Chapter IV: Part 4

‘Et pensetz, dame, de ceo q’ai dit pieça,’ ii. 3.
‘Qe mieulx voldroie morir en son servage,’ xxiii. 2.

So with _dame_, _dames_, xix. l. 20, xx. l. 13, xxxvii. l. 18, xlvi. l. 15[K]; and with other words, xxv. l. 8, &c., _aime_, xxxiii. l. 10, _nouche_, xxxviii. l. 23, _grace_, xliv. l. 8, _fame_. In xx. 1 the same thing occurs exceptionally in another part of the line, the word _roe_ counting as one syllable only, though it is a dissyllable in _Mir._ 10942. Naturally the termination _-ée_, as in iii. 2,

‘La renomée, dont j’ai l’oreile pleine,’

does not constitute an epic caesura, because, as observed elsewhere, the final _e_ in this case did not count as a syllable in Anglo-Norman verse.

On the whole we may say that Gower treats the caesura with much the same freedom as is used in the English verse of the period, and at the same time he marks the beat of his iambic verse more strongly than was done by the contemporary French poets.

MATTER AND STYLE.--As regards the literary character of these compositions it must be allowed that they have, as Warton says, ‘much real and intrinsic merit.’ There is indeed a grace and poetical feeling in some of them which makes them probably the best things of the kind that have been produced by English writers of French, and as good as anything of the kind which had up to that time been written in English. The author himself has marked them off into two unequal divisions. The poems of the first class (i-v) express for us the security of the accepted lover, whose suit is to end in lawful marriage:

‘Jeo sui tout soen et elle est toute moie,
Jeo l’ai et elle auci me voet avoir;
Pour tout le mond jeo ne la changeroie.’ (_Bal._ v.)

From these he passes to those expressions of feeling which apply to lovers generally, ‘qui sont diversement travailez en la fortune d’amour.’ Nothing can be more graceful in its way than the idea and expression of _Bal._ viii, ‘D’estable coer, qui nullement se mue,’ where the poet’s thought is represented as a falcon, flying on the wings of longing and desire in a moment across the sea to his absent mistress, and taking his place with her till he shall see her again. Once more, in _Bal._ xv, the image of the falcon appears, but this time it is a bird which is allowed to fly only with a leash, for so bound is the lover to his lady that he cannot but return to her from every flight. At another time (_Bal._ xviii) the lover is in despair at the hardness of his lady’s heart: drops of water falling will in time wear through the hardest stone; but this example will not serve him, for he cannot pierce the tender ears of his mistress with prayers, how urgent and repeated soever; God and the saints will hear his prayers, but she is harder than the marble of the quarry--the more he entreats, the less she listens, ‘Com plus la prie, et meinz m’ad entendu.’ Again (xiii) his state is like the month of March, now shine, now shower. When he looks on the sweet face of his lady and sees her ‘gentilesse,’ wisdom, and bearing, he has only pure delight; but when he perceives how far above him is her worth, fear and despair cloud over his joy, as the moon is darkened by eclipse. But in any case he must think of her (xxiv); she has so written her name on his heart that when he hears the chaplain read his litany he can think of nothing but of her. God grant that his prayer may not be in vain! Did not Pygmalion in time past by prayer obtain that his lady should be changed from stone to flesh and blood, and ought not other lovers to hope for the same fortune from prayer? He seems to himself to be in a dream, and he questions with himself and knows not whether he is a human creature or no, so absorbed is his being by his love. God grant that his prayer may not be in vain! He removes himself from her for a time (xxv) because of evil speakers, who with their slanders might injure her good name; but she must know that his heart is ever with her and that all his grief and joy hangs upon her, ‘Car qui bien aime ses amours tard oblie.’ But (xxix) she has misunderstood his absence; report tells him that she is angry with him. If she knew his thoughts, she would not be so disposed towards him; this balade he sends to make his peace, for he cannot bear to be out of her love. In another (xxxii) he expresses the deepest dejection: the New Year has come and is proceeding from winter towards spring, but for him there is winter only, which shrouds him in the thickest gloom. His lady’s beauty ever increases, but there is no sign of that kindness which should go with it; love only tortures him and gives him no friendly greeting. To this balade there is no Envoy, whether it be by negligence of the copyist, or because the lover could not even summon up spirit to direct it to his mistress. Again (xxxiii), he has given her his all, body and soul, both without recall, as a gift for this New Year of which he has just now spoken: his sole delight is to serve her. Will she not reward him even by a look? He asks for no present from her, let him only have some sign which may bid him hope, ‘Si plus n’y soit, donetz le regarder.’ The coming of Saint Valentine encourages him somewhat (xxxiv) with the reflection that all nature yields to love, but (xxxv) he remembers with new depression that though birds may choose their mates, yet he remains alone. May comes on (xxxvii), and his lady should turn her thoughts to love, but she sports with flowers and pays no heed to the prayer of her prisoner. She is free, but he is strongly bound; her close is full of flowers, but he cannot enter it; in the sweet season his fortune is bitter, May is for him turned into winter: ‘Vous estes franche et jeo sui fort lié.’

Then the lady has her say, and in accordance with the prerogative of her sex her moods vary with startling abruptness. She has doubts (xli) about her lover’s promises. He who swears most loudly is the most likely to deceive, and some there are who will make love to a hundred and swear to each that she is the only one he loves. ‘To thee, who art one thing in the morning and at evening another, I send this balade for thy reproof, to let thee know that I leave thee and care not for thee.’ In xliii she is fully convinced of his treachery, he is falser than Jason to Medea or Eneas to Dido. How different from Lancelot and Tristram and the other good knights! ‘C’est ma dolour que fuist ainçois ma joie.’ With this is contrasted the sentiment of xliv, in which the lady addresses one whom she regards as the flower of chivalry and the ideal of a lover, and to whom she surrenders unconditionally. The lady speaks again in xlvi, and then the series is carried to its conclusion with rather a markedly moral tone. At the end comes an address to the Virgin, in which the author declares himself bound to serve all ladies, but her above them all. No lover can really be without a loving mistress, for in her is love eternal and invariable. He loves and serves her with all his heart, and he trusts to have his reward. The whole concludes with an Envoy addressed to ‘gentle England,’ describing the book generally as a memorial of the joy which has come to the poet’s country from its noble king Henry, sent by heaven to redress its ills.

