fol.67ra 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 fol.67rb 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 fol.67ra 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 fol.67vb 130 135 140 145 150 155 160 165 fol.68ra 5 10 15 20 25 fol.68rb 30 35 40 45 50 55

The Prohemye The hye divyne eternall majesté, Whos sovereygn sapience thoro hys imperiall myght, Nine ordrez angelyke in ierarches thre Establysched hathe in the hevenly lyght, Here in this world, terrestriall cercuitte, Hathe sett mankynd to have the governans Over all other creatoures, for whos sustenaunce Create they were, subjecte to nature, By whom thei possede the dimenciouns thre Testifiyng the philosophicall scrypture: Longitude, latitude, and profundité. Thus is a trine in every quantyté Comprehended by natures operacioun, Wherof any erthly man hath dominacioun. To whom the seyd divine magesté Hathe graunted a synguler prerogative In hym to conteyne liffly soules thre, Vegetatyffe, sensatyve, and intellictive, Whiche thre preserveth here hys bodely lyffe And him comfortyth in all adversité Tyll deth hym striketh with hys mortalité. By vegetative he hath hys groyng bodely, And sensative hym geveth palpabilité, But hys sole intellective makith hym proprely By resoun to discerne all mutabilité And wrong to devyde from ryght by equité. Thus every thyng is in ordre sett by mankynd, Wych schold be byfore and wych behynd. In wyche ordre and rewle ymaginative Especially notyd be degrés three, Wherof the fyrst is called posatiffe, Wyche, in comparacioun lowest is, of degree. The second, comparatiff nuncupatt is hee, And the superlative is thyrd and last of all. Hyest in that ordre, thus, men ey hym call. Sembable wyse fygured mey be To the degres and resembled aryght The thre estats of humanité: The laborer, oon for comoun profyght, Wyche the degré posative kepyth dey and nyght, Of whom the other two toke ther foundatioun In the tyme of Noye byfor the Incarnacioun. The second estat of these estates three Is knyghthode, to whom the degré comparative, Of verrey dew ryght, resembled mey bee, 1 For as he in comparasoun surmontyth the possatyff, In lyke forme, knyghthod in this present lyff Oweth to surmount the estat laborous In honour and ryches with lyvyng vertuose. And, as the degré comparative no weys mey atteyne Unto the superlative as in comparasoun, Ryght so the estat of knyghthod is under the sovereygn Estat of Holy Church, to whom the dominacioun Superlative is gyff, wyche schold with contemplacioun Be mirrour and exsample unto that other tweyn Of her synfull lyvyng the brydell to restreyn. Thus, in a tryne the gloriose Trynyté In heven and erth disposeth mervelosely Divers estatz and degrees to be: Fyrst, among angels, the trine ierarchye, Sythe in yche creature in erthe generally, The tryne dimencioun to be proporcionatt, As by Hym is ordred and ratificatt. In man, thre soules in maner of a tryne The gode Lord hathe knytt by Hys providens, Butt on in especiall hym doth enlumyne With resoun, wherby he hathe experience Twene ryght and wrong to shew hys sentence, And to discerne the forne trine degré Of comparasoun, yche in hys qualeté. To wyche degrees, by maner figuratyve, The trine estat mey well resembled be: Th’estat laborous unto the posatiff, And, in the comparative, knyghthod kepe hys see, Holy Churche takyng the superlative degr. Thus, in dew ordre by resouns operacioun Is everythyng sett wher man hath dominacioun. Among wyche estates chosen have I oon After my discrescioun and wytte fantasticall Fowloyng the steppis of seintes everychoun, Wyche in a mene kep themselfe all. So unto knyghthod in especiall, As mene estat atwene the other tweyne, I purpose to declare condicioun certeyne, Wyche of verrey ryght owe to be dew To that estat of noble chyvallrye: Th’encres of vertew and vices to eschew. Whosoever be of thatt compaynye, Wyllyng hymselfe ey to fortefye Bodely and gostely ageyn hys fooes all, Her mey he fynd tuycioun generall. Yf he desyre grace to be hys guyde And lyst to fowlo of ryght the perfyght trace, 2 Lett hym this tretyse, wherso he goe or ryde, Beyre in hys mynd as God wyll gyff hym grace, And ey beware that disdeyn gete no place In hym to avoyde, by the wey of scorne, This rude, symple doctryne. In hym, then, is hytt lorne. In as myche as the verrey ground Of this mater resteth uppon this trine estate, Thre maner weys in this boke are found, Them to enforme that be desolate Of prudent polecye (thoro ignoraunce rate), How thei contynually honour mey possede, To this lytle bibell, yf thei lyste take hede. The fyrst of these weys, poeticall fable, Wherin rethoriciens gretely sett ther cure To talke under covert, is called commendable Among worldly prelates and princes, I yow ensure. The second wey is autentyke scripture Of olde sage philisophers, wych called is the lyght Of scyens, comprehendyng tresour infinight. The thyrd wey is most of autorité And hyest of credens to every Christen wyght. And to confound our gostly enmes three, In resistence it beyryth the grettyst myght, For in hytt is the substaunce recytte Of Holy Scripture in bothe testamentes Comprised, and namely the’evangelyk documentes. Poetrie, philosophye, and theologye, Of this trine wey havyng the governauns, Thus knyghthod, armed with prudent polecye, In this present lyf hymself to avaunce, And to hys soule gyfe gostely sustenaunce Be morelizacioun of clerkly conjecture, Yf he the steppis wyll foulo of this lecture. Of this mysty mater to the declaracioun, Goddes grace helpyng, now wyll I procede, Wyche is to me tymorose, but under supportacioun And favorable eid of hem that schall hytt reed. For, ever in my hert, soore I me drede My rude wytt to deele with this mater hawte, Lest that in the makyng be found som defaute. Wyche to my symplenes a reproche schold bee, That I, of presompcioun, schold uppon me take So hye divinous mater in moralité, In ryme or in prose other for to make — Wher I, voyd of eloquence, am hyt to undertake — Wyche schold cause men thynke in me abusion, 3 And, for my gret folye, to have me in derysyoun. How be hytt, I, trystyng uppon the proteccioun Of theologiciens hyt to moralyse, I fully me purpose, unto whose correccioun, I holye me submytt in this entrepryse, For so hye a mater in me to sylogyse, My symple wytt of cunnyng to barreyn, Butt under favores coverture, I tell yow for certeyn. Butt fyrst for a principle and a verrey ground Of this mater excellent, all that schall rede Behove to understand that I this mater found Uppon the flour of chivalrye, the chyef of manheed Ectour of Troye, whose fame ferr hath sprede, To whom I resemble knyghthod in this booke, And that mey thei know that lyst theron to loke. To whom in hys yong age The lady Othea of prudens the goddes Sent an epistle of noble poetrye To geve hym corage to chivallrous prowes, Wherof the text fouloythe her expresse In balad ryme, and of hyt the glose, Wyche the moralité is made to yow in prose. And to declare this mater oppynly Unto the wlgar, pleyn to understondynge Of every wyght desyrous for to stye The whele of Fortune to the suppreme wonnyng, Language rethoricall fro me sequestrynge, The wordes of this epystle in reprove of synne, Pleynly to wryte thus, I now begynne. Finis prohemye Chapter 1: Othea Incipit Epistola Texte Othea, of prudence sovereygn goddes, Drawer of hertes to wurschyp and renoun, To thee, prince Ector, of Troyan noblenes, To whom in armes is no conparisoun, Son to god Mars, of werre wych weyres the crowne, And of Mynerve, goddes of the same, Whos noble dedes bloweth the trompe of fame, Successour of the noble Troyan blode, Heyre of the cytté and the cittezinz all, To thyn estat I send gretyng gode, As to such a prince oweth for to fall, With perfyght love, wyche to thee dure schall Withowt feynyng, and for as much as I Derly desyre th’encres of thi glorye, Wyche I wyll be preserved syngulerly, Above all other in the lyff mortall, I to thee wryte what is necessarye And accordyng to thyn estat royall In thi yong age that thou know schall By this epystle what is convenient Unto thi weyle and most expedient, For to conquere the hyghe myghty steede, Whos name is Pegasus, as poetes tell, Wyche by the eyre goth fleyng in dede, And above all coursers beyreth the bell. And bycause that thi condicioun naturell Of armes inclyneth toward chivalry, I for thee provyde, o, floure of curtosye, Of perfytt connyng as a godde pure Be this epistle thee for to werne Of vyces that destroye many a creature, Whereof the usage myght sone do thee harme. And eke withowt enchauntement or cherme Of wurschyp and renome, I thee this laude graunt Above all other wyche any armes haunt. And for all this I desyre no more Butt that thou lyst of thy gentlenes Onely thi love unto me gyve therfore. Why sholdyst thou nott? Iwys, thou meyst no les, For I am sche wyche save from distres All tho that laboure my cunnynge to knowe, So that no folye mey them overthrowe. I alsoe bryng them to our hevenly place Wher doth inhabite bothe goddes and goddesses. Thus I them sett in grete joy and solace And ever in erthe kepe them fro hevynes. Wherfor, I preye thee, purchasour of prowes, 4 To this epistle that thou geff credence As in thi mynd beyre therof the sentence. And suche thynges as I here now wryte, Wyche unto thee in tyme to come schall fall, Loke thou beleve hytt with all thy myghte As they were past, for certeyn come they schall, For in me is the spryte propheticall. Wherfor, lest thyn honour disteyned be or synke, On this epistle I councell thee to thynke.

(t-note) (t-note) hierarchies; (see note) earthly area; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) possessed Length, breadth, and depth unified trinity (see note) To man special (t-note) Vegetative, sensitive, and intellective; (see note); (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) physical growth; (t-note) gives him perception of touch; (t-note) soul; (t-note) instability justice (fairness) (t-note) (t-note) ranks; (t-note) positive (t-note) is designated the comparative ever In a similar way may be represented properly classes common profit; (see note); (t-note) maintains Noah (t-note) exceeds; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) [horse’s] bridle (t-note) Various; (t-note) Since; each proportioned sanctioned; (t-note) united one; illuminate (t-note) wisdom; (t-note) previous (t-note) metaphoric seat; (t-note) (see note) practical judgment; imaginative faculty Following the steps; every one in a state of moderation middle rank; (see note) resolve; the true circumstances; (t-note) accurately knighthood shun always Physically and spiritually general moral guidance; (t-note) wherever he may go or ride ever (t-note) lost true foundation (t-note) self-governance (through valid ignorance) possess (see note) rhetoricians; attention cover (see note); (t-note) authoritative writings; (t-note) knowledge (t-note) person enemies received especially the Gospels; (see note) (t-note) advance By; interpretation text; (see note) mysterious With the help of God’s grace frightening aid; read (instruct) sorely I fear for unrefined; lofty composition ignorance; (t-note) presumption spiritual To compose in both rhyme or prose to ridicule me Nevertheless; trusting moralize; (t-note) completely reason out too barren of knowledge Except under favor’s protection; (see note); (t-note) authentic foundation (t-note) It is necessary; establish; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) (Hector); (t-note) (t-note) intention; strength; (t-note) follows here plainly (see note) clearly vulgar, clearly to the understanding halt at its highest dwelling place; (see note); (see note) Eloquent language being kept from me condemnation Straightforwardly; (see note) (see note); (t-note) (see note) (see note) (see note) Heir issue endure dissembling; (t-note) wish; especially appropriate; status so that suitable well-being; advantageous (see note) (t-note) stallions is the best; (see note) warn soon also; charm renown; praise practice chivalry choose (desire); noble character Indeed (t-note) (see note); (t-note) misfortune accept on faith advice happen (t-note) spirit of prophecy be stained or decline (see note)

57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 fol. 68v 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121

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The Glose       Othea in Greke langage mey be take for womans wysedom, and for as myche as somtyme old peymyngs, nott havyng yett the lyght of the feyth, wurschypped many goddes, of the wyche law and beleve the gretest and the most of reames and seigneoriez of the world have passed, as, by ensaumple, the reames of Assyrye, Perse, Grece, Troye, Alysaundre, Rome and many other, and for the more partye of all the grete sage philosophers, in as much as God had not yett opened the gate of Hys mercy. Now at this present tyme, we Cristen people, havyng the lyght of the trew feyth, mey moraleze the blynd oppynyons and saynges of oold paynyms, wheropon many moralizaciouns mey be made. And in as much as thei wer accustomed to wurschyp everythyng wych had any prerogative of any grace beyond the comon course, wyche custome caused many ladies in that tyme beyng to be cald goddesses, and, for verrey troythe, as the storye makyth mencioun, in the tyme whyll the cyté of grete Troye florysched in the hye name of renome, ther was a sad and a wyse lady in the same cytté of Troye called Othea, wyche, consideryng the tendre youth and manly corage of Ectoure (wyche that tyme florysched in verteu, wyche by lyklyhode was a schewyng of grette grace wyche schold be in hym in tyme comyng), sent to hym many plesaunt and notable gyfftes and presentes, and namely a grete feyre stede called Gallathé, wyche stede had no pere | in the world. And for as mych as all worldly graces and verteus wer abundaunt in Ectour, we mey sey morally that he toke them by the warnyng of Othea, wyche sent to hym this epistle. By Othea mey be understand the verteu of prudence and wysdom, wherof the same Othea was replete and fulfilled, and for as myche as the four Cardinall Verteus be full necessarye to gode polecye, of wyche this boke telleth hereafter. Butt fyrst most specially to begynne with the verteu of prudens, to wyche verteu is her gyven a name, called Othea in maner of poeticall langage accordyng to the story, to foulo the bettre the purposed mattre wherof this boke tretyth. And so mey be seyd that by this same lady Othea was this epistle take or sent unto Ectour, and in lyke forme mey be seyd that sche sendyth hytt to all other that desyre wysedom and prowes. And in as myche as the verteu of prudens makyth creatoures in whom hytt habondeth gretely to be commendyd, therfore seyth thus the gret philosophre Arystotle, “Because that wysedom is most noble of all thynges, hyt oweth to be schewed by the better resoun byfore all other verteus in the most convenient and commendable maner.” A Prologe to the Moralité       To leed and conceyve the purpose of this mater of this book to be moralized is applyed here to Hooly Scripture to the edificacioun and enhaunsement of the feyth and doctrine of the soule of man, wyche is create to lyknes and ymage of God, whos wele oweth of verrey ryght most principally to be tendryd. And for as myche as all thynges toke ther begynnyng of the hye myght and wysedom of God in hyre fyrst creacioun, they ow of verrey resoun to attend especially to the plesur of God that is hyr creatour. Then mans soule, wyche is made to the similitude and lykenes of God, as is seyd befor, and is made most noble next to aungell of all creaturez, hyt is bothe convenient and necessare that hytt be instruct and fulfylled with verteus wherthoro hytt mey be conveyd to the end wherfor hytt was made. And for as myche as hyt mey be enpeched and letted by the sotell aweytes and assautes of the gostly enemye, wych is mortall adversarye unto mannys soule, and oftentyme is disturbed by the same enemye and sett owt of the perfyght wey toward the blysse of hevyn, therfor the lyff of man in this world mey be called gostly chivalry, and that mey be found in divers partyes of Scripture. And sythe all erthely thynges ar nott perpetually durable, every man oweth of ryght to have continuell remembraunce uppon the tyme to come, wych schall endure withowt end. And for as mych as the labour of the soule is most hye, noble, and perfyght chivalry, wherthrow the victoriose soules be crowned in joy perpetually, and all other worldly chivalry is of no comparisoun in regard of that, therfore this boke spekyth of the chivalrous spryte, that is to understand, of knyghthod of mans soule, principally to preyse and plesur of God, and secondaryly to the gostly profytte of them wyche schall delyte to heer this present dyte. The Moralité       Sythe prudence and wysedome is moder and cheff cundytour of all verteus, withowt whom no dew guydyng nor governans among vertues mey be had, hytt is full necessarye to the chivalrose spryte, that is to sey, mans soule, to be fulfylled with this verteu of prudence, as seyth thus Sent Austyn in hys Booke of Freelté of Clerkys, “In what place prudence inhabite, lyghtly mey a man cesse and bryng to nought all thynges contrariose there, butt whereas prudence is refused and dispised, all thynges therto contrarye have dominacioun and governauns.” And to the same purpose seyth the wyse man Salomon in hys Proverbis, “Si intraverit sapiencia cor tuum et sciencia anime tue placuerit, consilium custodiet te, et prudencia servabit te, etc.” Et hoc proverbiorum capitulo ii°.

 

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Chapter 2: Temperance Texte And to the entent that thou mayst know The geynest path toward thyn honour, I to thee wryte of verteus arowe, Wherof the usage wyll make a conquerour. Of wyche in especiall, thou must ha in favour My suster germayn that next me lovyth to daunce, 5 The gloriose goddes called Temperaunce, Above all other to me most commendable, Wyche in a meen ey stans condicioun To every wyght benygne and affable. To wrathe gyveth sche never inclinacioun. In worldly wytt sche hath ey direccioun, In wele and wo kepyng oon mesure, For withoute hyr mey no creature To wurschyp come by no maner wey. For butt yf sche peyse in mannys thought, The name fro hym wyll sone dye. The myght of malencolye wyl hym bryng to noght. Wherfor be myn advyse loke that in thi thought She to me be knett as goddes glorified, For among all sages sche is magnified.

intention shortest one by one have (see note) Which ever maintains a moderate disposition; (see note); (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) unless she weigh upon; (see note) joined

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Glose       The verteu of attemperance, Othea seyth, is hyre syster, and so mey sche well be called, for attemperaunce is suster to prudence and lyke unto prudence, for temperance is schewer of prudens, and of prudens fouloyth temperaunce. Wherfor sche meveth Ectour to have temperance in favoure, and in lyke forme oweth every gud knyght thatt desyreth honoure and prowes to love and have ever with hym temperaunce. As seyt the noble philosophre Democritus, “Temperaunce modereth vices and makyth verteus perfyght.” Moralité       The verteu of attemperaunce hathe the propreté for to lymyte superfluytes of nature. Wherfor mannys soule oweth for to love and tendre temperaunce among all other verteus. For as seyth Sent Austeyn in the boke of Maners of the Chyrche that th’office of attemperaunce is to refreyne and appese the maner of fleschly desyre, wych be contrarioose to the weyle of mannis soule and ofte turne hytt fro the law of God. And alsoe temperaunce dispiseth all fleschly delytes and worldly preyse. And to the same purpose seyth thus the Holy Apostle Petre in hys fyrst epistle, “Obsecro vos tanquam advenas et peregrinos abstinere vos a carnalibus desideriis, qui militant adversus animam.”

 

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 fol. 69v 40

Chapter 3: Hercules Texte Syth us, alsoe thee behovyth to have Strenght, wyche of werre hathe the governaunce. In grete distres sche mey thy honour save And to thi fooes do ryght grete grevaunce. To myghty Hercules turne thi contenaunce. Though he in Grece were furthe brought and born, Yet of hys knyghtly dedes have thou no skorne. Though he with Grekes ageyn thi lynage Werred ey contrary to your oppinion, And on hym to leed grett baronage Geyn noble Troye to your distruccioun, Yet meyst thou here and rede of hys renoune: How he the gate oppened of prowes And called was of knyghthod the myghty fortres. Nott forthen I geve thee no councell With the infernall ministres to werre, Nor the cruell god Pluto to asseyle For Proserpine, the bryght schynyng sterre, Daughter of Ceres, goddes come fro ferre, Whom Pluto ravysched uppon the Grekes see, On wyche rape Hercules avenged thought be. Nor I sey nott that hytt is necessarye Thee to traveyll unto the dredefull hell, Nor werly ordinaunce thyder for to carye To make assaute to them that therinne dwell, Nor fyght with Cerberose, as thou meyst here tell This Hercules dyd for hys felowes tweyn, Pyrotheus and Theseus, whom thens he gat ageyn. For werre inough in erthe schal thou fynde, Though thou to hell presume nott to goo. Yett I thee byd nott coveyt in thi mynde On cruell serpentes to seke bateyll — loo! — Nor rampant lyons butt yf hytt hap soo That thou be dryve therto be distres, Nor with no other wyld beste, more ne lesse. For uppon hem meyst thou no wurschyp wynne Butt yf thou foght with hem in thi defence. And yf so be thei thee to assayle begynne, And thou ageyn hem make manly resistence, And thoro thy strenght with temperate prudence, Thou meyst of hem conquere the victorye. Whyle the world dureth hyt schal be to thee glorye.

After us; also it is necessary for you to have (t-note) (see note) (see note) against Against (see note) (see note) Nevertheless ministers of hell kidnapped; (t-note) abduction; hoped to avenge; (see note) For you to make an assault upon; (see note) military equipment (see note) (see note) yearn roaring; unless; (t-note) (see note) honor unless (see note) lasts; (t-note)

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Glose       The verteu of force, that is to sey strenght, is to be understand not onely bodely strenghte butt alsoe the perfyte and stable stedfastnes that every gud knyght oweth to have in all hys dedys by deliberacioun of gode and sad poletyke wytte, and strenthe to resiste all thynges contrariose wyche mey come to hym, be hytt by infortunes or troubles, where strong, stedfast, and myghty corage mey gretely aveyle to enhaunsyng of hys honour. And for to gyve a materiall example of the verteu of strenthe, Othea allegeth Hercules to two ententes: on, to schew to Ectour the verteu of strenghte and, namely, of dedys of armys wherein Hercules was ryght noble and excellent; and, another, for the hye noblenes of Ector, hytt was full convenient and accordyng to schew hym an hye example. Hercules was a knyght of Grece, a man of mervelose strenghte, and in hys tyme dyd many mervales and notable dedes and prouessez, and he was a grete travelour be the world. And fore the grete and mervelose viages and dedes of armes of grett strenghte that he dyd, oolde wyse poetes, wyche spake under coverture and in maner of fable, seyd that he went to hell to fyght with th’enfernall prynces and alsoe that he faught with serpentes and wyld bestes, wyche is no more to understand butt the stronge and myghty entreprysys that he dyd. And for that cause oweth every god knyght to torne her contenaunce toward Hercules, that is to sey, remembre hys wurthy prowes and noble dedes. And as the bryghtnes of the sunne is to all thyng profitable, and as the philosophre seythe that the greyn of wheete, when hytt fallyth in gud grond, is to all men profitable, in lyke wyse mey this example be vaylable and profitable to all tho that desyre wurschyp and prowes of chivalry. And therfor seyth thus a wyse man, “The vertu of force maketh a man durable and to overcome all thynges.” Moralité       As hytt is inpossible any knyght to gete the pryse and wurschyp of armes, or hytt to deserve, withoute bodely strenght and manly corage, in lyke wyse mey nott mannys soule opteyne nor wynne the perfyght love and preyse of God with other victoris sprytes withowt the vertew of force, that is to sey gostly strenghte. For as seyth Sent Ambrose in the fyrst booke of Officez, “The verrey pure strenghte of corage of mankynd is that wyche is never brused in adversitee nor takyth pryde in prosperité, wyche proveth hymselfe in kepyng the ornamentes of verteu, and to susteyne ryghtwyssnes, wych alsoe makyth contynuell werre ageyn vyces, wyche never was desteyned in labours and is bold and hardy in perelx, and boystoys ageyn all fleschly desyres. And to the same purpose spekyth Sent Jhon th’Evaungeliste in hys fyrst epistle in this wyse, “Scribo vobis iuvenes, quoniam fortes estis, et verbum dei manet in vobis vicistis malignum.”

 

5

Chapter 4: Minos Texte Ectour, hytt belongyth eke to thin estat Thee to be lyke in usyng ryghtwysenes To Mynos, the justice of hell desperate, Yf thou intend to come to hye prowesse. For a juge parcyall, resoun scheweth expres, Is never called wurthy armes for to beyre, Nor of reame nor regioun the ryall crowne to weyre.

is appropriate justice stern; (see note) biased; explicitly royal

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Glose       Prudence seyth to every gode knyght that yf he desyre to be of the rowe or of th’affinité of gode people, hym behovyth to have and to use alwey the verteu of justyce, that is to sey, ryghtwysenes. And to the same intent seyth thus the philosophre Arystotle, “He that is a ryghtfull justice oweth fyrst to juge hymselfe,” for, as he seyth, “he that jugyth not ryghtfully | of hymselfe mey not be wurthy to juge another man,” wyche is to understand that he schold fyrst correct hys own defautz and then after correcte the defautes of other men. And to the same entent speke the poetz under coverture of fable and sey that Mynos was justice of hell, or provost or presendent, whichever hytt be, and that all the soules that went to hell cam byfore hym to have ther jugement, and after that thei had deserved peyne and penaunce, and to as many degres of peynes he wold thei schold be putt to in hell, he turnyth hys tayll aboute hym. And for as mych as hell is ryghtwes place of ponyschement of synne, therfore this boke spekyth in this behalve after the conceyte of the poetez, and for verrey trouthe that ther was sumtyme in Grece a kyng whos name was Mynos, wych was a passyng rygorouse juge and streyghte keper of ryghtwysnes, and for that cause seyd poetz that he was committed after hys deth to be justice of hell. Of the vertu of ryghtwysnes seyth thus Arystotle, “Justice is a mesur wyche God hathe sett uppon erthe to lymyte thynges.” Moralyté       For as myche as the perfyght vertu of justice, that is to sey ryghtwysenes, taketh the oryginall begynnyng of allmyghty God, hytt is full necessarie to mans soule to have this verteu of ryghtwysnes to helpe and convey hytt to everlastyng joye. And as seyth Seynt Bernherd in a sermoun that justice and ryghtwysnes is non other butt yeld to every man that is hys owne, and in this ordre of yeldyng oweth a man, as he seyth, to have consideracioun to thre maner of people: on, hys sovereygne; second, hys egall or felow; and thyrd, hys subged. To hys sovereygn, he oweth to yeld reverens and obedience: reverence of hert and obedience of body. To hys felow or egall, he oweth to yeld concell or helpe: conceyle in techyng hys ignoraunce and help in comfortyng hys poverté or non powere. And to his sogett, he oweth to yeld kepyng and chastizement: kepyng to save and kepe hym fro evyll doyng and chastisement in chastysyng hym whan he hathe don ylle. And to the same purpos seyth thus Salomon in hys Proverbes, “Excogitat iustus de domo impii, ut detrahat impios a malo; gaudium est iusto facere iusticiam.”

 

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Chapter 5: Perseus, Pegasus, and Andromeda Texte And after this, yf thou to my counceyle Lyst to attend, in the chivelary Of Perseus thou schalt studye and merveyle, Wyche uppon Pegasus rode continuelly And saved Andromed, that perisched was welny By a grete whale, a mounstre of the see And yeld hyr to hyre freindes in hyre virginité. Thys noble dede thou in mynd reteygne, For of that wey must thou hold the trace Yf thee desyre honoure to opteygne, And with hys scheeld loke thou thee enbrace. Take in thi hand hys sythe for thi mace, And with hys coote cover thy armure, And then to wurschyp thou hast the wey sure.

(t-note) almost; (see note); (t-note) returned path (t-note) curved sword surcoat [garment adorned with armor] secure; (see note)

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Glose       Bycause hytt is convenient and accordyng to reson that dew wurschyp and reverence be don to a gode and chivalrose knyght, therfor this boke spekyth figuratively after the maner of poetez. Thys Perseus was a full noble knyght and many landes conquered, after whom the grete land of Perce toke the name and was, and yett is, called Perse. And the old poetz seyd that he rood uppon the horse that flew by the eyre, wyche hors by them was named Pegasus, wyche is to understand, the grete name and fame of the renome of knyghthod wyche flyeth by the eyr in all partyes. They sey alsoe that this Perseus bore a sythe in hys hand, wyche is for the grete nombres of peple that he discomfetyd in many divers and sondry bateylles. Moreover, poetes sey that he delyverd and saved Andromed fro the whale, the monstre of the see. This Andromede was a meyd wyche, by the sentence of the goddes, schold have be devowred of this seyd monstre the whale, as poetes seyd, wych is to understand that all gode knyghtes owe to socour wymen in ther necessité when thei have nede of her helpe. So may this Perseus and hys hors Pegasus be understand the good name and fame that every gode knyght oweth to seke and have by hys meryte and deserte, wyche mey be borne | all aboute in the eyr into all londys. And therfore seyth thus the philosophre Aristotle, “Good name makyth man bryght schynyng in the world and to be loved in the presence of princes.” Moralité       Gode name and fame oweth mannys soule specially to desyre and to have throwe hys merytez amonge the noble cumpanye of the seyntz of hevyn, wyche name in moralizacioun of this mater mey well be resembled to the knyght Perseus wyche was borne aboute by the eyr by the mene of the horse Pegasus, wych hors is lykened in this mater to the soules gode aungell, wyche aungell schall beyr gode name and report of the sole before the hye throne of God. Andromede the meyd is the same mans soule, wyche schall be delyvered from the grett whale, the devell of hell, by overcomyng of synne. And alsoe the soule oweth to desyre goode name in this world to the plesure of God and nott for veynglorye. For as Seynt Austyn seyth in the Boke of Correccioun that two thynges be necessary unto good lyvyng: on is good consciens and another good name — consciens for hymselfe and good name for hys neghboure. For who that trustyth all in consciens and dispyseth good name is cruell, for hytt is a signe of a noble corage to desyre goode name. And therfore seyth thus Salomoun, “Curam habe de bono nomine: magis enim permanebit tibi quam mille thesaury presiosi.”

