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ENGLISHED BY
JOHN LYDGATE, A.D. 1426,
FROM THE FRENCH OF
GUILLAUME DE DEGUILEVILLE, A.D. 1330, 1355.
THE TEXT EDITED BY
F. J. FUENIVALL, M.A. CAMBRIDGE,
HON. DR. PHIL. BERLIN ; HON. D. LITT. OXFORD ;
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY.
WITH INTRODUCTION, NOTES, GLOSSARY AND INDEXES
BY
KATHARINE B. LOCOCK,
ASSOCIATE OF KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON.
PRINTED FOB THE
IRoybutobe Club.
LONDON:
NICHOLS AND SONS, PARLIAMENT MANSIONS, S.W.
MCMV.
TO
THE MEMORY OF OLD
3obn Stowe,
THE ELIZABETHAN TAILOE,
WHO LOVED M88. AND ANTIQUITY ;
AND TO WHOSE COPY THE COMPLETENESS
OF THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS DUE.
968861
THE PILGRIMAGE OF THE LIFE OF MAN.
CPlut).
(ffhii).
MCMV.
LORD ALDENHAM,
PRESIDENT.
DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE. K.fl.
DUKE OF BUCCLEUCH, K.T.
DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, K.G.
DUKE OF SUTHERLAND, K.G.
MARQUESS OF BATH.
EARL OF PEMBROKE AND MONTGOMERY.
EARL OF CRAWFORD, K.T.
EARL OF ROSEBERY, K.G.
EARL COWPER, K.Q.
EARL OF CARYSFORT, K.P.
KARL OF POWIS.
EARL BEAUCHAMP.
EARL BROWNLOW.
EARL OF CAWDOR.
EARL OF ELLESMERE.
EARL OF CREVVE.
THE LORD BISHOP OF SALISBURY.
LORD ZOUCHE.
LORD WINDSOR.
LORD AMHERST OF HACKNEY.
HON. AL15AN GEORGE HENRY GIBBS.
* RIGHT HON. ARTHUR JAMES BALFOUR.
RT. HON. MOUNTSTUART GRANT DUFF, G.C.S.I.
SIR WILLIAM REYNELL ANSON, BART.
SIR THOMAS BROOKE, BART.
SIR JOHN EVANS, K.C.B.
SIR EDWARD MAUNDE THOMPSON, K.C.B.
CHARLES BUTLER, ESQ
INGRAM BYWATER, ESQ.
GEORGE BRISCOE EYRE, ESQ.
ALFRED HENRY HUTH, ESQ., V.P.
ANDREW LANG, ESQ.
CHARLES BRINSLEY MARLAY, ESQ.
JOHN MURRAY, ESQ. , Treasurer.
EDWARD JAMES STANLEY, ESQ.
HENRY YATES THOMPSON, ESQ.
REV. EDWARD TINDAL TURNER.
VICTOR WILLIAM BATES VAN DE WEYER, ESQ.
W. ALDIS WRIGHT, ESQ.
CONTENTS.
PREFACE vii*
INTRODUCTION : —
I. THE RELATION OF DE GUILEVILLE's POEM TO THE
ROMANCE OF THE ROSE ... ... ... ... ix*
II. THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE POEM ... ... xii*
III. THE RELATION OF DE GUILEVILLE's TWO VERSIONS
TO ONE ANOTHER ... ... ... ... ... XVli*
iv. LYDGATE'S METRE ... ... ... ... ... xxxi*
v. LYDGATE'S LANGUAGE AND STYLE ... ... ... xli*
VI. LYDGATE AND BUNYAN ... ... ... ... liii*
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... ... ... ... ... ... Ixiii*
THE MSS. or LYDGATE'S POEM ... ... ... ... Ixvii*
GUILLAUME DE GUILEVILtE ... ... ... ... ... Ixx*
TABLE OF CONTENTS ... ... ... ... ... ... Ixxiii*
FOREWORDS (OF 1899 BY DR. FURNIVALL) ... ... ... V
AFTERWORDS (OF 1905 BY DR. FURNIVALL) ... ... ... xiii
TEXT 1-666
NOTES ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 667
GLOSSARY ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 695
INDEX ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 725
INDEX OF NAMES ... ... 735
VII*
PREFACE.
THE text of Lydgate's Pilgrimage of the Life of Man, published
in 1899, was edited by Dr. Furnivall, having been copied by the late
Mr. William Wood, partly side-noted by Mr. J. Meadows Cowper,
and more or less revised by the late Mr. G. N. Currie, M.A. Lond.
In 1903 I undertook to write Introduction, Notes and Glossary to
the poem, and now submit my work, with some diffidence, to the
Members of the E. E. T. S.
I have thought it unnecessary to add anything to what has been
already written upon the life and character of Lydgate, or to treat of
the subject of his grammar. My principal aim in the Introduction
has rather been to discuss the relation of the poem to its original, to
indicate the character of that original, and to consider the question
of Bunyan's suggested debt to Lydgate. It has seemed desirable to
offer a few notes concerning Lydgate's Metre, Language and Style,
although on these subjects I can hardly hope to supplement materially
the researches of previous editors.
The Bibliography is not intended to be exhaustive, my main
object in drawing it up having merely been to give the eompletest
possible list of MSS. and old printed books existing in France and
England. I have, however, mentioned all the known MSS. of De
Guileville's second recension, from which Lydgate's poem was trans-
lated. For the information in the Bibliography I am indebted to
Professor Stiirzinger's edition of De Guileville's first recension, to
Dr. Aldis Wright's edition of the Camb. MS. Ff. 5.30, and to the
list in The Ancient Poem of Guillaume de Guileville, supplemented
by my own investigations at the British Museum and the Bodleian
Library.
The Table of Contents has been adapted and enlarged from that
given in Verard's edition.
Owing to the extreme length of the poem, I have felt it necessary
to exercise a strict moderation in writing the notes, and have there-
fore aimed at little more than the clearing up of the more obscure
PILGRIMAGE. a
viii* Preface.
allusions, a task in which, I regret to say, I have not always been
successful
It only remains for me to express my sincere thanks to those
who have assisted me in the work : — to Dr. Skeat, Dr. Murray,
the Kev. H. Parkinson, Dom John Chapman, O.S.B., Dr. Furnivall
and Lord Aldenham for help in the Notes, — to the last two for
various criticisms and suggestions ; to Mr. Madan and Mr. Stanley
Jones for aid in identifying MSS. ; to Miss Batty, of Oxford, for
clerical assistance, and to my friend and former tutor, Miss Margaret
L. Lee, whose candid criticism and ready help have at once impelled
and encouraged me in the execution of my task.
KATHARINE B. LOCOCK.
77, Banbury Road, Oxford,
Dec. 1904.
IX*
INTRODUCTION.
I. THE RELATION OF DE GUILEVILLE'S POEM TO THE ROMANCE
OF THE ROSE.
IN the colophon to the first version of the Pelerinage de la
Vie Humaine De Guileville tells us that his poem was founded upon
the Romance of the Rose.
" Chi fine li romans du moisne
Du pelerinage de vie humaine,
Qui est pour le bon pelerin
Qui en che monde tel chemin
Veult tenir qui voise a bon aport
Et quil ait du ciel le deport,
Prins sur le roman de la rose
Ou lart damours est toute enclose.
Pries pour celui qui le fist,
Qui la fait faire, et qui lescripst."
If we only consider the fact that the Romance of the Rose is an
allegory on the art of love, and that the Pelerinage is an allegory of
man's spiritual journey from birth to death, the relation between
the two does not appear to be very close ; but although the subjects
and general aims of the two poems are very different, there are
some striking correspondences, both of plan, manner and detail.
The Romance of the Rose is too well known for more than a
very brief sketch of its general plan to be necessary.
The first part, by Guillaume de Lorris, is a straightforward and
simple allegory, in which are described the efforts of a lover to gain
his beloved, symbolized by a rosebud. The other characters, who
help or hinder the lover, are all allegorical and bear such names as
Love, Idleness, Mirth, Largesse, Danger, Jealousy, Malebouche and
the like. Besides these, certain evil qualities are described, which
are supposed to be painted upon the outside of the wall of the
garden in which the Eose is to be found. Among these we may
notice Hate, Covetousness, Avarice, Envy.
The spirit of this part of the poem is the spirit of the mediaeval
x* Introduction, i. De Guileville and the Romance of the Rose.
Courts of Love. It is, indeed, just what the author calls it in his
introduction :
" li Eommanz de la Rose
Ou 1'art d' Amors est tote enclose." (11. 37-8.)
It is of love and the art of love that Guillaume de Lorris writes ;
and the connection between this part of the poem and De Guileville's
Pelerinage can only be traced in so far as both are in allegorical
form, both describe personified abstractions, and both make use of
similar details of description and allegorical conventions. A few
specimens of these latter may be given.
In the description of Idleness, G. de Lorris tells us that
" por garder que ses mains blanches
Ne halaissent, ot uns blans gans." (11. 565-6.)
— and in De Guileville's first version we read that Idleness
"un gant
Tenoit dont se aloit jouant,
Entour son doi le demenoit,
Et le touruoit et retournoit."
(Stiirzinger, 6525-28.)
Eeason, in the R. de la R. is spoken of in the following terms :
" La dame de la haulte garde
Qui de sa tour aval regards,
C'est raisoii ainsi appellee,
Or est de sa tour deval!6e
Et tout droit vers moi est venue,"
while by De Guileville we are told
"Tantost vers eus une pucelle
Descendit d'une tournelle,
Eaison apeler se faisoit." (Stiirzinger, 573-5.)
In the account of Envy in the E. de la M. we read :
" que s'ele cognoissoit
Tot le plus prodome qui soit
Ne de9a mer, ne dela mer,
Si le vorroit ele blasmer." (11. 269-72.)
With this may be compared the confession of Envy's daughter
Detraction in the Pelerinage :
" Je nuis qui sont de sainte vie,
Comme a ceuz qui ne le sont mie.
Se Saint Jehan en terre estoit,
Encor de mon glaive il aroit."
(Stiirzinger, 8669-72.)
Introduction, i. De Guileville and the Romance of the Rose, xi*
There are other correspondences of a similar character, one or
two of which have been indicated in the notes ; but when we have
made the most of the allegorical form, and of such similarities of
detail, we must feel that, if this were all that De Guileville owed to
the authors of the Romance of the Rose, a comparison of the two
poems need not detain us long.
But this was far from all.
In his second recension De Guileville, in the person of the
Pilgrim, says to Venus :
" Pour quoy, dis ie, reputes tien
Le rommant qu'as dit, que scay bien
Qui le fist, et comment ot nom." (Ver. f. 51.)
These lines are interpreted by Lydgate as meaning that De
Guileville knew the author personally, in which case the man he
knew must, of course, have been Jean de Meun, not Guillaume de
Lorris, who is supposed to have died in 1240, long before De
Guileville was born.
Jean de Meun himself died about 1320 when De Guileville was
some twenty-five years of age. Thus the acquaintance of the twp
must needs have covered a period of De Guileville's life when he
would be most open to influences, and most likely to be affected by
the character and conversation of such a man of the world as the
witty, daring and satirical Jean de Meun.
No doubt he had read and studied Jean de Meun's continuation
of Guillaume de Lorris's romance. Perhaps the author himself had
read it to him, and they had discussed together the many questions
in religion, sociology and science with which the poem deals.
Jean de Meun was a reformer and a democrat, an outspoken
opponent of the abuses to be found in Church and Society, a man
of philosophical mind and practical energy. He was as far as
possible removed from the romantic, chivalrous, courtly character
of Guillaume de Lorris ; and though he adopted the framework
of his predecessor's poem he filled it up with all the varied
detail of an encyclopaedic erudition, piling up, one upon another,
discussions on alchemy, astrology, and the operations of Nature, on
economical and social problems, on religion and hypocrisy, on the
duty of mankind, on communistic ideas, on prodigality, the Age
of Gold, jealous husbands, Youth and Age, friendship, and many
another topic, interspersing all with examples and illustrations
drawn from classical tales and recent history. It is in this connec-
xii* Introduction. I. De Guileville and the Romance of the Rose.
tion, above all, that we trace his influence upon De Guileville. We
can hardly fail to conclude that the latter adopted from the R. de
la R. not merely the allegorical framework, the figures of Idleness,
Youth, Fortune, Eeason, Avarice and the rest, and certain details
of description, but also the pose and manner of the man of mis-
cellaneous information and liberal opinions, and that it was in
imitation of Jean de Meun that he included in his poem discussions
and attacks on matters covering the widest range — astrology and
incantations, Nature, abuses in religious orders, social science, usury,
fashions in dress — illustrating them as occasion and his education
served, with examples from the Scriptures, from the lives of saints,
or from current fables and romances.
Of course we must not press the parallel too far. We do not
find in the Pelerinage the same force and talent that we recognize
in the R. de la R. — even though De Guileville is not lacking in
energy or effectiveness when he attacks those religious abuses which
personal experience had brought to his knowledge, or treats of the
occupations and social questions with which he must have been
familiar in his youth. Nor can we be blind to a very marked
difference in the points of view of the two men. De Guileville,
after all, was a monk, a man under authority, with all the reverence
of such a man for the teaching of his superiors. His views on some
theological points — such as progressive revelation and the spiritual
character of future retribution and reward — were liberal and
advanced in tone, but, for all that, he was capable of flights, — such as
that on the putting of men's eyes into their ears, — which would have
excited the independent-minded Jean Clopinol to an unholy mirth.
On the other hand, the passage in which De Guileville blames the
evil-speaking of his predecessor proves that Jean de Meun's tone
was often far from congenial to him. Yet in their common love
of miscellaneous information and in their opposition, according to
their lights, to some of the abuses of the day, their minds clearly
held some kinship,— a kinship which, in spite of many differences,
is not obscurely indicated in the literary form and occasional tone
of the poem we are now considering.
II. THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE POEM.
THE Pelerinage de la Vie Humaine has appeared under many
forms, as reference to the list of MSS. will show.
The three French versions are — The first and second recensions
Introduction. II. Different versions of the Poem, xiii*
of De Guileville, and the prose transcription made at the request of
Jehanne de Laval, Queen of Naples, by Jean Gallopes, dean <tf the
church of St. Louis de la Saulsoye.
There were also several English versions, the first recension' of
De Guileville's poem having apparently been translated into1 English
prose more than once. Of these versions the MS. in St. John's
College, Cambridge, is northern in dialect, and differs considerably
from the MS. in the University Library, edited for the Eoxburghe
Club by Dr. Aldis Wright. The other prose MSS. have not yet
been collated, but in a note written in the catalogue of the Laud
collection, the opinion is expressed that Laud 740 also differs from
the Eoxburghe edition, an opinion in which a collation of a few
passages enables me to concur.
A condensed English prose version, a copy of which exists in
the University Library, Cambridge (Ff. 6. 30), was circulated in
the seventeenth century, and Dr. Wright thinks it possible that this
version may have been seen by Bunyan,
The most important of the English versions is, of course, the
verse translation by Lydgate, which represents De Guileville's second
recension. It is in 24,832 lines as compared with the 18,123 lines
of the French (Petit's edition). With the exception of Lydgate's
Prologue, 184 lines in length, the note on the fanciful derivation
of Glaive, the illustration from Aristotle's Elenchus, two or three
other passages indicated in the margin as Verio, Translator-is and
the tribute to Chaucer (p. 527) which are due to Lydgate alone, this
excess of between 7000 and 8000 lines is not produced by important
additions to the matter, but by amplification in the wording, by the
introduction of details and explanations, and by the use of certain
literary devices which will be indicated more fully in the chapter
on Language and Style.
Several passages of the original French have been given for
purposes of comparison in Vols. I. and II. It will be as well how-
ever to quote other passages here, alongside the English, in order to
render comparison more convenient.
A typical passage is that in which the heavenly Jerusalem is
described, in 36 lines in the French, in 45 by Lydgate.
En Ian que iay dit par deuant,
Auis me fut en mon dormant,
Que daler iestoye excite
En iherusalem la cite,
La ou estoit tout mon couraige.
The seyde yer (ho lyst take kepe
I was avysed in my slepe
Excyted eke, and that a-noon,
To Jerusalem for to goon.
Gretly meved in my corage
xiv* Introduction, n. Different versions of the Poem.
Dy faire le pelerinaige
Fieliie du tout entierement
La cause estoit et mouuement
Pource que la cite veoie
En ung beau miroer quauoye,
'
Qui de loing la representoit
Dedens luy, et la me monstroit.
II nest nulle cite si belle,
Ne qui de rien lui soit pareille ;
Masson en fut seulement dieu,
Nul autre ne feroit tel lieu.
Car les chemins et les aloes,
Dor fin estoient toutes paues,
En hault assis son fnndement
Estoit, et son massonnement
De vives pierres fait estoit,
Et hault mur entour la clooit,
Dessus lesquelz anges estoient
Qui tout temps le guet y faisoient
Et gardoient tres bien que lentree
Nullement fut abandonnee,
Fors au pelerins seulement
Qui y venoient deuotement.
Leans auoit moult de mansions,
De lieux et dabitacions ;
Illec estoit toute liesse
Et toute ioye sans tristesse.
La pour men passer briefuement
Auoi't chascun communement
De tous biens plus que demander
Jamais ne ponrroit ne penser.
ffor to do my pilgrimage
And ther-to steryd inwardly.
And to tell the cause why
Was, ffor me thouht I hadde a syht
With-Inne a merour large & bryht,
Off that hevenly ffayr cite
Wych representede unto me
Ther-of holy the manere
With Inne the glas ful bryht & cler
And werrayly, as thouhte me
yt excellyde of bewte
Al other in comparyson ;
ffor God hym self was the masown,
wych mad yt layr, at ys devys.
ffor werkman was ther noon so wys,
yt to conceyve in his entent ;
ffor al the waye's & paament
Wer ypavyd all off gold.
And in the sawter yt ys told,
How the ffyrst ffundacyon,
On hyllys off devocyon
The masounry wrought ful clene,
Of quyke stonys bryht and schene
Wytli a closour rovnd a-bowte
Off enmyes, ther was no dowte
ffor Aungelles the wach y-kepte
The wych, day nor nyht ne slepte,
Kepyng so strongly the entre
That no wyht kam in that cyte
But pylgrimes, day nor nyht,
That thyder wentyn evene ryht.
And ther were meuy mansyovns
Placys, and liabytacyovns ;
And ther was also al gladnesse,
Ioye with-outen hewynesse.
And pleynly, who that hadde grace
ffor to entren in that place,
ffond, onto hys pleasavnce
Off Ioye al maner suffysavnce
That cny herte kan devyse.
To give a few more examples. Deguileville's Prologue in Verard's
edition consists of 103 lines. In Lydgate it is 123 lines. The
first 18 lines of Verard, corresponding to the first 25 of Lydgate,
deal with the subject of dreams. There is no diversity of matter
in the two versions, but Lydgate's rendering is rather a paraphrase
of Deguileville than a translation, as the following extract will
show
" Souuentes foys il aduient bien,
Quant on a soge quelque rien,
Quon y pense sur lesueiller ;
Et sil ne souuient au premier
De tout le songe proprement,
Bien aduient que son y entent
Introductiffn. n. Different versions of the Poem. xv*
Quapres a plain il en souuient.
Et tout a rnemoire reuient,
Au leuer on est sommeilleux
Et sont les sens si pareceux
Que son songe point on nentent
Si non en groz sommierement ;
Mais quant on sest bien aduise
Et on ya apres pense,
Lors en souuient il plus a plain
Mais qu'on nactende au lendemain,
Car trop actendre le feroit
Oblier et nen souuiendroit."
The description of Spring in the French, which will be given
later, is 22 lines long, while in Lydgate it occupies 47 lines, but this
is rather an unusual amplification. Certain lines, such as 11. 3456-
3461, have no counterpart in the French original, the revivifying
power of Spring is described with much greater detail, while the
reference to Solomon which in the French only takes up two lines,
occupies 11. 3486-3492 in Lydgate. With reference to this passage
it must be remembered, however, that phrases descriptive of Spring
were the current coin of the fourteenth and early fifteenth century
poets, and that no writer of that age could control his pen when
he came to write on this subject. Youth's description of herself
occupies 52 lines in the French and 80 in Lydgate. The middle
portion of this description from 1. 11151 to 1. 11177 keeps fairly
close to the French, though it is in parts slightly amplified, and in
others slightly compressed, but the first ten French lines are repre-
sented by 17 English (11. 11133-11150), which, while they contain
the same idea, contain also various developments and alterations
of expression as well as inversions of order :
11133-34 " Jeunesse iay nom la legiere,
1 1 1 40 / "^a giberesse, 'a coursiere,
\ Lp. sauterelle, la saillant,
11144 Qui tout dangier ne prise ung gant.
Je vois, ie viens, ie saulx, ie vole,
11146 Jespeiiingue, tourne et carolle,
11147 Je trepe et cours et danse et bale
Et si vois a la Vitefale ;
11141 Je luyte et saulx fossez pieds ioincts
11150 Et iecte la pierre au plus loings." (foi. xim, tack.)
As nearly as I can make out, the lines whose numbers I have
given correspond to the French, but there still remain eight lines in
PILGRIMAGE. b
xvi* Introduction, n. Different versions of the Poem.
the English which have no French equivalent, and add a touch or
two to the character of Youth, such as :
"And I kan wynse ageyn the prykke.
As wylde coltys in Arras,
Or as bayard out off the tras,
Tyl I a lassh haue off the whyppe."
The account of the games played by Youth is very much
amplified in the English. Deguileville mentions only seven sports.
" Ung esteuf me faust pour iouer
Et une croce pour soler,
Autre croce nauray ie mye,
Si ce nest past trop grant folie,
Car tenir ie ne men pourroye
De voletcr, ne me Voulroye ;
Et encor ne suis ie pas soule
De maler iouer a la boule,
Daler quiller, daler biller
Et de iouer au mareiller."
In Lydgate's 18 corresponding lines (11181-98), however, there
are seventeen different kinds of game or amusement mentioned,
including fishing, hunting, card games, and the reading of fables.
We must not forget, however, that sometimes Lydgate omits
details which are given by De Guileville, or only touches upon points
which De Guileville deals with at some length. A good example
of this is the description of the various fashions in dress due to
Pride. In Lydgate this only takes up six lines (11. 14081-14086).
" I ffond up fyrst, devyses riewe,
Hayes of many sondry hewe ;
Off short, off long, I ffond the guyse ;
Now streight, now large, I kan devyse,
That men sholde, for syngulerte
Beholde and lokyn upon me."
In Verard's version this runs as follows :
' ' Nouvelletez se font par moy ;
A mon sens seullement ie croy.
Je fais chaperons pourfiletz, Pride makes
De soye et dor entrelacez, S£2££,
Chapeaulx, huppes, coquuz loquuz, Sgii,™'8'
A marmousez platz ou crestuz, sleeves,
-i7 ... 1/1 and coloured
Estroictes cottes par les flans, coats.
Manches a panonceaulx pendans ;
A blanc surcot fais rouge manche,
A col et a poictrine blanche
Introduction, in. Relation of two Versions to one another, xvii*
Robe tres bieii escoletee very long or
Pour mieulx veue estre et regardee ; garments'
Vestemens trop cours ou trop longs, ?nd very
large or very
Irop grans, trop petiz chaperons, small hoods,
T i_° r • boots and
Les houzeaulx petiz et estroiz ; girdles
Du si grans quon en feroit trois ;
Graile ceincture ou large trop
Dont se parent voire li clop, tne"!,aVit'ch
Le boiteux et esparueigne, the wind,
Borgne, bossu, et meshaingne ; othmSipplw
Telz choses fais pource que vueil 5ehS.theln"
.Que chascun ait vers moy son oeil." (foi. tv.i
Some further details as to the development of the French
original will be given in the chapter on Lydgate's Language and
Style, but for the present these examples will be enough to show
the manner in which he carried out his translation.
III. THE RELATION OF DE GUILEVILLE'S TWO VERSIONS TO
ONE ANOTHER.
We may now turn to the question as to how the second recension,
of De Guileville's poem is related to the first.
For the purposes of this comparison I have made use of
Stiirzinger's edition of the first version (Roxb. Club), and Verard's
edition of the second, published in Paris in 1511.
The main features distinguishing the second version from the
first may be placed in four categories.
A. The actual additions of arguments, episodes, characters, or
other elements.
B. The amplification and elaboration of passages or ideas.
C. The absence of certain details mentioned in the first version.
D. Differences in the sequence of episodes which occur in both
versions, and certain differences of detail.
A. The principal additions are as follows :
1. The discourse on dreams in the Prologue (Lydgate, 1. 185-209),
the description of the loss and re-writing of the poem (227-273), and
the envoy to the poem (274-302).
In the second French the Prologue takes up 94 lines, but in the
first version it only occupies 34 lines as follows :
" A ceuz de ceste region
Qui point n'i ont de mansion
Ains y sont tous com dit Saint Pol,
Riche, povre, sage et fol,
xviii* Introduction, III. Relation of two Versions to one another.
Soient roys, soient roynes,
Pelerins et pelerines,
Une vision veul nuncier
Qui en dormant m'avint 1'autrier.
En veillant avoie leu,
Considere et bien veu
Le biau roumans de la Eose.
Bien croi quc ce fu la chose
Qui plus m'esinut a ce songier
Que ci apres vous vueil nuncier.
Or (i) viengnent pres et se arroutent
Toute gent et bien escoutent,
Ne soit nul et ne soit nule
Qui arriere point reeule ;
Avant se doivent touz bouter,
Touz asseoir et escouter.
Grans et petits la vision
Touche sans point de excepcion.
En francoise toute mise 1'ai
A ee que 1'entendent li lai.
La pourra chascun aprendre
La cjuel voie on doit prendre,
La cjuel guerpir et delessier.
C'est chose qui a bien rnestier
A ceuz qui pelerinage
Font en cest monde sauvage.
Or entendez la vision
Qui m'avint en religion
A 1'abbaye de Chaalit,
Si com jestoie en mon lit." (Stiirzinger's ed.)
2. The description of the pains of the martyrs who desired to
enter Jerusalem, and of the manner in which they must enter
(Ver. fol. ii, back ; Lyd. 11. 365-466).
3. The discussion on baptism and original sin (Ver. fol. iv, back,
f. ; Lyd. 967-1290), the mention of the Pilgrim's godfather
Guyllyam and of the black bird that escapes from the Pilgrim's
breast (Ver. fol. vi, back; Lyd. 1291-1344).
4. The Story on the Peril of Cursing (Ver. x, back ; Lyd.
2561-2602).
5. The passage containing the Pilgrim's assertion that some who
have no subjects yet bear the sword, and Reason's explanation
concerning the delegation of power (Ver. xii; Lyd. 3072-3230).
