Confessio Amantis
or
Tales of the Seven Deadly Sins
Incipit Liber Primus: Part 2
Online Medieval and Classical Library Release
#4
1764 And sche began to pleie and rage,
1765 As who seith, I am wel ynowh;
1766 Bot he therof nothing ne lowh,
1767 For sche tok thanne chiere on honde
1768 And clepeth him hire housebonde,
1769 And seith, "My lord, go we to bedde,
1770 For I to that entente wedde,
1771 That thou schalt be my worldes blisse:"
1772 And profreth him with that to kisse,
1773 As sche a lusti Lady were.
1774 His body myhte wel be there,
1775 Bot as of thoght and of memoire
1776 His herte was in purgatoire.
1777 Bot yit for strengthe of matrimoine
1778 He myhte make non essoine,
1779 That he ne mot algates plie
1780 To gon to bedde of compaignie:
1781 And whan thei were abedde naked,
1782 Withoute slep he was awaked;
1783 He torneth on that other side,
1784 For that he wolde hise yhen hyde
1785 Fro lokynge on that foule wyht.
1786 The chambre was al full of lyht,
1787 The courtins were of cendal thinne,
1788 This newe bryd which lay withinne,
1789 Thogh it be noght with his acord,
1790 In armes sche beclipte hire lord,
1791 And preide, as he was torned fro,
1792 He wolde him torne ayeinward tho;
1793 "For now," sche seith, "we ben bothe on."
