Incipit Liber Quintus.

P. ii. 127 [Avarice.] i. Obstat auaricia nature legibus, et que Largus amor poscit, striccius illa vetat. Omne quod est nimium viciosum dicitur aurum, Vellera sicut oues, seruat auarus opes. Non decet vt soli seruabitur es, set amori1446 Debet homo solam solus habere suam. Ferst whan the hyhe god began This world, and that the kinde of man Was falle into no gret encress, For worldes good tho was no press,1447 Bot al was set to the comune. Thei spieken thanne of no fortune Or forto lese or forto winne, Hic in quinto libro intendit Confessor tractare de Auaricia, que omnium malorum radix dicitur, necnon et de eiusdem vicii speciebus: set primo ipsius Auaricie naturam describens Amanti quatenus amorem concernit super hoc specialius opponit. Til Avarice broghte it inne; And that was whan the world was woxe Of man, of hors, of Schep, of Oxe, 10 And that men knewen the moneie. Tho wente pes out of the weie And werre cam on every side, Which alle love leide aside P. ii. 128 And of comun his propre made, So that in stede of schovele and spade The scharpe swerd was take on honde; And in this wise it cam to londe, Wherof men maden dyches depe And hyhe walles forto kepe 20 The gold which Avarice encloseth. Bot al to lytel him supposeth, Thogh he mihte al the world pourchace; For what thing that he may embrace Of gold, of catel or of lond, He let it nevere out of his hond, Bot get him more and halt it faste, As thogh the world scholde evere laste. So is he lych unto the helle; For as these olde bokes telle,1448 30 What comth therinne, lasse or more, It schal departe neveremore: Thus whanne he hath his cofre loken, It schal noght after ben unstoken, Bot whanne him list to have a syhte1449 Of gold, hou that it schyneth brihte, That he ther on mai loke and muse; For otherwise he dar noght use To take his part, or lasse or more. So is he povere, and everemore1450 40 Him lacketh that he hath ynowh: An Oxe draweth in the plowh, Of that himself hath no profit; A Schep riht in the same plit P. ii. 129 His wolle berth, bot on a day An other takth the flees away: Thus hath he, that he noght ne hath,1451 For he therof his part ne tath. To seie hou such a man hath good, Who so that reson understod, 50 It is impropreliche seid, For good hath him and halt him teid, That he ne gladeth noght withal, Bot is unto his good a thral, And as soubgit thus serveth he, Wher that he scholde maister be: Such is the kinde of thaverous. Confessor. Mi Sone, as thou art amerous, Tell if thou farst of love so.1452 Confessio Amantis. Mi fader, as it semeth, no; 60 That averous yit nevere I was, So as ye setten me the cas: For as ye tolden here above, In full possession of love Yit was I nevere hier tofore, So that me thenketh wel therfore, I mai excuse wel my dede. Bot of mi will withoute drede, If I that tresor mihte gete, It scholde nevere be foryete, 70 That I ne wolde it faste holde, Til god of love himselve wolde That deth ous scholde parte atuo.1453 For lieveth wel, I love hire so, P. ii. 130 That evene with min oghne lif, If I that swete lusti wif Mihte ones welden at my wille, For evere I wolde hire holde stille: And in this wise, taketh kepe, If I hire hadde, I wolde hire kepe, 80 And yit no friday wolde I faste, Thogh I hire kepte and hielde faste.1454 Fy on the bagges in the kiste! I hadde ynogh, if I hire kiste. For certes, if sche were myn, I hadde hir levere than a Myn Of Gold; for al this worldesriche Ne mihte make me so riche As sche, that is so inly good. I sette noght of other good; 90 For mihte I gete such a thing, I hadde a tresor for a king; And thogh I wolde it faste holde, I were thanne wel beholde. Bot I mot pipe nou with lasse, And suffre that it overpasse, Noght with mi will, for thus I wolde Ben averous, if that I scholde. Bot, fader, I you herde seie Hou thaverous hath yit som weie, 100 Wherof he mai be glad; for he Mai whanne him list his tresor se,1455 And grope and fiele it al aboute,1456 Bot I fulofte am schet theroute, P. ii. 131 Ther as my worthi tresor is. So is mi lif lich unto this, That ye me tolden hier tofore, Hou that an Oxe his yock hath bore For thing that scholde him noght availe: And in this wise I me travaile;1457 110 For who that evere hath the welfare, I wot wel that I have the care, For I am hadd and noght ne have, And am, as who seith, loves knave. Nou demeth in youre oghne thoght, If this be Avarice or noght. Confessor. Mi Sone, I have of thee no wonder, Thogh thou to serve be put under With love, which to kinde acordeth: Bot, so as every bok recordeth,1458 120 It is to kinde no plesance That man above his sustienance Unto the gold schal serve and bowe, For that mai no reson avowe. Bot Avarice natheles, If he mai geten his encress Of gold, that wole he serve and kepe, For he takth of noght elles kepe, Bot forto fille hise bagges large;1459 And al is to him bot a charge, 130 For he ne parteth noght withal, Bot kepth it, as a servant schal: And thus, thogh that he multeplie1460 His gold, withoute tresorie P. ii. 132 He is, for man is noght amended1461 With gold, bot if it be despended To mannes us; wherof I rede A tale, and tak therof good hiede, Of that befell be olde tyde, As telleth ous the clerk Ovide. 140 [Tale of Midas.] Bachus, which is the god of wyn,1462 Acordant unto his divin1463 Hic loquitur contra istos Auaros. Et narrat qualiter Mida Rex Frigie Cillenum Bachi sacerdotem, quem rustici vinculis ferreis alligarunt, dissoluit, et in hospicium suum benignissime recollegit; pro quo Bachus quodcunque munus Rex exigere vellet donari concessit. Vnde Rex Auaricia ductus, ut quicquid tangeret in aurum conuerteretur, indiscrete peciit. Quo facto postea contigit quod cibos cum ipse sumere vellet, in aurum conuersos manducare non potuit. Et sic percipiens aurum pro tunc non posse sibi valere, illud auferri, et tunc1464 ea que victui sufficerent necessaria iteratis precibus a deo mitissime postulauit. A Prest, the which Cillenus hihte,1465 He hadde, and fell so that be nyhte This Prest was drunke and goth astraied, Wherof the men were evele apaied1466 In Frigelond, where as he wente. Bot ate laste a cherl him hente With strengthe of other felaschipe, So that upon his drunkeschipe 150 Thei bounden him with chenes faste, And forth thei ladde him als so faste Unto the king, which hihte Myde. Bot he, that wolde his vice hyde, This courteis king, tok of him hiede, And bad that men him scholde lede Into a chambre forto kepe, Til he of leisir hadde slepe. And tho this Prest was sone unbounde,1467 And up a couche fro the grounde 160 To slepe he was leid softe ynowh; And whanne he wok, the king him drowh To his presence and dede him chiere, So that this Prest in such manere, P. ii. 133 Whil that him liketh, there he duelleth: And al this he to Bachus telleth, Whan that he cam to him ayein. And whan that Bachus herde sein1468 How Mide hath don his courtesie, Him thenkth it were a vilenie, 170 Bot he rewarde him for his dede, So as he mihte of his godhiede. Unto this king this god appiereth1469 And clepeth, and that other hiereth: This god to Mide thonketh faire Of that he was so debonaire Toward his Prest, and bad him seie: What thing it were he wolde preie, He scholde it have, of worldes good. This king was glad, and stille stod, 180 And was of his axinge in doute, And al the world he caste aboute, What thing was best for his astat, And with himself stod in debat Upon thre pointz, the whiche I finde1470 Ben lievest unto mannes kinde. The ferste of hem it is delit, The tuo ben worschipe and profit.1471 And thanne he thoghte, ‘If that I crave Delit, thogh I delit mai have, 190 Delit schal passen in myn age: That is no siker avantage. For every joie bodily Schal ende in wo: delit forthi P. ii. 134 Wol I noght chese. And if worschipe I axe and of the world lordschipe,1472 That is an occupacion Of proud ymaginacion, Which makth an herte vein withinne; Ther is no certein forto winne, 200 For lord and knave al is o weie,1473 Whan thei be bore and whan thei deie. And if I profit axe wolde, I not in what manere I scholde Of worldes good have sikernesse; For every thief upon richesse Awaiteth forto robbe and stele: Such good is cause of harmes fele. And also, thogh a man at ones Of al the world withinne his wones1474 210 The tresor myhte have everydel,1475 Yit hadde he bot o mannes del1476 Toward himself, so as I thinke, Of clothinge and of mete and drinke, For more, outake vanite, Ther hath no lord in his degre.’ And thus upon the pointz diverse1477 Diverseliche he gan reherce What point him thoghte for the beste; Bot pleinly forto gete him reste 220 He can no siker weie caste. And natheles yit ate laste He fell upon the coveitise Of gold; and thanne in sondri wise P. ii. 135 He thoghte, as I have seid tofore, Hou tresor mai be sone lore, And hadde an inly gret desir Touchende of such recoverir, Hou that he mihte his cause availe To gete him gold withoute faile. 