6. The Testament of Jesus Christ, containing the bequest of
His Soul and Body ; of His Mother to St. John, together with the
Introduction, in. Relation of two Versions to one another, xix*
virtue of Perseverance ; of His Blood and Wounds for Salvation,
and of His Word and Laws (Ver. xvii, back ; Lyd. 4782-4869).
This is all absent from the first version which only contains the
bequest of peace.
7. The dialogue between Grace Dieu and^the Pilgrim concerning
the five senses and the transfer of eyes to ears (Ver. xxii, f. ; Lyd.
6241-6581).
8. Three Latin poems on the Articles of the Creed (Ver. xxiv.
f. ; Lyd. pp. 185-190), on God in Trinity (Ver. xxvii, back, f. ;
Lyd. pp. 194-199), and on the Virgin Mary (Ver. xxix, back, f. ;
Lyd. pp. 199-L'Ol).
9. The explanation of why no armour for the legs is given to the
Pilgrim (Ver. xxxiv; Lyd. 11. 8073-8100).
10. The gift of the stones and sling of David to the Pilgrim, and
the meaning of the stones (Ver. xxxv, f. ; Lyd. 8423-8686).
11. The discourse of Moral Virtue, who shows the Pilgrim the
gate and posterns and speaks of virtues and their attendant vices
(Ver. xlv, back, f. ; Lyd. 11737-11954).
12. A long passage, containing the interview of the Pilgrim with
Mortification of the Body, and the vision of the Wheel of Lust,
with an account of the movements of the planets (Ver. xlvi, f. ;
Lyd. 11955-12673).
13. The Pilgrim's conversation with Venus concerning the
Romance of the Rose (Ver. li, f . ; Lyd. 13200-13292), and the
episode of the Stranger maltreated by Venus (Ver. lii, back ; Lyd.
13545-13651).
14. The Prayer to the Virgin (Ver. Ixiii, back, f. ; Lyd. pp.
437-456). This prayer, which in Verard's edition is given in Latin,
replaces a short prayer to God which takes up 26 lines in Sturzinger.
15. Necromancy and her Messenger and the discussion between
the Pilgrim and the Messenger concerning the invocation of spirits
(Ver. Ixxii, back, f . ; Lyd. 18471-18924).
16. In Sturzinger, the five perils in the sea, Cyrtes, Charybdis,
Scilla, Bythalassus, and Sirena, are described in 11. 11887-11970. In
Verard and Lydgate all these are personified, and we find long
accounts, with many incidents, details and arguments, of Fortune
and her Wheel, representing Charybdis (Ver. Ixxvi, back, f . ; Lyd.
19423-19676): of Astrology and her scholars, representing Cyrtes
(Ver. Ixxx, f. ; Lyd. 19989-20810) : of Sorcery, with her face Phy-
siognomy and her hand Chiromancy, who represents Bythalassus
xx* Introduction. III. Relation of two Versions to one another.
(Ver. Ixxxiv, back, f . ; Lyd. 21047-21312): of Conspiracy and her
hounds, representing Scilla (Ver. Ixxxvi, f. ; Lyd. 21328^21458) :
and of Worldly Gladness, with his revolving tower, who represents
Sirena (Ver. Ixxxvi, back, f . ; Lyd. 21473-21670). These are
followed by a lamentation and prayer of the Pilgrim (Ver. Ixxxvii,
back; Lyd. 21671-21716).
17. The character of Impatient Poverty (Ver. xciii, f . ; Lyd.
22715-22772).
18. The assault of Envy and her daughters on the convent, the
Pilgrim's lamentation after the attack, the attempt of Ovid to
comfort him, the Pilgrim's complaint, in the form of an acrostic on
his name, and the return and proclamation of the King (Ver. xcv,
f. ; Lyd. 23037-23359). This passage, however, includes the
incident of the horse Good Eenown (Ver. xcv; Lyd. 23067-23150),
which occurs in the first version on the occasion of the first fight of
the Pilgrim with Envy and her daughters (Stiirz. 1. 8685, f. ).
19. The Pilgrim's visit to convents, where he sees many abuses
(Ver. xcviii, f. ; Lyd. 11. 23360-23996).
20. The character of Apostasy (Ver. ci, f. ; Lyd. 24002-24126).
21. The coming of Prayer and Alms to show the Pilgrim the
way to Jerusalem (Ver. civ, back, f. ; Lyd. 24558-24700), which
passage includes the story of the King who only reigned for one year.
22. Besides these passages, the dove of Grace Dieu, which at
various times brings comfort or help to the Pilgrim, is found only
in the second recension.
B. The amplification and elaboration of incidents and ideas is
very marked throughout the whole poem, although we do occasionally
find passages which are almost identical in the two French versions.
It would, of course, be impossible to mention every passage that has
been enlarged, but I have drawn up a list of some of the principal
ones, and have also made a few extracts from the two French
versions in order to give a general idea of the relation of the second
recension to the first in those passages where no serious alterations
or extensions have been made. Such a passage is the one on Spring,
which I will give in parallel columns, with figures indicating the
relation of the second recension to Lydgate's paraphrase.
1st Version 2nd Version
(Stiirzinger) (Verard)
1567-1580 Lydgate
Nouvelles choses faiz venir Nouvelles choses faiz venir 3449
Et les viez choses departir Et vielles choses departir 3450
Introduction, in. Eelation of two Versions to one another, xxi"
1st Version
(Stiirzinger)
La terre de mes robes est
Et en printemps tous jours la vest
Aux arbres donne vestemens
Centre 1'este et paremens
Puis si les refaiz despouillier
Contre 1'iver pour eus tailler
Autres robes et cotelles
A ee semblant tout(es) nouvelles
N(i) a bruyere ne geneste
N'autre arbricel que ne (re)veste.
Onques ne vesti Salemon
Tel robe com vest un buysson.
2nd Version
(Verard) Lydgate
La terre de mes robes est ^ 3451
Paree en printemps, ie la vest U3452)
Demy party d'herbe florie J 3455
De rouge, de vert, de soucye 3454
Et de toutes belles couleurs 3453
Quon peut trouver en belles fleurs
Aux arbres donne paremens )„.,,„_.,-
Et contre leste Vestemens /
Puis si les refais despoiller "|
Contre liuer pour les tailler I 3468-
Autres robes autres cotelles j 74
Telles comme deuant nouuellesj
II nest bruyere ne geneste "j
Nabriceau que ie ne reueste I 3475-
De mes robes bien floretees j 3485
Et tres gaiement desguiseesj
Onques ne vestit Salomon \3486-
Tel robe que fait ung boisson J 3492
The description of the Heavenly Jerusalem, taken from Verard,
has already been given (p. xiii*), and it may be interesting to compare
with it the description in the first version :
" Avis m'ert si com dormoie
Que je pelerin estoie
Qui d'aler estoie excite
En Jherusalem la cite.
En un rnirour, ce me sembloit,
Qui sanz mesure grans estoit
Celle cite aparceue
Avoie de loing et veue.
Mont me sembloit de grant atour
Celle cite ens et entour,
Les chemins et les alees
D'or en estoient pavees,
En haut assis son fondement
Estoit et son maconnement
De vives pierres fait estoit
Et haut mur entour la clooit.
Mont i avoit de mansions,
De lieus et d'abitacions.
La estoit toute leece,
Toute joie sans tristece.
Illuec, pour passer m'en briefment,
Avoit chascun generaument
De tout bien plus que demander
Jamais ne sceust ne penser." (11. 35-58.)
We may now turn to the more important amplifications, which
are fairly numerous. Among the chief of these are :
xxii* Introduction, ill. Relation of two Versions to one another.
1. The extension of the incident of the marriage of two Pilgrims.
In the first French this only occupies 17 lines (802-818), but the
second French and Lydgate relate at some length the approach of the
two, their request to the official, and his advice to them, the whole
incident taking up 11. 1905-1979 in Lydgate, and 40 lines in
Verard (fol. viii, back).
2. The complaint of the Pilgrim because Grace Dieu is given to
others. In Stiirzinger this only consists of a few words :
" Quant celle parole je ouy
Courroucie fu et esbahy.
En disant ' ha las ! ' que feray
S'ainsi Grace Dieu perdue ay 1
Donnee 1'a ce cornuaus
A ces nouviaus officiaus
Asses miex amasse estre mort
Que point m'en eust fait tel tort."
(1L 1021-1028.)
In Lydgate this is expanded into 38 lines, which contain the
expression of the Pilgrim's first astonishment, his fear that no one
would now give him a scrip and staff, and his address to Grace Dieu
(11. 2296-2332). In Verard the passage contains the same elements,
but only consists of 20 lines (fol. x).
3. The passage about the blood-drops on the scrip is much
extended, especially that part in which Grace Dieu laments that
now-a-days there are none to put themselves in jeopardy for the
faith, although there are some who boast that they are ready to do
so. This passage is represented in Sturzinger by a few lines :
" Et bien te di que, se nouvelles
Fussent les gouttes, a bien belles
Les tenisses, mais lone tens a
Que de son sane nul n'i seina.
Les saigni'es si sont passees." (11. 3635-3639.)
In the second French this passage is 40 lines in length. It is
given here as a good example of the way in which De Guileville
amplified his first recension, as well as for purposes of comparison
with Lydgate.
" Ceste eseharpe est de verd couleur,
Car tout ainsi que la verdeur
Reconforte lueil et la veue AS green
Et lesioyst moult et lague eye! sofiti
Aussi fait foy bon pelerin ; '8 tb"
Car ia ne sera en chenrin
The scrip is
spotted with
drops of
blood, which
are more
precious than
pearls.
The green
gives vigour.
The blood
incites the
Pilgrim to
do as did
the glorious
martyrs who
died for their
faith,
and gives him
an example
that he should
suffer himself
lo be killed
rather than
try to escape
by giving up
the scl '
crip of
Introduction. III. Relation of two Versions to one another, xxiii*
Se bien regarde sa verdeur
Quen luy nait plus forte vigueur.
Mesmement car elle est semee
De sang tres vermeil et goutee,
Et ny a goute si petite
Qui trop mieulx dune marguerite
Ne vaille et qui plus precieuse
Ne soit et trop plus vertueuse.
Tres grant vigueur verdeur luy donne ;
Le sang esmeut at achoisonne
De prendre cueur et faire ainsi
Que les glorieulx martirs, qui
Trop mieulx amerent a respendre
Leur sang pour leur foy fort deffendre,
Quaucunement leur feust ostee
Pour sa vertu quauoient goustee.
Cest pour te donner exemplaire
Que se tu trouues qui soustraire,
La te vueille point ne oster
Auant occire et decouper
Te laisses plus tost que ten voyes
Descharpey, car trop y perdroies.
Bien scay que pieca les saignees
Sen font en alees et passees,
Car cherubin, comme tu vis,
A son glaiue ou fourreau remis.
Nul ne se veult plus opposer
Aux tirans, pour la foy garder.
Bien dient les aucuns quilz yront
Quant leur ventre remply bien ont
Et iurent et se font croiser,
Mais quant ce vient a lexploicter
Nest rien si froit, tout est perdu,
Plus ne deuroit tel estre creu."
(Ver. foL xxiii, back.)
4. Sloth's two ropes, Sloth and Negligence, and her five cords —
1. Hope of Long Life, 2. Foolish Fear, 3. Shame, 4. Hypocrisy, 5.
Despair — are described in Lydgate in a passage extending from
1. 13857 to 1. 13948. In Verard (fol. liii, back, f.) a similar de-
scription is given, but in Stiirzinger only three cords are mentioned
and described, viz. Negligence, Laschete or Fetardie (11. 7208-7210),
and Desperation (1. 7230.)
5. In the description of Avarice's hand, Treachery, there are
various developments. Putting aside those due merely to extra
wordiness, the most important is the short passage on the baptism of
dead children and the trickery to which the priest resorts, which
faith.
Cherubin
lets martyrs
enter heaven
treely.
Now none
will oppose
tyrants for
faith's sake.
People pre-
tend lo be
Christians,
but wilt not
act as such.
xxiv* Introduction, ill. Relation of two Versions to one another.
has no counterpart in Stiirzinger. The account of this practice, how-
ever, has not heen translated by Lydgate. The whole description
of the hand, which takes up 70 lines in Stiirzinger (9905-9974),
extends to 92 lines in Verard, and to just over 100 in Lydgate.
This list contains some of the most important enlargements of the
first version, but there are, of course, many other passages which
bear a similar character.
C. Passages and details which are present in Stiirzinger, but
which are absent or much shorter in the second French and in
Lydgate. The number of these is not very large. We may mention
first :
1. Nature's assertion that she is necessary to Grace Dieu
and Grace Dieu's answer. This precedes Nature's submission in
Stiirzinger, so we might expect to find it after 1. 3935 in Lydgate.
However, Nature's argument is altogether absent, both from the
second French and from Lydgate, though part of Grace Dieu's
answer is absorbed into her long speech about her power, which
extends from p. 97 to p. 104, in the English poem.
A few lines of Nature's argument may be quoted :
" Comiue ne puet ouvrer,
Ne maison bonne edefier.
Le charpentier sans sa congnie,
Tout aussi ne devez vous mie
Nulle chose sans moi faire
Se vous ne voulez mefaire."
(Sturzinger, 1877-1881.)
2. The complaint of the Pilgrim that his staff is not tipped with
iron and Grace Dieu's answer :
" Toutevoies me deplaisoit
Du bourdon, que ferre n'estoit.
Dame, dis je a Grace Dieu,
Je ne me puis tenir, par Dieu.
Que ne vous die mon pense
De ce bourdon qu'il n'est pas ferre ;
Bien m'en desplaist, se sachiez vous,
Pour autres que voi ferrez tons ;
Si me dites, se vous voulez,
Pour quoi tel baillie le m 'avez ! "
(Stiirzinger, 3753-3762.)
To this Grace Dieu answers that the pommels will hold him up,
and that a staff with an iron point is heavier and is liable to stick
fast in marshy places. The Pilgrim replies that he needs it for
Introduction, ill. Relation of two Versions to one another, xxv*
defence, and Grace Dieu tells him that the staff is to lean on, not to
fight with, and that she will give him armour for defence.
3. " Tel Continence ainsi doublee
D'aucuns Gaaignepains est nominee,
Quar par li est gaignie le pain
Par qui rempli est cuer humain ;
Et ce fu figure piec'a
Ou pain que David demanda,
Quar Achimelech ottroier
Ne lui vout onques ne baillier
Devant quil sceut que engantez
Des Gaignepains fust et armez."
(Stiirzinger, 4213-4222.)
This passage, which comes in the account of the Gloves of
Continence, has nothing corresponding to it in the second French
and in Lydgate.
There are several other differences in the two accounts of the
armour. For instance, the description of the girdle has less detail
in Verard and Lydgate, and the Pilgrim's unwillingness to have the
scabbard and girdle is not mentioned.
4. The refusal of the Pilgrim to wear armour, and Grace Dieu's
rebuke and explanation of the difference between his case and that
of David (Stiirzinger, pp. 140-147). All the latter part of this is
absent from Verard and from Lydgate's version, in which Grace
Dieu consents to allow the Pilgrim to use the stones and sling of
David, instead of wearing armour all the time.
5. In the argument between Eeason and Eude Entendement,
Eeason scorns the latter and tells him :
" Je tenoie une opinion
Que n'est pas un moi et mon non,
Quar de mon non se puet parer
Chascun larron qui va embler;
Et pour ce' aussi de vous cuidoie
Quar pas apris encor n'avoie
Que vous et Eude Entendement
Fussiez tout un conjointement ;
Mais or voi bien, sans soupecon,
Qu'estes un sans distinction.
Vos exemples le m'ont apris
Et vos dis qui sont si soultis ;
Par vos paroles proprement
Sai qu'estes Eude Entendement.
xxvi* Introduction, in. Relation of two Versions to one another.
Plus arguer vous ne pouez
Que seulement ainsi nommez
Soiez, quar par existence
Ce estes sans point de difference."
(Stiirzinger, 5365-5382.)
This jeer is not represented in Verard and in Lydgate, although,
in the course of the conversation Reason addresses Eude Entende-
ment in a sarcastic manner, but in different terms. (Lyd. 10713-
10723.)
6. In Stiirzinger (6694-6735) there is a short conversation between
the Pilgrim and his body, in which the latter advises him not to
listen to Labour's counsel to take the right-hand path, but to choose
instead the path of Idleness, and answers the Pilgrim's objections by
telling him that the dividing hedge will easily be passed when he
wishes. In Verard and Lydgate it is Youth, not Body, who turns
the Pilgrim aside (Ver. xliv, back; Lyd. 11549-11574), the Pilgrim
makes no objections, and nothing is said about getting through the
hedge.
7. Body's Counsel is discussed by Idleness and the Pilgrim (Stiir-
zinger, 6769-6826). This conversation is also absent from Verard and
Lydgate.
8. Grace Dieu rebukes the Pilgrim for listening to Idleness and
for going on the wrong side of the hedge (Stiirzinger, 6905-6992).
In Verard and Lydgate the interview of the Pilgrim with Idleness
is followed by the long episodes of Moral Virtue and Mortification
of the Body, and the rebuke is absent.
9. The short prayer made by the Pilgrim after the attack of
Tribulation, which begins :
" Merci, dis je, douz createur !
En ma tristece, en ma douleur,
Defaillant ne me soiez mie !
Se par Jeunece ai ma vie
line piece use folement." (Stiirzinger, 12283, f.)
—is absent from Lydgate, and is replaced by the prayer according to
St. Bernard. In Verard's edition this is given in full, in Latin,°but
in Petit's it is abbreviated.
10. In Stiirzinger (12623-12632) the Pilgrim is struck by the
Porter, Fear of God, on entering the monastery, in order that he
may find
" equipollence
De la haie de Penitance." (Stiirzinger, 12607-8.)
Introduction, in. Relation of tivo Versions to one another, xxvii*
— as Grace Dieu has promised him. In Verard and Lydgate the Porter
lets him in freely, on hearing that his intent " Is to do servyse to the
Kyng." (Lyd. 22178.)
Lydgate does not translate the last lines of the poem, in which
the poet describes how he wakes from his dream, and begs his
readers to correct anything they may find amiss in his work. This
passage, however, is present in De Guileville's second version, and
is printed by Dr. Furnivall at the end of Lydgate's poem.
D. Under this head are included differences in the sequence of
episodes and differences of detail.
1. The Pilgrim's protests against wearing armour precede the
giving of the armour in the second version (Ver. xxx, back ; Lyd.
7237-7248 and 7267-7270). In Stiirzinger there are no objections
beforehand.
2. Grace Dieu's rebuke to the Pilgrim for refusing to wear armour
occurs in Stiirzinger before the coming of the armour-bearer, Memory,
and before the actual removal of the armour (p. 142). In the second
version the rebuke is inserted in two places, just before the Pilgrim
casts off the armour (Ver. xxxiv, back, f.; Lyd. 8283-8296), and
after the coming of Memory (Ver. xxxvi, back ; Lyd. pp. 246-247).
There is, however, considerable difference of detail in the different
versions, and, in fact, that passage in Lydgate in which Grace Dieu
accuses the Pilgrim of unmanliness and cowardice has no exact
counterpart in Stiirzinger, and is much shorter in Verard.
3. In the first version the armour-bearer, Memory, is given to the
Pilgrim immediately after Grace Dieu's rebuke to him for removing
his armour (Stiirzinger, p. 149 f.), but in the second Grace Dieu first
brings him the stones and sling of David, and only then presents
Memory to him (Ver. xxxvi; Lyd. p. 242).
4. In Verard and Lydgate these episodes are followed by a long
conversation between Grace Dieu and the Pilgrim on Body and Soul
and their mutual enmity, and by the release of the Pilgrim from his
body for a season (Ver. xxxvii f. ; Lyd. pp. 248-281). In Stiirzinger
(p. 179) this conversation takes place between the Pilgrim and
Reason, and, moreover, the whole episode is placed after the meeting
with Rude Entendement, instead of just before, as in the second
version.
5. After leaving Rude Entendement, the meeting with Youth
follows in the second version (Ver. xliii ; Lyd. pp. 303-307), after
which comes the episode of the two paths divided by the hedge of
xxviii* Introduction, ill. Relation of two Versions to one another.
Penitence. In Sturzinger (p. 203 f.) this episode follows on the dis-
course about Body and Soul, and Youth is not introduced until much
later (p. 368 f.), just after the description of Satan the hunter, and
before the enumeration of the five perils in the sea.
There are some other slight differences in this part, — for instance,
in the second version it is Youth that makes the Pilgrim turn towards
the wrong path, while in the first it is Body. Also, in the second,
Idleness tells him that Penance planted the hedge (Ver. xlv ; Lyd.
11. 11689-11723), whereas in Stiirzinger (p. 217) Grace Dieu tells
him this, after he has started on the wrong path.
6. The episode of the horse, Good Renown, has already been
referred to. In the first version it forms a part of the passage
describing the first attack of Envy (Stiirzinger, p. 270), in the second
of the passage describing the attack of Envy on the monastery (Ver.
xcvf.; Lyd. pp. 616-617).
7. In Stiirzinger the threats of Wrath (p. 273-278) are followed by
Memory's rebuke to the Pilgrim for not wearing his armour, and by
the coming of Avarice (p. '282 f.), while in the second version
Memory's rebuke is absent and Wrath's attack is followed by the
coming of Tribulation (Ver. Ixii f.; Lyd. pp. 425-436), by St.
Bernard's Prayer, and then by the meeting with Avarice (Ver.
Ixvii f . ; Lyd. pp. 460-493).
8. In Stiirzinger (pp. 318 f.), after the episode of Avarice, the
Pilgrim is attacked by Gluttony and Venus, and robbed of his staff.
He laments, and Grace Dieu appears to him in a cloud and restores it to
him, afterwards giving him a " scripture " which contains an A B C
poem to the Virgin. In the second version Gluttony and Venus
attack him much earlier, immediately before the coming of Sloth,
and after the vision of the Wheel of Sensuality (Ver. xlix, back f. ;
Lyd. pp. 346-367). There is no loss of the staff, and the A B C
comes between the incident of Fortune and her Wheel and the appear-
ance of Astronomy- Astrology (Ver. Ixxviiif.; Lyd. pp. 526-533).
9. Following on the A B C comes the bath of Eepentance in
Sturzinger (p. 351 f.). In the second version this comes after the
appearance of the Ship of -Grace Dieu (Ver. Ixxxviii, back f. ; Lyd.
pp. 582-585).
10. Next come in Sturzinger (p. 357 f.) the description of the sea
of the world and of the hunter Satan, the appearance of Heresy and
Grace Dieu's explanation of the meaning of the sea of the world and
the hunter. (In Verard and Lydgate Satan himself gives this explan-
Introduction, ill. Relation of two Versions to one another, xxix*
ation.) In the second version, after the interview with Avarice, we
find the episode of the Messenger of Necromancy (absent from Stiir-
zinger), the appearance of Heresy, the description of the sea of the
world, of the Hunter and of Fortune's Wheel, the Pilgrim's lament
and the ABC. (Ver. Ixxii-lxxix, back ; Lyd. pp. 494-533.)
11. As before said, the episode of Youth is inserted at p. 368 f.
in Stiirzinger, and is followed by the enumeration of the five perils in
the sea (pp. 371-374). In Ver. (Ixxx-lxxxvii, back) and Lydgate
(pp. 534-578) we find the descriptions of four of the perils, that
of Fortune, or Charybdis, having already been given.
12. Next in Stiirzinger (pp. 374-380) comes Tribulation, and a
short prayer of the Pilgrim to God. In the second version Tribu-
lation, and St. Bernard's Prayer, replacing the short prayer, come
between Wrath and Avarice (Ver. Ivii-lxvi ; Lyd. pp. 425-458).
13. Tribulation's departure is followed in Stiirzinger (p. 388 f.) by
the arrival of the Ship of Grace Dieu. This comes in the second ver-
sion after the peril of the Syren or Worldly Gladness, and is combined
with the episode of the Bath of Penitence (Ver. Ixxxviii-lxxxix,
back ; Lyd. pp. 579-590).
14. Here, once more, the two versions begin to run more closely
together.
The Pilgrim enters the monastery and meets various ladies, who
are described, though their number and the order in which they are
introduced differs a little. In Stiirzinger we read of Obedience,
Decepline, Voluntaire, Povrete, Chastite, Lecon, Abstenence,
Oroison and Latria, and in Lydgate and Verard of Lesson, Hagio-
graphy, Obedience, Abstinence, Willing Poverty, Impatient Poverty,
Chastity, Prayer and Latria.
After this there are in the second recension certain episodes
which are absent from the first, but such as exist in both versions
follow the same order, with the exception of the incident of the horse,
Good Kenown.
These four categories include most of the important differences
between the two versions and many of the minor ones ; and we may
judge from the list that De Guileville did not spare trouble in rewrit-
ing his poem. As will be noticed, the interpolations of new matter
are scattered with tolerable regularity throughout the poem, but
variations in the sequence of events are practically absent from the
first third, while they become more and more numerous as the
narrative progresses, until, after the middle of the book has been
xxx* Introduction, ill. Relation of two Versions to one another.
passed, hardly three episodes will be found coming in the same
order in the two versions. It is a matter for doubt whether De
Guileville always improved his poem by his rearrangements and
additions. We admit that the introduction of Impatient Poverty
adds point to the'picture of Wilful Poverty, and certainly it is better
that Youth should appear at an early stage of the narrative than
three-quarters of the way through, as in the first version. The addi-
tions to the Testament of Jesus Christ are appropriate, and the per-
sonification of the Perils in the sea certainly adds interest to that
part of the allegory. The coming of Prayer and Alms to act as
messengers for the Pilgrim is a good touch, and the five stones of
David, — Memory of Christ's Death, of Mary, of Heaven's bliss, of
Hell-fire and Holy Writ, which are the sole defences of the Pilgrim
who neglects to wear the armour of Righteousness, — supply a want.
On the whole, however, the additions and alterations tend towards
tediousness and confusion. The long Latin poems on the articles of
the Creed, on God in Trinity and on the Virgin Mary, are an inter-
ruption to the narrative, as are also the long prayer which De Guile-
ville has adapted from the writings of St. Bernard, and the verses
in alternate French and Latin lines which set forth De Guileville's
name in an acrostic. Possibly the inserted discussions on original
sin, free will, the senses, influence of the stars, etc., appealed to the
public for which De Guileville wrote ; and even to the reader of the
present-day parts of them are by no means uninteresting. But these
discussions are woefully long, and seriously interfere with the unity
of the narrative.
