Front matter (continued 9)
Reading edition
21. Gg. faste; F. fast. Harl. radde; F. rad; Gg. redde. 22. F. seyth; Gg. sey. 24. F. feythe; Gg. fey. 26. Gg. O. as of this; Trin. Cx. Harl. Ff. of this; F. of my firste. 28. Gg. Ff. me thouȝte; Trin. Cx. Harl. me thought hit; F. thought me. 30. Gg. Cx. thus; F. Trin. Harl. there. Gg. and rest as I schal; F. I shal yow. 31. F. inserts the after dreme of; the rest omit. Trin. Harl. O. Scipioun; F. Cipioun; Gg. sothion (!). 32. F. hyt had vij; Gg. and the rest seuene It hadde. 33. Ff. therInne; F. and the rest theryn (wrongly). 34. Gg. it; O. of; the rest omit. 35. Gg. seyn; F. tel; the rest sey (say). 37. F. In-to; rest In. F. Aufryke; Gg. Affrik. 39. For hit all wrongly have he; see ll. 36, 43. 40. Harl. betwix; F. betwixt. 41. Gg. Affrican; F. Aufrikan. 42. F. on; rest in. 43. F. tolde he hym; Gg. Trin. Cx. Harl. tellith it; O. Ff. tellithe he. 44. Gg. Affrycan; F. Aufrikan. F. y-shewed; rest schewid, shewyd, &c.
46. Gg. other; Th. eyther; rest or. 49. Gg. There as Ioye is that last with outyn; F. There Ioy is that lasteth with-out. 50. F. inserts the after if; rest omit. 52. Gg. Affrican; F. Aufrikan. 53. Gg. Ff. that; Trin. Cx. Harl. how; F. om. 54. Cx. Nis; Gg. Nys; F. Trin. Harl. Ff. Meneth. 55. Gg. and rest after; F. whan. Gg. Ff. gon; Harl. O. gone. 56. Cx. galaxye; F. Ff. galoxye; O. galoxie. i. watlynstrete; Harl. galorye; Trin. galry (!); Gg. galylye (!). 58. Gg. and rest the; Harl. tho; F. om. 62. T. Cx. Harl. O. That welles of musyk be (ben). 64. Gg. Ff. Than bad he hym syn erthe was so lyte; F. Than bad he hym see the erthe that is so lite (wrongly). 65. Cx. Trin. Harl. O. ful of torment and; F. was somedel fulle; Gg. was sumdel disseyuable and ful (!). 69. Gg. and rest schulde (schuld, shuld); F. shal. 70. F. was; rest is.
71. F. O. he; rest him. Gg. and rest to; F. om. 72. Gg. Trin. Harl. O. into that; Cx. unto that; F. to (om. that). 73. Gg. inmortal; O. Th. immortalle; F. and rest mortalle(!). 75. Gg. and rest not (nat, noght); F. never. 76. Gg. comyn: Cx. comen; F. come. Gg. O. to; rest into, vnto. 77. Trin. Cx. Harl. Ff. retain of after and; F. Gg. O. omit. 78. F. ins. for before to (but lawe is dissyllabic); rest om. 80. Gg. wrongly puts there for therthe; Harl. O. Ff. place alwey before in peyne; the rest are bad. 82. F. ins. hem before alle. Gg. And that for-ȝeuyn is his weked dede (but dede is plural). 84. Gg. comyn; rest come, com. Cx. Harl. the sende his; O. sende the his; Gg. synde us; Ff. send vs; F. sende ech lover (!). 85. Harl. faylen; Cx. fayllen; F. faile; Gg. folwyn (!). 87. F. Berefte; rest Berafte, Beraft. 90. F. had; Gg. hadde. 91. Harl. O. give 1st that; Trin. Cx. the; F. Ff. Gg. om. 95. After as, Gg. Trin. Harl. O. insert that; it is hardly needed. 96. Gg. Affrican; F. Aufrikan.
102. Gg. Ft carte is; O. cart is; rest cartes or cartis. 104, 5. Gg. Harl. O. met; F. Trin. Cx. meteth. 106. Gg. Cx. O. Ff. I nat; F. not I. 107. F. redde had; Gg. hadde red; rest had red (rad). Gg. affrican; F. Aufrican. 108. F. omits made; the rest have it. 110. to-torn] F. al to torne. 111. F. roght noght; Gg. roughte nat; Cx. roght not. 112. F. Cx. ins. the after I; rest omit. 114. Trin. Cx. fyrebronde; Gg. ferbrond; F. firy bronde. 119. Gg. ȝif; F. yeve. Trin. Cx. Harl. O. hit and; Ff. eke and; Gg. & ek; F. and to. 120. Gg. Affrican; F. Aufrikan. 122. F. and rest with; Gg. of. 124. Read weren; all were (weer). Gg. I-wrete; Th. ywritten; F. writen.
133. F. Ff. hye; the rest spede (sped). 135. F. stroke; rest strokes (strokis). 137. Cx. Harl. O. Ff. neuer tree shal. Cx. fruyt; Harl. O. fruyte; Trin. F. frute. 138. F. unto; rest to. 139. All is (ys). 140. O. Theschewing; Cx. Theschewyng; Harl. The eschuyng; F. Thescwynge (sic). 142. Trin. Cx. Harl. O. The; F. Gg. Of; Ff. On. F. Cx. a stounde (which I think is correct); Ff. astonde; (alt. to) Gg. a-stonyd; Trin. astonyed; Harl. O. astoned. 144. F. Cx. O. Ff. insert to before bolde (wrongly); Gg. Trin. Harl. om. 148. Gg. be-twixsyn; F. betwix. 149. F. y-sette; Gg. set. 150. F. That; Ff. om.; rest Ne (which would be elided). F. nor; rest ne (better). 152. Gg. and rest nyste; F. I ne wiste. Gg. and rest whether; F. wher that (perhaps rightly).
153. F. Affrikan. 156. Gg. Cx. O. to; rest omit. 158. Trin. Cx. by; Gg. bi; F. be. 159. Gg. Trin. Cx. by; F. be. 160. Gg. stat (!); for tast (taste). 162. F. Ff. om. that. 163. Gg. Harl. O. supply Yit; Cx. Yf; rest om. F. yet thou maist hyt; O. mayst thowe; rest yit mayst (may) thou. 165. F. Ff. om. for. 166. Gg. wher; rest whether. 167. Gg. Cx. tendite; F. Trin. to endite. 169. F. And with; rest om. And. 170. Gg. confort. Gg. that as; rest went in. 172. F. om. that (but over-al=ov'r-al). 173. F. Weren; rest Were. 174. Gg. O. Ff. of; F. Cx. with (from line above). 175. F. Emerawde. Gg. sothe (for Ioye, wrongly). 177. Cx. O. piler; Gg. pilere; Trin. pylor; F. Harl. peler. 178. F. box pipe tre; Gg. and rest box tre pipere (or piper). Trin. the holyn; Cx. holin; Ff. holye; Gg. O. holm; F. Harl. holme.
180. Gg. Ew; rest ewe. 183. Harl. O. blosmy; Gg. blospemy (for blossemy); Cx. blossome; Trin. blossom; F. Ff. blossomed. 185. O. that; Gg. ther; rest omit. Gg. Ff. I-now; O. I-nowe; F. ynowh. 188. Ff. That swommen; Harl. That swommyn; Gg. That swemyn; Trin. That swymen; Cx. O. That swymmen; F. And swymmynge. 192. F. That; Gg. Ff. So (error for Som); rest Som, Some, Somme. 193. Gg. gunne; F. gunnen; rest gan, cane. 194. F. Trin. om. al. 196. Cx. Squerels; F. Squerel; rest Squyrelis (Squyrellis, Squerellis). 197. F. Cx. On; rest Of. Gg. Cx. O. strengis; Trin. stryngys; F. strynge. Gg. a-cord; rest accorde, acorde. 198. F. om. so. F. Gg. and (for a, wrongly); Ff. om.; rest a. 201. F. om. be; rest have it. 203. Gg. bryddis; rest foules. 205. F. ther of; rest of. 206. Gg. wex; Ff. waxed; F. growen; rest was (error for wex).
207. Trin. Cx. Harl. Ne; rest omit. 208. F. more Ioye; rest Ioye more. 209. F. No; rest Then (or Than). F. om. ne; rest (except Ff.) retain it. Trin. was (for wolde). 214. Gg. Th. wel; F. O. wille; Cx. Trin. wylle; Harl. whille; see note. 215. Gg. and rest hire (hir, hyr); F. harde. F. fyle; Trin. vyle (for fyle) Harl. wyel; rest wile. 216. F. shul; rest shuld, shulde. 217. F. om. for. 221. O. doon by force; Trin. Cx. do by force; Harl. done be force; Gg. don be fore (sic); F. goo before. 222. F. Ff. Disfigured. Gg. Harl. nyl; Cx. Trin. Ff. wil; O. wolle; F. shal. 225. Gg. saw; F. sawgh. Gg. with outyn; Cx. Ff. with outen; F. with oute. 228. F. Ff. Trin. omit 1st and. 229. F. Ff. Trin. omit here. 230. F. pelers; rest pilers (pileris, pylors). 231. F. sawgh. F. glas; rest (except Ff.) bras or brasse. Gg. Harl. O. I-founded; Trin. enfoundyd; F. founded.
232. Gg. daunsedyn; F. daunced. 233. F. O. om. ther. 234. F. om. were; rest retain. 236. Gg. ȝer be ȝeere; Trin. Cx. Harl. yere by yere; F. fro yere to yere. 237. Trin. O. of douys; Gg. of dowis; Cx. of duues; Harl. of dofes; Ff. of dowfs; F. saugh I (sic). 238. F. Of dowves white (sic); Ff. Saw I sitte; rest Saw I syttynge. Trin. Cx. Harl. O. thousand (for hundred). 240. F. om. with. 241. Gg. and rest by hire syde (for hir besyde). 244. F. om. eek; rest retain. 246. Gg. sykys. 248. Gg. sikis. 250. Trin. Cx. flame. F. om. wel; rest retain it. 252. Gg. Cam; O. Com; F. Come; Cx. Comen; Trin. Harl. Ff. Cometh. Gg. Trin. Cx. goddesse; Harl. goddes (i. e. goddess); F. O. goddys. 253. F. sawgh. 255. Gg. swich; F. suche. 256. Trin. Cx. Ff. by; rest be.
260. Gg. priue; F. prevy. 264. F. saugh. 267. Gg. goldene; Ff. golden; F. and rest golde or gold. 271. Cx. wel couerd; Harl. wel couered; Gg. was wel keuerede; Trin. was welle coueryd; F. keuered wel. 272. Harl. Trin. Ff. sotil. Trin. O. kerchyff; F. keuerchefe; Gg. couercheif; Cx. couerchef. 273. Gg. nas (for was). Gg. Harl. alone insert 2nd no (but it is wanted). 275. Trin. Cx. Bachus; rest Bacus. Gg. wyn; F. wyne. 277. F. Gg. Harl. Cipride (rightly); the rest Cupide (!); see l. 279. 278. Gg. Cx. O. two; Ff. to; F. the; Trin. Harl. om. Gg. O. Ff. folk ther (for folkes). 279. Gg. Trin. let; O. lat; Ff. lett; F. B. Cx. Harl. lete. 283. Gg. Harl. gunne; F. gonne; rest gan, can. 285. Gg. Cx. Ff. Ful (for Of).
288. Cx. O. Semiramis; Ff. Semiriamis; rest Semiramus (as in Leg. Good Women, Tisbe, l. 2). Gg. Hercules. 289. Trin. Harl. Tysbe; F. Cx. Tesbe; Gg. Thisbe. 295. F. Cx. comen; rest come. F. Ff. that; rest the. 298. Gg. that; which rest omit (though wanted). 303. F. O. wrongly insert of before Nature. 307. Gg. Trin. Cx. Ff. they; F. Harl. O. there. After were (dissyllabic) Gg. inserts al; needlessly. 308. Gg. dom; rest dome. 310. Gg. bryd (for foul); Cx. birde. 311. F. On; rest Of. Ff. thenke; rest thynke (not so well). 313. Gg. Ff. eyr (for see).
316. F. Alayne; Trin. Alen; rest Aleyn. 317. Gg. in (for of). All but Gg. Ff. needlessly insert suche before aray (caught from line below). 318. Gg. swich; F. suche. MSS. myghte, myght; but read mighten. 320. Gg. Ff. his; rest her, hir (wrongly). Cx. owen; Gg. owene; F. ovne; rest owne. 325. Gg. Cx. hem; Ff. them; O. om.; rest that. 327. Trin. vale (for dale). 330. Gg. ryal; Cx. Harl. O. rial. 338. F. om. hardy. All eke (for eek); exceptionally. 343. Trin. bood; Cx. bodword; rest bode (dissyllabic).
