Chapter LIV: Part III (11)

'In art of love +I wryte, and songes make,
That may be song in honour of the King
And Quene of Love; and than I undertake,
He that is sad shall than full mery sing. 900
And daunger[o]us not ben in every thing
Beseche I you, but seen my will and rede,
And let your aunswer put me out of drede.'

'What is your name? reherse it here, I pray,
Of whens and where, of what condicion 905
That ye ben of? Let see, com of and say!
Fain wold I know your disposicion:--
Ye have put on your old entencion;
But what ye mene to servë me I noot,
Sauf that ye say ye love me wonder hoot.' 910

'My name? alas, my hert, why [make it straunge?]
Philogenet I cald am fer and nere,
Of Cambrige clerk, that never think to chaunge
Fro you that with your hevenly stremes clere
Ravissh myne herte and gost and all in-fere: 915
This is the first, I write my bill for grace,
Me think, I see som mercy in your face.

And what I mene, by god that al hath wrought,
My bill, that maketh finall mencion,
That ye ben, lady, in myne inward thought 920
Of all myne hert without offencion,
That I best love, and have, sith I begon
To draw to court. Lo, than! what might I say?
I yeld me here, [lo!] unto your nobley.

And if that I offend, or wilfully 925
By pompe of hart your precept disobey,
Or doon again your will unskillfully,
Or greven you, for ernest or for play,
Correct ye me right sharply than, I pray,
As it is sene unto your womanhede, 930
And rewe on me, or ellis I nam but dede.'

'Nay, god forbede to feffe you so with grace,
And for a worde of sugred eloquence,
To have compassion in so litell space!
Than were it tyme that som of us were hens! 935
Ye shall not find in me suche insolence.
Ay? what is this? may ye not suffer sight?
How may ye loke upon the candill-light,

That clere[r] is and hotter than myn y?
And yet ye seid, the bemes perse and frete:-- 940
How shall ye than the candel-[l]ight endry?
For wel wot ye, that hath the sharper hete.
And there ye bid me you correct and bete,
If ye offend,--nay, that may not be doon:
There come but few that speden here so soon. 945

Withdraw your y, withdraw from presens eke:
Hurt not yourself, through foly, with a loke;
I wold be sory so to make you seke:
A woman shuld be ware eke whom she toke:
Ye beth a clark:--go serchen [in] my boke, 950
If any women ben so light to win:
Nay, byde a whyl, though ye were all my kin.

So soon ye may not win myne harte, in trouth
The gyse of court will seen your stedfastness,
And as ye don, to have upon you rewth. 955
Your own desert, and lowly gentilness,
That will reward you joy for heviness;
And though ye waxen pale, and grene and dede,
Ye must it use a while, withouten drede,

And it accept, and grucchen in no wyse; 960
But where as ye me hastily desyre
To been to love, me think, ye be not wyse.
Cese of your language! cese, I you requyre!
For he that hath this twenty yere ben here
May not obtayn; than marveile I that ye 965
Be now so bold, of love to trete with me.'

'Ah! mercy, hart, my lady and my love,
My rightwyse princesse and my lyves guyde!
Now may I playn to Venus all above,
That rewthles ye me +give these woundes wyde! 970
What have I don? why may it not betyde,
That for my trouth I may received be?
Alas! your daunger and your crueltè!

In wofull hour I got was, welaway!
In wofull hour [y-]fostred and y-fed, 975
In wofull hour y-born, that I ne may
My supplicacion swetely have y-sped!
The frosty grave and cold must be my bedde,
Without ye list your grace and mercy shewe,
Deth with his axe so faste on me doth hewe. 980

So greet disese and in so litell whyle,
So litell joy, that felte I never yet;
And at my wo Fortune ginneth to smyle,
That never erst I felt so harde a fit:
Confounded ben my spirits and my wit, 985
Till that my lady take me to her cure,
Which I love best of erthely crëature.

But that I lyke, that may I not com by;
Of that I playn, that have I habondaunce;
Sorrow and thought, thay sit me wounder ny; 990
Me is withhold that might be my plesaunce:
Yet turne again, my worldly suffisaunce!
O lady bright! and save your feithfull true,
And, er I die, yet on[e]s upon me rewe.'

With that I fell in sounde, and dede as stone, 995
With colour slain, and wan as assh[es] pale;
And by the hand she caught me up anon,
'Aryse,' quod she, 'what? have ye dronken dwale?
Why slepen ye? it is no nightertale.'
'Now mercy, swete,' quod I, y-wis affrayed: 1000
'What thing,' quod she, 'hath mad you so dismayed?

Now wot I well that ye a lover be,
Your hewe is witnesse in this thing,' she seid:
'If ye were secret, [ye] might know,' quod she,
'Curteise and kind, all this shuld be allayed: 1005
And now, myn herte! all that I have misseid,
I shall amend, and set your harte in ese.'
'That word it is,' quod I, 'that doth me plese.'

'But this I charge, that ye the statuts kepe,
And breke thaim not for sloth nor ignoraunce.' 1010
With that she gan to smyle and laughen depe.
'Y-wis,' quod I, 'I will do your plesaunce;
The sixteenth statut doth me grete grevaunce,
But ye must that relesse or modifie.'
'I graunt,' quod she, 'and so I will truly.' 1015

And softly than her colour gan appeare,
As rose so rede, through-out her visage all,
Wherefore me think it is according here,
That she of right be cleped Rosiall.
Thus have I won, with wordes grate and small, 1020
Some goodly word of hir that I love best,
And trust she shall yit set myne harte in rest.

. . . . . .

'Goth on,' she seid to Philobone, 'and take
This man with you, and lede him all abowt
Within the court, and shew him, for my sake, 1025
What lovers dwell withinne, and all the rowte
Of officers; for he is, out of dowte,
A straunger yit:'--'Come on,' quod Philobone,
'Philogenet, with me now must ye gon.'