The additions to the later part of the allegory, viz. the attack
of Envy on the convent, the visits the Pilgrim pays to other
monasteries, and the abuses he sees there, evidently reflect some
personal experience of the author's. The latter episode is specially
interesting as showing that the monastic abuses, of which we hear so
much in England at this period, were evidently not confined to that
country. Despite its interest, however, it is a very evident insertion,
and has not much to do with the general allegory.
Not much fault can be found with the episode of Necromancy's
messenger. Necromancy was a burning question of the day, and
involved a real temptation to many people, and the introduction of
this figure has no other effect upon the course of the narrative than
to add to it so many more pages. But the appearance of Moral
Virtue with her gate and two posterns, the episode of Mortification of
in. Relation of the two Versions, iv. Lydgate's Metre, xxxi*
the Body, and the vision of the Wheel of Sensuality are different.
The Pilgrim, having definitely entered upon the road to the Heavenly
City, having been armed, having overcome Rude Entendement by
means of Eeason, and having been led by Youth to take the path of
Idleness rather than that of Labour, is at once confronted by grave
moral questions. Moral Virtue, as opposed to the recklessness and
thoughtlessness of Youth, asserts herself, and this awaking to con-
sciousness of the more serious side of the Pilgrim's character is at once
followed by new temptations and new conflicts, Lust fighting on the
side of Youth and Idleness, and Mortification of the Body on the side
of Moral Virtue and Labour. The extra emphasis thus laid on the
choice that the Pilgrim has to make is certainly desirable, and adds
to the interest of this portion of the work. But as usual the addi-
tions are far too long and discursive. The introduction of Moral
Virtue and her gates is most clumsily managed, and one gets into a
hopeless maze among all the different paths that are mentioned. We
are told that the main gate of Moral Virtue is set across the path of
Idleness (Lyd. 11732-11744), whereas not long after we find that the
Pilgrim is on the other side of the hedge, and that Youth takes him
on her back and flies with him over the hedge back to the path of
Idleness (12729-12734). Yet we are not told in the interval that
he has passed from Idleness to Labour, but only that he has begun
to consider which of Moral Virtue's posterns (against which she had
been warning him) he shall pass through (11951-11957). The
vision of the Wheel of Sensuality is also a somewhat clumsy
expedient.
Speaking generally, we may say that De Guileville's first
recension reads more closely, and forms a better artistic whole
than the second version, but that some of the later additions distinctly
add to the interest of the poem, though not invariably to its excel-
lence as an allegory.
/
IV. LYDGATE'S METRE.
Before discussing the metre of the Pilgrimage it is necessary to
consider in some detail the question of Lydgate's treatment of
final e.
Roughly speaking, we may say that he follows the same general
rules as Chaucer.
(1) Final e is sounded before a consonant when it is the remnant
of a grammatical inflection or of a stronger vowel.
PILGRIMAGE. C
xxxii* Introduction. IV. Lydgate's Metre.
835 " Lo, her ys al : avyse the."
2950 " They muste ffaylle bothe two."
19002 " An hunte stoode with his home."
(2) It is sounded in many Eomance words, as in French verse.
115 "I mene the book Pilgrimage de Mounde."
808 " Humble, benigne, & debouayre."
19 "Fortune is ladye with her double' face."
But—
4500 " And verray iuste confess'ioun."
(3) Final e, that would, according to the foregoing rules, be
pronounced, is silent when immediately followed by a vowel.
4529 " I make hem faste, preye and wake."
(4) It is silent before h in such slightly stressed words as hem,
hyr, han, hath, etc., but is otherwise pronounced before h.
57 "To holde hys cours as ledeth hyrn the streem."
1519 " Softe handle the soor to seke."
(5) It is generally silent in the personal pronouns youre, hyre,
etc., from want of stress.
46 "That yowre lyff her ys but a pylgrimage."
To the foregoing rules we may add these others :
(6) Lydgate very commonly does not sound the final e when it
immediately precedes the caesura. On this point, however, he allows
himself considerable freedom.
14 "That kam with loye / departeth ay with sorwe."
72 "Wherefore I rede / lat euery whylit a-mend."
22 " And off al loye / that ys transytorye."
63 "Ytakyn inne / so as they dysserve."
(7) Final e preceded and followed by a dental is generally not
sounded.
822 " With-oute that I thy guyde be."
1840 " That kepte the entre and the paas."
11080 " Me sempte thys mayden off folye."
(8) Polysyllables often, though not always, lose final e, but most
of the examples of this are doubtful, as usually some other law also
comes into operation. Ten Brink says that the sounding is optional,
and it seems to be the case that it rarely takes place when the
preceding syllable is weak.
12348 "To the heuene callyd mobyle."
I will now analyze Lydgate's usage with regard to final e in the
Introduction, iv. Lydgate's Metre. xxxiii*
italicized words of the following passage, indicating in each case by
which of the preceding rules it is influenced.
806 " And by thys dowe / wych thow dost se,
807 Wych I here / with wynges fayre,
808 Humble, benigne, / & debonayre,
809 I am tookenyd, / who lyst seke,
810 With hyr goodly eyen meke.
811 And so thow shalt me call in dede
812 Whan thow hast on-to me nede, —
813 And that shall be full ofte sythe
814 That I may my power kythe,
815 Telpe the in thy pilgrymage.
816 ffor fynaly in thy vyage
817 As thow gost to that cyte,
818 Thow shalt hawe offte aduersyte ....
821 Wych thow mayst nat in no degre
822 Passe nor endure vfiih-oute me,
823 Nor that cyte never atteyne
824 (Thogh thow euer do thy peyne,)
825 With-owfe that I thy guyda be."
In doice (1. 806) the e is not organic and is therefore not pronounced.
In various other passages we find dowJi written instead of dowe.
In bere (807), though according to rule 1 the e would be
sounded, it is mute because it immediately precedes the caesura.
Humble (808) has the e sounded according to rule 2.
benigne (808). The e is mute before a following vowel.
offte (813) is the plural form of an adjective vowel, the e is
therefore sounded according to rule 1.
Telpe (815). The e representing the Infin. ending is sounded
according to rule 1.
offte (818). The e is silent before a vowel.
endure (822). The e is mute before the caesura.
With-oide (822). The e is sounded before a consonant according
to rale 1.
cyte (823). The e is accented in French.
With-oute (825). The next word is that, and the e is elided
between two dentals.
guyde (825). Sounded according to rule 2.
There remains one word passe in 1. 822, which falls under none
of these rules, and for the mute e in which no reason can be adduced.
In the first seventy lines of the poem the greater number of the
final e's follow the above rules. There are, however, a few lines in
which the reasons for sounding or non-sounding seem doubtful.
xxxiv* Introduction, iv. Lydgate's Metre.
1 " Nor the tresovre / wych that ye possede."
The sounding of the e (it is neither written nor pronounced in
1. 17) must be explained by the liberty that Lydgate allows himself
before the caesura, or by the fact that tresdvre is a polysyllable with
the accent on the second syllable.
11 " Whan folk lest wene / and noon hede ne take."
This certainly seems to be the most natural way of reading the
line, and we must put down the sounding of the e in wene before a
vowel to the fact that it occurs at the caesura. The final e in hede is
only added to show length and therefore it is properly mute.
15 "An thyng yiconne / with loye and gladnesse."
Properly speaking, the e in loye should be mute before and, and
it seems to be sounded here for metrical reasons only. The e in
ywonne is silent, according to ten Brink's rule that final e is not
sounded in strong participles of short-syllabled verbs, when the ?i is
lost. The observance of this rule seems to be common both to
Chaucer and Lydgate.
25 " And hyr sugre [ys] vnder-spreynt wyth galle."
We should not sound the e in sugre if we considered only rule 4.
It is best to read the line as one with missing auftakt, unless this is
a case of caesura licence.
From these examples we may draw the conclusion that though
Lydgate generally followed the same rules as Chaucer he allowed
himself more liberty. Especially was this the case with regard to
polysyllabic words, in which he was accustomed to sound or elide
the final e according to the requirements of the metre, irrespective of
other consideration. When a final e preceded the caesura he allowed
himself an equal amount of liberty, and when it occurred in this
position would frequently sound an e that, according to other rules,
should have been silent, or omit to sound one which we should have
expected him to pronounce.
The freedom he allowed himself in these respects was occasionally
extended to other words in other positions, and we thus see the be-
ginning of the N.E. pronunciation more clearly indicated in Lydgate
than in Chaucer.
We may now turn to the question of metre.
The Pilgrimage of the Life of Man is written in rimed, octo-
syllabic couplets, the measure employed being iambic. Lydgate's
Prologue, however — 184 lines in length — is written in decasyllabic
couplets.
Introduction, iv. Lydgate's Metre. xxxv*
The various types of Lydgate's 5-beat iambic line have been given
by Schick, and 1 have nothing to add to his conclusions. Of the
general features of his verse a few examples may be given.
Lydgate employed alliteration freely.
2551 " Nouther salue, That soor to sownde."
3350 " Sturdyly she sette a syde."
3352 " Brennyng bryht as any glede."
40 " Peplys to putte in subieccyon."
3596 " Off boundys & off botaylle."
3711 " Unto the wylde swyn savage,
3712 Wych that renneth in hys rage."
But though these alliterative lines are fairly numerous they are
employed with considerable self-restraint. For instance, in the
' Testament of Jesus Christ' (11. 4773—5029) there are but 33 alliter-
ative lines. In the description of Youth (11. 11068—11212) there
are but 22. Therefore the alliteration in Lydgate's verse never
becomes burdensome, but rather tends to give it a little of the variety
that it so much needs.
Elision is common and is responsible for what constitutes a very
marked feature of this text, viz. the habit of combining the pre-
position to with the next word when it begins with a vowel or
unstressed h.
Examples are :
1019 " Talyved euere, thys no lesyng."
1766 " Lyk tamyghty champyoun."
1967 " So tenduren al your lyff."
2385 "In to, pulpet that ther stood."
6302 " Taparceyve, in thys matere."
6996 "And tapoynte yt ffetysly."
6999 "In travers wyse, yt tenbrasse."
The, this, that and there are often combined with the following
word in the same way.
127 "In thenpryses wych he hath undertake."
7583 " Thassaut off brygauntys nyht & day."
7758 " Tharmure of thyn handys tweyne."
10869 " Thenchesaun & mutac'iouns."
2701 " Thys to seyne, in your werkyng."
3053 " Thys he that haueth pleyn power."
2496-7 " And thus departyd ys your land
In double party (thys no doute)."
xxxvi* Introduction. IV. Lydgates Metre.
Sometimes this combination injures the metre, and restoring the
to would mend it. This is the case in 11. 1766 and 2385 given
above, and also in 1. 7778 :
" Tarme a man in chastyte."
It may be noticed that in the 1403 lines of the Temple of Glas
there are but five examples of this characteristic.
449 " I shal, baspectes of my benygne face,
450 Make him teschewe euere synue & vice."
517 " Rijst so bensaumple, for wele or for wo."
660 " For whan fat hope were likli me tauaunce."
827 " But pis theffecte of my mater finalle."
We may imagine that this was a habit likely to increase with use,
and in fixing the relative chronology of Lydgate's works it might be
worth while to pay some attention to this point.
Cases of elision, not indicated by the spelling, and of syncope are
also fairly common :
189 "Tyl effte agayn yt com(y)th to mynde."
344 " That thyder wentyn ev(e)ne ryht."
359 "As any ffyr, evene at the gate."
483 " By vertu of crystys gret suffraunce."
2724 " Yiff ye list to have knowelichyng."
3114 "Thorgh nat(u)rel Inclynac'iouns."
3813 "Or fostre your sedys blosme or greyn."
10851 "The word(y)s that thow dost specefye."
The caesura in the octosyllabic verse is occasionally very varied.
Its regular place is after the fourth syllable and second accent, but
in the first few lines of the Prologue we find it falling with quite a
pleasing irregularity.
" Full offte hyt happeth / in certeyn
Of dremys-/ the wych that men ha seyn
I nightys-/ after, whan they wake,
fful lytel heed / there-of they take
Tyl effte agayn / yt comyth to mynde
That they / the veray trouthe fynde,
O euery thyng / they saw to-forn
ffor / of remembraunce the thorn
Pryketh here myndes / with hys poynt."
This passage perhaps contains greater irregularities than most,
though some of them are only apparent and are due to the fact that
the line is acephalous. But throughout the poem it may be noticed
Introduction, iv. Lydgate's Metre. xxxvii*
that Lydgate often places the caesura in the middle of a foot, so that
the number of syllables on each side of the pause is odd although
the number of accents may be correct.
In his Introduction to the Temple of Glas Schick points out
that the rime " is, in general, pure and skilfully handled," and that
" the principles followed by Lydgate are much the same as those of
Chaucer." He then proceeds to point out some peculiarities, to which
I may add a few from the present text.
I have found no example of -ye riming with -y in the first 4000
lines of the poem.
As both Schick and Sieper point out, Lydgate shares with
Chaucer an indifference as to whether sounds are close or open.
Thus in 1. 233 we find Irode (O.E. brad) riming with stood (O.E.
stod).
Words are occasionally rimed irrespective of length. In 11. 231-2
wrote rimes with not ( = ne wot), and in 1. 2615 dele rimes with wel.
This last example however is rather an uncertain one, as in the
expression never-Ordele, dele often lost its length through want of
stress and was written del. So it is possible that Lydgate may have
pronounced it short.
The riming of a word with itself or with another word of similar
spelling occasionally takes place.
~Ex.poynt . . . poynt 1581-2; beheld . . . held 1395-6; wyse
. . . wyse 2523-4 ; yseyn . . . seyn 3291-2.
The infrequency of double rimes may be noticed. In the portion
of the text that I have examined for this purpose I have found that
(putting aside those formed by final e) they are of the most ordinary
character and confined to a small range of words. Thus we find
such rimes as morwe . . . sorwe, glorye . . . transytorye, double
. . . trouble, vyctorye . . . transytorye, neuere . . . dysseuere re-
peated fairly often, and occasionally come across less obvious ones,
such as boundys . . . founde ys 3337-8, but much more frequently
the rime is confined to the last syllable, and sometimes even when
that syllable is a weak one.
Ex. dever . . . power 3558-9 ; ffelonye . . . malencolye 1561-2.
In such rimes as ryping . . . gadryng 1269-70 the accent was
probably on the last syllable.
At intervals we come on rimes like borne . . . to-forn 1 207-8 ;
pray . . . seye 1214-5; kepe . . . shep 2159-60; bed . . . drede
1697-8; crowne . . . doun 1997-8; sprynge . . . werkyng 2924-5 ;
xxxviii* Introduction. IV. Lydgate's Metre.
skyle . . . wyl 2689-90. Some of these may perhaps be put down
to the copyist, but when all allowances are made we cannot help
looking upon the frequency with which they occur as some proof of
the extent to which Lydgate allowed himself to drop sonant e when
convenient. Skyle . . . wyl is a specially good example, since the
word skyle occurs also at 11. 2694 and 2741, and in both these lines
it is essential that the e should be sounded. In 1. 2681 it is found
again, before the caesura, with the e mute.
Lydgate is not strict in his use of the octosyllabic line, and
several distinct types can be found.
According to Sieper these are :
(a) The normal line of 8 syllables and 4 accents (usually
iambic).
(V) The headless line of 7 syllables (which is often partially or
wholly trochaic in metre).
(c) The 7-syllabled line in which the first thesis after the caesura
is wanting.
The passage descriptive of the heavenly Jerusalem displays much
variety in the line, so it may be well to analyze it as regards its metre.
LI. 309-11 are regular.
312 "To Jerusalem / for to goon "
can be read as regular if Jerusalem be accented on the first and
penultimate syllables. As Lydgate allowed himself some licence in
the accentuation of names this is perhaps possible.
Otherwise the line must be read as acephalous with elision in
/•s
Jerusalem.
313 " Gretly moved / in my corage "
must be regarded as an acephalous line with extra weak syllable
before the caesura, unless we can suppose that the e in the -ed of
meved was syncopated.
314 " ffor to do / my pylgrymage,"
and
316 "And to tell / the cause why"
are both acephalous and belong to type B.
317 " Was, ffor me thouht I hadde a syht "
belongs to type A, but may perhaps be read with an inverted first
foot.
319 " Off that hevenly / ffayr cyte"
is an acephalous line with resolution of the two syllables of heven.
Introduction. IV. Lydgate's Metre. xxxix*
321 Also belongs to B.
324 " Yt excellyde / off bowtg "
may be read as above accented or with syncopation of the y and
sounding of the final e of excell(y)de. In either case it belongs to
type B.
326 " ff6r God hym selff / was thg masown "
belongs to type A, but with exceptional inversion of the first foot in
the caesura. Inversion of the first foot of the line is more common
and occurs in
329 " yt W cdnceyve / in hys entent "
as well as in 346 and 348.
330 to 334 belong alternately to types A and B.
335 " Thg masSunry / wrought ful clene"
is an example of type C, what Schick calls ' ' the peculiarly
Lydgatian type, in which the thesis is wanting in the caesura, so that
two accented syllables clash together."
340 " Thg wych / day nor nyht ne slepte "
is another example of the same, but is rather exceptional because of
the position of the caesura.
341 " KSpyng so strongly / the entre "
belongs to type A, and contains an example of the accentuation of
the ending of the present participle, unless we read it with a trochaic
first foot. Sieper however considers that the accentuation of the
-ing may almost be regarded, as a rule, with present participles.
This line also contains an example of unnatural accentuation on the.
344 belongs to type A with syncopation in ev(e)ne.
351 " ffoud, / onto hys pleasaunce "
does not at once conform to any of the types. We may perhaps say
that it is acephalous, with a light syllable missing before the caesura.
354 " And yet the entre on swych wyse."
Accented in this way this is a regular line of type A. We may
notice however that in 1. 341, cited above, the accent is on the
second syllable of entre, and this is also the case in 1. 430.
" To whom theatre was not ftorbore."
Therefore it is possible that 354 should be read as an example of
type C.
"And yet thS entre" / on swych wyse."
In 1. 1840 however the accent seems to be entre.
xl* Introduction, iv. Lydgate's Metre.
358 " Havyng a swerd, fflawmyng as cler,"
depends for its accentuation on the question of the accentuation of
present participles. To my ears it reads best when accentuated as
alternate trochees and iambs, but this may not have been so with
Lydgate.
359 " As any ffyf ,/ 6vene at thg gate "
belongs to type A with elision.
360 " And who that wold / erly or late "
must surely have, like 1. 326, inversion of the first foot of the
caesura.
363 " Ne bet helpe, / ne bet refut "
must probably be explained in the same way as 1. 313.
The remaining lines of the passage are regular examples of types
A and B.
Other examples of type C are :
3979 " And Moysgs ek / dyngd hadde."
3981 " H6 made A-noon / thys, the cheff."
Lines with redundant syllables are rare, but 1. 2159 may be taken as
such, unless we prefer to read it as a decasyllabic line.
" Your shepperde, / that taketh of yow kepe."
There are also, of course, a few lines which cannot be assigned to
either of the types, such as :
1504 " With-outen eny flatrye."
2034 " Al the whyl that I dwelle,"
and perhaps 1. 351, cited above, but they are wonderfully few in
number. Altogether, Lydgate's own words in the Troy Book:
" And trouthe of metre I sette also a-syde ;
For of that art I liadde as tho no guyde
Me to reduce, whan I went a-wronge :
I toke none hede iiouther of short nor longe " —
are rather more severe than the case demands, and many lines,
apparently irregular, may be normalized by syncopation, elision or
by the uncertainty of word-accent common to both Chaucer and
Lydgate. For a discussion on this last point I will refer the reader
to the Introduction of Reason and Sensuality, in which the whole
question of Lydgate's metre is treated with much detail.
Introduction. V. Lydgate's Language and Style. xli*
V. LYDGATE'S LANGUAGE AND STYLE.
In his tribute to Chaucer on p. 527 of the Pilgrimage Lydgate
speaks of him as
" my mayster Chaucer ....
That was the ffyrste in any age
That amendede our langage " —
affording thus an interesting proof that even as soon after his death
as 1426 the writers of the period had a clear recognition of the debt
that the English literary language owed to Chaucer.
Lydgate was one of those who were most influenced in this
respect, and indeed, as Schick points out, he was even more modern
in language than Chaucer himself. In phonology and inflexion, it
is true, there is little difference between them, but Lydgate dropped
many old English words which were retained by Chaucer and are
now obsolete, and used instead words of Eomance or classical origin
which may be easily understood by us even if we do not actually
use them. Both Chaucer and Lydgate belonged to the East Mid-
land district, and, as we know, the dialect of this district was much
more cosmopolitan than that of the others, both on account of its
intermediate position and because of the fact that it was the dialect
of London, and therefore more open to foreign influences than the
dialects of more provincial districts.
An intimate acquaintance with French was, of course, at this
time common among all men with any pretensions to education, but
both Chaucer and Lydgate travelled in France, and there is even a
tradition, which Schick however discredits, that Lydgate was
educated in Paris. However this may be, it is practically certain,
as Schick points out in his chapter on the chronology of Lydgate's
writings, that Lydgate was in Paris about 1426, that is to say, about
the time when the Pilgrimage was begun.
These things being so, we are not surprised that the Pilgrimage
should contain a very large proportion of French words, especially
when we consider two other points, — firstly, that it was a translation
from the French, and therefore its author would naturally tend to
use words of French rather than of Teutonic origin ; and secondly,
that it was largely concerned with questions of ecclesiastical interest,
which, owing to the general use of Latin in matters of Church and
Religion, would tend to increase the number of words of classical
origin used by the author. That these last two considerations are
xlii* Introduction, v. Lydgate's Language and Style.
of considerable weight will be more evident if we study Chaucer's
own translations from the French.
The deduction from the accompanying table, in which is shown
the proportion of foreign words in passages chosen from the
Pilgrimage and from various portions of Chaucer's writings, seems
to be that in Lydgate the number of Eomance or classical words is
nearly Ijin 5, while in Chaucer it is about 1 in 8. The passages
chosen from Chaucer are various in character and drawn from his
original works ; those from the Pilgrimage have been selected so as
to cover a considerable variety of subjects in order that the influence
of subject on vocabulary might be minimized.
Pilgrimage.
Lines Words. Fr. or class, words.
1-50 Decasyll. 354 67
309-359 Octosyll. 279 52
3436-3485 „ ' 294 50
7301-7350 „ 259 56
7351-7400 256 59
18799-18849 „ 291 49
20031-20080 267 48
2000 381
CHAUCER.
Cant. Tales. Prol.
1-50 Decasyll. 361 43
Knight's Tale.
1881-1930 Decasyll. 349 66
Nonne Prieste's Tale.
4405-4454 Decasyll. 370 38
Hous of Fame.
1-49 Octosyll. 280 37
1091-1140 „ 324 39
Book of the Duchess.
1-50 Octosyll. 316 20
2000 243
But if we take a poem translated by Chaucer from the French,
the result is different. Thus in the first five verses of the A B C
Prayer to the Virgin there are 306 words, 62 of which are of
Eomance origin,— a proportion of about 1 in 5, as in the Pilgrimage,
Introduction. V. Lydgate's Language and Style, xliii*
while in the first 300 words of the translation from Boethius the
proportion is 1 in 6.
On the other hand, in Lydgate's Temple of Glas, which is not a
translation from the French, the proportion of French words in the
first 50 lines is only about 1 in 8, and in the first 6 verses of the
Complaint to Venus in the same poem the proportion is about
1 in 7.
From these examples we may draw the conclusion that the great
preponderance of words of Eomance origin in the Pilgrimage is
largely due to the fact that it is a translation from the French.
But while we make allowances for this fact in comparing Lydgate
and Chaucer, we must admit that even in those cases where the
proportion of French words is not very different, the number of
concrete words of Teutonic origin used by Lydgate is much smaller
than is the case with Chaucer, while those used are, with com-
paratively few exceptions, such as may be easily understood even by
the reader who has not studied the early forms of his native tongue.
Lydgate is, in fact, very easy to read, though there are a certain
number of words employed by him which we seek for in vain in the
works of Chaucer or his other English contemporaries. Some of these
are Latinisms lifted bodily from any text he might be engaged in
translating or paraphrasing. Such are porrect (448/16709) and
procelle (456/16995), both occurring in his adaptation of St.
Bernard's Homily. Certain other forms, such as swyd 350/12882,
wrdk 569/21339, an^ towched 597/22356, are possibly scribal errors,
but there remain a few, such as bessellys 306/11191, botevaunt
492/18427, devaunt 492/18428, stoupaille (for stoppel) 646/24110,
treygobet 317/11623, and turneys 146/5569, which, as far as I can
discover, seem to be peculiar to him. Skouren also (106/4011) is
used in an unusual sense.
The question of Lydgate's grammar and inflexions has been so
thoroughly treated already that I do not propose to enter upon it,
but will pass on to the question of his literary style.
With regard to this he was himself as modest as other writers
were laudatory.
" On makyng I ha no suffysaunce "
he says in the prologue to the Pilgrimage, and again :
" I am bareyn of all eloquence.
Therfor I pray, what so that be seyde,
Off gentyllesse not to be evel apayde
xliv* Introduction, v. Lydgate's Language and Style.
And my rudnesse helpyn to excuse,
fior in metre I ha with me no muse :
Noon of the nyne that on Parnase duelle,
Nor she that ys the lady of the welle,
Calliope, be syde cytheron,
Gaff to my penne, plente nor fuson
Of hyr licovr, whan thys work was begonne.
Nor I drank no-wer of the sugeryd tonne
Off lubiter, couchyd in his celer,
So strange I fonde to me hys boteler
Off poetys icallyd Ganymede.
But to my labour now I woll me spede,
Prayng ech reder me to recon forte,
Benignely my rudenesse to supporte."
Other examples are given by Sehick in his chapter on the style of
the Temple of Glas, and on reading his works one cannot escape
from the conviction that Lydgate was justified in his modesty.
Some of the principal points to be noted in considering Lydgate's
style are his immense prolixity and love of circumlocutions, and of
conventional phrases. He is entirely deficient in that essential
mark of the stylist — the knowledge when to stop. In fact, he sees
no reason for stopping at alL His words, his lines flow forth in a
steady stream at a steady pace. They come apparently with little
difficulty, and when difficulties do arise they may always be met by
the reduplication of a sentence in slightly different form or by the
interpolation of some conventional phrase.
These conventional phrases, very frequent in all of Lydgate's
works, abound in the Pilgrimage to a ridiculous extent. Here are
a few examples of them :
3541 Nor grueche (in myn oppynyoun)
3765 As a chamberere (in sothnese)
4303 And on thys werm (yiff ye lyst se)
4553 And sothly (yiff I shal nat feyne)
4564 And told the cause (yiff ye be wys)
4567 And sette me ek (yt ys no fable)
6115 Consydred how (in sothfastnesse)
6123 As she that ys (shortly to fyne)
6947 Yet, by ther chymyng (in substaunce)
19413 f. Many a perel (I jou ensure)
And many a straunge aventure.
