The Canterbury tales

About this Item

Title

Author

Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400

Publication

Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin

1957

Rights/Permissions

Available at URL http://www.hti.umich.edu/c/cme/

This text has been made available through the Oxford Text Archive for personal scholarly use only. OTA number: U-1678-C

Link to this Item

http://name.umdl.umich.edu/CT

Cite this Item

"The Canterbury tales." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/CT. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 29, 2025.

Pages

Group 7

The Shipman's Tale
 a merchant whilom dwelled at seint-denys, Line 1 
That riche was, for which men helde hym wys. Line 2 
A wyf he hadde of excellent beautee; Line 3 
And compaignable and revelous was she, Line 4 
Which is a thyng that causeth more dispence Line 5 
Than worth is al the chiere and reverence Line 6 
That men hem doon at festes and at daunces. Line 7 
Swiche salutaciouns and contenances Line 8 
Passen as dooth a shadwe upon the wal; Line 9 
But wo is hym that payen moot for al! Line 10 
The sely housbonde, algate he moot paye, Line 11 
He moot us clothe, and he moot us arraye, Line 12 
Al for his owene worshipe richely, Line 13 
In which array we daunce jolily. Line 14 
And if that he noght may, par aventure, Line 15 
Or ellis list no swich dispence endure, Line 16 
But thynketh it is wasted and ylost, Line 17 
Thanne moot another payen for oure cost, Line 18 
Or lene us gold, and that is perilous. Line 19 
 this noble marchaunt heeld a worthy hous, Line 20 
For which ne hadde alday so greet repair Line 21 
For his largesse, and for his wyf was fair, Line 22 
That wonder is; but herkneth to my tale. Line 23 
Amonges alle his gestes, grete and smale, Line 24 
Ther was a monk, a fair man and a boold --  Line 25 
I trowe a thritty wynter he was oold --  Line 26 
That evere in oon was drawynge to that place. Line 27 
This yonge monk, that was so fair of face, Line 28 
Aqueynted was so with the goode man, Line 29 
Sith that hir firste knoweliche bigan, Line 30 
That in his hous as famulier was he Line 31 
As it is possible any freend to be. Line 32 
 and for as muchel as this goode man, Line 33 
And eek this monk, of which that I began, Line 34 
Were bothe two yborn in o village, Line 35 
The monk hym claymeth as for cosynage; Line 36 
And he agayn, he seith nat ones nay, Line 37 
But was as glad therof as fowel of day; Line 38 
For to his herte it was a greet plesaunce. Line 39 
Thus been they knyt with eterne alliaunce, Line 40 
And ech of hem gan oother for t'assure Line 41 
Of bretherhede, whil that hir lyf may dure. Line 42 
Free was daun john, and namely of dispence, Line 43 
As in that hous, and ful of diligence Line 44 
To doon plesaunce, and also greet costage. Line 45 
He noght forgat to yeve the leeste page Line 46 
In al that hous; but after hir degree, Line 47 
He yaf the lord, and sitthe al his meynee, Line 48 
Whan that he cam, som manere honest thyng; Line 49 
For which they were as glad of his comyng Line 50 
As fowel is fayn whan that the sonne up riseth. Line 51 
Na moore of this as now, for it suffiseth. Line 52 
But so bifel, this marchant on a day Line 53 
Shoop hym to make redy his array Line 54 
Toward the toun of brugges for to fare, Line 55 
To byen there a porcioun of ware; Line 56 
For which he hath to parys sent anon Line 57 
A messager, and preyed hat daun john Line 58 
That he sholde come to seint-denys to pleye Line 59 
With hym and with his wyf a day or tweye, Line 60 
Er he to brugges wente, in alle wise. Line 61 
This noble monk, of which I yow devyse, Line 62 
Hath of his abbot, as hym list, licence, Line 63 
By cause he was a man of heigh prudence, Line 64 
And eek an officer, out for to ryde, Line 65 
To seen hir graunges and hire bernes wyde, Line 66 
And unto seint-denys he comth anon. Line 67 
Who was so welcome as my lord daun john, Line 68 
Oure deere cosyn, ful of curteisye? Line 69 
With hym broghte he a jubbe of malvesye, Line 70 
And eek another, ful of fyn vernage, Line 71 
And volatyl, as ay was his usage. Line 72 
And thus I lete hem ete and drynke and pleye, Line 73 
This marchant and this monk, a day or tweye. Line 74 
The thridde day, this marchant up ariseth, Line 75 
And on his nedes sadly hym avyseth, Line 76 
And up into his countour-hous gooth he Line 77 
To rekene with hymself, as wel may be, Line 78 
Of thilke yeer how that it with hym stood,  Line 79 

Page 157

 Line 79 
And how that he despended hadde his good, Line 80 
And if that he encressed were or noon. Line 81 
His bookes and his bagges many oon Line 82 
He leith biforn hym on his countyng-bord. Line 83 
Ful riche was his tresor and his hord, Line 84 
For which ful faste his countour-dore he shette; Line 85 
And eek he nolde that no man sholde hym lette Line 86 
Of his acountes, for the meene tyme; Line 87 
And thus he sit til it was passed pryme. Line 88 
Daun john was rysen in the morwe also, Line 89 
And in the gardyn walketh to and fro, Line 90 
And hath his thynges seyd ful curteisly. Line 91 
This goode wyf cam walkynge pryvely Line 92 
Into the gardyn, there he walketh softe, Line 93 
And hym saleweth, as she hath doon ofte. Line 94 
A mayde child cam in hire compaignye, Line 95 
Which as hir list she may governe and gye, Line 96 
For yet under the yerde was the mayde. Line 97 
O deere cosyn myn, daun john, she sayde, Line 98 
What eyleth yow so rathe for to ryse? Line 99 
Nece, quod he, it oghte ynough suffise Line 100 
Fyve houres for to slepe upon a nyght, Line 101 
But it were for an old appalled wight, Line 102 
As been thise wedded men, that lye and dare Line 103 
As in a fourme sit a wery hare, Line 104 
Were al forstraught with houndes grete and smale. Line 105 
But deere nece, why be ye so pale? Line 106 
I trowe, certes, that oure goode man Line 107 
Hath yow laboured sith the nyght bigan, Line 108 
That yow were nede to resten hastily. Line 109 
And with that word he lough ful murily, Line 110 
And of his owene thought he was reed. Line 111 
This faire wyf gan for to shake hir heed Line 112 
And seyde thus, ye, God woot al, quod she. Line 113 
Nay, cosyn myn, it stant nat so with me; Line 114 
For, by that God that yaf me soule and lyf, Line 115 
In al the reawme of france is ther no wyf Line 116 
That lasse lust hath to that sory pley. Line 117 
For I may synge -- allas and weylawey Line 118 
That I was born, -- but to no wight, quod she, Line 119 
Dar I nat telle how that it stant with me. Line 120 
Wherfore I thynke out of this land to wende, Line 121 
Or elles of myself to make an ende, Line 122 
So ful am I of drede and eek of care. Line 123 
This monk bigan upon this wyf to stare, Line 124 
And seyde, allas, my nece, God forbede Line 125 
That ye, for any sorwe or any drede, Line 126 
Fordo youreself; but telleth me youre grief. Line 127 
Paraventure I may, in youre meschief, Line 128 
Conseille or helpe; and therfore telleth me Line 129 
Al youre anoy, for it shal been secree. Line 130 
For on my porthors here I make an ooth Line 131 
That nevere in my lyf, for lief ne looth, Line 132 
Ne shal I of no conseil yow biwreye. Line 133 
The same agayn to yow, quod she, I seye. Line 134 
By God and by this porthors I yow swere, Line 135 
Though men me wolde al into pieces tere, Line 136 
Ne shal I nevere, for to goon to helle, Line 137 
Biwreye a word of thyng that ye me telle, Line 138 
Nat for no cosynage ne alliance, Line 139 
But verraily, for love and affiance. Line 140 
Thus been they sworn, and heerupon they kiste, Line 141 
And ech of hem tolde oother what hem liste. Line 142 
Cosyn, quod she, if that I hadde a space, Line 143 
As I have noon, and namely in this place, Line 144 
Thanne wolde I telle a legende of my lyf, Line 145 
What I have suffred with I was a wyf Line 146 
With myn housbonde, al be he youre cosyn. Line 147 
Nay, quod this monk, by God and seint martyn, Line 148 
He is na moore cosyn unto me Line 149 
Than is this leef that hangeth on the tree! Line 150 
I clepe hym so, by seint denys of fraunce, Line 151 
To have the moore cause of aqueyntaunce Line 152 
Of yow, which I have loved specially Line 153 
Aboven alle wommen, sikerly. Line 154 
This swere I yow on my professioun. Line 155 
Telleth youre grief, lest that he come adoun; Line 156 
And hasteth yow, and gooth youre wey anon. Line 157 
My deere love, quod she, o my daun john, Line 158 
Ful lief were me this conseil for to hyde, Line 159 
But out it moot, I may namoore abyde. Line 160 
Myn housbonde is to me the worste man Line 161 
That evere was sith that the world bigan. Line 162 
But sith I am a wyf, it sit nat me Line 163 
To tellen no wight of oure privetee, Line 164 
Neither abedde, ne in noon oother place; Line 165 
God shilde I sholde it tellen, for his grace! Line 166 
A wyf ne shal nat seyn of hir housbonde Line 167 
But al honour, as I kan understonde; Line 168 
Save unto yow thus muche I tellen shal: Line 169 
As helpe me god, he is noght worth at al Line 170 
In no degree the value of a flye. Line 171 
But yet me greveth moost his nygardye. Line 172 
And wel ye woot that wommen naturelly Line 173 
Desiren thynges sixe as wel as I: Line 174 
They wolde that hir housbondes sholde be Line 175 
Hardy, and wise, and riche, and therto free, Line 176 
And buxom unto his wyf, and fressh abedde. Line 177 
But by that ilke lord that for us bledde, Line 178 
For his honour, myself for to arraye,  Line 179 

Page 158

 Line 179 
A sonday next I moste nedes paye Line 180 
An hundred frankes, or ellis I am lorn. Line 181 
Yet were me levere that I were unborn Line 182 
Than me were doon a sclaundre or vileynye; Line 183 
And if myn housbonde eek it myghte espye, Line 184 
I nere but lost; and therfore I yow preye, Line 185 
Lene me this somme, or ellis moot I deye. Line 186 
Daun john, I seye, lene me thise hundred frankes. Line 187 
Pardee, I wol nat faille yow my thankes, Line 188 
If that yow list to doon that I yow praye. Line 189 
For at a certeyn day I wol yow paye, Line 190 
And doon to yow what plesance and service Line 191 
That I may doon, right as yow list devise. Line 192 
And but I do, God take on me vengeance Line 193 
As foul as evere hadde genylon of france. Line 194 
This gentil monk answerde in this manere: Line 195 
Now trewely, myn owene lady deere, Line 196 
I have, quod he, on yow so greet a routhe Line 197 
That I yow swere, and plighte yow my trouthe, Line 198 
That whan youre housbonde is to flaundres fare, Line 199 
I wol delyvere yow out of this care; Line 200 
For I wol brynge yow an hundred frankes. Line 201 
And with that word he caughte hire by the flankes, Line 202 
And hire embraceth harde, and kiste hire ofte. Line 203 
Gooth now youre wey, quod he, al stille and softe, Line 204 
And lat us dyne as soone as that ye may; Line 205 
For by my chilyndre it is pryme of day. Line 206 
Gooth now, and beeth as trewe as I shal be. Line 207 
Now elles God forbede, sire, quod she; Line 208 
And forth she gooth as jolif as a pye, Line 209 
And bad the cookes that they sholde hem hye, Line 210 
So that men myghte dyne, and that anon. Line 211 
Up to hir housbonde is this wyf ygon, Line 212 
And knokketh at his countour boldely. Line 213 
Quy la? quod he. Peter! it am I, Line 214 
Quod she; what, sire, how longe wol ye faste? Line 215 
How longe tyme wol ye rekene and caste Line 216 
Youre sommes, and youre bookes, and youre thynges? Line 217 
The devel have part on alle swiche rekenynges! Line 218 
Ye have ynough, pardee, of goddes sonde; Line 219 
Com doun to-day, and lat youre bagges stonde. Line 220 
Ne be ye nat ashamed that daun john Line 221 
Shal fasting al this day alenge goon? Line 222 
What! lat us heere a messe, and go we dyne. Line 223 
Wyf, quod this man, litel kanstow devyne Line 224 
The curious bisynesse that we have. Line 225 
For of us chapmen, also God me save, Line 226 
And by that lord that clepid is seint yve, Line 227 
Scarsly amonges twelve tweye shul thryve Line 228 
Continuelly, lastynge unto oure age. Line 229 
We may wel make chiere and good visage, Line 230 
And dryve forth the world as it may be, Line 231 
And kepen oure estaat in pryvetee, Line 232 
Til we be deed, or elles that we pleye Line 233 
A pilgrymage, or goon out of the weye. Line 234 
And therfore have I greet necessitee Line 235 
Upon this queynte world t' avyse me; Line 236 
For everemoore we moote stonde in drede Line 237 
Of hap and fortune in oure chapmanhede. Line 238 
To flaundres wol I go to-morwe at day, Line 239 
And come agayn, as soone as evere I may. Line 240 
For which, my deere wyf, I thee diseke, Line 241 
As be to every wight buxom and meke, Line 242 
And for to kepe oure good be curious, Line 243 
And honestly governe wel oure hous. Line 244 
Thou hast ynough, in every maner wise, Line 245 
That to a thrifty houshold may suffise. Line 246 
Thee lakketh noon array ne no vitaille; Line 247 
Of silver in thy purs shaltow nat faille. Line 248 
And with that word his countour-dore he shette, Line 249 
And doun he gooth, no lenger wolde he lette. Line 250 
But hastily a messe was ther seyd, Line 251 
And spedily the tables were yleyd, Line 252 
And to the dyner faste they hem spedde, Line 253 
And richely this monk the chapman fedde. Line 254 
At after-dyner daun john sobrely Line 255 
This chapman took apart, and prively Line 256 
He seyde hym thus: cosyn, it standeth so, Line 257 
That wel I se to brugges wol ye go. Line 258 
Go and seint austyn spede yow and gyde! Line 259 
I prey yow, cosyn, wisely that ye ryde. Line 260 
Governeth yow also of youre diete Line 261 
Atemprely, and namely in this hete. Line 262 
Bitwix us two nedeth no strange fare; Line 263 
Farewel, cosyn; God shilde yow fro care! Line 264 
And if that any thyng by day or nyght, Line 265 
If it lye in my power and my myght, Line 266 
That ye me wol comande in any wyse, Line 267 
It shal be doon, right as ye wol devyse. Line 268 
O thyng, er that ye goon, if it may be, Line 269 
I wolde prey yow; for to lene me Line 270 
An hundred frankes, for a wyke or tweye, Line 271 
For certein beestes that I moste beye, Line 272 
To stoore with a place that is oures. Line 273 
God helpe me so, I wolde it were youres! Line 274 
I shal nat faille surely of my day, Line 275 
Nat for a thousand frankes, a mile way. Line 276 
But lat this thyng be secree, I yow preye,  Line 277 

Page 159

 Line 277 
For yet to-nyght thise beestes moot I beye. Line 278 
And fare now wel, myn owene cosyn deere; Line 279 
Graunt mercy of youre cost and of youre cheere. Line 280 
This noble marchant gentilly anon Line 281 
Answerde and seyde, o cosyn myn, daun john, Line 282 
Now sikerly this is a smal requeste. Line 283 
My gold is youres, whan that it yow leste, Line 284 
And nat oonly my gold, but my chaffare. Line 285 
Take what yow list, God shilde that ye spare. Line 286 
But o thyng is, ye knowe it wel ynogh, Line 287 
Of chapmen, that hir moneie is hir plogh. Line 288 
We may creaunce whil we have a name; Line 289 
But goldlees for to be, it is no game. Line 290 
Paye it agayn whan it lith in youre ese; Line 291 
After my myght ful fayn wolde I yow plese. Line 292 
Thise hundred frankes he fette forth anon, Line 293 
And prively he took hem to daun john. Line 294 
No wight in al this world wiste of this loone, Line 295 
Savynge this marchant and daun john allone. Line 296 
They drynke, and speke, and rome a while and pleye, Line 297 
Til that daun john rideth to his abbeye. Line 298 
The morwe cam, and forth this marchant rideth Line 299 
To flaundres-ward; his prentys wel hym gydeth, Line 300 
Til he came into brugges murily. Line 301 
Now gooth this marchant faste and bisily Line 302 
Aboute his nede, and byeth and creaunceth. Line 303 
He neither pleyeth at the dees ne daunceth, Line 304 
But as a marchaunt, shortly for to telle, Line 305 
He let him lyf, and there I lete hym dwelle. Line 306 
The sonday next the marchant was agon, Line 307 
To seint-denys ycomen is daun john, Line 308 
With crowne and berd al fressh and newe yshave. Line 309 
In al the hous ther nas so litel a knave, Line 310 
Ne no wight elles, that he nas ful fayn Line 311 
For that my lord daun john was come agayn. Line 312 
And shortly to the point right for to gon, Line 313 
This faire wyf acorded with daun john Line 314 
That for thise hundred frankes he sholde al nyght Line 315 
Have hire in his armes bolt upright; Line 316 
And this acord parfourned was in dede. Line 317 
In myrthe al nyght a bisy lyf they lede Line 318 
Til it was day, that daun john wente his way, Line 319 
And bad the meynee farewel, have good day! Line 320 
For noon of hem, ne no wight in the toun, Line 321 
Hath of daun john right no suspecioun. Line 322 
And forth he rydeth hoom to his abbeye, Line 323 
Or where hym list; namoore of hym I seye. Line 324 
This marchant, whan that ended was the faire, Line 325 
To seint-denys he gan for to repaire, Line 326 
And with his wyf he maketh feeste and cheere, Line 327 
And telleth hire that chaffare is so deere Line 328 
That nedes moste he make a chevyssaunce; Line 329 
For he was bounden in a reconyssaunce Line 330 
To paye twenty thousand sheeld anon. Line 331 
For which this marchant is to parys gon Line 332 
To borwe of certeine freendes that he hadde Line 333 
A certeyn frankes; and somme with him he ladde. Line 334 
And whan that he was come into the toun, Line 335 
For greet chiertee and greet affeccioun, Line 336 
Unto daun john he gooth first, hym to pleye; Line 337 
Nat for to axe or borwe of hym moneye, Line 338 
But for to wite and seen of his welfare, Line 339 
And for to tellen hym of his chaffare, Line 340 
As freendes doon whan they been met yfeere. Line 341 
Daun john hym maketh feeste and murye cheere, Line 342 
And he hym tolde agayn, ful specially, Line 343 
How he hadde wel yboght and graciously, Line 344 
Thanked be god, al hool his marchandise; Line 345 
Save that he moste, in alle maner wise, Line 346 
Maken a chevyssaunce, as for his beste, Line 347 
And thanne he sholde been in joye and reste. Line 348 
Daun john answerde, certes, I am fayn Line 349 
That ye in heele ar comen hom agayn. Line 350 
And if that I were riche, as have I blisse, Line 351 
Of twenty thousand sheeld sholde ye nat mysse, Line 352 
For ye so kyndely this oother day Line 353 
Lente me gold; and as I kan and may, Line 354 
I thanke yow, by God and by seint jame! Line 355 
But nathelees, I took unto oure dame, Line 356 
Youre wyf, at hom, the same gold ageyn Line 357 
Upon youre bench; she woot it wel, certeyn, Line 358 
By certeyn tokenes that I kan hire telle. Line 359 
Now, by youre leve, I may no lenger dwelle; Line 360 
Oure abbot wole out of this toun anon, Line 361 
And in his compaignye moot I goon. Line 362 
Grete wel oure dame, myn owene nece sweete, Line 363 
And fare wel, deere cosyn, til we meete! Line 364 
This marchant, which that was ful war and wys, Line 365 
Creanced hath, and payd eek in parys Line 366 
To certeyn lumbardes, redy in hir hond, Line 367 
The somme of gold, and gat of hem his bond; Line 368 
And hoom he gooth, murie as a papejay, Line 369 
For wel he knew he stood in swich array Line 370 
That nedes moste he wynne in that viage  Line 371 

Page 160

 Line 371 
A thousand frankes aboven al his costage. Line 372 
His wyf ful redy mette hym atte gate, Line 373 
As she was wont of oold usage algate, Line 374 
And al that nyght in myrthe they bisette; Line 375 
For he was riche and cleerly out of dette. Line 376 
Whan it was day, this marchant gan embrace Line 377 
His wyf al newe, and kiste hire on hir face, Line 378 
And up he gooth and maketh it ful tough. Line 379 
Namoore, quod she, by god, ye have ynough! Line 380 
And wantownly agayn with hym she pleyde, Line 381 
Til atte laste thus this marchant seyde: Line 382 
By go, quod he, I am a litel wrooth Line 383 
With yow, my wyf, although it be me looth. Line 384 
And woot ye why? by god, as that I gesse Line 385 
That ye han maad a manere straungenesse Line 386 
Bitwixen me and my cosyn daun john. Line 387 
Ye sholde han warned me, er I had gon, Line 388 
That he yow hadde an hundred frankes payed Line 389 
By redy token; and heeld hym yvele apayed, Line 390 
For that I to hym spak of chevyssaunce; Line 391 
Me semed so, as by his contenaunce. Line 392 
But nathelees, by god, oure hevene kyng, Line 393 
I thoughte nat to axen hym no thyng. Line 394 
I prey thee, wyf, ne do namoore so; Line 395 
Telle me alwey, er that I fro thee go, Line 396 
If any dettour hath in myn absence Line 397 
Ypayed thee, lest thurgh thy necligence Line 398 
I myghte hym axe a thing that he hath payed. Line 399 
This wyf was nat afered nor affrayed, Line 400 
But boldely she seyde, and that anon; Line 401 
Marie, I deffie the false monk, daun john! Line 402 
I kepe nat of his tokenes never a deel; Line 403 
He took me certeyn gold, that woot I weel, --  Line 404 
What! yvel thedam on his monkes snowte! Line 405 
For, God it woot, I wende, withouten doute, Line 406 
That he hadde yeve it me bycause of yow, Line 407 
To doon therwith myn honour and my prow, Line 408 
For cosynage, and eek for beele cheere Line 409 
That he hath had ful ofte tymes heere. Line 410 
But sith I se I stonde in this disjoynt, Line 411 
I wol answere yow shortly to the poynt. Line 412 
Ye han mo slakkere dettours than am i! Line 413 
For I wol paye yow wel and redily Line 414 
Fro day to day, and if so be I faille, Line 415 
I am youre wyf; score it upon my taille, Line 416 
And I shal paye as soone as ever I may. Line 417 
For by my trouthe, I have on myn array, Line 418 
And nat on wast, bistowed every deel; Line 419 
And for I have bistowed it so weel Line 420 
For youre honour, for goddes sake, I seye, Line 421 
As be nat wrooth, but lat us laughe and pleye. Line 422 
Ye shal my joly body have to wedde; Line 423 
By god, I wol nat paye yow but abedde! Line 424 
Forgyve it me, myn owene spouse deere; Line 425 
Turne hiderward, and maketh bettre cheere. Line 426 
This marchant saugh ther was no remedie, Line 427 
And for to chide it nere but folie, Line 428 
Sith that the thyng may nat amended be. Line 429 
Now wyf, he seyde, and I foryeve it thee; Line 430 
But, by thy lyf, ne be namoore so large. Line 431 
Keep bet my good, this yeve I thee in charge. Line 432 
Thus endeth now my tale, and God us sende Line 433 
Taillynge ynough unto oure lyves ende. Amen Line 434 

The Words of the Host to the Prioress
Wel seyd, by corpus dominus, quod oure hoost, Line 435 
Now longe moote thou saille by the cost, Line 436 
Sire gentil maister, gentil maryneer! Line 437 
God yeve the monk a thousand last quade yeer! Line 438 
A ha! felawes! beth ware of swich a jape! Line 439 
The monk putte in the mannes hood an ape, Line 440 
And in his wyves eek, by seint austyn! Line 441 
Draweth no monkes moore unto youre in. Line 442 
But now passe over, and lat us seke aboute, Line 443 
Who shal now telle first of al this route Line 444 
Another tale; and with that word he sayde, Line 445 
As curteisly as it had been a mayde, Line 446 
My lady prioresse, by youre leve, Line 447 
So that I wiste I sholde yow nat greve, Line 448 
I wolde demen that ye tellen sholde Line 449 
A tale next, if so were that ye wolde. Line 450 
Now wol ye vouche sauf, my lady deere? Line 451 
Gladly, quod she, and seyde as ye shal heere. Line 452 

Page 161

The Prioress' Prologue
O lord, oure lord, thy name how merveillous Line 453 
Is in this large world ysprad, quod she; Line 454 
For noght oonly thy laude precious Line 455 
Parfourned is by men of dignitee, Line 456 
But by the mouth of children thy bountee Line 457 
Parfourned is, for on the brest soukynge Line 458 
Somtyme shewen they thyn heriynge. Line 459 
Wherfore in laude, as I best kan or may, Line 460 
Of thee and of the white lyle flour Line 461 
Which that the bar, and is a mayde alway, Line 462 
To telle a storie I wol do my labour; Line 463 
Nat that I may encressen hir honour, Line 464 
For whe hirself is honour and the roote Line 465 
Of bountee, next hir sone, and soules boote. Line 466 
O mooder mayde! o mayde mooder free! Line 467 
O bussh unbrent, brennynge in moyses sighte, Line 468 
That ravyshedest doun fro the dietee, Line 469 
Thurgh thyn humbless, the goost that in th' alighte, Line 470 
Of whos vertu, whan he thyn herte lighte, Line 471 
Conceyved was the fadres sapience, Line 472 
Help me to telle it in thy reverence! Line 473 
Lady, thy bountee, thy magnificence, Line 474 
Thy vertu, and thy grete humylitee, Line 475 
Ther may no tonge expresse in no science; Line 476 
For somtyme, lady, er men praye to thee, Line 477 
Thou goost biforn of thy benyngnytee, Line 478 
And getest us the lyght, of thy preyere, Line 479 
To gyden us unto thy sone so deere. Line 480 
My konnyng is so wayk, o blisful queene, Line 481 
For to declare thy grete worthynesse Line 482 
That I ne may the weighte nat susteene; Line 483 
But as a child of twelf month oold, or lesse, Line 484 
That kan unnethes any word expresse, Line 485 
Right so fare I, and therfore I yow preye, Line 486 
Gydeth my song that I shal of yow seye. Line 487 

The Prioress' Tale
Ther was in asye, in a greet citee, Line 488 
Amonges cristene folk, a jewerye, Line 489 
Sustened by a lord of that contree Line 490 
For foule usure and lucre of vileynye, Line 491 
Hateful to crist and to his compaignye; Line 492 
And thurgh the strete men myghte ride or wende, Line 493 
For it was free and open at eyther ende. Line 494 
A litel scole of cristen folk ther stood Line 495 
Doun at the ferther ende, in which ther were Line 496 
Children an heep, ycomen of cristen blood, Line 497 
That lerned in that scole yeer by yere Line 498 
Swich manere doctrine as men used there, Line 499 
This is to seyn, to syngen and to rede, Line 500 
As smale children doon in hire childhede. Line 501 
Among thise children was a wydwes sone, Line 502 
A litel clergeon, seven yeer of age, Line 503 
That day by day to scole was his wone, Line 504 
And eek also, where as he saugh th' ymage Line 505 
Of cristes mooder, hadde he in usage, Line 506 
As hym was taught, to knele adoun and seye Line 507 
His ave marie, as he goth by the weye. Line 508 
Thus hath this wydwe hir litel sone ytaught Line 509 
Oure blisful lady, cristes mooder deere,  Line 510 

Page 162

 Line 510 
To worshipe ay, and he forgat it naught, Line 511 
For sely child wol alday soone leere. Line 512 
But ay, whan I remembre on this mateere, Line 513 
Seint nicholas stant evere in my presence, Line 514 
For he so yong to crist dide reverence. Line 515 
This litel child, his litel book lernynge, Line 516 
As he sat in the scole at his prymer, Line 517 
He alma redemptoris herde synge, Line 518 
As children lerned hire antiphoner; Line 519 
And as he dorste, he drough hym ner and ner, Line 520 
And herkned ay the wordes and the noote, Line 521 
Til he the firste vers koude al by rote. Line 522 
Noght wiste he what this latyn was to seye, Line 523 
For he so yong and tendre was of age. Line 524 
But on a day his felawe gan he preye Line 525 
T' expounden hym this song in his langage, Line 526 
Or telle hym why this song was in usage; Line 527 
This preyde he hym to construe and declare Line 528 
Ful often tyme upon his knowes bare. Line 529 
His felawe, which that elder was than he, Line 530 
Answerde hym thus: this song, I have herd seye, Line 531 
Was maked of our blisful lady free, Line 532 
Hire to salue, and eek hire for to preye Line 533 
Fo been oure help and socour whan we deye. Line 534 
I kan namoore expounde in this mateere; Line 535 
I lerne song, I kan but smal grammeere. Line 536 
And is this song maked in reverence Line 537 
Of cristes mooder? seyde this innocent. Line 538 
Now, certes, I wol do my diligence Line 539 
To konne it al er cristemasse be went. Line 540 
Though that I for my prymer shal be shent, Line 541 
And shall be beten thries in an houre, Line 542 
I wol it konne oure lady for to honoure! Line 543 
His felawe taughte hym homward prively, Line 544 
For day to day, til he koude it by rote, Line 545 
And thanne he song it wel and boldely, Line 546 
Fro word to word, acordynge with the note. Line 547 
Twies a day it passed thurgh his throte, Line 548 
To scoleward and homward whan he wente; Line 549 
On cristes mooder set was his entente. Line 550 
As I have seyd, thurghout the juerie, Line 551 
This litel child, as he cam to and fro, Line 552 
Ful murily than wolde he synge and crie Line 553 
O alma redemptoris everemo. Line 554 
The swetnesse hath his herte perced so Line 555 
Of cristes mooder that, to hire to preye, Line 556 
He kan nat stynte of syngyng by the weye. Line 557 
Oure firste foo, the serpent sathanas, Line 558 
That hath in jues herte his waspes nest, Line 559 
Up swal, and seide, o hebrayk peple, allas! Line 560 
Is this to yow a thyng that is honest, Line 561 
That swich a boy shal walken as hym lest Line 562 
In youre despit, and synge of swich sentence, Line 563 
Which is agayn youre lawes reverence? Line 564 
Fro thennes forth the jues han conspired Line 565 
This innocent out of this world to chace. Line 566 
And homycide therto han they hyred, Line 567 
That in an aleye hadde a privee place; Line 568 
And as the child gan forby for to pace, Line 569 
This cursed jew hym hente, and heeld hym faste, Line 570 
And kitte his throute, and in a pit hym caste. Line 571 
I seye that in a wardrobe they hym threwe Line 572 
Where as thise jewes purgen hire entraille. Line 573 
O cursed folk of herodes al newe, Line 574 
What may youre yvel entente yow availle? Line 575 
Mordre wol out, certeyn, it wol nat faille, Line 576 
And namely ther th' onour of God shal sprede; Line 577 
The blood out crieth on youre cursed dede. Line 578 
O martir, sowded to virginitee, Line 579 
Now maystow syngen, folwynge evere in oon Line 580 
The white lamb celestial -- quod she --  Line 581 
Of which the grete evaungelist, seint john, Line 582 
In pathmos wroot, which seith that they that goon Line 583 
Biforn this lamb, and synge a song al newe, Line 584 
That nevere, flesshly, wommen they ne knewe. Line 585 
This poure wydwe awaiteth al that nyght Line 586 
After hir litel child, but he cam noght; Line 587 
For which, as soone as it was dayes lyght, Line 588 
With face pale of drede and bisy thoght, Line 589 
She hath at scole and elleswhere hym soght, Line 590 
Til finally she gan so fer espie Line 591 
That he last seyn was in the juerie. Line 592 
With moodres pitee in hir brest enclosed, Line 593 
She gooth, as she were half out of hir mynde, Line 594 
To every place where she hath supposed Line 595 
By liklihede hir litel child to fynde;  Line 596 

