid ful prively;
Do thilke carte arresten boldely.
My gold caused my mordre, sooth to sayn.,
And tolde hym every point how he was slayn,
With a ful pitous face, pale of hewe.
And truste wel, his dreem he foond ful trewe,
For on the morwe, as soone as it was day,
To his felawes in he took the way;
And whan that he cam to his oxes stalle,
After his felawe he bigan to calle.
The hostiler answerede hym anon,
And seyde,,sire, your felawe is agon.
As soone as day he wente out of the toun.,
This man gan fallen suspecioun,
Remembrynge on his dremes that he mette,
And forth he gooth no lenger wolde he lette
Unto the west gate of the toun, and fond
A dong carte, wente as it were to donge lond,
That was arrayed in that same wise
As ye han herd the dede man devyse.
And with an hardy herte he gan to crye
Vengeance and justice of this felonye.
My felawe mordred is this same nyght,
And in this carte he lith gapyng upright.
I crye out on the ministres, -- quod he,
-- That sholden kepe and reulen this citee.
Harrow! allas! heere lith my felawe slayn! --
What sholde I moore unto this tale sayn?
The peple out sterte and caste the cart to grounde,
And in the myddel of the dong they founde
The dede man, that mordred was al newe.
O blisful god, that art so just and trewe,
Lo, how that thou biwryest mordre alway!
Mordre wol out, that se we day by day.
Mordre is so wlatsom and abhomynable
To god, that is so just and resonable,
That he ne wol nat suffre it heled be,
Though it abyde a yeer, or two, or thre.
Mordre wol out, this my conclusioun.
And right anon, ministres of that toun
Han hent the carter and so soore hym pyned,
And eek the hostiler so soore engyned,
That they biknewe hire wikkednesse anon,
And were anhanged by the nekke bon.
Heere may men seen that dremes been to drede.
And certes in the same book I rede,
Right in the nexte chapitre after this
I gabbe nat, so have I joye or blis
Two men that wolde han passed over see,
For certeyn cause, into a fer contree,
If that the wynd ne hadde been contrarie,
That made hem in a citee for to tarie
That stood ful myrie upon an haven-syde;
But on a day, agayn the even-tyde,
The wynd gan chaunge, and blew right as hem leste.
Jolif and glad they wente unto hir reste,
And casten hem ful erly for to saille.
But to that o man fil a greet mervaille:
That oon of hem,in slepyng as he lay,
Hym mette a wonder dreem agayn the day.
Hym thoughte a man stood by his beddes syde,
And hym comanded that he sholde abyde,
And seyde hym thus: -- if thou tomorwe wende,
Thow shalt be dreynt; my tale is at an ende.
He wook, and tolde his felawe what he mette,
And preyde hym his viage for to lette;
As for that day, he preyde hym to byde.
His felawe, that lay by his beddes syde,
Gan for to laughe, and scorned him ful faste.
-- no dreem, -- quod he, -- may so myn herte agaste
That I wol lette for to do my thynges.
I sette nat a straw by thy dremynges,
For swevenes been but vantees and japes.
Men dreme alday of owles and of apes,
And eek of many a maze therwithal;
Men dreme of thyng that nevere was ne shal.
But sith I see that thou wolt heere abyde,
And thus forslewthen wilfully thy tyde,
God woot, it reweth me; and have good day! --
And thus he took his leve, and wente his way.
But er that he hadde half his cours yseyled,
Noot I nat why, ne what myschaunce it eyled,
But casuelly the shippes botme rente,
And ship and man under the water wente
In sighte of othere shippes it bisyde,
That with hem seyled at the same tyde.
And therfore, faire pertelote so deere,
By swiche ensamples olde maistow leere
That no man sholde been to recchelees
Of dremes; for I seye thee, doutelees,
That many a dreem ful soore is for to drede.
Lo, in the lyf of seint kenelm I rede,
That was kenulphus sone, the noble kyng
Of mercenrike, how kenelm mette a thyng.
A lite er he was mordred, on a day,
His mordre in his avysioun he say.
His norice hym expowned every deel
His sweven, and bad hym for to kepe hym weel
For traisoun; but he nas but seven yeer oold,
And therfore lite tale hath he toold
Of any dreem, so hooly was his herte.
By god! I hadde levere than my sherte
That ye hadde rad his legende, as have I.
Dame pertelote, I sey yow trewely,
Macrobeus, that writ the avisioun
In affrike of the worthy cipioun,
Affermeth dremes, and seith that they been
Warnynge of thynges that men after seen.
And forthermoore, I pray yow, looketh wel
In the olde testament, of daniel,
If he heeld dremes any vanitee.
Reed eek of joseph, and ther shul ye see
Wher dremes be somtyme -- I sey nat alle --
Warnynge of thynges that shul after falle.
Looke of egipte the kyng, daun pharao,
His bakere and his butiller also,
Wher they ne felte noon effect in dremes.
Whoso wol seken actes of sondry remes
May rede of dremes many a wonder thyng.
Lo cresus, which that was of lyde kyng,
Mette he nat that he sat upon a tree,
Which signified he sholde anhanged bee?
Lo heere andromacha, ectores wyf,
That day that ector sholde lese his lyf,
She dremed on the same nyght biforn
How that the lyf of ector sholde be lorn,
If thilke day he wente into bataille.
She warned hym, but it myghte nat availle;
He wente for to fighte natheles,
But he was slayn anon of achilles.
But thilke tale is al to longe to telle,
And eek it is ny day, I may nat dwelle.
Shortly I seye, as for conclusioun,
That I shal han of this avisioun
Adversitee; and I seye forthermoor,
That I ne telle of laxatyves no stoor,
For they been venymous, I woot it weel;
I hem diffye, I love hem never a deel!
Now let us speke of myrthe, and stynte al this.
Madame pertelote, so have I blis,
Of o thyng God hath sent me large grace;
For whan I se the beautee of youre face,
Ye been so scarlet reed aboute youre yen,
It maketh al my drede for to dyen;
For al so siker as in principio,
Mulier est hominis confusio, --
Madame, the sentence of this latyn is,
-- womman is mannes joye and al his blis. --
For whan I feele a-nyght your softe syde,
Al be it that I may nat on yow ryde,
For that oure perche is maad so narwe, allas!
I am so ful of joye and of solas,
That I diffye bothe sweven and dreem.
And with that word he fley doun fro the beem,
For it was day, and eke his hennes alle,
And with a chuk he gan hem for to calle,
For he hadde founde a corn, lay in the yerd.
Real he was, he was namoore aferd.
He fethered pertelote twenty tyme,
And trad hire eke as ofte, er it was pryme.
He looketh as it were a grym leoun,
And on his toos he rometh up and doun;
Hym deigned nat to sette his foot to grounde.
He chukketh whan he hath a corn yfounde,
And to hym rennen thanne his wyves alle.
Thus roial, as a prince is in his halle,
Leve I this chauntecleer in his pasture,
And after wol I telle his aventure.
Whan that the month in which the world bigan,
That highte march, whan God first maked man,
Was compleet, and passed were also,
Syn march bigan, thritty dayes and two,
Bifel that chauntecleer in al his pryde,
His sevene wyves walkynge by his syde,
Caste up his eyen to the brighte sonne,
That in the signe of taurus hadde yronne
Twenty degrees and oon, and somwhat moore,
And knew by kynde, and by noon oother loore,
That it was pryme, and crew with blisful stevene.
The sonne, he seyde, is clomben up on-evene
Fourty degrees and oon, and moore ywis.
Madame pertelote, my worldes blis,
Herkneth thise blisful briddes how they synge,
And se the fresshe floures how they sprynge;
Ful is myn herte of revel and solas!
But sodeynly hym fil a sorweful cas,
For evere the latter ende of joye is wo.
God woot that worldly joye is soone ago;
And if a rethor koude faire endite,
He in a cronycle saufly myghte it write
As for a sovereyn notabilitee.
Now every wys man, lat him herkne me;
This storie is also trewe, I undertake,
As is the book of launcelot de lake,
That wommen holde in ful greet reverence.
Now wol I torne agayn to my sentence.
A col-fox, ful of sly iniquitee,
That in th grove hadde woned yeres three,
By heigh ymaginacioun forncast,
The same nyght thurghout the hegges brast
Into the yerd ther chauntecleer the faire
Was wont, and eek his wyves, to repaire;
And in a bed of wortes stille he lay,
Til it was passed undren of the day,
Waitynge his tyme on chauntecleer to falle,
As gladly doon thise homycides alle
That in await liggen to mordre men.
O false mordrour, lurkynge in thy den!
O newe scariot, newe genylon,
False dissymulour, o greek synon,
That broghtest troye al outrely to sorwe!
O chauntecleer, acursed be that morwe
That thou into that yerd flaugh fro the bemes!
Thou were ful wel ywarned by thy dremes
That thilke day was perilous to thee;
But what that God forwoot moot nedes bee,
After the opinioun of certein clerkis.
Witnesse on hym that any parfit clerk is,
That in scole is greet altercacioun
In this mateere, and greet disputisoun,
And hath been of an hundred thousand men.
But I ne kan nat bulte it to the bren
As kan the hooly doctour augustyn,
Or boece, or the bisshop bradwardyn,
Wheither that goddes worthy forwityng
Streyneth me nedely for to doon a thyng, --
Nedely clepe I symple necessitee;
Or elles, if free choys be graunted me
To do that same thyng, or do it noght,
Though God forwoot it er that was wroght;
Or if his wityng streyneth never a deel
But by necessitee condicioneel.
I wol nat han to do of swich mateere;
My tale is of a cok, as ye may heere,
That tok his conseil of his wyf, with sorwe,
To walken in the yerd upon that morwe
That he hadde met that dreem that I yow tolde.
Wommennes conseils been ful ofte colde;
Wommannes conseil broghte us first to wo,
And made adam fro paradys to go,
Ther as he was ful myrie and wel at ese.
But for I noot to whom it myght displese,
If I conseil of wommen wolde blame,
Passe over, for I seyde it in my game.
Rede auctours, where they trete of swich mateere,
And what they seyn of wommen ye may heere.
Thise been the cokkes wordes, and nat myne;
I kan noon harm of no womman divyne.
Faire in the soond, to bathe hire myrily,
Lith pertelote, and alle hire sustres by,
Agayn the sonne, and chauntecleer so free
Soong murier than the mermayde in the see;
For phisiologus seith sikerly
How that they syngen wel and myrily.
And so bifel that, as he caste his ye
Among the wortes on a boterflye,
He was war of this fox, that lay ful lowe.
Nothyng ne liste hym thanne for to crowe,
But cride anon, cok! cok! and up he sterte
As man that was affrayed in his herte.
For natureelly a beest desireth flee
Fro his contrarie, if he may it see,
Though he never erst hadde seyn it with his ye.
This chauntecleer, whan he gan hym espye,
He wolde han fled, but that the fox anon
Seyde, gentil sire, allas! wher wol ye gon?
Be ye affrayed of me that am youre freend?
Now, certes, I were worse than a feend,
If I to yow wolde harm or vileynye!
I am nat come youre conseil for t' espye,
But trewely, the cause of my comynge
Was oonly for to herkne how that ye synge.
For trewely, ye have as myrie a stevene
As any aungel hath that is in hevene.
Therwith ye han in musyk moore feelynge
Than hadde boece, or any that kan synge.
My lord youre fader -- God his soule blesse! --
And eek youre mooder, of hire gentillesse,
Han in myn hous ybeen to my greet ese;
And certes, sire, ful fayn wolde I yow plese.
But, for men speke of syngyng, I wol seye, --
So moote I brouke wel myne eyen tweye, --
Save yow, I herde nevere man so synge
As dide youre fader in the morwenynge.
Certes, it was of herte, al that he song.
And for to make his voys the moore strong,
He wolde so peyne hym that with bothe his yen
He moste wynke, so loude he wolde cryen,
And stonden on his tiptoon therwithal,
And strecche forth his nekke long and smal.
And eek he was of swich descrecioun
That ther nas no man in no regioun
That hym in song or wisedom myghte passe.
I have wel rad in -- daun burnel the asse --,
Among his vers, how that ther was a cok,
For that a preestes sone yaf hym a knok
Upon his leg whil he was yong and nyce,
He made hym for to lese his benefice.
But certeyn, ther nys no comparisoun
Bitwixe the wisedom and discrecioun
Of youre fader and of his subtiltee.
Now syngeth, sire, for seinte charitee;
Lat se, konne ye youre fader countrefete?
This chauntecleer his wynges gan to bete,
As man that koude his traysoun nat espie,
So was he ravysshed with his flaterie.
Allas! ye lordes, many a fals flatour
Is in youre courtes, and many a losengeour,
That plesen yow wel moore, by my feith,
Than he that soothfastnesse unto yow seith.
Redeth ecclesiaste of flaterye;
Beth war, ye lordes, of hir trecherye.
This chauntecleer stoond hye upon his toos,
Strecchynge his nekke, and heeld his eyen cloos,
And gan to crowe loude for the nones.
And daun russell the fox stirte up atones,
And by the gargat hente chauntecleer,
And on his bak toward the wode hym beer,
For yet ne was ther no man that hym sewed.
O destinee, that mayst nat been eschewed!
Allas, that chauntecleer fleigh fro the bemes!
Allas, his wyf ne roghte nat of dremes!
And on a friday fil al this meschaunce.
 o venus, that art goddesse of plesaumce,
Syn that thy servant was this chauntecleer,
And in thy servyce dide al his poweer,
Moore for delit than world to multiplye,
Why woldestow suffre hym on thy day to dye?
O gaufred, deere maister soverayn,
That whan thy worthy kyng richard was slayn
With shot, compleynedest his deeth so soore,
Why ne hadde I now thy sentence and thy loore,
The friday for to chide, as diden ye?
For on a friday, soothly, slayn was he.
Thanne wolde I shewe yow how that I koude pleyne
For chauntecleres drede and for his peyne.
Certes, swich cry ne lamentacion,
Was nevere of ladyes maad whan ylion
Was wonne, and pirrus with his streite swerd,
Whan he hadde hent kyng priam by the berd,
And slayn hym, as seith us eneydos,
As maden alle the hennes in the clos,
Whan they had seyn of chauntecleer the sighte.
But sovereynly dame pertelote shrighte
Ful louder than dide hasdrubales wyf,
Whan that hir housbonde hadde lost his lyf,
And that the romayns hadde brend cartage.
She was so ful of torment and of rage
That wilfully into the fyr she sterte,
And brende hirselven with a stedefast herte.
O woful hennes, right so criden ye,
As, whan that nero brende the citee
Of rome, cryden senatoures wyves
For that hir husbondes losten alle hir lyves, --
Withouten gilt this nero hath hem slayn.
Now wole I turne to my tale agayn.
This sely wydwe and eek hir doghtres two
Herden thise hennes crie and maken wo,
And out at dores stirten they anon,
And syen the fox toward the grove gon,
And bar upon his bak the cok away,
And cryden, out! harrow! and weylaway!
Ha! ha! the fox! and after hym they ran,
And eek with staves many another man,
Ran colle oure dogge, and talbot and gerland,
And malkyn, with a dystaf in hir hand;
Ran cow and calf, and eek the verray hogges,
So fered for the berkyng of the dogges
And shoutyng of the men and wommen eeke,
They ronne so hem thoughte hir herte breeke.
They yolleden as feendes doon in helle;
The dokes cryden as men wolde hem quelle;
The gees for feere flowen over the trees;
Out of the hyve cam the swarm of bees.
So hydous was the noyse, a, benedicitee!
Certes, he jakke straw and his meynee
Ne made nevere shoutes half so shrille
Whan that they wolden any flemyng kille,
As thilke day was maad upon the fox.
Of bras they broghten bemes, and of box,
Of horn, of boon, in whiche they blewe and powped,
And therwithal they skriked and they howped.
It semed as that hevene sholde falle.
Now, goode man, I prey yow herkenth alle:
Lo, how fortune turneth sodeynly
The hope and pryde eek of hir enemy!
This cok, that lay upon the foxes bak,
In al his drede unto the fox he spak,
And seyde, sire, if that I were as ye,
Yet sholde I seyn, as wys God helpe me,
Turneth agayn, ye proude cherles alle!
A verray pestilence upon yow falle!
Now am I come unto the wodes syde;
Maugree youre heed, the cok shal heere abyde.
I wol hym ete, in feith, and that anon!
The fox answerde, in feith, it shal be don.
And as he spak that word, al sodeynly
This cok brak from his mouth delyverly,
And heighe upon a tree he fleigh anon.
And whan the fox saugh that the cok was gon,
Allas! quod he, o chauntecleer, allas!
I have to yow, quod he, ydoon trespas,
In as muche as I maked yow aferd
Whan I yow hente and broghte out of the yerd.
But, sire, I dide it in no wikke entente.
Com doun, and I shal telle yow what I mente;
I shal seye sooth to yow, God help me so!
Nay thanne, quod he, I shrewe us bothe two.
And first I shrewe myself, bothe blood and bones,
If thou bigyle me ofter than ones.
Thou shalt namoore, thurgh thy flaterye,
Do me to synge and wynke with myn ye;
For he that wynketh, whan he sholde see,
Al wilfully, God lat him nevere thee!
Nay, quod the fox, but God yeve hym meschaunce,
That is so undiscreet of governaunce
That jangleth whan he sholde holde his pees.
Lo, swich it is for to be recchelees
And necligent, and truste on flaterye.
But ye that holden this tale a folye,
As of a fox, or of a cok and hen,
Taketh the moralite, goode men.
For seint paul seith that al that writen is,
To oure doctrine it is ywrite, ywis;
Taketh the fruyt, and lat the chaf be stille.
Now, goode god, if that it be thy wille,
As seith my lord, so make us alle goode men,
And brynge us to his heighe blisse! amen.

The Epilogue of the Nun's Priest's Tale

Sire Nonnes Preest," oure Hooste seide anoon,
I-blessed be thy breche, and every stoon!
This was a murie tale of Chauntecleer.
But by my trouthe, if thou were seculer,
Thou woldest ben a trede-foul aright.
For if thou have corage as thou hast myght,
Thee were nede of hennes, as I wene,
Ya, moo than seven tymes seventene.
See, whiche braunes hath this gentil preest
So gret a nekke, and swich a large breest!
He loketh as a sperhauk with his yen;
Him nedeth nat his colour for to dyen
With brasile, ne with greyn of Portyngale.
Now, sire, faire falle yow for youre tale!
And after that he, with ful merie chere,
Seide unto another, as ye shuln heere.

The Second Nun's Prologue

The ministre and norice unto vices
Which that men clepe in englissh ydelnesse,
That porter of the gate is of delices,
To eschue, and by hire contrarie hire oppresse,
That is to seyn, by leveful bisynesse,
Wel oghten we to doon al oure entente,
Lest that the feend thurgh ydelnesse us hente.
For he that with his thousand cordes slye
Continuelly us waiteth to biclappe,
Whan he may man in ydelnesse espye,
He kan so lightly cache hym in his trappe,
Til that a man be hent right by the lappe,
He nys nat war the feend hath hym in honde.
Wel oghte us werche, and ydelnesse withstonde.
And though men dradden nevere for to dye,
Yet seen men wel by resoun, doutelees,
That ydelnesse is roten slogardye,
Of which ther nevere comth no good n' encrees,
And syn that slouthe hire holdeth in a lees
Oonly to slepe, and for to ete and drynke,
And to devouren al that othere swynke,
And for to putte us fro swich ydelnesse,
That cause is of so greet confusioun,
I have heer doon my feithful bisynesse
After the legende, in translacioun
Right of thy glorious lif and passioun,
Thou with thy gerland wroght with rose and lilie, --
Thee meene I, mayde and martyr, seint cecile.
And thow that flour of birgines art alle,
Of whom that bernard list so wel to write,
To thee at my bigynnyng first I calle;
Thou confort of us wrecches, do me endite
Thy maydens deeth, that wan thurgh hire merite
The eterneel lyf, and of the feend victorie,
As man may after reden in hire storie.
Thow mayde and mooder, doghter of thy sone,
Thow welle of mercy, synful soules cure,
In whom that God for bountee chees to wone,
Thow humble, and heigh over every creature,
Thow nobledest so ferforth oure nature,
That no desdeyn the makere hadde of kynde
His sone in blood and flessh to clothe and wynde.
Withinne the cloistre blisful of thy sydis
Took mannes shap the eterneel love and pees,
That of the tryne compas lord and gyde is,
Whom erthe and see and hevene, out of relees,
Ay heryen; and thou, virgine wemmelees,
Baar of thy body -- and dweltest mayden pure --
The creatour of every creature.
Assembled is in thee magnificence
With mercy, goodnesse, and with swich pitee
That thou, that art the sonne of excellence
Nat oonly helpest hem that preyen thee,
But often tyme, of thy benygnytee,
Ful frely, er that men thyn help biseche,
Thou goost biforn, and art hir lyves leche.
Now help, thow meeke and blisful faire mayde,
Me, flemed wrecche, in this desert of galle;
Thynk on the womman cananee, that sayde
That whelpes eten somme of the crommes alle
That from hir lordes table been yfalle;
And though that I, unworthy sone of eve,
Be synful, yet accepte my bileve.
And, for that teith is deed withouten werkis,
So for to werken yif me wit and space,
That I be quit fro thennes that most derk is!
O thou, that art so fair and ful of grace,
Be myn advocat in that heighe place
Theras withouten ende is songe osanne,
Thow cristes mooder, doghter deere of anne!
And of thy light my soule in prison lighte,
That troubled is by the contagioun
Of my body, and also by the wighte
Of erthely lust and fals affeccioun;
O havene of refut, o salvacioun
Of hem that been in sorwe and in distresse,
Now help, for to my werk I wol me dresse.
Yet preye I yow that reden that I write,
Foryeve me that I do no diligence
This ilke storie subtilly to endite,
For bothe have I the wordes and sentence
Of hym that at the seintes reverence
The storie wroot, and folwen hire legende,
And pray yow that ye wole my wek amende.
First wolde I yow the name of seint cecilie
Expowne, as men may in hir storie see.
It is to seye in englissh hevenes lilie,
For pure chaastnesse of virginitee;
Or, ofr she whitnesse hadde of honestee,
And grene of conscience, and of good fame
The soote savour, lilie was hir name.
Or cecilie is to seye the wey to blynde,
For she ensample was by good techynge;
Or elles cecile, as I writen fynde,
Is joyned, by a manere conjoynynge
Of hevene and lia; and heere, in figurynge,
The hevene is set for thoght of hoolynesse,
And lia for hire lastynge bisynesse.
Cecile may eek be seyd in this manere,
Wantynge of blyndnesse, for hir grete light
Of sapience, and for hire thewes cleere;
Or elles, loo, this maydens name bright
Of hevene and leos comth, for which by right
Men myghte hire wel the hevene of peple calle,
Ensample of goode and wise werkes alle.
For leos peple in englissh is to seye,
And right as men may in the hevene see
The sonne and moone and sterres every weye,
Right so men goostly in this mayden free
Seyen of feith the magnanymytee,
And eek the cleernesse hool of sapience,
And sondry werkes, brighte of excellence.
And right so as thise philosophres write
That hevene is swift and round and eek brennynge,
Right so was faire cecilie the white
Ful swift and bisy evere in good werkynge,
And round and hool in good perseverynge,
And brennynge evere in charite ful brighte.
Now have I yow declared what she highte.

The Second Nun's Tale

This mayden bright cecilie, as hir lif seith,
Was comen of romayns, and of noble kynde,
And from hir cradel up fostred in the feith
Of crist, and bar his gospel in hir mynde.
She nevere cessed, as I writen fynde,
Of hir preyere, and God to love and drede,
Bisekynge hym to kepe hir maydenhede.
And whan this mayden sholde unto a man
Ywedded be, that was ful yong of age,
Which that ycleped was valerian,
And day was comen of hir marriage,
She, ful devout and humble in hir corage,
Under hir robe of gold, that sat ful faire,
Hadde next hire flessh yclad hire in an haire.
And whil the organs maden melodie,
To God allone in herte thus sang she:
O lord, my soule and eek my body gye
Unwemmed, lest that it confounded be.
And, for his love that dyde upon a tree,
Every seconde and thridde day she faste,
Ay biddynge in hire orisons ful faste.
The nyght cam, and to bedde moste she gon
With hire housbonde, as ofte is the manere,
And pryvely to hym she seyde anon,
O sweete and wel biloved spouse deere,
Ther is a conseil, and ye wolde it heere,
Which that right fayn I wolde unto yow seye,
So that ye swere ye shul it nat biwreye.
Valerian gan faste unto hire swere
That for no cas, ne thyng that myghte be,
He sholde nevere mo biwreyen here;
And thanne at erst to hym thus seyde she:
I have an aungel which that loveth me,
That with greet love, wher so I wake or sleepe,
Is redy ay my body for to kepe.
And if that he may feelen, out of drede,
That ye me touche, or love in vileynye,
He right anon wol sle yow with the dede,
And in youre yowthe thus ye shullen dye;
And if that ye in clene love me gye,
He wol yow loven as me, for youre clennesse,
And shewen yow his joye and his brightnesse.
Valerian, corrected as God wolde,
Answerde agayn, if I shal trusten thee,
Lat me that aungel se, and hym biholde;
And if that it a verray angel bee,
Thanne wol I doon as thou hast prayed me;
And if thou love another man, for sothe
Right with this swerd thanne wol I sle yow bothe.
Cecile answerde anon-right in this wise:
If that yow list, the angel shul ye see,
So that ye trowe on crist and yow baptize.
Gooth forth to via apia, quod shee,
That fro this toun ne stant but miles three,
And to the povre folkes that ther dwelle,
Sey hem right thus, as that I shal yow telle.
Telle hem that I, cecile, yow to hem sente,
To shewen yow the goode urban the olde,
For secree nedes and for good entente.
And whan that ye seint urban han biholde,
Telle hym the wordes whiche I to yow tolde;
And whan that he hath purged yow fro synne,
Thanne shul ye se that angel, er ye twynne.
Valerian is to the place ygon,
And right as hym was taught by his lernynge,
He foond this hooly olde urban anon
Among the seintes buryeles lotynge.
And he anon, withouten tariynge,
Dide his message; and whan that he it tolde,
Urban for joye his handes gan up holde.
The teeris from his eyen leet he falle.
Almyghty lord, o jhesu crist, quod he,
Sower of chaast conseil, hierde of us alle,
The fruyt of thilke seed of chastitee
That thou hast sowe in cecile, taak to thee!
Lo, lyk a bisy bee, withouten gile,
Thee serveth ay thyn owene thral cecile.
For thilke spouse that she took but now
Ful lyk a fiers leoun, she sendeth heere,
As meke as evere was any lomb, to yow!
And with that word anon ther gan appeere
An oold man, clad in white clothes cleere,
That hadde a book with lettre of gold in honde,
And gan bifore valerian to stonde.
Valerian as deed fil doun for drede
Whan he hym saugh, and he up hente hym tho,
And on his book right thus he gan to rede:
O lord, o feith, o god, withouten mo,
O cristendom, and fader of alle also,
Aboven alle and over alle everywhere.
Thise wordes al with gold ywriten were.
Whan this was rad, thanne seyde this olde man,
Leevestow this thyng or no? sey ye or nay.
I leeve al this thyng, quod valerian,
For sother thyng than this, I dar wel say,
Under the hevene no wight thynke may.
Tho vanysshed the olde man, he nyste where,
And pope urban hym cristned right there.
Valerian gooth hoom and fynt cecilie
Withinne his chambre with an angel stonde.
This angel hadde of roses and of lilie
Corones two, the which he bar in honde;
And first to cecile, as I understonde,
He yaf that oon, and after gan he take
That oother to valerian, hir make.
With body clene and with unwemmed though
Kepeth ay wel thise corones, quod he;
Fro paradys to yow have I hem broght,
Ne nevere mo ne shal they roten bee,
Ne lese hir soote savour, trusteth me;
Ne nevere wight shal seen hem with his ye,
But he be chaast and hate vileynye.
And thow, valerian, for thow so soone
Assentedest to good conseil also,
Sey what thee list, and thou shalt han thy boone.
I have a brother,quod valerian tho,
That in this world I love no man so.
I pray yow that my brother may han grace
To knowe the trouthe, as I do in this place.
The angel seyde,god liketh thy requeste,
And bothe, with the palm of martirdom,
Ye shullen come unto his blisful feste.
And with that word tiburce his brother coom.
And whan that he the savour undernoom,
Which that the roses and the lilies caste,
Withinne his herte he gan to wondre faste,
And seyde,i wondre, this tyme of the yeer
Whennes that soote savour cometh so
Of rose and lilies that I smelle heer.
For though I hadde hem in myne handes two.
The savour myghte in me no depper go.
The sweete smel that in myn herte I fynde
Hath chaunged me al in another kynde.
Valerian seyde: two corones han we,
Snow white and rose reed, that shynen cleere,
Whiche that thyne eyen han no myght to see;
And as thou smellest hem thurgh my preyere,
So shaltow seen hem,leeve brother deere,
If it so be thou wolt, withouten slouthe,
Bileve aright and knowen verray troughe,
Tiburce answerde, seistow this to me
In soothnesse, or in dreem I herkne this?
In dremes, quod valerian, han we be
Unto this tyme, brother myn, ywis.
But now at erst in trouthe oure dwellyng is.
How woostow this? quod tiburce, and in what wyse?
Quod valerian, that shal I thee devyse.
The aungel of God hath me the trouthe ytaught
Which thou shalt seen, if that thou wolt reneye
The ydoles and be clene, and elles naught.
And of the myracle of thise corones tweye
Seint ambrose in his preface list to seye;
Solempnely this noble doctour deere
Commendeth it, and seith in this manere:
The palm of martirdom for to receyve,
Seinte cecile, fulfild of goddes yifte,
The world and eek hire chambre gan she weyve;
Witnesse tyburces and valerians shrifte,
To whiche God of his bountee wolde shifte
Corones two of floures wel smellynge,
And make his angel hem the corones brynge.
The mayde hath broght thise men to blisse above;
The world hath wist what it is worth, certeyn,
Devocioun of chastitee to love.
Tho shewed hym cecile al open and pleyn
That alle ydoles nys but a thyng in veyn,
For they been dombe, and therto they been deve,
And charged hym his ydoles for to leve.
Whoso that troweth nat this, a beest he is,
Quod tho tiburce, if that I shal nat lye.
And she gan kisse his brest, that herde this,
And was ful glad he koude trouthe espye.
This day I take thee for myn allye,
Seyde this blisful faire mayde deere,
And after that, she seyde as ye may heere:
Lo, right so as the love of crist, quod she,
Made me thy brotheres wyf, right in that wise
Anon for myn allye heer take I thee,
Syn that thou wolt thyne ydoles despise.
Go with thy brother now, and thee baptise,
And make thee clene, so that thou mowe biholde
The angels face of which thy brother tolde.
Tiburce answerde and seyde, brother deere,
First el me whider I shal, and to what man?
To whom? quod he, com forth with right good cheere,
I wol thee lede unto the pope urban.
Til urban?brother myn valerian,
Quod tho tiburce, woltow me thider lede?
Me thynketh that it were a wonder dede.
Ne menestow nat urban,quod he tho,
That is so ofte dampned to be deed,
And woneth in halkes alwey to and fro,
And dar nat ones putte forth his heed?
Men sholde hym brennen in a fyr so reed
If he were founde, or that men myghte hym spye,
And we also, to bere hym compaignye;
And whil we seken thile divinitee
That is yhid in hevene pryvely,
Algate ybrend in this world shul we bel
To whom cecile answerde boldely,
Men myghten dreden wel and skilfully
This lyf to lese, myn owene deere brother,
If this were lyvynge oonly and noon oother.
But ther is bettre lif in oother place,
That nevere shal be lost, ne drede thee noght,
Which goddes sone us tolde thurgh his grace.
That fadres sone hath alle thyng ywroght,
And al that wroght is with a skilful though,
The goost, that fro the fader gan procede,
Hath sowled hem, withouten any drede.
By word and by myracle heigh goodes sone
Whan he was in this world, declared heere
That ther was oother lyf ther men may wone.
To whom answerde tiburce,o suster deere,
Ne seydestow right now in this manere,
Ther nys but o god, lord in soothfastnesse?
And now of three how maystow bere witnesse?
That shal I telle,quod she, er I go.
Right as a man hath sapiences three,
Memorie, engyn, and intellect also,
So in o beynge of divinitee,
Thre persones may ther wright wel bee.
Tho gan she hym ful bisily to preche
Of cristes come, and of his peynes teche,
And manye pointes of his passioun;
How goddes sone in this world was withholde
To doon mankynde pleyn remissioun,
That was ybounde in synne and cares colde,
Al this thyng she unto tiburce tolde.
And after this, tiburce in good entente
With valerian to pope urban he wente,
That thanked god, and with glad herte light
He cristned hyn, and made hym in that place
Parfit in his lernynge, goddes knyght.
And after this, tiburce gat swich grace
That every day he saugh, in tyme and space,
The aungel of god; and every maner boone
That he God axed, it was sped ful soone.
If were ful hard by ordre for to seyn
How manye wondres jhesus for hem wroghte;
But atte laste, to tellen short and pleyn,
The sergeantz of the toun of rome hem soghte,
And hem biforn almache, the prefect, broghte,
Which hem apposed, and knew al hire entente,
And to the ymage of juppiter hem sente,
And seyde, whoso wol nat sacrifise,
Swape of his heed; this my sentence heer.
Anon thise martirs that I yow devyse,
Oon maximus, that was an officer
Of the prefectes, and his corniculer,
Hem hente, and whan he forth the seintes ladde,
Hymself he weep for pitee that he hadde.
Whan maximus had herd the seintes loore,
He gat hym of the tormentoures leve,
And ladde hem to his hous withoute moore,
And with hir prechyng, er that it were eve,
They gonnen fro the tormentours to reve,
And fro maxime, and fro his fold echone,
The false feith, to trowe in God allone.
Cecile cam, whan it was woxen nyght,
With preestes that hem cristned alle yfeere;
And afterward, whan day was woxen light,
Cecile hem seyde with a ful stedefast cheere,
Now, christes owene knyghtes leeve and deere,
Cast alle awey the werkes of derknesse,
And armeth yow in armure of brightnesse.
Ye han for sothe ydoon a greet bataille,
Youre cours is doon, youre feith han ye conserved.
Gooth to the corone of lif that may nat faille;
The rightful juge, which that ye han served,
Shal yeve it yow, as ye han it deserved.
And whan this thyng was seyd as I devyse,
Men ledde hem forth to doon the sacrefise.
But whan they weren to the place broght
To tellen shortly the conclusioun,
They nolde encense ne sacrifise right noght,
But on hir knees they setten hem adoun
With humble herte and sad devocioun,
And losten bothe hir hevedes in the place.
Hir soules wenten to the kyng of grace.
This maximus, that saugh this thyng bityde,
With pitous teeris tolde it anonright,
That he hir soules saugh to hevene glyde
With aungels ful of cleernesse and of light,
And with his word converted many a wight;
For which almachius dide hym so tobete
With whippe of leed, til he his lif gan lete.
Cecile hym took and buryed hym anon
By tiburce and valerian softely
Withinne hire buriyng place, under the stoon;
And after this, almachius hastily
Bad his ministres fecchen openly
Cecile, so that she myghte in his presence
Doon sacrifice, and juppiter encense.
But they, converted at hir wise loore,
Wepten ful soore, and yaven ful credence
Unto hire word, and cryden moore and moore,
Crist, goddes sone, withouten difference,
Is verray God -- this is al oure sentence --
That hath so good a servant hym to serve.
This with o voys we trowen, thogh we sterve!
Almachius, that herde of this doynge,
Bad fecchen cecile, that he myghte hire see,
And alderfirst, lo! this was his axynge.
What maner womman artow? tho quod he.
I am a gentil womman born, quod she.
I axe thee, quod he, though it thee greeve,
Of thy religioun and of thy bileeve.
Ye han bigonne youre questioun folily,
Quod she, that wolden two answers conclude
In o demande; ye axed lewedly.
Almache answerde unto that similitude,
Of whennes comth thyn answeryng so rude?
Of whennes? quod she, whan that she was freyned,
Of conscience and of good feith unfeyned.
Almachius seyde, ne takestow noon heede
Of my power? and she answerde hym this:
Youre myght, quod she, ful litel is to dreede.
For every mortal mannes power nys
But lyk a bladdre ful of wynd ywys.
For with nedles poynt, whan it is blowe,
May al the boost of it be leyd ful lowe.
Ful wrongfully bigonne thow, quod he,
And yet in wrong is thy perserveraunce.
Wostow nat how oure myghty princes free
Han thus comanded and maad ordinaunce,
That every cristen wight shal han penaunce
But if that he his cristendom withseye,
And foon al quit, if he wole it reneye?
Yowre princes erren, as youre nobleye dooth,
Quod tho cecile, and with a wood sentence
Ye make us gilty, and it is nat sooth.
For ye, that knowen wel oure innocence,
For as muche as we doon a reverence
To crist, and for we berre a cristen name,
Ye putte on us a cryme, and eek a blame.
But we that knowen thilke name so
For vertuous, we may it nat withseye.
Almache answerde, chees oon of thise two:
Do sacrifice, or cristendom reneye,
That thou mowe now escapen by that weye.
At which the hooly blisful faire mayde
Gan for to laughe, and to juge sayde:
O juge, confus in thy nycetee,
Woltow that I reneye innocence,
To make me a wikked wight? quod shee.
Lo, he dissymuleth heere in audience;
He stareth, and woodeth in his advertence!
To whom almachius, unsely wrecche,
Ne woostow nat how fer my myght may strecche?
Han noght oure myghty princes to me yiven,
Ye, bothe power and auctoritee
To maken folk to dyen or to lyven?
Why spekestow so proudly thanne to me?
I speke noght but stedfastly, quod she;
Nat prudly, for I seye, as for my syde,
We haten deedly thilke vice of pryde.
And if thou drede nat a sooth to heere,
Thanne wol I shewe al openly, by right,
That thou hast maad a ful gret lesyng heere.
Thou seyst thy princes han thee yeven myght
Bothe for to sleen and for to quyken a wight;
Thou, that ne mayst but oonly lyf bireve,
Thou hast noon oother power ne no leve.
But thou mayst seyn thy princes han thee maked
Ministre of deeth; for if thou speke of mo,
Thou lyest, for thy power is ful naked.
Do wey thy booldnesse, seyde almachius tho,
And sacrifice to oure goddes, er thou go!
Irecche nat what wrong that thou me profre,
For I kan suffre it as a philosophre;
But thilke wronges may I nat endure
That thou spekest of oure goddes heere, quod
Cecile answerde, o nyce creature!
Thou seydest no word syn thou spak to me
That I ne knew therwith thy nycetee;
And that thou were, in every maner wise,
A lewed officer and a veyn justise.
Ther lakketh no thyng to thyne outer yen
That thou n' art blynd; for thyng that we seen alle
That it is stoon, -- that men may wel espyen, --
That ilke stoon a God tho wolt it calle.
I rede thee, lat thyn hand upon it falle,
And taste it wel, and stoon thou shalt it fynde,
Syn that thou seest nat with thyne eyen blynde.
It is a shame that the peple shal
So scorne thee, and laughe at thy folye;
For communly men woot it wel overal
That myghty God is in his hevenes hye;
And thise ymages, wel thou mayst espye,
To thee ne to hemself mowen noght profite,
For in effect thy been nat worth a myte.
Thise wordes and swiche othere seyde she,
And he weex wroth, and bad men sholde hir lede
Hom til hir hous, and in hire hous, quod he,
Brenne hire right in a bath of flambes rede.
And as he bad, right so was doon the dede;
For in a bath they gonne hire faste shetten,
And nyght and day greet fyr they under betten.
The longe nyght, and eek a day also,
For al the fyr, and eek the bathes heete,
She sat al coold, and feelede no wo.
It made hire nat a drope for to sweete.
But in that bath hir lyf she moste lete,
For he almachius, with ful wikke entente,
To sleen hire in the bath his sonde sente.
Thre strokes in the nekke he smoot hire tho,
The tormentour, but for no maner chaunce
He myghte noght smyte al hir nekke atwo;
And for ther was that tyme an ordinaunce
That no man sholde doon man swich penaunce
The ferthe strook to smyten, softe or soore,
This tormentour ne dorste do namoore,
But half deed, with hir nekke ycorven there,
He lefte hir lye, and on his wey is went.
The cristen folk, which that aboute hire were,
With sheetes han the blood ful faire yhent.
Thre dayes lyved she in this torment,
And nevere cessed hem the feithe to teche
That she hadde fostred; hem she gan to preche,
And hem she yaf hir moebles and hir thyng,
And to the pope urban bitook hem tho,
And seyde, I axed this of hevene kyng,
To han respit thre dayes and namo,
To recomende to yow, er that I go,
Thise soules, lo! and that I myghte do werche
Heere of myn hous perpetuilly a cherche.
Seint urban, with his deknes, prively
The body fette, and buryed it by nyghte
Among his othere seintes honestly.
Hir hous the chirche of seint cecilie highte;
Seint urban halwed it, as he wel myghte;
In which, into this day, in noble wyse,
Men doon to crist and to his seint servyse.

