CONFESSIO AMANTIS

[Coveitise.] iii. Agros iungit agris cupidus domibusque domosque, Possideat totam sic quasi solus humum. Solus et innumeros mulierum spirat amores, Vt sacra millenis sit sibi culta Venus.1 Dame Avarice is noght soleine, Which is of gold the Capiteine; Bot of hir Court in sondri wise2 After the Scole of hire aprise Hic tractat confessor super illa specie Auaricie, que Cupiditas3 dicitur, quam in amoris causa pertractans Amanti super hoc opponit. Sche hath of Servantz manyon, Wherof that Covoitise is on; Which goth the large world aboute, To seche thavantages oute,4 Wher that he mai the profit winne5 To Avarice, and bringth it inne. 1980 That on hald and that other draweth,6 Ther is no day which hem bedaweth, No mor the Sonne than the Mone, Whan ther is eny thing to done, And namely with Covoitise; For he stant out of al assisse P. ii. 194 Of resonable mannes fare. Wher he pourposeth him to fare7 Upon his lucre and his beyete, The smale path, the large Strete, 1990 The furlong and the longe Mile, Al is bot on for thilke while:8 And for that he is such on holde, Dame Avarice him hath withholde, As he which is the principal Outward, for he is overal A pourveour and an aspie. For riht as of an hungri Pie The storve bestes ben awaited, Riht so is Covoitise afaited 2000 To loke where he mai pourchace, For be his wille he wolde embrace9 Al that this wyde world beclippeth; Bot evere he somwhat overhippeth, That he ne mai noght al fulfille The lustes of his gredi wille. Bot where it falleth in a lond, That Covoitise in myhti hond Is set, it is ful hard to fiede; For thanne he takth non other hiede, 2010 Bot that he mai pourchace and gete, His conscience hath al foryete, And not what thing it mai amonte That he schal afterward acompte. Bote as the Luce in his degre Of tho that lasse ben than he P. ii. 195 The fisshes griedeli devoureth, So that no water hem socoureth, Riht so no lawe mai rescowe Fro him that wol no riht allowe;10 2020 For wher that such on is of myht, His will schal stonde in stede of riht. Thus be the men destruid fulofte, Til that the grete god alofte Ayein so gret a covoitise Redresce it in his oghne wise: And in ensample of alle tho I finde a tale write so, The which, for it is good to liere, Hierafterward thou schalt it hiere.11 2030 [Tale of Virgil’s Mirror.] Whan Rome stod in noble plit, Virgile, which was tho parfit, Hic ponit exemplum contra magnates cupidos. Et narrat de Crasso Romanorum Imperatore, qui turrim, in qua speculum Virgilii Rome fixum extiterat, dolosa circumuentus cupiditate euertit; vnde non solum sui ipsius perdicionem, set tocius Ciuitatis intollerabile dampnum contingere causauit. A Mirour made of his clergie And sette it in the tounes ÿe Of marbre on a piler withoute; That thei be thritty Mile aboute Be daie and ek also be nyhte In that Mirour beholde myhte Here enemys, if eny were, With al here ordinance there, 2040 Which thei ayein the Cite caste: So that, whil thilke Mirour laste, Ther was no lond which mihte achieve With werre Rome forto grieve; Wherof was gret envie tho. And fell that ilke time so, P. ii. 196 That Rome hadde werres stronge Ayein Cartage, and stoden longe The tuo Cites upon debat. Cartage sih the stronge astat12 2050 Of Rome in thilke Mirour stonde, And thoghte al prively to fonde To overthrowe it be som wyle. And Hanybal was thilke while The Prince and ledere of Cartage, Which hadde set al his corage Upon knihthod in such a wise,13 That he be worthi and be wise And be non othre was conseiled,14 Wherof the world is yit merveiled 2060 Of the maistries that he wroghte Upon the marches whiche he soghte. And fell in thilke time also, The king of Puile, which was tho, Thoghte ayein Rome to rebelle, And thus was take the querele, Hou to destruie this Mirour. Of Rome tho was Emperour15 Crassus, which was so coveitous, That he was evere desirous 2070 Of gold to gete the pilage; Wherof that Puile and ek Cartage With Philosophres wise and grete Begunne of this matiere trete,16 And ate laste in this degre Ther weren Philosophres thre, P. ii. 197 To do this thing whiche undertoke, And therupon thei with hem toke A gret tresor of gold in cophres,17 To Rome and thus these philisophres 2080 Togedre in compainie wente, Bot noman wiste what thei mente. Whan thei to Rome come were, So prively thei duelte there, As thei that thoghten to deceive: Was non that mihte of hem perceive, Til thei in sondri stedes have Here gold under the ground begrave In tuo tresors, that to beholde Thei scholden seme as thei were olde. 2090 And so forth thanne upon a day Al openly in good arai To themperour thei hem presente, And tolden it was here entente To duellen under his servise. And he hem axeth in what wise; And thei him tolde in such a plit, That ech of hem hadde a spirit,18 The which slepende a nyht appiereth And hem be sondri dremes lereth 2100 After the world that hath betid. Under the ground if oght be hid Of old tresor at eny throwe, They schull it in here swevenes knowe; And upon this condicioun, Thei sein, what gold under the toun P. ii. 198 Of Rome is hid, thei wole it finde, Ther scholde noght be left behinde,19 Be so that he the halvendel Hem grante, and he assenteth wel; 2110 And thus cam sleighte forto duelle With Covoitise, as I thee telle. This Emperour bad redily That thei be logged faste by20 Where he his oghne body lay; And whan it was amorwe day, That on of hem seith that he mette Wher he a goldhord scholde fette: Wherof this Emperour was glad, And therupon anon he bad 2120 His Mynours forto go and myne, And he himself of that covine Goth forth withal, and at his hond The tresor redi there he fond, Where as thei seide it scholde be; And who was thanne glad bot he? Upon that other dai secounde Thei have an other goldhord founde, Which the seconde maister tok Upon his swevene and undertok. 2130 And thus the sothe experience To themperour yaf such credence, That al his trist and al his feith So sikerliche on hem he leith, Of that he fond him so relieved, That thei ben parfitli believed, P. ii. 199 As thogh thei were goddes thre. Nou herkne the soutilete. The thridde maister scholde mete, Which, as thei seiden, was unmete 2140 Above hem alle, and couthe most; And he withoute noise or bost Al priveli, so as he wolde, Upon the morwe his swevene tolde To themperour riht in his Ere, And seide him that he wiste where A tresor was so plentivous Of gold and ek so precious Of jeueals and of riche stones, That unto alle hise hors at ones21 2150 It were a charge sufficant. This lord upon this covenant Was glad, and axeth where it was. The maister seide, under the glas, And tolde him eke, as for the Myn He wolde ordeigne such engin, That thei the werk schull undersette22 With Tymber, that withoute lette Men mai the tresor saufli delve, So that the Mirour be himselve 2160 Withoute empeirement schal stonde: And this the maister upon honde23 Hath undertake in alle weie. This lord, which hadde his wit aweie And was with Covoitise blent, Anon therto yaf his assent; P. ii. 200 And thus they myne forth withal, The timber set up overal, Wherof the Piler stod upriht; Til it befell upon a nyht 2170 These clerkes, whan thei were war Hou that the timber only bar The Piler, wher the Mirour stod,— Here sleihte noman understod,— Thei go be nyhte unto the Myne With pich, with soulphre and with rosine, And whan the Cite was a slepe,24 A wylde fyr into the depe They caste among the timberwerk, And so forth, whil the nyht was derk, 2180 Desguised in a povere arai Thei passeden the toun er dai. And whan thei come upon an hell, Thei sihen how the Mirour fell, Wherof thei maden joie ynowh, And ech of hem with other lowh, And seiden, ‘Lo, what coveitise Mai do with hem that be noght wise!’ And that was proved afterward, For every lond, to Romeward 2190 Which hadde be soubgit tofore, Whan this Mirour was so forlore And thei the wonder herde seie, Anon begunne desobeie With werres upon every side; And thus hath Rome lost his pride P. ii. 201 And was defouled overal. For this I finde of Hanybal, That he of Romeins in a dai, Whan he hem fond out of arai, 2200 So gret a multitude slowh, That of goldringes, whiche he drowh25 Of gentil handes that ben dede, Buisshelles fulle thre, I rede, He felde, and made a bregge also, That he mihte over Tibre go Upon the corps that dede were Of the Romeins, whiche he slowh there.26 Bot now to speke of the juise, The which after the covoitise 2210 Was take upon this Emperour, For he destruide the Mirour; It is a wonder forto hiere. The Romeins maden a chaiere And sette here Emperour therinne, And seiden, for he wolde winne Of gold the superfluite, Of gold he scholde such plente Receive, til he seide Ho: And with gold, which thei hadden tho 2220 Buillende hot withinne a panne, Into his Mouth thei poure thanne. And thus the thurst of gold was queynt, [Coveitise.] With gold which hadde ben atteignt. Confessor. Wherof, mi Sone, thou miht hiere, Whan Covoitise hath lost the stiere27 P. ii. 202 Of resonable governance, Ther falleth ofte gret vengance. For ther mai be no worse thing Than Covoitise aboute a king: 2230 If it in his persone be, It doth the more adversite; And if it in his conseil stonde, It bringth alday meschief to honde Of commun harm; and if it growe Withinne his court, it wol be knowe, For thanne schal the king be piled. The man which hath hise londes tiled, Awaiteth noght more redily The Hervest, than thei gredily 2240 Ne maken thanne warde and wacche, Wher thei the profit mihten cacche: And yit fulofte it falleth so, As men mai sen among hem tho, That he which most coveiteth faste Hath lest avantage ate laste. For whan fortune is therayein, Thogh he coveite, it is in vein; The happes be noght alle liche, On is mad povere, an other riche, 2250 The court to some doth profit, And some ben evere in o plit; And yit thei bothe aliche sore Coveite, bot fortune is more Unto that o part favorable. And thogh it be noght resonable, P. ii. 203 This thing a man mai sen alday, Wherof that I thee telle may A fair ensample in remembrance, Hou every man mot take his chance 2260 Or of richesse or of poverte. Hou so it stonde of the decerte, Hier is noght every thing aquit, For ofte a man mai se this yit, That who best doth, lest thonk schal have; It helpeth noght the world to crave, Which out of reule and of mesure Hath evere stonde in aventure Als wel in Court as elles where: And hou in olde daies there 2270 It stod, so as the thinges felle, I thenke a tale forto telle. [Tale of the two Coffers.] In a Cronique this I rede. Aboute a king, as moste nede, Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos, qui in domibus Regum seruientes, pro eo quod ipsi secundum eorum cupiditatem promoti non existunt, de regio seruicio quamuis in eorum28 defectu indiscrete murmurant. Ther was of knyhtes and squiers Gret route, and ek of Officers: Some of long time him hadden served, And thoghten that thei have deserved Avancement, and gon withoute; And some also ben of the route 2280 That comen bat a while agon, And thei avanced were anon. These olde men upon this thing, So as thei dorste, ayein the king Among hemself compleignen ofte: Bot ther is nothing seid so softe, P. ii. 204 That it ne comth out ate laste; The king it wiste, and als so faste,29 As he which was of hih Prudence, He schop therfore an evidence 2290 Of hem that pleignen in that cas,30 To knowe in whos defalte it was. And al withinne his oghne entente, That noman wiste what it mente, Anon he let tuo cofres make Of o semblance and of o make, So lich that no lif thilke throwe31 That on mai fro that other knowe: Thei were into his chambre broght, Bot noman wot why thei be wroght, 2300 And natheles the king hath bede That thei be set in prive stede. As he that was of wisdom slih, Whan he therto his time sih, Al prively, that non it wiste, Hise oghne hondes that o kiste Of fin gold and of fin perrie, The which out of his tresorie Was take, anon he felde full; That other cofre of straw and mull 2310 With Stones meind he felde also. Thus be thei fulle bothe tuo, So that erliche upon a day He bad withinne, ther he lay, Ther scholde be tofore his bed A bord upset and faire spred; P. ii. 205 And thanne he let the cofres fette, Upon the bord and dede hem sette. He knew the names wel of tho, The whiche ayein him grucche so, 2320 Bothe of his chambre and of his halle, Anon and sende for hem alle, And seide to hem in this wise: ‘Ther schal noman his happ despise; I wot wel ye have longe served, And god wot what ye have deserved: Bot if it is along on me Of that ye unavanced be,32 Or elles it be long on you, The sothe schal be proved nou, 2330 To stoppe with youre evele word. Lo hier tuo cofres on the bord: Ches which you list of bothe tuo; And witeth wel that on of tho Is with tresor so full begon, That if ye happe therupon, Ye schull be riche men for evere. Now ches and tak which you is levere: Bot be wel war, er that ye take; For of that on I undertake 2340 Ther is no maner good therinne, Wherof ye mihten profit winne. Now goth togedre of on assent And taketh youre avisement, For bot I you this dai avance, It stant upon youre oghne chance P. ii. 206 Al only in defalte of grace: So schal be schewed in this place Upon you alle wel afyn, That no defalte schal be myn.’33 2350 Thei knelen alle and with o vois The king thei thonken of this chois:34 And after that thei up arise, And gon aside and hem avise, And ate laste thei acorde; Wherof her tale to recorde, To what issue thei be falle,35 A kniht schal speke for hem alle. He kneleth doun unto the king, And seith that thei upon this thing, 2360 Or forto winne or forto lese, Ben alle avised forto chese. Tho tok this kniht a yerde on honde, And goth there as the cofres stonde, And with assent of everichon He leith his yerde upon that on, And seith the king hou thilke same Thei chese in reguerdoun be name, And preith him that thei mote it have. The king, which wolde his honour save, 2370 Whan he hath herd the commun vois, Hath granted hem here oghne chois And tok hem therupon the keie. Bot for he wolde it were seie What good thei have, as thei suppose, He bad anon the cofre unclose, P. ii. 207 Which was fulfild with straw and stones: Thus be thei served al at ones. This king thanne in the same stede Anon that other cofre undede, 2380 Where as thei sihen gret richesse, Wei more than thei couthen gesse. ‘Lo,’ seith the king, ‘nou mai ye se That ther is no defalte in me; Forthi miself I wole aquyte, And bereth ye youre oghne wyte Of that fortune hath you refused.’ Thus was this wise king excused, And thei lefte of here evele speche And mercy of here king beseche. 2390 [Tale of the Beggars and the Pasties.] Somdiel to this matiere lik I finde a tale, hou Frederik, Nota hic de diuiciarum Accidencia: vbi narrat qualiter Fredericus Romanorum Imperator duos pauperes audiuit litigantes, quorum vnus dixit, ‘Bene potest ditari, quem Rex vult ditare.’ Et alius dixit, ‘Quem deus vult ditare, diues erit.’ Que res cum ad experimentum postea probata fuisset, ille qui deum inuocabat pastellum auro plenum sortitus est, alius vero caponis pastellum sorte36 preelegit. Of Rome that time Emperour, Herde, as he wente, a gret clamour Of tuo beggers upon the weie. That on of hem began to seie, ‘Ha lord, wel mai the man be riche Whom that a king list forto riche.’ That other saide nothing so, Bot, ‘He is riche and wel bego, 2400 To whom that god wole sende wele.’ And thus thei maden wordes fele, Wherof this lord hath hiede nome, And dede hem bothe forto come To the Paleis, wher he schal ete, And bad ordeine for here mete P. ii. 208 Tuo Pastes, whiche he let do make. A capoun in that on was bake, And in that other forto winne Of florins al that mai withinne 2410 He let do pute a gret richesse;37 And evene aliche, as man mai gesse,38 Outward thei were bothe tuo. This begger was comanded tho, He that which hield him to the king, That he ferst chese upon this thing: He sih hem, bot he felte hem noght,39 So that upon his oghne thoght He ches the Capoun and forsok That other, which his fela tok. 2420 Bot whanne he wiste hou that it ferde, He seide alowd, that men it herde, ‘Nou have I certeinly conceived That he mai lihtly be deceived, That tristeth unto mannes helpe; Bot wel is him whom god wol helpe, For he stant on the siker side, Which elles scholde go beside: I se my fela wel recovere, And I mot duelle stille povere.’ 2430 Thus spak this begger his entente, And povere he cam and povere he wente; Of that he hath richesse soght,40 His infortune it wolde noght. So mai it schewe in sondri wise, Betwen fortune and covoitise P. ii. 209 The chance is cast upon a Dee; Bot yit fulofte a man mai se Ynowe of suche natheles, Whiche evere pute hemself in press 2440 To gete hem good, and yit thei faile. [Coveitise of Lovers.] And forto speke of this entaile Touchende of love in thi matiere, Mi goode Sone, as thou miht hiere, That riht as it with tho men stod Of infortune of worldes good, As thou hast herd me telle above, Riht so fulofte it stant be love: Thogh thou coveite it everemore, Thou schalt noght have o diel the more, 2450 Bot only that which thee is schape, The remenant is bot a jape. And natheles ynowe of tho41 Ther ben, that nou coveiten so, That where as thei a womman se, Ye ten or tuelve thogh ther be, The love is nou so unavised, That wher the beaute stant assised, The mannes herte anon is there, And rouneth tales in hire Ere, 2460 And seith hou that he loveth streite, And thus he set him to coveite, An hundred thogh he sihe aday. So wolde he more thanne he may; Bot for the grete covoitise42 Of sotie and of fol emprise P. ii. 210 In ech of hem he fint somwhat That pleseth him, or this or that; Som on, for sche is whit of skin, Som on, for sche is noble of kin, 2470 Som on, for sche hath rodi chieke, Som on, for that sche semeth mieke, Som on, for sche hath yhen greie, Som on, for sche can lawhe and pleie, Som on, for sche is long and smal, Som on, for sche is lyte and tall, Som on, for sche is pale and bleche,43 Som on, for sche is softe of speche, Som on, for that sche is camused, Som on, for sche hath noght ben used, 2480 Som on, for sche can daunce and singe; So that som thing to his likinge44 He fint, and thogh nomore he fiele, Bot that sche hath a litel hiele, It is ynow that he therfore Hire love, and thus an hundred score, Whil thei be newe, he wolde he hadde; Whom he forsakth, sche schal be badde.45 Cecus non iudicat de coloribus. The blinde man no colour demeth, But al is on, riht as him semeth; 2490 So hath his lust no juggement, Whom covoitise of love blent. Him thenkth that to his covoitise Hou al the world ne mai suffise, For be his wille he wolde have alle, If that it mihte so befalle: P. ii. 211 Thus is he commun as the Strete, I sette noght of his beyete. Confessor. Mi Sone, hast thou such covoitise? Amans. Nai, fader, such love I despise,46 2500 And whil I live schal don evere, For in good feith yit hadde I levere, Than to coveite in such a weie, To ben for evere til I deie As povere as Job, and loveles, Outaken on, for haveles His thonkes is noman alyve. For that a man scholde al unthryve47 Ther oghte no wisman coveite, The lawe was noght set so streite: 2510 Forthi miself withal to save, Such on ther is I wolde have, And non of al these othre mo.48 Confessor. Mi Sone, of that thou woldest so, I am noght wroth, bot over this I wol thee tellen hou it is. For ther be men, whiche otherwise, Riht only for the covoitise Of that thei sen a womman riche, Ther wol thei al here love affiche; 2520 Noght for the beaute of hire face, Ne yit for vertu ne for grace, Which sche hath elles riht ynowh, Bot for the Park and for the plowh, And other thing which therto longeth: For in non other wise hem longeth49 P. ii. 212 To love, bot thei profit finde; And if the profit be behinde, Here love is evere lesse and lesse, For after that sche hath richesse, 2530 Her love is of proporcion. If thou hast such condicion, Mi Sone, tell riht as it is. Confessio Amantis. Min holi fader, nay ywiss, Condicion such have I non. For trewli, fader, I love oon So wel with al myn hertes thoght, That certes, thogh sche hadde noght, And were as povere as Medea, Which was exiled for Creusa,50 2540 I wolde hir noght the lasse love; Ne thogh sche were at hire above, As was the riche qwen Candace, Which to deserve love and grace To Alisandre, that was king, Yaf many a worthi riche thing,51 Or elles as Pantasilee, Which was the quen of Feminee, And gret richesse with hir nam, Whan sche for love of Hector cam52 2550 To Troie in rescousse of the toun,—53 I am of such condicion, That thogh mi ladi of hirselve Were also riche as suche tuelve,54 I couthe noght, thogh it wer so, No betre love hir than I do. P. ii. 213 For I love in so plein a wise, That forto speke of coveitise, As for poverte or for richesse Mi love is nouther mor ne lesse. 