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CHAPTER VII.

Than gan Love sadly me beholde, and sayd in a changed

voyce, lower than she had spoken in any tyme: 'Fayn

wolde I,' quod she, 'that thou were holpen; but hast thou sayd

any-thing whiche thou might not proven?'

'Pardè,' quod I, 'the persones, every thing as I have sayd, han

knowleged hem-selfe.'

'Ye,' quod she, 'but what if they hadden nayed? How

woldest thou have maynteyned it?'

'Sothely,' quod I, 'it is wel wist, bothe amonges the greetest

and other of the realme, that I profered my body so largely in-to

provinge of tho thinges, that Mars shulde have juged the ende;

but, for sothnesse of my wordes, they durste not to thilke juge

truste.'

'Now, certes,' quod she, 'above al fames in this worlde, the

name of marcial doinges most plesen to ladyes of my lore; but

sithen thou were redy, and thyne adversaryes in thy presence

refused thilke doing; thy fame ought to be so born as if in dede

it had take to the ende. And therfore every wight that any

droppe of reson hath, and hereth of thee infame for these thinges,

hath this answere to saye: "trewly thou saydest; for thyne

adversaryes thy wordes affirmed." And if thou haddest lyed, yet

are they discomfited, the prise leved on thy syde; so that fame

shal holde down infame; he shal bringe [it in] upon none

halfe. What greveth thee thyne enemye[s] to sayn their owne

shame, as thus: "we arn discomfited, and yet our quarel is

trewe?" Shal not the loos of thy frendes ayenward dequace thilke

enfame, and saye they graunted a sothe without a stroke or fighting?

Many men in batayle ben discomfited and overcome in

a rightful quarel, that is goddes privy jugement in heven; but

yet, although the party be yolden, he may with wordes saye his

quarel is trewe, and to yelde him, in the contrarye, for drede of

dethe he is compelled; and he that graunteth and no stroke hath

feled, he may not crepe away in this wyse by none excusacion.

Indifferent folk wil say: "ye, who is trewe, who is fals, him-selfe

knowlegeth tho thinges." Thus in every syde fame sheweth to

thee good and no badde.'

'But yet,' quod I, 'some wil say, I ne shulde, for no dethe,

have discovered my maistresse; and so by unkyndnesse they

wol knette infame, to pursue me aboute. Thus enemyes of wil,

in manyfolde maner, wol seche privy serpentynes queintyses, to

quenche and distroye, by venim of many besinesses, the light of

tr[o]uthe; to make hertes to murmure ayenst my persone, to have

me in hayne withouten any cause.'

'Now,' quod she, 'here me a fewe wordes, and thou shalt fully

ben answered, I trowe. Me thinketh (quod she) right now, by

thy wordes, that sacrament of swering, that is to say, charging by

othe, was oon of the causes to make thee discover the malicious

imaginacions tofore nempned. Every ooth, by knittinge of copulation,

muste have these lawes, that is, trewe jugement and rightwysenesse;

in whiche thinge if any of these lacke, the ooth is

y-tourned in-to the name of perjury. Than to make a trewe

serment, most nedes these thinges folowe. For ofte tymes, a man

to saye sothe, but jugement and justice folowe, he is forsworn;

ensample of Herodes, for holdinge of his serment was [he]

dampned.

Also, to saye tr[o]uthe rightfulliche (but in jugement) otherwhile

is forboden, by that al sothes be nat to sayne. Therfore in

jugement, in tr[o]uthe, and rightwisenesse, is every creature

bounden, up payne of perjury, ful knowing to make, tho[ugh] it

were of his owne persone, for drede of sinne; after that worde,

"better is it to dey than live false." And, al wolde perverted people

fals report make in unkyndnesse, in that entent thy [en]fame to

reyse, whan light of tr[o]uthe in these maters is forth sprongen

and openly publisshed among commens, than shal nat suche

derke enfame dare appere, for pure shame of his falsnesse. As some

men ther ben that their owne enfame can none otherwyse voide

or els excuse, but †by hindringe of other mennes fame; which

that by non other cause clepen other men false, but for [that]

with their owne falsnesse mowen they nat ben avaunsed; or els

by false sklaund[r]inge wordes other men shenden, their owne

trewe sklaunder to make seme the lasse. For if such men wolden

their eyen of their conscience revolven, [they] shulden seen the

same sentence they legen on other springe out of their sydes, with

so many braunches, it were impossible to nombre. To whiche

therefore may it be sayd in that thinge, "this man thou demest,

therein thy-selfe thou condempnest."