And stalking soft with esy pace, I saw 1030
About the king [ther] stonden environ,
Attendaunce, Diligence, and their felaw
Fortherer, Esperaunce, and many oon;
Dred-to-offend there stood, and not aloon;
For there was eke the cruell adversair, 1035
The lovers fo, that cleped is Dispair,

Which unto me spak angrely and fell,
And said, my lady me deceiven shall:
'Trowest thow,' quod she, 'that all that she did tell,
Is true? Nay, nay, but under hony gall! 1040
Thy birth and +hers, [they] be nothing egall:
Cast of thyn hart, for all her wordes whyte,
For in good faith she lovith thee but a lyte.

And eek remember, thyn habilite
May not compare with hir, this well thow wot.' 1045
Ye, than cam Hope and said, 'My frend, let be!
Beleve him not: Dispair, he ginneth dote.'
'Alas,' quod I, 'here is both cold and hot:
The tone me biddeth love, the toder nay;
Thus wot I not what me is best to say. 1050

But well wot I, my lady graunted me,
Truly to be my woundes remedy;
Her gentilness may not infected be
With dobleness, thus trust I till I dy.'
So cast I void Dispaires company, 1055
And taken Hope to councell and to frend.
'Ye, kepe that wele,' quod Philobone, 'in mind.'

And there besyde, within a bay-window,
Stood oon in grene, full large of brede and length,
His berd as blak as fethers of the crow; 1060
His name was Lust, of wounder might and strength;
And with Delyt to argue there he thenkth,
For this was all his [hool] opinion,
That love was sin! and so he hath begon

To reson fast, and legge auctoritè: 1065
'Nay,' quod Delyt, 'love is a vertue clere,
And from the soule his progress holdeth he:
Blind appetyt of lust doth often stere,
And that is sin: for reson lakketh there,
For thow [dost] think thy neighbours wyfe to win: 1070
Yit think it well that love may not be sin;

For god and seint, they love right verely,
Void of all sin and vice: this knowe I wele,
Affeccion of flessh is sin, truly;
But verray love is vertue, as I fele, 1075
For love may not thy freil desire akele:
For [verray] love is love withouten sin.'
'Now stint,' quoth Lust, 'thow spekest not worth a pin.'

And there I left thaim in their arguing,
Roming ferther in the castell wyde, 1080
And in a corner Lier stood talking
Of lesings fast, with Flatery there besyde;
He seid that women were attire of pryde,
And men were founde of nature variaunt,
And coud be false, and shewen beau semblaunt. 1085

Than Flatery bespake and seid, y-wis:
'See, so she goth on patens faire and fete,
Hit doth right wele: what prety man is this
That rometh here? Now truly, drink ne mete
Nede I not have; myne hart for joye doth bete 1090
Him to behold, so is he goodly fressh:
It semeth for love his harte is tender nessh.'

This is the court of lusty folk and glad,
And wel becometh their habit and array:
O why be som so sorry and so sad, 1095
Complaining thus in blak and whyte and gray?
Freres they ben, and monkes, in good fay:
Alas, for rewth! greet dole it is to seen,
To see thaim thus bewaile and sory been.

See how they cry and wring their handes whyte, 1100
For they so sone went to religion!
And eke the nonnes, with vaile and wimple plight,
There thought that they ben in confusion:
'Alas,' thay sayn, 'we fayn perfeccion,
In clothes wide, and lak our libertè; 1105
But all the sin mote on our frendes be.

For, Venus wot, we wold as fayn as ye,
That ben attired here and wel besene,
Desiren man, and love in our degree,
Ferme and feithfull, right as wold the quene: 1110
Our frendes wikke, in tender youth and grene,
Ayenst our will made us religious;
That is the cause we morne and wailen thus.'

Than seid the monks and freres in the tyde,
'Wel may we curse our abbeys and our place, 1115
Our statuts sharp, to sing in copes wyde,
Chastly to kepe us out of loves grace,
And never to fele comfort ne solace;
Yet suffre we the hete of loves fire,
And after than other haply we desire. 1120

O Fortune cursed, why now and wherefore
Hast thow,' they seid, 'beraft us libertè,
Sith nature yave us instrument in store,
And appetyt to love and lovers be?
Why mot we suffer suche adversitè, 1125
Diane to serve, and Venus to refuse?
Ful often sith this matier doth us muse.

We serve and honour, sore ayenst our will,
Of chastitè the goddes and the quene;
Us leffer were with Venus byden still, 1130
And have reward for love, and soget been
Unto thise women courtly, fressh, and shene.
Fortune, we curse thy whele of variaunce!
There we were wele, thou revest our plesaunce.'

Thus leve I thaim, with voice of pleint and care, 1135
In raging wo crying ful pitously;
And as I yede, full naked and full bare
Some I behold, looking dispitously,
On povertè that dedely cast their y;
And 'Welaway!' they cried, and were not fain, 1140
For they ne might their glad desire attain.

For lak of richesse worldely and of +gode,
They banne and curse, and wepe, and sein, 'Alas,
That poverte hath us hent that whylom stode
At hartis ese, and free and in good case! 1145
But now we dar not shew our-self in place,
Ne us embolde to duelle in company,
There-as our hart wold love right faithfully.'

And yet againward shryked every nonne,
The prang of love so straineth thaim to cry: 1150
'Now wo the tyme,' quod thay, 'that we be boun!
This hateful ordre nyse will don us dy!
We sigh and sobbe, and bleden inwardly,
Freting our-self with thought and hard complaint,
That ney for love we waxen wode and faint.' 1155

And as I stood beholding here and there,
I was war of a sort full languisshing,
Savage and wild of loking and of chere,
Their mantels and their clothës ay tering;
And oft thay were of nature complaining, 1160
For they their members lakked, fote and hand,
With visage wry and blind, I understand.

They lakked shap, and beautie to preferre
Theim-self in love: and seid, that god and kind
Hath forged thaim to worshippen the sterre, 1165
Venus the bright, and leften all behind
His other werkes clene and out of mind:
'For other have their full shape and bewtee,
And we,' quod they, 'ben in deformitè.'

And nye to thaim there was a company, 1170
That have the susters waried and misseid;
I mene, the three of fatall destinè,
That be our +werdes; and sone, in a brayd,
Out gan they cry as they had been affrayd,
'We curse,' quod thay, 'that ever hath nature 1175
Y-formed us, this wofull lyfe t'endure!'

