Publisht for the Chaucer Society - Forgotten Books

(1 t 6mm

Ghaum’fi fimmm,

ED ITED BY

FREDERICK J. FURNIVALL.

LOND ON

PUBLISHT F OR THE CHAUC ER SOC IETY

BY N. TR fi BNER co. ,57 59 , LUD GATE HILL.

contains those Texts of

Poems for wh ich th ere wasn’t room in

S upplementa ry- Pa ra llel Texts. The Appendix is

of spurious Poems . of th e kind be put

another volume hereafter.]

l .

2 .

go

3.

4.

C ONT ENT S.

TWO BITS O F THE PAR LAMENT OF FOULES

THE TWO D IFFER ING VER S IONS O F CHAUCER ’

S

PR OLOGUE TO HIS LEGENDE OF GOOD WOMEN

AN A B C

THE HOUSE OF FAME

THE LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN

THE DETHE OF BLAUNCHE THE DUCHESSE

THE COMPLA INT TO P ITY

THE PARLAMENT O F FOULES

TR UTH

ENVOY TO SOOGAN

PUR SE

A P P E N D IX .

THE BALADE OF PYTEE

pm C RONYC LE MADE BY C HAUC HHi

TWO ODD BITS OF CHAUOER’S' TR O ILUS O O 0 O I

l‘

HE TO NGUE 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

gmmhix.

POEMS ATTRIBUTED TO CHAUCER .

Ehe flame of fight.

pn BALADE . OF . PYTEE . (HAR L. MS

[In Sh ir ley’

s copy Of th e complaint of Pitee ° m a de by G effreyCh ancier,” in E a r l, MS 78, leaf 80 (see Parallel Texts, p. th e

following Sta nz a s r u n on from st. 1 7 (Pa r. Texts, p. 49) a s pa rt

of th e Compla int (tho ugh w ith a n extra ma rk on th e d 'i'vision- l'ine

between th e sta nz a s), a nd a re h ea d lined a ccord ingly by S h ir ley

De bala de . of . Pytee . By C h a u ciers.

”In th e MS a lmosteve ry

fi na l g a nd t h a s a cu rl to it,a nd a ll th e lines sta rtle vel ]

(1 8)

ii be long nigh tes whene eu ery creature [on leaf sfi l

Sh ou lde haue peyre rest‘ in somwh ata s be kynde

O r ellys ne may peyre lyve nought long'endureHit fa llepe mooste in to my wooq mynde

Howe I so far haue brought my self‘ beh inde

batsauf‘pe deeth per may no thing me lisseSo desespayredl I am frome a l blisse

(1 9)

ll h is saame thought me la stepe til pe morowe

Ami frome pe morowe forpe til hit beo eve

h ere neodepe me no care for to borowe

fi’

or h oope I haue good e leyser and goode leve 1 30

h er is no Wight pat wil me woe byrev eTo w eepe enou gh e andl wayllen a l my fi lle

be soore sparke of peyne nowe doobe me spille 1 33

(20)

1Th is loue pat hape me sette in suche a place

batmy desire wol neuer fu lfi lle

fi‘

or neyper pitee mercy neyper grace

Kane I. notfynde andl yit my soroufu l hert'

Km" to beo d ede I. cane h itnought . arace [lea f 82, ba ck]

h e more I love he more sh e dope me smerb 1 39

Th oru gh e wh ich e .I . see with oute rcmedye

batfrome be deet’

fi I may no wyse astert'

5 line : wa nting . No extra bre a k in the MS ]1INowe sopely what sh e hight I wol reh erse

Hir name is bou nte sette in wommanh ede/Sadnesse in youpe and.l beawte prydelesse

And plesance vnder gou u ernance and dredt

BY CHAUC IER S . (HARL. MS

Hir su rname is ecke fayre rou th elesse

h e wyse eknytte v n to goode aventure/

batfor I loue h ir’

sh e sleeth me giltlesse

Hir love I best‘ a ndtshal w h yle .I may dure/Tl Bette pane my self

'. an h u ndrepe thousand delle

bane a l pis wo[r]ld es richesse or creature

Nowe hape not love me bestowed! w eeleTo love per I neuer shal haue parte

Elia s right pu s is turned1 me pe wh eele

bu s am I slayne with loves fury darte

I cane but love h ir h est/my sw eete foo/Loue hape me taught no more of h is a rt

But serue a lwey andl stynt[e] for no woo/

(21 )

1TIn my tru we 1 careful hert per is [l a wa rd crostoa t]So myoho woo and.

l so lytel blisse

batwoo is me pat euer I w a s bore!for a l pat thing which I d esyre I misse

Andi a l pat euer I wolde not I -wisse

batfynde I redy to me eu ermore

And1 of a l pis I notto Wh ome me pleyne

flor sh e pat might me out of pis bring"

Ne rech epe nought‘ wh eper I w eepe or sing

'

S o lytel reuthe hape sh e v pon my peyne

(22)

El Ellas Wh ane sleeping'tyme is loo panne I [a ] w a akeW h ane I sh ou lde d a u nce for fere loo panne Iqw a ake

1 76

h is bevy lyff'I led e loo for you rs saake

ba u gh e yee per of' in no wyse heede take/no gaps in th e MS .]

Myn h ertes lady andl hoole my lyv esqweenefi

'

or tru wly durst .I . seye a s pat .I feele

Me semepe pat youre sweet hert of‘ steeleIs wh ettedl nowe ageyns me to keene

DE BALAUE . o r . rr'

rs s . (IIAR L. MS

(23)

1IMy deere hert‘ a nd1 bestbelou edl foo

W hy lykcpe you to doo me a l pis woo

Wh at haue I doone pat greu epe you or saydeBut for I ser ue amdtloue you andl no moo

Andl wh ylestI lyve I wol euer do soo

Andl per- fore sweete ne beope notyu cl apa iedl

fl‘

or so good e and1 so faire a s yee be

Hitwere right gret wonder but yee h a ddl

Of alle seru a ntes h oope of'goode andl ba ddl

And leest worthy of alle hem I am . h e

(24)

1TBut neuer pe leese my . right lady sweete

ba u gh e pat I beo v nkonnyng‘ andl v nmeete

To serue a s I koud e best‘ ay your h yenesso

Yitis per noon fayner pat w olde I beete

bane I to do youre ease or ellys h eete

\Vh atso I w ist‘ pat were to youre h yenesso 1 99

And1 hade I might' a s goode a s I haue wille

bane sh ou lde yee feele Wh ere itwere so or noon

fi'

or in pis w orldc living pane is per noon

batfa ynor VVolde youre bertes w ille fu lfille

(25 >

ll fl'

or h oope I loue and! eke d reedl you so soore

Andl algates mote andl h aue doon vowe fu l yoore

bath otter lou edl is noon me neuer shal

And yit‘ I wold e besech e you of no more

But leu epe wele a ndl be notwrothe ther fore/And! letme serue you forth loo his is a l

!for I am nought so hardy no so woode

h'

or to desyre pat yee sh ou ld e Lone me [lea f83. ba ck]

!for weelo I w ot ella s pat may noth eI am so lytel w orth y amdtyee so goode

BY onw crna s. (HAM . MS

(26)

1Tffor yee bee oone pe worth yeston lyve

And I lie mooste vnlikly for to th ryv e

Yit for a l pis witepe yee right weele

batyee ne sh ou le me frome youre serv yce dryv e

h atI ne wil a y with alle my wittes fyv e

Serve you tru wly what woo . so pat I feelefi

'

or I am sette on yowe in suche manere

batpa u gh e yee neuer wil Vpon me ruw e

I moste you loue andl beon euer a ls tru we

As any man can er may on lyve

(27)

ll But pe more pat I loue you good ely free

be lasse fynd e I pat yee loven meEllas whan shal pat harde witte amendeWhere is nowe a l youre wommanly piteeYoure gentilesse and! youre d ebona irtee

Wil yee no thing" per of vponme spende

And1 so hoole sweete a s I am youree al

Andl so gret wille a s I haue you to serve

Nowe ccrtes andl yee letme pu s sterve

Yithaue ye wonne per on but a smal

(28>

flor‘ at my knowing“ I do nought‘ why

Andl his I wol bosoche yowe h ertely‘That per 1 euer yee fynde w h yles yee lyve [Litfi ,§jxu3

t

A tru wer seru ant to you pane am .I.

Leu epe panne [me] and.

l sleeps me h ardelyAnd1 I my d eth to you w il a l forgyv e

And1 if yee fynde no trewer so v errayly

Wolle yee souffre panne patI pu s spilleAnd! for no maner gilt'but my goode wille

Als goode were panne v ntrew e a s tru we to be 243

[End of th e fra gment. R estof th e [US lost]

[Sh irley’

s AIS Ashmole 59 , leaf 38, Iza ak]

pt dflmngth mate In; enacts.

1THere nowe folowe pe names oiqpe nyene worshipful

lest' La dyes patin alle cronycles . and storyal bokes haue

beo fou nder‘

i of troupe of‘ consta u nce and vertuous or re

proch ed womanh ode by Chancier’

Bete Rayson Cleopatre is by Kyndnesse

Be putte in mynde and also pyne h yenessOf Egipteqw eene and a ffter pat w a s slayne

hyne Anth onye by Octov yan pe R omayne

With gret rich ch esse pou made h is sepultureAnd a ffter h im pee list no longer dureFor in a pitte w ith pee serpentes to take

bowe wente a l naked so by depe to make

1TAdryane wh ich c . with.

py crafl'

ty labour”

Adrya nc.

Made Theseus to slee he Minotawre

And by a th reede frome py faders prysou fi

Made h im tescape and pyne h ou sbande bycomeBy helpe of Fedra py su stre patwith him yeede

“rh ilestpou slepte and so h e q tte py meed s

pe goddes hade of lay pytee rou peAnd to a sterre transfou rmed pee for troupe

pm C R ONYC LE MADE BY CHAUC IER .

1Tbis nobleqw eene of Cartage feyre DydoWhich of Pite resceyv ed! Eneas so Gode Dydoqweu e

Affter frome Troye with tempestes in pe see

Vnnecpe a rryv edl in - to h ir cu ntree

Sheo made him lord1 and sheo h is hu mble wyve

Wh erby ellas sheo loste bope ioye and lyveF or w h ane sheo wiste pat he w a s frome hir gooVppofi h is swerde sheo roof hir herte a - twoo

'll°

‘

Itis gret right pat youre bou ntee Lu cresseBe putte in writing' and a lsoo you r goodnessc

Wyff' to Senatou r god e C ollatyne

\Vh ich th oru gh penv ye of R omayne Torq n

For yee to him wolde never applye

He ra v issh edl yowe where - off itw a s pyte

With a Tyra u nt‘ fu l soore ageinstyoure wille

He caused yowe for sorowe youre selif to sliylle

1TWhat noblesse shewed pou D emoph or‘

i Ph illes

Wh ome to pine h ou sbandeqw ene of Tarce pou chasC omyng frome Troye with tempest a lforblow e

A s wolde god pou badest him wele eknoweSoone he forgate py fredame and py troupeWh ane to his cu ntrey he yed e pat w a s roupeWh ich e never affter for a l h is h eeste

'

with peeEfft- sones wolde mete pat made pee soone to dye

1TBorne nobu lly of Babilloygne Th esbe

From pe welle a lyonesse made pee flee 1/ Th esbe ofBabilloisne .

Where a s pou seete Piramus tabyd e

Ellas he foonde pere by pat welle syd eBlody py wympu ll and wend e pou h a destbe sleyneF or which he ka rffe pere h is hert atweyne“Wh ich Whene pou sanghe pou woldestno lenger bydeBut on h is swerde pyne hert did th orow e glyd e

“

pa C RONYC LE MADE BY CHAUC IER .

1TWoo is myne hert for pe e pou Isiph yle

Qwene and la dye of Lea nou n pe yle

“Th ech e wedded w as to Iasofi grekessh man

And gret with ch ylde lofft pee soone vpponFro Med ea when he to Colcos yeede

batfor pe pitec I fesle myn hert[e] bleede

To th enke on a l py sorow e a nd py woo

VVh er th oru gh e pou dyed and py chylde a lsoo

1TYpermistra pat noble and tru we wyff'

by faders prysou fi made pee to locse py lyff' ”353 1532 be

F u l pytou sly for pat pou wolde notflee

Lyne pine h u sbande a s he comandad peeWh ich e wa s pe sone of daun DanaoEgistes broper py fader it fel soo

And a l w a s but h is owen fanta sye

bathe h is broper sone went for to dye

1Tbe sorow e pou toke pane O queue Alceste l

Wh ane Seyse pyne h u sbande fayledl pee of byh este 5038‘

s?"

Wh ome for to fynde pou sought him a y w eoping‘

Hith appende soo pou sanghe him d ede fi etyng1

Vppofi pe see and to him leepe anoone

With him to dye so woo wa s him begone

WVh ere pat of yowe pe goddes hade grete piteeAnd lych e seemewes transfou rmedl him a nd pee

Mistaken for Alcyone : see Th e D eth e of B la wnch e the B a ch

esse .

O D D B I T S O F C H A U C E R .

TWO OD D BITS OF

(Manu re Em il“ .

1 . One Stanza (Book I, St. xci, Lines 631 Wise Men

lea rn by F ools : fromShirley’s paper MS . R. 3. 20,

Trin. Coll., C ambr.

2. Three Stanzas (Book III, St. xxxviii—xl,

in a Poem, Th e Tongu e, from a paper MS.

Ff. i. 6, C ambr.

O D D TEXTS .

x W ise mm LEA R N BY rooms. su mmer’

s MS . a . 3 . 20.

WISE MEN LEARN BY F OOLS .

St. XC I. ofth e First Book of Chau cer’s Troi li w.

[Sh irley’

s MS . R . 3. 20, Trinity Coll. L ibra ry, C ambridge l

Panda re to Troylu s

1TA wh estone is no kerv ing ins trument'

And yitte it makepe Sharpe kerving toolis

If pow . wost ought where pat I haue miswent'

Esch u w e pow pat for suche thing to pee scoole

bu s wyse men beon offt ware by foolis

If powe do so py witte is wele bewared!

By h is contrarie is every thing declaredl

‘ll Qui servit nequ am mercedem non capit equ amOmnia quiqu erit perdere dignu s crit

[Copied a nd rea d by Mr W. A ld is Wright]

THE TONGUE. MS . ref. 1 . 8 , CAMBR.

(4) (Chaucer’

s Troilus , Book III, st. xxxvi ii, 1. 260- 6

0 false tong so oftyn h er‘ befor’ 22

Hast thou mad e mony on brygh tof“hewe

Sey welaway the d ay that I w as borne

And mony a maydis sorow e for to newe

And for the more part‘ a l is v ntru we

Thatmen of yelpe h itw er’ browghtto preve

Of'kynde nonne Awa u ntu r ys to leve 28

(5) (Chaucer’s Troilus

,Book III

, st. xxxix,1. 267

Av a u ntu r and a lyer a ll is/ on 29

And thus I pose wh oma r‘

i gra u nteth me

Her‘ loue and.

l feyth e that other wolle sche non)

And I am sworne to hold e hit secre

I -wys I am a w a u ntu r at the leste

And a lyer’ for I br ake my be - h este

(6) (Chaucer’

s Troilu s,Book III

,st. x] , 1. 274- 280)

Now loke thou yf they h e ought to blame

Suche maner folke what I clepe hem what

And hem a - v a u nte of w emen) and by name

That neuer yet be - h ygh them this nor that

Ne knewe hem more than) my Old e hatte

NO wou ndu r is/ so god me sende heleTh owgh w emen) drede with v s men) to dele

(7)A good god Of“ h ys high grace

LO what fortune is take hed e

Wh er’ her’ lyketh sche marketh h ir chasse

Now most I in servyse my lyfi'

e lede

Bothe loue serue and eke drede

A s h e that'is boonde and wol notbe free

Eyght so fa rith e bitnow by me/

Explicith /

In Morris’s Ald ine ed ition , v ol. iv . 237 - 8. In R . Bell’

s ed itionth e lines a re 3028

,309 - 1 5 , 316 - 22. D r. Morris’s printer h a s not

numberd th e lines of th e Proem with th ose of th e Book,a s h e

shou ld h ave done.

Ff. 1 . s

b HNG AY : C LAY AND T AYLO R, T HE C HAUC BR PR I‘ S Q ,

FLY - LEAF .

Ma y notth is enroyless B a la d e be C h a u cer’s , in h is 4th P er iod ?

Ma y be bu tisn’

t—F . J . F . (Sept.

NEWE FANGELNESSE .

(rymes - esse,- a ce

,- ene)

[Cotton C leopatra , D v n,vellum,

a b. 1 430A .D ., leaf 1 89 ,ba ck ]

(1)adame

,for your newe fangelnesse,

Manie a seru a u nthaue ye put oute of 1 gra ce .

I take my leu e of your’ vn- stedfa stnesse ; PMS . ol'

you re]

F or w el I wote,while ye to lyve haue space, 4

Ye ku nnou gh tloue fu l half yeer’ in a s o lac e,

To newe th inges your’ lust is Euer so kene

,

In sted of Blue, thus may ye were 2 grene . [2MS . were a l] 7

(2)Right a s a Mirronr, that nothing may enpresse, 8

But lightly a s it cometh, 3 so mot itpace, [pa sse inMS .)

So fa reth 3 your‘ love your werk'

e'

s h ereth 3 w itnesss .

Ther is no feith that may your’ hert enbra ce

But a s a wedercok, that turneth 3 h is face

With eu ery wyndl,ye fare, and that is sene,

In sted of Bliwe, thus may ye were grene.

(3)Ye might be sh rinedl for [you r] brotilnesse 1 5

B ettir th anne D a lide, C resside, or Candace, (ms. Ta nda ce]

For eu ere in C h angeng stondeth 3 your’ sikernesse

That tacche may no W ight fro your’ hert araceYif ye lese oon, ye ku nne wel tweine pa rchaca ;

AH light for somer—ye wote wel what I mene

In sted of Blewe, thus may ye were grene.Explicit

3 One syllable,—com’th , far’th , ber’th, tu rn’th , stond

’

th or stou t.

C LEO P. D V l l

1 .

TWO B ITS OF

Etc adamantof finaleMS Eh 12, C ambr. Univ. Libr., 365 lines.

La ud MS 41 6 (Bodl. Libr. ,Oxford), 1 42 lines.

50 PAR - TEXT2 PAR LAMENT or rou nns . Hh . 4 . 1 2, GAMER . UNIV. LIBR .

[MS Eh . 4. 1 2, C ambr. Univ . Libr.,leaf 94 (vellum a nd

paper, 21 450- 60

(1 ) [T he Proem.]He lyfe so short the craft so long to lerne

The assay so hard so sharp the conqu eryngeThe drefu l-l ioy that alway flyttso yerne

AH thys mene I by love that my felynge

Astownyth with h ys w ondreq wirkynge

So sore I -wys that whan I on bym th ynk

Not wotte I wele wh edyr I fi ete or synk

(2)11 F or a ll be that I know notlove in dede

Ne wote how that heq tyth folk byr hyre

3ith appyth me full ofte in boke rede

Of h ys mira clys and h ys cru eli ireThere red e I well that he wyll be lord and sire

I d a r not say h ys strokis beth so sore

But god save suche a lord I can no more

(3)1TOf vsego what for lust what for loreOn h okis rede I ofte a s I 3OW toldBut wh erfor I speke a ll thys not yoreAgone h ith appyd me to be - hold

Vpon a boke I -writte with letters OldAn d th erupon a certeyn thyng to lerne

The long d ay I red full fast and gam e

(4)il F or owtof old feldys a s men sayne

C omyth a fi thys new com e from gere to gere

And out Of old bOkys in good fayth

C omyth a ll thys new sciens that men lere

But now to purpose a s of thys matere

To rede forth I can me so delita

That a fi that d ay me th owgh th itbut a lite

52 PAR - TEXT4 PARLAMENT OF FOULES . E h . 4 . 1 2, GAMER .

(5)

1TThis boke of which I make of menciofi

Entillyd wa s a ll there a s I shall telle (mam ,ba ck]

Tullins of the dreme of G ipion

Chapters seu en it h ad of heuen and helle

And erth e and sowles that therein dwelle

Of whi ch as shortly as I can hit treteOf h ys sentence I shall 3OW say the grete

(6)

1TFirst tellyth hit whan Cipion was come

In atfrice how he metyth ma ssanysse

That h ym for ioy in armys hath I - nome

Than tellyth he h yr speche and a ll h yr blysse

Th at wa s betw ene them tyll p° day can mysse

And how h ys a u ncestre Affrican so dere

G an in h ys elepe that nygh ttyfl h ym appere

(7)

1TThan tellyth it how that from a sterry place

How a ifrican hath bym cartage sh ewyd

And warnyd h ym byfore of a ll pis grace

And said h ym what man leryd or lewde

That lou yth comyn profette well I -th ewyd

He sh u ld in to a blisfu ll place wendThere a s ioy is with owtyn ende

(8)

1TThan axed he yf folk that here be ded

Han lyfe and dwellyng in a noper pla ceAnd a fi rican sayd gee with ou tyn any drede

And how owr’ present worldys lyv ys space

Ment but a maner deth what we traceAnd rygh tfu ll folk shall goo a ftyr they dye

To heven and sh ewith h ym G alaxie

PAR - TEXT 53PARLAMENT or FOULES . LAUD MS 4 1 6 . 5

(5)

This boke Of'whi ch I make of‘ Imencion

Entitled wa s here a s I shall tell

Tullius of1 the dreme of‘ Scipion

Chapiters v ij ythad of1 bevyn hall

And erth e and sowlia ther- in duell

Of'wh ich a s shortly a s I can yttrede

Of'h is sentence I wylle yow seyn p° grete

(6)

Fyrst tellyth ytwhan Scipion w a s come

In a fferyk'how he metyth ma ssanys

That h ym for ioy in Armys hath enome

Than tellyth he her speche of’ the blys

That wa s bytwyx hem till patday gan mys

And how h is a u ncetre Affrycan son d ere

G an in h is slepe that night tyll h ym appere

(7)

Than tellyth he that from a sterry place

How a ffrykan hath h ym cartage sh ewid

And w a rnyd bym byforn) Of‘ a ll h is gra ce

And seid h ym what mav lerid or lew id

That lov yth comyn profyte well eth ewid

He sh u ld in- to a blysfu ll place wend

Ther’ a s loy is with - ou tyn eny end

(8)

Than a skyd he if'folk' that here ben ded

Have lyf‘| and du ellyng in A - noth ir place

Affrycan seid ye with - owtyn dred

And h ow'

ou re present lyfi s space

Ment but A maner d eth what wey we tra ce

And righ tfull folk' shall gon) after they dyeTo bevyn and sh ew id bym the ga loxie

54 PAIL - TEXT6 PARLAMENT or rooms . E h . 4. 1 2, GAMER . UNIV. u s e .

(9)

1TThan sh ewith he h ym the lityll orthe pathere is

At the regard of h evynsqu antiteAnd a ftyr sh ewith he bym the .ix . sperys

And a ftyr that the melod ic herd he

That comyth of thilk sperys th ryse thre

That wellys of musik be and melodye

In thys world here and cause of armonie Tw as;

(10)

1TThan said he sythe erth e w as so lite

And full of turment and of hard grace

That he no sh u ld bym in thys world dolite

Th an told he bym that in certayn gerys space

That euer sterre sh u ld cu mme into h ys place

Ther he w as first and a ll sh u ld out of myu d

That in thys world is done of a ll man kynde

(1 1)

1TThan prayed he h ym G ipion to tell h ym a ll

Th e way to come into that h eu only blysse

And he said1 know first thyself immortafl

And loke a y besily that thow wiroh e wysse

To comyn profette and thow shall not mysse

To cu m swyftly vu to that place d ere

That swete of blysse is a nd sow lys clere

(1 2)

1I But brokers of the law s the soth e to sayne

And licorous folk aftyr' they be ded e

Shull wh yrld abowtthe world alway in payne

Tyli many world be passyd out of drodoAnd then for- 3eu en a ll ther wykydl d ed e

Than sl ‘u ll they comyn to that blysfu ll place

To which 3e come god 3e graunt h ys grace

PAR - TEXT 55PAR LAMENT or FOULES. LAUD MS 4 1 6 . 7

(9)

Than sh ewid he bym the lytill erth e pathere is

At the reward ofi the h ev ynsqu antyteAnd aftyr sh ewid he h ym the ix speris

And a ftyr that pe melody hard he

That comyth of‘ thilk'speris th ryes thre

That wollis of mv syk‘ bene 85 melody

In this world here cawse of'Armony

(10)

Than seid he bym syn erth e w as so lyte

And full of‘ turment Of‘ herd grace

That he no sh u ld in this world delyte

Than told he h ym in short yoria space

That every sterre sh u ld come in - to h is place

Ther ytwa s first and a ll sh u ld out Of'mynde

That in this world is done of‘ a ll man- kynde

(1 1 )

Than pra ide h ym Scipion) to tell h ym a ll

The wey to come in—to that b evyn blys

And he seid first know py- self‘ in -morta ll

And loke ay besyly that pou woroh e a nd wysse

TO comvne profytand pou shalt not myssa

to come swyftly in- to that place d ere

that full of'blisse is of‘ sowlis clere

(12)

but brokers Of‘ p° law soth e to seyne

And lycorow s folkl after that they be ded

shull wh yrle abowte p" world All - wey in poyu e

Tyll many a world be pa ssid out of'd red

and than for-yevyn a ll her wyokyd ded e

Than shull they come ln- to patblisfu ll place

To whi

ch to come god p°send h is grace

56 ra n -m r

8 ra nmmmr or FO ULES. Eh . 4. 1 2, GAMER .

(1 3)

ifTh e day gan faile and th e dork nyght

That rov yth bostys from ther besinosse

bo- rafi o me my boko for lak of lygh t

And to my bod I gan me forto dresse

ffu lfi llyd of th owgh tand bosy h ou ynosse

fl’

or both I h a d thyng which I nold

And eke I no had that th ynge tha t I wold

(1 4)

ll But fina lly my spirito at th e las t (1047 95. ba ck]h

'

or-wery of my labo u r a ll that da yTo rest that mad e me slope w ondre fast

And in my slope I met as that I la yHow affrica n rygh tin the self aray

That C ipioh h ym sawgh by- foro tha t tyde

Wa s comme and stode rygh tat my bed syd e

(1 5)

ll The wery hunter slepynge in h ys bedde

To wod e agene h ys mynd goth anone

The Inge dromvth how h ys plee h ym sped de

The cartan’ dromyth how h ys ca rtis gone

The riche of gold the knygh tfygh tyth with h ys

The syke motyth how he drynkyth of the tu nne

The lover motyth he hath h ys lady wonne

(1 6)

ii C an I not sey if tha t the cause were

For I h a d raddo of afl'

rioan by- forne

That made me to motto tha t stod e th ere

But thys said he thow has t the so well borne

In lokynge of myn old bokis to- torne

Of which ma croby th owgh tnota liteTha t sumwh atof thy la bou r wold Iqwite

PAIL - TEXT 57PAR LAMENT or rounxs . 4 1 6 . 9

(1 3)

The day gan faylyn p° dork'night

That rovyth bestis from h er bu synos

bo - raft me my boke for lak'of' light

And to my bod I gan mo for tO dros

Fu ll fyllid of' thought and besy h ov ynos

For bothe I h ad thyng which patI nold

And eke I no had tha t thyng patI wold

(1 4)

But fyna lly my spryte at p° las t

For-wery Of'my labou r’ a ll patday

Toke res t th at mad e me to slope fast

And in my slepe I met as patI layHow a ffrycan in that self‘ Aray

That Scipion bym saw by—for‘ that tyd e

Was come and stod e right at my h edd is sid e

(1 5)

The very hunter slepyng in h is bed

To wood agayne h is mynd goth Anon

The Ing ge dremyth h ow h is plois ben sped

Th e carte r dromyth how h is carte s gon

Th e rych o of‘ gold p" knygh tfight with h is foh

The syke met he hath dronk‘ of'pe ton

Th e lovar mothe hath his lady won

(1 6)

kan y not seyn yf' that th e caw sis w er’

For I h ad red Of‘ affrycan be- forn)

That mad e me to mote pa the stod e thor’

but thus se id he pou has t p"so w e ll born) M ass.

In lokyng of'myn Old boko to- torn)

Of'which macroby rought notA lyte

Tha t somdol of‘ thy labour‘ wold I quyte

58 PAR - TEXT10 PARLAMENT or room s. E h . 4 . 1 2, GAMER . UNI V.

(1 7) [Invocation.]

17 C ith erea thow blisfu fi lady swete

That with thy fi rebrond d awntystwhom thow lyst

That ma dystme thys sweu yn forto mete

Be thow myfi help in thys for thow maist best

As w isly a s I sey the north northwest

Whan I be gan my sweu yn for to write

So 3eue me mygh tto ryme and eke endite

(1 8) [T he Story ]

17 Thys forsa idl a ffrican me hent anone

And forth with bym to a gate browgh t Lleaf 96 ]

R ygh tof a parke wa llyd with grene stone

And ouer the gate with letters large I -wrowgh t

Ther were verse I -writyn a s me th owgh t

On eth yr half of full gret d ifferenceOf which I sh a ll gow tell” the playne sentence

(1 9)

ifTh orowgh me men gone into that blisfu lzl place

Of bertis hele and dedely wowndis cure

Thorow me men gone to the well of grace

There grene and lusty may sh aH euer endure

Thys is the way to a ll good aventure

Be gla dde thow rederi’ and thy sorow of cast

AH opyn am I passe in and epede the fast

(20>

11 Th orowgh me men gone than spoke the oder syde

Vnto the mortali strokis of the spere

Of which d isd ayne and d a u nger is the gu ydeThere neuer tre shali fru te ne leu es h ere

Thys streme 3OW ledyth into the sorowfu l-l were

There a s the fi ssh e in prison is a ll d rie

Th esch ewyng is only the remedy'

60 PA IL - TEXT12 PAR LAMENT or FOULES . E h . 4 . 1 2, GAMER . LIBR.

(21 )

1TThys verse of gold and blak Iwrityn were

The which I gan a stou nyd to be - holde

ffor with that one ay encresyd my fere

And with that other be - gan myn hert bolde

That one me bette that oth yr me colde

N00 W itt h ad I for errou r for to cheseTo entre or fi een or me to saue or lese

(22)

1Tfi'

or rygh ta s I by-twyx a damantis

Of eu yn mygh ta pese of erne setteNe hafe no mygh tto moene to ne fro

fi'

or that one may hale that other lette [leaf 96,

fi erd I that nystwhither me w a s bett

To entre or leve tyll aflfi can my gu yde

Me hent and chofe in att the gatis .wyde

(23>

1TAnd said hit stant writyn in thy face

Th yr‘

i errou r th owgh thow tell it not to me

But drede the not to cu mme into thys place

fi'

or thys writynge is no th ynge ment by the

Ne by none but he lullis seru a u ntbe

fi'

or thow of love hast lost thy tast I gesse

As a sih man hath of swete and bittirnesse

(24)

1TBut nathelesse a ll th owh pou be dulle

3itthat pou canst not do gitmaist pou see

fi b r many a man that may not stande a pull

3itlikyth h itbym at wra stlynge for to be

And demyth git'wh ei’ he do bet or he

And pou h ad istknowynge tendite

I shall th e shew mate? of to write

PARLAMENT OF FOULES. LAUD

(21 )

Thise versis of'gold and blak'ywretyn were

The which I gan Astonyed to be hold

[End ofMS atlea st1 1 lea ves a re torn out]

PAR .man 6 1

4 1 6 . l 3

62 PA IL - TEXT1 4 PAR LAMENT or room s. 1rh . 4 . 1 2, GAMER . u se .

(25 >

1TWith that myn bond in h ys toke he anone

Of which I comfort cawt and went in fast

But lord so I w a s glad a nd well be - gone

For ouer a ll where myn eyne pa tI cast

Were treys clad with leu ys that ay shall last

Eche in kynd of colou r fressh e and grene

As emera u dl that ioy w a s to sene

(26)

ifThe bilder oke and eke the worthy a ssh e

The piler elme the cofre vnto carione

The boxtre piper h olme to wh ippys la ssh e

The sa ilynge fyrr’

cipresse deth to pleyne

The sh eter ev y the aspe for ch a ftis playn e

The olyu e of pese and eke the dronk v yne

The victou r palme the lawrer to dyu yne [leaf 97] 1 82

(27)

1TA garden sawgh I full of blossu mmy bowes

Vpon a ryu er in a grene mede

Ther’ a s that sw etnesse eu ermore Inow is

Of fi owrys what blew gelow and rede

And cold well stremys no-th ynge d ede

That swymmyn full of smale fi ssh ys lygh t

With fynys rede and scales silu er brygh t

(28)

ifOn eu ery bowgh the byrd is berdi I syng

With v oyse of angel'

l in her a rmonye

S u m besyed hem byr byrd is forth to brynge

The lytyll conyes to ther play gan hye

And farther a ll abowtI gan a spie

The dredfu ll roo be buk p

° hert p" hyndeSq rellis and bestis of lovys kynde

PAR - TEXT 64PAR LAMENT or room s. Hh . 4 . 1 2, GAMER . UNIV. L IBR . 1 5

(29)

ll Of instru mentis of strynggis in a - cord e

Herd I so play a ra u essh ynge sw etnesse

That god the maker of a ll and lorde

Ne herde neuer better a s I gesse

There-with a wynd v neth e itmygh tbe lesse

Made in the leu ys grene a noyse so softe

Accordant to the fowlys songe a lofte

1TThe a er’ of the place so attempred w a s

That neuer w a s the greu ance of hote ne cold

There w a s eke eu ery h olsu m Spice and gras

Ne there may no man there wax seke me old

3itw a s there icy more than a th owsand fold

Than eny man can tell ne neuer woldl it nygh t

But ay clere d ay to any mannys sight

(31 )

ll Vndyr a, tree besyde a w ell I say (leaf sv. ba ck]

Cupide owre lord h is a rows forge and fil e

And at h ys fote h ys bowe a ll redy la yAnd h ys dowgh ter tempred a ll pis while

The hedis in the well in byr wyle

She cowch yd hem aftyr they sh u ld serue

Sum for to fi e and su m for to wownd and kerne

(32)

ii Thoo wa s I ware of plesa u nce anone ryght

And of aray and love and cu rtesie

And of the crafte that can and hath the mygh t

To done by force a white to done folye

D isfu gu ratw a s he I wyll not lye

And by bym self vndir an oke I gesse

Sawe I d elice patstode by Iantilnesse

66 PAR - TEXT1 6 PAR LAMENT or room s. R h . 4 . 1 2

,GAMER .

(33)

ll I sawgh beawte with outyn atyre

And yowth fu ll of myrth and of iolite

fi'

oleh a rdinesse and flatery and desire

Messa u ge and med e and other thre

Her namys shall nothere be tolde for me

And vpon pilers a spere longe

I saw a temple of brasse I - fowndyd stronge

(34)

l l A -bowte the temple d a u nsyd a ll way

Women I -now of wh ich su m ther were

fi'

a ire of them self and sum of hem wer gay

In kyrtles all dysch eu eled went they there

That w a s byr office a ll way 3ere by gere .

And on the temple of doves white and fayre

Sa h I sitmany a th owsand payre

(35)

ifBy- fi

‘

ore the temple dore fu ll sobrelyD ame pease sett with a cu rteyne in byr hond

And by byr Side wondyr discretlyDame pa cience sittynge there I fond

With face pale vpon an h yll of sond

And all- ther‘ next with - Inne and with - owt

Byh estand art and of byr folk a rowte

(36)

ifWith - in the temple with s ikes hote a s fire

I herd a swouth that gan a -bowtrenne

Wh ich sikes were engendryd by desire

That made eu ery autour for to brenne

Of new flawme and well a spied I thenne

That a ll cause of sorowys that they drye

Come of the bitter goddesse Ielosie

PAR n TEXT 68

P .\R LAMENT or room s. 1ih . 4 . 1 2, GAMER. UNIV. LIBR. 1 7

(37)

1TThe god priapus sawgh I a s I went

With in the temple in sou era yfi place stonde

In suche aray a s whan the asse bym shent

With crye by nygh t and with h ys ceptro in honde

fi'

u ll besily men gone assay and fonde

Vpon h ys hede to sett of su ndre hewe

Garlandie full of fressh e fi owrys newe

(38)

ll And in a priu ey corner in disporte

ffynd I venu s and byr porter richesse

That w a s full noble and h a u tefi of byr porte

Derk w a s that place but aftyrw ard lygh tnesseI sawe a lite v neth e it mygh tbe lesse

And on a bedde of gold sh e la y to rest

Tyll that the hote sunne gan to west

(39)

1THyre gylt h erys with a gold th rede

a reyd en vntrossyd a s sh e lay

And nakyd fro the brest to the hed e

Men mygh tbyr see and soth ely for to sayThe remanent cou erd well vuto my pay

Right with a su btell cou erch efl'

e of valence

Ther wa s no th ikker cloth of noo defence

(40)

ll The place gaf a th owsandis sa u owrs swete [ Zeaf 98, ba a /r!