344. Gg. Ff. om. the. 345. Trin. chowgh; F. choghe; Cx. choughe; Harl. chowhe; Gg. O. Ff. crow (wrongly). 346. Harl. Ff. eles; Gg. O. elis; Trin. elys; F. Cx. egles (!). Trin. Harl. O. insert the before heroun; rest omit. 347. Gg. false; F. fals. Trin. Cx. lapwynk; O. lappewynk. 348. Gg. starlyng; rest stare. Gg. bewreye (but note the rime). 349. Gg. rodok. 350. Gg. orloge; F. orlogge. Gg. thorpis; F. thropes. 352. Gg. Cx. Ff. grene (for fresshe). 353. Trin. Th. flyes; Ff. bryddis; Gg. O. foulis; rest foules (fowles). But flyes is right; see Cant. Ta. I. 468, Boeth. iii. met. 7. 355. F. his; O. om.; rest hire, hir, her. 356. Gg. clothis (for fethers). 357. F. be (for by). 359. F. papiay; Gg. popyniay. 361. F. Cx. Ff. om. the. 363. Gg. The rauen wys, the crowe wit voice of care; Ff. same (omitting wys); F. and rest The rauenes and the crowes with her voys of care (badly). 367. Gg. myghtyn; F. myghte. 368. F. that; Ff. this; Harl. om.; rest the. All but Gg. Ff. ins. of bef. Nature. 369. Gg. eueriche; O. Ff. euery; F. eche (badly).
370. Gg. Benygnely; F. Benyngly (sic). 374. fonde is pt. t. subjunctive. 375. Gg. Cx. the (after and); Ff. moste; rest om. 378. Gg. bek; F. beke. 379. Ff. Cx. vicaire; F. vyker. 380. I insert and after light. Gg. Cx. dreye; rest drye. 381. Trin. Cx. by; F. be; Gg. with. 383. Cx. Ff. kepe (for bede). 384. Gg. ese; F. ease. 385. Gg. Ff. ȝow; Cx. you (for me). 386. F. Cx. Harl. insert that after how. 387. Gg. By; F. Be. 389. F. Trin. Cx. Harl. O. insert With before Your; Gg. Ff. rightly omit. 390. Gg. Cx. Ff. ordenaunce; rest gouernaunce (see l. 387). 391. F. Trin. Harl. O. let (i. e. let go); Gg. breke; Ff. suffre; Cx. lette. 393. Gg. terslet (for tercel). Gg. ful wel; F. wele. 394. Gg. ryal. 395. Gg. stel; F. stele. 396. All have formed.
411. Cx. yere by yere (for fro yeer to yere). 413. Gg. cam. 414. Gg. O. Ff. om. ful; rest retain. 415. Trin. Ff. Royalle; F. real; Gg. ryal. 424. Gg. I may. 426. Read al-only? 428. Gg. And if that I to hyre be founde; F. And yf I be founde to hir.
436. F. As though; rest Al be. 438. F. knette; Gg. areete; rest knytte, knyt. 439. Gg. Cx. O. Ne (for For). 445. So all. Read whan that she? 446. Gg. She neythir; Cx. Harl. O. Ff. She neyther; F. Trin. Neyther she. 450. Gg. O. Ff. shal; rest shulde, shuld. 460. Gg. that; rest omit. 462. Gg. the; Trin. Harl. ye; rest she.
463. Gg. thredde; Trin. Ff. thryd; F. thirdde. 467. F. om. Nature. 473. Gg. yeer and as (for winter and). 476. F. om. ful. 479. Gg. seyn; F. say. 480. Gg. Ff. ese; rest plese. 481. Gg. shorte; F. short. 482. Ff. hyres; F. hirse (!). 487. I supply so. Gg. hadde; F. had. 488. F. rehersen; rest reherse (reherce). 490. Gg. drow; Cx. wente; rest went (badly). 494. Cx. Harl. wil; F. wol. 495. Gg. pletynge; Trin. Cx. Harl. pletyng.
498. So Gg.; rest The goos, the duk, and the cukkowe also (wrongly; see next line). 501. F. seyde tho; rest omit tho. Gg. Ff. nys not; Trin. O. ys nat; Cx. is not; F. Harl. om. not. 503. Gg. Cx. I; rest om. 507. Gg. O. profit; rest spede. Trin. For comon spede, take the chargë now. F. Cx. Harl. O. ins. on me bef. the; Ff. ins. vpon me. Gg. tak on no (!) for take the. 510. Trin. Seyde; Cx. Said; rest Quod. 511. F. good; Cx. better (for as good); rest fayr. 514. Gg. bet; rest better. 515. Gg. entirmetyn; F. entremete. 517. All but Gg. Cx. ins. hyt (it, yt) bef. doth. 518. Ff. vncommaundet; O. vnconveyid; Gg. onquit (!); rest vncommytted. 520. Gg. om. behynde; Trin. Harl. blynde; Cx. by kynde; rest behynde. 523. F. O. Ff. for to (for to). F. delyueren; rest delyuere (deliver). F. Gg. Harl. from; rest fro.
524. Cx. charge (for Iuge). 527. Most MSS. insert the before foules; which Gg. Th. and Longleat MS. omit. 530. All but Cx. Ff. ins. to after list. 534. Trin. Th. preue; Gg. proue; F. preven. 536. Gg. swich; F. suche. 537. Gg. non by skillis; F. and rest by skilles may non (badly). 540. Cx. terselis egles. 543. Gg. ne; rest omit. 544. F. om. gon. 545. Gg. Cx. Oure; rest Oures, Ours. 549. Gg. O. hath; rest had. 551. Gg. sittyngest; rest sittynge. 553. Cx. Harl. ethe (for light).
556. Gg. O. gole; Ff. goler; Cx. golye; Ff. golee; Trin. Harl. wyltee. 558. Gg. facounde so; Ff. facounde; Cx. faconde; F. faucond. 560. F. Cx. Ff. needlessly insert to after preyd-e. 564. All but Gg. insert forth before bringe. 569. For Quod read Seyde? 570. Gg. sich (for swich); F. suche. 575. F. laughtre. 576. F. Harl. Ff. foules; Trin. fowle; Cx. fowl; O. foule; Gg. ful (!). 577. Gg. gunne; Ff. gonne; rest gan.
588. Harl. hires; Gg. hire; Cx. hers; rest hirs. Trin. Harl. om. that (perhaps rightly). 589. Gg. Cx. Ff. doke; F. duk. 590. F. Ff. shulden. 592. F. Gg. murye; rest mery. 594. Gg. O. yit; Ff. yet; rest om. 599. Gg. by; F. be (1st time). 602. Gg. Th. nat; F. neyther. 603. F. put; Gg. putte. 606. Cx. Ff. recche; F. Gg. Harl, reche; Trin. O. rek. 611. Gg. Merlioun; Trin. O. Merlyon; Cx. merlion; F. Ff. Emerlyon. 612. F. om. 1st the. Harl. heysugge; O. heysugg; Cx. heysug; Ff. haysugge; F. haysogge; Gg. heysoge; Trin. heysoke. 613. Gg. reufulles (!); Pepys rowthfull; rest rewful (!).
621. Gg. han; rest haue. Gg. Cx. the; rest hir, hyr. 623. F. cheest; Gg. chesith; Trin. cheseth; Harl. chesithe. F. han hir; Gg. hire han; Trin. hyr hafe; Cx. Harl. Ff. her haue. 626. Gg. hire this fauour; Trin. Harl. to hyr thys fauour; F. and rest thys fauour to hir. 630. Ff. ye; Harl. yee; Trin. ey; rest eye. 632. F. Gg. I (for hit). Gg. certis; rest omit. 637. All but Gg. Cx. insert hit (or it) after That or yow. Th. ben; Cx. haue ben; rest to ben (be). 641. Gg. As is a-nothir lyuis creature. O. alone ins. Like bef. As. 642. Gg. mot; rest moste (muste). 643. Gg. grauntyth; rest graunte, graunt (badly). 644. Trin. Cx. Harl. I wyll yow; O. I woll ȝewe; F. Ff. yow wol I.
652. F. Cipride; Harl. Cypride; Ff. Sypryde; rest Cupide (cf. ll. 212, 277). 654. F. other weyes; Cx. other wayes; O. othir wey (perhaps best); Gg. othirwise; Ff. other-wyse; Trin. Harl. other (sic). 655. Gg. Harl. tho; rest om. 659. F. terceletys; Th. tercelets. 660. F. al; Gg. alle. 665. F. O. entremesse; Ff. entremeese; Th. entremes; Gg. entyrmes; Harl. entermes. 666. F. wroght; rest brought, broght. 669. F. A; Gg. But; rest And. Gg. Ioye; F. Ioy. 672. Gg. Thankynge; F. Thonkyng. Gg. queen; rest goddesse, goddes.
678. Gg. sweche (for swiche); F. suche. Th. Qui; miswritten Que in F. Cx.; Qe in Trin.; rest omit. aime; F. ayme. tard; F. tarde. Lines 680-692 only occur in Gg. Th. and Digby 181; lines 683, 684, 687-9 in O. I follow Digby 181 mainly. 680. Digb. Nowe welcome. 681. Gg. wintres wedres; Digb. wynter wedirs. 682. Gg. And; Digb. Hast. Digb. drevyn; Gg. dreuyne. Digb. nyghtis; Gg. nyghtes. 684. Digb. syngen; Fowlis. 687. Gg. O. Wele. 688. Gg. O. hem; Digb. them. 689. Digb. Fulle blisfully they synge and endles ioy thei make (wrongly); Gg. Ful blisseful mowe they ben when they wake; O. Th. Ful blesfull may they synge when they wake (Th. awake). 693. F. showtynge. 694. Gg. madyn; Ff. maden; F. made. 698. Trin. fynde (for mete). 699. Ff. nyl; Gg. nele; F. O. wol; Trin. wylle; Cx. wil.
Colophon. So in F; Gg. has—Explicit parliamentum Auium in die sancti Valentini tentum, secundum Galfridum Chaucer; Ff. has—Explicit Parliamentum Auium; MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24 has—Here endis the parliament of foulis; Quod Galfride Chaucere; the Longleat MS. has—Here endith the Parlement of foules.
VI. A COMPLEINT TO HIS LADY.
I. (In seven-line stanzas.)
The longe night, whan every creature Shulde have hir rest in somwhat, as by kinde, Or elles ne may hir lyf nat long endure, Hit falleth most in-to my woful minde 5 How I so fer have broght my-self behinde, That, sauf the deeth, ther may no-thing me lisse, So desespaired I am from alle blisse.
This same thoght me lasteth til the morwe, And from the morwe forth til hit be eve; 10 Ther nedeth me no care for to borwe, For bothe I have good leyser and good leve; Ther is no wight that wol me wo bereve To wepe y-nogh, and wailen al my fille; The sore spark of peyne doth me spille.
II. (In Terza Rima; imperfect.)
15 [The sore spark of peyne doth me spille;] This Love hath [eek] me set in swich a place That my desyr [he] never wol fulfille; For neither pitee, mercy, neither grace Can I nat finde; and [fro] my sorwful herte, 20 For to be deed, I can hit nat arace. The more I love, the more she doth me smerte; Through which I see, with-oute remedye, That from the deeth I may no wyse asterte; [For this day in hir servise shal I dye].
III. (In Terza Rima; imperfect.)
25 [Thus am I slain, with sorwes ful dyverse; Ful longe agoon I oghte have taken hede]. Now sothly, what she hight I wol reherse; Hir name is Bountee, set in womanhede, Sadnesse in youthe, and Beautee prydelees, 30 And Plesaunce, under governaunce and drede; Hir surname eek is Faire Rewthelees, The Wyse, y-knit un-to Good Aventure, That, for I love hir, sleeth me giltelees. Hir love I best, and shal, whyl I may dure, 35 Bet than my-self an hundred thousand deel, Than al this worldes richesse or creature. Now hath nat Lovë me bestowed weel To lovë, ther I never shal have part? Allas! right thus is turned me the wheel, 40 Thus am I slayn with loves fyry dart. I can but love hir best, my swete fo; Love hath me taught no more of his art But serve alwey, and stinte for no wo.