1794 And he lay stille as eny ston,
1795 Bot evere in on sche spak and preide,
1796 And bad him thenke on that he seide,
1797 Whan that he tok hire be the hond.
1798 He herde and understod the bond,
1799 How he was set to his penance,
1800 And as it were a man in trance
1801 He torneth him al sodeinly,
1802 And syh a lady lay him by
1803 Of eyhtetiene wynter age,
1804 Which was the faireste of visage
1805 That evere in al this world he syh:
1806 And as he wolde have take hire nyh,
1807 Sche put hire hand and be his leve
1808 Besoghte him that he wolde leve,
1809 And seith that forto wynne or lese
1810 He mot on of tuo thinges chese,
1811 Wher he wol have hire such on nyht,
1812 Or elles upon daies lyht,
1813 For he schal noght have bothe tuo.
1814 And he began to sorwe tho,
1815 In many a wise and caste his thoght,
1816 Bot for al that yit cowthe he noght
1817 Devise himself which was the beste.
1818 And sche, that wolde his hertes reste,
1819 Preith that he scholde chese algate,
1820 Til ate laste longe and late
1821 He seide: "O ye, my lyves hele,
1822 Sey what you list in my querele,
1823 I not what ansuere I schal yive:
1824 Bot evere whil that I may live,
1825 I wol that ye be my maistresse,
1826 For I can noght miselve gesse
1827 Which is the beste unto my chois.
1828 Thus grante I yow myn hole vois,
1829 Ches for ous bothen, I you preie;
1830 And what as evere that ye seie,
1831 Riht as ye wole so wol I."
1832 "Mi lord," sche seide, " grant merci,
1833 For of this word that ye now sein,
1834 That ye have mad me soverein,
1835 Mi destine is overpassed,
1836 That nevere hierafter schal be lassed
1837 Mi beaute, which that I now have,
1838 Til I be take into my grave;
1839 Bot nyht and day as I am now
1840 I schal alwey be such to yow.
1841 The kinges dowhter of Cizile
1842 I am, and fell bot siththe awhile,
1843 As I was with my fader late,
1844 That my Stepmoder for an hate,
1845 Which toward me sche hath begonne,
1846 Forschop me, til I hadde wonne
1847 The love and sovereinete
1848 Of what knyht that in his degre
1849 Alle othre passeth of good name:
1850 And, as men sein, ye ben the same,
1851 The dede proeveth it is so;
1852 Thus am I youres evermo."
1853 Tho was plesance and joye ynowh,
1854 Echon with other pleide and lowh;
1855 Thei live longe and wel thei ferde,
1856 And clerkes that this chance herde
1857 Thei writen it in evidence,
1858 To teche how that obedience
1859 Mai wel fortune a man to love
1860 And sette him in his lust above,
1861 As it befell unto this knyht.
1862 Forthi, my Sone, if thou do ryht,
1863 Thou schalt unto thi love obeie,
1864 And folwe hir will be alle weie.
1865 Min holy fader, so I wile:
1866 For ye have told me such a skile
1867 Of this ensample now tofore,
1868 That I schal evermo therfore
1869 Hierafterward myn observance
1870 To love and to his obeissance
1871 The betre kepe: and over this
1872 Of pride if ther oght elles is,
1873 Wherof that I me schryve schal,
1874 What thing it is in special,
1875 Mi fader, axeth, I you preie.
1876 Now lest, my Sone, and I schal seie:
1877 For yit ther is Surquiderie,
1878 Which stant with Pride of compaignie;
1879 Wherof that thou schalt hiere anon,
1880 To knowe if thou have gult or non
1881 Upon the forme as thou schalt hiere:
1882 Now understond wel the matiere.
1883 Surquiderie is thilke vice
1884 Of Pride, which the thridde office
1885 Hath in his Court, and wol noght knowe
1886 The trowthe til it overthrowe.
1887 Upon his fortune and his grace
1888 Comth "Hadde I wist" fulofte aplace;
1889 For he doth al his thing be gesse,
1890 And voideth alle sikernesse.
1891 Non other conseil good him siemeth
1892 Bot such as he himselve diemeth;
1893 For in such wise as he compasseth,
1894 His wit al one alle othre passeth;
1895 And is with pride so thurghsoght,
1896 That he alle othre set at noght,
1897 And weneth of himselven so,
1898 That such as he ther be nomo,
1899 So fair, so semly, ne so wis;
1900 And thus he wolde bere a pris
1901 Above alle othre, and noght forthi
1902 He seith noght ones "grant mercy"
1903 To godd, which alle grace sendeth,
1904 So that his wittes he despendeth
1905 Upon himself, as thogh ther were
1906 No godd which myhte availe there:
1907 Bot al upon his oghne witt
1908 He stant, til he falle in the pitt
1909 So ferr that he mai noght arise.
1910 And riht thus in the same wise
1911 This vice upon the cause of love
1912 So proudly set the herte above,
1913 And doth him pleinly forto wene
1914 That he to loven eny qwene
1915 Hath worthinesse and sufficance;
1916 And so withoute pourveance
1917 Fulofte he heweth up so hihe,
1918 That chippes fallen in his yhe;
1919 And ek ful ofte he weneth this,
1920 Ther as he noght beloved is,
1921 To be beloved alther best.
1922 Now, Sone, tell what so thee lest
1923 Of this that I have told thee hier.
1924 Ha, fader, be noght in a wer:
1925 I trowe ther be noman lesse,
1926 Of eny maner worthinesse,
1927 That halt him lasse worth thanne I
1928 To be beloved; and noght forthi
1929 I seie in excusinge of me,
1930 To alle men that love is fre.
1931 And certes that mai noman werne;
1932 For love is of himself so derne,
1933 It luteth in a mannes herte:
1934 Bot that ne schal me noght asterte,
1935 To wene forto be worthi
1936 To loven, bot in hir mercy.
1937 Bot, Sire, of that ye wolden mene,
1938 That I scholde otherwise wene
1939 To be beloved thanne I was,
1940 I am beknowe as in that cas.
1941 Mi goode Sone, tell me how.
1942 Now lest, and I wol telle yow,
1943 Mi goode fader, how it is.
1944 Fulofte it hath befalle or this
1945 Thurgh hope that was noght certein,
1946 Mi wenynge hath be set in vein
1947 To triste in thing that halp me noght,
1948 Bot onliche of myn oughne thoght.
1949 For as it semeth that a belle
1950 Lik to the wordes that men telle
1951 Answerth, riht so ne mor ne lesse,
1952 To yow, my fader, I confesse,
1953 Such will my wit hath overset,
1954 That what so hope me behet,
1955 Ful many a time I wene it soth,
1956 Bot finali no spied it doth.
1957 Thus may I tellen, as I can,
1958 Wenyng beguileth many a man;
1959 So hath it me, riht wel I wot:
1960 For if a man wole in a Bot
1961 Which is withoute botme rowe,
1962 He moste nedes overthrowe.
1963 Riht so wenyng hath ferd be me:
1964 For whanne I wende next have be,
1965 As I be my wenynge caste,
1966 Thanne was I furthest ate laste,
1967 And as a foll my bowe unbende,
1968 Whan al was failed that I wende.
1969 Forthi, my fader, as of this,
1970 That my wenynge hath gon amis
1971 Touchende to Surquiderie,
1972 Yif me my penance er I die.
1973 Bot if ye wolde in eny forme
1974 Of this matiere a tale enforme,
1975 Which were ayein this vice set,
1976 I scholde fare wel the bet.
1977 Mi Sone, in alle maner wise
1978 Surquiderie is to despise,
1979 Wherof I finde write thus.
1980 The proude knyht Capanes
1981 He was of such Surquiderie,
1982 That he thurgh his chivalerie
1983 Upon himself so mochel triste,
1984 That to the goddes him ne liste
1985 In no querele to beseche,
1986 Bot seide it was an ydel speche,
1987 Which caused was of pure drede,
1988 For lack of herte and for no nede.
1989 And upon such presumpcioun
1990 He hield this proude opinioun,
1991 Til ate laste upon a dai,
1992 Aboute Thebes wher he lay,
1993 Whan it of Siege was belein,
1994 This knyht, as the Croniqes sein,
1995 In alle mennes sihte there,
1996 Whan he was proudest in his gere,
1997 And thoghte how nothing myhte him dere,
1998 Ful armed with his schield and spere
1999 As he the Cite wolde assaile,
2000 Godd tok himselve the bataille
2001 Ayein his Pride, and fro the sky
2002 A firy thonder sodeinly
2003 He sende, and him to pouldre smot.
2004 And thus the Pride which was hot,
2005 Whan he most in his strengthe wende,
2006 Was brent and lost withouten ende:
