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 CONFESSIO AMANTIS 
 
 GOWER'S CONFESSION OF A LOVER 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES 
 
 VOL. III. 
 
CONFESSIO AMANTIS OF 
 
 EDITED AND COLLATED 
 
 WITH THE BEST MANUSCRIPTS BY 
 
 DR. REINHOLD PAULI 
 
 VOL. III. 
 
 LONDON 
 
 BELL AND DALDY FLEET STREET 
 
 1857 
 
 71674 
 
CHISWJCK PRESS : PRINTED BY C. WHITTINGHAM, TOOKS COURT, 
 
 CHANCERY LANE. 
 
\ S57 
 or 
 
 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Incipit Liber Sextus. 
 
 Eft gula, que nojirum maculavit prima parentem 
 
 Ex vet'ito porno, quo dolet omnis homo 
 Hec agity ut corpus anirne contraria fpirat, 
 
 Quo caro fit crajfa^fpiritus atque macer. 
 Intus et exterius ft que virtutis habentur, 
 
 Potibus ebrietas conviciata ruit. 
 Merfa fopore labis, que Backus inebriat hofpes, 
 
 Indlgnata Venus ofcula raro premit. 
 
 HE grete finne originall, 
 Which every man in gen- 
 eral [venimed, 
 Upon his birth hath en- 
 In paradis it was mif- 
 timed, 
 
 Whan Adam of thilke appel bote, 
 His fwete morcel was to hote, 
 Which dedly made the mankinde. 
 And in the bokes as I finde 
 This vice, which fo out of reule 
 Hath fet us all, is cleped gule, 
 3 B 
 
 
 ipfffffis 
 
 IIP 
 
 SB 
 
 
 Hie in fexto libro 
 traclare intendit de 
 illo capitali vicio, 
 quod gula dicitur, 
 nee non et de eiuf- 
 dem duabus fo- 
 lummodo fpecie- 
 bus, videlicet ebri- 
 etate et delicacia, 
 ex quibus humane 
 concupifcencie ob- 
 leclamentum ha- 
 bundancius aug- 
 mentatur. 
 
2 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Of which the braunches ben fo great, 
 That of hem all I wol nought treat, 
 But only as touchend of two 
 I thenke fpeke and of no mo. 
 
 '* Wherof the nrft is dronkemip, 
 Which bereth the cuppe felafhip. 
 Ful many a wonder doth this vice, 
 He can make of a wifman nice 
 And of a fool, that him (hall feme, 
 
 ^ That he can all the lawe deme 
 And yiven every jugement, 
 Which longeth to the firmament 
 Both of the fterre and of the mone. 
 And thus he maketh a great clerk fone 
 Of him, that is a lewde man. 
 There is no thing, whiche he ne can, 
 While he hath dronkemip on honde, 
 He knoweth the fee, he knoweth the ftronde, 
 He is a noble man of amies, 
 And yet no ftrength is in his armes. 
 There he was ftronge inow to-fore, 
 With dronkemip it is forlore 
 And all is chaunged his eftate 
 And wext anone fo feble and mate, 
 That he may nouther go ne come, 
 But all to-gider he is benome 
 The power both of honde and fote, 
 So that algate abide he mote 
 And all his wittes he foryete. 
 The which is to him fuch a lete, 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 
 
 That he wot never what he doth, 
 Ne which is fals, ne which is foth, 
 Ne which is day, ne which is night, 
 As for the time he knoweth no wight, 
 That he ne wot fo moch as this, 
 What maner thing him felven is 
 Or he be man, or he be befte. 
 That holde I right a fory fefte, 
 Whan he, that refon underftode, 
 So fodeinlich is woxe wode 
 Or elles lich the dede man, 
 Which nouther go ne fpeke can. 
 Thus ofte he is to bedde brought, 
 But where he lith yet wot he nought, 
 Till he arife upon the morwe 
 And than he faith : O, which a forwe 
 It is for to be drinkeles, 
 So that half drunke in fuch a rees 
 With drie mouth he fterte him up 
 And faith : Now baillez $a the cuppe. 
 That made him lefe his wit at eve 
 Is than a morwe all his beleve, 
 The cuppe is all that ever him plefeth 
 And alfo that him mod difefeth, 
 It is the cuppe whom he ferveth, 
 Which alle cares from him kerveth 
 And all the bales to him bringeth. 
 In joy he wepeth, in forwe he fingeth, 
 For dronkefhip is fo divers, 
 It may no while ftonde invers, 
 
 yo 
 
4 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 He drinketh the wine, but ate laft 
 
 The wine drinketh him and bint him fa ft 
 
 And laith him drunke by the walle 
 
 As him, which is his bonde thralle 
 
 And all in his fubjeclion. 
 
 And lich to fuch condicion 
 
 As for to fpeke it otherwife 
 
 It falleth, that the moft wife 
 
 Ben other while of love adoted 
 
 And fo bewhapped and aflbted 
 
 Of dronken men, that never yit 
 
 Was none, which half fo loft his wit 
 
 Of drinke, as they of fuch thing do, 
 
 Which cleped is the jolif wo, 
 
 And waxen of her owne thought 
 
 So drunke, that they knowe nought, 
 
 What refon is or more or leffe. 
 
 Such is the kinde of that fikneffe, 
 
 And that is nought for lacke of braine, 
 
 But love is of fo great a maine, 
 
 That where he taketh a herte on honde, 
 
 There may nothing his might withftonde. 
 
 The wife Salomon was nome, 
 
 And ftronge Sampfon overcome, 
 
 The knightly David him ne might 
 
 Refcoue, that he with the fight 
 
 Of Berfabe ne was beftade. 
 
 Virgile alfo was overlade, 
 
 And Ariftotle was put under. 
 
 Forthy my fone, it is no wonder, 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 5 
 
 If thou be drunke of love amonge, 
 Which is above all other ftronge. 
 And if fo is, that thou fo be, 
 Tell me thy mrift in privete, 
 It is no fhame of fuch a thewe 
 A yong man to be dronkelewe. 
 Of fuch phifique I can a parte, 
 And as me femeth by that arte, 
 Thou muldeft by phifonomy 
 Be fhapen to that malady 
 Of love drunk, and that is routhe. 
 
 Ha, holy fader, all is trouthe, Confeffio amantis. 
 
 That ye me telle, I am beknowe, 
 That I with love am fo bethrowe 
 And al min herte is fo through funke, 
 That I am veriliche drunke, 
 And yet I may both fpeke and go. 
 But I am overcome fo 
 And torned fro my felf fo clene, 
 That oft I wot nought what I mene, 
 So that excufen I ne may 
 My herte fro the firfte day, 
 That I cam to my lady kith. 
 I was yet fobre never fith, 
 Where I her fe or fe her nought, 
 With muling of min owne thought 
 Of love, which min herte afTaileth, 
 So drunke I am, that my wit faileth 
 And all my braine is overtorned 
 And my manere fo miftorned, 
 
6 CONFESSIO AMAN7IS. 
 
 That I foryete all that I can 
 
 And ftonde like a mafed man, 
 
 That ofte whan I fhulde play 
 
 It maketh me drawe out of the way 
 
 In folein place by my felve, 
 
 As doth a laborer to delve, 
 
 Which can no gentilmannes chere, 
 
 Or elles as a lewde frere, 
 
 Whan he is put to his penaunce, 
 
 Right fo lefe I my contenaunce. 
 
 And if it nedes fo betide, 
 
 That I in compaigny abide, 
 
 Where as I mufte daunce and iinge 
 
 The hove daunce and carolinge, 
 
 Or for to go the newe fote, 
 
 I may nought wel heve up my fote, 
 
 If that fhe be nought in the way. 
 
 For than is all my merth away, 
 
 And waxe anone of thought fo full, 
 
 Wherof my limmes ben fo dull, 
 
 I may unethes gon the pas. 
 
 For thus it is and ever was, 
 
 Whan I on fuche thoughtes mule, 
 
 The luft and merthe that men ufe, 
 
 Whan I fe nought my lady byme, 
 
 All is foryete for the time 
 
 So ferforth, that my wittes chaungen 
 
 And alle luftes fro me ftraungen, 
 
 That they fain alle truely 
 
 And fwere, that it am nought I. 
 
LIBER S EXT US. 7 
 
 For as the man, which ofte drinketh 
 The wine, that in his ftomack finketh, 
 Wexth drunke and witles for a throwe, 
 Right fo my luft is overthrowe, 
 And of min owne thought fo mate 
 I waxe, that to min eftate 
 There is no limme will me ferve, 
 But as a drunken man I fwerve 
 And fuffre fuch a paffion, 
 That men have great companion 
 And everich by him felf merveileth, 
 What thing it is, that me fo eileth. 
 Such is the maner of my wo, 
 Which time that I am her fro, 
 Till efte ayein that I her fe. 
 But than it were a nicete 
 To telle you, how that I fare. 
 For whan I may upon her ftare, 
 Her womanheed, her gentileffe, 
 Min hert is full of fuch gladnelfe, 
 That overpaffeth fo my wit, 
 That I wot never where it lit, 
 But am fo drunken of that light, 
 Me thenketh, that for the time I might 
 Right fterte through the hole wall. 
 And than I may well, if I lhall, 
 Both linge and daunce and lepe about 
 And holde forth the lufty rout. 
 But netheles it falleth fo 
 Full ofte that I fro her go 
 
8 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Ne may, but as it were a flake 
 I ftonde avifement to take 
 And loke upon her faire face, 
 That for the while out of the place 
 For all the world ne might I wende. 
 Such luft comth than into my minde, 
 So that withoute mete and drinke 
 Of lufty thoughtes, which I thinke, 
 Me thenketh I mighte ftonden ever. 
 And fo it were to me lever, 
 Than fuch a fighte for to leve, 
 If that me wolde yive me leve 
 To have fo mochel of my will. 
 And thus thenkend I ftonde ftill 
 Withoute blenching of min eye, 
 Right as me thoughte that I figh 
 Of paradis the mofte joy. 
 And fo there while I me rejoy, 
 Unto min herte a great defire, 
 The which is hoter than the fire, 
 All fodeinliche upon me renneth, 
 That all my thought withinne brenneth 
 And am fo ferforth overcome, 
 That I not where I am become, 
 So that among tho hertes ftronge 
 In ftede of drinke I underfonge 
 A thought fo fwete in my corage, 
 That never piment ne vernage 
 Was half fo fwete for to drinke. 
 For as I wolde, than I thinke, 
 
LIBER SEXrUS. 9 
 
 As though I were at min above, 
 
 For fo through drunke I am of love, 
 
 That all that my fotie demeth 
 
 Is foth, as than it to me femeth. 
 
 And while I may tho thoughtes kepe, 
 
 Me thenketh as though I were aflepe 
 
 And that I were in goddes barme. 
 
 But whan I fe min owne harme 
 
 And that I fodeinliche awake 
 
 Out of my thought and hede take, 
 
 How that the fothe ftant in dede, 
 
 Than is my fikernefle in drede 
 
 And joie torned into wo, 
 
 So that the hete is all ago 
 
 Of fuch fotie, as I was inne. 
 
 And than ayeinward I beginne 
 
 To take of love a newe thorfl, 
 
 Which me greveth alltherworft, 
 
 For thanne cometh the blanche fever 
 
 With chele and maketh me fo to chever 
 
 And fo it coldeth at min herte, 
 
 That wonder is, how I afterte 
 
 In fuche a point that I ne deie. 
 
 For certes there was never keie 
 
 Ne frofen is upon the walle 
 
 More inly cold, than I am alle. 
 
 And thus furTre I the hote chele, 
 
 Which paffeth other peines fele, 
 
 In colde I brenne and frefe in hete 
 
 And than I drinke a bitter fwete 
 
io CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 With drie lippe and eyen wete. 
 
 Lo, thus I temper my diete 
 
 And take a draught of fuch reles, 
 
 That all my wit is herteles 
 
 And all min herte there it fit 
 
 Is as who faith withoute wit, 
 
 So that to prove it by refon 
 
 In making of comparifon 
 
 There may no difference be 
 
 Betwen a drunken man and me, 
 
 But all the werfr. of everychone 
 
 Is ever, that I thurft in one, 
 
 The more that my herte drinketh, 
 
 The more I may, fo that me thinketh, 
 
 My thurft mail never be acqueint. 
 
 God mielde, that I be nought dreint 
 
 Of fuch a fuperfluite. 
 
 For well I fele in my degre, 
 
 That all my wit is overcaft, 
 
 Wherof I am the more agaft, 
 
 That in defaulte of ladymip 
 
 Perchaunce in fuch a dronkefhip 
 
 I may be dead, er I beware. 
 
 For certes, fader, this I dare 
 
 Beknowe and in my fhrifte telle, 
 
 But I a draught have of that welle, 
 
 In which my deth is and my life, 
 
 My joy is torned into ftrife, 
 
 That fobre (hall I never worthe, 
 
 But as a drunken man forworthe, 
 
LIBER SEXruS. n 
 
 So that in londe, where I fare, 
 
 The luft is lore of my welfare, 
 
 As he that may no bote finde. 
 
 But this me thenketh a wonder kinde, 
 
 As I am drunke of that I drinke 
 
 Of thefe thoughtes that I thinke, 
 
 Of which I finde no reles, 
 
 But if I mighte netheles 
 
 Of fuche a drinke as I coveite 
 
 So as me lift have o receite, 
 
 I fhulde affobre and fare wele. 
 
 But fo fortune upon her whele 
 
 On high me deigneth nought to fette, 
 
 For evermore I finde a lette. 
 
 The boteler is nought my frend, 
 
 Which hath the keie by the bend. 
 
 I may well wisfh and that is wafte, 
 
 For well I wot fo fresfh a tafte, 
 
 But if my grace be the more, 
 
 I fliall affaie nevermore. 
 
 Thus am I drunke of that I fe, 
 
 For tafting is defended me, 
 
 And I can nought my felven ftaunche, 
 
 So that, my fader, of this braunche 
 
 I am giltif to telle trouth. 
 
 My fone, that me thenketh routh. confeflbr. 
 
 For lovedrunke is the mifchefe 
 Above all other the mofte chefe, 
 If he no lufty thought affay, 
 Which may his fory thurft allay, 
 
12 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 As for the time yet it lefTeth 
 
 To him, which other joie miffeth. 
 
 Forthy my fone, aboven all 
 Think well, how fo it the befall, 
 And kepe thy wittes that thou haft 
 And let hem nought be drunke in waft. 
 But netheles there is no wight, 
 That may withftonde loves might. 
 But why the caufe is, as I finde, 
 But that there is diverfe kinde 
 Of lovedrunke, why men pleigneth 
 After the court, which all ordeigneth, 
 I will the tellen the manere, 
 Now lift, my fone, and thou fhalt here. 
 Hie narrat fecun- For the fortune of every chaunce 
 
 dum poetam, qua- A r i 11 
 
 liter in fuo ceiiario After the goddes purveaunce 
 nXtqutu^!-- To man it groweth from above, 
 mum l.quor.s dui- s that the fpede of every love 
 
 ciihmi, iecundum r J 
 
 amariffimi plenum l s (hape there, er it befalle. 
 
 confiftit, ita quod . 
 
 iiie, cui fatata eft For Jupiter aboven alle, 
 
 proi'peritas,dedulci TTr , . . . r ., r 
 
 potabit, alter vero, Which is or goddes loverain, 
 
 cui adverfabitur, tt ^i • 1 • 11 r • 
 
 pocuium guftabit Hath in his celler, as men lain, 
 Two tonnes full of love drinke, 
 That maketh many an herte finke 
 And many an herte alfo to flete 
 Or of the foure or of the fwete. 
 That one is full of fuch piment, 
 Which pafteth all entendement, 
 Of mannes wit, if he it tafte, 
 And maketh a jolif herte in hafte. 
 
 amarum. 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 13 
 
 That other bitter as the galle, 
 Which maketh a marines herte palle, 
 Whofe dronkefhip is a fiknefTe 
 Through feling of the bitternefle. 
 Cupide is boteler of bothe, 
 Which to the leve and to the lothe 
 Yiveth of the fwete and of the foure, 
 That fome laugh, and fome loure. 
 But for fo mochel as he blinde is 
 Full ofte time he goth amis 
 And taketh the badde for the good, 
 Which hindreth many a mannes food 
 Withoute caufe and furthereth eke. 
 So be there fome of love feke, 
 Which ought of refon to ben hole, 
 And fome come to the dole 
 In happe, and as hem felven left 
 Drinke undeferved of the beft. 
 
 And thus this blinde boteler 
 Yiveth of the trouble in ftede of chere 
 And eke the chere in ftede of trouble. 
 Lo, how he can the hertes trouble 
 And maketh men drunke al upon chaunce 
 Withoute lawe of governaunce. 
 If he drawe of the fwete tonne, 
 Than is the forwe all overronne 
 Of lovedrunke and mall nought greven 
 So to be drunke every even, 
 For all is thanne but a game. 
 But whan it is nought of the fame 
 
H CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 And he the better tonne draweth, 
 Such dronkefhip an herte gnaweth 
 And febleth all a mannes thought, 
 That better him were have drunke nought 
 And all his brede have eten drie, 
 For than he left his lufty wey 
 With dronkefhip and wot nought whider 
 To go, the waies ben fo Aider, 
 In whiche he may parcas fo falle, 
 That he fhall breke his wittes alle. 
 And in this wife men be drunke 
 After the drinke they have drunke. 
 But alle drinken nought alike, 
 For fome mail finge, and fome fhal fike, 
 So that it me nothing merveileth, 
 My fone, of love that the eyleth. 
 For wel I knowe by thy tale, 
 That thou haft drunken of the dwale, 
 Which bitter is, till god the fende 
 Such grace, that thou might amende. 
 But fone, thou (halt bid and pray 
 In fuch a wife, as I fhall fay, 
 That thou the luft well atteigne 
 Thy wofull thurftes to reftreigne 
 Of love and tafte the fweteneffe, 
 As Bachus did in his diftreffe, 
 Whan bodeliche thurft him hent 
 In ftraunge londes, where he went. 
 Notahic,quaiiter P o- This Bachus fone of Jupiter 
 
 tus aliquando ficienti Tir . . . r 
 
 Paribus adquiritur, Was note, and as he went rer 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 
 
 '5 
 
 By his faders affignement 
 
 To make a wer in Orient 
 
 And great power with him he ladde, 
 
 So that the higher hond he hadde 
 
 And vicloire of his enemies 
 
 And torneth homward with his prife, 
 
 In fuche a contre which was drie 
 
 A mifchefe fell upon the wey, 
 
 As he rode with his compaigny 
 
 Nigh to the ftrondes of Lubie, 
 
 There mighte they no drinke finde 
 
 Of water, ne of other kinde, 
 
 So that him felf and all his hofte 
 
 Were for default of drinke almofte 
 
 Diftruied, and than Bachus praid 
 
 To Jupiter and thus he faid : 
 
 O highe fader, that feeft all, 
 
 To whom is refon, that I mail 
 
 Befeche and pray in every nede, 
 
 Behold, my fader, and take hede 
 
 This wofull thurrt, that we be inne, 
 
 To flaunche and graunt us for to winne 
 
 And faufe unto the contre fare, 
 
 Where that our lufty loves are 
 
 Waitend upon our home coming. 
 
 And with the vois of his praieng, 
 
 Which herd was to the goddes high, 
 
 He figh anone to-fore his eye 
 
 A wether, which the grounde hath fporned, 
 
 And where he hath it overtorned, 
 
 et narrat in exem- 
 plum, quod cum Ba- 
 chus de quodam bello 
 ab Oriente repatrians 
 in quibufdam Lubie 
 partibus alicuius ge- 
 neris potum non in- 
 venit, fufis ad Jovem 
 precibus, apparuit ei 
 aries, qui terra pede 
 percuflit, ftatimque 
 fons emanavit, et lie 
 potum petenti peticio 
 prevaluit. 
 
 </l* 
 
1 6 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 There fprang a welle fresfh and clere, 
 
 Wherof his owne botelere 
 
 After the luftes of his will 
 
 Was every man to drinke his fill. 
 
 And for this ilke grete grace 
 
 Bachus upon the fame place 
 
 A riche temple let arere, 
 
 Which ever fhulde ftonde there 
 
 To thurfty men in remembraunce. 
 
 Forthy my fone, after this chaunce 
 It fit the well to taken hede 
 So for to pray upon thy nede, 
 As Bachus praide for the well. 
 And thenke, as thou haft herd me tell, 
 How grace he gradde and grace he had, 
 He was no fool, that firft fo rad. 
 For felden get a domb man londe, 
 Take that proverbe and underftonde, 
 That wordes ben of vertue gret. 
 Forthy to fpeke thou ne let 
 And axe and pray erely and late 
 Thy thurft to quenche and thenke algate, 
 The boteler, which bereth the key, 
 Is blinde, as thou haft herd me fay. 
 And if it mighte fo betide, 
 That he upon the blinde lide 
 Parcas the fwete tonne araught, 
 Than fhalt thou have a lufty draught 
 And waxe of lovedrunke fobre. 
 And thus I rede thou affobre 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 
 
 *7 
 
 Thin herte in hope of fuche a grace, 
 
 For dronkefhip in every place 
 
 To whether fide that it torne 
 
 Doth harme and maketh a man to fporne 
 
 And ofte falle in fuche a wife, 
 
 Where he parcas may nought arife. 
 
 And for to loke in evidence 
 Upon the fothe experience, 
 So as it hath befall er this, 
 In every mannes mouth it is, 
 How Triftram was of love drunke 
 With Bele Ifolde, whan they drunke 
 The drink, which Brangweine hem betok, 
 Er that king Mark his erne her toke 
 To wife, as it was after knowe. 
 And eke, my fone, if thou wolt knowe 
 As it hath fallen over more 
 In loves caufe, and what is more 
 Of dronkefhippe for to drede, 
 As it whilom befell in dede, 
 Wherof thou might the better efcheue 
 Of drunke men that thou ne fue 
 The compaigny in no manere, 
 A great enfample thou (halt here. 
 
 This finde I write in poefy 
 Of thilke faire Ypotafy, 
 Of whofe beaute there as me was 
 Spake every man. And fell par cas, 
 That Pirothous fo him fpedde, 
 That he to wife her fhulde wedde, 
 
 Hie deamorisebri- 
 etate ponit cxem- 
 plum, qualiter 
 Triftrans ob po- 
 tum, quern Brang- 
 weine in navi ei 
 porrexit, de amove 
 Bele Ifolde inebri- 
 atus extitit. 
 
 H 
 
 *o 
 
 Hie de periculis ebri- 
 etatis caufa in amore 
 contingentibus nar- 
 rat, quod cum Piro- 
 thous illam pulcherri- 
 mam Ypotafiam in 
 uxorem duceret,quof- 
 dam, qui Centauri 
 vocabantur, inter a- 
 lios vicinos ad nup- 
 cias invitavit, qui vi- 
 
1 8 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 noimbuti.novenupte Wherof that he great joie made. 
 
 formofitatem afpici- a j r i i j r • i ij 
 
 entes, dupiici ebrie- And for he wolde his love glade, 
 
 'ZiffEEriL A y ein the da y of mai "iage 
 
 cntcsamenfaYpota- g y mou the bothe and by mefTage 
 
 iiam a rirothoo ma- J . 
 
 rito fuo in impetu His frendes to the feft he praid 
 
 rapuerunt. . 
 
 With great worOup, and as men laid 
 
 He hath this yonge lady fpoufed. 
 
 And whan that they were alle houfed 
 
 And fet and ferved ate mete, 
 
 There was no wine, which may begete, 
 
 That there ne was plenty inough. 
 
 But Bachus thilke tonne drough, 
 
 Wherof by way of dronkemip 
 
 The greateft of the felafliip 
 
 Were out of refon overtake, 
 
 And Venus, which hath alfo take 
 
 The caufe moll: in fpeciall, 
 
 Hath yive him drinke forth with all 
 
 Of thilke cuppe, whiche exciteth 
 
 The luft, wherin a man deliteth. 
 
 And thus by double vveie drunke 
 
 Of luft that ilke firy funke 
 
 Hath made hem as who faith half wode, 
 
 That they no refon underftode 
 
 Ne to none other thing they feen 
 
 But her, which to-fore her eyen 
 
 Was wedded thilke fame day, 
 
 That fresfhe wife, that lufty may, 
 
 Of her it was all that they thoughten 
 
 And fo ferforth her luftes foughten, 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 
 
 *9 
 
 That they, the whiche named were 
 
 Centauri, at the fefte there 
 
 Of one affent, of one accorde 
 
 This yonge wife malgre her lorde 
 
 In fuche a rage away forth ladden, 
 
 As they, which none infight hadden, 
 
 But only to her drunke fare, 
 
 Which many a man hath made misfare 
 
 In love als wel as other wey. 
 
 Wherof, if I lhall more fay 
 
 Upon the nature of this vice, 
 
 Of cuftume and of exercife 
 
 The mannes grace, how it fordoth, 
 
 A tale, which was whilom foth 
 
 Of fooles, that fo drunken were, 
 
 I lhall rehercen unto thin ere. 
 
 I rede in a cronique thus 
 Of Galba and of Vitellus, 
 The which of Spaine bothe were 
 The greateft of all other there, 
 And bothe of o condition 
 After the difpofition 
 Of glotony and dronkefhip, 
 That was a fory felamip. 
 For this thou might wel underftonde, 
 That man may nought well longe ftonde, 
 Which is wine drunke of comun ufe, 
 For he hath lore the vertues, 
 Wherof refon fhuld him clothe, 
 And that was fen upon hem bothe. 
 
 Hie loquitur fpecia- 
 liter contra vicium 
 illorum, qui nimia 
 potacione quad ex 
 confuetudine ebriofi 
 efficiuntur, et narrat 
 exemplum de Galba 
 et Vitello, qui poten- 
 tes in Hiipania prin- 
 cipes fuerunt, fed ipfi 
 cotidiane ebrietatis 
 potibus aflueti, tanta 
 vicinis intulerunt e- 
 normia, quod tandem 
 toto conclamante po- 
 pulo, pena fententie 
 capitalis in eos judi- 
 cialiter dimnita eft, 
 qui priufquam more- 
 rentur ut penam mor- 
 tis alleviarent, lpon- 
 tanea vim ebrietate 
 fopiti, quafi porci fe- 
 mimortui gladio in- 
 terierunt. 
 
20 C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 Men fain, there is non evidence, 
 Wherof to knowe a difference 
 Betwene the drunken and the wode, 
 For they ben never nouther good, 
 For where that wine doth wit awey, 
 Wifdome hath loft the righte wey, 
 That he no maner vice dredeth, 
 No more than a blind man thredeth 
 His nedel by the fonnes light, 
 No more is refon than of might, 
 Whan he with dronkefhip is blent. 
 And in this point they weren fhent 
 This Galba both and eke Vitelle 
 Upon the caufe, as I fhall telle, 
 Wherof good is to taken hede. 
 For they two through her dronkenhede 
 Of witles excitation 
 Oppreffed all the nacion 
 Of Spaine, for all foul ufaunce, 
 Which done was of continuaunce 
 Of hem, which all day drunke were. 
 There was no wife ne maiden there, 
 What fo they were or faire or foule, 
 Whom they ne taken to defoule, 
 Wherof the lond was often wo. 
 And eke in other thinges mo 
 They wroughten many a fondry wronge. 
 But how fo that the day be longe, 
 The derke night cometh ate laft. 
 God wolde nought, they fhulden laft, 
 
LIBER SEXrUS. 
 
 21 
 
 And fhope the lawe in fuche a wife, 
 That they through dome to the juife 
 Ben dampned for to be forlore. 
 But they, that hadden be to-fore 
 Enclined to alle drunkenefTe, 
 Her ende thanne bare witnefTe, 
 For they in hope to affuage 
 The peine of dethe upon the rage 
 That they lafTe fhulden fele, 
 Of wine let fill full a mele 
 And drunken till fo was befall, 
 That they her ftrengthes loften all 
 Withouten wit of any braine, 
 And thus they ben half dede flaine, 
 That hem ne greveth but a lite. 
 
 My fone, if thou be for to wite 
 In any point, which I have faid, 
 Wherof thy wittes bene unteid, 
 I rede clepe hem home ayein. 
 
 I mail do, fader, as ye fain, 
 Als ferforth as I may fuffife. 
 But well I wot, that in no wife 
 The dronkefhip of love awey 
 I may remue by no wey, 
 It ftant nought upon my fortune. 
 But if you lifte to comune 
 Of the feconde glotony, 
 Which cleped is delicacy, 
 Wherof ye fpeken here to-fore, 
 Befeche I wolde you therfore. 
 
 Confeflbr, 
 
 Amans. 
 
 &'« 
 
22 CONFESS 10 ^MANTIS. 
 
 Confeflbr. My fone, as of that ilke vice, 
 Which of all other is the norice 
 And ftant upon the retenue 
 Of Venus, fo as it is due, 
 The proprete how that it fareth 
 The boke herafter now declareth. 
 
 2 - Delicie cum diviciis funt jura potent urn, 
 hi quibus orta Venus excitat ora gule. 
 
 Non funt delicie tales, que corpora pa/cunt. 
 Ex quibus impletus gaudia venter agit. 
 
 Qui completus amor majori munere gaudet, 
 Cum data deliciis mens in amante fatur. 
 
 Hie traftat fuper Of this chapitre, in which we trete, 
 ddiSciSnc'upa 6 - There is yet one of fuch diete, 
 
 SgESSZ To which no p° uer ™y attei s ne > 
 
 perform precipue p or z \\ j s pa fj- as paindemaine 
 
 potentibus queque r l 
 
 compiacencia cor- And fondry wine and fondry drinke, 
 
 poraliterminiftrat. J . . 
 
 Wheror that he woll ete and drinke 
 His cokes ben for him affaited, 
 So that his body is awaited, 
 That him mall lacke no delite 
 Als ferforth as his appetite 
 Suffifeth to the metes hote. 
 Wherof the lufty vice is hote 
 Of gule the delicacy, 
 Which all the hole progeny 
 Of lufty folke hath undertake 
 To fede, while that he may take 
 Richefle, wherof to be founde 
 Of abftinence he wot no bounde, 
 To what profit it fhulde ferve. 
 And yet phifique of his conferve 
 
 (*>"b< 
 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 23 
 
 Maketh many a reftauracion 
 
 Unto his recreacion, 
 
 Which wolde be to Venus lefe. 
 
 Thus for the point of his relefe 
 
 The coke, which fhal his mete array, 
 
 But he the better his mouth alfay, 
 
 His lordes thank mail ofte lefe, 
 
 Er he be ferved to the chefe. 
 
 For there may lacke nought fo lite, 
 
 That he ne fint anone a wite, 
 
 For but his lufl be fully ferved, 
 
 There hath no wight his thank deferved, 
 
 And yet for mannes fuftenaunce 
 
 To kepe and holde in governaunce 
 
 To him that woll his hele gete 
 
 Is none fo good as comun mete. 
 
 For who that loketh on the bokes, 
 
 It faith, confection of cokes 
 
 A man him fhulde well avife, 
 
 How he it toke and in what wife. 
 
 For who that ufeth that he knoweth, 
 
 Full felden fikneffe on him groweth, 
 
 And who that ufeth metes ftraunge, 
 
 Though his nature empeire and chaunge, 
 
 It is no wonder, leve fone, 
 
 Whan that he doth ayein his wone 
 
 To take metes and drinkes newe, 
 
 For it fhulde alwey efchewe. 
 
 For in phifique this I finde, 
 
 Ufance is the feconde kinde. 
 
24 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And right fo chaungeth his eftate 
 He that of love is delicate, 
 For though he hadde to his honde 
 The befte wife of all the londe 
 Or the faireft love of alle, 
 Yet wolde his herte on other falle 
 And thinke hem more delicious, 
 Than he hath in his owne hous. 
 Men fain it is now ofte fo, 
 Avife hem well, that they fo do, 
 And for to fpeke in other way- 
 Full ofte time I have herd fay, 
 That he, which hath no love acheved, 
 Him thenketh that he is nought relieved, 
 Though that his lady make him chere, 
 So as fhe may in good manere 
 Her honour and her name fave, 
 But he the furplus mighte have 
 Nothing withftanding her eftate, 
 Of love more delicate 
 He fet her chere at no delite, 
 But he have all his appetite. 
 Confeflbr. My fone, if it with the be fo, 
 Confeflio amantis. Tell me ? Min holy fader, no. 
 For delicate in fuch a wife 
 Of love, as ye to me devife, 
 Ne was I never yet giltife, 
 For if I hadde fuche a wife, 
 As ye fpeke of, what fhulde I more ? 
 For than I wolde never more 
 
LIBER SEXruS. 25 
 
 For luft of any womanhede 
 
 Min herte upon none other fede. 
 
 And if I did, it were a wafte. 
 
 But all withoute fuch repafte 
 
 Of luft, as ye me tolde above, 
 
 Of wife or yet of other love, 
 
 I fafte and may no fode gete, 
 
 So that for lack of deintie mete, 
 
 Of whiche an herte may be fedde, 
 
 I go faftende to my bedde. 
 
 But might I getten as ye tolde 
 
 So mochel, that my lady wolde 
 
 Me fede with her glad femblaunt, 
 
 Though me lacke all the remenaunt, 
 
 Yet fhulde I fomdele ben abefhed 
 
 And for the time wel refreshed. 
 
 But certes, fader, fhe ne doth, 
 
 For in good feith to telle foth 
 
 I trowe, though I fhulde fterve, 
 
 She wolde nought her eye fwerve, 
 
 My herte with one goodly loke 
 
 To fede, and thus for fuch a coke 
 
 I may go failing evermo. 
 
 But if fo is, that any wo 
 
 May fede a mannes herte wele, 
 
 Therof I have at every mele 
 
 Of plente more than inough. 
 
 But that is of him felf fo tough, 
 
 My ftomack may it nought defie. 
 
 Lo, fuch is the delicacie 7*-^ 
 
26 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Of love, which min herte fedeth, 
 Thus have I lacke of that me nedeth. 
 But for all this yet netheles, 
 I fay, I am nought gilteles, 
 That I fomdele am delicate. 
 For elles were I fully mate, 
 But if that I fome lufty ftounde 
 Of comfort and of efe founde 
 To take of love fome repaft, 
 For though I with the fulle tafte 
 The luft of love may nought fele, 
 Min hunger otherwife I kele 
 Of fmale luftes, whiche I pike, 
 And for a time yet they like, 
 If that ye wiften, what I mene. 
 Confeflbr. Now, gode fone, fhrive the clene 
 Of fuche deinties as ben good, 
 Wherof thou taken: thin herte food. 
 
 Confeflio amamis. My fader, I you fhall reherce, 
 How that my fodes ben diverfe, 
 So as they fallen in degre. 
 One feding is of that I fe, 
 An other is of that I here, 
 The thridde, as I fhall tellen here, 
 It groweth of min owne thought. 
 And elles fhulde I live nought, 
 For whom that faileth food of herte, 
 He may nought well the dethe afterte. 
 
 Nota.quaiitervifus Of fight is all my firfte food, 
 
 in amore fe conti- , . . 
 
 net deiicatus. Through which min eye of alle good 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 27 
 
 Hath that to him is accordaunt 
 A lufty fode fuffifaunt. 
 Whan that I go toward the place, 
 Where I mail fe my ladies face, 
 Min eye, whiche is loth to fafte, 
 Beginneth to hunger anone fo fafte, 
 That him thenketh of an houre thre, 
 Till I there come and he her fe. 
 And than after his appetite 
 He taketh a food of fuch delite, 
 That him none other deintie nedeth, 
 Of fondry fightes he him fedeth. 
 He feeth her face of fuch colour, 
 That fresfher is than any flour, 
 He feeth her front is large and pleine 
 Withoute frounce of any greine, 
 He feeth her eyen liche an heven, 
 He feeth her nafe ftraughte and even, 
 He feeth her rudde upon the cheke, 
 He feeth her redde lippes eke, 
 Her chinne accordeth to the face, 
 All that he feeth is full of grace, 
 He feeth her necke rounde and clene, 
 Therinne may no bone be fene, 
 He feeth her handes faire and white, 
 For all this thinge without wite 
 He may fe naked ate lefte, 
 So is it well the more fefte 
 And well the more delicacie 
 Unto the feding of min eye. 
 
28 CONFESS 10 ^MANTIS. 
 
 He feeth her fhape forth with all, 
 Her body rounde, her middel fmall 
 So well begone with good array, 
 Which partem all the luft of may, 
 Whan he is mod with fofte fhoures 
 Full clothed in his lufty rloures. 
 With fuche fightes by and by 
 Min eye is fed, but finally, 
 Whan he the port and the manere 
 Seeth of her womanisfhe chere, 
 Than hath he fuch delite on honde, 
 Him thenketh he might ftille ftonde, 
 And that he hath full fuffifaunce 
 Of livelode and of fuftenaunce, 
 As to his part for evermo. 
 And if it thought all other fo, 
 Fro thenne wolde he never wende, 
 But there unto the worldes ende 
 He wolde abide, if that he might, 
 And feden him upon the fight. 
 For though I mighte ftonden ay 
 Into the time of domefday 
 And loke upon her ever in one, 
 Yet whan I fhulde fro her gone, 
 Min eye wolde, as though he fafte, 
 Ben hunger ftorven alfo fafte, 
 Till eft ayein that he her fee, 
 Such is the nature of min eye. 
 There is no luft fo deintefull, 
 Of which a man mall nought be full 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 29 
 
 Of that the ftomack underfongeth, 
 
 But ever in one min eye longeth, 
 
 For loke, how that a gofhawk tireth, 
 
 Right fo doth he, whan that he pireth 
 
 And toteth on her womanhede, 
 
 For he may never fully fede 
 
 His luft, but ever a liche fore 
 
 Him hungreth, fo that he the more 
 
 Deiireth to be fed algate. 
 
 And thus min eye is made the gate, 
 
 Through which the deinties of my thought 
 
 Of luft ben to min herte brought. 
 
 Right as min eye with his loke 
 
 Is to min herte a lufty coke 
 
 Of loves fode delicate, 
 
 Right fo min ere in his eflate, Quaiiter auris in 
 
 ttti • 1 . r amoie dele<5tatur. 
 
 Where as min eye may nought lerve, 
 
 Can well min hertes thank deferve 
 
 And feden him fro day to day 
 
 With fuche deintes, as he may. 
 
 For thus it is, that over all 
 
 Where as I come in fpeciall 
 
 I may here of my lady prife, 
 
 I here one fay, that me is wife, 
 
 An other faith, that fhe is good, 
 
 And fome men fain, of worthy blood 
 
 That fhe is come and is alfo 
 
 So fair, that no where is none fo. 
 
 And fome men preife her goodly chere. 
 
 Thus every thing, that I may here, 
 
3 o CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Which founeth to my lady good, 
 
 Is to min ere a lufty food. 
 
 And eke min ere hath over this 
 
 A deinty fefte, whan fo is, 
 
 That I may here her felven fpeke, 
 
 For than anone my fade I breke 
 
 On fuche wordes, as me faith, 
 
 That full of trouth and full of feith 
 
 They ben and of fo good difporte, 
 
 That to min ere great comforte 
 
 They done, as they that ben delices. 
 
 For all the metes and the fpices, 
 
 That any Lumbard couthe make, 
 
 Ne be fo lufty for to take 
 
 Ne fo ferforth reftauratife 
 
 I fay as for min owne life, 
 
 As be the wordes of her mouth. 
 
 For as the windes of the fouth 
 
 Ben mod of alle debonaire, 
 
 So whan her lift to fpeke faire, 
 
 The vertue of her goodly fpeche 
 
 Is verrily min hertes leche. 
 
 And if it fo befall amonge, 
 
 That (lie carole upon a fonge, 
 
 Whan I it here, I am fo fed, 
 
 That I am fro my felf fo led, 
 
 As though I were in paradis, 
 
 For certes as to min avis, 
 
 Whan I here of her vois the fteven, 
 
 Me thenkth it is a blifle of heven, 
 
LIBER S EXT US. 
 
 And eke in otherwife alfo 
 Ful ofte time it falleth fo, 
 Min ere with a good pitaunce 
 Is fed of reding of romaunce 
 Of Ydoine and of Amadas, 
 That whilom were in my cas, 
 And eke of other many a fcore, 
 That loveden longe, er I was bore, 
 For whan I of her loves rede, 
 Min ere with the tale I fede 
 And with the luft of her hiftoire. 
 Somtime I drewe into memoire, 
 How forwe may nought ever laft, 
 And fo cometh hope in ate laft, 
 Whan I none other fode knowe. 
 And that endureth but a throwe, 
 Right as it were a chery fefte. 
 But for to compten ate left, 
 As for the while yet it efeth 
 And fomdele of min hert appefeth, 
 For what thing to min ere fpredeth, 
 Which is plefaunt, fomdele it fedeth 
 With wordes fuch as he may gete 
 My luft in ftede of other mete. 
 
 Lo thus, my fader, as I you fay 
 Of luft, the which min eye hath fee 
 And eke of that min ere hath herde, 
 Full ofte I have the better ferde. 
 And tho two bringen in the thridde, 
 The which hath in min herte amidde 
 
turn. 
 
 32 CONFESSIO A MANTIS. 
 
 His place take, to array 
 The lufty fode, whiche allay 
 I mote, and namelich on nightes, 
 Whan that me lacketh alle fightes, 
 And that min hering is awey, 
 Than is he redy in the wey 
 My rere fouper for to make, 
 Of which min hertes fode I take. 
 Qnaiiter cogfotoi This lufty cokes name is hote 
 ^ginaSros cor! Thought, which hath ever his pottes hote 
 icit aman- G f love boilend on the fire 
 
 With fantafy and with defire, 
 Of which er this full ofte he fed 
 Min herte, whan I was a bed. 
 And than he fet upon my borde 
 Both every fight, and every worde 
 Of luft, which I have herd or feen. 
 But yet is nought my fen: all plein, 
 But all of woldes and of wisfhes, 
 Therof have I my fulle disfhes, 
 But as of feling and of tafte, 
 Yet might I never have o repafte. 
 And thus as I have faid a-forn, 
 I licke hony on the thorn, 
 And as who faith upon the bridel 
 I chewe, fo that all is idel, 
 As in effedt the fode I have. 
 But as a man that wolde him fave, 
 Whan he is fike, by medicine, 
 Right fo of love the famine 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 33 
 
 I fonde in all that ever I may 
 To fede and drive forth the day, 
 Till I may have the grete feft y 
 Which all min hunger might areft. 
 
 Lo, fuche ben my luftes thre, 
 Of that I thenke, here and fe, 
 I take of love my feding 
 Withoute tailing or feling, 
 And as the plover doth of aire, 
 I live and am in good efpeire, 
 That for no fuch delicacy 
 I trowe I do no gloteny. 
 And netheles to your avis, 
 Min holy fader, that ben wis, 
 I recommaunde min eftate 
 Of that I have ben delicate. 
 
 My fone, I underftonde wele, Confeflbr. 
 
 That thou hail told here every dele, 
 And as me thenketh by thy tale, 
 It ben delites wonder fmale, 
 Wherof thou takefr. thy loves fode. 
 But, fone, if that thou underftode, 
 What is to ben delicious, 
 Thou woldeft nought ben curious 
 Upon the luft of thin eftate 
 To ben to fore delicate, 
 Wherof that thou refon excede, 
 For in the bokes thou might rede, 
 If mannes wifdom mall be fued, 
 It oughte wel to ben efcheued 
 
 3 d 
 
34 CONFESSIO AMANT1S. 
 
 In love als well as other way, 
 For as thefe haly bokes fay, 
 Dciicic corporis The bodely delices alle 
 
 militant adverfua T • _ i r i r 11 
 
 animam. In every point now lo they ralle 
 
 Unto the foule done grevaunce. 
 And for to take in remembraunce 
 A tale accordaunt unto this, 
 Which of great underftanding is, 
 To mannes foule refonable, 
 I thenke tell and is no fable. 
 Hie ponit exem- Of Criftes word who wol it rede 
 dciiTatSrernarrat How that this vice is for to drede 
 I^^TS In thevangile it telleth pleine, 
 evangelio Lucas which mote algate be certeine, 
 
 evidencius deicri- ° 
 
 bit - For Crift him felf it bereth witnefTe. 
 
 And though the clerke and the clergeffe 
 In latin tunge it rede and finge, 
 Yet for the more knoulechinge 
 Of trouthe, which is good to wite, 
 I dial declare as it is write 
 In englifh, for thus it began. 
 
 Crift faith : There was a riche man, 
 A mighty lord of great eftate, 
 And he was eke fo delicate 
 Of his clothing, that every day 
 Of purpure and bhTe he made him gay 
 And ete and drank therto his fill 
 After the luftes of his will 
 As he, which all ftode in delice 
 And toke none hede of thilke vice. 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 35 
 
 And as it fhulde fo betide, 
 
 A pouer lazer upon a tide 
 
 Came to the gate and axed mete. 
 
 But there might he nothing gete 
 
 His dedely hunger for to ftaunche, 
 
 For he, which had his fulle paunche 
 
 Of alle luft.es ate borde 
 
 Ne deigneth nought to fpeke a worde, 
 
 Onlich a crumme for to yive, 
 
 Wherof the pouer mighte live 
 
 Upon the yift of his almefle. 
 
 Thus lay this pouer in great diftrefTe 
 
 A colde and hungry at the gate, 
 
 Fro which he mighte go no gate, 
 
 So was he wofully befene. 
 
 And as thefe haly bokes fain, 
 
 The houndes comen fro the halle, 
 
 Where that this like man was falle, 
 
 And as he lay there for to deie, 
 
 The woundes of his malady 
 
 They licken for to done him efe. 
 
 But he was full of fuch difefe, 
 
 That he may nought the deth efcape. 
 
 But as it was that time fhape, 
 
 The foule fro the body pafTeth, 
 
 And he, whom nothing overparTeth, 
 
 The highe god up to the heven 
 
 Him toke, where he hath fet him even 
 
 In Abrahames barme on high, 
 
 Where he the hevens joie figh 
 
3 6 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 And had all that he have wolde. 
 And fell as it befalle fholde, 
 This riche man the fame throwe 
 With fodein deth was overthrowe 
 And forth withouten any went, 
 Unto the helle ftraught he went, 
 The fende into the fire him drough, 
 Where that he hadde peine inough 
 Of flame, which that ever brenneth. 
 And as his eye aboute renneth, 
 Toward the heven he caft his loke, 
 Where that he figh and hede toke, 
 How Lazar fet was in his fee 
 Als fer as ever he might fee 
 With Abraham, and than he praide 
 Unto the patriarch and faide : 
 Send Lazar down fro thilke fete 
 And do, that he his ringer wete 
 In water, fo that he may droppe 
 Upon my tunge for to ftoppe 
 The grete hete, in which I brenne. 
 But Abraham anfwerde thenne 
 And faide to him in this wife : 
 
 My fone, thou the might avife 
 And take into thy remembraunce, 
 How Lazar hadde great penaunce, 
 While he was in that other life. 
 But thou in all thy luft jolife 
 The bodely delices foughteft, 
 Forthy fo as thou thanne wroughteft, 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 37 
 
 Now fhalt thou take thy rewarde 
 Of dedely peine here afterwarde 
 In helle, which (hall ever laft. 
 And this Lazar now ate laft 
 This worldes peine is overronne 
 In heven and hath his life begonne 
 Of joie, which is endeles. 
 But that thou praieft netheles, 
 That I lliall Lazar to the fende 
 With water on his finger ende 
 Thine hote tunge for to kele, 
 Thou fhalt no fuche graces fele, 
 For to that foule place of finne, 
 For ever in which thou fhalt ben inne, 
 Cometh none out of this place thider 
 Ne none of you may comen hider, 
 Thus be ye parted now a-two. 
 The rich ayeinward cride tho : 
 
 Abraham, lithe it fo is, 
 
 That Lazar may nought do me this, 
 Whiche I have axed in this place, 
 
 1 wolde pray an other grace. 
 For I have yet of bretherne five, 
 That with my fader ben a-live 
 To-gider dwellend in one hous, 
 To whom, as thou art gracious, 
 I praie, that thou woldeft fende 
 Lazar, fo that he mighte wende 
 
 To warne hem, how the worlde is went, 
 That afterward they be nought fhent 
 
 ~4 
 
3 8 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 Of fuche peines as they deie. 
 
 Lo, this I praie and this I crie, 
 
 How I may nought my felf amende. 
 
 The patriarche anone fuende 
 
 To this praier anfwerde : Nay, 
 
 And faide him, how that every day 
 
 His bretheren mighten knowe and here 
 
 Of Moifes on erthe here 
 
 And of prophetes other mo, 
 
 What hem was heft. And he faith : No, 
 
 But if there might a man arife 
 
 From deth to life in fuche a wife 
 
 To tellen hem, how that it were, 
 
 He faide, than of pure fere 
 
 They fhulden well beware therby. 
 
 Quod Abraham : Nay fikerly, 
 
 For if they now will nought obey 
 
 To fuch, as techen hem the wey 
 
 And all day preche and all day telle, 
 
 How that it ftant of heven and helle, 
 
 They woll nought thanne taken hede, 
 
 Though it befelle fo in dede, 
 
 That any dede man were arered 
 
 To ben of him no better lered, 
 
 Than of an other man alive. 
 
 If thou, my fone, canft defcrive 
 This tale, as Crift him felf it tolde, 
 Thou (halt have caufe to beholde 
 To fe fo great an evidence, 
 Wherof the fothe experience 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 39 
 
 Hath fhewed openlich at eye, 
 
 That bodely delicacy 
 
 Of him, which yiveth none almeffe, 
 
 Shall after falle in great diftrefTe. 
 
 And that was fene upon the riche, 
 
 For he ne wolde unto his liche 
 
 A crumme yiven of his brede, 
 
 Than afterward whan he was dede 
 
 A droppe of water him was werned. 
 
 Thus may a mannes wit be lerned 
 
 Of hem, that fo delites taken, 
 
 Whan they with deth ben overtaken, 
 
 That erft was fwete is thanne foure. 
 
 But he that is a governour 
 
 Of worldes good, if he be wife, 
 
 Within his herte he fet no prife 
 
 Of all the worlde and yet he ufeth 
 
 The good, that he nothing refufeth, 
 
 As he, which lord is of the thinges, 
 
 The ouches and the riche ringes, 
 
 The cloth of gold and the perrie 
 
 He taketh, and yet delicacie 
 
 He leveth, though he wear all this. 
 
 The befte mete that there is 
 
 He eteth and drinketh the befte drinke, 
 
 But how that ever he ete or drinke 
 
 Delicacie he put awey 
 
 As he, which goth the righte wey, 
 
 Nought only for to fede and clothe 
 
 His body, but his foule bothe. 
 
4 o C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 But they that taken other wife 
 Her luft.es, ben none of the wife, 
 And that whilom was (hewed eke, 
 If thou thefe olde bokes feke. 
 
 Hie loquitur de That man that wolde him well avife, 
 
 Sft^SS Delicacy is to defpife, 
 
 ddidi> " U F!< •*■ Whan kinde accordeth nought withall, 
 
 herens, Jjuntuniia o 
 
 gaudia minus ob- Wherof enfample in fpeciall 
 
 tinuit. _ r i 
 
 Of Nero whilom may be tolde, 
 
 Whiche ayein kinde manifolde 
 
 His luftes toke, till ate laft, 
 
 That god him wolde all overcaft, 
 
 Of whom the cronique is fo plein, 
 
 Me luft no more of him to fain. 
 
 And netheles for glotony 
 
 Of bodely delicacy 
 
 To knowe his ftomack how it ferde, 
 
 Of that no man to-fore herde, 
 
 Which he within him felf bethought, 
 
 A wonder fubtil thing he wrought. 
 
 Thre men upon election 
 
 Of age and of complexion 
 
 Lich to him felf by alle way 
 
 He toke towardes him to play, 
 
 And ete and dranke as well as he, 
 
 Therof was no diverfite. 
 
 For every day whan that they ete, 
 
 To-fore his owne bord they fete, 
 
 And of fuch mete as he was ferved, 
 
 All though they had it nought deferved, 
 
LIBER SEXrUS. 41 
 
 They token fervice of the fame. 
 But afterward all thilke game 
 Was into wofull erneft torned. 
 For whan they were thus fojorned, 
 Within a time at after-mete 
 Nero, which hadde nought foryete 
 The luftes of his frele eftate, 
 As he, which all was delicate 
 To knowe thilke experience, 
 The men let come in his prefence. 
 And to that one the fame tide 
 A courfer, that he fholde ride 
 Into the felde, anone he bad, 
 Wherof this man was wonder glad 
 And goth to pricke and praunce about. 
 That other, while that he was out, 
 He laide upon his bed to flepe. 
 The thridde, which he wolde kepe 
 Within his chambre faire and fofte, 
 He goth now up, now down ful ofte, 
 Walkend a pace, that he ne flepte, 
 Till he, which on the courfer lepte, 
 Was comen fro the felde ayein. 
 Nero than, as the bokes fain, 
 Thefe men did done take alle thre 
 And flough hem, for he wolde fe, 
 The whofe ftomack was beft defied. 
 And whan he hath the fothe tried, 
 He found that he, which goth the pas, 
 Defied beft of alle was, 
 
42 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Which afterward he ufed ay. 
 
 And thus what thing unto his pay 
 
 Was moft plefant, he lefte none. 
 
 With every luft he was begone, 
 
 Wherof the body mighte glade, 
 
 For he no abftinence made, 
 
 But moft of alle erthly thinges 
 
 Of women unto the likinges 
 
 Nero fet all his hole herte, 
 
 For that luft fhuld him nought afterte. 
 
 Whan that the thurft of love him caught, 
 
 Where that him lift he toke a draught, 
 
 He fpareth nouther wife ne maide, 
 
 That fuch another, as men faide, 
 
 In all this world was never yit. 
 
 He was fo drunke in all his wit 
 
 Through fondry luftes which he toke, 
 
 That ever, while there is a boke 
 
 Of Nero men fhall rede and ling 
 
 Unto the worldes knouleching. 
 
 My gode fone, as thou haft herde, 
 For ever yet it hath fo ferde, 
 Delicacy in loves cas 
 Withoute refon is and was. 
 For where that love his herte fet, 
 Him thenketh, it might be no bet, 
 All though it be nought fully mete, 
 The lufte of love is ever fwete. 
 Lo, thus to-gider of felaftiip, 
 Delicacy and dronkeihip, 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 43 
 
 Wherof refon ftant out of herre, 
 
 Have made full many a wife man erre 
 
 In loves caufe moft of all. 
 
 For than how fo that ever it fall 
 
 Wit can no refon underftonde, 
 
 But let the governaunce ftonde 
 
 To will, which thanne wexeth fo wilde, 
 
 That he can nought him felven fhilde 
 
 Fro the perill, but out of fere 
 
 The way he fecheth here and there, 
 
 Him reccheth nought upon what fide, 
 
 For ofte time he goth befide 
 
 And doth fuch thing withoute drede, 
 
 Wherof him oughte wel to drede. 
 
 But whan that love affoteth fore, 
 
 It paffeth alle mennes lore, 
 
 What luft it is, that he ordeigneth, 
 
 There is no mannes might reftreigneth, 
 
 And of god taketh he none hede. 
 
 But laweles withoute drede 
 
 His purpos for he wolde acheve, 
 
 Ayein the points of the beleve 
 
 He tempteth heven, erth and helle, 
 
 Here afterward as I mall telle. 
 
 Dujn Jli mulct t us amor, quicquid jubet orta voluptas, 
 
 Audet et aggreditur nulla timenda timens, 
 Omne quod aflra queunt herb arum five potejlas, 
 
 Seu vigor inferni fingula temptat amans. 
 £)uod nequit ipfe, deo me di ante, parare finijlrum, 
 
 Demonis hoc magica credulus arte parat, 
 Sicjibi non curat ad opus que retia tendit, 
 
 Dummodo nudatarn prendere pojfet avem. 
 
44 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 Hie traaat, quaii- Who dare do thing, which love ne dare i 
 
 ter ebrietas et de- ,— i i i 
 
 licaciaomnispudi- To love is every lawe unware. 
 
 St^rtS But to the lawes of his heft 
 
 >)•• ad euulii -phe fisfli, the fowl, the man, the befte 
 
 concupilcencie 
 
 promocionem for- Of all the worldes kinde louteth, 
 
 tilegio magicam m . 
 
 requirunt. For love is he, which nothing doubteth 
 
 In mannes herte where he fit 
 He compteth nought toward his wit, 
 The wo no more than the wele, 
 No more the hete than the chele, 
 No more the wete than the drie, 
 No more to live than to deie, 
 So that to-fore ne behinde 
 He feeth no thing, but as the blinde 
 Withoute infight of his corage 
 He doth merveiles in his rage 
 To what thing, that he wol him drawe. 
 There is no god, there is no lawe 
 Of whom that he taketh any hede. 
 But as Bayard the blinde ftede, 
 Till he falle in the dicche a midde, 
 He goth there no man will him bidde, 
 He ftant fo ferforth out of reule, 
 There is no wit that may him reule. 
 And thus to tell of him in foth, 
 Full many a wonder thing he doth, 
 That were better to be laft, 
 Among the whiche is wicche craft, 
 That fome men clepen forcery, 
 Which for to winne his druery 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 45 
 
 With many a circumftaunce he ufeth, 
 There is no point which he refufeth. 
 
 The craft, which that Saturnus fonde, Nota <ie automm 
 
 . . . 1 ~ , necnon etlibrorum 
 
 To make pnckes in the londe, tamnaturaiisquam 
 
 mi 1 1 • execrabilis magice 
 
 That geomaunce cleped is, nominibus. 
 
 Ful oft he ufeth it amis, 
 
 And of the flood his ydromaunce 
 
 And of the fire the piromaunce. 
 
 With queftions echone of tho 
 
 He tempteth ofte, and eke alfo 
 
 Aeromaunce in jugement 
 
 To love he bringeth of his aflent. 
 
 For thefe craftes as I finde 
 
 A man may do by way of kinde 
 
 Be fo, it be to good entent. 
 
 But he goth all other went, 
 
 For rather er he lTiulde faile 
 
 With nigromaunce he wolde aflaile 
 
 To make his incantacion 
 
 With hote fubfumigacion 
 
 Thilke art, which fpatula is hote 
 
 And ufed is of comun rote 
 
 Among paiens, which that craft eke, 
 
 Of whiche is auctor Thofz the Greke, 
 
 He wercheth one and one by rowe. 
 
 Razel is nought to him unknowe, 
 
 The Salomones Candary, 
 
 His Ydeac, his Eutony, 
 
 The figure and the boke withall 
 
 Of Balamuz and of Ghenball, 
 
46 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 The feale and therupon thymage 
 
 Of Thebith for his avauntage 
 
 He taketh, and fome what of Gibere, 
 
 Which helplich is to this matere. 
 
 Babylla to her fones feven, 
 
 Which hath renounced to the heven 
 
 With Cernes bothe fquare and rounde, 
 
 He traceth ofte upon the grounde, 
 
 Makend his invocation. 
 
 And for full enformation 
 
 The fcole, which Honorius 
 
 Wrote, he purfueth. And lo, thus 
 
 Magique he ufeth for to winne 
 
 His love and fpareth for no finne. 
 
 And over that of his foty 
 
 Right as he fecheth forcery, 
 
 Of hem that ben magiciens, 
 
 Right fo of the naturiens 
 
 Upon the fterres from above 
 
 His wey he fecheth unto love 
 
 Als fer as he hem underftondeth. 
 
 In many a fondry wife he fondeth, 
 
 He maketh ymage, he maketh fculpture, 
 
 He maketh writing, he maketh figure, 
 
 He maketh his calculations, 
 
 He maketh his demonftrations, 
 
 His hours of aftronomy 
 
 He kepeth as for that party, 
 
 Which longeth to the infpection 
 
 Of love and his affection, 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 
 
 47 
 
 He wolde into the helle feche 
 The devel him felve to befeche, 
 If that he wide for to fpede 
 To gete of love his lufty mede. 
 Where that he hath his herte fet, 
 He bidde never fare bet 
 Ne wit of other heven more. 
 My fone, if thou of fuch a lore 
 Haft ben er this, I rede the leve. 
 
 Min holy fader, by your leve 
 Of all that ye have fpoken here, 
 Which toucheth unto this matere, 
 To telle foth right as I wene, 
 I wot nought o word what ye mene. 
 I woll nought fay, if that I couth, 
 That I nolde in my lufty youth 
 Beneth in helle and eke above 
 To winne with my ladies love 
 Done al that ever that I might. 
 For therof have I none infight, 
 Where afterward that I become, 
 So that I wonne and overcome 
 Her love, which I mod coveite. 
 
 My fone, that goth wonder ftreite. 
 For this I may well telle foth, 
 There is no man which fo doth 
 For all the craft that he can cafte, 
 That he ne bieth it ate lafte. 
 For often he that will beguile 
 Is guiled with the fame guile, 
 
 Confeflbr. 
 
 Amans 
 
 ConfefTor. 
 
48 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And thus the guiler is beguiled, 
 As I finde in a boke compiled 
 To this matere an olde hiftoire, 
 The which comth now to my memoire 
 And is of great enfemplary 
 Ayein the vice of forcery, 
 Wherof none ende may be good. 
 But how whilom therof it flood, 
 A tale, which is good to knowe, 
 To the, my fone, I mall beknowe. 
 Nota contra iftos ob Among hem, which at Troie were, 
 
 amoris caufam forti- t t i • . i r J\~ 
 
 legos, ubi narrat in Uhxes at the liege there 
 
 uZSreisz Was ° ne b y name in r P eciall > 
 
 Tro.e repatriare na- Of whom yet the memoriall 
 
 vigio voluillet, lpium J 
 
 in infuia Ciiiy, ubi Abit, for while there is a mouthe 
 
 illaexpertifllmamaga 
 
 nomine Circes regna- For ever his name mall be couthe. 
 
 vit, contigit applicu- TT i i • i i i • 
 
 ifle, quem ut in fui He was a worthy knight and king 
 ST" exa3 f ere^ And clerk knowend of every thing, 
 
 Circes omnibus fuis R t ret h rien, 
 
 incantacionibus vin- to » 
 
 cere conabatur. U- p| e was a rr r eat maeicien, 
 
 lixes tamen magica ° ° 
 
 potencior ipfam in Of Tullius the rethorique, 
 
 amorefubegit, ex qua - N — 1 . -. 
 
 fiiium nomine Theie- Of king Zoraftes the magique, 
 
 gonum genuit, qui Arr _. . . n 
 
 poitea patrem fuum Ut 1 holome thaitronomy, 
 SffideiMttira^ ^ of PIat o the philofophy, 
 £TkS!U!?S a Of Daniel the flepy dremes, 
 
 cionis naturam patn- f; 7 
 
 cidium operatus eft. Of Neptune eke the water ftremes, 
 Of Salomon and the proverbes, 
 Of Macer all the ftrength of herbes, 
 And the phifique of Ypocras 
 And lich unto Pithagoras 
 
LIBER SEXrUS. 49 
 
 Of furgery he knew the cures. 
 But fome what of his aventures, 
 Which (hall to my matere accorde, 
 To the, my fone, I will recorde. 
 
 This king, of which thou had: herd fain, 
 From Troy as he goth home ayein 
 By (hip, he found the fee diverfe 
 With many a windy ftorm reverfe. 
 But he through wifdom, which he fhapeth, 
 Ful many a great peril efcapeth, 
 Of whiche I thenke tellen one, 
 How that malgre the nedel and (tone 
 Wind-drive he was all fodeinly 
 Upon the flrondes of Cilly, 
 Where that he mud: abide a while. 
 Twey quenes weren in that ile 
 Calipfo named and Circes. 
 And whan they herde, how Ulixes 
 Is londed there upon the rive, 
 For him they fenden alfo blive. 
 With him fuch as he wolde he nam 
 And to the court to hem he cam. 
 Thefe quenes were as two goddefles 
 Of art magique forcerefTes, 
 That what lord come to that rivage, 
 They make him love in fuch a rage 
 And upon hem a(Tote fo, 
 That they woll have, er that he go, 
 All that he hath of worldes good. 
 Ulixes well this underftood, 
 
 3 e 
 
5 o C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 They couthe moch, he couthe more. 
 
 They fhape and caft ayein him fore 
 
 And wrought many a fubtil wile, 
 
 But yet they might him nought beguile, 
 
 But of the men of his navie 
 
 They two forfhope a great partie, 
 
 May none of hem withftonde her heftes, 
 
 Some part they fhopen into heftes, 
 
 Some part they fhopen into foules, 
 
 To beres, tigres, apes, oules 
 
 Or elles by fome other wey, 
 
 Ther might nothing hem difobey, 
 
 Such craft they had above kinde. 
 
 But that art couthe they nought finde, 
 
 Of which Ulixes was deceived, 
 
 That he ne hath hem alle weived 
 
 And brought hem into fuch a rote, 
 
 That upon him they bothe aflbte. 
 
 And through the fcience of his arte 
 
 He toke of hem fo well his parte, 
 
 That he begat Circes with childe, 
 
 He kepte him fobre and made hem wilde, 
 
 He fet him felve fo above, 
 
 That with her good and with her love, 
 
 Who that therof be leve or loth, 
 
 All quite into his fhip he goth. 
 
 Circes to-fwolle bothe fides 
 He left and waiteth on the tides 
 And ftraught throughout the falte fome 
 He taketh his cours and comth him home, 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 51 
 
 Where as he found Penelope, 
 A better wife there may none be. 
 And yet there ben inough of good, 
 But who her goodfhip underflood 
 Fro nrft that me wifehode toke, 
 How many loves me forfoke 
 And how (lie bare her all about, 
 There whiles that her lord was out, 
 He mighte make a great avaunt 
 Amonges all the remenaunt, 
 That (he was one of all the heft. 
 Well might he fet his herte in reft, 
 This king, whan he her founde in hele. 
 For as he couthe in wifdom dele, 
 So couthe me in womanhede. 
 And whan Ihe figh withouten drede 
 Her lord upon his owne grounde, 
 That he was come fauf and founde, 
 In all this world ne mighte be 
 A gladder woman than was me. 
 
 The fame, which may nought be hid, 
 Throughout the londe is fone kid, 
 Her king is comen home ayein, 
 There may no man the fulle fain, 
 How that they weren alle glad, 
 So mochel joy of him they made, 
 The prefents every day be newed, 
 He was with yiftes all befnewed, 
 The people was of him fo glad, 
 That though none other man hem bad 
 
52 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 Taillage upon hem felf they fette 
 And as it were of pure dette 
 They yive her goodes to the king. 
 This was a glad home welcoming. 
 
 Thus hath Ulixes what he wolde, 
 His wife was fuch as fhe be fholde, 
 His people was to him fubgit, 
 Him lacketh nothing of delite. 
 oracius. Omnia But fortune is of fuch a Height, 
 
 funt hominum te- rrii t n i ■ L* 
 
 mri pendencia fiio. That whan a man is molt on height, 
 She maketh him ratheft for to falle, 
 There wot no man what fhall befalle. 
 The happes over mannes hede 
 Ben honge with a tender threde. 
 That proved was on Ulixes, 
 For whan he was moft in his pees, 
 Fortune gan to make him werre 
 And fet his welthe out of herre. 
 Upon a day as he was mery, 
 As though there might him no thing dery, 
 Whan night was come, he goth to bedde 
 With flepe and both his eyen fedde. 
 And while he flept, he met a fweven, 
 Him thought he figh a ftatue even, 
 Which brighter than the fonne fhone. 
 A man it femed was it none, 
 But yet it was as in figure 
 Mod: lich to mannes creature. 
 But as of beaute hevenlich 
 It was moil to an aungel lich, 
 
LIBER S EXT US. S3 
 
 And thus betwene aungel and man 
 Beholden it this king began, 
 And fuche a luft toke of the fight, 
 That fain he wolde, if that he might, 
 The forme of that figure embrace. 
 And goth him forth toward that place, 
 Where he figh that ymage tho, 
 And takth it in his armes two 
 And it embraceth him ayein 
 And to the king thus gan it fain : 
 
 Ulixes, underftond wel this, 
 The token of our acqueintaunce is 
 Here afterward to mochel tene 
 The love that is us betwene, 
 Of that we now fuch joie make, 
 That one of us the deth (hall take, 
 Whan time cometh of deftine, 
 It may none otherwife be. 
 Ulixes tho began to pray, 
 That this figure wolde him fay, 
 What wight he is, that faith him fo. 
 This wight upon a fpere tho 
 A penfel, which was well begone 
 Embrouded, meweth him anone, 
 Thre fisfhes all of o colour 
 In maner as it were a toure 
 Upon the penfel were wrought. 
 Ulixes knew this token nought 
 And praith to wite in fome partie, 
 What thinge it mighte fignifie. 
 
54 CONFESSIO slMANTlS. 
 
 A ilgne it is, the wight anfwerde, 
 Of an empire, and forth he ferde 
 All fodeinly, whan he that faid. 
 
 Ulixes out of flepe abraid, 
 And that was right ayein the day, 
 That lenger flepen he ne may. 
 Bernardus. Piures Men fain, a man hath knouleching 
 
 plura fciunt et fe P c i_ • r ir r n *!,* 
 
 ipfos nefciunt. oave or him lelr or alle thing. 
 
 His owne chaunce no man knoweth, 
 
 But as fortune it on him throweth. 
 
 Was never yet fo wife a clerk, 
 
 Which mighte knowe all goddes werk, 
 
 Ne the fecret, which god hath fette 
 
 Ayein a man, may nought be lette. 
 
 Ulixes though that he be wife, 
 
 With all his wit in his avife 
 
 The more that he his fweven accompteth, 
 
 The laffe he wot, what it amounteth. 
 
 For all his calculation 
 
 He feeth no demon fixation 
 
 As pleinly for to knowe an ende, 
 
 But netheles how fo it wende, 
 
 He drad him of his owne fone, 
 
 That maketh him well the more aftone 
 
 And fhope therfore anone withall, 
 
 So that withinne caftell wall 
 
 Thelemachum his fone he fhette 
 
 And upon him ftrong warde he fette. 
 
 The fothe further he ne knewe, 
 
 Till that fortune him overthrewe. 
 
LIBER S EXT US. 55 
 
 But netheles for fikernerTe, 
 Where that he mighte wit and geife 
 A place ftrengeft, in his londe, 
 There let he make of lime and fonde 
 A flrengthe where he wolde dwelle, 
 Was never man yet herde telle 
 Of fuche an other, as it was. 
 And for to ftrength him in that cas 
 Of all his lond the fikereft 
 Of fervants and the worthier!: 
 To kepen him withinne warde 
 He fet his body for to warde 
 And made fuch an ordenaunce 
 For love, ne for aqueintaunce, 
 That were it erely, were it late 
 They fhulde let in at the gate 
 No maner man, what fo betid, 
 But if fo were him felf it bid. 
 