IV. (In ten-line stanzas.)
[With]-in my trewe careful herte ther is 45 So moche wo, and [eek] so litel blis, That wo is me that ever I was bore; For al that thing which I desyre I mis, And al that ever I wolde nat, I-wis, That finde I redy to me evermore; 50 And of al this I not to whom me pleyne. For she that mighte me out of this bringe Ne reccheth nat whether I wepe or singe; So litel rewthe hath she upon my peyne.
Allas! whan sleping-time is, than I wake, 55 Whan I shulde daunce, for fere than I quake; [Yow rekketh never wher I flete or sinke;] This hevy lyf I lede for your sake, Thogh ye ther-of in no wyse hede take, [For on my wo yow deyneth not to thinke.] 60 My hertes lady, and hool my lyves quene! For trewly dorste I seye, as that I fele, Me semeth that your swete herte of stele Is whetted now ageynes me to kene.
My dere herte, and best beloved fo, 65 Why lyketh yow to do me al this wo, What have I doon that greveth yow, or sayd, But for I serve and love yow and no mo? And whylst I live, I wol do ever so; And therfor, swete, ne beth nat evil apayd. 70 For so good and so fair as [that] ye be, Hit were [a] right gret wonder but ye hadde Of alle servants, bothe goode and badde; And leest worthy of alle hem, I am he.
But never-the-les, my righte lady swete, 75 Thogh that I be unconning and unmete To serve as I best coude ay your hynesse. Yit is ther fayner noon, that wolde I hete, Than I, to do yow ese, or elles bete What-so I wiste were to [yow distresse]. 80 And hadde I might as good as I have wille, Than shulde ye fele wher it wer so or noon; For in this worlde living is ther noon That fayner wolde your hertes wil fulfille.
For bothe I love, and eek dreed yow so sore, 85 And algates moot, and have doon yow, ful yore, That bet loved is noon, ne never shal; And yit I wolde beseche yow of no more But leveth wel, and be nat wrooth ther-fore, And lat me serve yow forth; lo! this is al. 90 For I am nat so hardy ne so wood For to desire that ye shulde love me; For wel I wot, allas! that may nat be; I am so litel worthy, and ye so good.
For ye be oon the worthiest on-lyve, 95 And I the most unlykly for to thryve; Yit, for al this, [now] witeth ye right wele, That ye ne shul me from your service dryve That I nil ay, with alle my wittes fyve, Serve yow trewly, what wo so that I fele. 100 For I am set on yow in swich manere That, thogh ye never wil upon me rewe, I moste yow love, and ever been as trewe As any can or may on-lyve [here].
The more that I love yow, goodly free, 105 The lasse fynde I that ye loven me; Allas! whan shal that harde wit amende? Wher is now al your wommanly pitee, Your gentilesse and your debonairtee, Wil ye no thing ther-of upon me spende? 110 And so hool, swete, as I am youres al, And so gret wil as I have yow to serve, Now, certes, and ye lete me thus sterve, Yit have ye wonne ther-on but a smal.
For, at my knowing, I do no-thing why, 115 And this I wol beseche yow hertely, That, ther ever ye finde, whyl ye live, A trewer servant to yow than am I, Leveth [me] thanne, and sleeth me hardely, And I my deeth to you wol al forgive. 120 And if ye finde no trewer [man than me], [Why] will ye suffre than that I thus spille, And for no maner gilt but my good wille? As good wer thanne untrewe as trewe to be.
But I, my lyf and deeth, to yow obeye, 125 And with right buxom herte hoolly I preye, As [is] your moste plesure, so doth by me; Wel lever is me lyken yow and deye Than for to any thing or thinke or seye That mighte yow offende in any tyme. 130 And therfor, swete, rewe on my peynes smerte, And of your grace granteth me som drope; For elles may me laste ne blis ne hope, Ne dwellen in my trouble careful herte.
1. Sh. nightes; see l. 8. 2, 3. hir] Sh. theyre. 7. Ed. (1561) dispaired. 12. Sh. me; Ed. my. 14. All insert now before doth. 15. It seems necessary to repeat this line in order to start the series of rimes. 16. Sh. This loue that hathe me set; I omit that, and supply eek. 17. I supply he (i. e. Love).
19. Sh. and yit my; I omit yit, and supply fro. 24. Supplied to complete the rime from Compl. Mars, 189. 25. Supplied from Compl. Pite, 22, 17. 26. Supplied from Anelida, 307. 31. Sh. is eek. 32. Sh. The wyse eknytte; Ph. The wise I-knyt (corrupt?) 33. Sh. hir she; I omit she. 36. Corrupt? Perhaps read richest creature. 40. Sh. fury. 42. Read of alle his? 44. Sh. In; I read With-in. 45. I supply eek.
50. So in Anelida, 237. 54. Sh. ins. lo after is. 55. Sh. ins. lo after fere. 56, 59. Both lines are missing; supplied from Anelida, 181, 182. 57. Sh. ins. lo after lede. 68. Sh. euer do. 70. I supply that. 71. I supply a. 72. Sh. ins. of after bothe. 76. Sh. koude best; Ph. om. best. 77. Sh. noon fayner. 78. Sh. youre; read yow. 79. Sh. wist that were; om. that. Sh. your hyenesse (repeated from l. 76; wrongly); read yow distresse.
82. Sh. ins. þane before is. 83. Sh. wille; Ph. Ed. wil. 86. Sh. better. 88. Sh. leuethe; Ph. lovith. 96. I supply now. 98. Sh. ne wil (for nil). 100. Ed. (1561) has set so hy vpon your whele. 102. Sh. beon euer. 103. Sh. man can; I omit man. I supply here; the line is imperfect. 104. Sh. But the; I omit But. 113. Ed. om. a.
114. Sh. nought; read nothing. 116. Sh. whyles. 118. I supply me. 120. Sh. no trewer so verrayly; Ed. no trewer verely (false rime). 121. I supply Why. 124-133. Unique stanza, in Ph. only. 126. I supply is. 127. Ph. For wele; omit For. 129. Ph. That yow myght offenden. 132. Ph. no blisse. 133. Ph. dwelle withyn. Colophon. Ph. Explicit Pyte: dan Chaucer Lauteire (?).
VII. ANELIDA AND ARCITE.
The compleynt of feire Anelida and fals Arcite.
Proem.
Thou ferse god of armes, Mars the rede, That in the frosty country called Trace, Within thy grisly temple ful of drede Honoured art, as patroun of that place! 5 With thy Bellona, Pallas, ful of grace, Be present, and my song continue and gye; At my beginning thus to thee I crye.
For hit ful depe is sonken in my minde, With pitous herte in English for tendyte 10 This olde storie, in Latin which I finde, Of quene Anelida and fals Arcite, That elde, which that al can frete and byte, As hit hath freten mony a noble storie, Hath nigh devoured out of our memorie.
15 Be favorable eek, thou Polymnia, On Parnaso that, with thy sustres glade, By Elicon, not fer from Cirrea, Singest with vois memorial in the shade, Under the laurer which that may not fade, And do that I my ship to haven winne; First folow I Stace, and after him Corinne.
The Story.
Iamque domos patrias, &c.; Statii Thebais, xii. 519.
Whan Theseus, with werres longe and grete, The aspre folk of Cithe had over-come, With laurer crouned, in his char gold-bete, 25 Hoom to his contre-houses is y-come;— For which the peple blisful, al and somme, So cryden, that unto the sterres hit wente, And him to honouren dide al hir entente;—
Beforn this duk, in signe of hy victorie, 30 The trompes come, and in his baner large The image of Mars; and, in token of glorie, Men mighten seen of tresor many a charge, Many a bright helm, and many a spere and targe, Many a fresh knight, and many a blisful route, 35 On hors, on fote, in al the felde aboute.
Ipolita his wyf, the hardy quene Of Cithia, that he conquered hadde, With Emelye, hir yonge suster shene, Faire in a char of golde he with him ladde, 40 That al the ground aboute hir char she spradde With brightnesse of the beautee in hir face, Fulfild of largesse and of alle grace.
With his triumphe and laurer crouned thus, In al the floure of fortunes yevinge, 45 Lete I this noble prince Theseus Toward Athenes in his wey rydinge, And founde I wol in shortly for to bringe The slye wey of that I gan to wryte, Of quene Anelida and fals Arcite.
50 Mars, which that through his furious course of yre, The olde wrath of Iuno to fulfille, Hath set the peples hertes bothe on fyre Of Thebes and Grece, everich other to kille With blody speres, ne rested never stille, 55 But throng now her, now ther, among hem bothe, That everich other slough, so wer they wrothe.
For whan Amphiorax and Tydeus, Ipomedon, Parthonopee also Were dede, and slayn [was] proud Campaneus, 60 And whan the wrecches Thebans, bretheren two, Were slayn, and king Adrastus hoom a-go, So desolat stood Thebes and so bare, That no wight coude remedie of his care.
And whan the olde Creon gan espye 65 How that the blood roial was broght adoun, He held the cite by his tirannye, And did the gentils of that regioun To been his frendes, and dwellen in the toun. So what for love of him, and what for awe, 70 The noble folk wer to the toune y-drawe.
Among al these, Anelida the quene Of Ermony was in that toun dwellinge, That fairer was then is the sonne shene; Through-out the world so gan hir name springe, 75 That hir to seen had every wight lykinge; For, as of trouthe, is ther noon hir liche, Of al the women in this worlde riche.
Yong was this quene, of twenty yeer of elde, Of midel stature, and of swich fairnesse, 80 That nature had a Ioye hir to behelde; And for to speken of hir stedfastnesse, She passed hath Penelope and Lucresse, And shortly, if she shal be comprehended, In hir ne mighte no-thing been amended.
85 This Theban knight [Arcite] eek, sooth to seyn, Was yong, and ther-with-al a lusty knight, But he was double in love and no-thing pleyn, And subtil in that crafte over any wight, And with his cunning wan this lady bright; 90 For so ferforth he gan hir trouthe assure, That she him [trust] over any creature.
What shuld I seyn? she loved Arcite so, That, whan that he was absent any throwe, Anon hir thoghte hir herte brast a-two; 95 For in hir sight to hir he bar him lowe, So that she wende have al his herte y-knowe; But he was fals; it nas but feyned chere, As nedeth not to men such craft to lere.
But never-the-les ful mikel besinesse 100 Had he, er that he mighte his lady winne, And swoor he wolde dyen for distresse, Or from his wit he seyde he wolde twinne. Alas, the whyle! for hit was routhe and sinne, That she upon his sorowes wolde rewe, 105 But no-thing thenketh the fals as doth the trewe.
Hir fredom fond Arcite in swich manere, That al was his that she hath, moche or lyte, Ne to no creature made she chere Ferther than that hit lyked to Arcite; 110 Ther was no lak with which he mighte hir wyte, She was so ferforth yeven him to plese, That al that lyked him, hit did hir ese.
Ther nas to hir no maner lettre y-sent That touched love, from any maner wight, 115 That she ne shewed hit him, er hit was brent; So pleyn she was, and did hir fulle might, That she nil hyden nothing from hir knight, Lest he of any untrouthe hir upbreyde; Withouten bode his heste she obeyde.
120 And eek he made him Ielous over here, That, what that any man had to hir seyd, Anoon he wolde preyen hir to swere What was that word, or make him evel apayd; Than wende she out of hir wit have brayd; 125 But al this nas but sleight and flaterye, Withouten love he feyned Ielosye.
And al this took she so debonerly, That al his wille, hir thoghte hit skilful thing, And ever the lenger loved him tenderly, 130 And did him honour as he were a king. Hir herte was wedded to him with a ring; So ferforth upon trouthe is hir entente, That wher he goth, hir herte with him wente.
Whan she shal ete, on him is so hir thoght, 135 That wel unnethe of mete took she keep; And whan that she was to hir reste broght, On him she thoghte alwey til that she sleep; Whan he was absent, prevely she weep; Thus liveth fair Anelida the quene 140 For fals Arcite, that did hir al this tene.
This fals Arcite, of his new-fangelnesse, For she to him so lowly was and trewe, Took lesse deyntee for hir stedfastnesse, And saw another lady, proud and newe, 145 And right anon he cladde him in hir hewe— Wot I not whether in whyte, rede, or grene— And falsed fair Anelida the quene.
But never-the-les, gret wonder was hit noon Thogh he wer fals, for hit is kinde of man, 150 Sith Lamek was, that is so longe agoon, To been in love as fals as ever he can; He was the firste fader that began To loven two, and was in bigamye; And he found tentes first, but-if men lye.
