i.                                                    5                L    10                    15                    20                    25                    30                    35                    40                    45                    50                    55                59    L                    65                    70                    75                    80                    85                    90                        ii.                                            95            L        100                    105                    110                    115                    120                [Amans] 125                    130                    135                    140                    145                    150                [Venus] 155                    160    [Amans]         [Venus] 165            [Amans]     170            [Venus]     175                    180        [Amans]     [Venus] 185    [Amans]         [Venus] 190                    195                    200                        iii.                            205 [Confessor]             L    210                    215 [Amans]                 220                    225                    230            [Confessor]     235    L                240                    245                    250                    255                    260                    265                    270                    275                    280                    285                            iv.                                        290                L    295                    300                [Confessor] 305                    310                    315                    320                    325                    330                            L    335                    340                    345                    350                    355                    360                    365                    370                    375                Confessor 380                    385                                390    L                395                    400                    405                    410                    415                    420                    425                    430                    435    Confessor             440                    445                    450                    455                    460                                465    L                470                    475                    480                        L        485                    490                    495                    500                    505                    510                    515                    520                    525                    530 Confessor                 535                    540                    545                    Amans                 555        Opponit Confessor Respondet Amans     560                    565            Confessor     570                                v.                                    575 [Confessor] L                580                    585            [Amans]     590                [Confessor] 595                    600                    605            Ipocrisis Religiosa 610                    615                    620                    625        Ipocrisis Ecclesiastica     630                    635                    640                    645            Ipocrisis Secularis 650                    655                    660                    665                    670                                L    675                    680                    685                    690                    695                    700                    705            Opponit Confessor     710        Respondet Amans         715                    720                    725                    730                    735                    740                    Confessor                 750                    755                    760                    L        765                    770                    775                    780                    785                    790                    795                    800                    805                    810                    815                    820                    825                    830                    835                    840                    845                    850                    855                    860                    865                    870                    875                    880                    885                    890                    895                    900                    905                    910                    915                    920                    925                    930                    935                    940                    945                    950                    955                    960                    965                    970                    975                    980                    985                    990                    995                    1000                    1005                    1010                    1015                    1020                    1025                    1030                    1035                    1040                    1045                    1050                    1055                    1060                    1065                    1070                    1075                                1080    L                1085                    1090                    1095                    1100                    1105                    1110                    1115                    1120                    1125                    1130                    1135                    1140                    1145                    1150                    1155                    1160                    1165                    1170                    1175                    1180                    1185                    1190                    1195                    1200                    1205                    1210 Confessor                 1215                    1220                    1225    Amans Confessor         1230                                vi.                                            1235                    1240    L                1245                    1250        Confessor         1255            Amans     1260                    1265                    1270            Opponit Confessor Respondet Amans 1275                    1280                    1285                    1290                    1295                    1300                    1305                    1310                    1315                    1320                    1325                    1330                    1335                    1340                        vii.                    [Confessor] L    1345                    1350                    1355                    1360                    1365                    1370                    1375    Amans             1380                    1385                    1390                    1395    Confessor             1400                    1405                        L        1410                    1415                    1420                    1425                    1430                    1435                    1440                    1445                    1450                    1455                    1460                    1465                    1470                    1475                    1480                    1485                    1490                    1495                    1500                    1505                    1510                    1515                    1520                    1525                    1530                    1535                    1540                    1545                    1550                    1555                    1560                    1565                    1570                    1575                    1580                    1585                    1590                    1595                    1600                    1605                    1610                    1615                    1620                    1625                    1630                    1635                    1640                    1645                    1650                    1655                    1660                    1665                    1670                    1675                    1680                    1685                    1690                    1695                    1700                    1705                    1710                    1715                    1720                    1725                    1730                    1735                    1740                    1745                    1750                    1755                    1760                    1765                    1770                    1775                    1780                    1785                    1790                    1795                    1800                    1805                    1810                    1815                    1820                    1825                    1830                    1835                    1840                    1845                    1850                    1855                    1860        Confessor         Amans                 1870                    1875    Confessor             1880                        viii.                         [Confessor]     1885        L            1890                    1895                    1900                    1905                    1910    L                1915                    1920                Amans 1925                    1930                    1935                    1940    Confessor Amans         1945                    1950                    1955                    1960                    1965                    1970                    1975                    [Confessor] L        1980                    1985                    1990                1995                    2000                    2005                    2010                    2015                    2020                                2025                    2030    L                2035                    2040                    2045                    2050                    2055                    2060                    2065                    2070                    2075                    2080                    2085                    2090                    2095                    2100                    2105                    2110                    2115                    2120                    2125                    2130                    2135                    2140                    2145                    2150                    2155                    2160                    2165                    2170                    2175                    2180                    2185                    2190                    2195                    2200                    2205                    2210                    2215                    2220                    2225                    2230                    2235                    2240                    2245                    2250                Confessor 2255            Amans     2260        Confessor         2265                    2270                                2275                L    2280                    2285                    2290                    2295                    2300                    2305                    2310                    2315                    2320                    2325                    2330                    2335                    2340                    2345                    2350                    2355                Confessor 2360                    2365        Amans         2370                    2375                    2380                Confessor 2385                    2390                    2395                            ix.                         [Confessor] 2400                    2405    L                2410                    2415                    2420                    2425            Amans     2430                    2435                    2440                    2445                Confessor 2450                    2455                                2460        L            2465                    2470                    2475                    2480                    2485                    2490                    2495                    2500                    2505                    2510                    2515                    2520                    2525                    2530                    2535                    2540                    2545                    2550                    2555                    2560                    2565                    2570                    2575                    2580                    2585                    2590                    2595                    2600                    2605                    2610                    2615                    2620                    2625                    2630                    2635                    2640                    2645                    2650                    2655                    2660        Confessor     Amans 2665                    2670 Confessor                 2675                    2680                x.                                            [Confessor] L            2685                    2690                    2695                    2700                    2705    L                2710                    2715            Confessor     2720    Amans             2725                    2730                    2735                    2740                    2745                    2750                    2755                    2760                    2765                    2770        Confessor         2775                    2780                                xi.                            2785 [Confessor]         L        2790                    2795                    2800                    2805                    2810                    2815                    2820                    2825                    2830                    2835                    2840                    2845                    2850                    2855                    2860                    2865                    2870                    2875                    2880                    2885                    2890                    2895                    2900                    2905                    2910                    2915                    2920                    2925                    2930                    2935                    2940                    2945                    2950                    2955                    2960                    2965                    2970                    2975                    2980                    2985                    2990                    2995                    3000                    3005                    3010                    3015                    3020                    3025                    3030                    3035                    3040            Confessor     3045                    3050                    3055                    3060                    3065                    xii.                            [Confessor] L        3070                    3075                    3080                    3085                    3090                    3095                    3100                    3105                    3110                    3115                    3120                    3125                    3130                    3135                    3140                    3145                    3150                    3155                    3160                    3165                    3170                    3175                    3180                    3185                    3190                    3195                    3200                    3205                    3210                    3215                    3220                    3225                    3230                    3235                    3240                    3245                    3250                    3255                    3260                    3265                    3270                    3275                    3280                    3285                    3290                3295                    3300                    3305                    3310                    3315                    3320                    3325                    3330                    3335                    3340                    3345                    3350                    3355                    3360                    3365                    3370                    3375                    3380                    3385                    3390                    3395                    3400            Confessor     3405                    3410                    3415                    3420                    3425    Amans             3430            Confessor     3435                    3440                    3445

Incipit Liber Primus     [On Love]     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 Min hand, ne setten al in evene This world, which evere is in balance: It stant noght in my sufficance So grete thinges to compasse, Bot I mot lete it overpasse And treten upon othre thinges. Forthi the stile of my writinges Fro this day forth I thenke change And speke of thing is noght so strange, Which every kinde hath upon honde, And wherupon the world mot stonde, And hath don sithen it began, And schal whil ther is any man; And that is love, of which I mene To trete, as after schal be sene. In which ther can no man him reule, For loves lawe is out of reule, That of to moche or of to lite Wel nyh is every man to wyte, And natheles ther is no man In al this world so wys, that can Of love tempre the mesure, Bot as it falth in aventure. For wit ne strengthe may noght helpe, And he which elles wolde him yelpe Is rathest throwen under fote, Ther can no wiht therof do bote. For yet was nevere such covine, That couthe ordeine a medicine To thing which God in lawe of kinde Hath set, for ther may no man finde The rihte salve of such a sor. It hath and schal ben everemor That love is maister wher he wile, Ther can no lif make other skile; For wher as evere him lest to sette, Ther is no myht which him may lette. Bot what schal fallen ate laste, The sothe can no wisdom caste, Bot as it falleth upon chance. For if ther evere was balance Which of fortune stant governed, I may wel lieve as I am lerned That love hath that balance on honde, Which wol no reson understonde. For love is blind and may noght se, Forthi may no certeineté Be set upon his jugement, Bot as the whiel aboute went He gifth his graces undeserved, And fro that man which hath him served Ful ofte he takth aweye his fees, As he that pleieth ate dees; And therupon what schal befalle He not, til that the chance falle, Wher he schal lese or he schal winne. And thus ful ofte men beginne, That if thei wisten what it mente, Thei wolde change al here entente.    And for to proven it is so, I am miselven on of tho, Which to this scole am underfonge. For it is siththe go noght longe, As for to speke of this matiere, I may you telle, if ye woll hiere, A wonder hap which me befell, That was to me bothe hard and fell, Touchende of love and his fortune, The which me liketh to comune And pleinly for to telle it oute. To hem that ben lovers aboute Fro point to point I wol declare And wryten of my woful care, Mi wofull day, my wofull chance, That men mowe take remembrance Of that thei schall hierafter rede: For in good feith this wolde I rede, That every man ensample take Of wisdom which him is betake, And that he wot of good aprise To teche it forth, for such emprise Is for to preise; and therfore I Woll wryte and schewe al openly How love and I togedre mette Wherof the world ensample fette Mai after this, whan I am go, Of thilke unsely jolif wo, Whos reule stant out of the weie, Nou glad and nou gladnesse aweie, And yet it may noght be withstonde For oght that men may understonde.     [Complaint to Cupid and Venus]     Non ego Sampsonis vires, non Herculis arma    Vinco, sum sed vt hii victus amore pari. Vt discant alii, docet experiencia facti,    Rebus in ambiguis que sit habenda via. Deuius ordo ducis temptata pericla sequentem    Instruit a tergo, ne simul ille cadat. Me quibus ergo Venus, casus, laqueauit amantem,    Orbis in exemplum scribere tendo palam. 