19417 And many a tempeste (in certeyn)
15439 f. Thys secounde eours (yt ys no dred)
Doth gret good unto hyr bed.
Introduction, v. Lydgate's Language and Style, xlv*
These expletive phrases put in to fill up a line or for the
sake of rime, make up no inconsiderable proportion of some
passages. Opening the book almost at random I find that in the
hundred lines between 13200 and 13300 there are no fewer than
22 lines finished in this manner.
13207 (yiff thou lyst se) 13217 (in conclusioun)
13219 (when al ys do) 13223 (yiff thow kanst se)
13225 (yt ys no derate) 13229 (yt ys no dred)
13237 (who kan ffele) 13239 (yt ys no nay)
13241 (who haue a syht) 13257 (as to myn entent)
13260 (as ye shal here) 13265 (by couenaunt)
13268 (and lyst nat spare) 13268 (yt ys no lye)
13276 (as ye may se) 13279 (who kan se)
13283 (est and south) 13285 (who that touche)
13289 (voyde of al flavour) 13293 (who taketh hed ther-to)
13399 (yt ys no drede) 13300 (in verray .dede)
In the hundred lines between 15650 and 15750 there are 19 of
these phrases; between 17700 and 17800 there are 16; between
20370-20470 there are 14; — indeed it is hardly possible to open
a page without finding two or three and often many more. It is
not necessary to expatiate on the poverty of the verse which has
to be eked out by such devices, for, as a study of any of the above-
mentioned passages will show, not one in ten of these phrases has
any real connection with the subject-matter of the lines, or throws
any further light upon what the writer is saying. No, they are
padding pure and simple, usually inserted for the sake of rime, or
to piece out an idea which will not naturally extend to the length
of a couplet.
In most cases these phrases occupy the second half of a line.
More rarely, but yet very often, one is found covering a whole line,
as in the following examples :
13232 f. But to declare the trouthe pleyn,
He dyde nat so, no thyng at al,
In straunge feldys, for he yt stal,
(Al be yt by fful gret lak)
He put al in hys owne sak.
2005 (Lyk as I shal yow devyse,
2901 (As clerkys wel reherse kan).
3073 (Yiff ye lyst to here me).
3171 (Who that kan the trouthe seke).
xlvi* Introduction. V. Lydgate's Language and Style.
3203 (To seyn shortly, and nat tarye)
3235 (As I be-held tho douteles)
3539 (To speken in especyal).
Very occasionally the expletive phrase occurs in the first half of
the line. I have only been able to discover three examples of this
in Part I. of the Pilgrimage, viz. :
6474 f. Lokyng, with wych men do se,
Unto the Eye ys porter
(As thow well wost) and massager.
7199 f. The tyme ys good and couenable,
(As I ha sayd), and acceptable.
8344 f. But Grace Dieu was nat wel plesyed
(Shortly) of my gouernaunce.
Examples of these inanities might be multiplied indefinitely, and
it will be enough to note that the greater proportion of them may
be arranged in five classes.
(1) Those which make some appeal to or assertion of the good
judgment and intelligence of either the reader or of the poet himself.
As thow well wost, 6476; who so understonde kan, 4158;
who kan se, 13279; who can discerne, 20711 ; who lyst to se,
20618; to thyn entent, 9759; yiff ye lyst to wyte, 219; who can
conceyue, 18683; by cler inspeccioun, 15013; as to myn entent,
13257; off entencioun, 15745; by good avys, 20097; yiff they be
wys, 12095; who consydreth al, 11331; who lyst taken kep, 8697 ;
who lyst loken her-wyth-al, 20119; who loketh al, 20133; who
loke wel, 21922; yiff thow konn^ espye, 13302; yiff yt be souht,
12436; to myn oppynyoun, 17301; me semeth so, 17303.
(2) Phrases that are strongly affirmative or confirmative of some
preceding point. Such are: yt ys no nay, 10809; yt ys no drede,
12117; yt ys no doute, 12209; I the ensure, 12217; wythoute
doute, 12238; wythoute gesse, 11443; off verray soth, And off no
lape, 21135; in certyn, 12223; douteles, 21883; I dar undertake,
21903; of verray ryght, 2556; yiff I shal not lye, 3333; in soth-
nesse, 3925; yt ys no fayl, 4015; be wel certeyn, 5395; yt ys no
fable, 2158; yt ys no jape, 12119; and many other similar expres-
sions. To these also may be added phrases like the following :
9286 I wolde abyde (& not remewe).
21583 In thylke dyrke ffyr (nat bryht).
21723 I sawh a croos stonde (and nat flytte).
(3) Those that contain reference to authority, such as :
Introduction, v. Lydgate's Language and Style. xlvii*
444 f. ffor, by record off Seyn Matthew,
The hevene (as by hys sentence,)
Wonnen is by vyolence.
621 As the phylisofre seyth.
2901 As clerkys wel reherse kan.
14447 As the byble kan wel tel.
14453 In hooly wryt, as yt ys ryff.
21885 the byble seyth apert.
13635 as I ha told.
12043 thus seyth he.
11457 As clerkys wry to that be sad.
9968 As I kan reporte.
18355 As clerkys teche.
(4) Such expressions as ' in substaunce,' 21871; 'for to dyffyne,'
17537 ; ' at a word,' 21591 ;' to rehersyn euery del,' 21913; ' fynally,'
21595; 'shortely to specefye,' 21621; 'for short conclusioun,' 20931;
'shortly to telle,' 17403; 'in conclusioun,' 15703; 'thus I begynne,'
11441; 'inwordysfewe,'9119; ' wythoute more,' 20941 — which have
reference to the form in which the poet puts his assertions, and to
the progress of his work.
(5) Certain adverbial expressions of place or time which are
meant to give additional weight and detail to the circumstance
mentioned by the poet.
6507 f. The Messagerys (erly and late)
Conveye yt by the same gate.
9899 f. Retrussen hym, and ek recharge
(Bo the in streyth & ek in large.)
12027 f. To kepe me bothe ffer and ner)
ffrom al pereyl and all daunger.
12079 f. myn enmyes many tyme,
(Bothe at eue and ek at prime.)
21988 f. Nauffragus flful long I-be,
And suifred (bothe este and weste)}
Many perel and greet tempeste.
Besides these there are a certain number of phrases which, can
hardly be classed, and which appear to be inserted quite irrelevantly,
such as 'lych myn entent,' 17749; 'wythoute grace,' 17754; 'in
especyal,' 17177; ' off entente,' 17405; ' in sentence,' 14431.
The question of the reduplication of expressions has been treated
at some length by Sieper, but as this is a very marked characteristic
of the Pilgrimage I may give a few more examples here.
PILGRIMAGE. d
xlviii* Introduction, v. Lydgate's Language and Style.
Examples of the reduplication of an idea by the employment of
synonymous or almost synonymous adjectives, adverbs or nouns will
be found on nearly every page. For instance :
1324 After the custom and usaunce
1421 f. And Keceyvede ther by Eyht
Vertu, force & gostly myght.
1551 f. Debonayre and mercyable,
Soffte, goodly, and tretable.
1584 For punyshynge and Correccioun.
1646 Thogh thyn hornys be sharp & kene,
1647 Was humble, meke, & debonayre,
1687 Portreye or peynte
1752 f. And longe held her pocessyon
Lordshepe ek & gouernaunce.
1780 Maugre hys myght & his powste.
1823 Whan thow fyndest or dost espye.
1844 Kepte the fredam and fraunchyse
2012 Ben yclyped and yshaue
2058 Proud of your port, & ek ellat.
1540 f. For they mynystre ther oynement
To boystously, & no thing soffte.
But Lydgate is not content with merely reduplicating epithets
or single words in this manner, for very frequently we find whole
sentences repeated, with some difference in wording but practically
none in idea.
5 f. ffor shortly here yovre poscessyon
ys yove to yow but for a sehort sesoun
Nor the tresovre wych that ye possede
Ys but thyng lent ho so kan take hede.
14 f. That kam wyth loye departeth aye wyth sorwe ;
And thyng ywonne wyth loye' and gladnesse,
Ay dysseuereth wyth wo and bevynesse.
2135 f. Thys worldys veyn pleysaunce
Wych ys so ful off varyaunce,
So ful of chang and dovbylnesse.
2529 f. Yiff he be proud or obstynat,
Dysobeyynge or ellaat,
Hys trespace to amende
And ne lyst nat to entende
To be redressed by meeknesse,
And, thorgh pryde or Frowardnesse,
Wyl take no correccion.
Introduction, v. Lydgate's Language and Style, xlix*
2579 f. Of wych thyng he wex al sad
And in hys herte no thyng glad.
3771 f. The boundys constreyne your party;
But, for al that, I go frely
Wher that me lyst, at lyberte :
They bounde yow, & no thyng me ;
Close yow out, that ye nat passe ;
But I go fre in euery place.
We may also notice a few examples of the reduplication of an
idea produced by a negative statement following an affirmative one.
Such are 11. 9286, 21583 and 21723 quoted on p. xlvi* as well as
1. 14917:
" Yt maketh me glad, and nothyng dul."
Without multiplying examples, which would only be tedious, I
may point out that -in some cases the parallelism persists throughout
quite long passages. For instance, in the passage on page 68 on the
punishment of the proud, from which a few lines have been quoted,
nearly every sentence is reduplicated, and much the same is the
case with the description of Fortune in the Prologue.
Sieper has pointed out that " wide indeed though the gulf is
which separates his vapid verse, betraying in every line the traces
of decadence, from the inimitable creations of Israel's golden youth,
Lydgate is, in point of fact, not so far removed from a mere
parallelism such as meets us in the poetry of the Hebrews," and if
we compare with some of the examples given above the following
verses from the 18th Psalm, it will be evident that as far as technical
construction goes there is a strong resemblance between Lydgate's
parallelisms and those of the Psalmist.
" He rode upon the cherubims, and did fly :
He came flying upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his secret place :
His pavilion round about him with dark water,
And thick clouds to cover him."
. . . He sent out his arrows, and scattered them :
He cast forth lightnings, and destroyed them."
"... With the holy thou shalt be holy :
And with a perfect man thou shalt be perfect."
Remnants of parallelism are also found in some of the Old
English poems, arising, it is supposed, from the same cause that
produced it among the Hebrews, viz. the construction of poems in
1* Introduction, v. Lydgate s Language and Style.
strophe and antistrophe for the voices of alternating choirs. We
have not much reason however for thinking that Lydgate was
influenced, by Old English poetry in his choice of this style. It is
more likely that he observed its use in the Psalms, with which, as
a monk, he must have been very familiar. In any case, it is a
construction which would appeal greatly to any one with such an
extensive vocabulary and such a love of prolixity and diffuseness
as Lydgate, and, as Sieper points out, it was with him " a principle
of art consciously employed and systematically carried through."
In fact, all through the poem Lydgate gives one the impression
that he is striving with all his might to express himself with the
utmost effectiveness combined with the utmost truth, but that as
he has no infallible command of the " mot juste " and lacks the
art to represent the whole by depicting only the essential lines, he
seeks to attain his end by the employment of conscientious and
laborious detail and by a free use of epithet and paraphrase. Other
characteristics of his verse are the great length of his sentences and
the freedom with which he employs the parenthesis. The result of
this is that he often loses sight of the main current of his idea and
produces a passage which is a mere conglomeration of sentences and
phrases, without a shape or centre, and sometimes united by a faulty
syntactical construction. He often gives the impression that he is
afraid of forgetting some point that has struck him, and so writes it
down directly it comes into his mind, careless whether or no it
interferes with the course of his sentence. His verse is still further
complicated by the use of the various devices of which examples
have already been given, and the general impression we gather as
we read is that it is not so much composed as strung together. We
must remember, however, that in this poem at least De Guileville as
well as Lydgate must bear the responsibility for some of the defects.
The general construction, the monotonous manner of introducing
the characters, the insertion of long arguments and descriptions are
primarily due to him, as are even some of the expletive phrases and
repetitions. Take for instance these lines :
" Quant dieu, dist elle, adam, ton pere,
Eut cree et eue, ta mere,
II leur fist si grant courtoisie,
Et leur donna tele franchise
Quilz pouoient viure san languir,
Sans necessite de mourir ;
Introduction, v. Lydgate's Language and Style. li*
Et tel grace leur octroya,
Que rectitude leur donna,
Et droiz les fist en liberte
Et franchise de volente
Pour bien garder en eulx droicture
Selon justice par mesure,
En tel maniere que le corps
Obeissoit a son ame lors ;
Et si rendoient subiection
Les forces basses a raison,
Ce quest bas a ce que dessus,
Les moines dignes aux dignes plus." (Petit, fol. iv.)
This passage, represented in Lydgate by 11. 1011-1037, contains,
as we may see, fully as many parallelisms as Lydgate was accustomed
to employ, although we cannot deny that in some cases Lydgate
would take one single idea of De Guileville's and express it under
two or three forms.
" Car, a leur dieu ilz desobeirent,
Et perdirent lauctorite
De quoy dessus ie tay parle ; " (fol. iv. back.)
In Lydgate we find (11. 1055-1061) :
" But whan they gan to God trespace,
They lost ther fredam and ther grace,
L/yff also, and liberte
And hooly ther auctoryte,
Off wych thou hast herd me seye."
Again we read in the French :
" Mais a quelle fin ien vendroie
Encor pas bien pense nauoye." (fol. x.)
Lydgate represents this by :
" This fantasy e fyl in my thoulit ;
But, Got wot, I wyste nouht,
Nor Ttnewe ful lytel (at the leste)
What was the ff'yn of my requeste,
Nor took but lytel heed ther-to." (2813-17.)
In these extracts I have italicized those portions that have no
exact counterpart in the French.
There is not much to be said for the style of the Pilgrimage, but
the little that there is it would be ungracious to omit. We must
therefore observe that in a few passages Lydgate really seems to take
considerable pleasure in what he is describing and expresses his
feelings with some vigour, freshness and poetic feeling. The best
examples of this are the description of the heavenly Jerusalem
lii* Introduction. V. Lydgate's Language and Style.
(11. 323-53), the account of Youth (11. 11133-11212), and especially
the passage on the revivifying power of Nature (11. 3434-3523).
The whole question of Lydgate's style has been treated with so
much detail and so many examples in the Introduction to Reason
and Sensuality that it seems unnecessary to expatiate further upon
its peculiarities. I will therefore conclude this study by giving one
more parallel passage which illustrates in a marked degree many of
the characteristics referred to above, especially Lydgate's love of
amplification, explanation, and parallelism.
And fyrst thow shalt wel understand
That by falsnes of this bond
most horryble and odyous
was brought fyrst in-to christis hous
the false vyce of symonye
and by his feyned trecherye,
by his sleyte, and by his gyn,
at the dore he cam not in ;
but at some travas, lych a theffe,
wher he dothe full gret myschefe ;
for wher so evar he dothe aproche
with this staffe he can a-croche
the herts of folks by covetyse
and ordeynythe in full cursyd wyse
sheppards to kepe christis shepe
whiche of theyr offyse toke no kepe.
An herdman is [y]sayd, in dede,
only for he shuld[e] fede
his shepe with spyrituall doctryn ;
C'est une main qui introduit
En la maison de iesu christ
Par faulses broches et pertius
Les larrons sans entrer par 1'huis
Et quant dedans les a tirez
Et a son croc acrochetez
Du mesme croc croches leur faiz.
Et pasteurs de brebis les faiz
Pasteurs dis ie / mais ceulx ce font
Qui se paissent et qui tant font
Que mieulx les doit e'n loups clauier
Que pasteurs douailles nommer
Ceulx sont qui veulent eslochier
Grace de dieu et descrochier
Du throsne de sa maieste
Par dons de temporalite
Une foiz sen font acheteurs \
Et lautre foiz in sont vendeurs /
(Ver. fol. Ixx. back.)
but they draw by an othar lyn :
they may be callyd, for ther werkynge,
pastours only of fedynge,
They fede them selffwith haboundaunce,
and let ther shepe go to myschaunce ;
I trow it is full well ysene,
them selfe be fatt, ther shepe be lene
I trow, the most[e] part of all,
men shuld them rather wolv[e]s call
than trwe herd[e]s ; yong and old
they come to robbje] christis fold ;
they shuld ther shepe from wolv[e]s
were ;
the wool, the mylke, away they bere.
I can not se wher-of they serue,
that lat ther shepe at meschefe starue,
and put them selffe in gret defame.
And they would eke make lame
grace dieu of cursydnesse,
lyke as I shall a-nou exprese,
from the trone of hir mageste
by gyfte of temporalite :
his fals office I can well tell ;
he can now byen, he can now sell,
By boundys of collusyon
and all comythe in by syr symon.
(11. 17965-99.)
Introduction, vi. Lydgate and Bunyan. liii*
VI. LYDGATE AND BUNYAN.
An edition of Bunyan's works, edited by Dr. George Offor and
published in 1853, contains, as an appendix, a defence of Bunyan's
originality, upon which doubts had been thrown by various authors,
some of them of high repute.
Dr. Dibdin in Typographical Antiquities, speaking of the
Pilgrimage of the Soul, says : " This extraordinary production,
rather than Bernard's Isle of Man, laid the foundation of John
Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress." Dr. Adam Clarke, as he states in a
postscript to a Life of Bunyan, considered that either Bernard's Isle
of Man, or Spencer's Faery Queen, " if not both, gave birth to the
Pilgrim's Progress." Mr. Montgomery thought that the print and
verses called Tlie Pilgrim in Witney's Emblems suggested the idea
of the book. Mr. Chambers, of Edinburgh, considered that Bunyan
could not have been ignorant of Gavin Douglas's Palace of Honour
D'Israeli, in his Amenities of Literature, made the tentative sug-
gestion that there was some connection between Bunyan's masterpiece
and Piers Plowman.
These ideas are briefly and in most cases effectively disposed of
by Dr. Offor, who (after his study and analysis of these and many
other allegorical works) had come to the sincere conclusion that not
a sentence in the Pilgrim's Progress could be proved to have any
other origin than the Bible or Bunyan's own mind.
Amongst the allegories cited by him we find the Pilgrimage of
the Life of Man, of which he gives a somewhat insufficient analysis.
No one had so far asserted that Bunyan owed any debt to this
particular work ; but only a few years after Offer's edition of the
Pilgrim's Progress was published just such a suggestion appeared.
In 1858 was published by Basil Montagu Pickering The Ancient
Poem of Guillaume de Guileville, entitled le Pelerinage de I'Homme,
compared icith the Pilgrim's Progress of John Bunyan.
This book was compiled from notes collected by the late Mr.
Xathaniel Hill, and contained a comparison of various passages from
Bunyan and from the second version of De Guileville's poem, as well
as an appendix consisting of long extracts from Lydgate's version
and a prose synopsis of many parts not thus quoted.
Nathaniel Hill's argument takes the following course. He first
points out the prevalence of allegorical writing for more than three
centuries before Bunyan, and then indicates the sources from which
liv* Introduction. VI. Lydgate and Bunyan.
De Guileville and Bunyan "drew and embellished their com-
positions," viz. the Bible, chivalrous literature, and the traditional
literature of the people, such as ballads, chap-books, and the popular
romances of Guy of Warwick, etc.
After a dissertation on the great extent to which writers of
genius have made use of already existing literary material, Nathaniel
Hill goes on to bring forward evidences of the popularity of De
Guileville's Dream in England, such as Chaucer's translation of the
ABC poem to the Virgin, his imitation ^of the final passage in the
Boole of tlie Duchess, and the numerous translations of it which exist,
both in prose and verse.
He gives a list of these versions, among which he includes,
however, several MSS. and one printed edition of the Pilgrimage of
the. Soul. To these I have not had access, but most probably they
are translations of the second portion of De Guileville's great poem,
that of the pilgrimage " de lame separee du corps."
Next, " in order still' further to show the concurrence — at least
of ideas, if not of diction — between De Guileville and Bunyan "
Hill quotes a large number of passages from the French of De
Guileville and from Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, and concludes with
various extracts from other poets — such as Langiand, Walter Mapes,
Hampole, Dunbar and Hawes — by means of which he designs to
illustrate some traditional forms of expression common in the 14th
and 15th centuries, and also used by Bunyan.
The general trend of his argument is, of course, to show that
Bunyan was acquainted with De Guileville's Pilgrimage and was
influenced by it to a considerable extent in writing his Pilgrim's
Progress. As his editors point out, " The late Mr. Nathaniel Hill
intended to have made the following Papers the groundwork of a
larger publication on the Pilgrim's Progress of Bunyan, in which
he proposed showing that Bunyan had been indebted, for many
portions of his story, to some of the early mediaeval Romances."
His death prevented the carrying out of this design ; but as it
was on De Guileville's poem that Mr. Hill's views were principally
founded, this is the less to be regretted.
The question now to be considered is how far Mr. Hill proved
his case, and how far Bunyan appears really to have been influenced
by mediaeval writers, and especially by De Guileville.
That there are undoubted correspondences between the two
pilgrimages may be at once admitted.
Introduction, vi. Lydgate and Bunyan.
Iv*
Each is in the similitude of a dream and describes the journey of
a pilgrim to the Celestial City. In each case a heavenly guide to
point out the way, to rebuke or to encourage, is given to the pilgrim ;
in Christian's case Evangelist, in De Guileville's Grace Dieu. Each
pilgrim also receives a mark of consecration, though De Guileville is
" crossyd " at his baptism, and Christian's mark in his forehead is
not given him until he stands before the Cross of Christ. Each is
beset in his path by difficulties and adversaries. Christian meets
with Worldly Wiseman, Apollyon, Vanity Fair and its inhabitants,
Demas who tempts him to turn aside for money, Giant Despair who
catches him as he wanders in By-Path meadow, the Flatterer,
Atheist and Ignorance. In De Guileville we get figures cor-
responding to all or nearly all of these. Beside Ignorance we may
place Eude Entendement. For Apollyon we have Satan the Hunter,
for Demas, Avarice with her golden idol. Giant Despair catches the
pilgrim who seeks easy going in a by-path, the cord of Desperation is
ready for him who is overcome by Sloth.
For Vanity Fair we have the Sea of the World ; and for Envy,
Superstition, Lord Casual Delight, Lord Desire-of- Vain-Glory, Mr.
Malice, Mr. Love-Lust and the others we find Envy, Astrology,
Fortune, Conspiracy and Worldly Gladness, who possess between
them nearly all the amiable characteristics Biinyau has personified in
his description of the inhabitants of Vanity Fair.
Instead of Worldly Wiseman we have Reason and Nature, who
resent the doings of Grace Dieu as Worldly Wiseman scorns the
counsel of Evangelist.
The house of Grace Dieu in which the Pilgrim sees the wonders
of the ointments, the sword and keys and the sacramental change,
and hears the explanations of these things from Eeason and Grace
Dieu, is represented in Bunyan by the Interpreter's House, .in which
Christian is taught many profitable things ; and the " chaumbre ful
secree " into which Grace Dieu leads the Pilgrim to receive his
armour stands perhaps for the House Beautiful in which Christian
is similarly endowed. The meaning of the armour is the same in
each narrative, and it even seems to me that I can perceive some
concurrence of idea in the fact that Grace Dieu suffers the Pilgrim
to go unarmed, save for sling and stone, while Faithful also passes on
his pilgrimage without visiting the House Beautiful or receiving the
armour.
There are other correspondences of a more or less doubtful
^
Ivi* Introduction, vi. Lydgate and Bunyan.
character. The wicket-gate, placed by Bunyan at the beginning of the
path, is mentioned by De Guileville as, the actual entry to the Celestial
City, while either Moral Virtue's gate or the river of baptism cor-
responds more nearly to Banyan's wicket. (Nathaniel Hill compares
this river with the Slough of Despond.)
Christian and Faithful receive certificates on starting, which are
to be given in at the gate of the city when they arrive. De
Guileville's Pilgrim is presented with a scrip and staff " wych al
pilgrymes ouhte to have," and which they leave outside the gate on
entering.
Christian receives a roll of promise after the sight of Christ's
Cross has freed him from his burden. De Guileville's Pilgrim also
receives rolls at various times for his instruction or comfort, such as
the poems on the Creed and the Trinity, and the bill of Grace Dieu
containing the ABC, which is brought to him after he is cast off
by Fortune. In more close correspondence with Christian's roll,
however, is the Testament of Christ in which the gift of peace is
bequeathed to man.
But, close though some of these resemblances may seem to be,
the differences, and especially the implicit ones, are far more striking.
Thus, though both Christian and De Guileville's Pilgrim are moved
by powerful impulses to go on pilgrimage, the manner of the incite-
ment is sharply contrasted, since in Christian's case the moving
cause is fear of judgment, while in De Guileville's it is the vision
of celestial happiness.
It must be noticed, however, that as Christian walks with
Pliable towards the wicket-gate, he discourses to him concerning the
Heavenly Kingdom in terms which bear some resemblance to those
of De Guileville's vision. (Lyd. 345-438.)
"There is an endless kingdom to be inhabited, and everlasting
life to be given us, that we may inhabit that kingdom for ever. . . .
There are crowns of glory to be given us ; and garments that will
make us shine like the sun in the firmament of heaven. . . . There
shall be no more crying nor sorrow ; for He that is owner of the
place will wipe all tears from our eyes. . . . There we shall be
with seraphims and cherubims, creatures that will dazzle your eyes
to look on them. There also you shall meet with thousands and ten
thousands that have gone before us to that place. None of them
are hurtful, but loving and holy, every one walking in the sight of
God, and standing in his presence with acceptance for ever. In a
Introduction. VI. Lydgate and Bunyan. Ivii*
word, there we shall see the elders with their golden crowns ; there
we shall see the holy virgins with their golden harps ; there we
shall see men that by the world were cut in pieces, burnt in flames,
eaten of beasts, drowned in the seas, for the love that they bore to
the Lord of the place, all well, and clothed with immortality as with
a garment."
Very marked is the difference between the ways in which the
two Pilgrims are freed from the burden of sin. To begin with,
Christian is conscious of the burden ; its presence is terrible to him
and he seeks earnestly to be rid of it. De Guile ville's Pilgrim has
apparently no sense of sin :
" What nedyth yt to wasshe me,
Or bathe, when yt ys no nede ;
ffor I am clene washe in dede
ffrom al felth and unclennesse." (11. 970-973.)
— and even after Grace Dieu's long explanation of the doctrine of
original sin, he does not appear to be inwardly convicted so much as
convinced of the hopelessness of rebelling against authority :
" Thanne me sempte yt was but veyn,
More for me to speke a-geyn,
Or make replycacioun
Ageynys her oppynyoun." (11. 1291-1294.)