230 Withinne his herte and thus he preiseth The gold, and seith hou that it peiseth Above al other metall most: ‘The gold,’ he seith, ‘may lede an host To make werre ayein a King;1478 Salomon. Pecunie obediunt omnia. The gold put under alle thing, And set it whan him list above; The gold can make of hate love And werre of pes and ryht of wrong, And long to schort and schort to long; 240 Withoute gold mai be no feste, Gold is the lord of man and beste,1479 And mai hem bothe beie and selle; So that a man mai sothly telle That al the world to gold obeieth.’ Forthi this king to Bachus preieth To grante him gold, bot he excedeth Mesure more than him nedeth. Men tellen that the maladie1480 Which cleped is ydropesie 250 Resembled is unto this vice Be weie of kinde of Avarice: The more ydropesie drinketh,1481 The more him thursteth, for him thinketh P. ii. 136 That he mai nevere drinke his fille; So that ther mai nothing fulfille The lustes of his appetit: And riht in such a maner plit Stant Avarice and evere stod; The more he hath of worldes good, 260 The more he wolde it kepe streyte, And evere mor and mor coveite. And riht in such condicioun Withoute good discrecioun This king with avarice is smite, That al the world it myhte wite: For he to Bachus thanne preide, That wherupon his hond he leide,1482 It scholde thurgh his touche anon Become gold, and therupon 270 This god him granteth as he bad. Tho was this king of Frige glad, And forto put it in assai1483 With al the haste that he mai,1484 He toucheth that, he toucheth this, And in his hond al gold it is, The Ston, the Tree, the Lef, the gras, The flour, the fruit, al gold it was.1485 Thus toucheth he, whil he mai laste To go, bot hunger ate laste 280 Him tok, so that he moste nede1486 Be weie of kinde his hunger fede. The cloth was leid, the bord was set, And al was forth tofore him fet, P. ii. 137 His disch, his coppe, his drinke, his mete; Bot whanne he wolde or drinke or ete, Anon as it his mouth cam nyh, It was al gold, and thanne he syh1487 Of Avarice the folie. And he with that began to crie, 290 And preide Bachus to foryive His gilt, and soffre him forto live And be such as he was tofore, So that he were noght forlore. This god, which herde of his grevance,1488 Tok rowthe upon his repentance, And bad him go forth redily Unto a flod was faste by, Which Paceole thanne hyhte, In which as clene as evere he myhte 300 He scholde him waisshen overal,1489 And seide him thanne that he schal Recovere his ferste astat ayein. This king, riht as he herde sein, Into the flod goth fro the lond, And wissh him bothe fot and hond,1490 And so forth al the remenant, As him was set in covenant: And thanne he syh merveilles strange, The flod his colour gan to change, 310 The gravel with the smale Stones To gold thei torne bothe at ones, And he was quit of that he hadde, And thus fortune his chance ladde.1491 P. ii. 138 And whan he sih his touche aweie, He goth him hom the rihte weie1492 And liveth forth as he dede er, And putte al Avarice afer, And the richesse of gold despiseth, And seith that mete and cloth sufficeth. 320 Thus hath this king experience Hou foles don the reverence To gold, which of his oghne kinde Is lasse worth than is the rinde To sustienance of mannes fode; And thanne he made lawes goode And al his thing sette upon skile: He bad his poeple forto tile Here lond, and live under the lawe, And that thei scholde also forthdrawe 330 Bestaile, and seche non encress Of gold, which is the breche of pes.1493 For this a man mai finde write, Tofor the time, er gold was smite In Coign, that men the florin knewe, Ther was welnyh noman untrewe; Tho was ther nouther schield ne spere Ne dedly wepne forto bere; Tho was the toun withoute wal, Which nou is closed overal; 340 Tho was ther no brocage in londe, Which nou takth every cause on honde: So mai men knowe, hou the florin Was moder ferst of malengin P. ii. 139 And bringere inne of alle werre, Wherof this world stant out of herre Thurgh the conseil of Avarice, Which of his oghne propre vice Is as the helle wonderfull; For it mai neveremor be full,1494 350 That what as evere comth therinne, Awey ne may it nevere winne. Bot Sone myn, do thou noght so, Let al such Avarice go, And tak thi part of that thou hast: I bidde noght that thou do wast, Bot hold largesce in his mesure; And if thou se a creature, Which thurgh poverte is falle in nede, Yif him som good, for this I rede 360 To him that wol noght yiven here, What peine he schal have elleswhere. [The Punishment of Tantalus.] Ther is a peine amonges alle Benethe in helle, which men calle1495 Nota de pena Tantali, cuius amara sitis dampnatos torquet auaros. The wofull peine of Tantaly, Of which I schal thee redely Devise hou men therinne stonde. In helle, thou schalt understonde,1496 Ther is a flod of thilke office, Which serveth al for Avarice: 370 What man that stonde schal therinne,1497 He stant up evene unto the chinne;1498 Above his hed also ther hongeth A fruyt, which to that peine longeth, P. ii. 140 And that fruit toucheth evere in on His overlippe: and therupon Swich thurst and hunger him assaileth, That nevere his appetit ne faileth. Bot whanne he wolde his hunger fede, The fruit withdrawth him ate nede, 380 And thogh he heve his bed on hyh, The fruit is evere aliche nyh, So is the hunger wel the more: And also, thogh him thurste sore And to the water bowe a doun,1499 The flod in such condicioun Avaleth, that his drinke areche He mai noght. Lo nou, which a wreche, That mete and drinke is him so couth, And yit ther comth non in his mouth! 390 Lich to the peines of this flod Stant Avarice in worldes good: He hath ynowh and yit him nedeth, For his skarsnesse it him forbiedeth,1500 And evere his hunger after more Travaileth him aliche sore, So is he peined overal. Forthi thi goodes forth withal, [Avarice.] Mi Sone, loke thou despende, Wherof thou myht thiself amende 400 Bothe hier and ek in other place. And also if thou wolt pourchace1501 To be beloved, thou most use Largesce, for if thou refuse P. ii. 141 To yive for thi loves sake, It is no reson that thou take Of love that thou woldest crave. Forthi, if thou wolt grace have, Be gracious and do largesse, Of Avarice and the seknesse 410 Eschuie above alle other thing, And tak ensample of Mide king And of the flod of helle also, Where is ynowh of alle wo. And thogh ther were no matiere Bot only that we finden hiere, Men oghten Avarice eschuie; For what man thilke vice suie, He get himself bot litel reste. For hou so that the body reste, 420 The herte upon the gold travaileth, Whom many a nyhtes drede assaileth; For thogh he ligge abedde naked, His herte is everemore awaked,1502 And dremeth, as he lith to slepe, How besi that he is to kepe His tresor, that no thief it stele. Thus hath he bot a woful wele. [Jealousy of Lovers.] And riht so in the same wise, If thou thiself wolt wel avise, 430 Ther be lovers of suche ynowe, That wole unto no reson bowe. If so be that thei come above, Whan thei ben maistres of here love, P. ii. 142 And that thei scholden be most glad, With love thei ben most bestad, So fain thei wolde it holden al. Here herte, here yhe is overal, And wenen every man be thief, To stele awey that hem is lief; 440 Thus thurgh here oghne fantasie Thei fallen into Jelousie. Thanne hath the Schip tobroke his cable, With every wynd and is muable. Amans. Mi fader, for that ye nou telle, I have herd ofte time telle Of Jelousie, bot what it is Yit understod I nevere er this:1503 Wherfore I wolde you beseche, That ye me wolde enforme and teche 450 What maner thing it mihte be. Confessor. Mi Sone, that is hard to me: Bot natheles, as I have herd, Now herkne and thou schalt ben ansuerd.1504 Among the men lacke of manhode In Mariage upon wifhode Makth that a man himself deceiveth, Nota de1505 Ialousia, cuius fantastica suspicio amorem quamuis fidelissimum multociens sine causa corruptum ymaginatur. Wherof it is that he conceiveth That ilke unsely maladie,1506 The which is cleped Jelousie: 460 Of which if I the proprete Schal telle after the nycete, So as it worcheth on a man,1507 A Fievere it is cotidian, P. ii. 143 Which every day wol come aboute, Wher so a man be inne or oute. At hom if that a man wol wone, This Fievere is thanne of comun wone Most grevous in a mannes yhe: For thanne he makth him tote and pryhe, 470 Wher so as evere his love go;1508 Sche schal noght with hir litel too Misteppe, bot he se it al. His yhe is walkende overal; Wher that sche singe or that sche dance, He seth the leste contienance, If sche loke on a man aside Or with him roune at eny tyde, Or that sche lawghe, or that sche loure, His yhe is ther at every houre. 