Confessio Amantis
or
Tales of the Seven Deadly Sins
Prologus
Online Medieval and Classical Library Release
#4
Torpor, ebes sensus, scola parua labor minimusque
Causant quo minimus ipse minora canam:
Qua tamen Engisti lingua canit Insula Bruti
Anglica Carmente metra iuuante loquar.
Ossibus ergo carens que conterit ossa loquelis
Absit, et interpres stet procul oro malus.
1 Of hem that writen ous tofore
2 The bokes duelle, and we therfore
3 Ben tawht of that was write tho:
4 Forthi good is that we also
5 In oure tyme among ous hiere
6 Do wryte of newe som matiere,
7 Essampled of these olde wyse
8 So that it myhte in such a wyse,
9 Whan we ben dede and elleswhere,
10 Beleve to the worldes eere
11 In tyme comende after this.
12 Bot for men sein, and soth it is,
13 That who that al of wisdom writ
14 It dulleth ofte a mannes wit
15 To him that schal it aldai rede,
16 For thilke cause, if that ye rede,
17 I wolde go the middel weie
18 And wryte a bok betwen the tweie,
19 Somwhat of lust, somewhat of lore,
20 That of the lasse or of the more
21 Som man mai lyke of that I wryte:
22 And for that fewe men endite
23 In oure englissh, I thenke make
24 A bok for Engelondes sake,
25 The yer sextenthe of kyng Richard.
26 What schal befalle hierafterward
27 God wot, for now upon this tyde
28 Men se the world on every syde
29 In sondry wyse so diversed,
30 That it welnyh stant al reversed,
31 As forto speke of tyme ago.
32 The cause whi it changeth so
33 It needeth nought to specifie,
34 The thing so open is at ije
35 That every man it mai beholde:
36 And natheles be daies olde,
37 Whan that the bokes weren levere,
38 Wrytinge was beloved evere
39 Of hem that weren vertuous;
40 For hier in erthe amonges ous,
41 If noman write hou that it stode,
42 The pris of hem that weren goode
43 Scholde, as who seith, a gret partie
44 Be lost: so for to magnifie
45 The worthi princes that tho were,
46 The bokes schewen hiere and there,
47 Wherof the world ensampled is;
48 And tho that deden thanne amis
49 Thurgh tirannie and crualte,
50 Right as thei stoden in degre,
51 So was the wrytinge of here werk.
52 Thus I, which am a burel clerk,
53 Purpose forto wryte a bok
54 After the world that whilom tok
55 Long tyme in olde daies passed:
56 Bot for men sein it is now lassed,
57 In worse plit than it was tho,
58 I thenke forto touche also
59 The world which neweth every dai,
60 So as I can, so as I mai.
61 Thogh I seknesse have upon honde
62 And longe have had, yit woll I fonde
63 To wryte and do my bisinesse,
64 That in som part, so as I gesse,
65 The wyse man mai ben avised.
66 For this prologe is so assised
67 That it to wisdom al belongeth:
68 What wysman that it underfongeth,
69 He schal drawe into remembrance
70 The fortune of this worldes chance,
71 The which noman in his persone
72 Mai knowe, bot the god al one.
73 Whan the prologe is so despended,
74 This bok schal afterward ben ended
75 Of love, which doth many a wonder
76 And many a wys man hath put under.
77 And in this wyse I thenke trete
78 Towardes hem that now be grete,
79 Betwen the vertu and the vice
80 Which longeth unto this office.
81 Bot for my wittes ben to smale
82 To tellen every man his tale,
83 This bok, upon amendment
84 To stonde at his commandement,
85 With whom myn herte is of accord,
86 I sende unto myn oghne lord,
87 Which of Lancastre is Henri named:
88 The hyhe god him hath proclamed
89 Ful of knyhthode and alle grace.
90 So woll I now this werk embrace
91 With hol trust and with hol believe;
92 God grante I mot it wel achieve.
93 If I schal drawe in to my mynde
94 The tyme passed, thanne I fynde
95 The world stod thanne in al his welthe:
96 Tho was the lif of man in helthe,
97 Tho was plente, tho was richesse,
98 Tho was the fortune of prouesse,
99 Tho was knyhthode in pris be name,
100 Wherof the wyde worldes fame
101 Write in Cronique is yit withholde;
102 Justice of lawe tho was holde,
103 The privilege of regalie
104 Was sauf, and al the baronie
105 Worschiped was in his astat;
106 The citees knewen no debat,
107 The poeple stod in obeissance
108 Under the reule of governance,
109 And pes, which ryhtwisnesse keste,
110 With charite tho stod in reste:
111 Of mannes herte the corage
112 Was schewed thanne in the visage;
113 The word was lich to the conceite
114 Withoute semblant of deceite:
115 Tho was ther unenvied love,
116 Tho was the vertu sett above
117 And vice was put under fote.
118 Now stant the crop under the rote,
119 The world is changed overal,
120 And therof most in special
121 That love is falle into discord.
122 And that I take to record
123 Of every lond for his partie
124 The comun vois, which mai noght lie;
125 Noght upon on, bot upon alle
126 It is that men now clepe and calle,
127 And sein the regnes ben divided,
128 In stede of love is hate guided,
129 The werre wol no pes purchace,
130 And lawe hath take hire double face,
131 So that justice out of the weie
