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CONFESSIO AMANTIS:--

LIBER V 1

LIBER VI 167

IN PRAISE OF PEACE 481

NOTES 495

GLOSSARY AND INDEX OF PROPER NAMES 555

INDEX TO THE NOTES 651

CORRIGENDA ET ADDENDA

CONFESSIO AMANTIS

Upon the bench sittende on hih With Avarice Usure I sih, 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, 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 selleth 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, 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; 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, That scarsly wolde it weie a myte, Yit wolde thei have a pound again, 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 continuance Fulofte make a gret chevance And take of love his avantage, Forth with the help of his brocage, That maken seme wher is noght. And thus fulofte is love boght For litel what, and mochel take, With false weyhtes that thei make. 4430 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. Mi fader, nay, for ought I hiere. For of tho pointz ye tolden hiere 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. 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, 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, That I ne schal hire yive and lene Mi love and al mi thoght so clene, 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, 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 y? Min hole herte til I dye With al that evere I may and can Sche hath me wonne to hire man: 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, Mi grete love to compense. I not hou sche hire conscience Excuse wole of this usure; 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, 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' 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, So mot he nedes povere gon: Thus beie I diere and have no love, That I ne mai noght come above 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. 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, 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, Per cas al mai to goode wende. Bot that thou hast me told and said, Of o thing I am riht wel paid, That thou be sleyhte ne be guile Of no brocour hast otherwhile 4570 Engined love, for such dede Is sore venged, as I rede.

Blinde Avarice of his lignage For conseil and for cousinage, To be withholde ayein largesse, 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, 4680 He moste thanne faile nede, Wher god himselve mai noght spede. 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, Him reccheth noght what men recorden 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; 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. Mi fader, it hath stonde thus, That if the tresor of Cresus 4730 And al the gold Octovien, Forth with the richesse Yndien 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 may I myhte like or more or lesse. And thus be cause of my scarsnesse 4740 Ye mai wel understonde and lieve That I schal noght the worse achieve 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, 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, 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. 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

The vice lik unto the fend, Which nevere yit was mannes frend, And cleped is Unkindeschipe, 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, 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, 4920 The lawe also, who that it kan, 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, I thenke forto specefie.

In the lignage of Avarice, Mi Sone, yit ther is a vice, His rihte name it is Ravine, Which hath a route of his covine. Ravine among the maistres duelleth, And with his servantz, as men telleth, 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, 5520 Ravine makth non other skile, Bot takth be strengthe what he wile. So ben ther in the same wise Lovers, as I thee schal devise, That whan noght elles mai availe, Anon with strengthe thei assaile And gete of love the sesine, Whan thei se time, be Ravine. Forthi, mi Sone, schrif thee hier, If thou hast ben a Raviner 5530 Of love. Certes, fader, no: For I mi ladi love so, That thogh I were as was Pompeie, That al the world me wolde obeie, Or elles such as Alisandre, I wolde noght do such a sklaundre; It is no good man, which so doth. In good feith, Sone, thou seist soth: For he that wole of pourveance Be such a weie his lust avance, 5540 He schal it after sore abie, Bot if these olde ensamples lie. Nou, goode fader, tell me on, So as ye cunne manyon, Touchende of love in this matiere. Nou list, mi Sone, and thou schalt hiere, 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

Whan Covoitise in povere astat Stant with himself upon debat Thurgh lacke of his misgovernance, That he unto his sustienance 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 londe 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. And riht so in the same kinde, My goode Sone, as thou miht hiere, 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 come 6110 And finden there a womman able, And therto place covenable, Withoute leve, er that thei fare, Thei take a part of that chaffare: 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, And tok his lust under the schawe Ayein love and ayein his lawe. 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.

FOOTNOTES:

Whan ?at sche was but of ?ong age ffor good

E ... B?

And so fell ?at vpon an ile Thei were wind driue wi?inne a while

H? ... B?

And crie it to briddes al aboute How ?ou hast do to me ?urghoute H? ... B?