480 And whanne it draweth to the nyht, If sche thanne is withoute lyht, Anon is al the game schent; For thanne he set his parlement To speke it whan he comth to bedde, And seith, ‘If I were now to wedde,1509 I wolde neveremore have wif.’1510 And so he torneth into strif The lust of loves duete, And al upon diversete. 490 If sche be freissh and wel araied, He seith hir baner is displaied To clepe in gestes fro the weie:1511 And if sche be noght wel beseie, P. ii. 144 And that hir list noght to be gladd, He berth an hond that sche is madd And loveth noght hire housebonde; He seith he mai wel understonde, That if sche wolde his compaignie, Sche scholde thanne afore his ÿe 500 Schewe al the plesir that sche mihte. So that be daie ne be nyhte Sche not what thing is for the beste, Bot liveth out of alle reste; For what as evere him liste sein,1512 Sche dar noght speke a word ayein, Bot wepth and holt hire lippes clos. Sche mai wel wryte, ‘Sanz repos,’ The wif which is to such on maried. Of alle wommen be he waried, 510 For with this Fievere of Jalousie1513 His echedaies fantasie Of sorghe is evere aliche grene, So that ther is no love sene, Whil that him list at hom abyde. And whan so is he wol out ryde, Thanne hath he redi his aspie Abidinge in hir compaignie, A janglere, an evel mouthed oon, That sche ne mai nowhider gon, 520 Ne speke a word, ne ones loke, That he ne wol it wende and croke And torne after his oghne entente, Thogh sche nothing bot honour mente. P. ii. 145 Whan that the lord comth hom ayein, The janglere moste somwhat sein; So what withoute and what withinne, This Fievere is evere to beginne, For where he comth he can noght ende, Til deth of him have mad an ende. 530 For thogh so be that he ne hiere Ne se ne wite in no manere Bot al honour and wommanhiede, Therof the Jelous takth non hiede,1514 Bot as a man to love unkinde, He cast his staf, as doth the blinde,1515 And fint defaulte where is non; As who so dremeth on a Ston Hou he is leid, and groneth ofte, Whan he lith on his pilwes softe. 540 So is ther noght bot strif and cheste; Whan love scholde make his feste, It is gret thing if he hir kisse: Thus hath sche lost the nyhtes blisse, For at such time he gruccheth evere1516 And berth on hond ther is a levere, And that sche wolde an other were In stede of him abedde there; And with tho wordes and with mo Of Jelousie, he torneth fro 550 And lith upon his other side,1517 And sche with that drawth hire aside, And ther sche wepeth al the nyht. Ha, to what peine sche is dyht, P. ii. 146 That in hire youthe hath so beset The bond which mai noght ben unknet! I wot the time is ofte cursed, That evere was the gold unpursed, The which was leid upon the bok, Whan that alle othre sche forsok 560 For love of him; bot al to late Sche pleigneth, for as thanne algate Sche mot forbere and to him bowe, Thogh he ne wole it noght allowe. For man is lord of thilke feire, So mai the womman bot empeire, If sche speke oght ayein his wille; And thus sche berth hir peine stille. Bot if this Fievere a womman take, Sche schal be wel mor harde schake; 570 For thogh sche bothe se and hiere, And finde that ther is matiere, Sche dar bot to hirselve pleine, And thus sche suffreth double peine, Confessor. Lo thus, mi Sone, as I have write, Thou miht of Jelousie wite His fievere and his condicion, Which is full of suspecion. Bot wherof that this fievere groweth, Who so these olde bokes troweth, 580 Ther mai he finden hou it is: For thei ous teche and telle this, Hou that this fievere of Jelousie Somdel it groweth of sotie P. ii. 147 Of love, and somdiel of untrust. For as a sek man lest his lust, And whan he may no savour gete, He hateth thanne his oughne mete, Riht so this fieverous maladie, Which caused is of fantasie, 590 Makth the Jelous in fieble plit To lese of love his appetit Thurgh feigned enformacion Of his ymaginacion. Bot finali to taken hiede, Men mai wel make a liklihiede Betwen him which is averous Of gold and him that is jelous Of love, for in on degre Thei stonde bothe, as semeth me. 600 That oon wolde have his bagges stille,1518 And noght departen with his wille, And dar noght for the thieves slepe, So fain he wolde his tresor kepe; That other mai noght wel be glad, For he is evere more adrad1519 Of these lovers that gon aboute, In aunter if thei putte him oute. So have thei bothe litel joye As wel of love as of monoie. 610 Now hast thou, Sone, at my techinge1520 Of Jelousie a knowlechinge, That thou myht understonde this, Fro whenne he comth and what he is, P. ii. 148 And ek to whom that he is lik. Be war forthi thou be noght sik Of thilke fievere as I have spoke, For it wol in himself be wroke. For love hateth nothing more, As men mai finde be the lore 620 Of hem that whilom were wise, Hou that thei spieke in many wise. Amans. Mi fader, soth is that ye sein. Bot forto loke therayein, Befor this time hou it is falle, Wherof ther mihte ensample falle To suche men as be jelous In what manere it is grevous, Riht fain I wolde ensample hiere. Confessor. My goode Sone, at thi preiere 630 Of suche ensamples as I finde, So as thei comen nou to mynde Upon this point, of time gon I thenke forto tellen on. [Tale of Vulcan and Venus.] Ovide wrot of manye thinges, Among the whiche in his wrytinges He tolde a tale in Poesie, Which toucheth unto Jelousie, Upon a certein cas of love. Hic ponit exemplum contra istos maritos quos Ialousia maculauit. Et narrat qualiter Vulcanus, cuius vxor Venus extitit, suspicionem inter ipsam et Martem concipiens, eorum gestus diligencius explorabat: vnde contigit quod ipse quadam vice ambos inter se pariter amplexantes in lecto nudos inuenit, et exclamans omnem cetum deorum et dearum ad tantum spectaculum conuocauit: super quo tamen derisum pocius quam remedium a tota cohorte consecutus est. Among the goddes alle above 640 It fell at thilke time thus: The god of fyr, which Vulcanus Is hote, and hath a craft forthwith Assigned, forto be the Smith P. ii. 149 Of Jupiter, and his figure Bothe of visage and of stature Is lothly and malgracious, Bot yit he hath withinne his hous As for the likynge of his lif1521 The faire Venus to his wif. 650 Bot Mars, which of batailles is The god, an yhe hadde unto this: As he which was chivalerous, It fell him to ben amerous,1522 And thoghte it was a gret pite To se so lusti on as sche Be coupled with so lourde a wiht: So that his peine day and nyht He dede, if he hire winne myhte;1523 And sche, which hadde a good insihte1524 660 Toward so noble a knyhtli lord, In love fell of his acord. Ther lacketh noght bot time and place, That he nys siker of hire grace: Bot whan tuo hertes falle in on, So wys await was nevere non, That at som time thei ne mete; And thus this faire lusti swete With Mars hath ofte compaignie. Bot thilke unkynde Jelousie, 670 Which everemor the herte opposeth,1525 Makth Vulcanus that he supposeth That it is noght wel overal, And to himself he seide, he schal P. ii. 150 Aspie betre, if that he may; And so it fell upon a day, That he this thing so slyhli ledde, He fond hem bothe tuo abedde Al warm, echon with other naked. And he with craft al redy maked 680 Of stronge chenes hath hem bounde,1526 As he togedre hem hadde founde, And lefte hem bothe ligge so, And gan to clepe and crie tho Unto the goddes al aboute; And thei assembled in a route Come alle at ones forto se. Bot none amendes hadde he, Bot was rebuked hiere and there Of hem that loves frendes were; 690 And seiden that he was to blame,1527 For if ther fell him eny schame, It was thurgh his misgovernance: And thus he loste contienance, This god, and let his cause falle; And thei to skorne him lowhen alle, And losen Mars out of hise bondes. Wherof these erthli housebondes1528 For evere myhte ensample take, If such a chaunce hem overtake: 700 For Vulcanus his wif bewreide, The blame upon himself he leide,1529 Wherof his schame was the more; Which oghte forto ben a lore P. ii. 151 For every man that liveth hiere, To reulen him in this matiere. Thogh such an happ of love asterte, Yit scholde he noght apointe his herte With Jelousie of that is wroght, Bot feigne, as thogh he wiste it noght: 710 For if he lete it overpasse, The sclaundre schal be wel the lasse, And he the more in ese stonde. For this thou myht wel understonde, That where a man schal nedes lese, The leste harm is forto chese. Bot Jelousie of his untrist Makth that full many an harm arist, Which elles scholde noght arise; And if a man him wolde avise 720 Of that befell to Vulcanus, Him oghte of reson thenke thus, That sithe a god therof was schamed, Wel scholde an erthli man be blamed To take upon him such a vice. Confessor. Forthi, my Sone, in thin office Be war that thou be noght jelous, Which ofte time hath schent the hous. Amans. Mi