Confessio Amantis/Incipit Liber Primus/Part 1

Naturatus amor nature legibus orbem
Subdit, et vnanimes concitat esse feras:
Huius enim mundi Princeps amor esse videtur,
Cuius eget diues, pauper et omnis ope.
Sunt in agone pares amor et fortuna, que cecas
Plebis ad insidias vertit vterque rotas.
Est amor egra salus, vexata quies, pius error,
Bellica pax, vulnus dulce, suaue malum.

1	I may noght strecche up to the hevene
2	Min hand, ne setten al in evene
3	This world, which evere is in balance:
4	It stant noght in my sufficance
5	So grete thinges to compasse,
6	Bot I mot lete it overpasse
7	And treten upon othre thinges.
8	Forthi the Stile of my writinges
9	Fro this day forth I thenke change
10	And speke of thing is noght so strange,
11	Which every kinde hath upon honde,
12	And wherupon the world mot stonde,
13	And hath don sithen it began,
14	And schal whil ther is any man;
15	And that is love, of which I mene
16	To trete, as after schal be sene.
17	In which ther can noman him reule,
18	For loves lawe is out of reule,
19	That of tomoche or of tolite
20	Welnyh is every man to wyte,
21	And natheles ther is noman
22	In al this world so wys, that can
23	Of love tempre the mesure,
24	Bot as it falth in aventure:
25	For wit ne strengthe may noght helpe,
26	And he which elles wolde him yelpe
27	Is rathest throwen under fote,
28	Ther can no wiht therof do bote.
29	For yet was nevere such covine,
30	That couthe ordeine a medicine
31	To thing which god in lawe of kinde
32	Hath set, for ther may noman finde
33	The rihte salve of such a Sor.
34	It hath and schal ben everemor
35	That love is maister wher he wile,
36	Ther can no lif make other skile;
37	For wher as evere him lest to sette,
38	Ther is no myht which him may lette.
39	Bot what schal fallen ate laste,
40	The sothe can no wisdom caste,
41	Bot as it falleth upon chance;
42	For if ther evere was balance
43	Which of fortune stant governed,
44	I may wel lieve as I am lerned
45	That love hath that balance on honde,
46	Which wol no reson understonde.
47	For love is blind and may noght se,
48	Forthi may no certeinete
49	Be set upon his jugement,
50	Bot as the whiel aboute went
51	He yifth his graces undeserved,
52	And fro that man which hath him served
53	Fulofte he takth aweye his fees,
54	As he that pleieth ate Dees,
55	And therupon what schal befalle
56	He not, til that the chance falle,
57	Wher he schal lese or he schal winne.
58	And thus fulofte men beginne,
59	That if thei wisten what it mente,
60	Thei wolde change al here entente.
61	And forto proven it is so,
62	I am miselven on of tho,
63	Which to this Scole am underfonge.
64	For it is siththe go noght longe,
65	As forto speke of this matiere,
66	I may you telle, if ye woll hiere,
67	A wonder hap which me befell,
68	That was to me bothe hard and fell,
69	Touchende of love and his fortune,
70	The which me liketh to comune
71	And pleinly forto telle it oute.
72	To hem that ben lovers aboute
73	Fro point to point I wol declare
74	And wryten of my woful care,
75	Mi wofull day, my wofull chance,
76	That men mowe take remembrance
77	Of that thei schall hierafter rede:
78	For in good feith this wolde I rede,
79	That every man ensample take
80	Of wisdom which him is betake,
81	And that he wot of good aprise
82	To teche it forth, for such emprise
83	Is forto preise; and therfore I
84	Woll wryte and schewe al openly
85	How love and I togedre mette,
86	Wherof the world ensample fette
87	Mai after this, whan I am go,
88	Of thilke unsely jolif wo,
89	Whos reule stant out of the weie,
90	Nou glad and nou gladnesse aweie,
91	And yet it may noght be withstonde
92	For oght that men may understonde.
93	Upon the point that is befalle
94	Of love, in which that I am falle,
95	I thenke telle my matiere:
96	Now herkne, who that wol it hiere,
97	Of my fortune how that it ferde.
98	This enderday, as I forthferde
99	To walke, as I yow telle may,-
100	And that was in the Monthe of Maii,
101	Whan every brid hath chose his make
102	And thenkth his merthes forto make
103	Of love that he hath achieved;
104	Bot so was I nothing relieved,
105	For I was further fro my love
106	Than Erthe is fro the hevene above,
107	As forto speke of eny sped:
108	So wiste I me non other red,
109	Bot as it were a man forfare
110	Unto the wode I gan to fare,
111	Noght forto singe with the briddes,
112	For whanne I was the wode amiddes,
113	I fond a swote grene pleine,
114	And ther I gan my wo compleigne
115	Wisshinge and wepinge al myn one,
116	For other merthes made I none.
117	So hard me was that ilke throwe,
118	That ofte sithes overthrowe
119	To grounde I was withoute breth;
120	And evere I wisshide after deth,
121	Whanne I out of my peine awok,
122	And caste up many a pitous lok
123	Unto the hevene, and seide thus:
124	"O thou Cupide, O thou Venus,
125	Thou god of love and thou goddesse,
126	Wher is pite? wher is meknesse?
127	Now doth me pleinly live or dye,
128	For certes such a maladie
129	As I now have and longe have hadd,
130	It myhte make a wisman madd,
131	If that it scholde longe endure.
132	O Venus, queene of loves cure,
133	Thou lif, thou lust, thou mannes hele,
134	Behold my cause and my querele,
135	And yif me som part of thi grace,
136	So that I may finde in this place
137	If thou be gracious or non."
138	And with that word I sawh anon
139	The kyng of love and qweene bothe;
140	Bot he that kyng with yhen wrothe
141	His chiere aweiward fro me caste,
142	And forth he passede ate laste.
143	Bot natheles er he forth wente
144	A firy Dart me thoghte he hente
145	And threw it thurgh myn herte rote:
146	In him fond I non other bote,
147	For lenger list him noght to duelle.
148	Bot sche that is the Source and Welle
149	Of wel or wo, that schal betide
150	To hem that loven, at that tide
151	Abod, bot forto tellen hiere
152	Sche cast on me no goodly chiere:
153	Thus natheles to me sche seide,
154	"What art thou, Sone?" and I abreide
155	Riht as a man doth out of slep,
156	And therof tok sche riht good kep
157	And bad me nothing ben adrad:
158	Bot for al that I was noght glad,
159	For I ne sawh no cause why.
160	And eft scheo asketh, what was I:
161	I seide, "A Caitif that lith hiere:
162	What wolde ye, my Ladi diere?
163	Schal I ben hol or elles dye?"
164	Sche seide, "Tell thi maladie:
165	What is thi Sor of which thou pleignest?
166	Ne hyd it noght, for if thou feignest,
167	I can do the no medicine."
168	"Ma dame, I am a man of thyne,
169	That in thi Court have longe served,
170	And aske that I have deserved,
171	Some wele after my longe wo."
172	And sche began to loure tho,
173	And seide, "Ther is manye of yow
174	Faitours, and so may be that thow
175	Art riht such on, and be feintise
176	Seist that thou hast me do servise."
177	And natheles sche wiste wel,
178	Mi world stod on an other whiel
179	Withouten eny faiterie:
180	Bot algate of my maladie
181	Sche bad me telle and seie hir trowthe.
182	"Ma dame, if ye wolde have rowthe,"
183	Quod I, "than wolde I telle yow."
184	"Sey forth," quod sche, "and tell me how;