2560 For in good feith I trowe this, So coveitous noman ther is, Forwhy and he mi ladi sihe,55 That he thurgh lokinge of his yhe56 Ne scholde have such a strok withinne, That for no gold he mihte winne He scholde noght hire love asterte, Bot if he lefte there his herte; Be so it were such a man, That couthe Skile of a womman. 2570 For ther be men so ruide some,57 Whan thei among the wommen come, Thei gon under proteccioun,58 That love and his affeccioun59 Ne schal noght take hem be the slieve; For thei ben out of that believe, Hem lusteth of no ladi chiere, Bot evere thenken there and hiere Wher that here gold is in the cofre,60 And wol non other love profre: 2580 Bot who so wot what love amounteth And be resoun trewliche acompteth, Than mai he knowe and taken hiede That al the lust of wommanhiede, Which mai ben in a ladi face, Mi ladi hath, and ek of grace P. ii. 214 If men schull yiven hire a pris,61 Thei mai wel seie hou sche is wys And sobre and simple of contenance, And al that to good governance 2590 Belongeth of a worthi wiht62 Sche hath pleinli: for thilke nyht That sche was bore, as for the nones Nature sette in hire at ones Beaute with bounte so besein, That I mai wel afferme and sein, I sawh yit nevere creature Of comlihied and of feture In eny kinges regioun Be lich hire in comparisoun: 2600 And therto, as I have you told, Yit hath sche more a thousendfold Of bounte, and schortli to telle, Sche is the pure hed and welle And Mirour and ensample of goode. Who so hir vertus understode, Me thenkth it oughte ynow suffise Withouten other covoitise To love such on and to serve, Which with hire chiere can deserve 2610 To be beloved betre ywiss Than sche per cas that richest is And hath of gold a Milion. Such hath be myn opinion And evere schal: bot natheles I seie noght sche is haveles, P. ii. 215 That sche nys riche and wel at ese, And hath ynow wherwith to plese Of worldes good whom that hire liste; Bot o thing wolde I wel ye wiste, 2620 That nevere for no worldes good Min herte untoward hire stod, Bot only riht for pure love; That wot the hihe god above. Nou, fader, what seie ye therto? Confessor. Mi Sone, I seie it is wel do. For tak of this riht good believe,63 What man that wole himself relieve To love in eny other wise, He schal wel finde his coveitise 2630 Schal sore grieve him ate laste, For such a love mai noght laste. Bot nou, men sein, in oure daies Men maken bot a fewe assaies, Bot if the cause be richesse; Forthi the love is wel the lesse. And who that wolde ensamples telle,64 Be olde daies as thei felle, Than mihte a man wel understonde Such love mai noght longe stonde. 2640 Now herkne, Sone, and thou schalt hiere A gret ensample of this matiere. [Tale of the King and his Steward’s Wife.] To trete upon the cas of love, So as we tolden hiere above, Hic ponit exemplum contra istos qui non propter amorem sed propter diuicias sponsalia sumunt. Et narrat de quodam Regis Apulie Seneschallo, qui non solum propter pecuniam vxorem duxit, set eciam pecunie commercio vxorem sibi desponsatam vendidit. I finde write a wonder thing. Of Puile whilom was a king, P. ii. 216 A man of hih complexioun And yong, bot his affeccioun After the nature of his age Was yit noght falle in his corage 2650 The lust of wommen forto knowe. So it betidde upon a throwe This lord fell into gret seknesse: Phisique hath don the besinesse Of sondri cures manyon To make him hol; and therupon A worthi maister which ther was Yaf him conseil upon this cas,65 That if he wolde have parfit hele, He scholde with a womman dele, 2660 A freissh, a yong, a lusti wiht, To don him compaignie a nyht; For thanne he seide him redily, That he schal be al hol therby, And otherwise he kneu no cure. This king, which stod in aventure66 Of lif and deth, for medicine Assented was, and of covine His Steward, whom he tristeth wel, He tok, and tolde him everydel, 2670 Hou that this maister hadde seid:67 And therupon he hath him preid And charged upon his ligance, That he do make porveance Of such on as be covenable For his plesance and delitable; P. ii. 217 And bad him, hou that evere it stod, That he schal spare for no good, For his will is riht wel to paie. The Steward seide he wolde assaie: 2680 Bot nou hierafter thou schalt wite, As I finde in the bokes write,68 What coveitise in love doth. This Steward, forto telle soth, Amonges al the men alyve69 A lusti ladi hath to wyve, Which natheles for gold he tok And noght for love, as seith the bok. A riche Marchant of the lond Hir fader was, and hire fond70 2690 So worthily, and such richesse Of worldes good and such largesse With hire he yaf in mariage, That only for thilke avantage71 Of good this Steward hath hire take, For lucre and noght for loves sake,72 And that was afterward wel seene; Nou herkne what it wolde meene. This Steward in his oghne herte Sih that his lord mai noght asterte 2700 His maladie, bot he have A lusti womman him to save, And thoghte he wolde yive ynowh Of his tresor; wherof he drowh Gret coveitise into his mynde, And sette his honour fer behynde. P. ii. 218 Thus he, whom gold hath overset, Was trapped in his oghne net; The gold hath mad hise wittes lame, So that sechende his oghne schame 2710 He rouneth in the kinges Ere, And seide him that he wiste where A gentile and a lusti on Tho was, and thider wolde he gon:73 Bot he mot yive yiftes grete; For bot it be thurgh gret beyete Of gold, he seith, he schal noght spede. The king him bad upon the nede That take an hundred pound he scholde, And yive it where that he wolde, 2720 Be so it were in worthi place: And thus to stonde in loves grace This king his gold hath abandouned. And whan this tale was full rouned, The Steward tok the gold and wente, Withinne his herte and many a wente Of coveitise thanne he caste, Wherof a pourpos ate laste Ayein love and ayein his riht He tok, and seide hou thilke nyht 2730 His wif schal ligge be the king; And goth thenkende upon this thing Toward his In, til he cam hom Into the chambre, and thanne he nom His wif, and tolde hire al the cas.74 And sche, which red for schame was, P. ii. 219 With bothe hire handes hath him preid75 Knelende and in this wise seid,76 That sche to reson and to skile In what thing that he bidde wile77 2740 Is redy forto don his heste, Bot this thing were noght honeste, That he for gold hire scholde selle. And he tho with hise wordes felle Forth with his gastly contienance Seith that sche schal don obeissance And folwe his will in every place; And thus thurgh strengthe of his manace Hir innocence is overlad, Wherof sche was so sore adrad 2750 That sche his will mot nede obeie. And therupon was schape a weie,78 That he his oghne wif be nyhte Hath out of alle mennes sihte So prively that non it wiste Broght to the king, which as him liste Mai do with hire what he wolde. For whan sche was ther as sche scholde, With him abedde under the cloth, The Steward tok his leve and goth 2760 Into a chambre faste by;79 Bot hou he slep, that wot noght I, For he sih cause of jelousie. Bot he, which hath the compainie Of such a lusti on as sche, Him thoghte that of his degre P. ii. 220 Ther was noman so wel at ese: Sche doth al that sche mai to plese, So that his herte al hol sche hadde; And thus this king his joie ladde, 2770 Til it was nyh upon the day.80 The Steward thanne wher sche lay Cam to the bedd, and in his wise81 Hath bede that sche scholde arise. The king seith, ‘Nay, sche schal noght go.’ His Steward seide ayein, ‘Noght so;82 For sche mot gon er it be knowe, And so I swor at thilke throwe, Whan I hire fette to you hiere.’83 The king his tale wol noght hiere,84 2780 And seith hou that he hath hire boght, Forthi sche schal departe noght, Til he the brighte dai beholde. And cawhte hire in hise armes folde, As he which liste forto pleie, And bad his Steward gon his weie, And so he dede ayein his wille. And thus his wif abedde stille Lay with the king the longe nyht, Til that it was hih Sonne lyht; 2790 Bot who sche was he knew nothing. Tho cam the Steward to the king And preide him that withoute schame85 In savinge of hire goode name He myhte leden hom ayein This lady, and hath told him plein P. ii. 221 Hou that it was his oghne wif. The king his Ere unto this strif Hath leid, and whan that he it herde, Welnyh out of his wit he ferde, 2800 And seide, ‘Ha, caitif most of alle, Wher was it evere er this befalle, That eny cokard in this wise Betok his wif for coveitise? Thou hast bothe hire and me beguiled And ek thin oghne astat reviled, Wherof that buxom unto thee Hierafter schal sche nevere be. For this avou to god I make, After this day if I thee take, 2810 Thou schalt ben honged and todrawe. Nou loke anon thou be withdrawe, So that I se thee neveremore.’ This Steward thanne dradde him sore, With al the haste that he mai And fledde awei that same dai,86 And was exiled out of londe. Lo, there a nyce housebonde, Which thus hath lost his wif for evere! Bot natheles sche hadde a levere; 2820 The king hire weddeth and honoureth, Wherof hire name sche socoureth, Which erst was lost thurgh coveitise Of him, that ladde hire other wise, And hath himself also forlore. Confessor. Mi Sone, be thou war therfore, P. ii. 222 Wher thou schalt love in eny place, That thou no covoitise embrace, The which is noght of loves kinde. Bot for al that a man mai finde 2830 Nou in this time of thilke rage Ful gret desese in mariage, Whan venym melleth with the Sucre And mariage is mad for lucre, Or for the lust or for the hele: What man that schal with outher dele,87 He mai noght faile to repente. Amans. Mi fader, such is myn entente: Bot natheles good is to have, For good mai ofte time save 2840 The love which scholde elles spille. Bot god, which wot myn hertes wille, I dar wel take to witnesse, Yit was I nevere for richesse Beset with mariage non; For al myn herte is upon on So frely, that in the persone Stant al my worldes joie al one: I axe nouther Park ne Plowh, If I hire hadde, it were ynowh, 2850 Hir love scholde me suffise Withouten other coveitise. Lo now, mi fader, as of this, Touchende of me riht as it is, Mi schrifte I am beknowe plein; And if ye wole oght elles sein,88 P. ii. 223 Of covoitise if ther be more In love, agropeth out the sore. [False Witness and Perjury.] iv. Fallere cum nequeat propria vir fraude, subornat Testes, sit quod eis vera retorta fides.89 Sicut agros cupidus dum querit amans mulieres, Vult testes falsos falsus habere suos.90 Non sine vindicta periurus abibit in eius Visu, qui cordis intima cuncta videt. Fallere periuro non est laudanda puellam91 Gloria, set false condicionis opus. Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde Hou Coveitise hath yit on honde 2860 In special tuo conseilours, That ben also hise procurours. Hic tractat super illis92 Auaricie speciebus, que falsum Testimonium et Periurium nuncupantur; quorum fraudulenta circumuencio tam in cupiditatis95 quam in amoris causa sui desiderii propositum quamsepe fallaciter attingit. The ferst of hem is Falswitnesse,93 Which evere is redi to witnesse What thing his maister wol him hote: Perjurie is the secounde hote,94 Which spareth noght to swere an oth, Thogh it be fals and god be wroth.96 That on schal falswitnesse bere, That other schal the thing forswere, 2870 Whan he is charged on the bok. So what with hepe and what with crok97 Thei make here maister ofte winne And wol noght knowe what is sinne For coveitise, and thus, men sain, Thei maken many a fals bargain. Ther mai no trewe querele arise In thilke queste and thilke assise,98 Where as thei tuo the poeple enforme; For thei kepe evere o maner forme, 2880 P. ii. 224 That upon gold here conscience Thei founde, and take here evidence; And thus with falswitnesse and othes Thei winne hem mete and drinke and clothes. Riht so ther be, who that hem knewe, Of thes lovers ful many untrewe: Nou mai a womman finde ynowe, That ech of hem, whan he schal wowe, Anon he wole his hand doun lein Upon a bok, and swere and sein 2890 That he wole feith and trouthe bere; And thus he profreth him to swere To serven evere til he die, And al is verai tricherie. For whan the sothe himselven trieth, The more he swerth, the more he lieth; Whan he his feith makth althermest, Than mai a womman truste him lest; For til he mai his will achieve, He is no lengere forto lieve.99 2900 Thus is the trouthe of love exiled, [False Witness.] And many a good womman beguiled. Confessor. And ek to speke of Falswitnesse, There be nou many suche, I gesse,100 That lich unto the provisours Thei make here prive procurours,101 To telle hou ther is such a man, Which is worthi to love and can Al that a good man scholde kunne; So that with lesinge is begunne 2910 P. ii. 225 The cause in which thei wole procede, And also siker as the crede Thei make of that thei knowen fals. And thus fulofte aboute the hals Love is of false men embraced; Bot love which is so pourchaced Comth afterward to litel pris. Forthi, mi Sone, if thou be wis, Nou thou hast herd this evidence, Thou miht thin oghne conscience 2920 Oppose, if thou hast ben such on. Amans. Nai, god wot, fader, I am non, Ne nevere was; for as men seith, Whan that a man schal make his feith, His herte and tunge moste acorde; For if so be that thei discorde, Thanne is he fals and elles noght: And I dar seie, as of my thoght, In love it is noght descordable Unto mi word, bot acordable. 2930 And in this wise, fader, I Mai riht wel swere and salvely,102 That I mi ladi love wel, For that acordeth everydel. It nedeth noght to mi sothsawe That I witnesse scholde drawe, Into this dai for nevere yit103 Ne mihte it sinke into mi wit, That I my conseil scholde seie To eny wiht, or me bewreie104 2940 P. ii. 226 To sechen help in such manere, Bot only of mi ladi diere.105 And thogh a thousend men it wiste, That I hire love, and thanne hem liste With me to swere and to witnesse, Yit were that no falswitnesse; For I dar on this trouthe duelle, I love hire mor than I can telle. Thus am I, fader, gulteles, As ye have herd, and natheles 2950 In youre dom I put it al.106 Confessor. Mi Sone, wite in special, It schal noght comunliche faile, Al thogh it for a time availe That Falswitnesse his cause spede, Upon the point of his falshiede It schal wel afterward be kid; Wherof, so as it is betid, Ensample of suche thinges blinde In a Cronique write I finde. 2960 [Tale of Achilles and Deidamia.] The Goddesse of the See Thetis, Sche hadde a Sone, and his name is Achilles, whom to kepe and warde, Hic ponit exemplum de illis, qui falsum testificantes amoris innocenciam circumueniunt. Et narrat qualiter Thetis Achillem filium suum adolescentem, muliebri vestitum apparatu, asserens esse puellam inter Regis Lichomedis filias ad educandum produxit. Et sic Achilles decepto Rege filie sue Deidamie socia et cubicularia effectus super ipsam Pirrum genuit; qui postea mire probitatis miliciam assecutus mortem patris sui apud Troiam in Polixenen tirannice vindicauit. Whil he was yong, as into warde107 Sche thoghte him salfly to betake, As sche which dradde for his sake108 Of that was seid in prophecie,109 That he at Troie scholde die, Whan that the Cite was belein. Forthi, so as the bokes sein, 2970 P. ii. 227 Sche caste hire wit in sondri wise, Hou sche him mihte so desguise That noman scholde his bodi knowe: And so befell that ilke throwe, Whil that sche thoghte upon this dede,110 Ther was a king, which Lichomede Was hote, and he was wel begon With faire dowhtres manyon, And duelte fer out in an yle. Nou schalt thou hiere a wonder wyle: 2980 This queene, which the moder was Of Achilles, upon this cas Hire Sone, as he a Maiden were, Let clothen in the same gere Which longeth unto wommanhiede: And he was yong and tok non hiede, Bot soffreth al that sche him dede. Wherof sche hath hire wommen bede And charged be here othes alle, Hou so it afterward befalle, 2990 That thei discovere noght this thing, Bot feigne and make a knowleching, Upon the conseil which was nome, In every place wher thei come To telle and to witnesse this, Hou he here ladi dowhter is.111 And riht in such a maner wise Sche bad thei scholde hire don servise, So that Achilles underfongeth As to a yong ladi belongeth 3000 P. ii. 228 Honour, servise and reverence. For Thetis with gret diligence Him hath so tawht and so afaited, That, hou so that it were awaited,112 With sobre and goodli contenance He scholde his wommanhiede avance, That non the sothe knowe myhte, Bot that in every mannes syhte He scholde seme a pure Maide. And in such wise as sche him saide, 3010 Achilles, which that ilke while Was yong, upon himself to smyle Began, whan he was so besein. And thus, after the bokes sein, With frette of Perle upon his hed, Al freissh betwen the whyt and red, As he which tho was tendre of Age, Stod the colour in his visage, That forto loke upon his cheke And sen his childly manere eke, 3020 He was a womman to beholde. And thanne his moder to him tolde, That sche him hadde so begon Be cause that sche thoghte gon To Lichomede at thilke tyde, Wher that sche seide he scholde abyde113 Among hise dowhtres forto duelle. Achilles herde his moder telle, And wiste noght the cause why; And natheles ful buxomly 3030 P. ii. 229 He was redy to that sche bad, Wherof his moder was riht glad,114 To Lichomede and forth thei wente. And whan the king knew hire entente, And sih this yonge dowhter there, And that it cam unto his Ere Of such record, of such witnesse, He hadde riht a gret gladnesse Of that he bothe syh and herde, As he that wot noght hou it ferde 3040 Upon the conseil of the nede. Bot for al that king Lichomede Hath toward him this dowhter take, And for Thetis his moder sake He put hire into compainie115 To duelle with Deïdamie,116 His oghne dowhter, the eldeste, The faireste and the comelieste Of alle hise doghtres whiche he hadde. Lo, thus Thetis the cause ladde, 3050 And lefte there Achilles feigned, As he which hath himself restreigned In al that evere he mai and can Out of the manere of a man,117 And tok his wommannysshe chiere, Wherof unto his beddefere Deïdamie he hath be nyhte. Wher kinde wole himselve rihte,118 After the Philosophres sein, Ther mai no wiht be therayein: 3060 P. ii. 230 And that was thilke time seene. The longe nyhtes hem betuene Nature, which mai noght forbere, Hath mad hem bothe forto stere Thei kessen ferst, and overmore The hihe weie of loves lore Thei gon, and al was don in dede, Wherof lost is the maydenhede; And that was afterward wel knowe. For it befell that ilke throwe 3070 At Troie, wher the Siege lay Upon the cause of Menelay And of his queene dame Heleine, The Gregois hadden mochel peine Alday to fihte and to assaile. Bot for thei mihten noght availe So noble a Cite forto winne, A