Chapter 20

The Ston seconde I thee behote Is _lapis animalis_ hote, The whos vertu is propre and cowth For Ere and yhe and nase and mouth, Wherof a man mai hiere and se And smelle and taste in his degre, And forto fiele and forto go It helpeth man of bothe tuo: The wittes fyve he underfongeth To kepe, as it to him belongeth. 2550

The thridde Ston in special Be name is cleped Minerall, Which the metalls of every Mine Attempreth, til that thei ben fyne, And pureth hem be such a weie, That al the vice goth aweie Of rust, of stink and of hardnesse: And whan thei ben of such clennesse, This Mineral, so as I finde, Transformeth al the ferste kynde 2560 And makth hem able to conceive Thurgh his vertu, and to receive Bothe in substance and in figure Of gold and selver the nature. For thei tuo ben thextremetes, To whiche after the propretes Hath every metal his desir, With help and confort of the fyr Forth with this Ston, as it is seid, Which to the Sonne and Mone is leid; 2570 For to the rede and to the whyte This Ston hath pouer to profite. It makth mulptiplicacioun Of gold, and the fixacioun It causeth, and of his habit He doth the werk to be parfit Of thilke Elixer which men calle Alconomie, as is befalle To hem that whilom weren wise. Bot now it stant al otherwise; 2580 Thei speken faste of thilke Ston, Bot hou to make it, nou wot non After the sothe experience. And natheles gret diligence Thei setten upon thilke dede, And spille more than thei spede; For allewey thei finde a lette, Which bringeth in poverte and dette To hem that riche were afore: The lost is had, the lucre is lore, 2590 To gete a pound thei spenden fyve; I not hou such a craft schal thryve In the manere as it is used: It were betre be refused Than forto worchen upon weene In thing which stant noght as thei weene. Bot noght forthi, who that it knewe, The science of himself is trewe Upon the forme as it was founded, Wherof the names yit ben grounded 2600 Of hem that ferste it founden oute; And thus the fame goth aboute To suche as soghten besinesse Of vertu and of worthinesse. Of whom if I the names calle,

Hermes was on the ferste of alle, To whom this art is most applied; Geber therof was magnefied, And Ortolan and Morien, Among the whiche is Avicen, 2610 Which fond and wrot a gret partie The practique of Alconomie; Whos bokes, pleinli as thei stonde Upon this craft, fewe understonde; Bot yit to put hem in assai Ther ben full manye now aday, That knowen litel what thei meene. It is noght on to wite and weene; In forme of wordes thei it trete, Bot yit they failen of beyete, 2620 For of tomoche or of tolyte Ther is algate founde a wyte, So that thei folwe noght the lyne Of the parfite medicine, Which grounded is upon nature. Bot thei that writen the scripture Of Grek, Arabe and of Caldee, Thei were of such Auctorite That thei ferst founden out the weie Of al that thou hast herd me seie; 2630 Wherof the Cronique of her lore Schal stonde in pris for everemore.

Bot toward oure Marches hiere, Of the Latins if thou wolt hiere, Of hem that whilom vertuous Were and therto laborious, Carmente made of hire engin The ferste lettres of Latin, Of which the tunge Romein cam, Wherof that Aristarchus nam 2640 Forth with Donat and Dindimus The ferste reule of Scole, as thus, How that Latin schal be componed And in what wise it schal be soned, That every word in his degre Schal stonde upon congruite. And thilke time at Rome also Was Tullius with Cithero, That writen upon Rethorike, Hou that men schal the wordes pike 2650 After the forme of eloquence, Which is, men sein, a gret prudence: And after that out of Hebreu Jerom, which the langage kneu, The Bible, in which the lawe is closed, Into Latin he hath transposed; And many an other writere ek Out of Caldee, Arabe and Grek With gret labour the bokes wise Translateden. And otherwise 2660 The Latins of hemself also Here studie at thilke time so With gret travaile of Scole toke In sondri forme forto boke, That we mai take here evidences Upon the lore of the Sciences, Of craftes bothe and of clergie; Among the whiche in Poesie To the lovers Ovide wrot And tawhte, if love be to hot, 2670 In what manere it scholde akiele.