 

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Chapter 6: Jupiter Texte And in thi knyghtly corage chivalroys, Of the god Jupiter take thy condicioun, Wyche wyll thee cause to be full graciose And kepe thi name in wurschyp and renone. Of fames trompe, it bloweth the ryall sowne. Where cause is geven, love wyll ey encrece In ryche and poure throwowt the world, doutles.

(see note) (see note) renown trumpet; royal

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Glose       The paynyms, wyche by old tyme wurschypped many goddes, honoured the seven planettes for ther most especiall goddes, and after the seven planettes, thei named the seven deys of the weke. Thei honoured and held Jupiter fore on of her grettest goddes bycause he is sett in the hyer part of the zodiak. And, in especiall, the alcamystes (that is to sey, the laborers in alkamye, wyche gave the names of the seven planettes to the seven metals, as a man mey reed in Gebar and many other philosophres). Autorites of that science, thei gave to Jupiter the metall of tynne. Jupiter is a planett of plesure and lovyng condicioun and joyfull, and therfore hytt is figured unto the sangueyn complexioun. And for that cause seyd Othea unto Ectour, that is to sey prudence to every gode knyght, that he schold have the condicioun of Jupiter. And to the same intent seyth the famose man Pictagoras that a kyng oweth to be curteyse and familiar with hys people and to schew them a joyfull and mery chere, and in the same maner hytt is to understand of every other good knyght desyryng prowes. Moralyté       Jupiter, wyche is a planett of goode and gentle nature, oweth mannys soule to have the condiciouns of, wyche is to signefye the mercy, pyté, and compassioun that every good knyght oweth within hym to have. For as seyth Sent Gregorye in a epistle that he sent to Nepocian, “I can nott record nor remembre,” seyt he, “to have red or hard that any dyed an evyll deth wyche was wyllyng in hys lyve to fulfyll and do mercifull dedes, for mercy hath many praers, and hit is inpossible many praers to be unhard.” To wych entent seyth thus our Lord God in the Gospell, “Beati misericordes: quoniam ipsum misericordiam consequentur.”

 

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Chapter 7: Venus Texte Of Venus bewar sche be not thi goddes, Lest sche thee fayle when thou hast most nede, Whose promyse bryngyth many to hevynes. Hyr trace to folke is holsome for to drede. Of schamful povert hyr servauntes weyr the weed, For when thei no lengre foulo mey hyr daunce, Then be thei stryken clene out of contenaunce.

(see note) misfortune way of life (t-note) (see note) composure

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Glose       Venus is on of the seven planettes wyche geveth in the Latyn tong to the Frydey hys name, werfor that dey is cald in Latyn dies veneris, as myche to sey in Englysch as the day of Venus. And the metall wych is clepyd copure of the alkamystes is clepyd venus after the name of that planett. This planett Venus geveth influence of delectacioun of fleschly love and lust of lechery, and for as much as ther was a lady sumtyme qwene of Cypre wyche was cald Venus, wyche in hyr tyme excedyd all other in bewté and amorous love, wyche love was nott onely sett fixe in oon persoun butt variaunt and newfangle to many and diverse, therfore was sche called goddes of love. And bycause the naturall condicioun of hyre is to gyve influence of fleschly lust and lechery, therfore this goddes Othea, that is to sey prudence, conseyleyth Ectour, and so to every good knyght, that he make nott Venus hys goddes, that is to sey, that he geff nother hys mynd nor body to corrupcioun of the foule vice of inordinat love. Of wyche vice speketh the philosophre Hermes in this wyse, “The vice of lechery qwenchescht all verteues.” Moralité       Thys mater of Venus, that Othea byddyth the gode knyght schold nott make hys goddes, is thus morally to be understand that the good spryte, that is to sey mannys soule, oweth nott to sett hyttself to vanyté nor veyn love, for the holy man Cassiodre seythe in the gloose uppon the Sawtere that vanyté made aungell become devell and brought deth to the fyrst man Adam and voyded hym fro the blys that was graunted to hym. Vanyté is moder of all ylle, welle of all vyces, and hytt puttythe man oute of the grace of God, and hytt causyth God to hate hym. And to this spekyth thus the goode prophete David in the Sawter, “Odisti observantes vanitates supervacue.”

 

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Chapter 8: Saturn Texte Yf thou have charge of any jugement To geve in armes or elswher otherwyse, Toward god Saturne turne all thyn intent, And in hys sadnes thorowly thee avyse. In a mater doutefull, be thou never justice To thou know the troythe with goode avysement, And then, as ryght requireth, geve thi jugement.

(see note) seriousness uncertain; judge Until; facts demands

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Glose       Of Saturne was the Saturdey named, and among laborers in alconomy, the metall wyche is in Englysch leed is called saturne after the same planett, and the condicioun of this planett is lou taryinge, sadnes, and wysedom. And for as myche as ther was sumtyme a kyng in Crete whose name was Saturne wyche was sad and wyse, therfor the poet spake thus under coverture of fable and, moreover, seyd that hys sone Jupiter kutt off from hym hys privey membrez, wyche is no more to understand butt that Jupiter toke fro hym hys poyare and disherited and chaced hym owte of hys land. And for as myche as Saturne is sadde and wyse, Othea, that is to sey prudence, seyd that every good knyght oweth to peyse sadly the mater wheron he schold gyve jugement or that he gyve hys sentence, wether hytt be in price of armys or other thynge. And this mater oweth juges to noote whos office apperteneth to jugements or other thynges, and for that cause seyth the philosophre Hermes, “Peyse and bethynke thee well in all thi deedes, butt in especial most in jugement of other.” Moralité       Lyke as every god knyght oweth to use the condicioun of Saturne, that is to sey, to be sad and well avysed in gevyng of jugement and nott over hasty, it in lyke wyse oweth mannys soule to have sadnes and good avyse in all thynges that long to hytt, how be hytt that the verrey trew perfyghte jugement of all thynge apperteneth onely to God, for he can discerne all causis ryghtfully. And for that cause seyth thus Seint Gregorye in his Moralyse that when our freelnes cannott comprehend the jugementes of God, we owe not to discusse them by boold and hardy langage, but we owe to honour and kepe hytt in mende with dredefull | sylence and thynke how merveloyse hytt hathe ever be. We oughte to thynk and count hytt ryghtwyse, and to this intent seyth the prophett David, “Timor Domini sanctus permanens in seculum seculi; iudicia Domini vera, iustificata in semet ipsa.”

 

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Chapter 9: Apollo Texte Owte of thy mouth lett no wurde procede Butt yf hytt be sownyng clere and trew, For yf thou doo, thou displesest the godhed Of god Appollo, wyche mey thee soone rewe, For he can schew that close is kept in mewe Throw hys habundaunt, gloriose, fervent myght. Wherfor all erthe hym callyth god of lyght.

Unless; sounding you may soon regret; (see note) reveal what is firmly kept concealed

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Glose       Appollo or Phebus, wyche is all oon, is the sonne, on of the seven planettes of whom the Sondey takyth hys name, and alsoe the metall wyche is cald gold takyth hys name of hym as in laboryng in alkamye. The sunne by hys lyght scheweth thynges that be hydde, and for as myche as the vertew of trouth is in the selfe clere and perfytte, and scheweth secret thynges that be hydde by falsnes, therfor hytt mey well be resembled unto the planett of the sonne. Wyche verteu oweth to be in the hert of every goode knyght, and to this purpose seyth thus the philosophre Hermes, “Love God and trouthe and geve trewe concelle.” Moralité       Appollo, wyche is to understand gode councell by wyche we know troythe, mey be take morally in this wyse: that mannis soule, wyche oweth to be the trew knyght of God, oweth of verrey ryght to have trouthe withinne hytt and to flee all untroyth and falsenes, as seyth Seynt Jhon Cristome in the Booke of the Preyse of Seint Paule in this wyse, “The condicioun of falsnes is that where hytt hath no geynsayers, it falleth in the selffe for the verrey pure shame, butt in contrarie wyse, the condicioun of trouth is so stedfast that the moo adversaries that hytt hath geynsaynge hytt, so myche the more is the stronger and the more groweth hytt.” And to the same intent seyth thus Holy Scripture, “Homo sanctus in sapiencia manet sicut soll.”

 

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Chapter 10: Phoebe Texte Phebe, the goddes variaunt and chaungeable, Naturally contrariaunt to stedfast stablenes, Whos mutabilité makyth people variable, Lunatyke to be, and puttyth hem in distres, Of her condicioun, take nother more ne lesse. Butt uppon constaunce sett thi mynd and hert, And then wyll noblenes to theeward advert.

(see note) Unstable turn its attention to you

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Glose       Phebe is on of the seven planettes and is cald the mone, of wyche planet the Mondey toke hys name, and among the laborors in alkamye, the metall wyche is cald sylver hath the same name and is cald lune, that is to sey in Latyn, luna. This planett Phebe, that is to sey the mone, abydyth non owre in hyre cours in no ryght poynt, and hytt gyveth naturally influence of chaungeablenes and folye. And for that cause, Othea byddyth Ectour, and so to every good knyght, that he schuld nott take hyre condicioun, and that is to sey foly and chaungeablenes. And for that seyth thus the philosophre Hermes, “Use wysedom and be stedfast.” Moralyté       Phebe, wyche is the moone, by whom is understand chaungeablenes, oweth mannys soule especially nott to have nor use. As seyth Seynt Ambrose in the epistle wyche he sent to Symplycian in this wyse, that the foole is chaungeable as the moone, butt the wyse man is stable and stedffast in on degré and estat, for he is not brosed by dreed nor chaunged by myght; he exaltyth nott hymselff in prosperité, nor dispeyreth in hys trouble or adversité, for where wysedom is, ther is the verteu of constaunz and stedfastnes and perfyght strenght, for the wyse man is evere of on corage, never chaungyng into divers oppiniouns, butt the goode soule is ever perfyghtly grounded in charyté and rooted in the feyth of Jhesu Cryst. And to the same intent speketh Hooly Scripture in this wyse, “Homo sanctus in sapiencia manet: nam stultus sicut luna mutatur.”

 

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Chapter 11: Mars Texte Of thy fader Mars, myghty god and stronge, Thou schalt the steppys foulo, I put no doute. Thy manly corage, I know well, thynketh longe To hytt be sett awerke in feeldes stowte, For to thee schall many a prynce lowte, Wyche schall thee cause to be had in mynd Above all knyghtz unto the worldes eend.

(see note) grows impatient Until; violent battlefields submit (see note)

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Glose       Of this planett Mars takyth the Tewsdey hys name, and after hym among the alkamystres is the metall named wyche is called yron. This planett Mars geveth naturall influence of werre and bateyll, wherfore every god knyght that lovyth to haunt armes and noble dedes of chivalry, and therto puttyth hys good wyll and full entent and labour to gett prowes, mey well be called the sonne of Mars. And therfore Othea named soo Ectour the sone of Mars, how be hytt that Ectour was the sonne of Kyng Priamus, and in that sche seyd he schold fowlo the steppis of hys fader is to be understand that every good knyght desyryng prowes oweth to foulo werres and love dedys of chivalry. And for that cause seyth thus a sage philosophre that by a mannys werkys be knowen hys naturell inclinaciouns. Moralyté       Mars, wyche is the god of bateyll, mey be morally oure Lorde Jhesu Cryste, the sonne of God, wyche victoriosely werred in this world, whom hys sone, that is to sey, mannys sowle oweth to foulo by example as hys fader and werre with hym ageyn all vices. Wherfor seyth Sent Ambrose in the fyrst booke of Officez in this wyse, “Who wyll be freind to God behoveth to be enemye to the devell, and who wyll have pees with Jhesu Crist must werre ageyn vyces, and as hytt is voyd and veyn werre to werre ageyn the enemyes in the feeld without-furthe, whereas the cytté is full of privey spyes and enemyes withinne, in lyke wyse mey he nott overcome hys yllez withowt-furthe that werreth nott myghtely ageyn the synnes of the soule within-forthe, for hytt is the most noble victorye that mey be a man to overcome hymselffe, that is to sey, the synfull desyres of hymselffe.” Wherfore seyth thus Sent Paule th’Apostle, “Non est nobis colluctacio adversus carnem et sanguinem, sed adversus principes et potestates, adversus mundi rectores tenebrarum harum, contra spiritualia nequicie, in celestibus.”

 

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Chapter 12: Mercury Texte Of god Marcurius take ey thy langage, For among us he hath the gylden tonge. All rethoriciouns of hym take hyr wage By the means of eloquence, rudenes to confounde. Yf thou desyre in plesaunt speche t’abound, Thee hytt behoveth to have hym of conceyll, And then of eloquence schalt thee never feyll.

(see note) (t-note) uncouthness

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Glose       Of the planett Mercurius, the Wedunsdey takyth hys name, wyche dey is cald in Latyn dies mercurii, and alsoe the metall wyche is in comoun speche called quicsylver is among alkamystes named mercurye after this planett. This planett Mercurius geveth influence of pontificall prelacye and of rethoricall langage, wherfore prudence seyth to Ectour, and to every good knyght, that hym behovyth to have Mercurius hys concell, and so oweth any man desyryng wurschypp, for plesaunt eloquent langage helpyth myche toward honour, so that he use it not to mych. For Diogenes seyth that among al verteus, feyr eloquent langage not excessively used is muche commendyd. Moralyté       By Mercurius, wyche is called god of langage, mey be take morally and understand in this wyse: that the knyght of Jhesu Cryst, wyche is mannys soule, oweth to be fulfylled with hooly doctrine and gude example of Jhesu Cryste, and that the soule oweth to love all tho that love that doctrine. For as seyth Seynt Gregorie in hys Omelyes that a man oweth to have gretly in reverence the prechours of Holy Scripture, for they be the forgoers of God, for thei goo byfore, and the good Lord fouloyth after. The doctrine of Holy Scripture entryth fyrst into the soule, and then God inhabityth therinne, after the wordes of the prechoure kepe fyrst hyre cours, and after the verrey trouth is resceyved in mannys understandyng. And of this mater spekyth our Lorde to hys disciples in this wyse, “Qui vos audit, me audit: et qui vos spernit, me spernit.”

 

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Chapter 13: Minerva Texte As for good armure, that thee non feyle, Butt yf hytt be thoro thi necligens, Thy body to save in mortall bateyll, Wyle Mynerve, thi moder, hathe experience To make hytt sure. Werto hyr diligens She dayly puttyth to further thyn intent, Of wyche thou hast choyse at thi commandment.

(t-note) Unless Clever; (see note) dependable

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Glose       Mynerve was a lady of grett cunnyng werthorow sche found and made the crafte to make harneyse and armure of yren, for byfore the tyme that sche found the crafte, men were armed in cuyrboyle, that is to sey in sothen ledder. And for the grett cunnyng and sotelté that was in this lady, sche was cald goddes of bateyll. And fore as myche as Ectour was naturally disposed to armes and that it was hys moost plesure and hys affeccioun most sette to haunt armes, therfore Othea called hym sone of Mynerve, notwithstandyng he was the sone of Qwene Ecuba of Troye, wyffe to Kyng Pryamus, and in the same wyse mey every good chivalrose knyght be called the sone of Mynerve. And to this purpose seyth autorité of scripture that all the knyghtes that be disposed to armez be subgett therto. Moralyté       Whereas hytt is seyd that Ectour hath armure of Mynerve hys moder, and in lyke wyse every good knyght, mey morally be understand the vertew of the feyth, wyche is one of the theologyen verteus and is moder to mannys soule, wyche moder geveth to the soule good and sure armure. For as seyth Cassiodre in the Exposicioun of the Crede, “Feyth is the lyght of the soule, the gate of paradyse, the wyndow of lyve, and the ground of everlastyng helthe, for withowt perfyght feyth hytt is inpossible for to plese almyghty God.” And to the same intent seyth the Holy Apostle Paule in this wyse, “Sine fide inpossibile est placere deo.”

 

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Chapter 14: Pallas and Minerva Texte Unto this Mynerve lett Pallas be knytt Yf thou desyre kunnyng for to have, For by hyr mayst thou purchace sotyll wytte, Wyche necessité mey thy body save, Where els by infortune thou myght be leyd in grave Long or thou were in prowes att the poynt, Wyche schold cause me with thee be owt of joynt.

joined; (see note); (t-note) clever before; reach the height of prowess to be disappointed in you; (see note)

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Glose       Wheras Othea byddyth Ectour knytte Pallas unto Mynerve, hytt is accordyng to be soo, for Pallas and Mynerve be bothe one lady, butt that the tweyn names be take to diverse understandynges, for the lady that was called Mynerve was alsoe called Pallas of an yle wyche was called Paulance, in wyche yle sche was borne. And for as myche as sche was generally wyse and cunnyng and by hyr sotell wytte found many and sondry craftes, sche was called goddes of conyng, and so sche was named Mynerve for that that longyd to chivalry and Pallas in all other thyng that appertened to wysedom. Therfore prudence byddeth every good knyght knytte wysedam to chivalry, wyche full accordyng to be, and so knyghthood with armes oweth to be keper and saveguard of the feyth, wyche mey well by knowen by the philosophre Hermes, wyche seythe thus, “Knytte the love of the feythe wyth the wysedam of knyghthood.” Moralyté       As Pallas must be knytte to Mynerve, that is to sey wysedam or cunnyng to chivalrye, in lyke wyse oweth the vertew of hoope to be knytte with other good verteus to mannys soule, withowt wyche verteu the soule mey nothing profytt. For as Orygene seyth in hys Homelyes, “The hoope of goodes in tyme to come is the solas of hem that traveyl in this mortall lyffe, even as the hoope of payment easeth the laborer of the labour, and alsoe, as chaumpyons wyche be in bateyll, the hoope of the crowne of victorye lesseth the smert and peyne of her woundes.” And therfor seyth thus Seynt Paule th’Apostle, “Fortissimum solacium habemus, qui confugimus ad tenendam propositam spem, quam sicut anchoram habemus anime tutam.”

 

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Chapter 15: Penthesilea Texte Wyth these alsoe thou schalt Pantazele Especially have in thy remembraunce, For in hyr guydyng vertuose is sche, And to thi fooes sche schall do grevaunce. Uppon thy deth sche schall take vengeaunce, And all schall be for thy love onely. Wherfore thou owest to love hyr sovereygnly.

(see note)

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Glose       Pantasile was a quene of Amasone, a passyng fayre lady and of mervelose prowes and hardines in armez. And for the good name and grett wurschypp and renowne that sche had herd of Ectoure, sche loved hym myche and come fro the est partye of the world to the cytté of Troye whyll the seege of the Grekys dured, therto to have | seen Ectour. And when sche found hym deed, sche made gret sorow owt of mesure, and with a grett oost of hardy ladyes and other wymen wyche came thyder with her, sche avenged the deth of Ectour ryght vygorosly and dyd mervelose dedes of armez uppon the Grekys and mykyll hurte for hys love. And for that sche was vertuose, therfore prudence byddyth every goode knyght love her, wyche is to understand that every good chyvalroose knyght oweth to love and cherysche all wymen vertuose and stedfast of wytte, and that Pantasyle was hevy and sory fore the deth of Ectour is to understand when honour and prowes is dede in a knyght. And therfore seyth a sage, “Wurschyppe and prowes is to be preysed where hytt is perceyved.” Moralité       Thys Qween Pantasile mey be morally understand the verteu of charité wyche is the thyrd verteu of theologien, wyche mannys soule oweth to have perfyghtly within hytt. Of wyche verteu thus seyth Cassiodre uppon the Sawter that charyté is as the reyne wyche fallyth in the prime-temps, wyche stylleth the droupes of verteus, under wyche goodwyll springeth and good werke fructefyeth. Hytt is pacient in adversité, temperate in prosperité, myghty in mekenes, joyfull in trouble, waker uppon hyr enemyes, liberall of hyr goodes. Of wyche thus spekyth Seynt Paule th’appostle, “Charitas paciens est, benigna est; non emulatur, non agit perperam, non inflatur, non est ambiciosa, non querit que sua sunt.”

 

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Chapter 16: Narcissus Texte Resemble nott Narcisus in no wyse, Whose pryde is talked of bothe ferre and nere, For of other knyghtes, yf thou them dispyse, Thou schalt be had in disdeyne and daungere. Wherfor to conveye and make all thyng clere Toward thy labour and hye enterpryse, Avoyde Narcisus owt of thy servyce.

(see note) far and near aloofness; (t-note) Banish

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Glose       Narcisus was a meyd wyche was so proude of her bewté that sche had all other wymen in dispyte, and fore as myche as sche preysed non butt hyreselfe, hytt is seyd that sche was so afonned and assotted in hereselffe that sche dyed after sche had beheld hyreselfe in the well. And for that cause, prudence commaundyth every gode knyght that he be nott lyke to Narcisus, that is to sey that he behold or remembre so myche in hymselfe hys chyvalrose and victoriose dedys that he take therinne a pryde and a veynglorye wherthoro he be blynd in hymselfe, and the victoryose deed be sett at noght. And to the same intent seyth thus the philosophre Socrates, “Sone, byware that thou be nott deceyved in the bewty of thi youthe, for hytt is a thyng not durable.” Moralité       By Narcisus mey morally be understand the synne of pride wherof mannys soule oweth especially to beware of and to kepe the selfe therfro. And herto accordyth Orygene in hys Omelyes, thus sayyng, “Wherto is erthe and asches proude, or how dare a man lyfte hymselfe into arrogauncye or pryde when he thynketh wherof he is made and wherto he schal turne ageyn, and in whatt freell vessell hys lyff is conteyned, and in whatt fylthes he is dyped inne, and whatt corrupcioun he castyth owt of hys flesch by condutes of hys body?” And to this purpose seyth thus the holy man Job, “Si ascenderit ad celum superbia eius, et capud eius nubes tetigerit, quasi sterquilinium in fine perdetur.”

 

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Chapter 17: Athamas and Ino Texte Lett nott Kyng Athamas be thyn exemplary, Wyche, by the excytyng of the goddes of ire, Was in werkyng to paciens contrarye, Wyche goddes hys hert fully sett on fyre To slee hys chyldren, so payed sche hym hys hyre. And afterward hymselfe he slew eke and hys qwene. Therfore, beware thou wotest whatt I mene.

(see note); (t-note) instigation (t-note) repaid; ire are aware of

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Glose       Athamas was a kyng wyche had a qween called Yno, wyche qweene made sodeyn corne to be sowen to disherite hyr stepdoughters, for sche had corrupted the prestes of the law with money, wyche reported the answers of the goddes and seyd to the kyng and to the people of the cuntré that the corne that was sowen had no power to growe nor profytte to mannys sustenaunce because hyt plesed to the goddes that the kynges two dowghters | be chaced and exiled owt of the cuntré. And for as myche as the kyng consented to the exile of hys two chyldre, thoughe hytt hevy and soroufull to hym were, poetes seyd under colour of fable that the goddes Juno, wyllyng to take vengeaunce uppon this false tresoun and cruell exyle, went to hell to the goddes of wrathe, desyryng hyr to come to the Kyng Athamas. And then the horreble and dredefull goddes of wrathe cam with all hyr serpentyn heeres and sett hyrselfe uppon the chyeff tour of the palace of Kyng Athamas and streched hyr armes uppon the two sydes of the gate of the paleyce and furthwith began suche a stryffe and dissencioun bytwene the kyng and the qween that the one of hem had nere have sleyne that other, and as thei wold have departed owt of the paleyce, the seyd horreble goddes toke tweyne horrible serpentes of her heeres and scharpyd hyre tonges. And when the kyng and the qween had a syght of this dredefull goddes, for verrey pure drede, thei bothe became mad, in wyche rage and madnes the Kyng Athamas slew the qween, afterward hys two chyldren, and hymselfe went afterward into an hye rooche of stone and lept into the see. The exposicioun of this tale mey thus be understand that a qween or a lady is sumtyme seen diverse and unkynde to hyr stepchyldren in so myche that sche causeth and makyth hem to be dishereted, wyche sumtyme makyth debate and stryffe bytwene the fader of the chyldren and her, and sumtyme hytt mey befall that he sleeth hyr therfore, be the mene of that debate and wrathe bytwene them. And for as myche as wrathe is a dedely synne and so ille and perilose in the wyrkyng that he wyche is strongly tasted therwith is owt of use and knowleg of resoun, therfor Othea byddyth Ectour nott take Kyng Athamas for this example, wyche is to be understand that prudence conceyleth every goode chivalrous knyght to kepe hym fro the horreble synne of wrathe, for hytt is a grett defaute noted in a goode knyght to be wrathfull. And for that cause seyth thus the philosophre Aristotle, “Bewar of wrathe, for hytt troubleth the understandyng and mistournyth resoun.” Moralyté       Athamas wyche was full of wrathe mey morally be understand proprely the synne of wrathe, wherof mannys soule oweth to be voyde. For as seyth Seynt Austyn that lyke as vyneegre corruptyth the vessell wherin hytt is yf hytt be long therinne, ryght so wrathe corruptyth the hert wher hytt is yf hytt abyde therinne fro dey to dey. As seyth Sent Poule, “Sol non occidat super iracundiam vestram.”

 

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Chapter 18: Aglauros Texte Over all thyng, Ectour, yett I wold Fro the false goddes thou schold thee estraung Of envye, that sche in thee have no hold, Wyche colour qwhyte into green can chaunge. Wrathe is her syster, and hate is her graunge. Whoo to herward wyll any wyse applye Is to hymselfe a mortall enemye.

become distant white; changed; (see note); (see note) farmer; (see note) Whoever toward her; in any way

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Glose       Poetes sey that Cycrops Kyng of Athenes had two doughters, on called Aglarose and another Herce. This Herce, for grette bewté, was maryed to Mercurye, god of langage, butt Aglaros hyr syster had so grett envye at Herce for that mareage (because sche was so avaunced to be maryed to a god), that sche had hyre syster Herce in envyose scorn and became al drye, discolored, and greene for verrey pure envy that she had at hyre syster Herce. So hytt fortuned that uppon a dey this Aglaros sate uppon the thresschewold of a dore where this god Mercurius wold have entred into the howse, butt for no request nor praer that he coude make, sche wold nott suffre hym to entre. And then this god Mercurius wex wrathe with her and gave his sentence that sche schold remene as hard forevere after as the corage of hyr hert was, and furthwith, by the same sentence, Aglaros became as herd as a stoon. And by thys god Mercurius mey be understand sum myghty man or sum grete estate wele languesched, wyche makyth hys syster-in-law to be enprisoned or dye for a displeser that he hathe agen here. And for as myche as hytt is a uncurteyse condicioun and gretly ageyn gentylnes to be envyous, therfore seyth prudence | to every gode knyght that above all thyng, he oweth to bewarr and eschew envy. And for that cause seyth the philosophre Socrates in this wyse, “He that beyreth the vessell of envy hathe perpetuall peyne.” Moralité       As prudence defendyth envye to the good knyght, so defendyth Hooly Scripture the synne of envye to mannys soule. For as seyth Sent Austyn, “Envye is the hate of the felicité of another man, and envye standyth of the envyous man ageyn tho that be gretter in wurschyp than he is, and ageyn tho wyche be egall or felous to hym bycause he is nott gretter then they, and ageyn tho that be lesse and lower then he be for fere that thei schold nott come so grett or hye as he.” And to this purpose seyth thus the wyse man Salomoun, “Nequam est oculus invidi: et avertens faciem suam.”

 

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Chapter 19: Ulysses and Polyphemus Texte Beware alsoe thou tary not to long Thyselfe to kepe fro the grete malyce Of false Ulixes, the sotyll Greke strong, For yf thou doo, men wyll call thee nyce. In hym of treasoun rooted is the vice Wherthoro the geaunt he made to lese hys eye As he from Troye too Greceward can hye.

cunning foolish went; (see note)

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Glose       Poetes sey under fable that when Ulixes retourned into Greceward from the sege of Troye by a grett rage and storme of wheder, his schyppe was dryven into an yle where was a geaunt dwellyng wyche had butt one eye, wyche stode in the myddes of his forhed, and hytt was of a hooge gretnes. This Ulixes, by his sotelté, gate fro this geaunt his eye, wyche is thus to be understand that the gode knyght schold nott be hys slouthe be supplanted with the engynes and crafty werk of malicius people so that throwe slouth he leyse nott his eye, that is to sey his wurschypp, his land, his ryght, or any suche thyng as he hertely loveth or longyth to hys wele, as often to many folkys fortune many inconveniences by the meane of dulnes or slouthe to fall. And therfor seyth Hermes, “Blessed is he thatt usyth hys days in convenient besynes.” Moralyté       Whereas hytt is seyd no good knyght schold be to slowe mey morally be understand the synne of slouth, wyche mans soule oweth nat to have. For as seyth wurschypfull Beede uppon the Proverbz of Salomon, “The slow man is not wurthy to regne with God wyche wyl nott labour for the love of God, nor he is nott wurthy to have the crowne promysed to good knyghtes, that is to sey, trew soulys, wyche is a coward to undertake the feldes of bateyll, that is to sey, ageyn hys gostely enemye.” Wherfore seyth thus the wyse Salamon, “Cogitaciones robusti semper in habundancia, omnis autem piger in egistate erit.” And therfor seyth Hermes, “Blessed is he thatt usyth hys days in convenient besynes.”

