i. [Confessor] 5 L    10 15 [Amans] 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 [Confessor] 80 85 90 95 100 L    105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140 145 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 Confessor 205 210 Amans 215 220 ii. [Confessor] L    225 230 235 Amans 240 245 250 255 260 L    265 270 275 Confessor 280 285 290 L    295 300 305 310 315 320 325 330 335 340 345 350 355 360 365 370 Confessor Amans 375 380 Confessor iii. [Confessor] 385 L    390 395 400 405 410 415 420 425 430 435 440 445 450 L    Amans 455 460 465 470 475 480 485 490 495 500 505 510 515 520 525 530 535 540 545 550 Confessor 555 560 565 570 575 580 585 L    590 595 600 605 610 615 620 625 630 635 640 L    645 650 655 660 665 670 675 680 685 690 695 700 705 710 L    715 720 725 730 735 740 745 750 L    755 760 765 770 775 L    780 785 790 795 800 805 810 815 820 825 830 835 840 845 850 855 860 865 870 875 880 885 889 L    895 900 905 910 915 920 925 930 L    935 940 945 950 955 959 L    965 970 975 980 985 990 995 1000 1005 1010 L    1015 1020 1025 1030 1035 1040 1045 1050 1055 1060 1065 1070 1075 1080 L    1085 1090 1095 1100 1105 1110 1115 1120 1125 L    1130 1135 1140 1145 1150 1155 1160 1165 1170 1175 1180 1185 1190 1195 1200 1205 1210 1215 1220 1225 L    1230 1235 1240 1245 1250 1255 1260 1265 1270 1275 1280 1285 1290 1295 1300 1305 1309 L    1315 1320 1325 1330 1335 1340 1345 1350 1355 1360 1365 1370 1375 1380 1385 1390 1395 1400 1405 1410 1415 1420 1425 1430 1435 1440 1445 1450 1455 1460 1465 1470 L    1475 1480 1485 1490 1495 1500 1505 1510 1515 1520 1525 1530 1535 1540 1545 1550 1554 L    1560 1565 1570 L    1575 1580 1585 L    1590 L    L    1595 1600 1605 1610 L    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 1865 Amans 1870 Confessor 1875 iv. [Confessor] 1880 L    1885 1890 1895 1900 1905 1910 1915 1920 1925 L    1929 Confessio Amantis 1935 Confessor 1940 1945 1950 1955 Amans 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 2055 2060 2065 2070 2075 Confessor 2080 2085 2090 2095 2100 2105 2110 2115 2120 2125 2130 2135 2140 2145 L    2150 2155 2160 2165 2170 2175 2180 2185 2190 2195 2200 2205 2210 2215 2220 2225 2230 2235 2240 2245 2250 2255 2260 2265 2270 2275 2280 2285 2290 2295 2300 2305 Confessor 2310 Amans 2315 2319 Confessor 2325 v. [Confessor] 2330 L    2335 2340 2345 2350 2355 2360 2365 2370 2375 2380 L    2385 Confessio Amantis 2390 2395 2400 2405 2410 2415 2420 2425 Confessor 2430 2435 2440 2445 2450 L    2455 L    2460 2465 2470 2475 2480 2485 2490 2495 2500 L    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 2665 2670 2675 2680 2685 2690 2695 2700 2705 2710 2715 2720 2725 2730 2735 2740 2745 2750 2755 2760 2765 2770 2775 2780 2785 2790 2795 2800 L    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 L    3035 3040 3045 3050 3055 L    L    3060 3065 3070 3075 3080 3084 L    3090 3095 3100 3105 3110 vi. [Confessor] L    3115 3120 3125 3130 3135 3140 3145 3150 Confessor 3154 Amans 3160 Confessor 3165 3170 3175 3180 3185 3189 L    3195 3200 3205 3210 3215 3220 3225 3230 3235 3240 3245 3250 3255 3260 3264 Nota 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 3405 3410 3415 3420 3425 3430 3435 3440 3445 3450 3455 3460 3465 3470 3475 3480 3485 3490 3495 Confessor 3500 3505 Amans 3510 3515 Confessor 3520 3525 3530

Inuidie culpa magis est attrita dolore,    Nam sua mens nullo tempore leta manet: Quo gaudent alii, dolet ille, nec unus amicus    Est, cui de puro comoda velle facit. Proximitatis honor sua corda veretur, et omnis    Est sibi leticia sic aliena dolor. Hoc etenim vicium quam sepe repugnat amanti,    Non sibi, set reliquis, dum fauet ipsa Venus. Est amor ex proprio motu fantasticus, et que    Gaudia fert alius, credit obesse sibi.1 "Now after Pride the secounde Ther is, which many a woful stounde Towardes othre berth aboute Withinne himself and noght withoute; For in his thoght he brenneth evere, Whan that he wot another levere Or more vertuous than he, Which passeth him in his degré; Therof he takth his maladie: That vice is cleped hot Envie.    Forthi, my sone, if it be so Thou art or hast ben on of tho, As for to speke in loves cas, If evere yit thin herte was Sek of another mannes hele?" [Sorrow for Another's Joy]     "So God avance my querele, Mi fader, ye, a thousend sithe: Whanne I have sen another blithe Of love, and hadde a goodly chiere, Ethna, which brenneth yer be yere Was thanne noght so hot as I Of thilke sor which prively Min hertes thoght withinne brenneth. The schip which on the wawes renneth, And is forstormed and forblowe, Is noght more peined for a throwe Than I am thanne, whanne I se Another which that passeth me In that fortune of loves gifte. Bot, fader, this I telle in schrifte, That is nowher bot in o place; For who that lese or finde grace In other stede, it mai noght grieve. Bot this ye mai riht wel believe, Toward mi ladi that I serve, Thogh that I wiste for to sterve, Min herte is full of such sotie, That I myself mai noght chastie. Whan I the court se of Cupide Aproche unto my ladi side Of hem that lusti ben and freisshe (Thogh it availe hem noght a reisshe, Bot only that thei ben in speche), Mi sorwe is thanne noght to seche. Bot whan thei rounen in hire ere, Than groweth al my moste fere, And namly whan thei talen longe; Mi sorwes thanne be so stronge Of that I se hem wel at ese, I can noght telle my desese. Bot, sire, as of my ladi selve, Thogh sche have wowers ten or twelve, For no mistrust I have of hire Me grieveth noght, for certes, sire, I trowe, in al this world to seche, Nis womman that dede and speche Woll betre avise hire what sche doth, Ne betre, for to seie a soth, Kepe hire honour ate alle tide, And yit get hire a thank beside. Bot natheles I am beknowe, That whanne I se at eny throwe, Or elles if I mai it hiere, That sche make eny man good chiere, Thogh I therof have noght to done, Mi thought wol entermette him sone. For thogh I be miselve strange, Envie makth myn herte change, That I am sorghfully bestad Of that I se another glad With hire; bot of othre alle, Of love what so mai befalle, Or that he faile or that he spede, Therof take I bot litel heede. Now have I seid, my fader, al As of this point in special, Als ferforthli as I have wist. Now axeth further what you list." "Mi sone, er I axe eny more, I thenke somdiel for thi lore Telle an ensample of this matiere Touchende Envie, as thou schalt hiere. Write in Civile this I finde: Thogh it be noght the houndes kinde To ete chaf, yit wol he werne An oxe which comth to the berne, Therof to taken eny fode. And thus, who that it understode, It stant of love in many place. Who that is out of loves grace And mai himselven noght availe, He wolde another scholde faile; And if he may put eny lette, He doth al that he mai to lette. Wherof I finde, as thou schalt wite, To this pourpos a tale write. [The Tale of Acis and Galatea]    Ther ben of suche mo than twelve, That ben noght able as of hemselve To gete love, and for Envie Upon alle othre thei aspie; And for hem lacketh that thei wolde, Thei kepte that non other scholde Touchende of love his cause spede. Wherof a gret ensample I rede, Which unto this matiere acordeth, As Ovide in his bok recordeth, How Poliphemus whilom wroghte, Whan that he Galathee besoghte Of love, which he mai noght lacche. That made him for to waite and wacche Be alle weies how it ferde, Til ate laste he knew and herde How that another hadde leve To love there as he mot leve, As for to speke of eny sped. So that he knew non other red, Bot for to wayten upon alle, Til he may se the chance falle That he hire love myhte grieve, Which he himself mai noght achieve. This Galathee, seith the poete, Above alle othre was unmete Of beauté, that men thanne knewe, And hadde a lusti love and trewe, A bacheler in his degree. Riht such another as was sche, On whom sche hath hire herte set, So that it myhte noght be let For gifte ne for no beheste, That sche ne was al at his heste. This yonge knyht Acis was hote, Which hire ageinward als so hote Al only loveth and no mo. Hierof was Poliphemus wo Thurgh pure Envie, and evere aspide, And waiteth upon every side, Whan he togedre myhte se This yonge Acis with Galathé.    So longe he waiteth to and fro, Til ate laste he fond hem tuo, In privé place wher thei stode To speke and have here wordes goode. The place wher as he hem syh, It was under a banke nyh The grete see, and he above Stod and behield the lusti love Which ech of hem to other made With goodly chiere and wordes glade, That al his herte hath sette afyre Of pure Envie: and as a fyre Which fleth out of a myhti bowe, Aweie he fledde for a throwe, As he that was for love wod, Whan that he sih how that it stod. This Polipheme a geant was; And whan he sih the sothe cas, How Galathee him hath forsake And Acis to hire love take, His herte mai it noght forbere That he ne roreth lich a bere; And as it were a wilde beste, The whom no reson mihte areste, He ran Ethna the hell aboute, Wher nevere yit the fyr was oute, Fulfild of sorghe and gret desese, That he syh Acis wel at ese. Til ate laste he him bethoghte, As he which al Envie soghte, And torneth to the banke agein, Wher he with Galathee hath seyn Acis, whom that he thoghte grieve, Thogh he himself mai noght relieve. This geant with his ruide myht Part of the banke he schof doun riht, The which evene upon Acis fell, So that with fallinge of this hell This Poliphemus Acis slowh, Wherof sche made sorwe ynowh. And as sche fledde fro the londe, Neptunus tok hire into honde And kept hire in so sauf a place Fro Polipheme and his manace, That he with al his false Envie Ne mihte atteigne hir compaignie. This Galathee of whom I speke, That of hirself mai noght be wreke, Withouten eny semblant feigned Sche hath hire loves deth compleigned, And with hire sorwe and with hire wo Sche hath the goddes moeved so, That thei of pité and of grace Have Acis in the same place, Ther he lai ded, into a welle Transformed, as the bokes telle, With freisshe stremes and with cliere, As he whilom with lusti chiere Was freissh his love for to qweme. And with this ruide Polipheme For his Envie and for his hate Thei were wrothe.       And thus algate, Mi sone, thou myht understonde, That if thou wolt in grace stonde With love, thou most leve Envie: And as thou wolt for thi partie Toward thi love stonde fre, So most thou soffre another be, What so befalle upon the chance: For it is an unwys vengance, Which to non other man is lief, And is unto himselve grief."     "Mi fader, this ensample is good; Bot how so evere that it stod With Poliphemes love as tho, It schal noght stonde with me so, To worchen eny felonie In love for no such Envie. Forthi if ther oght elles be, Now axeth forth, in what degré It is, and I me schal confesse With schrifte unto youre holinesse." Orta sibi solito mentalia gaudia liuor    Dum videt alterius dampna doloris agit. Inuidus obridet hodie fletus aliorum,    Fletus cui proprios crastina fata parant. Sic in amore pari stat sorte iocosus, amantes    Cum videt illusos, inuidus ille quasi. Sit licet in vacuum, sperat tamen ipse leuamen    Alterius casu, lapsus et ipse simul.2 "Mi goode sone, yit ther is A vice revers unto this, Which envious takth his gladnesse Of that he seth the hevinesse Of othre men. For his welfare Is whanne he wot another care: Of that another hath a fall, He thenkth himself arist withal. Such is the gladschipe of Envie In worldes thing, and in partie Fulofte times ek also In loves cause it stant riht so. If thou, my sone, hast joie had, Whan thou another sihe unglad, Schrif thee therof."        "Mi fader, yis: I am beknowe unto you this. Of these lovers that loven streyte, And for that point which thei coveite Ben poursuiantz fro yeer to yere In loves court, whan I may hiere How that thei clymbe upon the whel, And whan thei wene al schal be wel, Thei ben doun throwen ate laste, Thanne am I fedd of that thei faste, And lawhe of that I se hem loure; And thus of that thei brewe soure I drinke swete, and am wel esed Of that I wot thei ben desesed. Bot this which I you telle hiere Is only for my lady diere; That for non other that I knowe Me reccheth noght who overthrowe, Ne who that stonde in love upriht. Bot be he squier, be he knyht, Which to my ladiward poursuieth, The more he lest of that he suieth, The mor me thenketh that I winne, And am the more glad withinne Of that I wot him sorwe endure. For evere upon such aventure It is a confort, as men sein, To him the which is wo besein To sen another in his peine, So that thei bothe mai compleigne. Wher I miself mai noght availe To sen another man travaile, I am riht glad if he be let; And thogh I fare noght the bet, His sorwe is to myn herte a game. Whan that I knowe it is the same Which to mi ladi stant enclined, And hath his love noght termined, I am riht joifull in my thoght. If such Envie grieveth oght, As I beknowe me coupable, Ye that be wys and resonable, Mi fader, telleth youre avis."     "Mi sone, Envie into no pris Of such a forme, I understonde, Ne mihte be no resoun stonde. For this Envie hath such a kinde, That he wole sette himself behinde To hindre with anothre wyht, And gladly lese his oghne riht To make another lesen his. And for to knowe how it so is, A tale lich to this matiere I thenke telle, if thou wolt hiere, To schewe proprely the vice Of this Envie and the malice. [The Tale of the Travelers and the Angel]    Of Jupiter this finde I write, How whilom that he wolde wite Upon the pleigntes whiche he herde, Among the men how that it ferde, As of here wrong condicion To do justificacion. And for that cause doun he sente An angel, which aboute wente, That he the sothe knowe mai. So it befell upon a dai This angel, which him scholde enforme, Was clothed in a mannes forme, And overtok, I understonde, Tuo men that wented over londe, Thurgh whiche he thoghte to aspie His cause, and goth in compaignie. This angel with hise wordes wise Opposeth hem in sondri wise, Now lowde wordes and now softe, That mad hem to desputen ofte, And ech of hem his reson hadde. And thus with tales he hem ladde With good examinacioun, Til he knew the condicioun, What men thei were bothe tuo; And sih wel ate laste tho, That on of hem was coveitous, And his fela was envious. And thus, whan he hath knowlechinge, Anon he feigneth departinge, And seide he mot algate wende. Bot herkne now what fell at ende: For thanne he made hem understonde That he was there of Goddes sonde, And seide hem, for the kindeschipe That thei have don him felaschipe, He wole hem do som grace agein, And bad that on of hem schal sein What thing him is lievest to crave, And he it schal of gifte have. And over that ek forthwithal He seith that other have schal The double of that his felaw axeth; And thus to hem his grace he taxeth.    The coveitous was wonder glad, And to that other man he bad And seith that he ferst axe scholde, For he supposeth that he wolde Make his axinge of worldes good; For thanne he knew wel how it stod, That he himself be double weyhte Schal after take, and thus be sleyhte, Because that he wolde winne, He bad his fela ferst beginne. This envious, thogh it be late, Whan that he syh he mot algate Make his axinge ferst, he thoghte, If he worschipe or profit soghte, It schal be doubled to his fiere: That wolde he chese in no manere. Bot thanne he scheweth what he was Toward Envie, and in this cas Unto this Angel thus he seide And for his gifte this he preide, To make him blind of his on yhe, So that his fela nothing syhe. This word was noght so sone spoke, That his on yhe anon was loke, And his felawh forthwith also Was blind of bothe his yhen tuo. Tho was that other glad ynowh, That on wepte, and that other lowh, He sette his on yhe at no cost, Wherof that other two hath lost.    Of thilke ensample which fell tho, Men tellen now fulofte so, The world empeireth comunly, And yit wot non the cause why. For it acordeth noght to kinde Min oghne harm to seche and finde Of that I schal my brother grieve; It myhte nevere wel achieve.    What seist thou, sone, of this folie?"     "Mi fader, bot I scholde lie, Upon the point which ye have seid Yit was myn herte nevere leid, Bot in the wise as I you tolde. Bot overmore, if that ye wolde Oght elles to my schrifte seie Touchende Envie, I wolde preie."     "Mi sone, that schal wel be do. Now herkne and ley thin ere to." [Detraction] Inuidie pars est detraccio pessima, pestem    Que magis infamem flatibus oris agit. Lingua venenato sermone repercutit auras,    Sic ut in alterius scandala fama volat. Morsibus a tergo quos inficit ipsa fideles,    Vulneris ignoti sepe salute carent. Set generosus amor linguam conseruat, vt eius    Verbum quod loquitur nulla sinistra gerat.3 "Touchende as of envious brod I wot noght on of alle good; Bot natheles, suche as thei be, Yit is ther on, and that is he Which cleped is Detraccioun. And to conferme his accioun, He hath withholde Malebouche, Whos tunge neither pyl ne crouche4 Mai hyre, so that he pronounce A plein good word withoute frounce Awher behinde a mannes bak. For thogh he preise, he fint som lak, Which of his tale is ay the laste, That al the pris schal overcaste: And thogh ther be no cause why, Yit wole he jangle noght forthi, As he which hath the heraldie Of hem that usen for to lye. For as the netle which up renneth The freisshe rede roses brenneth And makth hem fade and pale of hewe, Riht so this fals envious hewe, In every place wher he duelleth, With false wordes whiche he telleth He torneth preisinge into blame And worschipe into worldes schame. Of suche lesinge as he compasseth, Is non so good that he ne passeth Betwen his teeth and is bacbited, And thurgh his false tunge endited. Lich to the scharnebudes kinde, Of whos nature this I finde, That in the hoteste of the dai, Whan comen is the merie Maii, He sprat his wynge and up he fleth. And under al aboute he seth The faire lusti floures springe, Bot therof hath he no likinge; Bot where he seth of eny beste The felthe, ther he makth his feste, And therupon he wole alyhte, Ther liketh him non other sihte. Riht so this janglere envious, Thogh he a man se vertuous And full of good condicioun, Therof makth he no mencioun: Bot elles, be it noght so lyte, Wherof that he mai sette a wyte, Ther renneth he with open mouth, Behinde a man and makth it couth. Bot al the vertu which he can, That wole he hide of every man, And openly the vice telle, As he which of the scole of helle Is tawht, and fostred with Envie Of houshold and of compaignie, Wher that he hath his propre office To sette on every man a vice. How so his mouth be comely, His word sit evermore awry And seith the worste that he may.    And in this wise now a day In loves court a man mai hiere Fulofte pleigne of this matiere, That many envious tale is stered, Wher that it mai noght ben ansuered; Bot yit fulofte it is believed, And many a worthi love is grieved Thurgh bacbitinge of fals Envie.    If thou have mad such janglerie In loves court, mi sone, er this, Schrif thee therof."        "Mi fader, yis: Bot wite ye how? Noght openly, Bot otherwhile prively, Whan I my diere ladi mete, And thenke how that I am noght mete Unto hire hihe worthinesse, And ek I se the besinesse Of al this yonge lusty route, Whiche alday pressen hire aboute, And ech of hem his time awaiteth, And ech of hem his tale affaiteth, Al to deceive an innocent, Which woll noght ben of here assent; And for men sein 'unknowe unkest,' Hire thombe sche holt in hire fest So clos withinne hire oghne hond, That there winneth no man lond; Sche lieveth noght al that sche hiereth, And thus fulofte hirself sche skiereth And is al war of 'hadde I wist.' Bot for al that myn herte arist, Whanne I thes comun lovers se, That woll noght holden hem to thre, Bot welnyh loven overal, Min herte is envious withal, And evere I am adrad of guile, In aunter if with eny wyle Thei mihte hire innocence enchaunte. Forthi my wordes ofte I haunte Behynden hem, so as I dar, Wherof my ladi may be war: I sai what evere comth to mowthe, And worse I wolde, if that I cowthe; For whanne I come unto hir speche, Al that I may enquere and seche Of such deceipte, I telle it al, And ay the werste in special. So fayn I wolde that sche wiste How litel thei ben for to triste, And what thei wolde and what thei mente, So as thei be of double entente. Thus toward hem that wicke mene My wicked word was evere grene. And natheles, the soth to telle, In certain if it so befelle That althertrewest man ybore, To chese among a thousend score, Which were alfulli for to triste, Mi ladi lovede, and I it wiste, Yit rathere thanne he scholde spede, I wolde swiche tales sprede To my ladi, if that I myhte, That I scholde al his love unrihte, And therto wolde I do mi peine. For certes thogh I scholde feigne, And telle that was nevere thoght, For al this world I myhte noght To soffre anothre fully winne, Ther as I am yit to beginne. For be thei goode, or be thei badde, I wolde non my ladi hadde; And that me makth fulofte aspie And usen wordes of Envie, Al for to make hem bere a blame. And that is bot of thilke same, The whiche unto my ladi drawe, For evere on hem I rounge and gknawe And hindre hem al that evere I mai; And that is, sothly for to say, Bot only to my lady selve. I telle it noght to ten ne tuelve, Therof I wol me wel avise, To speke or jangle in eny wise That toucheth to my ladi name, The which in ernest and in game I wolde save into my deth. For me were levere lacke breth Than speken of hire name amis. Now have ye herd touchende of this, Mi fader, in confessioun, And therfor of Detraccioun In love, of that I have mispoke, Tel how ye wole it schal be wroke. I am al redy for to bere Mi peine, and also to forbere What thing that ye wol noght allowe. For who is bounden, he mot bowe. So wol I bowe unto youre heste, For I dar make this beheste, That I to yow have nothing hid, Bot told riht as it is betid. And otherwise of no mispeche, Mi conscience for to seche, I can noght of Envie finde, That I mispoke have oght behinde Wherof love owhte be mispaid. Now have ye herd and I have said; What wol ye, fader, that I do?"     "Mi sone, do no more so, Bot evere kep thi tunge stille, Thou miht the more have of thi wille. For as thou saist thiselven here, Thi ladi is of such manere, So wys, so war in alle thinge, It nedeth of no bakbitinge That thou thi ladi misenforme. For whan sche knoweth al the forme, How that thiself art envious, Thou schalt noght be so gracious As thou peraunter scholdest elles. Ther wol no man drinke of tho welles Whiche as he wot is puyson inne; And ofte swich as men beginne Towardes othre, swich thei finde, That set hem ofte fer behinde, Whan that thei wene be before. Mi goode sone, and thou therfore Bewar and lef thi wicke speche, Wherof hath fallen ofte wreche To many a man befor this time. For who so wole his handes lime, Thei mosten be the more unclene; For many a mote schal be sene, That wolde noght cleve elles there, And that schold every wys man fere. For whoso wol another blame, He secheth ofte his oghne schame, Which elles myhte be riht stille. Forthi if that it be thi wille To stonde upon amendement, A tale of gret entendement I thenke telle for thi sake, Wherof thou miht ensample take. [The Tale of Constance]    A worthi kniht in Cristes lawe Of grete Rome, as is the sawe, The sceptre hadde for to rihte; Tiberie Constantin he hihte, Whos wif was cleped Ytalie. Bot thei togedre of progenie No children hadde bot a maide, And sche the God so wel apaide, That al the wide worldes fame Spak worschipe of hire goode name. Constance, as the cronique seith, Sche hihte, and was so ful of feith, That the greteste of Barbarie, Of hem whiche usen marchandie, Sche hath converted, as thei come To hire upon a time in Rome, To schewen such thing as thei broghte; Whiche worthili of hem sche boghte, And over that in such a wise Sche hath hem with hire wordes wise Of Cristes feith so full enformed, That thei therto ben all conformed, So that baptesme thei receiven And alle here false goddes weyven. Whan thei ben of the feith certein, Thei gon to Barbarie agein, And ther the Souldan for hem sente And axeth hem to what entente Thei have here ferste feith forsake. And thei, whiche hadden undertake The rihte feith to kepe and holde, The matiere of here tale tolde With al the hole circumstance. And whan the Souldan of Constance Upon the point that thei ansuerde The beauté and the grace herde, As he which thanne was to wedde, In alle haste his cause spedde To sende for the mariage. And furthermor with good corage He seith, be so he mai hire have, That Crist, which cam this world to save, He woll believe: and this recorded, Thei ben on either side acorded, And therupon to make an ende The Souldan hise hostages sende To Rome, of princes sones tuelve: Wherof the fader in himselve Was glad, and with the pope avised Tuo cardinals he hath assissed With othre lordes many mo, That with his doghter scholden go, To se the Souldan be converted.    Bot that which nevere was wel herted, Envie, tho began travaile In destourbance of this spousaile So prively that non was war. The moder which this Souldan bar Was thanne alyve, and thoghte this Unto hirself: 'If it so is Mi sone him wedde in this manere, Than have I lost my joies hiere, For myn astat schal so be lassed.' Thenkende thus sche hath compassed Be sleihte how that sche may beguile Hire sone; and fell withinne a while, Betwen hem two whan thei were, Sche feigneth wordes in his ere, And in this wise gan to seie: 'Mi sone, I am be double weie With al myn herte glad and blithe, For that miself have ofte sithe Desired thou wolt, as men seith, Receive and take a newe feith, Which schal be forthringe of thi lif: And ek so worschipful a wif, The doughter of an emperour, To wedde it schal be gret honour. Forthi, mi sone, I you beseche That I such grace mihte areche, Whan that my doughter come schal, That I mai thanne in special, So as me thenkth it is honeste, Be thilke which the ferste feste Schal make unto hire welcominge.' The Souldan granteth hire axinge, And sche therof was glad ynowh. For under that anon sche drowh With false wordes that sche spak Covine of deth behinde his bak. And therupon hire ordinance Sche made so, that whan Constance Was come forth with the Romeins, Of clerkes and of citezeins, A riche feste sche hem made; And most whan that thei weren glade, With fals covine which sche hadde Hire clos Envie tho sche spradde, And alle tho that hadden be Or in apert or in privé Of conseil to the mariage, Sche slowh hem in a sodein rage Endlong the bord as thei be set, So that it myhte noght be let; Hire oghne sone was noght quit, Bot deide upon the same plit. Bot what the hihe God wol spare It mai for no peril misfare. This worthi maiden which was there Stod thanne, as who seith, ded for feere, To se the feste how that it stod, Which al was torned into blod. The dissh forth with the coppe and al Bebled thei weren overal. Sche sih hem deie on every side; No wonder thogh sche wepte and cride Makende many a wofull mone. Whan al was slain bot sche alone, This olde fend, this Sarazine, Let take anon this Constantine With al the good sche thider broghte, And hath ordeined, as sche thoghte, A nakid schip withoute stiere, In which the good and hire in fiere, Vitailed full for yeres fyve; Wher that the wynd it wolde dryve, Sche putte upon the wawes wilde.    Bot He which alle thing mai schilde, Thre yer, til that sche cam to londe, Hire schip to stiere hath take in honde, And in Northumberlond aryveth. And happeth thanne that sche dryveth Under a castel with the flod, Which upon Humber banke stod And was the kynges oghne also, The which Allee was cleped tho, A Saxon and a worthi knyht, Bot he believeth noght ariht. Of this castell was chastellein Elda the kinges chamberlein, A knyhtly man after his lawe; And whan he sih upon the wawe The schip drivende alone so, He bad anon men scholden go To se what it betokne mai. This was upon a somer dai, The schip was loked and sche founde. Elda withinne a litel stounde It wiste, and with his wif anon Toward this yonge ladi gon, Wher that thei founden gret richesse. Bot sche hire wolde noght confesse, Whan thei hire axen what sche was. And natheles upon the cas Out of the schip with gret worschipe Thei toke hire into felaschipe, As thei that weren of hir glade. Bot sche no maner joie made, Bot sorweth sore of that sche fond No Cristendom in thilke lond. Bot elles sche hath al hire wille, And thus with hem sche duelleth stille.    Dame Hermyngheld, which was the wif Of Elda, lich her oghne lif Constance loveth; and fell so, Spekende alday betwen hem two, Thurgh grace of Goddes pourveance This maiden tawhte the creance Unto this wif so parfitly, Upon a dai that faste by In presence of hire housebonde, Wher thei go walkende on the stronde, A blind man, which cam there lad, Unto this wif criende he bad, With bothe hise hondes up and preide To hire, and in this wise he seide: 'O Hermyngeld, which Cristes feith, Enformed as Constance seith, Received hast, gif me my sihte.'    Upon his word hire herte afflihte Thenkende what was best to done, Bot natheles sche herde his bone And seide, 'In trust of Cristes lawe, Which don was on the crois and slawe, Thou bysne man, behold and se.' With that to God upon his kne Thonkende he tok his sihte anon, Wherof thei merveile everychon, Bot Elda wondreth most of alle. This open thing which is befalle Concludeth him be such a weie, That he the feith mot nede obeie.    Now lest what fell upon this thing. This Elda forth unto the king A morwe tok his weie and rod, And Hermyngeld at home abod Forth with Constance wel at ese. Elda, which thoghte his king to plese, As he that thanne unwedded was, Of Constance al the pleine cas Als goodliche as he cowthe tolde. The king was glad and seide he wolde Come thider upon such a wise That he him mihte of hire avise, The time apointed forthwithal. This Elda triste in special Upon a knyht, whom fro childhode He hadde updrawe into manhode. To him he tolde al that he thoghte, Wherof that after him forthoghte; And natheles at thilke tide Unto his wif he bad him ride To make redi alle thing Agein the cominge of the king, And seith that he himself tofore Thenkth for to come, and bad therfore That he him kepe, and told him whanne. This knyht rod forth his weie thanne; And soth was that of time passed He hadde in al his wit compassed How he Constance myhte winne. Bot he sih tho no sped therinne, Wherof his lust began t'abate, And that was love is thanne hate; Of hire honour he hadde Envie, So that upon his tricherie A lesinge in his herte he caste. Til he cam home he hieth faste, And doth his ladi t'understonde The message of hire housebonde: And therupon the longe dai Thei setten thinges in arrai, That al was as it scholde be Of everything in his degree; And whan it cam into the nyht, This wif hire hath to bedde dyht, Wher that this maiden with hire lay. This false knyht upon delay Hath taried til thei were aslepe, As he that wolde his time kepe His dedly werkes to fulfille; And to the bed he stalketh stille, Wher that he wiste was the wif, And in his hond a rasour knif He bar, with which hire throte he cutte, And prively the knif he putte Under that other beddes side, Wher that Constance lai beside. Elda cam hom the same nyht, And stille with a privé lyht, As he that wolde noght awake His wif, he hath his weie take Into the chambre, and ther liggende He fond his dede wif bledende, Wher that Constance faste by Was falle aslepe; and sodeinly He cride alowd, and sche awok, And forthwithal sche cast a lok And sih this ladi blede there, Wherof swounende ded for fere Sche was, and stille as eny ston Sche lay, and Elda therupon Into the castell clepeth oute, And up sterte every man aboute, Into the chambre and forth thei wente. Bot he, which alle untrouthe mente, This false knyht, among hem alle Upon this thing which is befalle Seith that Constance hath don this dede; And to the bed with that he yede After the falshed of his speche, And made him there for to seche, And fond the knif, wher he it leide, And thanne he cride and thanne he seide, 'Lo, seth the knif al blody hiere! What nedeth more in this matiere To axe?' And thus hire innocence He sclaundreth there in audience With false wordes whiche he feigneth. Bot yit for al that evere he pleigneth, Elda no full credence tok: And happeth that ther lay a bok, Upon the which, whan he it sih, This knyht hath swore and seid on hih, That alle men it mihte wite, 'Now be this bok, which hier is write, Constance is gultif, wel I wot.' With that the hond of hevene him smot In tokne of that he was forswore, That he hath bothe hise yhen lore, Out of his hed the same stounde Thei sterte, and so thei weren founde. A vois was herd, whan that they felle, Which seide, 'O dampned man to helle, Lo, thus hath God the sclaundre wroke That thou agein Constance hast spoke: Beknow the sothe er that thou dye.' And he told out his felonie, And starf forth with his tale anon. Into the ground, wher alle gon, This dede lady was begrave. Elda, which thoghte his honour save, Al that he mai restreigneth sorwe.    For the seconde dai a morwe The king cam, as thei were acorded; And whan it was to him recorded What God hath wroght upon this chaunce, He tok it into remembrance And thoghte more than he seide. For al his hole herte he leide Upon Constance, and seide he scholde For love of hire, if that sche wolde, Baptesme take and Cristes feith Believe, and over that he seith He wol hire wedde, and upon this Asseured ech til other is. And for to make schorte tales, Ther cam a Bisschop out of Wales Fro Bangor, and Lucie he hihte, Which thurgh the grace of God almihte The king with many another mo Hath cristned, and betwen hem tuo He hath fulfild the mariage. Bot for no lust ne for no rage Sche tolde hem nevere what sche was; And natheles upon the cas The king was glad, how so it stod, For wel he wiste and understod Sche was a noble creature. The hihe makere of nature Hire hath visited in a throwe, That it was openliche knowe Sche was with childe be the king, Wherof above al other thing He thonketh God and was riht glad. And fell that time he was bestad Upon a werre and moste ride; And whil he scholde there abide, He lefte at hom to kepe his wif Suche as he knew of holi lif, Elda forth with the Bisschop eke. And he with pouer goth to seke Agein the Scottes for to fonde The werre which he tok on honde.    