 But all that might him nought availe, 
 For whom fortune wol affaile, 
 There may be no fuch refiftence, 
 Which mighte make a man defence, 
 All that (hall be mot fall algate. 
 This Circes, whiche I fpake of late, 
 On whom Ulixes hath begete 
 A child, though he it have foryete, 
 Whan time came, as it was wone, 
 She was deliverd of a fone, 
 Which cleped is Thelogonus. 
 This child whan he was bore thus, 
 
56 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 About his moder to full age 
 That he can refon and langage 
 In good eftate was drawe forth. 
 And whan he was fo mochel worth 
 To ftonden in a mannes ftede, 
 Circes his mother hath him bede, 
 That he mall to his fader go 
 And told him all to-gider tho, 
 What man he was, that him begat. 
 And whan Thelogonus of that 
 Was ware and hath full knouleching, 
 How that his fader was a king, 
 He praith his moder faire this 
 To go, where that his fader is. 
 And fhe him graunteth, that he (hall, 
 And made him redy forth with all. 
 It was that time fuch ufaunce, 
 That every man the conoiffaunce 
 Of his contre bare in his honde, 
 Whan he went into ftraunge londe. 
 And thus was every man therfore 
 Wei knowe, where that he was bore, 
 For efpiall and miftrowinges 
 They dide thanne fuche thinges, 
 That every man might other knowe. 
 So it befell that ilke throwe 
 Thelogonus, as in this cas 
 Of his contre the figne was 
 Thre fisihes, which he fhulde bere 
 Upon the penon of a fpere. 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 57 
 
 And whan that he was thus arraied 
 
 And hath his harneis all affaied, 
 
 That he was redy every dele, 
 
 His moder bad him fare wele 
 
 And faid him, that he fhulde fwithe 
 
 His fader grete a thoufand fithe. 
 
 Thelogonus his moder kin: 
 
 And toke his leve, and where he wift 
 
 His fader was, the waie name, 
 
 Till he unto Nachaie came, 
 
 Which of that lond the chefe citee 
 
 Was cleped, and there axeth he, 
 
 Where was the kinge and how he ferde. 
 
 And whan that he the fothe herde, 
 
 Where that the king Ulixes was, 
 
 Alone upon his hors great pas 
 
 He rode him forth and in his honde 
 
 He bare the lignal of his londe 
 
 With fislhes thre, as I have tolde, 
 
 And thus he went unto that holde, 
 
 Where that his owne fader dwelleth. 
 
 The caufe why he comth, he telleth 
 
 Unto the kepers of the gate 
 
 And wolde have comen in there at, 
 
 But fhortly they him faide nay. 
 
 And he als faire as ever he may 
 
 Befought and tolde hem of this, 
 
 How that the king his fader is. 
 
 But they with proude wordes great 
 
 Began to manace and to threte, 
 
58 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 But he go fro the gate fad: 
 They wolde him take and fette fa ft. 
 Fro wordes unto ftrokes thus 
 They felle, and fo Thelogonus 
 Was fore hurte and well nigh dede, 
 But with his fharpe fperes hede 
 He maketh defence, how fo it falle, 
 And wan the gate upon hem alle 
 And hath flain of the befte five. 
 And they afcriden alfo blive, 
 Through out the caftell all about 
 On every fide men come out, 
 Wherof the kinges herte afflight, 
 And he with all the haft he might 
 A fpere caught and forth he goth 
 As he, that was nigh wode for wroth. 
 He figh the gates full of blood, 
 Thelogonus and where he flood 
 He figh alfo, but he ne knewe 
 What man it was, but to him threwe 
 His fpere, and he fterte out a fide, 
 But deftine, which fhall betide, 
 Befell that ilke time fo, 
 Thelogonus knew nothing tho, 
 What man it was, that to him cafte, 
 And while his owne fpere lafte, 
 With all the figne therupon 
 He caft unto the kinge anon 
 And fmot him with a dedly wounde. 
 Ulixes fell anone to grounde, 
 
LIBER S EXT US. 59 
 
 Tho every man, the king ! the king ! 
 
 Began to cry, and of this thing 
 
 Thelogonus which figh the cas 
 
 On knes he fell and faide : Alas, 
 
 I have min owne fader ilain, 
 
 Now wolde I deie wonder fain, 
 
 Now fie me who that ever will, 
 
 For certes it is right good fkill. 
 
 He crieth, he wepeth, he faith therfore : 
 
 Alas, that ever was I bore, 
 
 That this unhappy defline 
 
 So wofully comth in by me. 
 
 This king, which yet hath life inough, 
 
 His herte ayein to him he drough 
 
 And to that vois an ere he laide 
 
 And underftood all that he faide 
 
 And gan to fpeke and faide on high : 
 
 Bring me this man. And whan he figh 
 
 Thelogonus, his thought he fette 
 
 Upon the fweven, which he mette, 
 
 And axeth, that he mighte fe 
 
 His fpere, on which the flsfhes thre 
 
 He figh upon the penfel wrought. 
 
 Tho wifl: he well, it faileth nought, 
 
 And bad him, that he telle fholde 
 
 Fro whenne he came, and what he wolde. 
 
 Thelogonus in forwe and wo 
 
 So as he mighte tolde tho 
 
 Unto Ulixes all the cas, 
 
 How that Circes his moder was, 
 
60 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And fo forth faid him every dele, 
 
 How that his moder grete him wele, 
 
 And in what wife me him fent. 
 
 Tho wift Ulixes what it ment 
 
 And toke him in his armes fofte 
 
 And all bledende kift him ofte 
 
 And faide : Sone, while I live, 
 
 This infortune I the foryive. 
 
 After his other fone in haft 
 
 He fend, and he began him haft 
 
 And cam unto his fader tite. 
 
 But whan he figh him in fuch plite, 
 
 He wold have ronne upon that other 
 
 Anone and flain his owne brother, 
 
 Ne hadde be that Ulixes 
 
 Betwene hem made accorde and pees 
 
 And to his heir Thelemachus 
 
 He bad, that he Thelogonus 
 
 With all his power fhulde kepe, 
 
 Till he were of his woundes depe 
 
 All hole, and than he fhulde him yive 
 
 Lond, where upon he mighte live. 
 
 Thelemachus whan he this herde, 
 
 Unto his fader he anfwerde 
 
 And faide, he wolde don his wille. 
 
 So dwelle they to-gider ftille 
 
 Thefe brethren, and the fader fterveth. 
 
 Lo, wherof forcerie ferveth. 
 Through forcery his luft he wan, 
 Through forcery his wo began, 
 
LIBER S EXT US. 
 
 61 
 
 Through forcery his love he chefe, 
 Through forcery his life he lefe. 
 The child was gete in forcery, 
 The which did all his felony, 
 Thing which was ayein kinde wrought 
 Unkindliche it was abought, 
 The child his owne fader flough, 
 That was unkindefhip inough. 
 
 Forthy take hede how that it is, 
 So for to winne love amis, 
 Which endeth all his joy in wo. 
 For of this arte I find alfo, 
 That hath be do for loves fake, 
 Wherof thou might enfample take, 
 A great cronique emperiall, 
 Which ever into memoriall 
 Among the men, how fo it wende, 
 Shall dwelle to the worldes ende. 
 
 The highe creator of thinges, 
 Which is the king of alle kinges, 
 Full many wonder worldes chaunce 
 Let Aide under his fufferaunce. 
 There wot no man the caufe why 
 But he, the which is almighty. 
 And that was proved whilom thus, 
 Whan that the king Nectanabus, 
 Which had Egipte for to lede. 
 But for he figh to-fore the dede 
 Through magique of his forcerie, 
 Wherof he couth a great partie, 
 
 Hie narrat cxemplum 
 fuper eodem, qualiter 
 Ne&anabus de Egip- 
 to in Macedonian! 
 fugitivus Olimpia- 
 dem Philippi regis 
 ibidem tunc abfentis 
 uxorem arte magica 
 decipiens cum ipfa 
 concubuit, magnum- 
 que ex ea Alexan- 
 drum fortilegus ge- 
 nuit, qui natus poftea 
 cum ad erudiendum 
 fub cuftodia Ne&an- 
 abi commendatus fu- 
 iflet, iplum Nectana- 
 bum patrem luum ab 
 altitudine cuiuidam 
 turns in foflam pro- 
 fundam precipiens 
 
62 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 interfecit, et fie for- His enemies to him comend, 
 
 legw "infortunii for- Fro whom he might him nought defend, 
 
 tem fortitus eft. Qut of ^ Qwne j ond he fled(k 
 
 And in the wife, as he him dredde, 
 
 It fell for all his wicchecraft, 
 
 So that Egipte him was beraft. 
 
 And he defguifed fledde away 
 
 By fhip and held the righte way 
 
 To Macedoine, where that he 
 
 Arriveth at the chefe citee. 
 
 Thre yomen of his chambre there 
 
 All only for to ferve him were, 
 
 The which he trufteth wonder wele, 
 
 For they were trewe as any ftele. 
 
 And hapneth, that they with him ladde 
 
 Parte of the befte good he hadde, 
 
 They take logginge in the town 
 
 After the difpofition, 
 
 Where as him thoughte belt, to dwelle. 
 
 He axeth than and herde telle, 
 
 How that the kinge was out go 
 
 Upon a werre he had tho. 
 
 But in that citee thanne was 
 
 The quene, which Olimpias 
 
 Was hote, and with folempnite 
 
 The fefte of her nativite, 
 
 As it befell, was thanne holde. 
 
 And for her luft to be beholde 
 
 And preifed of the people about 
 
 She fhope her for to riden out 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 63 
 
 At after-mete all openly. 
 Anone were alle men redy, 
 And that was in the month of may. 
 This lufty quene in good array 
 Was fet upon a mule white, 
 To fene it was a great delite 
 The joie that the citee made. 
 With fresfhe thinges and with glade 
 The noble town was all behonged, 
 And every wight was fore alonged 
 To fe this lufty lady ride. 
 There was great merth on alle fide, 
 Where as me parTeth by the ftrete, 
 There was ful many a timbre bete 
 And many a maide carolende. 
 And thus through out the town pleiende 
 This quene unto the pleine rode, 
 Where that fhe hoved and abode 
 To fe diverfe games pley, 
 The lufty folk jouft and tourney. 
 And fo forth every other man, 
 Which pleie couth, his pley began 
 To plefe with this noble quene. 
 Nectanabus came to the grene 
 Amonges other and drough him nigh. 
 But whan that he this lady figh 
 And of her beaute hede toke, 
 He couthe nought witholde his loke 
 To fe nought elles in the felde, 
 But flood and only her behelde. 
 
64 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Of his clothinge and of his gere 
 
 He was unliche all other there, 
 
 So that it hapneth ate lafte 
 
 The quene on him her eye cafte, 
 
 And knew that he was ftraunge anone. 
 
 But he behelde her ever in one 
 
 Withoute blenching of his chere. 
 
 She toke good hede of his manere 
 
 And wondreth, why he dide fo, 
 
 And bad men fhulde for him go. 
 
 He came and did her reverence. 
 
 And me him axeth in filence, 
 
 From whenne he cam, and what he wolde. 
 
 And he with fobre wordes tolde, 
 
 He faith : Madame, a clerk I am 
 
 To you and in meffage I cam, 
 
 The whiche I may nought tellen here, 
 
 But if it liketh you to here, 
 
 It mot be faid fo prively, 
 
 Where none mall be, but ye and I. 
 
 Thus for the time he toke his leve. 
 The day goth forth, till it was eve, 
 That every man mot leve his werk. 
 And (lie thought ever upon this clerk, 
 What thing it is, that he wold mene. 
 And in this wife abode the quene 
 And paffeth over thilke night, 
 Till it was on the morwe light. 
 She fende for him, and he came, 
 With him his aftrolabe he name, 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 65 
 
 Which was of fine gold precious 
 With points and cercles merveilous. 
 And eke the hevenly figures 
 Wrought in a boke full of peintures 
 He toke this lady for to fliewe 
 And tolde of eche of hem by rewe 
 The cours and the condition. 
 And me with great affection 
 Sate ftill and herde what he wolde. 
 And thus whan he feeth time, he tolde 
 And feigneth with his wordes wife 
 A tale and faith in fuch a wife : 
 Madame, but a while ago, 
 Where I was in Egipte tho 
 And rad in fcole of this fcience, 
 It fell into my confcience, 
 That I unto the temple went 
 And there with all min hole entent, 
 As I my facrifice dede, 
 One of the goddes hath me bede, 
 That I you warne prively, 
 So that ye make you redy, 
 And that ye be nothing agaft, 
 For he fuch love hath to you cart, 
 That ye fhull bene his owne dere 
 And he fhall be your beddefere, 
 Till ye conceive and be with childe. 
 And with that word {he wax all milde 
 And fomdele red became for fhame 
 And axeth him that goddes name, 
 3 f 
 
66 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Which fo woll done her compaigny. 
 And he faid : Amos of Luby. 
 And fhe faith : That may I nought leve, 
 But if I fe a better preve. 
 
 Madame, quod Nectanabus, 
 In token that it mall be thus 
 This night for enformation 
 Ye mall have an avifion, 
 That Amos mall to you appere 
 To fhewe and teche in what manere 
 The thing mall afterward befalle. 
 Ye oughten well aboven alle 
 To make joy of fuch a lorde. 
 For whan ye ben of one accorde, 
 He mall a fone of you begete, 
 Which with his fwerd mall win and gete 
 The wide worlde in length and brede, 
 All erthly kinges mall him drede. 
 And in fuch wife I you behote 
 The god of erthe he mall be hote. 
 If this be foth, tho quod the quene, 
 This night, thou faieft, it fhall be fene. 
 And if it falle into my grace, 
 Of god Amos that I purchace 
 To take of him fo great worfhip, 
 I wol do the fuch ladifhip, 
 Wherof thou malt for evermo 
 Be riche. And he her thonketh tho 
 And toke his leve and forth he went. 
 She wifte litel, what he ment. 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 67 
 
 For it was guile and forcery 
 All that {he toke for prophecy. 
 
 Ncftanabus throughout the day 
 Whan he cam home, where as he lay, 
 His chambre by him felf betoke 
 And overtorneth many a boke 
 And through the craft of artemage 
 Of wexe he forged an ymage. 
 He loketh his equacions 
 And eke the conftellacions, 
 He loketh the conj unctions, 
 He loketh the receptions, 
 His figne, his houre, his afcendent, 
 And draweth fortune of his affent. 
 The name of quene Olimpias 
 In thilke ymage written was 
 Amiddes in the front above. 
 And thus to winne his luft of love 
 Nectanabus this werk hath dight. 
 And whan it cam withinne night, 
 That every wight is fall aflepe, 
 He thought he wolde his time kepe 
 As he, whiche hath his houre apointed. 
 And thanne firll: he hath anointed 
 With fondry herbes that figure 
 And therupon he gan conjure, 
 So that through his enchantement 
 This lady, which was innocent 
 And wifte nothing of this guile, 
 Met, as fhe flepte thilke while, 
 
68 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 How fro the heven came a light, 
 
 Whiche all her chambre made light. 
 
 And as me loketh to and fro, 
 
 She figh, her thought, a dragon tho, 
 
 Whofe fcherdes fhinen as the forme, 
 
 And hath his fofte pas begonne 
 
 With all the chere that he may 
 
 Toward the bed there as (he lay, 
 
 Till he came to the beddes fide. 
 
 And me lay flill and nothing cride, 
 
 For he did all his thinges faire 
 
 And was courteis and debonaire. 
 
 And as he flood her fafle by, 
 
 His forme he chaungeth fodeinly, 
 
 And the figure of man he nome 
 
 To her and into bed he come, 
 
 And fuch thing ther of love he wrought, 
 
 Wherof, fo as her thanne thought, 
 
 Through likeneffe of this god Amos 
 
 With child anone her wombe aros, 
 
 And (he was wonder glad withall. 
 
 Nectanabus, which caufeth all 
 
 Of this metrede the fubflaunce, 
 
 Whan he figh time, his nigromaunce 
 
 He (lint and nothing more faide 
 
 Of his carecte, and (lie abraide 
 
 Out of her flepe and leveth wele, 
 
 That it is foth than every dele 
 
 Of that this clerke her hadde tolde, 
 
 And was the glader many folde 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 69 
 
 In hope of fuche a glad metredc, 
 
 Which after mall befalle in dede. 
 
 She longeth fore after the day, 
 
 That me her fweven telle may 
 
 To this guilour in privete, 
 
 Which knewe it alfo well as me. 
 
 And netheles on morwe fone 
 
 She left al other thing to done 
 
 And for him fend, and all the cas 
 
 She tolde him pleinly as it was 
 
 And faide, how than well me wift, 
 
 That me his wordes mighte trift, 
 
 For fhe founde her avifion 
 
 Right after the condition, 
 
 Which he her hadde told to-fore, 
 
 And praid him hertely therfore, 
 
 That he her holde covenant 
 
 So forth of all the remenant, 
 
 That fhe may through his ordenaunce 
 
 Towardes god do fuch plefaunce, 
 
 That flie wakend might him kepe 
 
 In fuch wife, as fhe met a flepe. 
 
 And he that couth of guile inough, 
 
 Whan he this herde, for joy he lough 
 
 And faith : Madame, it fhall be do. 
 
 But this I warne you therto, 
 
 This night, whan that he comth to play, 
 
 That there be no life in the way 
 
 But I, that fhall at his liking 
 
 Ordeine fo for his coming, 
 
7 o CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 That ye ne mull nought of him faile. 
 
 For this, madame, I you counfeile, 
 
 That ye it kepe fo prive, 
 
 That no wight dies but we thre 
 
 Have knouleching, how that it is. 
 
 For elles might it fare amis, 
 
 If ye did ought, that fhulde him greve. 
 
 And thus he makth her to beleve 
 
 And feigneth under guile feith. 
 
 But netheles all that he faith 
 
 She troweth. And ayein the night 
 
 She hath within her chambre dight, 
 
 Where as this guiler fafte by 
 
 Upon this god fhall prively 
 
 Awaite, as he makth her to wene. 
 
 And thus this noble gentil quene, 
 
 Whan (lie moll: trufted, was deceived. 
 
 The night come, and the chambre is 
 Nectanabus hath take his place, [weived, 
 And whan he figh the time and fpace, 
 Through the deceipt of his magique 
 He put him out of mannes like 
 And of a dragon toke the forme, 
 As he, which wolde him all conforme 
 To that (he figh in fweven er this. 
 And thus to chambre come he is. 
 The quene lay a bed and figh 
 And hopeth ever, as he cam nigh, 
 That he god of Lubie were, 
 So hath me well the lefTe fere. 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. ji 
 
 But for he wold her more afTure, 
 
 Yet efte he chaungeth his figure 
 
 And of a wether the likeneffe 
 
 He toke in figne of his nobleffe 
 
 With large homes for the nones 
 
 Of fine gold and riche ftones. 
 
 A corone on his heved he bare 
 
 And fodeinlich, er fhe was ware, 
 
 As he, whiche alle guile can, 
 
 His forme he torneth into man 
 
 And came to bedde and fhe lay ftill, 
 
 Where as fhe furrreth all his will 
 
 As fhe, which wende nought mifdo. 
 
 But netheles it hapneth fo, 
 
 All though fhe were in part deceived. 
 
 Yet for all that me hath conceived 
 
 The worthier! of alle kithe, 
 
 Which ever was to-fore or fithe 
 
 Of conqueft and chivalerie, 
 
 So that through guile and forcerie 
 
 There was that noble knight begonne, 
 
 Which all the worlde hath after wonne. 
 
 Thus fell the thing, which falle fliolde, 
 
 Nectanabus hath that he wolde, 
 
 With guile he hath his love fped, 
 
 With guile he came into the bed, 
 
 With guile he goth him out ayein. 
 
 He was a fhrewed chamberlein, 
 
 So to beguile a worthy quene, 
 
 And that on him was after fene. 
 
j 2 CONFESS 10 AM ANT IS. 
 
 But netheles the thing is do. 
 
 This falfe god was fone go 
 
 With his deceipt and helde him clofe, 
 
 Till morwe cam, that he arofe, 
 
 And tho, whan time and leifer was, 
 
 The quene tolde him all the cas 
 
 As me, that guile none fuppofeth, 
 
 And of two points me him oppofeth. 
 
 One was, if that this god no more 
 
 Woll come ayein, and overmore, 
 
 How me (hall ftonden in accorde 
 
 With king Philippe her owne lorde, 
 
 When he comth home and feeth her grone. 
 
 Madame, he faith, let me alone, 
 As for the god I undertake, 
 That whan it liketh you to take 
 His compaigny at any throwe, 
 If I a day to-fore it knowe, 
 He mall be with you on the night. 
 And he is well of fuch a might 
 To kepe you from alle blame. 
 Forthy comforte you, madame, 
 There mall none other caufe be. 
 Thus toke he leve and forth goth he. 
 And tho began he for to mufe, 
 How he the quene might excufe 
 Toward the king of that is falle, 
 And found a craft amonges alle, 
 Through which he hath a fee foule daunted 
 With his magique and fo enchaunted, 
 
LIBER S EXT VS. 73 
 
 That he flew forth, whan it was night, 
 Unto the kinges tente right, 
 Where that he lay amidde his hofte. 
 
 And whan he was a-flepe moft, 
 With that the fee foule to him brought 
 An other charme, which he wrought 
 At home within his chambre ftill. 
 The kinge he torneth at his will 
 And maketh him for to dreme and fe 
 The dragon and the privete, 
 Which was betwene him and the quene. 
 And over that he made him wene 
 In fweven, how that the god Amos, 
 Whan he up fro the quene aros, 
 Toke forth a ring, wherin a flone 
 Was fet and grave therupon 
 A fonne, in which, whan he cam nigh, 
 A leon with a fwerd he figh. 
 And with that prent, as he fo mette, 
 Upon the quenes wombe he fette 
 A feal, and goth him forth his way, 
 With that the fweven went away. 
 And tho began the king awake 
 And figheth for his wives fake, 
 Where as he lay within his tent, 
 And hath great wonder, what it ment. 
 With that he hailed him to rife 
 Anone and fent after the wife, 
 Among the whiche there was one, 
 A clerke, his name is Amphion, 
 
74 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Whan he the kinges fweven herde, 
 
 What it betokneth he anfwerde 
 
 And faith : As iikerly as the life 
 
 A god hath laien by thy wife 
 
 And got a fone, which (hall winne 
 
 The world and all that is withinne. 
 
 As leon is the king of beftes, 
 
 So fhall the world obey his heftes, 
 
 Which with his fwerd fhal al be wonne, 
 
 Als fer as fhineth any fonne. 
 
 The king was doubtif of this dome, 
 But netheles whan that he come 
 Ayein into his owne lond, 
 His wife with childe great he fond, 
 He mighte nought him felven ftere, 
 That he ne made her hevy chere. 
 But he, which couthe of all forwe, 
 Nedtanabus upon the morwe 
 Through the deceipt of nigromaunce 
 Toke of a dragon the femblaunce, 
 And where the king fat in his halle, 
 Cam in rampend among hem alle 
 With fuch a noife and fuch a rore, 
 That they agaft were all fo fore, 
 As though they fhulde deie anone. 
 And netheles he greveth none, 
 But goth toward the deis on high. 
 And whan he cam the quene nigh, 
 He ftint his noife and in his wife 
 To her he profreth his fervice 
 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. y S 
 
 And laith his hede upon her barme, 
 
 And me with goodly chere her arrne 
 
 About his necke ayeinward laide, 
 
 And thus the quene with him plaide 
 
 In light of alle men about. 
 
 And ate lafl he gan to lout 
 
 And obeifaunce unto her make, 
 
 As he, that wolde his leve take. 
 
 And fodeinly his lothely forme 
 
 Into an egle he gan transforme 
 
 And fligh and fet him on a raile, 
 
 Wherof the king had great merveile. 
 
 For there he pruneth him and piketh, 
 
 As doth an hawk, whan him wel liketh, 
 
 And after that him felf he fhoke, 
 
 Wherof that all the halle quoke, 
 
 As it a terremote were. 
 
 They faiden alle, god was there, 
 
 In fuche a rees and forth he fligh. 
 
 The king, which all this wonder figh, 
 Whan he cam to his chambre alone, 
 Unto the quene made his mone 
 And of foryivenefle he her praide. 
 For than he knew well, as he faide, 
 She was with childe with a god. 
 
 Thus was the king withoute rod 
 Chaftifed and the quene excufed 
 Of that (lie hadde ben accufed. 
 And for the greater evidence 
 Yet after that in the prefence 
 
76 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Of king Philip and other mo, 
 Whan they ride in the feldes tho, 
 A fefaunt came before her eye, 
 The whiche anone, as they her figh 
 Fleende, let an ey down falle, 
 And it to-brake to-fore hem alle. 
 And as they token therof kepe, 
 They figh out of the fhelle crepe 
 A litel ferpent on the grounde, 
 Which rampeth all aboute rounde, 
 And in ayein he woll have wonne, 
 But for the brenning of the fonne 
 It mighte nought, and fo it deide. 
 And therupon the clerkes faide : 
 
 As the ferpent, when it was out, 
 Went environ the fhelle aboute 
 And mighte nought torne in ayein, 
 So fhall it fallen in certein. 
 This child the world fhall environe 
 And above alle the corone 
 Him fhall befall, and in yonge age 
 He fhall defire in his corage, 
 Whan all the worlde is in his honde 
 To torne ayein unto the londe, 
 Where he was bore, and in his wey 
 Homeward he fhall with poifon dey. 
 
 The king, whiche al this figh and herde, 
 Fro that day forth, how fo it ferde, 
 His jaloufie hath all foryete. 
 But he, whiche hath the child begete, 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 77 
 
 Nectanabus in privite 
 
 The time of his nativite 
 
 Upon the conftellation 
 
 Awaiteth and relation 
 
 Maketh to the quene, how (he mall do, 
 
 And every houre appointeth fo, 
 
 That no minute therof was lore. 
 
 So that in due time is bore 
 
 This childe, and forthwith therupon 
 
 There fellen wonders many one 
 
 Of terremote univerfele, 
 
 The fonne toke colour of ftele 
 
 And loft his light, the windes blewe 
 
 And many ftrengthes overthrewe, 
 
 The fee his propre kinde chaungeth 
 
 And all the worlde his forme ftraungeth, 
 
 The thunder with his firy leven 
 
 So cruel was upon the heven, 
 
 That every erthely creature 
 
 Tho thought his life in aventure. 
 
 The tempeft ate lafte cefeth, 
 
 The child is kepte, his age encrefeth, 
 
 And Alifaundre his name is hote, 
 
 To whom Califtre and Ariftote 
 
 To techen him philofophy 
 
 Entenden and aftronomy, 
 
 With other thinges, which he couth, 
 
 Alfo to teche him in his youth 
 
 Nectanabus toke upon honde. 
 
 But every man may underftonde 
 
78 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Of forcery, how that it wende, 
 
 It woll him felve prove at ende 
 
 And namely for to beguile 
 
 A lady, which withoute guile 
 
 Suppofeth trouth all that fhe hereth. 
 
 But often he, that evil ftereth, 
 
 His fhip is dreint therin amidde. 
 
 And in this cas right fo betidde 
 
 Neclanabus upon a night, 
 
 Whan it was faire and fterre light, 
 
 This yonge lord lad upon high 
 
 Above a toure, where as he figh 
 
 The fterres fuch as he accompteth 
 
 And faith, what eche of hem amounteth, 
 
 As though he knewe of alle thing. 
 
 But yet hath he no knouleching, 
 
 What dial unto him felf befalle. 
 
 Whan he hath tolde his wordes alle, 
 
 This yonge lord than him oppofeth 
 
 And axeth, if that he fuppofeth, 
 
 What deth he fhul him felve dey. 
 
 He faith : Or fortune is awey 
 
 And every fterre hath loft his wone, 
 
 Or elles of min owne fone 
 
 I mall be flain, I may nought fie. 
 
 Thought Alifaundre in privete : 
 
 Herof this olde dotard lieth. 
 
 And er that other ought afpieth 
 
 All fodeinlich his olde bones 
 
 He fhof over the wall at ones 
 
LIBER SEXrUS. 79 
 
 And faith him : Lie down there a part, 
 Wherof now ferveth all thin art ? 
 Thou knewe all other mennes chaunce 
 And of thy felf haft ignoraunce, 
 That thou haft faid amonges alle, 
 Of thy perfone is nought befalle. 
 
 Nectanabus, which hath his dethe, 
 Yet while him lafteth life and brethe 
 To Alifaundre he fpake and faid, 
 That he with wrong blame on him laid. 
 Fro point to point and all the cas 
 He tolde, how he his fone was. 
 Tho he, which fory was inough, 
 Out of the dich his fader drough 
 And tolde his moder, how it ferde 
 In counfeil, and whan (he it herde 
 And knew the tokens, which he tolde, 
 She nifte what (lie faie (holde, 
 But ftood abasftied as for the while 
 Of this magique and all the guile. 
 She thought, how that (he was deceived, 
 That (lie hath of a man conceived 
 And wende a god it hadde be. 
 But netheles in fuch degre 
 So as (lie might her honour fave, 
 She (hope the body was begrave. 
 And thus Nectanabus abought 
 The forcerie, which he wrought, 
 Though he upon the creatures 
 Through his caredtes and figures 
 
80 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 The maiftry and the power hadde, 
 
 His creator to nought him ladde, 
 
 Ayein whofe lawe his craft he ufeth, 
 
 Whan he for luft his god refufeth 
 
 And toke him for the devels craft. 
 
 Lo, what profit is him belaft. 
 
 That thing, through which he wend have 
 
 Firft him exiled out of londe, [ftonde, 
 
 Which was his own, and from a king 
 
 Made him to be an underling, 
 
 And fithen to deceive a quene, 
 
 That torneth him to mochel tene, 
 
 Through luft of love he gat him hate, 
 
 That ende couth he nought abate 
 
 His olde fleightes, which he caft, 
 
 Yonge Alifaundre him overcaft. 
 
 His fader, which him mifbegat, 
 
 He flough, a great mifhap was that. 
 
 But for o mis an other mis 
 
 Was yolde, and fo full ofte it is. 
 
 Nectanabus his craft mifwent, 
 
 So it misfell him, er he went. 
 
 I not what helpeth that clergy, 
 
 Which maketh a man to do foly, 
 And namelich of nigromaunce, 
 Which front upon the mifcreaunce. 
 Nota, quaiiterrex And for to fe more evidence 
 
 Zoraftes ftatim, r7 n t • i i 
 
 cum ab utero ma- Zoraftes, which thexpenence 
 
 tris fue nafceretur, r\f • r n r .t i i 
 
 gaudiomagnorifit, U* art magique fir ft forth drough, 
 dXrrZ^r. Anone as he was bore he lough, 
 
 
LIBER SEXrUS. 81 
 
 Which token was of wo fuinge, tit fignum figura- 
 
 _> r . . . batur. Nam et ipfe 
 
 roror his owne controvinge deteftabilu arti* 
 
 He found magique and taught it forth, fovfntoj^mieni 
 
 But all that was him litel worth. fj oftca T ]\ Su, j ie 
 
 dira morte truciua- 
 
 For of Surrie a worthy kin? rit,et fie opus ope- 
 
 J ° ranumconiumplit. 
 
 Him flewe and that was his ending. 
 But yet through him this craft is ufed, 
 And he through all the world accufed, 
 For it mall never well acheve, 
 That ftont nought right with the beleve. 
 But lich to wolle is evil fponne, 
 Who lefeth him felf hath litel wonne, 
 An ende proveth every thing. 
 
 Saul, which was of Tewes king, Nota. De sauie 
 
 i et Phitonifia. 
 
 Up peine of deth forbad this arte, 
 And yet he toke therof his parte. 
 The PhitonifTe in Samary 
 Yaf him counfeil by forcery, 
 Which after fell to mochel forwe, 
 For he was (lain upon the morwe. 
 To conne mochel thing it helpeth, 
 But of to moche no man yelpeth. 
 So for to loke on every fide, 
 Magique may nought well betide. 
 
 Forthy my fone, I woll the rede, Confeflbr. 
 
 That thou of thefe enfamples drede, 
 That for no luft of erthly love 
 Thou feche fo to come above, 
 Wherof as in the worldes wonder 
 Thou malt for ever be put under. 
 
 3 g 
 
82 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 Amans. My gode fader, graunt mercy. 
 
 For ever I (hall beware therby 
 Of love what me fo befalle 
 Such forcery aboven alle. 
 Fro this day forth I mall efcheue, 
 That fo ne woll I nought purfue 
 My luft of love for to feche. 
 But this I wolde you befeche 
 Befide that me ftant of love, 
 As I you herde fpeke above, 
 How Alifaundre was betaught 
 Of Ariftotle and fo well taught 
 Of all that to a king belongeth, 
 Wherof my herte fore longeth 
 To wife what it wolde mene. 
 For by refon I wolde wene, 
 But if I herde of thinges ftraunge, 
 Yet for a time it fhulde chaunge 
 My peine and liffe me fomdele. 
 
 Confeflbr. My gode fone, thou faieft wele. 
 
 For wifdom, how that ever it ftonde, 
 To him that can it underftonde 
 Doth great profit in fondry wife, 
 But touchend of fo high a prife, 
 Which is nought unto Venus knowe, 
 I may it nought my felve knowe, 
 Which of her court am all forth drawe 
 And can no thing but of her lawe. 
 But netheles to knowe more 
 As wel as thou me longeth fore. 
 
LIBER SEXTUS. 83 
 
 And for it helpeth to comune, 
 All be they nought to me comune, 
 The fcoles of philofophy 
 Yet thenk I for to fpecify 
 In boke as it is comprehended, 
 Wherof thou mighteft ben amended. 
 For though I be nought all cunning 
 Upon the forme of this writing, 
 Some part therof yet I have herde, 
 In this matere how it hath ferde. 
 
 Explicit liber fextus. 
 
Incipit Liber Septimus. 
 
 Omnibus in caufis fapiens doflrina falutem 
 Confequitur, nee habet quis nift doclus opem. 
 
 Naturam fuperat doclrina, viro quod et ortus 
 Ingenii doeilis non dedit, ipfa dabit. 
 
 Non ita difcretus hominum per climata regnat, 
 Quin magis ut fapiat^ indiget ipfe fchole. 
 
 Qma omnis doftrina 
 bona humano regi- 
 mini falutem confert, 
 in hoc ("eptimo libro 
 ad inftanciam amantis 
 languidi intendit Ge- 
 nius illam, ex qua 
 philofophi et aftrolo- 
 gi phiiofophie doc- 
 trinam regem Alex- 
 andrum imbuerunt, 
 fecundum aliquid de- 
 clarare. Dividit e- 
 nim philofophiam in 
 tres partes, quarum 
 prima theorica, fe- 
 cunda rhetorica, ter- 
 cia praclica nuncu- 
 pata eft, de quarum 
 condicionibus l'ubie- 
 quenter per fingula 
 traclabit. 
 
 GENIUS the preft oflove, 
 My fone, as thou haft praid 
 
 above, 
 That I the fcole fliall declare 
 
 Of Ariftotle and eke the fare 
 
 Of Alifaundre, how he was taught, 
 
 I am fomdele therof deftraught. 
 
 For it is nought the matere 
 
 Oflove, why we fitten here 
 
 To fhrive fo as Venus badde, 
 
 But netheles for it is gladde, 
 
 So as thou faift for thin apprife 
 
 To here of fuche thinges wife, 
 
 Wherof thou might thy time line, 
 
 So as I can, I fhall the wifle. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 85 
 
 For wifdom is at every throwe 
 
 Above all other thing to knowe 
 1 In loves caufe and elles where. 
 
 Forthy my fone, unto thin ere, 
 ' Though it be nought in the regiftre 
 : Of Venus, yet of that Califlre 
 ; And Ariftotle whilom write 
 
 To Alifaundre, thou malt wite. 
 
 But for the lores ben diverfe 
 ; I thenke firfl: to the reherce 
 1 The nature of philofophy, 
 
 Which Ariftotle of his clergy 
 
 Wife and experte in the fciences, 
 
 Declared thilke intelligences, 
 
 As of the points in principal!, 
 
 Wherof the firfl in fpeciall 
 
 Is theorique, which is grounded 
 
 On him, which al the worlde hath founded, 
 
 Which comprehended al the lore. 
 
 And for to loken overmore 
 
 Next of fciences the fecounde 
 
 Is rhetorique, whofe facounde 
 Above all other is eloquent. 
 To telle a tale in jugement 
 So well can no man fpeke as he. 
 The lafte fcience of the thre 
 It is praclique, whofe office 
 The vertu trieth fro the vice 
 And techeth upon gode thewes 
 To fie the compaigny of fhrewes, 
 
86 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Which ftant in dipoficion 
 
 Of mannes fre election. 
 
 Practique enformeth eke the reule, 
 
 How that a worthy king fhall reule 
 
 His realme, both in werre and pees. 
 
 Lo, thus danz Ariftoteles 
 
 Thefe thre fciences hath devided 
 
 And the nature alfo decided, 
 
 Wherof that eche of hem mall ferve. 
 
 The firfte, which is the conferve 
 
 And keper of the remenaunt 
 
 As that, which is moft fuffifaunt 
 
 And chefe of the philofophy, 
 
 If I therof fhall fpeciphy, 
 
 So as the philofophre tolde, 
 
 Now herke and kepe that thou it holde. 
 
 i. Prima creator em dat fcire fcicntia fummum> 
 £hii capity agnofcit) Jufficit illud ei. 
 Plura viros quandoque juvat nefcire, fed illud, 
 £)uod vidit expediens fobrius ille fapit. 
 
 Hie trafht de pri- Of theorique principall 
 
 ma parte philofo- _, t-i /■ i • r • 11 
 
 phie, que theorica I ne philolophre in lpeciall 
 
 dicitur, cuius na- rr-11 1 ^i ] ^ j 
 
 tura tripiki dotata I he propretes hath determined, 
 ^otgit'phite As thilke which is enlumined 
 f, ma *™JMn, Of wifdom and of hi<?h prudence 
 
 led pnmo lllam t> r 
 
 partem theoiogice Above all other in his fcience 
 
 declarabit. 
 
 And ftant departed upon thre. 
 The firft of which in his degre 
 Is cleped in philofophy 
 The fcience of theology, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 87 
 
 That other named is phifique, 
 The thridde is faid mathematique. 
 Theology is that fcience, 
 Which unto man yiveth evidence 
 Of thing, which is nought bodely, 
 Wherof men knowe redely 
 The high almighty trinite, 
 Which is o god in unite 
 Withouten ende and beginning 
 And creator of alle thing, 
 Of heven, of erthe and of helle, 
 Wherof as olde bokes telle 
 The philofophre in his refon 
 Wrote upon this conclufion. 
 And of his writing in a claufe 
 He clepeth god the firite caufe, 
 Which of him felf is thilke good, 
 Withoute whom nothing is good, 
 Of which that every creature 
 Hath his being and his nature. 
 After the being of the thinges 
 There ben thre formes of beinges. 
 
 Thing, which began and ende {hall, Nota, quod triplex 
 
 ,-..,. .... , ., dicitur eflencia. 
 
 That thing IS Cleped temporal!. Prima temporanea, 
 
 rr-ii • 1/* 1_ *.L que incipit et de- 
 
 There is alio by other way g nitj fecunda per . 
 
 Thing, which began and mall nought dey ££* J3?£g 
 
 As foules, that ben fpirituell, dafempiterna,mK 
 
 x nee incipit nee de- 
 
 Her being is perpetuell. finit. 
 
 But there is one above the fonne, 
 Whofe time never was begonne 
 
88 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And endeles (hall ever be, 
 
 That is the god, whofe magefte 
 
 All other thinges mall governe, 
 
 And his being is fempiterne. 
 
 The god, to whom that all honour 
 
 Belongeth, he is creatour. 
 
 And other ben his creatures, 
 
 He commaundeth the natures, 
 
 That they to him obeien alle. 
 
 Withouten him, what fo befalle, 
 
 Her might is none, and he may all. 
 
 The god was ever and ever mall, 
 
 And they begonne of his afTente. 
 
 The times alle be prefent 
 
 To god, and to hem alle unknowe, 
 
 But what him liketh, that they knowe. 
 
 Thus both an aungel and a man, 
 
 The which of all, that god began, 
 
 Be chefe, obeien goddes might, 
 
 And he ftont endeles up right. 
 
 To this fcience ben prive 
 
 The clerkes of divinite, 
 
 The which unto the people prechen 
 
 The feith of haly chirche and techen, 
 
 Which in one cas upon beleve 
 
 Stant more than they conne preve 
 
 By wey of argument fenfible. 
 
 But netheles it is credible 
 
 And doth a man great mede have 
 
 To him that thenketh him felf to fave. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 89 
 
 Theology in fuch a wife 
 Of high fcience and apprife 
 Above all other ftant unlike 
 And is the firft of theorique. 
 
 Phifique is after the feconde, 
 Through which the philofophre hath fonde 
 To techen fondry knoulechinges 
 Upon the bodeliche thinges 
 Of man, of befte, of herbe, of ftone, 
 Of fisfhe, of foule, of everichone, 
 That ben of bodely fubftaunce 
 The nature and the fubftaunce. 
 Through this fcience it is full fought, 
 Which vaileth and which vaileth nought. 
 
 The thridde point of theorique, 
 Which cleped is mathematique, 
 Devided is in fondry wife 
 And ftant upon divers apprife. 
 The ferft of whiche is arfmetique, 
 And the fecond is faid mufique, 
 The thridde is eke geometrie, 
 Alfo the forth aftronomie. 
 
 Of arfmetique the matere 
 Is that of which a man may lere, 
 What algorifme in nombre amounteth, 
 Whan that the wife man accompteth 
 After the formal proprete 
 Of algorifmes a, be, ce. 
 By which multiplication 
 Is made and diminution 
 
 Nota de fecunda 
 parte theorice, que 
 phifica dicitur. 
 
 Notade tercia par- 
 te theorice, que 
 mathematica dici- 
 tur, cuius condicio 
 quatuor in fe con- 
 tinet intelligencias, 
 fcilicet arithmeti- 
 cam, muficam, ge- 
 ometriam et allro- 
 nomiam,fed primo 
 de arithmetice na- 
 tura dicere inten- 
 dit. 
 
dicitur. 
 
 90 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Of fommes by thexperience 
 Of this art and of this fcience. 
 Nota de muf.ca, The feconde of mathematique, 
 anis mathemaSe Whiche is the fcience of mufique, 
 That techeth upon harmonie 
 A man to make melodie 
 By vois and foune of inftrument 
 Through notes of accordement, 
 The whiche men pronounce alofte, 
 Now fharpe notes and now fofte 
 Now highe notes and now lowe, 
 As by the gamme a man may knowe, 
 Which techeth the prolacion 
 Of note and the condition. 
 Nota de terda fpe- Mathematique of his fcience 
 Hath yet the thridde intelligence 
 Full of wifdom and of clergie 
 And cleped is geometrie, 
 Through which a man hath the Height 
 Of length, of brede, of depth, of height 
 To knowe the proporcion 
 By verray calculacion 
 Of this fcience. And in this wife 
 Thefe olde philofophres wife 
 Of all this worldes erthe rounde, 
 How large, how thicke was the grounde, 
 Contrived in thexperience, 
 The cercle and the circumference 
 Of every thing unto the heven 
 They fetten point and mefure even. 
 
 cie artis mathema- 
 tice, quam geo 
 metriam vocant. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 Mathematique above the erth 
 Of high fcience above the ferth, 
 Which fpeketh upon aftronomie 
 And techeth of the fterres high, 
 Beginning upward fro the mone. 
 But nrft, as it was for to done 
 This Ariftotle in other thing 
 Unto this worthy yonge king 
 The kinde of every element, 
 Which ftant under the firmament, 
 How it is made and in what wife 
 Fro point to point he gan devife. 
 
 Shiatuor omnipotens elementa creavit origo, 
 ^uatuor et venti partibus ora dabat. 
 
 Nojlraque quadruplici compleffio forte creatur, 
 Corpore Jicque fno Jlat variatus homo. 
 
 To-fore the creation 
 Of any worldes ftation, 
 Of heven, of erthe, or eke of helle 
 So as thefe olde bokes telle, 
 As foune to-fore the fonge is fet, 
 And yet they ben to-gider knet, 
 Right fo the highe purveaunce 
 Tho had under his ordenaunce 
 A great fubftaunce, a great matere, 
 Of which he wolde in his manere 
 Thefe other thinges make and forme. 
 For yet withouten any forme 
 Was that matere univerfall, 
 Which hight Ylem in fpeciall. 
 
 9 1 
 
 Hie interim traclat 
 de creacione qua- 
 tuor elementorum, 
 fcilicet terre, aque, 
 aeris et ignis nee 
 non et de eorum 
 naturis, nam et fin- 
 gulis proprietates 
 fingule attribuun- 
 tur. 
 
92 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 Of Ylem as I am enformed 
 Thefe elements ben made and formed, 
 Of Ylem elements they hote 
 After the fcole of Ariftote, 
 Of which if more I (hall reherce, 
 Four elements there ben diverfe. 
 Notade terra, quod The firft of hem men erthe call, 
 rn ft ent P um num *" Which is the loweft of hem all, 
 And in his forme is fhape rounde 
 Subftanciall, ftrong, fad and founde 
 As that, which made is fuffifaunt 
 To bere up all the remenaunt. 
 For as the point in a compas 
 Stant even amiddes, right fo was 
 This erthe fet and mall abide, 
 That it may fwerve to no fide 
 Phiiofophus. u- And hath his centre after the lawe 
 
 nuinquodque na- ^_ - , . . , . . 
 
 tmaiiter appetit Or kinde, and to that centre drawe 
 
 fuum centrum. t^v r ^t. u ^L • 
 
 Dehreth every worldes thing, 
 If there ne were no letting. 
 Notadeaqua,quod Above the erth kepeth his bounde 
 
 eft fecundum ele- _,. ..... r , 
 
 mentum. I he water, which is the lecounde 
 
 Of elements, and all without 
 It environneth therthe about. 
 But as it fheweth nought forthy 
 The fubtil water mightily, 
 Though it be of him felve fofte, 
 The ftrength of therthe palTeth ofte. 
 For right as veines ben of blood 
 In man, right fo the water flood 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 93 
 
 Therth of his cours maketh ful of veines 
 Als well the hilles as the pleines. 
 And that a man may feen at eye, 
 For wher the hilles ben moil high, 
 There may men wel ftremes finde. 
 So preveth it by way of kinde, 
 The water higher than the londe. 
 And over this now underftonde 
 
 Air is the thridde of elementes, Notadeaere.quod 
 
 _. r . ~ . . . a . r . eft terciumelemen- 
 
 Oi whole kinde his alpirementes tum. 
 
 Taketh every livisfh creature, 
 
 The which mall upon erth endure. 
 
 For as the fisfh if it be drie 
 
 Mote in defalte of water deie, 
 
 Right fo withoute air on live 
 
 No man, ne befte, mighte thrive, 
 
 The which is made of flesfh and bone, 
 
 There is out take of alle none. 
 
 This air in periferies thre Nota, quod aer in 
 
 r r . . tnbus penferns di- 
 
 Devided is 01 men degre, viditur. 
 
 Beneth is one and one amidde, 
 
 To which above is the thridde. 
 
 And upon the devifions 
 
 There ben divers oppreffions 
 
 Of moift and eke of drie alfo, 
 
 Which of the fonne bothe two 
 
 Ben drawe and haled upon high 
 
 And maken cloudes in the fky, 
 
 And fhewed is at mannes fight, 
 
 Wherof by day and eke by night 
 
94 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 After the times of the yere 
 Among us upon erthe here 
 In fondry wife thinges falle. 
 Nota de prima ae- The firft periferie of alle 
 
 ris pcrifcria. ,-, • 1 • n j 
 
 Engendreth milt and overmore 
 The dewes and the froftes hore 
 After thilke interftition, 
 In which they take impreffion. 
 
 Nota de fecunda Fro the fecond, as bokes fain, 
 The moift droppes of the rein 
 Defcenden into middel erthe 
 And tempreth it to fede and erthe 
 And doth to fpringe gras and floure. 
 And ofte alfo the grete fhoure 
 Out of fuch place it may be take, 
 That it the forme mail forfake 
 Of reine and into fnow be torned, 
 And eke it may be fo fojorned 
 In fondry places up alofte, 
 That into hail it torneth ofte. 
 
 Nota d e terda ae- The thridde of thair after the lawe 
 Through fuch matere as is up drawe 
 Of drie thing, as it is ofte, 
 Among the cloudes upon lofte, 
 And is fo clofe, it may nought out. 
 Than is it chafed fore about, 
 Till it to fire and leit be falle, 
 And than it breketh the cloudes alle, 
 The which of fo great noife craken, 
 That they the ferefull thunder maken. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 The thunder-ftroke fmit, er it Icite, 
 
 And yet men fene the fire and leite, 
 
 The thunder-ftroke er that men here. 
 
 So may it well be proved here 
 
 In thing, which (hewed is fro ferre, 
 
 A mannes eye is there nerre 
 
 Than is the found to mannes ere. 
 
 And netheles it is great fere 
 
 Both of the ftroke and of the fire, 
 
 Of which is no recoverire 
 
 In place where that they defcende, 
 
 But if god wolde his grace fende. 
 
 And for to fpeken over this 
 In this parte of thair it is, 
 That men full ofte fene by night 
 The fire in fondry forme alight. 
 Somtime the fire-drake it femeth, 
 And fo the lewde people it demeth. 
 Somtime it femeth as it were 
 A fterre, which that glideth there. 
 But it is nouther of the two, 
 The philofophre telleth fo 
 And faith, that of impreflions 
 Through divers exalations 
 Upon the caufe and the matere 
 Men fene diverfe forme appere 
 Of fire, the which hath fondry name. 
 AJfub, he faith, is thilke fame, 
 The which in fondry place is found, 
 Whan it is falle down to ground, 
 
 95 
 
 Nota, qualiter ig- 
 nes, quos noftanter 
 in aere difcurrere 
 videmus fecundum 
 varias apparencie 
 formas varia gef- 
 tant nomina, quo- 
 rum primus Aflub, 
 fecundus Capra fa- 
 liens, tercius Eges 
 ct quartus Daali in 
 libris philofopho- 
 rum nuncupatus 
 eft. 
 
96 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 So as the fire it hath aneled, 
 
 Lich unto (lime, which is congeled. 
 
 Of exalacion I finde 
 Fire kinled of the fame kinde, 
 But it is of another forme, 
 Wherof, if that I mall conforme 
 The figure unto that it is, 
 Thefe olde clerkes tellen this, 
 That it is lich a gote fkippend, 
 And for that it is fuch femend, 
 It is hatte Capr a /aliens. 
 
 And eke thefe aftronomiens 
 An other fire alfo by night, 
 Which fheweth him to mannes fight, 
 They clepen Eges, the which brenneth 
 Like to the currant fire, that renneth 
 Upon a corde, as thou haft fene, 
 Whan it with poudre is fo befene 
 Of fulphre and other thinges mo. 
 
 There is another fire alfo, 
 Which femeth to a mannes eye 
 By nightes time, as though there fligh 
 A dragon brennend in the iky, 
 And that is cleped proprely 
 Daali, wherof men fay full ofte : 
 Lo, where the firy drake alofte 
 Fleeth up in thair, and fo they demen. 
 But why the fires fuche femen 
 Of fondry forme to beholde, 
 The wife philofophre tolde, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 97 
 
 So as to-fore it hath bene herde. 
 
 Lo thus, my Tone, it hath ferde 
 Of air the due proprete 
 In fondry wife thou might fe, 
 And how under the firmament 
 It is eke the thridde element, 
 Whiche environeth bothe two 
 The water and the land alfo. 
 
 And for to tellen over this 
 Of elements, which the forthe is, 
 That is the fire in his degre 
 Whiche environeth thother thre 
 And is withoute moift all drie. 
 But lift now, what faith the clergie. 
 For upon hem, that I have faide, 
 The creator hath fet and laide 
 The kinde and the complexion 
 Of alle mennes nacion. 
 Four elements fondry there be, 
 Lich unto which of that degre 
 Among the men there bene alfo 
 Complexions foure and no mo, 
 Wherof the philofophre treteth, 
 That he nothing behinde leteth 
 And faith, how that they ben diverfe, 
 So as I mall to the reherce. 
 
 He, which natureth every kinde, 
 The mighty god, fo as I finde, 
 Of man, which is his creature, 
 Hath fo devided the nature, 
 
 3 h 
 
 ConfeflTor. 
 
 Notade ignc, quod 
 e(t quartum ele- 
 mentum. 
 
 Nota hie, qualiter 
 fecundum naturam 
 quatuor elemento- 
 rum quatuor in 
 humano corpore 
 complexiones, fci- 
 licet malencolia, 
 
oS CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 flcuma, fanguis ct That none till other well accordeth. 
 
 colera naturalitcr . . , , r • . r 3' r j *.1_ 
 
 conftituontar un- And by the caule it lo diicordetn 
 &A&1Z The life, which felcth the fiknefTe, 
 
 eft - May frond upon no iikernefTe. 
 
 Of therthe, which is colde and dry, 
 The kinde of man malencoly 
 Is cleped, and that is the firfte, 
 The mofl: ungoodlich and the werfte. 
 For unto loves werk on night 
 Him lacketh bothe will and might. 
 No wonder is in lufly place, 
 Of love though he lefe grace. 
 What man hath that complexion 
 Full of ymagination, 
 Of dredes and of wrathfull thought 
 He fret him felven all to nought. 
 
 De compiexione The water, which is moift and colde, 
 Maketh fleume, which is manifolde, 
 Foryetel, flow and wery fone 
 Of every thing, whiche is to done. 
 He is of kinde fuffifaunt 
 To holde love his covenaunt, 
 But that him lacketh appetite, 
 Which longeth unto fuch delite. 
 
 De compiexione What man that taketh this kind of thair, 
 He fhall be light, he mail be fair. 
 For his complexion is blood, 
 Of alle there is none fo good, 
 For he hath bothe will and might 
 To plefe and paie love his right, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 99 
 
 Where as he hath love undertake, 
 Wronge is, if that he forfake. 
 
 The firft of his condicion 
 Appropreth the complexion, 
 Whofe propretes ben drie and hote, 
 Which in a man is coler hote. 
 It maketh a man ben enginous 
 And fwifte of fote and eke irous. 
 Of conteke and fool haftifneffe 
 He hath a right great befineffe 
 To thenke on love and litel may, 
 Though he be hote well a day, 
 On night whan that he woll afTay, 
 He may full evil his dette pay. 
 
 After the kinde of thelement 
 Thus ftant a mannes kinde went 
 As touchend his complexion 
 Upon fondry divifion 
 Of dry, of moift, of chele, of hete, 
 And eche of hem his owne fete 
 Appropred hath within a man. 
 And firft to telle as I began 
 The fplen is to malencoly 
 Affigned for herbergery. 
 
 The moifte fleume with the colde 
 Hath in the lunges for his holde 
 Ordeined him a propre ftede 
 To dwelle there as he is bede. 
 
 To the fanguine complexion 
 Nature of his infpection 
 
 Dc complcxionc 
 colere. 
 
 Nota,qualiterqua- 
 tuor complexiones 
 quatuor in homine 
 habitaciones divi- 
 fim poffident. 
 
 Splen domus ma- 
 lencolie. 
 
 Pulmo domus fleu- 
 matis. 
 
 Epar domus fan- 
 guinis. 
 
fervit. 
 
 ioo C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 A propre hous hath in the liver 
 For his dwellinge made deliver. 
 
 Fei domus coicrc. The drie coler with his hete 
 By wey of kinde his propre fete 
 Hath in the galle, where he dwelleth, 
 So as the philofophre telleth. 
 
 Nota de ftomacho, Now over this is for to wite, 
 
 qui una cum aliis . . r 
 
 rordi ipeciaiius de- As it is in pninque write 
 
 Of liver, of lunge, of galle, of fplen, 
 
 They all unto the herte ben 
 
 Servaunts, and eche in his office 
 
 Entendeth to don him fervice, 
 
 As he, which is chefe lord above. 
 
 The liver maketh him for to love, 
 
 The lunge yiveth him wey of fpeche, 
 
 The galle ferveth to do wreche, 
 
 The fplen doth him to laugh and play, 
 
 Whan all unclenneffe is away. 
 
 Lo, thus hath eche of hem his dede 
 
 To fufteignen hem and fede. 
 
 In time of recreation 
 
 Nature hath in creation 
 
 The ftomack for a comun coke 
 
 Ordeined fo, as faith the boke. 
 
 The ftomack coke is for the hall 
 
 And boileth mete for hem all 
 
 To make hem mighty for to ferve 
 
 The herte, that he fhall nought fterve. 
 
 For as a king in his empire 
 
 Above all other is lorde and fire, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 101 
 
 So is the herte principal!, 
 
 To whom refon in fpeciall 
 
 Is yove as for the governaunce. 
 
 And thus nature his purveaunce 
 Hath made for man to liven here. 
 But god, which hath the foule dere, 
 Hath formed it in other wife, 
 That can no man pleinly devife. 
 But as the clerkes us enforme, 
 That lich to god it hath a forme, 
 Through which figure and which likeneffe 
 The foule hath many an high nobleffe 
 Appropred to his owne kinde. 
 But oft her wittes ben made blinde 
 Al onelich of this ilke pointe, 
 That her abiding is conjointe 
 Forth with the body for to dwelle. 
 That one defireth toward helle, 
 That other upward to the heven, 
 So mall they never flonde in even, 
 But if the flesfh be overcome 
 And that the foule have holy nome 
 The governaunce, and that is felde, 
 While that the flesfh him may bewelde. 
 All erthely thing, which god began, 
 Was only made to ferve man, 
 But he the foul all onely made 
 Him felven for to ferve and glade. 
 All other beftes that men finde 
 They ferven unto her owne kinde. 
 
io2 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 But to refon the foule ferveth, 
 Wherof the man his thank deferveth 
 And get him with his workes good 
 The perdurable lives food. 
 Hie loquitur uite- Of what matere it fhall be tolde 
 teTre, que poil'T- A tale liketh many folde 
 IT-;;": The better, if that it be fpoke pleine, 
 fcjiicetAham.Af- ^hus tne nke I for to torne ayeine 
 
 fncam et Euro- J 
 
 pam dividebatur. And tellen plenerly therfore 
 
 Of therthe, wherof now to-fore 
 
 I fpake, and of the water eke, 
 
 So as thefe olde bokes fpeke 
 
 And fette properly the bounde 
 
 After the forme of mappemounde, 
 
 Through which the ground by purparties 
 
 Departed is in thre parties, 
 
 That is Afie, Aufrique, Europe, 
 
 The which under the heven cope, 
 
 As fer as nreccheth any ground, 
 
 Begripeth all this erthe round, 
 
 But after that the highe wreche 
 
 The water weies let out feche 
 
 And overgo the hilles high, 
 
 Which every kinde made deie, 
 
 That upon middel erthe flood 
 
 Out take Noe and his blood, 
 
 His fones and his doughters thre 
 
 They were fauf and fo was he. 
 
 Her names, who that rede right, 
 
 Sem, Cham, Japhet the brethern hight, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. ic 3 
 
 And whanne thilke almighty honde 
 Withdrough the water fro the londc 
 And all the rage was away, 
 And erthe was the marines way, 
 The fones thre, of which I tolde, 
 Right after that hem felve wolde 
 This world departe they begonne. 
 
 Afia, which lay to the fonne De Afia. 
 
 Upon the marche of orient, 
 Was graunted by commune affent 
 To Sem, which was the fone eldeft, 
 For that partie was the bed: 
 And double as moch as other two. 
 And was that time bounded fo, 
 Wher as the flood, which men Nile calleth, 
 Departeth fro his cours and falleth 
 Into the fee Alexandrine, 
 There taketh Afie firft fefine 
 Toward the weft, and over this 
 Of Canahim, where the flood is 
 Into the grete fee rennend, 
 Fro that into the worldes end 
 Eftwarde Afie it is algates, 
 Till that men comen to the gates 
 Of paradis, and there ho. 
 And fhortly for to fpeke it fo 
 Of orient in generall 
 Within his bounde Afie hath all. 
 
 And than upon that other fide De Affrica et Eu- 
 
 Weftwarde, as it fell thilke tide, ropa " 
 
104 C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 The brother, which was hote Cham, 
 Unto his parte Aufrique nam. 
 Japhet Europe tho toke he, 
 Thus parten they the worlde on thre. 
 But yet there ben of londes fele 
 In Occident as for the chele, 
 In oriente as for the hete, 
 Which of the people be forlete 
 As lond deferte, that is unable, 
 For it may nought ben habitable. 
 Notademari,quod The water eke hath fondry bounde 
 
 magnum oceanum . r , , , 1 . . r ■, 
 
 dicitur. After the lond, where it is founde, 
 
 And taketh his name of thilke londes, 
 
 Where that it renneth on the ftrondes. 
 
 But thilke fee, which hath no wane, 
 
 Is cleped the great oceane, 
 
 Out of the which arife and come 
 
 The highe flodes all and fome. 
 
 Is none fo litel welle fpring, 
 
 Which there ne taketh his beginning, 
 
 And lich a man that lacketh breth 
 
 By wey of kinde, fo it geth 
 
 Out of the fee and in ayein 
 
 The water, as the bokes fain. 
 
 Nota hie fecun- Of elements the propretes 
 
 dum philofophum t T ^.i i niii 
 
 de quinto eiJmen- riow that they itonden by degres, 
 ceio qU c?eau m fnfra As * nave told > now might thou here, 
 
 cornet, TufnT- M Y §° de f ° ne > a11 the matere 
 
 me, orbis fpeciaii- Of erthe, of water, aire and fire. 
 
 ter appropnatum 
 
 cft - And for thou faift, that thy defire 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 105 
 
 Is for to witen overmore 
 The forme of Ariftotles lore, 
 He faith in his entendement, 
 That yet there is an element 
 Above the foure, and is the fifte 
 Set of the highe goddes yifte, 
 The which that or bis cleped is. 
 And therupon he telleth this, 
 That as the melle hole and founde 
 Enclofeth all aboute rounde 
 What thing within an ey belongeth, 
 Right fo this orbis underfongeth 
 Thefe elementes everychone, 
 Which I have fpoke of one and one. 
 But over this now take good hede, 
 My fone, for I wol procede 
 To fpeke upon mathematique, 
 Which grounded is on theorique. 
 The fcience of aftronomy 
 I thenke for to fpecify, 
 Withoute which to telle pleine 
 All other fcience is in veine 
 Toward the fcole of erthly thinges. 
 For as an egle with his winges 
 Fleeth above alle that men finde, 
 So doth this fcience in his kinde. 
 
 Lege planet arum magis inferior a reguntur 
 
 Ifla^ fed inter dum regula fallit opus. 
 Vir, mediante deo,fapiens dominabitur a/iris^ 
 
 Fata nee immerito quod novitatis agunt. 
 
106 CONFESSIO AMAN7IS. 
 
 Hie loquitur dear- Benethe upon this erthe here 
 ^t^" Of alle thinges the matere, 
 
 aftronomia mincu- A t jj us fay fa t b en Jerned, 
 patur, cm eciam J * 
 
 aftroiogia focia Qf thing above it ftont governed, 
 
 connumeratur, led ° 
 
 primo de feptem That is to fain of the planetes 
 
 afha potenciores The cheles bothe and eke the hetes. 
 
 do a'hma' Kim The chaunces of the worlde alfo, 
 
 tradare intendit. That wg fortune c l epen fo 
 
 Among the mennes nacion, 
 All is through conftellacion, 
 Wherof that fome man hath the wele, 
 And fome men have difefes fele 
 In love as well as other thinges. 
 The ftate of realmes and of kinges 
 In time of pees, in time of werre 
 It is conceived of the fterre. 
 And thus faith the naturien, 
 Whiche is an aftronomien. 
 But the divine faith other wife, 
 That if men were good and wife 
 And plefant unto the godhede, 
 They fhulden nought the fterres drede. 
 For o man, if him well befalle, 
 Is more worth than ben they alle 
 Towardes him, that weldeth all. 
 But yet the lawe original!, 
 Which he hath fet in the natures, 
 Mot worchen in the creatures, 
 That therof may be none obftacle, 
 But if it ftonde upon miracle 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 107 
 
 Through praier of fome haly man. 
 And for thy fo as I began 
 To fpeke upon aftronomy, 
 As it is write in the clergy, 
 To telle how the planetes fare, 
 Some parte I thenke to declare, 
 My fone, unto thin audience. 
 
 Aftronomy is the fcience 
 Of wifdom and of high conning, 
 Which maketh a man have knouleching 
 Of fterres in the fermament, 
 Figure, cercle and movement 
 Of eche of hem in fondry place, 
 And what betwene hem is of fpace, 
 How fo they move or ftonde faft, 
 All this it telleth to the laft. 
 Aflembled with aftronomy 
 Is eke that ilke aftrology, 
 The which in jugements accompteth 
 TherTecT:, what every fterre amounteth. 
 And how they caufen many a wonder 
 To the climats, that ftond hem under. 
 And for to telle it more pleine 
 Thefe olde philofophres faine, 
 That orbis, which I fpake of er, 
 Is that, which fro therthe afer 
 Beholde, and firmament it calle, 
 In which the fterres ftonden alle, 
 Among the which in fpeciall 
 Planetes feven principall 
 
io8 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 There ben, that marines fighte demeth 
 By thorizont, as to us femeth. 
 And alfo there ben fignes twelve, 
 Which have her cercles by hem felve 
 CompafTed in the zodiaque, 
 In which they have her places take, 
 And as they ftonden in degre, 
 Her cercles more or lafTe be 
 Made after the proportion 
 Of therthe, whofe condicion 
 Is fet, to be the foundament 
 To fufteigne up the firmament. 
 And by this fkill a man may knowe, 
 The more that they ftonden lowe 
 The more ben the cercles lafTe, 
 That caufeth why that fome pafTe 
 Her due cours to-fore an other. 
 But now, my leve dere brother, 
 As thou defirefl: for to wite 
 What I finde in the bokes write, 
 To telle of the planetes feven 
 How that they ftonde upon the heven, 
 And in what point that they ben in, 
 Take hede, for I woll begin, 
 So as the philofophre taught 
 To Alifaundre and it betaught, 
 Wherof that he was fully taught 
 Of wifdom, which was him betaught. 
 £i°netal C que P Xs Beneth all other ftant the mone, 
 
 inferior luna did- Xfo which hath whh fa fee tQ done 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 109 
 
 Of flodes high and ebbes lowe, 
 Upon his chaunge it mall be knowe. 
 And every fisfh, which hath a fhelle, 
 Mote in his governaunce dwelle 
 To wexe and wane in his degre, 
 As by the mone a man may fe, 
 And all that ftant upon the grounde 
 Of his moifture it mot be founde. 
 All other fterres, as men finde, 
 Ben minend of her owne kinde 
 Out take only the mone light, 
 Which is nought of him felve bright, 
 But as he taketh it of the fonne. 
 And yet he hath nought all full wonne 
 His light, that he nis fomdele derke. 
 But what the let is of that werke 
 In almageft it telleth this. 
 The mones cercle fo lowe is, 
 Wherof the fonne out of his flage 
 Ne feth him nought with full vifage, 
 For he is with the ground bemaded, 
 So that the mone is fomdele faded 
 And may nought fully mine clere. 
 But what man under his powere 
 Is bore, he (hall his place chaunge 
 And feche many londes ftraunge. 
 And as of this condicion 
 The mones difpoficion 
 Upon the londe of Alemaigne 
 Is fet and eke upon Britaigne, 
 
no CONFESS 10 AM ANT: IS. 
 
 Which now is cleped Engelonde, 
 For they travaile in every londe. 
 De fecunda plane- Of the planets the feconde 
 
 ta, que Mercurius , . i i i i • i j 
 
 didtur. Above the mone hath take his bonde 
 
 Mercurie, and his nature is this, 
 That under him who that bore is, 
 In boke he mall be ftudious 
 And in writinge curious 
 And flowe and luftles to travaile 
 In thing, whiche elles might availe. 
 He loveth efe, he loveth reft, 
 So is he nought the worthieft. 
 But with fomdele befinefle 
 His hert is fet upon richefTe. 
 And as in this condicion 
 ThefrecT: and difpoficion 
 Of this planete and of his chaunce 
 Is moft in Borgone and in Fraunce. 
 De terda pianeta, Next to Mercurie as woll befalle 
 que " Stant that planete, which men calle 
 
 Venus, whofe conftellacion 
 Governeth all the nacion 
 Of lovers, where they fpede or none, 
 Of which I trowe thou be one. 
 But whiderward thin happes wende, 
 Shall this planete fhewe at ende, 
 As it hath do to many mo, 
 To fome wel, to fome wo. 
 And netheles of this planete 
 The moft party is fofte and fwete. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 1 1 1 
 
 For who that therof taketh his berth 
 He mall defire joy and merth, 
 Gentil, curteis and debonaire 
 To fpeke his wordes fofte and faire, 
 Such ihall he be by wey of kinde. 
 And over all where he may finde 
 Plefaunce of love, his herte boweth 
 With all his might and ther he woweth. 
 He is fo ferforth amorous, 
 He not what thing is vicious. 
 Touchende love for that lawe 
 There may no maner man withdrawe, 
 The which venerien is bore 
 By wey of kinde, and therfore 
 Venus of love the goddefTe 
 Is cleped, but of wantonefTe 
 The climate of her lechery 
 Is moft comune in Lumbardy. 
 
 Next unto this planete of love 
 The brighte fonne ftant above, 
 Which is the hinderer of the night 
 And furtherer of the daies light, 
 As he, which is the worldes eye, 
 Through whom the lufty compaignie 
 Of foules by the morwe finge, 
 The frefhe floures fprede and fpringe, 
 The highe tre the ground bemadeth 
 And every mannes herte gladdeth. 
 And for it is the hede planete, 
 How that he fitteth in his fete, 
 
 Nota de fole, qui 
 medio planetarum 
 refidens aftrorum 
 principatum obti- 
 net. 
 
ii2 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Of what richefle, of what nobley 
 Thefe bokes, telle and thus they fay. 
 Notadecumifoiis Of golde gliftrend fpoke and whele 
 eiiiSem ap P aratu° The fonne his carte hath faire and wele, 
 In whiche he fitte, and is coroned 
 With brighte ftones environed, 
 Of which if that I fpeke (hall 
 There be to-fore in fpeciall 
 Set in the front of his corone 
 Thre ftones, whiche no perfone 
 Hath upon erthe, and the firft is 
 By name cleped licuchis. 
 That other two be cleped thus 
 Aftrices and ceramius 
 In his corone, alfo behinde, 
 By olde bokes as I finde, 
 There ben of worthy ftones thre 
 Set ech of hem in his degre, 
 Wherof a criftall is that one, 
 Which that corone is fet upon. 
 The feconde is an adamant. 
 The thridde is noble and avenaunt, 
 Which cleped is ydriades, 
 And over this yet netheles 
 Upon the fides of the werke, 
 After the writing of the clerke, 
 There fitten five ftones mo, 
 The fmaragdine is one of tho, 
 Jafpis and elitropius 
 And vendides and jacinctus. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 1 1 3 
 
 Lo, thus the corone is befet, 
 Wherof it fhineth well the bet, 
 And in fuch wife his light to fprede 
 Sit with his diademe on hede 
 The fonne fhinend in his carte. 
 And for to lede him fwithe and fmarte 
 After the brighte daies lawe 
 There ben ordeined for to drawe 
 Four hors his chare and him withall, 
 Wherof the names telle I mail. 
 Eritheus the fir ft is hote, 
 The which is red and fhineth hote, 
 The fecond Acteos the bright, 
 Lampes the thridde courfer hight, 
 And Philogeus is the ferth, 
 That bringen light unto this erth 
 And gone fo fwifte upon the heven, 
 In foure and twenty houres even 
 The carte with the brighte fonne 
 They drawe, fo that over ronne 
 They have under the cercles high 
 All middel erthe in fuche an hie. 
 And thus the fonne is over all 
 jThe chefe planet imperiall 
 Above him and beneth him thre, 
 
 • And thus betwene hem regneth he, 
 As he that hath the middel place 
 
 • Among the feven, and of his face 
 Be glad all erthly creatures 
 
 I And taken after the natures 
 
ii4 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 Her efe and recreacion. 
 And in his conftellacion 
 Who that is bore in fpeciall, 
 Of good will and of liberall 
 He fhall be founde in alle place 
 And alfo ftonde in mochel grace 
 Toward the lordes for to ferve 
 And great profite and thank deferve. 
 And over that it caufeth yit 
 A man to be fubtil of wit, 
 To worch in golde and to be wife 
 In every thing, which is of prife. 
 But for to fpeken in what coft 
 Of all this erth he regneth moft 
 As for wifdom it is in Grece, 
 Where is appropred thilke fpiece. 
 Nota de quinta Mars the planet bataillous 
 
 planeta, que Mars •»-!- \ r i • 
 
 dicitur. JNext to the ionne glorious 
 
 Above ftant and doth merveiles 
 Upon the fortune of batailes. 
 The conquerours by daies olde 
 Were unto this planete holde. 
 But who that his nativite 
 Hath take upon the proprete 
 Of Martes difpoficion 
 By wey of conftellacion, 
 He fhall be fiers and fool haftife 
 And defirous of werre and ftrife. 
 But for to tellen redely 
 In what climate moft communly 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. i i 5 
 
 That this planete hath his efFecte, 
 Said is, that he hath his afpecte 
 Upon the haly londe fo caft, 
 That there is no pees ftedefaft. 
 