2007 So that it proeveth wel therfore,
2008 The strengthe of man is sone lore,
2009 Bot if that he it wel governe.
2010 And over this a man mai lerne
2011 That ek fulofte time it grieveth,
2012 Whan that a man himself believeth,
2013 As thogh it scholde him wel beseme
2014 That he alle othre men can deme,
2015 And hath foryete his oghne vice.
2016 A tale of hem that ben so nyce,
2017 And feigne hemself to be so wise,
2018 I schal thee telle in such a wise,
2019 Wherof thou schalt ensample take
2020 That thou no such thing undertake.
2021 I finde upon Surquiderie,
2022 How that whilom of Hungarie
2023 Be olde daies was a King
2024 Wys and honeste in alle thing:
2025 And so befell upon a dai,
2026 And that was in the Monthe of Maii,
2027 As thilke time it was usance,
2028 This kyng with noble pourveance
2029 Hath for himself his Charr araied,
2030 Wher inne he wolde ride amaied
2031 Out of the Cite forto pleie,
2032 With lordes and with gret nobleie
2033 Of lusti folk that were yonge:
2034 Wher some pleide and some songe,
2035 And some gon and some ryde,
2036 And some prike here hors aside
2037 And bridlen hem now in now oute.
2038 The kyng his yhe caste aboute,
2039 Til he was ate laste war
2040 And syh comende ayein his char
2041 Two pilegrins of so gret age,
2042 That lich unto a dreie ymage
2043 Thei weren pale and fade hewed,
2044 And as a bussh which is besnewed,
2045 Here berdes weren hore and whyte;
2046 Ther was of kinde bot a lite,
2047 That thei ne semen fulli dede.
2048 Thei comen to the kyng and bede
2049 Som of his good par charite;
2050 And he with gret humilite
2051 Out of his Char to grounde lepte,
2052 And hem in bothe hise armes kepte
2053 And keste hem bothe fot and hond
2054 Before the lordes of his lond,
2055 And yaf hem of his good therto:
2056 And whanne he hath this dede do,
2057 He goth into his char ayein.
2058 Tho was Murmur, tho was desdeign,
2059 Tho was compleignte on every side,
2060 Thei seiden of here oghne Pride
2061 Eche until othre: "What is this?
2062 Oure king hath do this thing amis,
2063 So to abesse his realte
2064 That every man it myhte se,
2065 And humbled him in such a wise
2066 To hem that were of non emprise."
2067 Thus was it spoken to and fro
2068 Of hem that were with him tho
2069 Al prively behinde his bak;
2070 Bot to himselven noman spak.
2071 The kinges brother in presence
2072 Was thilke time, and gret offence
2073 He tok therof, and was the same
2074 Above alle othre which most blame
2075 Upon his liege lord hath leid,
2076 And hath unto the lordes seid,
2077 Anon as he mai time finde,
2078 Ther schal nothing be left behinde,
2079 That he wol speke unto the king.
2080 Now lest what fell upon this thing.
2081 The day was merie and fair ynowh,
2082 Echon with othre pleide and lowh,
2083 And fellen into tales newe,
2084 How that the freisshe floures grewe,
2085 And how the grene leves spronge,
2086 And how that love among the yonge
2087 Began the hertes thanne awake,
2088 And every bridd hath chose hire make:
2089 And thus the Maies day to thende
2090 Thei lede, and hom ayein thei wende.
2091 The king was noght so sone come,
2092 That whanne he hadde his chambre nome,
2093 His brother ne was redi there,
2094 And broghte a tale unto his Ere
2095 Of that he dede such a schame
2096 In hindringe of his oghne name,
2097 Whan he himself so wolde drecche,
2098 That to so vil a povere wrecche
2099 Him deigneth schewe such simplesce
2100 Ayein thastat of his noblesce:
2101 And seith he schal it nomor use,
2102 And that he mot himself excuse
2103 Toward hise lordes everychon.
2104 The king stod stille as eny ston,
2105 And to his tale an Ere he leide,
2106 And thoghte more than he seide:
2107 Bot natheles to that he herde
2108 Wel cortaisly the king answerde,
2109 And tolde it scholde be amended.
2110 And thus whan that her tale is ended,
2111 Al redy was the bord and cloth,
2112 The king unto his Souper goth
2113 Among the lordes to the halle;
2114 And whan thei hadden souped alle,
2115 Thei token leve and forth thei go.
2116 The king bethoghte himselve tho
2117 How he his brother mai chastie,
2118 That he thurgh his Surquiderie
2119 Tok upon honde to despreise
2120 Humilite, which is to preise,
2121 And therupon yaf such conseil
2122 Toward his king that was noght heil;
2123 Wherof to be the betre lered,
2124 He thenkth to maken him afered.
2125 It fell so that in thilke dawe
2126 Ther was ordeined be the lawe
2127 A trompe with a sterne breth,
2128 Which cleped was the Trompe of deth:
2129 And in the Court wher the king was
2130 A certein man this Trompe of bras
2131 Hath in kepinge, and therof serveth,
2132 That whan a lord his deth deserveth,
2133 He schal this dredful trompe blowe
2134 Tofore his gate, and make it knowe
2135 How that the jugement is yove
2136 Of deth, which schal noght be foryove.
2137 The king, whan it was nyht, anon
2138 This man asente and bad him gon
2139 To trompen at his brother gate;
2140 And he, which mot so don algate,
2141 Goth forth and doth the kynges heste.
2142 This lord, which herde of this tempeste
2143 That he tofore his gate blew,
2144 Tho wiste he be the lawe and knew
2145 That he was sikerliche ded:
2146 And as of help he wot no red,
2147 Bot sende for hise frendes alle
2148 And tolde hem how it is befalle.
2149 And thei him axe cause why;
2150 Bot he the sothe noght forthi
2151 Ne wiste, and ther was sorwe tho:
2152 For it stod thilke tyme so,
2153 This trompe was of such sentence,
2154 That therayein no resistence
2155 Thei couthe ordeine be no weie,
2156 That he ne mot algate deie,
2157 Bot if so that he may pourchace
2158 To gete his liege lordes grace.
2159 Here wittes therupon thei caste,
2160 And ben apointed ate laste.
2161 This lord a worthi ladi hadde
2162 Unto his wif, which also dradde
2163 Hire lordes deth, and children five
2164 Betwen hem two thei hadde alyve,
2165 That weren yonge and tendre of age,
2166 And of stature and of visage
2167 Riht faire and lusty on to se.
2168 Tho casten thei that he and sche
2169 Forth with here children on the morwe,
2170 As thei that were full of sorwe,
2171 Al naked bot of smok and scherte,
2172 To tendre with the kynges herte,
2173 His grace scholden go to seche
2174 And pardoun of the deth beseche.
2175 Thus passen thei that wofull nyht,
2176 And erly, whan thei sihe it lyht,
2177 Thei gon hem forth in such a wise
2178 As thou tofore hast herd devise,
2179 Al naked bot here schortes one.
2180 Thei wepte and made mochel mone,
2181 Here Her hangende aboute here Eres;
2182 With sobbinge and with sory teres
2183 This lord goth thanne an humble pas,
2184 That whilom proud and noble was;
2185 Wherof the Cite sore afflyhte,
2186 Of hem that sihen thilke syhte:
2187 And natheless al openly
2188 With such wepinge and with such cri
2189 Forth with hise children and his wif
2190 He goth to preie for his lif.
2191 Unto the court whan thei be come,
2192 And men therinne have hiede nome,
2193 Ther was no wiht, if he hem syhe,
2194 Fro water mihte kepe his yhe
2195 For sorwe which thei maden tho.
2196 The king supposeth of this wo,
2197 And feigneth as he noght ne wiste;
2198 Bot natheles at his upriste
2199 Men tolden him how that it ferde:
2200 And whan that he this wonder herde,
2201 In haste he goth into the halle,
2202 And alle at ones doun thei falle,
2203 If eny pite may be founde.
2204 The king, which seth hem go to grounde,
2205 Hath axed hem what is the fere,
2206 Why thei be so despuiled there.
2207 His brother seide: "Ha lord, mercy!
2208 I wot non other cause why,
2209 Bot only that this nyht ful late
2210 The trompe of deth was at my gate
2211 In tokne that I scholde deie;
2212 Thus be we come forto preie
2213 That ye mi worldes deth respite."
2214 "Ha fol, how thou art forto wyte,"
