BOOK III.

INCIPIT LIBER TERCIUS.

_Invocation._

O god of science and of light, Apollo, through thy grete might, This litel laste book thou gye! Nat that I wilne, for maistrye, Here art poetical be shewed; 1095 But, for the rym is light and lewed, Yit make hit sumwhat agreable, Though som vers faile in a sillable; And that I do no diligence To shewe craft, but o sentence. (10) 1100 And if, divyne vertu, thou Wilt helpe me to shewe now That in myn hede y-marked is-- Lo, that is for to menen this, The Hous of Fame to descryve-- 1105 Thou shalt see me go, as blyve, Unto the nexte laure I see, And kisse hit, for hit is thy tree; Now entreth in my breste anoon!--

_The Dream._

Whan I was fro this egle goon, (20) 1110 I gan beholde upon this place. And certein, or I ferther pace, I wol yow al the shap devyse Of hous and site; and al the wyse How I gan to this place aproche 1115 That stood upon so high a roche, Hyer stant ther noon in Spaine. But up I clomb with alle paine, And though to climbe hit greved me, Yit I ententif was to see, (30) 1120 And for to pouren wonder lowe, If I coude any weyes knowe What maner stoon this roche was; For hit was lyk a thing of glas, But that hit shoon ful more clere; 1125 But of what congeled matere Hit was, I niste redely. But at the laste espyed I, And found that hit was, every deel, A roche of yse, and not of steel. (40) 1130 Thoughte I, 'By Seynt Thomas of Kent! This were a feble foundement To bilden on a place hye; He oughte him litel glorifye That her-on bilt, god so me save!' 1135 Tho saw I al the half y-grave With famous folkes names fele, That had y-been in mochel wele, And hir fames wyde y-blowe. But wel unethes coude I knowe (50) 1140 Any lettres for to rede Hir names by; for, out of drede, They were almost of-thowed so, That of the lettres oon or two Was molte away of every name; 1145 So unfamous was wexe hir fame; But men seyn, 'What may ever laste?' Tho gan I in myn herte caste, That they were molte awey with hete, And not awey with stormes bete. (60) 1150 For on that other syde I sey Of this hille, that northward lay, How hit was writen ful of names Of folk that hadden grete fames Of olde tyme, and yit they were 1155 As fresshe as men had writen hem there The selve day right, or that houre That I upon hem gan to poure. But wel I wiste what hit made; Hit was conserved with the shade-- (70) 1160 Al this wrytinge that I sy-- Of a castel, that stood on by, And stood eek on so cold a place, That hete mighte hit not deface. Tho gan I up the hille to goon, 1165 And fond upon the coppe a woon, That alle the men that ben on lyve Ne han the cunning to descryve The beautee of that ilke place, Ne coude casten no compace (80) 1170 Swich another for to make, That mighte of beautee be his make, Ne [be] so wonderliche y-wrought; That hit astonieth yit my thought, And maketh al my wit to swinke 1175 On this castel to bethinke. So that the grete craft, beautee, The cast, the curiositee Ne can I not to yow devyse, My wit ne may me not suifyse. (90) 1180 But natheles al the substance I have yit in my remembrance: For-why me thoughte, by Seynt Gyle! Al was of stone of beryle, Bothe castel and the tour, 1185 And eek the halle, and every bour, Withouten peces or Ioininges. But many subtil compassinges, Babewinnes and pinacles, Imageries and tabernacles, (100) 1190 I saw; and ful eek of windowes, As flakes falle in grete snowes. And eek in ech of the pinacles Weren sondry habitacles, In whiche stoden, al withoute-- 1195 Ful the castel, al aboute-- Of alle maner of minstrales, And gestiours, that tellen tales Bothe of weping and of game, Of al that longeth unto Fame. (110) 1200 Ther herde I pleyen on an harpe That souned bothe wel and sharpe, Orpheus ful craftely, And on his syde, faste by, Sat the harper Orion, 1205 And Eacides Chiron, And other harpers many oon, And the Bret Glascurion; And smale harpers with her gleës Seten under hem in seës, (120) 1210 And gonne on hem upward to gape, And countrefete hem as an ape, Or as craft countrefeteth kinde. Tho saugh I stonden hem behinde, A-fer fro hem, al by hemselve, 1215 Many thousand tymes twelve, That maden loude menstralcyes In cornemuse and shalmyes, And many other maner pype, That craftely begunne pype (130) 1220 Bothe in doucet and in rede, That ben at festes with the brede; And many floute and lilting-horne, And pypes made of grene corne, As han thise litel herde-gromes, 1225 That kepen bestes in the bromes. Ther saugh I than Atiteris, And of Athenes dan Pseustis, And Marcia that lost her skin, Bothe in face, body, and chin, (140) 1230 For that she wolde envyen, lo! To pypen bet then Apollo. Ther saugh I famous, olde and yonge, Pypers of the Duche tonge, To lerne love-daunces, springes, 1235 Reyes, and these straunge thinges. Tho saugh I in another place Stonden in a large space, Of hem that maken blody soun In trumpe, beme, and clarioun; (150) 1240 For in fight and blood-shedinge Is used gladly clarioninge. Ther herde I trumpen Messenus, Of whom that speketh Virgilius. Ther herde I Ioab trumpe also, 1245 Theodomas, and other mo; And alle that used clarion In Cataloigne and Aragon, That in hir tyme famous were To lerne, saugh I trumpe there. (160) 1250 Ther saugh I sitte in other seës, Pleyinge upon sondry gleës, Whiche that I cannot nevene, Mo then sterres been in hevene, Of whiche I nil as now not ryme, 1255 For ese of yow, and losse of tyme: For tyme y-lost, this knowen ye, By no way may recovered be. Ther saugh I pleyen Iogelours, Magiciens and tregetours, (170) 1260 And phitonesses, charmeresses, Olde wicches, sorceresses, That use exorsisaciouns, And eek thise fumigaciouns; And clerkes eek, which conne wel 1265 Al this magyke naturel, That craftely don hir ententes, To make, in certeyn ascendentes, Images, lo, through which magyk To make a man ben hool or syk. (180) 1270 Ther saugh I thee, queen Medea, And Circes eke, and Calipsa; Ther saugh I Hermes Ballenus, Lymote, and eek Simon Magus. Ther saugh I, and knew hem by name, 1275 That by such art don men han fame. Ther saugh I Colle tregetour Upon a table of sicamour Pleye an uncouthe thing to telle; I saugh him carien a wind-melle (190) 1280 Under a walsh-note shale. What shuld I make lenger tale Of al the peple that I say, Fro hennes in-to domesday? Whan I had al this folk beholde, 1285 And fond me lous, and noght y-holde, And eft y-mused longe whyle Upon these walles of beryle, That shoon ful lighter than a glas, And made wel more than hit was (200) 1290 To semen, every thing, y-wis, As kinde thing of fames is; I gan forth romen til I fond The castel-yate on my right hond, Which that so wel corven was 1295 That never swich another nas; And yit hit was by aventure Y-wrought, as often as by cure. Hit nedeth noght yow for to tellen, To make yow to longe dwellen, (210) 1300 Of this yates florisshinges, Ne of compasses, ne of kervinges, Ne how they hatte in masoneries, As, corbets fulle of imageries. But, lord! so fair hit was to shewe, 1305 For hit was al with gold behewe. But in I wente, and that anoon; Ther mette I crying many oon,-- 'A larges, larges, hold up wel! God save the lady of this pel, (220) 1310 Our owne gentil lady Fame, And hem that wilnen to have name Of us!' Thus herde I cryen alle, And faste comen out of halle, And shoken nobles and sterlinges. 1315 And somme crouned were as kinges, With crounes wroght ful of losenges; And many riban, and many frenges Were on hir clothes trewely. Tho atte laste aspyed I (230) 1320 That pursevauntes and heraudes, That cryen riche folkes laudes, Hit weren alle; and every man Of hem, as I yow tellen can, Had on him throwen a vesture, 1325 Which that men clepe a cote-armure, Enbrowded wonderliche riche, Al-though they nere nought y-liche. But noght nil I, so mote I thryve, Been aboute to discryve (240) 1330 Al these armes that ther weren, That they thus on hir cotes beren, For hit to me were impossible; Men mighte make of hem a bible Twenty foot thikke, as I trowe. 1335 For certeyn, who-so coude y-knowe Mighte ther alle the armes seen Of famous folk that han y-been In Auffrike, Europe, and Asye, Sith first began the chevalrye. (250) 1340 Lo! how shulde I now telle al this? Ne of the halle eek what nede is To tellen yow, that every wal Of hit, and floor, and roof and al Was plated half a fote thikke 1345 Of gold, and that nas no-thing wikke, But, for to prove in alle wyse, As fyn as ducat in Venyse, Of whiche to lyte al in my pouche is? And they wer set as thikke of nouchis (260) 1350 Fulle of the fynest stones faire, That men rede in the Lapidaire, As greses growen in a mede; But hit were al to longe to rede The names; and therfore I pace. 1355 But in this riche lusty place, That Fames halle called was, Ful moche prees of folk ther nas, Ne crouding, for to mochil prees. But al on hye, above a dees, (270) 1360 Sitte in a see imperial, That maad was of a rubee al, Which that a carbuncle is y-called, I saugh, perpetually y-stalled, A feminyne creature; 1365 That never formed by nature Nas swich another thing y-seye. For altherfirst, soth for to seye, Me thoughte that she was so lyte, That the lengthe of a cubyte (280) 1370 Was lenger than she semed be; But thus sone, in a whyle, she Hir tho so wonderliche streighte, That with hir feet she therthe reighte, And with hir heed she touched hevene, 1375 Ther as shynen sterres sevene. And ther-to eek, as to my wit, I saugh a gretter wonder yit, Upon hir eyen to beholde; But certeyn I hem never tolde; (290) 1380 For as fele eyen hadde she As fetheres upon foules be, Or weren on the bestes foure, That goddes trone gunne honoure, As Iohn writ in thapocalips. 1385 Hir heer, that oundy was and crips, As burned gold hit shoon to see. And sooth to tellen, also she Had also fele up-stonding eres And tonges, as on bestes heres; (300) 1390 And on hir feet wexen saugh I Partriches winges redely. But, lord! the perrie and the richesse I saugh sitting on this goddesse! And, lord! the hevenish melodye 1395 Of songes, ful of armonye, I herde aboute her trone y-songe, That al the paleys-walles ronge! So song the mighty Muse, she That cleped is Caliopee, (310) 1400 And hir eighte sustren eke, That in hir face semen meke; And evermo, eternally, They songe of Fame, as tho herde I:-- 'Heried be thou and thy name, 1405 Goddesse of renoun and of fame!' Tho was I war, lo, atte laste, As I myn eyen gan up caste, That this ilke noble quene On hir shuldres gan sustene (320) 1410 Bothe tharmes and the name Of tho that hadde large fame; Alexander, and Hercules That with a sherte his lyf lees! Thus fond I sitting this goddesse, 1415 In nobley, honour, and richesse; Of which I stinte a whyle now, Other thing to tellen yow. Tho saugh I stonde on either syde, Streight doun to the dores wyde, (330) 1420 Fro the dees, many a pileer Of metal, that shoon not ful cleer; But though they nere of no richesse, Yet they were maad for greet noblesse, And in hem greet [and hy] sentence; 1425 And folk of digne reverence, Of whiche I wol yow telle fonde, Upon the piler saugh I stonde. Alderfirst, lo, ther I sigh, Upon a piler stonde on high, (340) 1430 That was of lede and yren fyn, Him of secte Saturnyn, The Ebrayk Iosephus, the olde, That of Iewes gestes tolde; And bar upon his shuldres hye 1435 The fame up of the Iewerye. And by him stoden other sevene, Wyse and worthy for to nevene, To helpen him here up the charge, Hit was so hevy and so large. (350) 1440 And for they writen of batailes, As wel as other olde mervailes, Therfor was, lo, this pileer, Of which that I yow telle heer, Of lede and yren bothe, y-wis. 1445 For yren Martes metal is, Which that god is of bataile; And the leed, withouten faile, Is, lo, the metal of Saturne, That hath ful large wheel to turne. (360) 1450 Tho stoden forth, on every rowe, Of hem which that I coude knowe, Thogh I hem noght by ordre telle, To make yow to long to dwelle. These, of whiche I ginne rede, 1455 Ther saugh I stonden, out of drede: Upon an yren piler strong, That peynted was, al endelong, With tygres blode in every place, The Tholosan that highte Stace, (370) 1460 That bar of Thebes up the fame Upon his shuldres, and the name Also of cruel Achilles. And by him stood, withouten lees, Ful wonder hye on a pileer 1465 Of yren, he, the gret Omeer; And with him Dares and Tytus Before, and eek he, Lollius, And Guido eek de Columpnis, And English Gaufride eek, y-wis; (380) 1470 And ech of these, as have I Ioye, Was besy for to bere up Troye. So hevy ther-of was the fame, That for to bere hit was no game. But yit I gan ful wel espye, 1475 Betwix hem was a litel envye. Oon seyde, Omere made lyes, Feyninge in his poetryes, And was to Grekes favorable; Therfor held he hit but fable. (390) 1480 Tho saugh I stonde on a pileer, That was of tinned yren cleer, That Latin poete, [dan] Virgyle, That bore hath up a longe whyle The fame of Pius Eneas. 1485 And next him on a piler was, Of coper, Venus clerk, Ovyde, That hath y-sowen wonder wyde The grete god of Loves name. And ther he bar up wel his fame, (400) 1490 Upon this piler, also hye As I might see hit with myn yë: For-why this halle, of whiche I rede Was woxe on highte, lengthe and brede, Wel more, by a thousand del, 1495 Than hit was erst, that saugh I wel. Tho saugh I, on a piler by, Of yren wroght ful sternely, The grete poete, daun Lucan, And on his shuldres bar up than, (410) 1500 As highe as that I mighte see, The fame of Iulius and Pompee. And by him stoden alle these clerkes, That writen of Romes mighty werkes, That, if I wolde hir names telle, 1505 Al to longe moste I dwelle. And next him on a piler stood Of soulfre, lyk as he were wood, Dan Claudian, the soth to telle, That bar up al the fame of helle, (420) 1510 Of Pluto, and of Proserpyne, That quene is of the derke pyne. What shulde I more telle of this? The halle was al ful, y-wis, Of hem that writen olde gestes, 1515 As ben on treës rokes nestes; But hit a ful confus matere Were al the gestes for to here, That they of write, and how they highte. But whyl that I beheld this sighte, (430) 1520 I herde a noise aprochen blyve, That ferde as been don in an hyve, Agen her tyme of out-fleyinge; Right swiche a maner murmuringe, For al the world, hit semed me. 1525 Tho gan I loke aboute and see, That ther com entring in the halle A right gret company with-alle, And that of sondry regiouns, Of alleskinnes condiciouns, (440) 1530 That dwelle in erthe under the mone, Pore and ryche. And also sone As they were come into the halle, They gonne doun on kneës falle Before this ilke noble quene, 1535 And seyde, 'Graunte us, lady shene, Ech of us, of thy grace, a bone!' And somme of hem she graunted sone, And somme she werned wel and faire; And somme she graunted the contraire (450) 1540 Of hir axing utterly. But thus I seye yow trewely, What hir cause was, I niste. For this folk, ful wel I wiste, They hadde good fame ech deserved, 1545 Althogh they were diversly served; Right as hir suster, dame Fortune, Is wont to serven in comune. Now herkne how she gan to paye That gonne hir of hir grace praye; (460) 1550 And yit, lo, al this companye Seyden sooth, and noght a lye. 'Madame,' seyden they, 'we be Folk that heer besechen thee, That thou graunte us now good fame, 1555 And lete our werkes han that name; In ful recompensacioun Of good werk, give us good renoun.' 'I werne yow hit,' quod she anoon, 'Ye gete of me good fame noon, (470) 1560 By god! and therfor go your wey.' 'Alas,' quod they, 'and welaway! Telle us, what may your cause be?' 'For me list hit noght,' quod she; 'No wight shal speke of yow, y-wis, 1565 Good ne harm, ne that ne this.' And with that word she gan to calle Hir messanger, that was in halle, And bad that he shulde faste goon, Up peyne to be blind anoon, (480) 1570 For Eolus, the god of winde;-- 'In Trace ther ye shul him finde, And bid him bringe his clarioun, That is ful dyvers of his soun, And hit is cleped Clere Laude, 1575 With which he wont is to heraude Hem that me list y-preised be: And also bid him how that he Bringe his other clarioun, That highte Sclaundre in every toun, (490) 1580 With which he wont is to diffame Hem that me list, and do hem shame.' This messanger gan faste goon, And found wher, in a cave of stoon, In a contree that highte Trace, 1585 This Eolus, with harde grace, Held the windes in distresse, And gan hem under him to presse, That they gonne as beres rore, He bond and pressed hem so sore. (500) 1590 This messanger gan faste crye, 'Rys up,' quod he, 'and faste hye, Til that thou at my lady be; And tak thy clarions eek with thee, And speed thee forth.' And he anon 1595 Took to a man, that hight Triton, His clariouns to bere tho, And leet a certeyn wind to go, That blew so hidously and hye, That hit ne lefte not a skye (510) 1600 In al the welken longe and brood. This Eolus no-wher abood Til he was come at Fames feet, And eek the man that Triton heet; And ther he stood, as still as stoon. 1605 And her-withal ther com anoon Another huge companye Of gode folk, and gunne crye, 'Lady, graunte us now good fame, And lat our werkes han that name (520) 1610 Now, in honour of gentilesse, And also god your soule blesse! For we han wel deserved hit, Therfor is right that we ben quit.' 'As thryve I,' quod she, 'ye shal faile, 1615 Good werkes shal yow noght availe To have of me good fame as now. But wite ye what? I graunte yow, That ye shal have a shrewed fame And wikked loos, and worse name, (530) 1620 Though ye good loos have wel deserved. Now go your wey, for ye be served; And thou, dan Eolus, let see! Tak forth thy trumpe anon,' quod she, 'That is y-cleped Sclaunder light, 1625 And blow hir loos, that every wight Speke of hem harm and shrewednesse, In stede of good and worthinesse. For thou shalt trumpe al the contraire Of that they han don wel or faire.' (540) 1630 'Alas,' thoughte I, 'what aventures Han these sory creatures! For they, amonges al the pres, Shul thus be shamed gilteles! But what! hit moste nedes be.' 1635 What did this Eolus, but he Tok out his blakke trumpe of bras, That fouler than the devil was, And gan this trumpe for to blowe, As al the world shulde overthrowe; (550) 1640 That through-out every regioun Wente this foule trumpes soun, As swift as pelet out of gonne, Whan fyr is in the poudre ronne. And swiche a smoke gan out-wende 1645 Out of his foule trumpes ende, Blak, blo, grenish, swartish reed, As doth wher that men melte leed, Lo, al on high fro the tuel! And therto oo thing saugh I wel, (560) 1650 That, the ferther that hit ran, The gretter wexen hit began, As doth the river from a welle, And hit stank as the pit of helle. Alas, thus was hir shame y-ronge, 1655 And giltelees, on every tonge. Tho com the thridde companye, And gunne up to the dees to hye, And doun on knees they fille anon, And seyde, 'We ben everichon (570) 1660 Folk that han ful trewely Deserved fame rightfully, And praye yow, hit mot be knowe, Right as hit is, and forth y-blowe.' 'I graunte,' quod she, 'for me list 1665 That now your gode werk be wist; And yit ye shul han better loos, Right in dispyt of alle your foos, Than worthy is; and that anoon: Lat now,' quod she, 'thy trumpe goon, (580) 1670 Thou Eolus, that is so blak; And out thyn other trumpe tak That highte Laude, and blow hit so That through the world hir fame go Al esely, and not to faste, 1675 That hit be knowen atte laste.' 'Ful gladly, lady myn,' he seyde; And out his trumpe of golde he brayde Anon, and sette hit to his mouthe, And blew hit est, and west, and southe, (590) 1680 And north, as loude as any thunder, That every wight hadde of hit wonder, So brode hit ran, or than hit stente. And, certes, al the breeth that wente Out of his trumpes mouthe smelde 1685 As men a pot-ful bawme helde Among a basket ful of roses; This favour dide he til hir loses. And right with this I gan aspye, Ther com the ferthe companye-- (600) 1690 But certeyn they were wonder fewe-- And gonne stonden in a rewe, And seyden, 'Certes, lady brighte, We han don wel with al our mighte; But we ne kepen have no fame. 1695 Hyd our werkes and our name, For goddes love! for certes we Han certeyn doon hit for bountee, And for no maner other thing.' 'I graunte yow al your asking,' (610) 1700 Quod she; 'let your werk be deed.' With that aboute I clew myn heed, And saugh anoon the fifte route That to this lady gonne loute, And doun on knees anoon to falle; 1705 And to hir tho besoughten alle To hyde hir gode werkes eek, And seyde, they yeven noght a leek For fame, ne for swich renoun; For they, for contemplacioun (620) 1710 And goddes love, hadde y-wrought; Ne of fame wolde they nought. 'What?' quod she, 'and be ye wood? And wene ye for to do good, And for to have of that no fame? 1715 Have ye dispyt to have my name? Nay, ye shul liven everichoon! Blow thy trumpe and that anoon,' Quod she, 'thou Eolus, I hote, And ring this folkes werk by note, (630) 1720 That al the world may of hit here.' And he gan blowe hir loos so clere In his golden clarioun, That through the world wente the soun, So kenely, and eek so softe; 1725 But atte laste hit was on-lofte. Thoo com the sexte companye, And gonne faste on Fame crye. Right verraily, in this manere They seyden: 'Mercy, lady dere! (640) 1730 To telle certein, as hit is, We han don neither that ne this, But ydel al our lyf y-be. But, natheles, yit preye we, That we mowe han so good a fame, 1735 And greet renoun and knowen name, As they that han don noble gestes, And acheved alle hir lestes, As wel of love as other thing; Al was us never broche ne ring, (650) 1740 Ne elles nought, from wimmen sent, Ne ones in hir herte y-ment To make us only frendly chere, But mighte temen us on bere; Yit lat us to the peple seme 1745 Swiche as the world may of us deme, That wimmen loven us for wood. Hit shal don us as moche good, And to our herte as moche availe To countrepeise ese and travaile, (660) 1750 As we had wonne hit with labour; For that is dere boght honour At regard of our grete ese. And yit thou most us more plese; Let us be holden eek, therto, 1755 Worthy, wyse, and gode also, And riche, and happy unto love. For goddes love, that sit above, Though we may not the body have Of wimmen, yet, so god yow save! (670) 1760 Let men glewe on us the name; Suffyceth that we han the fame.' 'I graunte,' quod she, 'by my trouthe! Now, Eolus, with-outen slouthe, Tak out thy trumpe of gold, let see, 1765 And blow as they han axed me, That every man wene hem at ese, Though they gon in ful badde lese.' This Eolus gan hit so blowe, That through the world hit was y-knowe. (680) 1770 Tho com the seventh route anoon, And fel on kneës everichoon, And seyde, 'Lady, graunte us sone The same thing, the same bone, That [ye] this nexte folk han doon.' 1775 'Fy on yow,' quod she, 'everichoon! Ye masty swyn, ye ydel wrecches, Ful of roten slowe tecches! What? false theves! wher ye wolde Be famous good, and no-thing nolde (690) 1780 Deserve why, ne never roughte? Men rather yow to-hangen oughte! For ye be lyk the sweynte cat, That wolde have fish; but wostow what? He wolde no-thing wete his clowes. 1785 Yvel thrift come on your Iowes, And eek on myn, if I hit graunte, Or do yow favour, yow to avaunte! Thou Eolus, thou king of Trace! Go, blow this folk a sory grace,' (700) 1790 Quod she, 'anoon; and wostow how? As I shal telle thee right now; Sey: "These ben they that wolde honour Have, and do noskinnes labour, Ne do no good, and yit han laude; 1795 And that men wende that bele Isaude Ne coude hem noght of love werne; And yit she that grint at a querne Is al to good to ese hir herte."' This Eolus anon up sterte, (710) 1800 And with his blakke clarioun He gan to blasen out a soun, As loude as belweth wind in helle. And eek therwith, [the] sooth to telle, This soun was [al] so ful of Iapes, 1805 As ever mowes were in apes. And that wente al the world aboute, That every wight gan on hem shoute, And for to laughe as they were wode; Such game fonde they in hir hode. (720) 1810 Tho com another companye, That had y-doon the traiterye, The harm, the gretest wikkednesse That any herte couthe gesse; And preyed hir to han good fame, 1815 And that she nolde hem doon no shame, But yeve hem loos and good renoun, And do hit blowe in clarioun. 'Nay, wis!' quod she, 'hit were a vyce; Al be ther in me no Iustyce, (730) 1820 Me listeth not to do hit now, Ne this nil I not graunte you.' Tho come ther lepinge in a route, And gonne choppen al aboute Every man upon the croune, 1825 That al the halle gan to soune, And seyden: 'Lady, lefe and dere, We ben swich folk as ye mowe here. To tellen al the tale aright, We ben shrewes, every wight, (740) 1830 And han delyt in wikkednes, As gode folk han in goodnes; And Ioye to be knowen shrewes, And fulle of vyce and wikked thewes; Wherfor we preyen yow, a-rowe, 1835 That our fame swich be knowe In alle thing right as hit is.' 'I graunte hit yow,' quod she, 'y-wis. But what art thou that seyst this tale, That werest on thy hose a pale, (750) 1840 And on thy tipet swiche a belle!' 'Madame,' quod he, 'sooth to telle, I am that ilke shrewe, y-wis, That brende the temple of Isidis In Athenes, lo, that citee.' 1845 'And wherfor didest thou so?' quod she. 'By my thrift,' quod he, 'madame, I wolde fayn han had a fame, As other folk hadde in the toun, Al-thogh they were of greet renoun (760) 1850 For hir vertu and for hir thewes; Thoughte I, as greet a fame han shrewes, Thogh hit be [but] for shrewednesse, As gode folk han for goodnesse; And sith I may not have that oon, 1855 That other nil I noght for-goon. And for to gette of Fames hyre, The temple sette I al a-fyre. Now do our loos be blowen swythe, As wisly be thou ever blythe.' (770) 1860 'Gladly,' quod she; 'thou Eolus, Herestow not what they preyen us?' 'Madame, yis, ful wel,' quod he, 'And I wil trumpen hit, parde!' And tok his blakke trumpe faste, 1865 And gan to puffen and to blaste, Til hit was at the worldes ende. With that I gan aboute wende; For oon that stood right at my bak, Me thoughte, goodly to me spak, (780) 1870 And seyde: 'Frend, what is thy name? Artow come hider to han fame?' 'Nay, for-sothe, frend!' quod I; 'I cam noght hider, graunt mercy! For no swich cause, by my heed! 1875 Suffyceth me, as I were deed, That no wight have my name in honde. I woot my-self best how I stonde; For what I drye or what I thinke, I wol my-selven al hit drinke, (790) 1880 Certeyn, for the more part, As ferforth as I can myn art.' 'But what dost thou here than?' quod he. Quod I, 'that wol I tellen thee, The cause why I stondë here:-- 1885 Som newe tydings for to lere:-- Som newe thinges, I not what, Tydinges, other this or that, Of love, or swiche thinges glade. For certeynly, he that me made (800) 1890 To comen hider, seyde me, I shulde bothe here and see, In this place, wonder thinges; But these be no swiche tydinges As I mene of.' 'No?' quod he. 1895 And I answerde, 'No, pardee! For wel I wiste, ever yit, Sith that first I hadde wit, That som folk han desyred fame Dyversly, and loos, and name; (810) 1900 But certeynly, I niste how Ne wher that Fame dwelte, er now; Ne eek of hir descripcioun, Ne also hir condicioun, Ne the ordre of hir dome, 1905 Unto the tyme I hider come.' '[Whiche] be, lo, these tydinges, That thou now [thus] hider bringes, That thou hast herd?' quod he to me; 'But now, no fors; for wel I see (820) 1910 What thou desyrest for to here. Com forth, and stond no longer here, And I wol thee, with-outen drede, In swich another place lede, Ther thou shalt here many oon.' 1915 Tho gan I forth with him to goon Out of the castel, soth to seye. Tho saugh I stonde in a valeye, Under the castel, faste by, An hous, that _domus Dedali_, (830) 1920 That _Laborintus_ cleped is, Nas maad so wonderliche, y-wis, Ne half so queynteliche y-wrought. And evermo, so swift as thought, This queynte hous aboute wente, 1925 That never-mo hit stille stente. And ther-out com so greet a noise, That, had hit stonden upon Oise, Men mighte hit han herd esely To Rome, I trowe sikerly. (840) 1930 And the noyse which that I herde, For al the world right so hit ferde, As doth the routing of the stoon That from thengyn is leten goon. And al this hous, of whiche I rede, 1935 Was made of twigges, falwe, rede, And grene eek, and som weren whyte, Swiche as men to these cages thwyte, Or maken of these paniers, Or elles hottes or dossers; (850) 1940 That, for the swough and for the twigges, This hous was also ful of gigges, And also ful eek of chirkinges, And of many other werkinges; And eek this hous hath of entrees 1945 As fele as leves been on trees In somer, whan they grene been; And on the roof men may yit seen A thousand holes, and wel mo, To leten wel the soun out go. (860) 1950 And by day, in every tyde, Ben al the dores open wyde, And by night, echoon, unshette; Ne porter ther is non to lette No maner tydings in to pace; 1955 Ne never reste is in that place, That hit nis fild ful of tydinges, Other loude, or of whispringes; And, over alle the houses angles, Is ful of rouninges and of Iangles (870) 1960 Of werre, of pees, of mariages, Of reste, of labour, of viages, Of abood, of deeth, of lyfe, Of love, of hate, acorde, of stryfe, Of loos, of lore, and of winninges, 1965 Of hele, of sekenesse, of bildinges, Of faire windes, of tempestes, Of qualme of folk, and eek of bestes; Of dyvers transmutaciouns Of estats, and eek of regiouns; (880) 1970 Of trust, of drede, of Ielousye, Of wit, of winninge, of folye; Of plentee, and of greet famyne, Of chepe, of derth, and of ruyne; Of good or mis governement, 1975 Of fyr, of dyvers accident. And lo, this hous, of whiche I wryte, Siker be ye, hit nas not lyte; For hit was sixty myle of lengthe; Al was the timber of no strengthe, (890) 1980 Yet hit is founded to endure Whyl that hit list to Aventure, That is the moder of tydinges, As the see of welles and springes,-- And hit was shapen lyk a cage. 1985 'Certes,' quod I, 'in al myn age, Ne saugh I swich a hous as this.' And as I wondred me, y-wis, Upon this hous, tho war was I How that myn egle, faste by, (900) 1990 Was perched hye upon a stoon; And I gan streighte to him goon And seyde thus: 'I preye thee That thou a whyl abyde me For goddes love, and let me seen 1995 What wondres in this place been; For yit, paraventure, I may lere Som good ther-on, or sumwhat here That leef me were, or that I wente.' 'Peter! that is myn entente,' (910) 2000 Quod he to me; 'therfor I dwelle; But certein, oon thing I thee telle, That, but I bringe thee ther-inne, Ne shalt thou never cunne ginne To come in-to hit, out of doute, 2005 So faste hit whirleth, lo, aboute. But sith that Ioves, of his grace, As I have seyd, wol thee solace Fynally with [swiche] thinges, Uncouthe sightes and tydinges, (920) 2010 To passe with thyn hevinesse; Suche routhe hath he of thy distresse, That thou suffrest debonairly-- And wost thy-selven utterly Disesperat of alle blis, 2015 Sith that Fortune hath maad a-mis The [fruit] of al thyn hertes reste Languisshe and eek in point to breste-- That he, through his mighty meryte, Wol do thee ese, al be hit lyte, (930) 2020 And yaf expres commaundement, To whiche I am obedient, To furthre thee with al my might, And wisse and teche thee aright Wher thou maist most tydinges here; 2025 Shaltow anoon heer many oon lere.' With this worde he, right anoon, Hente me up bitwene his toon, And at a windowe in me broghte, That in this hous was, as me thoghte-- (940) 2030 And ther-withal, me thoghte hit stente, And no-thing hit aboute wente-- And me sette in the flore adoun. But which a congregacioun Of folk, as I saugh rome aboute 2035 Some within and some withoute, Nas never seen, ne shal ben eft; That, certes, in the world nis left So many formed by Nature, Ne deed so many a creature; (950) 2040 That wel unethe, in that place, Hadde I oon foot-brede of space; And every wight that I saugh there Rouned ech in otheres ere A newe tyding prevely, 2045 Or elles tolde al openly Right thus, and seyde: 'Nost not thou That is betid, lo, late or now?' 'No,' quod [the other], 'tel me what;'-- And than he tolde him this and that, (960) 2050 And swoor ther-to that hit was sooth-- 'Thus hath he seyd'--and 'Thus he dooth'-- 'Thus shal hit be'--'Thus herde I seye'-- 'That shal be found'--' That dar I leye:'-- That al the folk that is a-lyve 2055 Ne han the cunning to discryve The thinges that I herde there, What aloude, and what in ere. But al the wonder-most was this:-- Whan oon had herd a thing, y-wis, (970) 2060 He com forth to another wight, And gan him tellen, anoon-right, The same that to him was told, Or hit a furlong-way was old, But gan somwhat for to eche 2065 To this tyding in this speche More than hit ever was. And nat so sone departed nas That he fro him, that he ne mette With the thridde; and, or he lette (980) 2070 Any stounde, he tolde him als; Were the tyding sooth or fals, Yit wolde he telle hit nathelees, And evermo with more encrees Than hit was erst. Thus north and southe 2075 Went every [word] fro mouth to mouthe, And that encresing ever-mo, As fyr is wont to quikke and go From a sparke spronge amis, Til al a citee brent up is. (990) 2080 And, whan that was ful y-spronge, And woxen more on every tonge Than ever hit was, [hit] wente anoon Up to a windowe, out to goon; Or, but hit mighte out ther pace, 2085 Hit gan out crepe at som crevace, And fleigh forth faste for the nones. And somtyme saugh I tho, at ones, A lesing and a sad soth-sawe, That gonne of aventure drawe (1000) 2090 Out at a windowe for to pace; And, when they metten in that place, They were a-chekked bothe two, And neither of hem moste out go; For other so they gonne croude, 2095 Til eche of hem gan cryen loude, 'Lat me go first!' 'Nay, but lat me! And here I wol ensuren thee With the nones that thou wolt do so, That I shal never fro thee go, (1010) 2100 But be thyn owne sworen brother! We wil medle us ech with other, That no man, be he never so wrothe, Shal han that oon [of] two, but bothe At ones, al beside his leve, 2105 Come we a-morwe or on eve, Be we cryed or stille y-rouned.' Thus saugh I fals and sooth compouned Togeder flee for oo tydinge. Thus out at holes gonne wringe (1020) 2110 Every tyding streight to Fame; And she gan yeven eche his name. After hir disposicioun, And yaf hem eek duracioun, Some to wexe and wane sone, 2115 As dooth the faire whyte mone, And leet hem gon. Ther mighte I seen Wenged wondres faste fleen, Twenty thousand in a route, As Eolus hem blew aboute. (1030) 2120 And, lord! this hous, in alle tymes, Was ful of shipmen and pilgrymes, With scrippes bret-ful of lesinges, Entremedled with tydinges, And eek alone by hem-selve. 2125 O, many a thousand tymes twelve Saugh I eek of these pardoneres, Currours, and eek messangeres, With boistes crammed ful of lyes As ever vessel was with lyes. (1040) 2130 And as I alther-fastest wente Aboute, and dide al myn entente Me for to pleye and for to lere, And eek a tyding for to here, That I had herd of som contree 2135 That shal not now be told for me;-- For hit no nede is, redely; Folk can singe hit bet than I; For al mot out, other late or rathe, Alle the sheves in the lathe;-- (1050) 2140 I herde a gret noise withalle In a corner of the halle, Ther men of love tydings tolde, And I gan thiderward beholde; For I saugh renninge every wight, 2145 As faste as that they hadden might; And everich cryed, 'What thing is that?' And som seyde, 'I not never what.' And whan they were alle on an hepe, Tho behinde gonne up lepe, (1060) 2150 And clamben up on othere faste, And up the nose on hye caste, And troden faste on othere heles And stampe, as men don after eles. Atte laste I saugh a man, 2155 Which that I [nevene] naught ne can; But he semed for to be A man of greet auctoritee.... (1068) 2158