 Above Mars upon the heven Nota dejexta P ia 
 
 _, n , r i r neta, que Jupitei 
 
 The fixte planete 01 the icven dicitur. 
 
 Stant Jupiter the delicate, 
 Which caufeth pees and no debate. 
 For he is cleped the planete, 
 Which of his kinde fofte and fwete 
 Attempreth all that to him longeth. 
 And whom this planete underfongeth 
 To ftonde upon his regiment, 
 He fhall be meke and pacient 
 And fortunate to marchandy 
 And lufty to delicacy 
 In every thing, which he mall do. 
 This Jupiter is caufe alfo 
 Of the fcience of lighte werkes, 
 And in this wife tellen clerkes 
 He is the planete of delices. 
 But in Egipte of his offices 
 He regneth mod in fpeciall, 
 I For there be luftes over all 
 Of all that to this life befalleth. 
 For there no ftormy weder falleth, 
 , Which mighte greve man or befte, 
 :And eke the londe is fo honeft, 
 That it is plenteous and pleine, 
 There is no idel ground in veine. 
 
n6 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And upon fuch felicite 
 Stant Jupiter in his degre. 
 Dc fcptima plane- The higheft and aboven alle 
 foXtraud^ Stunt that planete, which men calle 
 dl# . Saturnus, whofe complexion 
 
 Is colde, and his condicion 
 Caufeth malice and cruelte 
 To him, the whofe nativite 
 Is fet under his governaunce. 
 For all his werkes ben grevaunce 
 And enemy to mannes hele, 
 In what degre that he mail dele. 
 His climate is in orient, 
 Where that he is mofl violent. 
 
 Of the planetes by and by, 
 How that they ftonde upon the fky, 
 Fro point to point as thou might here 
 Was Alifaundre made to lere. 
 But over this touchend his lore 
 Of thing, that they him taughte more 
 Upon the fcoles of clergy, 
 Now herken the philofophy. 
 Podquam diaum He which departeth day fro night, 
 
 eft defeptem plane- __,, 
 
 tis, quibus Gnguie That one derke and that other bright, 
 
 feptimane dies tin- r\c r j • i i 
 
 guianterattituian- ^ J leven daies made a weke, 
 jam de^duodecim ^ mor >th of foure wekes eke, 
 I^Z^Z He hath kerned in his lawe 
 v..,,, nmporibu. Of monthes twelve and eke forthdrawe 
 
 evectiu vanob alk- 
 
 quuntur. He hath alfo the longe yere. 
 
 And as he fet of his powere 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 117 
 
 Accordaunt to the daies feven 
 Planetes feven upon the heven, 
 As thou to-fore haft herd devife, 
 To fpeke right in fuch a wife 
 To every monthe by him felve 
 Upon the heven, of iignes twelve 
 He hath after his ordinall 
 Affigned one in fpeciall, 
 Wherof fo as I mall rehercen 
 The tides of the yere diverfen. 
 But pleinly for to make it knowe, 
 How that the Iignes lit a rowe, 
 Eche after other by degre 
 In fubftaunce and in proprete 
 The zodiaque comprehended! 
 Within his cercle and it appendeth. 
 
 £hio deus in prima produxit adejfe creata. 
 
 The firfte of which netheles 
 By name is cleped Aries, 
 Which lich a wether of feature 
 Refembled is in his figure. 
 And as it faith in almagefte 
 Of fterres twelve upon this befte 
 Ben fet, wherof in his degre 
 The wombe hath two, the heved hath thre, 
 The taile hath feven, and in this wife, 
 As thou might here me devife, 
 Stant Aries, which hote and drie 
 Is of him felf and in partie 
 
 Nota hie de primo 
 figno, quod Aries 
 dicitur, cui menfis 
 fpecialiter Marcii 
 appropriates eft. 
 
n8 CONFESSIO ^MANTIS. 
 
 He is the receipt and the hous 
 
 Of mighty Mars the batailous. 
 
 And overmore eke as I finde 
 
 The creator of alle kinde 
 
 Upon this figne firfl began 
 
 The world, whan that he made man, 
 
 And of this conftellacion 
 
 The verray operacion 
 
 Availeth, if a man therinne 
 
 The purpofe of his werk beginne, 
 
 For than he hath of proprete 
 
 Good fpede and great felicite. 
 
 The twelve monthes of the yere 
 Attitled under the powere 
 Of thefe twelve fignes ftonde, 
 Wherof that thou malt underftonde 
 This Aries out of the twelve 
 Hath Marche attitled for him felve, 
 Whan every brid (hall chefe his make, 
 And every nedder, and every fnake 
 And every reptile, which may move, 
 His might affaieth for to prove 
 To crepen out ayein the fonne, 
 Whan ver his fefon hath begonne. 
 
 §hio prius occultas invenit herba vias. 
 
 Secundum fignum Taurus the feconde after this 
 
 dicitur Taurus, r-^rr 1 • 1 
 
 cuius menfia eft Ur lignes, which figured is 
 Unto a bulle, drie and colde 
 And as it is in bokes tolde 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 119 
 
 He is the hous appurtenaunt 
 
 To Venus fomdele defcordaunt. 
 
 This bulle is eke with fterres fet, 
 
 Through which he hath his homes knet 
 
 Unto the taile of Aries, 
 
 So is he nought there fterreles. 
 
 Upon his breft eke eightetene 
 
 He hath, and eke as it is fene 
 
 Upon his taile ftonde other two. 
 
 His month afiigned eke alfo 
 
 Is Averil, which of his fhoures 
 
 Miniftreth way unto the floures. 
 
 £hio volucrum cantus gaudet de floribus ortis. 
 
 The thridde figne is Gemini, Tercium fignum 
 
 TT T< • 1 • r i 11 dicitur Gemini, 
 
 Which is figured redely cuius menf.sMaius 
 
 Lich to two twinnes of man kinde, eft " 
 
 That naked ftonde. And as I finde, 
 
 They ben with fterres wel bego, 
 
 The heved hath parte of thilke two, 
 
 That mine upon the bulles taile, 
 
 So ben they both of o paraile. 
 
 But on the wombe of Gemini 
 
 Ben five fterres nought forthy. 
 
 And eke upon the fete be twey, 
 
 So as thefe olde bokes fay, 
 
 That wife Tholomeus wrote. 
 
 His propre monthe wel I wote 
 
 Affigned is the lufty May, 
 
 Whan every brid upon his lay 
 
120 C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 Among the grene leves fingeth, 
 And love of his pointure ftingeth 
 After the lawes of nature 
 The youthe of every creature. 
 
 Quo f ale at prat is pabula ton/or equis. 
 
 Quantum fignum Cancer after the reule and fpace 
 ?S2?jSSS; Of fignes halt the forthe place. 
 eft - Like to the crabbe he hath femblaunce 
 
 And hath unto his retinaunce 
 Sixtene fterres, wherof ten, 
 So as thefe olde wife men 
 Deicrive, he bereth on him to-fore 
 And in the middle two before 
 And four he hath upon his ende, 
 Thus goth he fterred in his kende. 
 And of him felf is moift and colde 
 And is the propre hous and holde, 
 Which apperteineth to the mone 
 And doth what longeth him to done. 
 The month of Juin unto this figne 
 Thou make after the reule afiigne. 
 
 j^//3 mag is ad terras expandit Lucifer ignis. 
 
 Quintum fignum The fifte iigne is Leo hote, 
 menus Julius eft. Whos kinde is fhape drie and hote, 
 In whom the fonne hath herbergage. 
 And the femblaunce of his ymage 
 Is a leon, which in baillie 
 Of fterres hath his purpartie, 
 The foure, which as Cancer hath 
 Upon his ende Leo tath. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 121 
 
 Upon his heved and thanne nefte 
 He hath eke foure upon his brefte, 
 And one upon his tail behinde, 
 In olde bokes as we finde. 
 His propre month is Juil by name, 
 In which men pleien many a game. 
 
 £hio vacuata prius pubes replet horrea mejfis. 
 
 After Leo Virgo the nexte 
 Of fignes cleped is the fexte, 
 Wherof the figure is a maide, 
 And as the philofophre faide, 
 She is the welth and the rifing, 
 The luft, the joy and the liking 
 Unto Mercury. And foth to fay 
 She is with fterres well befeie, 
 Wherof Leo hath lent her one, 
 Which fit on high her heved upon. 
 Her wombe hath five, her fete alfo 
 Have other five, and ever mo 
 Touchend as of complexion 
 By kindly difpofition 
 Of drie and cold this maiden is. 
 And for to tellen over this 
 Her month thou fhalte underftonde, 
 Whan every felde hath corne in honde 
 And many a man his backe hath plied, 
 Unto this figne is Augft applied. 
 
 Vlnea quo "B a chum prejfa liquore colit. 
 
 After Virgo to reknen even 
 Libra fit in the nombre of feven, 
 
 Sextum fignum 
 Virgo dicitur, cui- 
 us mentis Auguftus 
 eft. 
 
 Septimum lignum 
 Libradicitur,cuius 
 menfis September 
 eft. 
 
I 22 
 
 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Which hath figure and refemblaunce 
 
 Unto a man, which a balaunce 
 
 Bereth in his honde as for to vveie, 
 
 In boke and as it may be feie. 
 
 Diverfe fterres to him longeth, 
 
 Wherof on heved he underfongeth 
 
 Firft thre and eke his wombe hath two, 
 
 And down beneth eight other mo. 
 
 This figne is hote and moifte both, 
 
 The which thinges be nought loth 
 
 Unto Venus, fo that alofte 
 
 She refteth in his hous full ofte, 
 
 And eke Saturnus often hied 
 
 Is in this figne and magnified. 
 
 His propre month is faid Septembre, 
 
 Which yiveth men caufe to remembre, 
 
 If any fore be left behinde 
 
 Of thing, which greve may to kinde. 
 
 Floribus exclufts yemps qui janitor ex tat. 
 
 oaavum fignum Among the fignes upon height 
 cuUiTmcnfis'oao- The figne, whiche is nombred eight, 
 Is Scorpio, which as felon 
 Figured is a Scorpion. 
 But for all that yet nethelefie 
 Is Scorpio nought fterreleiTe. 
 For Libra graunteth him his ende 
 Of eighte fterres, where he wende, 
 The which upon his heved affifed 
 He bereth, and eke there ben devifed 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 123 
 
 Upon his wombe fterres thre 
 And eight upon his taile hath he. 
 Which of his kinde is moift. and colde 
 And unbehovely manyfolde. 
 He harmeth Venus and empeireth, 
 But Mars unto his hous repeireth, 
 But ware whan they to-gider dwellen. 
 His propre monthe is, as men tellen, 
 Octobre, which bringeth the kalende 
 Of winter, that cometh next fuende. 
 
 £hio mujium b'ibulo linquit fua nomlna vino. 
 
 The ninth figne in Novembre alfo, 
 Which folweth after Scorpio, 
 Is cleped Sagittarius, 
 The whos figure is marked thus. 
 A monftre with a bowe on honde, 
 On whom that fondry fterres ftonde, 
 Thilke eight of whiche I fpake to-fore, 
 The which upon the tail ben lore 
 Of Scorpio the heved all faire 
 Be fpreden of the Sagittaire, 
 And eight of other ftonden even 
 Upon his wombe, and other {even 
 There ftonden upon his tail behinde, 
 And he is hote and drie of kinde. 
 To Jupiter his hous is fre. 
 But to Mercurie in his degre, 
 For they be nought of one affent, 
 He worcheth great empeirement. 
 
 Nonum fignum Sa- 
 gittarius dicitur, 
 cuius menfis No- 
 vember eft. 
 
i2 4 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 This figne hath of his proprete 
 
 A monthe, whiche of deute 
 
 After the fefon that befalleth 
 
 The ploughe oxe in winter ftalleth. 
 
 And fire into the halle he bringeth 
 
 And thilke drinke, of which men fingeth, 
 
 He torneth muft into the wine, 
 
 Than is the larder of the fwine. 
 
 That is Novembre which I mene, 
 
 Whan that the leef hath loft his grene. 
 
 Ipfe diem nana noftemque giganti figurat. 
 
 Dedmum fignum The tenthe figne drie and colde, 
 
 Capricornus dici- mr r • 1_ • r> • ■ 11 
 
 tur, cuius mentis The which is Capricornus tolde, 
 
 December eft. VntQ ft gQte hath re f e mblaUnCe. 
 
 For whofe love and whofe aqueintaunce 
 
 Within his houfe to fojorne 
 
 It liketh well unto Satorne. 
 
 But to the mone it liketh nought, 
 
 For no profit is there wrought. 
 
 This figne as of his proprete 
 
 Upon his heved hath fterres thre 
 
 And eke upon his wombe two 
 
 And twey upon his taile alfo. 
 
 Decembre after the yeres forme, 
 
 So as the bokes us enforme, 
 
 With daies fhorte and nightes longe 
 
 This ilke figne hath underfonge. 
 
 Quo 'Janus vultum duplum convertit in annum. 
 Undecimum tia- 
 
 mim Aquarius di- Of tho that fitte upon the heven 
 
 ritur, cuius menus r\c r • 1 in 
 
 januariuseft. Ui iignes in the nombre elleven 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 125 
 
 Aquarius hath take his place 
 And mint well in Satornes grace, 
 Which dwelleth in his herbergage. 
 But to the fonne he doth oultrage. 
 This figne is verraily refembled 
 Lich to a man, which halte afTembled 
 In either honde a water Ipout, 
 Wherof the flremes rennen out. 
 He is of kinde moift and hote, 
 And he that of the fterres wote 
 Saith, that he hath of fterres two 
 Upon his heved, and bene of tho, 
 That Capricorn hath on his ende. 
 And as the bokes maken minde, 
 That Tholomeus made him felve, 
 He hath eke on his wombe twelve, 
 And twey upon his ende ftonde. 
 Thou fhalte alfo this underftonde, 
 The frofty colde Janevere, 
 Whan comen is the newe yere, 
 That Janus with double face 
 In his chare hath take his place 
 And loketh upon bothe fides 
 Some dele toward the winter tides, 
 Some dele toward the yere fuende, 
 That is the monthe belongende 
 Unto this figne, and of his dole 
 He yiveth the firfte primerole. 
 
 £hw pluvie torrens riparutn concitat amnes. 
 
126 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Duodecimos fig- The twclfthe, which is laft of alle 
 St'SbwE Of fignes, Pifcis men it calle, 
 ruanusdt. The ^^ as telleth the fcripture, 
 
 Bereth of two fismes the figure. 
 So is he colde and moift of kinde, 
 And eke with fterres as I finde 
 Befet in fondry wife, as thus 
 Two of his ende Aquarius 
 Hath lent unto his heved, and two 
 This figne hath of his owne alfo 
 Upon his wombe, and over this 
 Upon his ende alfo there is 
 A nombre of twenty fterres bright, 
 Which is to fene a wonder fight. 
 Toward this figne into his hous 
 Comth Jupiter the glorious, 
 And Venus eke with him accordeth 
 To dwellen, as the boke recordeth. 
 The month unto this figne ordeined 
 Is Februar, which is bereined. 
 And with londflodes in his rage 
 At fordes letteth the parTage. 
 
 Now haft thou herd the proprete 
 Of fignes, but in his degre 
 Albumazare yet over this 
 Saith, fo as therthe parted is 
 In foure, right fo ben devifed 
 The fignes twelve and ftonde aflifed, 
 That eche of hem in his partie 
 Hath his climate to juftifie, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 127 
 
 Wherof the firfte regiment 
 Toward the parte of orient 
 From Antioche and that contre 
 Governed is of fignes thre, 
 That is Cancer, Virgo, Leo. 
 And towarde Occident alfo 
 From Armeny, as I am lerned, 
 Of Capricorne it ftant governed, 
 Of Pifcis and Aquarius. 
 And after hem I finde thus 
 Southward fro Alifaundre forth 
 Tho fignes, whiche moil ben worth 
 In governaunce of that doaire, 
 Libra they ben and Sagittaire 
 With Scorpio, which is conjoint 
 With hem to ftonde upon that point 
 Of Constantinople the cite, 
 So as the bokes tellen me. 
 The laft of this divifion 
 Stant untoward Septemtrion, 
 Where as by wey of purveiaunce 
 Hath Aries the governaunce 
 Forth with Taurus and Gemini. 
 Thus ben the fignes proprely 
 Devided, as it is reherced, 
 Wherof the londes ben diverfed. 
 
 Lo thus, my fone, as thou might here, Confeflbr. 
 Was Alifaundre made to lere 
 Of hem, that weren for his lore. 
 But now to loken overmore 
 
niunt. 
 
 128 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 Of other (terres how they fare, 
 
 I thenke hereafter to declare, 
 
 So as king Alifaundre in youth 
 
 Of him that fuche fignes couth 
 
 Enformed was to-fore his eye 
 
 By night upon the fterres figh. 
 
 Hie naftat fuper Upon fondry creacion 
 
 KST&ISE Stant fondl 7 operacion. 
 
 ncn Aiexandrum Some worcheth this, fome worcheth that, 
 
 mitruxit, ile illis 
 
 precipue quinde- The fire is hote in his eftate 
 
 dm Itcllisunacum 
 
 earum lapidibus et And brenneth what he may atteigne, 
 
 herbis, que ad ar- . 1 r r\ 
 
 tis magke natura- The water may the nre reitreigne, 
 
 lis operacionem ryii 1 • 1 • 11 j • n IT 
 
 fpeciaiius conve- 1 he which is colde and moiit alio. 
 Of other thinge it fareth right fo 
 Upon this erthe among us here. 
 And for to fpeke in this manere 
 Upon the heven as men may finde 
 The fterres ben of fondry kinde 
 And worchen many fondry thinges 
 To us, that bene her underlinges. 
 Among the whiche forth withall 
 Neclanabus in fpeciall, 
 Which was an aftronomien 
 And eke a great magicien 
 And undertake hath thilke emprife 
 To Alifaundre in his apprife 
 As of magique naturele 
 To knowe, enformeth him fomdele 
 Of certein fterres what they mene, 
 Of which he faith there ben fiftene. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 And fondrily to everichonc 
 A gras belongeth and a ftone, 
 Wherof men worchen many a wonder 
 To fette thing bothe up and under. 
 
 To telle right as he began 
 The firft fterre Aldeboran, 
 The clereft and the molt: of alle, 
 By righte name men it calle, 
 Which liche is of condition 
 To Mars and of complexion 
 To Venus and hath therupon 
 Carbunculum his propre ftone. 
 His herbe is anabulla named, 
 Which is of great vertue proclamed. 
 
 The feconde is nought vertules 
 Clota, or elles Pliades 
 It hatte and of the mones kinde 
 He is. And alfo this I finde, 
 He taketh of Mars complexion, 
 And lich to fuch condition 
 His ftone appropred is criftall, 
 And eke his herbe in fpeciali 
 The vertuous fenel it is. 
 
 The thridde, which comth after this, 
 Is hote Algol the clere rede, 
 Whiche of Satorne as I may rede 
 His kinde taketh and eke of Jove 
 Complexion to his behove. 
 His propre ftone is diamaunt, 
 Which is to him moft accordaunt. 
 
 3 K 
 
 I 29 
 
 Prima ftella voca- 
 tur Aldeboran, 
 cuius lapis carbun- 
 culus,et liciba ana- 
 bulla eft. 
 
 Secunda ftella vo- 
 catur Clota feu 
 Pliades, cuius lapis 
 criftallum, et her- 
 ba feniculus eft. 
 
 Tercia ftella voca- 
 tur Algol, cuius 
 lapis diamans, et 
 herbaeleborum ni- 
 grum eft. 
 
130 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 His herbe, which is him betake, 
 Is hote eleborum the blacke. 
 
 Quarta ftella voca- So aS it falleth UpOll lot 
 
 i+aS8£i The fourthe fterre is Alhaiot, 
 i.ui,,, marr„imim w^j, j n t h e wife as I faide er 
 
 clt. 
 
 Of Satorne and of Jupiter 
 Hath take his kinde, and therupon 
 The faphir is his propre ftone, 
 Marrubium his herbe alfo, 
 The which accorden bothe two. 
 Qninta ftdia voca- And Canis major in his like 
 
 tur Canis major, , rr^ n C 
 
 cuius lapis beriiius, The firte iterre is or magique, 
 
 et herba favina eft. rr->i |_ r i • ] • 
 
 The whole kinde is venenen, 
 As faith this aftronomien. 
 His propre ftone is faid berille, 
 But for to worche and to fulfille 
 Thing, which to this fcience falleth, 
 There is an herbe, which men calleth 
 Saveine, and that behoveth nede 
 To him, that woll his purpos fpede. 
 Sexta fteiia voca- The fixte fuende after this 
 
 tur Canis minor, -r-, r> 
 
 cuius lapis acha- By name Cams minor is. 
 
 t»,rt herba primu- The which fterre ^ Mercuriall 
 
 By wey of kinde, and forth withall 
 As it is writen in the carte 
 Complexion he taketh of Marte. 
 His ftone and herbe as faith the fcole 
 Ben achates and primerole. 
 
 Septima ftella vo- nru r .in • r • n 
 
 catur Ariai, cuius l ne leventh iterre in ipeciall 
 
 lapis gorgonza, et QC fa' f c j enrp : Q Ariall 
 herba celidonia eft. W1 Ullb 1Lience IS /iriail, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 I3 1 
 
 Which fondry nature underfongeth. 
 
 The (tone, which propre unto him longcth, 
 
 Gorgonza proprely it hight. 
 
 His herbe alfo, which he (hall right, 
 
 Upon the worching as I mene 
 
 Is celidoine fresiTie and grene. 
 
 Sterre Ala corvi upon height 
 Hath take his place in nombre of eight, 
 Which of his kinde mot performe 
 The will of Marte and of Satorne, 
 To whom lapacia the gret 
 Is herbe, but of no beyete. 
 His ftone is honochinus hote, 
 Through which men worchen great riote. 
 
 The ninthe fterre faire and wele 
 By name is hote Alaezele, 
 Which taketh his propre kinde thus 
 Bothe of Mercurie and of Venus. 
 His ftone is the grene emeraude, 
 To whom is yoven many a laude. 
 Saulge is his herbe appurtenaunt 
 Aboven all the remenaunt. 
 
 The tenthe fterre is Almareth, 
 Which upon life and upon deth 
 Through kinde of Jupiter and Marte 
 He doth what longeth to his parte. 
 His ftone is jafpe and of plantaine 
 He hath his herbe foveraine. 
 
 The fterre eleventh is Venenas, 
 The whofe nature is, as it was, 
 
 Oclava ftella voca- 
 tur Ala corvi, cui- 
 us lapis honochi- 
 nus, et herba lapa- 
 cia eft. 
 
 Nona ftella vocatur 
 Alaezel, cuius la- 
 pis i'maragdus, et 
 herba falgea eft, 
 
 Decima ftella vo- 
 catur Almareth, 
 cuius lapis jafpis, 
 et herba plantago 
 eft. 
 
 Undecima ftella 
 vocatur Venenas, 
 cuius lapis ada- 
 
1 32 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 mas, ct hcrba cico- Take of Venus and of the mone 
 
 In thing, which he hath for to done. 
 Of adamaunt is that perrie, 
 In whiche he worcheth his maiftrie. 
 Thilke herbe alfo, which him befalleth, 
 Cicorea the boke him calleth. 
 Duodecima ftdia Alpheta in the nombre fit 
 r;-'C- And is the twelfte fterre yit 
 miadr barol:> Of Scorpio, which is governed, 
 
 And taketh his kinde as I am lerned 
 And hath his vertue in the ftone, 
 Which cleped is topazion. 
 His herbe propre is rofmarine, 
 Which fhapen is for his covine. 
 Terciadedma ftel- Of thefe fterres, which I mene, 
 
 la vocatur Cor ^ r i •*... 
 
 fcorpionis, cuius (-or lcorpionis is thnttene, 
 
 i7*^dE"' The whos nature Mart and J° ve 
 
 Have yoven unto his behove. 
 His herbe is aftrology, 
 Which folweth his aftronomy. 
 The ftone, which this fterre alloweth, 
 Is fardis, which unto him boweth. 
 Quartadecima ftel- The fterre, which ftant next the laft, 
 
 la vocatur Boterca- .,, 
 
 dent, cuius lapis Nature of him this name call 
 
 crifolitus, et herba » , 1 i • t-» i 
 
 fatureiaeft. And clepen him Botercadent, 
 
 Which of his kind obedient 
 Is to Mercurie and to Venus. 
 His ftone is faid crifolitus. 
 His herbe is cleped fatureie, 
 So as thefe olde bokes faie. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 33 
 
 But now the lafte fterre of alle 
 The taile of Scorpio men calle, 
 Which to Mercurie and to Satorne 
 By wey of kinde mot retorne 
 After the preparation 
 Of due conftellation. 
 The calcidoine unto him longeth, 
 Which for his ftone he underfongeth. 
 Of majoran his herbe is grounded. 
 Thus have I faid how they ben founded 
 Of every fterre in fpeciall, 
 Which hath his herbe and ftone withall, 
 As Hermes in his bokes olde 
 Witneffe bereth, of that I tolde. 
 
 The fcience of aftronomy, 
 Which principall is of clergy 
 To deme betwene wo and wele 
 In thinges that bene naturele, 
 They had a great travaile on honde, 
 That made it flrft ben underftonde. 
 And they alfo, which overmore 
 Her ftudy fet upon this lore, 
 They weren gracious and wife 
 And worthy for to bere a prife. 
 And whom it liketh for to wite 
 Of hem that this fcience write, 
 
 One of the firfte, which it wrote 
 After Noe, it was Nembrote 
 To his difciple Ychonithon 
 And made a boke forth therupon, 
 
 Quintadecima fti 1- 
 la vocatur Cauda 
 fcorpionis, cuius 
 lapis calcedonia, et 
 herbamajoranaeft. 
 
 Nota hie de auclo- 
 ribus ill Is, qui ad 
 aftronomie fcienci- 
 am pre ceteris ftu- 
 diolius intendentes 
 libros fuper hoc 
 diftindlis nomini- 
 bus compofuerunt. 
 
i 34 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 The which Megafter cleped was. 
 
 An other au<5tor in this cas 
 
 Is Arachel, the which men note, 
 
 His boke is Abbateneigh hote. 
 
 Danz Tholome is nought the left, 
 
 Which maketh the boke of Almageft. 
 
 And Alfraganus doth the fame, 
 
 Whofe boke is Chartamuz by name. 
 
 Gebuz and Alpetragus eke 
 
 Of planifperie, which men feke, 
 
 The bokes made. And over this 
 
 Full many a worthy clerk there is, 
 
 That writen upon this clergy 
 
 The bokes of alcemetry, 
 
 Planemetry and eke alfo, 
 
 Which as belongeth bothe two, 
 
 So as they be naturiens 
 
 Unto thefe aftronomiens. 
 
 Men fain that Abraham was one, 
 
 But whether that he wrote or none 
 
 That finde I nought. And Moifes 
 
 Eke was an other. But Hermes 
 
 Above all other in this fcience 
 
 He had a great experience. 
 
 Through him was many a fterre amfed, 
 
 Whofe bokes yet ben auctorifed. 
 
 I may nought knowen alle tho, 
 
 That writen in the time tho 
 
 Of this fcience, but I finde 
 
 Of jugement by way of kinde 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 135 
 
 That in o point they all accorden 
 Of fterres, whiche they recorden, 
 That men may fen upon the heven. 
 There ben a thoufand fterres even 
 And two and twenty to the fight, 
 Whiche aren of hem felf fo bright, 
 That men may demen what they be, 
 The nature and the properte. 
 
 Now haft thou herd, in fuche a wife 
 Thefe noble philofophres wife 
 Enformeden this yonge king 
 And made him have a knouleching 
 Of thing, which firft to the partie 
 Belongeth of philofophie, 
 Which theorique cleped is, 
 As thou to-fore haft herde er this. 
 But now to fpeke of the feconde, 
 Whiche Ariftotle hath alfo founde 
 And techeth how to fpeke faire, 
 Whiche is a thing full neceffaire 
 To counterpeife the balaunce, 
 Where lacketh other fuffifaunce. 
 
 Compoftti pulcra fermones verba placer e 
 Principio poterunt veraque fine placent. 
 
 Herba, lapis, fermo, tria funt virtute repleta, 
 Vis tamen ex verbi ponder e pulcra facit. 
 
 Above all erthly creatures 
 The highe maker of natures 
 The word to man hath yove alone, 
 So that the fpeche of his perfone 
 
 Hie traclat de fe- 
 cunda parte philo- 
 fophie, cuius no- 
 men rhetorica fa- 
 cundos efficit. Lo- 
 quitur eciam de 
 eiufdem duabus 
 
136 CONFESSIO ^MANTIS. 
 
 fpecicbus, friiicct Or for to lefe, or for to winne 
 Ij^a^mdot The hertes thought, which is withinne, 
 
 tiin:i rhetor 
 verba perornat. 
 
 ' May (he we, what it wolde mene. 
 
 And that is no where elles fene 
 Of kinde with none other befte. 
 So fhulde he be the more honeft, 
 To whom god yaf fo worthy a yifte, 
 And loke well that he ne fhifte 
 His wordes to none wicked ufe, 
 For word the techer of vertufe 
 Is cleped in philofophy. 
 Wherof thouchende this party 
 Is rhetorique the fcience 
 Appropred to the reverence 
 Of wordes, that ben refonable. 
 And for this art mail be vailable 
 With goodly wordes for to like 
 It hath gramaire, it hath logique, 
 That ferven both unto the fpeche. 
 Gramaire firft hath for to teche 
 To fpeke upon congruite. 
 Logique hath eke in his degre 
 Betwene the trouthe and the falfliode 
 The pleine wordes for to mode, 
 So that nothing mall go befide, 
 That he the right ne mall decide, 
 Wherof full many a great debate 
 Reformed is to good eftate 
 And pees fufteigned up alofte 
 With efy wordes and with fofte, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 137 
 
 Where ftrengthe fliulde let it falle. 
 The philofophre amonges alle 
 Forthy commendeth this fcience, 
 Which hath the reule of eloquence. 
 In flone and gras vertue there is, 
 But yet the bokes tellen this, 
 That worde above all erthly thinges 
 Is vertuous in his doinges, 
 Where fo it be to evil or good. 
 For if the wordes femen good 
 And be well fpoke at mannes ere, 
 Whan that there is no trouthe there, 
 They done full oft full great deceipt. 
 For whan the word to the conceipt 
 Defcordeth in fo double a wife, 
 Such rhetorique is to defpife 
 In every place and for to drede. 
 
 For of Ulixes thus I rede, 
 As in the boke of Troy is founde, 
 His eloquence and his facounde 
 Of goodly wordes, which he tolde, 
 Hath made, that Anthenor him folde 
 The town, whiche he with trefon wan. 
 Worde hath beguiled many a man, 
 With word the wilde befte is daunted, 
 With word the ferpent is enchaunted, 
 Of wordes among the men of armes 
 Ben woundes heled with the charmes, 
 Where lacketh other medicine, 
 Worde hath under his difcipline 
 
i 3 8 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 Of forcerie the care&es. 
 The wordes ben of fondry fecles, 
 Of evil and eke of good alfo. 
 The wordes maken frende of fo, 
 And fo of frende, and pees of werre, 
 And werre of pees, and out of herre 
 The word the worldes caufe entriketh 
 And reconcileth who on him liketh. 
 The worde under the cope of heven 
 Set every thing or odde or even. 
 With word the highe god is plefed, 
 With word the wordes ben appefed. 
 The fofte word the loude ftilleth, 
 Where lacketh good the word fulfilleth 
 To make amendes for the wronge. 
 Whan wordes medlen with the fonge, 
 It doth plefaunce well the more. 
 But for to loke upon the lore, 
 How Tullius his rhetorique 
 Componeth, there a man may pike, 
 How that he mall his wordes fet. 
 How he (hall lofe, how he (hall knet, 
 And in what wife he mail pronounce 
 His tale pleine without frounce, 
 Wherof enfample if thou wilt feche, 
 Take hede and rede whilom the fpeche. 
 
 Nota de eloquen- Of Julius and Cicero, 
 
 Catiline 1 '"contra Which COnflll WaS of Rome tho, 
 
 SStata Of Caton eke, and Cillene 
 
 nam continenKs. Behold the wordes hem betwene, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 139 
 
 Whan the trefon of Cateline 
 
 Difcovered was and the covine 
 
 Of hem, that were of his aiTent, 
 
 Was knowe and fpoke in parlement 
 
 And axed howe and in what wife 
 
 Men fholden done him to juife. 
 
 Cillenus firft his tale tolde 
 
 To trouth and as he was beholde 
 
 The comun profit for to fave, 
 
 He faide how trefon fhulde have 
 
 A cruel dethe. And thus they fpeke, 
 
 The conful both and Caton eke, 
 
 And faiden, that for fuche a wronge 
 
 There may no peine be to ftronge. 
 
 But Julius with wordes wife 
 
 His tale tolde all other wife, 
 
 As he, which wolde her dethe refpite, 
 
 And foundeth howe he might excite 
 
 The juges through his eloquence 
 
 Fro deth to torne the fentence 
 
 And fet her hertes to pite. 
 
 Now tolden they, now tolde he, 
 
 They fpeken pleine after the lawe, 
 
 But he the wordes of his fawe 
 
 Coloureth in an other wey 
 
 Spekend. And thus betwene the twey 
 
 To trete upon this jugement 
 
 Made eche of hem his argument. 
 
 Wherof the tales for to here 
 
 There may a man the fcole lere 
 
1 40 C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 Of rhetorique the eloquence, 
 Whiche is the feconde of fcience 
 Touchende to philofophie, 
 Wherof a man mall juftifie 
 His wordes in difputefon 
 And knette upon conclusion 
 His argument in fuche a forme, 
 Which may the pleine trouthe enforme 
 And the fubtil cautele abate, 
 Whiche every true man mail debate. 
 
 6. PraSfica quemque Jlatum pars terc'ta philofophie 
 Ad regimen reile ducit in orbe vie, 
 Sed quanto major rex eji, tanto magis ipfum 
 Ex fcola concernit, qua fua regna regit. 
 
 Hie traftat de ter- The firfte, whiche is theorique, 
 phie?^ praafca And the feconde rhetorique 
 SSS S^fcJE Sciences of philofbphy, 
 
 cet ethica, econo- I h ave nem tQ \^ e as j n party, 
 
 mia, et politia, r J 
 
 quarum doarina So as the philofophre it tolde 
 
 rcgia magefbu in aj t u 
 
 fuo regimine ad 1 o Ahlaundre. And now 1 wolde 
 
 honoris magnifi- ,_,.._. i-ii i • • 
 
 cenctamper&gu- 1 ell or the thndde, what It IS, 
 
 la dirisritur. 
 
 The which practique cleped is. 
 
 Practique flant upon thre thinges 
 Toward the governaunce of kinges. 
 Wherof the firfte ethique is named, 
 The whofe fcience ftant proclamed 
 To teche of vertue thilke reule, 
 How that a king him felf mall reule 
 Of his moral condition 
 With worthy difpofition, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 141 
 
 Of good living in his perfone, 
 Which is the chefe of his corone. 
 It maketh a kinge alfo to lerne, 
 Howe he his body fhall governe, 
 Howe he mall wake, how he fhall flepe, 
 How that he fhall his hele kepe 
 In mete, in drinke, in clothing eke. 
 There is no wifdom for to feke 
 As for the reule of his perfone, 
 The which that this fcience all one 
 Ne techeth as by wey of kinde, 
 That there is nothing left behinde. 
 
 That other point, which to practique 
 Belongeth, is economique, 
 Which techeth thilke honefte, 
 Through which a king in his degre 
 His wife and child fhal reule and guie 
 So forth withall the compaignie, 
 Which in his houfhold fhall abide, 
 And his eflate on every fide 
 In fuch manere for to lede, 
 That he his houfhold ne miflede. 
 
 Practique hath yet the thridde apprife, 
 Which techeth how and in what wife 
 Through his purveide ordenaunce 
 A king fhall fet in governaunce 
 His realme, and that is policie, 
 Which longeth unto regalie 
 In time of werre, in time of pees 
 To worfhip and to good encrees 
 
i 4 2 CONFESS 10 AM ANT IS. 
 
 Of clerke, of knight and of marchaunt, 
 And fo forth all the remenaunt 
 Of all the comun people about 
 Withinne burgh and eke without 
 Of hem that ben artificers, 
 Whiche ufen craftes and meftiers, 
 Whofe art is cleped mechanique, 
 And though they ben nought alle like, 
 Yet netheles how fo it falle, 
 O lawe mot governe hem alle, 
 Or that they lefe, or that they winne 
 After the ftate that they ben inne. 
 
 Lo, thus this worthy yonge king 
 Was fully taught of every thing, 
 Which mighte yive entendement, 
 Of good reule and good regiment, 
 To fuche a worthy prince as he. 
 But of verray neceffite 
 The philofophre him hath betake 
 Five points, which he hath undertake 
 To kepe and holde in obfervaunce 
 As for the worthy governaunce, 
 Which longeth to his regalie 
 After the reule of policie. 
 
 7. Moribus ornatus regit hie, qui regna moderna 
 Cercius expeftat feeptra futura poli. 
 Et quia veredica virtus fupereminet omnes, 
 Regis ab ore boni fabula nulla fonat. 
 
 Hie fecundum po- To every man belongeth lore, 
 
 liciam tra&are in- t^ 111 
 
 tendit prccipue fu- *>ut to no man belongeth more 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 H3 
 
 Than to a king, which hath to lede 
 The people for his kinghede. 
 He may hem bothe fave and fpille, 
 And for it ftant upon his wille, 
 It fit him well to ben avifed 
 And the vertues, which are aflifed 
 Unto a kinges regiment, 
 To take in his entendement, 
 Wherof to tellen as they flonde 
 Hereafterward now woll I fonde. 
 Among the vertues one is chefe 
 And that is trouthe, which is lefe 
 To god and eke to man alfo. 
 And for it hath ben ever fo, 
 Taught Ariftotle as he well couth 
 To Alifaundre, how in his youth 
 He fhulde of trouthe thilke grace 
 With all his hole herte embrace, 
 So that his word be trewe and pleine 
 Toward the world and fo certeine, 
 That in him be no double fpeche. 
 For if men fhulde trouthe feche 
 And found it nought within a king, 
 It were an unfittende thing. 
 The worde is token of that within. 
 There mall a worthy king begin 
 To kepe his tunge and to be trewe, 
 So mall his price ben ever newe. 
 Avife him every man to-fore 
 And be well ware, er he be fwore. 
 
 Iier quinqui 
 arumarticuli >/que 
 ad principal regi- 
 men obfi i\ ande 
 fpecialius exiftunt, 
 quarum prima Ve- 
 ritas auncupatur, 
 perquam ireredicua 
 fit (ermo regis ad 
 omnes. 
 
i 4 4 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 For afterwarde it is to late, 
 If that he wolde his word debate. 
 For as a king in fpeciall 
 Above all other is principall 
 Of his power, fo (hulde he be 
 Moft vertuous in his degre. 
 And that may well be fignified 
 By his corone and fpeciiied. 
 
 The gold betokneth excellence, 
 That men fhuld done him reverence 
 As to her lege foveraine. 
 The (tones, as the bokes faine, 
 Commended ben in treble wife. 
 Firft they ben hard and thilke affife 
 Betokeneth in a king conftaunce, 
 So that there (hall no variaunce 
 Be found in his condicion. 
 And alfo by defcription 
 The vertue, whiche is in the (tones, 
 A verray figne is for the nones 
 Of that a king (hall ben honed 
 And holde trewely his behefl 
 Of thing, which longeth to kinghede. 
 The brighte colour, as I rede, 
 Which is in the (tones (hinend, 
 Is in figure betokenend 
 The cronique of this worldes fame, 
 Which (rant upon his gode name. 
 The cercle, which is rounde aboute, 
 Is token of all the londe aboute, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 H5 
 
 Which ftant under his gerarchie, 
 
 That he it mall well kepe and guie. 
 
 And for that trouthe how fo it falle 
 
 Is the vertue foveraine of alle, 
 
 That longeth unto regiment, 
 
 A tale, which is evident 
 
 Of trouthe in commendacion, 
 
 Toward thin enformacion, 
 
 My fone, herafter thou malt here 
 
 Of a cronique in this matere. 
 
 As the cronique it doth reherce, 
 A foldan whilom was of Perfe, 
 Which Daires hight, and Ytafpis 
 His fader was. And fothe it is, 
 That through wifdom and high prudence 
 More than for any reverence 
 Of his lignage as by defcent 
 The regne of thilke empire he hent. 
 And as he was him felfe wife, 
 The wife men he held in prife 
 And fought hem out on every fide, 
 That toward him they fhulde abide. 
 Among the whiche thre there were, 
 That molt, fervice unto him bere 
 As they, which in his chambre lighen 
 And all his counceil herd and fighen. 
 Her names ben of ftraunge note, 
 Harpaghes was the flrfte hote, 
 And Manachaz was the fecounde, 
 Zorobabel, as it is founde 
 
 3 l 
 
 Hie narrat, qualiter 
 Darius filius Ytafpis 
 ibldanus Perfie a tri- 
 busfuiscubicularibus, 
 
 quorum nomina Har- 
 paghes, Manachaz et 
 Zorobabel di<5la lunt, 
 nomina queftionis 
 fingillatim interroga- 
 vit, utrum rex aut 
 mulier aut vinum ma- 
 joris fortitudinis vim 
 obtineret, ipfis vero 
 varia opinione ref- 
 pondentibus, Zoro- 
 babel ultimus afTerit, 
 quod mulier i'ui amo- 
 ris complacencia tarn 
 regis quam vini po- 
 tenciam excellit, ad- 
 didit infuper finali 
 conclufione dicens, 
 quod Veritas l'uper 
 omnia vincit. Cuius 
 refponfio ceteris lau- 
 dabilior acceptaba- 
 tur. 
 
146 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 In the cronique, was the thridde. 
 
 This foldan what To him betidde 
 To hem be trifle moft of alle, 
 Wherof the cafe is fo befalle. 
 This lord, which hath conceiptes depe, 
 Upon a night whan he hath flepe, 
 As he, which hath his wit difpofed, 
 Touchend a point hem hath oppofed. 
 The kinges queftion was this, 
 Of thinges thre which ftrongeft is, 
 The wine, the woman or the king, 
 And that they fhulde upon this thing 
 Of her anfwere avifed be, 
 He yaf hem fully daies thre 
 And hath behote hem by his feith, 
 That who the befte refon faith, 
 He (hall receive a worthy mede. 
 
 Upon this thing they token hede 
 And ftoden in difputefon, 
 That by divers opinion 
 
 Of arguments that they have holde 
 
 Harpaghes firft his tale tolde 
 
 And faid, how that the ftrength of kinges 
 
 Is mightieft of alle thinges. 
 
 For king hath power over man, 
 
 And man is he, which refon can, 
 
 As he, which is of his nature 
 
 The moft noble creature 
 
 Of alle tho that god hath wrought. 
 
 And by that fkill it femeth nought, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. i^y 
 
 He faith, that any erthly thing 
 
 May be fo mighty as a king. 
 
 A king may fpille, a king may fave, 
 
 A king may make of lorde a knave 
 
 And of a knave a lord alfo, 
 
 The power of a king ftant fo, 
 
 That he the lawes overpafleth. 
 
 What he woll make larTe, he laffeth, 
 
 What he woll make more, he moreth. 
 
 And as a gentil faucon foreth, 
 
 He fleeth, that no man him reclameth. 
 
 But he alone all other tameth, 
 
 And ftant him felf of lawe fre. 
 
 Lo, thus a kinges might, faith he, 
 
 So as his refon can argue, 
 
 Is ftrengefl and ofmoft value. 
 
 But Manachaz faith other wife, 
 That wine is of the more emprife, 
 And that he fheweth by this way. 
 The wine full ofte taketh away 
 The refon fro the mannes herte, 
 The wine can make a creple fterte 
 And a deliver man unwelde, 
 It maketh a blind man to behelde 
 And a bright eyed feme derke, 
 It maketh a lewde man a clerke, 
 And fro the clerkes the clergy 
 It taketh awey and cowardy 
 It torneth into hardieffe, 
 Of avarice it maketh largeffe. 
 
148 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 The wine maketh eke the good blood, 
 In which the foule, which is good, 
 Hath chofen her a retting place, 
 While that the life her woll embrace. 
 And by this fkille Manachaz, 
 Anfwerd hath upon this cas 
 And faith, that wine by wey of kind 
 Is thing, which may the hertes bind 
 Well more than the regalie. 
 
 Zorobabel for his partie 
 Said as him thoughte for the bett, 
 That women ben the mightiett. 
 The kinge and the vinour alfo 
 Of women comen bothe two. 
 And eke he faid, how that manhede 
 Through ftrengthe unto the womanhede 
 Of love where he woll or none 
 Obeie {hall, and therupon 
 To mewe of women the maiftrie 
 A tale whiche he figh with eye 
 As for enfample he tolde this. 
 Notahicdevigore How Apemen, of Befazis 
 CyrumreSimPer- Which doughter was, in the paleis 
 B™S s e fiil P „T P f" Sittend upon his highe dels, 
 us reg.s concubi- whan he was hotteft in his ire 
 
 nam ipeclante tota 
 
 curia experiebatur. Toward the great of his empire, 
 Cyrus the king tiraunt {he toke. 
 And only with her goodly loke 
 She made him debonaire and meke 
 And by the chin and by the cheke 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 149 
 
 She luggeth him right as her lift, 
 That now fhe japeth, and now fhe kift 
 And doth with him what ever her liketh. 
 Whan that fhe loureth, than he fiketh, 
 And whan fhe gladeth, he is glad. 
 And thus this king was overlad 
 With here, which his lemman was. 
 
 Among the men is no folas, 
 If that there be no woman there, 
 For but if that the woman were, 
 This worldes joie were awey. 
 Through hem men finden out the wey 
 To knighthode and to worldes fame, 
 They make a man to drede fhame 
 And honour for to be defired. 
 Through the beaute of hem is fired 
 The dart, of which Cupide throweth, 
 Wherof the jolif peine groweth, 
 Which al the worlde hath under fote. 
 A woman is the mannes bote, 
 His life, his deth, his wo, his wele. 
 And this thing may be fhewed wele, 
 How that women ben good and kinde, 
 For in enfample thus I finde. 
 
 Whan that the duke Admetus lay 
 Sike in his bed, that every day 
 Men waiten, whan he fhulde dey, 
 Alceft his wife goth for to prey 
 With facrifice unto Minerve, 
 As fhe, which wolde thank deferve, 
 
 Nota de fidelitate 
 conjugis, qualiter 
 Alcefta uxor Ad- 
 meti, ut maritum 
 fuum vivificaret, 
 feipfam morti fpon- 
 tanee lubegit. 
 
i 5 o CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 To wite anfwere of the goddeffe, 
 How that her lorde of his fikenelTe, 
 Wherof he was fo wo befeine, 
 Recover might his hele ayeine. 
 Lo, thus me cride and thus (he praide, 
 Till ate lad: a vois her faide, 
 That if (lie wolde for his fake 
 The maladie fuffre and take 
 And deie her felf, he fhulde live. 
 Of this anfwere Alceft hath yive 
 Unto Minerve great thonking, 
 So that her dethe and his living 
 She chefe with all her hole entent, 
 And thus accorded home fhe went. 
 Into the chambre whan fhe came, 
 Her houfbonde anone fhe name 
 In bothe her armes and him kift, 
 And fpake unto him what her lift. 
 And therupon within a throwe 
 The good wife was overthrowe 
 And deied, and he was hole in hafte. 
 So may a man by refon tafte, 
 How next after the god above 
 The trouth of women and the love, 
 In whom that alle grace is founde, 
 Is mightieft upon this grounde 
 And mofl behovely manyfolde. 
 
 Lo, thus Zorobabel hath tolde 
 The tale of his opinion. 
 But for finall conclufion, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 151 
 
 What ftrengeft is of erthly thinges 
 The wine, the women or the kinges, 
 He faith, that trouthe above hem alle 
 Is mightieft, how ever it falle. 
 The trouthe how fo it ever come 
 May for nothing ben overcome. 
 It may well fuffre for a throwe, 
 But ate laft it mall be knowe. 
 The proverbe is, who that is trewe, 
 Him mail his while never rewe. 
 For how fo that the caufe wende, 
 The trouthe is fhameles ate ende. 
 But what thing that is troutheles 
 It may nought well be fhameles, 
 And fhame hindereth every wight. 
 So proveth it, there is no might 
 Withoute trouthe in no degre. 
 And thus for trouthe of his decre 
 Zorobabel was moil commended, 
 Wherof the queftion was ended, 
 And he received hath his mede 
 For trouthe, which to mannes nede 
 Is moft behovelich over all. 
 Forthy was trouthe in fpeciall 
 The firfte point in obfervaunce 
 Betake unto the governaunce 
 Of Alifaundre, as it is faide, 
 For therupon the ground is laide 
 Of every kinges regiment 
 As thing, which moft convenient 
 
i 5 2 CONFESS 10 si MANTIS. 
 
 Is for to fet a king in even 
 
 Bothe in his worlde and eke in heven. 
 
 8. Abfit avar'iaa, ne tangat regla cor da, 
 Cuius en'nn jpoliis excoriatur humus. 
 Fama colit largum volitans per fecula regem, 
 Dona tamen Ileitis funt moderanda modis. 
 
 Hie trattatde regie Next after trouthe the fecounde 
 
 mageftatis fecunda T i • • ••.•/■ j 
 
 poifcia, quam A- In policie as it is founde, 
 fem'tocatl'SSs Which ferveth to the worldes fame 
 vhtute non foium T n worfhip of a kinges name, 
 
 propullata avan- * ° 
 
 cia regis nomen Larsefle it is, whofe privilege 
 
 magnificum extol- • i_ 
 
 litur,fedetfuifiib- There may non avarice abrege. 
 
 diti diviciarum ha- __,, . . . r n 
 
 bundancia jocun- The worldes good was hrit comune, 
 
 diores efficiuntur. t^ . r j r 
 
 JbJut afterward upon fortune 
 Was thilke comun profit cefTed. 
 For whan the people flood encreffed 
 And the lignages woxen great, 
 Anone for fingular beyete 
 Drough every man to his partie, 
 Wherof come in the fir ft envie 
 With great debate and werres ftronge 
 And laft among the men fb longe, 
 Till no man wide who was w r ho 
 Ne which was frende, ne which was fo. 
 Till ate lafte in every londe 
 Within hem felf the people fonde, 
 That it was good to make a king, 
 Which might appefen all this thing 
 And yive right to the lignages 
 In parting of her heritages 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 ] 53 
 
 And eke of all her other good. 
 
 And thus above hem alle flood 
 
 The king upon his regaly, 
 
 As he, which hath to juftify 
 
 The worldes good fro covetife. 
 
 So fit it well in alle wife 
 
 A king betwene the more and leffe 
 
 To fette his herte upon largeffe 
 
 Toward him felf and eke alfo 
 
 Towarde his people. And if nought fo, 
 
 That is to fain, if that he be 
 
 Toward him felfe large and fre 
 
 And of his people take and pille, 
 
 Largeffe by no wey of fkille 
 
 It may be faid, but avarice, 
 
 Which in a kinge is a great vice. 
 
 A king behoveth eke to fie 
 The vice of prodegalite, 
 That he mefure in his expence 
 So kepe, that of indigence 
 He may be fauf. For who that nedeth, 
 In all his werk the wors he fpedeth. 
 As Ariflotle upon Chaldee 
 Enfample of great auctorite 
 Unto king Alifaundre taught 
 Of thilke folk, that were unfaught 
 Toward her king for his pillage. 
 Wherof he bad in his corage, 
 That he unto thre points entende, 
 Where that he wolde his good defpende. 
 
 Nota fuper hoc, 
 quod Ariftoteles 
 ad Alexamlrum 
 exemplificavit de 
 exaftionibus regis 
 Chaldeorum. 
 
154 CONFESS 10 A 'MANTIS. 
 
 Firft fhulde he loke, how that it flood, 
 That all were of his owne good 
 The yiftes, which he wolde yive, 
 So might he wel the better live. 
 
 And eke he mufl taken hede, 
 If there be caufe of any nede, 
 Which oughte for to be defended, 
 Er that his goodes ben defpended. 
 
 He mote eke as it is befalle 
 Amonges other thinges alle 
 Se the defertes of his men, 
 And after that they ben of ken 
 And of eftate and of merite 
 He {hall hem largelich aquite, 
 Or for the werre, or for the pees, 
 That none honour fall in decrees, 
 Which mighte torne into diffame. 
 But that he kepe his gode name, 
 So that he be nought holde unkinde. 
 For in cronique a tale I finde, 
 Which fpeketh fomdele of this matere, 
 Herafterward as thou fhalte here. 
 Hicfecundumgef- In Rome to purfue his right, 
 
 ta Julii exemplum __,, . i • i 
 
 ponit, quaiiterrex There was a worthy pouer knight, 
 
 fuoniin militum, titi • i ^ r r • 
 
 quos probos agno- Which came alone lor to lain 
 
 verit. indisrenciam U' r i ^i i • 
 
 brgitatis ibe bene- • His caule, when the court was plein, 
 (Hii.reievaretene- Where Julius was in prefence. 
 
 And for him lacketh of defpenfe, 
 There was with him none advocate 
 To make plee for his eftate. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 155 
 
 But though him lacke for to plede, 
 Him lacketh nothing of manhede. 
 He wifte well his purfe was pouer, 
 But yet he thought his right recouer, 
 And openly pouerte aleide 
 To themperour, and thus he faide : 
 
 O Julius, lord of the lawe, 
 Behold, my counfeil is withdrawe 
 For lacke of gold to thine office 
 After the lawe of juftice. 
 Help, that I hadde counfeil here 
 Upon the trouthe of my matere. 
 
 And Julius with that anone 
 Afligned him a worthy one. 
 But he him felf no word ne fpake. 
 This knight was wroth and found a lake 
 In themperour, and faide thus: 
 
 O thou, unkinde Julius, 
 Whan thou in thy bataile were 
 Up in Aufrique, and I was there, 
 My might for thy refcoufTe I did 
 And put no man in my ftede. 
 Thou woft what woundes there I had, 
 But here I finde the fo bad, 
 That the ne lift to fpeke o worde 
 Thine owne mouth nor of thin horde 
 To yive a florein me to helpe. 
 How jfhulde I thanne me beyelpe 
 Fro this day forth of thy largerTe, 
 Whan fuch a great unkindenerTe 
 
i 5 6 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 Is found in fuche a lorde as thou ? 
 This Julius knew well inough, 
 That all was foth, which he him tolde. 
 And for he wolde nought ben holde 
 Unkind, he toke his caufe on honde, 
 And as it were of goddes fonde, 
 He yaf him good inough to fpende 
 For ever unto his lives ende. 
 
 And thus fhuld every worthy king 
 Take of his knightes knouleching, 
 Whan that he figh they hadden nede, 
 For every fervice axeth mede. 
 But other, which have nought deferved 
 Through vertue, but of japes ferved, 
 A king mall nought deferve grace, 
 Though he be large in fuche a place. 
 Hie ponit exem- It fit well every king to have 
 
 plum de reee An- -r^. r i t • 
 
 tigono quaiiter Diicretion, whan men him crave, 
 £ri£ ?5 So that he may his yifte wite, 
 nus equa differed- wherof I finde a tale write, 
 
 one moderanda 
 
 funt - How Cinichus a pouere knight 
 
 A fomme, which was over might, 
 
 Praied of his king Antigonus. 
 
 The kinge anfwerde to him thus 
 
 And faid, how fuch a yifte paffeth 
 
 His pouer eftate. And than he larTeth 
 
 And axeth but a litel peny, 
 
 If that the king wold yive him any. 
 
 The king anfwerd, it was to fmall 
 For him, which was a lord reall, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 l 57 
 
 To yive a man fo litel thinge, 
 It were unwormip in a kinge. 
 
 By this enfample a king may lere, 
 That for to yive is in manere, 
 For if a king his trefor larTeth 
 Without honour and thankeles pafleth, 
 Whan he him felf woll fo beguile, 
 I not who mall compleigne his while, 
 Ne who by right him mail releve. 
 But netheles this I beleve 
 To helpe with his owne londe 
 Belongeth every man his honde 
 To fet upon neceffite. 
 
 And eke his kinges realte 
 Mote every lege man comforte 
 With good and body to fupporte, 
 Whan they fe caufe refonable. 
 For who that is nought entendable 
 To holde upright his kinges name, 
 Him oughte for to be to blame. 
 
 Of policie and over more 
 To fpeke in this matere more, 
 So as the philofophre tolde, 
 A king after the reule is holde 
 To modifie and to adreffe 
 His yiftes upon fuch largerTe, 
 That he mefure nought excede. 
 
 For if a king fall into nede, 
 It caufeth ofte fondry thinges, 
 Whiche are ungoodly to the kinges. 
 
 Nota hie, quod re- 
 gius flatus a fuis 
 fidelibus omni fa- 
 vore fupportandus 
 eft. 
 
 Nota hie fecundum 
 Ariftotelem, quali- 
 ter principum pro- 
 digalitas pauperta- 
 tem inducit com- 
 munem. 
 
 Seneca. Sic aliis 
 benefacito, ut tibi 
 non noceas. 
 
i 5 S CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 What man will nought him felf mefure, 
 Men feen ful ofte, that mefure 
 Him hath forfake. And fo doth he, 
 That ufeth prodegalite, 
 Which is the moder of pouerte, 
 Wherof the londes ben deferte. 
 And namely whan thilke vice 
 About a king ftant in office 
 And hath witholde of his party 
 The covetoufe rlatery, 
 Which many a worthy king deceiveth, 
 Er he the fallace apperceiveth 
 Of hem, that ferven to the glofe. 
 For they that connen plefe and glofe, 
 Ben as men tellen the norices 
 Unto the foftring of the vices, 
 Wherof full ofte netheles 
 A king is blamed gilteles. 
 Nota, quaiiter in A philofophre, as thou (halt here, 
 
 principum curiis n , , . r ^ • 
 
 aduiatores tripiici bpake to a king or this matere 
 
 gravitate offen- ^j faid j^ ^^ ^^ ^ flatrQurs 
 
 Coupable were of thre errours. 
 
 Primum contra One was toward the goddes high, 
 
 That weren wroth of that they figh, 
 The mifchefe, which befalle fholde, 
 Of that the falfe flatrour tolde 
 
 Secundo contra Toward the king. Another was, 
 Whan they by fleight and by fallas 
 Of feigned wordes make him wene, 
 That black is white, and blew is grene 
 
 pnncipem. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 '59 
 
 Touchend of his condicion. 
 For whan he doth extorcion 
 With many an other vice mo, 
 Men fhall nought fmden one of tho 
 To grucche or fpeke there ayein, 
 But holden up his oile and fain : 
 That all is well what ever he doth. 
 And thus of fals they maken foth, 
 So that her kinges eye is blent 
 And wot nought how the worlde is went. 
 The thridde errour is harm commune, 
 With which the people mot commune 
 Of wronges, that they bringen inne. 
 And thus they werchen treble finne, 
 That ben flatrours about a king. 
 There mighte be no worfe thing 
 About a kinges regaly, 
 Than is the vice of flatery. 
 And netheles it hath ben ufed, 
 That it was never yet refufed 
 As for to fpeke in court reall. 
 For there it is moil: fpeciall 
 And may nought longe be forbore. 
 But whan this vice of hem is bore, 
 That (holden the vertues forth bringe, 
 And trouthe is torned to lefinge, 
 It is, as who faith ayein kinde, 
 Wherof an old enfample I finde. 
 Among thefe other tales wife 
 Of philofophres in this wife 
 
 Tercio contra po- 
 pulum. 
 
 Hie contra vanitates 
 adulantum loquitur 
 et narrat, quod cum 
 
160 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 Arifttaatde Ca.ta- I rede, how whilom two there were 
 tXSSSS^ And to the fcole for to lere 
 L'CTlS Unto Athenes fro Cartage 
 mbw pre ceteris «- pj r f ren( j es w han they were of age, 
 
 nor afllftebat, acci- J ° 
 
 dit, at ipfe quodam Hem fende. And there they ltoden longe, 
 
 die Diogenem philo- ' t - . r 
 
 fophumnuperfocium Till they luch lore have underronge, 
 ribua quam uiencia That in her time they iurmounte 
 ad°oTere fua"coii e eaa8 All other men, that to accompte 
 lavantem ex cafu ad Q f hem was tho the grete fame. 
 
 npam invenit, cm VVi " ' o 
 
 ait : o Diogenes, T h e £ r fl. £ h em fa r igh te name 
 
 vere u tu ncut ego ° 
 
 principi tuo piacere Was Diogenes thanne hote, 
 
 wires, Deltas aut col- ° 
 
 ligere aut lavare tibi In whom Was lOUnde no l'lOtC 
 
 niinime indigeret. r . . . n . 1 • i 
 
 Cui alter refpondit: His telaw Arilhppus night, 
 
 n tu GcufrterookS Which mochel couthe and mochel might. 
 
 rS'^ldp™ But ate lafte foth to fain 
 
 luutnobinamsgione They bothe tornen home ayein 
 
 cujmlitatem blandin J J 
 
 nuiiatenus deberes. Unto Cartage and fcole lete. 
 This Diogenes no beyete 
 Of worldes good or lafTe or more 
 Ne foughte for his longe lore, 
 But toke him only for to dwelle 
 At home. And as the bokes telle, 
 His houfe was nigh to a rivere 
 Befide a brigge, as thou malt here. 
 There dwelleth he and taketh his reft, 
 So as it thought him for the heft, 
 To ftudie in his philofophie, 
 As he, which wolde fo dene 
 The worldes pompe on every fide. 
 But Ariftippe his boke afide 
 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 161 
 
 Hath laid, and to the court he wente, 
 
 Where many a wile and many a wente 
 
 With flatery and wordes fofte 
 
 He cafte and hath compafled ofte, 
 
 How he his prince mighte plefe. 
 
 And in this wife he gate him efe 
 
 Of veine honour and worldes good, 
 
 The londes reule upon him flood. 
 
 The king of him was wonder glad, 
 
 And all was do, what thinge he bad, 
 
 Bothe in the courte and eke without 
 
 With flatery be brought about 
 
 His purpos of the worldes werke, 
 
 Which was ayein the ftate of clerke, 
 
 So that philofophy he lefte 
 
 And to richerTe him felf uplefte. 
 
 Lo, thus had Ariftippe his will. 
 
 But Diogenes dwelte flill 
 
 At home and loked on his boke. 
 
 He foughte nought the worldes croke 
 
 For veine honour ne for richefle, 
 
 But all his hertes befinerle 
 
 He fette to be vertuous. 
 
 And thus within his owne hous 
 
 He liveth to the fuffifaunce 
 
 Of his having. And fell perchaunce, 
 
 This Diogene upon a day, 
 
 And that was in the month of may, 
 
 Whan that thefe herbes ben holfome, 
 
 He walketh for to gader fome 
 
 3 M 
 
1 62 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 In his gardin, of which his joutes 
 He thoughte have, and thus aboutes 
 Whan he hath gadred what him liketh, 
 He let him thanne downe and piketh 
 And wisfhe his herbes in the flood, 
 Upon the which his gardin flood 
 Nigh to the brigge, as I tolde ere. 
 And hapneth while he fitteth there, 
 Cam Ariftippus by the ftrete 
 With many hors and routes grete 
 And {fraught unto the brigge he rode, 
 Where that he hoved and abode, 
 For as he caft his eye nigh, 
 His felaw Diogene he flgh, 
 And what he dede he figh alfo, 
 Wherof he faide to him fo : 
 
 O Diogene, god the fpede. 
 It were certes litel nede 
 To fitten here and wortes pike, 
 If thou thy prince coutheft like 
 So as I can in my degre. 
 O Ariftippe, ayein quod he, 
 If that thou coutheft fo as I 
 Thy wortes pike truely, 
 It were als litel nede or laffe, 
 That thou fo worldly wol compaffe 
 With flaterie for to ferve, 
 Wherof thou thenkeft to deferve 
 Thy princes thank and to purchace, 
 How thou might ftonden in his grace 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 163 
 
 For getting of a litel good. 
 If thou wolt take into thy mood 
 Refon, thou might by refon deme, 
 That fo thy prince for to queme 
 Is nought to refon accordaunt, 
 But it is greatly defcordaunt 
 Unto the fcoles of Athene. 
 
 Lo, thus anfwerde Diogene 
 Ayein the clerkes flaterie. 
 But yet men fene thefTamplerie 
 Of Ariftippe is well received, 
 And thilke of Diogene is weived. 
 Office in court and gold in coffre 
 Is now, men fain, the philofophre, 
 Which hath the worfhip in the halle. 
 But flaterie paffeth alle, 
 In chambre whom the court avaunceth. 
 For upon thilke lot it chaunceth 
 To be beloved now a day. 
 
 [I not if it be ye or nay,* Nota exempium 
 
 tt t\ 1 r i cuiufdam poete de 
 
 now Dante the poete anlwerde Italia, qui Dames 
 
 To a flatrour, the tale I herde. 
 
 Upon a ftrife betwene hem two 
 
 He faid him, there ben many mo 
 
 Of thy fervauntes than of min. 
 
 For the poete of his covine 
 
 Hath none, that woll him cloth and fede, 
 
 But a flatrour may reule and lede 
 
 * Only in Berthelette's editions. 
 
16+ CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 A king with all his londe about. 
 So ftant the wife man in doubt 
 Of hem, that to foly drawe. 
 For fuch is now the comun lawe] 
 But as the comune vois it telleth, 
 Where now that flaterie dwelleth 
 In every londe under the fonne, 
 There is full many a thing begonne, 
 Which were better to be lefte, 
 That hath be (hewed now and efte. 
 But if a prince him wolde reule 
 Of the Romains after the reule 
 In thilke time as it was ufed, 
 This vice fhulde be refufed, 
 Wherof the princes ben aflbted. 
 But where the pleine trouth is noted, 
 There may a prince wel conceive, 
 That he (hall nought him felf deceive 
 Of that he hereth wordes pleine, 
 For him ther nought by refon pleigne 
 That warned is, er hem be wo. 
 And that was fully proved tho, 
 Whan Rome was the worldes chefe, 
 The fothfaier tho was lefe, 
 Which wolde nought the trouthe fpare, 
 But with his wordes plaine and bare 
 To themperour his fothes tolde, 
 As in cronique it is witholde, 
 Here afterwarde as thou (halt here 
 Accordend unto this matere. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 165 
 
 To fe this olde enfemplarie, 
 That whilom was no flaterie 
 Toward the princes, wel I finde, 
 Wherof fo as it comth to minde, 
 My fone, a tale unto thin ere, 
 While that the worthy princes were 
 At Rome, I thenke for to telle. 
 For whan the chaunces fo befelle, 
 That any emperour as tho 
 Vidtoire had upon his fo 
 And fo forth came to Rome ayein, 
 Of treble honour he was certain, 
 Wherof that he was magnified. 
 
 The firft, as it is fpecified, 
 Was, whan he cam at thilke tide, 
 The chare, in which he fhulde ride, 
 Four white ftedes (holde drawe. 
 Of Jupiter by thilke lawe 
 The cote he fhulde were alfo. 
 His prifoners eke fholden go 
 Endlong the chare on either honde. 
 And all the noble of the londe 
 To-fore and after with him come 
 Ridend and broughten him to Rome 
 In token of his chivalrie, 
 And for none other flaterie. 
 And that was mewed forth with all. 
 Where he fat in his chare reall, 
 Befide him was a ribald {et f 
 Which had his wordes fo befet 
 
 Hie narrat fupcr co- 
 dem, qualitcr Duper 
 Romanorum impera- 
 tor cum ipfe triuin- 
 phator in hoftes a 
 bello Rome rediret, 
 ties fibi laudes in lig- 
 num fui triumphi 
 precipue debebantur. 
 Primo quatuor equi 
 albiffimi curium in 
 quo fedebat reherent, 
 fecundo tunica Jovis 
 pro tunc indueretur, 
 tercio fui captivi pro- 
 pe currum ad utrum- 
 que latus catenati de- 
 ambularent. Set ne 
 tanti honoris adulacio 
 eius animum in fu- 
 perbiam extolleret, 
 quidam fcurra lingu- 
 ofus juxta ipfum in 
 curru fedebat, qui 
 quafi continuatis vo- 
 cibus improperando 
 ei dixit : Notheos, 
 hoc eft nofcete ipfum, 
 quod fi hodie fortuna 
 tibi profpera fuerit, 
 eras forte verfa rota 
 mutabilis adverfabi- 
 tur. 
 
1 66 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 To themperour in all his gloire 
 
 He faid : Take into memoire, 
 
 For all this pompe and all this pride 
 
 Let no juftice gon afide, 
 
 But know thy felf, what fo befalle. 
 
 For men feen ofte time falle 
 
 Thing, which men wende fiker ftonde. 
 
 Though thou victoire have on honde, 
 
 Fortune may nought ftonde alwey. 
 
 The whele perchaunce another day 
 
 May torne, and thou might overthrowe, 
 
 There lafteth no thing but a throwe. 
 
 With thefe wordes and with mo 
 This ribald, which fat with him tho, 
 To themperour his tale tolde. 
 And overmore what ever he wolde 
 Or were it evil or were it good 
 So plainly as the trouthe flood, 
 He fpareth nought but fpeketh it out. 
 And fo might every man about 
 The day of that folempnite 
 His tale tellen as wele as he 
 To themperour all openly. 
 And all was this the caufe, why 
 That while he flood in his nobleffe, 
 He fliulde his vanite repreffe 
 With fuche wordes as he herde. 
 Hie eciam contra Lo now, how thilke time it ferde 
 
 adulacionem fcribit, . 
 
 quod primo die quo 1 oward lo nigh a worthy lorde. 
 
 nuper imperator in- y, 1 • t r i i r i 
 
 tronizams cxtitit la- r or this 1 nnde eke of recorde, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 167 
 
 Which the cronique hath auctorized, 
 
 What emperour was entronized 
 
 The firfte day of his corone, 
 
 Where he was in his real throne 
 
 And helde his feft in the paleis 
 
 Sittend upon his highe deis 
 
 With all the luft that may be gete, 
 
 Whan he was gladeft at his mete, 
 
 And every minnrell hadde pleide, 
 
 And every difour hadde faide 
 
 What moft was plefant to his ere, 
 
 Than ate lafte comen there 
 
 His mafons, for they molden crave, 
 
 Where that he wolde be begrave, 
 
 And of what ftone his fepulture 
 
 They fholden make, and what fculpture 
 
 He wolde ordeigne therupon. 
 