2        Upon the point that is befalle Of love, in which that I am falle, I thenke telle my matiere: Now herkne, who that wol it hiere, Of my fortune how that it ferde. This enderday, as I forthferde To walke, as I yow telle may, And that was in the monthe of Maii, Whan every brid hath chose his make And thenkth his merthes for to make Of love that he hath achieved; Bot so was I nothing relieved, For I was further fro my love Than erthe is fro the hevene above. As for to speke of eny sped, So wiste I me non other red, Bot as it were a man forfare Unto the wode I gan to fare, Noght for to singe with the briddes, For whanne I was the wode amiddes, I fond a swote grene pleine, And ther I gan my wo compleigne Wisshinge and wepinge al myn one, For other merthes made I none. So hard me was that ilke throwe, That ofte sithes overthrowe To grounde I was withoute breth; And evere I wisshide after deth, Whanne I out of my peine awok, And caste up many a pitous lok Unto the hevene, and seide thus: "O thou Cupide, O thou Venus, Thow god of love and thou goddesse, Wher is pité? wher is meknesse? Now doth me pleinly live or dye, For certes such a maladie As I now have and longe have hadd, It myhte make a wis man madd, If that it scholde longe endure. O Venus, queene of loves cure, Thou lif, thou lust, thou mannes hele, Behold my cause and my querele, And yif me som part of thi grace, So that I may finde in this place If thou be gracious or non." And with that word I sawh anon The kyng of love and qweene bothe; Bot he that kyng with yhen wrothe His chiere aweiward fro me caste, And forth he passede ate laste. Bot natheles er he forth wente A firy dart me thoghte he hente And threw it thurgh myn herte rote: In him fond I non other bote, For lenger list him noght to duelle. Bot sche that is the source and welle Of wel or wo, that schal betide To hem that loven, at that tide Abod, bot for to tellen hiere Sche cast on me no goodly chiere: Thus natheles to me sche seide, "What art thou, sone?" and I abreide Riht as a man doth out of slep, And therof tok sche riht good kep And bad me nothing ben adrad: Bot for al that I was noght glad, For I ne sawh no cause why. And eft scheo asketh, what was I: I seide, "A caitif that lith hiere: What wolde ye, my ladi diere? Schal I ben hol or elles dye?" Sche seide, "Tell thi maladie: What is thi sor of which thou pleignest? Ne hyd it noght, for if thou feignest, I can do thee no medicine." "Ma dame, I am a man of thyne, That in thi court have longe served, And aske that I have deserved, Som wele after my longe wo." And sche began to loure tho, And seide, "Ther is manye of yow Faitours, and so may be that thow Art riht such on, and be feintise Seist that thou hast me do servise." And natheles sche wiste wel, Mi world stod on an other whiel Withouten eny faiterie: Bot algate of my maladie Sche bad me telle and seie hir trowthe. "Ma dame, if ye wolde have rowthe," Quod I, "thanne wold I telle yow." "Sey forth," quod sche, "and tell me how; Schew me thi seknesse everydiel." "Ma dame, that can I do wel, Be so my lif therto wol laste." With that hir lok on me sche caste, And seide: "In aunter if thou live, Mi will is ferst that thou be schrive; And natheles how that it is I wot miself, bot for al this Unto my prest, which comth anon, I woll thou telle it on and on, Bothe all thi thoght and al thi werk. O Genius myn oghne clerk, Com forth and hier this mannes schrifte," Quod Venus tho; and I uplifte Min hefd with that and gan beholde The selve prest which as sche wolde Was redy there and sette him doun To hiere my confessioun.     [Confessio Amantis, the Lover's Confession]     Confessus Genio si sit medicina salutis    Experiar morbis, quos tulit ipsa Venus. Lesa quidem ferro medicantur membra saluti,    Raro tamen medicum vulnus amoris habet. 3        This worthi prest, this holy man To me spekende thus began, And seide: "Benedicité, Mi sone; of the felicité Of love and ek of all the wo Thou schalt thee schrive of bothe tuo. What thou er this for loves sake Hast felt, let nothing be forsake, Tell pleinliche as it is befalle." And with that word I gan doun falle On knees, and with devocioun And with full gret contricioun I seide thanne: "Dominus, Min holi fader Genius; So as thou hast experience Of love, for whos reverence Thou schalt me schriven at this time, I prai thee let me noght mistime Mi schrifte, for I am destourbed In al myn herte, and so contourbed, That I ne may my wittes gete, So schal I moche thing forgete. Bot if thou wolt my schrifte oppose Fro point to point, thanne, I suppose, Ther schal nothing be left behinde. Bot now my wittes ben so blinde, That I ne can miselven teche." Tho he began anon to preche, And with his wordes debonaire He seide to me softe and faire: "Thi schrifte to oppose and hiere, Mi sone, I am assigned hiere Be Venus the godesse above, Whos prest I am touchende of love. Bot natheles for certein skile I mot algate and nedes wile Noght only make my spekynges Of love, bot of othre thinges, That touchen to the cause of vice. For that belongeth to th'office Of prest, whos ordre that I bere, So that I wol nothing forbere, That I the vices on and on Ne schal thee schewen everychon; Wherof thou myht take evidence To reule with thi conscience. Bot of conclusion final Conclude I wol in special For love, whos servant I am, And why the cause is that I cam. So thenke I to don bothe tuo, Ferst that myn ordre longeth to, The vices for to telle arewe, Bot next above alle othre schewe Of love I wol the propretes, How that thei stonde be degrees After the disposicioun Of Venus, whos condicioun I moste folwe, as I am holde. For I with love am al withholde, So that the lasse I am to wyte, Thogh I ne conne bot a lyte Of othre thinges that ben wise: I am noght tawht in such a wise; For it is noght my comun us To speke of vices and vertus, Bot al of love and of his lore, For Venus bokes of no more Me techen nowther text ne glose. Bot for als moche as I suppose It sit a prest to be wel thewed, And schame it is if he be lewed, Of my presthode after the forme I wol thi schrifte so enforme, That ate leste thou schalt hiere The vices, and to thi matiere Of love I schal hem so remene, That thou schalt knowe what thei mene. For what a man schal axe or sein Touchende of schrifte, it mot be plein, It nedeth noght to make it queinte, For trowthe hise wordes wol noght peinte: That I wole axe of thee forthi, Mi sone, it schal be so pleinly, That thou schalt knowe and understonde The pointz of schrifte how that thei stonde."     [Senses of Sight and Sound]     Visus et auditus fragilis sunt ostia mentis,    Que viciosa manus claudere nulla potest. Est ibi larga via, graditur qua cordis ad antrum    Hostis, et ingrediens fossa talenta rapit. Hec michi confessor Genius primordia profert,    Dum sit in extremis vita remorsa malis. Nunc tamen vt poterit semiviua loquela fateri,    Verba per os timide conscia mentis agam. 4    Betwen the lif and deth I herde This prestes tale er I answerde, And thanne I preide him for to seie His will, and I it wolde obeie After the forme of his apprise. Tho spak he to me in such a wise, And bad me that I scholde schryve As touchende of my wittes fyve, And schape that thei were amended Of that I hadde hem mispended. For tho be proprely the gates, Thurgh whiche as to the herte algates Comth alle thing unto the feire, Which may the mannes soule empeire. And now this matiere is broght inne: "Mi sone, I thenke ferst beginne To wite how that thin yhe hath stonde, The which is, as I understonde, The moste principal of alle, Thurgh whom that peril mai befalle.    And for to speke in loves kinde, Ful manye such a man mai finde, Whiche evere caste aboute here yhe, To loke if that thei myhte aspie Ful ofte thing which hem ne toucheth, Bot only that here herte soucheth In hindringe of an other wiht; And thus ful many a worthi knyht And many a lusti lady bothe Have be ful ofte sythe wrothe. So that an yhe is as a thief To love, and doth ful gret meschief; And also for his oghne part Ful ofte thilke firy dart Of love, which that evere brenneth, Thurgh him into the herte renneth: And thus a mannes yhe ferst Himselve grieveth alther werst, And many a time that he knoweth Unto his oghne harm it groweth. Mi sone, herkne now forthi A tale, to be war therby Thin yhe for to kepe and warde, So that it passe noght his warde.     [The Tale of Acteon]        Ovide telleth in his bok Ensample touchende of mislok, And seith hou whilom ther was on, A worthi lord, which Acteon Was hote, and he was cousin nyh To him that Thebes ferst on hyh Up sette, which king Cadme hyhte. This Acteon, as he wel myhte, Above alle othre caste his chiere, And used it fro yer to yere, With houndes and with grete hornes Among the wodes and the thornes To make his hunting and his chace: Where him best thoghte in every place To finde gamen in his weie, Ther rod he for to hunte and pleie. So him befell upon a tide On his hunting as he cam ride, In a forest alone he was: He syh upon the grene gras The faire freisshe floures springe, He herde among the leves singe The throstle with the nyhtingale: Thus er he wiste into a dale He cam, wher was a litel plein, All round aboute wel besein With buisshes grene and cedres hyhe; And ther withinne he caste his yhe. Amidd the plein he syh a welle, So fair ther myhte no man telle, In which Diana naked stod To bathe and pleie hire in the flod With many a nimphe, which hire serveth. Bot he his yhe awey ne swerveth Fro hire which was naked al, And sche was wonder wroth withal. And him, as sche which was godesse, Forschop anon, and the liknesse Sche made him taken of an hert, Which was tofore hise houndes stert, That ronne besiliche aboute With many an horn and many a route, That maden mochel noise and cry: And ate laste, unhappely, This hert his oghne houndes slowhe And him for vengance al todrowhe.    Lo now, my sone, what it is A man to caste his yhe amis, Which Acteon hath dere aboght; Be war forthi and do it noght. For ofte, who that hiede toke, Betre is to winke than to loke. And for to proven it is so, Ovide the poete also A tale which to this matiere Acordeth seith, as thou schalt hiere.     [The Tale of Medusa]        In Metamor it telleth thus, How that a lord which Phorceus Was hote, hadde dowhtres thre. Bot upon here nativité Such was the constellacioun, That out of mannes nacioun Fro kynde thei be so miswent, That to the liknesse of serpent Thei were bore, and so that on Of hem was cleped Stellibon, That other soster Suriale, The thridde, as telleth in the tale, Medusa hihte, and natheles Of comun name Gorgones In every contré ther aboute, As monstres whiche that men doute, Men clepen hem; and bot on yhe Among hem thre in pourpartie Thei hadde, of which thei myhte se: Now hath it this, now hath it sche; After that cause and nede it ladde, Be throwes ech of hem it hadde. A wonder thing yet more amis Ther was, wherof I telle al this. What man on hem his chiere caste And hem behield, he was als faste Out of a man into a ston Forschape, and thus ful manyon Deceived were, of that thei wolde Misloke, wher that thei ne scholde. Bot Perseus that worthi knyht, Whom Pallas of hir grete myht Halp, and tok him a schield therto, And ek the god Mercurie also Lente him a swerd, he, as it fell, Beyende Athlans the hihe hell These monstres soghte, and there he fond Diverse men of thilke lond Thurgh sihte of hem mistorned were, Stondende as stones hiere and there. Bot, he, which wisdom and prouesse Hadde of the god and the godesse, The schield of Pallas gan enbrace, With which he covereth sauf his face, Mercuries swerd and out he drowh, And so he bar him that he slowh These dredful monstres alle thre.    Lo now, my sone, avise thee, That thou thi sihte noght misuse: Cast noght thin yhe upon Meduse, That thou be torned into ston: For so wys man was nevere non, Bot if he wel his yhe kepe And take of fol delit no kepe, That he with lust nys ofte nome, Thurgh strengthe of love and overcome.    Of mislokynge how it hath ferd, As I have told, now hast thou herd, Mi goode sone, and tak good hiede. And over this yet I thee rede That thou be war of thin heringe, Which to the herte the tidinge Of many a vanité hath broght, To tarie with a mannes thoght. And natheles good is to hiere Such thing wherof a man may lere That to vertu is acordant, And toward al the remenant Good is to torne his ere fro; For elles, bot a man do so, Him may ful ofte mysbefalle. I rede ensample amonges alle, Wherof to kepe wel an ere It oghte pute a man in fere.     [Aspidis the Serpent]        A serpent, which that Aspidis Is cleped, of his kynde hath this, That he the ston noblest of alle, The which that men carbuncle calle, Berth in his hed above on heihte. For which whan that a man be sleyhte The ston to winne and him to daunte, With his carecte him wolde enchaunte, Anon as he perceiveth that, He leith doun his on ere al plat Unto the ground, and halt it faste, And ek that other ere als faste He stoppeth with his tail so sore, That he the wordes lasse or more Of his enchantement ne hiereth; And in this wise himself he skiereth, So that he hath the wordes weyved And thurgh his ere is noght deceived.     [The Sirens]        An othre thing, who that recordeth, Lich unto this ensample acordeth, Which in the tale of Troie I finde. Sirenes of a wonder kynde Ben monstres, as the bokes tellen, And in the grete se thei duellen: Of body bothe and of visage Lik unto wommen of yong age Up fro the navele on hih thei be, And doun benethe, as men mai se, Thei bere of fisshes the figure. And over this of such nature Thei ben, that with so swete a stevene Lik to the melodie of hevene In wommanysshe vois thei singe, With notes of so gret likinge, Of such mesure, of such musike, Wherof the schipes thei beswike That passen be the costes there. For whan the schipmen leie an ere Unto the vois, in here avys Thei wene it be a paradys, Which after is to hem an helle. For reson may noght with hem duelle, Whan thei tho grete lustes hiere; Thei conne noght here schipes stiere, So besiliche upon the note Thei herkne, and in such wise assote, That thei here rihte cours and weie Forgete, and to here ere obeie, And seilen til it so befalle That thei into the peril falle, Where as the schipes be todrawe, And thei ben with the monstres slawe. Bot fro this peril natheles With his wisdom king Uluxes Ascapeth and it overpasseth; For he tofor the hond compasseth That no man of his compaignie Hath pouer unto that folie His ere for no lust to caste; For he hem stoppede alle faste, That non of hem mai hiere hem singe. So whan thei comen forth seilinge, Ther was such governance on honde, That thei the monstres have withstonde And slain of hem a gret partie. Thus was he sauf with his navie, This wise king, thurgh governance.    Wherof, my sone, in remembrance Thou myht ensample taken hiere, As I have told, and what thou hiere Be wel war, and gif no credence, Bot if thou se more evidence. For if thou woldest take kepe And wisly cowthest warde and kepe Thin yhe and ere, as I have spoke, Than haddest thou the gates stoke Fro such sotie as comth to winne Thin hertes wit, which is withinne, Wherof that now thi love excedeth Mesure, and many a peine bredeth. Bot if thou cowthest sette in reule Tho tuo, the thre were eth to reule: Forthi as of thi wittes five I wole as now no more schryve, Bot only of these ilke tuo. Tell me therfore if it be so, Hast thou thin yhen oght misthrowe?"    "Mi fader, ye, I am beknowe, I have hem cast upon Meduse, Therof I may me noght excuse: Min herte is growen into ston, So that my lady therupon Hath such a priente of love grave, That I can noght miselve save." "What seist thou, sone, as of thin ere?" "Mi fader, I am gultyf there; For whanne I may my lady hiere, Mi wit with that hath lost his stiere: I do noght as Uluxes dede, Bot falle anon upon the stede, Wher as I se my lady stonde; And there, I do yow understonde, I am topulled in my thoght, So that of reson leveth noght, Wherof that I me mai defende."    "Mi goode sone, God th'amende! For as me thenketh be thi speche Thi wittes ben riht feer to seche. As of thin ere and of thin yhe I woll no more specefie, Bot I woll axen over this Of othre thing how that it is."     [Hypocrisy]     Celsior est Aquila que Leone ferocior ille,    Quem tumor elati cordis ad alta mouet. Sunt species quinque, quibus esse Superbia ductrix    Clamat, et in multis mundus adheret eis. Laruando faciem ficto pallore subornat    Fraudibus Ypocrisis mellea verba suis. Sicque pios animos quamsepe ruit muliebres    Ex humili verbo sub latitante dolo. 5        "Mi sone, as I thee schal enforme, Ther ben yet of an other forme Of dedly vices sevene applied, Wherof the herte is ofte plied To thing which after schal him grieve. The ferste of hem thou schalt believe Is Pride, which is principal, And hath with him in special Ministres five ful diverse, Of whiche, as I thee schal reherse, The ferste is seid Ypocrisie. If thou art of his compaignie, Tell forth, my sone, and schrif thee clene."    "I wot noght, fader, what ye mene: Bot this I wolde you beseche, That ye me be som weie teche What is to ben an ypocrite; And thanne if I be for to wyte, I wol beknowen, as it is."    "Mi sone, an ypocrite is this: A man which feigneth conscience, As thogh it were al innocence Withoute, and is noght so withinne; And doth so for he wolde winne Of his desir the vein astat. And whanne he comth anon therat, He scheweth thanne what he was. The corn is torned into gras, That was a rose is thanne a thorn, And he that was a lomb beforn Is thanne a wolf, and thus malice Under the colour of justice Is hid; and as the poeple telleth, These ordres witen where he duelleth, As he that of here conseil is, And thilke world which thei er this Forsoken, he drawth in agein: He clotheth richesse, as men sein, Under the simplesce of poverte, And doth to seme of gret decerte Thing which is litel worth withinne: He seith in open, fy! to sinne, And in secre ther is no vice Of which that he nis a norrice: And evere his chiere is sobre and softe, And where he goth he blesseth ofte, Wherof the blinde world he dreccheth. Bot yet al only he ne streccheth His reule upon religioun, Bot next to that condicioun In suche as clepe hem holy cherche It scheweth ek how he can werche Among tho wyde furred hodes, To geten hem the worldes goodes. And thei hemself ben thilke same That setten most the world in blame, Bot yet in contraire of her lore Ther is nothing thei loven more; So that semende of liht thei werke The dedes whiche are inward derke. And thus this double Ypocrisie With his devolte apparantie A viser set upon his face, Wherof toward this worldes grace He semeth to be riht wel thewed, And yit his herte is al beschrewed. Bot natheles he stant believed, And hath his pourpos ofte achieved Of worschipe and of worldes welthe, And takth it, as who seith, be stelthe Thurgh coverture of his fallas. And riht so in semblable cas This vice hath ek his officers Among these othre seculers Of grete men, for of the smale As for t'acompte he set no tale, Bot thei that passen the comune With suche him liketh to comune, And where he seith he wol socoure The poeple, there he woll devoure; For now aday is manyon Which spekth of Peter and of John And thenketh Judas in his herte. Ther schal no worldes good asterte His hond, and yit he gifth almesse And fasteth ofte and hiereth Messe: With mea culpa, which he seith, Upon his brest fullofte he leith His hond, and cast upward his yhe, As thogh he Cristes face syhe; So that it semeth ate syhte, As he alone alle othre myhte Rescoue with his holy bede. Bot yet his herte in other stede Among hise bedes most devoute Goth in the worldes cause aboute, How that he myhte his warisoun Encresce.     Hypocrisy of Lovers                 And in comparisoun Ther ben lovers of such a sort, That feignen hem an humble port, And al is bot Ypocrisie, Which with deceipte and flaterie Hath many a worthi wif beguiled. For whanne he hath his tunge affiled, With softe speche and with lesinge, Forth with his fals pitous lokynge, He wolde make a womman wene To gon upon the faire grene, Whan that sche falleth in the mir. For if he may have his desir, How so falle of the remenant, He halt no word of covenant; Bot er the time that he spede, Ther is no sleihte at thilke nede, Which eny loves faitour mai, That he ne put it in assai, As him belongeth for to done. The colour of the reyni mone With medicine upon his face He set, and thanne he axeth grace, As he which hath sieknesse feigned. Whan his visage is so desteigned, With yhe upcast on hire he siketh, And many a contenance he piketh, To bringen hire into believe Of thing which that he wolde achieve, Wherof he berth the pale hewe; And for he wolde seme trewe, He makth him siek, whan he is heil. Bot whanne he berth lowest the seil, Thanne is he swiftest to beguile The womman, which that ilke while Set upon him feith or credence." "Mi sone, if thou thi conscience Entamed hast in such a wise, In schrifte thou thee myht avise And telle it me, if it be so." "Min holy fader, certes no. As for to feigne such sieknesse It nedeth noght, for this witnesse I take of God, that my corage Hath ben mor siek than my visage. And ek this mai I wel avowe, So lowe cowthe I nevere bowe To feigne humilité withoute, That me ne leste betre loute With alle the thoghtes of myn herte; For that thing schal me nevere asterte, I speke as to my lady diere To make hire eny feigned chiere. God wot wel there I lye noght, Mi chiere hath be such as my thoght; For in good feith, this lieveth wel, Mi will was betre a thousendel Than eny chiere that I cowthe. Bot, sire, if I have in my yowthe Don otherwise in other place, I put me therof in your grace: For this excusen I ne schal, That I have elles overal To love and to his compaignie Be plein withoute Ypocrisie. Bot ther is on the which I serve, Althogh I may no thonk deserve, To whom yet nevere into this day I seide onlyche or ye or nay, Bot if it so were in my thoght. As touchende othre seie I noght That I nam somdel for to wyte Of that ye clepe an ypocrite."    "Mi sone, it sit wel every wiht To kepe his word in trowthe upryht Towardes love in alle wise. For who that wolde him wel avise What hath befalle in this matiere, He scholde noght with feigned chiere Deceive love in no degré. To love is every herte fre, Bot in deceipte if that thou feignest And therupon thi lust atteignest, That thow hast wonne with thi wyle, Thogh it thee like for a whyle, Thou schalt it afterward repente. And for to prove myn entente, I finde ensample in a croniqe Of hem that love so beswike.     [The Tale of Mundus and Paulina]        It fell be olde daies thus, Whil th'emperour Tiberius The monarchie of Rome ladde, Ther was a worthi Romein hadde A wif, and sche Pauline hihte, Which was to every mannes sihte Of al the cité the faireste, And as men seiden, ek the beste. It is and hath ben evere yit, That so strong is no mannes wit, Which thurgh beauté ne mai be drawe To love, and stonde under the lawe Of thilke bore frele kinde, Which makth the hertes yhen blinde, Wher no reson mai be comuned: And in this wise stod fortuned This tale, of which I wolde mene; This wif, which in hire lustes grene Was fair and freissh and tendre of age, Sche may noght lette the corage Of him that wole on hire assote.    Ther was a duck, and he was hote Mundus, which hadde in his baillie To lede the chivalerie Of Rome, and was a worthi knyht; Bot yet he was noght of such myht The strengthe of love to withstonde, That he ne was so broght to honde, That malgré wher he wole or no, This yonge wif he loveth so, That he hath put al his assay To wynne thing which he ne may Gete of hire graunt in no manere, Be gifte of gold ne be preiere. And whanne he syh that be no mede Toward hir love he myhte spede, Be sleyhte feigned thanne he wroghte; And therupon he him bethoghte How that ther was in the cité A temple of such auctorité, To which with gret devocioun The noble wommen of the toun Most comunliche a pelrinage Gon for to preie thilke ymage Which the godesse of childinge is, And cleped was be name Ysis: And in hire temple thanne were, To reule and to ministre there After the lawe which was tho, Above alle othre prestes tuo. This duck, which thoghte his love gete, Upon a day hem tuo to mete Hath bede, and thei come at his heste; Wher that thei hadde a riche feste, And after mete in privé place This lord, which wolde his thonk pourchace, To ech of hem gaf thanne a gifte, And spak so that be weie of schrifte He drowh hem unto his covine, To helpe and schape how he Pauline After his lust deceive myhte. And thei here trowthes bothe plyhte, That thei be nyhte hire scholden wynne Into the temple, and he therinne Schal have of hire al his entente; And thus acorded forth thei wente.    Now lest thurgh which ypocrisie Ordeigned was the tricherie, Wherof this ladi was deceived. These prestes hadden wel conceived That sche was of gret holinesse; And with a contrefet simplesse, Which hid was in a fals corage, Feignende an hevenely message Thei come and seide unto hir thus: "Pauline, the god Anubus Hath sent ous bothe prestes hiere, And seith he woll to thee appiere Be nyhtes time himself alone, For love he hath to thi persone: And therupon he hath ous bede, That we in Ysis temple a stede Honestely for thee pourveie, Wher thou be nyhte, as we thee seie, Of him schalt take avisioun. For upon thi condicioun, The which is chaste and ful of feith, Such pris, as he ous tolde, he leith, That he wol stonde of thin acord; And for to bere hierof record He sende ous hider bothe tuo." Glad was hire innocence tho Of suche wordes as sche herde With humble chiere, and thus answerde, And seide that the goddes wille Sche was al redy to fulfille, That be hire housebondes leve Sche wolde in Ysis temple at eve Upon hire goddes grace abide, To serven him the nyhtes tide. The prestes tho gon hom agein, And sche goth to hire sovereign, Of goddes wille and as it was Sche tolde him al the pleine cas, Wherof he was deceived eke, And bad that sche hire scholde meke Al hol unto the goddes heste. And thus sche, which was al honeste To godward after hire entente, At nyht unto the temple wente, Wher that the false prestes were; And thei receiven hire there With such a tokne of holinesse, As thogh thei syhen a godesse, And al withinne in privé place A softe bedd of large space Thei hadde mad and encourtined, Wher sche was afterward engined. Bot sche, which al honour supposeth, The false prestes thanne opposeth, And axeth be what observance Sche myhte most to the plesance Of godd that nyhtes reule kepe. And thei hire bidden for to slepe, Liggende upon the bedd alofte, For so, thei seide, al stille and softe God Anubus hire wolde awake. The conseil in this wise take, The prestes fro this lady gon; And sche, that wiste of guile non, In the manere as it was seid To slepe upon the bedd is leid, In hope that sche scholde achieve Thing which stod thanne upon bilieve, Fulfild of alle holinesse. Bot sche hath failed, as I gesse, For in a closet faste by The duck was hid so prively That sche him myhte noght perceive; And he, that thoghte to deceive, Hath such arrai upon him nome, That whanne he wolde unto hir come, It scholde semen at hire yhe As thogh sche verrailiche syhe God Anubus, and in such wise This ypocrite of his queintise Awaiteth evere til sche slepte. And thanne out of his place he crepte So stille that sche nothing herde, And to the bedd stalkende he ferde, And sodeinly, er sche it wiste, Beclipt in armes he hire kiste: Wherof in wommanysshe drede Sche wok and nyste what to rede; Bot he with softe wordes milde Conforteth hire and seith, with childe He wolde hire make in such a kynde That al the world schal have in mynde The worschipe of that ilke sone; For he schal with the goddes wone, And ben himself a godd also. With suche wordes and with mo, The whiche he feigneth in his speche, This lady wit was al to seche, As sche which alle trowthe weneth: Bot he, that alle untrowthe meneth, With blinde tales so hire ladde, That all his wille of hire he hadde. And whan him thoghte it was ynowh, Agein the day he him withdrowh So prively that sche ne wiste Wher he becom, bot as him liste Out of the temple he goth his weie. And sche began to bidde and preie Upon the bare ground knelende, And after that made hire offrende, And to the prestes giftes grete Sche gaf, and homward be the strete. The duck hire mette and seide thus: "The myhti godd which Anubus Is hote, he save thee, Pauline, For thou art of his discipline So holy, that no mannes myht Mai do that he hath do to nyht Of thing which thou hast evere eschuied. Bot I his grace have so poursuied, That I was mad his lieutenant: Forthi be weie of covenant Fro this day forth I am al thin, And if thee like to be myn, That stant upon thin oghne wille."    Sche herde his tale and bar it stille, And hom sche wente, as it befell, Into hir chambre, and ther sche fell Upon hire bedd to wepe and crie, And seide: "O derke ypocrisie, Thurgh whos dissimilacion Of fals ymaginacion I am thus wickedly deceived! Bot that I have it aperceived I thonke unto the goddes alle; For thogh it ones be befalle, It schal nevere eft whil that I live, And thilke avou to godd I give." And thus wepende sche compleigneth, Hire faire face and al desteigneth With wofull teres of hire ye, So that upon this agonie Hire housebonde is inne come, And syh how sche was overcome With sorwe, and axeth what hire eileth. And sche with that hirself beweileth Welmore than sche dede afore, And seide, "Helas, wifhode is lore In me, which whilom was honeste, I am non other than a beste, Now I defouled am of tuo." And as sche myhte speke tho, Aschamed with a pitous onde Sche tolde unto hir housebonde The sothe of al the hole tale, And in hire speche ded and pale Sche swouneth wel nyh to the laste. And he hire in hise armes faste Uphield, and ofte swor his oth That he with hire is nothing wroth, For wel he wot sche may ther noght: Bot natheles withinne his thoght His herte stod in sori plit, And seide he wolde of that despit Be venged, how so evere it falle, And sende unto hise frendes alle. And whan thei weren come in fere, He tolde hem upon this matiere, And axeth hem what was to done: And thei avised were sone, And seide it thoghte hem for the beste To sette ferst his wif in reste, And after pleigne to the king Upon the matiere of this thing. Tho was this wofull wif conforted Be alle weies and desported, Til that sche was somdiel amended; And thus a day or tuo despended; The thridde day sche goth to pleigne With many a worthi citezeine, And he with many a citezein.    Whan th'emperour it herde sein, And knew the falshed of the vice, He seide he wolde do justice: And ferst he let the prestes take And, for thei scholde it noght forsake, He put hem into questioun; Bot thei of the suggestioun Ne couthen noght a word refuse, Bot for thei wolde hemself excuse, The blame upon the duck thei leide. Bot theragein the conseil seide That thei be noght excused so, For he is on and thei ben tuo, And tuo han more wit then on, So thilke excusement was non. And over that was seid hem eke, That whan men wolden vertu seke, Men scholde it in the prestes finde; Here ordre is of so hyh a kinde, That thei be duistres of the weie: Forthi, if eny man forsueie Thurgh hem, thei be noght excusable. And thus be lawe resonable Among the wise jugges there The prestes bothe dampned were, So that the privé tricherie Hid under fals Ipocrisye Was thanne al openliche schewed, That many a man hem hath beschrewed. And whan the prestes weren dede, The temple of thilke horrible dede Thei thoghten purge, and thilke ymage, Whos cause was the pelrinage, Thei drowen out and als so faste Fer into Tibre thei it caste, Wher the rivere it hath defied: And thus the temple purified Thei have of thilke horrible sinne, Which was that time do therinne. Of this point such was the juise, Bot of the duck was other wise: For he with love was bestad, His dom was noght so harde lad; For love put reson aweie And can noght se the rihte weie. And be this cause he was respited, So that the deth him was acquited, Bot for al that he was exiled, For he his love hath so beguiled, That he schal nevere come agein: For who that is to trowthe unplein, He may noght failen of vengance.    And ek to take remembrance Of that Ypocrisie hath wroght On other half, men scholde noght To lihtly lieve al that thei hiere, Bot thanne scholde a wis man stiere The schip, whan suche wyndes blowe: For ferst, thogh thei beginne lowe, At ende thei be noght menable, Bot al tobroken mast and cable, So that the schip with sodein blast, Whan men lest wene, is overcast, As now ful ofte a man mai se. And of old time how it hath be I finde a gret experience, Wherof to take an evidence Good is, and to be war also Of the peril, er him be wo.     [The Trojan Horse]        Of hem that ben so derk withinne, At Troie also if we beginne, Ipocrisie it hath betraied: For whan the Greks hadde al assaied, And founde that be no bataille Ne be no siege it myhte availe The toun to winne thurgh prouesse, This vice feigned of simplesce Thurgh sleyhte of Calcas and of Crise It wan be such a maner wise: An hors of bras thei let do forge, Of such entaile, of such a forge, That in this world was nevere man That such an other werk began. The crafti werkman Epius It made, and for to telle thus, The Greks, that thoghten to beguile The kyng of Troie, in thilke while With Anthenor and with Enee, That were bothe of the cité And of the conseil the wiseste, The richeste and the myhtieste, In privé place so thei trete With fair beheste and giftes grete Of gold, that thei hem have engined Togedre; and whan thei be covined, Thei feignen for to make a pes, And under that yit natheles Thei schopen the destruccioun Bothe of the kyng and of the toun. And thus the false pees was take Of hem of Grece and undertake. And therupon thei founde a weie, Wher strengthe myhte noght aweie, That sleihte scholde helpe thanne; And of an ynche a large spanne Be colour of the pees thei made, And tolden how thei weren glade Of that thei stoden in acord; And for it schal ben of record, Unto the kyng the Gregois seiden, Be weie of love and this thei preiden, As thei that wolde his thonk deserve, A sacrifice unto Minerve, The pes to kepe in good entente, Thei mosten offre er that thei wente. The kyng, conseiled in this cas Be Anthenor and Eneas, Therto hath goven his assent: So was the pleine trowthe blent Thurgh contrefet Ipocrisie Of that thei scholden sacrifie.    The Greks under the holinesse Anon with alle besinesse Here hors of bras let faire dihte, Which was to sen a wonder sihte; For it was trapped of himselve, And hadde of smale whieles twelve, Upon the whiche men ynowe With craft toward the toun it drowe, And goth glistrende agein the sunne. Tho was ther joye ynowh begunne, For Troie in gret devocioun Cam also with processioun Agein this noble sacrifise With gret honour, and in this wise Unto the gates thei it broghte. Bot of here entré whan thei soghte, The gates weren al to smale; And therupon was many a tale, Bot for the worschipe of Minerve, To whom thei comen for to serve, Thei of the toun, whiche understode That al this thing was do for goode, For pes, wherof that thei ben glade, The gates that Neptunus made A thousend wynter ther tofore, Thei have anon tobroke and tore; The stronge walles doun thei bete, So that in to the large strete This hors with gret solempnité Was broght withinne the cité, And offred with gret reverence, Which was to Troie an evidence Of love and pes for everemo. The Gregois token leve tho With al the hole felaschipe, And forth thei wenten into schipe And crossen seil and made hem yare, Anon as thogh thei wolden fare: Bot whan the blake wynter nyht Withoute mone or sterre lyht Bederked hath the water stronde, Al prively thei gon to londe Ful armed out of the navie. Synon, which mad was here aspie Withinne Troie, as was conspired, Whan time was a tokne hath fired; And thei with that here weie holden, And comen in riht as thei wolden, Ther as the gate was tobroke. The pourpos was full take and spoke: Er eny man may take kepe, Whil that the cité was aslepe, Thei slowen al that was withinne, And token what thei myhten wynne Of such good as was sufficant, And brenden up the remenant. And thus cam out the tricherie, Which under fals Ypocrisie Was hid, and thei that wende pees Tho myhten finde no reles Of thilke swerd which al devoureth.    Ful ofte and thus the swete soureth, Whan it is knowe to the tast. He spilleth many a word in wast That schal with such a poeple trete; For whan he weneth most begete, Thanne is he schape most to lese. And riht so if a womman chese Upon the wordes that sche hiereth Som man, whan he most trewe appiereth, Thanne is he forthest fro the trowthe: Bot yit ful ofte, and that is rowthe, Thei speden that ben most untrewe And loven every day a newe, Wherof the lief is after loth And love hath cause to be wroth. Bot what man that his lust desireth Of love, and therupon conspireth With wordes feigned to deceive, He schal noght faile to receive His peine, as it is ofte sene.    Forthi, my sone, as I thee mene, It sit thee wel to taken hiede That thou eschuie of thi manhiede Ipocrisie and his semblant, That thou ne be noght deceivant, To make a womman to believe Thing which is noght in thi believe: For in such feint Ipocrisie Of love is al the tricherie, Thurgh which love is deceived ofte; For feigned semblant is so softe, Unethes love may be war. Forthi, my sone, as I wel dar, I charge thee to fle that vice, That many a womman hath mad nice; Bot lok thou dele noght withal."    "Iwiss, fader, no mor I schal."    "Now, sone, kep that thou hast swore: For this that thou hast herd before Is seid the ferste point of Pride. And next upon that other side, To schryve and speken over this Touchende of Pride, yit ther is The point seconde, I thee behote, Which Inobedience is hote."     [Disobedience]     Flectere quam frangi melius reputatur, et olle    Fictilis ad cacabum pugna valere nequit. Quem neque lex hominum, neque lex diuina valebit    Flectere, multociens corde reflectit amor. Quem non flectit amor, non est flectendus ab vllo,    Set rigor illius plus Elephante riget. Dedignatur amor poterit quos scire rebelles,    Et rudibus sortem prestat habere rudem; Set qui sponte sui subicit se cordis amore,    Frangit in aduersis omnia fata pius. 6        "This vice of Inobedience Agein the reule of conscience Al that is humble he desalloweth, That he toward his God ne boweth After the lawes of His heste. Noght as a man bot as a beste, Which goth upon his lustes wilde, So goth this proude vice unmylde, That he desdeigneth alle lawe: He not what is to be felawe, And serve may he noght for pride; So is he badde on every side, And is that selve of whom men speke, Which wol noght bowe er that he breke. I not if love him myhte plie, For elles for to justefie His herte, I not what mihte availe.    Forthi, my sone, of such entaile If that thin herte be disposed, Tell out and let it noght be glosed: For if that thou unbuxom be To love, I not in what degree Thou schalt thi goode world achieve."    "Mi fader, ye schul wel believe, The yonge whelp which is affaited Hath noght his maister betre awaited, To couche, whan he seith 'Go lowe!' That I, anon as I may knowe Mi ladi will, ne bowe more. Bot other while I grucche sore Of some thinges that sche doth, Wherof that I woll telle soth: For of tuo pointz I am bethoght, That, thogh I wolde, I myhte noght Obeie unto my ladi heste; Bot I dar make this beheste, Save only of that ilke tuo I am unbuxom of no mo." "What ben tho tuo? tell on," quod he. "Mi fader, this is on, that sche Comandeth me my mowth to close, And that I scholde hir noght oppose In love, of which I ofte preche, Bot plenerliche of such a speche Forbere, and soffren hire in pes. Bot that ne myht I natheles For al this world obeie ywiss; For whanne I am ther as sche is, Though sche my tales noght alowe, Agein hir will yit mot I bowe, To seche if that I myhte have grace: Bot that thing may I noght enbrace For ought that I can speke or do; And yit ful ofte I speke so, That sche is wroth and seith, 'Be stille.' If I that heste schal fulfille And therto ben obedient, Thanne is my cause fully schent, For specheles may no man spede. So wot I noght what is to rede; Bot certes I may noght obeie, That I ne mot algate seie Somwhat of that I wolde mene; For evere it is aliche grene, The grete love which I have, Wherof I can noght bothe save Mi speche and this obedience: And thus ful ofte my silence I breke, and is the ferste point Wherof that I am out of point In this, and yit it is no pride.    Now thanne upon that other side To telle my desobeissance, Ful sore it stant to my grevance And may noght sinke into my wit; For ofte time sche me bit To leven hire and chese a newe, And seith, if I the sothe knewe How ferr I stonde from hir grace, I scholde love in other place. Bot therof woll I desobeie; For also wel sche myhte seie, 'Go tak the mone ther it sit,' As bringe that into my wit: For ther was nevere rooted tre, That stod so faste in his degré, That I ne stonde more faste Upon hire love, and mai noght caste Min herte awey, althogh I wolde. For God wot, thogh I nevere scholde Sen hir with yhe after this day, Yit stant it so that I ne may Hir love out of my brest remue. This is a wonder retenue, That malgré wher sche wole or non Min herte is everemore in on, So that I can non other chese, Bot whether that I winne or lese, I moste hire loven til I deie; And thus I breke as be that weie Hire hestes and hir comandinges, Bot trewliche in non othre thinges. Forthi, my fader, what is more Touchende to this ilke lore I you beseche, after the forme That ye pleinly me wolde enforme, So that I may myn herte reule In loves cause after the reule."     [Murmur and Complaint]     Murmur in aduersis ita concipit ille superbus,    Pena quod ex bina sorte perurget eum. Obuia fortune cum spes in amore resistit,    Non sine mentali murmure plangit amans. 7        "Toward this vice of which we trete Ther ben yit tweie of thilke estrete, Here name is Murmur and Compleignte: Ther can no man here chiere peinte To sette a glad semblant therinne, For thogh fortune make hem wynne, Yit grucchen thei, and if thei lese, Ther is no weie for to chese Wherof thei myhten stonde appesed. So ben thei comunly desesed; Ther may no welthe ne poverté Attempren hem to the decerte Of buxomnesse be no wise: For ofte time thei despise The goode fortune as the badde, As thei no mannes reson hadde, Thurgh pride, wherof thei be blinde.    