The Pilgrim is freed from this original sin by the washing of
baptism, but Christian bears his burden long after he has entered
upon the strait path, nor does he leave it in the Interpreter's House
(which, as above said, may be taken to correspond to the Church,
or house of Grace Dieu), but only before the Cross of Christ.
There is, however, a passage further on in the Pilgrimage, in
which the Pilgrim admits his inability to return to innocence through
his own efforts, and is directed by Grace Dieu to look for help to
the four parts of Christ's Cross (12441-12673), which may be com-
pared with the loosing of Christian's burden before the Cross.
Another point of difference is that De Guileville's allegory is a
pilgrimage of the life of man, and follows the Pilgrim from birth to
death (see 11. 643-651 and 1. 975) — though the device by which an
infant is made to discuss the doctrine of original sin seems somewhat
lacking in even allegorical fitness,— while the Pilgrim's Progress
only begins when Christian is first awakened to the sense of sin,
and deals purely with his spiritual experiences. The Pilgrimage
also is chiefly concerned with spiritual experiences, but when we
Iviii* Introduction, vi. Lydgate and Bunyan.
reach the part at which the Pilgrim enters the monastery, the
allegory frequently fails, and we are treated to long descriptions
which, though symbolical in a way, are yet distinct deviations from
the original path of the allegory, and represent rather objective
occurrences than the personal experiences of the soul.
But the greatest difference of all consists in the fact that De
Guileville's poem is to a great degree an exposition and enforcement
of the chief doctrines of the Roman Church, and the experiences
through which the Pilgrim passes are such as would best throw into
relief the powers and prerogatives of that Church. Thus all the
preparation which the Pilgrim receives for his journey is Church
preparation. He is baptized, he is instructed in the Sacraments, and
in the points of priestly dominion, he is taught (by the extraordinary
episode of the placing of his eyes in his ears) to rely upon authority
only, he is warned against too great reliance on reason, he is presented
with the
" articles off our creaunce, ....
The wych wer mad (with-oute strytf)
(6911-6914) In hooly cherche prymytyff."
And then, finally, when he has passed through the various incidents
of his progress, and with stained conscience cries to God for help, it
is to penance and the discipline of the Church, as exercised in
monasteries, that Grace Dieu bids him resort in order to defend
himself
(22111) " Ageyne the ffende and alle his myght."
We see therefore that the spirit pervading the Pilgrimage of the
Life of Man is, in spite of many resemblances of detail, very
different from that which animates the Pilgrim's Progress. This,
however, would not in itself be enough to prove that Bunyan was
not influenced by the older work, for we might well suppose that
if he were acquainted with the allegory he might adopt the general
idea and such details as pleased him, and throw them into a form
accordant with his Puritan theology, while rejecting all those parts
which were an offence to him.
But there are other arguments against this theory.
First we may notice that Bunyan is not at all likely to have had
any acquaintane with the Pilgrimage. Lydgate's poem had never
been printed, only three copies of it are known, and therefore its
circulation must have been comparatively small ; nor can we suppose
that Bunyan, an unlearned man of low rank, would be likely to
Introduction, vi. Lydgate and Bunyan. lix*
have access to such a manuscript, or that he would be ahle to read
it even if he had come across it.1
We have what seems to be a fairly trustworthy record of the
meagreness of Bunyan's library. He was put to school as a boy
and taught to read and write, " the which I also attained, according
to the rate of other poor men's children, though to my shame I con-
fess I did soon lose that I had learned even almost utterly, and
that long before the Lord did work his gracious work of conver-
sion upon my soul."
We see, from this passage, that Bunyan cannot have read much
prior to his conversion. Serious books we know he avoided,
for he tells us that " when I have seen some read in those books
that concerned Christian piety, it would be, as it were, a prison
to me."
Books of a more worldly type were perhaps occasionally read by
him if we may take as embodying personal experience the passage
in Sighs from Hell where a lost sinner confesses to Abraham the
manner in which he treated the Scriptures. "The Scriptures,"
thought I, " what are they 1 . . . . Give me a ballad, a news-book,
George on Horseback, or Bevis of Southampton." But it is not
likely that such books were a great temptation to him, or we should
surely have had detailed reference to them, along with the other
temptations of his youth, in Grace Abounding.
It is expressly recorded that at his marriage his wife brought
him two books, The Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven and the
Practice of Piety, and that these he sometimes read. Foxe's Book
of Martyrs was one of his most cherished possessions, and Luther's
Commentary on Galatians, which he happened to come across in a
time of conflict and darkness, drew from him the testimony that he
preferred it before all the books that ever he had seen, excepting the
Holy Bible, as most fit for abounded conscience.
So far, then, as we can gather from existing records these few
books, together with the Bible, formed his library. Of course it
is possible that there may have been others, but it is unprofitable to
speculate on the point since in one Book alone — the Bible — supple-
1 It is however true, as has been before noted, that a condensed English
prose version of De Guileville's poem, a copy of which is found in St. John's
Library, Cambridge, existed in the seventeenth century ; and though it is not
very likely that Bunyan saw even this, it is possible that the story may have
been told to him by one who had done so.
Ix* Introduction, vi. Lydgate and Bunyan.
mented by Banyan's own experience, we may trace all the influences
necessary for the production of the Pilgrim's Progress.
As the numerous marginal references show, the very passage on
the Heavenly Jerusalem, which has heen compared above with
Lydgate's description of the same, is drawn in almost every par-
ticular, and sometimes word for word, from the Bible. Christian's
armour is the armour of God described in Ephesians vi. 11-17. The
fight with Apollyon is an amplification of the text " Resist the devil
and he will flee from you " (James iv. 7). The description of the
Valley of the Shadow of Death is drawn from various passages in the
Psalms and in Job ; the origin of the idea of Vanity Fair is indicated by
many references, — to the kingdoms of this world shown to our Lord
by the Tempter (Matt. iv. 8 ; Luke iv. 5, 6, 7) ; to the necessity for
passing through the temptations of the world (1 Cor. v. 10); to the
lamentations over the vanity of transitory things in Ecclesiastes.
All through the book the language of the Bible is employed ; the
figures and symbols used are those drawn from Holy Writ; the
doctrines insisted upon are supported by scriptural reference after
reference.
And what of the general course of the allegory and the per-
sonages represented in it? In almost every point it may be
brought into line with Bunyan's own experiences. The course of
his early religious life — his first awakening, his attempts to attain
righteousness by the deeds of the law, his despair when he dis-
covered the shallowness of this reformation, the instruction he
received from the Baptist minister, Mr. Gifford — are all faithfully
reflected in the experiences of Christian as he travels towards the
wicket-gate, in his acceptance of the arguments of Worldly Wiseman,
in his struggles in the Slough of Despond, in the character and
words of Evangelist.
It was a sermon on the love of Christ which opened the wicket-
gate to Bunyan's soul, and revealed to him the mind of that One
who was "willing with all his heart" to let him in. In the
character and house of the Interpreter we may trace again the
figure of Mr. Gifford and the religious assembly over which he
presided ; in the terrible picture of the Valley of the Shadow of
Death we may follow the experience of those months of conflict
during which Bunyan was so tormented by spiritual tempta-
tions and by the influence of his early sins, that nothing but the
grace of God can have preserved the balance of his reason. It
Introduction, vi. Lydgate and Bunyan. Ixi*
was at this point that he came upon Luther's Commentary on
Galatians; and, as Dr. Cheever points out, this may be " the original
of just that beautiful incident recorded in the progress of Christian
through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, where, when Christian
had travelled in this disconsolate condition some considerable time,
he thought he heard the voice of a man as going before him, saying,
' Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will
fear no ill, for Thou art with me.' This, doubtless, was Luther's
voice ; and by it Bunyan perceived that some others who feared God
might be in this valley as well as himself, and that God was with
them."
Nor can we fail to trace in the other personages of the allegory
a resemblance to many he must have met, especially in such
characters as Pliable, Talkative, Little Faith, Worldly Wiseman,
and the Judge and Jury in Vanity Fair, all of them types likely to be
produced by the political and religious conditions which prevailed at
the time when the Pilgrim's Progress was written.
It is unnecessary to pursue this line of argument further, and I
will conclude with Bunyan's own testimony to the originality of his
work.
" The Bible and the Concordance," he says in one place, " are
my only library in my writings, and I never fished in other men's
waters."
Again, in the poetical preface to the Holy War, writing to defend
himself against the assertion that the Pilgrim's Progress was not
his, he says :
" It came from mine own heart, so to my head,
And thence into my fingers trickled ;
Then to my pen, from whence immediately
On paper I did dribble it daintily.
Manner and matter, too, was all mine own,
Nor was it unto any mortal known
Till I had done it ; nor did any then
By books, by wits, by tongues, or hand, or pen,
Add five words to it, or wrote half a line
Thereof; the whole, and every whit, is mine."
In The Author's Apology for his Boole prefixed to the Pilgrim's
I'rmjress there is further evidence to the same effect. This apology
contains Bunyan's reasons for writing in the allegorical style, a style
which he defends by reference to the symbols and parables of Holy
Ixii* Introduction. VI. Lydgate and Bunyan.
Writ, and he gives also an account of the inception and beginning
of the Pilgrim's Progress.
"When at the first I took my pen in hand
Thus for to write, I did not understand
That I at all should make a little book
In such a mode ; nay, I had undertook
To make another, which when almost done,
Before I was aware, I thus begun.
And thus it was : I, writing of the way
And race of saints in this our gospel-day,
Fell suddenly into an allegory
About their journey and the way to glory,
In more than twenty things, which I set down ;
This done, I twenty more had in my crown ;
And they began again to multiply,
Like sparks that from the coals of fire do fly.
Nay then, thought I, if that you breed so fast,
I'll put you by yourselves, lest you at last
Should prove ad infinitum, and eat out
The book that I already am about."
These extracts make it evident that Bunyan (even though further
on he declares that for the practice of using figures and similitudes
he has
" Examples, too, and that from them that have
God better pleased by their words or ways
Than any man that breatheth now-a-days,")
was certainly not aware of being affected by any external influences.
Of course it is possible that there may have been literary influences
at work of which he was not conscious, and that the idea of the
dream, the journey from this world to the next, and perhaps a few
minor details may have been due to such. But it has been pointed
out that there is no necessity to resort to the theory, nor are the
correspondences between Lydgate's Pilgrimage and Bunyan's
Pilgrim's Progress sufficiently unmistakable to counterbalance the
improbability of the assumption that the younger writer should
ever have come across the work of the elder.
Ixiii*
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
MANUSCEIPTS.
FIRST EECENSION OF DEGUiLEviLLE'a "PELERINAGE DE
VIE HUMAINE."
PARIS. Bibl. Nat. MS. Fonds. franc. Nos. 376, 823, 824, 1139, 1647,
1818, and many others. A complete list is given in the Roxburghe
edition of Deguileville's first recension (Sturzinger).
LONDON. Brit. M\u. Add. 22937. Vellum. Les trois pelerinages,
about 1450.
Add. 25594. Vellum, 14th cent. Includes Pelerinage de la Vie
Humaine and Pelerinage de 1'Sme. Both imperfect.
Harley, 4399. Vellum, 15th cent. Pelerinage de la Vie humaine.
Lib. of Lord Aldenham. The three Pilgrimages.
Lib. of A. H. Hiith, Esq. The three Pilgrimages.
ASHBURNHAM PLACE. Lib. of Earl of Ash.
Coll. Barrois, 488. The first and second Pilgrimages.
Coll. Barrois, 74. The first Pilgrimage.
CHELTENHAM. Lib. of late Sir T. Phdlipps. 3655. The first Pilgrimage.
SECOND EECENSION OF DEGUILEVILLE'S " PELERINAGE."
PARIS. Bibl. Nat. f. frc. 377, 825, 829, 1138, 12466.
Bibl. de I' Arsenal, 3646.
Bibl. de VInstitut, 20.
CHERBURG. 42.
ST. PETERSBURG. Bibl. Imperiale. F. xiv, No. 11.
HAIGH HALL. Lib. of Earl of Crawford. Fr. 4.
LOND. Brit. Mia. The Pilgrimage of the Life of Man, by Lydgate,
englished from the second recension of Deguileville's Pelerinage.
Three MSS. exist, viz.—
15 cent. Cotton Coll. Vitellius C. xm. The Pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Vellum, imperfect at the beginning.
14 cent. Cotton Coll. Tiberius A 7. The Pilgrim. Vellum, imperfect.
Pilgrimage of the world, by commandement of the Earle of Salisbury,
1426. Alluded to by Thomas Speght, in his list of Lydgate's works
at the end of his Siege of Thebes. Fol. 394 in Chaucer's Workes,
1598, ed. Speght.
This must be the Stowe MS. 952, as Speght says it is " in the custodie
of" John Stowe.
PILGRIMAGE. 6
Ixiv* Introduction. Bibliography.
PEOSE.
PABIS. Imp. Lib. Nos. 1137, 1646. Le livre du pelerinage de vie
humaine. Jean Gallopes.
Ditto, in Lord Aldenham's Library. According to the armorial bearings
therein, this copy belonged to Rene de Laval, cousin of Jeanne <
Laval, third wife of King Rene of Naples.
OXFORD. Bodl. The Pilgrimage of Man. (Laud Misc. 740.)
Univ Coll. and Corpus Christi. (These last two MSS. have not yet
been collated, but are believed to be both of the same version.)
CAMBRIDGE. University Library. (Ff. 5. 30). Pilgrimage of the Lyf of
the Manhode. About 1430. On vellum. An almost literal transla-
tion of Deguileville's first recension.
Univ Lib (Ff. 6. 30.) The Pilgrime, or the Pilgrimage of Man in
this World. Wherin ye Authour doth plainly & truly sett forth y«
wretchednes of mans life in this World, without Grace, our sole
Protectour. Written in y" yeare of X', 1331.
Colophon "Written according toy6 first copy. The originall being 11
St John's College in Oxford (now in Bodleian), and thither given by
Will. Laud, ArcM5p. of Canterbury, who had it of Will. Baspoole,
who before he gave to y« ArcliTjp. the originall, did copy it out. By
which it was verbatim written by Walter Parker, 1645, and fro
thence transcribed byG. G. 1649. And fro thence by W. A. 1655.
St. John's College. (G. 21.) Northern dialect.
Magdalene College. MS. Pepys 2258.— Same title as Ff. 6. 30. Univ. Lib.
The colophon runs :— " Heere ends the Romance of the Monke which
he wrote of the Pilgrimage of the life of the manhoode, which he
made for the good pilgrims of this world that they may know such
way as may bring them to ye joyes of Heaven. Pray for him yt
made it & gratis * writt it for the love of good Christians in the
yeare one thousand three hundred thirty & one."
Folio, illustrated with coloured drawings.
GLASGOW. Hunterian Miixeum. Q. 2. 25.
PRINTED EDITIONS.
OXFORD. Le romant des trois pelerinaiges. Paris. B. and J. Petit.
Printed by B. Rembolt. Douce, D. subt. 58. 4". Also in Brit. Mus.
and in the Library of Mr. Alfred Huth.
Le pelerinage de 1'homme. Nouvellemet imprime a paris. Le qua-
triesme iour dauril mil cinq cens et onze deuat Pasques Pour anthoine
Verard demounmt en la dicte Ville. (Douce, G. 285.) (Also in
Brit. Mus.)
Le pelerin de vie humaine tres utile et profitable pour cognoistre
soymesmes. Known to be by Jean Gallopes, though he does not
give his name. This version was made by order of " Dame Jehane
de Laual royne de Iherusalem et de Secille, duchesse daniou et de
Bar contesse de Prouence." Printed at Lyon by Claude Nourry in
1504. (Douce, P. 339.)
Delft Edition. " Die is dat boeck vanden pelgrim welck boeck nuttich
ende profitelick is alien kersten menschen to leren den wech welcken
wech men sculdich is te ghaen ofte laten, die haer pelgrimagie
doen moeten in deser warelt tot de ewighe leuen." (Douce, 46.)
Should this be gart = caused, as in another copy ?
Introduction. Bibliography. Ixv*
Golophon. " Hier eyndt dat boeck vanden pelgrym. En is gheprincte
Delf in Hollant. By mi heynrick Eckert van Homberch, Intiaer ons
heeren M.CCCO vill. den vutsten dach van april." The Royal Library
at the Hague contains another edition of this book, printed at
Haarlem, similar to the Delft edition in illustrations and text, except
that a few words, relating how the author awoke from his dream,
are added at the end, and that there are some variations in spelling.
"The Ancient Poem of Guillaume de Guilleville, entitled Le Pelerinage
de 1'Homme, compared with the Pilgrim's Progress of John Bunyan,
edited by notes collected by the late Mr. Nathaniel Hill," 1858.
A modern prose Translation (that is, Abstract) of ... The Pylgrimage
of Man. Lond. 1859. Isabella K. Gust.
Pilgrimage of the Lyf of the Manhode. Ed. by W. Aldis Wright.
Koxburghe Club publication 1869. (From the MS. Ff. 5. 30, in the
University Library, Cambridge.)
Le Pelerinage de vie humaine. Ed. by J. J. Stiirzinger, Eoxburghe
Club, 1893. First recension.
" The Peregrination of Mannes Lyfe," enumerated by Skelton as among
his prose works. Warton (Hist, of Eng. Poetry, III, 163, ed. 1824)
thinks this may have been a translation "from the French, perhaps
of Guillaume, prior of Chaulis." (Not extant.)
On the fly-leaf of Verard's edition is the following MS. note: "This
Romance had been printed in the Castilian language as early as
1480 under the following title — ' El peregrinage de la vida humana
compuesto por Fray Guillelmo de Gralleville Abad de Senlis,
traduzido en volgar Castitlano por Fray Vincentio Mazuello en
Tolosa por Henrique Aleman, 1480, in folio. V. Marchand, hist, de
rimpriraerie.' "
The book in Queen's College Library, Oxford, called in the catalogue
"The booke of the pilgrymage.of Man. (Translated into English
metre, by an anonymous writer, from a prose version by William
Hendred, Prior of Leominster, of the French work of Guillaume
de Guillerville.) London. Richard Faques (about 1525 ?)" is not a
translation of the Pilgrimage of the Life of Man, but is quite a different
poem.
As above noted, the second recension of Deguileville's poem, which
is the version afterwards put into English by Lydgate, exists in
England in MS. in Lord Crawford's Library, and in print in the
Brit. Mus., in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, and in the library of
Mr. Alfred Huth. In both the Brit. Mus. and the Bodleian we find
two editions.
(1) Le romant des trois Pelerinaiges. Le premier pelerinaige est de
1'homme durat quest en vie.
Le second de lame separee du corps.
Le tiers est de nostreseignr iesiis en forme de monotesseron : cest a
sauoir les quatre enagiles raise en une : et le tout magistralement
cointemet et si utilemet pour le salut de lame quon ne pourront
mieulx dire ne escrire, fait et compose p2 frere guillaume de deguile-
ville en son viuat moyne de chaaliz de lordre de cisteaux.
This edition was printed in Paris by B. Rembolt for Bartholde and
Jehan Petit. It bears no date, but is ascribed by Stiirzinger to
about the year 1500.
(2) Le pelerinage de 1'homme. nouellemet imprime a paris. Le qua-
triesme iour dauril mil cinq cens et onze deuat Pasques. Pour
Ixvi* Introduction. Bibliography.
anthoine Verard demourant en ladicte Ville Bt a le roy nostre sire
donne au dit Verard lettres de priuilege et terme de trois ans pour
Vendre et distribuer ses ditz liures affin destre rembourse de see
fraiz et raises et deffend le dit seigneur a tous libraires / imprimeurs
et autres de ce royaulme de imprimer ce present liure iusques apres
trois ans du iour de la date cy dessus mise sur peine de confiscation
des ditz liures. This edition (which contains only the first of the
three pilgrimages) is slightly different from that of B. and J. Petit.
The differences, in most cases, are verbal variations not affecting the
sense, though in a few places the wording of as many as four or
five lines is distinct. The prose prayer] according to St. Bernard is
present in Verard, but in Petit is replaced by about a page of De
Guileville's verse.
The other differences are editorial. Verard contains a table of contents
according to the chapters, — Petit has an alphabetical table. Each
contains a Prologue du Correcteur, identical as to the earlier verses.
In the last verse, however, there is a variation, according as the
publication of the book had to be ascribed to Bertholde (Petit)
or to Anthoine Verard, and Petit's Prologue contains two extra
verses, which explain that the Jerusalem spoken of in the poem is
the Celestial Jerusalem, and that the contents of the book must be
understood " moralement et non pas literalement."
Ixvii*
THE MSS. OF LYDGATE'S POEM.
Cotton. Vitellius C. 13. Brit. Mus. Vellum. Folio.
THIS MS. belonged to the collection of Sir R. Cotton, and was injured
in the fire at his library. It has been burnt and torn at the top, with the
result that the script in this part of the pages is frequently illegible.
Otherwise, however, it is in good condition, and, with the exception of
fol. 1, the ink has kept its colour well.
The script, which is fifteenth century in character, is small, neat and
legible.
The MS. is written in black ink, without illustrations, ornamental
capitals or decoration, although spaces for illustrations have been left.
Red ink has been used to touch up the initial letters of the lines as far as
fol. 155, and red ink headings and phrases are to be found, but in some
parts they are written in black, as are also the occasional sidenotes. Here
and there the headings have been omitted, and have been put in by
another and later hand.
Portions of the cover and fly-leaves remain. The fly-leaf at the end is
scribbled over in various hands on one side, and on the reverse is a note :
— " Our Ladye's A. B. C. 50 leafes from the end.'* In the MS., however,
the A. B. C. does not appear, though there is a blank left for it.
The MS. consists of 311 folios, including fly-leaves, and contains about
21,600 lines of Lydgate's poem, about 3,200 lines being missing. The
principal gaps occur after fol. 253, between the lines —
"I holde thys false pardownerys" (1. 17901), and
"And fro my whel when they are falle" (1. 19551).
The next considerable gap comes at fol. 286, between the lines —
"Ma dame then anoon quod I" (1. 21949), and
" How euerych dede in his degre " (1. 23367),
and after fol. 241 —
"That they resowne no maner thyng" (1. 16080), to
" Wych by the ground ful lowe lay" (1. 17062),
which passage includes the whole of the prayer according to St.
Bernard.
Cott. Tiberius A. 1. Brit. Mm. Vellum. Quarto.
_The volume in which this Lydgate MS. is found contains also some
Latin Chronicles and Poems. The fragment of Lydgate's poem begins at
p. 39 of the volume with the conversation between the Pilgrim and
Avarice, at 1. 18313, " May into heven have none entre," and consists of
rather less than 4000 lines.
The first page is much stained, and at intervals throughout the MS.
there are portions scorched or injured by the use of galls, but in most
cases the injury is not enough to render the script illegible. At fol. 98 of
Ixviii* Introduction, The MSS.
the volume, however, the work of the fire becomes more evident, and as
we go on we find that the MS. becomes illegible in the midst of the
conversation between the Pilgrim and Obedience, and ends with fol. 106
of the volume. After fol. 62 some leaves are missing after the catch-
words, "Or what answere" (1. 19712), until "Thys tooknys nor thys
bowys grene" (1. 20416), and also after fol. 64, from "And in this world
(bothe fer & ner)" (1. 20557), to "That god wolde helpe me on my weye"
(1. 20812). The fragment ends with 1. 23676, "And the fatte away the:
pulle."
The MS., which is on vellum, is beautifully written in a neat and very
legible fifteenth-century hand, and is illustrated with fifty-three coloured
drawings. It is also decorated on several pages with tail-pieces of a
floral design, enclosing catch-words intended to secure the sequence of
the sheets.
The MS. is written in black ink, proper names, some notable phrases,
and the few sidenotes being in red. The capitals are in red and blue,
with elaborate red flourishes, which in some cases extend nearly the whole
length of the page.
The illustrations, although grotesque, are not lacking in a rude impres-
siveness, and the figures often have considerable vigour of action and
expression, in spite of the imperfections of the drawing.
The illustrations represent the following subjects :
(1) Avarice and Death showing their boxes.
(2) The martyrdom of St. Lawrence.
(3) Avarice and Youth.
(4) The Pilgrim and the Messenger of Necromancy.
(5) The pavilion of Necromancy.
(6) The Messenger demonstrates how spirits are raised.
(7) The Duke of Frieseland refuses to bejmptized.
(8) Necromancy, the Messenger
(9) Heresy calls to the Pilgrim.
S10) Heresy trying to reshape the Pilgrim's scrip.
11) Satan and Heresy trying to catch the Pilgrim in nets.
(12) Satan and Heresy casting nets into the sea.
(13^ Satan fishing for Pilgrims in the sea.
(14^ A hermit, deceived by Satan, kills his own father.
(15) Satan the hunter lamenting.
(16) The Pilgrim swimming in the sea.
(17) The Pilgrim cast on Fortune's Wheel.
(18) Fortune on her Wheel.
(19) A carpenter kneeling before an idol in the house of Idolatry.
(20) An altar-piece of Christ, Apostles, Prophets and Martyrs.
(21) The Pilgrim caught by Sorcery.
(22) The school of Satan, in which Sorcery learnt.
(23) The Pilgrim, on an island, is attacked by Conspiracy.
(24) Two kings, and the treacherous soldiers of one surrendering to the
other.
(25) The Pilgrim on an island in the sea.
(26) The Pilgrim and the flaming tower.
(27) Worldly Gladness, a bird-man, flying to the Pilgrim.
(28) The worldly joys of love and gambling.
(29) Worldly Gladness casts the Pilgrim into the sea.
(30) The Pilgrim lamenting on his island.
(31) The ship of Religion comes to the Pilgrim.
(32) Grace Dieu descends from the ship to meet the Pilgrim.
Introduction. The MSS. Ixix*
(33) Grace Dieu descends from the ship to meet the Pilgrim.
(34) Grace Dieu shows the Pilgrim the bath of Kepentance.
(35) The Pilgrim in the bath of Repentance.
(36) Grace Dieu shows the Pilgrim four monasteries.
3:
,39)
(40) Hagiography shows her books to the Pilgrim.
37) The Pilgrim before the porter of the monastery of Citeaux.
(38) The refectory at Citeaux.
(39) The Pilgrim meets Lady Lesson in the monastery.
(41) Hagiography shows her mirrors to the Pilgrim.
(42) A king being deceived by flatterers.
(43) The Pilgrim looking in the mirror of Conscience.
(44) The Pilgrim with Obedience and Abstinence.
(45) The dead serving the living at table in the monastery.
(46) Chastity making beds. Wilful Poverty singing.
(47) Wilful Poverty speaking to the Pilgrim.