The time set of kinde is come: This lady hath hire chambre nome, And of a sone bore full, Wherof that sche was joiefull, Sche was delivered sauf and sone. The bisshop, as it was to done, Gaf him baptesme and Moris calleth; And therupon, as it befalleth, With lettres writen of record Thei sende unto here liege lord, That kepers weren of the qweene. And he that scholde go betwene, The messager, to Knaresburgh, Which toun he scholde passe thurgh, Ridende cam the ferste day. The kinges moder there lay, Whos rihte name was Domilde, Which after al the cause spilde. For he, which thonk deserve wolde, Unto this ladi goth and tolde Of his message al how it ferde. And sche with feigned joie it herde And gaf him giftes largely, Bot in the nyht al prively Sche tok the lettres whiche he hadde, Fro point to point and overradde, As sche that was thurghout untrewe, And let do wryten othre newe In stede of hem, and thus thei spieke:     'Oure liege lord, we thee beseke That thou with ous ne be noght wroth, Though we such thing as is thee loth Upon oure trowthe certefie. Thi wif, which is of faierie, Of such a child delivered is Fro kinde which stant al amis: Bot for it scholde noght be seie, We have it kept out of the weie For drede of pure worldes schame, A povere child and in the name Of thilke which is so misbore We toke,5 and therto we be swore, That non bot only thou and we Schal knowen of this priveté. Moris it hatte, and thus men wene That it was boren of the qweene And of thin oghne bodi gete. Bot this thing mai noght be forgete, That thou ne sende ous word anon What is thi wille therupon.'    This lettre, as thou hast herd devise, Was contrefet in such a wise That no man scholde it aperceive: And sche, which thoghte to deceive, It leith wher sche that other tok. This messager, whan he awok, And wiste nothing how it was, Aros and rod the grete pas And tok this lettre to the king. And whan he sih this wonder thing, He makth the messager no chiere, Bot natheles in wys manere He wrot agein, and gaf hem charge That thei ne soffre noght at large His wif to go, bot kepe hire stille, Til thei have herd mor of his wille. This messager was gifteles, Bot with this lettre natheles, Or be him lief or be him loth, In alle haste agein he goth Be Knaresburgh, and as he wente, Unto the moder his entente Of that he fond toward the king He tolde; and sche upon this thing Seith that he scholde abide al nyht And made him feste and chiere ariht, Feignende as thogh sche cowthe him thonk. Bot he with strong wyn which he dronk Forth with the travail of the day Was drunke, aslepe, and while he lay, Sche hath hise lettres overseie And formed in another weie.    Ther was a newe lettre write, Which seith: 'I do you for to wite, That thurgh the conseil of you tuo I stonde in point to ben undo, As he which is a king deposed. For every man it hath supposed, How that my wif Constance is faie; And if that I, thei sein, delaie To put hire out of compaignie, The worschipe of my regalie Is lore; and over this thei telle, Hire child schal noght among hem duelle, To cleymen eny heritage. So can I se non avantage, Bot al is lost, if sche abide. Forthi to loke on every side Toward the meschief as it is, I charge you and bidde this, That ye the same schip vitaile In which that sche tok arivaile, Therinne and putteth bothe tuo, Hireself forth with hire child also, And so forth broght unto the depe Betaketh hire the see to kepe. Of foure daies time I sette, That ye this thing no longer lette, So that your lif be noght forfet.' And thus this lettre contrefet The messager, which was unwar, Upon the kinges halve bar, And where he scholde it hath betake. Bot whan that thei have hiede take, And rad that writen is withinne, So gret a sorwe thei beginne, As thei here oghne moder sihen Brent in a fyr before here yhen: Ther was wepinge and ther was wo, Bot finaly the thing is do.    Upon the see thei have hire broght, Bot sche the cause wiste noght, And thus upon the flod thei wone, This ladi with hire yonge sone. And thanne hire handes to the hevene Sche strawhte, and with a milde stevene Knelende upon hire bare kne Sche seide, 'O hihe magesté, Which sest the point of every trowthe, Tak of thi wofull womman rowthe And of this child that I schal kepe.' And with that word sche gan to wepe, Swounende as ded, and ther sche lay. Bot He which alle thinges may Conforteth hire, and ate laste Sche loketh and hire yhen caste Upon hire child and seide this: 'Of me no maner charge it is What sorwe I soffre, bot of thee Me thenkth it is a gret pité, For if I sterve thou schalt deie. So mot I nedes be that weie For moderhed and for tendresse With al myn hole besinesse Ordeigne me for thilke office, As sche which schal be thi norrice.' Thus was sche strengthed for to stonde; And tho sche tok hire child in honde And gaf it sowke, and evere among Sche wepte, and otherwhile song To rocke with hire child aslepe. And thus hire oghne child to kepe Sche hath under the Goddes cure.    And so fell upon aventure, Whan thilke yer hath mad his ende, Hire schip, so as it moste wende Thurgh strengthe of wynd which God hath give, Estward was into Spaigne drive Riht faste under a castell wall, Wher that a hethen amirall Was lord, and he a stieward hadde, Oon Theloüs, which al was badde, A fals knyht and a renegat. He goth to loke in what astat The schip was come, and there he fond Forth with a child upon hire hond This lady, wher sche was alone. He tok good hiede of the persone, And sih sche was a worthi wiht, And thoghte he wolde upon the nyht Demene hire at his oghne wille, And let hire be therinne stille, That mo men sih sche noght that dai. At Goddes wille and thus sche lai, Unknowe what hire schal betide; And fell so that be nyhtes tide This knyht withoute felaschipe Hath take a bot and cam to schipe, And thoghte of hire his lust to take, And swor, if sche him daunger make, That certeinly sche scholde deie. Sche sih ther was non other weie, And seide he scholde hire wel conforte, That he ferst loke out ate porte, That no man were nyh the stede, Which myhte knowe what thei dede, And thanne he mai do what he wolde. He was riht glad that sche so tolde, And to the porte anon he ferde. Sche preide God, and He hire herde, And sodeinliche he was out throwe And dreynt, and tho began to blowe A wynd menable fro the lond, And thus the myhti Goddes hond Hire hath conveied and defended.    And whan thre yer be full despended, Hire schip was drive upon a dai, Wher that a gret navye lay Of schipes, al the world at ones. And as God wolde for the nones, Hire schip goth in among hem alle, And stinte noght, er it be falle And hath the vessell undergete, Which maister was of al the flete, Bot there it resteth and abod. This grete schip on anker rod; The lord cam forth, and whan he sih That other ligge abord so nyh, He wondreth what it myhte be, And bad men to gon in and se. This ladi tho was crope aside, As sche that wolde hireselven hide, For sche ne wiste what thei were: Thei soghte aboute and founde hir there And broghten up hire child and hire; And therupon this lord to spire Began, fro whenne that sche cam, And what sche was. Quod sche, 'I am A womman wofully bestad. I hadde a lord, and thus he bad, That I forth with my litel sone Upon the wawes scholden wone, Bot why the cause was, I not. Bot He which alle thinges wot Yit hath, I thonke Him, of His miht Mi child and me so kept upriht, That we be save bothe tuo.' This lord hire axeth overmo How sche believeth, and sche seith, 'I lieve and triste in Cristes feith, Which deide upon the Rode tree.' 'What is thi name?' tho quod he. 'Mi name is Couste,' sche him seide, Bot forthermor for noght he preide Of hire astat to knowe plein, Sche wolde him nothing elles sein Bot of hir name, which sche feigneth. Alle othre thinges sche restreigneth, That a word more sche ne tolde. This lord thanne axeth if sche wolde With him abide in compaignie, And seide he cam fro Barbarie To Romeward, and hom he wente. Tho sche supposeth what it mente, And seith sche wolde with him wende And duelle unto hire lyves ende, Be so it be to his plesance. And thus upon here aqueintance He tolde hire pleinly as it stod, Of Rome how that the gentil blod In Barbarie was betraied, And therupon he hath assaied Be werre, and taken such vengance, That non of al thilke alliance, Be whom the tresoun was compassed, Is from the swerd alyve passed; Bot of Constance hou it was, That cowthe he knowe be no cas, Wher sche becam, so as he seide.    Hire ere unto his word sche leide, Bot forther made sche no chiere. And natheles in this matiere It happeth thilke time so, This lord, with whom sche scholde go, Of Rome was the senatour, And of hir fader th'emperour His brother doughter hath to wyve, Which hath hir fader ek alyve, And was Salustes cleped tho; This wif Heleine hihte also, To whom Constance was cousine. Thus to the sike a medicine Hath God ordeined of His grace, That forthwith in the same place This senatour his trowthe plihte, Forevere, whil he live mihte, To kepe in worschipe and in welthe, Be so that God wol give hire helthe, This ladi, which fortune him sende. And thus be schipe forth sailende Hire and hir child to Rome he broghte, And to his wif tho he besoghte To take hire into compaignie. And sche, which cowthe of courtesie Al that a good wif scholde konne, Was inly glad that sche hath wonne The felaschip of so good on. Til tuelve yeres were agon, This emperoures dowhter Custe Forth with the dowhter of Saluste Was kepte, bot no man redily Knew what sche was, and noght forthi Thei thoghten wel sche hadde be In hire astat of hih degré, And every lif hire loveth wel.    Now herke how thilke unstable whel Which evere torneth went aboute. The king Allee, whil he was oute, As thou tofore hast herd this cas, Deceived thurgh his moder was: Bot whan that he cam home agein, He axeth of his chamberlein And of the bisschop ek also, Wher thei the qweene hadden do. And thei answerde, there he bad, And have him thilke lettre rad, Which he hem sende for warant, And tolde him pleinli as it stant, And sein, it thoghte hem gret pité To se so worthi on as sche, With such a child as ther was bore, So sodeinly to be forlore. He axeth hem what child that were; And thei him seiden, that naghere, In al the world thogh men it soghte, Was nevere womman that forth broghte A fairer child than it was on. And thanne he axede hem anon, Whi thei ne hadden write so? Thei tolden so thei hadden do. He seide, 'Nay.' Thei seiden, 'Yis.' The lettre schewed rad it is, Which thei forsoken everidel. Tho was it understonde wel That ther is tresoun in the thing. The messager tofore the king Was broght and sodeinliche opposed; And he, which nothing hath supposed Bot alle wel, began to seie That he nagher upon the weie Abod, bot only in a stede; And cause why that he so dede Was, as he wente to and fro, At Knaresburgh be nyhtes tuo The kinges moder made him duelle. And whan the king it herde telle, Withinne his herte he wiste als faste The treson which his moder caste. And thoghte he wolde noght abide, Bot forth riht in the same tide He tok his hors and rod anon. With him ther riden mani on, To Knaresburgh and forth thei wente, And lich the fyr which tunder hente, In suche a rage, as seith the bok, His moder sodeinliche he tok And seide unto hir in this wise: 'O beste of helle, in what juise Hast thou deserved for to deie, That hast so falsly put aweie With tresoun of thi bacbitinge The treweste at my knowlechinge Of wyves and the most honeste? Bot I wol make this beheste, I schal be venged er I go.' And let a fyr do make tho, And bad men for to caste hire inne. But ferst sche tolde out al the sinne, And dede hem alle for to wite How sche the lettres hadde write, Fro point to point as it was wroght. And tho sche was to dethe broght And brent tofore hire sones yhe; Wherof these othre, which it sihe And herden how the cause stod, Sein that the juggement is good, Of that hir sone hire hath so served. For sche it hadde wel deserved Thurgh tresoun of hire false tunge, Which thurgh the lond was after sunge, Constance and every wiht compleigneth. Bot he, whom alle wo distreigneth, This sorghfull king, was so bestad, That he schal nevermor be glad, He seith, eftsone for to wedde, Til that he wiste how that sche spedde, Which hadde ben his ferste wif. And thus his yonge unlusti lif He dryveth forth so as he mai.    Til it befell upon a dai, Whan he hise werres hadde achieved, And thoghte he wolde be relieved Of soule hele upon the feith Which he hath take, thanne he seith That he to Rome in pelrinage Wol go, wher pope was Pelage, To take his absolucioun. And upon this condicioun He made Edwyn his lieutenant, Which heir to him was apparant, That he the lond in his absence Schal reule. And thus be providence Of alle thinges wel begon He tok his leve and forth is gon. Elda, which tho was with him there, Er thei fulliche at Rome were, Was sent tofore to pourveie; And he his guide upon the weie, In help to ben his herbergour, Hath axed who was senatour, That he his name myhte kenne. Of Capadoce, he seide, Arcenne He hihte, and was a worthi kniht. To him goth Elda tho forth riht And tolde him of his lord tidinge, And preide that for his comynge He wolde assigne him herbergage; And he so dede of good corage.    Whan al is do that was to done, The king himself cam after sone. This senatour, whan that he com, To Couste and to his wif at hom Hath told how such a king Allee Of gret array to the citee Was come, and Couste upon his tale With herte clos and colour pale Aswoune fell, and he merveileth So sodeinly what thing hire eyleth, And cawhte hire up, and whan sche wok, Sche syketh with a pitous lok And feigneth seknesse of the see; Bot it was for the king Allee, For joie which fell in hire thoght That God him hath to toune broght. This king hath spoke with the pope And told al that he cowthe agrope, What grieveth in his conscience; And thanne he thoghte in reverence Of his astat, er that he wente, To make a feste, and thus he sente Unto the senatour to come Upon the morwe and othre some, To sitte with him at the mete. This tale hath Couste noghte forgete, Bot to Moris hire sone tolde That he upon the morwe scholde In al that evere he cowthe and mihte Be present in the kinges sihte, So that the king him ofte sihe. Moris tofore the kinges yhe Upon the morwe, wher he sat, Fulofte stod, and upon that The king his chiere upon him caste, And in his face him thoghte als faste He sih his oghne wif Constance. For nature as in resemblance Of face hem liketh so to clothe, That thei were of a suite bothe. The king was moeved in his thoght Of that he seth, and knoweth it noght; This child he loveth kindely, And yit he wot no cause why. Bot wel he sih and understod That he toward Arcenne stod, And axeth him anon riht there, If that this child his sone were. He seide, 'Yee, so I him calle, And wolde it were so befalle, Bot it is al in other wise.'    And tho began he to devise How he the childes moder fond Upon the see from every lond Withinne a schip was stiereles, And how this ladi helpeles Forth with hir child he hath forthdrawe. The king hath understonde his sawe, The childes name and axeth tho, And what the moder hihte also That he him wolde telle he preide. 'Moris this child is hote,' he seide, 'His moder hatte Couste, and this I not what maner name it is.' But Allee wiste wel ynowh, Wherof somdiel smylende he lowh; For Couste in Saxoun is to sein Constance upon the word Romein. Bot who that cowthe specefie What tho fell in his fantasie, And how his wit aboute renneth Upon the love in which he brenneth, It were a wonder for to hiere. For he was nouther ther ne hiere, Bot clene out of himself aweie, That he not what to thenke or seie, So fain he wolde it were sche. Wherof his hertes priveté Began the werre of yee and nay, The which in such balance lay, That contenance for a throwe He loste, til he mihte knowe The sothe; bot in his memoire The man which lith in purgatoire Desireth noght the hevene more, That he ne longeth al so sore To wite what him schal betide. And whan the bordes were aside And every man was rise aboute, The king hath weyved al the route, And with the senatour alone He spak and preide him of a bone, To se this Couste, wher sche duelleth At hom with him, so as he telleth. The senatour was wel appaied; This thing no lengere is delaied. To se this Couste goth the king, And sche was warned of the thing, And with Heleine forth sche cam Agein the king, and he tho nam Good hiede, and whan he sih his wif, Anon with al his hertes lif He cawhte hire in his arm and kiste. Was nevere wiht that sih ne wiste A man that more joie made, Wherof thei weren alle glade Whiche herde tellen of this chance.    