That maidenhode is forto preise Who ?at ?e vertus wolde peise

S ... ??

My fader so I wole I wis But now ?our ensamplerie H? ... B?

Incipit Liber Sextus

Mi Sone, as of that ilke vice, Which of alle othre is the Norrice, And stant upon the retenue Of Venus, so as it is due, The proprete hou that it fareth The bok hierafter nou declareth.

FOOTNOTES:

Vsage is ?e seconde kinde In loue als wel as o?er weie, &c.

Bot now a dai a man mai se The world so full of vanite, That noman tak? of reson hiede Or forto clo?e or forto fiede, Bot al is sett vnto ?e vice To newe and changen his delice. And riht so etc.

Incipit Liber Septimus.

Taurus the seconde after this Of Signes, which figured is Unto a Bole, is dreie and cold; And as it is in bokes told, He is the hous appourtienant To Venus, somdiel descordant. 1020 This Bole is ek with sterres set, Thurgh whiche he hath hise hornes knet Unto the tail of Aries, So is he noght ther sterreles. Upon his brest ek eyhtetiene He hath, and ek, as it is sene, Upon his tail stonde othre tuo. His Monthe assigned ek also Is Averil, which of his schoures Ministreth weie unto the floures. 1030

The thridde signe is Gemini, Which is figured redely Lich to tuo twinnes of mankinde, That naked stonde; and as I finde, Thei be with Sterres wel bego: The heved hath part of thilke tuo That schyne upon the boles tail, So be thei bothe of o parail; But on the wombe of Gemini Ben fyve sterres noght forthi, 1040 And ek upon the feet be tweie, So as these olde bokes seie, That wise Tholome?s wrot. His propre Monthe wel I wot Assigned is the lusti Maii, Whanne every brid upon his lay Among the griene leves singeth, And love of his pointure stingeth After the lawes of nature The youthe of every creature. 1050

Cancer after the reule and space Of Signes halt the ferthe place. Like to the crabbe he hath semblance, And hath unto his retienance Sextiene sterres, wherof ten, So as these olde wise men Descrive, he berth on him tofore, And in the middel tuo be bore, And foure he hath upon his ende. Thus goth he sterred in his kende, 1060 And of himself is moiste and cold, And is the propre hous and hold Which appartieneth to the Mone, And doth what longeth him to done. The Monthe of Juin unto this Signe Thou schalt after the reule assigne.

The fifte Signe is Leo hote, Whos kinde is schape dreie and hote, In whom the Sonne hath herbergage. And the semblance of his ymage 1070 Is a leoun, which in baillie Of sterres hath his pourpartie: The foure, which as Cancer hath Upon his ende, Leo tath Upon his heved, and thanne nest He hath ek foure upon his brest, And on upon his tail behinde, In olde bokes as we finde. His propre Monthe is Juyl be name, In which men pleien many a game. 1080

After Leo Virgo the nexte Of Signes cleped is the sexte, Wherof the figure is a Maide; And as the Philosophre saide, Sche is the welthe and the risinge, The lust, the joie and the likinge Unto Mercurie: and soth to seie Sche is with sterres wel beseie, Wherof Leo hath lent hire on, Which sit on hih hir heved upon, 1090 Hire wombe hath fyve, hir feet also Have other fyve: and overmo Touchende as of complexion, Be kindly disposicion Of dreie and cold this Maiden is. And forto tellen over this Hir Monthe, thou schalt understonde, Whan every feld hath corn in honde And many a man his bak hath plied, Unto this Signe is Augst applied. 1100

After Virgo to reknen evene Libra sit in the nombre of sevene, Which hath figure and resemblance Unto a man which a balance Berth in his hond as forto weie: In boke and as it mai be seie, Diverse sterres to him longeth, Wherof on hevede he underfongeth Ferst thre, and ek his wombe hath tuo, And doun benethe eighte othre mo. 1110 This Signe is hot and moiste bothe, The whiche thinges be noght lothe Unto Venus, so that alofte Sche resteth in his hous fulofte, And ek Saturnus often hyed Is in this Signe and magnefied. His propre Monthe is seid Septembre, Which yifth men cause to remembre, If eny Sor be left behinde Of thing which grieve mai to kinde. 1120