(_Unfinished._)

1101. Cx. Th. thou; P. thow; F. nowe; B. now. 1102. Cx. P. now; Th. nowe; F. yowe; B. yow. 1105. Cx. to; _rest_ for to. 1106. F. B. men; _rest_ me. 1107. Cx. lawrer; Th. laurer. 1113. F. B. this; _rest_ the. 1114. F. citee; P. cite (= site); _rest_ cyte (= syte). 1115. F. hys (_for_ this). 1119. Cx. P. it; B. yt; F. Th. _om._ 1127. Th. I nyste; Cx. I ne wyst; P. I nust; F. B. nyste I neuer. 1132. F. B. fundament; _rest_ foundement. 1135. bilt = bildeth; Th. B. bylte. 1136. F. B. _om._ al; cf. l. 1151. 1145. Cx. Th. Were; _rest_ Was. 1154. F. B. folkes; _rest_ folk. 1155. F. tymes; _rest_ tyme. F. there; _rest_ they. 1156. Cx. Th. P. there; F. B. here. 1162. F. _om._ that. 1173. _I supply_ be. 1177. _Supply_ craft _from_ l. 1178, _where it occurs, after_ cast, _in_ Cx. Th. P. (Willert). 1178. F. To; _the rest_ The. 1185. Cx. Th. P. _ins._ the _before_ castel. 1189. F. Rabewyures _or_ Rabewynres; B. Rabewynnes; Cx. As babeuwryes; Th. As babeuries; P. Babeweuries. 1195. F. B. _om._ stoden. 1197. F. _om._ of. 1201. F. B. vpon; _rest_ on. 1202. F. B. sowneth; _rest_ sowned. 1204. P. Cx. his; Th. B. this; F. the. 1206. F. Eaycidis; P. Eaycides; Cx. Th. Gacides. 1208. B. bret; Th. Briton; Cx. Bryton; P. Bret_ur_; F. gret. 1210. F. Saten; B. Sate; Cx. Th. Sat; P. Sett; _read_ Seten. 1210, 1, 2, 4. F. hym (_for_ hem); P. hym (_in_ 1210 _only_); B. him (_in_ 1211, 2, 4). 1211. Cx. Th. P. gape; F. iape; B. yape. 1220. F. Cx. Th. B. to pipe; P. _om._ to. 1221. F. B. riede; _rest_ rede. 1222. Cx. Th. P. brede; B. Bryede; F. bride. 1227. F. Atiteris; B. Atyterys; Cx. Th. dan Cytherus; P. an Citherus. F. B. _transpose lines_ 1227 _and_ 1228. 1228. F. Pseustis; B. Pseustys; Cx. Th. proserus; P. presentus. 1233. F. B. fames; _rest_ famous. 1234. F. B. of alle; Th. of al; P. Cx. of. F. _om._ the. 1236. Cx. Th. Reyes; P. Reyþs; F. B. Reus. 1241. F. seight (!); _for_ fight. 1245. F. B. trumpe Ioab. 1255. Cx. Th. P. as now not; F. B. not now. 1259. Th. pleyeng; _rest_ pley; _read_ pleyen. 1262. F. wrecches (_wrongly_); for wicches. 1269. P. magyk; _rest_ magyke. 1270. F. B. syke; _rest_ seke. 1271. _All_ the. 1272. Cx. Th. P. Circes; F. Artes; B. Artys. 1273. _So in all._ 1274. Cx. Th. Lymote; F. Limete; B. Lumete; P. Llymote. 1275, 6. _From_ B.; F. _om. both lines_. P. hem; Cx. hym; B. Th. _om._ 1278. Th. Sycamour; F. B. Sygamour; Cx. Sycomour; P. Cicomour. 1283. F. B. y ther; _rest_ that I. 1285. F. B. folkys. 1286. B. I-holde; Cx. Th. P. holde; F. y-colde. 1287. Cx. P. eft; F. oft; B. all; Th. _om._ F. B. P. I mused. 1293. F. B. to; _rest_ forth. 1299. Cx. P. for; _rest_ more. 1301. B. this; _rest_ these; _see_ 1294. 1303. F. how they hat; B. how they hate; Cx. how the hackyng; P. Th. how the hackynge. 1304. Cx. Th. P. As corbettis(-es) and ymageries; B. As corbettz, full of ymageryes; F. As corbetz, _followed by a blank space_. 1309. F. hald; _rest_ hold (holde). 1315. Cx. Th. P. shoke; F. shoon; B. shone. 1316. F. B. As (_for_ And). 1317. P. Cx. lesynges; _rest_ losynges; _read_ losenges. 1318. F. frenges; B. Th. frynges. 1321. F. B. herauldes. 1326. F. crepen (!). 1327. P. wonderliche; _the rest_ wonderly. 1328. Cx. P. Alle though; F. Th. B. As though. 1332. Cx. Th. P. cotes; F. B. cote. 1335. F. B. _om._ as. 1349. F. B. litel; _rest_ lyte. 1350. B. thicke; Th. thyke; F. thik. 1351. P. Cx. Full; _rest_ Fyne. 1353. P. As; Cx. Th. Or as; F. B. Of. 1356. P. Cx. riche lusty; _rest_ lusty and riche. 1361. F. Sit; B. Syt; Cx. P. Sat; Th. Satte; _read_ Sitte. 1369. F. B. _om._ that. 1371. F. B. _omit_ semed be. 1372. _So_ Cx. Th. P.; F. B. _read_--This was gret marvaylle to me. 1373. _All_ wonderly; cf. l. 1327. 1374. F. B. erthe. 1377. F. B. _om._ to. 1404. F. synge; _rest_ songe. 1406. F. B. or; _rest_ and. 1411. Th. the armes; _rest_ armes; _read_ tharmes (i.e. th' armes). 1415. _All_ And thus. 1416. Cx. P. nobley; F. Th. B. noble (= noblee). 1421. F. peler; B. pylere. 1425. _I supply_ and hy. 1431. _All_ fyne. 1432. Cx. Hym that wrote thactes dyuyne; P. _om._; F. B. Th. Saturnyne. 1435. Cx. P. bare vpon; F. Th. B. he bare on. 1436. F. B. _om._ up. 1437. F. stonden; _rest_ stoden. 1442. P. Cx. Th. as of other merveilles. 1443. P. Cx. piler; F. B. pilere. 1444. _All_ here. 1450. F. B. a ful; _rest_ ful. 1456. F. B. stonde; Cx. Th. stande; P. stond. 1460. F. B. Tholausan; Th. Tholason; P. Tolofan; Cx. tholophan. 1477. _So_ Cx. Th. P.; F. B. seyde Omere was. 1483. _I supply_ dan; _see_ l. 1499. 1484. F. B. _omit_ a. 1492. F. And; _rest_ As; B. As I hit myght se with myn ye; P. Cx. Th. As I myght see it wyth myn ye. 1494. F. high the (= highthe); Cx. Th heyght; _see_ l. 744. 1498. F. sturmely. 1507. F. _om._ a. 1510. F. B. _om._ al. 1515. F. _inserts_ al of the _before_ olde; B. _inserts_ of the. 1527. _All_ in-to (_for_ in). 1530. F. alle skynnes; Cx. alle kyns. 1543. Cx. Th. grace (_for_ cause). 1546. F. B. _om. this line_. 1549. F. B. herke. 1551. Cx. Th. P. yet; F. B. right. 1553. Cx. Th. P. sayd; F. quod; B. quoth. 1570. F. B. Vpon the peyn to be blynde, _omitting_ l. 1572; Cx. Th. _om._ the. _Read_ Vp, _the usual idiom_. 1572. _In_ Cx. Th. _only_. 1585. F. B. _om._ that. 1594. F. B. clarioun; _see_ l. 1597. 1599. F. B. And (_for_ That). 1603. Cx. P. at; _rest_ to. 1609. F. B. _om._ now. 1614. F. B. _insert_ wel _after_ be. 1618. F. B. wete; _rest_ wote; _read_ wite. 1621. F. B. _om._ wel. 1623. Cx. Th. P. And thou dan; F. B. Haue doon. 1637. P. blak; F. B. blake. 1647. Cx. Th. P. swartysh; F. B. swart, swarte. 1657. B. thridde; F. thirdde. 1661. F. ben; _rest_ han. 1666. _All_ werkes, _pl.; see_ 1701. Th. That your good workes shal be wyst (_perhaps better_). 1668. F. B. _om._ Right. 1675. F. B. _om._ Al. 1682. F. B. Cx. Th. hath; P. have. 1686. _All_ of bawme; _omit_ of (Koch). 1701. werk] _all_ werkes (werkys); _see_ 1666, 1720, 1. 1702. B. clew; F. clywe; Cx. Th. P. torned, turned. 1707. Cx. P. To hyde; Th. To hyden; F. B. And hidden. 1709. P. Cx. fame; _rest_ no fame. P. Cx. Th. ne (_om._ for); F. B. for (_om._ ne). 1717. F. B. Th. lyen (_for_ lyuen); P. be; Cx. _om._ 1720. werk] _all_ werkes (werkys); _but see_ hit _in_ 1721. 1725. F. B. Th. Al so; _rest_ And so; _read_ So. 1726. _So_ F. B.; Cx. Th. That theyr fame was blowe a lofte. 1735. Cx. P. so good a; Th. as good a; F. B. as good. 1742. Th. Cx. P. in her herte; F. in hem; B. in her. 1744. Th. on; _rest_ upon. 1745. F. B. _om._ the. 1748, 1749. F. a; _rest_ as. 1750. P. Cx. To; _rest_ The. 1765. F. B. now let se (_I omit_ now); _rest_ quod she. 1775. _I supply_ ye. 1779. P. wher; Cx. Th. where; F. B. or. 1781. F. B. neuer ye; _rest om._ ye. 1782. F. B. _om._ to-. 1783. F. swynt; B. sweynte; Cx. Th. P. slepy. 1786. Cx. P. on; _the rest_ to. 1787. Cx. Th. P. on; F. B. to. 1792. F. B. _om._ thee. 1793. F. B. _om._ they. 1801. P. blak; F. B. blake. 1804. _I supply_ the. 1805. al _is not in the_ MSS.; _but_ P. _has_ as (= al-so). 1813. _All_ grete, gret; _read_ gretest (Willert). 1816. MSS. doon (don, do) hem. 1818. F. B. in a; P. Cx. Th. in. 1821. B. liste; _rest_ list, _short for_ listeth. F. B. P. _om._ to; Cx. Th. _insert it_. 1822. P. not; _which_ F. B. Cx. Th. _omit_. 1824. F. choppen; B. choppyn; Th. clappen; Cx. P. clappe. 1828. B. P. folk; _rest_ folkes. 1834. P. vice; Cx. Th. vyce; F. B. vices. 1836. F. B. suche be; Cx. Th. P. be suche. 1843. _Here_ P. _ends_. 1853. F. Th. be noght for; Cx. B. be for; _read_ be but for (Koch). 1862. Cx. Th. they; F. B. this folke. 1880. F. selfe; _read_ selven. 1883. Th. than; Cx. thenne; F. B. _om._ 1887. _All_ thing, thinge; _read_ thinges. Cf. l. 1889. 1891. _All_ come. 1897. _All_ wote (_for_ wiste); _see_ l. 1901. 1898. _All_ had. 1902. _All_ dwelled _or_ dwellyth. 1903. F. And; _rest_ Ne. 1906. B. the; F. _om._. B. hidyr; Th. hyder; Cx. hether; F. thidder. 1907. B. Whi then; _rest_ Why than; Koch _suggests_ Which than; _read_ Which-e. Ll. 1907-9 _are probably corrupt; see_ note. 1908. _I supply_ thus. 1926. Th. it stil; _rest_ stil hyt. 1931. Th. B. that I; F. I haue; Cx. I had. 1938. F. B. Whiche; Cx. Th. Suche. 1940. F. Cx. B. hattes; Th. hutches. _Read_ hottes. 1941. F. twynges (!); B. twigys. 1944. _Corrupt. From_ Cx. Th.; B. _omits the line_; F. _has only_ As ful this lo. 1946. Cx. Th. as; F. of; B. as of. Th. on; F. B. in; Cx. of. 1948. Cx. roof; Th. rofe; F. B. roue. 1952. Cx. Th. open; F. opened; B. I-opened. 1955. Cx. out (_for_ in). 1957. F. silde; B. fylde; Cx. Th. fylled. 1961. _All_ werres (_pl._); _read_ werre. 1962. _All_ restes (_pl._). Cx. of labour; F. Th. B. and of labour. 1967. _All insert_ and eek _before_ of; _see l. 1968_. 1975. _All write_ mis governement _as one word_. 1976. _All_ and of; _omit_ and. 1984. F. B. and of; Cx. Th. _om._ of. 1997. Th. paraunter. 2009. _I substitute_ swiche _for_ these. 2010. Th. syghtes; _rest_ syght. 2017. F. The frot; B. The foot; Cx. Th. The swote. _Read_ The fruit (Koch). 2018. Cx. Th. Languysshe; F. B. Laugh. 2020. Th. B. the (_for_ thee); Cx. the an; F. than (_perhaps_ = the an). 2021. _All insert_ in _after_ yaf. 2026. F. B. _insert_ anoon (anon) _after_ here, _which_ Cx. Th. _omit. For_ here anoon _read_ anoon heer. 2028. F. B. _omit this line_. 2036. F. B. _omit this line; it is probably corrupt. Read_ Many a thousand in a route (Koch). 2042. Cx. one; F. Th. B. a. 2044. F. Rovned in; B. Rownyd yn; Cx. Th. Rowned euerych in. 2048. F. _has only_--That ys betydde; B. That is betyd late or now; Cx. Th. That ys betyd lo ryght now. 2049. _All_ he; _read_ the other (Willert). 2053. _All insert_ And (_twice_) _before_ thus; _but compare the next line_. 2059. _All_ wonder most (moste). 2061. F. B. forth ryght to; Cx. forth vnto; Th. streyght to. 2063. Cx. to; _rest om._ 2066. F. Tho; _rest_ To. 2069. F. B. That he; Cx. Th. Tho. F. thoo; B. tho; Cx. Th. that. 2076. F. B. Went every mouthe; Cx. Th. Wente euery tydyng. 2081. Cx. Th. vp spronge. 2083. _All_ and (_for 2nd_ hit). 2087. F. flygh; B. fligh; Cx. Th. flewe. 2088. F. _om._ I. 2090. Cx. Th. drawe; F. B. thrawe. 2091. Cx. Th. at; F. B. to. 2093. F. B. a cheked; Cx. Th. a chekked. 2095-2158. Cx. _omits_. 2099. B. _om._ the. 2103. Th. he; F. B. they. 2104. F. han on two (_sic_); B. haue that oon (_om._ of two); Th. haue one two. _I supply_ that _from_ B.; _and also_ of. 2106. Th. amorowe; F. B. morwe. 2112. _All_ yeue. 2115. Th. wane; F. B. wynne (!). 2123. Th. scrippes; F. B. shrippes. 2129. F. boystes; Th. boxes; B. bowgys. 2150. Th. gonne; B. bigonne; F. begunne. 2151, 3. F. other; B. othir; _read_ othere (oth're), _plural_. 2152. F. noyse an highen (!); Th. noyse on hyghen (!); B. nose and yen; _read_ on hye (Koch). 2153. F. B. other; Th. others. 2154. F. B. stampen; Th. stampe. 2156. _I supply_ nevene. 2158. _Here_ F. B. _end_; Cx. Th. _add 12 spurious lines_.