Forthi, mi Sone, if that thou fiele That love wringe thee to sore, Behold Ovide and take his lore.

My fader, if thei mihte spede Mi love, I wolde his bokes rede; And if thei techen to restreigne Mi love, it were an ydel peine To lerne a thing which mai noght be. For lich unto the greene tree, 2680 If that men toke his rote aweie, Riht so myn herte scholde deie, If that mi love be withdrawe. Wherof touchende unto this sawe There is bot only to poursuie Mi love, and ydelschipe eschuie.

Mi goode Sone, soth to seie, If ther be siker eny weie To love, thou hast seid the beste: For who that wolde have al his reste 2690 And do no travail at the nede, It is no resoun that he spede In loves cause forto winne; For he which dar nothing beginne, I not what thing he scholde achieve. Bot overthis thou schalt believe, So as it sit thee wel to knowe, That ther ben othre vices slowe, Whiche unto love don gret lette, If thou thin herte upon hem sette. 2700

Toward the Slowe progenie Ther is yit on of compaignie, And he is cleped Sompnolence, Which doth to Slouthe his reverence, As he which is his Chamberlein, That many an hundrid time hath lein To slepe, whan he scholde wake. He hath with love trewes take, That wake who so wake wile, If he mai couche a doun his bile, 2710 He hath al wowed what him list; That ofte he goth to bedde unkist, And seith that for no Druerie He wol noght leve his sluggardie. For thogh noman it wole allowe, To slepe levere than to wowe Is his manere, and thus on nyhtes, Whan that he seth the lusti knyhtes Revelen, wher these wommen are, Awey he skulketh as an hare, 2720 And goth to bedde and leith him softe, And of his Slouthe he dremeth ofte Hou that he stiketh in the Myr, And hou he sitteth be the fyr And claweth on his bare schanckes, And hou he clymbeth up the banckes And falleth into Slades depe. Bot thanne who so toke kepe, Whanne he is falle in such a drem, Riht as a Schip ayein the Strem, 2730 He routeth with a slepi noise, And brustleth as a monkes froise, Whanne it is throwe into the Panne. And otherwhile sielde whanne That he mai dreme a lusti swevene, Him thenkth as thogh he were in hevene And as the world were holi his: And thanne he spekth of that and this, And makth his exposicion After the disposicion 2740 Of that he wolde, and in such wise He doth to love all his service; I not what thonk he schal deserve. Bot, Sone, if thou wolt love serve, I rede that thou do noght so.

Ha, goode fader, certes no. I hadde levere be mi trowthe, Er I were set on such a slouthe And beere such a slepi snoute, Bothe yhen of myn hed were oute. 2750 For me were betre fulli die, Thanne I of such a slugardie Hadde eny name, god me schilde; For whan mi moder was with childe, And I lay in hire wombe clos, I wolde rathere Atropos, Which is goddesse of alle deth, Anon as I hadde eny breth, Me hadde fro mi Moder cast. Bot now I am nothing agast, 2760 I thonke godd; for Lachesis, Ne Cloto, which hire felawe is, Me schopen no such destine, Whan thei at mi nativite My weerdes setten as thei wolde; Bot thei me schopen that I scholde Eschuie of slep the truandise, So that I hope in such a wise To love forto ben excused, That I no Sompnolence have used. 2770 For certes, fader Genius, Yit into nou it hath be thus, At alle time if it befelle So that I mihte come and duelle In place ther my ladi were, I was noght slow ne slepi there: For thanne I dar wel undertake, That whanne hir list on nyhtes wake In chambre as to carole and daunce, Me thenkth I mai me more avaunce, 2780 If I mai gon upon hir hond, Thanne if I wonne a kinges lond. For whanne I mai hire hand beclippe, With such gladnesse I daunce and skippe, Me thenkth I touche noght the flor; The Ro, which renneth on the Mor, Is thanne noght so lyht as I: So mow ye witen wel forthi, That for the time slep I hate. And whanne it falleth othergate, 2790 So that hire like noght to daunce, Bot on the Dees to caste chaunce Or axe of love som demande, Or elles that hir list comaunde To rede and here of Troilus, Riht as sche wole or so or thus, I am al redi to consente. And if so is that I mai hente Somtime among a good leisir, So as I dar of mi desir 2800 I telle a part; bot whanne I preie, Anon sche bidt me go mi weie And seith it is ferr in the nyht; And I swere it is even liht. Bot as it falleth ate laste, Ther mai no worldes joie laste, So mot I nedes fro hire wende And of my wachche make an ende: And if sche thanne hiede toke, Hou pitousliche on hire I loke, 2810 Whan that I schal my leve take, Hire oghte of mercy forto slake Hire daunger, which seith evere nay.