But (quod she) understand nat by these wordes, that thou

wene me saye thee to be worthy sclaunder, for any mater tofore

written; truely I wolde witnesse the contrary; but I saye that

the bemes of sclaundring wordes may not be don awaye til the

daye of dome. For how shulde it nat yet, amonges so greet

plentee of people, ben many shrewes, sithen whan no mo but

eight persons in Noes shippe were closed, yet oon was a shrewe

and skorned his father? These thinges (quod she) I trowe, shewen

that fals fame is nat to drede, ne of wyse persons to accepte, and

namely nat of thy Margarite, whose wysdom here-after I thinke to

declare; wherfore I wot wel suche thing shal nat her asterte;

than of unkyndnesse thyn ooth hath thee excused at the fulle.

But now, if thou woldest nat greve, me list a fewe thinges to

shewe.'

'Say on,' quod I, 'what ye wol; I trowe ye mene but trouthe

and my profit in tyme cominge.'

'Trewly,' quod she, 'that is sothe, so thou con wel kepe these

wordes, and in the in[ne]rest secrè chambre of thyne herte so

faste hem close that they never flitte; than shalt thou fynde hem

avayling. Loke now what people hast thou served; whiche of

hem al in tyme of thyne exile ever thee refresshed, by the valewe

of the leste coyned plate that walketh in money? Who was sory,

or made any rewth for thy disese? If they hadden getten their

100

purpose, of thy misaventure sette they nat an hawe. Lo, whan

thou were emprisonned, how faste they hyed in helpe of thy

deliveraunce! I wene of thy dethe they yeve but lyte. They

loked after no-thing but after their owne lustes. And if thou liste

say the sothe, al that meyny that in this †brige thee broughten,

105

lokeden rather after thyne helpes than thee to have releved.

Owen nat yet some of hem money for his commens? Paydest

nat thou for some of her dispences, til they were tourned out of

Selande? Who yave thee ever ought for any rydinge thou madest?

Yet, pardè, some of hem token money for thy chambre, and

110

putte tho pens in his purse, unwetinge of the renter.

Lo for which a company thou medlest, that neither thee ne

them-selfe mighten helpe of unkyndnesse; now they bere the

name that thou supposest of hem for to have. What might thou

more have don than thou diddest, but-if thou woldest in a fals

115

quarel have been a stinkinge martyr? I wene thou fleddest, as

longe as thou might, their privitè to counsayle; which thing thou

hele[de]st lenger than thou shuldest. And thilke that ought thee

money no penny wolde paye; they wende thy returne hadde ben

an impossible. How might thou better have hem proved, but thus

120

in thy nedy diseses? Now hast thou ensaumple for whom thou

shalt meddle; trewly, this lore is worth many goodes.'

Ch. VII. 2. Fayne. 3. haste. 4. -thynge. 7. Yea. Howe. 9. wyste. amongest. greatest. 14. Nowe. 15. moste pleasen. 17. borne. 19. reason. the. 22. leaued. 23. Supply it in. 24. the. enemye (sic). sayne. 25. arne. 30. partie. 33. maye.

34. folke. false. 36. the. 44. Nowe. shalte. 45. answerde. nowe. 46. swearyng. 47. one. the. 48. othe. copulation. 50. othe. 53. forsworne. 54. Supply he. 61. false. 62. reporte. 63. forthe. 67. be; for by. 68. cleapen. Supply that. 70. sklaundynge. shendyn.

72. I supply they. sene. 73. legen [for aleggen]. 75. maye. 77. vnderstande. 78. the. 80. beames. done. 81. howe. great. 82. plentie. 83. one. 85. false. 86. wysedom. 87. wotte. thynge. 88. thyne othe. the. 89. nowe. 91. meane. 92. profyte. 94. inrest. 95. shalte. 96. nowe. haste. 97. the. 98. sorye. 99. disease. 101. howe. 103. -thynge. 104. brigge; read brige. 104, 105. the.

108. the. 109. pardye. 111. the. 112. now. beare. 114. done. false. 117. helest; read heledest. the. 119. Howe. 120. diseases. Nowe haste. 121. shalte. worthe.

CHAPTER VIII.

†Eft gan Love to †steren me [with] these wordes: 'thinke

on my speche; for trewly here-after it wol do thee lykinge;

and how-so-ever thou see Fortune shape her wheele to tourne,

this meditacion [shal] by no waye revolve. For certes, Fortune

sheweth her fayrest, whan she thinketh to begyle. And as me

thought, here-toforn thou saydest, thy loos in love, for thy

rightwysenesse ought to be raysed, shulde be a-lowed in tyme cominge.

Thou might in love so thee have, that loos and fame shul so ben

raysed, that to thy frendes comfort, and sorowe to thyne enemys,

endlesse shul endure.