PRINTED EDITIONS.--The _Balades_ have been twice printed. They were published by the Roxburghe Club in 1818, together with the other contents of the Trentham MS. except the English poem, with the title ‘Balades and other Poems by John Gower. Printed from the original MS. in the library of the Marquis of Stafford at Trentham,’ Roxburghe Club, 1818, 4to. The editor was Earl Gower. This edition has a considerable number of small errors, several of which obscure the sense; only a small number of copies was printed, and the book can hardly be obtained.

In 1886 an edition of the _Balades_ and of the _Traitié_ was published in Germany under the name of Dr. Edmund Stengel in the series of ‘Ausgaben und Abhandlungen aus dem Gebiete der romanischen Philologie.’ The title of this book is ‘John Gower’s Minnesang und Ehezuchtbüchlein: LXXII anglonormannische Balladen ... neu herausgegeben von Edmund Stengel.’ Marburg, 1886. The preface is signed with the initials D. H. The editor of this convenient little book was unable to obtain access to the original MS., apparently because he had been wrongly informed as to the place where it was to be found, and accordingly printed the _Balades_ from the Roxburghe edition with such emendations as his scholarship suggested. He removed a good many obvious errors of a trifling kind, and in a few cases he was successful in emending the text by conjecture. Some important corrections, however, still remained to be made, and in several instances he introduced error into the text either by incorrectly transcribing the Roxburghe edition or by unsuccessful attempts at emendation. I do not wish to speak with disrespect of this edition. The editor laboured under serious disadvantages in not being able to refer to the original MS. and in not having always available even a copy of the Roxburghe edition, so that we cannot be surprised that he should have made mistakes. I have found his text useful to work upon in collation, and some of his critical remarks are helpful.

THE PRESENT TEXT.--The text of this edition is based directly on the MS., which remains still in the library at Trentham Hall and to which access was kindly allowed me by the Duke of Sutherland. I propose to describe the MS. fully, since it is of considerable interest, and being in a private library it is not generally accessible.

The Trentham MS., referred to as T., is a thin volume, containing 41 leaves of parchment, measuring about 6¼ in. x 9¼ in., and made up apparently as follows: a^4, b^1, c^6, d--f^8 (one leaf cut out), g^1, h^4, i^2 (no catchwords).

The first four leaves and the last two are blank except for notes of ownership, &c., so that the text of the book extends only from f. 5 to f. 39, one leaf being lost between f. 33 and f. 34.

The pages are ruled for 35 lines and are written in single column. The handwriting is of the end of the fourteenth or beginning of the fifteenth century, and resembles what I elsewhere describe as the ‘third hand’ in MS. Fairfax 3, though I should hesitate to affirm that it is certainly the same, not having had the opportunity of setting the texts side by side. There is, however, another hand in the MS., which appears in the Latin lines on ff. 33 v^o and 39 v^o.

The initial letters of poems and stanzas are coloured, but there is no other ornamentation.

The book contains (1) ff. 5--10 v^o, the English poem in seven-line stanzas addressed to Henry IV, beginning ‘O worthi noble kyng.’

(2) f. 10 v^o, 11, the Latin piece beginning ‘Rex celi deus.’

(3) f. 11 v^o--12 v^o, two French balades with a set of Latin verses between them, addressed to Henry IV (f. 12 is seriously damaged). This is what I refer to as the Dedication.

(4) ff. 12 v^o--33, _Cinkante balades_.

(5) f. 33 v^o, Latin lines beginning ‘Ecce patet tensus,’ incomplete owing to the loss of the next leaf. Written in a different hand.

(6) ff. 34--39, ‘Traitié pour ensampler les amantz marietz,’ imperfect at the beginning owing to the loss of the preceding leaf.

(7) f. 39 v^o, Latin lines beginning ‘Henrici quarti,’ written in the hand which appears on f. 33 v^o.

On the first blank leaf is the following in the handwriting of Sir Thomas Fairfax:

‘S^r. John Gower’s learned Poems the same booke by himself
presented to kinge Henry ye fourth before his Coronation.’

(Originally this was ‘att his Coronation,’ then ‘att or before his Coronation,’ and finally the words ‘att or’ were struck through with the pen.)

Then lower down in the same hand:

‘For my honorable freind & kinsman s^r. Thomas Gower knt. and
Baronett from
Ffairfax 1656.’

On the verso of the second leaf near the left-hand top corner is written a name which appears to be ‘Rychemond,’ and there is added in a different hand of the sixteenth century:

‘Liber Hen: Septimi tunc comitis Richmond manu propria script.’

On the fifth leaf, where the text of the book begins, in the right-hand top corner, written in the hand of Fairfax:

‘ffairfax N^o 265
by the gift of the learned Gentleman Charles Gedde Esq.
liuinge in the Citty of St Andrews.’

Then below in another hand:

‘Libenter tunc dabam
Id testor Carolus Gedde
Ipsis bis septenis Kalendis
mensis Octobris 1656.’

On the last leaf of the text, f. 39, there is a note in Latin made in 1651 at St. Andrews (Andreapoli) by C. Gedde at the age of seventy, with reference to the date of Henry IV’s reign. Then in English,

‘This booke pertaineth to aged Charles Gedde,’

and inserted between the lines by Fairfax,

‘but now to ffairfax of his gift, Jun. 28. 1656.’

Below follows a note in English on the date of the death of Chaucer and of Gower, and their places of burial.

The first of the blank leaves at the end is covered with Latin anagrams on the names ‘Carolus Geddeius,’ ‘Carolus Geddie,’ or ‘Carolus Geddee,’ with this heading,

‘In nomen venerandi et annosi Amici sui Caroli Geddei
Anagrammata,’

and ends with the couplet:

‘Serpit amor Jonathæ (Prisciano labe) Chirurgo
Mephiboshæ pedibus tam manibus genibus,’

which is not very intelligible, but is perhaps meant to indicate the name of the composer of the anagrams.

