John Gower's Confessio amantis

Lines 801 through 900

Of strange londes help beside. Line P.801 And thus for thei hemself divide Line P.802 And stonden out of reule unevene, Line P.803 Of Alemaine Princes sevene Line P.804 Thei chose in this condicioun, Line P.805 That upon here eleccioun Line P.806 Thempire of Rome scholde stonde. Line P.807 And thus thei lefte it out of honde Line P.808 For lacke of grace, and it forsoke, Line P.809 That Alemans upon hem toke: Line P.810 And to confermen here astat, Line P.811 Of that thei founden in debat Line P.812 Thei token the possessioun Line P.813 After the composicioun Line P.814 Among hemself, and therupon Line P.815 Thei made an Emperour anon, Line P.816 Whos name as the Cronique telleth Line P.817 Was Othes; and so forth it duelleth, Line P.818 Fro thilke day yit unto this Line P.819 Thempire of Rome hath ben and is Line P.820 To thalemans. And in this wise, Line P.821 As ye tofore have herd divise Line P.822 How Daniel the swevene expondeth Line P.823 Of that ymage, on whom he foundeth Line P.824 The world which after scholde falle, Line P.825 Come is the laste tokne of alle; Line P.826 Upon the feet of Erthe and Stiel Line P.827 So stant this world now everydiel Line P.828 Departed; which began riht tho, Line P.829 Whan Rome was divided so: Line P.830 And that is forto rewe sore, Line P.831 For alway siththe more and more Line P.832 The world empeireth every day. Line P.833 Wherof the sothe schewe may, Line P.834 At Rome ferst if we beginne: Line P.835

Line P.835 The wall and al the Cit withinne Line P.836 Stant in ruine and in decas, Line P.837 The feld is wher the Paleis was, Line P.838 The toun is wast; and overthat, Line P.839 If we beholde thilke astat Line P.840 Which whilom was of the Romeins, Line P.841 Of knyhthode and of Citezeins, Line P.842 To peise now with that beforn, Line P.843 The chaf is take for the corn, Line P.844 As forto speke of Romes myht: Line P.845 Unethes stant ther oght upryht Line P.846 Of worschipe or of worldes good, Line P.847 As it before tyme stod. Line P.848 And why the worschipe is aweie, Line P.849 If that a man the sothe seie, Line P.850 The cause hath ben divisioun, Line P.851 Which moder of confusioun Line P.852 Is wher sche cometh overal, Line P.853 Noght only of the temporal Line P.854 Bot of the spirital also. Line P.855 The dede proeveth it is so, Line P.856 And hath do many day er this, Line P.857 Thurgh venym which that medled is Line P.858 In holy cherche of erthly thing: Line P.859 For Crist himself makth knowleching Line P.860 That noman may togedre serve Line P.861 God and the world, bot if he swerve Line P.862 Froward that on and stonde unstable; Line P.863 And Cristes word may noght be fable. Line P.864 The thing so open is at y�e, Line P.865 It nedeth noght to specefie Line P.866 Or speke oght more in this matiere; Line P.867 Bot in this wise a man mai lere Line P.868 Hou that the world is gon aboute, Line P.869

Line P.869 The which welnyh is wered oute, Line P.870 After the forme of that figure Line P.871 Which Daniel in his scripture Line P.872 Expondeth, as tofore is told. Line P.873 Of Bras, of Selver and of Gold Line P.874 The world is passed and agon, Line P.875 And now upon his olde ton Line P.876 It stant of brutel Erthe and Stiel, Line P.877 The whiche acorden nevere a diel; Line P.878 So mot it nedes swerve aside Line P.879 As thing the which men sen divide. Line P.880 Thapostel writ unto ous alle Line P.881 And seith that upon ous is falle Line P.882 Thende of the world; so may we knowe, Line P.883 This ymage is nyh overthrowe, Line P.884 Be which this world was signified, Line P.885 That whilom was so magnefied, Line P.886 And now is old and fieble and vil, Line P.887 Full of meschief and of peril, Line P.888 And stant divided ek also Line P.889 Lich to the feet that were so, Line P.890 As I tolde of the Statue above. Line P.891 And this men sen, thurgh lacke of love Line P.892 Where as the lond divided is, Line P.893 It mot algate fare amis: Line P.894 And now to loke on every side, Line P.895 A man may se the world divide, Line P.896 The werres ben so general Line P.897 Among the cristene overal, Line P.898 That every man now secheth wreche, Line P.899 And yet these clerkes alday preche Line P.900