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CHAPTER III.

Gretly was I tho gladded of these wordes, and (as who

saith) wexen somdel light in herte; both for the auctoritè

of witnesse, and also for sikernesse of helpe of the forsayd

beheste, and sayd:—

'Trewly, lady, now am I wel gladded through comfort of

your wordes. Be it now lykinge unto your nobley to shewe

whiche folk diffame your servauntes, sithe your service ought

above al other thinges to ben commended.'

'Yet,' quod she, 'I see wel thy soule is not al out of the

amased cloude. Thee were better to here thing that thee might

lighte out of thyn hevy charge and after knowing of thyn owne

helpe, than to stirre swete wordes and such resons to here;

for in a thoughtful soule (and namely suche oon as thou art)

wol not yet suche thinges sinken. Come of, therfore, and let

me seen thy hevy charge, that I may the lightlier for thy comfort

purveye.'

'Now, certes, lady,' quod I, 'the moste comfort I might have

were utterly to wete me be sure in herte of that Margaryte I

serve; and so I thinke to don with al mightes, whyle my lyfe

dureth.'

'Than,' quod she, 'mayst thou therafter, in suche wyse that

misplesaunce ne entre?'

'In good fayth,' quod I, 'there shal no misplesaunce be

caused through trespace on my syde.'

'And I do thee to weten,' quod she, 'I sette never yet person

to serve in no place (but-if he caused the contrary in defautes

and trespaces) that he ne spedde of his service.'

'Myn owne erthly lady,' quod I tho, 'and yet remembre to

your worthinesse how long sithen, by many revolving of yeres,

in tyme whan Octobre his leve ginneth take and Novembre

sheweth him to sight, whan bernes ben ful of goodes as is the

nutte on every halke; and than good lond-tillers ginne shape

for the erthe with greet travayle, to bringe forth more corn to

mannes sustenaunce, ayenst the nexte yeres folowing. In suche

tyme of plentee he that hath an home and is wyse, list not to

wander mervayles to seche, but he be constrayned or excited.

Oft the lothe thing is doon, by excitacion of other mannes

opinion, whiche wolden fayne have myn abydinge. [Tho gan I]

take in herte of luste to travayle and see the wynding of the erthe

in that tyme of winter. By woodes that large stretes wern in,

by smale pathes that swyn and hogges hadden made, as lanes

with ladels their maste to seche, I walked thinkinge alone

a wonder greet whyle; and the grete beestes that the woode

haunten and adorneth al maner forestes, and heerdes gonne to

wilde. Than, er I was war, I neyghed to a see-banke; and for

ferde of the beestes "shipcraft" I cryde. For, lady, I trowe ye

wete wel your-selfe, nothing is werse than the beestes that

shulden ben tame, if they cacche her wildenesse, and ginne ayen

waxe ramage. Thus forsothe was I a-ferd, and to shippe me

hyed.

Than were there y-nowe to lacche myn handes, and drawe me

to shippe, of whiche many I knew wel the names. Sight was

the first, Lust was another, Thought was the thirde; and Wil eke

was there a mayster; these broughten me within-borde of this

shippe of Traveyle. So whan the sayl was sprad, and this ship

gan to move, the wind and water gan for to ryse, and overthwartly

to turne the welken. The wawes semeden as they kiste togider;

but often under colour of kissinge is mokel old hate prively

closed and kept. The storm so straungely and in a devouring

maner gan so faste us assayle, that I supposed the date of my

deth shulde have mad there his ginning. Now up, now downe,

now under the wawe and now aboven was my ship a greet

whyle. And so by mokel duresse of †weders and of stormes,

and with greet avowing [of] pilgrimages, I was driven to an yle,

where utterly I wende first to have be rescowed; but trewly, †at

the first ginning, it semed me so perillous the haven to cacche,

that but thorow grace I had ben comforted, of lyfe I was ful

dispayred. Trewly, lady, if ye remembre a-right of al maner

thinges, your-selfe cam hastely to sene us see-driven, and to

weten what we weren. But first ye were deynous of chere, after

whiche ye gonne better a-lighte; and ever, as me thought, ye

lived in greet drede of disese; it semed so by your chere.

And whan I was certifyed of your name, the lenger I loked in

you, the more I you goodly dradde; and ever myn herte on you

opened the more; and so in a litel tyme my ship was out of

mynde. But, lady, as ye me ladde, I was war bothe of beestes

and of fisshes, a greet nombre thronging togider; among whiche

a muskel, in a blewe shel, had enclosed a Margaryte-perle, the

moste precious and best that ever to-forn cam in my sight.

And ye tolden your-selfe, that ilke jewel in his kinde was so

good and so vertuous, that her better shulde I never finde, al

sought I ther-after to the worldes ende. And with that I held

my pees a greet whyle; and ever sithen I have me bethought on

the man that sought the precious Margarytes; and whan he had

founden oon to his lyking, he solde al his good to bye that jewel.

Y-wis, thought I, (and yet so I thinke), now have I founden the

jewel that myn herte desyreth; wherto shulde I seche further?