THE LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN.

The Prologue to this Poem exists in two different versions, which differ widely from each other in many passages. The arrangement of the material is also different.

For the sake of clearness, the earlier version is here called 'Text A,' and the later version 'Text B.'

'Text A' exists in one MS. only, but this MS. is of early date and much importance. It is the MS. marked Gg. 4. 27 in the Cambridge University Library, and is here denoted by the letter 'C.' It is the same MS. as that denoted by the abbreviation 'Cm.' in the footnotes to the Canterbury Tales and Troilus and Criseyde. This text is printed in the _upper_ part of the following pages. The footnotes give the MS. spellings, where these are amended in the text.

'Text B' occupies the _lower_ part of the following pages. It follows the Fairfax MS. mainly, which is denoted by 'F.' In many places, the inferior spellings of this MS. are relegated to the footnotes, amended spellings being given in the text. Various readings are given from Tn. (Tanner MS. 346); T. (Trinity MS., R. 3. 19); A. (Arch. Seld. B. 24 in the Bodleian Library); Th. (Thynne's Edition, 1532); B. (Bodley MS. 638); P. (Pepys MS. 2006); and sometimes from C. (already mentioned) or Add. (Addit. 9832).

Lines which occur _in one text only_ are marked (in either text) by a prefixed asterisk. Lines marked with a dagger (+) stand _just the same in both texts_. The blank space after A 60 (p. 70) shews that there is nothing in Text A corresponding to B 69-72. Where the corresponding matter is transposed to another place, one or other text has a portion printed in smaller type.

THE PROLOGE OF .IX. GOODE WIMMEN.

A thousand sythes have I herd men telle, +That ther is Ioye in heven, and peyne in helle; And I acorde wel that hit be so; But natheles, this wot I wel also, That ther nis noon that dwelleth in this contree, 5 That either hath in helle or heven y-be, +Ne may of hit non other weyes witen, +But as he hath herd seyd, or founde hit writen; +For by assay ther may no man hit preve. But goddes forbode, but men shulde leve 10 +Wel more thing then men han seen with yë! +Men shal nat wenen every-thing a lyë For that he seigh it nat of yore ago. God wot, a thing is never the lesse so +Thogh every wight ne may hit nat y-see. 15 +Bernard the monk ne saugh nat al, parde! +Than mote we to bokes that we finde, +Through which that olde thinges been in minde, +And to the doctrine of these olde wyse, +Yeven credence, in every skilful wyse, 20 And trowen on these olde aproved stories +Of holinesse, of regnes, of victories, +Of love, of hate, of other sundry thinges, +Of whiche I may not maken rehersinges. +And if that olde bokes were a-weye, 25 +Y-loren were of remembraunce the keye. Wel oghte us than on olde bokes leve, Ther-as ther is non other assay by preve. And, as for me, though that my wit be lyte, +On bokes for to rede I me delyte, 30 +And in myn herte have hem in reverence; And to hem yeve swich lust and swich credence, That ther is wel unethe game noon That from my bokes make me to goon, But hit be other up-on the haly-day, 35 Or elles in the Ioly tyme of May; Whan that I here the smale foules singe, +And that the floures ginne for to springe, Farwel my studie, as lasting that sesoun! Now have I therto this condicioun 40 +That, of alle the floures in the mede, +Than love I most these floures whyte and rede, +Swiche as men callen daysies in our toun. +To hem have I so greet affeccioun, +As I seyde erst, whan comen is the May, 45 +That in my bed ther daweth me no day +That I nam up, and walking in the mede To seen these floures agein the sonne sprede, Whan hit up-riseth by the morwe shene, *The longe day, thus walking in the grene. 50

_From_ A. 55-58. This dayesye, of alle floures flour, (B. 53) Fulfild of vertu and of alle honour, +And ever y-lyke fair and fresh of hewe, As wel in winter as in somer newe--

And whan the sonne ginneth for to weste, (B. 61) Than closeth hit, and draweth hit to reste. So sore hit is afered of the night, *Til on the morwe, that hit is dayes light. This dayesye, of alle floures flour, 55 Fulfild of vertu and of alle honour, +And ever y-lyke fair and fresh of hewe, As wel in winter as in somer newe, Fain wolde I preisen, if I coude aright; (B. 67) *But wo is me, hit lyth nat in my might! 60

For wel I wot, that folk han her-beforn (B. 73) +Of making ropen, and lad a-wey the corn; +And I come after, glening here and there, +And am ful glad if I may finde an ere Of any goodly word that they han left. 65 And, if hit happe me rehersen eft That they han in her fresshe songes sayd, I hope that they wil nat ben evel apayd, Sith hit is seid in forthering and honour Of hem that either serven leef or flour. 70 For trusteth wel, I ne have nat undertake As of the leef, ageyn the flour, to make; Ne of the flour to make, ageyn the leef, +No more than of the corn ageyn the sheef. For, as to me, is leefer noon ne lother; 75 I am with-holde yit with never nother. I not who serveth leef, ne who the flour; That nis nothing the entent of my labour. For this werk is al of another tunne, Of olde story, er swich stryf was begunne. 80 +But wherfor that I spak, to yeve credence (B. 97) To bokes olde and doon hem reverence, Is for men shulde autoritees beleve, Ther as ther lyth non other assay by preve. *For myn entent is, or I fro yow fare, 85 *The naked text in English to declare *Of many a story, or elles of many a geste, *As autours seyn; leveth hem if yow leste!

Whan passed was almost the month of May, (B. 108) And I had romed, al the someres day, 90 *The grene medew, of which that I yow tolde, Upon the fresshe daysy to beholde, And that the sonne out of the south gan weste, And closed was the flour and goon to reste For derknesse of the night, of which she dredde, 95 +Hoom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spedde; +And, in a litel erber that I have, Y-benched newe with turves fresshe y-grave, +I bad men shulde me my couche make; +For deyntee of the newe someres sake, 100 +I bad hem strowe floures on my bed. +Whan I was layd, and had myn eyen hed, I fel a-slepe with-in an houre or two. Me mette how I was in the medew tho, *And that I romed in that same gyse, 105 To seen that flour, as ye han herd devyse. *Fair was this medew, as thoughte me overal; With floures swote enbrowded was it al; As for to speke of gomme, or erbe, or tree, +Comparisoun may noon y-maked be. 110 For hit surmounted pleynly alle odoures, +And eek of riche beaute alle floures. +Forgeten had the erthe his pore estat +Of winter, that him naked made and mat, And with his swerd of cold so sore had greved. 115 Now had the atempre sonne al that releved, And clothed him in grene al newe agayn. +The smale foules, of the seson fayn, +That from the panter and the net ben scaped, +Upon the fouler, that hem made a-whaped 120 +In winter, and distroyed had hir brood, +In his despyt, hem thoughte hit did hem good +To singe of him, and in hir song despyse +The foule cherl that, for his covetyse, +Had hem betrayed with his sophistrye. 125 +This was hir song--'the fouler we defye!' Somme songen [layes] on the braunches clere (B. 139) Of love and [May], that Ioye hit was to here, In worship and in preysing of hir make, And of the newe blisful someres sake, 130

That songen, 'blissed be seynt Valentyn! (B. 145) [For] at his day I chees yow to be myn, +With-oute repenting, myn herte swete!' +And therwith-al hir bekes gonnen mete. [They dide honour and] humble obeisaunces, 135 And after diden other observaunces Right [plesing] un-to love and to nature; *So ech of hem [doth wel] to creature. *This song to herkne I dide al myn entente, *For-why I mette I wiste what they mente. 140

_From_ A. 90. And I had romed, al the someres day, (B. 180)

_From_ A. 92. Up-on the fresshe daysy to beholde. (B. 182)

_From_ A. 71-80. For trusteth wel, I ne have nat undertake (B. 188) As of the leef, ageyn the flour, to make; Ne of the flour to make, ageyn the leef, +No more than of the corn ageyn the sheef. For, as to me, is leefer noon ne lother; 75 I am with-holde yit with never nother. I not who serveth leef, ne who the flour; That nis nothing the entent of my labour. For this werk is al of another tunne, Of olde story, er swich stryf was begunne. 80

_From_ A. 93-96. And that the sonne out of the south gan weste, And closed was the flour and goon to reste For derknesse of the night, of which she dredde, +Hoom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spedde

_From_ A. 106. To seen that flour, as ye han herd devyse.

_From_ A. 97-104. +And, in a litel erber that I have, Y-benched newe with turves fresshe y-grave, +I bad men shulde me my couche make; +For deyntee of the newe someres sake, 100 +I bad hem strowe floures on my bed. +Whan I was layd, and had myn eyen hed, I fel a-slepe within an houre or two. Me mette how I was in the medew tho,

*Til at the laste a larke song above: 141 *'I see,' quod she, 'the mighty god of love! *Lo! yond he cometh, I see his winges sprede!'

_From_ A. 106. To seen that flour, as ye han herd devyse,

Tho gan I loken endelong the mede, (B. 212) And saw him come, and in his hond a quene, 145 Clothed in ryal abite al of grene. +A fret of gold she hadde next hir heer, +And up-on that a whyt coroun she beer With many floures, and I shal nat lye; For al the world, right as the dayesye 150 +I-coroned is with whyte leves lyte, Swich were the floures of hir coroun whyte. For of o perle fyn and oriental +Hir whyte coroun was y-maked al; +For which the whyte coroun, above the grene, 155 +Made hir lyk a daysie for to sene, Considered eek the fret of gold above. +Y-clothed was this mighty god of love Of silk, y-brouded ful of grene greves; A garlond on his heed of rose-leves 160 *Steked al with lilie floures newe; *But of his face I can nat seyn the hewe. For sekirly his face shoon so brighte, *That with the gleem a-stoned was the sighte; A furlong-wey I mighte him nat beholde. 165 But at the laste in hande I saw him holde +Two fyry dartes, as the gledes rede; And aungellich his wenges gan he sprede. +And al be that men seyn that blind is he, Al-gate me thoughte he mighte wel y-see; 170 +For sternely on me he gan biholde, +So that his loking doth myn herte colde. +And by the hande he held the noble quene, +Corouned with whyte, and clothed al in grene, +So womanly, so benigne, and so meke, 175 +That in this world, thogh that men wolde seke, +Half hir beautee shulde men nat finde +In creature that formed is by kinde, Hir name was Alceste the debonayre; I prey to god that ever falle she fayre! 180 +For ne hadde confort been of hir presence, +I had be deed, withouten any defence, +For drede of Loves wordes and his chere, +As, whan tyme is, her-after ye shal here. Byhind this god of love, up-on this grene, 185 +I saw cominge of ladyës nyntene +In ryal abite, a ful esy pas, +And after hem com of wemen swich a tras That, sin that god Adam made of erthe, The thredde part of wemen, ne the ferthe, 190 +Ne wende I nat by possibilitee Hadden ever in this world y-be; (B. 289) +And trewe of love thise wemen were echoon. +Now whether was that a wonder thing or noon, +That, right anoon as that they gonne espye 195 +This flour, which that I clepe the dayesye, +Ful sodeinly they stinten alle at-ones, And kneled adoun, as it were for the nones. *And after that they wenten in compas, *Daunsinge aboute this flour an esy pas, 200 *And songen, as it were in carole-wyse, *This balade, which that I shal yow devyse.

BALADE.

+Hyd, Absolon, thy gilte tresses clere; +Ester, ley them thy meknesse al a-doun; +Hyd, Ionathas, al thy frendly manere; 205 +Penalopee, and Marcia Catoun, +Mak of your wyfhod no comparisoun; +Hyde ye your beautes, Isoude and Eleyne, Alceste is here, that al that may desteyne.

+Thy faire body, lat hit nat appere, 210 +Lavyne; and thou, Lucresse of Rome toun, +And Polixene, that boghte love so dere, Eek Cleopatre, with al thy passioun, Hyde ye your trouthe in love and your renoun; And thou, Tisbe, that hast for love swich peyne: 215 Alceste is here, that al that may desteyne.

Herro, Dido, Laudomia, alle in-fere, Eek Phyllis, hanging for thy Demophoun, +And Canace, espyed by thy chere, Ysiphile, betrayed with Jasoun, 220 Mak of your trouthe in love no bost ne soun; Nor Ypermistre or Adriane, ne pleyne; Alceste is here, that al that may desteyne.

Whan that this balade al y-songen was, (B. 270)

_From_ A. 179-198. Hir name was Alceste the debonayre; I prey to god that ever falle she fayre! 180 +For ne hadde confort been of hir presence, +I had be deed, withouten any defence, +For drede of Loves wordes and his chere, +As, whan tyme is, her-after ye shal here. Byhind this god of love, up-on this grene, 185 +I saw cominge of ladyës nyntene +In ryal abite, a ful esy pas, +And after hem com of wemen swich a tras, That, sin that god Adam made of erthe, The thredde part of wemen, ne the ferthe, 190 +Ne wende I nat by possibilitee Hadden ever in this world y-be. +And trewe of love these wemen were echoon. +Now whether was that a wonder thing or noon, +That, right anon as that they gonne espye 195 +This flour, which that I clepe the dayesye, +Ful sodeinly they stinten alle atones, And kneled adoun, as it were for the nones.

*Upon the softe and swote grene gras 225 +They setten hem ful softely adoun, (B. 301) By ordre alle in compas, alle enveroun. First sat the god of love, and than this quene +With the whyte coroun, clad in grene; +And sithen al the remenant by and by, 230 As they were of degree, ful curteisly; +Ne nat a word was spoken in the place +The mountance of a furlong-wey of space. I, lening faste by under a bente, +Abood, to knowen what this peple mente, 235 +As stille as any stoon; til at the laste, The god of love on me his eye caste, And seyde, 'who resteth ther?' and I answerde Un-to his axing, whan that I him herde, +And seyde, 'sir, hit am I'; and cam him neer, 240 +And salued him. Quod he, 'what dostow heer In my presence, and that so boldely? +For it were better worthy, trewely, A werm to comen in my sight than thou.' +'And why, sir,' quod I, 'and hit lyke yow?' 245 +'For thou,' quod he, 'art ther-to nothing able. *My servaunts been alle wyse and honourable. Thou art my mortal fo, and me warreyest, (B. 322) +And of myne olde servaunts thou misseyest, +And hinderest hem with thy translacioun, 250 And lettest folk to han devocioun +To serven me, and haldest hit folye To troste on me. Thou mayst hit nat denye; For in pleyn text, hit nedeth nat to glose, +Thou hast translated the Romauns of the Rose, 255 +That is an heresye ageyns my lawe, +And makest wyse folk fro me withdrawe. *And thinkest in thy wit, that is ful cool. *That he nis but a verray propre fool *That loveth paramours, to harde and hote. 260 *Wel wot I ther-by thou beginnest dote *As olde foles, whan hir spirit fayleth; *Than blame they folk, and wite nat what hem ayleth. *Hast thou nat mad in English eek the book How that Crisseyde Troilus forsook, (B. 332) 265 In shewinge how that wemen han don mis? *But natheles, answere me now to this, *Why noldest thou as wel han seyd goodnesse *Of wemen, as thou hast seyd wikkednesse? *Was ther no good matere in thy minde, 270 *Ne in alle thy bokes coudest thou nat finde *Sum story of wemen that were goode and trewe? *Yis! god wot, sixty bokes olde and newe *Hast thou thy-self, alle fulle of stories grete, *That bothe Romains and eek Grekes trete 275 *Of sundry wemen, which lyf that they ladde, *And ever an hundred gode ageyn oon badde. *This knoweth god, and alle clerkes eke, *That usen swiche materes for to seke. *What seith Valerie, Titus, or Claudian? 280 *What seith Ierome ageyns Iovinian? *How clene maydens, and how trewe wyves, *How stedfast widwes during al hir lyves, *Telleth Jerome; and that nat of a fewe, *But, I dar seyn, an hundred on a rewe; 285 *That hit is pitee for to rede, and routhe, *The wo that they enduren for hir trouthe. For to hir love were they so trewe, (B. 334) *That, rather than they wolde take a newe, *They chosen to be dede in sundry wyse, 290 *And deyden, as the story wol devyse; *And some were brend, and some were cut the hals, *And some dreynt, for they wolden nat be fals. *For alle keped they hir maydenhed, *Or elles wedlok, or hir widwehed. 295 *And this thing was nat kept for holinesse, *But al for verray vertu and clennesse, *And for men shulde sette on hem no lak; *And yit they weren hethen, al the pak, *That were so sore adrad of alle shame. 300 *These olde wemen kepte so hir name, *That in this world I trow men shal nat finde *A man that coude be so trewe and kinde, *As was the leste woman in that tyde. *What seith also the epistels of Ovyde 305 *Of trewe wyves, and of hir labour? *What Vincent, in his Storial Mirour? *Eek al the world of autours maystow here, *Cristen and hethen, trete of swich matere; *It nedeth nat alday thus for tendyte. 310 *But yit I sey, what eyleth thee to wryte *The draf of stories, and forgo the corn? By seint Venus, of whom that I was born, (B. 338) Although [that] thou reneyed hast my lay, (B. 336) As othere olde foles many a day, (B. 337) 315 Thou shalt repente hit, that hit shal be sene!' Than spak Alceste, the worthieste quene, +And seyde, 'god, right of your curtesye, +Ye moten herknen if he can replye Ageyns these points that ye han to him meved; 320 +A god ne sholde nat be thus agreved, +But of his deitee he shal be stable, And therto rightful and eek merciable. *He shal nat rightfully his yre wreke *Or he have herd the tother party speke. 325 *Al ne is nat gospel that is to yow pleyned; *The god of love herth many a tale y-feyned.