In the right-hand top corner of the next leaf there is written in what might be a fifteenth-century hand, ‘Will Sanders vn Just’ (the rest cut away).

As to the statement made by Fairfax that this book, meaning apparently this very copy, was presented by the author to Henry IV, it is hardly likely that he had any trustworthy authority for it. The book must evidently have been arranged for some such purpose; on the whole however it is more likely that this was not the actual presentation copy, but another written about the same time and left in the hands of the author. The copy intended for presentation to the king, if such a copy there were, would probably have been more elaborately ornamented; and moreover the Latin lines on the last leaf, ‘Henrici quarti’ &c., bear the appearance of having been added later. The poet there speaks of himself as having become blind ‘in the first year of king Henry IV,’ and of having entirely ceased to write in consequence; and in another version of the same lines, which is found in the Glasgow MS. of the _Vox Clamantis_, he dates his blindness from the _second_ year of King Henry’s reign. In any case it seems clear that his blindness did not come on immediately after Henry’s accession; for the _Cronica Tripertita_, a work of considerable length, must have been written after the death of Richard II, which took place some five months after the accession of Henry IV. It would be quite in accordance with Gower’s usual practice to keep a copy of the book by him and add to it or alter it from time to time; the Fairfax MS. of the _Confessio Amantis_ and the All Souls copy of the _Vox Clamantis_ are examples of this mode of proceeding: and I should be rather disposed to think that this volume remained in the author’s hands than that it was presented to the king. As to its subsequent history, if we are to regard the signature ‘Rychemond’ on the second leaf as a genuine autograph of Henry VII while Earl of Richmond, it would seem that the book passed at some time into royal hands, but it can hardly have come to the Earl of Richmond by any succession from Henry IV. After this we know nothing definite until we find it in the hands of the ‘aged Charles Gedde’ of St. Andrews, by whom it was given, as we have seen, to Fairfax in 1656, and by Fairfax in the same year to his friend and kinsman Sir Thomas Gower, no doubt on the supposition that he belonged to the family of the poet. He must have been one of the Gowers of Stittenham, and from him it has passed by descent to its present possessor.

The text given by the MS. seems to be on the whole a very correct one. For the _Cinkante Balades_ it is the only manuscript authority, but as regards the _Traitié_ it may be compared with several other copies contemporary with the author, and it seems to give as good a text as any. There seems no reason to doubt that it was written in the lifetime of the author, who may however have been unable owing to his failing eyesight to correct it himself. It was nevertheless carefully revised after being written, as is shown by various erasures and corrections both in the French and the English portions. This corrector’s hand is apparently different from both the other hands which appear in the manuscript. The best proof however of the trustworthiness of the text is the fact that hardly any emendations are required either by the metre or the sense. The difficulties presented by the text of the Roxburghe edition vanish for the most part on collation of the MS., and the number of corrections actually made in this edition is very trifling.

In a few points of spelling this MS. differs from that of the _Mirour_: for example, _jeo_ (_ieo_) is almost always used in the _Balades_ for _je_ (but _ie_ in _Ded._ i. 4), and the _-ai_ termination is preferred to _-ay_, though both occur; similarly _sui_, _joie_, _li_, _poi_, where the _Mirour_ has more usually _suy_, _joye_, _ly_, _poy_, &c.

What has been said with reference to the _Mirour_ about the use of _u_ and _v_, _i_ and _j_, applies also here (except that the scribe of this MS. prefers _i_ initially to _I_ and sometimes writes _u_ initially), and also in general what is said about division of words, accents and contractions. The latter however in the present text of the _Balades_ and _Traitié_ are not indicated by italics. It should be noted that _que_ in the text stands for a contracted form. The word is _qe_ in the _Balades_, when it is fully written out, but _quil_, _tanquil_, &c., are used in the MS., _q̅om_ must evidently be meant for _quom_, and we find _que_ frequently in the _Mirour_. Such forms as _auerai_, _deuera_, _liuere_, &c., usually have _er_ abbreviated, but we also find _saueroit_ (viii. 2), _auera_ (xvi. 3), _aueray_ (xvii. 1), written out fully. Where the termination _-ance_ has a line drawn over it, as in _suffica̅n̅ce_, _fia̅n̅ce_ (iv. 2), it has been printed _-aunce_, and so _cha̅n̅con_ (xl. 3); but _aun_ is written out fully. In general it must be assumed that _-oun_ ending a word represents _o̅n̅_, but in xxi. 4 we have _noun_ written out fully in both cases.

In the matter of capitals the usage of the MS. is followed for the most part. The punctuation is of course that of the editor, and it may be observed that the previous editions have none.

TRAITIÉ.

This work, which is called by its author ‘un traitié selonc les auctours pour essampler les amantz marietz,’ is a series of eighteen balades, each composed of three seven-line stanzas without envoy, except in the case of the last, which has an additional stanza addressed ‘Al université de tout le monde,’ apologizing for the poet’s French and serving as a general envoy for the whole collection, though formally belonging to the last balade. The stanzas rhyme _ab ab bcc_, a form which is used frequently in the _Cinkante Balades_, as also in Gower’s English poem addressed to Henry IV and in the stanzas which are introduced into the eighth book of the _Confessio Amantis_. There are Latin marginal notes summarizing the contents of each balade, and the whole is concluded by some lines of Latin. As to the date, if we are to regard the Latin lines ‘Lex docet auctorum’ as a part of the work (and they are connected with it in all the copies), we have a tolerably clear indication in the concluding couplet:

‘Hinc vetus annorum Gower sub spe meritorum
Ordine sponsorum tutus adhibo thorum.’

This was written evidently just before the author’s marriage, which took place, as we know, near the beginning of the year 1398 (by the modern reckoning), and therefore it would seem that the _Traitié_ belongs to the year 1397. It is true that one MS. (Bodley 294) omits this concluding couplet, but in view of the fact that it is contained not only in all the other copies, but also in the Trin. Coll. Camb. MS., which seems to be derived from the same origin as Bodl. 294, we cannot attach much importance to the omission.