2215 The king unto his brother seith,
2216 "That thou art of so litel feith,
2217 That only for a trompes soun
2218 Hast gon despuiled thurgh the toun,
2219 Thou and thi wif in such manere
2220 Forth with thi children that ben here,
2221 In sihte of alle men aboute,
2222 For that thou seist thou art in doute
2223 Of deth, which stant under the lawe
2224 Of man, and man it mai withdrawe,
2225 So that it mai par chance faile.
2226 Now schalt thou noght forthi mervaile
2227 That I doun fro my Charr alihte,
2228 Whanne I behield tofore my sihte
2229 In hem that were of so grete age
2230 Min oghne deth thurgh here ymage,
2231 Which god hath set be lawe of kynde,
2232 Wherof I mai no bote finde:
2233 For wel I wot, such as thei be,
2234 Riht such am I in my degree,
2235 Of fleissh and blod, and so schal deie.
2236 And thus, thogh I that lawe obeie
2237 Of which the kinges ben put under,
2238 It oghte ben wel lasse wonder
2239 Than thou, which art withoute nede
2240 For lawe of londe in such a drede,
2241 Which for tacompte is bot a jape,
2242 As thing which thou miht overscape.
2243 Forthi, mi brother, after this
2244 I rede, sithen that so is
2245 That thou canst drede a man so sore,
2246 Dred god with al thin herte more:
2247 For al schal deie and al schal passe,
2248 Als wel a Leoun as an asse,
2249 Als wel a beggere as a lord,
2250 Towardes deth in on acord
2251 Thei schullen stonde." And in this wise
2252 The king hath with hise wordes wise
2253 His brother tawht and al foryive.
2254 Forthi, mi Sone, if thou wolt live
2255 In vertu, thou most vice eschuie,
2256 And with low herte humblesce suie,
2257 So that thou be noght surquidous.
2258 Mi fader, I am amorous,
2259 Wherof I wolde you beseche
2260 That ye me som ensample teche,
2261 Which mihte in loves cause stonde.
2262 Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde,
2263 In love and othre thinges alle
2264 If that Surquiderie falle,
2265 It may to him noght wel betide
2266 Which useth thilke vice of Pride,
2267 Which torneth wisdom to wenynge
2268 And Sothfastnesse into lesynge
2269 Thurgh fol ymaginacion.
2270 And for thin enformacion,
2271 That thou this vice as I the rede
2272 Eschuie schalt, a tale I rede,
2273 Which fell whilom be daies olde,
2274 So as the clerk Ovide tolde.
2275 Ther was whilom a lordes Sone,
2276 Which of his Pride a nyce wone
2277 Hath cawht, that worthi to his liche,
2278 To sechen al the worldes riche,
2279 Ther was no womman forto love.
2280 So hihe he sette himselve above
2281 Of stature and of beaute bothe,
2282 That him thoghte alle wommen lothe:
2283 So was ther no comparisoun
2284 As toward his condicioun.
2285 This yonge lord Narcizus hihte:
2286 No strengthe of love bowe mihte
2287 His herte, which is unaffiled;
2288 Bot ate laste he was beguiled:
2289 For of the goddes pourveance
2290 It fell him on a dai par chance,
2291 That he in all his proude fare
2292 Unto the forest gan to fare,
2293 Amonges othre that ther were
2294 To hunte and to desporte him there.
2295 And whanne he cam into the place
2296 Wher that he wolde make his chace,
2297 The houndes weren in a throwe
2298 Uncoupled and the hornes blowe:
2299 The grete hert anon was founde,
2300 Which swifte feet sette upon grounde,
2301 And he with spore in horse side
2302 Him hasteth faste forto ride,
2303 Til alle men be left behinde.
2304 And as he rod, under a linde
2305 Beside a roche, as I thee telle,
2306 He syh wher sprong a lusty welle:
2307 The day was wonder hot withalle,
2308 And such a thurst was on him falle,
2309 That he moste owther deie or drinke;
2310 And doun he lihte and be the brinke
2311 He teide his Hors unto a braunche,
2312 And leide him lowe forto staunche
2313 His thurst: and as he caste his lok
2314 Into the welle and hiede tok,
2315 He sih the like of his visage,
2316 And wende ther were an ymage
2317 Of such a Nimphe as tho was faie,
2318 Wherof that love his herte assaie
2319 Began, as it was after sene,
2320 Of his sotie and made him wene
2321 It were a womman that he syh.
2322 The more he cam the welle nyh,
2323 The nerr cam sche to him ayein;
2324 So wiste he nevere what to sein;
2325 For whanne he wepte, he sih hire wepe,
2326 And whanne he cride, he tok good kepe,
2327 The same word sche cride also:
2328 And thus began the newe wo,
2329 That whilom was to him so strange;
2330 Tho made him love an hard eschange,
2331 To sette his herte and to beginne
2332 Thing which he mihte nevere winne.
2333 And evere among he gan to loute,
2334 And preith that sche to him come oute;
2335 And otherwhile he goth a ferr,
2336 And otherwhile he draweth nerr,
2337 And evere he fond hire in o place.
2338 He wepth, he crith, he axeth grace,
2339 There as he mihte gete non;
2340 So that ayein a Roche of Ston,
2341 As he that knew non other red,
2342 He smot himself til he was ded.
2343 Wherof the Nimphes of the welles,
2344 And othre that ther weren elles
2345 Unto the wodes belongende,
2346 The body, which was ded ligende,
2347 For pure pite that thei have
2348 Under the grene thei begrave.
2349 And thanne out of his sepulture
2350 Ther sprong anon par aventure
2351 Of floures such a wonder syhte,
2352 That men ensample take myhte
2353 Upon the dedes whiche he dede,
2354 As tho was sene in thilke stede;
2355 For in the wynter freysshe and faire
2356 The floures ben, which is contraire
2357 To kynde, and so was the folie
2358 Which fell of his Surquiderie.
2359 Thus he, which love hadde in desdeign,
2360 Worste of all othre was besein,
2361 And as he sette his pris most hyhe,
2362 He was lest worth in loves yhe
2363 And most bejaped in his wit:
2364 Wherof the remembrance is yit,
2365 So that thou myht ensample take,
2366 And ek alle othre for his sake.
2367 Mi fader, as touchende of me,
2368 This vice I thenke forto fle,
2369 Which of his wenynge overtroweth;
2370 And nameliche of thing which groweth
2371 In loves cause or wel or wo
2372 Yit pryded I me nevere so.
2373 Bot wolde god that grace sende,
2374 That toward me my lady wende
2375 As I towardes hire wene!
2376 Mi love scholde so be sene,
2377 Ther scholde go no pride a place.
2378 Bot I am ferr fro thilke grace,
2379 As forto speke of tyme now;
2380 So mot I soffre, and preie yow
2381 That ye wole axe on other side
2382 If ther be eny point of Pride,
2383 Wherof it nedeth to be schrive.
2384 Mi Sone, godd it thee foryive,
2385 If thou have eny thing misdo
2386 Touchende of this, bot overmo
2387 Ther is an other yit of Pride,
2388 Which nevere cowthe hise wordes hide,
2389 That he ne wole himself avaunte;
2390 Ther mai nothing his tunge daunte,
2391 That he ne clappeth as a Belle:
2392 Wherof if thou wolt that I telle,
2393 It is behovely forto hiere,
2394 So that thou myht thi tunge stiere,
2395 Toward the world and stonde in grace,
2396 Which lacketh ofte in many place
2397 To him that can noght sitte stille,
2398 Which elles scholde have al his wille.
2399 The vice cleped Avantance
2400 With Pride hath take his aqueintance,
2401 So that his oghne pris he lasseth,
2402 When he such mesure overpasseth
2403 That he his oghne Herald is.
2404 That ferst was wel is thanne mis,
2405 That was thankworth is thanne blame,
2406 And thus the worschipe of his name
2407 Thurgh pride of his avantarie
2408 He torneth into vilenie.
2409 I rede how that this proude vice
2410 Hath thilke wynd in his office,
2411 Which thurgh the blastes that he bloweth
2412 The mannes fame he overthroweth
2413 Of vertu, which scholde elles springe
2414 Into the worldes knowlechinge;
2415 Bot he fordoth it alto sore.
2416 And riht of such a maner lore
2417 Ther ben lovers: forthi if thow
2418 Art on of hem, tell and sei how.
2419 Whan thou hast taken eny thing
2420 Of loves yifte, or Nouche or ring,
2421 Or tok upon thee for the cold
2422 Som goodly word that thee was told,
2423 Or frendly chiere or tokne or lettre,
2424 Wherof thin herte was the bettre,
2425 Or that sche sende the grietinge,
2426 Hast thou for Pride of thi likinge
2427 Mad thin avant wher as the liste?
2428 I wolde, fader, that ye wiste,
2429 Mi conscience lith noght hiere:
2430 Yit hadde I nevere such matiere,
2431 Wherof min herte myhte amende,
2432 Noght of so mochel that sche sende
2433 Be mowthe and seide, "Griet him wel:"
2434 And thus for that ther is no diel
2435 Wherof to make myn avant,
2436 It is to reson acordant
2437 That I mai nevere, bot I lye,
2438 Of love make avanterie.
2439 I wot noght what I scholde have do,
2440 If that I hadde encheson so,
2441 As ye have seid hier manyon;
2442 Bot I fond cause nevere non:
2443 Bot daunger, which welnyh me slowh,
2444 Therof I cowthe telle ynowh,
2445 And of non other Avantance:
2446 Thus nedeth me no repentance.
2447 Now axeth furthere of my lif,
2448 For hierof am I noght gultif.
2449 Mi Sone, I am wel paid withal;
2450 For wite it wel in special
2451 That love of his verrai justice
2452 Above alle othre ayein this vice
2453 At alle times most debateth,
2454 With al his herte and most it hateth.
2455 And ek in alle maner wise
2456 Avantarie is to despise,
2457 As be ensample thou myht wite,
2458 Which I finde in the bokes write.
2459 Of hem that we Lombars now calle
2460 Albinus was the ferste of alle
2461 Which bar corone of Lombardie,
2462 And was of gret chivalerie
2463 In werre ayein diverse kinges.
2464 So fell amonges othre thinges,
2465 That he that time a werre hadde
2466 With Gurmond, which the Geptes ladde,
2467 And was a myhti kyng also:
2468 Bot natheles it fell him so,
2469 Albinus slowh him in the feld,
2470 Ther halp him nowther swerd ne scheld,
2471 That he ne smot his hed of thanne,
2472 Wherof he tok awey the Panne,
2473 Of which he seide he wolde make
2474 A Cuppe for Gurmoundes sake,
2475 To kepe and drawe into memoire
2476 Of his bataille the victoire.
2477 And thus whan he the feld hath wonne,
2478 The lond anon was overronne
2479 And sesed in his oghne hond,
2480 Wher he Gurmondes dowhter fond,
2481 Which Maide Rosemounde hihte,
2482 And was in every mannes sihte
2483 A fair, a freissh, a lusti on.
2484 His herte fell to hire anon,
2485 And such a love on hire he caste,
2486 That he hire weddeth ate laste;
2487 And after that long time in reste
2488 With hire he duelte, and to the beste
2489 Thei love ech other wonder wel.
2490 Bot sche which kepth the blinde whel,
2491 Venus, whan thei be most above,
2492 In al the hoteste of here love,
2493 Hire whiel sche torneth, and thei felle
2494 In the manere as I schal telle.
2495 This king, which stod in al his welthe
2496 Of pes, of worschipe and of helthe,
2497 And felte him on no side grieved,
2498 As he that hath his world achieved,
2499 Tho thoghte he wolde a feste make;
2500 And that was for his wyves sake,
2501 That sche the lordes ate feste,
2502 That were obeissant to his heste,
2503 Mai knowe: and so forth therupon
2504 He let ordeine, and sende anon
2505 Be lettres and be messagiers,
2506 And warnede alle hise officiers
2507 That every thing be wel arraied:
2508 The grete Stiedes were assaied
2509 For joustinge and for tornement,
2510 And many a perled garnement
2511 Embroudred was ayein the dai.
2512 The lordes in here beste arrai
2513 Be comen ate time set,
2514 On jousteth wel, an other bet,
2515 And otherwhile thei torneie,
2516 And thus thei casten care aweie
2517 And token lustes upon honde.
2518 And after, thou schalt understonde,
2519 To mete into the kinges halle
2520 Thei come, as thei be beden alle:
2521 And whan thei were set and served,
2522 Thanne after, as it was deserved,
2523 To hem that worthi knyhtes were,
2524 So as thei seten hiere and there,
2525 The pris was yove and spoken oute
2526 Among the heraldz al aboute.
2527 And thus benethe and ek above
2528 Al was of armes and of love,
2529 Wherof abouten ate bordes
2530 Men hadde manye sondri wordes,
2531 That of the merthe which thei made
2532 The king himself began to glade
2533 Withinne his herte and tok a pride,
2534 And sih the Cuppe stonde aside,
2535 Which mad was of Gurmoundes hed,
2536 As ye have herd, whan he was ded,
2537 And was with gold and riche Stones
2538 Beset and bounde for the nones,
2539 And stod upon a fot on heihte
2540 Of burned gold, and with gret sleihte
2541 Of werkmanschipe it was begrave
2542 Of such werk as it scholde have,
2543 And was policed ek so clene
2544 That no signe of the Skulle is sene,
2545 Bot as it were a Gripes Ey.
2546 The king bad bere his Cuppe awey,
2547 Which stod tofore him on the bord,
2548 And fette thilke. Upon his word
2549 This Skulle is fet and wyn therinne,
2550 Wherof he bad his wif beginne:
2551 "Drink with thi fader, Dame," he seide.
