Confessio Amantis
or
Tales of the Seven Deadly Sins
Incipit Liber Tercius: Part 1
Online Medieval and Classical Library Release
#4
Ira suis paribus est par furiis Acherontis,
Quo furor ad tempus nil pietatis habet.
Ira malencolicos animos perturbat, vt equo
Iure sui pondus nulla statera tenet.
Omnibus in causis grauat Ira, set inter amantes,
Illa magis facili sorte grauamen agit:
Est vbi vir discors leuiterque repugnat amori,
Sepe loco ludi fletus ad ora venit.
1 If thou the vices lest to knowe,
2 Mi Sone, it hath noght ben unknowe,
3 Fro ferst that men the swerdes grounde,
4 That ther nis on upon this grounde,
5 A vice forein fro the lawe,
6 Wherof that many a good felawe
7 Hath be distraght be sodein chance;
8 And yit to kinde no plesance
9 It doth, bot wher he most achieveth
10 His pourpos, most to kinde he grieveth,
11 As he which out of conscience
12 Is enemy to pacience:
13 And is be name on of the Sevene,
14 Which ofte hath set this world unevene,
15 And cleped is the cruel Ire,
16 Whos herte is everemore on fyre
17 To speke amis and to do bothe,
18 For his servantz ben evere wrothe.
19 Mi goode fader, tell me this:
20 What thing is Ire? Sone, it is
21 That in oure englissh Wrathe is hote,
22 Which hath hise wordes ay so hote,
23 That all a mannes pacience
24 Is fyred of the violence.
25 For he with him hath evere fyve
26 Servantz that helpen him to stryve:
27 The ferst of hem Malencolie
28 Is cleped, which in compaignie
29 An hundred times in an houre
30 Wol as an angri beste loure,
31 And noman wot the cause why.
32 Mi Sone, schrif thee now forthi:
33 Hast thou be Malencolien?
34 Ye, fader, be seint Julien,
35 Bot I untrewe wordes use,
36 I mai me noght therof excuse:
37 And al makth love, wel I wot,
38 Of which myn herte is evere hot,
39 So that I brenne as doth a glede
40 For Wrathe that I mai noght spede.
41 And thus fulofte a day for noght
42 Save onlich of myn oghne thoght
43 I am so with miselven wroth,
44 That how so that the game goth
45 With othre men, I am noght glad;
46 Bot I am wel the more unglad,
47 For that is othre mennes game
48 It torneth me to pure grame.
49 Thus am I with miself oppressed
50 Of thoght, the which I have impressed,
51 That al wakende I dreme and meete
52 That I with hire al one meete
53 And preie hire of som good ansuere:
54 Bot for sche wol noght gladly swere,
55 Sche seith me nay withouten oth;
56 And thus wexe I withinne wroth,
57 That outward I am al affraied,
58 And so distempred and esmaied.
59 A thousand times on a day
60 Ther souneth in myn Eres nay,
61 The which sche seide me tofore:
62 Thus be my wittes as forlore;
63 And namely whan I beginne
64 To rekne with miself withinne
65 How many yeres ben agon,
66 Siththe I have trewly loved on
67 And nevere tok of other hede,
68 And evere aliche fer to spede
69 I am, the more I with hir dele,
70 So that myn happ and al myn hele
71 Me thenkth is ay the leng the ferre,
72 That bringth my gladschip out of herre,
73 Wherof my wittes ben empeired,
74 And I, as who seith, al despeired.
75 For finaly, whan that I muse
76 And thenke how sche me wol refuse,
77 I am with anger so bestad,
78 For al this world mihte I be glad:
79 And for the while that it lasteth
80 Al up so doun my joie it casteth,
81 And ay the furthere that I be,
82 Whan I ne may my ladi se,
83 The more I am redy to wraththe,
84 That for the touchinge of a laththe
85 Or for the torninge of a stree
86 I wode as doth the wylde Se,
87 And am so malencolious,
88 That ther nys servant in myn hous
89 Ne non of tho that ben aboute,
90 That ech of hem ne stant in doute,
91 And wenen that I scholde rave
92 For Anger that thei se me have;
93 And so thei wondre more and lasse,
94 Til that thei sen it overpasse.
95 Bot, fader, if it so betide,
96 That I aproche at eny tide
97 The place wher my ladi is,
98 And thanne that hire like ywiss
99 To speke a goodli word untome,
100 For al the gold that is in Rome
101 Ne cowthe I after that be wroth,
102 Bot al myn Anger overgoth;
103 So glad I am of the presence
104 Of hire, that I all offence
105 Foryete, as thogh it were noght,
106 So overgladed is my thoght.
107 And natheles, the soth to telle,
108 Ayeinward if it so befelle
109 That I at thilke time sihe
110 On me that sche miscaste hire yhe,
111 Or that sche liste noght to loke,
112 And I therof good hiede toke,
113 Anon into my ferste astat
114 I torne, and am with al so mat,
115 That evere it is aliche wicke.
116 And thus myn hand ayein the pricke
117 I hurte and have do many day,
118 And go so forth as I go may,
119 Fulofte bitinge on my lippe,
120 And make unto miself a whippe.
121 With which in many a chele and hete
122 Mi wofull herte is so tobete,
123 That all my wittes ben unsofte
124 And I am wroth, I not how ofte;
125 And al it is Malencolie,
126 Which groweth of the fantasie
127 Of love, that me wol noght loute:
128 So bere I forth an angri snoute
129 Ful manye times in a yer.
130 Bot, fader, now ye sitten hier
131 In loves stede, I yow beseche,
132 That som ensample ye me teche,
133 Wherof I mai miself appese.
134 Mi Sone, for thin hertes ese
135 I schal fulfille thi preiere,
136 So that thou miht the betre lere
137 What mischief that this vice stereth,
138 Which in his Anger noght forbereth,
139 Wherof that after him forthenketh,
140 Whan he is sobre and that he thenketh
141 Upon the folie of his dede;
142 And of this point a tale I rede.
143 Ther was a king which Eolus
144 Was hote, and it befell him thus,
145 That he tuo children hadde faire,
146 The Sone cleped was Machaire,
147 The dowhter ek Canace hihte.
148 Be daie bothe and ek be nyhte,
149 Whil thei be yonge, of comun wone
150 In chambre thei togedre wone,