In several MSS. the _Traitié_ is found attached to the _Confessio Amantis_, and with a heading to the effect that the author, having shown above in English the folly of those who love ‘par amour,’ will now write in French for the world generally a book to instruct married lovers by example to keep the faith of their espousals. But though appearing thus as a pendant to the English work in the Fairfax, Harleian, Bodley, Trin. Coll. Camb., Wadham, Keswick Hall and Wollaton MSS., it does not necessarily belong to it. It is absent in the great majority of copies of the _Confessio Amantis_, and in the Fairfax MS. it appears in a different hand from that of the English poem and was certainly added later. Moreover the _Traitié_ is found by itself in the Trentham book, and following the _Vox Clamantis_ in the All Souls and Glasgow MSS., in both these cases having been added later than the text of that work and in a different hand. We cannot tell what heading it had in the Trentham or the All Souls MSS., but probably the same as that of the Glasgow copy, which makes no reference to any other work. ‘This is a treatise which John Gower has made in accordance with the authors, touching the estate of matrimony, whereby married lovers may instruct themselves by example to hold the faith of their holy espousals.’ This variation of the heading is certainly due to the author, and we are entitled to regard the _Traitié_ as in some sense an independent work, occasionally attached by the author to the _Confessio Amantis_, but also published separately.

As to the versification, the remarks already made upon that of the _Balades_ apply also to these poems.

The subject of the work is defined by the title: it is intended to set forth by argument and example the nature and dignity of the state of marriage and the evils springing from adultery and incontinence. The tendency to moralize is naturally much stronger in these poems than in the _Cinkante Balades_, and they are consequently less poetical. The most pleasing is perhaps xv, ‘Comunes sont la cronique et l’istoire’: ‘Still is the folly of Lancelot and of Tristram remembered, that others by it may take warning. All the year round the fair of love is kept, where Cupid sells or gives away hearts: he makes men drink of one or the other of his two tuns, the one sweet and the other bitter. Thus the fortune of love is unstable: the lover is now in joy and now in torment, but the wise will be warned by others, as a bird avoids the trap in which he sees another caught, and they will not take delight in wanton love.’ Many of the examples are from stories already told in the _Confessio Amantis_, as those of Nectanabus, Hercules and Deianira, Jason, Clytemnestra, Lucretia, Paulina, Alboin and Rosamond, Tereus, Valentinian.

TEXT.--Of the _Traitié_ there exist several contemporary copies besides that of the Trentham MS. It is found appended to the _Confessio Amantis_ in MS. Fairfax 3, with a heading which closely connects it with that poem; it occurs among the various Latin pieces which follow the _Vox Clamantis_ in All Souls MS. 98, and again in much the same kind of position in the MS. of the _Vox Clamantis_ belonging to the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow. The first two of these copies are, I have no doubt, in the same handwriting, that which I call the ‘second hand’ of MS. Fairfax 3, and I am of opinion that the third (that of the Glasgow MS.) is so also. This question of the handwritings found in contemporary copies of Gower will be discussed later, when the MSS. in question are more fully described: suffice it to say at present that these copies are all good, and they agree very closely both with one another and with that of the Trentham book, while at the same time they are independent of one another. They have all been collated throughout for this edition. Besides these original copies there is one in Harleian MS. 3869, which appears to be taken from Fairfax 3, and also in the following MSS., in all of which the _Traitié_ follows the _Confessio Amantis_: Bodley 294, Trinity College, Cambridge, R. 3. 2, Wadham Coll. 13, and the Keswick Hall and Wollaton MSS. Of these Bodley 294 has been collated for this edition, and the rest occasionally referred to.

The MSS. may be tabulated as follows, further description being reserved for the occasions when they are more fully used:--

F.--FAIRFAX 3, in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, containing the _Confessio Amantis_, the _Traitié pour essampler_, ff. 186 v^o-190, and several Latin poems.

S.--ALL SOULS COLLEGE, OXFORD, 98, containing the _Vox Clamantis_, _Cronica Tripertita_, a miscellaneous collection of Latin poems, and the _Traitié_, ff. 132-135.

T.--The TRENTHAM MS., described above.

G.--HUNTERIAN MUSEUM, GLASGOW, T. 2. 17, with nearly the same contents as S. The _Traitié_ is ff. 124 v^o-128.

H.--HARLEIAN 3869, in the British Museum, agreeing with F.

B.--BODLEY 294, in the Bodleian Library, containing the _Confessio Amantis_, the _Traitié_, and a few Latin pieces.

Tr.--TRINITY COLL. CAMB. R. 3. 2, with nearly the same contents as B.

W.--WADHAM COLL. OXF. 13, _Confessio Amantis_ and _Traitié_, the latter imperfect at the end.

K.--In the library of J. H. Gurney, Esq., Keswick Hall, Norwich, with the same contents as F.

A.--Lord Middleton’s MS., at Wollaton Hall.

The _Traitié_ has been twice printed: first by the Roxburghe Club from the Trentham MS.[L], and then by Dr. Stengel, in both cases with the _Cinkante Balades_. The German editor unfortunately took as the basis of his text the copy in B, which is much inferior in correctness to those of several other MSS. which were within his reach[M]. He has also in many cases failed to give a correct representation of the MS. which he follows, and his collation of other copies is incomplete.

The text of the present edition is based upon that of F, which is at least as good as any of the three other copies which I have called contemporary, and has the advantage over two of them that it is perfect, whereas they have each lost a leaf. These four are so nearly on the same level of correctness that it matters little on other grounds which of them we follow. A full collation is here given of T, S and G, and the readings of B are occasionally mentioned. H and K are probably dependent on F. Tr. is a moderately good copy, closely connected with B, but in view of the excellence of the other materials it is not worth collating; A is a manuscript of the same class, but rather less correct. Finally the text of W, which is late and full of blunders, may be set down as worthless.