155 This fals Arcite sumwhat moste he feyne, Whan he wex fals, to covere his traitorye, Right as an hors, that can both byte and pleyne; For he bar hir on honde of trecherye, And swoor he coude hir doublenesse espye, 160 And al was falsnes that she to him mente; Thus swoor this theef, and forth his way he wente.
Alas! what herte might enduren hit, For routhe or wo, hir sorow for to telle? Or what man hath the cunning or the wit? 165 Or what man might with-in the chambre dwelle, If I to him rehersen shal the helle, That suffreth fair Anelida the quene For fals Arcite, that did hir al this tene?
She wepeth, waileth, swowneth pitously, 170 To grounde deed she falleth as a stoon; Al crampissheth hir limes crokedly, She speketh as hir wit were al agoon; Other colour then asshen hath she noon, Noon other word she speketh moche or lyte, 175 But 'mercy, cruel herte myn, Arcite!'
And thus endureth, til that she was so mate That she ne hath foot on which she may sustene; But forth languisshing ever in this estate, Of which Arcite hath nother routhe ne tene; 180 His herte was elles-where, newe and grene, That on hir wo ne deyneth him not to thinke, Him rekketh never wher she flete or sinke.
His newe lady holdeth him so narowe Up by the brydel, at the staves ende, 185 That every word, he dradde hit as an arowe; Hir daunger made him bothe bowe and bende, And as hir liste, made him turne or wende; For she ne graunted him in hir livinge No grace, why that he hath lust to singe;
190 But drof him forth, unnethe liste hir knowe That he was servaunt to hir ladyshippe, But lest that he wer proude, she held him lowe; Thus serveth he, withouten fee or shipe, She sent him now to londe, now to shippe; 195 And for she yaf him daunger al his fille, Therfor she had him at hir owne wille.
Ensample of this, ye thrifty wimmen alle, Take here Anelida and fals Arcite, That for hir liste him 'dere herte' calle, 200 And was so meek, therfor he loved hir lyte; The kinde of mannes herte is to delyte In thing that straunge is, also god me save! For what he may not gete, that wolde he have.
Now turne we to Anelida ageyn, 205 That pyneth day by day in languisshing; But whan she saw that hir ne gat no geyn, Upon a day, ful sorowfully weping, She caste hir for to make a compleyning, And with hir owne honde she gan hit wryte; 210 And sente hit to hir Theban knight Arcite.
The compleynt of Anelida the quene upon fals Arcite.
Proem.
So thirleth with the poynt of remembraunce, The swerd of sorowe, y-whet with fals plesaunce, Myn herte, bare of blis and blak of hewe, That turned is in quaking al my daunce, 215 My suretee in a-whaped countenaunce; Sith hit availeth not for to ben trewe; For who-so trewest is, hit shal hir rewe, That serveth love and doth hir observaunce Alwey to oon, and chaungeth for no newe.
(Strophe.)
220 1. I wot my-self as wel as any wight; For I loved oon with al my herte and might More then my-self, an hundred thousand sythe, And called him my hertes lyf, my knight, And was al his, as fer as hit was right; 225 And whan that he was glad, than was I blythe, And his disese was my deeth as swythe; And he ayein his trouthe me had plight For ever-more, his lady me to kythe.
2. Now is he fals, alas! and causeles, 230 And of my wo he is so routheles, That with a worde him list not ones deyne To bring ayein my sorowful herte in pees, For he is caught up in a-nother lees. Right as him list, he laugheth at my peyne, 235 And I ne can myn herte not restreyne, That I ne love him alwey, never-the-les; And of al this I not to whom me pleyne.
3. And shal I pleyne—alas! the harde stounde— Un-to my foo that yaf my herte a wounde, 240 And yet desyreth that myn harm be more? Nay, certes! ferther wol I never founde Non other help, my sores for to sounde. My desteny hath shapen it ful yore; I wil non other medecyne ne lore; 245 I wil ben ay ther I was ones bounde, That I have seid, be seid for ever-more!
4. Alas! wher is become your gentilesse! Your wordes ful of plesaunce and humblesse? Your observaunces in so low manere, 250 And your awayting and your besinesse Upon me, that ye calden your maistresse, Your sovereyn lady in this worlde here? Alas! and is ther nother word ne chere Ye vouchesauf upon myn hevinesse? 255 Alas! your love, I bye hit al to dere.
5. Now certes, swete, thogh that ye Thus causeles the cause be Of my dedly adversitee, Your manly reson oghte it to respyte 260 To slee your frend, and namely me, That never yet in no degree Offended yow, as wisly he, That al wot, out of wo my soule quyte!
¶ But for I shewed yow, Arcite, 265 Al that men wolde to me wryte, And was so besy, yow to delyte— My honour save—meke, kinde, and free, Therfor ye putte on me the wyte, And of me recche not a myte, 270 Thogh that the swerd of sorow byte My woful herte through your crueltee.
6. My swete foo,why do ye so,for shame? And thenke yethat furthered beyour name, To love a newe,and been untrewe?nay! 275 And putte yowin sclaunder nowand blame, And do to meadversiteeand grame, That love yow most,god, wel thou wost!alway? Yet turn ayeyn,and be al pleynsom day, And than shal thisthat now is misbe game, 280 And al for-yive,whyl that I livemay.
(Antistrophe.)
1. Lo! herte myn, al this is for to seyne, As whether shal I preye or elles pleyne? Whiche is the wey to doon yow to be trewe? For either mot I have yow in my cheyne, 285 Or with the dethe ye mot departe us tweyne; Ther ben non other mene weyes newe; For god so wisly on my soule rewe, As verily ye sleen me with the peyne; That may ye see unfeyned of myn hewe.
290 2. For thus ferforth have I my deth [y]-soght, My-self I mordre with my prevy thoght; For sorow and routhe of your unkindenesse I wepe, I wake, I faste; al helpeth noght; I weyve Ioy that is to speke of oght, 295 I voyde companye, I flee gladnesse; Who may avaunte hir bet of hevinesse Then I? and to this plyte have ye me broght, Withoute gilt; me nedeth no witnesse.
3. And sholde I preye, and weyve womanhede? 300 Nay! rather deth then do so foul a dede, And axe mercy gilteles! what nede? And if I pleyne what lyf that I lede, Yow rekketh not; that know I, out of drede; And if I unto yow myn othes bede 305 For myn excuse, a scorn shal be my mede; Your chere floureth, but hit wol not sede; Ful longe agoon I oghte have take hede.
4. For thogh I hadde yow to-morow ageyn, I might as wel holde Averill fro reyn, 310 As holde yow, to make yow stedfast. Almighty god, of trouthe sovereyn, Wher is the trouthe of man? who hath hit sleyn? Who that hem loveth shal hem fynde as fast As in a tempest is a roten mast. 315 Is that a tame best that is ay feyn To renne away, when he is leest agast?
5. Now mercy, swete, if I misseye, Have I seyd oght amis, I preye? I not; my wit is al aweye. 320 I fare as doth the song of Chaunte-pleure. For now I pleyne, and now I pleye, I am so mased that I deye, Arcite hath born awey the keye Of al my worlde, and my good aventure!
325 ¶ For in this worlde nis creature Wakinge, in more discomfiture Then I, ne more sorow endure; And if I slepe a furlong wey or tweye, Than thinketh me, that your figure 330 Before me stant, clad in asure, To profren eft a newe assure For to be trewe, and mercy me to preye.
6. The longe nightthis wonder sightI drye, And on the dayfor this afrayI dye, 335 And of al thisright noght, y-wis,ye recche. Ne never momyn yën twobe drye, And to your routheand to your troutheI crye. But welawey!to fer be theyto fecche; Thus holdeth memy destineea wrecche. 340 But me to redeout of this dredeor gye Ne may my wit,so weyk is hit,not strecche.
Conclusion.
Than ende I thus, sith I may do no more, I yeve hit up for now and ever-more; For I shal never eft putten in balaunce 345 My sekernes, ne lerne of love the lore. But as the swan, I have herd seyd ful yore, Ayeins his deth shal singe in his penaunce, So singe I here my destiny or chaunce, How that Arcite Anelida so sore 350 Hath thirled with the poynt of remembraunce!
The story continued.
Whan that Anelida this woful quene Hath of hir hande writen in this wyse, With face deed, betwixe pale and grene, She fel a-swowe; and sith she gan to ryse, 355 And unto Mars avoweth sacrifyse With-in the temple, with a sorowful chere, 357 That shapen was as ye shal after here.
(Unfinished.)
The chief authorities are: Harl. (Harl. 7333); F. (Fairfax 16); Tn. (Tanner 346); D. (Digby 181); Cx.(Caxton's edition); B. (Bodley 638); Lt. (Longleat MS.). Th. = Thynne's ed. 1532. I follow F. mainly, correcting the spelling; and give selected variations. Title from F.; B. has boke for compleynt.
1. Tn. ferse; F. fers. 3. Harl. D. Cx. temple; rest temples. 6. F. songe. F. contynew; D. contynue. F. guye; Tn. gye. 7. F. I to the; Harl. Tn. D. to the I. 9. Cx. for tendyte; Harl. for to endite; rest to endyte. 11. F. Analida; Cx. Anelida; Tn. D. Annelida. 12. Harl. that; Cx. that (for which); rest om. 15. F. eke. Harl. Polymea; rest Polymya, Polymia; Th. Polymnia. 16. Harl. Cx. with; rest hath (!). Harl. Cx. sustren. 17. F. B. Cx. Cirrea; D. Cirea; Tn. Circa (wrongly).
20. Tn. ship; F. shippe. After l. 21, 3 Latin lines are quoted from Statius (see note). 23. F. folke. Cx. Cithye. 24. Harl. D. Cx. Lt. With; F. The (caught from l. 23). D. crowned; F. corovned. 25. All Home. Tn. ycome; F. he come. 27. Cx. cryeden; but rest cryden, criden. Harl. unto; rest to. Tn. wente; F. went. 28. Tn. entente; F. entent. 29. F. Harl. Beforne; Cx. Biforn; Tn. D. B. Lt. Before. Harl. duk; F. duke. Harl. inserts hie (= hy); Addit. 16165 has his; the rest wrongly omit; accent o in victórie. 31. Cx. tokening. Harl. and tokenyng of his glorie. 32. F. sene; Harl. seen. 33. Tn. many; F. mony (5 times). 35. on] Harl. Cx. and. 36. Tn. Ypolita. F. wife. 37. Harl. D. Cithea. D. hadde; Lt. hade; rest had. 39. F. chare. D. ladde; Lt. lade; rest lad. 40. Harl. ground; F. grounde. D. spradde; rest sprad. 41. Harl. Cx. the; rest omit. 42. F. Fulfilled; al.
43. D. Cx. Lt. crowned; rest corouned. 44. F. yevyng; Tn. gifeynge. 45. F. B. Let; rest Lete. 46. F. ryding; Tn. ridinge. 47. F. bring; Tn. brynge. 48. D. slye (rightly); Tn. sly; F. sley. 50. F. thro. Harl. Tn. D. furious; F. furiouse. 51. Harl. Tn. wrath; F. wrethe. 52. F. hertis. 53. F. B. Tn. insert and after Grece; which D. Lt. Harl. Cx. omit. Harl. yche othir for to kylle (a good reading). Cf. l. 56. F. eueriche. 55. D. among; F. amonge. D. bothe; F. both (but wrothe in l. 56). 56. F. eueriche. 58. Harl. Parthonopee; Cx. Parthonope; D. Partonope; Tn. Partinope; F. B. Prothonolope(!). 59. Harl. Tn. dede; F. ded. I supply was, which sense and metre require; Cx. supplies and. F. proude. 60. So F. Tn. B. Lt.; Harl. D. Cx. put wrechid (wrecchid) for wrecches. 61. Cx. hom; rest home. 62. F. stode. 66. F. helde. 70. F. folke.
72. Tn. dwellynge; F. duellyng. 73. F. sunne; Harl. Tn. D. Cx. sonne. 74. D. Through; F. Thorogh. Tn. sprynge; F. spring. 75. Tn. likynge; F. likyng. 77. Harl. Tn. D. Cx. the; F. thes. 78. twenty is written xxti in the MSS. D. olde; Cx. olde; Lt. of olde; Harl. eld; rest of elde. 79. Tn. mydelle; F. mydil. F. suche. 80. F. Ioy. 81. D. stedfastnesse; F. stidfastnesse. 82. F. B. both; rest hath. Harl. Th. penelope; F. and others penolope. 84. Harl. ne; rest om. Tn. myghte; F. myght. 85. I supply Arcite; line too short. F. seyne. 86. Harl. yong; F. yonge. Harl. there with alle (so D. Cx. Lt.); rest therto with al. 87. F. pleyne. 88. Harl. any; F. eny. 89. D. Lt. Cx. wan; F. whan (!). 90. F. ferforthe. F. can; rest gan. 91. Th. Tn. Harl. trusteth; rest trusted; read trust. D. any; F. eny. 93. F. eny throw. 94. F. thoght; hert. 95. F. bare. 96. F. hert.