Trewly, now wol I stinte, and on this Margaryte I sette me for

ever: now than also, sithen I wiste wel it was your wil that

I shulde so suche a service me take; and so to desyre that thing,

of whiche I never have blisse. There liveth non but he hath

disese; your might than that brought me to suche service, that to

me is cause of sorowe and of joye. I wonder of your worde that

ye sayn, "to bringen men in-to joye"; and, pardè, ye wete wel

that defaut ne trespace may not resonably ben put to me-wardes,

as fer as my conscience knoweth.

But of my disese me list now a whyle to speke, and to enforme

you in what maner of blisse ye have me thronge. For truly

I wene, that al gladnesse, al joye, and al mirthe is beshet under

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locke, and the keye throwe in suche place that it may not be

founde. My brenning wo hath altred al my hewe. Whan

I shulde slepe, I walowe and I thinke, and me disporte. Thus

combred, I seme that al folk had me mased. Also, lady myne,

desyre hath longe dured, some speking to have; or els at the lest

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have ben enmoysed with sight; and for wantinge of these thinges

my mouth wolde, and he durst, pleyne right sore, sithen yvels

for my goodnesse arn manyfolde to me yolden. I wonder, lady,

trewly, save evermore your reverence, how ye mowe, for shame,

suche thinges suffre on your servaunt to be so multiplied.

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Wherfore, kneling with a lowe herte, I pray you to rue on this

caytif, that of nothing now may serve. Good lady, if ye liste,

now your help to me shewe, that am of your privyest servantes

at al assayes in this tyme, and under your winges of proteccion.

No help to me-wardes is shapen; how shal than straungers in

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any wyse after socour loke, whan I, that am so privy, yet of helpe

I do fayle? Further may I not, but thus in this prison abyde;

what bondes and chaynes me holden, lady, ye see wel your-selfe.

A renyant forjuged hath not halfe the care. But thus, syghing

and sobbing, I wayle here alone; and nere it for comfort of your

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presence, right here wolde I sterve. And yet a litel am I gladded,

that so goodly suche grace and non hap have I hent, graciously

to fynde the precious Margarite, that (al other left) men shulde

bye, if they shulde therfore selle al her substaunce. Wo is me,

that so many let-games and purpose-brekers ben maked wayters,

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suche prisoners as I am to overloke and to hinder; and, for

suche lettours, it is hard any suche jewel to winne. Is this, lady,

an honour to thy deitee? Me thinketh, by right, suche people

shulde have no maistrye, ne ben overlokers over none of thy

servauntes. Trewly, were it leful unto you, to al the goddes

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wolde I playne, that ye rule your devyne purveyaunce amonges

your servantes nothing as ye shulde. Also, lady, my moeble is

insuffysaunt to countervayle the price of this jewel, or els to

make th'eschange. Eke no wight is worthy suche perles to were

but kinges or princes or els their peres. This jewel, for vertue,

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wold adorne and make fayre al a realme; the nobley of vertue is

so moche, that her goodnesse overal is commended. Who is it

that wolde not wayle, but he might suche richesse have at his

wil? The vertue therof out of this prison may me deliver, and

naught els. And if I be not ther-thorow holpen, I see my-selfe

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withouten recovery. Although I might hence voyde, yet wolde

I not; I wolde abyde the day that destenee hath me ordeyned,

whiche I suppose is without amendement; so sore is my herte

bounden, that I may thinken non other. Thus strayte, lady,

hath sir Daunger laced me in stockes, I leve it be not your wil;

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and for I see you taken so litel hede, as me thinketh, and wol

not maken by your might the vertue in mercy of the Margaryte

on me for to strecche, so as ye mowe wel in case that you liste,

my blisse and my mirthe arn feld; sicknesse and sorowe ben

alwaye redy. The cope of tene is wounde aboute al my body,

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that stonding is me best; unneth may I ligge for pure misesy

sorowe. And yet al this is litel ynough to be the ernest-silver in

forwarde of this bargayne; for treble-folde so mokel muste I suffer

er tyme come of myn ese. For he is worthy no welthe, that may

no wo suffer. And certes, I am hevy to thinke on these thinges;

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but who shal yeve me water ynough to drinke, lest myn eyen

drye, for renning stremes of teres? Who shal waylen with me

myn owne happy hevinesse? Who shal counsaile me now in

my lyking tene, and in my goodly harse? I not. For ever the

more I brenne, the more I coveyte; the more that I sorow, the

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more thrist I in gladnesse. Who shal than yeve me a contrarious

drink, to stanche the thurste of my blisful bitternesse? Lo, thus

I brenne and I drenche; I shiver and I swete. To this reversed

yvel was never yet ordeyned salve; forsoth al †leches ben unconning,

save the Margaryte alone, any suche remedye to purveye.'

Ch. III. 1. gladed; see l. 5. 2. somdele. 5. nowe. comforte. 6. nowe. 7. folke. 9. se. 10. the (twice). 11. light. 13. one. arte.

15. sene. comforte. 16. puruey. 17. Nowe. comforte. 21. mayste. 25. the. set. 29. howe. 30. leaue. 32. londe-. 33. great. forthe. corne. 35. plentie. lyste. 37. doone. 38. I supply Tho gan I. 39. se. 40. werne. 41. swyne. 43. great. great. 44. gone; read gonne. 45. ware. 46. shypcrafte. 48. catche. 49. a-ferde. 51. lache.