 

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Chapter 20: Latona Texte With venemose frossches nor toodes loke thou strive Nott yf thou wyll do by my councell, Nor in no water where they assemble ryve To fyle thyselfe in no wyse thou traveyle, For yf thou doo, hytt wyll thee noght aveyle. Record Latona, geyn whom the water clere, Thei all to-fyled and troubled on ther manere.

frogs nor toads; (see note) Nor [go] into; in great numbers Do not labor to defile yourself in any way Remember completely defiled

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Glose       The poeticall fable tellyth that the goddes Latona was moder to Phebus and Phebe, wych is to sey the sonne and the mone, and that at oon burthen, sche bare them bothe. The goddes Juno, seyng that Lathona was thus with chyld with god Jupiter, hyr husbond, was wrothe, and for that cause chased the goddes Lathona all aboute the contrey. So hytt hapned on a dey, the goddes Lathona was wery of grett laboure and went to a ryvere and stouped downe to the water to have dronke therof for to staunche her grett thyrste, and ther were many chorles of the cuntré wyche, for the grett heete of the sonne, bathed them in that water and toke her and freyd hyr and troubled the water wyche sche wend for to have dronke, so that nowher, for request nor praer that sche coude make, thei wold nott suffre hyr to drynke nor have pyté of hyr myschyeff. Thys seyng Lathona, sche cursed them, and as a goddes gave hyr jugement ageyn hem that fro that dey forward thei schold remeygn in the same state and lyknes. And soo throwghe this jugement, | thei became foule and abhominable and never after cessed of crepyng and breyng and criyng, and fro thens furth were chaunged into the foule kynd and figure of froysches, wyche cesse nott of breyyng and cryyng, as hyt apperyth in ryvers in somer tyme. And so hytt myght happ that sum persons displesed sum grete lady wyche caused them to be cast into the ryver and drowned, and so thei becam froysches. This fable mey thus be understand that noo good knyght oweth to fyle hymselfe in the fylthe of vylonyé butt flee all churlysch condiciouns wyche be contrarie to gentilnes, for as vylanyé mey nott suffre gentylnes, in lyke wyse gentylnes oweth nott to suffre vylanyé withinne hym and namely to stryve and debate with hym that is vilanose of vicez and in especiall of vileyn speche. And therfor seyth the philosophre Plato that, “He that joyneth to hys gentle blode curteyse condiciouns and gentle maners is to be prased and allowed, butt he to whom suffiseth gentlenes of blode, wych comyth of hys freindes onely, withowte sekyng or havyng gentle maners, is never holde wurschypffull nor noble.” Moralyté       The chorles wyche bycame froysches mey be understand morally for the synne of covetyse, wych is contrariose to every good soule, for as the froysches be never suffised of the water nor wery of ther breyyng and cryyng, no more is the covetose man content never nor hys appetyte saciate of worldly goodes, ne he is never wery of callyng therafter nor laboryng therfore. And for that cause seyth that holy man Sent Austyn in this wyse that the covetoyse man is lyke to hell, for how many soules that ever he swalow, he thynketh never that he hath enoghe. In lyke wyse seyth he, “Yf all the tresoure of the worlde were in the possescioun of a covetose man, yett schold he nott hold hym content nor thynke that he had enoghe.” And therfor seyth the wyse man Salomon, “Insaciabilis oculus cupidi in partem iniquitatem: non sasiabitur.”

 

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Chapter 21: Bacchus Texte From the god Bachus thi conceyte withdraw In aventure, lest that thou repent. Throghe hys engyne and myghty law, Many for hys service selle bothe land and rent. Wherfore beware, for hys bowe is bent. Whom that he stryketh hathe sone lost hys wytte. Kepe well thy dyette, and he thee schall nott hytte.

mind For fear drawn; (see note); (t-note) diet

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Glose       Bachus was the fyrst fyndere of plantyng vines in Grece, and when the people of the contré felt the myght of the wyne, thei cald Bachus a god and seyd that he had gyven that strenthe and myght to hys plants. Be this god Bachus is understand dronkenes, and therfor seyth prudence to the gode knyght that he schold withdrawe hys conceyt from the god Bachus, that is to sey, from dronkenes in as mych as hyt is an abhominable and a jeopertose vice for any resonable man to use. Wherfore seythe thus the phisicioun Ypocras, “Superfluités of meytes and wynes destroye the body, the soule, and the verteus of man.” Moralité       By Bachus morally mey be understand the synne of glotenye, fro wyche synne mannys soule oweth especially to be kepte. For as seyth Sent Gregorye in hys Moralyes, “Whan the vice of glotonye takyth a dominacioun and rewle in a man, he leysyth all the gode that he hathe don before, and whan the bely is nott abstened, all verteus are drowned.” And for that cause seyth the Holy Apostle Paule in this wyse, “Quoniam finis interitus: quorum Deus venter est: et gloria in confusione eorum, qui terrena sapiunt.”

 

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Chapter 22: Pygmalion Texte Yf thou to wysedam lyst to geve credence, Doote not nor fonne in no maner wyse Upon Pygmalyonys ymages presens, Butt ey in hert loke thou hytt dispyse, For I thee tell, after myn advyse, That were thee better be delven in the ground Then with that ymage for to be confound.

desire Dote; nor become infatuated Pygmalion’s statue’s; (see note); (t-note) It were better for you to be buried

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Glose       The fable of the poetez telleth that ther was a man called Pygmaleoun, wyche was kunnyng and a sotyll werkeman in makyng of ymagerye, and for the grett fylthe that he saw in the woman of Sydoun, he disprased | them and seyd that he schold make an ymage of a woman that schold not be to disprase, and so he dyd. And when he had made hytt, the fervent fyre of love, wyche can sotelly ravysche mannys hert, made hym amarose uppon this ymage, wyche caused hym to wepe and make pytuose lamentaciouns and compleyntes therto, but the ymage that was made of stone understod hym nott. This seyng Pygmalyoun, he went to the temple of Venus and praed full devotely and so long to this goddes Venus that the goddes had pyté of hym, in tokyn wereof the fyrebround that stode by her lyghtned and brend by hyttselfe, wyche tokyn caused Pygmalyoun for to be glad and, rejoysyng in hymselfe, he went ageyn to hys ymage and toke hytt in hys armes and so long chawfyd hytt that the ymage had lyffe and began to speke, and so he recovered fervent joye and hys hertes desyre. To this fable mey be made divers exposiciouns, and in lyke wyse to all other fablez, and for that cause poetz made them that the sotyll wytte of divers men myght dryve them to divers significaciouns. So hytt is to be understand that Pygmalyoun disprased the fylthe of the wymen of Sydoyne, that is to sey the foule synfull lyvyng of comon wymen, and sett hys love uppon a meyde of grete bewté wyche wold nott nor myght nott understand hys petuose compleyntes. The ymage that he had mad was so bewteose that, for the grett bewté, he was enamored uppon hytt, butt so long he praed that the ymage had lyve, and so had Pygmalyoun hys intent, wyche mey thus be understand that so long loved he the seyd meyd to sche at the last grauntyd to hys intent and maryed hym, and so became the ymage of stoon a lyffly person by the werkyng of the goddes Venus, that is to sey by love. And so seythe prudence to the good knyght that he schold notte fonne nor soute uppon no woman by the meane of love in suche maner that he leve to fouloo and seke prowes and wurschyp of armes, to wyche he is bound by the ordre of knyghthod. And therfore seyth the philosophr Aptalyn, “It is ful inconvenient for a prince to fonne uppon a thyng reprovable.” Moralyté       By Pygmalyons ymage morally is undertand the synne of lecherye, wheropon the good knyght schold nott fonne, that is to sey mannys soule oweth to kepe the selfe therfro. To wyche synne spekyth thus Seint Jherome in an epistle, “Oo, fyre of hell, wherof the mouth is glotenye, the flame is pryde, the sparcles be wurdes of rebaudy, the smoke is yll name, the assches poverté, and the end everlastyng torment.” And to this same purpose seyth thus Seint Petre th’Apostle, “Voluptatem existimantes delicias: coinquinaciones et macule, deliciis affluentes, conviviis suis luxuriantes.”

 

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Chapter 23: Diana Texte Dyane, the goddes chast and excellent, Have ey in thought of thi remembraunce With honest rewle, wyche is conveniente For thi grett honour; sche thee wyll avaunce. Her absens causyth many in myschauns To falle, wyche were me lothe thou schold doo. Of thee the guydyng, therfore, committe hyr too. 6

(see note) (see note) always appropriate promote

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Glose       By Dyane is understand the mone, wyche, though sche varyaunt and chaungeable be, yett sche geveth the condicioun of chastité, and for as myche as ther was a lady wyche loved chastité and was a meyd the terme of her lyff, wyche meyd was called Dyane, wherfore sche was called of chastité goddes. Therfore prudence byddyth the gode knyght have her in hys thought, that is to sey that a knyght oweth to love honesty and chastyté. To the same intent seythe the philosophre Hermes, “He that hath no chastyté withinne hym mey in no wyse have perfyght wytt.” Moralyté       For to reduce the twelve articles of the feyth by morelizacioun to th’entent of the mater of this booke, withoute wyche mannys soule prophetyth nott to come to the hevenly joye, by Diane mey be morally understand allmyghty God, the Fader of hevyn, wyche in no wyse lovyth no fylth of synne and to whom is non ordurable thyng agreable. Wyche Fader is maker of hevyn, erthe, and all thyng, wyche is necessarye to beleve to every creature that is crystined, lyke as seyth the Holy Apostle Sent Petre for the fyrst article of the feyth in thys wyse, “Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, creatorem celi et terre.”

 

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Chapter 24: Ceres Texte The goddes Ceres in condicioun As nyghe as thou canst, in thiself contrefete To be lyke, wyche by her ymaginacioun Made corne t’abound, bothe rye and wheete. In lyke wyse, knyghtes owe her wyttes beete In bounteuous larges, other to excell, Wyche ey causyth men of ther honour to tell.

near; contrive to increase their wits generosity, to excel others forever

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T N N; N; T N

Glose       Ceres was a lady wyche fyrst found the craft of plough, that is to sey, of eyryng of londe, for before that tyme men sowed ther corne withowt laboryng in tylthe, and for as myche as the erthe bare corne more aboundauntly after hytt was eyred then hytt dyd tofore, the people seyth that Ceres was the goddes of corne. Therfore seyth prudence to the good chivalrose knyght that he be in condicioun lyke Ceres, that is to understand that, lyke as the erthe gave largely and plentuosely corne by the craft of Ceres, in lyke wyse oweth every gode knyght geve helpe and comfort largely and plentuosely to every persoun after hys power. Wherfore seyth the philosophre Arystotle, “Be liberall and thou schalt gete freindes.” Moralyté       Ceres, to whom the good knyght schold be lyke, mey be take morally the blyssed Sone of God, Cryst Jhesu, whose steppis in guydyng and condicioun oweth mannys soule to foulo, wyche Lord hath geven to all men plenty of all goodes bodely and gostly. Wherfore in Hym hytt is necessarye all Cristen peple to beleve, as seyth the Holy Apostle Seint Andrew for the second article of the feyth in this wyse, “Et in Jhesum Cristum, filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum.”

 

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Chapter 25: Isis Texte Toward noble Isis, of fruyte cheff goddes, Among thy loke caste with reverence. Sum of every verteu in thi hert impresse, And graffe hyt sure with her magnificens, For of all plantyng sche hath the excellence. Yf sche thee love, thoro hyr abundaunt myght, Thou meyst of prowes have frewte infinyght.

(see note) graft; securely; (see note)

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Glose       The fable tellyth that Ysys was the goddes of plantes and trees and gryffes, wyche Ysys, as poetys sey, geveth plantes, trees, and gryffez power to encres, multeply, and to beyre fruyte. And therfore seyth prudens unto the good knyght that he schold cast hys loke to hyreward, wyche is to understand that he oweth to fructefie and multeplye in verteus and eschew vicez. And to this intent seyth thus the phylosophre Hermes, “O man, yf thou knewyst the inconvenience of vice, how thou scholdyst kepe thee therfro, and yf thou knewyst the grace and reward of verteu, how thou scholdyst love hytt.” Moralyté       By Ysys mey be morally understand the blessed concepcioun of oure Lord Jhesu, wyche was conceyved of the Holy Gooste in the blessed Virgyne Marye, moder of all grace, of whom the grette preyse and wurschyp mey never be ymagined nor full seyd; wyche noble concepcioun oweth mannys soule to have perfythly gryffed withinne hytt, wherby hytt oweth stedfastly to hold and beleve the thyrd article of the feyth, wyche here fowloyth as the Hooly Apostle Seint Jamys the More made hytt thus, “Qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria virgine.”

 

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Chapter 26: Midas Texte Ther thou hast chose and free eleccioun, Hold not the jugement of Mydas the kyng, Wyche, for hys lewde and symple direccioun Tween Pan and Phebus in her traversyng, Had asses eeres to gyff hym dull heryng. Suche a reward for a foole is mete When he presumeth to take judiciall seete.

Where; choice and free will ignorant and foolish decision their disagreement suitable

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Glose       Mydas was a kyng wyche had a rude wytte and symple understandyng, and as the fable seyth | that Phebus and Pan, the god of sheppardes, were at variaunz, for Phebus seyth that the sownd of a hornepype was swetter and more to be allowed then the sownd of the baggepype, and the god Pan susteyned and held the contrarye oppinioun and seyd that the sownd of the bagpype was more to be preysed then the sound of the hornepype. Of wyche varyaunce bothe Phebus and Pan by ther bothe agrement putt the jugement in the Kyng Mydas, wyche Mydas, after that he had hard them bothe pley longe tyme on bothe instrumentes byfore hym, he juged that the sowne of the bagpype was swetter and moore to prase. Wherfore poetes sey that Phebus was wrothe, and in dispyte of hys rude jugement, he made Mydas to have asses eeres in tokyn that Mydas had assez heryng and understandyng wyche caused hym to geve so rude a jugement. So mey hytt be understand that some foole presumeth to juge folely agen th’entent of sum myghty prince wyche after punyscheth hym and makyth hym to beyre the tokyn of a foole, wyche is to understand by the assez eeres. And therfore seyth prudence to every good knyght that he schold nott putt hys jugement in a foole, nor that hymselfe geve no rewde nor foolly jugement. And to this purpose seyth thus a philosophre, “The fooll is lyke a molle wyche heryth and understandyth nott.” And the philisophre Dyogenes compareth the fooll unto a stoon. Moralyté       The jugement of Mydas, werto the good knyght oweth nott to stand nor geve hymselff, mey be morally understand the jugement of Pylate, wyche juged the blessed Son of God Jhesu Cryste to be take and bound and to be crucefyed as a theeff allthowgh he were nott gylty nor had deserved deth in no wyse; wyche jugement was rewde and ferre owte of reson. Of suyche jugementes oweth mannys soule especialy to beware of how he schold juge any innocent and accordyng therto oweth alsoe stedfastly to byleve the fourthe artycle of the feyth, wyche the Holy Apostle Seynt Jhon made in this wyse, “Passus sub Ponceo Pylato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus.”

 

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Chapter 27: Hercules, Pirithous, and Theseus Texte Yf thou have felows in armes to thee trew, Thou owest of ryght, goo thei never so ferre, Ay to be diligent them to rescue In ther necessité where thei have the werre. Yf thou Hercules foulo, thou schalt nott erre, Wyche for hys felowes dyd hys besy peyn. Where trew love is, hytt scheweth: hyt wyl nott feyne.

Always (see note) took great pains; (t-note) hold back; (see note); (t-note)

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Glose       Poetes tell by the wey of fable that Pyrotheus and Theseus went to hell to rescue Proserpyne, the feyre doughter of the goddes Ceres, whom the god Pluto ravysched; wyche twey knyghtes, had nott Hercules her felaw be, had stand in hard and streyte caas, for the fable seyth that he dyd so grett dedys of armes that he affreyd all the feerse princez of hell and rescued hys felowes fro them, and also cutt asondre the cheynes of Cerberus, the porter of hell. So seyth prudence to Ectoure, and so to every other knyght, that he oweth nott to feyle hys felaw in armes wyche is trew to hym for no dowte of peryll, whatt peryll so ever hytt bee, for trew, feythfull felawschyp oweth to be as oon. And therfore sayth the philosophre Pytagoras, “Thou owes to kepe the love of thi freind diligently.” Moralyté       Whereas Othea seyth unto Ectour that he oweth to foulo hys trew felowes to hell to socoure and helpe hem in ther nede and geveth hym ensample of myghty Hercules, mey thus morally by understand: by myghty Hercules, the soule of Jhesu Cryst wyche went to hell to the sovereygn comfort and socoure of the blessed soules of hooly patriarkes and prophetes wyche were in prisoun in lymbo, ther abydyng Hys comyng; for He brake the cheynes of Cerberus, the porter of hell, that is to understand, He confonded all the furyall strenght of the devyls and toke from thens with Hym, maugré them all, the blessed soulys aforeseyd, wyche hye and noble excellent deede oweth every good soule to foulo and take example of gostly, and beleve feythfully, lyke as the fifte artycle of the Cristen feyth techeth, wyche th’Apostle Seint Phylypp made in this wyse, “Descendit ad inferna.”

 

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Chapter 28: Cadmus Texte Love well and prase Cadynus the clerke, And hys disciples be holden to thee dere, Wyche founded and made the noble myghty werke Of Thebes the cyté, as hytt doth appere In scrypture, whoso wyll hytt reede or here. He wached eek the serpent att the well. Of hys famous kunnyng all poetes tell.

may his disciples be held; (see note) literature was vigilant against

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Glose       Cadynus was a noble and wurschypfull man wyche founded Thebes the cytté, of wyche cyté is wreten and made mencioun of the grett renome therof in many places. In wyche cyté, alsoe, he made and sette a université, for he was a profound clerk hymself, and as the fable tellyth, he wached the serpent at the well, wyche is to understand the grett conyng and wysedam wyche dayly incresyth, and by the serpent is to be understand the grete peyne that the student hathe or he can conquere cunnyng. And, moreover, the fable tellyth that this Cadynus at the last becam a serpent hymselfe, wyche is to understand that he was a correctour or a meyster above other clerkes. Wherfor seyth prudence to the gode knyght that he oweth to love and cherysch clerkes wyche be grounded in cunnyng. And therfore seyth the grett philosophre Arestotle, takyng Alexandre in this wyse, “Honour wysedam and make hyt strong by clergye.” Moralyté       Cadinus, wyche wached the serpent at the well, whom the good knyght oweth to love and cherysch, mey morally be understand the blessed manhode of Jhesu Cryst, wyche wached dewly the serpent and gate the well, wyche is to understand this worldly lyffe, wyche He passed with grete peyne and traveyll. Of wyche lyffe He had perfyghte victorye when He arroos fro deth to lyffe the thryd dey, wyche resurreccioun behoveth every goode soule trewly to beleve, lyke as is conteyned in the sixte artycle of the feyth, wyche mad the Holy Apostle Seint Thomas in this wyse, “Tercia die resurrexit a mortuis.”

 

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Chapter 29: Io Texte In the fresche floures of the clere lecture Of Yo, the doughter of Ynacus the kyng, Sett thi delyte and do thi best cure Them for to knowe, wyche is a precious thyng. Theer is no tresoure so ryche as is cunnyng, Wherfore I avyse thee, in tho floures daunte, For in them perfyght honour is to graunt.

flowers; reading from books; (see note) (see note) work diligently florilegia train; (see note); (see note)

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Glose       Yo was the doughter of Kyng Ynacus, wyche was a woman of excellent conyng, and thorow hyr sotyll wytte sche found many maner of lettres wyche had nott byn seen nor knowen byfore, how be hytt that some fablez sey Yo was paramour to the god Jupiter and that sche becam a cow and afterward a comon woman. Butt nevertheles, as poetz have schewed the troythe under coverture of fable, hytt mey be understand that Jupiter loved her, that is to sey, he puttyth in hyre hys verteus. The fable seyth alsoe that sche became a cowe, wyche is to understand that as a cowe geveth mylke wyche is swete and noryschyng, so gave Yo dowcet noryschyng to mannys understandyng by the new lettres wyche sche newly found. Where as the fable tellyth that sche was a comon woman is to be understand that hyre wytte and wysedam was comoun to all people, lyke as lettrez be comon to all folkes. And therfor seyth Othea unto Ectour, that is to sey prudence to every goode knyght, that he delyte in the kunnyng of Yo, wyche is to be understand, in good scriptures and holsome storyes wyche every good knyght and every other wurschypfull man oweth wyllyngly to reed and remembre oftesythe, of wych he mey take fruytfull example for hys honour and avayle, bothe bodely and gostely. Accordyng herto seyth thus the philisophre Hermes, “Whoo that enforceth hymselfe to gete cunnyng and good verteus, he fyndyth hys plesure in this world and in the other.” Moralité       Yo, wyche is takyn and understand by lettres and scripturez, oweth morally to be take for mannes soule, wyche oweth to delyte in Holy Scripturez and to have them in thought and remembraunz, wherby hytt mey have a perfyght knowlege of the ryght wey toward heven, fouloyng oure Lord Jhesu Cryst wyche ascendyd thidere from erth thorou the myght and poyar of Hys godhed, lyke as scheweth the sevente artycle of the feyth, wyche oweth every Cristen wyght feythfully to beleve, wyche article Sent Bartholeme the Apostle made in this wyse, as is conteyned in the crede, “Ascendit ad celos, sedet ad dextram dei Patris omnipotentis.”

 

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Chapter 30: Mercury, Argus, and Io Texte Among all other, I councell thee beware That god Marcurius with hys pypis swete, As thou wylt save ey thiselfe from care, Throughe hys enchauntment bryng thee not aslepe, As he dyd Argus, recordyng the poete. For yf he doo, thou art begyled trewly. Wherfore toward hym kepe a waker yee.

(see note) ever according to more watchful eye; (see note)

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Glose       The fable of poetes tellyth that Jupiter the god loved Yo as hys paramour, of wyche love Juno the goddes, wyff unto Jupiter, had grett suspeccioun and jelosy, wyche suspecioun caused hyr on a dey to come down fro hevyn prively in a clowde to have espyed clerely hyr husbond, the seyd god Jupiter, with hys concubyne Yo and to have take them unwarly with the actuall deed. And when Jupiter see that sche cam so hastely, he, by hys godely myght, as the fable seyth, chaunged hys love Yo into the similitude and lykenes of a kowe. Notwithstandyng, Juno was nott putt owt of suspecioun and jelousye butt desyred that he wold geve hyr that cowe, and Jupyter, halfe ageyn hys wyll, graunted hytt her, as he that durst nott denye hytt her, for doute of suspeccioun. Then Juno charged her netherd Argus to kepe the cowe, wyche Argus, as the fable seyth, had an hundryth een wherwith he wached dey and nyght. And when the god Jupyter seye the streyte wache and ware kepyng of Argus of the cowe, he commanded the god Mercurius to take hys pype and come down fro hevyn to Argus, to th’entent to gete awey this cowe from hym by arte and engyne of hys swete pypyng. And soo Mercurius, by the commandment of Jupiter, toke hys pype and came down and pyped so long at the eere of Argus that thorow the swete melodye of hys pypyng, all hys hundryth een fell on slepe. And when Mercurius espyed that he had brought Argus full on slepe, he smote offe hys hed and tooke awey the cowe. The exposicioun of this fable mey be this: that sum myghty man lovyth sum woman besyde hys wyffe on whom hys wyffe settyth privey wache, so that the man mey not have hys entent and desyre, wyche privey wache and spyes mey be understand the eyes of Argus. Butt the lovere, that is to sey the man, makyth so hys meanz by some sotyl flatterer and feyre spekure unto the spyes and wache that thei assent to hys intent, wyche is to understand that thei be aslepe by the pype of Mercurius, that is to sey by feyre glosyng langage, and have hyr hed smyte off, wyche is to understand, have loste ther trouthe and trew espyeng by Mercurius pype, that is, by feyr langage. And therfore seyth Othea unto Ectour that he beware of Mercurius pypes that thei bryng hym not aslepe, lest he were disceyved therby, that is to sey that prudence seyth to evere god knyght that he beware of fals flateryng langage that he be nott disceyved therby, nor through hytt leese that thyng wyche he oweth to kepe. And accordyng to this purpose seyth thus the philosophre Hermes, “Beware of hem that governe hemselfe by malycius sotelté.” Moralyté       By the pype of Mercurius, wherof the good knyght oweth to beware, morally mey be understand that mannys soule oweth to beware that hytt be nott deceyved throgh the sotyll wyrkyng of hys gostely enemy, the devell, in no poynt of unbeleve or mysbeleve of any artycle of the Crysten feyth or any other wyse werthoro the same enemye have any ground to accuse the seyd soule at the dey of the last jugement, when the hye sovereygn juge, almyghty God, Jhesu Cryst, schall come and deme the qwyk and the deed, wyche oweth stedfastly to be byleved of every trew Cristen soule, lyke as is conteyned in the eighte artycle of the crede, wyche Sent Mathew made in this wyse, “Inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos.”

 

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Chapter 31: Pyrrhus Texte Beleve alsoe and thynke for certeyne That Pyrrus schall resemble as in hardines Hys fader Achilles and doo hys besy peyne Hys dethe to avenge with cruel besynes. To the noble Troians he schal werke hevynes, And with manly corage sore he schal them greve. Wherfor of hym beware and ageyn hym them releve.

take great pains diligence cause sorrow bring them relief from him

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Glose       Pirrus was the sone of Achilles and was lyke hys fader in strengthe and hardines, wyche Pirrus, after the deth of hys fader, cam to the seege of Troye and full cruelly and scharply avenged hys fader deth and hurte and slew many of the Troians. And therfor seyt Othea unto Ector, that is to sey prudence to every good knyghte, that yf he have aughte don ageyn the fader as harmed hym, lette hym be the more ware of the sone when he comyth to age, and alsoe, yf the fader hathe byn wurschypfull of dede, the sone oweth to be the same. And to the same entent seyth thus a wyse man, “The deth of the fader requireth and askyth vengeance of the sone.” Moralyté       Whereas hytt is seyd that Pyrrus resembleth hys fader mey thus morally be understand: by Pyrrus mey be noted the Holy Gooste, wyche procedyth of the Fader of Heven and is lyke unto the Fader in deyté, in whom every Crysten person oweth of verrey ryght to beleve, as is conteyned in many places of Scripture and specialy in the ninthe article of the feyth comprised in the crede, wyche made thus the Hooly Apostle Seint James the Lesse, qui et frater enim erat, seying in this wyse, “Credo in Spiritum Sanctum.”

 

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Chapter 32: Cassandra Texte When thou hast leyser loke that thou haunte The templez and honour us goddes and goddesses Wyche can as we lyste all maner thyng enchaunte, Edifye and subverte myghty fortressez, Delyng at our plesure all fame and prowessez. Wherfore of Cassandra hold ey the usage, And after thi desert, we schal thee geve thi wage.

occasion; visit often please; enhance; (t-note) Distributing ever the habit; (see note)

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Glose       Cassandra was doughter to Kyng Priamus, and sche was a good and well disposed lady and a passyng devoute woman in the paynym law. She oftetyme haunted the temple and served the goddes, and lytle or noght sche spake withowt nede, and when it behoved hyre to speyke, sche spake never butt troythe, ne never was found in hyre untrouth or lesyng. And therfore seyth prudence to every good chivalroyse knyght that he hold the usage of Cassandre, for on fals worde is to be repreved and holden abhominable in a knyghtes mouthe, butt he oweth to serve god and haunt the temple, that is to understand Holy Chyrch, and love the ministrez therof. And therfore seyth the philosophre Pytagoras, “Hytt is ryght 17commendable to serve God and halow the seyntes.” Moralyté       Whereas hytt is seyd the good knyght oweth for to haunt the chyrche and love therof the minystrez mey be morally understand that mannys soule oweth to love Holy Churche and have synguler devocioun therto, and all the sacramentes ministred therinne, by wyche he hathe the trew Cristen feyth taught hym to hys salvacioun. Wyche feyth he oweth hooly and fully beleve with all the cercumstaunces and sacramentes longyng to the same and most especially in the Sacrament of the awter, that is to sey, the blessed body of Cryste in forme of breed, as concludithe the tenthe article of the crede made by Sent Symon th’Apostle thus, “Sanctam ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem.”