151 And as thei scholden pleide hem ofte,
152 Til thei be growen up alofte
153 Into the youthe of lusti age,
154 Whan kinde assaileth the corage
155 With love and doth him forto bowe,
156 That he no reson can allowe,
157 Bot halt the lawes of nature:
158 For whom that love hath under cure,
159 As he is blind himself, riht so
160 He makth his client blind also.
161 In such manere as I you telle
162 As thei al day togedre duelle,
163 This brother mihte it noght asterte
164 That he with al his hole herte
165 His love upon his Soster caste:
166 And so it fell hem ate laste,
167 That this Machaire with Canace
168 Whan thei were in a prive place,
169 Cupide bad hem ferst to kesse,
170 And after sche which is Maistresse
171 In kinde and techeth every lif
172 Withoute lawe positif,
173 Of which sche takth nomaner charge,
174 Bot kepth hire lawes al at large,
175 Nature, tok hem into lore
176 And tawht hem so, that overmore
177 Sche hath hem in such wise daunted,
178 That thei were, as who seith, enchaunted.
179 And as the blinde an other ledeth
180 And til thei falle nothing dredeth,
181 Riht so thei hadde non insihte;
182 Bot as the bridd which wole alihte
183 And seth the mete and noght the net,
184 Which in deceipte of him is set,
185 This yonge folk no peril sihe,
186 Bot that was likinge in here yhe,
187 So that thei felle upon the chance
188 Where witt hath lore his remembrance.
189 So longe thei togedre assemble,
190 The wombe aros, and sche gan tremble,
191 And hield hire in hire chambre clos
192 For drede it scholde be disclos
193 And come to hire fader Ere:
194 Wherof the Sone hadde also fere,
195 And feigneth cause forto ryde;
196 For longe dorste he noght abyde,
197 In aunter if men wolde sein
198 That he his Soster hath forlein:
199 For yit sche hadde it noght beknowe
200 Whos was the child at thilke throwe.
201 Machaire goth, Canace abit,
202 The which was noght delivered yit,
203 Bot riht sone after that sche was.
204 Now lest and herkne a woful cas.
205 The sothe, which mai noght ben hid,
206 Was ate laste knowe and kid
207 Unto the king, how that it stod.
208 And whan that he it understod,
209 Anon into Malencolie,
210 As thogh it were a frenesie,
211 He fell, as he which nothing cowthe
212 How maistrefull love is in yowthe:
213 And for he was to love strange,
214 He wolde noght his herte change
215 To be benigne and favorable
216 To love, bot unmerciable
217 Betwen the wawe of wod and wroth
218 Into his dowhtres chambre he goth,
219 And sih the child was late bore,
220 Wherof he hath hise othes swore
221 That sche it schal ful sore abye.
222 And sche began merci to crie,
223 Upon hire bare knes and preide,
224 And to hire fader thus sche seide:
225 "Ha mercy! fader, thenk I am
226 Thi child, and of thi blod I cam.
227 That I misdede yowthe it made,
228 And in the flodes bad me wade,
229 Wher that I sih no peril tho:
230 Bot now it is befalle so,
231 Merci, my fader, do no wreche!"
232 And with that word sche loste speche
233 And fell doun swounende at his fot,
234 As sche for sorwe nedes mot.
235 Bot his horrible crualte
236 Ther mihte attempre no pite:
237 Out of hire chambre forth he wente
238 Al full of wraththe in his entente,
239 And tok the conseil in his herte
240 That sche schal noght the deth asterte,
241 As he which Malencolien
242 Of pacience hath no lien,
243 Wherof the wraththe he mai restreigne.
244 And in this wilde wode peine,
245 Whanne al his resoun was untame,
246 A kniht he clepeth be his name,
247 And tok him as be weie of sonde
248 A naked swerd to bere on honde,
249 And seide him that he scholde go
250 And telle unto his dowhter so
251 In the manere as he him bad,
252 How sche that scharpe swerdes blad
253 Receive scholde and do withal
254 So as sche wot wherto it schal.
255 Forth in message goth this kniht
256 Unto this wofull yonge wiht,
257 This scharpe swerd to hire he tok:
258 Wherof that al hire bodi qwok,
259 For wel sche wiste what it mente,
260 And that it was to thilke entente
261 That sche hireselven scholde slee.
262 And to the kniht sche seide: "Yee,
263 Now that I wot my fadres wille,
264 That I schal in this wise spille,
265 I wole obeie me therto,
266 And as he wole it schal be do.
267 Bot now this thing mai be non other,
268 I wole a lettre unto mi brother,
269 So as my fieble hand may wryte,
270 With al my wofull herte endite."
271 Sche tok a Penne on honde tho,
272 Fro point to point and al the wo,
273 Als ferforth as hireself it wot,
274 Unto hire dedly frend sche wrot,
275 And tolde how that hire fader grace
276 Sche mihte for nothing pourchace;
277 And overthat, as thou schalt hiere,
278 Sche wrot and seide in this manere:
279 "O thou my sorwe and my gladnesse,
280 O thou myn hele and my siknesse,
281 O my wanhope and al my trust,
282 O my desese and al my lust,
283 O thou my wele, o thou my wo,
284 O thou my frend, o thou my fo,
285 O thou my love, o thou myn hate,
286 For thee mot I be ded algate.
287 Thilke ende may I noght asterte,
288 And yit with al myn hole herte,
289 Whil that me lasteth eny breth,
290 I wol the love into my deth.
291 Bot of o thing I schal thee preie,
292 If that my litel Sone deie,
293 Let him be beried in my grave
294 Beside me, so schalt thou have
295 Upon ous bothe remembrance.
296 For thus it stant of my grevance;
297 Now at this time, as thou schalt wite,
298 With teres and with enke write
299 This lettre I have in cares colde:
300 In my riht hond my Penne I holde,
301 And in my left the swerd I kepe,
302 And in my barm ther lith to wepe
303 Thi child and myn, which sobbeth faste.
304 Now am I come unto my laste:
305 Fare wel, for I schal sone deie,
306 And thenk how I thi love abeie."