52. many; read meynee. knewe. 55. sayle. shyppe. 56. wynde. 58. olde. 59. kepte. storme. 61. made. 61, 62. nowe. 62. shyppe. 62, 64. great. 63. wethers; read weders. 64. I supply of. 65. as; read at. 66. catche. 67. thorowe. 69. came. 71. a-lyght. 72. great. disease. 75. shyppe. 76. lad. ware. 77. great. amonge. 79. to-forne came. 82. helde. 83. peace. great. 85. one. 86. nowe. 87. myne.

88. nowe. 89. Nowe. 91. none. 92. disease. 94. sayne. 95. reasonably. 96. ferre. 97. disease. 103. folke. 106. mouthe. 107. arne. 108. howe. 111. caytife. 112. nowe. helpe. 113. protection. 114. helpe. howe. 115. socoure. 116. maye. 117. se. 119. comforte. 120. gladed. 121. none. hente. 122. lefte. 123. sel.

126. harde. 127. deytie. 133. weare. 139. ther-thorowe. se. 141. daye. destenye. 143. maye. none. 145. se. 147. stretche. 148. arne. 150. miseasy. 151. ynoughe. 153. ease. maye. 156. teares. 157. myne. nowe. 158. harse (sic); for harme?

161. drinke. 162. sweate. 163. lyches (for leches). 164. puruey.

CHAPTER IV.

And with these wordes I brast out to wepe, that every teere

of myne eyen, for greetnesse semed they boren out the bal of

my sight, and that al the water had ben out-ronne. Than thought

me that Love gan a litel to hevye for miscomfort of my chere;

and gan soberly and in esy maner speke, wel avysinge what

she sayd. Comenly the wyse speken esily and softe for many

skilles. Oon is, their wordes are the better bileved; and also, in

esy spekinge, avysement men may cacche, what to putte forth

and what to holden in. And also, the auctoritè of esy wordes is

the more; and eke, they yeven the more understandinge to other

intencion of the mater. Right so this lady esely and in a softe

maner gan say these wordes.

¶ 'Mervayle,' quod she, 'greet it is, that by no maner of semblaunt,

as fer as I can espye, thou list not to have any recour;

but ever thou playnest and sorowest, and wayes of remedye, for

folisshe wilfulnesse, thee list not to seche. But enquyre of thy

next frendes, that is, thyne inwit and me that have ben thy

maystresse, and the recour and fyne of thy disese; [f]or of disese is

gladnesse and joy, with a ful †vessel so helded, that it quencheth

the felinge of the firste tenes. But thou that were wont not only

these thinges remembre in thyne herte, but also fooles therof to

enfourmen, in adnullinge of their errours and distroying of their

derke opinions, and in comfort of their sere thoughtes; now canst

thou not ben comfort of thyn owne soule, in thinking of these

thinges. O where hast thou be so longe commensal, that hast so

mikel eeten of the potages of foryetfulnesse, and dronken so of

ignorance, that the olde souking[es] whiche thou haddest of me

arn amaystred and lorn fro al maner of knowing? O, this is

a worthy person to helpe other, that can not counsayle him-selfe!'

And with these wordes, for pure and stronge shame, I wox al

reed.

And she than, seing me so astonyed by dyvers stoundes,

sodainly (which thing kynde hateth) gan deliciously me comforte

with sugred wordes, putting me in ful hope that I shulde the

Margarite getten, if I folowed her hestes; and gan with a fayre

clothe to wypen the teres that hingen on my chekes; and than

sayd I in this wyse.

'Now, wel of wysdom and of al welthe, withouten thee may

nothing ben lerned; thou berest the keyes of al privy thinges.

In vayne travayle men to cacche any stedship, but-if ye, lady,

first the locke unshet. Ye, lady, lerne us the wayes and the

by-pathes to heven. Ye, lady, maken al the hevenly bodyes

goodly and benignely to don her cours, that governen us beestes

here on erthe. Ye armen your servauntes ayenst al debates with

imperciable harneys; ye setten in her hertes insuperable blood of

hardinesse; ye leden hem to the parfit good. Yet al thing

desyreth ye werne no man of helpe, that †wol don your

lore. Graunt me now a litel of your grace, al my sorowes

to cese.'

'Myne owne servaunt,' quod she, 'trewly thou sittest nye

myne herte; and thy badde chere gan sorily me greve. But

amonge thy playning wordes, me thought, thou allegest thinges to

be letting of thyne helpinge and thy grace to hinder; wherthrough,

me thinketh, that wanhope is crope thorough thyn hert. God

forbid that nyse unthrifty thought shulde come in thy mynde,

thy wittes to trouble; sithen every thing in coming is contingent.

Wherfore make no more thy proposicion by an impossible.

But now, I praye thee reherse me ayen tho thinges that

thy mistrust causen; and thilke thinges I thinke by reson to

distroyen, and putte ful hope in thyn herte. What understondest

thou there,' quod she, 'by that thou saydest, "many let-games

are thyn overlokers?" And also by "that thy moeble is insuffysaunt"?

I not what thou therof menest.'