 

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Chapter 33: Neptune Texte Yf thou purpose any grett vyage By the see to do, on Neptunus thou call, Thee to releve in daungerous passage, Wyche in grett tempest socowreth hem that fall. Wherfor hys feeste halow solemply thou schall To this intent: that he thee mey comfort Throughe hys godly myght in every dredeful poorte.

helps feast (t-note)

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Glose       Neptunus after the peynym law was called god of the see, and for that byddyth Othea Ector that he wurschep and solemply halowe hys feste that he mey be comfortable to hym in peryll of the see, wyche is to understand that every good knyght wyche useth ofte to traveyle in viagez by the see and in other divers perilz have grete need to be devoute in the service of god and seyntes, and especiall have syngulere devocioun in wurschypyng of some gode seynt and deyly remembre hym with some devoute orysoun wherby he mey call to hym for help in hys necessité. And for as myche as the praere of mouth suffiseth nott onely, therfore seyth thus the wyse man, “He servyth not well God that servyth hym with woordes, butt alsoe with good werkys.” Moralyté       By Neptunus, whom the gode knyght oweth to call on at need in perell of the see, mey morally be understand almyghty God, to whom mannys soule oweth to call for helpe in the see of trouble and temptacioun, continuelly beyng in this wreched world, and to geve hym foryevenes of hys synnez, wych every Cristen soule must surely beleve that he schal have of God yf he axe hytt. As Sent Thadee th’Apostle sey in the elevente article of the crede, “Remiscionem peccatorum.”

 

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Chapter 34: Atropos Texte Take hede alsoe toward Attropos, Whose dolefull dart confoundyth many a knyght. For thee were better be take among thi fooes Then to abyde the sterne stroke of hys myght. To hym perteyneyth the eend of every wyght. He spareth nother hye nor lowe degré. He is full hard; in hym is no pyté.

(see note); (t-note) (see note)

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Glose       The poetes name the deth Atropos, and therfore seyth prudence to every good knyght that he take heede toward Atropos and hys dart, wyche is to understand that every good knyght, and in lyke wyse every other well avysed persoun, oweth to remembre hys deth and thynke that he xall departe owte of this world, through wyche thought and remembraunz he mey delyte more in the vertews of the soule then in the vycez of the body, wyche mey cause hym to come to the promyse and behest of god, wherfore he is made. And to the same intent seyth thus the philosophre Pytagoras, “As oure begynnyng comythe of god, it behoveth that our eend be toward god.” Moralyté       As the good knyght oweth take heed toward Atropos, in the same maner ought mans soule to have contynuell remembraunz toward everlastyng deth, fro wyche deth hytt was bought by the meryte and passyoun of our Lord Jhesu Criste, through wyche Passioun hytt mey have feythfull hoope and trust to come to everlastyng joye withowte eend after the generall resurrexioun at the last dey of jugement, wyche oweth every Crysten soule to beleve as seyth Sent Mathye in the last artycle of the crede, “Carnis resurreccionem et vitam eternam.” Amen.

 

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Chapter 35: Bellerophon Texte Of Bellorophoun thou mest example take In all thi dedes of trouth and ryghtwysenes, Wyche chase rather hys lyfe then trouth forsake, As hytt appereth in poetrye expresse. Wherfore yf thou wyll atteyne to prowes, Thou must pursue the trew condicioun Of Bellorophoun, in myn oppinioun.

(see note) chose; than clearly achieve excellence

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Glose       Bellorophoun was a full plesaunt and bewteuz knyght, and full of trouth he was, whose stepmoder desyred hym of unlefull love, to wyche he wold in no wyse assent, wyche caused hyre so sore to labour ageyn hym that he was dampned to be devowred of wyld beestes. And so he chase rathure to dye then to be fals and corrupt with untrouthe. Wherfore seyth prudence to the good knyght that fore dowte of deth, he schold doo non untrouthe nor assent therto. And therfor seyth Hermes, “Thou owest rather dye then to do or assent to untrouthe.” Moralyté       By Bellorophoun that was so full of trouthe mey be morally understand almyghty God of heven, and, in as myche as he is so mercyfull and full of trouthe, mannes soule oweth onely to prase hym as is boden in the fyrst commandment, where hytt is commandyd that no man schold wurschyp fals goddes. For as seyth Seynt Augustyn, “The wurschyp wyche is called the devocioun of the hert oweth to be doon or borne to no ydole nore ymage nor other creature lyke, for hytt is onely dew to God.” In wyche fyrst commandment is defendyd all ydolatrie. Accordyng therto seyth thus the good Lord in the Gospell, “Dominum Deum tuum adorabis, et illi soli servies.”

 

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Chapter 36: Memnon Texte Mymenon, thi cosyn and feythful kynsman, Wyche is to thee feythfull trew at thi need, And evere hathe be syn the werre began, Thou must hym love for hys feythfull deed. Thou meyst no lesse rewarde hym for hys meed, For suyche a freinde is full seeld found. Offten for thi sake thi fooes he schal confounde.

since; (t-note) (t-note) compensation seldom; (t-note)

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Glose       Memynon was a noble manly knyght come of the Troyanz lygne, and he was cosyn unto Ectour, and when Ectour was in strong, herd schoures of werre, soore besett aboute with hys enemyes, Memynon cam after hym and socoured hym and brake ofte the grete presse aboute hym of hys adversaryes, in so myche that when Achillez had sleyn Ectour by treasoun, Memynoun cam after and wounded sore Achillez and had sleyn hym ne had socoure come to hym sone after. Wherfore seyth prudence to every good knyght that he oweth to love and cherysch Memynon, that is to sey, every suyche persoun or freind, be he grett or small, poore or ryche, that is trew and feythfull to hym and helpyth at hys nede, for oft hyt falleth that a gret prince or a noble knyght is mor hertely beloved of a poore man then of a myghty kynnesman. Wherfor seyth thus the philisophre Rabyoun, “Multeplye frendes, and thei schall be socorable unto thee.” Moralyté       Memynon the trew cosyn mey be take morally our Lord Jhesu Criste, wyche mey wel be called the trew cosyn of man be Hys incarnacioun and takyng on Hym mankynd, wyche grett benefyte mey never | man reward Hym ageyn, butt onely love Hym therfore and kepe Hys commandmentes, and in especial the second commandment, wyche mannys soule oweth to remembre and trewly kepe, wherin commandyd is to man that he schold nott take the name of God in veyn. Wyche is to be understand, as Seynt Austyn seyth, in this wyse, “Thou schall nott swere dishonestly, nor withowte cause, nor to colour falshed, for ther is noo more abhusion then to wytnes with falshood and hyde the trouth.” And in that second commandment is defendyd and forboden all lesynges, forsweyringes, and all blasphemynges. To wyche accordeth the Byble, where hytt is wreten in this wyse, “Non habebit Dominus insontem eum qui assumpserit nomen Dei sui frustra.”

 

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Chapter 37: Laomedon’s Speech Texte Avyse thee well what thou schalt sey Or then thou speke, and malicioseluy. Loke thou ne manace no man nor affrey To thou have cause, and then substancyally. Beset thi wurdes and dedis fouloyngly, And that wyll make thi fooes thee to drede More then Lamedon for hys rakell dede.

Before threaten; attack; (t-note) Until accordingly impetuous; (see note)

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Glose       Lamedon was a kyng of Troye, and he was fader to Kyng Priamus, wyche Priamus was fader to Ectour. And when Jasoun, Hercules, and her felows went to Cholchos-ward to gete the golden fleese, thei arryved at a poort of Troye to refresch them, withowt hurtyng of the cuntré, to whom Laomedon, the kyng of Troye that tyme beyng, sent rewdely and unavysedluy and commanded them to avoyde hys land and manaced hem soore that yf thei avoyded nott furthwith that thei schold repent hytt. Wyche message and uncurteyse trete caused the Grekys knyghtes to be wrothe, thynkyng that thei were gretly wronged, wyche wrothe was the oryginall begynnyng of the destruccioun of the fyrst Troye. Therfor seyt prudence to every good knyght, in as myche that wordes of manace be full hard and rewde, he oweth to peyse them and avyse them in hys herte or he uttre them, for many grett myschyeffes have oft falle of soden manacez and unavysed langage. And therfor seyth thus the poete Omer, “He is full wyse that can refreygn hys tonge.” Moralyté       As the good knyght oweth by the councell of prudens to refreyn hys tong from al malicius and manasyng langage mey be morally understand that in lyke forme oweth mannys soule to refreyn the selfe from all dedely synne contynuelly, butt most especially on the Sabott dey, that is to understand on the haly dey. On wyche dey oweth every trew Crysten man to cesse of all worldly besynes and bodely ocupacioun and to halow solemply the feste accordyng to the thryd commandment wyche seyth thus, “Halow the haly dey.” Accordyng wherto seyth thus the prophete Ysaye, “Quiescite agere perverse, discite benefacere.”

 

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Chapter 38: Pyramus and Thisbe Texte Make never thiselffe certeyn of a thyng Tyl thou therof have perfyght conysaunz, For yf thou doo, hytt wyll be tormentyng Unto thyn hert and do thee grett grevauns, For sodeyn credens hath caused ofte myschaunz. Whoo to soone troweth is guyded by folye. That wyll the storye of Pyramus testefye.

knowledge hasty belief; misfortune believes (t-note)

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Glose       Pyramus was a chyld of the cyté of Babyloun, and when he was seven yer age, the fable seyth that he was smete with the darte of love, in so myche that he loved a bewteose meyd called Thesbe, wyche was of the same age and come of gentle blode in lyke wyse as he was. And for the felauschyp that was oft bytwen them, her grett love was perceyved and espyed by a servaunt wyche accused Thysbe to hyr moder, wyche accusacioun caused hyr moder schett and lokke hyr in a chaumbre, seyng that sche schold kepe hyr from the felauschyp and cumpanye of Pyramus well inow, wyche caused grett sorow to the hertes of the tweyn chyldre Pyramus and Thysbe. Werfore thei made full ofte ther pytuose compleyntes and wept full tendrely eche of hem by themselfe. Long tyme dured this beschettyng and enprisonment of the meyd. Neverthelesse, as thei encresed in age, soo grew the love contynuelly more and moore, wyche fervent love wold nott quenche in no wyse, and, as hytt fortuned, bytween the chaumbre of Tysbe and the chambre of the frendes of Pyramus was butt a wall departyng wyche was crased thoro with a gret craves. | And when Tesby had perceyved that sche myght see thoro the wall at the same craves, sche putt thorou the bocle of her gyrdle in the same cravers to th’entent that Piramus myght espye hytt, and soe he dyd withinne schort tyme, wyche caused often ther assemblez and spekyng togeder at that cravers, wher thei made ther pytuose compleyntes, yche to other with byttre teerez. So at the laste thei, constreyned by byttre teeres and fervent love, were accorded that the next nyght fouloyng, at the fyrst cokke crowe, thei schold steele from ther freindes and mete togeder under the wyte walles withoute the cyté at a well where thei were wont to pley in ther chyldhood. When Thesbe came to the well alone, standyng in grett dreed, sche hard a lyoun comyng toward the well brayeng and criyng, of whom sche was soore afeerd, wyche caused hyr to fle fro thens into a busche ther besyde, butt in the wey as sche went, hyr wyte wymple fell fro her bytwen the well and the boysche. And when the lyoun had espyed the wymple, he went therto and cast owt the entreylez of beestes wyche he had devoured and made a vomyte therof uppon the wymple, thorow wyche vomyte the wymple was all fyled and soyled and blody. And when Pyramus cam and saw nott Tesby there and perceyved the blody wymple, as he myght see by the moone schyne, he supposed that Tesbe had be devoured with some wyld beest, wyche caused hym to make sorou owte of mesure, and when he had long stand so, makyng hys compleynt to hymselfe, for verrey pure sorou, he slew hymselffe with hys swerd. Wyche done, Tesby came owt of the boysche and and when sche hard the swoyhes and soule draughtes of hyre love Pyramus and saw hym dying and beheld the swerd and the bloode, she tooke so grett sorou to hereward that sche fyll doune in swone uppon hym, how be hytt he myght nott speke to hyre nor comfort her in no wyse. And after many pytuose compleyntes made on hyre syde, sche slew hyreselfe uppon the same swerd. And, as the fable tellyth that for lamentacioun of that pytuose aventure, the wall that eerste was whyte was turned blake. And for as myche that of a lytle hast comyth ofte gret myscheff, as hytt fortuned that tyme, therfore seyth prudence to every good knyght that he gyve no credence certeynly to a thyng nor thynk hymselfe verrey certeyn therof to he have verrey perfyght knowlege and evydent, certeyne proffe of hytt. And for that cause seyth a sad, sage philosophre in this wyse, “Make nor thynke nott thiselfe certeyn of a thynge wyche bee in dowte to thou have verrey perfyght and trew informacioun.” Moralyté       By the noncertenté that the good knyght oweth to have in dowte mey morally be understand the ignoraunce of the chyldhood of man whyll he is under the governaunz of hys fader and moder. And for the grett benefitz he receyveth of hem in hys yong age, he oweth of verrey ryght to honour and wurschyp hem dewly and trewly, as is boden in the fourthe commandment, where is commanded that man schold wurschyp hys fader and moder, wyche wurschyp, as seyth Seynt Austyn, oweth to be don of them in two maners: on, in beyryng to hem dew reverence, and another, in ministryng to them her necessaryes. And therfore seyth thus the wyse man Salomon, “Honora patrem tuum, et gemitus matris tue non obliviscaris.”

 

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Chapter 39: Aesculapius Texte To the doctryne of Esculapyoun Geve ey credence for thi helth bodely, And refuse Cyrses, for by hyre many oone Hathe be deceyved, I tell thee certeynly, Thoro hyre false charmes and use of sorcerye, Wherinne to beleve is full perilose, And to hys goddes and goddesses odiose.

(see note) (t-note) (see note); (t-note) (t-note) hateful

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Glose       Esculapyoun was a grett clerke and a good phesicioun and, as poetes sey, he found fyrst the cunnyng of physyke, wherof he made many grett bookes. And therfore seyth prudence to the good knyght that he gyffe credence to the doctrine and techyng of Esculapyoun of hys bodely helth, wyche is to understand that he put hys trust in tyme of bodely sykenes in medycynes of physyke and refuse Cyrces, that is to understand enchauntment and charmez, for Cyrces, as telleth the fable, was an enchaunteres, and that mey be understand for them wyche in her sekenes use charmez and inchauntementes, and beleve therinne, and deme themselfe to recover helth of body therby, wyche beleve is defendyd by Hooly Chyrche. And therfor owethe every trew Cristen man to refuse them. And therfore Plato reproved and brent bookes of enchauntementes and charmez done uppon medicyne, wyche he had used, and proved and held hym to the trew bookes of experience of phesyke. Moralyté       By Esculapyoun the grett phesicioun mey morally be understand the fifte commandment wherin is commanded | thus, “Thou schalt nott slee,” wyche is to be understand as Seynt Austyn seyth, “Nother slee with hert, tong, nor hand.” And soe is defendyd all maner vyolent smytyng and bodely woundyng, allthoughe hytt be nott defendyd to temperall kynges, lordes, and juges to justifye evyll doers and execute dewly ageyn hem the law after that thei deserve. Butt in caas of necessité, wher a man mey no other wyse doo, is suffred by the lawe oon to sle another, hymselffe defendaunt and non other wyse. And to this intent seyth thus the holy Gospell, “Qui gladio percutit, gladio peribit.”

 

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Chapter 40: Death of Achilles Texte Putte nott thi tryst in hym in no wyse Geyn whom thou hast offendyd ofte before, For thoughe he mey nott by sotyl entreprise Venge hytt as he wold, yet triste hym not therfore, For in hys hert restythe ey the soore To that he mey avenge that offense. The deth of Achyllez therof schal geve sentence.

(t-note) (t-note) trust dwells always the injury; (t-note) Until provide edification; (see note)

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Glose       Achilles was a knyght on the Grekysche partye wyche dyd myche harme unto the Troyans and to the Kyng Priamus of Troye, for he slew many of hys chyldren, as Ectour, Troylus, and other diverse. Wyche notwithstandyng, yett Achylles putt hys tryste in the Qwene Eccuba, wyche was the qwene and wyff to the same Pryamus and moder to the seyd Ectour and Troylus, and apoynted with hyr to trete of a maryage atween hym and Polixene hyr doughter, in wyche treete he was sleyn by Parys and hys felauschypp by th’assent and commandment of the same Qween Eccuba in the temple of Appolyn. And therfore seyth prudence to every good knyght that he truste nott hys enemy whom he hath offendyd withowt makyng pees or amendes with hym byfore. And therfor seyth the philosophre, “Bewar of th’assautez of thi enemy that mey not avenge hym.” Moralyté       As the good knyght oweth to beware of th’assautes of hys enemye, in lyke wyse oweth morally to be understand that mans soule oweth to ware and dowte the vengeaunce of God, wyche comyth for synne, and absteyne the synfull fleschly luste and not assent therto, that is to sey fornicacioun, avowtrye, and all other spyces of lecherye, wyche is generally forboden in the sixte commandment, wyche seyth in this wyse, “Thou schalt doo no lecherye.” Wherof the hooly man Ysodre seyth is defendyd all unlefull fleschly cowplyng, bothe inne and owte of maryage, and all inordinate use of the privey membrez of generacioun. And to that intent is seyd in the Byble, “Morte moriantur, mechus et adultera.”

 

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Chapter 41: Busiris Texte Be thou nott lyke the conbrose cruell kyng Called Busyerres, whose condicioun Is not commended nor holdyn as a thyng For to be prased, in myn oppinioun. Of hys fals naturall, froward inclinacioun, And joye in manslaughter oold poetes tell: Among all morderers he beyreth ey the bell.

troublesome malevolent; (see note); (t-note) takes the prize

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Glose       Busierres was a kyng of mervelose cruelté and myche delyted hymselff in manslaughter, in so myche that he wold slee them himselfe in the temples and offre them in sacrafice to the goddes. Therfor seyth prudence to the god knyght that he be nott Busyerres, that is to sey that he delyte nott nor have joye in manslaughtere, for suche cruelnes is ageyn all nature and ageyn all bounteose prowes of chivalrye. And to this purpose seyth thus the philosophre Socrates, “Yf a prynce be cruell, he must be modered and peesed by good examplez.” Moralyté       By Busyerres wyche was condiciouned ageyn kynd mey morally be understand the defendyng of the sevente commandment, wyche defendyth generally thefte and roberye, and as Seynt Austyn seyth, it defendyth all unleful usurpacioun of any other mannes good, as sacralege, ravyn, extorcioun, and all other good taken of the people owt of resoun. And therfore seyth thus the Holy Apostle Paule, “Qui furabatur, iam non furetur.”

 

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Chapter 42: Leander Texte Hold not so deere to theeward the plesaunz Of thi luste bodely wherthroughe in aventure Thou putt thi lyff, for then schold varyaunce Twen thee and me aryse, I thee ensure. Wherfore, as long as thi lyff mey dure, Count hytt for folye such outrage to make, And at lewd Leandre herof ensaumple take.

(t-note) desire; in peril disagreement (t-note) lascivious; (see note); (t-note)

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Glose       Leander was a yong man wyche loved a feyr gentle woman called Heroo, and as hytt fortuned, ther was an arme of the see ran bytween hys maner and hyr 1dwellyng place, and for as myche that the love atween them schold not be espyed, this Leandre was acustomed to swymme ofttyme by nyght all aloone over the arme of the see to see hys lady Hero, wyche dwelled in a castell uppon the watersyde. Notwithstandyng, hytt fortuned ther aroose a grett rage | flode wyche dured long in the see, wyche caused gret hevynes to Leander and Heroo bothe, for as myche 1as thei myght nott, for the grett floode, come togeyder. So hytt befell on a nyght duryng the rage flood that Leandere, constreyned by fervent love and grett desyre to see hys lady Heroo, went into the water to have swommen over as he was wontte to doo, and when he had long labored in swymmyng, he was overcome with the grett wawes in so myche that he was perysched and drowned. And when hys lady Hero, wyche was in grete hevynes and pensyfnes, saw hys body come fletyng on the water, sche was so oppressed with so gret outragiose sorow that sche skypped owte into the water and enbrased the ded body of Leandre in hyre armez, wyche caused hyr to perysche and be drowned alsoe. And for as myche as this myschyef fell for over-fervent, foly desyre of fleschly love, therfor seyth prudence to every good knyght that he hold nott to hymward so dere hys delyte of bodely lust that he putt therfore hys body in jeopartye or aventure of hys lyffe. Wherfor seyth a sage philosophre in this wyse, “I merveyle soore that I see so many peryls sofred for delyte of the body and so lytle purveance made for the soule, wyche is everlastyng.” Moralyté       By this autorité, wyche defendyth that a man hoold not so deere hys plesure of body, mey morally be understand the eighte commandment, in wyche is seyd thus, “Thou schalt not beyre no false wytnes ageyns thi neyboure,” wherin, as Seint Austyn seyth, is defendyd all bakbytyng, all fals report, and disclaundre. And that is thus to understand, as Ysodre seyth, that false wytnes offendythe thre partyes: fyrst, ageyn God, in hymselfe forsweyryng; secondly, ageyn the juge, in that he deceyveth hym falsely lyeng; and thrydly, ageyn hys neyboure, ageyn hym deposyng untrewly. Wherfor seyth thus the wyse man Salomon in hys Proverbes, “Testis falsus non erit impunitus, et qui loquitur mendacia non effugiet.”

 

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Chapter 43: Helen of Troy Texte Sende ageyn Eleyn to make finall pees To the myghty Grekys, lest that werse befall. Whoo that werres ageyn ryght behovyth sone to cesse, Or els in conclusioun forthynke hytt he schall. Wrong askyth amendes; this knowe the goddes all. Wherfor hytt is bettre to pees soone assent Then long wrong to meyntene and after hyt repent.

regret requires to agree to peace swiftly (see note)

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Glose       Eleyn was a qween in Grece and wyff to Kyng Menelaus, wyche was ravysched by Pares, the kynges sone, Priamus of Troye, and ledde ageyn hyr wylle owt of Grece into the land and cyté of Troye, wyche ravyschyng caused the Grekys to make a gret armye and camp uppon Troye for to avenge that deed. But nevertheless, or thei dyd any harme to the cuntrey or cytté of Troye, thei desyred of the Troians to have the Qween Eleyn delyverd and restored to them ageyn, and that amendes were made to them of the offense don to them by Parys by ravyschyng of her and havyng her owte of Grece, and yf the Troyans that nold doo, the Grekys seyd thei schold destroye the contré. And for as myche as the Troyanz nold make restitucioun ne amendes accordyng to her desyre before the gret myschyef and destruccioun of Troye ensued, therfore seyth prudence to the gode knyght that yf he have folely begonne werre in wrong, hytt is bettre to cesse and make a pees soone or more harme come therof then long obstinatly to meyntene and after repente hytt. To wyche mater accordyng seyth thus the sage philosophre Plato, “Yf thou have doo any wrong to any man, whatsoever he be, thou owest nott to be in quiete in thi mynd to thou be accorded and make pees with hym.” Moralyté       Eleyn wyche oweth to be restored ageyn mey morally be understand the ninthe commandment, wherin is seyd in this wyse, “Thou schal nott desyre the wyffe of thi neybour,” whereby is defended, as Seynt Austyn seyth, all unlefull thoughtes and wylle to do fornicacioun and avowtrie, werof the deed is defended byfore by the sixte commandment. Accordyng werto seyth oure Lord God in the Gospell of Mathew in this wyse, “Qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendum eam, mechatus est eam in corde suo.”

 

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Chapter 44: Aurora Texte Take not to theewarde the condicioun Of Aurora, the pytuose and doloures goddes Whose soroufull chere and lamentacioun Is to the people joy and grett gladnes. She chasyth awey of nyght the foule derkenes. Every wyght is glad when sche dothe appere, And yett sche wepyth ey and makyth pytuose chere.

grieving visage (t-note) creature displays a pitiable expression

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Glose       Aurora is the fyrst schewyng and apperyng of the dey, that is to sey the mourow and, as poetes tell in fable, sche is a goddes, and thei sey that sche had a soone called Cygnus wyche was sleyn at the seege of Troye. And in as myche as sche was a goddes, hyr pouer was suche, as the fable tellyth, that sche chaunged the body of hyr soone into the lykenes of a swan, and therof cam fyrst swannes. As seyth the fable, this lady Aurora is of | so grett bewté that sche rejoyseth all tho that behold hyre, but alwey sche wepyth for her sone Cygnus wych is ded, for when the dew falleth in the mowrootyde, poetes sey that Aurora wepyth for hyr sone Cygnus. Wherfor seyth Othea to every good chivalrose knyght that, though other people rejoyse of hys good werkes and noble manhood, yett for that he schold nott be soory butt joyfull therof and schew glad chere and countenaunce to the world owtward. Wherfor seyth the grett philosophre Arystotle to the grett conquerour Alexandre in this wyse, “Whattsoever sorow be in thi hert, shew glad cheere before thy people.” Moralyté       By Aurora wyche wepyth mey thus morally be understand that no covetoyse desyre schold be in us, soroufull or wepyng, wyche schold cause us t’offend the precept of the tenthe commandment, wyche commandyth in this wyse, “Thou schall nott coveyte thi neybour house, oxe, asse, nor other thyng of hys,” werby, as Seynt Austyn seyth, is defendyd all wyll of theft or ravyn, wherof the dede is defendyd before by the sevente commandment. And to this purpose seyth thus the prophete David in the Psaulter, “Nolite sperare in iniquitate, rapinas nolite concupiscere.”

 

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Chapter 45: Pasiphaë Texte Allthough Pasyphe were folely disposed And to lust innaturall sett hyr appetyte, Yet in thi kyndly resoun be hytt not supposed That every other woman be of that delyte, For many be full vertuose, or els it were unryte. He is to unwytty that, for defaute of oon, Wyll therfore dispyse women everychoun.

inclined sexual desire; (see note) indecent sin (t-note)

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Glose       Pasiphe, as seyth the fable, was a qween and a viciose woman of hyre body, and namely, as sey poetes, sche loved a boole be wyche sche had a chyld that was cald Mynotaurus, wyche was halfe man and halfe boole. Wyche is thus to understand that sche acqueynted hyr with oon that was of rude condicioun by whom sche conceyved a chyld mervelosely feerse and strong, and for as myche as the chyld had the forme and schap of a man and the condiciouns and maners of a boole, wyche is to understand by hys grett strenghte and feersnes, and so he was combrous that al the contré exiled hym. Therfore seyd poetes by the wey of feynyng that this Minotaurus was halfe man and halfe boole, and therfore seyth prudence unto the good knyght that though sche, Pacefye, was ylle and viciosely disposed, that he thynke not all women lyke hyre of condicioun, for verey experience scheweth oponly the contrarie, for Galyeen, the noble phesicioun, reportyth that he lerned the scyence of physyke of a sadde and well avysed woman called Clempare and that sche taughte hym to knowe many diverse good herbes and heer verteus and propretees. Moralyté       Pasyphe wyche was so folyly disposed mey morally be understand a mans soule turned to God fro synne. For as seyth Seynt Gregore in hys Omelyes that more joye is made in heven of oo synfull soule returned to God then of a ryghtwyse man that hathe byn ever ryghtwyse, as the chyeff capteyn of a felde loveth better a knyght wyche fled and afterward retourned to the feeld ageyn and slow or discomfeted hys enemye manly then the knyght that never fled ne schewed hys manhood in the feeld, and as the laborer loveth better the lande that beereth, after thornes and breeres, more plentuosely corne or fruyte then he dooes that ground that never bore thornes ne corne. Wherfor seyth thus the prophete Jeremye in the spryte of God, “Revertatur unusquisque a via sua pessima, et propicius ero iniquitati et peccato eorum.”

 

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Chapter 46: Adrastus Texte Yf hyt to thee happ dogghters to have, Wyche thou purposest to geve in maryage, The world to encrece and her honour to save, Looke thou putt them furth at resonable age. And yf thou wylt marye them unto hye perage, In the begynnyng, take hede of the eend, And lett Kyng Adrastus be mirrour of thi mend.