_From_ A. 338, 339. This man to yow may wrongly been accused, +Ther as by right him oghte been excused;

+For in your court is many a losengeour, +And many a queynte totelere accusour, That tabouren in your eres many a thing 330 For hate, or for Ielous imagining, And for to han with yow som daliaunce. Envye (I prey to god yeve hir mischaunce!) Is lavender in the grete court alway. +For she ne parteth, neither night ne day, 335 +Out of the hous of Cesar; thus seith Dante; Who-so that goth, alwey she moot [nat] wante. This man to yow may wrongly been accused, +Ther as by right him oghte been excused. Or elles, sir, for that this man is nyce, 340 He may translate a thing in no malyce. But for he useth bokes for to make, And takth non heed of what matere he take; *Therfor he wroot the Rose and eek Crisseyde *Of innocence, and niste what he seyde; 345 +Or him was boden make thilke tweye +Of som persone, and durste hit nat with-seye; *For he hath writen many a book er this. +He ne hath nat doon so grevously amis +To translaten that olde clerkes wryten, 350 +As thogh that he of malice wolde endyten Despyt of love, and hadde him-self y-wroght. +This shulde a rightwys lord han in his thoght, +And nat be lyk tiraunts of Lumbardye, That usen wilfulhed and tirannye, 355 +For he that king or lord is naturel, +Him oghte nat be tiraunt ne cruel, +As is a fermour, to doon the harm he can. +He moste thinke hit is his lige man, *And that him oweth, of verray duetee, 360 *Shewen his peple pleyn benignitee, *And wel to here hir excusaciouns, *And hir compleyntes and peticiouns, *In duewe tyme, whan they shal hit profre. +This is the sentence of the philosophre: (B. 381) 365 +A king to kepe his liges in Iustyce; +With-outen doute, that is his offyce. *And therto is a king ful depe y-sworn, *Ful many an hundred winter heer-biforn; And for to kepe his lordes hir degree, 370 +As hit is right and skilful that they be +Enhaunced and honoured, and most dere-- +For they ben half-goddes in this world here-- This shal he doon, bothe to pore [and] riche, Al be that here stat be nat a-liche, 375 +And han of pore folk compassioun. +For lo, the gentil kind of the lioun! +For whan a flye offendeth him or byteth, +He with his tayl awey the flye smyteth +Al esily; for, of his genterye, 380 +Him deyneth nat to wreke him on a flye, +As doth a curre or elles another beste. +In noble corage oghte been areste, +And weyen every thing by equitee, +And ever han reward to his owen degree. 385 +For, sir, hit is no maystrie for a lord To dampne a man with-oute answere or word; +And, for a lord, that is ful foul to use. +And if so be he may him nat excuse, [But] axeth mercy with a sorweful herte, 390 +And profreth him, right in his bare sherte, +To been right at your owne Iugement, +Than oghte a god, by short avysement, +Considre his owne honour and his trespas. +For sith no cause of deeth lyth in this cas, 395 +Yow oghte been the lighter merciable; +Leteth your yre, and beth somwhat tretable! +The man hath served yow of his conning, And forthered your lawe with his making. *Whyl he was yong, he kepte your estat; 400 *I not wher he be now a renegat. But wel I wot, with that he can endyte, He hath maked lewed folk delyte +To serve you, in preysing of your name. +He made the book that hight the Hous of Fame, 405 +And eek the Deeth of Blaunche the Duchesse, +And the Parlement of Foules, as I gesse, +And al the love of Palamon and Arcyte +Of Thebes, thogh the story is knowen lyte; +And many an ympne for your halydayes, 410 +That highten Balades, Roundels, Virelayes; And for to speke of other besinesse, +He hath in prose translated Boëce; *And of the Wreched Engendring of Mankinde, *As man may in pope Innocent y-finde; 415 +And mad the Lyf also of seynt Cecyle; (B. 426) +He made also, goon sithen a greet whyl, +Origenes upon the Maudeleyne; +Him oghte now to have the lesse peyne; +He hath mad many a lay and many a thing. 420 +'Now as ye been a god, and eek a king, +I, your Alceste, whylom quene of Trace, +I axe yow this man, right of your grace, +That ye him never hurte in al his lyve; +And he shal sweren yow, and that as blyve, 425 +He shal no more agilten in this wyse; +But he shal maken, as ye wil devyse, +Of wemen trewe in lovinge al hir lyve, +Wher-so ye wil, of maiden or of wyve, +And forthren yow, as muche as he misseyde 430 +Or in the Rose or elles in Crisseyde.' +The god of love answerde hir thus anoon, +'Madame,' quod he, 'hit is so long agoon +That I yow knew so charitable and trewe, +That never yit, sith that the world was newe, 435 +To me ne fond I better noon than ye. That, if that I wol save my degree, +I may ne wol nat warne your requeste; Al lyth in yow, doth with him what yow leste +And al foryeve, with-outen lenger space; 440 +For who-so yeveth a yift, or doth a grace, +Do hit by tyme, his thank is wel the more; +And demeth ye what he shal do therfore. +Go thanke now my lady heer,' quod he. +I roos, and doun I sette me on my knee, 445 +And seyde thus: 'Madame, the god above +Foryelde yow, that ye the god of love +Han maked me his wrathe to foryive; +And yeve me grace so long for to live, +That I may knowe soothly what ye be 450 That han me holpen, and put in swich degree. +But trewely I wende, as in this cas, +Naught have agilt, ne doon to love trespas. +Forwhy a trewe man, with-outen drede, +Hath nat to parten with a theves dede; 455 +Ne a trewe lover oghte me nat blame, +Thogh that I speke a fals lover som shame. +They oghte rather with me for to holde, +For that I of Creseyde wroot or tolde, +Or of the Rose; what-so myn auctour mente, 460 +Algate, god wot, hit was myn entente +To forthren trouthe in love and hit cheryce; +And to be war fro falsnesse and fro vyce +By swich ensample; this was my meninge.' +And she answerde, 'lat be thyn arguinge; 465 +For Love ne wol nat countrepleted be In right ne wrong; and lerne this at me! +Thou hast thy grace, and hold thee right ther-to. +Now wol I seyn what penance thou shalt do +For thy trespas, and understond hit here: 470 +Thou shalt, whyl that thou livest, yeer by yere, The moste party of thy lyve spende +In making of a glorious Legende +Of Gode Wemen, maidenes and wyves, +That were trewe in lovinge al hir lyves; 475 +And telle of false men that hem bitrayen, +That al hir lyf ne doon nat but assayen +How many wemen they may doon a shame; For in your world that is now holden game. And thogh thee lesteth nat a lover be, 480 +Spek wel of love; this penance yeve I thee. +And to the god of love I shal so preye, +That he shal charge his servants, by any weye, +To forthren thee, and wel thy labour quyte; Go now thy wey, thy penance is but lyte.' (B. 495) 485

+The god of love gan smyle, and than he seyde, +'Wostow,' quod he, 'wher this be wyf or mayde, +Or quene, or countesse, or of what degree, +That hath so litel penance yeven thee, +That hast deserved sorer for to smerte? 490 +But pitee renneth sone in gentil herte; +That mayst thou seen, she kytheth what she is.' +And I answerde, 'nay, sir, so have I blis, +No more but that I see wel she is good.' +'That is a trewe tale, by myn hood,' 495 +Quod Love, 'and that thou knowest wel, pardee, +If hit be so that thou avyse thee. +Hastow nat in a book, lyth in thy cheste, +The grete goodnesse of the quene Alceste, +That turned was into a dayesye: 500 +She that for hir husbonde chees to dye, +And eek to goon to helle, rather than he, +And Ercules rescued hir, pardee, +And broghte hir out of helle agayn to blis?' +And I answerde ageyn, and seyde, 'yis, 505 +Now knowe I hir! And is this good Alceste, +The dayesye, and myn owne hertes reste? +Now fele I wel the goodnesse of this wyf, +That bothe after hir deeth, and in hir lyf, +Hir grete bountee doubleth hir renoun! 510 +Wel hath she quit me myn affeccioun +That I have to hir flour, the dayesye! +No wonder is thogh Iove hir stellifye, +As telleth Agaton, for hir goodnesse! +Hir whyte coroun berth of hit witnesse; 515 +For also many vertues hadde she, +As smale floures in hir coroun be. +In remembraunce of hir and in honour, +Cibella made the dayesy and the flour +Y-coroned al with whyt, as men may see; 520 +And Mars yaf to hir coroun reed, pardee, +In stede of rubies, set among the whyte.' +Therwith this quene wex reed for shame a lyte, +Whan she was preysed so in hir presence. +Than seyde Love, 'a ful gret negligence 525 Was hit to thee, to write unstedfastnesse *Of women, sith thou knowest hir goodnesse *By preef, and eek by stories heer-biforn; *Let be the chaf, and wryt wel of the corn. *Why noldest thou han writen of Alceste, 530 *And leten Criseide been a-slepe and reste? *For of Alceste shulde thy wryting be, Sin that thou wost that kalender is she (B. 542) Of goodnesse, for she taughte of fyn lovinge, +And namely of wyfhood the livinge, 535 +And alle the boundes that she oghte kepe; +Thy litel wit was thilke tyme a-slepe. +But now I charge thee, upon thy lyf, +That in thy Legend thou make of this wyf, Whan thou hast othere smale mad before; 540 +And fare now wel, I charge thee no more. (B. 551) +At Cleopatre I wol that thou beginne; (B. 566) +And so forth; and my love so shalt thou winne.'

And with that word of sleep I gan a-awake, (B. 578) +And right thus on my Legend gan I make. 545

EXPLICIT PROHEMIUM.

1. thousent sythis. 2. there; heuene. 3. it. 4. wit (_over erasure_); _read_ wot. 5. ne is; dwellyth; cuntre. 6. heuene. 10. goddis; schulde. 13. say (_better_ seigh). 14. neuere. 21. trowyn; aprouede storyis. 27. ou[gh]te; thanne; bokys. 28. There; othyr a-say (_see_ l. 9); be (_for_ by). 29. thow; myn. 30, 34. bokys. 33. onethe. 39. stodye; lastynge. 48. sen; flouris a-gen; sunne to sprede. 49. be (_for_ by); schene. 50. walkynge. 51. sunne be-gynnys. 52. it; drawith it. 53. it; a-ferid. 54. it; dayis. 55. flouris. 57. frosch. 58. wyntyr; somyr. 59. preysyn; a-ryht. 60. my_n_. 62. makynge ropyn. 63. C. _om._ And; aftyr glenynge; ther. 64. er. 65. ony; laft. 66. reherse. 67. here frosche songis. 68. wele; euele a-payed. 69. Sithe. 70. eythir seruyn lef. 71. trustyth; vndyr-take. 72. lef a-gayn. 73. lef. 74. a-gen; shef. 75. lefere non; lothere. 76. witholde; nothire. 77. ho seruyth lef. 80. old. 81. -fore. 82. bokys; don. 83. schulde autoriteis. 84. There; there; othyr a-say; be. 86. nakede tixt; englis. 87. manye (_twice_); ellis. 88. autourys; leuyth. 89. monyth. 90. hadde; somerys. 91. medewe. 92. frosche dayseie. 93. souht (!). 94. clothede (_error for_ closed). 95. derknese; nyht; sche dradde. 96. spadde. 97. lytyl. 98. I-benchede; turwis frorsche I-grawe (!). 99. schulde; myn. 100. somerys. 101. flouris. 102. hadde; hid (_for_ hed). 103. with-Inne; our. 104. medewe. 105. romede. 106. sen. 107. medewe. 108. flouris sote embroudit. 110. non I-makede. 111. surmountede; odours. 112. _om._ eek; beute; flourys. 113. Forgetyn hadde. 114. wyntyr; nakede. 115. hadde greuyd. 116. hadde the tempre; releuyd. 117. clothede; a-geyn. 127. _I supply_ layes. 128. _I supply_ May. 129. worschepe; hire. 130. somerys. 131. sungyn blyssede; volentyn. 132. _I supply_ For; ches. 133. repentynge. 134. here bekys gunne. 135. C. _is here corrupt; it has_--The honour and the humble obeysaunce. _I try to give some sense; in any case we must read_ obeisaunces. 136. dedyn othere. 137, 138. C. _is again corrupt and imperfect; I supply_ plesing _and_ doth wel. C. _has_ natures, cryaturys; _but read_ nature. 139. herkenyn; dede; entent. 140. ment. 143. comyth; hise wyngis. 144. loke. 146. Clothid. 147. frette; goold; hyre her. 148. corone sche ber. 149. mane (!) flourys. 150. dayseye. 151. I-corounede; leuys. 152. flourys; corene (_sic_). 159. I-broudede; greuys. 160. hed; leuys. 161. Stekid; lylye flourys. 163. schon; bryhte. 164. glem a-stonede; syhte. 165. myhte; not. 167. Tho (_error for_ Two); fery dartis; gleedys. 168. hyse wengis. 179. the thebonoyre (_sic_). 180. preye; euere. 186. nynetene. 192. Haddyn euere. 199. aftyr; wentyn. 201. songyn. 202. whiche; schal. 206. Penolope. 209. destene. 221. [gh]oure. 224. I-songyn. [179. thebonoyre.] [185. Byhynde.] [186. ladyis nynetene.] [192. Haddyn.] [196. whiche; dayseye.] [197. styntyn; atonys.] [198. knelede; nonys.] 225. sote. 226. settyn. 227. ordere; cumpas; in-veroun. 228. thanne. 231. degre. 234. lenynge; vndyr. 238. ho (_for_ who). 239. axsynge. 243. bettere. 244. come; syht. 247. Myne; ben. 248. myn. 249. mysseyst. 251. lettist. 252. seruyn; haldist. 254. tixt. 258. thyn; cole. 259. fole. 260. louyth paramouris. 262. folis; spryt (_sic_) faylyth. 263. wete; ealyth. 264. englys ek; bok. 265. forsok. 267. Bit (_for_ But). 268. noldist; a (_for_ have _or_ han); goodnes. 269. wekedenes. 270. matyr; thyn. 271. thyne bokys ne coudist; (_I omit_ ne). 273. lx. bokys. 274. thyn-self; storyis. 275. romaynys; ek grekis. 276. sundery; whiche; ledde. 277. euere; hunderede goode; on. 278. knowith; clerkis ek. 279. vsyn sweche materis; sek. 282. maydenys; wyuys. 283. stedefaste wedewys durynge all here lyuys. 284. Tellyth. 285. hunderede. 286. pete. 287. endure; here. 289. rathere; wole (_error for_ wolde). 290. chose; ded; sundery. 291. deiedyn; wele (_for_ wol). 293. dreynkt (!); thy (_for_ they); woldyn. 294. kepid maydynhed. 295. ellis wedlek; here wedewehed. 299. were hethene. 302. trowe; schal. 303. trowe. 305. epistelle (see _note_). 306. wyuys. 307. estoryal. 308. te (_for_ the); autourys. 309. Cristene; hethene. 310. nedyth; to endite. 311. seye; eylyth the. 312. storyis; forgete, _with_ gete _over erasure; read_ forgo. 313. Be (_for_ By). 314. Al-thow; _I supply_ that; reneyist (_sic_) hast myn. 315. folys. 316. so that (_for_ that; _I omit_ so). 317. Thanne; worthyere (!). 320. poyntys; mevid. 322. dede (_for_ deitee; _the scribe's error_). 323. ek. 325. tothyr. 327. hereth manye; I-feynyd. 328. losenger. 329. totulour. 330. tabo_ur_ryn; [gh]oure; manye. 332. sum. 333. prere (!). 335. che; partyth; nygh (!). 337. mote; _I supply_ nat. 338. ben acused. 339. There; be; oughte ben excusid. 340. sere. 342. vsyth bokis. 343. takyth; hed. 344. ek. 348. wrete manye; bok. 355. vsyn. 357. oughte. 358. don. 359. must. 360. owith; o (_error for_ of); verry. 361. Schewyn; benygnete. 362. heryn here. 363. here compleyntys. 367. Which oughtyn (!). 369. manye; hunderede wyntyr here-. 370. lordys. 372. Enhaunsede; _om. 2nd_ and. 373. goddys. 374. don; _I supply_ and. 388. C. wol; _for_ ful. 389. ascuse. 390. _I supply_ But. 397, 399, 400. [gh]oure. 401. where (= whether); renagat. 403. makid lewede folk to; _I omit_ to. 412. othyr. 413. translatid. 414. wrechede engendrynge. 436. I neuere non betere; the. 437. wele; myn. 438. wel. 456. may (_for_ oghte). 507. herte is reste. 518. Of (_for_ In). 526. the; onstedefastnesse. 527. sithe thow knowist here. 528. pref; ek; storyis here. 530. noldist; writyn. 531. latyn; ben. 532. thyn wrytynge. 533. wist (_badly_); calandier. 544. slep. 545. myn legende.

THE PROLOGE OF .IX. GOODE WIMMEN.

A thousand tymes have I herd men telle, +That ther is Ioye in heven, and peyne in helle; And I acorde wel that hit is so; But natheles, yit wot I wel also, That ther nis noon dwelling in this contree, 5 That either hath in heven or helle y-be, +Ne may of hit non other weyes witen, +But as he hath herd seyd, or founde hit writen; +For by assay ther may no man hit preve. But god forbede but men shulde leve 10 +Wel more thing then men han seen with yë! +Men shal nat wenen every-thing a lyë But-if him-self hit seeth, or elles dooth; For, god wot, thing is never the lasse sooth, +Thogh every wight ne may hit nat y-see. 15 +Bernard the monk ne saugh nat al, parde! +Than mote we to bokes that we finde, +Through which that olde thinges been in minde. +And to the doctrine of these olde wyse, +Yeve credence, in every skilful wyse, 20 That tellen of these olde appreved stories, +Of holinesse, of regnes, of victories, +Of love, of hate, of other sundry thinges, +Of whiche I may not maken rehersinges. +And if that olde bokes were a-weye, 25 +Y-loren were of remembraunce the keye. Wel oghte us than honouren and beleve These bokes, ther we han non other preve. And as for me, thogh that I can but lyte, +On bokes for to rede I me delyte, 30 And to hem yeve I feyth and ful credence, +And in myn herte have hem in reverence So hertely, that ther is game noon That fro my bokes maketh me to goon, But hit be seldom, on the holyday; 35 Save, certeynly, whan that the month of May Is comen, and that I here the foules singe, +And that the floures ginnen for to springe, Farwel my book and my devocioun! Now have I than swich a condicioun, 40 +That, of alle the floures in the mede, +Than love I most these floures whyte and rede, +Swiche as men callen daysies in our toun. +To hem have I so greet affeccioun, +As I seyde erst, whan comen is the May, 45 +That in my bed ther daweth me no day +That I nam up, and walking in the mede To seen this flour agein the sonne sprede, Whan hit upryseth erly by the morwe; *That blisful sighte softneth al my sorwe, 50 *So glad am I whan that I have presence *Of hit, to doon al maner reverence, As she, that is of alle floures flour, Fulfilled of al vertu and honour, +And ever y-lyke fair, and fresh of hewe; 55 And I love hit, and ever y-lyke newe, *And ever shal, til that myn herte dye; *Al swere I nat, of this I wol nat lye, *Ther loved no wight hotter in his lyve. *And whan that hit is eve, I renne blyve, 60 As sone as ever the sonne ginneth weste, To seen this flour, how it wol go to reste, For fere of night, so hateth she derknesse!

_From_ B. 53-56. As she, that is of alle floures flour, Fulfilled of al vertu and honour, +And ever y-lyke fair, and fresh of hewe; And I love hit, and ever y-lyke newe.

*Hir chere is pleynly sprad in the brightnesse *Of the sonne, for ther hit wol unclose. 65 *Allas! that I ne had English, ryme or prose, Suffisant this flour to preyse aright! *But helpeth, ye that han conning and might, *Ye lovers, that can make of sentement; *In this cas oghte ye be diligent 70 *To forthren me somwhat in my labour, *Whether ye ben with the leef or with the flour. For wel I wot, that ye han her-biforn +Of making ropen, and lad awey the corn; +And I come after, glening here and there, 75 +And am ful glad if I may finde an ere Of any goodly word that ye han left. And thogh it happen me rehercen eft That ye han in your fresshe songes sayd, For-bereth me, and beth nat evel apayd, 80 Sin that ye see I do hit in the honour Of love, and eek in service of the flour,

_From_ B. 188-196. But natheles, ne wene nat that I make In preysing of the flour agayn the leef, +No more than of the corn agayn the sheef. For as to me, nis lever noon ne lother; I nam with-holden yit with never nother. Ne I not who serveth leef, ne who the flour; Wel brouken they hir service or labour. For this thing is al of another tonne, Of olde story, er swich thing was begonne.