101. Harl. Tn. D.B. swore (for swoor); Cx. sware; F. sworne. 105. Tn. thenketh; F. thinketh. 106. F. fonde; suche. 107. F. B. wrongly insert both before moche; rest omit. F. B. and; rest or. 109. Harl. Cx. that; rest omit. 110. F. wiche; myght. 111. Tn. yeuen; F. yevin. 112. F. dyd her hert an ese; Harl. Cx. omit hert an; others vary. 114, 118. D. any; F. eny. 116. Tn. D. B. fulle; rest ful. 119. (See 126.) Harl. Cx. heste; rest herte, hert. 120. F. eke. Tn. Ielous; F. Ielouse. D. Cx. here (for the rime); F. her. 121. Harl. any; F. eny. F. seyde. 123. F. worde. Harl. Tn. apayde; F. apaied; D. B. apaid. 124. F. wend. Cx. brayd; Tn. breyde; F. breyed. 125. Harl. Cx. this nas; rest was. D. sleight; Cx. sleyght; F. sleght. 126. Harl. Withouten; F. With out; (and so in 119).
127. F. toke. F. B. as; rest so. 128. Harl. Tn. wille; F. wil. F. thoght. Koch proposes to omit hit. 129. All ins. she after lenger; it is not wanted. 131. F. ringe. 132. Harl. Cx. So; rest For so. Harl. Tn. entente; F. entent. 133. Tn. herte; F. hert. Harl. Tn. wente; F. went. 135. F. toke; kepe. 136. Harl. Cx. that; rest omit. Harl. D. Cx. reste; F. rest. 137. Tn. thoghte; F. thoght. Harl. Tn. Cx. alwey; F. ay. F. slepe. 138. F. wepe. 139. Cx. fayr; F. feire. 141. D. newfangilnesse; Tn. newfangulnes; F. new fanglesse 143. F. Toke. D. sted-; F. stid-. 144. F. proude. 145. Harl. D. cladde; F. clad. 146. F. whethir. 148. F. lesse grete. 149. Harl. Cx. omit the, which F. and others insert after is. 152. Harl. Tn. firste; F. first. 154. F. founde.
156. Harl. Tn. D. couer; Cx. couere; F. coueren. 157. F. Tn. pleyn. 159, 161. All swore. 160. Harl. Tn. mente; F. ment. 161. D. Cx. theef; F. thefe. Harl. Tn. wente; F. went. 162. Tn. herte; F. hert. Cx. enduren; rest endure. 167. F. feir. 169. Cx. swowneth; D. sownyth; F. swoneth. 170. Harl. Tn. D. grounde; F. ground. F. dede; ston. 171. Harl. Al; rest om. Cx. Crampissheth; Lt. Crampuissheth; Tn. Crampicheth; F. cravmpysshe. 172. F. agon. 174. Harl. Noon; Cx. None; the rest insert Ne before Noon. For she speketh, all the MSS. have speketh she. 175. F. mercie; hert. 178. F. B. for; rest forth. 179. Tn. D. nothir; F. nouther. 180. F. wher; rest where. 182. Harl. nought; Cx. not (for never). Harl. D. Cx. whether; but wher is short for whether. Cf. Compt. unto Pite, 110; see note.
183. All but Harl. Cx. Th. insert up before so; see next line. 184. F. bridil. 185. F. worde. B. D. Lt. dredith; F. Tn. dred hit; Harl. Cx. drad; read dradde hit. 187. Tn. Cx. liste; Harl. lyste; F. lust. 190. Harl. Cx. vnnethe; F. vnneth. F. list. 191. All un-to; read to. 192. Cx. proud; F. proude. Harl. Cx. held; F. helde. 193. Harl. withouten; F. with out. Harl. Cx. mete; rest fee. F. B. Lt. shippe; D. shipe; Cx. sype; Harl. shepe (!); Tn. shep (!). 195. D. yaf; F. yafe. 196. Harl. owne; F. ovne. 197. Harl Tn. D. thrifty; F. thrifte. 198. B. here; F. her (i. e. here); Tn. D. here of; Cx. Lt. hede of. 199. Tn. Cx. liste (pt. t.); F. list. Harl. Cx. dere herte; F. her der hert. 200. All meke. 201. All kynde (kinde). F. hert. 203. Harl. Cx. he (twice); F. and others wrongly have they the 2nd time. 205. F. Tn. be; rest by. 206. F. sawe. 208. Harl. Tn. caste; F. cast. 209. Harl. owne; F. ovne. 210. Th. sente; D. Cx. sende; rest sent. F. B. omit hit; rest retain.
211. Harl. thirllethe; Cx. thirleth; F. B. thirled (!). 212. B. swerd; F. suerde. F. y-whet; B. I-whet; rest whet. 213. Tn. herte; F. hert. Harl. Tn. D. blak; F. blake. 214. Harl. Cx. in. rest to; see 215. 215. Tn. B. Lt. surete; F. suerte. F. B. in to; rest in. D. Cx. a whaped; Harl. a whaaped; F. a waped. 216. Harl. for; rest om. 217. Harl. trewest; F. truest. Harl. hir; Cx. her; F. and others him (but see l. 218). 218. F. dothe. 220. Harl. any; F. eny. 221. F. hert. 223. F. B. cleped; rest called. F. hertis life. 227. Harl. D. Cx. B. plight; F. I-plyght. 229. So Tn. Harl. Cx. D; F. B. Alas now hath he left me causeles. 232. Tn. herte, pees; F. hert, pes. 233. B. caught; F. caght. Tn. D. Cx. lees; F. les.
234. F. B. me (!); rest him. 235. F. hert. 238. F. pleyn. Harl. Tn. harde; F. hard. 239. F. yafe; hert. 240. F. harme. 241. F. certis. All be founde; but be is copied in from the line above; see l. 47. 242. F. helpe. 243. Tn. desteny; F. destany. F. B. om. ful. 246. F. seide (twice.) 252. F. souereigne. 253. I supply and from Cx.; Harl. has And is there nowe neyther. 254. Lt. vouchesauf; Cx. vouchen sauf; F. vouchesafe. 256. F. certis. 257. F. B. causer (for caus-e); rest cause. 258. F. dedely. 259. F. oght. 260. Harl. Lt. slee; Tn. D. Cx. sle; F. slene. F. frende. 263. Harl. wot; F. wote.
264, 265. Harl. Cx. But for I was so pleyne, Arcyte, In alle my werkes, much and lyte; and omit was in l. 266. 267. F. honor. Tn. saue; F. D. safe; Harl. Cx. sauf. 268. F. put. 269. Harl. Tn. recche; F. rek. 270. F. B. om. that. F. suerde. 271. Tn. herte; F. hert. F. thro. 272. F. suete. 274. Harl. Tn. vntrewe; F. vntrew. 275. Harl. putte; F. put. 278. Tn. D. Ff. Lt. turne; rest come. 279. Tn. Harl. Cx. D. Lt. And then shall this that now is mis ben (be); F. B. And turne al this that hath be mys to. 280. F. foryeve; Tn. foryife; Harl. 372, foryiue (rightly). 281. F. hert. Harl. seyne (gerund); F. seyn. 282. F. wheder; prey; pleyn. 284, 5, 8. F. cheyn, tweyn, peyn. 287. D. Cx. on; Harl. of; F. Tn. B. vpon. 288. D. verily; F. verrely.
290. Harl. Cx. omit this stanza. F. dethe (wrongly); rest deth. All soght, sought; read y-soght. 291. D. B. mordre; F. mourdre. 292. F. vnkyndnesse. 293. Tn. D. faste; F. fast. 296. F. avaunt. Tn. B. Lt. bet; F. beter. 298. Tn. Lt. With oute; F. With out. 299. Some of the final rimes in this stanza are forced ones. F. B. shal; rest sholde (shulde). F. prey. 300. F. dethe; Harl. Cx. dye. F. foule. 301. F. mercie. Tn. gilteles; F. giltles. 302. Harl. pleyne; F. pleyn. F. lyfe. Harl. Cx. ins. that; F. and others omit. 304. Tn. D. unto; F. to. 305. F. skorne. 306. F. B. om. hit. 307. F. and others insert to before have; Tn. D. Lt. Cx. omit. 308. D. hadde; F. had. 309. F. Apprile; Harl. Aueryll. 310. F. B. yow be; rest om. be. F. stidfast. 311. F. souereigne. 312. F. slayn. 313. Tn. D. Lt. She; Harl. Sheo; rest Who. F. B. insert she before shal. 314. F. om. 1st a. 315. Is] F. this (!) 316. Harl. fleen; Cx. fle (for renne). F. lest.
317. Harl. Cx. But; rest Now. F. mercie. F. myssey (omitting e in-eye throughout, wrongly); Harl. myssaye, &c. 318. So F. B.; rest Have I ought seyd out of the weye. F. seyde. 319. Harl. Cx. half (for al). 320. F. dothe; songe. F. chaunt plure; Harl. Chaunte pleure. 321. F. pleyn. 323. F. borne. 325. Harl. Cx. nys; F. B. D. ther is no; Tn. ther nis no (too many syllables). 328. F. furlonge. F. B. other (for or); rest or. 329. F. thenketh; Tn. thynketh. 330. Tn. stant; F. stont. 331. Harl. Cx. To profren efte; D. Tn. Lt. Efte to profre; F. B. To suere yet. Tn. D. Cx. Lt. assure; F. asure. 332. F. trew; mercie. Harl. and love me til I dye; Cx. and love me til he deye. 334. F. B. this; D. Tn. suche; Harl. Cx. thilke. 335. F. reche; Tn. D. recche; and so with feche, &c. 339. F. destany; Tn. destyne (for the rime). 341. F. weyke. 343. Harl. D. Cx. yeve; F. yf; Tn. gife.
344. F. efte. Tn. Cx. putten; F. put. 347. Tn. deth; F. dethe. Tn. D. Lt. Ff. insert in; rest om. 348. Harl. Tn. destenye; D. destynye; F. destany. 349. F. Analida. F. B. to; rest so. 351. This stanza only occurs in Tn. D. Lt. Ff. Th.; I follow Tn. mainly. Tn. Annelida; wofull. 352. Tn. Lt. Ff. of; D. with. 353. D. Th. deed; rest dede. D. betwixe; Th. betwyxe; Ff. bitwixte; Tn. Lt. betwix. 354. Tn. felle; Th. fel. Ff. a swowe; Tn. a swow. 355. Lt. Th. avoweth; D. avowith; Tn. avoyth. 356. Tn. With-Inne; rest With-in. Tn. sorofulle. 357. Tn. shapyn; aftyr. shal after] Lt. Th. may plainly.
VIII. CHAUCERS WORDES UNTO ADAM, HIS OWNE SCRIVEYN.
Adam scriveyn, if ever it thee bifalle Boece or Troilus to wryten newe, Under thy lokkes thou most have the scalle, But after my making thou wryte trewe. 5 So ofte a daye I mot thy werk renewe, Hit to correcte and eek to rubbe and scrape; And al is through thy negligence and rape.
From T. (= MS. R. 3. 20 in Trin. Coll. Library, Cambridge). It also occurs in Stowe's edition (1561).
Title; T. has—Chauciers wordes .a. Geffrey vn-to Adame his owen scryveyne; Stowe has—Chaucers woordes vnto his owne Scriuener.
1. T. scryveyne; byfalle. 2. T. Troylus for to; nuwe. 3. T. thy long lokkes (see note); thowe. 4. T. affter; makyng thowe wryte more truwe (see note). 5. T. offt; renuwe. 6. T. It; corect; Stowe has correcte. T. eke. 7. T. thorugh; neclygence.
IX. THE FORMER AGE.
A blisful lyf, a paisible and a swete Ledden the peples in the former age; They helde hem payed of fruites, that they ete, Which that the feldes yave hem by usage; 5 They ne were nat forpampred with outrage; Unknowen was the quern and eek the melle; They eten mast, hawes, and swich pounage, And dronken water of the colde welle.