And Bachus god of wyne satt h yr be syd e

And Ceres next that doth of hungre bote

And a s I said a myddis lay Cupid e

To whom on kneys two yong folk per cryed

To bym her helpe but thus I latt h yr lye

And farther in the temple I gan a spie

ODD TEXTS. 2

70 PA IL - r ams

1 8 PAR LAMENT or room s. 11h . 4 . 1 2, CAMBR . UNIV.

(4 1 )

ll That in despite of Diane the chastffu ll many a bow I - h roke h ynge on the wall

Of ma ydyns swych a s gan h yr tymys wast

In h yr seru ice and payntyd ouer a ll

Of many a story of which I towch e sh a llA fewe as of Calixte a nd Atlante

And many a maydo of wh ich the name I wante

(42)

1TSemiramns candate and hercules

Biblis D ido tisbe and piramu s

Tristram l sou d parys and achilles

Elyn cleopatre and troilus

Cil la and eke the moder of romulu s

A ll theys were pa ynted on patoder syde

And a ll byr love and in what plite they dyed

(43)

ll Whan I w a s cu m agayne v nto the place

That I of spake that w a s so swete a nd grene

fi’

orth w a lkyd I my selu en to solace

Tho wa s I ware where that satt aqweneThat of lygh t the somer sonne shene

Pa ssyd the sterre rygh tso ouer mesure

The fayrer was than any creature

(44)

ll And in a land Vpon an h yll of fi owrys

Wa s sett thys noble godd esse Nature

Of brawnch ys were her h awles and byr bowrys

I -wrowte aftyr h yr crafte and byr mesure [leaf 99 ]

Neth yr wa s fowle that cummyth of engendure

That there ne w a s prest in h yr presence

To taken h vr dome and ge fe byr audience

74 PAR c TEXT

20 PA RLAMENT or F OULES. 1zh . 4 . 1 2, GAMER. UNIV. LIBR .

(49)

1TThe gentyll fawcone that with fete distreynyth

The kyngys honde the hardy spa rh awke eke

Theqwa lys fro the merlion that peynythbym self full ofte the lark forto seke

There w a s the d owne with byr eyne meke

The Ielowse swanne agensth ys d eth that syngyth

The owle eke that of d eth the bode bryngyth

(50)

1TThe crane pe

gya u ntwith h ys tru mpys soun

The th efe pech owgh and eke the ianglyng pie

The skornyng Ia ye the eglys foo h erou ne

The fals laywynk full of trech erye

The stare that the counsell doth a scrie

The tame ru ddok and the coward kyte

The cok p" horloge of th orpis lite

(5 1 )

ll The sparow venu e sonne the nyghtyngale

That clepyth forth the fressh e leu ys new

The sw a low moder‘ of the fowles smale

That maken hony of flowrys fressh e of h eW

The w eddyd tu rtyl with h ir hert trew

The pecok with h ys angell fedyrs brygh t

The fesa u ntscorner of the cokke be nygh t

(52)

ll The wakyr gose the cokkow euer vnkynde

The popyniay full of d eleca cyThe d rake stroyer of h ys owne

The stork wyrker of a v owtryThe hote cormera u ntof glotenyThe ra vyns and the crowys with byr voice of care

The th ru stell old and the frosty feldfa re

PAR LAMEN’

I‘ OF FOULES . 4 . 1 2, CAMBR .

(53)

What sh u ld I say of fowlys eu ery kynd

[R estof th e MS gona ]

PA IL - TEXT 76LIER. 21

THE TWO D IFFERING VERSIONS

Gilgaua r’

é mlogue in

650011 Women.

The earlier version from MS Gg. 4. 27, C ambr. Univ. Libr. ,the later version from MS Fairfax 1 6 , Bodleian Library .

ma rks lines not in th e other text.

m a rks lines in th e other text, bu tmateria lly a lterd .

fmarks lines in th e other text less materially a lte rd.

Unma rkt lines a re in both texts (th o'

sometimes very sligh tlychanged ).

[Elite fi rolugutto

the Mamba of flinch M omma ]

[C ambr. Univ. JVIS Gg. 4 . 27, leaf 445]

A F at. tines. G g . h’

.

TTh ou sentsyth is haue I herd men telle 1 1'

That there is o e in h eu ene peyne in helle‘

l‘

And I a—cord e w el that it be so 31 3

But nath eles this wit I ’ wel a lso 4 [1 w itI corrected]

tTh atthere ne is non that dwellyth2In this cu ntre 51‘

That eyth ir hath in helle or h eu ene I - be Pl ow .) 6

Ne may of it non oth ere w eyis wytyn 7

But a s he hath herd seyd or fou nde itwrytyn 8

ffor by asay there may no man it preus 9

l Butgoddis forbod e but men schulde leu e 101'

Wel more thyng than men han seyu with eye 1 1

Men schal nat w enyn eu ery thyng alye 12

§ ffor that he say it natof gore a -

go l 3 §

§ G od wot a thyng is neuere the lesse so l 4 §Thow eu ery wygh tne may itnat I se

e com ]

Bernard the monk ne 3 say nat a l pa rde 1 6 1 33121

3233310"

Th anne motyn we to bokys that we fynd e 1 7

Th ou rw Wh ich e that old e th yngis ben4 In mynde [

i I com ]

And to the doctryne of these olde wyse 1 9

3eu yn credence5 In eu ery

6skylfu l wyse [5 1 , “sky , com ] 20

§And trowyn on these olde aprou ede storyis 2l §Of h olynesse of regnys of v ictoryis 22

Of loue of hate of others su nd ery th yngis 23

Of Wh ich e I may nat make reh ersyngys 24

And If that old e h okis w eryn aw eye 25

I—loryn were of remembrance the keye 6

§Wel ou3te v s th anne on old e bokys lene 27

§ There a s there is non oth v r a - say be preu eq8 §

[F a irfa x 111 8 1 6, leaf

(n is printed for nl.)

1TTh e prologe of .ix. goodeWymmen.

Fm. linen.

th ou sande tymes I haue h erd telle f

ther ys o i nbenene and peyne in helle

and I acord wel that it ys so 1'

4lButneth eles yet wot I wel also 1‘

5Tthat ther is noofi d u ellyng in this contree 1‘

6 That eyth ir hath in h eu ene or in helle y-be

7 Ne may of hit noon other weyes witen

8 but a s he hath herd seyd e or found e it writer”

)

9 for by assay ther may no man it preve

l O‘

I‘Bu tgod forbede but meh sh u ld e leve

l l Wel more thing then men han seen with eye

1 2 Men shal not w enen eu ery th ing a lye

1 3 § But yf h im - selfe ytseeth or elles dooth

1 4 § For god wot thing is neuer the lasse sooth

1 5 Th ogh eu ery Wight ne may itnat y- see

1 6 Bernard e the monks ne saugh nat a ll pa rd eeMgegcnhadghlgn1 7 Than mote we to bokes that we fynde

“a“m m“

1 8 Th u rgh which that olde th inges ben in mynde

1 9 And to the d octrine of these old e wyse

20 Yeve credence in eu ery skylfu l wise

21 § That tellen of these olde appreu ed stories

22 of h olynesse of R egnes of victories

23 of loue of hate of other sondry th ynges

24 of w h ich e I may not maken reh ersynges

25 And yf that olde.

bokes were a - wey

26 Y—lorne were of R emembra u nce the key

27§ 1Ve1 ought v s th anne h onou ren and beleve

28 §Th cse bokes there w e han nooh other prevo § 28

26 PR OLOGUE TO THE m omma. GAMER . MS Gg. 4 . 27 .

F ar. li. Ga . (5.

§And a s for me thow that myn w ith e lite 29 §On bokys 1 for to rede I me d e lyte [ 1 y com ] 30

And in myn herte haue hem in reu erence 32

§ And to hem 3eue swich lust swich credence 3 1 § 32

§ That there is w el onethe game non 33§That from myne bokys make me to gon 34

§ B utit be oper vp- ou the haly d ay 35 §

§ O r ellis in the Ioly tymc of may 36§ 36

§Whan that I here the smale fou lys synge 37 §And that the fi ou ris 2 gyune for to sprynge

3 [23 232354 4 4

§ lfa rw el myn stodye a s la stynge patsesou n 39 § [1f 4 15 , bk]

§ Now haue I th crto this condycyou n 40 40

That 4: of alle th e fi onris in the mede atcom ] 4 1

Th anne loue I most these fi ou rys white rede 42

Swych e a s men calle d ayesyis in ou rs toun 43

To hem haue I so gret a fi'

ecciou n 44

A s I seyde erst whan comyn is the mav 45

That in myn bed there d aw ith me no day 46

That I ne am v p w a lkynge in the mede 47

‘

i’

To sen these flow -is a - gen the sunne to sprede 48i 48

§Wh an i tvp ryseth be the morwe schene 49“c‘

Th e longe d ay thus w a lkynge in the grene

9°

And whan the su nnc be -

gynnys for to weste 6 1 §

§ Th anne closeth it draw ith it to reste 62§ 52

§ So sore it is a—ferid of the ny3t 62

“Til on the morwe that it is dayis lygt

28 PR OLO GUE TO THE LEGENDE.

§ This d a yeseye of alle flou ris flour

l fl'

u lfyld of vertu of alle honour

And e u ere I - like feyr frosch lof hewe

§ A s w el In wyntyr a s in somyr newe1

§ d’

ayn wolde I preysyn If I coude a - ryht

*But w e is me it lyth nat in myn mygh t

l ffor w el I wotthat folk han here be—forn

Of makynge ropyn la d a -wey the com

I come aftyr glenynge here ther

And am fu l glad if I may fynde an er

l Of ony goodly word that they han laft‘

i‘

And If it happe me reh erse eft

GAMER. MS 09 . 4 . 27.

53§54+ 56

55

56§ U—J corrected]67§66*

731‘

74

75

76

77 1‘

781”

l Th atthey h an 2 In here frosch e songis said 791'

F l oor-ree led)§ I hope that they wele nat ben e u ele a -payed

§ Sithe it is seyd in forth eryng 85 honour

§ Ofhem that 3 eyth ir sernyn lef or flour

§ ffor tru styth w el I ne haue nat vndyr- take

SAs of the lef a - gayn the flour to make

§Ne of the flou r to make a - geyn th e lef

N0 more than of the corn a—gen the shef

ffor a s to me is lefere non ne loth ere

I am w ith olde gitwith neuer noth ire

I notho seru yth lef ne who the flour

§ That nys noth yng the entent of myn labour‘

i‘

llor this werk is a l of a -noth yr tu nne

l Of old story er swich strif wa s bc—g unne

But wh erfore that I spak to gene credence

l To bos olde don h em reu ercnce

80§ 68

8 1 §

82§ [3 e coy-r .)

1 88 § 72

1 89 §

1 90

1 9 1

1 92 76

1 93 [leaf 4 16]

1 94§

1 95i“

1 96l 80

PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE. FA IR FAX MS 1 6

alHire chere is pleynly sprad in th e brightnesss*Of the sonne for ther ytw ol v nclose*Allas that I ne h a d englyssh ryme or prose [see 66 G a ]

5 9 § S u ffi santthis flour to preyss a - rygh t

*But helpeth ye that h an konnyng and mygh t‘ 68

*Y e lovers that kan make of Sentment”5

*In this case ogh tye be diligent*To forth ren me somwh atin my labour*Wh eth ir ye befi with th e leef or with the flour 72

6 1‘

l‘

for w el I wot that ye han her- biforne “

l”

62 of makynge rcpen and la d awey the com e

63 and I come after glenyng here a nd there

64 and am fu l glad y'f I may fynde an ere

65i Of any goodly word that ye han left‘

66l And th ogh ithappen me reh ercen eft

67l Th atye han in your fressh songes sayed e

68 § F or~bereth me and beth not eu ele apayede

69 § Syn that ye see I do ytin the honour

70§ of love and eke in seruice of the flour“i Wh om that I serve a s I have witte or mygh t* Sh s is the clerenesse and the verray lyght‘ 84

*That in this d erke worlds me wyntand ledyth*The hert in w ith my sorwfu ll brest yow dredith*And lou eth so sore that ye ben v errayly*The ma istresse of my witte a [nd] no

1 thing I* [1 MS a lterd ]*My words my werkes ys knytso in youre bond 89

*That a s an harpe obeieth to the bond*That maketh it sovne after h is fyngeryng

'

e

"R ygh tso mowe ye outs of myn hert bringe*Swich vois rygh ta s yow lystto laughs or pleyfl*Be ye my gide and lady sou ersyfi

*As to myn erth ely god to yowe I ca lls“Bothe in this werke a nd my sorw es alle if 96

97 But wh erfore that I spake to yiv e credence

981‘ To old e stories and doon hem reu

’

erence

30 PR OLO GUE .To THE LEGENDE. GAMER. MS 09 . 4 . 27

F ar. Ii.

§ Is for men schulde a u toritcis be - leu e 9 9§

§ There a s there lyth non oth yr a - say be pre u e 100§ 84‘l‘ fi

‘

or myn entent is or I fro 30W fare*The nakede tixtin englis to declare*Ofmanye a story or ellis of manye 1 a geste 9‘

[1 manye eorr .]

"‘A s a u tou rys seyn leu yth h em If 30W leste 88

§ VVh an passed wa s almost the monyth of may 1 08§ 89

§ And I h a dde romed a l the somerys d a y 1 80§*The grene med ew e of which that I gow tolde

§ Vp~on the frosch e d ayseie to be—holde 1 82§ 92

l‘

And that the sonne out of the sou h tgan weste 1 971"

§ And cloth ede w a s the flou r gon to rests 1 98§

tfi'

or derknese of the nyh tof which sche dra dde 1 991'

Horn to myn h ou s fu l swiftly I me spa dde 200

And in a lytyl erber that I haue 203“

l‘I -bench ede news with tu rwis frorsch e 2I- grawe 204+mom -

J

I bad 3 men schulde me myn couche make 205

!for d eynte of the new s somerys sake 206 100

I bad hem strowe fi ou ris on myn bed 207

VVh an I wa s layd h a dd e myn eyen h id 208‘

l’ I fel a - slepe with - Inns an our or two 2091

lMe mette h ow I wa s in the medew e tho 210+ 104

*And that I romeds in that same gyse ale

§ To sen that flour‘

a s 3s h an herd d enyse 212§ 4. .i da ieseye

*ffayr'

wa s this medewe a s th ou gte me 011 67 8 1

1‘With flou ris sote 5 enbrou ditw a s it a l 5 —5 corn ]

1‘As for to speke of gomme or erbe or tre 121 1

"

109

C ompa risou n may non I -makede be 1 22

(for i t su rmou ntede pleyn ly alle odours 1 23

TAnd of rych e beute alle flou rys 1 241 1 12

fi‘

orgetyn h a dde the erth e h is pore este t 125

‘

l‘

Ofwyntyr that bym nakede made mat 1 26+

TAnd with h is swerd of cold so sore.

badde greu ydl 10446.bk]

PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE. F A IRFAX MS 1 0.

G a h'

nes.

83§And that men mosten more thyng beleve

84§ Thenmay seen at e igh e or elles preve*That shal I seyh wh anne th at I see my tyms*I may not atton

'

es speke in ryme*My besy gost that trusteth a lwey newe"‘To seen this flour so yong so fressh of hewe" C onstreyned me with so gledy desire*That in myn herte I feele yet the fire"That made me to ryse er ytwer d ay

89 §And w a s now the firsts morwe ofMay*With dredfu l hert a nd glad deu ociofi*for to ben at the resu recciofi*Of this flour whah ytsh ulde v nclose*Agay11 e the sonne that roos a s red e a s rose*That in the brest w a s of the bests that d ay*That a—genores dogh tre ladd e away

*And dov ne on knes anoon rygh tI me sette*And a s I koude this fressh fi ou r I grette [lea f 84. ba ck)l knelyng alwey til it vnclosed w a s 1 17

"“Vpon the smal softe swots gras

lOB’

l’ Th atw a s with flou res swots enbrov d ed a l 1

'

*Of swich su etnesse and swich odour ouer al

1091'That for to speke of’ gomme or h erbs or tree 1

"

1 10 Comparison may noon y-maked bee

1 1 1 For ytsu rmou nteth pleynly alle odou res

1 1 21'An d of riche bea u te of fi ou res

1 1 3 For- geten had the erth e h is pore estate

1 1 4l Of wyntir that hem naked made a nd mate“

I“

l l 5lAnd with h is swerd of colde so sore greu ed‘

l‘

32 rnonoe u s TO THE LEGEND E. CAMBR . MS Gg. 4 . 27 .

F x Ji. Ca li .

‘

l‘Now h adde the tempre sonne a l that 1 releu yd 1 1 281

”

And cloth ede bym in grene al newe a - geyn 1 29

The smale fou lis of the seson fayu ("i—J com ] 1 30

“

l‘

Th atfrom the panter the net ben skapid2 1 3 1 1

”

[2 a corr.)

Vp-on th e foul ers that h em made a -w apid 1 32 1 20

In wyntyr distroyed badde hire brod 1 33

In h is d ispith em th ougte it d ede hem good 1 34

To synge of bym in here song despise 1 35

The foule ch erl that for h is cou eytyse 1 36

Hadde h em be -tra yed with h is sophistrys 1 37

This w a s h ere song the foulers we d efye 1 38

§ Some songyn on the bra u nch is clere 1 39 §

§ Of loue that.

o s It w a s to here 1 40§ 1 28

‘

l‘

In worsch epe in preysyng of hire make 1 41 1“

l‘

And of th e new s blysfu l somsrys sake 1 42+

TTh atsungyu blyssede be seyntv olentyn 1 451‘

“

l‘

Ath is d ay I ches 30W to be myn 1 461' 1 32

With oute repentynge myn herte swete 1 47

And th erwith a l here bekys gunne mete 1 48

§ The honour the humble obeysa u nce 1 49§ 1 35

And after 3 d edyn others obseru a u ncys 1 50[8 fter cow .)

§ R yh ton to loue to natures 1 5 1 §“So sche of hem to cryatu rys

at.*This song to h erkenyn I dede al myn entent

“for why I mette I wiste what they ment

m ons o on TO THE LEGENDE. F A IR FAX MS 1 6 . 33

G o. lines. Ex. lines.

1 101'

Now hath th atempre sonne all that releu ed ‘

l' 1 28

1 1 7§ That naked wa s and clad ytnew agayfi

1 1 8 The smale foules of the sesofi fayfi

l l 9l Th atof the panter and the nette ben scaped 1”

1 20 Vpon the fow eler‘ that hem made a—wh aped

1 21 In wynter and distroyed badde hire broods

1 22 In h is dispite hem th ogh te ytdid h em goode

1 23 To synge of bym and in hir songe d ispise

1 24 The fou ls ch erle that for h is eov sytise

‘ 1 25 Had hem be trayed with h is sophi strys

1 26 This w a s hire songe the foweler’ we d sfi'

ye

1 27§ And a l h is crafts a nd somme songen clere

1 28 § Layes of love that o s itw as to here

1 29l In worsh ipynge and in preysinge of hir make‘

l‘

l 30lAnd for the news blisfu l somers sake ”

l“

*Vpor‘

1 the braunches fu l of blosmes softe*In hire delyt they turned hem fu l ofte

1 31 l And songen blessed be seyntv a lentyne

l 32’

l‘

F or on h is d ay I ch ess yow to be myne

1 33 With~outen repentyng myfi hert swete

1 34 and th erwith —alle hire bekes gonnen meets

1 35 §Ysldyng honour and humble obeysa u nces

1 36 § To love and d iden hire others obseru a u nces

1 37§ That longeth o h - to love and to nature*C onstru eth that a s yow lyst I do no cure*And thoo that h a dde doch vnkyndnesse

*A s doeth the tyd if for new- fangelnesse [lea fSS]

*Besogh te mercy of hir trespa ssynge*‘And h umblely songe hire repentynge 1 5 6

*And sworsn on the blosmes to be trews‘ So that hire makes wolde vpon h em rews‘ And at the la sts maden hire acord“AI founds they d a u nger for a tyms a lord 1 60

*Yet pitee th u rgh his stronge gentil mygh t‘

*For- gaf and mad mercy passer‘

i rygh t'

*Th u rgh Innocence and ruled curtesys

onn rax'

rs. 3

34 PROLOGUE rro THE LEGEND E. GAMER. 1 13 org. 4 . 27.

36 PROLOGUE TO THE m os s e s . GAMER. 27.

R e . lines. G a . linea.

" Tyl at the la sts a larke song a - boue

se quod sh e the mygty god of loue”Lo gond he comyth I se h iss wyngis spreds

§ Tho gan I loke endelong the mede 21 1 §

§ And saw bym come in h is hond aqu ene 21 3 § 1 45

TC loth id in ryal abyte a l of grene 2141‘

A frette of gooldlsche badde next hyre her 21 5000com ]

And vP- ou that a whit corone sche h er 21 6 1 48

§With mane 2 fi ou rys I schal nat lye 21 7§ Pn corml

ifor a l the world ryh ta s the d ayseye 21 8

I - corou nede is with whi te leu ys lite 21 9

‘

l‘

Sw ich e were the fi ou rys of hire corene white 2201‘

1 52

l lfor of o perle fyn oryenta l 221 1“

[leaf 447]

Hyre white coroun w a s I -makyd a l 222.

fi'

or whichs the white coroun a - boue the grene

Mad e hire lyk a d ayseye for to sene

TOonsidered e ek the fret of gold a -boue

I - cloth ed e w a s this myh ty god of‘

loue‘l‘ Of silk I -brou dede fu l of grene greu ys

§ A ga rlond on h is b ed of rose leu ys" Stekid a l with lylye fi ou rys new s*But of h is face I can not seyn the hewe

§ ffor sekyrly h is face schon so bryhte*That with the glem a—stonede w a s the syh te

§ A fu rlongwey I myh te bym not bs -hold e

§ But at the laste in h ands I saw bym holde

Tho fery dartis a s the 3 g1eedys rede

PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE . FA IR FAX MS 1 6

9 6 Home to myn house fu l swiftly I me Sped*To goon to rests a nd erly for to ryse

106 § To seen this flour spreds a s I denyse

9 7 And in a litel herber that I have

9 8lth atbenched w a s turves fressh y- grave 1 204

99 I h a d mefi sh olde me my cov ch e make

100 For deyntee of the news somerss sake

101 I ba d hem strawen flou res oh my bed

102 Whah I w a s leyd e a nd h a d myfi eyefi h ed

103TI fel on slepe in with an h ou rs or twoo

104’

l’Me mette how I lay in th e med ewe thoo

1 44§And from a fer come w a lkyng in the med e

106 § To seen this flour that I love so and dreds

1 45 § The god of love and in h is h ands aqu ene1 461

’

And sh e w a s clad in real h abits grene

1 47 A fretof gold sh e h a d next her heer

1 48 And vpofi that a white corwne sh e .beer

1 49 §With flou rou ns smale and I shal nat lye

1 50 for a l the worlds rygh t‘a s a d aysye

212

1 5 1 Y - corovned ys with white leves lyte

1 52tSo were the fi owrou ns of hire corov ne white 1” 220

l 53l F or of O perle fyne oriental 1”

1 54 Hire white corov ne w a s I -maked a l

1 5 5 For which the white corov ne above the grene

1 56 Made hire lyke a daysie for to sene

1 57i Considered eke h ir fret of golds above

1 58 Y - clothed w a s this myghty god of love

1 591 In silks enbrou ded fu l of grene greves ‘

l'

1 60§ In with a fret of'rede rose leves 228

*The fressh estsyn the worlds w a s first bygonne [u se]

*His gilte here wa s corowned with a sonne9‘I - stede of golds for h eu ynesse and wygh t

1 63§ Th erwith me thoght‘ h is face shoon so brygh t§ 232

1 65 § That w el vnnsth es mygh tI h im beholds

1 66 And in h is h and s me thoght I saugh him holds

1 67 Twoo firy d a rtes a s th e gledes rede

38 PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE.

l'

And a u ngellych h yse wengis gan he spreds

And a l be that men seyn that blynd is he‘

l'

A lgate me th ou gte he mygte w el I se

fi br sternely 011 1110 he gan behold s

So that h is lokynge d oth myn herte colds

l And be the hond h e held the noblequ eneC orou ned with whit cloth ede a l in grene

So womanly so benygne so meke

GAMER. ms Gg. 4 . 27.

F at. It. Go. Ii.

2361”

1 68

237

2381‘

239

240

24l'

i‘

242

243

That in this world thow that men wold e sske 244

Half hire beute schuld e men natfynde

Tln on1cryatu re that formede is be kynd e

§ Hire name w a s 2Alceste the th ebonoyre

l l preys to god that eu ere falle sche fayre

fi or ne h adde confort been of h ire presense

I h a dde be ded with ou tyn ony defence

fl‘

or d red of louys w ordys h is chere

A s whan tyms is here a ftyr 3s schal here

111 By-hynd e this god of loue vp on this grene

I saw comynge of ladyis nynetene

ln ryal abyte a fu l esy pa s

And a ftyr h em come of w emen swich a tras

TTh atsyn that god adam made of erth e

§ The th redde part of wemen ne the ferth e

Ne wende I not by possibilite

THa ddyn suers in this world I -be

And trews of loue these w emen were ech on

Now whether w a s that a wondyr thyng or non

That ryh tanon a s that they gunne espys

This flour whichs that I clepe the d ayseye

fi'

u l sodeynly they styntyn alle atonys

And knelede a—doun a s i t were for the nonys*And aftyr that they w entyn in cumpas*D a u nsynge abou ts this flour an esy pa s

*And songyn a s it were in ca rolewyse*T h is balade whichs that I schal 30W denyse

245

2461“

[I on corr.)

276§ [2 A corra l

2771”1 80

278

279

280

28 1

2821“

283

28 t

285

286

287 §

288 Elf u u m

289 1"

1 92

290

29 1

293

294

295

a;

ra onoeu r. ro ra n LEGEND E. F A IRFAX MS 1 6. 39

00. lines. Fm. linen

l 68‘

l’And a u ngelyke h ys wynges saugh I spreds 1

' 236

1 69 And al be that men seyh that blynd ys h e

l 70l'Al-gate me thoght that he mygh t

‘ se

1 71 For sternely on me he gan byh olde

1 72 So that h is lcking dooth myn hert colds

1 73lAnd by the h ands he helde this noblequ ene T1 74 C orowned with wh ite and clothed a l in grene

1 75 So womanly so benigne and so meke

1 76 That in this world th ogh that men [wolde seke] 2441 77 [Half of hire bea ute sh u lde men] natfynde

1 78l In that formed ys by kynde"

I”

*‘An d th erfore may I seyh a s th ynketh me"This songs in preysyng of this lady frs

40 ra onoe un TO THE LEGENDE. GAMER . 1 13 0g. 4 . 27 .

(B a la de. l )

Hyd absalon thynne gilte tressis clere

Ester ley thow thyn meknesse a l a - doun

Hyde Ionath as a l thyn frendely manere

Penelope Marcia catou n

Mak of gea rs wyfh od no compa risou n

Hyde 3s goure beuteis Ysou ds Elene

§Alceste is here that a l that may destene

(2)

Thyn fayre body latit nat a - peere [l and 6 corr.) 256 210

La u eyne th ew Lu cresse of rome tou n 257

And Pollexene that beugte loue so clere 258

Ek Cleopatre with a l thyn pa ssiou n 259

Hide 3s goure trou th in loue ge a rs ronou n 260

And th ew 2tysbe that hast for loue swich peyne [2 y cm .)

§ Alceste is here that a l that may d esteyne 262§ 21 6

(3)

Herro . Did o . La odomya alle in fereEk Phillis h angynge for thyn d emophoun

And Canace espied be thyn chere

Y siph ile bytrayed with Ia sou n

Mak of genre trou th e in loue no best11 6 sou n

Nor ypermystre or Adriane ne pleyne

§Alceste is here that a l that may disteyne

§VVh an that this balade a l I- songyn w a s 270§ [zeafm ]

PROLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE. FAIR FAX MS 1 6 .

(Songe, or B a la de. 1 )

203 [Hyd Absolon thy gilte tresses clere]204 QTEster ley thou thy mekenesse al a -downe

205 Hyde Ionath a s a l thy frendly manere

206 Pena lopee and Marcia C atou fi

207 Make of you rs w ifh ode no comparysoun

208 Hyde ye yours bea utes Ysou ds and Elyens

209 §My lady comith that a l this may disteyne

(2)

210 ll Thy fa irs body latytnat appere

21 1 La vyne and thou lncresse of Rome tovne

21 2 And polixene that boghten loue so dere

21 3 And Cleopatre with a] thy pa ssyon

214 Hyd e ye your trou th e of love and you r renoua

21 5 And thou Tesbe that hast of love suche peyne

21 6§My lady comith that a l this may disteyne

(3) [In th e MS th is Sta nza follows l. 277]

21 7 11 Herro Dido laud omia a lle y- fere

21 8 And Phillis h angyng for thy Demophon21 9 And Canace espied by thy chere

220 Y siph ile betraysed with Ia sofi

221 Maketh of your trou th e neyth ir boost ne sov ne

222 Nor ypermystre or Adriane ye tw eyne

223 §My lady cometh that a l this may dysteyne 269

224§This balade may fu l w el y—songe fi be*A s I have seyd e erst by my lady free9“For certeynly a l thise mowe nat su ffi se*‘To apperefi wyth my lady in no wyse‘i‘F or a s the sonne wole the fire disteyne" So passeth a l my lady sou ereyne

1 79 § That ys so good so fa irs so d ebonayre §

l SOl‘ I prey to god that euer fa lls h ire fa irs "

l

“Vp- en the softe sote grene gras

They settyn hem fu l softely adoun 301

§ By orders alle in cumpas a lle in v erou n 300§“

l'

lfyrstsatth e god of loue 85 th anne thisqueens l i' [1 ne corr.)

With the white corone clad in grene 303 229

And sith yn a l the remenant by by 304

"

l'AS they were of d egre fu l cu rteysly 305+

TNe nata word w a s spokyn in that place 3061‘

“

l'

Th e mountenaunce of a fu rlongwey of2space 3071‘

§ I lenynge faste by v ndyr a bente [z ofcorn ] 308§Abod to knows what this peple mente 309

A s stills a s ony ston til at the la sts 310 236

l‘

Th e god of loue on me h is eye caste 31 1 1‘

“

l‘

And seyde ho restith there 81. I answ srdc 3 121‘

a to h is axsyngc whan that I bym herd e 3 1 31‘

44 ra cw cu a TO re s LEGEND E. GAMER. Ms Gg. 4. 27.

Fa ll. Ca li.‘

l’And seyd e sere ltam I cam bym ner 3 1 41’ 240

And sa lewed e h ym. qu od he what d ost thow h er

§ In myn presence that so boldely 3 1 6§l fl

'

or it were betters worth i trewely 31 71

§ A werm to come in myn syh tthan th ew 31 8§ 244

And why sere qu ad I a nd it lyke 30W 31 9

ffor th ew qu od he art th erto no - thyng able 320

*Myne seru a u ntis ben alle wyse honou rable

§ Thow art myn mortal fo me w a rreyest 322§ 248

And of mynne olde seru a u ntis thow mysseyst323

And h ynderysthem with thyn transla cyou n 324

TAnd lettistfolk to ban deu ocyou n 3251‘

To seru yn me h a ld istit folye 326

§ To troste on me thow mayst it natdenye 327§

Tiler in pleyn tixtitnedyth natto gloss 3281'

Thow hast translatid the roma u ns of the rose 329

That is an eresye a -

geyns myn law s 330

And makystwise folk fro me withdraws 331

*A1 1 d th ynkistin thyn wit that is fu l cole1

[l o om-r.)

*That he nys but a verray propre fole*That leu yth paramou ris to hard s hots

“Vel w etI ther by thow begynnystd ots*A s olde folis whan here sprytfaylyth w a s it]

*Th anne blame they folk wete nat what h em ea lyth

*Hast thow nat ma d in englys ek th e bok

§How that C risseyd e Troylis forsok 332§

§ In sch ewynge how that2w emen han don mis 2 333 §

*‘Bit nath eles answers me now to thisPM com ] 96

*Why noldistthow a s w el a - seyd goodnss*Ofw emen a s thow hast seyd w ekedenes*Wa s there no good matyr in thyn mynde*Na in alle thyne bokys ne cou d istthow nat fynde

9‘

*Su m story of women that were good e trews 3 [3 trews corr .)

“3is god wot .lx.

'

bokys olde news [m 556 F x -J 273

*Hast thow thyn self alle fu l of storyis grete"That bothe romaynys ek grekis trete

PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE. FA IR FAX MS 1 6

Ga lina .

2401'

And seyde it am I and come him nere

24 1 And sa lwed him quod he what dostow here

242§ So nygh myi‘

i ov ne flours so boldely 3 1 6

2431'Ytwere better worthy trewly 1

"

244§ A worme to negben ner my flour than thow §245 And why sire quod I and ytlyke yow

246 F or thow quod he art ther- to no - thing able*Ytis my relyke d igne a nd d elytablc

248§And thow my foo and a l my folks werreyest§249 And of myn olde servaun tes thow mysseyest

250 And h ynderesth em with thy transla ciofi

25 1 1‘And lettest folks from hire d eu ocior

‘

i

252 [To serven me and holdest it folye]253§ To serve love thou maist ytnatd enys

2541‘For in pleyne text with- outen nede of gloss 1~ 328

255 Thou hast [translated] the R oma u ncs of the rose

256 That is an heresys ayeins my laws

257 And makest wise folks fro me with-draws

265 §And of C reseyde thou hast seyde a s the lyste 332

266§That maketh men to wommen lasse triste

46 PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE. GAMER. Ms Gg.-4 . 27

F r . Ii.

**Of su ndery w emen whichs lyf that they ledd e 1“

aleAnd eu ere an h u nderede good e a - geyn on h adde

*‘This know ith god alle clerkis ekl l

‘

h atv syn swech e materis for to sek*W

'

hat seith Valerye Titus or C la u dyan

M’Vh atseith Ierome agayns Iou ynyan

*How clene mayd enys1 how trews wyu ys [ l a com ]

l How stedefa ste wedewys d u rynge alle here lyu ys 19

*Tellyth2 Ieteme that natof a fews [a h corn ]

115But I dar seyu an h u nd erede on a rewe

That it is pets for to red e rouths

The wo that they endure for here trou th e

§3 fi

‘

or to hyre loue were they so trews**That rathers than they wole take a news 3

*They chose to h e d ed in sundery wyse*And deiedyn as the story wele denyse*‘And some were brend some were cut the hals”‘And some dreynktfor thy woldyn notbe fals

“for alle kepid4 they here maydynh ed [4 pid corr.l

*Or ellis w edlek or here wedeweh ed*And this thing w a s nat kept for h olynesse

*But a l for verray vertu clennesse

*An d for men schulde sette on hem no lak

16And gitthey were h eth ene a l the pak*That were so sore a—d rad of alle schams [zeafm ]

*These olde wemen kepte so here name

*That in this world I trowe men schal natfynde 1‘

*A man that 5 coud e be so trowe kynde [see [5 tcorr

*A s w a s th e leste woman in that tyde it

*What scyth also the epistelle of Ou yde

*Of trews wyu ys of here labou r

hWh atvincent in h is estorya l myrou r

‘l'Ek a l to world of a u tou rys mayst tow here*Cristens h eth ene trete of swich matere*Itnedyth nata l day thus for to end ite

But gitI seye what eylyth the to wryte

Go. Iinec.

288§ that ben a s trews as euer was any steel

1 6 . 47

334

48 PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE . GAMER. MS 09 . 4 . 27 .

*The dra f of storyis forgets,

1 the corn (1 gets oorr.)9‘

§ Be seyntv enu e of whom that I w a s born 338§“lAl- thow thow reneyisthast myn lay 3361

‘

§ As others old e folys manye a d ay 337

§ Thow schalt repente it so that it schal h e sene 340§§ Thenne spak Alceste the worth yere queens 2 341 § [2 2nd ecorr .]