307 The pomel of the swerd to grounde
308 Sche sette, and with the point a wounde
309 Thurghout hire herte anon sche made,
310 And forth with that al pale and fade
311 Sche fell doun ded fro ther sche stod.
312 The child lay bathende in hire blod
313 Out rolled fro the moder barm,
314 And for the blod was hot and warm,
315 He basketh him aboute thrinne.
316 Ther was no bote forto winne,
317 For he, which can no pite knowe,
318 The king cam in the same throwe,
319 And sih how that his dowhter dieth
320 And how this Babe al blody crieth;
321 Bot al that mihte him noght suffise,
322 That he ne bad to do juise
323 Upon the child, and bere him oute,
324 And seche in the Forest aboute
325 Som wilde place, what it were,
326 To caste him out of honde there,
327 So that som best him mai devoure,
328 Where as noman him schal socoure.
329 Al that he bad was don in dede:
330 Ha, who herde evere singe or rede
331 Of such a thing as that was do?
332 Bot he which ladde his wraththe so
333 Hath knowe of love bot a lite;
334 Bot for al that he was to wyte,
335 Thurgh his sodein Malencolie
336 To do so gret a felonie.
337 Forthi, my Sone, how so it stonde,
338 Be this cas thou miht understonde
339 That if thou evere in cause of love
340 Schalt deme, and thou be so above
341 That thou miht lede it at thi wille,
342 Let nevere thurgh thi Wraththe spille
343 Which every kinde scholde save.
344 For it sit every man to have
345 Reward to love and to his miht,
346 Ayein whos strengthe mai no wiht:
347 And siththe an herte is so constreigned,
348 The reddour oghte be restreigned
349 To him that mai no bet aweie,
350 Whan he mot to nature obeie.
351 For it is seid thus overal,
352 That nedes mot that nede schal
353 Of that a lif doth after kinde,
354 Wherof he mai no bote finde.
355 What nature hath set in hir lawe
356 Ther mai no mannes miht withdrawe,
357 And who that worcheth therayein,
358 Fulofte time it hath be sein,
359 Ther hath befalle gret vengance,
360 Wherof I finde a remembrance.
361 Ovide after the time tho
362 Tolde an ensample and seide so,
363 How that whilom Tiresias,
364 As he walkende goth per cas,
365 Upon an hih Montaine he sih
366 Tuo Serpentz in his weie nyh,
367 And thei, so as nature hem tawhte,
368 Assembled were, and he tho cawhte
369 A yerde which he bar on honde,
370 And thoghte that he wolde fonde
371 To letten hem, and smot hem bothe:
372 Wherof the goddes weren wrothe;
373 And for he hath destourbed kinde
374 And was so to nature unkinde,
375 Unkindeliche he was transformed,
376 That he which erst a man was formed
377 Into a womman was forschape.
378 That was to him an angri jape;
379 Bot for that he with Angre wroghte,
380 Hise Angres angreliche he boghte.
381 Lo thus, my Sone, Ovide hath write,
382 Wherof thou miht be reson wite,
383 More is a man than such a beste:
384 So mihte it nevere ben honeste
385 A man to wraththen him to sore
386 Of that an other doth the lore
387 Of kinde, in which is no malice,
388 Bot only that it is a vice:
389 And thogh a man be resonable,
390 Yit after kinde he is menable
391 To love, wher he wole or non.
392 Thenk thou, my Sone, therupon
393 And do Malencolie aweie;
394 For love hath evere his lust to pleie,
395 As he which wolde no lif grieve.
396 Mi fader, that I mai wel lieve;
397 Al that ye tellen it is skile:
398 Let every man love as he wile,
399 Be so it be noght my ladi,
400 For I schal noght be wroth therby.
401 Bot that I wraththe and fare amis,
402 Al one upon miself it is,
403 That I with bothe love and kinde
404 Am so bestad, that I can finde
405 No weie how I it mai asterte:
406 Which stant upon myn oghne herte
407 And toucheth to non other lif,
408 Save only to that swete wif
409 For whom, bot if it be amended,
410 Mi glade daies ben despended,
411 That I miself schal noght forbere
412 The Wraththe which that I now bere,
413 For therof is non other leche.
414 Now axeth forth, I yow beseche,
415 Of Wraththe if ther oght elles is,
416 Wherof to schryve. Sone, yis.
417 Of Wraththe the secounde is Cheste,
418 Which hath the wyndes of tempeste
419 To kepe, and many a sodein blast
420 He bloweth, wherof ben agast
421 Thei that desiren pes and reste.
422 He is that ilke ungoodlieste
423 Which many a lusti love hath twinned;
424 For he berth evere his mowth unpinned,
425 So that his lippes ben unloke
426 And his corage is al tobroke,
427 That every thing which he can telle,
428 It springeth up as doth a welle,
429 Which mai non of his stremes hyde,
430 Bot renneth out on every syde.
431 So buillen up the foule sawes
432 That Cheste wot of his felawes:
433 For as a Sive kepeth Ale,
434 Riht so can Cheste kepe a tale;
435 Al that he wot he wol desclose,
436 And speke er eny man oppose.
437 As a Cite withoute wal,
438 Wher men mai gon out overal
439 Withouten eny resistence,
440 So with his croked eloquence
441 He spekth al that he wot withinne:
442 Wherof men lese mor than winne,
443 For ofte time of his chidinge
444 He bringth to house such tidinge,
445 That makth werre ate beddeshed.
446 He is the levein of the bred,
447 Which soureth al the past aboute:
448 Men oghte wel such on to doute,
449 For evere his bowe is redi bent,
450 And whom he hit I telle him schent,
451 If he mai perce him with his tunge.
452 And ek so lowde his belle is runge,
453 That of the noise and of the soun
454 Men feeren hem in al the toun
455 Welmore than thei don of thonder.
456 For that is cause of more wonder;
457 For with the wyndes whiche he bloweth
458 Fulofte sythe he overthroweth
459 The Cites and the policie,
460 That I have herd the poeple crie,
461 And echon seide in his degre,
462 "Ha wicke tunge, wo thee be!"