prive conseil thei beginne, In sondri wise wher thei trete; And ate laste among the grete 3080 Thei fellen unto this acord, That Protheüs, of his record Which was an Astronomien And ek a gret Magicien, Scholde of his calculacion Seche after constellacion, Hou thei the Cite mihten gete: And he, which hadde noght foryete Of that belongeth to a clerk, His studie sette upon this werk.119 3090 P. ii. 231 So longe his wit aboute he caste, Til that he fond out ate laste, Bot if they hadden Achilles Here werre schal ben endeles. And over that he tolde hem plein In what manere he was besein, And in what place he schal be founde; So that withinne a litel stounde Ulixes forth with Diomede Upon this point to Lichomede 3100 Agamenon togedre sente. Bot Ulixes, er he forth wente, Which was on of the moste wise, Ordeigned hath in such a wise, That he the moste riche aray, Wherof a womman mai be gay, With him hath take manyfold, And overmore, as it is told, An harneis for a lusti kniht, Which burned was as Selver bryht,120 3110 Of swerd, of plate and ek of maile, As thogh he scholde to bataille, He tok also with him be Schipe. And thus togedre in felaschipe Forth gon this Diomede and he In hope til thei mihten se The place where Achilles is. The wynd stod thanne noght amis, Bot evene topseilcole it blew,121 Til Ulixes the Marche knew, 3120 P. ii. 232 Wher Lichomede his Regne hadde. The Stieresman so wel hem ladde, That thei ben comen sauf to londe, Wher thei gon out upon the stronde Into the Burgh, wher that thei founde The king, and he which hath facounde, Ulixes, dede the message. Bot the conseil of his corage, Why that he cam, he tolde noght, Bot undernethe he was bethoght 3130 In what manere he mihte aspie Achilles fro Deïdamie And fro these othre that ther were, Full many a lusti ladi there. Thei pleide hem there a day or tuo, And as it was fortuned so, It fell that time in such a wise, To Bachus that a sacrifise Thes yonge ladys scholden make; And for the strange mennes sake, 3140 That comen fro the Siege of Troie, Thei maden wel the more joie. Ther was Revel, ther was daunsinge, And every lif which coude singe Of lusti wommen in the route122 A freissh carole hath sunge aboute; Bot for al this yit natheles The Greks unknowe of Achilles So weren, that in no degre Thei couden wite which was he, 3150 P. ii. 233 Ne be his vois, ne be his pas. Ulixes thanne upon this cas123 A thing of hih Prudence hath wroght: For thilke aray, which he hath broght To yive among the wommen there, He let do fetten al the gere Forth with a knihtes harneis eke,— In al a contre forto seke124 Men scholden noght a fairer se,— And every thing in his degre 3160 Endlong upon a bord he leide. To Lichomede and thanne he preide That every ladi chese scholde What thing of alle that sche wolde, And take it as be weie of yifte; For thei hemself it scholde schifte, He seide, after here oghne wille. Achilles thanne stod noght stille: Whan he the bryhte helm behield,125 The swerd, the hauberk and the Schield, 3170 His herte fell therto anon; Of all that othre wolde he non, The knihtes gere he underfongeth, And thilke aray which that belongeth Unto the wommen he forsok. And in this wise, as seith the bok, Thei knowen thanne which he was: For he goth forth the grete pas Into the chambre where he lay; Anon, and made no delay, 3180 P. ii. 234 He armeth him in knyhtli wise, That bettre can noman devise, And as fortune scholde falle, He cam so forth tofore hem alle, As he which tho was glad ynowh. But Lichomede nothing lowh, Whan that he syh hou that it ferde, For thanne he wiste wel and herde, His dowhter hadde be forlein; Bot that he was so oversein, 3190 The wonder overgoth his wit. For in Cronique is write yit126 Thing which schal nevere be foryete, Hou that Achilles hath begete Pirrus upon Deïdamie, Wherof cam out the tricherie Of Falswitnesse, whan thei saide127 Hou that Achilles was a Maide. Bot that was nothing sene tho, For he is to the Siege go 3200 Forth with Ulixe and Diomede. Confessor. Lo, thus was proved in the dede And fulli spoke at thilke while: If o womman an other guile, Wher is ther eny sikernesse? Whan Thetis, which was the goddesse, Deïdamie hath so bejaped, I not hou it schal ben ascaped With tho wommen whos innocence128 Is nou alday thurgh such credence129 3210 P. ii. 235 Deceived ofte, as it is seene, With men that such untrouthe meene. For thei ben slyhe in such a wise, That thei be sleihte and be queintise Of Falswitnesse bringen inne That doth hem ofte forto winne, Wher thei ben noght worthi therto.130 [Perjury.] Forthi, my Sone, do noght so. Amans Mi fader, as of Falswitnesse The trouthe and the matiere expresse, 3220 Touchende of love hou it hath ferd, As ye have told, I have wel herd. Bot for ye seiden otherwise, Hou thilke vice of Covoitise Hath yit Perjurie of his acord,131 If that you list of som record To telle an other tale also In loves cause of time ago, What thing it is to be forswore, I wolde preie you therfore, 3230 Wherof I mihte ensample take. Confessor. Mi goode Sone, and for thi sake Touchende of this I schal fulfille Thin axinge at thin oghne wille, And the matiere I schal declare, Hou the wommen deceived are, Whan thei so tendre herte bere,132 Of that thei hieren men so swere; Bot whan it comth unto thassay, Thei finde it fals an other day: 3240 P. ii. 236 As Jason dede to Medee,133 Which stant yet of Auctorite In tokne and in memorial; Wherof the tale in special Is in the bok of Troie write, Which I schal do thee forto wite.134 In Grece whilom was a king, Of whom the fame and knowleching [Tale of Jason and Medea.] Beleveth yit, and Peleüs He hihte; bot it fell him thus, 3250 Hic in amoris causa ponit exemplum contra periuros. Et narrat qualiter Iason, priusquam ad insulam Colchos pro aureo vellere ibidem conquestando transmearet, in amorem et coniugium Medee Regis Othonis filie iuramento firmius se astrinxit; set suo postea completo negocio, cum ipsam secum nauigio in Greciam perduxisset, vbi illa senectam135 patris sui Esonis in floridam iuuentutem mirabili sciencia reformauit, ipse Iason fidei sue ligamento aliisque beneficiis postpositis, dictam Medeam pro quadam Creusa Regis Creontis filia periurus dereliquit. That his fortune hir whiel so ladde That he no child his oghne hadde To regnen after his decess. He hadde a brother natheles, Whos rihte name was Eson, And he the worthi kniht Jason Begat, the which in every lond Alle othre passede of his hond In Armes, so that he the beste Was named and the worthieste, 3260 He soghte worschipe overal. Nou herkne, and I thee telle schal An aventure that he soghte, Which afterward ful dere he boghte. Ther was an yle, which Colchos Was cleped, and therof aros Gret speche in every lond aboute, That such merveile was non oute In al the wyde world nawhere, As tho was in that yle there. 3270 P. ii. 237 Ther was a Schiep, as it was told, The which his flees bar al of gold, And so the goddes hadde it set, That it ne mihte awei be fet Be pouer of no worldes wiht: And yit ful many a worthi kniht It hadde assaied, as thei dorste, And evere it fell hem to the worste. Bot he, that wolde it noght forsake, Bot of his knyhthod undertake 3280 To do what thing therto belongeth,136 This worthi Jason, sore alongeth To se the strange regiouns And knowe the condiciouns Of othre Marches, where he wente; And for that cause his hole entente He sette Colchos forto seche, And therupon he made a speche To Peleüs his Em the king. And he wel paid was of that thing;137 3290 And schop anon for his passage, And suche as were of his lignage, With othre knihtes whiche he ches, With him he tok, and Hercules, Which full was of chivalerie,138 With Jason wente in compaignie; And that was in the Monthe of Maii, Whan colde stormes were away. The wynd was good, the Schip was yare, Thei tok here leve, and forth thei fare139 3300 P. ii. 238 Toward Colchos: bot on the weie What hem befell is long to seie; Hou Lamedon the king of Troie, Which oghte wel have mad hem joie,140 Whan thei to reste a while him preide, Out of his lond he hem congeide;141 And so fell the dissencion, Which after was destruccion Of that Cite, as men mai hiere: Bot that is noght to mi matiere. 3310 Bot thus this142 worthi folk Gregeis143 Fro that king, which was noght curteis, And fro his lond with Sail updrawe Thei wente hem forth, and many a sawe Thei made and many a gret manace, Til ate laste into that place Which as thei soghte thei aryve, And striken Sail, and forth as blyve Thei sente unto the king and tolden Who weren ther and what thei wolden. 3320 Oëtes, which was thanne king,144 Whan that he herde this tyding Of Jason, which was comen there, And of these othre, what thei were, He thoghte don hem gret worschipe: For thei anon come out of Schipe, And strawht unto the king thei wente, And be the hond Jason he hente, And that was ate paleis gate, So fer the king cam on his gate 3330 P. ii. 239 Toward Jason to don him chiere; And he, whom lacketh no manere, Whan he the king sih in presence, Yaf him ayein such reverence As to a kinges stat belongeth. And thus the king him underfongeth, And Jason in his arm he cawhte, And forth into the halle he strawhte, And ther they siete and spieke of thinges, And Jason tolde him tho tidinges,145 3340 Why he was come, and faire him preide To haste his time, and the kyng seide, ‘Jason, thou art a worthi kniht, Bot it lith in no mannes myht To don that thou art come fore: Ther hath be many a kniht forlore Of that thei wolden it assaie.’ Bot Jason wolde him noght esmaie, And seide, ‘Of every worldes cure Fortune stant in aventure, 3350 Per aunter wel, per aunter wo: Bot hou as evere that it go, It schal be with myn hond assaied.’ The king tho hield him noght wel paied, For he the Grekes sore dredde, In aunter, if Jason ne spedde, He mihte therof bere a blame; For tho was al the worldes fame In Grece, as forto speke of Armes. Forthi he dredde him of his harmes, 3360 P. ii. 240 And gan to preche him and to preie; Bot Jason wolde noght obeie, Bot seide he wolde his porpos holde For ought that eny man him tolde. The king, whan he thes wordes herde,146 And sih hou that this kniht ansuerde, Yit for he wolde make him glad, After Medea gon he bad, Which was his dowhter, and sche cam. And Jason, which good hiede nam, 3370 Whan he hire sih, ayein hire goth; And sche, which was him nothing loth, Welcomede him into that lond, And softe tok him be the hond, And doun thei seten bothe same. Sche hadde herd spoke of his name147 And of his grete worthinesse; Forthi sche gan hir yhe impresse Upon his face and his stature, And thoghte hou nevere creature 3380 Was so wel farende as was he. And Jason riht in such degre Ne mihte noght withholde his lok, Bot so good hiede on hire he tok, That him ne thoghte under the hevene Of beaute sawh he nevere hir evene, With al that fell to wommanhiede. Thus ech of other token hiede, Thogh ther no word was of record; Here hertes bothe of on acord 3390 P. ii. 241 Ben set to love, bot as tho Ther mihten be no wordes mo. The king made him gret joie and feste,148 To alle his men he yaf an heste, So as thei wolde his thonk deserve, That thei scholde alle Jason serve, Whil that he wolde there duelle. And thus the dai, schortly to telle, With manye merthes thei despente, Til nyht was come, and tho thei wente, 3400 Echon of other tok his leve, Whan thei no lengere myhten leve. I not hou Jason that nyht slep, Bot wel I wot that of the Schep, For which he cam into that yle, He thoghte bot a litel whyle; Al was Medea that he thoghte, So that in many a wise he soghte His witt wakende er it was day, Som time yee, som time nay, 3410 Som time thus, som time so, As he was stered to and fro Of love, and ek of his conqueste As he was holde of his beheste. And thus he ros up be the morwe And tok himself seint John to borwe, And seide he wolde ferst beginne At love, and after forto winne The flees of gold, for which he com, And thus to him good herte he nom. 3420 P. ii. 242 Medea riht the same wise, Til dai cam that sche moste arise,149 Lay and bethoughte hire al the nyht, Hou sche that noble worthi kniht Be eny weie mihte wedde: And wel sche wiste, if he ne spedde Of thing which he hadde undertake, Sche mihte hirself no porpos take; For if he deide of his bataile, Sche moste thanne algate faile 3430 To geten him, whan he were ded. Thus sche began to sette red And torne aboute hir wittes alle, To loke hou that it mihte falle That sche with him hadde a leisir To speke and telle of hir desir. And so it fell that same day150 That Jason with that suete may Togedre sete and hadden space To speke, and he besoughte hir grace.151 3440 And sche his tale goodli herde, And afterward sche him ansuerde And seide, ‘Jason, as thou wilt, Thou miht be sauf, thou miht be spilt; For wite wel that nevere man, Bot if he couthe that I can, Ne mihte that fortune achieve For which thou comst: bot as I lieve, If thou wolt holde covenant To love, of al the remenant 3450 P. ii. 243 I schal thi lif and honour save, That thou the flees of gold schalt have.’ He seide, ‘Al at youre oghne wille, Ma dame, I schal treuly fulfille Youre heste, whil mi lif mai laste.’ Thus longe he preide, and ate laste Sche granteth, and behihte him this, That whan nyht comth and it time is, Sche wolde him sende certeinly Such on that scholde him prively 3460 Al one into hire chambre bringe. He thonketh hire of that tidinge, For of that grace him is begonne Him thenkth alle othre thinges wonne. The dai made ende and lost his lyht,152 And comen was the derke nyht, Which al the daies yhe blente. Jason tok leve and forth he wente, And whan he cam out of the pres, He tok to conseil Hercules, 3470 And tolde him hou it was betid, And preide it scholde wel ben hid,153 And that he wolde loke aboute, Therwhiles that he schal ben oute. Thus as he stod and hiede nam, A Mayden fro Medea cam And to hir chambre Jason ledde, Wher that he fond redi to bedde The faireste and the wiseste eke; And sche with simple chiere and meke, 3480 P. ii. 244 Whan sche him sih, wax al aschamed.154 Tho was here tale newe entamed;155 For sikernesse of Mariage Sche fette forth a riche ymage,156 Which was figure of Jupiter, And Jason swor and seide ther, That also wiss god scholde him helpe, That if Medea dede him helpe, That he his pourpos myhte wtnne, Thei scholde nevere parte atwinne,157 3490 Bot evere whil him lasteth lif, He wolde hire holde for his wif. And with that word thei kisten bothe; And for thei scholden hem unclothe, Ther cam a Maide, and in hir wise Sche dede hem bothe full servise, Til that thei were in bedde naked: I wot that nyht was wel bewaked, Thei hadden bothe what thei wolde. And thanne of leisir sche him tolde, 3500 And gan fro point to point enforme Of his bataile and al the forme, Which as he scholde finde there, Whan he to thyle come were. Sche seide, at entre of the pas Hou Mars, which god of Armes was, Hath set tuo Oxen sterne and stoute, That caste fyr and flamme aboute Bothe at the mouth and ate nase, So that thei setten al on blase 3510 P. ii. 245 What thing that passeth hem betwene: And forthermore upon the grene Ther goth the flees of gold to kepe A Serpent, which mai nevere slepe. Thus who that evere scholde it winne, The fyr to stoppe he mot beginne, Which that the fierce bestes caste,158 And daunte he mot hem ate laste, So that he mai hem yoke and dryve; And therupon he mot as blyve 3520 The Serpent with such strengthe assaile, That he mai slen him be bataile; Of which he mot the teth outdrawe, As it belongeth to that lawe, And thanne he mot tho Oxen yoke, Til thei have with a plowh tobroke A furgh of lond, in which arowe The teth of thaddre he moste sowe, And therof schule arise knihtes Wel armed up at alle rihtes. 3530 Of hem is noght to taken hiede, For ech of hem in hastihiede Schal other slen with dethes wounde:159 And thus whan thei ben leid to grounde,160 Than mot he to the goddes preie, And go so forth and take his preie. Bot if he faile in eny wise Of that ye hiere me devise, Ther mai be set non other weie, That he ne moste algates deie. 3540 P. ii. 246 ‘Nou have I told the peril al: I woll you tellen forth withal,’ Quod Medea to Jason tho, ‘That ye schul knowen er ye go, Ayein the venym and the fyr161 What schal ben the recoverir. Bot, Sire, for it is nyh day, Ariseth up, so that I may Delivere you what thing I have, That mai youre lif and honour save.’ 3550 Thei weren bothe loth to rise, Bot for thei weren bothe wise, Up thei arisen ate laste: Jason his clothes on him caste And made him redi riht anon, And sche hir scherte dede upon And caste on hire a mantel clos, Withoute more and thanne aros. Tho tok sche forth a riche Tye Mad al of gold and of Perrie, 3560 Out of the which sche nam a Ring, The Ston was worth al other thing. Sche seide, whil he wolde it were, Ther myhte no peril him dere, In water mai it noght be dreynt, Wher as it comth the fyr is queynt, It daunteth ek the cruel beste, Ther may no qued that man areste, Wher so he be on See or lond, Which hath that ring upon his hond: 3570 P. ii. 247 And over that sche gan to sein, That if a man wol ben unsein, Withinne his hond hold clos the Ston, And he mai invisible gon. The Ring to Jason sche betauhte, And so forth after sche him tauhte What sacrifise he scholde make; And gan out of hire cofre take Him thoughte an hevenely figure, Which al be charme and be conjure 3580 Was wroght, and ek it was thurgh write With names, which be scholde wite,162 As sche him tauhte tho to rede; And bad him, as he wolde spede, Withoute reste of eny while, Whan he were londed in that yle, He scholde make his sacrifise And rede his carecte in the wise As sche him tauhte, on knes doun bent, Thre sithes toward orient; 3590 For so scholde he the goddes plese And winne himselven mochel ese. And whanne he hadde it thries rad, To opne a buiste sche him bad, Which sche ther tok him in present, And was full of such oignement, That ther was fyr ne venym non That scholde fastnen him upon, Whan that he were enoynt withal.163 Forthi sche tauhte him hou he schal 3600 P. ii. 248 Enoignte his armes al aboute, And for he scholde nothing doute, Sche tok him thanne a maner glu, The which was of so gret vertu, That where a man it wolde caste, It scholde binde anon so faste That noman mihte it don aweie. And that sche bad be alle weie He scholde into the mouthes throwen Of tho tweie Oxen that fyr blowen, 3610 Therof to stoppen the malice; The glu schal serve of that office. And over that hir oignement, Hir Ring and hir enchantement Ayein the Serpent scholde him were, Til he him sle with swerd or spere: And thanne he may saufliche ynowh His Oxen yoke into the plowh And the teth sowe in such a wise,164 Til he the knyhtes se arise, 3620 And ech of other doun be leid In such manere as I have seid. Lo, thus Medea for Jason Ordeigneth, and preith therupon That he nothing foryete scholde, And ek sche preith him that he wolde, Whan he hath alle his Armes don, To grounde knele and thonke anon The goddes, and so forth be ese The flees of gold he scholde sese. 3630 P. ii. 249 And whanne he hadde it sesed so, That thanne he were sone ago Withouten eny tariynge. Whan this was seid, into wepinge Sche fell, as sche that was thurgh nome With love, and so fer overcome, That al hir world on him sche sette. Bot whan sche sih ther was no lette, That he mot nedes parte hire fro, Sche tok him in hire armes tuo, 3640 An hundred time and gan him kisse, And seide, ‘O, al mi worldes blisse, Mi trust, mi lust, mi lif, min hele, To be thin helpe in this querele I preie unto the goddes alle.’ And with that word sche gan doun falle On swoune, and he hire uppe nam,165 And forth with that the Maiden cam, And thei to bedde anon hir broghte, And thanne Jason hire besoghte, 3650 And to hire seide in this manere: ‘Mi worthi lusti ladi dere, Conforteth you, for be my trouthe It schal noght fallen in mi slouthe That I ne wol thurghout fulfille Youre hestes at youre oghne wille. And yit I hope to you bringe Withinne a while such tidinge, The which schal make ous bothe game.’ Bot for he wolde kepe hir name, 3660 P. ii. 250 Whan that he wiste it was nyh dai, He seide, ‘A dieu, mi swete mai.’ And forth with him he nam his gere, Which as sche hadde take him there, And strauht unto his chambre he wente,166 And goth to bedde and slep him hente, And lay, that noman him awok, For Hercules hiede of him tok,167 Til it was undren hih and more.168 And thanne he gan to sighe sore 3670 And sodeinliche abreide of slep;169 And thei that token of him kep, His chamberleins, be sone there, And maden redi al his gere, And he aros and to the king He wente, and seide hou to that thing For which he cam he wolde go. The king therof was wonder wo,170 And for he wolde him fain withdrawe, He tolde him many a dredful sawe, 3680 Bot Jason wolde it noght recorde, And ate laste thei acorde. Whan that he wolde noght abide, A Bot was redy ate tyde, In which this worthi kniht of Grece Ful armed up at every piece, To his bataile which belongeth, Tok ore on honde and sore him longeth,171 Til he the water passed were. Whan he cam to that yle there, 3690 P. ii. 251 He set him on his knes doun strauht,172 And his carecte, as he was tawht, He radde, and made his sacrifise, And siththe enoignte him in that wise, As Medea him hadde bede; And thanne aros up fro that stede, And with the glu the fyr he queynte, And anon after he atteinte The grete Serpent and him slowh. Bot erst he hadde sorwe ynowh, 3700 For that Serpent made him travaile So harde and sore of his bataile, That nou he stod and nou he fell: For longe time it so befell, That with his swerd ne with his spere173 He mihte noght that Serpent dere.174 He was so scherded al aboute, It hield all eggetol withoute, He was so ruide and hard of skin, Ther mihte nothing go therin; 3710 Venym and fyr togedre he caste, That he Jason so sore ablaste, That if ne were his oignement, His Ring and his enchantement, Which Medea tok him tofore, He hadde with that worm be lore; Bot of vertu which therof cam Jason the Dragon overcam. And he anon the teth outdrouh, And sette his Oxen in a plouh,175 3720 P. ii. 252 With which he brak a piece of lond And sieu hem with his oghne hond. Tho mihte he gret merveile se: Of every toth in his degre Sprong up a kniht with spere and schield, Of whiche anon riht in the field Echon slow other; and with that Jason Medea noght foryat, On bothe his knes he gan doun falle, And yaf thonk to the goddes alle. 3730 The Flees he tok and goth to Bote, The Sonne schyneth bryhte and hote, The Flees of gold schon forth withal, The water glistreth overal. Medea wepte and sigheth ofte, And stod upon a Tour alofte: Al prively withinne hirselve, Ther herde it nouther ten ne tuelve, Sche preide, and seide, ‘O, god him spede, The kniht which hath mi maidenhiede!’ 3740 And ay sche loketh toward thyle. Bot whan sche sih withinne a while176 The Flees glistrende ayein the Sonne, Sche saide, ‘Ha lord, now al is wonne,177 Mi kniht the field hath overcome: Nou wolde god he were come; Ha lord, that he ne were alonde!’178 Bot I dar take this on honde, If that sche hadde wynges tuo, Sche wolde have flowe unto him tho 3750 P. ii. 253 Strawht ther he was into the Bot.179 The dai was clier, the Sonne hot, The Gregeis weren in gret doute, The whyle that here lord was oute: Thei wisten noght what scholde tyde, Bot waiten evere upon the tyde, To se what ende scholde falle. Ther stoden ek the nobles alle Forth with the comun of the toun; And as thei loken up and doun, 3760 Thei weren war withinne a throwe, Wher cam the bot, which thei wel knowe, And sihe hou Jason broghte his preie. And tho thei gonnen alle seie, And criden alle with o stevene,180 ‘Ha, wher was evere under the hevene So noble a knyht as Jason is?’ And welnyh alle seiden this, That Jason was a faie kniht, For it was nevere of marines miht 3770 The Flees of gold so forto winne; And thus to talen thei beginne.181 With that the king com forth anon, And sih the Flees, hou that it schon; And whan Jason cam to the lond, The king himselve tok his hond And kist him, and gret joie him made. The Gregeis weren wonder glade, And of that thing riht merie hem thoghte, And forth with hem the Flees thei broghte, 3780 P. ii. 254 And ech on other gan to leyhe; Bot wel was him that mihte neyhe, To se therof the proprete. And thus thei passen the cite And gon unto the Paleis straght. Medea, which foryat him naght, Was redy there, and seide anon, ‘Welcome, O worthi kniht Jason.’ Sche wolde have kist him wonder fayn, Bot schame tornede hire agayn; 3790 It was noght the manere as tho,182 Forthi sche dorste noght do so. Sche tok hire leve, and Jason wente Into his chambre, and sche him sente Hire Maide to sen hou he ferde; The which whan that sche sih and herde,183 Hou that he hadde faren oute And that it stod wel al aboute,184 Sche tolde hire ladi what sche wiste, And sche for joie hire Maide kiste. 3800 The bathes weren thanne araied, With herbes tempred and assaied, And Jason was unarmed sone And dede as it befell to done: Into his bath he wente anon And wyssh him clene as eny bon; He tok a sopp, and oute he cam, And on his beste aray he nam, And kempde his hed, whan he was clad, And goth him forth al merie and glad 3810 P. ii. 255 Riht strawht into the kinges halle. The king cam with his knihtes alle And maden him glad welcominge; And he hem tolde the tidinge185 Of this and that, hou it befell, Whan that he wan the schepes fell. Medea, whan sche was asent, Com sone to that parlement, And whan sche mihte Jason se, Was non so glad of alle as sche. 3820 Ther was no joie forto seche, Of him mad every man a speche,186 Som man seide on, som man seide other;187 Bot thogh he were goddes brother And mihte make fyr and thonder, Ther mihte be nomore wonder Than was of him in that cite. Echon tauhte other, ‘This is he, Which hath in his pouer withinne That al the world ne mihte winne: 3830 Lo, hier the beste of alle goode.’ Thus saiden thei that there stode, And ek that walkede up and doun, Bothe of the Court and of the toun. The time of Souper cam anon, Thei wisshen and therto thei gon, Medea was with Jason set: Tho was ther many a deynte fet And set tofore hem on the bord, Bot non so likinge as the word 3840 P. ii. 256 Which was ther spoke among hem tuo, So as thei dorste speke tho. Bot thogh thei hadden litel space, Yit thei acorden in that place Hou Jason scholde come at nyht, Whan every torche and every liht Were oute, and thanne of other thinges188 Thei spieke aloud for supposinges Of hem that stoden there aboute: For love is everemore in doute, 3850 If that it be wisly governed189 Of hem that ben of love lerned. Whan al was don, that dissh and cuppe And cloth and bord and al was uppe, Thei waken whil hem lest to wake, And after that thei leve take And gon to bedde forto reste. And whan him thoghte for the beste, That every man was faste aslepe, Jason, that wolde his time kepe, 3860 Goth forth stalkende al prively Unto the chambre, and redely Ther was a Maide, which him kepte. Medea wok and nothing slepte, Bot natheles sche was abedde, And he with alle haste him spedde And made him naked and al warm. Anon he tok hire in his arm: What nede is forto speke of ese? Hem list ech other forto plese, 3870 P. ii. 257 So that thei hadden joie ynow: And tho thei setten whanne and how That sche with him awey schal stele. With wordes suche and othre fele Whan al was treted to an ende, Jason tok leve and gan forth wende Unto his oughne chambre in pes; Ther wiste it non bot Hercules. He slepte and ros whan it was time,190 And whanne it fell towardes prime, 3880 He tok to him suche as he triste In secre, that non other wiste, And told hem of his conseil there,191 And seide that his wille were That thei to Schipe hadde alle thinge So priveliche in thevenynge, That noman mihte here dede aspie Bot tho that were of compaignie:192 For he woll go withoute leve, And lengere woll he noght beleve; 3890 Bot he ne wolde at thilke throwe The king or queene scholde it knowe. Thei saide, ‘Al this schal wel be do:’ And Jason truste wel therto. Medea in the mene while, Which thoghte hir fader to beguile, The Tresor which hir fader hadde With hire al priveli sche ladde, And with Jason at time set Awey sche stal and fond no let, 3900 P. ii. 258 And straght sche goth hire unto schipe Of Grece with that felaschipe, And thei anon drowe up the Seil. And al that nyht this was conseil, Bot erly, whan the Sonne schon, Men syhe hou that thei were agon, And come unto the king and tolde: And he the sothe knowe wolde, And axeth where his dowhter was. Ther was no word bot Out, Allas! 3910 Sche was ago. The moder wepte, The fader as a wod man lepte, And gan the time forto warie, And swor his oth he wol noght tarie,193 That with Caliphe and with galeie The same cours, the same weie, Which Jason tok, he wolde take, If that he mihte him overtake. To this thei seiden alle yee: Anon thei weren ate See, 3920 And alle, as who seith, at a word Thei gon withinne schipes bord, The Sail goth up, and forth thei strauhte. Bot non espleit therof thei cauhte, And so thei tornen hom ayein, For al that labour was in vein. Jason to Grece with his preie Goth thurgh the See the rihte weie: Whan he ther com and men it tolde, Thei maden joie yonge and olde. 3930 P. ii. 259 Eson, whan that he wiste of this, Hou that his Sone comen is, And hath achieved that he soughte And hom with him Medea broughte, In al the wyde world was non So glad a man as he was on. Togedre ben these lovers tho, Til that thei hadden sones tuo, Wherof thei weren bothe glade, And olde Eson gret joie made 3940 To sen thencress of his lignage; For he was of so gret an Age, That men awaiten every day, Whan that he scholde gon away. Jason, which sih his fader old, Upon Medea made him bold, Of art magique, which sche couthe, And preith hire that his fader youthe Sche wolde make ayeinward newe: And sche, that was toward him trewe, 3950 Behihte him that sche wolde it do, Whan that sche time sawh therto. Bot what sche dede in that matiere It is a wonder thing to hiere, Bot yit for the novellerie I thenke tellen a partie.194 Nota quibus medicamentis Esonem senectute decrepitum ad sue iuuentutis adolescenciam prudens Medea reduxit. Thus it befell upon a nyht, Whan ther was noght bot sterreliht, Sche was vanyssht riht as hir liste, That no wyht bot hirself it wiste,195 3960 P. ii. 260 And that was ate mydnyht tyde. The world was stille on every side;196 With open hed and fot al bare, Hir her tosprad sche gan to fare,197 Upon hir clothes gert sche was, Al specheles and on the gras198 Sche glod forth as an Addre doth: Non otherwise sche ne goth, Til sche cam to the freisshe flod, And there a while sche withstod. 3970 Thries sche torned hire aboute, And thries ek sche gan doun loute And in the flod sche wette hir her, And thries on the water ther Sche gaspeth with a drecchinge onde,199 And tho sche tok hir speche on honde. Ferst sche began to clepe and calle Upward unto the sterres alle, To Wynd, to Air, to See, to lond Sche preide, and ek hield up hir hond 3980 To Echates, and gan to crie, Which is goddesse of Sorcerie. Sche seide, ‘Helpeth at this nede, And as ye maden me to spede, Whan Jason cam the Flees to seche, So help me nou, I you beseche.’ With that sche loketh and was war, Doun fro the Sky ther cam a char, The which Dragouns aboute drowe: And tho sche gan hir hed doun bowe,200 3990 P. ii. 261 And up sche styh, and faire and wel Sche drof forth bothe char and whel201 Above in thair among the Skyes. The lond of Crete and tho parties Sche soughte, and faste gan hire hye, And there upon the hulles hyhe Of Othrin and Olimpe also, And ek of othre hulles mo, Sche fond and gadreth herbes suote, Sche pulleth up som be the rote, 4000 And manye with a knyf sche scherth, And alle into hir char sche berth. Thus whan sche hath the hulles sought, The flodes ther foryat sche nought, Eridian and Amphrisos, Peneie and ek Spercheïdos,202 To hem sche wente and ther sche nom Bothe of the water and the fom,203 The sond and ek the smale stones, Whiche as sche ches out for the nones, 4010 And of the rede See a part, That was behovelich to hire art, Sche tok, and after that aboute Sche soughte sondri sedes oute In feldes and in many greves, And ek a part sche tok of leves: Bot thing which mihte hire most availe Sche fond in Crete and in Thessaile. In daies and in nyhtes Nyne, With gret travaile and with gret pyne,204 4020 P. ii. 262 Sche was pourveid of every piece, And torneth homward into Grece. Before the gates of Eson Hir char sche let awai to gon,205 And tok out ferst that was therinne; For tho sche thoghte to beginne Such thing as semeth impossible, And made hirselven invisible, As sche that was with Air enclosed206 And mihte of noman be desclosed. 4030 Sche tok up turves of the lond Withoute helpe of mannes hond, Al heled with the grene gras, Of which an Alter mad ther was Unto Echates the goddesse Of art magique and the maistresse, And eft an other to Juvente, As sche which dede hir hole entente. Tho tok sche fieldwode and verveyne, Of herbes ben noght betre tueine, 4040 Of which anon withoute let These alters ben aboute set: Tuo sondri puttes faste by207 Sche made, and with that hastely A wether which was blak sche slouh, And out therof the blod sche drouh And dede into the pettes tuo; Warm melk sche putte also therto With hony meynd: and in such wise208 Sche gan to make hir sacrifice, 4050 P. ii. 263 And cride and preide forth withal To Pluto the god infernal, And to the queene Proserpine. And so sche soghte out al the line Of hem that longen to that craft, Behinde was no name laft, And preide hem alle, as sche wel couthe, To grante Eson his ferste youthe. This olde Eson broght forth was tho, Awei sche bad alle othre go 4060 Upon peril that mihte falle; And with that word thei wenten alle, And leften there hem tuo al one. And tho sche gan to gaspe and gone, And made signes manyon, And seide hir wordes therupon; So that with spellinge of hir charmes209 Sche tok Eson in bothe hire armes, And made him forto slepe faste, And him upon hire herbes caste. 4070 The blake wether tho sche tok, And hiewh the fleissh, as doth a cok;210 On either alter part sche leide,211 And with the charmes that sche seide A fyr doun fro the Sky alyhte And made it forto brenne lyhte. Bot whan Medea sawh it brenne, Anon sche gan to sterte and renne The fyri aulters al aboute: Ther was no beste which goth oute 4080 P. ii. 264 More wylde than sche semeth ther: Aboute hir schuldres hyng hir her, As thogh sche were oute of hir mynde And torned in an other kynde. Tho lay ther certein wode cleft, Of which the pieces nou and eft Sche made hem in the pettes wete, And put hem in the fyri hete,212 And tok the brond with al the blase, And thries sche began to rase 4090 Aboute Eson, ther as he slepte; And eft with water, which sche kepte, Sche made a cercle aboute him thries, And eft with fyr of sulphre twyes: Ful many an other thing sche dede, Which is noght writen in this stede. Bot tho sche ran so up and doun, Sche made many a wonder soun, Somtime lich unto the cock, Somtime unto the Laverock, 4100 Somtime kacleth as a Hen, Somtime spekth as don the men: And riht so as hir jargoun strangeth, In sondri wise hir forme changeth, Sche semeth faie and no womman; For with the craftes that sche can213 Sche was, as who seith, a goddesse, And what hir liste, more or lesse, Sche dede, in bokes as we finde, That passeth over manneskinde.214 4110 P. ii. 265 Bot who that wole of wondres hiere, What thing sche wroghte in this matiere, To make an ende of that sche gan,215 Such merveile herde nevere man. Apointed in the newe Mone, Whan it was time forto done, Sche sette a caldron on the fyr, In which was al the hole atir, Wheron the medicine stod, Of jus, of water and of blod, 4120 And let it buile in such a plit, Til that sche sawh the spume whyt; And tho sche caste in rynde and rote, And sed and flour that was for bote, With many an herbe and many a ston, Wherof sche hath ther many on: And ek Cimpheius the Serpent To hire hath alle his scales lent, Chelidre hire yaf his addres skin,216 And sche to builen caste hem in; 4130 A part ek of the horned Oule, The which men hiere on nyhtes houle; And of a Raven, which was told Of nyne hundred wynter old, Sche tok the hed with al the bile; And as the medicine it wile, Sche tok therafter the bouele217 Of the Seewolf, and for the hele218 Of Eson, with a thousand mo Of thinges that sche hadde tho,219 4140 P. ii. 266 In that Caldroun togedre as blyve Sche putte, and tok thanne of Olyve A drie branche hem with to stere, The which anon gan floure and bere And waxe al freissh and grene ayein. Whan sche this vertu hadde sein, Sche let the leste drope of alle Upon the bare flor doun falle; Anon ther sprong up flour and gras, Where as the drope falle was, 4150 And wox anon al medwe grene,220 So that it mihte wel be sene.221 Medea thanne knew and wiste Hir medicine is forto triste, And goth to Eson ther he lay, And tok a swerd was of assay, With which a wounde upon his side Sche made, that therout mai slyde The blod withinne, which was old And sek and trouble and fieble and cold.222 4160 And tho sche tok unto his us223 Of herbes al the beste jus, And poured it into his wounde; That made his veynes fulle and sounde: And tho sche made his wounde clos, And tok his hand, and up he ros; And tho sche yaf him drinke a drauhte, Of which his youthe ayein he cauhte, His hed, his herte and his visage Lich unto twenty wynter Age; 4170 P. ii. 267 Hise hore heres were away, And lich unto the freisshe Maii, Whan passed ben the colde schoures, Riht so recovereth he his floures. Lo, what mihte eny man devise, A womman schewe in eny wise Mor hertly love in every stede,224 Than Medea to Jason dede? Ferst sche made him the flees to winne, And after that fro kiththe and kinne 4180 With gret tresor with him sche stal, And to his fader forth withal His Elde hath torned into youthe, Which thing non other womman couthe: Bot hou it was to hire aquit, The remembrance duelleth yit.225 King Peleüs his Em was ded, Jason bar corone on his hed, Medea hath fulfild his wille: Bot whanne he scholde of riht fulfille 4190 The trouthe, which to hire afore He hadde in thyle of Colchos swore, Tho was Medea most deceived. For he an other hath received, Which dowhter was to king Creon, Creusa sche hihte, and thus Jason, As he that was to love untrewe, Medea lefte and tok a newe. Bot that was after sone aboght: Medea with hire art hath wroght 4200 P. ii. 268 Of cloth of gold a mantel riche, Which semeth worth a kingesriche, And that was unto Creusa sent In name of yifte and of present, For Sosterhode hem was betuene; And whan that yonge freisshe queene That mantel lappeth hire aboute, Anon therof the fyr sprong oute And brente hir bothe fleissh and bon. Tho cam Medea to Jason 4210 With bothe his Sones on hire hond, And seide, ‘O thou of every lond The moste untrewe creature, Lo, this schal be thi forfeture.’ With that sche bothe his Sones slouh Before his yhe, and he outdrouh His swerd and wold have slayn hir tho,226 Bot farewel, sche was ago Unto Pallas the Court above, Wher as sche pleigneth upon love, 4220 As sche that was with that goddesse, And he was left in gret destresse. Confessor. Thus miht them se what sorwe it doth To swere an oth which is noght soth, In loves cause namely. Mi Sone, be wel war forthi, And kep that thou be noght forswore: For this, which I have told tofore, Ovide telleth everydel. Amans. Mi fader, I may lieve it wel, 4230 P. ii. 269 For I have herde it ofte seie227 Hou Jason tok the flees aweie Fro Colchos, bot yit herde I noght Be whom it was ferst thider broght. And for it were good to hiere, If that you liste at mi preiere To telle, I wolde you beseche. Confessor. Mi Sone, who that wole it seche, In bokes he mai finde it write; And natheles, if thou wolt wite, 4240 In the manere as thou hast preid I schal the telle hou it is seid. [Tale of Phrixus and Helle.] The fame of thilke schepes fell,228 Which in Colchos, as it befell, Nota qualiter aureum vellus in partes insule Colchos primo deuenit. Athemas Rex Philen habuit coniugem, ex qua Frixum et Hellen genuit: mortua autem229 Philen Athemas Ynonem Regis Cadmi filiam postea in vxorem duxit, que more Nouerce dictos infantes in tantum recollegit odium, quod ambos in mare proici penes Regem procurauit. Vnde Iuno compaciens quendam Arietem grandem aureo vestitum vellere ad litus natantem destinauit; super cuius dorsum pueros apponi iussit. Quo facto Aries super vndas regressus cum solo Frixo sibi adherente in Colchos applicuit, vbi Iuno dictum Arietem cum suo vellere,230 prout in aliis canitur231 cronicis, sub arta custodia collocauit. Was al of gold, schal nevere deie; Wherof I thenke for to seie Hou it cam ferst into that yle. Ther was a king in thilke whyle Towardes Grece, and Athemas The Cronique of his name was; 4250 And hadde a wif, which Philen hihte, Be whom, so as fortune it dihte, He hadde of children yonge tuo. Frixus the ferste was of tho, A knave child, riht fair withalle; A dowhter ek, the which men calle Hellen, he hadde be this wif. Bot for ther mai no mannes lif Endure upon this Erthe hiere, This worthi queene, as thou miht hiere, 4260 P. ii. 270 Er that the children were of age, Tok of hire ende the passage, With gret worschipe and was begrave. What thing it liketh god to have It is gret reson to ben his; Forthi this king, so as it is, With gret suffrance it underfongeth: And afterward, as him belongeth, Whan it was time forto wedde, A newe wif he tok to bedde, 4270 Which Yno hihte and was a Mayde, And ek the dowhter, as men saide, Of Cadme, which a king also Was holde in thilke daies tho. Whan Yno was the kinges make, Sche caste hou that sche mihte make232 These children to here fader lothe, And schope a wyle ayein hem bothe,233 Which to the king was al unknowe. A yeer or tuo sche let do sowe 4280 The lond with sode whete aboute, Wherof no corn mai springen oute; And thus be sleyhte and be covine Aros the derthe and the famine Thurghout the lond in such a wise, So that the king a sacrifise Upon the point of this destresse To Ceres, which is the goddesse Of corn, hath schape him forto yive, To loke if it mai be foryive, 4290 P. ii. 271 The meschief which was in his lond. Bot sche, which knew tofor the hond The circumstance of al this thing, Ayein the cominge of the king Into the temple, hath schape so, Of hire acord that alle tho Whiche of the temple prestes were Have seid and full declared there Unto the king, bot if so be That he delivere the contre 4300 Of Frixus and of Hellen bothe, With whom the goddes ben so wrothe, That whil tho children ben therinne, Such tilthe schal noman beginne, Wherof to gete him eny corn. Thus was it seid, thus was it sworn Of all the Prestes that ther are;234 And sche which causeth al this fare Seid ek therto what that sche wolde,235 And every man thanne after tolde 4310 So as the queene hem hadde preid.236 The king, which hath his Ere leid, And lieveth al that evere he herde, Unto here tale thus ansuerde, And seith that levere him is to chese Hise children bothe forto lese, Than him and al the remenant Of hem whiche are aportenant Unto the lond which he schal kepe: And bad his wif to take kepe 4320 P. ii. 272 In what manere is best to done,237 That thei delivered weren sone Out of this world. And sche anon Tuo men ordeigneth forto gon; Bot ferst sche made hem forto swere That thei the children scholden bere Unto the See, that non it knowe, And hem therinne bothe throwe. The children to the See ben lad, Wher in the wise as Yno bad238 4330 These men be redy forto do. Bot the goddesse which Juno Is hote, appiereth in the stede, And hath unto the men forbede239 That thei the children noght ne sle; Bot bad hem loke into the See And taken hiede of that thei sihen. Ther swam a Schep tofore here yhen, Whos flees of burned gold was al; And this goddesse forth withal 4340 Comandeth that withoute lette Thei scholde anon these children sette Above upon this Schepes bak;240 And al was do, riht as sche spak, Wherof the men gon hom ayein. And fell so, as the bokes sein, Hellen the yonge Mayden tho, Which of the See was wo bego, For pure drede hire herte hath lore,241 That fro the Schep, which hath hire bore, 4350 P. ii. 273 As sche that was swounende feint,242 Sche fell, and hath hirselve dreint;243 With Frixus and this Schep forth swam, Til he to thyle of Colchos cam, Where Juno the goddesse he fond, Which tok the Schep unto the lond, And sette it there in such a wise As thou tofore hast herd devise, Wherof cam after al the wo, Why Jason was forswore so 4360 Unto Medee, as it is spoke.244 Amans. Mi fader, who that hath tobroke His trouthe, as ye have told above, He is noght worthi forto love Ne be beloved, as me semeth: Bot every newe love quemeth To him which newefongel is.245 And natheles nou after this, If that you list to taken hiede246 Upon mi Schrifte to procede, 4370 In loves cause ayein the vice Of covoitise and Avarice What ther is more I wolde wite. Confessor. Mi Sone, this I finde write, Ther is yit on of thilke brood, Which only for the worldes good, To make a Tresor of Moneie, Put alle conscience aweie: Wherof in thi confession The name and the condicion 4380 P. ii. 274 I schal hierafterward declare, Which makth on riche, an other bare. [Usury.] v. Plus capit vsura sibi quam debetur, et illud Fraude colorata sepe latenter agit. Sic amor excessus quamsepe suos vt auarus Spirat, et vnius tres capit ipse loco. Upon the bench sittende on hih With Avarice Usure I sih, Hic tractat de illa specie Auaricie, que Vsura dicitur, cuius creditor in pecunia tantum numerata plusquam sibi de iure debetur incrementum lucri adauget. Full clothed of his oghne suite, Which after gold makth chace and suite With his brocours, that renne aboute Lich unto racches in a route. Such lucre is non above grounde, Which is noght of tho racches founde; 4390 For wher thei se beyete sterte,247 That schal hem in no wise asterte, Bot thei it dryve into the net Of lucre, which Usure hath set. Usure with the riche duelleth, To al that evere he beith and selleth248 He hath ordeined of his sleyhte Mesure double and double weyhte: Outward he selleth be the lasse, And with the more he makth his tasse, 4400 Wherof his hous is full withinne. He reccheth noght, be so he winne,249 Though that ther lese ten or tuelve: His love is al toward himselve And to non other, bot he se That he mai winne suche thre; P. ii. 275 For wher he schal oght yive or lene, He wol ayeinward take a bene, Ther he hath lent the smale pese. And riht so ther ben manye of these 4410 Lovers, that thogh thei love a lyte,250 That scarsly wolde it weie a myte, Yit wolde thei have a pound again,251 As doth Usure in his bargain. Bot certes such usure unliche It falleth more unto the riche, Als wel of love as of beyete, Than unto hem that be noght grete, And, as who seith, ben simple and povere; For sielden is whan thei recovere, 4420 Bot if it be thurgh gret decerte. And natheles men se poverte With porsuite and continuance252 Fulofte make a gret chevance And take of love his avantage,253 Forth with the help of his brocage, That maken seme wher is noght.254 And thus fulofte is love boght For litel what, and mochel take, With false weyhtes that thei make. 4430 Confessor. Nou, Sone, of that I seide above Thou wost what Usure is of love: Tell me forthi what so thou wilt, If thou therof hast eny gilt. Amans. Mi fader, nay, for ought I hiere. For of tho pointz ye tolden hiere P. ii. 276 I wol you be mi trouthe assure, Mi weyhte of love and mi mesure Hath be mor large and mor certein Than evere I tok of love ayein: 4440 For so yit couthe I nevere of sleyhte, To take ayein be double weyhte Of love mor than I have yive. For als so wiss mot I be schrive And have remission of Sinne, As so yit couthe I nevere winne, Ne yit so mochel, soth to sein, That evere I mihte have half ayein Of so full love as I have lent: And if myn happ were so wel went, 4450 That for the hole I mihte have half, Me thenkth I were a goddeshalf.255 For where Usure wole have double, Mi conscience is noght so trouble, I biede nevere as to my del Bot of the hole an halvendel; That is non excess, as me thenketh. Bot natheles it me forthenketh; For wel I wot that wol noght be, For every day the betre I se 4460 That hou so evere I yive or lene Mi love in place ther I mene,256 For oght that evere I axe or crave, I can nothing ayeinward have. Bot yit for that I wol noght lete, What so befalle of mi beyete, P. ii. 277 That I ne schal hire yive and lene Mi love and al mi thoght so clene,257 That toward me schal noght beleve. And if sche of hire goode leve 4470 Rewarde wol me noght again, I wot the laste of my bargain Schal stonde upon so gret a lost, That I mai neveremor the cost Recovere in this world til I die. So that touchende of this partie I mai me wel excuse and schal; And forto speke forth withal, If eny brocour for me wente, That point cam nevere in myn entente: 4480 So that the more me merveilleth, What thing it is mi ladi eilleth, That al myn herte and al my time Sche hath, and doth no betre bime. I have herd seid that thoght is fre,258 And natheles in privete To you, mi fader, that ben hiere Min hole schrifte forto hiere, I dar min herte wel desclose. Touchende usure, as I suppose, 4490 Which as ye telle in love is used, Mi ladi mai noght ben excused; That for o lokinge of hire yë Min hole herte til I dye With al that evere I may and can Sche hath me wonne to hire man: P. ii. 278 Wherof, me thenkth, good reson wolde That sche somdel rewarde scholde, And yive a part, ther sche hath al. I not what falle hierafter schal, 4500 Bot into nou yit dar I sein, Hire liste nevere yive ayein A goodli word in such a wise, Wherof min hope mihte arise,259 Mi grete love to compense. I not hou sche hire conscience Excuse wole of this usure;260 Be large weyhte and gret mesure Sche hath mi love, and I have noght Of that which I have diere boght, 4510 And with myn herte I have it paid; Bot al that is asyde laid,261 And I go loveles aboute. Hire oghte stonde in ful gret doute, Til sche redresce such a sinne, That sche wole al mi love winne And yifth me noght to live by: Noght als so moche as ‘grant mercy’262 Hir list to seie, of which I mihte Som of mi grete peine allyhte. 4520 Bot of this point, lo, thus I fare As he that paith for his chaffare, And beith it diere, and yit hath non,263 So mot he nedes povere gon: Thus beie I diere and have no love,264 That I ne mai noght come above265 P. ii. 279 To winne of love non encress. Bot I me wole natheles Touchende usure of love aquite; And if mi ladi be to wyte, 4530 I preie to god such grace hir sende That sche be time it mot amende. Confessor. Mi Sone, of that thou hast ansuerd Touchende Usure I have al herd, Hou thou of love hast wonne smale: Bot that thou tellest in thi tale And thi ladi therof accusest, Me thenkth tho wordes thou misusest. For be thin oghne knowlechinge Thou seist hou sche for o lokinge 4540 Thin hole herte fro the tok: Sche mai be such, that hire o lok Is worth thin herte manyfold; So hast thou wel thin herte sold, Whan thou hast that is more worth. And ek of that thou tellest forth, Hou that hire weyhte of love unevene Is unto thin, under the hevene Stod nevere in evene that balance Which stant in loves governance. 4550 Such is the statut of his lawe, That thogh thi love more drawe And peise in the balance more, Thou miht noght axe ayein therfore Of duete, bot al of grace. For love is lord in every place, P. ii. 280 Ther mai no lawe him justefie Be reddour ne be compaignie, That he ne wole after his wille Whom that him liketh spede or spille. 4560 To love a man mai wel beginne, Bot whether he schal lese or winne, That wot noman til ate laste: Forthi coveite noght to faste, Mi Sone, bot abyd thin ende,266 Per cas al mai to goode wende. Bot that thou hast me told and said, Of o thing I am riht wel paid,267 That thou be sleyhte ne be guile Of no brocour hast otherwhile 4570 Engined love, for such dede268 Is sore venged, as I rede. [Love-Brokerage. Tale of Echo.] Brocours of love that deceiven, No wonder is thogh thei receiven269 After the wrong that thei decerven; For whom as evere that thei serven270 And do plesance for a whyle, Yit ate laste here oghne guile Hic ponit exemplum contra istos maritos qui vltra id quod proprias habent vxores ad noue voluptatis incrementum alias mulieres superflue lucrari non verentur. Et narrat qualiter Iuno vindictam suam in Eccho decreuit, pro eo quod ipsa Eccho272 in huiusmodi mulierum lucris adquirendis de consilio mariti sui Iouis mediatrix extiterat. Upon here oghne hed descendeth,271 Which god of his vengance sendeth, 4580 As be ensample of time go A man mai finde it hath be so. It fell somtime, as it was sene, The hihe goddesse and the queene Juno tho hadde in compainie A Maiden full of tricherie; P. ii. 281 For sche was evere in on acord273 With Jupiter, that was hire lord, To gete him othre loves newe, Thurgh such brocage and was untrewe 4590 Al otherwise than him nedeth. Bot sche, which of no schame dredeth, With queinte wordes and with slyhe Blente in such wise hir lady yhe, As sche to whom that Juno triste,274 So that therof sche nothing wiste. Bot so prive mai be nothing, That it ne comth to knowleching; Thing don upon the derke nyht Is after knowe on daies liht: 4600 So it befell, that ate laste Al that this slyhe maiden caste Was overcast and overthrowe. For as the sothe mot be knowe, To Juno was don understonde In what manere hir housebonde With fals brocage hath take usure Of love mor than his mesure, Whan he tok othre than his wif, Wherof this mayden was gultif, 4610 Which hadde ben of his assent. And thus was al the game schent;275 Sche soffreth him, as sche mot nede, Bot the brocour of his misdede, Sche which hir conseil yaf therto, On hire is the vengance do: P. ii. 282 For Juno with hire wordes hote, This Maiden, which Eccho was hote, Reproveth and seith in this wise: ‘O traiteresse, of which servise 4620 Hast thou thin oghne ladi served! Thou hast gret peine wel deserved, That thou canst maken it so queinte, Thi slyhe wordes forto peinte Towardes me, that am thi queene, Wherof thou madest me to wene That myn housbonde trewe were, Whan that he loveth elleswhere, Al be it so him nedeth noght. Bot upon thee it schal be boght, 4630 Which art prive to tho doinges, And me fulofte of thi lesinges Deceived hast: nou is the day That I thi while aquite may;276 And for thou hast to me conceled That my lord hath with othre deled, I schal thee sette in such a kende, That evere unto the worldes ende Al that thou hierest thou schalt telle, And clappe it out as doth a belle.’ 4640 And with that word sche was forschape, Ther may no vois hire mouth ascape,277 What man that in the wodes crieth,278 Withoute faile Eccho replieth, And what word that him list to sein, The same word sche seith ayein. P. ii. 283 Thus sche, which whilom hadde leve To duelle in chambre, mot beleve In wodes and on helles bothe, For such brocage as wyves lothe, 4650 Which doth here lordes hertes change279 And love in other place strange.280 Confessor. Forthi, if evere it so befalle, That thou, mi Sone, amonges alle Be wedded man, hold that thou hast, For thanne al other love is wast. O wif schal wel to thee suffise, And thanne, if thou for covoitise Of love woldest axe more, Thou scholdest don ayein the lore 4660 Of alle hem that trewe be. Amans. Mi fader, as in this degre My conscience is noght accused; For I no such brocage have used, Wherof that lust of love is wonne. Forthi spek forth, as ye begonne, Of Avarice upon mi schrifte. Confessor. Mi Sone, I schal the branches schifte Be ordre so as thei ben set, On whom no good is wel beset. 4670 [Parsimony.] vi. Pro verbis verba, munus pro munere reddi Convenit, vt pondus equa statera gerat. Propterea cupido non dat sua dona Cupido, Nam qui nulla serit, gramina nulla metet. Blinde Avarice of his lignage281 For conseil and for cousinage, P. ii. 284 To be withholde ayein largesse, Hic tractat super illa specie Auaricie que Parcimonia dicitur, cuius natura tenax aliqualem sue substancie porcionem aut deo aut hominibus participare nullatenus consentit. Hath on, whos name is seid Skarsnesse, The which is kepere of his hous, And is so thurghout averous, That he no good let out of honde; Thogh god himself it wolde fonde, Of yifte scholde he nothing have; And if a man it wolde crave,282 4680 He moste thanne faile nede, Wher god himselve mai noght spede.283 And thus Skarsnesse in every place Be reson mai no thonk porchace, And natheles in his degree Above alle othre most prive With Avarice stant he this. For he governeth that ther is In ech astat of his office After the reule of thilke vice; 4690 He takth, he kepth, he halt, he bint, That lihtere is to fle the flint Than gete of him in hard or neisshe Only the value of a reysshe Of good in helpinge of an other, Noght thogh it were his oghne brother. For in the cas of yifte and lone Stant every man for him al one, Him thenkth of his unkindeschipe That him nedeth no felaschipe: 4700 Be so the bagge and he acorden,284 Him reccheth noght what men recorden P. ii. 285 Of him, or it be evel or good. For al his trust is on his good, So that al one he falleth ofte, Whan he best weneth stonde alofte, Als wel in love as other wise; For love is evere of som reprise To him that wole his love holde. Forthi, mi Sone, as thou art holde, 4710 Touchende of this tell me thi schrifte: Hast thou be scars or large of yifte Unto thi love, whom thou servest? For after that thou wel deservest Of yifte, thou miht be the bet; For that good holde I wel beset, For why thou miht the betre fare;285 Thanne is no wisdom forto spare. For thus men sein, in every nede He was wys that ferst made mede; 4720 For where as mede mai noght spede, I not what helpeth other dede: Fulofte he faileth of his game That wol with ydel hand reclame His hauk, as many a nyce doth. Forthi, mi Sone, tell me soth And sei the trouthe, if thou hast be Unto thy love or skars or fre. Confessio Amantis. Mi fader, it hath stonde thus, That if the tresor of Cresus 4730 And al the gold Octovien, Forth with the richesse Yndien286 P. ii. 286 Of Perles and of riche stones, Were al togedre myn at ones, I sette it at nomore acompte Than wolde a bare straw amonte, To yive it hire al in a day, Be so that to that suete may287 I myhte like or more or lesse.288 And thus be cause of my scarsnesse 4740 Ye mai wel understonde and lieve That I schal noght the worse achieve289 The pourpos which is in my thoght. Bot yit I yaf hir nevere noght, Ne therto dorste a profre make; For wel I wot sche wol noght take, And yive wol sche noght also, She is eschu of bothe tuo. And this I trowe be the skile Towardes me, for sche ne wile 4750 That I have eny cause of hope, Noght also mochel as a drope. Bot toward othre, as I mai se, Sche takth and yifth in such degre, That as be weie of frendlihiede Sche can so kepe hir wommanhiede, That every man spekth of hir wel. Bot sche wole take of me no del, And yit sche wot wel that I wolde Yive and do bothe what I scholde 4760 To plesen hire in al my myht: Be reson this wot every wyht, P. ii. 287 For that mai be no weie asterte, Ther sche is maister of the herte, Sche mot be maister of the good. For god wot wel that al my mod And al min herte and al mi thoght And al mi good, whil I have oght, Als freliche as god hath it yive, It schal ben hires, while I live,290 4770 Riht as hir list hirself commande. So that it nedeth no demande, To axe of me if I be scars To love, for as to tho pars I wole ansuere and seie no. Confessor. Mi Sone, that is riht wel do. For often times of scarsnesse It hath be sen, that for the lesse Is lost the more, as thou schalt hiere A tale lich to this matiere. 