Yit nas the ground nat wounded with the plough, 10 But corn up-sprong, unsowe of mannes hond, The which they gniden, and eete nat half y-nough No man yit knew the forwes of his lond; No man the fyr out of the flint yit fond; Un-korven and un-grobbed lay the vyne; 15 No man yit in the morter spyces grond To clarre, ne to sause of galantyne.
No mader, welde, or wood no litestere Ne knew; the flees was of his former hewe; No flesh ne wiste offence of egge or spere; 20 No coyn ne knew man which was fals or trewe; No ship yit karf the wawes grene and blewe; No marchaunt yit ne fette outlandish ware; No trompes for the werres folk ne knewe, No toures heye, and walles rounde or square.
25 What sholde it han avayled to werreye? Ther lay no profit, ther was no richesse, But cursed was the tyme, I dar wel seye, That men first dide hir swety bysinesse To grobbe up metal, lurkinge in darknesse, 30 And in the riveres first gemmes soghte. Allas! than sprong up al the cursednesse Of covetyse, that first our sorwe broghte!
Thise tyraunts putte hem gladly nat in pres, No wildnesse, ne no busshes for to winne 35 Ther poverte is, as seith Diogenes, Ther as vitaile is eek so skars and thinne That noght but mast or apples is ther-inne. But, ther as bagges been and fat vitaile, Ther wol they gon, and spare for no sinne 40 With al hir ost the cite for tassaile.
Yit were no paleis-chaumbres, ne non halles; In caves and [in] wodes softe and swete Slepten this blissed folk with-oute walles, On gras or leves in parfit quiete. 45 No doun of fetheres, ne no bleched shete Was kid to hem, but in seurtee they slepte; Hir hertes were al oon, with-oute galles, Everich of hem his feith to other kepte.
Unforged was the hauberk and the plate; 50 The lambish peple, voyd of alle vyce, Hadden no fantasye to debate, But ech of hem wolde other wel cheryce; No pryde, non envye, non avaryce, No lord, no taylage by no tyrannye; 55 Humblesse and pees, good feith, the emperice, [Fulfilled erthe of olde curtesye.]
Yit was not Iupiter the likerous, That first was fader of delicacye, Come in this world; ne Nembrot, desirous 60 To reynen, had nat maad his toures hye. Allas, allas! now may men wepe and crye! For in our dayes nis but covetyse [And] doublenesse, and tresoun and envye, 64 Poysoun, manslauhtre, and mordre in sondry wyse.
Finit Etas prima.Chaucers.
1. I. Blysful; paysyble. 2. I. poeples; Hh. peplis. 3. I. paied of the; Hh. paied with the (but omit the). I. fructes; Hh. frutes. 4. I. Whiche. 5. I. weere; Hh. were. I. Hh. owtrage. 6. I. Onknowyn. I. quyerne; Hh. qwerne. I. ek. 7. I. swych pownage. 9. I. grownd; wownded; plowh. 11. I. gnodded; Hh. knoddyd; read gniden; see note. I. I-nowh. 12. I. knewe; Hh. knew. 13. I, owt; flynt; fonde. 15. I. spices. 16. I. sawse; Hh. sause. I. galentyne; Hh. galantine. 17. I. madyr; Hh. madder. Hh. wellyd (wrongly), I. wod; Hh. woode. 18. I. knewh. I. fles; Hh. flese (for flees). I. is (for his); Hh. hys. 19. I. flessh; wyste. 20. I. knewh. Hh. was; I. is.
22. I. owt-. 23. I. inserts batails (Hh. batayllys) after No. 24. I. towres; rownde. 26. I. profyt; rychesse. 27. I. corsed; Hh. cursyd. 28. I. fyrst; Hh. first. I. dede; bysynesse. 29. I. lurkynge. Hh. derknesse; I. dirkenesse. 30. I. Ryuerys fyrst gemmys sowhte. 31. I. cursydnesse. 32. Hh. couetyse; I. coueytyse. I. fyrst owr; browhte. 33. I. Thyse tyrauntz. Both put. 34. I. inserts places (Hh. place of) after No. I. wynne. 36. I. vitayle; ek. 37. I nat (for noght); Hh. nowt. 39. I. synne. 40. I. Cyte. I. forto asayle; Hh. for to asayle. 41. Hh. were; I. was. 42. I. kanes. I. Hh. om. 2nd in; which I supply. 43. I. Sleptin; blyssed; with-owte. 44. Hh. On; I. Or. I. parfyt Ioye reste and quiete (!); Hh. parfite Ioy and quiete (!). 45. I. down. 46. I. kyd. I. surte; Hh. surt. 47. I. weere; on; -owte. 48. I. Euerych; oother.
49. I. hawberke. 50. I. lambyssh. I. poeple; Hh. pepyl. Hh. voyd; I. voyded. Hh. vice; I. vyse. 51. I. fantesye. 52. I. eche; oother. 53. I. pride. 54. I. tyranye. 55. Hh. Humblesse; I. Vmblesse. I. pes. 56. Not in the MSS.; I supply it. Koch suggests—Yit hadden in this worlde the maistrye. 57. I. Iuppiter; Hh. Iupiter. I. lykerous. 58. I. fyrst; fadyr; delicasie. 59. I. desyrous. 60. I. regne; towres. 61. Hh. men; which I. omits. 62. I. owre. 63. I. Hh. omit first And, which I supply. I. Hh. Dowblenesse. 64. I. Poyson and manslawtre; Hh. Poysonne manslawtyr. Finit, &c.; in Hh. only.
X. FORTUNE.
Balades de visage sanz peinture.
I. Le Pleintif countre Fortune.
This wrecched worldes transmutacioun, As wele or wo, now povre and now honour, With-outen ordre or wys discrecioun Governed is by Fortunes errour; 5 But natheles, the lak of hir favour Ne may nat don me singen, though I dye, Iay tout perdu mon temps et mon labour:' For fynally, Fortune, I thee defye!
Yit is me left the light of my resoun, 10 To knowen frend fro fo in thy mirour. So muche hath yit thy whirling up and doun Y-taught me for to knowen in an hour. But trewely, no force of thy reddour To him that over him-self hath the maystrye! 15 My suffisaunce shal be my socour: For fynally, Fortune, I thee defye!
O Socrates, thou stedfast champioun, She never mighte be thy tormentour; Thou never dreddest hir oppressioun, 20 Ne in hir chere founde thou no savour. Thou knewe wel deceit of hir colour, And that hir moste worshipe is to lye. I knowe hir eek a fals dissimulour: For fynally, Fortune, I thee defye!
II. La respounse de Fortune au Pleintif.
25 No man is wrecched, but him-self hit wene, And he that hath him-self hath suffisaunce. Why seystow thanne I am to thee so kene, That hast thy-self out of my governaunce? Sey thus: 'Graunt mercy of thyn haboundaunce 30 That thou hast lent or this.' Why wolt thou stryve? What wostow yit, how I thee wol avaunce? And eek thou hast thy beste frend alyve!
I have thee taught divisioun bi-twene Frend of effect, and frend of countenaunce; 35 Thee nedeth nat the galle of noon hyene, That cureth eyen derke fro hir penaunce; Now seestow cleer, that were in ignoraunce. Yit halt thyn ancre, and yit thou mayst arryve Ther bountee berth the keye of my substaunce: 40 And eek thou hast thy beste frend alyve.
How many have I refused to sustene, Sin I thee fostred have in thy plesaunce! Woltow than make a statut on thy quene That I shal been ay at thyn ordinaunce? 45 Thou born art in my regne of variaunce, Aboute the wheel with other most thou dryve. My lore is bet than wikke is thy grevaunce, And eek thou hast thy beste frend alyve.
III. La respounse du Pleintif countre Fortune.
Thy lore I dampne, hit is adversitee. 50 My frend maystow nat reven, blind goddesse! That I thy frendes knowe, I thanke hit thee. Tak hem agayn, lat hem go lye on presse! The negardye in keping hir richesse Prenostik is thou wolt hir tour assayle; 55 Wikke appetyt comth ay before seknesse: In general, this reule may nat fayle.
La respounse de Fortune countre le Pleintif.
Thou pinchest at my mutabilitee, For I thee lente a drope of my richesse, And now me lyketh to with-drawe me. 60 Why sholdestow my realtee oppresse? The see may ebbe and flowen more or lesse; The welkne hath might to shyne, reyne, or hayle; Right so mot I kythen my brotelnesse. In general, this reule may nat fayle.
65 Lo, thexecucion of the magestee That al purveyeth of his rightwisnesse, That same thing 'Fortune' clepen ye, Ye blinde bestes, ful of lewednesse! The hevene hath propretee of sikernesse, 70 This world hath ever resteles travayle; Thy laste day is ende of myn intresse: In general, this reule may nat fayle.
Lenvoy de Fortune.
Princes, I prey you of your gentilesse, Lat nat this man on me thus crye and pleyne, 75 And I shal quyte you your bisinesse At my requeste, as three of you or tweyne; And, but you list releve him of his peyne, Preyeth his beste frend, of his noblesse, 79 That to som beter estat he may atteyne.
Explicit.
The spelling is conformed to that of the preceding poems; the alterations though numerous are slight; as y for i, au for aw, &c. The text mainly follows MS. I. (= Ii. 3. 21, Camb. Univ. Library). Other MSS. are A. (Ashmole 59); T. (Trin. Coll. Camb.); F. (Fairfax 16); B. (Bodley 638); H. (Harl. 2251).
2: F. pouerte; rest poure (poore, pore, poeere). 8, 16: I. fynaly; deffye. 11: I. mochel; the rest muche, moche. 13: I. fors; thi reddowr. 17: I. stidfast chaumpyoun. 18: I. myht; thi tormentowr. 20: I. fownde thow.
21. I. the deseyte; A. T. H. om. the. 22. I. most. 23. I. knew; rest knowe. I. ek. 24. I. fynaly; the deffye. 27. H. seystow; I. seysthow. I. (only) om. to. 30. So I.; rest Thou shall not stryue. 31. I. woost thow; B. wostow; A. T. wostowe. 36. I. derkyd; rest derke (derk). T. from hir; H. from ther; A. frome theire; F. B. fro; I. for. 37. H. seestow; A. T. seestowe; I. partly erased. 43. I. Wolthow; B. Woltow. 46. I. most thow; H. thow must; the rest maystow, maisthow, maistow.
49: I. dempne; F. B. H. dampne. 50: I. maysthow; B. maistou; H. maystow. 51: I. thanke to; F. thanke yt; B. thanke it; H. thank it nat: (Lansdowne and Pepys also have thank it). 60: I. apresse; rest oppresse. 61: I. A. or; rest and. 62: I. welkne; A. B. H. welkin; F. welkene; T. sky. 63: I. brutelnesse; T. brutilnesse; F. B. H. brotelnesse; A. brittelnesse. After l. 64, a new rubric is wrongly inserted, thus: I. Le pleintif; F. B. H. Le pleintif encontre Fortune; A. The Pleyntyff ageinst Fortune; T. Thaunswer of the Lover ayenst Fortune; see note. 65: A. F. þexecucion; B. thexecucyon; I. excussyoun. I. maieste; rest magestee (mageste). 71: I. intersse (sic); (Lansd. and Pepys intresse); T. F. B. interesse; A. H. encresse.
73. I. gentilesses; the rest gentilesse. 76. In I. only; the rest omit this line. 77. A. F. B. H. And; I. T. That. I. lest; rest list (liste). At end—B. Explicit.
XI. MERCILES BEAUTE: A TRIPLE ROUNDEL.
I. Captivity.
Your yën two wol slee me sodenly, I may the beautè of hem not sustene, So woundeth hit through-out my herte kene.
And but your word wol helen hastily 5 My hertes wounde, whyl that hit is grene, Your yën two wol slee me sodenly, I may the beautè of hem not sustene.
Upon my trouthe I sey yow feithfully, That ye ben of my lyf and deeth the quene; 10 For with my deeth the trouthe shal be sene. Your yën two wol slee me sodenly, I may the beautè of hem not sustene, So woundeth hit through-out my herte kene.
II. Rejection.
So hath your beautè fro your herte chaced 15 Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne; For Daunger halt your mercy in his cheyne.
Giltles my deeth thus han ye me purchaced; I sey yow sooth, me nedeth not to feyne; So hath your beautè fro your herte chaced 20 Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne.
Allas! that nature hath in yow compassed So greet beautè, that no man may atteyne To mercy, though he sterve for the peyne. So hath your beautè fro your herte chaced 25 Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne; For Daunger halt your mercy in his cheyne.