185	Schew me thi seknesse everydiel."
186	"Ma dame, that can I do wel,
187	Be so my lif therto wol laste."
188	With that hir lok on me sche caste,
189	And seide: "In aunter if thou live,
190	Mi will is ferst that thou be schrive;
191	And natheles how that it is
192	I wot miself, bot for al this
193	Unto my prest, which comth anon,
194	I woll thou telle it on and on,
195	Bothe all thi thoght and al thi werk.
196	O Genius myn oghne Clerk,
197	Com forth and hier this mannes schrifte,"
198	Quod Venus tho; and I uplifte
199	Min hefd with that, and gan beholde
200	The selve Prest, which as sche wolde
201	Was redy there and sette him doun
202	To hiere my confessioun.
203	This worthi Prest, this holy man
204	To me spekende thus began,
205	And seide: "Benedicite,
206	Mi Sone, of the felicite
207	Of love and ek of all the wo
208	Thou schalt thee schrive of bothe tuo.
209	What thou er this for loves sake
210	Hast felt, let nothing be forsake,
211	Tell pleinliche as it is befalle."
212	And with that word I gan doun falle
213	On knees, and with devocioun
214	And with full gret contricioun
215	I seide thanne: "Dominus,
216	Min holi fader Genius,
217	So as thou hast experience
218	Of love, for whos reverence
219	Thou schalt me schriven at this time,
220	I prai the let me noght mistime
221	Mi schrifte, for I am destourbed
222	In al myn herte, and so contourbed,
223	That I ne may my wittes gete,
224	So schal I moche thing foryete:
225	Bot if thou wolt my schrifte oppose
226	Fro point to point, thanne I suppose,
227	Ther schal nothing be left behinde.
228	Bot now my wittes ben so blinde,
229	That I ne can miselven teche."
230	Tho he began anon to preche,
231	And with his wordes debonaire
232	He seide tome softe and faire:
233	"Thi schrifte to oppose and hiere,
234	My Sone, I am assigned hiere
235	Be Venus the godesse above,
236	Whos Prest I am touchende of love.
237	Bot natheles for certein skile
238	I mot algate and nedes wile
239	Noght only make my spekynges
240	Of love, bot of othre thinges,
241	That touchen to the cause of vice.
242	For that belongeth to thoffice
243	Of Prest, whos ordre that I bere,
244	So that I wol nothing forbere,
245	That I the vices on and on
246	Ne schal thee schewen everychon;
247	Wherof thou myht take evidence
248	To reule with thi conscience.
249	Bot of conclusion final
250	Conclude I wol in special
251	For love, whos servant I am,
252	And why the cause is that I cam.
253	So thenke I to don bothe tuo,
254	Ferst that myn ordre longeth to,
255	The vices forto telle arewe,
256	Bot next above alle othre schewe
257	Of love I wol the propretes,
258	How that thei stonde be degrees
259	After the disposicioun
260	Of Venus, whos condicioun
261	I moste folwe, as I am holde.
262	For I with love am al withholde,
263	So that the lasse I am to wyte,
264	Thogh I ne conne bot a lyte
265	Of othre thinges that ben wise:
266	I am noght tawht in such a wise;
267	For it is noght my comun us
268	To speke of vices and vertus,
269	Bot al of love and of his lore,
270	For Venus bokes of nomore
271	Me techen nowther text ne glose.
272	Bot for als moche as I suppose
273	It sit a prest to be wel thewed,
274	And schame it is if he be lewed,
275	Of my Presthode after the forme
276	I wol thi schrifte so enforme,
277	That ate leste thou schalt hiere
278	The vices, and to thi matiere
279	Of love I schal hem so remene,
280	That thou schalt knowe what thei mene.
281	For what a man schal axe or sein
282	Touchende of schrifte, it mot be plein,
283	It nedeth noght to make it queinte,
284	For trowthe hise wordes wol noght peinte:
285	That I wole axe of the forthi,
286	My Sone, it schal be so pleinly,
287	That thou schalt knowe and understonde
288	The pointz of schrifte how that thei stonde."
289	Betwen the lif and deth I herde
290	This Prestes tale er I answerde,
291	And thanne I preide him forto seie
292	His will, and I it wolde obeie
293	After the forme of his apprise.
294	Tho spak he tome in such a wise,
295	And bad me that I scholde schrive
296	As touchende of my wittes fyve,
297	And schape that thei were amended
298	Of that I hadde hem misdispended.
299	For tho be proprely the gates,
300	Thurgh whiche as to the herte algates
301	Comth alle thing unto the feire,
302	Which may the mannes Soule empeire.
303	And now this matiere is broght inne,
304	Mi Sone, I thenke ferst beginne
305	To wite how that thin yhe hath stonde,
306	The which is, as I understonde,
307	The moste principal of alle,
308	Thurgh whom that peril mai befalle.
309	And forto speke in loves kinde,
310	Ful manye suche a man mai finde,
311	Whiche evere caste aboute here yhe,
312	To loke if that thei myhte aspie
313	Fulofte thing which hem ne toucheth,
314	Bot only that here herte soucheth
315	In hindringe of an other wiht;
316	And thus ful many a worthi knyht
317	And many a lusti lady bothe
318	Have be fulofte sythe wrothe.
319	So that an yhe is as a thief
320	To love, and doth ful gret meschief;
321	And also for his oghne part
322	Fulofte thilke firy Dart
323	Of love, which that evere brenneth,
324	Thurgh him into the herte renneth:
325	And thus a mannes yhe ferst
326	Himselve grieveth alther werst,
327	And many a time that he knoweth
328	Unto his oghne harm it groweth.
329	Mi Sone, herkne now forthi
330	A tale, to be war therby
331	Thin yhe forto kepe and warde,
332	So that it passe noght his warde.
333	Ovide telleth in his bok
334	Ensample touchende of mislok,
335	And seith hou whilom ther was on,
336	A worthi lord, which Acteon
337	Was hote, and he was cousin nyh
338	To him that Thebes ferst on hyh
339	Up sette, which king Cadme hyhte.
340	This Acteon, as he wel myhte,
341	Above alle othre caste his chiere,
342	And used it fro yer to yere,
343	With Houndes and with grete Hornes
344	Among the wodes and the thornes
345	To make his hunting and his chace:
346	Where him best thoghte in every place
347	To finde gamen in his weie,
348	Ther rod he forto hunte and pleie.
349	So him befell upon a tide
350	On his hunting as he cam ride,
351	In a Forest al one he was:
352	He syh upon the grene gras
353	The faire freisshe floures springe,
354	He herde among the leves singe
355	The Throstle with the nyhtingale:
356	Thus er he wiste into a Dale
357	He cam, wher was a litel plein,
358	All round aboute wel besein
359	With buisshes grene and Cedres hyhe;
360	And ther withinne he caste his yhe.
361	Amidd the plein he syh a welle,
362	So fair ther myhte noman telle,
363	In which Diana naked stod
364	To bathe and pleie hire in the flod
365	With many a Nimphe, which hire serveth.
366	Bot he his yhe awey ne swerveth
367	Fro hire, which was naked al,
368	And sche was wonder wroth withal,
369	And him, as sche which was godesse,
370	Forschop anon, and the liknesse
371	Sche made him taken of an Hert,
372	Which was tofore hise houndes stert,
373	That ronne besiliche aboute
374	With many an horn and many a route,
375	That maden mochel noise and cry:
376	And ate laste unhappely
377	This Hert his oghne houndes slowhe
378	And him for vengance al todrowhe.
379	Lo now, my Sone, what it is
380	A man to caste his yhe amis,
381	Which Acteon hath dere aboght;
382	Be war forthi and do it noght.
383	For ofte, who that hiede toke,
384	Betre is to winke than to loke.
385	And forto proven it is so,
386	Ovide the Poete also
387	A tale which to this matiere
388	Acordeth seith, as thou schalt hiere.
389	In Metamor it telleth thus,
390	How that a lord which Phorceuµs
391	Was hote, hadde dowhtres thre.
392	Bot upon here nativite
393	Such was the constellacion,
394	That out of mannes nacion
395	Fro kynde thei be so miswent,
396	That to the liknesse of Serpent
397	Thei were bore, and so that on
398	Of hem was cleped Stellibon,
399	That other soster Suriale,
400	The thridde, as telleth in the tale,
401	Medusa hihte, and natheles
402	Of comun name Gorgones
403	In every contre ther aboute,
404	As Monstres whiche that men doute,
405	Men clepen hem; and bot on yhe
406	Among hem thre in pourpartie
407	Thei hadde, of which thei myhte se,
408	Now hath it this, now hath it sche;
409	After that cause and nede it ladde,
410	Be throwes ech of hem it hadde.
411	A wonder thing yet more amis
412	Ther was, wherof I telle al this:
413	What man on hem his chiere caste
414	And hem behield, he was als faste