Page 163

 Line 596 
And evere on cristes mooder meeke and kynde Line 597 
She cride, and atte laste thus she wroghte: Line 598 
Among the cursed jues she hym soghte. Line 599 
She frayneth and she preyeth pitously Line 600 
To every jew that dwelte in thilke place, Line 601 
To telle hire if hir child wente oght forby. Line 602 
They seyde nay; but jhesu, of his grace, Line 603 
Yaf in hir thoght, inwith a litel space, Line 604 
That in that place after hir sone she cryde, Line 605 
Where he was casten in a pit bisyde. Line 606 
O grete god, that parfournest thy laude Line 607 
By mouth of innocentz, lo, heere thy myght! Line 608 
This gemme of chastite, this emeraude, Line 609 
And eek of martirdom the ruby bright, Line 610 
Ther he with throte ykorven lay upright, Line 611 
He alma redemptoris gan to synge Line 612 
So loude that al the place gan to rynge. Line 613 
The cristene folk that thurgh the strete wente Line 614 
In coomen for to wondre upon this thyng, Line 615 
And hastily they for the provost sente; Line 616 
He cam anon withouten tariyng, Line 617 
And herieth crist that is of hevene kyng, Line 618 
And eek his mooder, honour of mankynde, Line 619 
And after that the jewes leet he bynde. Line 620 
This child with pitous lamentacioun Line 621 
Up taken was, syngynge his song alway, Line 622 
And with honour of greet processioun Line 623 
They carien hym unto the nexte abbay. Line 624 
His mooder swownynge by the beere lay; Line 625 
Unnethe myghte the peple that was theere Line 626 
This newe rachel brynge fro his beere. Line 627 
With torment and with shameful deeth echon Line 628 
This provost dooth thise jewes for to sterve Line 629 
That of this mordre wiste, and that anon. Line 630 
He nolde no swich cursednesse observe. Line 631 
Yvele shal have that yvele wol deserve; Line 632 
Therfore with wilde hors he dide hem drawe, Line 633 
And after that he heng hem by the lawe. Line 634 
Upon this beere ay lith this innocent Line 635 
Biforn the chief auter, whil masse laste; Line 636 
And after that, the abbot with his covent Line 637 
Han sped hem for to burien hym ful faste; Line 638 
And whan they hooly water on hym caste, Line 639 
Yet spak this child, whan spreynd was hooly water, Line 640 
And song o alma redemptoris mater! Line 641 
This abbot, which that was an hooly man, Line 642 
As monkes been -- or elles oghte be --  Line 643 
This yonge child to conjure he bigan, Line 644 
And seyde, o deere child, I halse thee, Line 645 
In vertu of the hooly trinitee, Line 646 
Tel me what is thy cause for to synge, Line 647 
Sith that thy throte is kut to my semynge? Line 648 
My throte is kut unto my nekke boon, Line 649 
Seyde this child, and, as by wey of kynde, Line 650 
I sholde have dyed, ye, longe tyme agon. Line 651 
But jesu crist, as ye in bookes fynde, Line 652 
Wil that his glorie laste and be in mynde, Line 653 
And for the worship of his mooder deere Line 654 
Yet may I synge o alma loude and cleere. Line 655 
This welle of mercy, cristes mooder sweete, Line 656 
I loved alwey, as after my konnynge; Line 657 
And whan that I my lyf sholde forlete, Line 658 
To me she cam, and bad me for to synge Line 659 
This anthem verraily in my deyynge, Line 660 
As ye han herd, and whan that I hadde songe, Line 661 
Me thoughte she leyde a greyn upon my tonge. Line 662 
Wherfore I synge, and synge moot certeyn, Line 663 
In honour of that blisful mayden free, Line 664 
Til fro my tonge of taken is the greyn; Line 665 
And after that thus seyde she to me; Line 666 
-- My litel child, now wol I fecche thee, Line 667 
Whan that the greyn is fro thy tonge ytake. Line 668 
Be nat agast, I wol thee nat forsake. --  Line 669 
This hooly monk, this abbot, hym meene I, Line 670 
His tonge out caughte, and took awey the greyn, Line 671 
And he yaf up the goost ful softely. Line 672 
And whan this abbot hadde this wonder seyn, Line 673 
His salte teeris trikled doun as reyn, Line 674 
And gruf he fil al plat upon the grounde, Line 675 
And stille he lay as he had ben ybounde. Line 676 
The covent eek lay on the pavement Line 677 
Wepynge, and herying cristes mooder deere, Line 678 
And after that they ryse, and forth been went, Line 679 
And tooken awey this martir from his beere; Line 680 
And in a tombe of marbul stones cleere Line 681 
Enclosen they his litel body sweete. Line 682 
Ther he is now, God leve us for to meete!  Line 683 

Page 164

 Line 683 
O yonge hugh of lyncoln, slayn also Line 684 
With cursed jewes, as it is notable, Line 685 
For it is but a litel while ago, Line 686 
Preye eek for us, we synful folk unstable, Line 687 
That, of his mercy, God so merciable Line 688 
On us his grete mercy multiplie, Line 689 
For reverence of his mooder marie. Amen Line 690 

The Prologue to the Tale of Sir Thopas
Whan seyd was al this miracle, every man Line 691 
As sobre was that wonder was to se, Line 692 
Til that oure hooste japen tho bigan, Line 693 
And thanne at erst he looked upon me, Line 694 
And seyde thus: what man artow? quod he; Line 695 
Thou lookest as thou woldest fynde an hare, Line 696 
For evere upon the ground I se thee stare. Line 697 
Approche neer, and looke up murily. Line 698 
Now war yow, sires, and lat this man have place! Line 699 
He in the waast is shape as wel as I; Line 700 
This were a popet in an arm t' enbrace Line 701 
For any womman, smal and fair of face. Line 702 
He semeth elvyssh by his contenaunce, Line 703 
For unto no wight dooth he daliaunce. Line 704 
Sey now somwhat, syn oother folk han sayd; Line 705 
Telle us a tale of myrthe, and that anon. Line 706 
Hooste, quod I, ne beth nat yvele apayd, Line 707 
For oother tale certes kan I noon, Line 708 
But of a rym I lerned longe agoon. Line 709 
Ye, that is good, quod he; now shul we heere Line 710 
Som deyntee thyng, me thynketh by his cheere. Line 711 

The Tale of Sir Thopas

Fitt I
Listeth, lordes, in good entent, Line 712 
And I wol telle verrayment Line 713 
Of myrthe and of solas; Line 714 
Al of a knyght was fair and gent Line 715 
In bataille and in tourneyment, Line 716 
His name was sire thopas. Line 717 
Yborn he was in fer contree, Line 718 
In flaundres, al biyonde the see, Line 719 
At poperyng, in the place. Line 720 
His fader was a man ful free, Line 721 
And lord he was of that contree, Line 722 
As it was goddes grace. Line 723 
Sire thopas wax a doghty swayn; Line 724 
Whit was his face as payndemayn, Line 725 
His lippes rede as rose; Line 726 
His rode is lyk scarlet in grayn, Line 727 
And I yow telle in good certayn, Line 728 
He hadde a semely nose. Line 729 
His heer, his berd was lyk saffroun, Line 730 
That to his girdel raughte adoun; Line 731 
His shoon of cordewane. Line 732 
Of brugges were his hosen broun, Line 733 
His robe was of syklatoun, Line 734 
That coste many a jane. Line 735 
He koude hunte at wilde deer, Line 736 
And ride an haukyng for river Line 737 
With grey goshauk on honde; Line 738 
Therto he was a good archeer; Line 739 
Of wrastlyng was ther noon his peer, Line 740 
Ther any ram shal stonde.  Line 741 

Page 165

 Line 741 
Ful many a mayde, bright in bour, Line 742 
They moorne for hym paramour, Line 743 
Whan hem were bet to slepe; Line 744 
But he was chaast and no lechour, Line 745 
And sweete as is the brembul flour Line 746 
That bereth the rede hepe. Line 747 
And so bifel upon a day, Line 748 
For sothe, as I yow telle may, Line 749 
Sire thopas wolde out ride. Line 750 
He worth upon his steede gray, Line 751 
And in his hand a launcegay, Line 752 
A long swerd by his side. Line 753 
He priketh thurgh a fair forest, Line 754 
Therinne is many a wilde best, Line 755 
Ye, bothe bukke and hare; Line 756 
And as he priketh north and est, Line 757 
I telle it yow, hym hadde almest Line 758 
Bitid a sory care. Line 759 
Ther spryngen herbes grete and smale, Line 760 
The lycorys and the cetewale, Line 761 
And many a clowe-gylofre; Line 762 
And notemuge to putte in ale, Line 763 
Wheither it be moyste or stale, Line 764 
Or for to leye in cofre. Line 765 
The briddes synge, it is no nay, Line 766 
The sparhauk and the papejay, Line 767 
That joye it was to heere; Line 768 
The thrustelock made eek his lay, Line 769 
The wodedowve upon the spray Line 770 
She sang ful loude and cleere. Line 771 
Sire thopas fil in love-longynge, Line 772 
Al whan he herde the thrustel synge, Line 773 
And pryked as he were wood. Line 774 
His faire steede in his prikynge Line 775 
So swatte that men myghte him wrynge; Line 776 
His sydes were al blood. Line 777 
Sire thopas eek so wery was Line 778 
For prikyng on the softe gras, Line 779 
So fiers was his corage, Line 780 
That doun he leyde him in that plas Line 781 
To make his steede som solas, Line 782 
And yaf hym good forage. Line 783 
O seinte marie, benedicite! Line 784 
What eyleth this love at me Line 785 
To bynde me so soore? Line 786 
Me dremed al this nyght, pardee, Line 787 
An elf-queene shal my lemman be Line 788 
And slepe under my goore. Line 789 
An elf-queene wol I love, ywis, Line 790 
For in this world no womman is Line 791 
Worthy to be my make Line 792 
In towne; Line 793 
Alle othere wommen I forsake, Line 794 
And to an elf-queene I me take Line 795 
By dale and eek by downe! Line 796 
Into his sadel he clamb anon, Line 797 
And priketh over stile and stoon Line 798 
An elf-queene for t' espye, Line 799 
Til he so longe hath riden and goon Line 800 
That he foond, in a pryve woon, Line 801 
The contree of fairye Line 802 
So wilde; Line 803 
For in that contree was ther noon Line 804 
That to him durste ride or goon, Line 805 
Neither wyf ne childe; Line 806 
Til that ther cam a greet geaunt, Line 807 
His name was sire olifaunt, Line 808 
A perilus man of dede. Line 809 
He seyde, child, by termagaunt! Line 810 
But if thou prike out of myn haunt, Line 811 
Anon I sle thy steede Line 812 
With mace. Line 813 
Heere is the queene of fayerye, Line 814 
With harpe and pipe and symphonye, Line 815 
Dwellynge in this place. Line 816 
The child seyde, also moote I thee, Line 817 
Tomorwe wol I meete with thee, Line 818 
Whan I have myn armoure; Line 819 
And yet I hope, par ma fay, Line 820 
That thou shalt with this launcegay Line 821 
Abyen it ful sowre. Line 822 
Thy mawe Line 823 
Shal I percen, if I may, Line 824 
Er it be fully pryme of day, Line 825 
For heere thow shalt be slawe. Line 826 
Sire thopas drow abak ful faste; Line 827 
This geant at hym stones caste Line 828 
Out of a fel staf-slynge. Line 829 
But faire escapeth child thopas, Line 830 
And al it was thurgh goddes gras, Line 831 
And thurgh his fair berynge. Line 832 
Yet listeth, lordes, to my tale Line 833 
Murier than the nightyngale, Line 834 
For now I wol yow rowne Line 835 
How sir thopas, with sydes smale, Line 836 
Prikyng over hill and dale, Line 837 
Is comen agayn to towne.  Line 838 

Page 166

 Line 838 
His myrie men comanded he Line 839 
To make hym bothe game and glee, Line 840 
For nedes moste he fighte Line 841 
With a geaunt with hevedes three, Line 842 
For paramour and jolitee Line 843 
Of oon that shoon ful brighte. Line 844 
Do come, he seyde, my mynstrale, Line 845 
And geestours for to tellen tales, Line 846 
Anon in myn armynge, Line 847 
Of romances that been roiales, Line 848 
Of popes and of cardinales, Line 849 
And eek of love-likynge. Line 850 
They fette hym first the sweet wyn, Line 851 
And mede eek in a mazelyn, Line 852 
And roial spicerye Line 853 
Of gyngebreed that was ful fyn, Line 854 
And lycorys, and eek comyn, Line 855 
With sugre that is trye. Line 856 
He dide next his white leere, Line 857 
Of cloth of lake fyn and cleere, Line 858 
A breech and eek a sherte; Line 859 
And next his sherte an aketoun, Line 860 
And over that an haubergeoun Line 861 
For percynge of his herte; Line 862 
And over that a fyn hawberk, Line 863 
Was al ywroght of jewes werk, Line 864 
Ful strong it was of plate; Line 865 
And over that his cote-armour Line 866 
As whit as is a lilye flour, Line 867 
In which he wol debate. Line 868 
His sheeld was al of gold so reed, Line 869 
And therinne was a bores heed, Line 870 
A charbocle bisyde; Line 871 
And there he swoor on ale and breed Line 872 
How that the geaunt shal be deed, Line 873 
Bityde what bityde! Line 874 
His jambeux were of quyrboilly, Line 875 
His swerdes shethe of ivory, Line 876 
His helm of latoun bright; Line 877 
His sadel was of rewel boon, Line 878 
His brydel as the sonne shoon, Line 879 
Or as the moone light. Line 880 
His spere was of fyn ciprees, Line 881 
That bodeth werre, and nothyng pees, Line 882 
The heed ful sharpe ygrounde; Line 883 
His steede was al dappull gray, Line 884 
It gooth an ambil in the way Line 885 
Ful softely and rounde Line 886 
In londe. Line 887 
Loo, lordes myne, heere is a fit! Line 888 
If ye wol any moore of it, Line 889 
To telle it wol I fonde. Line 890 

Fitt II
Now holde youre mouth, par charitee, Line 891 
Bothe knyght and lady free, Line 892 
And herkneth to my spelle; Line 893 
Of bataille and of chivalry, Line 894 
And of ladyes love-drury Line 895 
Anon I wol yow telle. Line 896 
Men speken of romances of prys, Line 897 
Of horn child and of ypotys, Line 898 
Of beves and sir gy, Line 899 
Of sir lybeux and pleyndamour, --  Line 900 
But sir thopas, he bereth the flour Line 901 
Of roial chivalry! Line 902 
His goode steede al he bistrood, Line 903 
And forth upon his wey he glood Line 904 
As sparcle out of the bronde; Line 905 
Upon his creest he bar a tour, Line 906 
And therinne stiked a lilie flour, --  Line 907 
God shilde his cors for shonde! Line 908 
And for he was a knyght auntrous, Line 909 
He nolde slepen in noon hous, Line 910 
But liggen in his hoode; Line 911 
His brighte helm was his wonger, Line 912 
And by hym baiteth his dextrer Line 913 
Of herbes fyne and goode. Line 914 
Hymself drank water of the well, Line 915 
As dide the knyght sire percyvell Line 916 
So worthy under wede, Line 917 
Til on a day --  Line 918 

Page 167

The Host's Interruption of the Tale of Sir Thopas
Namoore of this, for goddes dignitee, Line 919 
Quod oure hooste, for thou makest me Line 920 
So wery of thy verray lewednesse Line 921 
That, also wisly God my soule blesse, Line 922 
Myne eres aken of thy drasty speche. Line 923 
Now swich a rym the devel I biteche! Line 924 
This may wel be rym dogerel, quod he. Line 925 
Why so? quod I, why wiltow lette me Line 926 
Moore of my tale than another man, Line 927 
Syn that it is the beste rym I kan? Line 928 
By god, quod he, for pleynly, at a word, Line 929 
Thy drasty rymyng is nat worth a toord! Line 930 
Thou doost noght elles but despendest tyme. Line 931 
Sire, at o word, thou shalt no lenger ryme. Line 932 
Lat se wher thou kanst tellen aught in geeste, Line 933 
Or telle in prose somwhat, at the leeste, Line 934 
In which ther be som murthe or som doctryne Line 935 
Gladly, quod I, by goddes sweete pyne! Line 936 
I wol yow telle a litel thyng in prose Line 937 
That oghte liken yow, as I suppose, Line 938 
Or elles, certes, ye been to daungerous. Line 939 
It is a moral tale vertuous, Line 940 
Al be it told somtyme in sondry wyse Line 941 
Of sondry folk, as I shal yow devyse. Line 942 
As thus: ye woot that every evaungelist, Line 943 
That telleth us the peyne of jhesu crist, Line 944 
Ne seith nat alle thyng as his felawe dooth; Line 945 
But nathelees hir sentence is al sooth, Line 946 
And alle acorden as in hire sentence, Line 947 
Al be ther in hir tellyng difference. Line 948 
For somme of hem seyn moore, and somme seyn lesse, Line 949 
Whan they his pitous passioun expresse --  Line 950 
I meene of mark, mathew, luc, and john --  Line 951 
But doutelees hir sentence is al oon. Line 952 
Therfore, lordynges alle, I yow biseche, Line 953 
If that yow thynke I varie as in my speche, Line 954 
As thus, though that I telle somwhat moore Line 955 
Of proverbes than ye han herd bifoore Line 956 
Comprehended in this litel tretys heere, Line 957 
To enforce with th' effect of my mateere, Line 958 
And though I nat the same wordes seye Line 959 
As ye han herd, yet to yow alle I preye Line 960 
Blameth me nat; for, as in my sentence, Line 961 
Shul ye nowher fynden difference Line 962 
Fro the sentence of this tretys lyte Line 963 
After the which this murye tale I write. Line 964 
And therfore herkneth what that I shal seye, Line 965 
And lat me tellen al my tale, I preye. Line 966 

The Tale of Melibee
A yong man called melibeus, myghty and Line 967 
Riche, bigat upon his wyf, that called was prudence,  Line 967 
a doghter which that called was sophie./ Line 968 
Upon a day bifel that he for his desport is Line 968 
Went into the feeldes hem to pleye./ His wyf Line 969 
And eek his doghter hath he left inwith his hous, Line 969 
Of which the dores weren faste yshette./ Thre Line 970 
Of his olde foes han it espyed, and setten laddres Line 970 
To the walles of his hous, and by wyndowes  Line 970 
been entred,/ and betten his wyf, Line 971 
And wounded his doghter with fyve mortal  Line 971 
woundes in fyve sondry places, -- / this is to Line 972 
Seyn, in hir feet, in hire handes, in hir erys, in Line 972 
Hir nose, and in hire mouth, -- and leften hire Line 972 
For deed, and wenten awey./ Line 973 
Whan melibeus retourned was in to his hous, Line 973 
And saugh al this meschief, he, lyk a mad man, Line 973 
Rentynge his clothes, gan to wepe and crie./ Line 974 
Prudence, his wyf, as ferforth as she dorste, Line 974 
Bisoghte hym of his wepyng for to stynte;/ but Line 975 
Nat forthy he gan to crie and wepen Line 975 
Evere lenger the moore./ Line 975 
This noble wyf prudence remembred Line 976 
Hire upon the sentence of ovide, in his book Line 976 
That cleped is the remedie of love, where as Line 976 
He seith/ he is a fool that destourbeth the Line 977 
Mooder to wepen in the deeth of hire child, Line 977 
Til she have wept hir fille as for a certein tyme;/ Line 978 
And thanne shal man doon his diligence with Line 978 
Amyable wordes hire to reconforte, and preyen  Line 978 

Page 168

 Line 978 
Hire of hir wepyng for to stynte./ For which Line 979 
Resoun this noble wyf prudence suffred hir Line 979 
Housbonde for to wepe and crie as for a certein Line 979 
Space;/ and whan she saugh hir tyme, she Line 980 
Seyde hym in this wise: allas, my lord, quod Line 980 
She, why make ye youreself for to be Line 980 
Lyk a fool?/ for sothe it aperteneth nat Line 981 
To a wys man to maken swich a sorwe./ Line 982 
Youre doghter, with the grace of god, shal Line 982 
Warisshe and escape./ And, al were it so that Line 983 
She right now were deed, ye ne oughte nat, as Line 983 
For hir deeth, youreself to destroye./ Senek Line 984 
Seith: the wise man shal nat take to greet disconfort  Line 984 
for the deeth of his children;/ but, Line 985 
Certes, he sholde suffren it in pacience as wel Line 985 
As he abideth the deeth of his owene Line 985 
Propre persone. -- / Line 986 
This melibeus answerde anon, and Line 986 
Seyde, what man, quod he, sholde of his Line 986 
Wepyng stente that hath so greet a cause for Line 986 
To wepe?/ jhesu crist, oure lord, hymself Line 987 
Wepte for the deeth of lazarus hys freend./ Line 988 
Prudence answerde: certes, wel I woot attempree  Line 988 
wepyng is no thyng deffended to hym Line 988 
That sorweful is, amonges folk in sorwe, but it Line 988 
Is rather graunted hym to wepe./ The apostle Line 989 
Paul unto the romayns writeth, -- man shal rejoyse  Line 989 
with hem that maken joye, and wepen Line 989 
With swich folk as wepen. -- / ut though attempree  Line 990 
wepyng be ygraunted, outrageous  Line 990 
wepyng certes is deffended./ Line 991 
Mesure of wepyng sholde be considered,  Line 991 
after the loore that techeth us senek:/ Line 992 
-- whan that thy frend is deed, -- quod he, -- lat Line 992 
Nat thyne eyen to moyste been of teeris, ne Line 992 
To muche drye; although the teeris come to Line 992 
Thyne eyen, lat hem nat falle;/ and whan thou Line 993 
Hast forgoon thy freend, do diligence to gete Line 993 
Another freend; and this is moore wysdom than Line 993 
For to wepe for thy freend which that thou has Line 993 
Lorn, for therinne is no boote. -- / and therfore, Line 994 
If ye governe yow by sapience, put awey sorwe Line 994 
Out of youre herte./ Remembre yow that Line 995 
Jhesus syrak seith, -- a man that is joyous and Line 995 
Glad in herte, it hym conserveth florissynge Line 995 
In his age; but soothly sorweful herte Line 995 
Maketh his bones drye. -- / he seith eek Line 996 
Thus, that sorwe in herte sleeth ful many Line 996 
A man./ Salomon seith that right as motthes Line 997 
In shepes flees anoyeth to the clothes, and Line 997 
The smale wormes to the tree, right so anoyeth Line 997 
Sorwe to the herte./ Wherfore us oghte, as wel Line 998 
In the deeth of oure children as in the los of Line 998 
Oure othere goodes temporels, have pacience./ Line 999 
Remembre yow upon the pacient job. Whan Line 999 
He hadde lost his children and his temporeel Line 999 
Substance, and in his body endured and receyved  Line 999 
ful many a grevous tribulacion, yet Line 999 
Seyde he thus:/ -- oure lord hath yeve it me; Line 1000 
Oure lord hath biraft it me; right as oure lord Line 1000 
Hath wold, right so it is doon; blessed Line 1000 
Be the name of oure lord! -- / Line 1001 
To thise forseide thynges answerde Line 1001 
Melibeus unto his wyf prudence: alle thy Line 1001 
Wordes, quod he, been sothe, and therto profitable;  Line 1001 
but trewely myn herte is troubled with Line 1001 
This sorwe so grevously that I noot what to Line 1001 
Doone./ Line 1002 
Lat calle, quod prudence, thy trewe Line 1002 
Freendes alle, and thy lynage whiche that been Line 1002 
Wise. Telleth youre cas, and herkneth what Line 1002 
They seye in conseillyng, and yow governe after Line 1002 
Hire sentence./ Salomon seith, -- werk alle thy Line 1003 
Thynges by conseil, and thou shalt never repente.  Line 1003 
Thanne, by the conseil of his wyf prudence, Line 1004 
This melibeus leet callen a greet congregacion Line 1004 
Of folk;/ as surgiens, phisiciens, olde folk and Line 1005 
Yonge, and somme of his olde enemys reconsiled  Line 1005 
as by hir semblaunt to his love and Line 1005 
Into his grace;/ and therwithal ther Line 1006 
Coomen somme of his neighebores that Line 1006 
Diden hym reverence moore for drede than for Line 1006 
Love, as it happeth ofte./ Ther coomen also Line 1007 
Ful many subtille flatereres, and wise advocatz  Line 1007 
lerned in the lawe./ Line 1008 
And whan this folk togidre assembled weren, Line 1008 
This melibeus in sorweful wise shewed hem his Line 1008 
Cas./ And by the manere of his speche it Line 1009 
Semed that in herte he baar a crueel ire, redy Line 1009 
To doon vengeaunce upon his foes, and sodeynly  Line 1009 
desired that the werre sholde bigynne;/ Line 1010 
But nathelees, yet axed he hire conseil Line 1010 
Upon this matiere./ A surgien, by licence  Line 1011 
and assent of swiche as weren Line 1011 
Wise, up roos, and to melibeus seyde as ye may Line 1011 
Heere:/ Line 1012 
Sire, quod he, as to us surgiens aperteneth  Line 1012 
that we do to every wight the beste that Line 1012 
We kan, where as we been withholde, and to Line 1012 
Oure pacientz that we do no damage;/ wherfore  Line 1013 
it happeth many tyme and ofte that whan Line 1013 
Twey men han everich wounded oother, oon Line 1013 
Same surgien heeleth hem bothe;/ wherfore Line 1014 
Unto oure art it is nat pertinent to norice werre Line 1014 
Ne parties to supporte./ But certes, as to the Line 1015 
Warisshynge of youre doghter, al be it so that Line 1015 
She perilously be wounded, we shullen do so  Line 1015 

Page 169

 Line 1015 
Ententif bisynesse fro day to nyght that with Line 1015 
The grace of God she shal be hool and Line 1015 
Sound as soone as is possible./ Line 1016 
Almoost right in the same wise the Line 1016 
Phisiciens answerden, save that they seyden a Line 1016 
Fewe woordes moore:/ that right as maladies Line 1017 
Been cured by hir contraries, right so shul men Line 1017 
Warisshe werre by vengeaunce./ Line 1018 
His neighebores ful of envye, his feyned Line 1018 
Freendes that semeden reconsiled, and his flatereres/  Line 1018 
maden semblant of wepyng, and empeireden  Line 1019 
and agreggeden muchel of this matiere  Line 1019 
in preisynge greetly melibee of myght, of Line 1019 
Power, of richesse, and of freendes, despisynge Line 1019 
The power of his adversaries,/ and seiden outrely  Line 1020 
that he anon sholde wreken hym on Line 1020 
His foes, and bigynne werre./ Line 1021 
Up roos thanne an advocat that was Line 1021 
Wys, by leve and by conseil of othere that were Line 1021 
Wise, and seide:/ lordynges, the nede for Line 1022 
Which we been assembled in this place is a ful Line 1022 
Hevy thyng and an heigh matiere,/ by cause Line 1023 
Of the wrong and of the wikkednesse that hath Line 1023 
Be doon, and eek by resoun of the grete damages  Line 1023 
that in tyme comynge been possible to Line 1023 
Fallen for this same cause,/ and eek by resoun Line 1024 
Of the grete richesse and power of the parties Line 1024 
Bothe;/ for the whiche resouns it were a Line 1025 
Ful greet peril to erren in this matiere./ Line 1026 
Wherfore, melibeus, this is oure sentence:  Line 1026 
we conseille yow aboven alle thyng Line 1026 
That right anon thou do thy diligence in Line 1026 
Kepynge of thy propre persone in swich Line 1026 
A wise that thou ne wante noon espie ne Line 1026 
Wacche, thy persone for to save./ And after Line 1027 
That, we conseille that in thyn hous thou sette Line 1027 
Sufficeant garnisoun so that they may as wel Line 1027 
Thy body as thyn hous defende./ But certes, Line 1028 
For to moeve werre, ne sodeynly for to doon Line 1028 
Vengeaunce, we may nat demen in so litel Line 1028 
Tyme that it were profitable./ Wherfore we Line 1029 
Axen leyser and espace to have deliberacion in Line 1029 
This cas to deme./ For the commune proverbe Line 1030 
Seith thus: -- he that soone deemeth, Line 1030 
Soone shal repente. -- / and eek men seyn Line 1031 
That thilke juge is wys that soone under-  Line 1031 
Stondeth a matiere and juggeth by leyser;/ for Line 1032 
Al be it so that alle tariyng be anoyful, algates it Line 1032 
Is nat to repreve in yevynge of juggement ne Line 1032 
In vengeance takyng, whan it is sufficeant Line 1032 
And resonable./ And that shewed oure lord Line 1033 
Jhesu crist by ensample; for whan that the Line 1033 
Womman that was taken in avowtrie was broght Line 1033 
In his presence to knowen what sholde be doon Line 1033 
With hire persone, al be it so that he wiste wel Line 1033 
Hymself what that he wolde answere, yet ne Line 1033 
Wolde he nat answere sodeynly, but he wolde Line 1033 
Have deliberacion, and in the ground he wroot Line 1033 
Twies./ And thise causes weaxen deliberacioun,  Line 1034 
and we shal thanne, by the grace of Line 1034 
God, conseille thee thyng that shal be profitable./ Line 1034 
n=11035>Up stirten thanne the yonge folk atones, and Line 1035 
The mooste partie of that compaignye han Line 1035 
Scorned this olde wise man, and bigonnen  Line 1035 
to make noyse, and seyden that/ Line 1036 
Right so as, whil that iren is hoot, men Line 1036 
Sholden smyte, right so men sholde wreken hir Line 1036 
Wronges whil that they been fresshe and newe; Line 1036 
And with loud voys they criden werre! Line 1036 
Werre!/ Line 1037 
Up roos tho oon of thise olde wise, and with Line 1037 
His hand made contenaunce that men sholde Line 1037 
Holden hem stille and yeven hym audience./ Line 1038 
Lordynges, quod he, ther is ful many a man Line 1038 
That crieth -- werre! werre! -- that woot ful litel Line 1038 
What werre amounteth./ Werre at his bigynnyng  Line 1039 
hath so greet an entryng and so large, that Line 1039 
Every wight may entre whan hym liketh, and Line 1039 
Lightly fynde werre;/ but certes what ende Line 1040 
That shal therof bifalle, it is nat light to Line 1040 
Knowe./ For soothly, whan that werre is Line 1041 
Ones bigonne, ther is ful many a child Line 1041 
Unborn of his mooder that shal sterve yong by Line 1041 
Cause of thilke werre, or elles lyve in sorwe and Line 1041 
Dye in wrecchednesse./ And therfore, er that Line 1042 
Any werre bigynne, men moste have greet conseil  Line 1042 
and greet deliberacion./ And whan this Line 1043 
Olde man wende to enforcen his tale by resons, Line 1043 
Wel ny alle atones bigonne they to rise for to Line 1043 
Breken his tale, and beden hym ful ofte his Line 1043 
Wordes for to abregge./ For soothly, he that Line 1044 
Precheth to hem that listen nat heeren his Line 1044 
Wordes, his sermon hem anoieth./ For jhesus Line 1045 
Syrak seith that musik in wepynge ia a noyous Line 1045 
Thyng; this is to seyn: as muche availleth to Line 1045 
Speken bifore folk to which his speche anoyeth,  Line 1045 
as it is to synge biforn hym that Line 1045 
Wepeth./ And whan this wise man Line 1046 
Saugh that hym wanted audience, al Line 1046 
Shamefast he sette hym doun agayn./ For Line 1047 
Salomon seith: ther as thou ne mayst have Line 1047 
Noon audience, enforce thee nat to speke./ Line 1048 
I see wel, quod this wise man, that the commune  Line 1048 
proverbe is sooth, that -- good conseil Line 1048 
Wanteth whan it is moost nede. -- / Line 1049 
Yet hadde this melibeus in his conseil many Line 1049 
Folk that prively in his eere conseilled hym  Line 1049 

Page 170

 Line 1049 
Certeyn thyng, and conseilled hym the contrarie  Line 1049 
in general audience./ Line 1050 
Whan melibeus hadde herd that the gretteste  Line 1050 
partie of his conseil weren accorded that Line 1050 
He sholde maken werre, anoon he consented to Line 1050 
Hir conseillyng, and fully affermed hire Line 1050 
Sentence./ Thanne dame prudence, Line 1051 
Whan that she saugh how that hir Line 1051 
Housbonde shoop hym for to wreken hym on Line 1051 
His foes, and to bigynne werre, she in ful humble  Line 1051 
wise, whan she saugh hir tyme, seide to Line 1051 
Hym thise wordes:/ my lord, quod she, I Line 1052 
Yow biseche as hertely as I dar and kan, ne Line 1052 
Haste yow nat to faste, and for alle gerdons, as Line 1052 
Yeveth me audience./ For piers alfonce seith, Line 1053 
-- whoso that dooth to thee oother good or harm, Line 1053 
Haste thee nat to quiten it; for in this wise thy Line 1053 
Freend wole abyde, and thyn anemy shal the Line 1053 
Lenger lyve in drede. -- / the proverbe seith, -- he Line 1054 
Hasteth wel that wisely kan abyde, -- and in Line 1054 
Wikked haste is no profit./ Line 1055 
This melibee answerde unto his wyf prudence:  Line 1055 
I purpose nat, quod he, to werke by Line 1055 
Thy conseil, for many causes and resouns. Line 1055 
For certes, every wight wolde holde me Line 1055 
Thanne a fool;/ this is to seyn, if I, for Line 1056 
Thy conseillyng, wolde chaungen thynges Line 1056 
That been ordeyned and affermed by so manye Line 1056 
Wyse./ Secoundely, I seye that alle wommen Line 1057 
Been wikke, and noon good of hem alle. For -- of Line 1057 
A thousand men, -- seith salomon, -- I foond o Line 1057 
Good man, but certes, of alle wommen, good Line 1057 
Womman foond I nevere.--/ and also, certes, Line 1058 
If I governed me by thy conseil, it sholde Line 1058 
Seme that I hadde yeve to thee over me Line 1058 
The maistrie; and God forbede that it so Line 1058 
Weere!/ for jhesus syrak seith that -- if the Line 1059 
Wyf have maistrie, she is contrarious to hir Line 1059 
Housbonde./ -- and salomon seith: -- nevere in Line 1060 
Thy lyf to thy wyf, ne to thy child, ne to Line 1060 
Thy freend, ne yeve no power over thy-  Line 1060 
Self; for bettre it were that thy children aske Line 1060 
Of thy persone thynges that hem nedeth, than Line 1060 
Thou see thyself in the handes of thy Line 1060 
Children. -- / and also if I wolde werke Line 1061 
By thy conseillyng, certes, my conseil Line 1061 
Moste som tyme be secree, til it were tyme Line 1061 
That it moste be knowe, and this ne may noght Line 1061 
Be./ (car il est escript, la genglerie des Line 1062 
Femmes ne puet riens celler fors ce qu' elle ne Line 1062 
Scet./ Apres, le philosophre dit, en mauvais Line 1063 
Conseil les femmes vainquent les hommes: et Line 1063 
Par ces raisons je ne dois point user de ton conseil.)/ Line 1063 
n=11064>Whanne dame prudence, ful debonairly and Line 1064 
With greet pacience, hadde herd al that hir Line 1064 
Housbonde liked for to seye, thanne axed she Line 1064 
Of hym licence for to speke, and seyde in this Line 1064 
Wise:/ my lord, quod she, as to youre firste Line 1065 
Resoun, certes it may lightly been answered. Line 1065 
For I seye that it is no folie to chaunge conseil Line 1065 
Whan the thyng is chaunged, or elles whan Line 1065 
The thyng semeth ootherweyes than it Line 1065 
Was biforn./ And mooreover, I seye Line 1066 
That though ye han sworn and bihight Line 1066 
To perfourne youre emprise, and nathelees ye Line 1066 
Weyve to perfourne thilke same emprise by Line 1066 
Juste cause, men sholde nat seyn therfore that Line 1066 
Ye were a liere ne forsworn./ For the book Line 1067 
Seith that -- the wise man maketh no lesyng Line 1067 
Whan he turneth his corage to the bettre. --/ Line 1068 
And al be it so that youre emprise be establissed  Line 1068 
and ordeyned by greet multitude of folk, Line 1068 
Yet that ye nat accomplice thilke ordinaunce, Line 1068 
But yow like./ For the trouthe of thynges and Line 1069 
The profit been rather founden in fewe folk that Line 1069 
Been wise and ful of resoun, than by greet multitude  Line 1069 
of folk ther every man crieth and clatereth  Line 1069 
what that hym liketh. Soothly swich multitude  Line 1069 
is nat hones./ And as to the seconde Line 1070 
Resoun, where as ye seyn that alle wommen Line 1070 
Been wikke; save youre grace, certes ye despisen  Line 1070 
alle wommen in this wyse, and -- he that Line 1070 
Al despiseth, al displeseth, -- as seith the Line 1070 
Book./ And senec seith that -- whose Line 1071 
Wole have sapience shal no man dispreyse,  Line 1071 
but he shal gladly techen the science Line 1071 
That he kan withouten presumpcion or pride,/ Line 1072 
And swiche thynges as he noght ne kan, he Line 1072 
Shal nat been ashamed to lerne hem, and enquere  Line 1072 
of lasse folk than hymself. -- / and, sire, Line 1073 
That ther hath been many a good womman, Line 1073 
May lightly be preved./ For certes, sire, oure Line 1074 
Lord jhesu crist wolde nevere have descended Line 1074 
To be born of a womman, if alle wommen hadden  Line 1074 
been wikke./ And after that, for the grete Line 1075 
Bountee that is in wommen, oure lord jhesu Line 1075 
Crist, whan he was risen fro deeth to lyve, Line 1075 
Appeered rather to a womman than to Line 1075 
His apostles./ And though that salomon  Line 1076 
seith that he ne foond nevere womman  Line 1076 
good, it folweth nat therfore that alle wommen  Line 1076 
ben wikke./ For though that he ne foond Line 1077 
No good womman, certes, many another man Line 1077 
Hath founden many a womman ful good and Line 1077 
Trewe./ Or elles, per aventure, the entente of Line 1078 
Salomon was this, that, as in sovereyn bounte, Line 1078 
He foond no womman;/ this is to seyn, that ther  Line 1079 