But if thou were the oon sheep, amonges the hundred, were lost

in deserte and out of the way hadde erred, and now to the flocke

art restoored, the shepherd hath in thee no joye and thou ayen

to the forrest tourne. But that right as the sorowe and anguisshe

was greet in tyme of thyne out-waye goinge, right so

joye and gladnesse shal be doubled to sene thee converted; and

nat as Lothes wyf ayen-lokinge, but [in] hool counsayle with the

shepe folowinge, and with them grasse and herbes gadre. Never-the-later

(quod she) I saye nat these thinges for no wantrust that

I have in supposinge of thee otherwyse than I shulde. For

trewly, I wot wel that now thou art set in suche a purpose, out of

whiche thee liste nat to parte. But I saye it for many men there

been, that to knowinge of other mennes doinges setten al their

cure, and lightly desyren the badde to clatter rather than the

good, and have no wil their owne maner to amende. They also

hate of olde rancours lightly haven; and there that suche thing

abydeth, sodaynly in their mouthes procedeth the habundaunce

of the herte, and wordes as stones out-throwe. Wherfore my

counsayl is ever-more openly and apertly, in what place thou sitte,

counterplete th'errours and meninges in as fer as thou hem

wistest false, and leve for no wight to make hem be knowe in

every bodyes ere; and be alway pacient and use Jacobes wordes,

what-so-ever men of thee clappen: "I shal sustayne my ladyes

wrathe which I have deserved, so longe as my Margarite hath

rightwysed my cause." And certes (quod she) I witnesse my-selfe,

if thou, thus converted, sorowest in good meninge in thyne herte,

[and] wolt from al vanitè parfitly departe, in consolacioun of al

good plesaunce of that Margaryte, whiche that thou desyrest after

wil of thyn herte, in a maner of a †moders pitè, [she] shul fully

accepte thee in-to grace. For right as thou rentest clothes in

open sighte, so openly to sowe hem at his worshippe withouten

reprofe [is] commended. Also, right as thou were ensample of

moche-folde errour, right so thou must be ensample of manyfolde

correccioun; so good savour to forgoing †of errour causeth diligent

love, with many playted praisinges to folowe; and than shal al

the firste errours make the folowinge worshippes to seme hugely

encresed. Blacke and white, set togider, every for other more

semeth; and so doth every thinges contrary in kynde. But

infame, that goth alwaye tofore, and praysinge worship by any

cause folowinge after, maketh to ryse the ilke honour in double

of welth; and that quencheth the spotte of the first enfame. Why

wenest, I saye, these thinges in hindringe of thy name? Nay,

nay, god wot, but for pure encresing worship, thy rightwysenesse to

commende, and thy trouthe to seme the more. Wost nat wel

thy-selfe, that thou in fourme of making †passest nat Adam that eet

of the apple? Thou †passest nat the stedfastnesse of Noe, that

eetinge of the grape becom dronke. Thou passest nat the

chastitè of Lothe, that lay by his doughter; eke the nobley of

Abraham, whom god reproved by his pryde; also Davides

mekenesse, whiche for a woman made Urye be slawe. What?

also Hector of Troye, in whom no defaute might be founde, yet

is he reproved that he ne hadde with manhode nat suffred the

warre begonne, ne Paris to have went in-to Grece, by whom gan

al the sorowe. For trewly, him lacketh no venim of privè

consenting, whiche that openly leveth a wrong to withsaye.

Lo eke an olde proverbe amonges many other: "He that is

stille semeth as he graunted."

Now by these ensamples thou might fully understonde, that

these thinges ben writte to your lerning, and in rightwysenesse of

tho persones, as thus: To every wight his defaute committed

made goodnesse afterwardes don be the more in reverence and in

open shewing; for ensample, is it nat songe in holy churche,

"Lo, how necessary was Adams synne!" David the king gat

Salomon the king of her that was Uryes wyf. Truly, for reprofe

is non of these thinges writte. Right so, tho I reherce thy

before-dede, I repreve thee never the more; ne for no villany of

thee are they rehersed, but for worshippe, so thou continewe wel

here-after: and for profit of thy-selfe I rede thou on hem thinke.'

Than sayde I right thus: 'Lady of unitè and accorde, envy

and wrathe lurken there thou comest in place; ye weten wel

your-selve, and so don many other, that whyle I administred the

office of commen doinge, as in rulinge of the stablisshmentes

amonges the people, I defouled never my conscience for no

maner dede; but ever, by witte and by counsayle of the wysest,

the maters weren drawen to their right endes. And thus trewly

for you, lady, I have desyred suche cure; and certes, in your

service was I nat ydel, as fer as suche doinge of my cure

streccheth.'

'That is a thing,' quod she, 'that may drawe many hertes of

noble, and voice of commune in-to glory; and fame is nat but

wrecched and fickle. Alas! that mankynde coveyteth in so leude

a wyse to be rewarded of any good dede, sithe glorie of fame, in

this worlde, is nat but hindringe of glorie in tyme comminge!