Among the Signes upon heighte The Signe which is nombred eighte Is Scorpio, which as feloun Figured is a Scorpioun. Bot for al that yit natheles Is Scorpio noght sterreles; For Libra granteth him his ende Of eighte sterres, wher he wende, The whiche upon his heved assised He berth, and ek ther ben divised 1130 Upon his wombe sterres thre, And eighte upon his tail hath he. Which of his kinde is moiste and cold And unbehovely manyfold; He harmeth Venus and empeireth, Bot Mars unto his hous repeireth, Bot war whan thei togedre duellen. His propre Monthe is, as men tellen, Octobre, which bringth the kalende Of wynter, that comth next suiende. 1140

The nynthe Signe in nombre also, Which folweth after Scorpio, Is cleped Sagittarius, The whos figure is marked thus, A Monstre with a bowe on honde: On whom that sondri sterres stonde, Thilke eighte of whiche I spak tofore, The whiche upon the tail ben bore Of Scorpio, the heved al faire Bespreden of the Sagittaire; 1150 And eighte of othre stonden evene Upon his wombe, and othre sevene Ther stonde upon his tail behinde. And he is hot and dreie of kinde: To Jupiter his hous is fre, Bot to Mercurie in his degre, For thei ben noght of on assent, He worcheth gret empeirement. This Signe hath of his proprete A Monthe, which of duete 1160 After the sesoun that befalleth The Plowed Oxe in wynter stalleth; And fyr into the halle he bringeth, And thilke drinke of which men singeth, He torneth must into the wyn; Thanne is the larder of the swyn; That is Novembre which I meene, Whan that the lef hath lost his greene.

The tenthe Signe dreie and cold, The which is Capricornus told, 1170 Unto a Got hath resemblance: For whos love and whos aqueintance Withinne hise houses to sojorne It liketh wel unto Satorne, Bot to the Mone it liketh noght, For no profit is there wroght. This Signe as of his proprete Upon his heved hath sterres thre, And ek upon his wombe tuo, And tweie upon his tail also. 1180 Decembre after the yeeres forme, So as the bokes ous enforme, With daies schorte and nyhtes longe This ilke Signe hath underfonge.

Of tho that sitte upon the hevene Of Signes in the nombre ellevene Aquarius hath take his place, And stant wel in Satornes grace, Which duelleth in his herbergage, Bot to the Sonne he doth oultrage. 1190 This Signe is verraily resembled Lich to a man which halt assembled In eyther hand a water spoute, Wherof the stremes rennen oute. He is of kinde moiste and hot, And he that of the sterres wot Seith that he hath of sterres tuo Upon his heved, and ben of tho That Capricorn hath on his ende; And as the bokes maken mende, 1200 That Tholome?s made himselve, He hath ek on his wombe tuelve, And tweie upon his ende stonde. Thou schalt also this understonde, The frosti colde Janever, Whan comen is the newe yeer, That Janus with his double face In his chaiere hath take his place And loketh upon bothe sides, Somdiel toward the wynter tydes, 1210 Somdiel toward the yeer suiende, That is the Monthe belongende Unto this Signe, and of his dole He yifth the ferste Primerole.

The tuelfthe, which is last of alle Of Signes, Piscis men it calle, The which, as telleth the scripture, Berth of tuo fisshes the figure. So is he cold and moiste of kinde, And ek with sterres, as I finde, 1220 Beset in sondri wise, as thus: Tuo of his ende Aquarius Hath lent unto his heved, and tuo This Signe hath of his oghne also Upon his wombe, and over this Upon his ende also ther is A nombre of twenty sterres bryghte, Which is to sen a wonder sighte. Toward this Signe into his hous Comth Jupiter the glorious, 1230 And Venus ek with him acordeth To duellen, as the bok recordeth. The Monthe unto this Signe ordeined Is Februer, which is bereined, And with londflodes in his rage At Fordes letteth the passage.