Page 171

 Line 1079 
Is no wight that hath sovereyn bountee save Line 1079 
God allone, as he hymself recordeth in hys Line 1079 
Evaungelie./ For ther nys no creature so good Line 1080 
That hym ne wanteth somwhat of the Line 1080 
Perfeccioun of god, that is his makere./ Line 1081 
Youre thridde reson is this: ye seyn that Line 1081 
If ye governe yow by my conseil, it sholde Line 1081 
Seme that ye hadde yeve me the maistrie and Line 1081 
The lordshipe over youre persone./ Sire, save Line 1082 
Youre grace, it is nat so. For if it so were that Line 1082 
No man sholde be conseilled but oonly of hem Line 1082 
That hadden lordshipe and maistrie of his persone,  Line 1082 
men wolden nat be conseilled so ofte./ Line 1083 
For soothly thilke man that asketh conseil of Line 1083 
A purpos, yet hath he free choys wheither he Line 1083 
Wole werke by that conseil or noon./ And as Line 1084 
To youre fourthe resoun, ther ye seyn that the Line 1084 
Janglerie of wommen kan hyde thynges that Line 1084 
They wot noght, as who seith that a womman Line 1084 
Kan nat hyde that she woot;/ sire, thise wordes Line 1085 
Been understonde of wommen that been Line 1085 
Jangleresses and wikked;/ of whiche Line 1086 
Wommen men seyn that thre thynges Line 1086 
Dryven a man out of his hous, -- that is to seyn, Line 1086 
Smoke, droppyng of reyn, and wikked wyves,/ Line 1087 
And of swiche wommen seith salomon that -- it Line 1087 
Were bettre dwelle in desert than with a woman  Line 1087 
that is riotous. --/ and sire, by youre leve, Line 1088 
That am nat I;/ for ye han ful ofte assayed my Line 1089 
Grete silence and my grete pacience, and eek Line 1089 
How wel that I kan hyde and hele thynges that Line 1089 
Men oghte secreely to hyde./ And soothly, as Line 1090 
To youre fifthe resoun, where as ye seyn that Line 1090 
In wikked conseil wommen venquisshe men, Line 1090 
God woot, thilke resoun stant heere in Line 1090 
No stede./ For understoond now, ye Line 1091 
Asken conseil to do wikkednesse;/ and if Line 1092 
Ye wole werken wikkednesse, and youre wif Line 1092 
Restreyneth thilke wikked purpos, and overcometh  Line 1092 
yow by reson and by good conseil,/ Line 1093 
Certes youre wyf oghte rather to be preised Line 1093 
Than yblamed./ Thus sholde ye understonde Line 1094 
The philosophre that seith, -- in wikked conseil Line 1094 
Wommen venquisshen hir housbondes. -- / and Line 1095 
Ther as ye blamen alle wommen and hir resouns,  Line 1095 
I shal shewe yow by manye ensamples Line 1095 
That many a womman hath ben ful good, and Line 1095 
Yet been, and hir conseils ful hoolsome Line 1095 
And profitable./ Eek som men han seyd Line 1096 
That the conseillynge of wommen is Line 1096 
Outher to deere, or elles to litel of pris./ But al Line 1097 
Be it so that ful many a womman is badde, and Line 1097 
Hir conseil vile and noght worth, yet han men Line 1097 
Founde ful many a good womman, and ful discret  Line 1097 
and wis in conseillynge./ Loo, jacob, by Line 1098 
Good conseil of his mooder rebekka, wan the Line 1098 
Benysoun of ysaak his fader, and the lordshipe Line 1098 
Over alle his bretheren./ Judith, by hire good Line 1099 
Conseil, delivered the citee of bethulie, in Line 1099 
Which she dwelled, out of the handes of olofernus,  Line 1099 
that hadde it biseged and wolde have al Line 1099 
Destroyed it./ Abygail delivered nabal hir Line 1100 
Housbonde fro david the kyng, that wolde Line 1100 
Have slayn hym, and apaysed the ire of the Line 1100 
Kyng by hir wit and by hir good conseillyng./  Line 1100 
hester, by hir good conseil, Line 1101 
Enhaunced greetly the peple of God in Line 1101 
The regne of assuerus the kyng./ And the Line 1102 
Same bountee in good conseillyng of many a Line 1102 
Good womman may men telle./ And mooreover, Line 1103 
Whan oure lord hadde creat adam, oure Line 1103 
Forme fader, he seyde in this wise:/ -- it is nat Line 1104 
Good to been a man alloone; make we to Line 1104 
Hym an helpe semblable to hymself. -- / heere Line 1105 
May ye se that if that wommen were nat Line 1105 
Goode, and hir conseils goode and profitable,/  Line 1105 
oure lord God of hevene wolde Line 1106 
Nevere han wroght hem, ne called hem Line 1106 
Help of man, but rather confusioun of man./ Line 1107 
And ther seyde oones a clerk in two vers, Line 1107 
-- What is bettre than gold? jaspre. What is Line 1107 
Bettre than jaspre? wisedoom./ And what is Line 1108 
Better than wisedoom? womman. And what is Line 1108 
Bettre than a good womman? nothyng. -- / and, Line 1109 
Sire, by manye of othre resons may ye seen Line 1109 
That manye wommen been goode, and hir Line 1109 
Conseils goode and profitable./ And therfore,  Line 1110 
sire, if ye wol triste to my conseil, I shal Line 1110 
Restoore yow youre doghter hool and Line 1110 
Sound./ And eek I wol do to yow so Line 1111 
Muche that ye shul have honour in this Line 1111 
Cause./ Line 1112 
Whan melibee hadde herd the wordes of his Line 1112 
Wyf prudence, he seyde thus:/ I se wel that Line 1113 
The word of salomon is sooth. He seith that Line 1113 
-- Wordes that been spoken discreetly by ordinaunce  Line 1113 
been honycombes, for they yeven swetnesse  Line 1113 
to the soule and hoolsomnesse to the Line 1113 
Body. -- / and, wyf, by cause of thy sweete Line 1114 
Wordes, and eek for I have assayed and preved Line 1114 
Thy grete sapience and thy grete trouthe, I wol Line 1114 
Governe me by thy conseil in alle thyng./ Line 1115 
Now, sire, quod dame prudence, and syn Line 1115 
Ye vouche sauf to been governed by my conseil,  Line 1115 
I wol enforme yow how ye shul governe Line 1115 
Yourself in chesynge of youre conseillours./  Line 1115 
ye shul first in alle youre werkes Line 1116 
Mekely biseken to the heighe God that  Line 1116 

Page 172

 Line 1116 
He wol be youre conseillour;/ and shapeth yow Line 1117 
To swich entente that he yeve yow conseil and Line 1117 
Confort, as taughte thobie his sone:/ -- at alle Line 1118 
Tymes thou shalt blesse god, and praye hym Line 1118 
To dresse thy weyes, and looke that alle thy Line 1118 
Conseils been in hym for everemoore. -- / seint Line 1119 
Jame eek seith: -- if any of yow have nede of Line 1119 
Sapience, axe it of god. -- / and afterward Line 1120 
Thanne shul ye taken conseil in youreself, and Line 1120 
Examyne wel youre thoghtes of swich thyng Line 1120 
As yow thynketh that is bes for youre Line 1120 
Profit./ And thanne shul ye dryve fro Line 1121 
Youre herte thre thynges that been contrariouse  Line 1121 
to good conseil;/ that is to seyn, ire, Line 1122 
Coveitise, and hastifnesse./ Line 1123 
First, he that axeth conseil of hymself, certes Line 1123 
He moste been withouten ire, for manye Line 1123 
Causes./ The firste is this: he that hath greet Line 1124 
Ire and wratthe in hymself, he weneth alwey Line 1124 
That he may do thyng that he may nat do./ Line 1125 
And secoundely, he that is irous and Line 1125 
Wrooth, he ne may nat wel deme;/ and Line 1126 
He that may nat wel deme, may nat wel Line 1126 
Conseille./ The thridde is this, that he that is Line 1127 
Irous and wrooth, as seith senec, ne may nat Line 1127 
Speke but blameful thynges,/ and with his Line 1128 
Viciouse wordes he stireth oother folk to angre Line 1128 
And to ire./ And eek, sire, ye moste dryve Line 1129 
Coveitise out of youre herte./ For the aposthe  Line 1130 
seith that coveitise is roote of alle Line 1130 
Harmes./ And trust wel that a coveitous Line 1131 
Man ne kan noght deme ne thynke, but Line 1131 
Oonly to fulfille the ende of his coveitise;/ and Line 1132 
Certes, that ne may nevere been accompliced; Line 1132 
For evere the moore habundaunce that he hath Line 1132 
Of richesse, the moore he desireth./ And, sire, Line 1133 
Ye moste also dryve out of youre herte hastifnesse;  Line 1133 
for certes,/ ye ne may nat deeme for Line 1134 
The beste by a sodeyn thought that falleth in Line 1134 
Youre herte, but ye moste avyse yow on it Line 1134 
Ful ofte./ For, as ye herde her biforn, the Line 1135 
Commune proverbe is this, that -- he that Line 1135 
Soone deemeth, soone repenteth. -- / sire, Line 1136 
Ye ne be nat alwey in lyk disposicioun;/ Line 1137 
For certes, somthyng that somtyme semeth to Line 1137 
Yow that it is good for to do, another tyme it Line 1137 
Semeth to yow the contrarie./ Line 1138 
Whan ye han taken conseil in youreself, and Line 1138 
Han deemed by good deliberacion swich thyng Line 1138 
As yow semeth bes,/ thanne rede I yow that Line 1139 
Ye kepe it secree./ Biwrey nat youre conseil Line 1140 
To no persone, but if so be that ye wenen Line 1140 
Sikerly that thurgh youre biwreyyng youre Line 1140 
Condicioun shal be to yow the moore profitable./  Line 1140 
for jhesus syrak seith, -- neither Line 1141 
To thy foo, ne to thy frend, discovere nat Line 1141 
Thy secree ne thy folie;/ for they wol yeve yow Line 1142 
Audience and lookynge and supportacioun in Line 1142 
Thy presence, and scorne thee in thyn absence.  Line 1142 
-- / another clerk seith that -- scarsly Line 1143 
Shaltou fynden any persone that may kepe conseil  Line 1143 
secrely. -- / the book seith, -- whil that thou Line 1144 
Kepest thy conseil in thyn herte, thou kepest Line 1144 
It in thy prisoun;/ and whan thou biwreyest Line 1145 
Thy conseil to any wight, he holdeth Line 1145 
Thee in his snare. -- / and therfore yow Line 1146 
Is bettre to hyde youre conseil in youre Line 1146 
Herte than praye him to whom ye han biwreyed Line 1146 
Youre conseil that he wole kepen it cloos and Line 1146 
Stille./ For seneca seith: -- if so be that thou Line 1147 
Ne mayst nat thyn owene conseil hyde, how Line 1147 
Darstou prayen any oother wight thy conseil Line 1147 
Secrely to kepe? -- / but nathelees, if thou wene Line 1148 
Sikerly that the biwreiyng of thy conseil to a Line 1148 
Persone wol make thy condicion to stonden in Line 1148 
The bettre plyt, thanne shaltou tellen hym thy Line 1148 
Conseil in this wise./ First thou shalt make no Line 1149 
Semblant wheither thee were levere pees or Line 1149 
Werre, or this or that, ne shewe hym nat thy Line 1149 
Wille and thyn entente. / for trust wel that Line 1150 
Comunli thise conseillours been flatereres,/  Line 1150 
namely the conseillours of grete Line 1151 
Lordes;/ for they enforcen hem alwey Line 1152 
Rather to speken plesante wordes, enclynynge Line 1152 
To the lordes lust, than wordes that been trewe Line 1152 
Or profitable./ And therfore men seyn that the Line 1153 
Riche man hath seeld good conseil, but if he Line 1153 
Have it of hymself./ Line 1154 
And after that thou shalt considere thy Line 1154 
Freendes and thyne enemys./ And as touchynge  Line 1155 
thy freendes, thou shalt considere which Line 1155 
Of hem been moost feithful and moost wise Line 1155 
And eldest and most approved in conseillyng;/  Line 1155 
and of hem shalt thou aske Line 1156 
Thy conseil, as the caas requireth./ I Line 1157 
Seye that first ye shul clepe to youre conseil Line 1157 
Youre freendes that been trewe./ For salomon Line 1158 
Seith that -- right as the herte of a man deliteth in Line 1158 
Savour that is soote, right so the conseil of trewe Line 1158 
Freendes yeveth swetnesse to the soule -- / he Line 1159 
Seith also, -- ther may no thyng be likned to the Line 1159 
Trewe freend;/ for certes gold ne silver ben nat Line 1160 
So muche worth as the goode wyl of a Line 1160 
Trewe freend. -- / and eek he seith that Line 1161 
-- A trewe freend is a strong deffense; Line 1161 
Who so that it fyndeth, certes he fyndeth a Line 1161 
Greet tresour. -- / thanne shul ye eek considere Line 1162 
If that youre trewe freendes been discrete and  Line 1162 

Page 173

 Line 1162 
Wise. For the book seith, -- axe alwey thy conseil  Line 1162 
of hem that been wise. -- / and by this same Line 1163 
Resoun shul ye clepen to youre conseil of youre Line 1163 
Freendes that been of age, swiche as han seyn Line 1163 
And been expert in manye thynges and been Line 1163 
Approved in conseillynges./ For the book seith Line 1164 
That -- in olde men is the sapience, and in longe Line 1164 
Tyme the prudence. -- / and tullius seith that Line 1165 
-- Grete thynges ne been nat ay accompliced by Line 1165 
Strengthe, ne by delivernesse of body, but by Line 1165 
Good conseil, by auctoritee of persones, and by Line 1165 
Science; the whiche thre thynges ne been nat Line 1165 
Fieble by age, but certes they enforcen Line 1165 
And encreescen day by day. -- / and Line 1166 
Thanne shul ye kepe this for a general Line 1166 
Reule: first shul ye clepen to youre conseil a Line 1166 
Fewe of youre freendes that been especiale;/ Line 1167 
For salomon seith, -- manye freendes have thou, Line 1167 
But among a thousand chese thee oon to be Line 1167 
Thy conseillour. -- / for al be it so that thou first Line 1168 
Ne telle thy conseil but to a fewe, thou mayst Line 1168 
Afterward telle it to mo folk if it be nede./ But Line 1169 
Looke alwey that thy conseillours have thilke Line 1169 
Thre condiciouns that I have seyd bifore, that Line 1169 
Is to seyn, that they be trewe, wise, and of Line 1169 
Oold experience./ And werke nat alwey in Line 1170 
Every nede by oon counseillour allone; for somtyme  Line 1170 
bihooveth it to been conseilled by Line 1170 
Manye./ For salomon seith, -- salvacion Line 1171 
Of thynges is where as ther been manye Line 1171 
Conseillours. -- / Line 1172 
Now, sith that I have toold yow of which Line 1172 
Folk ye sholde been conseilled, now wol I Line 1172 
Teche yow which conseil ye oghte to eschewe/. Line 1173 
First, ye shul eschue the conseillyng of fooles; Line 1173 
For salomon seith, -- taak no conseil of a fool, Line 1173 
For he ne kan noght conseille but after his Line 1173 
Owene lust and his affeccioun. -- / the book Line 1174 
Seith that -- the propretee of a fool is this: he Line 1174 
Troweth lightly harm of every wight, and lightly Line 1174 
Troweth alle bountee in hymself. -- / thou shalt Line 1175 
Eek eschue the conseillyng of alle flatereres, Line 1175 
Swiche as enforcen hem rather to preise youre Line 1175 
Persone by flaterye than for to telle yow Line 1175 
The soothfastnesse of thynges./ Wherfore  Line 1176 
tullius seith, -- amonges alle the Line 1176 
Pestilences that been in freendshipe the gretteste  Line 1176 
is flaterie. -- and therfore is it moore nede Line 1176 
That thou eschue and drede flatereres than any Line 1176 
Oother peple./ The book seith, -- thou shalt Line 1177 
Rather drede and flee fro the sweete wordes of Line 1177 
Flaterynge preiseres than fro the egre wordes Line 1177 
Of thy freend that seith thee thy sothes. -- / salomon  Line 1178 
seith that -- the wordes of a flaterere is a Line 1178 
Snare to cacche with innocentz. -- / he seith also Line 1179 
That -- he that speketh to his freend wordes of Line 1179 
Swetnesse and of plesaunce, setteth a net biforn  Line 1179 
his feet to cacche hym. -- / and therfore Line 1180 
Seith tullius, -- enclyne nat thyne eres to flatereres,  Line 1180 
ne taak no conseil of the wordes Line 1180 
Of flaterye. -- / and caton seith, -- avyse Line 1181 
Thee wel, and eschue the wordes of swetnesse  Line 1181 
and of plesaunce. -- / and eek thou shalt Line 1182 
Eschue the conseillyng of thyne olde enemys Line 1182 
That been reconsiled./ The book seith that -- no Line 1183 
Wight retourneth saufly into the grace of his Line 1183 
Olde enemy. -- / and isope seith, -- ne trust nat Line 1184 
To hem to whiche thou hast had som tyme Line 1184 
Werre or enemytee, ne telle hem nat thy Line 1184 
Conseil. -- / and seneca telleth the cause why: Line 1185 
 -- it may nat be. -- seith he, -- that where greet Line 1185 
Fyr hath longe tyme endured, that ther Line 1185 
Ne dwelleth som vapour of warmness.  Line 1185 
-- / and therfore seith salomon, -- in Line 1186 
Thyn olde foo trust nevere. -- / for sikerly, Line 1187 
Though thyn enemy be reconsiled, and maketh  Line 1187 
thee chiere of hymylitee, and lowteth to Line 1187 
Thee with his heed, ne trust hym nevere./ For Line 1188 
Certes he maketh thilke feyned humilitee moore Line 1188 
For his profit than for any love of thy persone, Line 1188 
By cause that he deemeth to have victorie over Line 1188 
Thy persone by swich feyned contenance, the Line 1188 
Which victorie he myghte nat have by strif or Line 1188 
Werre./ And peter alfonce seith, -- make no Line 1189 
Felawshipe with thyne olde enemys; for if thou Line 1189 
Do hem bountee, they wol perverten it into Line 1189 
Wikkednesse. -- / and eek thou most eschue Line 1190 
The conseillyng of hem that been thy servantz  Line 1190 
and beren thee greet reverence, for Line 1190 
Peraventure they seyn it moore for drede Line 1190 
Than for love./ And therfore seith a philosophre  Line 1191 
in this wise: ther is no wight Line 1191 
Parfitly trewe to hym that he to soore dredeth.  Line 1191 
-- / and tullius seith, ther nys no myght Line 1192 
So greet of any emperour that longe may endure,  Line 1192 
but if he have moore love of the peple Line 1192 
Than drede. -- / thou shalt also eschue the conseiling  Line 1193 
of folk that been dronkelewe, for they Line 1193 
Ne kan no conseil hyde./ For salomon seith, Line 1194 
 -- ther is no privetee ther as regneth dronkenesse.  Line 1194 
-- / ye shul also han in suspect the conseillyng  Line 1195 
of swich folk as conseille yow o thyng Line 1195 
Prively, and conseille yow the contrarie Line 1195 
Openly./ For cassidorie seith that -- it Line 1196 
Is a manere sleighte to hyndre, whan he Line 1196 
Sheweth to doon o thyng openly and werketh Line 1196 
Prively the contrarie. -- / thou shalt also have Line 1197 
In suspect the conseillyng of wikked folk, for  Line 1197 

Page 174

 Line 1197 
The book seith, -- the conseillyng of wikked folk Line 1197 
Is alwey ful of fraude. -- / and david seith, -- blisful  Line 1198 
is that man that hath nat folwed the con --  Line 1198 
Seilyng of shrewes. -- / thou shalt also eschue Line 1199 
The conseillyng of yong folk, for hir conseil is Line 1199 
Nat rype./ Line 1200 
Now, sire, sith I have shewed yow of Line 1200 
Which folk ye shul take youre conseil, and of Line 1200 
Which folk ye shul folwe the conseil,/  Line 1200 
now wol I teche yow how ye shal Line 1201 
Examyne youre conseil, after the doctrine  Line 1201 
of tullius./ In the examynynge thanne Line 1202 
Of youre conseillour ye shul considere manye Line 1202 
Thynges./ Alderfirst thou shalt considere that Line 1203 
In thilke thyng that thou purposest, and upon Line 1203 
What thyng thou wolt have conseil, that verray Line 1203 
Trouthe be seyd and conserved; this is to seyn, Line 1203 
Telle trewely thy tale./ For he that seith fals Line 1204 
May nat wel be conseilled in that cas of which Line 1204 
He lieth./ And after this thou shalt considere the Line 1205 
Thynges that acorden to that thou purposest for Line 1205 
To do by thy conseillours, if resoun accorde  Line 1205 
therto;/ and eek if thy myhgt may Line 1206 
Atteine therto; and if the moore part and Line 1206 
The bettre part of thy conseillours acorde therto, Line 1206 
Or noon./ Thanne shaltou considere what Line 1207 
Thyng shal folwe of that conseillyng, as hate, Line 1207 
Pees, werre, grace, profit, or damage, and Line 1207 
Manye othere thynges./ And in alle thise Line 1208 
Thynges thou shalt chese the beste, and weyve Line 1208 
Alle othere thynges./ Thanne shaltow considere  Line 1209 
of what roote is engendred the matiere of Line 1209 
Thy conseil, and what fruyt it may conceyve Line 1209 
And engendre./ Thou shalt eek considere Line 1210 
Alle thise causes, fro whennes they been Line 1210 
Sprongen./ And whan ye han examyned  Line 1211 
youre conseil, as I have seyd, and Line 1211 
Which partie is the bettre and moore profitable,  Line 1211 
and han approved it by manye wise folk Line 1211 
And olde,/ thanne shaltou considere if thou Line 1212 
Mayst parfourne it and maken of it a good Line 1212 
Ende./ For certes, resoun wol nat that any Line 1213 
Man sholde bigynne a thyng, but if he myghte Line 1213 
Parfourne it as hym oghte;/ ne no wight sholde Line 1214 
Take upon hym so hevy a charge that he Line 1214 
Myghte nat bere it./ For the proverbe seith, Line 1215 
 -- he that to muche embraceth, distreyneth  Line 1215 
litel. -- / and catoun seith, -- assay Line 1216 
To do swich thyng as thou hast power to Line 1216 
Doon, lest that the charge oppresse thee so Line 1216 
Soore that thee bihoveth to weyve thyng that Line 1216 
Thou hast bigonne. -- / and if so be that thou Line 1217 
Be in doute wheither thou mayst parfourne a Line 1217 
Thing or noon, chese rather to suffre than bigynne./  Line 1217 
and piers alphonce seith, -- if thou hast Line 1218 
Myght to doon a thyng of which thou most Line 1218 
Repente, it is bettre nay than ye. -- / this is Line 1219 
To seyn, that thee is bettre holde thy tonge Line 1219 
Stille than for to speke./ Thanne may ye understonde  Line 1220 
by strenger resons that if thou hast Line 1220 
Power to parfourne a werk of which thou shalt Line 1220 
Repente, thanne is it bettre that thou suffre  Line 1220 
than bigynne./ Wel seyn they that Line 1221 
Defenden every wight to assaye a thyng Line 1221 
Of which he is in doute wheither he may parfourne  Line 1221 
it or noon./ And after, whan ye han Line 1222 
Examyned youre conseil, as I have seyd biforn, Line 1222 
And knowen wel that ye may parfourne youre Line 1222 
Emprise, conferme it thanne sadly til it be at Line 1222 
And ende./ Line 1223 
Now is it resoun and tyme that I shewe yow Line 1223 
Whanne and wherfore that ye may chaunge Line 1223 
Youre conseillours withouten youre repreve./ Line 1224 
Soothly, a man may chaungen his purpos and Line 1224 
His conseil if the cause cesseth, or whan a newe Line 1224 
Caas bitydeth./ For the lawe seith that -- upon Line 1225 
Thynges that newely bityden bihoveth Line 1225 
Newe conseil. -- / and senec seith, -- if thy Line 1226 
Conseil is comen to the eeris of thyn enemy,  Line 1226 
chaunge thy conseil. -- / thou matst also Line 1227 
Chaunge thy conseil if so be that thou fynde Line 1227 
That by errour, or by oother cause, harm or Line 1227 
Damage may bityde./ Also if thy conseil be Line 1228 
Dishonest, or ellis cometh of dishonest cause, Line 1228 
Chaunge thy conseil./ For the lawes seyn that Line 1229 
 -- alle bihestes that been dishoneste been of no Line 1229 
Value -- ;/ and eek if so be that it be inpossible,  Line 1230 
or may nat goodly be parfourned Line 1230 
Or kept./ Line 1231 
And take this for a general reule, that Line 1231 
Every conseil that is affermed so strongly that Line 1231 
It may nat be chaunged for no condicioun that Line 1231 
May bityde, I seye that thilke conseil is wikked./ Line 1231 
n=11232>This melibeus, whanne he hadde herd the Line 1232 
Doctrine of his wyf dame prudence, answerde Line 1232 
In this wyse:/ dame, quod he, as yet into Line 1233 
This tyme ye han wel and covenably taught me Line 1233 
As in general, how I shal governe me in the Line 1233 
Chesynge and in the withholdynge of my conseillours./  Line 1233 
but now wolde I fayn that ye wolde Line 1234 
Condescende in especial,/ and telle me how liketh  Line 1235 
yow, or what semeth yow, by oure conseillours  Line 1235 
that we han chosen in oure present  Line 1235 
nede./ Line 1236 
My lord, quod she, I biseke yow in al Line 1236 
Humblesse that ye wol nat wilfully replie agayn Line 1236 
My resouns, ne distempre youre herte, thogh I  Line 1236 

Page 175

 Line 1236 
Speke thyng that yow displese./ For God woot Line 1237 
That, as in myn entente, I speke it for youre Line 1237 
Beste, for youre honour, and for youre profite Line 1237 
Eke./ And soothly, I hope that youre benyngnytee  Line 1238 
wol taken it in pacience./ Trusteth me Line 1239 
Wel, quod she, that youre conseil as in this Line 1239 
Caas ne sholde nat, as to speke properly, be Line 1239 
Called a conseillyng, but a mocioun or a moevyng  Line 1239 
of folye,/ in which conseil ye han Line 1240 
Erred in many a sondry wise./ Line 1241 
First and forward, ye han erred in Line 1241 
Th' assemblynge of youre conseillours./ For ye Line 1242 
Sholde first have cleped a fewe folk to youre Line 1242 
Conseil, and after ye myghte han shewed it Line 1242 
To mo folk, if it hadde been nede./ But certes, Line 1243 
Ye han sodeynly cleped to youre conseil a greet Line 1243 
Multitude of peple, ful chargeant and ful anoyous  Line 1243 
for to heere./ Also ye han erred, for theras Line 1244 
Ye sholden oonly have cleped to youre conseil Line 1244 
Youre trewe frendes olde and wise./ Ye han Line 1245 
Ycleped straunge folk, yonge folk, false flatereres, Line 1245 
And enemys reconsiled, and folk that Line 1245 
Doon yow reverence withouten love./ Line 1246 
And ekk also ye have erred, for ye han Line 1246 
Broght with yow to youre conseil ire, coveitise, Line 1246 
And hastifnesse,/ the whiche thre thinges been Line 1247 
Contrariouse to every conseil honest and profitable;/  Line 1247 
the whiche thre thinges ye han nat Line 1248 
Anientissed or destroyed hem, neither in youreself,  Line 1248 
ne in youre conseillours, as yow oghte./ Line 1249 
Ye han erred also, for ye han shewed to youre Line 1249 
Conseillours youre talent and youre affeccioun Line 1249 
To make werre anon, and for to do vengeance./ Line 1250 
They han espied by youre wordes to Line 1250 
What thyng ye been enclyned;/ and Line 1251 
Therfore han they rather conseilled Line 1251 
Yow to youre talent that to youre profit./ Line 1252 
Ye han erred also, for it semeth that yow Line 1252 
Suffiseth to han been conseilled by thise Line 1252 
Conseillours oonly, and with litel avys,/ Line 1253 
Whereas in so greet and so heigh a nede Line 1253 
It hadde been necessarie mo conseillours Line 1253 
And moore deliberacion to parfourne youre emprise./  Line 1253 
ye han erred also, for ye ne han nat Line 1254 
Examyned youre conseil in the forseyde manere,  Line 1254 
ne in due manere, as the caas requireth./ Line 1255 
Ye han erred also, for ye han maked no division  Line 1255 
bitwixe youre conseillours; this is to Line 1255 
Seyn, bitwixen youre trewe freendes and Line 1255 
Youre feyned conseillours;/ ne ye han Line 1256 
Nat knowe the wil of youre trewe Line 1256 
Freendes olde and wise;/ but ye han cast alle Line 1257 
Hire wordes in an hochepot, and enclyned Line 1257 
Youre herte to the moore part and to the gretter Line 1257 
Nombre, and there been ye condescended./ Line 1258 
And sith ye woot wel that men shal alwey Line 1258 
Fynde a gretter nombre of fooles than of wise Line 1258 
Men,/ and therfore the conseils that been at Line 1259 
Congregaciouns and multitudes of folk, there as Line 1259 
Men take moore reward to the nombre than to Line 1259 
The sapience of persones,/ ye se wel that in Line 1260 
Swiche conseillynges fooles han the maistrie./ Line 1260 
Melibeus answerde agayn, and seyde, Line 1261 
I graunte wel that I have erred;/ but there Line 1262 
As thou hast toold me heerbiforn that he nys Line 1262 
Nat to blame that chaungeth his conseillours in Line 1262 
Certein caas and for certeine juste causes,/ I am Line 1263 
Al redy to chaunge my conseillours right as thow Line 1263 
Wolt devyse./ The proverbe seith that -- for Line 1264 
To do synne is mannyssh, but certes for to persevere  Line 1264 
longe in synne is werk of the devel. -- / Line 1265 
To this sentence answered anon dame Line 1265 
Prudence, and seyde:/ examineth, Line 1266 
Quod she, youre conseil, and lat us see Line 1266 
The whiche of hem han spoken most resonably Line 1266 
And taught yow best conseil./ And for as Line 1267 
Muche as that the examynacion is necessarie, Line 1267 
Lat us bigynne at the surgiens and at the phisiciens,  Line 1267 
that first speeken in this matiere./ I sey Line 1268 
Yow that the surgiens and phisiciens han Line 1268 
Seyd yow in youre conseil discreetly, as hem Line 1268 
Oughte;/ and in hir speche seyden ful wisely Line 1269 
That to the office of hem aperteneth to doon to Line 1269 
Every wight honour and profit, and no wight Line 1269 
For to anoye;/ and after hir craft to doon greet Line 1270 
Diligence unto the cure of hem which Line 1270 
That they han in hir governaunce./ Line 1271 
And, sire, right as they han answered Line 1271 
Wisely and discreetly,/ right so rede I that they Line 1272 
Been heighly and sovereynly gerdoned for hir Line 1272 
Noble speche;/ and eek for they sholde do the Line 1273 
Moore ententif bisynesse in the curacion of Line 1273 
Youre doghter deere./ For al be it so that they Line 1274 
Been youre freendes, therfore shal ye nat suffren  Line 1274 
that they serve yow for noght,/ but ye Line 1275 
Oghte the rather gerdone hem and shewe Line 1275 
Hem youre largesse./ And as touchynge Line 1276 
The proposicioun which that the phisiciens  Line 1276 
encreesceden in this caas, this is to seyn./ Line 1277 
That in maladies that oon contrarie is warisshed Line 1277 
By another contrarie,/ I wolde fayn knowe hou Line 1278 
Ye understonde thilke text, and what is youre Line 1278 
Sentence./ Line 1279 
Certes, quod melibeus, I understonde Line 1279 
It in this wise:/ that right as they han Line 1280 
Doon me a contrarie, right so sholde I Line 1280 
Doon hem another./ For right as they  Line 1281 