415	Out of a man into a Ston
416	Forschape, and thus ful manyon
417	Deceived were, of that thei wolde
418	Misloke, wher that thei ne scholde.
419	Bot Perseuµs that worthi knyht,
420	Whom Pallas of hir grete myht
421	Halp, and tok him a Schield therto,
422	And ek the god Mercurie also
423	Lente him a swerd, he, as it fell,
424	Beyende Athlans the hihe hell
425	These Monstres soghte, and there he fond
426	Diverse men of thilke lond
427	Thurgh sihte of hem mistorned were,
428	Stondende as Stones hiere and there.
429	Bot he, which wisdom and prouesse
430	Hadde of the god and the godesse,
431	The Schield of Pallas gan enbrace,
432	With which he covereth sauf his face,
433	Mercuries Swerd and out he drowh,
434	And so he bar him that he slowh
435	These dredful Monstres alle thre.
436	Lo now, my Sone, avise the,
437	That thou thi sihte noght misuse:
438	Cast noght thin yhe upon Meduse,
439	That thou be torned into Ston:
440	For so wys man was nevere non,
441	Bot if he wel his yhe kepe
442	And take of fol delit no kepe,
443	That he with lust nys ofte nome,
444	Thurgh strengthe of love and overcome.
445	Of mislokynge how it hath ferd,
446	As I have told, now hast thou herd,
447	My goode Sone, and tak good hiede.
448	And overthis yet I thee rede
449	That thou be war of thin heringe,
450	Which to the Herte the tidinge
451	Of many a vanite hath broght,
452	To tarie with a mannes thoght.
453	And natheles good is to hiere
454	Such thing wherof a man may lere
455	That to vertu is acordant,
456	And toward al the remenant
457	Good is to torne his Ere fro;
458	For elles, bot a man do so,
459	Him may fulofte mysbefalle.
460	I rede ensample amonges alle,
461	Wherof to kepe wel an Ere
462	It oghte pute a man in fere.
463	A Serpent, which that Aspidis
464	Is cleped, of his kynde hath this,
465	That he the Ston noblest of alle,
466	The which that men Carbuncle calle,
467	Berth in his hed above on heihte.
468	For which whan that a man be sleyhte,
469	The Ston to winne and him to daunte,
470	With his carecte him wolde enchaunte,
471	Anon as he perceiveth that,
472	He leith doun his on Ere al plat
473	Unto the ground, and halt it faste,
474	And ek that other Ere als faste
475	He stoppeth with his tail so sore,
476	That he the wordes lasse or more
477	Of his enchantement ne hiereth;
478	And in this wise himself he skiereth,
479	So that he hath the wordes weyved
480	And thurgh his Ere is noght deceived.
481	An othre thing, who that recordeth,
482	Lich unto this ensample acordeth,
483	Which in the tale of Troie I finde.
484	Sirenes of a wonder kynde
485	Ben Monstres, as the bokes tellen,
486	And in the grete Se thei duellen:
487	Of body bothe and of visage
488	Lik unto wommen of yong age
489	Up fro the Navele on hih thei be,
490	And doun benethe, as men mai se,
491	Thei bere of fisshes the figure.
492	And overthis of such nature
493	Thei ben, that with so swete a stevene
494	Lik to the melodie of hevene
495	In wommanysshe vois thei singe,
496	With notes of so gret likinge,
497	Of such mesure, of such musike,
498	Wherof the Schipes thei beswike
499	That passen be the costes there.
500	For whan the Schipmen leie an Ere
501	Unto the vois, in here avys
502	Thei wene it be a Paradys,
503	Which after is to hem an helle.
504	For reson may noght with hem duelle,
505	Whan thei tho grete lustes hiere;
506	Thei conne noght here Schipes stiere,
507	So besiliche upon the note
508	Thei herkne, and in such wise assote,
509	That thei here rihte cours and weie
510	Foryete, and to here Ere obeie,
511	And seilen til it so befalle
512	That thei into the peril falle,
513	Where as the Schipes be todrawe,
514	And thei ben with the Monstres slawe.
515	Bot fro this peril natheles
516	With his wisdom king Uluxes
517	Ascapeth and it overpasseth;
518	For he tofor the hond compasseth
519	That noman of his compaignie
520	Hath pouer unto that folie
521	His Ere for no lust to caste;
522	For he hem stoppede alle faste,
523	That non of hem mai hiere hem singe.
524	So whan they comen forth seilinge,
525	Ther was such governance on honde,
526	That thei the Monstres have withstonde
527	And slain of hem a gret partie.
528	Thus was he sauf with his navie,
529	This wise king, thurgh governance.
530	Wherof, my Sone, in remembrance
531	Thou myht ensample taken hiere,
532	As I have told, and what thou hiere
533	Be wel war, and yif no credence,
534	Bot if thou se more evidence.
535	For if thou woldest take kepe
536	And wisly cowthest warde and kepe
537	Thin yhe and Ere, as I have spoke,
538	Than haddest thou the gates stoke
539	Fro such Sotie as comth to winne
540	Thin hertes wit, which is withinne,
541	Wherof that now thi love excedeth
542	Mesure, and many a peine bredeth.
543	Bot if thou cowthest sette in reule
544	Tho tuo, the thre were eth to reule:
545	Forthi as of thi wittes five
546	I wole as now nomore schryve,
547	Bot only of these ilke tuo.
548	Tell me therfore if it be so,
549	Hast thou thin yhen oght misthrowe?
550	Mi fader, ye, I am beknowe,
551	I have hem cast upon Meduse,
552	Therof I may me noght excuse:
553	Min herte is growen into Ston,
554	So that my lady therupon
555	Hath such a priente of love grave,
556	That I can noght miselve save.
557	What seist thou, Sone, as of thin Ere?
558	Mi fader, I am gultyf there;
559	For whanne I may my lady hiere,
560	Mi wit with that hath lost his Stiere:
561	I do noght as Uluxes dede,
562	Bot falle anon upon the stede,
563	Wher as I se my lady stonde;
564	And there, I do yow understonde,
565	I am topulled in my thoght,
566	So that of reson leveth noght,
567	Wherof that I me mai defende.
568	My goode Sone, god thamende:
569	For as me thenketh be thi speche
570	Thi wittes ben riht feer to seche.
571	As of thin Ere and of thin yhe
572	I woll nomore specefie,
573	Bot I woll axen overthis
574	Of othre thing how that it is.
575	Mi Sone, as I thee schal enforme,
576	Ther ben yet of an other forme
577	Of dedly vices sevene applied,
578	Wherof the herte is ofte plied
579	To thing which after schal him grieve.
580	The ferste of hem thou schalt believe
581	Is Pride, which is principal,
582	And hath with him in special
583	Ministres five ful diverse,
584	Of whiche, as I the schal reherse,
585	The ferste is seid Ypocrisie.
586	If thou art of his compaignie,
587	Tell forth, my Sone, and schrif the clene.
588	I wot noght, fader, what ye mene:
589	Bot this I wolde you beseche,
590	That ye me be som weie teche
591	What is to ben an ypocrite;
592	And thanne if I be forto wyte,
593	I wol beknowen, as it is.
594	Mi Sone, an ypocrite is this,-
595	A man which feigneth conscience,
596	As thogh it were al innocence,
597	Withoute, and is noght so withinne;
598	And doth so for he wolde winne
599	Of his desir the vein astat.
600	And whanne he comth anon therat,
601	He scheweth thanne what he was,
602	The corn is torned into gras,
603	That was a Rose is thanne a thorn,
604	And he that was a Lomb beforn
605	Is thanne a Wolf, and thus malice
606	Under the colour of justice
607	Is hid; and as the poeple telleth,
608	These ordres witen where he duelleth,
609	As he that of here conseil is,
610	And thilke world which thei er this
611	Forsoken, he drawth in ayein:
612	He clotheth richesse, as men sein,
613	Under the simplesce of poverte,
614	And doth to seme of gret decerte
615	Thing which is litel worth withinne:
616	He seith in open, fy! to Sinne,
617	And in secre ther is no vice
618	Of which that he nis a Norrice:
619	And evere his chiere is sobre and softe,
620	And where he goth he blesseth ofte,
621	Wherof the blinde world he dreccheth.
622	Bot yet al only he ne streccheth
623	His reule upon religioun,
624	Bot next to that condicioun
625	In suche as clepe hem holy cherche
626	It scheweth ek how he can werche
627	Among tho wyde furred hodes,
628	To geten hem the worldes goodes.
629	And thei hemself ben thilke same
630	That setten most the world in blame,
631	Bot yet in contraire of her lore
632	Ther is nothing thei loven more;
633	So that semende of liht thei werke
634	The dedes whiche are inward derke.
635	And thus this double Ypocrisie
636	With his devolte apparantie
637	A viser set upon his face,
638	Wherof toward this worldes grace
639	He semeth to be riht wel thewed,
640	And yit his herte is al beschrewed.
641	Bot natheles he stant believed,