And certes (quod she) yet at the hardest suche fame, in-to heven,

is nat the erthe but a centre to the cercle of heven? A pricke is

wonder litel in respect of al the cercle; and yet, in al this pricke,

may no name be born, in maner of peersing, for many obstacles,

as waters, and wildernesse, and straunge langages. And nat only

names of men ben stilled and holden out of knowleginge by these

100

obstacles, but also citees and realmes of prosperitè ben letted to

be knowe, and their reson hindred; so that they mowe nat ben

parfitly in mennes propre understandinge. How shulde than the

name of a singuler Londenoys passe the glorious name of London,

whiche by many it is commended, and by many it is lacked, and

105

in many mo places in erthe nat knowen than knowen? For in

many countrees litel is London in knowing or in spech; and yet

among oon maner of people may nat such fame in goodnes

come; for as many as praysen, commenly as many lacken. Fy

than on such maner fame! Slepe, and suffre him that knoweth

110

previtè of hertes to dele suche fame in thilke place there nothing

ayenst a sothe shal neither speke ne dare apere, by attourney

ne by other maner. How many greet-named, and many greet

in worthinesse losed, han be tofore this tyme, that now out

of memorie are slidden, and clenely forgeten, for defaute of

115

wrytinges! And yet scriptures for greet elde so ben defased, that

no perpetualtè may in hem ben juged. But if thou wolt make

comparisoun to ever, what joye mayst thou have in erthly name?

It is a fayr lykenesse, a pees or oon grayn of whete, to a thousand

shippes ful of corne charged! What nombre is betwene the

120

oon and th'other? And yet mowe bothe they be nombred, and

ende in rekening have. But trewly, al that may be nombred is

nothing to recken, as to thilke that may nat be nombred. For

†of the thinges ended is mad comparison; as, oon litel, another

greet; but in thinges to have an ende, and another no ende,

125

suche comparisoun may nat be founden. Wherfore in heven to

ben losed with god hath non ende, but endlesse endureth; and

thou canst nothing don aright, but thou desyre the rumour therof

be heled and in every wightes ere; and that dureth but a pricke

in respecte of the other. And so thou sekest reward of folkes

130

smale wordes, and of vayne praysinges. Trewly, therin thou

lesest the guerdon of vertue; and lesest the grettest valour of

conscience, and uphap thy renomè everlasting. Therfore boldely

renomè of fame of the erthe shulde be hated, and fame after deth

shulde be desyred of werkes of vertue. [Trewly, vertue] asketh

135

guerdoning, and the soule causeth al vertue. Than the soule,

delivered out of prison of erthe, is most worthy suche guerdon

among to have in the everlastinge fame; and nat the body, that

causeth al mannes yvels.

Ch. VIII. 1. Ofte; read Eft. sterne; read steren. I supply with. 2. the. 3. howe. se. 4. meditation. I supply shal. 6. toforne. 8. the. 9. comforte. 11. one shepe. 12. loste. nowe. 13. arte. shepeherd. the. 15. great. 16. the.

17. wyfe. I supply in. hoole. 20. the. 21. wotte. nowe. arte sette. 22. the. 23. bene. 26. thynge. 28. stones repeated in Th. 29. counsayle. apertely. 30. therrours. meanynges. ferre. 31. wystyst. leaue. 32. eare. 33. menne. the. 36. meanynge. 37. I supply and. wolte. parfytely. 37. consolatyoun. 38. pleasaunce. 39. hert. mothers; read moders. I supply she. 40. the. 42. I supply is. 44. correctioun. al; read of. After errour I omit distroyeng (gloss upon forgoing). 47. encreased. sette. 48. dothe. 49. gothe. worshippe.

52. wenyste. Naye nay god wotte. 53. encreasyng. 55–7. passeth (twice); passyst (third time). ete. 57. eatynge. become. 61. whome. 63. begon. ganne. 65. leaueth. wronge. withsay. 68. Nowe. 71. done. 72. song. 73. howe. gate. 74. wyfe. 75. none. 76–7. the (twice). 78. profyte. 81. done. 87. ferre. 88. stretcheth.

91. wretched. 96. respecte. 97. borne. 98. onely. 101. reason. 102. parfitely. Howe. 107. one. 108. Fye. 110. nothynge. 112. Howe. great (twice). 113. nowe. 115. great. 116. maye. wolte. 118. fayre. one grayne of wheate. thousande. 120. one. thother. 121–2. maye. 123. ofte; read of the. made. one. 124. great.

126. none. 127. canste nothynge done. rumoure. 128. healed; read deled? eare. 129. rewarde. 131. valoure. consyence. 134. Supply Trewly, vertue. 136. prisone. guerdone.

CHAPTER IX.