132 With ryhtwisnesse is gon aweie:
133 And thus to loke on every halve,
134 Men sen the sor withoute salve,
135 Which al the world hath overtake.
136 Ther is no regne of alle outtake,
137 For every climat hath his diel
138 After the tornynge of the whiel,
139 Which blinde fortune overthroweth;
140 Wherof the certain noman knoweth:
141 The hevene wot what is to done,
142 Bot we that duelle under the mone
143 Stonde in this world upon a weer,
144 And namely bot the pouer
145 Of hem that ben the worldes guides
146 With good consail on alle sides
147 Be kept upriht in such a wyse,
148 That hate breke noght thassise
149 Of love, which is al the chief
150 To kepe a regne out of meschief.
151 For alle resoun wolde this,
152 That unto him which the heved is
153 The membres buxom scholden bowe,
154 And he scholde ek her trowthe allowe,
155 With al his herte and make hem chiere,
156 For good consail is good to hiere.
157 Althogh a man be wys himselve,
158 Yit is the wisdom more of tuelve;
159 And if thei stoden bothe in on,
160 To hope it were thanne anon
161 That god his grace wolde sende
162 To make of thilke werre an ende,
163 Which every day now groweth newe:
164 And that is gretly forto rewe
165 In special for Cristes sake,
166 Which wolde his oghne lif forsake
167 Among the men to yeve pes.
168 But now men tellen natheles
169 That love is fro the world departed,
170 So stant the pes unevene parted
171 With hem that liven now adaies.
172 Bot forto loke at alle assaies,
173 To him that wolde resoun seche
174 After the comun worldes speche
175 It is to wondre of thilke werre,
176 In which non wot who hath the werre;
177 For every lond himself deceyveth
178 And of desese his part receyveth,
179 And yet ne take men no kepe.
180 Bot thilke lord which al may kepe,
181 To whom no consail may ben hid,
182 Upon the world which is betid,
183 Amende that wherof men pleigne
184 With trewe hertes and with pleine,
185 And reconcile love ayeyn,
186 As he which is king sovereign
187 Of al the worldes governaunce,
188 And of his hyhe porveaunce
189 Afferme pes betwen the londes
190 And take her cause into hise hondes,
191 So that the world may stonde apppesed
192 And his godhede also be plesed.
193 To thenke upon the daies olde,
194 The lif of clerkes to beholde,
195 Men sein how that thei weren tho
196 Ensample and reule of alle tho
197 Whiche of wisdom the vertu soughten.
198 Unto the god ferst thei besoughten
199 As to the substaunce of her Scole,
200 That thei ne scholden noght befole
201 Her wit upon none erthly werkes,
202 Which were ayein thestat of clerkes,
203 And that thei myhten fle the vice
204 Which Simon hath in his office,
205 Wherof he takth the gold in honde.
206 For thilke tyme I understonde
207 The Lumbard made non eschange
208 The bisschopriches forto change,
209 Ne yet a lettre for to sende
210 For dignite ne for Provende,
211 Or cured or withoute cure.
212 The cherche keye in aventure
213 Of armes and of brygantaille
214 Stod nothing thanne upon bataille;
215 To fyhte or for to make cheste
216 It thoghte hem thanne noght honeste;
217 Bot of simplesce and pacience
218 Thei maden thanne no defence:
219 The Court of worldly regalie
220 To hem was thanne no baillie;
221 The vein honour was noght desired,
222 Which hath the proude herte fyred;
223 Humilite was tho withholde,
224 And Pride was a vice holde.
225 Of holy cherche the largesse
226 Yaf thanne and dede gret almesse
227 To povere men that hadden nede:
228 Thei were ek chaste in word and dede,
229 Wherof the poeple ensample tok;
230 Her lust was al upon the bok,
231 Or forto preche or forto preie,
232 To wisse men the ryhte weie
233 Of suche as stode of trowthe unliered.
234 Lo, thus was Petres barge stiered
235 Of hem that thilke tyme were,
236 And thus cam ferst to mannes Ere
237 The feith of Crist and alle goode
238 Thurgh hem that thanne weren goode
239 And sobre and chaste and large and wyse.
240 Bot now men sein is otherwise,
241 Simon the cause hath undertake,
242 The worldes swerd on honde is take;
243 And that is wonder natheles,
244 Whan Crist him self hath bode pes
245 And set it in his testament,
246 How now that holy cherche is went,
247 Of that here lawe positif
248 Hath set to make werre and strif
249 For worldes good, which may noght laste.
250 God wot the cause to the laste
251 Of every right and wrong also;
252 But whil the lawe is reuled so
253 That clerkes to the werre entende,
254 I not how that thei scholde amende
255 The woful world in othre thinges,
256 To make pes betwen the kynges
257 After the lawe of charite,
258 Which is the propre duete
259 Belongende unto the presthode.
260 Bot as it thenkth to the manhode,
261 The hevene is ferr, the world is nyh,
262 And veine gloire is ek so slyh,
263 Which coveitise hath now withholde,
264 That thei non other thing beholde,
265 Bot only that thei myhten winne.
266 And thus the werres thei beginne,