'Trewly,' quod I, 'by the first I say, that janglers evermore

arn spekinge rather of yvel than of good; for every age of man

rather enclyneth to wickednesse, than any goodnesse to avaunce.

Also false wordes springen so wyde, by the stering of false lying

tonges, that fame als swiftely flyeth to her eres and sayth many

wicked tales; and as soone shal falsenesse ben leved as tr[o]uthe,

for al his gret sothnesse.

'Now by that other,' quod I, 'me thinketh thilke jewel so

precious, that to no suche wrecche as I am wolde vertue therof

extende; and also I am to feble in worldly joyes, any suche

jewel to countrevayle. For suche people that worldly joyes han

at her wil ben sette at the highest degree, and most in reverence

ben accepted. For false wening maketh felicitè therin to be

supposed; but suche caytives as I am evermore ben hindred.'

'Certes,' quod she, 'take good hede, and I shal by reson to

thee shewen, that al these thinges mowe nat lette thy purpos

by the leest point that any wight coude pricke.

Ch. IV. 2. great-. 4. heauy. 5. easy. 6. easyly. 7. One. 8. easy speakynge. catche. put forthe. 9. easy. 11. ladye easely. 13. great. 14. ferre. 16. the lyste. 17. inwytte. 18. disease (twice). 19. nessel; misprint for uessel. 20. wonte. onely. 22. distroyeng. 23. comforte. seare. 24. comforte. 25. haste. 27. soukyng. 28. arne.

30. woxe. 33. thynge. 36. teares. 38. Nowe. wysedom. the. 39. bearest. 40. catche. 43. done her course. 45. blode. 46. leaden. parfyte. thynge. 47. wern. wele; read wol. done. 48. nowe. 49. cease. 53. wherthroughe. 58. nowe. the. 59. reason. 60. put. 61. lette-games. 63. meanest. 65. arne.

67. steeryng. lyeng. 68. eares. 72. wretche. 78. reason. 79. the. let. purpose.

CHAPTER V.

Remembrest nat,' quod she, 'ensample is oon of the

strongest maner[es], as for to preve a mannes purpos?

Than if I now, by ensample, enduce thee to any proposicion, is

it nat preved by strength?'

'Yes, forsothe,' quod I.

'Wel,' quod she, 'raddest thou never how Paris of Troye and

Heleyne loved togider, and yet had they not entrecomuned of

speche? Also Acrisius shette Dane his doughter in a tour, for

suertee that no wight shulde of her have no maistry in my

service; and yet Jupiter by signes, without any speche, had

al his purpose ayenst her fathers wil. And many suche mo have

ben knitte in trouthe, and yet spake they never togider; for

that is a thing enclosed under secretnesse of privytè, why twey

persons entremellen hertes after a sight. The power in knowing,

of such thinges †to preven, shal nat al utterly be yeven to you

beestes; for many thinges, in suche precious maters, ben

reserved to jugement of devyne purveyaunce; for among lyving

people, by mannes consideracion, moun they nat be determined.

Wherfore I saye, al the envy, al the janglinge, that wel ny [al]

people upon my servauntes maken †ofte, is rather cause of esployte

than of any hindringe.'

'Why, than,' quod I, 'suffre ye such wrong; and moun, whan

ye list, lightly al such yvels abate? Me semeth, to you it is

a greet unworship.'

'O,' quod she, 'hold now thy pees. I have founden to many

that han ben to me unkynde, that trewly I wol suffre every wight

in that wyse to have disese; and who that continueth to the ende

wel and trewly, hem wol I helpen, and as for oon of myne in-to

blisse [don] to wende. As [in] marcial doing in Grece, who

was y-crowned? By god, nat the strongest; but he that rathest

com and lengest abood and continued in the journey, and spared

nat to traveyle as long as the play leste. But thilke person, that

profred him now to my service, [and] therin is a while, and anon

voideth and [is] redy to another; and so now oon he thinketh

and now another; and in-to water entreth and anon respireth:

such oon list me nat in-to perfit blisse of my service bringe.

A tree ofte set in dyvers places wol nat by kynde endure to bringe

forth frutes. Loke now, I pray thee, how myne olde servauntes

of tyme passed continued in her service, and folowe thou after

their steppes; and than might thou not fayle, in case thou worche

in this wyse.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'it is nothing lich, this world, to tyme

passed; eke this countrè hath oon maner, and another countrè

hath another. And so may nat a man alway putte to his eye the

salve that he heled with his hele. For this is sothe: betwixe

two thinges liche, ofte dyversitè is required.'

'Now,' quod she, 'that is sothe; dyversitè of nation, dyversitè of

lawe, as was maked by many resons; for that dyversitè cometh in

by the contrarious malice of wicked people, that han envyous hertes

ayenst other. But trewly, my lawe to my servauntes ever hath

ben in general, whiche may nat fayle. For right as mannes †lawe

that is ordained by many determinacions, may nat be knowe for

good or badde, til assay of the people han proved it and [founden]

to what ende it draweth; and than it sheweth the necessitè

therof, or els the impossibilitè: right so the lawe of my servauntes

so wel hath ben proved in general, that hitherto hath it not fayled.

Wiste thou not wel that al the lawe of kynde is my lawe, and

by god ordayned and stablisshed to dure by kynde resoun?