And there he was contrite, and gan repent,
Confessing hole the wound that Citherè
Hath with the dart of hot desire him sent,
And how that he to love must subjet be: 1180
Than held he all his skornes vanitè,
And seid, that lovers lede a blisful lyfe,
Yong men and old, and widow, maid and wyfe.

'Bereve +me, goddesse,' quod he, '[of] thy might,
My skornes all and skoffes, that I have 1185
No power forth, to mokken any wight,
That in thy service dwell: for I did rave:
This know I well right now, so god me save,
And I shal be the chief post of thy feith,
And love uphold, the révers who-so seith.' 1190

Dissemble stood not fer from him in trouth,
With party mantill, party hood and hose;
And said, he had upon his lady rowth,
And thus he wound him in, and gan to glose
Of his entent full doble, I suppose: 1195
And al the world, he seid, he loved it wele;
But ay, me thoughte, he loved her nere a dele.

Eek Shamefastness was there, as I took hede,
That blusshed rede, and durst nat ben a-knowe
She lover was, for thereof had she drede; 1200
She stood and hing her visage down alowe;
But suche a sight it was to sene, I trow,
+As of these roses rody on their stalk:
There cowd no wight her spy to speke or talk

In loves art, so gan she to abasshe, 1205
Ne durst not utter all her privitè:
Many a stripe and many a grevous lasshe
She gave to thaim that wolden loveres be,
And hindered sore the simpill comonaltè,
That in no wyse durst grace and mercy crave; 1210
For were not she, they need but ask and have;

Where if they now approchin for to speke,
Than Shamefastness returnith thaim again:
Thay think, if +we our secret councell breke,
Our ladies will have scorn on us, certain, 1215
And [per]aventure thinken greet disdain:
Thus Shamefastness may bringin in Dispeir,
Whan she is dede, the toder will be heir.

Com forth, Avaunter! now I ring thy bell!
I spyed him sone; to god I make a-vowe, 1220
He loked blak as fendes doth in hell:--
'The first,' quod he, 'that ever [I] did +wowe,
Within a word she com, I wot not how,
So that in armes was my lady free;
And so hath ben a thousand mo than she. 1225

In Englond, Bretain, Spain, and Pycardie,
Arteys, and Fraunce, and up in hy Holand,
In Burgoyne, Naples, and [in] Italy,
Naverne, and Grece, and up in hethen land,
Was never woman yit that wold withstand 1230
To ben at myn commaundement, whan I wold:
I lakked neither silver, coin, ne gold.

And there I met with this estate and that;
And here I broched her, and here, I trow:
Lo! there goth oon of myne; and wot ye what? 1235
Yon fressh attired have I leyd full low;
And such oon yonder eke right well I know:
I kept the statut whan we lay y-fere;
And yet yon same hath made me right good chere.'

Thus hath Avaunter blowen every-where 1240
Al that he knowith, and more, a thousand-fold;
His auncetrye of kin was to Lière,
For firste he makith promise for to hold
His ladies councell, and it not unfold;
Wherfore, the secret when he doth unshit, 1245
Than lyeth he, that all the world may wit.

For falsing so his promise and behest,
I wounder sore he hath such fantasie;
He lakketh wit, I trowe, or is a best,
That can no bet him-self with reson gy. 1250
By myn advice, Love shal be contrarie
To his availe, and him eke dishonoure,
So that in court he shall no more sojoure.

'Take hede,' quod she, this litell Philobone,
'Where Envy rokketh in the corner yond, 1255
And sitteth dirk; and ye shall see anone
His lenë bodie, fading face and hond;
Him-self he fretteth, as I understond;
Witnesse of Ovid Methamorphosose;
The lovers fo he is, I wil not glose. 1260

For where a lover thinketh him promote,
Envy will grucch, repyning at his wele;
Hit swelleth sore about his hartes rote,
That in no wyse he can not live in hele;
And if the feithfull to his lady stele, 1265
Envy will noise and ring it round aboute,
And sey moche worse than don is, out of dowte.'

And Prevy Thought, rejoysing of him-self,
Stood not fer thens in habit mervelous;
'Yon is,' thought [I], 'som spirit or some elf, 1270
His sotill image is so curious:
How is,' quod I, 'that he is shaded thus
With yonder cloth, I not of what colour?'
And nere I went, and gan to lere and pore,

And frayned him [a] question full hard. 1275
'What is,' quod I, 'the thing thou lovest best?
Or what is boot unto thy paines hard?
Me think, thow livest here in grete unrest;
Thow wandrest ay from south to est and west,
And est to north; as fer as I can see, 1280
There is no place in court may holden thee.

Whom folowest thow? where is thy harte y-set?
But my demaunde asoile, I thee require.'
'Me thought,' quod he, 'no crëature may let
+Me to ben here, and where-as I desire: 1285
For where-as absence hath don out the fire,
My mery thought it kindleth yet again,
That bodily, me think, with my souverain

I stand and speke, and laugh, and kisse, and halse,
So that my thought comforteth me full oft: 1290
I think, god wot, though all the world be false,
I will be trewe; I think also how soft
My lady is in speche, and this on-loft
Bringeth myn hart +to joye and [greet] gladnesse;
This prevey thought alayeth myne hevinesse. 1295

And what I thinke, or where to be, no man
In all this erth can tell, y-wis, but I:
And eke there nis no swallow swift, ne swan
So wight of wing, ne half [so] yern can fly;
For I can been, and that right sodenly, 1300
In heven, in helle, in paradise, and here,
And with my lady, whan I will desire.

I am of councell ferre and wyde, I wot,
With lord and lady, and their previtè
I wot it all; but be it cold or hot, 1305
They shall not speke without licence of me,
I mene, in suche as sesonable be;
For first the thing is thought within the hert,
Ere any word out from the mouth astert.'

And with that word Thought bad farewell and yede: 1310
Eke furth went I to seen the courtes gyse:
And at the dore cam in, so god me spede,
+Twey courteours of age and of assyse
Liche high, and brode, and, as I me advyse,
The Golden Love, and Leden Love thay hight: 1315
The ton was sad, the toder glad and light.