Bot he seith often, “Have good day,” That loth is forto take his leve: Therfore, while I mai beleve, I tarie forth the nyht along, For it is noght on me along To slep that I so sone go, Til that I mot algate so; 2820 And thanne I bidde godd hire se, And so doun knelende on mi kne I take leve, and if I schal, I kisse hire, and go forth withal. And otherwhile, if that I dore, Er I come fulli to the Dore, I torne ayein and feigne a thing, As thogh I hadde lost a Ring Or somwhat elles, for I wolde Kisse hire eftsones, if I scholde, 2830 Bot selden is that I so spede. And whanne I se that I mot nede Departen, I departe, and thanne With al myn herte I curse and banne That evere slep was mad for yhe; For, as me thenkth, I mihte dryhe Withoute slep to waken evere, So that I scholde noght dissevere Fro hire, in whom is al my liht: And thanne I curse also the nyht 2840 With al the will of mi corage, And seie, “Awey, thou blake ymage, Which of thi derke cloudy face Makst al the worldes lyht deface, And causest unto slep a weie, Be which I mot nou gon aweie Out of mi ladi compaignie. O slepi nyht, I thee defie, And wolde that thou leye in presse With Proserpine the goddesse 2850 And with Pluto the helle king: For til I se the daies spring, I sette slep noght at a risshe.” And with that word I sike and wisshe, And seie, “Ha, whi ne were it day? For yit mi ladi thanne I may Beholde, thogh I do nomore.” And efte I thenke forthermore, To som man hou the niht doth ese, Whan he hath thing that mai him plese 2860 The longe nyhtes be his side, Where as I faile and go beside. Bot slep, I not wherof it serveth, Of which noman his thonk deserveth To gete him love in eny place, Bot is an hindrere of his grace And makth him ded as for a throwe, Riht as a Stok were overthrowe. And so, mi fader, in this wise The slepi nyhtes I despise, 2870 And evere amiddes of mi tale I thenke upon the nyhtingale, Which slepeth noght be weie of kinde For love, in bokes as I finde. Thus ate laste I go to bedde, And yit min herte lith to wedde With hire, wher as I cam fro; Thogh I departe, he wol noght so, Ther is no lock mai schette him oute, Him nedeth noght to gon aboute, 2880 That perce mai the harde wall; Thus is he with hire overall, That be hire lief, or be hire loth, Into hire bedd myn herte goth, And softly takth hire in his arm And fieleth hou that sche is warm, And wissheth that his body were To fiele that he fieleth there. And thus miselven I tormente, Til that the dede slep me hente: 2890 Bot thanne be a thousand score Welmore than I was tofore I am tormented in mi slep, Bot that I dreme is noght of schep; For I ne thenke noght on wulle, Bot I am drecched to the fulle Of love, that I have to kepe, That nou I lawhe and nou I wepe, And nou I lese and nou I winne, And nou I ende and nou beginne. 2900 And otherwhile I dreme and mete That I al one with hire mete And that Danger is left behinde; And thanne in slep such joie I finde, That I ne bede nevere awake. Bot after, whanne I hiede take, And schal arise upon the morwe, Thanne is al torned into sorwe, Noght for the cause I schal arise, Bot for I mette in such a wise, 2910 And ate laste I am bethoght That al is vein and helpeth noght: Bot yit me thenketh be my wille I wolde have leie and slepe stille, To meten evere of such a swevene, For thanne I hadde a slepi hevene.