The Canon Yeoman's Prologue

Whan ended was the lyf of seinte cecile,
Er we hadde riden fully fyve mile,
A tboghtoun under blee us gan atake
A man that clothed was in clothes blake,
And under-nethe he hadde a whyt surplys.
His hakeney, that wasal pomely grys,
So swatte that it wonder was to see;
It semed as he had priked miles three.
The hors eek that his yeman rood upon
So swatte that sunnethe myghte it gon.
Aboute the peytrel sood the foom ful hye;
He was of foom al flekked a a pye.
A male tweyfoold on his croper lay;
It semed that he caried lite array.
Al light for somer rood this worthy man,
And in myn herte wondren I bigan
What that he was, til that I understood
How that his cloke was sowed to his good;
For which, whan I hadde longe avysed me,
I demed hym som chanoun for to be.
His hat heeng at his bak doun by a laas,
For he hadde riden moore than trot or paas;
He hadde ay priked lik as he were wood.
A clote-leef he hadde under his hood
For swoot, and for to keep his heed from heete.
But it was joye for to seen hym swete!
His forheed dropped as a stillatorie,
Were ful of plantayne and of paritorie.
And whan that he was come, he ban to crye,
God save, quod he, this joly compaignye!
Faste have I priked,!quod he, for youre sake,
By cause that I woldeyow atake,
To riden in this myrie compaignye.
His yeman eek was ful of curteisye,
And seyde, sires, now in the morwe-tyde
Out of youre hostelrie I saugh yow ryde,
And warned heer my lord and my soverayn,
Which that to ryden with yow is ful fayn
For his desport; he loveth daliaunce.
 freend, for thy warnyng God yeve thee good chaunce!
Thanne seyde oure hoost, for certein it wolde seme
Thy lord were wys, and so I may wel deme.
He is ful jocunde also, dar I leye!
Can he oght telle a myrie tale or tweye,
With which he glade may his compaignye?
Who, sire? my lord? ye, ye, withouten lye,
He kan of murthe and eek of jolitee
Nat but ynough: also, sire, trusteth me,
And ye hym knewe as wel as do I,
Ye wolde wondre how wel and craftily
He koude werke, and that in sondry wise.
He hath take on hym many a greet emprise,
Which were ful hard for any that is heere
To brynge aboute, but they of hym it leere.
As hoomly as he rit amonges yow,
If ye hym kniewe, it wolde be for youre prow.
Ye wolde nat forgoon his aqueyntaunce
For muchel good, I dar leye in balaunce
Al that I have in my possessioun.
He is a man of heigh discrecioun;
I warne yow wel, he is a passyng man.
Wel, quod oure hoost, I pray thee tel me than,
Is he a clerk, or noon? telle what he is.
Nay, he is gretter than a clerk, ywis,
Seyde this yeman, and in wordes fewe,
Hoost, of his craft somwhat I wol yow shewe.
I seye, my lord kan swich subtilitee --
But al his craft ye may nat wite at me,
And somwhat helpe I yet to his wirkyng --
That al this ground on which we been ridyng,
Til that we come to caunterbury toun,
He koude al clene turne it up-so-doun,
And pave it al of silver and of gold.
And whan this yeman hadde this tale ytold
Unto oure hoost, he seyde, benedicitee!
This thyng is wonder merveillous to me,
Syn that thy lord is of so heigh prudence,
By cause of which men sholde hym reverence,
That of his worshipe rekketh he so lite.
His overslope nys nat worth a myte,
As in effect, to hym, so moot I go!
It is al baudy and totore also.
Why is thy lord so sluttissh, I the preye,
And is of power bettre clooth to beye,
Of that his dede accorde with thy speche?
Telle me that, and that I thee biseche.
Why? quod this yeman, wherto axe ye me?
God help me so, for he shal nevere thee!
(but I wol nat avowe that I seye,
And therfore keepe it secree, I yow preye.)
He is to wys, in feith, as I bileeve.
That that is overdoon, it wol nat preeve
Aright, as clerkes seyn; it is a vice.
Wherfore in that I holde hym lewed and nyce.
For whan a man hath over-greet a wit,
Ful oft hym happeth to mysusen it.
So doothy my lord, and that me greveth soore;
God it amende! I kan sey yow namoore.
Ther-of no fors, good yeman, quod oure hoost;
Syn of the konnyng of thy lord thow woost,
Telle how he dooth, I pray thee hertely,
Syn that he is so crafty and so sly.
Where dwelle ye, if it to telle be?
In the suburbes of a toun, quod he,
Lurkynge in hernes and in lanes blynde,
Wheras this robbours and thise theves by kynde
Holden hir pryvee fereful residence,
As they that dar nat shewen hir presence;
So faren we, if I shal seye the sothe.
Now, quod oure hoost, yit lat me talke to the.
Why artow so discoloured of thy face?
Peter! quod he, God yeve it harde grace,
I am so used in the fyr to blowe
That it hath chaunged my colour, I trowe.
I am nat wont in no mirour to prie,
But swynke soore and lerne multiplie.
We blondren evere and pouren in the fir,
And for al that we faille of oure desir,
For evere we lakken oure conclusioun.
To muchel folk we doon illusioun,
And borwe gold, be it a pound or two,
Or ten, or twelve, or manye sommes mo,
And make hem wenen, at the leeste weye,
That of a pound we koude make tweye.
Yet is it fals, but ay we han good hope
It for to doon, and after it we grope.
But that science is so fer us biforn,
We mowen nat, although we hadden it sworn,
It overtake, it slit awey so faste.
It wole us maken beggers atte laste.
Whil this yeman was thus in his talkyng,
This chanoun drough hym neer, and herde al thyng
Which that this yeman spak, for suspecioun
Of mennes speche evere hadde this chanoun.
For catoun seith that he that gilty is
Demeth alle thyng be spoke of hym, ywis.
That was the cause he gan so ny hym drawe
To his yeman, to herknen al his sawe.
And thus he seyde unto his yeman tho:
Hoold thou thy pees, and spek no wordes mo,
For if thou do, thou shalt it deere abye.
Thou sclaundrest me heere in this compaignye,
And eek discoverest that thou sholdest hyde.
Ye, quod oure hoost, telle on, what bityde.
Of al his thretyng rekke nat a myte!
In feith, quod he, namoore I do but lyte.
And whan this chanon saugh it wolde nat bee,
But his yeman wolde telle his pryvetee,
He fledde awey for verray sorwe and shame.
A! quod the yeman, heere shal arise game;
Al that I kan anon now wol I telle.
Syn he is goon, the foule feend hym quelle!
For nevere heerafter wol I with hym meete
For peny ne for pound, I yow biheete.
He that me broghte first unto that game,
Er that he dye, sorwe have he and shame!
For it is ernest to me, by me feith;
That feele I wel, what so any man seith.
And yet, for al my smert and al my grief,
For al my sorwe, labour, and meschief,
I koude nevere leve it in no wise.
Now wolde God my wit myghte suffise
To tellen al that longeth to that art!
But nathelees yow wol I tellen part.
Syn that my lord is goon, I wol nat spare;
Swich thyng as that I knowe, I wol declare.

The Canon Yeoman's Tale

With this chanoun I dwelt have seven yeer,
And of his science am I never the neer.
Al that I hadde I have lost therby,
And, God woot, so hath many mo than I.
Ther I was wont to be right fressh and gay
Of clothyng and of oother good array,
Now may I were an hose upon myn heed;
And wher my colour was bothe fressh and reed
Now is it wan and of a leden hewe --
Whoso it useth, soore shal he rewe! --
And of my swynk yet blered is myn ye.
Lo! which avantage is to multiplie!
That slidynge science hath me maad so bare
That I have no good, wher that evere I fare;
And yet I am endetted so therby,
Of gold that I have borwed, trewely,
That whil I lyve I shal it quite nevere.
Lat every man be war by me for evere!
What maner man that casteth hym therto,
If he continue, I holde his thrift ydo.
For so helpe me god, therby shal he nat wynne,
But empte his purs, and make his wittes thynne.
And whan he, thurgh his madnesse and folye,
Hath lost his owene good thurgh jupartye,
Thanne he exciteth oother folk therto,
To lesen hir good, as he hymself hath do.
For unto shrewes joye it is and ese
To have hir felawes in peyne and disese.
Thus was I ones lerned of a clerk.
Of that no charge, I wol speke of oure werk.
Whan we been there as we shul exercise
Oure elvysshe craft, we semen wonder wise,
Oure termes been so clerigal and so queynte.
I blowe the fir til that myn herte feynte.
What sholde I tellen ech proporcion
Of thynges whiche that we werche upon
As on fyve or sixe ounces, may wel be,
Of silver, or som oother quantitee --
And bisye me to telle yow the names
Of orpyment, brent bones, iren squames,
That into poudre grounden been ful smal;
And in an erthen pot how put is al,
And salt yput in, and also papeer,
Biforn thise poudres that I speke of heer;
And wel ycovered with a lampe of glas;
And of muche oother thyng which that ther was;
And of the pot and glasses enlutyng,
That of the eyr myghte passe out nothyng;
And of the esy fir, and smart also,
Which that was maad, and of the care and wo
That we hadde in oure matires sublymyng,
And in amalgamyng and calcenyng
Of quyksilver, yclept mercurie crude?
For alle oure sleightes we kan nat conclude.
Oure orpyment and sublymed mercurie,
Oure grounden litarge eek on the porfurie,
Of ech of thise of ounces a certeyn --
Noght helpeth us, oure labour is in veyn.
Ne eek oure spirites ascencioun,
Ne oure materes that lyen al fix adoun,
Mowe in oure werkyng no thyng us availle,
For lost is al oure labour and travaille;
And al the cost, a twenty devel waye,
Is lost also, which we upon it laye.
Ther is also ful many another thyng
That is unto oure craft apertenyng.
Though I by ordre hem nat reherce kan,
By cause that I am a lewed man,
Yet wol I telle hem as they come to mynde,
Thogh I ne kan nat sette hem in hir kynde:
As boole armonyak, verdegrees, boras,
And sondry vessels maad of erthe and glas,
Oure urynales and oure descensories,
Violes, crosletz, and sublymatories,
Cucurbites and alambikes eek,
And othere swiche, deere ynough a leek.
Nat nedeth it for to reherce hem alle, --
Watres rubifyng, and boles galle,
Arsenyk, sal armonyak and brymstoon;
And herbes koude I telle eek many oon,
As egremoyne, valerian, and lunarie,
And othere swiche, if that me liste tarie;
Oure lampes brennyng bothe nyght and day,
To brynge aboute oure purpos, if we may;
Oure fourneys eek of calcinacioun,
And of watres albificacioun;
Unslekked lym,chalk, and gleyre of an ey,
Poudres diverse, asshes, donge, pisse, and cley,
Cered pokkets, sal peter, vitriole,
And diverse fires maad of wode and cole;
Sal tartre, alkaly, and sal preparat,
And combust materes and coagulat;
Cley maad with hors of mannes heer, and oille
Of tartre, alum glas, berme, wort, and argoille,
Resalgar, and oure materes enbibyng,
And eek of oure materes encorporyng,
And of oure silver citrinacioun,
Oure cementyng and fermentacioun,
Oure yngottes, testes, and many mo.
I wol yow telle, as was me taught also,
The foure spirites and the bodies sevene,
By ordre, as ofte I herde my lord hem nevene.
The firste spirit quyksilver called is,
The seconde orpyment, the thridde, ywis,
Sal armonyak, and the ferthe brymstoon.
The bodyes sevene eek, lo! hem heere anoon:
Sol gold is, and luna silver we threpe,
Mars ire, mercurie quyksilver we clepe,
Saturnus leed, and juppiter is tyn,
And venus coper, by my fader kyn!
This cursed craft whoso wole excercise,
He shal no good han that hym may suffise;
For al the good he spendeth theraboute
He lese shal; therof have I no doute.
Whoso that listeth outen his folie,
Lat hym come forth and lerne multiplie;
And every man that oght hath in his cofre,
Lat hym appiere, and wexe a philosophre.
Ascaunce that craft is so light to leere?
Nay, nay, God woot, al be he monk or frere,
Preest or chanoun, or any oother wyght,
Though he sitte at his book bothe day and nyght
In lernyng of this elvysshe nyce loore,
Al is in veyn, and parde! muchel moore.
To lerne a lewed man this subtiltee --
Fy! spek nat therof, for it wol nat bee;
And konne he letterure, or konne he noon,
As in effect, he shal fynde it al oon.
For bothe two, by my savacioun,
Concluden in multiplicacioun
Ylike wel, whan they han al ydo;
This is to seyn, they faillen bothe two.
Yet forgat I to maken rehersaille
Of watres corosif, and of lymaille,
And of bodies mollificacioun,
And also of hire induracioun;
Oilles, ablucions, and metal fusible, --
To tellen al wolde passen any bible
That owher is; wherfore, as for beste,
Of alle thise names now wol I me reste.
For, as I trowe, I have yow toold ynowe
To reyse a feend, al looke he never so rowe.
A!nay! lat be; the philosophres stoon,
Elixer clept, we sechen faste echoon;
For hadde we hym, thanne were we siker ynow.
But unto God of hevene I make avow,
For al oure craft, whan we han al ydo,
And al oure sleighte, he wol nat come us to.
He hath ymaad us spenden muchel good,
For sorwe of which almoost we wexen wood,
But that good hope crepeth in oure herte,
Supposynge evere, though we sore smerte,
To be releeved by hym afterward.
Swich supposyng and hope is sharp and hard;
I warne yow wel, it is to seken evere.
That futur temps hath maad men to dissevere,
In trust therof, from al that evere they hadde.
Yet of that art they kan nat wexen sadde,
For unto hem it is a bitter sweete, --
So semeth it, -- for nadde they but a sheete,
Which that they myghte wrappe hem inne a-nyght,
And a brat to walken inne by daylyght,
They wolde hem selle and spenden on this craft.
They kan nat stynte til no thyng be laft.
And everemoore, where that evere they goon
Men may hem knowe by smel of brymstoon.
For al the world they stynken as a goot;
Hir savour is so rammyssh and so hoot
That though a man from hem a mile be,
The savour wole infecte hym, trusteth me.
And thus by smel, and by threedbare array,
If that men liste, this folk they knowe may.
And if a man wole aske hem pryvely
Why they been clothed so unthriftily,
They right anon wol rownen is his ere,
And seyn that if that they espied were,
Men wolde hem slee by cause of hir science.
Lo, thus this folk bitrayen innocence!
Passe over this; if go my tale unto.
Er that the pot be on the fir ydo,
Of metals with a certeyn quantitee,
My lord hem tempreth, and no man be he --
Now he is goon, I dar seyn boldely --
For, as men seyn, he kan doon craftily.
Algate I woot wel he hath swich a name,
And yet ful ofte he renneth in a blame.
And wite ye how? ful ofte it happeth so,
The pot tobreketh, and farewel, al is go!
Thise metals been of so greet violence,
Oure walles mowe nat make hem resistence,
But if they weren wroght of lym and stoon;
They percen so, and thurgh the wal they goon.
And somme of hem synken into the ground --
Thus han we lost by tymes many a pound --
And somme are scatered al the floor aboute;
Somme lepe into the roof. Withouten doute,
Though that the feend noght in oure sighte hym shewe,
I trowe he with us be, that ilke shrewe!
In helle, where that he lord is and sire,
Nis ther moore wo, ne moore rancour ne ire.
Whan that oure pot is broke, as I have sayd,
Every man chit, and halt hym yvele apayd.
Somme seyde it was long on the fir makyng;
Somme seyde nay, it was on the blowyng, --
Thanne was I fered, for that was myn office.
Straw! quod the thridde, ye been lewed and nyce.
It was nat tempred as it oghte be.
Nay, quod the fourthe, stynt and herkne me.
By cause oure fir ne was nat maad of beech,
That is the cause, and oother noon, so theech!
I kan nat telle wheron it was long,
But wel I woot greet strif is us among.
What, quod my lord, ther is namoore to doone;
Of thise perils I wol be war eftsoone.
I am right siker that the pot was crased.
Be as be may, be ye no thyng amased;
As usage is, lat swepe the floor as swithe,
Plukke up youre hertes, and beeth glad and blithe.
The mullok on an heep ysweped was,
And on the floor ycast a canevas,
And al this mullok in a syve ythrowe,
And sifted, and ypiked mayn a throwe.
Pardee, quod oon, somwhat of oure metal
Yet is ther heere, though that we han nat al.
Although this thyng myshapped have as now,
Another tyme it may be well ynow.
Us moste putte oure good in aventure.
A marchant, pardee, may nat ay endure,
Trusteth me wel, in his prosperitee.
Somtyme his good is drowned in the see,
And somtyme comth it sauf unto the londe.
Pees! quod my lord, the nexte tyme I wol fonde
To bryngen oure craft al in another plite,
And but I do, sires, lat me han the wite.
Ther was defaute in somwhat, wel I woot,
Another seyde the fir was over-hoot, --
But, be it hoot or coold, I dar seye this,
That we concluden everemoore amys.
We faille of that which that we wolden have,
And in oure madnesse everemoore we rave.
And whan we been togidres everichoon,
Every man semeth a salomon.
But al thyng which that shineth as the gold
Nis nat gold, as that I have herd it told;
Ne every appul that is fair at eye
Ne is nat good, what so men clappe or crye.
Right so, lo, fareth it amonges us:
He that semeth the wiseste, by jhesus!
Is moost fool, whan it cometh to the preef;
And he that semeth trewest is the theef.
That shul ye knowe, er that I fro yow wende,
By that I of my tale have maad an ende.
Explicit prima pars.
Ther is a chanoun of religioun
Amounges us, wolde infecte al a toun,
Thogh it as greet were as was nynyvee,
Rome, alisaundre, troye, and othere three.
His sleightes and his infinite falsnesse
Ther koude no man writen, as I gesse,
Though that he myghte lyve a thousand yeer.
In al this world of falshede nis his peer;
For in his termes he wol hym so wynde,
And speke his wordes in so sly a kynde,
Whanne he commune shal with any wight,
That he wol make hym doten anonright,
But it a feend be, as hymselven is.
Ful many a man hath he bigiled er this,
And wole, if that he lyve may a while;
And yet men ride and goon ful many a mile
Hym for to seke and have his aqueyntaunce,
Noght knowynge of his false governaunce.
And if yow list to yeve me audience,
I wol it tellen heere in youre presence.
But worshipful chanons religious,
Ne demeth nat that I sclaundre youre hous,
Although that my tale of a chanoun bee.
Of every ordre som shrewe is, pardee,
And God forbede that al a compaignye
Sholde rewe o singuleer mannes folye.
To sclaundre yow is no thyng myn entente,
But to correcten that is mys I mente.
This tale was nat oonly toold for yow
But eek for othere mo; ye woot wel how
That among cristes apostelles twelve
Ther nas no traytour but judas hymselve.
Thanne why sholde al the remenant have a blame
That giltlees were? by yow I seye the same,
Save oonly this, if ye wol herke me:
If any judas in youre covent be,
Remoeveth hym bitymes, I yow rede,
If shame or los may causen any drede.
And beeth no thyng displesed, I yow preye,
But in this cas herkneth what I shal seye.
In londoun was a preest, an annueleer,
That therinne dwelled hadde mayn a yeer,
Which was so plesaunt and se servysable
Unto the wyf, where as he was at table,
That she wolde suffre hym no thyng for to paye
For bord ne clothyng, wente he never so gaye;
And spendyng silver hadde he right ynow.
Therof no fors; I wol procede as now,
And telle forth my tale of the chanoun
That broghte this preest to confusioun.
This false chanon cam upon a day
Unto this preestes chambre, wher he lay,
Bisechynge hym to lene hym a certeyn
Of gold, and he wolde quite it hym ageyn.
Leene me a marc, quod he, but dayes three,
And at my day I wol it quiten thee.
And if so be that thow me fynde fals,
Another day do hange me by the hals!
This preest hym took a marc, and that as swithe,
And this chanoun hym thanked ofte sithe,
And took his leve, and wente forth his weye,
And at the thridee day broghte his moneye,
And to the preest he took his gold agayn,
Wherof this preest was wonder glad and fayn.
Certes, quod he, no thyng anoyeth me
To lene a man a noble, or two, or thre,
Or what thyng were in my possessioun,
Whan he so trewe is of condicioun
That in no wise he breke wole his day;
To swich a man I kan never seye nay.
What! quod this chanoun, sholde I be untrewe?
Nay, that were thyng yfallen al of newe.
Trouthe is a thyng that I wol evere kepe
Unto that day in which that I shal crepe
Into my grave, and ellis God forbede.
Bileveth this as siker as your crede.
God thanke I, and in good tyme be it sayd,
That ther was nevere man yet yvele apayd
For gold ne silver that he to me lente,
Ne nevere falshede in myn herte I mente.
And sire, quod he, now of my pryvetee,
Syn ye so goodlich han been unto me,
And kithed to me so greet gentillesse,
Somwhat to quyte with youre kyndenesse
I wol yow shewe, and if yow list to leere,
I wol yow teche pleynly the manere
Yow I kan werken in philosophie.
Taketh good heede, ye shul wel seen at ye
That I wol doon a maistrie er I go.
Ye, quod the preest, ye, sire, and wol ye so?
Marie! therof I pray yow hertely.
At youre comandement, sire, trewely,
Quod the chanoun, and ellis God forbeede!
Loo, how this theef koude his service beede!
Ful sooth it is that swich profred servyse
Stynketh, as witnessen thise olde wyse,
And that, ful soone I wol it verifie
In this chanoun, roote of al trecherie,
That everemoore delit hath and gladnesse --
Swiche feendly thoghtes in his herte impresse --
How cristes peple he may to meschief brynge.
God kepe us from his false dissymulynge!
Noght wiste this preest with whom that he delte,
Ne of his harm comynge he no thyng felte.
O sely preest! o sely innocent!
With coveitise anon thou shalt be blent!
O gracelees, ful blynd is thy conceite,
No thyng ne artow war of the deceite
Which that this fox yshapen hath to thee!
His wily wrenches thou ne mayst nat flee.
Wherfore, to go to the conclusion,
That refereth to thy confusion,
Unhappy man, anon I wol me hye
To tellen thyn unwit and thy folye,
And eek the falsnesse of that oother wrecche,
As ferforth as that my konnyng wol strecche.
This chanon was my lord, ye wolden weene?
Sire hoost, in feith, and by the hevenes queene,
It was another chanoun, and nat hee,
That kan an hundred foold moore subtiltee.
He hath bitrayed folkes many tyme;
Of his falsnesse it dulleth me to ryme.
Evere whan that I speke of his falshede,
For shame of hym my chekes wexen rede.
Algates they bigynnen for to glowe,
For reednesse have I noon, right wel I knowe,
In my visage; for fumes diverse
Of metals, whiche ye han herd me reherce,
Consumed and wasted han my reednesse.
Now taak heede of this chanons cursednesse!
Sire, quod he to the preest, lat youre man gon
For quyksilver, that we it hadde anon;
And lat hym bryngen ounces two or three;
And whan he comth, as faste shal ye see
A wonder thyng, which ye saugh nevere er this.
Sire, quod the preest, it shal be doon, ywis.
He bad his servant fecchen hym this thyng,
And he al redy was at his biddyng,
And wente hym forth, and cam anon agayn
With this quyksilver, shortly for to sayn,
And took thise ounces thre to the chanoun;
And he hem leyde faire and wel adoun,
And bad the servant coles for to brynge,
That he anon myghte go to his werkynge.
The coles right anon weren yfet,
And this chanoun took out a crosselet
Of his bosom, and shewed it to the preest.
This instrument, quod he, which that thou seest,
Taak in thy hand, and put thyself therinne
Of this quyksilver an ounce, and heer bigynne,
In name of crist, to wexe a philosofre.
Ther been ful fewe to whiche I wolde profre
To shewen hem thus muche of my science.
For ye shul seen heer, by experience,
That this quyksilver I wol mortifye
Right in youre sighte anon, withouten lye,
And make it as good silver and as fyn
As ther is any in youre purs or myn,
Or elleswhere, and make it malliable;
And elles holdeth me fals and unable
Amonges folk for evere to appeere.
I have poudre heer, that coste me deere,
Shal make al good, for it is cause of al
My konnyng, which that I yow shewen shal.
Voyde youre man, and lat hym be theroute,
And shette the dore, whils we been aboute
Oure pryvetee, that no man us espie,
Whils that we werke in this philosophie.
Al as he bad fulfilled was in dede.
This ilke servant anonright out yede
And his maister shette the dore anon,
And to hire labour spedily the gon.
This preest, at this cursed chanons biddyng,
Upon the fir anon sette this thyng,
And blew the fir, and bisyed hym ful faste.
And this chanoun into the crosselet caste
A poudre, noot I wherof that it was
Ymaad, outher of chalk, outher of glas,
Or somwhat elles, was nat worth a flye,
To blynde with this preest; and bad hym hye
The coles for to couchen al above
The crosselet. For in tokenyng I thee love,
Quod this chanoun, thyne owene handes two
Shul werche al thyng which that shal heer be do.
Graunt mercy, quod the preest, and was ful glad,
And couched coles as that the chanoun bad.
And while he bisy was, this feendly wrecche,
This false chanoun -- the foule feend hym fecche! --
Out of his bosom took a bechen cole,
In which ful subtilly was maad an hole,
And therinne put was of silver lemaille
An ounce, and stopped was, withouten faille,
This hole with wex, to kepe the lemaille in.
And understondeth that this false gyn
Was nat maad ther, but it was maad bifore;
And othere thynges I shal tellen moore
Herafterward, whiche that he with hym broghte.
Er he cam there, hym to bigile he thoghte,
And so he dide, er that they wente at wynne;
Til he had terved hym, koude he nat blynne.
It dulleth me whan that I of hym speke.
On his falshede fayn wolde I me wreke,
If I wiste how, but he is heere and there;
He is so variaunt, be abit nowhere.
But taketh heed now, sires, for goddes love!
He took his cole of which I spak above,
And in his hand he baar it pryvely.
And whiles the preest couched bisily
The coles, as I tolde yow er this,
This chanoun seyde, freend, ye doon amys.
This is nat couched as it oghte be;
But soone I shal amenden it, quod he.
Now lat me medle therwith but a while,
For of yow have I pitee, by seint gile!
Ye been right hoot; I se wel how ye swete.
Have heere a clooth, and wipe awey the wete.
And whiles that the preest wiped his face,
This chanoun took his cole -- with sory grace! --
And leyde it above upon the myddeward
Of the crosselet, and blew wel afterward,
Til that the coles gonne faste brenne.
Now yeve us drynke, quod the chanoun thenne;
As swithe al shal be wel, I undertake.
Sitte we doun, and lat us myrie make.
And whan that this chanounes bechen cole
Was brent, al the lemaille out of the hole
Into the crosselet fil anon adoun;
And as it moste nedes, by resoun,
Syn it so even aboven it couched was.
But therof wiste the preest nothyng, alas!
He demed alle the coles yliche good;
For of that sleighte he nothyng understood.
And whan this alkamystre saugh his tyme,
Ris up, quod he, sire preest, and stondeth by me;
And for I woot wel ingot have ye noon,
Gooth, walketh forth, and brynge us a chalk stoon;
For I wol make it of the same shap
That is an ingot, if I may han hap.
And bryngeth eek with yow a bolle or a panne
Ful of water, and ye shul se wel thanne
How that oure bisynesse shal thryve and preeve.
And yet, for ye shul han no mysbileeve
New wrong conceite of me in youre absence,
I ne wol nat been out of youre presence,
But go with yow, and come with yow ageyn.
The chambre dore, shortly for to seyn,
They opened and shette, and wente hir weye.
And forth with hem they carieden the keye,
And coome agayn withouten any delay.
What sholde I tarien al the longe day?
He took the chalk, and shoop it in the wise
Of an ingot, as I shal yow devyse.
I seye, he took out of his owene sleeve
A teyne of silver -- yvele moot he cheeve! --
Which that ne was nat but an ounce of weighte.
And taaketh heede now of his cursed sleighte!
He shoop his ingot, in lengthe and in breede
Of this teyne, withouten any drede,
So slyly that the preest it nat espide,
And in his sleve agayn he gan it hide,
And fro the fir he took up his mateere,
And in th' yngot putte it with myrie cheere,
And in the water-vessel he it caste,
Whan that hym luste, and bad the preest as faste,
Loke what ther is, put in thyn hand and grope.
Thow fynde shalt ther silver, as I hope.
What, devel of helle! sholde it elles be?
Shaving of silver silver is, pardee!
He putte his hand in and took up a teyne
Of silver fyn, and glad in every veyne
Was this preest, whan he saugh that it was so.
Goddes blessyng, and his moodres also,
And alle halwes, have ye, sire chanoun,
Seyde the preest, and I hir malisoun,
But, and ye vouche-sauf to techen me
This noble craft and this subtilitee,
I wol be youre in al that evere I may.
Quod the chanoun, yet wol I make assay
The seconde tyme, that ye may taken heede
And been expert of this, and in youre neede
Another day assaye in myn absence
This disciplyne and this crafty science.
Lat take another ounce, quod he tho,
Of quyksilver, withouten wordes mo,
And do therwith as ye han doon er this
With that oother, which that now silver is.
This preest hym bisieth in al that he kan
To doon as this chanoun, this cursed man,
Comanded hym, and faste he blew the fir,
For to come to th' effect of his desir.
And this chanon, right in the meene while,
Al redy was this preest eft to bigile,
And for a contenaunce in his hand he bar
An holwe stikke -- taak kep and be war! --
In the ende of which an ounce, and namoore,
Of silver lemaille put was, as bifore
Was in his cole, and stopped with wex weel
For to kepe in his lemaille every deel.
And whil this preest was in his bisynesse,
This chanoun with his stikke gan hym dresse
To hym anon, and his poudre caste in
As he dide er -- the devel out of his skyn
Hym terve, I pray to god, for his falshede!
For he was evere fals in thoght and dede --
And with this stikke, above the crosselet,
That was ordeyned with that false jet
He stired the coles til relente gan
The wex agayn the fir, as every man,
But it a fool be, woot wel it moot nede,
And al that in the stikke was out yede,
And in the crosselet hastily it fel.
Now, good sires, what wol ye bet than wel?
Whan that this preest thus was bigiled ageyn,
Supposynge noght but treuthe, sooth to seyn,
He was so glad that I kan nat expresse
In no manere his myrthe and his gladnesse;
And to the chanoun he profred eftsoone
Body and good. Ye, quod the chanoun soone,
Though poure I be, crafty thou shalt me fynde.
I warne thee, yet is ther moore bihynde.
Is ther any coper herinne? seyde he.
Ye, quod the preest, sire, I trowe wel ther be.
Elles go bye us som, and that as swithe;
Now, goode sire, go forth thy wey and hy the.
He wente his wey, and with the coper cam,
And this chanon it in his handes nam,
And of that coper weyed out but an ounce.
Al to symple is my tonge to pronounce,
As ministre of my wit, the doublenesse
Of this chanoun, roote of alle cursednesse!
He semed freendly to hem that knewe hym noght,
But he was feendly bothe in werk and thoght.
It weerieth me to telle of his falsnesse,
And nathelees yet wol I it expresse,
To th' entente that men may be war therby,
And for noon oother cause, trewely.
He putte this ounce of coper in the crosselet,
And on the fir as swithe he hath it set,
And caste in poudre, and made the preest to blowe,
And in his werkyng for to stoupe lowe,
As he dide er, -- and al nas but a jape;
Right as hym liste, the preest he made his ape!
And afterward in the ingot he it caste,
And in the panne putte it at the laste
Of water, and in he putte his owene hand,
And in his sleve (as ye biforen-hand
Herde me telle) he hadde a silver teyne.
He slyly took it out, this cursed heyne,
Unwityng this preest of his false craft,
And in the pannes botme he hath it laft;
And in the water rombled to and fro,
And wonder pryvely took up also
The coper teyne, noght knowynge this preest,
And hidde it, and hym hente by the breest,
And to hym spak, and thus seyde in his game:
Stoupeth adoun, by god, ye be to balme!
Helpeth me now, as I dide yow whileer;
Putte in youre hand, and looketh what is theer.
This preest took up this silver teyne anon,
And thanne seyde the chanoun, lat us gon
With thise thre teynes, whiche that we han wroght,
To som goldsmyth, and wite if they been oght.
For, by my feith, I nolde, for myn hood,
But if that they were silver fyn and good,
And that as swithe preeved it shal bee.
Unto the goldsmyth with thise teynes three
They wente, and putte thise teynes in assay
Fo fir and hamer; myghte no man seye nay,
But that they weren as hem oghte be.
This sotted preest, who was gladder than he?
Was nevere brid gladder agayn the day,
Ne nyghtyngale, in the sesoun of may,
Was nevere noon that luste bet to synge;
Ne lady lustier in carolynge,
Or for to speke of love and wommanhede,
Ne knyght in armes to doon an hardy dede,
To stonden in grace of his lady deere,
Than hadde this preest this soory craft to leere.
And to the chanoun thus he spak and seyde:
For love of god, that for us alle deyde,
And as I may deserve it unto yow,
What shal this receite coste? telleth now!
By oure lady, quod this chanon, it is deere,
I warne yow wel; for save I and a frere,
In engelond ther kan no man it make.
No fors, quod he, now, sire, for goddes sake,
What shal I paye? telleth me, I preye.
Ywis, quod he, it is ful deere, I seye.
Sire, at o word, if that thee list it have,
Ye shul paye fourty pound, so God me save!
And nere the freendshipe that ye dide er this
To me, ye sholde paye moore, ywis.
This preest the somme of fourty pound anon
Of nobles fette, and took hem everichon
To this chanoun, for this ilke receite.
Al his werkyng nas but fraude and deceite.
Sire preest, he seyde, I kepe han no loos
Of my craft, for I wolde it kept were cloos;
And, as ye love me, kepeth it secree.
For, and men knewen al my soutiltee,
By god, they wolden han so greet envye
To me, by cause of my philosophye,
I sholde be deed; ther were noon oother weye.
God it forbeede, quod the preest, what sey ye?
Yet hadde I levere spenden al the good
Which that I have, and elles wexe I wood,
Than that ye sholden falle in swich mescheef.
For youre good wyl, sire, have ye right good preef,
Quod the chanoun, and farwel, grant mercy!
He wente his wey, and never the preest hym sy
After that day; and whan that this preest shoolde
Maken assay, at swich tyme as he wolde,
Of this receit, farwel! it wolde nat be.
Lo, thus byjaped and bigiled was he!
Thus maketh he his introduccioun,
To brynge folk to hir destruccioun.
Considereth, sires, how that, in ech estaat,
Bitwixe men and gold ther is debaat
So ferforth that unnethes is ther noon.
This multiplying blent so many oon
That in good feith I trowe that it bee
The cause grettest of swich scarsetee.
Philosophres speken so mystily
In this craft that men kan nat come therby,
For any wit that men han now-a-dayes.
They mowe wel chiteren as doon thise jayes,
And in hir termes sette hir lust and peyne,
But to hir purpos shul they nevere atteyne.
A man may lightly lerne, if he have aught,
To multiplie, and brynge his good to naught!
Lo! swich a lucre is in this lusty game,
A mannes myrthe it wol turne unto grame,
And empten also grete and hevye purses,
And maken folk for to purchacen curses
Of hem that han hir good therto ylent.
O! fy, for shame! they that han been brent,
Allas! kan they nat flee the fires heete?
Ye that it use, I rede ye it leete,
Lest ye lese al; for bet than nevere is late.
Nevere to thryve were to long a date.
Though ye prolle ay, ye shul it nevere fynde.
Ye been as boold as is bayard the blynde,
That blondreth forth, and peril casteth noon.
He is as boold to renne agayn a stoon
As for to goon bisides in the weye.
So faren ye that multiplie, I seye.
If that youre eyen kan nat seen aright,
Looke that youre mynde lakke noght his sight.
For though ye looken never so brode and stare,
Ye shul nothyng wynne on that chaffare,
But wasten al that ye may rape and renne.
Withdraweth the fir, lest it to faste brenne;
Medleth namoore with that art, I mene,
For if ye doon, youre thrift is goon ful clene.
And right as swithe I wol yow tellen heere
What philosophres seyn in this mateere.
Lo, thus seith arnold of the newe toun,
As his rosarie maketh mencioun;
He seith right thus, withouten any lye:
Ther may no man mercurie mortifie
But it be with his brother knowlechyng.
How be that he which that first seyde this thyng
Of philosophres fader was, hermes --
He seith how that the dragon, doutelees,
Ne dyeth nat, but if that he be slayn
With his brother; and that is for to sayn,
By the dragon, mercurie, and noon oother
He understood, and brymstoon by his brother,
That out of sol and luna were ydrawe.
And therfore, seyde he, -- taak heede to my sawe --
Lat no man bisye hym this art for to seche,
But if that he th' entencioun and speche
Of philosophres understonde kan;
And if he do, he is a lewed man.
For this science and this konnyng, quod he,
Is of the secree of secrees, pardee.
Also ther was a disciple of plato,
That on a tyme seyde his maister to,
As his book senior wol bere witnesse,
And this was his demande in soothfastnesse:
Telle me the name of the privee stoon?
And plato answerde unto hym anoon,
Take the stoon that titanos men name.
Which is that? quod he. Magnasia is the same,
Seyde plato. Ye, sire, and is it thus?
This is ignotum per ignocius.
What is magnasia, good sire, I yow preye?
It is a water that is maad, I seye,
Of elementes foure, quod plato.
Telle me the roote, good sire, quod he tho,
Of that water, if it be youre wil.
Nay, nay, quod plato, certein, that I nyl.
The philosophres sworn were everychoon
That they sholden discovere it unto noon,
Ne in no book it write in no manere.
For unto crist it is so lief and deere
That he wol nat that it discovered bee,
But where it liketh to his deitee
Men for t' enspire, and eek for to deffende
Whom that hym liketh; lo, this is the ende.
Thanne conclude I thus, sith that God of hevene
Ne wil nat that the philosophres nevene
How that a man shal come unto this stoon,
I rede, as for the beste, lete it goon.
For whoso maketh God his adversarie,
As for to werken any thyng in contrarie
Of his wil, certes, never shal he thryve,
Thogh that he multiplie terme of his lyve.
And there a poynt; for ended is my tale.
God sende every trewe man boote of his bale!