[_Some stanzas lost._]

'Yis! draw your hart, with all your force and might,
To lustiness, and been as ye have seid;
And think that I no drop of favour hight,
Ne never had to your desire obeyd, 1320
Till sodenly, me thought, me was affrayed,
To seen you wax so dede of countenaunce;
And Pitè bad me don you some plasaunce.

Out of her shryne she roos from deth to lyve,
And in myne ere full prevely she spak, 1325
"Doth not your servaunt hens away to dryve,
Rosiall," quod she; and than myn harte [it] brak,
For tender +reuth: and where I found moch lak
In your persoune, +than I my-self bethought,
And seid, "This is the man myne harte hath sought."' 1330

'Gramercy, Pitè! might I +but suffice
To yeve the lawde unto thy shryne of gold,
God wot, I wold; for sith that +thou did rise
From deth to lyve for me, I am behold
To +thanken you a thousand tymes told, 1335
And eke my lady Rosiall the shene,
Which hath in comfort set myn harte, I wene.

And here I make myn protestacion,
And depely swere, as [to] myn power, to been
Feithfull, devoid of variacion, 1340
And her forbere in anger or in tene,
And serviceable to my worldes quene,
With al my reson and intelligence,
To don her honour high and reverence.'

I had not spoke so sone the word, but she, 1345
My souverain, did thank me hartily,
And seid, 'Abyde, ye shall dwell still with me
Till seson come of May; for than, truly,
The King of Love and all his company
Shall hold his fest full ryally and well:' 1350
And there I bode till that the seson fell.

. . . . . .

On May-day, whan the lark began to ryse,
To matens went the lusty nightingale
Within a temple shapen hawthorn-wise;
He might not slepe in all the nightertale, 1355
But '_Domine labia_,' gan he crye and gale,
'My lippes open, Lord of Love, I crye,
And let my mouth thy preising now bewrye.'

The eagle sang '_Venite_, bodies all,
And let us joye to love that is our helth.' 1360
And to the deske anon they gan to fall,
And who come late, he pressed in by stelth:
Than seid the fawcon, our own hartis welth,
'_Domine, Dominus noster_, I wot,
Ye be the god that don us bren thus hot.' 1365

'_Celi enarrant_,' said the popingay,
'Your might is told in heven and firmament.'
And than came in the goldfinch fresh and gay,
And said this psalm with hertly glad intent,
'_Domini est terra_; this Laten intent, 1370
The god of Love hath erth in governaunce:'
And than the wren gan skippen and to daunce.

'_Jube, Domine_, Lord of Love, I pray
Commaund me well this lesson for to rede;
This legend is of all that wolden dey 1375
Marters for love; god yive the sowles spede!
And to thee, Venus, +sing we, out of drede,
By influence of all thy vertue grete,
Beseching thee to kepe us in our hete.'

The second lesson robin redebrest sang, 1380
'Hail to the god and goddess of our lay!'
And to the lectorn +amorously he sprang:--
'Hail,' quod [he] eke, 'O fresh seson of May,
Our moneth glad that singen on the spray!
Hail to the floures, rede, and whyte, and blewe, 1385
Which by their vertue make our lustes newe!'

The thrid lesson the turtill-dove took up,
And therat lough the mavis [as] in scorn:
He said, 'O god, as mot I dyne or sup,
This folissh dove will give us all an horn! 1390
There been right here a thousand better born,
To rede this lesson, which, as well as he,
And eke as hot, can love in all degree.'

The turtill-dove said, 'Welcom, welcom, May,
Gladsom and light to loveres that ben trewe! 1395
I thank thee, Lord of Love, that doth purvey
For me to rede this lesson all of dewe;
For, in gode sooth, of corage I +pursue
To serve my make till deth us must depart:'
And than '_Tu autem_' sang he all apart. 1400

'_Te deum amoris_' sang the thrustell-cok:
Tuball him-self, the first musician,
With key of armony coude not unlok
So swete [a] tewne as that the thrustill can:
'The Lord of Love we praisen,' quod he than, 1405
'And so don all the fowles, grete and lyte;
Honour we May, in fals lovers dispyte.'

'_Dominus regnavit_,' seid the pecok there,
'The Lord of Love, that mighty prince, y-wis,
He hath received her[e] and every-where: 1410
Now _Jubilate_ +sing:'--'What meneth this?'
Seid than the linet; 'welcom, Lord of blisse!'
Out-stert the owl with '_Benedicite_,
What meneth al this mery fare?' quod he.

'_Laudate_,' sang the lark with voice full shrill; 1415
And eke the kite, '_O admirabile_;
This quere will throgh myne eris pers and thrill;
But what? welcom this May seson,' quod he;
'And honour to the Lord of Love mot be,
That hath this feest so solemn and so high:' 1420
'_Amen_,' seid all; and so seid eke the pye.

And furth the cokkow gan procede anon,
With '_Benedictus_' thanking god in hast,
That in this May wold visite thaim echon,
And gladden thaim all whyl the fest shall last: 1425
And therewithall a-loughter out he brast,
'I thank it god that I shuld end the song,
And all the service which hath been so long.'

Thus sang thay all the service of the fest,
And that was don right erly, to my dome; 1430
And furth goth all the Court, both most and lest,
To feche the floures fressh, and braunche and blome;
And namly, hawthorn brought both page and grome.
With fressh garlandës, partie blewe and whyte,
And thaim rejoysen in their greet delyt. 1435

Eke eche at other threw the floures bright,
The prymerose, the violet, the gold;
So than, as I beheld the ryall sight,
My lady gan me sodenly behold,
And with a trew-love, plited many-fold, 1440
She smoot me through the [very] hert as blyve;
And Venus yet I thanke I am alyve.

_From_ MS. Trin. R. 3. 19, fol. 128; _collated with the print of the same in_ (S.) Stowe's _edition_ (1561). _I note some rejected readings of the_ MS. 1. tym_er_os; tremlyng. 3. poort. 4. none. 9. matere. 10. Poemys; Virgile. 11. Galfride. 15. termys. 17. honoure. 18. wille; S. wil. 19, 20, 23. thowe. 24. the; anone. 25. miste.