(48) Wilful Poverty shows Impatient Poverty to the Pilgrim.
(49) The Pilgrim and Dame Chastity with her mailed hands.
(50) The Pilgrim and Prayer.
(51) The Pilgrim, Prayer and two skeletons.
(52) The Pilgrim finds the handmaid Latria, blowing a horn.
(53) Abusion with her mason's rule and spoon. (This illustration is not
correctly placed in the MS.)
Stowe 952. Brit. Mus. Paper. Quarto.
This MS. belonged to John Stowe, the Elizabethan tailor and collector
of MSS. and antiquities, and consists of 379 folios in which are contained
the whole of Lydgate's poem. The passage from 1. 16081 to 1. 17062,
including the prayer of St. Bernard, is found only in this MS. as is also the
case with 11. 17901-18312. Up to fol. 304 the Stowe MS. is written in a
late fifteenth-century hand, but the remainder of the poem, beginning at
1. 17198, " She held also a gret ballaunce," has been copied by Stowe
himself from another MS.
At fol. 3 occurs the following note in Stowe's writing : " pilgrimage
de monde, y" pilgrimage of ye world, translated out of Frenche into
Englyshe by John Lydgate, monke of bery at ye coniandement of y« earle
of Salisbery."
Following this is a note in another hand : "Thomas Montacute, E. of
Sa : in the tyme of H. 6. He was slayne at the siege of Orleans by a
bullet of stone, shot from the enemye's fort as he was looking out at a
windowe from a high Tower that overlookd the cittye. He dyed 3 dayes
after his wounding, being the 3 of Noveinb. 1428 7 H. 6. His bodye was
brought into England & buryed in the Abbey of Bristleham or Brickham
in Berkshire."
On p. 1 is the name W. Browne, which may possibly indicate that the
MS. was originally the property of the author of Britannia's Pastorals.
The hand in which the first two-thirds of the MS. are written is much
Jess compact and neat than that of either Vitell. c. XIII or Tib. A. VII,
as the scribe has made much use of flourished capitals and long tails to his
letters. It is, however, legible for this style of writing.
lxx»
GUILLAUME DE GUILEVILLE.
OF the author of the Pe'lerinage de la Vie Humaine practically nothing is
known besides what can bo gathered from the poem. From this we learn
that Deguileville was a monk of the Abbey of Chalis, in Valois, near Senlis,
founded by St. Louis, and that he wrote there in the years 1330-31 a poem
recording a vision which he had had.
" Pourtant le dye car une foiz
L'an mil trois ces dix & trois foiz
Ung songe vy bien merueilleux
Lequel ainsi com sommeilleux
J'escriptz a mon reueillement." (Ver. fol. i. back.)
In the commission of Reason against Rude Entendement the date 1331
is mentioned.
This first recension of the poem was stolen from him before he
had been able to put it into final shape, and after the MS. was stolen it
was copied, and copies of the unauthorised version were dispersed through-
out France. Displeased at this, Deguileville undertook the immense task
of rewriting the poem and issuing the new version to all those places in
which copies of the first recension were to be found. This second version
was not made until twenty-five or twenty-six years after the first, as we
learn from the envoy to his dream :
" Et si soyes loyal messaige
De trestout mon pelerinaige
Disant a tous comment mauint
Passe a des ans vingt cinq
Du monastere de chaliz
Qui fut funde par sainct loys." (fol. ii.)
In Lydgate's version (1. 304) "syx and twenty yer" is the time men-
tioned.
Besides the Pilgrimage of the Life of Man, De Guileville wrote also
the Pelerinagc de I'Ame, containing an account of the judgment of the
soul, and its passage through Purgatory, and the Pflerinage de Jesus crist.
We learn from the first recension of the first pilgrimage that De Guile-
ville was thirty-six years of age at the time that it was written.1 He must
therefore have been born about 1294 or 1295. The date of his death is not
known, but in the prologue to the PeT,erinage de Jesus crist there is a men-
tion of the date " Lan mil trois cens cinquante huit," which proves that he
must at least have passed the age of sixty-four.
The name of the poet's father was Thomas de guillevyle.
1 "Thou hast nourished him (the body) .... A gret while it is that thou
bigunne and neuere sithe stindedest Thouh j seide 36" winter j failede j trowe
but litel." (Camb.)
Guillaume de Guileville.
" God is thy ffader tak bed her to
And thow art hys sone also
ifor of Thomas de guillevyle
Thow art not sone on that party."
(MS. Cott. Vitell. C XIII, fol. 147.)
He was called William after his godfather :
" Guyllyam ffor-sothly he hyhte
Hys surname I nat ne knew." (Lydgate, 1. 1308-9.)
and he had as his patron saint St. William of Chalis, "the abbot of
Chalyt, thy good patroun aeint William."
De Visch speaks of him as a Parisien by birth and as monk and prior
of Chalis. Jean Galoppes, the author of the prose version of the Pilgrim-
age, also speaks of him as " Guillaume prieur de 1'abbaye de Chaaliz."
De Guileville remained in the abbey of Chalis for thirty-nine years :
" for taccounte the terme entier
the space of XXXIX yere
I was bound of volunte." (1. 23029-31.)
From these dates we may gather that he was born in 1294, entered the
monastery at the age of twenty-two in 1316, wrote the first version of
his poem at the age of thirty-six in 1330, and the second version in 1355,
after he had been thirty-nine years a monk.
Meyer says " 1'auteur tirait son surnom de Digulleville, commune de
1'arrondissement de Cherbourg, canton de Beaumont-Hague." The only
other fact of Deguileville's life that seems clear is that he was acquainted
with Jean de Meun (b. 1250, d. 1322 c.), the author of the second part of
the Romance of the Rose :
" I knowe that man fful wel
With every maner cycumstaunce,
Wych that made that Romaunce."
(Lydgate, p. 358-9, 11. 13214-16.)
Ixxiii*
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAOE3
Lydgate's Prologue, stating that he began to translate De Guile-
ville's work in 1426, at the command of Lord Salisbury ... 1-5
The Prologue of the Author, who complains that his book was
taken from him before it was corrected 6-9
How the Author sees in a mirror a vision of the Holy City of the
celestial Jerusalem, and those who enter therein, and the
manner of their entering, by which he is moved to go on
pilgrimage 9-18
How the Author, in seeking for the Pilgrim's scrip and bordoun
(staff), finds Grace Dieu, who teaches him how he should
govern himself, and promises to help him ... 18-22
How Grace Dieu leads the Author, who wishes to be a Pilgrim,
into her house 23
The Pilgrim comes to the river of baptism, and Grace Dieu
explains to him the doctrine of Original Sin and the necessity
of being baptized 23-34
The Pilgrim is washed in baptism by Grace Dieu, assisted by an
Advocate and an Official 35-36
The Pilgrim sees in the house of Grace Dieu a vicar (Moses)
who confirms him ... ... ... ... ... ... 37-38
The ointments for the use of Pilgrims 38-39
Reason declares to the Vicar and the Official what is the use of the
ointments ... 39-42
The reason why Moses is horned, and how he should treat sinners 42-51
Two Pilgrims, a man and a woman, join together in the house of
Grace Dieu to make their pilgrimage 51-53
How the Pilgrim sees that several are made by Moses officers of
his house ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 53
Reason tells the officers how they should conduct themselves ... 54-58
Moses appoints minor officers 58-60
Moses gives sword, keys, and Grace Dieu to the officers 61
Grace Dieu explains to the Pilgrim that she is the common help
of all Pilgrims 62-63
Reason declares to the officers why the sword and keys are given
to them 64-75
The Pilgrim asks Moses to give him the sword and the keys, but
only receives partial power over them. The reason 75-86
The Pilgrim sees that Moses, by the aid of Grace Dieu, transforms
the bread and wine of his dinner into flesh and blood, giving
power to his officials to do likewise 86-88
Ixxiv* Table of Contents.
PAOE3
The Pilgrim hears Nature revile Grace Dieu, because she inter-
feres with her ordinances by changing bread and wine
into flesh and blood 89-96
Grace Dieu explains that Nature is subject to her will ... 97—105
The Pilgrim sees Penance with her broom Confession, her
hammer Contention, and her rod Satisfaction, with which
she reforms men ,. ... 106-122
Charity explains lier office to the Pilgrim, and reads the Testa-
ment of Jesus Christ 122-133
The Pilgrims receive the Sacrament 134-136
Grace Dieu teaches the Pilgrim concerning the change of bread
and wine into flesh and blood, and explains how Charity
and Sapience made the bread 136-145
Aristotle, sent by Nature, argues with Sapience because one part
of the loaf of the Eucharist has the virtue of the whole ... 145-147
Sapience tells Aristotle that she did not teach him all her arts,
and confutes his arguments ... 147-162
Grace Dieu instructs the Pilgrim concerning his five senses.
She then shows him the scrip and the bordoun, declaring
what the scrip signifies ... 162-184
Grace Dieu gives the Pilgrim a Latin writing, which contains
the Credo at length 184-190
How Grace Dieu teaches the Pilgrim what the bordoun and its
pommels mean 190-194
Grace Dieu gives the Pilgrim two Latin poems on GOD in
Trinity and the Virgin Mary 194-201
Grace Dieu gives scrip and bordoun to the pilgrim 201
Grace Dieu wishes to arm the Pilgrim, and shows him her
armour 202-228
The Pilgrim arms himself with the armour of Grace Dieu, but
cannot endure nor wear it 228-232
Grace Dieu gives to the Pilgrim the five stones with which
David slew Goliath, and suffers his arms to be carried by
his chamberer, who is the memory of past times 233-244
Grace Dieu blames the Pilgrim for refusing to wear armour.
She tells him his body is a foe, to be subdued, and explains
the difference between body and soul 245-282
Grace Dieu withdraws from the Pilgrim's sight, and he finds in
his path Rude Entendement, who hinders him 282-285
Reason displays her commission from Grace Dieu, and delivers
the Pilgrim from Rude Entendement 285-301
The Pilgrim finds in his path Youth, who is feathered about the
feet and is playing with a ball. She goes with him ... 302-307
The Pilgrim finds at a parting of the ways Labour and Idle-
ness, and asks the way 307-308
Labour advises him to take the right-hand path, and discourses
about social differences 309-315
Idleness tells him to take the left-hand path ... 315-320
Table of Contents. Ixxv*
PAOBS
The Pilgrim speaks to Moral Vertue, who tells him to take the .
right-hand path, and to beware of turning aside 320-326
The Pilgrim finds in his path a spirit, who is speaking to his
crucified body 326-331
Grace Dieu explains how the body hinders the soul, and points
the Pilgrim to the Cross of Christ for help 332-344
The Pilgrim is led by Youth into the wrong path 344-346
The Pilgrim is assailed on his way by Gluttony. The con-
versation which he has with her 346-355
The Pilgrim is assailed by Venus, who describes her doings ... 355-365
Gluttony and Venus bind and ill-treat the Pilgrim and another 366-370
How the Pilgrim is caught and bound by Sloth, and of the con-
versation that they hold together 371-378
The Pilgrim meets Pride riding on an ugly old woman. She
describes her lineage, character and instruments 378-394
Pride's servant Flattery 395-398
The Pilgrim meets Envy and her two daughters. The lineage
and characteristics of Envy, and her conversation ... 398-403
Envy's daughter Treason 403-410
Envy's daughter Detraction 410-417
The Pilgrim fights with Envy and her daughters 417-418
The Pilgrim is assailed by Wrath, and defends himself with his
sword 418-425
Tribulation and her two Commissions from Adonay and Satan.
She casts the Pilgrim to the ground and beats him at her
will. They converse together 425-436
The Pilgrim in his great trouble makes his prayer to our Lady,
according to the counsel of St. Bernard, and Tribulation
leaves him 437-458
The Pilgrim finds Avarice, who has six hands and a hump and
an idol on her head, and asks her the meaning of these
things 459-462
Avarice shows the Pilgrim how she is the ruin of churches and
kings 463-467
The meaning of the six hands and of the deformity of Avarice 468-490
Of Avarice's idol 491-492
How the Pilgrim escapes from Avarice and finds a Messenger
who wishes to lead him to the pavilion of his mistress
Necromancy, and of the conversation they hold together
about invocations ... 493-505
The Pilgrim meets Heresy, who wishes him to re-model his
scrip 505-507
The Pilgrim finds Satan in the form of a Hunter, who is spread-
ing nets and lines upon the flea and the land. Their
conversation concerning the sea and the people swimming
in it ... 507-517
Ixxvi* Table of Contents.
PAQE9
The Pilgrim, trusting in his staff, begins to swim in the sea, but
is cast up on Fortune's wheel ... 518-525'
The Pilgrim, being in great peril in the sea, makes a prayer to
the Virgin Mary, the stanzas of which commence accord-
ing to the letters of the alphabet 525-533
The Pilgrim finds on an island Astronomy and Astrology, who
argue with him about the influence of the stars 534-550
The four disciples of Astrology, especially Geomancy 551-554
The Pilgrim re-enters the sea and swims to another island,
where he finds Idolatry and sees a churl worshipping an
image ... ... 555-561
The Pilgrim, being on an island, is seized by Sorcery or Bithal-
assus, who tells fortunes by the hand and face ... ... 561-568
The Pilgrim, being on a rock, is assailed by the Enchantress
Conspiracy and her dogs ... 569-572
The Pilgrim sees in a trance a revolving tower, in which is
Syren, or worldly gladness, who tells him the meaning of
the tower, and casts him into the sea, whence he escapes by
the aid of Youth 573-577
Grace Dieu brings a ship to the Pilgrim, who is lamenting his
fate on a desert island 578-581
Grace Dieu causes the Pilgrim to wash in the cistern of the tears
of repentance 582-587
Grace Dieu causes the Pilgrim to enter the ship, in which are
several castles 588-590
The Pilgrim chooses, in the ship of Grace Dieu, the castle of
Citeaux, and comes before the Porter, Dread of GOD, in
order to enter it 590-592
The Pilgrim finds in the cloister of Citeaux Lesson and Hagio-
graphy 593-G02
The Pilgrim meets Obedience with her File Discipline, and
Abstinence, with her Gorger Sobriety 603-604
In the house of Citeaux the Pilgrim sees Chastity, Poverty, and
Impatient Poverty, and converses with them 605-608
The Pilgrim finds in the Monastery Prayer, with her box and
targe, acting as messenger to Heaven 609-612
The handmaid Latria, who keeps the Castle 612-613
Obedience binds the feet and hands of the Pilgrim 614-615
Detraction, Treason, and Envy break into the Castle, and
wickedly torment and beat the Pilgrim 615-618
The Pilgrim complains of the evil done to him by Detraction,
Treason, and Envy, but refuses to curse them as Ovid bids
him 619-621
An Acrostic on the name of Guillaume de Deguileville ... 621-623
The King orders the arrest of the Pilgrim's foes 624-626
The Pilgrim visits religious orders. Grace Dieu shows him an
ill-conditioned Convent with Abusion at its head, and tells
him what shall be the fate of such houses ... , 626-640
Talk of Contents. Ixxvii*
Purveyance shows the Pilgrim where she puts the goods of her
Abbey, and how they are wasted 640-643
The Pilgrim meets Apostasy ... 643-646
Old Age and Sickness warn the Pilgrim of the approach of
Death 646-651
Mercy comforts the Pilgrim, being sick 652-658
The Messengers, Prayer and Alms. The Pilgrim chooses Prayer
as his messenger to Paradise 658-661
Death assails the Pilgrim, and causes him to render up his
spirit 662-665
FOREWORDS.
As DeGuileville's Pelirinage — or some abstract or report of it —
was supposed to have been the original of Bunyau's Pilgrim' i Pro-
gress,1 or to have suggested the subject to him, I got one of our
copiers, the late William Wood — afterwards a Reader at our printers',
Austins of Hertford — to copy Lydgate's verse englishing, some 20
years ago, from the only two imperfect MSS. of it then in the
British Museum, Vitellius C 13 and Tiberius A 7. Mr. J. Meadows
Cowper kindly wrote sidenotes to most of the copy. About six years
ago, Mr. G. N. Currie, M.A. Lond., a school-master, undertook to edit
it, and sent it to Clays as fit for press. On his sad death two years
back, I, as the Society's man-of-all-work, had to take it up, and, after
trying in vain to fill up the burnt parts of the Vitellius MS. in the
first four sheets of proof, I luckily came on the Stowe MS. 952 of the
poem, with a capital text, which had escaped the notice of our great
teacher in MS. Romances, Henry Ward, thro" not having been fully
described in the Stowe catalog of Lord Ashburnham. This MS. has
only about two-thirds of Lydgate's englishing ; but that worthy old
tailor John Stowe, — whom all MS. folk honour, — hating a vacuum,
as Nature does, copied into his MS.2 the missing part, from another
MS.; and tho' he modernised the spelling somewhat, and cutoff a lot
of final ees, his text has enabled me to fill up the gaps left by the two
1 See Miss Isabella K. Gust's two books : 1. The ancient Poem of Gnillaume
de Guileville, entitled Le Pderiiiage de Vtlommc, compared with the Pilgrim's
Progress of John Banyan, London 1858 ; 2. A Modern prose Translation (that
is, Abstract) of. . The Pylgrymage of Mem, London 1859, &c.
* This MS., Stowe 952, is no doubt the one that Thos. Speght alluded to in
his List of Lydgate's works at the end of his Siege of Thtbcs, Fol. 394, in Chau-
cer's Workes, 1598, ed. Speght. In his 'Catalogue of translations and Poeticall
deuises, in Knglish mitre or verse, done by lohn Lidgate, Monke of Bury,
whereof some are extant in Print, the residue in the custodie of him [John
Stowe] that first caused this Siege of Thebes to be added to those works of G.
Chaucer' [1551], the 3rd entry is ' Pilgrimage of the world, by commandement
of the Earle of Salisbury, 1426.'
vi Forewords. Lydgate and Bunyan.
Cotton MSS., and thus secure the Society the complete poem. As his
master Chaucer had englisht DeGuileville's ABC poem to the Virgin,
Lydgate left a space for it to be copied in ; * and this will bo fild
below by the best of the versions I printed for the Chaucer Society,
in my Parallel-Text Minor Poems.
Seeing that the main interest of Lydgate's poem — supposing his
verse to deserve that name — is its supposed relation to Bunyan's
world-known work, I suppose our members will read enough of it to
settle, each in his own mind, whether this Pilgrimage had anything
to do with the Pilgrim's Progress. I don't think it had ; for De-
Guileville's main object was to expound and enforce the chief articles
of Romanist doctrine by any arguments, however absurd, as where
the Pilgrim has to get his eyes taken out and put in his ears (p. 164),
so that his hearing may make him believe that bread and wine are
turnd into Christ's body and blood, though his sight tells him the
substances are unchanged.
The only pretty page in the volume is that on the renewing of
Nature by Spring, p. 92. Of the literary quality of the rest of the
verse, the less that's said, the better ; but of course the text is of
worth for its words, metre, and grammar, and its gauge of religious
folks' minds in the 14th and 15th centuries.2 Lydgate (at the bidding
of the 7th Lord Salisbury3) englisht the second and expanded version
of DeGuileville's poem, made A.D. 1335, the first having been written
in 1330-1. There is no copy of this second version in the British
Museum, MS. or printed ; but Mr. Alfred Huth has kindly let me
make extracts from his copy of the old print, to show how Lydgate
treated his original. In the following sample he englishes 148 lines
of French in 254 of English, which include his definitions of the
three words Original, Posterity, Transgression. For another sample,
see p. 201-4, after the third Latin poem.
1 The prose englisher lifts Chaucer's poem into his text as if it were his owu :
p. 165-70, Roxb. Club ed. of DeGuileville's first version.
1 Compare the present fuss about ritualism, incense, &c.
3 See Cokayne's grand Peerage, vii. 36. Lord S. got his death-wound at the
Siege of Orleans in 1428. His second wife was Alice, daughter and heir of
Thomas Chaucer of Ewelme, widow of Sir Jn. Philip. Her third husband was
William de la Pole, first Duke of Suffolk. She would no doubt appreciate Lyd-
gate's praise of her husband's relative, not father, Geoffrey Chaucer.
Forewords. Extract from IkGuileville's French. vii
1
(For comparison with p. 26 — 32, I. 067—1220
Lydyate.)
Bien vucil, dis ie, quainsi soit fait.
[Fo. iiij]
Mais ce seroit raison et droit
Que ie sceusse pgurquoy baigner
4 Me fault ycy, et quel mestier
En est / quant assoz laue suy
Et point ne suis ort ne honny,
Ceste eau est froide / et ie suis net ;
8 Et aduis most, se ie my meet,
Quen tres grant peril ie foray ;
Et plus net, estre nen pourray.
IT Or escoute, dist elle lors ;
1 2 Sassez net tu es par dehors,
Si ne les tu mye par dedens,
Pour la cause de tes parens,
Qui, de loriginal peche,
16 Tout enlaidy et entache ;
Duquel estre tu ne pourroies
Bien laue, se ycy ne lestoies.
Encores que ce ie taidasse,
20 Et que Ie bain sainctifiasse,
Se ia nestoit sainctifiez,
Par ainsi suffiroit assez
Pour toi bion lauer par dedens,
24 Selon lequel signiiiemens
Test donne leaue par dehors.
U Chiere dame, respondy lors,
Or est ma doubte moult plus grant
28 Quelle nestoit par cy deuant.
Exposez moy ce quauez dit,
On mal en feroye mon profit.
1T Quant dieu, dist elle, adam, ton pere,
32 Eut cree / et cue, ta mere,
II leur fist si grant courtoisie,
Et leur donna tele franchise,
Quilz pouoient viure sans languir,
36 Sane necessite de mourir ;
Et tel grace leur octroya,
968
969
970-1
972
973
976
977
978
979-80
981
982
983
987
986
985-989
990
991-2
993-4
995-6
997
998, 1001
999
1003
1004-5
1006-7
1008-9
1010
1011-12
1012-14
1015-17
1018
1019-21
1022-3
1023
Le peteriii •
grace di«u
Le pelerin
grace dieu
viii Forewords. Extract from DeGuileville's French.
[Grace Dieu.]
Que rectitude leur donna,
Et droiz les fist en liberte, 1024
40 Et franchise de volente 1025
Pour bieu garder en eulx druicture 1026-7
Selon iustice par mesure, 1028
En tel maniere que le corps . 1029
44 Obeissoit a son ame lors ; 1030
Et si rendoient subiection 1031
Les forces basses a raison, 1032-3
Ce quest bas / a ce que dessus, 1034
48 Les moins dignes / aux digues plus. 1 035-7
Et tello ordonnance pouoit 1041-2
Estre bien dicte, qui vouldroit 1043-5
Vue iustice origineJ, 1040
52 Qua tes parens, dieu, pour cliatel 1047-9
Et heritaige auoit donne 1049
Pour cculx de leur posterite 1050
Herediter / a tousiours niais, 1051-5
56 So point ne se fussent meffaiz. 1055-6
Muis saiches que moult se meffirent ;
Car, a leur dieu ilz desobeirent, 1057
Et perdireut lauctorite 1058-60
60 De quoy dessus ie tay parle ; 1061
Cest, que motirir les conuiendroit, 1062
Et que plus a-eulx ne seroit 1063
Lobedience de deuant ; 1064
64 Car cil qui nobeist au plus grant 1065
Qui le seme, trouuer ne doit, 1066
Ne qua luy obeisse par droit. 1067-70
Adam a dieu a desobey : 1071-2
68 Bien fut dont raison que celuy 107-3
Quil auoit en subiection, 1074-7
Aussi lui fist rebellion. 1078
IE te diray comment en va : 1079-84
Se vng bon fort chastel donne a 1088
Le roy / a vng sien cheualier, 1085
Pource quil ame, et quil la cher, 1086
Afin que sil est bien feal, • 1087
76 Bien obeissant et bien loyal,
Qua luy et ses hoirs tousiours soil ; .. 1088-97
72
O1
Forewords. Extract from DeGuileville's French. ix
Mais sainsi est qua feal ne soit, 1098 {.grace
Et le chastel ainsi perdu 1100-1
80 II ait / ou len luy ait tolu. 1101
Ce nest pas raison / en verite, 1102
Que ses hoirs en soieiit herite ; 1103
Car combien quauant leur feust deu,
84 Us lont par leux pere perdu. 1105
IT Aux premiers parens dieu donna [1106-7]
Justice original, dont ia * 1 108
Tay parle, par condition 1116
88 Que sa luy nul rebellion 1115
Ilz ne faisoient / il octroyoit
Quelle fust a trestous par droit
Ceulx qui de leur posterite 2 1117
92 Servient desormais engendre,
Or est que, quant ilz desobeirent 1121-5
Icelle instice perdirent. 1122, 1126
Aux hoirs ne la peurent donner,
96 Et ilz nen peurent heriter. 1127
Mais ne fust la transgression 3 1129
A eulx eust este par raison. 1134-5
Done, se tu as eutendement, 1136-7
100 Veoir tu peulx bien apertement, 1138
Que eel original peche 1139-42
De quoy ie te voz entache, 1143
Que cest carence de iustice 1144
104 Original / en celluy qui / ce 1145
Deusist auoir en verite 1146-7
Par cause de posterite. 1148
1T Dame, dis ie moult esbahis, 1149-50 tepeierin
108 Me faictes, de voz diuers dis, 1151
Qui ne sentre-suiuent de rien ; 1152
Et croy que vous le sauez bien.
Vous dictes quil me fault lauer, 1153-4
112 Pour ma laidure hors iecter; 1155
Et vous nommez tele laidure, 1156-7
'Tache originale, et ordure'; 1158
1 Lytlgate's definition of Original takes up lines 1109-13.
* Lydgate's definition of Posterity takes up lines 1119-21.
* Lydgate's definition of Transgression takes up lines 1130-3.
* *
Forewords. Extract from DeGidleville's French.