642	And hath his pourpos ofte achieved
643	Of worschipe and of worldes welthe,
644	And takth it, as who seith, be stelthe
645	Thurgh coverture of his fallas.
646	And riht so in semblable cas
647	This vice hath ek his officers
648	Among these othre seculers
649	Of grete men, for of the smale
650	As for tacompte he set no tale,
651	Bot thei that passen the comune
652	With suche him liketh to comune,
653	And where he seith he wol socoure
654	The poeple, there he woll devoure;
655	For now aday is manyon
656	Which spekth of Peter and of John
657	And thenketh Judas in his herte.
658	Ther schal no worldes good asterte
659	His hond, and yit he yifth almesse
660	And fasteth ofte and hiereth Messe:
661	With mea culpa, which he seith,
662	Upon his brest fullofte he leith
663	His hond, and cast upward his yhe,
664	As thogh he Cristes face syhe;
665	So that it seemeth ate syhte,
666	As he al one alle othre myhte
667	Rescoue with his holy bede.
668	Bot yet his herte in other stede
669	Among hise bedes most devoute
670	Goth in the worldes cause aboute,
671	How that he myhte his warisoun
672	Encresce. And in comparisoun
673	Ther ben lovers of such a sort,
674	That feignen hem an humble port,
675	And al is bot Ypocrisie,
676	Which with deceipte and flaterie
677	Hath many a worthi wif beguiled.
678	For whanne he hath his tunge affiled,
679	With softe speche and with lesinge,
680	Forth with his fals pitous lokynge,
681	He wolde make a womman wene
682	To gon upon the faire grene,
683	Whan that sche falleth in the Mir.
684	For if he may have his desir,
685	How so falle of the remenant,
686	He halt no word of covenant;
687	Bot er the time that he spede,
688	Ther is no sleihte at thilke nede,
689	Which eny loves faitour mai,
690	That he ne put it in assai,
691	As him belongeth forto done.
692	The colour of the reyni Mone
693	With medicine upon his face
694	He set, and thanne he axeth grace,
695	As he which hath sieknesse feigned.
696	Whan his visage is so desteigned,
697	With yhe upcast on hire he siketh,
698	And many a contenance he piketh,
699	To bringen hire in to believe
700	Of thing which that he wolde achieve,
701	Wherof he berth the pale hewe;
702	And for he wolde seme trewe,
703	He makth him siek, whan he is heil.
704	Bot whanne he berth lowest the Seil,
705	Thanne is he swiftest to beguile
706	The womman, which that ilke while
707	Set upon him feith or credence.
708	Mi Sone, if thou thi conscience
709	Entamed hast in such a wise,
710	In schrifte thou thee myht avise
711	And telle it me, if it be so.
712	Min holy fader, certes no.
713	As forto feigne such sieknesse
714	It nedeth noght, for this witnesse
715	I take of god, that my corage
716	Hath ben mor siek than my visage.
717	And ek this mai I wel avowe,
718	So lowe cowthe I nevere bowe
719	To feigne humilite withoute,
720	That me ne leste betre loute
721	With alle the thoghtes of myn herte;
722	For that thing schal me nevere asterte,
723	I speke as to my lady diere,
724	To make hire eny feigned chiere.
725	God wot wel there I lye noght,
726	Mi chiere hath be such as my thoght;
727	For in good feith, this lieveth wel,
728	Mi will was betre a thousendel
729	Than eny chiere that I cowthe.
730	Bot, Sire, if I have in my yowthe
731	Don other wise in other place,
732	I put me therof in your grace:
733	For this excusen I ne schal,
734	That I have elles overal
735	To love and to his compaignie
736	Be plein withoute Ypocrisie;
737	Bot ther is on the which I serve,
738	Althogh I may no thonk deserve,
739	To whom yet nevere into this day
740	I seide onlyche or ye or nay,
741	Bot if it so were in my thoght.
742	As touchende othre seie I noght
743	That I nam somdel forto wyte
744	Of that ye clepe an ypocrite.
745	Mi Sone, it sit wel every wiht
746	To kepe his word in trowthe upryht
747	Towardes love in alle wise.
748	For who that wolde him wel avise
749	What hath befalle in this matiere,
750	He scholde noght with feigned chiere
751	Deceive Love in no degre.
752	To love is every herte fre,
753	Bot in deceipte if that thou feignest
754	And therupon thi lust atteignest,
755	That thow hast wonne with thi wyle,
756	Thogh it thee like for a whyle,
757	Thou schalt it afterward repente.
758	And forto prove myn entente,
759	I finde ensample in a Croniqe
760	Of hem that love so beswike.
761	It fell be olde daies thus,
762	Whil themperour Tiberius
763	The Monarchie of Rome ladde,
764	Ther was a worthi Romein hadde
765	A wif, and sche Pauline hihte,
766	Which was to every mannes sihte
767	Of al the Cite the faireste,
768	And as men seiden, ek the beste.
769	It is and hath ben evere yit,
770	That so strong is no mannes wit,
771	Which thurgh beaute ne mai be drawe
772	To love, and stonde under the lawe
773	Of thilke bore frele kinde,
774	Which makth the hertes yhen blinde,
775	Wher no reson mai be comuned:
776	And in this wise stod fortuned
777	This tale, of which I wolde mene;
778	This wif, which in hire lustes grene
779	Was fair and freissh and tendre of age,
780	Sche may noght lette the corage
781	Of him that wole on hire assote.
782	Ther was a Duck, and he was hote
783	Mundus, which hadde in his baillie
784	To lede the chivalerie
785	Of Rome, and was a worthi knyht;
786	Bot yet he was noght of such myht
787	The strengthe of love to withstonde,
788	That he ne was so broght to honde,
789	That malgre wher he wole or no,
790	This yonge wif he loveth so,
791	That he hath put al his assay
792	To wynne thing which he ne may
793	Gete of hire graunt in no manere,
794	Be yifte of gold ne be preiere.
795	And whanne he syh that be no mede
796	Toward hir love he myhte spede,
797	Be sleyhte feigned thanne he wroghte;
798	And therupon he him bethoghte
799	How that ther was in the Cite
800	A temple of such auctorite,
801	To which with gret Devocioun
802	The noble wommen of the toun
803	Most comunliche a pelrinage
804	Gon forto preie thilke ymage
805	Which the godesse of childinge is,
806	And cleped was be name Ysis:
807	And in hire temple thanne were,
808	To reule and to ministre there
809	After the lawe which was tho,
810	Above alle othre Prestes tuo.
811	This Duck, which thoghte his love gete,
812	Upon a day hem tuo to mete
813	Hath bede, and thei come at his heste;
814	Wher that thei hadde a riche feste,
815	And after mete in prive place
816	This lord, which wolde his thonk pourchace,
817	To ech of hem yaf thanne a yifte,
818	And spak so that be weie of schrifte
819	He drowh hem unto his covine,
820	To helpe and schape how he Pauline
821	After his lust deceive myhte.
822	And thei here trowthes bothe plyhte,
823	That thei be nyhte hire scholden wynne
824	Into the temple, and he therinne
825	Schal have of hire al his entente:
826	And thus acorded forth thei wente.
827	Now lest thurgh which ypocrisie
828	Ordeigned was the tricherie,
829	Wherof this ladi was deceived.
830	These Prestes hadden wel conceived
831	That sche was of gret holinesse;
832	And with a contrefet simplesse,
833	Which hid was in a fals corage,
834	Feignende an hevenely message
835	Thei come and seide unto hir thus:
836	"Pauline, the god Anubus
837	Hath sent ous bothe Prestes hiere,
838	And seith he woll to thee appiere
839	Be nyhtes time himself alone,
840	For love he hath to thi persone:
841	And therupon he hath ous bede,
842	That we in Ysis temple a stede
843	Honestely for thee pourveie,
844	Wher thou be nyhte, as we thee seie,
845	Of him schalt take avisioun.
846	For upon thi condicioun,
847	The which is chaste and ful of feith,
848	Such pris, as he ous tolde, he leith,
849	That he wol stonde of thin acord;
850	And forto bere hierof record
851	He sende ous hider bothe tuo."
852	Glad was hire innocence tho
853	Of suche wordes as sche herde,
854	With humble chiere and thus answerde,
855	And seide that the goddes wille
856	Sche was al redy to fulfille,
857	That be hire housebondes leve
858	Sche wolde in Ysis temple at eve
859	Upon hire goddes grace abide,
860	To serven him the nyhtes tide.
861	The Prestes tho gon hom ayein,
862	And sche goth to hire sovereign,
863	Of goddes wille and as it was
864	Sche tolde him al the pleine cas,
865	Wherof he was deceived eke,
866	And bad that sche hire scholde meke
867	Al hol unto the goddes heste.
868	And thus sche, which was al honeste
869	To godward after hire entente,