And seyde god rygtof genre cu rteysye 342

3s me tyn h srkenyn If h e can replys [3~ 343

lA - gayns these poyntys that ge ban to bym3mev id 3

A god ne schuld e not thus h een . a -

greu yd 345

§ But of h is d ed e he schal be stable 346

§ And th erto rygtfu l ek mercya h le 347

*He schal nat rygh tfu lly h is yrs wreke1“

*Or he haue herd the toth yr pa rtys speke*Al ne is nat gospel that is to gow pleynyd

*The god of loue h eryth manye a ta le I - feynyd

ffor in goure cou rt is manye a losenger 352

And manye aqu eynte totu lou r a cu sou r 353

§ That tabou ryn in goure eres many a thyng 354 §

§ ffor hate or for Ielou s ymagynyng 355 §

§ And for to ban with gou sum d a lya u nce 356§ 332

§ Enu ye I prere to god geu e hire mysch a u nce 358§

§ Is la u ender In the grete court alway 358§ffor ch e ne pa rtyth neyth ir nygh ne d ay 359

Out of the h ou s of Cesar thus seyth d a nte 360

§Who~so that goth a lwey sche mote w ants 36 1 §“

l'

Th is man to gow may wrongly h en a cu s ed 3501”

[UH 9, bk]

There a s be rygh tbym oughts ben sxcu sid 35 1

§ Or ellis sere for that this man is nyce 362§ 340

§ He may translate a thyng in no malyos 363 §

§ But for he v syth bokis for to make 364§

§And takyth non hed of what matere he take 365 §"Th erfore he wre t the rose ek 4 C risseyde (

4 i com ] 344

*Of innocence nyste what he seyd e

PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE. FA IRFAX MS 1 6.

00. lines.

"‘Of thyn answers avise the rygh tweel

31 4 15“

or th ogh thou reneyed hast my lay31 5 § As other wrecch es h a fi d oon many a day

31 3§ By seyntV enus that my moder ys

3 1 6§ If that thou lyve thou shalt rspenten th is

3 1 6§ So cruelly that it shal Wele be sene

3 1 7§ Thoo spake this lady clothed a l in grene

3 1 8 And seyde god rygh tof you rs cu rtesye

3 1 9 Ye moteh herken yf he can replys

6 34a

[lea f87 , l a ek!

3201‘

Agayns al this that ye haue to him meved 1” 344

321 A god ne sh olde nat be thus agreu ed

322§ But of h ys d eites he shal be stable

323§And th erto gracious and merciable1‘And yf ye nere a god that know en alle*Th anne mygh t

‘

ytbe a s I yew tellen sh a lle ”9

3371‘This mane to yow may fa lsly h en accused

338 Ther a s by right' h im oughts h en excused

328 F or in youre cou rts ys ma ny a losengeou r

329 And many aqu eynttotelere a ccu sou r

330§ That tabou ren in youre eres many a swen

331 § R ygh t' aftir hire ymagyna cion

332§ To have youre dal iance and for envie*Thise ben the causes and I shal not lye

333- 4§ Envie ys lau endere of the Court alway

335 For sh e ne parteth neither nygh tne day

336 Out of the house of Cesar thus seith dante

348

1“

6 356

nota

337§Who so that goe th algate sh e wol natwante §

340§ And eke pa ra u ntere for this man ys nyce

341 §He mygh tdoon yt gessyng no malice

342§ F or he v seth th yngss for to make

343 §Hym rekketh noght‘ of what matere he take

OD D TEXTS.

s 364

50 PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE. GAMER . Ms Gg. 4 . 27

Or bym w a s h odyn make th ilke twcys1

366Of su m persons durste itnot with seye 367

1k‘ lier he hath wrete manye a h ok er this

He me hath notdon so greu osly a -mys 369

To translate that old e clerkis wryte 370

TA s thow that he of ma leys wolde endyte 3711'

“

l'

D espitof loue badd e bym self I -wrou h t 3721‘ 352

This schu lde a ryghtwys lord ban in h is th ougt373

And notben lyk tyra u ntis of lu mbardye 374

§ That v synw ilfu lh sd tyrannys 375 §ffor he that kyng or lord is naturel 376 356

‘

l'

Hym oughts nat h e tyra u nt85 crewsl 377Tw a s, bk, line 20]A s is a fermou r to don the harm he can 378 [Ieaf 450, tine 19]

He mu ste th ynke it is h is lige man 379

"‘And that bym owith o verry dustee 1“

*S ch ewyn h is peple pleyn bsnygnete*And w el to beryu here excu sa cyou ns*And here compleyntys

2petyciouns

*In dnews tyms whan they schal it profre

This is the sentens of the ph ilys0ph re

A kyng to kepe h iss lygis in iu stiseWh ich ou ghtyn doute that is h is offi se

*And th erto is a kyng fu l d epe I - sworn*fi

‘

u l manye an h u nderede wyntyr here h e- forn

l‘

And for to kepe h is lordys h ir degre 3841“

A s it is rygh tand skylful that they be 385

‘

l‘

Enh a unsede and honou red most dere 3861" 372

ffor they h en half goddys in this world here 387

lTh is schal he don bothe to pore rych e 3881”

AI h e that here stat h e nat a - lychs 389

And b an of pore folk compa ssiou n 390 376

fi'

or lo the gentyl kynde of the lyou n 39 1

fi'

or whan a fi ys ofi'

endyth bym or h ytith 392 [u s a ble]He with h is tayl aw ey the fi ye smytyth 393

Al esyly for of h is genterye 394 380

Hym deynyth natto wreke bym on a fiye 395

52 PR OLOGUE TO THE LEG END E . CAMBR . Ms Gg. 4 . 27.

F r .

A s doth a. curre or ellis a—noth ir bests 396

In noble corage oughts ben a reste 397

TAnd weyen eu sryth by squits 3981‘

tAnd eu ere han reward to h is owen degre 3991”

fi‘

or sire it is no ni aystrye for a lord 400

To dampne a man with—outs answers or word 401

TAnd for a lord that is wol foul to v ss 4021”

TAnd If so be he may h ym nat ascuss 403 1"

TAxith mercy with a sorwsfu l herte 404 1‘

And profsryth bym rygh tin h is ba re scherte .405

To been rygh at goure owens I u gsment 406

Go. Ii.

382

388

392

Than ought a god by schort avisement 407 [le af 450. ba ck. 1. 1 6]

Considers h is owens honour h is trespa ce [Zeaf 449, ba ck, 1. 21 ]

!for sythe no cause of d eth lyth in th is cace 409

30W oughts to ben the lygh tere merciable 410

Lstith goure yrs beth sumwh attretable 4 1 1

The man hath seru yd 30W of hi s1 konnyg 412£1 ko com j

TAnd forth eryd goure laws with h is makyng 4 1 31‘

’*Wh il he w a s gong he kspte goure sstat 400

*I notwhere he be now a rsnagat2

[2 la statcm .)

§ But w el I wot with that he can endyte 4 1 4 §

THs hath makid lewede folk to d elyte 4 1 51”

To seru yn 30W in preysynge of goure name 41 6

He ma de th e bok that hights th e h ou s of fame 41 7

And eh th e deth of Bla u nch e the duchesss 4 1 8

And th e parlement of fou lis a s I gesse 4 1 9

And a l the loue of Pa lamon Arcite 420 408

Of thebes thow the storys is knows lite 421

And manye an ympne for thou r h a lydayis 422

That h igh tyn ba la dis rou nd slys v yrelayss 423

TAnd for to speke of oth yr besynesss [leaf 4501 4241‘

4 1 2

He bath in prose tra nslatid Boece 425

*And ofth e wrsch ede sngsndrynge ofmankynde*A s man may in pops innocent I - fynds

And ma de the lyf also of seyntCecile

He made also gon is°

agrstwhile

PR OLOGUE TO THE LEG END E . FAIR FAX MS 1 6

Gou h'

nes.

382 A s dooth a curre or elles a nother best

383 In noble corage ought ben arest

384'I'And weyen eu ery thing by equ ytee 1'

3851‘And euer haue rewards v nto h is owen degree f

386 F or syr ytis no m a istrys for a lorde

387 To dampne a man without answers of words

388TAnd for a lord e that is fu l fou ls to v ss

3891'And it so be he may h ym natexcuse

3901‘But asketh mercy with a dredefu l herte

39 1 And profersth him rygh t‘ in h is bare sh erte

3 92 To ben rygh t' at your owen Iu gement

393 Than ogh ta god by short a v yssment

394 C onsydre h is owns honour and h ys trespa s

395 F or syth no cause of d ethe lyeth in th is caas

396 Yow ogh te to ben the lygh ter merciable

397 leteth youre Ire and beth su mwh attretable

398 The ma fi hath serv ed yow of h is kunnyng3991

'

And fu rth red wel yours laws in h is makyng‘

l‘

402§ A1 be hit that he kan natw el endite [lea f88, ba ck)403TY ethath he made lewde folks d elyte 1

‘

404 To serve yow in preysinge of your name now .

405 He made the book that hight‘ the h ou s of Fame 4 1 7

406 And eke the deeth of Bla u nch e the Du chesse407 And the pa rlement of fou les a s I gesse

408 And a l the love of Pa lamofi a nd Arcite

409 Of Thebes th ogh the storys ys knowen lyte

4 10 And many an ympne for your h a lydayes

4 1 1 That h igh tsfi balades roundels v irslayes

4 1 21‘

And for to speke of other h olynesse 1‘

424

4 1 3 He hath in procs translated Boece

41 6 And maade the lyfe also of seyntCecile

41 7 He made also goon ys a grete wh ile

54 PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGEND E. GAMER . MS cg. 4 . 27.

Orygsnes vp- on the m a u deleyne 428 4 1 8

Hym ou u gte now to haue the lesse peyne 429

He hath ma d manye a lay manye a thyng 430 420

Now as 3s ben a god ek a kyng 431

I goure alceste whilomqu ene of traceI axe 3OW this man rygh of goure grace 433

That 3s bym neuere h u rts in a l h is lyu e 434

TAnd he schal swers to gow that a s blyu e 4351“

fi l e schal no more agiltyn in this wyse 4361“

But he schal makyn a s 3s wele deu yse 437

Of wemen trews in lou ynge a l here lyu e 438 428

t r so 3s wele of maydyn or of wyu e 439 am mo,

And forth eryn gow a s meche a s he mysssyde

Or in the rose or ellis in crisssyde 441

TTh e god of loue answered e hire thus a -non 4421“

432

Madame quod he it is so longs a -

gon 443

That I 3OW knew so ch a rytable trews 444

That neuere gitsithe that the world w a s news 445

TTo me ne fond I neuere non beters than the 4461” 436

TTh atIf that I wele saue myn d egre 4471‘

I may ne wel not wa rns goure requests 448

TAJ lyth in gow d oth with h ym what 30W leste 4491"

TAnd a l for-geus with oute lengers space 4501‘

440

fi'

or who so geu yth a gifts or doth a grace 45 1

Do it be tyms h is thank is w el ts more 452

And demyth gs what he shal1 don th erfors 453 [l anai com ]

G o thanks now myn lady here quod be 454 444

I ros and d oun I sette me on myn kne 455

And seyd e thus mad ame the god a —boue 456

fi'

or-

gelde gow that 3s the god of loue 45 7

Han makyd me h is wrethe to forgeu e 458

And geus me grace so longs for to leu e 459

That I may know s soth ly what 3s be 460

‘

I’

Th ath an ms h olpyn put me in swich degre 46 11“

But trewely I wend e a s in this ca s [leaf 451] 462

Naught haue a - gilt nedon to loue trespa s 463

PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGEND E. F A IR FAX MS 1 6

00. lines.

4 1 8 Origenes vpon the Ma u deleyne

4 1 9 Hym oughts now to have the lesse peyne

420 He hath maade many a lay and many a things

421 Now a s ye be a god and eke a kynge

422 I your Alceste whilomqu ene of Trace423 Y asks yow this man rygh tof your grace

424 That ye him never h u rts in a l h is lyve

4251'And he shal sw ersfi to yow and that blyv e 1

’

4261“He sha l neuer more agiltsn in this wyse 1

‘

436

427 But [he] shal maken as ye wol denyse

428 Of wommen trews in lovyng a l hire lyfe

429 Wh er so ye w ol of mayden or of wyfe

430 And forth ren yow a s muchs a s he mysseyde

431 Or in the Rose or elles in C reseyde4 321

‘ The god of love answerede hire anoofi 1‘

433 Madame quod he it is so long agoon

434 That I yow knews so charitable and trews

435 That neuer yit syn that th e worlds wa s news

4361‘To me ns foun ds y better noon than yes

"

i'

4371’

If that ye wolde save my degree 1”

438 I may ns wol nat werne your requ ests 448

4391‘

AJ lyeth in yow dooth wyth bym a s yow lists 1”

44O1'

I a l foryev e w ith outsfi lenger Space 1‘

441 For who so yev eth a yifte or dooth a grace [Iea f89]

442 Do itbytyme h is thank ys w el the more 452

443 And d emsth ye what he shal doo th erfore

444 G oo thanks now my lady hers quod he

445 I roos and dovne I sette me on my knee

446 And seyde thus madame the god a - bove

447 For- yelde yow that [ye] thee god of love

448 Han maked me h is wraths to foryiv e

449 And [gyve me] grace so long for to lyve

450 That I may knows soothly what ye bee

45 1+That han me holpe and put me in this d egree“

I”

45 2 But trew ly I wende a s in this ca s

4 53 Nau ght‘ have agilt no doon to love trespa s

56 PR OLOGUE TO THE LEG END E . CAMBR . MS Gg. 4 . 27.

fi br why a trews man with oute d reds 464 45 4

Hath natto parts with a th eu ys d ede 465

TNe a trews loners may 1 me nat blame 4661’

[1 may com ]

Thaw that I speke a fals2 loners sum schams 467 [2 fa ls com ]

They aughts rathers with me for to h olds 468 458

!for that I of Criseyde wrotor tolde 469

Or of the rose what so myn a u gtou r mente3 470 [3 tcom ]

Algate god wot it wa s myn entente 471 46 1

To forth ers trouth e in loue it ch eryse 472

And to be wa r from falsenesss from vice 473

By swich ensa umple this w a s myn menyngs 474 464

And sche answerde latbe thyn a rgu ynge 475

ifor loue ne wele natcou ntyrpletyd be 476

TIn rygh tne wrong lerne this at me 4771‘

Thow hast thyn grace 4 h olds the rygh tth erto‘[H corn ]

Now wole I seyn what pena u nce thow sch atdo 479 469

fi'

or thyn trespa ce v ndyrstonde it here 480

Thow schalt w h il thow leu yst3er be 3sre 481

1'The moste pa rtye of thyn lyf spends 4821

~ 472

In makynge of a gloryou s legends 483

Of good e w emen maydenys wynes 484‘tTh atwere trews 5 in leu yngs a l here lyu ys 4851

‘

[5 we com ]

And tells of false men that h em betrayen 486 476

That a l here lyf ne don natbut a sayen 487

How manye w emen they may don a schams 488

fl'

or in goure world that is now h oldyn game 489

1‘And thow the lestyth nat a lou ere be 480

Spek wel of loue this psna u nce geus I th e 49 1

And to th e god of loue I schal so preys 492

That he schal charge h iss seru a u ntys by ony weys 493

To forth eryn the w el thyn labour quits 494 484

1 G o now thyn wey thyn pena u ncs is but lyte 4951“

The god of loue gan smyle th anne he seyde 498

Wostow qu ad he wh cr this be wif or mayde 490

PR OLOGUE TO THE LEG END E . FA IR FAX MS 1 6

G a . lines .

454 For why a trews man withouten dreds

455 Hath natto parten with a th ev es dede

4561”Ne a trews louer ogh tme not to blame

457 Th ogh that I spake a fals lov ers som shame

458 They ogh te rather with me for to holds

459 F or that I of C reseyde wroot or tolde

460 Or of the Rose what so mynA u ctou r mente

46 1 Algate god woot ytw a s myn entente

462 To forth rentrou th e in love and ytcheryes

463 And to ben wa r fro fa lsnssse and fro vice

464 By swich e ensample this wa s my menyngs

465 And sh e a nswerde latbe thyn Argu ynge

466 For love ne wol nat cou ntrepleted be

467TIn rygh t‘ ne wrong and lerne that of me 1

”

468 Thow hast thy grace and h olds the rygh t‘ th erto

469 Now wol I seyn what penance thou shalt do

470 F or thy trespa s vnderstonde ythere

471 Thow shalt wh ile that thou lyv est yere by yere

4721‘The most pa rtye of thy tyms spends T

473 In makyng of A glorious legends

474 Of good wymmefi maydenes and wyv es

4751‘

That weren trew in lovyng a l h ire lyv es

476 And tells of fal s men that hem bytra iefi

477 [That a l h ir lyfe ne do nat but a ssayen]478 How ma ny women that may doon ashame nearer), ba ck]479 For in youre worlds that is now h olds a game 489

4801‘

And th ogh the lyke nat a lovers bee 1‘

481 Speke w el of love this penance yiv e I the

482 And to the god of love I shal so preys

483 that he shal charge h is servantez by any weyo

484 To forthr en thee and w el thy labour quyte

4851‘

G oo now thy weys this pena u nce ys but lyte 1’

*And whan this book ys maad e yiv e it thequ ene*O fi my byh a lfe at Eltham or at Sheens 497

486 The god of love gan emyle and than he sayde

487 Westowquod he wh er this be wyf or mayde

58 PR OLOGUE TO THE LEG END E.

Or queen or cu ntesse or of what d egre

That hath so lytil pena u nce 3su yn th e

What hast d eseru yd sorere for to smerte

But pets rennyth sons in gentil herts

That mayst thow sen sche kyth eth what sche is

And I answerde nay sere so haue I blys

N0 more but that I se w el sche is good

That is a trews tale by myn h od

Qod loue that thow knowistwel pa rde

3if it be so that thow a - vise the

Hast thow natin a bok lyth in thyn ch ests

The grete goodnesss of th equ eens AlcesteThat tu rnede w a s in to a dayesye

Sche that for hire h u sbonds ch ss to deye

And ek to gon to helle rathers than he

And Erculee rescued hire pa rde

And brou gh te hyre out of helle a ~

geyn to blys

And I answerde a -

gen seyde 3is

Now know s I hire is this goode alceste

The d ayes eye myn owens herts is rests

Now fele I wel th e goodnesse of this w if

TTh atbothe a ftyr hire d eth ek hire lyf

Hire grete bou nte dou belyth hire renou n

Wel hath sche quit ms myn aflecciorin

That I haue to hire flour the d ayesye

No wondyr is thow Iou e hire stellesye

A s tellyth Agaton for hyre goodnesss

Hire white coroun beryth of it witnesss“

I“ffor a l- se manye v ertu ys hath sche

A s smale flou rys in hyre corou'n be

Of remembra u ns of hire in honou r

C ibslla ma de th e d ayesye the flour

I - C oroned a l with whit a s men ma se

And Mars 1 ga f to hire corone red pa rd e

In stede of ru bsis seta -mong the wh ite

GAMER . MS Gg. 4 . 27

R e. li.

500

501

502 [U451 , bk]

503

504 492

505

506

507

508

509

5 10

5 1 1

5 12 500

5 13

5 1 4

5 1 5

5 1 6

5 1 7

5 1 8

5 1 9

520

5211‘

522

523

524 5 12

525

526

527

528? 5 16

520

5 33 I:1 8 ea rn ]

5 34

Th er with thisqueens wex red for schams a lyte 535

60 PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE. GAMER . u s Gg. 4 . 27 .

Whan sche wa s preysid so in hire presence 536 524

Th anne seyde loue a ful gret neglygence 537

§Wa s it to the to write onstedsfa st—nesse 538

*Of women sithe thow knowisthere goodnesss*By pref ek by storyis here by- forn [Ieaf 452]

*Let be the chaf writ w el of the corn*Why noldistthow han writyn of alceste*And latyn Criseide ben a - slepe rest*fi

“

or of alceste schulde thyn wrytynge be 532

§ Syn that thow wist that calandier Is1sh e 542 [i n com ]

§ Of goodnesss for sche ta u gh te of fyn lou ynge 544§And namely of w ifh od the lyu ynge 545

And alle the bou ndys that sche aughts kepe 546 5 36

Thyn lityl wit w a s th ilke tyms a - sleps 547

But now I charge th e vp—ou thyn lyf 548

That in thyn 2 legends thow make of this wif 549 Pynoorr .)

Whan thow has t others smale mad by—fors 550 5 40

And fare now wel I charge the no more 55 1

At cliOpatre I wele3 th at thow begynne 566 [3 th atu.com ]

And so forth myn loue so shalt tow wynne 567 5 13

PR OLOGUE TO THE LEG ENDE. FA IR FAX MS 1 6

G a . lines.

524 Wh en sh e wa s preysed so in hire presence

525 Th anne seyde love a fu l grete nscligence

526 §W’

a s ys to the that ylks tyms thou made 538

”‘Hyd Absolon thy tresses in balade [m I. 40]

*That thou forgate hire in thi songs to sette 1“ 5 40

*Syn that thou a rt so gretly in hire detts

533§And wost wel that kalend er ys shes*To any woman that wol lover bee

534§ F or sh e taught a l the crafts of fyne lov yng 544

535 And namely of wyfh ode the lyv yng536 And a l the bou ndes that sh e ogh tkepe

537 Thy litel witte w a s thiike tyms a - slepe

538 But now I charge the vpon thy lyfe

539 That in thy legends thou make of thys wyfe

540Whah thou hast other smale yma a d e before

5 41 And fare now wel I charge the namore*But er I goo thus muchs I wol the telle*Ne shal no trews lover come in helle*Thise other lad ies sittynge here arows*Ben in my balad e yf thou kansthem know s

(273)*And in th y bockes all e thou shalt hem fynde 556

*Have hem in thy legends now a l in mynde*I mene of hem that ben in thy knowyng*For here ben twenty thousands moo sittyng”‘Thenne thou knowest good wommen all e 560

*And trewe of love for ogh t‘ that my byfa lle [see 289 G a ]

*Make the metres of‘ hem a s the lest [lea f 90. back]*I metgoon home the sonne d raweth west*To paradys with a l thise companys*And serve a lwey the fressh d aysye

542 At Cleopatre I wole that thou begynne

543 And so forthe and my love so shal thou wynne

(303)*F or latsee now what man that lover be

62 PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE. MS cg. 4 . 27 .

§ And with that word of slsp I gan a -wake 5 78 § 544

And rygh tthus on myn legends gan I make 5 79 545

Explicit proh emium

PR OLOGUE TO THE LEGENDE. FA IRFAX MS 1 6

1kW'

ol d oon so stronge a peyne for love a s sh e*I wot w el that thou maist nat a l ytryme‘1 ‘That swich lovers did e in hire tyms*Itwere to long to red en and to h ere

me thou make in this manere*That thou reh erce of a l h ir lyfe the grete*After thise olde Au ctou rs lystefi for to trete*For who so shal so many a storys telle*Sey shortly or he shal to longs dwelle

544§And with that words my bekes gan I take

545 And rygh t'thus oh my legends gan I make

211 3 5 43.In this hitherto unidentified MS . of Shirley

’

s,the S ion

College paper MS . Archives, 2. 23, ab. 1 440 A .D . , whichcontains the much- desired Chauc[er] by the sid e of itsA B C

, th e poem is preceded , a s in the oth er prose MSS .

of De G u ilev ille ’s I/yf of Ma n 1,by the following passage,

leaf 78 (or sheet x, leaf back,2 lines from foot

And panns of be clowde a scripture sh e caste me a nd!

seyde pu s /Loo heere h ows pou shouldest pray hir’ boopeat pis need e [leaf 79] AndZ a lweyes Wh ane pou shalt‘ hauesemblable need s and?when in suche olde bandes pou shaltbeo News reeds it' anoon appertelich andz byseech e h ir

d ev outlich andz with verray hert' beh oots h ir pat wolt beo “

goods and tru w e pilgryme Andi pat pou wolt neuer gooby w ays peers powe w ensstfor to fynde sh rswedl paasNowe I wol telle yowe of scriptu re I v ndid it‘ and!

v nplytecl? it‘ and redd e it'

andz maad e at alle poyntes mypreyer in be fourme andl maner pat be same scriptu reconteened and! a s G ra cedieu x ba de me I seyde it‘ pemanere and fou rne of be scriptu re yee sh ou le heere If'

babees yee conns weel yee may weel vnderstande and‘

ligh tlich v nderstande it‘ if'it‘ beo needs

a nd is followd,on leaf 81

,back

,by

Han bu s I had e made my preyer . to hir

bat is d espenser to G ra ced ieu x I h eefmy h ands and drou gh e my bourdon) to

me G ra eedieu x a s I haue told e yowe of h ir goodshipraught‘ it‘ me Wh ane I hade it‘ to G ra cedieu x I seydeas me th inkepe right

‘ new s I fynde pat it“ yes wolde helpsme I sh ou lde beo reysed

Z ageyne a nd! pat . a noone/ Ish ou lde haue heels yif

'with you rs oynement' ye wolde

enoynts me weel I wot putmy ch arbou ncle hape so weelvnbokelde ps bocls v ndsr which '

yee weren booled! patfredam sh e gylepe yowe to help peelke pat yee wollenpou gh e pey beo deedl or hurts/ &c.

1 See th e extracts from 4 MSS . on th e half- title to th e P a ra lle l

Tea'ts of th e A B C . Th e S upplementa ry P a ra llel- Texts of th e

poem a re from ind ependent MSS . Mr Fenwick tells me that th erea re no english tD sG u ilev illes in th e collection of h is fath er - in- la w ,

th e la te Sir Thomas Phillipps, at Ch e ltenh am .

OD D TEX I‘

so.

1 24- 125 PAR - TEXT66 AN A B C . S ION COLLEGE MS . (SH IR LEY).

[S ion C oll. MS , Are. 2. 23, S h irley’

s,lea ves 79— 8 1 , ba ck]

Tl Incipit carmen secundum ordinem literaru m Alph abeti.

[from ma rgin] 1TChauc[er] fl D ev otissima ora cio [ad]Mariam . pro omni ten[ta cione] tribu la cz

'

one necess[itate]angustia.

(l . A .)Lmigh ty and! a lmereyableqw eene .A .

To whame pat a l pis worlds fleepe for se cour

To haue relesse of synne andl sorowe and teens

G loryou s v irgyne of'alle fi ou res flour 4

To pee I crye confound ed in errou r

Helps and releef' pou mighty debonayreHaue mercy on my parayllou s langou re

V enq sed! me hape my cru w el a d u srsayre

(2. B .)1TBou ntee so fi xse h ate in pyne hert h is tents B.

pat w eele 1 wot‘ pou wolt h is se cour be

bowe canst not'w eerne h im pat with goods entent‘

Axepe pyne help pyne. hert is ay so free

pou art largesse of pleyne felicytee

Haven of refu yte ofq ets and of rest'

Loo h ows pat th eev ss seven chasen me .3. sev en ded ly synnes .

Helps lady bright er pat my shipps to -brest'

(3. C.)11 C oumfortis noon but in yowe lady deere .C .

For 100 my synne and my confu syou n

Whichs a u gh ten not‘ in by presence appeers

Haue taken on me a greu ou s a ccyoun

Of verray right andl d espera cyou n

And a s by right psy might weel sou steene

pat I were werby my dampna cyou nNer mercy of'yowe blisfu l b evensqw eene

sron C OLLneE (SHIRLEY)

1 26- 1 27 PAR - TEXT68 AN a n s . S ION COLLEGE MS . (SHIR LEY).

(4 . D .)1TDoute is per noone poweqw eene of‘ misericords .D . 25

betyou art cause of grace and mercy here [lea f 79 , ba ck ]G od v owch edsa u f‘ thoroughs pee with v s ta cordsFor certes lady and blisful moder deere

Weer nowe pe bowe bent in suche manere

A s it'w a s fi rst'of* Ia stics a nd of Ire

19s rightful noolde of no mercy heere

But thoroughs pee haue wee grace a s wee desyre 32

(5 . E.)ifEnds hape myne hope of‘ refu ytbeen in peeF or here byforne fu l offt'in many a wyse

Ha stowe to myssricorde resceyu ed ms

But mercy lady at be gret a ssyss

Wh ane we shal come byfore pe heghe Iu styce

To lyteH fru yt‘

shalpan s in me be founds

pat but powe or pat d ay me weel ch a styceOf v erraye right my werk‘ wol me confounds

(6. F.)1TF leyng

'I flee for socou r to py tent'

Me for to hyde frome tempest’ fu l of'drsede

Beseeh ing'yowe pat yee yowe nought absent‘

pau ghs I beo wyck' 0 help yitat pis needs

Al hau e I been a beest‘ in w ills and d eeds

Yitlady powe me cloope w ith py grace

pyne enemy and myn yit lady take heede

Vn to my d eepe in poynt is me to ch a os

(7. G .)if G loryou s mayde and moder which pat euer G .

Wa s neuer youre letter in eorpe neyper in see

But fu l of‘ sw ettnesse and of'mercy euer

Helps pat my fad er ne be not‘ wrote with me 7’

Spske pou for euer I dare nought him see

So haue I doone in eorpe ellas pe wh yle

pat certes but if pou my socou r beTo stynke eterne h e wol my gooste exyle

S ION COLLEGE (SHIR LEY)

PAH - TEXT 1 26 - 1 27

AN A B c. BODLE IAN MS . 638. 6 9

(4. D .)Doute ys ther non queu e of miserycord e Wm.

That thow nart cause of grace mercy here

G od v ou ch id - sauf th ere ; the with v s ta cords

For certis cristys blisq modre dere

Were now the bow I- bent in such manere

A s it w a s first of Iu styce of Ire

The righ tq god nolde of no mercy here

But th u rgh thee haue we grace a s we desyre

Eu yr hath myn hope of refute yn the be

For here biforeq ofte yn many wys

Vnto mercy bastow recsyuid me

But mercy lady at the grete A ssyse

When we shul come bifore the high Iu styse

So liteHgood shah then in me be founds

That but thou er that d ay corrects me

Of verray right my werke w uHms bonfou nde

6. F .)F leynge I flee for socou rs to thi tent

Me for to hide fro tempestq of d reds

Besech yng'you that ye you notabsent

Though I be wicks 0 help yit at this nede

All haue I ben a bests in witte ded e

Yet lady thou me clothe with thy grace

Thyne enmy myn lady take hed e

V n - to my d eth in poynt ys me to ch a se

(7 Gr.)G lorious ma id s modre which that neu yr [lea rz osj G

Were bittre nor in erth nor i nsee

But full of sw etnys of mercy su yr

Help that my fadir be not wroth with me

Speke thou for I ne dar nat h im I - se

So haue I don in erth allas the while

That certis but that thou my socou rs be

To stinks eterne he wuHmy goste exyls

BOULEY

1 28 - 1 29 PAR - TEXT70 AN A B c. S ION COLLEGE MS . (SHIRLEY).

(8. H.)1THe wowch edsa u ff1 tells h im a s w a s h is wille .H.

Bycome a man to haue ou rs a llya u nce

And with h is precyou s bloods he wroots te bills

Vponpe crosse a s general a cqu yta u nceTo eu ery penytent in fu l crsa u nce

And her fore lady bright pou for v s praypane shalt powe boope stynt

‘ a l ou rs grev a u nee

And make ours foo to faylen of h is prays

(9 . I.)fll I wote it weel pou wolt beon ou rs socou rs [u se] I .

13011 art so fu l of‘ bou ntee in certein

For wh a ne a sou ls fa llepe in erreur

py pytes goope and h a alepe him ageyne

panne makest‘ pou h is pess with h is sou ereyn

And bringest'h im out of be crooked streets

Who so be lou spe he shal not’ loue in v syn

pat shal he fynde as pe lyf'shal lets

(10. K .)1TKa lendiers enlumyned beon pey

batin pis worlds beon lighted with py name

And who so goope to you be right wey

Him thar not‘ d resde in sou ls to be laame

Noweqw eene of coumfort'sith pou art patsaameTo whoms I seech e for my medecyne

Late not'my foo my wownde no more vnta ame

Myne heels in to pyne h ands a l I resigns

(1 1 . L .)1TLady py sorw e ne cane I nought pourtrays

V nd er pe crosse ne h is greu ou s pena u nce

But for yours boopes pena u nce I yowe prays

Late nought ou rs a ldres foo make h is boba u nce

pathe hape in h is lystes of'mesch a u nce

Convict pat yee bope haue bought so d eereAs I sayde erst pou grounds of‘ ours su bsta u nce

C ontynu e on v s pypitou s eyen cleere

S ION C OLLEG E (SHIR LEY)

PAR - TEXT 128- 1 29

AN A B c. BOD LE IAN MS . 638 . 7 1

(8 . H.)He v ou ch id sauf tell h im a s wa s h is will

Bicome a man a s for ou rs a llia u nce

And with h is blode he wrote the bill

Vpon the Crois a s gsnsra ll a cqu yta u nceTo eu ery penytentin fu ll crea u nce

And th erfor lady brygh t‘ thou for v s prey

Than sh a ltow both styntAll grsu a unce

And make ou rs F00 to fa ilefi or h is prey

(9 . I .)I wote itwell thou wolt ben) ou rs socou rs

That art so full of bou nts yn certeyn)

For when) a sou ls fa llith in errou re

Th i pits goth h a lith him A - geyn)

Then makistow h is pes with h is sou yreyn)

And bringest h im out of d reds

Who so the leu yth he shall notloue in v syn)

That shall he finds when he the life Shall lets

(10. K .)Ka lendrys snlumyned beth thei [leaf205, ba ck ]That yn this worlds beth lighted with thi name

And wh o so goe th to you the right wey

Him thar nat dreds in sou ls to be lame

Nowqu ene of comforts sith thou art pat sameTo whom I sech for my medycyne

Lat not my fo no more my wounds entame

Min hele into th in honde a ll I resigns

(1 1 . L .)Lady thi sorwe kan I notportreyVndir the Crois ne h is greu ou s pena u nce

B utfor yOu re both peynes I you prey

Lat not ou rs aller fo make h is boba v nce

That he hath in h is listes of mysch a u nce

C onu ycte that ye both h an bought so d ere

A s I seide erste thou grounds of our su bsta u nce

C ontynew in v s thi pitou se yen clere

BODLEY

1 30- 1 3 1 PA R - TEXT72 AN A B C . S ION COLLEGE MS . (SH IR LEY).

(12. M. )1IMoyses pat sa u gh e te bu ssh e with fla umbes red

'

.M. 80

Brennyngl of whichs pat neuer oon stroke brend

WVa s signs of pyne v nw emmed maydenh ed

pou art pe bu ssh e on which per gan descends

ps hooly gooste be whi ch pat moyses wende

Hade beon on fu yre and pis w a s in fygu re

Nowe lady frome pe fa yre pou v s defendsvWh ich pat in helle eternally shal dure

(1 3. N .)1I Noble pryncesse pat neuer badest pereCertes if* any coumfort'in ou s be

batcomepe of bee pou C rystes moder deereWe haue noon oper melodye or gleeV s to reioyse in ou rs a du ersytee

Ne a dv ocat'noon pat dare panne preysF or v s and pat for litel hyre a s yee [lea fso

pat h elpsn for an Aue mary or twey

(1 4.

1T0 v erraye light of eyegh en pa tbeen blynde .O . 105

O v erraye loust‘of'labour a nd d istresse

O tresorer of bou ntee to m ankynde

Y es whoms god ch eesse to mod er for humblesse

Frome h is ancylls he made yowe maystresse

Of‘ heven ands sorpe oure bills v p to beed e

Dis worlds awaytepe euer on py goodnesss

For pou ne faylest neuer wight at needs

(1 5 . P.)1TPou rpose I haue some tyms for to enquere P. 1 1 3

Wh erfors and why pe hooly gooste te sought

Wh ane G abryelles voyes come v n to pyne ereHe not to werre v s suche a wonder wrought

But for to saue v s pat he sypen bought

bane neodepe v s no wepen for to haue

B utoonly per we did not' a s v s aught'

Do penytence a nd mercy axe a nd haue /S ION COLLEGE (SH IR LEY)

PAR - TEXT 1 30- 1 3 1

AN A B C . BODLE IAN MS . 638. 73

(12. M.)Moysesthat saugh the bu ssh with flambes red M 80

Brsnnynge of which ther ne u yr a styk brend e

Wa s signs of thin v nw emyd m ayd inh ed

Thou art th e bu ssh on which ther gan d iscende

The holi goste which that Moyses wende

Ha d ben a fire 85 this w a s yn (fi gure

Now lad i fro the fire thou v s d efend s

Which that in hell s nterna lly shall dure

(1 3. N .)Nobu ll princesse that neu yr h a distpere [lea f2061

Certis if any comforts yn v s be

That comyth of the cristys modre d ere

We han non oth ir melody or gle

V S to reioise in o u rs a d u ersite

Ne a du ocate non that wull d a r’ so prey

For v s that for so litell hire A s ye

Th at h elpin for An Aue Ma rys or tw ey

(1 4 . O .)O verry light‘ of yen that ben blinds 0 1 05

0 very lust of labou rs d istresse

O tresorere of bou nts to mankindsTh e whom god ches to modre for humblesse

From h is Ancille he made the m a stresse

Of hsa in erth o u rs bill vp for to bed s

This worlds awa iteth eu yr on thi goodnesss

For thou ne fa ilestneu yr wight At needs

Pu rpos I haue som tym s for tenqu ere P 1 1 3

Wherefor wh i th e holi goe st be sou ght

When ga briellys vois came to thin ere

He not to werre v s such a wondir wrought

Butfor to saue v s that he sith'

in bought

Than nedith v s no w epne v s to saue

B utoonly ther a s we d id not a s we ought

Do penitence mercy axe haue

BODLEY

1 32- 1 33 PAR - TEXT74 AN A B C . S ION COLLEGE MS . (SHIRLEY).