The Manciple's Prologue

Woot ye nat where ther stant a litel toun
Which that ycleped is bobbe-up-and-doun,
Under the blee, in caunterbury weye?
Ther gan oure hooste for to jape and pleye,
And seyde, sires, what! dun is in the myre!
Is ther no man, for preyere ne for hyre,
That wole awake oure felawe al bihynde?
A theef myghte hym ful lightly robbe and bynde.
See how he nappeth! see how, for cokkes bones,
That he wol falle fro his hors atones!
Is that a cook of londoun, with meschaunce?
Do hym come forth, he knoweth his penaunce;
For he shal telle a tale, by my fey,
Although it be nat worth a botel hey.
Awake, thou cook, quod he, God yeve thee sorwe!
What eyleth thee to slepe by the morwe?
Hastow had fleen al nyght, or artow dronke?
Or hastow with som quene al nyght yswonke,
So that thow mayst nat holden up thyn heed?
This cook, that was ful pale and no thyng reed,
Seyde to oure hoost, so God my soule blesse,
As ther is falle on me swich hevynesse,
Noot I nat why, that me were levere slepe
Than the beste galon wyn in chepe.
Wel, quod the maunciple, if it may doon ese
To thee, sire cook, and to no wight displese,
Which that heere rideth in this compaignye,
And that oure hoost wole, of his curteisye,
I wol as now excuse thee of thy tale.
For, in good feith, thy visage is ful pale,
Thyne eyen daswen eek, as that me thynketh,
And, wel I woo, thy breeth ful soure stynketh:
That sheweth wel thou art nat wel disposed.
Of me, certeyn, thou shalt nat been yglosed.
See how he ganeth, lo! this dronken wight,
As though he wolde swolwe us anonright.
Hoold cloos thy mouth, man, by thy fader kyn!
The devel of helle sette his foot therin!
Thy cursed breeth infecte wole us alle.
Fy, stynkyng swyn! fy, foule moote thee falle!
A! taketh heede, sires, of this lusty man.
Now, sweete sire, wol ye justen atte fan?
Therto me thynketh ye been wel yshape!
I trowe that ye dronken han wyn ape,
And that is whan men pleyen with a straw.
And with this speche the cook wax wrooth and wraw,
And on the manciple he gan nodde faste
For lakke of speche, and doun the hors hym caste,
Where as he lay, til that men hym up took.
This was a fair chyvachee of a cook!
Allas! he nadde holde hym by his ladel!
And er that he agayn were in his sadel,
Ther was greet showvyng bothe to and fro
To lifte hym up, and muchel care and wo,
So unweeldy was this sory palled goost.
And to the manciple thanne spak oure hoost:
By cause drynke hath dominacioun
Upon this man, by my savacioun,
I trowe he lewedly wolde telle his tale.
For, were it wyn, or oold or moysty ale,
That he hath dronke, he speketh in his nose,
And fneseth faste, and eek he hath the pose.
He hath also to do moore than ynough
To kepen hym and his capul out of the slough;
And if he falle from his capul eftsoone,
Thanne whal we alle have ynogh to doone
In liftyng up his hevy dronken cors.
Telle on thy tale; of hym make I no fors.
But yet, manciple, in feith thou art to nyce,
Thus openly repreve hym of his vice.
Another day he wole, peraventure,
Reclayme thee and brynge thee to lure;
I meene, he speke wole of smale thynges,
As for to pynchen at thy rekenynges,
That were nat honest, if it cam to preef.
No, quod the manciple, that were a greet mescheef!
So myghte he lightly brynge me in the snare.
Yet hadde I levere payen for the mare
Which he rit on, than he sholde with me stryve.
I wol nat wratthen hym, also moot I thryve!
That that I spak, I seyde it in my bourde.
And wite ye what? I have heer in a gourde
A draghte of wyn, ye, of a ripe grape,
And right anon ye shul seen a good jape.
This cook shal drynke therof, if I may.
Up peyne of deeth, he wol nat seye me nay.
And certeynly, to tellen as it was,
Of this vessel the cook drank faste, allas!
What neded hym? he drank ynough biforn.
And whan he hadde pouped in this horn,
To the manciple he took the gourde agayn;
And of that drynke the cook was wonder fayn,
And thanked hym in swich wise as he koude.
Thanne gan oure hoost to laughen wonder loude,
And seyde, I se wel it is necessarie,
Where that we goon, good drynke with us carie;
For that wol turne rancour and disese
T' acord and love, and many a wrong apese.
O thou bacus, yblessed be thy name,
That so kanst turnen ernest into game!
Worshipe and thank be to thy deitee!
Of that mateere ye gete namoore of me.
Telle on thy tale, manciple, I thee preye.
Wel, sire, quod he, now herkneth what I seye.

The Manciple's Tale

Whan phebus dwelled heere in this erthe adoun,
As olde bookes maken mencioun,
He was the mooste lusty bachlier
In al this world, and eek the beste archer.
He slow phitoun, the serpent, as he lay
Slepynge agayn the soone upon a day;
And many another noble worthy dede
He with his bowe wroghte, as men may rede.
Pleyen he koude on every mynstralcie,
And syngen, that it was a melodie
To heeren of his cleere voys the soun.
Certes the kyng of thebes, amphioun,
That with his syngyng walled that citee,
Koude nevere syngen half so wel as hee.
Therto he was the semelieste man
That is or was, sith that the world bigan.
What nedeth is his fetures to discryve?
For in this world was noon so faire on-lyve.
He was therwith fulfild of gentillesse,
Of honour, and of parfit worthynesse.
This phebus, that was flour of bachilrie,
As wel in fredom as in chivalrie,
For his desport, in signe eek of victorie
Of phitoun, so as telleth us the storie,
Was wont to beren in his hand a bowe.
Now hadde this phebus in his hous a crowe
Which in a cage he fostred many a day,
And taughte it speken, as men teche a jay.
Whit was this crowe as in a snow-whit swan,
And countrefete the speche of every man
He koude, whan he sholde telle a tale.
Therwith in al this world no nyghtygale
Ne koude, by an hondred thousand deel,
Syngen so wonder myrily and weel.
Now hadde this phebus in his hous a wyf
Which that he lovede moore than his lyf,
And nyght and day dide evere his diligence
Hir for to plese, and doon hire reverence,
Save oonly, if the sothe that I shal sayn.
Jalous he was, and wolde have kept hire fayn.
For hym were looth byjaped for to be,
And so is every wight in swich degree;
But al in ydel, for it availleth noght.
A good wyf, that is clene of werk and thought,
Sholde nat been kept in noon awayt, certayn;
And trewely, the labour is in vayn
To kepe a shrewe, for it wol nat bee.
This holde I for a verray nycetee,
To spille labour for to kepe wyves:
Thus writen olde clerkes in hir lyves.
But now to purpos, as I first bigan:
This worthy phebus dooth al that he kan
To plesen hire, wenynge for swich plesaunce,
And for his manhede and his governaunce,
That no man sholde han put hym from hir grace.
But God it woot, ther may no man embrace
As to destreyne a thyng which that nature
Hath natureelly set in a creature.
Taak any bryd, and put it in a cage,
And do al thyn entente and thy corage
To fostre it tendrely with mete and drynke
Of alle deyntees that thou kanst bithynke,
And keep it al so clenly as thou may,
Although his cage of gold be never so gay,
Yet hath this brid, by twenty thousand foold,
Levere in a forest, that is rude and coold,
Goon ete wormes and swich wrecchednesse.
For evere this brid wol doon his bisynesse
To escape out of his cage, yif he may.
His libertee this brid desireth ay.
Lat take a cat and fostre hym wel with milk
And tendre flessh, and make his couche of silk,
And lat hym seen a mous go by the wal,
Anon he weyveth milk and flessh and al,
And every deyntee that is in that hous,
Swich appetit hath he to ete a mous.
Lo heere hath lust his dominacioun,
And appetit fleemeth discrecioun,
A she-wolf hath also a vileyns knyde.
The lewedeste wolf that she may fynde,
Or leest of reputacoun, wol she take,
In tyme whan hir lust to han a make.
Alle thise ensamples speke I by thise men
That been untrewe, and nothyng by wommen.
For men han evere a likerous appetit
On lower thyng to parfourne hire delit
Than on hire wyves, be they never so faire,
Ne never so trewe, ne so debonaire.
Flessh is so newefangel, with meschaunce,
That we ne konne in nothyng han plesaunce
That sowneth into vertu any while.
This phebus, which that thoghte upon no gile,
Deceyved was, for al his jolitee.
For under hym another hadde shee,
A man of litel reputacioun,
Nat worth to phebus in comparisoun.
The moore harm is, it happeth ofte so,
Of which ther cometh muchel harm and wo.
And so bifel, whan phebus was absent,
His wyf anon hath for hir lemman sent.
Hir lemman? certes, this is a knavyssh speche!
Foryeveth it me, and that I yow biseche.
The wise plato seith, as ye may rede,
The word moot nede accorde with the dede.
If men shal telle proprely a thyng.
The word moot cosyn be to the werkyng.
I am a boystous man, right thus seye I,
Ther nys no difference, trewely,
Bitwixe a wyf that is of heigh degree,
If of hir body dishonest she bee,
And a povre wenche, oother than this --
If it so be they werke bothe amys --
But that the gentile, in estaat above,
She shal be cleped his lady, as in love;
And for that oother is a povre womman,
She shal be cleped his wenche or his lemman,
And, God it woot, myn owene deere brother.
Men leyn that oon as lowe as lith that oother.
Right so bitwixe a titleees tiraunt
And an outlawe, or a theef erraunt,
The same I seye, ther is no difference.
To alisaundre was toold this sentence,
That, for the tirant is of gretter myght,
By force of meynee, for to sleen dounright,
And brennen hous and hoom, and make al playn,
Lo, therfore is he cleped a capitayn;
And for the outlawe hath but smal meynee,
And may nat doon so greet an harm as he,
Ne brynge a contree to so greet mescheef,
Men clepen hym an outlawe or a theef.
But, for I am a man noght textueel,
I wold noght telle of textes never a deel;
I wol go to my tale, as I bigan.
Whan phebus wyf had sent for hir lemman,
Anon they wroghten al hir lust volage.
The white crowe, that heeng ay in the cage.
Biheeld hire werk, and seyde never a word.
And whan that hoom was come phebus, the lord,
This crowe sang cokkow! cokkow! cokkow!
What bryd! quod phebus, what song dyngestow?
Ne were thow wont so myrily to synge
That to myn herte it was a rejoysynge
To heere thy voys? allas! what song is this?
By god! quod he, I synge nat amys.
Phebus, quod he, for al thy worthynesse,
For al thy beautee and thy gentilesse,
For al thy song and al thy mynstralcye,
For al thy waityng, blered is thyn ye
With oon of litel reputacioun,
Noght worth to thee, as in comparisoun,
The montance of a gnat, so moote I thryve!
For on thy bed thy wyf I saugh hym swyve.
What wol ye moore? the crowe anon hym tolde,
By sadde tokenes and by wordes bolde,
How that his wyf had doon hire lecherye,
Hym to greet sham and to greet vileynye;
And tolde hym ofte he saugh it with his yen.
His phebus gan aweyward for to wryen,
And thoughte his sorweful herte brast atwo.
His bowe he bente, and sette therinne a flo,
And in his ire his wyf thanne hath he slayn.
This is th' effect, ther is namoore to sayn;
For sorwe of which he brak his mynstralcie,
Bothe harpe, and lute, and gyterne, and sautrie;
And eek he brak his arwes and his bowe,
And after that thus spak he to the crowe;
Traitour, quod he, with tonge of scorpioun,
Thou hast me broght to my confusioun;
Allas, that I was wroght! why nere I deed?
O deere wyf! o gemme of lustiheed!
That were to me so sad and eek so trewe,
Now listow deed, with face pale of hewe,
Ful gilteless, that dorste I swere, ywys!
O rakel hand, to doon so foule amys!
O trouble wit, o ire recchelees,
That unavysed smyteth gilteles!
O wantrust, ful of fals suspecion,
Where was thy wit and thy discrecion?
O every man, be war of rakelinesse!
Ne trowe no thyng withouten strong witnesse.
Smyt nat to soone, er that ye witen why,
And beeth avysed wel and sobrely
Er ye doon any execucion
Upon youre ire for suspecion.
Allas! a thousand folk hath rakel ire
Fully fordoon, and broght hem in the mire.
Allas! for sorwe I wol myselven slee!
And to crowe, o false theef! seyde he,
I wol thee quite anon thy false tale.
Thou songe whilom lyk a nyghtyngale;
Now shaltow, false theef, thy song forgon,
And eek thy white fetheres everichon,
Ne nevere in al thy life ne shaltou speke.
Thus shal men on a traytour been awreke;
Thou and thyn ofspryng evere shul be blake,
Ne nevere sweete noyse shul ye make,
But evere crie agayn tempest and rayn,
In tokenynge that thurgh thee my wyf is slayn.
And to the crowe he stirte, and that anon,
And pulled his white fetheres everychon,
And made hym blak, and refte hym al his song,
And eek his speche, and out at dore hym slong
Unto the devel, which I hym bitake;
And for this caas been alle crowes blake.
Lordynges, by this ensamble I yow preye,
Beth war, and taketh kep what that ye seye:
Ne telleth nevere no man in youre lyf
How that another man hath dight his wyf;
He wol yow haten mortally, certeyn.
Daun salomon, as wise clerkes seyn,
Techeth a man to kepen his tonge weel.
, but as I seyde, I am noght textueel.
But nathelees, thus taughte me my dame:
My sone, thenk on the crowe, a goodes name!
My sone, keep wel thy tonge, and keep thy freend.
A wikked tonge is worse than a feend;
My sone, from a feend men may hem blesse.
My sone, God of his endelees goodnesse
Walled a tonge with teeth and lippes eke,
For man sholde hym avyse what he speeke.
My sone, ful ofte, for to muche speche
Hath many a man been spilt, as clerkes teche;
But for litel speche avysely
Is no man shent, to speke generally.
My sone, thy tonge sholdestow restreyne
At alle tymes, but whan thou doost thy peyne
To speke of god, in honour and preyere.
The firste vertu, sone, if thou wolt leere,
Is to restreyne and kepe wel thy tonge;
Thus lerne children whan that they been yonge.
My sone, of muchel spekyng yvele avysed,
Ther lasse spekyng hadde ynough suffised,
Comth muchel harm; thus was me toold and taught.
In muchel speche synne wanteth naught.
Wostow wherof a rakel tonge serveth?
Right as a swerd forkutteth and forkerveth
An arm a-two, my deere done, right so
A tonge kutteth freendshipe al a-two.
A jangler is to God abhomynable.
Reed salomon, so wys and honurable;
Reed david in his psalmes, reed senekke.
My sone, spek nat, but with thyn heed thou bekke.
Dissimule as thou were deef, if that thou heere
A janglere speke of perilous mateere.
The flemyng seith, and lerne it if thee leste,
That litel janglyng causeth muchel reste.
My sone, if thou no wikked word hast seyd,
Thee thar nat drede for to be biwreyd;
But he that hath mysseyd, I dar wel sayn,
He may by no wey clepe his word agayn.
Thyng that is seyd is seyd, and forth it gooth,
Though hym repente, or be hym nevere so looth.
He is his thral to whom that he hath sayd
A tale of which he is now yvele apayd.
My sone, be war, and be noon auctour newe
Of tidynges, wheither they been false or trewe.
Whereso thou come, amonges hye or lowe,
Kepe wel thy tonge, and thenk upon the crowe.

The Parson's Prologue

By that the maunciple hadde his tale al ended,
The sonne fro the south lyne was descended
So lowe that he nas nat, to my sighte,
Degrees nyne and twenty as in highte.
Foure of the clokke it was tho, as I gesse,
For ellevene foot, or litel moore or lesse,
My shadwe was at thilke tyme, as there,
Of swiche feet as my lengthe parted were
In sixe feet equal of proporcioun.
Therwith the moones exaltacioun,
I meene libra, alwey gan ascende,
As we were entryng at a thropes ende;
For which oure hoost, as he was wont to gye,
As in this caas, oure joly compaignye,
Seyde in this wise: lordynges everichoon,
Now lakketh us no tales mo than oon.
Fulfilled is my sentence and my decree;
I trowe that we han herd of ech degree;
Almoost fulfild is al myn ordinaunce.
I pray to god, so yeve hym right good chaunce,
That telleth this tale to us lustily.
Sire preest, quod he, artow a vicary?
Or arte a person? sey sooth, by the fey!
Be what thou be, ne breke thou nat oure pley;
For every man, save thou, hath toold his tale.
Unbokele, and shewe us what is in thy male;
For, trewely, me thynketh by thy cheere
Thou sholdest knytte up wel a greet mateere.
Telle us a fable anon, for cokkes bones!
This persoun answerde, al atones,
Thou getest fable noon ytoold for me;
For paul, that writeth unto thymothee,
Repreveth hem that weyven soothfastnesse,
And tellen fables and swich wrecchednesse.
Why sholde I sowen draf out of my fest,
Whan I may sowen whete, if that me lest?
For which I seye, if that yow list to heere
Moralitee and vertuous mateere,
And thanne that ye wol yeve me audience,
I wol ful fayn, at cristes reverence,
Do yow plesaunce leefful, as I kan.
But trusteth wel, I am a southren man,
I kan nat geeste -- rum, ram, ruf, -- by lettre,
Ne, God woot, ryn holde I but litel bettre;
And therfore, if yow list -- I wol nat glose --
I wol yow telle a myrie tale in prose
To knytte up al this feeste, and make an ende.
And jhesu, for his grace, wit me sende
To shewe yow the wey, in this viage,
Of thilke parfit glorious pilgrymage
That highte jerusalem celestial.
And if ye vouche sauf, anon I shal
Bigynne upon my tale, for which I preye
Telle youre avys, I kan no bettre seye.
But nathelees, this meditacioun
I putte it ay under correccioun
Of clerkes, for I am nat textueel;
I take but the sentence, trusteth weel.
Therfore I make protestacioun
That I wol stonde to correccioun.
Upon this word we han assented soone,
For, as it seemed, it was for to doone,
To enden in som vertuous sentence,
And for to yeve hym space and audience;
And bade oure hoost he sholde to hym seye
That alle we to telle his tale hym preye.
Oure hoost hadde the wordes for us alle:
Sire preest, quod he, now faire yow bifalle!
Telleth, quod he, youre meditacioun.
But hasteth yow, the sonne wole adoun;
Beth fructuous, and that in litel space,
And to do wel God sende yow his grace!
Sey what yow list, and we wol gladly heere.
And with that word he seyde in this manere.