Of twey thinges art thou answered, as me thinketh (quod

Love); and if any thing be in doute in thy soule, shewe

it forth, thyn ignoraunce to clere, and leve it for no shame.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'there is no body in this worlde, that aught

coude saye by reson ayenst any of your skilles, as I leve; and by

my witte now fele I wel, that yvel-spekers or berers of enfame

may litel greve or lette my purpos, but rather by suche thinge my

quarel to be forthered.'

'Ye,' quod she,'and it is proved also, that the ilke jewel in

my kepinge shal nat there-thorow be stered, of the lest moment

that might be imagined.'

'That is soth,' quod I.

'Wel,' quod she, 'than †leveth there, to declare that thy

insuffisance is no maner letting, as thus: for that she is so worthy,

thou shuldest not clymbe so highe; for thy moebles and thyn

estate arn voyded, thou thinkest [thee] fallen in suche miserie,

that gladnesse of thy pursute wol nat on thee discende.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'that is sothe; right suche thought is in myn

herte; for commenly it is spoken, and for an olde proverbe it is

leged: "He that heweth to hye, with chippes he may lese

his sight." Wherfore I have ben about, in al that ever I might,

to studye wayes of remedye by one syde or by another.'

'Now,' quod she, 'god forbede †that thou seke any other

doinges but suche as I have lerned thee in our restinge-whyles,

and suche herbes as ben planted in oure gardins. Thou shalt

wel understande that above man is but oon god alone.'

'How,' quod I, 'han men to-forn this tyme trusted in writtes

and chauntements, and in helpes of spirites that dwellen in the

ayre, and therby they han getten their desyres, where-as first, for

al his manly power, he daunced behynde?'

'O,' quod she, 'fy on suche maters! For trewly, that is

sacrilege; and that shal have no sort with any of my servauntes;

in myne eyen shal suche thing nat be loked after. How often is

it commaunded by these passed wyse, that "to one god shal men

serve, and not to goddes?" And who that liste to have myne

helpes, shal aske none helpe of foule spirites. Alas! is nat man

maked semblable to god? Wost thou nat wel, that al vertue of

lyvelich werkinge, by goddes purveyaunce, is underput to resonable

creature in erthe? Is nat every thing, a this halfe god, mad

buxom to mannes contemplation, understandinge in heven and

in erthe and in helle? Hath not man beinge with stones, soule of

wexing with trees and herbes? Hath he nat soule of felinge, with

beestes, fisshes, and foules? And he hath soule of reson and

understanding with aungels; so that in him is knit al maner

of lyvinges by a resonable proporcioun. Also man is mad of

al the foure elementes. Al universitee is rekened in him alone;

he hath, under god, principalitè above al thinges. Now is his

soule here, now a thousand myle hence; now fer, now nygh;

now hye, now lowe; as fer in a moment as in mountenaunce of

ten winter; and al this is in mannes governaunce and disposicion.

Than sheweth it that men ben liche unto goddes, and children of

moost heyght. But now, sithen al thinges [arn] underput to the

wil of resonable creatures, god forbede any man to winne that

lordship, and aske helpe of any-thing lower than him-selfe; and than,

namely, of foule thinges innominable. Now than, why shuldest

thou wene to love to highe, sithen nothing is thee above but god

alone? Trewly, I wot wel that thilke jewel is in a maner even in

lyne of degree there thou art thy-selfe, and nought above, save

thus: aungel upon angel, man upon man, and devil upon devil

han a maner of soveraigntee; and that shal cese at the daye

of dome. And so I say: though thou be put to serve the

ilke jewel duringe thy lyfe, yet is that no servage of

underputtinge, but a maner of travayling plesaunce, to conquere and

gette that thou hast not. I sette now the hardest: in my service

now thou deydest, for sorowe of wantinge in thy desyres; trewly,

al hevenly bodyes with one voyce shul come and make melody in

thy cominge, and saye—"Welcome, our fere, and worthy to entre

into Jupiters joye! For thou with might hast overcome deth;

thou woldest never flitte out of thy service; and we al shul

now praye to the goddes, rowe by rowe, to make thilk Margarite,

that no routh had in this persone, but unkyndely without comfort

let thee deye, shal besette her-selfe in suche wyse, that in erthe,

for parte of vengeaunce, shal she no joye have in loves service;

and whan she is deed, than shal her soule ben brought up in-to

thy presence; and whider thou wilt chese, thilke soule shal ben

committed." Or els, after thy deth, anon al the foresayd hevenly

bodyes, by one accorde, shal †benimen from thilke perle al the

vertues that firste her were taken; for she hath hem forfeyted

by that on thee, my servaunt, in thy lyve, she wolde not suffre

to worche al vertues, withdrawen by might of the hygh bodyes.