MIROUR DE L’OMME

OR

SPECULUM HOMINIS

Cy apres comence le livre François q’est apellé Mirour de
l’om_m_e, le quel se divide en x parties, c’est assavoir:

¶ la primere p_ar_tie est coment de la malice du diable pecché
fuit conceu, et de la maldite progenie des vices, qe puis de
lui nasquirent, dont le frele hom_m_e a g_ra_nt p_er_il de noet
et jour par forte guerre toutdys est assailli.

¶ la seconde partie est coment reso_u_n fuit conjoint al
alme, dont les vertus morals por l’om_m_e defendre sont deinz
la conscience par la divine grace inspirez et fraunchement
engendrez.

¶ la tierce partie est por considerer p_ar_entre d’eux l’estat
des hom_m_es s_ur_ t_er_re, especialment de les haltz prelatz,
ovesq_ue_ lour archediaknes, officials, deans et autres, q’ont
la governaunce de l’espiritiele cure, et sount lumere et
essample de bien et d’onest vie.

¶ la quarte partie trete l’estat des Religious, si bien
possessioners come mendiantz, q’ont lessé les vanités de cest
present vie por contempler du ciel les joies perdurables.

¶ la quinte partie trete l’estat du temporiel governement
selonc le corps, le quel app_ar_tient as Emperours, Rois et
autres nobles Princes, qe devont maintenir la loy et doner
justice a lour poeple liege.

¶ la sisme partie trete l’estat de la chivalerie et de les
gentz d’armes, qui devont le droit de seint esglise et la
fraunchise supporter et defendre, et qu’ils ne lesserount lour
p_ro_pre paiis destitut por travaillier en est_ra_nges regions
a cause de veine gloire q’ils ont de la renomée mondeine.

¶ la septisme partie trete l’estat des Ministres de la loy,
c’est assavoir Jugges, Pledours, Viscontes, Baillifs et
Questours, qui sont juretz a foi tenir et poiser le droit p_ar_
tiele egalté q_ue_ covetise ascunepart ne lour destorne.

¶ l’oetisme partie trete l’estat des Marchantz, Artificers et
Vitaillers, qui selonc la droite policie des Citées, si fraude
et tricherie ne se mellont, sont au com_m_un profit honests et
necessaires.

¶ la noefisme partie trete de ceo q_ue_ chescun en sou_n_
endroit blasme le Siecle, et coment le siecle des toutz partz
notablement s’escuse, forsque soulement de l’om_m_e pecchour,
en qui defaute les autres creatures sont sovent a meschief et
mesmes dieux en est auci corussez.

¶ la disme partie trete coment l’om_m_e peccheour lessant ses
mals se doit reformer a dieu et avoir p_ar_dou_n_ p_ar_ l’eyde
de n_ost_re s_eigneur_ Jh_es_u Ch_ri_st et de sa doulce Miere
la Vierge gloriouse.

MIROUR DE L’OMME[N]

[After the Table of Contents four leaves are lost, containing probably about forty-seven stanzas.]

[Sidenote: =f. 5=]
Escoulte cea, chascun amant,
Qui tant p_er_estes desirant
Du pecché, dont l’amour est fals:
Lessetz la Miere ove tout s’enfant,
Car qui plus est leur attendant,
Au fin avra chapeal de sauls:
Lors est il fols qui ses travauls
Met en amour si desloiauls,
Dont au final nuls est joyant.
Mais quiq’ en voet fuïr les mals, 10
Entende et tiegne mes consals,
Que je luy dirray en avant.[1]
Ce n’est pas chose controvée,
Dont pense affaire ma ditée;
Ainz vuill conter tout voirement
Coment les filles du Pecché
Font que tous sont enamouré
Par leur deceipte vilement.
He, amourouse sote gent,
Si scieussetz le diffinement 20
De ce dont avetz com_m_encé,
Je croy que v_ost_re fol talent
Changeast, qui muetz au p_re_sent
Reson en bestialité.
Car s’un soul hom_m_e avoir porroit
Quanq’ en son coer souhaideroit
Du siecle, pour soy deliter,
Trestout come songe passeroit
En nient, et quant l’en meinz quidoit,
Par grant dolour doit terminer: 30
Et puisq_ue_ l’amour seculer
En nient au fin doit retorner,
Pour ce, si bon vous sembleroit,
Un poy du nient je vuill conter;
Dont quant l’en quide avoir plenier
La main, tout vuide passer doit.

=Au com_m_encement de cest oev_er_e, qui p_ar_lera des vices et
des vertus, dirra p_ri_miereme_n_t come_n_t pecché anientist
les creatures et fuist cause originale dez tous lez mals.=