Page 176

 Line 1281 
Han venged hem on me and doon me wrong, Line 1281 
Right so shal I venge me upon hem and doon Line 1281 
Hem wrong;/ and thanne have I cured oon contrarie  Line 1282 
by another./ Line 1283 
Lo, lo, quod dame prudence, how lightly Line 1283 
Is every man enclined to his owene desir and Line 1283 
To his owene plesaunce!/ certes, quod she, Line 1284 
The wordes of the phisiciens ne sholde nat Line 1284 
Han been understonden in thys wise./ For Line 1285 
Certes, wikkednesse is nat contrarie to wikkednesse,  Line 1285 
ne vengeance to vengeaunce, ne Line 1285 
Wrong to wrong, but they been semblable./  Line 1285 
and therfore o vengeaucne is Line 1286 
Nat warisshed by another vengeaunce, Line 1286 
Ne o wroong by another wroong,/ but everich Line 1287 
Of hem encreesceth and aggreggeth oother./ Line 1288 
But certes, the wordes of the phisiciens sholde Line 1288 
Been understonden in this wise:/ for dood and Line 1289 
Wikkednesse been two contraries, and pees and Line 1289 
Werre, vengeaunce and suffraunce, discord and Line 1289 
Accord, and manye othere thynges./ But certes, Line 1290 
Wikkednesse shal be warisshed by goodnesse, Line 1290 
Discord by accord, werre by pees, and Line 1290 
So forth of othere thynges./ And heerto Line 1291 
Accordeth seint paul the apostle in Line 1291 
Manye places./ He seith: -- ne yeldeth nat Line 1292 
Harm for harm, ne wikked speche for wikked Line 1292 
Speche;/ but do wel to hym that dooth thee Line 1293 
Harm, and blesse hym that seith to thee harm./ Line 1294 
And in manye othere places he amonesteth pees Line 1294 
And accord./ But now wol I speke to yow of Line 1295 
The conseil which that was yeven to yow Line 1295 
By the men of lawe and the wise Line 1295 
Folk,/ that seyden alle by oon accord, Line 1296 
As ye han herd bifore,/ that over alle Line 1297 
Thynges ye shal doon youre diligence to kepen Line 1297 
Youre persone and to warnestoore youre hous; Line 1297 
And seyden also that in this caas yow oghten Line 1297 
For to werken ful avysely and with greet deliberacioun./  Line 1297 
and, sire, as to the firste point, that Line 1298 
Toucheth to the kepyng of youre persone,/ ye Line 1299 
Shul understonde that he that hath werre Line 1299 
Shal everemoore mekely and devoutly Line 1299 
Preyen, biforn alle thynges,/ that jhesus Line 1300 
Crist of his mercy wol han hym in his Line 1300 
Proteccion and been his sovereyn helpyng at Line 1300 
His nede./ For certes, in this world ther is no Line 1301 
Wight that may be conseilled ne kept sufficeantly Line 1301 
Withouten the kepyng of oure lord jhesu Line 1301 
Crist./ To this sentence accordeth the prophete  Line 1302 
david, that seith,/ -- if God ne kepe the Line 1303 
Citee, in ydel waketh he that it kepeth. -- / Line 1304 
Now, sire, thanne shul ye committe the kepyng  Line 1304 
of youre persone to youre trewe freendes, Line 1304 
That been approved and yknowe,/ and Line 1305 
Of hem shul ye axen help youre persone Line 1305 
For to kepe. For catoun seith: -- if thou hast Line 1305 
Nede of help, axe it of thy freendes;/ for ther Line 1306 
Nys noon so good a phisicien as thy trewe Line 1306 
Freend. -- / and after this thanne shul ye kepe Line 1307 
Yow fro alle straunge folk, and fro lyeres, and Line 1307 
Have alwey in suspect hire compaignye./ For Line 1308 
Piers alfonce seith, -- ne taak no compaignye by Line 1308 
The weye of a straunge man, but if so be that Line 1308 
Thou have knowe hym of a lenger tyme./ And Line 1309 
If so be that he falle into thy compaignye Line 1309 
Paraventure, withouten thyn assent,/ enquere  Line 1310 
thanne as subtilly as thou mayst of Line 1310 
His conversacion, and of his lyf bifore, and feyne Line 1310 
Thy wey; seye that thou wolt thider as thou Line 1310 
Wolt nat go;/ and if he bereth a spere, hoold Line 1311 
Thee on the right syde, and if he bere a swerd, Line 1311 
Hoold thee on the lift syde. -- / and after this Line 1312 
Thanne shul ye kepe yow wisely from all swich Line 1312 
Manere peple as I have seyd bifore, and hem Line 1312 
And hir conseil eschewe./ And after this Line 1313 
Thanne shul ye kepe yow in swich manere/ Line 1314 
That, for any presumpcion of youre strengthe, Line 1314 
That ye ne dispise nat, ne accompte nat the Line 1314 
Myght of youre adversarie so litel, that ye lete Line 1314 
The kepyng of youre persone for youre Line 1314 
Presumpcioun;/ for every wys man Line 1315 
Dredeth his enemy./ And salomon Line 1316 
Seith: -- weleful is he that of alle hath drede;/ Line 1317 
For certes, he that thurgh the hardynesse of Line 1317 
His herte, and thurgh the hardynesse of Line 1317 
Hymself, hath to greet presumpcioun, hym shal Line 1317 
Yvel bityde. -- / thanne shul ye everemoore contrewayte  Line 1318 
embusshementz and alle espiaille./ Line 1319 
For senec seith that -- the wise man that Line 1319 
Dredeth harmes, eschueth harmes,/ ne Line 1320 
He ne falleth into perils that perils eschueth.  Line 1320 
-- / and al be it so that it seme that Line 1321 
Thou art in siker place, yet shaltow alwey do Line 1321 
Thy diligence in kepynge of thy persone;/ this Line 1322 
Is to seyn, ne be nat necligent to kepe thy persone,  Line 1322 
nat oonly for thy gretteste enemys, but Line 1322 
Fro thy leeste enemy./ Senek seith: -- a man Line 1323 
That is well avysed, he dredeth his leste enemy.  Line 1323 
-- / ovyde seith that -- the litel wesele Line 1324 
Wol slee the grete bole and the wilde Line 1324 
Hert. -- / and the book seith, -- a litel Line 1325 
Thorn may prikke a kyng ful soore, and Line 1325 
An hound wol holde the wolde boor. -- / but Line 1326 
Nathelees, I sey nat thou shalt be so coward Line 1326 
That thou doute ther wher as is no drede./ The Line 1327 
Book seith that -- somme folk han greet lust to Line 1327 
Deceyve, but yet they dreden hem to be deceyved.   Line 1327 

Page 177

 Line 1327 
-- / yet shaltou drede to been empoisoned,  Line 1328 
and kepe the from the compaignye of Line 1328 
Scorneres./ For the book seith, -- with scorneres  Line 1329 
make no compaignye, but flee hire Line 1329 
Wordes as venym. -- / Line 1330 
Now, as to the seconde point, where Line 1330 
As youre wise conseillours conseilled yow to Line 1330 
Warnestoore youre hous with gret diligence,/ Line 1331 
I wolde fayn knowe how that ye understonde Line 1331 
Thilke wordes and what is youre sentence./ Line 1332 
Melibeus answerde, and seyde, certes, I understande  Line 1332 
it in this wise: that I shal warne --  Line 1332 
Stoore myn hous with toures, swiche as han Line 1332 
Castelles and othere manere edifices, and armure,  Line 1332 
and artelries;/ by whiche thynges I may Line 1333 
My persone and myn hous so kepen and deffenden  Line 1333 
that myne enemys shul been in drede Line 1333 
Myn hous for to approche./ Line 1334 
To this sentence answerde anon prudence: Line 1334 
Warnestooryng, quod she, of heighe toures Line 1334 
And of grete edifices apperteyneth somtyme  Line 1334 
to pryde./ And eek men make Line 1335 
Heighe toures, and grete edifices with Line 1335 
Grete costages and with greet travaille; and Line 1335 
Whan that they been accompliced, yet be they Line 1335 
Nat worth a stree, but if they be defended by Line 1335 
Trewe freendes that been olde and wise./ And Line 1336 
Understoond wel that the gretteste and strongeste  Line 1336 
garnysoun that a riche man may have, as Line 1336 
Wel to kepen his persone as his goodes, is/ Line 1337 
That he be biloved with hys subgetz and with Line 1337 
His neighebores./ For thus seith tullius, that Line 1338 
 -- ther is a manere garnysoun that no man may Line 1338 
Vanquysse ne disconfite, and that is/ a lord to Line 1339 
Be biloved of his citezeins and of his Line 1339 
Peple. -- / Line 1340 
Now, sire, as to the thridde point, Line 1340 
Where as youre olde and wise conseillours Line 1340 
Seyden that yow ne oghte nat sodeynly ne Line 1340 
Hastily proceden in this nede,/ but that yow Line 1341 
Oghte purveyen and apparaillen yow in this caas Line 1341 
With greet diligence and greet deliberacioun;/ Line 1342 
Trewely, I trowe that they seyden right wisely Line 1342 
And right sooth./ For tullius seith: -- in every Line 1343 
Nede, er thou bigynne it, apparaille thee with Line 1343 
Greet diligence. -- / thanne seye I that in vengeance- Line 1344 
takyng, in were, in bataille, and Line 1344 
In warnestooryng,/ er thow bigynne, I Line 1345 
Rede that thou apparaille thee therto, Line 1345 
And do it with greet deliberacion./ For tul Line 1346 
Lius seith that -- longe apparaillyng biforn the Line 1346 
Bataille maketh short victorie. -- / and cassidorus  Line 1347 
seith, -- the garnysoun is stronger, whan Line 1347 
It is longe tyme avysed. -- / Line 1348 
But now lat us speken of the conseil that Line 1348 
Was accorded by youre neighebores, swiche Line 1348 
As doon yow reverence withouten love,/ Line 1349 
Youre olde enemys reconsiled, youre flatereres,/  Line 1349 
that conseilled yow certeyne Line 1350 
Thynges prively, and openly conseilleden Line 1350 
Yow the contrarie;/ the yonge folk also, that Line 1351 
Conseilleden yow to venge yow, and make Line 1351 
Werre anon./ And certes, sire, as I have seyd Line 1352 
Biforn, ye han greetly erred to han cleped Line 1352 
Swich manere folk to youre conseil,/ which Line 1353 
Conseillours been ynogh repreved by the re/ Line 1354 
Souns aforeseyd./ But nathelees, lat us now Line 1355 
Descende to the special. Ye shuln first Line 1355 
Procede after the doctrine of tullius./ Line 1356 
Certes, the trouthe of this matiere, or of Line 1356 
This conseil, nedeth nat diligently enquere;/ Line 1357 
For it is wel wist whiche they been that han Line 1357 
Doon to yow this trespas and vileynye,/ and Line 1358 
How manye trespassours, and in what manere Line 1358 
They han to yow doon al this wrong and al this Line 1358 
Vileynye./ And after this, thanne shul ye examyne  Line 1359 
the seconde condicion which that the Line 1359 
Same tullius addeth in this matiere./ For tullius  Line 1360 
put a thyng which that he clepeth Line 1360 
 -- consentynge -- ; this is to seyn,/ who been Line 1361 
They, and which been they and how Line 1361 
Manye, that consenten to thy conseil in thy Line 1361 
Wilfulnesse to doon hastif vengeance./ And Line 1362 
Lat us considere also who been they, and how Line 1362 
Manye been they, and whiche been they, that Line 1362 
Consenteden to youre adversaries./ And certes, Line 1363 
As to the first poynt, it is wel knowen whiche Line 1363 
Folk been they that consenteden to youre hastif Line 1363 
Wilfulnesse;/ for trewely, alle tho that conseilleden  Line 1364 
yow to maken sodeyn were ne been nat Line 1364 
Youre freendes./ Lat us now considere whiche Line 1365 
Been they that ye holde so greetly youre Line 1365 
Freendes as to youre persone./ For al Line 1366 
Be it so that ye be myghty and riche, Line 1366 
Certes ye ne been but allone,/ for certes ye ne Line 1367 
Han no child but a doghter,/ ne ye ne han Line 1368 
Brotheren, ne cosyns germayns, ne noon oother Line 1368 
Neigh kynrede,/ wherfore that youre enemys Line 1369 
For drede wholde stinte to plede with yow, or Line 1369 
To destroye youre persone./ Ye knowen also Line 1370 
That youre richesses mooten been dispended  Line 1370 
in diverse parties,/ and whan Line 1371 
That every wight hath his part, they ne Line 1371 
Wollen taken but litel reward to venge thy Line 1371 
Deeth./ But thyne enemys been thre, and they Line 1372 
Han manie children, bretheren, cosyns, and Line 1372 
Oother ny kynrede./ And though so were that Line 1373 
Thou haddest slayn of hem two or tree, yet  Line 1373 

Page 178

 Line 1373 
Dwellen ther ynowe to wreken hir deeth and Line 1373 
To sle thy persone./ And though so be that Line 1374 
Youre kynrede be moore siker and stedefast Line 1374 
Than the kyn of youre adversarie,/ yet nathelees  Line 1375 
youre kynrede nys but a fer kynrede;  Line 1375 
they been but litel syb to yow,/ Line 1376 
And the kyn of youre enemys been ny Line 1376 
Syb to hem. And certes, as in that, hir condicioun  Line 1376 
is bet than youres./ Thanne lat us considere  Line 1377 
also if the conseillung of hem that conseilleden  Line 1377 
yow to taken sodeyn bengeaunce, Line 1377 
Wheither it accorde to resoun./ And certes, ye Line 1378 
Knowe wel -- nay. -- / for, as by right and resoun, Line 1379 
Ther may no man taken vengeance on no wight Line 1379 
But the juge that hath the jurisdiccioun of it,/ Line 1380 
Whan it is graunted hym to take thilke vengeance  Line 1380 
hastily or attemprely, as the lawe Line 1380 
Requireth./ And yet mooreover of thilke Line 1381 
Word that tullius clepeth -- consentynge,  Line 1381 
-- / thou shalt considere if thy myght and Line 1382 
Thy power may consenten and suffise to thy Line 1382 
Wilfulnesse and to thy conseillours./ And certes Line 1383 
Thou mayst wel seyn that -- nay. -- / for sikerly,  Line 1384 
as for to speke proprely, we may do Line 1384 
No thyng, but oonly swich thyng as we may Line 1384 
Doon rightfully./ And certes rightfully ne mowe Line 1385 
Ye take no vengeance, as of youre Line 1385 
Propre auctoritee./ Thanne mowe ye Line 1386 
Seen that youre power ne consenteth Line 1386 
Nat, ne accordeth nat, with youre wilfulnesse./ Line 1387 
Lat us now examyne the thridde point, that Line 1387 
Tullius clepeth -- consequent. -- / thou shal understonde  Line 1388 
that the vengeance that thou purposest  Line 1388 
for to take is the consequent;/ and Line 1389 
Therof folweth another vengeaunce, peril, and Line 1389 
Werre, and othere damages withoute nombre, Line 1389 
Of whiche we be nat war, as at this tyme./ Line 1390 
And as touchynge the fourthe point, Line 1390 
That tullius clepeth -- engendrynge, -- / Line 1391 
Thou shalt considere that this wrong Line 1391 
Which that is doon to thee is engendred of the Line 1391 
Hate of thyne enemys,/ and of the vengeance- Line 1392 
Takynge upon that wolde engendre another Line 1392 
Vengeance, and muchel sorwe and wastynge Line 1392 
Of richesses, as I seyde./ Line 1393 
Now, sire, as to the point that tullius clepeth  Line 1393 
-- causes, -- which that is the laste point,/ thou Line 1394 
Shalt understonde that the worng that thou hast Line 1394 
Receyved hath certeine causes,/ whiche that Line 1395 
Clerkes clepen oriens and efficiens, and causa Line 1395 
Longinqua and causa propinqua, this is Line 1395 
To seyn, the fer cause and the ny cause./ Line 1396 
The fer cause is almyghty god, that is Line 1396 
Cause of alle thynges./ The neer cause is thy Line 1397 
Thre enemys.// the cause accidental was hate./ Line 1399 
The cause material been the fyve woundes of Line 1399 
Thy doghter./ The cause formal is the manere Line 1400 
Of hir werkynge that broghten laddres Line 1400 
And cloumben in at thy wyndowes./ Line 1401 
The cause final was for to sle thy doghter.  Line 1401 
it letted nat in as muche as in hem was./ Line 1402 
But for to speken of the fer cause, as to what Line 1402 
Ende they shul come, or what shal finally bityde Line 1402 
Of hem in this caas, ne kan I nat deeme but Line 1402 
By conjectynge and by supposynge./ For we Line 1403 
Shul suppose that they shul come to a wikked Line 1403 
Ende,/ by cause that the book of decrees seith, Line 1404 
 -- seelden, or with greet peyne, been causes Line 1404 
Ybroght to good ende whanne they been baddely  Line 1404 
bigonne. -- / Line 1405 
Now, sire, if men wolde axe me why that Line 1405 
God suffred men to do yow this vileynye, certes, Line 1405 
I kan nat wel answere, as for no soothfastnesse./  Line 1405 
for th' apostle seith that -- the Line 1406 
Sciences and the juggementz of oure Line 1406 
Lord God almyghty been ful depe;/ ther may Line 1407 
No man comprehende ne serchen hem suffisantly.  Line 1407 
-- / nathelees, by certeyne presumpciouns  Line 1408 
and conjectynges, I holde and bileeve/ Line 1409 
That god, which that is ful of justice and of Line 1409 
Rightwisnesse, hath suffred this bityde by juste Line 1409 
Cause resonable./ Line 1410 
Thy name is melibee, this is to seyn, Line 1410 
 -- a man that drynketh hony. -- / thou hast Line 1411 
Ydronke so muchel hony of sweete temporeel  Line 1411 
richesses, and delices and honours of Line 1411 
This world,/ that thou art dronken, and hast Line 1412 
Forgeten jhesu crist thy creatour./ Thou ne Line 1413 
Hast nat doon to hym swich honour and reverence  Line 1413 
as thee oughte,/ ne thou ne hast nat Line 1414 
Wel ytaken kep to the wordes of ovide, that Line 1414 
Seith,/ -- under the hony of the goodes of Line 1415 
The body is hyd the venym that sleeth Line 1415 
The soule -- / and salomon seith, -- if thou Line 1416 
Hast founden hony, ete of it that suffiseth;/  Line 1416 
for if thou ete of it out of mesure, thou Line 1417 
Shalt spewe, -- and be nedy and povre./ And Line 1418 
Peraventure crist hath thee in despit, and hath Line 1418 
Turned awey fro thee his face and his eeris of Line 1418 
Misericorde;/ and also he hath suffred that thou Line 1419 
Hast been punysshed in the manere that thow Line 1419 
Hast ytrespassed./ Thou hast doon Line 1420 
Synne agayn oure lord crist;/ for certes, Line 1421 
The three enemys of mankynde, that is to Line 1421 
Seyn, the flessh, the feend, and the world,/ Line 1422 
Thou hast suffred hem entre in to thyn herte Line 1422 
Wilfully by the wyndowes of thy body,/ and Line 1423 
Hast nat defended thyself suffisantly agayns  Line 1423 

Page 179

 Line 1423 
Hire assautes and hire temptaciouns, so that they Line 1423 
Han wounded thy soule in fyve places;/ this is Line 1424 
To seyn, the deedly synnes that been entred into Line 1424 
Thyn herte by thy fyve wittes./ And in the Line 1425 
Same manere oure lord crist hath woold and Line 1425 
Suffred that thy three enemys been entred  Line 1425 
into thyn house by the wyndowes,/ Line 1426 
And han ywounded thy doghter in the Line 1426 
Forseyde manere./ Line 1427 
Certes, quod melibee, I se wel that ye Line 1427 
Enforce yow muchel by wordes to overcome Line 1427 
Me in swich manere that I shal nat venge me Line 1427 
Of myne enemys,/ shewynge me the perils and Line 1428 
The yveles that myghten falle of this vengeance./  Line 1428 
but whoso wolde considere in alle Line 1429 
Vengeances the perils and yveles that myghte Line 1429 
Sewe of vengeance-takynge,/ a man wolde Line 1430 
Nevere take vengeance, and that were Line 1430 
Harm;/ for by the vengeance-takynge Line 1431 
Been the wikked men dissevered fro the Line 1431 
Goode men,/ and they that han wyl to do wikkednesse  Line 1432 
restreyne hir wikked purpos, whan Line 1432 
They seen the punyssynge and chastisynge of Line 1432 
The trespassours./ Line 1433 
(et a ce respont dame prudence, certes, Line 1433 
Dist elle, je t' ottroye que de vengence vient Line 1433 
Molt de maulx et de biens;/ mais vengence Line 1434 
N' appartient pas a un chascun fors seulement Line 1434 
Aux juges et a ceulx qui ont la juridicion sur Line 1434 
Les malfaitteurs.)/ and yet seye I moore, that Line 1435 
Right as singuler persone synneth in Line 1435 
Takynge vengeance of another man,/ Line 1436 
Right so synneth the juge if he do no Line 1436 
Vengeance of hem that it han disserved./ For Line 1437 
Senec seith thus: -- that maister, -- he seith, -- is Line 1437 
Good that proveth shrewes. -- / and as cassidore  Line 1438 
seith, -- a man dredeth to do outrages Line 1438 
Whan he woot and knoweth that it despleseth Line 1438 
To the juges and the sovereyns. -- / and another Line 1439 
Seith, -- the juge that dredeth to do right, maketh  Line 1439 
men shrewes. -- / and seint paul the apostle  Line 1440 
seith in his epistle, whan he writeth unto Line 1440 
The romayns, that -- the juges beren nat Line 1440 
The spere withouten cause,/ but they Line 1441 
Beren it to punysse the shrewes and mysdoers,  Line 1441 
and for to defende the goode men./ If ye Line 1442 
Wol thanne take vengeance of youre enemys, ye Line 1442 
Shul retourne or have youre recours to the juge Line 1442 
That hath the jurisdiccion upon hem,/ and he Line 1443 
Shal punysse hem as the lawe axeth and requireth./ Line 1443 
A! quod melibee, this vengeance liketh Line 1444 
Me no thyng./ I bithenke me now and take Line 1445 
Heede how fortune hath norissed me fro my Line 1445 
Childhede, and hath holpen me to passe Line 1445 
Many a stroong paas./ Now wol I assayen  Line 1446 
hire, trowynge, with goddes help, Line 1446 
That she shal helpe me my shame for to Line 1446 
Venge./ Line 1447 
Certes, quod prudence, if ye wol werke Line 1447 
By conseil, ye shul nat assaye fortune by Line 1447 
No wey,/ ne ye shul nat lene or bowe unto Line 1448 
Hire, after the word of senec;/ for -- thynges that Line 1449 
Been folily doon, and that been in hope of Line 1449 
Fortune, shullen nevere come to good ende. -- / Line 1450 
And, as the same senec seith, -- the moore cleer Line 1450 
And the moore shynyng that fortune is, the Line 1450 
Moore brotil and the sonner broken she Line 1450 
Is -- ./ Trusteth nat in hire, for she nys Line 1451 
Nat stidefast ne stable;/ for whan thow Line 1452 
Trowest to be moost seur or siker of hire help, Line 1452 
She wol faille thee and deceyve thee./ And Line 1453 
Where as ye seyn that fortune hath norissed Line 1453 
Yow fro youre childhede,/ I seye that in so Line 1454 
Muchel shul ye the lasse truste in hire and in Line 1454 
Hir wit./ For senec seith, -- what man that is Line 1455 
Norissed by fortune, she maketh hym Line 1455 
A greet fool. -- / now thanne, syn ye desire  Line 1456 
and axe vengeance, and the vengeance  Line 1456 
that is doon after the lawe and bifore Line 1456 
The juge ne liketh yow nat,/ and the vengeance Line 1457 
That is doon in hope of fortune is perilous and Line 1457 
Uncertein,/ thanne have ye noon oother remedie  Line 1458 
but for to have youre recours unto the sovereyn  Line 1458 
juge that vengeth alle vileynyes and Line 1458 
Wronges./ And he shal venge yow after that Line 1459 
Hymself witnesseth, where as he seith,/ -- leveth  Line 1460 
the vengeance to me, and I shal Line 1460 
Do it. -- / Line 1461 
Melibee answerde, if I ne venge me Line 1461 
Nat of the vileynye that men han doon to me,/ Line 1462 
I sompne or warne hem that han doon to me Line 1462 
That vileynye, and alle othere, to do me another Line 1462 
Vileynye./ For it is writen, -- if thou take no Line 1463 
Vengeance of an oold vileynye, thou sompnest Line 1463 
Thyne adversaries to do thee a newe vileynye. -- / Line 1464 
And also for my suffrance men wolden do Line 1464 
Me so muchel vileynye that I myghte neither Line 1464 
Bere it ne susteene,/ and so sholde I Line 1465 
Been put and holden overlowe./ For Line 1466 
Men seyn, -- in muchel suffrynge shul Line 1466 
Manye thynges falle unto thee whiche thou Line 1466 
Shalt nat mowe suffre. -- / Line 1467 
Certes, quod prudence, I graunte yow Line 1467 
That over -- muchel suffraunce is nat good./ But Line 1468 
Yet ne folweth it nat therof that every persone Line 1468 
To whom men doon vileynye take of it vengeance;/  Line 1468 
for that aperteneth and longeth al  Line 1469 

Page 180

 Line 1469 
Oonly to the juges, for they shul venge the Line 1469 
Vileynyes and injuries./ And therfore tho two Line 1470 
Auctoritees that ye han seyd above been Line 1470 
Oonly understonden in the juges./ For Line 1471 
Whan they suffren over-muchel the Line 1471 
Wronges and the vileynyes to be doon withouten  Line 1471 
punysshynge,/ the sompne nat a man Line 1472 
Al oonly for to do newe wronges, but they Line 1472 
Comanden it./ Also a wys man seith that the Line 1473 
Juge that correcteth nat the synnere comandeth  Line 1473 
and biddeth hym do synne. -- / and the juges Line 1474 
And sovereyns myghten in hir land so muchel Line 1474 
Suffre of the shrewes and mysdoeres/ that they Line 1475 
Sholden, by swich suffrance, by proces of Line 1475 
Tyme wexen of swich power and myght that Line 1475 
They sholden putte out the juges and the Line 1475 
Sovereyns from hir places,/ and atte laste Line 1476 
Maken hem lesen hire lordshipes./ Line 1477 
But lat us now putte that ye have leve to Line 1477 
Venge yow./ I seye ye been nat of myght and Line 1478 
Power as now to venge yow;/ for if ye wole Line 1479 
Maken comparisoun unto the myght of youre Line 1479 
Adversaries, ye shul fynde in manye thynges Line 1479 
That I have shewed yow er this that hire condicion  Line 1479 
is bettre than youres./ And therfore Line 1480 
Seye I that it is good as now that ye suffre  Line 1480 
and be pacient./ Line 1481 
Forthermoore, ye knowen wel that Line 1481 
After the comune sawe, -- it is a woodnesse a Line 1481 
Man to stryve with a strenger or a moore Line 1481 
Myghty man than he is hymself;/ and for to Line 1482 
Stryve with a man of evene strengthe, that is Line 1482 
To seyn, with as strong a man as he is, it is Line 1482 
Peril;/ and for to stryve with a weyker man, it Line 1483 
Is folie. -- / and therfore sholde a man flee stryvynge  Line 1484 
as muchel as he myghte./ For salomon Line 1485 
Seith, -- it is a greet worshipe to a man to Line 1485 
Kepen hym fro noyse and stryf. -- / and Line 1486 
If it so bifalle or happe that a man of Line 1486 
Gretter myght and strengthe than thou art do Line 1486 
Thee grevaunce,/ studie and bisye thee rather Line 1487 
To stille the same grevaunce than for to venge Line 1487 
Thee./ For senec seith that -- he putteth hym in Line 1488 
Greet peril that stryveth with a gretter man Line 1488 
Than he is hymself. -- / and catoun seith, -- if a Line 1489 
Man of hyer estaat or degree, or moore myghty Line 1489 
Than thou, do thee anoy or grevaunce, suffre Line 1489 
Hym;/ for he that oones hath greved thee, Line 1490 
May another tyme releeve thee and Line 1490 
Helpe. -- / yet sette I caas, ye have bothe Line 1491 
Myght and licence for to venge yow,/ I Line 1492 
Seye that ther be ful manye thynges that shul Line 1492 
Restreyne yow of vengeance-takynge,/ and Line 1493 
Make yow for to enclyne to suffre, and for to Line 1493 
Han pacience in the wronges that han been Line 1493 
Doon to yow./ First and foreward, if ye wole Line 1494 
Considere the defautes that been in youre Line 1494 
Owene persone,/ for whiche defautes God hath Line 1495 
Suffred yow have this tribulacioun, as I Line 1495 
Have seyd yow heer-biforn./ For the Line 1496 
Poete seith that -- we oghte paciently Line 1496 
Taken the tribulacions that comen to us, whan Line 1496 
We thynken and consideren that we han disserved  Line 1496 
to have hem. -- / and seint gregorie Line 1497 
Seith that -- whan a man considereth wel the Line 1497 
Nombre of his defautes and of his synnes,/ the Line 1498 
Peynes and the tribulaciouns that he suffreth Line 1498 
Semen the lesse unto hym;/ and in as muche Line 1499 
As hym thynketh his synnes moore hevy and Line 1499 
Grevous,/ in so muche semeth his peyne Line 1500 
The lighter and the esier unto hym. -- / Line 1501 
Also ye owen to enclyne and bowe youre Line 1501 
Herte to take the pacience of oure lord jhesu Line 1501 
Crist, as seith seint peter in his epistles./ Line 1502 
Jhesu crist, -- he seith, -- hath suffred for us and Line 1502 
Yeven ensample to every man to folwe and Line 1502 
Sewe hym;/ for he dide nevere synne, ne nevere  Line 1503 
cam ther a vileyns word out of his mouth./ Line 1504 
Whan men cursed hym, he cursed hem noght; Line 1504 
And whan men betten hym, he manaced hem Line 1504 
Noght. -- / also the grete pacience which the Line 1505 
Seintes that been in paradys han had in tribulaciouns  Line 1505 
that they han ysuffred, withouten Line 1505 
Hir desert or gilt,/ oghte muchel stiren Line 1506 
Yow to pacience./ Forthermoore ye Line 1507 
Sholde enforce yow to have pacience,/ considerynge  Line 1508 
that the tribulaciouns of this world but Line 1508 
Litel while endure, and soone passed been and Line 1508 
Goon,/ and the joye that a man seketh to have Line 1509 
By pacience in tribulaciouns is perdurable, Line 1509 
After that the apostle seith in his epistle./ The Line 1510 
Joye of god, he seith, is perdurable, Line 1510 
That is to seyn, everelastynge./ Also Line 1511 
Troweth and bileveth stedefastly that he Line 1511 
Nys nat wel ynorissed, ne wel ytaught, that kan Line 1511 
Nat have pacience, or wol nat receyve pacience./  Line 1511 
for salomon seith that -- the doctrine Line 1512 
And the wit of a man is knowen by pacience. -- / Line 1513 
And in another place he seith that -- he that is Line 1513 
Pacient governeth hym by greet prudence. -- / Line 1514 
And the same salomon seith, -- the angry and Line 1514 
Wrathful man maketh noyses, and the pacient Line 1514 
Man atempreth hem and stilleth. -- / he seith Line 1515 
Also, -- it is moore worth to be pacient Line 1515 
Than for to be right strong;/ and he Line 1516 
That may have the lordshipe of his Line 1516 
Owene herte is moore to preyse than he that Line 1516 
By his force or strengthe taketh grete citees. -- /  Line 1517 