This king tho with his wif Constance, Which hadde a gret part of his wille, In Rome for a time stille Abod and made him wel at ese. Bot so yit cowthe he nevere plese His wif, that sche him wolde sein Of hire astat the trowthe plein, Of what contré that sche was bore, Ne what sche was, and yit therfore With al his wit he hath don sieke. Thus as they lihe abedde and spieke, Sche preide him and conseileth bothe, That for the worschipe of hem bothe, So as hire thoghte it were honeste, He wolde an honourable feste Make, er he wente, in the cité, Wher th'emperour himself schal be. He graunteth al that sche him preide. Bot as men in that time seide, This emperour fro thilke day That ferst his dowhter wente away He was thanne after nevere glad; Bot what that eny man him bad Of grace for his dowhter sake, That grace wolde he noght forsake. And thus ful gret almesse he dede, Wherof sche hadde many a bede.    This emperour out of the toun Withinne a ten mile enviroun, Where as it thoghte him for the beste, Hath sondry places for to reste; And as fortune wolde tho, He was duellende at on of tho. The king Allee forth with th'assent Of Couste his wif hath thider sent Moris his sone, as he was taght, To th'emperour, and he goth straght And in his fader half besoghte, As he which his lordschipe soghte That of his hihe worthinesse He wolde do so gret meknesse, His oghne toun to come and se, And give a time in the cité, So that his fader mihte him gete That he wolde ones with him ete. This lord hath granted his requeste, And whan the dai was of the feste, In worschipe of here emperour The king and ek the senatour Forth with here wyves bothe tuo, With many a lord and lady mo, On horse riden him agein; Til it befell, upon a plein Thei sihen wher he was comende. With that Constance anon preiende Spak to hir lord that he abyde, So that sche mai tofore ryde, To ben upon his bienvenue The ferste which schal him salue. And thus after hire lordes graunt Upon a mule whyt amblaunt Forth with a fewe rod this qweene. Thei wondren what sche wolde mene, And riden after softe pas; Bot whan this ladi come was To th'emperour, in his presence Sche seide alowd in audience, 'Mi lord, mi fader, wel you be! And of this time that I se Youre honour and your goode hele, Which is the helpe of my querele, I thonke unto the Goddes myht.' For joie his herte was affliht Of that sche tolde in remembrance; And whanne he wiste it was Constance, Was nevere fader half so blithe. Wepende he keste hire ofte sithe, So was his herte al overcome; For thogh his moder were come Fro deth to lyve out of the grave, He mihte no mor wonder have Than he hath whan that he hire sih. With that hire oghne lord cam nyh And is to th'emperour obeied; Bot whan the fortune is bewreied, How that Constance is come aboute, So hard an herte was non oute, That he for pité tho ne wepte.    Arcennus, which hire fond and kepte, Was thanne glad of that is falle, So that with joie among hem alle Thei riden in at Rome gate. This emperour thoghte al to late, Til that the pope were come, And of the lordes sende some To preie him that he wolde haste; And he cam forth in alle haste, And whan that he the tale herde, How wonderly this chance ferde, He thonketh God of His miracle, To whos miht mai be non obstacle. The king a noble feste hem made, And thus thei weren alle glade. A parlement, er that thei wente, Thei setten unto this entente, To puten Rome in full espeir That Moris was apparant heir And scholde abide with hem stille, For such was al the londes wille.    Whan everything was fulli spoke, Of sorwe and queint was al the smoke, Tho tok his leve Allee the king, And with full many a riche thing, Which th'emperour him hadde give, He goth a glad lif for to live; For he Constance hath in his hond, Which was the confort of his lond. For whan that he cam hom agein, Ther is no tunge it mihte sein What joie was that ilke stounde Of that he hath his qweene founde, Which ferst was sent of Goddes sonde, Whan sche was drive upon the stronde, Be whom the misbelieve of sinne Was left, and Cristes feith cam inne To hem that whilom were blinde.    Bot he which hindreth every kinde And for no gold mai be forboght, The deth, comende er he be soght, Tok with this king such aqueintance, That he with al his retenance Ne mihte noght defende his lif; And thus he parteth from his wif, Which thanne made sorwe ynowh. And therupon hire herte drowh To leven Engelond forevere And go wher that sche hadde levere, To Rome, whenne that sche cam. And thus of al the lond sche nam Hir leve, and goth to Rome agein. And after that the bokes sein, Sche was noght there bot a throwe, Whan deth of kinde hath overthrowe Hir worthi fader, which men seide That he betwen hire armes deide. And afterward the yer suiende The God hath mad of hire an ende, And fro this worldes faierie Hath take hire into compaignie. Moris hir sone was corouned, Which so ferforth was abandouned To Cristes feith, that men him calle Moris the Cristeneste of alle.    And thus the wel meninge of love Was ate laste set above; And so as thou hast herd tofore, The false tunges weren lore, Whiche upon love wolden lie. Forthi touchende of this Envie Which longeth unto bacbitinge, Be war thou make no lesinge In hindringe of another wiht. And if thou wolt be tawht ariht What meschief bakbitinge doth Be other weie, a tale soth Now miht thou hiere next suiende, Which to this vice is acordende. [The Tale of Demetrius and Perseus]    In a cronique, as thou schalt wite, A gret ensample I finde write, Which I schal telle upon this thing. Philippe of Macedoyne kyng Two sones hadde be his wif, Whos fame is yit in Grece rif. Demetrius the ferste brother Was hote, and Perseus that other. Demetrius men seiden tho The betre knyht was of the tuo, To whom the lond was entendant, As he which heir was apparant To regne after his fader dai. Bot that thing which no water mai Quenche in this world, bot evere brenneth, Into his brother herte it renneth, The proude Envie of that he sih His brother scholde clymbe on hih, And he to him mot thanne obeie: That may he soffre be no weie. With strengthe dorst he nothing fonde, So tok he lesinge upon honde, Whan he sih time and spak therto. For it befell that time so, His fader grete werres hadde With Rome, whiche he streite ladde Thurgh mihty hond of his manhode, As he which hath ynowh knihthode, And ofte hem hadde sore grieved. Bot er the werre were achieved, As he was upon ordinance At hom in Grece, it fell per chance, Demetrius, which ofte aboute Ridende was, stod that time oute, So that this Perse in his absence, Which bar the tunge of pestilence, With false wordes whiche he feigneth Upon his oghne brother pleigneth In priveté behinde his bak. And to his fader thus he spak:     'Mi diere fader, I am holde Be weie of kinde, as resoun wolde, That I fro yow schal nothing hide, Which mihte torne in eny side Of youre astat into grevance. Forthi myn hertes obeissance Towardes you I thenke kepe, For it is good ye take kepe Upon a thing which is me told. Mi brother hath ous alle sold To hem of Rome, and you also; For thanne they behote him so, That he with hem schal regne in pes. Thus hath he cast for his encress That youre astat schal go to noght; And this to proeve schal be broght So ferforth, that I undertake It schal noght wel mow be forsake.'    The king upon this tale ansuerde And seide, if this thing which he herde Be soth and mai be broght to prove, 'It schal noght be to his behove, Which so hath schapen ous the werste, For he himself schal be the ferste That schal be ded, if that I mai.'    Thus afterward upon a dai, Whan that Demetrius was come, Anon his fader hath him nome, And bad unto his brother Perse That he his tale schal reherse Of thilke tresoun which he tolde. And he, which al untrowthe wolde, Conseileth that so hih a nede Be treted wher as it mai spede, In comun place of juggement. The king therto gaf his assent; Demetrius was put in hold, Wherof that Perseüs was bold. Thus stod the trowthe under the charge, And the falshede goth at large, Which thurgh beheste hath overcome The greteste of the lordes some, That privelich of his acord Thei stonde as witnesse of record: The jugge was mad favorable; Thus was the lawe deceivable So ferforth that the trowthe fond Rescousse non, and thus the lond Forth with the king deceived were.    The gulteles was dampned there And deide upon accusement. Bot such a fals conspirement, Thogh it be privé for a throwe, Godd wode noght it were unknowe; And that was afterward wel proved In him which hath the deth controved. Of that his brother was so slain This Perseus was wonder fain, As he that tho was apparant, Upon the regne and expectant, Wherof he wax so proud and vein, That he his fader in desdeign Hath take and set of non acompte, As he which thoghte him to surmonte; That wher he was ferst debonaire, He was tho rebell and contraire, And noght as heir bot as a king He tok upon him alle thing Of malice and of tirannie In contempt of the regalie, Livende his fader, and so wroghte, That whan the fader him bethoghte And sih to whether side it drowh, Anon he wiste well ynowh How Perse after his false tunge Hath so th'envious belle runge, That he hath slain his oghne brother. Wherof as thanne he knew non other, Bot sodeinly the jugge he nom, Which corrupt sat upon the dom, In such a wise and hath him pressed, That he the sothe him hath confessed Of al that hath be spoke and do.    Mor sori than the king was tho Was nevere man upon this molde, And thoghte in certein that he wolde Vengance take upon this wrong. Bot th'other parti was so strong, That for the lawe of no statut Ther mai no riht ben execut. And upon this division The lond was torned up so doun, Wherof his herte is so distraght, That he for pure sorwe hath caght The maladie of which nature Is queint in every creature.    And whan this king was passed thus, This false-tunged Perseüs The regiment hath underfonge. Bot ther mai nothing stonde longe Which is noght upon trowthe grounded, For God, which alle thing hath bounded And sih the falshod of his guile, Hath set him bot a litel while, That he schal regne upon depos. For sodeinliche as he aros So sodeinliche doun he fell.    In thilke time it so befell, This newe king of newe Pride With strengthe schop him for to ride, And seide he wolde Rome waste, Wherof he made a besi haste, And hath assembled him an host In al that evere he mihte most. What man that mihte wepne bere Of alle he wolde non forbere; So that it mihte noght be nombred, The folk which after was encombred Thurgh him, that God wolde overthrowe.    Anon it was at Rome knowe, The pompe which that Perse ladde, And the Romeins that time hadde A consul, which was cleped thus Be name, Paul Emilius, A noble, a worthi kniht withalle. And he which chief was of hem alle This werre on honde hath undertake. And whanne he scholde his leve take Of a yong dowhter which was his, Sche wepte, and he what cause it is Hire axeth, and sche him ansuerde That Perse is ded; and he it herde, And wondreth what sche meene wolde; And sche upon childhode him tolde That Perse hir litel hound is ded. With that he pulleth up his hed And made riht a glad visage, And seide how that was a presage Touchende unto that other Perse, Of that fortune him scholde adverse, He seith, for such a prenostik Most of an hound was to him lik: For as it is an houndes kinde To berke upon a man behinde, Riht so behinde his brother bak With false wordes whiche he spak He hath do slain, and that is rowthe. 'Bot he which hateth alle untrowthe, The hihe God, it schal redresse; For so my dowhter prophetesse Forth with hir litel houndes deth Betokneth.' And thus forth he geth Conforted of this evidence, With the Romeins in his defence Agein the Greks that ben comende.    This Perseüs, as noght seende This meschief which that him abod, With al his multitude rod, And prided him upon the thing, Of that he was become a king, And how he hadde his regne gete. Bot he hath al the riht forgete Which longeth unto governance. Wherof thurgh Goddes ordinance It fell, upon the wynter tide That with his host he scholde ride Over Danubie thilke flod, Which al befrose thanne stod So harde, that he wende wel To passe. Bot the blinde whiel, Which torneth ofte er men be war, Thilke ys which that the horsmen bar Tobrak, so that a gret partie Was dreint; of the chivalerie The rerewarde it tok aweie; Cam non of hem to londe dreie.    Paulus the worthi kniht Romein Be his aspie it herde sein, And hasteth him al that he may, So that upon that other day He cam wher he this host beheld, And that was in a large feld, Wher the baneres ben desplaied. He hath anon hise men arraied, And whan that he was embatailled, He goth and hath the feld assailed, And slowh and tok al that he fond; Wherof the Macedoyne lond, Which thurgh king Alisandre honoured Long time stod, was tho devoured. To Perse and al that infortune Thei wyte, so that the comune Of al the lond his heir exile; And he despeired for the while Desguised in a povere wede To Rome goth, and ther for nede The craft which thilke time was, To worche in latoun and in bras, He lerneth for his sustienance. Such was the sones pourveance, And of his fader it is seid, In strong prisoun that he was leid In Albe, wher that he was ded For hungre and defalte of bred. The hound was tokne and prophecie That lich an hound he scholde die, Which lich was of condicioun, Whan he with his detraccioun Bark on his brother so behinde.    Lo, what profit a man mai finde, Which hindre wole another wiht. Forthi with al thin hole miht, Mi sone, eschuie thilke vice."     "Mi fader, elles were I nyce: For ye therof so wel have spoke, That it is in myn herte loke And evere schal. Bot of Envie, If ther be more in his baillie Towardes love, sai me what."     "Mi sone, as guile under the hat With sleyhtes of a tregetour Is hidd, Envie of such colour Hath yit the ferthe deceivant, The which is cleped Falssemblant, Wherof the matiere and the forme Now herkne and I thee schal enforme." Nil bilinguis aget, nisi duplo concinat ore,    Dumque diem loquitur, nox sua vota tegit. Vultus habet lucem, tenebras mens, sermo salutem,    Actus set morbum dat suus esse grauem. Pax tibi quam spondet, magis est prenostica guerre;    Comoda si dederit, disce subesse dolum. Quod patet esse fides in eo fraus est, que politi    Principium pacti finis habere negat. O quam condicio talis deformat amantem,    Qui magis apparens est in amore nichil.6 "Of Falssemblant if I schal telle, Above alle othre it is the welle Out of the which deceipte floweth. Ther is no man so wys that knoweth Of thilke flod which is the tyde, Ne how he scholde himselven guide To take sauf passage there. And yit the wynd to mannes ere Is softe, and as it semeth oute It makth clier weder al aboute; Bot thogh it seme, it is noght so. For Falssemblant hath evermo Of his conseil in compaignie The derke untrewe Ypocrisie, Whos word descordeth to his thoght. Forthi thei ben togedre broght Of o covine, of on houshold, As it schal after this be told. Of Falssemblant it nedeth noght To telle of olde ensamples oght; For al dai in experience A man mai se thilke evidence Of faire wordes which he hiereth; Bot yit the barge Envie stiereth And halt it evere fro the londe, Wher Falssemblant with ore on honde It roweth, and wol noght arive, Bot let it on the wawes dryve In gret tempeste and gret debat, Wherof that love and his astat Empeireth. And therfore I rede, Mi sone, that thou fle and drede This vice, and what that othre sein, Let thi semblant be trewe and plein. For Falssemblant is thilke vice, Which nevere was withoute office. Wher that Envie thenkth to guile, He schal be for that ilke while Of privé conseil messagier. For whan his semblant is most clier, Thanne is he most derk in his thoght. Thogh men him se, thei knowe him noght; Bot as it scheweth in the glas Thing which therinne nevere was, So scheweth it in his visage That nevere was in his corage. Thus doth he al his thing with sleyhte.    Now ley thi conscience in weyhte, Mi goode sone, and schrif thee hier, If thou were evere custummer To Falssemblant in eny wise."     "For ought I can me yit avise, Mi goode fader, certes no. If I for love have oght do so, Now asketh, I wol praie yow, For elles I wot nevere how Of Falssemblant that I have gilt."     "Mi sone, and sithen that thou wilt That I schal axe, gabbe noght, Bot tell if evere was thi thoght With Falssemblant and coverture To wite of eny creature How that he was with love lad; So were he sori, were he glad, Whan that thou wistest how it were, Al that he rounede in thin ere Thou toldest forth in other place, To setten him fro loves grace Of what womman that thee best liste, Ther as no man his conseil wiste Bot thou, be whom he was deceived Of love and from his pourpos weyved; And thoghtest that his destourbance Thin oghne cause scholde avance, As who saith, 'I am so celee, Ther mai no mannes priveté Be heled half so wel as myn.' Art thou, mi sone of such engin, Tell on."         "Mi goode fader, nay As for the more part I say; Bot of somdiel I am beknowe, That I mai stonde in thilke rowe Amonges hem that saundres use. I wol me noght therof excuse, That I with such colour ne steyne, Whan I my beste semblant feigne To my felawh, til that I wot Al his conseil bothe cold and hot: For be that cause I make him chiere, Til I his love knowe and hiere; And if so be myn herte soucheth That oght unto my ladi toucheth Of love that he wol me telle, Anon I renne unto the welle And caste water in the fyr, So that his carte amidd the myr, Be that I have his conseil knowe, Fulofte sithe I overthrowe, Whan that he weneth best to stonde. Bot this I do you understonde, If that a man love elleswhere, So that my ladi be noght there, And he me telle, I wole it hide. Ther schal no word ascape aside, For with deceipte of no semblant To him breke I no covenant; Me liketh noght in other place To lette no man of his grace, Ne for to ben inquisitif To knowe an other mannes lif. Wher that he love or love noght, That toucheth nothing to my thoght, Bot al it passeth thurgh myn ere Riht as a thing that nevere were, And is forgete and leid beside. Bot if it touche on eny side Mi ladi, as I have er spoken, Myn eres ben noght thanne loken. For certes, whanne that betitt, Mi will, myn herte, and al my witt Ben fully set to herkne and spire What eny man wol speke of hire. Thus have I feigned compaignie Fulofte, for I wolde aspie What thing it is that eny man Telle of mi worthi lady can. And for tuo causes I do this, The ferste cause wherof is If that I myhte ofherkne and seke That eny man of hire mispeke, I wolde excuse hire so fully, That whan sche wist it inderly, Min hope scholde be the more To have hir thank foreveremore.    That other cause, I you assure, Is, why that I be coverture Have feigned semblant ofte time To hem that passen alday by me And ben lovers als wel as I. For this I weene trewely, That ther is of hem alle non, That thei ne loven everich on Mi Ladi: for sothliche I lieve And durste setten it in prieve, Is non so wys that scholde asterte, Bot he were lustles in his herte, Forwhy and he my ladi sihe, Hir visage and hir goodlych yhe, Bot he hire lovede, er he wente. And for that such is myn entente, That is the cause of myn aspie, Why that I feigne compaignie And make felawe overal; For gladly wolde I knowen al And holde me covert alway, That I fulofte ye or nay Ne liste ansuere in eny wise, Bot feigne semblant as the wise And herkne tales, til I knowe Mi ladi lovers al arowe. And whanne I hiere how thei have wroght, I fare as thogh I herde it noght And as I no word understode; Bot that is nothing for here goode. For lieveth wel, the sothe is this, That whanne I knowe al how it is, I wol bot forthren hem a lite, Bot al the worste I can endite I telle it to my ladi plat In forthringe of myn oghne astat, And hindre hem al that evere I may. Bot for al that yit dar I say, I finde unto miself no bote, Althogh myn herte nedes mote, Thurgh strengthe of love, al that I hiere Discovere unto my ladi diere: For in good feith I have no miht To hele fro that swete wiht, If that it touche hire eny thing. Bot this wot wel the hevene king, That sithen ferst this world began, Unto non other strange man Ne feigned I semblant ne chiere, To wite or axe of his matiere, Thogh that he lovede ten or tuelve, Whanne it was noght my ladi selve. Bot if he wolde axe eny red Al onlich of his oghne hed, How he with other love ferde, His tales with myn ere I herde, Bot to myn herte cam it noght Ne sank no deppere in my thoght, Bot hield conseil, as I was bede, And told it nevere in other stede, Bot let it passen as it com. Now, fader, say what is thi dom, And hou thou wolt that I be peined For such semblant as I have feigned."     "Mi sone, if reson be wel peised, Ther mai no vertu ben unpreised Ne vice non be set in pris. Forthi, my sone, if thou be wys, Do no viser upon thi face, Which as wol noght thin herte embrace, For if thou do, withinne a throwe To othre men it schal be knowe, So miht thou lihtli falle in blame And lese a gret part of thi name. And natheles in this degree Fulofte time thou myht se Of suche men that now aday This vice setten in asay. I speke it for no mannes blame, Bot for to warne thee the same. Mi sone, as I mai hiere talke In every place where I walke, I not if it be so or non, Bot it is manye daies gon That I ferst herde telle this, How Falssemblant hath ben and is Most comunly fro yer to yere With hem that duelle among ous here, Of suche as we Lombardes calle. For thei ben the slyeste of alle, So as men sein in toune aboute, To feigne and schewe thing withoute Which is revers to that withinne. Wherof that thei fulofte winne, Whan thei be reson scholden lese. Thei ben the laste and yit thei chese, And we the ferste, and yit behinde We gon, there as we scholden finde The profit of oure oghne lond. Thus gon thei fre withoute bond To don her profit al at large, And othre men bere al the charge. Of Lombardz unto this covine, Whiche alle londes conne engine, Mai Falssemblant in special Be likned, for thei overal, Wher as they thenken for to duelle, Among hemself, so as thei telle, Ferst ben enformed for to lere A craft which cleped is Fa-crere. For if Fa-crere come aboute, Thanne afterward hem stant no doute To voide with a soubtil hond The beste goodes of the lond And bringe chaf and take corn. Whereas Fa-crere goth toforn, In all his weie he fynt no lette; That dore can non huissher schette In which him list to take entré: And thus the conseil most secré of every thing Fa-crere knoweth, Which into strange place he bloweth, Where as he wot it mai most grieve. And thus Fa-crere makth believe, So that fulofte he hath deceived, Er that he mai ben aperceived. Thus is this vice for to drede; For who these olde bokes rede Of suche ensamples as were ar, Him oghte be the more war Of alle tho that feigne chiere, Wherof thou schalt a tale hiere. [The Tale of Deianira, Hercules, and Nessus]    Of Falssemblant which is believed Ful many a worthi wiht is grieved, And was long time er we wer bore. To thee, my sone, I wol therfore A tale telle of Falssemblant, Which falseth many a convenant, And many a fraude of fals conseil Ther ben hangende upon his seil. And that aboghten gulteles Bothe Deianire and Hercules, The whiche in gret desese felle Thurgh Falssemblant, as I schal telle. Whan Hercules withinne a throwe Al only hath his herte throwe Upon this faire Deianire, It fell him on a dai desire, Upon a rivere as he stod, That passe he wolde over the flod Withoute bot, and with him lede His love, bot he was in drede For tendresce of that swete wiht, For he knew noght the forde ariht. Ther was a geant thanne nyh, Which Nessus hihte, and whanne he sih This Hercules and Deianyre, Withinne his herte he gan conspire, As he which thurgh his tricherie Hath Hercules in gret envie, Which he bar in his herte loke, And thanne he thoghte it schal be wroke. Bot he ne dorste natheles Agein this worthi Hercules Falle in debat as for to feihte; Bot feigneth Semblant al be sleihte Of frendschipe and of alle goode, And comth where as thei bothe stode, And makth hem al the chiere he can, And seith that as here oghne man He is al redy for to do What thing he mai; and it fell so That thei upon his Semblant triste, And axen him if that he wiste What thing hem were best to done, So that thei mihten sauf and sone The water passe, he and sche. And whan Nessus the priveté Knew of here herte what it mente, As he that was of double entente, He made hem riht a glad visage. And whanne he herde of the passage Of him and hire, he thoghte guile, And feigneth semblant for a while To don hem plesance and servise, Bot he thoghte al another wise. This Nessus with hise wordes slyhe Gaf such conseil tofore here yhe Which semeth outward profitable And was withinne deceivable. He bad hem of the stremes depe That thei be war and take kepe, So as thei knowe noght the pas; Bot for to helpe in such a cas, He seith himself that for here ese He wolde, if that it mihte hem plese, The passage of the water take, And for this ladi undertake To bere unto that other stronde And sauf to sette hire up alonde, And Hercules may thanne also The weie knowe how he schal go, And herto thei acorden alle. Bot what as after schal befalle, Wel payd was Hercules of this, And this geant also glad is, And tok this ladi up alofte And set hire on his schuldre softe And in the flod began to wade, As he which no grucchinge made, And bar hire over sauf and sound. Bot whanne he stod on dreie ground And Hercules was fer behinde, He sette his trowthe al out of mynde, Whoso therof be lief or loth, With Deianyre and forth he goth, As he that thoghte to dissevere The compaignie of hem for evere. Whan Hercules therof tok hiede, Als faste as evere he mihte him spiede He hyeth after in a throwe. And hapneth that he hadde a bowe, The which in alle haste he bende, As he that wolde an arwe sende, Which he tofore hadde envenimed. He hath so wel his schote timed, That he him thurgh the bodi smette, And thus the false wiht he lette.    Bot lest now such a felonie: Whan Nessus wiste he scholde die, He tok to Deianyre his scherte, Which with the blod was of his herte Thurghout desteigned overal, And tolde how sche it kepe schal Al prively to this entente, That if hire lord his herte wente To love in eny other place, The scherte, he seith, hath such a grace, That if sche mai so mochel make That he the scherte upon him take, He schal alle othre lete in vein And torne unto hire love agein. Who was tho glad bot Deianyre? Hire thoghte hire herte was afyre Til it was in hire cofre loke, So that no word therof was spoke.    The daies gon, the yeres passe, The hertes waxen lasse and lasse Of hem that ben to love untrewe: This Hercules with herte newe His love hath set on Eolen, And therof spieken alle men. This Eolen, this faire maide, Was, as men thilke time saide, The kinges dowhter of Eurice; And sche made Hercules so nyce Upon hire love and so assote, That he him clotheth in hire cote, And sche in his was clothed ofte; And thus fieblesce is set alofte, And strengthe was put underfote, Ther can no man therof do bote. Whan Dianyre hath herd this speche, Ther was no sorwe for to seche. Of other helpe wot sche non, Bot goth unto hire cofre anon. With wepende yhe and woful herte Sche tok out thilke unhappi scherte, As sche that wende wel to do, And broghte hire werk aboute so That Hercules this scherte on dede, To such entente as she was bede Of Nessus, so as I seide er. Bot therof was sche noght the ner, As no fortune may be weyved; With Falssemblant sche was deceived, That whan sche wende best have wonne, Sche lost al that sche hath begonne. For thilke scherte unto the bon His body sette afyre anon, And cleveth so, it mai noght twinne, For the venym that was therinne. And he thanne as a wilde man Unto the hihe wode he ran, And as the clerk Ovide telleth, The grete tres to grounde he felleth With strengthe al of his oghne myht, And made an huge fyr upriht, And lepte himself therinne at ones And brende him bothe fleissh and bones. Which thing cam al thurgh Falssemblant, That false Nessus the Geant Made unto him and to his wif, Wherof that he hath lost his lif, And sche sori for everemo.    Forthi, my sone, er thee be wo, I rede, be wel war therfore; For whan so gret a man was lore, It oghte give a gret conceipte To warne alle othre of such deceipte."     "Grant mercy, fader, I am war So fer that I no more dar Of Falssemblant take aqueintance; Bot rathere I wol do penance That I have feigned chiere er this. Now axeth forth, what so ther is Of that belongeth to my schrifte."     "Mi sone, yit ther is the fifte Which is conceived of Envie, And cleped is Supplantarie, Thurgh whos compassement and guile Ful many a man hath lost his while In love als wel as otherwise, Hierafter as I schal devise." Inuidus alterius est supplantator honoris,    Et tua quo vertat culmina subtus arat. Est opus occultum, quasi que latet anguis in herba,    Quod facit, et subita sorte nociuus adest. Sic subtilis amans alium supplantat amantem,    Et capit occulte, quod nequit ipse palam; Sepeque supplantans in plantam plantat amoris,    Quod putat in propriis alter habere bonis.7 "The vice of Supplantacioun With manye a fals collacioun, Which he conspireth al unknowe, Full ofte time hath overthrowe The worschipe of another man. So wel no lif awayte can Agein his sleyhte for to caste, That he his pourpos ate laste Ne hath, er that it be withset. Bot most of alle his herte is set In court upon these grete offices Of dignitees and benefices. Thus goth he with his sleyhte aboute To hindre and schowve another oute And stonden with his slyh compas In stede there another was; And so to sette himselven inne, He reccheth noght, be so he winne, Of that another man schal lese, And thus fulofte chalk for chese He changeth with ful litel cost, Wherof another hath the lost And he the profit schal receive. For his fortune is to deceive And for to change upon the whel His wo with othre mennes wel. Of that another man avaleth, His oghne astat thus up he haleth, And takth the bridd to his beyete, Wher othre men the buisshes bete.    Mi sone, and in the same wise Ther ben lovers of such emprise, That schapen hem to be relieved Where it is wrong to ben achieved. For it is other mannes riht, Which he hath taken dai and niht To kepe for his oghne stor Toward himself for everemor, And is his propre be the lawe, Which thing that axeth no felawe, If love holde his covenant. Bot thei that worchen be supplaunt, Yit wolden thei a man supplaunte, And take a part of thilke plaunte Which he hath for himselve set. And so fulofte is al unknet That som man weneth be riht fast. For Supplant with his slyhe cast Fulofte happneth for to mowe Thing which another man hath sowe, And makth comun of propreté With sleihte and with soubtilité, As men mai se fro yer to yere. Thus cleymeth he the bot to stiere, Of which another maister is.    Forthi, my sone, if thou er this Hast ben of such professioun, Discovere thi confessioun: Hast thou supplanted eny man?"     "For oght that I you telle can, Min holi fader, as of the dede I am withouten eny drede Al gulteles; bot of my thoght Mi conscience excuse I noght. For were it wrong or were it riht, Me lakketh nothing bote myht That I ne wolde longe er this Of other mannes love ywiss Be weie of Supplantacioun Have mad apropriacioun And holde that I nevere boghte, Thogh it another man forthoghte. And al this speke I bot of on, For whom I lete alle othre gon; Bot hire I mai noght overpasse, That I ne mot alwey compasse, Me roghte noght be what queintise, So that I mihte in eny wise Fro suche that mi ladi serve Hire herte make for to swerve Withouten eny part of love. For be the goddes alle above I wolde it mihte so befalle, That I alone scholde hem alle Supplante, and welde hire at mi wille. And that thing mai I noght fulfille, Bot if I scholde strengthe make; And that I dar noght undertake, Thogh I were as was Alisaundre, For therof mihte arise sklaundre; And certes that schal I do nevere, For in good feith yit hadde I levere In my simplesce for to die, Than worche such Supplantarie. Of otherwise I wol noght seie That if I founde a seker weie, I wolde as for conclusioun Worche after Supplantacioun, So hihe a love for to winne. Now, fader, if that this be sinne, I am al redy to redresce The gilt of which I me confesse."     "Mi goode sone, as of Supplant Thee thar noght drede tant ne quant, As for nothing that I have herd, Bot only that thou hast misferd Thenkende, and that me liketh noght, For Godd beholt a mannes thoght. And if thou understode in soth In loves cause what it doth, A man to ben a Supplantour, Thou woldest for thin oghne honour Be double weie take kepe. Ferst for thin oghne astat to kepe, To be thiself so wel bethoght That thou supplanted were noght, And ek for worschipe of thi name Towardes othre do the same, And soffren every man have his. Bot natheles it was and is, That in a wayt at alle assaies Supplant of love in oure daies The lief fulofte for the levere Forsakth, and so it hath don evere.    