The Parson's Tale

Oure sweete lord God of hevene, that no
Man wole perisse, but wole that we comen alle
Yo yhr knoweleche of hym, and to the blisful
lif that is perdurable,/ amonesteth us
By the prophete jeremie, that seith in thys
Wyse:/ stondeth upon the weyes, and seeth
And axeth of olde pathes (that is to seyn, of olde
Sentences) which is the goode wey./ And wald
Eth in that wey, and ye shal fynde refresshynge
For youre soules, etc./ Manye been the weyes
Espirituels that leden fold to oure lord jhesu
Crist, and to the regne of glorie./ Of whiche
Weyes, ther is a ful noble wey and ful covenable,
which may nat fayle to man ne to womman
that thurgh synne hath mysgoon fro
The righte wey of jerusalem celestial;/ and
This wey is cleped penitence, of which man
Sholde gladly herknen and enquere with
His herte,/ to wyten what is penitence, and
Wheenes it is cleped penitence, and in how
Manye maners been the acciouns or werkynges
of penitence,/ and how manye speces
Ther been of penitence, and whiche thynges
Apertenen and bihoven to penitence, and
Whiche thynges destourben penitence./
Seint ambrose seith that penitence is the
Pleynynge of man for the gilt that he hath
Doon, and namoore to do any thyng for which
Hym oghte to pleyne./ And som doctour seith.
Penitence is the waymentynge of man that
Sorweth for his synne, and pyneth hymself
for he hath mysdoon./ Penitence,
With certeyne circumstances, is varray repentance
of a man that halt hymself in sorwe
And oother peyne for his giltes. / and for he
Shal be verray penitent, he shal first biwaylen
The synnes that he hath doon, and stidefastly
Purposen in his herte to have shrift of mouthe,
And to doon satisfaccioun, / and nevere to doon
Thyng for which hym oghte moore to biwayle
Or to compleyne, and to continue in goode
Werkes, or elles his repentance may nat availle. /
For, as seith seint ysidre, he is a japere and
A gabbere, and no verray repentant, that eftsoone
dooth thyng for which hym oghte repente./
wepynge, and nat for to stynte to
Do synne, may nat avayle./ But nathelees,
Men shal hope that every tyme that man
Falleth, be it never so ofte, that he may arise
Thurgh penitence, if he have grace; but certeinly
it is greet doute./ For, as seith seint
Gregorie, unnethe ariseth he out of his synne,
That is charged with the charge of yvel usage./
And therfore repentant folk, that stynte for to
Synne, and forlete synne er that synne forlete
Hem, hooly chirche holdeth hem siker of hir
Savacioun. / and he that synneth and verraily
Repenteth hym in his laste, hooly chirche yet
Hopeth his savacioun, by the grete mercy of
Oure lord jhesu crist, for his repentaunce; but
Taak the siker wey./
And now, sith I have declared yow what
Thyng is penitence, now shul ye understonde
That ther been three acciouns of penitence./
the firste is that if a man be baptized
after that he hath synned,/ seint augustyn
seith, but he be penytent for his olde
Synful lyf, he may nat bigynne the newe clene
Lif./ For, certes, if he be baptized withouten
Penitence of his olde gilt, he receyveth the mark
Of baptesme, but nat the grace ne the remission
Of his synnes, til he have repentance verray./
Another defaute is this, that men doon deedly
Synne after that they han receyved baptesme./
The thridde defaute is that men fallen in
Venial synnes after hir baptesme, fro day
To day./ Therof seith seint augustyn that
Penitence of goode and humble folk is the
Penitence of every day./
The speces of penitence been three. That
Oon of hem is solempne, another is commune,
And the thridde is privee./ Thilke penance that
Is solempne is in two maneres; as to be put out
Of hooly chirche in-lente, for slaughtre of children
and swich maner thyng./ Another is,
Whan a man hath synned openly, of which
Synne the fame is openly spoken in the contree,
and thanne hooly chirche by juggement
Destreyneth hym for to do open penaunce./
Commune penaunce is that preestes enjoynen
Men communly in certeyn caas, as for to goon
Peraventure naked in pilgrimages, or barefoot./
Prevee penaunce is thilke that men
Doon alday for privee synnes, of whiche we
Shryve us prively and receyve privee penaunce./
Now shaltow understande what is bihovely
And necessarie to verray perfit penitence. And
This stant on three thynges:/ contricioun of
Herte, confessioun of mouth, and satisfaction.
/ for which seith seint crisostomz
Penitence destreyneth a man to accepte benygnely
every peyne that hym is enjoyned,
With contricioun of herte, and shrift of mouth,
With satisfaccioun; and in werkynge of alle
Manere humylitee./ And this is fruytful penitence
agayn three thinges in which we
Wratthe oure lord jhesu crist:/ this is to
Seyn, by delit in thynkynge, by reccheleesnesse
in spekynge, and by wikked synful werknyge./
and agayns thise wikkede giltes is penitence,
that may be likned unto a tree./
The roote of this tree is contricioun, that
Hideth hym in the herte of hym that is verray
Repentaunt, right as the roote of a tree gydeth
Hym in the erthe./ Of the roote of contricioun
Spryngeth a stalke that bereth braunches and
Leves of confessioun, and fruyt of satisfaccioun./
for which crist seith in his gospel:
Dooth digne fruyt of penitence; for by this
Fruyt may men knowe this tree, and nat by the
Roote that is hyd in the herte of man, ne by the
Braunches, ne by the leves of confessioun./
and therfore oure lord jhesu
Crist seith thus: by the fruyt of hem shul
Ye knowen hem./ Of this roote eek spryngeth
A seed of grace, the which seed is mooder of
Sikernesse, and this seed is egre and hoot./ The
Grace of this seed spryngeth of God thurgh remembrance
of the day of doom and on the
Peynes of helle./ Of this matere seith salomon
that in the drede of God man forleteth his
Synne./ The heete of this seed is the love of
God, and the desiryng of the joye perdurable./
this heete draweth the herte
Of a man to god, and dooth hym haten his
Synne./ For soothly ther is nothyng that savoureth
so wel to a child as the milk of his
Norice, ne nothyng is to hym moore abhomnyable
than thilke milk whan it is medled with
Oother mete./ Right so the synful man that
Loveth his synne, hym semeth that it is to him
Moost sweete of any thyng;/ but fro that tyme
That he loveth sadly oure lord jhesu crist, and
Desireth the lif perdurable, ther nys to him no
Thyng moore abhomynable./ For soothly the
Lawe of God is the love of god; for which
David the prophete seith: I have loved thy
Lawe, and hated wikkednesse and hate; he
That loveth God kepeth his lawe and his
Word./ This tree saugh the prophete
Daniel in spirit, upon the avysioun of the
Kyng nabugodonosor, whan he conseiled hym
To do penitence./ Penaunce is the tree of lyf
To hem that is receyven, and he that holdeth
Hym in verray penitence is blessed, after the
Sentence of solomon./
In this penitence or contricioun man shal
Understonde foure thynges; that is to seyn, what
Is contricioun, and whiche been the causes that
Moeven a man to contricioun, and how he
Sholde be contrit, and what contricioun availleth
to the soule./ Thanne is it thus: that contricioun
is the verray sorwe that a man receyveth
in his herte for his synnes, with sad purpos
To shryve hum, and to do penaunce, and neveremoore
to do synne./ And this sorwe shal
Been in this manere, as seith seint bernard: it
Shal been hevy and grevous, and ful sharp
And poynaunt in herte./ First, for man
Hath agilt his lord and his creatour; and
Moore sharp and poynaunt, for he hath agilt hys
Fader celestial;/ and yet moore sharp and
Poynaunt, for he hath wrathed and agilt hym
That boghte hym, that with his precious blood
Hath delivered us fro the bondes of synne, and
Fro the crueltee of the deve, and fro the peynes
Of helle./
The causes that oghte moeve a man to contricioun
been sixe. First a man shal remembre
Hym of his synnes;/ but looke he that thilke
Remembraunce ne be to hym no delit by no
Qwy, but greet shame and sorwe for his gilt.
For job seith, synful men doon werkes worthy
Of confusioun./ And therfore seith ezechie,
I wol remembre me alle the yeres of my
Lyf in bitternesse of myn herte./ And
God seith in the apocalipse, remembreth
Yow fro whennes that ye been falle; for biforn
That tyme that ye synned, ye were the children
Of god, and lymes of the regne of god;/ but for
Youre synne ye been woxen thral, and foul, and
Membres of the feend, hate of aungels, sclaundre
of hooly chirche, and foode of the false
Serpent; prepetueel matere of the fir of helle:/
And yet moore foul and abhomynable, for ye
Trespassen so ofte tyme as dooth the hound that
Retourneth to eten his spewyng./ And yet be
Ye fouler for youre longe continuyng in synne
And youre synful usage, for which ye be roten
In yore synne, as a beest in the dong./ Swiche
Manere of thoghtes maken a man to have shame
Of his synne, and no delit, as God seith by
The prophete ezechiel:/ ye shal remembre
yow of youre weyes, and they shuln
Displese yow. Soothly synnes been the weyes
That leden folk of helle./
The seconde cause that oghte make a man
To have desdeyn of synne is this: that, as seith
Seint peter, whoso that dooth synne is thral
Of synne; and synne put a man in greet thraldom./
and therfore seith the prophete ezechiel:
I wente sorweful in desdayn of mysekf.
Certes, wel oghte a man have desdayn of synne,
And withdrawe hym from that thraldom and
Vileynye./ And lo, what seith seneca in this
Matere? he seith thus: though I wiste that
Neither God ne man ne sholde nevere knowe
It, yet wolde I have desdayn for to do synne./
And the same seneca also seith: I am born to
Gretter thynges that to be thral to my body,
Or than for to maken of my body a thral./
Ne a fouler thral may no man ne womman
Maken of his body that for to yeven his body
To synne./ Al were it the fouleste cherl or the
Fouleste womman that lyveth, and leest of
~alue, yet is he thanne moore foul and moore
In servitute./ Evere fro the hyer degree that
Man falleth, the moore is he thral, and moore
To God and to the world vile and abhomynable./
o goode god, wel oghte man have desdayn
of synne, sith that thurgh synne, ther he
Was free, now is he maked bonde./ And therfore
seyth seint augustyn: if thou hast desdayn
of thy servant, if he agilte or synne, have
Thou thanne desdayn that thou thyself
Sholdest do synne./ Tak reward of thy
Value, that thou ne be foul to thyself./
Allas! wel oghten they thanne have desdayn to
Been servauntz and thralles to synne, and soore
Been ashamed of hemself,/ that God of his
Endelees goodnesse hath set hem in heigh estaat,
or yeven hem wit, strenghte of body,
Heele, beautee, prosperitee,/ and boghte hem
Fro the deeth with his herte-blood. That they
So unkyndely, agayns his gentilesse, quiten hym
So vileynsly to slaughtre of hir owene soules./
O goode god, ye wommen that been of so greet
Beautee, remembreth yow of the proverbe
Of salomon. He seith:/ likneth a fair
Womman that is a fool of hire body lyk to
A ryng of gold that were in the groyn of a
Soughe./ For right as a soughe wrotheth in
Everich ordure, so wroteth she hire beautee in
The stynkynge ordure of synne./
The thridde cause that oghte moeve a man
To contricioun is drede of the day of doom and
Of the horrible peynes of helle./ For, as seint
Jerome seith, at every tyme that me remembreth
of the day of doom I quake;/ for whan
I ete or drynke, or what so that I do, evere
Semeth me that the trompe sowneth in
Myn ere:/ -- riseth up, ye that been dede,
And cometh to the juggement. -- / o goode
God, muchel oghte a man to drede wich a
Juggement, ther as we shullen been alle, as
Seint poul seith, biforn the seete of oure lord
Jhesu crist;/ whereas he shal make a general
Congregacioun, whereas no man may been absent./
for certes there availleth noon essoyne
Ne excusacioun./ And nat oonly that oure defautes
shullen be jugged, but eek that alle
Oure werkes shullen openly be knowe./
And as seith seint bernard, ther ne shal
No pledynge availle, ne no sleighte; we shullen
Yeven rekenynge of everich ydel word./ Ther
Shul we han a juge that may nat been deceyved
ne corrput. And why? for, certes, alle
Oure thoghtes been discovered as to hym; ne
For preyere ne for meede he shal nat been corrupt./
and therfore seith salomon, the
Wratthe of God ne wol nat spare no wight, for
Prevere ne for yifte; and therfore, at the day
Of doom, ther nys noon hope to escape./ Wherfore,
as seith seint anselm, ful greet angwyssh
shul the synful folk have at that tyme;/
Ther shal the stierne and wrothe juge sitte
Above, and under hym the horrible pit of helle
Open to destroyen hym that moot biknowen his
Synnes, whiche synnes openly been shewed
Biforn God and biforn every creature;/
And in the left syde mo develes that herte
May bithynke, for the harye and drawe the synful
soules to the peyne of helle;/ and withinne
The hertes of folk shall be bitynge conscience,
and withoute forth shal be the orld
Al brennynge./ Whider shall thanne the
Wrecched synful man flee th hiden hym?
Certes, he may nat hyden hym; he moste come
Forth and shewen hym./ For certes, as seith
Seint jerome, the erthe shal casten hym out
Of hym, and the see also, and the eyr also, that
Shal be ful of thonder-clappes and lightnynges./
now soothly, whoso wel remembreth
Hym of thise thynges, I gesse that his synne
Shal nat turne hym into delit, but to greet
Sorwe, for drede of the peyne of helle./
And therfore seith job to god: suffre,
Lord, that I may a while biwaille and wepe.
Er I go withoute returnyng to the derke lord,
Covered with the derknesse of deeth;/ to the
Lond of mysese and of derknesse, whereas is the
Shadwe of deeth; whereas ther is noon ordre or
Ordinaunce, but grisly drede that evere shal
Laste./ Loo, heere may ye seen that job
Preyde repit a while, to biwepe and waille his
Trespas; for soothly oo day of respit is bettre
Than al the tresor of this world./ And forasmuche
as a man may acquiten hymself biforn
God by penitence in this world, and nat by
Tresor, therfore sholde he preye to God to yeve
Hymrespit a while to biwepe and biwaillen
His trespas./ For certes, al the sorwe that a
Man myghte make fro the bigynnyng of the
World nys but a litel thyng at regard of the
Sorwe of helle./ The cause why that job
Clepeth helle the lond of derknesse;/ understondeth
that he clepeth it lond or erthe,
For it is stable, and nevere shal faille; derk,
For he that is in helle hath defaute of light material./
for certes, the derke light that shal
Come out of the fyr that evere shal brenne, shal
Furne hym al to peyne that is in helle; for it
Sheweth him to the horrible develes that hym
Tormenten./ Covered with the derknesse of
Deeth, that is to seyn, that he that is in helle
Shal have defaute of the sighte of god; for
Certes, the sighte of God is the lyf perdurable./
The derknesse of deeth been the synnes that
The wrecched man hath doon, whiche that destourben
hym to see the face of god, right as
Dooth a derk clowde bitwixe us and the
Sonne./ Lond of misese, by cause that
Ther been three maneres of defautes, agayn
Three thynges that folk of this world han in this
Present lyf, that is to seyn, honours, delices, and
Richesses./ Agayns honour, have they in helle
Shame and confusioun./ For wel ye woot that
Men clepen honour the reverence that man
Doth to man; but in helle is noon honour ne
Reverence. For certes, namoore reverence shal
Be doon there to a kyng than to a knave./ For
Which God seith by the prophete jeremye,
Thilke folk that me despisen shul been in
Despit./ Honour is eek cleped greet lordshipe;
Ther shal no wight serven other, but of harm
And torment. Honour is eek cleped greet dignytee
and heighnesse, but in helle shul
They been al fortroden of develes./ And
God seith, the horrible develes shulle
Goon and comen upon the hevedes of the
Dampned folk. And this is for as muche as the
Hyer that they were in this present lyf, the
Moore shulle they been abated and defouled
In helle./ Agayns the richesse of this world
Shul they han mysese of poverte, and this poverte
shal been in foure thynges:/ in defaute of
Tresor, of which that david seith, the riche
Folk, that embraceden and oneden al hire herte
To tresor of this world, shul slepe in the slepynge
of deeth; and nothyng ne shal they fynden
In hir handes of al hir tresor./ And moore-over
the myseyse of helle shal been in defaute
Of mete and rinke./ For God seith thus by
Moyses: they shul been wasted with hunger,
And the briddes of helle shul devouren hem
With bitter deeth, and the galle of the dragon
Shal been hire drynke, and the venym of
The dragon hire morsels./ And forther
Over, hire myseyse shal been in defaute of
Clothyng; for they shulle be naked in body as
Of clothyng, save the fyr in which they bree
And othere filthes;/ and naked shul they been
Of soule, as of alle manere vertues, which that
Is the clothyng of the soule. Where been
Thannne the gaye robes, and the softe shetes,
And the smale shertes?/ loo, what seith god
Of hem by the prophete ysaye: that under hem
Shul been strawed motthes, and hire covertures
Shulle been of womres of helle./ And forther
Over, hir myseyse shal been in defaute of
Freendes. For he nys nat povre that hath goode
Freendes; but there is no frend,/ for neither
God ne no creature shal been freend to hem,
And everich of hem shal haten oother
With deedly hat./ The sones and the
Doghtren shullen rebellen agayns fader
And mooder, and kynrede agauns kynrede, and
Chiden and despisen everich of hem oother
Bothe day nad nyght, as God seith by the
Prophete michias./ And the lovynge children,
That whilom loveden so flesshly everich oother,
Wolden everich of hem eten oother if they
Myghte./ For how sholden they love hem togidre
in the peyne of helle, whan they hated
Everich of hem oother in the progenitee of this
Lyr?/ for truste wel, hir flesshly love was
Deedly hate, as seith the prophete david:
Whoso that loveth wikkednesse, he hateth his
Soule./ And whoso hateth his owene soule,
Certes, he may love noon oother wight in
No manere./ And therfore, in helle is no
Solas ne no freendshipe, but evere the
Moore flesshly kynredes that been in helle, the
Moore cursynges, the more chidynges, and the
Moore deedly hate ther is among hem./ And
Forther over, they shul have defaute of alle
Manere delices. For certes, delices been after
The appetites of the fyve wittes, as sighte, herynge,
smellynge, savorynge, and touchynge./
But in helle hir sighte shal be ful of derknesse
And of smoke, and therfore ful of teeres; and
Hir herynge ful of waymentynge and of grynt
Ynge of teeth, as seith jhesu crist./ Hir nose-
Thirles shullen be ful of stynkynge stynk; and
As seith ysaye the prophete, hir savoryng shal
Be ful of bitter galle;/ and touchynge of al hir
Body ycovered with fir that nevere shal
Quenche, and with wormes that nevere shul
Dyen, as God seith by the mouth of
Ysaye./ And for as muche as they shul
Nat wene that they may dyen for peyne,
And by hir deeth flee fro peyne, that may they
Understonden by the word of job, that seith,
Ther as is the shadwe of deeth./ Certes, a
Shadwe hath the liknesse of the thyng of which
It is shadwe, but shadwe is nat the same thyng
Of which it is shadwe./ Right so fareth the
Peune of helle; it is lyk deeth for the horrible
Angwissh, and why? for it peyneth hem evere,
As though they sholde dye anon; but certes,
They shal nat dye./ For, as seith seint gregorie,
to wrecche caytyves shal be deeth
Withoute deeth, adn end withouten ende, and
Defaute withoute failynge./ For hir deeth shal
Alwey lyven, and hir ende shal everemo bigynne,
and hir defaute shal nat faille./
And therfore seith seint john the evaungelist:
they shullen folwe deeth, and they shul
Nat fynde hym; and they shul desiren to dye,
And deeth shal flee fro hem./ And eek job
Seith that in helle is noon ordre of rule./ And
Al be it so that God hath creat alle thynges
In right ordre, and no thyng withouten ordre,
But alle thynges been ordeyned and nombred;
yet, nathelees, they that been dampned
Been nothyng in ordre, ne holden noon ordre./
For the erthe ne shal bere hem no fruyt./ For
As the prophete david seith, God shal destroie
The fruyt of the erthe as fro hem; ne water ne
Shal yeve hem no moisture, ne the eyr no
Refresshyng, ne fyr no light./ For, as
Seith seint basilie, the brennynge of the
Fyr of this world shal God yeven in helle to hem
That been dampned,/ but the light and the cleernesse
shal be yeven in hevene to this childre;
Right as the goode man yeveth flessh to his
Children and bones to his houndes./ And for
They shullen have noon hope to escape, seith
Seint job atte laste that ther shal horrour and
Grisly drede dwellen withouten ende./ Horrour
is alwey drede of harm that is to come,
And this drede shal evere dwelle in the hertes
Of hem that been dampned. And therfore han
They lorn al hire hope, for sevene causes./
First, for god, that is hir juge, shal be withouten
mercy to hem; and they may nat plese
Hym ne noon of his halwes; ne they ne
May yeve no thyng for hir raunsoun;/ ne
They have no voys to speke to hym; ne
They may nat fle fro peyne; ne they have no
Goodnesse in hem, that they mowe shewe to
Delivere hem fro peyne./ And therfore seith
Salomon: the wikked man dyeth, and whan
He is deed, he shal have noon hope to escape
Fro peyne./ Whoso thanne wolde wel understande
thise peynes, and bithynke hym weel
That he hath deserved thilke peynes for his
Synnes, errtes, he sholde have moore talent to
Siken and to wepe, than for to syngen and to
Pleye./ For, as that seith salomon, whoso
That hadde the science to knowe the peynes
That been establissed and ordeyned for synne,
He wolde make sorwe./ Thilke science, as
Seith seint augustyn, maketh a man to
Waymenten in his herte./
The fourthe point that oghte maken a
Man to have contricion is the sorweful remembraunce
of the good that he hath left to
Doon heere in erthe, and eek the good that he
Hath lorn./ Soothly, the goode werkes that he
Hath lost, outher they been the goode werkes
That he wroghte er he fel into deedly synne, or
Elles the goode werkes that he wroghte while
He lay in synne./ Soothly, the goode werkes
That he dide biforn that he fil in synne been al
Mortefied and astoned and dulled by the ofte
Synnyng./ The othere goode werkes, that he
Wroghte whil he lay in deedly synne, thei been
Outrely dede, as to the lyf perdurable in hevene./
thanne thikle goode werkes that been
Mortefied by ofte synnyng, whiche goode
Werkes he dide whil he was in charitee, ne
Mowe nevere quyken agayn withouten verray
penitence./ And therof seith God by
The mouth of ezechiel, that if the rightful
Man returne agayn from his rightwisnesse and
Werke wikkednesse, shal he lyve?/ nay, for
Alle the goode werkes that he hath wroght ne
Shul nevere been in remembraunce, for he shal
Dyen in this synne./ And upon thilke chapitre
Seith seint gregorie thus: that we shulle understonde
this principally;/ that whan we doon
Deedly synne, it is for noght thanne to rehercen
Or drawen into memorie the goode werkes that
We han wroght biforn. / for certes, in the
Werkynge of the deedly synne, ther is no trust
To no good werk that we can doon biforn; that
Is to seyn, as for to have therby the lyf
Perdurable in hevene./ But nathelees, the
Goode werkes quyken agayn, and comen
Agayn, and helpen, and availlen to have the
Lyf perdurable in hevene, whan we han contricioun./
but soothly, the goode werkes that
Men doon whil they been in deedly synne, for
As muche as they were doon in deedly synne,
They may nevere quyke agayn./ For certes
Thyng that nevere hadde lyf may nevere quykene;
and nathelees, al be it that they ne availle
Noght to han the lyf perdurable, yet availlen
They to abregge of the peyne of helle, or elles
To geten temporal richesse,/ or elles that god
Wole the rather enlumyne and lightne the herte
Of the synful man to have repentaunce;/ and
Eek they availlen for to usen a man to doon
Goode werkes, that the feend have the
Lasse power of his soule./ And thus the
Curteis lord jhesu crist ne wole that no
Good werk be lost; for in somwhat it shal
Availle./ But, for as muche as the goode werkes
That men doon whil they been in good lyf been
Al mortefied by synne folwynge, and eek sith
That alle the goode werkes that men doon whil
They been in deedly synne been outrely dede as
For to have the lyf perdurable;/ wel may that
Man that no good werk ne dooth synge thilke
Newe frenshe song, jay tout perdu mon temps
Et mon labour./ For certes, synne bireveth a
Man bothe goodnesse of nature and eek the
Goodnesse of grace./ For soothly, the grace of
The hooly goost fareth lyk fyr, that may nat
Been ydel; for fyr fayleth anoon as it forleteth
His wirkynge, and right so grace fayleth
Anoon as it forleteth his werkynge./ Then
Leseth the synful man the goodnesse of
Glorie, that oonly is bihight to goode men that
Labouren and werken./ Wel may he be sory
Thanne, that oweth al his lif to God as longe
As he hath lyved, and eek as longe as he shal
Lyve, that no goodnesse ne hath to paye with
His dette to God to whom he oweth al his lyf./
For trust wel, he shal yeven acountes, as seith
Seint bernard, of alle the goodes that han be
Yeven hym in this present lyf, and how he hath
Hem despended;/ in so muche that ther shal
Nat perisse an heer of his heed, ne a moment
Of an houre ne shal nat perisse of his tyme, that
He ne shal yeve of it a rekenyng./
The fifthe thyng that oghte moeve a man to
Contricioun is remembrance of the passioun
That oure lord jhesu crist suffred for oure
Synnes./ For, as seith seint bernard,
Whil that I lyve I shal have remembrance
of the travailles that oure lord crist
Suffred in prechyng;/ his werynesse in travaillyng,
his temptaciouns whan he fasted, his longe
Wakynges whan he preyde, hise teeres whan
That he weep for pitee of good peple;/ the
Wo and the shame and the filthe that men
Seyden to hym; of the foule spittyng that men
Spitte in his face, of the buffettes that men
Yaven hym, of the foule mowes, and of the repreves
that men to hym seyden;/ of the nayles
With whiche he was nayled to the croys, and
Of al the remenant of his passioun that he suffred
for my synnes, and no thyng for his gilt./
And ye shul understonde that in mannes synne
Is every manere of ordre or ordinaunce
Turned up-so-doun./ For it is sooth that
God, and resoun, and sensualitee, and the
Body of man been so ordeyned that everich of
Thise foure thynges sholde have lordshipe over
That oother;/ as thus: God sholde have lordshipe
over resoun, and resoun over sensualitee,
And sensualitee over the body of man./ But
Soothly, whan man synneth, al this ordre or
Ordinaunce is turned up-so-doun./ And therfore,
thanne, for as muche as the resoun of man
Ne wol nat be subget ne obeisant to god, that
Is his lord by right, therfore leseth it the lordshipe
that it sholde have over sensualitee, and
Eek over the body of man./ And why? for
Sensualitee rebelleth thanne agayns resoun,
And by that way leseth resoun the lordshipe
over sensualitee and over the body./
For right as resoun is rebel to god, right so
Is bothe sensualitee rebel to resoun and the
Body also./ And certes this disordinaunce and
This rebellioun oure lord jhesu crist aboghte
Upon his precious body ful deere, and herkneth
In which wise./ For as muche thanne as resoun
is rebel to god, therfore is man worthy
To have sorwe and to be deed./ This suffred
Oure lord jhesu crist for man, after that he
Hadde be bitraysed of his disciple, and distreyned
and bounde, so that his blood brast
Out at every nayl of his handes, as seith seint
Augustyn./ And forther over, for as muchel
As resoun of man ne wol nat daunte sensualitee
whan it may, therfore is man worthy to have
Shame; and this suffred oure lord jhesu
Crist for man, whan they spetten in his
Visage./ And forther over, for as muchel
Thanne as the caytyf body of man is rebel
Bothe to resoun and to sensualitee, therfore is
It worthy the deeth./ And this suffred oure
Lord jhesu crist for man upon the croys
Where as ther was no part of his body free
Withouten greet peyne and bitter passioun. /
And al this suffred jhesu crist, that nevere
Forfeted. And therfore resonably may be seyd
Jhesu in this manere: to muchel am I
Peyned for the thynges that I nevere deserved,
And to muche defouled for shendshipe that
Man is worthy to have./ And therfore may
The synful man wel seye, as seith seint bernard,
Acursed be the bitternesse of my synne, for
Which ther moste be suffred so muchel bitternesse./
for certes, after the diverse disordinaunces
of oure wikkednesses was the passioun
of jhesu crist ordeyned in diverse
Thynges,/ as thus. Certes, synful mannes
Soule is bitraysed of the devel by coveitise
Of temporeel prosperitee, and scorned by deceite
whan he cheseth flesshly delices; and yet
Is it tormented by inpacience of adversitee,
And bispet by servage and subjeccioun of
Synne; and atte laste it is slayn fynally./ For
This disordinaunce of synful man was jhesu
Crist first bitraysed, and after that was he
Bounde, that cam for to unbynden us of synne
And peyne./ Thanne was he byscorned, that
Oonly sholde han been honoured in alle thynges
And of alle thynges./ Thanne was his visage,
That oghte be desired to be seyn of al mankynde,
in which visage aungels desiren to looke,
Vileynsly bispet./ Thanne was he scourged,
That no thyng hadde agilt; and finally,
Thanne was he crucified and slayn./
Thanne was acompliced the word of ysaye,
He was wounded for oure mysdedes and defouled
for oure felonies./ Now sith that jhesu
Crist took upon hymself the peyne of alle oure
Wikkednesses, muchel oghte synful man wepen
And biwayle, that for his synnes goddes sone
Of hevene sholde al this peyne endure./
The sixte thyng that oghte moeve a man to
Contricioun is the hope of three thynges; that
Is to seyn, foryifnesse of synne, and the yifte to
Grace wel for to do, and the glorie of hevene,
With which God shal gerdone man for his
Goode dedes./ And for as muche as jhesu
Crist yeveth us thise yiftes of his largesse and
Of his sovereyn bountee, therfore is he cleped
Jhesus nazarenus rex judeorum./ Jhesus is to
Seyn saveour or salvacioun, on whom men
Shul hope to have foryifnesse of synnes,
Which that is proprely salvacioun of
Synnes./ And terfore seyde the aungel
To joseph, thou shalt clepen his name
Jhesus, that shal saven his peple of hir synnes./
And heerof seith seint peter: ther is noon
Oother name under hevene that is yeve to any
Man, by which a man may be saved, but oonly
Jhesus./ Nazarenus is as muche for to seye as
Florisshynge, in which a man shal hope that
He that yeveth hym remissioun of synnes shal
Yeve hym eek grace wel for to do. For in the
Flour is hope of fruyt in tyme comynge, and in
Foryifnesse of synnes hope of grace wel for to
Do./ I was atte dore of thyn herte, seith
Jhesus, and cleped for to entre. He that openeth
to me shal have foryifnesse of synne./ I
Wol entre into hym by my grace, and soupe
With hym, by the goode werkes that he shal
Doon, whiche werkes been the foode of god;
And he shal soupe with me, by the grete
Joye that I shal yeven hym./ Thus shal
Man hope, for his werkes of penaunce,
That God shal yeven hym his regne, as he bihooteth
hym in the gospel./
Now shal a man understonde in which manere
shal been his contricioun. I seye that it
Shal been universal and total. This is to seyn,
A man shal be verray repentaunt for alle his
Synnes that he hath doon in delit of his thoght;
For delit is ful perilous./ For ther been two
Manere of consentynges: that oon of hem is
Cleped consentynge of affeccioun, whan a man
Is moeved to do synne, and deliteth hym longe
For to thynke on that synne;/ and his reson
Aperceyveth it wel that it is synne agayns the
Lawe of god, and yet his resoun refreyneth nat
His foul delit or talent, though he se wel apertly
That it is agayns the reverence of god. Although
his resoun ne consente noght to doon
That synne in dede,/ yet seyn somme doctours
That swich delit that dwelleth longe, it is
Ful perilous, al be it nevere so lite./ And
Also a man sholde sorwe namely for al that
Evere he hath desired agayn the lawe of god
With perfit consentynge of his resoun; for therof
Is no doute, that it is deedly synne in consentynge./
for certes, ther is no deedly synne, that
It nas first in mannes thought, and after that
In his delit, and so forth into consentynge and
Into dede./ Wherfore I seye that many men
Ne repenten hem nevere of swiche thoghtes and
Delites, ne nevere shryven hem of it, but oonly
Of the dede of grete synnes outward./ Wherfore
I seye that swiche wikked delites and wikked
thoghtes been subtile bigileres of hem that
Shullen be dampned./ Mooreover man oghte
To sorwe for his wikkede wordes as wel as for
His wikkede dedes. For certes, the repentaunce
Of a synguler synne, and nat repente of alle his
Ohter synnes, or elles repenten hym of alle his
Othere synnes, and nat of a synguler synne,
May nat availle./ For certes, God almyghty
is al good; and therfore he foryeveth
al, or elles right noght./ And heerof
Seith seint augustyn:/ I wot certeynly that
God is enemy to everich synnere; and how
Thanne, he that observeth o synne, shal he have
Foryifnesse of the remenaunt of his othere
Synnes? nay./ And forther over, contrcioun
Sholde be wonder sorweful and angwissous;
And therfore yeveth hym God pleynly his
Mercy; and therfore, whan my soule was angwissous
withinne me, I hadde remembrance
Of God that my preyere myghte come to hym./
Forther over, contricioun moste be continueel,
And that man have stedefast purpos to shriven
Hum, and for to amenden hym of his
Lyf./ For soothly, whil contricioun lasteth,
Man may evere have hope of foryifnesse;
And of this comth hate of synne, that destroyeth
synne, bothe in himself, and eek in oother
Folk, at his power./ For which seith david:
Ye that loven god, hateth wikkednesse. For
Trusteth wel, to love God is for to love that he
Loveth, and hate that he hateth./
The laste thyng that men shal understonde
In contricioun is this: wherof avayleth contricioun.
I seye that somtyme contricioun delivereth
a man fro synne;/ of which that david
Seith, I seye, quod david (that is to seyn,
I purposed fermely) to shryve me, and thow,
Lord, relessedest my synne./ And right so as
Contricion availleth noght withouten sad purpos
of shrifte, if man have oportunitee, right
So litel worth is shrifte or satisfaccioun
Withouten contricioun./ And mooreover
Contricion destroyeth the prisoun of helle,
And maketh wayk and fieble alle the strengthes
Of the develes, and restoreth the yiftes of the
Hooly goost and of alle goode vertues;/ and
It clenseth the soule of synne, and delivereth
The soule fro the peyne of helle, and fro the
Compaignye of the devel, and fro the servage
Of synne, and restoreth it to alle goodes espirituels,
and to the compaignye and communyoun
Of hooly chirche./ And forther over, it maketh
Hym that whilom was sone of ire to be sone
Of grace; and alle thise thynges been preved
By hooly writ./ And therfore, he that wolde
Sette his entente to thise thynges, he were ful
Wys; for soothly he ne sholde nat thanne in al
His lyf have corage to synne, but yeven his body
And al his herte to the service of jhesu crist,
And therof doon hym hommage./ For soothly
Oure sweete lord jhesu crist hath spared us
So debonairly in oure folies, that if he ne hadde
Pitee of mannes soule, a sory song we
Myghten alle synge./
The seconde partie of penitence is confressioun,
that is signe of contricioun./ Now shul
Ye understonde what is confessioun, and
Wheither it oghte nedes be doon or noon, and
Whiche thynges been covenable to verray confessioun./
First shaltow understonde that confessioun
Is verray shewynge of synnes to the preest./
This is to seyn verray, for he moste confessen
Hym of alle the condiciouns that bilongen to his
Synne, as ferforth as he kan./ Al moot be seyd,
And no thyng excused ne hyd ne forwrapped,
And noght avaunte thee of thy goode
Werkes./ And forther over, it is necessarie
to understonde whennes that synnes
Spryngen, and how they encreessen and whiche
They been./
Of the spryngynge of synnes seith seint paul
In this wise: that right as by a man synne entred
first into this world, and thurgh that synne
Deeth, right so thilke deeth entred into alle
Men that synneden./ And this man was adam,
By whom synne entred into this world, whan
He brak the comaundementz of god./ And
Therfore, he that first was so myghty that he
Sholde nat have dyed, bicam swich oon that he
Moste nedes dye, wheither he wolde or noon,
And al his progenye in this world, that in thilke
Man synneden./ Looke that in th' estaat of innocence,
whan adam and eve naked weren
In paradys, and nothyng ne hadden shame
Of hir nakednesse,/ how that the serpent,
That was moost wily of alle othere beestes
That God hadde maked, seyde to the womman:
Why comaunded God to yow ye sholde nat
Eten of every tree in paradys?/ the womman
Answerde: of the fruyt, quod she, of the trees
In paradys we feden us, but soothly, of the
Fruyt of the tree that is in the myddel of paradys,
god forbad us for to ete, ne nat touchen
It, lest per aventure we sholde dyen./ The
Serpent seyde to the womman: nay, nay, ye
Shul nat dyen of deeth; for sothe, God woot
That what day that ye eten therof, youre eyen
Shul opene, and ye shul been as goddes, knowynge
good and harm./ The womman thanne
Saugh that the tree was good to feedyng, and
Fair to the eyen, and delitable to the sighte.
She took of the fruyt of the tree, and eet it,
And yaf to hire housbonde, and he eet, and
Anoon the eyen of hem bothe openeden./ And
Whan that they knewe that they were naked,
They sowed of fige leves a maner of
Breches to hiden hire membres./ There
May ye seen that deedly synne hath, first,
Suggestion of the feend, as sheweth heere by
The naddre; and afterward, teh delit of the
Flessh, as sheweth heere by eve; and after that,
The consentynge of resoun, as sheweth heere
By adam./ For trust wel, though so were that
The feend tempted eve, that is to seyn, the
Flessh, and the flessh hadde delit in the beautee
Of the fruyt defended, yet certes, til that resoun,
That is to seyn, adam, consented to the etynge
Of the fruyt, yet stood he in th' estaat of innocence./
of thilke adam tooke we thilke wynne
Original; for of hym flesshly descended be we
Alle, and engendred of vile and corrupt mateere./
and whan the soule is put in oure body,
Right anon is contract original synne; and that
That was erst but oonly peyne of concupiscence,
is afterward bothe peyne and synne./
And therfore be we alle born sones of wratthe
And of dampnacioun perdurable, if it nere baptesme
that we receyven, which bynymeth us
The culpe. But for sothe, the peyne dwelleth
With us, as to temptacioun, which peyne
Highte concupiscence./ And this concupiscence,
whan it is wrongfully disposed
Or ordeyned in man, it maketh hym coveite,
By coveitise of flessh, flesshly synne, by sighte
Of his eyen as to erthely thynges, and eek
Coveitise of hynesse by pride of herte./
Now, as for to speken of the firste coveitise,
That is concupiscence, after the lawe of oure
Membres, that weren lawefulliche ymaked and
By rightful juggement of god;/ I seye, forasmuche
as man is nat obeisaunt to god, that is
His lord, therfore is the flessh to hym disobeisaunt
thurgh concupiscence, whigh yet is
Cleped norrissynge, of synne and occasioun
Of synne./ Therfore, al the while that a
Man hath in hym the peyne of concupiscence,
it is impossible but he be tempted
Somtime and moeved in his flessh to synne./
And this thyng may nat faille as longe
As he lyveth; it may wel wexe fieble and faille
By vertu of baptesme, and by the grace of
God thurgh penitence;/ but fully ne shal
It nevere quenche, that he ne shal som
Tyme be moeved in hymself, but if he were al
Refreyded by siknesse, or by malefice of sorcerie,
Or colde drynkes./ For lo, what seith seint
Paul: the flessh coveiteth agayn the spirit, and
The spirit agayn the flessh; they been so contrarie
and so stryven that a man may nat alway
doon as he wolde./ The same seint paul,
After his grete penaunce in water and in lond,
-- in water by nyght and by day in greet peril
And in greet peyne; in lond, in famyne and
Thurst, in coold and cloothelees, and ones stoned
Almoost to the deeth,/-- yet seyde he, allas,
I caytyf man! who sahl delivere me fro the
Prisoun of my caytyf body?/ and seint jerome,
whan he longe tyme hadde woned in
Desert, where as he hadde no compaignye but
Of wilde beestes, where as he ne hadde no mete
But herbes, and water to his drynke, ne no bed
But the naked erthe, for which his flessh was
Blak as an ethiopeen for heete, and ny destroyed
for coold,/ yet seyde he that the
Brennynge of lecherie boyled in al his
Body./ Wherfore I woot wel sykerly that they
Been deceyved that seyn that they ne be nat
Empted in hir body./ Witnesse on seint jame
The apostel, that seith that every wight is
Tempted in his owene concupiscence; that is
To seyn, that everich of us hath matere and
Occasioun to be tempted of the norissynge of
Synne that is in his body./ And therfore seith
Seint john the evaungelist: if that we seyn
That we be withoute synne, we deceyve us
Selve, and trouthe is nat in us./
Now hal ye understonde in what manere
That synne wexeth or encreesseth in man. The
Firste thyng is thilke norissynge of synne of
Which I spak biforn, thilke flesshly concupiscence./
and after that comth the
Subjeccioun of the devel, this is to seyn,
The develes bely, with which he bloweth in man
The fir of flesshly concupiscence./ And after