Why than shuldest thou wene so any more? And if thee liste

to loke upon the lawe of kynde, and with order whiche to me

was ordayned, sothely, non age, non overtourninge tyme but

†hiderto had no tyme ne power to chaunge the wedding, ne

the knotte to unbynde of two hertes [that] thorow oon assent, in

my presence, †togider accorden to enduren til deth hem departe.

What? trowest thou, every ideot wot the meninge and the privy

entent of these thinges? They wene, forsothe, that suche accord

may not be, but the rose of maydenhede be plucked. Do way,

do way; they knowe nothing of this. For consent of two hertes

alone maketh the fasteninge of the knotte; neither lawe of kynde

ne mannes lawe determineth neither the age ne the qualitè of

persones, but only accord bitwene thilke twaye. And trewly,

after tyme that suche accord, by their consent in hert, is enseled,

and put in my tresorye amonges my privy thinges, than ginneth

the name of spousayle; and although they breken forward bothe,

yet suche mater enseled is kept in remembrance for ever. And

see now that spouses have the name anon after accord, though

the rose be not take. The aungel bad Joseph take Marye his

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spouse, and to Egypte wende. Lo! she was cleped "spouse,"

and yet, toforn ne after, neither of hem bothe mente no flesshly

lust knowe. Wherfore the wordes of trouthe acorden that my

servauntes shulden forsake bothe †fader and moder, and be adherand

to his spouse; and they two in unitè of one flesshe

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shulden accorde. And this wyse, two that wern firste in a litel

maner discordaunt, hygher that oon and lower that other, ben

mad evenliche in gree to stonde. But now to enfourme thee

that ye ben liche to goddes, these clerkes sayn, and in determinacion

shewen, that "three thinges haven [by] the names

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of goddes ben cleped; that is to sayn: man, divel, and images";

but yet is there but oon god, of whom al goodnesse, al grace, and

al vertue cometh; and he †is loving and trewe, and everlasting,

and pryme cause of al being thinges. But men ben goddes

lovinge and trewe, but not everlasting; and that is by adopcioun

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of the everlastinge god. Divels ben goddes, stirringe by

a maner of lyving; but neither ben they trewe ne everlastinge;

and their name of godliheed th[e]y han by usurpacion, as the

prophete sayth: "Al goddes of gentyles (that is to say, paynims)

are divels." But images ben goddes by nuncupacion; and they

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ben neither livinge ne trewe, ne everlastinge. After these wordes

they clepen "goddes" images wrought with mennes handes.

But now [art thou a] resonable creature, that by adopcion alone

art to the grete god everlastinge, and therby thou art "god"

cleped: let thy †faders maners so entre thy wittes that thou might

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folowe, in-as-moche as longeth to thee, thy †faders worship, so

that in nothinge thy kynde from his wil declyne, ne from his

nobley perverte. In this wyse if thou werche, thou art above

al other thinges save god alone; and so say no more "thyn herte

to serve in to hye a place."

Ch. IX. 1. arte. 2. thynge. 3. thyne. leaue. 5. reason. 6. nowe. bearers. 7. purpose. 9. Yea. 10. -thorowe. steered. 13. leneth; read leueth. 15. thyne. 16. arne. I supply thee. 17. the. 18. myne hert.

20. maye. 23. Nowe. are; read that. 24. the. 25. shalte. 26. one. 27. Howe. to forne. 31. fye. 38. vnderputte. 39. thynge. made. 40. buxome. 41. manne. 43. reason. 44. knytte. 45. lyuenges. reasonable. made. 47. Nowe. 48. nowe. nowe ferre nowe. thousande. 49. nowe (twice). ferre. momente. 50. tenne. disposytion. 52. nowe. I supply arn. vnderputte. 53. reasonable. 54. lordshippe. thynge.

56. nothynge. the. 57. wote. euyn. 58. arte. 59. manne (twice). 60. soueraygntie. cease. 61. thoughe putte. 64. haste. 64–5. nowe. 68. haste. dethe. 70. nowe pray. 71. For in read on? comforte. 72. lette the. 75. wylte. 76. dethe anone. 77. benommen; read benimen. 79. the. 81. the. 83. none (twice). 84. hytherto. 85. Supply that. thorowe one. 86. togyther. dethe. 87. ydeot wotte. 88. accorde. 89. waye (twice). 90. consente.

93. onely. 93–4. accorde. 94. ensealed. 96. breaken forwarde. 97. ensealed. kepte. 98. se nowe. accorde. 99. bade. 101. toforne. 102. luste. 103. father and mother; rather, fader and moder. adherande. 105. werne. 106. one. 107. made. nowe. the. 108. sayne. 109. thre. I supply by. 110. cleaped. 111. one. 112. his; read is. 116. lyueng. 117. thy; read they. 118. saythe. 121. cleapen. 122. nowe. I supply art thou a. reasonable. 123. arte (twice). great. 124. lette. 124–5. fathers; read faders. 125. the. worshyppe.