463 For men sein that the harde bon,
464 Althogh himselven have non,
465 A tunge brekth it al to pieces.
466 He hath so manye sondri spieces
467 Of vice, that I mai noght wel
468 Descrive hem be a thousendel:
469 Bot whan that he to Cheste falleth,
470 Ful many a wonder thing befalleth,
471 For he ne can nothing forbere.
472 Now tell me, Sone, thin ansuere,
473 If it hath evere so betidd,
474 That thou at eny time hast chidd
475 Toward thi love. Fader, nay:
476 Such Cheste yit unto this day
477 Ne made I nevere, god forbede:
478 For er I sunge such a crede,
479 I hadde levere to be lewed;
480 For thanne were I al beschrewed
481 And worthi to be put abak
482 With al the sorwe upon my bak
483 That eny man ordeigne cowthe.
484 Bot I spak nevere yit be mowthe
485 That unto Cheste mihte touche,
486 And that I durste riht wel vouche
487 Upon hirself as for witnesse;
488 For I wot, of hir gentilesse
489 That sche me wolde wel excuse,
490 That I no suche thinges use.
491 And if it scholde so betide
492 That I algates moste chide,
493 It myhte noght be to my love:
494 For so yit was I nevere above,
495 For al this wyde world to winne
496 That I dorste eny word beginne,
497 Be which sche mihte have ben amoeved
498 And I of Cheste also reproeved.
499 Bot rathere, if it mihte hir like,
500 The beste wordes wolde I pike
501 Whiche I cowthe in myn herte chese,
502 And serve hem forth in stede of chese,
503 For that is helplich to defie;
504 And so wolde I my wordes plie,
505 That mihten Wraththe and Cheste avale
506 With tellinge of my softe tale.
507 Thus dar I make a foreward,
508 That nevere unto my ladiward
509 Yit spak I word in such a wise,
510 Wherof that Cheste scholde arise.
511 This seie I noght, that I fulofte
512 Ne have, whanne I spak most softe,
513 Per cas seid more thanne ynowh;
514 Bot so wel halt noman the plowh
515 That he ne balketh otherwhile,
516 Ne so wel can noman affile
517 His tunge, that som time in rape
518 Him mai som liht word overscape,
519 And yit ne meneth he no Cheste.
520 Bot that I have ayein hir heste
521 Fulofte spoke, I am beknowe;
522 And how my will is, that ye knowe:
523 For whan my time comth aboute,
524 That I dar speke and seie al oute
525 Mi longe love, of which sche wot
526 That evere in on aliche hot
527 Me grieveth, thanne al my desese
528 I telle, and though it hir desplese,
529 I speke it forth and noght ne leve:
530 And thogh it be beside hire leve,
531 I hope and trowe natheles
532 That I do noght ayein the pes;
533 For thogh I telle hire al my thoght,
534 Sche wot wel that I chyde noght.
535 Men mai the hihe god beseche,
536 And he wol hiere a mannes speche
537 And be noght wroth of that he seith;
538 So yifth it me the more feith
539 And makth me hardi, soth to seie,
540 That I dar wel the betre preie
541 Mi ladi, which a womman is.
542 For thogh I telle hire that or this
543 Of love, which me grieveth sore,
544 Hire oghte noght be wroth the more,
545 For I withoute noise or cri
546 Mi pleignte make al buxomly
547 To puten alle wraththe away.
548 Thus dar I seie unto this day
549 Of Cheste in ernest or in game
550 Mi ladi schal me nothing blame.
551 Bot ofte time it hath betidd
552 That with miselven I have chidd,
553 That noman couthe betre chide:
554 And that hath ben at every tide,
555 Whanne I cam to miself al one;
556 For thanne I made a prive mone,
557 And every tale by and by,
558 Which as I spak to my ladi,
559 I thenke and peise in my balance
560 And drawe into my remembrance;
561 And thanne, if that I finde a lak
562 Of eny word that I mispak,
563 Which was to moche in eny wise,
564 Anon my wittes I despise
565 And make a chidinge in myn herte,
566 That eny word me scholde asterte
567 Which as I scholde have holden inne.
568 And so forth after I beginne
569 And loke if ther was elles oght
570 To speke, and I ne spak it noght:
571 And thanne, if I mai seche and finde
572 That eny word be left behinde,
573 Which as I scholde more have spoke,
574 I wolde upon miself be wroke,
575 And chyde with miselven so
576 That al my wit is overgo.
577 For noman mai his time lore
578 Recovere, and thus I am therfore
579 So overwroth in al my thoght,
580 That I myself chide al to noght:
581 Thus for to moche or for to lite
582 Fulofte I am miself to wyte.
583 Bot al that mai me noght availe,
584 With cheste thogh I me travaile:
585 Bot Oule on Stock and Stock on Oule;
586 The more that a man defoule,
587 Men witen wel which hath the werse;
588 And so to me nys worth a kerse,
589 Bot torneth on myn oghne hed,
590 Thogh I, til that I were ded,
591 Wolde evere chyde in such a wise
592 Of love as I to you devise.
593 Bot, fader, now ye have al herd
594 In this manere how I have ferd
595 Of Cheste and of dissencioun,
596 Yif me youre absolucioun.
597 Mi Sone, if that thou wistest al,
598 What Cheste doth in special
599 To love and to his welwillinge,
600 Thou woldest flen his knowlechinge
601 And lerne to be debonaire.
602 For who that most can speke faire
603 Is most acordende unto love:
604 Fair speche hath ofte brought above
605 Ful many a man, as it is knowe,
606 Which elles scholde have be riht lowe
607 And failed mochel of his wille.
608 Forthi hold thou thi tunge stille
609 And let thi witt thi wille areste,
610 So that thou falle noght in Cheste,
611 Which is the source of gret destance:
612 And tak into thi remembrance
613 If thou miht gete pacience,
614 Which is the leche of alle offence,
615 As tellen ous these olde wise:
616 For whan noght elles mai suffise
617 Be strengthe ne be mannes wit,
618 Than pacience it oversit
619 And overcomth it ate laste;
620 Bot he mai nevere longe laste,
621 Which wol noght bowe er that he breke.
622 Tak hiede, Sone, of that I speke.
623 Mi fader, of your goodli speche
624 And of the witt which ye me teche
625 I thonke you with al myn herte:
626 For that world schal me nevere asterte,
627 That I ne schal your wordes holde,
628 Of Pacience as ye me tolde,
629 Als ferforth as myn herte thenketh;
630 And of my wraththe it me forthenketh.
631 Bot, fader, if ye forth withal
632 Som good ensample in special
633 Me wolden telle of som Cronique,
634 It scholde wel myn herte like
635 Of pacience forto hiere,
636 So that I mihte in mi matiere
637 The more unto my love obeie
638 And puten mi desese aweie.
639 Mi Sone, a man to beie him pes
640 Behoveth soffre as Socrates
641 Ensample lefte, which is write:
642 And for thou schalt the sothe wite,
643 Of this ensample what I mene,