And ryht of such a maner kinde Ther be lovers, that thogh thei have Of love al that thei wolde crave, Yit wol thei grucche be som weie, That thei wol noght to love obeie Upon the trowthe, as thei do scholde; And if hem lacketh that thei wolde, Anon thei falle in such a peine, That evere unbuxomly thei pleigne Upon fortune, and curse and crie, That thei wol noght here hertes plie To soffre til it betre falle. Forthi if thou amonges alle Hast used this condicioun, Mi sone, in thi confessioun Now tell me pleinly what thou art."    "Mi fader, I beknowe a part, So as ye tolden hier above Of Murmur and Compleignte of love, That for I se no sped comende, Agein fortune compleignende I am, as who seith, everemo: And ek ful ofte tyme also, Whan so is that I se and hiere Or hevy word or hevy chiere Of my lady, I grucche anon; Bot wordes dar I speke non, Wherof sche myhte be desplesed. Bot in myn herte I am desesed With many a Murmur, God it wot; Thus drinke I in myn oghne swot, And thogh I make no semblant, Min herte is al desobeissant; And in this wise I me confesse Of that ye clepe unbuxomnesse. Now telleth what youre conseil is."    "Mi sone, and I thee rede this, What so befalle of other weie, That thou to loves heste obeie Als ferr as thou it myht suffise: For ofte sithe in such a wise Obedience in love availeth, Wher al a mannes strengthe faileth; Wherof, if that thee list to wite In a cronique as it is write, A gret ensample thou myht fynde, Which now is come to my mynde.     [The Tale of Florent]        Ther was whilom be daies olde A worthi knyht, and as men tolde He was nevoeu to th'emperour And of his court a courteour. Wifles he was, Florent he hihte. He was a man that mochel myhte; Of armes he was desirous, Chivalerous and amorous, And for the fame of worldes speche, Strange aventures for to seche, He rod the marches al aboute. And fell a time, as he was oute, Fortune, which may every thred Tobreke and knette of mannes sped, Schop, as this knyht rod in a pas, That he be strengthe take was, And to a castell thei him ladde, Wher that he fewe frendes hadde. For so it fell that ilke stounde That he hath with a dedly wounde Feihtende, his oghne hondes slain Branchus, which to the capitain Was sone and heir, wherof ben wrothe The fader and the moder bothe. That knyht Branchus was of his hond The worthieste of al his lond, And fain thei wolden do vengance Upon Florent, bot remembrance That thei toke of his worthinesse Of knyhthod and of gentilesse, And how he stod of cousinage To th'emperour, made hem assuage, And dorsten noght slen him for fere. In gret desputeisoun thei were Among hemself, what was the beste. Ther was a lady, the slyheste Of alle that men knewe tho, So old sche myhte unethes go, And was grantdame unto the dede: And sche with that began to rede, And seide how sche wol bringe him inne, That sche schal him to dethe winne Al only of his oghne grant, Thurgh strengthe of verray covenant Withoute blame of eny wiht. Anon sche sende for this kniht, And of hire sone sche alleide The deth, and thus to him sche seide: "Florent, how so thou be to wyte Of Branchus deth, men schal respite As now to take vengement, Be so thou stonde in juggement Upon certein condicioun, That thou unto a questioun Which I schal axe schalt ansuere; And over this thou schalt ek swere, That if thou of the sothe faile, Ther schal non other thing availe, That thou ne schalt thi deth receive. And for men schal thee noght deceive, That thou therof myht ben avised, Thou schalt have day and tyme assised And leve saufly for to wende, Be so that at thi daies ende Thou come agein with thin avys."    This knyht, which worthi was and wys, This lady preith that he may wite, And have it under seales write, What questioun it scholde be For which he schal in that degree Stonde of his lif in jeupartie. With that sche feigneth compaignie, And seith: "Florent, on love it hongeth Al that to myn axinge longeth: What alle wommen most desire This wole I axe, and in th'empire Wher as thou hast most knowlechinge Tak conseil upon this axinge."    Florent this thing hath undertake, The day was set, the time take, Under his seal he wrot his oth, In such a wise and forth he goth Hom to his emes court agein; To whom his aventure plein He tolde, of that him is befalle. And upon that thei weren alle The wiseste of the lond asent, Bot natheles of on assent Thei myhte noght acorde plat, On seide this, an othre that. After the disposicioun Of naturel complexioun To som womman it is plesance, That to an othre is grevance; Bot such a thing in special, Which to hem alle in general Is most plesant, and most desired Above alle othre and most conspired, Such o thing conne thei noght finde Be constellacion ne kinde: And thus Florent withoute cure Mot stonde upon his aventure, And is al schape unto the lere, As in defalte of his answere. This knyht hath levere for to dye Than breke his trowthe and for to lye In place ther as he was swore, And schapth him gon agein therfore. Whan time cam he tok his leve, That lengere wolde he noght beleve, And preith his em he be noght wroth, For that is a point of his oth, He seith, that no man schal him wreke, Thogh afterward men hiere speke That he par aventure deie. And thus he wente forth his weie Alone as knyht aventurous, And in his thoght was curious To wite what was best to do: And as he rod alone so, And cam nyh ther he wolde be, In a forest under a tre He syh wher sat a creature, A lothly wommannysch figure, That for to speke of fleisch and bon So foul yit syh he nevere non. This knyht behield hir redely, And as he wolde have passed by, Sche cleped him and bad abide; And he his horse heved aside Tho torneth, and to hire he rod, And there he hoveth and abod, To wite what sche wolde mene. And sche began him to bemene, And seide: "Florent be thi name, Thou hast on honde such a game, That bot thou be the betre avised, Thi deth is schapen and devised, That al the world ne mai thee save, Bot if that thou my conseil have."    Florent, whan he this tale herde, Unto this olde wyht answerde And of hir conseil he hir preide. And sche agein to him thus seide: "Florent, if I for thee so schape, That thou thurgh me thi deth ascape And take worschipe of thi dede, What schal I have to my mede?" "What thing," quod he, "that thou wolt axe." "I bidde nevere a betre taxe," Quod sche, "bot ferst, er thou be sped, Thou schalt me leve such a wedd, That I wol have thi trowthe in honde That thou schalt be myn housebonde." "Nay," seith Florent, "that may noght be." "Ryd thanne forth thi wey," quod sche, "And if thou go withoute red, Thou schalt be sekerliche ded." Florent behihte hire good ynowh Of lond, of rente, of park, of plowh, Bot al that compteth sche at noght. Tho fell this knyht in mochel thoght, Now goth he forth, now comth agein, He wot noght what is best to sein, And thoghte, as he rod to and fro, That chese he mot on of the tuo, Or for to take hire to his wif Or elles for to lese his lif. And thanne he caste his avantage, That sche was of so gret an age, That sche mai live bot a while, And thoghte put hire in an ile, Wher that no man hire scholde knowe, Til sche with deth were overthrowe. And thus this yonge lusti knyht Unto this olde lothly wiht Tho seide: "If that non other chance Mai make my deliverance, Bot only thilke same speche Which, as thou seist, thou schalt me teche, Have hier myn hond, I schal thee wedde." And thus his trowthe he leith to wedde. With that sche frounceth up the browe: "This covenant I wol allowe," Sche seith; "if eny other thing Bot that thou hast of my techyng Fro deth thi body mai respite, I woll thee of thi trowthe acquite, And elles be non other weie. Now herkne me what I schal seie. Whan thou art come into the place Wher now thei maken gret manace And upon thi comynge abyde, Thei wole anon the same tide Oppose thee of thin answere. I wot thou wolt nothing forbere Of that thou wenest be thi beste, And if thou myht so finde reste, Wel is, for thanne is ther no more. And elles this schal be my lore, That thou schalt seie, upon this molde That alle wommen lievest wolde Be soverein of mannes love: For what womman is so above, Sche hath, as who seith, al hire wille; And elles may sche noght fulfille What thing hir were lievest have. With this answere thou schalt save Thiself, and other wise noght. And whan thou hast thin ende wroght, Com hier agein, thou schalt me finde, And let nothing out of thi minde."    He goth him forth with hevy chiere, As he that not in what manere He mai this worldes joie atteigne: For if he deie, he hath a peine, And if he live, he mot him binde To such on which of alle kinde Of wommen is th'unsemylieste: Thus wot he noght what is the beste: Bot be him lief or be him loth, Unto the castell forth he goth His full answere for to give, Or for to deie or for to live. Forth with his conseil cam the lord, The thinges stoden of record, He sende up for the lady sone, And forth sche cam, that olde mone. In presence of the remenant The strengthe of al the covenant Tho was reherced openly, And to Florent sche bad forthi That he schal tellen his avis, As he that woot what is the pris. Florent seith al that evere he couthe, Bot such word cam ther non to mowthe, That he for gifte or for beheste Mihte eny wise his deth areste. And thus he tarieth longe and late, Til that this lady bad algate That he schal for the dom final Gif his ansuere in special Of that sche hadde him ferst opposed; And thanne he hath trewly supposed That he him may of nothing yelpe, Bot if so be tho wordes helpe, Whiche as the womman hath him tawht; Wherof he hath an hope cawht That he schal ben excused so, And tolde out plein his wille tho. And whan that this matrone herde The manere how this knyht ansuerde, Sche seide, "Ha! Treson! Wo thee be, That hast thus told the privité, Which alle wommen most desire! I wolde that thou were afire." Bot natheles in such a plit Florent of his answere is quit: And tho began his sorwe newe, For he mot gon, or ben untrewe, To hire which his trowthe hadde. Bot he, which alle schame dradde, Goth forth in stede of his penance, And takth the fortune of his chance, As he that was with trowthe affaited.    This olde wyht him hath awaited In place wher as he hire lefte: Florent his wofull heved uplefte And syh this vecke wher sche sat, Which was the lothlieste what That evere man caste on his yhe: Hire nase bass, hire browes hyhe, Hire yhen smale and depe set, Hire chekes ben with teres wet, And rivelen as an emty skyn Hangende doun unto the chin, Hire lippes schrunken ben for age, Ther was no grace in the visage. Hir front was nargh, hir lockes hore, Sche loketh forth as doth a More, Hire necke is schort, hir schuldres courbe - That myhte a mannes lust destourbe! Hire body gret and nothing smal, And schortly to descrive hire al, Sche hath no lith withoute a lak; Bot lich unto the wollesak Sche proferth hire unto this knyht, And bad him, as he hath behyht, So as sche hath ben his warant, That he hire holde covenant, And be the bridel sche him seseth. Bot Godd wot how that sche him pleseth Of suche wordes as sche spekth: Him thenkth wel nyh his herte brekth For sorwe that he may noght fle, Bot if he wolde untrewe be.    Loke, how a sek man for his hele Takth baldemoine with canele, And with the mirre takth the sucre, Ryht upon such a maner lucre Stant Florent, as in this diete: He drinkth the bitre with the swete, He medleth sorwe with likynge, And liveth, as who seith, deyinge; His youthe schal be cast aweie Upon such on which as the weie Is old and lothly overal. Bot nede he mot that nede schal: He wolde algate his trowthe holde, As every knyht therto is holde, What happ so evere him is befalle. Thogh sche be the fouleste of alle, Yit to th'onour of womanhiede Him thoghte he scholde taken hiede; So that for pure gentilesse, As he hire couthe best adresce, In ragges, as sche was totore, He set hire on his hors tofore And forth he takth his weie softe. No wonder thogh he siketh ofte Bot as an oule fleth be nyhte Out of alle othre briddes syhte, Riht so this knyht on daies brode In clos him hield, and schop his rode On nyhtes time, til the tyde That he cam there he wolde abide; And prively withoute noise He bringth this foule grete coise To his castell in such a wise That no man myhte hire schappe avise, Til sche into the chambre cam: Wher he his privé conseil nam Of suche men as he most troste, And tolde hem that he nedes moste This beste wedde to his wif, For elles hadde he lost his lif.    The privé wommen were asent, That scholden ben of his assent: Hire ragges thei anon of drawe, And, as it was that time lawe, Sche hadde bath, sche hadde reste, And was arraied to the beste. Bot with no craft of combes brode Thei myhte hire hore lockes schode, And sche ne wolde noght be schore For no conseil, and thei therfore, With such atyr as tho was used, Ordeinen that it was excused, And hid so crafteliche aboute, That no man myhte sen hem oute. Bot when sche was fulliche arraied And hire atyr was al assaied, Tho was sche foulere on to se. Bot yit it may non other be: Thei were wedded in the nyht. So wo begon was nevere knyht As he was thanne of mariage. And sche began to pleie and rage, As who seith, I am wel ynowh; Bot he therof nothing ne lowh, For sche tok thanne chiere on honde And clepeth him hire housebonde, And seith, "My lord, go we to bedde, For I to that entente wedde, That thou schalt be my worldes blisse," And profreth him with that to kisse, As sche a lusti lady were. His body myhte wel be there, Bot as of thoght and of memoire His herte was in purgatoire. Bot yit for strengthe of matrimoine He myhte make non essoine, That he ne mot algates plie To gon to bedde of compaignie. And whan thei were abedde naked, Withoute slep he was awaked; He torneth on that other side, For that he wolde hise yhen hyde Fro lokynge on that fole wyht. The chambre was al full of lyht, The courtins were of cendal thinne, This newe bryd which lay withinne, Thogh it be noght with his acord, In armes sche beclipte hire lord, And preide, as he was torned fro, He wolde him torne ageinward tho; "For now," sche seith, "we ben bothe on." And he lay stille as eny ston, Bot evere in on sche spak and preide, And bad him thenke on that he seide, Whan that he tok hire be the hond.    He herde and understod the bond, How he was set to his penance, And, as it were a man in trance, He torneth him al sodeinly And syh a lady lay him by Of eyhtetiene wynter age, Which was the faireste of visage That evere in al this world he syh: And as he wolde have take hire nyh, Sche put hire hand and be his leve Besoghte him that he wolde leve, And seith that for to wynne or lese He mot on of tuo thinges chese, Wher he wol have hire such on nyht, Or elles upon daies lyht, For he schal noght have bothe tuo. And he began to sorwe tho, In many a wise and caste his thoght, Bot for al that yit cowthe he noght Devise himself which was the beste. And sche, that wolde his hertes reste, Preith that he scholde chese algate, Til ate laste longe and late He seide: "O ye, my lyves hele, Sey what you list in my querele, I not what ansuere I schal give: Bot evere whil that I may live, I wol that ye be my maistresse, For I can noght miselve gesse Which is the beste unto my chois. Thus grante I yow myn hole vois, Ches for ous bothen, I you preie; And what as evere that ye seie, Riht as ye wole so wol I."    "Mi lord," sche seide, "grant merci, For of this word that ye now sein, That ye have mad me soverein, Mi destiné is overpassed, That nevere hierafter schal be lassed Mi beauté, which that I now have, Til I be take into my grave; Bot nyht and day as I am now I schal alwey be such to yow. The kinges dowhter of Cizile I am, and fell bot siththe awhile, As I was with my fader late, That my stepmoder for an hate, Which toward me sche hath begonne, Forschop me, til I hadde wonne The love and sovereineté Of what knyht that in his degré Alle othre passeth of good name. And, as men sein, ye ben the same, The dede proeveth it is so. Thus am I youres evermo." Tho was plesance and joye ynowh, Echon with other pleide and lowh; Thei live longe and wel thei ferde, And clerkes that this chance herde Thei writen it in evidence, To teche how that obedience Mai wel fortune a man to love And sette him in his lust above, As it befell unto this knyht.    Forthi, my sone, if thou do ryht, Thou schalt unto thi love obeie, And folwe hir will be alle weie."    "Min holy fader, so I wile: For ye have told me such a skile Of this ensample now tofore, That I schal evermo therfore Hierafterward myn observance To love and to his obeissance The betre kepe: and over this Of pride if ther oght elles is, Wherof that I me schryve schal, What thing it is in special, Mi fader, axeth, I you preie."    "Now lest, my sone, and I schal seie: For yit ther is Surquiderie, Which stant with Pride of compaignie; Wherof that thou schalt hiere anon, To knowe if thou have gult or non Upon the forme as thou schalt hiere: Now understond wel the matiere."     [Presumption]     Omnia scire putat, set se Presumpcio nescit,    Nec sibi consimilem quem putat esse parem. Qui magis astutus reputat se vincere bellum,    In laqueos Veneris forcius ipse cadit. Sepe Cupido virum sibi qui presumit amantem    Fallit, et in vacuas spes redit ipsa vias. 8        "Surquiderie is thilke vice Of Pride, which the thridde office Hath in his court, and wol noght knowe The trowthe til it overthrowe. Upon his fortune and his grace Comth 'Hadde I wist' ful ofte aplace; For he doth al his thing be gesse, And voideth alle sikernesse. Non other conseil good him siemeth Bot such as he himselve diemeth; For in such wise as he compasseth, His wit alone alle othre passeth; And is with pride so thurghsoght, That he alle othre set at noght, And weneth of himselven so, That such as he ther be no mo, So fair, so semly, ne so wis; And thus he wolde bere a pris Above alle othre, and noght forthi He seith noght ones 'grant mercy' To Godd, which alle grace sendeth, So that his wittes he despendeth Upon himself, as thogh ther were No godd which myhte availe there. Bot al upon his oghne witt He stant, til he falle in the pitt So ferr that he mai noght arise.    And riht thus in the same wise This vice upon the cause of love So proudly set the herte above, And doth him pleinly for to wene That he to loven eny qwene Hath worthinesse and sufficance; And so withoute pourveance Ful ofte he heweth up so hihe, That chippes fallen in his yhe; And ek ful ofte he weneth this: Ther as he noght beloved is, To be beloved alther best. Now, sone, tell what so thee lest Of this that I have told thee hier."    "Ha, fader, be noght in a wer! I trowe ther be no man lesse, Of eny maner worthinesse, That halt him lasse worth thanne I To be beloved; and noght forthi I seie in excusinge of me, To alle men that love is fre. And certes that mai no man werne; For love is of himself so derne, It luteth in a mannes herte. Bot that ne schal me noght asterte, To wene for to be worthi To loven, bot in hir mercy. Bot, sire, of that ye wolden mene, That I scholde otherwise wene To be beloved thanne I was, I am beknowe as in that cas."    "Mi goode sone, tell me how."    "Now lest, and I wol telle yow, Mi goode fader, how it is. Ful ofte it hath befalle or this Thurgh hope that was noght certein, Mi wenynge hath be set in vein To triste in thing that halp me noght, Bot onliche of myn oughne thoght. For as it semeth that a belle Lik to the wordes that men telle Answerth, riht so ne mor ne lesse, To yow, my fader, I confesse, Such will my wit hath overset, That what so hope me behet, Ful many a time I wene it soth, Bot finali no spied it doth. Thus may I tellen, as I can, Wenyng beguileth many a man. So hath it me, riht wel I wot: For if a man wole in a bot Which is withoute botme rowe, He moste nedes overthrowe. Riht so wenyng hath ferd be me, For whanne I wende next have be, As I be my wenynge caste, Thanne was I furthest ate laste, And as a foll my bowe unbende, Whan al was failed that I wende. Forthi, my fader, as of this, That my wenynge hath gon amis Touchende to Surquiderie, Gif me my penance er I die. Bot if ye wolde in eny forme Of this matiere a tale enforme, Which were agein this vice set, I scholde fare wel the bet."     [The Tale of Capaneus]        "Mi sone, in alle maner wise Surquiderie is to despise, Wherof I finde write thus. The proude knyht Capaneus He was of such Surquiderie, That he thurgh his chivalerie Upon himself so mochel triste, That to the goddes him ne liste In no querele to beseche, Bot seide it was an ydel speche, Which caused was of pure drede, For lack of herte and for no nede. And upon such presumpcioun He hield this proude opinioun, Til ate laste upon a dai, Aboute Thebes wher he lay, Whan it of siege was belein, This knyht, as the Croniqes sein, In alle mennes sihte there, Whan he was proudest in his gere, And thoghte how nothing myhte him dere, Ful armed with his schield and spere As he the cité wolde assaile, Godd tok himselve the bataille Agein his Pride, and fro the sky A firy thonder sodeinly He sende, and him to pouldre smot. And thus the Pride which was hot, Whan he most in his strengthe wende, Was brent and lost withouten ende: So that it proeveth wel therfore, The strengthe of man is sone lore, Bot if that he it wel governe. And over this a man mai lerne That ek ful ofte time it grieveth, Whan that a man himself believeth, As thogh it scholde him wel beseme That he alle othre men can deme, And hath forgete his oghne vice. A tale of hem that ben so nyce, And feigne hemself to be so wise, I schal thee telle in such a wise, Wherof thou schalt ensample take That thou no such thing undertake.     [The Trump of Death]        I finde upon Surquiderie, How that whilom of Hungarie Be olde daies was a king Wys and honeste in alle thing: And so befell upon a dai, And that was in the monthe of Maii, As thilke time it was usance, This kyng with noble pourveance Hath for himself his charr araied, Wherinne he wolde ride amaied Out of the cité for to pleie, With lordes and with gret nobleie Of lusti folk that were yonge: Wher some pleide and some songe, And some gon and some ryde, And some prike here hors aside And bridlen hem now in now oute. The kyng his yhe caste aboute, Til he was ate laste war And syh comende agein his char Two pilegrins of so gret age, That lich unto a dreie ymage Thei weren pale and fade hewed, And as a bussh which is besnewed, Here berdes weren hore and whyte; Ther was of kinde bot a lite, That thei ne semen fulli dede. Thei comen to the kyng and bede Som of his good par charité; And he with gret humilité Out of his char to grounde lepte, And hem in bothe hise armes kepte And keste hem bothe fot and hond Before the lordes of his lond, And gaf hem of his good therto: And whanne he hath this dede do, He goth into his char agein. Tho was Murmur, tho was Desdeign, Tho was Compleignte on every side, Thei seiden of here oghne Pride Eche until othre: "What is this? Oure king hath do this thing amis, So to abesse his realté That every man it myhte se, And humbled him in such a wise To hem that were of non emprise." Thus was it spoken to and fro Of hem that were with him tho Al prively behinde his bak; Bot to himselven no man spak. The kinges brother in presence Was thilke time, and gret offence He tok therof, and was the same Above alle othre which most blame Upon his liege lord hath leid, And hath unto the lordes seid, Anon as he mai time finde, Ther schal nothing be left behinde, That he wol speke unto the king.    Now lest what fell upon this thing. The day was merie and fair ynowh, Echon with othre pleide and lowh, And fellen into tales newe, How that the freisshe floures grewe, And how the grene leves spronge, And how that love among the yonge Began the hertes thanne awake, And every bridd hath chose hire make: And thus the Maies day to th'ende Thei lede, and hom agein thei wende. The king was noght so sone come, That whanne he hadde his chambre nome His brother ne was redi there, And broghte a tale unto his ere Of that he dede such a schame In hindringe of his oghne name, Whan he himself so wolde drecche, That to so vil a povere wrecche Him deigneth schewe such simplesce Agein th'astat of his noblesce: And seith he schal it no mor use, And that he mot himself excuse Toward hise lordes everychon. The king stod stille as eny ston, And to his tale an ere he leide, And thoghte more than he seide. Bot natheles to that he herde Wel cortaisly the king answerde, And tolde it scholde be amended. And thus whan that her tale is ended, Al redy was the bord and cloth, The king unto his souper goth Among the lordes to the halle; And whan thei hadden souped alle, Thei token leve and forth thei go. The king bethoghte himselve tho How he his brother mai chastie, That he thurgh his Surquiderie Tok upon honde to despreise Humilité, which is to preise, And therupon gaf such conseil Toward his king that was noght heil; Wherof to be the betre lered, He thenkth to maken him afered.    It fell so that in thilke dawe Ther was ordeined be the lawe A trompe with a sterne breth, Which cleped was the trompe of deth: And in the court wher the king was A certein man this trompe of bras Hath in kepinge, and therof serveth, That whan a lord his deth deserveth, He schal this dredful trompe blowe Tofore his gate, and make it knowe How that the jugement is gove Of deth, which schal noght be forgove. The king, whan it was nyht, anon This man asente and bad him gon To trompen at his brother gate; And he, which mot so don algate, Goth forth and doth the kynges heste. This lord, which herde of this tempeste That he tofore his gate blew, Tho wiste he be the lawe and knew That he was sikerliche ded: And as of help he wot no red Bot sende for hise frendes alle And tolde hem how it is befalle. And thei him axe cause why Bot he the sothe noght forthi Ne wiste, and ther was sorwe tho: For it stod thilke tyme so, This trompe was of such sentence, That theragein no resistence Thei couthe ordeine be no weie, That he ne mot algate deie, Bot if so that he may pourchace To gete his liege lordes grace. Here wittes therupon thei caste, And ben apointed ate laste.    This lord a worthi ladi hadde Unto his wif, which also dradde Hire lordes deth, and children five Betwen hem two thei hadde alyve, That weren yonge and tendre of age, And of stature and of visage Riht faire and lusty on to se. Tho casten thei that he and sche Forth with here children on the morwe, As thei that were full of sorwe, Al naked bot of smok and sherte, To tendre with the kynges herte, His grace scholden go to seche And pardoun of the deth beseche. Thus passen thei that wofull nyht, And erly, whan thei sihe it lyht, Thei gon hem forth in such a wise As thou tofore hast herd devise, Al naked bot here schortes one. Thei wepte and made mochel mone, Here her hangende aboute here eres; With sobbinge and with sory teres This lord goth thanne an humble pas, That whilom proud and noble was; Wherof the cité sore afflyhte, Of hem that sihen thilke syhte: And natheles al openly With such wepinge and with such cri Forth with hise children and his wif He goth to preie for his lif. Unto the court whan thei be come, And men therinne have hiede nome, Ther was no wiht, if he hem syhe, Fro water mihte kepe his yhe For sorwe which thei maden tho. The king supposeth of this wo, And feigneth as he noght ne wiste; Bot natheles at his upriste Men tolden him how that it ferde: And whan that he this wonder herde, In haste he goth into the halle, And alle at ones doun thei falle, If eny pité may be founde. The king, which seth hem go to grounde, Hath axed hem what is the fere, Why thei be so despuiled there. His brother seide: "Ha! lord, mercy! I wot non other cause why, Bot only that this nyht ful late The trompe of deth was at my gate In tokne that I scholde deie; Thus be we come for to preie That ye mi worldes deth respite."    "Ha! fol, how thou art for to wyte," The king unto his brother seith, "That thou art of so litel feith, That only for a trompes soun Hast gon despuiled thurgh the toun, Thou and thi wif in such manere Forth with thi children that ben here, In sihte of alle men aboute, For that thou seist thou art in doute Of deth, which stant under the lawe Of man, and man it mai withdrawe, So that it mai par chance faile. Now schalt thou noght forthi mervaile That I doun fro my charr alihte, Whanne I behield tofore my sihte In hem that were of so gret age Min oghne deth thurgh here ymage, Which God hath set be lawe of kynde, Wherof I mai no bote finde: For wel I wot, such as thei be, Riht such am I in my degree, Of fleissh and blod, and so schal deie. And thus, thogh I that lawe obeie Of which the kinges ben put under, It oghte ben wel lasse wonder Than thou, which art withoute nede For lawe of londe in such a drede, Which for t'acompte is bot a jape, As thing which thou miht overscape. Forthi, mi brother, after this I rede, sithen that so is That thou canst drede a man so sore, Dred God with al thin herte more. For al schal deie and al schal passe, Als wel a leoun as an asse, Als wel a beggere as a lord, Towardes deth in on acord Thei schullen stonde." And in this wise The king hath with hise wordes wise His brother tawht and al forgive.    Forthi, mi sone, if thou wolt live In vertu, thou most vice eschuie, And with low herte humblesce suie, So that thou be noght surquidous."    "Mi fader, I am amorous, Wherof I wolde you beseche That ye me som ensample teche, Which mihte in loves cause stonde."    "Mi sone, thou schalt understonde, In love and othre thinges alle If that Surquiderie falle, It may to him noght wel betide Which useth thilke vice of Pride, Which torneth wisdom to wenynge And sothfastnesse into lesynge Thurgh fol ymaginacion. And for thin enformacion, That thou this vice as I thee rede Eschuie schalt, a tale I rede, Which fell whilom be daies olde, So as the clerk Ovide tolde.     [The Tale of Narcissus]        Ther was whilom a lordes sone, Which of his Pride a nyce wone Hath cawht, that worthi to his liche, To sechen al the worldes riche, Ther was no womman for to love. So hihe he sette himselve above Of stature and of beauté bothe, That him thoghte alle wommen lothe: So was ther no comparisoun As toward his condicioun. This yonge lord Narcizus hihte: No strengthe of love bowe mihte His herte, which is unaffiled. Bot ate laste he was beguiled, For of the goddes pourveance It fell him on a dai par chance, That he in all his proude fare Unto the forest gan to fare, Amonges othre that ther were To hunte and to desporte him there. And whanne he cam into the place Wher that he wolde make his chace, The houndes weren in a throwe Uncoupled and the hornes blowe. The grete hert anon was founde, Which swifte feet sette upon grounde, And he with spore in horse side Him hasteth faste for to ride, Til alle men be left behinde. And as he rod, under a linde Beside a roche, as I thee telle, He syh wher sprong a lusty welle: The day was wonder hot withalle, And such a thurst was on him falle, That he moste owther deie or drinke; And doun he lihte and be the brinke He teide his hors unto a branche, And leide him lowe for to stanche His thurst: and as he caste his lok Into the welle and hiede tok, He sih the like of his visage, And wende ther were an ymage Of such a nimphe as tho was faie, Wherof that love his herte assaie Began, as it was after sene, Of his sotie, and made him wene It were a womman that he syh. The more he cam the welle nyh, The nerr cam sche to him agein; So wiste he nevere what to sein; For whanne he wepte, he sih hire wepe, And whanne he cride, he tok good kepe, The same word sche cride also: And thus began the newe wo, That whilom was to him so strange. Tho made him love an hard eschange: To sette his herte and to beginne Thing which he mihte nevere winne. And evere among he gan to loute, And preith that sche to him come oute; And otherwhile he goth a ferr, And otherwhile he draweth nerr, And evere he fond hire in o place. He wepth, he crith, he axeth grace, There as he mihte gete non; So that agein a roche of ston, As he that knew non other red, He smot himself til he was ded. Wherof the Nimphes of the welles, And othre that ther weren elles Unto the wodes belongende, The body, which was ded ligende, For pure pité that thei have Under the grene thei begrave. And thanne out of his sepulture Ther sprong anon par aventure Of floures such a wonder syhte, That men ensample take myhte Upon the dedes whiche he dede, As tho was sene in thilke stede; For in the wynter freysshe and faire The floures ben, which is contraire To kynde, and so was the folie Which fell of his Surquiderie.    Thus he, which love hadde in desdeign, Worste of alle othre was besein, And as he sette his pris most hyhe, He was lest worth in loves yhe And most bejaped in his wit: Wherof the remembrance is yit, So that thou myht ensample take, And ek alle othre for his sake."    "Mi fader, as touchende of me, This vice I thenke for to fle, Which of his wenynge overtroweth; And nameliche of thing which groweth In loves cause or wel or wo. Yit pryded I me nevere so, Bot wolde God that grace sende, That toward me my lady wende As I towardes hire wene! Mi love scholde so be sene, Ther scholde go no pride a place. Bot I am ferr fro thilke grace, As for to speke of tyme now; So mot I soffre, and preie yow That ye wole axe on other side If ther be eny point of Pride, Wherof it nedeth to be schrive."    "Mi sone, Godd it thee forgive, If thou have eny thing misdo Touchende of this, bot overmo Ther is an other yit of Pride, Which never cowthe hise wordes hide, That he ne wole himself avaunte; Ther mai nothing his tunge daunte, That he ne clappeth as a belle: Wherof if thou wolt that I telle, It is behovely for to hiere, So that thou myht thi tunge stiere, Toward the world and stonde in grace, Which lacketh ofte in many place To him that can noght sitte stille, Which elles scholde have his wille."     [Boasting]     Magniloque propriam minuit iactancia lingue    Famam, quam stabilem firmat honore cilens. Ipse sui laudem meriti non percipit, vnde    Se sua per verba iactat in orbe palam. Estque viri culpa iactancia, que rubefactas    In muliere reas causat habere genas. 9        "The vice cleped Avantance With Pride hath take his aqueintance, So that his oghne pris he lasseth, When he such mesure overpasseth That he his oghne herald is. That ferst was wel is thanne mis, That was thankworth is thanne blame, And thus the worschipe of his name Thurgh pride of his avantarie He torneth into vilenie. I rede how that this proude vice Hath thilke wynd in his office, Which thurgh the blastes that he bloweth The mannes fame he overthroweth Of vertu, which scholde elles springe Into the worldes knowlechinge; Bot he fordoth it alto sore. And riht of such a maner lore Ther ben lovers: forthi if thow Art on of hem, tell and sei how. Whan thou hast taken eny thing Of loves gifte, or nouche or ring, Or tok upon thee for the cold Som goodly word that thee was told, Or frendly chiere or tokne or lettre, Wherof thin herte was the bettre, Or that sche sende thee grietinge, Hast thou for Pride of thi likinge Mad thin avant wher as thee liste?"    "I wolde, fader, that ye wiste, Mi conscience lith noght hiere: Yit hadde I nevere such matiere, Wherof myn herte myhte amende, Noght of so mochel that sche sende Be mowthe and seide, "Griet him wel!" And thus for that ther is no diel Wherof to make myn avant, It is to reson acordant That I mai nevere, bot I lye, Of love make avanterie. I wot noght what I scholde have do, If that I hadde encheson so, As ye have seid hier manyon; Bot I fond cause nevere non: Bot daunger, which wel nyh me slowh, Therof I cowthe telle ynowh, And of non other Avantance. Thus nedeth me no repentance. Now axeth furthere of my lif, For hierof am I noght gultif."    "Mi sone, I am wel paid withal; For wite it wel in special That love of his verrai justice Above alle othre agein this vice At alle times most debateth, With al his herte and most it hateth. And ek in alle maner wise Avantarie is to despise, As be ensample thou myhte wite, Which I finde in the bokes write.     [The Tale of Albinus and Rosemund]        Of hem that we Lombars now calle Albinus was the ferst of alle Which bar corone of Lombardie, And was of gret chivalerie In werre agein diverse kinges. So fell amonges othre thinges, That he that time a werre hadde With Gurmond, which the Geptes ladde, And was a myhti kyng also, Bot natheles it fell him so, Albinus slowh him in the feld: Ther halp him nowther swerd ne scheld, That he ne smot his hed of thanne, Wherof he tok awey the panne, Of which he seide he wolde make A cuppe for Gurmoundes sake, To kepe and drawe into memoire Of his bataille the victoire. And thus whan he the feld hath wonne, The lond anon was overronne And sesed in his oghne hond, Wher he Gurmondes dowhter fond, Which maide Rosemounde hihte, And was in every mannes sihte A fair, a freissh, a lusti on. His herte fell to hire anon, And such a love on hire he caste, That he hire weddeth ate laste. And after that long time in reste With hire he duelte, and to the beste Thei love ech other wonder wel. Bot sche which kepth the blinde whel, Venus, whan thei be most above, In al the hoteste of here love, Hire whiel sche torneth, and thei felle In the manere as I schal telle.    This king, which stod in al his welthe Of pes, of worschipe, and of helthe, And felte him on no side grieved, As he that hath his world achieved, Tho thoghte he wolde a feste make; And that was for his wyves sake, That sche the lordes ate feste, That were obeissant to his heste, Mai knowe: and so forth therupon He let ordeine, and sende anon Be lettres and be messagiers, And warnede alle hise officiers That every thing be wel arraied: The grete stiedes were assaied For joustinge and for tornement, And many a perled garnement Embroudred was agein the dai. The lordes in here beste arrai Be comen ate time set: On jousteth wel, an other bet, And otherwhile thei torneie, And thus thei casten care aweie And token lustes upon honde. And after, thou schalt understonde, To mete into the kinges halle Thei come, as thei be beden alle: And whan thei were set and served, Thanne after, as it was deserved, To hem that worthi knyhtes were, So as thei seten hiere and there, The pris was gove and spoken oute Among the heraldz al aboute. And thus benethe and ek above Al was of armes and of love, Wherof abouten ate bordes Men hadde manye sondri wordes, That of the merthe which thei made The king himself began to glade Withinne his herte and tok a pride, And sih the cuppe stonde aside, Which mad was of Gurmoundes hed, As ye have herd, whan he was ded, And was with gold and riche stones Beset and bounde for the nones, And stod upon a fot on heihte Of burned gold, and with gret sleihte Of werkmanschipe it was begrave Of such werk as it scholde have, And was policed ek so clene That no signe of the skulle is sene, Bot as it were a gripes ey. The king bad bere his cuppe awey, Which stod tofore him on the bord, And fette thilke. Upon his word This skulle is fet and wyn therinne, Wherof he bad his wif beginne: "Drink with thi fader, Dame," he seide. And sche to his biddinge obeide, And tok the skulle, and what hire liste Sche drank, as sche which nothing wiste What cuppe it was: and thanne al oute The kyng in audience aboute Hath told it was hire fader skulle, So that the lordes knowe schulle Of his bataille a soth witnesse, And made avant thurgh what prouesse He hath his wyves love wonne, Which of the skulle hath so begonne. Tho was ther mochel Pride alofte, Thei speken alle, and sche was softe, Thenkende on thilke unkynde Pride, Of that hire lord so nyh hire side Avanteth him that he hath slain And piked out hire fader brain, And of the skulle had mad a cuppe. Sche soffreth al til thei were uppe, And tho sche hath seknesse feigned, And goth to chambre and hath compleigned Unto a maide which sche triste, So that non other wyht it wiste. This mayde Glodeside is hote, To whom this lady hath behote Of ladischipe al that sche can, To vengen hire upon this man, Which dede hire drinke in such a plit Among hem alle for despit Of hire and of hire fader bothe; Wherof hire thoghtes ben so wrothe, Sche seith, that sche schal noght be glad, Til that sche se him so bestad That he no more make avant. And thus thei felle in covenant, That thei acorden ate laste, With suche wiles as thei caste That thei wol gete of here acord Som orped knyht to sle this lord: And with this sleihte thei beginne, How thei Helmege myhten winne, Which was the kinges boteler, A proud, a lusti bacheler, And Glodeside he loveth hote. And sche, to make him more assote, Hire love granteth, and be nyhte Thei schape how thei togedre myhte Abedde meete: and don it was This same nyht; and in this cas The qwene hirself the nyht secounde Wente in hire stede, and there hath founde A chambre derk withoute liht, And goth to bedde to this knyht. And he, to kepe his observance, To love doth his obeissance, And weneth it be Glodeside; And sche thanne after lay aside, And axeth him what he hath do, And who sche was sche tolde him tho, And seide: "Helmege, I am thi qwene, Now schal thi love wel be sene Of that thou hast thi wille wroght: Or it schal sore ben aboght, Or thou schalt worche as I thee seie. And if thou wolt be such a weie Do my plesance and holde it stille, For evere I schal ben at thi wille, Bothe I and al myn heritage." Anon the wylde loves rage, In which no man him can governe, Hath mad him that he can noght werne, Bot fell al hol to hire assent: And thus the whiel is al miswent, The which Fortune hath upon honde; For how that evere it after stonde, Thei schope among hem such a wyle, The king was ded withinne a whyle. So slihly cam it noght aboute That thei ne ben descoevered oute, So that it thoghte hem for the beste To fle, for there was no reste: And thus the tresor of the king Thei trusse and mochel other thing, And with a certein felaschipe Thei fledde and wente awey be schipe, And hielde here rihte cours fro thenne, Til that thei come to Ravenne, Wher thei the dukes helpe soghte. And he, so as thei him besoghte, A place granteth for to duelle; Bot after, whan he herde telle Of the manere how thei have do, This duk let schape for hem so, That of a puison which thei drunke Thei hadden that thei have beswunke.    