267 Wherof the holi cherche is taxed,
268 That in the point as it is axed
269 The disme goth to the bataille,
270 As thogh Crist myhte noght availe
271 To don hem riht be other weie.
272 In to the swerd the cherche keie
273 Is torned, and the holy bede
274 Into cursinge, and every stede
275 Which scholde stonde upon the feith
276 And to this cause an Ere leyth,
277 Astoned is of the querele.
278 That scholde be the worldes hele
279 Is now, men sein, the pestilence
280 Which hath exiled pacience
281 Fro the clergie in special:
282 And that is schewed overal,
283 In eny thing whan thei ben grieved.
284 Bot if Gregoire be believed,
285 As it is in the bokes write,
286 He doth ous somdel forto wite
287 The cause of thilke prelacie,
288 Wher god is noght of compaignie:
289 For every werk as it is founded
290 Schal stonde or elles be confounded;
291 Who that only for Cristes sake
292 Desireth cure forto take,
293 And noght for pride of thilke astat,
294 To bere a name of a prelat,
295 He schal be resoun do profit
296 In holy cherche upon the plit
297 That he hath set his conscience;
298 Bot in the worldes reverence
299 Ther ben of suche manie glade,
300 Whan thei to thilke astat ben made,
301 Noght for the merite of the charge,
302 Bot for thei wolde hemself descharge
303 Of poverte and become grete;
304 And thus for Pompe and for beyete
305 The Scribe and ek the Pharisee
306 Of Moises upon the See
307 In the chaiere on hyh ben set;
308 Wherof the feith is ofte let,
309 Which is betaken hem to kepe.
310 In Cristes cause alday thei slepe,
311 Bot of the world is noght foryete;
312 For wel is him that now may gete
313 Office in Court to ben honoured.
314 The stronge coffre hath al devoured
315 Under the keye of avarice
316 The tresor of the benefice,
317 Wherof the povere schulden clothe
318 And ete and drinke and house bothe;
319 The charite goth al unknowe,
320 For thei no grein of Pite sowe:
321 And slouthe kepeth the libraire
322 Which longeth to the Saintuaire;
323 To studie upon the worldes lore
324 Sufficeth now withoute more;
325 Delicacie his swete toth
326 Hath fostred so that it fordoth
327 Of abstinence al that ther is.
328 And forto loken over this,
329 If Ethna brenne in the clergie,
330 Al openly to mannes ije
331 At Avynoun thexperience
332 Therof hath yove an evidence,
333 Of that men sen hem so divided.
334 And yit the cause is noght decided;
335 Bot it is seid and evere schal,
336 Betwen tuo Stoles lyth the fal,
337 Whan that men wenen best to sitte:
338 In holy cherche of such a slitte
339 Is for to rewe un to ous alle;
340 God grante it mote wel befalle
341 Towardes him which hath the trowthe.
342 Bot ofte is sen that mochel slowthe,
343 Whan men ben drunken of the cuppe,
344 Doth mochel harm, whan fyr is uppe,
345 Bot if somwho the flamme stanche;
346 And so to speke upon this branche,
347 Which proud Envie hath mad to springe,
348 Of Scisme, causeth forto bringe
349 This newe Secte of Lollardie,
350 And also many an heresie
351 Among the clerkes in hemselve.
352 It were betre dike and delve
353 And stonde upon the ryhte feith,
354 Than knowe al that the bible seith
355 And erre as somme clerkes do.
356 Upon the hond to were a Schoo
357 And sette upon the fot a Glove
358 Acordeth noght to the behove
359 Of resonable mannes us:
360 If men behielden the vertus
361 That Crist in Erthe taghte here,
362 Thei scholden noght in such manere,
363 Among hem that ben holden wise,
364 The Papacie so desguise
365 Upon diverse eleccioun,
366 Which stant after thaffeccioun
367 Of sondry londes al aboute:
368 Bot whan god wole, it schal were oute,
369 For trowthe mot stonde ate laste.
370 Bot yet thei argumenten faste
371 Upon the Pope and his astat,
372 Wherof thei falle in gret debat;
373 This clerk seith yee, that other nay,
374 And thus thei dryve forth the day,
375 And ech of hem himself amendeth
376 Of worldes good, bot non entendeth
377 To that which comun profit were.
378 Thei sein that god is myhti there,
379 And schal ordeine what he wile,
380 Ther make thei non other skile
381 Where is the peril of the feith,
382 Bot every clerk his herte leith
383 To kepe his world in special,
384 And of the cause general,
385 Which unto holy cherche longeth,
386 Is non of hem that underfongeth
387 To schapen eny resistence:
388 And thus the riht hath no defence,
389 Bot ther I love, ther I holde.
390 Lo, thus tobroke is Cristes folde,
391 Wherof the flock withoute guide
392 Devoured is on every side,
393 In lacke of hem that ben unware
394 Schepherdes, whiche her wit beware
395 Upon the world in other halve.
396 The scharpe pricke in stede of salve
397 Thei usen now, wherof the hele
398 Thei hurte of that thei scholden hele;
399 And what Schep that is full of wulle
400 Upon his back, thei toose and pulle,
401 Whil ther is eny thing to pile:
402 And thogh ther be non other skile
403 Bot only for thei wolden wynne,
404 Thei leve noght, whan thei begynne,