fader, this ensample is hard, Hou such thing to the heveneward 730 Among the goddes myhte falle: For ther is bot o god of alle, Which is the lord of hevene and helle. Bot if it like you to telle P. ii. 152 Hou suche goddes come aplace, Ye mihten mochel thonk pourchace, For I schal be wel tawht withal. Confessor. Mi Sone, it is thus overal With hem that stonden misbelieved, That suche goddes ben believed: 740 In sondri place sondri wise Amonges hem whiche are unwise Ther is betaken of credence; Wherof that I the difference In the manere as it is write Schal do the pleinly forto wite. [The Gods of the Nations.] ii. Gentibus illusis signantur templa deorum,1530 Vnde deos cecos nacio ceca colit. Nulla creatori racio facit esse creatum Equiperans, quod adhuc iura pagana fouent.1531 [i. Belief of the Chaldeans.] Er Crist was bore among ous hiere, Of the believes that tho were Quia secundum Poetarum fabulas in huius libelli locis quam pluribus nomina et gestus deorum falsorum intitulantur, quorum infidelitas vt Cristianis clarius innotescat, intendit de ipsorum origine secundum varias Paganorum Sectas scribere consequenter. Et primo de Secta Chaldeorum tractare proponit. In foure formes thus it was. Thei of Caldee as in this cas 750 Hadde a believe be hemselve, Which stod upon the signes tuelve, Forth ek with the Planetes sevene, Whiche as thei sihe upon the hevene. Of sondri constellacion In here ymaginacion With sondri kerf and pourtreture Thei made of goddes the figure. In thelementz and ek also Thei hadden a believe tho; 760 P. ii. 153 And al was that unresonable: For thelementz ben servicable To man, and ofte of Accidence, As men mai se thexperience,1532 Thei ben corrupt be sondri weie; So mai no mannes reson seie That thei ben god in eny wise. And ek, if men hem wel avise, The Sonne and Mone eclipse bothe, That be hem lieve or be hem lothe, 770 Thei soffre; and what thing is passible To ben a god is impossible. Et nota1533 quod Nembroth quartus a Noe ignem tanquam deum in Chaldea primus adorari decreuit. These elementz ben creatures, So ben these hevenly figures, Wherof mai wel be justefied That thei mai noght be deified: And who that takth awey thonour Which due is to the creatour, And yifth it to the creature, He doth to gret a forsfaiture. 780 Bot of Caldee natheles1534 Upon this feith, thogh it be les, Thei holde affermed the creance; So that of helle the penance, [ii. Belief of the Egyptians.] As folk which stant out of believe, They schull receive, as we believe.1535 De Secta Egipciorum.1536 Of the Caldeus lo in this wise1537 Stant the believe out of assisse: Bot in Egipte worst of alle The feith is fals, hou so it falle; 790 P. ii. 154 For thei diverse bestes there Honoure, as thogh thei goddes were:1538 And natheles yit forth withal Thre goddes most in special Thei have, forth with a goddesse,1539 In whom is al here sikernesse. Tho goddes be yit cleped thus, Orus, Typhon and Isirus: Thei were brethren alle thre, And the goddesse in hir degre 800 Here Soster was and Ysis hyhte, Whom Isirus forlai be nyhte And hield hire after as his wif. So it befell that upon strif Typhon hath Isre his brother slain, Which hadde a child to Sone Orayn, And he his fader deth to herte So tok, that it mai noght asterte That he Typhon after ne slowh, Whan he was ripe of age ynowh. 810 Bot yit thegipcienes trowe1540 For al this errour, which thei knowe, That these brethren ben of myht To sette and kepe Egipte upriht, And overthrowe, if that hem like. Bot Ysis, as seith the Cronique, Fro Grece into Egipte cam, And sche thanne upon honde nam To teche hem forto sowe and eere, Which noman knew tofore there. 820 P. ii. 155 And whan thegipcienes syhe1541 The fieldes fulle afore here yhe, And that the loud began to greine, Which whilom hadde be bareigne,— For therthe bar after the kinde His due charge,—this I finde, That sche of berthe the goddesse Is cleped, so that in destresse The wommen there upon childinge To hire clepe, and here offringe 830 Thei beren, whan that thei ben lyhte. Lo, hou Egipte al out of syhte [iii. Belief of the Greeks.] Fro resoun stant in misbelieve1542 For lacke of lore, as I believe. De Secta Grecorum.1543 Among the Greks, out of the weie As thei that reson putte aweie,1544 Ther was, as the Cronique seith, Of misbelieve an other feith, That thei here goddes and goddesses, As who seith, token al to gesses 840 Of suche as weren full of vice, To whom thei made here sacrifice. The hihe god, so as thei seide, To whom thei most worschipe leide, Nota qualiter Saturnus deorum summus appellatur. Saturnus hihte, and king of Crete He hadde be; bot of his sete He was put doun, as he which stod In frenesie, and was so wod, That fro his wif, which Rea hihte, Hise oghne children he to plihte,1545 850 P. ii. 156 And eet hem of his comun wone. Bot Jupiter, which was his Sone And of full age, his fader bond And kutte of with his oghne hond Hise genitals, whiche als so faste Into the depe See he caste; Wherof the Greks afferme and seie, Thus whan thei were caste aweie, Cam Venus forth be weie of kinde. And of Saturne also I finde 860 How afterward into an yle This Jupiter him dede exile,1546 Wher that he stod in gret meschief. Lo, which a god thei maden chief! And sithen that such on was he, Which stod most hihe in his degre1547 Among the goddes, thou miht knowe, These othre, that ben more lowe, Ben litel worth, as it is founde. Iupiter deus deliciarum. For Jupiter was the secounde, 870 Which Juno hadde unto his wif; And yit a lechour al his lif He was, and in avouterie He wroghte many a tricherie; And for he was so full of vices, Thei cleped him god of delices: Of whom, if thou wolt more wite, Ovide the Poete hath write. Bot yit here Sterres bothe tuo, Saturne and Jupiter also, 880 P. ii. 157 Thei have, althogh thei be to blame, Attitled to here oghne name. Mars deus belli. Mars was an other in that lawe, The which in Dace was forthdrawe, Of whom the clerk Vegecius Wrot in his bok, and tolde thus, Hou he into Ytaile cam, And such fortune ther he nam, That he a Maiden hath oppressed, Which in hire ordre was professed, 890 As sche which was the Prioresse In Vestes temple the goddesse, So was sche wel the mor to blame.1548 Dame Ylia this ladi name Men clepe, and ek sche was also The kinges dowhter that was tho, Which Mynitor be name hihte. So that ayein the lawes ryhte Mars thilke time upon hire that Remus and Romulus begat, 900 Whiche after, whan thei come in Age,1549 Of knihthode and of vassellage Ytaile al hol thei overcome And foundeden the grete Rome; In Armes and of such emprise Thei weren, that in thilke wise Here fader Mars for the mervaile The god was cleped of bataille. Thei were his children bothe tuo, Thurgh hem he tok his name so, 910 P. ii. 158 Ther was non other cause why: And yit a Sterre upon the Sky He hath unto his name applied, In which that he is signified. Appollo deus Sapiencie.1550 An other god thei hadden eke, To whom for conseil thei beseke, The which was brother to Venus, Appollo men him clepe thus. He was an Hunte upon the helles, Ther was with him no vertu elles, 920 Wherof that enye bokes karpe, Bot only that he couthe harpe; Which whanne he walked over londe,1551 Fulofte time he tok on honde, To gete him with his sustienance, For lacke of other pourveance. And otherwhile of his falshede He feignede him to conne arede1552 Of thing which after scholde falle; Wherof among hise sleyhtes alle 930 He hath the lewed folk deceived, So that the betre he was received. Lo now, thurgh what creacion He hath deificacion, And cleped is the god of wit To suche as be the foles yit.1553 Mercurius deus Mercatorum et furtorum.1554 An other god, to whom thei soghte, Mercurie hihte, and him ne roghte What thing he stal, ne whom he slowh.1555 Of Sorcerie he couthe ynowh, 940 P. ii. 159 That whanne he wolde himself transforme, Fulofte time he tok the forme Of womman and his oghne lefte; So dede he wel the more thefte. A gret spekere in alle thinges He was also, and of lesinges An Auctour, that men wiste non An other such as he was on.1556 And yit thei maden of this thief A god, which was unto hem lief, 950 And clepede him in tho believes1557 The god of Marchantz and of thieves. Bot yit a sterre upon the hevene He hath of the planetes sevene. Vulcanus deus Ignis. But Vulcanus, of whom I spak, He hadde a courbe upon the bak, And therto he was hepehalt: Of whom thou understonde schalt, He was a schrewe in al his youthe, And he non other vertu couthe 960 Of craft to helpe himselve with, Bot only that he was a Smith With Jupiter, which in his forge Diverse thinges made him forge; So wot I noght for what desir Thei clepen him the god of fyr. Eolus deus ventorum.1558 King of Cizile Ypolitus A Sone hadde, and Eolus He hihte, and of his fader grant He hield be weie of covenant 970 P. ii. 160 The governance of every yle Which was longende unto Cizile, Of hem that fro the lond forein Leie open to the wynd al plein. And fro thilke iles to the londe Fulofte cam the wynd to honde: After the name of him forthi The wyndes cleped Eoli Tho were, and he the god of wynd.1559 Lo nou, hou this believe is blynd! 