870	At nyht unto the temple wente,
871	Wher that the false Prestes were;
872	And thei receiven hire there
873	With such a tokne of holinesse,
874	As thogh thei syhen a godesse,
875	And al withinne in prive place
876	A softe bedd of large space
877	Thei hadde mad and encourtined,
878	Wher sche was afterward engined.
879	Bot sche, which al honour supposeth,
880	The false Prestes thanne opposeth,
881	And axeth be what observance
882	Sche myhte most to the plesance
883	Of godd that nyhtes reule kepe:
884	And thei hire bidden forto slepe
885	Liggende upon the bedd alofte,
886	For so, thei seide, al stille and softe
887	God Anubus hire wolde awake.
888	The conseil in this wise take,
889	The Prestes fro this lady gon;
890	And sche, that wiste of guile non,
891	In the manere as it was seid
892	To slepe upon the bedd is leid,
893	In hope that sche scholde achieve
894	Thing which stod thanne upon bilieve,
895	Fulfild of alle holinesse.
896	Bot sche hath failed, as I gesse,
897	For in a closet faste by
898	The Duck was hid so prively
899	That sche him myhte noght perceive;
900	And he, that thoghte to deceive,
901	Hath such arrai upon him nome,
902	That whanne he wolde unto hir come,
903	It scholde semen at hire yhe
904	As thogh sche verrailiche syhe
905	God Anubus, and in such wise
906	This ypocrite of his queintise
907	Awaiteth evere til sche slepte.
908	And thanne out of his place he crepte
909	So stille that sche nothing herde,
910	And to the bedd stalkende he ferde,
911	And sodeinly, er sche it wiste,
912	Beclipt in armes he hire kiste:
913	Wherof in wommanysshe drede
914	Sche wok and nyste what to rede;
915	Bot he with softe wordes milde
916	Conforteth hire and seith, with childe
917	He wolde hire make in such a kynde
918	That al the world schal have in mynde
919	The worschipe of that ilke Sone;
920	For he schal with the goddes wone,
921	And ben himself a godd also.
922	With suche wordes and with mo,
923	The whiche he feigneth in his speche,
924	This lady wit was al to seche,
925	As sche which alle trowthe weneth:
926	Bot he, that alle untrowthe meneth,
927	With blinde tales so hire ladde,
928	That all his wille of hire he hadde.
929	And whan him thoghte it was ynowh,
930	Ayein the day he him withdrowh
931	So prively that sche ne wiste
932	Wher he becom, bot as him liste
933	Out of the temple he goth his weie.
934	And sche began to bidde and preie
935	Upon the bare ground knelende,
936	And after that made hire offrende,
937	And to the Prestes yiftes grete
938	Sche yaf, and homward be the Strete.
939	The Duck hire mette and seide thus:
940	"The myhti godd which Anubus
941	Is hote, he save the, Pauline,
942	For thou art of his discipline
943	So holy, that no mannes myht
944	Mai do that he hath do to nyht
945	Of thing which thou hast evere eschuied.
946	Bot I his grace have so poursuied,
947	That I was mad his lieutenant:
948	Forthi be weie of covenant
949	Fro this day forth I am al thin,
950	And if thee like to be myn,
951	That stant upon thin oghne wille."
952	Sche herde his tale and bar it stille,
953	And hom sche wente, as it befell,
954	Into hir chambre, and ther sche fell
955	Upon hire bedd to wepe and crie,
956	And seide: "O derke ypocrisie,
957	Thurgh whos dissimilacion
958	Of fals ymaginacion
959	I am thus wickedly deceived!
960	Bot that I have it aperceived
961	I thonke unto the goddes alle;
962	For thogh it ones be befalle,
963	It schal nevere eft whil that I live,
964	And thilke avou to godd I yive."
965	And thus wepende sche compleigneth,
966	Hire faire face and al desteigneth
967	With wofull teres of hire yµe,
968	So that upon this agonie
969	Hire housebonde is inne come,
970	And syh how sche was overcome
971	With sorwe, and axeth what hire eileth.
972	And sche with that hirself beweileth
973	Welmore than sche dede afore,
974	And seide, "Helas, wifhode is lore
975	In me, which whilom was honeste,
976	I am non other than a beste,
977	Now I defouled am of tuo."
978	And as sche myhte speke tho,
979	Aschamed with a pitous onde
980	Sche tolde unto hir housebonde
981	The sothe of al the hole tale,
982	And in hire speche ded and pale
983	Sche swouneth welnyh to the laste.
984	And he hire in hise armes faste
985	Uphield, and ofte swor his oth
986	That he with hire is nothing wroth,
987	For wel he wot sche may ther noght:
988	Bot natheles withinne his thoght
989	His herte stod in sori plit,
990	And seide he wolde of that despit
991	Be venged, how so evere it falle,
992	And sende unto hise frendes alle.
993	And whan thei weren come in fere,
994	He tolde hem upon this matiere,
995	And axeth hem what was to done:
996	And thei avised were sone,
997	And seide it thoghte hem for the beste
998	To sette ferst his wif in reste,
999	And after pleigne to the king
1000	Upon the matiere of this thing.
1001	Tho was this wofull wif conforted
1002	Be alle weies and desported,
1003	Til that sche was somdiel amended;
1004	And thus a day or tuo despended,
1005	The thridde day sche goth to pleigne
1006	With many a worthi Citezeine,
1007	And he with many a Citezein.
1008	Whan themperour it herde sein,
1009	And knew the falshed of the vice,
1010	He seide he wolde do justice:
1011	And ferst he let the Prestes take,
1012	And for thei scholde it noght forsake,
1013	He put hem into questioun;
1014	Bot thei of the suggestioun
1015	Ne couthen noght a word refuse,
1016	Bot for thei wolde hemself excuse,
1017	The blame upon the Duck thei leide.
1018	Bot therayein the conseil seide
1019	That thei be noght excused so,
1020	For he is on and thei ben tuo,
1021	And tuo han more wit then on,
1022	So thilke excusement was non.
1023	And over that was seid hem eke,
1024	That whan men wolden vertu seke,
1025	Men scholde it in the Prestes finde;
1026	Here ordre is of so hyh a kinde,
1027	That thei be Duistres of the weie:
1028	Forthi, if eny man forsueie
1029	Thurgh hem, thei be noght excusable.
1030	And thus be lawe resonable
1031	Among the wise jugges there
1032	The Prestes bothe dampned were,
1033	So that the prive tricherie
1034	Hid under fals Ipocrisie
1035	Was thanne al openliche schewed,
1036	That many a man hem hath beschrewed.
1037	And whan the Prestes weren dede,
1038	The temple of thilke horrible dede
1039	Thei thoghten purge, and thilke ymage,
1040	Whos cause was the pelrinage,
1041	Thei drowen out and als so faste
1042	Fer into Tibre thei it caste,
1043	Wher the Rivere it hath defied:
1044	And thus the temple purified
1045	Thei have of thilke horrible Sinne,
1046	Which was that time do therinne.
1047	Of this point such was the juise,
1048	Bot of the Duck was other wise:
1049	For he with love was bestad,
1050	His dom was noght so harde lad;
1051	For Love put reson aweie
1052	And can noght se the rihte weie.
1053	And be this cause he was respited,
1054	So that the deth him was acquited,
1055	Bot for al that he was exiled,
1056	For he his love hath so beguiled,
1057	That he schal nevere come ayein:
1058	For who that is to trowthe unplein,
1059	He may noght failen of vengance.
1060	And ek to take remembrance
1061	Of that Ypocrisie hath wroght
1062	On other half, men scholde noght
1063	To lihtly lieve al that thei hiere,
1064	Bot thanne scholde a wisman stiere
1065	The Schip, whan suche wyndes blowe:
1066	For ferst thogh thei beginne lowe,
1067	At ende thei be noght menable,
1068	Bot al tobreken Mast and Cable,
1069	So that the Schip with sodein blast,
1070	Whan men lest wene, is overcast;
1071	As now fulofte a man mai se:
1072	And of old time how it hath be
1073	I finde a gret experience,
1074	Wherof to take an evidence
1075	Good is, and to be war also
1076	Of the peril, er him be wo.
1077	Of hem that ben so derk withinne,
1078	At Troie also if we beginne,
1079	Ipocrisie it hath betraied:
1080	For whan the Greks hadde al assaied,
1081	And founde that be no bataille
1082	Ne be no Siege it myhte availe
1083	The toun to winne thurgh prouesse,
1084	This vice feigned of simplesce
1085	Thurgh sleyhte of Calcas and of Crise
1086	It wan be such a maner wise.
1087	An Hors of Bras thei let do forge
1088	Of such entaile, of such a forge,
1089	That in this world was nevere man
1090	That such an other werk began.
1091	The crafti werkman Epius
1092	It made, and forto telle thus,
1093	The Greks, that thoghten to beguile
1094	The kyng of Troie, in thilke while