 Tho was there flaterie none 
 
 The worthy princes to bejape, 
 
 The thing was otherwife fhape 
 
 With good counfeile and otherwife. 
 
 They were hem felven thanne wife 
 
 And underftoden well and knewen, 
 
 Whan fuche fofte windes blewen 
 
 Of flatery into her ere, 
 
 They fetten nought her hertes there. 
 
 But whan they herde wordes feigned, 
 
 The pleine trouth it hath defdeigned 
 
 Of hem that weren fo difcrete. 
 
 So toke the flaterer no beyete 
 
 tomi fui ab ipfo con- 
 ftanter peterent, dc 
 
 quali lapidc fue fe- 
 pulture tumulum fa- 
 bricarcnt, ut fie futu- 
 ram mortem com- 
 memorans vanitates 
 huius feculi tranfito- 
 rias facilius reprime- 
 ret. 
 
1 68 CONFESSIO 4 MANTIS. 
 
 Of him, that was his prince tho. 
 And for to proven it is fo, 
 A tale, which befell in dede, 
 In a cronique of Rome I rede. 
 Hie inter alia gefta Cefar upon his reall throne, 
 
 Ceiaris narrat u- , . ...... ~ 
 
 num exempium Where that he fat in his perfone 
 Fo^qu^cumi^afl And was higheft in all his pris, 
 
 Fa'plSefapta- A ma "> which W ° 1(le make him wlfe > 
 
 rere vdient, auan- p e u down knelend in his prefence 
 
 doque tamen limu- ■» 
 
 late bpiende taiia A nc j did him fuch a reverence, 
 
 eommittunt, per . 
 
 que ceteris ftuicio- As though the highe god it were. 
 
 res in fine compro- _ . . . -i i 
 
 bantur. Men hadden great merveile there 
 
 Of the worfliip, which he dede. 
 This man aros fro thilke ftede 
 And forth with all the fame tide 
 He goth him up and by his fide 
 He fet him down as pere and pere 
 And faide : If thou that fitteft here 
 Art god, which alle thinges might, 
 Than have I do worfliip aright 
 As to the god, and other wife, 
 If thou be nought of thilke aflife, 
 But art a man, fuche as am I, 
 Than may I fit the fafte by, 
 For we be bothe of o kinde. 
 
 Cefar anfwerde and faide : O blinde, 
 Thou art a fol, it is well fene 
 Upon thy felf. For if thou wene 
 I be a god, thou doit, amis 
 To fit, where thou feed: god is. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 169 
 
 And if I be a man alio, 
 
 Thou haft a great folie do, 
 
 Whan thou to fuch one, as (hall deie, 
 
 The worfhip of thy god awey 
 
 Haft yiven fo unworthily. 
 
 Thus may I prove redely, 
 
 Thou art nought wife. And they that herde, 
 
 How wifely that the king anfwerde, 
 
 It was to hem a newe lore, 
 
 Wherof they dradden him the more. 
 
 And broughten nothing to his ere, 
 
 But if it trouthe and refon were. 
 
 So ben there many in fuch a wife, 
 
 That feignen wordes to be wife 
 
 And all is verray flatery 
 
 To him, which can it well afpy. 
 
 The kinde flatrour can nought love 
 But for to bring him felf above. 
 For how that ever his maifter fare, 
 So that him felf ftonde out of care 
 Him reccheth nought. And thus ful ofte 
 Deceived ben with wordes fofte 
 The kinges, that ben innocent. 
 Wherof as for chaftiement 
 The wife philofophre faide : 
 What king that fo his trefure laide 
 Upon fuch folke, he hath the lefte, 
 And yet ne doth he no largefTe, 
 But harmeth with his owne honde 
 Him felf and eke his owne londe. 
 
 Nota, qualiter ifti 
 circa piincipem 
 adulatores pocius a 
 curia expelli quam 
 ad regie mageftatis 
 munera acceptari 
 policia fuadente 
 deberent. 
 
170 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 And that by many a fondry wey, 
 Wherof if that a man fhall fey 
 As for to fpeke in generall, 
 Where fuch thing falleth over alJ, 
 That any king him felf mifreule, 
 The philofophre upon his reule 
 In fpeciall a caufe fet, 
 Whiche is and ever hath be the let 
 In governaunce about a king 
 Upon the mifchefe of the thing. 
 And that, he faith, is flatery, 
 Wherof to-fore as in party, 
 What vice it is, I have declared. 
 For who that hath his wit bewared 
 Upon a flatrour to beleve, 
 Whan that he weneth beft acheve 
 His gode world, it is moft fro. 
 And for to proven it is fo 
 Enfamples there ben many one, 
 Of whiche if thou wolt knowen one, 
 It is behovely for to here, 
 What whilom fell in this matere. 
 Hie loquitur uiterius Among the kinges in the bible 
 
 de conlilio adulan- _ _ . ° ~ 
 
 tum, quorum fabuiis I nnde a tale and is credible 
 
 principis aures orga- r\C \-' 1 1 «i a 1 1 1 • 1 
 
 nixate reritatis audi. Ut him, that whilom Achab night, 
 ct^rrraTeTempium Which had all Ifrael to right. 
 
 t^t^i But wh ° that couthe g lofe fofte 
 
 propheciasfidellsMi- And flater, fuch he fet alofte 
 
 clue recuuTit blan- 
 
 diciisquc aduiantii In great eftate and made hem riche. 
 
 Zedechie adhefit, rex n . 
 
 Syrie Bcnedab in But they that fpeken wordes liche 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 171 
 
 To trouthe and wolde it nought forbere erapoMktoripfam 
 
 divino judicio devio 
 
 For hem was none eitate to bere, tum interfecit. 
 
 The courte of fuche toke none hede. 
 
 Till ate laft upon a nede, 
 
 That Benedab kinge of Surie, 
 
 Of Ifrael a great partie, 
 
 Which Ramoth Galaad was hote, 
 
 Hath fefed. And of that riote 
 
 He toke counfeile in fondry wife, 
 
 But nought of hem that weren wife. 
 
 And netheles upon this cas 
 
 To ftrengthen him, for Jofephas, 
 
 Which than was kinge of Judee, 
 
 He fende for to come, as he, 
 
 Which through frendfhip and alliaunce 
 
 Was next to him of aqueintaunce. 
 
 For Joram fone of Jofaphath 
 
 Achabbes doughter wedded hath, 
 
 Which highte faire Godelie. 
 
 And thus cam into Samary 
 
 King Jofaphat, and he found there 
 
 The king Achab. And when they were 
 
 To-gider fpekend of this thing, 
 
 This Jofaphat faith to the king, 
 
 How that he wolde gladly here 
 
 Some true prophet in this matere, 
 
 That he his counfeil mighte yive 
 
 To what point it mail be drive. 
 
 And in that time fo befell, 
 
 There was fuch one in Ifrael, 
 
172 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Which fet him all to fktery, 
 And he was cleped Sedechy. 
 And after him Achab hath fent. 
 And he at his commaundement 
 To-fore him cam, and by a Height 
 He hath upon his heved on height 
 Two large homes fet of bras, 
 As he, whiche all a flatrour was, 
 And goth rampend as a leon 
 And caft his home up and down 
 And bad men ben of good efpeire, 
 For as the homes percen thaire, 
 He faith, withouten reiiftence, 
 So wift he well of his fcience, 
 That Benedab is difcomfite. 
 Whan Sedechy upon this plite 
 Hath told this tale unto his lorde, 
 Anone they were of his accorde 
 Prophetes falfe many mo 
 To bere up oile, and alle tho 
 Affermen that, which he hath tolde, 
 Wherof the king Achab was bolde 
 And yaf hem yiftes all aboute. 
 But Jofaphat was in great doubte 
 And held fantofme all that he herde, 
 Praiend Achab how fo it ferde, 
 If there were any other man, 
 The which of prophecie can, 
 To here him fpeke er that they gone. 
 Quod Achab thanne : There is one, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 173 
 
 A brothel, which Micheas hight. 
 But he ne comth nought in my light, 
 For he hath long in prifon laien, 
 Him liked never yet to faien 
 A goodly word to my plefaunce. 
 And netheles at thine inftaunce 
 He mail come out, and than he may 
 Say, as he faide many a day. 
 For yet he faide never wele. 
 Tho Jofaphat began fome dele 
 To gladen him in hope of trouthe, 
 And bad withouten any flouthe, 
 That men him fhulde fette anone. 
 And they that weren for him gone, 
 Whan that they comen where he was, 
 They tolden unto Micheas 
 The manere, how that Sedechy 
 Declared hath his prophecy. 
 And therupon they pray him faire, 
 That he woll faie no contraire, 
 Wherof the king may be defplefed, 
 For fo (hall every man be efed. 
 And he may helpe him felf alfo. 
 Micheas upon trouthe tho 
 His herte fet and to hem faith 
 All that belonge to his feith, 
 And of none other feigned thing, 
 That woll he tell unto the king, 
 Als fer as god hath yive him grace. 
 Thus came this prophete into place, 
 
1 74 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 Where he the kinges wille herde. 
 And he therto anone anfwerde 
 And faide unto him in this wife : 
 
 My lege lord, for my fervice, 
 Which trewe hath ftonden ever yit, 
 Thou haft me with prifon aquite. 
 But for all that I (hall nought glofe 
 Of trouthe als far as I fuppofe. 
 And as touchend of thy bataile 
 Thou malt nought of the fothe faile. 
 For if it like the to here, 
 As I am taught in that matere, 
 Thou might it underflonde fone. 
 But what is afterward to done 
 Avife the, for this I figh, 
 I was to-fore the throne on high, 
 Where all the world me thoughte ftode, 
 And there I herde and underftode 
 The vois of god with wordes clere 
 Axend and faide in this manere : 
 In what thing may I beft beguile 
 The king Achab ? And for a while 
 Upon this point they fpeken faft. 
 Tho faid a fpirit ate laft : 
 I undertake this emprife. 
 And god him axeth in what wife. 
 I fhall, quod he, deceive and lie 
 With flaterende prophecie 
 In fuche mouthes, as he leveth. 
 And he, which alle thing acheveth, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 175 
 
 Bad him go forth and do right fo. 
 And over this I figh alfo 
 The noble people of Ifrael 
 Difpers, as fhepe upon an hill 
 Without a keper unarraied. 
 And as they wente about aftraied, 
 I herde a vois unto hem fain : 
 Goth home into your hous ayein, 
 Till I for you have better ordeigned. 
 Quod Sedechie : Thou haft feigned 
 This tale in angring of the king. 
 And in a wrathe upon this thing 
 He fmote Micheen upon the cheke. 
 The king him hath rebuked eke, 
 And every man upon him cride. 
 Thus was he fhent on every fide 
 Ayein and into prifon ladde, 
 For fo the kinge him felve badde. 
 The trouthe mighte nought ben herde. 
 But afterward as it hath ferde, 
 The dede proveth his entent, 
 Achab to the bataile went, 
 Where Benedab for all his fhelde 
 Him (lough, fo that upon the felde 
 His people goth about aftray. 
 But god, which alle thinges may, 
 So doth, that they no mifchefe have. 
 Her king was dede, and they ben fave 
 And home ayein in goddes pees 
 They wente, and all was founde les, 
 
176 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 That Sedechy hath faid to-fore. 
 So fit it wel a king therfore 
 To loven hem, that trouthe mene. 
 For ate laft it will be fene, 
 That flatery is nothing worth. 
 
 But now to my matere forth 
 As for to fpeken overmore 
 After the philofophres lore, 
 The thridde point of policy 
 I thenke for to fpecify. 
 
 9. Propter tranfgrejfos leges ft atuuntur in orbe, 
 JJt vivant jujii regis honore viri. 
 Lex fine juflicia populum fub principis umbra 
 Deviate ut reilum nemo videbit iter. 
 
 Hie traftat de ter- What is a lond, where men be none ? 
 gh P pc2" m q ue What ben the men, which are allone 
 
 jufticia nominata ttt. 1 , . > 
 
 eft, cuius condido Without a kinges governaunce r 
 
 S^SC Wha < is a king in his legeaunce, 
 
 um eft equo pon- where that there is no lawe in londe ? 
 
 dere diltribuit. 
 
 What is to take lawe on honde, 
 
 But if the juges weren trewe ? 
 
 Thefe olde worldes with the newe 
 
 Who that woll take in evidence, 
 
 There may he fe thexperience, 
 
 What thing it is to kepe lawe, 
 
 Through which the wronges be withdrawe 
 
 And rightwifnefTe ftant commended, 
 
 Wherof the regnes ben amended. 
 
 For where the lawe may comune, 
 
 The lordes forth with the comune 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 77 
 
 Eche hath his propre duete. 
 And eke the kinges realte 
 Of bothe his worfhip underfongeth, 
 To his eftate as it belongeth, 
 Whiche of his highe worthinefTe 
 Hath to governe rightwifneffe, 
 As he, which mall the lawe guide. 
 And netheles upon fome fide 
 His power ftant above the lawe 
 To yive both and to withdrawe 
 The forfet of a mannes life. 
 But thinges, which are exceffife 
 Ayein the lawe, he fhal nought do 
 For love, ne for hate alfo. 
 
 The mightes of a king be gret. 
 But yet a worthy king mall let 
 Of wrong to done, all that he might, 
 ,For he, which mail the people right, 
 It fit wel to his regaly, 
 That he him felf firfb juftify 
 Towardes god in his degre. 
 For his eftate is elles fre 
 Toward all other in his perfone, 
 Sauf only to the god alone, 
 Which woll him felf a king chaftife, 
 Where that none other may fumTe. 
 
 So were it good to taken hede, 
 That firft a king his owne dede 
 Betwene the vertue and the vice 
 iRedrefTe, and than of his juftice 
 
 3 N 
 
 Imperatoriam ma- 
 geftatem non fo- 
 lum armis, fed eci- 
 am legibus oportet 
 eflTe armatam. 
 
178 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 So fet in even the balaunce 
 
 Towardes other in governaunce, 
 
 That to the pouer and to the riche 
 
 His lawes mighten ftonden liche, 
 
 He (hall excepte no perfone. 
 
 But for he may nought all him one 
 
 In fondry places do juftice, 
 
 He (hall of his real office 
 
 With wife confideration 
 
 Ordeigne his deputation 
 
 Of fuche juges, as ben lerned, 
 
 So that his people be governed 
 
 By hem, that true ben and wife. 
 
 For if the lawe of covetife 
 
 Be fet upon a juges honde, 
 
 Wo is the people of thilke londe, 
 
 For wrong may nought him felven hide. 
 
 But elles on that other fide, 
 
 If lawe ftonde with the right, 
 
 The people is glad and ftant upright, 
 
 Where as the lawe is refonable, 
 
 The comun people ftant mevable, 
 
 And if the lawe torne amis, 
 
 The people alfo miftorned is. 
 
 Nota hicde jufticia a J • r l r -\ • 
 
 Maximini unpen- And in eniample of this matere 
 £&£S± Of Maximin a man may here, 
 todem 6bi coniii- of Rome which was emperour, 
 
 tuere volt-bat, pn- r ■ 
 
 mo de fui nominis That whan he made a eovernour 
 
 fama proclamacio- _^ r r . . 
 
 ne faaa ipfius con- By wey of fubftitucion 
 
 dicionem diligen- f^r . ~ 
 
 cius inveftigabat. vJi province or of region, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 He wolde fir ft enquire his name 
 And lete it openly proclame, 
 What man he were or evil or good. 
 And upon that his name ftood 
 Enclined to vertue or to vice, 
 So wolde he fet him in office, 
 Or elles put him all awey. 
 Thus held the lawe his righte wey, 
 Which found no let of covetife. 
 The world ftood than upon the wife, 
 As by enfample thou might rede 
 And holde it in thy minde I rede. 
 
 In a cronique I finde thus, 
 How that Gaius Fabricius, 
 Which whilom was conful of Rome, 
 By whom the lawes yede and come, 
 Whan the Sampnites to him brought 
 A fomme of gold and him befought 
 To don hem favour in the lawe, 
 Toward the gold he gan him drawe, 
 Wherof in alle mennes loke 
 Apart up in his honde he toke, 
 Which to his mouth in alle hafte 
 He put it for to fmelle and tafte 
 And to his eye and to his ere, 
 But he ne found no comfort there. 
 And than he gan it to defpife 
 And tolde unto hem in this wife : 
 
 I not what is with gold to thrive, 
 Whan none of all my wittes five 
 
 179 
 
 Hie ponit exem- 
 plum de judicibus 
 incorruptis, et 
 
 narrat, qualiter 
 Gaius Fabricius 
 nuper Rome con- 
 ful aurum a Samp- 
 nitibus fibi obla- 
 tum renuit dicens, 
 quod nobilius eft 
 aurum pofiidentes 
 dominio fubjuga- 
 re, quam ex auri cu- 
 piditate dominii li- 
 bertatem amittere. 
 
180 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Find favour ne delite therinne. 
 So is it but a nice finne 
 Of gold to ben to covetous. 
 But he is riche and glorious, 
 Which hath in his fubjection 
 Tho men, which in porlemon 
 Ben riche of gold, and by this fkill 
 For he may all day whan he will 
 Or be hem lefe or be hem lothe 
 Juftice done upon hem bothe. 
 
 Lo, thus he faid. And with that worde 
 He threw to-fore hem on the borde 
 The gold out of his honde anone, 
 And faid hem, that he wolde none. 
 So that he kept his liberte 
 To do juftice and equite, 
 Withoute lucre of fuch richefle. 
 There ben now fewe of fuche I gefTe. 
 For it was thilke times ufed, 
 That every juge was refufed, 
 Which was nought frend to comun right, 
 But they that wolden ftonde upright 
 
 For trouthe only to do juftice 
 
 Preferred were in thilke office 
 
 To deme and juge comun lawe, 
 
 Which now men fain is all withdrawe. 
 To fette a lawe and kepe it nought 
 
 There is no comune profit fought. 
 
 But above alle netheles 
 
 The lawe, which is made for pees, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 181 
 
 Is good to kepe for the befte, 
 For that fet alle men in refte. 
 
 The rightful emperour Conrade 
 To kepe pees fuch lawe made, 
 That none withinne the cite 
 In deftorbaunce of unite 
 Durft ones meven a matere. 
 For in his time as thou might here, 
 What point that was for lawe fet 
 It fhulde for no good be let 
 To what perfone that it were. 
 And this brought in the comun fere, 
 Why every man the lawe dradde, 
 For there was none, which favour hadde. 
 
 So as thefe olde bokes fain, 
 I finde write, how a Romain, 
 Which conful was of the pretoire, 
 Whofe name was Carmidotoire, 
 He fet a lawe for the pees, 
 That none but he be wepenles 
 Shall come into the counfeil hous, 
 And elles as malicious 
 He (rial ben of the lawe dede. 
 To that ftatute, and to that rede 
 Accorden alle, it (hall be fo, 
 For certein caufe, which was tho. 
 Now lift, what fell therafter fone. 
 This conful hadde for to done 
 And was into the feldes ride. 
 And they him hadde longe abide, 
 
 Hie narrat de juf- 
 ticia nuper Conra- 
 di imperatoris, cui- 
 ustemporealicuius 
 reverencia perfone 
 aliqua feu precum 
 intervencione qua- 
 CUnque vel auri re- 
 dempcione legum 
 Itatuta commutari 
 feu redimi nullate- 
 nus potuerunt. 
 
 Nota exemplum de 
 conftancia judicis, 
 ubi narrat de Car- 
 midotiro Rome nu- 
 per confule, qui 
 cum fill ftatuti le- 
 gem nefcius offen- 
 diflet Romanique 
 fuper hoc penam 
 fibi remittere volu- 
 iffenr, ipfe propria 
 manu, ubi nullus 
 alius in ipfum vin- 
 dex fu it, fui crimi- 
 nis vindiclam exe- 
 cutus eft. 
 
1 82 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 That lordes of the counfeil were, 
 And for him fende, and he cam there 
 With fwerd begert and hath foryete, 
 Till he was in the counfeil fete. 
 Was none of hem that made fpeche, 
 Till he him felf it wolde feche, 
 And founde out the default him felve. 
 And than he faide unto the twelve, 
 Which of the fenate weren wife : 
 I have deferved the juife 
 In hafte that it were do. 
 And they him faiden alle no, 
 For well they wift it was no vice, 
 Whan he ne thoughte no malice 
 But onlich of a litel flouth. 
 And thus they leften as for routh 
 To do juftice upon his gilte, 
 For that he fhulde nought be fpilte. 
 And whan he figh the maner how 
 They wolde him fave, he made a vow 
 With manful herte and thus he faide, 
 That Rome fhulde never abraide 
 His heires, whan he were of dawe, 
 That her aunceflxe brake the lawe. 
 Forthy er that they weren ware, 
 Forthwith the fame fwerde he bare 
 The ftatute of his lawe kepte, 
 So that all Rome his dethe bewepte. 
 Nota.quodfaifijudi- \ n other place alfo I rede, 
 
 ces mortis pena pu- r 
 
 niendi funt. Namt Where that a juge his owne dede 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 He wol nought venge of lawe broke, 
 The king it hath him felven wroke. 
 The grete king, which Cambifes 
 Was hote, a juge laweles 
 He found, and into remembraunce 
 He did upon him fuch vengeaunce. 
 Out of his fkin he was beflain 
 All quick, and in that wife flain, 
 So that his fkin was fhape all mete 
 And nailed on the fame fete, 
 Where that his fone fhulde fitte, 
 Avife him if he wolde flitte 
 The lawe for the covetife, 
 There figh he redy his juife. 
 
 Thus in defalte of other juge 
 The king mote otherwhile juge 
 To holden up the righte lawe. 
 And for to fpeke of tholde dawe 
 To take enfample of that was tho, 
 I finde a tale write alfo, 
 How that a worthy prince is holde 
 The lawes of his londe to holde, 
 Firft for the highe goddes fake 
 And eke for that him is betake 
 The people for to guide and lede, 
 Which is the charge of his kinghede. 
 
 In a cronique I rede thus 
 Of the rightfull Ligurgius, 
 Which of Athenes prince was, 
 How he the lawe in every cas, 
 
 ■ 83 
 
 enim.qualiterCambi- 
 fes rex Per&rum 
 quendam judicem 
 corruptum excoriari 
 vivum fecit eiufque 
 pelle cathedram judi- 
 cialem operiri confti- 
 tuit, ita quod filius 
 funs fuper patris pel- 
 lem poftea pro tiibu- 
 nali feflunu judicii 
 equitatem evidencius 
 memorarctur. 
 
 Hie ponit exemphun 
 de principibus illis, 
 qui non iolum legem 
 ftatuentes illam con- 
 fervant, fed ut com- 
 mune bonum adauge- 
 ant,propriam faculta- 
 
1 84 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 ten diminuunt. Et Wherof he fhulde his people reule, 
 ZS$£Z£ Hath fct upon fo good a reule, 
 tosfuosinomniprof- j jj fo world that cite none 
 
 pcntatishabundancia 
 
 ttivit.-s et unanimes Qf J awe W aS fo Well begone 
 
 congruislegibus Itare ° 
 
 fa -iiii-t voiai S ad uti- Forthwith the trouthe of governaunce, 
 
 litatem reipublice lc- - j*n 
 
 ges Mas firmiu* ob- There was among hem no diltaunce, 
 
 lcrvari peresre profi- _, ill* 
 
 cifcifcfinxittfedprius But every man hath his encrees. 
 STES S*Z There was withoute werre pees, 
 hac forma exegit, without envie love ftood, 
 
 3uod ipli utque in re- 
 itumiuumkgesfuas RichefTe upon the comune good 
 
 nullatenus infringe- « 
 
 rent, quibus jnratis And nought upon the finguler 
 
 peregrinationem fu- s^. ■, • ■, 11 
 
 am in exiiium abfque Ordeined was, and the power 
 gavit" perpet Of hem, that weren in eftate, 
 
 Was fauf, wherof upon debate 
 There flood nothing, fo that in refte 
 Might every man his herte refte. 
 
 And whan this noble rightfull king, 
 Sigh how it ferde of all this thing, 
 Wherof the people flood in efe, 
 He, which for ever wolde plefe 
 The highe god, whofe thank he fought, 
 A wonder thing than he bethought 
 And fhope, if that it mighte be, 
 How that his lawe in the cite 
 Might afterward for ever lafte. 
 And therupon his wit he cafte, 
 What thing him were beft to feigne, 
 That he his purpofe might atteigne. 
 A parlement and thus he fet, 
 His wifdom where that he befet 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 185 
 
 In audience of great and fmale, 
 And in this wife he tolde his tale : 
 God wote, and fo ye woten alle, 
 Here afterward how fo it falle, 
 Yet into now my will hath be 
 To do juftice and equite 
 In forthring of comun profite, 
 Such hath ben ever my delite. 
 But of o thing I am beknowe, 
 The which my will is that ye knowe. 
 The lawe, which I toke on honde, 
 Was all to-gider of goddes fonde 
 And no thinge of min owne wit, 
 So mote it nede endure yit 
 And mall do lenger, if ye will, 
 For I wol telle you the fkill. 
 The god Mercurius and no man 
 He hath me taught all that I can 
 Of fuche lawes as I made, 
 Wherof that ye ben alle glad. 
 It was the god and nothing I, 
 Which did all this, and now forthy 
 He hath commaunded of his grace, 
 That I mall come into a place, 
 Which is forein out in an ile, 
 Where I mot tarie for a while 
 With him to fpeke and he hath bede. 
 For as he faith, in thilke ftede 
 He (hall me fuche thinges telle, 
 That ever while the world fhal dwelle 
 
186 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Athenes fliall the better fare. 
 But flrft er that I thider fare, 
 For that I wolde that my lawe 
 Amonges you ne be withdrawe, 
 There whiles that I fliall be oute, 
 Forthy to fetten out of doubte 
 Both you and me, thus wol I pray, 
 That ye me wolde afTure and fay 
 With fuch an othe, as ye woll take, 
 That eche of you fliall undertake 
 My lawes for to kepe and holde. 
 
 They faiden alle, that they wolde. 
 And there upon they fwore here othe, 
 That fro that time that he goth, 
 Till he to hem be come ayeine, 
 They fliuld his lawes well and pleine 
 In every point kepe and fulfill. 
 Thus hath Ligurgius his will, 
 And toke his leve and forth he went. 
 But lift now well to what entent 
 Of rightwifnerfe he did fo. 
 For after that he was ago, 
 He (hope him never to be founde, 
 So that Athenes, which was bounde, 
 Never after fliulde be relefed, 
 Ne thilke gode lawe cefed, 
 Which was for comun profit fet. 
 And in this wife he hath it knet, 
 He, which the commun profite fought, 
 The king his owne eftate ne rought. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 187 
 
 To do profite to the comune 
 
 He toke of exile the fortune 
 
 And lefte of prince thilke office 
 
 Only for love and for juftice, 
 
 Through which he thought, if that he might, 
 
 For ever after his deth to right 
 
 The cite, which was him betake, 
 
 Wherof men ought enfample take 
 
 The gode lawes to avaunce 
 
 With hem, which under governaunce 
 
 The lawes have for to kepe. 
 
 For who that wolde take kepe 
 Of hem that firfte lawes founde, 
 
 Als fer as lafteth any bounde 
 
 Of londe, her names yet ben knowe. 
 
 And if it like the to knowe 
 
 Some of her names, how they ftonde, 
 
 Now herke, and thou fhalt underftonde. 
 
 Of every bienfait the merite 
 The god him felf it woll aquite. 
 And eke full ofte it falleth fo, 
 The worlde it woll aquite alfo, 
 But that may nought ben even liche. 
 The god he yiveth the heven riche, 
 The world yifth only but a name, 
 Which ftant upon the gode fame 
 Of hem, that done the gode dede. 
 And in this wife double mede 
 Receiven they, that done well here, 
 Wherof if that the lift to here 
 
 Hie ad eorum Iau- 
 dem, qui jufticie 
 
 caufa leges piius 
 ftatuerunt, aliquo- 
 rum nomina fpeci- 
 aliuscommemorat. 
 
1 88 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 After the fame as it is blowe, 
 
 There might thou well the fothe knowe, 
 
 How thilke honeft befinefTe 
 
 Of hem, that fir ft for rightwifnefle 
 
 Among the men the lawes made, 
 
 May never upon this erthe fade. 
 
 For ever while there is a tunge, 
 
 Her name mall be rede and funge 
 
 And holde in the cronique write, 
 
 So that the men it fholden wite 
 
 To fpeke good, as they well oughten, 
 
 Of hem, that firft the lawes foughten 
 
 In forthring of the worldes pees. 
 
 Unto the Hebrews was Moifes 
 
 The firft, and to thegipciens 
 
 Mercurius, and to Trojens 
 
 Firft was Numa Pompilius, 
 
 To Athenes Ligurgius 
 
 Yave firft the lawe, and to Gregois, 
 
 Foroneus hath thilke vois, 
 
 And Romulus to the Romains 
 
 For fuche men, that ben vilains, 
 
 The lawe in fuch a wife ordeigneth, 
 
 That what man to the lawe pleigneth, 
 
 Be fo the juge ftond upright, 
 
 He fhall be ferved of his right. 
 
 And fo ferforth it is befalle, 
 
 That lawe is come among us alle, 
 
 God leve it mote well bene holde, 
 
 As every king therto is holde. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 189 
 
 For thing, whiche is of kinges fet, 
 With kinges ought it nought be let. 
 What king of lawe taketh no kepe, 
 By lawe he may no regne kepe. 
 Do lawe away, what is a king ? 
 Where is the right of any thing, 
 If that there be no lawe in londe ? 
 This ought a king well underftonde, 
 As he, which is to lawe fwore, 
 That if the lawe be forbore 
 Withouten execucion, 
 It maketh a lond torne up fo down, 
 Which is unto the king a fclaundre. 
 Forthy unto king Alifaundre 
 The wife philofophre bad, 
 That he him felve firft be lad 
 Of lawe, and forth than over all 
 To do juftice in generall, 
 That all the wide lond aboute 
 The juftice of his lawe doubte, 
 And thanne mall he ftonde in reft. 
 For therto lawe is one the beft 
 Above all other erthly thing 
 To make a lege drede his king. 
 
 But how a king fhall gete him love 
 Toward the highe god above 
 And eke among the men in erthe 
 This nexte point, which is the ferthe 
 Of Ariftotles lore, it techeth, 
 Wherof who that the fcole fecheth 
 
1 9 o C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 What policie that it is 
 
 The boke reherceth after this. 
 
 io. Nil racionis habeas, ubi velle tyrannica regna 
 Stringit amor populi, tranftet exul ibi. 
 Sed pietas, regnum que confervabit in evum, 
 Non tantum populo, fed placet ilia deo. 
 
 Hie traaat de It nedeth nought that I delate 
 TSZjftSS. The pris, which preifed is algate 
 
 que pietM Jifla ^ n( J ^^ l, ene ever an J ever (] la H 
 eft, per quam pnn- 
 
 cip« erga po P u- Wherof to ipeke in fpeciall 
 
 lum miiencordes i i 
 
 efteai mifcricor- It is the vertue of pite, 
 
 diam altilfimi gra- . . 
 
 ciusconfequunmr. Through which the nighe magette 
 Was ftered, whan his fone alight 
 And in pite the world to right 
 Toke of the maide flesfh and blood. 
 Pite was caufe of thilke good, 
 Wherof that we ben alle fave. 
 Well ought a man pite to have 
 And the vertue to fet in prife, 
 Whan he him felf, whiche is all wife, 
 Hath fhewed, why it fhall be preifed. 
 Pite may nought be counterpeifed 
 Of tirannie with no peife. 
 For pite maketh a king curteife 
 Both in his worde and in his dede. 
 It fit well every lege drede 
 His king and to his heft obey. 
 And right fo by the fame wey 
 It fit a king to be pitous 
 Toward his people and gracious 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 191 
 
 Upon the reule of governaunce, 
 
 So that he worche no vengeaunce, 
 
 Which may be cleped cruelte. 
 
 Juftice, which doth equite, 
 
 Is dredful, for he no man fpareth. 
 
 But in the lond, where pite fareth, 
 
 The king may never faile of love, 
 
 For pite through the grace above 
 
 So as the philofophre affermeth, 
 
 His regne in good eftate confermeth. 
 
 [Thapoftel James in this wife* 
 
 Saith, what man ihulde do juife 
 
 And hath not pite forth with all, 
 
 The dome of him, which demeth all, 
 
 He may him felf ful fore drede, 
 
 That him mail lacke upon the nede 
 
 To finde pite, whan he wolde. 
 
 For who that pite woll beholde, 
 
 It is a point of Criftes lore. 
 
 And for to loken overmore 
 
 It is behovely, as we finde, 
 
 To refon and to lawe of kinde. 
 
 Caffiodore in his aprife telleth : 
 
 The regne is fauf, where pite dwelleth. 
 
 And Tullius his tale avoweth 
 
 And faith : What king to pite boweth 
 
 And with pite ftont overcome, 
 
 He hath that fhilde of grace nome, 
 
 * Only in Berthelette's editions. 
 
192 CONFESS 10 AM ANT IS. 
 
 Which the kinges yiveth victoire. 
 
 Of Alifaundre in his hiftoire 
 I rede, how he a worthy knight 
 Of fodein wrath and not of right 
 Forjuged hath, and he appelleth. 
 And with that word the king quareleth 
 And faith : None is above me. 
 That wote I wel my lorde, quod he, 
 Fro thy lordmip appele I nought, 
 But fro thy wrath in all my thought 
 To thy pite ftant min appele. 
 The king, which underftode him wele, 
 Of pure pite yave him grace. 
 And eke I rede in other place] 
 Conftantinus im- Thus faide whilom Conftantine : 
 
 perator ait, vere fe i in * ,. 
 
 deum enre compro- What emperour that is encline 
 
 pTeutisk fa£T To pite for to be fervaunt, 
 
 Of all the worldes remenaunt 
 He is worthy to ben a lord. 
 
 Trajanus ait, quod In olde bokes of recorde 
 
 ipft l'ubditos fuos _, r . . r 
 
 foiite pietatis fa- 1 nus nnde 1 write or enlamplaire, 
 
 vore magis quam t< - i l i i 
 
 audoritatis rigore - 1 rajan the worthy debonaire, 
 benevoienSpo! B Y whom that Rome flood governed, 
 
 pSratuS u p° n a time > as he was lerned ^ 
 
 proponebat. Of that he was to familier, 
 
 He faide unto that counceller, 
 That for to ben an emperour 
 His wil was nought for vein honour 
 Ne yet for reddour of juftice, 
 But if he might in his office 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 193 
 
 His lordes and his people plefe. 
 Him thought it were a greater efe 
 With love her hertes to him drawe, 
 Than with the drede of any lawe. 
 For whan a thing is do for doubte, 
 Ful ofte it cometh the wors aboute. 
 But where a kinge is pietous, 
 He is the more gracious, 
 That mochel thrift him mail betide, 
 Which elles fhulde torne afide. 
 
 [To do pite, fupport, and grace* 
 The philofophre upon a place 
 In his writing of daies olde 
 A tale of great enfample tolde 
 Unto the king of Macedoine, 
 How betwene Kaire and Babeloine, 
 Whan comen is the fomer hete, 
 It hapneth two men for to mete, 
 As they fhulde entren in a pas, 
 Where that the wildernefTe was. 
 And as they wenten forth fpekende 
 Under the large wodes ende, 
 That o man axeth of that other : 
 What man art thou, my leve brother ? 
 Which is thy creaunce and thy feith ? 
 I am paien, that other faith, 
 \ And by the lawe, which I ufe, 
 I fhall nought in my feith refufe 
 
 I * Only in MS. Stafford, and in the printed editions. 
 3 O 
 
 Qualiter Judeus 
 pedefter cum pa- 
 gano equitante iti- 
 neravit per defer- 
 tum et ipfum tie 
 fide fua interroga- 
 vit. 
 
i 9 4 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 To loven alle men aliche, 
 
 The pouer both and eke the riche. 
 
 Whan they ben glad I mail be glad, 
 
 And fory whan they ben beftad. 
 
 So mall I live in unite 
 
 With every man in his degre. 
 
 For right as to my felf I wolde, 
 
 Right fo toward al other I molde 
 
 Be gracious and debonaire. 
 
 Thus have I told the foft and faire 
 
 My feith, my lawe, and my creaunce. 
 
 And if the lift for aqueintaunce, 
 
 Now tell, what maner man thou art ? 
 
 And he anfwerde upon his part : 
 
 I am a Jewe, and by my lawe 
 
 I mail to no man be felawe 
 
 To kepe him trouth in word ne dede, 
 
 But if he be withoute drede 
 
 A verray Jew right as am I. 
 
 For elles I may trewely 
 
 Bereve him bothe life and good. 
 
 The paien herde and underftood 
 And thought it was a wonder lawe. 
 And thus upon her fondry fawe 
 Talkende bothe forth they went. 
 The day was hote, the fonne brent, 
 The paien rode upon an afTe, 
 And of his catell more and lafTe 
 With him a riche trufle he ladde. 
 
 The Jew, which all untrouthe hadde 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 195 
 
 And went upon his feet befide, 
 
 Bethought him how he mighte ride, 
 
 And with his wordes fligh and wife 
 
 Unto the paien in this wife 
 
 He faid : O, now it mall be fene, 
 
 What thing it is, thou woldeft mene. 
 
 For if thy lawe be certain, 
 
 As thou haft tolde, I dare well fain, 
 
 Thou wolt beholde my deftrerTe, 
 
 Which am fo full of werinerTe, 
 
 That I ne may unethe go, 
 
 And let me ride a mile or two. 
 
 So that I may my body efe. 
 
 The paien wold him nought difplefe 
 Of that he fpake, but in pite 
 It lift him for to knowe and fe 
 The pleinte, which that other made. 
 And for he wolde his herte glade, 
 He light and made him nothing ftraunge, 
 Thus was there made a newe chaunge. 
 The paien goth, the Jewe alofte 
 Was fet upon his affe fofte. 
 So gone they forth carpende fafte 
 On this and that, till ate lafte 
 The paien mighte go no more 
 And praide unto the Jew therfore 
 To fufTre him ride a litel while. 
 The Jew, which thought him to beguile, 
 Anone rode forth the grete pas 
 And to the paien in this cas 
 
196 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 He faide : Thou haft do thy right, 
 
 Of that thou haddeft me behight 
 
 To do fuccour upon my nede, 
 
 And that accordeth to the dede, 
 
 As thou art to the la we holde. 
 
 And in fuch wife, as I the tolde, 
 
 I thenke alfo for my partie 
 
 Upon the lawe of Jewerie 
 
 To worche and do my duete. 
 
 Thin affe mall go forth with me 
 
 With all thy good, which I have fefed, 
 
 And that I wot thou art difefed, 
 
 I am right glad and nought mifpaid. 
 
 And whan he hath thefe wordes faid, 
 
 In alle hafte he rode away. 
 
 This paien wot none other way, 
 But on the grounde he kneleth even, 
 His handes up unto the heven, 
 And faid : O highe fothfaftneffe, 
 That loveft alle rightwifneife, 
 Unto thy dome, lorde, I appele, 
 Beholde and deme my querele 
 With humble herte I the befeche, 
 The mercy bothe and eke the wreche 
 I fet all in thy jugement. 
 And thus upon his marrement 
 This paien hath made his preiere. 
 And than he rofe with drery chere 
 And goth him forth, and in his gate 
 He caft his eye about algate, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 197 
 
 The Jewe if that he mighte fe. 
 But for a time it may nought be, 
 Till ate laft ayein the night, 
 So as god wolde he went aright 
 As he, which held the highe wey. 
 And than he figh in a valley, 
 Where that the Jewe liggend was, 
 All bloody dede upon the gras, 
 Which ftraungled was of a leon. 
 And as he loked up and down, 
 He found his alfe fafte by 
 Forth with his harneis redely 
 All hole and found as he it lefte, 
 Whan that the Jewe it him berefte. 
 Wherof he thonked god knelende. 
 
 Lo, thus a man may knowe at ende, 
 How the pitous pite deferveth. 
 For what man that to pite ferveth, 
 As Ariftotle it bereth witnefle, 
 God mall his fomen fo repreffe, 
 That they mall ay frond under fote. 
 Pite men fain is thilke rote, 
 Wherof the vertues fpringen alle. 
 What infortune that befalle 
 In any lond, lack of pite, 
 Is caufe of thilke adverfite. 
 And that alday may fhewe at eye, 
 Who that the world difcretely figh. 
 Good is that every man therfore 
 Take hede of that is faid to-fore. 
 
198 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 For of this tale and other inowe 
 Thefe noble princes whilom drowe 
 Her evidence and her apprife, 
 As men may finde in many a wife, 
 Who that thefe olde bokes rede. 
 And though they ben in erthe dede, 
 Her gode name may nought deie 
 For pite, which they wold obey 
 To do the dedes of mercy. 
 And who this tale redely 
 Remembre, as Ariftotle it tolde, 
 He may the will of god beholde 
 Upon the point as it was ended, 
 Wherof that pite flood commended, 
 Whiche is to charite felawe, 
 As they that kepen both o lawe.] 
 Nota hie de principis Of pite for to fpeke pleine, 
 
 pietatc erga popu- , . , . . . 
 
 imn.ubinarrat.quod Which is with mercy well beieine, 
 
 cum Codrus rex A- r^ ii r i 11 f ■ r 1 
 
 thenarum contra Do- * ull ofte he woll him ielve peine 
 EZES££. To ke P e an other fro the peine. 
 
 !ta^£Kl3 For charite the moder is 
 unumdeduobusvide- Of pi te , which nothing: amis 
 
 licet aut leipfum in x ° 
 
 preiio intcrfii-i et po- Can fuffre, if he it may amende. 
 
 pulum (bum ialvarc, _ -. 
 
 autpopuluminterfici It lit to every man livende 
 
 et fe falvum fieri eli- T' U • 1 r 1 
 
 gcreoporteret. Super A ° De pitOUS, DUt none lO Wele 
 quo rexpietatemotus A _ «.^ „ l • L ■ 1_ a 11 
 
 piebifqne fue magis As t0 a kin g» which on the whele 
 
 rSSduS; Fortune hath fet aboven all. 
 mortem f.bi preeiegit For in a king, if fo befalle, 
 
 et lie bellum aggre- ° 
 
 diens pro vita muito- That his pite be ferme and {table, 
 
 rum folus interiit. _, . * 
 
 1 o all the londe it is vailable 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 199 
 
 Only through grace of his perfone. 
 
 For the pite of him alone 
 
 May all the large roialme fave. 
 
 So fit it wel a king to have 
 
 Pite. For this Valeire tolde 
 
 And faid, how that by daies olde 
 
 Codrus, which was in his degree 
 
 King of Athenes the citee, 
 
 A werre he had ayein Dorence. 
 
 And for to take his evidence, 
 
 What mall befalle of the bataile, 
 
 He thought he wolde him nrft counfeile 
 
 With Apollo, in whom he trifte, 
 
 Through whofe anfwere thus he wifte 
 
 Of two points, that he mighte chefe, 
 
 Or that he wolde his body lefe 
 
 And in bataile him felve deie, 
 
 Or elles the feconde wey 
 
 To feen his people difcomfite. 
 
 But he, which pite hath parfite 
 
 Upon the point of his beleve, 
 
 The people thoughte to releve 
 
 And chefe him felve to be dede. 
 
 Where is now fuch another hede, 
 
 Which wolde for the limmes die ? 
 
 And netheles in fome partie 
 
 It ought a kinges herte ftere, 
 
 That he his lege men forbere. 
 
 And eke toward his enemies 
 
 Full ofte he may deferve prife 
 
200 C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 To take of pite remembraunce, 
 Where that he mighte do vengeaunce. 
 For whan a king hath the vi&oire 
 And than he drawe into memoire 
 To do pite in ftede of wreche, 
 He may nought fail of thilke fpeche, 
 Wherof arid: the worldes fame, 
 To yive a prince a worthy name. 
 Hie ponit excmpium I rede, how whilom that Pompey, 
 $££££ To whom that Rome muft obey, 
 Sii^Po^S A werre had in jeopartie 
 Romanonim impera- Ayein the king of Armenie, 
 
 tor regem Armenie J <-> 
 
 adverfarium fuum in Which of long time him hadde greved. 
 
 bello viclum cepiflet \ n • i j 
 
 captumque vincuiis But ate larr it was acheved, 
 
 alligatum Rome te- _,, . ■ . , . .. r tijj 
 
 mirir e t,tyrannidisira- That he this king dilcomnt hadde 
 ^nem.pictiSrSaS- And forth with him to Rome ladde 
 
 SLDbELSSS As P rifoner > where man y a da y 
 
 nobiiius eft regem fa- j n f ory plite and pouer he lay, 
 
 cere quam deponere, J * * J 
 
 fuper quo diaum re- The corone on his hede depofed, 
 
 gem abfque ulla re- TT . ., _ n r 
 
 dempcionenonfoium Withinne walles fait enclofed. 
 
 a vincuiis abfolvit, «i • 1 r 11 i ■!• 
 
 fed ad fui regni eul- And with full great humilite 
 
 men gratuita volun- tt r rr .1 1 • 1 /•- 
 
 tate coronatum refti- He luffreth hlS adverfitC 
 
 Pompeie figh his pacience 
 And toke pite with confeience, 
 So that upon his highe deis 
 To-fore all Rome in his paleis, 
 As he, that wolde upon him rewe, 
 Let yive him his corone newe 
 And his eftate all full and pleine 
 Reftoreth of his regne ayein 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 201 
 
 And faid, it was more goodly thing 
 
 To make than undone a king 
 
 To him, which power had of bothe. 
 
 Thus they, that weren bothe wrothe, 
 
 Accordcn hem to finall pees. 
 
 And yet juftice nethelees 
 
 Was kept and in nothing offended, 
 
 Wherof Pompey is yet commended. 
 
 There may no king him felf excufe, 
 
 But if juftice he kepe and ufe, 
 
 Which for to efcheue cruelte 
 
 He mote attempre with pite. 
 
 Of cruelte the felony 
 
 Engendred is of tiranny, 
 
 Ayein the whofe condition 
 
 God is him felf the champion, 
 
 Whofe ftrengthe may no man withftonde. 
 
 For ever yet it hath fo ftonde, 
 
 That god a tiraunt over ladde. 
 
 But where pite the reine ladde, 
 
 There mighte no fortune laft, 
 
 Which was grevous. But ate laft 
 
 The god him felf it hath redreffed. 
 
 Pite is thilke vertue blerTed, 
 
 Which never let his maifter falle. 
 
 But cruelte though it fo falle, 
 
 That it may regne for a throwe, 
 
 God woll it fhall ben over throwe, 
 
 Wherof enfamples ben inough 
 
 Of hem, that thilke merel drowe. 
 
202 C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 Hie loquitur contra Of cruelte I rede thus, 
 
 ill.,, qui tyrannic* W han fa t j mnt LeonduS 
 potellatc prmcipa- 
 
 tum obtinentes mi- ^y as to thempire of Rome arrived, 
 
 quitatis fuc malicia * 
 
 giorianmr, et nanat p ro which he hath with ftrengthe prived 
 
 in exemplum, quali- , . 
 
 terLeonciustyrannus The pietOUS JUltinian, 
 pium Tuftmianum . , i • 1 i 
 
 non foium a folio im- As he, which was a cruel man, 
 iSXi'"uJ r ia efpuifir, His nafe of and his lippes both 
 
 amiiSs& He kut > f ° r he w ° ide him ioth 
 
 piebisefficiretur,nafo u nto fa people and make unable. 
 
 et labns anlcilis, lp- -T r 
 
 fum tyrannice mud- But he, which all is merciable, 
 
 lavit. Dins tamen, , 
 
 qui luper omnia pius The highe god ordeineth 10, 
 
 eft, Tiberio fuperve- __,. , • i • • ir 
 
 nienteunacumadju- That he Within 3. time allO, 
 torio Terbellis Bui- \tti i n n • i • 
 
 garie regis, juftinia- Whan he was flrongeft in his ire, 
 
 num interfefto Le- W fa Qwen out Q f his empire, 
 oncio ad impenum r 
 
 reftitui mifericorditer Tiberius the power hadde 
 
 procuravit. r 
 
 And Rome after his will he ladde, 
 And for Leonce in fuche a wife 
 Ordeineth, that he toke juife 
 Of nafe and lippes bothe two, 
 For that he did another fo, 
 Which more worthy was than he. 
 Lo, which a fall hath cruelte, 
 And pite was fet up ayein. 
 For after that the bokes fain, 
 Terbellis king of Bulgarie 
 With helpe of his chivalrie 
 Juftinian hath unprifoned 
 And to thempire ayein coroned. 
 Hi. loquitur uiterius In a cronique I finde alfo 
 
 dc crudelitate Siculi _ - 1 
 
 tyranni necnon et de Of SlCLlluS, which Was eke fo 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 203 
 
 A cruel king like the temped:, 
 
 The whom no pite might areft. 
 
 He was the firft, as bokes fay, 
 
 Upon the fee, which found galey 
 
 And let hem make for the werre, 
 
 As he, which all was out of herre 
 
 Fro pite and mifericorde, 
 
 For therto couthe he nought accorde. 
 
 But whom he mighte flain, he flough, 
 
 And therof was he glad inough. 
 
 He had of counfeil many one, 
 
 Among the whiche there was one, 
 
 By name which Berillus hight. 
 
 And he bethought him, how he might 
 
 Unto the tirant do liking. 
 
 And of his own ymagining 
 
 Let forge and make a bulle of bras, 
 
 And on the fide call: there was 
 
 A dore, where a man may inne, 
 
 Whan he his peine mall beginne 
 
 Through fire, which that men put under. 
 
 And all this did he for a wonder, 
 
 That whan a man for peine cride, 
 
 The bull of bras, which gapeth wide, 
 
 It fhulde feme, as though it were 
 
 A bellewing in a mannes ere 
 
 And nought the crieng of a man. 
 
 But he, which alle fleightes can, 
 
 The devil, that lith in helle faft, 
 
 iHim that it call: hath overcaft, 
 
 Bcrillo eiufdem con- 
 filiario, qui ail tor- 
 mentiini populiquen- 
 clam taurum en cum 
 tyrannica conjefhira 
 fabricari conftituit, 
 in quo tamen ipfe 
 prior proprio criminc 
 ilhul exigente ufcpje 
 ad fui interitus expi- 
 racionem judicialiter 
 torquebatur. 
 
2o 4 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 That for a trefpas, which he dede, 
 He was put in the fame ftede. 
 And was him felf the nrft of alle, 
 Which was into that peine falle, 
 That he for other men ordeigneth. 
 There was no man that him compleigneth. 
 Of tyranny and cruelte 
 By this enfample a king may fe 
 Him felfe and eke his counfeil bothe, 
 How they ben to mankinde lothe 
 And to the god abhominable. 
 Enfamples that ben concordable 
 I finde of other princes mo, 
 As thou malt here of time ago. 
 Nota hie de Dio- The grete tirant Dionife, 
 £ TruTutat Which mannes life fet of no prife, 
 
 feveritate eciam UntQ fr ls horS full ofte he Vafe 
 hofpites fuos ad J 
 
 devorandum equis The men in ftede of corne and chafe. 
 
 fuis tnbuit, cui 
 
 Hercules tandem So that the hors of thilke ftood 
 
 fuperveniens vie- . 111 
 
 tum impium in Devoureden the mannes blood, 
 
 impietate fua pari ,-„.,. r in 
 
 morte conclufn. 1 dl fortune ate lalte came, 
 
 That Hercules him overcame, 
 And he right in the fame wife 
 Of this tirant toke the juife. 
 As he till other men hath do, 
 The fame deth he deied alfo, 
 That no pite him hath focoured, 
 Till he was of his hors devoured. 
 
 Nota hie de conn- Of Lichaon alfo I iinde, 
 
 mili Lichaontisty- 
 
 rannia, qui cames How he ayein the lawe of kinde 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 205 
 
 His hoftes flough and into mete 
 He made her bodies to ben ete 
 With other men within his hous. 
 But Jupiter the glorious, 
 Which was commeved of this thing, 
 Vengeaunce upon this cruel king 
 So toke, that he fro mannes forme 
 Into a wolfe him let transforme. 
 And thus the cruelte was kid, 
 Which of long time he hath hid. 
 A wolfe he was than openly, 
 The whofe nature prively 
 He had in his condicion. 
 And unto this conclufion, 
 That tiranny is to defpife, 
 I finde enfample in fondry wife 
 And namelich of hem full ofte, 
 The whom fortune hath fet alofte 
 Upon the werres for to winne. 
 But how fo that the wrong beginne 
 Of tiranny it may nought lafte, 
 But fuche as they done ate lafte 
 To other men, fuche on hem falleth. 
 For ayein fuche pite calleth 
 Vengeaunce to the god above. 
 For who that hath no tendre love 
 In faving of a mannes life, 
 He fhall be founde fo giltife, 
 That whan he wolde mercy crave, 
 In time of nede he mail none have. 
 
 hominum homini- 
 bus in luo bofpicio 
 ad vefccndum de- 
 dit, cuiui fbrnuun 
 
 condicioni fimilem 
 Jupiter coequans 
 iplum in lupum 
 transformavir. 
 
206 CONFESSTO AMANTIS. 
 
 Nota, quaiitc- ico Of the nature this I finde, 
 parc i t . The fierce leon in his kinde, 
 
 Which goth rampend after his pray, 
 If he a man finde in his way, 
 He woll him flain, if he withftonde. 
 But if the man couth underftonde 
 To fall anone to-fore his face 
 In figne of mercy and of grace, 
 The leon mall of his nature 
 Reftreigne his ire in fuch mefure, 
 As though it were a befte tamed, 
 And torne awey halfing amamed, 
 That he the man fhall nothing greve. 
 How fhulde than a prince acheve 
 The worldes grace, if that he wolde 
 Deftruie a man, whan he is yolde 
 And ftant upon his mercy all ? 
 
 But for to fpeke in fpeciall 
 There have be fuch, and yet there be 
 Tiraunts, whofe hertes no pite 
 May to no point of mercy ply, 
 That they upon her tiranny 
 Ne gladen hem the men to flee. 
 And as the rages of the fee 
 Ben unpitous in the temped:, 
 Right fo may no pite areft 
 Of cruelte the great oultrage, 
 Which the tiraunt in his corage 
 Engendred hath, wherof I finde 
 A tale, which cometh now to minde. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 I rede in olde bokes thus, 
 There was a duke, which Spertachus 
 Men clepe, and was a werriour, 
 A cruel man, a conquerour 
 With ftronge power, which he lad. 
 For this condition he had, 
 That where him hapneth the vicloire, 
 His lull and all his mofl gloire 
 Was for to flee and nought to fave. 
 Of raunfom wolde he no good have 
 For faving of a mannes life, 
 But all goth to the fwerde and knife, 
 So lefe him was the mannes blood. 
 And netheles yet thus it flood, 
 So as fortune aboute went, 
 He fell right heire as by defcent 
 To Pers and was coroned king. 
 And whan the worfhip of this thing 
 Was falle, and he was kinge of Perfe, 
 If that they weren firfl: diverfe, 
 The tirannies, which he wrought, 
 A thoufand fold wel more he fought 
 Than afterward to do malice, 
 Till god vengeaunce ayein the vice 
 Hath fliape. For upon a tide, 
 Whan he was highefl: in his pride, 
 In his rancour and in his hete, 
 Ayein the quene of Marfegete, 
 Which Thamaris that time hight, 
 He made werre all that he might. 
 
 207 
 
 Hie loquitur precipue 
 
 contra tyrannos illofl, 
 qui cum in bcllo vin- 
 ccre poflunt, human! 
 fanguinis effufione 
 
 laturari nequeunt, et 
 nanat in exemplum 
 de quodam Perarum 
 
 rege, cuius nomen 
 Spertachus erat, qui 
 pre ceteris tunc in 
 oriente bellicofus et 
 vicloriofus, quofcun- 
 que gladio vincere 
 poterat, abfque pie- 
 tate interfici confti- 
 tuit. Sed tandem 
 fub manu Thamaris 
 Marfegetarum regine 
 in bello captus, quam 
 a diu quefivit, ieveri- 
 tatem pro feveritate 
 finaliterinvenit. Nam 
 et ipia quoddam vas 
 defanguinePerfarum 
 plenum ante fe afferre 
 decrevit, in quo caput 
 tyranni uique ad mor- 
 tem mergens dixit : 
 O tyrannorum crude- 
 liflime, femper efuri- 
 ens fanguinem fitifti, 
 ecce jam ad faturita- 
 tem ianeuinem bibe. 
 
208 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And flie, which wolde her lond defende, 
 Her owne Tone ayein him fende, 
 Which the defence hath undertake, 
 But he difcomfit was and take. 
 And whan this king him had in honde, 
 He wol no mercy underftonde, 
 But did him fleen in his prefence. 
 The tiding of this violence 
 Whan it cam to the moders ere, 
 She fende anone ay wide where 
 To fuche frendes as me had, 
 A great power till that me lad 
 In fondry wife, and tho me caft, 
 How (he this king may overcaft. 
 And ate laft accorded was, 
 That in the daunger of a pas, 
 Through which this tiraunt lTiulde pas, 
 She mope his power to compas 
 With ftrength of men by fuch a wey, 
 That he mail nought efcape awey. 
 And whan ihe hadde thus ordeigned, 
 She hath her owne body feigned 
 For fere as though me wolde flee 
 Out of her londe. And whan that he 
 Hath herde, how that this lady fledde, 
 So fart: after the chace he fpedde, 
 That he was founde out of array. 
 For it betid upon a day 
 Into the pas, whan he was falle, 
 Thembusihements to-breken alle 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 209 
 
 And him beclipt on every fide, 
 
 That flee ne might he nought afide. 
 
 So that there weren dede and take 
 
 Two hundred thoufand for his fake, 
 
 That weren with him of his hofte. 
 
 And thus was laid the grete bofte 
 
 Of him and of his tiranny. 
 
 It halp no mercy for to cry 
 
 To him, which whilom dide none. 
 
 For he unto the quene anone 
 
 Was brought, and whan that me him figh, 
 
 This word fhe fpake and faid on high : 
 
 O man, which out of mannes kinde 
 Refon of man haft left behinde 
 And lived worfe than a befte, 
 Whom pite mighte nought arefte 
 The mannes blood to fhede and fpille, 
 Thou haddeft never yet thy fille. 
 But now the lafte time is come, 
 That thy malice is overcome, 
 As thou till other men haft do, 
 Now mall be do to the right fo. 
 
 Tho bad this lady, that men fholde 
 A veflel bringe, in which me wolde 
 Se the vengeaunce of his juife, 
 Which (he began anone devife, 
 And toke the princes, which he ladde, 
 By whom his chefe counfeil he hadde. 
 And while hem lafteth any breth, 
 She made hem blede to the deth 
 
210 C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 Into the vefTel where it flood, 
 
 And whan it was fulfild of blood, 
 
 She carte this tiraunt therinne 
 
 And faid him : Lo, thus might thou winne 
 
 The luff.es of thine appetite. 
 
 In blood was whilom thy delite, 
 
 Now malt thou drinken all thy fllle. 
 
 And thus onlich of goddes wille 
 
 He, which that wolde him felven ffraunge 
 
 To pite, found mercy fo ffraunge, 
 
 That he withoute grace is lore. 
 
 So may it fhewe well therefore, 
 That cruelte hath no good ende. 
 But pite how fo that it wende 
 Maketh that god is merciable, 
 If there be caufe refonable, 
 Why that a king (hall be pitous. 
 But elles if he be doubtous 
 To fleen in caufe of rightwifnefTe, 
 It may be faid no pitoufnefTe, 
 But it is pufillamite, 
 Whiche every prince fhulde flee. 
 For if pite mefure excede, 
 Knighthode may nought wel procede 
 To do juffife upon the right. 
 For it belongeth to a knight 
 As gladly for to fight as refte 
 To fet his lege people in reffe, 
 Whan that the werre upon hem falleth. 
 For than he mote, as it befalleth, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 2 i r 
 
 Of his knighthode as a leon 
 Be to the people a champion 
 Withoute any pite feigned. 
 For if manhode be reftreigned, 
 Or be it pees, or be it werre, 
 Juftice goth all out of herre, 
 So that knighthode is fet behinde. 
 
 Of Ariftotles lore I finde, 
 A king mail make good vifage, 
 That no man knowe of his corage, 
 But all honour and worthinefle. 
 For if a king (hall upon geffe 
 Withoute verray caufe drede, 
 He may be liche to that I rede. 
 And though that be lich a fable, 
 Thenfample is good and refonable. 
 
 As it by olde daies fell, 
 I rede whilom that an hill 
 Up in the londes of Archade 
 A wonder dredfull noife it made. 
 For fo it fell that ilke day, 
 This hill on his childinge lay. 
 And whan the throwes on him come, 
 His noife lich the day of dome 
 Was ferefull in a mannes thought 
 Of thing, which that they fighe nought. 
 But well they herden all aboute 
 The noife, of which they were in doubte 
 As they, that wenden to be lore 
 Of thing, which thanne was unbore. 
 
 Hie loquitur fe- 
 cundum philofo- 
 phum dicens,quod 
 ncut non decet 
 principestyrannica 
 impetuofitate efle 
 crudeles, ita nee 
 decet timoroia pu- 
 fillanimitate efle 
 vecordes. 
 
212 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 The nere this hill was upon chaunce 
 To taken his deliveraunce, 
 The more unbuxomlich he cride. 
 And every man was fled afide 
 For drede and left his owne hous. 
 And ate laft it was a mous, 
 The which was bore and to norice 
 Betake. And tho they helde hem nice, 
 For they withoute caufe dradde. 
 Thus if a king his herte ladde 
 With every thing, that he fhall here, 
 Ful ofte he fbulde chaunge his chere 
 And upon fantafie drede, 
 Whan that there is no caufe of drede. 
 Notahicfecundum Orace to his prince tolde, 
 na^oVacidTft That him were lever, that he wolde 
 
 puhllanimo Ther- UpQn ^g^ode Achilkm fue 
 
 In time of werre, than efcheue 
 So as Therfites did at Troy. 
 Achilles al his hole joy 
 Set upon armes for to fight. 
 Therfites fought all that he might 
 Unarmed for to flonde in refte. 
 But of the two it was the befle, 
 That Achilles upon the nede 
 Hath do, wherof his knightlihede 
 Is yet commended overall. 
 Salomon. Tem- King Salomon in fpeciall 
 
 pus belli, tempus . • r - 
 
 pacia. Saith : As there is a time of pees, 
 
 So is a time netheles 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS, 213 
 
 Of werre, in whiche a prince algate 
 Shall for the comun right debate 
 And for his owne worfhip eke. 
 But it behoveth nought to feke 
 Only the werre for worfhip, 
 But to the right of his lordfhip, 
 Which he is holde to defende 
 Mote every worthy prince entende 
 
 Betwene the limplefTe of pite Nota, qualiter in- 
 
 And the foolhafte of cruelte. confiftit virtus. 
 
 Where ftant the verray hardiefTe, 
 There mote a king his herte adrefle, 
 Whan it is time to forfake, 
 And whan time is alfo to take 
 The dedly werres upon honde, 
 That he fhall for no drede wonde, 
 If rightwifnerTe be withall. 
 j For god is mighty over all 
 To furtheren every mannes trouthe, 
 But it be through his owne flouthe, 
 And namely the kinges nede 
 lit may nought faile for to fpede. 
 For he ftant one for hem alle, 
 |So mote it well the better falle. 
 And wel the more god favoureth, 
 Whan he the comun right focoureth. 
 \ And for to fe the foth in dede, 
 Behold the bible and thou might rede 
 Of great enfamples many one, 
 iWherof that I wil tellen one. 
 
2i 4 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 Hie didt, quod prin- Upon a time as it befell 
 
 ccps juiticic caufii « • t j j tr i 
 
 iniium nuiio modo Ayein Jude and lirael, 
 
 IS. £& dux Whan fondry kinges come were 
 
 ■ . c . uin . lolis In purpos to deftruie there 
 
 trc( ciitiNVinsquinque r i 
 
 reges fciiicet Madia- The people, which god kepte tho, 
 
 nitarum, Amalcchi- r r ° * 
 
 tamm, Amonitano- And ftood in thilke daies 10, 
 
 mm, Amoreorum et . . i • v /i i j i j 
 
 jcbufeomm cum eo- That Gedeon, which ihulde lede 
 
 ^onagtnS'mi^'nu- The goddes folk, toke him to rede 
 
 To^antf ' JEC And fende in all the lond aboute, 
 
 vifiorioie in fugam ^ill he alTembled hath a route 
 
 convertit. 
 
 With thritty thoufand of defence 
 
 To nght and make refiftence 
 
 Ayein the which hem wolde affaile. 
 
 And netheles that o bataile 
 
 Of thre, that weren enemis, 
 
 Was double more than was all his, 
 
 Wherof that Gedeon him drad, 
 
 That he fo litel people had. 
 
 But he, which alle thing may helpe, 
 
 Where that there lacketh mannes helpe, 
 
 To Gedeon his aungel fent 
 
 And bad, er that he further went, 
 
 All openly that he do cry, 
 
 That every man in his party, 
 
 Which wolde after his owne will 
 
 In his delite abide ftill 
 
 At home in any maner wife 
 
 For purchace or for covetife, 
 
 For luft of love or lacke of herte, 
 
 He fhulde nought aboute fterte, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 215 
 
 But holde him ftill at home in pees. 
 Wherof upon the morwe he lees 
 Wei twenty thoufand men and mo, 
 The which after the cry ben go. 
 Thus was with him but only left 
 The thridde parte, and yet god eft 
 His aungel fend and faide this 
 To Gedeon : If it fo is, 
 That I thin help mall undertake, 
 Thou malt yet larTe people take, 
 By whom my will is, that thou fpede. 
 Forthy to morwe take good hede, 
 Unto the flood whan ye be come, 
 What man that hath the water nome 
 Up in his hande and lappeth fo, 
 To thy part chefe out alle tho, 
 And him, which wery is to fwinke, 
 Upon his wombe and lith to drinke, 
 Forfake and put hem al awey. 
 For I am mighty alle wey, 
 Where as me lift min help to fhewe 
 In gode men, though they be fewe. 
 
 This Gedeon awaiteth wele 
 Upon the morwe and every dele, 
 As god him bad, right fo he dede. 
 And thus ther leften in that flede 
 With him thre hundred and no mo, 
 The remenaunt was all ago. 
 Wherof that Gedeon merveileth 
 And therupon with god counfeileth 
 
2i 6 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Pleining, as ferforth as he dare. 
 And god, which wolde he were ware, 
 That he (hall fpede upon his right, 
 Hath bede him go the fame night 
 And take a man with him to here, 
 What (hall be fpoke in this matere 
 Among the hethen enemies, 
 So may he be the more wife, 
 What afterwarde him fhall befalle. 
 This Gedeon amonges alle 
 Phara, to whom he trifte mod, 
 By night toke toward thilke hoft, 
 Which logged was in a valey, 
 To here, what they wolden fay. 
 Upon his fote and as he ferde, 
 Two Sarazins fpekend he herde. 
 Quod one : Arede my fweven aright, 
 Whiche I met in my flepe to night. 
 Me thought I figh a barly cake, 
 Which fro the hille his wey hath take 
 And come rollend down at ones, 
 And as it were for the nones 
 Forth in his cours, fo as it ran, 
 The kinges tent of Madian, 
 Of Amalech, of Amorie, 
 Of Amon and of Jebufeie 
 And many another tente mo 
 With grete noife as me thought tho 
 It threw to grounde and over caft 
 And all his hoft fo fore agaft, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 217 
 
 That I awoke for pure drede. 
 
 This fweven can I well arede, 
 
 Quod thother Sarazin anone, 
 
 The barly cake is Gedeon, 
 
 Which fro the hill down fodeinly 
 
 Shall come and fette fuch afkry 
 
 Upon the kinges and us both, 
 
 That it mall to us alle lothe. 
 
 For in fuch drede he mall us bringe, 
 
 That if we hadde flight of winge, 
 
 The wey one fote in defpeire 
 
 We fholden leve and flee in thaire. 
 
 For there fhal nothing him withftonde. 
 
 Whan Gedeon hath underftonde 
 
 This tale, he thonketh god of alle, 
 
 And privelich ayein he ftalle, 
 
 So that no life him hath perceived. 
 
 And than he hath fully conceived, 
 
 That he mail fpede. And therupon 
 
 The night fuend he mope to gone 
 
 This multitude to arTaile. 
 
 Now malt thou here a great merveile, 
 With what wifdome that he wrought. 
 The litel people, which he brought, 
 -Was none of hem, that he ne hath 
 A pot of erthe, in whiche he tath 
 ' A light brenning in a creifet, 
 : And eche of hem eke a trompet 
 Bare in his other hond befide. 
 And thus upon the nightes tide 
 
218 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Duke Gedeon whan it was derke 
 Ordeineth him unto his werke, 
 And parteth than his folke in thre 
 And chargeth hem, that they ne flee. 
 And taught hem how they fhuld afkry 
 All in o vois par compaigny. 
 And what worde eke they fhulde fpeke, 
 And how they fhulde her pottes breke 
 Echone with other, whan they herde, 
 That he him felve nrft fo ferde. 
 For whan they come into the flede, 
 He bad hem do right as he dede. 
 And thus ftalkende forth a pas 
 This noble duke whan time was 
 His pot to-brake and loude afkride, 
 And tho they breke on every fide. 
 The trompe was nought for to feke, 
 He blewe, and fo they blewen eke 
 With fuch a noife amonge hem alle, 
 As though the heven fhulde falle. 
 The hill unto her vois anfwerde. 
 This hofte in the valey it herde 
 And figh, how that the hill alight, 
 So what of hering and of fight 
 They caughten fuch a fodein fere, 
 That none of hem be lefte there. 
 The tentes holy they forfoke, 
 That they none other good ne toke, 
 But only with her body bare 
 They fledde, as doth the wilde hare. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 2 1 9 
 
 And ever upon the hill they blewe, 
 Till that they fighen time and knewe, 
 That they be fled upon the rage. 
 And whan they wide their avauntage, 
 They fell anone unto the chace. 
 
 Thus might thou fe, how goddes grace 
 Unto the gode men availeth. 
 But elles ofte time it faileth 
 To fuch as be nought well difpofed. 
 This tale nedeth nought be glofed, 
 For it is openliche fhewed, 
 That god to hem that ben well thewed 
 Hath yove and graunted the victoire, 
 So that thenfample of this hiftoire 
 Is good for every king to holde. 
 Firft in himfelf that he beholde, 
 If he be good of his living, 
 And that the folk, which he (hal bring, 
 Be good alfo, for than he may 
 Be glad of many a mery day, 
 In what that ever he hath to done. 
 For he, which fit above the mone 
 And alle thing may fpill and fpede 
 In every caufe and every nede, 
 His gode king fo well adrefTeth, 
 That all his fomen he repreffeth. 
 So that there may no man him dere. 
 And alfo well he can forbere 
 And fuffre a wicked king to falle 
 In hondes of his fomen alle. 
 