That, a man bithynketh hym wheither he wol
Doon, or no, thilke thing to which he is
Tempted./ And thanne, if that a man withstonde
and weyve the firste entisynge of his
Flessh and of the feend, thanne is it no synne;
And if it so be that he do nat so, thanne feeleth
he anoon a flambe of delit./ And thanne
Is it good to be war, and kepen hym wel, or
Elles he wol falle anon into consentynge of
Synne; and thanne wol he do it, if he may have
Tyme and place./ And of this matere seith
Moyses by the devel in this manere: the
Feend seith, -- I wole chace and pursue the man
By wikked suggestioun, and I wole hente hym
By moevynge or stirynge of synne. And I wol
Departe my prise or my praye by deliberacioun,
And my lust shal been acompliced in delit.
I wol drawe my swerd in consentynge -- /
For certes, right as a swerd departeth a
Thyng in two peces, right so consentynge departeth
god fro man -- and thanne wol I
Sleen hym with myn hand in dede of synne;
Thus seith the feend./ For certes, thanne is
A man al deed in soule. And thus is synne
Acompliced by temptacioun, by delit, and by
Consentynge; and thanne is the synne cleped
Actueel./
For sothe, synne is in two maneres; outher
It is venial, or deedly synne. Soothly, whan
Man loveth any creature moore than jhesu
Crist oure creatour, thanne is it deedly synne.
And venial synne is it, if man love jhesu crist
Lasse than hym oghte./ For sothe, the dede
Of this venial synne is ful perilous; for it
Amenuseth the love that men sholde han to
God moore and moore./ And therfore, it a
Man charge hymself with manye swiche venial
Synnes, certes, but if so be that he somtyme
Descharge hym of hem by shrifte, they mowe
Ful lightly amenuse in hym al the love that
He hath to jhesu crist;/ and in this wise
Skippeth venial into deedly synne. For
Certes, the moore that a man chargeth his
Soule with venial synnes, the moore is he enclyned
to fallen into deedly synne./ And therfore
lat us nat be necligent to deschargen us
Of venial synnes. For the proverbe seith that
Manye smale maken a greet./ And herkne
This ensample. A greet wawe of the see comth
Som tyme with so greet a violence that it
Drencheth the ship. And the same harm doon
Som tyme the smale dropes of water, that entren
thurgh a litel crevace into the thurrok,
And in the botme of the ship, if men be so
Necligent that they ne descharge hem nat by
Tyme./ And therfore, although ther be a difference
bitwixe thise two causes of drenchynge,
Algates the ship is dreynt./ Right so fareth it
Somtyme of deedly synne, and of anoyouse
Veniale synnes, whan they multiplie in a man
So greetly that the love of thilke worldly
Thynges that he loveth, thurgh whiche he synneth
venyally, is as greet in his herte as
The love of god, or moore./ And therfore,
the love of every thyng that is nat
Biset in god, ne doon principally for goddes
Sake, although that a man love it lasse than
God, yet is it venial synne;/ and deedly synne
Whan the love of any thyng weyeth in the
Herte of man as muchel as the love of god, or
Moore./ Deedly synne, as seith seint augustyn,
is whan a man turneth his herte fro
God, which that is verray sovereyn bountee,
That may nat chaunge, and yeveth his herte
To thyng that may chaunge and flitte./ And
Certes, that is every thyng save God of hevene.
For sooth is that if a man yeve his love, the
Which that he oweth al to God with al his
Herte, unto a creature, certes, as muche of his
Love as he yeveth to thilke creature, so muche
He bireveth fro god;/ and therfore dooth he
Synne. For he that is dettour to God ne yeldeth
nat to God al his dette, that is to seyn,
Al the love of his herte./
Now sith man understondeth generally
Which is venial synne, thanne is it covenable
To tellen specially of synnes whiche that many
A man peraventure ne demeth hem nat synnes,
And ne shryveth him nat of the same thynges,
And yet natheless they been synnes;/ soothly, as
Thise clerkes writen, this is to seyn, that at every
Tyme that a man eteth or drynketh moore than
Suffiseth to the sustenaunce of his body, in certein
he dooth synne./ And eek whan he speketh
moore than it nedeth, it is synne. Eke
Whan he herkneth nat benignely the compleint
Of the povre;/ eke whan he is in heele of body,
And wol nat faste whan other folk faste, withouten
cause resonable; eke whan he slepeth
Moore than nedeth, or whan he comth by thilke
Enchesoun to late to chirche, or to othere werkes
Of charite;/ eke whan he useth his wyf, withouten
sovereyn desir of engendrure to the honour
of god, or for the entente to yelde to
His wyf the dette of his body;/ eke whan
He wol nat visite the sike and the prisoner,
If he may; eke if he love wyf or child, or oother
Worldly thyng, moore than resoun requireth;
Eke if he flatere or blandise moore than hym
Oghte for any necessitee;/ eke if he amenuse
Or withdrawe the almesse of the povre; eke if
He apparailleth his mete moore deliciously than
Nede is, or ete it to hastily by likerousnesse;/
Eke if he tale vanytees at chirche or at goddes
Service, or that he be a talker of ydel wordes of
Folye or of vileynye, for he shal yelden acountes
Of it at the day of doom;/ eke whan he biheteth
or assureth to do thynges that he may nat
Perfourne; eke whan that he by lightnesse or
Folie mysseyeth or scorneth his neighebor;/
Eke whan he hath any wikked suspecioun
Of thyng ther he ne woot of it no soothfastnesse:/
thise thynges, and no withoute
nombre, been synnes, as seith seint
Augustyn./
Now shal men understonde that, al be it so
That noon erthely man may eschue alle venial
Synnes, yet may be refreyne hym by the brennynge
love that he hath to oure lord jhesu
Christ, and by preyeres and confessioun and
Othere goode werkes, so that it shal but litel
Greve./ For, as seith seint augustyn, if a man
Love God in swich manere that al that evere he
Dooth is in the love of god, and for the love of
God, verraily, for he brenneth in the love of
God,/ looke, how muche that a drope of water
that falleth in a fourneys ful of fyr anoyeth
Or greveth, so muche anoyeth a venial synne
Unto a man that is perfit in the love of jhesu
Crist./ Men may also refreyne venial synne
By receyvynge worthily of the precious
Body of jhesu crist;/ by receyvynge eek
Of booly water; by almesdede; by general
Confessioun of confiteor at masse and at complyn;
and by blessynge of bisshopes and of
Preestes, and by oothere goode werkes./
Now is it bihovely thyng to telle whiche
Been the sevene deedly synnes, this is to seyn,
Chiefaynes of synnes. Alle they renne in o
Lees, but in diverse manneres. Now been they
Cleped chieftaynes, for as muche as they been
Chief and spryng of alle othere synnes./ Of
The roote of thise sevene synnes, thanne, is
Pride the general roote of alle harmes. For of
This roote spryngen certein braunches, as ire,
Envye, accidie or slewthe, avarice or coveitise
(to commune understondynge), glotonye, and
Lecherye./ And everich of thise chief synnes
Hath his braunches and his twigges, as shal be
Declared in hire chapitres folwynge./
And thogh so be that no man kan outerly
Telle the nombre of the twigges and of the
Harmes that cometh of pride, yet wol I shewe
A partie of hem, as ye shul understonde./
ther is inobedience, avauntynge,
ypocrisie, despit, arrogance, inpudence,
swellynge of herte, insolence, elacioun,
Inpacience, strif, contumacie, presumpcioun,
Irreverence, pertinacie, veyne glorie, and many
Another twig that I kan nat declare./ Inobedient
is he that disobeyeth for despit to the comandementz
of god, and to his sovereyns, and
To his goostly fader./ Avauntour is he that
Bosteth of the harm or of the bountee that he
Hath doon./ Ypocrite is he that hideth to
Shewe hym swich as he is, and sheweth hym
Swich as he noght is./ Despitous is he that
Hath desdeyn of his neighebor, that is to seyn, of
His evene-cristene, or hath despit to doon
That hym oghte to do./ Arrogant is he
That thynketh that he hath thilke bountees
In hym that he hath noght, or weneth that he
Sholde have hem by his desertes, or elles he
Demeth that he be that he nys nat./ Inpudent
Is he that for his pride hath no shame of his
Synnes./ Swellynge of herte is whan a man rejoyseth
hym of harm that he hath doon./ Insolent
is he that despiseth in his juggement alle
Othere folk, as to regatd of his value, and of his
Konnyng, and of his spekyng, and of his beryng./
elacioun is whan he ne may neither
Suffre to have maister ne felawe./ Inpacient
is he that wol nat been ytaught ne
Undernome of his vice, and by strif werreieth
Troughe wityngly, and deffendeth his folye./
Contumax is he that thurgh his indignacioun
Is agayns everich auctoritee or power of hem
That been his sovereyns./ Presumpcioun is whan
A man undertaketh an emprise that hym oghte
Nat do, or elles that he may nat do; and this
Is called surquidrie. Irreverence is whan men
Do nat honour there as hem oghte to doon,
And waiten to be reverenced./ Pertinacie is
Whan man deffendeth his folie, and truseth to
Muchel to his owene wit./ Veyneglorie is for
To have pompe and delit in his temporeel
Hynesse, and glorifie hym in this worldly
Estaat./ Janglynge is whan a man speketh
To muche biforn folk, and clappeth as a
Mille, and taketh no keep what he seith./
And yet is ther a privee spece of pride, that
Waiteth first to be salewed er he wole salewe,
Al be be lasse worth than that oother is peraventure;
and eek he waiteth or desireth to
Sitte, or elles to goon above hym in the wey,
Or kisse pax, or been encensed, or goon to
Offryng biforn his neighebor,/ and swiche sem0
Blable thynges, agayns his duetee, peraventure,
But that he hath his herte and his entente in
Swich a proud desir to be magnified and honoured
biforn the peple./
Now been ther two maneres of pride: that
Oon of hem is withinne the herte of man, and
That oother is withoute./ Of whiche, soothly,
Thise forseyde thynges, and no that I have
Seyd, apertenen to pride that is in the herte
Of man; and that othere speces of pride
Been withoute./ But natheles that oon
Of thise speces of pride is signe of that
Oother, right as the gaye leefsel atte taverne
Is signe of the wyn that is in the celer./ And
This is in manye thynges: as in speche and contenaunce,
and in outrageous array of clothyng./
for certes, if ther ne hadde be no synne
In clothyng, crist wolde nat so soone have
Noted and spoken of the clothyng of thilke
Riche man in the gospel./ And as seith seint
Gregorie, that cprecious clothyng is cowpable
For the derthe of it, and for his softenesse, and
For his strangenesse and degisynesse, and for
The superfluitee, or for the inordinat scantnesse
Of it./ Allas! may man nat seen, as in oure
Dayes, the synful costlewe array of clothynge,
And namely in to muche superfluite, or
Elles in to desordinat scantnesse?/
As to the first synne, that is in superfluitee
of clothynge, which that maketh it so deere,
To harm of the peple;/ nat oonly the cost of
Embrowdynge, the degise endentynge or barrynge,
owndynge, palynge, wyndynge or bendynge,
and semblable wast of clooth in vanitee;/
But ther is also costlewe furrynge in hir gownes,
So muche pownsonynge of chisels to maken
Holes, so muche daggynge of sheres;/ forthwith
the superfluitee in lengthe of the forseide
Gowens, trailynge in the dong and in the mire,
On horse and eek on foote, as wel of man as
Of womman, that al thilke trailyng is verraily
As in effect wasted, consumed, thredbare, and
Roten with donge, rather than it is yeven to the
Povre, to greet damage of the forseyde povre
Folk./ And that in sondry wise; this is to seyn
That the moore that clooth is wasted, the moore
Moot it coste to the peple for the scarsnesse./
and forther over, if so be that
They wolde yeven swich pownsoned and
Dagged clothyng to the povre folk, it is
Nat convenient to were for hire estaat, ne suffisant
to beete hire necessitee, to kepe hem fro
The distemperance of the firmament./ Upon
That oother side, to speken of the horrible disordiant
scantnesse of clothyng, as been thise
Kutted sloppes, or haynselyns, that thurgh hire
Shortnesse ne covere nat the shameful membres
of man, to wikked entente./ Allas! somme
Of hem shewen the boce or hir shap, and the
Horrible swollen membres, that semeth lik the
Maladie of hirnia, in the wrappynge of hir
Hoses;/ and eek the buttokes of hem faren as
It were the hyndre part of a she-ape in the fulle
Of the moone./ And mooreover, the wrecched
Swollen membres that they shewe thurgh disgisynge,
in departynge of hire hoses in whit and
Reed, semeth that half hir shameful privee
Membres weren flayne./ And if so be that
They departen hire hoses in othere colours,
As is whit and blak, or whit and blew, or blak
And reed, and so forth,/ thanne semeth it, as
By variaunce of colour, that half the partie of
Hire privee membres were corrupt by the fir
Of seint antony, or by cancre, or by oother
Swich meschaunce./ Of the hyndre part of hir
Buttokes, it is ful horrible for to see. For certes,
In that partie of hir body ther as they purgen
Hir stynkynge ordure,/ that foule partie shewe
They to the peple prowdly in despit of honestitee,
which honestitee that jhesu crist and
His freendes observede to shewen in hir lyve./
Now, as of the outrageous array of wommen,
God woot that though the visages of somme of
Hem seme ful chaast and debonaire, yet notifie
They in hire array of atyr likerousnesse and
Pride./ I sey nat that honestitee in clothynge
of man or womman is uncovenable,
But certes the superfluitee or disordinat scantitee
of clothynge is reprevable./ Also the synne
Of aornement or of apparaille is in thynges that
Apertenen to ridynge, as in to manye delicat
Horses that been hoolden for dlit, that been so
Faire, fatte, and costlewe;/ and also in many a
Vicious knave that is sustened by cause of hem,
And in to curious harneys, as in sadeles, in
Crouperes, peytrels, and bridles coverd
Precious clothyng, and riche barres and plates
Of gold and of silver./ For which God seith
By zakarie the prophete, I wol confounde the
Rideres of swiche horses./ This folk taken litel
Reward of the ridynge of goddes sone of hevene,
and of his harneys whan he rood upon
The asse, and ne hadde noon oother harneys
But the povre clother of his disciples; ne we ne
Rede nat that evere he rood on oother
Beest./ I speke this for the synne of superfluitee,
and nat for resonable honestitee,
Whan reson it requireth./ And forther over,
Certes, pride is greetly notified in holdynge of
Greet meynee, whan they be of litel profit or
Of right no profit;/ and namely whan that
Meynee is felonous and damageous to the peple
By hardynesse of heigh lordshipe or by wey of
Offices./ For certes, swiche lordes sellen thanne
Hir lordshipe to the devel of helle, whanne they
Sustenen the wikkednesse of hir meynee./ Or
Elles, whan this folk of lowe degree, as thilke
That holden hostelries, sustenen the thefte of
Hire hostilers, and that is in many manere
Of deceites./ Thilke manere of folk been
The flyes that folwen the hony, or elles the
Houndes that folwen the careyne. Swich forseyde
folk stranglen spiritually hir lordshipes;/
For which thus seith david the prophete: wikked
deeth moote come upon thilke lordshipes,
And God yeve that they moote descenden into
Helle al doun; for in hire houses been iniquitees
And shrewednesses, and nat God of hevene./
And certes, but if they doon amendement,
Right as God yaf his benysoun to (laban) by
The service of jacob, and to (pharao) by the
Service of joseph, right so God wol yeve his
Malisoun to swiche lordshipes as sustenen the
Wikkednesse of hir servauntz, but they come to
Amendement./ Pride of the table appeereth
Eek ful ofte; for certes, riche men been cleped
To festes, and povre folk been put awey and rebuked./
also in excesse of diverse metes and
Drynkes, and namely swich manere bake-metes
And dissh-metes, brennynge of wilde fir and
Peynted and castelled with papir, and semblable
wast, so that it is abusioun for to
Thynke./ And eek in to greet preciousnesse
of vessel and curiositee of mynstralcie,
by whiche a man is stired the moore to delices
of luxurie,/ if so be that he sette his herte
The lasse upon oure lord jhesu crist, certeyn it
Is a synne; and certeinly the delices myghte
Been so grete in this caas that man myghte
Lightly falle by hem into deedly synne. / the
Especes that sourden of pride, soothly whan
They sourden of malice ymagined, avised, and
Forncast, or elles of usage, been deedly synnes,
It is no doute. / and whan they sourden by
Freletee unavysed, and sodeynly withdrawen
Ayeyn, al been they grevouse synnes, I gesse
That they ne been nat deedly. / now myghte
Men axe wherof that pride sourdeth and
Spryngeth, and I seye, somtyme it spryngeth
Of the goodes of nature, and somtyme of the
Goodes of fortune, and somtyme of the
Goodes of grace./ Certes, the goodes of
Nature stonden outher in goodes of body
Or in goodes of soule./ Certes, goodes of body
Been heele of body, strengthe, delivernesse,
Beautee, gentrice, franchise./ Goodes of nature
of the soule been good wit, sharp understondynge,
subtil engyn, vertu natureel, good
Memorie./ Goodes of fortune been richesse,
Hyghe degrees of lordshipes, preisynges of the
Peple./ Goodes of grace been science, power
To suffre spiritueel travaille, benignitee, vertuous
contemplacioun, withstondynge of
Temptacioun, and semblable thynges./ Of
Whiche forseyde goodes, certes it is a ful
Greet folye a man to priden hym in any of hem
Alle./ Now as for to speken of goodes of nature,
God woot that somtyme we han hem in nature
As muche to oure damage as to oure profit./
As for to speken of heele of body, certes it
Passeth ful lightly, and eek it is ful ofte enchesoun
of the siknesse of oure soule. For, god
Woot, the flessh is a ful greet enemy to the
Soule; and therfore, the moore that the body
Is hool, the moore be we in peril to falle./ Eke
For to pride hym in his strengthe of body, it
Is an heigh folye. For certes, the flessh coveiteth
agayn the spirit; and ay the moore strong
That the flessh is, the sorier may the soule be./
And over al this, strengthe of body and worldly
Hardynesse causeth ful ofte many a man to
Peril and meschaunce./ Eek for to pride
Hym of his gentrie is ful greet folie; for
Ofte tyme the gentrie of the body binymeth
The gentrie of the soule; and eek we ben alle
Of o fader and of o mooder; and alle we been
Of o nature, roten and corrupt, bothe riche and
Povre./ For sothe, o manere gentrie is for to
Preise, that apparailleth mannes corage with
Vertues and moralitees, and maketh hym cristes
Child./ For truste wel that over what man that
Synne hath maistrie, he is a verray cherl to
Synne./
Now been ther generale signes of gentillesse,
As eschewynge of vice and ribaudye and servage
Of synne, in word, in werk, and contenaunce;/
And usynge vertu, curteisye, and clennesse, and
To be liberal, that is to seyn, large by mesure;
For thilke that passeth mesure is folie and
Synne./ Another is to remembre hym of
Bountee, that he of oother folk hath receyved./
another is to be benigne to his goode
Subetis; wherfore seith senek, ther is no
Thing moore covenable to a man of heigh estaat
than debonairetee and pitee./ And therfore
thise flyes that men clepen bees, whan
They maken hir kyng, they chesen oon that
Hath no prikke wherwith he may stynge./ Another
is, a man to have a noble herte and
A diligent, to attayne to heighe vertuouse
Thynges./ Now certes, a man to pride hym in
The goodes of grace is eek an outrageous folie;
For thilke yifte of grace that sholde have turned
Hym to goodnesse and to medicine, turneth
Hym to venym and to confusioun, as seith
Seint gregorie./ Certes also, whoso prideth
hym in the goodes of fortune, he is a
Ful greet fool; for somtyme is a man a greet
Lord by the morwe, that is a caytyf and a
Wrecche er it be nyght;/ and somtyme the
Richesse of a man is cause of his deth; somtyme
the delices of a man ben cause of the
Grevous maladye thurgh which he dyeth./
Certes, the commendacioun of the peple is
Somtyme ful fals and ful brotel for to triste;
This day they preyse, tomorwe they blame./
God woot, desir to have commendacioun eek
Of the peple hath caused deeth to many a bisy
Man./
Now sith that so is that ye han understonde
What is pride, and whiche been the speces of it,
And whennes pride sourdeth and spryngeth,/
now shul ye understonde which is
The remedie agayns the synne of pride;
And that is hymylitee, or mekenesse./ That is
A vertu thurgh which a man hath verray
Knoweleche of hymself, and holdeth of hymself
no pris ne deyntee, as in regard of his
Desertes, considerynge evere his freletee./ Now
Been ther three maneres of hymylitee: as humylitee
in herte; another hymylitee is in his
Mouth; the thridde in his werkes./ The humilitee
in herte is in foure maneres. That oon is
Whan a man holdeth hymself as noght worth
Biforn God of hevene. Another is whan he ne
Despiseth noon oother man./ The thridde is
Whan he rekketh nat, though men holde hym
Noght worth. The ferthe is whan he nys
Nat sory of his humiliacioun./ Also the
Humilitee of mouth is in foure thynges: in
Attempree speche, and in humblesse of speche,
And whan he biknoweth with his owene mouth
That he is swich as hym thynketh that he is in
His herte. Another is whan he preiseth the
Bountee of another man, and nothyng therof
Amenuseth./ Humilitee eek in werkes is in
Foure maneres. The firste is whan he putteth
Othere men biforn hym. The seconde is to
Chese the loweste place over al. The thridde
Is gladly to assente to good conseil./ The
Ferthe is to stonde gladly to the award of his
Sovereyns, or of hym that is in hyer degree.
Certein, this is a greet werk of hymylitee./
After pride wol I speken of the foule synne
Of envye, which that is, as by the word of the philosophre,
sorwe of oother mannes prosperitee;
And after the word of seint augustyn, it is sorwe
Of oother mennes wele, and joye of othere
Mennes harm./ This foule synne is platly
Agayns the hooly goost. Al be it so that every
Synne is agayns the hooly goost, yet nathelees,
For as muche as bountee aperteneth proprely to
The hooly goost, and envye comth proprely
Of malice, therfore it is proprely agayn the
Bountee of the hooly goost./ Now hath
Malice two speces; that is to seyn, ahrdnesse
of herte in wikkednesse, or elles the flessh
Of man is so blynd that he considereth nat that
He is in synne, or rekketh nat that he is in synne,
Which is the hardnesse of the devel./ That
Oother spece of malice is whan a man werreyeth
trouthe, whan he woot that it is trouthe;
And eek whan he werreyeth the grace that god
Hath yeve to his neighebor; and al this is by
Envye./ Certes, thanne is envye the worste
Synne that is. For soothly, alle othere synnes
Been somtyme oonly agayns o special vertu;/
But certes, envye is agayns alle vertues and
Agayns alle goodnesses. For it is sory of alle
The bountees of his neighebor, and in this manere
it is divers from alle othere synnes./ For
Wel unnethe is ther any synne that it ne hath
Som delit in itself, save oonly envye, that
Evere hath in itself angwissh and sorwe./
The speces of envye been thise. Ther is
First, sorwe of oother mannes goodnesse and
Of his prosperitee; and prosperitee is kyndely
Matere of joye; thanne is envye a synne agayns
Kynde./ The seconde spece of envye is joye
Of oother mannes harm; and that is proprely
Lyk to the devel, that evere rejoyseth hym of
Mannes harm./ Of thise two speces comth bakbityng;
and this synne of bakbityng or detraccion
hath certeine speces, as thus. Som man
Preiseth his neighebor by a wikked entente;/
For he maketh alwey a wikked knotte atte laste
Ende. Alwey he maketh a but atte laste ende,
That is digne of moore blame, than worth is al
The preisynge./ The seconde spece is that if a
Man be good, and dooth or seith a thing to
Good entente, the bakbitere wol turne al thilke
Goodnesse up-so-doun to his shrewed entente./
the thridde is to amenuse the
Bountee of his neighebor./ The fourthe
Spece of bakbityng is this, that if men speke
Goodnesse of a man, thanne wol the bakbitere
Seyn, parfey, swich a man is yet bet than he;
In dispreisynge of hym that men preise./ The
Fifte spece is this, for to consente gladly and
Herkne gladly to the harm that men speke of
Oother folk. This synne is ful greet, and ay
Encreesseth after the wikked entente of the
/bakbitere./ After bakbityng cometh gruchchyng
or murmuracioun; and somtyme it
Spryngeth of inpacience agayns god, and som-tyme
agayns man./ Agayn God it is, whan
A man gruccheth agayn the peyne of helle, or
Agayns poverte, or los of catel, or agayn reyn
Or tempest; or elles gruccheth that shrewes
Han prosperitee, or elles for the goode
Men han adversitee./ And alle thise
Thynges sholde man suffre paciently, for
They comen by the rightful juggement and
Ordinaunce of god./ Somtyme comth grucching
of avarice; as judas grucched agayns the
Magdaleyne, whan she enoynted the heved of
Oure lord jhesu crist with hir precious oynement./
this manere murmure is swich as whan
Man gruccheth of goodnesse that hymself
Dooth, or that oother folk doon of hir owene
Catel./ Somtyme comth murmure of pride; as
Whan simon the pharisse gruchched agayn the
Magdaleyne, whan she approched to jhesu
Crist, and weep at his feet for hire synnes./
And somtyme grucchyng sourdeth of envye;
Whan men discovereth a mannes harm that
Was pryvee, or bereth hym on hond
Thyng that is fals./ Murmure eek is ofte
Amonges servauntz that grucceh whan hir
Sovereyns bidden hem doon leveful thynges; /
And forasmuche as they dar nat openly withseye
the comaundementz of hir sovereyns, yet
Wol they seyn harm, and grucche, and murmure
prively for verray despit;/ whiche wordes
Men clepen the develes pater noster, though
So be that the devel ne hadde nevere pater
Noster, but that lewed folk yeven it swich a
Name./ Somtyme it comth of ire or pive hate,
That norisseth rancour in herte, as afterward I
Shal declare./ Thanne cometh eek bitternesse
Of herte, thurgh which bitternesse every good
Dede of his neighebor semeth to hym bitter
and unsavory./ Thanne cometh discord,
that unbyndeth alle manere of
Freendshipe. Thanne comth scornynge of his
Neighebor, al do he never so weel./ Thanne
Comth accusynge, as whan man seketh occasioun
to anoyen his neighebor, which that is
Lyk the craft of the devel, that waiteth bothe
Nyght and day to accusen us alle./ Thanne
Comth malignitee, thurgh which a man anoyeth
his neighebor prively, if he may;/ and if
He noght may, algate his wikked wil ne shal
Nat wante, as for to brennen his hous pryvely,
Or empoysone or sleen his beestes, and semblable
thynges./
Now wol I speke of remedie agayns this
Foule synne of envye. First is the love of god
Principal, and lovyng of his neighebor as hymself;
for soothly, that oon ne may nat been
Withoute that oother./ And truste wel that
In the name of thy neighebor thou shalt
Understonde the name of thy brother; for certes
Alle we have o fader flesshly, and o mooder,
That is to seyn, adam and eve; and eek o fader
Espiritueel, and that is God of hevene./ Thy
Neighebor artow holden for to love, and wilne
Hym alle goodnesse; and therfore seith god,
Love thy neighebor as thyselve, that is to
Seyn, to salvacioun bothe of lyf and of soule./
And mooreover thou shalt love hym in word,
And in benigne amonestynge and chastisynge,
And conforten hym in his anoyes, and preye for
Hym with al thyn herte./ And in dede thou
Shalt love hym in swich wise that thou shalt
Doon to hym in charitee as thou woldest that
It were doon to thyn owene persone./ And
Therfore thou ne shalt doon hym no damage
In wikked word, ne harm in his body, ne in
His catel, ne in his soule, by entissyng of
Wikked ensample./ Thou shalt nat desiren
His wyf, ne none of his thynges. Understoond
eek that in the name of neighebor is
Comprehended his enemy./ Certes, man shal
Loven his enemy, by the comandement of god,
And soothyly thy freend shaltow love in god./
I seye, thyn enemy shaltow love for goddes
Sake, by his comandement. For if it were reson
That man sholde haten his enemy, for so he
God nolde nat receyven us to his love that been
His enemys./ Agayns three manere of wronges
That his enemy dooth to hym, he shal doon
Three thynges, as thus./ Agayns hate and rancour
of herte, he shal love hym in herte.
Agayns chidyng and wikkede wordes, he shal
Preye for his enemy. Agayns the wikked dede
Of his enemy, he shal doon hym bountee./
for crist seith: loveth youre enemys,
and preyeth for hem that speke yow
Harm, and eek for hem that yow chacen and
Pursewen, and dooth bountee to hem that yow
Haten. Loo, thus comaundeth us oure lord
Jhesu crist to do to oure enemys./ For smoothly,
Nature dryveyh us to loven oure freends, and
Parfey, oure enemys han moore nede to love
That oure freendes; and they that moore nede
Have, certes to hem shal men doon goodnesse;/
And certes, in thilke dede have we remembraunce
of the love of jhesu crist that deyde
For his enemys./ And in as muche as thilke
Love is the moore grevous to perfourne, so
Muche is the moore gret the merite; and therfore
the lovynge of oure enemy hath confounded
the venym of the devel./ For right
As the devel is disconfited by humylitee, right
So is he wounded to the deeth by love of
Oure enemy./ Certes, thanne is love the
Medicine that casteth out the venym of
Envye fro mannes herte./ The speces of this
Paas shullen be moore largely declared in hir
Chapitres folwynge./
And envye wol I discryven the synne
Ire. For soothly, whoso hath envye upon his
Neighebor, anon he wole comunly fynde hym
A matere of wratthe, in word or in dede, agayns
Hym to whom he hath envye./ And as wel
Comth ire of pride, as of envye; for soothly,
He that is proud or envyous is lightly wrooth./
This synne of ire, after the discryvyng of
Seint augustyn, is wikked wil to been
Avenged by word, or by dede./ Ire, after
The philosophre, is the fervent blood of
Man yquyked in his herte, thurgh which he
Wole harm to hym that he hateth./ For certes,
The herte of man, by eschawfynge and moevynge
of his blood, wexeth so trouble that he is
Out of alle juggement of resoun./ But ye shal
Understonde that ire is in two maneres; that
Oon of hem is good, and that oother is wikked./
the goode ire is by jalousie of goodnesse,
thurgh which a man is wrooth with wikkednesse
and agayns wikkednesse; and therfore
seith a wys man that ire is bet than pley./
This ire is with debonairetee, and it is wrooth
Withouten bitternesse; nat wrooth agayns the
Man, but wrooth with the mysdede of the man,
As seith the prophete david, irasciminI
Et nolite peccare./ Now understondeth
That wikked ire is in two maneres; that is
To seyn, sodeyn ire or hastif ire, withouten
Avisement and consentynge of resoun./ The
Menyng and the sens of this is, that the resoun
Of a man ne consente nat to thilke sodeyn ire;
And thanne is it venial./ Another ire is ful
Wikked, that comth of felonie of herte avysed
And cast biforn, with wikked wil to do vengeance,
and therto his resoun consenteth; and
Soothly this is deedly synne./ This ire is so
Displesant to God that it troubleth his hous,
And chaceth the hooly goost out of mannes
Soule, and wasteth and destroyeth the liknesse
Of god, that is to seyn, the vertu that is in
Mannes soule,/ and put in hym the liknesse
Of the devel, and bynymeth the man fro
God, that is his rightful lord./ This ire
Is a ful greet plesaunce to the devel; for
It is the develes fourneys, that is eschawfed
With the fir of helle./ For certes, right so as
Fir is moore mighty to destroyen erthely thynges
Than any oother element, right so ire is myghty
To destroyen alle spiritueel thynges./ Looke how
That fir of smale gleedes, that been almost dede
Under asshen, wollen quike agayn whan they
Been touched with brymstoon; right so ire wol
Everemo quyken agayn, whan it is touched by
The pride that is covered in mannes herte./
For certes, fir ne may nat comen out of no
Thyng, but if it were first in the same thyng
Natureely, as fir is drawen out of flyntes with
Steel./ And right so as pride is ofte tyme matere
of ire, right so is rancour norice and
Kepere of ire./ Ther is a maner tree, as
Seith seint ysidre, that whan men maken
Fir of thilke tree, and covere the coles of
With asshen, soothly the fir of it wol lasten
A yeer or moore./ And right so fareth it
Rancour; whan it is ones conceyved in the
Hertes of som men, certein, it wol lasten peraventure
from oon estre day unto another
Estre day, and moore./ But certes, thilke man
Is ful fer fro the mercy of God al thilke while./
In this forseyde develes fourneys ther forgen
Three shrewes: pride, that ay bloweth and encreesseth
the fir by chidynge and wikked
Wordes;/ thanne stant envye, the holdeth the
Hoote iren upon the herte of man with a
Peire of longe toonges of long rancour;/
And thanne stant the synne of contumelie,
Or strif and cheeste, and batereth and forgeth
By vileyns reprevynges./ Certes, this cursed
Synne annoyeth bothe to the man hymself and
Eek to his neighebor. For soothly, almoost al
The harm that any man dooth to his neighebor
Comth of wratthe./ For certes, outrageous
Wratthe dooth al that evere the devel hym
Comaundeth; for he ne spareth neigher crist ne
His sweete mooder./ And in his outrageous anger
and ire, allas! allas! ful many oon at that
Tyme feeleth in his herte ful wikkedly, bothe
Of crist and eek of alle his halwes./ Is nat this
A cursed vice? yis, certes. Allas! it bynymeth
From man his wit and his resoun, and al his debonaire
lif espiritueel that sholde kepen his
Soule./ Certes, it bynymeth eek goddes
Due lordshipe, and that is mannes soule,
And the love of his neighebores. It stryveth
Eek alday agayn trouthe. It reveth hym the
Quiete of his herte, and subverteth his soule./
Of ire comen thise stynkynge engendrures:
First, hate, that is oold wratthe; discord, thurgh
Which a man forsaketh his olde freend that he
Hath loved ful longe;/ and thanne cometh
Werre, and every manere of wrong that man
Dooth to his neighebor, in body or in catel./
Of this cursed synne of ire cometh eek manslaughtre.
and understonde wel that homycide,
That is manslaughtre, is in diverse wise. Som
Manere of homycide is spiritueel, and som is
Bodily./ Spiritueel manslaughtre is in sixe
Thynges. First by hate, as seith seint john:
He that hateth his brother is an homycide./
homycide is eek by babkbitynge,
Of whiche bakbiteres seith salomon that
They han two swerdes with whiche they sleen
Hire neighebores. For soothly, as wikke is to
Bynyme his good name as his lyf./ Homycide is
Eek in yevynge of wikked conseil by fraude;
As for to yeven conseil to areysen wrongful
Custumes and taillages./ Of whiche seith salomon:
leon rorynge and bere hongry been like
To the crueel lordshipes in witholdynge or
Abreggynge of the shepe (or the hyre), or of
The wages of sevauntz, or elles in usure, or
In withdrawynge of the almesse of povre folk./
For which the wise man seith, fedeth hym that
Almoost dyeth for honger; for soothly, but if
Thow feede hym, thou sleest hym; and alle thise
Been deedly synnes./ Bodily manslaughtre is,
Whan thow sleest him with thy tonge in oother
Manere; as whan thou comandest to sleen a
Man, or elles yevest hym conseil to sleen
A man./ Manslaughtre in dede is in foure
Maneres. That oon is by lawe, right as a
Justice dampneth hym that is coupable to the
Deeth. But lat the justice be war that he do
It rightfully, and that he do it nat for delit to
Spille blood, but for kepynge of rightwisnesse./
Another homycide is that is doon for necessitee,
As whan o man sleeth another is his defendaunt,
and that he ne may noon ootherwise escape
from his owene deeth./ But certeinly if
He may escape withouten slaughtre of his adversarie,
and sleeth hym, he dooth synne and
He shal bere penance as for deedly synne./
Eek if a man, by caas or aventure, shete an arwe,
Or caste a stoon, with which he sleeth a man,
He is homycide./ Eek if a womman by necligence
overlyeth hire child in hir slepyng,
It is homycide and deedly synne./ Eek
Whan man destourbeth concepcioun of a
Child, and maketh a womman outher bareyne
By drynkynge venenouse herbes thurgh which
She may nat conceyve, or sleeth a child by
Drynkes wilfully, or elles putteth certeine material
thynges in hire secree places to slee the
Child,/ or elles dooth unkyndely synne, by
Which man or womman shedeth hire nature
In manere or in place ther as a child may nat
Be conceived, or elles if a woman have conceyved,
and hurt hirself and sleeth the child,
Yet is it homycide./ What seye we eek of
Wommen that mordren hir children for drede
Of worldly shame? certes, an horrible homicide./
homycide is eek if a man approcheth
To a womman by desir of lecherie, thurgh which
The child is perissed, or elles smyteth a womman
Wityngly, thurgh which she leseth hir child.
Alle thise been homycides and horrible deedly
Synnes./ Yet comen ther of ire manye mo
Synnes, as wel in word as in thoght and in
Dede; as he that arretteth upon god, or blameth
god of thyng of which he is hymself
Gilty, or despiseth God and alle his halwes, as
Doon thise cursede hasardours in diverse
Contrees./ This cursed synne doon they,
Whan they feelen in hir herte ful wikkedly
Of God and of his halwes./ Also whan they
Treten unreverently the sacrement of the auter,
Thilke synne is so greet that unnethe may it
Been releessed, but that the mercy of god
Passeth alle his werkes; it is so greet, and he
So benigne./ Thanne comth of ire attry angre.
Whan a man is sharply amonested in his shrifte
To forleten his synne,/ thanne wole he be anfry,
and answeren hokerly and angrily, and
Deffended or excusen his synne by unstedefastnesse
of his flessh; or elles he dide it for
To holde compaignye with his felawes; or elles,
He seith, the feend enticed hym;/ or elles he
Dide it for his youthe; or elles his compleccioun
is so corageous that he may nat forbere;
Or elles it is his destinee, as he seith, unto a
Certein age; or eles, he seith, it cometh hym
Of gentillesse of his auncestres; and semblable
thynges./ Alle thise manere of folk
So wrappen hem in hir synnes that they ne
Wol nat delivere hemself. For soothly, no wight
That excuseth hym wilfully of his synne may
Nat been delivered of his synne, til that he
Mekely biknoweth his synne./ After this,
Thanne cometh sweryng, that is expres agayn
The comandement of god; and this bifalleth
Ofte of anger and of ire./ God seith: thow
Shalt nat take the name of thy lord God in
Veyn or in ydel. Also oure lord jhesu crist
Weith, by the word of seint mathew,/ ne wol
Ye nat swere in alle manere; neither by hevene,
for it is goddes trone; ne by erthe, for
It is the bench of his feet; ne by jerusalem,
For it is the citee of a greet kyng; ne by thyn
Heed, for thou mayst nat make an heer whit
Ne blak./ But seyeth by youre word -- ye, he, --
And -- nay, nay -- ; and what that is moore, it
Is of yvel, -- thus seith crist./ For cristes
Sake, ne swereth nat so synfully in dismembrynge
of crist by soule, herte, bones, and
Body. For certes, it semeth that ye thynke that
The cursede jewes ne dismembred nat ynough
The preciouse persone of crist, but ye dismembre
hym moore./ And if so be that the lawe
Compelle yow to swere, thanne rule yow after
The lawe of God in youre sweriyng, as seith
Jeremye, quarto capitulo: thou shalt kepe
Three condicions: thou shalt swere in trouthe,
In doom, and in rightwisnesse./ This is to
Seyn, thou shalt swere sooth; for every lesynge
Is agayns crist. For crist is verray trouthe.
And thynk wel this, that every greet swerere
Nat compedded lawefully to swere, the wounde
Shal nat departe from his hous whil he useth
Swich unleveful swerying./ Thou shalt sweren
Eek in doom, whan thou art constreyned by thy
Domesman to witnessen the trouthe./ Eek thow
Shalt nat swere for envye, ne for favour, ne for
Meede, but for rightwisnesse, for declaracioun
Of it, to the worshipe of God and helpyng
Of thyne evene-cristene./ And therefore
Every man that taketh goodes name in
Ydel, or falsly swereth with his mouth, or elles
Taketh on hym the name of crist, to be called
A cristen man, and lyveth agayns cristed lyvynge
and his techynge, alle they taken goddes
Name in ydel./ Looke eek what seint peter
Seith, actuum, quarto, non est aliud nomen sub
Celo, etc., ther nys noon oother name, seith
Seint peter, under hevene yeven to men, in
Which they mowe be saved; that is to seyn,
But the name of jhesu crist./ Take kep eek
How precious is the name of crist, as seith
Seint paul, ad philipenses, secundo, in nomine
Jhesu, etc., that in the name of jhesu every
Knee of hevenely creatures, or erthely, or of helle
Sholde bowe; for it is so heigh and so worshipful
that the cursede feend in helle sholde tremblen
to heeren it ynempned./ Thanne semeth
It that men that sweren so horribly by his
Blessed name, that they despise it moore
Booldely that dide the cursede jewes, or elles
The devel, that trembleth whan he heereth his
Name./
Now certes, sith that sweryng, but if it
Be lawefully doon, is so heighly deffended,
Muche worse is forsweryng falsly, and yet
Nedelees./
What seye we eek of hem that deliten
Hem in sweryng, and holden it a gentrie or a
Manly dede to swere grete others? and what
Of hem that of verray usage ne cesse nat to
Swere grete othes, al be the cause nat worth
A straw? certes, this is horrible synne./ Swerynge
sodeynly withoute avysement is eek a
Synne./ But lat us go now to thilke horrible
Sweryng of adjuracioun and conjuracioun, as
Doon thise false enchauntours or nigromanciens
in bacyns ful of water, or in a bright