4780 [Tale of Babio and Croceus.] Skarsnesse and love acorden nevere, For every thing is wel the levere, Whan that a man hath boght it diere: Hic loquitur contra istos, qui Auaricia stricti largitatis beneficium in amoris causa confundunt. Et ponit exemplum, qualiter Croceus largus et hillaris Babionem292 auarum et tenacem de amore Viole, que pulcherrima fuit, donis largissimis circumuenit. And forto speke in this matiere, For sparinge of a litel cost Fulofte time a man hath lost The large cote for the hod. What man that scars is of his good291 And wol noght yive, he schal noght take: With yifte a man mai undertake 4790 The hihe god to plese and queme, With yifte a man the world mai deme;293 P. ii. 288 For every creature bore, If thou him yive, is glad therfore, And every gladschipe, as I finde, Is confort unto loves kinde And causeth ofte a man to spede. So was he wys that ferst yaf mede, For mede kepeth love in house; Bot wher the men ben coveitouse 4800 And sparen forto yive a part, Thei knowe noght Cupides art: For his fortune and his aprise Desdeigneth alle coveitise And hateth alle nygardie. And forto loke of this partie, A soth ensample, hou it is so, I finde write of Babio;294 Which hadde a love at his menage, Ther was non fairere of hire age, 4810 And hihte Viola be name; Which full of youthe and ful of game Was of hirself, and large and fre, Bot such an other chinche as he295 Men wisten noght in al the lond, And hadde affaited to his hond His servant, the which Spodius296 Was hote. And in this wise thus297 The worldes good of sufficance Was had, bot likinge and plesance, 4820 Of that belongeth to richesse Of love, stod in gret destresse; P. ii. 289 So that this yonge lusty wyht Of thing which fell to loves riht Was evele served overal, That sche was wo bego withal, Til that Cupide and Venus eke A medicine for the seke Ordeigne wolden in this cas. So as fortune thanne was, 4830 Of love upon the destine It fell, riht as it scholde be, A freissh, a fre, a frendly man That noght of Avarice can, Which Croceus be name hihte, Toward this swete caste his sihte, And ther sche was cam in presence. Sche sih him large of his despence, And amorous and glad of chiere, So that hir liketh wel to hiere 4840 The goodly wordes whiche he seide; And therupon of love he preide, Of love was al that he mente, To love and for sche scholde assente, He yaf hire yiftes evere among. Bot for men sein that mede is strong, It was wel seene at thilke tyde; For as it scholde of ryht betyde, This Viola largesce hath take And the nygard sche hath forsake: 4850 Of Babio sche wol no more,298 For he was grucchende everemore, P. ii. 290 Ther was with him non other fare Bot forto prinche and forto spare, Of worldes muk to gete encress. So goth the wrecche loveles,299 Bejaped for his Skarcete, And he that large was and fre And sette his herte to despende, This Croceus, the bowe bende, 4860 Which Venus tok him forto holde, And schotte als ofte as evere he wolde.300 Lo, thus departeth love his lawe, That what man wol noght be felawe To yive and spende, as I thee telle, He is noght worthi forto duelle In loves court to be relieved. Forthi, my Sone, if I be lieved,301 Thou schalt be large of thi despence. Amans. Mi fader, in mi conscience 4870 If ther be eny thing amis, I wol amende it after this,302 Toward mi love namely. Confessor. Mi Sone, wel and redely Thou seist, so that wel paid withal I am, and forthere if I schal Unto thi schrifte specefie303 Of Avarices progenie What vice suieth after this, Thou schalt have wonder hou it is, 4880 Among the folk in eny regne That such a vice myhte regne, P. ii. 291 Which is comun at alle assaies, As men mai finde nou adaies. [Ingratitude.] vii. Cuncta creatura, deus et qui cuncta creauit, Dampnant ingrati dicta que facta viri.304 Non dolor alonge stat, quo sibi talis amicam305 Traxit, et in fine deserit esse suam. The vice lik unto the fend, Which nevere yit was mannes frend, And cleped is Unkindeschipe, Hic loquitur super illa aborta specie Auaricie, que Ingratitudo, dicta est, cuius condicionem non solum creator, set eciam cuncte creature abhominabilem detestantur. Of covine and of felaschipe With Avarice he is withholde. Him thenkth he scholde noght ben holde 4890 Unto the moder which him bar; Of him mai nevere man be war, He wol noght knowe the merite, For that he wolde it noght aquite; Which in this world is mochel used, And fewe ben therof excused. To telle of him is endeles, Bot this I seie natheles, Wher as this vice comth to londe, Ther takth noman his thonk on honde; 4900 Thogh he with alle his myhtes serve, He schal of him no thonk deserve. He takth what eny man wol yive, Bot whil he hath o day to live, He wol nothing rewarde ayein; He gruccheth forto yive o grein, Wher he hath take a berne full. That makth a kinde herte dull, P. ii. 292 To sette his trust in such frendschipe, Ther as he fint no kindeschipe; 4910 And forto speke wordes pleine, Thus hiere I many a man compleigne, That nou on daies thou schalt finde At nede fewe frendes kinde; What thou hast don for hem tofore, It is foryete, as it were lore. The bokes speken of this vice, And telle hou god of his justice, Be weie of kinde and ek nature And every lifissh creature,306 4920 The lawe also, who that it kan,307 Thei dampnen an unkinde man. It is al on to seie unkinde As thing which don is ayein kinde, For it with kinde nevere stod A man to yelden evel for good. For who that wolde taken hede, A beste is glad of a good dede, And loveth thilke creature After the lawe of his nature 4930 Which doth him ese. And forto se Of this matiere Auctorite, Fulofte time it hath befalle; Wherof a tale amonges alle, Which is of olde ensamplerie,308 I thenke forto specefie. [Tale of Adrian and Bardus.] To speke of an unkinde man, I finde hou whilom Adrian, P. ii. 293 Of Rome which a gret lord was, Hic dicit qualiter bestie in suis beneficiis hominem ingratum naturaliter precellunt. Et ponit exemplum de Adriano Rome Cenatore, qui in quadam Foresta venacionibus insistens, dum predam persequeretur, in Cisternam profundam nescia familia corruit: vbi superueniens quidam pauper nomine Bardus, immissa cordula, putans hominem extraxisse, primo Simeam extraxit, secundo Serpentem, tercio Adrianum, qui pauperem despiciens aliquid ei pro benefacto reddere recusabat. Set tam Serpens quam Simea gratuita beneuolencia ipsum311 singulis donis sufficienter remunerarent. Upon a day as he per cas 4940 To wode in his huntinge wente, It hapneth at a soudein wente,309 After his chace as he poursuieth, Thurgh happ, the which noman eschuieth,310 He fell unwar into a pet, Wher that it mihte noght be let. The pet was dep and he fell lowe, That of his men non myhte knowe Wher he becam, for non was nyh, Which of his fall the meschief syh. 4950 And thus al one ther he lay Clepende and criende al the day For socour and deliverance, Til ayein Eve it fell per chance, A while er it began to nyhte, A povere man, which Bardus hihte, Cam forth walkende with his asse, And hadde gadred him a tasse Of grene stickes and of dreie To selle, who that wolde hem beie, 4960 As he which hadde no liflode, Bot whanne he myhte such a lode To toune with his Asse carie. And as it fell him forto tarie That ilke time nyh the pet, And hath the trusse faste knet, He herde a vois, which cride dimme, And he his Ere to the brimme P. ii. 294 Hath leid, and herde it was a man, Which seide, ‘Ha, help hier Adrian, 4970 And I wol yiven half mi good.’ The povere man this understod, As he that wolde gladly winne, And to this lord which was withinne He spak and seide, ‘If I thee save, What sikernesse schal I have Of covenant, that afterward Thou wolt me yive such reward As thou behihtest nou tofore?’ That other hath his othes swore 4980 Be hevene and be the goddes alle,312 If that it myhte so befalle That he out of the pet him broghte, Of all the goodes whiche he oghte313 He schal have evene halvendel. This Bardus seide he wolde wel; And with this word his Asse anon He let untrusse, and therupon Doun goth the corde into the pet,314 To which he hath at ende knet 4990 A staf, wherby, he seide, he wolde That Adrian him scholde holde. Bot it was tho per chance falle, Into that pet was also falle315 An Ape, which at thilke throwe, Whan that the corde cam doun lowe, Al sodeinli therto he skipte And it in bothe hise armes clipte. P. ii. 295 And Bardus with his Asse anon Him hath updrawe, and he is gon. 5000 But whan he sih it was an Ape, He wende al hadde ben a jape Of faierie, and sore him dradde:316 And Adrian eftsone gradde For help, and cride and preide faste, And he eftsone his corde caste; Bot whan it cam unto the grounde, A gret Serpent it hath bewounde, The which Bardus anon up drouh. And thanne him thoghte wel ynouh, 5010 It was fantosme, bot yit he herde317 The vois, and he therto ansuerde, ‘What wiht art thou in goddes name?’ ‘I am,’ quod Adrian, ‘the same, Whos good thou schalt have evene half.’ Quod Bardus, ‘Thanne a goddes half The thridde time assaie I schal’: And caste his corde forth withal Into the pet, and whan it cam To him, this lord of Rome it nam, 5020 And therupon him hath adresced,318 And with his hand fulofte blessed, And thanne he bad to Bardus hale. And he, which understod his tale, Betwen him and his Asse al softe319 Hath drawe and set him up alofte Withouten harm al esely. He seith noght ones ‘grant merci,’ P. ii. 296 Bot strauhte him forth to the cite, And let this povere Bardus be. 5030 And natheles this simple man His covenant, so as he can, Hath axed; and that other seide, If so be that he him umbreide320 Of oght that hath be speke or do,321 It schal ben venged on him so, That him were betre to be ded. And he can tho non other red, But on his asse ayein he caste His trusse, and hieth homward faste: 5040 And whan that he cam hom to bedde, He tolde his wif hou that he spedde. Bot finaly to speke oght more Unto this lord he dradde him sore, So that a word ne dorste he sein:322 And thus upon the morwe ayein, In the manere as I recorde, Forth with his Asse and with his corde To gadre wode, as he dede er, He goth; and whan that he cam ner 5050 Unto the place where he wolde,323 He hath his Ape anon beholde, Which hadde gadred al aboute Of stickes hiere and there a route,324 And leide hem redy to his hond, Wherof he made his trosse and bond; Fro dai to dai and in this wise This Ape profreth his servise, P. ii. 297 So that he hadde of wode ynouh. Upon a time and as he drouh 5060 Toward the wode, he sih besyde The grete gastli Serpent glyde, Til that sche cam in his presence, And in hir kinde a reverence325 Sche hath him do, and forth withal A Ston mor briht than a cristall Out of hir mouth tofore his weie Sche let doun falle, and wente aweie, For that he schal noght ben adrad. Tho was this povere Bardus glad, 5070 Thonkende god, and to the Ston326 He goth and takth it up anon, And hath gret wonder in his wit Hou that the beste him hath aquit, Wher that the mannes Sone hath failed, For whom he hadde most travailed. Bot al he putte in goddes hond, And torneth hom, and what he fond Unto his wif he hath it schewed; And thei, that weren bothe lewed, 5080 Acorden that he scholde it selle. And he no lengere wolde duelle, Bot forth anon upon the tale The Ston he profreth to the sale; And riht as he himself it sette, The jueler anon forth fette The gold and made his paiement, Therof was no delaiement. P. ii. 298 Thus whan this Ston was boght and sold, Homward with joie manyfold 5090 This Bardus goth; and whan he cam Hom to his hous and that he nam His gold out of his Purs, withinne He fond his Ston also therinne, Wherof for joie his herte pleide, Unto his wif and thus he seide, ‘Lo, hier my gold, lo, hier mi Ston!’ His wif hath wonder therupon, And axeth him hou that mai be. ‘Nou be mi trouthe I not,’ quod he, 5100 ‘Bot I dar swere upon a bok, That to my Marchant I it tok,327 And he it hadde whan I wente: So knowe I noght to what entente It is nou hier, bot it be grace.328 Forthi tomorwe in other place I wole it fonde forto selle, And if it wol noght with him duelle, Bot crepe into mi purs ayein, Than dar I saufly swere and sein, 5110 It is the vertu of the Ston.’329 The morwe cam, and he is gon To seche aboute in other stede His Ston to selle, and he so dede,330 And lefte it with his chapman there. Bot whan that he cam elleswhere, In presence of his wif at hom, Out of his Purs and that he nom P. ii. 299 His gold, he fond his Ston withal: And thus it fell him overal, 5120 Where he it solde in sondri place, Such was the fortune and the grace. Bot so wel may nothing ben hidd, That it nys ate laste kidd: This fame goth aboute Rome331 So ferforth, that the wordes come To themperour Justinian; And he let sende for the man,332 And axede him hou that it was. And Bardus tolde him al the cas,333 5130 Hou that the worm and ek the beste,334 Althogh thei maden no beheste, His travail hadden wel aquit; Bot he which hadde a mannes wit,335 And made his covenant be mouthe And swor therto al that he couthe To parte and yiven half his good, Hath nou foryete hou that it stod, As he which wol no trouthe holde. This Emperour al that he tolde 5140 Hath herd, and thilke unkindenesse He seide he wolde himself redresse. And thus in court of juggement This Adrian was thanne assent, And the querele in audience336 Declared was in the presence Of themperour and many mo; Wherof was mochel speche tho P. ii. 300 And gret wondringe among the press. Bot ate laste natheles 5150 For the partie which hath pleigned The lawe hath diemed and ordeigned Be hem that were avised wel, That he schal have the halvendel Thurghout of Adrianes good. And thus of thilke unkinde blod Stant the memoire into this day,337 Wherof that every wysman may338 Ensamplen him, and take in mynde339 [Ingratitude.] What schame it is to ben unkinde; 5160 Ayein the which reson debateth, And every creature it hateth. Confessor. Forthi, mi Sone, in thin office I rede fle that ilke vice. For riht as the Cronique seith Of Adrian, hou he his feith Foryat for worldes covoitise, Fulofte in such a maner wise Of lovers nou a man mai se Full manye that unkinde be: 5170 For wel behote and evele laste That is here lif; for ate laste, Whan that thei have here wille do, Here love is after sone ago. What seist thou, Sone, to this cas? Amans. Mi fader, I wol seie Helas, That evere such a man was bore, Which whan he hath his trouthe suore P. ii. 301 And hath of love what he wolde, That he at eny time scholde340 5180 Evere after in his herte finde To falsen and to ben unkinde. Bot, fader, as touchende of me, I mai noght stonde in that degre; For I tok nevere of love why, That I ne mai wel go therby And do my profit elles where, For eny sped I finde there. I dar wel thenken al aboute, Bot I ne dar noght speke it oute; 5190 And if I dorste, I wolde pleigne, That sche for whom I soffre peine And love hir evere aliche hote, That nouther yive ne behote In rewardinge of mi servise It list hire in no maner wise. I wol noght say that sche is kinde, And forto sai sche is unkinde, That dar I noght; bot god above,341 Which demeth every herte of love, 5200 He wot that on myn oghne side Schal non unkindeschipe abide: If it schal with mi ladi duelle, Therof dar I nomore telle.342 Nou, goode fader, as it is, Tell me what thenketh you of this. Confessor. Mi Sone, of that unkindeschipe, The which toward thi ladischipe P. ii. 302 Thou pleignest, for sche wol thee noght, Thou art to blamen of that thoght.343 5210 For it mai be that thi desir, Thogh it brenne evere as doth the fyr, Per cas to hire honour missit, Or elles time com noght yit, Which standt upon thi destine:344 Forthi, mi Sone, I rede thee, Thenk wel, what evere the befalle; For noman hath his lustes alle. Bot as thou toldest me before That thou to love art noght forswore, 5220 And hast don non unkindenesse, Thou miht therof thi grace blesse: And lef noght that continuance; For ther mai be no such grevance To love, as is unkindeschipe.345 Wherof to kepe thi worschipe, So as these olde bokes tale, I schal thee telle a redi tale: Nou herkne and be wel war therby, For I wol telle it openly. 5230 [Tale of Theseus and Ariadne.] Mynos, as telleth the Poete, The which whilom was king of Crete, A Sone hadde and Androchee Hic ponit exemplum contra viros amori ingratos. Et narrat qualiter Theseus Cadmi filius, consilio suffultus347 Adriagne Regis Mynos filie, in domo que laborinthus dicitur Minotaurum vicit:348 vnde Theseus Adriagne sponsalia certissime promittens ipsam vna cum Fedra sorore sua a Creta secum nauigio duxit. Set statim postea oblito gratitudinis beneficio Adriagnam ipsum saluantem in insula Chio spretam post tergum reliquit; et Fedram Athenis sibi sponsatam ingratus coronauit. He hihte: and so befell that he Unto Athenes forto lere Was send, and so he bar him there,346 For that he was of hih lignage, Such pride he tok in his corage, P. ii. 303 That he foryeten hath the Scoles, And in riote among the foles 5240 He dede manye thinges wronge; And useth thilke lif so longe,349 Til ate laste of that he wroghte He fond the meschief which he soghte, Wherof it fell that he was slain. His fader, which it herde sain, Was wroth, and al that evere he mihte, Of men of Armes he him dighte350 A strong pouer, and forth he wente Unto Athenys, where he brente The pleine contre al aboute: 5250 The Cites stode of him in doute, As thei that no defence hadde351 Ayein the pouer which he ladde. Egeüs, which was there king, His conseil tok upon this thing, For he was thanne in the Cite: So that of pes into tretee Betwen Mynos and Egeüs Thei felle, and ben acorded thus; 5260 That king Mynos fro yer to yeere Receive schal, as thou schalt here, Out of Athenys for truage Of men that were of myhti Age Persones nyne, of whiche he schal His wille don in special For vengance of his Sones deth. Non other grace ther ne geth, P. ii. 304 Bot forto take the juise; And that was don in such a wise, 5270 Which stod upon a wonder cas. For thilke time so it was, Wherof that men yit rede and singe, King Mynos hadde in his kepinge A cruel Monstre, as seith the geste: For he was half man and half beste, And Minotaurus he was hote,352 Which was begete in a riote Upon Pasiphe, his oghne wif, Whil he was oute upon the strif 5280 Of thilke grete Siege at Troie.353 Bot sche, which lost hath alle joie,354 Whan that sche syh this Monstre bore, Bad men ordeigne anon therfore: And fell that ilke time thus, Ther was a Clerk, on Dedalus, Which hadde ben of hire assent Of that hir world was so miswent;355 And he made of his oghne wit, Wherof the remembrance is yit, 5290 For Minotaure such an hous, Which was so strange and merveilous, That what man that withinne wente, Ther was so many a sondri wente, That he ne scholde noght come oute, But gon amased al aboute. And in this hous to loke and warde Was Minotaurus put in warde, P. ii. 305 That what lif that therinne cam,356 Or man or beste, he overcam 5300 And slow, and fedde him therupon; And in this wise many on357 Out of Athenys for truage Devoured weren in that rage. For every yeer thei schope hem so, Thei of Athenys, er thei go Toward that ilke wofull chance, As it was set in ordinance,358 Upon fortune here lot thei caste; Til that Theseüs ate laste, 5310 Which was the kinges Sone there, Amonges othre that ther were In thilke yeer, as it befell, The lot