Mi Sone, and for thou tellest so, A man mai finde of time ago That many a swevene hath be certein, Al be it so, that som men sein 2920 That swevenes ben of no credence. Bot forto schewe in evidence That thei fulofte sothe thinges Betokne, I thenke in my wrytinges To telle a tale therupon, Which fell be olde daies gon.

This finde I write in Poesie: Ceïx the king of Trocinie Hadde Alceone to his wif, Which as hire oghne hertes lif 2930 Him loveth; and he hadde also A brother, which was cleped tho Dedalion, and he per cas Fro kinde of man forschape was Into a Goshauk of liknesse; Wherof the king gret hevynesse Hath take, and thoghte in his corage To gon upon a pelrinage Into a strange regioun, Wher he hath his devocioun 2940 To don his sacrifice and preie, If that he mihte in eny weie Toward the goddes finde grace His brother hele to pourchace, So that he mihte be reformed Of that he hadde be transformed. To this pourpos and to this ende This king is redy forto wende, As he which wolde go be Schipe; And forto don him felaschipe 2950 His wif unto the See him broghte, With al hire herte and him besoghte, That he the time hire wolde sein, Whan that he thoghte come ayein: “Withinne,” he seith, “tuo Monthe day.” And thus in al the haste he may He tok his leve, and forth he seileth Wepende, and sche hirself beweileth, And torneth hom, ther sche cam fro. Bot whan the Monthes were ago, 2960 The whiche he sette of his comynge, And that sche herde no tydinge, Ther was no care forto seche: Wherof the goddes to beseche Tho sche began in many wise, And to Juno hire sacrifise Above alle othre most sche dede, And for hir lord sche hath so bede To wite and knowe hou that he ferde, That Juno the goddesse hire herde, 2970 Anon and upon this matiere Sche bad Yris hir Messagere To Slepes hous that sche schal wende, And bidde him that he make an ende Be swevene and schewen al the cas Unto this ladi, hou it was.

This Yris, fro the hihe stage Which undertake hath the Message, Hire reyny Cope dede upon, The which was wonderli begon 2980 With colours of diverse hewe, An hundred mo than men it knewe; The hevene lich into a bowe Sche bende, and so she cam doun lowe, The god of Slep wher that sche fond. And that was in a strange lond, Which marcheth upon Chymerie: For ther, as seith the Poesie, The god of Slep hath mad his hous, Which of entaille is merveilous. 2990 Under an hell ther is a Cave, Which of the Sonne mai noght have, So that noman mai knowe ariht The point betwen the dai and nyht: Ther is no fyr, ther is no sparke, Ther is no dore, which mai charke, Wherof an yhe scholde unschette, So that inward ther is no lette. And forto speke of that withoute, Ther stant no gret Tree nyh aboute 3000 Wher on ther myhte crowe or pie Alihte, forto clepe or crie: Ther is no cok to crowe day, Ne beste non which noise may The hell, bot al aboute round Ther is growende upon the ground Popi, which berth the sed of slep, With othre herbes suche an hep. A stille water for the nones Rennende upon the smale stones, 3010 Which hihte of Lethes the rivere, Under that hell in such manere Ther is, which yifth gret appetit To slepe. And thus full of delit Slep hath his hous; and of his couche Withinne his chambre if I schal touche, Of hebenus that slepi Tree The bordes al aboute be, And for he scholde slepe softe, Upon a fethrebed alofte 3020 He lith with many a pilwe of doun: The chambre is strowed up and doun With swevenes many thousendfold. Thus cam Yris into this hold, And to the bedd, which is al blak, Sche goth, and ther with Slep sche spak, And in the wise as sche was bede The Message of Juno sche dede. Fulofte hir wordes sche reherceth, Er sche his slepi Eres perceth; 3030 With mochel wo bot ate laste His slombrende yhen he upcaste And seide hir that it schal be do. Wherof among a thousend tho, Withinne his hous that slepi were, In special he ches out there Thre, whiche scholden do this dede: The ferste of hem, so as I rede, Was Morpheus, the whos nature Is forto take the figure 3040 Of what persone that him liketh, Wherof that he fulofte entriketh The lif which slepe schal be nyhte; And Ithecus that other hihte, Which hath the vois of every soun, The chiere and the condicioun Of every lif, what so it is: The thridde suiende after this Is Panthasas, which may transforme Of every thing the rihte forme, 3050 And change it in an other kinde. Upon hem thre, so as I finde, Of swevenes stant al thapparence, Which otherwhile is evidence And otherwhile bot a jape. Bot natheles it is so schape, That Morpheus be nyht al one Appiereth until Alceone In liknesse of hir housebonde Al naked ded upon the stronde, 3060 And hou he dreynte in special These othre tuo it schewen al. The tempeste of the blake cloude, The wode See, the wyndes loude, Al this sche mette, and sih him dyen; Wherof that sche began to crien, Slepende abedde ther sche lay, And with that noise of hire affray Hir wommen sterten up aboute, Whiche of here ladi were in doute, 3070 And axen hire hou that sche ferde; And sche, riht as sche syh and herde, Hir swevene hath told hem everydel. And thei it halsen alle wel And sein it is a tokne of goode; Bot til sche wiste hou that it stode, Sche hath no confort in hire herte, Upon the morwe and up sche sterte, And to the See, wher that sche mette The bodi lay, withoute lette 3080 Sche drowh, and whan that sche cam nyh, Stark ded, hise harmes sprad, sche syh Hire lord flietende upon the wawe. Wherof hire wittes ben withdrawe, And sche, which tok of deth no kepe, Anon forth lepte into the depe And wolde have cawht him in hire arm.