[t« peierin.'] Laquelle nest fors que carence 1159-60
116 De ceste Justice, et absence. 1160-1
Or me semble que lauement 1162-3
Nest besoing a defaillement. 1164
Ains vauldroit il mieux par raison 1165
120 Aucune restitution. 1166
grace dieu IT Certes, dist elle, il est tout voir, 1167-8
Qui beaulte na / que doit auoir, 1169-70
Nest pas sans vilte et ordure, 1171
124 Voire et si peult estre dordure 1172
Souuentesfoys commencement, 1173
Et grant cause et nourricement : 1174
Com, saucun / point de uez nauoit, 1175-6
J28 Lequel par raison auoir doit, 1177
A luy ce seroit grant laidure, 1 1 78-9
Et me pourroit estre / quordure 1180-1
Aucune / apres ne sensuiuit, 1182-4
132 Dont, saiches par ce que iay dit, 1185
Se nas Justice originel 1186
Quauoir deusses / par laquel bel 1187-8
Feusses / que nes pas sans laidure ; 1189-90
136 Et mesmement quant en ordure 1192
De charnelle concupiscence 1193
Tousiours enchez / sans resistance 1 202
Faire, tele comme tu deusses, 1 203
140 Se la grant beaulte tu eusses 1204-10
Que te perdirent pere et mere, 1208-9
Quapres eulx tout chascun compere. 1211-12
Le peierin 5T Or dictes (dis ie) ie vous pry, 1213-14
.: 144 Sen se lauement, restably 1215
[Fo. v] Et restitue point seroy 1216
De la iustice quauoir doy ; 1217
Et se lorde concupiscence 1219
148 Adnullee me sera par ce. . . . 1220
Note, ifartews, p. 234, 1. 8433.
Et cincq pierres i met petites
Du rivage de mer eslites,
Dont puceles as martiaus geuent,
Quant heles et rondes les treuent.
Roman de la Rase 21767—70. iv. 320, Bibl. Etzev.
Jouer aux marteaux, signitiat lancer des petits cailloux ronds en 1'air pour
les recevoir dans 1'ujie et i'autre main ,en les faisant cliotyuer. C'est un jeu
analogue a notre jeu. d'oss. lets : ib. — v. 216-7.
Osselets. The game tearmed Cockall or Hucklebones. 1611 Cotgi-ave.
Foreivords. Amalgamated ' to.' A syllable as a foot, xi
The two points that strike me most on reading Lydgate's poem,
are, 1. the large number of times in which he has ran the preposition
to into the next vowel-beginning word, like tave, to have ; tal, to all ;
tcdyved, to have lived ; and 2. the many instances in which a single
unemphatic syllable does duty for the first measure of a line, and
rarely that of a half-line after the pause.
As examples of (1), take
Telpe the in thy pylgrymage 22/815
Tescape the wawe of euery streem 25/951
Talyved1 euere, thys no lesynge 27/1019
Neuer tave had necessyte 27/1022
Lyk tamyghty champyoun 47/ry66
In ta pulpet that ther stood 64/2385
Tal2 pylgrymes in ther myscheff 193/7150
The tuforee in thy dyffence 217/7769
Tarme* a man in chastyte 217/7778
As restoring the to sometimes mends the metre, the reader may
perhaps put the amalgamation down to Lydgate's scribe. I don't.
As examples of (2), take
Of / the gate / was cheff / porter 10/357
As / yt hadde / only / by grace 23/866
As / a plae/e most / royal 28/871
And / to hyr / thus I / abrayde 23/878
And / to put / the out / of doutc 20/947
Of / ther synne / oryg/ynal 88/1255
And / tavoyd/en fro / thys place 47/1757
Of / ryht, as / he ouht/e do 81/3052
Of / thylke / muta/cioun 94/3542
A/batyd / & set / a-syde 102/3847
And / yt wer / abus/youn 102/3852
Lych / as wry/teth Y/saye 102/3853
And / with hum/ble cher / & face 104/3947
Of / the wycli / as thouh/te me 105/3987
The / releff / wher as / he stood 184/5115
To / be gyrt / for syk/ernesse 201/7205
1 Cp. I myghte beter a mendyt yt 7/253 [a = have]
2 To all. Tyl St. Cp. To al pylgrymes in ther way 21/789
3 To arme St.
xii Forewords. One Syllable as a Measure. Filial ' e.'
After the pause I have carelessly noted only
Therof / holy / the / inanere 9/321
Thys horn/yd best / and / tenchaae 47/1758
Lyst / the wyn / wer / to strong 59/2229
In the second line, the restoration of to would make it normal.
But the student will find plenty of irregularities, as he reads. In
55/2047, ' That / ye be / thys / no fable,' thys is emphatic.
In marking the e for the scansion I have occasionally made mis-
takes, as on p. 138-9, where 'Esau' should have been treated as a
3-syllabled word, since it rymes with 'vertu,' 1. 5299, 5310. Line
5280 I should now scan ' Clad / in E / sa-w/ys wede,' 1. 5297 as
' E/sa-u / to sette / abak,' and 1. 5300 as ' Took / lacob / for E/sa-u.'
'Swych / ten / in quantyte,' 136/5205, may want mending to
' Swyehe.' I haven't markt all the ee's that need sounding.
xni
AFTERWORDS.
BY F. J. FUENIVALL.
"LADIES first" is a good rule, so my Forewords of 1899 to
Part I, together with these Afterwords, had better follow Miss
Locock's Introduction, etc.
Two mistakes on p. vi have to be corrected.
1. It is only in MSS. of the 2nd version of De Guileville that the
British Museum is deficient : of prints it has both Petit's (? 1500)
and Verard's (1511) of the 3 pilgrimages, man, the soul, and Jesus
Christ. 2. For 'husband's' in the last line of note 3, read 'father's.'
No conclusive evidence has yet been produced that Thomas Chaucer
was Geoffrey's son.
To the top list on p. xi of to run into its next vowel-beginning
word, add —
tadwellyd, 260/9422, to have dwelt.
tassaye, 262/9502, to assay, try.
tassaylle, 276/10,059, to assail.
Compare (make) maryue, 270/9802, me arrive.
With regard to the supposed omission in the prose tract on the
Virgin as the Consolation of Afflicted Hearts, p. 447, the original
Latin in Verard's edition of ' Le pelerinage de Ihomme,' Fueillet,
Ixv, col. 1 at foot, shows that nothing is left out. Lydgate's words at
the foot of p. 446 and on p. 447, english and paraphrase this Latin :
" Et ideo tibi possum dicere illud Hieremie xiiii1 : ' Spes mea tu /
in die afflictionis.' Et hec est prima cowsolatio rnea, que est mentis
spes oppresse percipio ad oculurn. Tu secunda consolatio mea est,
quia cum desinat [col. 2] mundus esse, non desinis in seculum, Tu
ee. Si visione stelle maris oculum mundi claudente nocturno super-
cilio gaudewt nauigantes in mari / non solum quia micajis et rutillans
apparet, sed etiam quia semper fixa existens, erra?«tes ipsos diriget, &
nurcquam tercdit ad occasum ; multomagis ego, in mari hoc magno et
spacioso2 positus, in mari utiq«e vbi sunt reptilia quorum no» est
1 That is, xvii. 17: 'Non pis tu mihi formidini, spes mea tu in die
afflictionis.' 2 spaciosa, Verard.
xiv
Afterwords. Lydgate's Poetic Worth.
numerus in mari, vbi circumquaqwe vndis tribulationum impetu et
perflatu spiritus procellarum concutitur cordis mei / gaudete & con-
solari debeo, turn cognosco et seio te esse signum directum veniendi
ad salutis portum, dum percipio te verissimam stellam maris. Stel-
lam, inquam, a stando dictam. . . ."
Forl. 16945, etc., the poem on pages 454-5, Verard's edition,
Fueillet, Ixvi back, col. 1, has :
"Ergo beata miseros, quorum te clausa beauit, Ecce quomodo te
iura te vendicare possum, esse refugium meum, Hieremie .xvi. [19]
' fortitude mea1 et robur meum [et refugium meum] in die tribula-
tionis.' Et in hoc consistit quarta cowsolatio mea, quia ius exigit, et
necesse esse michi hoc patulum Meum. Et sic te vendico esse illani
per quam credo consolari, cum dico 'Tu es refugium meum'.2
Secundo tibi fatur expresse a quo scio me fugari A tribulatione.
[16983 L.] Si dicere vellem quod voluntate spontanea ad te venis-
sem, quod deuotione non coacta ad te fugissem, vere et in me veritas
nulla esset, et oculos tue circumspectionis latere numqwam posset." . .
Supposing that the Latin tract printed by Verard was a copy of
that in the MS. which Lydgate used, he has treated it with great
freedom, adding to it in many places, and shortening it in others.
The French lines that are substituted for it in Petit's edition— which
I promist, in the note on p. 624 of the text, to print here, have already
been printed by Miss Locock on p. 684.
In mitigation of the general opinion as to the poorness of
Lydgate's verse, Prof. Churton Collins urges that credit should
be given him for some beautiful lines — one out of more than a
hundred poor stanzas — in his Testament, and in other works where
he describes the spring and outward nature. The Testament stanza
is the 118th and last :
" Tarry no longer toward thy heritage ;
Haste on thy way, & be of right good chere ;
Go each day onward on thy pilgrimage ;
Think how short time thou shalt abiden here !
Thy place is built above the starres clere,
No earthly palace wrought so stately-wise ;
Come on my friend, my brother, most entere !
For thee I gave my blood in sacrifise."
Minor Poems (1840), p. 261 (modernised & emended).
1 meo, Verard.
2 Tu es refugium meum a tribulatione. — Ps. xxxi. 7. Fortitudo mea et
refugium meum es tu. — Ps. xxx. 4. Firmamentum meum et refugium meum es
tu.— Ps. Ixx. 3.
Afterwords. Lydgate's Poetic Worth. xv
The poet Gray's praise of him should also be rememberd. See
"Some Remarks on the Poems of John Lydgate" in Gray's Works,
Aldine edition, 1858, v. 292, etc., or i. 387-409, etc., ed. Gosse,
1884:
p. 397. " To return to Lydgate. I do not pretend to set him on
a level with his master, Chaucer, but he certainly comes the nearest
to him of any contemporary writer that I am acquainted with.
His choice of expression, and the smoothness of his verse, far surpass
both Gower and Occleve " [?].
Gray then cites five stanzas on the condemnation to death of
Canace for incest with her brother Macareus, including her appeal
for their child :
But welaway ! most angelik of face,
Our childe, young in his pure innocence,
Shall, agayn right, suffer death's violence,
Tender of limbes, God wote, full guilteless,
The goodly faire, that lieth here speechless.
A mouth he has, but wordis hath he none ;
Cannot complaine, alas ! for none outrage,
Nor grutcheth not, but lies here all alone,
Still as a lambe, most meke of his visage.
What heart of stele could do to him damage,
Or suffer him dye, beholding the manere
And looke benigne of his tweine eyen clere ?
Falle of Princes, Bk. I, fol. 39.
After other remarks on Lydgate's pathos, Gray allows " that in
images of horror, and in a certain terrible greatness, our author comes
far behind Chaucer . . yet is there frequently a stiller kind of majesty
both in his thought and expression, which makes one of his principal
beauties. The following instance of it (I think) approaches even to
sublimity :
God hath a thousand handes to chastyse,
A thousand dartes of punic'ion,
A thousand bowes made in uncowthe wyse,
A thousand arblastes bent in his doungeon,
Orderid each one for castigacion ;
But where he fyndes mekenes and re"pentaunce,
Mercy is mistresse of his ordinaunce." — Ib., Bk. I, fol. 6.
One is glad to hear pleas in Lydgate's favour, and to allow that
here and there a nugget of ore is found in his acres of clay, but his
average work is decidedly below Gower's, and none of his poems of
xvi Afterwords. Lydgate's Poetic Worth.
the length, of Hoccleve's ' Mother of God ' is equal to that.1 He
cannot keep on the wing. If he does get a few lines right, now
and then, he generally spoils em by setting wrong ones near em :
The remembrance of every famous knight—
Ground considred built on righteousness, —
Raiz out each quarrel that is not built on right.
Withoute truth, what vaileth high noblesse ]
Laurear of martirs, founded on holynesse :
White was made red, their triumphs to disclose ;
The white lily was their chaste clennesse ;
Their bloody sufferance was no summer rose.
L.'s Minor Poems (1840), p. 26, modernised.
1 Prof. W. P. Ker agrees in this.
DE GUILLEYILLE'S PILGRIMAGE OF THE
LIFE OF MAN
(cnglisht by Lydgate in 1 426, from the 2nd recension of De Guille-
ville's Pelcrinage de vie humainc, A. r>. 1355, pr. about 1500).
Prolog of tfjr Translator, JoJjn ILjrtigatt.
MS. Cott. Vttel. c. xiii, leaf 2.
q Vi peregrinatis, Imuc per librum docearis1
Que bona uel dubia s[it fugieuda2] via. [2st.j
[y] e worldly folk, avyse yow be tymes [>st.] worldly folk
Wych in tliys lyfE [ue] ben [but as pylgrimee
Lyk strauNgerys [fler« fro youre Cuntre4] [*stj
6 VnfrauHchysed and [voyde off lyberte];6 pst.] 4
ffor schortly here yovre poseessyon for possession
ys yove to yow / but for a schort sesoun,
Nor the tresovre* wych that ye possode p tiSour'c8]'1
ys but thyng lent / ho so kan take hede, 8 tst.ifOMnta
tfor clerkys seyn / how [that] al7 erthly tliyngf [7^"p ?'••
Stowndeinel, and by vnwar chaujtgyng1, //Ntsciosuut
Whan folk lest wime / & noon hede ne take, <™» imim &
Her niayster oldU8 sodey«ly for-sake. [8 oide st., old c.] 12 ouiyfora
short time.
Tliyng myn to-day / a-nother hath to-morwe ;
That kani wyth loyo / departeth ay wylh sorwe ;
And thyng ywonne wyth loye9 and gladnesse, ^{yj'j''
Ay dysseti«/'eth wyth 10 wo and hevynesse. ['" wytii wit* c.j
Xo tresour here, wyth O man wyl abyde ; NO tromm
Who strongest halt / ther rathest hy t wyl slyde ; >'«« «•'"'
ifurtunc ys lady / wt't/( liyr / double face,
Of every thyng1 / that sodeynly doth pace ; 20
Hebe pryncesse ys / of al worldly glorye,
And off al loye that ys transytorye ;
Sche ys off chore11 so varyau/tt & dovble, p'ciiereRt.,
•> Che t.]
Hyr kalni ys cuere meynt wt't/t wo & trovble, 24 ever,
And hyr sugre [ys] vnder-spreynt wyth galle :
Thys hyr vsage vn-to ostatys alle,
1 docearis. Stowc MS. 952. The Cott. MS. is burnt and torn at the top all
thro ; 1st page faint. The Stowe MS. was once in the possession of old John
Stowc, the famous tailm- and book-collector. Notes in his writing are on
Ivs. 1, 3, 4, 13, besides the long bit he copied from 303 bk. to the end, 379 bk.
PILGRIMAGE. B
Celve8 men
[> faymt
iay™wha
and woe ni-
Stoc~
and her gift»
Man's life
is only a pil-
grimage,
ana every p»-
crim draws
daily noarcr
his end,
winch is
Jerusalem or
Babylon.
3G
[st.&c.]
[st.&c.]
[» it c, Aiie St.]
[5 st. i.cre, her c.]
[st.&c.]
[c. & st.] 41
Lydgatfis Prolog. Man's Life a Pilgrimage.
To schcwc fayrest whan1 sclio ys most to drede ;
Of hyli ne lowfi sche taketh noon other hedo,
ffor wych [let] no man vp-on hyr assure,
ffor sche ys lyke 2 to the chavntepluro ; [" lyke St., lyk c.]
"VVo after loye & after song wepyng1,
Thys hyr cvstom in every maner thyng.
In on estate she neuere doth contyune. [St.; c. tar»o
Thys stormy quen, wych callyd ys Fortune [St. &c.]
Hyr gyfftys alle in conclusion),3 [c. & St.]
Be not but gyffytys off confusion). . [c.tst.]
ffor worthynesse in Amies nor vyctorye [c. & st.]
Am in effoct kut tinges transytoryc
Nor hih conquest, nor domynacam,
Peplys to putte in subieccyon.
It al4 schal passe as doth a soiner flovr ;
In thys world here,5 holdyng no soiovr
No thyng ahyt, shortly for to wry to,
Good lyff exepte, and only ovr nieryte.
Trusteth6 ther-for, ye folk of euery age, [« Trasterth c.]
That yowre lyff her ys hut a pylgryniago ;
ffor lyk pylgrymes ye passe to & Ifro,
Whos loye ys euere meynt A-mong" vfitlt wo.
Al7 worldly hlysse, medlyd ys w«V( s try IV; [' AC, Aiiest.]
ffor ay the cb'urs, of thys mortal lyff,
Eucjych hovr doth to hys bouwlys dm we ;
To al pvlRrymes kvnd hath set a lawe, 52
Echo day to Eenne a party on ther way ;
Okie8 nor yong<, ther may no man sey nay, [» oidc st., oid c.]
Lyk a Eyuer sterne, and of gret myght, [»natst., o«.c.]
Ne restyth nat9 nouther [by] day nor nyght, 56
To holde hys cours as'ledcth hy«t the streem,
Eyght so, pylgrymes to-ward lerusaleem
Haste10 on her way in thys world, & echone [w Haste on si.]
To-ward that cyte, or to Babylone. [c. torn] 60
Lyk ther merytes, & lyk to ther degres,
They be Eeceyved at on of thys cytees,
Ytakyn inne,11 so as they dysserve ; t" ">ne St., in c.]
And deth, ay redy -\rilh hys dart to kerue, 64
Lyth in a-wayt, dredful off manacys,
To send palmerys to on off thys placys.
Lydgnte's Prolog. Read the 'Pilgrimage, de Monde.' 3
P ti-omlie St.,
trouth C.]
A-goyne whas1 stroke, helpeth no mcdycync, pwhoast.]
Salue, tryacle / but grace only dyvyne, 68
ffolk to conveye to thej desyred place :
And many brygauwt the weye dotli manacc,
No man ys sur hym syluew to diflend1 ;
Wherfore I rede, lat enery whyht a-mend! 72
Hy« lyff be tyme, whil he hath liberte.
And that folk may the Rylite weye so
Host assuryd to-warde2 ther passage, p wanie st., ward c.]
Lat hem be-holde[n] in the pylgrymage, 76
Which3 callyd ys pylgrymage de movnde,
In the wych fful notably ys fovude, p which St., wiidi c.]
Lemyd, and tavht, who can weH construe,
What folk schal take, & what they schal cschue. 80
In thys book, yf [that] they rede yerne,
Pylgrymes schal the verray tnmthe4 li>rne,
yiff they sette ther trewe dyllygence
To vnderstonde clerly the sentence, — 84
What hyt menyth, & the moralyte ;
Ther they may, as in a merovr, so
holsom thynges, & thynges fuH notable ;
What ys prevyd, & what tliyng ys dampnable, 88
What ys holsom, the sovle for to save,
Whan the body ys leyd in hys grave.
And to knowe5 wych be cyteseyns, p knowe St., know c.]
Trewe burgeys, & eke6 fraunkuleyns, [« eke St., et c.] 92
Wych in good lyff and vertu do excelle,
In lerusaleem perpetually to duelle,
Whan the lugge & Lord1, that lyveth evere,
In hys doom assovnder shal dysseuere 96
Hys chose shep, wasshe in the lambys blood,
AVycli for mankynde starff vpon the rood ;
And putte the kydes to dampnacz'on, [St. &c.]
wych ha noon part of Crystys passyon),
Kndlcsly there to lyve in peync,
Where Lucyffer lyth bovnden in his cheyne.
ffro the wych, God euery man defende,
And grannie'7 grace, our lyff here to mende,
To-ffor the ffyn of ovre pylgrymage.
ffor, save hys grace, wo ha noon avnwntago,
grannie St.,
graunt U.J
Cloaf 3J
Onl
can avail
against death
so every man
should amend
in time.
In the r//l-
gritmaue tie
Moumle they
may learn the
trutli;
but to learn
this, men
must be good
citizens.
At last Rome
shall go to
Jerusalem,
[leaf 8, back]
100
and some to
Lucifer,
from which
fiite Gotl <i.-
fcml every
man !
4> Lydgates Prolog. Lord Salisbury bids him english DeG.
The repent-
ant are par-
doned.
The Pyl-
firymatte de
Hounde
made in
French is a
notable book.
as Lord Salis-
bury,
who fuiiu'lit
in France,
considered
well,
and com*
inanded me
[leaf 4]
to translate it
into English.
And to please
him I will do
so as truly as
I can.
No thyng is1 cleyme as be tytlo of ryht, ['to St.]
But of mercy, wych ay lytli in hys niyght, 108
Vn-to synnerys, that ileye repentawnt,
To yive pardon) off hys benynge graunt,
[The] Wych ys to hem, vn-to ther refut,
Proteccyon) and true sauff-conduit, 112
Hem to save, that thny be nat lorn).
And thys book, the wych I spake off to-fforu),
I mcne, the book Pylgrymago de Movnde,
MoraH of vertu, of materys ful profovnde, 116
Maad & cow;pylyd in the Frenche tonge,
U'uH notable to be rad & songe.
To every pylgryme, vertuous of lyff,
The mater is / so cowtcmplatyff; 120
In aH the book, ys not lost a word*.
Thj's consydred fuH wyslj' of my lord1
Of Salysbury, the noble manly knyht,
Wych in Fravnce, for the kyngj's Ryht, 124
In the werre hath meny day contunyd ;
Whom God & grace han ful wel ffortunyd
In thenpryses wych he liatli vndertake ;
Lyff and godes, for the kyngys sake, 128
Knyhtly Inpartyd thys prince vertuous ;
Ay in the ende beyng1 victoryous,
Swych grace & Eur, God to hym hatli sent,
Wych gaff me ffyrst iu comavndcment 1 32
Thys seyde book in Englysshe for to make,
As I koudc, [al] only for hys sake.
Be-cause he wolde that men schold[e] se,
In ovre tonge, the grete moralyte 136
Wycli in thys book ys seyde & comprehendyd,
That yt no myhte (me semyth) be Amendyd ;
The auctour, wyeh that dyde hyt ffyrst co7»pyle,
So vertuously spent ther-on hys whyle. 140
And of entent to do my lord plesawnce,
In hys worschepe, for a remembravnce,
As I am bovnde for to be hys man,
I wyl translate hyt sothly as I kan, 144
After the lettre, in ordre effectuelly.
Thogh I not folwe the wordes by & by,
Lydgates Prolog. He began A.D. 1426. His verse is lad. 5
I schal not faille tcuchyng*1 the substawnce, [' touchyngc sto
Thogh on '2 makyng1 I ha no suffysawnce ; [«iust.] 148
ftor my wrytyng1, in cowclusion),
ys al yscyd vndcr correc/oii).
And of the tyme playnly, & of the date
Whan I be-gan thys book to translate, 152
yt was a thovsand (by computation))
Affter crystys incarnacz'on),
ifour hundryd oner, nouthor for nc nere,
The surples ouer, syxe & twenty yere, 156
My lord that tyme boyng1 at Parys,
Wych gaff me charge, by hys dyscretc avys,
As I seyde erst, to sette myn entent
Vp-on tlitfs book to Ije [ful] dyllygent, 160
And to be-gynne vp-on thys labour,
Alle folkys be-sechyng1 of ll'avour,
That on thys book after-ward schal rede ;
And that hyni lyst nat to taken hede 164
To the makyng1, but to the sentence ;
ffor I am bareyn of aH eloquence.
Ther-for I pray, what so that be seyde,
[Oft"3 gentylljosse not to be evel apayde,
And my rudnesse helpyn to excuse,
ffor in metre I ha ne wi't/t mo no muse :
Noon of the nyne that on Parnase duelle,
Nor she that ys [tho] lady of the welle, 172
Calliope,4 be syde cytheron, [*c. iiwwes'thatys']
Gaff to my penne, plente nor fuson
Of hyr licovr, whan thys work was [be]go»no.
Nor I drank no-wer of the sugryd tonno 176
Off lubiter, couchyd in hys celer,
So strange I fonde to me hys boteler,
Off poetys [ijcallyd Ganymede.
But to my labour now I woB me specie, 180
Prayng" ech reder me to reconforte,
Benigngly my rudenesse to supporte.
ffor wherso be my thonk, I lese or wynne,
Wyth yowre grace thus I wyH be-gynne. 184
The year in
wlitcli I bc-
giin to trans-
late this I..,, I,
was i.D. Uttt,
when my
Lord was at
Paris.
AH who read
this book are
to pay more
heed to the
meaning than
to the trana-
lationf
P St., C. burnt] [leaf 4, back]
(or no muse
favours me,
nor have I
drank out of
Jupiter's
tun.
Here enclyth the prologe off the translatour.
Here ends
the trans-
lator's pror
logue.
6 De GuillcvilMa Prolog. His Dream after A.D. 1330.
The Prolog
of the author
begins.
Men take no
lieed of
dreams until
they come
true,
[leaf 5]
and then
they arc re-
membered.
If men neg-
lect them for
lon^, they
forget them
altogether.
In the year
UlO(Fr.lSSO)
I h;ui a won-
derful dream,
which I
wrote down
at once,
188
192
196
200
Her be-gynneth the prologue of the auctour,
fful ofte hyt happeth1 in certeyn P wi«tii St.]
Off dremys, — the wych that men ha seyn
I nyhtys,— after, whan they wake,
fful lytel hede ther-of thay take,
Tyl effte agayn yt comyth to mynde,
That they the veray trouthe fynde,
Of euery thyng1 they sawe to-forn).
ffor, of reme?rtbraunce the thorn)
Pryketh here myndes -with hys poynt,
That they hyt se fro poynt to poynt,
And fynde hyt verrayly yn dede,
Thogh a-fore they took noon hede.
Be yt of Toye, be yt of sorow,
fful ofte a-pon the nexte2 morow [» nexte St., reit c.]
yt ys go clene out off her thoulit,
Ther-of they ha so lytel rouht,
Tyl after they a-vyse hem wel ;
And then thay fyndyth3 yt eueryclel, pity
Dremys that they had1 a nyhte,
By manor of a dyrked4 syhte. [• dyrk c, nork«i« St.] 204
But yiff they make longe delay,
To putto hem forth fro day to day,
Than,5 th[o]rogh foryetelnesse, p Timt St., Than c.]
Thay kan there-of no thyng1 expresse, 208
ffor aH ys out of mynde go.
And on A tyme hyt happyd so,
ffro Crystys berth a thousand1 yer,
Thre hondryd, by a-cowntys cler, 212
And over6 Ten, as I toke kepe, i' «odthrie»]
Vp-on a nyht I lay & sclepe,
Drempte, (yf ye lyst to lere,7) r7 i'«re St.]
A wonder dreme, in tyme yffere. 21 G
The wych, a-noon as I a-wook
Vp on the morow, a penue I took,
And wrote yt, ylF ye lyst to wyte,8 [8 ? wete]
That I schold hyt nat foryete ; 220
But freschly yn my myude yt kepe,
Halff wakyng1 and halff a-slepe,
De Guillevillcs Prolog. He lost his written Dream. 1
That I myht after, by leyser,
Correcte hyt when the day were cler,
By good avys, whan I took kepe,
Bet a-dawed out of my sclepe.