980 The king of Crete Jupiter, Neptunus deus maris.1560 The same which I spak of er, Unto his brother, which Neptune Was hote, it list him to comune Part of his good, so that be Schipe He mad him strong of the lordschipe1561 Of al the See in tho parties;1562 Wher that he wroghte his tyrannyes, And the strange yles al aboute1563 He wan, that every man hath doute 990 Upon his marche forto saile; For he anon hem wolde assaile1564 And robbe what thing that thei ladden, His sauf conduit bot if thei hadden. Wherof the comun vois aros In every lond, that such a los He cawhte, al nere it worth a stre, That he was cleped of the See The god be name, and yit he is With hem that so believe amis. 1000 P. ii. 161 This Neptune ek was thilke also, Which was the ferste foundour tho Of noble Troie, and he forthi Was wel the more lete by. Pan deus nature. The loresman of the Schepherdes, And ek of hem that ben netherdes,1565 Was of Archade and hihte Pan: Of whom hath spoke many a man; For in the wode of Nonarcigne,1566 Enclosed with the tres of Pigne, 1010 And on the Mont of Parasie He hadde of bestes the baillie, And ek benethe in the valleie,1567 Wher thilke rivere, as men seie, Which Ladon hihte, made his cours, He was the chief of governours Of hem that kepten tame bestes, Wherof thei maken yit the festes In the Cite Stinfalides. And forth withal yit natheles 1020 He tawhte men the forthdrawinge Of bestaile, and ek the makinge Of Oxen, and of hors the same, Hou men hem scholde ryde and tame: Of foules ek, so as we finde, Ful many a soubtiel craft of kinde He fond, which noman knew tofore. Men dede him worschipe ek therfore, That he the ferste in thilke lond Was which the melodie fond 1030 P. ii. 162 Of Riedes, whan thei weren ripe, With double pipes forto pipe; Therof he yaf the ferste lore, Til afterward men couthe more. To every craft for mannes helpe He hadde a redi wit to helpe Thurgh naturel experience: And thus the nyce reverence Of foles, whan that he was ded, The fot hath torned to the hed, 1040 And clepen him god of nature, For so thei maden his figure. Bachus deus vini. An other god, so as thei fiele, Which Jupiter upon Samele Begat in his avouterie, Whom, forto hide his lecherie, That non therof schal take kepe, In a Montaigne forto kepe, Which Dyon hihte and was in Ynde, He sende, in bokes as I finde:1568 1050 And he be name Bachus hihte, Which afterward, whan that he mihte, A wastour was, and al his rente In wyn and bordel he despente. Bot yit, al were he wonder badde, Among the Greks a name he hadde; Thei cleped him the god of wyn, And thus a glotoun was dyvyn.1569 Esculapius deus medicine.1570 Ther was yit Esculapius A godd in thilke time as thus. 1060 P. ii. 163 His craft stod upon Surgerie, Bot for the lust of lecherie, That he to Daires dowhter drowh, It fell that Jupiter him slowh: And yit thei made him noght forthi1571 A god, and was no cause why. In Rome he was long time also A god among the Romeins tho; For, as he seide, of his presence Ther was destruid a pestilence, 1070 Whan thei to thyle of Delphos wente, And that Appollo with hem sente1572 This Esculapius his Sone, Among the Romeins forto wone. And there he duelte for a while, Til afterward into that yle, Fro whenne he cam, ayein he torneth, Where al his lyf that he sojorneth Among the Greks, til that he deide. And thei upon him thanne leide 1080 His name, and god of medicine He hatte after that ilke line. Hercules deus fortitudinis.1573 An other god of Hercules Thei made, which was natheles A man, bot that he was so strong, In al this world that brod and long So myhti was noman as he. Merveiles tuelve in his degre, As it was couth in sondri londes, He dede with hise oghne hondes 1090 P. ii. 164 Ayein geantz and Monstres bothe, The whiche horrible were and lothe, Bot he with strengthe hem overcam: Wherof so gret a pris he nam, That thei him clepe amonges alle The god of strengthe, and to him calle. And yit ther is no reson inne, For he a man was full of sinne, Which proved was upon his ende, For in a rage himself he brende; 1100 And such a cruel mannes dede Acordeth nothing with godhede. Pluto deus Inferni.1574 Thei hadde of goddes yit an other, Which Pluto hihte, and was the brother Of Jupiter, and he fro youthe1575 With every word which cam to mouthe, Of eny thing whan he was wroth,1576 He wolde swere his commun oth, Be Lethen and be Flegeton,1577 Be Cochitum and Acheron, 1110 The whiche, after the bokes telle, Ben the chief flodes of the helle:1578 Be Segne and Stige he swor also, That ben the depe Pettes tuo Of helle the most principal. Pluto these othes overal Swor of his commun custummance, Til it befell upon a chance, That he for Jupiteres sake1579 Unto the goddes let do make 1120 P. ii. 165 A sacrifice, and for that dede On of the pettes for his mede In helle, of which I spak of er, Was granted him; and thus he ther Upon the fortune of this thing The name tok of helle king. Lo, these goddes and wel mo Among the Greks thei hadden tho, And of goddesses manyon, Whos names thou schalt hiere anon, 1130 And in what wise thei deceiven The foles whiche here feith receiven. Nota, qualiter Sibeles Dearum1580 Mater et origo nuncupatur. So as Saturne is soverein Of false goddes, as thei sein, So is Sibeles of goddesses The Moder, whom withoute gesses The folk Payene honoure and serve, As thei the whiche hire lawe observe.1581 Bot forto knowen upon this Fro when sche cam and what sche is, 1140 Bethincia the contre hihte, Wher sche cam ferst to mannes sihte; And after was Saturnes wif, Be whom thre children in hire lif Sche bar, and thei were cleped tho Juno, Neptunus and Pluto, The whiche of nyce fantasie The poeple wolde deifie. And for hire children were so,1582 Sibeles thanne was also 1150 P. ii. 166 Mad a goddesse, and thei hire calle The moder of the goddes alle. So was that name bore forth, And yit the cause is litel worth. Iuno Dea Regnorum et diuiciarum.1583 A vois unto Saturne tolde Hou that his oghne Sone him scholde1584 Out of his regne putte aweie; And he be cause of thilke weie, That him was schape such a fate, Sibele his wif began to hate 1160 And ek hire progenie bothe. And thus, whil that thei were wrothe, Be Philerem upon a dai In his avouterie he lai, On whom he Jupiter begat;1585 And thilke child was after that Which wroghte al that was prophecied, As it tofore is specefied: So that whan Jupiter of Crete Was king, a wif unto him mete 1170 The Dowhter of Sibele he tok, And that was Juno, seith the bok.1586 Of his deificacion After the false oppinion, That have I told, so as thei meene; And for this Juno was the queene1587 Of Jupiter and Soster eke, The foles unto hire sieke, And sein that sche is the goddesse Of Regnes bothe and of richesse: 1180 P. ii. 167 And ek sche, as thei understonde, The water Nimphes hath in honde To leden at hire oghne heste; And whan hir list the Sky tempeste, The reinbowe is hir Messager. Lo, which a misbelieve is hier! That sche goddesse is of the Sky I wot non other cause why. Minerua Dea sapienciarum. An other goddesse is Minerve, To whom the Greks obeie and serve: 1190 And sche was nyh the grete lay Of Triton founde, wher sche lay A child forcast, bot what sche was Ther knew noman the sothe cas. Bot in Aufrique sche was leid In the manere as I have seid, And caried fro that ilke place Into an Yle fer in Trace, The which Palene thanne hihte,1588 Wher a Norrice hir kepte and dihte. 1200 And after, for sche was so wys1589 That sche fond ferst in hire avis The cloth makinge of wolle and lyn,1590 Men seiden that sche was divin, And the goddesse of Sapience Thei clepen hire in that credence. Pallas Dea bellorum.1591 Of the goddesse which Pallas Is cleped sondri speche was. On seith hire fader was Pallant, Which in his time was geant, 1210 P. ii. 168 A cruel man, a bataillous: An other seith hou in his hous Sche was the cause why he deide. And of this Pallas some ek seide That sche was Martes wif; and so Among the men that weren tho Of misbelieve in the riote The goddesse of batailles hote She was, and yit sche berth the name. Now loke, hou they be forto blame. 