And al this made avant of Pride: Good is therfore a man to hide His oghne pris, for if he speke, He mai lihtliche his thonk tobreke. In armes lith non avantance To him which thenkth his name avance And be renomed of his dede. And also who that thenkth to spede Of love, he mai him noght avaunte; For what man thilke vice haunte, His pourpos schal ful ofte faile. In armes he that wol travaile Or elles loves grace atteigne, His lose tunge he mot restreigne, Which berth of his honour the keie.    Forthi, my sone, in alle weie Tak riht good hiede of this matiere."    "I thonke you, my fader diere, This scole is of a gentil lore; And if ther be oght elles more Of Pride, which I schal eschuie, Now axeth forth, and I wol suie What thing that ye me wole enforme."    "Mi sone, yit in other forme Ther is a vice of Prides lore, Which lich an hauk whan he wol sore, Fleith upon heihte in his delices After the likynge of his vices, And wol no mannes resoun knowe, Til he doun falle and overthrowe. This vice veine gloire is hote, Wherof, my sone, I thee behote To trete and speke in such a wise, That thou thee myht the betre avise."     [Vainglory]     Gloria perpetuos pregnat mundana dolores,    Qui tamen est vanus gaudia vana cupit. Eius amiciciam, quem gloria tollit inanis,    Non sine blandiciis planus habebit homo: Verbis compositis qui scit strigilare fauellum,    Scandere sellata iura valebit eques. Sic in amore magis qui blanda subornat in ore    Verba, per hoc brauium quod nequit alter habet. Et tamen ornatos cantus variosque paratus    Letaque corda suis legibus optat amor. 10        "The proude vice of veine gloire Remembreth noght of purgatoire; Hise worldes joyes ben so grete, Him thenkth of hevene no beyete: This lives pompe is al his pes. Yit schal he deie natheles, And therof thenkth he bot a lite, For al his lust is to delite In newe thinges, proude and veine, Als ferforth as he mai atteigne. I trowe, if that he myhte make His body newe, he wolde take A newe forme and leve his olde! For what thing that he mai beholde, The which to comun us is strange, Anon his olde guise change He wole and falle therupon, Lich unto the camelion, Which upon every sondri hewe That he beholt he moste newe His colour, and thus unavised Ful ofte time he stant desguised. Mor jolif than the brid in Maii He makth him evere freissh and gay, And doth al his array desguise, So that of him the newe guise Of lusti folk alle othre take; And ek he can carolles make, Rondeal, balade and virelai. And with al this, if that he may Of love gete him avantage, Anon he wext of his corage So overglad, that of his ende Him thenkth ther is no deth comende: For he hath thanne at alle tide Of love such a maner pride, Him thenkth his joie is endeles.    Now schrif thee, sone, in Godes pes, And of thi love tell me plein If that thi gloire hath be so vein."    "Mi fader, as touchinge of al I may noght wel ne noght ne schal Of veine gloire excuse me, That I ne have for love be The betre adresced and arraied; And also I have ofte assaied Rondeal, balade and virelai For hire on whom myn herte lai To make, and also for to peinte Caroles with my wordes qweinte, To sette my pourpos alofte; And thus I sang hem forth ful ofte In halle and ek in chambre aboute, And made merie among the route, Bot yit ne ferde I noght the bet. Thus was my gloire in vein beset Of al the joie that I made; For whanne I wolde with hire glade, And of hire love songes make, Sche saide it was noght for hir sake, And liste noght my songes hiere Ne witen what the wordes were. So for to speke of myn arrai, Yit couthe I nevere be so gay Ne so wel make a songe of love, Wherof I myhte ben above And have encheson to be glad; Bot rathere I am ofte adrad For sorwe that sche seith me nay. And natheles I wol noght say, That I nam glad on other side; For fame, that can nothing hide, Alday wol bringe unto myn ere Of that men speken hier and there, How that my ladi berth the pris, How sche is fair, how sche is wis, How sche is wommanlich of chiere; Of al this thing whanne I mai hiere, What wonder is thogh I be fain? And ek whanne I may hiere sain Tidinges of my ladi hele, Althogh I may noght with hir dele, Yit am I wonder glad of that; For whanne I wot hire good astat, As for that time I dar wel swere, Non other sorwe mai me dere, Thus am I gladed in this wise. Bot, fader, of youre lores wise, Of whiche ye be fully tawht, Now tell me if yow thenketh awht That I therof am for to wyte."    "Of that ther is I thee acquite, Mi sone, he seide, and for thi goode I wolde that thou understode: For I thenke upon this matiere To telle a tale, as thou schalt hiere, How that agein this proude vice The hihe God of his justice Is wroth and gret vengance doth. Now herkne a tale that is soth: Thogh it be noght of loves kinde, A gret ensample thou schalt finde This veine gloire for to fle, Which is so full of vanité."     [Nebuchadnezzar's Punishment]     Humani generis cum sit sibi gloria maior,    Sepe subesse solet proximus ille dolor: Mens elata graues descensus sepe subibit,    Mens humilis stabile molleque firmat iter. Motibus innumeris volutat fortuna per orbem;    Cum magis alta petis, inferiora time.11        "Ther was a king that mochel myhte, Which Nabugodonosor hihte, Of whom that I spak hier tofore. Yit in the Bible his name is bore, For al the world in orient Was hol at his comandement: As thanne of kinges to his liche Was non so myhty ne so riche; To his empire and to his lawes, As who seith, alle in thilke dawes Were obeissant and tribut bere, As thogh he godd of erthe were. With strengthe he putte kinges under, And wroghte of Pride many a wonder; He was so full of veine gloire, That he ne hadde no memoire That ther was eny good bot he, For pride of his prosperité; Til that the hihe king of kinges, Which seth and knoweth alle thinges, Whos yhe mai nothing asterte - The privetés of mannes herte Thei speke and sounen in his ere As thogh thei lowde wyndes were - He tok vengance upon this pride. Bot for He wolde awhile abide To loke if he him wolde amende, To him a foretokne He sende, And that was in his slep be nyhte. This proude kyng a wonder syhte Hadde in his swevene, ther he lay: Him thoghte, upon a merie day As he behield the world aboute, A tree fulgrowe he syh theroute, Which stod the world amiddes evene, Whos heihte straghte up to the hevene; The leves weren faire and large, Of fruit it bar so ripe a charge, That alle men it myhte fede: He sih also the bowes spriede Above al erthe, in whiche were The kinde of alle briddes there; And ek him thoghte he syh also The kinde of alle bestes go Under this tree aboute round And fedden hem upon the ground. As he this wonder stod and syh, Him thoghte he herde a vois on hih Criende, and seide aboven alle: "Hew doun this tree and lett it falle, The leves let defoule in haste And do the fruit destruie and waste, And let of schreden every braunche, Bot ate rote let it staunche. Whan al his Pride is cast to grounde, The rote schal be faste bounde, And schal no mannes herte bere, Bot every lust he schal forbere Of man, and lich an oxe his mete Of gras he schal pourchace and ete, Til that the water of the hevene Have waisshen him be times sevene, So that he be thurghknowe ariht What is the heveneliche myht, And be mad humble to the wille Of Him which al mai save and spille."    This king out of his swefne abreide, And he upon the morwe it seide Unto the clerkes whiche he hadde: Bot non of hem the sothe aradde, Was non his swevene cowthe undo. And it stod thilke time so, This king hadde in subjeccioun Judee, and of affeccioun Above alle othre on Daniel He loveth, for he cowthe wel Divine that non other cowthe: To him were alle thinges cowthe, As he it hadde of Goddes grace. He was before the kinges face Asent, and bode that he scholde Upon the point the king of tolde The fortune of his swevene expounde, As it scholde afterward be founde. Whan Daniel this swevene herde, He stod long time er he ansuerde, And made a wonder hevy chiere. The king tok hiede of his manere, And bad him telle that he wiste, As he to whom he mochel triste, And seide he wolde noght be wroth. Bot Daniel was wonder loth, And seide: "Upon thi fomen alle, Sire king, thi swevene mote falle; And natheles touchende of this I wol thee tellen how it is, And what desese is to thee schape: God wot if thou it schalt ascape.    The hihe tree, which thou hast sein With lef and fruit so wel besein, The which stod in the world amiddes, So that the bestes and the briddes Governed were of him alone, Sire king, betokneth thi persone, Which stant above all erthli thinges. Thus regnen under thee the kinges, And al the poeple unto thee louteth, And al the world thi pouer doubteth, So that with vein honour deceived Thou hast the reverence weyved Fro Him which is thi king above, That thou for drede ne for love Wolt nothing knowen of thi Godd, Which now for thee hath mad a rodd Thi veine gloire and thi folie With grete peines to chastie. And of the vois thou herdest speke, Which bad the bowes for to breke And hewe and felle doun the tree, That word belongeth unto thee: Thi regne schal ben overthrowe, And thou despuiled for a throwe, Bot that the rote scholde stonde. Be that thou schalt wel understonde, Ther schal abyden of thi regne A time agein whan thou schalt regne. And ek of that thou herdest seie - To take a mannes herte aweie And sette there a bestial, So that he lich an oxe schal Pasture, and that he be bereined Be times sefne and sore peined, Til that he knowe his Goddes mihtes, Than scholde he stonde agein uprihtes - Al this betokneth thin astat, Which now with God is in debat: Thi mannes forme schal be lassed, Til sevene yer ben overpassed, And in the liknesse of a beste Of gras schal be thi real feste. The weder schal upon thee reine, And understond that al this peine, Which thou schalt soffre thilke tide, Is schape al only for thi pride Of veine gloire, and of the sinne, Which thou hast longe stonden inne.    So upon this condicioun Thi swevene hath exposicioun. Bot er this thing befalle in dede, Amende thee, this wolde I rede: Gif and departe thin almesse, Do mercy forth with rihtwisnesse; Besech and prei the hihe grace, For so thou myht thi pes pourchace With Godd, and stonde in good acord."    Bot Pride is loth to leve his lord, And wol noght soffre humilité With him to stonde in no degree; And whan a schip hath lost his stiere, Is non so wys that mai him stiere Agein the wawes in a rage. This proude king in his corage Humilité hath so forlore, That, for no swevene he sih tofore, Ne yit for al that Daniel Him hath conseiled everydel, He let it passe out of his mynde, Thurgh veine gloire, and as the blinde, He seth no weie, er him be wo. And fell withinne a time so, As he in Babiloine wente, The vanité of Pride him hente; His herte aros of veine gloire, So that he drowh into memoire His lordschipe and his regalie With wordes of Surquiderie. And whan that he him most avaunteth, That lord which veine gloire daunteth, Al sodeinliche, as who seith treis, Wher that he stod in his paleis, He tok him fro the mennes sihte. Was non of hem so war that mihte Sette yhe wher that he becom. And thus was he from his kingdom Into the wilde forest drawe, Wher that the myhti Goddes lawe Thurgh His pouer dede him transforme Fro man into a bestes forme; And lich an oxe under the fot He graseth, as he nedes mot, To geten him his lives fode. Tho thoghte him colde grases goode, That whilom eet the hote spices. Thus was he torned fro delices: The wyn which he was wont to drinke He tok thanne of the welles brinke Or of the pet or of the slowh, It thoghte him thanne good ynowh. In stede of chambres wel arraied He was thanne of a buissh wel paied, The harde ground he lay upon, For othre pilwes hath he non; The stormes and the reines falle, The wyndes blowe upon him alle, He was tormented day and nyht, Such was the hihe Goddes myht, Til sevene yer an ende toke. Upon himself tho gan he loke; In stede of mete, gras, and stres, In stede of handes, longe cles, In stede of man a bestes lyke He syh; and thanne he gan to syke For cloth of gold and for perrie, Which him was wont to magnefie. Whan he behield his cote of heres, He wepte and with ful woful teres Up to the hevene he caste his chiere Wepende, and thoghte in this manere; Thogh he no wordes myhte winne, Thus seide his herte and spak withinne: "O mihti Godd, that al hast wroght And al myht bringe agein to noght, Now knowe I wel, bot al of Thee, This world hath no prosperité: In Thin aspect ben alle liche, The povere man and ek the riche; Withoute Thee ther mai no wight, And Thou above alle othre miht. O mihti lord, toward my vice Thi merci medle with justice; And I woll make a covenant, That of my lif the remenant I schal it be Thi grace amende, And in Thi lawe so despende That veine gloire I schal eschuie, And bowe unto thin heste and suie Humilité, and that I vowe." And so thenkende he gan doun bowe, And thogh him lacke vois and speche, He gan up with his feet areche, And wailende in his bestly stevene He made his pleignte unto the hevene. He kneleth in his wise and braieth, To seche merci and assaieth His God, which made him nothing strange, Whan that he sih his pride change. Anon as he was humble and tame, He fond toward his God the same, And in a twinklinge of a lok His mannes forme agein he tok, And was reformed to the regne In which that he was wont to regne; So that the Pride of veine gloire Evere afterward out of memoire He let it passe. And thus is schewed What is to ben of Pride unthewed Agein the hihe Goddes lawe, To whom no man mai be felawe.    Forthi, my sone, tak good hiede So for to lede thi manhiede, That thou ne be noght lich a beste. Bot if thi lif schal ben honeste, Thou most humblesce take on honde, For thanne myht thou siker stonde. And for to speke it otherwise, A proud man can no love assise; For thogh a womman wolde him plese, His Pride can noght ben at ese.    Ther mai no man to mochel blame A vice which is for to blame; Forthi men scholde nothing hide That mihte falle in blame of Pride, Which is the werste vice of alle: Wherof, so as it was befalle, The tale I thenke of a cronique To telle, if that it mai thee like, So that thou myht humblesce suie And ek the vice of Pride eschuie, Wherof the gloire is fals and vein; Which God Himself hath in desdeign, That thogh it mounte for a throwe, It schal doun falle and overthrowe."     [Humility and the Tale of Three Questions]     Est virtus humilis, per quam deus altus ad yma    Se tulit et nostre viscera carnis habet. Sic humilis superest, et amor sibi subditur omnis,    Cuius habet nulla sorte superbus opem: Odit eum terra, celum deiecit et ipsum,    Sedibus inferni statque receptus ibi. 12        "A king whilom was yong and wys, The which sette of his wit gret pris. Of depe ymaginaciouns And strange interpretaciouns, Problemes and demandes eke, His wisdom was to finde and seke; Wherof he wolde in sondri wise Opposen hem that weren wise. Bot non of hem it myhte bere Upon his word to geve answere, Outaken on, which was a knyht. To him was every thing so liht, That also sone as he hem herde, The kinges wordes he answerde; What thing the king him axe wolde, Therof anon the trowthe he tolde. The king somdiel hadde an envie, And thoghte he wolde his wittes plie To sette som conclusioun, Which scholde be confusioun Unto this knyht, so that the name And of wisdom the hihe fame Toward himself he wolde winne. And thus of al his wit withinne This king began to studie and muse, What strange matiere he myhte use The knyhtes wittes to confounde; And ate laste he hath it founde, And for the knyht anon he sente, That he schal telle what he mente. Upon thre pointz stod the matiere Of questions, as thou schalt hiere.    The ferste point of alle thre Was this: "What thing in his degré Of al this world hath nede lest, And yet men helpe it althermest?" The secounde is: "What most is worth, And of costage is lest put forth?" The thridde is: "Which is of most cost, And lest is worth and goth to lost?"    The king thes thre demandes axeth, And to the knyht this lawe he taxeth, That he schal gon and come agein The thridde weke, and telle him plein To every point, what it amonteth. And if so be that he misconteth, To make in his answere a faile, Ther schal non other thing availe, The king seith, bot he schal be ded And lese hise goodes and his hed. The knyht was sori of this thing And wolde excuse him to the king, Bot he ne wolde him noght forbere, And thus the knyht of his ansuere Goth hom to take avisement: Bot after his entendement The more he caste his wit aboute, The more he stant therof in doute. Tho wiste he wel the kinges herte, That he the deth ne scholde asterte, And such a sorwe hath to him take, That gladschipe he hath al forsake. He thoghte ferst upon his lif, And after that upon his wif, Upon his children ek also, Of whiche he hadde dowhtres tuo; The yongest of hem hadde of age Fourtiene yer, and of visage Sche was riht fair, and of stature Lich to an hevenely figure, And of manere and goodli speche, Thogh men wolde alle londes seche, Thei scholden noght have founde hir like. Sche sih hire fader sorwe and sike, And wiste noght the cause why; So cam sche to him prively, And that was where he made his mone Withinne a gardin al him one; Upon hire knes sche gan doun falle With humble herte and to him calle, And seide: "O goode fader diere, Why make ye thus hevy chiere, And I wot nothing how it is? And wel ye knowen, fader, this, What aventure that you felle Ye myhte it saufly to me telle, For I have ofte herd you seid, That ye such trust have on me leid, That to my soster ne my brother, In al this world ne to non other, Ye dorste telle a privité So wel, my fader, as to me. Forthi, my fader, I you preie, Ne casteth noght that herte aweie, For I am sche that wolde kepe Youre honour." And with that to wepe Hire yhe mai noght be forbore, Sche wissheth for to ben unbore, Er that hire fader so mistriste To tellen hire of that he wiste: And evere among merci sche cride, That he ne scholde his conseil hide From hire that so wolde him good And was so nyh his fleissh and blod. So that with wepinge ate laste His chiere upon his child he caste, And sorwfulli to that sche preide He tolde his tale and thus he seide: "The sorwe, dowhter, which I make Is noght al only for my sake, Bot for thee bothe and for you alle: For such a chance is me befalle, That I schal er this thridde day Lese al that evere I lese may, Mi lif and al my good therto: Therfore it is I sorwe so." "What is the cause, helas!" quod sche, "Mi fader, that ye scholden be Ded and destruid in such a wise?" And he began the pointz devise, Whiche as the king told him be mowthe, And seid hir pleinly that he cowthe Ansuere unto no point of this. And sche, that hiereth how it is, Hire conseil gaf and seide tho: "Mi fader, sithen it is so, That ye can se non other weie, Bot that ye moste nedes deie, I wolde preie of you a thing: Let me go with you to the king, And ye schull make him understonde How ye, my wittes for to fonde, Have leid your ansuere upon me; And telleth him, in such degré Upon my word ye wole abide To lif or deth, what so betide. For yit par chaunce I may pourchace With som good word the kinges grace, Your lif and ek your good to save. For ofte schal a womman have Thing which a man mai noght areche." The fader herde his dowhter speche, And thoghte ther was resoun inne, And sih his oghne lif to winne He cowthe don himself no cure; So betre him thoghte in aventure To put his lif and al his good, Than in the maner as it stod His lif in certein for to lese. And thus thenkende he gan to chese To do the conseil of this maide, And tok the pourpos which sche saide.    The dai was come and forth thei gon, Unto the court thei come anon, Wher as the king in juggement Was set and hath this knyht assent. Arraied in hire beste wise This maiden with hire wordes wise Hire fader ladde be the hond Into the place, wher he fond The king with othre whiche he wolde, And to the king knelende he tolde As he enformed was tofore, And preith the king that he therfore His dowhtres wordes wolde take, And seith that he wol undertake Upon hire wordes for to stonde. Tho was ther gret merveile on honde, That he, which was so wys a knyht, His lif upon so yong a wyht Besette wolde in jeupartie, And manye it hielden for folie: Bot ate laste natheles The king comandeth ben in pes, And to this maide he caste his chiere, And seide he wolde hire tale hiere, He bad hire speke, and sche began: "Mi liege lord, so as I can," Quod sche, "the pointz of whiche I herde, Thei schul of reson ben ansuerde.    