644 Althogh it be now litel sene
645 Among the men thilke evidence,
646 Yit he was upon pacience
647 So sett, that he himself assaie
648 In thing which mihte him most mispaie
649 Desireth, and a wickid wif
650 He weddeth, which in sorwe and strif
651 Ayein his ese was contraire.
652 Bot he spak evere softe and faire,
653 Til it befell, as it is told,
654 In wynter, whan the dai is cold,
655 This wif was fro the welle come,
656 Wher that a pot with water nome
657 Sche hath, and broghte it into house,
658 And sih how that hire seli spouse
659 Was sett and loked on a bok
660 Nyh to the fyr, as he which tok
661 His ese for a man of age.
662 And sche began the wode rage,
663 And axeth him what devel he thoghte,
664 And bar on hond that him ne roghte
665 What labour that sche toke on honde,
666 And seith that such an Housebonde
667 Was to a wif noght worth a Stre.
668 He seide nowther nay ne ye,
669 Bot hield him stille and let hire chyde;
670 And sche, which mai hirself noght hyde,
671 Began withinne forto swelle,
672 And that sche broghte in fro the welle,
673 The waterpot sche hente alofte
674 And bad him speke, and he al softe
675 Sat stille and noght a word ansuerde;
676 And sche was wroth that he so ferde,
677 And axeth him if he be ded;
678 And al the water on his hed
679 Sche pourede oute and bad awake.
680 Bot he, which wolde noght forsake
681 His Pacience, thanne spak,
682 And seide how that he fond no lak
683 In nothing which sche hadde do:
684 For it was wynter time tho,
685 And wynter, as be weie of kinde
686 Which stormy is, as men it finde,
687 Ferst makth the wyndes forto blowe,
688 And after that withinne a throwe
689 He reyneth and the watergates
690 Undoth; "and thus my wif algates,
691 Which is with reson wel besein,
692 Hath mad me bothe wynd and rein
693 After the Sesoun of the yer."
694 And thanne he sette him nerr the fer,
695 And as he mihte hise clothes dreide,
696 That he nomore o word ne seide;
697 Wherof he gat him somdel reste,
698 For that him thoghte was the beste.
699 I not if thilke ensample yit
700 Acordeth with a mannes wit,
701 To soffre as Socrates tho dede:
702 And if it falle in eny stede
703 A man to lese so his galle,
704 Him oghte among the wommen alle
705 In loves Court be juggement
706 The name bere of Pacient,
707 To yive ensample to the goode
708 Of pacience how that it stode,
709 That othre men it mihte knowe.
710 And, Sone, if thou at eny throwe
711 Be tempted ayein Pacience,
712 Tak hiede upon this evidence;
713 It schal per cas the lasse grieve.
714 Mi fader, so as I believe,
715 Of that schal be no maner nede,
716 For I wol take so good hiede,
717 That er I falle in such assai,
718 I thenke eschuie it, if I mai.
719 Bot if ther be oght elles more
720 Wherof I mihte take lore,
721 I preie you, so as I dar,
722 Now telleth, that I mai be war,
723 Som other tale in this matiere.
724 Sone, it is evere good to lere,
725 Wherof thou miht thi word restreigne,
726 Er that thou falle in eny peine.
727 For who that can no conseil hyde,
728 He mai noght faile of wo beside,
729 Which schal befalle er he it wite,
730 As I finde in the bokes write.
731 Yit cam ther nevere good of strif,
732 To seche in all a mannes lif:
733 Thogh it beginne on pure game,
734 Fulofte it torneth into grame
735 And doth grevance upon som side.
736 Wherof the grete Clerk Ovide
737 After the lawe which was tho
738 Of Jupiter and of Juno
739 Makth in his bokes mencioun
740 How thei felle at dissencioun
741 In manere as it were a borde,
742 As thei begunne forto worde
743 Among hemself in privete:
744 And that was upon this degree,
745 Which of the tuo more amorous is,
746 Or man or wif. And upon this
747 Thei mihten noght acorde in on,
748 And toke a jugge therupon,
749 Which cleped is Tiresias,
750 And bede him demen in the cas;
751 And he withoute avisement
752 Ayein Juno yaf juggement.
753 This goddesse upon his ansuere
754 Was wroth and wolde noght forbere,
755 Bot tok awey for everemo
756 The liht fro bothe hise yhen tuo.
757 Whan Jupiter this harm hath sein,
758 An other bienfait therayein
759 He yaf, and such a grace him doth,
760 That for he wiste he seide soth,
761 A Sothseiere he was for evere:
762 Bot yit that other were levere,
763 Have had the lokinge of his yhe,
764 Than of his word the prophecie;
765 Bot how so that the sothe wente,
766 Strif was the cause of that he hente
767 So gret a peine bodily.
768 Mi Sone, be thou war ther by,
769 And hold thi tunge stille clos:
770 For who that hath his word desclos
771 Er that he wite what he mene,
772 He is fulofte nyh his tene
773 And lest ful many time grace,
774 Wher that he wolde his thonk pourchace.
775 And over this, my Sone diere,
776 Of othre men, if thou miht hiere
777 In privete what thei have wroght,
778 Hold conseil and descoevere it noght,
779 For Cheste can no conseil hele,
780 Or be it wo or be it wele:
781 And tak a tale into thi mynde,
782 The which of olde ensample I finde.
783 Phebus, which makth the daies lihte,
784 A love he hadde, which tho hihte
785 Cornide, whom aboven alle
786 He pleseth: bot what schal befalle
787 Of love ther is noman knoweth,
788 Bot as fortune hire happes throweth.
789 So it befell upon a chaunce,
790 A yong kniht tok hire aqueintance
791 And hadde of hire al that he wolde:
792 Bot a fals bridd, which sche hath holde
793 And kept in chambre of pure yowthe,
794 Discoevereth all that evere he cowthe.
795 This briddes name was as tho
796 Corvus, the which was thanne also
797 Welmore whyt than eny Swan,
798 And he that schrewe al that he can
799 Of his ladi to Phebus seide;
800 And he for wraththe his swerd outbreide,
801 With which Cornide anon he slowh.
802 Bot after him was wo ynowh,
803 And tok a full gret repentance,
804 Wherof in tokne and remembrance
805 Of hem whiche usen wicke speche,
806 Upon this bridd he tok this wreche,
807 That ther he was snow whyt tofore,
808 Evere afterward colblak therfore
809 He was transformed, as it scheweth,
810 And many a man yit him beschreweth,
811 And clepen him into this day
812 A Raven, be whom yit men mai
813 Take evidence, whan he crieth,
814 That som mishapp it signefieth.
815 Be war therfore and sei the beste,
816 If thou wolt be thiself in reste,
817 Mi goode Sone, as I the rede.
818 For in an other place I rede
819 Of thilke Nimphe which Laar hihte:
820 For sche the privete be nyhte,
821 How Jupiter lay be Jutorne,
822 Hath told, god made hire overtorne:
823 Hire tunge he kutte, and into helle
824 For evere he sende hir forto duelle,
825 As sche that was noght worthi hiere
826 To ben of love a Chamberere,
827 For sche no conseil cowthe hele.
828 And suche adaies be now fele
829 In loves Court, as it is seid,
830 That lete here tunges gon unteid.
831 Mi Sone, be thou non of tho,
832 To jangle and telle tales so,
833 And namely that thou ne chyde,
834 For Cheste can no conseil hide,
835 For Wraththe seide nevere wel.
836 Mi fader, soth is everydel
837 That ye me teche, and I wol holde
838 The reule to which I am holde,
839 To fle the Cheste, as ye me bidde,
840 For wel is him that nevere chidde.
841 Now tell me forth if ther be more
842 As touchende unto Wraththes lore.
843 Of Wraththe yit ther is an other,
844 Which is to Cheste his oghne brother,
845 And is be name cleped Hate,
846 That soffreth noght withinne his gate
847 That ther come owther love or pes,
848 For he wol make no reles
849 Of no debat which is befalle.
850 Now spek, if thou art on of alle,
851 That with this vice hast ben withholde.
852 As yit for oght that ye me tolde,
853 Mi fader, I not what it is.
854 In good feith, Sone, I trowe yis.
855 Mi fader, nay, bot ye me lere.
856 Now lest, my Sone, and thou schalt here.
857 Hate is a wraththe noght schewende,
858 Bot of long time gaderende,
859 And duelleth in the herte loken,
860 Til he se time to be wroken;
861 And thanne he scheweth his tempeste
862 Mor sodein than the wilde beste,
863 Which wot nothing what merci is.
864 Mi Sone, art thou knowende of this?
865 My goode fader, as I wene,
866 Now wot I somdel what ye mene;
867 Bot I dar saufly make an oth,
868 Mi ladi was me nevere loth.
869 I wol noght swere natheles
870 That I of hate am gulteles;
871 For whanne I to my ladi plie
872 Fro dai to dai and merci crie,
873 And sche no merci on me leith
874 Bot schorte wordes to me seith,
875 Thogh I my ladi love algate,
876 Tho wordes moste I nedes hate;
877 And wolde thei were al despent,
878 Or so ferr oute of londe went
879 That I nevere after scholde hem hiere;
880 And yit love I my ladi diere.
881 Thus is ther Hate, as ye mai se,
882 Betwen mi ladi word and me;
883 The word I hate and hire I love,
884 What so me schal betide of love.
885 Bot forthere mor I wol me schryve,
886 That I have hated al my lyve
887 These janglers, whiche of here Envie
888 Ben evere redi forto lie;
889 For with here fals compassement
890 Fuloften thei have mad me schent
891 And hindred me fulofte time,
892 Whan thei no cause wisten bime,
893 Bot onliche of here oghne thoght:
894 And thus fuloften have I boght
895 The lie, and drank noght of the wyn.
896 I wolde here happ were such as myn:
897 For how so that I be now schrive,
898 To hem ne mai I noght foryive,
899 Til that I se hem at debat
900 With love, and thanne myn astat
901 Thei mihten be here oghne deme,
902 And loke how wel it scholde hem qweme
903 To hindre a man that loveth sore.
904 And thus I hate hem everemore,
905 Til love on hem wol don his wreche:
906 For that schal I alway beseche
907 Unto the mihti Cupido,
908 That he so mochel wolde do,
909 So as he is of love a godd,
910 To smyte hem with the same rodd
911 With which I am of love smite;
912 So that thei mihten knowe and wite
913 How hindringe is a wofull peine
914 To him that love wolde atteigne.
915 Thus evere on hem I wayte and hope,
916 Til I mai sen hem lepe a lope,
917 And halten on the same Sor
918 Which I do now: for overmor
919 I wolde thanne do my myht
920 So forto stonden in here lyht,
921 That thei ne scholden finde a weie
922 To that thei wolde, bot aweie
923 I wolde hem putte out of the stede
924 Fro love, riht as thei me dede
925 With that thei speke of me be mowthe.
926 So wolde I do, if that I cowthe,
927 Of hem, and this, so god me save,
928 Is al the hate that I have,
929 Toward these janglers everydiel;
930 I wolde alle othre ferde wel.
931 Thus have I, fader, said mi wille;
932 Say ye now forth, for I am stille.
933 Mi Sone, of that thou hast me said
934 I holde me noght fulli paid:
935 That thou wolt haten eny man,
936 To that acorden I ne can,
937 Thogh he have hindred thee tofore.
938 Bot this I telle thee therfore,
939 Thou miht upon my beneicoun
940 Wel haten the condicioun
941 Of tho janglers, as thou me toldest,
942 Bot furthermor, of that thou woldest
943 Hem hindre in eny other wise,
944 Such Hate is evere to despise.
945 Forthi, mi Sone, I wol thee rede,
946 That thou drawe in be frendlihede
947 That thou ne miht noght do be hate;
948 So miht thou gete love algate
949 And sette thee, my Sone, in reste,
950 For thou schalt finde it for the beste.
951 And over this, so as I dar,
952 I rede that thou be riht war
953 Of othre mennes hate aboute,
954 Which every wysman scholde doute:
955 For Hate is evere upon await,
956 And as the fisshere on his bait
957 Sleth, whan he seth the fisshes faste,
958 So, whan he seth time ate laste,
959 That he mai worche an other wo,
960 Schal noman tornen him therfro,
961 That Hate nyle his felonie
962 Fulfille and feigne compaignie
963 Yit natheles, for fals Semblant
964 Is toward him of covenant
965 Withholde, so that under bothe
966 The prive wraththe can him clothe,
967 That he schal seme of gret believe.
968 Bot war thee wel that thou ne lieve
969 Al that thou sest tofore thin yhe,
970 So as the Gregois whilom syhe:
971 The bok of Troie who so rede,
972 Ther mai he finde ensample in dede.
973 Sone after the destruccioun,
974 Whan Troie was al bete doun
975 And slain was Priamus the king,
976 The Gregois, whiche of al this thing
977 Ben cause, tornen hom ayein.
978 Ther mai noman his happ withsein;
979 It hath be sen and felt fulofte,
980 The harde time after the softe:
981 Be See as thei forth homward wente,
982 A rage of gret tempeste hem hente;
983 Juno let bende hire parti bowe,
984 The Sky wax derk, the wynd gan blowe,
985 The firy welkne gan to thondre,
986 As thogh the world scholde al to sondre;
987 Fro hevene out of the watergates
988 The reyni Storm fell doun algates
989 And al here takel made unwelde,
990 That noman mihte himself bewelde.
991 Ther mai men hiere Schipmen crie,
992 That stode in aunter forto die:
993 He that behinde sat to stiere
994 Mai noght the forestempne hiere;
995 The Schip aros ayein the wawes,
996 The lodesman hath lost his lawes,
997 The See bet in on every side:
998 Thei nysten what fortune abide,
999 Bot sette hem al in goddes wille,
1000 Wher he hem wolde save or spille.