1095	With Anthenor and with Enee,
1096	That were bothe of the Cite
1097	And of the conseil the wiseste,
1098	The richeste and the myhtieste,
1099	In prive place so thei trete
1100	With fair beheste and yiftes grete
1101	Of gold, that thei hem have engined;
1102	Togedre and whan thei be covined,
1103	Thei feignen forto make a pes,
1104	And under that yit natheles
1105	Thei schopen the destruccioun
1106	Bothe of the kyng and of the toun.
1107	And thus the false pees was take
1108	Of hem of Grece and undertake,
1109	And therupon thei founde a weie,
1110	Wher strengthe myhte noght aweie,
1111	That sleihte scholde helpe thanne;
1112	And of an ynche a large spanne
1113	Be colour of the pees thei made,
1114	And tolden how thei weren glade
1115	Of that thei stoden in acord;
1116	And for it schal ben of record,
1117	Unto the kyng the Gregois seiden,
1118	Be weie of love and this thei preiden,
1119	As thei that wolde his thonk deserve,
1120	A Sacrifice unto Minerve,
1121	The pes to kepe in good entente,
1122	Thei mosten offre er that thei wente.
1123	The kyng conseiled in this cas
1124	Be Anthenor and Eneas
1125	Therto hath yoven his assent:
1126	So was the pleine trowthe blent
1127	Thurgh contrefet Ipocrisie
1128	Of that thei scholden sacrifie.
1129	The Greks under the holinesse
1130	Anon with alle besinesse
1131	Here Hors of Bras let faire dihte,
1132	Which was to sen a wonder sihte;
1133	For it was trapped of himselve,
1134	And hadde of smale whieles twelve,
1135	Upon the whiche men ynowe
1136	With craft toward the toun it drowe,
1137	And goth glistrende ayein the Sunne.
1138	Tho was ther joie ynowh begunne,
1139	For Troie in gret devocioun
1140	Cam also with processioun
1141	Ayein this noble Sacrifise
1142	With gret honour, and in this wise
1143	Unto the gates thei it broghte.
1144	Bot of here entre whan thei soghte,
1145	The gates weren al to smale;
1146	And therupon was many a tale,
1147	Bot for the worschipe of Minerve,
1148	To whom thei comen forto serve,
1149	Thei of the toun, whiche understode
1150	That al this thing was do for goode,
1151	For pes, wherof that thei ben glade,
1152	The gates that Neptunus made
1153	A thousend wynter ther tofore,
1154	Thei have anon tobroke and tore;
1155	The stronge walles doun thei bete,
1156	So that in to the large strete
1157	This Hors with gret solempnite
1158	Was broght withinne the Cite,
1159	And offred with gret reverence,
1160	Which was to Troie an evidence
1161	Of love and pes for everemo.
1162	The Gregois token leve tho
1163	With al the hole felaschipe,
1164	And forth thei wenten into Schipe
1165	And crossen seil and made hem yare,
1166	Anon as thogh thei wolden fare:
1167	Bot whan the blake wynter nyht
1168	Withoute Mone or Sterre lyht
1169	Bederked hath the water Stronde,
1170	Al prively thei gon to londe
1171	Ful armed out of the navie.
1172	Synon, which mad was here aspie
1173	Withinne Troie, as was conspired,
1174	Whan time was a tokne hath fired;
1175	And thei with that here weie holden,
1176	And comen in riht as thei wolden,
1177	Ther as the gate was tobroke.
1178	The pourpos was full take and spoke:
1179	Er eny man may take kepe,
1180	Whil that the Cite was aslepe,
1181	Thei slowen al that was withinne,
1182	And token what thei myhten wynne
1183	Of such good as was sufficant,
1184	And brenden up the remenant.
1185	And thus cam out the tricherie,
1186	Which under fals Ypocrisie
1187	Was hid, and thei that wende pees
1188	Tho myhten finde no reles
1189	Of thilke swerd which al devoureth.
1190	Fulofte and thus the swete soureth,
1191	Whan it is knowe to the tast:
1192	He spilleth many a word in wast
1193	That schal with such a poeple trete;
1194	For whan he weneth most beyete,
1195	Thanne is he schape most to lese.
1196	And riht so if a womman chese
1197	Upon the wordes that sche hiereth
1198	Som man, whan he most trewe appiereth,
1199	Thanne is he forthest fro the trowthe:
1200	Bot yit fulofte, and that is rowthe,
1201	Thei speden that ben most untrewe
1202	And loven every day a newe,
1203	Wherof the lief is after loth
1204	And love hath cause to be wroth.
1205	Bot what man that his lust desireth
1206	Of love, and therupon conspireth
1207	With wordes feigned to deceive,
1208	He schal noght faile to receive
1209	His peine, as it is ofte sene.
1210	Forthi, my Sone, as I thee mene,
1211	It sit the wel to taken hiede
1212	That thou eschuie of thi manhiede
1213	Ipocrisie and his semblant,
1214	That thou ne be noght deceivant,
1215	To make a womman to believe
1216	Thing which is noght in thi bilieve:
1217	For in such feint Ipocrisie
1218	Of love is al the tricherie,
1219	Thurgh which love is deceived ofte;
1220	For feigned semblant is so softe,
1221	Unethes love may be war.
1222	Forthi, my Sone, as I wel dar,
1223	I charge thee to fle that vice,
1224	That many a womman hath mad nice;
1225	Bot lok thou dele noght withal.
1226	Iwiss, fader, nomor I schal.
1227	Now, Sone, kep that thou hast swore:
1228	For this that thou hast herd before
1229	Is seid the ferste point of Pride:
1230	And next upon that other side,
1231	To schryve and speken overthis
1232	Touchende of Pride, yit ther is
1233	The point seconde, I thee behote,
1234	Which Inobedience is hote.
1235	This vice of Inobedience
1236	Ayein the reule of conscience
1237	Al that is humble he desalloweth,
1238	That he toward his god ne boweth
1239	After the lawes of his heste.
1240	Noght as a man bot as a beste,
1241	Which goth upon his lustes wilde,
1242	So goth this proude vice unmylde,
1243	That he desdeigneth alle lawe:
1244	He not what is to be felawe,
1245	And serve may he noght for pride;
1246	So is he badde on every side,
1247	And is that selve of whom men speke,
1248	Which wol noght bowe er that he breke.
1249	I not if love him myhte plie,
1250	For elles forto justefie
1251	His herte, I not what mihte availe.
1252	Forthi, my Sone, of such entaile
1253	If that thin herte be disposed,
1254	Tell out and let it noght be glosed:
1255	For if that thou unbuxom be
1256	To love, I not in what degree
1257	Thou schalt thi goode world achieve.
1258	Mi fader, ye schul wel believe,
1259	The yonge whelp which is affaited
1260	Hath noght his Maister betre awaited,
1261	To couche, whan he seith "Go lowe,"
1262	That I, anon as I may knowe
1263	Mi ladi will, ne bowe more.
1264	Bot other while I grucche sore
1265	Of some thinges that sche doth,
1266	Wherof that I woll telle soth:
1267	For of tuo pointz I am bethoght,
1268	That, thogh I wolde, I myhte noght
1269	Obeie unto my ladi heste;
1270	Bot I dar make this beheste,
1271	Save only of that ilke tuo
1272	I am unbuxom of no mo.
1273	Whan ben tho tuo? tell on, quod he.
1274	Mi fader, this is on, that sche
1275	Comandeth me my mowth to close,
1276	And that I scholde hir noght oppose
1277	In love, of which I ofte preche,
1278	Bot plenerliche of such a speche
1279	Forbere, and soffren hire in pes.
1280	Bot that ne myhte I natheles
1281	For al this world obeie ywiss;
1282	For whanne I am ther as sche is,
1283	Though sche my tales noght alowe,
1284	Ayein hir will yit mot I bowe,
1285	To seche if that I myhte have grace:
1286	Bot that thing may I noght enbrace
1287	For ought that I can speke or do;
1288	And yit fulofte I speke so,
1289	That sche is wroth and seith, "Be stille."
1290	If I that heste schal fulfille
1291	And therto ben obedient,
1292	Thanne is my cause fully schent,
1293	For specheles may noman spede.
1294	So wot I noght what is to rede;
1295	Bot certes I may noght obeie,
1296	That I ne mot algate seie
1297	Somwhat of that I wolde mene;
1298	For evere it is aliche grene,
1299	The grete love which I have,
1300	Wherof I can noght bothe save
1301	My speche and this obedience:
1302	And thus fulofte my silence
1303	I breke, and is the ferste point
1304	Wherof that I am out of point
1305	In this, and yit it is no pride.
1306	Now thanne upon that other side
1307	To telle my desobeissance,
1308	Ful sore it stant to my grevance
1309	And may noght sinke into my wit;
1310	For ofte time sche me bit
1311	To leven hire and chese a newe,
1312	And seith, if I the sothe knewe
1313	How ferr I stonde from hir grace,
1314	I scholde love in other place.
1315	Bot therof woll I desobeie;
1316	For also wel sche myhte seie,
1317	"Go tak the Mone ther it sit,"