127. arte.

CHAPTER X.

Fully have I now declared thyn estate to be good, so thou

folow therafter, and that the †objeccion first †by thee

aleged, in worthinesse of thy Margaryte, shal not thee lette, as

it shal forther thee, and encrese thee. It is now to declare, the

last objeccion in nothing may greve.'

'Yes, certes,' quod I, 'bothe greve and lette muste it nedes;

the contrarye may not ben proved; and see now why. Whyle

I was glorious in worldly welfulnesse, and had suche goodes in

welth as maken men riche, tho was I drawe in-to companyes

that loos, prise, and name yeven. Tho louteden blasours; tho

curreyden glosours; tho welcomeden flatterers; tho worshipped

thilke that now deynen nat to loke. Every wight, in such erthly

wele habundant, is holde noble, precious, benigne, and wyse to

do what he shal, in any degree that men him sette; al-be-it that

the sothe be in the contrarye of al tho thinges. But he that can

never so wel him behave, and hath vertue habundaunt in manyfolde

maners, and be nat welthed with suche erthly goodes, is holde

for a foole, and sayd, his wit is but sotted. Lo! how fals for

aver is holde trewe! Lo! how trewe is cleped fals for wanting

of goodes! Also, lady, dignitees of office maken men mikel

comended, as thus: "he is so good, were he out, his pere shulde

men not fynde." Trewly, I trowe of some suche that are so

praysed, were they out ones, another shulde make him so be

knowe, he shulde of no wyse no more ben loked after: but only

fooles, wel I wot, desyren suche newe thinges. Wherfore I wonder

that thilke governour, out of whom alone the causes proceden

that governen al thinges, whiche that hath ordeyned this world

in workes of the kyndely bodyes so be governed, not with

unstedfast or happyous thing, but with rules of reson, whiche

shewen the course of certayne thinges: why suffreth he suche

slydinge chaunges, that misturnen suche noble thinges as ben we

men, that arn a fayr parcel of the erthe, and holden the upperest

degree, under god, of benigne thinges, as ye sayden right now

your-selfe; shulde never man have ben set in so worthy a place

but-if his degrè were ordayned noble. Alas! thou that knittest

the purveyaunce of al thinges, why lokest thou not to amenden

these defautes? I see shrewes that han wicked maners sitten in

chayres of domes, lambes to punisshen, there wolves shulden ben

punisshed. Lo! vertue, shynende naturelly, for povertee lurketh,

and is hid under cloude; but the moone false, forsworn (as

I knowe my-selfe) for aver and yeftes, hath usurped to shyne by

day-light, with peynture of other mens praysinges; and trewly,

thilke forged light fouly shulde fade, were the trouth away of

colours feyned. Thus is night turned in-to day, and day in-to

night; winter in-to sommer, and sommer in-to winter; not in

dede, but in misclepinge of foliche people.'

'Now,' quod she, 'what wenest thou of these thinges? How

felest thou in thyn hert, by what governaunce that this cometh

aboute?'

'Certes,' quod I, 'that wot I never; but-if it be that Fortune

hath graunt from above, to lede the ende of man as her lyketh.'

'Ah! now I see,' quod she, 'th'entent of thy mening! Lo,

bycause thy worldly goodes ben fulliche dispent, thou beraft out

of dignitè of office, in whiche thou madest the †gaderinge of thilke

goodes, and yet diddest in that office by counsaile of wyse [before

that] any thing were ended; and true were unto hem whos profit

thou shuldest loke; and seest now many that in thilke hervest

made of thee mokel, and now, for glosing of other, deyneth thee

nought to forther, but enhaunsen false shrewes by witnessinge of

trouthe! These thinges greveth thyn herte, to sene thy-selfe thus

abated; and than, frayltè of mankynde ne setteth but litel by the

lesers of suche richesse, have he never so moche vertue; and so

thou wenest of thy jewel to renne in dispyt, and not ben accepted

in-to grace. Al this shal thee nothing hinder. Now (quod she)

first thou wost wel, thou lostest nothing that ever mightest thou

chalenge for thyn owne. Whan nature brought thee forth, come

thou not naked out of thy †moders wombe? Thou haddest no

richesse; and whan thou shalt entre in-to the ende of every

flesshly body, what shalt thou have with thee than? So, every

richesse thou hast in tyme of thy livinge, nis but lent; thou

might therin chalenge no propertee. And see now; every thing

that is a mannes own, he may do therwith what him lyketh, to

yeve or to kepe; bul richesse thou playnest from thee lost; if thy

might had strecched so ferforth, fayn thou woldest have hem kept,

multiplyed with mo other; and so, ayenst thy wil, ben they departed

from thee; wherfore they were never thyn. And if thou laudest

and joyest any wight, for he is stuffed with suche maner richesse,

thou art in that beleve begyled; for thou wenest thilke joye to be

selinesse or els ese; and he that hath lost suche happes to ben

unsely.'