(1 6 . Q .)1TQweene of'coumfort'yit wh enne I ms beth enk‘ .Q . 1 21

pat I agilthaue boope offt‘ him and hes

And pat my sou ls is worthy for to synke

Ellas I kaytyff’ whider may I. flee

Wh o shal v n to py sons my mesne bee

Who but by self' pat a rtof pyte welle

pou hast'more rouths ofl ou rs a d u ersytee

panne in pis worlds might any tung tells

(1 7 . R .)1Td rssse me moder and powe me chastise R. 1 29

F or certaynly my faders ch a stysingl

pat dar I nought abyd en in no wyse

So h idou s it is pe rightful rekennyng'

Moder of Whoms ou rs mercy gan to Spryng'

B eope yes my lugs ande eeke my soules leech e

For euer in yowe is pitee abou ndyng*

To ych e pat wol of'pitee yowe bysseeh e

(1 8. S .)1TSoops is pat god ne gra u nteps no pitee S . 1 37

With outen pee for god of‘ h is goodnesssF oryiv epe noone but it lyke v n to peeHe haps pee mad e . v icayrs and maystresse [lea f81 ] 1 40

Of' a l pe worlds and eeke gou u erneresse

Of'heven and he repressepe h is iu stise

Alfter py wills and perforei

in witnesss

He hape pee corou ned in so ryal a wyse

(1 9 . T .)1TTemple deu oute per god hape h is wonnyngI T . 1 45

Fro whichs peos m isbyleu ed d epryu ed been

To yowe my souls penytent‘ I bring'

B esceyu epe me I ne cane no fi rper fi een

With thornes v enymou s O hevenqwsenF or which ps sorpe a cu rsed w a s ful yoore

I 1 am soers w ownded a s yee may weel seen

h atI am loste hit smertepe me so soore

SION COLLEGE (SHIRLEY)

1 34- 1 35 RAE - TEXT76 AN A B C . S ION COLLEGE MS . (SH IR LEY).

(20. V.)11 V irgyne pat art‘ so noble of'apparayle V. 1 53

And ledestv s in to pyne heghe tou rsOf paradys pou me wisse and cou nsayle

Howe I may haue py grace and py socou rs

Al haue I beon in filth e and in errou r

Lady vn to pat courts pou me a d Iou rnepat cleped is py benche O fressh e flours

peer as pat mercy euer shal seiou rne

(21 . X .)11 c .

1py sons pat in pis worlds alight X .

’ 1 61

Vponpe crosse to sou lfre h is pa ssyou n u C h rixtu o]

And eeke su ffred pat longea s h is hert pightAnd made h is hert bloods to renne a dovne

So wa s it a l for my sa lu a cyou n

And I to him am fals and eeke vnkynde

And yit he wol notmy dampna cyou n

h is thank'I you socou r of‘ al man ku ynde

(22. Y.)11 Ysa a c wa s figu re of'h is d eepe certayne Y. 1 69

batso ferforps h is fader wolde obeys

bath im ne rought no thing'to be slayne

Right so by sons lyst‘ a s a lambs to dye

Nowe lady fu l of‘ mercy I yowe preys

Sith he is mercy mesu red so large

Be yee not' skant for alle we sing‘ and seye

h atyee beon frome v engea unce ay ou rs ta a rge

(23. Z .)11 Z a ch arye yowe clepepe pe open welle

To w a ssh e synfu ll sou ls ou ts ofi h is gilt‘

h er fore pis lesson aught I weel to telle

pat neer py tendre hert we weren spil t‘

Nowe lady sith pou canst‘ and eeke wilt'

Beo to he seeds of‘ Adam mercyable

So bring‘ v s to pat Palays batis bylt‘

To penytentes pat beon to mercy ableS ION COLLEGE (SHIR LEY)

PAR - TEXT 1 34- 1 35

AN A B C . BOD LELAN MS . 638. 77

(20. V .)V irgins that Art so noble of Appa rayle

That lsdistv s in- to th e h is tou rs

Of pa rad ise thou ms wisse counsayle

How I may haue thi grace thi socou rs

Al haue I ben infylth yn errou re

Ladi v nto that contre thou me A diou rne

That clepid is thi bench of fressh flours

Ther a s that mercy eu yr shall soiou rne

X .)Xp6

1 thi sone that in th is worlds a light [1 C h ristu a l

Vpon a Crois to su ffre h is passion)

And eke su fi’

rid that longsu s h is hert pight'

And made h is hert bloods to renne A—doun)

And a ll w a s this for my sa lu a ciou n)

And I to h im am fals eke v nkynde

And yit he wull not my dampna cyou n)

This thanks I you socou rs of a ll mankynde

(22. Y.)Yssac wa s signs of h is deth certeyn [lea f207, back]

That so ferforth h is fad ir wold e obeys

That h im ne rou ght no things to be sleyn

Right so thi sons lis t a s lambs to d eyNow ladi fu l of mercy I you prey

Sith he h is mercy mssu rid so large

Be ye notskantfor a l we synge sey

That ye ben fro v engea u nce Ay ours‘ targe

(23. Z .)Z akary you clepith the Opin well

To w a ssh sinfull souls out of h is gilte

Th erfor this lesson ought I well to tell

That nere th i tendre hert we were spilte

Now lad i sith thou kanet wilts

Ben to the sed of Adam mercyabu ll

Brings v s to that pa leis that is bilte

To penitentis that ben to mercy Abu ll

BODLEY Explicit

Through th e ba d practise of send ing cepisrs to see outlying MSS . that I ought to have looktat myself

,I lost

'

till to- day, Dec. 3 , 1 877 , the privilege of seeing the bestMS .

ev idence yet produced , that the A B C is Chaucer’

s work .

Not suspecting that this Sion College MS . was one ofShirley’s

,I did not examine it at first

,but began copying

from it the prose passage before the A B C . When Icame on the two bed s for be

,I said to myself

,Shirley,

by Jove and then I recognized h is hand , saw h is starbefore h is capital A

,h is flourishes at the foot of the page,

h is side-notes,head - lines, r, &c. I tu rnd to the first leaf

left of the MS . , leaf 3 of sheet .j . , beginning any yssing'

a bu rden. I began to seeks (p . 4,l. 1 5 , ed . Bradshaw

a nd Wright,Roxb. Club, and of course found th e

wonted “

per Shir[ley] and then on leaves 4 , 5 , 1 2,“nota per on 1 8, back, Shirley The first

per Shir[ley]”is headed by “ behold,

”th e nota per

Shir[ley] on p. 1 2 is followd by discord of n[aturegrace d ieux ” and other side - notes occur, a s leaf

eketh e tolea f 1 3,

to natu releaf 38 ,

“

prou erbium, (to the text“soft'men fare goons

leaf 58,“ Hcere pe [debate of] be Raven pe] Fox ;

lea f 74, Behold / leaf 77 ,“ V idete ;

”leaf 87 , pe

fr[ [Eyen[ (to“Ademay kyng of Iuetics”

, in the text).TheMS . ends on leaf 93 , back, sheet .xij . leaf 7, with the 6thline of .x .

” and the words I wol gyfpes neuer

pe leesse so mich il a v a u ntage owe shalt haue of‘ me if'

pou (p. 203, l . 8, Roxb . lu b .) The last leaf, 8 , ofsheet xij . is wanting. The MS . is in Sh irley’s small closehand

,not h is free one of the Additional MS . A u elyda

already autotyped for the Society in Part I. A facsimileof the front of leaf 79 of this Shirley Sion- College MS ,

A rch iv es,2, 23, will be given. The MS . is wrongly lettsrd

at the back Pilgrima ge of th e S ou le.

” One of the Headlines inside is “

pe pilgryma ge h u ma yne.

” The MS . nowcontains 93 leaves

,paper

,inj u rd a little by damp .

Th e Headlines to th e A B C in th e MS. a re

leaf 79, 1[ Th e D ev ou te dytee . of ou rs La dys79, bk, 80, 1] A d ev ou te . .D yte s . 1[ O f ou rs La dye Ma rys

80, bk, 81 , 11 A . d ev ou te . th ing. 1[ To ou rs . .Ladys81 , bk, 1 A devoute pra yer to ou rs lady

1 80 PAR n TEXT

80 THE HOUSE OF FAME. mamas 2006 .

THE HOUSE OF FAME . S a u nd ra

[Pepys 2006. Ma gd . C oll. C a mbr. p.

g Od tu rns v s eu ery d rem to gods

F or it is wonder th ynge by 17°rode

To my wyttwhat causeth sweu enes

On the morows or on suenes

And why the effects folow eth of some

An of som it shal neuer come

Why that is a vision

and why this is a reu ela cion

Why this a dreme why pata sw eu ens

And not to eu e/ry man lychs suene

Why this a fa u ntom why they oracles

I notbut th e so of this myra cles

The causes knoweth bet then yD efyne he for I certeynlyNe can hem notu s neuer th enke

To besy my wyttfor to swynke

To know of here signifi ca cions

Th e gendres nsyper ns d istances

Of 13° Tymes of hem ne p

e causes

Or wh y this is more then pa tcause isA s yef folkes complexions

Make hem drem of reflexionsOr elles 1 thus a s oper seyne [

1 MS . ell]For h

e grete feblenes of here breyn

by a bsenes or by sekenes

Preson stoe or grete d istres

PEPYS

PAR - TEXT 18 1THE H ou sE

’ OF FAME. 2006. 8 1

Or ellis by dysordyna u nce

Or natu ra ll a ccu stuma u nce

That some men ben to seriou s

In study or ma lencolou s

Or thus so inly fu l of dreds

That no man may bym bote rede

Or elles That d eu ocion

Of some and contempla cion

Causeth swech e dremes oft

Or that the cruell lyf v nsoft

These ilk whichs lou ers leden

Th apen hopen or muchs or dreden

That purely her impressions

Causeth hem have visions

Or yef that spirites han th e mygh tTo maken folk for to drem on nyght

Or yef th e sou ls of propre kyndeBe so perfite a s men fynde

That it wote that is to come

And That he werneth alle and somme

Of eu erych e of her a u entu rssBy a v ysions or by figures

But that our fi essh ns hath no mygh t

To vnderstond ita ryght

For it is warned to derkelyBut why the cause is notwote y

Well wurth of this th ynge Glerkes

That treten of pa tand of oper werkesF or y of non opyneon

Nil a s news make mencion)

But only That the holy rode

Tu rns v s eu ery dreme to gods

For neuer syth I w a s borne

Ne no man els me beforne

Mette y trow stedefastly

So wonderful a drem a s dede y

PEPYSOD D TEXTS. 6

1 82 PAR - TEXT82 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 .

t He tenth s day now of d ecembre

The wh ych e as y can now remembre

I wull

[Ia vocation]

in MS ] make inu oca cion)Wyth a dev oute special dev ocon)Vn to p

e

god of help a non

That dwelleth in a Cave of stone

Vp on a strem That commyth fro les te

That is a fi ode v nswets 133201181; “355

9

“

Besyde a folk that men clepen C imerye

Ther slepyth ay this god v nmeryWyth h is slepy th owsand sones

That alle wey to slepe her won is

And to this god That y of reds

Pray [y] that he w u l me spedsMy sweu ene for to tell I - ryght

Yef eu ery drem stond in h is mygh t

And he that mover is of alle

That is and wa s and euer sh a lle

So yef hem o pathit here

Of alle that they drem to yereAnd for to stond al in grace

Of here loves or in what place

That hem were lev estfor to stand

And sh ild hem from pou erte and shend

And from eu ery v nh appe and d esess

And send hem that may hem plsse

That taketh well and scorneth nought

Ne it mysdeme in here thought

Th u rgh malicious intencon)

And he through presumpcon)

Or hate or scorne or through enu ye

D espyts or Iape or felonys

PEPYS

1 84 PAR - TExT

84 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006.

The temple for in pu rtreitu rs

I sawgh a non h ir figure

Naksd fi etynge in a see

And also on hede pa rdee

Her roosgarland

no gap in MS ] on her hedeHer downes and D am Cupide

Her blynd sons and V lcano

That in h is face w a s fu l brown

But y romed vp and d oune

I fond that on a wa s her wa s

Thus wreten on a table of bras

I wold synge now and y can

The armes a nd also pe ma h

That first come th u rgh h es desteyne

F utyf of troye countree

In yta lle wyth full muchs pyne

Vn to the strondes of la u yns

And th e beg an the story a non)

As I shall tell yew sche on

First sawgh y destru ccon)

Of Troye through V grek eynon

Wyth h is fals forswerynge.

And his cher and h is lesynge

Made the h ers brought in to Troye

Th u rgh wh ech s Troiane lost alle her oAnd a ftu r this was graved alas

How Ilion assailed wa s [p. as, col. 2]

And wonu n and kynge Pryamis slayne

And Plite h is sons certayne

D ispitou sly of Daun) Pirru sAnd next that saugh y h ow venus

When at sh e saugh the castell brend

Dowen from th e heven sh e can descends

And Badde her sons Eneas fi ee

And how he fi edd and how pathe

PEPYS

PAR - TEXT 1 85THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 . 85

Escaped wa s from alle the press

And toke h is fada r Anchises

And bare bym on h is bakk a wey

C ryynge alas and weleweyThe wh ech s Anchises in h ys hand

Bare the C oddes of the lands

Thilk that v nbrenned were

And saugh y nen in alle th is fere

How C ru sa dame Encas wyfWh ech e pathe loved a s h ys lif

And h er yonge sons Iulo

And eke Ascanius also

F ledden eke wyth drery chere

That is wa s pits for to here

And in a forest a s they went

And at attou rnynge of a wente

How C ru sa wa s y- lost alas

That deeds not I how sh e wa s

How he h ir sought and how h ir gostBadde bym to fi es th e G rekes host

And seide he most in to Ita ille

A s wa s h is d esteyne sa a ns faille

That it wa s pits for to h ere

When he spirits gan apere

The wordes that to bym sh e seide

And for to kepe her sons bym prayedTher saugh I graven eke how he

Hys fada r eke and h is menye

With h is sh ippes gan to saylls

[A line wa nting in th e MS ]A S streight a s that they mygh tgoo

Ther saugh I eke pe cruel Iuno

That a rtdam Iu biter wyf

That hast hated a l thy lif

Alle the Trogeans bleds

R enns and Crye a s th ew wer weds

PEPYS

1 86 PAnf rsxr

86 THE HOUS E OF FAME. PEPYS

On Ble ss the god of wynd esTeB low en out of alle kyndes

So lew de that he shall d renchs

lord lady G rome a nd wenchs

Of alle the Trogeans nacionWyth owt eny of hem sa u a con)

Ther saugh I suche tempest a ryss

That eu ery hert mygh tgretely agryss

So seen it peynted on the wall

Th at saugh I eke gra ven wyth a lle

Venus how ye my lady d ere

Wspynge wyth full woful chere

Praynge Iu biter on h ys

To sa v e and kepe that na v ie

Of that Trogsan EneasSeth pathe here son w a s

Ther saugh Iou ss and V enus kysse

And gra u nted of the tempest lisse

Ther saugh I how the “tempest stynte

And h e w yth alle peyn h e wente

And priu ely toke a B inage

In to the cou ntrs of cartage

And on the morow hoo that h e

And a knygh tthat hight Achates

Metten wyth V enus that dayG oynge in aqu eyntArayA s sh e hadd be an h u nteresse

Wyth wynd blowynge vp on her tresseHow Eneas began h ym to pleyn

Wh enn he knew h ir of h is peyn

And how h is sh ippes dreynt were

Or els I—lost he nystwhereHow sh e gan bym confort thoo

And badd bym to cartage goo

And ther he sh u ld h is folk fynde

That in the se e w eren left bs -hynde

PEPYS

1 88 PAR - TEXT88 THE HOUSE or FAME . PEPYS

C ou ered mony a sh erowyde v ycs

Th er for be no wyghtso nyce

To take a love only for chere

Or for speche or for frend sly manerFor thus shal eu ery womantfynde

1

no gap in th e MS ]And sw ere how that sh e is v nkynde

Or fals or prev ey dowble wasAll e thus sey I be Eneas

And Dido and here nece lostThat loved alle to son a gost

Ther for I will sey o prov erbs

That he patfully knoweth te h erbs

May sa fi y ley it to h is yee

Wyth owten dreds that is no lye

But latv s speke of Eneas

How he betrayed her alas

An d left h ir fu l vnkyndelySo when Sh e a l say vttu rlyThat he wold h er of trowth faille

And wynd fro h is in to Ita ille

She beg an to wrynge h er bandes two

Al as qu od sh e what myn hert is woo

Alas is eu ery man thus trews

That eu ery yere wull have a new

If it so longe tym endure

Or ellis thre pera v entu rs

And thus of on he wull have fame

In magnifyynge of h is Name

A noper for frsnsh yp seyth h es

And yet Shall y? th rydde bee

That be takyn for delite

Lo or els for sengu ler profyte

PEPYS

PAR n TDXT 1 89

THE HOUSE or FAME. 2006 . 89

In suche wordes gan compleyne

Dido of here grete peynAs ms mette redely

None oper a u ctou r alege y

Alas qu od sh e my swete herts

Have pyte of my serows smerteAnd slee me notgo nota wey

O woful Dido wa leaWeyQu od sh e to h ir selven thoo

O Eneas what will ye doO that love ne you r bou ndsThat ye have sworen wyth you r rygh th ands

Ns my cruell d eth qu od sh e

May hold yew still wyth me

O h a v eth of my deth pyteIwis my d ere hert ye

Knoweth full w el patneuer yet

As ferforth a s euer I had wytte

A - gilt yow in thought ns d ede

0 men have ye suche godlyh ede

In speche and neuer a d ele in trowths

Alas that euer badde rowth

Ony woman on a fals manNow I see well and tellen can

We wretched women can no art

F or certegn) for pe more pa rt

Thus we be served eu erych ofi

How sore ye men kan grene

A non a s we have yew resceyv ed

C erteygnly we be d isceyv ed

For though you r love lest a seeon

Wate vp on th e conclusion

And eke how 179 determyne

And for be more pa rt defyen

O wa illsw ey that I w a s bornFor th u rgh yow is my name H om e

PEPYS

1 90 PAR - TEXT.

90 THE HOUSE OF FAME . PEPYS 2006 .

And myn attes red s and songs

Ouer alle this lond in eu ery tongeO k ked fame for per nys

No th ynge so swyft10 as sh e is

O sith eu ery th ynge is wyst

Though it be cou ered wyth 13° myst

Eke thou gh I myghtendure euer

That I have don recou er I neuer

That I ne shall be seid alas

I - shamed ben through Eneas

And pa tI shal thus Iuged be

Lo rygh ta s sh e hath now sh e

Wul l donfi eft sones h a rdelyThus seith p

e

pu ple priv ely

But patis donn itnot to don

But alle hir compleynynge ne h ir men

C erteign) a v a illsth not a stree

And Wh enn Sh e wist soth ly he ,

Wa s forth in to h is sh ippes gon

She in to her chambre went a non

And called ouer h er suster Anne

And began her to compleyn than

And seid patsh e be cause w a s

Tha t Sh e so loved alas

And thus con[s]a iled sh e hir to

But what Wh enn this w a s seid a nd do

She rofe hir silven to be herts

And so dyed through pe wende smerte

But a ll maner how sh e dyed

And alle pe maner h ow sh e seide

Who so to know hath itin pu rpos

R eds V irgil in Eneydos

Or be Epistil of O u ids

What patSh e wrote or patsh e dyed

And nere it wer to longe to endite

By god I wold ith ere wri te

PEPYS

1 92 PAR - TEXT92 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006.

And tok h is suster Phedra tho

Wyth him and gan to ship goAnd yet he hadd to her swere

On alle pateuer .h e mygh tswere

That so patsh e saved bym h is lif

He wold have taken hir to h is wyf

For Sh e desyred no th ynge Els

In certeigfl a s the boke v s telles tp. s7.

But to excuse Encas

F u llech e of h is grete trespa s

The boke seith sa u ntz faille

Bad bym go in to Ita ille

And leven Afi'

rikes regiou n

And D ido and hir fa irs townsTh e I saugh gra ve h e to Ita ille

Dame Eneas is gen to sailleAnd how th e tempest a l be -

gan

And how h e lost h is steresman

Wh ech e patp"stere or he tok kepe

Smote ouer the bord 10 how he slepe

And also saugh I how sibille

And Eneas besyde an Ile

To hell wenten for to see

His fada r Anchises 179 free

How he per found pa llu nu ru s

And also D ido and D eiph ebu s

And eu erych e tu rment eke in hell

saugh he wh ech s no tonge can tell

Whichs h e so listeth to know

He most reden mony a row

On V irgil or on Claud ianOr Daunt that it tellen canTher saugh eke alle p" arev a illeThat Eneas h ed mad in to Itaille

And wyth Kynge latyn h is trete

And alle be Batailles pathee

PEPYS

PAR r TEXT 1 93

THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2 006 . 93

Wa s at bym silf and alle h is knygh tes

Or he bedd alle I -won h ys ryghtes

And whan he tu rnus reft h is lif

A nd when la u yna to h is wyf

And alle te merv elows Signals

Of the goddes celestialsHow magre Iuno Eneas

For alle h ir fi ygh ta nd compas

Ach ev ed alle h is a u entu re

For Iu biter toke on bym Cure

At the preyer of Venus

The I prey alle wey save u s

And v s ay of owu re se rows light

When I hadd alle seyn this sight

In this noble temple thus

Ay lord thought I butmadest v s

Yet saw I neuer suche noblesse

Of ymages nor suche richesse

A s I saw graven in this chirche

But notwote I who d ed hem w iroh e

Ne wh er I am ne in what countree

But now I gon out and see

Right at p°w iked yf I can

Seen owgh w sr eny sterynge man

That wald have telled Wh er I am

When I owts of p" dsre I- cam

I fa st abowte me be -held

Then saugh I but a large felde

As fe'

rre a s I euer myghtsee

Wyth out town eny howse or tree

Or bu ssh es or gras or ered landsFor alle the feld w a s but of sands

As smal a s man may see at ye

In the desert of libie

Ne I no maner of creature

That ys formed by nature

PEPYS

1 9 4 PAR wTEXT

9 4 THE HOUSE OF . FAME . PEPYS 2006 .

Ne saugh I me to rede or wyses

O Crist thought I patart in blisseFrom fa u ntom and Ill u ciofi

Me save and wyth d ev ocon

Myn yeen to te heven I cast

Th e w a s I ware 10 at the las t

That fast by p" sonnen an h is

A s ken mygh tI wyth myn yes

Me thought I saw an Egle sore

But that it semed muchs more (1) 1 ]

Thenn I hadd eny Egle I - seyen

This it a s se th a s deth certeigfi

It w as of gold and shoon so bright

That neuer saugh man suche a sight

But yf p’ heven hadd I -wonne

Alle new of gold an oper sonne

So shon the Egles feth res brygh t

And sons downward gan it light

[B OOK II ]

[Proem .]

n Ow h erksneth eu ery maner man

That eny maner of englissh can

And listeth of my dreme to lere

For at be first shall ye here

So sely and dredfu ll a vision

That I say ne C ipiofi

Ne kynge nabu godonosor

Pharo Tu rnu s ne Eleanor

Ne metten suche a d rem a s this

Now fa irs blessu ll O C iprisSo be my faneu r at this Tyme

That ye me to end ite and pymsHelpeth that in Pa r-Naso dwelle

By Elicon) the Clere welle

PEPYS

1 96 PAR c TEXT

9 6 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS

Till at the last he to me spake

In mannes v oyce and seide a w ake

And seide be not agast so for sham

And ca led me by my name

And for I sh u ld bet abreyde

Me me a wake to me he seyde

Right in 13°same voice and steven

That v seth eon that I cann neme

And wyth that voyes se th for to seyu

Me mynd cam to me agayn

For it w a s godely seid to me

So a s it neuer wont to be

And here wyth alle I gan to stere

A s he me in his fete bere

Till that he fsld that I hadd h ste

And felt eke tho myn hert beets

And th e gan he me to d isport

And wyth Ientil word es to cou nfort

And seide twyes seintMarie

Thow art a noyes th ynge for to karie

And no th ynge nedeth it pa rdee

For a l so wye god h elps me

A S th ew no h a rms shalt h ave of this

And this ca s patbetid be is

Is for thy lore and for thy prows

Lette se darst thow loke yet nowe

Be fu l ensured bodelyI am thy frend and perwyth I.

C an for to wondre in my mynde

0 god qu od I that madest alle kynde

Shall I non oper wyse dyeWh er Iou ss w il me stellyfyeOr what th ynge may this signifi eI am neper Enok ne Helye

Ne Romulus ne G anemede

That were h er vp .a s men rede

PEPYS

PA R .- TEXT 1 9 7

THE HOUSE OF FAME . PEPYS 2006 . 97

To heven wyth Dam Iu biterAnd made the godde Boteler

Lo this w a s th e my fantasie

But he that bare me can a spie

Th at I so thought and seide this

Thow demestof thi self amys

For Iou ss is not per abowte

I d a r pew el put fu l out of dowts

To make of 13° yet a sterre

B utor I bere the muchs ferre

I will the tell what I am

And Wh yper th ew shalt and why I cam

To do this so patth ew take

G ods hert and notbe for fere quake

G la dely qu od I now well qu od h

First I butin my feete have be

Of whom th ew hast a fer an wondreI am dwellynge wyth the god of th ondre

Wh ech e men callen Iu biterThat doth me fi een full oft ferre

To do alle h is commandement

And for this cause he hath me sent

To te herk now be thy trowth

C ertsign) he hath of the rowth

That th ew hast so truly

Longe served entetyfiy

His blynde nev ew Cupide

And fa irs V enus a l so

Wyth owt eny gw erden euer yetAnd neyerlesse hast sett thy wytt

Alle though patin thyn hed e fu l litil is

To make bokees songes or d itees

In Ryme or ellis in Cadence

A s thow best canst in reu srence

Of love and of h is servant ekeThat han h is servyce sought and seke

PEPYSODD T exrs 7

1 98 PAR c TEXT

98 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006.

And peynestthe to pryss h is a rt

Alle though th ew h eddestneuer pa rtWhere fore a s als o god me blisse

Iou ss halt h ys grete h umbliSse

And vertu eke patw u ltmake

A nygh tfu l oft thyn hede to eke

In th y stodie so th ew writest

And enermore of love enditest

In honou r of bym and parysynge

An d in h is folkes fu rth rynge

And in h ir mater alle d eu ysest

And not bym ne h is folks despysest

Alle though pow maist go in 13° d a u nce

Of hem that bym list nota v a u nceWh erfor a s I seide I-wys

Iu biter considereth well this

And a l so h saw sir of oper th yngesThat is that hast no tydynges

Of Loves folks If the be gladdeNe of of ns th ynge els patgod mad e

And notonly fro fer countree

That no Tydynges comyth to be

B itof thy verrey neybores

That dwelleth alle most at thy dores

Thow berest neper pa tne thisF or when this labou r don a l is

And hast I -made alle thy rekenynges

In stede of rest and of new th ynges

Thow gost home to thyn howse a non)

And also dombe a s a ston

Thow settest at anoter boke

Till fully da swed is thy loke

And lev estthus a s an h ermyte

Alle though thyn abstenance is lite

And th erfor Iou ss th ru gh h is grace

Will hatI shal bere th e to a place

PEPYS

200 PA R s TEXT

.1 00 THE HOUSE OF FAME . PEPYS 2006 .

V nneth may th ew trow en this

Quoth he ne h elps me god as wysse

Quod I no wh y quoth he for it

Were impossible to my wytt

Though fame hadd alle be pites

In alle a rew ame and a l aspies

How patyet he sh u ld here alle this

Or they a spyen it 0 thi s is yisQuoth he to me that can I prove

By resen wu rth y for to love

So that th ew yeve thyn a d u ertence

To v nderstonde my sentence

First shalt pow beren Wh er Sh e dwellethAnd so thyn own books telleth

His palais stondeth a s I shal sayRight even amyddes of the way

Betwyxsn heven erth and see

That wh ose euer in alle the three

Is spoken in prive or apertThe wey her to is so smert

And stant eke in so Iust a place

That eu ery sownne metto it pa s

Or what so commyth from eny tonge

Be it rowned red or songe

Or spoken in suerte or d reds

C ertsign it metth eper ned e

Now herken well for-

why I .wills

Tellen the a propre skylle

And a wu rth y d emonstra con

In myn ym agina con

G efi'

rey th ew wotestwel this

That eu ery kynd pat isHath a kyndly sted e per he

May best in bytconfermsd be

V n to wh ych e place eu ery th ynge

Tru gh h is kyndely enclynynge

PEPYS

PAH - TEXT 201THE HOUSE OF FAME . PEPYS 2006 .

Moveth for to com toThen patit is awey her free

A s thuss lo th ew maist a l d ay see

That eny th ynge that bevy be

As ston or lede or th ynge of wygh t

And h ere it neuer so h ys on h ygh t

Lets go thyn hand it falleth downs

Eyght‘ so sey I by fyre or sowne

Or smoke or oper th ynges lightAlle wey they seke v ard on hight

Light th ynges v arde and d ownward

Wh il euer of hem be at her largeAnd for this cause pou maist well see

That eu ery ryu er on to pese

Enclyned is to go by kynd e

And by these skilles a s I fynd e

Hath fi ssh es dwellynge in fi ode and see

And trees eke on Erth be

Thus eu ery th ynge by h is reson)

Hath h is propre mancion)To wh ech s he seketh to repairs

Ther a s it sh u lde not apa ire

Lo this Sentence is knowen kowth

Of eu ery ph ilosopre mowth eA s Arestole and Dau nplatenAnd oper clerkes monicion

And to conferme my resen

Thow [wotest] well pa tspeche is sowne

Or els no man mygh tit here

Now herk what I will the lere

Sewn is notbut sire I—broken

And eu ery speche that is poken

Lewd or prive fowle or fa irs

In h is su bstau nce is but an s ire

F or a s a flame is but lighted smokeB ight so is sewn sire Ibroke

F EPYS

202 PAR - TEXT1 02 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 .

B utthis may be in mony wyse

Of whichs I wil pe dev yse

A s sown commes of pipe or herpe

For wh emi a pipe is blowen Sharpe [p. 101 ,

The Eire is twystwyth violence

And rent 10 this is my sentence

Eke when men harpes strynges smyte

Wh eper it be muchs or lite

Lo wyth the stroke te Eire to-breketh

And righ so breketh it when men speketh

Thus wotestth ew wele what th ynge is speche

Now hens furth I w u l the tech s

How eu ery speche noys or sowne

Throw h is mu ltiplica con

Though is were pipe or mowse

Mote nedes come to fames howse

I prove it thus take hede now

by experience for yef th ew

Throw in a water now a ston

Wel wotestpou it will make anon

A litil roundel a s a cercle

Pa ra u entu r a s brode a s a cou ercle

no gap in th e AIS ]Broder then bym S ilf w a s

And thus frome roundel to compas

Eche abowte oper goyngeCauseth of oper sterynge

And mu ltiplyynge eu ermo

Til it be so ferre go

That itat both brynkes be

All though th ew mow not it see

Above it goth yet alle wey vndre

Al thou gh pou th ynk it a gret wondre

PEPYS

204 PAR - TEXT104 THE HOUSE

no gap in th e IVS ]ha a qu od he 10 so I can

Lewdely to a lewd e man

Spoke and shew bym suche skylles

That he may Shak hem by p" billesSo palpable th e skilles be

But tells me pis now I pra ys p°

How th enkestpe myn conclu sofi

A goode persu a con

Quoth I and like to be

Right so a s pou hast proved me

Be god qu od he and as I leve

Thow shalt have yet or it is ev e

Of eu ery word of‘ this sentence

And prove by experience

F EPYS

THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 .

And wyth thyn Ere h eren welle

Top and taille eu ery d ele

That eu ery w ords pa tspoken 1S

Comes in to fames howse I - wisse

A s I have seid e what w u ltpou more

And wyth this words vprer to sore

He gan and seid by seintIame

N0 will we Speken alle of game

How fa restth ew now qu od he to me

Wel qu od I now se qu od he

By p i trowth yond a downsWh er pa tpou knowest eny towns

Or howse or eny oper th yngeAnd wh enn pou hast of ogh tknow

‘

ynge

Loke patpou wa rns me

And I a non shal tell the

How pou art now her fro

And I a d own to loken tho

And beheld feldes and pleynes

And now hilles and now mou nteynes

No v a leys now forestes

And now v nnsth grete bestes

No riners now grete Citess

No townes now grete trees

No sh yppss saylynge in be

But thus son in a wh il he

Wa s fi ew en fro pe gronde so hye

That alle the world a s to myn eye

No more semed pen a prikke

Or els w a s the Eire so th ikkThat I mygh tnot it d ecerns

Wyth pathe Speke to me a s yerneAnd seide seystpou eny token

Or ought thow knowest yonder down

I seide ney ne wondre nys

Quoth h e for neuer half SO hye a s this

PEPYS

206 PAR c TEXT

106 . THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEI ’YS 2006.

Na s Alisa u ndre ne Macedo

Ne p" kynge Daune C upieThat say in D reme point devis

Hell and heven and pa radise

Ne eke pewryghtD edalus

N6 h is ch ild nyse Icarus

That fi ie so h ys patp" hete

His wynges malt and he fel wete

In myd th e see and per he dreynt

For Whoms wa s made a grete compleyntN0 tu rns v ard qu od he th y face

And be-hold this large space

This Eire bots loks th ew th ew ne he

A - dra dd of them patth ew shalt se

For in this region certeyn

Dwelleth mony a C itesynOf wh ech s patspeketh Dau n) plateThes ben the the a irsssh e bestes 100

And th e say I . alle the meyne

Both goon and also fi ee .

Lo quoth he cast vp thyn ye

Se yondre lo th e G alaxie

The wh ech s men clep pe mylky wey

For it is wh ytand some pa rfayCallen itWatlynge strete

That onis w a s brent wyth hete

Wh enn p" sonnes son he rede

That hight ph eton wald led e

Algate h is fa du r cart and gys

The cart h ers can well a spye

That he cowd no gou erna u nce

And goome for to lep and denuce

And h ere h ym vp and now downs

Till at he say the Scorpion)

Wh ech e pa tin heven a signs is yet

And he for fer lost h is w ytte

F EF YS

208 PAR - TEXT108 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 .

That seth wa s here d escripcon

no gap in th e MS ]A s fer a s I saw p

° preve

And her for I can hem beleve

Wyth that th e Egle gan to cryelatbequ a d he thy fantasysWu ltpou here of sterres ought

Nay certegnly qu od [he] ryghtnought

And why qu od I for I am olde

Elles wold I the have told

Quoth he sterres names 10

And alle pe bevens signes to

And wh ech s they be no fors qu od I.Yis pa rd ee qu od he wost pou wh yWh enn th ew redest poetrieHow th e geddes can stellifi e

Brid fi ssh or bym or here

A s the Raven and other

Or axiones harp fyne

Castor polex or D elph yn

Or ath l a u ntres dou gh tres sevenHow alle these a s sette in heven

F or though pou have h em oft in honde

Yet nestth ew where they stondo

No fors qu od I it is no nede

A s well I leve a s god me speds

Hem that that wrtten of this matere

A s th ou gh I knew her places here

And eke they Sh ynen here so bright

I sh u ld sh enden alle my sight

To loks on hem patmay w el be

Quoth he and so furth bare he me

A wh yle and th e he gan to crye

That neuer herd I th ynge so h is

Now vp thyn hed e for it is well

SeintIu lian lo ben h e stelle

PEPYS

'

PA R s TEXT 209

THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 . 109

Se here the howse of fame lo

Mayest pow nothere that I do

Whatqu a d I . be grete soune

Qu ad he that rombleth v p ands down

In fames howse full of Tydynges

Both of fa irs specs and of oper th yngesAnd of fals a nd se th compou ned

Herken well it is not rownede

Herestth ew not the grete sough

Yis pa rdeequ a d I well I - nough

And what sown is it likequ ad hePeter betynge of 13

9see

Qu a d I ayenst pe roch es old below

When tempestes doth her sh ippes swolow

And pata man stant owt of d owts

A myls thens a nd here it rowte

Or ellis like the h u mblyngeA ftu r the Clappe of a th onderynge

Wh enn Iou ss hath the Eire Ibste

But it d oth for fere swete

Nay dreds 17° not per ofqu a d he

It is no th ynge pa twill beten p"

Now shalt have no h a rms truly

And wyth this word both he and I .