This infortune of double harm The goddes fro the hevene above Behielde, and for the trowthe of love, 3090 Which in this worthi ladi stod, Thei have upon the salte flod Hire dreinte lord and hire also Fro deth to lyve torned so, That thei ben schapen into briddes Swimmende upon the wawe amiddes. And whan sche sih hire lord livende In liknesse of a bridd swimmende, And sche was of the same sort, So as sche mihte do desport, 3100 Upon the joie which sche hadde Hire wynges bothe abrod sche spradde, And him, so as sche mai suffise, Beclipte and keste in such a wise, As sche was whilom wont to do: Hire wynges for hire armes tuo Sche tok, and for hire lippes softe Hire harde bile, and so fulofte Sche fondeth in hire briddes forme, If that sche mihte hirself conforme 3110 To do the plesance of a wif, As sche dede in that other lif: For thogh sche hadde hir pouer lore, Hir will stod as it was tofore, And serveth him so as sche mai. Wherof into this ilke day Togedre upon the See thei wone, Wher many a dowhter and a Sone Thei bringen forth of briddes kinde; And for men scholden take in mynde 3120 This Alceoun the trewe queene, Hire briddes yit, as it is seene, Of Alceoun the name bere.

Lo thus, mi Sone, it mai thee stere Of swevenes forto take kepe, For ofte time a man aslepe Mai se what after schal betide. Forthi it helpeth at som tyde A man to slepe, as it belongeth, Bot slowthe no lif underfongeth 3130 Which is to love appourtenant.