Swerd, in a cercle, or in a fir, or in a shulderboon
of a sheep./ I kan nat seye but that they
Doon cursedly and dampnably agayns crist and
Al the feith of hooly chirche./
What seye we of hem that bileeven on divynailes,
as by flight or by noyse of briddes, or
Of beestes, or by sort, by nigromancie, by dremes,
By chirkynge of dores, or crakkynge of houses,
By gnawynge of rattes, and swich manere
Wrecchednesse?/ certes, al this thyng is
Deffended by God and by hooly chirche.
For which they been acursed, til they come
To amendement, that on swich filthe setten hire
Bileeve./ Charmes for woundes or maladie of
Men or of beestes, if they taken any effect, it
May be peraventure that God suffreth it, for
Folk sholden yeve the moore feith and reverence
to his name./
Now wol I speken of lesynges, which generally
is fals signyficaunce of word, in entente to
Deceyven his evene-cristene./ Som lesynge is
Of which ther comth noon avantage to no wight;
And som lesynge turneth to the ese and profit
Of o man, and to disese and damage of another
Man./ Another lesynge is for to saven his lyf
Of his catel. Another lesynge comth of delit
For to lye, in which delit they wol forge a
Long tale, and peynten it with alle circumstaunces,
where al the ground of the tale
Is fals./ Som lesynge comth, for he wole
Sustene his word; and som lesynge comth
Of reccheleesnesse withouten avisement; and
Semblable thynges./
Lat us now touche the vice of flaterynge,
Which ne comth nat gladly but for drede or
For coveitise./ Flaterye is generally wrongful
Preisynge. Flatereres been the develes norices,
That norissen his children with milk losengerie./
for sothe, salomon seith that flaterie
Is wors than detraccioun. For somtyme detraccion
maketh an hauteyn man be the moore
Humble, for he dredeth detraccion; but certes
Flaterye, that maketh a man to enhauncen his
Herte and his contenance./ Flatereres been
The develes enchauntours; for they make a
Man to wene of hymself be lyk that he nys
Nat lyk./ They been lyk to judas that bitraysen
a man to sellen hym to his enemy,
That is to the devel./ Flatereres been the develes
chapelleyns, that syngen evere placebb./
I rekene flaterie in the vices of ire; for ofte
Tyme, if o man be wrooth with another, thanne
Wole he flatere som wight to sustene hym in his
Querele./
Speke we now of swich cursynge as comth
Of irous herte. Malisoun generally may be
Seyd every maner power of harm. Swich cursynge
bireveth man fro the regne of god, as
Seith seint paul. / and ofte tyme swiche cursynge
wrongfully retorneth agayn to hym that
Curseth, as a bryd that retorneth agayn to
His owene nest./ And over alle thyng men
Oghten eschewe to cursen hir children,
And yeven to the devel hire engendrure, as
Ferforth as in hem is. Certes, it is greet peril
And greet synne./
Lat us thanne speken of chidynge and reproche,
whiche been ful grete woundes in
Mannes herte, for they unsowen the semes of
Freendshipe in mannes herte./ For certes, unnethes
may a man pleynly been accorded with
Hym that hath hym openly revyled and repreved
and disclaundred. This ia a ful grisly
Synne, as crist seith in the gospel./ And taak
Kep now, that he that repreveth his neighebor,
Outher he repreveth hym by som harm of peyne
That he hath on his body, as mesel, croked
Harlot, or by som synne that he dooth./ Now
If he repreve hym by harm of peyne, thanne
Turneth the repreve to jhesu crist, for peyne
Is sent by the rightwys sonde of god, and
By his suffrance, be it meselrie, or maheym,
or maladie./ And if he repreve hym
Uncharitably of synne, as thou holour,
Thou dronkelewe harlot, and so forth, thanne
Aperteneth that to the rejoysynge of the devel,
That evere hath joyde that men doon synne./
And certes, chidynge may nat come but out
Of a vileyns herte. For after the habundance
Of the herte speketh the mouth ful ofte./ And
Ye shul understonde that looke, by the wey,
Whan any man shal chastise another, that he
Be war from chidynge or reprevynge. For
Trewely, but he be war, he may ful lightly
Quyken the fir of angre and of wratthe, which
That he sholde quenche, and peraventure sleeth
Hym, which that he myghte chastise with benignitee./
for as seith salomon, the amyable
Tonge is the tree of lyf, that is to seyn, of lyf
Espiritueel; and soothly, a deslavee tonge sleeth
Spirites of hym that repreveth and eek of
Hym that is repreved./ Loo, what seith seint
Augustyn: ther is nothyng so lyk the develes
Child as he that ofte chideth. Seint paul seith
Eek, the servant of God bihoveth nat to
Chide./ And how that chidynge be a
Vileyns thyng bitwixe alle manere folk,
Yet is it certes moost uncovenable bitwixe a
Man and his wyf; for there is nevere reste. And
Wherfore seith salomon, an hous that is uncovered
and droppynge, and a chidynge wyf,
Been lyke./ A man that is in a droppynge
Hous in manye places, though he eschewe the
Droppynge in a place, it droppeth on hym in
Another place. So fareth it by a chydynge wyf;
But shc chide hym in o place, she wol chide
Hym in another./ And therfore, bettre is a
Morsel of breed with joye than an hous ful of
Delices with chidynge, seith salomon./ Seint
Paul seith: oye wommen, be ye subgetes to
Youre housbondes as bihoveth in god, and ye
Men loveth youre wyves. Add colossenses,
Tertio./
Afterward speke we of scornynge, which is
A wikked synne, and namely whan he
Scorneth a man for his goode werkes./
For certes, swiche scorneres faren lyk the
Foule tode, that may nat endure to smelle the
Soote savour of the vyne whanne it florissheth./
Thise scorneres been partyng felawes with the
Devel; for they han joye whan the devel wynneth,
and sorwe whan he leseth./ They been
Adversaries of jhesu crist, for they haten that
He loveth, that is to seyn, salvacioun of soule./
Speke we now of wikked conseil; for he that
Wikked conseil yeveth is a traytour. For he deceyveth
hym that trusteth in hym, ut achitofel
Ad absolonem. But nathelees, yet is his wikked
Conseil first agayn hymself/ for, as seith the
Wise man, every fals lyvynge hath this propertee
in hymself, that he that wole anoye
Another man, he anoyeth first hymself./
And men shul understonde that man shal
Nat taker his conseil of fals folk, ne of angry
Folk, or grevous folk, ne of folk that lovern
Specially to muchel hir owene profit, ne to
Muche worldly folk, namely in conseilynge of
Soules./
Now comth the synne of hem that sowen
And maken discord amounges folk, which is a
Synne that crist hateth outrely. And no wonder
is; for he deyde for to make concord./ And
Moore shame do they to crist, than dide they
That hym crucifiede; for God loveth bettre that
Freendshipe be amonges folk, than he dide his
Owene body, the which that he yaf for unitee.
Therfore been they likned to the devel, that
Evere is aboute to maken discord./
Now comth the synne of double tonge;
Swiche as speken faire byforn folk, and wikkedly
bihynde; or elles they maken semblant
As though they speeke of good entencioun, or
Elles in game and pley, and yet they speke of
Wikked entente./
Now comth biwreying of conseil, thurgh
Which a man is defamed; certes, unnethe
May be restoore the damage./
Now comth manace, that is an open
Folye; for he that ofte manaceth, he threteth
Moore than he may perfourne ful ofte tyme./
Now cometh ydel wordes, that is withouten
Profit of hym that speketh tho wordes, and eek
Of hym that herkneth tho wordes. Or elles ydel
Wordes been tho that been nedelees, or withouten
entente of natureel profit./ And al be it
That ydel wordes been somtyme venial synne,
Yet sholde men douten hem, for we shul yeve
Rekenynge of hem bifore god./
Now comth janglynge, that may nat been
Withoute synne. And, as seith salomon, it is
A sygne a apert folye./ And therfore a phI
Losophre seyde, whan men axed hym how that
Men sholde plese the peple, and he answerde
Do manye goode werkes, and spek fewe
Jangles./
After this comth the synne of japeres,
That been the develes apes; for they maken
Folk to laughe at hire japerie as folk doon at
The gawdes of an ape. Swiche japes deffendeth
seint paul./ Looke how that vertuouse
Wordes and hooly conforten hem that travaillen
In the service of crist, right so conforten the
Vileyns wordes and knakkes of japeris hem that
Travaillen in the service of the devel./ Thise
Been the synnes that comen of the tonge that
Comen of ire and of ohtere synnes mo./
The remedie agayns ire is a vertu that men
Clepen mansuetude, that is debonairette; and
Eek another vertu, that men callen pacience or
Suffrance./
Debonairetee withdraweth and refreyneth the
Stirynges and the moevynges of mannes corage
In his herte, in swich manere that they ne
Skippe nat out by angre ne by ire./ Suffrance
suffreth swetely alle the anoyaunces
And the wronges that men doon to man outward./
seint jerome seith thus of debonairetee,
That it dooth noon harm to no wight ne seith;
Ne for noon harm that men doon or seyn, he
Ne eschawfeth nat agayns his resoun./ This
Vertu somtyme comth of nature; for, as seith
The philosophre, a man is a quyk thyng, by
Nature debonaire and tretable to goodnesse;
But whan debonairetee is enformed of grace,
Thanne is it the moore worth./
Pacience, that is another remedie agayns iro,
Is a vertu that suffreth swetely every mannes
Goodnesse, and is nat wrooth for noon harm
That is doon to hym./ The philosophre seith
That pacience is thilke vertu that suffreth
Debonairely alle the outrages of adversitee
And every wikked word./ This vertu maketh
a man lyk to god, and maketh hym
Goddes owene deere child, as seith grist. This
Vertu disconfiteth thyn enemy. And therfore
Seith the wise man. If thow wolt venquysse
Thyn enemy, lerne to suffre./ And thou shalt
Understonde that man suffreth foure manere of
Grevances in outward thynges, agayns the
Whiche foure he moot have foure manere of
Paciences./
The firste grevance is of wikkede wordes.
Thilke suffrede jhesu crist withouten grucchyng,
ful paciently, whan the jewes despised
And repreved hym ful ofte./ Suffre thou therfore
paciently; for the wise man seith, if thou
Stryve with a fool, though the fool be wrooth
Or though he laughe, algate thou shalt have no
Reste./ That oother grevance outward is to
Have damage of thy catel. Theragayns suffred
crist ful paciently, whan he was despoyled
Of al that he hadde in this lyf, and that nas
But his clothes./ The thridde grevance is a
Man to have harm in his body. That suffred
crist ful paciently in al his passioun./ The
Fourthe grevance is in outrageous labour in
Werkes. Wherfore I seye that folk that maken
Hir servantz to travaillen to grevously, or out
Of tyme, as on haly dayes, soothly they do greet
Synne./ Heer-agayns suffred crist ful paciently
And taughte us pacience, whan he baar upon
His blissed shulder the croys upon which e
Sholde suffren despitous deeth./ Heere man
Men lerne to be pacient; for certes noght oonly
Cristen men been pacient, for love of jhesu
Crist, and for gerdoun of the blisful lyf that
Is perdurable, but certes, the olde payens that
Nevere were cristene, commendeden and useden
the vertu of pacience./
A philosophre upon a tyme, that wolde have
Beten his disciple for his grete trespas, for
Which he was greetly amoeved, broghte
A yerde to scoure with the child;/ and
Whan this child saugh the yerde, he seyde
To his maister, what thenke ye do?? I wol
Bete thee, quod the maister, for thy correccioun./
for sothe, quod the child, ye
Oghten first correcte youreself, that han lost
Al youre pacience for the gilt of a child./
For sothe, quod the maister al wepynge,
Thow seyst sooth. Have thow the yerde, my
Deere sone, and correcte me for myn impacience./
of pacience comth obedience, thurgh
Which a man is obedient to crist and to alle
Hem to whiche he oghte to been obedient in
Crist./ And understond wel that obedience is
Perfit, whan that a man dooth gladly and
Hastily, with good herte entierly, al that
He sholde do./ Obedience generally is to
Perfourne the doctrine of God and of his
Sovereyns, to whiche hym oghte to ben obeisaunt
in alle rightwisnesse./
After the synne of envye and of ire, now
Wol I speken of the synne of accidie. For
Envye blyndeth the herte of a man, and ire
Troubleth a man, and accidie maketh hym
Hevy, thoghtful, and wraw./ Envye and ire
Maker bitternesse in herte, which bitternesse
Is mooder of accidie, and bynymeth hym the
Love of alle goodnesse. Thanne is accidie the
Angwissh of troubled herte; and seint augustyn
Seith, it is anoy of goodnesse and ioye of
Harm./ Certes, this is a dampnable synne;
For it dooth worng to jhesu crist, in as muche
As it bynymeth the service that men oghte doon
To crist with alle diligence, as seith salomon./
But accidie dooth no swich diligence. He
Dooth alle thyng with anoy, and with wrawnesse,
slaknesse, and excusacioun, and with
Ydelnesse, and unlust; for which the book seith,
Acursed be he that dooth the service of
God necligently. / thanne is accidie enemy
to everich estaat of man; for certes,
The estaat of man is in three maneres. / outher
It is th,estaat of innocence, as was th,estaat of
Adam biforn that he fil into synne;in which
Estaat he was holden to wirche as in heriynge
And adowrynge of god. / another estaat is the
Estaat of synful men, in which estaat men been
Holden to laboure in preiynge to God for
Amendement of hire synnes, and that he wole
Graunte hem to arysen out of hir symmes. / another
estaat is th,estaat of grace; in which estaat
He is holden to werkes of penitence. And certes,
To alle thise thynges is accidie enemy and contrarie,
for he lovethno bisynesse at al. / now
Certes, this foule synne, accidie, is eek a ful
Greet enemy to the liflode of the body; for it
Ne hath no purveaunce agayn temporeel necessitee;
For it forsleweth and forsluggeth and
Destroyeth alle goodes temporeles by
Reccheleesnesse. /
 the fourthe thyng is that accidie is lyk
Hem that been in the peyne of helle, by cause
Of hir slouthe and of hire hevynesse; for they
That been dampned been so bounde that they
Ne may neither wel do ne wel thynke./ Of
Accidie comth first, that a man is anoyed and
Encombred for to doon any goodnesse, and
Maketh that God hath abhomynacion of swich
Accidie, as seith seint john. /
 now comth slouthe, that wol nat suffre
Noon hardnesse ne no penaunce. For soothly,
Slouthe is so tendre and so delicaat, as seith
Salomon, that he wol nat suffre noon hardnesse
Ne penaunce, and therfore he shendeth al that
He dooth. / agayns this roten-herted synne of
Accidie and slouthe sholde men exercise hemself
To doon goode werkes, and manly and vertuously
Cacchen corage wel to doon, thynkynge
That oure lord jhesu crist quiteth every good
Dede, be it never so lite. / usage of labour is
A greet thyng, for it maketh, as seith seint bernard,
The laborer to have stronge armes and
Harde synwes; and slouthe maketh hem
Feble and tendre. / thanne comth drede
To bigynne to werke anye goode werkes.
For certes, he that is enclyned to synne, hym
Thynketh it is so greet an emprise for to undertake
To doon werkes of goodnesse, / and
Casteth in his herte that the circumstances of
Goodnesse been so grevouse and so chargeaunt
For to suffre, that he dar nat undertake to do
Werkes of goodnesse, as seith seint gregorie. /
 now comth wanhope, that is despeir of the
Mercy of god, that comth somtyme of to muche
Outrageous sorwe, and somtyme of to muche
Drede, ymaginynge that he hath doon so muche
Synne that it wol nat availlen hym, though
He wolde repenten hym and forsake synne; /
Thurgh which despeir or drede he abaundoneth
Al his herte to every maner synne, as seith
Seint augustin. / which dampnable synne, if
That it continue unto his ende, it is cleped
Synnyng in the hooly goost. / this horrible
Synne is so perilous that he that is
Despeired, ther nys no felonye ne no synne that
He douteth for to do; as shewed wel by judas. /
Certes, aboven alle synnes thanne is this synne
Moost displesant to crist, and moost adversarie. /
Soothly, he that despeireth hym is lyk
The coward champious recreant, that seith,
Creant withoute nede, allas! akkas! bedekes us
He recreant and nedelees despeired. / certes,
The mercy of God is evere redy to the penitent,
And is aboven alle his werkes. / allas! kan a
Man nat bithynke hym on the gospel of seint
Luc, 15, where as crist seith that as wel shal
Ther be joye in hevene upon a synful man that
Dooth penitence, as upon nynty and nyne
Rightful men that neden no penitence. /
Looke forther, in the same gospel, the joye
And the feeste of the goode man that hadde
Lost his sone, whan his sone with repentaunce
Was retourned to his fader. / kan they nat remembren
Hem eek that, as seith seint luc, 23,
How that the theef that was hanged bisyde
Jhesu crist, seyde -- lord, remembre of me,
Whan thow comest into thy regne? / for
Sothe, seyde crist, I seye to thee, to-day
Shaltow been with me in paradys. / certes,
Ther is noon so horrible synne of man that it
Ne may in his lyf be destroyed by penitence,
Thurgh vertu of the passion and of the deeth
Of crist. / allas! what nedeth man thanne to
Been despeired, sith that his mercy so redy
Is and large? axe and have. / thanne cometh
Sompnolence, that is, sloggy slombrynge,
Which maketh a man be hevy and dul
In body and in soule; and this synne comth
Of slouthe. / and certes, the tyme that, by eey
Of resoun, men sholde nat slepe, that is by the
Morwe, but if ther were cause resonable. / for
Soothly, the morwe tyde is moost covenable a
Man to seye his preyeres, and for to thynken on
God, and for to honoure god, and to yeven
Almesse to the povre that first cometh in the
Name of crist. / lo, what seith salomon --
Whoso wolde by the morwe awaken and
Seke me, he shal fynde. / thanne cometh necligence,
Or reccheleesnesse, that rekketh of
No thyng. And how that ignoraunce be
Mooder of alle harm, certes, necligence
Is the norice. / necligence ne dooth no
Fors, whan he shal doon a thyng, wheither
He do it weel or baddely /
 of the remedie of thise two synnes, as seith
The wise man, that he that dredeth god, he
Spareth nat to doon that him oghte doon. /
And he that loveth god, he wol doon diligence
To plese God by his werkes, and abaundone
Hymself, with al his myght, wel for to doon. /
Thanne comth ydelnesse, that is the yate of alle
Harmes. An ydel man is lyk to a place that hath
No walles; the develes may entre on every syde,
Or sheten at hym at discovert, by temptacion
On every syde. / this ydelnesse is the thurrok
Of alle wikked and vileyns thoghtes, and of
Alle jangles, trufles, and of alle ordure. /
Certes, the hevene is yeven to hem that
Wol labourn, and nat to ydel folk. Eek david
Seith that they ne been nat in the labour of
Men, ne they shul nat been whipped with men,
That is to seyn, in purgatorie. / certes, thanne
Semeth it, they shul be tormented with the
Devel in helle, but if they doon penitence. /
 thanne comth the synne that men clepen
Tarditas, as whan a man is to laterede or tariynge,
Er he wole turne to god; and certes, that
Is a greet folie. He is lyk to hym that falleth in
The dych, and wol nat arise. / and this vice
Comth of a fals hope, that he thynketh that he
Shal lyve longe; but that hope faileth ful ofte. /
 thanne comth lachesse; that is he, that
Whan he biginneth any good werk, anon he
Shal forleten it and stynten; as doon they that
Han any wight to governe, and ne taken of
Hym namoore kep, anon as they fynden
Any contrarie or any anoy. / thise been
The newe sheepherdes that leten hir sheep
Wityngly go renne to the wolf that is in the
Breres, or do no fors of hir owene governaunce. /
Of this comth poverte and destruccioun, bothe
Of spiritueel and temporeel thynges. Thanne
Comth a manere cooldnesse, that freseth al th
Herte of a man. / thanne comth devoccioun,
Thurgh which a man is so blent, as seith seint
Bernard, and hath swich languour in soule that
He may neither rede ne singe in hooly chirche,
Ne heere ne thynke of no devoioun, ne travaille
With his handes in no good werk, that it nys
Hym unsavory and al apalled. / thanne wexeth
He slough and slombry, and soone wol be
Wrooth, and soone is enclyned to hate and to
Envye. / thanne comth the synne of worldly
Sorwe, swich as is cleped tristicia, that
Sleeth man, as seith seint paul. / for
Certes, swich sorwe werketh to the deeth
Of the soule and of the body also; for therof
Comth that a man is anoyed of his owene lif. /
Wherfore swich sorwe shorteth ful ofte the lif
Of man, er that his tyme be come by wey of
Kynde. /
 agayns this horrible synne of accidie, an
The branches of the same, ther is a vertu that
Is called fortitudo or strentthe, that is an affeccioun
Thurgh which a man despiseth anoyouse
Thinges. / this vertu is so myghty and so vigerous
That it dar withstonde myghtily and wisely
Kepen hymself fro perils that been wikked, and
Wrastle agayn the assautes of the devel. / for
It enhaunceth and enforceth the soule, right as
Accidie abateth it and maketh it fieble. For this
Fortitudo may endure by long suffraunce
The travailles that been covenable. /
 this vertu hath manye speces; and the
Firste is cleped magnanimitee, that is to seyn,
Greet corage. For certes, ther bihoveth greet
Corage agains accidie, lest that it ne swolwe
The soule by the synne of sorwe, or destroye it
By wanhope. / this vertu maketh folk to undertake
Harde thynges and grevouse thynges,
By hir owene wil, wisely and resonably. / and
For as muchel as the devel fighteth agayns a
Man moore by queyntise and by sleighte than
By strengthe, therfore men shal withstonden
Hym by wit and by resoun and by discrecioun. /
Thanne arn ther the vertues of feith and hope
In God and in his seintes, to acheve and acomplice
The goode werkes in the whiche he purposeth
Fermely to continue. / thanne comth
Seuretee or sikernesse; and that is whan a man
Ne douteth no travaille in tyme comynge of
The goode werkes that a man hath bigonne. /
Thanne comth magnificence, that
Is to seyn, whan a man dooth and perfourneth
Grete werkes of goodnesse; and that
Is the ende why that men sholde do goode
Werkes, for in the acomplissynge of grete goode
Werkes lith the grete gerdoun. / thanne is ther
Constaunce, that is, stablenesse of corage; and
This sholde been in herte by stedefast feith,
And in mouth, and in berynge, and in chiere,
And in dede. / eke ther been mo speciale remedies
Against accidie in diverse werkes, and
In consideracioun of the peynes of helle and
Of the joyes of hevene, and in the trust of the
Grace of the holy goost, that wole yeve hym
Myght to perfourne his goode entente. /
 after accidie wol I speke of avarice and of
Coveitise, of which synne seith seint paul that
The roote of alle harmes is coveitise. Ad
Thimotheum sexto. / for soothly, whan the
Herte of a man is confounded in itself and
Troubled, and that the soule hath lost the confort
Of god, thanne seketh he an ydel solas
Of worldly thynges. /
 avarice, after the descripcioun of seint
Augustyn, is a likerousnesse in herte to have
Erthely thynges. / som oother folk seyn that
Avarice is for to purchacen manye erthely
Thynges, and no thyng yeve to hem that han
Nede. / and understoond that avarice ne stant
Nat oonly in lond ne catel, but somtyme in
Science and in glorie, and in every manere
Of outrageous thyng is avarice and coveitise. /
And the difference bitwixe avarice and coveitise
Is this -- coveitise is for to coveite swiche
Thynges as thou hast nat; and avarice is for
To withholde and kepe swiche thynges as thou
Hast, withoute rightful nede. / soothly, this
Avarice is a synne that is ful dampnable;
For al hooly writ curseth it, and speketh agayns
That vice; for it dooth wrong to jhesu
Crist. / for it bireveth hym the love that
Men to hym owen, and turneth it bakward
Agayns alle resoun, / and maketh that the avaricious
Man hath moore hope in his catel than
In jhesu crist, and dooth moore observance in
Kepynge of his tresor than he dooth to the
Service of jhesu crist. / and therfore seith
Seint paul ad ephesios, quinto, that an avaricious
Man is in the thraldom of ydolatrie. /
 what difference is bitwixe an ydolastre and
An avaricious man, but that an ydolastre, per
Aventure, ne hath but o mawmet or two, and
The avaricious man hath manye? for certes,
Every floryn in his cofre is his mawmet. / and
Certes, the synne of mawmettrie is the firste
Thyng that God deffended in the ten comaundementz
As bereth witnesse in exodi capitulo
Vicesimo. / thou shalt have no false
Goddes bifore me, ne thou shalt make to
Thee no grave thyng. Thus is an avaricious
Man, that loveth his tresor biforn god, an
Ydolastre, / thurgh this cursed synne of avarice.
Of coveitise comen thise harde lordshipes,
Thurgh whiche men been distreyned by taylages,
Custumes, and cariages, moore than hire
Duetee or resoun is. And eek taken they of
Hire bonde-men amercimentz, whiche myghten
Moore resonably ben cleped extorcions than
Amercimentz. / of whiche amercimentz and
Raunsonynge of boonde-men somme hordes stywards
Seyn that it is ryghtful, for as muche as
A cherl hath no temporeel thyng that it ne is his
Lordes, as they seyn. / but certes, thise lordshipes
Doon wrong that bireven hire bondefolk
Thynges that they nevere yave hem. Augustinus,
De civitate, libro nono. / sooth is
That the condicioun of thraldom and the firste
Cause of thraldom is for synne. Genesis,
Nono. /
 thus may ye seen that the gilt disserveth
Thraldom, but nat nature./ Wherfore thise
Lordes ne sholde nat muche glorifien hem in
Hir lordshipes, sith that by natureel condicion
They been nat lordes over thralles, but that
Thraldom comth first by the desert of synne. /
And forther over, ther as the lawe seith that
Temporeel goodes of boonde-folk been the
Goodes of hir lordeshipes, ye, that is for to understonde,
The goodes of the emperour, to deffenden
Hem in hir right, but nat for to robben
Hem ne reven hem. / and therfore seith
Seneca, thy prudence sholde lyve benignely
With thy thralles. / thilke that thou clepest
Thy thralles been goddes peple; for humble
Folk been cristes freendes; they been contubernyal
With the lord. /
 thynk eek that of swich seed as cherles
Spryngen, of swich seed spryngen lordes. As
Wel may the cherl be saved as the lord. / the
Same deeth that taketh the cherl, swich deeth
Taketh the lord. Wherfore I rede, do right so
With the cherl, as thou woldest that thy lord
Dide with thee, if thou were in his plit. / every
Synful man is a cherl to synne. I rede thee,
Certes, that thou, lord, werke in swich wise
With thy cherles that they rather love thee than
Drede. / I woot wel ther is degree above degree,
As reson is; and skile is that men do hir devoir
Ther as it is due; but certes, extorcions and
Despit of youre underlynges is dampnable. /
 and forther over, understoond wel that thise
Conquerours or tirauntz maken ful ofte thralles
Of hem that been born of as roial blood as
Been they that hem conqueren. / this
Name of thraldom was nevere erst kowth,
Til that noe seyde that his sone canaan sholde
Be thral to his bretheren for his synne. / what
Seye we thanne of hem that pilen and doon
Extorcions to hooly chirche? certes, the swerd
That men yeven first to a knyght, whan he is
Newe dubbed, signifieth that he sholde deffenden
Hooly chirche, and nat robben it ne
Pilen it; and whoso dooth is traitour to crist. /
And, as seith seint augustyn, they been the
Develes wolves that stranglen the sheep of
Jhesu crist; and doon worse than wolves. /
For soothly, whan the wolf hath ful his wombe,
He styntheth to strangle sheep. But soothly, the
Pilours and destroyours of the godes of hooly
Chirche no do nat so, for they ne stynte nevere
To pile. / now as I have seyd, sith so is that
Synne was first cause of thraldom, thanne is it
Thus, that thilke tyme that al this world was
In synne, thanne was al this world in thraldom
And subjeccioun. / but certes, sith the
Time of grace cam, God ordeyned that som
Folk sholde be moore heigh in estaat and in
Degree, and som folk moore lough, and that
Everich sholde be served in his estaat and in
His degree. / and therfore in somme contrees,
Ther they byen thralles, whan they han turned
Hem to the feith, they maken hire thralles free
Out of thraldom. And therfore, certes, the lord
Oweth to his man that the man oweth to his
Lord. / the pope calleth hymself servant of the
Servantz of god; but for as muche as the estaat
Of hooly chirche ne myghte nat han be,
Ne the commune profit myghte nat han be kept,
Ne pees and rest in erthe, but if God hadde
Ordeyned that som men hadde hyer degree and
Som men lower, / therfore was sovereyntee ordeyned,
To kepe and mayntene and deffenden
Hire underlynges or hire subgetz in resoun, as
Ferforth as it lith in hire power, and nat to destroyen
Hem ne confounde. / wherfore I seye
That thilke lordes that been lyk wolves, that
Devouren the possessiouns or the catel of povre
Folk wrongfully, withouten mercy or mesure, /
They shul receyven, by the same
Mesure that they han mesured to povre
Folk, the mercy of jhesu crist, but if it be
Amended. / now comth deciete bitwixe marchaunt
And marchant. And thow shalt understonde
That marchandise is in manye maneres;
That oon is bodily, and that oother is goostly;
That oon is honest and leveful, and that oother
Is deshonest and unleveful. / of thilke bodily
Marchandise that is leveful and honest is this --
That, there as God hath ordeyned that a regne
Or a contree is suffisaunt to hymself, thanne is
It honest and leveful that of habundaunce of
This contree, that men helpe another contree
That is moore needy. / and therfore ther moote
Been marchantz to bryngen fro that o contree
To that oother hire marchandises. / that oother
Marchandise, that men haunten with fraude and
Trecherie and deceite, with lesynges and
False othes, is cursed and dampnable. / espiritueel
Marchandise is proprely symonue,
That is, ententif desir to byen thyng espiritueel,
That is, thyng that aperteneth to the seintuarie
Of God and to cure of the soule. / this desir,
If so be that a man do his diligence to parfournen
It, al be it that his desir ne take noon
Effect, yet is it to hym a deedly synne; and if
He be ordred, he is irreguler. / certes symonye
Is cleped of simon magus, that wolde han
Boght for temporeel catel the yifte that god
Hadde yeven, by the hooly goost, to seint
Peter and to the apostles. / and therfore understoond
That bothe he that selleth and he that
Beyeth thynges espirituels been cleped symonyals,
Be it by catel, be it by procurynge, or
By flesshly preyere of his freendes, flesshly
Freendes, or espiritueel freendes. / flesshly in
Two maneres; as by kynrede, or othere freendes.
Soothly, if they praye for hym that is nat
Worthy and able, it is symonye, if he take the
Benefice; and if he be worthy and able,
Ther nys noon. / that oother manere is
Whan men or wommen preyen for folk to
Avauncen hem, oonly for wikked flesshly affeccioun
That they han unto the persone; and
That is foul symonye. / but certes, in service,
For which men yeven thynges espirituels unto
Hir servauntz, it moot been understonde that the
Service moot been honest, and elles nat; and
Eek that it be withouten bargaynynge, and that
The persone be able. / for, as seith seint damasie,
Alle the synnes of the world, at regard
Of this synne, arn as thyng of noght. For it
Is the gretteste synne that may be, after the
Synne of lucifer and antecrist. / for by this
Synne God forleseth the chirche and the soule
That he boghte with his precious blood, by hem
That yeven chirches to hem that been nat
Digne. / for they putten in theves that stelen
The soules of jhesu crist and destroyen his
Patrimoyne. / by swiche undigne preestes
And curates han lewed men the lasse reverence
Of the sacramentz of hooly chirche; and
Swiche yeveres of chirches putten out the children
Of crist, and putten into the chirche the
Develes owene sone. / they sellen the soules
That lambes sholde kepen to the wolf that strangleth
Hem. And therfore shul they nevere han
Part of the pasture of lambes, that is the blisse
Of hevene. / now comth hasardrie with his
Apurtenaunces, as tables and rafles, of which
Comth deceite, false othes, chidynges, and alle
Ravynes, blasphemynge and reneiynge of god,
And hate of his neighebores, wast of goodes,
Mysspendynge of tyme, and somtyme manslaughtre. /
Certes, hasardours ne mowe nat
Been withouten greet synne whiles they haunte
That craft. / of avarice comen eek lesynges,
Thefte, fals witnesse, and false othes. And ye
Shul understonde that thise been grete synnes,
And expres agayn the comaundementz of
God, as I have seyd. / fals witnesse is in
Word and eek in dede. In word, as for to
Bireve thy neighebores goode name by thy fals
Witnessyng, or bireven hym his catel or his
Heritage by thy fals witnessyng, whan thou for
Ire, or for meede, or for envye, berest fals
Witnesse, or accusest hym or excusest hym by
Thy fals witnesse, or elles excusest thyself
Falsly. / ware yow, questemongeres and notaries!
Certes, for fals witnessyng was susanna
In ful gret sorwe and peyne, and many another
Mo. / the synne of thefte is eek expres agayns
Goddes heeste, and that in two maneres, corporeel
Or spiritueel. / corporeel, as for to take
Thy neighebores catel agayn his wyl, be it by
Force or by sleighte, be it by met or by mesure; /
By stelyng eek of false enditementz upon
Hym, and in borwynge of thy neighebores catel,
In entente nevere to payen it agayn, and
Semblable thynges. / espiritueel thefte is
Sacrilege, that is to seyn, hurtynge of hooly
Thynges, or of thynges sacred to crist, in two
Maneres -- by reson of the hooly place, as
Chirches or chirche-hawes, / for which every
Vileyns synne that men doon in swiche places
May be cleped sacrilege, or every violence in
The semblable places; also, they that withdrawen
Falsly the rightes that longen to hooly
Chirche. / and pleynly and generally, sacrilege
Is to reven hooly thyng fro hooly place, or unhooly
Thyng out of hooly place, or hooly thing
Out of unhooly place. /
 niw shul ye understonde that the releevynge
Of avarice is misericorde, and pitee largely
Taken. And men myghten axe why that misericorde
And pitee is releevynge of avarice. /
Certes, the avricious man sheweth no pitee ne
Misericorde to the nedeful man, for he deliteth
Hym in the kepynge of his tresor, and nat
In the rescowynge ne releevynge of his evene-cristen.
And therfore speke I first of misericorde. /
Thanne is misericorde, as seith
The philosophre, a vertu by which the corage
Of a man is stired by the mysese of hym
That is mysesed. / upon which misericorde
Folweth pitee in parfournynge of charitable
Werkes of misericorde. / and certes, thise
Thynges moeven a man to the misericorde of
Jhesu crist, that he yaf hymself for oure gilt,
And suffred deeth for misericorde, and forgay
Us oure originale synnes, / and therby relessed
Us fro the peynes of helle, and amenused the
Peynes of purgatorie by penitence, and yeveth
Grace wel to do, and atte laste the blisse of
Hevene. / the speces of misericorde been, as
For to lene and for to yeve, and to foryeven
And relesse, and for to han pitee in herte
And compassioun of the meschief of his evene-cristene,
And eek to chastise, there as nede
Is. /another manere of remedie agayns
Avarice is resonable largesse; but soothly,
Heere bihoveth the consideracioun of the grace
Of jhesu crist, and of his temporeel goodes,
And eek of the goodes perdurables, that crist
Yaf to us; / and to han remembrance of the
Deeth that he shal receyve, he noot whanne,
Where, ne how; and eek that he shal forgon al
That he hath, save oonly that he hath despended
In goode werkes. /
 but for as muche as som folk been unmesurable,
Men oghten eschue fool-largesse, that
Men clepen wast. / certes, he that is fool-large
Ne yeveth nat his catel, but he leseth iis catel.
Soothly, what thyng that he yeveth for veyne
Glorie, as to mynstrals and to folk, for to beren
His renoun in the world, he hath synne therof,
And noon almesse. / certes, he leseth foule his
Good, that ne seketh with the yifte of his
Good nothyng but synne. / he is lyk to an
Hors that seketh rather to drynken drovy
Or trouble water than for to drynken water of
The clere welle. / and for as muchel as they
Yeven ther as they sholde nat yeven, to hem
Aperteneth thilke malisoun that crist shal
Yeven at the day of doom to hem that shullen
Been dampned. /
 after avarice comth glotonye, which is expres
Eek agayn the comandement of god. Glotonye
Is unmesurable appetit toete or to drynke,
Or elles to doon ynogh to the unmesurable appetit
And desordeynee coveitise to eten or to
Drynke. / this synne corrumped al this world,
As is wel shewed in the synne of adam and of
Eve. Looke eek what seith saint paul, of glotonye -- /
Manye, seith seint paul, goon, of
Whiche I have ofte seyd to yow, and now I
Seye it wepynge, that been the enemys of the
Croys of crist; of whiche the ende is deeth, and
Of whiche hire wombe is hire god, and hire
Glorie in confusioun of hem that so savouren
Erthely thynges. / he that is
Usaunt to this synne of glotonye, he ne
May no synne withstonde. He moot been in
Servage of alle vices, for it is the develes hoord
Ther he hideth hym and resteth. / this synne
Hath manye speces. The firste is dronkenesse,
That is the horrible sepulture of mannes resoun;
And therfore, whan a man is dronken, he hath
Lost his resoun; and this is deedly synne. / but
Soothly, whan that a man is nat wont to strong
Drynke, and peraventure ne knoweth nat the
Strengthe of the drynke, or hath feblesse in his
Heed, or hath travailed, thurgh which he drynketh
The moore, al be he sodeynly caught with
Drynke, it is no deedly synne, but venyal. / the
Seconde spece of glotonye is that the spirit
Of a man wexeth al trouble, for dronkenesse
Bireveth hym the discrecioun of his wit. / the
Thridde spece of glotonye is whan a man devoureth
His mete, and hath no rightful
Manere of etynge. / the fourthe is whan,
Thurgh the grete habundaunce of his mete,
The humours in his body been distempred. / the
Fifthe is foryetelnesse by to muchel drynkynge;
For which somtymee a man foryeteth er the
Morwe what he dide at even, or on the nyght
Biforn. /
 in oother manere been distinct the speces of
Glotonye, after seint gregorie. The firste is
For to ete biforn tyme to ete. The seconde is
Whan a man get hym to delicaat mete or
Drynke. / the thridde is whan men taken to
Muche over mesure. The fourthe is curiositee,
With greet entente to maken and apparaillen
His mete. The fifthe is for to eten to gredily. /
Thise been the fyve fyngres of the develes
Hand, by whiche he draweth folk to
Synne. /
 agayns glotonye is the remedie abstinence,
As seith galien; but that holde I nat meritorie,
If he do it oonly for the heele of his body.
Seint augustyn wole that abstinence be doon
For vertu and with pacience. / abstinence,
He seith, is litel worth, but if a man have good
Wil therto, and but it be enforced by pacience
And by charitee, and that men doon it for
Godes sake, and in hope to have the blisse of
Hevene./
The felawes of abstinence been attemperaunce,
that holdeth the meene in alle thynges;
Eek shame, that aschueth alle deshonestee; surfisance,
that seketh no riche metes ne drynkes,
Ne dooth no fors of to outrageous appariailynge
of mete;/ mesure also, that restreyneth
By resoun the deslavee appetit of etynge; sobrenesse
also, that restreyneth the outrage of
Drynke;/ sparynge also, that restreyneth the
Delacaat ese to sitte longe at his mete and
Softely, wherfore some folk stonden of
Hir owene wyl to eten at the lasse leyser./
After glotonye thanne comth lecherie, for
Thise two synnes been so ny cosyns that ofte
Tyme they wol nat departe./ God woot, this
Synne is ful displesaunt thyng to god; for he
Seyde hymself, do no lecherie. And therfore
he putte grete peynes agayns this synne
In the olde lawe./ If waomman thral were taken
In this synne, she sholde be beten with staves
To the deeth; and if she were a gentil womman,
She sholde be slayn with stones; and if she
Were a bisshoppes doghter, she sholde been
Brent, by goddes comandement./ Forther
Over, by the synne of lecherie God dreynte
Al the world at the diluge. And after that he
Brente fyve citees with thonder-leyt, and sak
Hem into helle./
Now lat us speke thanne of thilke stynkynge
Synne of lecherie that men clepe avowtrie of
Wedded folk, that is to seyn, if that oon of
Hem be wedded, or elles bothe./ Seint john
Seith that avowtiers shullen been in helle,
In a stank brennynge of fyr and of brymston;
In fyr, for hire lecherye; in brymston, for the
Stynk of hire ordure./ Certes, the brekynge of
This sacrement is an horrible thyng. It was
Maked of God hymself in paradys, and confermed
by jhesu crist, as witnesseth seint
Mathew in the gospel: a man shal lete fader
And mooder, and taken hym to his wif, and
They shullen be two in o flesh./ This sacrement
bitokneth the knyttynge togidre of crist
And of hooly chirche./ And nat oonly that god
Forbad avowtrie in dede, but eek he comanded
That thou sholdest nat coveite thy neighebores
Wyf./ In this heeste, seith seint augustyn,
Is forboden alle manere coveitise to doon lecherie.
lo, what seith seint mathew in the gospel,
that whose seeth a womman to coveitise
Of his lust, he hath doon lecherie with hire
In his herte./ Heere may ye seen that
Nat oonly the dede of this synne is forboden,
but eek the desire to doon that synne./
This cursed synne anoyeth grevousliche hem
That it haunten. And first to hire soule, for he
Obligeth it to synne and to peyne of deeth that
Is perdurable./ Unto the body anoyeth it grevously