And nygh the place a ryv ed were

A S men myghtcast wyth a spere (p . 104,

I nysthow betin a strete

He sette me fayre on my fete

And seid e walk forth a pace

And tell thyn aventure and cas

That th ew shalt fynd in fames place

Nowqu ad he while we have SpaceTo speke or that I fro th e

F or the love of god tell me

In se th that I will of the lere

yef this noyse that I here’ PEPYS

210 FAR - TEXT1 10 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 .

Be a s I have herd the tell

Of folk that forth in erth dwelleAnd here in the same wyse

A s I the herd or this d evyse

And that her lyv es body nys

In alle that howse patyonder is

That maketh alle this lew de fare

Noqu a d he be seintClareAnd also wis god help me

But o th ynge I will warn the

Of the wh ech s th ew w u lthave wonder .

LO to p° howse of fame yonder .

Thow we sthow commyth eu ery speche

It ned eth notthe to techs

But v nderstande rygh twell this

Wh enn eny speche I- commsn is

Vn to that pa leis a non right

It weyth liche p“same wygh t

Wh ech e that the word in erth Spak

Be he clothed red or blak

And hath so verrey h is liknys

That spake word that thow wu l gys

That it the same body be

Man or woman he or Sh e

An d is notth is a wonder th ynge

Y isqu a d I th e by h eu enes kyngeAnd wyth pis word fare w elqu a d heAnd here I will a - bid e the

And god of heven send the grace

Some gods to lern in this‘place

And I of bym toke lev e'

a non

And gan forth to the paleis gen

PEPYS

21 2 PAR - TEXT1 12 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 .

And for to power wounder low

yef I kowd e eny wyse know

What maner ston this roche w a s

For it w a s liche a lymde glas

But pa titsh ew en mor clere

But of what congelsd matere

It w a s I nust redely

But at the last a spyed I .

And fownde that itw a s eu erych edele

A roche of Ise and not of stele

Thought I by seintThomas of Kent

This were a feble fowndement

To bilden on a place so h is

He aught h ym to glorifi e

That here on bilt so god me save

Th e saw I alle be half I - grave

Wyth famous folkes names feleThat I - ben in muchs wele

And her fames wyd e blow s

B utw el oneth es mygh tI knows

Any lettres for to red e

Here names by for out of d reds

They weren a l most ou erth owed so

That of the lettres on or to

Wa s molt aw ey of eu ery name

So v nfamou s w a s wax her name

But men sa y what may euer last

Th e can I in myn hert cast

That they w er mult swey wyth hete

And not a wey wyth stormes bets

For on pa toper syde I say

On this hill patnorthward lay

How it wa s w rete fu l of names

Of folk path edd a fer grete famesOf old tym a nd yet pey wereA s fressh a s men ‘h a d wryte h em there

PEPYS

PAR s TEXT 21 3

THE HOUSE OF FAME . PEPYS 2006 . 1 1 3

The silf d ay or that owre

That I on hem gan to pore

But wel I wystwhat it made

It wa s conserved wyth th e Sh a dde .

Of a Castel that so stede on h yght

Alle the writen that I sygh

And stede eke in so cold a place

That hete mygh tit not d eface

Tho gan I on this h ills to gen

And found on the coppe a woon

That alle the men that ben on live

Ne ban the konnynge to discryv e

The bea u te of that ilke place

Ne cowde cast the compa ee

Suche an oper for to makeThat mygh tof Beauts be h is make

Ne so wonderly I -wrough t

That it a stoyned yet my thought

And maketh alle my witt to swynkeOn this castel for to th enke

So patthe grete beawte

The cast craft a nd cu riosite

Ne can I notto yow d e vyse

My witt may not suffice

But neth erlss alle p" su bsta u nceI have yet in my remembra u nce

For why me thought by seintG ilc

Alle wa s of a ston of h erile

Both the Castel and the Towre

And eke th e h a lls and su ery bowre

Wyth owten peces or o nynges

But many sotell compa ssinges

Babeweu ries and penna elss

Ymageries and Tabernacles

I saw eke and fu l of wyndowesAs fi atss fallen in grete snow ss

PEPYSOD D TEXTS. 8

2 1 4 PA R .- TExT

1 14 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 .

And eke in e u ery of sche pena cles

Weren sondry habitacles

In wh ech s stonden alle wyth owten

F u l th e Castel alle abowten

Of alle maner of menstra lys

And G estou rs that tell en talles

Both of wepynge and of game

And of alle that longeth vn to fame

There herd I pley on an harpe

That sowned well and sh a rps

And Oxph ev s full cra ftelyAnd on h is syde fast by [p. 106 , col . 2]

Satte the harper OrionAnd a cides C h yror

‘

i

And oper harpers mony onAs the Bretu r G la skyriofi

And smale harpers wyth her gleys

Sett vuder bym in diu ers seys

And gen on hem v ard to gape

And cou nterfeted hem a s an ape

Or a s craft cou nterfeted kynd eTh e saw I hem be hynde

A fer fro hem a s by hem Self

Mony th owsand tyms twelf

That mad e lewde mynstra leys

In C ornu mu se or C h a lemyes

And mony oper maner pipeThat craftely here gonne pipe

Both in dowced and eke in red e

That ben at festes wyth the brede

And mony a fi oita nd litelynge h orns

And pipes made of grete corne

A S have these litil herd G romes

That kepen bestes in the bromesTher saw I then an C ith eru s

And of Athenes D anpresentUs

PEPYS

21 6 PAR c TEXT

1 16 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 .

And G lerkes that konnen well

Alle this magik naturel

That Craftly doth h er ententes

To make a certegn ascendentes

Smages lo th ou rgh suche magyk

To make a man hole or seke

Ther saw I p " Quen medeaAnd C irtes Eke and C a lioph ia

Ther saw I Hermes Ba llenu s

Llymote and Eke Symon magus

Ther saw I and knew hem by name

That by suche art don men fame’

Ther saw I cells Tregitou r

Vpon a Table of C icomou r

Pley an vncowth th ynge to telle

Y saw bym Carie a wynd mylle

Vnder a w a lsh notShale

What sh u ld I make A lenga r tale

Of alle the puple that I sayFrom hens v n to demys d ayWhen I hadd alle this folk behold

And found s me loose and not h old

And eft I mused lenga r a wh yle

Vp on the wall of Birill

That shon full lighter pen a glasAnd made wel more pen it'w a s

no gap in,

th e MS ]As kynd th ynge of fame isI gan forth romentil I fou nde

Th e’

C a stel yeton myn right honde

Wh ech e so w el carven w a sThat neuer suche anoter na s

And yet it was be a u entu re

Iwrou gh ta s oft a s by Cure

It nedeth yew for to telle

To make yow to lenga r dwelle

F EPYS

PA R c TEXT 21 7THE HOUSE OF FAME. 2006 .

.1 1 7

Of these yates fi orysyngesNe of compases ns of kerv enges

Ne how the h a ckynge in Ma sou rs

A S corbettes and ymagyryes

But lord so feyre it wa s to shews

For it wa s alle of gold be - hew

But in I went and pa ta non

There mett I cryynge mony oon

A larges a larges vp hold well

G od save the lady of .thys pels

O u r own Ientil lady fame

And hem that w illith to have a name

Of v s thus herd I eryen alleAnd fast commen out of halls

And Shoke noblé s and sterlynges

And I - crowned wer a s kynges

Wyth crownes wrought full of lesynges

And mony reban and moy pyngss

Were in here clothes tru elyTh e at the last a spyed y

That pu rsev a u ntes and h erawdes

That cryen riche i'

olkes lawd es

It weren alle and eu ery man

Of hem a s I yew tell kan

Hedd on hem throw a vesture

Wh ech e men clepe a cote armureEnbrowdrede wonderlich e riche

Alle though they new nought Ilych e

Bot notwill I so metI th ryv e

Be a bowte to discryv e

Al le these Armes what they weren

That they thus on here cotes h eren

For it to me w er impossible

Men mygh tmake Of'hem a bible

Twenty fete th ykk a s I trewe

For certe ign who so kowde know

PEPYS

21 8 PAR n TEXT

1 18 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 .

Mygh tper alle p‘ Armes se

Of famous folk pathad IbeIn Awfryke Ewrope And Assie

Sith first 10 C h iu a lrie

Lo how sh u ld I tell alle this

Ne of the halls eke what nede is

To tellen yow pa teu ery wall

Of it and fi ore and rofe wyth alle

Wa s plated half a fate th ikk

Of gold and that na s no th ynge w ikk

But for to prove in alle wyse

A s fyne as Doket of V enyseOf wh ech s to lite alle in my powch e isAnd they wer sett as th ikk a s owches

Full of the fyneststones fa irs

That men reden in the lapidarie

A s gresses growen in a mede

But it wer alle to longe to rede

The names and perfore I passeBut in this riche lusty place

That famous h a lls called w a s

F u l muchs pres of folk per na s

Ne gronynge for to muchs pres

But alle on high vpon a deiess

Satt on a se Emperia ll

That made w a s of A Rubye

Wh ech e a Carbuncle is I - called

I saw perpetually I- stalled

A fcmynyne creature

That neuer formed by nature

Suche anoper th ynge I sayFor a lderfu rstse th for to sayMe thought that Sh e wa s so lite

That the length of a cubite

Wa s lenga r then sh e semed be

But thus sons in a whil e sh e

PEPYS

220 PA R s TEXT

1 20 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006.

That this ilke noble queu e

On her sh u ldres gan su steyghBoth armes and the name

Of Thoo that h a d large fameA lisa u ndre and Ercu les

That wyth a Shert h ys lyf les

And thus fownd e I sittynge this goddes

In nobley honou r and riches

Of w h ech s I stynta while nowOther th ynges to tellen yowThoo saw I stond on p

° oper sydeStreight dow to 17

° deris wyd e

From the dess mony a pylere

Of metal that shon not fu l clereBut though they weren of‘ no riches

Yet they weren made for gret noblesseAn d in hem grete sentence

And folk of grete and digne reu erence

Of wh ech s I will to telle yow foundsVpon a pyler saw I stonds

Alderfi rstlo ther I sigh

Vpon a piler stand on highs

Th at w a s of lede and yren fyne

no gap in th e MS]Th e Ebra ik Ioseph u s p" oldThat of Iewes G estes told

And Bare vp on h ys Sh u ldres h is

The fame vp of the Iewry

And by bym per stod en seven

Wyse and worthy for to nemene

To h elpen1 bym bar vp the charge (1 m s .

It w a s so h ev y and so large

And for they writen of Batailles

As well a s of oper merveillesTher for w a s 10 this piler

Of wh ech s I yew tell herePEPYS

PAB s TEXT 221

THE HOUSE or FAME. 2006 . 1 21

Of leed e and yren both I-wys

F or yren Martis metall is

Wh ech e patgod is of batailleAnd the leed e wyth owten faille

Is 10 the metalle of Saturne

That hath ful large wil to ta m e

To stondynge forth on eu ery rowe

Of hem wh ech e I patcowd e know

Though I be ordre hem nottelle

To maken yow to longe to dwelleThese of wh ech e I goun rede

Ther saw I stond owt of drede

no gap in th e MS ]That poynted wa s alle endelynge

With Tygres h lode in eu ery place

The Tolofan pathight Stace

That bare of Tebes Vp pe name

Vp on h is sh u ldres and pesame

Also of Cruell Achilles

And by bym stod e wyth owten lees

Full wonder high vp on o pilere

Of yren he the gret Omer '

p. 110, col. 1 ]

And wyth h is D a ru s and Titus

Be fore and eke he Lu l liu s

And G u ydo eke d e C olumpnyAs Englissh e G a u nfride eke Iwys

And Eche of these a s I have o e

Wa s besy for to ber up Troy

So bevy w a s per- of the fame

Th a t for to h er it w a s no game

But yet I can fu l wel aspye

Be twyx hem w as a litill envys

Oper seide pa tOmer made liesF eynynge in h ys po etreys

And w a s to G rekes fa u orable

Th erfore held! be it but fable

PEPYS

222 PAR - TEXT1 22 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 .

Tho sey I stond on a piler

That wa s of Tynnyd yren clere

The latyn poete V irgile

That hath bore -vp a longe wh yle

The fame of pius Eneas

And next on a piler wa s

Of Coper V enus clerk Ov ydeThat hath sowan wounder wyde

The grete godd Of love h is name

And Ther he bare vp well h is name

Vp on this piler a l so h ie

A s I mygh tsee it wyth myn ye

For wh ech e this hall of w h ech e I rede

Wa s wax on h ie length and brede

Wel more by a th ow sand dele

Than itw a s erst that saw I weH

Tho saw I on a piler by

Of yren wrought full sternelyThe grete poete Daun) LucanAnd on h ys sh u ldrys bare vp yan

As hie a s I mygh tsee

Th e name Of Iuli-u s and Pompie

And by h ym stoden alle these G lerkes

That wrytten Of Romes myghty werkes

That yef I wok? her names telle

Alle to longe must I dwelle

And hem vn a piler stode

Of Sulpu r liche a s he wer wodeDaun) Claudian seth for to telle

That bare vp alle the fame of helle

Of pluto and of proserpyneThat quen is of the derk pyne

What sh u ldl I more telle of this

The halle wa s alle fu l I-wys

Of hem tatwriten olde G eestesAs ben on trees Rokes nestes

PEPYS

224 PA R r TEXT

124 THE HOUSE OF FAME. PEPYS 2006 .

Madame seid hey we be

Folk pa ther besech en the

That thow graunt v s now gode fame

And lette oure werkes have gode name

In ful recompensa cofi

Of gode werkes yef v s renonI warns yowqu od

°

sh e a non

Ye gete Of me gode fame non!Be god and per- for go yo u r wey

Ala ce qu od they and w elew eyTell v s what you r Cause may be

For me list not it qu od sh e

NO wygh tshal speke Of yow I -wys

G od e ne harme ne pa tne this

And wyth pa tword e sh e gan to ca lls

Her m a synger that wa s in halle

And ba d pa the sh u ld fast gon

Vpon peyn to blynde a non

For Eolus the god of wynde

no gap in th e MS . ]A nd bid bym brynga h is Clarion)

That is fu l d iums Of h is sowne

And it is cleped clere lawde

W’

yth wh ech e he wont is to h era wde

Hem that me list I -

preysedl be

And a l so bid bym how pa the

Brynga eke h is Oper Clarion)That hight ska under in eu ery town

In wh ech e he wont is to do fame

Hem patme list and do hem shame

This Ma synger ga n fast to gon

And fownd w h er in a Cave of ston

In a countrey that hight Crase

This Eolus wyth hard grace

Helde the wyndes in dastres

And gan hem ond er bym to presse

PEPYS

Pa a a xr 225

_THE HOUSE OF FAME ..PEPYS 2006 . 125

That they gan a s the beres rore

He bou nds and pressed hem so sore

This Ma synger gan fast crye

Ryse vp qu od he and fast h ye

Till thow at my lady be

And take thy clarions eke Wyth the

And spede the fast and he a non

Toke to a man pathight Tryton)

Hys Clarion to beren tho

And lets a certeigfi wynd go

That blew so h idewsly a nd hye

That it left not a Skye

In alle the w alkyn longe and brod e

This Eolus no wh er a -bod e

Till he w a s com at fames fete

And eke pe man that Tryton hete

And per he stode a s stil a s ston

And her wyth alle per ea rn a non

An Oper huge compayneOf olde folk and gan to cryeLady gra unt v s now gode fame

And letoure werkes have patname

Now in honou r and Ientilnes

And also god you r sowle bles

For we han well d eserved it

Ther for is right patwe ben qu yte

As thrive I qu od sh e ye shal. faile

G ode werkes shal notyow availle [p. 1 ]

TO have of me god fame a s now

But wote ye What I graunt yow 1 6 1 8

That ye Shul have a sh rew edl name

And wykked loose and werse fame

Though ye gode loos have w el deserved!

Now goth you r wey for ye ben served!

A nd th ew Daun) Eolus qu od sh eTake forth thy Trompe a non lette se

rEPYs

226 PAR - TEXTTHE HOUSE OF FAME . PEPYS 2006 .

That is I - cleped sla u ndre light

And blow her loos yat’

e u ery wygh t

Speke of hem harme and sh rewedenes

In sted e of gode a nd w u rth ynes

For thow shal t trompe alle the contra rie

That they have don w el an faire

Ala ce thought I what A u entu res

Have the sory Creatures

That they amonge alle p preesSh uldl thus be shamed gilteles

But what it must nedes be

What dede this Eolus but he

Toke owt h is blak Trompe Of Bras

That fowler then the d evil ] w a s

And gan this Trompe for to blowe

A s alle the world! sh u ldl ou erth rowe

Through owte eu ery region

Went h is fowle trompes sowne

A s swyfta s a pelet owt Of a gonne

Wh enn fire is in to it ronne

And suche a smoke gan owt wende

OwtOf h is fowle trompes ende

Blak blOO grevyssh e swa rtissh e rede

A s d oth wh enn men mult lede

LO alle on hye from the tw elle

And per- to OO th ynge saw I welle

That the fu rth ir ra titranne

[T]he gre'tar waxen it beg an

A s d oth the R iu er from a welle

And it stanke a s the pitt Of helle

A la ce this w a s her shame I - ronge

And gilteles on eu ery tonge

Tho cam the th ryd : companye

And gan vp to p“

deis h ye

And down on kneys thay fell a non

And seiden they ‘ben eu erych on

PEPYS

228 PA R n TEXT

1 28 THE HOUSE OF FAME . PEPYS 2006 .

For goddes love for certes we

Han certeign) do it for bonite

And for no maner oper th ynge.

I graunt you alle you r a skynge

Qu od sh e letalle you r werkes be dede

Wyth patabout I tu rned myn hed eAnd see anon pis furst rowte

That to this lady gan lowte

And down a non on knees falle

And h er tho by- sowgh ten alle

To hide h er gode werkes eke

And seide they yefe not a leke

For fame ne suche renou fi

For they for contempla con)

And G oddes love hadd it wrought

Ne Of fame wold they nowght

What qu od Sh e be ye wode

A nd wene ye to do god e

And for to have Of that no fame

Have ye despite to have my name

Nay ye shull be eu erych ofi

Blow thy trompe and pata non

Q u od sh e thow Eolus I hote

And ryuge these folkes werkes by note

That alle the world! may of it here

And gan blow her loos so clere

In h is gilde Clarion)

That through the world went p’ sownAnd so kyndely and eke al le soft

no gap in th e MS ]Tho cam the sixt company

And gan fast to fame crye [p.21

Right v erely in this manere

They seiden mercy lady dere

To tell certeign a s it is

We have do neperpa tne thisPEPYS

PAR w TEXT 229

THE HOUSE OF FAME . pe e rs 2000. 1 29

B atId il alle oure lif be

B utnererles we preyen the

That we may have so god a fame

And grete renou fi and knowen nam

As they that have don noble gestes

And esh u edl alle her bestes

A s wel Of love a s Oper th yngeAlle wa s v s neuer broche ne ryu ge

Ne elles ought fro women sent

Ne ones in her hert I-ment

TO make v s only frende ly chere

B utmowgh ttemen v s Vp on bere

Yet lete v s to pe

puple seme

Suche a s the world may of v s d eme

That wommen loved v s for wode

That shal do v s a s muche god e

And to oure hert a s muche availe

To cou ntre pese ese and tra v a ile

As we hadd wonne wyth labore

For that is dere bowgh tlabou r

At raga rde of oure grete ese

And yet ye must v s more plese

Lete v s behold! eke pertoWu rth y wyse and god e also

And riche and happy vn to love

For goddes love that sittith above

Though we may not the body have

Of women yet so god me saveLete men blaw on v s the name

Sufficeth that we have the fame

I gra unt qu od sh e be my trowth

NOW Eolus wyth outen slowtli

Take out thy trompe of gold qu od sh e

And blow a s they have a sked me

That eu ery m an wene hem at ese

Though they go in bad lese (p. 1 14, col. 1 ]

PEPYSO D D TEXTS. 0

230 PA IL - TEXT '1 30 THE HOUSE D E FAME . PEPYS 2006 .

This Eolus gan it so blow

Th atlth rou gh the world it wa s knowe

Tho com the v ij rowte a non

And fele on knees eu erych on

And seide lady gra unt v s sone

The Same th ynge the same bone

That these next folke have don

Fye on yow qu od sh e eu erych on

Ye masty swyne ye Id il wrech esF u l

‘

of Roten slow tecche

What fals th ev es wh er ye woold

Ben famous goode and no th ynge nold

Deserve why ne neuer thoughtMa

’

n'

rath er yow to h angyn ought

For ye ben like the slepy catte

That wold have fi ssh e but wost pou what

He will no th ynge wete h is clowes

Evi l] thriftcom on you r Iowes

And on myn yef I it graunt

Or do fa u ou r yow to a—vauntThow Eolus thow kynge Of Trace

G O blow this folk a sory gra ce

Qu od sh e a non and wost thow h ow

A S I shal tell the right now

Sey these ben they that wolden honou r

Have and do no kynnes labou r

And do no good a nd yet hem lawde

That men wend e that bele Isawd e

Ne cowde hem nowt Of love werne

And yet sh e gryntataqu yrneIs alle to gode to ese her hert

This Eolus a non vp stert

And Wyth h is blak Clarion

He gan to bla syn owt a sown)

A s lowde a s bellyth wynd e in helle

And eke per wyth soth to telle

PEPYS

232 PA IL - TEXT1 32 THE HOUSE OF

.FAME. prr rs 2000.

And on thy tipetsuche a beH

Ma D am qu od he soth to tell

I am that ilk shrew I wys

2006 F a me end s

PEPYS

of 650011 Mamet

FR OM

ADDITIONAL MS. British Museum (h a slost 20 leaves) ; a ll, from line 5 1 3 to the end

,

1. 2723 ; less, lines 6 10- 807, 1 106- 1 305,1 802- 1 85 1 ,

21 1 1 -21 25,21 36 - 21 5 1 p . 1 34- 21 2

MS . Ff. 1 . 6,University Library, Cambridge.

TH ISBE only p . 1 39- 1 49

RAWLINSON MS . C . 86, Bodleian Library.

DIDO only p. 1 49 - 173

273- 279 PA IL - TEXT1 3 4 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD IT. MS .

THE LEGEND OF G OOD WOMEN .

[Add itIVS B rit. Mu s. (paper), leaf 1 , incompletebegins a tline 5 1 3 a nd h a s lost9 Oth er lea ves ]

[Th ere’

s a kind of [j atth e and of every line .]

She that For hire h ou sbonde chees to dye [lea f 1 ] 5 1 3

And eke‘to_ goon to helle rather th anne h e

And hercules R escowed hire parde,

And brou h toute Off helle ageyne to blysse

And I answerde a yen And seyd e yisse

NOW knowe I hire And ys this goode Alceste

The deyesye Andmyn owne bertys Reste

Now F esle I well the goodnesse Off this wyfi'

And that both a ifter d eeth and m hire lyff

Hire grete bou nte dou bleth h eiJ B anounWell hath sh equ ytte me myne A fi

’

eccz’

ou n

That I have tyl hire Floure the D eyesye

NO wondir ys thonh Ione hire stellyfye

And a s tellith Agatoofi For hire goodnesse

Hire white C orov ne berith Off hit wytnesse

For also many vertues badde sh e

A s smale Floures in hire C orov ne be

In remembra u nce Off hire and in honour

C ybella made th e d eyse and the Flour

I - C orovned a l with with white a s men may se

And Mars th anne to hire C orovne Rede pa rdeADD IT.

282- 283 PAR - TEXT1 36 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. MS .

And so Forth and my love sh a ltow wynne

For latte se now what man that lover be

Wole do so stronge a peyne in love a s sh e

I wote well thow mayst nat alle Ryme

That suche lovers dydden in her’ tyms

It were to longe to reden and to here

Su fi'

yseth me thow make in this manere

That thow reh ersse Off alle theyre lyff the grete

Alfter that thes olde Au ctou rs lystem trete

For who so shall so many a storye telle

Say shortly or he shall to longe duelle

And with that word e my bookes gan I take

And rih tthus on my legende ganne I make

[ I ]

11mm Itgenh a GEIropatrge

Fter the deeth OffTholome the kyng

That alle Egipte badd e in h is gov ernyngR egned h is Qu ene C leopatara s

Tyl on a tyms byfelle there suche a caas

That out Off Rome wa s sent a senatou r

Forto conqu ere R egnes and honourVnto the tov ne Off Rome a s w a s v sa u nce

TO haue the w orlde at theyre Obeyssa u nce

And soth e to seyne Antoniu s w a s h is name

SO felle yta s Fortune h ym ou h ta sh ame

wh anne he w a s Fallen in prosperyte

Rebelle vuto the tovne offRome w a s he

And over a ll e this th e su stre OffCesar

He letite hire F a lsly er sh e w a s war

And wolde a lgatys haue a nother wyff

For which he toke with Rome a nd Cesar stryfl'

AD D I T.

PAH - TEXT 284- 285

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. MS . 1 37

Nath eles For soths this ylke senatou r 596

w a s a Full worthy werreou r

And Off his deeth hit wa s Full grete d amage

But love hadd brou h tthis man in such a Rage

And bym SO na rwe bounden in h is laas

For the love Off C leopata ra s

That alle the worlde he sette at no value

Hym th ou h tther w a s no thing to h ym so due

As C leopata ra s Forto love and serve

Hym rou h tnou htin Armys Forto sterve

In the defence Off hire and off hire R ih t

This noblequ ene loved so this knyht

Th u rh h is deserts and h is C h iu a lrye

A s certeynly but yiff that bookes lye

He wa s Off persone and Off gentyllesse

[4 lea ves gone h ere ]

ADD IT.

1 38

[4 lea ves outof th e Addit. MS . B ritish Ill useu m]

292- 293 PAR .- TEXT

1 40 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. MS . Ff. 1 . 6,CAME.

Be slyeth Spekene some of here dyseyre

As owre the glede attu r p”feyreFor- h ede a luffe ittene so wode

This wall wych patbe -twex bym) both stode

Wh a s clonen) a tow rygh tfro 13° cope a down

Of olde tymys of h is fundacion)But patpis clyfte wa s so narowe lyte

Hit wa s noygh ta seyndyr noygh ta myta

But wat p”patluffe can) noygh ta - speya

The lu fferys towe yfpatI shall not leyThe funden) fyrst pis lytell narowe clyfte

And with a sowne a s softe a s any sch ryft

The lett h ere wordys thoro peclyftpasse

And tolden) wyll patpey stoden) in the plaseHere compleyntof lu fi

‘

e and here woo

And eu ery tyme when) pey dorst soVp

- One paton) syde of pa twhall stode he

And on patou du r syde stode tesbyTh e swette sowne Of ou du r to reyseu e

And pu s here wh ardeyns wold pey dysseyu eAnd eu ery day this whall wold pey th reteAnd wyssch to god h itwere d one bete

Thus wold pey seyne a la s pow wykkyd whallTh u rgh thyne env ye towe lestestv s a ll

Why nyltpou elene or fallone a downe (lea f65 , back]

Or at the lest but pou woldu stso

Yet w oldestbut onu s latv s meteOr onu s patwe mygh tkysson) swe .

Than were we cou ered Of owre carus cold s

But nayth eles yet be we to te holde

In a s mych a s pou su fferest for to gone

Oure wordu s th u rgh tpi lyme 82 eyke py stone

Yet are we with pe well apayde

And when) pis yd u ll word u s were seyde

The colde whall pey wold kysse Of stone

And take here leyue forthe pey wolden) goneC AME. Ff. 1 . 6

PA IL - TEXT 294- 295

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. MS . Ff. 1 . 6 , 1 4 1

And pis wh a s glad ly in pe eu enen) tyde

Or wond u r erly leystmen hit a - spyde

And long tyme pey wrowte in pis manereTyl on) a day whan) phebus gane to clere

Aurora wyth pe strema s Of h is hete

Had dryu de vpte d ewe of erbus swete

Vn- to pis clyfta s h itwh a s won) to be

Come pyramu s afta r come tesbe

And plygh ton) trowth e fully in fey

pat ylke same nygh tto stelone a weyAnd to be-

geyle here wh ardeyns eu erych one

And forth out of pe Syte for to gone

And for pe feld u s bene so browde wyde

For to mete in a plase at O tyd e

pey sett merke here metyngj schuld be [leaf65.l> aok1

There kyng| nynu s wh a s gra u ene vndu r a tre

For olde penyms patIdoles heried

V sen tho in feldu s to ben bered

And fast be p" geyne wh a s a wellAnd sch orth ly of p“ tale to tellconant wa s a - fermed wondu r fast

And long'bym) th owgh tpatbesone last

bathit nere gone v nd u r p°

goyng| down

Thys tesby hath SO grett a ffecciou n

And so grett hast piramu s to se

That wen) sche mygh tsee here tyme mygh tbe

Att nygh tsche stale a wey preu ylyWyth here fase wympu ld Soth lyAlle here frendu s for to saue here th awghttrwth e

Sche asse for- sake 82 patp‘s rewth

Th at e u er womma n wold be so trews

To tryst a man but sche h ym) bettu r knews

And to the tre sche gose a full good pase

F or loue made byr SO ardy in patcase

And be patwell a d owne can) sche byr a - dresse

Alas tho come a wylde lyones

CAMB. Ff. 1 . 6

296 - 297 PAM - TEXT :1 42 . LEGEND OF G OOD

”

WOMEN."EDD IE: its.

[Additiona lMS . British Mu seum.

TO drynken Off the’

welle there sh e satte [lea f3] 808

And wh a nne that Tesbe h a dde espyed thatte

She roos with a drery herte

And in a kave with dred efu ll Foot sh e Sterte .

For by the Mone sh e s‘

aWe ytwell with 2116And a s sh e ranne hire wymple lette

’

sh e Falle

And tOOke noon hede so s'

ore'

sh eWa s awhapedAnd eke For gla dde that sh e wa s escaped

And: thus sh e sytteth and d erkyth w ondre stylle

w h anne that this lyoneSse h a dde dronke hire Fylle

Aboute the welleganne sh e Forto wend e

And rih tanoon the wymple ga rine sh e Fynd

And with hire blody mouthe yta ll to -Rente

wh anne this w a s done no lengere wolde sh e stente

But to the wodde hire w ayth anne hath sh e nome

And at the laste this Pyramus'

yskomeB utall to longe at home allas w as he

The Mone shone And he myhtWell SeAnd in h is way a s that h ekome Full FasteHys eyen to the groh nde a dovne he caste

And in the sonde a s he byh elde adovn)

He seye the steppes broode Off a lyou n'

And in h is herte he sodeynly agroos

And pale he wex and therWith h is heere aroosA

‘

nd‘

nere he kome and Founds the wymple torn)

Allas qu od he the day th at‘

I w a s born)This oon nyh twole v s lOv ers bothe slee

How sh u lde I aske mercy Off Tesbee

wh anne I am he that haue yow slayne Allas

My h ydynge hath yowslayne in this caas

Allas to bydde A womman goon be nyh t

In place where a s perylle Fallen myh t

And I so slowe alla s I ne h adde be

Here in this place a.

F u rlonge way or yeAD D lT.

~

298- 299 PAH - TEXT1 44 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADDIT. 1 18 .

NOW what Lyon-n that be in this Foreste

My body mot h em rente or what beeste

That wylde ys gnawen mote he myn herts

And with that words he to the wymple sterte

And kyste ytOffte and w epte on ytFu ll soreAnd seyde wymple allas there is na mare

But thow shalt Fele a s well the blOOde Off me

As thow haste Felte the bledynge off Tesbe

And with that worde he smote h ym to the herte

The bloods out Off the wou nde a s brood e sterte

As water wh anne the cond u ytbrokyn ys

Now Tesbe which that wystnatOff this

But syttyng in here drede sh e th ou h tthus

Yiti hit 80 Falle that my PyramusBe komen bed ir and may me natFynde

He may me holde Fals and eke v nkynde

And oute sh e komyth and a ffter bym gan espyen

Bothe with hire herte and with hire eyen

And th ou htI wolle h ym tellen Off my d reda

Bothe Off the Lyonesse and alle my dede

And at the last h ire lyeffth anne hath sh e Fou nds

Betynge h is bseles vpon the grou nde

Al blody a nd ther with all abak sh e sterte

And lyke the wawes quappe ganne hi re herte

And pale a s Box sh e w a s in a throwe

Av ysed hire and gan bym well to knowe

That hit w a s Pyramus hire h erte clere

Wh o kouth e wryte swych a dedly Chere

Hath Tesbe now and how here heere sh e Rent

And how sh e ganne hire sylfi'

to turmente

And how sh e lyeth an swowneth on the grou nds

And how sh e w epte Off Teeres F u lle h is wou nde

And medlyth sh e h is bloods with h is compleynt

How with h is bloods hire selff ganne Sh e peynt

How clippeth sh e the d eede corps allas

How doth this wofu ll Tesbe in this caas

ADD IT .

PAM - TEXT 298 - 299

LEGEN D OF GOOD WOMEN . MS . Ff. 1 . 6, CAMB. 1 45

Nowe what lion) patbe in pis forest

My body mote rent or what best

That wyld p“ gnaw en) mut my hertAnd wyth pat word he to p

ewympu ll starte

And kystit oft 82 weppeton) it full sore

And sayd wympu ll allas per is nomore

But pou shall fele a s well p° blou de Of me

A s 11011 a s feld p° blod Of tesby

And wyth patword he smet bym) to te hert

The blou d e out of p" woud a s brod start

As w atu r wan) pat becondyth broken) pis

Nowe tesby wych wystno th yngl of pis

But settyng* in here drede sche th u th pu s

Yf it so fall patmy none pyramu s

be comon) bidd a r 82 may me not fynd

He may hold me false 82 eke om-kynd

And out sche comth e 82 afta r bym) sche can) a spye

Both wyth byr hert 82 eke wyth byr ccAnd thought I wyll h ym) tell Of a ll my dreds

Both of p" lyones 82 a ll my d ede

And at p° last here lu ffe here a s sche fond

Betyng'wyth h is belys v nto te grond

A ll blody 82 per-wyth a - bakke sche sterte

And lyke po quaysqu akyngqhere hertAnd pale a s box sche wa s in a throwe

A - vysed here 82 gan) bym wele to knowe

That it wa s peremu e herehert dere [lea f67]

WOO cowde wryte wych a d ely schere

Hath tesby nowe 82 howe her here sche rent

And howe sche gan) here selu en) to terment

And houe sche lyth 82 su oWnyth on) be grond

And howe sche w eppetOf teres full h ys wond

And medu lth sche h is h lode wyth here complynt

How wyth h is blou de here selu e gane sche payutHowe klepetsche pe dede corse allas

Houe doth pis wofu ll tesby in this case

CAMB . Ff. 1 . 6

ODD TExrs. 10

300- 301 PAH - TEXT1 46 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . AD D IT. MS .

How kysseth sh e h is Frosty month s so oolde

Who hath don) th is and who hath ben so bolde

TO sleen my lyeff O speke my Pyramus

I am thy Tesbe that the ca llyth thus

An d ther with a ll sh e lyffted vp h is heede

This wofu ll man that Fu lly w a s natd eed e

On hire he caste h is bevy deedly eye

Wh anne that '

he herd e the name off Tesbe crye [leaf 4.