1001 And it fell thilke time thus:
1002 Ther was a king, the which Namplus
1003 Was hote, and he a Sone hadde,
1004 At Troie which the Gregois ladde,
1005 As he that was mad Prince of alle,
1006 Til that fortune let him falle:
1007 His name was Palamades.
1008 Bot thurgh an hate natheles
1009 Of some of hem his deth was cast
1010 And he be tresoun overcast.
1011 His fader, whan he herde it telle,
1012 He swor, if evere his time felle,
1013 He wolde him venge, if that he mihte,
1014 And therto his avou behihte:
1015 And thus this king thurgh prive hate
1016 Abod upon await algate,
1017 For he was noght of such emprise
1018 To vengen him in open wise.
1019 The fame, which goth wyde where,
1020 Makth knowe how that the Gregois were
1021 Homward with al the felaschipe
1022 Fro Troie upon the See be Schipe.
1023 Namplus, whan he this understod,
1024 And knew the tydes of the flod,
1025 And sih the wynd blew to the lond,
1026 A gret deceipte anon he fond
1027 Of prive hate, as thou schalt hiere,
1028 Wherof I telle al this matiere.
1029 This king the weder gan beholde,
1030 And wiste wel thei moten holde
1031 Here cours endlong his marche riht,
1032 And made upon the derke nyht
1033 Of grete Schydes and of blockes
1034 Gret fyr ayein the grete rockes,
1035 To schewe upon the helles hihe,
1036 So that the Flete of Grece it sihe.
1037 And so it fell riht as he thoghte:
1038 This Flete, which an havene soghte,
1039 The bryghte fyres sih a ferr,
1040 And thei hem drowen nerr and nerr,
1041 And wende wel and understode
1042 How al that fyr was made for goode,
1043 To schewe wher men scholde aryve,
1044 And thiderward thei hasten blyve.
1045 In Semblant, as men sein, is guile,
1046 And that was proved thilke while;
1047 The Schip, which wende his helpe acroche,
1048 Drof al to pieces on the roche,
1049 And so ther deden ten or twelve;
1050 Ther mihte noman helpe himselve,
1051 For ther thei wenden deth ascape,
1052 Withouten help here deth was schape.
1053 Thus thei that comen ferst tofore
1054 Upon the Rockes be forlore,
1055 Bot thurgh the noise and thurgh the cri
1056 These othre were al war therby;
1057 And whan the dai began to rowe,
1058 Tho mihten thei the sothe knowe,
1059 That wher they wenden frendes finde,
1060 Thei founden frenschipe al behinde.
1061 The lond was thanne sone weyved,
1062 Wher that thei hadden be deceived,
1063 And toke hem to the hihe See;
1064 Therto thei seiden alle yee,
1065 Fro that dai forth and war thei were
1066 Of that thei hadde assaied there.
1067 Mi Sone, hierof thou miht avise
1068 How fraude stant in many wise
1069 Amonges hem that guile thenke;
1070 Ther is no Scrivein with his enke
1071 Which half the fraude wryte can
1072 That stant in such a maner man:
1073 Forthi the wise men ne demen
1074 The thinges after that thei semen,
1075 Bot after that thei knowe and finde.
1076 The Mirour scheweth in his kinde
1077 As he hadde al the world withinne,
1078 And is in soth nothing therinne;
1079 And so farth Hate for a throwe:
1080 Til he a man hath overthrowe,
1081 Schal noman knowe be his chere
1082 Which is avant, ne which arere.
1083 Forthi, mi Sone, thenke on this.
1084 Mi fader, so I wole ywiss;
1085 And if ther more of Wraththe be,
1086 Now axeth forth per charite,
1087 As ye be youre bokes knowe,
1088 And I the sothe schal beknowe.
1089 Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde
1090 That yit towardes Wraththe stonde
1091 Of dedly vices othre tuo:
1092 And forto telle here names so,
1093 It is Contek and Homicide,
1094 That ben to drede on every side.
1095 Contek, so as the bokes sein,
1096 Folhast hath to his Chamberlein,
1097 Be whos conseil al unavised
1098 Is Pacience most despised,
1099 Til Homicide with hem meete.
1100 Fro merci thei ben al unmeete,
1101 And thus ben thei the worste of alle
1102 Of hem whiche unto wraththe falle,
1103 In dede bothe and ek in thoght:
1104 For thei acompte here wraththe at noght,
1105 Bot if ther be schedinge of blod;
1106 And thus lich to a beste wod
1107 Thei knowe noght the god of lif.
1108 Be so thei have or swerd or knif
1109 Here dedly wraththe forto wreke,
1110 Of Pite list hem noght to speke;
1111 Non other reson thei ne fonge,
1112 Bot that thei ben of mihtes stronge.
1113 Bot war hem wel in other place,
1114 Where every man behoveth grace,
1115 Bot ther I trowe it schal hem faile,
1116 To whom no merci mihte availe,
1117 Bot wroghten upon tiraundie,
1118 That no pite ne mihte hem plie.
1119 Now tell, my Sone. Fader, what?
1120 If thou hast be coupable of that.
1121 Mi fader, nay, Crist me forbiede:
1122 I speke onliche as of the dede,
1123 Of which I nevere was coupable
1124 Withoute cause resonable.
1125 Bot this is noght to mi matiere
1126 Of schrifte, why we sitten hiere;
1127 For we ben sett to schryve of love,
1128 As we begunne ferst above:
1129 And natheles I am beknowe
1130 That as touchende of loves throwe,
1131 Whan I my wittes overwende,
1132 Min hertes contek hath non ende,
1133 Bot evere it stant upon debat
1134 To gret desese of myn astat
1135 As for the time that it lasteth.
1136 For whan mi fortune overcasteth
1137 Hire whiel and is to me so strange,
1138 And that I se sche wol noght change,
1139 Than caste I al the world aboute,
1140 And thenke hou I at home and oute
1141 Have al my time in vein despended,
1142 And se noght how to ben amended,
1143 Bot rathere forto be empeired,
1144 As he that is welnyh despeired:
1145 For I ne mai no thonk deserve,
1146 And evere I love and evere I serve,
1147 And evere I am aliche nerr.
1148 Thus, for I stonde in such a wer,
1149 I am, as who seith, out of herre;
1150 And thus upon miself the werre
1151 I bringe, and putte out alle pes,
1152 That I fulofte in such a res
1153 Am wery of myn oghne lif.
1154 So that of Contek and of strif
1155 I am beknowe and have ansuerd,
1156 As ye, my fader, now have herd.
1157 Min herte is wonderly begon
1158 With conseil, wherof witt is on,
1159 Which hath resoun in compaignie;
1160 Ayein the whiche stant partie
1161 Will, which hath hope of his acord,
1162 And thus thei bringen up descord.
1163 Witt and resoun conseilen ofte
1164 That I myn herte scholde softe,
1165 And that I scholde will remue
1166 And put him out of retenue,
1167 Or elles holde him under fote:
1168 For as thei sein, if that he mote
1169 His oghne rewle have upon honde,
1170 Ther schal no witt ben understonde.
1171 Of hope also thei tellen this,
1172 That overal, wher that he is,