2552 And sche to his biddinge obeide,
2553 And tok the Skulle, and what hire liste
2554 Sche drank, as sche which nothing wiste
2555 What Cuppe it was: and thanne al oute
2556 The kyng in audience aboute
2557 Hath told it was hire fader Skulle,
2558 So that the lordes knowe schulle
2559 Of his bataille a soth witnesse,
2560 And made avant thurgh what prouesse
2561 He hath his wyves love wonne,
2562 Which of the Skulle hath so begonne.
2563 Tho was ther mochel Pride alofte,
2564 Thei speken alle, and sche was softe,
2565 Thenkende on thilke unkynde Pride,
2566 Of that hire lord so nyh hire side
2567 Avanteth him that he hath slain
2568 And piked out hire fader brain,
2569 And of the Skulle had mad a Cuppe.
2570 Sche soffreth al til thei were uppe,
2571 And tho sche hath seknesse feigned,
2572 And goth to chambre and hath compleigned
2573 Unto a Maide which sche triste,
2574 So that non other wyht it wiste.
2575 This Mayde Glodeside is hote,
2576 To whom this lady hath behote
2577 Of ladischipe al that sche can,
2578 To vengen hire upon this man,
2579 Which dede hire drinke in such a plit
2580 Among hem alle for despit
2581 Of hire and of hire fader bothe;
2582 Wherof hire thoghtes ben so wrothe,
2583 Sche seith, that sche schal noght be glad,
2584 Til that sche se him so bestad
2585 That he nomore make avant.
2586 And thus thei felle in covenant,
2587 That thei acorden ate laste,
2588 With suche wiles as thei caste
2589 That thei wol gete of here acord
2590 Som orped knyht to sle this lord:
2591 And with this sleihte thei beginne,
2592 How thei Helmege myhten winne,
2593 Which was the kinges Boteler,
2594 A proud a lusti Bacheler,
2595 And Glodeside he loveth hote.
2596 And sche, to make him more assote,
2597 Hire love granteth, and be nyhte
2598 Thei schape how thei togedre myhte
2599 Abedde meete: and don it was
2600 This same nyht; and in this cas
2601 The qwene hirself the nyht secounde
2602 Wente in hire stede, and there hath founde
2603 A chambre derk withoute liht,
2604 And goth to bedde to this knyht.
2605 And he, to kepe his observance,
2606 To love doth his obeissance,
2607 And weneth it be Glodeside;
2608 And sche thanne after lay aside,
2609 And axeth him what he hath do,
2610 And who sche was sche tolde him tho,
2611 And seide: "Helmege, I am thi qwene,
2612 Now schal thi love wel be sene
2613 Of that thou hast thi wille wroght:
2614 Or it schal sore ben aboght,
2615 Or thou schalt worche as I thee seie.
2616 And if thou wolt be such a weie
2617 Do my plesance and holde it stille,
2618 For evere I schal ben at thi wille,
2619 Bothe I and al myn heritage."
2620 Anon the wylde loves rage,
2621 In which noman him can governe,
2622 Hath mad him that he can noght werne,
2623 Bot fell al hol to hire assent:
2624 And thus the whiel is al miswent,
2625 The which fortune hath upon honde;
2626 For how that evere it after stonde,
2627 Thei schope among hem such a wyle,
2628 The king was ded withinne a whyle.
2629 So slihly cam it noght aboute
2630 That thei ne ben descoevered oute,
2631 So that it thoghte hem for the beste
2632 To fle, for there was no reste:
2633 And thus the tresor of the king
2634 Thei trusse and mochel other thing,
2635 And with a certein felaschipe
2636 Thei fledde and wente awey be schipe,
2637 And hielde here rihte cours fro thenne,
2638 Til that thei come to Ravenne,
2639 Wher thei the Dukes helpe soghte.
2640 And he, so as thei him besoghte,
2641 A place granteth forto duelle;
2642 Bot after, whan he herde telle
2643 Of the manere how thei have do,
2644 This Duk let schape for hem so,
2645 That of a puison which thei drunke
2646 Thei hadden that thei have beswunke.
2647 And al this made avant of Pride:
2648 Good is therfore a man to hide
2649 His oghne pris, for if he speke,
2650 He mai lihtliche his thonk tobreke.
2651 In armes lith non avantance
2652 To him which thenkth his name avance
2653 And be renomed of his dede:
2654 And also who that thenkth to spede
2655 Of love, he mai him noght avaunte;
2656 For what man thilke vice haunte,
2657 His pourpos schal fulofte faile.
2658 In armes he that wol travaile
2659 Or elles loves grace atteigne,
2660 His lose tunge he mot restreigne,
2661 Which berth of his honour the keie.
2662 Forthi, my Sone, in alle weie
2663 Tak riht good hiede of this matiere.
2664 I thonke you, my fader diere,
2665 This scole is of a gentil lore;
2666 And if ther be oght elles more
2667 Of Pride, which I schal eschuie,
2668 Now axeth forth, and I wol suie
2669 What thing that ye me wole enforme.
2670 Mi Sone, yit in other forme
2671 Ther is a vice of Prides lore,
2672 Which lich an hauk whan he wol sore,
2673 Fleith upon heihte in his delices
2674 After the likynge of his vices,
2675 And wol no mannes resoun knowe,
2676 Till he doun falle and overthrowe.
2677 This vice veine gloire is hote,
2678 Wherof, my Sone, I thee behote
2679 To trete and speke in such a wise,
2680 That thou thee myht the betre avise.
2681 The proude vice of veine gloire
2682 Remembreth noght of purgatoire,
2683 Hise worldes joyes ben so grete,
2684 Him thenkth of hevene no beyete;
2685 This lives Pompe is al his pes:
2686 Yit schal he deie natheles,
2687 And therof thenkth he bot a lite,
2688 For al his lust is to delite
2689 In newe thinges, proude and veine,
2690 Als ferforth as he mai atteigne.
2691 I trowe, if that he myhte make
2692 His body newe, he wolde take
2693 A newe forme and leve his olde:
2694 For what thing that he mai beholde,
2695 The which to comun us is strange,
2696 Anon his olde guise change
2697 He wole and falle therupon,
2698 Lich unto the Camelion,
2699 Which upon every sondri hewe
2700 That he beholt he moste newe
2701 His colour, and thus unavised
2702 Fulofte time he stant desguised.
2703 Mor jolif than the brid in Maii
2704 He makth him evere freissh and gay,
2705 And doth al his array desguise,
2706 So that of him the newe guise
2707 Of lusti folk alle othre take;
2708 And ek he can carolles make,
2709 Rondeal, balade and virelai.
2710 And with al this, if that he may
2711 Of love gete him avantage,
2712 Anon he wext of his corage
2713 So overglad, that of his ende
2714 Him thenkth ther is no deth comende:
2715 For he hath thanne at alle tide
2716 Of love such a maner pride,
2717 Him thenkth his joie is endeles.
2718 Now schrif thee, Sone, in godes pes,
2719 And of thi love tell me plein
2720 If that thi gloire hath be so vein.
2721 Mi fader, as touchinge of al
2722 I may noght wel ne noght ne schal
2723 Of veine gloire excuse me,
2724 That I ne have for love be
2725 The betre adresced and arraied;
2726 And also I have ofte assaied
2727 Rondeal, balade and virelai
2728 For hire on whom myn herte lai
2729 To make, and also forto peinte
2730 Caroles with my wordes qweinte,
2731 To sette my pourpos alofte;
2732 And thus I sang hem forth fulofte
2733 In halle and ek in chambre aboute,
2734 And made merie among the route,
2735 Bot yit ne ferde I noght the bet.
2736 Thus was my gloire in vein beset
2737 Of al the joie that I made;
2738 For whanne I wolde with hire glade,
2739 And of hire love songes make,
2740 Sche saide it was noght for hir sake,
2741 And liste noght my songes hiere
2742 Ne witen what the wordes were.
2743 So forto speke of myn arrai,
2744 Yit couthe I nevere be so gay
2745 Ne so wel make a songe of love,
2746 Wherof I myhte ben above
2747 And have encheson to be glad;
2748 Bot rathere I am ofte adrad
2749 For sorwe that sche seith me nay.
2750 And natheles I wol noght say,
2751 That I nam glad on other side;
2752 For fame, that can nothing hide,
2753 Alday wol bringe unto myn Ere
2754 Of that men speken hier and there,
2755 How that my ladi berth the pris,
2756 How sche is fair, how sche is wis,
2757 How sche is wommanlich of chiere;
2758 Of al this thing whanne I mai hiere,
2759 What wonder is thogh I be fain?
2760 And ek whanne I may hiere sain
2761 Tidinges of my ladi hele,
2762 Althogh I may noght with hir dele,
2763 Yit am I wonder glad of that;
2764 For whanne I wot hire good astat,
2765 As for that time I dar wel swere,
2766 Non other sorwe mai me dere,
2767 Thus am I gladed in this wise.
2768 Bot, fader, of youre lores wise,
2769 Of whiche ye be fully tawht,
2770 Now tell me if yow thenketh awht
2771 That I therof am forto wyte.
2772 Of that ther is I thee acquite,
2773 Mi sone, he seide, and for thi goode
2774 I wolde that thou understode:
2775 For I thenke upon this matiere