upon his chance fell. He was a worthi kniht withalle; And whan he sih this chance falle,359 He ferde as thogh he tok non hiede, Bot al that evere he mihte spiede, With him and with his felaschipe Forth into Crete he goth be Schipe; 5320 Wher that the king Mynos he soghte,360 And profreth all that he him oghte Upon the point of here acord. This sterne king, this cruel lord Tok every day on of the Nyne, And put him to the discipline361 Of Minotaure, to be devoured; Bot Theseüs was so favoured, P. ii. 306 That he was kept til ate laste. And in the meene while he caste 5330 What thing him were best to do: And fell that Adriagne tho, Which was the dowhter of Mynos, And hadde herd the worthi los Of Theseüs and of his myht, And syh he was a lusti kniht, Hire hole herte on him sche leide, And he also of love hir preide, So ferforth that thei were al on. And sche ordeigneth thanne anon 5340 In what manere he scholde him save,362 And schop so that sche dede him have A clue of thred, of which withinne Ferst ate dore he schal beginne With him to take that on ende, That whan he wolde ayeinward wende,363 He mihte go the same weie. And over this, so as I seie, Of pich sche tok him a pelote,364 The which he scholde into the throte 5350 Of Minotaure caste rihte: Such wepne also for him sche dighte, That he be reson mai noght faile To make an ende of his bataile; For sche him tawhte in sondri wise, Til he was knowe of thilke emprise, Hou he this beste schulde quelle.365 And thus, schort tale forto telle, P. ii. 307 So as this Maide him hadde tawht,366 Theseüs with this Monstre fawht, 5360 Smot of his hed, the which he nam, And be the thred, so as he cam, He goth ayein, til he were oute. Tho was gret wonder al aboute:367 Mynos the tribut hath relessed, And so was al the werre cessed Betwen Athene and hem of Crete. Bot now to speke of thilke suete, Whos beaute was withoute wane, This faire Maiden Adriane, 5370 Whan that sche sih Theseüs sound, Was nevere yit upon the ground368 A gladder wyht than sche was tho. Theseüs duelte a dai or tuo Wher that Mynos gret chiere him dede: Theseüs in a prive stede Hath with this Maiden spoke and rouned, That sche to him was abandouned In al that evere that sche couthe, So that of thilke lusty youthe 5380 Al prively betwen hem tweie The ferste flour he tok aweie. For he so faire tho behihte That evere, whil he live mihte, He scholde hire take for his wif, And as his oghne hertes lif He scholde hire love and trouthe bere;369 And sche, which mihte noght forbere, P. ii. 308 So sore loveth him ayein, That what as evere he wolde sein 5390 With al hire herte sche believeth. And thus his pourpos he achieveth, So that assured of his trouthe With him sche wente, and that was routhe. Fedra hire yonger Soster eke, A lusti Maide, a sobre, a meke, Fulfild of alle curtesie, For Sosterhode and compainie Of love, which was hem betuene, To sen hire Soster mad a queene, 5400 Hire fader lefte and forth sche wente With him, which al his ferste entente Foryat withinne a litel throwe, So that it was al overthrowe, Whan sche best wende it scholde stonde. The Schip was blowe fro the londe, Wherin that thei seilende were; This Adriagne hath mochel fere Of that the wynd so loude bleu, As sche which of the See ne kneu, 5410 And preide forto reste a whyle.370 And so fell that upon an yle, Which Chyo hihte, thei ben drive, Where he to hire his leve hath yive That sche schal londe and take hire reste. Bot that was nothing for the beste: For whan sche was to londe broght, Sche, which that time thoghte noght P. ii. 309 Bot alle trouthe, and tok no kepe, Hath leid hire softe forto slepe, 5420 As sche which longe hath ben forwacched; Bot certes sche was evele macched And fer from alle loves kinde; For more than the beste unkinde Theseüs, which no trouthe kepte, Whil that this yonge ladi slepte, Fulfild of his unkindeschipe371 Hath al foryete the goodschipe Which Adriane him hadde do, And bad unto the Schipmen tho372 5430 Hale up the seil and noght abyde, And forth he goth the same tyde Toward Athene, and hire alonde He lefte, which lay nyh the stronde Slepende, til that sche awok. Bot whan that sche cast up hire lok Toward the stronde and sih no wyht, Hire herte was so sore aflyht,373 That sche ne wiste what to thinke; Bot drouh hire to the water brinke, 5440 Wher sche behield the See at large. Sche sih no Schip, sche sih no barge Als ferforth as sche mihte kenne: ‘Ha lord,’ sche seide, ‘which a Senne, As al the world schal after hiere, Upon this woful womman hiere This worthi kniht hath don and wroght! I wende I hadde his love boght, P. ii. 310 And so deserved ate nede,374 Whan that he stod upon his drede, 5450 And ek the love he me behihte. It is gret wonder hou he mihte Towardes me nou ben unkinde, And so to lete out of his mynde Thing which he seide his oghne mouth. Bot after this whan it is couth375 And drawe into the worldes fame,376 It schal ben hindringe of his name: For wel he wot and so wot I, He yaf his trouthe bodily, 5460 That he myn honour scholde kepe.’ And with that word sche gan to wepe, And sorweth more than ynouh: Hire faire tresces sche todrouh,377 And with hirself tok such a strif,378 That sche betwen the deth and lif379 Swounende lay fulofte among.380 And al was this on him along, Which was to love unkinde so, Wherof the wrong schal everemo 5470 Stonde in Cronique of remembrance. And ek it asketh a vengance To ben unkinde in loves cas, So as Theseüs thanne was, Al thogh he were a noble kniht; For he the lawe of loves riht Forfeted hath in alle weie, That Adriagne he putte aweie, P. ii. 311 Which was a gret unkinde dede: And after this, so as I rede,381 5480 Fedra, the which hir Soster is, He tok in stede of hire, and this Fel afterward to mochel teene. For thilke vice of which I meene, Unkindeschipe, where it falleth, The trouthe of mannes herte it palleth, That he can no good dede aquite: So mai he stonde of no merite Towardes god, and ek also Men clepen him the worldes fo; 5490 For he nomore than the fend Unto non other man is frend, Bot al toward himself al one. Forthi, mi Sone, in thi persone This vice above alle othre fle. Mi fader, as ye techen me, I thenke don in this matiere. Bot over this nou wolde I hiere, Wherof I schal me schryve more. Mi goode Sone, and for thi lore,382 5500 After the reule of coveitise I schal the proprete devise Of every vice by and by. Nou herkne and be wel war therby. [Ravine.] viii. Viribus ex clara res tollit luce Rapina, Floris et inuita virgine mella capit. In the lignage of Avarice, Hic tractat super illa specie cupida que Rapina nuncupatur, cuius mater extorcio ipsam ad deseruiendum magnatum curiis specialius commendauit. Mi Sone, yit ther is a vice, P. ii. 312 His rihte name it is Ravine,383 Which hath a route of his covine. Ravine among the maistres duelleth, And with his servantz, as men telleth,384 5510 Extorcion is nou withholde: Ravine of othre mennes folde Makth his larder and paieth noght; For wher as evere it mai be soght, In his hous ther schal nothing lacke, And that fulofte abyth the packe Of povere men that duelle aboute. Thus stant the comun poeple in doute, Which can do non amendement; For whanne him faileth paiement,385 5520 Ravine makth non other skile, Bot takth be strengthe what he wile.386 So ben ther in the same wise Lovers, as I thee schal devise,387 That whan noght elles mai availe, Anon with strengthe thei assaile And gete of love the sesine,388 Whan thei se time, be Ravine. Confessor. Forthi, mi Sone, schrif thee hier, If thou hast ben a Raviner 5530 Of love. Amans. Certes, fader, no: For I mi ladi love so,389 That thogh I were as was Pompeie,390 That al the world me wolde obeie, Or elles such as Alisandre, I wolde noght do such a sklaundre; P. ii. 313 It is no good man, which so doth. Confessor. In good feith, Sone, thou seist soth: For he that wole of pourveance391 Be such a weie his lust avance, 5540 He schal it after sore abie, Bot if these olde ensamples lie. Amans. Nou, goode fader, tell me on, So as ye cunne manyon, Touchende of love in this matiere. Confessor. Nou list, mi Sone, and thou schalt hiere,392 So as it hath befalle er this, In loves cause hou that it is A man to take be Ravine The preie which is femeline. 5550 [Tale of Tereus.] Ther was a real noble king, And riche of alle worldes thing, Which of his propre enheritance Hic ponit exemplum contra istos in amoris causa raptores. Et narrat qualiter Pandion Rex Athenarum duas filias,393 videlicet Progne et Philomenam, habuit. Progne autem Tereo394 Regi Tracie desponsata, contigit quod cum395 Tereus ad instanciam vxoris396 sue Philomenam de Athenis in Traciam sororie visitacionis causa secum quadam vice perduceret, in concupiscenciam Philomene tanta seueritate in itinere dilapsus est, quod ipse non solum sue violencia rapine virginitatem eius oppressit, set et ipsius linguam, ne factum detegeret, forpice mutulauit. Vnde in perpetue memorie Cronicam tanti raptoris austeritatem miro ordine dii postea vindicarunt. Athenes hadde in governance, And who so thenke therupon, His name was king Pandion. Tuo douhtres hadde he be his wif, The whiche he lovede as his lif; The ferste douhter Progne hihte, And the secounde, as sche wel mihte,397 5560 Was cleped faire Philomene, To whom fell after mochel tene. The fader of his pourveance His doughter Progne wolde avance, And yaf hire unto mariage A worthi king of hih lignage, P. ii. 314 A noble kniht eke of his hond, So was he kid in every lond, Of Trace he hihte Tereüs; The clerk Ovide telleth thus. 5570 This Tereüs his wif hom ladde, A lusti lif with hire he hadde; Til it befell upon a tyde, This Progne, as sche lay him besyde, Bethoughte hir hou it mihte be That sche hir Soster myhte se, And to hir lord hir will sche seide, With goodly wordes and him preide That sche to hire mihte go: And if it liked him noght so, 5580 That thanne he wolde himselve wende, Or elles be som other sende, Which mihte hire diere Soster griete, And schape hou that thei mihten miete. Hir lord anon to that he herde Yaf his acord, and thus ansuerde: ‘I wole,’ he seide, ‘for thi sake The weie after thi Soster take Miself, and bringe hire, if I may.’ And sche with that, there as he lay,398 5590 Began him in hire armes clippe, And kist him with hir softe lippe,399 And seide, ‘Sire, grant mercy.’ And he sone after was redy, And tok his leve forto go; In sori time dede he so. P. ii. 315 This Tereüs goth forth to Schipe400 With him and with his felaschipe; Be See the rihte cours he nam, Into the contre til he cam,401 5600 Wher Philomene was duellinge, And of hir Soster the tidinge He tolde, and tho thei weren glade, And mochel joie of him thei made. The fader and the moder bothe To leve here douhter weren lothe, Bot if thei weren in presence; And natheles at reverence Of him, that wolde himself travaile, Thei wolden noght he scholde faile402 5610 Of that he preide, and yive hire leve:403 And sche, that wolde noght beleve, In alle haste made hire yare Toward hir Soster forto fare, With Tereüs and forth sche wente. And he with al his hole entente, Whan sche was fro hir frendes go, Assoteth of hire love so, His yhe myhte he noght withholde, That he ne moste on hir beholde; 5620 And with the sihte he gan desire,404 And sette his oghne herte on fyre;405 And fyr, whan it to tow aprocheth, To him anon the strengthe acrocheth, Til with his hete it be devoured, The tow ne mai noght be socoured. P. ii. 316 And so that tirant raviner,406 Whan that sche was in his pouer, And he therto sawh time and place, As he that lost hath alle grace, 5630 Foryat he was a wedded man, And in a rage on hire he ran, Riht as a wolf which takth his preie.407 And sche began to crie and preie, ‘O fader, o mi moder diere, Nou help!’ Bot thei ne mihte it hiere, And sche was of to litel myht Defense ayein so ruide a knyht To make, whanne he was so wod That he no reson understod, 5640 Bot hield hire under in such wise, That sche ne myhte noght arise, Bot lay oppressed and desesed, As if a goshauk hadde sesed A brid, which dorste noght for fere Remue: and thus this tirant there408 Beraft hire such thing as men sein Mai neveremor be yolde ayein, And that was the virginite: Of such Ravine it was pite. 5650 Bot whan sche to hirselven com, And of hir meschief hiede nom, And knew hou that sche was no maide, With wofull herte thus sche saide: ‘O thou of alle men the worste, Wher was ther evere man that dorste P. ii. 317 Do such a dede as thou hast do? That dai schal falle, I hope so, That I schal telle out al mi fille, And with mi speche I schal fulfille 5660 The wyde world in brede and lengthe. That thou hast do to me be strengthe, If I among the poeple duelle, Unto the poeple I schal it telle; And if I be withinne wall Of Stones closed, thanne I schal Unto the Stones clepe and crie,409 And tellen hem thi felonie; And if I to the wodes wende, Ther schal I tellen tale and ende,410 5670 And crie it to the briddes oute,411 That thei schul hiere it al aboute. For I so loude it schal reherce, That my vois schal the hevene perce, That it schal soune in goddes Ere. Ha, false man, where is thi fere? O mor cruel than eny beste, Hou hast thou holden thi beheste412 Which thou unto my Soster madest? O thou, which alle love ungladest, 5680 And art ensample of alle untrewe, Nou wolde god mi Soster knewe, Of thin untrouthe, hou that it stod!’ And he than as a Lyon wod413 With hise unhappi handes stronge Hire cauhte be the tresses longe, P. ii. 318 With whiche he bond ther bothe hire armes, That was a fieble dede of armes, And to the grounde anon hire caste, And out he clippeth also faste 5690 Hire tunge with a peire scheres. So what with blod and what with teres Out of hire yhe and of hir mouth, He made hire faire face uncouth: Sche lay swounende unto the deth, Ther was unethes eny breth; Bot yit whan he hire tunge refte, A litel part therof belefte, Bot sche with al no word mai soune, Bot chitre and as a brid jargoune. 5700 And natheles that wode hound Hir bodi hent up fro the ground, And sente hir there as be his wille Sche scholde abyde in prison stille For everemo: bot nou tak hiede What after fell of this misdede. Whanne al this meschief was befalle, This Tereüs, that foule him falle, Unto his contre hom he tyh; And whan he com his paleis nyh, 5710 His wif al redi there him kepte. Whan he hir sih, anon he wepte, And that he dede for deceite, For sche began to axe him streite, ‘Wher is mi Soster?’ And he seide That sche was ded; and Progne abreide, P. ii. 319 As sche that was a wofull wif, And stod betuen hire deth and lif, Of that sche herde such tidinge:414 Bot for sche sih hire lord wepinge, 5720 She wende noght bot alle trouthe, And hadde wel the more routhe. The Perles weren tho forsake To hire, and blake clothes take; As sche that was gentil and kinde, In worschipe of hir Sostres mynde Sche made a riche enterement, For sche fond non amendement To syghen or to sobbe more: So was ther guile under the gore. 5730 Nou leve we this king and queene, And torne ayein to Philomene, As I began to tellen erst. Whan sche cam into prison ferst, It thoghte a kinges douhter strange To maken so soudein a change Fro welthe unto so grete a wo;415 And sche began to thenke tho, Thogh sche be mouthe nothing preide, Withinne hir herte thus sche seide:416 5740 ‘O thou, almyhty Jupiter, That hihe sist and lokest fer, Thou soffrest many a wrong doinge,417 And yit it is noght thi willinge. To thee ther mai nothing ben hid, Thou wost hou it is me betid: P. ii. 320 I wolde I hadde noght be bore, For thanne I hadde noght forlore418 Mi speche and mi virginite. Bot, goode lord, al is in thee, 5750 Whan thou therof wolt do vengance And schape mi deliverance.’ And evere among this ladi wepte, And thoghte that sche nevere kepte To ben a worldes womman more, And that sche wissheth everemore. Bot ofte unto hir Soster diere Hire herte spekth in this manere, And seide, ‘Ha, Soster, if ye knewe Of myn astat, ye wolde rewe, 5760 I trowe, and my deliverance Ye wolde schape, and do vengance On him that is so fals a man: And natheles, so as I can, I wol you sende som tokninge,419 Wherof ye schul have knowlechinge Of thing I wot, that schal you lothe, The which you toucheth and me bothe.’ And tho withinne a whyle als tyt420 Sche waf a cloth of Selk al whyt 5770 With lettres and ymagerie, In which was al the felonie, Which Tereüs to hire hath do;421 And lappede it togedre tho422 And sette hir signet therupon And sende it unto Progne anon. P. ii. 321 The messager which forth it bar, What it amonteth is noght war; And natheles to Progne he goth And prively takth hire the cloth, 5780 And wente ayein riht as he cam, The court of him non hiede nam. Whan Progne of Philomene herde, Sche wolde knowe hou that it ferde, And opneth that the man hath broght, And wot therby what hath be wroght And what meschief ther is befalle. In swoune tho sche gan doun falle, And efte aros and gan to stonde, And eft sche takth the cloth on honde, 5790 Behield the lettres and thymages; Bot ate laste, ‘Of suche oultrages,’ Sche seith, ‘wepinge is noght the bote:’ And swerth, if that sche live mote, It schal be venged otherwise. And with that sche gan hire avise Hou ferst sche mihte unto hire winne Hir Soster, that noman withinne, Bot only thei that were suore, It scholde knowe, and schop therfore 5800 That Tereüs nothing it wiste; And yit riht as hirselven liste,423 Hir Soster was delivered sone Out of prison, and be the mone To Progne sche was broght be nyhte. Whan ech of other hadde a sihte, P. ii. 322 In chambre, ther thei were al one,424 Thei maden many a pitous mone; Bot Progne most of sorwe made, Which sihe hir Soster pale and fade425 5810 And specheles and deshonoured, Of that sche hadde be defloured; And ek upon hir lord sche thoghte, Of that he so untreuly wroghte And hadde his espousaile broke. Sche makth a vou it schal be wroke,426 And with that word sche kneleth doun Wepinge in gret devocioun: Unto Cupide and to Venus Sche preide, and seide thanne thus: 5820 ‘O ye, to whom nothing asterte Of love mai, for every herte Ye knowe, as ye that ben above The god and the goddesse of love; Ye witen wel that evere yit With al mi will and al my wit, Sith ferst ye schopen me to wedde, That I lay with mi lord abedde, I have be trewe in mi degre, And evere thoghte forto be, 5830 And nevere love in other place, Bot al only the king of Trace, Which is mi lord and I his wif. Bot nou allas this wofull strif! That I him thus ayeinward finde The most untrewe and most unkinde P. ii. 323 That evere in ladi armes lay.427 And wel I wot that he ne may Amende his wrong, it is so gret; For he to lytel of me let, 5840 Whan he myn oughne Soster tok, And me that am his wif forsok.’ Lo, thus to Venus and Cupide Sche preide, and furthermor sche cride Unto Appollo the hiheste, And seide, ‘O myghti god of reste, Thou do vengance of this debat. Mi Soster and al hire astat Thou wost, and hou sche hath forlore Hir maidenhod, and I therfore 5850 In al the world schal bere a blame Of that mi Soster hath a schame, That Tereüs to hire I sente: And wel thou wost that myn entente Was al for worschipe and for goode. O lord, that yifst the lives fode To every wyht, I prei thee hiere Thes wofull Sostres that ben hiere, And let ous noght to the ben lothe;428 We ben thin oghne wommen bothe.’ 5860 Thus pleigneth Progne and axeth wreche, And thogh hire Soster lacke speche, To him that alle thinges wot Hire sorwe is noght the lasse hot: Bot he that thanne had herd hem tuo, Him oughte have sorwed everemo P. ii. 324 For sorwe which was hem betuene. With signes pleigneth Philomene, And Progne seith, ‘It schal be wreke, That al the world therof schal speke.’ 