Tout estoit nient, q_ua_nq’ om ore tient
Et tout ce nient en nient revient
Par nient, qui tout fait anie_n_tir: 39
C’est nient q’en soy tous mals contient
Du quoy tout temps qua_n_t me sovient,
M’estoet a trere maint suspir,
Que je voi tantz mals avenir
Du nient, car tous ont leur desir
En nient q’au siecle se p_ar_tient;
Que nient les fait leur dieu guerpir
Pour nient, q’en nient doit revertir
Et devenir plus vil que fient.
Jehan l’apostre evangelist
En l’evangile qu’il escrist 50
Tesmoigne q’au com_m_encement
Dieux crea toute chose et fist,
Mais nient fuist fait sanz luy, ce dist:
Dont saint Gregoire sagement,
Qui puis en fist l’exponement,[2]
Par le divin inspirement
Du nient la forme nous aprist,
Disant que nient en soy comprent
Le no_u_n du pecché soulement,
Car pecché tous biens anientist. 60
Primer quant dieus ot fait les cieux,
Des tous angres espiritieux
Un Lucifer fuist principals;
Mais du pecché q’estoit mortieux
Chaoit de les celestieux
Au nient dev_er_s les infernalx:
Pecché fuist source de les mals,
Tornant les joyes en travals,
De halt en bas changeant les lieux:
Nient est pecché ly desloyals, 70
Car par son vuill et ses consals
Volt anientir quanq_ue_ fist dieux.
Cil Lucifer no_u_npas solein
Chaïst du ciel, ançois tout plein
Des autres lors furont peris
Par pecché, dont ly soverein
Leur fist chaoir, siq’ en certein
Du pecché vint ce que je dis,
Dont l’angre furont anientiz:
Mais tous vous avetz bien oïz, 80
Com_m_e dieu puis de sa p_ro_pre mein
Adam crea deinz paradis,
Et sa compaigne au droit divis
Le fist avoir du dame Evein.
Pour le pecché, pour le forsfait,
Dont Lucifer avoit mesfait,
Dieus, q’en vist la desconvenue,[3]
Coment son ciel estoit desfait,--
Pour ce tantost Adam fuist fait
Et Eve auci tout nu a nue 90
En p_ar_adis dessoutz la nue:
Siq’ en apres de celle issue
Que de leur corps serroit estrait,
Soit restoré q’estoit perdue
Amont le ciel, a la value
Que Lucifer avoit sustrait.
Du noble main no duy parent
Estoiont fait molt noblement,
Car dieu le piere les forma:
Pour noble cause et ensement 100
Estoiont fait, quant tielement
A son ciel dieu les ordina:
En noble lieu dieu les crea
Et paradis tout leur bailla,
Que molt fuist noble au tiele gent;
Mais l’en puet dire bien cela,
Helas! quant le pecché de la
Les anientist si vilement.
Chacun de vous ad bien oï
Coment Adam se departi 110
De Paradis, mais nepourquant,
Solonc que truis en genesi
Vous en dirray trestout ensi:[4]
Dont falt savoir primer avant
Q’en Paradis avoit estant
Une arbre dieu luy toutpuissant,
Dont il les pommes deffendi
A Adam, qu’il n’en fuist mangant,[5]
Et dist, s’il en mangast, par tant[6]
Du mort en serroit anienti.[7] 120
Bien tost apres, ce truis escrit,
Cil Lucifer dont vous ay dit
S’aparçut de la covenance;
Et ot d’Adam trop grant despit,
Qu’il fuist a celle joye eslit,
Dont mesmes par sa mescheance
Estoit cheeuz: lors sa semblance
Mua, siq_ue_ par resemblance
En forme d’un serpent s’assit
Dessur celle arbre, et d’aquointance 130
Pria dame Eve, a qui constance
De sa nature ert entredit.
Au frele et fieble femeline
En la figure serpentine,
Dessur celle arbre u qu’il seoit,
Ly deable conta sa covine:
Si dist, ‘He, fem_m_e, pren sesine
Du fruit qui tant p_er_est benoit:
Car lors serras en ton endroit
Du bien et mal, du tort et droit, 140
Sachant come dieu.’ O la falsine!
Par ce q’ensi la p_ro_mettoit,
La fem_m_e son voloir tornoit
Contre la volenté divine.
La fem_m_e, qui par tricherie
Fuist du serpent ensi trahie,
Mangut le pom_m_e, helas, mortal:
Et quant ot fait la felonie,
Tantost s’en vait come fole amie
Pour tempter son especial; 150
Et tant luy dist que parigal
Le fist de cel origenal;
Le fruit mangut par compaignie.
Ensi ly serpent fuist causal
Au fem_m_e, et fem_m_e auci du mal
Causoit que l’om_m_e fist folie.
Au mors du pom_m_e tant amer
Mort et pecché tout au primer
Dedeinz Adam pristront demure:
Car il ne savoit excuser 160
Sa conscience, ainz accuser
De la mortiele forsfaiture.
Helas! cil qui tant fuist dessure
Fuist tant dessoutz en si poy d’ure;
Car dieux luy fist nud despoiler:
Come sa malvoise creature,
Atteinte ovesq_ue_ la menure
Le fist come traitre forsjuger.
C’estoit du dieu le Jugement,
Q’Adam serroit vilaynement 170
Botuz du Paradis en terre;
U q’en dolour molt tristement
Sa viande et son vestement
Irroit a pourchacer et querre:
Sa fem_m_e auci pour son contrere,
De ce q’a dieu ne voloit plere,
Tous jours a son enfantement,
Quant vient au naturel affere,
Doit tous ses fils et files trere
En plour et en ghemissement. 180
Mais tout ce n’eust esté que jeeu,
Si plus du paine n’eust ëeu;
Mais sur trestout c’estoit le pis
La mort, dont au darrein perdu
Furont loigns en enfern de dieu
Et piere et miere et file et fils,
Sanz fin pour demourer toutdis.
[Sidenote: =f. 6=]
Lors pourray dire a mon avis,
Du pecché vient en chacun lieu
Ce dont ly bon sont anientiz, 190
Car ciel et terre et paradis
De sa malice ad corrumpu.
Pour ce vous dirray la maniere
Com_m_ent Pecché nasquit primere,
Et de ses files tout ades;
Si vous dirray qui fuist son piere,
Et u nasquist celle adv_er_siere
Trestout dirray cy en apres.[8]
Ly deable mesme a son decess,
Quant il p_er_dist sanz nul reless 200
Du ciel la belle meson cliere,
Lors engendra tieu fals encress,
Come vous orretz, si faitez pes;
Car je vuill conter la matiere.

=Com_m_ent Pecché nasquist du deble, et com_m_ent Mort nasquist
du Pecché, et coment Mort espousa sa miere et engendra sur luy
les sept vices mortieux.=