Wherfore al lawe by mannes witte purveyed ought to be underput

to lawe of kynde, whiche yet hath be commune to every kyndely

creature; that my statutes and my lawe that ben kyndely arn

general to al peoples. Olde doinges and by many turninges of

yeres used, and with the peoples maner proved, mowen nat so

lightly ben defased; but newe doinges, contrariauntes suche olde,

ofte causen diseses and breken many purposes. Yet saye I nat

therfore that ayen newe mischeef men shulde nat ordaynen

a newe remedye; but alwaye looke it contrary not the olde no

ferther than the malice streccheth. Than foloweth it, the olde

doinges in love han ben universal, as for most exployte[s] forth

used; wherfore I wol not yet that of my lawes nothing be adnulled.

But thanne to thy purpos: suche jangelers and lokers, and

wayters of games, if thee thinke in aught they mowe dere, yet

love wel alwaye, and sette hem at naught; and let thy port ben

lowe in every wightes presence, and redy in thyne herte to

maynteyne that thou hast begonne; and a litel thee fayne with

mekenesse in wordes; and thus with sleyght shalt thou surmount

and dequace the yvel in their hertes. And wysdom yet is to seme

flye otherwhyle, there a man wol fighte. Thus with suche thinges

the tonges of yvel shal ben stilled; els fully to graunte thy ful

meninge, for-sothe ever was and ever it shal be, that myn enemyes

ben aferde to truste to any fightinge. And therfore have thou no

cowardes herte in my service, no more than somtyme thou

haddest in the contrarye. For if thou drede suche jangleres, thy

viage to make, understand wel, that he that dredeth any rayn, to

sowe his cornes, he shal have than [bare] bernes. Also he that

is aferd of his clothes, let him daunce naked! Who nothing

undertaketh, and namely in my service, nothing acheveth. After

grete stormes the †weder is often mery and smothe. After

moche clatering, there is mokil rowning. Thus, after jangling

wordes, cometh "huissht! pees! and be stille!"'

'O good lady!' quod I than, 'see now how, seven yere passed

and more, have I graffed and †grobbed a vyne; and with al the

wayes that I coude I sought to a fed me of the grape; but frute

have I non founde. Also I have this seven yere served Laban, to

a wedded Rachel his doughter; but blere-eyed Lya is brought to

my bedde, which alway engendreth my tene, and is ful of children

in tribulacion and in care. And although the clippinges and

kissinges of Rachel shulde seme to me swete, yet is she so

barayne that gladnesse ne joye by no way wol springe; so that

100

I may wepe with Rachel. I may not ben counsayled with solace,

sithen issue of myn hertely desyre is fayled. Now than I pray that

to me [come] sone fredom and grace in this eight[eth] yere; this

eighteth mowe to me bothe be kinrest and masseday, after the

seven werkedays of travayle, to folowe the Christen lawe; and,

105

what ever ye do els, that thilke Margaryte be holden so, lady, in

your privy chambre, that she in this case to none other person be

committed.'

'Loke than,' quod she, 'thou persever in my service, in whiche

I have thee grounded; that thilke scorn in thyn enemyes mowe

110

this on thy person be not sothed: "lo! this man began to edefye,

but, for his foundement is bad, to the ende may he it not bringe."

For mekenesse in countenaunce, with a manly hert in dedes and

in longe continuaunce, is the conisance of my livery to al my

retinue delivered. What wenest thou, that me list avaunce suche

115

persons as loven the first sittinges at feestes, the highest stoles

in churches and in hal, loutinges of peoples in markettes and fayres;

unstedfaste to byde in one place any whyle togider; wening his

owne wit more excellent than other; scorning al maner devyse

but his own? Nay, nay, god wot, these shul nothing parten of

120

my blisse. Truly, my maner here-toforn hath ben [to] worship[pe]

with my blisse lyons in the felde and lambes in chambre;

egles at assaute and maydens in halle; foxes in counsayle, stil[le]

in their dedes; and their proteccioun is graunted, redy to ben

a bridge; and their baner is arered, like wolves in the felde.

125

Thus, by these wayes, shul men ben avaunced; ensample of

David, that from keping of shepe was drawen up in-to the order

of kingly governaunce; and Jupiter, from a bole, to ben Europes

fere; and Julius Cesar, from the lowest degrè in Rome, to be

mayster of al erthly princes; and Eneas from hel, to be king of

130

the countrè there Rome is now stonding. And so to thee I say;

thy grace, by bering ther-after, may sette thee in suche plight,

that no jangling may greve the leest tucke of thy hemmes; that

[suche] are their †jangles, is nought to counte at a cresse in thy

disavauntage.

Ch. V. 1. one. 2. maner; read maneres. purpose. 3. nowe. the. 4. proued. 6. howe. 9. suertie. 15. so; read to. 17. lyueng.

19. I supply al. 20. efte; read ofte. 24. great. 25. holde nowe thy peace. 27. disease. 29. one. I supply don. I supply in. 31. come. abode. 32. lest. 33. nowe. I supply and. 34. I supply is. nowe one. 35. nowe. 36. one. perfyte. 38. nowe. the howe. 42. worlde. 43. one. 44. alwaye put. 45. healed. 47. Nowe. 48. reasons. 51. lawes; read lawe. 52. determinatiōs. 53. I supply founden.