Nou hast thou herd the proprete Of Signes, bot in his degre Albumazar yit over this Seith, so as therthe parted is 1240 In foure, riht so ben divised The Signes tuelve and stonde assised, That ech of hem for his partie Hath his climat to justefie. Wherof the ferste regiment Toward the part of Orient From Antioche and that contre Governed is of Signes thre, That is Cancer, Virgo, Leo: And toward Occident also 1250 From Armenie, as I am lerned, Of Capricorn it stant governed, Of Pisces and Aquarius: And after hem I finde thus, Southward from Alisandre forth Tho Signes whiche most ben worth In governance of that doaire, Libra thei ben and Sagittaire With Scorpio, which is conjoint With hem to stonde upon that point: 1260 Constantinople the Cite, So as the bokes tellen me, The laste of this division Stant untoward Septemtrion, Wher as be weie of pourveance Hath Aries the governance Forth with Taurus and Gemini. Thus ben the Signes propreli Divided, as it is reherced, Wherof the londes ben diversed. 1270 Lo thus, mi Sone, as thou myht hiere, Was Alisandre mad to liere Of hem that weren for his lore. But nou to loken overmore, Of othre sterres hou thei fare I thenke hierafter to declare, So as king Alisandre in youthe Of him that suche thinges couthe Enformed was tofore his yhe Be nyhte upon the sterres hihe. 1280

Above alle erthli creatures The hihe makere of natures The word to man hath yove alone, So that the speche of his persone, 1510 Or forto lese or forto winne, The hertes thoght which is withinne Mai schewe, what it wolde mene; And that is noghwhere elles sene Of kinde with non other beste. So scholde he be the more honeste, To whom god yaf so gret a yifte, And loke wel that he ne schifte Hise wordes to no wicked us; For word the techer of vertus 1520 Is cleped in Philosophie. Wherof touchende this partie, Is Rethorique the science Appropred to the reverence Of wordes that ben resonable: And for this art schal be vailable With goodli wordes forto like, It hath Gramaire, it hath Logiqe, That serven bothe unto the speche. Gramaire ferste hath forto teche 1530 To speke upon congruite: Logique hath eke in his degre Betwen the trouthe and the falshode The pleine wordes forto schode, So that nothing schal go beside, That he the riht ne schal decide, Wherof full many a gret debat Reformed is to good astat, And pes sustiened up alofte With esy wordes and with softe, 1540 Wher strengthe scholde lete it falle. The Philosophre amonges alle Forthi commendeth this science, Which hath the reule of eloquence. In Ston and gras vertu ther is, Bot yit the bokes tellen this, That word above alle erthli thinges Is vertuous in his doinges, Wher so it be to evele or goode. For if the wordes semen goode 1550 And ben wel spoke at mannes Ere, Whan that ther is no trouthe there, Thei don fulofte gret deceipte; For whan the word to the conceipte Descordeth in so double a wise, Such Rethorique is to despise In every place, and forto drede. For of Uluxes thus I rede, As in the bok of Troie is founde, His eloquence and his facounde 1560 Of goodly wordes whiche he tolde, Hath mad that Anthenor him solde The toun, which he with tresoun wan. Word hath beguiled many a man; With word the wilde beste is daunted, With word the Serpent is enchaunted, Of word among the men of Armes Ben woundes heeled with the charmes, Wher lacketh other medicine; Word hath under his discipline 1570 Of Sorcerie the karectes. The wordes ben of sondri sectes, Of evele and eke of goode also; The wordes maken frend of fo, And fo of frend, and pes of werre, And werre of pes, and out of herre The word this worldes cause entriketh, And reconsileth whan him liketh. The word under the coupe of hevene Set every thing or odde or evene; 1580 With word the hihe god is plesed, With word the wordes ben appesed, The softe word the loude stilleth; Wher lacketh good, the word fulfilleth, To make amendes for the wrong; Whan wordes medlen with the song, It doth plesance wel the more. Bot forto loke upon the lore Hou Tullius his Rethorique Componeth, ther a man mai pike 1590 Hou that he schal hise wordes sette, Hou he schal lose, hou he schal knette, And in what wise he schal pronounce His tale plein withoute frounce. Wherof ensample if thou wolt seche, Tak hiede and red whilom the speche Of Julius and Cithero, Which consul was of Rome tho, Of Catoun eke and of Cillene, Behold the wordes hem betwene, 1600 Whan the tresoun of Cateline Descoevered was, and the covine Of hem that were of his assent Was knowe and spoke in parlement, And axed hou and in what wise Men scholde don hem to juise. Cillenus ferst his tale tolde, To trouthe and as he was beholde, The comun profit forto save, He seide hou tresoun scholde have 1610 A cruel deth; and thus thei spieke, The Consul bothe and Catoun eke, And seiden that for such a wrong Ther mai no peine be to strong. Bot Julius with wordes wise His tale tolde al otherwise, As he which wolde her deth respite, And fondeth hou he mihte excite The jugges thurgh his eloquence Fro deth to torne the sentence 1620 And sette here hertes to pite. Nou tolden thei, nou tolde he; Thei spieken plein after the lawe, Bot he the wordes of his sawe Coloureth in an other weie Spekende, and thus betwen the tweie, To trete upon this juggement, Made ech of hem his Argument. Wherof the tales forto hiere, Ther mai a man the Scole liere 1630 Of Rethoriqes eloquences, Which is the secounde of sciences Touchende to Philosophie; Wherof a man schal justifie Hise wordes in disputeisoun, And knette upon conclusioun His Argument in such a forme, Which mai the pleine trouthe enforme And the soubtil cautele abate, Which every trewman schal debate. 1640