Ly deable, qui tous mals soubtile
Et trestous biens hiet et revile,
De sa malice concevoit
Et puis enfantoit une file,
Q’ert tresmalvoise, laide et vile,
La quelle Pecché no_u_n avoit. 210
Il mesmes sa norrice estoit,
Et la gardoit et doctrinoit
De sa plus tricherouse guile;[9]
Par quoy la file en son endroit
Si violente devenoit,
Que riens ne touche q_ue_ n’avile.
Tant p_er_servoit le deble a gré[10]
Sa jofne file en son degré
Et tant luy fist plesant desport,
Dont il fuist tant enamouré, 220
Que sur sa file ad engendré
Un fils, que l’en appella Mort.
Lors ot le deable grant confort,
Car tout quidoit par leur enhort
De l’ome avoir sa volenté;
Car quant ils deux sont d’un acort,
Tout quanq_ue_ vient a leur resort
Le deble tient enherité.
Au piere furont molt cheris
Pecché sa file et Mort son fils, 230
Car trop luy furont resemblant:
Et pour cela par son devis,
Pour plus avoir de ses norris,
La miere espousa son enfant:
Si vont sept files engendrant,
Qui sont d’enfern enheritant
Et ont le mond tout entrepris;
Come je vous serray devisant,
Des queux no_u_ns om leur est nomant
Et du mestier dont sont apris. 240
Les no_u_ns des files du Pecché
L’un apres l’autre en leur degré
Dirray, des quelles la primere
Orguil ad no_u_n, celle est l’aisnée,
La tresmalvoise maluré,
Que plus resemble a son fals piere;
L’autre est Envye, que sa chiere
Belle ad devant, et parderere
Plaine est du male volenté;
Ire est la tierce, et trop est fiere, 250
Que jam_m_ais n’ot sa pes plenere,
Ainz fait trestoute adversité:
La quarte est celle d’Avarice,
Que l’or plus q_ue_ son dieu cherice;[11]
La quinte Accide demy morte,
Q’au dieu n’au monde fait service;
La siste file en son office
C’est Glotonie, que la porte
Des vices gart, et tout apporte
Ce dont la frele char supporte; 260
Du foldelit c’est la norrice:
Mais la septime se desporte,
C’est Leccherie, que se porte
Sur toutes autres la plus nice.
Ensi com_m_e je le vous ay dit,
Pecché du deable q’est maldit
Primerement prist sa nescance,
Et puis du Pecché Mort nasquit,
Dont plus avant com_m_e j’ay descript[12]
Par si tresmalvoise alliance 270
Nasquiront plain du malfesance
Ly autre sept, que d’attendance
Au deble sont par tout soubgit;
Dont cil qui tous les mals avance,
Quant naistre vit ytiele enfance,
De sa part grantment s’esjoït.[13]

=Com_m_ent le deable envoya Pecché ovesq_ue_ ses sept files
au Siecle, et com_m_ent il tient puis son p_ar_lement pour
l’om_m_e enginer.=