1173 He set the herte in jeupartie
1174 With wihssinge and with fantasie,
1175 And is noght trewe of that he seith,
1176 So that in him ther is no feith:
1177 Thus with reson and wit avised
1178 Is will and hope aldai despised.
1179 Reson seith that I scholde leve
1180 To love, wher ther is no leve
1181 To spede, and will seith therayein
1182 That such an herte is to vilein,
1183 Which dar noght love and til he spede,
1184 Let hope serve at such a nede:
1185 He seith ek, where an herte sit
1186 Al hol governed upon wit,
1187 He hath this lyves lust forlore.
1188 And thus myn herte is al totore
1189 Of such a Contek as thei make:
1190 Bot yit I mai noght will forsake,
1191 That he nys Maister of my thoght,
1192 Or that I spede, or spede noght.
1193 Thou dost, my Sone, ayein the riht;
1194 Bot love is of so gret a miht,
1195 His lawe mai noman refuse,
1196 So miht thou thee the betre excuse.
1197 And natheles thou schalt be lerned
1198 That will scholde evere be governed
1199 Of reson more than of kinde,
1200 Wherof a tale write I finde.
1201 A Philosophre of which men tolde
1202 Ther was whilom be daies olde,
1203 And Diogenes thanne he hihte.
1204 So old he was that he ne mihte
1205 The world travaile, and for the beste
1206 He schop him forto take his reste,
1207 And duelte at hom in such a wise,
1208 That nyh his hous he let devise
1209 Endlong upon an Axeltre
1210 To sette a tonne in such degre,
1211 That he it mihte torne aboute;
1212 Wherof on hed was taken oute,
1213 For he therinne sitte scholde
1214 And torne himself so as he wolde,
1215 To take their and se the hevene
1216 And deme of the planetes sevene,
1217 As he which cowthe mochel what.
1218 And thus fulofte there he sat
1219 To muse in his philosophie
1220 Solein withoute compaignie:
1221 So that upon a morwetyde,
1222 As thing which scholde so betyde,
1223 Whan he was set ther as him liste
1224 To loke upon the Sonne ariste,
1225 Wherof the propretes he sih,
1226 It fell ther cam ridende nyh
1227 King Alisandre with a route;
1228 And as he caste his yhe aboute,
1229 He sih this Tonne, and what it mente
1230 He wolde wite, and thider sente
1231 A knyht, be whom he mihte it knowe,
1232 And he himself that ilke throwe
1233 Abod, and hoveth there stille.
1234 This kniht after the kinges wille
1235 With spore made his hors to gon
1236 And to the tonne he cam anon,
1237 Wher that he fond a man of Age,
1238 And he him tolde the message,
1239 Such as the king him hadde bede,
1240 And axeth why in thilke stede
1241 The Tonne stod, and what it was.
1242 And he, which understod the cas,
1243 Sat stille and spak no word ayein.
1244 The kniht bad speke and seith, "Vilein,
1245 Thou schalt me telle, er that I go;
1246 It is thi king which axeth so."
1247 "Mi king," quod he, "that were unriht."
1248 "What is he thanne?" seith the kniht,
1249 "Is he thi man?" "That seie I noght,"
1250 Quod he, "bot this I am bethoght,
1251 Mi mannes man hou that he is."
1252 "Thou lyest, false cherl, ywiss,"
1253 The kniht him seith, and was riht wroth,
1254 And to the king ayein he goth
1255 And tolde him how this man ansuerde.
1256 The king, whan he this tale herde,
1257 Bad that thei scholden alle abyde,
1258 For he himself wol thider ryde.
1259 And whan he cam tofore the tonne,
1260 He hath his tale thus begonne:
1261 "Alheil," he seith, "what man art thou?"
1262 Quod he, "Such on as thou sest now."
1263 The king, which hadde wordes wise,
1264 His age wolde noght despise,
1265 Bot seith, "Mi fader, I thee preie
1266 That thou me wolt the cause seie,
1267 How that I am thi mannes man."
1268 "Sire king," quod he, "and that I can,
1269 If that thou wolt." "Yis," seith the king.
1270 Quod he, "This is the sothe thing:
1271 Sith I ferst resoun understod,
1272 And knew what thing was evel and good,
1273 The will which of my bodi moeveth,
1274 Whos werkes that the god reproeveth,
1275 I have restreigned everemore,
1276 As him which stant under the lore
1277 Of reson, whos soubgit he is,
1278 So that he mai noght don amis:
1279 And thus be weie of covenant
1280 Will is my man and my servant,
1281 And evere hath ben and evere schal.
1282 And thi will is thi principal,
1283 And hath the lordschipe of thi witt,
1284 So that thou cowthest nevere yit
1285 Take o dai reste of thi labour;
1286 Bot forto ben a conquerour
1287 Of worldes good, which mai noght laste,
1288 Thou hiest evere aliche faste,
1289 Wher thou no reson hast to winne:
1290 And thus thi will is cause of Sinne,
1291 And is thi lord, to whom thou servest,
1292 Wherof thou litel thonk deservest."
1293 The king of that he thus answerde
1294 Was nothing wroth, bot whanne he herde
1295 The hihe wisdom which he seide,
1296 With goodly wordes this he preide,
1297 That he him wolde telle his name.
1298 "I am," quod he, "that ilke same,
1299 The which men Diogenes calle."
1300 Tho was the king riht glad withalle,
1301 For he hadde often herd tofore
1302 What man he was, so that therfore
1303 He seide, "O wise Diogene,
1304 Now schal thi grete witt be sene;
1305 For thou schalt of my yifte have
1306 What worldes thing that thou wolt crave."
1307 Quod he, "Thanne hove out of mi Sonne,
1308 And let it schyne into mi Tonne;
1309 For thou benymst me thilke yifte,
1310 Which lith noght in thi miht to schifte:
1311 Non other good of thee me nedeth."
1312 This king, whom every contre dredeth,
1313 Lo, thus he was enformed there:
1314 Wherof, my Sone, thou miht lere
1315 How that thi will schal noght be lieved,
1316 Where it is noght of wit relieved.
1317 And thou hast seid thiself er this
1318 How that thi will thi maister is;
1319 Thurgh which thin hertes thoght withinne
1320 Is evere of Contek to beginne,
1321 So that it is gretli to drede
1322 That it non homicide brede.
1323 For love is of a wonder kinde,
1324 And hath hise wittes ofte blinde,
1325 That thei fro mannes reson falle;
1326 Bot whan that it is so befalle
1327 That will schal the corage lede,
1328 In loves cause it is to drede:
1329 Wherof I finde ensample write,
1330 Which is behovely forto wite.
1331 I rede a tale, and telleth this:
1332 The Cite which Semiramis
1333 Enclosed hath with wall aboute,
1334 Of worthi folk with many a route
1335 Was enhabited here and there;
1336 Among the whiche tuo ther were
1337 Above alle othre noble and grete,
1338 Dwellende tho withinne a Strete
1339 So nyh togedre, as it was sene,
1340 That ther was nothing hem betwene,
1341 Bot wow to wow and wall to wall.