405 Upon her acte to procede,
406 Which is no good schepherdes dede.
407 And upon this also men sein,
408 That fro the leese which is plein
409 Into the breres thei forcacche
410 Her Orf, for that thei wolden lacche
411 With such duresce, and so bereve
412 That schal upon the thornes leve
413 Of wulle, which the brere hath tore;
414 Wherof the Schep ben al totore
415 Of that the hierdes make hem lese.
416 Lo, how thei feignen chalk for chese,
417 For though thei speke and teche wel,
418 Thei don hemself therof no del:
419 For if the wolf come in the weie,
420 Her gostly Staf is thanne aweie,
421 Wherof thei scholde her flock defende;
422 Bot if the povere Schep offende
423 In eny thing, thogh it be lyte,
424 They ben al redy forto smyte;
425 And thus, how evere that thei tale,
426 The strokes falle upon the smale,
427 And upon othre that ben grete
428 Hem lacketh herte forto bete.
429 So that under the clerkes lawe
430 Men sen the Merel al mysdrawe,
431 I wol noght seie in general,
432 For ther ben somme in special
433 In whom that alle vertu duelleth,
434 And tho ben, as thapostel telleth,
435 That god of his eleccioun
436 Hath cleped to perfeccioun
437 In the manere as Aaron was:
438 Thei ben nothing in thilke cas
439 Of Simon, which the foldes gate
440 Hath lete, and goth in othergate,
441 Bot thei gon in the rihte weie.
442 Ther ben also somme, as men seie,
443 That folwen Simon ate hieles,
444 Whos carte goth upon the whieles
445 Of coveitise and worldes Pride,
446 And holy cherche goth beside,
447 Which scheweth outward a visage
448 Of that is noght in the corage.
449 For if men loke in holy cherche,
450 Betwen the word and that thei werche
451 Ther is a full gret difference:
452 Thei prechen ous in audience
453 That noman schal his soule empeire,
454 For al is bot a chirie feire
455 This worldes good, so as thei telle;
456 Also thei sein ther is an helle,
457 Which unto mannes sinne is due,
458 And bidden ous therfore eschue
459 That wikkid is, and do the goode.
460 Who that here wordes understode,
461 It thenkth thei wolden do the same;
462 Bot yet betwen ernest and game
463 Ful ofte it torneth other wise.
464 With holy tales thei devise
465 How meritoire is thilke dede
466 Of charite, to clothe and fede
467 The povere folk and forto parte
468 The worldes good, bot thei departe
469 Ne thenken noght fro that thei have.
470 Also thei sein, good is to save
471 With penance and with abstinence
472 Of chastite the continence;
473 Bot pleinly forto speke of that,
474 I not how thilke body fat,
475 Which thei with deynte metes kepe
476 And leyn it softe forto slepe,
477 Whan it hath elles al his wille,
478 With chastite schal stonde stille:
479 And natheles I can noght seie,
480 In aunter if that I misseye.
481 Touchende of this, how evere it stonde,
482 I here and wol noght understonde,
483 For therof have I noght to done:
484 Bot he that made ferst the Mone,
485 The hyhe god, of his goodnesse,
486 If ther be cause, he it redresce.
487 Bot what as eny man accuse,
488 This mai reson of trowthe excuse;
489 The vice of hem that ben ungoode
490 Is no reproef unto the goode:
491 For every man hise oghne werkes
492 Schal bere, and thus as of the clerkes
493 The goode men ben to comende,
494 And alle these othre god amende:
495 For thei ben to the worldes ije
496 The Mirour of ensamplerie,
497 To reulen and to taken hiede
498 Betwen the men and the godhiede.
499 Now forto speke of the comune,
500 It is to drede of that fortune
501 Which hath befalle in sondri londes:
502 Bot often for defalte of bondes
503 Al sodeinliche, er it be wist,
504 A Tonne, whanne his lye arist,
505 Tobrekth and renneth al aboute,
506 Which elles scholde noght gon oute;
507 And ek fulofte a litel Skar
508 Upon a Banke, er men be war,
509 Let in the Strem, which with gret peine,
510 If evere man it schal restreigne.
511 Wher lawe lacketh, errour groweth,
512 He is noght wys who that ne troweth,
513 For it hath proeved ofte er this;
514 And thus the comun clamour is
515 In every lond wher poeple dwelleth,
516 And eche in his compleignte telleth
517 How that the world is al miswent,
518 And ther upon his jugement
519 Yifth every man in sondry wise.
520 Bot what man wolde himself avise,
521 His conscience and noght misuse,
522 He may wel ate ferste excuse
523 His god, which evere stant in on:
524 In him ther is defalte non,
525 So moste it stonde upon ousselve
526 Nought only upon ten ne twelve,
527 Bot plenerliche upon ous alle,
528 For man is cause of that schal falle.
529 And natheles yet som men wryte
530 And sein that fortune is to wyte,
531 And som men holde oppinion
532 That it is constellacion,
533 Which causeth al that a man doth:
534 God wot of bothe which is soth.
535 The world as of his propre kynde
536 Was evere untrewe, and as the blynde
537 Improprelich he demeth fame,
538 He blameth that is noght to blame
539 And preiseth that is noght to preise:
540 Thus whan he schal the thinges peise,
541 Ther is deceipte in his balance,
542 And al is that the variance
543 Of ous, that scholde ous betre avise;
544 For after that we falle and rise,
545 The world arist and falth withal,
546 So that the man is overal
547 His oghne cause of wel and wo.
548 That we fortune clepe so
549 Out of the man himself it groweth;
550 And who that other wise troweth,
551 Behold the poeple of Irael:
552 For evere whil thei deden wel,
553 Fortune was hem debonaire,
554 And whan thei deden the contraire,
555 Fortune was contrariende.
556 So that it proeveth wel at ende
557 Why that the world is wonderfull
558 And may no while stonde full,
559 Though that it seme wel besein;
560 For every worldes thing is vein,
561 And evere goth the whiel aboute,
562 And evere stant a man in doute,
563 Fortune stant no while stille,
564 So hath ther noman al his wille.
565 Als fer as evere a man may knowe,
566 Ther lasteth nothing bot a throwe;
567 The world stant evere upon debat,
568 So may be seker non astat,
569 Now hier now ther, now to now fro,
570 Now up now down, this world goth so,
571 And evere hath don and evere schal:
572 Wherof I finde in special
573 A tale writen in the Bible,
574 Which moste nedes be credible;
575 And that as in conclusioun
576 Seith that upon divisioun
577 Stant, why no worldes thing mai laste,
578 Til it be drive to the laste.
579 And fro the ferste regne of alle
580 Into this day, hou so befalle,
581 Of that the regnes be muable
582 The man himself hath be coupable,
583 Which of his propre governance
584 Fortuneth al the worldes chance.
585 The hyhe almyhti pourveance,
586 In whos eterne remembrance
587 Fro ferst was every thing present,
588 He hath his prophecie sent,
589 In such a wise as thou schalt hiere,
590 To Daniel of this matiere,
591 Hou that this world schal torne and wende,
592 Till it be falle to his ende;
593 Wherof the tale telle I schal,
594 In which it is betokned al.
595 As Nabugodonosor slepte,
596 A swevene him tok, the which he kepte
597 Til on the morwe he was arise,
598 For he therof was sore agrise.
599 To Daniel his drem he tolde,
600 And preide him faire that he wolde
601 Arede what it tokne may;
602 And seide: "Abedde wher I lay,
603 Me thoghte I syh upon a Stage
604 Wher stod a wonder strange ymage.
605 His hed with al the necke also
606 Thei were of fin gold bothe tuo;
607 His brest, his schuldres and his armes
608 Were al of selver, bot the tharmes,
609 The wombe and al doun to the kne,
610 Of bras thei were upon to se;
611 The legges were al mad of Stiel,
612 So were his feet also somdiel,
613 And somdiel part to hem was take
614 Of Erthe which men Pottes make;
615 The fieble meynd was with the stronge,
616 So myhte it wel noght stonde longe.
617 And tho me thoghte that I sih
618 A gret ston from an hull on hyh
619 Fel doun of sodein aventure
620 Upon the feet of this figure,
621 With which Ston al tobroke was
622 Gold, Selver, Erthe, Stiel and Bras,
623 That al was in to pouldre broght,
624 And so forth torned into noght."
625 This was the swevene which he hadde,
626 That Daniel anon aradde,
627 And seide him that figure strange
628 Betokneth how the world schal change
629 And waxe lasse worth and lasse,
630 Til it to noght al overpasse.
631 The necke and hed, that weren golde,
632 He seide how that betokne scholde
633 A worthi world, a noble, a riche,
634 To which non after schal be liche.
635 Of Selver that was overforth
636 Schal ben a world of lasse worth;
637 And after that the wombe of Bras
638 Tokne of a werse world it was.
639 The Stiel which he syh afterward
640 A world betokneth more hard:
641 Bot yet the werste of everydel
642 Is last, whan that of Erthe and Stiel
643 He syh the feet departed so,
644 For that betokneth mochel wo.
645 Whan that the world divided is,
646 It moste algate fare amis,
647 For Erthe which is meynd with Stiel
648 Togedre may noght laste wiel,
649 Bot if that on that other waste;
650 So mot it nedes faile in haste.
651 The Ston, which fro the hully Stage
652 He syh doun falle on that ymage,
653 And hath it into pouldre broke,
654 That swevene hath Daniel unloke,
655 And seide how that is goddes myht,
656 Which whan men wene most upryht
657 To stonde, schal hem overcaste.
658 And that is of this world the laste,
659 And thanne a newe schal beginne,
660 Fro which a man schal nevere twinne;
661 Or al to peine or al to pes
662 That world schal lasten endeles.
663 Lo thus expondeth Daniel
664 The kynges swevene faire and wel
665 In Babiloyne the Cite,
666 Wher that the wiseste of Caldee
667 Ne cowthen wite what it mente;
668 Bot he tolde al the hol entente,
669 As in partie it is befalle.
670 Of gold the ferste regne of alle
671 Was in that kinges time tho,
672 And laste manye daies so,
673 Therwhiles that the Monarchie
674 Of al the world in that partie
675 To Babiloyne was soubgit;
676 And hield him stille in such a plit,