Ensample I finde therupon, At Troie how that Agamenon Supplantede the worthi knyht Achilles of that swete wiht, Which named was Brexeida; And also of Criseida, Whom Troilus to love ches, Supplanted hath Diomedes. [The Tale of Geta and Amphitrion]    Of Geta and Amphitrion, That whilom weren bothe as on Of frendschipe and of compaignie, I rede how that Supplantarie In love, as it betidde tho, Beguiled hath on of hem tuo. For this Geta that I of meene, To whom the lusti faire Almeene Assured was be weie of love, Whan he best wende have ben above And sikerest of that he hadde, Cupido so the cause ladde, That whil he was out of the weie, Amphitrioun hire love aweie Hath take, and in this forme he wroghte. Be nyhte unto the chambre he soghte, Wher that sche lay, and with a wyle He contrefeteth for the whyle The vois of Gete in such a wise, That made hire of hire bedd arise, Wenende that it were he, And let him in, and whan thei be Togedre abedde in armes faste, This Geta cam thanne ate laste Unto the dore and seide, 'Undo.' And sche ansuerde and bad him go, And seide how that abedde al warm Hir lief lay naked in hir arm. Sche wende that it were soth. Lo, what Supplant of love doth: This Geta aforth bejaped wente, And yit ne wiste he what it mente; Amphitrion him hath supplanted With sleyhte of love and hire enchaunted. And thus put every man out other, The schip of love hath lost his rother, So that he can no reson stiere. And for to speke of this matiere Touchende love and his Supplant, A tale which is acordant Unto thin ere I thenke enforme. Now herkne, for this is the forme. [The Tale of the False Bachelor]    Of thilke cité chief of alle Which men the noble Rome calle, Er it was set to Cristes feith, Ther was, as the cronique seith, An emperour, the which it ladde In pes, that he no werres hadde. There was nothing desobeissant Which was to Rome appourtenant, Bot al was torned into reste. To some it thoghte for the beste, To some it thoghte nothing so And that was only unto tho Whos herte stod upon knyhthode. Bot most of alle of his manhode The worthi sone of th'emperour, Which wolde ben a werreiour, As he that was chivalerous Of worldes fame and desirous, Began his fadre to beseche That he the werres mihte seche, In strange marches for to ride. His fader seide he scholde abide, And wolde granten him no leve. Bot he, which wolde noght beleve, A kniht of his to whom he triste, So that his fader nothing wiste, He tok and tolde him his corage, That he pourposeth a viage. If that fortune with him stonde, He seide how that he wolde fonde The grete see to passe unknowe, And there abyde for a throwe Upon the werres to travaile. And to this point withoute faile This kniht, whan he hath herd his lord, Is swore and stant of his acord. And thei that bothe yonge were, So that in privé conseil there, Thei ben assented for to wende. And therupon to make an ende, Tresor ynowh with hem thei token, And whan the time is best thei loken That sodeinliche in a galeie From Romelond thei wente here weie And londe upon that other side. The world fell so that ilke tide, Which evere hise happes hath diverse, The grete Soldan thanne of Perse Agein the Caliphe of Egipte A werre, which that him beclipte, Hath in a marche costeiant. And he, which was a poursuiant Worschipe of armes to atteigne, This Romein, let anon ordeigne, That he was redi everydel. And whan he was arraied wel Of everything which him belongeth, Straght unto Kaire his weie he fongeth, Wher he the Soldan thanne fond, And axeth that withinne his lond He mihte him for the werre serve, As he which wolde his thonk deserve.    The Soldan was riht glad with al, And wel the more in special Whan that he wiste he was Romein. Bot what was elles in certein, That mihte he wite be no weie. And thus the kniht of whom I seie Toward the Soldan is beleft, And in the marches now and eft, Wher that the dedli werres were, He wroghte such knihthode there, That every man spak of him good. And thilke time so it stod, This mihti Soldan be his wif A dowhter hath, that in this lif Men seiden ther was non so fair. Sche scholde ben hir fader hair, And was of yeres ripe ynowh. Hire beauté many an herte drowh To bowe unto that ilke law Fro which no lif mai be withdrawe, And that is love, whos nature Set lif and deth in aventure Of hem that knyhthode undertake.    This lusti peine hath overtake The herte of this Romein so sore, That to knihthode more and more Prouesce avanceth his corage. Lich to the leoun in his rage, Fro whom that alle bestes fle, Such was the knyht in his degré. Wher he was armed in the feld, Ther dorste non abide his scheld; Gret pris upon the werre he hadde. Bot sche which al the chance ladde, Fortune, schop the marches so That be th'assent of bothe tuo, The Soldan and the Caliphe eke, Bataille upon a dai thei seke, Which was in such a wise set That lengere scholde it noght be let. Thei made hem stronge on every side, And whan it drowh toward the tide That the bataille scholde be, The Soldan in gret priveté A gold ring of his dowhter tok And made hire swere upon a bok And ek upon the goddes alle, That if fortune so befalle In the bataille that he deie, That sche schal thilke man obeie And take him to hire housebonde, Which thilke same ring to honde Hire scholde bringe after his deth. This hath sche swore, and forth he geth With al the pouer of his lond Unto the marche, where he fond His enemy full embatailled.    The Soldan hath the feld assailed: Thei that ben hardy sone assemblen, Wherof the dredfull hertes tremblen. That on sleth, and that other sterveth, Bot above alle his pris deserveth This knihtly Romein; where he rod, His dedly swerd no man abod, Agein the which was no defence. Egipte fledde in his presence, And thei of Perse upon the chace Poursuien: bot I not what grace Befell, an arwe out of a bowe Al sodeinly that ilke throwe The Soldan smot, and ther he lay. The chace is left for thilke day, And he was bore into a tente.    The Soldan sih how that it wente, And that he scholde algate die; And to this knyht of Romanie, As unto him whom he most triste, His dowhter ring, that non it wiste, He tok, and tolde him al the cas, Upon hire oth what tokne it was Of that sche scholde ben his wif. Whan this was seid, the hertes lif Of this Soldan departeth sone; And therupon, as was to done, The dede body wel and faire Thei carie til thei come at Kaire, Wher he was worthily begrave.    The lordes, whiche as wolden save The regne which was desolat, To bring it into good astat A parlement thei sette anon. Now herkne what fell therupon: This yonge lord, this worthi kniht Of Rome, upon the same niht That thei amorwe trete scholde, Unto his bacheler he tolde His conseil, and the ring withal He scheweth, thurgh which that he schal, He seith, the kinges dowhter wedde, For so the ring was leid to wedde, He tolde, into hir fader hond, That with what man that sche it fond She scholde him take to hire lord. And this, he seith, stant of record, Bot no man wot who hath this ring.    This bacheler upon this thing His ere and his entente leide, And thoghte more thanne he seide, And feigneth with a fals visage That he was glad, bot his corage Was al set in another wise. These olde philosophres wise Thei writen upon thilke while, That he mai best a man beguile In whom the man hath most credence; And this befell in evidence Toward this yonge lord of Rome. His bacheler, which hadde tome, Whan that his lord be nihte slepte, This ring, the which his maister kepte, Out of his pours awey he dede, And putte another in the stede.    Amorwe, whan the court is set, The yonge ladi was forth fet, To whom the lordes don homage, And after that of mariage Thei trete and axen of hir wille. Bot sche, which thoghte to fulfille Hire fader heste in this matiere, Seide openly, that men mai hiere, The charge which hire fader bad.    Tho was this lord of Rome glad And drowh toward his pours anon, Bot al for noght, it was agon. His bacheler it hath forthdrawe, And axeth therupon the lawe That sche him holde covenant. The tokne was so sufficant That it ne mihte be forsake, And natheles his lord hath take Querelle agein his oghne man; Bot for nothing that evere he can He mihte as thanne noght ben herd, So that his cleym is unansuerd, And he hath of his pourpos failed.    This bacheler was tho consailed And wedded, and of thilke empire He was coroned lord and sire, And al the lond him hath received; Wherof his lord, which was deceived, A seknesse er the thridde morwe Conceived hath of dedly sorwe. And as he lay upon his deth, Therwhile him lasteth speche and breth, He sende for the worthieste Of al the lond and ek the beste, And tolde hem al the sothe tho, That he was sone and heir also Of th'emperour of grete Rome, And how that thei togedre come, This kniht and he. Riht as it was, He tolde hem al the pleine cas, And for that he his conseil tolde, That other hath al that he wolde, And he hath failed of his mede. As for the good he takth non hiede, He seith, bot only of the love Of which he wende have ben above. And therupon be lettre write He doth his fader for to wite Of al this matiere as it stod; And thanne with an hertly mod Unto the lordes he besoghte To telle his ladi how he boghte Hire love, of which another gladeth. And with that word his hewe fadeth, And seide, 'Adieu, my ladi swete.' The lif hath lost his kindly hete, And he lay ded as eny ston, Wherof was sory many on, Bot non of alle so as sche.    This false knyht in his degree Arested was and put in hold, For openly whan it was told Of the tresoun which is befalle, Thurghout the lond thei seiden alle, If it be soth that men suppose, His oghne untrowthe him schal depose. And for to seche an evidence, With honour and gret reverence, Wherof they mihten knowe an ende, To th'emperour anon thei sende The lettre which his sone wrot. And whan that he the sothe wot, To telle his sorwe is endeles. Bot yit in haste natheles Upon the tale which he herde His stieward into Perse ferde With many a worthi Romein eke, His liege tretour for to seke; And whan thei thider come were, This kniht him hath confessed there How falsly that he hath him bore, Wherof his worthi lord was lore. Tho seiden some he scholde deie, Bot yit thei founden such a weie That he schal noght be ded in Perse; And thus the skiles ben diverse. Because that he was coroned, And that the lond was abandoned To him, althogh it were unriht, Ther is no peine for him diht; Bot to this point and to this ende Thei granten wel that he schal wende With the Romeins to Rome agein. And thus acorded ful and plein, The qwike body with the dede With leve take forth thei lede, Wher that Supplant hath his juise.    Wherof that thou thee miht avise Upon this enformacioun Touchende of supplantacioun, That thou, my sone, do noght so. And for to take hiede also What Supplant doth in other halve, Ther is no man can finde a salve Pleinly to helen such a sor. It hath and schal ben everemor, Whan Pride is with Envie joint, He soffreth no man in good point, Wher that he mai his honour lette. And therupon if I schal sette Ensample, in holy cherche I finde How that Supplant is noght behinde; God wot if that it now be so. For in cronique of time ago I finde a tale concordable Of Supplant, which that is no fable, In the manere as I schal telle, So as whilom the thinges felle. [The Tale of Pope Boniface]    At Rome, as it hath ofte falle, The vicair general of alle Of hem that lieven Cristes feith His laste day, which non withseith, Hath schet as to the worldes yë, Whos name if I schal specefie, He hihte Pope Nicolas. And thus whan that he passed was, The cardinals, that wolden save The forme of lawe, in the conclave Gon for to chese a newe pope, And after that thei cowthe agrope Hath ech of hem seid his entente, Til ate laste thei assente Upon an holy clerk reclus, Which full was of gostli vertus. His pacience and his simplesse Hath set him into hih noblesse. Thus was he pope canonized, With gret honour and intronized. And upon chance as it is falle, His name Celestin men calle; Which notefied was be bulle To holi cherche and to the fulle In alle londes magnified. Bot every worschipe is envied, And that was thilke time sene. For whan this pope of whom I meene Was chose, and othre set beside, A cardinal was thilke tide Which the papat longe hath desired And therupon gretli conspired; Bot whan he sih fortune is failed, For which long time he hath travailed, That ilke fyr which Ethna brenneth Thurghout his wofull herte renneth, Which is resembled to Envie, Wherof Supplant and tricherie Engendred is; and natheles He feigneth love, he feigneth pes, Outward he doth the reverence, Bot al withinne his conscience Thurgh fals ymaginacioun He thoghte Supplantacioun. And therupon a wonder wyle He wroghte: for at thilke whyle It fell so that of his lignage He hadde a clergoun of yong age, Whom he hath in his chambre affaited. This cardinal his time hath waited, And with his wordes slyhe and queinte, The whiche he cowthe wysly peinte, He schop this clerk of which I telle Toward the pope for to duelle, So that withinne his chambre anyht He lai, and was a privé wyht Toward the pope on nyhtes tide.    Mai no man fle that schal betide. This cardinal, which thoghte guile, Upon a day whan he hath while This yonge clerc unto him tok, And made him swere upon a bok, And told him what his wille was. And forth withal a trompe of bras He hath him take, and bad him this: 'Thou schalt,' he seide, 'whan time is, Awaite, and take riht good kepe Whan that the pope is fast aslepe And that non other man be nyh. And thanne that thou be so slyh Thurghout the trompe into his ere, Fro hevene as thogh a vois it were, To soune of such prolacioun That he his meditacioun Therof mai take and understonde, As thogh it were of Goddes sonde.8 And in this wise thou schal seie, That he do thilke astat aweie Of pope, in which he stant honoured; So schal his soule be socoured Of thilke worschipe ate laste In hevene which schal evere laste.'    This clerc, whan he hath herd the forme How he the pope scholde enforme, Tok of the cardinal his leve, And goth him hom, til it was eve, And prively the trompe he hedde, Til that the pope was abedde. And at the midnyht, whan he knewh The pope slepte, thanne he blewh Withinne his trompe thurgh the wal, And tolde in what manere he schal His papacie leve, and take His ferste astat. And thus awake This holi pope he made thries, Wherof diverse fantasies Upon his grete holinesse Withinne his herte he gan impresse. The pope ful of innocence Conceiveth in his conscience That it is Goddes wille he cesse; Bot in what wise he may relesse His hihe astat, that wot he noght. And thus withinne himself bethoght, He bar it stille in his memoire, Til he cam to the consistoire; And there in presence of hem alle He axeth if it so befalle That eny pope cesse wolde, How that the lawe it soffre scholde. Thei seten alle stille and herde, Was non which to the point ansuerde, For to what pourpos that it mente Ther was no man knew his entente, Bot only he which schop the guile.    This cardinal the same while Al openly with wordes pleine Seith if the pope wolde ordeigne That ther be such a lawe wroght Than mihte he cesse and elles noght. And as he seide, don it was, The pope anon upon the cas Of his papal autorité Hath mad and gove the decré. And whan that lawe was confermed In due forme and al affermed, This innocent, which was deceived, His papacie anon hath weyved, Renounced, and resigned eke. That other was nothing to seke, Bot undernethe such a jape He hath so for himselve schape, That how as evere it him beseme, The mitre with the diademe He hath thurgh Supplantacion. And in his confirmacion Upon the fortune of his grace His name is cleped Boneface. Under the viser of Envie, Lo, thus was hid the tricherie, Which hath beguiled many on. Bot such conseil ther mai be non, With treson whan it is conspired, That it nys lich the sparke fyred Up in the rof, which for a throwe Lith hidd, til whan the wyndes blowe It blaseth out on every side. This Bonefas, which can noght hyde The tricherie of his Supplant, Hath openly mad his avant How he the papacie hath wonne. Bot thing which is with wrong begonne Mai nevere stonde wel at ende. Wher Pride schal the bowe bende, He schet fulofte out of the weie. And thus the pope of whom I seie, Whan that he stod on hih the whiel, He can noght soffre himself be wel. Envie, which is loveles, And Pride, which is laweles, With such tempeste made him erre, That charité goth out of herre, So that upon misgovernance Agein Lowyz the king of France He tok querelle of his oultrage And seide he scholde don hommage Unto the cherche bodily. Bot he that wiste nothing why He scholde do so gret servise After the world in such a wise, Withstod the wrong of that demande; For noght the pope mai comande The king wol noght the pope obeie. This pope tho be alle weie That he mai worche of violence Hath sent the bulle of his sentence With cursinge and with enterdit.    