*Whom that I serve as I have wit or might. *She is the clernesse and the verray light, *That in this derke worlde me wynt and ledeth, 85 *The herte in-with my sorowful brest yow dredeth, *And loveth so sore, that ye ben verrayly *The maistresse of my wit, and nothing I. *My word, my werk, is knit so in your bonde, *That, as an harpe obeyeth to the honde 90 *And maketh hit soune after his fingeringe, *Right so mowe ye out of myn herte bringe *Swich vois, right as yow list, to laughe or pleyne. *Be ye my gyde and lady sovereyne; *As to myn erthly god, to yow I calle, 95 *Bothe in this werke and in my sorwes alle. +But wherfor that I spak, to give credence To olde stories, and doon hem reverence, And that men mosten more thing beleve Then men may seen at eye or elles preve? 100 *That shal I seyn, whan that I see my tyme; *I may not al at ones speke in ryme. *My besy gost, that thrusteth alwey newe *To seen this flour so yong, so fresh of hewe, *Constreyned me with so gledy desyr, 105 *That in my herte I fele yit the fyr, *That made me to ryse er hit wer day-- And this was now the firste morwe of May-- *With dredful herte and glad devocioun, *For to ben at the resureccioun 110 *Of this flour, whan that it shuld unclose *Agayn the sonne, that roos as rede as rose, *That in the brest was of the beste that day, *That Agenores doghter ladde away. *And doun on knees anon-right I me sette, 115 *And, as I coude, this fresshe flour I grette; *Kneling alwey, til hit unclosed was, *Upon the smale softe swote gras,

_From_ B. 180, 182. The longe day I shoop me for to abyde ... But for to loke upon the dayesye.

_From_ B. 197-200. Whan that the sonne out of the south gan weste, And that this flour gan close and goon to reste For derknesse of the night, the which she dredde, +Hoom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spedde;

_From_ B. 203-211. +And, in a litel herber that I have, That benched was on turves fresshe y-grave, +I bad men sholde me my couche make; +For deyntee of the newe someres sake, +I bad hem strawen floures on my bed. +Whan I was leyd, and had my eyen hed, I fel on slepe in-with an houre or two; Me mette how I lay in the medew tho, To seen this flour, that I so love and drede,

That was with floures swote enbrouded al, *Of swich swetnesse and swich odour over-al, 120 That, for to speke of gomme, or herbe, or tree, +Comparisoun may noon y-maked be; For hit surmounteth pleynly alle odoures, +And eek of riche beautee alle floures. +Forgeten had the erthe his pore estat 125 +Of winter, that him naked made and mat, And with his swerd of cold so sore greved; Now hath the atempre sonne al that releved That naked was, and clad hit new agayn. +The smale foules, of the seson fayn, 130 +That from the panter and the net ben scaped, +Upon the fouler, that hem made a-whaped +In winter, and distroyed had hir brood, +In his despyt, hem thoughte hit did hem good +To singe of him, and in hir song despyse 135 +The foule cherl that, for his covetyse, +Had hem betrayed with his sophistrye. +This was hir song--'the fouler we defye, And al his craft!' And somme songen clere Layes of love, that Ioye hit was to here, 140 In worshipinge and preisinge of hir make. And, for the newe blisful somers sake, *Upon the braunches ful of blosmes softe, *In hir delyt, they turned hem ful ofte, And songen, 'blessed be seynt Valentyn! 145 For on his day I chees yow to be myn, +Withouten repenting, myn herte swete!' +And therwith-al hir bekes gonnen mete, Yelding honour and humble obeisaunces To love, and diden hir other observaunces 150 That longeth unto love and to nature; *Construeth that as yow list, I do no cure. *And tho that hadde doon unkindenesse-- *As dooth the tydif, for new-fangelnesse-- *Besoghte mercy of hir trespassinge, 155 *And humblely songen hir repentinge, *And sworen on the blosmes to be trewe, *So that hir makes wolde upon hem rewe, *And at the laste maden hir acord. *Al founde they Daunger for a tyme a lord, 160 *Yet Pitee, through his stronge gentil might, *Forgaf, and made Mercy passen Right, *Through innocence and ruled curtesye. *But I ne clepe nat innocence folye, *Ne fals pitee, for 'vertu is the mene,' 165 *As Etik saith, in swich maner I mene. *And thus thise foules, voide of al malyce, *Acordeden to love, and laften vyce *Of hate, and songen alle of oon acord, *'Welcome, somer, our governour and lord!' 170 *And Zephirus and Flora gentilly *Yaf to the floures, softe and tenderly, *Hir swote breth, and made hem for to sprede, *As god and goddesse of the floury mede; *In which me thoghte I mighte, day by day, 175 *Dwellen alwey, the Ioly month of May, *Withouten sleep, withouten mete or drinke. *A-doun ful softely I gan to sinke; *And, leninge on myn elbowe and my syde, The longe day I shoop me for to abyde 180 *For nothing elles, and I shal nat lye, But for to loke upon the dayesye, *That wel by reson men hit calle may *The 'dayesye' or elles the 'ye of day,' *The emperice and flour of floures alle. 185 *I pray to god that faire mot she falle, *And alle that loven floures, for hir sake! But natheles, ne wene nat that I make In preysing of the flour agayn the leef, *No more than of the corn agayn the sheef: 190 For, as to me, nis lever noon ne lother; I nam with-holden yit with never nother. Ne I not who serveth leef, ne who the flour; Wel brouken they hir service or labour; For this thing is al of another tonne, 195 Of olde story, er swich thing was be-gonne. Whan that the sonne out of the south gan weste, And that this flour gan close and goon to reste For derknesse of the night, the which she dredde, +Hoom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spedde 200 *To goon to reste, and erly for to ryse, To seen this flour to sprede, as I devyse. +And, in a litel herber that I have, That benched was on turves fresshe y-grave, +I bad men sholde me my couche make; 205 +For deyntee of the newe someres sake, +I bad hem strawen floures on my bed. +Whan I was leyd, and had myn eyen hed, I fel on slepe in-with an houre or two; Me mette how I lay in the medew tho, 210

To seen this flour that I so love and drede. And from a-fer com walking in the mede The god of love, and in his hande a quene; And she was clad in real habit grene. +A fret of gold she hadde next hir heer, 215 +And upon that a whyt coroun she beer With florouns smale, and I shal nat lye; For al the world, ryght as a dayesye +Y-corouned is with whyte leves lyte, So were the florouns of hir coroun whyte; 220 For of o perle fyne, oriental, +Hir whyte coroun was y-maked al; +For which the whyte coroun, above the grene, +Made hir lyk a daysie for to sene, Considered eek hir fret of gold above. 225 +Y-clothed was this mighty god of love In silke, enbrouded ful of grene greves, In-with a fret of rede rose-leves, *The fresshest sin the world was first bigonne. *His gilte heer was corouned with a sonne, 230 *In-stede of gold, for hevinesse and wighte; Therwith me thoughte his face shoon so brighte That wel unnethes mighte I him beholde; And in his hande me thoughte I saugh him holde +Two fyry dartes, as the gledes rede; 235 And aungellyke his winges saugh I sprede. +And al be that men seyn that blind is he, Al-gate me thoughte that he mighte see; +For sternely on me he gan biholde, +So that his loking doth myn herte colde. 240 +And by the hande he held this noble quene, +Corouned with whyte, and clothed al in grene, +So womanly, so benigne, and so meke, +That in this world, thogh that men wolde seke, +Half hir beautee shulde men nat finde 245 +In creature that formed is by kinde.

_From_ B. 276-295. That is so good, so fair, so debonaire; I prey to god that ever falle hir faire! +For, nadde comfort been of hir presence, +I had ben deed, withouten any defence, +For drede of Loves wordes and his chere; 280 +As, when tyme is, her-after ye shal here. Behind this god of love, upon the grene, +I saugh cominge of ladyës nyntene +In real habit, a ful esy paas; +And after hem com of women swich a traas, 285 That, sin that god Adam had mad of erthe The thridde part of mankynd, or the ferthe, +Ne wende I nat by possibilitee, Had ever in this wyde worlde y-be; +And trewe of love thise women were echoon. 290 +Now whether was that a wonder thing or noon, +That, right anoon as that they gonne espye +This flour, which that I clepe the dayesye, +Ful sodeinly they stinten alle at ones, And kneled doun, as it were for the nones, 295

*And therfor may I seyn, as thinketh me, 247 *This song, in preysing of this lady fre.

BALADE.

+Hyd, Absolon, thy gilte tresses clere; +Ester, ley thou thy meknesse al a-doun; 250 +Hyd, Ionathas, al thy frendly manere; +Penalopee, and Marcia Catoun, +Mak of your wyfhod no comparisoun; +Hyde ye your beautes, Isoude and Eleyne, My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne. 255

+Thy faire body, lat hit nat appere, +Lavyne; and thou, Lucresse of Rome toun, +And Polixene, that boghten love so dere, And Cleopatre, with al thy passioun, Hyde ye your trouthe of love and your renoun; 260 And thou, Tisbe, that hast of love swich peyne; My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne.

Herro, Dido, Laudomia, alle y-fere, And Phyllis, hanging for thy Demophoun, +And Canace, espyed by thy chere, 265 Ysiphile, betraysed with Jasoun, Maketh of your trouthe neyther boost ne soun; Nor Ypermistre or Adriane, ye tweyne; My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne.

This balade may ful wel y-songen be, 270 *As I have seyd erst, by my lady free; *For certeynly, alle these mow nat suffyse *To apperen with my lady in no wyse. *For as the sonne wol the fyr disteyne, *So passeth al my lady sovereyne, 275 That is so good, so fair, so debonaire; I prey to god that ever falle hir faire! +For, nadde comfort been of hir presence, +I had ben deed, withouten any defence, +For drede of Loves wordes and his chere; 280 +As, when tyme is, her-after ye shal here. Behind this god of love, upon the grene, +I saugh cominge of ladyës nyntene +In real habit, a ful esy paas; +And after hem com of women swich a traas, 285 That, sin that god Adam had mad of erthe, The thridde part of mankynd, or the ferthe, +Ne wende I nat by possibilitee, Had ever in this wyde worlde y-be; +And trewe of love thise women were echoon. 290 +Now whether was that a wonder thing or noon, +That, right anoon as that they gonne espye +This flour, which that I clepe the dayesye, +Ful sodeinly they stinten alle at ones, And kneled doun, as it were for the nones, 295 *And songen with o vois, 'Hele and honour *To trouthe of womanhede, and to this flour *That berth our alder prys in figuringe! *Hir whyte coroun berth the witnessinge!' And with that word, a-compas enviroun, 300 +They setten hem ful softely adoun. First sat the god of love, and sith his quene +With the whyte coroun, clad in grene; +And sithen al the remenant by and by, As they were of estaat, ful curteisly; 305 +Ne nat a word was spoken in the place +The mountance of a furlong-wey of space. I kneling by this flour, in good entente +Abood, to knowen what this peple mente, +As stille as any stoon; til at the laste, 310 This god of love on me his eyen caste, And seyde, 'who kneleth ther'? and I answerde Unto his asking, whan that I hit herde, +And seyde, 'sir, hit am I'; and com him neer, +And salued him. Quod he, 'what dostow heer 315 So nigh myn owne flour, so boldely? +For it were better worthy, trewely, A worm to neghen neer my flour than thou.' +'And why, sir,' quod I, 'and hit lyke yow?' +'For thou,' quod he, 'art ther-to nothing able. 320 *Hit is my relik, digne and delytable, And thou my fo, and al my folk werreyest, +And of myn olde servaunts thou misseyest, +And hindrest hem, with thy translacioun, And lettest folk from hir devocioun 325 +To serve me, and holdest hit folye To serve Love. Thou mayst hit nat denye; For in pleyn text, with-outen nede of glose, +Thou hast translated the Romaunce of the Rose, +That is an heresye ageyns my lawe, 330 +And makest wyse folk fro me withdrawe. And of Criseyde thou hast seyd as thee liste, That maketh men to wommen lasse triste, That ben as trewe as ever was any steel. *Of thyn answere avyse thee right weel; 335 For, thogh that thou reneyed hast my lay, As other wrecches han doon many a day, By seynt Venus, that my moder is, If that thou live, thou shalt repenten this So cruelly, that hit shal wel be sene!' 340 Tho spak this lady, clothed al in grene, +And seyde, 'god, right of your curtesye, +Ye moten herknen if he can replye Agayns al this that ye han to him meved; +A god ne sholde nat be thus agreved, 345 +But of his deitee he shal be stable, And therto gracious and merciable. *And if ye nere a god, that knowen al, *Than mighte hit be, as I yow tellen shal; This man to you may falsly been accused, 350 +Ther as by right him oghte been excused. +For in your court is many a losengeour, +And many a queynte totelere accusour, That tabouren in your eres many a soun, Right after hir imaginacioun, 355 To have your daliance, and for envye; *These been the causes, and I shall nat lye. Envye is lavender of the court alway; +For she ne parteth, neither night ne day, +Out of the hous of Cesar; thus seith Dante; 360 Who-so that goth, algate she wol nat wante.

_From_ B. 350, 351. This man to yow may falsly been accused, +Ther as by right him oghte been excused.

And eek, paraunter, for this man is nyce, He mighte doon hit, gessing no malyce, But for he useth thinges for to make; Him rekketh noght of what matere he take; 365

+Or him was boden maken thilke tweye +Of som persone, and durste hit nat with-seye; *Or him repenteth utterly of this. +He ne hath nat doon so grevously amis +To translaten that olde clerkes wryten, 370 +As thogh that he of malice wolde endyten Despyt of love, and had him-self hit wroght. +This shulde a rightwys lord have in his thoght, +And nat be lyk tiraunts of Lumbardye, Than han no reward but at tirannye. 375 +For he that king or lord is naturel, +Him oghte nat be tiraunt ne cruel, +As is a fermour, to doon the harm he can. +He moste thinke hit is his lige man,

*And is his tresour, and his gold in cofre. 380 +This is the sentence of the philosophre: +A king to kepe his liges in Iustyce; +With-outen doute, that is his offyce. Al wol he kepe his lordes hir degree, +As hit is right and skilful that they be 385 +Enhaunced and honoured, and most dere-- +For they ben half-goddes in this world here-- Yit mot he doon bothe right, to pore and riche, Al be that hir estat be nat y-liche, +And han of pore folk compassioun. 390 +For lo, the gentil kynd of the leoun! +For whan a flye offendeth him or byteth, +He with his tayl awey the flye smyteth +Al esily; for, of his genterye, +Him deyneth nat to wreke him on a flye, 395 +As doth a curre or elles another beste. +In noble corage oghte been areste, +And weyen every thing by equitee, +And ever han reward to his owen degree. +For, sir, hit is no maystrie for a lord 400 To dampne a man with-oute answere of word; +And, for a lord, that is ful foul to use. +And if so be he may him nat excuse, But asketh mercy with a dredful herte, +And profreth him, right in his bare sherte, 405 +To been right at your owne Iugement, +Than oghte a god, by short avysement, +Considre his owne honour and his trespas. +For sith no cause of deeth lyth in this cas, +Yow oghte been the lighter merciable; 410 +Leteth your yre, and beth somwhat tretable! +The man hath served yow of his conning, And forthred wel your lawe in his making. 'Al be hit that he can nat wel endyte, Yet hath he maked lewed folk delyte 415 +To serve you, in preysing of your name. +He made the book that hight the Hous of Fame, +And eek the Deeth of Blaunche the Duchesse, +And the Parlement of Foules, as I gesse, +And al the love of Palamon and Arcyte 420 +Of Thebes, thogh the story is knowen lyte; +And many an ympne for your halydayes, +That highten Balades, Roundels, Virelayes; And, for to speke of other holynesse, +He hath in prose translated Boëce, 425

+And mad the Lyf also of seynt Cecyle; +He made also, goon sithen a greet whyl, +Origenes upon the Maudeleyne; +Him oghte now to have the lesse peyne; +He hath mad many a lay and many a thing. 430 +'Now as ye been a god, and eek a king, +I, your Alceste, whylom quene of Trace, +I aske yow this man, right of your grace, +That ye him never hurte in al his lyve; +And he shal sweren yow, and that as blyve, 435 +He shal no more agilten in this wyse; +But he shal maken, as ye wil devyse, +Of wommen trewe in lovinge al hir lyve, +Wher-so ye wil, of maiden or of wyve, +And forthren yow, as muche as he misseyde 440 +Or in the Rose or elles in Creseyde.' +The god of love answerde hir thus anoon, +'Madame,' quod he, 'hit is so long agoon +That I yow knew so charitable and trewe, +That never yit, sith that the world was newe, 445 +To me ne fond I better noon than ye. If that I wolde save my degree, +I may ne wol nat werne your requeste; Al lyth in yow, doth with him as yow leste. +I al foryeve, with-outen lenger space; 450 +For who-so yeveth a yift, or doth a grace, +Do hit by tyme, his thank is wel the more; +And demeth ye what he shal do therfore. +Go thanke now my lady heer,' quod he. +I roos, and doun I sette me on my knee, 455 +And seyde thus: 'Madame, the god above +Foryelde yow, that ye the god of love +Han maked me his wrathe to foryive; +And yeve me grace so long for to live, +That I may knowe soothly what ye be 460 That han me holpe and put in this degree. +But trewely I wende, as in this cas, +Naught have agilt, ne doon to love trespas. +Forwhy a trewe man, with-outen drede, +Hath nat to parten with a theves dede; 465 +Ne a trewe lover oghte me nat blame, +Thogh that I speke a fals lover som shame. +They oghte rather with me for to holde, +For that I of Creseyde wroot or tolde, +Or of the Rose; what-so myn auctour mente, 470 +Algate, god wot, hit was myn entente +To forthren trouthe in love and hit cheryce; +And to be war fro falsnesse and fro vyce +By swich ensample; this was my meninge.' +And she answerde, 'lat be thyn arguinge; 475 +For Love ne wol nat countrepleted be In right ne wrong; and lerne that of me! +Thou hast thy grace, and hold thee right ther-to. +Now wol I seyn what penance thou shalt do +For thy trespas, and understond hit here: 480 +Thou shalt, whyl that thou livest, yeer by yere, The moste party of thy tyme spende +In making of a glorious Legende +Of Gode Wommen, maidenes and wyves, +That weren trewe in lovinge al hir lyves; 485 +And telle of false men that hem bitrayen, +That al hir lyf ne doon nat but assayen +How many wommen they may doon a shame; For in your world that is now holde a game. And thogh thee lyke nat a lover be, 490 +Spek wel of love; this penance yive I thee. +And to the god of love I shal so preye, +That he shal charge his servants, by any weye, +To forthren thee, and wel thy labour quyte; Go now thy wey, this penance is but lyte. 495 *And whan this book is maad, yive hit the quene *On my behalfe, at Eltham, or at Shene.' +The god of love gan smyle, and than he seyde, +'Wostow,' quod he, 'wher this be wyf or mayde, +Or quene, or countesse, or of what degree, 500 +That hath so litel penance yiven thee, +That hast deserved sorer for to smerte? +But pitee renneth sone in gentil herte; +That maystow seen, she kytheth what she is.' +And I answerde, 'nay, sir, so have I blis, 505 +No more but that I see wel she is good.' +'That is a trewe tale, by myn hood,' +Quod Love, 'and that thou knowest wel, pardee, +If hit be so that thou avyse thee. +Hastow nat in a book, lyth in thy cheste, 510 +The grete goodnesse of the quene Alceste, +That turned was into a dayesye: +She that for hir husbonde chees to dye, +And eek to goon to helle, rather than he, +And Ercules rescowed hir, pardee, 515 +And broghte hir out of helle agayn to blis?' +And I answerde ageyn, and seyde, 'yis, +Now knowe I hir! And is this good Alceste, +The dayesye, and myn owne hertes reste? +Now fele I wel the goodnesse of this wyf, 520 +That bothe after hir deeth, and in hir lyf, +Hir grete bountee doubleth hir renoun! +Wel hath she quit me myn affeccioun +That I have to hir flour, the dayesye! +No wonder is thogh Iove hir stellifye, 525 +As telleth Agaton, for hir goodnesse! +Hir whyte coroun berth of hit witnesse; +For also many vertues hadde she, +As smale floures in hir coroun be. +In remembraunce of hir and in honour, 530 +Cibella made the dayesy and the flour +Y-coroned al with whyt, as men may see; +And Mars yaf to hir coroun reed, pardee, +In stede of rubies, set among the whyte.' +Therwith this quene wex reed for shame a lyte, 535 +Whan she was preysed so in hir presence. +Than seyde Love, 'a ful gret negligence Was hit to thee, that ilke tyme thou made *"Hyd, Absolon, thy tresses," in balade, *That thou forgete hir in thy song to sette, 540 *Sin that thou art so gretly in hir dette, And wost so wel, that kalender is she *To any woman that wol lover be. For she taughte al the craft of fyn lovinge, +And namely of wyfhood the livinge, 545 +And alle the boundes that she oghte kepe; +Thy litel wit was thilke tyme a-slepe. +But now I charge thee, upon thy lyf, +That in thy Legend thou make of this wyf, Whan thou hast other smale y-maad before; 550 +And fare now wel, I charge thee no more. *'But er I go, thus muche I wol thee telle, *Ne shal no trewe lover come in helle. *Thise other ladies sittinge here arowe *Ben in thy balade, if thou canst hem knowe, 555 *And in thy bokes alle thou shalt hem finde; *Have hem now in thy Legend alle in minde, *I mene of hem that been in thy knowinge. *For heer ben twenty thousand mo sittinge *Than thou knowest, that been good wommen alle 560 *And trewe of love, for aught that may befalle; *Make the metres of hem as thee leste. *I mot gon hoom, the sonne draweth weste, *To Paradys, with al this companye; *And serve alwey the fresshe dayesye. 565 +'At Cleopatre I wol that thou beginne; +And so forth; and my love so shalt thou winne. *For lat see now what man that lover be, *Wol doon so strong a peyne for love as she. *I wot wel that thou mayst nat al hit ryme, 570 *That swiche lovers diden in hir tyme; *It were to long to reden and to here; *Suffyceth me, thou make in this manere, *That thou reherce of al hir lyf the grete, *After thise olde auctours listen to trete. 575 *For who-so shal so many a storie telle, *Sey shortly, or he shal to longe dwelle.' And with that word my bokes gan I take, +And right thus on my Legend gan I make.