220 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Hie didt, quod ubi Now furthermore if I fhall fain 
 u'n^rXtn" Of my matere and torne ayein 
 £S3£>E To f P eke of juftice and pite 
 cie tdverfanos agno- After the reule of realte, 
 
 verit,occiueredejure _ 
 
 tenctur. Et narnt This may a king well underftonde, 
 
 in exemplum, quali- _.,«.. , , 11 
 
 ter pro co, quod Knighthode mot be take on nonde, 
 
 Saul regem Agag in Tir1 1 • n ^1 J 
 
 beUo deviftum juxta Whan that it itant upon the nede, 
 ocddere^oiu^ipS He fliall no rightfull caufe drede, 
 Sfa^uS No more of werrc than of pees, 
 
 privatus, fed et here- Jf fa WQ \\ ft on d e blameleS. 
 dea iiu pro perpetuo 
 
 exheredati funt. For fuche a caufe a king may have, 
 That better him is to flee than fave. 
 Wherof thou might enfample finde. 
 The highe maker of mankinde 
 By Samuel to Saul bad, 
 That he fliall nothing ben adrad 
 Ayein king Agag for to fight. 
 For this the godhede him benight, 
 That Agag fhall be overcome. 
 And whan it is fo ferforth come, 
 That Saul hath him defcomfite, 
 The god bad make no refpite, 
 That he ne fhulde him fleen anone. 
 But Saul let it overgone 
 And dide nought the goddes hefte. 
 For Agag made a great behefte 
 Of raunfom, which he wolde yive. 
 King Saul fuffreth him to live 
 And feigneth pite forth withall. 
 But he, which feeth and knoweth all, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 221 
 
 The highe god, of that he feigneth, 
 To Samuel upon him pleigneth 
 And fend him word, for that he lefte 
 Of Agag that he ne berefte 
 The life, he fhall nought only deie 
 Him felf, but fro his regalie 
 He (hall be put for evermo, 
 Nought he, but eke his heire alfo, 
 That it mall never come ayein. 
 
 Thus might thou fe the fothe plein, 
 That of to moch and of to lite 
 Upon the princes ftant the wife. 
 But ever it was a kinges right 
 To do the dedes of a knight. 
 For in the hondes of a king 
 The dethe and life is all o thing 
 After the lawes of juftice. 
 To fleen it is a dedly vice, 
 But if a man the deth deferve. 
 And if a king the life preferve 
 Of him, which oughte for to deie, 
 He fueth nought thenfamplarie, 
 Which in the bible is evident, 
 How David in his fceftament, 
 Whan he no lenger mighte live, 
 Unto his fone in charge hath yive, 
 
 \ That he Joab mail fleen algate. 
 
 • And whan David was gone his gate, 
 The yonge wife Salomone 
 
 ! His faders hefte did anone 
 
 Hie narratultcrius 
 fuper eodem, qua- 
 liter David in ex- 
 tremisjufticiecaufa 
 lit Joab occidere- 
 tur abfque ulla re- 
 miflione filio iuo 
 Salomoni injunxit. 
 
222 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 And flew Joab in fuch a wife, 
 That they that herden the juife 
 Ever after dradden him the more. 
 And god was eke well paid therfore, 
 That he fo wolde his herte ply 
 The lawes for to juftify. 
 And yet he kepte forth withall 
 Pite, fo as a prince mall, 
 That he no tirannie wrought. 
 He found the wifdom, which he fought, 
 And was fo rightfull netheles, 
 That all his life he flood in pees, 
 That he no dedly werres had, 
 For every man his wifdom drad. 
 And as he was him felve wife, 
 Right fo the worthy men of prife 
 He hath of his counfeil witholde, 
 For that is every prince holde 
 To make of fuch his retenue, 
 Which wife ben, and to remue 
 The fooles. For there is nothing, 
 Which may be better about a king, 
 Than counfeil, which is the fubftaunce 
 Of all a kinges governaunce. 
 Hie dicit, quod In Salomon a man may fe, 
 
 populum fibi com- »tt, , • c ^ rr 
 
 milium bene regere What thing of molt necetiite 
 
 ^LSfSUdL Unt0 a worth X ki "g belongeth. 
 
 Et narrat m exem- whan he his kingdom underfongeth, 
 
 plum, qualiter pro O O 
 
 eo, quod Salomon, God bad him chefe what he wolde 
 
 ut populum bene 
 
 regeret, ab aitiffi- And faide him, that he have fholde, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 223 
 
 What he wold axe, as of o thing. 
 And he, which was a newe king, 
 Forth therupon his bone praide 
 To god, and in this wife faide : 
 
 O king, by whom that I mail regne, 
 Yive me wifdome, that I my regne 
 Forth with the people, which I have, 
 To thin honour may kepe and fave. 
 Whan Salomon his bone hath taxed, 
 The god of that which he hath axed 
 Was right well paid and graunteth fone 
 Nought all only that he his bone 
 Shall have of that, but of richerfe, 
 Of hele, of pees, of high nobleile 
 Forth with wifdom at his axinges, 
 Which ftant above all other thinges. 
 
 But what king woll his regne fave, 
 Firft him behoveth for to have 
 After the god and his beleve 
 Such counieil, which is to beleve 
 Fullfild of trouth and rightwifneife. 
 But above all in his nobleffe 
 Betwene the reddour and pite 
 A king mail do fuche equite 
 And fette the balaunce in even, 
 So that the highe god in heven 
 And all the people of his nobley 
 Loenge unto his name fay. 
 For mod above all erthly good, 
 Where that a king him felf is good, 
 
 mo fapicnciam fpe- 
 eialius pollulavit, 
 omnia bona pariler 
 cum ilia fibi habun- 
 dancius advene- 
 runt. 
 
 Hie dicit fecun- 
 dum Salomonem, 
 quod regie magei- 
 tatis imperium an- 
 te omnia fano con- 
 filio dirigendum 
 eft. 
 
224 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 It helpeth, for in other wey, 
 If lb be that a king forfwey, 
 Quidquid delimit Full oft er this it hath be fain, 
 ldmi. plcaun,ur The comun people is overlain 
 
 And hath the kinges fin abought, 
 All though the people agulte nought. 
 Of that the king his god mifferveth, 
 The people taketh, that he deferveth 
 Here in this world, but elles where 
 I not how it fhall ftonde there. 
 Forthy good is a king to trifle 
 Firft to him felf, as he ne wifte, 
 None other help but god allone, 
 So fhall the reule of his perfone 
 Within him felf through providence 
 Ben of the better confcience. 
 And for to finde enfample of this 
 A tale I rede, and foth it is. 
 Hie de Ludo im- In a cronique it telleth thus, 
 
 pcratore exem- r-.-.i i • r n t 
 
 plum ponit, quaii- I he king of Rome Lucius 
 
 SS tEJLt Wi thin his chambre upon a night 
 
 cret.is confiiiarijs The fteward of his hous a knight 
 
 lapienter lnveiti- ° 
 
 gare debet, et fi Forth with his chamberlein alfo 
 
 quid in eafiniftrum 
 
 ■nvenerit, provifa To counfeil hadde bothe two, 
 
 difcrecione ad dex- . , ~. . . . . . 
 
 teram tonvertat. And ltoden by the chimenee 
 To-gider fpekend alle thre. 
 And hapneth that the kinges fole 
 Sat by the fire upon a ftole, 
 As he, that with his babel plaide, 
 But yet he herde all that they faide, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 225 
 
 And therof toke they non hede. 
 The kin^ hem axeth what to rede 
 Of fuch matere as cam to mouth. 
 And they him tolden as they couth. 
 Whan all was fpoke of that they ment, 
 The king with all his hole entent 
 Than ate laft hem axeth this, 
 What king men tellen that he is 
 Among the folk touchend his name, 
 Or it be pris, or it be blame, 
 Right after that they herden fain 
 He bad hem for to telle it plein, 
 That they no point of foth forbere 
 By thilke feith, that they him bere. 
 
 The fteward flrft upon this thing 
 Yaf his anfwere unto the king 
 And thoughte glofe in this matere 
 And faid, als fer as he can here, 
 His name is good and honourable. 
 Thus was the fteward favourable, 
 That he the trouthe plein ne tolde. 
 
 The king than axeth, as he fholde, 
 The chamberlein of his avife, 
 And he, that was fubtil and wife 
 And fomdele thought upon his feith, 
 Him tolde, how all the people faith, 
 ;That if his counfeil were trewe, 
 iThey wifte thanne well and knewe, 
 That of him felf he fhulde be 
 A worthy king in his degre. 
 
 3 0. 
 
226 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And thus the counfeil he accufeth 
 In party and the king excufeth. 
 
 The fool, which herde of all the cas, 
 What time as goddes wille was, 
 Sigh, that they faiden nought inough, 
 And hem to fcorne bothe lough, 
 And to the king he faide tho : 
 Sir king, if that it were fo 
 Of wifdome in thin owne mode, 
 That thou thy felven were good, 
 Thy counfeil fhulde nought be bad. 
 The king therof merveile had, 
 Whan that a fool fo wifely fpake, 
 And of him felf found out the lacke 
 Within his owne confcience. 
 And thus the fooles evidence, 
 Which was of goddes grace enfpired, 
 Maketh, that good counfeil was defired. 
 He put awey the vicious 
 And toke to him the vertuous. 
 The wrongfull lawes ben amended, 
 The londes good is well defpended, 
 The people was no more oprerTed 
 And thus flood every thing redrefTed. 
 For where a king is propre wife 
 And hath fuch as him felven is 
 Of his counfeil, it may nought faile, 
 That every thing ne fhal availe. 
 The vices thanne gone awey, 
 And every vertu holt his wey, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 Wherof the highe god is plefed 
 And all the londes folke is efed. 
 For if the comun people cry 
 And than a king lift nought to ply- 
 To here, what the clamour wolde, 
 And other wife than he fholde 
 Defdaineth for to done hem grace, 
 It hath be feen in many place, 
 There hath befalle great contraire, 
 And that I finde of enfamplaire. 
 
 After the deth of Salomone, 
 Whan thilke wife king was gone 
 And Roboas in his perfone 
 Receive fhulde the corone, 
 The people upon a parlement 
 Avifed were of one afTent 
 And all unto the king they preiden 
 With comun vois and thus they faiden : 
 
 Our lege lord, we the befeche, 
 That thou receive our humble fpeche 
 And graunt us, that which refon will 
 Or of thy grace or of thy fkill. 
 Thy fader, while he was alive 
 And mighte bothe graunt and prive, 
 Upon the werkes, which he had, 
 The comun people ftreite lad, 
 Whan he the temple made newe. 
 Thing, which men never afore knewe^ 
 He brought up than of his tallage, 
 And all was under the vifage 
 
 227 
 
 Hie dicit, quod feni- 
 ores magis experti ad 
 principis confilium 
 admittendi pocius 
 exiftunt, et narrat, 
 qualiter pro eo, quod 
 Roboas Salomonis 
 filius et heres fenium 
 fermonibus renunci- 
 ans dicla juvenum 
 preelegit, de duode- 
 cim tribus Il'rael a do- 
 minio fuo decern pe- 
 nitus amifit ,et fie cum 
 duobus tantummodo 
 illulus poftea regna- 
 vit. 
 
228 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 Of werkcs, which he made tho. 
 
 But now it is befalle fo, 
 
 That all is made right, as he faide, 
 
 And he was riche whan he deide. 
 
 So that it is no maner nede, 
 
 If thou therof wolt taken hede, 
 
 To pilen of the people more, 
 
 Which long time hath be greved fore. 
 
 And in this wife as we the fay, 
 
 With tender herte we the prey, 
 
 That thou relefTe thilke dette, 
 
 Which upon us thy fader fette. 
 
 And if the like to done fo, 
 
 We ben thy men for evermo 
 
 To gone and comen at thin hefte. 
 
 The king, which herde this requefte, 
 Saith, that he will ben avifed, 
 And hath therof a time affifed, 
 And in the while as he him thought 
 Upon this thing counfeil he fought. 
 
 Deconfiiiofenium. And firft. the wife knightes olde, 
 To whom that he his tale tolde, 
 Counfeillen him in this manere, 
 That he with love and with glad chere 
 Foryive and graunt all that is axed 
 Of that his fader hadde taxed. 
 For fo he may his regne acheve 
 With thing, which fhall hem litel greve. 
 
 De confiiio juve- The king hem herd and over pafleth 
 And with thefe other his wit compaffeth, 
 
 rum 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 229 
 
 That yonge were and nothing wife. 
 And they thcfe olde men defpife 
 And faiden : Sir, it fhall be fhame 
 For ever unto thy worthy name, 
 If thou ne kepe nought thy right, 
 While thou art in thy yonge might, 
 Which that thin olde fader gate. 
 But fay unto the people plate, 
 That while thou liveft in thy londe, 
 The lefte finger of thin honde 
 It fhall be ftronger over all, 
 Than was thy faders body all. 
 And tttus alfo fhall be thy tale, 
 If he hem fmote with roddes fmale, 
 With fcorpions thou fhalt hem fmite. 
 And where thy fader toke a lite, 
 Thou thenkefl take mochel more, 
 Thus fhalt thou make hem drede fore 
 The grete hert of thy corage, 
 So for to holde hem in fervage. 
 
 This yonge king him hath conformed 
 To done as he was laft enformed, 
 Which was to him his undoing. 
 For whan it came to the fpeking, 
 He hath the yonge counfeil holde, 
 That he the fame wordes tolde 
 Of all the people in audience. 
 And whan they herden the fentence 
 Of his malice and the manace, 
 Antfne to-fore his owne face 
 
230 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 They have him oultrely refufed 
 
 And with full great reprove accufed. 
 
 So they beginne for to rave, 
 
 That he was faine him felf to fave. 
 
 For as the wilde wode rage 
 
 Of windes maketh the fee falvage 
 
 And that was calme bringth into wawe, 
 
 So for defalt and grace of lawe, 
 
 The people is ftered all at ones 
 
 And forth they gone out of his wones, 
 
 So that of the lignages twelve, 
 
 Two tribus onely by hem felve 
 
 With him abiden and no mo. 
 
 So were they for evermo 
 
 Of no retorne without efpeire 
 
 Departed fro the rightfull heire 
 
 Of Ifrael with comun vois. 
 
 A king upon her owne chois 
 
 Among hem felf anone they make 
 
 And have her yonge lord forfake. 
 
 A pouer knight Jeroboas 
 
 They toke and lefte Roboas, 
 
 Which rightfull heire was by defcent. 
 
 Lo, thus the yonge caufe went, 
 
 For that the counfeil was nought good 
 
 The regne fro the rightfull blood 
 
 Ever afterward devided was. 
 
 So may it proven by this cas, 
 
 That yong counfeil, which is to warme, 
 
 Or men beware, doth ofte harme. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 Old age for the counfeil ferveth, 
 And lufty youth his thank deferveth 
 Upon the travail which he doth. 
 And bothe for to fay a foth 
 By fondry caufe for to have, 
 If that he will his regne fave, 
 A king behoveth every day, 
 That one can and that other may 
 Be fo the kinge hem bothe reule, 
 Or elles all goth out of reule. 
 And upon this matere alfo 
 A queftion betwene the two 
 Thus writen in a boke I fonde, 
 Where it be better for the londe 
 A king him felve to be wife 
 And fo to bere his owne prife, 
 And that his counfeil be nought good. 
 Or otherwife if it fo flood, 
 A king if he be vicious 
 And his counfeil be vertuous, 
 It is anfwerde in fuche a wife, 
 That better it is that they be wife, 
 By whom that the counfeil mail gone. 
 For they be many, and he is one, 
 And rather fhall an one man 
 With fals counfeil, for ought he can, 
 From his wifdome be made to fall, 
 Than he alone fhuld hem all 
 Fro vices into vertue chaunge, 
 For that is well the more ftraunge. 
 
 231 
 
 Nota queftioncm 
 cuiufdam philofo- 
 phi, utrum regno 
 convcniencius fo- 
 ret principem cum 
 malo confilio op- 
 tare iapientcm, 
 quam cum fano 
 confilio ipfum eli- 
 gere infipientem. 
 
232 CONFESS 10 AM ANT IS. 
 
 Forthy the lond may well be glad, 
 Whofe king with good counfeil is lad, 
 Which fet him unto rightwifneire, 
 So that his highe worthinefTe 
 Betwene the reddour and pite 
 Doth mercy forth with equite. 
 A king is holden over all 
 To pite, but in fpeciall 
 To hem, where he is mod: beholde, 
 They fhulde his pite moil: beholde, 
 That ben the leges of the londe, 
 For they ben ever under his honde 
 After the goddes ordenaunce 
 To ftonde upon his governaunce. 
 Nota adhuc pre- Of themperour Anthonius 
 el-^oVfuSs I find > how that he faide thus : 
 
 debita pietate, le- L him f tQ f aye 
 
 gitur enim, quah- 
 
 ter Anthonius a One of his leges than to have 
 
 Cipione exemphn- ° 
 
 catus dixit, quod Of enemies a thoufand dede. 
 
 mallet unum de 1111 t 
 
 popuio fibi com- And thus he lerned as I rede 
 
 miflb virum falva- r~\ r r>' m 1 • 1 1_ J J l_ 
 
 re, quam centum Of CipiO, WniCh naQCie be 
 
 SSSft C°nf«' of Rome. And thus to fe 
 dere - Divers enfamples how they ftonde, 
 
 A king, which hath the charge on honde 
 
 The comun people to governe, 
 
 If that he woll, he may well lerne. 
 
 Is none fo good to the plefaunce 
 
 Of god, as is good governaunce. 
 
 And every governaunce is due 
 
 To pite, thus I may argue, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 That pite is the foundemcnt 
 Of every kinges regiment. 
 If it be medled with justice, 
 They two remeven alle vice 
 And ben of vertue molt vailable 
 To make a kinges regne flable. 
 
 Lo, thus the foure points to-fore 
 In governaunce as they ben bore 
 Of trouthe firft and of largeffe, 
 Of pite forth with rightwifnefle 
 I have hem tolde and over this 
 The fifte point, fo as it is, 
 Set of the reule of policy, 
 Wherof a king mall modefy 
 The flesfhly luftes of nature. 
 Now thenke I telle of fuch mefure, 
 That bothe kinde mail be ferved, 
 And eke the lawe of god obferved. 
 
 Corporis et mentis regem decet omnis hone/las, 
 Nominis ut fatnam nulla libido ruat. 
 
 Omne quod ejl hominis effeminat ilia voluptas, 
 Sit nifi ?nagnani?ni cordis ut objlat ei. 
 
 The male is made for the femele, 
 But where as one defireth fele, 
 That nedeth nought by wey of kinde. 
 For whan a man may redy finde 
 His owne wife, what fhuld he feche 
 In flraunge places to befeche 
 To borwe another marines plough, 
 Whan he hath gere at home inough 
 
 2 33 
 
 Hie tra&at fecun- 
 dum Ariftoteleni 
 de quinta princi- 
 pum regiminis po- 
 licia, que caftita- 
 tem concernit, cui- 
 us honeftas impu- 
 dieicie motus ob- 
 temperans tarn cor- 
 poris quam anime 
 muncuaam fpecia- 
 lius prekrvat. 
 
234 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Affaited at his owne hefte, 
 And is to him wel more honeft 
 Than other thing, which is unknowe. 
 Forthy fhuld every good man knowe 
 And thenke, how that in mariage 
 His trouthe plite lith in morgage, 
 Which if he breke, it is falfehode, 
 And that defcordeth to manhode 
 And namely toward the great, 
 Wherof the bokes alle trete, 
 So as the philofophre techeth 
 To Alifaundre and him betecheth 
 The lore, how that he fhall mefure 
 His body, fo that no mefure 
 Of flesfhly luft he fhulde excede. 
 And thus forth if I fhall procede, 
 The fifte point, as I faid ere, 
 Is chaftete, which felde where 
 Cometh now a daies into place. 
 And netheleffe but it be grace 
 Above all other in fpeciall 
 Is none that chafte may ben all. 
 But yet a kinges high eftate, 
 Whiche of his order as a prelate, 
 Shall be anoint and fanctified, 
 He mot be more magnified 
 For dignete of his corone, 
 Than fhulde another low perfone, 
 Which is nought of high emprife. 
 Therfore a prince him fhuld advife, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 2 35 
 
 Er that he fell in fuch riote, 
 And namely that he ne afTote 
 To chaunge for the womanhed 
 The worthinefTe of his manhed. 
 Of Ariftotle I have well rad, 
 How he to Alifaundre bad, 
 That for to gladden his corage 
 He fhuld beholde the vifage 
 Of women, whan that they ben faire. 
 But yet he fet an enfamplaire 
 His body fo to guide and reule, 
 That he ne paffe nought the reule, 
 Wherof that he him felf beguile. 
 For in the woman is no guile 
 Of that a man him felf bewhapeth, 
 Whan he his owne wit bejapeth, 
 I can the women wel excufe. 
 But what man will upon hem mufe 
 After the foole impreffion 
 Of his ymaginacion, 
 Within him felf the fire he bloweth, 
 Wherof the woman nothing knoweth, 
 So may fhe nothing be to wite. 
 For if a man him felf excite 
 To drenche, and woll nought forbere, 
 The water mail no blame bere. 
 What may the gold though men coveit ? 
 If that a man woll love flreit, 
 The woman hath him nothing bounde, 
 If he his owne herte wounde, 
 
 Nota de doftrina 
 AriftotellS, ijuali- 
 litcr princCM, lit 
 
 aniraj lui jocundU 
 tatem pro 
 mulierea formoi n 
 crebro afpicere de- 
 bet, caveat tamen, 
 ne nuns roluptu- 
 ofa torpefcena ex 
 carnia fragilitate in 
 vicium dilabatur. 
 
236 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 She may nought lette the folie, 
 And though fo fell of compaigny, 
 That he might any thing purchace, 
 Yet maketh a man the rirfte chace. 
 The woman fleeth, and he purfueth, 
 So that by wey of fkill it fueth, 
 The man is caufe, how fo befalle, 
 That he full ofte fith is falle, 
 Where that he may nought wel arife. 
 And netheles ful many wife 
 Befoled have hem felf er this, 
 As now a daies yet it is 
 Among the men and ever was, 
 The ftronge is febleft in this cas. 
 
 It fit a man by wey of kinde 
 To love, but it is nought kinde 
 A man for love his wit to lefe. 
 For if the month of juil mall frefe 
 And that december mall be hote, 
 The yere miftorneth wel I wote. 
 To feen a man from his eflate 
 Through his foty effeminate 
 And leve that a man (hall do, 
 It is as hofe above the (ho 
 To man, which ought nought to be ufed. 
 But yet the world hath oft accufed 
 Full grete princes of this dede, 
 How they for love hem felf miflede, 
 Wherof manhode ftood behinde 
 Of olde enfamples as men finde. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 Thefe olde geftes tellen thus, 
 That whilom Sardanapallus, 
 Which held all hole in his empire 
 The grete kingdom of AfTire, 
 Was through the flouth of his corage 
 Fall into thilke firy rage 
 Of love, which the men affoteth, 
 Wherof him felf he fo rioteth 
 And wax fo ferforth womanisfh, 
 That ayein kinde, as if a fisfh, 
 Abide wold upon the londe. 
 In women fuche a lufte he fonde, 
 That he dwelt ever in chambre ftill 
 And onlv wrought after the will 
 Of women, fo as he was bede, 
 That felden whan in other ftede, 
 If that he wolde wenden out 
 To feen, how that it flood about. 
 But there he kift, and there he plaide, 
 They taughten him a lace to braide 
 And weve a purs and to enflle 
 A perle. And fell that ilke while, 
 One Arbaclus the prince of Mede 
 Sigh, how this king in womanhede 
 Was falle fro chivalerie, 
 And gate him helpe and compaignie 
 And wroughte fo, that ate laft 
 This king out of his regne he caft, 
 Which was undone for ever mo. 
 And yet men fpeken of him fo, 
 
 2 37 
 
 Hit ponh cxem- 
 plum, qualttei pro 
 eo, quod 8 u 
 
 pallui Allirioniiii 
 
 princtpi muliebri 
 
 oble&amenti 
 
 minatu 
 
 i ic torporem 
 quafi ex confuetu* 
 dine adhilx 
 Ai li i • 
 
 dorum (upi r l"» 
 infidiante in fui 
 
 fcrvoris majoi l TO 
 luptatc (ubitil iiui- 
 
 tacionibui eztinc- 
 
 tus eft. 
 
238 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 That it is (hame for to here, 
 Forthy to love is in manere. 
 Nota.quaiiterDa- King David hadde many a love. 
 
 vid amansmulieres _.. 111 1 
 
 propter hoc probi- But netheles alway above 
 no^minus^xce™ Knighthode he kepte in fuche a wife, 
 cult - That for no rlesmly covetife 
 
 Of luft to ligge in ladies armes 
 He lefte nought the luft of armes. 
 For where a prince his luftes fueth, 
 That he the werre nought purfueth, 
 Whan it is time to bene armed, 
 His contre ftant full ofte harmed, 
 Whan thenemies ben woxe bolde, 
 That they defence none beholde. 
 Full many a londe hath fo be lore, 
 As men may rede oft time afore 
 Of hem that fo her efes foughten, 
 Which after they full dere aboughten. 
 Hie loquitur, quaiiter To mochel efe is nothing worth, 
 Q5ta?2fl£ For that fet every vice forth 
 defaciiivincitur. Et A d vertue put a backe, 
 
 ponit exemplum de J r * 
 
 Cyro rege Perfarum, Wherof pris torneth into lacke, 
 
 qui cum Lidos mire r 
 
 probitatis ftrenuifli- As in cronique I may reherfe, 
 
 mos fibique in bello . , , . 1 1 • r r» r 
 
 adverfantesnuiiomo- Which telleth, how the king or rerle, 
 cLYp^andempa- That Cyrus hight, a werre hadde 
 &±SS£ Ayein the people, which he dradde, 
 lemftabihrefinxit fu- of a contre, which Lidos hight. 
 
 per quo Lidi poltea * <~> 
 
 per aiiquod tempus g u t yet for oueht that he do might 
 
 armis inioliti fub pa- ... 
 
 cistorporevoiuptati- As in bataile upon the werre, 
 
 bus intendebant. TT t 1 ri 1 1 
 
 Quod Cyrus percipi- He had or hem alway the werre. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 239 
 
 And whan he figh and wift it wclc, 
 
 That he by ftrengthe wan no dele, »* ,'/ 
 
 Than ate laft he cart a wile V "I"" .'"' 
 
 tributariot luhjuga- 
 
 This worthy people to beguile vit - 
 
 And toke with hem a feigned pees, 
 
 Which fhulde laften endelees, 
 
 So as he faide in wordes wife, 
 
 But he thought all in other wife. 
 
 For it betid upon the cas, 
 
 Whan that this people in refte was, 
 
 They token efes many folde, 
 
 And worldes efe as it is tolde 
 
 By way of kinde is the norice 
 
 Of every luft, which toucheth vice. 
 
 Thus whan they were in luftes falle, 
 
 The werres ben forgotten alle. 
 
 Was none, which wolde the worfhip 
 
 Of armes, but in idelfhip 
 
 They putten befineiTe away 
 
 And toke hem to daunce and play. 
 
 But moil: above all other thinges 
 
 They token hem to the likinges 
 
 Of flesfhly lufts, that chaftete 
 
 Received was in no degre, 
 
 But every man doth what him lifte. 
 
 And whan the king of Perfe it wifte, 
 
 That they unto folie entenden, 
 
 With his power, whan they left wenden, 
 
 More fodeinly than doth the thunder 
 
 He came for ever and put hem under. 
 
2 + o CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 And thus hath lecherie lore 
 The londe, which had be to-fore 
 The beft of hem, that were tho. 
 Nota,quaiiterfata And in the bible I finde alfo 
 
 bcllica luxus infor- A i i • i i • t • 
 
 tunat. Etnarrat, A tale lich UntO thlS thing, 
 
 Sech U Hebrdsfibi How Amalech the paien king, 
 lere^uii^confi- whan that he mighte by no wey 
 lio Balaam muiie- Defend his londe and put awey 
 
 res regni lui pul- 1 J 
 
 cherrimas in caftra The worthy people of Ifrael. 
 
 Hebreorum mifit, . . . ... 
 
 qui ab ipfis con- 1 his barazin, as it berell, 
 
 taminati graciam -,-,. . . r -i r r> i 
 
 ftatim amifenint 1 nrough the counleil of Balaam 
 d^viafin" A rout of faire women nam, 
 muititudmegiadio xhat lufty were and yonge of age, 
 
 ceciderunt. J jo o 
 
 And bad hem gon to the lignage 
 
 Of thefe Hebrews. And forth they went 
 
 With eyen grey and browes bent 
 
 And well arraied everychone. 
 
 And whan they come were anone 
 
 Among thebrews, was none in fight, 
 
 But cacche who that cacche might, 
 
 And eche of hem his luftes fought, 
 
 Which after they full dere abought. 
 
 For grace anone began to faile, 
 
 That whan they comen to bataile, 
 
 Than afterward in fory plite 
 
 They were take and diicomfite, 
 
 So that within a litel throwe, 
 
 The might of hem was overthrowe, 
 
 That whilom were wont to ftonde, 
 
 Till Phinees the caufe on honde 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 241 
 
 Hath take this vengeaunce laft. 
 But than it cefed ate laft. 
 For god was paid of that he dedc, 
 For where he found upon a ftede 
 A couple, which misferde fo, 
 Throughout he fmote hem bothe two 
 And let hem ligge in mennes eye, 
 Wherof all other, which hem figh, 
 Enfampled hem upon the dede 
 And praiden unto the godhede 
 Her olde finnes to amende. 
 And he, which wold his mercy fende, 
 Reftored hem to newe grace. 
 Thus may it fhewe in fondry place, 
 Of chaftete how the clennefle 
 Accordeth to the worthinefTe 
 Of men of armes over all. 
 But moft of all in fpeciall 
 This vertue to a king belongeth, 
 For upon his fortune it hongeth, 
 Of that his lond mall fpede or fpill. 
 Forthy but if a king his will 
 Fro luftes of his flesfh rellireigne, 
 Ayein him felf he maketh a treigne, 
 Into the whiche if that he Aide, 
 Him were better go befide. 
 For every man may underftonde, 
 How for a time that it ftonde 
 It is a fory luft to like, 
 Whofe ende maketh a man to fike 
 3 R 
 
242 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And torneth joies into forwe. 
 The brighte lbnne by the morwe 
 Befhineth nought the derke night, 
 The lufty youth of mannes might 
 In age but it ftonde wele, 
 Miftorneth all the lafte whele. 
 Hie loquitur, qua- That every worthy prince is holde 
 reguiat^To^ptas Within him felf him felf beholde 
 ^„ a „/S„td"if™ To fe the ftate of his perfone . 
 compdiit, tt nar- y^ n j t henke, how there be joies none 
 
 rat exemplum tie 7 J 
 
 Saiomone, qui ex Upon this erthe made to laft, 
 
 fue carnis concu- r n n n in 
 
 pifcenda viaus And how the neslhe lhall at laft 
 
 mulierum blandi- . . n ~ . . .. r r ~ , 
 
 mentis in fui fcan- The lultes of his lire forlake, 
 
 dalumdeos alienos TT . i ■.__/■ 1*. |__ 
 
 coiere prefumebat. Him ought 3. great enfample take 
 Of Salomon, whofe appetite 
 Was holy fet upon delite 
 To take of women the plefaunce, 
 So that upon his ignoraunce 
 The wide world merveileth yit, 
 That he, which alle mennes wit 
 In thilke time hath overpaffed, 
 With flesmly luftes was fo tafled, 
 That he which ladde under the lawe 
 The people of god, him felf withdrawe 
 He hath fro god in fuche a wife, 
 That he worfhip and facrifice 
 For fondry love in fondry ftede 
 Unto the falfe goddes dede. 
 This was the wife Eccleiiafte, 
 The fame of whom fhall ever lafte, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 2 43 
 
 That he the mighty god foribke, 
 
 Ayein the lawe whan he toke 
 
 His wives and his concubines, 
 
 Of hem that were Saraztnes, 
 
 For which he did ydolatrie. 
 
 For this I rede of his foty, 
 
 She of Sidoine fo him ladde, 
 
 That he knelend his armes fpradde 
 
 To Aflrathen with great humbleffe, 
 
 Which of her lond was the godderTe. 
 
 And me that was of Moabite 
 
 So ferforth made him to delite 
 
 Through luft, which al his wit devoureth, 
 
 That he Chamos her god honoureth. 
 
 An other Amonite alfo 
 
 With love him hath affoted fo, 
 
 Her god Moloch that with encenfe 
 
 He facreth and doth reverence 
 
 In fuch a wife as fhe him bad. 
 
 Thus was the wifeft overlad 
 
 With blinde luftes, which he fought. 
 
 But he it afterward abought. 
 
 For Achias Selonites, 
 Which was prophet, er his deces, 
 While he was in his luftes alle, 
 Betokeneth what mail after falle. 
 For on a day, whan that he mette 
 Jeroboam the knight be grette 
 And bad him, that he fhulde abide 
 To here what him fhall betide. 
 
 Dc f. 
 
 
 Dc filia H-- ix Mn 
 ab. 
 
 De filia rcgU A 
 inon. 
 
 Nota hie, qualitei 
 Achias propheta 
 in fignum, quod 
 regnum poll mor- 
 tem Salomonis ob 
 eius peccatum a 
 fuoheredediminu- 
 eretur, pallium fii- 
 um in duodecim 
 partes fcidit, unde 
 decern partes Jcro- 
 boe filio Natal, 
 quiregnaturuspol- 
 tea fucceflit, pre- 
 cepto dei tribuit. 
 
244 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 And forth withall Achias caft 
 His mantel of and alio faft 
 He kut it into pieces twelve, 
 Wherof two parts toward him felve 
 He kept, and all the remenaunt, 
 As god hath fet his covenaunt, 
 He toke unto Jeroboas, 
 Of Nabal which the fone was, 
 And of the kinges court a knight. 
 And faid him, fuch is goddes might, 
 As thou haft fene departed here 
 My mantel, right in fuch manere 
 After the deth of Salomon 
 God hath ordeined therupon, 
 This regne than he fhall devide, 
 Which time thou malt eke abide, 
 And upon that divifion 
 The regne as in proporcion, 
 As thou haft of my mantel take, 
 Thou (halt receive I undertake. 
 And thus the fone mall abie 
 The luftes and the lechery 
 Of him, which now his fader is. 
 So for to taken hede of this 
 It fit a king well to be chafte, 
 For elles he may lightly wafte 
 Him felf and eke his regne bothe, 
 And that ought every king to lothe. 
 O, which a finne violent, 
 Wherof fo wife a king was ment, 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 245 
 
 That he vengeaunce of his perfonc 
 
 Was nought inough to take alone, 
 
 But afterward, whan he was pafled, 
 
 It hath his heritage larled, 
 
 As I more openly to-fore 
 
 The tale tolde, and thus therfore 
 
 The philofophre upon this thing Ariftotd 
 
 Write and counfeiled to a king, £2 "Jg. 
 
 That he the forfete of luxure ' "" "','' "'"- 
 
 rem naturalem. 
 
 Shall tempre and reule of fuch mefure, 
 Which be to kinde fuffifaunt 
 And eke to refon accordaunt, 
 So that the luftes ignoraunce 
 Be caufe of no mifgovernaunce, 
 Through which that he be overthrowe, 
 As he, that woll no refon knowe. 
 For but a mannes wit be fwerved, 
 Whan kinde is dueliche ferved, 
 It ought of refon to fuffife. 
 For if it fall him otherwife, 
 He may the luftes fore drede. 
 
 For of Antonie thus I rede, De voiupmofo 
 
 Which of Severus was the fone, 
 That he his life of comun wone 
 Yaf holy unto thilke vice, 
 And ofte time he was fo nice, 
 Wherof nature her hath compleigned 
 Unto the god, which hath defdeigned 
 The werkes, which Antonie wrought 
 Of luft, which he full fore abought. 
 
 Antonio. 
 
246 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 For god his forfete hath fo wroke, 
 That in cronique it is yet fpoke. 
 But for to take remembraunce 
 Of fpeciall mifgovernaunce 
 Through covetife and injuftice 
 Forth with the remenaunt of vice, 
 And namelich of lecherie 
 I finde write a great partie 
 Within a tale, as thou (halt here, 
 Which is thenfample of this matere. 
 Hie loquitur de So as thefe olde geftes fain, 
 
 Tarquinio Rome _,, , . • n. n 
 
 nup« imperatore I he proude tiranniln Komain 
 STfltot^ Tarquinius, which was than king 
 Anon*, qui omni ^nd wrou ght many a wrongful thing, 
 
 viciorum varieta- o J o o* 
 
 te repieti tam in Of fones he had many one, 
 
 homines quam in i • i 
 
 muiieres innume- Among the which Arrons was one 
 
 ra fcelera perpetra- . . ^ - r ^ 
 
 runt. Sed fpecia- Lien to his fader in maneres, 
 
 liter fuper hiis, que P « • ■ • r 
 
 contra Gabinos So that within 2, rewe yeres 
 
 ZZ2Z2JR With trefon and with tiran "y 
 
 mtendit. They wonne of londe a great party 
 
 And token hede of no juftice, 
 Which due was to her office 
 Upon the reule of governaunce. 
 But al that ever was plefaunce 
 Unto the flesfhes luft they toke. 
 And fell fo, that they undertoke 
 A werre, which was nought acheved, 
 But often time it had hem greved 
 Ayein a folk, which thanne hight 
 The Gabiens, and all by night 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 247 
 
 Thus Arrons whan he was at home 
 
 In Rome a prive place he nome 
 
 Within a chambre and bete him felve 
 
 And made him woundes ten or twelve 
 
 Upon the backe, as it was fene. 
 
 And fo forth with his hurtes grene 
 
 In all the hafte that he may 
 
 He rode and cam that other day 
 
 Unto Gabie the citee 
 
 And in he went. And whan that he 
 
 Was knowe, anone the gates fhette, 
 
 The lordes all upon him fette 
 
 With drawe fwerdes upon honde. 
 
 And Arrons wolde hem nought withftonde, 
 
 And faide : I am here at your wille, 
 
 As lefe it is that ye me fpille, 
 
 As if min owne fader dede. 
 
 And forth within the fame ftede 
 
 He praide hem, that they wolde fe, 
 
 And {hewed hem in what degre 
 
 His fader and his brethren bothe, 
 
 Which as he faide weren wrothe, 
 
 Him hadde beten and reviled 
 
 And out of Rome for ever exiled. 
 
 And thus he made hem to beleve 
 
 And faide, if that he might acheve 
 
 His purpos, it fhall well be yolde 
 
 Be fo that they him helpe wolde. 
 
 Whan that the lordes hadde fene, 
 
 How wofully he was befene, 
 
248 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 They toke pite of his greve. 
 But yet it was hem wonder leve, 
 That Rome him had exiled fo. 
 The Gabiens by counfeil tho 
 Upon the goddes made him fwere, 
 That he to hem mail trouthe bere 
 And ftrengthen hem with all his might. 
 And they alio him hath behight 
 To helpe him in his quarele. 
 They mope thanne for his hele, 
 That he was bathed and anoint, 
 Till that he was in lufty point, 
 And what he wolde than he had, 
 That he all hole the cite lad 
 Right as he wolde him felf devife. 
 And than he thought him in what wife 
 He might his tirannie fhewe, 
 And to his counfeil toke a fhrewe, 
 Whom to his fader forth he fent. 
 In his meffage and be tho went 
 And praied his fader for to fay 
 By his avife and finde a wey, 
 How they the cite mighten winne, 
 While that he flood fo well therinne. 
 And whan the meffager was come 
 To Rome and hath in counfeil nome 
 The king, it fell perchaunce fo, 
 That they were in a gardin tho 
 This meffager forth with the king. 
 And whan he hadde told the thing 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 249 
 
 In what manere that it ftode, 
 And that Tarquinus underftode 
 By the meffage, how that it ferde, 
 Anone he toke in honde a yerde, 
 And in the gardin as they gone 
 The lilie croppes one and one, 
 Where that they weren fprongen out, 
 He fmote of, as they ftood ahout, 
 And faid unto the mefTagere : 
 Lo, this thing, which I do now here, 
 Shall be in ftede of thin anfwere. 
 And in this wife as I me bere, 
 Thou malte unto my fone telle. 
 And he no lenger wolde dwelle, 
 But toke his leve and goth withall 
 Unto his lorde and tolde him all, 
 How that his fader hadde do. 
 Whan Arrons herde him telle fo, 
 Anone he wifte what it ment 
 And therto fette all his entent, 
 Till he through fraude and trechery 
 The princes hevedes of Gaby 
 Hath fmiten of and all was wonne. 
 His fader cam to-fore the fonne 
 Into the town with the Romains 
 And toke and flew the citezeins 
 Withoute refon or pite, 
 That he ne fpareth no degre. 
 And for the fpede of this conquer* 
 He let do make a riche fed: 
 
2 5 o CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 With a folempne facrifice 
 
 In Phebus temple, and in this wife, 
 
 Whan the Romains aflembled were 
 
 In prefence of hem alle there, 
 
 Upon thalter whan all was dight 
 
 And that the fires were alight, 
 
 From under thalter fodeinly 
 
 An hidous ferpent openly 
 
 Cam out and hath devoured all 
 
 The facrifice and eke withall 
 
 The fires queint, and forth anone, 
 
 So as he cam, fo is he gone 
 
 Into the depe ground ayein. 
 
 And every man began to fain : 
 
 Ha lord, what may this fignify ? 
 
 And therupon they pray and cry 
 
 To Phebus, that they mighten knowe 
 
 The caufe. And he the fame thro we 
 
 With gaftly vois, that all it herde, 
 
 The Romains in this wife anfwerde 
 
 And faid, how for the wickedneffe 
 
 Of pride and of unrightwifnelfe, 
 
 That Tarquin and his fone hath do, 
 
 The facrifice is wafted fo, 
 
 Which mighte nought ben acceptable 
 
 Upon fuch finne abhominable. 
 
 And over that yet he hem wiffeth 
 
 And faith, that which of hem firft. kiffeth 
 
 His moder, he mall take wreche 
 
 Upon the wronge. And of that fpeche 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 
 
 2 c I 
 
 They ben within her hertes glade, 
 Though they outward no femblaunt made. 
 There was a knight, which Brutus hight, 
 And he with all the hafte he might 
 To grounde fell and there he kifte, 
 But none of hem the caufe wide, 
 But wenden that he hadde fporned 
 Perchaunce and fo was overtorned. 
 But Brutus all an other ment, 
 For he knew well in his entent, 
 How therthe of every marines kinde 
 Is moder. But they weren blinde 
 And fighen nought fo fer as he. 
 But whan they leften the citee 
 And comen home to Rome ayein, 
 Than every man, which was Romain 
 And moder hath, to her he bende 
 And kift and eche of hem thus wende 
 To be the firfl upon the chaunce 
 Of Tarquin for to do vengeaunce, 
 So as they herden Phebus fain. 
 But every time hath his certain, 
 So muft it nedes than abide, 
 Till afterward upon a tide 
 
 Tarquinius made unfkilfully 
 A werre, which was fafte by, 
 Ayein a town with walles ftronge, 
 Which Ardea was cleped longe, 
 And caft a fiege there about, 
 That there may no man paffen out. 
 
 Hie narrat, quod cum 
 TarquinuM in obfi- 
 dionecivitatis Ardee, 
 
 ut earn deftrucrct, in- 
 terims fait, Arrona 
 fUhiseiusRomam fe- 
 
 creto adieni in domo 
 Collatini hol'pitatus 
 eft.ubi de nofte illam 
 cauSfTimam dominam 
 
252 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Lucreciam ymagina- So it befell Upon a night 
 
 tiva fraude vi opprei- . i • i i i i • /■ j • 1 
 
 f.t, nude ilia pre do- Arrons, which had his iouper dight, 
 Ta^S^te'fo" A P art e of the chivalrie 
 
 tota clamante Roma ^[^ h[ m tQ f uppe J n C Ompaignie 
 
 in perpetuum exilium i i i o 
 
 ddcgati funt. Hath bede. And whan they comen were 
 
 And fetten at the fuppe there, 
 Among her other wordes glade 
 Arrons a great fpekinge made, 
 Who hadde tho the befte wife 
 Of Rome. And thus began a ftrife, 
 For Arrons faith, he hath the bell:. 
 So janglen they withouten refte, 
 Till ate laft one Collatine, 
 A worthy knight and was coufine 
 To Arrons, faid him in this wife : 
 
 It is, quod he, of none emprife 
 To fpeke a word, but of the dede, 
 Wherof it is to taken hede. 
 A none forthy this fame tide 
 Lepe on thy hors and let us ride, 
 So may we knowe bothe two 
 Unwarely what our wives do, 
 And that fhall be a trewe aifay. 
 
 This Arrons faith nought ones nay. 
 On horfeback anone they lepte 
 In fuch manere and nothing llepte 
 Ridende forth till that they come 
 All privelich withinne Rome, 
 In ftrange place and down they light 
 And take a chambre out of fight. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 253 
 
 They be defguifed for a thro we, 
 
 So that no life hem fhulde knowe. 
 
 And to the paleis firft they fought 
 
 To fe, what thing thefe ladies wrought, 
 
 Of whiche Arrons made his vaunt. 
 
 And they her figh of glad femblaunt 
 
 All full of merthes and of hordes. 
 
 But among all her other wordes 
 
 She fpake nought of her hufbonde. 
 
 And whan they had all underftonde 
 
 Of thilke place what hem lift, 
 
 They gone hem forth that none it will: 
 
 Befide thilke gate of bras, 
 
 Collacea which cleped was, 
 
 Where Collatin hath his dwelling. 
 
 There founden they at home fitting 
 
 Lucrece his wife all environed 
 
 With women, which were abandoned 
 
 To werche, and fhe wrought eke withall 
 
 And bad hem hafte and faid : It (hall 
 
 Be for min hufbondes were, 
 
 Which with his fwerd and with his fpere 
 
 Lith at fiege in great difefe, 
 
 And if it fhulde him nought difplefe, 
 
 Now wolde god, I had him here. 
 
 For certes till that I may here 
 
 Some good tiding of his eftate, 
 
 My herte is ever upon debate. 
 
 For fo as alle men witneffe, 
 
 He is of fuch an hardiefle, 
 
254 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 That he can nought him felve fpare, 
 And that is all my mofte care, 
 Whan they the walles lhulde aflaile. 
 But if my wisfhes might availe, 
 I vvolde it were a groundles pit 
 Be fo the fiege were unknit, 
 And I my hufbonde figh. 
 With that the water in her eye 
 Arofe, that llie ne might it ftoppe, 
 And as men fene the dew bedroppe 
 The leves and the floures eke, 
 Right fo upon her white cheke 
 The wofull falte teres felle. 
 
 Whan Collatin hath herde her telle 
 The mening of her trewe herte, 
 Anone with that to her he fterte 
 And faide : Lo, my good dere, 
 Now is he come to you here, 
 That ye moil: loven as ye fain. 
 And (lie with goodly chere ayein 
 Beclipt him in her armes fmale. 
 And the colour, which erft was pale, 
 To beaute thanne was reftored, 
 So that it mighte nought be mored. 
 The kinges fone, which was nigh, 
 And of this lady herde and figh 
 The thinges, as they ben befalle, 
 The refon of his wittes alle 
 Hath loft, for love upon his parte 
 Cam than and of his flry darte 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 255 
 
 With fuchawounde him hath through finite, 
 
 That he muft nedes fele and wite 
 
 Of thilke blinde malady, 
 
 To which no cure of furgery 
 
 Can helpe. But yet netheles 
 
 At thilke time he helde his pees, 
 
 That he no countenaunce made, 
 
 But openly with wordes glade, 
 
 So as he couthe in his manere, 
 
 He fpake and made frendely chere, 
 
 Till it was time for to go. 
 
 And Collatin with him alio 
 
 His leve toke, fo that by night, 
 
 With all the hafte that they might, 
 
 They riden to the liege ayein. 
 
 But Arrons was fo wo befein 
 
 With thoughtes, which upon him runne, 
 
 That he all by the brode funne 
 
 To bedde goth nought for to refte, 
 
 But for to thenke upon the befte 
 
 And the fairefl forth with alle, 
 
 That ever he figh or ever malle, 
 
 So as him thought in his corage 
 
 Where he portreieth her ymage. 
 
 Firft the fetures of her face, 
 
 In which nature had alle grace 
 
 Of womanly beaute befet, 
 
 So that it mighte nought be bet. 
 
 And how her yelwe hair was treffed 
 
 And her attire fo wel adrerTed. 
 
256 CONFESSIO ^MANTIS. 
 
 And how flie fpake, and how fhe wrought, 
 And how me wepte, and how (he thought, 
 That he foryeten hath no dele, 
 But all it liketh him fo wele, 
 That in the worde nor in dede 
 Her lacked nought of womanhede. 
 And thus this tirannisme knight 
 Was foupled, but nought half aright, 
 For he none other hede toke, 
 But that he might by fomme croke, 
 All though it were ayein her wille, 
 The luftes of his flesfli fulfille, 
 Which love was nought refonable. 
 For wher honour is remevable, 
 It oughte well to ben avifed. 
 But he, which hath his luft affifed 
 With melled love and tirannie, 
 Hath found upon his trecherie 
 A wey, which he thenketh to holde, 
 Audaces fortuna And faith : Fortune unto the bolde 
 Is favorable for to helpe. 
 And thus within him felf to yelpe, 
 As he, which was a wilde man, 
 Upon his trefon he began. 
 And up he fterte, and forth he wente 
 On horlbacke, but his entente 
 There knew no wight, and thus he name 
 The nexte waie, till he came 
 Unto Collacea the gate 
 Of Rome, and it was fomdele late 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 257 
 
 Right even upon the fonne fette. 
 And he, which hadde fhape his nette 
 Her innocence to betrappe, 
 And as it fhulde tho mifhappe, 
 As privelich as ever he might 
 He rode and of his hors alight 
 To-fore Collatines inn 
 And all frendelich goth him in, 
 As he, that was coufin of houfe. 
 And (lie, which is the goode fpoufe, 
 Lucrece, whan that fhe him figh, 
 With goodly chere drewe him nigh 
 As fhe, which all honour fuppofeth, 
 And him, fo as fhe dare, oppofeth, 
 How it flood of her hufbonde. 
 And he tho did her underftonde 
 With tales feigned in this wife, 
 Right as he wolde him felf devife, 
 Wherof he might her herte glade, 
 That fhe the better chere made. 
 Whan fhe the gladde wordes herde, 
 How that her houfbonde ferde, 
 And thus the trouthe was deceived 
 With flie trefon, which was received 
 To her, which mente alle good. 
 For as the feftes thanne ftood, 
 His fouper was right wel arraied, 
 But yet he hath no word affaied 
 To fpeke of love in no degre. 
 But with covert fubtilite 
 
258 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 His frendly fpeches he affaiteth, 
 And as the tigre his time awaiteth 
 In hope for to cacche his pray. 
 
 Whan that the hordes were awey 
 And they have fouped in the halle, 
 He faith, that flepe is on him falle, 
 And praith, he mote go to bedde. 
 And fhe with alle hafte fpedde, 
 So as her thought it was to done, 
 That every thing was redy fone. 
 She brought him to his chambre tho 
 And toke her leve, and forth is go 
 Into her owne chambre by. 
 And fhe that wende certainly 
 Have had a frend and had a fo, 
 Wherof fell after mochel wo. 
 
 This tiraunt though he lie fofte, 
 Out of his bedde aros full ofte 
 And goth about and laid his ere 
 To herken, till that alle were 
 To bedde gone and flepten fafte. 
 And than upon him felf he carte 
 A mantel and his fwerde all naked 
 He toke in honde, and fhe unwaked 
 A bedde lay. But what me mette, 
 God wot, for he the dore unfhette 
 So prively, that none it herde, 
 The fofte pas and forth he ferde 
 Into the bed, where that fhe flepte, 
 All fodeinly and in he crepte. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 259 
 
 And her in bothe his armes toke. 
 
 With that this worthy wife awoke, 
 
 Which through tendreffe of womanhed 
 
 Her vois hath loft for pure drede, 
 
 That o word fpeke fhe ne dare. 
 
 And eke he bad her to beware, 
 
 For if fhe made noife or cry, 
 
 He faid, his fwerd lay fafte by 
 
 To fleen her and her folke about. 
 
 And thus he brought her herte in doubt, 
 
 That lich a lamb, whan it is fefed 
 
 In wolves mouth, fo was difefed 
 
 Lucrece, which he naked fonde, 
 
 Wherof fhe fwouned in his honde, 
 
 And as who faith lay dede oppreffed. 
 
 And he, which all him hadde adrefTed 
 
 To luft, toke thanne what him lifte 
 
 And goth his wey, that none it wifte, 
 
 Into his owne chambre ayein 
 
 And cleped up his chamberlein 
 
 And made him redy for to ride. 
 
 And thus this lecherous pride 
 
 To horfe lept and forth he rode. 
 
 And fhe, which in her bed abode, 
 
 Whan that fhe wift he was agone, 
 
 She cleped after light anone 
 
 And up aros long er the day 
 
 And caft awey her fresfTi array, 
 
 ;As fhe, which hath the world forfake, 
 
 And toke upon the clothes blacke. 
 
260 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And ever upon continuing, 
 
 Right as men fe a welle fpring, 
 
 With eyen full of wofull teres 
 
 Her hair hangend about her eres 
 
 She wepte, and no man wifte why. 
 
 But yet among full pitoufly 
 
 She praied, that they nolden drecche 
 
 Her hufbonde for to fecche 
 
 Forthwith her fader eke alfo. 
 
 Thus be they comen bothe two, 
 
 And Brutus cam with Collatine, 
 
 Which to Lucrece was coufine, 
 
 And in they wenten alle thre 
 
 To chambre, where they mighte fe 
 
 The wofullefr. upon this molde, 
 
 Which wepte, as me to water fholde. 
 
 The chambre dore anone was ftoke, 
 
 Er they have ought unto her fpoke. 
 
 They figh her clothes all difguifed, 
 
 And how me hath her felf defpifed 
 
 Her haire hangend unkemt about. 
 
 But netheles me gan to lout 
 
 And knele unto her hufbonde. 
 
 And he, which fain wold underftonde 
 
 The caufe, why me fared fo, 
 
 With fofte wordes axed tho : 
 
 What may you be, my gode fwete ? 
 
 And me, which thought her felf unmete 
 
 And the left worth of women alle, 
 
 Her woful chere let down falle 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 261 
 
 For fhame and couthe unnethes loke, 
 
 And they therof good hede toke 
 
 And praiden her in alle way, 
 
 That fhe ne fpare for to fay 
 
 Unto her frendes, what her eileth, 
 
 Why fhe fo fore her felf bewaileth, 
 
 And what the fothe wolde mene. 
 
 And fhe, which hath her forwe grene 
 
 Her wo to telle thanne afTaieth, 
 
 But tendre fhame her word delaieth, 
 
 That fondry times as fhe mente 
 
 To fpeke, upon the point me flente. 
 
 And they her beden ever in one 
 
 To telle forth, and there upon, 
 
 Whan that fhe figh fhe mufle nede, 
 
 Her tale betwene fhame and drede 
 
 She tolde, nought withoute peine. 
 
 And he, which wolde her wo reftreigne, 
 
 Her hufbond, a fory man, 
 
 Comforteth her all that he can 
 
 And fwore and eke her fader both, 
 
 That they with her be nought wroth 
 
 Of that is do ayein her wille, 
 
 And praiden her to be ftille, 
 
 For they to her have all foryive. 
 
 But fhe, which thought nought to live, 
 
 Of hem woll no foryiveneffe 
 
 And faid, of thilke wickedneffe, 
 
 Which was to her body wrought, 
 
 All were it fo fhe might it nought, 
 
262 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Never afterward the world ne (hall 
 
 Reproven her, and forthwithall, 
 
 Er any man therof be ware, 
 
 A naked fwerd, the which (lie bare 
 
 Within her mantel prively, 
 
 Betwene her hondes fodeinly 
 
 She toke and through her hert it throng, 
 
 And fell to ground, and ever among, 
 
 Whan that me fell, fo as me might, 
 
 Her clothes with her hond me right, 
 
 That no man downward fro the knee 
 
 Shuld any thinge of her fe. 
 
 Thus lay this wife honeftly, 
 
 All though me diede wofully. 
 
 Tho was no forwe for to feke, 
 
 Her hufbonde and her fader eke 
 
 A fwoune upon the body felle. 
 
 There may no mannes tunge telle, 
 
 In which anguim that they were. 
 
 But Brutus, which was with hem there, 
 
 Toward him felf his herte kept 
 
 And to Lucrece anone he lept, 
 
 The bloody fvverde and pulleth out 
 
 And fwore the goddes al about, 
 
 That he therof (hall do vengeaunce. 
 
 And flie tho made a countenaunce 
 
 Her dedly eye and ate lafle 
 
 In thonking as it were up call:, 
 
 And fo behelde him in the wife, 
 
 While me to loke may fuffife. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 263 
 
 And Brutus with a manly herte 
 Her hufbonde hath made up fterte 
 Forth with her fader eke alfo 
 In alle hafte and faid hem tho, 
 That they anone withoute lette 
 A here for the body fette. 
 Lucrece and therupon bledend 
 He laide and fo forth out criend 
 He goth unto the market place 
 Of Rome. And in a litel fpace 
 Through cry the cite was affembled, 
 And every mannes herte trembled, 
 Whan they the foth herde of the cas. 
 And there upon the counfeil was 
 Take of the great and of the fmale. 
 And Brutus tolde hem all the tale. 
 And thus cam into remembraunce 
 Of finne the continuaunce, 
 Which Arrons hadde do to-fore, 
 And eke long time er he was bore 
 Of that his fader hadde do, 
 The wronge came into place tho, 
 So that the comun clamour tolde 
 The newe fhame of finnes olde. 
 And all the town began to cry : 
 Awey, awey the tiranny 
 Of lechery and covetife. 
 And ate laft in fuch a wife 
 The fader in the fame while 
 Forth with the fone they exile 
 
264 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And taken better governaunce. 
 But yet an other remembraunce 
 That rightwifnefle and lechery 
 Accorden nought in compaigny 
 With him, that hath the lawe on honde, 
 That may a man well underftonde, 
 As by a tale thou (halt wite 
 Of olde enfample as it is write. 
 Hie ponit exempium At Rome whan that Appius, 
 
 fupereodem, qualiter TTr1 r * r> ^ j« 
 
 Livius vir«rinius dux Whole other name was Claudius, 
 S^UbE Was governour of the citee, 
 polcherrimamhabem where fell a wonder thing to fe 
 
 cum quodam nobili o 
 
 viro nomine iiicio,ut Touchend a gentil maide, as thus, 
 
 ipfam in uxorem du- _..__. . . 
 
 ceret,finaliterconcor- Whom LiviUS VirginiLlS 
 davit. Sed interim _ . . . . , r 
 
 Appius Claudius Begeten had upon his wire. 
 Ss n< 5Spfiitem^ Men faiden, that fo faire a life 
 
 earn violaret, concu- A ^ nought in all the tOWn. 
 
 pilcens occaliones, o 
 
 quibus matrimonium This fame, which goth up and down, 
 
 impedire, lplamque ° * 
 
 ad fui ufum appre- To Claudius came in his ere, 
 
 hendere poflet, fob- , ... . , - 
 
 doia confpiradone Wheror his thought anone was there, 
 cum propofitum fui Whiche all his herte hath fet afire, 
 
 SSSSfSihb That he be g™ the flo » r defire ' 
 
 .mperator habere d e - which longeth unto maidenhede, 
 
 builiet, pater tunc o 7 
 
 ibidem prefens ex- And fende, if that he miehte fpede 
 
 traao gladio fine fue t . 
 
 peaus mortaii vui- The blinde luftes of his wille. 
 
 nere per medium - . . . i r irn 
 
 transfodit, dicens : But that thing may he nought tulnlle, 
 
 malo michi de filia t* n rt t 
 
 mea virginem habere r or the ftood upon manage. 
 rrSaiu q m a mere- A worthy knight of great lignage, 
 
 tr.cem fervare v.ven- Hi c i us which thanne hight, 
 
 tern. * 
 
 Accorded in her faders fight 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 265 
 
 Was, that he fhulde his doughter weddc. 
 
 But er the caufe were fully fpedde, 
 
 Her fader, which in Romanie 
 
 The leding of the chivalrie 
 
 In governaunce hath undertake, 
 
 Upon a werre, which was take, 
 
 Goth out with all the ftrength he hadde 
 
 Of men of armes which he ladde. 
 
 So was the mariage left 
 
 And ftood upon accord till eft. 
 
 The king, which herde telle of this, 
 How that this maide ordeined is 
 To mariage, thought another, 
 And hadde thilke time a brother, 
 Which Marchus Claudius was hote, 
 And was a man of fuch riote 
 Right as the king him felve was, 
 They two to-gider upon this cas 
 In counfeil founden out the wey, 
 That Marchus Claudius mall fey, 
 How me by wey of covenaunt 
 To his fervice apurtenaunt 
 Was hole, and to none other man. 
 And there upon he faith he can 
 In every point witnefTe take, 
 So that me mall it nought forfake. 
 Whan that they hadden fhape fo 
 After the lawe, which was tho, 
 While that her fader was abfent, 
 She was fomoned and aflent 
 
266 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 To come in prefence of the king, 
 And flood in anfwere of this thing. 
 Her frendes wiften alle wele, 
 That it was falfhede every dele, 
 And comen to the kinge and faiden 
 Upon the comun lawe and praiden, 
 So as this noble worthy knight 
 Her fader for the comun right 
 In thilke time, as was befalle, 
 Lay for the profit of hem alle 
 Upon the wilde feldes armed, 
 That he ne fhulde nought ben harmed 
 Ne married, while that he were out. 
 And thus they praiden all about. 
 
 For all the clamour that he herde 
 The king upon his lull: anfwerde 
 And yaf hem only daies two 
 Of refpit. For he wende tho, 
 That in fo fhort a time appere 
 Her fader might in no manere. 
 But as therof he was deceived. 
 For Livius had all conceived 
 The purpos of the king to-fore, 
 So that to Rome ayein therfore 
 In alle hall: he came ridend 
 And left upon the feld liggend 
 His holt, till that he came ayein. 
 And thus this worthy capitain 
 Appereth redy at his day, 
 Where all that ever refon may 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 267 
 
 By lawe in audience he doth, 
 So that his doughter upon foth, 
 Of that Marchus her had accufed, 
 He hath to-fore the court excufed. 
 
 The king, which figh his purpos faile, 
 And that no fleighte might availe, 
 Incombred of his luftes blinde 
 The lawe torneth out of kinde, 
 And halfe in wrath as though it were 
 In prefence of hem alle there 
 Deceived of concupifcence 
 Yaf for his brother the fentence 
 And bad him, that he fliulde fefe 
 This maide and make him well at efe. 
 But all within his own entent 
 He wift how that the caufe went, 
 Of that his brother hath the wite 
 He was him felven for to wite. 
 But thus this maiden hadde wronge, 
 Which was upon the king alonge, 
 But ayein him was none apele, 
 And that the fader wide wele. 
 Wherof upon the tirannie, 
 That for the luft of lecherie 
 His doughter fhulde be deceived, 
 And that Ilicius was weived 
 Untruly fro the manage, 
 Right as a leon in his rage, 
 Which of no drede fet accompt 
 And not what pite fhulde amount, 
 
268 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 A naked fwerde he pulled out, 
 
 The which amonges all the rout 
 
 He threfte through his doughters fide, 
 
 And all aloude thus he cride : 
 
 Lo, take her there thou wrongfull king, 
 
 For me is lever upon this thing 
 
 To be the fader of a maide, 
 
 Though fhe be dede, than if men faide, 
 
 That in her life (he were mamed 
 
 And I therof were evil named. 
 
 Tho bad the king men fhulde arefte 
 
 His body, but of thilke hefte 
 
 Like to the chaced wilde bore, 
 
 The houndes whan he feleth fore, 
 
 To-throweth and goth forth his wey, 
 
 In fuch a wife for to fey 
 
 This worthy knight with fwerd in honde 
 
 His weie made, and they him wonde, 
 
 That none of hem his ftrokes kepte, 
 
 And thus upon his hors he lepte 
 
 And with his fwerd droppend of blood, 
 
 The which within his doughter flood, 
 
 He cam there as the power was 
 
 Of Rome and tolde hem all the cas 
 
 And faid hem, that they mighten lere 
 
 Upon the wronge of this matere, 
 
 That better it were to redrelfe 
 
 At home the great unrightwifnerTe, 
 
 Than for to werre in ftraunge place 
 
 And lefe at home her owne grace. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 269 
 
 For thus ftant every marines life 
 In jeopartie for his wife 
 And for his doughter, if they be 
 PafTend an other of beaute. 
 Of this merveile, which they figh 
 So apparaunt to-fore her eye, 
 Of that the king him hath mifbore, 
 Her othes they have alle fwore, 
 That they woll ftonde by the right. 
 And thus of one accorde upright 
 To Rome at ones home ayein 
 They torne and fhortly for to fain 
 This tirannie cam to mouth, 
 And every man faith what he couth, 
 So that the prive trechery, 
 Which fet was upon lechery, 
 Cam openly to mannes ere, 
 And that brought in the comun fere, 
 That every man the perill dradde 
 Of him, that fo hem overladde. 
 For they or that it worfe falle 
 Through comun counfeil of hem alle 
 They have her wrongful king depofed, 
 And hem, in whom it was fuppofed 
 The counfeil flood of his leding, 
 By lawe unto the dome they bring, 
 Where they receiven the penaunce 
 That longeth to fuch governaunce. 
 And thus thunchafte was chaftifed, 
 Wherof they mighten ben avifed, 
 
270 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 That fholden afterward governe, 
 And by this evidence lerne, 
 How it is good a kinge efchue 
 The luft of vice and vertue fue. 
 Hie inter alia cafti- To make an ende in this partie, 
 
 tatis regimen concer- T , n . . . « « ,• . 
 
 nentia loquitur, quo- Which tOUCheth tO the pollCie 
 
 3?ESrt2 Ofehartete in fpeciall, 
 
 mentum quaf. com,- As f Qr conc l u f lon fi na ll 
 
 nenciam equiparans 
 
 eciam honefte deiec- That every luft is to efchue 
 
 tacionisregiminemo- J 
 
 derari decet, et nar- By great enfample I may argue, 
 
 ratinexemplum,qua- _ , 
 
 liter pro eo, quod iiii Howe in Rages a town or Mede 
 
 feptem viri, qui Sarre rr-<i *j j t j 
 
 Ragueiis fiiie ma^is There was 2. maide, and as I rede, 
 S'^r^; Sarra fl,e hight, and Raguel 
 
 matrimoiimm volup- pj er f a J er was> ^ nc J fo befell 
 
 tuofe nuplerunt, unus 
 
 poll aiium omnes Of body bothe and of vifage 
 
 prima no&e a demo- J m , 
 
 ne Afmodeo fingiiia- Was none fo faire of the lignage 
 
 tim jugulati interie- . . . .. n 
 
 runt. To leche among hem all, as lne, 
 
 Wherof the riche of the citee 
 Of lufty folk, that couthen love, 
 AlToted were upon her love 
 And axen here for to wedde. 
 One was which ate lafte fpedde, 
 But that was more for liking 
 To have his luft, than for wedding, 
 As he within his herte carte, 
 Whiche him repenteth ate lafte. 
 For fo it fell the firfte night, 
 That whan he was to bedde dight 
 As he, which nothing god befecheth, 
 But all only his luftes fecheth. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 271 
 
 A bedde er he was fully warme 
 And wolde have take her in his arme, 
 Afmod, which was a fend of helle 
 And ferveth as the bokes telle 
 To tempte a man in fuch a wife, 
 Was redy there and thilke emprife, 
 Whiche he hath fet upon delite, 
 He vengeth than in fuch a plite, 
 That he his neck hath writh at wo. 
 This yonge wife was fory tho, 
 Which wifte nothing what it ment. 
 And nethelefs yet thus it went 
 Nought only for this firfle man, 
 But after right as he began, 
 Six other of her hufbondes 
 Afmod hath take into his hondes, 
 So that they all abedde deiede, 
 Whan they her hond toward her leide, 
 Nought for the lawe of manage, 
 But for that ilke firy rage, 
 In which that they the lawe excede. 
 For who that wolde taken hede 
 What after fell in this matere, 
 There might he well the fothe here, 
 Whan me was wedded to Thobie, 
 And Raphael in compaigny 
 Hath taught him, how to be honeft. 
 Afmod wan nought at thilke feft, 
 And yet Thoby his wille hadde, 
 For he his luft fo godely ladde, 
 
272 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 That bothe lawe and kinde is ferved, 
 
 Wherof he hath him felf preferved, 
 
 That he fell nought in the fentence, 
 
 Of which an open evidence 
 
 Of this enfample a man may fe, 
 
 That whan liking in the degre 
 
 Of mariage may forfwey, 
 
 Well ought him than in other wey 
 
 Of luft to be the better avifed. 
 
 For god the lawes hath affifed 
 
 As well to refon as to kinde, 
 
 But he the beftes wolde binde 
 
 Only to lawes of nature, 
 
 But to the mannes creature 
 
 God yaf him refon forth withall, 
 
 Wherof that he nature (hall 
 
 Upon the caufes modify, 
 
 That he fhall do no lechery. 
 
 And yet he fhall his luftes have, 
 
 So ben the lawes bothe fave 
 
 And every thing put out of fclaunder, 
 
 As whilom to king Alifaundre 
 
 The wife philofophre taught, 
 
 Whan he his firfte lore caught, 
 
 Nought only upon chaftete, 
 
 But upon alle honefle. 
 
 Wherof a king him felf may tafte, 
 
 How tre we, how large, how j ufte, how chafte 
 
 Him ought of refon for to be 
 
 Forth with the vertue of pite. 
 
LIBER SEPTIMUS. 273 
 
 Through which he may great thank deferve 
 Toward his god, that he preferve 
 Him and his people in alle welthc 
 Of pees, richelTe, honour and helthe 
 Here in this worlde and elles eke. 
 
 My fone, as we to-fore fpeke Confeflbr. 
 
 In fhrifte, fo as thou me faideft, 
 And for thin efe, as thou me praideft, 
 Thy love throwes for to lifTe, 
 That I the wolde telle and wifTe 
 The forme of Ariftotles lore, 
 I have it faid and fomdele more 
 Of other enfamples, to aifaie, 
 If I thy peines mighte alaie 
 Through any thing, whiche I can fay. 
 
 Do wey, my fader, I you pray, Amans. 
 
 Of that ye have unto me tolde 
 I thonke you a thoufand folde. 
 The tales founen in min ere, 
 But yet min herte is elles where, 
 I may my felve nought reftreigne, 
 That I nam ever in loves peine. 
 Such lore couthe I never gete, 
 Which mighte make me foryete 
 O point, but if fo were I flepte, 
 That I my tides ayeine kepte 
 To thenke of love and of his lawe, 
 That herte can I nought withdrawe. 
 Forthy, my gode fader dere, 
 Leve and fpeke of my matere 
 
 3 t 
 
274 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Touchend of love as we begonne, 
 If that there be ought over ronne 
 Or ought foryete or left behinde, 
 Which falleth unto loves kinde, 
 Wherof it nedeth to be ihrive, 
 Now axeth, fo that while I live 
 I might amende that is amis. 
 Confeflbr. My gode dere fone, yis. 
 
 Thy mrifte for to make pie in, 
 There is yet more for to fain 
 Of love, which is unavifed. 
 But for thou malt be well avifed 
 Unto thy mrifte as it belongeth, 
 A point, which upon love hongeth 
 And is the lafte of alle tho, 
 I woll the telle, and thanne ho. 
 
 Explicit liber feptimus. 
 
Incipit Liber O&avus. 
 