58. reasoun. 59. purueyde. vnderputte. 61. arne. 65. diseases. breaken. 66. mischefe. 68. stretcheth. 69. exployte forthe. 70. nothynge. 71. purpose. 72. the. 73. lette. porte. 75. the. 77. wysdome. 78. fyght. 79. graunt. 80. meanynge. 84. vnderstande. rayne. 85. I supply bare. 86. aferde. 88. great. wether; read weder. 90. huysshte. peace. styl. 91. se nowe howe.

92. groubed. 94. none. 101. Nowe. 102. I supply come. 103. kynrest (sic). 109. skorne. 110. this; read thus? 120. toforne. 121. worship; read worshippe (verb). 122. styl. 123. protection.

130. nowe. the. 131. set the. 132. lest. 133. ianghes; read jangles.

CHAPTER VI.

Ever,' quod she, 'hath the people in this worlde desyred

to have had greet name in worthinesse, and hated foule

to bere any [en]fame; and that is oon of the objeccions thou

alegest to be ayen thyne hertely desyre.'

'Ye, forsothe,' quod I; 'and that, so comenly, the people wol

lye, and bringe aboute suche enfame.'

'Now,' quod she, 'if men with lesinges putte on thee enfame,

wenest thy-selfe therby ben enpeyred? That wening is wrong;

see why; for as moche as they lyen, thy meryte encreseth, and

make[th] thee ben more worthy, to hem that knowen of the soth;

by what thing thou art apeyred, that in so mokil thou art encresed

of thy beloved frendes. And sothly, a wounde of thy frende [is] to

thee lasse harm, ye, sir, and better than a fals kissing in disceyvable

glosing of thyne enemy; above that than, to be wel with thy

frende maketh [voyd] suche enfame. Ergo, thou art encresed

and not apeyred.'

'Lady,' quod I, 'somtyme yet, if a man be in disese, th'estimacion

of the envyous people ne loketh nothing to desertes of men,

ne to the merytes of their doinges, but only to the aventure of

fortune; and therafter they yeven their sentence. And some

loken the voluntary wil in his herte, and therafter telleth his

jugement; not taking hede to reson ne to the qualitè of the

doing; as thus. If a man be riche and fulfild with worldly

welfulnesse, some commenden it, and sayn it is so lent by juste

cause; and he that hath adversitè, they sayn he is weked; and

hath deserved thilke anoy. The contrarye of these thinges some

men holden also; and sayn that to the riche prosperitè is purvayed

in-to his confusion; and upon this mater many autoritès

of many and greet-witted clerkes they alegen. And some men

sayn, though al good estimacion forsake folk that han adversitè,

yet is it meryte and encrees of his blisse; so that these purposes

am so wonderful in understanding, that trewly, for myn adversitè

now, I not how the sentence of the indifferent people wil jugen

my fame.'

'Therfore,' quod she, 'if any wight shulde yeve a trewe sentence

on suche maters, the cause of the disese maist thou see

wel. Understand ther-upon after what ende it draweth, that is to

sayne, good or badde; so ought it to have his fame †by goodnesse

or enfame by badnesse. For [of] every resonable person, and

namely of a wyse man, his wit ought not, without reson to-forn

herd, sodainly in a mater to juge. After the sawes of the wyse,

"thou shalt not juge ne deme toforn thou knowe."'

'Lady,' quod I, 'ye remembre wel, that in moste laude and

praysing of certayne seyntes in holy churche, is to rehersen their

conuersion from badde in-to good; and that is so rehersed, as

by a perpetual mirrour of remembraunce, in worshippinge of

tho sayntes, and good ensample to other misdoers in amendement.

How turned the Romayne Zedeoreys fro the Romaynes,

to be with Hanibal ayenst his kynde nacion; and afterwardes,

him seming the Romayns to be at the next degrè of confusion,

turned to his olde alyes; by whose witte after was Hanibal

discomfited. Wherfore, to enfourme you, lady, the maner-why

I mene, see now. In my youth I was drawe to ben assentaunt

and (in my mightes) helping to certain conjuracions and other

grete maters of ruling of citizins; and thilke thinges ben my

drawers in; and ex[c]itours to tho maters wern so paynted and

coloured that (at the prime face) me semed them noble and

glorious to al the people. I than, wening mikel meryte have

deserved in furthering and mayntenaunce of tho thinges, besyed

and laboured, with al my diligence, in werkinge of thilke maters

to the ende. And trewly, lady, to telle you the sothe, me rought

litel of any hate of the mighty senatours in thilke citè, ne of

comunes malice; for two skilles. Oon was, I had comfort to ben

in suche plyte, that bothe profit were to me and to my frendes.

Another was, for commen profit in cominaltee is not but pees and

tranquilitè, with just governaunce, proceden from thilke profit;

sithen, by counsayle of myne inwitte, me thought the firste painted

thinges malice and yvel meninge, withouten any good avayling to

any people, and of tyrannye purposed. And so, for pure sorowe,

and of my medlinge and badde infame that I was in ronne, tho

[the] teres [that] lasshed out of myne eyen were thus awaye

wasshe, than the under-hidde malice and the rancour of purposing

envye, forncast and imagined in distruccion of mokil people,

shewed so openly, that, had I ben blind, with myne hondes al the

circumstaunce I might wel have feled.