1. T. C. A. have I herd; _rest_ I have herd. F. B. P. _om._ men; _the rest have it_. 2. F. B. (_only_) _om._ That. 5. F. T. is; _rest_ nis. 6. F. Tn. Th. B. P. _ins. 2nd_ in _before_ helle; T. A. _om._ 8. F. seyde. 13. F. -selfe; dooth. 14. F. sooth. 16. F. monke; all. 18. F. ben. 20. C. Yeuyn (_for_ Yeve). 23. F. sondry. 25. F. awey; C. Tn. A. aweye. 26. F. Y-lorne; C. I-loryn; P. I-lore. F. key; C. Tn. A. keye. 27. F. ought; thanne. 28. F. there; noon. 29. F. though. A. Th. P. can; T. con; F. Tn. konne. 31. F. yiue; _rest_ yeue. 33. F. hertly; Tn. Th. B. hertely; T. hertyly; A. hertfully. 36. Tn. A. Th. month; B. P. moneth; F. monethe. 39. C. Th. Farwel; F. Faire wel. F. boke. 40. F. thanne. F. B. suche a; T. Th. eke thys; A. lo this; Tn. ek; P. eke a. 41. F. al. 42. F. Thanne; thise. 43. C. Swyche; F. Suche. F. her (_for_ our); _rest_ our. 44. F. grete. 45. C. wha_n_; F. whanne. 47. F. vppe. 48. F. floure ayein. 49. F. vprysith. 50. _All_ sight: _read_ sighte. 52. A. all maner; Add. hit all_e_ maner; Th. all_e_; F. Th. it al; Tn. B. it all_e_; P. it alle. 53. Tn. T. all_e_; F. al (_wrongly_). 54. F. vertue. 55. F. faire; fressh. 57. F. hert; Tn. herte. 61. F. evere. 64. F. Hire. 66. F. englyssh. 68. F. konnyng. 69. F. sentment; _rest_ sentement. 70. F. case. _All_ oght, ought (_wrongly_); _read_ oghte. 72. F. Whethir; _read_ Whe'r. 73. F. -biforne. 74. F. makynge; corne. 79. F. fressh_e_; A. fresche; Th. fresshe. F. sayede; Tn. said. 80. F. euele apayede; Tn. euyll_e_ a-paid. 82. F. eke; Tn. ek. 83. F. witte; Tn. wit. 84. F. clerenesse; Tn. clernesse. 85. F. ledyth. 86. _All_ hert. F. sorwfull; dredith. 88. F. witte; Tn. wyt. F. not thing (_over erasure_); _rest_ nothyng. 89. F. worde. F. werkes; Tn. werk_es_; T. werke; A. werk. F. youre. Tn. bonde; F. bond. 90. Tn. honde; F. hond. 92. F. oute. Th. B. herte; _rest_ hert. 93. F. pleyn; Tn. pleyne. 94. F. souereyn; Tn. souereyne. 95. F. erthely; yowe. 96. A. B. in my; _rest omit 2nd_ in. 97. F. wherfore. A. spak; F. spake. 100. Tn. Th. B. P. men; A. ma_n_; T. they; F. _om._ F. eighe. 101. Tn. whan; F. whanne. 102. F. (_only_) _om._ al. T. A. at ones; Tn. atones; F. attones. 103. F. trusteth (!); A. B. thrustith; Tn. Th. P. thursteth. 104. F. fressh. 105. F. Tn. A. B. P. gledy; T. glad; Th. gredy. 106. F. feele yet the fire. 108. F. _om._ this. 109. F. hert. 111. F. _om._ that. 112. F. Agayne. F. rede; _better_ reed, _as in_ Th. 114. F. doghtre. 115. F. dovne; knes anoon ryght. 116. F. koude. F. fressh_e_; A. fresche. 118. Tn. T. smale; F. smal. 120. F. suetnesse. 124. A. eke _rest omit_. F. beaute. F. (_only_) of (_for_ alle). 125. F. estate; C. Tn. estat. 126. F. wynter. F. B. hem; _rest_ him. C. mat; Tn. maat; _rest_ mate. 127. F. colde. 128. Th. the atempre; Tn. A. B. the attempre; F. thatempre; P. the a-tempred. F. all_e_. 131. C. T. A. from; _rest_ of. F. nette; C. Tn. net. 132. Tn. T. A. fouler; F. foweler. 133. F. hadde; broode. 134. F. dispite; C. dispit. F. goode; C. good. 135. C. song; F. songe. C. Tn. despise; F. dispise. 136. F. cherle. 138. F. hire. Tn. T. A. fouler; C. foulere; F. foweler. 139. F. crafte; T. A. craft. 141. F. Tn. B. in preysinge; _rest om._ in. 144. F. hire. 146. C. ches; T. chase; P. chose; F. chees (_rightly_); _rest_ chese. 147. C. herte; F. hert. 148. F. -alle hire. 150. F. hire othere. 151. F. Tn. on to; T. A. Th. B. vnto. 153. F. thoo. Tn. vnkyndenesse; F. vnkyndnesse. 154. F. dooth. 156. F. Tn. B. humblely (_trisyllabic_); T. Th. humbly. A. P. songen; T. sangen; _rest_ songe. 158. F. hire. 159. F. hire (_and elsewhere_). 161. F. thurgh. 162. Tn. T. Th. B. P. made; F. mad. 163. F. Thurgh. 164. F. Tn. Th. P. clepe it nat; _but_ T. A. _om._ it. T. _also om._ nat; _and_ A. _has_ that _for_ nat. 165. F. vertue. 166. Tn. A. Etic; B. Etyk; F. etike; T. Ethik. 167. Tn. foules; F. foweles. 169. A. songen; T. songyn; F. Tn. B. songe. F. Tn. acorde; T. acord; A. accord. 170. F. oure. F. Tn. lorde; T. A. lord. 171. Tn. zephirus; F. Zepherus. 173. F. Hire swoote. 175. F. whiche; thoght; myght. 176. F. Duellen. Tn. A. month; T. moneth; F. monyth. 177. Tn. sleep; F. slepe. 178. F. A-dovne. 180. F. shoope. Tn. to a-bide; F. tabide. 181. F. ellis. 182. Tn. dayesye; F. daysie. 183. F. B. (_only_) _transpose_ wel _and_ men. 184. Tn. dayesie; F. daisie. 185. F. floure; A. flour. 186. T. mot; P. may; _rest_ mote. 190. F. corne; Tn. corn. 192. F. mother (!); _rest_ nother. 194. F. browken; her. 196. T. story; F. storye; Tn. storie. F. swiche thinge. 197. _All_ west; _read_ weste (_as in_ MS. Add. 9832). 198. F. floure. _All_ rest; _read_ reste (_as in_ MS. Add. 9832 _and in_ l. 201). 199. Th. dredde (_rightly_); _rest_ dred. 200. Tn. hom; F. Home. Th. spedde (_rightly_); _rest_ sped. 202. F. B. (_only_) _omit_ to. 208. F. leyde; A. laid. 209. F. twoo. 210. Tn. medew; F. medewe; T. A. medow. 211, 212. F. (_only_) _transposes these lines_. 211. T. A. Add. so love; _rest_ love so. 212. Tn. com; Th. cam; _rest_ come. 214. Tn. habit; F. habite. 215. C. hadde; _rest_ had (_badly_). 216. C. whit; P. whyt; F. Tn. B. white. T. coroun; C. corone; F. corwne; Tn. Th. crowne (_but_ corowne _in ll._ 220, 223). 217 (_and_ 220). Th. florouns; Tn. floruns; F. flourouns; B. flowrouns; _rest_ floures. 218. C. world; F. worlde. Tn. dayesie; F. daysye. 220. P. corown; F. corovne; T. coroune; Tn. Th. B. corowne; A. croun. 222. F. Hire. F. corovne; C. coroun (_and in l._ 223). 224. F. hire lyke. 225. F. eke; golde. 229. F. worlde; Tn. world. 230. F. Tn. gilte; T. A. gilt. Tn. heer; F. here; A. hair. 231. F. I stede; _rest_ In stede. F. golde; Tn. gold. 232. F. thoght. _In_ 231, 232, _most_ MSS. _have_ wight, bright; _but_ C. _has_ bryhte, _riming with_ syhte. 233. F. myght. 234. F. thoght. 235. F. Twoo. 238. F. thoght; myght. 240. F. dooth; C. both (!). C. herte; F. hert. 241. F. helde; C. held. C. the (_for_ this). 242. F. Corowned. 244. F. _om._ wolde seke. 245. F. _imperfect; has only_ nat fynde. C. Half hire beute schulde men; A. (_only_) _inserts_ of _after_ Half. [282. C. this; _for_ the.] [286. C. _om._ had.] [287. C. thredde. C. Wemen ne; _for_ mankynd or.] 247. F. therfore. 248. F. songe. 249. F. Tn. _omit_. C. Hyd absalon thynne gilte tressis clere. T. A. Th. absolon thy. 250. C. meknesse; F. mekenesse. C. adoun; F. adowne. 252. C. T. P. Penolope. 253. C. Mak; _rest_ Make. F. youre; Tn. yo_ur_. C. wyfhod; F. wifhode. 254. F. youre. 255. F. comith (_and in l._ 262). 257. F. tovne; C. toun. 261. F. Tesbe; C. Tysbe; Tn. A. Th. Tisbe; T. Tisbee. F. Tn. Th. B. P. of; C. T. A. for. C. swich; F. suche. 263. Th. Hero; MSS. Herro. C. Th. Laodomya; _rest_ laudomia. 266. C. T. Th. bytrayed. 267. C. soun; F. sovne. 271. F. seyde; Tn. seid. 272. Tn. mow; F. Th. mowe; T. A. may. 274. F. wole; fire. 276. F. faire; Tn. fair. 279. F. Tn. hadde; T. A. had. F. dede; Tn. deed. 282. F. Behynde; A. Behynd. 283. F. comyng; Tn. comynge. F. Nientene; Tn. nyentene; T. A. nyntene. 284. F. habite. 285. F. coome. F. wymen; T. wemen; Th. B. P. women; A. wom_m_en. 286. F. hadde made. 290. F. echon. 291. F. wheither (_pronounced_ whe'r). F. non. 293. F. daysie; Tn. dayesie. 294. F. styten (_miswritten for_ stynten). T. at ones; F. attones. 295. F. knelede dovne. 296. T. A. hele; Tn. heele; F. heel. 297. F. The (_for_ To); _rest_ To. 298. F. bereth. 299. F. Hire; corowne. F. beryth; Tn. berth. 301. F. softly; Tn. softely. 303. F. corowne; C. corone. 304. F. remenan_n_t; C. remenant. 306. F. worde. 308. F. floure. 309. F. Aboode; Tn. Abood. 310. F. ston. F. last; C. laste. 311. F. hyse eighen. 312. F. there. 314. F. B. (_only_) _om._ sir. C. cam; F. come. C. ner; F. nere (_see l._ 318). 315. A. salued; F. salwed; C. salewede. C. her; F. here. 316. F. ovne floure. 317. C. A. For; _rest om._ 318. F. worme; Tn. worm; C. werm. Tn. neer; F. ner. 319. F. sire. 321. Tn. relik; F. relyke. 322. F. foo; folke. 323. F. servauntes; Tn. seruauntz. 324. Tn. hindrest; F. hynderest. 325. F. folke. 326, 327. F. _om. from_ me _to_ serve. 328. F. pleyne. 329. F. Tn. B. _om._ translated (!); _perhaps read_ translat; _but see_ l. 425. 330. F. ayeins. 331. F. folke. 332. F. Creseyde; A. Criseide. F. seyde; the. 335. F. the. 336. T. A. that; _rest om._ 340. Tn. wel; F. wele. 341. F. Thoo spake. 342. F. youre. 343. A. herknen; C. herkenyn; _rest_ herken. 348. F. alle. 349. F. Thanne myght; shalle. 350. F. mane (!). 351. C. There; _rest_ That. F. oughte ben. 352. F. youre courte. 353. C. Tn. queynte; F. queynt. 354. F. youre; swon (!), _for_ sown. 356. F. youre. 357. F. Thise. 358. F. B. lauendere. 360. C. hous; F. house. 362. F. eke parauntere. 363. F. myght. 364. F. B. (_only_) _om._ But. 367. Tn. som; F. somme. 368. T. vttyrly; A. vtirly; F. Tn. outrely. 371. F. Tn. B. P. And; _rest_ As. 372. F. Despite. 373. F. shoolde. 374. F. lyke tirauntez. 376. F. kynge. F. lord ys in; _rest om._ in. 377. F. oght; C. oughte. F. crewel; B. cruel. 378. F. harme. 379. F. leege; C. Tn. lige; Th. T. A. B. liege. 382. F. leeges; Tn. liges; C. lygis. 384. F. hise. Th. P. in her; _rest om._ in. 387. F. -goddys. 388. F. mote; T. A. Add. _om._ bothe; poore. 389. F. hire estaat. 390. F. poore. 391. F. loo; kynde. T. A. leoun; F. lyoun. 392. F. offendith. 393. F. tayle. F. fle; C. Tn. A. B. P. flye. 394. F. esely; A. esily. C. A. genterye; F. gentrye. 396. F. dooth; best. 397. C. oghte; F. ought. F. ben arest. 399. F. Tn. Th. B. vnto; _rest_ to. 401. C. P. or; _rest_ of. 402. C. wol; T. ryght; _rest_ ful. F. foule. 403. C. T. A. if; _rest_ it. 404. C. _om._ But. 405. F. profereth; P. profreth. 406. F. owen; C. Tn. owene; T. oune. 407. F. oght. 409. F. dethe lyeth; caas. 410. _All but_ T. _wrongly insert_ to _before_ been. 412. F. kunnyng. 413. F. furthred; Tn. forthred. F. youre. 415. C. makid; _rest_ made (_line too short_). 425. F. proce; _rest_ prose. 426. F. maade; lyfe. 427. A. sithen; _rest_ is. F. grete. 429. F. oughte. 430. F. maade; thinge. 431. F. be; C. A. ben. 435. A. sueren; _rest_ swere to (_less happily_). C. T. A. as; _which the rest omit_. 436. C. T. A. no; _rest_ neuer. 437. C. T. A. he; _rest om._ F. wol. 438. F. lyfe (_but see l._ 434). 439. F. wol; wyfe. 442. C. F. answerede; Th. answerde (_better_). F. (_only_) _om._ thus. 444. C. knew; F. knewe. 445. C. sith; F. syn. F. worlde. 446. C. T. A. fond; F. founde. 447. F. ye; _rest_ I. F. wolde; P. Add. wold_e_; _rest_ wol, wole, woll_e_. 449. C. Th. lyth; Tn. lith; F. lyeth. F. liste. 451. F. yifte; dooth. 454. P. her; _rest_ here. 455. F. dovne. 457. C. Tn. T. A. Add. ye; _rest om._ 459. F. Tn. Th. B. P. _all om._ yeve me (_wrongly_); C. T. A. _retain it_. 461. C. holpyn; Th. holpen; _rest_ holpe. C. F. Tn. _needlessly insert_ me _after_ put. C. swich (_for_ this). 462. C. trewely; F. trewly. 466. F. oght. _All wrongly omit final_ e _in_ oght; _and all but_ C. _wrongly insert_ to _before_ blame. 467. F. spake; Tn. spede; _rest_ speke. 473. F. ben; C. be. 477. C. this at (_for_ that of). 478. F. holde; _all_ the. 480. C. A. and; _rest om._ T. to put the out of were (_for_ and--here). 481. F. while; yere by yere. 482. F. most partye. C. lyf (_for_ tyme). 484. C. goode; F. good. F. wymmen; Tn. A. wommen; C. T. wemen. 485. F. trew. C. leuynge (_error for_ lonynge). 486. C. false; F. fals. 487. _From_ C.; F. Tn. _omit this line_. 488. F. women; Tn. wommen. C. Tn. A. B. P. they; F. that. 489. F. youre worlde. 490. F. the; lovere bee. 491. C. Spek; F. Speke. 493. F. servantez; Tn. seruauntz. 495. F. Goo. C. thyn (_for_ this). 496. F. maade. 497. F. Sheene; Tn. T. Th. Shene. 502, 503. F. _omits from_ sorer _to_ renneth. C. sorere; T. A. sorer; _rest_ sore. C. Tn. Th. smerte. C. pete rennyth; Tn. A. pitee renneth. F. soone. 505. C. answerde; F. answered. C. sere; F. sire; Tn. sir. 506. F. Tn. B. Na; _rest_ No. F. moore. 508. C. T. A. that; _rest om._ 511. C. Tn. grete; F. gret. 512. C. Tn. dayesye; F. daysye. 514. F. eke. 516. F. agayne. 518. F. hire. 519. C. dayes eye; F. daysie. F. owene. 520. F. weel. 521. C. bothe; F. both. F. aftir hir deth. C. ek (_for_ in). 524. C. dayesye; F. daysye. 526. F. hire goodenesse. 527, 529. C. coroun; F. corowne. 527. F. berith. 528. C. hath (_badly_). 529. F. Th. florouns; _rest_ floures. 530. F. honoure. 531. _In margin of_ F.--Cibella mater deorum. F. maade; daysye; floure. 532. C. I-coroned; F. Y-crowned. F. white. 533. C. corone; F. corowne. F. reede. 534. C. set; F. sette. 537. F. Thanne. C. gret; F. grete. F. necligence. 538. F. ys (_wrongly_); _rest_ hit, it. 540. Th. forgete; F. Tn. forgate; T. A. forgat. F. songe. 542. T. A. Add. so; _rest om._ F. shee. 543. F. bee. 544. C. taughte; F. taught. F. crafte; Tn. T. A. craft. 545. F. wyfhode; lyvyng. 546. F. al; oght. 547. F. witte. 548. F. the. C. lyf; F. lyfe. 549. F. legende. C. wif; F. wyfe. 550. F. y-maade. 551. C. no more; F. namore. 552. F. goo; the. 555. F. Th. my; _rest_ thy. 556. F. bookes. 557. F. _misplaces_ now _after_ legende; Tn. Th. _place_ now _after_ hem. 558. F. ben; knowyng. 559. F. here; thousande moo sittyng. 560. F. Thanne. A. that ben; T. Add. and; _rest om._ 561. Tn. aught; F. oght. 562. F. lest; Tn. leste. 563. F. home. F. west; Tn. weste. 564. F. thise; _rest_ this. 565. F. fressh; Th. fresshe; A. fresche. 566. F. wole. 567. F. forthe. C. Tn. shalt; F. shal. 569. F. stronge. 571. F. Tn. A. swich; T. Th. P. suche. F. Tn. dide; T. dedyn; P. deden; Add. diden. 573. B. Suffyceth; F. Suffich (!). 574. A. lyf; F. lyfe. 575. A. listen trete; Tn. the lasse to trete (!); Add. the lesse to trete (!); _rest_ listen for to trete (_badly; omit_ for). 576. F. storye. 578. A. word; F. worde. 579. F. legende.

I. THE LEGEND OF CLEOPATRA.

INCIPIT LEGENDA CLEOPATRIE, MARTIRIS, EGIPTI REGINE.

After the deeth of Tholomee the king, 580 That al Egipte hadde in his governing, Regned his quene Cleopataras; Til on a tyme befel ther swiche a cas, That out of Rome was sent a senatour, For to conqueren regnes and honour 585 Unto the toun of Rome, as was usaunce, To have the world unto her obeisaunce; And, sooth to seye, Antonius was his name. So fil hit, as Fortune him oghte a shame (10) Whan he was fallen in prosperitee, 590 Rebel unto the toun of Rome is he. And over al this, the suster of Cesar, He lafte hir falsly, er that she was war, And wolde algates han another wyf; For whiche he took with Rome and Cesar stryf. 595 Natheles, for-sooth, this ilke senatour Was a ful worthy gentil werreyour, And of his deeth hit was ful greet damage. But love had broght this man in swiche a rage, (20) And him so narwe bounden in his las, 600 Al for the love of Cleopataras, That al the world he sette at no value. Him thoughte, nas to him no thing so due As Cleopatras for to love and serve; Him roghte nat in armes for to sterve 605 In the defence of hir, and of hir right. This noble quene eek lovede so this knight, Through his desert, and for his chivalrye; As certeinly, but-if that bokes lye, (30) He was, of persone and of gentilesse, 610 And of discrecioun and hardinesse, Worthy to any wight that liven may. And she was fair as is the rose in May. And, for to maken shortly is the beste, She wex his wyf, and hadde him as hir leste. 615 The wedding and the feste to devyse, To me, that have y-take swiche empryse Of so many a storie for to make, Hit were to long, lest that I sholde slake (40) Of thing that bereth more effect and charge; 620 For men may overlade a ship or barge; And forthy to theffect than wol I skippe, And al the remenant, I wol lete hit slippe. Octovian, that wood was of this dede, Shoop him an ost on Antony to lede 625 Al-outerly for his destruccioun, With stoute Romains, cruel as leoun; To ship they wente, and thus I let hem saile. Antonius was war, and wol nat faile (50) To meten with thise Romains, if he may; 630 Took eek his reed, and bothe, upon a day, His wyf and he, and al his ost, forth wente To shippe anoon, no lenger they ne stente; And in the see hit happed hem to mete-- Up goth the trompe--and for to shoute and shete, 635 And peynen hem to sette on with the sonne. With grisly soun out goth the grete gonne, And heterly they hurtlen al at ones, And fro the top doun cometh the grete stones. (60) In goth the grapenel so ful of crokes 640 Among the ropes, and the shering-hokes. In with the polax presseth he and he; Behind the mast beginneth he to flee, And out agayn, and dryveth him over-borde; He stingeth him upon his speres orde; 645 He rent the sail with hokes lyke a sythe; He bringeth the cuppe, and biddeth hem be blythe; He poureth pesen upon the hacches slider; With pottes ful of lym they goon to-gider; (70) And thus the longe day in fight they spende 650 Til, at the laste, as every thing hath ende, Antony is shent, and put him to the flighte, And al his folk to-go, that best go mighte. Fleeth eek the queen, with al her purpre sail, For strokes, which that wente as thikke as hail; 655 No wonder was, she mighte hit nat endure. And whan that Antony saw that aventure, 'Allas!' quod he, 'the day that I was born! My worshipe in this day thus have I lorn!' (80) And for dispeyr out of his witte he sterte, 660 And roof him-self anoon through-out the herte Er that he ferther wente out of the place. His wyf, that coude of Cesar have no grace, To Egipte is fled, for drede and for distresse; But herkneth, ye that speke of kindenesse. 665 Ye men, that falsly sweren many an ooth That ye wol dye, if that your love be wrooth, Heer may ye seen of women whiche a trouthe! This woful Cleopatre hath mad swich routhe (90) That ther nis tonge noon that may hit telle. 670 But on the morwe she wol no lenger dwelle, But made hir subtil werkmen make a shryne Of alle the rubies and the stones fyne In al Egipte that she coude espye; And putte ful the shryne of spycerye, 675 And leet the cors embaume; and forth she fette This dede cors, and in the shryne hit shette. And next the shryne a pit than doth she grave; And alle the serpents that she mighte have, (100) She putte hem in that grave, and thus she seyde: 680 'Now love, to whom my sorweful herte obeyde So ferforthly that, fro that blisful houre That I yow swor to been al frely youre, I mene yow, Antonius my knight! That never waking, in the day or night, 685 Ye nere out of myn hertes remembraunce For wele or wo, for carole or for daunce; And in my-self this covenant made I tho, That, right swich as ye felten, wele or wo, (110) As ferforth as hit in my power lay, 690 Unreprovable unto my wyfhood ay, The same wolde I felen, lyf or deeth. And thilke covenant, whyl me lasteth breeth, I wol fulfille, and that shal wel be sene; Was never unto hir love a trewer quene.' 695 And with that word, naked, with ful good herte, Among the serpents in the pit she sterte, And ther she chees to han hir buryinge. Anoon the neddres gonne hir for to stinge, (120) And she hir deeth receyveth, with good chere, 700 For love of Antony, that was hir so dere:-- And this is storial sooth, hit is no fable. Now, er I finde a man thus trewe and stable, And wol for love his deeth so freely take, I pray god lat our hedes never ake! 705

EXPLICIT LEGENDA CLEOPATRIE, MARTIRIS.