28. litill. 29. courte. 30. bene. 31. beseche. 32. whate; nede. 34. woo. 35. soo. 36. myne. 39. kynde. 41. pleasure. 48. courte. 49. mounte. 51. maiestie. 52. sonne. 53. Cupyde; blynde; dignyte. 54. theire kne. 55. bidde; S. bid. in (_read_ on). to pere (_read_ tapere). 56. Marcury. 57. be; S. by. ferre. 58. whate; that it drewe (_read_ to it drew). 59. courte. 60. se (_read_ sey). 61. knewe. 62. courte; nye. 63. full_e_ faste; hie.

64. overtoke; seide. 65. Haile; wende. 66. Forsothe; one; mayde. 67. courte nowe goo. 71. withynne. 74. behelde. 76. bespredde. 77. stone; S. stones. werke. 79. thanne; emerawde. 80. Bales turkes. 82. bene. 83. shone; pease. 84. trespace; tweyne. 86. founde; faste. 87. harte. 88. maste. 89. gynith; S. ginneth. 90. please. 94. whate. 97. discrive; S. descrie. 98. sawe; none. 100. Withynne; oute.

102. sawe; verely. 103. whate; deyses; signifie. 104. floure. 105. yit; S. it. kepte; soioure. 108. obeide. 111, 117. theire. 112. whate; cowde. 113. nere (_twice_). 116. silke. 119. Helise. 121. beseen. 123. theire; sawe; twayn. 124. frett; payne. 125. drynke. 126. ryaltie; S. rialtee. 128. bene. 129. nere. 130. disdeyne. 132. _I supply_ non. 133. ye; S. eye. 134. stode. 136. shapyn liche; darte. 137. Sherpe. 138. shone.

139. Disshivill crispe downe. 140. southly; spake. 141. the; faire. 143. weneth (S. w[=o]neth). howe; eyre. 144. Grete; crafte; grete; delite. 146. occupie. 147. Cithare; nowe swete. 148. spake. 149. worde; harde. 150. myne; aduerte. 151. witte; harde. 152. bewtie; ferde. 154. Whenne. 155. whate. 157. sone. 162. howe; whate. 163. come; whate. 164. sene; Courte. 166. aske; grete. 167. none; come; courte. 171. Mercurius (_see_ l. 56). 172. gentill feire; nowe. 173. whate thowe; S. what tho (i.e. then). 174. youre fre wille. 175. dide; wille.

176. reigne. 177. ease. ioylof; S. ialous (_read_ iolif). 178. Youre dewtie; ferre; canne. 179. courte; youre. 181. knowe. 182. whanne youre fote; spanne. 183. be (_for_ by); wilfull. 184. kepte youre. 185. youre (_often_). 186. motte. 188. S. Amidde the sea. rayne. 189. That(!); S. Then. payne. 190. suche; absente. 191. courte. 192. sone. 193. wille; youre coloure. 194. most bayte. 195. agoone. 196. drawe; Courte. 197. se howe rowhe (S. rough). 198. shewe; se. 199. myne; knele downe; aske. 201. welle; wolle none. 202. Comforte; none; councell; youre ease. 203. wille; thanne. 204. Iche. 207. please howe. 208. myne owen. 209. sprite.

211. the; S. that. 212. worche. 214. benigne harte. 215. myghtes (_read_ might is). 216. lyste; correcte. 217. punyssh; enfecte. 221. gode; founde. 222. grounde. 223. cupide. 225. behild; S. behelde. 226. Seyng. 227. folke; wild (S. welde). 228. Theire; wele; case. 229. shone; wyndowes; glasse. 230. feire. 231. fressh. 232. bewtie. 235. penytyng (!). 237. aboute. 238. howe; feale. 239. stonyed; S. astonied. 240. thoo folke. 241. hade. 244, 245. theire. 246. To (!); _read_ Lo; folke; blewe. 247. coloure.

248. signe. 249. southly. 250. calle. 251. bene. 252. ferre; sherpe. 253. whate done. 254. hermytes. 256. theire woo. 257. goo 258. Frely; suche libertie. 259. eche. 260. none. 261. made. 262. courte; fre; euerichone. 263. wille. 264. arraye. 265. mekely. 266. theire harte. 267. aboute. 268. se; come; high (S. hie). 269. co_m_maunde. 270. -oute; courte; crye. 271. newe; wote; whye. 272. luste; youe sone. 273. Come nere; se; wille mote nede; done. 275. Tremelyng (S. Trembling); hewe. 277. unto the tyme (_om._ the); knewe. 278. yove (S. yeue); trewe. 279. laste. 280. sterne; whate. 281. ferre. 282. courte.

284. coude; espye. 285. myne; eny; myne ye. 286. gane. 287. nowe; submytte. 289. thowe; trewe. 290. seruen(!); thyne. 291. thanne. 292. Thowe shalte. 293. owe youre crowne. 295. sene; euerychone. 296. hie. 297. oure; shewe; one by one. 298. statutis; courte. 299. boke; leide; her (S. their); ye. 300. se whate; most. 301. courte. 302. redde. 303. statutis; courte; halle. 304. firste statute. 307. kynde. 308. coude thynke; harte; wille; mynde. 309. secunde statute secretely. 311. knowe; and (_read_ or). 312. sowne. 315. kynde. 316. thridde statute. 317. _om._ the (_supplied in_ S.). 318. None; woo.

319. brynde delite. 320. Withoute. 323. statute. 324. folke; fire. 325. aboute. 326. hote desire. 327. howe. 328. kepte; displease. 329. ease. 330. statute. 332. squymouse. 333. veryeuly (S. verely); statute. 335. crueltie. 336. harte exilyn. 337. statute. 339. bewtie. 340. thinke; _I supply_ it. 341. thynke. 342. Howe. 343. woo. 344. statute. 347. helden (_sic_). 348. othe. 350. And shewing (_om._ And). 351. statute. 353. hourely laboure; grete attendaunce (S. entte_n_daunce). 354. harte entier.