2776 To telle a tale, as thou schalt hiere,
2777 How that ayein this proude vice
2778 The hihe god of his justice
2779 Is wroth and gret vengance doth.
2780 Now herkne a tale that is soth:
2781 Thogh it be noght of loves kinde,
2782 A gret ensample thou schalt finde
2783 This veine gloire forto fle,
2784 Which is so full of vanite.
2785 Ther was a king that mochel myhte,
2786 Which Nabugodonosor hihte,
2787 Of whom that I spak hier tofore.
2788 Yit in the bible his name is bore,
2789 For al the world in Orient
2790 Was hol at his comandement:
2791 As thanne of kinges to his liche
2792 Was non so myhty ne so riche;
2793 To his Empire and to his lawes,
2794 As who seith, alle in thilke dawes
2795 Were obeissant and tribut bere,
2796 As thogh he godd of Erthe were.
2797 With strengthe he putte kinges under,
2798 And wroghte of Pride many a wonder;
2799 He was so full of veine gloire,
2800 That he ne hadde no memoire
2801 That ther was eny good bot he,
2802 For pride of his prosperite;
2803 Til that the hihe king of kinges,
2804 Which seth and knoweth alle thinges,
2805 Whos yhe mai nothing asterte,-
2806 The privetes of mannes herte
2807 Thei speke and sounen in his Ere
2808 As thogh thei lowde wyndes were,-
2809 He tok vengance upon this pride.
2810 Bot for he wolde awhile abide
2811 To loke if he him wolde amende,
2812 To him a foretokne he sende,
2813 And that was in his slep be nyhte.
2814 This proude kyng a wonder syhte
2815 Hadde in his swevene, ther he lay:
2816 Him thoghte, upon a merie day
2817 As he behield the world aboute,
2818 A tree fulgrowe he syh theroute,
2819 Which stod the world amiddes evene,
2820 Whos heihte straghte up to the hevene;
2821 The leves weren faire and large,
2822 Of fruit it bar so ripe a charge,
2823 That alle men it myhte fede:
2824 He sih also the bowes spriede
2825 Above al Erthe, in whiche were
2826 The kinde of alle briddes there;
2827 And eke him thoghte he syh also
2828 The kinde of alle bestes go
2829 Under this tre aboute round
2830 And fedden hem upon the ground.
2831 As he this wonder stod and syh,
2832 Him thoghte he herde a vois on hih
2833 Criende, and seide aboven alle:
2834 "Hew doun this tree and lett it falle,
2835 The leves let defoule in haste
2836 And do the fruit destruie and waste,
2837 And let of schreden every braunche,
2838 Bot ate Rote let it staunche.
2839 Whan al his Pride is cast to grounde,
2840 The rote schal be faste bounde,
2841 And schal no mannes herte bere,
2842 Bot every lust he schal forbere
2843 Of man, and lich an Oxe his mete
2844 Of gras he schal pourchace and ete,
2845 Til that the water of the hevene
2846 Have waisshen him be times sevene,
2847 So that he be thurghknowe ariht
2848 What is the heveneliche myht,
2849 And be mad humble to the wille
2850 Of him which al mai save and spille."
2851 This king out of his swefne abreide,
2852 And he upon the morwe it seide
2853 Unto the clerkes whiche he hadde:
2854 Bot non of hem the sothe aradde,
2855 Was non his swevene cowthe undo.
2856 And it stod thilke time so,
2857 This king hadde in subjeccioun
2858 Judee, and of affeccioun
2859 Above alle othre on Daniel
2860 He loveth, for he cowthe wel
2861 Divine that non other cowthe:
2862 To him were alle thinges cowthe,
2863 As he it hadde of goddes grace.
2864 He was before the kinges face
2865 Asent, and bode that he scholde
2866 Upon the point the king of tolde
2867 The fortune of his swevene expounde,
2868 As it scholde afterward be founde.
2869 Whan Daniel this swevene herde,
2870 He stod long time er he ansuerde,
2871 And made a wonder hevy chiere.
2872 The king tok hiede of his manere,
2873 And bad him telle that he wiste,
2874 As he to whom he mochel triste,
2875 And seide he wolde noght be wroth.
2876 Bot Daniel was wonder loth,
2877 And seide: "Upon thi fomen alle,
2878 Sire king, thi swevene mote falle;
2879 And natheles touchende of this
2880 I wol the tellen how it is,
2881 And what desese is to thee schape:
2882 God wot if thou it schalt ascape.
2883 The hihe tree, which thou hast sein
2884 With lef and fruit so wel besein,
2885 The which stod in the world amiddes,
2886 So that the bestes and the briddes
2887 Governed were of him al one,
2888 Sire king, betokneth thi persone,
2889 Which stant above all erthli thinges.
2890 Thus regnen under the the kinges,
2891 And al the poeple unto thee louteth,
2892 And al the world thi pouer doubteth,
2893 So that with vein honour deceived
2894 Thou hast the reverence weyved
2895 Fro him which is thi king above,
2896 That thou for drede ne for love
2897 Wolt nothing knowen of thi godd;
2898 Which now for thee hath mad a rodd,
2899 Thi veine gloire and thi folie
2900 With grete peines to chastie.
2901 And of the vois thou herdest speke,
2902 Which bad the bowes forto breke
2903 And hewe and felle doun the tree,
2904 That word belongeth unto thee;
2905 Thi regne schal ben overthrowe,
2906 And thou despuiled for a throwe:
2907 Bot that the Rote scholde stonde,
2908 Be that thou schalt wel understonde,
2909 Ther schal abyden of thi regne
2910 A time ayein whan thou schalt regne.
2911 And ek of that thou herdest seie,
2912 To take a mannes herte aweie
2913 And sette there a bestial,
2914 So that he lich an Oxe schal
2915 Pasture, and that he be bereined
2916 Be times sefne and sore peined,
2917 Til that he knowe his goddes mihtes,
2918 Than scholde he stonde ayein uprihtes,-
2919 Al this betokneth thin astat,
2920 Which now with god is in debat:
2921 Thi mannes forme schal be lassed,
2922 Til sevene yer ben overpassed,
2923 And in the liknesse of a beste
2924 Of gras schal be thi real feste,
2925 The weder schal upon thee reine.
2926 And understond that al this peine,
2927 Which thou schalt soffre thilke tide,
2928 Is schape al only for thi pride
2929 Of veine gloire, and of the sinne
2930 Which thou hast longe stonden inne.
2931 So upon this condicioun
2932 Thi swevene hath exposicioun.
2933 Bot er this thing befalle in dede,
2934 Amende thee, this wolde I rede:
2935 Yif and departe thin almesse,
2936 Do mercy forth with rihtwisnesse,
2937 Besech and prei the hihe grace,
2938 For so thou myht thi pes pourchace
2939 With godd, and stonde in good acord."
2940 Bot Pride is loth to leve his lord,
2941 And wol noght soffre humilite
2942 With him to stonde in no degree;
2943 And whan a schip hath lost his stiere,
2944 Is non so wys that mai him stiere
2945 Ayein the wawes in a rage.
2946 This proude king in his corage
2947 Humilite hath so forlore,
2948 That for no swevene he sih tofore,
2949 Ne yit for al that Daniel
2950 Him hath conseiled everydel,
2951 He let it passe out of his mynde,
2952 Thurgh veine gloire, and as the blinde,
2953 He seth no weie, er him be wo.
2954 And fell withinne a time so,
2955 As he in Babiloine wente,
2956 The vanite of Pride him hente;
2957 His herte aros of veine gloire,
2958 So that he drowh into memoire
2959 His lordschipe and his regalie
2960 With wordes of Surquiderie.
2961 And whan that he him most avaunteth,
2962 That lord which veine gloire daunteth,
2963 Al sodeinliche, as who seith treis,
2964 Wher that he stod in his Paleis,
2965 He tok him fro the mennes sihte:
2966 Was non of hem so war that mihte
2967 Sette yhe wher that he becom.
2968 And thus was he from his kingdom
2969 Into the wilde Forest drawe,
2970 Wher that the myhti goddes lawe
2971 Thurgh his pouer dede him transforme
2972 Fro man into a bestes forme;
2973 And lich an Oxe under the fot
2974 He graseth, as he nedes mot,
2975 To geten him his lives fode.
2976 Tho thoghte him colde grases goode,
2977 That whilom eet the hote spices,
2978 Thus was he torned fro delices:
2979 The wyn which he was wont to drinke
2980 He tok thanne of the welles brinke
2981 Or of the pet or of the slowh,
2982 It thoghte him thanne good ynowh:
2983 In stede of chambres wel arraied
2984 He was thanne of a buissh wel paied,
2985 The harde ground he lay upon,
2986 For othre pilwes hath he non;
2987 The stormes and the Reines falle,
2988 The wyndes blowe upon him alle,
2989 He was tormented day and nyht,
2990 Such was the hihe goddes myht,
2991 Til sevene yer an ende toke.
2992 Upon himself tho gan he loke;
2993 In stede of mete gras and stres,
2994 In stede of handes longe cles,
2995 In stede of man a bestes lyke
2996 He syh; and thanne he gan to syke
2997 For cloth of gold and for perrie,
2998 Which him was wont to magnefie.
2999 Whan he behield his Cote of heres,
3000 He wepte and with fulwoful teres