And dovn) ageyn and yeldith vp the goost

Tesbe rysith Vpwith oute noyse or boost

And sauh hire wymple and his empty seeth

And eke h is swerde th at h ym h ath done to deeth

Th anne Spak sh e thus thy wofu ll hande qu od sh e

Is stronge ynou h in swich a werke to me

For love shall yeve me strenth and h ardynesse

To make my wounds large ynou h y gesse

I wole the F olwen deede and I wole be

F elawe and cause eke Off thy deeth qu od sh e

And thow that no thyng save the deeth only

Mih tthe Fro me departe trewlyThow shalt no more now d eparte F ro me

Th anne Fro the d eeth For I Wole goo with theAnd now yee wrecch ed Ielou s F a dres oure

We that wh ylom wern children youre

We pray yow that with outen more envys

That in oone grave we moten lye

Synlove hath brou h tv s to this pitons ende

As R ih twyse god to eu ery lover sende

That lov yth trew ly more prosperyte

Th anne eu ere badde Pyramus and Tesbe

And latte no gentyl womman hire assure

To putten hire in suche an aventure

But god F orbede but yiff a woman kan

B en a s trews and lovynge a s a Man

And For my part I Shall anoOn ytkythe [lea f 5]

And with that'

worde h is swerde sh e toke a s swythe

ADD IT.

302- 303 PAR - TEXT1 48 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADDIT. MS .

That warms was Off hire lovis bloode and hoots

And to the herte sh e hire sylu en smote

And thus ys Tesbe and Pyramus agoo

Off trews men I Fynde but Fews mooIn alle my bookes sa u fi

'

this Pyramus

And th erfore have I spokyn off bym thus

F or ytys deynte to v s Men to F ynde

A man that kan in love be trewe and kynd e

Heer may he seen what lover that h em be

A woman darre and kan love a s well a s he

[HI ]

11ncipit. 12gmta /mitosis G aa agiz B egins

Lorye and Honour Virgyl Mantezin 924

I shall as I kan

F olwe thy lanterne a s thow goostbyforn)

How Eneas wa s to Dydo Forsworn)In thyne eneyde And naso wole I takeThe tenours and the grete effectes makeWh anne Troye brou h twa s to the destru cciou n [leaf 6 , ba ck ]By G rekes sleyh tand namly by Synou n

F eynyng| the hors Offred vnto Mynerwe

Th u rh which many a Troian must sterve

And Ector badde a ffter h is d eeth appiered

And Fyre so woode ytmyh tnatben stiered

In alle the noble Toure Off ylyou n

That 011“

the Citee w as the C h iefi'

dongou n

And alle the C u ntre wa s so lowe ybrou h t

And Pyramus the kyng Fordon and nou h t'

And Eneas w a s Charged by Venus

To Fleen away he toke Ascanius

That wa s h is sonne in h is rih thande and Fledde

And on h is bak he bare and with h ym ledde

ADD IT.

PAR - TEXT 302- 303LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . CAMB. Ff. 1 . 6 5 82 RAWL . c. 86 . 1 49

That wa rms wa s Of h yr lu ffys h lode 82 hote

And to p° herts sche h yr sylfe smotte

And pu s h is pyramu s 82 tesbe a go

Of so trewe men) I fynd but fews moIn a ll my bokys saue pis pyramu sAnd per- fore I haue spoken) Of bym) pu sF or h itis dente of syche men to fynd

A man pat gan) in luh '

e be trews 82 kynd

Here may 36 seen) whats lou ere so he be

A woman dar 82 kan) a s wele a s heExplicit Pyramu s 82 tesbe

Nomen scriptoris nich ola u s plenu s amoris.

[ IIL][R a wl MS . 0. 86, leaf 1 1 3 ; paper : la te 15th cent]

th e eompla ynte of D ido [in a la ter h a nd ]

and h onowre V irgill Mantu a in Lidgate

name 82 I Shall a s I can)

F OlOW th i laten) a s th ou goist beforn)

HOW Enya s w a s to Dido for- Swron) (sic)In thi Su pports ovide 82 naso will I take

The tenour’ and the grete effects make

Wh en) troy w a s brought to distru ction)

By grekys slygh t82 namely by Synon

F einyd the horse Offird vuto Manerv e

Throw whichs many a Trogian) dide stryv e

And Ector had after h is D eith apperid

And a fire so wode it mygh tnot be sterid

In alle the nobill tou rs Of‘ Ilion) [leaf 1 1 3. ba ck)

That Of' the G itis w a s the C h eyf‘ Dungeon)

And a ll the C ontrey wa s so low I-brought

And Piramu s the kyng brought to nou ght

And eneas w a s ch a rgid by Venus

TO fi eyn) awey he toke a skaneu s

That w a s h is sons in h is right hande 82 fi edde

And on) h is bake he bars 82 forth he ledde

CAMB. Ff. 1 . 6 5 82 EAWL . 0. 86

304- 305 PAR - TEXT1 50 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. A DD IT. 113 .

His olde Fadir cleped Anchises

And by the way h is wyfi'

Creusa he lees

And mekyl sorwe h adde he in h is mynde

Or that he kouth h is Felyssh ipe FyndeBut at la sts wh anne he badde hem Founde

He made bym redy in a certeyn stounds

And to the see he gan bym Fu ll Fast h ye

And sayllith Forth with alle h is companysTowa rdes ytaylle as wolde h is destynee

But off h is aventures in the see

Ne nys natto pu rpos Forto Speken Off h ere

For hit a ccordyth netto this matere

B uta s I seyde Off bym and Off DydoShall be my Tale that I have y-do

SO longe he saylled in th e Sa lts See

Tyl in Lybye v nnsth a rryv ed he

With sh ippes seven and no more navys

And gladde w a s he to lond e Forto h ys

SO w a s he with the Tempest a l to- shake

And wh anne that he the haven badde ytake

He h adde a knyht w a s ca lled Acch ates

And bym Off alle h is F elyssh ipe he chees

To goon with h ymthe cu ntre For tespyeHe toke with bym no more Companys

But Forth they goon and leffte the Sh ippes Ryde

Hys Feer and he with outen eny gu yde

SO longe he wa lkyth in this wyldernesse

Tyl at the la sts he mette an h u nteresss

A Bowe in h ands and Arwes h adde sh e

Hire clothes wern ku tted to the kne

But sh e wa s yittthe F eyrestcreature

That eu ere wa s Fou rmed by nature

And Eneas and Acch ates sh e grette

And thus sh e to hem Spak a s sh e hem mette

Saws yee qu od sh e as yee haue walked wyde

Eny Offmy su stren walke yow bysyde

ADD IT .

306 - 307 PAR .- TEXT

1 52 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD IT. 218 .

\Vith eny wylde Boor or other Beeste [lea f6. ba ck] 980

That they haue hunted in the Foreste

I -tu kked Vpe with Arwes in th eyr’ Caas

Nay soth ely lady quod this Eneas

But be thy bea u te a s th enkyth me

Thow myh testneuere erth ely womman be

But Phebus suster artow a s I gesse

And yiff so be thow be a goddesss

Haue mercy on oure labour and on oure WOO

I nam no goddesss soth ely qu od sh e thoo

For maydens walken in this C u ntre heere

With Arw es and with Bows in this manere

This ys the Regne Off Lybye there yee bene

Offwhich ys Dydo lady andqu eneAnd shortly tolde bym alle th occa ciou n

why Dydo kome in to that R egiou nOffwhich a s now me lystnatto Ryme

Hytnedyth nat ytnere but losse Off tyms

For this ys alle and somme ytw as V enus

Hys owns Mod er that Spak with bym thus

And to Cartage sh e badde he sh u ld e bym dyh t

And v anyssh ed anoon oute Off h is syh t

I kou th e F olwe words For words virgil

But ytsh u lde lasten al to longe wh ilThis noblequ ene that cleped wa s DydoThat whilom wa s the wyti Off Scyth eo

That F ayrer w a s th anne th e brih tsonne [lea f 7]

This noble tovn) Off Cartage hath begonne

In which sh e R egneth in so grete honour

That sh e wa s holds Off alle quenes the Flour

Of gentyllesse Of F redam Of beauts

That well wa s h ym that myhthire onye se

O ff kynges and Off lordes SO desired

That alle the worlds hire bea u te hath yffyred

She stode SO well in eu ery wyh tes grace

Wh anne Eneas w as komen to that pladeADD I T.

PAR - TEXT 306- 307

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. MS . RAWL. o. 86. 1 53

Whit any wild Bore a r any wyld best 980

That they haue h untyd in this forest

I-tu ckyd vp with arows in a case

Nay soth ely lady quod Eneas

But .by thy bea u te as th ynkyth me

Thou Migh estneuer erly woman) be

But phebus su stre th ow artI gesse

Or ellys I trowe th ow arta godd esss

Haue mercy on) ou rs labours 82 woo

I am) no goddesss soth ely qu od sh e thoo

For Maydeyns wa lkyn) in this C ontrey here

With aroweys and with Bowes In this manere

Th is'

y s the Region) Of‘ libie th er ye bene

Of'D ido ys a lady and a quenoAnd sh ortely sh e told th em) the occasion)

Why Dydo com) yn - to that Region)

Of‘ whi chs a s now me list notreyneF or truly it were but losse Of'tyms

For this is a ll and sunne it is Venus

His owyn) moder that spake to bym) thusAnd to Carta ge sh e bade he sh u ld h ym) dight

And than) v anysh yd anon) outs of* h ys sight

I coude folow words for words Virgile

But it sh u ld last a ll to longe a wh yle

This noble guene th at clepid wa s dido

That wiff‘ wa s whilom) Of‘ C ith eo

That sure wa s th an) the Bright sonne (leaf 1 14, back]This noble Towns of Cartage hath be - gonne

In whichs sh e Reigned yn grette honours

And sh e wa s holden) Of' a ll qu ens flower

Of‘ gentilnesse fredom) 82 Of'Beu ate (sic)Yet well wa s h ym) th a t h ir’ mygh tones seeOf‘ kynges and Of'lordes sh e wa s desyred

SO th a t a ll the world h ir beu a ute h a d fired

She stode so well yn eu ery wh ygh tes grace

And whan) that eneas wa s Comen) to the place

RAWL . C . 86

308 - 309 PAS - TEXT1 54 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . .w mr. MS .

Vnto the maystre Temple Off the tovu)

Ther Dydo w a s in hire d ev ocionFull pryv ely h is way th anne hath he nome

Wh anne he wa s in the large Temple komeI kan natsay yiff hit be possyble

But Venus h a dde made h ym Inv ysible

Thus seyth the book with oute eny 16 8And wh anne this Encas and Acch ates

Hadden in this Temple ben ouere alle

Th anne F onden they depeynted on a w alls

How Troye and alle the londe destroyed was

Allas that I w as born quod Eneas

Th u rh oute the worlds ou rs sh ame ys kyd so wyde 1028

Now ytys peynted on sa cry syde

How we that whilom wern in prosperyte

Ben now dysclandred and in suche degre

N00 lenger Forto lyve I ne kepeAnd with that words he brast out to wepe

SO tendirly that Rouths ytwa s to seene

This F ressh e lady Off the C itesqu eneStod e in the Temple in hire estate R ea lle

SO R ich ely and eke so Fayre with alle

SO yonge so lusty with hire eyen glad e

That yifi‘

that god that h ev ens and erth e made

Wolds haue a love F or beauts and goodnesss

And womanhede and trouth e and semelynesse

Whoms sh u lde he loven but that lady swete

Ther nys no wommen to bym h alfi'

so mete

Fortune that hath the worlds in gov erna u nce

Hath sodeynly brou h tInns SO news a chau nce

That neuere w a s ther so Fremde a caas

For alle the company OffEncas

Which th at he wend e“

haue lorne in the See.

A rryv ed ys nat Ferr From that C ites

For which the grettestOff h is lordes some

By aventure ben to the cites kome

ADD IT .

310- 31 1 PAR - TEXT1 56 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD IT. 1 18 .

V uto the same Temple Forto seke

The queue and Offhire sokou r to beseks

Swych R enou n w a s ther Sprongen Off hire good nesss

And wh anne they hadden tolde alle theyre d estresse

And alle theyre Tempest and theyre harde caas

Vnto thequ ene .th anne appered this Eneas

And openly byknewe that ytw a s he

Who badd e o s th anne but h is meyne

That badde Founds th eyr’ lords and gov ernou r

Thequ ene sauh they dydde h ym suche honour

And h a dde herde a ffter Off Eneas or tho

And in hire herts h a dde Rouths and woo

That eu ere swich a noble man a s he

Sh u lde ben dysh erited and in suche degre

And sauh the man that he w a s lyke a knyht

And su fiicea u ntoffpersons and Offmyh t

And l yke to ben a verrey gentyl man

And well h is wordes he be - sette kan

And haddo a noble vysage For the noones

And Formed well Off Brawnes and boones

And alfter V enus badde he suche F a yrenesse

That no man myh tbe h a lff so Fayre I gesse

And well a lorde he Semyd Forto be

And For he wa s a stra u nger somwh atsh e

lyked bym the bette a s god do boots

TO somme F olks Off newe thing ys swoote

Anoofi hire herts hath pyte Off h is WOOAnd with that pyte love

'

kamme Inne also

And thus For pytes and For gentyllesse

He moste be R effressh ed Off h ys dystresse

She seyde certys that sh e sory wa s

That he hath badde suche perylle and such caas

And in h ire F rendely speche in this manere

She to bym spak and seyde a s ye may here

Be nat ye V enus sonne and Anchises

In goode F eyth alle the w orsh ipe and encres

ADD I T .

PAH - TEXT 310- 3 1 1

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. MS . RAWL. c. 86 . 1 5 7

And vnto the same Temple for to seche 1 052

The saidqu ene and h ir’ socou r’ to secheSuche renowyn) wa s Spoke Of

'h ir‘ good enesse

And they had tolde a ll thir‘ d istresses

An d a ll Tempest 82 thir‘ harde C a s

Vnto thequ ene apperid EneasAnd Openly they knew it w a s he

Who had iOie But a ll h is meyne

Th at thei h a d fou nde thir’ lorde 82 gou ernou r‘

The quen) Saw how they did bym) suche b ononi’

And had herd Of'Eneas more th an) mow

And yn hir’ herts sh e h a d than) rought 82 woo

That euer any suche a nobill man) a s he

Sh u lde be deserite 82 be in suche degree

And Saw th e man) w a s like a kyngh t(sic)

[No gap in th e MS ]And like to be a very gentilman)And well h ys words he be—sett Can)

And had a nobile visage for the nones

And fou rmyd well Of'Fleshs 82 bones

And after Venus he h ad suche fa renesse

That no man) mygh tbe SO fare I gesse

And wele a lorde he semyd for to be [lca f 1 15, ba ck]And for he w a s stra u ng su n) what sh e

lykyd bym) the better’a s god doith bots

For to serue folks new aqu yta u nce is swotsA none here herts h ad a pece Of' h is woo

Whi t that pyte loue Cam) In also

A nd thus for pits and for genttilnesse

R efresh e sh e wold h ym) Of‘ h is distresse

She said Gertys that sory sh e w a s

That he h ad suche perell and C a s

And yn hir‘ frendely speche in this maner

She to bym) spake 82 said a s ye may here

Be ye not V enus sons and Anchises

In good faith a ll the worships 82 encres

R AWL. c. 86

31 2- 31 3 FAE .- TEXT

1 58 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD IT. MS .

That I may goodely doon yow ye shall have

You rs Sh ippes and youre meyne Shall I save

And many a gentyl worde sh e spak bym to

And komanded h ire Messagers Forto goo

The same day with cute F aylle

Hys sh ippes Forto seke and hem v itaylle

Full many a beeste sh e to h is shippes sent

And with the wyn ganne h ym present

And to hire R ea lle palsys sh e hire spedde

And Eneas a l way with hire sh e ledd e

What nedyth now the F ests to dyscryv e

He neuere better at ese w as in h is lyve

F u lle wa s the F ests Off deyntes and Richesse

Of Instrumentes Off songs and Off gladnesss

And many an Amerou s lOkynge and devys

This Eneas ys komen into ParadysO uts Off the swolow off helle and thus in o s

R emembrith bym Off h is estate In Troye

To da u nsyng'ch a umbres [catchwords atfoot]

[a leaf (C i) gone h ere ; nextleaf (9, C ii) mostly gone ]

ADD IT .

Off wh ich ther gan to breden suche

That sely Dydo hath now swich d

with Encas hire newe geste to d

That Sh e hath loste hire hewe a

ADDIT.

PAR - TEXT 3 1 4—3 1 5LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. Ms. RAWL. c. 1 6 1

But that Dido hath to eneas sent 1 124

All eke is pa ids that he hath spent

Thus gafe this honorable queno her gyftes all

A s sh e that C an) in fredom) passen) all

Eneas eke soth ely with - outen) lese

Hath e sent to h is shipps by achates

Afte r h is sonne 82 after R iche th inges

Bothe Sceptre clothes Broches 82 R ynges

Sum for to were 82 sums for to present

To h er that a ll thise nobill th ynges sent

And bad h is sons how th a t he sh u ld make

The presentes 82 to the quen he it takeRepaired is this Achates agayn)

And Encas is fi u ll blithe 82 fayne

forto se h is yong sons a skaniu s

But neu erth eles our Auctor tellith v s

That Cupid e that is goddes Of‘ loue [lea f 1 16,

At the prayer Ofi hir’ fa der aboue

Had the likenesss Of‘ this ch yld I- take

This nobil e guene enamoured to make

On) Eneas but a s Of‘ th a t scriptureBe a s h e may I take Of' it no Care

But soth is this thequ ene hath su ch chere

V nto the C h yld that wonder it w a s to h ere

And for the present that h is fader sent

She th ankyd bym) Oftin full entent

Thus thequ ene in plesa u nce 82 in ioyeWith a ll the news lusty folks Of'Troye

And Of’ the D edys hath sh e no more enqu ire ll

Of‘ Eneas a s thus the story leu idOf‘ Troy but a ll the longe d ay ther’ tweyEntendid to Speke eyth ir

’ to oth ir’ 82 play

Of‘ whichs th er gan) brsdyn) a fyreThat sely D ido hath now suche a desyre

With Eneas now h er gest to dele

SO that Sh e hath lost her fresh hew 82 hele

R AWL . C . 86

OD D TEXTS . 1 1

3 16 - 31 7 PA IL - TEXT1 62 LEGEN D OF GOOD WOMEN . 1 18 .

NOw to th efl'

ecte now to th e

Wh y I have told e this storysThus I begynne ytF ells

Wh anne that the Moons

This noblequ ene vnShe syketh sore and

She w akith we

A s d one thes 10

And at the 1

She made h

Now der

That

This

F0

lisets what sh u lde I more seye nears, ba ck] 1 180alle to do me lyve or deye

c a s sh e that kou th hire goode

u h tand somedel ytw ith stode

SO longe a sermonynge

maken R eh ersynge

t be w ith stonde

ng wole ytwonde

he see

hire meyne

ode and kene

qu eneO

[3 lines u nder]if

t

ADD IT.

3 1 8 - 3 1 9 PA IL - TEXT1 64 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD IT. 1 13 .

[1 leaf, C iii gone C iv, a scrap of th e ma rgin of leaf 10

conta ins only a few letters beginning lines 1 27 1— 1280

AD D ir.

Pam- TEXT 3 1 8- 31 9

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . MS . RAWL. o. 86 . 1 65

Her yong kyngh tes h ou efi a ll a -bouts 1 1 96

And Of‘ h i1J gentilwomen) eke an) huge route

And Vpon) a thicke palfrey pap[er] white

With Sa dell rede embra u ded with d elite

And Of‘ gold the Bares emboced hie

Sate D ido a ll in gold and in perrys

And sh e a s fa irs a s is the Bright more

That h elith folks a ll fro nygh tes sorow

And on) a C ou rsou i’ sterklyng a s the fire

A man) mygh ttu rns bym) with a litell wyre

Ther Sat Encas like phebus to deu ise

So w a s he a rrayd freshly yn the new gyse

The fomy Bridell with the bitte of'gold

G ou ernith h is hors a s h ynD- self'wold

And forth this nobillqu ene doith rid e Destl l7, ba ck]To hunten) with th is new Trogen) by h ir‘ syde

The herd Of’ h erttes is fou nden) a -none

Wit h hay go bett prike lette gone

Wh eth ir‘ the lion) cum or the BereThat I mygh tones mete bym) with a spere

This seyne th es yong kyngh tes 82 vp they kylle

The wyld Bestes 82 haue hem) at thir’ wille

Amonge a ll th is to R oumbelyn) can) th e h eu yn)

The th ou nder rored With a grysly stev yn)

And doun) Cam) the rayn) 82 th e light so fast

With h edow se fi re th a t sore ben) agast

This nobillqu ene 82 also h ir’ meyne

That iche of" them) wa s glade awey to fiye

And soth ely from) the tempest hem) to saue

She fi ede her self'vnto a litell Caue

And with her went th is °

Eneas also

I note yf with them) went any moo

Myn) a u ctou r Makyth Of' them) no mencion)

And here be - gan) the first a fi ecciom

Be - twen) hem) ij th i s wa s on) the first Morowo

Of' this gladnesss 82 th e gynnynge of" h ir’ sorow

R AWL. C . 8 6

1 66

[Lea ves C iii, C iv , a re outof th e Addit. AIS .

B rit. Mu s ]

322- 323 PAIL - TEXT1 68 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADDIT. MS .

PAR - TEXT 322- 323

LEGEND O F GOOD WOMEN. MS . RAWL. c. 1 69

And C an) SO well do h is obseru a u nce 1 268

To h er at feestes and at denu ces

And when) sh e goith to the temple 82 agayn)

And fasten) tyl haue seyn) h is lady

And h eren) hers 1 deu ise for h ir sake [1 a lterd to h ys]

Woot ye not what 82 songes wold he make

Iu styng and doyng Of‘ armes many th ynges

Send h er lettres br[o]ches and ryngesNow h erkenith how h is lady he hath seru yd

There a s he was like to haue ben) stervyd mu s, bk]F or hunger and for mysh yff

* in the see

Desolate and fi ede from) h ys owyn) contreyAnd all h ys folks with tempest a ll to driven)

She hath her Body 82 her Reams yevyn)

In- to h is h andes th er a s sh e myghthaue ben)

Of'oth er lands then) Of‘ Cartage a quen)And to haue leu yd In ioye wolle ye moreThis Eneas th a t w a s so depe I - swore

Is wery Of‘ h is Craft with - in a throws

The hote ernest is ower blowe

And preu ely he doith h is sh ippis dight

And sh apith h ym) to stele awey by nyght

This Dido hath su specion) Of“ thisAnd thought well it wa s amysse

For yn h ys Bed e he lieth a ll nygh t82 sigh ith

She a skith a - none what h ym) mysliketh

My d ere herte whichs I loue most

Certes qu od he this nygh tmy faders gosthath ym my slepe me SO sore trument

And eke mercuric this message hath present

That nedys to the conquest Of'ItayllMy D esteny ys sons forto sayll

For whichs me th inkyth bresten) myn) herts

There with h is false terys oute th ey sterte

And takyth hir’ with - In h is armes two

Is that yn ernest quod sh e will ye goo

E AWL . c . 8 6

324- 325 PAR - TEXT1 70 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . 2 1 mm MS.

Ye wols natF ro youre wylf thus Foule Fleens [lea fH ]

I am a gentyl woman and eke aqu eneThat I wa s borfi Al las what shall I do

TO telle in shorts this noblequ ene DydoShe seketh h a lowes and cloth sacrefyce

She knelith crieth that rouths ys to devyse

C onju reth h ym and profreth Forto be

Hys thralls h is seru a u ntin the leste d egree

She Fa llith bym to Foot and swowneth there

D yssh eu el with h ire brih theere

And seyth haue mercy late me with yow ryde

Thes lordes which that wonen me bysyde'

Wolen me dystroye only F or youre sake

And ye wols me now to wyff take

As ye haue sworne th anne wole I yeve yow leve

To Slene me with you r swerde now sons at eve

F or th anne yittShall I deyen as youre wyti

I am with childe a nd gyfi‘

my child e h is lyfi'

Mercy lorde haue pyte in youre th ou h tBut alle this a v ayllith hire rih tnou h t

F or on a nyh tslepynge he lets hire lye

And stale a way vuto h is companys

And a s a Traytou r Forth he ganno to saylle

Towards the large cu ntre Off ytaylle

And thus hath letite Dydo in woo a nd pyneAnd wedded there a lady that h ih tLa u yne

A Clothe he leflte and eke h is swerde standyng"

Wh anne h e Fro Dydo stale in hire slepyngR ih tat hire h eddys heede so ganne he hye

Wh anne that he stale a way to h is navysWh i ch Clothe wh a nne sely Dydo ganne aw akeShe hath ytkystFull Ofi

‘

te For h is sake

And seyde O swete cloth w h il Iu biter ytlest

Take my sou ls vnbynde me off this vnrest

AD DI T.

326- 327 PA R - TEXT1 72 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. 1 15 .

I have F u lfylled Off Fortune alle th e Course

And thus Allas with- outen h is socou rse

Twenty tyms y- swowned hath sh e th anne

And wh anne that sh e vnto hire su stre Anne

C ompleyned h adde Offwhich I may natwrite

SO grete Rouths I have ytForto endyte

And h adde hire norice and hire su stre goons

To F ecch en Fyre and other thyng anOOne

And seyde that sh e wolde sa crefyce

And wh anne sh e myhthire tyms well espys

Vpon the Fyre Off sacrefi ce sh e sterte

And wi th h is swerde sh e rofi'

e hire to the herts

But a s myn Au ctou r seyth yittthus sh e seyde

Or sh e was h u rts byforfi or sh e deyed

She wrote a lettre anOOn that thus beganne

R ih tso qu od sh e a s the white swanns

Ageyns his d eeth begynneth Forto synge [lea f 12] 1 35 6

R ih tso to yow I make my C ompleynynge

Nat that I trowe to getyn yow ageyne

F or well I wote that ytys alle in v eyne

Syn that the goddes ben contrarys vnto me

But syn my name ys lost th u rh yow qu od sh e

I may well less a words on yow or a lettre

Al be hit I shall be neuere the bettre

For th ilke wynds that blows you r shipps away

The same wynds hath blows away youre Fay

But who so wole’ all e th is lettre haue in mynde

R eds O vyde and in bym ye shull ytFynde

ADD IT.

PA IL - TEXT 326 - 327

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . MS. RAWL. c. 86. 1 73

I haue fu lfi ld Of‘ fortune a ll the cours 1 340

And thus alas with - oute h ys Socou rs

xx“i tymes Sownned hath sh e th an) [lea f 1 19, ba ck )

And when) that sh e v nto h ir’ suster Anne

C omplaynned had of whichs I may notwrite 1 344

So gret routh I haue for to endite

And h a d her now rise 82 to h er suster gon)

To feche fire and oth ir‘ thing anone

And said that sh e wold sa cryfi e

And when) hir’ tyms sh e myghtwele a spie

Vpon) the fire Of' sacrifice Sh e stert

And with h ys Swerd smote h er self* to th e hert

And a s myn) a u ctou r‘

seith thus sh e said

Er sh e wa s hurt be - fore 82 or sh e deide

She wrote a lettre a non) 82 th us it began)

Right soo qu od'

sh e a s the whit Sawan) (sic)A -

yensther d eth beginneth for to syng

Right SO to you I make my complanyngNot for th at I know to getyn) you agan)

F or well I woot that it were yn v syn)

Sithe that the goddes ben) contrary to me

But S ith my name ys lost Throw oute qu od sh e

I may less on) you a words Or a letter

a ll be it I shall be neuer the better

F or th ilke wynds that Blew you r sh ips aweyThat sam) wynds hath brought you r faith aw eyBut wh o will haue a ll th is letter yn mynde

R eds ovide 82 In bym) ye shall it fynde

Explicit th e co mplant of‘ D ido

R AWL. 0. 86

328- 329 PAM - TEXT1 74 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. MS.

IV .]

llncipitlegume graphite 82 118121122 Matter

[1 Th e title is co iedR ots Off Fals lovers Duke Ia son)u nderneath in a m ,

a , ith 1w slyh devourer and confusion) Efi'

forbfécfim

" a“

Off Ientyll wymman gentyll Creatu res

Th ow madest thy R eclaymynge and thy lcu res

TO la dyes Off thy stately Appara u nce

And off thy wordes yfforsed with plesa u nce

And Off thy Foyned trouth e and thy manere Uea f 12, ba ckl

With thyn Obeyssa unce and humble Chere

And with thy C ou ntrefeted peyne and woo.

Ther‘ other Fa lseden oon thow F a lsedesttwoo

And ofte swore thow that thow woldestdeye

F or love wh anne thow ne F eltestmaladys

Save Fou ls delyce which at thow callest love

Yiti that I lyve thy name shall be shoveIn Englyssh that thy seeyte shall be knowe

Have at the Iason) now thyn horn) ys blowe

But certes ytys bothe Rouths and woo

That love with Fals lovers w erkith so

For they shall haue well bettre chere

Thanh s he that hath bou h th is love Full clere

Or badd e in Armes many a blody BoxeF or eu ere a s tend re a Capon etyth th e Foxe

Th ou h he be Fals a nd the F ou ls betrayed

As shall th e goods man that'

th erfore payed

Alle have he to the capou n skylle and rih t

The Fals Fox wole haue h is.

pa rts at nyh t

On Ia son) this ensample ys well yseene

By ysyph yle and Medea the qu eneIn Tessa lye and G u ydo tellyth thus

There wa s a kyng that h ih tPelleu s

That haddo a brother which that h ih tEsone

And wh a nne For age h e myh tv nneth e goone

AD D iT.

332- 333 PAR - TEXT1 76 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD I T. 213 .

He musts both or he ytwynne myh t

With the Booles and with the Dragonn Fyh tAnd kyng Otes lorde w as off that yleThis Pelleu s beth ou h tv n this wyle

That he h is Nev ew Ia sone wolde enh orte

To sayllen to that lande bym to dysporte

And seyde Nev ew yiff ytmyh tbe

That swich worsh ipe myh tFallen th e

That thow this Famous Tresor myh testwynne

And brynge hit my R egiou n with Inne

B ytwere to me grete plesa u nce and honour

Th a nne were I holden to quyte thy labour

And alle the costs I wols my sylffmake

And chese what F olks thow wyltwith the take

Latte 86 now da rstow take this vyage

Ia sone wa s yonge and lusty Off Corage

And vndertoke to d one this ylke empryse [lea f 14]

AnOOn Argus h is sh ippes kan devyse

w ith Ia sone went th e stronge Hercules

And many a nother that he with h ym chees

B utwho so a skyth who ys with bymgOOnLatte hem goo rede Argana utikofi

F or he wols tells a tale longe ynou h

Ph ilotetes anOOn the saylle vpe drou h

Wh anne that the wynds w a s goods and gan bym h yc

Out Off h is C u ntre ca llyd Thessalys

SO longe he sa yllyd in the sa lts see

Tyl in the yle OffLeonOn a rryv ed he .

Alle be this natR eh ersed Off G u yd o

Yittseyth Ovyde in his Epistles so

And in this yle lady w as andqu eneThe Fayre yonge ysiph ile the shene

That whilom Thoas dou h ter w a s the kyng

Ysiph ile w a s gooh in hire pleyngAnd romynge on the See clyv es by th e see

Vnder a Banks anO Ofi espyed sh e

AD D 1T.

PAR - TEXT 334- 335

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADDIT. MS . 1 77

Where lay the sh ippe that Ia sone gan arryv e 1 472

And Off hire goodnesss adovne sh e sent blyv e

To w etyn that yiti eny straunge wyht

With Tempeste th edyr were yblowe a nyh t

TO done h ym sokou r a s w a s hire v sa u nce'

(learn, ba ck]TO F orth ern eu ery wyhtand to do plesa u nce

Off verrey bou nte and Off C ou rteysye

This Messager a dovne ganne h ym hye

And Fonde Ia sone and Hercules also

That in a C ogge to londe were n o

Hem to R efressh en and to take the heyre

The morwenyng attempre wa s and Fayre

And in h is way this Messager hem mette

Full konnyngly thes lordes tho he grette

And dydde h is Message a skyng h em anOOn

Yiff they were broken or ou h twoo begOOn

Or h a dde nede off loodman or Off v ytaylle

F or Off sokou r they sh u lde no thyng F aylle

For ytw a s vtterly thequ enys wylleIa sone answerde mekely and stylle

My lady quod he I thanks h ertlyOff hire goodenesse v s nedith trewlyNO thyng a s now but that we wery be

And komen Forto pleyen oute Off the see

Tyl that the wynd s be bettir in ou rs wey

This lady romyth by the clyfi e to pley

With hire meyne endelonge the stronds

And Fyndeth this Ia sone and this other stonde

In spekyng Off this thing a s I yow tolde

This Hercules and this Ia sone gan beholds

How that the queue ytw a s and Fayre hire grette

And anOOn rih ta s they with this lady mette

She. toke heed e and knewe by here manere

By here Array by wordes and by chere

That ytwere gentyl men Off grete degree

And to the castell with hire ledyth sheo

ADDIT .

ODD TEXTS. 1 2

336 - 337 PA IL - TEXT1 78 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADDIT. MS .

Thes straunge F olks and d oth hem grete h onO

And a skyth th aym Offtra v aylle and Off labour

That they haue su ffred in the sa lts see

SO that with Inns a da y twoo or three

She knews be folks that in h is sh ippes be

That ytw a s Iasone Fulls Off R enovme

And hercules that badde the grete 1008

That sou h ten th av entu res Off Calcos

[No gap in th e MS ]

For they ben worthy F olks with cu te lees

And namely moste sh e spak wi th hercu les

TO h ym hire herts ba rs that he sh uld e be

Sadde wyse trews and off wordes a v ysee

With outen eny other Affecciou n

Off love or other ev yll ymagyna ciou n

This hercules hath This Ia sone preysed

That to th e'

sonne he hath vp R eysed

That h alff SO trews a man ther na s Off love

Vnder the the Cope Of h ev ens that ys above

And he w a s wyse hardy secree and Riche Dean s, back]And thes three poyntes ther w a s nOOn bym lyeh e

Off Freedom passed he and lu styh eedeAlle thoo that lyv en or be deed e

Th erto so grete a gentyl man w a s he

And Off Th essaylle lykly kyng to be

There na s no lak but that he w a s aga ste

TO love and Forto speke sh amefaste

bym h a dde lever bym sylff to mordre and dye

Th anne men sh u lde h ym a lover Espys

A s wolde god I h a dde y- yeve

My bloods and F lessh SO that I myh tleve

With the noones that he badde or where a wyll

For h is estate For suche a lusty lyff

Leden sh e sh u lde with this lusty knyht

And alle this wa s compassed on th e nyh t

AD D IT .

340- 34 1 PA IL - TEXT1 80 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . AD D IT. MS .

TO Calcos komen ys this Duke Ia soneThat ys Off love devourer and DragoneA S matere apperith For me al way

And From F orms to Forme ytpassen may

Or a s a SWOlle that were botmeles

R ih tso kan Fals Ia sone haue no pees

Forto desyren th u rh h is Appetyte

To d one with gentyll wymmen h is d elyte

Th is ys h is luste and h is F elicyte

Ia sone ys R omsd Forthe in to the C ites

That whilom cleped wa s Ia conytos

That w as the Maistre tovn) Off alle Colcos

And hath ytolde the cause Off h is komyngVnto O etes off that C u ntre kyng

Praynge bym that he moste done h is assay

TO gets the Flees Off golde yiff that he may

O ffwhich the kyng a ssentyth to h is boone

And doth bym honour a s ytwa s to doone

SO Ferforth that his dou h ter and h is heyre

Medea which that wa s so wys and Feyre

That Feyrer sauh there neuere man with eye

He made hire to done with Ia sone companys

Atte mete and satte by bym in‘

the halle

NOW wa s Ia sone a ssmly man w ith alleAnd lyke a lords a nd h a dde a grete R enou n [leaf 173

And Off h is looks a s Ryall a s a Lyou n

And goodly Off h is speche and F amylyer

And koude Off love alle the C raffte plener

With oute books with eu erych Observ a u nce

And a s Fortune hire a u h ta F ou ls mesch a u nce

She wexe Enamoured vpon) this Man

Ia sone qu od sh e For a u h tI se or kan

As Off this thyng the which ye ben abou ts

ye and your sylff y putte in huge doute

For w h o so wole this Av e lltu re acheve

he may nat well a sterten a s I leve

A 1 D 1 r.

