John Gower's Confessio amantis

Lines 1001 through 1088

The fieble hath wonne the victoire. Line P.1001 And who so drawth into memoire Line P.1002 What hath befalle of old and newe, Line P.1003 He may that werre sore rewe, Line P.1004 Which ferst began in Paradis: Line P.1005 For ther was proeved what it is, Line P.1006 And what desese there it wroghte; Line P.1007 For thilke werre tho forth broghte Line P.1008 The vice of alle dedly Sinne, Line P.1009 Thurgh which division cam inne Line P.1010 Among the men in erthe hiere, Line P.1011 And was the cause and the matiere Line P.1012 Why god the grete flodes sende, Line P.1013 Of al the world and made an ende Line P.1014 Bot Noe� with his felaschipe, Line P.1015 Which only weren saulf be Schipe. Line P.1016 And over that thurgh Senne it com Line P.1017

Line P.1017 That Nembrot such emprise nom, Line P.1018 Whan he the Tour Babel on heihte Line P.1019 Let make, as he that wolde feihte Line P.1020 Ayein the hihe goddes myht, Line P.1021 Wherof divided anon ryht Line P.1022 Was the langage in such entente, Line P.1023 Ther wiste non what other mente, Line P.1024 So that thei myhten noght procede. Line P.1025 And thus it stant of every dede, Line P.1026 Wher Senne takth the cause on honde, Line P.1027 It may upriht noght longe stonde; Line P.1028 For Senne of his condicioun Line P.1029 Is moder of divisioun Line P.1030 And tokne whan the world schal faile. Line P.1031 For so seith Crist withoute faile, Line P.1032 That nyh upon the worldes ende Line P.1033 Pes and acord awey schol wende Line P.1034 And alle charite schal cesse, Line P.1035 Among the men and hate encresce; Line P.1036 And whan these toknes ben befalle, Line P.1037 Al sodeinly the Ston schal falle, Line P.1038 As Daniel it hath beknowe, Line P.1039 Which al this world schal overthrowe, Line P.1040 And every man schal thanne arise Line P.1041 To Joie or elles to Juise, Line P.1042 Wher that he schal for evere dwelle, Line P.1043 Or straght to hevene or straght to helle. Line P.1044 In hevene is pes and al acord, Line P.1045 Bot helle is full of such descord Line P.1046 That ther may be no loveday: Line P.1047 Forthi good is, whil a man may, Line P.1048 Echon to sette pes with other Line P.1049 And loven as his oghne brother; Line P.1050 So may he winne worldes welthe Line P.1051 And afterward his soule helthe. Line P.1052 Bot wolde god that now were on Line P.1053 An other such as Arion, Line P.1054

Line P.1054 Which hadde an harpe of such temprure, Line P.1055 And therto of so good mesure Line P.1056 He song, that he the bestes wilde Line P.1057 Made of his note tame and milde, Line P.1058 The Hinde in pes with the Leoun, Line P.1059 The Wolf in pes with the Moltoun, Line P.1060 The Hare in pees stod with the Hound; Line P.1061 And every man upon this ground Line P.1062 Which Arion that time herde, Line P.1063 Als wel the lord as the schepherde, Line P.1064 He broghte hem alle in good acord; Line P.1065 So that the comun with the lord, Line P.1066 And lord with the comun also, Line P.1067 He sette in love bothe tuo Line P.1068 And putte awey malencolie. Line P.1069 That was a lusti melodie, Line P.1070 Whan every man with other low; Line P.1071 And if ther were such on now, Line P.1072 Which cowthe harpe as he tho dede, Line P.1073 He myhte availe in many a stede Line P.1074 To make pes wher now is hate; Line P.1075 For whan men thenken to debate, Line P.1076 I not what other thing is good. Line P.1077 Bot wher that wisdom waxeth wod, Line P.1078 And reson torneth into rage, Line P.1079 So that mesure upon oultrage Line P.1080 Hath set his world, it is to drede; Line P.1081 For that bringth in the comun drede, Line P.1082 Which stant at every mannes Dore: Line P.1083 Bot whan the scharpnesse of the spore Line P.1084 The horse side smit to sore, Line P.1085 It grieveth ofte. And now nomore, Line P.1086 As forto speke of this matiere, Line P.1087 Which non bot only god may stiere. Line P.1088