3001 Up to the hevene he caste his chiere
3002 Wepende, and thoghte in this manere;
3003 Thogh he no wordes myhte winne,
3004 Thus seide his herte and spak withinne:
3005 "O mihti godd, that al hast wroght
3006 And al myht bringe ayein to noght,
3007 Now knowe I wel, bot al of thee,
3008 This world hath no prosperite:
3009 In thin aspect ben alle liche,
3010 The povere man and ek the riche,
3011 Withoute thee ther mai no wight,
3012 And thou above alle othre miht.
3013 O mihti lord, toward my vice
3014 Thi merci medle with justice;
3015 And I woll make a covenant,
3016 That of my lif the remenant
3017 I schal it be thi grace amende,
3018 And in thi lawe so despende
3019 That veine gloire I schal eschuie,
3020 And bowe unto thin heste and suie
3021 Humilite, and that I vowe."
3022 And so thenkende he gan doun bowe,
3023 And thogh him lacke vois and speche,
3024 He gan up with his feet areche,
3025 And wailende in his bestly stevene
3026 He made his pleignte unto the hevene.
3027 He kneleth in his wise and braieth,
3028 To seche merci and assaieth
3029 His god, which made him nothing strange,
3030 Whan that he sih his pride change.
3031 Anon as he was humble and tame,
3032 He fond toward his god the same,
3033 And in a twinklinge of a lok
3034 His mannes forme ayein he tok,
3035 And was reformed to the regne
3036 In which that he was wont to regne;
3037 So that the Pride of veine gloire
3038 Evere afterward out of memoire
3039 He let it passe. And thus is schewed
3040 What is to ben of Pride unthewed
3041 Ayein the hihe goddes lawe,
3042 To whom noman mai be felawe.
3043 Forthi, my Sone, tak good hiede
3044 So forto lede thi manhiede,
3045 That thou ne be noght lich a beste.
3046 Bot if thi lif schal ben honeste,
3047 Thou most humblesce take on honde,
3048 For thanne myht thou siker stonde:
3049 And forto speke it otherwise,
3050 A proud man can no love assise;
3051 For thogh a womman wolde him plese,
3052 His Pride can noght ben at ese.
3053 Ther mai noman to mochel blame
3054 A vice which is forto blame;
3055 Forthi men scholde nothing hide
3056 That mihte falle in blame of Pride,
3057 Which is the werste vice of alle:
3058 Wherof, so as it was befalle,
3059 The tale I thenke of a Cronique
3060 To telle, if that it mai thee like,
3061 So that thou myht humblesce suie
3062 And ek the vice of Pride eschuie,
3063 Wherof the gloire is fals and vein;
3064 Which god himself hath in desdeign,
3065 That thogh it mounte for a throwe,
3066 It schal doun falle and overthrowe.
3067 A king whilom was yong and wys,
3068 The which sette of his wit gret pris.
3069 Of depe ymaginaciouns
3070 And strange interpretaciouns,
3071 Problemes and demandes eke,
3072 His wisdom was to finde and seke;
3073 Wherof he wolde in sondri wise
3074 Opposen hem that weren wise.
3075 Bot non of hem it myhte bere
3076 Upon his word to yeve answere,
3077 Outaken on, which was a knyht;
3078 To him was every thing so liht,
3079 That also sone as he hem herde,
3080 The kinges wordes he answerde;
3081 What thing the king him axe wolde,
3082 Therof anon the trowthe he tolde.
3083 The king somdiel hadde an Envie,
3084 And thoghte he wolde his wittes plie
3085 To sette som conclusioun,
3086 Which scholde be confusioun
3087 Unto this knyht, so that the name
3088 And of wisdom the hihe fame
3089 Toward himself he wolde winne.
3090 And thus of al his wit withinne
3091 This king began to studie and muse,
3092 What strange matiere he myhte use
3093 The knyhtes wittes to confounde;
3094 And ate laste he hath it founde,
3095 And for the knyht anon he sente,
3096 That he schal telle what he mente.
3097 Upon thre pointz stod the matiere
3098 Of questions, as thou schalt hiere.
3099 The ferste point of alle thre
3100 Was this: "What thing in his degre
3101 Of al this world hath nede lest,
3102 And yet men helpe it althermest?"
3103 The secounde is: "What most is worth,
3104 And of costage is lest put forth?"
3105 The thridde is: "Which is of most cost,
3106 And lest is worth and goth to lost?"
3107 The king thes thre demandes axeth,
3108 And to the knyht this lawe he taxeth,
3109 That he schal gon and come ayein
3110 The thridde weke, and telle him plein
3111 To every point, what it amonteth.
3112 And if so be that he misconteth,
3113 To make in his answere a faile,
3114 Ther schal non other thing availe,
3115 The king seith, bot he schal be ded
3116 And lese hise goodes and his hed.
3117 The knyht was sori of this thing
3118 And wolde excuse him to the king,
3119 Bot he ne wolde him noght forbere,
3120 And thus the knyht of his ansuere
3121 Goth hom to take avisement:
3122 Bot after his entendement
3123 The more he caste his wit aboute,
3124 The more he stant therof in doute.
3125 Tho wiste he wel the kinges herte,
3126 That he the deth ne scholde asterte,
3127 And such a sorwe hath to him take,
3128 That gladschipe he hath al forsake.
3129 He thoghte ferst upon his lif,
3130 And after that upon his wif,
3131 Upon his children ek also,
3132 Of whiche he hadde dowhtres tuo;
3133 The yongest of hem hadde of age
3134 Fourtiene yer, and of visage
3135 Sche was riht fair, and of stature
3136 Lich to an hevenely figure,
3137 And of manere and goodli speche,
3138 Thogh men wolde alle Londes seche,
3139 Thei scholden noght have founde hir like.
3140 Sche sih hire fader sorwe and sike,
3141 And wiste noght the cause why;
3142 So cam sche to him prively,
3143 And that was where he made his mone
3144 Withinne a Gardin al him one;
3145 Upon hire knes sche gan doun falle
3146 With humble herte and to him calle,
3147 And seide: "O goode fader diere,
3148 Why make ye thus hevy chiere,
3149 And I wot nothing how it is?
3150 And wel ye knowen, fader, this,
3151 What aventure that you felle
3152 Ye myhte it saufly to me telle,
3153 For I have ofte herd you seid,
3154 That ye such trust have on me leid,
3155 That to my soster ne my brother,
3156 In al this world ne to non other,
3157 Ye dorste telle a privite
3158 So wel, my fader, as to me.
3159 Forthi, my fader, I you preie,
3160 Ne casteth noght that herte aweie,
3161 For I am sche that wolde kepe
3162 Youre honour." And with that to wepe
3163 Hire yhe mai noght be forbore,
3164 Sche wissheth forto ben unbore,
3165 Er that hire fader so mistriste
3166 To tellen hire of that he wiste:
3167 And evere among merci sche cride,
3168 That he ne scholde his conseil hide
3169 From hire that so wolde him good
3170 And was so nyh his fleissh and blod.
3171 So that with wepinge ate laste
3172 His chiere upon his child he caste,
3173 And sorwfulli to that sche preide
3174 He tolde his tale and thus he seide:
3175 "The sorwe, dowhter, which I make
3176 Is noght al only for my sake,
3177 Bot for thee bothe and for you alle:
3178 For such a chance is me befalle,
3179 That I schal er this thridde day
3180 Lese al that evere I lese may,
3181 Mi lif and al my good therto:
3182 Therfore it is I sorwe so."
3183 "What is the cause, helas!" quod sche,
3184 "Mi fader, that ye scholden be
3185 Ded and destruid in such a wise?"
3186 And he began the pointz devise,
3187 Whiche as the king told him be mowthe,
3188 And seid hir pleinly that he cowthe
3189 Ansuere unto no point of this.
3190 And sche, that hiereth how it is,
3191 Hire conseil yaf and seide tho:
3192 "Mi fader, sithen it is so,
3193 That ye can se non other weie,
3194 Bot that ye moste nedes deie,
3195 I wolde preie of you a thing:
3196 Let me go with you to the king,
3197 And ye schull make him understonde
3198 How ye, my wittes forto fonde,
3199 Have leid your ansuere upon me;
3200 And telleth him, in such degre
3201 Upon my word ye wole abide
3202 To lif or deth, what so betide.
3203 For yit par chaunce I may pourchace
3204 With som good word the kinges grace,
3205 Your lif and ek your good to save;
3206 For ofte schal a womman have
3207 Thing which a man mai noght areche."
3208 The fader herde his dowhter speche,
3209 And thoghte ther was resoun inne,
3210 And sih his oghne lif to winne
3211 He cowthe don himself no cure;
3212 So betre him thoghte in aventure
3213 To put his lif and al his good,
3214 Than in the maner as it stod
3215 His lif in certein forto lese.
3216 And thus thenkende he gan to chese
3217 To do the conseil of this Maide,
3218 And tok the pourpos which sche saide.
3219 The dai was come and forth thei gon,
3220 Unto the Court thei come anon,
3221 Wher as the king in juggement
3222 Was set and hath this knyht assent.