677 Til that the world began diverse:
678 And that was whan the king of Perse,
679 Which Cirus hyhte, ayein the pes
680 Forth with his Sone Cambises
681 Of Babiloine al that Empire,
682 Ryht as thei wolde hemself desire,
683 Put under in subjeccioun
684 And tok it in possessioun,
685 And slayn was Baltazar the king,
686 Which loste his regne and al his thing.
687 And thus whan thei it hadde wonne,
688 The world of Selver was begonne
689 And that of gold was passed oute:
690 And in this wise it goth aboute
691 In to the Regne of Darius;
692 And thanne it fell to Perse thus,
693 That Alisaundre put hem under,
694 Which wroghte of armes many a wonder,
695 So that the Monarchie lefte
696 With Grecs, and here astat uplefte,
697 And Persiens gon under fote,
698 So soffre thei that nedes mote.
699 And tho the world began of Bras,
700 And that of selver ended was;
701 Bot for the time thus it laste,
702 Til it befell that ate laste
703 This king, whan that his day was come,
704 With strengthe of deth was overcome.
705 And natheles yet er he dyde,
706 He schop his Regnes to divide
707 To knyhtes whiche him hadde served,
708 And after that thei have deserved
709 Yaf the conquestes that he wan;
710 Wherof gret werre tho began
711 Among hem that the Regnes hadde,
712 Thurgh proud Envie which hem ladde,
713 Til it befell ayein hem thus:
714 The noble Cesar Julius,
715 Which tho was king of Rome lond,
716 With gret bataille and with strong hond
717 Al Grece, Perse and ek Caldee
718 Wan and put under, so that he
719 Noght al only of thorient
720 Bot al the Marche of thoccident
721 Governeth under his empire,
722 As he that was hol lord and Sire,
723 And hield thurgh his chivalerie
724 Of al this world the Monarchie,
725 And was the ferste of that honour
726 Which tok the name of Emperour.
727 Wher Rome thanne wolde assaille,
728 Ther myhte nothing contrevaille,
729 Bot every contre moste obeie:
730 Tho goth the Regne of Bras aweie,
731 And comen is the world of Stiel,
732 And stod above upon the whiel.
733 As Stiel is hardest in his kynde
734 Above alle othre that men finde
735 Of Metals, such was Rome tho
736 The myhtieste, and laste so
737 Long time amonges the Romeins
738 Til thei become so vileins,
739 That the fals Emperour Leo
740 With Constantin his Sone also
741 The patrimoine and the richesse,
742 Which to Silvestre in pure almesse
743 The ferste Constantinus lefte,
744 Fro holy cherche thei berefte.
745 Bot Adrian, which Pope was,
746 And syh the meschief of this cas,
747 Goth in to France forto pleigne,
748 And preith the grete Charlemeine,
749 For Cristes sake and Soule hele
750 That he wol take the querele
751 Of holy cherche in his defence.
752 And Charles for the reverence
753 Of god the cause hath undertake,
754 And with his host the weie take
755 Over the Montz of Lombardie;
756 Of Rome and al the tirandie
757 With blodi swerd he overcom,
758 And the Cite with strengthe nom;
759 In such a wise and there he wroghte,
760 That holy cherche ayein he broghte
761 Into franchise, and doth restore
762 The Popes lost, and yaf him more:
763 And thus whan he his god hath served,
764 He tok, as he wel hath deserved,
765 The Diademe and was coroned.
766 Of Rome and thus was abandoned
767 Thempire, which cam nevere ayein
768 Into the hond of no Romein;
769 Bot a long time it stod so stille
770 Under the Frensche kynges wille,
771 Til that fortune hir whiel so ladde,
772 That afterward Lombardz it hadde,
773 Noght be the swerd, bot be soffrance
774 Of him that tho was kyng of France,
775 Which Karle Calvus cleped was;
776 And he resigneth in this cas
777 Thempire of Rome unto Lowis
778 His Cousin, which a Lombard is.
779 And so hit laste into the yeer
780 Of Albert and of Berenger;
781 Bot thanne upon dissencioun
782 Thei felle, and in divisioun
783 Among hemself that were grete,
784 So that thei loste the beyete
785 Of worschipe and of worldes pes.
786 Bot in proverbe natheles
787 Men sein, ful selden is that welthe
788 Can soffre his oghne astat in helthe;
789 And that was on the Lombardz sene,
790 Such comun strif was hem betwene
791 Thurgh coveitise and thurgh Envie,
792 That every man drowh his partie,
793 Which myhte leden eny route,
794 Withinne Burgh and ek withoute:
795 The comun ryht hath no felawe,
796 So that the governance of lawe
797 Was lost, and for necessite,
798 Of that thei stode in such degre
799 Al only thurgh divisioun,
800 Hem nedeth in conclusioun
801 Of strange londes help beside.
802 And thus for thei hemself divide
803 And stonden out of reule unevene,
804 Of Alemaine Princes sevene
805 Thei chose in this condicioun,
806 That upon here eleccioun
807 Thempire of Rome scholde stonde.
808 And thus thei lefte it out of honde
809 For lacke of grace, and it forsoke,
810 That Alemans upon hem toke:
811 And to confermen here astat,
812 Of that thei founden in debat
813 Thei token the possessioun
814 After the composicioun