also, for it dreyeth hym, and wasteth him,
And shent hym, and of his blood he maketh sacrifice
to the feend of helle. It wasteth eek his
Catel and his substaunce./ And certes, if it be
A foul thyng a man to waste his catel on wommen,
yet is it a fouler thyng whan that, for
Swich ordure, wommen dispenden upon men
Hir catel and substaunce./ This synne, as seith
The prophete, bireveth man and womman hir
Goode fame and al hire honour; and it is ful
Plesaunt to the devel, for therby wynneth
He the mooste partie of this world./ And
Right as a marchant deliteth hym moost in
Chaffare that he hath moost avantage of, right
So deliteth the fend in this ordure./
This is that oother hand of the devel with
Fyve fyngres to cacche the peple to his vileynye./
the firste fynger is the fool lookynge
Of the fool womman and of the fool man, that
Sleeth, right as the basilicok sleeth folk by the
Venym of his sighte; for the coveitise of eyen
Folweth the coveitise of the herte./ The seconde
fynger is the vileyns touchynge in wikkede
manere. And therfore seith salomon that
Whoso toucheth and handleth a womman, he
Fareth lyk hym that handleth the scorpioun that
Styngeth and sodeynly sleeth thurgh his envenymynge;
as whoso toucheth warm pych,
It shent his fyngres./ The thridde is foule
Wordes, that fareth lyk fyr, that right anon
Brenneth the herte./ The fourthe fynger
Is the kissynge; and trewely he were a
Greet fool that wolde kisse the mouth of a
Brennynge oven or of a fourneys./ And moore
Fooles been they that kissen in vileynye, for
That mouth is the mouth of helle; and namely
Thise olde dotardes holours, yet wol they kisse,
Though they may nat do, and smatre hem./
Certes, they been lyk to houndes; for an hound,
Whan he comth by the roser or by othere
(bushes), though he may nat pisse, yet wole
He heve up his leg and make a contenaunce
To pisse./ And for that many man weneth that
He may nat synne, for no likerousnesse that
He dooth with his wyf, certes, that opinion is
Fals. God woot, a man may sleen hymself with
His owene knyf, and make hymselve dronken
Of his owene tonne./ Certes, be it wyf, be it
Child, or any worldly thyng that he loveth biforn
god, it is his mawmet, and he is an
Ydolastre./ Man sholde loven hys wyf by
Discrecioun, paciently and atemprely; and
Thanne is she as though it were his suster./ The
Fifthe fynger of the develes hand is the stynkynge
dede of leccherie./ Certes, the fyve fyngres
of glotonie the feend put in the wombe
Of a man, and with his fyve fingres of lecherie
he gripeth hym by the reynes, for to
Throwen hym into the fourneys of helle./ Ther
As they shul han the fyr and the wormes that
Evere shul lasten, and wepynge and wailynge
Sharp hunger and thurst, and grymnesse of
Develes, that shullen al totrede hem without
Repit and withouten ende./ Of leccherie, as
I seyde, sourden diverse speces, as fornicacioun,
That is bitwixe man and womman that been
Nat maried; and this is deedly synne, and
Agayns nature./ Al that is enemy and destruccioun
to nature is agayns nature./
Parfay, the resoun of a man telleth eek hym
Wel that is is deedly synne, for as muche as
God forbad leccherie. And seint paul yeveth
Hem the regne that nys dewe to no wight but
To hem that doon deedly synne./ Another
Synne of leccherie is to bireve a mayden of
Hir maydenhede, for he that so dooth, certes,
He casteth a mayden out of the hyeste degree
That is in this present lif,/ and bireveth hir
Thilke percious fruyt that the book clepeth the
Hundred fruyt. I ne kan seye it noon oother-wewyes
in englissh, but in latyn it highte centesimus
fructus./ Certes, he that so dooth is
Cause of manye damages and vileynyes, mo
Than any man kan rekene; right as he somtyme
Is cause of alle damages that beestes don in
The feeld, that breketh the hegge or the closure,
Thurgh which he destroyeth that may nat
Been restoored./ For certes, namoore may
Maydenhede be restoored than a arm that
Is smyten fro the body may retourne agany to
Wexe./ She may have mercy, this woot I wel,
If she do penitence; but nevere shal it be that
She nas corrupt./ And al be it so that I have
Spoken somwhat of avowtrie, it is good to
Shewen mo perils that longen to avowtrie, for
To eschue that foule synne./ Avowtrie in latyn
Is for to seyn, approchynge of oother mannes
Bed, thurgh which tho that whilom weren a
Flessh abowndone hir bodyes to othere persones./
of this synne, as seith the wise man,
Folwen manye harmes. First, brekynge of feith;
And certes, in feith is the keye of cristendom./
and whan that feith is broken
And lorn, soothly cristendom stant veyn
And withouten fruyt./ This synne is eek a
Thefte; for thefte generally is for to reve a
Wight his thyng agayns his wille./ Certes, this
Is the fouleste thefte that may be, whan a
Womman steleth hir body from hir housbonde,
And yeveth it to hire holour to defoulen hire;
And steleth hir soule fro crist, and yeveth it to
The devel./ This is a fouler thefte than for to
Breke a chirche and stele the chalice; for thise
Avowtiers breken the temple of God spiritually
And stelen the vessel of grace, that is the body
And the soule, for which crist shal destroyen
Hem, as seith seint paul./ Soothly, of this
Thefte douted gretly joseph, whan that his
Lordes wyf preyed hym of vileynye, whan he
Seyde, lo, my lady, how my lord hath take
To me under my warde al that he hath in this
World, ne no thyng of his thynges is out of
My power, but oonly ye, that been his
Wyf./ And how sholde I thanne do this
Wikkednesse, and synne so horribly agayns
God and agayns my lord? God it forbeede!
Allas! al to litel is swich trouthe now yfounde./
The thridde harm is the filthe thurgh which
They breken the comandement of god, and defoulen
the auctour of matrimoyne, that is
Crist./ For certes, in so muche as the sacrement
of mariage is so noble and so digne, so
Muche is it gretter synne for to breken it; for
God made mariage in paradys, in the estaat of
Innocence, to multiplye mankynde to the service
of god./ And therfore is the brekynge
Therof the moore grevous; of which brekynge
Comen false heires ofte tyme, that wrongfully
Ocupien folkes heritages. And therfore wol
Crist putte hem out of the regne of hevene, that
Is heritage to goode folk./ Of this brekynge
Comth eek ofte tyme that folk unwar wedden
Or synnen with hire owene kynrede, and
Namely thilke harlotes that haunten bordels
Of thise fool wommen, that mowe be likned to
A commune gong, where as men purgen
Hire ordure./ What seve we eek of putours
that lyven by the horrible synne of
Putrie, and constreyne wommen to yelden hem
A certeyn rente of hire bodily puterie, ye,
Somtyme of his owene wyf or his child, as
Doon thise bawdes? certes, thise been cursede
Synnes./ Understoond eek that avowtrie is set
Gladly in the ten comandementz bitwixe thefte
And manslaughtre; for it is the gretteste thefte
That may be, for it is thefte of body and of
Soule. / and it is lyk to homycide, for it herveth
atwo and breketh atwo hem that first were
Maked o flessh. And therfore, by the olde lawe
Of god, they sholde by slayn./ But nathelees,
By the lawe of jhesu crist, that is lawe of pitee,
Whan he seyde to the womman that was
Founden in avowtrie, and sholde han been slayn
With stones, after the wyl of the jewes, as was
Hir lawe, go, quod jhesu crist, and have
Namoore wyl to synne, or, wille namoore
To do synne./ Soothly the vengeaunce of
Avowtrie is awarded to the peynes of helle,
But if so be that it be destourbed by penitence./
yet been ther mo speces of this
Cursed synne; as whan that oon of hem
Is religious, or elles bothe; or of folk that been
Entred into ordre, as subdekne, or dekne, or
Preest, or hospitaliers. And evere the hyer that
He is in ordre, the gretter is the synne./ The
Thynges that gretly agreggen hire synne is the
Brekynge of hire avow of chastitee, whan they
Receyved the ordre./ And forther over, sooth
Is that hooly ordre is chief of al the tresorie of
Good, and his especial signe and mark of chastitee,
to shewe that they been joyned to chastitee,
which that is the moost precious lyf that
Is./ And thise ordred folk been specially titled
To god, and of the special meignee of god,
For which, whan they doon deedly synne, they
Been the special traytours of God and of his
Peple; for they lyven of the peple, to preye for
.,/the peple, and whike they been suche traitours,
Here preyer avayleth nat to the peple.
Preestes been aungels, as by the dignitee of hir
Mysterye; but for sothe, seint paul seith that
Sathanas transformeth hym in an aungel
Of light./ Soothly, the preest that haunteth
deedly synne, he may be likned to the
Aungel of derknesse transformed in the aungel
Of light. He semeth aungel of light, but for
Sothe he is aungel of derknesse./ Swiche
Preestes been the sones of helie, as sweweth
In the book of kynges, that they weren the
Sones of belial, that is, the devel./ Belial is to
Seyn, withouten juge; and so faren they; hem
Thynketh they been free, and han no juge, namoore
than hath a free bole that taketh which
Cow that hym liketh in the town./ So faren
They by wommen. For right as a free bole is
Ynough for al a toun, right so is a wikked preest
Corrupcioun ynough for al a parisshe, or for al
A contree./ Thise preestes, as seith the book,
Ne konne nat the mysterie of preesthod to the peple,
ne God ne knowe they nat. They ne helde
Hem nat apayd, as seith the book, os soden
Flessh that was to hem offred, but they
Tooke by force the flessh that is rawe./
Certes, so thise shrewes ne holden hem nat
Apayed of roosted flessh and sode flessh, with
Which the peple feden hem in greet reverence,
But they wole have raw flessh of folkes wyves
And hir doghtres./ And certes, thise wommen
That consenten to hire harlotrie doon greet
Wrong to crist, and to hooly chirche, and alle
Halwes, and to alle soules; for they bireven alle
Thise hym that sholde worshipe crist and hooly
Chirche, and preye for cristene soules./ And
Therfore han swiche preestes, and hire lemmanes
eek that consenten to hir leccherie, the
Malisoun of al the court cristien, til they come
To amendement./ The thridde spece of avowtrie
is somtyme bitwixe a man and his wyf, and
That is whan they take no reward in hire assemblynge
but oonly to hire flesshly delit, as
Seith seint jerome,/ and ne rekken of nothyng
but that they been assembled; by cause
That they been maried, al is good ynough,
As thynketh to hem./ But in swich folk
Hath the devel power, as seyde the aungel
Raphael to thobie, for in hire assemblynge
They putten jhesu crist out of hire herte, and
Yeven hemself to alle ordure./ The fourthe
Spece is the assemblee of hem that been of
Hire kynrede, or of hem that been of oon affynytee,
or elles with hem with whiche hir fadres
Or hir kynrede han deled in the synne of lecherie.
this synne maketh hem lyk to houndes,
That taken no kep to kynrede./ And certes, parentele
is in two maneres, outher goostly or
Flesshly; goostly, as for to deelen with his god-sibbes./
for right so as he that engendreth a
Child is his flesshly fader, right so in his god-fader
his fader espiritueel. For which a womman
may in no lasse synne assemblen with
Hire godsib than with hire owene flesshly
Brother./ The fifthe spece is thilke abhomynable
synne, of which that no man unnethe
Oghte speke ne write; nathelees it is
Openly reherced ib holy writ./ This cursednesse
doon men and wommen in
Diverse entente and in diverse manere; but
Though that hooly writ speke of horrible synne,
Certes hooly writ may nat been defouled, namoore
than the sonne that shyneth on the
Mixne./ Another synne aperteneth to leccherie,
That comth in slepynge, and this synne cometh
Ofte to hem that been maydenes, and eek to hem
That been corrupt; and this synne men clepen
Polucioun, that comth in foure maneres./ Somtyme
of langwissynge of body, for the humours
Been to ranke and to habundaunt in the body
Of man; somtyme of infermetee, for the fieblesse
Of the vertu retentif, as phisik maketh mencion;
Somtyme for surfeet of mete and drynke;/ and
Somtyme of vileyns thoghtes that been enclosed
In mannes mynde whan he gooth to slepe,
Which may nat been withoute synne; for which
Men moste kepen hem wisely, or elles may men
Synnen ful grevously./
Now comth the remedie agayns leccherie,
And that is generally chastitee and continence,
that restreyneth alle the desordeynee
Moevynges that comen of flesshly talentes./
and evere the gretter merite shal
He han, that moost restreyneth the wikkede
eschawfynges of the ardour of this synne.
And this is in two maneres, that is to seyn,
Chastitee in mariage, and chastitee of widwehod./
now shaltow understonde that matrimoyne
is leefful assemblynge of man and of
Womman that receyven by vertu of the sacrement
the boond thurgh which they may nat
Be departed in al hir lyf, that is to seyn, whil
That they lyven bothe./ This, as seith the book,
Is a ful greet sacrement. God maked it, as I
Have seyd, in paradys, and wolde hymself be
Born in mariage./ And for to halwen mariage
He was at a weddynge, where as he turned water
into wyn; which was the firste miracle that
He wroghte in erthe biforn his disciples./
Trewe effect of mariage clenseth fornicacioun
And replenysseth hooly chirche of good lynage;
For that is the ende of mariage; and it chaungeth
deedly synne into venial synne bitwixe hem
That been ywedded, and maketh the hertes al
Oon of hem that been ywedded, as wel as
The bodies./ This is verray mariage, that
Was establissed by god, er that synne bigan,
whan natureel lawe was in his right poynt
In paradys; and it was ordeyned that o man sholde
Have but o womman, and o womman but o man,
As seith seint augustyn, by manye resouns./
First, for mariage is figured bitwixe crist
And holy chirche. And that oother is for a
Man is heved of a womman; algate, by ordinaunce
it sholde be so./ For if a womman
Hadde mo men that oon, thanne sholde she
Have moo hevedes than oon, and that were an
Horrible thyng biforn god; and eek a womman
Ne myghte nat plese to many folk at oones.
And also ther ne sholde nevere be pees ne
Reste amonges hem; for everich wolde axen his
Owene thyng./ And forther over, no man ne
Sholde knowe his owene engendrure, ne who
Sholde have his heritage; and the womman
Sholde been the lasse biloved fro the tyme that
She were conjoynt to many men./
Now comth how that a man sholde bere
Hym with his wif, and namely in two
Thynges, that is to seyn, in suffraunce and
Reverence, as shewed crist whan he made
First womman./ For he ne made hire nat
Of the heved of adam, for she sholde nat
Clayme to greet lordshipe./ For ther as the
Womman hath the maistrie, she maketh to
Muche desray. Ther neden none ensamples of
This; the experience of day by day oghte suffise./
also, certes, God ne made nat womman
Of the foot of adam, for she ne sholde nat
Been holden to lowe; for she kan nat paciently
Suffre. But God made womman of the ryb of
Adam, for womman sholde be felawe unto
Man./ Man sholde bere hym to his wyf in
Feith, in trouthe, and in love, as seith seint
Paul, that a man sholde loven his wyf as crist
Loved hooly chirche, that loved it so wel
That he deyde for it. So sholde a man for his
Wyf, if it were nede./
Now how that a womman sholde be subget
to hire housbonde, that telleth seint
Peter. First, in obedience./ And eek as
Seith the decree, a womman that is wyf,
As longe as she is a wyf, she hath noon auctoritee
to swere ne to bere witnesse withoute leve
Of hir housbonde, that is hire lord; algate, he
Sholde be so by resoun./ She sholde eek serven
Hym in alle honestee, and been attempree of
Hire array. I woot wel that they sholde setten
Hire entente to plesen hir housbondes, but nat
By hire queyntise of array./ Seint jerome
Seith that wyves that been apparailled in silk
And in precious purpre ne mowe nat clothen
Hem in jhesu crist. Loke what seith seint
John eek in thys matere?/ seint gregorie eek
Seith that no wight seketh precious array but
Oonly for veyne glorie, to been honoured the
Moore biforn the peple./ It is a greet folye,
A womman to have a fair array outward
And in hirself be foul inward./ A wyf
Sholde eek be mesurable in lookynge and
In berynge and in lawghynge, and discreet
In alle hire wordes and hire dedes./ And
Aboven alle worldy thyng she sholde loven hire
Houbonde with al hire herte, and to hym be
Trewe of hir body./ So sholde an housbonde
Eek be to his wyf. For sith that al the body
Is the housbondes, so sholde hire herte been,
Or elles ther is bitwixe hem two, as in that,
No parfit mariage./ Thanne shal men understonde
that for thre thynges a man and his wyf
Flesshly mowen assemble. The firste is in entente
of engendrure of children to the service
Of god; for certes that is the cause final of
Matrimoyne./ Another cause is to yelden everich
of hem to oother the dette of hire bodies;
For neither of hem hath power of his owene
Body. The thridde is for to eschewe leccherye
and vileynye. The ferthe is for sothe
Deedly synne./ As to the firste, it is mertorie;
the seconde also, for, as seith the
Decree, that she hath merite of chastitee that
Yeldeth to hire housbonde the dette of hir body,
Ye, though it be agayn hir likynge and the lust
Of hire herte./ The thridde manere is venyal
Synne; and, trewely, scarsly may ther any of
Thise be withoute venial synne, for the corrupcion
and for the delit./ The fourthe manere
Is for to understonde, as if they assemble oonly
For amorous love and for noon of the foreseyde
Causes, but for to accomplice thilke brennynge
Delit, they rekke nevere how ofte. Soothly it
Is deedly synne; and yet, with sorwe, somme
Folk wol peynen hem moore to doon than to
Hire appetit suffiseth./
The seconde manere of chastitee is for to
Been a clene wydewe, and eschue the embracynges
of man, and desiren the embracynge of
Jhesu crist./ Thise been tho that han been
Wyves and han forgoon hire housbondes, and
Eek wommen that han doon leccherie and
Been releeved by penitence./ And certes,
If that a wyf koude kepen hire al chaast
By licence of hir housbonde, so that she yeve
Nevere noon occasion that he agilte, it were
To hire a greet merite./ Thise manere wommen
that observen chastitee moste be clene
In herte as wel as in body and in though, and
Mesurable in clothynge and in contenaunce;
And been abstinent in etynge and drynkynge,
In spekynge, and in dede. They been the vessel
or the boyste of the blissed magdelene, that
Fulfilleth hooly chirche of good odour./ The
Thridde manere of chastitee is virginitee, and
It bihoveth that she be hooly in herte and clene
Of body. Thanne is she spouse to jhesu crist,
And she is the lyf of angeles./ She is the preisynge
of this world, and she is as thise martirs
In egalitee; she hath in hire that tonge may
Nat telle ne herte thynke./ Virginitee baar
Oure lord jhesu crist, and virgine was
Hymselve./
 another remedie agayns leccherie is specially
to withdrawen swiche thynges as yeve
Occasion to thilke vileynye, as ese, etynge, and
Drynkynge. For certes, whan the pot boyleth
Strongly, the beste remedie is to withdrawe the
Fyr. / slepynge longe in greet quiete is eek
A greet norice to leccherie. /
Another remedie agayns leccherie is that a
Man or a womman eschue the compaignye of
Hem by whiche he douteth to be tempted; for
Al be it so that the dede be withstonden, yet
Is ther greet temptacioun./ Soothly, a whit
Wal, although it ne brenne noght fully by
Stikynge of a candele, yet is the wal blak of
The leyt./ Ful ofte tyme I rede that no man
Truste in his owene perfeccioun, but he be
Stronger than sampson, and hoolier than
David, and wiser than salomon./
Now after that I have declared yow, as
I kan, the sevene deedly synnes, and somme
Of hire braunches and hire remedies, soothly,
If I koude, I wolde telle yow the ten comandementz./
but so heigh a doctrine I lete to divines.
nathelees, I hope to god, they been
Touched in this tretice, everich of hem alle./
Now for as muche as the seconde partie of
Penitence stant in confessioun of mouth, as I
Bigan in the firste chapitre, I seye, seint augustyn
seith:/ synne is every word and every
Dede, and al that men coveiten, agayn the lawe
Of jhesu crist; and this is for to synne in herte,
In mouth, and in dede, by thy fyve wittes, that
Been sighte, herynge, smellynge, tastynge or
Savourynge, and feelynge./ Now is it good
To understonde the circumstances that
Agreggen muchel every synne./ Thou
Shalt considere what thow art that doost
The synne, wheither thou be male or femele,
Yong or oold, gentil or thral, free or servant,
Hool or syk, wedded or sengle, ordred or unordred,
wys or fool, clerk or seculeer;/ if she
Be of thy kynrded, bodily of goostly, or noon;
If any of thy kynrede have synned with hire,
Or noon; and manye mo thinges./
Another circumstaunce is this: wheither it
Be doon in fornicacioun or in avowtrie or noon;
Incest or noon; mayden or noon; in manere of
Homicide or noon; horrible grete synnes or
Smale; and how longe thou hast continued in
Synne./ The thridde circumstaunce is the
Place ther thou hast do synne; wheither in
Oother mennes hous or in thyn owene; in feeld
Or in chirche or in chirchehawe; in chirche
Dedicaat or noon./ For if the chirche be
Halwed, and man or womman spille his kynde
Inwith that place, by wey or synne or by wikked
temptacioun, the chirche is entredited
Til it be reconsiled by the bysshop./ And
The preest sholde be enterdited that dide
Swich a vileynye; to terme of al his lif he sholde
Namoore synge masse, and if he dide, he sholde
Doon deedly synne at every time that he so
Songe masse./ The fourthe circumstaunce is
By whiche mediatours, or by whiche messagers,
as for enticement, or for consentement to
Bere compaignye with felaweshipe; for many
A swecche, for to bere compaignye, wol go to
The devel of helle./ Wherfore they that eggen
Or consenten to the synne been parteners of
The synne, and of the dampnacioun of the synnere./
The fifthe circumstaunce is how manye
Tymes that he hath synne, if it be in his mynde,
And how ofte that he hath falle./ For he that
Ofte talleth in synne, he despiseth the mercy
Of god, and encreesseth hys synne, and is unkynde
to crist; and he wexeth the moore
Fieble to withstonde synne, and synneth
The moore lightly,/ and the latter ariseth,
And is the moore eschew for to shryven
Hym, and namely, to hym that is his confessour./
For which that folk, whan they falle agayn in
Hir olde folies, outher they forleten hir olde
Confessours ol outrely, or eles they departen
Hir shrift in diverse places; but soothly, swich
Departed shrift deserveth no mercy of God of
His synnes./ The sixte sircumstaunce is why
That a man synneth, as by which temptacioun;
And if hymself procure thilke temptacioun, or by
The excitynge of oother folk; or if he synne
With a womman by force, or by hire owene
Assent;/ of if the womman, maugree hir hed,
Hath been afforced, or noon. This shal she
Telle: for coveitise, or for poverte, and if it was
Hire procurynge, or noon; and swich manere
Harneys./ The seventhe circumstaunce is in
What manere he hath doon his synne, or how
That she hath suffred that folk han doon
To hire./ And the same shal the man telle
Pleynly with alle circumstaunces; and
Wheither he hath synned with comune bordel
Wommen, or noon;/ or doon his synne in hooly
Tymes, or noon; in fastyng tymes, or noon; or
Biforn his shrifte, or after his latter shrifte;/
And hath peraventure broken therfore his penance
enjoyned; by whos help and whos conseil;
By sorcerie or craft; al moste be toold./ Alle
Thise thynges, after that they been grete or
Smale, engreggen the conscience of man. And
Eek the preest, that is thy juge, may the bettre
Been avysed of his juggement in yevynge of
Thy penaunce, and that is after thy contricioun./
for understond wel that after tyme
That a man hath defouled his baptesme by
Synne, if he wole come to salvaciou, ther is
Noon other wey but by penitence and
Shrifte and satisfaccioun;/ and namely by
The two, if ther be a confessour to which
He may shriven hym, and the thridde, if he
Have lyf to parfournen it./
Thanne shal man looke and considere that
If he wole maken a trewe and a profitable confessioun,
ther moste be foure condiciouns./
First, it moot been in sorweful bitternesse of
Herte, as seyde the kyng ezechias to god: I
Wol remembre me alle the yeres of my lif in
Bitternesse of myn herte./ This condicioun of
Bitternesse hath fyve signes. The firste is that
Confessioun moste be shamefast, nat for to coyere
ne hyden his synne, for he hath agilt his
God and defouled his soule./ And herof seith
Seint augustyn: the herte tavailleth for
Shame of his synne; and for he hath greet
Shamefastnesse, he is digne to have greet
Mercy of god./ Swich was the confessioun
of the publican that wolde nat heven
Up his eyen to hevene, for he hadde offended
God of hevene; for which shamefastnesse he
Hadde anon the mercy of god./ And therof
Seith seint augustyn that swich shamefast folk
Been next foryevenesse and remissioun./ Another
signe is humylitee in confessioun; of
Which seith seint peter,~humbleth yow under
The myght of god. The hond of God is
Myghty in confessiou, for therby God foryeveth
thee thy synnes, for he allone hath the
Power./ And this humylitee shal been in herte,
And in signe outward; for right as he hath humylitee
to God in his herte, right so sholde he
Humble his body outward to the preest, that
Sit in goddes place./ For which in no manere,
sith that crist is sovereyn, and the preest
Meene and mediatour bitwixe crist and the
Synnere, and the synnere is the laste by
Wey of resoun,/ thanne sholde nat the
Synnere sitte as heighe as his confessour,
But knele biforn hym or at his feet, but if maladie
destourbe it. For he shal nat taken kep
Who sit there, but in whos place that he sitteth./
a man that hath trespased to a lord,
And comth for to axe mercy and maken his accord,
and set him doun anon by the lord, men
Wolde holden hym outrageous, and nat worthy
So soone for to have remissioun ne mercy./ The
Thridde signe is how that thy shrift sholde
Be ful of teeris, if man may, and if man may
Nat wepe with his bodily eyen, lat hym wepe
In herte./ Swich was the confession of seint
Peter, for after that he hadde forsake jhesu
Crist, he wente out and weep ful bitterly./
The fourthe signe is that he ne lette nat
For shame to shewen his confessioun./
Swich was the confessioun of the magdalene,
that ne spared, for no shame of hem
That weren atte feeste, for to go to oure lord
Jhesu crist and biknowe to hym hire synne./
The fifthe signe is that a man or a womman
Be obeisant to receyven the penaunce that hym
Is enjoyned ofr his synnes, for certes, jhesu
Crist, for the giltes of o man, was obedient to
The deeth./
The seconde condicion of verray confession
Is that it be hastily doon. For certes, if a man
Hadde a deedly wounde, evere the lenger that
He taried to warisshe hymself, the moore wolde
It corrupte and haste hym to his deeth; and
Eek the wounde wolde be the wors for to
Heele./ And right so fareth synne that longe
Tyme is in a man unshewed./ Certes, a man
Oghte hastily shewen his synnes for manye
Causes; as for drede of deeth, that cometh ofte
Sodeynly, and no certeyn what tyme it shal be,
Ne in what place; and eek the drecchynge
of o synne draweth in another;/ and
Eek the lenger that he tarieth, the ferther
He is fro crist. And if he abide to his laste day,
Scarsly may he shryven hym or remembre hym
Of his synnes or repenten hym, for the grevous
Maladie of his deeth./ And for as muche as he
Ne hath nat in his lyf herkned jhesu crist
Whanne he hath spoken, he shal crie to jhesu
Crist at his laste day, and scarsly wol he
Herkne hym./ And understond that this condicioun
moste han foure thunges. Thi shrift
Moste be purveyed bifore and avysed; for
Wikked haste dooth no profit; and that a man
Konne shryve hym of his synnes, be it of pride,
Or of envye, and so forth with the speces and
Circumstances;/ and that he have comprehended
in hys mynde the nombre and the
Greetnesse of his synnes, and how longe that
He hath leyn in synne;/ and eek that he be
Contrit of his synnes, and in stidefast purpos,
By the grace of god, nevere eft to falle in
Synne; and eek that he drede and countrewaite
Hymself, that he fle the occasiouns of
Synne to whiche he is enclyned./ Also
Thou shalt shryve thee of alle thy synnes
To o man, and nat a parcel to o man and a parcel
to another; that is to understonde, in entente
To departe thy confessioun, as for shame of
Drede; for it nys but stranglynge of thy soule./
For certes jhesu crist is entierly al good; in
Hym nys noon imperfeccioun; and therfore
Outher he foryeveth al parfitly or never a deel./
I seye nat that if thow be assigned to the penitauncer
for certein synne, that thow art bounde
To shewen hym al the remenaunt fo thy synnes,
Of whiche thow hast be shryven of thy curaal,
But if it like to thee of thyn humylitee; this is
No departynge of shrifte./ Ne I seye nat, ther
As I speke of divisioun of confessioun, that
If thou have licence for to shryve thee to a discreet
and an honest preest, where thee liketh,
And by licence of thy curaat, that thow ne
Mayst wel shryve thee to him al alle thy
Synnes./ But lat no blotte be bihynde; lat no
Synne been untoold, as fer as thow hast
Remembraunce./ And whan thou shalt be
Shryven to thy curaat, telle hym eek alle
The synnes that thow hast doon syn thou were
Last yshryven; this is no wikked entente of divisioun
of shrifte./
Also the verray shrifte axeth certeine condiciouns.
first, that thow shryve thee by thy
Free wil, noght constreyned, ne for shame of
Folk, ne for maladie, ne swich thynges. For
It is resoun that he that trespaseth by his free
Wyl, that by his free wyl he confesse his trespas;/
and that noon oother man telle his synne
But he hymself; ne he shal nat nayte ne denye
His synne, ne wratthe hym agayn the preest
For his amonestynge to lete synne./ The seconde
condicioun is that thy shrift be laweful,
That is to seyn, that thow that shryvest thee,
And eek the preest that hereth thy confessioun,
Been verraily in the feith of hooly chirche;/
And that a man ne be nat despeired of the
Mercy of jhesu crist, as caym or judas./
And eek a man moot accusen hymself of
His owene trespas, and nat another; but he
Shal blame and wyten hymself and his owene
Malice of his synne, and noon oother./ But
Nathelees, if that another man be occasioun or
Enticere of his synne, or the estaat of a persone
be swich thurgh which his synne is
Agregged, or elles that he may nat pleynly
Shryven hym but he telle the persone with
Which he hath synned, thanne may he telle it,/
So that his entente ne be nat to bakbite the
Persone, but oonly to declaren his confessioun./
Thou ne shalt nat eek make no lesynges in
Thy confessioun, for humylitee, peraventure, to
Seyn that thou hast doon synnes of whiche
Thow were nevere gilty./ For seint augustyn
Seith, if thou, by cause of thyn hymylitee,
Makest lesynges on thyself, though thow ne
Were nat in synne biforn, yet artow thanne
In synne thurgh thy lesynges./ Thou
Most eek shewe thy synne by thyn owene
Propre mouth, but thow be woxe dowmb, and
Nat by no lettre; for thow that hast doon the
Synne, thou shalt have the shame therfore./
Thow shalt nat eek peynte thy confessioun by
Faire subtile wordes, to covere the moore thy
Synne; for thanne bigilestow thyself, and nat
The preest. Thow most tellen it platly, be it
Nevere so foul ne so horrible./ Thow shalt
Eek shryve thee to a preest that is discreet to
Conseille thee; and eek thou shalt nat shryve
Thee for veyne glorie, ne for ypocrisye, ne for no
Cause but oonly for the doute of jhesu crist and
The heele of thy soule./ Thow shalt nat eek
Renne to the preest sodeynly to tellen hym
Lightly thy synne, as whoso telleth a jape or
A tale, but avysely and with greet devocioun./
And generally, shryve thee ofte. If thou
Ofte falle, ofte thou arise by confessioun./
And though thou shryve thee ofter than
Ones of synne of which thou hast be shryven,
It is the moore merite. And, as seith seint
Augustyn, thow shalt have the moore lightly
Relessyng and grace fo god, bothe of synne and
Of peyne./ And certes, oones a yeere atte leeste
Wey it is laweful for to been housled; for certes,
Oones a yeere alle thynges renovellen./
Now have I toold yow of verray confessioun,
that is the seconde partie of penitence./
The thridde partie of penitence is satisfaccioun,
and that stant moost generally in almesse
and in bodily peyne./ Now been ther thre
Manere of almesse: contricion of herte, where
A man offreth hymself to god; another is to
Han pitee of defaute of his neighebores; and the
Thridde is in yevynge of good conseil and comfort,
goostly and bodily, where men han nede,
And namely in sustenaunce of mannes
Foode./ And tak kep that a man hath
Nede of thise thinges generally: he hath
Nede of foode, he hath nede of clothyng
and herberwe, he hath nede of charitable
conseil and visitynge in prisone and
In maladie, and sepulture of his dede body./
And if thow mayst nat visite the nedeful
with thy persone, visite hym by thy
Message and by thy yiftes./ Thise been general
almesses or werkes of chritee of hem that
Han temporeel richesses or discrecioun in conseilynge.
of thise werkes shaltow heren at the
Day of doom./
Thise almesses shaltow doon of thyne owene
Propre thynges, and hastily and prively, if
Thow mayst./ But nathelees, if thow mayst
Ant doon it prively, thow shalt nat forbere to
Doon almesse though men seen it, so that it
Be nat doon for thank of the world, but
Oonly for thank of jhesu crist./ For, as
Witnesseth seint mathew, capitulo quinto,
A citee may nat been hyd that is set on a
Montayne, ne men lighte nat a lanterne and
Put it under a busshel, but men sette it on a
Candle-stikke to yeve light to the men in the
Hous./ Right so shal youre light lighten bifore
Men, that they may seen youre goode werkes,
And glorifie youre fader that is in hevene./
Now as to speken of bodily peyne, it stant
In preyeres, in wakynges, in fastynges, in vertuouse
techynges of orisouns./ And ye shul
Understonde that orisouns or preyeres is for to
Seyn a pitous wyl of herte, that redresseth it
In God and expresseth it by word outward, to
Remoeven harmes and to han thynges espiritueel
and durable, and somtyme temporele
Thynges; of whiche orisouns, certes, in the
Orison of the pater noster hath jhesu crist enclosed
moost thynges./ Certes, it is privyleged
of thre thynges in his dignytee, for
Which it is moore digne than any oother
Preyere; for that jhesu crist hymself
Maked it;/ and it is short, for it sholde
Be koud the moore lightly, and for to
Withholden it the moore esily in herte, and
Helpen hymself the ofter with the orisoun,/
And for a man sholde be the lasse wery to
Seyen it, and for a man may nat excusen hym
To lerne it, it is so short and so esy; and for it
Comprehendeth in it self alle goode preyeres./
The exposicioun of this hooly preyere, that is
So excellent and digne, I bitake to thise maistres
of theologie, save thus muchel wol I seyn;
That whan thow prayest that God sholde for
Yeve thee thy giltes as thou foryevest hem that
Agilten to thee, be ful wel war that thow ne
Be nat out of charitee./ This hooly orison
Amenuseth eek venyal synne, and therfore it
Aperteneth specially to penitence./
This preyere moste be trewely seyd, and in
Verray feith, and that men preye to God ordinatly
and discreetly and devoutly; and alwey
A man shal putten his wyl to be subget to
The wille of god./ This orisoun moste eek
Been seyd with greet humblesse and ful
Pure; honestly, and nat to the anoyaunce of
Any man or womman. It moste eek been continued
with the werkes of chritee./ It avayleth
eek agayn the vices of the soule; for, as
Seith seint jerome, by fastynge been saved the
Vices of the flessh, and by preyere the vices of
The soule./
After this, thou shalt understonde that bodily
peyne stant in wakynge; for jhesu crist
Seith, waketh and preyeth, that ye ne entre
In wikked temptacioun./ Ye shul understanden
also that fastynge stant in thre thynges:
In forberynge of bodily mete and drynke, and
In forberynge of worldly jolitee, and in forberynge
of deedly synne; this is to seyn, that a
Man shal kepen hym fro deedly synne with al
His might. /
And thou shalt understanden eek that god
Ordeyned fastynge, and to fastynge appertenen
foure thinges:/ largenesse to
Povre folk; gladnesse of herte espiritueel,
Nat to been angry ne anoyed, ne grucche for
He fasteth; and also resonable houre for to ete;
Ete by mesure; that is for to seyn, a man shal
Nat ete in untyme, ne sitte the lenger at his
Table to ete for he fasteth./
Thanne shaltow understonde that bodily
Peyne stant in disciplyne or techynge, by word,
Or by writynge, or in ensample; also in werynge
of heyres, or of stamyn, or of haubergeons
on hire naked flessh, for cristes sake,
And swiche manere penances./ But war thee
Wel that swiche manere penaunces on thy
Flessh ne make nat thyn herte bitter or angry
Or anoyed of thyself; for bettre is to caste awey
Thyn heytre, that for to caste awey the swetenesse
of jhesu crist./ And therfore seith seint
Paul, clothe yow, as they that been chosen
Of god, in herte of misericorde, debonairetee,
Suffraunce, and swich manere of clothynge;
Of whiche jhesu crist is moore apayed than
Of heyres, or haubergeouns, or hauberkes./
Thanne is discipline eek in knokkynge of
Thy brest, in scourgynge with yerdes, in
Knelynges, in tribulaciouns,/ in suffrynge
Paciently wronges that been doon to thee,
And eek in pacient suffraunce of maladies, or
Lesynge of worldly catel, or of wyf, or of child,
Or othere freendes./
Thanne shaltow understonde whiche thynges
Destourben penaunce; and this is in foure
Maneres, that is, drede, shame, hope, and wanhope,
that is, desperacion./ And for to speke
First of drede; for which he weneth that he
May suffre no penaunce;/ ther-agayns is remedie
for to thynke that bodily penaunce is but
Short and litel at regard of the peyne of helle,
That is so crueel and so long that it lasteth
Withouten ende./
Now again the shame that a man hath to
Shryven hym, and namely thise ypocrites that
Wolden been holden so parfite that they
Han no nede to shryven hem;/ agayns that
Shame sholde a man thynke that, by wey
Of resoun, that he that hath nat been shamed
To doon foule thinges, certes hym oghte nat
Been ashamed to do faire thynges, and that is
Confessiouns./ A man sholde eek thynke that
God seeth and woot alle his thoghtes and alle
His werkes; to hym may no thyng been hyd
Ne covered./ Men sholden eek remembren
Hem of the shame that is to come at the day
Of doom to hem that been nat penitent and
Shryven in this present lyf./ For alle the
Creatures in hevene, in erthe, and in helle
Shullen seen apertly al that they hyden in this
World./
Now for to speken of the hope of hem that
Been necligent and slowe to shryven
Hem, that stant in two maneres./ That
Oon is that he hopeth for to lyve longe
And for to purchacen muche richesse for his
Delit, and thanne he wol shryven hym; and
As he seith, hym semeth thanne tymely
Ynough to come to shrifte./ Another is of
Surquidrie that he hath in cristes mercy./
Agayns the firste vice, he shal thynke that oure
Life is in no sikernesse, and eek that alle the
Richesses in this world ben in aventure, and
Passen as a shadwe on the wal;/ and , as seith
Seint gregorie, that it aperteneth to the grete
Righwisnesse of God that nevere shal the peyne
Stynte of hem that nevere wolde withdrawen
Hem fro synne, hir thankes, but ay continue
In synne; for thilke perpetueel wil to do synne
Shul they han perpetueel peyne./
Wanhope is in two maneres; the firste wanhope
is in the mercy of crist; that oother is
That they thynken that they ne myghte
That longe persevere in goodnesse./ The
Firste wanhope comth of that he demeth
That he hath synned so greetly and so ofte,
And so longe leyn in synne, that he shal
Nat be saved./ Certes, agayns that cursed wanhope
sholde he thynke that the passion of jhesu
Crist is moore strong for to bynde than
Synne is strong for to bynde. / agayns the
Seconde wanhope he shal thynke that as ofte
As he falleth he may arise agayn by penitence.
And though he never so longe have leyn in
Synne, the mercy of crist is alwey redy to receiven
hym to mercy./ Agayns the wanhope
That he demeth that he sholde nat longe persevere
in goodnesse, he shal thynke that the
Feblesse of the devel may nothyng doon, but
If men wol suffren hym;/ and eek he shal han
Strengthe of the help of god, and of al hooly
Chirche, and of the proteccioun of aungels,
if hym list./
Thanne shal men understonde what is
The fruyt of penaunce; and, after the word of
Jhesu crist, it is the endelees blisse of hevene,/
ther joye hath no contrarioustee of wo
Ne grevaunce; ther alle harmes been passed
Of this present lyf; ther as is the sikernesse fro
The peyne of helle; ther as is the blisful compaignye
that rejoysen hem everemo, everich of
Otheres joye;/ ther as the body of man, that
Whilom was foul and derk, is moore cleer than
The sonne; ther as the body, that whilom was
Syk, freele, and fieble, and mortal, is inmortal,
And so strong and so hool that ther may no
Thyng apeyren it;/ ther as ne is neither hunger,
thurst, ne coold, but every soule replenyssed
with the sighte of the parfit knowynge
Of god./ This blisful regne may men purchace
by poverte espiritueel, and the glorie by
Lowenesse, the plentee of joye by hunger and
Thurst, and the reste by travaille, and the
Lyf by deeth and mortificacion of synne./