The king upon this wrongful plyt, To kepe his regne fro servage, Conseiled was of his barnage That miht with miht schal be withstonde. Thus was the cause take on honde, And seiden that the papacie Thei wolde honoure and magnefie In al that evere is spirital; Bot thilke Pride temporal Of Boneface in his persone, Agein that ilke wrong alone Thei wolde stonden in debat. And thus the man and noght the stat The Frensche schopen be her miht To grieve. And fell ther was a kniht, Sire Guilliam de Langharet, Which was upon this cause set; And therupon he tok a route Of men of armes and rod oute, So longe and in a wayt he lay, That he aspide upon a day The pope was at Avinoun, And scholde ryde out of the toun Unto Pontsorge, the which is A castell in Provence of his. Upon the weie and as he rod, This kniht, which hoved and abod Embuisshed upon horse bak, Al sodeinliche upon him brak And hath him be the bridel sesed, And seide: 'O thou, which hast desesed The court of France be thi wrong, Now schalt thou singe another song: Thin enterdit and thi sentence Agein thin oghne conscience Hierafter thou schalt fiele and grope. We pleigne noght agein the pope, For thilke name is honourable, Bot thou, which hast be deceivable And tricherous in al thi werk, Thou Bonefas, thou proude clerk, Misledere of the papacie, Thi false bodi schal abye And soffre that it hath deserved.'    Lo, thus the Supplantour was served; For thei him ladden into France And setten him to his penance Withinne a tour in harde bondes, Wher he for hunger bothe hise hondes Eet of and deide - God wot how - Of whom the wrytinge is yit now Registred, as a man mai hiere, Which spekth and seith in this manere:    Thin entré lich the fox was slyh, Thi regne also with pride on hih Was lich the leon in his rage; Bot ate laste of this passage Thi deth was to the houndes like.    Such is the lettre of his cronique Proclamed in the court of Rome, Wherof the wise ensample nome. And yit, als ferforth as I dar, I rede alle othre men be war, And that thei loke wel algate That non his oghne astat translate Of holi cherche in no degree Be fraude ne soubtilité: For thilke honour which Aaron tok Schal non receive, as seith the bok Bot he cleped as he was. What I schal thenken in this cas Of that I hiere now aday, I not: bot he which can and may, Be reson bothe and be nature The help of every mannes cure, He kepe Simon fro the folde. For Joachim thilke abbot tolde How suche daies scholden falle, That comunliche in places alle The chapmen of such mercerie With fraude and with Supplantarie So manye scholden beie and selle, That he ne may for schame telle So foul a senne in mannes ere. Bot God forbiede that it were In oure daies that he seith. For if the clerc beware his feith In chapmanhod at such a feire, The remenant mot nede empeire Of al that to the world belongeth; For whan that holi cherche wrongeth, I not what other thing schal rihte. And natheles at mannes sihte Envie for to be preferred Hath conscience so differred, That no man loketh to the vice Which is the moder of malice, And that is thilke false Envie, Which causeth many a tricherie; For wher he may another se That is mor gracious than he, It schal noght stonden in his miht Bot if he hindre such a wiht. And that is welnyh overal, This vice is now so general.    Envie thilke unhapp indrowh, Whan Joab be deceipte slowh Abner, for drede he scholde be With King David such as was he. And thurgh Envie also it fell Of thilke false Achitofell, For his conseil was noght achieved, Bot that he sih Cusy believed With Absolon and him forsake, He heng himself upon a stake.    Senec witnesseth openly How that Envie proprely Is of the court the comun wenche, And halt taverne for to schenche That drink which makth the herte brenne, And doth the wit aboute renne, Be every weie to compasse How that he mihte alle othre passe, As he which thurgh unkindeschipe Envieth every felaschipe.    So that thou miht wel knowe and se, Ther is no vise such as he, Ferst toward Godd abhominable, And to mankinde unprofitable: And that be wordes bot a fewe I schal be reson prove and schewe." Inuidie stimulus sine causa ledit abortus,    Nam sine temptante crimine crimen habet. Non est huius opus temptare Cupidinis archum,    Dumque faces Veneris ethnica flamma vorat. Absque rubore gene, pallor quas fuscus obumbrat,    Frigida nature cetera membra docent.9 "Envie if that I schal descrive, He is noght schaply for to wyve In erthe among the wommen hiere; For ther is in him no matiere Wherof he mihte do plesance. Ferst for his hevy continance Of that he semeth evere unglad, He is noght able to ben had; And ek he brenneth so withinne, That kinde mai no profit winne, Wherof he scholde his love plese. For thilke blod which scholde have ese To regne among the moiste veines, Is drye of thilke unkendeli peines Thurgh whiche Envie is fyred ay. And thus be reson prove I may That toward love Envie is noght; And otherwise if it be soght, Upon what side as evere it falle, It is the werste vice of alle, Which of himself hath most malice. For understond that every vice Som cause hath, wherof it groweth, Bot of Envie no man knoweth Fro whenne he cam bot out of helle. For thus the wise clerkes telle, That no spirit bot of malice Be weie of kinde upon a vice Is tempted, and be such a weie Envie hath kinde put aweie And of malice hath his steringe, Wherof he makth this bakbitinge, And is himself therof desesed. So mai ther be no kinde plesed; For ay the mor that he envieth, The more agein himself he plieth. Thus stant Envie in good espeir To ben himself the develes heir, As he which is his nexte liche And forthest fro the heveneriche, For there mai he nevere wone.    Forthi, my goode diere sone, If thou wolt finde a siker weie To love, put Envie aweie."     "Min holy fader, reson wolde That I this vice eschuie scholde. Bot yit to strengthe mi corage, If that ye wolde in avantage Therof sette a recoverir, It were to me a gret desir, That I this vice mihte flee."    [Charity and Pity as Remedy]    "Now understond, my sone, and se, Ther is phisique for the seke, And vertus for the vices eke. Who that the vices wolde eschuie, He mot be resoun thanne suie The vertus; for be thilke weie He mai the vices don aweie, For thei togedre mai noght duelle. For as the water of a welle Of fyr abateth the malice, Riht so vertu fordoth the vice. Agein Envie is Charité, Which is the moder of Pité, That makth a mannes herte tendre, That it mai no malice engendre In him that is enclin therto. For his corage is tempred so, That thogh he mihte himself relieve, Yit wolde he noght another grieve, Bot rather for to do plesance He berth himselven the grevance, So fain he wolde another ese. Wherof, mi sone, for thin ese Now herkne a tale which I rede, And understond it wel, I rede. [The Tale of Constantine and Sylvester]    Among the bokes of Latin I finde write of Constantin The worthi Emperour of Rome, Suche infortunes to him come, Whan he was in his lusti age, The lepre cawhte in his visage And so forth overal aboute, That he ne mihte ryden oute: So lefte he bothe schield and spere, As he that mihte him noght bestere, And hield him in his chambre clos. Thurgh al the world the fame aros, The grete clerkes ben asent And come at his comandement To trete upon this lordes hele. So longe thei togedre dele, That thei upon this medicine Apointen hem, and determine That in the maner as it stod Thei wolde him bathe in childes blod Withinne sevene wynter age. For, as thei sein, that scholde assuage The lepre and al the violence, Which that thei knewe of accidence And noght be weie of kinde is falle. And therto thei acorden alle As for final conclusioun, And tolden here opinioun To th'emperour. And he anon His conseil tok, and therupon With lettres and with seales oute Thei sende in every lond aboute The yonge children for to seche, Whos blod, thei seiden, schal be leche For th'emperours maladie. Ther was ynowh to wepe and crie Among the modres whan thei herde Hou wofully this cause ferde, Bot natheles thei moten bowe; And thus wommen ther come ynowhe With children soukende on the tete. Tho was ther manye teres lete, Bot were hem lieve or were hem lothe, The wommen and the children bothe Into the paleis forth be broght With many a sory hertes thoght Of hem whiche of here bodi bore The children hadde, and so forlore Withinne a while scholden se. The modres wepe in here degré, And manye of hem aswoune falle, The yonge babes criden alle. This noyse aros, the lord it herde, And loked out, and how it ferde He sih, and as who seith abreide Out of his slep, and thus he seide:     'O thou divine pourveance, Which every man in the balance Of kinde hast formed to be liche, The povere is bore as is the riche And deieth in the same wise. Upon the fol, upon the wise Siknesse and hele entrecomune. Mai non eschuie that fortune Which kinde hath in hire lawe set; Hire strengthe and beauté ben beset To every man aliche fre, That sche preferreth no degré As in the disposicioun Of bodili complexioun. And ek of soule resonable The povere child is bore als able To vertu as the kinges sone; For every man his oghne wone After the lust of his assay The vice or vertu chese may. Thus stonden alle men franchised, Bot in astat thei ben divised; To some worschipe and richesse, To some poverté and distresse, On lordeth and another serveth; Bot yit as every man deserveth The world gifth noght his giftes hiere. Bot certes he hath gret matiere To ben of good condicioun, Which hath in his subjeccioun The men that ben of his semblance.' And ek he tok a remembrance How He that made lawe of kinde Wolde every man to lawe binde, And bad a man, such as he wolde Toward himself, riht such he scholde Toward another don also. And thus this worthi lord as tho Sette in balance his oghne astat And with himself stod in debat, And thoghte hou that it was noght good To se so mochel mannes blod Be spilt for cause of him alone. He sih also the grete mone, Of that the modres were unglade, And of the wo the children made, Wherof that al his herte tendreth, And such pité withinne engendreth, That him was levere for to chese His oghne bodi for to lese, Than se so gret a moerdre wroght Upon the blod which gulteth noght. Thus for the pité which he tok Alle othre leches he forsok. And put him out of aventure Al only into Goddes cure; And seith, 'Who that woll maister be, He mot be servant to pité.' So ferforth he was overcome With charité, that he hath nome His conseil and hise officers, And bad unto hise tresorers That thei his tresour al aboute Departe among that povere route Of wommen and of children bothe, Wherof thei mihte hem fede and clothe And saufli tornen hom agein Withoute lost of eny grein. Thurgh charité thus he despendeth His good, wherof that he amendeth The povere poeple, and contrevaileth The harm, that he hem so travaileth: And thus the woful nyhtes sorwe To joie is torned on the morwe. Al was thonkinge, al was blessinge, Which erst was wepinge and cursinge. Thes wommen gon hom glade ynowh, Ech on for joie on other lowh And preiden for this lordes hele, Which hath relessed the querele, And hath his oghne will forsake In charité for Goddes sake.    Bot now hierafter thou schalt hiere What God hath wroght in this matiere, As He which doth al equité. To him that wroghte charité He was ageinward charitous, And to pité he was pitous. For it was nevere knowe yit That charité goth unaquit. The nyht, whan he was leid to slepe, The hihe God, which wolde him kepe, Seint Peter and seint Poul him sende, Be whom he wolde his lepre amende. Thei tuo to him slepende appiere Fro God, and seide in this manere: 'O Constantin, for thou hast served Pité, thou hast pité deserved: Forthi thou schalt such pité have That God thurgh pité woll thee save, So schalt thou double hele finde, Ferst for thi bodiliche kinde, And for thi wofull soule also, Thou schalt ben hol of bothe tuo. And for thou schalt thee noght despeire, Thi lepre schal no more empeire Til thou wolt sende therupon Unto the Mont of Celion, Wher that Silvestre and his clergie Togedre duelle in compaignie For drede of thee, which many day Hast ben a fo to Cristes lay, And hast destruid to mochel schame The prechours of His holy name. Bot now thou hast somdiel appesed Thi God, and with good dede plesed, That thou thi pité hast bewared Upon the blod which thou hast spared. Forthi to this salvacioun Thou schalt have enformacioun, Such as Silvestre schal thee teche. Thee nedeth of non other leche.'    This emperour, which al this herde, 'Grant merci lordes,' he ansuerde, 'I wol do so as ye me seie. Bot of o thing I wolde preie: What schal I telle unto Silvestre Or of youre name or of youre estre?' And thei him tolden what thei hihte, And forthwithal out of his sihte Thei passen up into the hevene. And he awok out of his swevene, And clepeth, and men come anon. He tolde his drem, and therupon In such a wise as he hem telleth The mont wher that Silvestre duelleth Thei have in alle haste soght, And founde he was and with hem broght To th'emperour, which to him tolde His swevene and elles what he wolde. And whan Silvestre hath herd the king, He was riht joiful of this thing, And him began with al his wit To techen upon holi writ Ferst how mankinde was forlore, And how the hihe God therfore His Sone sende from above, Which bore was for mannes love, And after of His oghne chois He tok His deth upon the Crois; And how in grave He was beloke, And how that He hath helle broke, And tok hem out that were Him lieve; And for to make ous full believe That He was verrai Goddes Sone, Agein the kinde of mannes wone Fro dethe He ros the thridde day, And whanne He wolde, as He wel may, He styh up to His Fader evene With fleissh and blod into the hevene; And riht so in the same forme In fleissh and blod He schal reforme, Whan time comth, the qwike and dede At thilke woful dai of drede, Where every man schal take his dom, Als wel the maister as the grom. The mihti kinges retenue That dai may stonde of no value With worldes strengthe to defende; For every man mot thanne entende To stonde upon his oghne dedes And leve alle othre mennes nedes. That dai mai no consail availe, The pledour and the plee schal faile, The sentence of that ilke day Mai non appell sette in delay; Ther mai no gold the jugge plie, That he ne schal the sothe trie And setten every man upriht, Als wel the plowman as the kniht. The lewed man, the grete clerk Schal stonde upon his oghne werk, And such as he is founde tho, Such schal he be for everemo. Ther mai no peine be relessed, Ther mai no joie ben encressed, Bot endeles, as thei have do, He schal receive on of the tuo. And thus Silvestre with his sawe The ground of al the Newe Lawe With gret devocion he precheth, Fro point to point and pleinly techeth Unto this hethen emperour, And seith the hihe creatour Hath underfonge his charité, Of that he wroghte such pité, Whan he the children hadde on honde. Thus whan this lord hath understonde Of al this thing how that it ferde, Unto Silvestre he thanne ansuerde, With al his hole herte and seith That he is redi to the feith. And so the vessel which for blod Was mad, Silvestre, ther it stod, With clene water of the welle In alle haste he let do felle, And sette Constantin therinne Al naked up unto the chinne. And in the while it was begunne, A liht, as thogh it were a sunne, Fro hevene into the place com Wher that he tok his Cristendom. And evere among the holi tales Lich as thei weren fisshes skales Ther fellen from him now and eft, Til that ther was nothing beleft Of al his grete maladie. For he that wolde him purefie, The hihe God hath mad him clene, So that ther lefte nothing sene; He hath him clensed bothe tuo, The bodi and the soule also.    Tho knew the emperour in dede That Cristes feith was for to drede, And sende anon hise lettres oute And let do crien al aboute, Up peine of deth that no man weyve That he baptesme ne receive. After his moder qweene Heleine He sende, and so betwen hem tweine Thei treten, that the cité all Was cristned, and sche forth withall. This emperour, which hele hath founde, Withinne Rome anon let founde Tuo cherches, whiche he dede make For Peter and for Poules sake, Of whom he hadde a visioun; And gaf therto possessioun Of lordschipe and of worldes good. Bot how so that his will was good Toward the pope and his franchise, Yit hath it proved other wise, To se the worchinge of the dede: For in cronique this I rede; Anon as he hath mad the gifte, A vois was herd on hih the lifte, Of which al Rome was adrad, And seith: 'Today is venym schad In holi cherche of temporal, Which medleth with the spirital.' And hou it stant of that degree Yit mai a man the sothe se. God mai amende it, whan He wile; I can therto non other skile.    Bot for to go ther I began, How charité mai helpe a man To bothe worldes, I have seid; And if thou have an ere leid, Mi sone, thou miht understonde, If charité be take on honde, Ther folweth after mochel grace. Forthi, if that thou wolt pourchace How that thou miht Envie flee, Aqueinte thee with charité, Which is the vertu sovereine."     "Mi fader, I schal do my peine. For this ensample which ye tolde With al myn herte I have withholde, So that I schal for everemore Eschuie Envie wel the more. And that I have er this misdo, Gif me my penance er I go. And over that to mi matiere Of schrifte, why we sitten hiere In priveté betwen ous tweie, Now axeth what ther is, I preie."     "Mi goode sone, and for thi lore I woll thee telle what is more, So that thou schalt the vices knowe. For whan thei be to thee full knowe, Thou miht hem wel the betre eschuie. And for this cause I thenke suie The forme bothe and the matiere, As now suiende thou schalt hiere Which vice stant next after this. And whan thou wost how that it is, As thou schal hiere me devise, Thow miht thiself the betre avise." Explicit Liber Secundus