3223 Arraied in hire beste wise
3224 This Maiden with hire wordes wise
3225 Hire fader ladde be the hond
3226 Into the place, wher he fond
3227 The king with othre whiche he wolde,
3228 And to the king knelende he tolde
3229 As he enformed was tofore,
3230 And preith the king that he therfore
3231 His dowhtres wordes wolde take,
3232 And seith that he wol undertake
3233 Upon hire wordes forto stonde.
3234 Tho was ther gret merveile on honde,
3235 That he, which was so wys a knyht,
3236 His lif upon so yong a wyht
3237 Besette wolde in jeupartie,
3238 And manye it hielden for folie:
3239 Bot ate laste natheles
3240 The king comandeth ben in pes,
3241 And to this Maide he caste his chiere,
3242 And seide he wolde hire tale hiere,
3243 He bad hire speke, and sche began:
3244 "Mi liege lord, so as I can,"
3245 Quod sche, "the pointz of whiche I herde,
3246 Thei schul of reson ben ansuerde.
3247 The ferste I understonde is this,
3248 What thing of al the world it is,
3249 Which men most helpe and hath lest nede.
3250 Mi liege lord, this wolde I rede:
3251 The Erthe it is, which everemo
3252 With mannes labour is bego;
3253 Als wel in wynter as in Maii
3254 The mannes hond doth what he mai
3255 To helpe it forth and make it riche,
3256 And forthi men it delve and dyche
3257 And eren it with strengthe of plowh,
3258 Wher it hath of himself ynowh,
3259 So that his nede is ate leste.
3260 For every man and bridd and beste,
3261 And flour and gras and rote and rinde,
3262 And every thing be weie of kynde
3263 Schal sterve, and Erthe it schal become;
3264 As it was out of Erthe nome,
3265 It schal to therthe torne ayein:
3266 And thus I mai be resoun sein
3267 That Erthe is the most nedeles,
3268 And most men helpe it natheles.
3269 So that, my lord, touchende of this
3270 I have ansuerd hou that it is.
3271 That other point I understod,
3272 Which most is worth and most is good,
3273 And costeth lest a man to kepe:
3274 Mi lord, if ye woll take kepe,
3275 I seie it is Humilite,
3276 Thurgh which the hihe trinite
3277 As for decerte of pure love
3278 Unto Marie from above,
3279 Of that he knew hire humble entente,
3280 His oghne Sone adoun he sente,
3281 Above alle othre and hire he ches
3282 For that vertu which bodeth pes:
3283 So that I may be resoun calle
3284 Humilite most worth of alle.
3285 And lest it costeth to maintiene,
3286 In al the world as it is sene;
3287 For who that hath humblesce on honde,
3288 He bringth no werres into londe,
3289 For he desireth for the beste
3290 To setten every man in reste.
3291 Thus with your hihe reverence
3292 Me thenketh that this evidence
3293 As to this point is sufficant.
3294 And touchende of the remenant,
3295 Which is the thridde of youre axinges,
3296 What leste is worth of alle thinges,
3297 And costeth most, I telle it, Pride;
3298 Which mai noght in the hevene abide,
3299 For Lucifer with hem that felle
3300 Bar Pride with him into helle.
3301 Ther was Pride of to gret a cost,
3302 Whan he for Pride hath hevene lost;
3303 And after that in Paradis
3304 Adam for Pride loste his pris:
3305 In Midelerthe and ek also
3306 Pride is the cause of alle wo,
3307 That al the world ne may suffise
3308 To stanche of Pride the reprise:
3309 Pride is the heved of alle Sinne,
3310 Which wasteth al and mai noght winne;
3311 Pride is of every mis the pricke,
3312 Pride is the werste of alle wicke,
3313 And costneth most and lest is worth
3314 In place where he hath his forth.
3315 Thus have I seid that I wol seie
3316 Of myn answere, and to you preie,
3317 Mi liege lord, of youre office
3318 That ye such grace and such justice
3319 Ordeigne for mi fader hiere,
3320 That after this, whan men it hiere,
3321 The world therof mai speke good."
3322 The king, which reson understod
3323 And hath al herd how sche hath said,
3324 Was inly glad and so wel paid
3325 That al his wraththe is overgo:
3326 And he began to loke tho
3327 Upon this Maiden in the face,
3328 In which he fond so mochel grace,
3329 That al his pris on hire he leide,
3330 In audience and thus he seide:
3331 "Mi faire Maide, wel thee be!
3332 Of thin ansuere and ek of thee
3333 Me liketh wel, and as thou wilt,
3334 Foryive be thi fader gilt.
3335 And if thou were of such lignage,
3336 That thou to me were of parage,
3337 And that thi fader were a Pier,
3338 As he is now a Bachilier,
3339 So seker as I have a lif,
3340 Thou scholdest thanne be my wif.
3341 Bot this I seie natheles,
3342 That I wol schape thin encress;
3343 What worldes good that thou wolt crave,
3344 Axe of my yifte and thou schalt have."
3345 And sche the king with wordes wise
3346 Knelende thonketh in this wise:
3347 "Mi liege lord, god mot you quite!
3348 Mi fader hier hath bot a lite
3349 Of warison, and that he wende
3350 Hadde al be lost; bot now amende
3351 He mai wel thurgh your noble grace."
3352 With that the king riht in his place
3353 Anon forth in that freisshe hete
3354 An Erldom, which thanne of eschete
3355 Was late falle into his hond,
3356 Unto this knyht with rente and lond
3357 Hath yove and with his chartre sesed;
3358 And thus was all the noise appesed.
3359 This Maiden, which sat on hire knes
3360 Tofore the king, hise charitees
3361 Comendeth, and seide overmore:
3362 "Mi liege lord, riht now tofore
3363 Ye seide, as it is of record,
3364 That if my fader were a lord
3365 And Pier unto these othre grete,
3366 Ye wolden for noght elles lete,
3367 That I ne scholde be your wif;
3368 And this wot every worthi lif,
3369 A kinges word it mot ben holde.
3370 Forthi, my lord, if that ye wolde
3371 So gret a charite fulfille,
3372 God wot it were wel my wille:
3373 For he which was a Bacheler,
3374 Mi fader, is now mad a Pier;
3375 So whenne as evere that I cam,
3376 An Erles dowhter now I am."
3377 This yonge king, which peised al,
3378 Hire beaute and hir wit withal,
3379 As he that was with love hent,
3380 Anon therto yaf his assent.
3381 He myhte noght the maide asterte,
3382 That sche nis ladi of his herte;
3383 So that he tok hire to his wif,
3384 To holde whyl that he hath lif:
3385 And thus the king toward his knyht
3386 Acordeth him, as it is riht.
3387 And over this good is to wite,
3388 In the Cronique as it is write,
3389 This noble king of whom I tolde
3390 Of Spaine be tho daies olde
3391 The kingdom hadde in governance,
3392 And as the bok makth remembrance,
3393 Alphonse was his propre name:
3394 The knyht also, if I schal name,
3395 Danz Petro hihte, and as men telle,
3396 His dowhter wyse Peronelle
3397 Was cleped, which was full of grace:
3398 And that was sene in thilke place,
3399 Wher sche hir fader out of teene
3400 Hath broght and mad hirself a qweene,
3401 Of that sche hath so wel desclosed
3402 The pointz wherof sche was opposed.
3403 Lo now, my Sone, as thou myht hiere,
3404 Of al this thing to my matiere
3405 Bot on I take, and that is Pride,
3406 To whom no grace mai betide:
3407 In hevene he fell out of his stede,
3408 And Paradis him was forbede,
3409 The goode men in Erthe him hate,
3410 So that to helle he mot algate,
3411 Where every vertu schal be weyved
3412 And every vice be received.
3413 Bot Humblesce is al otherwise,
3414 Which most is worth, and no reprise
3415 It takth ayein, bot softe and faire,
3416 If eny thing stond in contraire,
3417 With humble speche it is redresced:
3418 Thus was this yonge Maiden blessed,
3419 The which I spak of now tofore,
3420 Hire fader lif sche gat therfore,
3421 And wan with al the kinges love.
3422 Forthi, my Sone, if thou wolt love,
3423 It sit thee wel to leve Pride
3424 And take Humblesce upon thi side;
3425 The more of grace thou schalt gete.
3426 Mi fader, I woll noght foryete
3427 Of this that ye have told me hiere,
3428 And if that eny such manere
3429 Of humble port mai love appaie,
3430 Hierafterward I thenke assaie:
3431 Bot now forth over I beseche
3432 That ye more of my schrifte seche.
3433 Mi goode Sone, it schal be do:
3434 Now herkne and ley an Ere to;
3435 For as touchende of Prides fare,
3436 Als ferforth as I can declare
3437 In cause of vice, in cause of love,
3438 That hast thou pleinly herd above,
3439 So that ther is nomor to seie
3440 Touchende of that; bot other weie
3441 Touchende Envie I thenke telle,
3442 Which hath the propre kinde of helle,
3443 Withoute cause to misdo
3444 Toward himself and othre also,
3445 Hierafterward as understonde
3446 Thou schalt the spieces, as thei stonde.
Explicit Liber Primus