Page 181

 Line 1517 
And therfore seith seint jame in his epistle that Line 1517 
 -- pacience is a greet vertu of perfeccioun. -- / Line 1518 
Certes, quod melibee, I graunte yow, Line 1518 
Dame prudence, that pacience is greet vertu Line 1518 
Of perfeccioun;/ but every man may nat have Line 1519 
The perfeccioun that ye seken;/ ne I nam Line 1520 
Nat of the nombre of right parfite men,/ Line 1521 
For myn herte may nevere been in pees Line 1521 
Unto the tyme it be venged./ And al be it so Line 1522 
That it was greet peril to myne enemys to do Line 1522 
Me a vileynye in takynge vengeance upon me,/ Line 1523 
Yet tooken they noon heede of the peril, but Line 1523 
Fulfilleden hir wikked wyl and hir corage./ Line 1524 
And therfore me thynketh men oghten nat Line 1524 
Repreve me, though I putte me in a litel peril Line 1524 
For to venge me,/ and though I do a greet Line 1525 
Excesse, that is to seyn, that I venge Line 1525 
Oon outrage by another./ Line 1526 
A, quod dame prudence, ye seyn Line 1526 
Youre wyl and as yow liketh,/ but in no caas Line 1527 
Of the world a man sholde nat doon outrage Line 1527 
Ne excesse for to vengen hym./ For cassidore Line 1528 
Seith that -- as yvele dooth he that vengeth hym Line 1528 
By outrage as he that dooth the outrage. -- / and Line 1529 
Therfore ye shul venge yow after the ordre of Line 1529 
Right, that is to seyn, by the lawe, and noght Line 1529 
By excesse ne by outrage./ And also, if ye Line 1530 
Wol venge yow of the outrage of youre adversaries  Line 1530 
in oother manere than right comandeth,  Line 1530 
ye synne./ And therfore seith senec Line 1531 
That -- a man shal nevere vengen shrewednesse  Line 1531 
by shrewednesse. -- / and if ye seye that Line 1532 
Right axeth a man to defenden violence by violence,  Line 1532 
and fightyng by fightyng,/ certes ye seye Line 1533 
Sooth, whan the defense is doon anon withouten  Line 1533 
intervalle or withouten tariyng or delay,/  Line 1533 
for to deffenden hym and nat for to Line 1534 
Vengen hym./ And it bihoveth that a man Line 1535 
Putte swich attemperance in his deffense/  Line 1535 
that men have no cause ne matiere  Line 1536 
to repreven hym that deffendeth Line 1536 
Hym of excesse and outrage, for ellis were it Line 1536 
Agayn resoun./ Pardee, ye knowen wel that Line 1537 
Ye maken no deffense as now for to deffende Line 1537 
Yow, but for to venge yow;/ and so seweth Line 1538 
It that ye han no wyl to do youre dede attemprely./  Line 1538 
and therfore me thynketh that pacience  Line 1539 
is good; for salomon seith that -- he that Line 1539 
Is nat pacient shal have a greet harm. -- / Line 1540 
Certes, quod melibee, I graunte yow that Line 1540 
Whan a man is inpacient and wrooth, of that Line 1540 
That toucheth hym noght and that aperteneth Line 1540 
Nat unto hym, though it harme hym, it Line 1540 
Is no wonder./ For the lawe seith that Line 1541 
 -- he is coupable that entremetteth hym or Line 1541 
Medleth with swych thyng as aperteneth nat Line 1541 
Unto hym. -- / and salomon seith that -- he that Line 1542 
Entremetteth hym of the noyse or strif of another  Line 1542 
man is lyk to hym that taketh an hound Line 1542 
By the eris. -- / for right as he that taketh a Line 1543 
Straunge hound by the eris is outherwhile biten Line 1543 
With the hound,/ right in the same wise is it Line 1544 
Resoun that he have harm that by his inpacience  Line 1544 
medleth hym of the noyse of another Line 1544 
Man, wheras it aperteneth nat unto hym./ But Line 1545 
Ye knowen wel that this dede, that is to seyn, Line 1545 
My grief and my disese, toucheth me Line 1545 
Right ny./ And therfore, though I be Line 1546 
Wrooth and inpacient, it is no merveille./ Line 1547 
And, savynge youre grace, I kan nat seen that it Line 1547 
Myghte greetly harme me though I tooke vengeaunce./  Line 1547 
for I am richer and moore myghty Line 1548 
Than myne enemys been;/ and wel knowen ye Line 1549 
That by moneye and by havynge grete possessions  Line 1549 
been alle the thynges of this world governed./  Line 1549 
and salomon seith that -- alle Line 1550 
Thynges abeyen to moneye. -- / Line 1551 
Whan prudence hadde herd hir housbonde  Line 1551 
avanten hym of his richesse and of his Line 1551 
Moneye, dispreisynge the power of his adversaries,  Line 1551 
she spak, and seyde in this wise:/ Line 1552 
Certes, deere sire, I graunte yow that ye been Line 1552 
Riche and myghty,/ and that the richesses been Line 1553 
Goode to hem that han wel ygeten hem and wel Line 1553 
Konne usen hem./ For right as the body of a Line 1554 
Man may nat lyven withoute the soule, namoore Line 1554 
May it lyve withouten temporeel goodes./ And Line 1555 
By richesses may a man gete hym grete Line 1555 
Freendes./ And therfore seith pamphilles:  Line 1556 
-- if a net -- herdes doghter, -- seith Line 1556 
He, -- be riche, she may chesen of a thousand Line 1556 
Men which she wol take to hir housbonde;/ Line 1557 
For, of a thousand men, oon wol nat forsaken Line 1557 
Hire ne refusen hire. -- / and this pamphilles Line 1558 
Seith also: -- if thow be right happy -- that is to Line 1558 
Seyn, if thou be right riche -- thou shalt fynde Line 1558 
A greet nombre of felawes and freendes./ And Line 1559 
If thy fortune change that thou wexe povre, Line 1559 
Farewel freendshipe and felaweshipe;/ for thou Line 1560 
Shalt be alloone withouten any compaignye, Line 1560 
But if it be the compaignye of povre Line 1560 
Folk. -- / and yet seith this pamphilles Line 1561 
Moreover that -- they that been thralle and Line 1561 
Bonde of lynage shullen been maad worthy and Line 1561 
Noble by the richesses. -- / and right so as by Line 1562 
Richesses ther comen manye goodes, right so Line 1562 
By poverte come ther manye harmes and Line 1562 
Yveles./ For greet poverte constreyneth a man  Line 1563 

Page 182

 Line 1563 
To do manye yveles./ And therfore clepeth Line 1564 
Cassidore poverte the mooder of ruyne,/ that Line 1565 
Is to seyn, the mooder of overthrowynge Line 1565 
Or fallynge doun./ And therfore seith Line 1566 
Piers alfonce: -- oon of the gretteste adversitees  Line 1566 
of this world is/ whan a free man by Line 1567 
Kynde or of burthe is constreyned by poverte Line 1567 
To eten the almesse of his enemy, -- / and the Line 1568 
Same seith innocent in oon of his bookes. He Line 1568 
Seith that -- sorweful and myshappy is the condicioun  Line 1568 
of a povre beggere;/ for if he axe nat Line 1569 
His mete, he dyeth for hunger;/ and if he axe, Line 1570 
He dyeth for shame; and algates necessitee  Line 1570 
constreyneth hym to axe. -- / and Line 1571 
Seith salomon that -- bet it is to dye than Line 1571 
For to have swich poverte. -- / and as the same Line 1572 
Salomon seith, -- bettre it is to dye of bitter deeth Line 1572 
Than for to lyven in swich wise. -- / by thise Line 1573 
Resons that I have seid unto yow, and by manye Line 1573 
Othere resons that I koude seye,/ I graunte yow Line 1574 
That richesses been goode to hem that geten Line 1574 
Hem wel, and to hem that wel usen tho richesses./  Line 1574 
and therfore wol I shewe yow hou ye Line 1575 
Shul have yow and how ye shul bere yow in Line 1575 
Gaderynge of richesses, and in what Line 1575 
Manere ye shul usen hem./ Line 1576 
First, ye shul geten hem withouten Line 1576 
Greet desir, by good leyser, sokyngly and nat Line 1576 
Over-hastily./ For a man that is to desirynge Line 1577 
To gete richesses abaundoneth hym first to Line 1577 
Thefte, and to alle othere yveles;/ and therfore  Line 1578 
seith salomon, -- he that hasteth hym to Line 1578 
Bisily to wexe riche shal be noon innocent. -- / Line 1579 
He seith also that -- the richesses that hastily cometh  Line 1579 
to a man, soone and lightly gooth and Line 1579 
Passeth fro a man;/ but that richesse that Line 1580 
Cometh litel and litel, wexeth alwey and Line 1580 
Multiplieth. -- / and, sire Line 1581 
Richesses by youre wit and by youre Line 1581 
Travaille unto youre profit;/ and that withouten Line 1582 
Wrong or hamr doynge to any oother persone./ Line 1583 
For tha lawe seith that -- ther maketh no man Line 1583 
Himselven riche, if he do harm to another Line 1583 
Wight. -- / this is to seyn, htat nature deffendeth  Line 1584 
and fordedeth by right that no man make Line 1584 
Hymself riche unto the harm of another persone./  Line 1584 
and tulliur seith that -- no sorwe, ne no Line 1585 
Drede of deeth, ne no thyng that may Line 1585 
Falle unto a man,/ is so muchel agayns Line 1586 
Nature as a man to encressen his owene Line 1586 
Profit to the harm of another man./ And Line 1587 
Though the grete man and the myghty men Line 1587 
Geten richesses moore lightly than thou, / yet Line 1588 
Shaltou nat been ydel ne slow to do thy profit, Line 1588 
For thou shalt in alle wise flee ydelnesse. -- / for Line 1589 
Salomon seith that -- ydelnesse techeth a man to Line 1589 
Do manye yveles. -- / and the same salomon Line 1590 
Seith that -- he that travailleth and bisieth Line 1590 
Hym to tilien his land, shal eten breed;/ Line 1591 
But he that is ydel and casteth hym to Line 1591 
No bisynesse ne occupacioun, shal falle into Line 1591 
Poverte, and dye for hynger. -- / and he that is Line 1592 
Ydel and slow kan nevere fynde covenable Line 1592 
Tyme for to doon his profit./ For ther is a Line 1593 
Versifiour seith that -- the ydel man excuseth hym Line 1593 
In wynter by cause of the grete coold, and in Line 1593 
Somer by enchesoun of the greete heete. -- / for Line 1594 
Thise causes seith caton, -- waketh and enclyneth  Line 1594 
nat yow over -- muchel for to slepe, for overmuchel  Line 1594 
reste norisseth and causeth manye Line 1594 
Vices. -- / and therfore seith seint jerome, Line 1595 
 -- dooth somme goode dedes that the devel, Line 1595 
Which is oure enemy, ne fynde yow nat Line 1595 
Unocupied. -- / for the devel ne taketh Line 1596 
Nat lightly unto his werkynge swiche as Line 1596 
He fyndeth occupied in goode werkes./ Line 1597 
Thanne thus, in getynge richesses, ye mosten Line 1597 
Flee ydelnesse./ And afterward, ye shul use Line 1598 
The richesses which ye have geten by youre wit Line 1598 
And by youre travaille,/ in swich a manere that Line 1599 
Men holde yow nat to scars, ne to sparynge, ne Line 1599 
To fool-large, that is to seyen, over-large a Line 1599 
Spendere./ For right as men blamen an avaricious  Line 1600 
man by cause of his scarsetee and Line 1600 
Chyncherie,/ in the same wise is he to Line 1601 
Blame that spendeth over-largely./ And Line 1602 
Therfore seith caton: -- use, -- he seith, -- thy richesses  Line 1602 
that thou hast geten/ in swich a manere Line 1603 
That men have no matiere ne cause to calle Line 1603 
The neither wrecche ne chynche;/ for it is a Line 1604 
Greet shame to a man to have a povere herte Line 1604 
And a riche purs. -- / he seith also: -- the goodes Line 1605 
That thou hast ygeten, use hem by mesure, --  Line 1605 
That is to seyn, spende hem mesurably;/  Line 1605 
for they that folily wasten and Line 1606 
Despenden the goodes that they han,/ Line 1607 
What they han namoore propre of hir owene, Line 1607 
They shapen hem to take the goodes of another Line 1607 
Man./ I seye thanne that ye shul fleen avarice;/  Line 1608 
usynge youre richesses in swich manere Line 1609 
That men seye nat that youre richesses been Line 1609 
Yburyed,/ but that ye have hem in Line 1610 
Youre myght and in youre weeldynge./ Line 1611 
For a wys man repreveth the avaricious Line 1611 
Man, and seith thus in two vers:/ -- wherto and Line 1612 
Why burieth a man his goodes by his grete Line 1612 
Avarice, and knoweth wel that nedes moste Line 1612 
He dye?/ for deeth is the ende of every man  Line 1613 

Page 183

 Line 1613 
As in this present lyf. -- / and for what cause or Line 1614 
Enchesoun joyneth he hym or knytteth he hym Line 1614 
So faste unto his goodes/ that alle hise wittes Line 1615 
Mowen nat disseveren hym or departen Line 1615 
Hym from his goodes,/ and knoweth Line 1616 
Wel, or oghte knowe, that whan he is Line 1616 
Deed he shal no thyng bere with hym out of Line 1616 
This world?/ and therfore seith seint austyn Line 1617 
That -- the avaricious man is likned unto helle,/ Line 1618 
That the moore it swelweth. The moore desir it Line 1618 
Hath to swelwe and devoure. -- / and as wel as Line 1619 
Ye wolde eschewe to be called an avaricious Line 1619 
Man or chynche,/ as wel sholde ye kepe yow Line 1620 
And governe yow in swich a wise that Line 1620 
Men calle yow nat fool-large./ Therfore  Line 1621 
seith tullius: -- the goodes, -- he seith, Line 1621 
 -- of thyn hous ne sholde nat been hyd ne kept Line 1621 
So cloos, but that they myghte been opened Line 1621 
By pitee and debonairetee; -- / that is to seyn, to Line 1622 
Yeven part to hem that han greet nede;/ -- ne Line 1623 
Thy goodes shullen nat been so opene to been Line 1623 
Every mannes goodes. -- / afterward, in getynge Line 1624 
Of youre richesses and in usynge hem, ye shul Line 1624 
Alwey have thre thynges in youre herte,/ that Line 1625 
Is to seyn, oure lord god, conscience, Line 1625 
And good name./ First, ye shul have Line 1626 
God in youre herte,/ and for no richesse Line 1627 
Ye shullen do no thyng which may in any Line 1627 
Manere displese god, that is youre creator Line 1627 
And makere./ For after the word of salomon, Line 1628 
 -- it is bettre to have a litel good with the love Line 1628 
Of god,/ than to have muchel good and tresour,  Line 1629 
and lese the love of his lord god./ And Line 1630 
The prophete seith that -- bettre it is to been Line 1630 
A good man and have litel good and Line 1630 
Tresour,/ than to been holden a shrewe Line 1631 
And have grete richesses. -- / and yet seye Line 1632 
I ferthermoore, that ye sholde alwey doon youre Line 1632 
Bisynesse to gete yow richesses,/ so that ye Line 1633 
Gete hem with good conscience./ And th' apostle  Line 1634 
seith that -- ther nys thyng in this world Line 1634 
Of which we sholden have so greet joye as Line 1634 
Whan oure conscience bereth us good witnesse.  Line 1634 
-- / and the wise man seith, -- the substance  Line 1635 
of a man is ful good, whan synne Line 1635 
Is nat in mannes conscience. -- / afterward,  Line 1636 
in getynge of youre richesses and Line 1636 
In usynge of hem,/ yow moste have greet bisynesse  Line 1637 
and greet diligence that youre goode Line 1637 
Name be alwey kept and conserved./ For salomon  Line 1638 
seith that -- bettre it is an moore it availleth  Line 1638 
a man to have a good name, than for Line 1638 
To have grete richesses. -- / and therfore he Line 1639 
Seith in another place, -- do greet diligence, Line 1639 
Seith salomon, -- in kepyng of thy freend and Line 1639 
Of thy goode name;/ for it shal lenger abide Line 1640 
With thee than any tresour, be it never Line 1640 
So precious. -- / and certes he sholde nat Line 1641 
Be called a gentil man that after god Line 1641 
And good conscience, alle thynges left, ne Line 1641 
Dooth his diligence and bisynesse to kepen his Line 1641 
Goode name./ And cassidore seith that -- it is Line 1642 
Signe of a gentil herte, whan a man loveth and Line 1642 
Desireth to han a good name. -- / and therfore Line 1643 
Seith seint austyn that -- ther been two thynges Line 1643 
That arn necessarie and nedefulle,/ and that Line 1644 
Is good conscience and good loos;/ that is to Line 1645 
Seyn, good conscience to thyn owene persone Line 1645 
Inward, and good loos for thy neighebor Line 1645 
Outward. -- / and he that trusteth hym so Line 1646 
Muchel in his goode conscience/ that he Line 1647 
Displeseth, and setteth at noght his goode Line 1647 
Name or loos, and rekketh noght though he Line 1647 
Kepe nat his goode neam, nys but a crueel Line 1647 
Cherl./ Line 1648 
Sire, now have I shewed yow how ye shul Line 1648 
Do in getynge richesses, and how ye shullen Line 1648 
Usen hem,/ and I se wel that for the trust Line 1649 
That ye han in youre richesses ye wole moeve Line 1649 
Werre and bataille./ I conseille yow that ye Line 1650 
Bigynne no were in trust of youre richesses, Line 1650 
For thay ne suffisen noght werres to Line 1650 
Mayntene./ And therfore seith a philosophre,  Line 1651 
hthat man that desireth and Line 1651 
Wole algates han werre, shal nevere have suffisaunce;/  Line 1651 
for the richer that he is, the gretter Line 1652 
Despenses moste he make, if he wole have worshipe  Line 1652 
and victorei. -- / and salomon seith that Line 1653 
 -- the gretter richesses that a man hath, the mo Line 1653 
Despendours he hath. -- / and, deere sire, al be Line 1654 
It so that for youre richesses ye mowe have Line 1654 
Muchel folk,/ yet bihoveth it nat, ne it is nat Line 1655 
Good, to bigynne werre, whereas ye mowe in Line 1655 
Oother manere have pees unto youre Line 1655 
Worshipe and profit./ For the victorie Line 1656 
Of batailles that been in this world lyth Line 1656 
Nat in greet nombre or multitude of the peple, Line 1656 
Ne in the vertu of man,/ but it lith in the wyl Line 1657 
And in the hand of oure lord God almyghty./ Line 1658 
And therfore judas machabeus, which was Line 1658 
Goddes knyght,/ whan he sholde fighte agayn Line 1659 
His adversarie that hadde a gretter nombre and Line 1659 
A gretter multitude of folk and strenger than Line 1659 
Was this peple of machabee,/ yet he reconforted  Line 1660 
his litel compaignye, and seyde Line 1660 
Right in this wise:/ -- als lightly, -- quod Line 1661 
He, -- may oure lord God almyghty yeve Line 1661 
Victorie to a fewe folk as to many folk;/ for the  Line 1662 

Page 184

 Line 1662 
Victorie of a bataile comth nat by the grete Line 1662 
Nombre of peple,/ but it cometh from oure Line 1663 
Lord God of hevene. -- / and, deere sire, for as Line 1664 
Muchel is ther is no man certein if he be Line 1664 
Worthy that God yeve hym victorie, (ne plus Line 1664 
Que il est certain se il est digne de l' amour de Line 1664 
Dieu), or naught, after that salomon seith,/ Line 1665 
Therfore every man sholde greetly drede Line 1665 
Werres to bigynne./ And by cause that Line 1666 
In batailles fallen manye perils,/ and Line 1667 
Happeth outher while that as soone is the grete Line 1667 
Man slayn as the litel man;/ and as it is writen Line 1668 
In the seconde book of kynges, -- the dedes of Line 1668 
Batailles been aventurouse and nothyng certeyne,/  Line 1668 
for as lightly is oon hurt with a spere Line 1669 
As another; -- / and for ther is gret peril in Line 1670 
Werre; therfore sholde a man flee and eschue Line 1670 
Werre, in as muchel as a man may Line 1670 
Goodly./ For salomon seith, -- he that Line 1671 
Loveth peril shal falle in peril -- / Line 1672 
After that dame prudence hadde spoken in Line 1672 
This manere, melibee answerde, and seyde:/ Line 1673 
I see wel, dame prudence, that by youre faire Line 1673 
Wordes, and by youre resouns that ye han Line 1673 
Shewed me, that the werre liketh yow no Line 1673 
Thyng;/ but I have nat yet herd youre conseil, Line 1674 
How I shal do in this nede./ Line 1675 
Certes, quod she, I conseille yow that ye Line 1675 
Accorde with youre adversaries and that Line 1675 
Ye have pees with he./ For seint jame Line 1676 
Seith in his epistles that -- by concord and Line 1676 
Pees the smale richesses wexen grete,/ and by Line 1677 
Debaat and discord the grete richesses fallen Line 1677 
Doun. -- / and ye knowen wel that oon of the Line 1678 
Gretteste and moost sovereyn thyng that is in Line 1678 
This world is unytee and pees./ And therfore Line 1679 
Seyde oure lord jhesu crist to his apostles in Line 1679 
This wise:/ -- wel happy and blessed been they Line 1680 
That loven and purchacen pees, for they Line 1680 
Been called children of god. -- / Line 1681 
A, quod melibee, now se I wel that Line 1681 
Ye loven nat myn honour ne my worshipe./ Line 1682 
Ye knowen wel that myne adversaries han Line 1682 
Bigonnen this debaat and bryge by hire outrage,/  Line 1682 
and ye se wel that they ne requeren ne Line 1683 
Preyen me nat of pees, ne they asken nat to be Line 1683 
Reconsiled./ Wol ye thanne that I go and meke Line 1684 
Me and obeye me to hem, and crie hem Line 1684 
Mercy?/ for sothe, that were nat my Line 1685 
Worshipe./ For right as men seyn that Line 1686 
-- over-greet hoomlynesse engendreth dispreisynge,  Line 1686 
-- so fareth it by to greet hymylitee Line 1686 
Or mekenesse./ Line 1687 
Thanne bigan dame prudence to maken Line 1687 
Semblant of wratthe, and seyde:/ certes, sire, Line 1688 
Sauf youre grace, I love youre honour and youre Line 1688 
Profit as I do myn owene, and evere have Line 1688 
Doon;/ ne ye, ne noon oother, seyn nevere Line 1689 
The contrarie./ And yit if I hadde seyd that Line 1690 
Ye sholde han purchaced the pees and the Line 1690 
Reconsilacioun, I ne hadde nat muchel Line 1690 
Mystaken me, ne seyd amys./ For the Line 1691 
Wise man seith, -- the dissensioun bigynneth  Line 1691 
by another man, and the reconsilyng bygynneth  Line 1691 
by thyself. -- / and the prophete seith, Line 1692 
 -- flee shrewednesse and do goodnesse;/ seke Line 1693 
Pees and folwe it, as muchel as in thee is. -- / Line 1694 
Yet seye I nat that ye shul rather pursue to Line 1694 
Youre adversaries for pees than they shuln to Line 1694 
Yow./ For I knowe wel that ye been so hard- Line 1695 
Herted that ye wol do no thyng for Line 1695 
Me./ And salomon seith, -- he that hath Line 1696 
Over-hard an herte, atte laste he shal Line 1696 
Myshappe and mystyde. -- / Line 1697 
Whanne melibee hadde herd dame prudence Line 1697 
Maken semblant of wratthe, he seyde in this Line 1697 
Wise:/ dame, I prey yow that ye be nat displesed  Line 1698 
of thynges that I seye,/ for ye knowe Line 1699 
Wel that I am angrey and wrooth, and that is Line 1699 
No wonder;/ and they that been wrothe witen Line 1700 
Nat wel what they don, ne what they Line 1700 
Seyn./ Therfore the prophete seith that Line 1701 
 -- troubled eyen han no cleer sighte. -- / but Line 1702 
Seyeth and conseileth me as yow liketh, for I Line 1702 
Am redy to do right as ye wol desire;/ and if Line 1703 
Ye repreve me of my folye, I am the moore Line 1703 
Holden to love yow and to preyse yow./ For Line 1704 
Salomon seith that -- he that repreveth hym Line 1704 
That dooth folye,/ he shal fynde gretter grace Line 1705 
Than he that deceyveth hym by sweete Line 1705 
Wordes. -- / Line 1706 
Thanne seide dame prudence, I Line 1706 
Make no semblant of wratthe ne anger, but Line 1706 
For youre grete profit./ For salomon seith, Line 1707 
 -- he is moore worth that repreveth or chideth Line 1707 
A fool for his folye, shewynge hym semblant Line 1707 
Of wratthe,/than he that supporteth hym and Line 1708 
Preyseth hym in his mysdoynge, and laugheth Line 1708 
At his folye. -- / and this same salomon seith Line 1709 
Afterward that -- by the sorweful visage of a Line 1709 
Man, -- that is to seyn by the sory and hevy contenaunce  Line 1709 
of a man,/ -- the fool correcteth Line 1710 
And amendeth hymself. -- / Line 1711 
Thanne seyde melibee, I shal nat Line 1711 
Koone answere to so manye faire resouns as ye Line 1711 
Putten to me and shewen./ Seyeth shorthly Line 1712 
Youre wyl and youre conseil, and I am al redy Line 1712 
To fulfille and parfourne it./  Line 1713 

Page 185

 Line 1713 
Thanne dame prudence discovered al hir Line 1713 
Wyl to hym, and seyde,/ I conseille yow, Line 1714 
Quod she, aboven alle thynges, that ye make Line 1714 
Pees bitwene God and yow;/ and beth Line 1715 
Reconsiled unto hym and to his grace./ Line 1716 
For, as I have seyd yow heer biforn, god Line 1716 
Hath suffred yow to have this tribulacioun and Line 1716 
Disese for youre synnes./ And if ye do as I sey Line 1717 
Yow, God wol sende youre adversaries unto Line 1717 
Yow,/ and maken hem fallen at youre feet, Line 1718 
Redy to do youre wyl and youre comande --  Line 1718 
Mentz./ For salomon seith, -- whan the condicioun  Line 1719 
of man is plesaunt and likynge to god,/ Line 1720 
He chaungeth the hertes of the mannes adversaries  Line 1720 
and constreyneth hem to biseken  Line 1720 
hym of pees and of grace. -- / and Line 1721 
I prey yow lat me speke with youre adversaries  Line 1721 
in privee place;/ for they shul nat Line 1722 
Knowe that it be of youre wyl or of youre adsent./  Line 1722 
and thanne, whan I knowe hir wil and Line 1723 
Hire entente, I may conseille yow the moore Line 1723 
Seurely./ Line 1724 
Dame, quod melibee, dooth youre wil and Line 1724 
Youre likynge;/ for I putte me hoolly in Line 1725 
Youre disposicioun and ordinaunce./ Line 1726 
Thanne dame prudence, whan she Line 1726 
Saugh the goode wyl of hir housbonde, delibered  Line 1726 
and took avys in hirself,/ thinkinge how Line 1727 
She myghte brynge this nede unto a good conclusioun  Line 1727 
and to a good ende./ And whan she Line 1728 
Saugh hir tyme, she sente for thise adversaries Line 1728 
To come unto hire into a pryvee place,/ and Line 1729 
Shewed wisely unto hem the grete goodes that Line 1729 
Comen of pees,/ and the grete harmes Line 1730 
And perils that been in werre;/ and Line 1731 
Seyde to hem in a goodly manere hou Line 1731 
That hem oughten have greet repentaunce/ of Line 1732 
The injurie and wrong that they hadden doon Line 1732 
To melibee hir lord, and unto hire, and to hire Line 1732 
Doghter./ Line 1733 
And whan they herden the goodliche wordes Line 1733 
Of dame prudence,/ they weren so supprised Line 1734 
And ravysshed, and hadden so greet joye of Line 1734 
Hire that wonder was to telle./ A, lady, quod Line 1735 
They, ye han shewed unto us the blessynge Line 1735 
Of swetnesse, after the sawe of david the Line 1735 
Prophete;/ for the reconsilynge which Line 1736 
We been nat worthy to have in no manere,/  Line 1736 
but we oghte requeren it with greet contricioun  Line 1737 
and humylitee,/ ye of youre grete Line 1738 
Goodnesse have presented unto us./ Now se Line 1739 
We wel that the science and the konnynge Line 1739 
Of salomon is ful trewe./ For he seith that Line 1740 
 -- sweete wordes multiplien and encreescen Line 1740 
Freendes, and maken shrewes to be debonaire  Line 1740 
and meeke. -- / Line 1741 
Certes, quod they, we putten oure Line 1741 
Dede and al oure matere and cause al hooly in Line 1741 
Youre goode wyl/ and been redy to obeye to Line 1742 
The speche and comandement of my lord melibee./  Line 1742 
and therfore, deere and benygne lady, Line 1743 
We preien yow and biseke yow as mekely as we Line 1743 
Konne and mowen,/ that it lyke unto youre Line 1744 
Grete goodnesse to fulfillen in dede youre goodliche  Line 1744 
wordes./ For we consideren and knowelichen  Line 1745 
that we han offended and greved Line 1745 
My lord melibee out of mesure,/ so ferforth  Line 1746 
that we be nat of power to maken Line 1746 
His amendes./ And therfore we oblige and Line 1747 
Bynden us and oure freendes for to doon al Line 1747 
His wyl and his comandementz./ But peraventure  Line 1748 
he hath swich hevynesse and swich wratthe Line 1748 
To us -- ward, by cause of oure offense,/ that he Line 1749 
Wole enjoyne us swich a peyne as we mowe Line 1749 
Nat bere ne susteene./ And therfore, noble Line 1750 
Lady, we biseke to youre wommanly Line 1750 
Pitee/ to taken swich avysement in this Line 1751 
Nede that we, ne oure freendes, be nat Line 1751 
Desherited ne destroyed thurgh oure folye./ Line 1752 
Certes, quod prudence, it is an hard Line 1752 
Thyng and right perilous/ that a man putte Line 1753 
Hym al outrely in the arbitracioun and juggement,  Line 1753 
and in the myght and power of his enemys./  Line 1753 
for salomon seith, -- leeveth me, and Line 1754 
Yeveth credence to that I shal seyn: I seye, --  Line 1754 
Quod he, -- ye peple, folk and governours of Line 1754 
Hooly chirche,/ to thy sone, to thy wyf, Line 1755 
To thy freend, ne to thy broother,/ ne Line 1756 
Yeve thou nevere myght ne maistrie of Line 1756 
Thy body whil thou lyvest. -- / now sithen he Line 1757 
Deffendeth that man sholde nat yeven to his Line 1757 
Broother ne to his freend the myght of his Line 1757 
Body,/ by a strenger resoun he deffendeth and Line 1758 
Forbedeth a man to yeven hymself to his enemy./  Line 1758 
and nathelees I conseille you that ye Line 1759 
Mystruste nat my lord,/ for I woot wel and Line 1760 
Knowe verraily that he is debonaire and Line 1760 
Meeke, large, curteys,/ and nothyng desirous  Line 1761 
ne coveitous of good ne richesse./ Line 1762 
For ther nys nothyng in this world that he Line 1762 
Desireth, save oonly worshipe and honour./ Line 1763 
Forthermoore I knowe wel and am right seur Line 1763 
That he shal nothyng doon in this nede withouten  Line 1763 
my conseil;/ and I shal so werken in this Line 1764 
Cause that, by the grace of oure lord god, ye Line 1764 
Shul been reconsiled unto us./ Line 1765 
Thanne seyden they with o voys, worshipful  Line 1765 
lady, we putten us and oure goodes  Line 1765 