815 Among hemself, and therupon
816 Thei made an Emperour anon,
817 Whos name as the Cronique telleth
818 Was Othes; and so forth it duelleth,
819 Fro thilke day yit unto this
820 Thempire of Rome hath ben and is
821 To thalemans. And in this wise,
822 As ye tofore have herd divise
823 How Daniel the swevene expondeth
824 Of that ymage, on whom he foundeth
825 The world which after scholde falle,
826 Come is the laste tokne of alle;
827 Upon the feet of Erthe and Stiel
828 So stant this world now everydiel
829 Departed; which began riht tho,
830 Whan Rome was divided so:
831 And that is forto rewe sore,
832 For alway siththe more and more
833 The world empeireth every day.
834 Wherof the sothe schewe may,
835 At Rome ferst if we beginne:
836 The wall and al the Cit withinne
837 Stant in ruine and in decas,
838 The feld is wher the Paleis was,
839 The toun is wast; and overthat,
840 If we beholde thilke astat
841 Which whilom was of the Romeins,
842 Of knyhthode and of Citezeins,
843 To peise now with that beforn,
844 The chaf is take for the corn,
845 As forto speke of Romes myht:
846 Unethes stant ther oght upryht
847 Of worschipe or of worldes good,
848 As it before tyme stod.
849 And why the worschipe is aweie,
850 If that a man the sothe seie,
851 The cause hath ben divisioun,
852 Which moder of confusioun
853 Is wher sche cometh overal,
854 Noght only of the temporal
855 Bot of the spirital also.
856 The dede proeveth it is so,
857 And hath do many day er this,
858 Thurgh venym which that medled is
859 In holy cherche of erthly thing:
860 For Crist himself makth knowleching
861 That noman may togedre serve
862 God and the world, bot if he swerve
863 Froward that on and stonde unstable;
864 And Cristes word may noght be fable.
865 The thing so open is at ije,
866 It nedeth noght to specefie
867 Or speke oght more in this matiere;
868 Bot in this wise a man mai lere
869 Hou that the world is gon aboute,
870 The which welnyh is wered oute,
871 After the forme of that figure
872 Which Daniel in his scripture
873 Expondeth, as tofore is told.
874 Of Bras, of Selver and of Gold
875 The world is passed and agon,
876 And now upon his olde ton
877 It stant of brutel Erthe and Stiel,
878 The whiche acorden nevere a diel;
879 So mot it nedes swerve aside
880 As thing the which men sen divide.
881 Thapostel writ unto ous alle
882 And seith that upon ous is falle
883 Thende of the world; so may we knowe,
884 This ymage is nyh overthrowe,
885 Be which this world was signified,
886 That whilom was so magnefied,
887 And now is old and fieble and vil,
888 Full of meschief and of peril,
889 And stant divided ek also
890 Lich to the feet that were so,
891 As I tolde of the Statue above.
892 And this men sen, thurgh lacke of love
893 Where as the lond divided is,
894 It mot algate fare amis:
895 And now to loke on every side,
896 A man may se the world divide,
897 The werres ben so general
898 Among the cristene overal,
899 That every man now secheth wreche,
900 And yet these clerkes alday preche
901 And sein, good dede may non be
902 Which stant noght upon charite:
903 I not hou charite may stonde,
904 Wher dedly werre is take on honde.
905 Bot al this wo is cause of man,
906 The which that wit and reson can,
907 And that in tokne and in witnesse
908 That ilke ymage bar liknesse
909 Of man and of non other beste.
910 For ferst unto the mannes heste
911 Was every creature ordeined,
912 Bot afterward it was restreigned:
913 Whan that he fell, thei fellen eke,
914 Whan he wax sek, thei woxen seke;
915 For as the man hath passioun
916 Of seknesse, in comparisoun
917 So soffren othre creatures.
918 Lo, ferst the hevenly figures,
919 The Sonne and Mone eclipsen bothe,
920 And ben with mannes senne wrothe;
921 The purest Eir for Senne alofte
922 Hath ben and is corrupt fulofte,
923 Right now the hyhe wyndes blowe,
924 And anon after thei ben lowe,
925 Now clowdy and now clier it is:
926 So may it proeven wel be this,
927 A mannes Senne is forto hate,
928 Which makth the welkne to debate.
929 And forto se the proprete
930 Of every thyng in his degree,
931 Benethe forth among ous hiere
932 Al stant aliche in this matiere:
933 The See now ebbeth, now it floweth,
934 The lond now welketh, now it groweth,
935 Now be the Trees with leves grene,
936 Now thei be bare and nothing sene,
937 Now be the lusti somer floures,
938 Now be the stormy wynter shoures,
939 Now be the daies, now the nyhtes,
940 So stant ther nothing al upryhtes,
941 Now it is lyht, now it is derk;
942 And thus stant al the worldes werk
943 After the disposicioun
944 Of man and his condicioun.
945 Forthi Gregoire in his Moral
946 Seith that a man in special
947 The lasse world is properly:
948 And that he proeveth redely;
949 For man of Soule resonable
950 Is to an Angel resemblable,
951 And lich to beste he hath fielinge,
952 And lich to Trees he hath growinge;
953 The Stones ben and so is he:
954 Thus of his propre qualite
955 The man, as telleth the clergie,
956 Is as a world in his partie,
957 And whan this litel world mistorneth,
958 The grete world al overtorneth.
959 The Lond, the See, the firmament,
960 Thei axen alle jugement
961 Ayein the man and make him werre:
962 Therwhile himself stant out of herre,
963 The remenant wol noght acorde:
964 And in this wise, as I recorde,
965 The man is cause of alle wo,
966 Why this world is divided so.
967 Division, the gospell seith,
968 On hous upon another leith,
969 Til that the Regne al overthrowe:
970 And thus may every man wel knowe,
971 Division aboven alle
972 Is thing which makth the world to falle,
973 And evere hath do sith it began.
974 It may ferst proeve upon a man;
975 The which, for his complexioun
976 Is mad upon divisioun
977 Of cold, of hot, of moist, of drye,
978 He mot be verray kynde dye:
979 For the contraire of his astat
980 Stant evermore in such debat,
981 Til that o part be overcome,
982 Ther may no final pes be nome.
983 Bot other wise, if a man were
984 Mad al togedre of o matiere
985 Withouten interrupcioun,
986 Ther scholde no corrupcioun
987 Engendre upon that unite:
988 Bot for ther is diversite
989 Withinne himself, he may noght laste,
990 That he ne deieth ate laste.
991 Bot in a man yit over this
992 Full gret divisioun ther is,
993 Thurgh which that he is evere in strif,
994 Whil that him lasteth eny lif:
995 The bodi and the Soule also
996 Among hem ben divided so,
997 That what thing that the body hateth
998 The soule loveth and debateth;
999 Bot natheles fulofte is sene
1000 Of werre which is hem betwene
1001 The fieble hath wonne the victoire.
1002 And who so drawth into memoire
1003 What hath befalle of old and newe,
1004 He may that werre sore rewe,
1005 Which ferst began in Paradis:
1006 For ther was proeved what it is,
1007 And what desese there it wroghte;
1008 For thilke werre tho forth broghte
1009 The vice of alle dedly Sinne,
1010 Thurgh which division cam inne
1011 Among the men in erthe hiere,
1012 And was the cause and the matiere
1013 Why god the grete flodes sende,
1014 Of al the world and made an ende
1015 Bot Noe5 with his felaschipe,
1016 Which only weren saulf be Schipe.
1017 And over that thurgh Senne it com
1018 That Nembrot such emprise nom,
1019 Whan he the Tour Babel on heihte
1020 Let make, as he that wolde feihte
1021 Ayein the hihe goddes myht,
1022 Wherof divided anon ryht
1023 Was the langage in such entente,
1024 Ther wiste non what other mente,
1025 So that thei myhten noght procede.
1026 And thus it stant of every dede,
1027 Wher Senne takth the cause on honde,
1028 It may upriht noght longe stonde;
1029 For Senne of his condicioun
1030 Is moder of divisioun
1031 And tokne whan the world schal faile.
1032 For so seith Crist withoute faile,
1033 That nyh upon the worldes ende
1034 Pes and acord awey schol wende
1035 And alle charite schal cesse,
1036 Among the men and hate encresce;
1037 And whan these toknes ben befalle,
1038 Al sodeinly the Ston schal falle,
1039 As Daniel it hath beknowe,
1040 Which al this world schal overthrowe,
1041 And every man schal thanne arise
1042 To Joie or elles to Juise,
1043 Wher that he schal for evere dwelle,
1044 Or straght to hevene or straght to helle.
1045 In hevene is pes and al acord,
1046 Bot helle is full of such descord
1047 That ther may be no loveday:
1048 Forthi good is, whil a man may,
1049 Echon to sette pes with other
1050 And loven as his oghne brother;
1051 So may he winne worldes welthe
1052 And afterward his soule helthe.
1053 Bot wolde god that now were on
1054 An other such as Arion,
1055 Which hadde an harpe of such temprure,
1056 And therto of so good mesure
1057 He song, that he the bestes wilde
1058 Made of his note tame and milde,
1059 The Hinde in pes with the Leoun,
1060 The Wolf in pes with the Moltoun,
1061 The Hare in pees stod with the Hound;
1062 And every man upon this ground
1063 Which Arion that time herde,
1064 Als wel the lord as the schepherde,
1065 He broghte hem alle in good acord;
1066 So that the comun with the lord,
1067 And lord with the comun also,
1068 He sette in love bothe tuo
1069 And putte awey malencolie.
1070 That was a lusti melodie,
1071 Whan every man with other low;
1072 And if ther were such on now,
1073 Which cowthe harpe as he tho dede,
1074 He myhte availe in many a stede
1075 To make pes wher now is hate;
1076 For whan men thenken to debate,
1077 I not what other thing is good.
1078 Bot wher that wisdom waxeth wod,
1079 And reson torneth into rage,
1080 So that mesure upon oultrage
1081 Hath set his world, it is to drede;
1082 For that bringth in the comun drede,
1083 Which stant at every mannes Dore:
1084 Bot whan the scharpnesse of the spore
1085 The horse side smit to sore,
1086 It grieveth ofte. And now nomore,
1087 As forto speke of this matiere,
1088 Which non bot only god may stiere.
Explicit Prologus