The ferste I understonde is this, What thing of al the world it is, Which men most helpe and hath lest nede. Mi liege lord, this wolde I rede: The erthe it is, which everemo With mannes labour is bego; Als wel in wynter as in Maii The mannes hond doth what he mai To helpe it forth and make it riche, And forthi men it delve and dyche And eren it with strengthe of plowh, Wher it hath of himself ynowh, So that his nede is ate leste. For every man and bridd and beste, And flour and gras and rote and rinde, And every thing be weie of kynde Schal sterve, and erthe it schal become; As it was out of erthe nome, It schal to th'erthe torne agein: And thus I mai be resoun sein That erthe is the most nedeles, And most men helpe it natheles. So that, my lord, touchende of this I have ansuerd hou that it is.    That other point I understod, Which most is worth and most is good, And costeth lest a man to kepe: Mi lord, if ye woll take kepe, I seie it is humilité, Thurgh which the hihe Trinité As for decerte of pure love Unto Marie from above, Of that He knew hire humble entente, His oghne sone adoun He sente, Above alle othre and hire He ches For that vertu which bodeth pes. So that I may be resoun calle Humilité most worth of alle. And lest it costeth to maintiene, In al the world as it is sene; For who that hath humblesce on honde, He bringth no werres into londe, For he desireth for the beste To setten every man in reste. Thus with your hihe reverence Me thenketh that this evidence As to this point is sufficant.    And touchende of the remenant, Which is the thridde of youre axinges, What leste is worth of alle thinges, And costeth most, I telle it, Pride; Which mai noght in the hevene abide, For Lucifer with hem that felle Bar Pride with him into helle. Ther was Pride of to gret a cost, Whan he for Pride hath hevene lost; And after that in paradis Adam for Pride loste his pris: In midelerthe and ek also Pride is the cause of alle wo, That al the world ne mai suffise To stanche of Pride the reprise: Pride is the heved of alle sinne, Which wasteth al and mai noght winne; Pride is of every mis the pricke, Pride is the werste of alle wicke, And costneth most and lest is worth In place where he hath his forth. Thus have I seid that I wol seie Of myn answere, and to you preie, Mi liege lord, of youre office That ye such grace and such justice Ordeigne for mi fader hiere, That after this, whan men it hiere, The world therof mai speke good."    The king, which reson understod And hath al herd how sche hath said, Was inly glad and so wel paid That al his wraththe is overgo: And he began to loke tho Upon this maiden in the face, In which he fond so mochel grace, That al his pris on hire he leide, In audience and thus he seide: "Mi faire maide, wel thee be! Of thin ansuere and ek of thee Me liketh wel, and as thou wilt, Forgive be thi fader gilt. And if thou were of such lignage, That thou to me were of parage, And that thi fader were a pier, As he is now a bachilier, So seker as I have a lif, Thou scholdest thanne be my wif. Bot this I seie natheles, That I wol schape thin encress; What worldes good that thou wolt crave, Axe of my gifte and thou schalt have." And sche the king with wordes wise Knelende thonketh in this wise: "Mi liege lord, God mot you quite! Mi fader hier hath bot a lite Of warison, and that he wende Hadde al be lost; bot now amende He mai wel thurgh your noble grace." With that the king riht in his place Anon forth in that freisshe hete An erldom, which thanne of eschete Was late falle into his hond, Unto this knyht with rente and lond Hath gove and with his chartre sesed; And thus was al the noise appesed.    This maiden, which sat on hire knes Tofore the king, hise charitees Comendeth, and seide overmore: "Mi liege lord, riht now tofore Ye seide, as it is of record, That if my fader were a lord And pier unto these othre grete, Ye wolden for noght elles lete That I ne scholde be your wif; And this wot every worthi lif, A kinges word it mot ben holde. Forthi, my lord, if that ye wolde So gret a charité fulfille, God wot it were wel my wille. For he which was a bacheler, Mi fader, is now mad a pier; So whenne as evere that I cam, An erles dowhter now I am."    This yonge king, which peised al, Hire beauté and hir wit withal, As he that was with love hent, Anon therto gaf his assent. He myhte noght the maide asterte, That sche nis ladi of his herte; So that he tok hire to his wif, To holde whyl that he hath lif: And thus the king toward his knyht Acordeth him, as it is riht.    And over this good is to wite, In the cronique as it is write, This noble king of whom I tolde Of Spaine be tho daies olde The kingdom hadde in governance, And as the bok makth remembrance, Alphonse was his propre name: The knyht also, if I schal name, Danz Petro hihte, and as men telle, His dowhter wyse Peronelle Was cleped, which was full of grace: And that was sene in thilke place, Wher sche hir fader out of teene Hath broght and mad hirself a qweene, Of that sche hath so wel desclosed The pointz wherof sche was opposed.    "Lo now, my sone, as thou myht hiere, Of al this thing to my matiere Bot on I take, and that is Pride, To whom no grace mai betide: In hevene he fell out of his stede, And paradis him was forbede, The goode men in erthe him hate, So that to helle he mot algate, Where every vertu schal be weyved And every vice be received. Bot Humblesce is al otherwise, Which most is worth, and no reprise It takth agein, bot softe and faire, If eny thing stond in contraire, With humble speche it is redresced. Thus was this yonge maiden blessed, The which I spak of now tofore. Hire fader lif sche gat therfore, And wan with al the kinges love. Forthi, my sone, if thou wolt love, It sit thee wel to leve Pride And take Humblesce upon thi side; The more of grace thou schalt gete."    "Mi fader, I woll noght forgete Of this that ye have told me hiere, And if that eny such manere Of humble port mai love appaie, Hierafterward I thenke assaie: Bot now forth over I beseche That ye more of my schrifte seche."    "Mi goode sone, it schal be do: Now herkne and ley an ere to; For as touchende of Prides fare, Als ferforth as I can declare In cause of vice, in cause of love, That hast thou pleinly herd above, So that ther is no mor to seie Touchende of that; bot other weie Touchende Envie I thenke telle, Which hath the propre kinde of helle: Withoute cause to misdo Toward himself and othre also, Hierafterward as understonde Thou schalt the spieces, as thei stonde."     Explicit Liber Primus.

(see note)                             (t-note)         stands not; ability undertake must; go by discourse on Therefore; style plan to; (see note) something [that] is not; foreign nature has at hand must since             no one can govern himself; (t-note) unruly passion causes disorder; (see note) too much; too little; (t-note) blame For, in truth,         falls by chance Neither intelligence nor who otherwise; boast most quickly; foot Where no one; be of help conspiracy Who knew how to concoct natural law     remedy; ailment     (see note) no creature do otherwise wherever he chooses to set himself power that may stop him     truth; wise man forecast Except; accidentally         believe; taught             reliance     wheel [of Fortune] turns gives     winnings dice     knows not; happens Whether; lose     knew; (see note) their     myself one of those; (see note) made a member of since     hear wondrous adventure cruel its explain (communicate)     (see note)             may what; read next advise (see note) to him is allotted knows by sound learning enterprise praiseworthy         obtain (fetch) gone unfortunate happy woe; (see note)     Now                    (see note)                                                 happened (fared) other day; went forth; (see note)     (see note) bird; mate     obtained     from     any success know; council worn out with travel wood; go birds     sweet     alone by myself     [for] me; very pain (circumstance) many times                     (see note) (t-note)                 (t-note)         life; delight; well-being complaint         Whether (see note)     angry eyes; (see note) countenance     before he left seized deepest part of my heart; (see note) relief (reward) [it] pleased; dwell well; (see note) gladness (weal); happen them; time Awaited; speak of here regard     started; (t-note)     notice afraid         then (after) she captive (wretch); lies; (see note)     be made well (whole); die     sorrow; complain hide the truth help you with                 scowl then     Imposters (OF faiteor, "contriver") by deceit Say knew wheel [of Fortune]; (see note) false pretense in any case     compassion (t-note)             Provided that; should last to that extent     In doubt be confessed/absolved     know priest, who will arrive immediately one thing at a time     (see note) hear; confession then; raised up     self-same himself                         (see note)         (see note) speaking Bless you; (see note)     also     before; (see note)                     Lord                     confession perturbed         question me about my confession     left unexamined         Then; soon             (t-note) By pertaining to; (see note) But nonetheless; specific reasons must continuously                     leave out point by point                                     in succession (a row)         by         bound in bondage less; blame know only a little prudent way custom (use)     teaching     commentary     becomes; instructed ignorant (see note)             recount (bring back)     ask Regarding confession; must be complete strange cover over; (see note) That [which]; ask you therefore                                     (see note)                         before speak     teaching; (t-note) Then; manner; (see note) confess; (t-note) senses see to it that In whatever way I had abused (misspent) them; (t-note) those are; (see note) assuredly our dealings (market-fair) harm     (see note) know; your eye has fared     of all [the senses]     nature (t-note) their eye     that does not pertain to them their heart suspects creature         been many times angry eye     its own that same fiery burns Through; runs (pierces) eye first worst of all         listen to; therefore made aware guard its domain             (see note) inappropriate looking; (see note) how once there was one; (t-note)     Was named; near-relative high Cadmus was called     set his heart customarily         chase         amuse himself time came to ride                 (t-note) Thus, before he knew it clearing furnished green bushes; tall cedars eye             bathe herself; play; water who served her eye did not turn away From her who was stark naked intensely angry         take on [the likeness] of in front of; was surprised     horn-blast; company of hunters Who made great hue and cry     his own hounds slew the hart; (t-note) utterly tore him apart     eye dearly bought         (see note)                             (see note)     Was called; (see note) their nativity (t-note)     From nature; askew     born; one; (t-note) them was called         was called         fear only one eye to share             By turns         countenance cast beheld them     Transformed; full many a one             Pallas Athena gave him     as it happened; (see note) Beyond Atlas; high hill         disfigured             placed on his arm safely     he so carried himself     take heed                     wonton delight is not often taken                 advise you hearing         With which to vex     learn What; in agreement     ear [away] from unless                             (see note)     (see note) (see note) Bears; in the upper part of his body by cunning overwhelm conjuration (charm) As soon as places; one ear; flat holds also; ear just as tightly assiduously [So] that doesn't hear manner; defends excluded (avoided)                 if one calls it to mind; (see note)     (see note) marvellous nature     sea         above             voice         delight     deceive     give ear their judgment think     stay with them those great delights hear do not know how to steer their ships busily; song listen; are befuddled     to their ear obey sail     broken apart slain     Ulysses gets past beforehand devises                 [So] that none of them; them             slew a great many of them ships         (t-note)                 know how to protect and preserve     gates (eyes and ears) locked up foolishness         breeds Unless; understand how to govern Those two; [other] three; easy     interrogate         eyes ever misused I admit guilt                 mark of love engraved         guilty there [too] hear its rudder     collapse immediately on the spot Where [I am] when I see     pulled to pieces remains nothing defend myself God help you     far to seek         ask beyond this                                             (t-note)         (see note) assigned bent     (t-note)             (t-note) called Hypocrisy     confess yourself completely                 to blame understand     who feigns         in order that he might gain vain as soon as he arrives at [his goal] reveals                 disguise hidden clerks know; he (the hypocrite); (see note) their the same; that they before     disguises wealth     causes; value     openly secretly is not nurse countenance     destroys     religious orders         appears also [of monks]; (see note)         most accuse; of fault contradiction of their teaching; (t-note)                 devout appearance places (sets)     mannered evilly disposed     accomplished         By concealment of his falsity similar manner     men of the world also; (see note)     He makes no reckoning (tally) in his account surpass the ordinary             many a person         escape alms Mass     places eyes saw         prayer place prayers     property                     in like manner; (t-note) bearing; (see note)             polished lies     think     mire     Whatever happens as a consequence agreement                     watery (pale)             discolored eye; sighs expressive posture he assumes         the [lover's] pallid complexion     makes himself [seem] sick; well sail; (see note)     at that same moment     (see note) Wounded         (see note) As regards feigning There is no need     sick; countenance also I could never bow so low     That I did not want to bow better     will never occur to me [That] I [would] countenance         believe desire was a thousand-times better expression (cheer) I knew             I shall not declare         Been direct one         said only yes or no     other [kinds of hypocrisy] am not somewhat to blame With regard to what you call behooves; person                         (see note)     desire obtain your deviousness             chronicle; (see note) Of those who thus defraud love                     (see note) Roman citizen [who] had was called     (see note) also the most virtuous                 Of such nature, created frail; (see note) heart's eyes shared; (see note)     speak her youthful charm     hinder the sexual desire on her become besotted duke; called charge (duty) horsemen     (see note)     But that he was so reined in [by love] despite whether he would     effort might not Obtain with her consent By; nor by supplication bribery succeed By sneaky tricks; proceeded recalled                 on pilgrimage in order to pray to that childbirth was called by         In conformity with; then two duke who thought to obtain     requested; came; command feast secret gratitude purchase them gave confession secret plan (conspiracy)         their troth; pledged succeed in bringing; (t-note)         agreed Now hear                         Pretending             will appear to you         commanded us place ordain say shall have a vision personal character     value; puts agree in sentiment with you     sent (see note)                 permission     await         lord (husband)         also should submit herself Wholly; command virtuous Toward the god with full integrity                 saw         prepared; draped seduced     questioned asked by         bade her lying         manner given     who knew of no treachery             which then was thought to be possible     suppose private room near by duke; secretly         put such clothing upon himself     eyes truly saw     cunning             stalking he went before she knew it Embraced in arms, he kissed her terror knew not what to think         impregnate her [with a child] of such a nature     same son dwell     more     lady's wit was gone faith believes unfaithfulness intends deceitful tales; seduced     enough At dawn; withdrew himself did not know Where he went; pleased him     pray; pray     offering     gave; [goes] homeward by duke     called; may he save you             That thing; avoided     made             depends; your own determination bore it quietly                             perceived     once has happened again (after) this vow mourns stains; (see note) eyes             asks what ails her laments before lost who once was virtuous (chaste); (see note) beast two then sigh     truth; whole story deathlike faints nearly to death             could do nothing                     together sent (in company)     asked them     it seemed best to them reassure his wife subsequently complain     Then ways; cheered (see note) passed went to lament worthy female citizen male citizen heard the account         had the priests arrested in order that they; deny them under interrogation accusation deny wanted to excuse themselves duke they laid         he (the duke) is one [person]     that excuse And beyond that; (t-note)         Their; noble guides Therefore; goes astray Because of them by law     were condemned         shown [So] that; cursed executed     thought to purge; that same aim (end); [Paulina's] journey                         justice duke was treated differently Since; beset judgment             relieved of the death penalty             dishonest     pay attention To what     believe         at first; they (winds of hypocrisy) In the end; not fit to guide [the ship] (t-note)     least expect see from time past how it has been demonstration get a clue beware before disaster befalls him             Concerning those who are so blind within; (see note) therefore it (Troy) tried everything by; (see note)     prowess     trickery; (see note) conquered in this way had forged; (see note) design; workmanship     undertook (see note)             Antenor; Aeneas; (see note)             secret; negotiate promises [so] that; deceived agreed peace     fashioned     arranged By; agreed upon     avail     from an inch; span (fabrication) By deceptive appearance                                         By given concealed (darkened; blinded) deceitful Hypocrisy             Their; had beautifully constructed     furnished with its own trap-doors         drew glistening against                             entirely too much discussion                             broken to pieces; torn down fortified                         Greeks departed then whole company     set the sails; made them (sails) ready go [home]         Enveloped in darkness; shore secretly     was made their spy; (t-note) prearranged signal [light]; lit take their way     Where     care     slew         burnt became known                 sweet becomes sour             thinks to gain the most destined to lose most should choose hears         that is a pity succeed who are     beloved is later the enemy                     pain (punishment) advise you It behooves; heed [So] that; avoid             conviction; (t-note) false         so quiet Scarcely may love beware         has made many a woman foolish (t-note) Indeed         called     confess     assure called                 (see note)                                             censures     command     follows; (see note)     disdains does not know what it is         same thing bend before he is broken do not know; might bend         disposition     concealed disobedient do not know acquire; (t-note)     trained     cower timidly; Lie down! as soon as I may know My lady's wish, nor [does a trained dog] grumble wretchedly     the truth reminded     my lady's command promise That except for these same two disobedient; more those two; (see note) one; (see note)     question     fully         certainly     should not allow                     angry command     lost succeed; (see note) advise (see note) But that I must certainly say     fresh         (t-note)         out of step     second point             orders new [lover]             with respect to that she might as well say moon where             But that I stood         God knows eye     remove engagement of service; (see note) despite whether she steadfast choose Regardless whether     by that manner                 according to the proper procedure; (see note)                                             vice (i.e., Pride) the same extraction; (see note) Their; (see note); (t-note) their countenance depict     even if; succeed grumble; lose choose Whereby; appeased distressed     merit obedience by any means     as [well as] As if                 grumble about something [So] that     desire Instantly; discomfort complain     [So] that; their hearts