 $hie favet ad vicium vet us bee modo rcgula confer t^ 
 Nee novus e contra qui docet ordo placet. 
 
 Ceeus amor dudum nondum fua lu/nina cepit, 
 £hio Venus impofitum devia fallit iter. 
 
 HE mighty god, which un- 
 
 begonne 
 Stant of him felf and hath be- 
 
 gonne 
 
 All other thinges at his will, 
 The heven him lifte to fulfill 
 Of alle joie, where as he 
 Sit enthronized in his fee 
 And hath his aungels him to ferve, 
 Such as him liketh to preferve, 
 So that they mowe nought forfwey, 
 But Lucifer he put awey 
 With al the route apoftazied 
 Of hem that ben to him allied, 
 Which out of heven into helle 
 From aungels into fendes felle, 
 Where that there is no joy of light, 
 But more derk than any night, 
 
 Poftquam ad inftan- 
 ciam amantis confefli 
 confeflbr Genius lu- 
 per hiis, que Arilto- 
 teles regem Alexan- 
 drum edocuit, una 
 cum aliarum croni- 
 carum exemplis leri- 
 ofe traclavit, jam ul- 
 timo in ilto oftavo 
 volumine ad confefli - 
 onem in amoris caufa 
 regrediens trailare 
 proponit fuper hoc, 
 quod nonnulli pri- 
 mordia nature ad li- 
 bitum voluptuofe 
 coniequentes, nullo 
 humane racionis ar- 
 bitrio feu ecclefie le- 
 gum impofitione a 
 fuis excefllbus debite 
 refrenantur, unde 
 quatenus amorem 
 concernit amantis 
 confeienciam pro ri- 
 nali fue confeffionii 
 materia Genius rima- 
 ri conatur. 
 
276 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 The peine fliall ben endelefs. 
 And yet of fires netheles 
 There is plente, but they ben blacke, 
 Wherof no fighte may be take. 
 
 Thus whan the thinges ben befalle, 
 That Luciferes court was falle, 
 Where dedly pride hem hath conveied, 
 Anone forthwith it was purveied 
 Through him, which alle thinges may, 
 He made Adam the fixte day 
 In paradife and to his make 
 Him liketh Eve alio to make 
 And bad hem crefce and multiply. 
 For of the mannes progeny, 
 Which of the woman mall be bore, 
 The nombre of aungels, which was lore, 
 Whan they out fro the bliife felle, 
 He thoughte to reftore and fille 
 In heven thilke holy place, 
 Which ftood tho voide upon his grace. 
 But as it is well wift and knowe, 
 Adam and Eve but a throwe, 
 So as it fhuld of hem betide, 
 In paradife at thilke tide 
 Ne dwelten, and the caufe why 
 Write in the boke of Genefy 
 As who faith alle men have herde, 
 How Raphael the firy fwerde 
 In honde toke and drove hem out 
 To gete her lives food about 
 
LIBER OCTAFUS. 277 
 
 Upon this wofull crthe here. 
 
 Metodre faith to this matere, 
 
 As he by revelacion 
 
 It had upon avifion, 
 
 How that Adam and Eve alio 
 
 Virgines comen bothe two 
 
 Into the world, and were afhamed, 
 
 Till that nature hath hem reclaimed 
 
 To love and taught hem thilke lore, 
 
 That firft they kifte and over more 
 
 They done that is to kinde due, 
 
 Wherof they hadden faire ifiue. 
 
 A fone was the firfte of alle, 
 
 And Chaim by name they him calle. 
 
 Abel was after the fecounde 
 
 And in the gefte as it is founde 
 
 Nature fo the caufe ladde, 
 
 Two doughters eke dame Eve hadde, 
 
 The firfte cleped Calmana 
 
 Was, and that other Delbora. 
 
 Thus was mankinde to beginne, 
 
 Forthy that time it was no finne 
 
 The fuller to take the brother, 
 
 Whan that ther was of chois non other. 
 
 To Chaim was Calmana betake, 
 
 And Delboram hath Abel take, 
 
 In whom was gete netheles 
 
 Of worldes folk the firft. encres. 
 
 Men fain that nede hath no lawe. 
 
 And fo it was by thilke dawe 
 
278 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And lafte unto the feconde age, 
 Till that the grete water rage 
 Of Noe, which was faid the flood, 
 The world, which than in finne (food, 
 Hath dreint, out take lives eight. 
 Tho was mankinde of litel weight. 
 Sem, Cam, Japhet, of thefe thre, 
 That ben the fones of Noe, 
 The worlde of mannes nation 
 Into multiplication 
 Was tho reftored new ayein 
 So ferforth as thefe bokes fain, 
 That of hem thre and her ifTue 
 There was fo large a retenue 
 Of nations feventy and two, 
 In fondry place eche one of tho 
 The wide world have enhabited. 
 But as nature hem hath excited, 
 They token thanne litel hede, 
 The brother of the fufterhede 
 To wedde wives, till it cam 
 Into the time of Abraham, 
 Whan the thridde age was begonne, 
 The nede tho was overonne, 
 For there was people inough in londe. 
 Than ate firft it came to honde, 
 That fufterhede of mariage 
 Was torned into coufinage, 
 So that after the righte line 
 The coufin weddeth the coufine. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 279 
 
 For Abraham er that he deied 
 This charge upon his fervaunt leied 
 To him and in this wife fpake, 
 That he his fone Ifaac 
 Do wedde for no worldes good, 
 But only to his owne blood. 
 Wherof the fervaunt as he badde, 
 Whan he was dede, his fone hath ladde 
 To Bathuel, where he Rebecke 
 Hath wedded with the white necke. 
 For me, he wifte well and figh, 
 Was to the childe coufin nigh. 
 
 And thus as Abraham hath taught, 
 Whan Ifaac was god betaught, 
 His fone Jacob did alfo 
 And of Laban the doughters two, 
 Which was his erne, he toke to wife 
 And gate upon hem in his life, 
 Of her firfte which hight Lie, 
 Six fones of his progenie, 
 And of Rachel two fones eke, 
 The remenaunt was for to feke, 
 That is to fain of foure mo, 
 Wherof he gate on Bala two 
 And of Zelpha he had eke twey. 
 And thefe twelve, as I the fay, 
 Through providence of god him felve 
 Ben faid the patriarkes twelve. 
 Of whom as afterward befel 
 The tribes twelf of Ifrael 
 
2 8o CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Engendred were, and ben the fame, 
 That of Hebrews tho hadden name, 
 Which of fibred in aliaunce 
 For ever kepten thilke u fan nee 
 Moil comunly, till Crift was bore. 
 But afterward it was forbore 
 Among us that ben baptized. 
 For of the lawe canonized 
 The pope hath bode to the men, 
 That none fliall wedden of his kin 
 Ne the feconde ne the thridde. 
 But though that holy chirche it bidde, 
 So to reftreigne mariage, 
 There ben yet upon loves rage 
 Ful many of fuche now a day, 
 That taken where they take may. 
 For love, whiche is unbefein 
 Of alle refon, as men fain, 
 Through fotie and through nicete 
 Of his voluptuofite 
 He fpareth no condicion 
 Of kin ne yet religion, 
 But as a cock among the hennes 
 Or as a ftalon in the fennes, 
 Which goth amonges all the ftood, 
 Right fo can he no more good, 
 But taketh what thing cometh next to honde. 
 Confeflbr. My fone, thou (halt underftonde, 
 That fuch delite is for to blame. 
 Forthy if thou haft be the fame 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 281 
 
 To love in any fuch manere, 
 
 Tell forth therof and (hrive the here. 
 
 My fader, nay, god wot the fothe, An 
 
 My faire is nought in fuch a bothe, 
 So wilde a man yet was I never, 
 That of my kin or leve or lever 
 Me lifte love in fuch a wife. 
 And eke I not for what emprife 
 I fhulde aftbte upon a nonne, 
 For though I had her love wonne, 
 It might into no prife amounte, 
 So therof fet I none accompte. 
 Ye may well axe of this and that, 
 But fothly for to telle plat, 
 In all this world there is but one, 
 The which my herte hath over gone. 
 I am toward all other fre. 
 
 Full well, my fone, now I fe Confeflbr 
 
 Thy word ftant ever upon o place, 
 But yet therof thou haft a grace, 
 That thou the might fo well excufe 
 Of love, fuch as fome men ufe, 
 So as I fpake of now to-fore. 
 For all fuch time of love is lore, 
 And lich unto the bitter fwete, 
 For though it thenke a man fir ft fwete, 
 He fhall well felen ate lafte, 
 That it is foure and may nought lafte. 
 For as a morcel envenimed, 
 So hath fuch love his luft miftimed, 
 
282 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And great enfamples many one 
 A man may finde therupon. 
 Hie loquitur contra At Rome firft if we begin, 
 
 illos, quos Venus lui ,-,-,1 /I 1 T £ J L C ^L - r 
 
 der.derii fervore in- I nere lhal 1 find nowe or this lin 
 SS3U?^£ An emperour was for to blame, 
 quepropriisiororibus Gaius Caligula by name, 
 
 parcant. Et narrat a J 
 
 exempium, quaiiter Which of his owne farters thre 
 
 pro eo, quod Gaius 
 
 Caligula tres forores Berefte the virginite. 
 
 fuas virgines coitu il- . , % ■, 111 r r \ • 
 
 licito opreir.t, deus And whan he had hem lo rorlain 
 
 tanti fceleris pecca- • 1 .1 L • t. 11 • 1 • 
 
 tum non ferens i P - As he, the which was all vilain, 
 tjrJfTTto He did hem out of londe exile. 
 jufHcia „ v , ilKllce P* But afterward within a while 
 
 vavit. Narrat eciam 
 
 aiiud exempium fu- God hath beraft him in his ire 
 
 per eodem, quaiiter . 
 
 Amon fiiius David His life, and eke his large empire. 
 
 fatui amoris concu- A . . ~ ... . r . 
 
 pifcencia preventus, And thus for hkinge or a throwe, 
 
 ibrorem fuam Tha- t-n 1_ • 1 /I «.! „ 
 
 marafuevirginitatis For ever his lull was overthrowe. 
 
 pudiciciainvitamde- Qf this fotV alfo I finde 
 
 floravit, propter quod J 
 
 et ipfe a fratre fuo Amon his fuller ayein kinde, 
 
 Abialon poltea inter- J 
 
 feftus, peccatum fue Which highte Thamar, he forlay, 
 
 mortis precio invitus 111/1 1 
 
 redemit. But he that lutt another day 
 
 Aboughte, whan that Abfolon 
 His owne brother there upon, 
 Of that he had his fuller fhent, 
 Toke of that finne vengement 
 And flough him with his own honde. 
 And thus thunkinde unkinde fonde. 
 Hicnarrat,quaiiter And for to fe more of this thing 
 
 Loth duas Alias , « •• 1 1 1 1 1 1 • 
 
 fuas ipfis contend- The bible maketh a knouleching, 
 
 entibus carnali co- TT n r 1 • 1 ^ ^ 1 *j 
 
 puia cognovit, du- Wherof thou might take evidence 
 E&TtA Upon the foth experience. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 
 
 28 
 
 Whan Lothes wife was overgone 
 
 And fhape unto the falte ftone, 
 
 As it is fpoke unto this day, 
 
 By both his doughters than he lay. 
 
 With childe he made hem bothe great, 
 
 Till that nature hem wolde let 
 
 And fo the caufe about ladde, 
 
 That eche of hem a fone hadde, 
 
 Moab the firft and the fecounde 
 
 Amon, of which, as it is founde, 
 
 Cam afterward to great encres 
 
 Two nations. And netheles 
 
 For that the ftockes were ungood, 
 
 The braunches mighten nought ben good. 
 
 For of the falfe Moabites 
 
 Forth with the ftrength of Amonites, 
 
 Of that they weren firft mifget, 
 
 The people of god was ofte upfet 
 
 In Ifrael and in Judee, 
 
 As in the bible a man may fe. 
 
 Lo thus, my fone, as I the fay, 
 Thou might thy felve be befay 
 Of that thou haft of other herde, 
 For ever yet it hath fo ferde, 
 Of loves luft if fo befalle, 
 That it in other place fille, 
 Than it is of the lawe fette. 
 He, which his love hath fo befette, 
 Mote afterward repent him fore, 
 And every man is others lore. 
 
 Ani'iii pro 
 quorum porl 
 nerai 10 pi 
 
 populum dei in 
 terra (altim. pro* 
 miflioni 
 
 vaminc quVfl lc- 
 
 j>ius inl'ultabat. 
 
 Confeflbr. 
 
 
2S4 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Of that befell in time er this, 
 The prefent time which nowe is 
 May ben enformed, how it flood, 
 And take that him thenketh good 
 And leve that, which is nought fo. 
 But for to loke of time ago, 
 How luft of love excedeth lawe, 
 It oughte for to be withdrawe. 
 For every man it mulde drede 
 And namelich in his fibrede, 
 Which torneth ofte to vengeaunce, 
 Wherof a tale in remembraunce, 
 Which is a long procefs to here, 
 I thenke for to tellen here. 
 
 2. Omnibus ejl communis amor, fed et immoderatos 
 £hii facit excejfus, non reputatur avians. 
 Son tamen unde Venus attraclat corda videre, 
 £hie rationis erunt, non ratione Jinit. 
 
 Hie loquitur adhuc Of a cronique in daies gon, 
 
 contra inceftuofos — ,. , . 1 , ^ r\ 
 
 amantum coitus, et 1 ne which is cJeped ranteon, 
 
 narrat mirabile ex- t 1 /* T J -.I 
 
 emplum de magno In loVeS Caufe J rede thuS > 
 
 rege Antiocho, qui JJ that fa t AntiochuS, 
 
 uxore mortua pro- o ' 
 
 priam fiiiam vioiavit, Of whom that Antioche toke 
 
 et quia hlie matrimo- 
 
 nium penes alios im- His firfte name, as faith the boke, 
 
 pedire voluit, tale ab 
 
 eo exiit ediaum, Was coupled to a noble quene, 
 
 quod fi quis earn in . 1 1 , 1 1 < 1 
 
 uxorem peteret, nifi And had a dougnter hem betwene. 
 
 queSs, q^mipfe But f ucn fortune cam to honde, 
 
 rex propofuerat, ve- That deth w hich no kind may withftonde, 
 
 raciter iolveret, capi- ' J ' 
 
 tali fentencia puni- g ut eve ry life it mote obey, 
 
 retur, fuper quo veni- J J 
 
 ens tandem difcretus This worthy quene toke awey. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 
 
 285 
 
 The king, which made mochcl monc, 
 Tho flood as who faith all him one 
 Withoute wife, but netheles 
 His doughter, which was perelcs 
 Of beaute, dwelt about him ftille. 
 But whan a man hath welth at wille, 
 The flesme is frele and falleth ofte, 
 And that this maide tendre and fofte, 
 Whiche in her faders chambre dwelte, 
 Within a time wift and felte, 
 For liking of concupifcence 
 Without infight of confcience 
 The fader fo with luftes blente, 
 That he caft all his hole entente 
 His owne doughter for to fpille. 
 The king hath leifer at his wille, 
 With ftrengthe and whan he time figh, 
 The yonge maiden he forleie. 
 And (lie was tendre and full of drede, 
 She couthe nought her maidenhede 
 Defende, and thus (he hath forlore 
 The floure, which (lie hath longe bore. 
 It helpeth nought all though me wepe, 
 For they that fhulde her body kepe 
 Of women were abfent as than. 
 And thus this maiden goth to man. 
 The wilde fader thus devoureth 
 His owne flesfh, which none focoureth, 
 And that was caufe of mochel care. 
 But after this unkinde fare 
 
 jllVl I. 
 
 AppoUinui quern. 
 
 <>lii m lnlvil. 
 t.imui liliun I. 
 potoit, fed n x i! 
 
 nun. ipfura pn 
 hoc in mortii odium 
 recollegit, undc Ap- 
 
 ])iillinus ;i ; 
 
 u un plura, 
 
 fiiuul iutiiius intitu- 
 antur, propter amo- 
 ri in pericula partus 
 eft. 
 
286 CONFESS 10 A 'MANTIS. 
 
 Out of the chambre goth the king. 
 
 And flie lay ftill and of this thing 
 
 Within her felf fuch forwe made, 
 
 There was no wight, that might her glade, 
 
 For fere of thilke horrible vice. 
 
 With that came inne the norice, 
 
 Which fro childhode her hadde kepte 
 
 And axeth, if (he hadde Qepte, 
 
 And why her chere was unglad. 
 
 But me, which hath ben overlad 
 
 Of that me mighte nought be wreke, 
 
 For fhame couth unethes fpeke. 
 
 And netheles mercy (he praide 
 
 With weping eye and thus me faide : 
 
 Helas, my fuller, wailoway, 
 
 That ever I figh this ilke day. 
 
 Thing, which my body firft begate 
 
 Into this worlde, only that 
 
 My worldes worfhip hath berefte. 
 
 With that me fwouneth now and efte 
 
 And ever wisfheth after deth, 
 
 So that welnigh her lacketh breth. 
 
 That other, which her wordes herde, 
 In comforting of her anfwerde, 
 To let her faders foul delire, 
 She wide no recoverire, 
 Whan thing is do, there is no bote. 
 So fuffren they that fuffren mote. 
 There was none other, which it wift. 
 Thus hath this king all that him lift 
 
LIBER OCTAFUS. 287 
 
 Of his liking and his plcfauncc, 
 And laft in fuch a continuaunce, 
 And fuch delite he toke there in, 
 Him thoughte that it was no fin. 
 And me durfl him no thing withfay. 
 But fame, which goth every way, 
 To ibndry regnes all aboute 
 The great beaute telleth oute 
 Of fuch a maide of high parage. 
 So that for love of manage 
 The worthy princes come and fende, 
 As they, the which all' honour wende 
 And knew no thing, how that it ftode. 
 
 The fader whan he underftode, 
 That they his doughter thus befought, 
 With all his wit he cafr. and fought, 
 How that he mighte fmde a lette, 
 And fuch a ftatute than he fette 
 And in this wife his lawe taxeth, 
 That what man that his doughter axeth, 
 But if he couthe his queftion 
 AfToile upon fuggeftion 
 Of certein thinges, that befelle, 
 The which he wolde unto him telle, 
 He {hulde in certein lefe his hede. 
 And thus there were many dede, 
 Her hedes ftonding on the gate, 
 Till ate lafte long and late 
 For lacke of anfwere in this wife 
 The remenaunt, that weren wife, 
 
288 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 Efcheueden to make affay. 
 Dc adventu Ap- Till it befell upon a day 
 
 pollini in Antio- - n . , . ri-n- 
 
 chiam, ubi ipfe fi- Appollinus the prince oi 1 ire, 
 ch?inXi£" Which hath to love a great defire, 
 tuiavit. j± s nCj wn i cn in his highe mode, 
 
 Was liking of his hote blode, 
 A yonge, a frefh, a kitty knight, 
 As he lay mufing on a night 
 Of the tidinges, which he herde, 
 He thought aifay how that it ferde. 
 He was with worthy compaignie 
 Arraied and with good navie, 
 To fhip he goth, the winde him driveth, 
 And faileth, till that he arriveth 
 Sauf in the porte of Antioche. 
 He londeth and goth to approche 
 The kinges court and his prefence. 
 
 Of every natural fcience, 
 Whiche any clerke couth him teche, 
 He couth inough and in his fpeche 
 Of wordes he was eloquent. 
 And whan he figh the king prefent, 
 He praieth, he mote his doughter have. 
 The king ayein began to crave 
 And tolde him the condicion, 
 How firft unto his queftion 
 He mote anfwere and faile nought, 
 Or with his heved it fhall be bought. 
 And he him axeth, what it was. 
 Queftio regis An- The ki declareth him the cas 
 
 tiocni : lcelere ve- o 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 
 
 289 
 
 With fterne loke and ftordy chere, 
 To him and faid in this manere : 
 With felony I am upbore, 
 I ete and have it nought forlore 
 My moders flefh, whofe hufbonde 
 My fader for to feche I fonde, 
 Which is the fone eke of my wife, 
 Herof I am inquiiltife. 
 And who that can my tale fave 
 Al quite he fhall my doughter have. 
 Of his anfwere and if he faile, 
 He fhall be dede withoute faile. 
 Forthy my fone, quod the king, 
 Be wel avifed of this thing, 
 Which hath thy life in jeopartie. 
 Appollinus for his partie 
 Whan he that queftion had herde, 
 Unto the king he hath anfwerde 
 And hath reherced one and one 
 The points and faide therupon : 
 
 The queftion, which thou haft fpoke, 
 If thou wolt, that it be unloke, 
 It toucheth all the privete 
 Betwene thin owne child and the 
 And ftant all hole upon you two. 
 The king was wonder fory tho 
 And thought, if that he faid it out, 
 Than were he (harried all about. 
 With llighe wordes and with felle 
 He faith : My fone, I fhall the telle, 
 
 3 u 
 
 hor, matcmararne 
 
 vci< 01, qui 
 trcm mcum, ma- 
 tris mix virum, 
 uxoris nice filium. 
 
 Refponfio Appol- 
 lini. 
 
 Indignacio regis 
 Antiochi iuper re- 
 fponfione Appol- 
 lini. 
 
290 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Though that thou be of litel wit, 
 It is no great merveile as yit, 
 Thin age may it nought fuffife. 
 But loke wel thou nought defpife 
 Thin owne life, for of my grace 
 Of thritty daies full a fpace 
 I graunte the, to ben avifed. 
 De receflb Appoi- And thus with leve and time affifed 
 
 lini ab Antiochia. — ,- . • r i i 
 
 1 his yonge prince forth he wente 
 And underftode wel what it mente. 
 Within his herte as he was lered, 
 That for to make him afered, 
 The kinge his time hath fo delaied, 
 Wherof he drad and was amaied 
 Of trefon that he deie fholde, 
 For he the king his fothe tolde. 
 And fodeinly the nightes tide, 
 That more wolde he nought abide, 
 Al prively his barge he hente 
 And home ayein to Tire he wente. 
 And in his owne wit he faide, 
 For drede if he the king bewraide, 
 He knew fo wel the kinges herte, 
 That deth ne fhulde he nought afterte, 
 The king him wolde fo purfue. 
 But he that wolde his deth efcheue 
 And knewe all this to-fore the honde, 
 Forfake he thought his owne londe, 
 That there wolde he nought abide. 
 For wel he knew that on fome fide 
 
LIBER OCTAFUS. 29. 
 
 This tiraunt of his felonie 
 
 By fome manere of trecherie 
 
 To greve his body woll nought leve. 
 
 Forthy vvithouten taking leve DefiigaAppollini 
 
 As privelich as ever he might f£ " 
 
 He goth him to the fee by night, 
 Her fhippes that ben with whete laden, 
 Her takil redy tho they maden 
 And haleth fail and forth they fare. 
 But for to telle of the care, 
 That they of Tire began tho, 
 Whan that they wift he was ago, 
 It is a pite for to here. 
 They loften luft, they loften chere, 
 They toke upon hem fuch penaunce, 
 There was no fong, there was no daunce, 
 But every merthe and melody 
 To hem was than a malady, 
 For unluft of that aventure 
 There was no man which toke tonfure. 
 In dolfull clothes they hem clothe. 
 The bathes and the flewes bothe 
 They lhetten in by every wey. 
 There was no life which lifte pley 
 Ne take of any joie kepe, 
 But for her lege lord to wepe, 
 And every wight faid as he couth : 
 Helas, the lufty floure of youth, 
 Our prince, our heved, our governour, 
 Through whom we ftonden in honour, 
 
292 CONFESSIO ^MANTIS. 
 
 Withoute the comune affent, 
 That fodeinly is fro us went. 
 Such was the clamour of hem alle. 
 
 Nota, quaiiter But fe we now what is befalle 
 
 Thaliartus miles, T T i r n i i • 
 
 at Appoiiinum Upon the nrlte tale pleine 
 
 veneno intoxica- * i . .1 
 
 ret, ab Antiocho And torne we therto ayeine. 
 !pfo T S? t £» mi »™ Antiochus the grete fire, 
 invento Am.ochi- Which full of rancour and of ire 
 
 am rednt. 
 
 His herte bereth fo as ye herde, 
 
 Of that this prince of Tire anfwerde, 
 
 He had a felow bacheler, 
 
 Which was his prive counfeiler 
 
 And Taliart by name he hight. 
 
 The king a ftrong poifon him dight 
 
 Within a buift and gold therto, 
 
 In alle hafte and bad him go 
 
 Straught unto Tire and for no coft 
 
 Ne fpare, till he hadde loft 
 
 The prince, which he wolde fpill. 
 
 And whan the king hath faid his will, 
 
 This Taliart in a galey 
 
 With all the hafte he toke his wey. 
 
 The wind was good, they faileth blive, 
 
 Till he toke lond upon the rive 
 
 Of Tire and forth with all anone 
 
 Into the burgh he gan to gone 
 
 And toke his inne and bode a throwe. 
 
 But for he wolde nought be knowe, 
 
 Defguifed than he goth him out. 
 
 He figh the weping all about 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 293 
 
 And axeth, what the caufe was. 
 And they him tolde all the cas, 
 How fodeinly the prince is go. 
 And whan he figh, that it was Co 
 And that his labour was in veine, 
 Anone he torneth home ayeine, 
 And to the king whan he cam nigh, 
 He tolde of that he herde and figh, 
 How that the prince of Tire is fled. 
 So was he come ayein unfped. 
 The king was fory for a while, 
 But whan he figh, that with no wile 
 He might acheve his cruelte, 
 He flint his wrath, and let him be. 
 
 But over this now for to telle Quaiiter Appoiii- 
 
 Of adventures that befelle foappEcuit abUn 
 
 Unto this prince, of which I tolde, SgftSSS 
 
 He hath his righte cours forth holde sirangui.oms hof- 
 
 O pitatus elt. 
 
 By Hone and nedel, till he cam 
 
 To Tharfe, and ther his londe he nam. 
 
 A bourgeis riche of golde and fee 
 
 Was thilke time in that citee, 
 
 Which cleped was Strangulio, 
 
 His wife was Dionife alfo. 
 
 This yonge prince, as faith the boke, 
 
 With him his herbergage toke. 
 
 And it befell that citee fo 
 
 Before time and than alfo, 
 
 Through flronge famin, whiche hem lad, 
 
 Was none, that any whete had. 
 
294 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Appollinus, whan that he herde 
 The mifchefe, how the citee ferde, 
 All frelich of his owne yifte 
 His whete among hem for to fhifte, 
 The which by fhip he hadde brought, 
 He yave and toke of hem right nought. 
 But fithen firft this world began, 
 Was never yet to fuch a man 
 More joie made, than they him made. 
 For they were all of him fo glade, 
 That they for ever in remembraunce 
 Made a figure in refemblaunce 
 Of him and in a comun place 
 They fet it up, fo that his face 
 Might every maner man beholde, 
 So as the citee was beholde, 
 It was of laton over gilt. 
 Thus hath he nought his yifte fpilt. 
 Quaiiter Heiiica- Upon a time with a route 
 
 nus civis Tyri - . , , -, . 1 i • 
 
 Tharfim veniens T. his lord to pleie goth him oute 
 
 Appollinumdein- . , . t. c ht' t. 
 
 Antiochi And in his way or Tire he mette 
 
 A man, which on his knees him grette, 
 And Hellican by name he hight, 
 Which praide his lord to have infight 
 Upon him felf and faid him thus, 
 How that the great Antiochus 
 Awaiteth, if he might him fpille. 
 That other thought and helde him ftille 
 And thonked him of his warning 
 And bad him telle no tiding, 
 
 f.di 
 
 premunivit 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 295 
 
 Whan he to Tire cam home ayeine, 
 That he in Tharfe him hadde feine. 
 
 Fortune hath ever be muahle 
 And may no while ftonde liable. 
 For now it higheth, now it loweth, 
 Now ftant upright, now overthroweth, 
 Now full of blifs and now of bale, 
 As in the telling of my tale 
 Here afterward a man may lere, 
 Which is great routhe for to here. 
 
 This lord, which wolde done his beft, 
 Within him felf hath litel reft 
 And thought he wolde his place chaunge 
 And feke a contre more ftraunge. 
 Of Tharliens his leve anone 
 He toke and is to mippe gone. 
 His cours he nam with faile updrawe, 
 Where as fortune doth the lawe 
 And fheweth, as I mall reherce, 
 How me was to this lord diverfe, 
 The which upon the fee flie ferketh. 
 The winde aros, the wether derketh, 
 It blew and made fuch tempeft, 
 None anker may the fhip areft, 
 Which hath to-broken all his gere. 
 The fhipmen flood in fuch a fere, 
 Was none that might him felf beftere, 
 But ever awaite upon the lere, 
 Whan that they fholden drenche at ones. 
 There was inough within the wones 
 
 Quiliter Appolli- 
 .tum J bar- 
 f^ relinquen . 
 ipfe pi 1 man 
 gio fecui 
 quefivit, fui 
 niente ti mpi it ite 
 - una omnibui 
 pretei ipfum folum 
 in eadem conti ntii 
 juxia Pentapoliin 
 p< 1 Iclitabatur. 
 
296 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Of weping and of forwe tho. 
 The yonge king maketh mochel wo 
 So for to fe the (hip travaile. 
 But all that might him nought availe. 
 The man: to-brake, the fail to-rofe, 
 The fhip upon the wawes drofe, 
 Till that they fe the londes cofte. 
 Tho made a vow the lefte and mofte, 
 Be fo they mighten come a londe. 
 But he, which hath the fe on honde, 
 Neptunus wolde nought accorde, 
 But all to-brake cable and corde, 
 Er they to londe mighte approche. 
 The (hip to-clef upon a roche 
 And all goth down into the depe. 
 But he, that alle thing may kepe, 
 Unto this lord was merciable 
 And brought him fauf upon a table, 
 Which to the londe him hath upbore, 
 The remenaunt was all forlore. 
 Herof he made mochel mone. 
 Quaiiter AppoiH- Thus was this yonge lorde alone 
 
 nus nudus fuper ... 1 1 • v 
 
 litus jaaabatur, All naked in a pouer plite. 
 
 "or iJnlmTuo cS- His colour, which was whilom white, 
 
 it° m pf„upolim WaS tha " ° f Water fade alld P ale > 
 
 direxit. And eke he was fo fore a cale, 
 
 That he will of him felf no bote, 
 It helpe him no thing for to mote 
 To gete ayein that he hath lore. 
 But me, which hath his deth forbore, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 297 
 
 Fortune, though me woll nought yclpc, 
 
 All fodeinly hath fent him helpe, 
 
 Whan him thought alle grace awey. 
 
 There came a fisfher in the wey 
 
 And figh a man there naked ftonde. 
 
 And whan that he hath underftonde 
 
 The caufe, he hath of him great routh 
 
 And onlich of his pouer trouth 
 
 Of fuche clothes as he hadde 
 
 With great pite this lord he cladde. 
 
 And he him thonketh as he molde 
 
 And faith him, that it mall be yolde, 
 
 If ever he gete his ftate ayein, 
 
 And praieth, that he wolde him fain, 
 
 If nigh were any town for him. 
 
 He faide : Ye, Pentopolim, 
 
 Where bothe king and quene dwellen. 
 
 Whan he this tale herde tellen, 
 
 He gladdeth him and gan befeche, 
 
 That he the wey him wolde teche. 
 
 And he him taught. And forth he went 
 
 And praide god with good entent 
 
 To fende him joy after his forwe. 
 
 It was nought panned yet midmorwe, 
 
 Than thiderward his wey he nam, Quaiiter A PP oiii- 
 
 ti/i r .1 1 no Pentapolim ad- 
 
 Where lone upon the none he cam. venienteiudusgig* 
 
 He ete fuch as he might gete, jSj^JS 
 
 And forth anone whan he had ete, tus eft - 
 
 He goth to fe the town about, 
 And cam there as he found a rout 
 
298 CONFESS 10 AM ANT IS. 
 
 Of yonge lufty men withal). 
 And as it fhulde tho befall, 
 That day was fet of fuch affife, 
 That they fhulde in the londes gife 
 As he herde of the people fay 
 Her comun game thanne pley. 
 And cried was, that they fhuld come 
 Unto the game all and fome 
 Of hem that ben deliver and wight 
 To do fuch maiftry as they might. 
 They made hem naked as they fholde, 
 For fo that ilke game wolde, 
 And it was tho cuftume and ufe, 
 Amonges hem was no refufe. 
 The floure of all the town was there 
 And of the court alfo there were, 
 And that was in a large place 
 Right even before the kinges face, 
 Whiche Arteftrates thanne hight. 
 The pley was pleied right in his fight. 
 And who moil worthy was of dede 
 Receive he fhulde a certain mede 
 And in the citee bere a price. 
 Appollinus, which ware and wife 
 Of every game couth an ende, 
 He thought affay, how fo it wende. 
 Quaiiter Appoiii- And fell among hem into game, 
 
 nusludumgignafii . . - , . . r . 
 
 vincens in aula And there he wanne him lucn a name, 
 iicmorifke cejtu^ So as the king him felf accompteth, 
 That he all other men furmounteth 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 299 
 
 And bare the prife above hem alle. 
 The king bad, that into his halle 
 At fouper time he mall be brought. 
 And he cam than and lefte it nought 
 Withoute compaigny alone. 
 Was none fo femelich of perfone, 
 Of vifage and of limmes bothe, 
 If that he hadde what to clothe. 
 At fouper time netheles 
 The king amiddes all the pres 
 Let clepe him up amonge hem alle 
 And bad his mareihall of his halle 
 To fetten him in fuch degre, 
 That he upon him mighte fe. 
 The king was fone fette and ferved, 
 And he, which had his prife deferved 
 After the kinges owne worde, 
 Was made begin a middel borde, 
 That bothe king and quene him figh. 
 He fette and caft about his eye, 
 And figh the lordes in eftate 
 And with him felf wax in debate 
 Thenkend what he hadde lore, 
 And fuch a forwe he toke therfore, 
 That he fat ever ftill and thought, 
 As he, which of no mete rought. 
 
 The king behelde his hevineife Quaiiter Appoiii- 
 
 . 1 r 1 • -i rr nus in cena recum- 
 
 And or his grete gentileile bens nichii come- 
 
 H, 1 1-1 r • 1 1 dit, fed doloroib 
 
 is doughter, which was raire and good vu ltu,fubmaroca- 
 
 And ate bord before him flood, P ite,n,«in,einge- 
 
300 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 mefcebat, qui tan- As it was thilke time ufage, 
 
 dem a filia regis tt l J ^ 1 • /r 
 
 confortatus citha- He bad to go on his meflage 
 raiSbu""-: And founde for to make him glad, 
 tharizando ultra And (lie did as her fader bad 
 
 modum compla- 
 
 cuit. And goth to him the fofte pas 
 
 And axeth whenne and what he was, 
 And praith he (hulde his thoughtes leve. 
 
 He faith : Madame, by your leve. 
 My name is hote Appollinus, 
 And of my richerTe it is thus, 
 Upon the fee I have it lore. 
 The contre, where as I was bore, 
 Where that my lond is and my rente, 
 I lefte at Tire, whan that I wente, 
 The worfliip there, of which I ought, 
 TTnto the god I there betought. 
 And thus to-gider as they two fpeke, 
 The teres ran down by his cheke. 
 The king, which therof toke good kepe, 
 Had great pite to fe him wepe 
 And for his doughter fend ayein 
 And praid her faire and gan to fain, 
 That (he no lenger wolde drecche, 
 But that (lie wolde anone forth fecche 
 Her harpe and done all that (lie can 
 To gladde with that fory man. 
 And flie to done her faders heft 
 Her harpe fet and in the fefte 
 Upon a chare, which they fette, 
 Her felf next to this man (he fette. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 301 
 
 With harpe both and eke with mouthc 
 To him fhe did, all that fhe couthe 
 To make him chere, and ever he fiketh, 
 And fhe him axeth, how him liketh. 
 
 Madame, certes well, he faide, 
 But if ye the mefure plaide, 
 Which, if you lift, I fhall you lere, 
 It were a glad thing for to here. 
 Ha, leve fire, tho quod fhe, 
 Now take the harpe and let me fe, 
 Of what mefure that ye mene. 
 
 Tho praith the king, tho praith the quene, 
 Forth with the lordes all arewe, 
 That he fome merthe wolde fhewe. 
 He taketh the harpe and in his wife 
 He tempreth and of fuche afhfe 
 Singend he harpeth forth with all, 
 That as a vois celeftiall 
 Hem thought it founed in her ere, 
 As though that he an aungel were. 
 They gladen of his melody, 
 But moft of all the company 
 The kinges doughter, which it herde, 
 And thought eke of that he anfwerde, 
 Whan that it was of her appofed, 
 Within her hert hath well fuppofed, 
 That he is of great gentilefie. 
 His dedes ben therof witneffe 
 Forth with the wifdome of his lore, 
 It nedeth nought to feche more. 
 
302 C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 He might nought have fuch manere, 
 Of gentil blood but if he were. 
 Whan he hath harped all his fill 
 The kinges hefte to fulfill, 
 Away goth dim, away goth cup, 
 Down goth the bord, the cloth was up, 
 They rifen and gone out of halle. 
 Quaiiter Appoiii- The king his chamberlein let calle 
 
 nus cum reare pro a i i i i i i 11 
 
 fiiia fua emdienda And bad, that he by alle wey 
 
 A chambre for this man purvey, 
 Which nigh his owne chambre be. 
 It mall be do, my lord, quod he. 
 Appollinus, of whom I mene, 
 Tho toke his leve of king and quene 
 And of the worthy maide alfo, 
 Which praid unto her fader tho, 
 That fhe might of the yonge man 
 Of tho fciences, which he can, 
 His lore have. And in this wife 
 The king her graunteth his apprife, 
 So that him felf therto affent. 
 Thus was accorded er they went, 
 That he with all that ever he may 
 This yonge faire frefhe may 
 Of that he couthe fliulde enforme. 
 And ful afTented in this forme 
 They token leve as for that night. 
 
 Quaiiter fiiia regis And whan it was on morwe right, 
 
 Appollinum orna- TT . . r _-,. 
 
 to apparam veftiri Unto this yonge man of Tire 
 eiiTdoafinanl^n Of clothes, and of good attire 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 303 
 
 With gold and filver to defpende , ,„■,„, phiribu fa- 
 
 This worthy yonge lady fende. 
 
 And thus (he made him well at efe, '.,'•" . ; """ 1 ; '," 
 
 > /\|i)K>limi exardel- 
 
 And he with all that he can plefe ceM tofirmabatur. 
 
 Her ferveth well and faire ay cine. 
 
 He taught her, till (lie was certeine 
 
 Of harpe, citole and of riote 
 
 With many a tune and many a note, 
 
 Upon mufique, upon mefure, 
 
 And of her harpe the temprure 
 
 He taught her eke, as he well couth. 
 
 But as men fain, that frele is youth 
 
 With leifer and continuaunce, 
 
 This maide fell upon a chaunce, 
 
 That love hath made him a quarele 
 
 Ayeine her youthe freili and frele, 
 
 That malgre where me wold or nought, 
 
 She mot with all her hertes thought 
 
 To love and to his lawe obey. 
 
 And that me (hall full fore obey, 
 
 For fhe wot never what it is. 
 
 But ever among (lie feleth this, 
 
 Thenkend upon this man of Tire, 
 
 Her herte is hote as any fire, 
 
 And otherwife it is a cale. 
 
 Now is me red, now is (lie pale 
 
 Right after the condition 
 
 Of her ymagination. 
 
 But ever among her thoughtes alle, 
 
 She thoughte, what (o may befalle, 
 
3 o 4 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Or that flie laugh, or that (he wepe, 
 She wolde her gode name kepe 
 For fere of womanisme fTiame. 
 But what in erneft, what in game 
 She ftant for love in fuch a plite, 
 That me hath loft all appetite 
 Of mete and drinke, of nightes reft, 
 As fhe that not what is the beft. 
 But for to thenken all her fille 
 She helde her ofte times ftille 
 Within her chambre, and goth nought out. 
 The king was of her life in doubt, 
 Which wifte nothing what it ment. 
 Quaiiter tres fiin But fell a time, as he out went 
 
 principum filiam _ 
 
 regis ungiiiatim in lo walke, or princes iones tnre 
 
 uxorem iuis fuppli- mi i r 11 i • i 
 
 cacionibuspoftuia- 1 here came and felle to his knee, 
 And eche of hem in fondry wife 
 Befought and profreth his fervice, 
 So that he might his doughter have. 
 The king, which wold her honour fave, 
 Saith, fhe is fike, and of that fpeche 
 Tho was no time to befeche, 
 But eche of hem to make a bille 
 He bad and write his owne wille, 
 His name, his fader and his good. 
 And whan fhe wift, how that it flood, 
 And had her billes overfein, 
 They fhulden have anfwere ayein. 
 Of this counfeil they weren glad 
 And writen, as the king hem bad, 
 
 runt. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 305 
 
 And every man his owne boke 
 Into the kinges hond betoke. 
 And he it to his doughter fende 
 And praide her for to make an ende 
 And write ayein her owne honde, 
 Right as fhe in her herte fonde. 
 
 The billes weren well received, Quality fiiia rc g i» 
 
 n /i 1 1 n 1 1 , omnibus aliis rc- 
 
 But (he hath all her loves weived nais Apjx.iiinum 
 
 And thoughte tho was time and fpace g";™' 
 
 To put her in her faders grace 
 And wrote ayein and thus me faide : 
 The fhame, which is in a maide, 
 With fpeche dare nought be unloke, 
 But in writing it may be fpoke. 
 So write I to you, fader, thus, 
 But if I have Appollinus, 
 Of all this world what fo betide, 
 I woll non other man abide. 
 And certes if I of him faile, 
 I wot right well withoute faile, 
 Ye fhull for me be doughterles. 
 This letter came, and there was pres 
 To-fore the king, there as he flode. 
 And whan that he it underftode, 
 He yave hem anfwere by and by. 
 But that was done fo prively, 
 That none of others counfeil wifte. 
 They toke her leve, and where hem lifte, 
 They wente forth upon her wey. 
 
 (-r<i 1 . , , 11 Qualiter rex et re- 
 
 Ine king ne wolde nought bewrey gtnainmarit*ghim 
 
 3 X 
 
306 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 fiiie fue cum Ap- The counfeil for no maner high, 
 
 pollino confencie- _, r „. . ... . . . 
 
 runt. But iurrreth till he time figh. 
 
 And whan that he to chambre is come, 
 He hath unto his counfeil nome 
 This man of Tire and lete him fe 
 The letter, and all the privete, 
 The which his doughter to him fente. 
 And he his kne to grounde bente 
 And thonketh him and her alfo. 
 And er they wenten than a two 
 With good herte and with good corage 
 Of full love and full mariage 
 The kinge and he ben hole accorded. 
 And after, whan it was recorded 
 Unto the doughter, how it flood, 
 The yifte of all this worldes good 
 Ne fhuld have made her half fo blithe. 
 And forth with all the kinge als fwithe, 
 For he woll have her good affent, 
 Hath for the quene her moder fent. 
 The quene is come, and whan fhe herde 
 Of this matere how that it ferde, 
 She figh debate, fhe figh difefe, 
 But if me wolde her doughter plefe, 
 And is therto affented ful, 
 Whiche is a dede wonderful. 
 For no man knew the fothe cas, 
 But he him felf, what man he was. 
 And netheles fo as hem thought 
 His dedes to the fothe wrought, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 307 
 
 That he was come of gentil blood, 
 Him lacketh nought but worldes good. 
 And as therof is no defpeire, 
 For me mall be her faders heire, 
 And he was able to governe, 
 Thus woll they nought the love werne 
 Of him and her in no wife, 
 But all accorded they devife 
 The day and time of mariage, 
 Where love is lorde of the corage. 
 Him thenketh longe, er that he fpede, 
 But ate lafte unto the dede 
 
 The time is come, and in her wife Quaiiter A PP oiii- 
 
 With great offrend and facrifice n!'\. t priSTiUJE 
 
 They wedde and make a riche feft, ^ m ea Z^gZ 
 
 And every thing was right honeft Vlt ' 
 
 Withinne hous, and eke without. 
 It was fo done, that all about 
 Of great wormip and great nobleffe 
 There cried many a man largeffe 
 Unto the lordes high and loude. 
 The knightes, that ben yonge and proude, 
 They jefle firft and after daunce. 
 The day is go, the nightes chaunce 
 Hath derked all the brighte fonne. 
 This lord, which hath his love wonne, 
 Is go to bedde with his wife, 
 Where as they lede a lufty life, 
 And that was after fomdele fene, 
 For as they pleiden hem betwene, 
 
3 o8 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 They gete a child betwene hem two, 
 To whom fell after mochel wo. 
 Quaiiter ambaffia- Now have I tolde of the fpoufailes. 
 
 tores a Tyro in n r r . r , .« 
 
 quadam navi Pen- £>ut for to lpeke 01 the merveiles, 
 ££ rlgfr Which afterward to hem befelle, 
 tiochi Appoiiino j t j s a won d er f or t0 telle. 
 
 nunciaverunt. 
 
 It fell a day they riden out 
 The kinge and quene and all the rout 
 To pleien hem upon the ftronde, 
 Where as they feen toward the londe 
 A fhip failend of great array. 
 To knowe what it mene may, 
 Till it be come they abide. 
 Than fe they ftonde on every fide 
 Endlong the fhippes bord to fhewe 
 Of penouncels a riche rewe. 
 They axen, whenne the fhip is come. 
 Fro Tire, anone anfwerde fome. 
 And over this they faiden more, 
 The caufe why they comen fore 
 Was for to feche and for to finde 
 Appollinus, which is of kinde 
 Her lege lord. And he appereth 
 And of the tale whiche he hereth 
 He was right glad, for they him tolde, 
 That for vengeaunce, as god it wolde, 
 Antiochus as men may wite 
 With thunder and lightning is forfmite. 
 His doughter hath the fame chaunce. 
 So be they both in o balaunce. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 
 
 Forthy, our lege lord, we fay 
 In name of all the lond and pray. 
 That left all other thing to done, 
 It like you to come fone 
 And fe your owne lege men 
 With other, that ben of your ken, 
 That live in longing and defire, 
 Till ye be come ayein to Tire. 
 This tale after the king it had 
 Pentapolim all overfprad. 
 There was no joie for to feche, 
 For every man it had in fpeche 
 And faiden all of one accorde : 
 A worthy king mall ben our lorde, 
 That thought us firfl an hevinefle, 
 Is fhape us now to great gladneffe. 
 Thus goth the tiding over all. 
 
 But nede he mot, that nede (hall. 
 Appollinus his leve toke, 
 To god and all the lond betoke 
 With all the people longe and brode, 
 That he no lenger there abode. 
 
 The king and quene forwe made, 
 But yet fomdele they weren glade 
 Of fuch thing, as they herden tho. 
 And thus betwene the wele and wo 
 To fhip he goth, his wife with childe, 
 The which was ever meke and milde 
 And wolde nought departe him fro, 
 Such love was betwene hem two. 
 
 3°9 
 
 QualiterAppollino 
 cum uxore ilia im- 
 pregnata a Penta- 
 poli verfus Tyrura 
 navigantibus con- 
 tigit uxorem, mor- 
 tis articulo anguf- 
 tiatam, in navi fi- 
 liam, que poltea 
 Thailis vocabatur, 
 parere. 
 
3 io C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 Lichorida for her office 
 Was take, which was a norice, 
 To wende with this yonge wife, 
 To whom was fhape a wofull life. 
 Within a time, as it betid, 
 Whan they were in the fee amid, 
 Out of the north they figh a cloude, 
 The ftorme aros, the windes loude 
 They blewen many a dredefull blaft, 
 The welken was all overcaft. 
 The derke night the fonne hath under, 
 There was a great tempeft of thunder. 
 The mone and eke the fterres bothe 
 In blacke cloudes they hem clothe, 
 Wherof her brighte loke they hide. 
 This yonge lady wept and cride, 
 To whom no comfort might availe, 
 Of childe me began travaile, 
 Where fhe lay in a caban clofe. 
 Her wofull lord fro her arofe, 
 And that was long er any morwe, 
 So that in anguifli and in forwe 
 She was delivered all by night 
 And deiede in every mannes fight. 
 Quaiiter Appoiii- But netheles for all this wo 
 
 nus mortem uxoris . . , • ... . . 
 
 fuepianxit. A maide child was bore tho. 
 
 Appollinus whan he this knewe, 
 For forwe a fwoune he overthrew©, 
 That no man wifl: in him no life. 
 And whan he woke, he faide : Ha, wife, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 3 , 1 
 
 My joy, my luft and my defire, 
 
 My welth and my recoverire, 
 
 Why mail I live, and thou malt deie ? 
 
 Ha, thou fortune, I the defie, 
 
 Now haft thou do to me thy werft. 
 
 Ha, herte, why ne wolt thou berft, 
 
 That forth with her I mighte paffe ? 
 
 My paines were well the laffe. 
 
 In fuch weping and fuche crie 
 
 His dede wife, which lay him by, 
 
 A thoufand fithes he her kifte, 
 
 Was never man, that figh ne wifte 
 
 A forwe to his forwe liche, 
 
 Was ever among upon the liche. 
 
 He fell fwounende as he, that thought 
 
 His owne deth, which he befought 
 
 Unto the goddes all above 
 
 With many a pitous word of love. 
 
 But fuche wordes as tho were, 
 
 Yet herde never mannes ere, 
 
 But only thilke, which he faide. 
 
 The maifter mipman came and praide 
 
 With other fuch, as ben therinne, 
 
 And fain, that he may nothing winne 
 
 Ayein the deth, but they him rede, 
 
 He be well ware and take hede, 
 
 The fee by wey of his nature 
 
 Receive may no creature 
 
 Within him felf as for to holde, 
 
 The which is dede. Forthy they wolde, 
 
312 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 As they counfeilen all about, 
 
 The dede body caften out. 
 
 For better it is, they faiden all, 
 
 That it of here fo befall, 
 
 Than if they fhulden alle fpille. 
 Quaiiter fuadenti- The king, which underftode her will 
 uxori/fue Se And knew her counfeil that was trewe, 
 
 plumbo et ferro Be g an aVein hlS forWe 0eWe 
 
 obtufaque circum- Wit h p i tous ne rt and thus to fay : 
 
 ligata Appolhnus r J 
 
 cum magno the- j t [ s a \\ re fon that ye pray. 
 
 fauro una cum J i J 
 
 quadam littera fub I am, quod he, but one alone, 
 
 eius capite fcripta it* \ r r 
 
 reciudi et in mare bo wolde I nought for my perione, 
 There felle fuch adverfite. 
 But whan it may no better be, 
 Doth thanne thus upon my worde, 
 Let make a coffre ftronge of borde, 
 That it be firm with led and piche. 
 Anone was made a coffre fuche 
 All redy brought unto his honde. 
 And whan he fighe and redy fonde 
 This coffre made and well englued, 
 The dede body was befewed 
 In cloth of gold and laid therinne. 
 And for he wolde unto her winne 
 Upon fome cofte a fepulture, 
 Under her heved in adventure 
 Of gold he laide fommes great 
 And of juels a ftrong beyete 
 
 „ . ,. M . Forth with a letter, and faid thus : 
 
 Copia littere Ap- 
 
 poiiini capiti uxo- j king of Tire, Appollinus 
 
 ris fue fupponte. ° ■ l 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 
 
 3*3 
 
 Doth alle maner men for to wite, 
 That here and fe this letter write, 
 That helpeles withoute rede 
 Here lith a kinges doughter dede, 
 And who that hapneth her to finde 
 For charite take in his minde 
 And do fo, that me be begrave 
 With this trefor, which he mal have. 
 
 Thus whan the letter was full fpoke, 
 They have anone the coffre ftoke 
 And bounden it with iron fafte, 
 That it may with the wawes lafte, 
 And ftoppen it by fuch a wey, 
 That it mall be withinne drey, 
 So that no water might it greve. 
 And thus in hope and good beleve, 
 Of that the corps mall well arrive, 
 They cafr. it over borde as blive. 
 
 The fhip forth on the wawes went. 
 The prince hath chaunged his entent 
 And faith, he woll nought come at Tire 
 As thanne, but all his defire 
 Is iirft to failen unto Tharfe. 
 The windy ftorm began to fcarfe, 
 The fonne arift, the weder clereth, 
 The fhipman, which behinde ftereth, 
 Whan that he figh the windes faught, 
 Towardes Tharfe his cours he draught. 
 
 But now to my matere ayein, 
 To telle as olde bokes fain, 
 
 Qualiter Appolli- 
 nus, uxoris luecor- 
 pore in mare pro- 
 jeclo, Tyrum ic- 
 linquens curium 
 
 fuum VLii'us Thar* 
 
 fim navigio dolens 
 arripuit. 
 
 Qualiter corpus 
 predifte defunfte 
 fuper litus apud 
 
3 H CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Ephefim quidam This dede corps, of whiche ye knowe, 
 Cerimon cunTX With winde and water was forth throwe, 
 
 SMtSft Now here > now there > d11 ate kft 
 hofpicium luum At Ephefim the fee upcaft 
 
 portans et extra r r 
 
 ciftam ponens, f P i- The coffre and all that was therinne. 
 
 raculo vite in ea , . 
 
 adhuc invento, i P - Of great merveile now beginne 
 
 fam plene lanitati .. , . , . r in-n 
 
 reftituit. May here, who that iitteth lull. 
 
 That god woll fave may nought fpill. 
 Right as the corps was throwe a londe, 
 There cam walkend upon the ftronde 
 A worthy clerke and furgien 
 And eke a great phificien, 
 Of all that lond the wifeft one, 
 Which highte maifter Cerimon. 
 There were of his difciples fome. 
 This maifter is to the coffre come, 
 He peifeth there was fomwhat in 
 And bad hem bere it to his inne, 
 And goth him felve forth with all. 
 All that mall falle, falle (hall. 
 
 They comen home and tarie nought. 
 This coffre into his chambre is brought, 
 Which that they finde fafte ftoke, 
 But they with craft it have unloke. 
 They loken in, where as they founde, 
 A body dede, which was iwounde 
 In cloth of gold, as I faid ere. 
 The trefor eke they founden there 
 Forth with the letter, which they rede. 
 And tho they token better hede. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 315 
 
 Unfowed was the body fone. 
 
 As he that knewe, what was to done, 
 
 This noble clerk with alle hafte 
 
 Began the veines for to tafte, 
 
 And figh her age was of youthe. 
 
 And with the craftes, which he couthe, 
 
 He fought and found a figne of life. 
 
 With that this worthy kinges wife 
 
 Honeftely they token out 
 
 And maden fires all about. 
 
 They laid her on a couche fofte, 
 
 And with a fhete warmed ofte 
 
 Her colde brefl began to hete, 
 
 Her herte alfo to flacke and bete, 
 
 This maifter hath her every jointe 
 
 With certain oil and balfme anointe, 
 
 And put a liquour in her mouthe, 
 
 Which is to fewe clerkes couthe, 
 
 So that fhe covereth ate lafte. 
 
 And firft her eyen up me cafte, 
 
 And whan fhe more of ftrengthe caught, 
 
 Her armes bothe forth fhe flraught, 
 
 Held up her hond and pitoufly 
 
 She fpake and faide : Where am I ? 
 
 Where is my lord, what world is this ? 
 
 As fhe, that wot nought how it is. 
 
 But Cerimon that worthy leche 
 
 Anfwerde anone upon her fpeche 
 
 And faid : Madame, ye ben here, 
 
 Where ye be fauf, as ye fhall here 
 
316 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Here afterward, forthy as now 
 My counfeil is, comforteth you. 
 For trifteth wel withoute faile, 
 There is no thing, which fhall you faile, 
 That ought of refon to be do. 
 Thus paiTen they a day or two. 
 They fpeke of nought as for an ende, 
 Till fhe began fomdele amende, 
 And win: her felven, what (he mente. 
 Quaiiter uxor Ap- Tho for to knowe her hole entente 
 
 pollini fanata do- 
 
 mumreiigionispe- This maifter axeth all the cas, 
 bmin" ' a mun^ta How (he cam there, and what fhe was. 
 P l a, fe vovi';. tem " How I came here, wote I nought, 
 Quod (lie, but wel I am bethought 
 Of other thinges all about 
 Fro point to point, and tolde him out 
 Als ferforthly as me it wifte. 
 And he her tolde, how in a kifte 
 The fee her threwe upon the londe, 
 And what trefor with her he fonde, 
 Which was all redy at her will, 
 As he, that mope him to fulfill 
 With al his might, what thing he fhuld. 
 She thonketh him, that he fo wolde, 
 And all her herte (he difclofeth 
 And faith him well that fhe fuppofeth, 
 Her lord be dreint, her childe alfo. 
 So (igh fhe nought but alle wo. 
 Wherof as to the world no more 
 Ne woll fhe torne and praieth therfore, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 317 
 
 That in fome temple of the citce 
 
 To kepe and holde her chaftete 
 
 She might among the women dwellc. 
 
 Whan he this tale herde telle, 
 
 He was right glad and made her knowcn, 
 
 That he a doughter of his owen 
 
 Hath, which he woll unto her yive 
 
 To ferve, while they bothe live 
 
 In flede of that, which me hath lofte, 
 
 All only at his owne cofte, 
 
 She mall be rendred forth with her. 
 
 She faith : Graunt mercy, leve fir, 
 
 God quite it you, there I ne may. 
 
 And thus they drive forth the day, 
 
 Till time cam, that fhe was hole. 
 
 And tho they take her counfeil hole 
 
 To fhape upon good ordenaunce 
 
 And made a worthy purveaunce 
 
 Ayein the day, whan they be veiled. 
 
 And thus whan that they were counfeiled, 
 
 In blacke clothes they hem cloth 
 
 This lady and the doughter both 
 
 And yolde hem to religion. 
 
 The fefle and the profeffion 
 
 After the reule of that degre 
 
 Was made with great folempnite, 
 
 Where as Diane is fanctified. 
 
 Thus ftant this lady juftified, 
 
 In ordre where fhe thenketh to dwelle. 
 
 Qualiter Appolli- 
 
 But now ayeinward for to telle, nus Thufim navi- 
 
3 i8 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 gans, fiiiam foam In what plite that her lord flood inne. 
 
 Thaifim Strangu- T t /- *i i -11 i i 
 
 lioni et Dionlfie He laileth, till that he may winne 
 S? ££S The haven of Tharfe, as I faide ere. 
 vit « deinde Ty- ^nd w han he was arrived there, 
 
 rum aunt, ubi cum * 
 
 ineftimabiii gaudio Tho it was through the cite knowe, 
 
 a fuis receptus eft. . • 1 • 
 
 Men mighte fe within a throwe 
 
 As who faith all the towne at ones. 
 
 They come ayein him for the nones 
 
 To yiven him the reverence, 
 
 So glad they were of his prefence. 
 
 And though he were in his corage 
 
 Difefed, yet with glad vifage 
 
 He made hem chere and to his inne, 
 
 Where he whilom fojourned in, 
 
 He goth him ftraught and was received. 
 
 And whan the prefs of people is weived, 
 
 He taketh his hoft unto him tho 
 
 And faith : My frend Strangulio, 
 
 Lo thus, and thus it is befalle. 
 
 And thou thy felf art one of alle 
 
 Forth with thy wife, which I moll trifl, 
 
 Forthy if it you bothe lift, 
 
 My doughter Thaife by your leve 
 
 I thenke fhall with you beleve 
 
 As for a time, and thus I pray, 
 
 That fhe be kept by alle way, 
 
 And whan (he hath of age more, 
 
 That (lie be fet to bokes lore. 
 
 And this avow to god I make, 
 
 That I fhall never for her fake 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 319 
 
 My berde for no liking fhave, 
 Till it befalle, that I have 
 In covenable time of age 
 Befette her unto mariage. 
 
 Thus they accorde, and all is well. 
 And for to reften him fomdele, 
 As for a while he ther fojorneth, 
 And than he taketh his leve and torneth 
 To fhip and goth him home to Tire, 
 Where every man with great defire 
 Awaiteth upon his coming. 
 But whan the fhip cam in failing 
 And they perceiven it is he, 
 Was never yet in no citee 
 Such joie made, as they tho made. 
 His hert alfo began to glade 
 Of that he feeth his people glad. 
 Lo, thus fortune his hap hath lad, 
 In fondry wife he was travailed. 
 But how fo ever he be affailed, 
 His latter ende mall be good. 
 
 And for to fpeke how that it ftood Qgaliter JThaifU 
 
 r una cum Philoten- 
 
 Of Thaife his doughter, wher me dwelleth, na stnngulioniset 
 
 t1 . f . 11 1 Dionifie filia oro- 
 
 In Thane as the cronique telletn, nis fciende ei bo- 
 She was well kept, fhe was well loked, JJ buta ^ fe j # 
 She was wel taught, fhe was wel boked, 2£%3£?S; 
 So well fhe fped her in her youth, ""iZTlt^. 
 That fhe of every wifdom couth, <"<* «coiiea> eft. 
 That for to feche in every londe 
 So wife an other no man fonde 
 
3 2o CONFESS 10 AM AN? IS. 
 
 Ne fo well taught at mannes eye. 
 
 But wo worth ever falfe envy. 
 
 For it befell that time fo, 
 
 A doughter hath Strangulio, 
 
 The which was cleped Philotenne. 
 
 But fame, which woll ever renne, 
 
 Came all day to her moders ere 
 
 And faith, wher ever her doughter were 
 
 With Thaife fet in any place, 
 
 The commun vois, the commun grace 
 
 Was all upon that other maide, 
 
 And of her doughter no man faide. 
 
 Who was wroth but Dionife than ? 
 
 Her thought a thoufand yere till whan 
 
 She might be of Thaife wreke, 
 
 Of that (he herde folk fo fpeke. 
 
 And fell that ilke fame tide, 
 
 That dede was trewe Lichoride, 
 
 Whiche had be fervaunt to Thaife, 
 
 So that me was the wors at efe. 
 
 For me hath thanne no fervife 
 
 But onely through this Dionife, 
 
 Which was her dedlich enemy. 
 
 Through pure trefon and envy 
 
 She, that of alle forwe can, 
 
 Tho fpake unto her bondeman, 
 
 Which cleped was Theophilus, 
 
 And made him fwere in counfeil thus, 
 
 That he fuch time as fhe him fet 
 
 Shall come Thaife for to fet 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 
 
 32 1 
 
 And lede her out of alle fight, 
 Where that no man her helpe might, 
 Upon the ftronde nigh the fee, 
 And there he fhall this maiden flee. 
 This cherles hert is in a traunce, 
 As he, which drad him of vengeauncc, 
 Whan time comth an other day. 
 But yet durft he nought faie nay, 
 But fwore and faid he fhall fulfill 
 Her heftes at her owne will. 
 
 The trefon and the time is fhape, 
 So fell it that this cherles knape 
 Hath lad this maiden where he wold 
 Upon the ftronde, and what fhe (lioldc, 
 She was adrad, and he out braide 
 A rufty fwerde and to her faide : 
 Thou fhalt be dede. Alas, quod fhe, 
 Why fhall I fo ? Lo thus, quod he, 
 My lady Dionife hath bede, 
 Thou fhalt be murdred in this ftede. 
 This maiden tho for fere fhrighte 
 And for the love of god allmighte 
 She praith, that for a litel ftounde 
 She mighte knele upon the grounde 
 Toward the heven for to crave, 
 Her wofull foule if fhe may fave. 
 And with this noife and with this cry, 
 Out of a barge fafte by, 
 Which hid was there on fcomer-fare, 
 Men fterten out and weren ware 
 
 Qu:iliter Dionifia 
 Tnaifira ut 00 ideret 
 Theophilo Icrvo fuo 
 tradidit, qui cum 
 noclanter longitu ah 
 urbe ipfara propc 
 litus maris interncere 
 propofueraf, pirate 
 ibidem latitantea 
 Thaiiim de manu 
 camificis eripuerunt 
 ipfamque ufque ci- 
 vitatem Mitelenara 
 ducentes, cuiilam Lc- 
 onino fcortorum ibi- 
 dem magiftro vendi- 
 derunt 
 
322 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 Of this felon, and he to go, 
 
 And me began to crie tho : 
 
 Ha, mercy, help for goddes fake. 
 
 Into the barge they her take, 
 
 As theves fliulde, and forth they went. 
 
 Upon the fee the wind hem hent 
 
 And malgre where they wolde or none 
 
 To- fore the weder forth they gone, 
 
 There halp no fail, there halp none ore, 
 
 Forftormed and forblowen fore 
 
 In great peril fo forth they drive, 
 
 Till ate lafte they arrive 
 
 At Mitelene the citee. 
 
 In haven fauf and whan they be, 
 
 The maifter fliipman made him boune 
 
 And goth him out into the towne 
 
 And profreth Thaife for to felle. 
 
 One Leonin it herde telle, 
 
 Which maifter of the bordel was, 
 
 And bad him gon a redy pas 
 
 To fecchen her, and forth he went 
 
 And Thaife out of his barge he hent 
 
 And to the bordeler her folde. 
 
 And he, that by her body wolde 
 
 Take avauntage, let do cry, 
 
 That what man wolde his lechery 
 
 Attempt upon her maidenhede 
 
 Lay down the gold, and he fhuld fpede. 
 
 And thus whan he hath cried it out, 
 
 In fight of all the people about 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 323 
 
 He ladde her to the bordel tho, Qualitei Uoninw 
 
 No wonder is though me be wo SStSftB 
 
 Clos in a chambre by her felf. l ei .«J 
 
 Eche after other ten or twelf Um ,1,lllui 
 
 potuit. 
 
 Of yonge men in to her went. 
 But fuche a grace god her fent, 
 That for the forwe, which (he made, 
 Was none of hem, which power had 
 To done her any vilainy. 
 
 This Leonin let ever afpy 
 And waiteth after great beyete, 
 But all for nought, me was forlete, 
 That no man wolde there come. 
 Whan he therof hath hede nome 
 And knew, that fhe was yet a maide, 
 Unto his owne man he faide, 
 That he with ftrength ayein her leve 
 Tho Amide her maidenhede bereve. 
 This man goth in, but fo it ferde, 
 Whan he her wofull pleintes herde 
 And he therof hath take kepe, 
 Him lifte better for to wepe 
 Than don ought elles to the game. 
 And thus fhe kepte her felf fro fhame 
 And kneled down to therthe and praide 
 Unto this man and thus fhe faide : 
 
 If fo be, that thy maifter wolde, 
 That I his gold encrefe fholde, 
 It may nought falle by this wey, 
 But fuffre me to go my wey 
 
324 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 Out of this hous, where I am in, 
 And I fhall make him for to win 
 In fome place elles of the town, 
 Be fo it be of religion, 
 Where that honefte women dwelle. 
 And thus thou might thy maifter telle, 
 That whan I have a chambre there, 
 Let him do cry ay wide where, 
 What lord, that hath his doughter dere 
 And is in will, that me fhall lere 
 Of fuch a fcole that is trewe, 
 I mail her teche of thinges newe, 
 Whiche as none other woman can 
 In all this londe. And tho this man 
 Her tale hath herde, he goth ayein 
 And tolde unto his maifter plein, 
 That me hath faide. And therupon, 
 Whan that he figh beyete none 
 At the bordel becaufe of hire, 
 He bad his man to gon and fpire 
 A place, where me might abide, 
 That he may winne upon fome fide, 
 By that fhe can. But ate left 
 Thus was fhe fauf of this tempeft. 
 Quaiiter Thaifis a He hath her fro the bordel take, 
 
 lupanari virgo li- t» i i r i i r i 
 
 berata, inter lacras But that was nought for goddes lake, 
 "m'habens^S: But for the lucre, as flie him tolde. 
 cias, qu ibusedo6ta N CO men tho, that comen wolde, 
 
 tint, nobiles regni ■ ' 
 
 pueihs ibidem of women in her lufty youth 
 
 edocebat. J * 
 
 To here and fe, what thing fhe couth. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 
 
 3 2 5 
 
 She can the wifdome of a clerke, 
 She can of any lufty werke, 
 Which to a gentil woman longeth. 
 And fome of hem me underfongeth 
 To the citole and to the harpe, 
 And whom it liketh for to carpe 
 Proverbes and demaundes High, 
 An other fuch they never figh, 
 Which that fcience fo well taught, 
 Wherof fhe grete yiftes caught, 
 That me to Leonin hath wonne. 
 And thus her name is fo begonne 
 Of fondry thinges, that me techeth, 
 That all the londe to her fecheth 
 Of yonge women for to lere. 
 
 Now lette we this maiden here 
 And fpeke of Dionife ayeine 
 And of Theophile the vilaine, 
 Of which I fpake of now to-fore, 
 Whan Thaife mulde have be forlore. 
 This falfe cherle to his lady, 
 Whan he cam home all prively, 
 He faith : Madame, flain I have 
 This maide Thaife, and is begrave 
 In prive place, as ye me bede. 
 Forthy, madame, taketh hede 
 And kepe counfeil, how fo it ftonde. 
 This fend, which hath this underflonde, 
 Was glad and weneth it be foth. 
 Now herke, hereafter how me doth. 
 
 Qualiter Theonhi- 
 lus ad Dionifiam 
 mane rediens affir- 
 mavit fe Thailim 
 occidiflc, fuperquo 
 Dionifia una cum 
 Strangulione mari- 
 to i'uo dolorem in 
 publico confingen- 
 tes, cxequias et le- 
 pulturam honori- 
 fice quantum ad 
 extra lubdola con- 
 jeftacione fieri con- 
 ftituerunt. 
 
326 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 She wepeth, fhe forweth, fhe compleigneth 
 And of flkeneffe, which (he feigneth, 
 She iaith, that Thaife fodeinly 
 By night is dede, as (he and I 
 To-gider lien nigh my lorde. 
 She was a woman of recorde, 
 And all is leved, that fhe faith. 
 And for to yive a more feith, 
 Her hufbonde and eke fhe both 
 In blacke clothes they hem cloth, 
 And make a great enterrement. 
 And for the people fhall be blent 
 Of Thaife as for the remembraunce, 
 After the real olde ufaunce 
 A tumbe of laton noble and riche 
 With an ymage unto her liche 
 Liggend above therupon 
 They made and fet it up anon. 
 Her epitaphe of good affife 
 Was write about, and in this wife 
 It fpake : O ye, that this beholde, 
 Lo, here lieth fhe, the which was holde 
 The faireft and the floure of alle, 
 Whofe name Thaifis men calle. 
 The king of Tire Appollinus 
 Her fader was, now lieth fhe thus. 
 Fourtene yere fhe was of age, 
 Whan deth her toke to his viage. 
 Quaiiter Appoiii- Thus was this falfe trefoil hid, 
 apud Tyrum exif- Which afterward was wide kid, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 32; 
 
 As by the tale a man mall here. mcntuoi 
 
 But to declare my matere f,Lri tonllituit - 
 
 To Tire I thenke torne ayein 
 
 And telle, as the croniques fain. 
 
 Whan that the king was comen home 
 
 And hath left in the falte fome 
 
 His wife, which he may nought foryete, 
 
 For he fome comfort wolde gete, 
 
 He let fommone a parlement, 
 
 To which the lordes were aiTent, 
 
 And of the time he hath ben out, 
 
 He feeth the thinges all about. 
 
 And tolde hem eke, how he hath fare, 
 
 While he was out of londe fare, 
 
 And praide hem alle to abide, 
 
 For he wolde at the fame tide 
 
 Do fhape for his wives minde, 
 
 As he, that woll nought ben unkinde. 
 
 Solempne was that ilke office, 
 
 And riche was the facrifice, 
 
 The fefte really was holde. 
 
 And therto was he well beholde. 
 
 For fuche a wife as he had one, 
 
 In thilke daies was there none. 
 