PA R - TEXT 342- 343

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. MS . 1 8 1

With outen deeth but I h is helpe be 1 61 6

But nath eles ytys my wylle qu od sh e

TO FOrth ren yow so that ye shall nat dye

B uttourne sounds home to youre Th essa lye

My rih tlady quod this Ia sone thoo

That ye haue Off my d eeth or Offmy WOOEny reward s and done me this h onnou r

I woote well that my myhtne my labour

May nat d eserve ytin my lyffes d ayG od thanks yow thel’ a s I ne kan u s may

youre Man I am and lowlich yow besech e

TO be myn h elps w ith outen more speche

But certes For my deeth shall I natspare

Thoo gan thisMedea to bym declare

The perylls Off this caas From poynt to poynt

And Off h is bataylle and what dysioynt

He mote stonds Offwhich no Creature

Save only sh e ne myh th is lyff assure

And shortly to the poynt Forto goo

They ben accorded F ull bytwix h em twoo

That Ia sone shall hire wedde a s trews knyht

And terms ysstte to kome sons at nyh t

Vnto hire Chambre and make there h is othe

Vppor‘

l the goddes that he For lssil ne 10the

Ne sh olde hire neuere Falsen nyh tme day

TO ben hire h Ou sbonde while he lyv s may

And sh e that From h is deeth h ym sa v yd here

And here v n at nyh tthey mette yffere

And d oth h is othe and goth with hire to bedde

And on the morwe v ard he h ym spedde

For sh e hath ta u h tbym how he shall natFayle

The Flees to wynn e and stynth is batayle

And saved h ym h is lyif and h is honour

And gate h ym a name a s a C onqu erou rAnd th u rh the sleyh tOff hire ench a u ntement

Now hath Ia sone the Flees and home ys went

ADDIT .

344 - 345 PAR - TEXT1 82 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. MS .

with Medea and Tresou res Full grete woons

But v nwystoff hire F a dire sh e ys goone

That a ffterward hath brou h thire to mysch eE

To Thessalys with Duke Ia sone hire lieffFor a s a Traytou r he ys From hire n o

And with hire leEte yonge children twoo

And Fa lsly hath he betrayed hire Allas

As eu ere in love a Th eeff a Traytou r he wa s

And wedded yittthe th ridde w anoon

That wa s the dou h ter OE kyng C reofi

This ys the mede OE love and guerdon

That Medea resseyv ed OE Iasor‘

i

R ihtF or hire trou th e and For hire kyndenesse

That loved bym better thanh s hi re sylE y gesse

And laEte hire Fed ire and hire heritage

And OE Ia sone this is the v a sselage

T hat in h is dayes na s neuere nOOfi Founds

SO Fa ls a lover goyng on the grounds

And th erfore in hire lettre thus sh e seyde

First wh anne sh e off h is F a lsnesse bym vpbreyde

Why lyked me thy yelow heere to so

More th anne the bou ndes OE myn h oneste

Why lyked me thy youths and thy F eyrnesse

And OE thy tunge the Infynyte graciousnesss

O haddest thow in thy conquest d eede ybeFull mekyll v ntrouth h adde there dyed with th e

Well kan Ov yde hire lettre in vers endyte

Wh ich were a s now to longe For me to wri te .

ADDIT .

348- 349 PA R - TEXT1 84 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. 1 25 .

TO Rome be they komen and Fast hem d iht

To C a latyns h ov s and dov n) they lih t

Torqu enyu s and eke this C a latynsThe h ou sbande knewe the Esters well a Fyne

And Fu ll pryv ely to the h ov s they goone

For porter at the gate wa s there noone

And at a chambre dore they abyde

This noblew satte by hire h eddys syde

D ysch eu ele For OE malice sh e no th a u h t

And soEte wolle oure books scyth sh e wrou h t

TO kepe hire From slouth e and ydelnesse

And badde hire seru a u ntz done here besynesss

And asketh hem what tydynges here yee

How seyth men OE the sege how shall ytbe

G od wolde the walles werfi Falle a dovn)

Myn h ou sbonde ys to longe out off this tovn)

For which the dreds doth me SO smerteThat with “ a swerde ytstyntes to myn herts

Wh anne I th enke on that sege or OE that placeG od save my soul s I pray bym F or h is grace

And there with a ll full tendirly sh e wepe

OE hire werke sh e toke no more kepe

But mekely sh e lets hire eyen Falle

And th ilke sembla u ntsathire well with alle

And eke hire teerss F u lle OE h oneste

Embeseled hirew ly ch a styte

Hire contena u nce ys to hire herts dygne

For they a ccord en both in d - d e and sygne

And with that words hire h ou sbonde C Olatyn

Er sh e wa s OE h ym warr kome stertyng Inns

And seyde dreds the nat For I am here

And sh e anOOn vp roos with blysfu ll chere

And kyssed bym as OEw es ys the woons

Torqu enyu s this prouds kyngis soneC onceyv ed hath h ire bea ute and hire chere

Hire yelow heer hire wordes and hire manere

ADDIT.

PAR - TEXT 350- 35 1

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADDIT. MS . 1 85

Hire hewe and how sh e hath compleyned 1 748

And be no C raEte hire bea u te w a s nat Foyned

And ka u h tto this lady suche a desire

That in h is herts he brente a s eny Eyre

SO woodly that h is wytte wa s a ll F orgetyn

For well th ou h the sh e wolde nat begetyn

And ay the more he wa s in despeyre0

The more he cov eytyth hire and th ou h th ire Feyre

His blyu do lu sts wa s alle h is C ov eytynge

And morned wh anne the brydde beganne to synge

V uto the Sege he komyth Full pryv elyAnd by h ym sylE he w a lkyth sobirly

The ymage OE h ire al way recordyng newe

Thus lays hire heer thus F ressh w a s hire hewe

Thus satt thus spak thus span this w a s hire chere

Thus Fayre sh e w a s and this w a s hire manere

All e this conceyte h is herts hath now ytake

And a s the see with Tempest a l to - shake

That sEter wh anne the storms ys a ll agoo

Yutte wole the watire quappe a day or'

twoo

R ih tso thonh hire Fourme were absent

The plesa u nce OE hire Fourme wa s present

But nath eles nat plesa u nce but delyte

Or an v nrih tq talent with dyspyte

F or maugre hire Sh e shall my lemman be

Happe h elpith hardy man a l way quod h e

What ends that I make h itshall he so

And girts h ym with h is swerde and gan to goo

And Foth he R yte tyl he to Rome ys kome [lf20. bk]

And all allone his way h e hath ynome

V uto the h ov s OE C Olatyn Fu ll R ih t

D ovne w a s the sonne and d ay hath 10sthire liht

And Inne he kome vnto a pryve halke

And in the nyh tF u l th eeffly gan he stalks

For eu ery wihtwa s to h is Reste brou h t

No no wih tbadde OE Tresone such a th ou h t

AD D lT.

352- 353 PAR - TEXT1 86 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADDIT. MS .

Were ytbe wyndow or be other gynnc

With swerde ydrawe shortly be kome Inne

Ther as sh e lay this noblew Lu cresse

And as sh e wooke hire bedde Sh e F elte presse

What beeste yS that qu od sh e that weyth thus

I am the kyngis sonne Torqu enyu sQuod he but and thow crye or noyse make

Or yiE there eny creature a -wake

Be that god that Fou rmed man on lyve

This swerde th u rh thyn herts shall I R yv e

And there with al into hire th rote he sterte

And sette the poynt a l Sharpe vpon hire herte

N0 words sh e spak sh e hath no myh tth erto

What shall sh e seyn hire wytte is a l agoo

R ih ta s a wolff that Fyndeth a lambs allone

TO Whoms shall sh e compleyne and make monoWhat shall sh e Fyh twith an hardy knyht

Well wote men that a woman hath no myht

D iii, gone h ere ]

ADD IT .

356- 357 PAR - TEXT1 88 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. AD D IT. 1 18 .

And as Sh e Fells adov n) sh e caste hire looks

And OE hire clothes yittsh e heede tO Oke

For in hire F a llyng yitte sh e haddo kare

lest that h ire Feet or swich thyng lay bare

SO well sh e loved clennesse and eke trou th eOE hire h a dde all e the toy ne OE Rome R ou th e

And Brutes by h ire chaste bloods hath swore

That Torqu yn sh u lde ybanyssh ed be th erfore

And alle h is h ynne and lets the pu ple ca lls

And Openly the Tale he tolde hem a lle

And Openly lete carys hire on a Beers

Th u rh al le the tovn) that men may se and here

The h orryble dede and hire Oppressiou n

Ne neuere w a s ther kyng in Rome tovn)

Syn th ilke d ay And sh e w a s holden there

A seyntand eu ere hire d ay ys h a lwed dere

A s in theyre lawe And thus endith Lu cresse

The noble w a s Titus berith wytnssse

I telle ytFor sh e wa s OE love SO trews

For in hire wylle sh e chau nged For no news

And in hire stable herts sadde a nd kynde

That in thes wymmen men may a l d ay Eynd e

Ther a s they caste hire herte there it d'

u ellith

For well I wote that Crist h ym sylE tellith

That in Isra ell a s wynds a s ys the londe

That so grete F eyth in alle that he no F onds

A s in a wommen And this ys no lye

And a s OE men looks ye what Tyra untrye

They done a l way assay h em who so leste

Th e trewestys Full brotell Forto trests

ADD IT.

PA IL - TEXT 35 8 - 35 9

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD IT. MS .

[v 1 .1

snaps Magenta S ufism Martin'

s

gue 1 Infernal Minos OE Crete Kyng

1 89

Utie ]

Now komyth thy boot now komystow on the R ynge

Nat For thy sake wryte I only this storys

But only Forto clepe ayeyn v nto Memorys

OE Theseus the grete v ntrou th e in love

For which the goddes OE the b evens above

Ben wroth and wrech e haue taken For thy synne

Be reeds For shame now I thy lyE begynne

Minos that w a s the myh ty kyng OE Crete

That badd e an hund red Citess stronge and grete

TO scole hath sent h is sonne And rogeus Dea f22]

TO Ath anes OE which ythapped thus

He w a s slayne lernynge Ph ylosoph ys

Rith in the Citee nat but For Envys

The grete Minos OE the which I speke

h ys sonnys d eeth ys komyn Forto wreke

Alcytote he bysegith hard e a nd longe

Buat 2 nath eles the Walles ben SO stronge

And Nysu s that w a s kyng OE that citee

SO ch iu a lrou s that lytyl dredith he

OEMinos nor OE h is Oost toke no cureTyl on a d ay by-Felle an Aventure

That Nysu s dou h ter stOOde vpofi the wa lls

And OE the siege sauh the maner alle

SO happed ytthat at a sca rmyssh yngShe ca ste hire herts on Minos the kyng

F or h is bea ute and For h is ch iu a lrye

So sore that sh é wende Forto dye

And shortly OE this processe Forto pace

She made Minos wynnen th ilke place

SO that the cites wa s alle at h is wylle

TO save whom bym lystor ellys spylle

ADD IT .

1 888

360- 361 PAR - TEXT1 90 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD IT. 1 18 .

But wykkedly hequ ytts hire kyndenesseAnd lete hire d renchs in sorwe and dystresse

Nor that the goddes h add e OE hire pytes

But that tale were to longs a s now For me

Ath anes wanne this kyng Minos also

And Al cytote and other tov nes moo

And this th eEecte that Minos hath so dryv en

Th aym OE Ath anes that they mote h ym yeven

Fro yere to yere theyre owns children dere

Forto be slayne rihta s ye shall h ere

This Minos hath a monstre a wykked beeste

That w a s SO cruell that with oute Reste

Wh anne that a man w a s brou h tin h is presence

He wolde bym ete there h elpith no dyEence

And eu ery th ridde yere with oute dovte

They casten loot a s ytkam abovte

On rych e on pore he mu ste his sonne take

And OE h is ch ilde he mus ts present make

TO Minos to save h ym or to spylle

Or latte h is beeste devours bym at h is wylleAnd this hath Minos done rih tin despyte

To wreke h is sonne wa s sette alle h is delyte

And maken OE Ath anes h is Th ralls

Fro yere to yere while that he lyv en sh alle

And h ooms he saylles wh anne the tovu ) ys wonne

The wykked cu stume ys so longe yronne

Tyl that offAthenes the kyng Egeus

Mote senden h is owns sonne Theseus

TO ben d evoured syth grace ys ther nooh

Syth that the loots ys Fallen h ym vpon

And Forth ys ladde this w ofu ll yonge knyht

Vnto the Court Of kyng Minos Fu ll R iht

And in a prisou n F etred caste ys he

Tyl th ilke tyms he sh u lde F reten be

Wel maystow wepe O wofu ll TheseusThow art a kyngis sonne a nd dampned thus

ADD IT.

364- 365 PA R - TEXT- 1 92 LEGEND or s oon WOMEN . ADDIT. MS .

And doon) th is wofull man with h ym to kome

For yifi‘

he may this mons tre ou erkome

Th anne were hequ ytts ther nys noon) other bootslatv s wel taste bym at h is bertis Roots

That yifi'

so be that he a w epne have

where that he darr h is lyfi'

to kepe and save

Fyh ten with this F eende a nd bym d efends

For in prison) there he shall descends

Ye wote well that the beeste ys in that place [lenf‘lfl

That ys nat derke and there ys Rome and space

To welds an axe swerde a staffs or knyfi‘

SO that me th enkith h s sh u lde haue h is lyfi'

Yifi'

that he be a man he sh a lle do so

And we shuld make bym balles and eke also

Off wex and Towe that wh anne he gapith Fasto

Into the beestes th rote he sh aHhem casts

To slake h is hunger and encombre h is teeth

And rih tanoon wh anne Theseus seeth

The beeste a ch oked he shall on bym leeps

To sleen bym or they komen more to kepe

This wepen sh aH the G ayller or that tyde

Full prev ely with Inns the prison) byd e

And For the h ov s ys ykrynkelyd to and Fro

And hath soqu eynte w a yes Forto gooFor ytys shapen a s the ma ss y

-wrou h t

Th erto have I a R emedye in my th ou h t

That be a clews off twyne a s he hath goon)

Th e same way he may retourne a noon)

F olwyng a l way th e th rede a s he hath kome

A nd wh anne that he this beeste hath ou erkome

Th anne may be F leen away oute off this d red s

And eke the G ayllere may he with h ym lede

And h ym a v a u nce at home in hi s C u ntres

Syn that so grete a lordys sonne ys he

This ys my red e yid'

that he darr yttake flea ! 24, ba ck] 2024“Thatsh u lde I longer sermon Off ytmake

ADD IT .

PAR - TEXT 366 -367

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD IT. MS. 1 93

The G ayller’ komyth and with h im Theseus

Wh anne thes Maydens ben accorded thus

D ovne bym sette Theseus on h is kne

Th e rihtlady offmy lyff quod he

I sorowfu ll man y- dampned to th e deeth

For yow whils that me la styth lyfl'

or bresth

I wole nattwynne alfter this aventure

But in youre service thus I wols endure

That a s a wrecch e vnknow s I wols yow serve

F or suers mo tyl that myn herts sterv e

Forsake I wole at home myn heritage

And a s I seyde ben off yours contre a page

Yifi‘

that ye v ou ch esa u fl‘

that in this place

Yes gra unts ms to haue so grete a gra ce

That I ns have nat but my mete and drynke

And For my su stena u nce yittwole I swynke

R ih ta s yow lystthat Minos u s no wyh t

Syn .that he sauh me neuere with eyen sih t

No no man ellys shall me konn e espys

So slely and so well I shall me guys

And me so well dysfigu rs and so lows

That in this worlds ther shall me no man knows

To haue my lyfl'

and to haue presence

Ofi'

yow that d one to me this Excell ence [lea f25]

And to my Fadir shall I sende here

This worthy man that now ys youre gayllsre

And bym so1 dwerdofi that bym shall well be [1 sic]

Ons off the gretteste men off my C ontrs

And yiff I durste ytseyh my lady brih t

I am a kyngis sonne and eke a knyht

As wolde god that yifi‘

ytmyh tbe

Yes werfi in my cu ntre alle three

And I with yow to bere yow companys

Th anne sh ul de ye seen yitl‘

that I th eroff [l]yeAnd yifi

‘

I profre yow in lows manere

To ben yours page and serve'

n yow rih thers

ADDIT .

ODD TEXTS. 1 3

368- 369 PA IL - TEXT1 94 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. MS .

But I yow serve a s lowly in that place

I pray to Marce to yeve me suche grace

That sh amys d eeth there mote on me Falls

And deeth and pov erte vnto my F rendes alle

And that my spyrytbe nyh tmote goo

A fi‘

ter my d eeth and wa lks to and Froo

That I mots ofi'

Traytou r haue a name

For which my spyrytgoth to do me shame

And yilf I suers clayme other degree

But ye wou ch csa u fi'

to gyfi'

ytme

A s I have seyde a sh amys deeth mots I dys

And mercy lady I kan natellys seys

A ssmly knyht was Theseus to se [lea f25, ba ck ]

And yonge but off twenty yere and three

But who so badde yssyn h is contena u nce

He wollds haue w epte For Routh off h is pena u nce

For which th is Adryan in this manere

Answerde bym to h is profre and h is chere

A kyngis sonne and eke a knyht qu od sh e

To been my seru a u ntin so lows degre

G od sh elde ytFor the shame ofi'

wymmen alle

And leene ms neuere suche a ba ss be -Falle

But sende yow grace and sleyhtoff herts also

Yow to d efends and knyh tly sleen youre Foo

And leene here s ifter I may yow Fynde

To me and to my su stre heere so kynde

That I repent natto yeve yow lyfi'

Yittwere ytbettre that I were you r wyfl‘

Syn that ye been a s gentyl borne a s I

And haue a R eavme heere Fast by

Th anne that I sufl‘

red yow giltles to sterve

Or th anne I lets yow a s a page to serve

Hit ys no profre a s vu to yours kynrsde

But what is that at man Wole natdo F or dreds

And to my su stre syn .

that ytys so0

That sh e mots go with me yifi"

that I goo

ADD IT.

3 72- 373 PA IL - TEXT1 96 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . AD DIT. MS .

Me th enke no wyhtou h tv s h erofl'

blame

Ne beeren v s th erfore a n evyll name

this matere Forto make

ke

And off h is wyfiis Tressou r he gan ytcharge [leaf27]

A [nd] toke h is wyfi‘

and eke hire su stre Free

And eke the G ayllere and with th eym alle three

Is stools a way oute off the londe by nyh t

And to the cu ntre off Ennopye hem dyh t

There as he badde a Frende off h is knowynge

There Festen they there dansen they and synge

And in h is Armes hath this Adryane

Tha t off the beeste hath kepte bym From h is bane

And gate bym there a news Barge anoone

And off his cu ntre F olks a grete woons

And takith h is leve and h amward sayllith he

And in an yle amydde the wylde see

There a s duelled Creature noone

Save wylde beestes and that Full many oons

He made his Shipps a lands Forto sette

And in [this] yle h alff a day he lette

And.

s[eyde that on] the londe he musts kym RestsHys ma ryners done rihta s bym leste

ADD IT .

PAR - TEXT 374- 375

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. MS . 1 97

And Forto telle shortly in this caas

Wh anne Adryane h is wyti a slepe wa sF or that hire su stre F ayrer was th anne sh e

He takith hire in h is honde and Forth goth he

To shipps and a s a Traytou r stale h is way

While that this Adryan on slepe lay

And to h is C u ntrewa rd he sayllyth blyv e [lea f27, ba ckJA twenty devyll way the wynds bym dryv e

And F onds h is F a diredrench id in the see

Ms lyste no more speke off bym parde

Thes Fals lov ers‘poyson) be theyre bane

But I wols tu rns ageyn to Adryane

That ys with slepe F or w erynesse y- taks

Full sorowfu lly hire herts may a -wake

Allas For the myn herts hath pytes

R ihtin th e dawnyng awakith sh e

And gropith in the bedde and F onds rih tnou ht

Allas qu od sh e that eu ere wa s I wrou h t

I am betrayed and hire heere to -Rente

And to the stronde barefoot Fast sh e wente

And cryed Theseus myn herts swete

Where be ye that I may natwith yow mete

And myh tthus with beestes been yslayne

The h olowe R okkes answerde hire agayn[s]No man sh e sau h and yittsh yned the [Moons]And h yh vpofi a Rokke sh e went soone

And sauh h is barge sayllyng in the see

Colds we'

xe hire herts and rih tth'

u s s'

eyde sh e:

Meker thenne ye Fynde I thes be estes wylde

Hadde he natsynne that hirethus begylede

She C ryed 0 tu rns ageyn For Rouths and - synne

Thy barge hath nat all e h is meyne’ with Inns

Hire kev erch efi'

vpofi a pole ~vp styketh sh e

[Ask] a unce he sh u lde h ytwell y- se [lea f283

And bym Remembre that sh e w a s beh yndo

And tu rns ageyn and [on] th e stronde hire Fynde

ADD IT.

3 76 - 377 PAR - TEXT1 98 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD I T. Ms.

But a ll F or nou hth is wey he ys y—goone

Adovne sh e Fell e a - swone v n a stoone

And vpe sh e R ystand kysseth in alle hire care

The steppes off h is Feetthere he hath Fare

And to hire bedde rihtthus sh e spekith thoo

Thow bedde qu od sh e that hastresseyv ed twoo

Thow shalt answere off twoo and natofi'

oons

Where ys the gretter partys a -way goons

All[as] where shall I wrecch ed w ih tbekome

For thonh so [be] that boots here kome

Hoome [to my c]untre darre I nat F or dreds

I kon my sel[ven] in this caas natR edsWh at sh u ld [I] more telle hire compleynynge

It ys to l[ong i]twere an bevy th yngeIn hire Efpistle] Naso tellyth alleBut shortly to the ends telle I sh alle

The goddes haue hire holpen For pytes

In the sygne oh'

Taurus men may as

The stones Off h ire C rovne shyne clere

I wole no more speke Off this matere

Butthus this Fals lover ganne begyle

Hys trews love the dev yll quyte h is wh yle

V IL]

linsipit [agents fi bilamznz .

How yev sr off the Formes that hast wrou h t

The Fayre worlds and bare ytin thy th ou ht

Eternally thow thy werke began

Wh y ma destow v nto the scla u ndre Ofi'

Man

Or a ll be hit / ytwas natth y'

doynge

As For that Fyne to make swich e a things

Why su fi'

restthow. that Tereus w [as] bore

That ys in love so“

Fals and For[swore]ADD IT.‘

380- 381 PAR - TEXT200 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD IT. MS .

Vnto h is [father] in law s ganne he preys

To v ou ch esa u fl‘

that For a moneth or tweye

That Philomene h is wyfiis su stre myh t

On Proigns h ys wyll but onye haue a syh tAnd sh e shall kome anoon ageyn anoone

My sylfl‘

with hire I wols both kome and goons

And a s myn h ertys lyfi‘

I wols hire kepe

This olde Pandeone the kyng gan wepe

F or tendernesss Off herts Forto leve

Hys dou h ter goon and Forto yeve hire leve

Off alle this worlds he lov yth no thyng soBut at la sts leve hath sh e to goo

For Philomene with sa lts teerss eke

G anue off hire F a dire grace Forto seke

To seen hire su stre that sh e lov ith so

And bym embra ceth with hire Armes twoo

And ther with a ll so yonge so Fayre w a s sh e

That wh anne that Tereus sauh hire beauts

And off Array that ther w a s noone hire lychs

And yittoh‘

beawte w a s sh e twoo so Riche

He keste h is F yrye herts v n hire so

That he wylle haue hire how so ytgoo

And with h is wyles kh sled and so preyde

Tyl at the last Pandeone thus seyde

Now sonne qu ad he that [art] to me so d ere

I th e bytake my yonge dou h tere heereThat berith the keys off alle myn h erttys lyfi

'

And grete [yow] well my dou h ter and [thy] wyfi'

And gih'

e hire leve somme tyms Forto pleye

That sh e may seen me onys or I deye

And soth ely he h ym hath made Riche F ests [lea fSO]

And to h is FOlke the moste and eke the leste

That with bym kam he ya fl hem gyfites grete

And bym conv eyth th u rh the maystre strete

Off Ath anes and to th e se e h ym brou h t

And turneth h ome no malice he ne th ou h t

ADD IT.

PAR - TEXT 382- 383‘ LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. MS . 201

The Oores pull'

en Forth the-

vessell Faste 2308

And in to Trace arryv eth at the la sts

And vp in to a F orests he hire ledde

And in to a Cave pryv ely bym spedde

And in this d erke Cave yifl‘ hire leste

Or leste nathe badde hire Forto ResteOffwhich hire herts agroos a nd seyde thus

Where ys my su stre'

broth er Tereus

And ther with alle sh e w epte tendirlyAnd quooke F or Fsere pale a nd pytou slyR ih ta s the lambs that off the wolff ys beten

Or a s the -Colver that off the Egle ys smeten

And oute off h is C laWes Forth escaped

yittytys a-Ferde and a—wh aped

Lystytbe h ente silts so[ne]s so that sh e

But vtterly ytmay noon other be

By Force hath this Traytou r done a dede

That he hath refi'

te hire off hire maydenh ede

Maugre hire heede by strenth and by myh t

Loo here a dede offm en

'

and that a R ih t

She crieth suster with Full lowd e stevens [lea f30,

And F a dire deere and h elps me god Off bevens

Alle h elpith natand yittthis Fals th eeif

Hath done this lady a more mysch iefi'

For Feere sh e sh olde h ys shame crye

And d one bym haue an Opne v elanye

And with h is swerde hire tunge Off kerff he

And in a castell-

mad e,

hire Forto be

Full preve in a prysone eu ere more

And kepte hire to h is v sage and to h is store

0 sely Ph ylomens woo ys thyn herts

Huge ben thy sorwes a nd w ondre emerte

G od wreke the and sends the thy boone

Now ytys tyms I make an ends soone

This Tereus ys to h is wyff ykome

And in h is Armes hath h is wyff ynome

ADD IT.

384- 385 PAR - TEXT202 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. .wmr. Ms.

And pytou sly he wepte and shoke h is heedeAnd swore to hire he F onds hire su stre deede

F or this sely Progns ha th swich woo

That nyh hire sorowfu ll herts breste atwoo

And thus in teerss latte [1] Pragu e duelle

And of?hire su stre Forth wols I telle

This w[ofu ]ll lady lerned h adde in youths

So that sh e w erkyn and embrowden kouth e

And wev en in the stole the R a denore

As hit Ofi'

wymmen hath ben wou en yore

And soth ely Forto seyn sh e h a dde hire Fylle [lea f 31]

Off mete and drynke and C loth yng at hire wylle

Sh e kouth e eke reds and well ynou h endyte

But with a penne koude sh e nat wryte

But lettres kanne sh e wev en to and F roo

SO that by the yere was alle agoo

She badde woven in a stamyn large

How sh e wa s brou h tFrom Athenes in a Barge

And in a Cave how that sh e wa s brou h t

And alle the things that Tereus hath wrou h t

She wove ytwell and wrote the storys above

How sh e wa s served F or hire su stre love

And to a knawe a R ynge sh e ya fi‘

anoone

And preyde bym by eygues Forto goone

V nto thequ ene and beren hire that clothsAnd be sygnes swore many an othe

She sh u lde bym yeve what sh e geten myh t

This knave anoone vuto thequ ene bym dyh tAnd take ythire and a lle the manere tolde

And wh anne that Progne hath this things beh oldeNo words sh e spak F or sorwe and eke F or Rage

But F eyned hire to goon on Pylgrym ags

To Bacus Temple and in a lytyll stounds

Hire dumbe su stre syttyng hath sh e FoundsWepynge ln the Castell hire a lloone

Allas the woo the compleyntand the moons

ADDI T .

388- 389 PAR - TEXT204 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. Ms.

And they haue at the Siege longe yleyne

Beh ynde bym kome a wynds and eke a Reyne

That sh oofi'

so sore h is saylle myh tnatstands

Hym were lever than alle the worlds ha land s

So hunteth bym the Tempest to and Froo

So d erke ytw a s he kou th e nowhere goo

And with a wawe brokyn wa s h is steers

His shipps wa s rente so lows in such manere

That the carpenter kou th e ytnatamende

The see be nyh ta s eny Torche brend e

F or woods and possith bym now vp now dov n

Tyl Nsptyne hath Off bym compa ssiou n

And Tetes Th oru s 1 Triton and they alle

And made bym vpox‘

i a lands to Falls

Wh erofi '

that Ph illes lady w a s and qu ene (lea f32,

Lygu rges dou hter F ayrer on to seene

Th anne ys a Floure ayen the brih tsonne

Vnneth e ys D emeph one to londe y—wonne

Wayke and wery and h is F olks F orpyned

Off w erynesse and a lso enfamyned

And to th e d eeth he w a s almost ydryv e

Hys wyse F olks to conseyll haue bym yeve

To seken h elps and sokou re off the queueAnd loken what h is grace myh tbeene

And make in that lands; somme ch evysa u nce

To kepen bym Fro woo and Fro mesch a u nce

F or syke he w a s and a lma stat th e deeth

Vnneth es myh the speke or draws h is breeth

And lyeth in R odopya bym Forto Reste

Wh anne he may walke him th ouh tytw as th e bestsVn to the C ou rts to seken For sokou r

Men knewe h ym well and dydde bym honour

For Oil”

Athenes D uke and lorde w a s he

A s Theseus h is Fad ir badde y-be

That in h is tyms wa s off grete R enou n

Noone so grete in alle the R egiou n

ADD IT.

PAR - TEXT 390- 39 1

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD IT. MS . 205

And lyke h is F adire oll' Face and off stature

And Fals off love ytkome bym oh'

Nature

As doth the F ox Reynard the Faxis sonne

Off kynde he kou th e h is old e F a dris wonu eWith outen lore a s kan a drake sywmme [lea f331

Wh anne ytys ka u h tand caryed to the brymme

This h onnou rable Ph illes doth h ym'

ch ers

Hire lykith well h is ports and h is manere

But For I am agru cch ed heere be - forns

To write off hem that ben in love Forsworns

And to haste me eke in my legende

WVhich to perfou rme god me grace sende

Th erfore I passe shortly in this wyse

Yee haue well herde this Theseu s d evyseIn the betraysynge ofl

'

Fayre Adryane

That off hire pytes kepte h ym From h is bane

At sh orte'

wordes R ih tso D emoph one

The same way the same pa ath hath goons

That dydde h is Fals F adire Theseus

F or v nto Ph illes hath he sworne thus

To wedden hire and hire h is trouth e plih t

And pyked oil hire alle the goods he myh t

Wh anne he wa s‘

hole and sounds and h a dde h is Byst 2468

And d oth with Ph illes what so h ym lyst

A s well kouth e I yiti‘

that me lystsoo

Tellen alle h is doynge to and Froo

He seyde to h is cu ntre musts he saylle

F or there he wolde hire w eddyng apparaylle

As F ell s to hire honour and h is also

And openly he tooke h is leve thoo

And hath hire sworn) he wole not soiou rne was, bk] 247 6

But in a moneth he wolde ayen retourne

And in that lande lets make h is ordena u nce

A s verrey lords and take th obeyssa u nce

Wsle and h omly and h is sh ippes dyh t

And home he gooth the next way he myh tADD IT .

392- 393 PAR - TEXT206 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. MS .

F or vnto Philles yittkome he nou h t

And that hath sh e so harde and sore ybou h t

Al las that a s the stories v s R ecords

She was hire owns deeth with a cords

Wh anne that sh e seye that D emeph one h ire trayed

Bots to bym wrote sh e and Fast prayed

He wolde komen and hire d elyu ere offpeyne

As I reh erse shall a words or tweyne

Ms lystnatwou ch esa u fi on bym to swynke

Ne spenden on h ym a penne F u lle ofi'

ynke

F or Fals in love he w as rih ta s h is syre

The devel sette th eyr soules boths on Fyre

But off the lettre Off Phili ss wols I write

A word s or twey a l thonh ytbe but lyte

Thyn Oostesse quod sh e O Demophon)Thy Philiss which that is so woo begoon

Off R od opey v n yow mote compleyne

Over the terms sette bitwix v s tweyne

That ye ne holden forward s a s ye seyde

You rs anker whi ch ye in ou rs haven leyde

Hyh tv s that ye wolde komen oute off doute

O r that the Moons went onys abouts

But tymes F ou rs th e Moons h ath hidde hire Face

Syn th ilke day ye went From this pla ce

And F ou rs tymes lihtthe worlds ageyne

But for alle tha t yill I sh u lde soth ely seyne

Yitthath the Streme ofi'

C yteys nou h tbrou h t

Fram Athenes the sh ipps yittkome ytnou h t

And yifi‘

that ye the terms R ekne wolde

A s I or a s a trews lover sh olde

I pleyne natgod wote tofore my day

But alle hire lettre writen I ne may

Be ordre F or ytwere to me a charge

Hire lettre was rih tlonge and th erto largeBut here and there In Ryme I have ytleyde

Ther a s me th ou h tthat sh e well hath seyde

ADD IT.

396 - 397 PA R - TEXT208 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADD IT. Ms .

Th ou h ye ben harder th anne ys eny stoone

And wh anne this lettre wa s Forth ygoone

And knews how brotell and how Fals he w as

She F or despeyre F ordydds hire selfl'

allas

Suche sorwe hath sh e F or sh e besette hire so

Be warre ye wymmen For youre su belle l woo

Sen yittthis day men may ensemple se

And trusteth a s in love no man but me

IX.]

limipit Magenta fi pzrmgstrz

N G rece wh ylom werne Brethren twoo

Ofi'

whi ch that oon wa s callyd DanooThat many a sonne hath Off h is body wonne 2564

A s suche Fals lovers offten tyms kou ne

Amonge h is sonnes alle there wa s oons'

That aldermoste he loved off eu erych oons

And Wh anne this Childe wa s borne this DanooSh ops h ym a name and callyd bym Lyno

That other brother ca llyd w a s Egyste

That was off love a s Fals a s h ym lyste

And many a dou h ter badde he in h is lyfi'

O fi'

whi ch he gate Vphn h is rih twyfi'

A dou h ter deere and dydde hire calls

Ypermystra yongestoff hem alle

The whi chs Childe‘

Oh'

hire natiu ite

To alle thewes goode borne w a s sh e

And lyked to the goddes or sh e w a s borne

That off the shesh'

sh e sh u lde be the com e

The word es that we clepen destyne

Hath shapen hire that sh e mot nedys be

Pietou s sadde wye Trews a s stele

A s to thes wymmen yta ccordeth wele

ADD IT.

PAR - TEXT 398 - 399

LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . A D D IT. Ms. 209

F or th ou h that Venus yeh“

hire grete bea ute 2584

With Iu pyter compovned so wa s sh e

With Conscience trouth e and dreds off shame

And offhire wyffh ode Forto kepen hire name

This th ou hthire wa s Felicits a s heere

The R eds Mars wa s that tyms offyere

So Feble that h is malice hath bym R a fi‘

te

Repressed hath V enus h is Cruell C raEte

And with Venus and other oppressiou n

Off h oneste Mars ys v enyme ys a dovn)

That ypermystra darre nathandl e a knyfl'

In malyos th ou h sh e sh u lde lese hire lyfi'

But nath eles a s h evyns gan h a s tourne

Twoo badde espectes hat sh e oh‘

Satou rne

That made hire dyen in prison)

A s I shall alfter make mencz'

on

To Danoo and Egistes alsoAnd th ou h so be that they wern) breth er twoo

For th ylke tyms Mars spared no lynage

It lyked hem to maken a ma ryageBt ixen ypermystre and h ym lynoo

And casten swich a day ytshall be do

And Full accorded wa s ytvtterlyTh e array ys wrou h tand the tyms Fast by

And thus Lyno hath off h is F a d ris brother

The dou hter wedd ed and sche oh‘

hem other

Th e torches brennyng and the lampes brih t

The sa crefi ces ben Full redy dyh t

Th ensence oute off the Fyrs reketh swots

The Floure th e leefi'

ys Rent vpe by the R ots

To maken gerlondes and crov nss h ys

F u lle ya the place 03 Mynstra lcys

Off songes Amerou s oil Mariage

As th ilke tyms wa s the pleyne v sage

And this w a s in the palsys ofi‘

Egiste

That in h is h ovs w a s lorde a s bym lystc

ADD IT.