Ly deable, q’est tout plain du rage,
Qua_n_t vist qu’il ot si g_ra_nt lignage,
Au Siecle tous les envoia:
Pecché la fole et la salvage 280
Ses p_ro_pres files du putage
Parmy le Siecle convoia;
Et tant y fist et engina
Que ly fals Siecle s’enclina
De faire tout par leur menage,
Par ceaux sa gloire devisa,
Par ceaux toutdis se conseila,
Par ceaux fist maint horrible oultrage.
Chascune solonc son endroit
Office seculiere avoit 290
Le Siecle pour plus enginer:
Orguil sa gloire maintenoit,
Envie ades luy consailloit,
Et d’Ire fist son guerroier,
Et d’Avarice tresorer,
Accidie estoit son chamberer,
Et Glotonie de son droit
Estoit son maistre boteller,
Et Leccherie en son mestier
Sur tous sa chiere amie estoit. 300
Cil qui trestous ceos mals engendre,
Quant vist les files de son gendre
Mener le Siecle a leur voloir,
Lors comença consail a prendre
Coment cel hom_m_e pot susprendre,
Le quel devant ot fait chaoir
Du p_ar_adis le beau Manoir;
Car bien scieust que par estovoir
Cel hom_m_e doit el siecle attendre,
Dont au petit tient son pooir, 310
Si l’om_m_e n’en poet decevoir,
Pour faire en son enfern descendre.
Ly deable, qui tous mals engine,
Quant vist qu’il ot par sa falsine
Du paradis l’om_m_e abatu,
Hors de la joye celestine
En la deserte salvagine,
D’un autre mal lors s’est pourveu,
Dont l’om_m_e q’ançois ot deçu
Treroit encore au plus bass lieu,[14] 320
U l’en languist sanz medicine,
Au fin q’ensi serroit perdu
Sanz esperance de salu:
Oietz qu’il fist de sa covine.
Au Siecle mesmes s’en ala,
Et tout son consail luy conta,
Et pria qu’il luy volt aider:
Tant luy promist, tant luy dona,
Que l’un a l’autre s’acorda,
Et le firont entrejurer; 330
Mais pour son purpos achever
Com_m_unement volt assembler
Tous ses amys, et pour cela
Un parlement faisoit crier,
Par queux se pourroit consailler
Com_m_e son purpos achievera.
Les bries tantost furont escris
A ceaux qui furont ses amys,
Que tous vienent au parlement,
N’en est un soul qui soit remis: 340
Pecché la dame du paiis
Ove ses sept files noblement
Vint primer a l’assemblement;
Le Siecle y vient ensemblement
Ove belle route a son devis;
Mais Mort venoit darreinement:
Et lors quant tous furont present,
Le deable disoit son avis.
Devant trestous en audience
Le deable sa reson com_m_ence, 350
Et si leur dist parole fiere:
‘J’en ay,’ fait il, ‘al dieu offense
L’om_m_e abatu par ma science
Du paradis, u jadis iere,
Dont il est mis a son derere
En terre plaine de misere:
Mais plus avant de ma prudence
Si en enfern de la terrere
Le porray trere en tieu maniere,
Lors serroit fait ce que je pense. 360
‘Par ceste cause je vous pri,
Sicom_m_e vous m’estez tout amy,
Consailletz moy en cest ovraigne,
Au fin que porray faire ensi.’
Pecché sa file respondi,
Si dist sa reso_u_n primeraine:
‘Piere, tenez ma foy certaine,
Je fray tricher la char humaine
Ove mes sept files q’ay norri:
Car s’il d’icelles s’acompaigne, 370
[Sidenote: =f. 7=]
Ne poet faillir de male estraine,
Dont en la fin ert malbailli.’
Le Siecle auci de sa partie
Promist au deable son aïe,
Ensi le faisoit assavoir:
‘Je fray,’ ce dist, ‘ma tricherie
De la richesce et manantie
Que je retiens en mon pooir;
Du quoy trestout a ton voloir
Cel hom_m_e porray decevoir. 380
Du bien promettre faldray mie
Qu’il doit trestoute joye avoir,
Mais en la fin, sachiez du voir,
Je le lerray sanz compaignie.’
Apres le Siecle parla Mort,
Que toute vie au fin remort:
‘De l’om_m_e je te vengeray,
Car pour deduyt ne pour desport
Du moy ne poet avoir desport,
Que je son corps ne tuerai; 390
Mais pour voir dire, je ne say
Si l’alme mortefieray,
Car ce partient a ton enhort:
Fay bien de l’alme ton essay,
Et je du corps responderay,
Qu’il doit venir a mon resort.’
Ly deable grantment s’esjoït[15]
De ce que chacun luy promist,
Dont chierement leur mercioit;
Et oultre ce consail enquist, 400
Et pria que chascun luy dist
De leur avis que sembleroit,
S’il apres l’om_m_e manderoit
Pour savoir ce qu’il en dirroit.[16]
Sur quoy chacun luy respondist
Que bien affaire ce serroit,
Q’un messager a grant esploit
Apres luy maintenant tramist.
Cil messager par son droit no_u_n
Je l’oi nom_m_er Temptacio_u_n, 410
Qui droit a l’om_m_e s’en ala:
Sanz noise faire ne halt so_u_n
Dist son message, et sa reso_u_n
El cuer de l’om_m_e il oreilla,
Depar le deable et luy pria
Q’au venir tost se hastera,
U sont ensemble ly baro_u_n;
Et dist q_ue_ quant venu serra,
Des tieux novelles il orra
Dont doit avoir sa gariso_u_n. 420
Temptacio_u_n soutilement
Tant fist par son enticement
Que l’om_m_e vint ovesq_ue_ luy,
Pour savoir plus plenierement
La cause de tieu mandement:
Et maintenant, quant venoit y,
De sa venue s’esjoÿ
Ly deable, qui molt le chery
Ove tous les autres ensement.
Chacun de sa part le servi, 430
Que l’om_m_e estoit tout esbahy
De l’onnour que chacun luy tent.
Ly deble com_m_ence a parler,
Si dist pour l’om_m_e losenger
Devant trestout le remenant:
‘Bealsire, je t’ay fait mander,
Pour ce que vuil a toy parler
Au fin que soiez mo_u_n servant;
Et si te soit ensi plesant,
Je t’en vois loer promettant 440
Tiel come tu vorras demander:
Ne t’en soietz du rien doubtant,
Trestous les jours de ton vivant
Tu porras joye demener.
‘He, hom_m_e, enten ce que j’ay dit,
Et n’eietz honte ne despit
Du quelq_ue_ chose que te die:
Car si voes estre mon soubgit,
N’y ad honour, n’y ad p_ro_ufit,
Q’ap_ar_tient au presente vie, 450
Dont tu n’avras a ta partie
Si largement sanz nul faillie,
Que tu dirras que ce suffit:
Et si t’en fra sa compaignie
Pecché ma file suef norrie,
Pour faire trestout ton delit.’
Pecché parloit apres son piere,
Q’estoit plesant de sa maniere:
‘He, hom_m_e, croiez a ses dis,
Car de ma part te ferray chiere: 460
Si tu voes faire ma priere,
Dont ton corps serra rejoïz,
Ce que mon piere t’ad promis
En ceste vie t’ert complis;
Car je serray ta chamberere
Pour faire tout a ton devis
Et tes plaisirs et tes delis,
Dont dois avoir ta joye entiere.’
Et puis le Siecle du noblesce
Promist a l’om_m_e sa largesce, 470
Et si luy dist pour plus cherir:
‘He, hom_m_e, asculte ma p_ro_messe,
De mo_u_n avoir, de ma richesse
Te fray molt largement richir.
Car si mon consail voes tenir,
Tu dois no capitain servir;
Et s’ensi fais, je t’en confesse
Que prest serray pour sustenir
Solonc que te vient au plesir
Ta vie plaine de leesce.’ 480
Mais a celle houre nequedent
Mort endroit soy n’y fuist p_re_sent,
Auci pour l’om_m_e consailler;
Car plain estoit du maltalent,
Qu’il ne savoit aucunement
Ne bell p_ro_mettre ne don_n_er:
Pour ce ne volt lors apparer,
Ainz en secré se fist muscer,
Et ce fuist par com_m_un assent;
Car l’om_m_e pour plus enginer 490
Lors ne voloient molester
Du chose contre son talent.
Mais au darrein p_ar_ son degré
Lors vint avant tout en celée
Temptacion ly decevant;
C’estoit ly messagier privé,
Qui primes l’omme ot amené,
Come je vous contay cy devant;
Cil dist a l’om_m_e en consaillant:[17]
‘He, hom_m_e, a quoy vas tariant 500
De recevoir tiele ameisté,
Dont tu pourras toutdis avant
Avoir le corps p_ar_ tout joyant
Sanz point d’aucune adverseté?’
Mais cil qui lors ust bien oï
Temptacio_u_n come il blandi
Par la douçour de sa parole,
Il porroit dire bien de fi
Que ja n’oïst puisqu’il nasqui
Un vantparlour de tiele escole: 510
Car plus fuist doulce sa parole
Que n’estoit harpe ne citole.
Dont l’om_m_e quant il l’entendi,
Au tiele vie doulce et mole
La char, q’estoit salvage et fole,
Tantost de sa part consenti.
La char de l’om_m_e consentoit
A ce que l’en luy promettoit,
Si fist hom_m_age et reverence
Au deable, qu’il luy serviroit: 520
Mais l’Alme moult dolente estoit,
Quant vist sa char sanz sa licence
Avoir mesfait de tiele offense;
Dont se complaint au Conscience
Que sur cela consailleroit,
Et maintenant en sa presence
A reson_n_er sa char commence
Par ceste voie, et si disoit:

=Com_m_e_n_t l’Alme aresona la Char, q’avoit fait hom_m_age au
deable, et com_m_ent au darrein p_ar_ l’eide du Reso_u_n et de
Paour le Char s’en p_ar_ti[18] du diable et du Pecché et se
soubmist al gov_er_nance de l’Alme.=