submit         manner of behavior                 (t-note) success coming                 Either; or                     sweat I show no sign of it         you call inobedience     advise     command     often times provides help     if you desire to know; (see note); (t-note)                         once in days of old; (see note) (see note) nephew; (see note)     Wifeless; was called who had great power (see note)         Foreign; seek borderlands; (see note)         Sever and tie; success Contrived; narrow passageway forceably captured         befell at that time     Fighting, by his own military prowess slain military governor of the castle are angry     in his military prowess     eagerly                 made them grow calm slay him because of fear debate themselves most sly then scarcely get about grandmother to the dead man (Branchus) advise him (Florent) lure him to his death Exclusively by his own consent true (binding) any man sent alleged     even though you are to blame For; delay For the time being Provided that you         ask [you] shall answer And in addition to this you; also right answer (truth) (t-note) But that you shall so that men [In order] that; advised allotted permission safely to go Provided that your opinion     know (see note)         jeopardy     depends question pertains             question     determined         uncle's fully         sent for one agree entirely One             (t-note)     them     craved for     By the stars nor by nature remedy Must take his fortune prepared for his death; (see note) default would rather die break his pledge and lie     prepared himself to return again     tarry uncle that he not be angry oath avenge Even though by chance should die         eager know                         hitherto saw carefully; (see note)     called to him and told him to stop horse's head Then turned; rode paused and waited To find out what she intended to take pity on him         unless; better informed     may not save you Unless     creature         for you so devise     achieve honor for your behavior as my reward     ask for; payment are helped grant me such a pledge vow             counsel certainly be killed promised her plenty of goods land; income; game-reserve; plowland counts she as nothing         say     must one Either to Or else to lose perceived         island             loathly creature opportunity             here gave as a pledge wrinkled up agreement; accept if any other means Except that [which] save release you of your vow But by no other means             await will swiftly at that very moment Ask you for not at all hold back From what you think your best [effort]     That is fine; no more [to do] But otherwise; teaching earth would most desire To be that woman [who] is thus of a higher rank her desire For otherwise she would most desire to have         achieved     i.e., do not forget glum looks does not know attain     must bind himself such a one who the most unbecoming; (t-note)     glad; sad         Either; or         at once consort (OE gemana, "intercourse"); (see note)             accordingly opinion reward knew     promise prevent     demanded continuously final judgment (doom) Give; precisely; (t-note) first asked     boast                 then         Woe be to you Who have; secret     in flames dilemma justified in his answer then his grief began to renew must who had his promise shame feared Goes forth on behalf of endures governed creature     woeful head raised up saw; hag thing cast his eye upon nose low; brows high-arched i.e., beady eyes     wrinkled             forehead; narrow; gray Moor; (see note) stooped (curved)             limb; deficiency woolsack offered herself promised guarantor     [horse's] bridle; seizes him Only God knows; pleases him     It seems to him flee     sick; health gentian root; cinnamon myrrh sort of gain         pleasure                 (see note)     bound         the honor; (t-note) It seemed to him     Providing for her as best he could array since she was all tattered before [him] quietly often sighs owl flies by night birds in broad daylight Kept himself hidden; did his riding At night; time     secretly ugly woman (rump; OF cuisse, "thigh")     her figure observe     took trusted them best (lovely lady)/beast     personal serving women; sent for     soon took off     (t-note) dressed     hoary locks comb through (divide) did not want to be shorn     attire as then was the custom Decided; it (the custom) craftily covered them (her hoary locks) dressed inspected more foul to look on [than before]                         laughed began to be merry called let us go; (see note)         offers to kiss him                     excuse But that he need[s] must comply companionably amorously in bed lay awake turned his back to her eyes hide ugly creature; (t-note)     (OF cendal, a costly fabric) bride consent embraced prayed; turned away [That] he would turn himself; then one     steadfastly (intently) what he had said married her                                         wait lose must one of two things choose Whether; by night daylight     then             who wanted his peace of mind chose nevertheless     life's salvation Say what you please; debate do not know         discern     my whole voice Choose     Just as you might wish         Since you have made fulfilled diminished                 Sicily it befell but a while ago     out of hatred     transformed; until             you are that one         Then; enough Each; played; laughed fared together                 in a state of prosperity             desire in all ways     reasonable thing         Henceforth                         listen Presumption             (t-note)                 (see note)                         Presumption is that [particular]         until it falls into calamity (see note) Had I known carries out all his business by supposition drives away all certainty     judges         [he] is; pervaded     thinks more nor so wise [as he is] take the prize nevertheless         used up                         (see note)     causes him; think         prudence chops so high up; (see note) eye also very often he thinks Where [i.e., by whom] best of all you wish you here doubt             nevertheless myself     prevent secret lurks that [idea] will not occur to me think that I am except at her authority intend I should think differently     I admit [my guilt] in that case     listen     before now     thinking has been determined in vain To trust                     desire my intellect has whatever hope might promise believe it true success it brings about     Thinking beguiles             go down     what would happen next by my thinking imagined     fool                         recount                     (see note) (see note)         Presumption military prowess In himself so much trusted it pleased him not conflict to pray it [prayer] was a useless utterance fear                     besieged         armor wound                 thunderbolt powder pulverized     most trusted in his strength     proves clearly lost Unless moreover it is injurious     be proper for him judge forgotten his own those who are so stupid (t-note)                         (see note) once     honorable     May custom provision     a-maying (see note)         played [games] were walking; were riding were spurring their; alongside now reining them in, now releasing the reins eye became aware saw coming toward     withered effigy (t-note) covered with snow Their beards; hoary so little natural vitality left; (see note) they seemed almost totally dead made supplication for             took kissed them     gave them         Then; Disdain     in their own Pride     wrongly degrade his kingship     himself; manner worth     By those who secretly             He took in response to that, and who sovereign had laid     As soon as         listen to what befell     laughed                     bird; her mate     went; (see note) had no sooner come [home] Than that when; taken His brother was already there ear     own debase vile It seemed to him worthy to show such humility nobility behave that way no more must excuse himself To each one of his lords     listened carefully to his tale; (t-note)     to what he heard     said it should their complaint                     thought to himself then may reprove (chasten)         praiseworthy     wholesome taught It occurred to him to frighten him that time     trumpet; fierce sound called; trumpet of death         in [his] keeping, and has the job of using it [Such] that     Before given reprieved     sent for     who must do so regardless command         Then he understood by the law assuredly dead since for help he knew no plan Except [that he should] send And [that he should] tell them asked truth Knew not             by no means might not have to die nonetheless Unless he succeed In getting; forgiveness Their; inclined; (t-note) came to a decision                             Then they planned their     except for; (t-note) move to tenderness                         except for their shirts alone great lament Their hair hanging about their ears         once became sorely distressed (afflicted) On the part of those who publicly         pray     taken heed person [who] if he saw them         anticipates feigns as if he knew nothing arising                 [To see] if who sees them drop to the ground fear despoiled (naked) Ah! know         As a sign; had to die pray my earthly death cancel fool; blame; (see note)             naked             Because you see; in fear         With the result that it (the law) may therefore marvel chariot got down before     own; their features established by nature's law respite (remedy)             that [human] law             Because of common law [to be] by evaluation is That is to say, a thing you might escape from moreover advise since         (see note)         in steadfast accord                 eschew humble heart follow humility presumptuous                                 this same vice wishful thinking; (t-note) truth into lying foolish             in olden days man of letters; (see note)             once foolish attitude [namely] that worthy as his peer world's territory (see note) high     loathsome equal moral disposition was called might humble untrained     provision by chance bearing         entertain himself     hunt instantly     hart soon         [Narcissus] hastened himself     tree; (see note)                 either alighted tied; (t-note)         took heed saw; likeness (peer)     magical (enchanted/of fairy) assault     From his besottedness; think saw near nearer knew; to say             woe     love made with him; exchange         bow down     sometimes; away                 against As one who; counsel dashed (see note); (t-note)                 grass; buried                 deeds; did that place     flowers are present To nature         endowed; (t-note) premium most high least; eye tricked                 avoid Of one who believes too much in his thinking; (t-note) generates either gladness or sadness prided myself never [if only] God would send that grace lady should turn wishful thinking As I do toward her                                             other [aspect] yet     [Such] that; boast     makes noise     suitable guide             (t-note)                                         Boasting     worth he diminishes         What at first; amiss worthy of thanks; blameworthy fame; (see note)             official function                 destroys it all too sorely         one of them     either brooch or chilling anguish [of love]             sent you greeting     boast; it pleased you             improve in spirit     By mouth nothing (no portion)         unless I lie         grounds for so [doing] many times     [her] aloofness; has nearly killed me; (see note) could tell plenty             guilty pleased know         combats             know; (t-note)                 those who; (see note) (t-note) the crown prowess; (see note) war against         who led the Geptes     turned out for him thus [that] slew     But that he smote his head off cut off the brain-pan     Gurmond's destruction                 "legally" transferred to his own use     was called nbsp;                   at peace to the highest degree     wheel on high most passionate condition of their love             peace; fame in no respect unhappy     Then     [So] that command Might know [the lords] gave orders By         steeds were readied         in preparation for the day their     One; better         grew interested in pleasures     feast all had been invited to do         those who     prize was given; announced     below and above [according to social status]     Whereof in several places         rejoice     saw; standing out of the way                     skill engraved     polished     [the size of] a griffin's egg ordered to be borne away     [ordered] that other one to be fetched brought         obeyed the amount that pleased her knew                 true boast; prowess     Which with     quiet Thinking; cruel (disrespectful); (see note)                 finished (got up) illness     whom she trusted person knew it called promised         Who made her drink; circumstance         angry     situated (beset) [So] that he should boast no more agreement         their valiant deceit     chief servant in charge of drink     passionately besotted                                 dutiful worship     thinks         then             Either; paid for tell you                 passion can govern himself refuse completely awry         deceit     (see note) But that they were discovered it seemed best to them         load up company     their straight             dwell (see note)             what they; labored for [i.e., reste, line 2632]         praise (fame) easily his reward destroy lies no advantage who intends     succeed     practices (see note)         must guards (bears the key)                         follow (pursue)         instruction soar delight         (t-note) is called promise     understand                             (see note)                             Thinks not of; (see note) intense Heaven seems no profit to him peace     little             believe             common use Soon; ways (fashion)     (see note)     change unwisely in newfangled clothing bird in May himself     from him; latest fashion; (see note) Of people of pleasure also; compose                 (t-note) death coming time         confess yourself; peace openly         (see note)         arranged and adorned attempted (see note)     devise; embellish clever             company better         rejoice         wished not; to hear Nor to know dress             reason afraid [may] say no to me     am not     ear     bears the prize     countenance     glad said News of my lady's health associate             harm     [drawing] from your wise teachings     if anything occurs to you to blame         should ponder [this]                     true     love's nature                                                 could wield great power; (see note) was called     Even; fame is upheld; (see note)     completely compared to him         So to speak; those days paid     subdued empires             except himself     high sees eye; escape secrets resound; ear                 warning         dream             directly in the center stretched up     crop             birds (t-note)     (t-note)         up high louder than             allow every branch to be hacked off root; be left intact             relinquish food gather and eat         be made to know absolutely correctly; (t-note)         destroy dream awoke told scholars truth interpreted dream knew how to explicate it happened at that time     Judea; friendship     knew well how To elucidate as no others knew how to known Since he it (understanding) had by     Sent for; commanded Upon matter the king would speak of future destiny in his dream expound             an extraordinarily dire expression     what he knew As if to someone he greatly trusted angry reluctant [to reply] all your enemies [if only] your dream would befall But how it is [for you] discomfort is fashioned for you         furnished             signifies     under you the [other] kings bow fears empty honor dismissed     for neither fear nor     made a [chastening] rod     pains to chastise     boughs to be broken             despoiled for a time Except that the root By         heard said [Namely] bestial [heart]     Feed; rained upon For seven times; sorely afflicted         condition in conflict human shape shall be diminished     beast royal feast weather; rain; (see note)         fashioned entirely             (t-note) before; should occur indeed Change your ways; advise Give and distribute; alms along with righteousness high obtain                 rudder guide waves heart completely lost dream he saw beforehand     had instructed him in every point         before he have disaster [it] befell     seized             presumption most boasts of himself whom; conquers quick as one, two, three palace withdrew himself none of them so shrewd who might eye     drawn (taken)     caused him to change         grazes; must     Then seemed to him [He] who once ate delights         Either; pit; slough enough     bush well pleased                         came to an end     prepared food; straw claws beast's likeness saw; sigh precious stones (OF pierre, "stone")     coat of hair tears countenance     convet     created     except for You alone     all are the same also creature [be] have power     mingle     remaining days by Your proceed avoid command; follow             began upward; reach up voice     manner and brays appeals to who did not ignore him                     restored; dominion reign             uncivilized             govern     honorable     securely     satisfy             blameworthy         worst             follow             time                                             (see note) value; (see note)         questions also         Question those who were learned accomplish To his statement; give Except one easy                 became somewhat envious apply proposition humiliation                                     [So] that             its least need [of help] most of all worth most expense; least of all greatest cost of least value; goes to ruin questions asks prescribed duty he imposes     third week means misconstrues And fails in his answer     executed lose; head     himself reprieve     think it over purpose         Then knew should not escape                         them                 might seek throughout the world one who could compare to her saw; sigh knew secretly lament all by himself             mourning         chance event         placed         private confidence         love and trust away         eyes; restrained unborn mistrust knew again and again     desired good for him near                                     Lose                         by mouth told her; could         gave; then         Except             in order to test (discover)         You will abide by my word     yet perchance; obtain             attain daughter's     saw [that]; gain     in a gamble         lose                         sent for                 others whom he wanted                                 creature jeopardy                 response hear             shall be answered reasonably             declare     worked upon             dig cultivate; plow itself its need [of him] is least of all     root and bark nature earth; die taken     say without need             second point         take heed         meritoriousness     From [the fact] that     chose signifies peace by     least     humility strife             It seems to me         questions least         those who fell Bore             prize             To pay the cost of Pride; (see note) head     of every wrong the sting wickedness     course                                     pleased                 reward (praise); laid                     lineage equal rank peer commoner As certainly as would in that case     fashion your prosperity     Ask from my gift         may God requite you     property; thought     (t-note)     fresh passion escheat (forfeiture)         given; endowed; (t-note) quarrel reconciled     Before moreover             great men prevent; (see note) But that I should be     must; (see note)         knows; desire         however I arrived formerly nobleman's weighed (assessed)     seized     escape [the cleverness of] the maiden [Such] that she is not                 moreover it is good to know                             was called     Was called, who; (see note) (t-note) sorrow         questioned     for my concern Only one await place forbidden     must assuredly go rejected         financial charge takes back; quiet                             leave                     satisfy plan to try     confession done                                 characteristic nature         As hereafter; 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