1220 Ceres dea frugum.1592 Saturnus after his exil Fro Crete cam in gret peril Into the londes of Ytaile, And ther he dede gret mervaile, Wherof his name duelleth yit. For he fond of his oghne wit The ferste craft of plowh tilinge, Of Eringe and of corn sowinge, And how men scholden sette vines And of the grapes make wynes;1593 1230 Al this he tawhte, and it fell so, His wif, the which cam with him tho,1594 Was cleped Cereres be name, And for sche tawhte also the same, And was his wif that ilke throwe, As it was to the poeple knowe, Thei made of Ceres a goddesse, In whom here tilthe yit thei blesse,1595 And sein that Tricolonius Hire Sone goth amonges ous 1240 P. ii. 169 And makth the corn good chep or dere, Riht as hire list fro yer to yeere; So that this wif be cause of this Goddesse of Cornes cleped is. Diana Dea Moncium et Siluarum.1596 King Jupiter, which his likinge Whilom fulfelde in alle thinge, So priveliche aboute he ladde His lust, that he his wille hadde Of Latona, and on hire that Diane his dowhter he begat 1250 Unknowen of his wif Juno. And afterward sche knew it so,1597 That Latona for drede fledde1598 Into an Ile, wher sche hedde Hire wombe, which of childe aros. Thilke yle cleped was Delos;1599 In which Diana was forthbroght, And kept so that hire lacketh noght. And after, whan sche was of Age, Sche tok non hiede of mariage, 1260 Bot out of mannes compaignie Sche tok hire al to venerie1600 In forest and in wildernesse; For ther was al hire besinesse Be daie and ek be nyhtes tyde With arwes brode under the side And bowe in honde, of which sche slowh And tok al that hir liste ynowh Of bestes whiche ben chacable: Wherof the Cronique of this fable 1270 P. ii. 170 Seith that the gentils most of alle Worschipen hire and to hire calle, And the goddesse of hihe helles, Of grene trees, of freisshe welles, They clepen hire in that believe, Which that no reson mai achieve. Proserpina Dea Infernorum. Proserpina, which dowhter was Of Cereres, befell this cas: Whil sche was duellinge in Cizile,1601 Hire moder in that ilke while 1280 Upon hire blessinge and hire heste Bad that sche scholde ben honeste, And lerne forto weve and spinne, And duelle at hom and kepe hire inne. Bot sche caste al that lore aweie, And as sche wente hir out to pleie,1602 To gadre floures in a pleine,1603 And that was under the monteine Of Ethna, fell the same tyde That Pluto cam that weie ryde,1604 1290 And sodeinly, er sche was war, He tok hire up into his char. And as thei riden in the field, Hire grete beaute he behield, Which was so plesant in his ÿe, That forto holde in compainie He weddeth hire and hield hire so1605 To ben his wif for everemo. And as thou hast tofore herd telle Hou he was cleped god of helle, 1300 P. ii. 171 So is sche cleped the goddesse Be cause of him, ne mor ne lesse. Confessor. Lo, thus, mi Sone, as I thee tolde, The Greks whilom be daies olde Here goddes hadde in sondri wise, And thurgh the lore of here aprise The Romeins hielden ek the same. And in the worschipe of here name1606 To every godd in special Thei made a temple forth withal, 1310 And ech of hem his yeeres dai Attitled hadde; and of arai The temples weren thanne ordeigned, And ek the poeple was constreigned To come and don here sacrifice; The Prestes ek in here office Solempne maden thilke festes. And thus the Greks lich to the bestes1607 The men in stede of god honoure, Whiche mihten noght hemself socoure, 1320 Whil that thei were alyve hiere. And over this, as thou schalt hiere, Nota, quod dii Montium Satiri vocantur. The Greks fulfild of fantasie Sein ek that of the helles hihe The goddes ben in special, Bot of here name in general Thei hoten alle Satiri. Oreades Nimphe Montium. Ther ben of Nimphes proprely In the believe of hem also: Oreades thei seiden tho 1330 P. ii. 172 Attitled ben to the monteines;1608 Driades Siluarum. And for the wodes in demeynes To kepe, tho ben Driades;1609 Naiades fontium. Of freisshe welles Naiades; And of the Nimphes of the See Nereides Marium.1610 I finde a tale in proprete, Hou Dorus whilom king of Grece, Which hadde of infortune a piece,— His wif forth with hire dowhtres alle,1611 So as the happes scholden falle, 1340 With many a gentil womman there Dreint in the salte See thei were: Wherof the Greks that time seiden, And such a name upon hem leiden, Nereïdes that thei ben hote, The Nimphes whiche that thei note To regne upon the stremes salte. Lo now, if this believe halte! Bot of the Nimphes as thei telle,1612 In every place wher thei duelle 1350 Thei ben al redi obeissant As damoiselles entendant To the goddesses, whos servise1613 Thei mote obeie in alle wise; Wherof the Greks to hem beseke With tho that ben goddesses eke, And have in hem a gret credence. Manes dii mortuorum.1614 And yit withoute experience Salve only of illusion, Which was to hem dampnacion, 1360 P. ii. 173 For men also that were dede Thei hadden goddes, as I rede, And tho be name Manes hihten, To whom ful gret honour thei dihten, So as the Grekes lawe seith, Which was ayein the rihte feith. Thus have I told a gret partie; Bot al the hole progenie Of goddes in that ilke time To long it were forto rime. 1370 Bot yit of that which thou hast herd, Of misbelieve hou it hath ferd, Ther is a gret diversite. Amans. Mi fader, riht so thenketh me. Bot yit o thing I you beseche, Which stant in alle mennes speche, The godd and the goddesse of love, Of whom ye nothing hier above Have told, ne spoken of her fare, That ye me wolden now declare 1380 Hou thei ferst comen to that name.1615 Mi Sone, I have it left for schame, Be cause I am here oghne Prest;1616 Qualiter Cupido et Venus deus et dea amoris nuncupantur.1617 Bot for thei stonden nyh thi brest1618 Upon the schrifte of thi matiere, Thou schalt of hem the sothe hiere: And understand nou wel the cas. Venus Saturnes dowhter was, Which alle danger putte aweie Of love, and fond to lust a weie; 1390 P. ii. 174 So that of hire in sondri place Diverse men felle into grace, And such a lusti lif sche ladde, That sche diverse children hadde, Nou on be this, nou on be that. Of hire it was that Mars beyat A child, which cleped was Armene; Of hire also cam Andragene, To whom Mercurie fader was: Anchises begat Eneas 1400 Of hire also, and Ericon Biten begat, and therupon, Whan that sche sih ther was non other, Be Jupiter hire oghne brother Sche lay, and he begat Cupide.1619 And thilke Sone upon a tyde, Whan he was come unto his Age, He hadde a wonder fair visage, And fond his Moder amourous, And he was also lecherous: 1410 So whan thei weren bothe al one, As he which yhen hadde none To se reson, his Moder kiste; And sche also, that nothing wiste Bot that which unto lust belongeth, To ben hire love him underfongeth. Thus was he blind, and sche unwys: Bot natheles this cause it is, Why Cupide is the god of love, For he his moder dorste love. 1420 P. ii. 175 And sche, which thoghte hire lustes fonde, Diverse loves tok in honde, Wel mo thanne I the tolde hiere:1620 And for sche wolde hirselve skiere, Sche made comun that desport, And sette a lawe of such a port, That every womman mihte take What man hire liste, and noght forsake To ben als comun as sche wolde.1621 Sche was the ferste also which tolde 1430 That wommen scholde here bodi selle; Semiramis, so as men telle, Of Venus kepte thilke aprise, And so dede in the same wise Of Rome faire Neabole, Which liste hire bodi to rigole; Sche was to every man felawe, And hild the lust of thilke lawe,1622 Which Venus of hirself began; Wherof that sche the name wan, 1440 Why men hire clepen the goddesse Of love and ek of gentilesse, Of worldes lust and of plesance. Se nou the foule mescreance Of Greks in thilke time tho, Whan Venus tok hire name so. Ther was no cause under the Mone1623 Of which thei hadden tho to done, Of wel or wo wher so it was, That thei ne token in that cas 1450 P. ii. 176 A god to helpe or a goddesse. Wherof, to take mi witnesse, Nota de Epistola Dindimi Regis Bragmannorum Alexandro magno directa, vbi dicit quod Greci tunc ad corporis conseruacionem pro singulis membris singulos deos specialiter appropriari credunt. The king of Bragmans Dindimus1624 Wrot unto Alisandre thus: In blaminge of the Grekes feith And of the misbelieve, he seith How thei for every membre hadden A sondri god, to whom thei spradden Here armes, and of help besoghten. Minerve for the hed thei soghten, 1460 For sche was wys, and of a man The wit and reson which he can Is in the celles of the brayn, Wherof thei made hire soverain. Mercurie, which was in his dawes A gret spekere of false lawes, On him the kepinge of the tunge Thei leide, whan thei spieke or sunge. For Bachus was a glotoun eke, Him for the throte thei beseke, 1470 That he it wolde waisshen ofte With swote drinkes and with softe. The god of schuldres and of armes Was Hercules; for he in armes The myhtieste was to fihte, To him tho Limes they behihte.1625 The god whom that thei clepen Mart1626 The brest to kepe hath for his part, Forth with the herte, in his ymage That he adresce the corage. 