356. fire; S. faire. 357. debonayre. 358. statute. 361. displease. 363. mekely; yerde. 365. statute; discerne. 367. thynke; arte; yerne. 373. thyne harte. 374. disdayne. 375. the. 376. yf (S. giue); reyne. 377. libertie. 378. ellis. 379. statute. knowe (_read_ con). 380. Ie (_for_ y). 381. lowe; kowigh (_for_ cough). 382. ofte. 383. bring vp (_om._ vp). 384. moche resorte. 385. sporte. 386. statute. 387. payne; haste. 389. thou _or_ thon (S. the_n_); thynke; goo. 392. bette.

393. statute. 394. Whate; please. 395. thyne hartes. 396. think; _I supply_ it; thyne ease. 397. sent (_read_ send); harte pease (_read_ herte apese). 398. letre; devise. 400. statute; shalte. 401. Formely; parte. 402. Wisshe. 403. thy nyghtes hart_es_ wife (_om._ nyghtes). 405. whanne. 406. merely. 408. statute. 409. frende. 410. thynke. 411. shuld. 412. beste. 413. semyth (S. semth). 414. thinke; fayre. 415. Cowde. 416. thinke; wykked (_read_ wikke); appaier. 417. Sklaunderyng; estate. 418. debate. 419. fawte; thyne ye. 421. statute. 422. counterfete. 423. honoure; -whare. 424. _I supply_ for her; boldely. 425. gode; gostely. 426. harte.

428. Agayne; plesire. 429. wille. 430. shalte thowe. 431. crowe. 432. whate; the wille forbidde. 433. Eschewe; souerentie. 434. Hir appetide felawe (_sic_; S. appetite folowe). 435. statute. 436. please. 437. morowe. 438. drynke; thyne ease. 439. thyne; dyssease. 440. wynne; alle. 441. courte; shalle. 442. fewe thynke; statute. 443. reason. 445. please; ofte. 446. none othe; statute. 448. Nowe; garlant; folke. 449. (_From this point, I cease to give minute corrections of spelling, such as are given above._) 451. fel (_read_ ful). 452. delite. 455. hard; statute redde. 458. fonne. 460. In the remembraunce (I _omit_ the). 461. And (_read_ As).

466. It (_read_ Yit). 468. gam; S. game. 469. bidde (_read_ bit). 470. holy. 471. please. 476. mastresse. 481. but(!); _read_ been. 483. the (_for 1st_ they; S. thei). 490. be (_for_ by). MS. savioure(!); S. soueraine. 492. hartes. 495. MS. revowe; S. renewe; _I supply_ all. 497. made. 499. sene(!). 500. wonne; S. won. be (_for_ by).

508. cherely (S. clerely); shone. 510. they (_read_ ye). 517. herkyn. 518. othe; made. 519. loues (!); S. leaues. 523. bene. 524. statute (_read_ statuts; _see_ 520). 525. hie. 526. kepten ben. 527. ecchone. 528. owen. 531. youe; S. yeue. 534. guyse. 535. thengene.

541. be (_for_ by). 542. sugre. 543. hart. 547. youen; S. yeuen. 548. Or; S. Of. yove; S. yeue. 551. widue; S. widowe. 552. Or (!); S. For. 554. guyde. 556. Cithera. 557. _I supply_ the; enfluence. 559. ladis (S. ladies); please. 560. hart; ease. 561. prayer (_for_ pray her). 563. hart. 565. filicite. 574. hote. 575. feele; S. fele.

579. woo. 580. blessedfull; S. blissedful. 581. bene. 582. ponysshe. 583. counterfete. 584. dye; S. deie. 587. Baron (_read_ Barein); S. Barain. 588. alleide. 590. blisse. 592. eternel (_read_ eterne); I-hired (_read_ y-heried). 594. wanne. 595. woman vnto woman (!); S. woman unto man. 599, 613. hartes. 605. _I supply_ to. 608. faute; excercised. 611. celcitude. 614. Compersion; S. Comparison. 615. made.

618. _I supply_ that. 626. godely. 628. Beseche. 632. Lucorne; S. Liquor (!). 634. vse (!); S. vre. 635. harte. 637. blissed; S. blessed. 643. yove (S. yeue); to me (S. me aie, _which seems better_). 644. and nedely most (_om._ and). 648. be (_for 1st_ by). 650. vision. 651. se (_read_ sey). 654. _I supply_ that; shone. 655. fercid.

663. by; S. be. 669. hartes hie. 671. guyde. 673. harte. 674. affeccion. 675. hart; styke. 679. hart_es_. 682. for to (_om._ for). 684. in kepen (!); S. I kepen. 687. preice. 689. harte; peice.

695. ye. 697. wounderly. 698. hie. 699. Who; _read_ Whos. 704. harte. 705. piteously; S. pitously. 708. haue (!); _read_ half. 710. Asslike_n_ (_read_ Aslaken); S. Asken (!). 711. gryfe; S. grief. 714. womanhode (!). 717. meane; ease. 718. owen. 721. please. 724. witte. 725. spryngen (_sic_). 726. dowte. 729. sene. 730. sonne.

731. demeane. 732. spede; S. speke (_a needless alteration_). 733. MS. mir and ioye and blisse; S. mirrour ioye and blisse. 738. abeisen. 740. withouten. 742. is (_read_ as); _supply_ is; youen (S. yeuon). 745. be; S. by. 747. think; S. thanke. 749. the (= þe, _error for_ ye); S. thei (!). 751. fayne. 755. opon. 756. piteously; S. pitously. 757. faier. 758. vertuse (_sic_). 759. heire (!). 760. ote (!); S. hote. 764. godely; whoes.

768. ye (_read_ ee). 769. harte. 770. you (!); S. yeue. 772. grete. 776. toke. 777. harte. 781. lylly. 782. loueliessh (!); S. liuelishe. flawe (_for_ flave). 794. prengnaunte. 800. stand. 801. one. 802. oders (!); S. odours; found. 803. switnesse; S. swetenesse.