5870 And Progne tho seknesse feigneth, Wherof unto hir lord sche pleigneth, And preith sche moste hire chambres kepe,429 And as hir liketh wake and slepe. And he hire granteth to be so; And thus togedre ben thei tuo, That wolde him bot a litel good. Nou herk hierafter hou it stod430 Of wofull auntres that befelle: Thes Sostres, that ben bothe felle,—431 5880 And that was noght on hem along, Bot onliche on the grete wrong Which Tereüs hem hadde do,— Thei schopen forto venge hem tho. This Tereüs be Progne his wif A Sone hath, which as his lif He loveth, and Ithis he hihte: His moder wiste wel sche mihte Do Tereüs no more grief432 Than sle this child, which was so lief.433 5890 Thus sche, that was, as who seith, mad Of wo, which hath hir overlad, Withoute insihte of moderhede Foryat pite and loste drede, And in hir chambre prively This child withouten noise or cry P. ii. 325 Sche slou, and hieu him al to pieces: And after with diverse spieces The fleissh, whan it was so toheewe, Sche takth, and makth therof a sewe, 5900 With which the fader at his mete Was served, til he hadde him ete; That he ne wiste hou that it stod, Bot thus his oughne fleissh and blod Himself devoureth ayein kinde, As he that was tofore unkinde. And thanne, er that he were arise, For that he scholde ben agrise, To schewen him the child was ded, This Philomene tok the hed 5910 Betwen tuo disshes, and al wrothe Tho comen forth the Sostres bothe, And setten it upon the bord. And Progne tho began the word, And seide, ‘O werste of alle wicke, Of conscience whom no pricke Mai stere, lo, what thou hast do! Lo, hier ben nou we Sostres tuo;434 O Raviner, lo hier thi preie, With whom so falsliche on the weie 5920 Thou hast thi tirannye wroght. Lo, nou it is somdel aboght, And bet it schal, for of thi dede The world schal evere singe and rede In remembrance of thi defame:435 For thou to love hast do such schame, P. ii. 326 That it schal nevere be foryete.’ With that he sterte up fro the mete, And schof the bord unto the flor,436 And cauhte a swerd anon and suor 5930 That thei scholde of his handes dye. And thei unto the goddes crie Begunne with so loude a stevene, That thei were herd unto the hevene; And in a twinclinge of an yhe The goddes, that the meschief syhe,437 Here formes changen alle thre. Echon of hem in his degre Was torned into briddes kinde; Diverseliche, as men mai finde, 5940 After thastat that thei were inne, Here formes were set atwinne. And as it telleth in the tale, The ferst into a nyhtingale438 Was schape, and that was Philomene, Which in the wynter is noght sene, For thanne ben the leves falle And naked ben the buisshes alle. For after that sche was a brid, Hir will was evere to ben hid, 5950 And forto duelle in prive place, That noman scholde sen hir face For schame, which mai noght be lassed, Of thing that was tofore passed, Whan that sche loste hir maidenhiede: For evere upon hir wommanhiede, P. ii. 327 Thogh that the goddes wolde hire change, Sche thenkth, and is the more strange,439 And halt hir clos the wyntres day. Bot whan the wynter goth away, 5960 And that Nature the goddesse Wole of hir oughne fre largesse440 With herbes and with floures bothe The feldes and the medwes clothe, And ek the wodes and the greves Ben heled al with grene leves,441 So that a brid hire hyde mai, Betwen Averil and March and Maii, Sche that the wynter hield hir clos, For pure schame and noght aros, 5970 Whan that sche seth the bowes thikke,442 And that ther is no bare sticke, Bot al is hid with leves grene, To wode comth this Philomene443 And makth hir ferste yeres flyht; Wher as sche singeth day and nyht, And in hir song al openly444 Sche makth hir pleignte and seith, ‘O why, O why ne were I yit a maide?’445 For so these olde wise saide, 5980 Which understoden what sche mente,446 Hire notes ben of such entente. And ek thei seide hou in hir song Sche makth gret joie and merthe among, And seith, ‘Ha, nou I am a brid, Ha, nou mi face mai ben hid: P. ii. 328 Thogh I have lost mi Maidenhede, Schal noman se my chekes rede.’ Thus medleth sche with joie wo And with hir sorwe merthe also, 5990 So that of loves maladie Sche makth diverse melodie, And seith love is a wofull blisse, A wisdom which can noman wisse, A lusti fievere, a wounde softe: This note sche reherceth ofte To hem whiche understonde hir tale. Nou have I of this nyhtingale, Which erst was cleped Philomene, Told al that evere I wolde mene, 6000 Bothe of hir forme and of hir note, Wherof men mai the storie note. And of hir Soster Progne I finde, Hou sche was torned out of kinde Into a Swalwe swift of winge, Which ek in wynter lith swounynge, Ther as sche mai nothing be sene: Bot whan the world is woxe grene447 And comen is the Somertide, Than fleth sche forth and ginth to chide, 6010 And chitreth out in hir langage448 What falshod is in mariage,449 And telleth in a maner speche Of Tereüs the Spousebreche. Sche wol noght in the wodes duelle, For sche wolde openliche telle;450 P. ii. 329 And ek for that sche was a spouse, Among the folk sche comth to house, To do thes wyves understonde451 The falshod of hire housebonde,452 6020 That thei of hem be war also, For ther ben manye untrewe of tho. Thus ben the Sostres briddes bothe, And ben toward the men so lothe, That thei ne wole of pure schame Unto no mannes hand be tame;453 For evere it duelleth in here mynde Of that thei founde a man unkinde, And that was false Tereüs. If such on be amonges ous 6030 I not, bot his condicion Men sein in every region Withinne toune and ek withoute Nou regneth comunliche aboute. And natheles in remembrance I wol declare what vengance The goddes hadden him ordeined, Of that the Sostres hadden pleigned: For anon after he was changed And from his oghne kinde stranged, 6040 A lappewincke mad he was, And thus he hoppeth on the gras,454 And on his hed ther stant upriht A creste in tokne he was a kniht;455 And yit unto this dai men seith, A lappewincke hath lore his feith456 P. ii. 330 And is the brid falseste of alle. Confessor. Bewar, mi Sone, er thee so falle;457 For if thou be of such covine, To gete of love be Ravine 6050 Thi lust, it mai thee falle thus, As it befell of Tereüs.458 Amans. Mi fader, goddes forebode!459 Me were levere be fortrode460 With wilde hors and be todrawe, Er I ayein love and his lawe Dede eny thing or loude or stille, Which were noght mi ladi wille. Men sein that every love hath drede;461 So folweth it that I hire drede, 6060 For I hire love, and who so dredeth, To plese his love and serve him nedeth. Thus mai ye knowen be this skile That no Ravine don I wile Ayein hir will be such a weie; Bot while I live, I wol obeie Abidinge on hire courtesie, If eny merci wolde hir plie. Forthi, mi fader, as of this I wot noght I have don amis: 6070 Bot furthermore I you beseche, Som other point that ye me teche, And axeth forth, if ther be auht, That I mai be the betre tauht. [Robbery.] ix. Viuat vt ex spoliis grandi quamsepe tumultu, Quo graditur populus, latro perurget iter. P. ii. 331 Sic amor, ex casu poterit quo carpere predam, Si locus est aptus, cetera nulla timet. Whan Covoitise in povere astat Stant with himself upon debat462 Thurgh lacke of his misgovernance, That he unto his sustienance Hic loquitur super illa Cupiditatis specie quam furtum vocant, cuius Ministri alicuius legis offensam non metuentes, tam in amoris causa quam aliter, suam quamsepe conscienciam offendunt. Ne can non other weie finde To gete him good, thanne as the blinde, 6080 Which seth noght what schal after falle, That ilke vice which men calle Of Robberie, he takth on honde; Wherof be water and be londe463 Of thing which othre men beswinke He get him cloth and mete and drinke. Him reccheth noght what he beginne, Thurgh thefte so that he mai winne: Forthi to maken his pourchas He lith awaitende on the pas, 6090 And what thing that he seth ther passe, He takth his part, or more or lasse, If it be worthi to be take. He can the packes wel ransake, So prively berth non aboute His gold, that he ne fint it oute, Or other juel, what it be; He takth it as his proprete. In wodes and in feldes eke Thus Robberie goth to seke, 6100 Wher as he mai his pourpos finde.464 And riht so in the same kinde, P. ii. 332 My goode Sone, as thou miht hiere,465 To speke of love in the matiere And make a verrai resemblance, Riht as a thief makth his chevance And robbeth mennes good aboute In wode and field, wher he goth oute, So be ther of these lovers some, In wylde stedes wher thei come466 6110 And finden there a womman able, And therto place covenable, Withoute leve, er that thei fare, Thei take a part of that chaffare:467 Yee, though sche were a Scheperdesse, Yit wol the lord of wantounesse Assaie, althogh sche be unmete, For other mennes good is swete. Bot therof wot nothing the wif At hom, which loveth as hir lif 6120 Hir lord, and sitt alday wisshinge After hir lordes hom comynge: Bet whan that he comth hom at eve, Anon he makth his wif beleve, For sche noght elles scholde knowe: He telth hire hou his hunte hath blowe, And hou his houndes have wel runne, And hou ther schon a merye Sunne, And hou his haukes flowen wel; Bot he wol telle her nevere a diel 6130 Hou he to love untrewe was, Of that he robbede in the pas, P. ii. 333 And tok his lust under the schawe Ayein love and ayein his lawe. Confessor. Which thing, mi Sone, I thee forbede, For it is an ungoodly dede. For who that takth be Robberie His love, he mai noght justefie His cause, and so fulofte sithe For ones that he hath be blithe 6140 He schal ben after sory thries. Ensample of suche Robberies I finde write, as thou schalt hiere, Acordende unto this matiere. [Neptune and Cornix.] I rede hou whilom was a Maide, The faireste, as Ovide saide, Hic loquitur contra istos in amoris causa predones, qui cum in suam furtiue concupiscenciam aspirant, fortuna in contrarium operatur. Et narrat quod cum468 Neptunus quamdam virginem nomine Cornicem solam iuxta mare deambulantem opprimere suo furto voluisset, superueniens Pallas ipsam e manibus eius virginitate seruata gracius liberauit. Which was in hire time tho; And sche was of the chambre also Of Pallas, which is the goddesse And wif to Marte, of whom prouesse 6150 Is yove to these worthi knihtes.469 For he is of so grete mihtes, That he governeth the bataille; Withouten him may noght availe The stronge hond, bot he it helpe; Ther mai no knyht of armes yelpe, Bot he feihte under his banere. Bot nou to speke of mi matiere, This faire, freisshe, lusti mai, Al one as sche wente on a dai 6160 Upon the stronde forto pleie, Ther cam Neptunus in the weie,470 P. ii. 334 Which hath the See in governance; And in his herte such plesance He tok, whan he this Maide sih, That al his herte aros on hih, For he so sodeinliche unwar471 Behield the beaute that sche bar. And caste anon withinne his herte That sche him schal no weie asterte, 6170 Bot if he take in avantage Fro thilke maide som pilage, Noght of the broches ne the Ringes, Bot of some othre smale thinges He thoghte parte, er that sche wente; And hire in bothe hise armes hente, And putte his hond toward the cofre, Wher forto robbe he made a profre,472 That lusti tresor forto stele, Which passeth othre goodes fele 6180 And cleped is the maidenhede, Which is the flour of wommanhede. This Maiden, which Cornix be name Was hote, dredende alle schame, Sih that sche mihte noght debate, And wel sche wiste he wolde algate Fulfille his lust of Robberie, Anon began to wepe and crie, And seide, ‘O Pallas, noble queene, Scheu nou thi myht and let be sene,473 6190 To kepe and save myn honour: Help, that I lese noght mi flour, P. ii. 335 Which nou under thi keie is loke.’ That word was noght so sone spoke, Whan Pallas schop recoverir After the will and the desir Of hire, which a Maiden was, And sodeinliche upon this cas Out of hire wommanisshe kinde Into a briddes like I finde 6200 Sche was transformed forth withal, So that Neptunus nothing stal Of such thing as he wolde have stole. With fetheres blake as eny cole Out of hise armes in a throwe Sche flih before his yhe a Crowe; Which was to hire a more delit, To kepe hire maidenhede whit Under the wede of fethers blake, In Perles whyte than forsake 6210 That no lif mai restore ayein. Bot thus Neptune his herte in vein Hath upon Robberie sett; The bridd is flowe and he was let, The faire Maide him hath ascaped,474 Wherof for evere he was bejaped And scorned of that he hath lore. Confessor. Mi Sone, be thou war therfore That thou no maidenhode stele, Wherof men sen deseses fele 6220 Aldai befalle in sondri wise; So as I schal thee yit devise An other tale therupon, Which fell be olde daies gon. P. ii. 336 [Tale of Calistona.] King Lichaon upon his wif A dowhter hadde, a goodly lif, Hic ponit exemplum contra istos in causa virginitatis lese predones. Et narrat quod cum Calistona Lichaontis mire pulcritudinis filia suam virginitatem Diane conseruandam castissima vouisset, et in Siluam que Tegea dicitur inter alias ibidem Nimphas moraturam se transtulisset, Iupiter virginis castitatem subtili furto surripiens, quendam476 filium, qui postea Archas nominatus est, ex ea genuit: vnde Iuno in Calistonam seuiens eius pulcritudinem in vrse turpissime deformitatem subito transfigurauit. A clene Maide of worthi fame, Calistona whos rihte name Was cleped, and of many a lord Sche was besoght, bot hire acord 6230 To love myhte noman winne, As sche which hath no lust therinne; Bot swor withinne hir herte and saide That sche wolde evere ben a Maide.475 Wherof to kepe hireself in pes, With suche as Amadriades Were cleped, wodemaydes, tho, And with the Nimphes ek also Upon the spring of freisshe welles Sche schop to duelle and nagher elles. 6240 And thus cam this Calistona Into the wode of Tegea, Wher sche virginite behihte Unto Diane, and therto plihte Her trouthe upon the bowes grene, To kepe hir maidenhode clene. Which afterward upon a day Was priveliche stole away; For Jupiter thurgh his queintise From hire it tok in such a wise, 6250 That sodeinliche forth withal Hire wombe aros and sche toswal, So that it mihte noght ben hidd. And therupon it is betidd, P. ii. 337 Diane, which it herde telle, In prive place unto a welle477 With Nimphes al a compainie478 Was come, and in a ragerie Sche seide that sche bathe wolde, And bad that every maide scholde 6260 With hire al naked bathe also. And tho began the prive wo, Calistona wax red for schame; Bot thei that knewe noght the game, To whom no such thing was befalle, Anon thei made hem naked alle, As thei that nothing wolden hyde:479 Bot sche withdrouh hire evere asyde, And natheles into the flod, Wher that Diane hirselve stod, 6270 Sche thoghte come unaperceived. Bot therof sche was al deceived; For whan sche cam a litel nyh, And that Diane hire wombe syh, Sche seide, ‘Awey, thou foule beste, For thin astat is noght honeste This chaste water forto touche; For thou hast take such a touche, Which nevere mai ben hol ayein.’ And thus goth sche which was forlein 6280 With schame, and fro the Nimphes fledde, Til whanne that nature hire spedde, That of a Sone, which Archas Was named, sche delivered was. P. ii. 338 And tho Juno, which was the wif Of Jupiter, wroth and hastif, In pourpos forto do vengance Cam forth upon this ilke chance, And to Calistona sche spak,480 And sette upon hir many a lak, 6290 And seide, ‘Ha, nou thou art atake, That thou thi werk myht noght forsake. Ha, thou ungoodlich ypocrite,481 Hou thou art gretly forto wyte! Bot nou thou schalt ful sore abie That ilke stelthe and micherie,482 Which thou hast bothe take and do; Wherof thi fader Lichao Schal noght be glad, whan he it wot, Of that his dowhter was so hot, 6300 That sche hath broke hire chaste avou. Bot I thee schal chastise nou;483 Thi grete beaute schal be torned, Thurgh which that thou hast be mistorned,484 Thi large frount, thin yhen greie, I schal hem change in other weie, And al the feture of thi face In such a wise I schal deface, That every man thee schal forbere.’ With that the liknesse of a bere 6310 Sche tok and was forschape anon. Withinne a time and therupon Befell that with a bowe on honde,485 To hunte and gamen forto fonde, P. ii. 339 Into that wode goth to pleie Hir Sone Archas, and in his weie It hapneth that this bere cam.486 And whan that sche good hiede nam,487 Wher that he stod under the bowh,488 Sche kneu him wel and to him drouh; 6320 For thogh sche hadde hire forme lore, The love was noght lost therfore Which kinde hath set under his lawe. Whan sche under the wodesschawe489 Hire child behield, sche was so glad, That sche with bothe hire armes sprad, As thogh sche were in wommanhiede, Toward him cam, and tok non hiede Of that he bar a bowe bent. And he with that an Arwe hath hent 6330 And gan to teise it in his bowe, As he that can non other knowe, Bot that it was a beste wylde. Bot Jupiter, which wolde schylde The Moder and the Sone also, Ordeineth for hem bothe so,490 That thei for evere were save. Confessor. Bot thus, mi Sone, thou myht have Ensample, hou that it is to fle To robbe the virginite 6340 Of a yong innocent aweie:491 And overthis be other weie, In olde bokes as I rede, Such Robberie is forto drede, P. ii. 340 And nameliche of thilke good Which every womman that is good Desireth forto kepe and holde, As whilom was be daies olde. For if thou se mi tale wel Of that was tho, thou miht somdiel 6350 Of old ensample taken hiede,492 Hou that the flour of maidenhiede Was thilke time holde in pris. And so it was, and so it is, And so it schal for evere stonde: And for thou schalt it understonde, Nou herkne a tale next suiende, Hou maidenhod is to commende. [Virginity.] x. Vt Rosa de spinis spineto preualet orta,493 Et lilii flores cespite plura valent, Sic sibi virginitas carnis sponsalia vincit, Eternos fetus que sine labe parit. Of Rome among the gestes olde I finde hou that Valerie tolde 6360 Hic loquitur de virginitatis commendacione, vbi dicit quod nuper Imperatores ob tanti status dignitatem virginibus cedebant496 in via. That what man tho was Emperour494 Of Rome, he scholde don honour To the virgine, and in the weie,495 Wher he hire mette, he scholde obeie In worschipe of virginite, Which tho was of gret dignite.497 Noght onliche of the wommen tho,498 Bot of the chaste men also It was commended overal: And forto speke in special 6370 P. ii. 341 Touchende of men, ensample I finde, Hic loquitur, qualiter Phyrinus, iuuenum Rome pulcherrimus, ut illesam suam conseruaret virginitatem, ambos oculos eruens vultus sui decorem abhominabilem constituit. Phyryns, which was of mannes kinde499 Above alle othre the faireste Of Rome and ek the comelieste, That wel was hire which him mihte Beholde and have of him a sihte. Thus was he tempted ofte sore; Bot for he wolde be nomore500 Among the wommen so coveited, The beaute of his face streited 6380 He hath, and threste out bothe hise yhen,501 That alle wommen whiche him syhen502 Thanne afterward, of him ne roghte: And thus his maidehiede he boghte. So mai I prove wel forthi, Above alle othre under the Sky, Who that the vertus wolde peise,503 Virginite is forto preise, Which, as thapocalips recordeth, To Crist in hevene best acordeth.504 6390 So mai it schewe wel therfore, As I have told it hier tofore, In hevene and ek in Erthe also It is accept to bothe tuo*. And if I schal more over this Declare what this vertu is, I finde write upon this thing [Chastity of Valentinian.] Of Valentinian the king And Emperour be thilke daies, Hic loquitur qualiter Valentinianus Imperator, cum ipse octogenarius plures prouincias Romano Imperio belliger subiugasset, dixit se super omnia magis gaudere de eo, quod contra sue carnis concupiscenciam victoriam optinuisset; nam et ipse virgo omnibus diebus vite sue castissimus permansit. A worthi knyht at alle assaies, 6400 Hou he withoute Mariage Was of an hundred wynter Age, And hadde ben a worthi kniht Bothe of his lawe and of his myht.