occasion (attitude) bears burns perpetually knows; more loved is afflicted with; (see note) called burning Envy; (see note) (see note) one of those Sick from (by); health aid in; (see note) times glad happy countenance Etna; burns year by; (see note) pain; secretly burns beaten by storms; tossed about by winds time surpasses confession one [should] lose knew [that I would] die foolishness chastise (control) helps them not at all (not a twig) not far away; (t-note) whisper; her ear increases; worst fear converse Because I; them; ease herself would-be lovers believe; seek There is no woman who [by] deed counsel herself Nor better, to tell the truth times earn herself an expression of gratitude as well I acknowledge (confess) time hear interpose itself (interfere) instantly distant distressed (t-note) Whether . . . or; succeed understood desire before I ask any Civil Law; (see note) hound's nature straw; harass barn advance his own cause would [have it that] obstacle hinder know spy (see note) would take care (see note) corresponds (see note) (see note) entreated obtain observe and watch (spy) fared permission might desire success counsel observe everything; (t-note) their; spoil (destroy) unsurpassed hindered bribes; promise command called Who in return just as passionately Exclusively looks around everywhere secret their them saw hill near (see note) inflamed (aroused); (t-note) bolt for a crossbow; (see note) flies time mad giant true situation accepted Acis as her beloved bear restrain hill sorrow; agitation Since; saw planned to harm barbarous strength hill; shoved hill killed enough obtain avenged streams please crude hatred in every respect To practice derives happiness (see note) powerful admit this to you possessively (tightly) plaintiffs hear [Fortune's] wheel think feast on what they starved from laugh; them scowl dejectedly (see note) know; upset I care not loses; pursues it seems to me (see note) in a sad state may not help myself labor hampered brought to a successful conclusion acknowledge myself to be guilty esteem (good repute) by no reason nature set himself at a disadvantage To cause hindrance against lose; entitlement (just claim/possessions) lose written; (see note) once; wished to investigate complaints; (see note) fared Specifically concerning their bring justice (see note) Questions Now [with] loud one companion recognition of this must soon leave by God's command most dear according to his desire appoints covetous person request by Since he wished to envious person companion (t-note) one eye might see blinded (shut) laughed becomes worse none know unless set Except kind of person know not one of any (see note) deed retained; (see note) complication (ambiguity) Anywhere finds (invents) always the conclusion good repute; destroy quarrel; nonetheless; (see note) office of herald; (see note) are accustomed to deceit nettle stings (burns) honor lies; devises; (t-note) traduced composed dung beetle's (scarab's) nature (see note) in all directions; sees excrement backbiter regardless of how insignificant it may be blame (fault) known school askance (slanderous) proposed (concocted) injured (see note) Confess yourself; (see note) equal preoccupation crowd abides invents their 'unknown unkissed'; (see note) thumb; holds; fist tightly; own hand gains; ground believes defends (preserves) 'if I had only known' swells with passion promiscuous three [women] afraid of; (see note) In case employ knew be trusted would like; would intend deceitful intend wickedness vigorous truth the utterly most true; born fully if I knew it succeed dislodge (see note) continuously spy only of the same sort slander; disparage protect; (see note) rather lack life judged (punished) desist from compelled; comply command promise has happened displeased details (essence of the thing) those poison think to have the advantage quit smear with bird lime speck of dirt [moral] improvement (see note) so says the story rule was called; (see note) pleased nobility of heathendom who engage in commerce (see note) renounce their whole appointed more of a kind disposition to work; (see note) marriage secretly (see note) honorable obtain request (t-note) Conspiracy agreement hidden Either publically or privately All along the table hindered acquitted circumstance (see note) (see note) Covered with blood female pagan prepared empty; rudder her (Constance) together; (t-note) Fully provided with food waves protect; (see note) guide called then in the right way saw; waves might portend examined short time knew explain herself honor sorely because; found in quiet (see note) (see note) faith perfectly along the beach was disturbed prayer (see note) Who was put; slain dim-eyed man, look received Constrained listen; (see note) rode scrutinize raised he regretted time Against devised conquer [sexually] to decline hatred (see note) deceit; plotted hastens swiftly its prepared razor side of the bed dim lying dead; bleeding (t-note) fainting dead away; fear (see note) calls unfaithfulness intended deed went pretended; search [So] that; know guilty perjured eyes lost instant popped out avenged Confess confessed died (see note); (t-note) reported whole Be baptized Each of them makes vows to the other was named; (see note) more (see note) (see note) in an instant intent war also with [a] force wage by nature; (see note) taken sound names him (see note) Who subsequently; destroyed (t-note) utterly unfaithful had written (see note) faith (see note) nature; entirely amiss seen deem begotten notice Whether it pleased him or not (see note) bewitched reign benefit demand sea permit (t-note) On the king's behalf As [if]; their own; had seen Burnt; in front of their eyes; (see note) knew dwell meek voice condition of every act of loyalty pity Fainting who; has power to do necessarily by that reason On behalf of whole diligence Ordain myself for that role As one who; nursemaid (see note) again and again (at times) (see note) admiral who was utterly vicious apostate sized her up handsome creature Have intercourse with her leave her there alone [So] that; (t-note) If he would place went favorable passed; (see note) remained [ship] lay alongside so near crept into seclusion inquire (see note) afflicted (t-note) know not moreover Cross (t-note) Muslim world Provided that their familiarity betrayed members of the alliance went brother's; as a wife called pledged Provided that know inwardly a person nonetheless (see note) turned again away at war (i.e., caused to go) it seemed to them abandoned nowhere spoke as utterly repudiated interrogated nowhere one place (see note) knew immediately had perpetrated delay time many [a] one tinder catches devil; legal punishment; (see note) promise (see note) caused them And every person laments for Constance torments distressed ever again listless (see note) soul's health; by means of pilgrimage Pelagius Who was his heir apparent provided make provisions harbinger know is called allocate; lodging good-heartedly constricted Fainted ails sighs sea sickness because of (t-note) (see note) could find out feast might often see him (see note) sees; understands naturally without rudder fostered called is called know not knew laughed burns knows not eagerly he wished secret place war of yes and no suspense time tables; out of the way dismissed; company petition pleased given notice Toward; then took (t-note) creature; saw; knew desire endeavored to learn alms prayer (see note) seemed to him instructed toward him festive welcoming ambling rode to your health (see note) excited knew glad kissed; repeatedly [even] though; (see note) near submissive revealed met with a certain fortune (t-note) hope (see note) quenched same time by God's command (see note) redeemed fellowship Who rather [be] whence took according to what short time (see note) following (see note) (see note) (see note) devoted fully most Christian lost defamation lying following know; (see note) well known was called burns because he saw By force of arms; attempt lying turbulently led (t-note) promised determined; gain be able to be advantage (benefit) (t-note) taken Rescue (i.e., [was] executed); indictment hidden for a time (see note) glad heir apparent of no importance have control over royal prerogative With his father still living spread the news; (see note) own took bench of justice tortured earth upside down (see note) depression by which natural vigor quenched entrapped by grief government; seized (see note) limited For as suddenly as military force prepared himself vigorous army excuse [from conscription] who was called (t-note) in her innocence head; (t-note) be unfavorable to him bark at a man from behind causes to be slain; pity goes not seeing reign obtained river frozen over knew well blind (governed by chance) Broke apart rear guard dry marshaled arrayed for battle besieged And on Perse lay the blame beggar's clothes bronze lack of food; (t-note) (t-note) person stupid locked charge sleight of hand; magician False-seeming (see note) ear (t-note) boat; guides oar causes; waves to ride Deteriorates; advise countenance; (see note) duties deceive (see note) That [which] never balance; (see note) confess yourself (see note) since you desire What; ask, don't tell lies (see note) concealment (stealth) know by love guided knew whispered displace desire In a case in which; knew by turned away advance apt to keep secrets hidden scheming In general acknowledge false colors (lit., red sandalwood) suspects Since Many times thinks Provided that If set aside previously locked shut listen; inquire hear of inwardly in competition with me if he should see my lady eye Who would not love her feign courtesy (friendship) one after another advance their cause only a little (i.e., not at all) compose straight out advantage might necessarily have to ability To conceal; creature in any way since know lady's person counsel (i.e., without any outside manipulation) place; (t-note) judgment appearances; adopted weighed esteem Put no mask in a short time lose; repute trial; (see note) know not (see note) most sneaky lose choose fetter gang manipulate teach called; Make-believe hindrance door; usher close he desires spreads about harm creates credence (confidence) in former times wary all those who (see note) (see note) breaks sail paid the penalty one time river boat giant; near was called; saw locked satisfied do battle their trusted knew safe and sound deceitfully their eye passage shore upon (t-note) pleased gently complaining (i.e., apparently gladly) dry far agreeable or disagreeable; (see note) move himself arrow previously; poisoned smote stopped (prevented) hear gave stained secretly; (t-note) others leave It seemed to her locked foolish infatuated coat; (see note) weakness; on top Where; bring deliverance seek weeping eye ill-fortuned thought counseled avoided thought; won to the quick set on fire be separated Because of deep wood trees suddenly burned himself up lost pattern fifth [division] scheming and deceit consider inference; (t-note) (see note) guard place where cares not, provided that lose cheese; (see note) woe; gladness By that which; humiliates (reduces in fortune) uplifts bird; possession beat the bushes a purpose contrive own by requires none to share it; (see note) by supplantation graft unraveled thinks to be secure stratagem harvest sown boat (see note) power truly By appropriated what [Even] though; [might] displease scheme should care not; cunning possess her according to use force slander rather more certain way exalted so many nor how many (i.e., in any way); (see note) proceeded incorrectly [in your] contemplates In double measure be careful honor in an ambush loved one; more desired one (see note) creature (see note) Who once; as one happened then Was bound by promise of matrimony most certain manner cunning deceit (t-note) Thinking bound in an embrace (see note) beloved thought; true tricked knew not its rudder (see note) (see note) pertaining (i.e., a rightful possession) foreign lands stay permission to depart tarry (remain) trusted knew secret plan journey attempt time labor sworn Even if; (t-note) depart galley ship their sultan; Persia surrounded bordering (adjacent) district for which it is his duty Cairo; battle position he takes knew departed father's heir Put life and death in the balance Bravery emboldens; heart dared none stand [and face] repute by delayed time arrayed for battle taken timorous one slays; other dies honor could withstand Against chase know not pursuit of the enemy saw in any event trusted [so] that to Cairo buried kingdom likewise pledged who had opportunity purse place father's command removed (t-note) then reward wealth believed existed in the heavens causes; know heartfelt passion its natural heat (see note) prison traveled also seek lost reasonings given over unjust punishment; allowable depart living just dessert heal; wound obstruct (see note) formerly (see note) believe none may oppose shut; eye was called who wanted to maintain Proceeded to choose according to what they could determine agree spiritual enthroned; (t-note) honor same; burns runs remarkable trick educated arranged for Near at night that [which] must occur who thought [to] beguile trumpet given to him when it is time Observe near give that estate saved from damnation honor outline [of the plan] evening secretly; hid sounded (blew) return to former estate [that] he resign; (t-note) knows convinced contrived; (t-note) created resign or else not official papal position given ratified abandoned (i.e., Boniface); readily available [for the office] is not like roof; moment Lies hidden bursts into flame boast deviate out of kilter (see note) outrage in person papal edict peers of the realm opposed; (see note) it so happened William; (see note) company an ambush stayed; waited In ambush sprang into action by the rein seized by your be punished subjected tower; shackles (see note) Devoured (Ate off); died Your beginning like; sly; (see note) took advise know not (see note) (see note) (see note) merchandise; (see note) buy uses bargaining behaves wrongly know not; provide correction Unless; person (see note) (see note) pour unnatural behavior odious to God describe appropriate to marry (see note) (t-note) (see note) by those unnatural always near love whatsoever side it [might] occur except except a malicious one By way of nature its motivation strives hope closest peer (closest look-a-like) heavenly kingdom dwell would like to find a more secure in addition (to boot) remedy medicine; sick antidotes follow drives out (see note) gain comfort gladly (see note) (see note) leprosy; face then everywhere else take vigorous action secluded was spread abroad [medical] scholars; sent for health consult Resolve themselves child's blood leprosy by circumstance (i.e., pathologically) their official documents seek solution; (see note) fared must be submissive like it or not destroyed according to their nature faints infants started providence; (see note) scales nature; the same poor dies; manner have fellowship; (see note) (see note) bestowed equally [Such] that she exalts no social rank (see note) as capable Of attaining virtue by his own habit desire; attempt choose possessing freedom; (see note) One is a lord [He] who likeness (see note) lament becomes sympathetic it was preferable to him; choose lose murder perpetrated is in no way guilty physicians danger (risk) taken Distribute; crowd loss; vigorous youth recompenses countermands vexes good will formerly one; laughed good health Who in return unrequited leprosy cure come into view spoke because you have two different kinds of health physical nature grow worse foe; law slaughtered; great placated bestowed physician you tell me country were called dream calls; quickly dream lost enclosed harrowed those out; dear to Him fully accept as valid true Against; nature; custom ascended resurrect living; dead receive; judgment servant must advocate legal appeal sway test layman; scholar then wise words foundation; (see note) accepted [Because] of where he caused to be filled left over remained should turn aside [Such] that he not take baptism the two of them negotiated an agreement together with [them] had built prophetic dream jurisdiction (t-note) above in the air (see note) (t-note) know; reason ear placed Ally yourself so endeavor (take pains) retained pursue