(t-note) nobility mind; (see note)

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Glose       Adrastus was kyng of Arges, and he was a myghty man, and as he ley in a castell of hys owne on a nyght, it fortuned that two knyghtes aventurose, oon called Pollynytes and another called Thydeus, mett sodeynly togeyder byfore the castel gate of wyche the on chalenged the logyng byfore that other, wyche quarell caused them to fyght mortally togeder wyche of hem schold fyrst have that loggyng, for the grett strong tempest and reyne wherin thei had ryden all the nyght before to ther grett nusaunz and werenes. And when the kyng lying in hys bed herd the noyse of the sterne strokes of the swerdes, he arrose and departed the two knyghtes asondre. | Polynytes was sone unto the kyng of Thebes and Thydeus to another kyng of Grece, but thei were bothe exiled oute of her landes. And when the kyng knew and understode whatt thei were and of whatt lynage come, he honoured them gretly and made them grett chere, in so myche that he gave to them hys two doughters in mareage. Wyche doon and performed, this Kyng Adrastus made a grett arme and came to Thebes to sett Polynytes hys sone-in-law into the possescioun of hys land, wyche Ethyocles, hys brother, held ageyn ryght. Butt hyt fortuned so that all the grett ooste of Kyng Adrastus arme was discomfeted, sleyn, and taken, the kyng ded, Polynytes and Thydeus sleyn. Polynytes and Etyocles, eche of hem slew other in the bateyll, in so myche that ther remeyned no moo alyve in the feeld of Adrastus knyghtes butt thre. And for as myche as to bryng exiled people ageyn in possescioun of her land is full jeoperdose and perilose, and often is seen therbye grett myschyeff fall lyke as fyll to Kyng Adrastus by meanes of maryage of hys doughters, therfore seyth prudence to the good knyght that yf he have doughters to marye that in the begynnyng he remembre the end therof, and that he make Kyng Adrastus hys mirrour, wyche is to understand that he remembraunce have of the grett myschyeff that fell to Kyng Adrastus throwgh hys doughters mareage. And as Kyng Adrastus dremed oon nyght that he gave hys two doughters in mareage to a lyoun and a dragoun wyche fought togeder, seyth th’expouner of dremes that dreeme comyth of fantasye, wyche mey be schewyng of good or ille aventure that is to come to creatures. Moralité       Where hytt is seyd to the good knyght that yf he have doughters to mary that he beware to whom he maryeth hem mey morally be understand that every mannes soule disposed to Godward oweth to beware with whom he accompeneth hymselfe, yf he wyll companye with felauschyp as dyd the good hooly man Thobye, and alsoe he behoveth to sett all hys thoughtes in good and holy meditaciounz. For as seyth Sent Austyn that thei that be lerned of God to be symple, humble, and deboneyr profytt moore in hooly meditacioun and praer then in redyng and heeryng. And therfor seyth the holy prophet David in the Sawtere, “Meditabor in mandatis tuis, que dilexi.”

 

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Chapter 47: Cupid Texte Of god Cupide, whyll thi lyff mey dure, Hyt pleseth me wyll thou have acquentaunz As resoun requireth, nott owt of mesure. Thy corage desyreth of hys alyaunce. Yf he be freindly, he mey thee well avaunce. Mars mey wyll suffre thee with love thee t’acqueynte, So that thou toward hym therby be nott feynt.

(t-note) alliance aid well permit; (t-note) faint-hearted (cowardly); (see note)

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Glose       Cupide after poetes is called god of love, and for as myche as hyt is not unsittyng ne inconvenient to a yong knyght to be amoroose and lovyng, to the behove of hys preferrement, wherthorou hys good name and noblenes of hys fame mey the ferther be knowe, wyche love is nott contrariaunt to chivalry nor dedes of armez. Therfor seyth Othea to Ectour, and in lyke wyse to every good chivalrouse knyght, that Mars, wych is to understand god of werre, mey well suffre hym to acqueynte hym with Cupyde, that is to sey with love. And therfor seyth the philosophre that love of good corage cometh of noblenes and gentlenes of hertes. Moralyté       Cupide mey morally be understand penaunce, and therfore is seyd that hyt plesyth well the god of bateyll, that is to sey our Lord Jhesu Cryste, that the good knyght, that is to sey mannes soule, be repentaunt for hys synnez and aqueynte hym with Cupyde, that is to sey with penaunce. And that oure lord Jhesu Criste mey wel be called God of bateyll appereth clerly by the redempcioun of mannes soule, wyche was redemed by the victoriose bateyll of Hym uppon the Crosse. Werfore seyth thus the holy man Seynt Barnard, “What woorde of gretter mercy or more grace myght be seyd unto a synnere wyche was dampned and sold to the devel by synne and had nott werwith to bye hymselffe ageyn then that all myghty God seyd when that He seyd in this wyse, ‘Take me and bye thiselfe ageyn by me’?” Werto accordyng seyth thus th’Apostle Seint Petre in hys fyrste epistle, “Non corruptibilibus auro et argento redempti estis, sed precioso sanguine quasi agni immaculati et incontaminati Jhesu Crysti.”

 

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Chapter 48: Coronis and Phoebus’s Raven Texte Be not to hasty, for fals report Of the ravyne, sodenly Corinis to slee. Ofte sodeyn tythynges styre men and exorte To doo ageyn themselfe — hyt is the more pyté. Gyde thee by resoun. Leve sensualyté Lest throw foly guydyng thou glade thi foo, For an hasty man wanteth never woo.

raven; (see note) hasty reports incite and encourage men foolish behavior; please; (t-note) lacks; (see note); (t-note)

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Glose       Corinis, as seyth the fable, was paramour to Phebus, wyche Corinis was accused by the ravyne that was servaunt in Phebus house, wyche seyd to Phebus hys meyster that he had seen Corynis hys paramour, lye with another man, of wyche tythynges Phebus was so hevy and wrothe that he slowe Corinis as sone as he saw hyre, in hys sodeyn angre. | Wyche deed after he repented full soore, and then the ravyn, abydyng hys meyster reward for hys tythynges, was thus rewarded: fyrst, hys meyster Phebus cursed hym and chased hym aboute, and, in token of the grett sorow that he made hym to have by hys tythynges, he chaunged the colour of hys feders, wyche sum tyme were wyte as snowe, into blake as soote or colle, and fro thensfurth ordened hym to be schewere and beyrer of ylle tythynges. Of wyche fable this mey be the exposicioun: that the servaunt of some prince or other grett estate mey report unto hym suyche tythynges wyche mey hym cause t’avoyde hys service, or have some other importable chaunge or hurt wherby he mey be undon forever afture. And therfore seyth prudence unto every good knyght that he be no berer of no tythynges lest that he repent hyt, and alsoe that he beleve non suyche sodeyn tythynges reported to hym for flaterye. Wherto accordyng seyth the philosophre Hermes, “The reporter or fynder of new tythynges, outher he is fals to hym to whom he reportyth hem or els to hym of whom he reportyth hem.” Moralyté       Corinis wyche oweth nott to be sleyn mey be morally understand mannes soule, wyche oweth nott to be sleyn throughe synne but to be suerly kept fro synne. For as seyth Seynt Austyn, “The soule oweth to be kept as a cofre full of tresour, or as a castell beseged with enemyes, and alsoe lyke as a kyng restyng in hys chaumbre, wyche chaumbre oweth to be closed or schett with five gates, wyche be understand the five wyttes of man, by wyche closyng or schyttyng is no more understand butt the withdrawyng fro the delectacioun of the five wyttes. And as a kyng or a prince, when he wyll goo owte of hys chaumbre hathe huschers before hym, havyng ther yardes in ther hand before hym, makyng wey in the prees of the people, ryght soo oweth the soule, when he schall issue owt of any of those same gates to see, heer, speke, or feele, to have drede before hym for hys uschere, wyche oweth to have and hold the yard of consideracioun of the ferefull peynes of hell and of the jugement of God, and then he to come oute after by good deliberacioun and sad discrescioun, 3demurely and resonably, to hys operaciouns owtward.” And so oweth mannys soule wysely and warely to be kept, as seyth the wyse man Salomon in hys Proverbes in this wyse, “Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quoniam ex ipso vita procedit.”

 

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Chapter 49: Juno Texte Gyve not thine intent so mykle to Juno That thou for hyr love leve purchace of prowes, For then wyll reproche growe to theeward sooe That schame schall thee smert and put in hevynes. Wherfore weyve outragiose desyre of ryches, For lyke as better is the kernell then shyll, Ryght soo excedyth honour all havour, good and ille.

greatly forgo the acquistion of noble deeds avoid than shell; (see note) wealth; (see note)

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Glose       Juno is the goddes of haveour and ryches after the fable of poetz. And fore as myche as worldly haveour and ryches to gete requireth grett studye, laboure, and traveyle, wyche studye and labour myghte soone turne a knyght fro sekyng of honour and prowes of armez, wyche prowes and honour excedyth in valew ryches, as the kernell of a nutte excedythe in valew the schyll therof, therfore seyth prudence to every good knyght that he sette nott hys felicité so myche in getyng of ryches that he leve the pursute of armes. And to this purpose seyth thus the philosophe Hermes, “Better is poverté doyng good deedes then ryches untrewly goten, for honour is perpetuell and ryches transitorye.” Moralyté       Juno, of whom the knyght schold take no regard, is understand werldly good or ryches, wyche mannes soule schold specially dispise, wherfore seyth the hooly man Seynt Barnard in this wyse, “O ye chyldren of Adam, lynage covetose, wherfore love yow so myche werldly ryches, wyche be nother verey duryng ne verrely yours? For weyther yow wyll or nott, you schall leve them and departe fro them when you dye.” And alsoe oure Lord God seyth in the Gospell that lyghtlyer mey the camell goo thoro the eye of a nedle then the ryche man to entre the kyngdom of heven, for the camell hathe butt on boosse of hys bake to lett hys eentré, butt the ryche man hathe two boosches, oon of possescioun of werldly ryches and another of synnez. That oon of hem he schal leve at hys deth, but that other he schall beyre with hym, wether he wyll or nott, butt yf he leve hytt in hys lyffyng. To wyche intent seyth thus our Lord in the Gospell, “Facilius est camelum per foramen acus transire, quam divitem intrare in regnum celorum.”

 

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Chapter 50: Amphiaraus Texte Ageyn the holsom conceyll of oold Amphoras Goo nott to distroye Thebes the cytté, Nor assemble ooste, lest thou sey, “Alas! Had I wyst byfore, thus schold hyt not have be.” Who revoketh that is past, to late calleth he. Better is at the fyrst concell for to take Then after to repent, when hytt is to late.

(see note) an army (host) known (see note)

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Glose       Amphoras was a grett clerke of the cytté of Arges and a profound, conyng man in all maner of scyence, and when the Kyng Adrastus purposed hym toward the cytté of Thebes with hys armee to destroye the cyté, this gret clerk Amphoras, wyche understode by hys conyng whatt schold fall of that journee, avysed the kyng that he schold not goe thyder, | for yf he dyde, he schold be sleyn and destroyed, he and all hys people. Nevertheles, he was nott beleved, butt he kept furth hys journee, and so hytt fortuned the kyng was sleyn and overthrooen and destroyed like as Amphoras had seyd and told byfore. And for that cause seyth prudence to every good knyght that ageyn the counseyll of oold Amphoras, he goo nott to destroye Thebes nor assemble no ooste, that is to understand, that he take uppon hym no grett entreprise ageyn the conseyll of oold sage men and wyse clerkes. Butt as seyth the philosophe Solin, “The conceyll of a wyse man is lytle profytable to hym that wyl not use hytt.” Moralyté       By the counceyll of Amphoras, ageyn wyche the good knyght schold nott doo, mey morally be understand the hooly doctrine of the prechoure of the woord of God wyche mannys soule oweth to foulo and kepe in all that he mey, and natt to doo ageyn in no wyse. For as seyth Seynt Gregore in hys Omelyes that, as the lyffe of mannes body is nott susteyned butt by takyng of bodely foode and sustenaunce, ryght so the lyff of the soule mey nott be susteyned withowt heryng of the woord of God, for the woorde of God that is herd with the bodely eere fedyth the gostely mannes soule yf hyt abyde therinne, for the soule that abydeth nor reteygneth nott the woord of God is lyke to a seke stomake that mey nott dygest butt voydeth upp ageyn by vomete the mete afore reteyned. And as hyt is dispeyre of the lyffe of that boody that may nott brouke nor kepe the meyte that he receyveth butt voydeth hytt upward ageyn, ryght soo is that soule in perell of everlastyng deth that hereth the hooly woorde of God and withholdyth hytt nott nor puttyth hytt nott in use of werkyng. And therfore seyth our blessed Saveour Jhesu Cryst in the Gospell thus, “Non in solo pane vivit homo, set in omni verbo, quod procedit de ore Dei.”

 

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Chapter 51: Saturn’s Speech Texte Lete the god Saturne have the governaunz Evermore of thi tong, and hyt ey withdrawe From all langage odiose, and that schall enhaunce And magnefye thyn honoure in the erthely law. Overmykle speche is nott wurth an haw, For thou meyst lerne in wyse mennes scole That by mykle talkyng thou schalt know a foole.

(see note); (t-note) Excessive; trifle (t-note) excessive; (see note)

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Glose       Saturnus, as hyt is seyd befor, is a planett slow of mevyng in hys course and in hys naturall wyrkyng sadde and stable, wherfore seyth Othea to Ectour that Saturne have the governance of hys tonge, wyche is to understand that he be nott hasty ne rakle of langage, nor that he use nott overmycle speche, by wyche folye mey be counted in hym. For as seyth a sage phillosophre, “By speche is the wyse man and by the looke the foole knowen.” Moralyté       Whereas hytt is seyd that Saturne schold have the governaunz of the tong is morally to understand that a man schold be well avysed and sad in all hys langage, nother bakbytyng nor sclanderyng nor otherwyse ylle-spekyng of any man, nor utteryng moore langage then nede requireth and reson askyth. For as seyth the doctour Hew of Seynt Victour that the mowthe that takyth no heed of discrescioun is lyke a cyté withowt walles, as a vessell withowte a keveryng, as a hors withowte a brydell, and as a schypp withowte a governoure. A rakell tong glydeth slypper as an eele, hyt thyrleth as an arow, it withdraweth freindes and multeplyeth enemyes, hyt engendryth debate and soweth discord, and at oon stroke it smyteth and sleeth many persons. Whoo kepyth hys tong, he kepyth hys soule, for lyff and deth be in the pourer of the tong. Wherfore seyth thus the prophete David in the Sawtere, “Quis est homo qui vult vitam, diligit dies videre bonos? Proibe linguam tuam a malo, et labia tua ne loquantur dolum.”

 

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Chapter 52: Phoebus’s Raven and Pallas’s Crow Texte Beleve and remembre the conceyll of the crowe, And of no novelry be never messangeere To no maner estat, nother hye ne lowe. Beyr thou never tythynges neyther ferre nor neere. Ofte is the beyrer of tythynges in daungere, And sumtyme hytt happythe, be he never so cranke, That he hathe for hys labour a messer of lytle thanke.

(see note) (t-note) reports confident; (see note) measure

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Glose       Poetes tell under coverture of fable that the crow mett with the raven when he bare the tythynges to Phebus of hys love Corynys, wherfore he seyd to the raven that he had gretly mysdoon and gave the ravene ensaumple by hymselfe and seyd that for a mater lyke, he was driven owte of the house of the goddes Pallas and voyded from hyr servyse, where he was before woonte to be well cherysched and gretly avaunced. But the ravene wold not beleve the seyng of the crowe, wherfor after fyll the grett myschyef of the deth of Corynis, as is told before. And therfore seyth prudence to the good knyght that he beleve and remembre the conceyl of the crowe, to wyche purpose seyth Plato, “Be thou no jangler nor gret reporter of tythynges to kyng nor prynce.” Moralyté       Wheer hytt is seyd that the good knyght schold beleve the crowe mey morally be understand that mannys soule oweth to beleve and have good counceyle. For as seyth Seynt Gregorye in the Morales that strenghte is noght wurthe | wher counceyll is nott, for strengthe is soone abated yf hytt be nott guyded by counceyll, and the soule that hathe loste withinne hytt the seete of counceyll withowtfurth leseth hytselfe in diverse desyres. And therfor seyth thus the wyse man Salomon, “Si intraverit sapiencia cor tuum, consilium custodiet te et prudencia servabit te.”

 

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Chapter 53: Ganymede Texte Never with thi bettre coveyte for to deele In ernest nor in game pleying folyly. Lewd and veyn presumpcioun hathe overthrowen feell. Thowgh thi bettre suffre thee, yett deell curteysely. As resoun requireth, forbeyre hym reverently. Thi eye to Ganymedes have alwey regard, For hys grett presumpcioun, what was hys reward

Seriously or lightheartedly; (see note) many permit endure (see note)

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Glose       Ganymedes was a yong man come of Troyan lyne, and as the fable of poetz seyth, Phebus and he stroyffe togeyder for kestyng of the berre of yren, and thoghe Ganymedes was strong, yett hys strengthe was nott to be compared to the strengthe of Phebus. Wherfore hytt fortuned he was sleyne be the reboundyng of the berre wyche Phebus had kest soo hye that Ganymedes had lost the syght therof. And therfore seyth Othea to Ectour that he presume not folyly to deele with hys strenger or hys bettre, for in stryffe with a mannes bettre cometh never butt inconvenience. And to that purpose seyt a sage philosophe, “To pleye with unhappy men ungraciose pleyes is a sygne of pride, and hytt endyth comonly in angre or wrathe.” Moralyté       Where hytt is seyd that a man schold not deele ne compare with hys better or hys strenger mey morally be understand that man schold nott take uppon hym over-grett penaunce withowte counceyle, to wyche accordyth Seynt Gregorye in hys Moralez, wher he seyth thus that penaunce profyteth not yf hytt be nott discrete, nor the verteu of abstinence is noght wurthe yf hytt be take more scharpe and herd then the body mey suffre. Weruppon he concludyth that no symple persoun schold take penaunce uppon hym withowte conceyle of a moore discrete person then he is hymselfe. Wherfor seyth thus the wyse Salamon in hys Proverbes, “Ubi multa sunt concilia ibi erit salus.” And alsoe, “Omnia fac concilio, et postea non penitebis.”

 

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Chapter 54: Jason and Medea Texte Looke thou resemble nott Jasoun in no wyse, Wyche by Medea had the flees of gold, Whoose untrouthe and doublenes al knyghtes dispyse, Wyche is so horreble hytt mey not be told. A good dede, of verrey ryght, another have wold Doon ageyn therfore, but he dyd the contrarye. Hys unkynd doublenes caused hym to varye.

(see note) diverge from expectations

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Glose       Jasoun was a knyght of Greece wyche went into the yle of Colchos by the labour and mevyng of hys uncle Peleus, wyche thorow envye desyred hys deth. In that yle of Colchos was a scheep wyche had a flees of gold uppon hyt, and this schepe was kept be sotle crafte of enchauntment, in so myche that every knyght that came thydre to conquere and gete that flees of golde lost hys lyff therfore. And when Jasoun was come into the yle to gete the flees, Medea, the kynges doughter of the same yle, had and gave so grett love unto Jasoun that, by suyche enchauntementz as sche coude, sche lerned hym suyche enchauntementz and charmez that therthroughe he conquered the flees of gold and had a synguler wurschyp over all knyghtes that tyme by reson of the same. And so was hys lyve saved by Medea, to whome he promysed therfore to be trew and feythfull lovere forever after, butt after, he forsooke her and loved another, unkyndly and contrarie to trouthe, how be hyt that sche was sovereygnly bewteose. Werfore seyth Othea unto Ectour that he be nott lyke Jasoun wyche was unkynd and forgetefull of the grett kyndnes that Medea had schewed to hym. And for as myche as it is an inconvenient and a ungodely thyng in a knyght to be unkynd and forgetfull of suyche good deedes as have byn doon or schewed to hym by a lady or any other woman, weyther hyt be, wyche he oweth specially to remembre and reward ageyn to hys power, therfore seyth thus the philosophre Hermes, “Be not slow nor tarye not to reward hym that dothe well to thee, for thou owest ey to remembre hytt.” Moralyté       Jasoun that was unkynd oweth nott mannes soule to be lyke, that is to sey nott to be unkynd unto hys creatour butt ever to remembre and reward hym with thankyng for the grett benefytz and manyfold good dedes wyche he hathe schewed to hym. For as seyth Seynt Barnard uppon the Cantycles, that unkyndenes is enemye of the soule, lesser of vertews, destroyer of merytes, and leysere of al benefytes; unkyndnes is as a drye wynd wyche dryeth the well of pyté, the dew of grace, and the ryver of mercy. And to this purpose seyth Sapience in this wyse, “Ingrati enim spes tanquam hibernalis glacies tabescet, et disperiet tanquam aqua supervacua.”

 

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Chapter 55: Perseus and Gorgon (Medusa) Texte Beware eek of Gorgoun, the venimoyse serpent, That thou ne byhold hyr horreble fygure, And toward Perseus torne thin intent, Remembryng how he, by sotyll conjecture Of wysedom, conquered that lothely creature. Hys steppis loke thou foulo as neer as thou can, Wyche wyll cause thee to be dred of best, foule, and man.

(see note) planning feared by beast, bird; (t-note)

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Glose       Gorgoun, as sey poetz, was a yong woman of grett bewté, and for so myche as Phebus ley by hyr in Dyanes temple, the goddes Dyane was wrathe and for angre transformed this woman Gorgoun into the forme of a horreble serpent, and in that transformyng sche gave the serpent suyche propreté that whosoever beheld this serpent schuld sodeynly be turned into a stoone. And for the grett people that was, by beholdyng of that serpent, soo destroyed, the noble knyght Perseus went for to fyght with this serpent and destroye hytt. And for he schold nott behold hytt, he made hys scheeld all of gold that he merveled so myche in the bryghtnes therof that he beheld nott the serpent, how be hytt through hys manhood he slowghe the serpent and smote offe the hed therof. Many diverse exposiciouns mey be unto this fable, for by Gorgoun mey be understand a cyté or a town wyche sumtyme stode, and in grett wurschyp and favour, and throughe viciose lyvyng and evyll guydyng of the inhabitauntz and dwellers withinne hytt, it is come to grett reprove and dispyte, wyche is understand by the venemose serpent. That is to sey, as the beholdyng of the serpent hathe destroyed many men and turned them into stoon, ryght soe the rewlers of that cyté or town have do many grett hurtez to theyr neybours, merchyng to them withoute the cyté, as robbed hem, pylled hem, or peraventure prisoned hem streytly withoute cause, wyche hathe brought them to noght, and so be thei chaunged into a stoon. Perseus, wyche is understand by a kyng or sum other prynce or grett estat of good condicioun, seyng the grett myschyef and confusyoun of men fall by this serpent, that is to sey fals rewlers of this cytté or town, goeth to destroye this serpent, that is to sey gothe to the reformacioun and redressyng of this myschyefus guydyng, and soo trewly and manly acquiteth hym that he destroyeth the myschevous lyvers and viciose guyders and takythe fro them the rewle of the cytté or town, lyke as Perseus smote off the serpentz hed, so that thei have no more power to do harme as thei dyd before. Gorgoun mey alsoe be a lady of grett bewté and of evell condicioun wyche, by her covetyse, disheretyth many and puttyth owte of hyre possescioun, and many other diverse exposiciouns mey be put to this fable. Wherfor seyth prudence to every good knyght that he bewar of beholdyng Gorgon the serpent, that is to sey, that he geve hys affeccioun nor love to nothing that mey be hys destruccioun or draw hym to ylle. Werfor seyth Aristotle, “Flee people ful of cursednes, and folow wyse men — studye in her bookes and merveyle in her dedes.” Moralyté       Thatt Gorgoun schold nott the knyght behold mey thus morally be understand that mannes soule oweth not to behold nor thynke on no worldly delytes, but merveyle of the bryghtnes of the scheld of the state of perfeccioun. And that worldly delytez be to eschew and be fled scheweth Seynt Jhon Crysostome, for he seyth, “As impossible as hytt is, fyre to brenne in the water, so impossible is hytt compunccioun of hert to be among worldly delytez, for thei be two thynges contrarye, of wyche that oon destroyeth that other. Compunccioun is moder of teeres and wepyng, and werldly delytez engendre laughyng. Compunccioun restreyneth the hert, and delytes enlarge hytt.” And therfore the Psalmyste seyth, “Qui seminant in lacrimis, in exultacione metent.”

 

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Chapter 56: Mars, Venus, and Vulcan Texte Yf thou to Venus geve any affeccioun Actually to serve hyre other dey or nyght, Sadly sett aboute thee suyche dyreccioun That Phebus espye thee nott with hys beames bryght. Tyme overslept hurteth many a wyght, And that can thi fader Mars well record, Whom Wlcan bond with Venus in hys brasen coorde.

Actively Diligently; regulation person; (see note) (see note) bound; brass

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Glose       The fable seyth that Mars and Venus loved togeydere as paramours, and so hytt fortuned on a tyme that thei ley togeyder arme in arme asleep, whom, when Phebus had espyed in that wyse, he accused them unto the god Wlcan, and when Wlcan saw them in that maner, he furthwith forged and made a grett cheyne of braas (as he wyche was chyeff ferrour of goddes and goddessez by whom were forged in the skye all thondrez and lyghtenynges), with wyche cheyne and coorde he bond them togeyder whyll thei slept that thei myght not meve that oon fro that other. And so he tooke them uppe and schewed them to the goddes and goddesses, at wyche syght many of the goddes and goddessez loughe and had a gret disport, wyche wold have vouchesafe with good wyll to have be take with that defaute. And for as myche as thei were rebuked and espyed by overslepyng of tyme, therfor seyth Othea to Ectour that, in whatt cas so ever he be, that he beware he overslepe nott hys tyme and that he sett suyche wache aboute hym that he be nott perceyved ne espyed. Wherfore seyth thus a sage philosophre, “Unethes is anythyng so secrett that it be nott of some man perceyved.” Moralyté       Where hytt is seyd that the knyght schold beware of espying oweth morally to be understand that mannes soule | oweth to beware of espyyng and aweyte of hys enemye the devell. Wherfore seyth Seynt Leon the Pope, “That oold enemye that transfigureth hymselfe into the lykenes of an angell of lyght cesseth never to profre the bond of hys temptaciouns and to espye where he mey breyke or corrupte the feyth of trew lyvyng people. He beholdyth where he mey embrase to the fyre of covetyse or where he mey enflame to the fyre of lecherye, and where he mey schew the temptaciouns of glotonye. Thus, he examineth all the customes, discusseth the hertez, and he casteth th’affeccioun and seketh and ransekyth every creature to whatt synne he is most naturally affecciounat and most diligently inclynyng.” Whefor seyth Seynt Peter th’Apostle, “Sobrii estote et vigilate: quia adversarius vester diabolus tanquam leo rugiens circuet, querens quem devoret.”

 

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Chapter 57: Thamaris Texte Disprase nott Thamaris, though sche a woman be. In artes marcyall, sche hathe hyr well acquete. Thowgh hyt be nott syttyng to virginité Armour for to weyre, yett hathe sche used hytt. By the prudent polecy of hyre profound wytte, Kyng Cyrus was sleyn, wyche many a regyoun Conquered had and brought under hys subjeccioun.

military; acquit herself suitable; (t-note) (t-note) control

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Glose       Thamaris was qween of Amasone or Femynye, wyche was a wyse lady and a bold herted, ryght sotyll in armes and governaunz of werre. Cyrus, the gret kyng of Perse wyche had conquered many a regyoun, cam with a gret host to werre on the land of Femynye, werof he sett at noght the strengthe, but the Qween Thamaris, wyche was expert in armes and sotle of werre, suffred hym to entre hyre realme to he and hys people were feyn to forsake ther hors to passe bytween two grett mounteygnes where the qween had leyd hyre boyschementes, wyche assauted soo Cyrus and hys people in that stregte passage that the kyng was taken and hys people taken and sleyn. And when Cyrus was takyn, the qween commanded hym to be byhedyd and the hed to be cast in a barell wyche was full of the blode of hys lordes, wyche had byn byhedyd byfore hym. And when this was doon, sche seyd to the hed in this wyse, “Oo, thou Cyrus, wyche never was fulfylled ne saciate of mannes blode, thou meyst drynke thi fylle.” And so endyd Cyrus the myghty kyng of Perse, wyche was never before discomfetyd. Therfore seyth prudence to Ectour that he disprase nor dispyse not the myght or strengthe of any lesse then he is, lest by any infortune he hap to be rebuked therby. And therfor seyth the philosophre Plato, “Disprase no man for hys lytle strengthe, for thof he have no grett bodely strengthe, hys verteus mey be grett.” Moralyté       Thamaris wyche the good knyght oweth nott to disprase nor dispyse mey morally be understand the vertew of humilité and mekenes, wyche mannes soule oweth not to dispise nor hate. For as seyth Seynt Jhon Cassyan, “The edificacioun or byldyng of vertews mey in no wyse stand in mannes soule but yf humilité be foundacioun and fyrst ground therof, and yf hyt be the foundacioun, then mey the hye noble werke of perfeccioun and of charyté stedfastly stand and endur.” And for that cause seyth thus the wyse man Salomon, “Quanto maior es, humilia te ipsum in omnibus, et coram Deo invenies graciam.”