Now than tho persones that suche thinges have cast to redresse,

for wrathe of my first medlinge, shopen me to dwelle in this pynande

prison, til Lachases my threed no lenger wolde twyne. And

ever I was sought, if me liste to have grace of my lyfe and

frenesse of that prison, I shulde openly confesse how pees might

ben enduced to enden al the firste rancours. It was fully

supposed my knowing to be ful in tho maters. Than, lady,

I thought that every man that, by any waye of right, rightfully

don, may helpe any comune †wele to ben saved; whiche thing to

kepe above al thinges I am holde to mayntayne, and namely in

distroying of a wrong; al shulde I therthrough enpeche myn

owne fere, if he were gilty and to do misdeed assentaunt. And

mayster ne frend may nought avayle to the soule of him that

in falsnesse deyeth; and also that I nere desyred wrathe of the

people ne indignacion of the worthy, for nothinge that ever I

wrought or did, in any doing my-selfe els, but in the mayntenaunce

of these foresayd errours and in hydinge of the privitees therof.

And that al the peoples hertes, holdinge on the errours syde,

weren blinde and of elde so ferforth begyled, that debat and

stryf they maynteyned, and in distruccion on that other syde;

by whiche cause the pees, that moste in comunaltee shulde be

desyred, was in poynte to be broken and adnulled. Also the citee

of London, that is to me so dere and swete, in whiche I was forth

growen; (and more kyndely love have I to that place than to any

100

other in erthe, as every kyndely creature hath ful appetyte to that

place of his kyndly engendrure, and to wilne reste and pees

in that stede to abyde); thilke pees shulde thus there have ben

broken, and of al wyse it is commended and desyred. For knowe

thing it is, al men that desyren to comen to the perfit pees

105

everlasting must the pees by god commended bothe mayntayne and

kepe. This pees by angels voyce was confirmed, our god entringe

in this worlde. This, as for his Testament, he lefte to al his

frendes, whanne he retourned to the place from whence he cam;

this his apostel amonesteth to holden, without whiche man perfitly

110

may have non insight. Also this god, by his coming, made not

pees alone betwene hevenly and erthly bodyes, but also amonge

us on erthe so he pees confirmed, that in one heed of love oon

body we shulde perfourme. Also I remembre me wel how the

name of Athenes was rather after the god of pees than of batayle,

115

shewinge that pees moste is necessarie to comunaltees and citees.

I than, so styred by al these wayes toforn nempned, declared

certayne poyntes in this wyse. Firste, that thilke persones

that hadden me drawen to their purposes, and me not weting the

privy entent of their meninge, drawen also the feeble-witted

120

people, that have non insight of gubernatif prudence, to clamure

and to crye on maters that they styred; and under poyntes for

comune avauntage they enbolded the passif to take in the

actives doinge; and also styred innocentes of conning to crye

after thinges, whiche (quod they) may not stande but we ben

125

executours of tho maters, and auctoritè of execucion by comen

eleccion to us be delivered. And that muste entre by strength of

your mayntenaunce. For we out of suche degree put, oppression

of these olde hindrers shal agayn surmounten, and putten you in

such subjeccion, that in endelesse wo ye shul complayne.

130

The governementes (quod they) of your citè, lefte in the handes

of torcencious citezins, shal bringe in pestilence and distruccion

to you, good men; and therfore let us have the comune administracion

to abate suche yvels. Also (quod they) it is worthy

the good to commende, and the gilty desertes to chastice. There

135

ben citezens many, for-ferde of execucion that shal be doon; for

extorcions by hem committed ben evermore ayenst these purposes

and al other good mevinges. Never-the-latter, lady, trewly the

meninge under these wordes was, fully to have apeched the

mighty senatoures, whiche hadden hevy herte for the misgovernaunce

140

that they seen. And so, lady, whan it fel that free

eleccion [was mad], by greet clamour of moche people, [that] for

greet disese of misgovernaunce so fervently stoden in her eleccion

that they hem submitted to every maner †fate rather than have

suffred the maner and the rule of the hated governours;

145

notwithstandinge that in the contrary helden moche comune meyny,

that have no consideracion but only to voluntary lustes withouten

reson. But than thilke governour so forsaken, fayninge to-forn

his undoinge for misrule in his tyme, shoop to have letted thilke

eleccion, and have made a newe, him-selfe to have ben chosen;

150

and under that, mokil rore [to] have arered. These thinges, lady,

knowen among the princes, and made open to the people,

draweth in amendement, that every degree shal ben ordayned to

stande there-as he shulde; and that of errours coming herafter

men may lightly to-forn-hand purvaye remedye; in this wyse pees

155

and rest to be furthered and holde. Of the whiche thinges, lady,

thilke persones broughten in answere to-forn their moste soverayne

juge, not coarted by payninge dures, openly knowlegeden, and

asked therof grace; so that apertly it preveth my wordes ben

sothe, without forginge of lesinges.