Page 186

 Line 1765 
Al fully in youre wil and disposicioun,/ Line 1766 
And been redy to comen, what day that Line 1766 
It like unto youre noblesse to lymyte us or assigne  Line 1766 
us,/ for to maken oure obligacioun and Line 1767 
Boond as strong as it liketh unto youre goodnesse,/  Line 1767 
that we mowe fulfille the wille of yow Line 1768 
And of my lord melibee./ Line 1769 
Whan dame prudence hadde herd the answeres  Line 1769 
of thise men, she bad hem goon agayn Line 1769 
Prively;/ and she retourned to hir lord melibee,  Line 1770 
and tolde hym how she foond his Line 1770 
Adversaries ful repentant,/ knowelechynge  Line 1771 
ful lowely hir synnes and trespas, Line 1771 
And how they were redy to suffren al peyne,/ Line 1772 
Requirynge and preiynge hym of mercy and Line 1772 
Pitee./ Line 1773 
Thanne seyde melibee: he is wel worthy Line 1773 
To have pardoun and foryifnesse of his synne. Line 1773 
That excuseth nat his synne,/ but knowelecheth Line 1774 
It and repenteth hym, axinge indulgence./ For Line 1775 
Senec seith, ther is the remissioun and Line 1775 
Foryifnesse, where as the confessioun is -- ;/ Line 1776 
For confessioun is neighebor to innocence./  Line 1776 
and he seith in another place that -- he Line 1777 
That hath shame of his synne and knowlecheth Line 1777 
It, is worthy remissioun. -- and therfore I assente  Line 1777 
and conferme me to have pees;/ but it Line 1778 
Is good that we do it nat withouten the assent Line 1778 
And wyl of oure freendes./ Line 1779 
Thanne was prudence right glad and joyeful,  Line 1779 
and seyde:/ certes, sire, quod Line 1780 
She, ye han wel and goodly answered;/ Line 1781 
For right as by the conseil, assent, and Line 1781 
Help of youre freendes ye han been stired to Line 1781 
Venge yow and maken werre,/ right so withouten  Line 1782 
hire conseil shul ye nat accorden yow Line 1782 
Ne have pees with youre adversaries./ For the Line 1783 
Lawe seith: -- ther nys no thyng so good by wey Line 1783 
Of kynde as a thyng to be unbounde by hym Line 1783 
That it was ybounde. -- / Line 1784 
And thanne dame prudence, withouten delay  Line 1784 
or tariynge, sente anon hire messages for Line 1784 
Hire kyn, and for hire olde freendes which Line 1784 
That were trewe and wyse,/ and tolde hem Line 1785 
By ordre in the presence of melibee al this mateere  Line 1785 
as it is aboven expressed and declared,/  Line 1785 
and preyden hem that they Line 1786 
Wolde yeven hire avys and conseil what Line 1786 
Best were to doon in this nede./ And whan Line 1787 
Melibees freendes hadde taken hire avys and Line 1787 
Deliberacioun of the forseide mateere,/ and Line 1788 
Hadden examyned it by greet bisynesse and Line 1788 
Greet diligence,/ they yave ful conseil for to Line 1789 
Have pees and reste,/ and that melibee sholde Line 1790 
Receyve with good herte his adversaries Line 1790 
To foryifnesse and mercy./ Line 1791 
And whan dame prudence hadde herd Line 1791 
The assent of hir lord melibee, and the conseil  Line 1791 
of his freendes/ accorde with hire wille Line 1792 
And hire entencioun,/ she was wonderly glad Line 1793 
In hire herte, and seyde:/ ther is an old Line 1794 
Proverbe, quod she, seith that -- the goodnesse  Line 1794 
that thou mayst do this day, do it,/ Line 1795 
And abide nat ne delaye it nat til tomorwe.  Line 1795 
-- / and therfore I conseille that Line 1796 
Ye sende youre messages, swiche as been Line 1796 
Discrete and wise,/ unto youre adversaries, Line 1797 
Tellynge hem on youre bihalve/ that if they Line 1798 
Wole trete of pees and of accord,/ that they Line 1799 
Shape hem withouten delay or tariyng to comen Line 1799 
Unto us./ Which thyng parfourned was Line 1800 
In dede./ And whanne thise trespassours  Line 1801 
and repentynge folk of hire folies, Line 1801 
That is to seyn, the adversaries of melibee,/ Line 1802 
Hadden herd what thise messagers seyden unto Line 1802 
Hem,/ they weren right glad and joyeful, and Line 1803 
Answereden ful mekely and benignely,/ yeldynge  Line 1804 
graces and thankynges to hir lord melibee  Line 1804 
and to al his compaignye;/ and shopen Line 1805 
Hem withouten delay to go with the messagers, Line 1805 
And obeye to the comandement of hir Line 1805 
Lord melibee./ Line 1806 
And right anon they tooken hire wey Line 1806 
To the court of melibee,/ and tooken with hem Line 1807 
Somme of hire trewe freendes to maken feith Line 1807 
For hem and for to been hire borwes./ And Line 1808 
Whan they were comen to the presence of Line 1808 
Melibee, he seyde hem thise wordes:/ it standeth  Line 1809 
thus, quod melibee, and sooth it is, that Line 1809 
Ye,/ causelees and withouten skile and Line 1810 
Resoun,/ han doon grete injuries and Line 1811 
Wronges to me and to my wyf prudence, Line 1811 
And to my doghter also./ For ye han entred Line 1812 
Into myn hous by violence,/ and have doon Line 1813 
Swich outrage that alle men knowen wel that Line 1813 
Ye have disserved the deeth./ And therfore Line 1814 
Wol I knowe and wite of yow/ wheither ye Line 1815 
Wol putte the punyssement and the chastisynge Line 1815 
And the vengeance of this outrage in the wyl Line 1815 
Of me and of my wyf prudence, or ye Line 1815 
Wol nat?/ Line 1816 
Thanne the wiseste of hem thre answerde  Line 1816 
for hem alle, and seyde,/ sire, quod Line 1817 
He, we knowen wel that we been unworthy Line 1817 
To comen unto the court of so greet a lord and Line 1817 
So worthy as ye been./ For we han so greetly Line 1818 
Mystaken us, and han offended and agilt in Line 1818 
Swich a wise agayn youre heigh lordshipe,/  Line 1819 

Page 187

 Line 1819 
That trewely we han disserved the deeth./ But Line 1820 
Yet, for the grete goodnesse and debonairetee Line 1820 
That al the world witnesseth of youre Line 1820 
Persone,/ we submytten us to the excellence  Line 1821 
and benignitee of youre gracious Line 1821 
Lordshipe,/ and been redy to obeie to alle youre Line 1822 
Comandementz;/ bisekynge yow that of youre Line 1823 
Merciable pitee ye wol considere oure grete Line 1823 
Repentaunce and lowe submyssioun,/ and Line 1824 
Graunten us foryevenesse of oure outrageous Line 1824 
Trespas and offense./ For wel we knowe that Line 1825 
Youre liberal grace and mercy strecchen hem Line 1825 
Ferther into goodnesse than doon oure outrageouse  Line 1825 
giltes and trespas into wikkednesse,/  Line 1825 
al be it that cursedly and Line 1826 
Dampnablely we han agilt agayn youre Line 1826 
Heigh lordshipe./ Line 1827 
Thanne melibee took hem up fro the ground Line 1827 
Ful benignely,/ and receyved hire obligaciouns Line 1828 
And hir boondes by hire othes upon hire plegges Line 1828 
And borwes,/ and assigned hem a certeyn day Line 1829 
To retourne unto his court,/ for to accepte and Line 1830 
Receyve the sentence and juggement that Line 1830 
Melibee wolde comande to be doon on Line 1830 
Hem by the causes aforeseyd./ Whiche Line 1831 
Thynges ordeyned, every man retourned Line 1831 
To his hous./ Line 1832 
And whan that dame prudence saugh hir Line 1832 
Tyme, she freyned and axed hir lord melibee/ Line 1833 
What vengeance he thoughte to taken of his Line 1833 
Adversaries./ Line 1834 
To which melibee answerde, and seyde: Line 1834 
Certes, quod he, I thynke and purpose me Line 1834 
Fully / to desherite hem of al that evere they Line 1835 
Han, and for to putte hem in exil for Line 1835 
Evere./ Line 1836 
Certes, quod dame prudence, this Line 1836 
Were a crueel sentence and muchel agayn resoun./  Line 1836 
for ye been riche ynough, and han Line 1837 
No nede of oother mennes good;/ and ye Line 1838 
Myghte lightly in this wise gete yow a coveitous  Line 1838 
name,/ which is a vicious thyng, and Line 1839 
Oghte been eschued of every good man./ For Line 1840 
After the sawe of the word of the apostle,  Line 1840 
-- coveitise is roote of alle harmes. -- / Line 1841 
And therfore it were bettre for yow to Line 1841 
Lese so muchel good of youre owene, than for Line 1841 
To taken of hir good in this manere;/ for bettre  Line 1842 
it is to lesen good with worshipe, than it Line 1842 
Is to wynne good with vileynye and shame./ Line 1843 
And everi man oghte to doon his diligence and Line 1843 
His bisynesse to geten hym a good name./ Line 1844 
And yet shal he nat oonly bisie hym in kepynge  Line 1844 
of his good name,/ but he shal also enforcen  Line 1845 
hym alwey to do somthyng by Line 1845 
Which he may renovelle his good name./ Line 1846 
For it is writen that -- the olde good loos Line 1846 
Or good name of a man is soone goon and Line 1846 
Passed, whan it is nat newed ne renovelled. -- / Line 1847 
And as touchynge that ye seyn ye wole exile Line 1847 
Youre adversaries,/ that thynketh me muchel Line 1848 
Agayn resoun and out of mesure,/ considered Line 1849 
The power that they han yeve yow upon hemself./  Line 1849 
and it is writen that -- he is worthy Line 1850 
To lesen his privilege, that mysuseth the Line 1850 
Myght and the power that is yeven Line 1850 
Hym. -- / and I sette cas ye myghte enjoyne  Line 1851 
hem that peyne by right and by Line 1851 
Lawe,// which I trowe ye mowe nat do,/ I seye Line 1853 
Ye mighte nat putten it to execucioun peraventure,/  Line 1853 
and thanne were it likly to retourne Line 1854 
To the werre as it was biforn./ And therfore, Line 1855 
If ye wole that men do yow obeisance, Line 1855 
Ye moste deemen moore curteisly;/ this Line 1856 
Is to seyn, ye moste yeven moore esy sentences  Line 1856 
and juggementz./ For it is writen that Line 1857 
 -- he that moost curteisly comandeth, to hym Line 1857 
Men moost obeyen. -- / and therfore I prey yow Line 1858 
That in this necessitee and in this nede ye caste Line 1858 
Yow to overcome youre herte./ For senec seith Line 1859 
That -- he that overcometh his herte, overcometh Line 1859 
Twies. -- / and tullius seith: -- ther is no Line 1860 
Thyng so comendable in a greet lord/ as Line 1861 
Whan he is debonaire and meeke, and Line 1861 
Appeseth him lightly. -- / and I prey yow that ye Line 1862 
Wole forbere now to do vengeance,/ in swich Line 1863 
A manere that youre goode name may be kept Line 1863 
And conserved,/ and that men mowe have Line 1864 
Cause and mateere to preyse yow of pitee and Line 1864 
Of mercy,/ and that ye have no cause to Line 1865 
Repente yow of thyng that ye doon./ Line 1866 
For senec seith, -- he overcometh in an Line 1866 
Yvel manere that repenteth hym of his victorie.  Line 1866 
-- / wherfore I pray yow, lat mercy been in Line 1867 
Youre herte,/ to th' effect and entente that Line 1868 
God almighty have mercy on yow in his laste Line 1868 
Juggement./ For seint jame seith in his epistle:  Line 1869 
-- juggement withouten mercy shal be doon Line 1869 
To hym that hath no mercy of another wight. -- / Line 1870 
Whanne melibee hadde herd the grete skiles Line 1870 
And resouns of dame prudence, and hire Line 1870 
Wise informaciouns and techynges,/ his Line 1871 
Herte gan enclyne to the wil of his wif, Line 1871 
Considerynge hir trewe entente,/ and conformed  Line 1872 
hym anon, and assented fully to werken Line 1872 
After hir conseil;/ and thonked god, of whom Line 1873 
Procedeth al vertu and alle goodnesse, that Line 1873 
Hym sente a wyf of so greet discrecioun./ And  Line 1874 

Page 188

 Line 1874 
Whan the day cam that his adversaries sholde Line 1874 
Appieren in his presence,/ he spak unto Line 1875 
Hem ful goodly, and seyde in this wyse:/ Line 1876 
Al be it so that of youre pride and heigh Line 1876 
Presumpcioun and folie, and of youre necligence  Line 1876 
and unkonnynge,/ ye have mysborn yow Line 1877 
And trespassed unto me,/ yet for as muche as Line 1878 
I see and biholde youre grete humylitee,/ and Line 1879 
That ye been sory and repentant of youre Line 1879 
Giltes,/ it constreyneth me to doon yow Line 1880 
Grace and mercy./ Wherfore I receyve Line 1881 
Yow to my grace,/ and foryeve yow outrely  Line 1882 
alle the offenses, injuries, and wronges that Line 1882 
Ye have doon agayn me and myne,/ to this Line 1883 
Effect and to this ende that God of his endelees  Line 1883 
mercy/ wole at the tyme of oure diynge Line 1884 
Foryeven us oure giltes that we han trespassed Line 1884 
To hym in this wrecched world./ For doutelees,  Line 1885 
if we be sory and repentant of the synnes Line 1885 
And giltes which we han trespassed in Line 1885 
The sighte of oure lord god,/ he is so Line 1886 
Free and so merciable/ that he wole foryeven  Line 1887 
us oure giltes,/ and bryngen us to the Line 1888 
Blisse that nevere hath ende. Amen. Line 1888 

The Monk's Prologue
Whan ended was my tale of melibee, Line 1889 
And of prudence and hire benignytee, Line 1890 
Oure hooste seyde, as I am feithful man, Line 1891 
And by that precious corpus madrian, Line 1892 
I hadde levere than a barel ale Line 1893 
That goodelief, my wyf, hadde herd this tale! Line 1894 
For she nys no thyng of swich pacience Line 1895 
As was this melibeus wyf prudence. Line 1896 
By goddes bones! whan I bete my knaves, Line 1897 
She bryngeth me forth the grete clobbed staves, Line 1898 
And crieth, -- slee the dogges everichoon, Line 1899 
And brek hem, bothe bak and every boon! --  Line 1900 
And if that any neighebor of myne Line 1901 
Wol nat in chirche to my wyf enclyne, Line 1902 
Or be so hardy to hire to trespace, Line 1903 
Whan she comth hoom she rampeth in my face, Line 1904 
And crieth, -- false coward, wrek thy wyf! Line 1905 
By corpus bones, I wol have thy knyf, Line 1906 
And thou shalt have my distaf and go spynne! --  Line 1907 
Fro day to nyght right thus she wol bigynne. Line 1908 
 -- allas! -- she seith, -- that evere I was shape Line 1909 
To wedden a milksop, or a coward ape, Line 1910 
That wol been overlad with every wight! Line 1911 
Thou darst nat stonden by thy wyves right! --  Line 1912 
This is my lif, but if that I wol fighte; Line 1913 
And out at dore anon I moot me dighte, Line 1914 
Or elles I am but lost, but if that I Line 1915 
Be lik a wilde leoun, fool-hardy. Line 1916 
I woot wel she wol do me slee som day Line 1917 
Som neighebor, and thanne go my way; Line 1918 
For I am perilous with knyf in honde, Line 1919 
Al be it that I dar nat hire withstonde, Line 1920 
For she is byg in armes, by my feith: Line 1921 
That shal he fynde that hire mysdooth or seith, --  Line 1922 
But lat us passe awey fro this mateere. Line 1923 
My lord, the monk, quod he, by myrie of cheere, Line 1924 
For ye shul telle a tale trewely. Line 1925 
Loo, rouchestre stant heer faste by! Line 1926 
Ryde forth, myn owene lord, brek nat oure game. Line 1927 
But, by my trouthe, I knowe nat youre name. Line 1928 
Wher shal I calle yow my lord daun john, Line 1929 
Or daun thomas, or elles daun albon? Line 1930 
Of what hous be ye, by youre fader kyn? Line 1931 
I vowe to god, thou hast a ful fair skyn; Line 1932 
It is a gentil pasture ther thow goost. Line 1933 
Thou art nat lyk a penant or a goost: Line 1934 
Upon my feith, thou art som officer, Line 1935 
Som worthy sexteyn, or som celerer, Line 1936 
For by my fader soule, as to my doom, Line 1937 
Thou art a maister whan thou art at hoom; Line 1938 
No povre cloysterer, ne no novts, Line 1939 
But a governour, wily and wys, Line 1940 
And therwithal of brawnes and of bones, Line 1941 
A wel farynge persone for the nones. Line 1942 
I pray to god, yeve hym confusioun Line 1943 
That first thee broghte unto religioun! Line 1944 
Thou woldest han been a tredefowel aright.  Line 1945 

Page 189

 Line 1945 
Haddestow as greet a leeve, as thou hast myght, Line 1946 
To parfourne al thy lust in engendrure, Line 1947 
Thou haddest bigeten ful many a creature. Line 1948 
Allas, why werestow so wyd a cope? Line 1949 
God yeve me sorwe, but, and I were a pope, Line 1950 
Nat oonly thou, but every myghty man, Line 1951 
Though he were shorn ful hye upon his pan, Line 1952 
Sholde have a wyf; for al the world is lorn! Line 1953 
Religioun hath take up al the corn Line 1954 
Of tredyng, and we borel men been shrympes. Line 1955 
Of fieble trees ther comen wrecched ympes. Line 1956 
This maketh that oure heires been so sklendre Line 1957 
And feble that they may nat wel engendre. Line 1958 
This maketh that oure wyves wole assaye Line 1959 
Religious folk, for ye mowe bettre paye Line 1960 
Of venus peiementz than mowe we; Line 1961 
God woot, no lussheburghes payen ye! Line 1962 
But be nat wrooth, my lord, though that I pleye. Line 1963 
Ful ofte in game a sooth I have herd seye! Line 1964 
This worthy monk took al in pacience, Line 1965 
And seyde, I wol doon al my diligence, Line 1966 
As fer as sowneth into honestee, Line 1967 
To telle yow a tale, or two, or three. Line 1968 
And if yow list to herkne hyderward, Line 1969 
I wol yow seyn the lyf of seint edward; Line 1970 
Or ellis, first, tragedies wol I telle, Line 1971 
Of whiche I have an hundred in my celle. Line 1972 
Tragedie is to seyn a certeyn storei, Line 1973 
As olde bookes maken us memorie, Line 1974 
Of hym that stood in greet prosperitee, Line 1975 
And is yfallen out of heigh degree Line 1976 
Into myserie, and endeth wrecchedly. Line 1977 
And they ben versified communely Line 1978 
Of six feet, which men clepen exametrron. Line 1979 
In prose eek been endited many oon, Line 1980 
And eek in meetre, in many a sondry wyse. Line 1981 
Lo, this declaryng oghte ynogh suffise. Line 1982 
Now herkneth, if yow liketh for to heere. Line 1983 
But first I yow biseeke in this mateere, Line 1984 
Though I by ordre telle nat thise thynges, Line 1985 
Be it of popes, emperours, or kynges, Line 1986 
After hir ages, as men writen fynde, Line 1987 
But tellen hem som bifore and som bihynde, Line 1988 
As it now comth unto my remembraunce, Line 1989 
Have me excused of myn ignoraunce. Line 1990 

The Monk's Tale

I wol biwaille, in manere of tragedie, 1991 The harm of hem that stoode in heigh degree, 1992 And fillen so that ther nas no remedie 1993 To brynge hem out of hir adversitee. 1994 For certein, whan that fortune list to flee, 1995 Ther may no man the cours of hire withholde. 1996 Lat no man truste on blynd prosperitee; 1997 Be war by thise ensamples trewe and olde. 1998

Lucifer
At lucifer, though he an angel were, Line 1999 
And nat a man, at hym wol I bigynne. Line 2000 
For though fortune may noon angel dere, Line 2001 
From heigh degree yet fel he for his synne Line 2002 
Doun into helle, where he yet is inne. Line 2003 
O lucifer, brightest of angels alle, Line 2004 
Now artow sathanas, that mayst nat twynne Line 2005 
Out of miserie, in which that thou art falle. Line 2006 

Adam
Loo adam, in the feeld of damyssene, Line 2007 
With goddes owene fynger wroght was he, Line 2008 
And nat bigeten of mannes sperme unclene, Line 2009 
And welte al paradys savynge o tree. Line 2010 
Hadde nevere worldly man so heigh degree Line 2011 
As adam, til he for mysgovernaunce Line 2012 
Was dryven out of hys hye prosperitee Line 2013 
To labour, and to helle, and to meschaunce. Line 2014 

Sampson
Loo sampsoun, which that was annunciat Line 2015 
By th' angel, longe er his nativitee, Line 2016 
And was to God almyghty consecrat, Line 2017 
And stood in noblesse whil he myghte see. Line 2018 
Was nevere swich another as was hee, Line 2019 
To speke of strengthe, and threwith hardynesse;  Line 2020 

Page 190

 Line 2020 
But to his wyves toolde he his secree, Line 2021 
Thurgh which he slow hymself for wrecchednesse. Line 2022 
Sampsoun, this noble almyghty champioun, Line 2023 
Withouten wepen, save his handes tweye, Line 2024 
He slow and al torente the leoun, Line 2025 
Toward his weddyng walkynge by the weye. Line 2026 
His false wyf koude hym so plese and preye Line 2027 
Til she his conseil knew; and she, untrewe, Line 2028 
Unto his foos his conseil gan biwreye, Line 2029 
And hym forsook, and took another newe. Line 2030 
Thre hundred foxes took sampson for ire, Line 2031 
And alle hir tayles he togydre bond, Line 2032 
And sette the foxes tayles alle on fire, Line 2033 
For he on every tayl had knyt a brond; Line 2034 
And they brende alle the cornes in that lond, Line 2035 
And alle hire olyveres, and vynes eke. Line 2036 
A thousand men he slow eek with his hond, Line 2037 
And hadde no wepen but an asses cheke. Line 2038 
Whan they were slayn, so thursted hym that he Line 2039 
Was wel ny lorn, for which he gan to preye Line 2040 
That God wolde on his peyne han some pitee, Line 2041 
And sende hym drynke, or elles moste he deye; Line 2042 
And of this asses cheke, that was dreye, Line 2043 
Out of a wang-tooth sprang anon a welle, Line 2044 
Of which he drank ynogh, shortly to seye; Line 2045 
Thus heelp hym god, as judicum telle. Line 2046 
By verray force at gazan, on a nyght, Line 2047 
Maugree philistiens of that citee, Line 2048 
The gates of the toun he hath up plyght, Line 2049 
And on his bak ycaryed hem hath hee Line 2050 
Hye on an hill whereas men myghte hem see. Line 2051 
O noble, almyghty sampsoun, lief and deere, Line 2052 
Had thou nat toold to wommen thy secree, Line 2053 
In al this world ne hadde been thy peere! Line 2054 
This sampson nevere ciser drank ne wyn, Line 2055 
Ne on his heed cam rasour noon ne sheere, Line 2056 
By precept of the messager divyn, Line 2057 
For alle his strengthes in his heeres weere. Line 2058 
And fully twenty wynter, yeer by yeere, Line 2059 
He hadde of israel the governaunce. Line 2060 
But soone shal he wepe many a teere, Line 2061 
For wommen shal hym bryngen to meschaunce! Line 2062 
Unto his lemman dalida he tolde Line 2063 
That in his heeris al his strengthe lay, Line 2064 
And falsly to his foomen she hym solde. Line 2065 
And slepynge in hir barm, upon a day, Line 2066 
She made to clippe or shere his heres away, Line 2067 
And made his foomen al his craft espyen; Line 2068 
And whan that they hym foond in this array, Line 2069 
They bounde hym faste and putten out his yen. Line 2070 
But er his heere were clipped or yshave, Line 2071 
Ther was no boond with which men myghte him bynde; Line 2072 
But now is he in prison in a cave, Line 2073 
Were-as they made hym at the queerne grynde. Line 2074 
O noble sampsoun, strongest of mankynde, Line 2075 
O whilom juge, in glorie and in richesse! Line 2076 
Now maystow wepen with thyne eyen blynde, Line 2077 
Sith thou fro wele art falle in wrecchednesse. Line 2078 
The ende of this caytyf was as I shal seye. Line 2079 
His foomen made a feeste upon a day, Line 2080 
And made hym as hire fool biforn hem pleye; Line 2081 
And this was in a temple of greet array. Line 2082 
But atte laste he made a foul affray; Line 2083 
For he two pilers shook and made hem falle, Line 2084 
And doun fil temple and al, and ther it lay, --  Line 2085 
And slow hymself, and eek his foomen alle. Line 2086 
This is to seyn, the prynces everichoon, Line 2087 
And eek thre thousand bodyes, were ther slayn Line 2088 
With fallynge of the grete temple of stoon. Line 2089 
Of sampson now wol I namoore sayn. Line 2090 
Beth war by this ensample oold and playn Line 2091 
That nomen telle hir conseil til hir wyves Line 2092 
Of swich thyng as they wolde han secree fayn, Line 2093 
If that it touche hir lymes or hir lyves. Line 2094 

Hercules
Of hercules, the sovereyn conquerour, Line 2095 
Syngen his werkes laude and heigh renoun; Line 2096 
For in his tyme of strengthe he was the flour. Line 2097 
He slow, and frate the skyn of the leoun; Line 2098 
He of centauros leyde the boost adoun; Line 2099 
He arpies slow, the crueel bryddes felle; Line 2100 
He golden apples rafte of the dragoun; Line 2101 
He drow out cerberus, the hound of helle; Line 2102 
He slow the crueel tyrant busirus, Line 2103 
And made his hors to frete hem, flessh and boon; Line 2104 
He slow the firy serpent venymus; Line 2105 
Of acheloys two hornes he brak oon; Line 2106 
And he slow cacus in a cave of stoon; Line 2107 
He slow the geant antheus the stronge;  Line 2108 

Page 191

 Line 2108 
He slow the grisly boor, and that anon; Line 2109 
And bar the hevene on his nekke longe. Line 2110 
Was nevere wight, sith that this world bigan, Line 2111 
That slow so manye monstres as dide he. Line 2112 
Thurghout this wyde world his name ran, Line 2113 
What for his strengthe and for his heigh bountee, Line 2114 
And every reawme wente he for to see. Line 2115 
He was so stoong that no man myghte hym lette. Line 2116 
At bothe the worldes endes, seith trophee, Line 2117 
In stide of boundes he a pileer sette. Line 2118 
A lemman hadde this noble champioun, Line 2119 
That highte dianira, fressh as may; Line 2120 
And as thise clerkes maken mencioun, Line 2121 
She hath hym sent a sherte, fressh and gay. Line 2122 
Allas! this sherte, allas and weylaway! Line 2123 
Envenymed was so subtilly withalle, Line 2124 
That er that he had wered it half a day, Line 2125 
It made his flessh al from his bones falle. Line 2126 
But nathelees somme clerkes hire excusen Line 2127 
By oon that highte nessus, that it maked. Line 2128 
Be as be may, I wol hire noght accusen; Line 2129 
But on his bak this sherte he wered naked, Line 2130 
Til that his flessh was for the venym blaked. Line 2131 
And whan he saugh noon oother remedye, Line 2132 
In hoote coles he hath hymselven raked, Line 2133 
For with no venym deigned hym to dye. Line 2134 
Thus starf this worthy, myghty hercules. Line 2135 
Lo, who may truste on fortune and throwe? Line 2136 
For hym that folweth al this world of prees, Line 2137 
Er he be war, is ofte yleyd ful lowe. Line 2138 
Ful wys is he that kan hymselven knowe! Line 2139 
Beth war, for whan that fortune list to glose, Line 2140 
Thanne wayteth she her man to overthrowe Line 2141 
By swich a wey as he wolde leest suppose. Line 2142 

Nebchadnezzar
The myghty trone, the precious tresor, Line 2143 
The glorious ceptre, and roial magestee Line 2144 
That hadde the kyng nabugodonosor Line 2145 
With tonge unnethe may discryved bee. Line 2146 
He twyes wan jerusalem the citee; Line 2147 
The vessel of the temple he with hym ladde. Line 2148 
At babiloigne was his sovereyn see, Line 2149 
In which his glorie and his delit he hadde. Line 2150 
The faireste children of the blood roial Line 2151 
Of israel he leet do gelde anoon, Line 2152 
And maked ech of hem to been his thral. Line 2153 
Amonges othere daniel was oon, Line 2154 
That was the wiseste child of everychon; Line 2155 
For he the dremes of the kyng expowned, Line 2156 
Whereas in chaldeye clerk ne was ther noon Line 2157 
That wiste to what fyn his dremes sowned. Line 2158 
This proude kyng leet maken a statue of gold, Line 2159 
Sixty cubites long and sevene in brede; Line 2160 
To which ymage bothe yong and oold Line 2161 
Comanded he to loute, and have in drede, Line 2162 
Or in a fourneys, ful of flambes rede, Line 2163 
He shal be brent that wolde noght obeye. Line 2164 
But nevere wolde assente to that dede Line 2165 
Daniel, ne his yonge felawes tweye. Line 2166 
This kyng of kynges proud was and elaat; Line 2167 
He wente that god, that sit in magestee, Line 2168 
Ne myghte hym nat bireve of his estaat. Line 2169 
But sodeynly he loste his dignytee, Line 2170 
And lyk a beest hym semed for to bee, Line 2171 
And eet hey as an oxe, and lay theroute Line 2172 
In reyn; with wilde beestes walked hee, Line 2173 
Til certein tyme was ycome aboute. Line 2174 
And lik an egles fetheres wax his heres; Line 2175 
His nayles lyk a briddes clawes weere; Line 2176 
Til God relessed hym a certeyn yeres, Line 2177 
And yaf hym wit, and thanne with many a teere Line 2178 
He thanked god, and evere his lyf in feere Line 2179 
Was he to doon amys or moore trespace; Line 2180 
And til that tyme he leyd was on his beere, Line 2181 
He knew that God was ful of myght and grace. Line 2182 

Belshazzar
His sone, which that highte balthasar, Line 2183 
That heeld the regne after his fader day, Line 2184 
He by his fader koude noght be war, Line 2185 
For proud he was of herte and of array; Line 2186 
And eek an ydolastre was he ay. Line 2187 
His hye estaat assured hym in pryde; Line 2188 
But fortune caste hym doun, and ther he lay, Line 2189 
And sodeynly his regne gan divide. Line 2190 
A feeste he made unto his lordes alle, Line 2191 
Upon a tyme, and bad hem blithe bee; Line 2192 
And thanne his officeres gan he calle: Line 2193 
Gooth, bryngeth forth the vesseles, quod he, Line 2194 
Whiche that my fader in his prosperitee Line 2195 
Out of the temple of jerusalem birafte; Line 2196 
And to oure hye goddes thanke we Line 2197 
Of honour that oure eldres with us lafte.  Line 2198 

Page 192

 Line 2198 
Hys wyf, his lordes, and his concubynes Line 2199 
Ay dronken, whil hire appetites laste, Line 2200 
Out of thise noble vessels sondry wynes. Line 2201 
And on a wal this kyng his eyen caste, Line 2202 
And saugh an hand, armlees, that wroot ful faste, Line 2203 
For feere if which he quook and siked soore. Line 2204 
This hand, that balthasar so soore agaste, Line 2205 
Wroot mane, techel phares, and namoore. Line 2206 
In all that land magicien was noon Line 2207 
That koude expoune what this lettre mente; Line 2208 
But daniel expowned it anoon, Line 2209 
And seyde, kyng, God to thy fader lente Line 2210 
Glorie and honour, regne, tresour, rente; Line 2211 
And he was proud, and nothyng God ne dradde, Line 2212 
And therfore God greet wreche upon hym sente, Line 2213 
And hym birafte the regne that he hadde. Line 2214 
He was out cast of mannes compaignye; Line 2215 
With asses was his habitacioun, Line 2216 
And eet hey as a beest in weet and drye, Line 2217 
Til that he knew, by grace and by resoun, Line 2218 
That God of hevene hath domynacioun Line 2219 
Over every regne and every creature; Line 2220 
And thanne hadde God of hym compassioun, Line 2221 
And hym restored his regne and his figure. Line 2222 
Eek thou, that art his sone, art proud also, Line 2223 
And knowest alle thise thynges verraily, Line 2224 
And art rebel to god, and art his foo. Line 2225 
Thou drank eek of his vessels boldely; Line 2226 
Thy wyf eek, and thy wenches, synfully Line 2227 
Dronke of the same vessels sondry wynys; Line 2228 
And heryest false goddes cursedly; Line 2229 
Therfore to thee yshapen ful greet pyne ys. Line 2230 
This hand was sent from God that on the wal Line 2231 
Wroot mane, techel, phares, truste me; Line 2232 
Thy regne is doon, thou weyest noght at al. Line 2233 
Dyvyded is thy regne, and it shal be Line 2234 
To medes and to perses yeven, quod he. Line 2235 
And thilke same nyght this kyng was slawe, Line 2236 
And darius occupieth his degree, Line 2237 
Thogh he therto hadde neither right ne lawe. Line 2238 
Lordynges, ensample heerby may ye take Line 2239 
How that in lordshipe is no sikernesse; Line 2240 
For whan fortune wole a man forsake, Line 2241 
She bereth awey his regne and his richesse, Line 2242 
And eek his freendes, bothe moore and lesse. Line 2243 
For what man that hath freendes thurgh fortune, Line 2244 
Mishap wol maken hem enemys, I gesse; Line 2245 
This proverbe is ful sooth and ful commune. Line 2246 

Zenobia
Cenobia, of palymerie queene, Line 2247 
As writen persiens of hir noblesse, Line 2248 
So worthy was in armes and so keene, Line 2249 
That no wight passed hire in hardynesse, Line 2250 
Ne in lynage, ne in oother gentillesse. Line 2251 
Of kynges blood of perce is she descended. Line 2252 
I seye nat that she hadde moost fairnesse, Line 2253 
But of his shap she myghte nat been amended. Line 2254 
From hire childhede I fynde that she fledde Line 2255 
Office of wommen, and to wode she wente, Line 2256 
And many a wolde hertes blood she shedde Line 2257 
With arwes brode that she to hem sente. Line 2258 
She was so swift that she anon hem hente; Line 2259 
And whan that she was elder, she wolde Line 2260 
Leouns, leopardes, and beres al torente, Line 2261 
And in hire armes weelde hem at hir wille. Line 2262 
She dorste wilde beestes dennes seke, Line 2263 
And rennen in the montaignes al the nyght, Line 2264 
And slepen under a bussh, and she koude eke Line 2265 
Wrastlen, by verray force and varray myght, Line 2266 
With any yong man, were he never so wight. Line 2267 
Ther myghte no thyng in hir armes stonde. Line 2268 
She kepte hir maydenhod from every wight; Line 2269 
To no man deigned hire for to be bonde. Line 2270 
But atte laste hir freendes han hire maried Line 2271 
To odenake, a prynce of that contree, Line 2272 
Al were it so that she hem longe taried. Line 2273 
And ye shul understonde how that he Line 2274 
Hadde swiche fantasies as hadde she. Line 2275 
But natheless, whan they were knyt in-feere, Line 2276 
They lyved in joye and in felicitee; Line 2277 
For ech of hem hadde oother lief and deere. Line 2278 
Save o thyng, that she wolde nevere assente, Line 2279 
By no wey, that he sholde by hire lye Line 2280 
But ones, for it was hire pleyn entente Line 2281 
To have a child, the world to multiplye; Line 2282 
And also soone as that she myghte espye Line 2283 
That she was nat with childe with that dede Line 2284 
Thanne wolde she suffre hym doon his fantasye Line 2285 
Eft-soone, and nat but oones, out of drede.  Line 2286 