 Whan this was done, than he him thought Quaker Appoin- 
 
 tt i-i 1 1 1 r 1 nuspoftparliamcn- 
 
 Upon his doughter, and belought turn Tharfim pro 
 
 n 1 ri_* 1 j 1 11 Thaife filia fua 
 
 OUCil 01 hlS lordes, as he WOlde, querendaadiit.qua 
 
 That they with him to Tharfe fholde abimknaJigiore! 
 
 To fet his doughter Thaife there, cefllt - 
 
 And they anone all redy were. 
 
328 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 To fliip they gone, and forth they went, 
 Till they the haven of Tharie hent. 
 They londe and faile of that they feche 
 By coverture and Height of fpeche. 
 This falfe man Strangulio 
 And Dionife his wife alfo, 
 That he the better trowe might, 
 They ladden him to have a fight, 
 Where that her tombe was arraied, 
 The laiTe yet he was mifpaied. 
 And netheles fo as he durit, 
 He curfeth and faith all the worfl 
 Unto fortune, as to the blinde, 
 Which can no fiker weie finde, 
 For (he him neweth ever amonge 
 And medleth forwe with his fonge. 
 But fithe it may no better be, 
 He thonketh god and forth goth he 
 Sailende toward Tire ayeine. 
 But fodeinly the winde and reine 
 Began upon the fee debate, 
 So that he fufFre mote algate 
 QuaiitemavisAp- The lawe, which Neptune ordeineth, 
 £ta MrtSTwfS Wherof full oft time he pleigneth 
 
 qiotlla Neptuni And held hIm wel the m °re efmaied 
 telebrareconfueve- Of that he hath to-fore aiTaied. 
 
 runt,applicuit, led 
 
 ipfe pre doiore So that for pure forwe and care, 
 
 Tliaif.s filie f ue, J; ' 
 
 quam mortuam re- Of that he feeth this world fo fare, 
 
 putabat, in fundo rp,. n i 1 1 r i • i 
 
 navis obfcuro ja- 1 he relte he levetn or his caban, 
 
 cens lumen videre t<i r a r m r 
 
 no i u i t . 1 hat for the counleil or no man 
 
LIBER OCTAFUS. 
 
 3 2 9 
 
 Ayein therin he nolde come, 
 But hath beneth his place nome, 
 Where he wepend allone lay, 
 There as he figh no light of day. 
 
 And thus to-fore the wind they drive 
 Till longe and late they arrive 
 With great diftrefTe, as it was fene, 
 Upon this town of Mitelene, 
 Which was a noble cite tho. 
 And happneth thilke time fo, 
 The lordes both and the commune 
 The highe feftes of Neptune 
 Upon the ftrond at the rivage, 
 As it was cuftume and ufage, 
 Solempneliche they befigh. 
 
 Whan they this ftraunge vefTel figh 
 Come in and hath his faile avaled, 
 The town therof hath fpoke and taled. 
 The lord, which of that cite was, 
 Whofe name is Athenagoras, 
 Was there and faid, he wolde fe, 
 What fhip it is, and who they be, 
 That ben therin. And after fone, 
 Whan that he figh it was to done, 
 His barge was for him arraied, 
 And he goth forth and hath affaied. 
 He found the fhip of great array. 
 But what thing it amounte may, 
 He figh they maden hevy chere, 
 But well him thenketh by the manere, 
 
 Qualiter Athena- 
 goras urbis Mite- 
 lene princeps na- 
 vim Appollmi in- 
 veftigans, ipfum lie 
 contriftatum ni- 
 chilque refponden- 
 tem conlblari fa- 
 tagebat. 
 
330 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 That they be worthy men of blood, 
 And axeth of hem, how it flood, 
 And they him tellen all the cas, 
 How that her lord fordrive was, 
 And what a forwe that he made, 
 Of which there may no man him glade. 
 He praieth that he her lord may fe. 
 But they him tolde it may nought be, 
 For he lith in fo derke a place, 
 That there may no wight fen his face. 
 But for all that though hem be loth, 
 He found the ladder and down he goth 
 And to him fpake, but none anfwer 
 Ayein of him ne might he bere, 
 For ought that he can do or fain. 
 And thus he goth him up ayein. 
 Quaiiter precepto Tho was there fpoke in many wife 
 pZJS "onibia- Amonges hem, that weren wife, 
 
 retur, Thaifis cum Nqw ^ nQW t ^ at bu( . ate j a fl. 
 
 cithera iua ad ip- ■ » 
 
 fum in obfcuro na- The wifdom of the town thus caft, 
 
 vis, ubi jacebat, , 
 
 produaaeft. That yonge Thaife were afient. 
 For if there be amendement 
 To gladde with this wofull king, 
 She can fo moch of every thing, 
 That me fhall gladen him anone. 
 
 A meffager for her is gone. 
 And fhe came with her harp on honde 
 And faide hem, that flie wolde fonde 
 By alle weies, that fhe can, 
 To gladde with this fory man. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 331 
 
 But what he was, fhe wifte nought. 
 But all the fhip her hath befought, 
 That fhe her wit on him defpende, 
 In aunter if he might amende, 
 And fain : It mall be well aquite. 
 Whan fhe hath underflonden it, 
 She goth her down, there as he lay, 
 Where that fhe harpeth many a lay 
 And lich an aungel fang with alle. 
 But he no more than the walle 
 Toke hede of any thing he herde. 
 And whan fhe figh, that he fo ferde, 
 She falleth with him unto wordes 
 And telleth him of fondry bordes 
 And axeth him demaundes ftraunge, 
 Wherof fhe made his herte chaunge, 
 And to her fpeche his ere he laide 
 And hath merveile, of that fhe faide. 
 For in proverbe and in probleme 
 She fpake and bad, he fhulde deme 
 In many a fubtil queflion. 
 But he for no fuggeftion, 
 Which toward him fhe couthe ftere, 
 He wolde nought o word anfwere, 
 But as a mad man ate lafte, 
 His heved weping awey he cafte 
 And half in wrath he bad her go. 
 But yet me wolde nought do fo, 
 And in the derke forth fhe goth, 
 Till fhe him toucheth and he wroth 
 
332 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And after here with his honde 
 He fmote. And thus whan fhe him fonde 
 Difefed, courteifly (he faide : 
 Avoy my lorde, I am a maide. 
 And if ye wifte what I am, 
 And out of what lignage I cam, 
 Ye wolde nought be fo falvage. 
 With that he fobreth his corage 
 Quaiiter.ficutdeus And put awey his hevy chere. 
 
 demnavit patri, fi- „ - . , 
 
 Ham inventam re- out or hem two a man may lere, 
 
 cognovit. what ^ tQ be fo fibbe of b j ood> 
 
 None wift of other how it flood, 
 
 And yet the fader ate laft 
 
 His herte upon this maide call:, 
 
 That he her loveth kindely. 
 
 And yet he wifte never why, 
 
 But all was knowe er that they went. 
 
 For god, which wote her hole entent, 
 
 Her hertes both anone defclofeth. 
 
 This king unto this maide oppofeth 
 
 And axeth firft, what is her name, 
 
 And where fhe lerned all this game, 
 
 And of what ken that fhe was come. 
 
 And fhe, that hath his wordes nome, 
 
 Anfwereth and faith : My name is Thaife, 
 
 That was fometime well at efe. 
 
 In Tharfe I was forthdrawe and fedde, 
 
 There lerned I, till I was fpedde 
 
 Of that I can. My fader eke 
 
 I not, where that I fhulde him feke, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 
 
 333 
 
 He was a king, men tolde me. 
 
 My moder dreint was in the fee. 
 
 Fro point to point all me him tolde, 
 
 That flie hath longe in herte holde, 
 
 And never durfte make her mone, 
 
 But only to this lord allone, 
 
 To whom her herte can nought hele, 
 
 Torne it to wo, torne it to wele, 
 
 Torne it to good, torne it to harme. 
 
 And he tho toke her in his arme. 
 
 But fuch a joy as he tho made 
 
 Was never fene, thus be they glade, 
 
 That fory hadden be to-forne. 
 
 Fro this day forth fortune hath fworne 
 
 To fet him upward on the whele. 
 
 So goth the world, now wo, now wele. 
 
 This king hath founde newe grace, 
 So that out of his derke place 
 He goth him up into the light. 
 And with him cam that fwete wight 
 His doughter Thaife, and forth anone 
 They bothe into the caban gone, 
 Which was ordeined for the kinge. 
 And there he did of all his thinge 
 And was arraied really, 
 And out he cam all openly, 
 Where Athenagoras he fonde, 
 The which was lorde of all the londe. 
 He praieth the king to come and fe 
 His caftell bothe and his citee. 
 
 Qualiti/r Athena- 
 goras Appollinum 
 ile navi in hofpici- 
 um honorifice re- 
 collegit et Thai- 
 Inn, patrc conlen- 
 ciente, in uxorem 
 duxit. 
 
334 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 And thus they gone forth all in fere, 
 This king, this lord, this maiden dere. 
 This lord tho made hem riche fefte 
 With every thing, which was honefte, 
 To plefe with this worthy kinge. 
 Ther lacketh hem no maner thinge. 
 But yet for al his noble array 
 Wifeles he was unto that day, 
 As he, that yet was of yonge age. 
 So fell there into his corage 
 The lufty wo, the gladde peine 
 Of love, which no man reftreigne 
 Yet never might as now to-fore. 
 This lord thenketh all his world forlore, 
 But if the king woll done him grace. 
 He waiteth time, he waiteth place, 
 Him thought his herte woll to-breke, 
 Till he may to this maide fpeke 
 And to her fader eke alfo 
 For mariage. And it fell fo, 
 That all was do, right as he thought, 
 His purpos to an ende he brought, 
 She wedded him as for her lorde, 
 Thus be they alle of one accorde. 
 Quaiiter Appoiii- Whan al was do right as they wolde, 
 
 nus una cum filia r—,. . . i • /• 11 
 
 et eius marito na- 1 lie Kinge UlltO HIS lone tOlde 
 vim iuorredientes a r\C nr\ r ..l-'il 
 
 Mitekna ufque Of Tharie thilke tretene, 
 ™~'I" n c " rfl ™ And faid, how in his compaignie 
 
 propoiuerunt, led ' JT o 
 
 Appoiiinus in His douehter and him felven eke 
 
 iompnisadmonitus ° 
 
 verius Ephedra, ut Shall go vengeaunce for to feke. 
 
tit. 
 
 LIBER OCTslVUS. 335 
 
 The fhippes were redy fone. ibidem templo n,- 
 
 And whan they figh it was to done 
 
 Withoute let of any went, 
 
 With faile up drawe forth they wentc 
 
 Towardes Tharfe upon the tide. 
 
 But he, that wot, what fliall betide, 
 
 The highe god, which wolde him kepe, 
 
 Whan that this king was fafte a flepe, 
 
 By nightes time he hath him bede 
 
 To faile unto another ftede. 
 
 To Ephefim he bad him drawe, 
 
 And as it was that time lawe, 
 
 He fliall do there his facrifice. 
 
 And eke he bad in alle wife, 
 
 That in the temple amonges alle 
 
 His fortune, as it is befalle, 
 
 Touchend his doughter and his wife 
 
 He fhall beknowe upon his life. 
 
 The king of this avifion 
 
 Hath great ymaginacion, 
 
 What thinge it fignifie may. 
 
 And netheles whan it was day, 
 
 He bad caft anker and abode. 
 
 And while that he on anker rode, 
 
 The wind, which was to-fore ftraunge, 
 
 Upon the point began to chaunge 
 
 And torneth thider, as it fliulde. 
 
 Tho knewe he well, that god it wolde, 
 
 And bad the maifter make him yare, 
 
 To-fore the wind for he wold fare 
 
336 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 To Ephefim, and fo he dede. 
 And whan he came into the ftede, 
 Where as he fhulde londe, he londeth, 
 With all the hafte he may and fondeth 
 To fhapen him in fuche a wife, 
 That he may by the morwe arife 
 And done after the maundement 
 Of him, which hath him thider fent. 
 And in the wife, that he thought, 
 Upon the morwe fo he wrought. 
 His doughter and his fone he nome 
 And forth unto the temple he come 
 With a great route in compaigny 
 His yiftes for to facrify. 
 The citezeins tho herden fay 
 Of fuch a king, that came to pray 
 Unto Diane the goddefTe 
 And lefte all other befineife, 
 They comen thider for to fe 
 The king and the folempnite. 
 Quaiiter AppoiH- With worthy knightes environed 
 Zj3E*£ The king him felf hath abandoned 
 fica " t V or T. fu " Into the temple in good entente. 
 
 am ibidem velatam r o 
 
 invenit, qua fecum The d ore [ s U p f an d [ n he Wente, 
 
 aflumpta in navim # r 
 
 verfus Tyrum re- Where as with great devocion 
 Of holy contemplacion 
 Within his herte he made his fhrifte. 
 And after that a riche yifte 
 He ofFreth with great reverence, 
 And there in open audience 
 
 greflus eft. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 337 
 
 Of hem, that ftoden all about, 
 He tolde hem and dcclareth out 
 His hap, fuch as him is befalle. 
 There was no thing foryete of alle. 
 His wife, as it was goddes grace, 
 Which was profeffed in the place, 
 As me, that was abbeffe there, 
 Unto his tale hath laid her ere, 
 She knew the vois and the vifage, 
 For pure joy as in a rage 
 She {fraught unto him all at ones 
 And fell a fwoune upon the ftones, 
 Wherof the temple flore was paved. 
 She was anone with water laved, 
 Till me came to her felf ayein. 
 And thanne (lie began to fain : 
 Ha, blefled be the highe fonde, 
 That I may fe min huubonde, 
 Which whilom he and I were one. 
 The king with that knewe her anone 
 And toke her in his arme and kift, 
 And all the town thus fone it wift. 
 Tho was there joie manyfold, 
 For every man this tale hath told 
 As for miracle, and were glade. 
 But never man fuch joie made 
 As doth the king, which hath his wife. 
 And whan men herde, how that her life 
 Was faved and by whom it was, 
 They wondren all of fuche a cas. 
 3 z 
 
338 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 Through all the londe arofe the fpeche 
 Of maifter Cerimon the leche 
 And of the cure, which he dede. 
 The king him felf tho hath him bede 
 And eke this quene forth with him, 
 That he the town of Ephefim 
 Woll leve and go where as they be, 
 For never man of his degre 
 Hath do to hem fo mochel good. 
 And he his profite understood 
 And graunteth with hem for to wende. 
 And thus they maden there an ende, 
 And token leve and gone to (hip 
 With all the hole felafhip. 
 Quaiiter AppoiH- This king, which now hath his defire, 
 
 nus una cum uxore <-< • 1 i 11 1 11 »■ , n->- 
 
 et fiiia fua Tyrum oaith, he woll holde his cours to Tire. 
 
 applicuit. They hadden wind at wi]le tho 
 
 With topfail-cole, and forth they go. 
 And ftriken never, till they come 
 To Tire, wher as they haven nome, 
 And londen hem with mochel bliffe. 
 There was many a mouth to kirTe, 
 Eche one welcometh other home. 
 But whan the quene to londe come 
 And Thaife her doughter by her fide, 
 The joie which was thilke tide 
 There may no mannes tunge telle. 
 They faiden all : Here cometh the welle 
 Of alle womanisme grace. 
 The king hath take his real place, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 
 
 The quene is into chambre go. 
 There was great fefte arraied tho. 
 Whan time was they gone to mete, 
 All olde forwes ben foryete, 
 And gladen hem with joies newe. 
 The defcoloured pale hewe 
 Is now become a ruddy cheke, 
 There was no merthe for to feke. 
 
 But every man hath what he wolde, 
 The king as he well couthe and fholde 
 Maketh to his people right good cherc. 
 And after fone, as thou (halt here, 
 A parlement he hath fommoned, 
 Where he his doughter hath coroned 
 Forth with the lorde of Mitelene, 
 That one is king, that other quene. 
 And thus the faders ordenaunce 
 This londe hath fet in governaunce, 
 And faide, that he wolde wende 
 To Tharfe for to make an ende 
 Of that his doughter was betraied, 
 Wherof were alle men well paied. 
 And faid, how it was for to done. 
 
 The fhippes weren redy fone. 
 A ftrong power with him he toke, 
 Up to the fky he caft his loke 
 And figh the wind was covenable. 
 They hale up anker with the cable, 
 They fail on high the ftere on honde, 
 They failen, till they come a londe 
 
 339 
 
 Qualiter Appolli- 
 
 iius At Inn I 
 
 cum Thaift uxore 
 
 fua fuper Tjrnnn 
 
 coronari fecit. 
 
 Qualiter Appolli- 
 nus a Tj 
 mare verl'us Thar- 
 Gm iter arripiens 
 vindi&am contra 
 Strangulionem et 
 Dionifiam uxorem 
 fuam pro injuria, 
 quam ipfi Thaifi 
 filic fue intulerunt, 
 judicialiter aflecu- 
 tus elt. 
 
34-o CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 At Tharfe nigh to the citee. 
 And whan they wiften it was he, 
 The town hath done him reverence. 
 He telleth hem the violence, 
 Which the tretour Strangulio 
 And Dionife him hadde do 
 Touchende his doughter, as ye herde. 
 And whan they wifte, how it ferde, 
 As he, which pees and love fought, 
 Unto the town this he befought 
 To done him right in jugement. 
 Anone they were both affent 
 With ftrengthe of men, and comen fone, 
 And as hem thought it was to done, 
 Atteint they were by the lawe 
 And demed for to honge and drawe 
 And brent and with the wind to-blowe, 
 That all the world it mighte knowe. 
 And upon this condicion 
 The dome in execucion 
 Was put anone withoute faile. 
 And every man hath great merveile, 
 Whiche herde tellen of this chaunce, 
 And thonketh goddes purveaunce, 
 Which doth mercy forth with juftice. 
 Slain is the mordrer and mordrice 
 Through verray trouth of rightwifneffe, 
 And through mercy fauf is fimpleffe 
 Of here, whom mercy preferveth. 
 Thus hath he wel, that wel deferveth. 
 
LIBER OCTyIVUS. 
 
 341 
 
 Whan all this thing is done and ended, 
 This king, which loved was and frended, 
 A letter hath, which came to him 
 By fliippe fro Pentapolim, 
 In which the lond hath to him write, 
 That he wolde underftonde and wite, 
 How in good minde and in good pees 
 Dede is the kinge Arteftrates, 
 Wherof they all of one accorde 
 Him praiden, as her lege lorde, 
 That he the letter wol conceive 
 And come, his regne to receive, 
 Which god hath yove him and fortune. 
 And thus befoughte the commune 
 Forth with the grete lordes alle. 
 This king figh how it was befalle. 
 Fro Tharfe and in profperite 
 He toke his leve of that citee 
 And goth him into fhip ayein. 
 The wind was good, the fe was plein, 
 Hem nedeth nought a rirT to flake, 
 Till they Pentapolim have take. 
 The lond, which herde of that tiding, 
 Was wonder glad of his coming. 
 He refteth him a day or two 
 And toke his counfeil to him tho 
 And fet a time of parlement, 
 Where all the londe of one aflent 
 Forth with his wife have him coroned, 
 Where alle good him was foifoned. 
 
 QgaliterArteftrttc 
 P< Dtapolin 
 mortuo, in 
 
 • 
 l> i hoi Appollino 
 direxerunt, undc 
 Appollinua mi 1 
 cum uxorc ilia ibi- 
 dem adrenu 
 
 I (DIM 
 
 10 co- 
 ronati (unt. 
 
342 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Lo, what it is to be well grounded. 
 For he hath firft his love founded 
 Honeftelich as for to wedde, 
 Honeftelich his love he fpedde 
 And hadde children with his wife, 
 And as him lift he lad his life. 
 And in enfaumple his life was write, 
 That alle lovers mighten wite, 
 How ate laft it fhal be fene 
 Of love what they wolden mene. 
 For fe now on that other fide 
 Antiochus with all his pride, 
 Which fet his love unkindely, 
 His ende he hadde fodeinly 
 Set ayein kinde upon vengeaunce, 
 And for his luft hath his penaunce. 
 Confeflbradaman- Lo thus, my fone, might thou lere, 
 What is to love in good manere, 
 And what to love in other wife. 
 The mede arifeth of the fervice, 
 Fortune though fhe be nought ftable, 
 Yet at fomtime is favourable 
 To hem, that ben of love trewe. 
 But certes it is for to rewe 
 To fe love ayein kinde falle, 
 For that maketh fore a man to falle, 
 As thou might of to-fore rede. 
 Forthy my fone, I wolde rede 
 To let all other love awey, 
 But if it be through fuch a wey 
 
 tern. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 343 
 
 As love and refon wold accorde. 
 For elles if that thou defcorde 
 And take luft as doth a befte, 
 Thy love may nought ben honefte. 
 For by no fkille that I finde, 
 Such lufte is nought of loves kinde. 
 
 My fader, how fo that it flonde, Confcffio *m»mk 
 
 Your tale is herde and underftonde, &2£ 
 
 As thing, which worthy is to here 11^"'"" imi,c " 
 
 Of great enfample and grete matere, 
 Wherof, my fader, god you quite. 
 But in this point my felf aquite 
 I may right wel, that never yit 
 I was affoted in my wit, 
 But onely in that worthy place, 
 Where alle luft and alle grace 
 Is fet, if that daunger ne were, 
 But that is all my mofte fere. 
 I not what ye fortune accompte, 
 But what thing daunger may amounte 
 I wot wel, for I have affaied. 
 For whan min hert is beft arraied 
 And I have all my wit through fought 
 Of love to befeche her ought, 
 For all that ever I fkille may 
 I am concluded with a nay, 
 That o fillable hath over throwe 
 A thoufand wordes on a rowe 
 Of fuche as I beft fpeke can, 
 Thus am I but a lewde man. 
 
344 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 But fader, for ye ben a clerke 
 Of love and this matere is derke 
 And I can ever lenger the lafle, 
 But yet I may nought let it pafle, 
 Your hole counfeil I befeche, 
 That ye me by fome weie teche, 
 What is my beft, as for an ende. 
 Confeflbr. My fone, unto the trouthe wende 
 Now woll I for the love of the 
 * And lete all other trifles be. 
 Hie fuper anions The more that the nede is high, 
 
 l£**13& The more k nedeth t0 be fli s h 
 
 Genius amanti ea, To him, which hath the nede on honde. 
 
 que nbi lalubnus 
 
 expediunt, fano I have well herd and underftonde, 
 
 confilio finaliter . in • 
 
 injungit. My fone, all that thou hall me faied 
 
 And eke of that thou haft me praied. 
 Nowe at this time that I fhall 
 As for conclufion finall 
 Counfeil upon thy nede fet, 
 So thenke I finally to knet 
 Thy caufe, where it is to-broke, 
 And make an ende of that is fpoke. 
 For I behighte the that yift 
 Firft whan thou come under my mrift, 
 That though I toward Venus were, 
 Yet fpake I fuche wordes there, 
 That for the prefthode, which I have, 
 Min order and min eftate to fave 
 I faide, I wolde of min office 
 To vertu more than to vice 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 345 
 
 Encline and teche the my lore. 
 
 Forthy to fpeken overmore 
 
 Of love, which the may availe, 
 
 Take love, where it may nought faile. 
 
 For as of this, which thou art in, 
 
 By that thou fee ft it is a finne, 
 
 And finne may no prife deferve, 
 
 Withoute prife and who fhall ferve, 
 
 I not what profit might availe. 
 
 Thus folweth it, if thou travaile, 
 
 Where thou no profit haft ne prife, 
 
 Thou art toward thy felf unwife, 
 
 And fith thou mighteft luft atteine, 
 
 Of every luft the ende is peine, 
 
 And every pein is good to flee, 
 
 So it is wonder thing to fe, 
 
 Why fuch a thing fhall be defired, 
 
 The more that a ftock is fired, 
 
 The rather into afhe it torneth. 
 
 The fote, which in the weie fporneth, 
 
 Full ofte his heved hath overthrowe. 
 
 Thus love is blinde and can nought knowe, 
 
 Where that he goth, till he be falle. 
 
 Forthy but if it fo befalle, 
 
 With good counfeil that he be lad, 
 
 Him oughte for to ben adrad. 
 
 For counfeil pafleth alle thing 
 
 To him, which thenketh to ben a king. 
 
 And every man for his party 
 
 A kingdom hath to juftify, 
 
346 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 That is to fain his owne dome. 
 If he mifreule that kingdome, 
 He left him felf, and that is more, 
 Than if he lofte fhip and ore 
 And all the worldes good with all. 
 For what man that in fpeciall 
 Hath nought him felf, he hath nought elles, 
 No more the perles than the fhelles, 
 All is to him of o value, 
 Though he had all his retenue 
 The wide world right as he wolde, 
 Whan he his hert hath nought witholde 
 Toward him felf, all is in vein. 
 And thus, my fone, I wolde fain, 
 As I faid er, that thou arife, 
 Er that thou falle in fuch a wife, 
 That thou ne might thy felf rekever, 
 For love, which that blind was ever, 
 Maketh all his fervaunts blinde alfo. 
 My fone, and if thou have be fo, 
 Yet it is time to withdrawe 
 And fet thin hert under that lawe, 
 The which of refon is governed 
 And nought of will. And to be lerned 
 Enfamples thou haft many one 
 Of now and eke of time gone, 
 That every luft is but a while. 
 And who that woll him felf beguile, 
 He may the rather be deceived. 
 My fone, now thou haft conceived 
 
LIBER OCTAFUS. 
 
 347 
 
 Somwhat of that I wolde mene, 
 Here afterward it fliall be fene, 
 If that thou leve upon my lore. 
 For I can do to the no more, 
 But teche the the righte way. 
 Now chefe, if thou wilt live or deie. 
 
 My fader, fo as I have herde 
 Your tale, but it were anfwerde, 
 I were mochel for to blame. 
 My wo to you is but a game, 
 That feleth nought of that I fele. 
 The feling of a mannes hele 
 May nought be likened to the herte, 
 Inough though I wolde afterte 
 And ye be fre from all the peine 
 Of love, wherof I me pleine, 
 It is right cfy to commaunde, 
 The hert, which fre goth on the launde, 
 Not of an oxe what him eileth, 
 It falleth oft a man merveileth, 
 Of that he feeth another fare. 
 But if he knew himfelf the fare 
 And felt it, as it is in foth, 
 He fhulde do right as he doth 
 Or elles wors in his degre. 
 For wel I wote and fo do ye, 
 That love hath ever yet ben ufed, 
 So mote I nedes ben excufed. 
 But fader, if ye wolde thus 
 Unto Cupide and to Venus 
 
 Hie loquitur ilc 
 
 controverfi a , que 
 inter confeflbretn 
 it am intern in fine 
 
 < mil, Ilium 
 batur. 
 
348 CONFESS 10 ^MANTIS. 
 
 Be frendly toward my quarele, 
 So that my herte were in hele 
 Of love, which is in my brefte, 
 I wot wel than a better prefle 
 Was never made to my behove. 
 But all the while that I hove 
 In none certein betwene the two, 
 And not where I to well or wo 
 Shall torne, that is all my drede. 
 So that I not what is to rede. 
 But for finall conclufion 
 I thenke a fupplicacion 
 With pleine wordes and expreffe 
 Write unto Venus the goddeffe, 
 The which I praie you to bere 
 And bringe ayein a good anfwere. 
 
 Tho was betwene my preft and me 
 Debate and great perplexete. 
 My refon underftode him wele 
 And knewe it was foth every dele 
 That he hath faid, but nought forthy 
 My will hath no thing fet ther by. 
 For touching of fo wife a porte 
 It is unto love no difporte. 
 Yet mighte never man beholde 
 Refon, where love was witholde. 
 They be nought of o governaunce. 
 And thus we fellen in diftaunce 
 My preft and I, but I fpake faire 
 And through my wordes debonaire 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 349 
 
 Than ate lafte we accorden, 
 So that he faith, he woll accorden 
 To fpeke and ftond upon my fide 
 To Venus both and to Cupide, 
 And bad me write what I wolde. 
 And faid me truly that he fholde 
 My letter bere unto the quene. 
 And I fat down upon the grene 
 Fulfilled of loves fantafy 
 And with the teres of min eye 
 In ftede of inke I gan to write 
 The wordes, which I wol endite 
 Unto Cupide and to Venus, 
 And in my letter I faide thus. 
 
 The wofull peine of loves maladie, 
 Ayein the which may no phifique availe, 
 Min hert hath fo bewhapped with fotie, 
 That where fo that I refte or travaile 
 I finde it ever redy to affaile 
 My refon, which that can him nought de- 
 
 fende. 
 Thus feche I help, wherof I might amende. 
 
 Firft to nature, if that I me compleine, 
 There finde I, how that every creature 
 Somtime a yere hath love in his demaine, 
 So that the litel wrenne in his mefure 
 Have yet of kinde a love under his cure. 
 And I but one defire, which I miffe, 
 And thus but I hath every kinde his bliffe. 
 
 Hie traclat fur- 
 main cuiufdam 
 fupplicacionis, 
 
 quam ex parte a- 
 mantia per manus 
 Genii (kcerdotia 
 fui Venus fihi por- 
 reclam acceptabat. 
 
350 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 The refon of my wit it overpafleth, 
 Of that nature teche me the wey 
 To love, and yet no certein me compafleth, 
 How flial I fpede and thus betwen the twey 
 I ftonde, and not if I mall live or dey. 
 For though refon ayein my will debate, 
 I may nought flee, that I ne love algate. 
 
 Upon my felf this ilke tale come, 
 How whilom Pan, which is the god of kinde, 
 With love wreftled and was overcome, 
 For ever I wreftle and ever I am behinde, 
 That I no ftrength in all min herte finde, 
 Wherof that I may ftonden any throwe, 
 So fer my wit with love is overthrowe. 
 
 Whom nedeth help, he mot his helpe crave 
 Or helpeles he mall his nede fpille. 
 Pleinly throughfought my wittes al I have, 
 But none of hem can help after my wille. 
 And alfo well I mighte lite ftille 
 As pray unto my lady of any helpe, 
 Thus wotel nought wherof my felf to helpe. 
 
 Unto the grete Jove and if I bid 
 To do me grace of thilke fwete tonne, 
 Which under key in his celler amid 
 Lith couched, that fortune is overronne, 
 But of the bitter cuppe I have begonne, 
 I not how ofte, and thus finde I no game, 
 For ever I axe and ever it is the fame. 
 
LIBER OCT A F US. 551 
 
 I fe the world ftond ever upon efchaunge, 
 Now windes loude, now the weder fofte, 
 I may fe eke the grete mone chaunge, 
 And thing which now is low is eft alofte. 
 The dredful werres into pees ful ofte 
 They torne, and ever is daunger in o place, 
 Which wolde chaunge his will to do me grace. 
 
 But upon this the grete clerk Ovide, 
 Of love whan he maketh his remembraunce, 
 He faith : Ther is the blinde god Cupide, 
 The which hath love under governaunce 
 And in his hond with many a firy launce 
 He woundeth ofte, where he woll nought 
 
 hele, 
 And that fomdele is caufe of my quarele. 
 
 Ovide eke faith, that love to performe 
 Stant in the hond of Venus the goddeffe, 
 But whan me taketh counfeil with Satorne, 
 There is no grace, and in that time I geife 
 Began my love, of which min hevineffe 
 Is now and ever mail, but if I fpede, 
 So wot I nought my felf what is to rede. 
 
 Forthy to you, Cupide and Venus both, 
 With all min hertes obeifaunce I pray, 
 If ye were ate hrfte time wroth, 
 Whan I began to love, I you fay, 
 Now flint, and do thilke fortune away, 
 So that daunger, which ftant of retenue 
 With my lady, his place may remue. 
 
352 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 O thou Cupide, god of loves lawe, 
 That with thy dart brennend haft fet a fire 
 My herte, do that wounde be withdrawe 
 Or yive me falve, fuche as I defire. 
 For fervice in thy court withouten hire 
 To me, which ever yet have kept thin hefte, 
 May never be to loves lawe honefte. 
 
 O thou, gentile Venus, loves quene, 
 Withoute gilt thou doft on me thy wreche, 
 Thou woft my pein is ever alich grene 
 For love, and yet I may it nought arecche. 
 Thus wolde I for my lafte word befeche, 
 That thou my love aquite, as I deferve, 
 Or elles do me pleinly for to fterve. 
 
 Hie loquitur, qua- Whan I this fupplicacion 
 
 literVenus,accepta TTT . , i i i-i 
 
 amantis fupplica- With good dehberacion, 
 
 cione, indilate ad t /• i • r 
 
 Cngula refpondit. In l ucne a W1 l e as y e now Wlte > 
 
 Had after min entente write 
 
 Unto Cupide and to Venus, 
 
 This prefte, which hight Genius, 
 
 It toke on honde to prefente, 
 
 On my meftage and forth he wente • 
 
 To Venus for to wit her wille. 
 
 And I bode in the place ftille 
 
 And was there but a litel while 
 
 Nought full the mountance of a mile, 
 
 Whan I behelde and fodeinly 
 
 I figh, where Venus ftood me by. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 353 
 
 So as I might under a tree 
 To grounde I felle upon my knee 
 And preid her for to do me grace. 
 She call; her chere upon my face 
 And as it were halving a game 
 She axeth me, what was my name. 
 Madame, I faide, Iohan Gower. 
 
 Now Iohan, quod (lie, in my power 
 Thou muft as of thy love ftonde. 
 For I thy bill have underftonde, 
 In which to Cupide and to me 
 Somdele thou haft compleigned the 
 And fomdele to nature alfo. 
 But that mail ftonde among you two, 
 For therof have I nought to done, 
 For nature is under the mone 
 MaiftrefTe of every lives kinde, 
 But if fo be, that (lie may finde 
 Some holy man, that woll withdrawe 
 His kindely luft ayein her lawe. 
 But felde whan it falleth fo, 
 For fewe men there ben of tho. 
 But of thefe other inowe be, 
 Whiche of her owne nicite 
 Ayein nature and her office 
 Deliten hem in fondry vice, 
 Wherof that me full oft hath pleigned, 
 And eke my court it hath difdeigned 
 And ever fhall, for it receiveth 
 None fuch, that kinde fo defceiveth. 
 
 3 A A 
 
354 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 For all onlich of gentil love 
 
 My .court ftant alle courts above 
 
 And taketh nought into retenue 
 
 But thing, which is to kinde due. 
 
 For elles it (hall be refufed, 
 
 Wherof I holde the excufed. 
 
 For it is many daies gone, 
 
 That thou amonges hem were one, 
 
 Which of my court mall be witholde, 
 
 So that the more I am beholde 
 
 Of thy difefe to commune 
 
 And to remue that fortune, 
 
 Which many daies hath the greved. 
 
 But if my counfeil may be leved, 
 
 Thou (halt be efed er thou go 
 
 Of thilke unfely jolif wo, 
 
 Wherof thou faift thin hert is fired. 
 
 But as of that thou haft defired 
 
 After the fentence of thy bill, 
 
 Thou muft therof done at my will, 
 
 And I therof me woll avife. 
 
 For be thou hole, it mall fuffice, 
 
 My medicine is nought to feke, 
 
 The which is holfome to the feke, 
 
 Nought all perchaunce as ye it wolde, 
 
 But fo as ye by refon fholde, 
 
 Accordaunt unto loves kinde. 
 
 For in the plite, which I the rlnde, 
 
 So as my court it hath awarded, 
 
 Thou malt be duely rewarded. 
 
LIBER OCTArUS. 
 
 And if thou woldeft more crave, 
 It is no right that thou it have. 
 
 355 
 
 £hii cupit id, quod habere nequit> fua tempora prodit, 
 
 Ejl ubi non poJJ'e, vclle falute caret. 
 Non ejiatis opus gelidis, birfuta, capi/Ios 
 
 Cum color abcejfit, equiparabit ye?ns. 
 Sicut habet mains non dat natura decembri, 
 
 Nee poterit compar floribus ejfe lutum. 
 Sic neque decrepit a fenum juvenile voluptas 
 
 Floret in objequiutn, quod Venus ipja petit. 
 Conveniens igitur foret, ut quod cana feneclus 
 
 Attigit, ulterius corpora cajla colant. 
 
 Venus, which ftant withoute lawe, 
 In none certeine, but as men drawe 
 Of Rageman upon the chaunce, 
 She laith no peife in the balaunce, 
 But as her liketh for to weie, 
 The trewe man full ofte aweie 
 She put, which hath her grace bede, 
 And fette an untrue in his ftede. 
 
 Lo, thus blindly the world fhe demeth 
 In loves caufe, as to me femeth, 
 I not what other men wold fain. 
 But I algate am fo befeine 
 And ftonde as one amonges alle, 
 Which am out of her grace falle, 
 It nedeth take no witneffe. 
 For me, which faid is the goddefTe, 
 To whether parte of love it wende, 
 Hath fet me for a finall ende 
 The point, wherto that I (hall holde. 
 For whan fhe hath me well beholde, 
 
 Hie in cxempliim 
 contra quoliunque 
 vims uvi ' 
 anions concupif- 
 cencisunaffi 
 
 loquitur Ve&US, 
 huiulque amantis 
 confetti (upplicaci- 
 onetn quao dcri- 
 dens, ipi'um proeo, 
 quod kiux et debi- 
 liseft,multisexhor< 
 tacionibua infuffi- 
 cientem rcdarguit. 
 
356 CONFESS 10 AMANTIS. 
 
 Halving of fcorne me faid thus : 
 Thou woft well that I am Venus, 
 Which all only my luftes feche. 
 And well I wot, though thou beieche 
 My love, luftes ben there none, 
 Which I may take in thy perfone. 
 For loves luft and lockes hore 
 In chambre accorden nevermore. 
 And though thou feigne a yong corage, 
 It fheweth well by thy vifage, 
 That olde grifel is no fole, 
 There ben full many yeres ftole 
 With the and fuche other mo, 
 That outward feignen youthe fo 
 And ben within of pouer afTay. 
 My herte wolde, and I ne may, 
 Is nought beloved now a daies, 
 Er thou make any fuch aflaies 
 To love and faile upon thy fete, 
 Better is to make beau retrete. 
 For though thou mighteft love atteine, 
 Yet were it but an idel peine, 
 Whan that thou art not fuffifaunt, 
 To holde love his covenaunt. 
 Forthy take home thy hert ayein, 
 That thou travaile nought in veine, 
 Wherof my court may be deceived. 
 I wote and have it wel conceived, 
 How that thy will is good inough. 
 But more behoveth to the plough, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 
 
 357 
 
 Wherof the lacketh as I trowe. 
 
 So fit it wel, that thou beknowe 
 
 Thy feble eftate, er thou beginne 
 
 Thing, wher thou might none ende winne. 
 
 What bargein fhulde a man affaie, 
 
 Whan that him lacketh for to paie ? 
 
 My fone, if that thou well bethought, 
 This toucheth the, foryete it nought, 
 The thing is torned into was, 
 The which was whilome grene gras 
 Is welked heie, as time now. 
 Forthy my counfeil is, that thou 
 Remembre well, how thou art olde. 
 Whan Venus hath her tale tolde, 
 And I bethought was all aboute, 
 And wifte wel withouten doubte, 
 That there was no recoverire, 
 And as a man the blafe of fire 
 With water quencheth, fo ferde I, 
 A colde me caught fodeinly, 
 For forwe that my herte made 
 My dedly face pale and fade 
 Becam, and fwoune I fel to grounde. 
 And as I lay the fame ftounde 
 Ne fully quick, ne fully dede, 
 Me thought I figh to-fore min hede 
 Cupide with his bowe bent 
 And like unto a parlement, 
 Which were ordeined for the nones, 
 With him cam all the world atones 
 
 Qualiter fupcr de- 
 rilbriam Veneris 
 exhoiracionan 
 contrirtatusaman-;, 
 quafi mortuus in 
 terrain corruit,ubi, 
 at libi videbatur, 
 Cupidinem cum 
 innumera multitu- 
 dine nuper anian- 
 tum variis turmis 
 afllltencium con- 
 lpiciebat. 
 
358 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 Of gentil folke, that whilom were 
 Lovers, I figh hem alle there, 
 Forth with Cupide in fondry routes. 
 Min eye and as I cafte aboutes 
 To know among hem who was who, 
 I figh where lufty youthe tho, 
 As he, which was a capitein 
 To-fore all other upon the plein, 
 Stood with his route well begon, 
 Her hedes kempt, and therupon 
 Garlondes, nought of o colour, 
 Some of the lefe, fome of the floure, 
 And fome of grete perles were. 
 The newe guife of Beawme there 
 With fondry thinges well devifed 
 I figh, wherof they be queintifed. 
 It was all luft, that they with ferde. 
 There was no fong that I ne herde, 
 Which unto love was touching, 
 Of Pan, and all that was liking, 
 As in piping of melodie 
 Was herde in thilke compaignie, 
 So loude that on every fide 
 It thought as all the heven cride 
 In fuche accorde and fuche a foune 
 Of bombarde and of clarioune 
 With cornemufe and fhalmele, 
 That it was half a mannes hele, 
 So glad a noife for to here. 
 
 And as me thought in this manere 
 
LIBER OCrAVUS. 
 
 359 
 
 All fresfhe I figh hem fpringc and dauncc, 
 
 And do to love her entendaunce 
 
 After the luft of youthes heft, 
 
 There was inough of joy and feft. 
 
 For ever among they laugh and pley 
 
 And putten care out of the wey, 
 
 That he with hem ne fat ne ftode. 
 
 And over this I underftode, 
 
 So as min ere it might arecche, 
 
 The moft matere of her fpeche 
 
 It was of knighthode and of armes 
 
 And what it is to ligge in armes 
 
 With love, whan it is acheved. 
 
 Ther was Triftram, which was beleved 
 With Bele Ifolde, and Lancelot 
 Stode with Gunnor, and Galahot 
 With his lady, and as me thought, 
 I figh where Jafon with him brought 
 His love, which Creufa hight. 
 And Hercules, which mochel might, 
 Was there, bering his great mace, 
 And moft of all in thilke place 
 He peineth him to make chere 
 With Eolen, which was him dere. 
 Thefeus though he were untrewe 
 To love, as alle women knewe, 
 Yet was he there netheles 
 With Fedra, which to love he ches. 
 Of Grece eke there was Thelamon, 
 Which fro the kinge Lamedon 
 
 De nominibus il- 
 lorum nuper aman- 
 tum, qui tunc 
 amanti lpai'mato 
 aliqui juvenes, ali- 
 qui fenes apparue- 
 runt. Senesautem 
 preclpue tarn erga 
 dcum quam deam 
 amorispro l'anitate 
 amantis rccuparan- 
 da multiplicatis 
 precibus mifericor- 
 diter inltabant. 
 
360 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 At Troy his doughter reft away 
 Efeonen as for his pray, 
 Which take was, whan Jafon cam 
 Fro Colchos and the citee nam 
 In vengeaunce of the firfte hate, 
 That made hem after to debate, 
 Whan Priamus the newe town 
 Hath made. And in avifioun 
 Me thoughte that I figh alfo 
 Hector forth with his brethern two, 
 Him felf ftood with Pantafilee, 
 And next to him I mighte fee, 
 Where Paris ftood with faire Heleine, 
 Which was his joie foveraine. 
 And Troilus ftood with Crefeide. 
 But ever among although he pleide 
 By femblaunt, he was hevy chered. 
 For Diomede, as him was lered, 
 Claimeth to be his partenere. 
 And thus full many a bachelere, 
 A thoufand mo than I can fain, 
 With youth I figh there well befein 
 Forth with her loves glad and blith. 
 And fome I figh, which ofte fith 
 Compleignen hem in fondry wife, 
 Among the which I figh Narcife 
 And Piramus, that fory were. 
 The worthy Greke alfo was there, 
 Achilles, which for love deied. 
 Agamenon eke as men faied, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 361 
 
 And Menelay the king alfo 
 I figh with many an other mo, 
 Which hadden be fortuned fore 
 In loves caufe. And overmore 
 Of women in the fame cas 
 With hem I figh where Dido was 
 Forfake, which was with Enee. 
 And Phillis eke I mighte fee, 
 Whom Demophon deceived hadde, 
 And Adriagne her forwe ladde, 
 For Thefeus her fufter toke 
 And her unkindely forfoke. 
 I figh there eke among the pres 
 Compleigning upon Hercules 
 His firfte love Deianire, 
 Which fet him afterward a fire. 
 Medea was there eke and pleigneth 
 Upon Jafon, for that he feigneth 
 Withoute caufe and toke a newe, 
 She faide : Fie on all untrewe. 
 I figh there Deidamie, 
 Which hadde loft the compaignie 
 Of Achilles, whan Diomede 
 To Troy him fet upon the nede. 
 Among thefe other upon the grene 
 I figh alfo the wofull quene 
 Cleopatras, which in a cave 
 With ferpents hath her felf begrave 
 All quick, and fo (he was to-tore, 
 For forwe of that (lie hadde lore 
 
362 CONFESS 10 A MANTIS. 
 
 Antonie, which her love hath be. 
 And forth with her I figh Tifbe, 
 Which on the fharpe fwerdes pointe 
 For love deied in Tory pointe. 
 And as min ere it might knowe, 
 She faide : Wo worth alle flowe. 
 The pleint of Progne and Philomene 
 There herde I what it wolde mene, 
 How Tereus of his untrouthe 
 Undid hem both, and that was routhe. 
 And next to hem I figh Canace, 
 Which for Machair her faders grace 
 Hath loft and deied in wofull plite. 
 And as I figh in my fpirite, 
 Me thought amonges other thus 
 The doughter of king Priamus, 
 Polixena, whom Pirrus flough, 
 Was there and made forwe inough, 
 As fhe, which deide gilteles 
 For love, and yet was loveles. 
 And for to take the defporte 
 I figh there fome of other porte, 
 And that was Circes and Calipfe, 
 That couthen do the mone clipfe 
 Of men and chaunge the liknefte, 
 Of artmagique forcereife, 
 They helde in honde many one 
 To love, where they wolde or none. 
 But above alle that there were 
 Of women I figh foure there, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 363 
 
 Whofe name I herde moil commended. 
 
 By hem the court ftode all amended. 
 
 For where they comen in prefence, 
 
 Men diden hem the reverence, 
 
 As though they hadden ben goddeiTes 
 
 Of all this world or emperefTes. 
 
 And as me thought, an ere I laid 
 
 And herde, how that thefe other faid : 
 
 Lo, thefe ben the foure wives, 
 
 Whofe feith was proved in her lives 
 
 For in enfample of all good 
 
 With mariage fo they flood, 
 
 That fame, which no great thing hideth, 
 
 Yet in cronique of hem abideth. 
 
 Penelope that one was hote, 
 Whom many a knight hath loved hote, 
 While that her lorde Ulixes laie 
 Full many a yere and many a daie 
 Upon the grete fiege of Troy. 
 But me, which hath no worldes joy 
 But only of her hufbonde, 
 While that her lord was out of londe, 
 So well hath kept her womanhede, 
 That all the world therof toke hede 
 And namelich of hem in Grece. 
 That other woman was Lucrece, 
 Wife to the Romain Collatine. 
 And fhe conftreigned of Tarquine 
 To thing, which was ayein her will, 
 She wolde nought her felven ftill, 
 
J 
 
 64 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 But deide only for drede of fhame 
 In keping of her gode name, 
 As me, which was one of the befte. 
 The thridde wife was hote Alcefte, 
 Which whan Admetus fliulde die 
 Upon his grete maladie, 
 She praied unto the goddes fo, 
 That me receiveth all the wo 
 And deied her felf to yive him life, 
 Se, where this were a noble wife. 
 The ferthe wife, which I there figh, 
 I herde of hem that were nigh, 
 How me was cleped Alcione, 
 Which Ceix her lord allone 
 And to no mo her body kepte. 
 And whan me fighe him dreint, me lepte 
 Into the wawes, where he fwam, 
 And there a fee foule me becam, 
 And with her winges him befprad 
 For love that me to him had. 
 Lo, thefe foure weren tho, 
 Which I figh as me though te tho 
 Among the grete compaignie, 
 Which love hadde for to gie. 
 But youthe, which in fpeciall 
 Of loves court was maremall, 
 So befy was upon his lay, 
 That he none hede, where he lay, 
 Hath take. And than as I behelde, 
 Me thought I figh upon the felde, 
 
LIBER OCTslVUS. 365 
 
 Where Elde came a fofte pas 
 Toward Venus, there as me was, 
 With him great compaignie he ladde, 
 But nought fo fele as youth hadde. 
 The mofte part were of great age, 
 And that was fene in her vifage, 
 And nought forthy fo as they might, 
 They made hem yongly to the fight. 
 But yet herde I no pipes there 
 To make merth in mannes ere, 
 But the mufique I might knowe 
 For olde men, which founed lowe 
 With harpe and lute and with citole 
 The hove daunce and the carole, 
 In fuche a wife as love hath bede, 
 A fofte pas they daunce and trede, 
 And with the women otherwhile 
 With fobre chere among they fmile. 
 For laughter was there none on high. 
 And netheles full well I figb, 
 That they the more queint it made, 
 For love in whom they weren glade. 
 And there me thought I mighte fee 
 The king David with Berfabee, 
 And Salomon was nought withoute 
 ParTing an hundred in a route 
 Of wives and of concubines, 
 Jewes eke and Sarazines, 
 To him I figh all entendaunt, 
 I not where he were fuffifaunt. 
 
3 66 CONFESS 10 AM ANT IS. 
 
 But netheles for all his wit 
 
 He was attached with that writ, 
 
 Which love with his hond enfeleth, 
 
 From whom none erthly man appeleth. 
 
 And over this, as for no wonder, 
 
 With his leon, which he put under, 
 
 With Dalida Sampfon I knewe, 
 
 Whos love his ftrength all overthrewe. 
 
 I figh there Ariftotle alfo, 
 
 Whom that the quene of Grece alfo 
 
 Hath bridled, that in thilke time 
 
 She made him fuch a filogime, 
 
 That he foryate all his logique, 
 
 There was none arte of his practique, 
 
 Through which it mighte ben excluded, 
 
 That he ne was fully concluded 
 
 To love and did his obeifaunce. 
 
 And eke Virgile of aqueintaunce 
 
 I iigh, where he the maiden praid, 
 
 Which was the doughter, as men faid, 
 
 Of themperour whilom of Rome. 
 
 Sortes and Plato with him come, 
 
 So did Ovide the poete. 
 
 I thoughte than how love is fwete, 
 
 Which hath fo wife men reclamed, 
 
 And was my felf the lafTe afhamed, 
 
 Or for to lefe or for to winne 
 
 In the mifchefe that I was inne. 
 
 And thus I lay in hope of grace. 
 
 And whan they comen to the place, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 367 
 
 Where Venus flood and I was fallc, 
 Thefe olde men with o vois alle 
 To Venus praiden for my fake. 
 And flie that mighte nought forfake 
 So great a clamour, as was there, 
 Let pite come into her ere 
 And forth with all unto Cupide 
 She praieth, that he upon his fide 
 Me wolde through his grace fende 
 Some comfort, that I might amende 
 Upon the cas, which is befalle. 
 And thus for me they praiden alle 
 Of hem that weren old aboute, 
 And eke fome of the yonge route, 
 And of gentileffe and pure trouth 
 I herde hem tel, it was great routh, 
 That I withouten help fo ferde. 
 And thus me thought I lay and herde. 
 
 Cupide, which maie hurt and hele 
 In loves caufe, as for min hele, 
 Upon the point which him was praid 
 Cam with Venus, where I was laid 
 Swounend upon the grene gras. 
 And as me thought anone there was 
 On every fide fo great pres, 
 That every life began to pres, 
 I wot nought wel how many fcore, 
 Suche as I fpake of now to-fore, 
 Lovers, that comen to beholde, 
 But moft of hem that weren olde. 
 
 Hie tra&at, qualiter 
 Cupido amantis k- 
 neclute confracli vil- 
 cera perkrutans, ig- 
 nita fue concupif 
 cie tela ab eo penitlU 
 extraxit, quem Venus 
 poftca abfqae calore 
 percipiens, vacuum 
 reliquit. F.t Ik tan- 
 dem provida kneclus 
 racionem invocan-, 
 hominem interiorem 
 
 perprius amore inta- 
 tuatum mentis lani- 
 tati plenius rcltaura- 
 vit. 
 
368 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 They ftoden there at thilke tide 
 To fe what ende fhall betide 
 Upon the cure of my fotie. 
 Tho might I here great partie 
 Spekend, and eche his own avis 
 Hath tolde, one that, another this. 
 But among alle this I herde, 
 They weren wo, that I fo ferde, 
 And faiden that for no riote 
 An olde man fhuld nought affote. 
 For as they tolden redely, 
 There is in him no caufe why, 
 But if he wold him felf be nice, 
 So were he well the more nice. 
 And thus defputen fome of tho, 
 And fome faiden no thing fo, 
 But that the wilde loves rage 
 In mannes life forbereth none age, 
 While there is oile for to fire 
 The lampe is lightly fet a fire, 
 And is full hard er it be queint, 
 But only if he be fome feint, 
 Which god preferveth of his grace. 
 And thus me thought in fondry place, 
 Of hem that walken up and down, 
 There was divers opinion. 
 And fo for a while it lafte, 
 Till that Cupide to the lafte, 
 Forth with his moder full avifed 
 Hath determined and devifed, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 369 
 
 Unto what point he woll defcend. 
 
 And all this time I was liggend 
 
 Upon the ground to-fore his eyen. 
 
 And they that my difefe fighen 
 
 Suppofen nought I fhulde live. 
 
 But he, which wolde thanne yive 
 
 His grace, fo as it maie be, 
 
 This blinde god, which may nought fe, 
 
 Hath groped, till that he me fonde. 
 
 And as he put forth his honde 
 
 Upon my body, where I lay, 
 
 Me thought a firy lancegay, 
 
 Which whilom through my hert he cafe, 
 
 He pulleth out and alfo fan;, 
 
 As this was do, Cupide nam 
 
 His wey, I not where he becam, 
 
 And fo did all the remenaunt, 
 
 Which unto him was entendaunt, 
 
 Of hem that in avifion 
 
 I had a revelacion, 
 
 So as I tolde now to-fore. 
 
 But Venus wente nought therfore, 
 
 Ne Genius, which thilke time 
 
 Abiden bothe fafte byme. 
 
 And fhe, which may the hertes binde 
 
 In loves caufe and eke unbinde, 
 
 Er I out of my traunce arofe, 
 
 Venus, which helde a buifte clofe 
 
 And wolde nought I fholde deie, 
 
 Toke out more colde then ony keie 
 
 * B B 
 
370 C0NFESSI0 AMANTIS. 
 
 An oignement, and in fuch point 
 She hath my wounded hert anoint, 
 My temples and my reins alfo. 
 And forth with all Hie toke me tho 
 A wonder mirrour for to holde, 
 In which {he bad me to beholde 
 And take hede of that I figh 
 Wherin anone min hertes eye 
 I caM: and figh my colour fade, 
 Min eien dim and all unglade, 
 My chekes thinne, and all my face 
 With elde I mighte fe deface, 
 So riveled and fo wo befein, 
 That there was no thing full ne plein. 
 I figh alfo min haires hore, 
 My will was tho to fe no more, 
 On which for there was no plefaunce. 
 And than into my remembraunce 
 I drough min olde daies paffed, 
 And as refon it hath compaffed. 
 Quod flatus homi- I made a likenefTe of my felve 
 
 nis menfibus anni T t ■ i r i .1 1 
 
 equiparatur. Unto the londry monthes twelve, 
 
 Wherof the yere in his eftate 
 Is made, and ftant upon debate, 
 That lich til other none accordeth. 
 For who the times wel recordeth, 
 And than at marche if he beginne, 
 Whan that the lufty yere comth inne 
 Till augft be paffed and feptembre, 
 The mighty youth he may remembre, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 371 
 
 In which the yere hath his dcduit 
 
 Of grafs, of lefe, of floure, of fruit, 
 
 Of corne, and of the winy grape. 
 
 And afterward the time is fhape 
 
 To froft, to mow, to wind, to rain, 
 
 Till eft that march be come ayein. 
 
 The winter woll no fomer knowe, 
 
 The grene lefe is overthrowe, 
 
 The clothed erth is thanne bare, 
 
 Defpuiled is the fomer fare, 
 
 That erft was hete, is thanne chele. 
 
 And thus thenkende thoughtes fele, 
 
 I was out of my fwoune affraid, 
 
 Wherof I figh my wittes ftraid, 
 
 And gan to clepe hem home ayein. 
 
 And whan refon it herde fain, 
 
 That loves rage was awey, 
 
 He cam to me the righte wey, 
 
 And hath remeved the fotie 
 
 Of thilke unwife fantafie, 
 
 Wherof that I was wont to plein, 
 
 So that of thilke flry pein 
 
 I was made fobre and hole inough. 
 
 Venus beheld me than and lough 
 
 And axeth, as it were in game, 
 
 What love was ? And I for fliame 
 
 Ne wifte what I fhulde anfwere. 
 
 And netheles I gan to fwere, 
 
 That by my trouth I knewe him nought, 
 
 So fer it was out of my thought, 
 
372 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Right as it hadde never be. 
 
 My gode fone, tho quod fhe, 
 Now at this time I leve it wele, 
 So goth the fortune of my whele. 
 Forthy my counfeil is, thou leve. 
 Madame, I faide, by your leve, 
 Ye weten well, and fo wote I, 
 That I am unbehovely 
 Your court fro this day for to ferve. 
 And for I may no thank deferve, 
 And alfo for I am refufed, 
 I praie you to ben excufed. 
 And netheles as for to lafte, 
 While that my wittes with me lafte, 
 Touchende my confeffion, 
 I axe an abfolution 
 Of Genius, er that I go. 
 
 The preft anone was redy tho, 
 And faide : Sone, as of thy (hrifte, 
 Thou haft full pardon and foryifte, 
 Foryete it thou, and fo will I. 
 Amans. Min holy fader, graunt mercy, 
 Quod I to him, and to the quene 
 I fell on knees upon the grene, 
 And toke my leve for to wende. 
 But fhe, that wolde make an ende, 
 As therto, which I was moft able, 
 A paire of bedes blacke as fable 
 She toke and heng my necke about. 
 Upon the gaudes all without 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 373 
 
 Was write of gold pur rcpofcr. 
 Lo, thus fhe faid, Iohan Gower, 
 Now thou art ate lafte carte, 
 Thus have I for thin efe carte, 
 That thou no more of love feche. 
 But my will is, that thou befeche 
 And pray hereafter for the pees, 
 And that thou make a plein relees 
 To love, which taketh litel hede 
 Of olde men upon the nede, 
 Whan that the luftes ben awey, 
 Forthy to the nis but o wey, 
 In which let refon be thy guide. 
 For he may fone him felf mifguide, 
 That feeth nought the perill to-fore. 
 
 My fone, be well ware therfore 
 And kepe the fentence of my lore 
 And tarie thou in my court no more, 
 But go there vertue moral dwelleth, 
 Where ben thy bokes, as men telleth, 
 Whiche of long time thou haft write. 
 For this I do the well to wite, 
 If thou thin hele wolt purchace, 
 Thou might nought make fute and chace, 
 Where that the game is nought provable, 
 It were a thing unrefonable, 
 A man to be fo overfeie. 
 Forthy take hede of that I faie. 
 For in the lawe of my commune 
 We be nought fhape to commune 
 
374 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Thy felf and I never after this. 
 Now have I faid all that there is 
 Of love, as for thy final ende. 
 Adieu, for I mot fro the wende.* 
 
 * MS. Harl. 3490 : 
 
 And grete well Chaucer, whan ye mete, 
 As my difciple and my poete. 
 For in the floures of his youth, 
 In fondry wife, as he well couth, 
 Of dittees and of fonges glade, 
 The which he for my fake made, 
 The lond fulfilled is over all, 
 Wherof to him in fpeciall 
 Above all other I am moft holde. 
 Forthy now in his daies olde 
 Thou fhalt him telle this meflage, 
 That he upon his later age 
 To fette an end of all his werke, 
 As he, which is min owne clerke, 
 Do make his teftament of love, 
 As thou haft do thy fhrifte above, 
 So that my court it may recorde. 
 
 Madame, I can me well accorde, 
 Quod I, to telle as ye me bidde. 
 And with that worde it fo betidde 
 Out of my fight all fodeinly, 
 Enclofed in a fterry iky, 
 Up to the heven Venus ftraught. 
 And I my righte waie fought 
 Home fro the wode and forth I wente, 
 Where as with al min hole entente 
 Thus with my bedes upon honde 
 For hem that true love fonde 
 I thenke bidde while I live, 
 Upon the point which I am fhrive. 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 375 
 
 And with that word all fodeinly 
 Enclofed in a flerred fky 
 Venus, which is the queue of love, 
 Was take into her place above, 
 
 Ad Laudetn Chrijii, quern tit virgo peperijli, 
 Sit laus Ricardi-y quern fceptra colunt leopardi. 
 Ad fua precepta complevi carm'ina cepta, 
 Que Bruti nota legat Anglla perpctuata. 
 
 He, which withinne daies feven 
 
 The large world forth with the heven 
 
 Of his eternal providence 
 
 Hath made and thilke intelligence 
 
 In mannes foule refonable, 
 
 Wherof the man of feture 
 
 Of alle erthly creature 
 
 After the foule is immortall, 
 
 To thilke lord in fpeciall 
 
 As he, which is of alle thinges 
 
 The creator and of the kinges 
 
 Hath the fortune upon honde 
 
 His grace and mercy for to fonde, 
 
 Upon my bare knees I pray, 
 
 That he my worthy king convey 
 
 Richard by name the fecounde, 
 
 In whom hath ever yet be founde 
 
 Juftice medled with pite, 
 
 LargefTe forth with charite, 
 
 In his perfone it may be fhewed, 
 
 What is a king to be well thewed 
 
 Touching of pite namely, 
 
 For he yet never unpetoufly 
 
 Ayein the leges of his londe 
 
 For no defaute which he fonde 
 
 Through cruelte vengeaunce fought. 
 
 As though the worldes chaunce in brought 
 
 Of infortune great debate, 
 
 Yet was he nought infortunate, 
 
 ilic in fine libri 
 honorificofiiuever- 
 
 tUOfot illultiillimi 
 
 principu domini 
 l'ui regis Anglie 
 Ricardi (ecundi 
 mores ficntdignum 
 
 e(t laude comracn- 
 dabili deicribetu 
 pro eiufdem ltatus 
 i'alubri conferva- 
 cione cunftipotcn- 
 tem dtvocius exo- 
 rat. 
 
376 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 More wift I nought where (lie becam. 
 And thus my leve of her I nam. 
 
 And forth with al that fame tide 
 Her preft, which wolde nought abide, 
 
 For he, which the fortune ladde, 
 The highe god him overfpradde 
 Of his juftice and kept him fo, 
 That his eftate flood evermo 
 Sauf as it oughte wel to be 
 Lich to the fonne in his degre, 
 Which with the cloudes up alofte 
 Is derked and befhadewed ofte, 
 But how fo that it trouble in thaire 
 The fonne is ever bright and faire 
 Within him felf and nought unpeired, 
 All though the weder be defpeired, 
 The heved planete is nought to wite. 
 My worthy prince, of whom I write, 
 Thus ftant he with him felve clere 
 And doth what lith in his powere, 
 Nought only here at home to feke 
 Love and accorde, but outward eke, 
 As he, that fave his people wolde. 
 So ben we alle well beholde 
 To do fervice and obeifaunce 
 To him, which of his high fuffraunce 
 Hath many a great debate appefed 
 To make his lege men ben efed, 
 Wherefore that his cronique fhall 
 For ever be memoriall 
 To the loenge of that he doth. 
 For this wote every man in foth, 
 What king that fo defireth pees, 
 He taketh the way which Crifte ches, 
 And who that Crifres weies fueth, 
 It proveth well that he efcheueth 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 377 
 
 Or be me lefe, or be me loth, 
 
 Out of my fighte forth he goth. 
 And I was left withouten helpc, 
 So will: I nought wherof to yelpe, 
 But only that I hadde lore 
 My time, and was forie therfore. 
 
 The vices and is vertuous, 
 Wherof he mot be gracious 
 Toward his god and acceptable. 
 And fo to make his regne ftable 
 With all the will that I may yive 
 I pray and fhall while that I live, 
 As I which in fubje£tion 
 Stonde under the protection 
 And may my felven nought bewelde, 
 What for fikenefle and what for elde, 
 Which I receive of goddes grace, 
 But though me lacke to purchace 
 My kinges thank as by deferte, 
 Yet the fimplefle of my pouerte 
 Unto the love of my legeaunce 
 Defireth for to do plefaunce. 
 And for this caufe in min entent 
 This pouer book here I prefent 
 Unto his highe worthinefle 
 Write of my fimple befinefTe, 
 So as fikenefTe it fuffre wolde, 
 And in fuch wife as I firft tolde, 
 Whan I this boke began to make, 
 In fome partie it may be take 
 And for to laugh and for to pley, 
 And for to loke in other wey 
 It may be wifdom to the wife, 
 So that fomedele for good apprife, 
 And eke fomedele for luft and game 
 I have it made for thilke fame. 
 
378 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 And thus bewhaped in my thought, 
 Whan all was torned into nought, 
 I flood amafed for a while, 
 And in my felf I gan to fmile, 
 Thenkend upon the bedes blacke, 
 And how they weren me betake, 
 For that I ftiulde bid and praie. 
 And whan I figh none other waie, 
 But only that I was refufed, 
 Unto the life, whiche I had ufed, 
 I thoughte never torne ayein. 
 And in this wife foth to fain 
 Homward a fofte pas I went, 
 Where that with all min hole entent, 
 Upon the point that I am fhrive, 
 I thenke bidde, while I live. 
 
 4- Parce precor Chr'ijle, populus quo gaudeat ijie^ 
 Anglia ne trijie fubeat^ rex futmne, refijie. 
 Corrige quofque Jiatus fragiles, abfolve reatus^ 
 XJnde deo gratus v'igeat locus ijie beatus. 
 
 He, which withinne daies {even 
 This large worlde forth with the heven 
 Of his eternal providence 
 Hath made, and thilke intelligence 
 In mannes foule refonable 
 Hath mape to be perdurable, 
 Wherof the man of his feture 
 Above all erthly creature 
 After the foule is immortall, 
 To thilke lorde in fpeciall, 
 
LIBER OCTAFUS. 379 
 
 As he, which is of alle thinges 
 The creator and of the kinges 
 Hath the fortunes upon honde 
 His grace and mercy for to fonde, 
 Upon my bare knees I praie, 
 That he this londe in fiker waie 
 Woll fet upon good governaunce. 
 For if men take in remembraunce, 
 What is to live in unite, 
 There is no ftate in his degre, 
 That ne ought to defire pes, 
 Withoute which it is no les 
 To feche and loke into the laft, 
 There may no worldesjoie laft. 
 Firft for to loke the clergie, 
 Hem oughte well to juftifie 
 Thing, which belongeth to their cure, 
 As for to praie and to procure 
 Our pees toward the heven above, 
 And eke to fette reft and love 
 Among us on this erthe here, 
 For if they wrought in this manere 
 After the reule of charite, 
 I hope that men fholden fe 
 This lond amende. And over this 
 To feche and loke how that it is 
 Touchend of the chivalerie, 
 Which for to loke in fome partie 
 Is worthie for to be commended 
 And in fome part to be amended, 
 
 
 
380 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 That of her large retenue 
 
 The lond is full of maintenue, 
 
 Which caufeth that the comun right, 
 
 In fewe contres ftont upright. 
 
 Extorcion, contek, ravine 
 
 Witholde ben of that covine. 
 
 All day men here great compleint 
 
 Of the difefe, of the conftreint, 
 
 Wherof the people is fore oppreffed, 
 
 God graunt it mote be redrelTed. 
 
 For of knighthode thorder wolde, 
 
 That they defende and kepe fholde 
 
 The comun right and the fraunchife 
 
 Of holy chirche in alle wife, 
 
 So that no wicked man it dere, 
 
 And therof ferveth fhielde and fpere. 
 
 But for it goth now other waie, 
 
 Our grace goth the more awaie. 
 
 And for to loken overmore, 
 
 Wherof the people pleignen fore 
 
 Toward the lawes of our londe, 
 
 Men fain that trouth hath broke his bonde 
 
 And with brocage is gone awey, 
 
 So that no man can fe the wey, 
 
 Where for to finde rightwifneiTe. 
 
 And if men fech in (ikerneiTe 
 
 Upon the lucre of marchandie, 
 
 CompaiTement and trecherie 
 
 Of fingular profit to winne, 
 
 Men fain is caufe of mochel finne, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 381 
 
 And namely of divifion, 
 
 Which many a noble worthy town 
 
 Fro welth and fro profperite 
 
 Hath brought to great adverfite. 
 
 So were it good to ben all one. 
 
 For mochel grace therupon 
 
 Unto the citees fhulde fall, 
 
 Which might availe to us all, 
 
 If thefe eftates amended were, 
 
 So that the vertues ftoden there, 
 
 And that the vices were away, 
 
 Me thenketh I dorfte thanne fay, 
 
 This londes grace fhulde arife. 
 
 But yet to loke in other wife, 
 
 There is a ftate, as ye (hall here, 
 
 Above all other on erthe here, 
 
 Which hath the londe in his balaunce, 
 
 To him belongeth the legeaunce 
 
 Of clerke, of knight, of man of lawe, 
 
 Under his honde all is forthdrawe 
 
 The marchaunt and the laborer, 
 
 So ftant it all in his power 
 
 Or for to fpille, or for to fave. 
 
 But though that he fuch power have, 
 
 And that his mightes ben fo large, 
 
 He hath hem nought withouten charge, 
 
 To which that every king is fwore. 
 
 So were it good, that he therfore 
 
 Firft unto rightwifnelTe entende, 
 
 Wherof that he him felf amende 
 
382 CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 
 
 Toward his god and leve vice, 
 Whiche is the chefe of his office. 
 And after all the remenaunt 
 He fhall upon his covenaunt 
 Governe and lede in fuch a wife, 
 So that there be no tirannife, 
 Wherof that he his people greve. 
 Or elles may he nought acheve 
 That longeth to his regalie. 
 For if a king will juftifie 
 His londe and hem that ben withinne, 
 Firft at him felf he mot beginne 
 To kepe and reule his own eftate, 
 That in him felf be no debate 
 Toward his god. For otherwife 
 Ther may none erthly king fuffife 
 Of his kingdom the folk to lede, 
 But he the king of heven drede. 
 For what king fette him upon pride 
 And taketh his luft on every fide 
 And will nought go the righte weie, 
 Though god his grace caft aweie, 
 No wonder is, for ate laft 
 He fhall well wite, it may nought laft 
 The pompe whiche he fecheth here. 
 But what king, that with humble chere 
 After the lawe of god efcheueth 
 The vices and the vertues fueth, 
 His grace fhall be fuffifaunt 
 To governe all the remenaunt, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 383 
 
 Which longeth unto his ducte, 
 
 So that in his profperite 
 
 The people (hall nought be oppreiTcd, 
 
 Wherof his name mall be blefled 
 
 For ever and be memoriall. 
 