1318	As bringe that into my wit:
1319	For ther was nevere rooted tre,
1320	That stod so faste in his degre,
1321	That I ne stonde more faste
1322	Upon hire love, and mai noght caste
1323	Min herte awey, althogh I wolde.
1324	For god wot, thogh I nevere scholde
1325	Sen hir with yhe after this day,
1326	Yit stant it so that I ne may
1327	Hir love out of my brest remue.
1328	This is a wonder retenue,
1329	That malgre wher sche wole or non
1330	Min herte is everemore in on,
1331	So that I can non other chese,
1332	Bot whether that I winne or lese,
1333	I moste hire loven til I deie;
1334	And thus I breke as be that weie
1335	Hire hestes and hir comandinges,
1336	Bot trewliche in non othre thinges.
1337	Forthi, my fader, what is more
1338	Touchende to this ilke lore
1339	I you beseche, after the forme
1340	That ye pleinly me wolde enforme,
1341	So that I may myn herte reule
1342	In loves cause after the reule.
1343	Toward this vice of which we trete
1344	Ther ben yit tweie of thilke estrete,
1345	Here name is Murmur and Compleignte:
1346	Ther can noman here chiere peinte,
1347	To sette a glad semblant therinne,
1348	For thogh fortune make hem wynne,
1349	Yit grucchen thei, and if thei lese,
1350	Ther is no weie forto chese,
1351	Wherof thei myhten stonde appesed.
1352	So ben thei comunly desesed;
1353	Ther may no welthe ne poverte
1354	Attempren hem to the decerte
1355	Of buxomnesse be no wise:
1356	For ofte time thei despise
1357	The goode fortune as the badde,
1358	As thei no mannes reson hadde,
1359	Thurgh pride, wherof thei be blinde.
1360	And ryht of such a maner kinde
1361	Ther be lovers, that thogh thei have
1362	Of love al that thei wolde crave,
1363	Yit wol thei grucche be som weie,
1364	That thei wol noght to love obeie
1365	Upon the trowthe, as thei do scholde;
1366	And if hem lacketh that thei wolde,
1367	Anon thei falle in such a peine,
1368	That evere unbuxomly thei pleigne
1369	Upon fortune, and curse and crie,
1370	That thei wol noght here hertes plie
1371	To soffre til it betre falle.
1372	Forthi if thou amonges alle
1373	Hast used this condicioun,
1374	Mi Sone, in thi Confessioun
1375	Now tell me pleinly what thou art.
1376	Mi fader, I beknowe a part,
1377	So as ye tolden hier above
1378	Of Murmur and Compleignte of love,
1379	That for I se no sped comende,
1380	Ayein fortune compleignende
1381	I am, as who seith, everemo:
1382	And ek fulofte tyme also,
1383	Whan so is that I se and hiere
1384	Or hevy word or hevy chiere
1385	Of my lady, I grucche anon;
1386	Bot wordes dar I speke non,
1387	Wherof sche myhte be desplesed,
1388	Bot in myn herte I am desesed:
1389	With many a Murmur, god it wot,
1390	Thus drinke I in myn oghne swot,
1391	And thogh I make no semblant,
1392	Min herte is al desobeissant;
1393	And in this wise I me confesse
1394	Of that ye clepe unbuxomnesse.
1395	Now telleth what youre conseil is.
1396	Mi Sone, and I thee rede this,
1397	What so befalle of other weie,
1398	That thou to loves heste obeie
1399	Als ferr as thou it myht suffise:
1400	For ofte sithe in such a wise
1401	Obedience in love availeth,
1402	Wher al a mannes strengthe faileth;
1403	Wherof, if that the list to wite
1404	In a Cronique as it is write,
1405	A gret ensample thou myht fynde,
1406	Which now is come to my mynde.
1407	Ther was whilom be daies olde
1408	A worthi knyht, and as men tolde
1409	He was Nevoeu to themperour
1410	And of his Court a Courteour:
1411	Wifles he was, Florent he hihte,
1412	He was a man that mochel myhte,
1413	Of armes he was desirous,
1414	Chivalerous and amorous,
1415	And for the fame of worldes speche,
1416	Strange aventures forto seche,
1417	He rod the Marches al aboute.
1418	And fell a time, as he was oute,
1419	Fortune, which may every thred
1420	Tobreke and knette of mannes sped,
1421	Schop, as this knyht rod in a pas,
1422	That he be strengthe take was,
1423	And to a Castell thei him ladde,
1424	Wher that he fewe frendes hadde:
1425	For so it fell that ilke stounde
1426	That he hath with a dedly wounde
1427	Feihtende his oghne hondes slain
1428	Branchus, which to the Capitain
1429	Was Sone and Heir, wherof ben wrothe
1430	The fader and the moder bothe.
1431	That knyht Branchus was of his hond
1432	The worthieste of al his lond,
1433	And fain thei wolden do vengance
1434	Upon Florent, bot remembrance
1435	That thei toke of his worthinesse
1436	Of knyhthod and of gentilesse,
1437	And how he stod of cousinage
1438	To themperour, made hem assuage,
1439	And dorsten noght slen him for fere:
1440	In gret desputeisoun thei were
1441	Among hemself, what was the beste.
1442	Ther was a lady, the slyheste
1443	Of alle that men knewe tho,
1444	So old sche myhte unethes go,
1445	And was grantdame unto the dede:
1446	And sche with that began to rede,
1447	And seide how sche wol bringe him inne,
1448	That sche schal him to dethe winne
1449	Al only of his oghne grant,
1450	Thurgh strengthe of verray covenant
1451	Withoute blame of eny wiht.
1452	Anon sche sende for this kniht,
1453	And of hire Sone sche alleide
1454	The deth, and thus to him sche seide:
1455	"Florent, how so thou be to wyte
1456	Of Branchus deth, men schal respite
1457	As now to take vengement,
1458	Be so thou stonde in juggement
1459	Upon certein condicioun,
1460	That thou unto a questioun
1461	Which I schal axe schalt ansuere;
1462	And over this thou schalt ek swere,
1463	That if thou of the sothe faile,
1464	Ther schal non other thing availe,
1465	That thou ne schalt thi deth receive.
1466	And for men schal thee noght deceive,
1467	That thou therof myht ben avised,
1468	Thou schalt have day and tyme assised
1469	And leve saufly forto wende,
1470	Be so that at thi daies ende
1471	Thou come ayein with thin avys.
1472	This knyht, which worthi was and wys,
1473	This lady preith that he may wite,
1474	And have it under Seales write,
1475	What questioun it scholde be
1476	For which he schal in that degree
1477	Stonde of his lif in jeupartie.
1478	With that sche feigneth compaignie,
1479	And seith: "Florent, on love it hongeth
1480	Al that to myn axinge longeth:
1481	What alle wommen most desire
1482	This wole I axe, and in thempire
1483	Wher as thou hast most knowlechinge
1484	Tak conseil upon this axinge."
1485	Florent this thing hath undertake,
1486	The day was set, the time take,
1487	Under his seal he wrot his oth,
1488	In such a wise and forth he goth
1489	Hom to his Emes court ayein;
1490	To whom his aventure plein
1491	He tolde, of that him is befalle.
1492	And upon that thei weren alle
1493	The wiseste of the lond asent,
1494	Bot natheles of on assent
1495	Thei myhte noght acorde plat,
1496	On seide this, an othre that.
1497	After the disposicioun
1498	Of naturel complexioun
1499	To som womman it is plesance,
1500	That to an other is grevance;
1501	Bot such a thing in special,
1502	Which to hem alle in general
1503	Is most plesant, and most desired
1504	Above alle othre and most conspired,
1505	Such o thing conne thei noght finde
1506	Be Constellacion ne kinde:
1507	And thus Florent withoute cure
1508	Mot stonde upon his aventure,
1509	And is al schape unto the lere,
1510	As in defalte of his answere.
1511	This knyht hath levere forto dye
1512	Than breke his trowthe and forto lye
1513	In place ther as he was swore,
1514	And schapth him gon ayein therfore.
1515	Whan time cam he tok his leve,
1516	That lengere wolde he noght beleve,
1517	And preith his Em he be noght wroth,
1518	For that is a point of his oth,
1519	He seith, that noman schal him wreke,
1520	Thogh afterward men hiere speke
1521	That he par aventure deie.
1522	And thus he wente forth his weie
1523	Alone as knyht aventurous,
1524	And in his thoght was curious
1525	To wite what was best to do:
1526	And as he rod al one so,
1527	And cam nyh ther he wolde be,
1528	In a forest under a tre
1529	He syh wher sat a creature,
1530	A lothly wommannysch figure,
1531	That forto speke of fleisch and bon
1532	So foul yit syh he nevere non.
1533	This knyht behield hir redely,
1534	And as he wolde have passed by,
1535	Sche cleped him and bad abide;
1536	And he his horse heved aside
1537	Tho torneth, and to hire he rod,
1538	And there he hoveth and abod,
1539	To wite what sche wolde mene.
1540	And sche began him to bemene,
1541	And seide: "Florent be thi name,
1542	Thou hast on honde such a game,
1543	That bot thou be the betre avised,
1544	Thi deth is schapen and devised,
1545	That al the world ne mai the save,
1546	Bot if that thou my conseil have."
1547	Florent, whan he this tale herde,
1548	Unto this olde wyht answerde
1549	And of hir conseil he hir preide.
1550	And sche ayein to him thus seide:
1551	"Florent, if I for the so schape,
1552	That thou thurgh me thi deth ascape
1553	And take worschipe of thi dede,
1554	What schal I have to my mede?"
1555	"What thing," quod he, "that thou wolt axe."