'Ye, forsoth,' quod I.

'Wel,' quod she, 'than wol I prove that unsely in that wise is

to preise; and so the tother is, the contrary, to be lacked.'

'How so?' quod I.

'For Unsely,' quod she, 'begyleth nat, but sheweth th'entent

of her working. Et e contra: Selinesse begyleth. For in prosperitè

she maketh a jape in blyndnesse; that is, she wyndeth him to

make sorowe whan she withdraweth. Wolt thou nat (quod she)

preise him better that sheweth to thee his herte, tho[ugh] it be

with bytande wordes and dispitous, than him that gloseth and

thinketh in †his absence to do thee many harmes?'

'Certes,' quod I, 'the oon is to commende; and the other to

lacke and dispice.'

'A! ha!' quod she, 'right so Ese, while †she lasteth, gloseth

and flatereth; and lightly voydeth whan she most plesauntly

sheweth; and ever, in hir absence, she is aboute to do thee tene

and sorowe in herte. But Unsely, al-be-it with bytande chere,

sheweth what she is, and so doth not that other; wherfore

Unsely doth not begyle. Selinesse disceyveth; Unsely put away

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doute. That oon maketh men blynde; that other openeth their

eyen in shewinge of wrecchidnesse. The oon is ful of drede to

lese that is not his owne; that other is sobre, and maketh men

discharged of mokel hevinesse in burthen. The oon draweth

a man from very good; the other haleth him to vertue by the

105

hookes of thoughtes. And wenist thou nat that thy disese hath

don thee mokel more to winne than ever yet thou lostest, and

more than ever the contrary made thee winne? Is nat a greet

good, to thy thinking, for to knowe the hertes of thy sothfast

frendes? Pardè, they ben proved to the ful, and the trewe have

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discevered fro the false. Trewly, at the goinge of the ilke brotel

joye, ther yede no more away than the ilke that was nat thyn

proper. He was never from that lightly departed; thyn owne

good therfore leveth it stille with thee. Now good (quod she);

for how moche woldest thou somtyme have bought this verry

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knowing of thy frendes from the flatteringe flyes that thee glosed,

whan thou thought thy-selfe sely? But thou that playnest of losse

in richesse, hast founden the most dere-worthy thing; that thou

clepest unsely hath made thee moche thing to winnen. And

also, for conclusioun of al, he is frende that now leveth nat his

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herte from thyne helpes. And if that Margarite denyeth now nat

to suffre her vertues shyne to thee-wardes with spredinge bemes,

as far or farther than if thou were sely in worldly joye, trewly,

I saye nat els but she is somdel to blame.'

'Ah! pees,' quod I, 'and speke no more of this; myn herte

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breketh, now thou touchest any suche wordes!'

'A! wel!' quod she, 'thanne let us singen; thou herest no

more of these thinges at this tyme.'

Thus endeth the firste book of the Testament of Love;

and herafter foloweth the seconde.

Ch. X. 1. nowe. 2. abiection; read objeccion. be; read by. the. 3. the. 4. the. encrease the. nowe. 5. obiection. 6. let. 7. maye. se nowe. 12. nowe. 14. set. 15. can ne never; omit ne. 18. wytte. false. 19. auer (sic); for aueir (avoir). howe. cleaped. false. 24. onely. 25. wotte. new. 26. whome. 27. worlde.

29. reason. 32. arne a fayre parsel. 33. nowe. 37. se. 39. pouertie. 40. hydde. forsworne. 44. daye (twice). 46. miscleapynge. 50. wotte. 52. nowe I se. thentent. meanyng. 53. berafte. 54. gatherynge. 55. I supply before that. 56. whose profyte. 57. nowe. 58. the (twice). nowe. 63. dispyte. 64. the. Nowe. 65. woste.

66. the forthe. 67. mothers; read moders. 69. the. 70. haste. lente. 71. propertie. se nowe. 72. owne. 73. the. 74. stretched. fayne. 76. the. 78. arte. 79. ease. loste. 84. Howe. 85. thentent. 88. Wolte. 89. the. 91. their; read his. the. 92. one. 94. ease. he; read she. 99. dothe. awaye. 100–1. one (twice). 101. wretchydnesse.

103. one. 105. disease. 106. done the. 107. the. great. 109. Pardy. 111. awaye. 111–2. thyne. 113. leaueth. the. Nowe. 114. howe. 115. the. 117. thynge. 118. cleapest. the. thynge. 119. nowe leaueth. 120. hert. nowe. 121. the. spreadynge beames. 122. farre. 123. somdele. 124. peace. myne. 125. breaketh nowe. 126. lette.

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