III. Escape.
Sin I fro Love escaped am so fat, I never thenk to ben in his prison lene; Sin I am free, I counte him not a bene.
30 He may answere, and seye this or that; I do no fors, I speke right as I mene. Sin I fro Love escaped am so fat, I never thenk to ben in his prison lene.
Love hath my name y-strike out of his sclat, 35 And he is strike out of my bokes clene For ever-mo; [ther] is non other mene. Sin I fro Love escaped am so fat, I never thenk to ben in his prison lene; 39 Sin I am free, I counte him not a bene.
Explicit.
This excellent text is from P. (MS. Pepys 2006, p. 390). I note all variations from the MS.]
1. P. Yowre two yen; but read Your yen two; for in ll., 6, II, the MS. has Your yen, &c. P. wolle sle. 2. them; read hem. 3. wondeth it thorowout (out in the margin). 4. wille. 5. Mi hertis wound while; it. 6, 7. Your yen, &c. 8. trouth. 9. liffe; deth. 10. deth; trouth. 11-13. Your yen, &c. 14. yowre. 15. nauailleth; pleyn. 16. danger.
17. deth. 18. soth; fayn. 19, 20. So hath your, &c. 21. compased. 22. grete; atteyn. 23. peyn. 24-26. So hath your beaute, &c. 28. neuere. 29. fre. 30. answere & sey. 32, 33. Syn I fro loue, &c. 34. I strike. 36. this is (read ther is). 37-39. Syn I fro loue, &c.
XII. TO ROSEMOUNDE. A BALADE.
Madame, ye ben of al beautè shryne As fer as cercled is the mappemounde; For as the cristal glorious ye shyne, And lyke ruby ben your chekes rounde. 5 Therwith ye ben so mery and so iocounde, That at a revel whan that I see you daunce, It is an oynement unto my wounde, Thogh ye to me ne do no daliaunce.
For thogh I wepe of teres ful a tyne, 10 Yet may that wo myn herte nat confounde; Your seemly voys that ye so smal out-twyne Maketh my thoght in Ioye and blis habounde. So curteisly I go, with lovë bounde, That to my-self I sey, in my penaunce, 15 Suffyseth me to love you, Rosemounde, Thogh ye to me ne do no daliaunce.
Nas never pyk walwed in galauntyne As I in love am walwed and y-wounde; For which ful ofte I of my-self divyne 20 That I am trewe Tristan the secounde. My love may not refreyd be nor afounde; I brenne ay in an amorous plesaunce. Do what you list, I wil your thral be founde, 24 Thoghe ye to me ne do no daliaunce.
Tregentil.Chaucer.
From MS. Rawl. Poet. 163, leaf 114.
No title in the MS. Readings. 2. mapamonde. 3. cristall. 4. chekys. 5. ioconde. 6. Reuell; se; dance. 8. Thoght (see 16); daliance. 11. semy (sic); read seemly; fynall, for final(misreading of fmal). 12. Makyth; ioy; blys. 13. curtaysly. 18. I wounde. 19. deuyne. 20. trew. 21. refreyde (with be above the line, just before it); affounde. 22. amorouse. 23. lyst; wyl. 24. daliance.
XIII. TRUTH.
Balade de bon conseyl.
Flee fro the prees, and dwelle with sothfastnesse, Suffyce unto thy good, though hit be smal; For hord hath hate, and climbing tikelnesse, Prees hath envye, and wele blent overal; 5 Savour no more than thee bihove shal; Werk wel thy-self, that other folk canst rede; And trouthe shal delivere, hit is no drede.
Tempest thee noght al croked to redresse, In trust of hir that turneth as a bal: 10 Gret reste stant in litel besinesse; And eek be war to sporne ageyn an al; Stryve noght, as doth the crokke with the wal. Daunte thy-self, that dauntest otheres dede; And trouthe shal delivere, hit is no drede.
15 That thee is sent, receyve in buxumnesse, The wrastling for this worlde axeth a fal. Her nis non hoom, her nis but wildernesse: Forth, pilgrim, forth! Forth, beste, out of thy stal! Know thy contree, look up, thank God of al; 20 Hold the hye wey, and lat thy gost thee lede: And trouthe shal delivere, hit is no drede.
Envoy.
Therfore, thou vache, leve thyn old wrecchednesse Unto the worlde; leve now to be thral; Crye him mercy, that of his hy goodnesse 25 Made thee of noght, and in especial Draw unto him, and pray in general For thee, and eek for other, hevenlich mede; 28 And trouthe shal delivere, hit is no drede.
Explicit Le bon counseill de G. Chaucer.
Title. Gg. has—Balade de bone conseyl; F. has—Balade.
The MSS. are At. (Addit. 10340, Brit. Museum); Gg. (Camb. Univ. Library, Gg. 4. 27); E. (Ellesmere MS.); Ct. (Cotton, Cleop. D. 7); T. (Trin. Coll. Camb. R. 3. 20); F. (Fairfax 16); and others. The text is founded on E.
2. E. Suffise. E. good; T. goode; At. Ct. thing; Gg. þyng. 4. At. blent; T. blenteþe; Gg. blyndyþ; E. blyndeth; Ct. blindeth; see note. 5. E. the. 7. T. inserts thee before shal. 8. Tempest] Harl. F. T. Peyne. 9. E. trist; the rest trust. 10. Gg. Gret reste; T. Gret rest; E. For gret reste; Ct. For greet rest; At. Mych wele. E. bisynesse; rest besynesse. 11. E. ek; agayn. 13. E. Ct. Daunt; the rest Daunte. 14. T. inserts thee before shal. 15. E. the; boxomnesse.
19. Know thy contree] Harl. F. T. Loke vp on hie. E. lok; the rest loke, looke. 20. For Hold the hye wey, Harl. F. and others have Weyve thy lust. E. the (for thee). 21. T. inserts thee before shal. 22-28. This stanza is in At. only. 22. At. þine olde wrechedenesse. 23. At. world. 24. At. Crie hym; hys hie. 25. At. þe; nouȝt. 26. At. Drawe; hym. 27. At. þe; eke; heuenelyche. 28. At. schal delyuere. Colophon: so in F.
XIV. GENTILESSE.
Moral Balade of Chaucer.
The firste stok, fader of gentilesse— What man that claymeth gentil for to be, Must folowe his trace, and alle his wittes dresse Vertu to sewe, and vyces for to flee. 5 For unto vertu longeth dignitee, And noght the revers, saufly dar I deme, Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe.
This firste stok was ful of rightwisnesse, Trewe of his word, sobre, pitous, and free, 10 Clene of his goste, and loved besinesse, Ageinst the vyce of slouthe, in honestee; And, but his heir love vertu, as dide he, He is noght gentil, thogh he riche seme, Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe.
15 Vyce may wel be heir to old richesse; But ther may no man, as men may wel see, Bequethe his heir his vertuous noblesse; That is appropred unto no degree, But to the firste fader in magestee, 20 That maketh him his heir, that can him queme, Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe.
1. Cx. first; Harl. ffirste; Ct. firste. T. gentilesse; rest gentilnesse. 3. Cx. om. alle. 4. A. T. suwe; Harl. shew (for sewe); Cx. folowe (!). 5. Cx. vertue; dignyte. 6. Cx. not; rest nouȝt, nought, noȝte. 7. Cx. mytor; A. T. Harl. Add. mytre. Cx. crowne; dyademe. 8. Cx. rightwisnes. 9. A. Ct. Ha. pitous; Cx. pyetous. 10. Cx. besynes. 11. A. Ageinst; T. Ageynst; Cx. Agayn. Cx. om. the. Cx. honeste. 12. Cx. eyer; rest heire, heyre, eyre. 13. Cx. not; Ct. Ha. nought. Cx. though; Add. thogh. 14. Cx. mytor; crowne. 15. Cx. omits heir. Cx. holde; rest olde; but read old. 16. Cx. al; rest as. 17. Cx. eyer.
18. Cx. degre. 19. Cx. first; mageste. 20. Ct. That maketh his heires hem that hym queme (omitting can); A. That maþe his heyre him that wol him qweme; T. That makeþe heos heyres hem þat wol him qweeme; Add. That maketh his eires hem that can him queme; Cx. That makes hem eyres that can hem queme; with other variations. I follow Cx., supplying his, and putting him and heir in the singular; cf. he in l. 21. 21. Cx. crowne mytor.
XV. LAK OF STEDFASTNESSE.
Balade.
Som tyme this world was so stedfast and stable That mannes word was obligacioun, And now hit is so fals and deceivable, That word and deed, as in conclusioun, 5 Ben no-thing lyk, for turned up so doun Is al this world for mede and wilfulnesse, That al is lost for lak of stedfastnesse.
What maketh this world to be so variable But lust that folk have in dissensioun? 10 Among us now a man is holde unable, But-if he can, by som collusioun, Don his neighbour wrong or oppressioun. What causeth this, but wilful wrecchednesse, That al is lost, for lak of stedfastnesse?
15 Trouthe is put doun, resoun is holden fable; Vertu hath now no dominacioun, Pitee exyled, no man is merciable. Through covetyse is blent discrecioun; The world hath mad a permutacioun 20 Fro right to wrong, fro trouthe to fikelnesse, That al is lost, for lak of stedfastnesse.
Lenvoy to King Richard.
O prince, desyre to be honourable, Cherish thy folk and hate extorcioun! Suffre no thing, that may be reprevable 25 To thyn estat, don in thy regioun. Shew forth thy swerd of castigacioun, Dred God, do law, love trouthe and worthinesse, 28 And wed thy folk agein to stedfastnesse.
Explicit.
The MSS are: Harl. (Harl. 7333); T. (Trin. Coll. R. 3. 20); Ct. (Cotton, Cleop. D. 7); F. (Fairfax 16); Add. (Addit. 22139); Bann. (Bannatyne); and others. Th. = Thynne (1532). I follow Ct. chiefly. The title Balade is in F.
1. Ct. Sumtyme. Ct. F. the; Harl. T. Add. this. Ct. worlde. 2. Ct. worde. 3. Ct. nowe it; false; deseiuable. 4. Ct. worde; dede. 5. Harl. T. Beon; Add. Ar; Ct. Is; F. Ys. Ct. lyke. 6. Ct. all; worlde. 8. Ct. worlde; veriable. 9. Ct. folke; discension. 10. The MSS. have For among vs now, or For nowe a dayes; but Bann. omits For, which is not wanted. 11. Bann. Harl. T. Th. collusion; Ct. F. Add. conclusioun (but see l. 4). 12. Ct. Do; neyghburgh. 15. Ct. putte. 17. Ct. Pite. 18. Ct. Thorugh. 19. Ct. worlde. T. F. Add. Th. a; Bann. ane; Ct. om.
20. Ct. trought; F. trouthe. Title. T. Lenvoye to Kyng Richard; F. Harl. Th. Lenvoy. 22. Ct. honurable. 23. Ct. Cherice thi. 25. Ct. thine estaat doen; thi. 26. Ct. Shewe; swerde. 27. Ct. Drede; truthe. 28. Ct. thi; ayen. Ct. Th. add Explicit.
XVI. LENVOY DE CHAUCER A SCOGAN.
To-broken been the statuts hye in hevene That creat were eternally to dure, Sith that I see the brighte goddes sevene Mow wepe and wayle, and passioun endure, 5 As may in erthe a mortal creature. Allas, fro whennes may this thing procede? Of whiche errour I deye almost for drede.
By worde eterne whylom was hit shape That fro the fifte cercle, in no manere, 10 Ne mighte a drope of teres doun escape. But now so wepeth Venus in hir spere, That with hir teres she wol drenche us here. Allas, Scogan! this is for thyn offence! Thou causest this deluge of pestilence.
15 Hast thou not seyd, in blaspheme of this goddes, Through pryde, or through thy grete rakelnesse, Swich thing as in the lawe of love forbode is? That, for thy lady saw nat thy distresse, Therfor thou yave hir up at Michelmesse! 20 Allas, Scogan! of olde folk ne yonge Was never erst Scogan blamed for his tonge!
Thou drowe in scorn Cupyde eek to record Of thilke rebel word that thou hast spoken, For which he wol no lenger be thy lord. 25 And, Scogan, thogh his bowe be nat broken, He wol nat with his arwes been y-wroken On thee, ne me, ne noon of our figure; We shul of him have neyther hurt ne cure.
Now certes, frend, I drede of thyn unhappe, 30 Lest for thy gilt the wreche of Love procede On alle hem that ben hore and rounde of shape, That ben so lykly folk in love to spede. Than shul we for our labour han no mede; But wel I wot, thou wilt answere and seye: 35 'Lo! olde Grisel list to ryme and pleye!'