In eny lond under the Sonne, Ther is ful many a thing begonne Which were betre to be left; That hath be schewed nou and eft. Bot if a Prince wolde him reule Of the Romeins after the reule, In thilke time as it was used, This vice scholde be refused, Wherof the Princes ben assoted. Bot wher the pleine trouthe is noted, 2340 Ther may a Prince wel conceive, That he schal noght himself deceive, Of that he hiereth wordes pleine; For him thar noght be reson pleigne, That warned is er him be wo. And that was fully proeved tho, Whan Rome was the worldes chief, The Sothseiere tho was lief, Which wolde noght the trouthe spare, Bot with hise wordes pleine and bare 2350 To Themperour hise sothes tolde, As in Cronique is yit withholde, Hierafterward as thou schalt hiere Acordende unto this matiere.

Forthi the lond mai wel be glad, Whos king with good conseil is lad, Which set him unto rihtwisnesse, So that his hihe worthinesse 4170 Betwen the reddour and Pite Doth mercy forth with equite. A king is holden overal To Pite, bot in special To hem wher he is most beholde; Thei scholde his Pite most beholde That ben the Lieges of his lond, For thei ben evere under his hond After the goddes ordinaunce To stonde upon his governance. 4180 Of themperour Anthonius I finde hou that he seide thus, That levere him were forto save Oon of his lieges than to have Of enemis a thousend dede. And this he lernede, as I rede, Of Cipio, which hadde be Consul of Rome. And thus to se Diverse ensamples hou thei stonde, A king which hath the charge on honde 4190 The comun poeple to governe, If that he wole, he mai wel lerne. Is non so good to the plesance Of god, as is good governance; And every governance is due To Pite: thus I mai argue That Pite is the foundement Of every kinges regiment, If it be medled with justice. Thei tuo remuen alle vice, 4200 And ben of vertu most vailable To make a kinges regne stable. Lo, thus the foure pointz tofore, In governance as thei ben bore, Of trouthe ferst and of largesse, Of Pite forth with rihtwisnesse, I have hem told; and over this The fifte point, so as it is Set of the reule of Policie, Wherof a king schal modefie 4210 The fleisschly lustes of nature, Nou thenk I telle of such mesure, That bothe kinde schal be served And ek the lawe of god observed.