 

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Chapter 58: Medea Texte Lett never thi wyll overcome thi wytte In weell or woo, wether that thou bee. Certeyn, yf hyt doo, thou schalt repent hytt, And in this mater, yf thou beleve nott me, For a cleer example, remembre Medee, Wyche lett hyr wyl byyond hyr wytte passe, And that caused hyr after ofte to syng, “Alas!”

(carnal) desires; (see note) good times or bad, whichever; (t-note) (see note); (t-note) (t-note)

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Glose       Medee was doughter unto the kyng of Colchos, and as storyes tell, sche was oon of the kunyngest wymen in sorcerye that were in hyre deys, how be hytt notwithstandyng that sche suffred Jasoun the Greke to have hys intent of her in foly love and sett her hert fully uppon hym and gave hym grett ryches and caused hym to conquere the flees of gold, wyche was to hym a synguler honour above all other knyghtes. Wyche Jasoun afterward rewarded hyr ageyn full evyll therfore, for lyke an untrew lover, he forsoke her and loved another. Wherfor seyth Othea unto Ectour that Medee be hys example, and in what cas so ever he be, that he lett never hys wyll overcome hys wytte. Wherfor seyth Plato, “A man of lyght corage forsaketh sone that he loveth.” Moralyté       Where hytt is seyd that wyll schold not overcome wytte mey morally be take that a man schold not suffre hys wyll, that is to sey the wyll of the flesch, to overcome hys wytte, that is to sey hys soule, for the wyll of the flesche striveth ageyn God and maketh man rebell to al godenes, for selfwyl, as seyth Scripture, despoyleth paradyse and stuffeth hell and forgeteth hys creatour and makythe the world suggett to the servyse of the devell. And therfor seyth Salomon in this wyse, “Virga atque correccio tribuent sapienciam: puer autem qui dimittitur proprie voluntati confundet matrem suam.”

 

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Chapter 59: Galatea and Acis Texte Yf thou desyre suggett for to bee To god Cupydo, beware in any wyse Of the grett geaunt that loved Galathe, Lest he thee make feyle of thin enterpryse, As he dyd Axis in a full cruell wyse. Whoo to Cupydo wyll hys service knytte Behoveth a waker eye about hym to sett.

(t-note) (t-note) attentive; (t-note)

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Glose       Galathe, as poetes tell, was a yong woman wyche loved a yong man called Axis. So hyt fortuned a grett geaunt loved this goddes Galathe, and sche disdeyned to love hym ageyn, wyche caused hym to have grett jelosye bytween Axis and her in so myche that he espyed them togeyder in a cravers of a rokke of the see, wyche caused hym sodeynly in grett wrathe to go to the rokke and schake hyt in suche wyse that, for verrey pure drede, the yong man Axis dyed in the rokke, but Galathe, thoro her goddesly pourer, skypped into the see and so escaped. And therfor byddyth prudence Ectour that he bewar in suche cas that he be not espyed of hym that aweytyth hym. Moralyté       Where hyt is seyd that he that is goven to Cupyde beware of the geaunt is thus morally to understand that mannes soule oweth to beware that hyt have non ymaginacioun of felicité in worldly thynges but allwey thynk that al worldly thynges be not durable. For as seyth Seynt Jerome uppon Jeremye, that all werldly thynges, dure thei never so longe, and al our tyme here, lyve we never so long, mey be sett and accounted at nought in comparisoun of the lyff everlastyng that is to come. Werfore seyth thus the wyse man Salomon, “Transierunt omnia sicut umbra, et tanquam nuncius percurrens.”

 

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Chapter 60: Discord Texte Flee fro Discord the cruell goddes As thou purposest to stand in my grace. Who that her loveth is ey in hevynes. She is hys eend when sche hathe tyme and space. The feest of Pelleus, kept in hys royall place, Was by her troubled among the goddessez all, Wyche after caused the seege of Troye to fall.

(see note) remain palace happen

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Glose       Discord, poetes sey, is goddes of myschyef, and, as the fable telleth, when Pelleus maryed the goddes Thetes (wyche after was moder to Achilles), Jupiter and all the goddes and goddessez cam to that mareage, but the goddes Discord was not desyred nor boden thyder. And therfor, withowte desyre or byddyng, as envyous, sche cam thyder, and as thei sate at dyner at the table — the grett goddes Pallas, Juno, and Venus — came the goddes Discord and kest an apple of gold uppon the boord, weron was wryte thes wordes, “Be it geven to the feyrest.” Wyche apple caused trouble and varyaunce at that feeste, for everyche of the thre goddessez susteyned and thought to have the apple, so all thre came byfore Jupyter t’abyde hys jugement in this variaunce, and he, ful lothe to displese any of hem, putt the jugement uppon Pares of Troye, wyche that tyme was a schepard, for as myche as hys moder dremed, when sche was grett with chyld with hym, that he schold be cause of the destruccioun of Troye, and therfore he was sent to a scheparde into the foreste, supposyng to Parys that he had be the schephardes sone. Butt when the god Mercurius, wyche condyghted the thre goddessez thyder, had told hym whose sone he was, he went to Troye to hys freindes. Thus wytnesseth the tale of the verrey storye putt under coverture of fable, of wyche jugement fell afterward the seege and destruccioun of Troye. And for as myche as oftyme falleth grett myscheff by discord and debate, and alsoe hyt is full unsyttyng to wurschyp to be debatose and discordyng, therfor seyth Othea to the good knyght that he flee discorde. And therto accordyng seyth thus the philosophre Pytagoras, “Goo nott by the wey where hate growe.” Moralyté       That Discord oweth the good knyght for to flee mey thus morally be take that mannes soule oweth to flee all blemesch of conscience, wherfor seyth thus Cassyodre uppon the Psalter that suffreynly oweth man strive and debate to fle, for to strive with hys felow is wodenes, with hys better or sovereygn is grett folye, and with hys sugget, schame. Therfor seyth Seynt Paule, “Non in contencione et emulacione, etc.”

 

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Chapter 61: Laomedon’s Death Texte Kepe well in mynd and alwe take good heed Geyn whom thou hast doon any maner offence. He wyll hytt yeld yf that he mey spede Of hys entent. Wherfore geve credence To this epystle, and doo thi diligence Eye to be reydy when he thee wyll assawte. Thy grandsyre Leomedoun was take in this defaute.

Immediately succeed Always

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Glose       Laomedoun, as is seyd before, was kyng of Troye, and gret dispyte and schame had he doon to the barons of Grece — Jasoun, Hercules and other — as thei went toward the ile of Cholcos, wyche schame and despyte was not forgeten of them, for thei came uppon hym after with a grett arme when he had forgeten hyt, and toke hym all dispurveyd, and slow and destroyed hym and hys contré. And therfor seyth prudence to the good knyght that he beware of hym whom he hathe offendyd, for he mey be certeyn he wyll avenge hit when he mey and hath space. Therfor seyth Hermes, “Beware that thi enemyes take thee not dispurveyd.” Moralyté       That the good knyght oweth nott to forgete hym whom he hathe offendyd mey morally be take that mans soule, felyng the selfe wounded with synne for defaute of resistence, oweth to thynke on God whom he hath offendyd and remembre the ponyschment that schal come therfore, as perpetuelly dampnacioun, yf he amend not. For as seyth Seynt Gregore, “The ryghtwysenes of God cometh esely and smyteth softe in this world, butt in tyme to come, it schall recompense the moore grevously, and then schal mercy tary of here intent.” Wherfore seyth the prophete Joell in this wyse, “Cito reddam vicissitudinem vobis super capud vestrum.”

 

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Chapter 62: Semele Texte Yf thou thi love on any woman sett, Beware, I thee conseyll, to whom thee brekest thin hert. Such oon mey hyt know that wyll thi purpose lett And chaung thi mery thoughtes into syghez smert. Wherfore, or thou puplysch, in thi mynd adverte To whom thou meyst secretly declare thin intent, And do not as Semele dyd, lest thou hyt repent.

open painful sighs before you publicize it; consider (see note)

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Glose       The fable seyth that Semele was a meyd whom Jupiter loved paramour. Juno, wyf unto Jupiter, wyche had jelousye of that love, came to Semele in lykenes of an old woman, and by the mene of feyre langage, sche knew al the love bytwen her and Jupiter in so myche that sche, for pure joye, avaunted hereselfe that sche had suyche a lover. Then Juno seyd that hyt was but disceyte, al that he dyd to here, for he schewed hyr nothyng of hertely love, but Juno bad her when he came next to here, that sche schold require hym of a boone, and when he had fully promysed and graunted hyt her, that sche schold desyre of hym to clyppe and to enbrase her as he dyd hys wyff the goddes Juno, when he was in hys solas with here. And by that manere seyd Juno to Semell that sche schold know the herty love of Jupyter, wyche boone Semele forgate nott, and in lyke wyse desyred of Jupiter as Juno had beed her, and when Jupiter had graunted to her the boone, he was sory in as myche as he knew well sche was deceyved, and he, beyng a god, myght not call ageyn hys jugement ne breyke hys promes. And so took Jupiter the lykenes of fyre and enbrased Semele so fervently that in schort space sche was brent and consumed, for wyche aventure Jupiter was ful hevy. Many exposiciouns mey be unto this fable, and for as myche as disceyte growes many weys by inordinate love, as hyt dyd to Semele, therfor seyth prudence to the good knyght that he beware to whom he telleth hys counceyle or breykyth hys hert, for by the circumstances a man mey know th’effectes of thynges. And therfor seyth the philosophre Hermes, “Shew not the secretes of thi hert but to them whom thou hast well proved.” Moralyté       That the good knyght oweth to beware to whom he tellyth hys counceyll mey morally be understand that mannes soule, whatso hys thoughtes bee, oweth to beware to fall in suspecioun of any other. As seyth Seynt Austyn, “We owe not only to sett oure charge to have a good conscience but alsoe, as fer as our frelnes of nature wyl geve us to be, we ow to beware we doo nothing wherof any ille suspeccioun mey come.” Wherfor seyth thus Seynt Paule th’Apostle, “In omnibus prebe te exemplum bonorum operum.”

 

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Chapter 63: Diana (Hunting) Texte Leve not thin affeccioun to Dianes disport Under suyche forme that thyn herte withdraw Fro pursewte of chivalrye, wyche is chyef comfort And honour unto knyghthood, for hyt kepyth in awe All other maner people that wold not geve a straw Whom thei displesed ne were that oonly. Wherfore, above other, love that sovereygnly. 7

Boast not about; (see note) high rank generosity Arachne (see note) weaving spider’s

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Glose       The fable seyth that Yraygnes was a yong woman wyche was ryght sotyll and cunnyng in the craftes of wevyng and spynnyng, of wyche cunnyng sche was so proude that sche avaunted herselfe, comparyng to Pallas the goddes. Wherfor the goddes, beyng wrothe with her grett presumpcioun, transformed her into the lykenes of a yreygn, and for the gret avaunte | of weyvyng and spynnyng, sche, of her goddesly poyer in here transformyng, gave her that sche schold ever after weve and spynne werke of no valew, and so of her came afterward all these yreygnes that weyve and spynne her webbes of no valeu, thus telleth the fable. By this fable mey be understand every woman that avaunteth herselfe ageyn her bettre, wherthoro sche hathe harme therby. Therfor seyth prudence to the good knyght that he avaunt nor boost not of anythyng, for hit is schamefull to a knyght and in lyke wyse to every wurschypfull man to be avauntour or boostere. Wherfor seyth thus the philosophre Plato, “When thou doost anythyng passyng another, beware that thou avaunt not thiselfe therof, for then schall the valew of thi deed be the lesse.” Moralyté       As the good knyght schold eschew and beware avauntyng, lykewyse mey morally be take that the soule of man beware of avauntyng of any good deed. For, as seyth Seynt Austyn, that avauntyng is no vice of prase of man, but hyt is a vice of the froward soule, wyche loveth the preyse of the werld and hatyth and dispyseth the trew wytnes of hys owne conscience. And to this purpos seyth the wyse man Salomon in this wyse, “Quid profuit nobis superbia? Aut diviciarum iactancia quid contulit nobis?”

 

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Chapter 64: Arachne Texte Avaunt not thiselfe of manhod, nor prowes, Cunnyng, bewté, strengthe, wytte, nor hye parage, Nor other geft of nature nor bounteose largesse, As Yraygnes the meyd dyd in her yong age Ageyn Pallas, comparyng in sotyll usage Of weyvyng and spynnyng, wyche caused the goddes Her to transforme to a yreygnes lykenes.

Boast not about high rank; (t-note) generosity Arachne weaving; (t-note) spider’s

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N N; T N N T

Glose       The fable seyth that Yraygnes was a yong woman wyche was ryght sotyll and cunnyng in the craftes of wevyng and spynnyng, of wyche cunnyng sche was so proude that sche avaunted herselfe, comparyng to Pallas the goddes. Wherfor the goddes, beyng wrothe with her grett presumpcioun, transformed her into the lykenes of a yreygn, and for the gret avaunte | of weyvyng and spynnyng, sche, of her goddesly poyer in here transformyng, gave her that sche schold ever after weve and spynne werke of no valew, and so of her came afterward all these yreygnes that weyve and spynne her webbes of no valeu, thus telleth the fable. By this fable mey be understand every woman that avaunteth herselfe ageyn her bettre, wherthoro sche hathe harme therby. Therfor seyth prudence to the good knyght that he avaunt nor boost not of anythyng, for hit is schamefull to a knyght and in lyke wyse to every wurschypfull man to be avauntour or boostere. Wherfor seyth thus the philosophre Plato, “When thou doost anythyng passyng another, beware that thou avaunt not thiselfe therof, for then schall the valew of thi deed be the lesse.” Moralyté       As the good knyght schold eschew and beware avauntyng, lykewyse mey morally be take that the soule of man beware of avauntyng of any good deed. For, as seyth Seynt Austyn, that avauntyng is no vice of prase of man, but hyt is a vice of the froward soule, wyche loveth the preyse of the werld and hatyth and dispyseth the trew wytnes of hys owne conscience. And to this purpos seyth the wyse man Salomon in this wyse, “Quid profuit nobis superbia? Aut diviciarum iactancia quid contulit nobis?”

 

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Chapter 65: Adonis Texte Yf any grett desyre unto venerye Grow in thi mynd, plesure therin to take, Remembre of Adonius the lamentable storye, And that wyl hyt cause fro thin hert aslake: How he of a wyld boore was sleyn and all to-schake. Many another juperdous sodeyn aventure Meyst thou reed of huntyng and see in portrature.

hunting (see note) to subside; (see note) shaken apart; (see note); (t-note) dangerous, hasty misfortune portrayed

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T T N; T N N; T N; T

Glose       Adonius was a yong man wych Venus loved paramour, and for as myche as he delyted sore in huntyng, Venus dowted lest that sum misaventure myght fall to hym therby. Wherfor sche oft praed hym to beware he hunted no wyld beest, but Adonius, takyng no heed of her requeste nor praere, hunted a wyld boore, wyche slew hym and al torent hym asondre. And for as myche as many inconveniences fall ofte by huntyng, as dyd to this Adonius, therfore seyth Othea to Ectour that he remembre the lamentable storye of Adonius to beware of all suyche huntyng or other game, wherby any hurte mey grow to hym. And therfore seyth thus Sedechye the prophete that a kyng schold not suffre hys sone to use huntyng overmyche or other games of ydelnes, but he schold doo hym be taught and be enformed in verteus and to flee and eschew vicez and all vanitez. Moralyté       That Adonius schold be remembryd mey morally be understand that a synfull soule schold remembre and be in drede of perseveranz in the same synne, wyche drede myght cause hym to leve hyt. For as seyth Seynt Peter th’Apostle, that as long as man is in synne, he is the servaunt of corrupcioun, and hys gostely enemye hath pouer over hym. Wherto accordyth Seynt Jhon in th’Apocalipse saying, “Data est bestie potestas in omnem tribum et populum.”

 

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Chapter 66: First Destruction of Troy Texte When thy mortall fooez thee purpose to asseyle, Beware that thou issue nott owte of thi cytté With soo grett an ooste that the cytté feyle People to defend hyt in necescité. Remembre of Laomedoun the symplicité, How he went owt of Troye and left the cytté baare Of men, wherthoro Thelamon brought it al in care.

(see note) lacks ignorance to misfortune

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N N T T T N; T; T T

Glose       When Hercules with hys grett arme came fyrst uppon Troye, and Leomedon, that tyme beyng kyng of Troye, herd of ther comyng, he assembled and toke all the people that he myght have withinne the cytté and went agen them to the cooste where thei schold arive and gave hem bateyll, and so he left the cytté destitute and voyd of people. That seyng, Thelamon the Greke, wyche ley prively under the wallez of the cytté with a grett buschement of people, that the kyng was gon and the cyté laft bare, entred the cytté with hys people and destroyed and despoyled hyt, and so was the fyrst Troye take. Therfor seyth Othea to Ectour that he beware that by suyche foly he be nott deceyved of hys enemyes. Herto accordyth the philosophre Hermes seyng, “Beware of th’aweyte of thi enemye.” Moralyté       Wher hyt is seyd that the good knyght schold beware of hys enemyes asseyle, that hys cyté be not lefte bare nor voyde of people, oweth morally to be understand that mannes soule oweth to beware alweys that hyt be fulfylled with verteus to resiste the malice of hys adversarye the devell in tyme of need. For Seynt Austeyn seyth, “As men of armez in tyme of werre despoyle not themselfe nor do not off ther armour, dey nor nyght, duryng the tyme of werre, ryght soo oweth mannes soule never be voyd of verteus duryng the tyme of this present lyffe, for the soule that the devell fyndeth voyde of vertues is as the man of werre that hys enemy fyndyth unarmed.” Therfor seyth oure Lord in the Gospell, “Fortis armatus custodit atrium suum.”

 

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Chapter 67: Orpheus’s Music Texte Attend not overmycle to the armonye Of Orpheus harpe, whose joyfull mery sounde Makyth foules of ther flyght stynt sodeynly And venemose serpentes to come owte of the ground For the plesaunt melodye that thei therin have found. Lytle need hath he to geve attendaunce To any suyche instrumentes, that wyll hymselfe avaunce. 8

harmony (see note) birds; stop; (t-note)

8 fol. 85v 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

T N; N T N T N T N T T N N

Glose       Orpheus was a poete, and, as the fable tellyth, he pleyd soe melodiously and swetly on the harpe that rynnyng waters stynted of her cours, | and wyld serpentes forgate the cruelté of ther nature, and fowles left ther flyght to lysten the mellodius sownd of the harpe, wyche is no mor to understand but that he harped so plesauntly that all maner of peple delyted in hys harpyng, of what condicioun so ever thei were. And for as myche that suyche instrumentes many tymez cause mennes hertz to fonne in mer delytyng therinne, therfore seyth prudence to the good knyght that he schold not attend overmyche to the armonye of Orpheus harpe, wyche is to understand that no chivalrous knyght schold delyte overmyche in ony sounde of instrument nor ydle ocupacioun. For as scripture seyth, “The sounde of the instrument is the meyte of the devel.” Therfor Plato seyth, “He that settyth al hys plesur in worldly delytes is more bounde then a villeyn or bondman of body.” Moralyté       By the harpe of Orpheus mey morally be understand worldly freindes or felauschyp of whose cumpanye or whose love mannes soule schold not gretly delyte. For as seyth Seynt Austyn, “Less is the solatorye lyver prikked with the thorne of fleschly desyre, wyche hauntyth not among the welthes nor lustez of the flesch, and lesse encombred is he with the grevans of covetyse that seeth not the ryches of the world then he that deyly useth hys fleschly desyre and seeth contynuelly werldly ryches.” To wyche accordyng seyth thus the prophete David in the Psaultere, “Vigilavi, et factus sum sicut passer solitarius in tecto.”

 

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Chapter 68: Paris’s Dream Texte Ground never thi enterprise uppon no visioun Yf thou purpose to opteyne thin intent. Dreemes among wyse men be counted for illusioun, And yett have dreemes caused mycle blod be spent. Parys, trustyng on hys dreeme, into Grece went And ravysched ther Eleyn, as thou knowest well, Wyche hathe oftsythe made Fortune turne her wheele.

Base deception too much (see note) often

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N N

Glose       For as myche as Pares, son to Priamus kyng of Troye, uppon a nyght had dremed that he schold ravysch Eleyn in Grece, ther was made a grett armee and sent with Paris from Troye into Grece, where Parys ravysched the same Eleyn, for wyche ravyschement come after uppon Troye all the poyer of Grece, of wyche cuntré was Achilles, wyche poyar confounded the cytté of Troye and all the cuntré aboute it destroyed. Wherfor seyth Othea to Ectour that he schold never ground gret enterpryse uppon dreme, for ther mey fall therof gret myschyef and harme, lyke as fylle unto the cytté of Troye, for no grett entrepryse oweth to be take or doon withoute grett deliberacioun of sad conceyle. As seyth Plato, “Do thou never thing that thi wytte hathe not providyd before.” Moralyté       That no grett entreprise oweth to be take mey morally be understand that mannes soule oweth not to presume of hymselfe nor lyfte hymselfe into arrogaunce of pride for any grace geve to hym by God. For as seyth Seynt Gregore in hys Morales, “In foure maner of weys is schewed the arrogaunce of man: fyrst, when he ascriveth the verteus that he resceyveth of God to hymselfe; second, when he knoweth that he hathe them of God, he demyth and thynketh that he hathe well deserved them and that he hathe them for hys merete and deserte; thryd, when he avauntyth hymselfe of goodes that he hathe nott; and the fourthe is when he dispraseth other and desyreth the good that is in hym to be know of other.” Ageyns wyche vice of arrogaunce spekyth thus Salomon in hys Proverbes, “Arroganciam et superbiam et os bilingue detestor.”

 

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Chapter 69: Actaeon Texte Yf thou be to amerous on haukes or houndes, Thynk on gentle Antheon, what was hys eend, How hys meynee gave hym many woundis When he was transformed owte of hys own kynde. Hys houndes hym al torent, wenyng in ther mynd, As he appered to ther syght, that he had byn an hert. Through Dianes jugement, so was hys schape pervert.

(see note) retinue tore to pieces, thinking deer distorted

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T N; T N; T N N; T T N N T N; T T

Glose       Antheoun was a yong man ful curteyse and gentle of condicioun, and mycle he loved haukes and houndes and, as the fable telleth, that on a dey all alone he went on huntyng in the foorest or hys meyné wyste therof, and hyt fel the same dey the goddes Dyane hunted the same forest unto the houre of none, wyche goddes for the heete of the sonne went to bathe her in a well by the forest. And as sche was all nakyd among the ladyes and goddessez wyche served here, this yong man Antheoun, takyng no heed, sodeygnly came uppon her and saw the goddes all naked, wyche goddes for schame wex all reed and aschamed and was ryght hevy and soory therfore. Wherfor sche seyd to hym in this wyse, “For as myche as I knowe well that yonge men oftesythes avaunte and sumtyme lye of ladyes and gentlewomen, to the entent that thou schalt not avaunte that thou hast seen me nakyd, I take fro thee thi speche.” And in her angre sche cursed hym, werthoro he was chaunged and transformed to the lykenes of a wyld hert, so that in hym remeyned no more of hys manhood but onely hys understandyng, wyche caused hym to make myche souro. And for pure drede he fled awey by the thykke of the forest, wher, within a lytle whyle, hys own meyné with hys houndes had founde hym, wyche had long soughte hym by the forest; how be hyt, when thei found hym, thei knew hym nott. And so was Antheoun sleyn and al towounded with hys owne meyné and houndes, wyche or he dyed wept ful pytuosely before them and wold have asked grace yf he had poyer therto, and so ther began fyrst wepyng at deth, as the fable seyth. Th’exposicioun of this fable mey be many divers weys, for hyt mey be resembled to a yong man that geveth hymselfe to ydelnes and expendyth all hys godes in the plesure and delyte of hys bodye and in holdyng ydele meynee aboute hym, and | by hym hyt mey be seyd that Dyane hatyth hym, and he is destroyed of hys own meyné, as ofte hyt falleth such to come to poverté and sumtyme to gretter myschyef by suyche mysguydyng and foly. Wherfor seyth prudence to the good knyght that he thinke on Antheoun that he be not hurte and destroyed in that cas. Wherfor seyth a sage philosophre, “Ydlenes engendreth ygnoraunce and errour.” Moralyté       By Antheoun wyche bycame a hert mey morally be understand the trew penaunce doer, wyche is verrey repentaunt of hys synne and takyth uppon hym to fulfyll hys penaunce. Therfor seyth Seynt Austyn uppon the Sawter that penaunce is an eesy dede and a lyght charge, and hyt oweth nott to be cald a mannes charge but the dede of the flyght of a brydde, for as a bryd beyreth the charge of hys wynges uppon erth, wyche wynges beyr hym up in the eyre, ryght so the penaunce that we doo on erth bereth us up to heven. Wherfore seyth our Lord Jhesus in the Gospell, “Penetenciam agite: appropinquabit enim regnum celorum.”

 

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Chapter 70: Orpheus and Eurydice Texte Labour not nor traveyle to the infernall port For to seeke Erudice, as poetes tell That the poete Orpheus thyder dyd resorte With hys harpe melodiose to cesse the peynes fell. Yett for all hys melodye, thou meyst rede and spell, That he cowde nott speed therof hys intent, So desolate of confort home ageyn he went.

travel; (see note) (see note) go to that place stop the fierce punishment explain succeed

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T N N T N T N N T T N; T

Glose       Orpheus, the poet that harped so melodiosely, the fable telleth, maryed the feyr Erudice, wyche Erudice, the dey of her mareage, daunced baarfote desportyng her in a medow for the grett heete of the sonne, whom a schepherd espyyng desyred to have ravysched, and when sche saw hym come to herward, for feere sche fled, and in her fleyng, sche was stong in the toe with a serpent, wyche was hydden under an herbe, of wyche styngyng sche dyed within schort tyme after. Of wyche misaventure the poete Orpheus was full soory and hevy, butt when he saw no bettre, he took hys harpe and went to the gates of hell and beganne ther to harpe so pytuosely and sang therto so swetly that all the tormentours and officers of hell cessed of ther tormentrie to lysten the sound of the harpe. And namely Proserpyne the goddes of hell, wyche was meved with grett pyté, saw al the infernall officers cesse of ther tormentrise for the swete melodye of that harpe, and delyverd to this Orpheus hys wyff Erudice ageyn, uppon this conyng: that he schold goe furth byfore and sche foulo hym, withowte retornyng or lokyng abake, and yf he loke ageyn, sche schold retorne ageyn, and he to forgoe her forever withowte recover. And when he had her delyverd, he went furth, and sche fouloyd hym, but hys love was so fervent and hys hert so soore sett on her, that he forgate hys covnaunte and lokyd behynd hym after her, and then furthwith Erudice departed fro hym and went ageyn to hell and never after coude he have her ageyn. Many exposiciouns mey be to this fable, but generally mey be understand that he seketh Erudyce in hell that sechyth a thyng impossible. And therfor seyth prudence to the god knyght that he seke not Erudice in hell, wyche is to understand that he seketh not that is impossible to have. And herto accordyng seyth the wyse man Saloman, “Whatt folye is hyt to seke that thyng as is impossible to have.” Moralyté       That Erudice schold not be sought in hell mey morally be understand that mannes soule oweth not to require God to schew no thing miraculose nor mervelose, wyche is presumpcioun to tempte God in that wyse. And therfore seyth thus Seynt Austyn uppon the Gospell that the requeste or praer that a creature makyth to God is not herd when he desyreth a thyng he schold not doo, or a thyng werof ylle schold foulo yf igraunted hyt hym, or a thyng that schold hurte hys soule yf hyt were graunted. And therfore hyt cometh of the mercy of God that suyche thyng be nott graunted, as afterward ylle schold come or foulo of. Wherto accordyth Seynt James th’Apostle in hys epistle seyng, “Petitis, et non accipitis: eo quod male petatis.”