N.B.--_Readings not marked with any letter are from_ F. (Fairfax MS.)

580. deth. 582. queene. 583. swich. 586. tovne. 587. worlde. C. vn-to; T. vnder; _rest_ at. 589. oght. 591. tovne. 594. wold. 595. which. 597. full_e_. 598. F. (_only_) this; _rest_ his. gret. 599. swich. 600. laas. 601. F. Alle; C. Tn. Al. 602. worlde; noo. 603. C. there nas to hym no thyng so dewe; _rest_ there was no thing to him so due (_all too long_). 604. F. Tn. B. Cleopataras; _rest_ Cleopatras. 607. ek. C. lovede; F. loved. 608. Thurgh; decert. 609. bookes. 611. _All but_ T. A. Add. _insert_ of _after_ and; _I omit it_. 612. C. lyuyn; F. leven. 613. faire. 614. F. (_only_) _om._ for. 615. MSS. wax, wox; _read_ wex. 616. C. Tn. feste; F. fest. 617. swich. 619. T. A. P. Add. long; _rest_ longe. C. T. A. lest; F. lyst. 621. shippe. 622. A. Add. theffect; C. thefeect (_sic_); F. effect. 623. remenaunt. 624. woode. 625. oost. 627. Romaynes crewel. T. leou_n_; F. lyou_n_. 628. shippe. 630. Romaynes. 631. eke; rede; booth. 632. oost forthe went (C. wentyn). 633. stent; C. stente. 635. gooth. 637. sovne; gooth. 638. C. Tn. heterly; A. hatirly; F. hertely. hurtelen; attones. 639. dovne. 640. gooth. 641. C. Among; F. Amonge. 642. preseth. 643. By-hynde; maste begyneth. 646. sayle. 647. F. A. Add. him; _rest_ hem. 648. slidre. 649. to-gedre. 651. C. Tn. laste; F. last. 652. flyght. 653. folke to-goo; goo myght. 654. ek; queene; sayle. 655. went; thik; hayle. 656. myght. 657. C. saw; F. saugh. 658. borne. 659. worshippe; lorne. 660. dispeyre. 661. thurgh-. 662. went. 665. herkeneth. T. speke; _rest_ speken. 666. C. Tn. oth; F. oothe. 667. C. Tn. wroth; F. wroothe. 668. which. 669. C. Tn. Cleopatre; F. Cleopatrie. made. 671. C. morwe; F. morowe. 672. werknen (!). 673. Tn. rubies; F. rubees. 675. C. Tn. putte; F. put. 676. Tn. leet; C. F. let. C. cors; F. corps (_and in l._ 677). 678. C. pet; Tn. pyt; F. pitte. dooth. 679. C. alle; F. al. C. myghte; F. myght. 680. C. Tn. putte; F. put. sayde. 682. ferforthely. 683. ben. 687. woo. 688. couenaunt; thoo. 689. T. A. Th. wele; C. F. Tn. wel. 690. C. power; F. powere. 692. life; deethe. 693. couenaunt while. 694. seene. 696. C. word; F. worde. 700. C. receyuyth; F. receveth. 704. F. (_only_) wolde. 705. oure; neuere. F. take (!); _rest_ ake.

II. THE LEGEND OF THISBE OF BABYLON.

INCIPIT LEGENDA TESBE BABILONIE, MARTIRIS.

At Babiloine whylom fil it thus, The whiche toun the queen Semiramus Leet dichen al about, and walles make Ful hye, of harde tyles wel y-bake. Ther weren dwellinge in this noble toun 710 Two lordes, which that were of greet renoun, And woneden so nigh, upon a grene, That ther nas but a stoon-wal hem bitwene, As ofte in grete tounes is the wone. And sooth to seyn, that o man hadde a sone, 715 Of al that londe oon of the lustieste. (11) That other hadde a doghter, the faireste, That estward in the world was tho dwellinge. The name of everich gan to other springe By wommen, that were neighebores aboute. 720 For in that contree yit, withouten doute, Maidens been y-kept, for Ielosye, Ful streite, lest they diden som folye. This yonge man was cleped Piramus, And Tisbe hight the maid, Naso seith thus; 725 And thus by report was hir name y-shove (21) That, as they wexe in age, wex hir love; And certein, as by reson of hir age, Ther mighte have been bitwix hem mariage, But that hir fadres nolde hit nat assente; 730 And bothe in love y-lyke sore they brente, That noon of alle hir frendes mighte hit lette But prively somtyme yit they mette By sleighte, and speken som of hir desyr; As, wry the gleed, and hotter is the fyr; 735 Forbede a love, and it is ten so wood. (31) This wal, which that bitwix hem bothe stood, Was cloven a-two, right fro the toppe adoun, Of olde tyme of his fundacioun; But yit this clifte was so narwe and lyte, 740 It as nat sene, dere y-nogh a myte. But what is that, that love can nat espye? Ye lovers two, if that I shal nat lye, Ye founden first this litel narwe clifte; And, with a soun as softe as any shrifte, 745 They lete hir wordes through the clifte pace, (41) And tolden, whyl that they stode in the place, Al hir compleynt of love, and al hir wo, At every tyme whan they dorste so. Upon that o syde of the wal stood he, 750 And on that other syde stood Tisbe, The swote soun of other to receyve, And thus hir wardeins wolde they deceyve. And every day this wal they wolde threte, And wisshe to god, that it were doun y-bete. 755 Thus wolde they seyn--'allas! thou wikked wal, (51) Through thyn envye thou us lettest al! Why nilt thou cleve, or fallen al a-two? Or, at the leste, but thou woldest so, Yit woldestow but ones lete us mete, 760 Or ones that we mighte kissen swete, Than were we covered of our cares colde. But natheles, yit be we to thee holde In as muche as thou suffrest for to goon Our wordes through thy lyme and eek thy stoon. 765 Yit oghte we with thee ben wel apayd.' (61) And whan thise ydel wordes weren sayd, The colde wal they wolden kisse of stoon, And take hir leve, and forth they wolden goon. And this was gladly in the even-tyde 770 Or wonder erly, lest men hit espyde; And longe tyme they wroghte in this manere Til on a day, whan Phebus gan to clere, Aurora with the stremes of hir hete Had dryed up the dew of herbes wete; 775 Unto this clifte, as it was wont to be, (71) Com Pyramus, and after com Tisbe, And plighten trouthe fully in hir fey That ilke same night to stele awey, And to begyle hir wardeins everichoon, 780 And forth out of the citee for to goon; And, for the feldes been so brode and wyde, For to mete in o place at o tyde, They sette mark hir meting sholde be Ther king Ninus was graven, under a tree; 785 For olde payens that ydoles heried (81) Useden tho in feldes to ben beried And faste by this grave was a welle. And, shortly of this tale for to telle, This covenant was affermed wonder faste; 790 And longe hem thoughte that the sonne laste, That hit nere goon under the see adoun. This Tisbe hath so greet affeccioun And so greet lyking Piramus to see, That, whan she seigh her tyme mighte be, 795 At night she stal awey ful prively (91) With her face y-wimpled subtilly; For alle her frendes--for to save her trouthe-- She hath for-sake; allas! and that is routhe That ever woman wolde be so trewe 800 To trusten man, but she the bet him knewe! And to the tree she goth a ful good pas, For love made her so hardy in this cas; And by the welle adoun she gan her dresse. Allas! than comth a wilde leonesse 805 Out of the wode, withouten more areste, (101) With blody mouthe, of strangling of a beste, To drinken of the welle, ther as she sat; And, whan that Tisbe had espyed that, She rist her up, with a ful drery herte, 810 And in a cave with dredful foot she sterte, For by the mone she seigh hit wel with-alle. And, as she ran, her wimpel leet she falle, And took noon heed, so sore she was a-whaped. And eek so glad of that she was escaped; 815 And thus she sit, and darketh wonder stille. (111) Whan that this leonesse hath dronke her fille, Aboute the welle gan she for to winde, And right anoon the wimpel gan she finde, And with her blody mouth hit al to-rente. 820 Whan this was doon, no lenger she ne stente, But to the wode her wey than hath she nome. And, at the laste, this Piramus is come, But al to longe, allas! at hoom was he. The mone shoon, men mighte wel y-see, 825 And in his weye, as that he com ful faste, (121) His eyen to the grounde adoun he caste, And in the sonde, as he beheld adoun, He seigh the steppes brode of a leoun, And in his herte he sodeinly agroos, 830 And pale he wex, therwith his heer aroos, And neer he com, and fond the wimpel torn. 'Allas!' quod he, 'the day that I was born! This o night wol us lovers bothe slee! How sholde I axen mercy of Tisbe 835 Whan I am he that have yow slain, allas! (131) My bidding hath yow slain, as in this cas. Allas! to bidde a woman goon by nighte In place ther as peril fallen mighte, And I so slow! allas, I ne hadde be 840 Here in this place a furlong-wey or ye! Now what leoun that be in this foreste, My body mote he renden, or what beste That wilde is, gnawen mote he now myn herte!' And with that worde he to the wimpel sterte, 845 And kiste hit ofte, and weep on hit ful sore, (141) And seide, 'wimpel, allas! ther nis no more But thou shalt fele as wel the blood of me As thou hast felt the bleding of Tisbe!' And with that worde he smoot him to the herte. 850 The blood out of the wounde as brode sterte As water, whan the conduit broken is. Now Tisbe, which that wiste nat of this, But sitting in her drede, she thoghte thus, 'If hit so falle that my Piramus 855 Be comen hider, and may me nat y-finde, (151) He may me holden fals and eek unkinde.' And out she comth, and after him gan espyen Bothe with her herte and with her yën, And thoghte, 'I wol him tellen of my drede 860 Bothe of the leonesse and al my dede.' And at the laste her love than hath she founde Beting with his heles on the grounde, Al blody, and therwith-al a-bak she sterte, And lyke the wawes quappe gan her herte, 865 And pale as box she wex, and in a throwe (161) Avysed her, and gan him wel to knowe, That hit was Piramus, her herte dere. Who coude wryte whiche a deedly chere Hath Tisbe now, and how her heer she rente, 870 And how she gan her-selve to turmente, And how she lyth and swowneth on the grounde, And how she weep of teres ful his wounde, How medeleth she his blood with her compleynte, And with his blood her-selven gan she peynte; 875 How clippeth she the dede cors, allas? (171) How doth this woful Tisbe in this cas! How kisseth she his frosty mouth so cold! 'Who hath doon this, and who hath been so bold To sleen my leef? O spek, my Piramus! 880 I am thy Tisbe, that thee calleth thus!' And therwith-al she lifteth up his heed. This woful man, that was nat fully deed, Whan that he herde the name of Tisbe cryen, On her he caste his hevy deedly yën 885 And doun again, and yeldeth up the gost. (181) Tisbe rist up, withouten noise or bost, And seigh her wimpel and his empty shethe, And eek his swerd, that him hath doon to dethe; Than spak she thus: 'My woful hand,' quod she, 890 'Is strong y-nogh in swiche a werk to me; For love shal yive me strengthe and hardinesse To make my wounde large y-nogh, I gesse. I wol thee folwen deed, and I wol be Felawe and cause eek of thy deeth,' quod she. 895 'And thogh that nothing save the deeth only (191) Mighte thee fro me departe trewely, Thou shalt no more departe now fro me Than fro the deeth, for I wol go with thee! 'And now, ye wrecched Ielous fadres oure, 900 We, that weren whylom children youre, We prayen yow, withouten more envye, That in o grave y-fere we moten lye, Sin love hath brought us to this pitous ende! And rightwis god to every lover sende, 905 That loveth trewely, more prosperitee (201) Than ever hadde Piramus and Tisbe! And lat no gentil woman her assure To putten her in swiche an aventure. But god forbede but a woman can 910 Been as trewe and loving as a man! And, for my part, I shal anoon it kythe!' And, with that worde, his swerd she took as swythe, That warm was of her loves blood and hoot, And to the herte she her-selven smoot. 915 And thus ar Tisbe and Piramus ago. (211) Of trewe men I finde but fewe mo In alle my bokes, save this Piramus, And therfor have I spoken of him thus. For hit is deyntee to us men to finde 920 A man that can in love be trewe and kinde. Heer may ye seen, what lover so he be, A woman dar and can as wel as he.

EXPLICIT LEGENDA TESBE.

707. tovne; queene. 710. tovne. 711. grete. 712. C. nygh; F. neigh. 714. grette. 715. C. hadde; F. had (_so in l._ 717). 716. C. Tn. Th. of; _rest om._ 717. Tn. doghter; F. doghtre. 718. esteward; worlde. 719. eueryche. 722. C. been; F. ben. 723. Tn. som; C. sum; F. somme. 724. C. Tn. yonge; F. yong. 725. _All but_ C. _om._ And. Tn. A. Tisbe; C. Th. Tysbe; F. B. Tesbe; T. Thesbe. maide. 726. C. report; F. reporte. 727. C. wex, wex; F. T. wex, wax; Tn. wox, wax; B. wox, wox. 729. C. Tn. bitwixe; F. betwex. 730. nold. 731. booth; soore. 733. Tn. priuely; F. preuely. 734. C. sleyghte; F. sleight. A. speken; Tn. T. Th. spaken; F. C. spoken. Tn. som; F. somme. C. desyr; F. desire. 735. C. wry; F. Tn. wre. glede. C. fyr; F. fire. 736. woode. 737. bitwixe; stoode. 738. a-twoo; adovne. 740. C. clyfte; F. clyft. 741. C. A. nas; _rest_ was. C. sene; F. seene. deere. 743. twoo. 745. C. soun; F. sovne. 746. leete. 747. while. C. stode; F. stoden. 748. woo. 749. soo. 750. F. the; _rest_ that. wale. 751. Tesbe. 752. swoote sovne. 754. C. wal; F. walle. threete. 755. dovne. C. Tn. I-bete; F. y-bette. 756. C. Tn. wal; F. walle. 757. Thurgh. C. Tn. al; F. alle. 758. C. nylt thou; F. nyltow. 759. A. Th. B. leste; C. laste; F. leest. 760. let; meete. 761. oones; myght; sweete. 762. oure. 763. the. 765. Tn. Our; F. Or (!). thurgh; ek. 766. C. oughte; F. oght. the; apayede. 767. sayde. 768. walle. C. kysse; F. kyssen. 769. foorth. 770. F. Alle; _rest_ And. T. A. euyn-tyde; Th. euentyde; C. F. Tn. B. euetyde. 771. espyede. 772. C. wroughte; F. wroght. 775. dewe. 777. F. Come; Tn. Com (_twice_). Tesbe. 778. C. fey; F. faye. 779. steele awaye (C. awey). 780. euerychone. 781. gone. 782. feeldes; broode. 783. meete. 786. C. Idolys; F. ydoyles. F. heriode (!). 787. thoo; feeldes; beriede. 788. C. Tn. faste; F. fast. 790. couenaunt. 792. F. (_only_) _om._ goon. 793. F. Tn. B. _om._ hath; greete. 794. F. Had (!); _rest_ And. grete lykynge. 795. C. myghte; F. myght. 796. stale. A. priuely; F. prevely. 802. gooth; goode paas. 803. caas. 804. a-downe. 805. Tn. comth; F. comith. 806. woode. 807. strangelynge. 812. moone; saugh. 813. ranne. 814. tooke; hede; soore. 815. eke. T. of; _rest om._ 816. C. sit; F. sytte 817. T. leones; F. lyonesse. 821. don. 822. woode. 824. home. 825. moone shoone; well. 826. C. weye; F. wey. C. com; F. come. 827. Hise eighen; adovne. 828. behelde a-dovne. 829. broode. T. leoun; F. lyoune. 832. Tn. neer; C. ner; F. nere. C. Tn. com; F. come. C. fond; F. founde. C. torn; F. torne. 833. C. born; F. borne. 834. oo; wole; boothe. 836. slayne. 837. C. as; _rest om._ 839. F. a; _rest_ as. 840. slowe. 841. yee. 843. F. T. B. _om._ he. _All_ renten (rente, rent) _wrongly; read_ renden. 846. _From_ C. (_which has_ wep _for_ weep); F. _om. this line_. 848. feele; blode. 849. bledynge; Tesbe. 852. Tn. Th. conduyt; F. conduyte; C. A. condit. 853. C. wiste nat of this; F. wyst nat this. 854. C. thoughte; F. thought. 855. F. B. _om._ hit. 856. C. I-fynde; F. fynde. 857. ek. 858. comith. 859. hert; eighen. 861. Booth. Tn. leonesse; F. lyonesse. 863. Tn. Betyng; F. Betynge. helis. 866. F. Th. boxe; _rest_ box. T. wexed (_for_ wex); A. wox; Th. B. woxe; C. F. Tn. P. was (_error for_ wax). F. B. _om._ and. 868. C. herte; F. hert. 869. dedely. 870. Tesbe; heere. 873. Tn. weep; C. wep; F. wepe. 876. C. Tn. cors; F. corps. 877. dooth; Tesbe. 878. mouthe; colde. 879. ben; bolde. 880. leefe. C. Tn. spek; _rest_ speke (_wrongly_). F. Tn. Th. B. _om._ my. 881. Tesbe. 884. C. Th. herde; _rest_ herd. Tesbe. 885. dedely. Tn. B. P. yen; F. eyn; _rest_ eyen. 886. dovne; gooste. 887. vpp; booste. 888. saugh. 889. eke; swerde. 890. C. spak; F. spake. C. myn (_for_ my); _rest_ thy (!). hande. 891. werke. 892. F. (_only_) _puts_ me _before_ give. 894. wole; folowen deede. 895. eke. 897. the; trewly. 898. F. shal; C. schat (!); _rest_ shalt. C. A. Th. departe now; Tn. departe trewlie; F. T. B. now departe. 899. deth; goo. 900. F. Ielouse; C. gelos. 901. whilome. 903. oo. T. I-fere; _which the rest omit_ (!). 904. C. T. A. brought vs to; F. vs broght (!). pitouse. 906. moore. 907. C. euere [gh]it hade; T. euer had yet; _rest omit_ [gh]it (yet). 908. noo gentile. 909. puten. 911. Ben. 912. parte. 913. swerde. 914. warme; hoote. 915. smoote (!). 916. Tn. T. ar; F. are; C. A. is. C. I-go; _rest_ a-goo (a go). 917. moo. 918. bookes. 919. therfore.

III. THE LEGEND OF DIDO, QUEEN OF CARTHAGE.

INCIPIT LEGENDA DIDONIS MARTIRIS, CARTAGINIS REGINE.