806. pease; hidde. 807. bewry; S. bewraie. 808. bidde. 811. her intresse (_read_ here in tresses). 812. kepte (_perhaps for_ kempt). 820. _I supply_ but. 821. _I supply_ yet. MS. alcenia (!). 823. eurosa (!). 825. stode. 828. delite. 832. godely. 834. toke. 840. folowith. 841. _I supply_ the _and_ all. 843. I (!); S. ye.

846. give (!); _read_ grief. 847. harte (!); _read_ harm. 850. mekely. 852. require (!). 856. harte. 857. meke. 862. and me (S. me); _read_ my. 868. rase. 870. delite. 871. please; harte. 872. _I supply_ old. 874. thynkes (_sic_). 876. Eprent (_for_ E_n_prent). 878. becom_m_en. 879. owyn; S. owne. 880. most. 882. yf (= yif); S. giue.

883. one; harte. 884. refute. 886. allegaunce (!). 890. gode wille. 893. cheryssh. 894. gref. 896. southly. 897. and (!); _read_ I. 902. sene (_sic_). 908. vppon; _read_ on. 909. nete (_error for_ note = noot). 910. hete (_error for_ hote = hoot). 911. hart why (_rest of line blank; I supply_ make it straunge). 914. For (!); S. Fro. 915. harte. 918. goddes (S. gods); _read_ god.

921. harte. 922. beganne. 924. _I supply_ lo; nobly (S. nobleye). 927. done (_sic_). 928. growen (_sic_); S. greuen. 939. clere; hatter (S. hotter); ye. 944, 945. done, sone. 946. ye. 948. syke; _read_ seke. 950. serchynne; _read_ serchen in. 951. wynne. 952. abide (_read_ byde); thowe; kynne. 954. guyse. 955. rewth. 956. owen; lawly. 958. thowe. 959. most.

963. Cease (_twice_). 965. optayne. 968. rightwose (!). 970. ye may gise (_or_ gife) this wounder wide (_no sense_). 973. Alas thanne youre (_om._ thanne); crueltie. 974. gote. 975. fostered and Ifedde. 977. Ispedde. 984. arst. 985. spritis. 993. sauf. 994. ar (_for_ er).

998. Aryse anon quod (_om._ anon). 999. nytirtale. 1001. made. 1004. _I supply_ ye. 1006. myne harte. 1007. harte; ease. 1008. please. 1009. steutes (!); _error for_ statuts. 1014. most. 1018. thynke that it (_I omit_ that). 1021. godely. 1023. phelobone. 1027. officers him shewe for (_om._ him shewe). 1030. easy pase. 1031. _I supply_ ther.

1032. felowe. 1033. asperaunce. 1034. stode. 1035. adu_er_sary (!). 1036. displesire (!); _for_ Despair (_see_ l. 1047). 1038. dysseyuene (!); _error for_ dysseyuen. 1039. Throwest (!); S. Trowest. 1041. his (!); _read_ hers; _I supply_ they. 1043. gode; louith. 1048. hote. 1054. dye. 1059. Stode one. 1062. thynketh; S. thinkth. 1063. _I supply_ hool. 1064. synne; begonne. 1065. reason. 1066. delite.

1068. appityde (!); stirre (S. stere). 1069. synne; reason. 1070. _I supply_ dost; do wyn (_read_ to win). 1071. synne. 1072. verely. 1073. synne; vise. 1074. synne. 1076. For verray loue may not thy freyle desire akkele (_too long_). 1077. _I supply_ verray; synne. 1078. pynne. 1081. stode. 1083. woman (!). 1085. beawe. 1089. her; S. here. 1091. godely. 1094. abite. 1097. gode. 1098. sene. 1099. bene.

1106. synne. 1108. hire (!); S. here. 1114. monke; _read_ monks. 1115. course (S. curse); abbes. 1120. aftir than other happly. 1122. libartie. 1124. appetide (!). 1127. matiers (!). 1134. revist. 1136. woo; petiously. 1138. beholde (_perhaps read_ beheld); dispiteously. 1139. ye.

1142. gold (!); _read_ gode _or_ good. 1145. eas; gode. 1146. _Not in the_ MS.; _supplied by_ Stowe. 1150. prange (_and so in_ S.). 1151. woo; boune. 1152. dye. 1156. stode. 1157. ware. 1159. mantaylles. 1161. there; S. their. 1168. shappe; bewtie. 1173. wordes (!). 1176. to endure. 1177. _Sic._ 1179. sent; _perhaps read_ shent.

1182. blissed full (!). 1183. widue. 1184. my (_read_ me); _I supply_ of. 1186. forth (S. for). 1187. ded (_for_ did). 1189. Chife. 1192. hode. 1198. toke. 1199. blasshed (_for_ blusshed); darst (_for_ durst). 1203. And (!); _read_ As. 1205. harte (!); _for_ art. 1206. previte. 1208. gaven (!). 1209. co_mo_naltie. 1211. nede. 1214. thay (_read_ we); secrites (!). 1215. ladys; certen. 1216. _I supply_ per-. 1217, 1218. bryngyn; dispeire; heire.

1222. firste; _I supply_ I; ded vowe. 1228. _I supply_ in. 1229. lond. 1230. withstond. 1233. the (!); S. this. 1235. goith one; wotte; whate. 1236. Yonne. 1237. one. 1242. kynne; lier. 1244. ladys. 1245. vnshitte. 1246. That leith; S. Than lieth; witte. 1248. fantasie. 1250. canne; bette; reason guy. 1251. Be (_for_ By). 1253. soiorne (!); S. soioure. 1255. rokketh (_perhaps read_ rouketh); Cornor (!).

1259. methamorphosees; S. Methamorphosose. 1260. foo; gloose. 1263. hartes. 1269. Stode; ferre; abite. 1270. Yonne; _I supply_ I; sprite. 1271. corious; S. curious. 1275. _I supply_ a. 1277. bote. 1280. ferre; canne. 1285. Nowe; _read_ Me. 1287. kyndelith. 1288. bodely. 1294. from (!); _read_ to; _I supply_ greet.