Retraction

Now preye I to hem alle that herkne this
Litel tretys or rede, that if ther be any thynge
In it that liketh hem, that therof they thanken
Oure lord jhesu crist, of whom procedeth al
Wit and al goodnesse./ And if ther be any
Thyng that displese hem, I preye hem also that
They arrette it to the defaute of myn unkonnynge,
and nat to my wyl, that wolde ful fayn
Have seyd bettre if I hadde had konnynge./
For oure book seith, al that is writen is writen
For our doctrine, and that is myn entente./
Wherfore I biseke yow mekely, for the mercy
Of go, that ye preye for me that crist have
Mercy on me and foryeve me my giltes;/ and
Namely of my translacions and enditynges of
Worldly vanitees, the whiche I revoke in
My retracciouns:/ as is the book of troilus;
the book also of fame; the book of
The xxv. Ladies; the book of the duchesse;
The book of seint valentynes day of the parlemen
of briddes; the tales of counterbury,
Thilke that sownen into synne;/ the book of the
Leoun; and many another book. If they were
In my remembrance, and many a song and
Many a leccherous lay; that crist for his grete
Mercy foryeve me the synne./ But of the translacion
of boece de consolacione, and othere
Bookes of legendes of seintes, and omelies and
Moralitee, and devocioun./ That thanke I oure
Lord jhesu crist and his blisful mooder, and
Alle the seintes of hevene,/ bisekynge hem that
They from hennes forth unto my lyves ende
Sende me grace to biwayle my giltes, and to
Studie to the salvacioun of my soule, and
Graunte me grace of verray penitence, confessioun
and satisfaccioun to doon in this
Present lyf,/ thurgh the benigne grace of
Hym that is kyng of kynges and preest
Over alle preestes, that boghte us with the
Precious blood of his herte;/ so that is may
Been oon of hem at the day of doom that shulle
Be saved. Qui cum patre et spiritu sancto vivit
Et regnat deus per omnia secula. Amen.