Mi fader, upon covenant I dar wel make this avou, Of all mi lif that into nou, Als fer as I can understonde, Yit tok I nevere Slep on honde, Whan it was time forto wake; For thogh myn yhe it wolde take, Min herte is evere therayein. Bot natheles to speke it plein, 3140 Al this that I have seid you hiere Of my wakinge, as ye mai hiere, It toucheth to mi lady swete; For otherwise, I you behiete, In strange place whanne I go, Me list nothing to wake so. For whan the wommen listen pleie, And I hir se noght in the weie, Of whom I scholde merthe take, Me list noght longe forto wake, 3150 Bot if it be for pure schame, Of that I wolde eschuie a name, That thei ne scholde have cause non To seie, “Ha, lo, wher goth such on, That hath forlore his contenaunce!” And thus among I singe and daunce, And feigne lust ther as non is. For ofte sithe I fiele this; Of thoght, which in mi herte falleth Whanne it is nyht, myn hed appalleth, 3160 And that is for I se hire noght, Which is the wakere of mi thoght: And thus as tymliche as I may, Fulofte whanne it is brod day, I take of all these othre leve And go my weie, and thei beleve, That sen per cas here loves there; And I go forth as noght ne were Unto mi bedd, so that al one I mai ther ligge and sighe and grone 3170 And wisshen al the longe nyht, Til that I se the daies lyht. I not if that be Sompnolence, Bot upon youre conscience, Min holi fader, demeth ye.

My Sone, I am wel paid with thee, Of Slep that thou the Sluggardie Be nyhte in loves compaignie Eschuied hast, and do thi peine So that thi love thar noght pleine: 3180 For love upon his lust wakende Is evere, and wolde that non ende Were of the longe nyhtes set. Wherof that thou be war the bet, To telle a tale I am bethoght, Hou love and Slep acorden noght.

For love who that list to wake Be nyhte, he mai ensample take Of Cephalus, whan that he lay With Aurora that swete may 3190 In armes all the longe nyht. Bot whanne it drogh toward the liht, That he withinne his herte sih The dai which was amorwe nyh, Anon unto the Sonne he preide For lust of love, and thus he seide:

“O Phebus, which the daies liht Governest, til that it be nyht, And gladest every creature After the lawe of thi nature,— 3200 Bot natheles ther is a thing, Which onli to the knouleching Belongeth as in privete To love and to his duete, Which asketh noght to ben apert, Bot in cilence and in covert Desireth forto be beschaded: And thus whan that thi liht is faded And Vesper scheweth him alofte, And that the nyht is long and softe, 3210 Under the cloudes derke and stille Thanne hath this thing most of his wille. Forthi unto thi myhtes hyhe, As thou which art the daies yhe, Of love and myht no conseil hyde, Upon this derke nyhtes tyde With al myn herte I thee beseche That I plesance myhte seche With hire which lith in min armes. Withdrawgh the Banere of thin Armes, 3220 And let thi lyhtes ben unborn, And in the Signe of Capricorn, The hous appropred to Satorne, I preie that thou wolt sojorne, Wher ben the nihtes derke and longe: For I mi love have underfonge, Which lith hier be mi syde naked, As sche which wolde ben awaked, And me lest nothing forto slepe. So were it good to take kepe 3230 Nou at this nede of mi preiere, And that the like forto stiere Thi fyri Carte, and so ordeigne, That thou thi swifte hors restreigne Lowe under Erthe in Occident, That thei towardes Orient Be Cercle go the longe weie.

And ek to thee, Diane, I preie, Which cleped art of thi noblesse The nyhtes Mone and the goddesse, 3240 That thou to me be gracious: And in Cancro thin oghne hous Ayein Phebus in opposit Stond al this time, and of delit Behold Venus with a glad yhe. For thanne upon Astronomie Of due constellacion Thou makst prolificacion, And dost that children ben begete: Which grace if that I mihte gete, 3250 With al myn herte I wolde serve Be nyhte, and thi vigile observe.”

Lo, thus this lusti Cephalus Preide unto Phebe and to Phebus The nyht in lengthe forto drawe, So that he mihte do the lawe In thilke point of loves heste, Which cleped is the nyhtes feste, Withoute Slep of sluggardie; Which Venus out of compaignie 3260 Hath put awey, as thilke same, Which lustles ferr from alle game In chambre doth fulofte wo Abedde, whanne it falleth so That love scholde ben awaited. But Slowthe, which is evele affaited, With Slep hath mad his retenue, That what thing is to love due, Of all his dette he paieth non: He wot noght how the nyht is gon 3270 Ne hou the day is come aboute, Bot onli forto slepe and route Til hyh midday, that he arise. Bot Cephalus dede otherwise, As thou, my Sone, hast herd above.