Page 193

 Line 2286 
And if she were with childe at thilke cast, Line 2287 
Namoore sholde he pleyen thilke game Line 2288 
Til fully fourty wikes weren past; Line 2289 
Thanne wolde she ones suffre hym do the same. Line 2290 
Al were this odenake wolde or tame, Line 2291 
He gat namoore of hire, for thus she seyde, Line 2292 
It was to wyves lecherie and shame, Line 2293 
In oother caas, if that men with hem pleyde. Line 2294 
Two sones by this odenake hadde she, Line 2295 
The whiche she kepte in verty and lettrure; Line 2296 
But now unto oure tale turne we. Line 2297 
I seye, so worshipful a creature, Line 2298 
And wys therwith, and large with mesure, Line 2299 
So penyble in the werre, and curteis eke, Line 2300 
Ne moore laboure myghte in werre endure, Line 2301 
Was noon, though al this world men sholde seke. Line 2302 
Hir riche array ne myghte nat be told, Line 2303 
As wel in vessel as in hire clothyng. Line 2304 
She was al clad in perree and in gold, Line 2305 
And eek she lafte noght, for noon huntyng, Line 2306 
To have of sondry tonges ful knowyng, Line 2307 
Whan that she leyser hadde; and for to entende Line 2308 
To lerne bookes was al hire likyng, Line 2309 
How she in vertu myghte hir lyf dispende. Line 2310 
And shortly of this storie for to trete, Line 2311 
So doghty was hir housbonde and eek she, Line 2312 
That they conquered manye regnes grete Line 2313 
In the orient, with many a fair citee Line 2314 
Apertanaunt unto the magestee Line 2315 
Of rome, and with strong hond held hem ful faste, Line 2316 
Ne nevere myghte hir foomen doon hem flee, Line 2317 
Ay whil that odenakes dayes laste. Line 2318 
Hir batailles, whoso list hem for to rede, Line 2319 
Agayn spor the kyng and othere mo, Line 2320 
And how that al this proces fil in dede, Line 2321 
Why she conquered, and what title had therto, Line 2322 
And after, of hir meschief and hire wo, Line 2323 
How that she was biseged and ytake, --  Line 2324 
Lat hym unto my maister petrak go, Line 2325 
That writ ynough of this, I undertake. Line 2326 
Whan odenake was deed, she myghtily Line 2327 
The regnes heeld, and with hire propre hond Line 2328 
Agayn hir foos she faught so cruelly Line 2329 
That ther nas kyng ne prynce in al that lond Line 2330 
That he nas glad, if he that grace fond, Line 2331 
That she ne wolde upon his lond werreye. Line 2332 
With hire they maden alliance by bond Line 2333 
To been in pees, and lete hire ride and pleye. Line 2334 
The emperour of rome, claudius Line 2335 
Ne hym bifore, the romayn galien, Line 2336 
Ne dorste nevere been so corageus, Line 2337 
Ne noon ermyn, ne noon egipcien, Line 2338 
Ne surrien, ne noon arabyen, Line 2339 
Withinne the feeld that dorste with hire fighte, Line 2340 
Lest that she wolde hem with hir handes slen, Line 2341 
Or with hir meignee putten hem to flighte. Line 2342 
In kynges habit wente hir sones two, Line 2343 
As heires of hir fadres regnes alle, Line 2344 
And hermanno and thymalao Line 2345 
Hir names were, as persiens hem calle. Line 2346 
But ay fortune hath in hire hony galle; Line 2347 
This myghty queene may no while endure. Line 2348 
Fortune out of hir regne made hire falle Line 2349 
To wrecchednesse and to mysaventure. Line 2350 
Aurelian, whan that the governaunce Line 2351 
Of rome cam into his handes tweye, Line 2352 
He shoop upon this queene to doon vengeaunce. Line 2353 
And with his legions he took his weye Line 2354 
Toward cenobie, and shortly for to seye, Line 2355 
He made hire flee, and atte laste hire hente, Line 2356 
And fettred hire, and eek hire children tweye, Line 2357 
And wan the land, and hoom to rome he wente. Line 2358 
Amonges othere thynges that he wan, Line 2359 
Hir chaar, that was with gold wroght and perree, Line 2360 
This grete romayn, this aurelian, Line 2361 
Hath with hym lad, for that men sholde it see. Line 2362 
Biforen his triumphe walketh shee, Line 2363 
With gilte cheynes on hire nekke hangynge. Line 2364 
Coroned was she, as after hir degree, Line 2365 
And ful of perree charged hire clothynge. Line 2366 
Allas, fortune! she that whilom was Line 2367 
Dredeful to kynges and to emperoures, Line 2368 
Now gaureth al the peple on hire, allas! Line 2369 
And she that helmed was in starke stoures, Line 2370 
And wan by force townes stronge and toures, Line 2371 
Shal on hir heed now were a vitremyte; Line 2372 
And she that bar the ceptre ful of floures Line 2373 
Shal bere a distaf, hire cost for to quyte Line 2374 

Page 194

Pedro of Castille
O noble, o worthy petro, glorie of spayne, Line 2375 
Whom fortune heeld so hye in magestee, Line 2376 
Wel oghten men thy pitous deeth complayne! Line 2377 
Out of thy land thy brother made thee flee, Line 2378 
And after, at a seege, by subtiltee, Line 2379 
Thou were bitraysed and lad unto his tente, Line 2380 
Where as he with his owene hand slow thee, Line 2381 
Succedynge in thy regne and in thy rente. Line 2382 
The feeld of snow, with th' egle of blak therinne, Line 2383 
Caught with the lymrod coloured as the gleede, Line 2384 
He brew this cursednesse and al this synne. Line 2385 
The wikked nest was werker of this nede. Line 2386 
Noght charles olyver, that took ay heede Line 2387 
Of trouthe and honoure, but of armorike Line 2388 
Genylon-olyver, corrupt for meede, Line 2389 
Broghte this worthy kyng in swich a brike. Line 2390 

De Petro Rege de Cipro
O worthy petro, kyng of cipre, also, Line 2391 
That alisandre wan by heigh maistrie, Line 2392 
Ful many an hethen wroghtestow ful wo, Line 2393 
Of which thyne owene liges hadde envie, Line 2394 
And for no thyng but for thy chivalrie Line 2395 
They in thy bed han slayn thee by the morwe. Line 2396 
Thus kan fortune hir wheel governe and gye, Line 2397 
And out of joye brynge men to sorwe. Line 2398 

De Barnabo de Lumbardia
Off melan grete barnabo viscounte, Line 2399 
God of delit, and scourge of lumbardye, Line 2400 
Why sholde I nat thyn infortune acounte, Line 2401 
Sith in estaat thow cloumbe were so hye? Line 2402 
Thy brother sone, that was thy double allye, Line 2403 
For he thy nevew was, and sone-in-lawe, Line 2404 
Withinne his prisoun made thee to dye, --  Line 2405 
But why, ne how, noot I that thou were slawe. Line 2406 

De Hugelino Comite de Pize
Off the erl hugelyn of pyze the langour Line 2407 
Ther may no tonge telle for pitee. Line 2408 
But litel out of pize stant a tour, Line 2409 
In which tour in prisoun put was he, Line 2410 
And with hym been his litel children thre; Line 2411 
The eldest scarsly fyf yeer was of age. Line 2412 
Allas, fortune! it was greet crueltee Line 2413 
Swiche briddes for to putte in swich a cage! Line 2414 
Dampned was he to dyen in that prisoun, Line 2415 
For roger, which that bisshop was of pize, Line 2416 
Hadde on hym maad a fals suggestioun, Line 2417 
Thurgh which the peple gan upon hym rise, Line 2418 
And putten hym to prisoun, in swich wise Line 2419 
As ye han herd, and mete and drynke he hadde Line 2420 
So smal, that wel unnethe it may suffise, Line 2421 
And therwithal it was ful povre and badde. Line 2422 
And on a day bifil that in that hour Line 2423 
Whan that his mete wont was to be broght, Line 2424 
The gayler shette the dores of the tour. Line 2425 
He herde it wel, but he spak right noght, Line 2426 
And in his herte anon ther fil a thoght Line 2427 
That they for hunger wolde doon hym dyen. Line 2428 
Allas! quod he, allas, that I was wroght! Line 2429 
Therwith the teeris fillen from his yen. Line 2430 
His yonge sone, that thre yeer was of age, Line 2431 
Unto hym seyde, fader, why do ye wepe? Line 2432 
Whanne wol the gayler bryngen oure potage? Line 2433 
Is ther no morsel breed that ye do kepe? Line 2434 
I am so hungry that I may nat slepe. Line 2435 
Now wolde God that I myghte slepen evere! Line 2436 
Thanne sholde nat hunger in my wombe crepe; Line 2437 
Ther is no thyng, save breed, that me were levere. Line 2438 
Thus day by day this child bigan to crye, Line 2439 
Til in his fadres barm adoun it lay, Line 2440 
And seyde, farewel, fader, I moot dye! Line 2441 
And kiste his fader, and dyde the same day. Line 2442 
And whan the woful fader deed it say, Line 2443 
For wo his armes two he gan to byte, Line 2444 
And seyde, allas, fortune, and weylaway! Line 2445 
Thy false wheel my wo al may I wyte. Line 2446 
His children wende that it for hunger was Line 2447 
That he his armes gnow, and nat for wo, Line 2448 
And seyde, fader, do nat so, allas! Line 2449 
But rather ete the flessh upon us two. Line 2450 
Oure flessh thou yaf us, take oure flessh us fro, Line 2451 
And ete ynogh, -- right thus they to hym seyde, Line 2452 
And after that, withinne a day or two, Line 2453 
They leyde hem in his lappe adoun and deyde. Line 2454 
Hymself, despeired, eek for hunger starf; Line 2455 
Thus ended is this myghty erl of pize. Line 2456 
From heigh estaat fortune awey hym carf. Line 2457 
Of this tragedie it oghte ynough suffise; Line 2458 
Whoso wol here it in a lenger wise, Line 2459 
Redeth the grete poete of ytaille Line 2460 
That highte dant, for he kan al devyse Line 2461 
Fro point to point, nat o word wol he faille. Line 2462 

Page 195

Nero
Although that nero were as vicius Line 2463 
As any feend that lith ful lowe adoun, Line 2464 
Yet he, as telleth us swetonius, Line 2465 
This wyde world hadde in subjeccioun, Line 2466 
Bothe est and west, (south), and septemtrioun. Line 2467 
Of rubies, saphires, and of peerles white Line 2468 
Were alle his clothes brouded up and doun; Line 2469 
For he in gemmes greetly gan delite. Line 2470 
Moore delicaat, moore pompous of array, Line 2471 
Moore proud was nevere emperour than he; Line 2472 
That like clooth that he hadde wered o day, Line 2473 
After that tyme he nolde it nevere see. Line 2474 
Nettes of gold threed hadde he greet plentee Line 2475 
To fisshe in tybre, whan hym liste pleye. Line 2476 
His lustes were al lawe in his decree, Line 2477 
For fortune as his freend hym wolde obeye. Line 2478 
He rome brende for his delicasie; Line 2479 
The senatours he slow upon a day Line 2480 
To heere how that men wolde wepe and crie; Line 2481 
And slow his brother, and by his suster lay. Line 2482 
His mooder made he in pitous array, Line 2483 
For he hire wombe slitte to biholde Line 2484 
Where he conceyved was; so weilaway! Line 2485 
That he so litel of his mooder tolde. Line 2486 
No teere out of his eyen for that sighte Line 2487 
Ne cam, but seyde, a fair womman was she! Line 2488 
Greet wonder is how that he koude or myghte Line 2489 
Be domesman of hire dede beautee. Line 2490 
The wyn to bryngen hym comanded he, Line 2491 
And drank anon, -- noon oother wo he made. Line 2492 
Whan myght is joyned unto crueltee, Line 2493 
Allas, to depe wol the venym wade! Line 2494 
In yowthe a maister hadde this emperour Line 2495 
To teche hym letterure and curteisye, Line 2496 
For of moralitee he was the flour, Line 2497 
As in his tyme, but if bookes lye; Line 2498 
And whil this maister hadde of hym maistrye, Line 2499 
He maked hym so konnyng and so sowple Line 2500 
That longe tyme it was er tirannye Line 2501 
Or any vice dorste on hym uncowple. Line 2502 
This seneca, of which that I devyse, Line 2503 
By cause nero hadde of hym swich drede, Line 2504 
For he fro vices wolde hym ay chastise Line 2505 
Discreetly, as by word and nat by dede, --  Line 2506 
Sire, wolde he seyn, an emperour moot nede Line 2507 
Be vertuous and hate tirannye --  Line 2508 
For which he in a bath made hym to blede Line 2509 
On bothe his armes, til he moste dye. Line 2510 
This nero hadde eek of acustumaunce Line 2511 
In youthe agayns his maister for to ryse, Line 2512 
Which afterward hym thoughte a greet grevaunce; Line 2513 
Therefore he made hym dyen in this wise. Line 2514 
But natheless this seneca the wise Line 2515 
Chees in a bath to dye in this manere Line 2516 
Rather than han another tormentise; Line 2517 
And thus hath nero slayn his maister deere. Line 2518 
Now fil it so that fortune liste no lenger Line 2519 
The ye pryde of nero to cherice, Line 2520 
For though that he were strong, yet was she strenger. Line 2521 
She thoughte thus, by god! I am to nyce Line 2522 
To sette a man that is fulfild of vice Line 2523 
In heigh degree, and emperour hym calle. Line 2524 
By god! out of his sete I wol hym trice; Line 2525 
Whan he leest weneth, sonnest shal he falle. Line 2526 
The peple roos upon hym on a nyght Line 2527 
For his defaute, and whan he it espied, Line 2528 
Out of his dores anon he hath hym dight Line 2529 
Allone, and ther he wende han been allied, Line 2530 
He knokked faste, and ay the moore he cried, Line 2531 
The fastere shette they the dores alle. Line 2532 
Tho wiste he wel, he hadde himself mysgyed, Line 2533 
And wente his wey; no lenger dorste he calle. Line 2534 
The peple cried and rombled up and doun, Line 2535 
That with his erys herde he how they seyde, Line 2536 
Shere is this false tiraunt, this neroun? Line 2537 
For fere almoost out of his wit he breyde, Line 2538 
And to his goddes pitously he preyde Line 2539 
For socour, but it myghte nat bityde. Line 2540 
For drede of this, hym thoughte that he deyde, Line 2541 
And ran into a gardyn hym to hyde. Line 2542 
And in this gardyn foond he cherles tweye Line 2543 
That seten by a fyr full greet and reed. Line 2544 
And to thise cherles two he gan to preye Line 2545 
To sleen hym, and to girden of his heed, Line 2546 
That to his body, whan that he were deed, Line 2547 
Were no despit ydoon for his defame. Line 2548 
Hymself he slow, he koude no bettre reed, Line 2549 
Of which fortune lough, and hadde a game. Line 2550 

Page 196

De Oloferno
Was nevere capitayn under a kyng Line 2551 
That regnes mo putte in subjeccioun, Line 2552 
Ne strenger was in feeld of alle thyng, Line 2553 
As in his tyme, ne gretter of renoun, Line 2554 
Ne moore pompous in heigh presumpcioun Line 2555 
Than oloferne, which fortune ay kiste Line 2556 
So likerously, and ladde hym up and doun, Line 2557 
Til that his heed was of, er that he wiste. Line 2558 
Nat oonly that this world hadde hym in awe Line 2559 
For lesynge of richesse or libertee, Line 2560 
But he made every man reneyen his lawe. Line 2561 
Nabugodonosor was god, seyde hee; Line 2562 
Noon oother God sholde adoured bee. Line 2563 
Agayns his heeste no wight dar trespace, Line 2564 
Save in bethulia, a strong citee, Line 2565 
Where eliachim a preest was of that place. Line 2566 
But taak kep of the deth of oloferne: Line 2567 
Amydde his hoost he dronke lay a-nyght, Line 2568 
Withinne his tente, large as is a berne, Line 2569 
And yet, for al his pompe and al his myght, Line 2570 
Judith, a womman, as he lay upright Line 2571 
Slepynge, his heed of smoot, and from his tente Line 2572 
Ful pryvely she stal from every wight, Line 2573 
And with his heed unto hir toun she wente. Line 2574 

De Rege Antiocho illustri
What nedeth it of kyng anthiochus Line 2575 
To telle his hye roial magestee, Line 2576 
His hye pride, his werkes venymus? Line 2577 
For swich another was ther noon as he. Line 2578 
Rede which that he was in machabee, Line 2579 
And rede the proude wordes that he seyde, Line 2580 
And why he fil fro heigh prosperitee, Line 2581 
And in an hill how wrecchedly he deyde. Line 2582 
Fortune hym hadde enhaunced so in pride Line 2583 
That verraily he wende he myghte attayne Line 2584 
Unto the sterres upon every syde, Line 2585 
And in balance weyen ech montayne, Line 2586 
And alle the floodes of the see restrayne. Line 2587 
And goddes peple hadde he moost in hate; Line 2588 
Hem wolde he sleen in torment and in payne, Line 2589 
Wenynge that God ne myghte his pride abate. Line 2590 
And for that nichanore and thymothee Line 2591 
Of jewes weren venquysshed myghtily, Line 2592 
Unto the jewes swich an hate hadde he Line 2593 
That he bad greithen his chaar ful hastily, Line 2594 
And swoor, and seyde ful despitously Line 2595 
Unto jerusalem he wolde eftsoone, Line 2596 
To wreken his ire on it ful cruelly; Line 2597 
But of his purpos he was let ful soone. Line 2598 
God for his manace hym so soore smoot Line 2599 
With invisible wounde, ay incurable, Line 2600 
That in his guttes carf it so and boot Line 2601 
That his peynes weren importable. Line 2602 
And certeinly the wreche was resonable, Line 2603 
For many a mannes guttes dide he peyne. Line 2604 
But from his purpos cursed and dampnable, Line 2605 
For al his smert, he wolde hym nat restreyne, Line 2606 
But bad anon apparaillen his hoost; Line 2607 
And sodeynly, er he was of it war, Line 2608 
God daunted al his pride and al his boost. Line 2609 
For he so soore fil out of his char Line 2610 
That it his limes and his skyn totar, Line 2611 
So that he neyther myghte go ne ryde, Line 2612 
But in a chayer men aboute hym bar, Line 2613 
Al forbrused, bothe bak and syde. Line 2614 
The wreche of God hym smoot so cruelly Line 2615 
That thurgh his body wikked wormes crepte, Line 2616 
And therwithal he stank so horribly Line 2617 
That noon of al his meynee that hym kepte, Line 2618 
Theither so he wook, or ellis slepte, Line 2619 
Ne myghte noght the stynk of hym endure. Line 2620 
In this meschief he wayled and eek wepte, Line 2621 
And knew God lord of every creature. Line 2622 
To al his hoost and to hymself also Line 2623 
Ful wlatsom was the stynk of his careyne; Line 2624 
No man ne myghte hym bere to ne fro. Line 2625 
And in this stynk and this horrible peyne, Line 2626 
He starf ful wrecchedly in a monteyne. Line 2627 
Thus hath this robbour and this homycide, Line 2628 
That many a man made to wepe and pleyne, Line 2629 
Swich gerdoun as bilongeth unto pryde. Line 2630 

De Alexandro
The storie of alisaundre is so commune Line 2631 
That every wight that hath discrecioun Line 2632 
Hath herd somwhat or al of his fortune. Line 2633 
This wyde world, as in conclusioun, Line 2634 
He wan by strengthe, or for his hye renoun Line 2635 
They weren glad for pees unto hym sende. Line 2636 
The pride of man and beest he leyde adoun, Line 2637 
Wherso he cam, unto the worldes ende.  Line 2638 

Page 197

 Line 2638 
Comparisoun myghte nevere yet maked Line 2639 
Bitwixe hym and another conquerour; Line 2640 
For al this world for drede of hym hath quaked. Line 2641 
He was of knyghthod and of fredom flour; Line 2642 
Fortune hym made the heir of hire honour. Line 2643 
Save wyn and wommen, no thing myghte aswage Line 2644 
His hye entente in armes and labour, Line 2645 
So was he ful of leonyn corage. Line 2646 
What pris were it to hym, though I yow tolde Line 2647 
Of darius, and an hundred thousand mo Line 2648 
Of kynges, prices, dukes, erles bolde Line 2649 
Whiche he conquered, and broghte hem into wo? Line 2650 
I seye, as fer as man may ryde or go, Line 2651 
The world was his, -- what sholde I moore devyse? Line 2652 
For though I write or tolde yow everemo Line 2653 
Of his knyghthod, it myghte nat suffise. Line 2654 
Twelf yeer he regned, as seith machabee. Line 2655 
Philippes sone of macidoyne he was, Line 2656 
That first was kyng in grece the contree. Line 2657 
O worthy, gentil alisandre, allas, Line 2658 
That evere sholde fallen swich a cas! Line 2659 
Empoysoned of thyn owene folk thou weere; Line 2660 
Thy sys fortune hath turned into aas, Line 2661 
And yet for thee ne weep she never a teere. Line 2662 
Who shal me yeven teeris to compleyne Line 2663 
The deeth of gentillesse and of franchise, Line 2664 
That al the world weelded in his demeyne, Line 2665 
And yet hym thoughte it myghte nat suffise? Line 2666 
So ful was his corage of heigh emprise. Line 2667 
Allas! who shal me helpe to endite Line 2668 
False fortune, and poyson to despise, Line 2669 
The whiche two of al this wo I wyte? Line 2670 

De Julio Cesare
By wisedom, manhede, and by greet labour, Line 2671 
From humble bed to roial magestee Line 2672 
Up roos he julius, the conquerour, Line 2673 
That wan al th' occident by land and see, Line 2674 
By strengthe of hand, or elles by tretee, Line 2675 
And unto rome made hem tributarie; Line 2676 
And sitthe of rome the emperour was he, Line 2677 
Til that fortune weex his adversarie. Line 2678 
O myghty cesar, that in thessalie Line 2679 
Agayn pompeus, fader thyn in lawe, Line 2680 
That of the orient hadde al the chivalrie Line 2681 
As fer as that the day bigynneth dawe, Line 2682 
Thou thurgh thy knyghthod hast hem take and slawe, Line 2683 
Save fewe folk that with pompeus fledde, Line 2684 
Thurgh which thou puttest al th' orient in awe. Line 2685 
Thanke fortune, that so wel thee spedde! Line 2686 
But now a litel while I wol biwaille Line 2687 
This pompeus, this noble governour Line 2688 
Of rome, which that fleigh at this bataille. Line 2689 
I seye, oon of his men, a fals traitour, Line 2690 
His heed of smoot, to wynnen hym favour Line 2691 
Of julius, and hym the heed he broghte. Line 2692 
Allas, pompeye, of th' orient conquerour, Line 2693 
That fortune unto swich a fyn thee broghte! Line 2694 
To rome agayn repaireth julius Line 2695 
With his triumphe, lauriat ful hey; Line 2696 
But on a tyme brutus cassius, Line 2697 
That evere hadde of his hye estaat envye, Line 2698 
Ful prively hath maad conspiracye Line 2699 
Agayns this julius in subtil wise, Line 2700 
And caste the place in which he sholde dye Line 2701 
With boydekyns, as I shal yow devyse. Line 2702 
This julius to the capitolie wente Line 2703 
Upon a day, as he was wont to goon, Line 2704 
And in the capitolie anon hym hente Line 2705 
This false brutus and his othere foon, Line 2706 
And stiked hym with boydekyns anoon Line 2707 
With many a wounde, and thus they lete hym lye; Line 2708 
But nevere gronte he at no strook but oon, Line 2709 
Or elles at two, but if his storie lye. Line 2710 
So manly was this julius of herte, Line 2711 
And so wel lovede estaatly honestee, Line 2712 
That though his deedly woundes soore smerte, Line 2713 
His mantel over his hypes caste he, Line 2714 
For no man sholde seen his privetee; Line 2715 
And he lay of diyng in a traunce, Line 2716 
And wiste verraily that deed was hee, Line 2717 
Of honestee yet hadde he remembraunce. Line 2718 
Lucan, to thee this storie I recomende, Line 2719 
And to swetoun, and to valerie also, Line 2720 
That of this storie writen word and ende, Line 2721 
How that to thise grete conqueroures two Line 2722 
Fortune was first freend, and sitthe foo. Line 2723 
No man ne truste upon hire favour longe, Line 2724 
But have hire in awayt for everemoo; Line 2725 
Witnesse on alle thise conqueroures stronge. Line 2726 

Page 198

Croesus
This riche cresus, whilom kyng of lyde, Line 2727 
Of which cresus cirus soore hym dradde, Line 2728 
Yet was he caught amyddes al his pryde, Line 2729 
And to be brent men to the fyr hym ladde. Line 2730 
But swich a reyn doun fro the welkne shadde Line 2731 
That slow the fyr, and made hym to escape; Line 2732 
But to be war no grace yet he hadde, Line 2733 
Til fortune on the galwes made hym gape. Line 2734 
Whanne he escaped was, he kan nat stente Line 2735 
For to bigynne a newe werre agayn. Line 2736 
He wende wel, for that fortune hym sente Line 2737 
Swich hap that he escaped thurgh the rayn, Line 2738 
That of his foos he myghte nat be slayn; Line 2739 
And eek a sweven upon a nyght he mette, Line 2740 
Of which he was so proud and eek so fayn Line 2741 
That in vengeance he al his herte sette. Line 2742 
Upon a tree he was, as that hym thoughte, Line 2743 
Ther juppiter hym wessh, bothe bak and syde, Line 2744 
And phebus eek a fair towaille hym broughte Line 2745 
To dryen hym with; and therfore was his pryde, Line 2746 
And to his doghter, that stood hym bisyde, Line 2747 
Which that he knew in heigh sentence habounde, Line 2748 
He bad hire telle hym what it signyfyde, Line 2749 
And she his dreem bigan right thus expounde: Line 2750 
The tree, quod she, the galwes is to meene, Line 2751 
And juppiter bitokneth snow and reyn, Line 2752 
And phebus, with his towaille so clene, Line 2753 
Tho been the sonne stremes for to seyn. Line 2754 
Thou shalt anhanged be, fader, certeyn; Line 2755 
Reyn shal thee wasshe, and sonne shal thee drye. Line 2756 
Thus warned hym ful plat and eek ful pleyn Line 2757 
His doghter, which that called was phanye. Line 2758 
Anhanged was cresus, the proude kyng; Line 2759 
His roial trone myghte hym nat availle. Line 2760 
Tragedies noon oother maner thyng Line 2761 
Ne kan in syngyng crie ne biwaille Line 2762 
But that fortune alwey wole assaille Line 2763 
With unwar strook the regnes that been proude; Line 2764 
For whan men trusteth hire, thanne wol she faille, Line 2765 
And covere hire brighte face with a clowde. Line 2766 

The Knight's Interruption of the Monk's Tale
Hoo! quod the knyght, good sire, namoore of this! Line 2767 
That ye han seyd is right ynough, ywis, Line 2768 
And muchel moore; for litel hevynesse Line 2769 
Is right ynough to muche folk, I gesse. Line 2770 
I seye for me, it is a greet disese, Line 2771 
Whereas men han been in greet welthe and ese, Line 2772 
To heeren of hire sodeyn fal, allas! Line 2773 
And the contrarie is joye and greet solas, Line 2774 
As whan a man hath been in povre estaat, Line 2775 
And clymbeth up and wexeth fortunat, Line 2776 
And there abideth in prosperitee. Line 2777 
Swich thyng is gladsom, as it thynketh me, Line 2778 
And of swich thyng were goodly for to telle. Line 2779 
Ye, quod oure hooste, by seint poules belle! Line 2780 
Ye seye right sooth; this monk he clappeth lowde. Line 2781 
He spak how fortune covered with a clowde Line 2782 
I noot nevere what; and als of a tragedie Line 2783 
Right now ye herde, and, pardee, no remedie Line 2784 
It is for to biwaille ne compleyne Line 2785 
That that is doon, and als it is a peyne, Line 2786 
As ye han seyd, to heere of hevynesse. Line 2787 
Sire monk, namoore of this, so God yow blesse!  Line 2788 

Page 199

 Line 2788 
Youre tale anoyeth al this compaignye. Line 2789 
Swich talkyng is nat worth a boterflye, Line 2790 
For therinne is ther no desport ne game. Line 2791 
Wherfore, sire monk, or daun piers by youre name, Line 2792 
I pray yow hertely telle us somwhat elles; Line 2793 
For sikerly, nere clunkyng of youre belles, Line 2794 
That on youre bridel hange on every syde, Line 2795 
By hevene kyng, that for us alle dyde, Line 2796 
I sholde er this han fallen doun for sleep, Line 2797 
Althogh the slough had never been so deep; Line 2798 
Thanne hadde your tale al be toold in veyn. Line 2799 
For certeinly, as that thise clerkes seyn, Line 2800 
Whereas a man may have noon audience, Line 2801 
Noght helpeth it to tellen his sentence. Line 2802 
And wel I woot the substance is in me, Line 2803 
If any thyng shal wel reported be. Line 2804 
Sir, sey somwhat of huntyng, I yow preye. Line 2805 
Nay, quod this monk, I have no lust to pleye. Line 2806 
Now lat another telle, as I have toold. Line 2807 
Thanne spak oure hoost with rude speche and boold, Line 2808 
And seyde unto the nonnes preest anon, Line 2809 
Com neer, thou preest, com hyder, thou sir john! Line 2810 
Telle us swich thyng as may oure hertes glade. Line 2811 
Be blithe, though thou ryde upon a jade. Line 2812 
What thogh thyn hors be bothe foul and lene? Line 2813 
If he wol serve thee, rekke nat a bene. Line 2814 
Looke that thyn herte be murie everemo. Line 2815 
Yis, sir, quod he, yis, hoost, so moot I go, Line 2816 
But I be myrie, ywis I wol be blamed. Line 2817 
And right anon his tale he hath attamed, Line 2818 
And thus he seyde unto us everichon, Line 2819 
This sweete preest, this goodly man sir john. Line 2820 

The Nun's Priest's Tale
A povre wydwe, somdeel stape in age Line 2821 
Was whilom dwellyng in a narwe cotage, Line 2822 
Biside a grove, stondynge in a dale. Line 2823 
This wydwe, of which I telle yow my tale, Line 2824 
Syn thilke day that she was last a wyf, Line 2825 
In pacience ladde a ful symple lyf, Line 2826 
For litel was hir catel and hir rente. Line 2827 
By housbondrie of swich as God hire sente Line 2828 
She foond hirself and eek hir doghtren two. Line 2829 
Thre large sowes hadde she, and namo, Line 2830 
Three keen, and eek a sheep that highte malle. Line 2831 
Ful sooty was hire bour and eek hir halle, Line 2832 
In which she eet ful many a sklendre meel. Line 2833 
Of poynaunt sauce hir neded never a deel. Line 2834 
No deyntee morsel passed thurgh hir throte; Line 2835 
Hir diete was accordant to hir cote. Line 2836 
Repleccioun ne made hire nevere sik; Line 2837 
Attempree diete was al hir phisik, Line 2838 
And exercise, and hertes suffisaunce. Line 2839 
The goute lette hire nothyng for to daunce, Line 2840 
N' apoplexie shente nat hir heed. Line 2841 
No wyn ne drank she, neither whit ne reed; Line 2842 
Hir bord was served moost with whit and blak, --  Line 2843 
Milk and broun breed, in which she foond no lak, Line 2844 
Seynd bacoun, and somtyme an ey or tweye; Line 2845 
For she was, as it were, a maner deye. Line 2846 
A yeerd she hadde, enclosed al aboute Line 2847 
With stikkes, and a drye dych withoute, Line 2848 
In which she hadde a cok, hight chauntecleer. Line 2849 
In al the land, of crowyng nas his peer. Line 2850 
His voys was murier than the murie orgon Line 2851 
On messe-dayes that in the chirche gon. Line 2852 
Wel sikerer was his crowyng in his logge Line 2853 
Than is a clokke or an abbey orlogge. Line 2854 
By nature he knew ech ascencioun Line 2855 
Of the equynoxial in thilke toun; Line 2856 
For whan degrees fiftene weren ascended, Line 2857 
Thanne crew he, that it myghte nat been amended. Line 2858 
His coomb was redder than the fyn coral,  Line 2859 