1299. _I supply_ so. 1302. laday (!); S. lady. 1305. hoote or cold. 1306. withouten. 1307, 1308. harte, astarte. 1311. sene; cortis guyse. 1313. Twenty (!); _read_ Twey. 1316. The tone. 1320. vnto; _read_ to. 1322. sene. 1323. pleasaunce. 1324. shyne (S. shrine); rose. 1325. eke (!); S. eare. 1327. _I supply_ it; blak (_for_ brak). 1328. reiche (_read_ reuth). 1329. and I me; _read_ than I myself.

1331. not (!); _read_ but. 1333. she (_sic_); _read_ thou. 1335. taken (!); S. thanken. 1339. _I supply_ to. 1341. heree (!); _for_ her. 1343. reason. 1348, 1351. season. 1358. bewreye; S. bewrye. 1362. preced. 1363. oure owen. 1365. brenne; hote.

1366. Cely enarant. 1369. thus (!; S. this); hartily. 1375. dye. 1376. yf (_for_ yive). 1377. signe (!). 1382. amoryly (!); sprong. 1383. _I supply_ he. 1384. _Sic._ 1386. maketh; _read_ make. 1387. toke. 1388. _I supply_ as. 1389. mut; dyene; suppe. 1390. gife. 1398. south; purpose (!); _read_ pursue. 1399. most. 1400. tue (!). 1403. on-lok. 1404. _I supply_ a.

1406. light; _read_ lyte. 1411. sang (!); _read_ sing. 1412. lynette. 1416. ki[gh]t; S. kight. 1417. throwe. 1418. season. 1420. solempne. 1425. lest. 1431. goith. 1432. bleme (!). 1434. garlantis. 1435. reioyson; theire grete delite. 1441. smote; thrugh; _I supply_ very; harte.

* * * * *

XXV. VIRELAI.

Alone walking, In thought pleyning,
And sore sighing, All desolate,
Me remembring Of my living,
My deth wishing Bothe erly and late.

Infortunate Is so my fate 5
That, wote ye what? Out of mesure
My lyf I hate Thus desperate;
In pore estate Do I endure.

Of other cure Am I nat sure,
Thus to endure Is hard, certain; 10
Such is my ure, I yow ensure;
What creature May have more pain?

My trouth so pleyn Is take in veyn,
And gret disdeyn In remembraunce;
Yet I full feyn Wold me compleyn 15
Me to absteyn From this penaunce.

But in substaunce Noon allegeaunce
Of my grevaunce Can I nat finde;
Right so my chaunce With displesaunce
Doth me avaunce; And thus an ende. 20

_Explicit._

_From_ Trin. (Trin. Coll. Cam. R. 3. 19); _collated with_ S. (Stowe's ed. 1561). 4. S. death. Trin. wyssyng; S. wishyng. S. early. 5. Trin. soo; S. so. 6. Trin. whate Oute. S. measure. 7. Trin. lyfe; S. life. 8. Trin. In suche pore (I _omit_ suche). S. Doe. 9. S. not. 12. S. Maie. 13. S. truthe; plain; vain. 14. S. greate disdain. 15. Trin. feyne; S. faine. S. Would. Trin. co_m_pleyne; S. co_m_plaine. 16. Trin. absteyne; S. abstaine. 17. S. None. 18. S. not. 20. S. Doeth.

* * * * *

XXVI. PROSPERITY.

Richt as povert causith sobirnes,
And febilnes enforcith contenence,
Richt so prosperitee and gret riches
The moder is of vice and negligence;
And powere also causith insolence; 5
And honour oftsiss chaungith gude thewis;
Thare is no more perilous pestilence
Than hie estate geven unto schrewis.
Quod Chaucere.

XXVI. _From_ MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24, fol. 119; _I give rejected spellings_. 3. Ry_ch_t; grete. 7. p_er_ilouss.

* * * * *

XXVII. LEAULTE VAULT RICHESSE.

This warldly joy is only fantasy,
Of quhich non erdly wicht can be content;
Quho most has wit, lest suld in it affy,
Quho taistis it most, most sall him repent;
Quhat valis all this richess and this rent, 5
Sen no man wat quho sall his tresour have?
Presume nocht gevin that god has don but lent,
Within schort tyme the quhiche he thinkis to crave.

_Leaulte vault richesse._

XXVII. _From_ MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24, fol. 138; _I give rejected spellings_. 1. Ioy; onely. 3. leste. 6. wate. 7. done. 9. richess.

* * * * *

XXVIII. SAYINGS PRINTED BY CAXTON.

1. Whan feyth failleth in prestes sawes,
And lordes hestes ar holden for lawes,
And robbery is holden purchas,
And lechery is holden solas,
Than shal the lond of Albyon 5
Be brought to grete confusioun.

2. Hit falleth for every gentilman
To saye the best that he can
In [every] mannes absence,
And the soth in his presence. 10

3. Hit cometh by kynde of gentil blode
To cast away al hevines,
And gadre to-gidre wordes good;
The werk of wisdom berith witnes.

_Et sic est finis._

XXVIII. _From_ Caxton's print of Chaucer's Anelida, &c.; see vol. i. p. 46. Also in ed. 1542, in later spelling.

7. Cx. euery. 9. _I supply_ every. 12. Cx. heuynes. 14. Cx. wisedom.

* * * * *

XXIX. BALADE IN PRAISE OF CHAUCER.

Master Geffray Chauser, that now lyth in grave,
The nobyll rethoricien, and poet of Gret Bretayne,
That worthy was the lawrer of poetry have
For thys hys labour, and the palme attayne;
Whych furst made to dystyll and reyne 5
The gold dew-dropys of speche and eloquence
In-to Englyssh tong, thorow hys excellence.

_Explicit._

XXIX. _From_ MS. Trin. R. 3. 19, fol. 25; _also in_ Stowe (ed. 1561). 1. MS. Chaus_er_s; Stowe, Chauser. 2. Rethoricion (!). 6. elloquence.

* * * * *

NOTES.

§ I. THE TESTAMENT OF LOVE.

The text is from Thynne's first edition (1532); the later reprints are of inferior value. No MS. of this piece is known. Rejected spellings are given at the bottom of each page. Conjectural emendations are marked by a prefixed obelus (+). In many places, words or letters are supplied, within square brackets, to complete or improve the sense. For further discussion of this piece, see the Introduction.