1480 P. ii. 177 And of the galle the goddesse, For sche was full of hastifesse1627 Of wraththe and liht to grieve also, Thei made and seide it was Juno. Cupide, which the brond afyre1628 Bar in his hond, he was the Sire1629 Of the Stomak, which builleth evere, Wherof the lustes ben the levere. To the goddesse Cereres,1630 Which of the corn yaf hire encress 1490 Upon the feith that tho was take, The wombes cure was betake; And Venus thurgh the Lecherie, For which that thei hire deifie, Sche kept al doun the remenant1631 To thilke office appourtenant. [Origin of Idol-worship.] Thus was dispers in sondri wise The misbelieve, as I devise, Nota de prima ydolorum cultura, que ex tribus precipue Statuis exorta est; quarum prima fuit illa, quam in filii sui memoriam quidam princeps nomine Cirophanes a sculptore Promotheo fabricari constituit. With many an ymage of entaile, Of suche as myhte hem noght availe; 1500 For thei withoute lyves chiere Unmyhti ben to se or hiere Or speke or do or elles fiele; And yit the foles to hem knele, Which is here oghne handes werk. Ha lord, hou this believe is derk, And fer fro resonable wit! And natheles thei don it yit: That was to day a ragged tre, To morwe upon his majeste 1510 P. ii. 178 Stant in the temple wel besein. How myhte a mannes resoun sein That such a Stock mai helpe or grieve? Bot thei that ben of such believe And unto suche goddes calle, It schal to hem riht so befalle, And failen ate moste nede.1632 Bot if thee list to taken hiede And of the ferste ymage wite, Petornius therof hath write1633 1520 And ek Nigargorus also; And thei afferme and write so, That Promotheüs was tofore And fond the ferste craft therfore, And Cirophanes, as thei telle, Thurgh conseil which was take in helle,1634 In remembrance of his lignage1635 Let setten up the ferste ymage. Of Cirophanes seith the bok, That he for sorwe, which he tok 1530 Of that he sih his Sone ded, Of confort knew non other red, Bot let do make in remembrance A faire ymage of his semblance And sette it in the market place,1636 Which openly tofore his face Stod every dai to don him ese. And thei that thanne wolden plese The fader, scholden it obeie, Whan that they comen thilke weie. 1540 P. ii. 179 Secunda Statua fuit illa, quam ad sui patris Beli culturam Rex Ninus fieri et adorari decreuit. Et sic de nomine Beli postea Bel et Belzebub ydolum accreuit. And of Ninus king of Assire I rede hou that in his empire He was next after the secounde Of hem that ferst ymages founde. For he riht in semblable cas Of Belus, which his fader was Fro Nembroth in the rihte line, Let make of gold and Stones fine A precious ymage riche After his fader evene liche; 1550 And therupon a lawe he sette, That every man of pure dette With sacrifice and with truage Honoure scholde thilke ymage: So that withinne time it fell, Of Belus cam the name of Bel, Of Bel cam Belzebub, and so The misbelieve wente tho. Tercia Statua fuit illa, que ad honorem Apis Regis Grecorum sculpta fuit, cui postea nomen Serapis imponentes, ipsum quasi deum Pagani coluerunt. The thridde ymage next to this Was, whan the king of Grece Apis 1560 Was ded, thei maden a figure In resemblance of his stature. Of this king Apis seith the bok That Serapis his name tok, In whom thurgh long continuance Of misbelieve a gret creance Thei hadden, and the reverence Of Sacrifice and of encence To him thei made: and as thei telle, Among the wondres that befelle, 1570 P. ii. 180 Whan Alisandre fro Candace Cam ridende, in a wilde place Undur an hull a Cave he fond;1637 And Candalus, which in that lond Was bore, and was Candaces Sone, Him tolde hou that of commun wone The goddes were in thilke cave. And he, that wolde assaie and have1638 A knowlechinge if it be soth, Liht of his hors and in he goth, 1580 And fond therinne that he soghte: For thurgh the fendes sleihte him thoghte, Amonges othre goddes mo That Serapis spak to him tho, Whom he sih there in gret arrai. And thus the fend fro dai to dai The worschipe of ydolatrie Drowh forth upon the fantasie Of hem that weren thanne blinde And couthen noght the trouthe finde. 1590 Thus hast thou herd in what degre Of Grece, Egipte and of Caldee The misbelieves whilom stode;1639 And hou so that thei be noght goode Ne trewe, yit thei sprungen oute, Wherof the wyde world aboute His part of misbelieve tok. Til so befell, as seith the bok, That god a poeple for himselve Hath chose of the lignages tuelve, 1600 P. ii. 181 Wherof the sothe redely, As it is write in Genesi, I thenke telle in such a wise That it schal be to thin apprise. [iv. Belief of the Jews.] De Hebreorum seu Iudeorum Secta, quorum Sinagoga, ecclesia Cristi superueniente, defecit. After the flod, fro which Noë Was sauf, the world in his degre Was mad, as who seith, newe ayein, Of flour, of fruit, of gras, of grein, Of beste, of bridd and of mankinde, Which evere hath be to god unkinde: 1610 For noght withstondende al the fare, Of that this world was mad so bare And afterward it was restored, Among the men was nothing mored Towardes god of good lyvynge, Bot al was torned to likinge After the fleissh, so that foryete Was he which yaf hem lif and mete, Of hevene and Erthe creatour. And thus cam forth the grete errour, 1620 That thei the hihe god ne knewe, Bot maden othre goddes newe, As thou hast herd me seid tofore: Ther was noman that time bore,1640 That he ne hadde after his chois A god, to whom he yaf his vois. Wherof the misbelieve cam Into the time of Habraham:1641 Bot he fond out the rihte weie, Hou only that men scholde obeie 1630 P. ii. 182 The hihe god, which weldeth al, And evere hath don and evere schal, In hevene, in Erthe and ek in helle;1642 Ther is no tunge his miht mai telle. This Patriarch to his lignage Forbad, that thei to non ymage Encline scholde in none wise, Bot here offrende and sacrifise With al the hole hertes love Unto the mihti god above 1640 Thei scholden yive and to no mo: And thus in thilke time tho Began the Secte upon this Erthe,1643 Which of believes was the ferthe. Of rihtwisnesse it was conceived, So moste it nedes be received1644 Of him that alle riht is inne,1645 The hihe god, which wolde winne A poeple unto his oghne feith. On Habraham the ground he leith, 1650 And made him forto multeplie Into so gret a progenie, That thei Egipte al overspradde.1646 Bot Pharao with wrong hem ladde In servitute ayein the pes, Til god let sende Moïses To make the deliverance; And for his poeple gret vengance He tok, which is to hiere a wonder. The king was slain, the lond put under, 1660 P. ii. 183 God bad the rede See divide, Which stod upriht on either side1647 And yaf unto his poeple a weie, That thei on fote it passe dreie1648 And gon so forth into desert: Wher forto kepe hem in covert, The daies, whan the Sonne brente,1649 A large cloude hem overwente, And forto wissen hem be nyhte, A firy Piler hem alyhte. 1670 And whan that thei for hunger pleigne, The myhti god began to reyne Manna fro hevene doun to grounde, Wherof that ech of hem hath founde His fode, such riht as him liste; And for thei scholde upon him triste, Riht as who sette a tonne abroche, He percede the harde roche,1650 And sprong out water al at wille, That man and beste hath drunke his fille: 1680 And afterward he yaf the lawe To Moïses, that hem withdrawe Thei scholden noght fro that he bad. And in this wise thei be lad, Til thei toke in possession1651 The londes of promission, Wher that Caleph and Josuë The Marches upon such degre Departen, after the lignage That ech of hem as Heritage 1690 P. ii. 184 His porpartie hath underfonge. And thus stod this believe longe, Which of prophetes was governed; And thei hadde ek the poeple lerned Of gret honour that scholde hem falle; Bot ate moste nede of alle Thei faileden, whan Crist was bore. Bot hou that thei here feith have bore,1652 It nedeth noght to tellen al, The matiere is so general: 1700 Whan Lucifer was best in hevene And oghte moste have stonde in evene, Towardes god he tok debat; And for that he was obstinat, And wolde noght to trouthe encline, He fell for evere into ruine: And Adam ek in Paradis, Whan he stod most in al his pris After thastat of Innocence, Ayein the god brak his defence 1710 And fell out of his place aweie: And riht be such a maner weie The Jwes in here beste plit,1653 Whan that thei scholden most parfit Have stonde upon the prophecie,1654 Tho fellen thei to most folie, And him which was fro hevene come, And of a Maide his fleissh hath nome, And was among hem bore and fedd, As men that wolden noght be spedd 1720 P. ii. 185 Of goddes Sone, with o vois Thei hinge and slowhe upon the crois. Wherof the parfit of here lawe Fro thanne forth hem was withdrawe, So that thei stonde of no merit, Bot in truage as folk soubgit Withoute proprete of place Thei liven out of goddes grace, Dispers in alle londes oute. And thus the feith is come aboute, 1730 That whilom in the