Page 200

 Line 2859 
And batailled as it were a castel wal; Line 2860 
His byle was blak, and as the jeet it shoon; Line 2861 
Lyk asure were his legges and his toon; Line 2862 
His nayles whitter than the lylye flour, Line 2863 
And lyk the burned gold was his colour. Line 2864 
This gentil cok hadde in his governaunce Line 2865 
Sevene hennes for to doon al his plesaunce, Line 2866 
Whiche were his sustres and his paramours, Line 2867 
And wonder lyk to hym, as of colours; Line 2868 
Of whiche the faireste hewed on hir throte Line 2869 
Was cleped faire damoysele pertelote. Line 2870 
Curteys she was, discreet, and debonaire, Line 2871 
And compaignable, and bar hyrself so faire, Line 2872 
Syn thilke day that she was seven nyght oold, Line 2873 
That trewely she hath the herte in hoold Line 2874 
Of chauntecleer, loken in every lith; Line 2875 
He loved hire so that wel was hym therwith. Line 2876 
But swich a joye was it to here hem synge, Line 2877 
Whan that the brighte sonne gan to sprynge, Line 2878 
In sweete accord, my lief is faren in londe! Line 2879 
For thilke tyme, as I have understonde, Line 2880 
Beestes and briddes koude speke and synge. Line 2881 
And so bifel that in a dawenynge, Line 2882 
As chauntecleer among his wyves alle Line 2883 
Sat on his perche, that was in the halle, Line 2884 
And next hym sat this faire pertelote, Line 2885 
This chauntecleer gan gronen in his throte, Line 2886 
As man that in his dreem is drecched soore. Line 2887 
And whan that pertelote thus herde hym roore, Line 2888 
She was agast, and seyde, herte deere, Line 2889 
What eyleth yow, to grone in this manere? Line 2890 
Ye been a verray sleper; fy, for shame! Line 2891 
And he answerde, and seyde thus: madame, Line 2892 
I pray yow that ye take it nat agrief. Line 2893 
By god, me mette I was in swich meschief Line 2894 
Right now, that yet myn herte is soore afright. Line 2895 
Now god, quod he, my swevene recche aright, Line 2896 
And kepe my body out of foul prisoun! Line 2897 
Me mette how that I romed up and doun Line 2898 
Withinne our yeerd, wheer as I saugh a beest Line 2899 
Was lyk an hound, and wolde han maad areest Line 2900 
Upon my body, and wolde han had me deed. Line 2901 
His colour was bitwixe yelow and reed, Line 2902 
And tipped was his tayl and bothe his eeris Line 2903 
With blak, unlyk the remenant of his heeris; Line 2904 
His snowte smal, with glowynge eyen tweye. Line 2905 
Yet of his look for feere almoost I deye; Line 2906 
This caused me my gronyng, doutelees. Line 2907 
Avoy! quod she, fy on yow, hertelees! Line 2908 
Allas! quod she, for, by that God above, Line 2909 
Now han ye lost myn herte and al my love. Line 2910 
I kan nat love a coward, by my feith! Line 2911 
For certes, what so any womman seith, Line 2912 
We alle desiren, if it myghte bee, Line 2913 
To han housbondes hardy, wise, and free, Line 2914 
And secree, and no nygard, ne no fool, Line 2915 
Ne hym that is agast of every tool, Line 2916 
Ne noon avauntour, by that God above! Line 2917 
How dorste ye seyn, for shame, unto youre love Line 2918 
That any thyng myghte make yow aferd? Line 2919 
Have ye no mannes herte, and han a berd? Line 2920 
Allas! and konne ye been agast of swevenys? Line 2921 
Nothyng, God woot, but vanitee in sweven is. Line 2922 
Swevenes engendren of replecciouns, Line 2923 
And ofte of fume and of complecciouns, Line 2924 
Whan humours been to habundant in a wight. Line 2925 
Certes this dreem, which ye han met to-nyght, Line 2926 
Cometh of the greete superfluytee Line 2927 
Of youre rede colera, pardee, Line 2928 
Which causeth folk to dreden in hir dremes Line 2929 
Of arwes, and of fyr with rede lemes, Line 2930 
Of rede beestes, that they wol hem byte, Line 2931 
Of contek, and of whelpes, grete and lyte; Line 2932 
Right as the humour of malencolie Line 2933 
Causeth ful many a man in sleep to crie Line 2934 
For feere of blake beres, or boles blake, Line 2935 
Or elles blake develes wole hem take. Line 2936 
Of othere humours koude I telle also Line 2937 
That werken many a man sleep ful wo; Line 2938 
But I wol passe as lightly as I kan. Line 2939 
Lo catoun, which that was so wys a man, Line 2940 
Seyde he nat thus, -- ne do no fors of dremes? --  Line 2941 
Now sire, quod she, whan we flee for the bemes, Line 2942 
For goddes love, as taak som laxatyf. Line 2943 
Up peril of my soule and of my lyf, Line 2944 
I conseille yow the beste, I wol nat lye, Line 2945 
That bothe of colere and of malencolye Line 2946 
Ye purge yow; and for ye shal nat tarie, Line 2947 
Though in this toun is noon apothecarie, Line 2948 
I shal myself to gerbes techen yow Line 2949 
That shul been for youre hele and for youre prow; Line 2950 
And in oure yeerd tho herbes shal I fynde Line 2951 
The whiche han of hire propretee by kynde Line 2952 
To purge yow bynethe and eek above. Line 2953 
Foryet nat this, for goddes owene love! Line 2954 
Ye been ful coleryk of compleccioun; Line 2955 
Ware the sonne in his ascencioun Line 2956 
Ne fynde yow nat repleet of humours hoote. Line 2957 
And if it do, I dar wel leye a grote,  Line 2958 

Page 201

 Line 2958 
That ye shul have a fevere tercaine, Line 2959 
Of an agu, that may be youre bane. Line 2960 
A day or two ye shul have digestyves Line 2961 
Of wormes, er ye take youre laxatyves Line 2962 
Of lawriol, centaure, and fumetere, Line 2963 
Or elles of ellebor, that groweth there, Line 2964 
Of katapuce, or of gaitrys beryis, Line 2965 
Of herbe yve, growyng in oure yeerd, ther mery is; Line 2966 
Pekke hem up right as they growe and ete hem yn. Line 2967 
By myrie, housbonde, for youre fader kyn~ Line 2968 
Dredeth no dreem, I kan sey yow namoore. Line 2969 
Madame, quod he, graunt mercy of youre loore. Line 2970 
But nathelees, as touchyng daun catoun, Line 2971 
That hath of wysdom swich a greet renoun, Line 2972 
Though that he bad no dremes for to drede, Line 2973 
By god, men may in olde bookes rede Line 2974 
Of many a man moore of auctorite Line 2975 
Than evere caton was, so moot I thee, Line 2976 
That al the revers seyn of this sentence, Line 2977 
And han wel founden by experience Line 2978 
That dremes been significaciouns Line 2979 
As wel of joye as of tribulaciouns Line 2980 
That folk enduren in this lif present. Line 2981 
Ther nedeth make of this noon argument; Line 2982 
The verray preeve sheweth it in dede. Line 2983 
Oon of the gretteste auctour that men rede Line 2984 
Seith thus: that whilom two felawes wente Line 2985 
On pilgrimage, in a ful good entente; Line 2986 
And happed so, yhey coomen in a toun Line 2987 
Wher as ther was swich congregacioun Line 2988 
Of peple, and eek so streit of herbergage, Line 2989 
That they ne founde as muche as cotage Line 2990 
In which they bothe myghte ylogged bee. Line 2991 
Wherfore they mosten of necessitee, Line 2992 
As for that nyght,departen compaignye; Line 2993 
And ech of hem gooth to his hostelrye, Line 2994 
And took his loggyng as it wolde falle. Line 2995 
That oon of hem was logged in a stalle, Line 2996 
Fer in a yeerd, with oxen of the plough; Line 2997 
That oother man was logged wel ynough, Line 2998 
As was his aventure or his fortune, Line 2999 
That us governeth alle as in commune. Line 3000 
And so bifel that, longe er it were day, Line 3001 
This man mette in his bed, ther as he lay Line 3002 
How that his felawe gan upon hym calle, Line 3003 
And seyde,, -- allas! for in an oxes stalle Line 3004 
This nyght I shal be mordred ther I lye. Line 3005 
Now help me,deere brother, or I dye. Line 3006 
In alle haste com to me! -- he sayde. Line 3007 
This man out of his sleep for feere abrayde; Line 3008 
But whan that he was wakened of this sleep, Line 3009 
He turned hym, and took of this no keep. Line 3010 
Hym thoughte his dreem nas but a vanitte. Line 3011 
Thus twies in his slepyng dremed hee; Line 3012 
And atte thridde tyme yet his felawe Line 3013 
Cam, as hym thoughte, and seide, -- I am now slawe. Line 3014 
Bihood my bloody woundes depe and wyde! Line 3015 
Arys up erly in the morwe tyde, Line 3016 
And at the west gate of the toun, -- quod he, Line 3017 
-- A carte ful of dong ther shaltow se, Line 3018 
In which my body is hid ful prively; Line 3019 
Do thilke carte arresten boldely. Line 3020 
My gold caused my mordre, sooth to sayn., Line 3021 
And tolde hym every point how he was slayn, Line 3022 
With a ful pitous face, pale of hewe. Line 3023 
And truste wel, his dreem he foond ful trewe, Line 3024 
For on the morwe, as soone as it was day, Line 3025 
To his felawes in he took the way; Line 3026 
And whan that he cam to his oxes stalle, Line 3027 
After his felawe he bigan to calle. Line 3028 
The hostiler answerede hym anon, Line 3029 
And seyde,,sire, your felawe is agon. Line 3030 
As soone as day he wente out of the toun., Line 3031 
This man gan fallen suspecioun, Line 3032 
Remembrynge on his dremes that he mette, Line 3033 
And forth he gooth no lenger wolde he lette Line 3034 
Unto the west gate of the toun, and fond Line 3035 
A dong carte, wente as it were to donge lond, Line 3036 
That was arrayed in that same wise Line 3037 
As ye han herd the dede man devyse. Line 3038 
And with an hardy herte he gan to crye Line 3039 
Vengeance and justice of this felonye. Line 3040 
My felawe mordred is this same nyght, Line 3041 
And in this carte he lith gapyng upright. Line 3042 
I crye out on the ministres, -- quod he, Line 3043 
-- That sholden kepe and reulen this citee. Line 3044 
Harrow! allas! heere lith my felawe slayn! --  Line 3045 
What sholde I moore unto this tale sayn? Line 3046 
The peple out sterte and caste the cart to grounde, Line 3047 
And in the myddel of the dong they founde Line 3048 
The dede man, that mordred was al newe. Line 3049 
O blisful god, that art so just and trewe, Line 3050 
Lo, how that thou biwryest mordre alway! Line 3051 
Mordre wol out, that se we day by day. Line 3052 
Mordre is so wlatsom and abhomynable Line 3053 
To god, that is so just and resonable, Line 3054 
That he ne wol nat suffre it heled be, Line 3055 
Though it abyde a yeer, or two, or thre. Line 3056 
Mordre wol out, this my conclusioun.  Line 3057 

Page 202

 Line 3057 
And right anon, ministres of that toun Line 3058 
Han hent the carter and so soore hym pyned, Line 3059 
And eek the hostiler so soore engyned, Line 3060 
That they biknewe hire wikkednesse anon, Line 3061 
And were anhanged by the nekke bon. Line 3062 
Heere may men seen that dremes been to drede. Line 3063 
And certes in the same book I rede, Line 3064 
Right in the nexte chapitre after this Line 3065 
I gabbe nat, so have I joye or blis Line 3066 
Two men that wolde han passed over see, Line 3067 
For certeyn cause, into a fer contree, Line 3068 
If that the wynd ne hadde been contrarie, Line 3069 
That made hem in a citee for to tarie Line 3070 
That stood ful myrie upon an haven-syde; Line 3071 
But on a day, agayn the even-tyde, Line 3072 
The wynd gan chaunge, and blew right as hem leste. Line 3073 
Jolif and glad they wente unto hir reste, Line 3074 
And casten hem ful erly for to saille. Line 3075 
But to that o man fil a greet mervaille: Line 3076 
That oon of hem,in slepyng as he lay, Line 3077 
Hym mette a wonder dreem agayn the day. Line 3078 
Hym thoughte a man stood by his beddes syde, Line 3079 
And hym comanded that he sholde abyde, Line 3080 
And seyde hym thus: -- if thou tomorwe wende, Line 3081 
Thow shalt be dreynt; my tale is at an ende. Line 3082 
He wook, and tolde his felawe what he mette, Line 3083 
And preyde hym his viage for to lette; Line 3084 
As for that day, he preyde hym to byde. Line 3085 
His felawe, that lay by his beddes syde, Line 3086 
Gan for to laughe, and scorned him ful faste. Line 3087 
-- no dreem, -- quod he, -- may so myn herte agaste Line 3088 
That I wol lette for to do my thynges. Line 3089 
I sette nat a straw by thy dremynges, Line 3090 
For swevenes been but vantees and japes. Line 3091 
Men dreme alday of owles and of apes, Line 3092 
And eek of many a maze therwithal; Line 3093 
Men dreme of thyng that nevere was ne shal. Line 3094 
But sith I see that thou wolt heere abyde, Line 3095 
And thus forslewthen wilfully thy tyde, Line 3096 
God woot, it reweth me; and have good day! --  Line 3097 
And thus he took his leve, and wente his way. Line 3098 
But er that he hadde half his cours yseyled, Line 3099 
Noot I nat why, ne what myschaunce it eyled, Line 3100 
But casuelly the shippes botme rente, Line 3101 
And ship and man under the water wente Line 3102 
In sighte of othere shippes it bisyde, Line 3103 
That with hem seyled at the same tyde. Line 3104 
And therfore, faire pertelote so deere, Line 3105 
By swiche ensamples olde maistow leere Line 3106 
That no man sholde been to recchelees Line 3107 
Of dremes; for I seye thee, doutelees, Line 3108 
That many a dreem ful soore is for to drede. Line 3109 
Lo, in the lyf of seint kenelm I rede, Line 3110 
That was kenulphus sone, the noble kyng Line 3111 
Of mercenrike, how kenelm mette a thyng. Line 3112 
A lite er he was mordred, on a day, Line 3113 
His mordre in his avysioun he say. Line 3114 
His norice hym expowned every deel Line 3115 
His sweven, and bad hym for to kepe hym weel Line 3116 
For traisoun; but he nas but seven yeer oold, Line 3117 
And therfore lite tale hath he toold Line 3118 
Of any dreem, so hooly was his herte. Line 3119 
By god! I hadde levere than my sherte Line 3120 
That ye hadde rad his legende, as have I. Line 3121 
Dame pertelote, I sey yow trewely, Line 3122 
Macrobeus, that writ the avisioun Line 3123 
In affrike of the worthy cipioun, Line 3124 
Affermeth dremes, and seith that they been Line 3125 
Warnynge of thynges that men after seen. Line 3126 
And forthermoore, I pray yow, looketh wel Line 3127 
In the olde testament, of daniel, Line 3128 
If he heeld dremes any vanitee. Line 3129 
Reed eek of joseph, and ther shul ye see Line 3130 
Wher dremes be somtyme -- I sey nat alle --  Line 3131 
Warnynge of thynges that shul after falle. Line 3132 
Looke of egipte the kyng, daun pharao, Line 3133 
His bakere and his butiller also, Line 3134 
Wher they ne felte noon effect in dremes. Line 3135 
Whoso wol seken actes of sondry remes Line 3136 
May rede of dremes many a wonder thyng. Line 3137 
Lo cresus, which that was of lyde kyng, Line 3138 
Mette he nat that he sat upon a tree, Line 3139 
Which signified he sholde anhanged bee? Line 3140 
Lo heere andromacha, ectores wyf, Line 3141 
That day that ector sholde lese his lyf, Line 3142 
She dremed on the same nyght biforn Line 3143 
How that the lyf of ector sholde be lorn, Line 3144 
If thilke day he wente into bataille. Line 3145 
She warned hym, but it myghte nat availle; Line 3146 
He wente for to fighte natheles, Line 3147 
But he was slayn anon of achilles. Line 3148 
But thilke tale is al to longe to telle, Line 3149 
And eek it is ny day, I may nat dwelle. Line 3150 
Shortly I seye, as for conclusioun, Line 3151 
That I shal han of this avisioun Line 3152 
Adversitee; and I seye forthermoor, Line 3153 
That I ne telle of laxatyves no stoor, Line 3154 
For they been venymous, I woot it weel; Line 3155 
I hem diffye, I love hem never a deel! Line 3156 
Now let us speke of myrthe, and stynte al this. Line 3157 
Madame pertelote, so have I blis, Line 3158 
Of o thyng God hath sent me large grace;  Line 3159 

Page 203

 Line 3159 
For whan I se the beautee of youre face, Line 3160 
Ye been so scarlet reed aboute youre yen, Line 3161 
It maketh al my drede for to dyen; Line 3162 
For al so siker as in principio, Line 3163 
Mulier est hominis confusio, --  Line 3164 
Madame, the sentence of this latyn is, Line 3165 
-- womman is mannes joye and al his blis. --  Line 3166 
For whan I feele a-nyght your softe syde, Line 3167 
Al be it that I may nat on yow ryde, Line 3168 
For that oure perche is maad so narwe, allas! Line 3169 
I am so ful of joye and of solas, Line 3170 
That I diffye bothe sweven and dreem. Line 3171 
And with that word he fley doun fro the beem, Line 3172 
For it was day, and eke his hennes alle, Line 3173 
And with a chuk he gan hem for to calle, Line 3174 
For he hadde founde a corn, lay in the yerd. Line 3175 
Real he was, he was namoore aferd. Line 3176 
He fethered pertelote twenty tyme, Line 3177 
And trad hire eke as ofte, er it was pryme. Line 3178 
He looketh as it were a grym leoun, Line 3179 
And on his toos he rometh up and doun; Line 3180 
Hym deigned nat to sette his foot to grounde. Line 3181 
He chukketh whan he hath a corn yfounde, Line 3182 
And to hym rennen thanne his wyves alle. Line 3183 
Thus roial, as a prince is in his halle, Line 3184 
Leve I this chauntecleer in his pasture, Line 3185 
And after wol I telle his aventure. Line 3186 
Whan that the month in which the world bigan, Line 3187 
That highte march, whan God first maked man, Line 3188 
Was compleet, and passed were also, Line 3189 
Syn march bigan, thritty dayes and two, Line 3190 
Bifel that chauntecleer in al his pryde, Line 3191 
His sevene wyves walkynge by his syde, Line 3192 
Caste up his eyen to the brighte sonne, Line 3193 
That in the signe of taurus hadde yronne Line 3194 
Twenty degrees and oon, and somwhat moore, Line 3195 
And knew by kynde, and by noon oother loore, Line 3196 
That it was pryme, and crew with blisful stevene. Line 3197 
The sonne, he seyde, is clomben up on-evene Line 3198 
Fourty degrees and oon, and moore ywis. Line 3199 
Madame pertelote, my worldes blis, Line 3200 
Herkneth thise blisful briddes how they synge, Line 3201 
And se the fresshe floures how they sprynge; Line 3202 
Ful is myn herte of revel and solas! Line 3203 
But sodeynly hym fil a sorweful cas, Line 3204 
For evere the latter ende of joye is wo. Line 3205 
God woot that worldly joye is soone ago; Line 3206 
And if a rethor koude faire endite, Line 3207 
He in a cronycle saufly myghte it write Line 3208 
As for a sovereyn notabilitee. Line 3209 
Now every wys man, lat him herkne me; Line 3210 
This storie is also trewe, I undertake, Line 3211 
As is the book of launcelot de lake, Line 3212 
That wommen holde in ful greet reverence. Line 3213 
Now wol I torne agayn to my sentence. Line 3214 
A col-fox, ful of sly iniquitee, Line 3215 
That in th grove hadde woned yeres three, Line 3216 
By heigh ymaginacioun forncast, Line 3217 
The same nyght thurghout the hegges brast Line 3218 
Into the yerd ther chauntecleer the faire Line 3219 
Was wont, and eek his wyves, to repaire; Line 3220 
And in a bed of wortes stille he lay, Line 3221 
Til it was passed undren of the day, Line 3222 
Waitynge his tyme on chauntecleer to falle, Line 3223 
As gladly doon thise homycides alle Line 3224 
That in await liggen to mordre men. Line 3225 
O false mordrour, lurkynge in thy den! Line 3226 
O newe scariot, newe genylon, Line 3227 
False dissymulour, o greek synon, Line 3228 
That broghtest troye al outrely to sorwe! Line 3229 
O chauntecleer, acursed be that morwe Line 3230 
That thou into that yerd flaugh fro the bemes! Line 3231 
Thou were ful wel ywarned by thy dremes Line 3232 
That thilke day was perilous to thee; Line 3233 
But what that God forwoot moot nedes bee, Line 3234 
After the opinioun of certein clerkis. Line 3235 
Witnesse on hym that any parfit clerk is, Line 3236 
That in scole is greet altercacioun Line 3237 
In this mateere, and greet disputisoun, Line 3238 
And hath been of an hundred thousand men. Line 3239 
But I ne kan nat bulte it to the bren Line 3240 
As kan the hooly doctour augustyn, Line 3241 
Or boece, or the bisshop bradwardyn, Line 3242 
Wheither that goddes worthy forwityng Line 3243 
Streyneth me nedely for to doon a thyng, --  Line 3244 
Nedely clepe I symple necessitee; Line 3245 
Or elles, if free choys be graunted me Line 3246 
To do that same thyng, or do it noght, Line 3247 
Though God forwoot it er that was wroght; Line 3248 
Or if his wityng streyneth never a deel Line 3249 
But by necessitee condicioneel. Line 3250 
I wol nat han to do of swich mateere; Line 3251 
My tale is of a cok, as ye may heere, Line 3252 
That tok his conseil of his wyf, with sorwe, Line 3253 
To walken in the yerd upon that morwe Line 3254 
That he hadde met that dreem that I yow tolde. Line 3255 
Wommennes conseils been ful ofte colde; Line 3256 
Wommannes conseil broghte us first to wo, Line 3257 
And made adam fro paradys to go, Line 3258 
Ther as he was ful myrie and wel at ese. Line 3259 
But for I noot to whom it myght displese,  Line 3260 

Page 204

 Line 3260 
If I conseil of wommen wolde blame, Line 3261 
Passe over, for I seyde it in my game. Line 3262 
Rede auctours, where they trete of swich mateere, Line 3263 
And what they seyn of wommen ye may heere. Line 3264 
Thise been the cokkes wordes, and nat myne; Line 3265 
I kan noon harm of no womman divyne. Line 3266 
Faire in the soond, to bathe hire myrily, Line 3267 
Lith pertelote, and alle hire sustres by, Line 3268 
Agayn the sonne, and chauntecleer so free Line 3269 
Soong murier than the mermayde in the see; Line 3270 
For phisiologus seith sikerly Line 3271 
How that they syngen wel and myrily. Line 3272 
And so bifel that, as he caste his ye Line 3273 
Among the wortes on a boterflye, Line 3274 
He was war of this fox, that lay ful lowe. Line 3275 
Nothyng ne liste hym thanne for to crowe, Line 3276 
But cride anon, cok! cok! and up he sterte Line 3277 
As man that was affrayed in his herte. Line 3278 
For natureelly a beest desireth flee Line 3279 
Fro his contrarie, if he may it see, Line 3280 
Though he never erst hadde seyn it with his ye. Line 3281 
This chauntecleer, whan he gan hym espye, Line 3282 
He wolde han fled, but that the fox anon Line 3283 
Seyde, gentil sire, allas! wher wol ye gon? Line 3284 
Be ye affrayed of me that am youre freend? Line 3285 
Now, certes, I were worse than a feend, Line 3286 
If I to yow wolde harm or vileynye! Line 3287 
I am nat come youre conseil for t' espye, Line 3288 
But trewely, the cause of my comynge Line 3289 
Was oonly for to herkne how that ye synge. Line 3290 
For trewely, ye have as myrie a stevene Line 3291 
As any aungel hath that is in hevene. Line 3292 
Therwith ye han in musyk moore feelynge Line 3293 
Than hadde boece, or any that kan synge. Line 3294 
My lord youre fader -- God his soule blesse! --  Line 3295 
And eek youre mooder, of hire gentillesse, Line 3296 
Han in myn hous ybeen to my greet ese; Line 3297 
And certes, sire, ful fayn wolde I yow plese. Line 3298 
But, for men speke of syngyng, I wol seye, --  Line 3299 
So moote I brouke wel myne eyen tweye, --  Line 3300 
Save yow, I herde nevere man so synge Line 3301 
As dide youre fader in the morwenynge. Line 3302 
Certes, it was of herte, al that he song. Line 3303 
And for to make his voys the moore strong, Line 3304 
He wolde so peyne hym that with bothe his yen Line 3305 
He moste wynke, so loude he wolde cryen, Line 3306 
And stonden on his tiptoon therwithal, Line 3307 
And strecche forth his nekke long and smal. Line 3308 
And eek he was of swich descrecioun Line 3309 
That ther nas no man in no regioun Line 3310 
That hym in song or wisedom myghte passe. Line 3311 
I have wel rad in -- daun burnel the asse --, Line 3312 
Among his vers, how that ther was a cok, Line 3313 
For that a preestes sone yaf hym a knok Line 3314 
Upon his leg whil he was yong and nyce, Line 3315 
He made hym for to lese his benefice. Line 3316 
But certeyn, ther nys no comparisoun Line 3317 
Bitwixe the wisedom and discrecioun Line 3318 
Of youre fader and of his subtiltee. Line 3319 
Now syngeth, sire, for seinte charitee; Line 3320 
Lat se, konne ye youre fader countrefete? Line 3321 
This chauntecleer his wynges gan to bete, Line 3322 
As man that koude his traysoun nat espie, Line 3323 
So was he ravysshed with his flaterie. Line 3324 
Allas! ye lordes, many a fals flatour Line 3325 
Is in youre courtes, and many a losengeour, Line 3326 
That plesen yow wel moore, by my feith, Line 3327 
Than he that soothfastnesse unto yow seith. Line 3328 
Redeth ecclesiaste of flaterye; Line 3329 
Beth war, ye lordes, of hir trecherye. Line 3330 
This chauntecleer stoond hye upon his toos, Line 3331 
Strecchynge his nekke, and heeld his eyen cloos, Line 3332 
And gan to crowe loude for the nones. Line 3333 
And daun russell the fox stirte up atones, Line 3334 
And by the gargat hente chauntecleer, Line 3335 
And on his bak toward the wode hym beer, Line 3336 
For yet ne was ther no man that hym sewed. Line 3337 
O destinee, that mayst nat been eschewed! Line 3338 
Allas, that chauntecleer fleigh fro the bemes! Line 3339 
Allas, his wyf ne roghte nat of dremes! Line 3340 
And on a friday fil al this meschaunce. Line 3341 
 o venus, that art goddesse of plesaumce, Line 3342 
Syn that thy servant was this chauntecleer, Line 3343 
And in thy servyce dide al his poweer, Line 3344 
Moore for delit than world to multiplye, Line 3345 
Why woldestow suffre hym on thy day to dye? Line 3346 
O gaufred, deere maister soverayn, Line 3347 
That whan thy worthy kyng richard was slayn Line 3348 
With shot, compleynedest his deeth so soore, Line 3349 
Why ne hadde I now thy sentence and thy loore, Line 3350 
The friday for to chide, as diden ye? Line 3351 
For on a friday, soothly, slayn was he. Line 3352 
Thanne wolde I shewe yow how that I koude pleyne Line 3353 
For chauntecleres drede and for his peyne. Line 3354 
Certes, swich cry ne lamentacion, Line 3355 
Was nevere of ladyes maad whan ylion Line 3356 
Was wonne, and pirrus with his streite swerd, Line 3357 
Whan he hadde hent kyng priam by the berd, Line 3358 
And slayn hym, as seith us eneydos, Line 3359 
As maden alle the hennes in the clos, Line 3360 
Whan they had seyn of chauntecleer the sighte.  Line 3361 

Page 205

 Line 3361 
But sovereynly dame pertelote shrighte Line 3362 
Ful louder than dide hasdrubales wyf, Line 3363 
Whan that hir housbonde hadde lost his lyf, Line 3364 
And that the romayns hadde brend cartage. Line 3365 
She was so ful of torment and of rage Line 3366 
That wilfully into the fyr she sterte, Line 3367 
And brende hirselven with a stedefast herte. Line 3368 
O woful hennes, right so criden ye, Line 3369 
As, whan that nero brende the citee Line 3370 
Of rome, cryden senatoures wyves Line 3371 
For that hir husbondes losten alle hir lyves, --  Line 3372 
Withouten gilt this nero hath hem slayn. Line 3373 
Now wole I turne to my tale agayn. Line 3374 
This sely wydwe and eek hir doghtres two Line 3375 
Herden thise hennes crie and maken wo, Line 3376 
And out at dores stirten they anon, Line 3377 
And syen the fox toward the grove gon, Line 3378 
And bar upon his bak the cok away, Line 3379 
And cryden, out! harrow! and weylaway! Line 3380 
Ha! ha! the fox! and after hym they ran, Line 3381 
And eek with staves many another man, Line 3382 
Ran colle oure dogge, and talbot and gerland, Line 3383 
And malkyn, with a dystaf in hir hand; Line 3384 
Ran cow and calf, and eek the verray hogges, Line 3385 
So fered for the berkyng of the dogges Line 3386 
And shoutyng of the men and wommen eeke, Line 3387 
They ronne so hem thoughte hir herte breeke. Line 3388 
They yolleden as feendes doon in helle; Line 3389 
The dokes cryden as men wolde hem quelle; Line 3390 
The gees for feere flowen over the trees; Line 3391 
Out of the hyve cam the swarm of bees. Line 3392 
So hydous was the noyse, a, benedicitee! Line 3393 
Certes, he jakke straw and his meynee Line 3394 
Ne made nevere shoutes half so shrille Line 3395 
Whan that they wolden any flemyng kille, Line 3396 
As thilke day was maad upon the fox. Line 3397 
Of bras they broghten bemes, and of box, Line 3398 
Of horn, of boon, in whiche they blewe and powped, Line 3399 
And therwithal they skriked and they howped. Line 3400 
It semed as that hevene sholde falle. Line 3401 
Now, goode man, I prey yow herkenth alle: Line 3402 
Lo, how fortune turneth sodeynly Line 3403 
The hope and pryde eek of hir enemy! Line 3404 
This cok, that lay upon the foxes bak, Line 3405 
In al his drede unto the fox he spak, Line 3406 
And seyde, sire, if that I were as ye, Line 3407 
Yet sholde I seyn, as wys God helpe me, Line 3408 
Turneth agayn, ye proude cherles alle! Line 3409 
A verray pestilence upon yow falle! Line 3410 
Now am I come unto the wodes syde; Line 3411 
Maugree youre heed, the cok shal heere abyde. Line 3412 
I wol hym ete, in feith, and that anon! Line 3413 
The fox answerde, in feith, it shal be don. Line 3414 
And as he spak that word, al sodeynly Line 3415 
This cok brak from his mouth delyverly, Line 3416 
And heighe upon a tree he fleigh anon. Line 3417 
And whan the fox saugh that the cok was gon, Line 3418 
Allas! quod he, o chauntecleer, allas! Line 3419 
I have to yow, quod he, ydoon trespas, Line 3420 
In as muche as I maked yow aferd Line 3421 
Whan I yow hente and broghte out of the yerd. Line 3422 
But, sire, I dide it in no wikke entente. Line 3423 
Com doun, and I shal telle yow what I mente; Line 3424 
I shal seye sooth to yow, God help me so! Line 3425 
Nay thanne, quod he, I shrewe us bothe two. Line 3426 
And first I shrewe myself, bothe blood and bones, Line 3427 
If thou bigyle me ofter than ones. Line 3428 
Thou shalt namoore, thurgh thy flaterye, Line 3429 
Do me to synge and wynke with myn ye; Line 3430 
For he that wynketh, whan he sholde see, Line 3431 
Al wilfully, God lat him nevere thee! Line 3432 
Nay, quod the fox, but God yeve hym meschaunce, Line 3433 
That is so undiscreet of governaunce Line 3434 
That jangleth whan he sholde holde his pees. Line 3435 
Lo, swich it is for to be recchelees Line 3436 
And necligent, and truste on flaterye. Line 3437 
But ye that holden this tale a folye, Line 3438 
As of a fox, or of a cok and hen, Line 3439 
Taketh the moralite, goode men. Line 3440 
For seint paul seith that al that writen is, Line 3441 
To oure doctrine it is ywrite, ywis; Line 3442 
Taketh the fruyt, and lat the chaf be stille. Line 3443 
Now, goode god, if that it be thy wille, Line 3444 
As seith my lord, so make us alle goode men, Line 3445 
And brynge us to his heighe blisse! amen. Line 3446 

Page 206

The Epilogue of the Nun's Priest's Tale
Sire Nonnes Preest," oure Hooste seide anoon, Line 3447 
I-blessed be thy breche, and every stoon! Line 3448 
This was a murie tale of Chauntecleer. Line 3449 
But by my trouthe, if thou were seculer, Line 3450 
Thou woldest ben a trede-foul aright. Line 3451 
For if thou have corage as thou hast myght, Line 3452 
Thee were nede of hennes, as I wene, Line 3453 
Ya, moo than seven tymes seventene. Line 3454 
See, whiche braunes hath this gentil preest Line 3455 
So gret a nekke, and swich a large breest! Line 3456 
He loketh as a sperhauk with his yen; Line 3457 
Him nedeth nat his colour for to dyen Line 3458 
With brasile, ne with greyn of Portyngale. Line 3459 
Now, sire, faire falle yow for youre tale! Line 3460 
And after that he, with ful merie chere, Line 3461 
Seide unto another, as ye shuln heere. Line 3462 

The Canterbury tales

About this Item

Pages

Group 7

The Shipman's Tale

description Page 157

description Page 158

description Page 159

description Page 160

The Words of the Host to the Prioress

description Page 161

The Prioress' Prologue

The Prioress' Tale

description Page 162

description Page 163

description Page 164

The Prologue to the Tale of Sir Thopas

The Tale of Sir Thopas

Fitt I

description Page 165

description Page 166

Fitt II

description Page 167

The Host's Interruption of the Tale of Sir Thopas

The Tale of Melibee

description Page 168

description Page 169

description Page 170

description Page 171

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The Monk's Prologue

description Page 189

The Monk's Tale

Lucifer

Adam

Sampson

description Page 190

Hercules

description Page 191

Nebchadnezzar

Belshazzar

description Page 192

Zenobia

description Page 193

description Page 194

Pedro of Castille

De Petro Rege de Cipro

De Barnabo de Lumbardia

De Hugelino Comite de Pize

description Page 195

Nero

description Page 196

De Oloferno

De Rege Antiocho illustri

De Alexandro

description Page 197

De Julio Cesare

description Page 198

Croesus

The Knight's Interruption of the Monk's Tale

description Page 199

The Nun's Priest's Tale

description Page 200

description Page 201

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