 

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Chapter 71: Achilles and Ulysses Texte To know good knyghtes, yf thou have desyre, Whos corage naturell is toward chivalrye, The prove of Achilles thee cleerly wyll inspyre How thou schall hem know bothe ferre and nye. Ulixes this mater can well testifye. Hytt was an old soth saw or than thou were borne: He gynneth soone to prykke that wyll be a thorne.

inclination testing near (see note) true saying before (see note)

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N N N T N T T N

Glose       The fable seyth that Achilles was soone to the goddes Thetes, and for as myche as sche knew her soone Achilles schold dye yf he haunted armez, for the gret love sche had to hym to save hym fro deth, sche lett hym be clothed lyke a meyde and made hym a noone in an abbey, so was he therto clothed lyke a noone unespyed. Another fable telleth that Pyrrus was engendred of hym uppon the doughter of Kyng Questrus. That tyme began the grett Troyan werres. Then the Grekys knew well by her lottez that them behoved to have Achilles, wherfor thei sought hym ferr aboute, but thei coude have no tythynges of hym, and when that sotyll Ulixes came to that abbey and coude not know wyche of hem was he, he toke rynges, wymplez, owches, and other jewelz, and therwith alsoe armure for werre with hym and cast them doun in the myddes of the place befor the nonnes and bad them chese of them what was to ther plesaunz. And then, as all thyng draweth to hys nature, the ladyes toke the jewels, and Achilles seysed the armour. That seyng Ulixes, he enbrased hym in hys armes and seyd hyt was he that he sought. And for as myche as it is more convenient to knyghtes to enclyne toward armez | and prowes than to any new devysez or unkyth straung conceytez wyche long to ladyes, therfore seyth prudence to the good knyght that by the prove of Achilles mey the good knyght be knowe, wherto accordyng seyth thus Leguroun, “The good knyghte is not know butt by hys armes.” And accordyng to the same seyth the philosophre Hermes, “Prove the man or thou have grett truste in hym.” Moralyté       Where hyt is seyd whoo desyreth to know good knyghtes mey be morally understand that almyghty God hys knyght oweth to be knowe by the armes of good werkes, wyche knyght must of verrey ryght be rewarded with the good. For as seythe Seynt Jerome in an epistle, “The ryghtwysenes of God, lyke as hyt leveth non ylle unponysched, so leveth hytt no good deed unrewarded. Wherfor the trew goddes knyght oweth to thynk no labour to hym harde, nor no tyme to hym long, whyl he abydeth everlastyng joye.” Accordyng to Paralipominon, “Confortamini, et non dissolvantur manus vestre: erit enim merces operi vestro.”

 

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Chapter 72: Atalanta Texte With feyre Athalanta strive not nor compare, Wyche in rennyng hath a grett prerogative. Her swyftnes hath brought many men in care. It longyth not to knyghthod with ladyes to strive. To doo so grett abusioun, presume never in thi lyve, And in especiall lerne this of me: Dele never with suyche thyng as longyth not to thee.

running; superiority shameful act

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T N N; N N

Glose       Athalanta was a lady of grett bewté wyche was desyred of many grett estate in mareage, but a proclamacioun was made that no man schold have hyr but yf he conquered her by swyftnes in rynnyng, and yf sche were swyfter then he, he schold dye therfore, and by this mene dyed myche people. By this Athalanta mey be take any thyng gretly covetyd of diverse persones wyche mey not be had withowte gret traveyle and laboure, and by the rennyng that sche made, the defence and resistence of the thyng so covetyd, and namely this fable mey be understand wher many make gret stryff withowte need. Wherfor seyth Othea to Ectour that he strive not nor dele with suyche stryve, and therfore seyth Thesaly in this wyse, “Thou owest to do that thyng that is moost profytable to the body and moost convenient to the soule, and flee the contrary.” Moralyté       That the good knyght schold not strive with Athalanta mey be understand morally that mannes soule schold nott gruche ageyn anythyng that the world doth, nor in whose governaunce hyt be. For as seyth Seynt Austyn in a pistle, “The world is more perilouse when hyt is swete unto creaturez then when hyt is scharp, but more schold a man hate hyt when hyt is to hym eesy then when it geveth hym occasioun to dispyse hytt.” Wherto accordeth Seynt Jhon Evangeliste seyng in this wyse, “Si quis diligit mundum, non est caritas Patris in eo.”

 

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Chapter 73: The Judgment of Paris Texte Do thou not lyke Paris in thi jugement, Wyche refused Pallas and Juno bothe tweyn, Gevyng unto Venus with all hys hole intent The apple of gold, as to the moost sovereygn Goddes of them thre, as hym thought certeyn. Wyche unwytty jugement made many a creature Bothe of Troye and Grece to dye, I thee ensure.

Who

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T N T T N T T T T N

Glose       The fable seyth that the thre goddessez, that is to sey, Pallas, goddes o kunnyng, Juno, the goddes of ryches, and Venus, the goddes of love, came before Paris, sone to the Kyng Priamus, wyche thre goddessez held an apple of gold bytween them, seyng thus, “Be this apple geven to the feyrest and myghtest goddes of us thre.” And everyche of hem thought themselfe best wurthy to have the apple. Then seyd Pallas in this wyse, “I am goddes of knyghthood and prowes of wysedam and kunnyng. By me be departed armes and wurschyp to knyghtes and kunnyng to clerkes, and yf thou geve me the apple, I schal make thee over all knyghtes chivalrous and kunnyng over all clerkis.” Then seyd Juno the goddes of ryches, “By me be departed the grett tresours of the world, and yf thou geve to me the apple, I schall make thee ryche and noble above all other men.” Then seyd Venus the goddes of love, “I am sche wyche hold the scole of love. I make wyse men fooles and foolez wyse men, ryche men pore and pore men ryche. Ther is non to my puyschaunz mey compare, and therfor, yf thou geve me the apple, I schall geve thee the love of feyr Eleyn of Grece that excedyth all other wurschyp and ryches in the world.” And when Pares had herd thus these thre goddessez, he refused honour of chivalrye, kunnyng, and ryches, and gave the apple unto Venus, settyng onely hys affeccioun to love, wyche caused afterward Troye to be destroyed. And for as myche as this grett myscheff cam through the symple and unavysed jugement of Pares, therfor seythe Othea to Ectour that he be not lyke Paris in hys jugement. And herto accordyng seyth thus the philosophre Pyctagoras, “The juge that jugeth not ryghtfully deserveth al ylle.” Moralyté       That the good knyght schold beware of fooly jugement is morally to be understand that mannes soule oweth to beware how he geveth jugement uppon another man. For as seyth Seynt Austyn, “Two thynges ther be wherfore we schold eschew to geve jugement uppon a man: the fyrst, for we know nott of whatt corage or feblenes the thynges bee that we schall geve our jugement on, wyche neclegently to condempne is to grett presumpcioun, wherfore | we owe alwey in our conscience to deeme the better intent. And the second is for we be not certeyn of what condicioun thei bee that meyntene the deed or quarell, wether good or ylle.” Wherfor our Lord in the Gospell seyth, “Nolite iudicare, et non iudicabimini; in quo enim iudicio iudicaveritis, iudicabimini.”

 

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Chapter 74: Fortune Texte Truste not on Fortune, called the grett goddes, For ofte sche conveyth many to haddywyste. In her is no sure hold ne stedfastnes. Sche wyl plese ne love lenger then sche lyste. Byfore mennys een sche casteth a grett myste: When thei fynd her favorable, thei thynke thei be well, And yett is hyt feble hold on a slypper eele.

(see note); (t-note) regret (lit. “had I known”) secure eyes slippery; (see note); (t-note)

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T N T N; T N

Glose       Fortune, after the maner of spekyng of poetes, mey be called the grett goddes, for by her see we the governaunce of all worldly thynges dayly, and for as myche as sche geveth to some prosperité and to some adversité, and within schort tyme chaungyth prosperité and ageyn adversité when hyt plesyth her, therfore seyth Othea to Ectour that he truste not to her, that is to sey, in her promysez, nor discomfort hym in her adversitéz. Wherto accordyth the philosophre Socrates, seyyng, “The wheel of Fortune is lyke a ingyne made to take fysche.” Moralyté       That the good knyght schold not trust in Fortune mey morally be understand that mannes soule oweth to flee and despyse the delytez of the world, and herto accordyth Boece in hys thryd book of Contemplacioun, seyng that the worldly felicité oweth to be cald infelicité, for the verrey perfit and pleyn felicité is that makyth a man sufficiently reverent, solempne, and joyfull everlastyng, wyche condiciouns have not the thynges wherin werldly men sett ther felicité. As seyth our lord by Ysaye, “Popule meus, qui te beatum dicunt, ipsi te decipiunt.”

 

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Chapter 75: Paris, Inept Warrior Texte Beware in any wyse that thou never make Pares thi brother chefteyn of the feld When thou any enterpryse wylt undertake. Hys lady in hys armes better can he weeld Then armes to beyre or use speyre or scheeld. Whoo bryngyth men to the feeld ageyn ther intent Oftene is the fyrst that dothe hyt repent.

(t-note) (see note) (t-note) field of battle

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N N; T N; T T

Glose       Paris was not apte condicioned to armes but onely sett all hys delyte to love. Therfor seyth prudence to Ectour that he make not Pares chefteyn of the feeld, wyche is to understand, no knyght schold be made chefteyn nor governour of an ooste wyche is nott disposed to armes. And therfor seyd the gret philosophre Aristotle unto Alisaundre in this wyse, “Thou oweste to make constable of thi chivalrye hym that thou knowest wyse and expert in armes.” Moralyté       That Pares be not made governour of chivalrye mey be understand thus: that mannes soule, in tendyng to the hye chivalrye of heven, oweth cleerly to withdraw hym fro the world and to be lyfte uppe to the contemplative lyff. For as seyth Seynt Gregore uppon Ezechiell that the contemplative lyff of verrey ryght oweth to excel the active and to be hold more wurthye and hye in the syght of God, for th’active lyff travelyth in the labour of this present lyff, but the lyff contemplative begynnyth to taast the savoure of everlastyng lyff. Wherfor of Marye Mawdelyn, of whom contemplacioun is figured, seyth our Lord in the Gospell, “Optimam partem elegit sibi Maria, que non auferretur ab ea.”

 

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Chapter 76: Cephalus and His Wife Texte Sett nother wache, warde, nor espye Uppon old Cephalus, whose wyff can declare And to thee schew the cause therof proprely. Wherfore thou scholdyst that condicioun spare, For by that was sche take in hyr own snare. Where no cause is geven, it is grett folye Of any to misdeme or be in jelowsye.

sentry, guard, nor spy; (t-note) (t-note) misjudge; (see note)

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Glose       Cephalus was an old knyght, as seyth the fable, wyche al hys lyff delyted mycle in huntyng, and mervelosely well cowde he caste a dart wyche he had, wyche darte had suyche a propreté that it was never cast in veyn, and it slew all thyng that hyt tooke. And for as myche as he was wont to ryse erly in the morow and goo into the forest to aweyte the deer, hys wyff was in grett jelousye of hym that he had loved some other woman, and for to know the trouth, one mowroo sche went after hym prively to aweyte hym. And Cephalus, when he was in the wood, he herd the booes of the underwood stere and breyke where hys wyff was aweytyng hym. Supposyng hyt had be a wyld beest, he threw hys dart and slew hys wyff, of wyche misaventure he was full hevye and sorye, but ther was no remedye. And in as myche as by suyche foly, jelosye, and suspecioun comyth often inconveniences, therfore seyth prudence that no good knyght schold delyte t’aweyte another in suyche thyng as longyth nott to hym. And therfore seyth thus the philosophre Hermes, “Doo nothyng to thi felow but that thou woldes he ded to thee, nor ley no engynes nor snares to take other men to ther hurte or be aweyte, espye, nor sotylté, lest at the laste it turne on thyselfe.” Moralyté       That the good knyght schold not aweyte Cephalus mey morally be understand that mannes soule oweth not to enquere and desyre to knowe the fawtes of another man. Therfore seyth Crisostome uppon the Gospell of Mathew, “How beholdyst thou,” seyth he, “so myche the smal defawtz of another man, and in thyn own dedes, thou lettest passe so grett defawtes and levest thin owne? Fyrst, be diligent to considere thi own dedes and after considere the dedes of another man.” Wherto accordyng seyth our Lord in the Gospell, “Ut quid vides festucam in oculo fratris tui, trabem autem in oculo tuo non consideras?”

 

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Chapter 77: Helenus Texte Dispyse not the counceyll of Helenus thi brother, Though he wold not assent to Paris viage. Behoved had it Priamus have take hym and left other, Wyche geve hym counceyl unto that passage. Wyld and wantoun wytte ofte dothe grett damage. Whereas Troye stood in grett prosperité, Suche wytte hath brought hyt into adversité.

journey willful (t-note)

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N; T N T T T N

Glose       Helenus was brother to Ectour and soone unto Priamus, and he was a passyng wyse and kunnyng man, and to hys pouere he conceyled Priamus hys fader that Parys schold not go into Grece to ravysche Heleyn, but hys conceyle was not taken nor holden, werfor gret harme came to the Troianez. Therfore Othea byddeth Ectour that he disprase not the counceyl of Helenus, wyche is to be understand that every god knyght oweth to beleve oold and sad conceyle. And therfore seyth thus the philosophre Hermes, “Whoo wurschypeth wyse men and useth ther counceyl is everlastyng.” Moralyté       By Helenus, wyche conceylled the reverse of werre, mey morally be understand that mannes soule oweth to eschew temptaciouns. For as seyth Seynt Jerome, “The synner hathe no excusacioun that lettyth hymselfe be overcome of temptacioun, for the devell temptyth, and he is so feble that he mey non overcome but only hym that wyl yeld hym to hym.” Therfor seyth Seynt Poule, “Fidelis Deus, qui non pacietur vos temptari supra id quod potestis, sed faciet etiam cum temptacione proventum ut possitis resistere.”

 

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Chapter 78: Morpheus Texte For nothyng that Morpheus the slepy messaunger Can to thee schew in dreeme by any visioun, Discomfort not thiselfe, nor chaunge not thi cheere. To trust myche in dremes is ful gret abusioun. Mycle thyng he scheweth, and all is but illusioun. Suche ymaginaciounz come of fantasye. Wherfore to geve credence to them is gret folye.

Trouble (see note) Many illusions

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Glose       Morpheus, seyth the fable, is the soone and messaunger unto the slepyng god, and he is god of dremes, and he makyth dremes. And for as myche as dremes be thynges derke to know, and sumtyme signifye and sumtyme not, nor no man is so wyse to expoun hem certeynly and tell what thei mene, therfor seyth prudence to the good knyght that he be not discomfort for no dreeme, wherof no man can tell the significacioun proprely, ne werto thei schal turne, and in lyke wyse schold no man joy nor hevy hymself for nothyng of fortune transotorie. As seyth Socrates, “Thou that arte a man, joye nor overtrouble thiselfe for no maner cause.” Moralyté       That the good knyght schold not trouble hymselfe for no dreme mey be take morally that mannes soule oweth not to trouble the self for no cause that cometh therto, and that it oweth to suffre tribulaciounz paciently. Seyth Seynt Austyn uppon the Sawter in this wyse, “Feyre sone,” seyth he, “yf thou wepe the smert that thou felyst, wepe under correccioun of thi Fader, and yf thou compleyn uppon tribulaciouns that come unto thee, beware it be not by indignacioun nor pride, for adversité that God sendyth to thee is a medecyn and no peyne; it is a chastysement but no dampnacioun. Put not fro thee the yarde yf thou wylte not be put fro thi heritage, and thynke not on the peyne that thou hast suffred of Hys scourge, but considere what place thou hast in Hys testament.” And to this purpose seyth thus the wyse man Salomon, “Omne quod tibi applicatum fuerit accipe: et in dolore sustine, et in humilitate pacienciam habe.”

 

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Chapter 79: Ceyx and Alcyone Texte Be the see to seyle, yf thou be disposed In any viage perilous in tempest to traveyl, Toward the Qween Alcioone be thi mynd purposed, And beleve her conceyle, wyche wyll thee myche aveyle. For, yf wysedam be thi guyde, then meyst thou never feyle. Selfewyl moost comonly dothe mor harme then good. That proved well Kyng Cey when he toke the flood.

sail (see note) Willfulness; (see note)

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N T N N N; T N N; N T T N N

Glose       Cey was a noble kyng and a manly man whose qween was called Allcyone, and as the fable telleth, this Kyng Cey of devocioun toke uppon hym to goo on pylgremage by a perilose viage by the see in tyme of tempest, but Alcyone hys qwen dyd her diligence, for the gret love sche had to hym, to turne hym fro that viage, and, wepyng with bytter teeres, sche praed and required hym t’abyde, but it aveyled not, nor he wold not lette her goo with hym but comforted her and made her abyde. Wherfor sche was ful hevy and soory, for to hyr was grett hevynes to see Eolus the god of wyndes styrryng so sore and boystosely. The Kyng Cey within few deys perisched, and when sche hard of th’aventure, for sorow sche skypped into the see, and, as the fable seyth, the goddes had so grett pyté of them that thei chaunged them into two bryddes in tokyn that ther grett love schold be had in perpetuell remembraunce. And so flye thei two bryddes uppon the see with whyte fedders, wyche be called seemews, and when the maryners see them come, thei are certeyn to have tempest. Th’exposicioun of this fable mey be of tweyn that love togeyder in lyke wyse in mareage, whom the poete compareth and resembleth to the seyd bryddes. And fore | as myche as by travelyng in the see in tempest falleth ofte grett myschyef, as did to Kyng Cey, therfor seyth prudence to the good knyght that he beleve the conceyle of Alcyone, wyche is to understand that he in every daungerous passage take and beleve of hys freindes. Seyth the philosophre Assaron, “The wyse man makyth hym strong to differre hys hurtes, and the fole laboreth to fynd and have hyt.” Moralyté       That Alcyone be beleved is morally understand that mannes soule, encombred be ylle temptacioun of any errour or dowte of the feyth, oweth to take conceyle of the Chyrche. For as seyth Seynt Ambrose in the fyrst boke of Officez, “He is wode that dispyseth the conceyle of the Churche, for Joseph profyted mor Kyng Pharo by hys conceyl and wysedam then he dyd with hys gold or other worldly goode in purveaunce for the famyne that fylle in Egypt by the space of five yerez.” And so, after the same, Seynt Ambrose concludyth in this wyse sayng, “Beleve good conceyle and thou schalt not repent thee.” And Salamon in hys Proverbes, in the person of the Chyrche, seyth in this wyse, “Custodi legem meam atque consilium, et erit vita anime tue.”

 

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Chapter 80: Troilus Texte All chyldly counceyle clerly set asyde When thi hert is set on any entreprise Wheron thou purpose sadly to abyde. And or thou begyn, thorowly thee avyse, Takyng to thi counceyle olde, sad men and wyse, Suche as hath byn proved long byfore in werre. The counceyle of Troylus made Priamus to erre.

foolish (immature); (see note) before (see note); (t-note)

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N N; T N N N N T T T N T

Glose       When Kyng Priamus had edified Troye ageyn after the fyrst destruccioun, he assembled hys conceyll to know wheder it were good to send Paris into Grece to ravysche Eleyn in eschaung for Exiona hys syster, wyche was take by Thelamon and ledde awey into Grece, but all hys old, sadde, and wyse men seyd ney because of prophecyes and wrytynges that seyd that by that ravyschyng schuld Troye be destroyed. Then Troylus, beyng a chyld and the meyné of Kyng Priamus, seyd that it was not to be beleve suyche cowardes in conceyle of werre, wyche by cowardyse conceyled rest and pees, and soo Troylus conceyled al the contrarye, wyche conceyl was hold, and that caused Troye to be utterly destroyed. Therfor seyd Othea to Ectour that al chyldly counceyle he clerly sett asyde, in as myche as naturally hyt is of lyght and smalle consideracioun. And to the same intent seyth thus a philosophre, “The lond is cursed wherof the governour is a chyld.” Moralyté       All chyldly conceyle oweth mannes soule to refuse, that is to sey, hyt oweth not to be ignoraunt, but to lerne and have knowlege of that that is moste prophetable to hys heele. For as seyth Seynt Austen, “Ignoraunce is an ylle moder wyche hath ille chyldre, that is to sey, falsnes and dowte. The fyrst is myscheff; the second is wrechydnes. The fyrst is more vicious, but the second is more hardy, and these tweyn be qweynched by wysedam.” And therfor seyth the wyse man Salomon, “Sapienciam preteriuntes non tantum in hoc lapsi sunt ut ignorent bona, sed insipiencie sue reliquerunt hominibus memoriam.”

 

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Chapter 81: Calchas Texte Loke thou hate Calcas by any maner wey, Whose malicius tresoun hathe pathes infynyght. All hys conjectur is sett realmez to betreye. Between men he tretyth pees, when he wold thei schold fyght. Fundacioun of falshed he mey be cald ryght. Treytours and flaterers take of hym the ground When thei, by sotle tresoun, regyons wyl confound.

(see note) (t-note) scheming foundation

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N N T N T

Glose       Calcas was a sotel clerke of the cytté of Troye, and when Kyng Priamus knew that the Grekes came uppon the cytté of Troye with a grett ooste, he sent this Calcas into Delphos to know of the god Appollo how that werre schold eend. And when Calcas had the answer that after ten yeres the Grekes schold have the victorye, he turned hym to the Grekes and acqueynted hym with Achylles, wyche was come into Delphos for the same cause, and furthwith went with hym to the Grekes and halpe hem with hys conceyle ageyn hys own cytté, and often after that he letted the pees to be had bytween the Troianez and the Grekes. And for as myche as he was a false tratour, Othea seyd to Ectour that he schold hate hym and al suyche, for her false tresons do myche harme to regnes and empires and al other people. Werfore seyth Plato on this wyse, “The poore sotle enemye wantyng power mey greve more then the ryche myghty enemye not wytty nor cunnyng.” Moralyté       Be the hatyng of Calcas mey morally be understand that mannes soule oweth to hate al disceyvable malice ageyn hys neybour and in no wyse assent therto. As seyth Seynt Jerome, “The tratour leveth not hys falsehed for familiarité of cumpane, nor for cheer of mete or drynke, nor for no grace of servise, nor other benefite.” Therfore seyth Seynt Poule, “Erunt homines cupidi, elati, superbi, proditores, protervi, timidi.”

 

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Chapter 82: Hermaphroditus Texte Yf thou be desyred anythyng to graunt Wyche schal not greve thee, graunt hytt curteysely And be not herd-herted lyke the adamaunt, Lest thou be rebuked of larges therbye. The tale of Hermofrodicus can well testifye, For hys hert obstinate, what was hys reward. I avyse thee, for thi weel, therto take regard.

(t-note) diamond; (see note) on account of generosity for it benefit

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Glose       Hermofrodicus was a yong man of hye corage and grett bewté whom a grett ladye of hye parage surprised in her love, but in no wyse wold he love her, and yet sche foloed hym ever from place to place, in so myche that it fortuned ones when he was wery of hys grett traveyle and labour, he came to the well of Salmaxis, wher was a feyre, cleer ponde to bathe hym in, and ther he dyd off hys clothys and went into the water, and when the lady thatt fouloed hym had espyed hym so nakyd, sche dyd off her clothes and went in after hym. And of fervent love, sche toke and enbrased hym in her armes, and he, that was uncurteyse and unkynd, rebuked her and put her schamefully and rudely fro hym, so that sche cowde for no praer mollefye hys herd hert. And when sche saw he wold not be conquered by love, sche besought the goddes to remembre her hertely love and, for hys unkyndnes, that sche myght never departe fro hym. And then as the fable telleth, the goddis, heryng her devoute praer and beholdyng her gret love, of verrey pyté chaunged her two bodyes into on, wyche had two kyndes, that is to sey bothe man and woman. Thys fable mey be understand in diverse maners, and in as myche as the mater of love is more delectable to here to the comon intent of people then other maters of substaunce, therfor oolde wyse poetes made and feyned her fables most comonly uppon love to th’entent that thei schold be the moore delectable to rude people, wyche take noght therof but the uske, and the better agreable unto sotle clerkes and wyse men, wyche therof sukke the jewse and lycour. And for as myche as hyt is a schamefull and reprovable thing to refuse or daungerously graunte that sowneth nother to hurt nor prejudice, therfor seyth Othea to Ectour that he be not hard-herted to graunt suyche thyng as schal not greve hym, but that he graunt hyt curteysly. And therfor seyth Hermes, “Make no long tarying of execucioun of that thou owest to do.” Moralyté       That the good knight schold not be hard-herted mey morally be take that mannes soule oweth not to be harde but to have compassyoun and pyté where he hathe nede. For as seyth Gregore in the Morales, “When we wyll comfort any man wyche is in hevynes, we owe fyrst to be hevye and sory with hym for hys souro, for he mey never proprely comfort the sorowfull that accordyth not to hys souro, for as a man mey never joyne on yren with another and make them on but yf thei be bothe fyrst chafed and made softe in the fyere, in lyke wyse mey we comfort no man in distres but yf our hertes be mollefied with hys in compassioun.” And therfor seyth the prophete Ysaye, “Confortate manus dissolutas, et genua debilia roborate.”

 

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Chapter 83: Ulysses’s Games Texte In all honest forme and maner dew To thee, it is lefull thiself to disport With suych maner games as unto vertew Be not contrarius, for hyt is comforte To every maner wyght, Ulixes can report, In all ydle tyme them to ocupye, For thei refresche wytte and weyve fantasye.

proper (see note) drive away

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T N; T N; T N N N; N

Glose       Ulixes was a Greke, and he was a passyng sotle man, and whyle the seege of Troye dured, as long as trewes was takyn bytwen the Troianz and Grekes, by hys sotle wytte he found many sotle games and pleys to ocupye with the knyghtes that were ther ydle, and as sum men sey, he fond the games of chesse and tablez. Therfor seyth prudence to Ectour that in all ydle tyme is leful to be ocupyed with suyche maner game as be not contrarius to verteu. As seyth Soline, “Al thyng sotyl and honest schold the ydle doo.” Moralyté       By the games of Ulixes mey be morally understand that when mannes soule is wery of praer in hys contemplacioun, it is good and lefull to take recreacioun and disport in vertuose and honest ocupacioun, as in redyng of Holy Scripture and other holsom storyes. For as seyth Seynt Jerome in the Moralyes, “Holy Scripture is put to the syght of our hert as a mirrour, werin we mey see the hoole face of our soule. Ther mey we see our bewté. Ther mey wee behold our fylthe and lothelenes. Ther mey we see how myche we profyte and how ferre we be from our profyte.” And therfor seyth thus our Lord in the Gospell, “Scrutamini scripturas, in quibus putatis vitam eternam habere.”

 

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Chapter 84: Criseyde Texte If naturall inclinacioun prese uppon thee soo That from thi delyte thou meyst not absteyne, But that thou must habandoun thee unto Cupido, Beware of Cresida. Thi love from her restreyn, Whose fykell hert is of stedfastnes bareygn. Thou schalt not ha myn avyse with suyche on thee acqueynt As wyl, for thi trew hert, reward thi love feynt.

compel (see note) surrender yourself; (see note) (see note) fickle; barren have deceitfully; (t-note)

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N; T N N; T N T T T T T

Glose       Cryseyde was a yong woman, and sche was doughter unto Calcas the sotyl Troian, and sche was ful bewteous and well | drawen and well noortred, so it fortuned that the noble knyght Troylus, brother unto Ectour, wyche was a man of grett valour and prowes in armes, loved this yong woman and sche hym, in so myche that sche promysed to be trew to hym in love forever. Calcas, the fader of her, wyche understode well by the answere of the god Appollo that the cyté of Troye schold be destroyed, found suyche meanes that hys doughter Criseyda was yeld and delyverd to hym owte of the cytté, wyche was grett sorow to her and Troylus at ther departyng. Neverthelesse, withinne schort tyme after, Dyomede, a knyght of Grece, acqueynted hym so with her that sche loved hym and clerly forgate Troylus, her fyrst lovere. And for as myche as Criseyda was of so lyght corage and so sone chaunged, therfore seyth prudence to every good knyght that when he is disposed to love, that he beware of all varyaunt lovers, suyche as Criseyda was, that he have not feynt love for hys trew hert. And therfore seyth the philosophre Hermes, “Kepe thee fro the cumpanye of ylle people that thou be nott oon of them.” Moralyté       Be Criseyda mey morally be understand veynglorye, werwith mannes soule oweth in no wyse to be acqueynted but flee hyt to hys poyer, for hyt is passyng lyght and sodeynly cometh. Werfor seyth Seynt Austen uppon the Sawter that he that hathe well lerned and asseyd by experience to overcome the degres of vicez is come to the knowlege that the synne of veynglorye is most especialy to be eschewed of perfyght men, fore among all synnes it is most hard to be overcome. Therfor seyth the Holy Apostle Seynt Poule in this wyse, “Qui gloriatur, in Domino glorietur.”

 

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Chapter 85: Patroclus and Achilles Texte When thou of Patroclus hast made an ende, Beware of Achilles and to hym take good hede. Eche of them to other is ryght especiall freind. Her goodis goo in comoun at every poynt of need. Yf Achilles mey, he wyl thee yeld thi mede For sleyng of Patroclus. I put thee owt of dowte: Hys deth he wyl avenge. Werfore loke well aboute.