160

But now it greveth me to remembre these dyvers sentences, in

janglinge of these shepy people; certes, me thinketh, they oughten

to maken joye that a sothe may be knowe. For my trouthe and

my conscience ben witnesse to me bothe, that this (knowinge

sothe) have I sayd, for no harme ne malice of tho persones, but

165

only for trouthe of my sacrament in my ligeaunce, by whiche

I was charged on my kinges behalfe. But see ye not now, lady,

how the felonous thoughtes of this people and covins of wicked

men conspyren ayen my sothfast trouth! See ye not every wight

that to these erroneous opinions were assentaunt, and helpes to

170

the noyse, and knewen al these thinges better than I my-selven,

apparaylen to fynden newe frendes, and clepen me fals, and

studyen how they mowen in her mouthes werse plyte nempne?

O god, what may this be, that thilke folk whiche that in tyme of

my mayntenaunce, and whan my might avayled to strecche to

175

the forsayd maters, tho me commended, and yave me name of

trouth, in so manyfolde maners that it was nyghe in every

wightes eere, there-as any of thilke people weren; and on the

other syde, thilke company somtyme passed, yevinge me name

of badde loos: now bothe tho peoples turned the good in-to

180

badde, and badde in-to good? Whiche thing is wonder, that

they knowing me saying but sothe, arn now tempted to reply her

olde praysinges; and knowen me wel in al doinges to ben trewe,

and sayn openly that I false have sayd many thinges! And they

aleged nothing me to ben false or untrewe, save thilke mater

185

knowleged by the parties hem-selfe; and god wot, other mater

is non. Ye also, lady, knowe these thinges for trewe; I avaunte

not in praysing of my-selfe; therby shulde I lese the precious

secrè of my conscience. But ye see wel that false opinion of the

people for my trouthe, in telling out of false conspyred maters;

190

and after the jugement of these clerkes, I shulde not hyde the

sothe of no maner person, mayster ne other. Wherfore I wolde

not drede, were it put in the consideracion of trewe and of wyse.

And for comers hereafter shullen fully, out of denwere, al the

sothe knowe of these thinges in acte, but as they wern, I have

195

put it in scripture, in perpetuel remembraunce of true meninge.

For trewly, lady, me semeth that I ought to bere the name of

trouthe, that for the love of rightwysnesse have thus me †submitted.

But now than the false fame, which that (clerkes sayn)

flyeth as faste as doth the fame of trouthe, shal so wyde sprede

200

til it be brought to the jewel that I of mene; and so shal I ben

hindred, withouten any mesure of trouthe.'

Ch. VI. 2. great. beare. 3. read enfame; see l. 6. one. obiections. 7. Nowe. leasynges put on the. 8. wronge. 9. se. encreaseth. 10. the. 11. arte encreased. 12. I supply is. 13. the. harme. false. 15. I supply voyd. arte. 17. disease. 22. reason. 23. fulfylde. 24. sayne. lente. 25. sayne. weaked; read wikked? 26. anoye.

27. sayne. 29. great. 30. forsaken; read forsake. 31. encrease. 32. arne. 33. nowe. howe. 36. disease. se. 37. vnderstande. 38. fame or by goodnesse enfame; read fame by goodnesse or enfame. 39. Supply of. reasonable. 40. wytte. reason to-forne. 41. herde. 42. toforne. 45. conuercion. 48. Howe. zedeoreys or ȝedeoreys. 53. meane se nowe. 55. great. 56. exitours. werne. 61. tel.

63. One. comforte. 64. profyte. 65. profyte. comynaltie. peace. 66. profyte. 68. meanynge. 71. I supply the and that. 72. rancoure. 73. fornecaste. distruction. 74. blynde. 76. Nowe. caste. 77. dwel. 78. threde. 80. howe peace. 81. endused. 84. done. maye. helpe (repeated after comen); read wele. thynge. 86. distroyeng. 87. misdede. 88. frende maye. 94. -forthe. debate. 95. stryfe. distruction. 96. peace. comunaltie. 97. cytie. 98. forthe.

101–6. peace (five times). 104. thynge. perfyte. 107. left. 108. came. 109. perfytely. 110. none. 111–2. peace (twice). 112. one (twice). 113. howe. 114–5. peace (twice). 115. comunalties and cytes. 116. toforne. 119. meanynge. feoble. 120. none. gubernatyfe. 122. passyfe. 126. election. 128. agayne. 129. subiection. 131. distruction. 135. doone.

138. meanynge. 139. heauy. 141. election. Supply was mad. great (twice). Supply that. 142. disease. election. 143. face; read fate. 146. onely. 147. reason. to-forne. 148. shope. 149. electyon. 151. amonge. 154. to forne hande. peace. 156. to forne. 158. apertely. 159. leasynges. 160. nowe. 162. maye. 164. sayde. 165. onely. leigeaunce. 166. se. nowe. 168. Se. 171. cleapen. false.

172. howe. 173. maye. folke. 174. stretch. 179. Nowe. 181. knowyuge (sic). sayng. arne nowe. 183. sayne. 184. nothynge. 185. wote. 186. none. 188. se. 194. werne. 195. meanynge. 196. beare. 197. submytten (!). 198. nowe. sayne. 199. dothe. 200. meane. 201. measure.

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