The Madle is mad for the femele, Bot where as on desireth fele, That nedeth noght be weie of kinde: For whan a man mai redy finde His oghne wif, what scholde he seche In strange places to beseche 4220 To borwe an other mannes plouh, Whan he hath geere good ynouh Affaited at his oghne heste, And is to him wel more honeste Than other thing which is unknowe? Forthi scholde every good man knowe And thenke, hou that in mariage His trouthe plight lith in morgage, Which if he breke, it is falshode, And that descordeth to manhode, 4230 And namely toward the grete, Wherof the bokes alle trete; So as the Philosophre techeth To Alisandre, and him betecheth The lore hou that he schal mesure His bodi, so that no mesure Of fleisshly lust he scholde excede. And thus forth if I schal procede, The fifte point, as I seide er, Is chastete, which sielde wher 4240 Comth nou adaies into place; And natheles, bot it be grace Above alle othre in special, Is non that chaste mai ben all. Bot yit a kinges hihe astat, Which of his ordre as a prelat Schal ben enoignt and seintefied, He mot be more magnefied For dignete of his corone, Than scholde an other low persone, 4250 Which is noght of so hih emprise. Therfore a Prince him scholde avise, Er that he felle in such riote, And namely that he nassote To change for the wommanhede The worthinesse of his manhede. Of Aristotle I have wel rad, Hou he to Alisandre bad, That forto gladen his corage He schal beholde the visage 4260 Of wommen, whan that thei ben faire. Bot yit he set an essamplaire, His bodi so to guide and reule, That he ne passe noght the reule, Wherof that he himself beguile. For in the womman is no guile Of that a man himself bewhapeth; Whan he his oghne wit bejapeth, I can the wommen wel excuse: Bot what man wole upon hem muse 4270 After the fool impression Of his ymaginacioun, Withinne himself the fyr he bloweth, Wherof the womman nothing knoweth, So mai sche nothing be to wyte. For if a man himself excite To drenche, and wol it noght forbere, The water schal no blame bere. What mai the gold, thogh men coveite? If that a man wol love streite, 4280 The womman hath him nothing bounde; If he his oghne herte wounde, Sche mai noght lette the folie; And thogh so felle of compainie That he myht eny thing pourchace, Yit makth a man the ferste chace, The womman fleth and he poursuieth: So that be weie of skile it suieth, The man is cause, hou so befalle, That he fulofte sithe is falle 4290 Wher that he mai noght wel aryse. And natheles ful manye wise Befoled have hemself er this, As nou adaies yit it is Among the men and evere was, The stronge is fieblest in this cas. It sit a man be weie of kinde To love, bot it is noght kinde A man for love his wit to lese: For if the Monthe of Juil schal frese 4300 And that Decembre schal ben hot, The yeer mistorneth, wel I wot. To sen a man fro his astat Thurgh his sotie effeminat, And leve that a man schal do, It is as Hose above the Scho, To man which oghte noght ben used. Bot yit the world hath ofte accused Ful grete Princes of this dede, Hou thei for love hemself mislede, 4310 Wherof manhode stod behinde, Of olde ensamples as I finde.

FOOTNOTES:

That euery man be wepenles That come in to &c. H? ... B?

Incipit Liber Octavus.

The wofull peine of loves maladie, Ayein the which mai no phisique availe, Min herte hath so bewhaped with sotie, That wher so that I reste or I travaile, 2220 I finde it evere redy to assaile Mi resoun, which that can him noght defende: Thus seche I help, wherof I mihte amende.

Ferst to Nature if that I me compleigne, Ther finde I hou that every creature Som time ayer hath love in his demeine, So that the litel wrenne in his mesure Hath yit of kinde a love under his cure; And I bot on desire, of which I misse: And thus, bot I, hath every kinde his blisse. 2230

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