Jewes stod, Which is noght parfihtliche good. To speke as it is nou befalle, Ther is a feith aboven alle, In which the trouthe is comprehended, Wherof that we ben alle amended. [The Christian Faith.] De fide Cristiana, in qua perfecte legis complementum, summi misterii sacramentum, nostreque saluacionis fundamentum infallibiliter1655 consistere credimus. The hihe almyhti majeste, Of rihtwisnesse and of pite, The Sinne which that Adam wroghte, Whan he sih time, ayein he boghte, 1740 And sende his Sone fro the hevene To sette mannes Soule in evene,1656 Which thanne was so sore falle1657 Upon the point which was befalle, That he ne mihte himself arise.1658 Gregoire seith in his aprise,1659 It helpeth noght a man be bore, If goddes Sone were unbore; For thanne thurgh the ferste Sinne, Which Adam whilom broghte ous inne, 1750 P. ii. 186 Ther scholden alle men be lost; Bot Crist restoreth thilke lost, And boghte it with his fleissh and blod. And if we thenken hou it stod Of thilke rancoun which he payde, Gregorius. O necessarium Ade peccatum!1660 O felix culpa, que talem ac tantum meruit habere redemptorem! As seint Gregoire it wrot and sayde, Al was behovely to the man: For that wherof his wo began Was after cause of al his welthe, Whan he which is the welle of helthe, 1760 The hihe creatour of lif, Upon the nede of such a strif So wolde for his creature1661 Take on himself the forsfaiture And soffre for the mannes sake. Thus mai no reson wel forsake That thilke Senne original Ne was the cause in special Of mannes worschipe ate laste, Which schal withouten ende laste. 1770 For be that cause the godhede Assembled was to the manhede1662 In the virgine, where he nom Oure fleissh and verai man becom Of bodely fraternite; Wherof the man in his degre Stant more worth, as I have told, Than he stod erst be manyfold, Thurgh baptesme of the newe lawe, Of which Crist lord is and felawe. 1780 P. ii. 187 And thus the hihe goddes myht,1663 Which was in the virgine alyht, The mannes Soule hath reconsiled, Which hadde longe ben exiled. So stant the feith upon believe, Withoute which mai non achieve To gete him Paradis ayein: Bot this believe is so certein, So full of grace and of vertu, That what man clepeth to Jhesu 1790 In clene lif forthwith good dede,1664 He mai noght faile of hevene mede, Which taken hath the rihte feith; For elles, as the gospel seith, Salvacion ther mai be non. And forto preche therupon Crist bad to hise Apostles alle, The whos pouer as nou is falle On ous that ben of holi cherche, Iacobus. Fides sine operibus mortua est.1665 If we the goode dedes werche;1666 1800 For feith only sufficeth noght,1667 Bot if good dede also be wroght. Confessor. Now were it good that thou forthi, Which thurgh baptesme proprely Art unto Cristes feith professed, Be war that thou be noght oppressed Nota hic contra istos qui iam lollardi dicuntur.1668 With Anticristes lollardie. For as the Jwes prophecie1669 Was set of god for avantage, Riht so this newe tapinage 1810 P. ii. 188 Of lollardie goth aboute To sette Cristes feith in doute. The seintz that weren ous tofore, Be whom the feith was ferst upbore, That holi cherche stod relieved, Thei oghten betre be believed Than these, whiche that men knowe Noght holy, thogh thei feigne and blowe Here lollardie in mennes Ere. Bot if thou wolt live out of fere, 1820 Such newe lore, I rede, eschuie, And hold forth riht the weie and suie, As thine Ancestres dede er this: So schalt thou noght believe amis. Incepit Jhesus facere et docere. Crist wroghte ferst and after tawhte, So that the dede his word arawhte;1670 He yaf ensample in his persone, And we the wordes have al one, Lich to the Tree with leves grene, Upon the which no fruit is sene. 1830 Nota quod, cum Anthenor Palladium Troie a templo Minerue abstulit, Thoas ibidem summus sacerdos auro corruptus oculos auertit, et sic malum quasi non videns scienter fieri permisit. The Priest Thoas, which of Minerve The temple hadde forto serve, And the Palladion of Troie Kepte under keie, for monoie, Of Anthenor which he hath nome,1671 Hath soffred Anthenor to come And the Palladion to stele, Wherof the worschipe and the wele Of the Troiens was overthrowe. Bot Thoas at the same throwe, 1840 P. ii. 189 Whan Anthenor this Juel tok, Wynkende caste awei his lok For a deceipte and for a wyle: As he that scholde himself beguile, He hidde his yhen fro the sihte, And wende wel that he so mihte Excuse his false conscience. I wot noght if thilke evidence Nou at this time in here estatz1672 Excuse mihte the Prelatz, 1850 Knowende hou that the feith discresceth And alle moral vertu cesseth, Wherof that thei the keies bere, Bot yit hem liketh noght to stere Here gostliche yhe forto se1673 The world in his adversite; Thei wol no labour undertake To kepe that hem is betake. Crist deide himselve for the feith, Bot nou our feerfull prelat seith, 1860 ‘The lif is suete,’ and that he kepeth, So that the feith unholpe slepeth, And thei unto here ese entenden And in here lust her lif despenden, And every man do what him list. Thus stant this world fulfild of Mist, That noman seth the rihte weie: The wardes of the cherche keie Thurgh mishandlinge ben myswreynt, The worldes wawe hath welnyh dreynt 1870 P. ii. 190 The Schip which Peter hath to stiere, The forme is kept, bot the matiere Transformed is in other wise. Bot if thei weren gostli wise, And that the Prelatz weren goode, As thei be olde daies stode, It were thanne litel nede Among the men to taken hiede Of that thei hieren Pseudo telle,1674 Which nou is come forto duelle, 1880 To sowe cokkel with the corn, So that the tilthe is nyh forlorn, Which Crist sew ferst his oghne hond.1675 Nou stant the cockel in the lond, Wher stod whilom the goode grein, For the Prelatz nou, as men sein, Forslowthen that thei scholden tile. And that I trowe be the skile, Whan ther is lacke in hem above, The poeple is stranged to the love 1890 Of trouthe, in cause of ignorance; For wher ther is no pourveance Of liht, men erren in the derke.1676 Bot if the Prelatz wolden werke Upon the feith which thei ous teche, Men scholden noght here weie seche Withoute liht, as now is used: Men se the charge aldai refused, Which holi cherche hath undertake. Gregorius. Quando Petrus cum Judea, Andreas cum Achaia, Thomas cum Yndea, et Paulus cum gente venient, quid dicemus nos moderni, quorum fossum talentum pro nichilo computabitur? Bot who that wolde ensample take, 1900 P. ii. 191 Gregoire upon his Omelie Ayein the Slouthe of Prelacie Compleigneth him, and thus he seith: ‘Whan Peter, fader of the feith, At domesdai schal with him bringe Judeam, which thurgh his prechinge1677 He wan, and Andrew with Achaie Schal come his dette forto paie, And Thomas ek with his beyete Of Ynde, and Poul the routes grete 1910 Of sondri londes schal presente,1678 And we fulfild of lond and rente, Which of this world we holden hiere, With voide handes schul appiere, Touchende oure cure spirital, Which is our charge in special, I not what thing it mai amonte Upon thilke ende of oure accompte, Wher Crist himself is Auditour, Which takth non hiede of vein honour.’ 1920 Thoffice of the Chancellerie Or of the kinges Tresorie Ne for the writ ne for the taille1679 To warant mai noght thanne availe; The world, which nou so wel we trowe,1680 Schal make ous thanne bot a mowe: So passe we withoute mede, That we non otherwise spede, Bot as we rede that he spedde, The which his lordes besant hedde 1930 P. ii. 192 And therupon gat non encress. Bot at this time natheles, What other man his thonk deserve, The world so lusti is to serve, That we with him ben all acorded, And that is wist and wel recorded Thurghout this Erthe in alle londes Let knyhtes winne with here hondes, For oure tunge schal be stille And stonde upon the fleisshes wille. 1940 It were a travail forto preche The feith of Crist, as forto teche The folk Paiene, it wol noght be; Bot every Prelat holde his See With al such ese as he mai gete Of lusti drinke and lusti mete,1681 Wherof the bodi fat and full Is unto gostli labour dull And slowh to handle thilke plowh. Bot elles we ben swifte ynowh 1950 Toward the worldes Avarice; And that is as a sacrifice,1682 Which, after that thapostel seith,1683 Is openly ayein the feith Unto thidoles yove and granted: Bot natheles it is nou haunted, And vertu changed into vice, So that largesce is Avarice, In whos chapitre now we trete. Amans. Mi fader, this matiere is bete 1960 P. ii. 193 So fer, that evere whil I live I schal the betre hede yive Unto miself be many weie: Bot over this nou wolde I preie To wite what the branches are1684 Of Avarice, and hou thei fare Als wel in love as otherwise. Confessor. Mi Sone, and I thee schal devise In such a manere as thei stonde,1685 So that thou schalt hem understonde.1686 1970