OD D TEXTS . 1 4

400401 PAR - TEXT210 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN . ADDIT. u s.

And thus that day they dryv en to an ends

The Frendes take leve and home they wendeThe nyh tys komen the Bryds shall go to bedde nea fss, ba ck

'

l

Egiste to his chambre Fast bym spedde

And pryv ely lete h is dou h ter calls

Wh anne that the have v oyde wa s OE hem alleHe lokith on h is dou h ter with gla dde chere

And to hire he spak as ye shall aEter here

My rih tdou h ter Tresou r OE myn herts

Syn First that day that shapen w a s my sh erts

Or by the Fatale Su stren badde my dooms

So nyh myn herts neuere things ne kome

A s thow ypermystra dou h ter dere

Take hede what I thy Fadir seyth the here

And wirke aEtir’ thy wyser eu ere moo

F or a ldsrfi rstdou h ter I loved the so

That alle the worlds to me nys h a lE so lseE

That I wolde rede the to no mysch ieE

F or alle the goods v ndir’ this cold e Moons

And what I mene ytshall be seyd e rih tsoone

With protesta cz'

on a s seyne thes wyse

That but thow do a s I shall d evyse

Thow shalt be deede by h im that alle hath wrou h t

At shorts wordes thow ne skapestnou ht

Out OE my palsys or that thow be deedeBut thow consents and wirke sEter my R eeds

Take this to the F or Full conclusion)

This ypermystre caste hire eyen dov n)

And quooke a s doth the leeE OEA spees grene [lea f37) 2648

D eeds wexe hire hewe and lyke a ssh es to sene

And seyde lords and Fadir‘ alle youre wille

AEter my myh tgod wote I shall F u lfylle

So hit be to me no C onfu siou n

I nyl quod he haue noone Excepcz'

ou n

And oute he ka u hta ku yE a s Rasou r keneHyde this quod he that ytbe natsene

ADD IT .

404- 405 PAR - TEXT212 LEGEND OF .GOOD WOMEN. ADD IT. Ms.

Myn bandes ben natshapen F or a knyE

A s Forto Reven a man From h is lyE

What d evyll have I with this ku yE to do

And shall I have my th rote kutte a twoo

Th anne shall I bleeds allas and me shend e

And nedys costs this thing must haue an ends

Or he or I musts nedys lese ours lyENow certes qu a d sh e sen I am h iswAnd hath my Fsyth yittys ytbette F or me

Forto be deede inw ly h oneste

Th anne ben a Traytou r levyng in my shame

Be as he may F or ernest or F or game

He sh all awake and ryse and goon h is way

Out at this goter er that ytbe dayAnd wepte Full tendyrly v n h is Fa ce

And in hire Armes gan bym to embrace

And bym sh e roggeth and aw akith soEte

And at a wyndow lepe From the loEte

wh anne sh e hath warned and d one bym bots

This lyno swyth w a s and lih tOE Foote

And F rom h isw ranne a Full goode paas

This sely womman ys so wayke allas

And h elpeles so tha t er sh e Ferre wente

Hire cruell F adire dydde hire h enteAllas lyno why a rtthow so vnkynde

Why ne h a ddestow R emembred in thy mynd e

And taken hire and ladd e hire Forth w ith the

F or wh anne sh e sauh that goon away wa s he

And ith atsh e myh tnatso Fast goo

Ne F olwe bym sh e satte dovn rih tthoo

Tyl sh e was take and F etred in prisou n

This Tale ys seyde F or this conclu siou n

ADD IT.

E132 (h ette of“

fl/th umbs figsmagma

(AD . 1369 )

FROM BODLEY MS . 638.

[In Note 1 , p. 34, of my M a l- fi rework ,I said ,— relying on

th e examination of th e two MSS . by a Chau cer- friend—th at thisBodley 638 wa s copied from th e Fairfax 1 6 . Fu rther comparisonof th e two MSS. h a s led me to dou bt this a s regards Chau cer

’s

B la u neh e . Compare these d ifferences

F . to fore, 1 90; swete h ert, 206B . byfore swete

F . h ow , 514 79 1 - 2 in place, 806 ;B . wh ere notin chambre

F. memoyre, yv oyre, 945 6 sh e kou de, 1012.

B . memorys, Ivorys th at sh e was

And so I now print th e Bod ley copy, th o’ it is very close to th e

Fairfax ; I suppose from th e same origina1.]

4 PAR - TEXT21 6 DETHE OF BLAUNCHE. BODLEY Ms. 638 .

Had such pits such routh [lca f l l l ] 97

To rede hir sorwe that be my trouth

I ferde the worse a ll the morwe

Aftir to th inkyn on hir sorwe

So when this ladi koude h er’ no words

That no man mygh ttynde hir lord e

Full ofte sh e swownyd sayd allas

F or sorw e fu ll nygh wood sh e wa s

Ne sh e koude no rede but oon)But doune on kneys sh e sate a-non)

And wepte that pits w a s to h er’.

A mercy swete lad i dere

Quoth sh e Inno h ir goddesss

Help me owts of this distresse

yeu e me grace my lorde to se

Sons or wits Wh er- so he be

Or how he fareth or in what wyse

And I shal make yowe sa crifyse

And h oolly you rys bicome I shall

With good wyll body herts a ll

And but thou wolte this ladi swete

Send me grace to slepe mete

In my slepe som certeyn) sweu yn)

Wh ef—th orgh that I may know eu yn) [lea f 1 1 1 , ba ck] 1 20

Wh eth ir my lorde bequ yk'or dedWith that words sh e henge dou n) the h ed

And fell a swowne a s colde a s ston)

Hir women h aught h ir vp a - non)

And brought h ir in bed a ll nakyd

And sh e forw epid forwakyd

Was wery thus the ded slepe

Fyll on h ir or sh e toke kepe.

Th orgh Iu ne that h ad herd h ir bone

That made h ir to slepe sons

And a s sh e praid right so wa s d one

Indede for Inno right anone

BODLEY 638

PAR .- TEXT 5

D ErHE OF BLAUNCHE. B'

ODLEY MS . 638. 21 7

Callid thus h ir messagers

To do h ir erande h e come nere

When he wa s come sh e bad e him thus

G oo bet quoth Inno to Morpheus

Thou knowisth ym well the god of slepe .

Now v ndirstonde well take kepe

Sey thus on my halus that he

G o faste yn- to the grete se

And bid him) that on a ll th ynge

That he take vp Seys body the kynge

That lith full pale no- things rodye

Bid him) crepe yn- to the bodys

And do hit goon) to Alch yon)

Th equ ene ther‘ sh e lieth alloneAnd shew h ir sh ortely it ys no nay

How h itw a s dreynte this oth ir‘ day

And do the body speke right soRight a s it wa s wonyd to do

The whiles that it w as a - lyu e

G OO now faste hye the blyu e

This Messanger’ toke leu e wente

Vpon h is wey neu yr ne stente

Tyl he came to the derke valey

Tha t stante bitwyx R och is tweyTher’ neu yr yet grew corne ne gras

Ne tre ne nought that ought was

Bests ne man ne nought ellys

Sa uE ther were a few wellys

Came rennynge fro the oliEes a dou n)

That made a dedly slepynge sou n)

And ronnen doun right bi a Cave

That w a s vndir a rocks I- graue

A mydde the valey wondir depe

Ther‘ thes goddis lay slepe

Morpheus Eclympa steyre

That was the god of slepis syre

BODLEY 638

6 PAIL-TEXT218 DETHE or BLAUNCHE. BODLEY 638 .

That slepe did non) oth ir’ werke

This Caue wa s also a s derkeA s helle pitts ou yr a l abouts

Thei h ad good leysa r for to route

To enu ye who myghtslepe bests

Som henge h er ch ynne Vpon) h er breste

And slept vprighth er h ed I- h yd

And som) lay nakid yn h er bed

And slepe whiles the dayes lasts

This Messager‘ come fi syng'faste

And cried O howe a -wake a non)Hit wa s for na u ghtther herd bym) non)

A -wake quoth he who lithe here

And blew h is hom e right yn h er are

And cried awakith wondir’ hye

This god of slepe w ith h is on) ye

Caste vp axyd who clepith ther‘

Hit am I quoth this Message?

Iu no bade thou sh oldistgon)

And tolde h im) what he sh u lde don)

As I haue tolde you h er’ byl’

O re

Hit is no nede reh erse it mo re

And went h is wey when he h ad seyde

A -non) this god of slepe abreyde

Out of h is slepe gan to goon)

And did a s he had bede h im) doon)

Toke vp the dreynte body sons

And bare it forth to Alch yone

His wife thequ ene thei’ a s sh e laysRight eu yn a quater‘ bifore d aysAnd stode right at h is beddys fete

And called h ir right a s sh e hete

Bi name seide my swete wife

A -wake letbe you rs sorwefu l life

For yn youre sorwe ther lith no rede

For certys swete I am but dede

BODLEY 638

8 PAR - TEXT220 DETHE or BLAUNCHE . BODLEY MS . 638 .

Th orogh defaults of slepyng| thus

I wold yeu e th ilke Morpheus

Or h is goddesss daime 1 I u noOr som) wight ellys I ne rought whoTo make me slepe haue som) rests

I wol ye u e h im) the aldirbeste [lea f 114. ba ck ]

yefte that eu yr he a—bode h is lyus

And h er’ on wards right now a s blyu e

yif he w u l make me slepe a lyteOf downs of pure downys whyteI wull yeu e bym a fedir bedde

Rayed with golds right w el cledde

In fyne blak‘ Satyn de owter‘ mere

And many a Pylowe eu ery bere

Of cloth of Raynes to slepe softe

Him thar notnede to tam e ofte

And I wull yeu e him) a l that fa llys

To a chambre a l h is hallys

I wolde do peynte with pu r’ golds

And tapite h em) full many folds

Of 00 sute this shal he haue

If I wiste where wei’ h is Caue

If he kan make me slepe sons

A s d id the goddesssqu ene Al ebionsAnd thus this ilke god Morpheus

May wynne of me mo fees thus [lea f u s]

Than eu yr he wanne to Iu no

That is his goddesss I shall so do

I trow that sh e shall holde h ir payde

I had vnnsth that words I -sayde

Right thu s a s I haue tolde it you)

That sodeinly I nyste how

Such a lu sts a—non) me take

To slepe that right vpon my bokeI fyl a slepe th erwith eu yn)

Ms mette so ynlys swete a sweu yn)

BODLEY 038

r am- TEXT 9DETHE or BLAUNCHE. BOD LEY MS . 638. 221

So wondirfu ll that neu yr yitte

I trow no man) h ad th e witte

To konne wel my sweu yn rede

N0 notIoseph withouts dreds

Of Egipte he that red so

The kynges metynge Pharao

N0 more then koude the leste of v s

Ne not skarslye Ma crobeu s

He that wrote all th a u ysion)That he mette kynge C ipyon)

The noble man the Au frykan) [lea f 1 15, ba ck ]

[B la nk line in th e

I trow a rede my dremys eu yn)

LO thu s it w a s this wa s my sweu yfi

Me mette thus yn my bedd e all nakydAnd lokyd forth for I w a s wakyd

With smale fowlys a grete hope

That h ad afrayed me out of my slepe

Th orogh noyse swetnesse of h er songs

And a l me mette thei sate a -monge

Vpon my chambre rofe withouts

Vpon the tyles ou yr- ai a - boute

And songe eu erych yn h is wyse

The moste solempne seru yse

By note that eu yr man I trowe

Ha d herde for som of hem songe lowe

Som h ygh a l of oon a ccord s

To telle sh ortely at 00 words

Wa s neu yr herd so swete a steu yn)

But it h ad be a things of benyn)

So mery a sowne so swete entewnys

That certys for th e:

towns of tewnys

I nolde but I h ad herds hem synge [lea f 1 16]

For a] my chambre gan to ryngs

BODLEY 638

10 rm -rExr

222 DETHE OF BLAUNCHE. BOD LEY MS. 638.

Th orogh syngenge of h er Almonye

For Instrument nor melodye

wa s nowgh er‘ herde yet half so swete

Nor of Accords ha lfe so mete

For ther was non) of hem that feyned

To synge for sche of hem h ym peyned

To fynde oute mery crafty notys

Thei ne sparyd noth er th rotys

And soth to seyn) my chambre was

F u l well d epeyntyd with glas

Wer‘a ll the wyndowys well I-

glasyd

And clere notan hole I- crasyd

That to bih olde bitwa s grete o s

F or holely a ll the storys of Troye

was yn the gla synge I-wrought thus

Of Ector of kynge Pryamu s

Of Achilles of kynge lamedon)

And eke of Medea of Iason)

Of Parys Eleyne of La u yne

And al the wallys with colou rys fyne

were peyntyd both texts gloss

And a l the R omau nce of th e Rose

My wyndowys were sh ette ech oneAnd th orogh the glasse the sonne shone

Vpon my bed with bright bemys

With many glade gyldye stremys

And eke th e wa lkyn w a s so fayre

Blew brygh tclere w a s the Ayre

And fu l attempre forsoth it wa s

F or nothir to colde nor h ots it was

Ne yn a ll the wa lkone wa s a clowde

And as I lay thus wondyr lowde

Me thought I herde a h u nts blowe

Tassay h is h orns for to knoweWh eth ir it were clere or hors of sowneAnd I herd goynge both vp downe

BODLEY 638

1 2 PAR - TEXT224 DETHE or BLAUNCHE. BODLE Y MS . 638.

Th erwith the h u nts wondir fasts

Blew a Eorleigne at the la sts

I was go walkyd fro my tre

And a s I went ther came by me

A whelps that fownyd me a s I stod e

That had I- folwyd koude no good

Hit come crepte to me a s lows

Right a s it h ad me I - knowe

Hild d oun) h is h ed ioyned h is erys

And leyde a ll smoth doun h is h erys

I wold e haue ka u gh tit a -non)

Hit fled wa s fro me gon)

And I him folwid it forth went

D ou n bi a fi owrys grene wente

Full thicke of gras full softe swete

With fi ou rys fele feyre v ndirfote [learns]

And litell v syd hitsemyd thus

For both flora z eph eru s

Thei two that make flou rys growsHad made her dwellynge there I trowe

F or it wa s on to be- holde

A s though th erth enu ye wolde

To be gayer than the benyn)

To haue mo flou rys sw ich senyn)

A s yn the walkene sterrys be

Hit h a d forgets the ponerte

That wyntyr th orgh h is colde morwys

Had made it su fferJ h is sorwys

All wa s forgets that wa s sene

F or a ll th e wood w a s w axyn) grene

Swetnesse of dewe h ad made it wexe

Hit is no ned c eke for to Axe

Wh er’ ther wer’ many grene greu ysOr th ikke of trees so full of le uysAnd eu ery tre stode by bym

- selu e

Fro oth ir wel ten fete fro oth ir twelu e

BODLEY 638

PAR - TEXT 1 3DETHE OF ‘

BLAUNCHE . BOD LE Y MS. 638 . 225

So grete treis so huge of strength

Of fourty fyftye fsdme lengthC lene withouts bowgh or stykke

with croppys both eke a s th ykke

They were notan ynch e a sondre

That hit wa s sh a dwe ou yr a ll vndre

And many an herts many an hynd e

Wa s both bifore me bi-hynde

Of Eownys Sowrys bu kkys DoysWa s fu ll the wode many Roys

And many Squ yrellys that setsFull high vpon the treys ete

And yn her maner‘ made Eestys

Shortly it wa s so full of bestys

That though Argus th e noble counter‘

Sets to rekne yn h is Counter’

And rekne with his Eygu rys ten)

For by th e Eygu res mow a ll ken)

If thei be crafty rekne noumbre

And tell of snary th ynge the novmbr‘

yitsh u lde he fayle to rekne suyu )

The wondrys me mette ynmy sweu yn)

But forth they romyd right wondr’ fasts

Doune the wood so at the la sts

I w a s wa rs of a man yn blake

That sete h a d tu rnyd h is bake [wa rm ]

To an Oke a huge trelord e thought I who may that be

What ayleth him) to sytte here

A - non right I wente nere

Than founds I sitte eu yn vprigh t

A wond ir wel farynge knyght

By the maner me thought so

Of good mu ch ill yonge ther- to

Of the age of fou rs twenty yere

Vpon h is berde but litell here

BODLEY 638

OD D TEXTS. 1 5

1 4 PA IL - TEXT226 DETHE OF BLAUNCHE. BODLEY

And he w a s clothid a ll yn blake

I sta lkid suyu v nto h is bake

And there I stode a s styll a s ought

That soth to sey he saw me nought

For wh i he henge h is h ed a d oun

And with a dedly sorwefull soun

He mad e of Ryme x vers or twelu e

Of a complayntto him) selusThe moste pits th e moste routh

That eu yr I herde for by my trouth

bitw a s grete wondir that Nature

Might su Ere any creature

To haue such sorw e be not ded

Fu ll pitou se pale nothings red

He seide a lay a maner songe

WVith ou te note withouts songe

And itw a s this for full well I kan)

R eh erse it right thus hit bigan)tI haue of sorwe so grete wone

That ioye gets I neu yr none 476

[No gap in th e MS . Th e supposed line h ere wa s my m ister/l a ]

Now that I as my lady bright

WVh ich I haue lou yd with a ll my mygh t

Is fro me ded is a - gon)

ii Allas deth What ayleth theThat thou noldisthaue takin me

When thou take my lady swete

That w a s so feire so fressh so frs

So good that men may well se

Of a ll goodnesss sh e h ad no mete‘ll Whan he had made thu s h is eomplaynte

His sorwfu ll herts gan fasts faynte

And h is spirytes woxyn dede

The blod w a s fled for pure dreds

Doune to h is herts to make h im w arms

F or well it felid the herte h a d h a rms

BODLEY 638

1 6 Pa s - TEXTD ErnE or BLAUNCHE . BOD LE Y

loo ° how goodly spake th is knygh tA s hit h ad ben an oth ir wight

He made it nou th ir tough nequ eynteA nd I saw that gan maqu eynte [leaner] 532

With him fonds h im so trstable

Right wondir skilfu ll resonable

A s me thought for all h is bale

A - non right I gan fynde a tale

To h im to loks Wh er I myghtought

Haue more knowynge of h is thought

Sir quoth I this game ys (1013

I holds that this herts be gon

This h u ntys kun him nou gh ere se

I do no fors therof quoth he

Mi thought is there-on neu yr a dell

Be ou rs lord e quoth I ' y trow yow well

Right so me thinketh bi youre chere

But syr 0 things wull ye here

Me thinketh yn grete sorwe I you seBut certys syr if that ye

Wolds oughts discure me youre woo

I wolde a s wys god h elps me so

Amends it if I kan or may

ye mow preus h itby assay

For be my trouth to make you hool

I wu ll do a ll my powers hool

And tellith me of you rs sorwys smerte

Pera u entu re it may ese your‘ herts

That semyth full seke vndir your syde

With that he lokyd' on me a - syds

A s who seith nay that woll not be

G ra u nts mercy good frende quoth he

I thanks the that thou woldistso

But it may neu yr the rathir be do

N0 man may neu yr my sorwe glade

That makith my hew to fall fade

BODLEY 638

PAR - TEXT 1 7D E

’

I‘HE OF BLAUNCHE. BODLE Y 638. 229

And hath myfi v nd irstondyng| lorne

That me is woo that I w a s borne

May nought make my sorwis slyde

Nought a ll th e rsmedyes of Ou yde

Ne Orpheus god of melodyeNe Dedalus with h is playes slyeNe hele me may no Ph isycyen

Nought ypocras ne G alyeh

Me is woo that I leu e owrys twelu e

But who- so wull assay bym- selus

Wh eth ir h is herts kan haue pitsOf any sorwe latbym se me

I wrech that d eth hath made a ll nakyd

Of a ll blysse that eu yr w a s makyd

I -worth worsts of a ll wyghtys

That hate my d ayes my nygh tys

My lyfe my lustys be me loth

For a ll welfare I be wroth '

The pure deth ys so full my foo

That I wolde deye h itwull not so

For when I folwe it h itwull fle

I wolde haue bym hit nyll notbe

This is my peyne withouts red

Alwey dyenge be not ded

That Th esiph u s that lyth in hell

May notof more sorwe tell

And who - so wiste a ll be my trouth

My sorwe but he h a d routh

And pits of my sorwys smerte

That man hath a fendely herts De a f 122.back]

For who- so seith me firsts on morwe

May seyn he hath mette with sorwe

For I am sorwe sa rwe ys I

Allas I wull tell the why

My sorwe ys tu rnyd to pleynenge

And a ll my la u ghtre to wepynge

BODLEY 638

1 8 Pa s f rExr

230 D ErHE or BLAUNCHE . BODLEY

My glad th ou gh tys to h eu ynesse

In tra u ayle ys myn Idylnesss

And eke my rests my wele ys wo

My good ys h a rms eu yr-mo

In—to wrath ys tu rnyd my pleyenge

And my d elyte yn- to sorwynge

Myfi hele ys tu rnyd yn- to sekenesss

In dred s ys all my sikyrnesse

To derke ys tu rnyd a ll my lyght

My wytte ys folye my day ys nygh t

My loue ys hate my slepe ys wakynge

My myrth melys ys fa stynge

My contyna u nce ys nycete

And all abawyd Wh er- so I be [lea f 123]

My pes yn pledyngs yn werre

Allas how mygh tI fare werre

My boldnesss is tu rnyd to shame

F or fals Fortune hath pleyde a game

At the chesss w ith me allas the wh ile

The trayteresse fals full of gyle

That all bih otith no- things h a lts

She geth vprigh t yit sh e is h a lts

That bagith fou ls lokith feire

The dispitou se d sbonayre

That skornyth many a creature

An ydole of fals portraytu re

Is sh e for sh e wull sons varysh

She ys th e Mowstrys h ed I-wryen

A s filth ou yr I - strawyd with flou rys

Hir moste w oorsh ip h ir flou rys

To lye for that ys h ir Nature

withouts feith law s or mesure

She ys fals eu yr la u gh ynge

With oon ye that oth ir wepynge

That ys brought vp sh e sette a ll dou fi

I likne hir to the Scorpyou fi (lea rns,

BODLEY 638

20 PA R - TEXT232 DETHE OF BLAUNCHE. BOD LE Y

For Fortune kan so many a wyle

Ther be but few kan hir begyle

And eke sh e ys the la s to'

blame

My- self I wold e haue do the same

B e - fore god as I be a s sh e

She ought the more excu syd be

F or this I sey yet more th erto

Had I be god mygh thaue do

My wylle when sh e my Fers ka u gh t

I wolde haue draws the same d rau ght

F or also wys god yeu e me rests

I da r wel swers he take the bests

But th orogh that draught I haue lorne

My blisse allas that I w as borneF or eu yrmore I trowe trewlye

F or a ll my wylle my lu sts h olelys

Is tu rnyd but yet what to done

Be owre lorde it ys to dey sons

For no things I leu e it nought

But lyus 85 deye right yn this thought

F or ther nys planets in Fyrmament

Ne yn eyre ns yn erth non Element

That thei ne yeu e me a yefte schon

Of w epynge when I am alloneFor when that I a vyse me well

And beth enke me eu erydell

How that ther lyth yn rekenynge

In my sorwe for no th ynge

And how ther leu yth no gladnesss

May glade me of my dystresse

And how I haue loste my su Eysa u nce

And th erto I haue no plesa unce

Then may I sey I haue right nought

And when all this fa llith yn my though t

Allas then am I ou yrcome

F or that ye done ys not to come

BODLEY 638

PAR .

- TEXT 21DETHE or BLAUNCHE. BODLEY MS. 638 . 233

I haue more sorwe then Tantale

And when I herd this tale

fl Thus pitou sely a s I you tell

Vnneth myghtI lengu r dwell

Hid d id myfi herts so much woo

A good sir quoth I sey nat so

Haue som pits on you rs Nature

That formyd you to creature

Remembre yow of Socrates

Eor he ne cou ntyd that iij streys

Of nought that Fortune koude doNo quoth he I kan not so

Wh i so good syr yis parde quoth INe nought so for trewlye

Though ye h a d loste the Fersys tw’

elu e

And ye for sorwe mordryd you f—selus

Ye sh olde be d ampnyd yn this ca s

By a s good rygh ta s Med ea w a s

Tha t slough h ir ch ildryfi for Ia son

And Phillys also for D emoph ofi

Henge h ir—self so w elaw aye

For he h a d broke h ys terms d ays

To come to hir an- oth ir rags

Ha d dido th e queue of Cartage

That slough hir- self for Eneas

w a s fals which a fole sh e w a s

And Ecqu o dyed for Na rcysu sNolde not loue hir right thus

Hath many an oth ir folye d oh

And for D a lida died Sampsofi

That slough bym - self with a‘ pylore

B utther‘ is no man a lyu e here

wold for a fers make this woo

wh i so quoth he it ys not soo

Thou w oste full lytell wh at pou menyst

I haue loste more then thou wenyst

BODLEY'

6 38

22 PAR - TEXT234 DETHE or BLAUNOHE. BODLEY Ms. 638 .

10 sh e pat may be quoth IG ood syr tell me all hooly

In what wise how wh i wh erfor

That ye han thus youre blysse lore

Blith ly quoth he com sytte a- douh

I te ll it the Vp a condicyou n

Th at thou shalt holely with all thi wytte

D o thyn entente to h erkne h it

yis syr swers th i trouth th erto

G ladly do then holde h er’ 10

I shal right blith ly so god me saue

Holely with a ll the witte I haue

Here you a s well a s I kan

A goddis half quoth he bigah

Syr quoth he sith first I kouth

Haue eny maner wytte fro youth

Or kyndely vndirstondynge

To comprehends yn any th ynge

what loue wa s yn myn owne wytte

B redles I haue eu yr yitts

Be tributarys yeu e rente

To loue hooly with good entente

And th rogh plesa u nce bicome h is thrall

w ith good wyll body herts a ll

A ll this I putte yn h is seru age

A s to my lorde 85 did homage

And full deu ou tely I preyed h im) to

He sh u lde bisette myn herts so

That h itplesa u nce to him were

And wu rsh ipe to my lady dere

And this w as longe many a yere

Or that myn herts wa s setowgh ereThat I did thus nyste why

I trow hit came me kyndelyPera u entu r‘ I wa s th erto moste able

As a white wall or a table

BODLEY 638

24 PAR - TEXT236 DETHE or BLAUNOHE . BODLE Y MS. 638.

Amange thes lad ies thus ech ofi

Soth to seyn I saugh ooh

That wa s like noh of the rowte

For I d a r swer’ withouts d ow ts

That a s the somorys sonne bright

Is fayrer clerer’ hath more light

Than eny oth ir planets in h eu yn

Th e mone or the sterrys seu yn

For a ll the worlds so h ad sh e ‘

Su rmou ntyd hem a ll of bea ute '

Of maner of comlynesse

Of stature of so well setgladnesss

Of goodlih ed so well beseye

Shortly what shall I sey°

By god bi h alwys twelu e

Hit.

’

w a s my swete right a ll h ir—selu e

She had so stedfast cou ntena u ncs

So noble ports meyntena u ncs

And loue that had well herde my bone

Had espyed me thus sons

That sh e fu ll sone yn my thought

A s help me god so w a s I ka u gh t fleaf 128, back ]So sodeynly that I ne toke

No maner counsell but at h ir loks

And at myn herts for-wh i hir yeh

So gladly I trow myn herts syen

That purely tho myn owns thought

Sside it were bettre to serue h ir for na u ght

Then with an othir to be well

And it wa s soth for eu erydell

I wull a -non right tell th e why

I saw h ir d a unce so comelyly

Carole synge so swetely

Laugh pley so womanly

And loks so debonayrelySo goodly speke 85 so frendly

BODLEY 638

PA R - TEXT 25DETHE or BLAUNCHE. BOD LEY MS. 638. 237

That certys I trow that eu yrmore

Na s seyu so blisfu ll A tresore

For eu ery here on h ir h ed

Soth to seyn it wa s not red

Ne nou th ir yolwe ne browns it na s

Ms thought moste like it wa s

And which yen my lady h a d

D ebonayre good glad sad

Symple of good moch yll nought to wyde

Th erto h ir loks na s not a - syde

Ne ou yrtwertbut bisette so well

Hit drewgh toke vp eu erydell

All that on h[i]r gan beholds‘

Hir eyen semyd a - non sh e wolde

Haue mercy folys w endyn soo

But it w a s neu yr th e rath ir doo

Hit na s no cou ntrefetyd th ynge

Hit w a s h ir owns pure lOkynge

That the goddesss Dame NatureHad made hem Opyfi by mesure

And cloos for were sh e neu yr so glad

B yr lOkynge wa s not foly sprad

Ne wyldly though that sh e pleyd

But eu yr me thought hir yen seide Dea f 129, ba ck ]Be god my wrath ys a ll foryeu e

Th erwith h ir lu sts so well to leu e

That du lnysse was of h ir a - drad

She na s to sobre ne to glad

In a ll th inges more mesure

Had neu yr I trowe creature

But many oon with h ir loks sh e hert

And that sate h ir full lyte at hert

For sh e knew no things of h er thought

a line bla nk in th e 111 8 ]Algate sh e ne rought of hem a stre '

To gets hir loue no nerre w a s he

BODLEY 638

26 PAR - TEXT238 DETHE OF BLAUNCHE. BODLEY MS.

That wonyd at home that he yfi ynde

The formestwa s a lwey beh ynd e'

But good folks ou yr a ll oth yr

She lou yd as man may do h is broth yr

Of which loue sh e wa s w ondyr largeIn skylfu ll pla cys that bere charge

'

But which a visage had sh e th erto ‘

Allas myn hert ys wondyr woo

That I ne kan diskryu en hit

Me lakkyth both englissh 85 wyt

F or to vndo h itat the full

And eke my spyritz be so dull

So grete a th ynge for to deu yse

I haue no wytte that kan suEyse

To comprehends h ir beauts

B utthus much dar I sayn that sh e

w a s white rody fressh 85 lyu ely h ewyd

And snary day h ir bea u te nswyd

And h eygh h ir face was a ldirbest

For certys Nature had such lest

To make that feyre that trewly sh e '

w a s h ir chief Patrons of bea ute °

And chief ensample of a ll hir werke '

And monstre for be h itneu yr so d erke'

Me thinketh I se hir eu yr-mo

And yet more-ou yr thou gh a ll tho

That eu yr leu yd were now a - lyu e

Ne sh olde a fou nds to dyskryu e 9 1 6

In all hir face a wyckyd sygne [lea f 130, ba ck]For it wa s sad sympls 85 benygne

And wh ich a goodly softe spech

Had that swete my lynes lech

So frendly 85 so well I -

grou ndyd

Vp a ll reson so well I - fou ndyd

And so tretable to a ll good

That I d a r swer‘ well bi the mod

BODLEY 638

28 PARn TEXT

240 DETHE OF BLAUNCHE . BODLE Y MS . 638.

Th erto sh e koude so well pley

Whan that h ir lust that I dar seyThat sh e was like to torche bright

That eu ery man may take of lygh t

I - nough 85 hit hath neu yr- the - lesse

Of maner 85 of coml ynesseRight so ferds my lady d ere '

Eor eu ery wight of h ir manere’

Might cach I - nough if th at he wolde

If he had yen h ir to beholds °

Eor I dar swers well if that sh e

Had a -mongs ten thousands be

She wold a be at the leste °

A ch isEMerrou re of a ll th e feste '

Though thei h ad stonds yn a rowe [leaf 132]

To menys yen koude haue knowe

Eor Wh er so men had pleyd or wakyd

Me thought the felish ipe a s nakyd

Withouts h ir that sawgh I'

onys

A s A crowns withouts stonys

Trewly sh e was to myn ye

The soleyfi Eenyx of Arabye

Eor ther‘ leu yth neu yr bu tooh

Ne such a s sh e ne know I nooh

To speke of goodnesss trewly sh e

Ha d a smu ch D ebonayrete

A s eu yr had Hestre yn the bible

And more ifmore were possible '

And soth to seyn th erwith a ll

She had a wytte so generall

SO hole enclyned to a ll good

That a ll h ir wytte wa s sette by the R oad

with- oute malyos vpoh gladnesss

And th erto I saugh neu yr yet a lesse [le a f 132, 1mck]

Ha rmefu ll then sh e w a s yn d ede

I say notthat sh e ne h ad knowynge

BODLEY 638

Pa ra - TEXT 29DETHE or BLAUNCHE. BODLEY Ms. 638. 241

what h arms wa s or ellys sh e

Had koude no good a s th enkyth me

And trewly for to speke of trouth

But sh e had had ‘ it had be routh

Therof sh e had so much h ir dele

And I dar seyn 85 swer’ it wele

That trou th h im- self ou yr a ll 85 a ll

Had chose his manere pryncypa ll

In h ir that wa s h is restynge place

Th erto sh e had the moste grace

To haue stedfast parseu era unce

And esy attempre gou erna unce

That eu yr I knew or wyste yitts

So pure suEra u ntwa s h ir wytte

And reson gladly sh e vndyrstode'

/Hit folwyd well that sh e w a s good [leaf 13

3 ) 1012

She v syd glad ly to do well

Thes were h ir manere eu ery dell

Th erwith sh e lou yd so well right

She wrongs do wolde to no wight

No wight mygh tdo hir no shame

She lou yd so well byr owns name

Hir lust to h olds no wight yn honde

Ne be thou syker sh e wolde notfondsTo hold no wight in ba la u nce

By half words u s by contena u nce

But if men wolde vpon h ir lye'

Ne send men yn- to w a lakye

To sprewse 85 yn- to Tarta rye

To Alisa u ndre 85 yn - to Tu rkye

And byd bym fasts a -non that he

G oo h oodles yn- to the drye see

And come h am by the carrenare

And sey syr be now right ware

That I may of you here seyn

Wu rshipe or that ye come a - geyn [lea f 133, back] 1032

BODLEY 638

OD D TEXTS. 1 6

30 PAR - TEXT242 DETHE or BLAUNCHE. BODLE Y MS. 638.

She ne v syd no such kna ckys smale

But wh erfor that I tell my tale

Right on this same that I haue seyde

w a s hooly a ll my loue leyde

F or certys sh e wa s that swete wyfe

My su Eysa u nce my lu sts my lyfe

Myn hape myfi hele 85 a ll my blysse

My worldys welfare 85 my godesseAnd I hooly byres eu erydell

By oure lorde quoth I ' I trow you well

Hardely yours loue wa s well bisette

I nothow ye mygh thaue do bette

Bette ne no wygh tso well quoth he

I trow h itwell syr quoth I' Parde

Nay leu e it well syr soo do I

I leu e you well that trewlyYou thought that sh e w a s the bestsAll to beholds the a ldyrfayrest [leaf 134]

who - so h a d lokyd h ir with you rs Eyefi

with myn nay a ll that h ir seyeh

Seyd e 85 swore bitwa s soo

And though thei ne h a d I wolde thoo

Haue lou yd lou yd 1 best my lady frsThough I hade h ad . a ll the beauts

That eu yr h ad Alcypya dss

And all the strength of Erculee °

And th erto h ad the worth ynesse

Of Alysa u ndre 85 a ll the R ych esseThat eu yr wa s yn babyloyne

In Cartage or yn Ma cedoyne

Or yn Rome or yn Nynyv e

And to also a s hardy be

A s wa s Ector so haue I ioye

That Achilles slough at Troy

And th erfor wa s he elayu also

In a temple for both two

BODLEY 638

32 Pa n e xr

244 DETHE or BLAUNCHE. BODLEY MS . 638.

Of alday a ftyr tyll it were eue [learn-5. ba ck]Me thought no things mygh tme greu e

Were my sorwys neu yr so smerte

And yet sh e sytte so yn myn herts

That by my trou th I nolde nought

For a ll this worlds outs of my though t

Leu e my lady no trewlyNow by my trouth syr quoth I

Me thinketh ye haue such a chaunce

As sh ryfte withouts repenta u nce

R epenta u nce nay fy quoth he

Sh old I now repente me

To loue nay certys tha n weil I well

wers then w as Ach etofell

Or An tenore so haue I ioye

The traytor that betra ysed Troye

Or the fals G enellofi

He that pu rch asyd' the treson

Of Rowland 85 Olyu ereNay while I am a - lyu s here

I nyll foryete h ir neu yr mo [leaf 136]

Now good syr quoth I thoo

Ye haue well tolde me h er’ biforeIt ys no nede reh erse it more

How ye saugh h ir first 85 where

But wolde yo tell me th e manere

To h ir which w as you rs firsts spech

Therof I wolde you besech

And how sh e knew fyrst you r‘ thought

wh eth ir ye lou yd h ir or nought

And tellith me eke what ye haue lore

I herd you tell h er’ bifore

ye he seyde thou noste what thou menyst

I haue loste more then thou w enyst

what losse ys that quoth I thoNyll sh e notloue you ys hit so

BODLEY 638

PAR .- TEXT 33

DETHE OF BLAUNCHE. BODLEY Ms. 638. 245

Or hau e ye ought doh a -mys

That sh e hath lefte you ys hit this

F or godys loue tell me a ll

Before god quoth he 85 I shall [leafwe, back] 1 1 44I sey right a s I haue seyd e

On h yrJ was a ll my loue leyde

And yet sh e nystit notneu yr a dell

Nought longe tyms leu e it well

For be right siker I durste nought

F or a ll this worlds tell h ir my thought

Ne I wolde haue wrath yd hir trewlyF or wostow wh i sh e wa s lady