 And now to fpeke as in finall 
 Touchend that I undertoke 
 In englim for to make a boke, 
 Which ftant betwene erneft and game, 
 I have it made, as thilke fame, 
 Which axe for to be excufed, 
 And that my boke be nought refufed 
 Of lered men, whan they it fe 
 For lack of curiofite, 
 For thilke fcole of eloquence 
 Belongeth nought to my fcience, 
 Upon the forme of rhetorique 
 Mywordes for to peint and pike, 
 As Tullius fomtime wrote. 
 But this I knowe and this I wote, 
 That I have do my trewe peine 
 With rude wordes and with pleine 
 In all that ever I couthe and might, 
 This boke to write, as I benight, 
 So as fiknefle it fuffer wolde. 
 And alfo for my daies olde 
 That I am feble and impotent, 
 I wot nought how the worlde is went, 
 So pray I to my lordes alle, 
 Now in min age, how fo befalle, 
 
 Hie in fine i 
 tul.it (uper hoc, 
 quod in principio 
 ubri promifil fe in 
 amoni caul 
 
 cialiui ti 
 rum, concludit e- 
 nim, quod omnii 
 amorii del 
 extra caritatem ni- 
 hil eft, qui lutein 
 manet in caritate, 
 in dco manet. 
 
384 CONFESSIO AM ANr IS. 
 
 That I mot jftonden in her grace. 
 For though me lacke to purchace 
 Her worthy thank, as by deferte, 
 Yet the fimpleffe of my pouerte 
 Defireth for to do plefaunce 
 To hem, under whofe governaunce 
 I hope fiker to abide. 
 But now upon my lafte tide, 
 That I this boke have made and write, 
 My mufe doth me for to wite 
 And faith, it (hall be for my befte, 
 Fro this day forth to take refte, 
 That I no more of love make, 
 Which many a herte hath overtake 
 And overtorned as the blinde 
 Fro refon into lawe of kinde, 
 Where as the wifdom goth aweie 
 And can nought fe the righte weie, 
 How to governe his own eftate, 
 But every day fiant in debate 
 Within him felf and can nought leve. 
 
 And thus forthy my finall leve 
 I take now for evermore 
 Withoute making any more 
 Of love and of his dedly hele, 
 Which no phificien can hele. 
 For his nature is fo divers, 
 That it hath ever fome travers 
 Or of to moch, or of to lite, 
 That pleinly may no man delite, 
 
LIBER OCTAVUS. 385 
 
 But if him faile or that or this. 
 But thilke love, which that is 
 Within a marines hertc affirmed 
 And ftant of charite confirmed, 
 Such love is goodly for to have, 
 Such love may the body lave, 
 Such love may the foule amende, 
 The highe god fuch love us fende 
 Forth with the remenaunt of grace, 
 So that above in thilke place, 
 Where refteth love and alle pees, 
 Our joie may ben endeles. 
 
 Explicit ijie liber, qui tranfeat obfecro liber, 
 Ut fine livore vigeat leBoris in ore. 
 Quifedet infeamnis celi det, ut ifta Johajinis 
 Per pet ids annis Jlet pagina grata Britannis. 
 Derbeie comiti, recolnnt quern laude periti, 
 Fade liber purus, fub eo requiefce futurus. 
 
 c c 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 The initials A.S. (Anglo-Saxon) and A.N. (Anglo-Norman) arc ufed 
 to defignate the languages through which the words to which they arc 
 affixed entered the Englifh Language, and mull not be underllood as 
 pointing out their actual derivations. Further information refpecling their 
 Etymologies may be obtained from Dr. Richardlon's Englifh Dictionary, 
 to which the compiler is indebted for much valuable affillance. 
 
 Verbs are generally given in the form of their infinitive mood ; but the 
 part tenfes and participles of ftrong verbs have been inferted when their 
 connexion with their infinitive moods is not immediately apparent. 
 
 The chief literal peculiarities to which it is neceflary to direct the reader's 
 attention, are the ufe of y for g, of w for y, and the general interchange 
 of vowels. We may alfo notice the blending of the particle with the 
 following word, as ihemperoure for the emperor, byme for by me, Sec. 
 When the fame word recurs, but is rather differently fpellcd, it has not 
 been thought neceflary to infert both forms. 
 
 IN compofition, in 
 words of Saxon 
 origin, is an ab- 
 breviation of af, 
 of, at, on, or in. 
 A, in compofition, in words of An- 
 glo-Norman origin, is generally 
 ufed as the reprefentative of ab, 
 ad, or fometimes ex 
 A, is fometimes prefixed to a paft 
 
 tenfe 
 A, before a noun, is generally ufed 
 
 for on, in, or at 
 A, before a gerund, is ufed for on. 
 To go a begging, i. e. on begging 
 A, is a form of the Saxon adjecYive 
 
 ane, or an 
 A, for Ah ! 
 
 Abie, Abey, A. S. to expiate, pay for 
 
 A bit, for abideth 
 
 Ablajl, A.S. blafted 
 
 Abowe, A. S. to avow, to maintain 
 
 Abought, Aboughten, A.S. fuffered 
 
 for 
 Abraide, A.S. flatted 
 Abraide, for a-hraide, A.S. a Mart 
 Accidie, A.N. negligence 
 Accroche, A.N. to advance gradually, 
 
 to increafe 
 Achates, A.N. an agate 
 Acqucint, A.S. quenched 
 Adote, A.S. to doat upon 
 Adradde, A. S. afraid 
 Adrigb, A.S. afide 
 Aeromaunce, A. X. divination by air 
 Affait, A.N. to tame 
 
39° 
 
 GLOSSJRT. 
 
 Ajfiche, A. N. to affix 
 
 Afile, A. N. to polifh 
 
 Affiled, A.N. bright, gliftening 
 
 .[fin, A.N. at laft 
 
 Aflight, A N. to be uneafy 
 
 AJiight, A.N. uneafy 
 
 After, for according to 
 
 Agilt, A. S. to offend, to fin again ft 
 
 Agregge, A.N. to aggravate 
 
 Agrife, A. S. to fhudder, to be ter- 
 rified 
 
 Agrope, A. S. to fearch out 
 
 Akele, A. S. to cool 
 
 Al, for although 
 
 Ala-corvi, Lat. a crow's wing, (a 
 ftar) 
 
 Alaide, A.S. applied 
 
 Alcomony, A. N. alchemy 
 
 Alday, for All the day 
 
 Algate, Algates, A. S. always 
 
 Algorifmes, A.N. algebra 
 
 All him one, for all alone, i. 148. 
 
 Alleide, A. N. alleged 
 
 Allthermejt, for the moft of all 
 
 Almagejl, the Ptolemaic fyftem 
 
 Almejle, A. S. alms 
 
 Alofte, A. S. on high 
 
 Alonge, A. S. to long for 
 
 Alonlicb, for all only 
 
 Als, A.S. alfo, as 
 
 Alfo, A.S. as 
 
 Allherbejte, for the belt of all 
 
 Althetrenejl, for the trueft of all 
 
 Altherwerjl, for the worft of all 
 
 Amaied,A.S. from May (the month); 
 In May-day guife 
 
 Amafe, A. S. to perplex 
 
 Amblount, A.N. ambling 
 
 Amende, A.N. to mend 
 
 Amis, A.S. ill, badly 
 
 Anabulla, a kind of herb 
 
 Anele, A. S. to temper 
 
 Anone, Anon, A. S. inftantly 
 
 Aplace, for in place 
 
 Appaie, A.N. to pay 
 
 Apparancie, A. N. appearance 
 
 Appert, A.N. open 
 
 Appertenaunt, A.N. belonging to 
 
 Appoint, A. N. to fix, fettle 
 Appofe, A.N. to object to 
 Apprize, A. N. to learn 
 Apprize, A.N. learning 
 Appropre, A.N. to belong to 
 Arad, perf. of Arede 
 Arecbe, A.S. to arife, to attain, to 
 
 reach 
 Arede, A. S. to interpret 
 Arere, A.S. to rahe 
 Arere, A.N. arrear 
 Argument, A. N. to difcufs, difpute 
 Arought, perf. of Arecbe 
 Aroute, A. S. an affembly 
 Ar/metique, A. N. arithmetic 
 Artemage, A. N. the art of magic 
 As a rofe, for as he rofe 
 As of dede, for indeed, ii. 239. 
 Afcriden, A. S. to cry out 
 AJkry, A. S. a fhriek or fhout 
 Afpides, Lat. afps, vipers 
 Afpie, A.N. to efpy 
 Afpiremente, A.N. breathing 
 Afiay, A. N. to attempt, to prove 
 AJlemble, A.N. to make like 
 Afsent, A.S. fent to 
 Affife, A.N. fituation 
 AJJife, A. N. to fettle, eftabliih 
 Afsobre, A. N. to get fober 
 Ajloile, A. N. to abfolve, to anfwer 
 AJloted, A. N. befotted 
 AJlote, A.N. to dote on 
 Afiote, A. N. fond 
 Ajierte, A.S. to efcape 
 AJtone, A.N. confounded 
 Ajlriccs, A. N. the Star Stone 
 At mannes eye, for in the eyes of 
 
 men, iii. 320. 
 At all afsaies, for at all points, in 
 
 every way, i. 241. 
 Atones, A. S. at once 
 Atteint, A.N. fpoiled 
 Attiiled, for entitled 
 Atwinne, A. S. afunder 
 Aunter, A.N. to adventure 
 Aunter, A.N. an adventure 
 Avale, A.N. to lower, to let down 
 Avarous, A.N. avaricious 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 39 l 
 
 Avaunce, A.N. boaft 
 
 Avaunce, A.N. to advance, to profit 
 
 Avaunt, A.N. forward 
 
 Avauntance, A.N. boafting 
 
 Avauntarie, A. N. boafting 
 
 Avenaunt, A.N. merit, value 
 
 Aventure, A.N. adventure 
 
 Avis, A.N. advice 
 
 Avije, A. N. to look to, to take care of 
 
 Avifement, A.N. advice 
 
 Avifioun, for a vifion 
 
 Avouterie, A.N. adultery 
 
 Avoy, A.N. leave, quit 
 
 Away, A.S. to wafte, deftroy 
 
 Aivaite, A.N. watch 
 
 Aweiward, A. S. away 
 
 Axe, A.S. to afk 
 
 Ay, for all 
 
 Aye, for ah 
 
 Ayein, A.S. again 
 
 Ayeinward, A. S. on the other hand 
 
 Bailie, A.N. cuftody, government 
 
 Baillez (a, A. N. pafs on, pafs round 
 
 Baldemoin, A.N. gentian 
 
 Bale, A. S. forrow 
 
 Banne, A.N. to banifh 
 
 Barme, A.S. the lap 
 
 Barnage, A.N. barons 
 
 Bataillous, A. N. ready for battle 
 
 Be, for been 
 
 Bebled, A. S. covered with blood 
 
 Beclip, A. S. to embrace, to furround 
 
 Bedaw, A. S. to awake 
 
 Bede, A.S. to bid, to offer 
 
 Bede, A.S. a prayer 
 
 Bederked, A.S. darkened 
 
 Bed/are, A.S. bedfellow 
 
 Befole, A. S. to delude into folly, to 
 
 infatuate 
 Beforn, A. S. before 
 Bego, A.S. performed 
 Begon, A. S. begun 
 Begrave, A.S. to bury 
 Begrave, A. S. engraven 
 Behet, A.S. to promife 
 Bebighte, A. S. to promife 
 Bcbonge, A. S. to hang 
 Behote, A. S. promifed 
 
 Behove, A. S. behoof, advantage 
 
 Behovely, A.S. profitably 
 
 Beknowe, A.S. to confcis 
 
 Belaine, A.S. beleaguered 
 
 Beleve, A.S. to remain 
 
 Beleve, A. S. belief 
 
 Bcloke, A.S. locked, confined 
 
 Bemene, A.S. to bemoan, lament 
 
 Ben, Bene, A.S. to be 
 
 Ben, for been 
 
 Ben, A. S. are 
 
 Bend, A.N. a band 
 
 Benime, A.S. to take away 
 
 Bcnifon, A.S. benediction 
 
 Benome, A. S. taken away 
 
 Berde, A.S. edge, margin 
 
 Bere, A. S. to bear, carry 
 
 Bereined, A. S. rained upon 
 
 Berne, A.S. a barn 
 
 Befain, A.S. refolved 
 
 Befant, A.N. a piece of gold money 
 
 Befein, A. S. decked or adorned for 
 
 fight, clad 
 Befene, A. S. to clothe, to cover 
 Bejhrewe, A. S. to curfe 
 Bejilich, A. S. bufily 
 Befijhip, A. S. activity 
 Befnewed, A.S. covered with fnow, 
 
 covered 
 Bejlad, A. S. diftreffed 
 Bejlaile, A. N. beaft, cattle 
 Bep, A. N. a beaft 
 Befwike, A.S. to betray, to deceive 
 Befwunke, A. S. laboured hard 
 Befy, A.S. bufy 
 Betake, A. S. to give 
 Betcche, for betake 
 Bethrow, A.S. to be caft down 
 Betid, Betit, A. S. happened 
 Bewake, A. S. to awake 
 Beware, A.S. to fhun 
 Bewared, A. S. expended 
 Bewelde, A. S. to govern 
 Bewhappe, A. S. to be aftonifhed, to 
 
 be wrapped up in anything 
 Bewimpled, A.S. covered with a 
 
 cape or tippet 
 Bewray, A. S. to accufe 
 
39 2 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 />'< nrie, A.S. to difcovcr 
 
 Bi \i Ipe, A.S. to prate, to talk 
 
 Beyete, A.S. begotten 
 
 />'< yete, A. S. pofleffion, advantage 
 
 Bid, A.S. to pray; (to bid the 
 
 s, is to fay prayers) 
 B'unfait, A.N. a benefit 
 Bienvenue, A.N. a welcome 
 
 e, A.S. to enlarge, to multiply 
 Bile, A.S. guile 
 Bill, A. S. nofe 
 Bille, A.N. a letter 
 Bijle, A. N. venifon 
 Bit, for biddeth 
 
 Blame, Fall 2M,tobecenfured,i. 145. 
 Blanche fever, A.N. ague 
 Bleche, A. N. white 
 Blench, A.S. to wink, to glance 
 Blend, A. S. to deceive 
 Blent, A.S. blinded, deceived 
 Blive, A.S. quickly 
 Bode, A. S. bidden, commanded 
 Boke, A.S. to put in a book 
 Bokes, A. S. teaches 
 Bombarde,A.N. amuficalinftrument 
 Bone, A.S. petition 
 Boot, A.S. a boat 
 Borde, A. S. a table, alfo a revel 
 Bordel, A. N. a brothel 
 Bordeller, A.N. a brothel-keeper 
 Bore, for born 
 
 Bore free, for free born, i. 68. 
 Borel, A. S. made of plain coarfe fluff" 
 Borel-men, A. S. laymen 
 Borne, A. S. a pledge 
 Borne, A. S. hath pledged ; laid to 
 Borne, A.S. to be fecurity for 
 Bote, A. S. bit 
 Bote, A.S. to help 
 Bote, A.S. remedy, help, profit 
 Boteler, A. N. a butler 
 Boune, A.S. ready 
 Bourgeis, A. N. a citizen 
 Braide, A. S. to awake, to ftart 
 Br aide, A.S. to draw 
 Brede, A. S. breadth 
 Brenne, Brenden, A.S. to burn 
 Breres, A.S. briars 
 
 Briddes, A.S. birds 
 
 Brigantaille, A.N. armour 
 
 Brocagt , A.S. a treaty by a broker 
 or agent 
 
 Brocour, A.S. a feller, a broker 
 
 Brothel, A. S. a worthlefs perfon 
 
 Buijle, A.N. a box 
 
 Burned, A.N. burniflied 
 
 Buxom, A.S. obedient 
 
 Byrne, for by me 
 
 Cole for Acale, A. S. cold 
 
 Camufe, A.N. flat 
 
 Can, A.S. to know 
 
 Canele, A.N. cinnamon 
 
 Carecl, A. N. character 
 
 Carpe, A.N. to talk, to tell 
 
 Cas, A.N. chance 
 
 Cajle, A.N. to contrive 
 
 (.a ufe, for becaufe 
 
 Cautele, A.N. a cunning trick 
 
 Ceinte, A.N. a girdle 
 
 Celidoine, A. A r . pilewort 
 
 Ceramius, A.N. earthenware 
 
 CerteSf A.N. certainly 
 
 Chajfare, A.S. merchandize 
 
 Chamberere, A.N. a chamber-maid 
 
 Chapmanhode, A. S. the condition 
 of a chapman or tradefman 
 
 Chare, A.N. a chariot 
 
 Char he, A. S. to turn backwards and 
 forwards 
 
 Chaftie, A.N. to chaftife 
 
 Chele, A. N. cold 
 
 Chere, A.N. countenance, appear- 
 ance, entertainment 
 
 Cherl, A.S. a. man of mean birth 
 and condition 
 
 Cherles, A.S. churlifh 
 
 Chery, A. N. the colour of the cherry 
 
 Ches, A.S. to choofe 
 
 Chefe, A. S. choice 
 
 Cbefte, A.S. debate 
 
 Chevaunce, A. N. achievement 
 
 Cbever, A.S. to fliiver 
 
 Chevifance, A. N. an agreement for 
 the borrowing of money 
 
 Childing, A. S. child-bearing 
 
 Chiroche, A. N. fparing 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 393 
 
 Cbitre, A.S. to chirp 
 Chrijleneft, A.N. moil Chriftian 
 Cicorea, A. N. wild endive 
 Citole, A. N. a mufical initrument 
 Cleis, A. S. claws 
 Chpe, A. S. to call, to name 
 Clergeon, A. N. a young clerk 
 Clergie, A.N. learning 
 C'lipfe, A. S. to eclipfe 
 Co/re, A.N. a elicit 
 Coife, A.N. a miitrefs 
 Cokard, A. N. a knave 
 Colde, A.S. put into fhapc 
 Colcr, A. N. anger, wrath 
 Collacion, A.N. companion 
 Commeve, A. N. to move 
 Compajlcment, A. N. contrivance 
 Comune, A.N. to communicate 
 Conclude, A.N. to include 
 Concordable, A. N. agreeable 
 Conge, A. N. to expel 
 Conne, A.S. to know, to be able 
 Connoifiaunce, A. N. undcrilanding 
 Conferve, A.N. the preferver 
 Contek, A.S. contention 
 Contourbed, A.N. diiturbed 
 Contrariende, A. N. perverfe, con- 
 trary 
 Contre, A.N. country 
 Contrevaile, A.N. to thwart 
 Controvinge, A. N. contrivance 
 Cope, A.N. a cloak 
 Cor Scorpionis, Lat. a fcorpion's 
 
 heart, (a itar) 
 Corage, A. N. heart, inclination, fpi- 
 
 rit, courage 
 Corncmufe, A.N. a mufical inftru- 
 
 ment blown like the bagpipes 
 Cojlage, A. N. coft, expenfe 
 Cojleaunt, A. N. bordering 
 Cotidian, A. N. daily 
 Coupable, A. N. guilty 
 Courbe, A.N. bent, curved 
 Courbe, A.N. a bend 
 Couthe, A.S. known 
 Couth, A. S. knew, was able 
 Covcnable, A. N. convenient, fuitable 
 Coverture, A. N. a covering 
 
 Coveti/e, A. N. covctoufnefs 
 
 ( 'ovme, A.N. to contrive 
 
 (Ovine, A.N. a fecret contrivance 
 
 Creaunce, A.N. faith, belief 
 
 Crcfce, A.N. to incrcafc 
 
 Crejlett, A. S. an open land 
 
 Criden, A. S. cried 
 
 Croke, A. S. to bend, to twifr. 
 
 Croke, A.N. drofs, refufe 
 
 Croket, A. N. chaplet 
 
 Cronique, A. N. chronicle 
 
 Crope, A.S. crept 
 
 Crope, A.S. head or top of a plant 
 
 Crouche, A. S. a piece of money 
 
 Curteis, A. N. courteous 
 
 Curteijly, A. N. courteoufly 
 
 Cufs, A. S. a kifs 
 
 Cujlumaunce, A.N. a cuftom 
 
 D, forth 
 
 Dais, A. N. upper table 
 
 Danz, A. N. for dan, don (dominus) 
 
 Dampne, A. N. to condemn 
 
 Daunte, A. N. to tame 
 
 Dane, A.S. a day 
 
 Dane, Of, dead (off day), iii. 182. 
 
 Debonaire, A. N. courteous, gentle 
 
 Dccas, A.N. decay, ruin 
 
 Deceivaunt, A.N. a deceiver 
 
 Dede, Deden, for did 
 
 Dcduit, A. N. plcafure 
 
 Dees, A.N. dice 
 
 Defend, A. N. to forbid 
 
 Defie, A.N. to digeft, to confume 
 
 Defoule, A.N. to defile, pollute 
 
 Deis, A. N. dais 
 
 Dele, A.S. to debate, deliberate 
 
 Dele, A.S. a fhare, a part 
 
 Delices, A.N. delights 
 
 Delitable, A.N. pleafure, delight 
 
 Demaine, A. N. management 
 
 Deme, A. S. to judge 
 
 Depart, A. N. to part, to diftribute 
 
 Depofe, A.N. a pledge, a depofit 
 
 Dere, A.S. dear 
 
 Dere, A. S. dearly 
 
 Dere, A. S. to hurt 
 
 Deme, A.S. fecret 
 
 Dery, A. S. to hurt, to harm 
 
394 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Defcorde, A. N. to be of a different 
 
 mind, to difagree 
 Dejlaie, A.S. to blame, deny 
 De/peired, A.N. defperate, ftormy 
 Defpeml, A.N. to walte, confume 
 Dejlr aught, vide Dijlreigne 
 Diete, A.N. daily food 
 Differred, A.N. divided 
 Dight, A.S. to difpofe, prepare, drefs 
 Dike, A. S. to dig, to make ditches 
 Dimme, A.S. weak 
 Difcention, A. N. feparation 
 Difme, A. N. a tithe or tenth 
 Dijleigne, A.N. to difcolour 
 Difobeifaunt, A.N. difobedient 
 Difour, A.N. a dory-teller 
 Difpended, A. N. difpofed of 
 Difport, A. N. to divert 
 Difpuiled, A.N. unclothed, bared 
 Dijlraugbt, A. N. diftracled 
 Dijlreigne, A. N. to vex exceedingly, 
 
 to condrain 
 Diverfe, A. N. to diverfify 
 Divine, A.N. divinity 
 Divife, A. N. a device 
 Divife, A.N. to direct, order 
 Do, for done ; alfo for make 
 Do make, for be made, i. 202. 
 Doaire, A.N. a province 
 Dole, A. N. a fhare, a portion 
 Dole, A. N. grief, mourning 
 Dome, A.S. judgment, opinion 
 Done, A. S. to do 
 Dore, A.S. dare 
 Doubtotts, A. N. fearful 
 Dradde, Drad, A. S. feared 
 Drecbe, A. S. to vex, opprefs 
 Dreccbe, A.S. to linger, delay 
 Dreint, A. S. drowned 
 Drenche, A.S. to drown 
 Drie, A.S. to fuffcr 
 Drinkeles, A.S. without drink 
 Dronkelene, A.S. given to drink 
 Dronkejhip, A.S. drunkennefs 
 Drougb, A.S. drew 
 Dronen, A.S. to draw 
 Druerie, A.N. courtfhip, gallantry 
 Dwale, A. S. a fleeping potion 
 
 thvette, A. S. to remain fixed, or to 
 remain 
 
 Dwine, A. S. to wade 
 
 Echone, for each one 
 
 Eft/one, A. S. foon after 
 
 Egge tole, for edged tool 
 , A. S. to be fick, to ail 
 
 Eking, A.S. protracting 
 
 Eldc, A.S. old age 
 
 Elitropius, A.N. heliotrope 
 
 Elles, A. S. elfe 
 
 Embrouded, A.N. embroidered 
 
 Embujhement, A.N. ambufh 
 
 Erne, A. S. uncle 
 
 Empcire, A.N. to impair, hurt 
 
 Empeirement, A.N. injury 
 
 Emprife, A.N. undertaking 
 
 Encbcfon, A.N. caufe, occafion 
 
 Encortined, A.N. enclofed within 
 curtains 
 
 -Ende, -End, for -ing 
 
 Enderday, A. S. the pad day 
 
 Endlong, A. S. along 
 
 Enfile, A. S. to fmooth, to polifh 
 
 Enforme, A. S. to indrucl, teach 
 
 Engin, A. N. wit, artifice 
 
 Engined, A.N. racked, tortured; 
 alfo contrived to get together 
 
 Enginous, A.N. inventive 
 
 Englewed, A. N. held fall 
 
 Enfamplarie, A.N. example 
 
 Enfele, A. N. to feal up, to keep fe- 
 cret 
 
 Entaile, A. N. to carve 
 
 Entaile, A.N. (hape 
 
 Entame, A. N. to fubdue 
 
 Entendaunt, A.N. attendance 
 
 Entende, A. N. to attend 
 
 Entendement, A.N. underilanding 
 
 Entente, A. N. intention 
 
 Entermete, A. N. to interpofe, inter- 
 meddle 
 
 Entrike, A. N. to deceive 
 
 Environ, A.N. about 
 
 Environ, A.N. to furround 
 
 Er, for there 
 
 Ere, A.S. ear 
 
 Ere leitb, for giveth ear, i. 13. 
 
GLOSS ART. 
 
 395 
 
 Eren, A. N. to plough 
 
 Efes, for cafe 
 
 Efmaied, A. N. aftoniflicd 
 
 Efpeire, A. N. expectation 
 
 Efpial, A.N. fpying, private watch- 
 ing 
 
 Efpie, A.N. to fpy 
 
 Efploit, A.N. advantage 
 
 EJlonie, A. N. excufe 
 
 EJlre, A.N. ftate, condition 
 
 EJirete, A. N. a itrcct 
 
 Eth, A.S. eafy 
 
 Evericbone, A.S. every one 
 
 Ey, A. S. an egg 
 
 Eyle, A. S. to ail, to be Tick 
 
 Facounde, A. N. eloquence 
 
 Facrere, A.N. diflimulation 
 
 Fade, A.N. fad, forrowful 
 
 Fain, A. S. gladly 
 
 Faine, A. S. glad 
 
 Fainterie, A. N. pretence 
 
 Faintife, A.N. pretence 
 
 Fairie, A. S. pilgrimage 
 
 Faitour, A. N. a lazy, idle fellow 
 
 Fallas, A. N. deceit 
 
 Faljhed, A. S. falfehood 
 
 Fangel, A. S. a toy, a trifle 
 
 Fantofme, A. N. any falfe imagination 
 
 Fare, A. N. ado 
 
 Fare, A. S. to go 
 
 Fare, A.S. a courfe, a path 
 
 Faucon, A. N. a falcon 
 
 Feblejle, A.N. weaknefs 
 
 Fee, A.S. money 
 
 Feigne, A. N. to give a falfe colour- 
 ing to 
 
 Feire, A.N. fair 
 
 Felajbip, A. S. company 
 
 Felaive, A.S. fellow, companion 
 
 Feld, A.S. felled, made to fall 
 
 Feldwode, A.S. baldmony 
 
 Fele, A.S. many 
 
 Fele, for fall 
 
 Fell, A. S. fkin 
 
 Felle, A.S. cruel 
 
 Felle, A. S. fharp, keen 
 
 Felle, Let do, for hath made fall, i. 275- 
 
 Fende, A.S. fiend, devil 
 
 Ferde, Fercd, part, of fare 
 Fere, A.S. fear 
 Fere, A.S. a companion 
 Fere, In, together in company, i. 75. 
 Ferfortb, A.S. far forth 
 Ferkc, A.S. to haftcn, to execute 
 Ferre, A.S. further 
 Ferre, A.S. fair, beautiful 
 Fertb, A. S. fourth 
 Fette, A. S. to fetch 
 Feture, A. N. a production 
 Fifte, for fifth 
 
 Firedrake, A.S. a fiery dragon 
 Flacke, A. S. to flutter 
 Flete, A.S. to float, to fwim 
 Fleume, A. S. phlegm 
 Flittc, A.S. to remove 
 Florein, A.N. a fpecies of gold coin 
 Foifoned, A.N. given abundantly 
 Foil, A.N. foolifh 
 Folwe, A.S. to follow 
 Fonde, A.S. to try 
 Fong, A.S. to take 
 For to right, of right, i. 179. 
 Fordo, A. S. to do away, to ruin 
 Foreward, A.S. a promife or cove- 
 nant 
 For/are, A.S. forlorn 
 Forgnawe, A. S. thoroughly gnawn 
 Forlain, A.S. lain with 
 Forlete, A.S. to give over, to quit 
 Forlore, A. S. utterly loll 
 Forjbope, A. S. transformed 
 Forfoken, A.S. denied 
 Forfwey, A. S. turn afide 
 Forth, A.S. courfe 
 Forthe over, for came next, i. 25. 
 Forthinke, A.S. to grieve 
 Forthy, A.S. therefore 
 Fortrode, A.S. trodden down 
 Forworthe, A. S. to perifh 
 Foryete, A.S. to forget 
 Foryetel, A.S. forgetful 
 Foryetellenejle, A.S. forgetfulnefs 
 Foule, A.S. a bird 
 Founde, A.N. foundered 
 Fredde, A. S. loofened 
 Frede, A. S. to feel 
 
39 6 
 
 GL0SSAR2". 
 
 Freine, A.S, to inquire 
 
 Frele, A.N. frail 
 
 Frendelybede, A.S. fricndfhip 
 
 Frere, .-/. A', a friar 
 
 Frette, A. N. a band 
 
 Fro, for from 
 
 Froife, A.N. a pancake 
 
 Fro/en, for froft 
 
 Frounce, A.N. a frown, a wrinkle 
 
 Frounce, A.N. to wrinkle 
 
 Froward, A. S. avcrfe 
 
 Fid, A.S. perfect, complete 
 
 Funke, A.S. trouble 
 
 Gable, A. N. to talk idly, to lie 
 
 Gaignage, A N. gain 
 
 Galle, A. N. trouble, vexation 
 
 Gamine, A.N. the gamut 
 
 Garninunt, A.N. a garment 
 
 Gate , A. S. a way 
 
 Gaudes, A.N. ridiculous tricks 
 
 Gef, for gave 
 
 Geotnaunce, A.N. geometry 
 
 Geracbie, A. N. hierarchy 
 
 Gert, A.S. made, caufed 
 
 Geji, A. S. gueft 
 
 Gejles, A.N. actions, adventures 
 
 Gie, A. S. to guide 
 
 Gilt, A. S. to be guilty 
 
 Giliife, A.S. guilty 
 
 Glade, A. S. glad 
 
 Gladjbip, A. S. joy, gladnefs 
 
 Glede, A. S. a burning coal 
 
 Glofe, A.N. to comment or interpret 
 
 Glqfe, A.N. a comment or interpre- 
 tation 
 
 Gon, A. S. to go 
 
 Gone, A.S. to expire 
 
 Gonnen, A.S. begun 
 
 Goiernaunce, A.N. government, 
 control 
 
 Gradde, A. S. cried for 
 
 Grame, A. S. grief, anger 
 
 Grauntmercy, A.N. great thanks 
 
 Graven, A.S. buried 
 
 Gregois, for Greeks 
 
 Greine, A.S. to bear grain 
 
 Greme, A.S. growth 
 
 Grevable, A.S. grievous 
 
 Grevaunce, A.S. grievous 
 
 , /. X. to vex, injure 
 Gn vt s, A.S. groves 
 Gripes, . I. S. an eagle, a vulture 
 Grijel, A.S. an ugly perfon 
 Grith, A. S. protection 
 Grome, A.S. a man 
 Grope, A. S. to find 
 Grucche, A. N. to grumble 
 Guie, A. N. to guide 
 Gule, A. S. gluttony 
 Gulion, A.N. wallet or knapfack 
 Gult, A.S. guile 
 Gultife, A.S. guilty 
 Had I nijl, for ** had I but known 
 
 it," i. 175. 
 Haft, A. S. handle 
 Hainte, A. N. to pradife 
 Hate, A. S. to pull, or drawe 
 Halke, A. S. a corner 
 Halpe, A.S. helped 
 Hal/en, A. S. to embrace 
 Halt, A. S. holdeth 
 Halve, A. S. part, fide, behalf 
 Halving, for having 
 Halving ajhamed, for " as if afhamed" 
 
 ii. 65. 
 Haly, A. S. holy 
 Han, A. S. to have 
 Hantel, A.S. gift of the hand 
 Happe, A.S. chance 
 Hardiejle, ./.A', boldnefs 
 Hajlibede, A. N. hafte 
 Hat, A.S. to be named 
 Haveles, A.N. poor, deititute 
 Hed, for hid 
 Heed, for head 
 Heie, A. S. hay 
 Heil, A. S. whole, found 
 Helas, A. N. alas 
 Hele, A. S. health 
 Hele, A.S. to heal, to help 
 Hele, A.S. an eminence 
 Hele, A. S. to hide, to cover 
 lit in, for them 
 Hene, A. S. to put in motion 
 Hened, A. S. head 
 Hinge, A. S. hung 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 397 
 
 Hent, for hence 
 
 Kent, A. S. took hold of 
 
 Hente, A.S. to take hold of, to catch 
 
 Hente, A. S. hart 
 
 Ilepe, A.S. a mafs 
 
 Her, for their 
 
 Herbergage, A. N. lodging 
 
 Herbergeour, A. N. a harbinger, a 
 
 provider of lodgings 
 Herbergery, A.N. lodging 
 llerdes, A. S. keepers, fhepherd boys 
 Here, in compofition, fignifics this, 
 
 without including any idea of place 
 Here, A.S. to hear 
 Here, for their 
 Herte, A. S. heart 
 Hertely, A.S. hearty 
 Hejle, A.S. command, promife 
 Heven, A.S. heavenly 
 Hie, A.S. to haften 
 Hie, A. S. hafte, diligence 
 Hierd, A. S. a herdfman 
 Higbte, A. S. high 
 Higbt, A.S. called, to be named 
 Hingen, A. S. to hang 
 Hippe-halt, A. S. lame in the hip 
 Hire, A.S. her 
 Ho! interj. A.N. flop 
 Hodes, A. S. hoods 
 Holde, A. S. to beware of 
 Holde, A. S. a fort or cattle 
 Holde, Holden, A.S. obliged, held 
 
 to be, or regarded as 
 Hole, A.S. entire, whole, found 
 Hondc, A. S. a hand 
 Honde, Bareon, to infill upon, ii. 2. 
 Honochinus, qy. 
 Hore, A. S. hoary, gray 
 Hors, A.S. horfes 
 Hote, A.S. hot 
 Hote, A. S. called 
 Hove, A. S. to hover, to move 
 Hove-dance, A.S. court dance 
 Hulle, A.S. hill 
 Humble fie, A.N. humility 
 7, for y, prefixed to participles 
 Ibore, A. S. born 
 Ideljhip, A.S. idlenefs 
 
 Igbt, A.S. pofieffion 
 
 like, A. S. fame 
 
 In a tbrowe, quickly, i. 1 ip. 
 
 Inderly, carefully, zealoufly 
 
 Infortune, A. N. misfortune 
 
 Inowe, for enough 
 
 Interjlition, A.N. the intervening 
 
 fpace 
 Intronifed, A. N. enthroned 
 Irons, A. N. paflionate 
 Iwis, A.S. certainly 
 Iwrite, A. S. written 
 Jacinclus, A. N. hyacinth 
 Jangler, A.N. a prater 
 Jape, A.S. a trick, a jeft 
 Jafpis, A. N. jafper 
 Jolif, A. N. jolly, joyful 
 Joutes, A.N. an ancient difh in 
 
 cookery 
 Juife, A. N. judgment, punifhment 
 Jujlinge, A.N. tilting 
 Keie, A. S. key 
 Kele, A.S. to cool 
 Kempt, A.S. combed 
 Kepe, A.S. care, attention 
 Kepe, To take, to take heed, i. 233. 
 Kerfe, A.S. a rufh 
 Kerveth, qy. carveth 
 KeJte,A.S. kilTed 
 
 Kid, A.S. made known, difcovered 
 Kinde, A. S. nature, kindred 
 Kirtet, A.S. a tunic or gown 
 Kijl, A. S. cheft 
 Kith, A.S. country, region 
 Knape, A. S. a lad, a page 
 Knave, A.S. a male child 
 Knet, A. S. tied 
 Knowleching, A.S. knowledge 
 Lacches, A. N. to neglecl: 
 Lachefle, A. N. negligence, flacknefs 
 Lacke, A.S. a fault, a difgraceful 
 
 action 
 Lad, Ladde, A. S. led, carried 
 Laft, part, of leve 
 Lance-gay, A. N. a kind of lance 
 Lapacia, A.N. a kind of grafs 
 Large, A.N. liberal, free 
 Lajle, A. S. lefs, lower 
 
o9 : 
 
 GLOSS ART. 
 
 Lajle, A. S. to kffen 
 
 Lajle world, A.S. the microcofm 
 
 Lajle, A.S. to continue 
 
 Laton, A. N. a kind of mixed metal 
 
 of the colour of brafs 
 Laverock, A.S. a lark 
 Lay, A. N. lake or pond 
 Lay, A. S. law, religious profeflion 
 Lay, A.S. a fpecies of poem 
 Lazer, A. N. a leper 
 Leche, A. S. a phyfician, a cure 
 Lechour, A. N. a lewd perfon 
 Lefe, A. S. pleafing, agreeable 
 Lefte, A.S. raifed, exalted 
 Lefle, A.S. remained with 
 Lcful, for lawful 
 Lege, A.N. one bound by loyalty to 
 
 his fovereign 
 Legeaunce, A.N. bond of fidelity 
 Leie, A.S. to lay 
 Lein, A. S. to lay 
 Leifer, A.N. leiiure, opportunity 
 Leit, A. S. light 
 Leith, A. S. giveth 
 Lemman, A.S. a lover or gallant, a 
 
 miftrefs 
 Lene, A.S. to lend, to grant 
 linger, A. S. longer 
 Lenger the lajle, for linger the lefs, 
 
 iii. 344. 
 Lere, A. S. to learn, to teach 
 Lere, A. S. learning 
 Lefe, A. S. to glean, alfo to loofe 
 Lejing, A.S. a lie, a falfity 
 Left, A. S. loft 
 Lejle, for leaft 
 
 Lete, A.S. to think, to account 
 Leie, A. S. to leave 
 Lete, A. S. left 
 Lette, A.S. to hinder 
 Lette, A. S. delay, hindrance 
 Leude, A. S. ignorant, unlearned 
 Leve, A. S. dear 
 Leve, A.S. to believe, to rely 
 Leve, A.S. to remain, tarry 
 Leve, A.S. defire, inclination 
 Leven, A. S. lightning 
 Lever, A. S. more agreeable 
 
 Licb for -ly 
 
 Licbe, A. S. like 
 
 Licbe, A.S. a body 
 
 Licuchis, qy. 
 
 Lie, A.N. lees or fediment 
 
 Lief, A. S. agreeable, beloved 
 
 Ligge, A.S. to lie down 
 
 Liggend, A.S. lying 
 
 Ligh, qy. lie. ii. 254. 
 
 Liketh, A.S. liking, pleafure 
 
 Lime, A.S. to fmear, as with bird- 
 lime 
 
 Linde, A.S. the lime tree 
 
 Lijle, A.S. joy, blifs 
 
 Lifle, A. S. to grow eafy, to be re- 
 lieved 
 
 Lijle, A.S. to pleafe 
 
 Lijle, A.S. pleafure, inclination 
 
 Lite, A.S. a little 
 
 Lith, A.S. a limb 
 
 Lith, A. S. to foften 
 
 Loenge, A. N. praifing 
 
 Logged, A.N. lodged 
 
 Loke, A. S. to fee, to look upon ; 
 alfo to lock, to fhut clofe 
 
 Loked, A.S. leaked 
 
 Lollardie, A. S. the dodtrines of cer- 
 tain reformers called " Lollards" 
 
 Lond, A.S. land 
 
 Londe, A. S. the cuftom 
 
 Lope, A.S. a leap 
 
 Lore, A.S. loft 
 
 Lore, A. S. knowledge, dodrine, ad- 
 vice 
 
 Lorer, A. S. a laurel tree 
 
 Lorefman, A. S. a teacher 
 
 Los, A. S. lofs 
 
 Lofe, A.S. fame 
 
 Lojl, A.S. ruined 
 
 Lothe, A.S. difagreeable, odious 
 
 Lothly, A.S. loathfome 
 
 Lough, A.S. laughed 
 
 Lourd, A.S. ill-favoured 
 
 Loure, A.S. to look difcontented 
 
 Loute, A. S. to loiter, alfo to bow 
 
 Louie, A.S. humility 
 
 Lowe, A.S. to make the noife of 
 kine, to cry loudly 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 399 
 
 Lucre, A. N. advantageous 
 
 Lujle, A.S. vigour, delight, pleafurc 
 
 Lute, A. S. to be hid 
 
 Maine, A. S. force 
 
 Maintenue, A. N. the unjuit or 
 
 wrongful upholding of a perfon 
 
 or caufe 
 Make, A.S. a fellow, a mate, a huf- 
 
 band, a wife 
 Make, for do 
 
 Male, A. N. a budget, a portmanteau 
 Maleboucbe, A. N. a calumny 
 Malengin, A. N. wicked artifice 
 Malgracious, A.N. ungracious 
 Malgre, A. N. in fpite of 
 Malt, A.S. melted 
 Manace, A. N. to threaten 
 Maner, A.N. kind, fort 
 Mappe-mounde, A. N. a map of the 
 
 world 
 Marchandie, A. N. merchandize 
 Marche, A. S. a border, a country 
 Marrement, A.N. affliction 
 Marrubium, A. N. hoarhound 
 Mafed, A. S. bewildered, giddy 
 Mate, A. N. dejected, (truck dead 
 Mate, A. S. to dejeft, to ftupify 
 Maundcment, A.N. commandment 
 May, A. S. a virgin, a young woman 
 Mede, A.S. reward, alfo a meadow 
 Medle, A.N. to mix 
 Mein, A. S. mixed, mingled 
 Meke, A. S. to become meek 
 Mele, A.S. meal, dinner 
 Melle, A. N. to meddle 
 Menage, A. N. family 
 Mene, A. S. to fpeak, to tell 
 Mere, A.S. to move, to excite 
 Merel, the world 
 Meritori, A. N. meritorious 
 Mertbes, A. S. joys, pleafures 
 Mejlier, A.N. occupation 
 Mefure, A. N. moderation 
 Met, A.S. dreamed 
 Mete, A.S. to dream, to imagine 
 Metrede, A.N. meafure 
 Mette, A.S. dreamed 
 Mevable, A.N. moveable 
 
 Me we, A.N. a. cage 
 
 Micbe, A. N. to Ileal 
 
 Micberie, A.N. thieving 
 
 Might, A.S. to permit 
 
 Mile, qy. a long time 
 
 Min, for man 
 
 Mimic, A. S. remembrance 
 
 Min one, alone 
 
 Mirre, A. N. myrrh ; hence ad- 
 jective!}', bitter 
 
 Mis, A.S. ill, amifs 
 
 Mis, A.S. a wrong 
 
 Mis-drawe, A.S. drawing or pull- 
 ing the wrong way 
 
 Misferde, A.S. gone wrong 
 
 Mijloke, A.S. looking wrongly or 
 unluckily 
 
 Mi/pay, A.N. to pay badly 
 
 Mif-throwe, A. S. call improperly 
 
 Mijtriji, for miftruft 
 
 Mijlrowing, A. S. fufpefting 
 
 Mif-went, A. S. gone amifs 
 
 Mifwreint, A.S. wrenched 
 
 Mo, for more 
 
 Mochel, A.S. much, greatly 
 
 Moderbed, A.S. motherhood 
 
 Molde, A. S. earth 
 
 Molton, A. N. fheep 
 
 Mone, A. S. the moon ; alfo lamen- 
 tation 
 
 Mone, A. S. hag 
 
 Mordrice, A. S. a murderefs 
 
 More, A.S. root 
 
 More, A. S. to increafe 
 
 Mored, A. S. fpread 
 
 Mote, A. S. an atom 
 
 Mote, Mot, A.S. muff, may 
 
 Mountame, A. N. amount 
 
 Mow, A. S. may, to be able 
 
 Mowe, A.N. a diftortion of the 
 mouth 
 
 Muable, A. N. fickle 
 
 Muck, A.S. pelf 
 
 Mull, A. S. rubbifh 
 
 Nam for ne-am, A. S. am not 
 
 Nam, pa. of nime, A.S. took 
 
 Namely, A.S. efpecially 
 
 Nature, A. N. to create 
 
400 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Naturien,A. N.a natural philofopher 
 Ne, A. S. not, nor 
 Nedder, A.S. an adder 
 Nede, A. S. need, neccflity 
 Nede, Nedes, A.S. neceffarily 
 Neisjh, A. S. fofr, delicate 
 Nere for ne-nere, were not 
 Netherdes, A.S. neat-herds 
 Never a dele, not a bit, i. 33. 
 Newe, A.S. to renew 
 Newe, A.S. new, frefh 
 Nice, A. N. foolifh 
 Nicete, A. N. folly 
 Nigh, A. S. to approach 
 Nigromaunce, A. N. necromancy 
 Nill for ne-will, will not 
 Nis for ne-is, is not 
 A^i/? for ne-uijl, knew not 
 Nobley, A. N. dignity, fplendour 
 Nolde, Nolden, for ne-wolden, would 
 
 not 
 Nome, pa. of nime, A. S. took 
 Non, A.S. none 
 None, A.N. the ninth hour of the 
 
 natural day 
 None, A. N. not 
 Nones, A.S. occafion 
 Norice, A. N. a novice 
 Not, A. S. to obferve 
 Not for ne-ivot, A.S. know not 
 Novelrie, A.N. novelty 
 for on, one 
 Obeied, A.N. obedient 
 Ofjhreden, A.S. to lop off 
 Of newe, for anew 
 Oile, A. N. qy. eye 
 On honde, to take on honde, is to 
 
 experience, to engage in, to have 
 
 recourfe to anything, i. 101. 
 Onde, A.S. zeal, malice 
 Oppqfe, A.N. to argue with, to 
 
 queftion 
 OppreJJion, A.N. overcharging, or 
 
 overloading 
 Or, A.S. before 
 Orbis, Lat. firmament 
 Ordenaunce, A. N. orderly difpofition 
 Orped, A. N. courageous, glittering 
 
 Other, A. S. either 
 
 Oucbe, A. N. letting for a jewel 
 
 Oule on Jloke, or Stoke on oule, an 
 
 obfeene proverb 
 Oultrage, A. N. outrage, violence 
 Oultrely, A. S. utterly 
 Out of herre, out of order, i. 36. 
 Out-take, A.S. to take out, to ex- 
 cept 
 Out-take, A. S. excepted 
 Over- all, for in every cafe 
 Overhip, A. S. to hop over 
 Overfeie, A.S. deceived 
 Owhere, A.S. anywhere 
 Packe, A. S. a pedlar's bundle 
 Paie, A. N. to pleafe, to fatisfy 
 Paiens, A. N. pagans 
 Paindimaine, A.N. a fort of white 
 
 bread 
 Painim, A. N. a pagan 
 Pale, A. N. to make pale 
 Panne, A.S. the fkull 
 Par, A. N. by 
 Parage, A.N. kindred 
 Paraile, A. N. fimilitude 
 Paraventure, Paraunter, A.N. 
 
 haply, by chance 
 Parcas, A. N. by chance 
 Parfie, A.N. perfect 
 Parlement, A. N. an affembly for 
 
 confultation, a confultation 
 Parfe, A. N. perfonal charms 
 Partie, A. N. a part, a party in a 
 
 difpute 
 Pas, A. N. ftep 
 Pees, A.N. peace 
 Peine, A.N. labour, penalty 
 Peife, A. N. to poifc, to weigh, to 
 
 con fid er 
 Pelerinage, A. N. a pilgrimage 
 Pelote, A.N. a ball 
 Penon, A.S. a banner 
 Penouncel, A. N. a fmall ftreamer 
 Penfel, A. N. a fmall ftreamer 
 Perdurable, A. N. everlafting 
 Pere, A. N. a peer, an equal 
 Periferie, A.N. circumference 
 Perrie, A. N. jewels, precious ftones 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 401 
 
 Pike, A. S. to peep, to mark ; alfo 
 
 to Ileal 
 Pill, A.N. a pillage 
 Pile, Pille, A.N. to rob, to plunder 
 Pillour, A.N. a plunderer 
 Piment, A. N. fpiced wine 
 Pire, A.N. to peep 
 Piromaunce, A. N. divination by fire 
 Plaine, Pleigne, A.N. to complain 
 Plat, Platte, A.N. plain, flat. All 
 
 plat, i.e. flatly 
 Pleafaunce, A. N. pleafure 
 Pleie, Pley, A. S. to play 
 Plein, Plcine, A.N. full, perfect 
 Pleine, A. N. to deplore, complain, 
 
 utter difcontcnt 
 Plenerlicb, A. N. fully 
 Plie, A. N. to bend or mould 
 Plight (to-) A.S. to pluck to pieces 
 Plite, A.N. form, condition 
 Point, A.N. condition 
 Pointure, A. N. incitement 
 Policed, A.N. polifhed 
 Porte, A.N. carriage, behaviour 
 Prees, A. N. a prefs or crowd 
 Prees, Pris, A. N. price, praife 
 Preife, A.N. to commend, to value 
 PrenoJlicke,A. N. prognoltic, prefage 
 Prent, chiefly, in the fir ft place 
 Pres, A. N. near 
 Pretoire, A. N. prcetor 
 Preve, A. N. proof 
 Prike, A.S. to ride hard 
 Primer ole, A. N. a primrofe 
 Prive, A. N. private 
 Procuror, A. N. advocate 
 Prqfren, A. N. to bring forward, to 
 
 lay before 
 Prolacion, A. N. proclamation, ut- 
 terance 
 Provende, A.N. a prebendary 
 Purpartie, A. N. a fhare 
 Purfuit, A.N. qy. anxiety 
 Purfuivant, A.N. a follower 
 Purveiance, A.N. forefight, provi- 
 dence, provifion 
 Purveie, A. N. to forefee, to provide 
 Purveie, A. N. provifion 
 
 3 D 
 
 Py, for magpie 
 
 Quad, A.S. bad, evil 
 
 Quarle, A. N. complaint 
 
 Quvde, A. S. harm, evil 
 
 Queint, for quenched 
 
 Queinte, A.N. ftrange 
 
 Queintife, A.N. to be cunning, to 
 be neat 
 
 Queintife, A.N. cunning 
 
 Queme, A. S. to pleafe 
 
 Quite, A.N. to requite 
 
 Quite, A. N. quiet, free 
 
 Quod, A.S. faid 
 
 Racche, A. S. a fcenting hound 
 
 Rad, pa. of Rede, A. S. explained 
 
 Ragerie, A. N. wantonnefs 
 
 Ramage, A. N. wild 
 
 Rampe, A. N. to climb 
 
 Rane, A. S. to regret, grieve for ; 
 alfo, to fuffer, to have compaffion 
 
 Rape, A.S. hafte 
 
 Ratbejt, A. S. fooneft 
 
 Ravine, A.N. rapine 
 
 Ravinere, A.N. a plunderer 
 
 Reall, A. N. royal 
 
 Realte, A. N. royalty 
 
 Reccbe, A. S. to care 
 
 Receite, A.N. a prefcription 
 
 Recoverir, A. N. remedy 
 
 Reddour, A.N. itrength, violence 
 
 Rede, A.S. counfel, advice, expla- 
 nation 
 
 Rede, A.S. to advife, read, explain 
 
 Rees, for race 
 
 Rees, iii. 3, qy. 
 
 Reforme, A.S. to reconstruct, re- 
 compofe 
 
 Reft, A.N. took away 
 
 Regalie, A. N. ruling 
 
 Regiment, A.N. government 
 
 Regne, A.N. a kingdom 
 
 Regnen, A.N. to reign 
 
 Reguerdon, A. N. reward 
 
 Reguerdoned, A. N. rewarded 
 
 Reiny, A.S. watery 
 
 Reiffbe, A.S. a rufh 
 
 Reive, A.S. row (a-reive, in order) 
 
 Rejoy, A. N. to rejoice 
 
 D 
 
402 
 
 GLOSS ART. 
 
 Rekever, A. N. to recover 
 
 Reles, A.N. relifli 
 
 Releve, A.S. to rellore 
 
 Remue, Remeve, A. N. to remove 
 
 Renegate, A.N. an apoftate from 
 
 Chriitianity 
 Renne, A.S. to run 
 Repentail, A.S. repentance 
 Reprife, A. N. reproach 
 Rere, A.S. to raife up 
 Refcoujle, A. N. refcue 
 Reffhe, Rijhe, A. S. a rum 
 Rejte, A.S. repofe 
 Retenaunce, A.N. retinue 
 Retenue, A.N. permanent 
 Reule, A. N. rule, order 
 Revelin, A. S. revealing 
 Ribald, A.N. a poor labourer 
 Riche, A. S. a kingdom 
 Riff, Tojlake, to let out a reef of a 
 
 fail 
 Right, A.S. truly, rightly 
 Riote, A.N. company 
 Rivage, A.N. the more or coaft 
 Rive, A. N. the more or coalt 
 Rivel, AS. to wrinkle 
 Rode, A. S. a company of horfemen 
 Rode, A. S. the crofs. It is called 
 
 the Rode-tree, from its being made 
 
 of wood 
 Rody, A. S. ruddy 
 Roo, for roe 
 Rote, A.N. practice 
 Rote, A.S. core, root 
 Rougbt, part, of Reccbe 
 Rounen, A. S. to whifper 
 Rounge, A. N. to nip or cut 
 Route, A. N. a company 
 Routb, A. S. a pity, a caufe for regret 
 Routhe, A. S. companion, the objecl. 
 
 of companion 
 Rowe, A. S. to dawn 
 Rowe, A.S. line, order, fucceflion 
 Rucken, A. S. to crouch down 
 Sacre, A.N. to reverence 
 Sacrifie, A.N. to confecrate 
 Sad, A.S. firm, fixed 
 Sain, Sein, A. S. to fay 
 
 Sainte, A. N. holy 
 
 Salvage, A. N. favage, cruel 
 
 Sapience, A. N. wifdom 
 
 Satureie, A. N. the favory 
 
 Sauf, A.N. fafe 
 
 Saugbt, A.N. reconciled 
 
 Saugbt, A.S. to become calm, to 
 abate 
 
 Saulge, A. N. the ofier or willow 
 
 Saundres, A.N. fandal-wood 
 
 Sauns, A.N. without 
 
 Saveine, A. N. the name of an ever- 
 green 
 
 Sawe, A. S. fpeech, difcourfc, a pro- 
 verb or wife faying 
 
 Say, Sey, part, of Se, A.S. faw 
 
 Scarfe, A. N. to go away, to difperfe 
 
 Scbenche, A. S. to pour out wine 
 
 Scberdes, A. S. fcales 
 
 Scole, A. N. fchool 
 
 Scomer-fare, qy. iii. 321. 
 
 Seche, A.S. to feek 
 
 Secre, A . N. a fecret 
 
 Seculer, A. N. of the laity, in oppo- 
 fition to clerical 
 
 See, A.N. a feat 
 
 Seen, A.S. fkilled, verfed 
 
 Seie, Sey, part, of to fee 
 
 Seintuarie, A. N. fandluary 
 
 Seive, A.N. a dim 
 
 Sekerlich, A.S. furely 
 
 Selden, A. S. feldom 
 
 Semblable, A. N. like 
 
 Semblaunt, A.N. feeming, appear- 
 ance 
 
 Sempiterne, A. N. everlafting 
 
 Send, for fendeth 
 
 Sendall, qy. a thin filk 
 
 Servage, A.N. fervitude, flavery 
 
 Sejine, A.N. pofleflion 
 
 Sett a tonne abrocbe, to tap a caflc, 
 ii. 183. 
 
 Sette, A. S. to place, to fet 
 
 Sbadde, A.S. fell in drops 
 
 Sbalmele, A. N. a pfaltery 
 
 Shape, A.S. to prepare 
 
 Sharnebudes, a kind of infecl: 
 
 Sbawe, A. S. a (hade of trees, a grove 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 403 
 
 Shend, A.S. to ruin 
 Shere, A.S. to cut 
 Sbet, A.S. to fhoot 
 Shette, A.S. overwhelmed 
 Sbide, A.S. a log of wood 
 Shifte, A.S. to divide 
 Sbilde, Sbelde, A. S. to fhield 
 Sbrewe, A.S. to calumniate 
 Shrewe, A.S. an ill tempered man 
 
 or woman 
 Shrifte, A. S. confeflion 
 Shrightefov Jhricheth,A. S. fhricketh 
 Shrive, A.S. to make confeflion; 
 
 alfo, to praife 
 Shode, A. S. to divide 
 Sbof, A. S. pufhed 
 Shope, part, of Shape 
 Sibbe, A.S. related, allied 
 Sibred, A. S. kindred, relationship 
 Sigb, A.S. faw 
 Sike, A.S. to figh 
 Sike, A. S. fick 
 Siker, A.S. fure 
 Silogime, A. N. fyllogifm 
 Simplejle, A.N. simplicity 
 Sit i'orjittetb, A.S. becomes 
 Sithe, A. S. fince 
 Sithes, A. S. times 
 Skie, A.S. a cloud 
 Skieretb, A.S. efcapeth 
 Skille, Skile, A. S. reafon 
 Slade, A.S. a, valley 
 Slawe, part, of Sle 
 Sle, Sleen, A. S. to kill 
 Sleight, A. S. contrivance 
 Slider, A.S. flippery 
 Sligh, for fly 
 
 Slike, A.S. to make fleek or fmooth 
 Slike, A. S. fuch 
 Slitte, A. S. cleft or fiflure 
 Sloutheth, A. S. retardeth, maketh 
 
 flow 
 Slowe, A. S. flew 
 Smaragdine, A.N. emerald 
 So, A. S. fuch 
 
 Sode, A. S. foaked or fteeped 
 Sodeinlich, A.S. fuddenly 
 Soffred, A. N. fuffered 
 
 Soleine, A. N. Angle 
 
 Somdele, A S. fomewhat, in fome 
 
 meafure 
 Sotnweie, A.S. fomehow 
 Somwho, A. S. fome one 
 Sonde, A. S. fand 
 Sonde, A. S. a meflage 
 Sone, A.S. foon 
 Sore, Sors, A. N. chance 
 Soth, A. S. true, certain 
 Sothe, A.S. truth 
 Sothfajlnejle, A. S. truth 
 Sothly, A. S. truly 
 Sotie, A. N. folly 
 Soucheth, A. N. fufpetteth 
 Souldan, for Sultan 
 Sonne, A. N. to found 
 Souple, A.N. to influence 
 Spatula, A. N. voluptuoufnefs, lewd- 
 
 nefs 
 Spedde, A. S. verfed in 
 Spede, A. S. luck, fortune 
 Spiece, A. N. kind, fort 
 Spieces, for fpecies 
 Spieces, A. N. fpices 
 Spire, A. S. to enquire 
 Splen, A. N. fpleen 
 Spore, A. S. a fpur 
 Sporne,A. S. to ftrike the foot againft 
 
 anything, to {tumble 
 Spume, A.N. foam 
 Stal, A.S. to ileal 
 Stant in one, for is the fame 
 Sta7it, for ftandeth 
 Star/, part, of Sterve 
 Staunge, To make, to turn away, i. 
 
 140. 
 Stede, A. S. a place 
 Stempne, A.S. voice, command 
 Stente, A. S. to defift, to ceafe 
 Stere, A.S. to ftir 
 Stere, A. S. a rudder 
 Sterte, A.S. to leap, to efcape 
 Sterve, A. S. to die, perifh 
 Steven, A.S. voice, found; alfo, 
 
 appointed time 
 Stewe, A. N. a brothel 
 Stigh, A.S. afcended 
 
404 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Stighe, A.S. to afcend 
 
 Stint, Stinte, A. S. to flop 
 
 Stock, A.S. a root 
 
 Stock, A. S. flood 
 
 Stoke, A. S. fhut, fattened 
 
 Stonden, A. S. flood 
 
 Stood, A.S. ftud of horfes 
 
 Storven, part, of Sterve 
 
 Stound, A.S. a moment, a fhort 
 
 fpace of time 
 Stounde, A.S. ftunned, beaten fe- 
 
 verely 
 Straughte, A. S. ilretched 
 Straunge, A.S. to become flrange, 
 
 to eflrange 
 Stre, A.S. ltraw 
 Streit, A.S. to Itretch 
 Strengthes, A.S. fortrefles 
 Subgite, A. N. fubjecT: 
 Sucre, A. N. fugar ; hence adjec- 
 
 tively, fweet 
 Sue, A. N. to follow 
 Suffifance, A. N. fufficiency, fatisfac- 
 
 tion 
 Suffifaunt, A.N. fufficient 
 Suffre, A. N. to fupport 
 Supplantour, A.N. a difplacer 
 Surquedous, A.N. prefumptuous 
 Surquedrie, A. N. preemption 
 Sujler, for fitter 
 Sute, A.N. following, purfuit 
 Sivere, A.S. neck 
 Sweven, A.S. a dream 
 Sninke, A. S. to labour 
 Snitbe, A.S. quickly 
 Snote , A. S- fweat 
 Snore, A.S. fweet 
 Taid, for tied 
 Taillage, A.N. a tax 
 Taille, A. N. a tally 
 Take, for taken 
 Take, A.S. to deliver up 
 Tale, A. S. to tell ftories 
 Tant tie quant, not at all 
 Tapinage, A.N. lurking, fkulking 
 
 about 
 Tafle, A.N. a heap 
 Tafle, A.N. to overload, to heap on 
 
 Tatb, for taketh 
 
 Tei/e, A.N. to pull 
 
 Temprure, A.N. temper 
 
 Tendre, A.N. to foften, to work 
 
 upon 
 Tene, A.S. to grieve, to afflicl 
 Tene, A.S. grief 
 Terretnote, A.N. an earthquake 
 Thank, A. S. thankfulncfs, good will 
 Tbanne, Than, A.S. then 
 Tharjl, A.S. durft 
 The, for thee 
 Thenke, A.S. to think 
 Theorique, A.N. contemplation, 
 
 deep ftudy 
 Thewe, A. S. manner, quality 
 Thewed, A. S. gifted, mannered 
 Tbeye, for the eye 
 Thilke, A.S. this fame, that fame 
 Tho, A. S. then 
 Tho, A. S. thofe 
 Thole, A. S. to bear or fuffer 
 Thonke, A. S. to thank 
 Thrid, A. S. third 
 Thries, A.S. thrice 
 Thringe, A. S. to thruft 
 Throjlel, A.S. a thrulh 
 Throne, A. S. time 
 Throne, A. S. flruggle, agony 
 Throwes, A.S. by turns 
 Thronfe, A. S. a painful effort, as of 
 
 a woman in travail 
 Tiding, A.S coming 
 Tigh, qy. took 
 Till, A.S. to 
 
 Tilthe, A.S. the produce of tilling 
 Tite, A.S. foon 
 To, for by 
 To, A.S. too 
 To, in composition with verbs, is 
 
 generally augmentative, fignifying 
 
 utterly, entirely 
 To-blowe, A. S. fcattered by the wind 
 To-braide, A. S. to pull to pieces 
 To-breke, A.S. to break in pieces 
 To-clef, A. S. fplit in pieces 
 To-drawe, A.S. attracted or drawn 
 
 to 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 405 
 
 To-drougb, A. S. hurried, forced 
 
 along 
 To-fore, A.S. before 
 To-gider, A.S. together 
 To-pulled, A. S. harafled 
 To-rqfe, A. S. torn to pieces 
 To-fon, as a fon 
 Tonne, A. S. a cafk 
 Toofe, A.S. to diforder 
 Topfailecole, qy. ii. 231 
 Tome, A. N. to turn 
 Torney, A. N. to wheel round 
 Tote, A. S. to peep, obferve 
 Toten, A.S. to look 
 Totore, A.S. torn to pieces 
 Trauncetb, A.N. leapeth 
 Travers, A. N. difpute 
 Tregetour, A.N. a juggler 
 Treigne, A. N. a train 
 Treis, A. N. in a trice 
 Trete, A.N. to treat, to difcourfe 
 Tretour, A.N. a traitor 
 Trifle, for trufl: 
 Tripjfle, A.N. fadnefs 
 Trowe, A.S. to believe 
 Truage, A. S. homage 
 Trufle, A. N. to pack up 
 Tweie, Twey, A.S. two 
 Twinne, A. S. to depart from a place 
 
 or thing, to be feparated 
 Unaffiled, A.N. ambitious, unadvifed 
 Unaquit, A.N. unrewarded 
 Unbebovely, A.S. ufelefsly, unpro- 
 
 fitably 
 Unbefein, A.S. unbefitting 
 Unbuxome, A. N. unheeding, dif- 
 
 obedient 
 Underfonge, A. S. to undertake 
 Undern, A.S. the third hour of the 
 
 artificial day, nine o'clock, a. m. 
 Undrough, A. S. drew down or back 
 Ungood, A. S. unjuft, not righteous 
 Unhappes, A.S. misfortunes 
 Unknet, A. S. loofened, untied 
 Unlered, A. S. unlearned 
 Unloke, A.S. explained, interpreted 
 UnluJl,A.S. diflike 
 Unnethes, A.S. fcarcely 
 
 Unpeired, A.N. unimpaired 
 
 Unpeifed, A. N. not poifcd or 
 weighed 
 
 Unpleine, A. N. obfeure 
 
 Unf aught, A. S. not looked after 
 
 Unfely, A.S. unhappy 
 
 Unfoft, A.S. hard 
 
 Unjloken, A. S. opened 
 
 Unteide, A.S. fct free 
 
 Unthewed, A.S. thawed 
 
 Untoward, A.S. toward 
 
 Unware, A.S. unforefeen 
 
 Unwelde, A.S. ungovernable, un- 
 wieldy 
 
 Unworjbip, A.S. unworthy 
 
 Up, A.S. upon 
 
 Upon depofe, fubjecT: to depofition 
 
 Up-Jo-down, for upfide down, ii. 
 218. 
 
 Uprijle, A. S. uprifing 
 
 Upfette, A. S. to put or place up 
 
 V, ufed for b or f 
 
 Vecke, A.N. an old woman 
 
 Vendides, qy. 
 
 Venerien, A.N. venereal 
 
 Venery, A. N. hunting 
 
 Vengeable, A.N. cruel, revengeful 
 
 Venim, A. N. poifon, venom 
 
 Ver, Lat. fpring 
 
 Vernage, A. N. a kind of white wine 
 
 Verveine, A. N. verbena 
 
 Viage, A.N. a journey by fea or 
 land 
 
 Viker, A. N. vicar 
 
 Vinour, A.N. a winebibber 
 
 Vire, A. N. an arrow 
 
 Virelay, A.N. a round, freeman's 
 fong 
 
 Virgin, A. N. chafte, pure 
 
 W is ufed for both u and y 
 
 Wacche, A.S. to watch 
 
 Wailoway, A. S. alas, for pity 
 
 Wait, A.N. a watch or look out 
 
 Wan, A. S. gained 
 
 Wan, A.S. decreafe 
 
 Wane, A. S. to depart, to decline 
 
 Wanbope, A.S. defpair 
 
 Warde, A.N. a. priibn 
 
406 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Warde, A. N. to take care of 
 
 Ware, A.S. to be on one's guard, 
 to beware 
 
 Warie, A.S. to abufe, to fpeak evil 
 of 
 
 Warifon, A.N. reward, merit 
 
 Watte, A.N. a watch, a guard 
 
 Wane, A.S. a wave 
 
 Wedde, Wed, A.S. a. pledge 
 
 Wede, A.S. clothing, apparel 
 
 Weder, A. S. a wether fheep 
 
 Weived, A.S. curtained 
 
 Wele, A.S. wealth, profperity 
 
 Wele, for will 
 
 Welked, A. S. withered, mouldy 
 
 Welken, A. S. the iky 
 
 Welketh, A. S. decayeth, withereth 
 
 Wend, for wened, A. S. thought, 
 intended 
 
 Wende, A.S. to go 
 
 Wene, A.S. to think, fuppofe 
 
 Wene, A. S. a guefs, fuppofnion 
 
 Went, A. S. a way 
 
 Wepenles, A.S. weaponlefs 
 
 Werche, Werke, A. S. work 
 
 Were, A.S. to wear 
 
 Were, A.S. confufion, doubt, un- 
 certainty 
 
 Werne, A.S. to caution, apprize, 
 refufe 
 
 Werre, A. N. war 
 
 Wers, A. S. worfe 
 
 Whan, for when 
 
 Whan as ever, for whence fo ever, 
 i. 156. 
 
 Whanne, for whence 
 
 What, for wot 
 
 Whele, for while 
 
 Where, for anywhere 
 
 Whether, A. S. which of two 
 
 While, A. S. time 
 
 Whilom, A. S. once on a time 
 
 Who, A. S. one 
 
 Who faith, for one would fay, i. 4. 
 
 Wicke, A.S. wicked 
 
 Wicke, A.S. wickednefs 
 
 Wierd, A.S. fortune 
 
 Wierdes, A. S. the fates or deflinies 
 
 Wifehode, A. S. the (late of a wife 
 
 Wight, A. S. a perfon, male or fe- 
 male 
 
 Wilde, A. S. impatient of 
 
 Wimple, A.N. a covering for the 
 neck 
 
 Winne, A. S. to gain 
 
 Wirche, A.S. to do, to caufe 
 
 Wis, A.S. certainly 
 
 Wife, A. S. manner 
 
 Wijle, A. S. to teach, to diredl 
 
 Wisjhe, A.S. to warn 
 
 Wijlen,A.S. knew 
 
 Wit, A.S. to blame 
 
 Wite, A.S. to know 
 
 Wite, A.S. acquaintance with, or 
 knowledge of 
 
 Withholde, A.S. retained 
 
 With/aye, A.S. to contradict, to 
 deny 
 
 With/et, A.S. to upfet, refill 
 
 Witte, A. S. underflanding, capacity 
 
 Wo, A.S. to flop, to check 
 
 Wo, A. S. forrowful 
 
 Wode, A. S. mad, violent 
 
 Wode, A. S. wood 
 
 Wol, A.S. to will 
 
 Wolde, A.S. would, been willing 
 
 Wombe, A.S. the belly 
 
 Wonde, A.S. to fear, to defifl 
 through fear 
 
 Wonde, part, of wone 
 
 Wonder, A. S. wonderfully, very 
 
 Wone, A. S. cuflom, habitation 
 
 Wone, A.S. to dwell 
 
 Woo, be, for to fufFer 
 
 Wort, A.S. a cabbage 
 
 Worth, A. S. to be, to go 
 
 Wojl for wotejl, A. S. knoweft 
 
 Wote, Wot, A.S. to know 
 
 Wot, A. S. knew 
 
 Wowe, qy., i. 324. 
 
 Wowe, A.S. to woo 
 
 Woxe, A.S. grew 
 
 Wrecche, A.S. to be avenged 
 
 Wreche, A. S. revenge, anger 
 
 Wulle, A.S. wool 
 
 Y, for g 
 
GLOSSART. 
 
 407 
 
 Yaf, Yef, A. S. gave 
 
 Yare, A.S. ready 
 
 Ydriades, qy. 
 
 Ydromaunce, A.N. divination by 
 
 water 
 Ye, for thee 
 Ye, A.S. yes, certainly 
 Yede, A.S. went 
 Yelpe, A.S. to prate, to boaft 
 
 Yente, A.S. to take care of 
 Yerde, A. S. a rod or ilaff 
 Yeven, A. S. to give 
 Yevetb, A. S. givcth 
 Yit, for yet 
 
 Yolde, A. S. yielded, repaid 
 Yomen, A.S. a fervant 
 Yove, A.S. gave 
 
 THE END. 
 
 chiswick press: c. whittingham, tooks court, 
 chancery lane. 
 
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