Nay, Scogan, sey not so, for I mexcuse, God help me so! in no rym, doutelees, Ne thinke I never of slepe wak my muse, That rusteth in my shethe stille in pees. 40 Whyl I was yong, I putte hir forth in prees, But al shal passe that men prose or ryme; Take every man his turn, as for his tyme.
Envoy.
Scogan, that knelest at the stremes heed Of grace, of alle honour and worthinesse, 45 In thende of which streme I am dul as deed, Forgete in solitarie wildernesse; Yet, Scogan, thenke on Tullius kindenesse, Minne thy frend, ther it may fructifye! 49 Far-wel, and lok thou never est Love defye!
Title: so in F. and P.; Gg. has—Litera directa de Scogon per G. C. The MSS. are: Gg. (Camb. Univ. Library, Gg. 4. 27); F. (Fairfax 16); P. (Pepys 2006). Th. = Thynne (1532). I follow F. mainly.
1. F. statutez. 2. F. weren eternaly. 3. F. bryght goddis. 4. F. Mowe. 5. F. Mortale. 6. F. thys thinge. 8. F. whilome. F. yshape; Gg. it schape; P. Th. it shape. 9. F. fyfte sercle; maner. 10. F. myght; teeres; eschape. 11. F. wepith. 12. F. teeres. 14. F. cawsest; diluge. 15. Gg. Hast þu; F. Hauesthow. F. this goddis; Gg. the goddis; P. Th. the goddes. 16. F. Thurgh; thrugh. F. they (wrongly); Gg. þyn; P. thi. F. rekelnesse; P. Th. reklesnesse; Gg. rechelesnesse; see note. 17. F. P. forbede; Gg. forbodyn; Th. forbode. 18. Gg. saw; F. sawgh. 19. F. Therfore thow. Gg. Mychel-; F. Mighel-. 20. F. folke.
22. F. skorne; eke; recorde. 23. F. worde; thow. 24. F. lorde. 25. F. thow; P. Th. though. F. thy (for his, wrongly); Gg. P. his. 27. F. the. Th. our; Gg. oure; P. owre; F. youre. 28. F. hurte. Gg. P. Th. ne; F. nor. 29. F. dreed. 30. F. gilte. 31. Gg. P. hore; F. hoor. F. shappe; P. shape; Gg. schap. 32. F. folke. 33. P. shull; F. Gg. shal. Gg. P. han; F. haue. F. noo. 34. F. thow. F. wolt; Gg. wilt. 35. Gg. P. Lo olde; F. Loo tholde. F. lyste. 36. F. say; Gg. P. sey. F. soo. 37. P. help; Gg. F. helpe. F. soo. F. ryme dowteles. 38. F. Gg. to wake; P. Th. om. to. 40. F. While; yonge. Gg. putte; F. put. P. Th. her; F. hyt; Gg. it. 41. F. alle. 42. F. hys turne. 43. F. hede; Gg. hed. 45. F. dede; Gg. P. ded. 48. F. Mynne; there. 49. F. Fare; loke thow; dyffye.
N.B. All have—.i. a Windesore, and—.i. a Grenewich opposite ll. 43, 45.
XVII. LENVOY DE CHAUCER A BUKTON.
The counseil of Chaucer touching Mariage, which was sent to Bukton.
My maister Bukton, whan of Criste our kinge Was axed, what is trouthe or sothfastnesse, He nat a word answerde to that axinge, As who saith: 'no man is al trewe,' I gesse. 5 And therfor, thogh I highte to expresse The sorwe and wo that is in mariage, I dar not wryte of hit no wikkednesse, Lest I my-self falle eft in swich dotage.
I wol nat seyn, how that hit is the cheyne 10 Of Sathanas, on which he gnaweth ever, But I dar seyn, were he out of his peyne, As by his wille, he wolde be bounde never. But thilke doted fool that est hath lever Y-cheyned be than out of prisoun crepe, 15 God lete him never fro his wo dissever, Ne no man him bewayle, though he wepe.
But yit, lest thou do worse, tak a wyf; Bet is to wedde, than brenne in worse wyse. But thou shalt have sorwe on thy flesh, thy lyf, 20 And been thy wyves thral, as seyn these wyse, And if that holy writ may nat suffyse, Experience shal thee teche, so may happe, That thee were lever to be take in Fryse Than eft to falle of wedding in the trappe.
Envoy.
25 This litel writ, proverbes, or figure I sende you, tak kepe of hit, I rede: Unwys is he that can no wele endure. If thou be siker, put thee nat in drede. The Wyf of Bathe I pray you that ye rede 30 Of this matere that we have on honde. God graunte you your lyf frely to lede 32 In fredom; for ful hard is to be bonde.
Explicit.
Title: so in MS. Fairfax 16. Second Title from Ju.
The authorities are: F. (Fairfax 16); Th. (Thynne's edition, 1532); and a printed copy by Julian Notary (Ju.). I follow F. mainly.
2. F. ys; sothefastnesse. 3. F. worde. 4. F. noo. Ju. Th. trewe; F. trew. 5. F. therfore though; hight (Ju. hyghte). 6. F. woo. 7. F. writen; hyt noo. 8. Ju. Lest; F. Leste. 9. F. hyt. 10. F. euere. 11. F. oute. 12. F. neuere. 13. F. foole. Th. efte; F. ofte; Ju. oft. F. leuere. 15. F. woo disseuere. 16. F. noo. 17. F. yet; thow doo; take; wyfe. 19. F. thow; flessh; lyfe. 20. F. ben. F. wifes; Ju. Th. wynes.
21. F. yf; hooly writte. 22. F. the. 23. F. the. 24. F. Ju. om. to; which Th. inserts. 25. F. writte; Th. writ; Ju. wryt. 26. F. yow take; hyt. 27. F. Vnwise; kan noo. 28. F. thow; the. 29. F. wyfe; yow. 31. F. yow; lyfe. 32. F. fredam. F. harde it is; Ju. hard is; Th. foule is (omitting ful). All add Explicit.
XVIII. THE COMPLEYNT OF VENUS.
I. (The Lover's worthiness.) Ther nis so hy comfort to my plesaunce, Whan that I am in any hevinesse, As for to have leyser of remembraunce Upon the manhod and the worthinesse, 5Upon the trouthe, and on the stedfastnesse Of him whos I am al, whyl I may dure; Ther oghte blame me no creature, For every wight preiseth his gentilesse. In him is bountee, wisdom, governaunce 10Wel more then any mannes wit can gesse; For grace hath wold so ferforth him avaunce That of knighthode he is parfit richesse. I. Il n'est confort que tant de biens me face, Quant je ne puis a ma dame parler, Comme d'avoir temps, loisir et espace De longuement en sa valour penser, 5Et [de] ses doulz fais femenins recorder Dedens mon cuer. C'est ma vie, par m'ame, Ne je ne truis nul homme qui me blasme, Car chascun a joye de li loer. Il a en li bonté, beauté et grace, 10Plus que nulz homs ne saroit deviser. C'est grant ëur quant en si pou de place Dieux a voulu tous les biens assembler.
Honour honoureth him for his noblesse; Therto so wel hath formed him Nature, 15That I am his for ever, I him assure, For every wight preiseth his gentilesse. And not-withstanding al his suffisaunce, His gentil herte is of so greet humblesse To me in worde, in werke, in contenaunce, 20And me to serve is al his besinesse, That I am set in verrey sikernesse. Thus oghte I blesse wel myn aventure, Sith that him list me serven and honoure; For every wight preiseth his gentilesse. II. (Disquietude caused by Jealousy.) 25Now certes, Love, hit is right covenable That men ful dere bye thy noble thing, As wake a-bedde, and fasten at the table, Weping to laughe, and singe in compleyning, Honneur la vuelt sur toutes honnorer. Oncques ne vi si [douce et] plaisant dame 15De toutes gens avoir si noble femme; Car chascun a joye de li loer. Ou qu'elle soit, bien fait et mal efface. Moult bien li siet le rire et le jouer. Son cuer esbat et les autres soulace 20Si liement qu'on ne l'en doit blasmer. De li veoir ne se puet nulz lasser. Son regart vault tous les biens d'un royaume. Il semble bien qu'elle est tres noble femme, Car chascun a joye de li loer. II. 25Certes, Amours, c'est chose convenable Que voz grans biens [vous] faciez comparer: Veillier ou lit et jeuner a la table, Rire plourant et en plaignant chanter,
And doun to caste visage and loking, 30Often to chaungen hewe and contenaunce, Pleyne in sleping, and dremen at the daunce, Al the revers of any glad feling. Ialousye be hanged by a cable! She wolde al knowe through hir espying; 35Ther doth no wight no-thing so resonable, That al nis harm in hir imagening. Thus dere abought is love in yeving, Which ofte he yiveth with-outen ordinaunce, As sorow ynogh, and litel of plesaunce, 40Al the revers of any glad feling. A litel tyme his yift is agreable, But ful encomberous is the using; For sotel Ialousye, the deceyvable, Ful often-tyme causeth destourbing. Baissier les yeux quant on doit regarder, 30Souvent changier couleur et contenance, Plaindre en dormant et songier a la dance Tout a rebours de ce qu'on vuelt trouver. Jalousie, c'est l'amer du deable; Elle vuelt tout veoir et escouter, 35Ne nulz ne fait chose si raisonnable Que tout a mal ne le vueille tourner. Amours, ainsi fault voz dons acheter, Et vous donnez souvent sanz ordonnance Assez douleur et petit de plaisance, 40Tout a rebours de ce qu'on vuelt trouver. Pour un court temps le gieu est agreable; Mais trop par est encombreux a user. Et, ja soit il a dames honnorable, A leurs amis est trop grief a porter.
45Thus be we ever in drede and suffering, In nouncerteyn we languisshe in penaunce, And han ful often many an hard meschaunce, Al the revers of any glad feling. III. (Satisfaction in Constancy.) But certes, Love, I sey nat in such wyse 50That for tescape out of your lace I mente; For I so longe have been in your servyse That for to lete of wol I never assente; No force thogh Ialousye me tormente; Suffyceth me to see him whan I may, 55And therfore certes, to myn ending-day To love him best ne shal I never repente. And certes, Love, whan I me wel avyse On any estat that man may represente, Than have ye maked me, through your franchyse, 60Chese the best that ever on erthe wente. 45Toudiz convient souffrir et endurer, Sans nul certain languir en esperance, Et recevoir mainte male meschance, Tout a rebours de ce qu'on vuelt trouver. III. Amours, sachiez que pas ne le vueil dire 50Pour moy getter hors des amoureux las; Car j'ay porté si long temps mon martire Que mon vivant ne le guerpiray pas. Il me souffist d'avoir tant de soulas Que veoir puisse la [belle et] gracieuse; 55Combien qu'el est [en]vers moy dangereuse, De li servir ne serai jamaiz las. Certes, Amours, quant bien droit [je] remire Les haulx estas, les moyens et les bas, Vous m'avez fait de tous les bons eslire, 60A mon avis, le meilleur, en tous cas.
Now love wel, herte, and look thou never stente; And let the Ielous putte hit in assay That, for no peyne wol I nat sey nay; To love him best ne shal I never repente. 65Herte, to thee hit oghte y-nogh suffyse That Love so hy a grace to thee sente, To chese the worthiest in alle wyse And most agreable unto myn entente. Seche no ferther, neyther wey ne wente, 70Sith I have suffisaunce unto my pay. Thus wol I ende this compleynt or lay; To love him best ne shal I never repente. Lenvoy. Princess, receyveth this compleynt in gree, Unto your excellent benignitee 75Direct after my litel suffisaunce. For eld, that in my spirit dulleth me, Hath of endyting al the soteltee Wel ny bereft out of my remembraunce; And eek to me hit is a greet penaunce, 80Sith rym in English hath swich scarsitee, To folowe word by word the curiositee Of Graunson, flour of hem that make in Fraunce. Or aime, cuer, ainsy que tu pourras; Car ja n'aras paine si doulereuse, Pour ma dame, que ne me soit joieuse; De li servir ne seray jamaiz las. 65Cuer, il te doit assez plus que souffire D'avoir choisy ce[lle] que choisi as. Ne quiers [or] plus royaume ne empire, Car si bonne jamaiz ne trouveras, Ne si belle par mes yeux ne verras: 70C'est jeunesce sachant et savoureuse. Ja soit elle de m'amour desdaigneuse, De li servir ne seray jamaiz las.