Glory and honour, Virgil Mantuan, Be to thy name! and I shal, as I can, 925 Folow thy lantern, as thou gost biforn, How Eneas to Dido was forsworn. In thyn Eneïd and Naso wol I take The tenour, and the grete effectes make. Whan Troye broght was to destruccioun 930 By Grekes sleighte, and namely by Sinoun, Feyning the hors y-offred to Minerve, Through which that many a Troyan moste sterve; (10) And Ector had, after his deeth, appered, And fyr so wood, it mighte nat be stered, 935 In al the noble tour of Ilioun, That of the citee was the cheef dungeoun; And al the contree was so lowe y-broght, And Priamus the king fordoon and noght; And Eneas was charged by Venus 940 To fleen awey, he took Ascanius, That was his sone, in his right hand, and fledde; And on his bakke he bar and with him ledde (20) His olde fader, cleped Anchises, And by the weye his wyf Creusa he lees. 945 And mochel sorwe hadde he in his minde Er that he coude his felawshippe finde. But, at the laste, whan he had hem founde, He made him redy in a certein stounde, And to the see ful faste he gan him hye, 950 And saileth forth with al his companye Toward Itaile, as wolde destinee. But of his aventures in the see (30) Nis nat to purpos for to speke of here, For hit acordeth nat to my matere. 955 But, as I seide, of him and of Dido Shal be my tale, til that I have do. So longe he sailed in the salte see Til in Libye unnethe aryved he, With shippes seven and with no more navye; 960 And glad was he to londe for to hye, So was he with the tempest al to-shake. And whan that he the haven had y-take, (40) He had a knight, was called Achates; And him of al his felawshippe he chees 965 To goon with him, the contre for tespye; He took with him no more companye. But forth they goon, and lafte his shippes ryde, His fere and he, with-outen any gyde. So longe he walketh in this wildernesse 970 Til, at the laste, he mette an hunteresse. A bowe in honde and arwes hadde she, Her clothes cutted were unto the knee; (50) But she was yit the fairest creature That ever was y-formed by nature; 975 And Eneas and Achates she grette, And thus she to hem spak, whan she hem mette. 'Sawe ye,' quod she, 'as ye han walked wyde, Any of my sustren walke yow besyde, With any wilde boor or other beste 980 That they han hunted to, in this foreste, Y-tukked up, with arwes in her cas?' 'Nay, soothly, lady,' quod this Eneas; (60) 'But, by thy beaute, as hit thinketh me, Thou mightest never erthely womman be, 985 But Phebus suster artow, as I gesse. And, if so be that thou be a goddesse, Have mercy on our labour and our wo.' 'I nam no goddes, soothly,' quod she tho; 'For maidens walken in this contree here, 990 With arwes and with bowe, in this manere. This is the regne of Libie, ther ye been, Of which that Dido lady is and queen'-- (70) And shortly tolde him al the occasioun Why Dido com into that regioun, 995 Of which as now me lusteth nat to ryme; Hit nedeth nat; hit nere but los of tyme. For this is al and som, it was Venus, His owne moder, that spak with him thus; And to Cartage she bad he sholde him dighte, 1000 And vanished anoon out of his sighte. I coude folwe, word for word, Virgyle, But it wolde lasten al to longe a whyle. (80) This noble queen, that cleped was Dido, That whylom was the wyf of Sitheo, 1005 That fairer was then is the brighte sonne, This noble toun of Cartage hath begonne; In which she regneth in so greet honour, That she was holde of alle quenes flour, Of gentilesse, of freedom, of beautee; 1010 That wel was him that mighte her ones see; Of kinges and of lordes so desyred, That al the world her beaute hadde y-fyred; (90) She stood so wel in every wightes grace. Whan Eneas was come un-to that place, 1015 Unto the maister-temple of al the toun Ther Dido was in her devocioun, Ful prively his wey than hath he nome. Whan he was in the large temple come, I can nat seyn if that hit be possible, 1020 But Venus hadde him maked invisible-- Thus seith the book, with-outen any lees. And whan this Eneas and Achates (100) Hadden in this temple been over-al, Than founde they, depeynted on a wal, 1025 How Troye and al the lond destroyed was. 'Allas! that I was born,' quod Eneas, 'Through-out the world our shame is kid so wyde, Now it is peynted upon every syde! We, that weren in prosperitee, 1030 Be now disslaundred, and in swich degre, No lenger for to liven I ne kepe!' And, with that worde, he brast out for to wepe (110) So tendrely, that routhe hit was to sene. This fresshe lady, of the citee quene, 1035 Stood in the temple, in her estat royal, So richely, and eek so fair with-al, So yong, so lusty, with her eyen glade, That, if that god, that heven and erthe made, Wolde han a love, for beaute and goodnesse, 1040 And womanhod, and trouthe, and seemlinesse, Whom sholde he loven but this lady swete? There nis no womman to him half so mete. (120) Fortune, that hath the world in governaunce, Hath sodeinly broght in so newe a chaunce, 1045 That never was ther yit so fremd a cas. For al the companye of Eneas, Which that he wende han loren in the see, Aryved is, nat fer fro that citee; For which, the grettest of his lordes some 1050 By aventure ben to the citee come, Unto that same temple, for to seke The quene, and of her socour her beseke; (130) Swich renoun was ther spronge of her goodnesse. And, whan they hadden told al hir distresse, 1055 And al hir tempest and hir harde cas, Unto the quene appered Eneas, And openly beknew that hit was he. Who hadde Ioye than but his meynee, That hadden founde hir lord, hir governour? 1060 The quene saw they dide him swich honour, And had herd ofte of Eneas, er tho, And in her herte she hadde routhe and wo (140) That ever swich a noble man as he Shal been disherited in swich degree; 1065 And saw the man, that he was lyk a knight, And suffisaunt of persone and of might, And lyk to been a veray gentil man; And wel his wordes he besette can, And had a noble visage for the nones, 1070 And formed wel of braunes and of bones. For, after Venus, hadde he swich fairnesse, That no man might be half so fair, I gesse. (150) And wel a lord he semed for to be. And, for he was a straunger, somwhat she 1075 Lyked him the bet, as, god do bote, To som folk ofte newe thing is swote. Anoon her herte hath pitee of his wo, And, with that pitee, love com in also; And thus, for pitee and for gentilesse, 1080 Refresshed moste he been of his distresse. She seide, certes, that she sory was That he hath had swich peril and swich cas; (160) And, in her frendly speche, in this manere She to him spak, and seide as ye may here. 1085 'Be ye nat Venus sone and Anchises? In good feith, al the worship and encrees That I may goodly doon yow, ye shul have. Your shippes and your meynee shal I save;' And many a gentil word she spak him to; 1090 And comaunded her messageres go The same day, with-outen any faile, His shippes for to seke, and hem vitaile. (170) She many a beste to the shippes sente, And with the wyn she gan hem to presente; 1095 And to her royal paleys she her spedde, And Eneas alwey with her she ledde. What nedeth yow the feste to descryve? He never beter at ese was his lyve. Ful was the feste of deyntees and richesse, 1100 Of instruments, of song, and of gladnesse, And many an amorous loking and devys. This Eneas is come to Paradys (180) Out of the swolow of helle, and thus in Ioye Remembreth him of his estat in Troye. 1105 To dauncing-chambres ful of parements, Of riche beddes, and of ornaments, This Eneas is lad, after the mete. And with the quene whan that he had sete, And spyces parted, and the wyn agoon, 1110 Unto his chambres was he lad anoon To take his ese and for to have his reste, With al his folk, to doon what so hem leste. (190) Ther nas coursere wel y-brydled noon, Ne stede, for the Iusting wel to goon, 1115 Ne large palfrey, esy for the nones, Ne Iuwel, fretted ful of riche stones, Ne sakkes ful of gold, of large wighte, Ne ruby noon, that shynede by nighte, Ne gentil hautein faucon heronere, 1120 Ne hound, for hert or wilde boor or dere, Ne coupe of gold, with florins newe y-bete, That in the lond of Libie may be gete, (200) That Dido ne hath hit Eneas y-sent; And al is payed, what that he hath spent. 1125 Thus can this [noble] quene her gestes calle, As she that can in freedom passen alle. Eneas sothly eek, with-outen lees, Hath sent un-to his shippe, by Achates, After his sone, and after riche thinges, 1130 Both ceptre, clothes, broches, and eek ringes, Som for to were, and som for to presente To her, that all thise noble thinges him sente; (210) And bad his sone, how that he sholde make The presenting, and to the quene hit take. 1135 Repaired is this Achates again, And Eneas ful blisful is and fain To seen his yonge sone Ascanius. But natheles, our autour telleth us, That Cupido, that is the god of love, 1140 At preyere of his moder, hye above, Hadde the lyknes of the child y-take, This noble quene enamoured to make (220) On Eneas; but, as of that scripture, Be as be may, I make of hit no cure. 1145 But sooth is this, the quene hath mad swich chere Un-to this child, that wonder is to here; And of the present that his fader sente She thanked him ful ofte, in good entente. Thus is this quene in plesaunce and in Ioye, 1150 With al this newe lusty folk of Troye. And of the dedes hath she more enquered Of Eneas, and al the story lered (230) Of Troye; and al the longe day they tweye Entendeden to speken and to pleye; 1155 Of which ther gan to breden swich a fyr, That sely Dido hath now swich desyr With Eneas, her newe gest, to dele, That she hath lost her hewe, and eek her hele. Now to theffect, now to the fruit of al, 1160 Why I have told this story, and tellen shal. Thus I beginne; hit fil, upon a night, When that the mone up-reysed had her light, (240) This noble quene un-to her reste wente; She syketh sore, and gan her-self turmente. 1165 She waketh, walweth, maketh many a brayd, As doon thise loveres, as I have herd sayd. And at the laste, unto her suster Anne She made her moon, and right thus spak she thanne. 'Now, dere suster myn, what may hit be 1170 That me agasteth in my dreme?' quod she. 'This ilke Troyan is so in my thoght, For that me thinketh he is so wel y-wroght, (250) And eek so lykly for to be a man, And therwithal so mikel good he can, 1175 That al my love and lyf lyth in his cure. Have ye not herd him telle his aventure? Now certes, Anne, if that ye rede hit me, I wolde fain to him y-wedded be; This is theffect; what sholde I more seye? 1180 In him lyth al, to do me live or deye.' Her suster Anne, as she that coude her good, Seide as her thoughte, and somdel hit with-stood. (260) But her-of was so long a sermoning, Hit were to long to make rehersing; 1185 But fynally, hit may not been with-stonde; Love wol love--for no wight wol hit wonde. The dawening up-rist out of the see; This amorous quene chargeth her meynee The nettes dresse, and speres brode and kene; 1190 An hunting wol this lusty fresshe quene; So priketh her this newe Ioly wo. To hors is al her lusty folk y-go; (270) Un-to the court the houndes been y-broght, And up-on coursers, swift as any thoght, 1195 Her yonge knightes hoven al aboute, And of her wommen eek an huge route. Up-on a thikke palfrey, paper-whyt, With sadel rede, enbrouded with delyt, Of gold the barres up-enbossed hye, 1200 Sit Dido, al in gold and perre wrye; And she is fair, as is the brighte morwe, That heleth seke folk of nightes sorwe. (280) Up-on a courser, startling as the fyr, Men mighte turne him with a litel wyr, 1205 Sit Eneas, lyk Phebus to devyse; So was he fresshe arayed in his wyse. The fomy brydel with the bit of gold Governeth he, right as him-self hath wold. And forth this noble quene thus lat I ryde 1210 An hunting, with this Troyan by her syde. The herd of hertes founden is anoon, With 'hey! go bet! prik thou! lat goon, lat goon! (290) Why nil the leoun comen or the bere, That I mighte ones mete him with this spere?' 1215 Thus seyn thise yonge folk, and up they kille These hertes wilde, and han hem at hir wille. Among al this to-romblen gan the heven, The thunder rored with a grisly steven; Doun com the rain, with hail and sleet so faste, 1220 With hevenes fyr, that hit so sore agaste This noble quene, and also her meynee, That ech of hem was glad a-wey to flee. (300) And shortly, fro the tempest her to save, She fledde her-self into a litel cave, 1225 And with her wente this Eneas al-so; I noot, with hem if ther wente any mo; The autour maketh of hit no mencioun. And heer began the depe affeccioun Betwix hem two; this was the firste morwe 1230 Of her gladnesse, and ginning of her sorwe. For ther hath Eneas y-kneled so, And told her al his herte, and al his wo, (310) And sworn so depe, to her to be trewe, For wele or wo, and chaunge for no newe, 1235 And as a fals lover so wel can pleyne, That sely Dido rewed on his peyne, And took him for husband, [to been] his wyf For ever-mo, whyl that hem laste lyf. And after this, whan that the tempest stente, 1240 With mirth out as they comen, hoom they wente. The wikked fame up roos, and that anon, How Eneas hath with the quene y-gon (320) In-to the cave; and demed as hem liste; And whan the king, that Yarbas hight, hit wiste, 1245 As he that had her loved ever his lyf, And wowed her, to have her to his wyf, Swich sorwe as he hath maked, and swich chere, Hit is a routhe and pitee for to here. But, as in love, al-day hit happeth so, 1250 That oon shal laughen at anothers wo; Now laugheth Eneas, and is in Ioye And more richesse than ever he was in Troye. (330) O sely womman, ful of innocence, Ful of pitee, of trouthe, and conscience, 1255 What maked yow to men to trusten so? Have ye swich routhe upon hir feined wo, And han swich olde ensamples yow beforn? See ye nat alle, how they been for-sworn? Wher see ye oon, that he ne hath laft his leef, 1260 Or been unkinde, or doon her som mischeef, Or pilled her, or bosted of his dede? Ye may as wel hit seen, as ye may rede; (340) Tak heed now of this grete gentil-man, This Troyan, that so wel her plesen can, 1265 That feineth him so trewe and obeising, So gentil and so privy of his doing, And can so wel doon alle his obeisaunces, And waiten her at festes and at daunces, And when she goth to temple and hoom ageyn, 1270 And fasten til he hath his lady seyn, And bere in his devyses, for her sake, Noot I nat what; and songes wolde he make, (350) Iusten, and doon of armes many thinges, Sende her lettres, tokens, broches, ringes-- 1275 Now herkneth, how he shal his lady serve! Ther-as he was in peril for to sterve For hunger, and for mischeef in the see, And desolat, and fled from his contree, And al his folk with tempest al to-driven, 1280 She hath her body and eek her reame yiven In-to his hond, ther-as she mighte have been Of other lond than of Cartage a queen, (360) And lived in Ioye y-nogh; what wolde ye more? This Eneas, that hath so depe y-swore, 1285 Is wery of his craft with-in a throwe; The hote ernest is al over-blowe. And prively he doth his shippes dighte, And shapeth him to stele a-wey by nighte. This Dido hath suspecioun of this, 1290 And thoughte wel, that hit was al a-mis; For in his bedde he lyth a-night and syketh; She asketh him anoon, what him mislyketh-- (370) 'My dere herte, which that I love most?' 'Certes,' quod he, 'this night my fadres gost 1295 Hath in my sleep so sore me tormented, And eek Mercurie his message hath presented, That nedes to the conquest of Itaile My destinee is sone for to saile; For which, me thinketh, brosten is myn herte!' 1300 Ther-with his false teres out they sterte; And taketh her with-in his armes two. 'Is that in ernest,' quod she; 'wil ye so? (380) Have ye nat sworn to wyve me to take, Alas! what womman wil ye of me make? 1305 I am a gentil-woman and a queen, Ye wil nat fro your wyf thus foule fleen? That I was born! allas! what shal I do?' To telle in short, this noble queen Dido, She seketh halwes, and doth sacrifyse; 1310 She kneleth, cryeth, that routhe is to devyse; Coniureth him, and profreth him to be His thral, his servant in the leste gree; (390) She falleth him to fote, and swowneth there Dischevele, with her brighte gilte here, 1315 And seith, 'have mercy! let me with yow ryde! Thise lordes, which that wonen me besyde Wil me destroyen only for your sake. And, so ye wil me now to wyve take, As ye han sworn, than wol I yive yow leve 1320 To sleen me with your swerd now sone at eve! For than yit shal I dyen as your wyf. I am with childe, and yive my child his lyf. (400) Mercy, lord! have pite in your thoght!' But al this thing availeth her right noght; 1325 For on a night, slepinge, he let her lye, And stal a-wey un-to his companye, And, as a traitour, forth he gan to saile Toward the large contree of Itaile. Thus hath he laft Dido in wo and pyne; 1330 And wedded ther a lady hight Lavyne. A cloth he lafte, and eek his swerd stonding, Whan he fro Dido stal in her sleping, (410) Right at her beddes heed, so gan he hye Whan that he stal a-wey to his navye; 1335 Which cloth, whan sely Dido gan awake, She hath hit kist ful ofte for his sake; And seide, 'O cloth, whyl Iupiter hit leste, Tak now my soule, unbind me of this unreste! I have fulfild of fortune al the cours.' 1340 And thus, allas! with-outen his socours, Twenty tyme y-swowned hath she thanne. And, whan that she un-to her suster Anne (420) Compleyned had, of which I may nat wryte-- So greet a routhe I have hit for tendyte-- 1345 And bad her norice and her suster goon To fecchen fyr and other thing anoon, And seide, that she wolde sacrifye. And, whan she mighte her tyme wel espye, Up-on the fyr of sacrifys she sterte, 1350 And with his swerd she roof her to the herte. But, as myn autour seith, right thus she seyde; Or she was hurt, before that she deyde, (430) She wroot a lettre anoon, that thus began:-- 'Right so,' quod she, 'as that the whyte swan 1355 Ayeins his deeth beginneth for to singe, Right so to yow make I my compleyninge. Nat that I trowe to geten yow again, For wel I woot that it is al in vain, Sin that the goddes been contraire to me. 1360 But sin my name is lost through yow,' quod she, 'I may wel lese a word on yow, or letter, Al-be-it that I shal be never the better; (440) For thilke wind that blew your ship a-wey, The same wind hath blowe a-wey your fey.'-- 1365 But who wol al this letter have in minde, Rede Ovide, and in him he shal hit finde.

EXPLICIT LEGENDA DIDONIS MARTIRIS, CARTAGINIS REGINE.

N.B. _From this point onward obvious corrections in the spelling of_ MS. F. _are unnoticed_. 928. C. _has_--In Naso and Eneydos wele [_for_ wol] I take. 932. C. I offerede to; _rest_ offred unto. 950. C. wol (= wel); _for_ ful. 960, 961. _These two lines are in_ C. _and_ P. _only; all former editions omit them_. 964. C. clepid; _rest_ called. 966. Tn. Th. B. tespye; C. tespie; F. to spye; T. to spy; A. to aspye. 973. C. P. cutte; F. B. knytte; _rest_ cutted (cuttyd, cuttit). 979. _So all_; Oon (_for_ Any) _would read better_. 994. F. Tn. Th. B. _om._ him. 997. Tn. ner; F. Th. B. nere; _rest_ were (wer). 1002. F. by; _rest_ for. 1003. T. P. Addit. a; _rest om._ 1006. C. Addit. is; _rest om._ 1018. C. thus (_for_ than). 1019. F. (_only_) _om._ large. 1024. P. F. the; _rest_ this. 1028. F. Tn. A. B. _om._ so. 1046. T. Th. was ther yet; P. more was ther; Add. was their; A. [gh]it was sene; _rest_ was yit (_or_ yit was). F. in (_for_ a). 1048. C. A. P. he; _rest_ we (!). 1063. C. she hadde; A. sche had eke; P. she hedd þo; T. Add. had she; B. had; F. and (!). 1066. F. (_only_) _om._ that he. 1072. F. Tn. Th. _om._ he. 1074. C. P. Add. he; _rest_ him. 1079. F. Tn. Th. B. _om._ that _and_ in. 1081. F. B. mote; P. wold; _rest_ muste (must, moost, most); _read_ moste. 1085. F. Tn. _om._ and. F. Tn. B. _repeat_ in this manere; _rest_ as ye may here. 1091. C. massangerys; B. messagerys; A. messinger_is_; F. Tn. messagers; _after which all but_ F. _and_ B. _needlessly insert_ to, _or_ for to. 1094. C. Sche; _rest_ Ful (_because they put_ beest, she _for_ beste, _as in_ C). 1107. C. T. Add. ornamentis; _rest_ pavements (_error for_ parements, _caught from_ l. 1106). 1112. C. For his ese and for to take. 1115. C. to iuste (_for_ the Iusting). 1117. C. T. Add. frettid; A. P. fretted; F. B. frette; Tn. Th. fret. 1119. F. B. rubee; _rest_ ruby. C. shynede; Tn. P. shyned; F. T. A. Th. B. shyneth. 1126. _For_ noble _all have_ honourable, _giving_ two _syllables too many; see ll._ 1143, 1210, 1222. 1129. A. vnto; C. on to; _rest_ to. 1139. _So_ C. P.; F. Tn. Th. B. For to him yt was reported thus (_badly_). 1143. C. holy; _rest_ noble 1144. F. T. Th. B. _om._ as. 1149. F. Tn. Th. B. _om._ ful. 1155. _All but_ C. P. _needlessly put_ for to (_for_ to) _twice_. 1159. C. T. A. P. Add. hath; _rest om._ 1160. C. now comyth the freut. 1163. F. Tn. vp-reyseth (_error for_ vp-reysed). C. A. Th. P. hadde (had); F. Tn. B. hath. C. his; _rest_ hire (hir, her); _see note_. 1169. P. mon (= A.S. _mán_); _rest_ mone; _read_ moon. 1171. C. slep; _rest_ dreme. 1173. C. Me thynkith that he. 1174. C. T. P. Add. for; _rest om._ 1175. T. A. P. therwith al; Th. therwith; C. ek thereto; F. Tn. _om._ ther. 1178. C. rede it me; _rest om._ it. 1179. C. T. A. P. Add. wolde; F. Tn. wil; Th. wol. 1195. Add. coursers; C. B. courseris; F. Tn. Th. coursere. 1196. F. Tn. Th. heuen (!); _rest_ houen (houyn). 1200, 1201. C. hye, wrye; F. heighe, wreighe. 1202. C. bright (_for_ fair). 1203. A. B. P. folk; F. Tn. T. Th. folkes; C. men. 1210. F. _om._ noble. T. thus lat; Addit. thus late; _rest_ this lady (!!). 1211. T. Add. An; A. In; _rest_ On; _see l._ 1191. 1215. T. A. P. ones mete him; _rest_ him ones mete. 1217. C. T. A. Add. These; _rest_ The. C. bestys wilde; T. A. P. wild bestys; _rest_ wilde hertes; _but read_ hertes wilde. 1221. C. A. it; F. Tn. B. P. is (!). 1238. _I propose to read_ to been; _all have_ and becom (became), _which cannot possibly be scanned_. 1239. C. Tn. -mo; F. -mor. 1242. C. wikke fame a-ros. 1247. F. Tn. Th. B. _om. 2nd_ her. 1251. C. of; _rest_ at. 1253. T. A. Add. he; _rest om._ 1255. F. and (_for 2nd_ of). 1258. C. T. A. Th. olde ensamples; F. ensamples olde. 1259. C. A. how that; _rest_ how. 1267. C. trewe; A. besy; _rest_ privy. 1268, 1269. F. Tn. Th. B. -aunce; C. T. A. P. -aunces. 1269. C. And waytyn hire; T. Add. And plesyn hyr; Tn. A. And hir (!); F. Th. To hir (!). 1273. C. Tn. A. Th. Not; F. B. Wot. 1275. _All but_ C. _ins._ and _before_ ringes. 1281. C. F. T. B. reame; Tn. P. ream; Th. realme; A. regne. 1285. C. A. P. so; _rest_ thus. 1296. C. A. so sore me; Add. sore me; _rest_ me so sore. 1298. F. Tn. B. _om._ to. 1313. C. gre; _rest_ degree (degre). 1314. C. to-fore (_for_ to fote). 1319. C. T. A. Add. so; _rest om._ F. now me; _rest_ me now. 1322. F. shal I yet; Tn. C. T. A. Th. yit shall I. 1323. C. T. yeue; F. yive; Tn. yif. 1324. C. hauyth; _rest_ haue. 1326, 1327. _The old printed editions omit these two lines._ 1327. C. on to; T. A. Add. vnto; F. Tn. B. vpon. 1330. C. Thus; _rest_ And thus. C. Tn. laft; F. lefte. 1332. C. lafte; F. lefte. 1333. F. (_only_) _om._ her. 1337. F. Tn. B. _om._ hit. 1338. _All but_ T. A. Add. _insert_ swete _after_ O. 1339. F. Tn. Th. B. P. _om._ now. C. and brynge it of this onreste; Tn. T. Th. P. Add. vnbynde me of this vnreste; F. B. vnbynde me of this reste (!); A. me bynd of myn vnrest; _I follow_ Tn. T. Th. P. Add. 1345. F. Tn. Th. P. _om._ a. C. tendite; _rest_ to endite (endyte). 1346. A. P. Add. suster; C. T. A. sistir; _rest_ sustren (!). 1347. C. T. A. P. Add. thing; _rest_ thinges. 1351. C. Tn. rof. 1352. C. A. right; P. _om.; rest_ yet (yit). 1353. A. Add. before that; C. F. T. Th. B. byforn or (byforne er); P. and befor or. 1355. C. A. that; T. Add. doth; _rest om._ 1356. C. A[gh]ens; A. A[gh]eynes; Tn. Ayeinste; _rest_ Ayenst. 1357. C. T. A. Add. make I; _rest_ I make. 1359. C. T. A. P. that; _rest om._ 1360. A. contrair; P. contrarie; C. T. contrary; _rest_ contrarious. 1363. C. T. A. P. Add. that; _rest om._ 1366. Tn. P. who; _rest_ who so, _or_ who that.

IV. THE LEGEND OF HYPSIPYLE AND MEDEA.

INCIPIT LEGENDA YSIPHILE ET MEDEE, MARTIRUM.