(see note) Their reward; (t-note) (t-note)

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T T T T T T N N; T

Glose       Patroclus and Achilles were felows in cumpanye at the seege of Troye, and thei loved togeyder as brethers, in so myche as her goodes was as comon. And when Ectour had sleyn Patroclus in the feeld, Achilles hated hym dedely, and bycause he dowted sore the gret strengthe and manhood of Ectour, he weyted hym after to take hym discoverte of hys armure and so unwarly to take hym at avauntage and sle hym. Werfore seyd Othea to Ectour, as by wey of prophecye of that that was to come, that when he had sleyn Patroclus, it behoved hym beware of Achilles, wyche is to understand that any man that hath sleyn or mysdo to another oweth to beware of hys freind, for he wyll avenge hyt yf he mey. Werfor seyt the philosophre Madarge, “In what place soo ever thou be with thin enemye, have hym alwey suspect allthoughe thou be strengar then he.” Moralyté       Wher it is seyd that Ectour oweth bewar of Achilles after the deth of Patroclus mey morally be understand that mannes soule oweth to beware of inclinyng to synne for dowte of everlastyng deth. For as seyth the doctour Solin, “This present lyve is but a chivalrye, and in tokyn therof, this present lyff is cald militaunt, that is to sey, werryng and fyghtyng, to the difference of everlastyng lyff above, wyche is cald triumphaunt, that is to sey, victorius or overcomyng, for it overcomyth al the enemyes ageyn it.” Werto accordyth Seynt Poule, sayinge, “Illa que sursum est Jherusalem, libera est, que est mater nostra.”

 

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Chapter 86: Echo and Narcissus Texte Beware eeke of Echo that sche thee not accuse, As sche dyd Juno, uppon jelousye. And, although her tong mycle speche abuse, Yett her to dispyse passeth curteysye. Toward her compleyntes geff a pytuose yee. Pyté must he have that wyll be loved of all. Thou knowest ful lytle watt schal to thee fall.

charge with jealousy exceeds what is suitable to courtesy a compassionate affirmation (yes) (see note)

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Glose       The fable seyth that Echo was a lady, and, for as myche as sche was a gret janglere and most comonly used overmyche langage, werthoro sche accused Juno to her lord Jupiter and seyd that sche aweyted hym uppon jelousye, wyche accusacioun caused the goddes to be wrothe and gave her jugement that fro thensfurth sche schold never speyke fyrst but after another. This lady Echo was amarous uppon a yong man cald Narcysus, wyche deyned not to love her ageyn for praer ne for other thyng that sche coude do, in so myche that sche dyed for sorow of hys love. Sche besought the goddes that sche myght be avenged on hym in whome sche fond so grett cruelnes and that suffred her to endure the fervent sorow that lovers have when thei be refused, and so sche dyed. But the voyce of her remeygneth yet and ever schal dure, and as the fable tellyth, that made the goddes for a remembraunce of that pytuose aventure, for it answeryth yet to the people uppon ryvers and in valeys and besyd wodes. Echo mey signifie a persoun wyche of grett necescité requireth another to helpe hym, and the voyce that yet enduryth, that mey speyke but after another, mey be applyed to poore people, wyche mey not helpe themselfe withowt other mennes helpe. Therfor seyth prudence to Ectour that he must have pyté that wyl be loved. Werfore seyth Zaqualkyn, “Whoo wyll kepe well the law must helpe hys freind of hys goode and leend to the nedy, be graciose and not rygorous to hys enemye, and kepe hymselfe fro vices and schame.” Moralyté       Echo, wyche schold not be hyd nor refused, mey be morally understand mercy, wyche the gostly | knyght, mannes soule, oweth to have and ministre and use. For as seyth Seynt Austyn in a boke of sermon of our Lord uppon the mounteygn, that blessed be thei that wyllyngly socoure the poore in ther need, for thei deserve that the mercye of God delyver them of ther wrechydnes in her nede, and hyt is verrey ryght that he that wyll be holpen of hys sovereygn that is myghtyer then he, that he helpe them that be of lesse poyar then he is, in suyche as he is more myghty then thei are. As seyth Salomon in hys Proverbes, “Qui pronus est ad misericordiam benedicetur.”

 

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Chapter 87: Daphne and Phoebus Texte The crowne of lawrer yf thou wyll purchace To weyr uppon thi hed as victorius, Thou must dispose thee to stand in Dannes grace, Of whom thou schalt hyt have and be full glorioose. All thyng hym behoveth t’eschew that is odius, Wyche of werrely prowes covetyth the name, Whoose honour schall enhaunce, then, the trompe of fame.

laurel; acquire; (see note); (t-note) to avoid military

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Glose       Poetes sey Danne was a meyd whom Phebus loved to have had as hys paramour, but sche wold not assent to hym. So it befell that he espyed her walkyng in a wey alone, after whom he fouloed, and when sche saw sche was so nere hym sche cowde not escape, she required the goddes Dyane to save her virginité, and furthwith the body of the meyd was chaunged into a green laurer, and when Phebus was come therto, he tooke of the braunchys therof and made hym a garlond in tokyn of victorye. And fro that tyme furth, the garlond of victorye is the laurer, and, namely, in the tyme of the grett prosperité of the Romeyns, thei crowned the victorious with laurere. Many divers exposiciouns mey be put to this fable, but, for as myche as the laurere betokeneth honour, seyth prudence to the good knyght that yf he desyre to have hyt, he must desyre Dannes grace, wyche is no more to sey but that he put hymselfe to peyn and traveyle and doo hys dew diligens to purchace hyt. Wherfore seyth the noble poete Omere, “By grett diligence cometh a man to the grett hye estat of perfeccioun.” Moralyté       The crowne of laurer to purchace mey thus morally be understand that mannes soule, wyche intendyth to have everlastyng lyff, it behoveth hym to have perseveraunce in goodnes and vertew, wyche wyll leed hym streyghte-wey to the victorye of the hye hevin, where joy is infinite. Accordyngly seyth Seynt Gregore, seying thus, “What tong is that mey suffice to tell, and mynd is that mey comprehend, the grett joyes that be in heven: to be ever present with the holy ordrez of angels and sytt with the blyssed sprytez in the joye of her maker, to behold alsoe the glorious face of God, to see the lyght schynyng incomparable, to be in verrey surté never to have dreed of deth, and to joye in hymselff of everlastyng incorrupcioun.” Therto accordyth David, seying, “Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, civitas Dei.”

 

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Chapter 88: Andromache Texte Disprase not nor dispyse thi wyff and lady dere, Allthough sche to thee schew the secrete of her hert, For after thou hast chosen her for to be thi feer, The goddes it accord thou meyst nott asterte. Andromak schal labour thi purpose to convert, To whose holsome conceyll I wold thou schold applye, For lytle knowest thou what is thi destenye.

disparage wife escape adhere; (see note) (t-note)

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Glose       Andromak was wyf unto Ectour, and the nyght before the dey that he was sleyn was schewed to her by a visioun that yf her lord Ectour went that dey into bateyll, he schold withowte feyle be sleyn. Sche wept tendrely, and, sykyng pytuosely, sche schewed hym her visioun and advertyzed and conceyled hym to be owte of the feeld that dey, but he beleved her not, but went to the journey and ther was sleyn. And therfor prudence seyth to the good knyght that he desprase not hys wyf though sche schew hym the secretes of her hert, wyche is to be understand that he dispyse not the counceyl of hys wyff yf sche be wyse and well disposed, and in lyke wyse of all other wyse and sadd wymen. And therfor seyth Plato, “Thou owest not dispise the counceyl of a wyse symple persoun, for though thou be old, be not aschamed to lerne of a chyld, for sumtyme it fortuneth the foole to teche the wyse man.” Moralyté       The visioun and conceyl of Andromak that schold not be dispised mey morally be take for the good purpose that cometh to mannes soule of the holy goost, wyche oweth not to be dispysed and sett at noght. For as seyth Seynt Gregore in hys Moralez, “The holy goost, to draw us to do well, he conceyleth us, he chaungeth us and techeth us: he conceyleth our mynd, he chaungeth oure wyll and techeth our understandyng.” Therfore seyth thus Seint Paule th’Apostle, “Spiritum nolite extinguere.”

 

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Chapter 89: Babylon Texte Trust not so myche in toure nor cytté strong That thou be dispurveyd of ablementes of werre 9 And of men to kepe hyt, for thou schalt understand: Soone is the castell wonne werin the guydes erre. Kyng Nynus gatt Babaloun, though it fro hym were ferre, And yett was ther never towre strengar on the ground. Who in strenthe put al his trust is soone confounde.

tower in which; leaders won; (t-note) (t-note) (see note); (t-note)

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Glose       Babaloun was founded by Nembroth, and it was the grettest strengthe that ever was in the world, and yet, notwithstandyng that, it was gete and take by the Kyng Nynus. And therfore seyth prudence to every good chivalrous knyght that he truste not so myche in no cytté nor strengthe of toure in tyme of werre that he be not dispurveyd of people and other ablementes sufficiant for the defense therof. Therfor seyth Plato, “Who trusteth onely in strengthe is ofte overcome.” Moralyté       By the strengthe of Babyloun or other cytté or toure wherin a man schold not trust mey morally be take that mannes soule oweth to truste in nothing that the werld promyseth hym. For as seyth Seynt Austyn, “Grett foly trist is in a mannes lyff ageyn the perels of the werld, and gret foly is it a man to thynke hymselfe saufe among the bytynges of synne, for ful uncerteyn is he of the victorye that is in the daunger of hys enemye, and he that is envyround with flames of fyre escapyth not withowte brennyng.” Put no trust in the world, though it laughe on thee. Therfor seyth David, “Bonum est confidere in Domino, quam confidere in homine.”

 

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Chapter 90: Hector’s Death Texte Remembre wel alsoe that thou schall dye, Werof the tyme I schew by my wordes certeyn. Atrops schal withdraw hys hand to thou disobey Kyng Priamus thi fader, wyche schal do hys peyn Thee to require and make turne ageyn Fro the journey dolorous. Werfor, therof bewarre, For to this performed be, deth schal ey thee spare.

(see note) (t-note) restrain; until; (see note) do his utmost entreat battle Until

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Glose       The dey that Ectour was sleyn in the feeld, Andromake hys wyffe came to Kyng Priamus with lamentable compleyntes and, pytuosely wepyng, besought the kyng that he wold lett her husbond Ectour that dey fro bateyll, for withowt feyle, yf he went, he schold be sleyn, for, sche seyd, Mars the god of bateyll had schewed it to her that nyght by a visioun, by whose request and praer Kyng Priamus dyd that he myght to advertyse and conceyle Ectour fro that journey, wyche Ectour disobeyd and went owte of the cyté by a privey posterne. And for as myche as never before he disobeyd hys fader to that dey, it mey be resonably supposed that for disobeysaunz don to hys fader, he dyed, wherby mey well be understand that no man oweth disobey hys freindes, and, in especiall, yf thei be wyse. Werfor seyth Aristotle to Alexandre in this wyse, “Whyle thou belevest the counceyl of hem that use wysedam and love thee trewly, thou schalt regne victoriously.” Moralyté       That Ectour shold remembre that he schold dye mey morally be understand that every man oweth remembre contynuelly the houre of hys deth. Wherfor seyth Sent Barnard that a man fyndeth nothyng in the world more certen then deth, nor more uncerteyn then the houre of deth, for deth hath no mercye on poverté, nor drede of ryches nor of wurschyppe, nor he spareth for no wysedam, condicioun, nor age. Of the deth hath man no other certenté but that to the aged he is at the doore, and on youthe he lyeth aweyte. And therfor seyth Salamon in this wyse, “Memor esto quoniam mors non tardabit.”

 

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Chapter 91: Hector’s Arms Texte Yet I schal thee tell how thou schalt escape The grett stroke of Atrops, yf it so wyl be. Kepe thin armour cloos, for yf it happ to gape, Thyn unware enemye hath gret aveyle of thee. I warne thee before: thus is it lyke to be. Thoff thou thinke the reverse, yet take it for no skorne. 10 He never is disceyved that warned is beforne.

(see note) unexpected; advantage over (see note)

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Glose       Ectour, the dey of hys deth, was found discoverte of hys armure, as it appereth in the Booke of Troye, werthrough he was sleyn. And therfore Othea commanded hym kepe hys armour cloos, wyche is a prudent polecye and a gret wysedam any chivalrous knyght to do, for as seyth the philosophre Hermes, “The lyff and deth of a man is but as the strooke of an arow.” Moralyté       Wher it is seyd that the good knyght schold hold hys armour cloos mey morally be understand that mannes soule oweth to kepe hys wyttes hoole and cloos and not wavyng. For as seyth Seynt Gregor in hys Moralyes, “The person that brekyth or departyth hys wytte is lyke to a jogler that fyndeth no wers houshold then hys own, and therfore, he is alwey owte of hys owne house, and so is the soule that kepyth not hys wyttes hoole and cloos alwey wavyng owte of the howse of hys conscience, and as an oppen hall wher a man mey enter every wey.” Therfor seyth our Lord in the Gospel, “Clauso hostio, ora Patrem tuum in abscondito.”

 

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Chapter 92: Polibetes Texte Of Kyng Poliphetes the armure, Yf thou hym despoyle, it schall thee repent. Inordinate covetyse is noght, I thee ensure. Wherfore to the contrarye I conceyle thee assent. From al suyche pylfre, withdraw thin intent. Of the wey of wysedam to lerne thee the loore Or thin hurt fall, I warne thee byfore.

(see note) plunder plundering lessons Before

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Glose       Polibetes was a myghty kyng of Grece whom Ectour slew in the feld after many other gret aventurous dedes don in the journey, and for as myche as hys armour was passyng ryche and plesaunt to the eye, Ectour covetyd hem sore, wyche caused hym stoupe downward of hys steed to despoyle the kyng of hys armure. And when Achilles, fouloyng hym, perceyved the place discoverte of armure, he smote hym in that naked place, and at that stroke he fyl down ded. And for as myche as suyche covetose desyre ofte dothe grett harme, therfor prudence byddeth the good knyght eschew covetyse. As seyth Democritus, “Covetyse inordinat ledyth man to deth.” Moralyté       By the armur of Polibetes mey morally be understand the covetyse of any worldly good wyche mannes soule ought not desyre. As seyth Seynt Innocent in the boke of the Fylthe of Condicioun of Man, “Covetyse is a fyer wyche is never satisfyed, for the covetyse man is never content to have that he desyreth, for when he hath that he desireth, yet desyreth he more. Ever he settyth hys intent to gete and have, but he is never content nor plesed with that that he hath.” Covetyse is the wey of spirituel deth and oftesyth of temporall deth. Wherfore seyth Sent Paule th’Appostle, “Radix omnium malorum est cupiditas.”

 

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Chapter 93: Achilles and Polyxena Texte In uncouth straung love, looke thou ne truste, And in especiall where thou hast doon offence. Owte of a cankred sweerd is hard to rubbe the ruste. Fooles take rosen ofte for frankensense, Wherin thei disceyved be. This is the cleer sentence. Achilles of this mater the verrey trouth schal know, Wyche by truste on Eccuba schall be overthrow.

unfamiliar foreign; (see note) (t-note) corroded; (see note); (t-note) resin; frankincense; (see note) advice

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Glose       Achilles went in tyme of trews into the cytté of Troye to see the burying of Ectour, where he beheld Polixene, the suster of Ectour, uppon whom hys love was so soore sett that in no wyse he cowde restreyn hyt, wyche caused hym to send unto the Qween Eccuba, her moder, to treate of the mareage atween hym and Polixene, assuryng her that he schold make the werre to cesse and the seege to depart awey, and that ever after he schold be freind and lover to the cytté of Troye. So long tyme weered Achilles non harneys ageyn the Troyans for that love, and he dyd hys diligence and put hym to grett peyne to make the seege departe, but it ley not in hys poyar, and therfor was not the mareage performed. And afterward, Achillez slew Troylus, brother to Ectour, wyche was so noble in hys dedes that he was compared to Ectour (havyng consideracioun to hys youth and tendre age), for whose deth Eccuba was so hevy that sche sent to Achilles to come to Troye to trete with her of the forseyd mareage. And when he came thyder, ther was he sleyn. And therfor seyth prudence to every good knyght that he schold not trust on non uncouthe straung love, for ofte therby falleth harme, as dyd to Achylles hys deth. And therfor seyth thus an old sage philosophre, “When thi enemyes mey not be avenged, then hast thou nede to kepe thyselffe.” Moralyté       By this straung love mey morally be take that mannes soule nothyng love but suyche as comyth of God and endyth in Hym. Estraung love is the world wyche oweth to be hated and fled, for as seyth Seynt Austyn, expownyng the epistle of Seynt Jhon, “The world passeth and hys delyghtes. Oo, thou resonable man! Whether owest thou love the temporall world that passeth awey in schort tyme or Jhesu Crist and lyff with hym forever.” Accordyng therto seyth Seynt Jhon, “Noli diligere mundum, neque ea que in mundo sunt.”

 

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Chapter 94: Ajax Texte Take not uppon thee of presumpscioun Armes to use or weyre folyly, As Ayax the Greke dyd ageyn resoun, Whose on arme was unarmed continuelly. A synguler wurschyp he thought have therby, Yett fell it soo that therthrough was he sleyn, So was he overthrow for all hys myght of meyne.

(see note); (t-note) wear exceptional; (t-note) physical strength

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Glose       Ajax was a knyght of Grece, but he was a passyng proude man, and of pryde he toke on hym to do dedes of armez and hys on arme nakyd bothe of armour and scheld, werthoro he was sleyn. And therfor seyth prudence to the good knyght that he weyre nor use armes folyly as he dyd, for ther is no wurschyp therin, but grett foly and perell. As Aristotle seyth in this wyse, “Many erre by ignoraunce and defawte of cunnyng, not knowyng whatt is to be doo and what is to be lefte, and many erre by arrogaunce and pryde.” Moralyté       That armes schold not be used folyly mey morally be understand that a man oweth not to truste in hys owne freelnes. Fore as seyth Seint Austyn in a sermone, “No man oweth to presume in hys hert when he uttereth any wurde, nor trust in hys own strengthe when he suffreth temptacioun, for yf we speke wysely and sadly good wurdes, it cometh of God and not of oure wysedam, and yf wee endure stedfastly adversitees, it cometh of God and not of oure pacience.” Wherfore seyth Seynt Poule thus, “Fiduciam talem habemus per Cristum ad Deum; non quod sumus sufficientes aliquid cogitare ex nobis tanquam ex nobis.”

 

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Chapter 95: Antenor Texte Reward thou Anthenore as he is wurthy have. Tyrannye and tresoun is all hys tresoure. Deth were he wurthy that suych on wold save 11 When he seth hym stand in myschyef and doloure. Geyn Troye he ymageneth every dey and houre, How be it, naturally, he is a Troyan borne. But Priamus, beware: by hym schal Troye be lorne.

(see note) sees; (t-note) plots Even though lost; (see note)

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Glose       Anthenore was a baron of Troye, and when the seege drew toward the end, the Grekes knew not how thei myght wynne the cytté for the gret strengthe therof. Then Anthenore, wyche was wrothe with Kyng Priamus, sent to the Grekes and avysed them to feyn to have trews and pees with the Kyng Priamus, and by that mene thei myght come into the cytté, and soe thei dyd after hys counseyll, werby Troye was betrayed and destroyed. And for as myche as he was a tratour, prudence byddyth every good knyght reward hym and all suyche after ther desert, that is to sey, to be quitted or exiled or put to deth. Wherfor seyth the philosophre Plato, “Feygnyng is the capteyn and governoure of ille people.” Moralyté       Be Anthenore mey morally be understand all inconvenience that mannes soule oweth to hate and exile from it. Fore as seyth Sent Austyn, “He that is nott besy to eschew inconveniences is lyke unto a booterflye that flyeth in a lampe round abowte the fyere tyll hys wynges be brent, and then he is drowned in the oyle, and alsoe lyke the brydde that flyeth soo ofte abowte the glew tyl he leseth hys fedders.” Example of Seynt Petre, wyche abode so long in the court of the prince of the law that he fyll in that inconvenience that he denyed hys mester. Wherfor seyth the wyse man Salomon in hys Proverbis, “Fuge a via malorum, ne transeas per eam.”

 

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Chapter 96: The Trojan Horse Texte To Mynerves temple suffre thou no Greek With offryng to goo through Troye the cytté. Suyche feyned devocioun is not wurthe a leek. Troianes schal hyt overtryste, and that schal be pyté. Wysedam schall thei want; it schal none other bee. For any feyr promes, tryst thiselfe beest, For he is wyse that can beware of haddywyste.

(see note) lack (t-note) regret

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Glose       The Grekes toke a feyned trewse by the tresoun of Anthenore and seyd thei had avowed a geft to the goddes Mynerve, wyche thei wold offre to her in her temple withinne the cytté, and thei had mad a hors of mervelous gretnes, wyche was stuffed full of armed knyghtes, and it was so grett that it myght not entre but as the gate of the cytté was broken therfor, and it was sett uppon wheles and drawen to the temple. And when hyt was nyght the knyghtes within went owte and lett them into the cytté that were withowte, wyche slough and brent and destroyed the Troians and the cytté. And therfor seyth prudence to the good knyght that he trust in no suyche feyned devocioun nor offryng. And therfor seyth a sage philosophre, “A man oweth to dowte the sotyll engynes of hys enemye and he be wyse, and yf he be a fool, of hys cursydnes.” Moralyté       The temple of Mynerve mey morally be take for Holy Churche, where praer schold be offred with devocioun. For as seyth Sent Austyn in the book of the Feyth, that withowte cumpanye of the Chyrche and baptyme mey no man profyte in the werkes of mercye, nor aveyle, nore the lyffe everlastyng mey not be gatt withowte the werkyng of the Chyrche. And therfor seyth thus the prophete David in the Sawter, “Apud te laus mea in ecclesia magna.”

 

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Chapter 97: Ilium Texte Trow thou never castel, cyté, nor toure To be so sure it mey not be wonne, For Ilyoun was brent and brought to dishonour, And yet it was of Troye the myghty strong dongyoun, Hardest to conquere that ever was under sunne. Whoo put all hys tryste in a castell wall, A grett foole at long tyme prove hymselfe he schall.

Believe secure; conquered burned fortress (t-note) (see note); (see note)

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Glose       Ylyoun was the mester dongyoun of Troye, and it was the strengest and feyrest castel that any storye maketh mencioun of, and yet, notwithstandyng the grett strengthe therof, it was take and brent and brought to noght, and the cytté alsoe. And for as myche as ofte suyche cas fall be chaungeablenes of fortune, prudence seyth to the good knyght that he schal not tryst nor thynke hymselfe sure for strengthe, for Tholome seyth, “The hyer a lord is lyfte up, the gretter and more perilous is hys fall.” Moralyté       That the good knyght schold not thynke hymselfe sure mey morally be take that mannes soule oweth to have no regard toward the worldly delytez, wyche passe over and leed to dampnacioun. For as seyth Seynt Jerome, “It is impossible a man to pass fro the delytez of this world and go to the delytz of heven, to fyll hys belye her and hys soule ther, for the hevenly joye is not ordened for them that trow to have ever the worldly delytes.” Wherto accordyth th’apocalypse, seyng thus, “Quantum glorificavit se, et in deliciis fuit, tantum date ei tormentum et luctum.”

 

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Chapter 98: Circe Texte Wherso thou come seylyng by the see Arryve never at the port of the Qween Cyrces, Wyche by enchauntment can transforme thee To a lykenes of a swyne, I tel thee dowtles. The yong lusty knyghtes that schal with Ulixes Toward Grece sayll herof schal tell, When thei with hyr drynke the bytter poysoun fell.

(see note) Who strong

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Glose       Cyrces was a qween whose regne was uppon the see of Italye, and sche was a grett sorserese and myche coude of wychecraft, and when Ulixes the Greke cam, after the destruccioun of Troye, ageyn toward Grece by the see, after many gret tormentes, tempestes, and perels that he had suffred uppon the see, he arryved by dryfte of wedder at the port of this Qween Cyrces, and he sent to her by hys knyghtes to wytt weder he myght saff and surely land uppon her land. The qween benygnly resceyved them and curteysly commanded them drynke of a drynke sche had mad them, wyche was swete in the drynkyng and bytter in the wyrkyng, for the poysoun therof had so grett myght that as soone as the knyghtes had dronke therof, thei were chaunged into lykenes of swyne. Many exposiciouns mey be to this fable: Cyrces mey be take for a lady or other woman of ylle disposicioun be whom many knyghtes and other people erre and be sett owt of good rule be her ylle governaunce and excytyng. And therfore seyth prudence to Ectour, and in lyke wyse to every good knyght, that he land not at the port of Cyrces, wyche is to be understand that he draw nor geve hym to no mysgovernauns. Werfor seyt the philosophre Aristotle, “He that inclineth all to fornicacioun mey not be prased in hys eend.” Moralyté       The port of Cyrces mey be morally take fore ypocresye, wyche mannes soule oweth over all thyng t’eschew. Werfor ageyn ypocrites seyth the noble doctour Seynt Gregorye in hys Moralyes that the lyff of ypocritz is noght but a fantasticall visioun and fantasye ymaginative that scheweth owtward in lykenes of an ymage, and it is not so in dede withinne. And therfor seyth our Lord Jhesus in the Gospell in this wyse, “Ve vobis ypocrite, quia similes estis sepulcris dealbatis, que a foris apparent hominibus speciosa, intus vero plena sunt oscibus mortuorum.”

 

5

Chapter 99: Ino Texte To ydeotz or folez no mater resonable Ministre nor schew, wyche want wyt to know Good from ille, as Yvo dyd. A trifle or a fable Is good ynogh for them to make them laugh and mow. Perles among pesen is foly to strowe Before swyn and other bestes unresonable. Wysedam pleseth not a fool so wel as his bable.

idiots lack jeer; (t-note) peas (see note) bauble (trinket); (see note); (t-note)

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Glose       Yvo was a qween wyche made sodeyn corne to be sowe that cam not upp nor owte of the grond, for it myght not grow. And for as myche as Yvo dyd so folyly of her selfwyll and wold not be advertezed to the contrarye be no counceyl, as most comonly is the condicioun of all fooles to be selfewylled and hate to be conceyled or taught therfor seyth prudence to the good knyght that oold awtoretez nor sadde maters of wysedam schold nott be schewed to non suyche as Yvo was, that is to sey, to people of rewde wytte and symple understandyng, for it is but lost. As Aristotle seyth that as reyn profyteth not to corne sowen uppon the stoun, no more do wyse argumentes to foolis. Moralyté       Be foolis or people of rewde understandyng mey morally be take ignoraunce, wyche mannes soule oweth grettly t’eschew. For as seyth Sent Barnard, “Freelté nor ignoraunce excusest not them that be wylfull, frell, or ignoraunt that they mey the rather and more frely synne therby. And many thynges ought to be cowde and knowen that sumtyme be unknowen other by negligens of kunnyng, or by disdeyn of askyng, or by schame to enquire them. And al thes ignoraunces hath non excuse.” Werfor seyth Seynt Poule, “Si quis ignorat, ignorabitur.”

 

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Chapter 100: The Cumaean Sibyl and Augustus Caesar Texte An hundred autorites I have to thee sent, Wyche by myn advyse thou schalt not dispyse. Prent hem in thi mend with a good intent, As thou wylt of prowes have the entrepryse. Augustus the emperor, for all hys conceyl wyse, Of a woman schall lerne his lyff to amend. Disdeygne not this pystle, though I to thee it send.

authoritative texts Remember; (t-note) (see note); (t-note) letter (epistle)

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Glose       Cesar Augustus was emperour of Rome and of all the world, and for as myche as in the tyme of hys empyre pees was in all the world, so that he rewled pesebly in hys tyme, the leued mysbelevyng people supposed that the pees had be bycause of hym, but it was not, but for our Lord Jhesu that than was borne on the Virgyne Marye and was then on erth, and as long as he leved on erth, pees contynued throughowt the erth. And so thes mysbelevyng people aforseyd honoured hym. And then Sybylle the prophetisse seyd to hym that he schold beware to be wurschypped in that wyse and seyd ther was but on God that created and made all thyng of noght. And then sche led hym uppon a hye monteyne withowte the cytté, and, withinne the sunne, by the wyll of God, appered a meyd haldyng a chyld, wyche Sybyll schewed hym and seyd that that chyld was verrey God that ought be wurschypped. And then the emperour wurschypped the chyld. And for as myche as this Augustus, wyche was rewler of the world, lerned to know God and hys beleve of a woman, therfor seyth Othea to Ectour that he schold not disdeygne her wrytyng though sche, a woman, sent hyt to hym. No more ought non other good knyght disdeygne the conseyll of a wyse woman. Therfor seyth Hermes, “Be thou not aschamed to here trouth and good techyng, whosoever report or teche hyt, for trouthe nobleth hym that uttreth hyt.” Moralyté       Wher it is seyd that a woman lerned the emperour Augustus is morally to be understand that good wordes and holsom techynges is to be allowed of what persoun so ever it be seyd. For Hewhe of Sent Victor seyth in a boke called Didascaloun that the wyse man hereth with good wyll al maner of techynges: he dispyseth not the wrytyng, he dispyseth not the persoun, he dispyseth not the doctrine, he sekyth al thynges indifferently, he considereth nor takyth non heed what he is that spekyth but whatt it is that is spoken, he taketh no regard how myche he can but how myche he can nott, he takyth heed. Wherfor seyth the wyse man Salamon on this wyse, “Auris bona audiet cum omni concupiscencia sapienciam.”

 

Explicit

Here it ends