1556	"I bidde nevere a betre taxe,"
1557	Quod sche, "bot ferst, er thou be sped,
1558	Thou schalt me leve such a wedd,
1559	That I wol have thi trowthe in honde
1560	That thou schalt be myn housebonde."
1561	"Nay," seith Florent, "that may noght be."
1562	"Ryd thanne forth thi wey," quod sche,
1563	"And if thou go withoute red,
1564	Thou schalt be sekerliche ded."
1565	Florent behihte hire good ynowh
1566	Of lond, of rente, of park, of plowh,
1567	Bot al that compteth sche at noght.
1568	Tho fell this knyht in mochel thoght,
1569	Now goth he forth, now comth ayein,
1570	He wot noght what is best to sein,
1571	And thoghte, as he rod to and fro,
1572	That chese he mot on of the tuo,
1573	Or forto take hire to his wif
1574	Or elles forto lese his lif.
1575	And thanne he caste his avantage,
1576	That sche was of so gret an age,
1577	That sche mai live bot a while,
1578	And thoghte put hire in an Ile,
1579	Wher that noman hire scholde knowe,
1580	Til sche with deth were overthrowe.
1581	And thus this yonge lusti knyht
1582	Unto this olde lothly wiht
1583	Tho seide: "If that non other chance
1584	Mai make my deliverance,
1585	Bot only thilke same speche
1586	Which, as thou seist, thou schalt me teche,
1587	Have hier myn hond, I schal thee wedde."
1588	And thus his trowthe he leith to wedde.
1589	With that sche frounceth up the browe:
1590	"This covenant I wol allowe,"
1591	Sche seith: "if eny other thing
1592	Bot that thou hast of my techyng
1593	Fro deth thi body mai respite,
1594	I woll thee of thi trowthe acquite,
1595	And elles be non other weie.
1596	Now herkne me what I schal seie.
1597	Whan thou art come into the place,
1598	Wher now thei maken gret manace
1599	And upon thi comynge abyde,
1600	Thei wole anon the same tide
1601	Oppose thee of thin answere.
1602	I wot thou wolt nothing forbere
1603	Of that thou wenest be thi beste,
1604	And if thou myht so finde reste,
1605	Wel is, for thanne is ther nomore.
1606	And elles this schal be my lore,
1607	That thou schalt seie, upon this Molde
1608	That alle wommen lievest wolde
1609	Be soverein of mannes love:
1610	For what womman is so above,
1611	Sche hath, as who seith, al hire wille;
1612	And elles may sche noght fulfille
1613	What thing hir were lievest have.
1614	With this answere thou schalt save
1615	Thiself, and other wise noght.
1616	And whan thou hast thin ende wroght,
1617	Com hier ayein, thou schalt me finde,
1618	And let nothing out of thi minde."
1619	He goth him forth with hevy chiere,
1620	As he that not in what manere
1621	He mai this worldes joie atteigne:
1622	For if he deie, he hath a peine,
1623	And if he live, he mot him binde
1624	To such on which of alle kinde
1625	Of wommen is thunsemlieste:
1626	Thus wot he noght what is the beste:
1627	Bot be him lief or be him loth,
1628	Unto the Castell forth he goth
1629	His full answere forto yive,
1630	Or forto deie or forto live.
1631	Forth with his conseil cam the lord,
1632	The thinges stoden of record,
1633	He sende up for the lady sone,
1634	And forth sche cam, that olde Mone.
1635	In presence of the remenant
1636	The strengthe of al the covenant
1637	Tho was reherced openly,
1638	And to Florent sche bad forthi
1639	That he schal tellen his avis,
1640	As he that woot what is the pris.
1641	Florent seith al that evere he couthe,
1642	Bot such word cam ther non to mowthe,
1643	That he for yifte or for beheste
1644	Mihte eny wise his deth areste.
1645	And thus he tarieth longe and late,
1646	Til that this lady bad algate
1647	That he schal for the dom final
1648	Yive his answere in special
1649	Of that sche hadde him ferst opposed:
1650	And thanne he hath trewly supposed
1651	That he him may of nothing yelpe,
1652	Bot if so be tho wordes helpe,
1653	Whiche as the womman hath him tawht;
1654	Wherof he hath an hope cawht
1655	That he schal ben excused so,
1656	And tolde out plein his wille tho.
1657	And whan that this Matrone herde
1658	The manere how this knyht ansuerde,
1659	Sche seide: "Ha treson, wo thee be,
1660	That hast thus told the privite,
1661	Which alle wommen most desire!
1662	I wolde that thou were afire."
1663	Bot natheles in such a plit
1664	Florent of his answere is quit:
1665	And tho began his sorwe newe,
1666	For he mot gon, or ben untrewe,
1667	To hire which his trowthe hadde.
1668	Bot he, which alle schame dradde,
1669	Goth forth in stede of his penance,
1670	And takth the fortune of his chance,
1671	As he that was with trowthe affaited.
1672	This olde wyht him hath awaited
1673	In place wher as he hire lefte:
1674	Florent his wofull heved uplefte
1675	And syh this vecke wher sche sat,
1676	Which was the lothlieste what
1677	That evere man caste on his yhe:
1678	Hire Nase bass, hire browes hyhe,
1679	Hire yhen smale and depe set,
1680	Hire chekes ben with teres wet,
1681	And rivelen as an emty skyn
1682	Hangende doun unto the chin,
1683	Hire Lippes schrunken ben for age,
1684	Ther was no grace in the visage,
1685	Hir front was nargh, hir lockes hore,
1686	Sche loketh forth as doth a More,
1687	Hire Necke is schort, hir schuldres courbe,
1688	That myhte a mannes lust destourbe,
1689	Hire body gret and nothing smal,
1690	And schortly to descrive hire al,
1691	Sche hath no lith withoute a lak;
1692	Bot lich unto the wollesak
1693	Sche proferth hire unto this knyht,
1694	And bad him, as he hath behyht,
1695	So as sche hath ben his warant,
1696	That he hire holde covenant,
1697	And be the bridel sche him seseth.
1698	Bot godd wot how that sche him pleseth
1699	Of suche wordes as sche spekth:
1700	Him thenkth welnyh his herte brekth
1701	For sorwe that he may noght fle,
1702	Bot if he wolde untrewe be.
1703	Loke, how a sek man for his hele
1704	Takth baldemoine with Canele,
1705	And with the Mirre takth the Sucre,
1706	Ryht upon such a maner lucre
1707	Stant Florent, as in this diete:
1708	He drinkth the bitre with the swete,
1709	He medleth sorwe with likynge,
1710	And liveth, as who seith, deyinge;
1711	His youthe schal be cast aweie
1712	Upon such on which as the weie
1713	Is old and lothly overal.
1714	Bot nede he mot that nede schal:
1715	He wolde algate his trowthe holde,
1716	As every knyht therto is holde,
1717	What happ so evere him is befalle:
1718	Thogh sche be the fouleste of alle,
1719	Yet to thonour of wommanhiede
1720	Him thoghte he scholde taken hiede;
1721	So that for pure gentilesse,
1722	As he hire couthe best adresce,
1723	In ragges, as sche was totore,
1724	He set hire on his hors tofore
1725	And forth he takth his weie softe;
1726	No wonder thogh he siketh ofte.
1727	Bot as an oule fleth be nyhte
1728	Out of alle othre briddes syhte,
1729	Riht so this knyht on daies brode
1730	In clos him hield, and schop his rode
1731	On nyhtes time, til the tyde
1732	That he cam there he wolde abide;
1733	And prively withoute noise
1734	He bringth this foule grete Coise
1735	To his Castell in such a wise
1736	That noman myhte hire schappe avise,
1737	Til sche into the chambre cam:
1738	Wher he his prive conseil nam
1739	Of suche men as he most troste,
1740	And tolde hem that he nedes moste
1741	This beste wedde to his wif,
1742	For elles hadde he lost his lif.
1743	The prive wommen were asent,
1744	That scholden ben of his assent:
1745	Hire ragges thei anon of drawe,
1746	And, as it was that time lawe,
1747	She hadde bath, sche hadde reste,
1748	And was arraied to the beste.
1749	Bot with no craft of combes brode
1750	Thei myhte hire hore lockes schode,
1751	And sche ne wolde noght be schore
1752	For no conseil, and thei therfore,
1753	With such atyr as tho was used,
1754	Ordeinen that it was excused,
1755	And hid so crafteliche aboute,
1756	That noman myhte sen hem oute.
1757	Bot when sche was fulliche arraied
1758	And hire atyr was al assaied,
1759	Tho was sche foulere on to se:
1760	Bot yit it may non other be,
1761	Thei were wedded in the nyht;
1762	So wo begon was nevere knyht
1763	As he was thanne of mariage.

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