John Gower's Confessio amantis
Lines 3001 through 3100
The Pope was at Avinoun,
2.3001
And scholde ryde out of the toun
2.3002
Unto Pontsorge, the which is
2.3003
A Castell in Provence of his.
2.3004
Upon the weie and as he rod,
2.3005
This kniht, which hoved and abod
2.3006
Embuisshed upon horse bak,
2.3007
Al sodeinliche upon him brak
2.3008
And hath him be the bridel sesed,
2.3009
And seide: "O thou, which hast desesed
2.3010
The Court of France be thi wrong,
2.3011
Now schalt thou singe an other song:
2.3012
Thin enterdit and thi sentence
2.3013
Ayein thin oghne conscience
2.3014
Hierafter thou schalt fiele and grope.
2.3015
We pleigne noght ayein the Pope,
2.3016
For thilke name is honourable,
2.3017
Bot thou, which hast be deceivable
2.3018
And tricherous in al thi werk,
2.3019
Thou Bonefas, thou proude clerk,
2.3020
Misledere of the Papacie,
2.3021
Thi false bodi schal abye
2.3022
And soffre that it hath deserved."
2.3023
Lo, thus the Supplantour was served;
2.3024
For thei him ladden into France
2.3025
And setten him to his penance
2.3026
Withinne a tour in harde bondes,
2.3027
Wher he for hunger bothe hise hondes
2.3028
Of whom the wrytinge is yit now
2.3030
Registred, as a man mai hiere,
2.3031
Which spekth and seith in this manere:
2.3032
Thin entre lich the fox was slyh,
2.3033
Thi regne also with pride on hih
2.3034
Was lich the Leon in his rage;
2.3035
Bot ate laste of thi passage
2.3036
Thi deth was to the houndes like.
2.3037
Such is the lettre of his Cronique
2.3038
Proclamed in the Court of Rome,
2.3039
Wherof the wise ensample nome.
2.3040
And yit, als ferforth as I dar,
2.3041
I rede alle othre men be war,
2.3042
And that thei loke wel algate
2.3043
That non his oghne astat translate
2.3044
Of holi cherche in no degree
2.3045
Be fraude ne soubtilite:
2.3046
For thilke honour which Aaron tok
2.3047
Schal non receive, as seith the bok,
2.3048
Bot he be cleped as he was.
2.3049
What I schal thenken in this cas
2.3050
Of that I hiere now aday,
2.3051
I not: bot he which can and may,
2.3052
Be reson bothe and be nature
2.3053
The help of every mannes cure,
2.3054
He kepe Simon fro the folde.
2.3055
For Joachim thilke Abbot tolde
2.3056
How suche daies scholden falle,
2.3057
That comunliche in places alle
2.3058
The Chapmen of such mercerie
2.3059
With fraude and with Supplantarie
2.3060
So manye scholden beie and selle,
2.3061
That he ne may for schame telle
2.3062
So foul a Senne in mannes Ere.
2.3063
Bot god forbiede that it were
2.3064
In oure daies that he seith:
2.3065
In chapmanhod at such a feire,
2.3067
The remenant mot nede empeire
2.3068
Of al that to the world belongeth;
2.3069
For whan that holi cherche wrongeth,
2.3070
I not what other thing schal rihte.
2.3071
And natheles at mannes sihte
2.3072
Envie forto be preferred
2.3073
Hath conscience so differred,
2.3074
That noman loketh to the vice
2.3075
Which is the Moder of malice,
2.3076
And that is thilke false Envie,
2.3077
Which causeth many a tricherie;
2.3078
For wher he may an other se
2.3079
That is mor gracious than he,
2.3080
It schal noght stonden in his miht
2.3081
Bot if he hindre such a wiht:
2.3082
And that is welnyh overal,
2.3083
This vice is now so general.
2.3084
Envie thilke unhapp indrowh,
2.3085
Whan Joab be deceipte slowh
2.3086
Abner, for drede he scholde be
2.3087
With king David such as was he.
2.3088
And thurgh Envie also it fell
2.3089
Of thilke false Achitofell,
2.3090
For his conseil was noght achieved,
2.3091
Bot that he sih Cusy believed
2.3092
With Absolon and him forsake,
2.3093
He heng himself upon a stake.
2.3094
Senec witnesseth openly
2.3095
How that Envie proprely
2.3096
Is of the Court the comun wenche,
2.3097
And halt taverne forto schenche
2.3098
That drink which makth the herte brenne,
2.3099
And doth the wit aboute renne,
2.3100