And thys consyderyd euery dole,
Me sempto I haddc do rylit wel,
Yiff ther hadde, as tho to me,
ff alle noon co?itraryouste ;
ffor al the wrytyng1 that I wrote
Was me be-rairte, and how I not,
Dyscured1 tliurgh tho world a brode,
As God woot wel, and thus yt stood.
Where-of I hadde as tho no shame,
ffor al I bald yfc but a game ;
ffor to that tyme fredam I hadde
To putte away, and eke to adde,
What that me lyst, lyk as I wende.
ffor ther was myche thyng1 to mende,
To ordeyne, & to correcte,
And bet in order to directe ;
ffor many a thyng1, yt ys no nay,
Mot be prouyned, & kut a- way,
And yshape of newe entaylle,
In ordre dresse hyt, & yraylle,
As doth ouery manere whyht,
That wol make a thyng1 a-ryht.
ffor he that bar my dreme a-way,
ffutt lytel thouhte (yt ys no nay)
On my profyt in any wyse ;
ffor shortly, as I kan devyse,
I myghte beter a mendyt yt,
Lyk as God hadde yeve me wyt,
Sool by my sylff, than I may now ;
But aH ys gone, I wot not how.
And eke yt ys so long1 a-go,
That thys dreem was take me fro,
I haue almost foryete yt al.
But not for-thy, yet I schal
Adde, & putte a-way also,
Where-as I se yt be to do j
[' Stove]
223: intending to
correct it
afterwards.
228
But I lost all
I wrote ;
232 how I don't
know,
[leaf 5, back]
23G
04.0
^*v
Up to that
time I could
add or
diminish,
as ' thoughfc
good, and
mend it.
244
248
But lie who
took it a\v;iy
tli<l not con-
sider me.
252
256 And now all
is gone, 1
know not
how.
260
like,
and when I
have finished,
[leaf 6]
I filial! send
it abroad.
Go forth,
then, my
dream,
8 De Guillcville's Prolog. He'll go to Jerusalem.
I schal not love in myne entcnt
To putte alway a-mendement,1 p amendemeut stj 264
As yt coinyth to my knowynge,
Day be day yt remewbrynge.
And when that yt a-mendyd ys,
And se that nothyng1 be a mys, 268
By a lace I shal yt were,
And a-bowte my nekke yt bere,
Send yt forth to cilery 2 centre, pychest.]
Wher-as to-fforn that yt hath be, 272
A-geyn my wyl & my plesavmce.
And thus3 for a Keniembrauftce, ['this St.]
Go fforth thow drcme ! I sende4 the [« sende St., «emi c.]
By aH the placys wher thow liast be; 276
I send the to thy provynours,
By aH the pathys & the tovrs,
ffor thow knowest the weyij wel,
And the passage euerydel. 280
and fail not. On my be halff [e] thow not ffaylle
To dresse yt ewyn by entaylle,
AVher tiiow wer fferst, wych doth me greve,
And took of me no maner leve. 284
ffor wycli I calle yt (thys the tfyn,)
No verray weyb off pylgrym.
By cavse, wherso, by the lak,
On ffoote, nor on hopeebak,5 p horse St., nore c.] 288
Thow shuldcst ha mad no lourne,
But thow haddest hadde leve off me.
But ffor as myche as I in dede
Thynke tlie wj't/i me to lede, 292
Whan I go, as thow schalt se,
To lerusaleem, the cyte ;
To wych weye, w»t/(-ovte° more [« ont« St., ovt c.]
I am excyted wonder sore : 296
Thys myn entent, thider to drawe,
And a-mong1 pylgrymes, thys a lawe,
That, as brother vn-to l)rother,
Etie?-ych sholde a-byden other. 300
Thys sholde be?« a trewe vsage
Off folkys" in ther pylgrymage. pstoweiisj
Whether on
foot or on
horsehack
thon shouldst
itave had
leave of me.
I intend fen
take thee to
Jerusalem
with me.
A law among
pilgrims is
that each
" shall abide
other."
[leaf 6, back]
In my Dream I saw Jerusnhm the Golden.
[> St., C. liurat]
Doo telle1 myn aventure cler,
How passyd syx and twejjty yer,
Tulle2 vn-to on and aB, [« Teiie St., Tel c.]
How that yt ys [to] me ffaH,
In the Abbey off Chalys,3
"Whylom fEouwilyd off Seyw Lowyys.
Here begynneth the pylgrym.
Tlie seyJe yer (ho lyst take kep)
I was avysed in my slep,
Excyted eke, and that a-noon,
To Jerusalem for to goon.
Gretly moved in my corage
ffor to do my pylgrymage,
And ther-to steryd inwardly.
And to tell the cause why,
Was, ffor me thoulit I hadde a sylit
\Yt't/j-Inne a mcrour large & bryht,
Off that hevenly ffayr cyte,
Wych representede vn-to me
Ther of holy the manere,
Wit/i Inne the glas ful bryht & cler.
[Re-it of page blank in MS. fur an Illumination.']
And werrayly, as4 thouhte me [« as St., as ye se c.]
yt excellyde off bewte
Al other in comparyson) ;
ffor God hym selff was the masown,
wych mad yt ffayr, at ys devys.
ffor werkman was ther noon so wys,
304
I will tell
what befell
me in tli.'
Abbe.v of
Chaalis.
308
[Camb., Rxb.,
Cap. ii]
The Pilgrim
suiil, Listen :
312
I was moved
in my dream
to go on
pilgrimage to
Jerusalem,
31G
320
yt to conceyve in hys entent ;
ffor al the weye's & paament
Wer ypavyd all off gold1.
And in the sawter yt ys told1,
How the ffyrst ffundacyon,
On hyllys off devocyon ;
The masoiwry wrought ful clone,
Off quykc stonys bryht & schcno,
Wyth a closour rovnd a-bowte
Apocaf. 21".
FundiimoHta ei«« in Montib«»
Banc-tis.
De lapiJibus viuis. 336
» Chaalit : Eoxb. ed., p. 1 ; 'Chaalic,' Add. 22,937 ;
' Harl. 4399.
wliicli I saw
repreHciitcii
in a gliisa.
[leaf 7J
324
It was very
lair,
328
mid paved all
with guld.
332
Its founda-
tions were
made of
living stones.
10 Jerusalem Gate was guarded by an Angel.
An angel
guarded it,
and only
pilgri?ns were
admitted.
It had many
mmiaiuns,
and nil kinds
of joy were
there.
LCap. ill]
[leaf 7, back]
The angel at
the gate slew
all who
would pass
in,
and tyrants
ever lay in
wait to slay
the pilgrims.
Off enmyes,1 tlier was no dowte. [' Ei.emyes St.]
ffur Awilgellsg the Wacll y-kcpto, Angcloiumcustodia.
The wycli, day nor nyht ne slepte, 340
Kepyng1 so strongly the entre,
Tliat no wyht kam in that cyte,
But pylgrymes, day nor nyht,
That thyder wentyn evene ryht.
And ther were mcny niansyovns,
Placys, and habytacyovns ;
And ther was also al gladnesse,
loye w/t/t-ovten hewynesse.
And pleynly, who that haddc grace
ffor to ontrew in that place,
ffond, onto hys plesavnce,
Off loyo al maner suffysavnce,
That eny herte2 kan devyse. [! herte 8t., hert c.:
And yet the3 entre on swych wyso [> tin St., they eg
Was strongly keptc ffor komyng' In ;
ffor the Awngcl cherubin,
OfE the gate was cheff porte'r,
llavyng1 a swerd, fflawmyng as cler
As any fpyr, eveno at the gate ;
And who that wold, erly or late,
Passen the wal, he was yslawc.
Ther no was noon other lawe,
N"c4 bet helpe, ne4 bet refut ; [« NO . . no St.]
The vengauHc ay was execut. 364
In the passage thyder-ward,
Tlu: weyii was so streiht & hard,
ffor tyravntys, wt't/t ther felonye
And wt't/t ther niortel tormeKtrye, 3C8
Devyscden on5 ther entent pinstj
fful many wonderful torment,
Lyggyng awayt fro day to day,
To sleu pylgrymes in ther way, 372
[6 lines bhi/ik in MS. for an Illumination.']
6Makyng< ful grete oecysion)
,T>6 ^l\ this' neal''y to l 5?3. is omitted in the prose Camb.
(Koxb.), or rather, is comprised in a few lines. In this second
recension, De Guilleville has here very largely altevd and ex-
panded his first.
344
In tlomo pu/ris met &c.
348
352
356
[St. & C.]
360
Many
Mlllr). ,i
Some were
skinned alive,
some hewn
asunder,
some
crucified,
some roasted
and salted,
[leaf 8]
some boiled
in oil and
lead,
Pilyrims suffcrd Martyrdom and Tvrtuns on the Road. 11
Off pylgrymes of grcte Eenovii),
Off men & wommen both yfere,
Whos martyrdom) (as ye schal here,) 37G
Was ful grevons to endure.
ffor sommo of hem (I yow ensure,)
AVern out of here Skynnes flawe ;
And somme, by ful mortal lawe, 380
Wer hew (as bokys kan Keniembre,)
Asonder, partyd euery membre,
Crucefyed, of blood al Bed ;
And many other lost hys hed. 384
Of somme, the bowelys wer out Kent,
And somme on hote colys brent,
ffretyng* salt cast in among1,
ffor to make ther peynys strong* 388
Myd the ffyry flawmys reed.
Sowme boylyd in oylle and led,
And sore bet, that yt was wonder ;
Somme, sawyd evene assonder ; 392
Somme, wttA wylde hors ydrawe,
In dyffenco of crystys lawe,
Thorgh-out the field, her & yonder,
Tyl ther loyntes wente a-sonder : 396
Nerff and bon assonder Rent,
And ther Entraylles aforn hem brent.
The ffelouns wern on hem so felle,
That yt ys pyte for to telle ; 400
And ther ys no man now a1 lyve [<onst.]
That kan the peynys halff descryve ;
Nor a sermon) ther-off make,
What2 they suffrede ffor the sake [» That st.] 404
Off Cryst Ihexu vn-to the deth,
ffor love,3 tyl they yald1 vp the breth, p love St., lave c.]
Myd ther mortal peynys smertc.
ffor ther ys noon so hard on hert, 408
So dcspytous, nor so ffclon),
That he [no] wolde ha co»wpassyon),
15en agrysed off pytee ;
And specyally ffor to so 412
That they suil'reile for no syiine,
some torn
asnniler by
wild horses ;
their sufier-
ings no ni.'in
can describe.
There is no
one who
would not
pity them,
12 The. Blessed entenl ly Wickets above the Gate.
But only off cntent to wynne
as they only The love ofE Crvst : & ffor hvs sake.
wished to
obtain the AH they lian vp-on hem take, 416
love of Christ,
Seyng1 how, ffuH long" aforn),
Cryst to suffre was yboni),
And ffurbar nat to be ded.
And sytlien he that was her hed 420
[leaf », back] Suffrede poynys, detli, & woo,
who suffered rl« . .
pain, death, Ihe nienibi'ys wolde endure also, [Unaiiest.]
And ffolwe ther hed on al1 thyng*, om»es eiiecti caput suum.
As Scyn Gregoir in hys wretyng1 oregonm. 424
Eecordeth pleynly (wlio taketh hed)
Off alle chose,2 Ciyst ys hed ; t* »iie choy» St., ai chose c.]
ffor wych, the menibrys, as was due,
Afftor ther hed lyst to sue, 428
«soor AVych by example wente a-fore,
example. m i i
To whom thentre was not fibrbore.
They who ffor SWVcll as dcyde ffor llVS loVC,
tlied for the J
Intered'by''18' By wyketys entrede in above, 432
wkkeu, Vp the gate, hih aloffte,
Thogh ther3 passage was not soffte ; [3 ther wa» MS.)
The porter lyst hem nat to lette.
And ther pencellys vp they sette4 436
On cornerys, wlier them thoulito good,
Al steyncd \riUi ther ovne blood.
And whan that I parccyved yt,
I conceyvede yn my wyt, 440
and even That who scliolde tlicr-wi't/i-Inne
these must
enter by Eutre by fforce, he most yt wynno
By manhood only, and by vertu.
ffor, by record off Sey/i ^latliew, 444
The hevene (as by hys sentence,) a-gnum ceiomm vimpmiiur.
Wonnen ys by vyolence.
Matttwand Crysostom) Eecordeth ek also,- ''JSS.ttiSSfcSftt.
chrysos^m Who lyst taken hed ther-to,— jSKXSJSSSiE1
That gret vyolence & myght Crysosto[musj.
yt ys, who that loke a-ryht,
A man be born) in erth her downe,
4 Camb. cap. iii.: "j seyh the penselles hanginge steyned red
with blood." s rapere St.
Man gains by
virtue wlmt
[leaf 9]
lie is denied
by nature,
but virtue
must he
guided by
reason.
Chenibim stood at the Gate with a Christ-blooded Sword. 13
And Itavisshe, lyk a champyon), 452
The noble hihe hevenly place,
By vertu only & by grace.
ffor vertu doth to a man assure
Tliyng denyed by nature. 456
'Thys to seyne, who lyst lere,
That vertu makyth a man conquere
The hih liorene in many wyse,
To wych kynde may not suffyse 460
To cleyme ther pocession),
But she be guyded by Eeson), '-' verba translator.
Wych to vertu ys maystresse,
To lode hyr also, and to dresse 464
In hyr pylgrymage Kyght
Above the sterrys ck-r & bryht.1
ffor other weye koude I not se,
To entre by in that cyte ; 468
ffor cherubyn, erly and late,
Ay awaytynge at the gate,
Was redy euer, and ther stood,
Whos swerd was bloudyd wt't/t the blood 472
Off Crystys holy passyon)
Whan he made our Eedempciion,
Mankynde to restore a-gayn.
The wych wey, whan I hadde seyn, • 476
I was a-stonyd in my syht.
But I was couwfortyd a-noon Ryht,
Whan I sawh the sword mad blont
Off cherubin, the wych was wont 480
To brenne as any flawmbc2 bryht. [' flawmbc st., nWnitw c.j
But now, the sharpnesse & the3 lylit pthe St., am. c.]
Was queynte, to do no more vengau?(ce,
By vertu off crystys gret suffravnce, 484
Wych schal no more for man be whet.
[4 lines Uanli in MS. fur an Illuminatiim."]
4 And ther I sawh a smal wyket [« Cap. v, 1. u>]
loynynge evene vp-on the gate ;
And ther stood on, erly & late, 488
Lenynge, as I kovdc espye,
Wych power5 hadde, & maystrye [s power St., powder c.]
One stood
there whose
sword was
red with the
blood of
Christ.
I was rom-
torted when
I saw this
sword made
bluntt
HIM! its
brightness
quenched.
[leaf Q, back]
I saw a small
wicket, at
which, olte
like St. Peter
stood,
[prose, p. S]
All who
enteretl by
this wicket
were made
naked,
14 St. Peter was at one Gate. Doctors guided Pilgrims.
ffor to opno & to shetto,
To Eeceyven and to lotto, 492
Pylgrymes that kam on ther weye ;
And in hys hond? he held a keye, — Tiw ,<w'° ol:ines "•R"1
J • ' ccloruin. Mathei.
Seyw Peter, me thouht by hys cher, —
That had off God pleyn power 496
To lete in ffolk wych he knew hable.
But ffyrst they most (thys no ffable,)
Dyspoyllen hem, & nakyd be ;
ffor noman ontrede that cyte 500
Tliat clothyd was, nor myhte papse,
Whor he mor, or wer he lasse,
Or grot compact1 in any mombre. [' compact St., compart c.]
And than A-noon I gan Remoinbro. 504
How Cryst saydc, in a certeyn pl.-ici-.,
That yt was as hard to passe
In-to the hevene A reche man, —
Lych as he reherse kan 508
. By record off hys gospel, — •
As yt was to a kamel
To passe throgh a nedlys Eye ;
Wych ys a thyng1 (ho kan espyo,) 512
As yt were an Inpossible,
And verrayly Incrorlyble.
Affter2-\vnrd (yt ys no ffayll) [' And airier St.]
Me thouhte I sawh a gret mervaylo : 516
Yp-on Tours, dyuers estatys
Off doctours and off 3 prolatys, p uir st, o». c.j
Showyng1, as by coxtenavnce,
By spechc, and by dallyavnce, 520
Techyng* pylgrymes to knowe,
That wcr yn the vale lowe,
How, \vitli travaylle & peyne,
And how also they sholde attoyne 524
To make hem wy?tges ffor to flo
Hih a-loffte to that cyte,
By wyngcs of exaumple good,
Yiff they ther lernyng1 vnderstood, 528
"VVych they tauhte hem in ther lyff
[5 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
[Cap. v]
which re-
minded me
of the camel
passing
through the
eye of 11
needle.
There were
doctors also
[leaf 10]
who showed
pilgrims how
to enter this
city.
[Cap. iv, 1.11]
532
Among the
doctors were
Augustines
536 [prose, p. 2]
540
[2 were right St.]
Farient sibi pennas &
vohibUHt in celuwj.
548
and oilier
religious
orders j
and tliey
niiiilc them-
selves wings,
Jacobins, Austins, &c. made Wings and flew into Heaven. 15
By doctryne co?;tcmplatyff,
Outward schewyng", as by chev,
Ther love was to hem ful enter,
ffovndyd vp-on charyte.
Amongys wych I dede1 so
Crete nowwbre of thys lacobiiis,
Off chanovns, & of Awstynys,
ffolkys ful diners of nianer,
Both temporal & seculer,
Off clerkj^s & relygyous,
And other ordrys vertuous.
Mondyvauwtys ful nedy,
That day & nyht wer ryth2 besy
To gedre ffetherys, bryht & shene,
And make hem wy»ges ffor to fflen.
And gan A-noon, wi't/( al ther myght,
To soren vp, & take her fflyht
Hih in-to that ffayr cyte.
And hifier vp they dyde ffle,
Bove cherubin, that Avngel cler ;
ffor they wer out of hys davnger,
By the techyng1, and the doctrine,
And by exaumples ek dyvyne,
Wych ther maystres hadde hem tauht,
Wher-by they han the hevene kauht,
And ffoufide ther-in gret avauwtage
To fforthre hew in ther pylgrymage,
And how hem sylff they sholde guyda.
And vp-on the tother3 syde, [3 that other st.]
Vnder the wal of the cyte,
I sawh, off gret auctorite,
ffolkys, wych dyde entende
To helpe her ffrendys to ascende,
By ful gret subtylyte,
To make hem entre the cyte ;
And ther-to dyde her bysy cure,
By scalys throgh the strong1 closure ;
And as me thouhte, A-mong echon),
That Seyn Benet in soth was on).
[6 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination.']
552
[leaflO, back
and soared
above the
cherubim
which kept
the gate.
556
560
On the other
side I saw
great men
helping their
friends over
the wall.
[prose, p. 3]
564
568
Among them
was St.
lionet,
[Cap. iv]
16 Benedictines and Franciscans cnterd by Ladders.
who brought
a long ladder,
[leaf 11]
by which
men of his
religion
easily
entered.
[Cap. v]
St. Francis
also waa
11. CIV,
[prose, p. 3]
who assisted
his friends
over by
means' of
knotted
cords.
Others I saw
whose names
are unknown
to me.
I could not
see all the
persons.
Wych, as I reherSC1 slial, [' Reherse St., rehers C.]
ffor to scale that hihe wal,
That was so myhty & so strong1,
"With hym bronht a ladder long1, 572
In the wych men myhte se
xij. grees2 off humylyte, [! Twelve greccs St.]
By wycli, thor[o]gh deuocyon),
ffolk off hys relygyoii) 576
Ascendyd vp, gre by gre,
AV/t/f-ovtiS lette to that cyte,
And the ryht[e] weye han take.
Monkys greye, whyte, & blake, 580
Ascendyng1 vp wit/t-oute ffeer.
And Seyn Fravnceys I sawh ek thor,
fful dyllygent, and ek bysy,
And (as 7ne thouht) ful ffrendly 584
To ffolk of hys profession).
And ek in my a avysyon)
I sawh ther cordys rovnd & long1,
Al yffret wit/; knottys strong", 588
Hard to ffele, and nothyng1 soffte.
And ffro the valcy hili a-lofftc
Arp-on the wal they dede hem caste,
And by the cordys held ham ffast, 592
Grypyng1 hem wi't/< grote3 peyne, [s g«t« St., gret c.]
Off entent they myghte atteyne
To gete vp to that liilie wal,
ffor to kepo hem ffrom a ffal, 596
Alway by the corde hem held.
And many A-nother I Ije-hoLI,
Off dyuers ffolkys that vp ran,
Off whom the namys I not kan, GOO
Nor how they dyde hem sylff assure,
Over the wallys to Eecure
On echo party Round1 abovte ;
ffor I in soth, that stood wt'M-onte,4 [» in doute St.] 604
Myghte not be-holden al the pans,
]!ut on the party that I was,
Wych was to me gret dysplesavnce.
But I dar seyen,5 in snbstauftce, p seye St., scyn c.] COS
Every Pilgrim left his Wallet and Staff.
17
That ther was noon off no dcgro
Wych entro my lite the cyte,
But lefft witA-oute, lowe douw,
ifor al, hys slierpb'1 & bordoiw.2 [' scrippe St.] 612
But thentent off hys vyage,
Ami ffyn ek off hys pylgrymage,
Wer Set3 of hertii fynally PsetteSt.] Om»ia agunt pi-opter finem.
Ther tabyde perpetuelly GIG
Wt't/t ffeyth, hope, & charyte,
To lyve wj't/t rest on4 that cyte ; [• i« SLJ
ffor other thyng1, in hert & thoulit,
To her desyre they wokle nouht. 620
ffor, as the phylisofre seyth,
(To whom men inosten yeven 5 fey th) p yevyn St., eyvcn c.]
That al ffolk,6 wlierso they wende, I6 aiie foike St.]
What they do, ys for soin ende. 6 2 -I
And for that skyle, more & more,
I was steryd wonder sore
ffor to take my lournee,
Lyk a pylgrymo, to that cyte. 628
Off more loye I nat kepto ;
And, me thouht ek, as I slepte,
And in my drcum dyde ek mete,
That ellys I myghte ha no quyete. 632
And tlms ful pensyff in my guyse,
A-noon I gan me to a-vyse,
And thouht in myn avysion),
7I ffaillede a sherpe8 & bordon, [9 skrippe st.] 636
Wych al pylgrymes ouhte to have,
In ther wey, hem sylff to save.
And so the pylgrymes hadde echon
In ther vyage, but I allone. 640
They wer echon Ly-ffore purveyd,
Bet in ther wey to be conveyed
And I roos vp, and that a-noon,
And ffro myn hous gan out gon
[leaf 11, bark]
only that
every one
lull liix wallet
:iinl staff
below.
ties! ring only
to live tltere
In peace.
This stirred
me to £O on
n pilgrimage
to that city,
[cap. T|,
UIOM]
but I remem-
bered that I
lacked scarf
and si nil.
peaf 12]
I started
from my
house,
644
2 The Roxb. has scrip, the Fr. eschar)*, and the picture shows a scrip worn
scarf-wise. See also p. 18, 1. 655, 664. Exsliarpe: f. a Scarfe ; a Baudrick.
L'escharjte d'un pelerin. The scrip, wallet, or pouch wherein he carries his
meat. — Cotgrave. Bourdon : m. a Pilgrims statfu.
7 C'amh. cap. vi. p. 4, where the pilgrim "failede scrip^e aud burdoun."
PILGlilMAGE. O
but was de-
layed nine
months.
I thought I
might find
• scarf and
staff.
18 De Guillemlle meets a gracious Lady, GRACE DIEU,
Vp-on my woy, off wych I tolde ;
Al bo that I was long yholdo,
Or I myhto make my passage
To gynnen vp-on my pylgrymage. 648
Nyne monothes I was kept cloos, '''yn^0™'J)"'t^j'0!",1sto™etl'ar:t
Tyl at the last I vp Aroos,
Off entent fortli to precede.
But than at erst I gan take hede 652
That, to iiiyn entcucfoun,
I inyghte ffyndon a bordoun
And a sherpe,1 wych of vsage [' smppe St.]
ffolk han that gon on pylgrymage, 656
Xcdful to mo & nccessarye.
ffor wych cause I dyde tarye
Or I myghtc gynne my lournec,
To liolde my wey to that cyte ; 660
ffor wych I went cowplaynyng1,
Out off my sylff2 tryst & wepyng1, psyiffst.,fyiirco
Cevchyng' toforn & ek behynde,
Sherpe3 & bordouw for to fynde. p scrippe St.] 664
And whil I dyde my besynesso,
A lady of ful gret ffayrnesse
And grot noblesse, (soth to say,)
I dyde mote vp-on) the way. 668
ffor God wol<V, (I yow bo-heto,)
Sone that I sholde hyr mete,
Off grace for myre owiie prowh,
Wher-off I hadde. loyc ynowfi, 672
Arid in herte4 gret gladnesse. [« hert« St., uert c.]
ffor she, as by lyklynesse,
Was douhtcr of som Emperour,
Somme myghty kyng1, or goueniour ; 676
Or off that lord that guyeth al,
Wych ys of power most royal.
And thys lady gracyous,
Most debonayro, & vertuous, 680
Was yclad, by gret delyt,
In a surcote al off whyt,
Wit/t a Tyssu gyrt off grene.
And Endlong, ful bryht & shene, 684
[Cap. vii]
ami while I
sought for
them
I met a lady,
VohintrtR dei t'uii ut ciU> in/Ai
on-urreret niifxl volebum.
Geue*i» 27. [v. 20]
who seemed
an Emperor's
daughter.
[leaf 12, back]
She was
clothed in
white ami
green,
and many
very precious
stones.
Out of ber
bosom came
a white dove.
On her head
she wore a
crown of gold.
who asks Mm why he weeps, and what he wants. 19
She hackle a cliorbouncle ston,
That Bound! abowte hyr body shon ;
Was noon so reche,1 as I was war. ['Rychest.]
And on hyr brest A nouche she bar, 688
I trowe that nowher was no bet.
And in the Awinaylle ther was sette
Passyngly a veche2 sterre, ['Richest.]
\Vych that cast hys bemys ferre 692
Hound abovtew al the place,
Ther was swych haboiwdauwce off grace.
Out of whos bosoom, mylde ynowh,
Ther kam a dowe whyt as snowh, 696
WtVt hys wynge's splayng1 oute,
Plauynge rovnd! hyr honi! aboute.
Thys lady, of whom I ha told1,
Hadde on hyr hed a crowne of gold1, 700
Wrouht of sterrys shene & bryht,
That cast aboute a ful cler lyht.
He was ful niyghty, (who taketh hede,)
Tliat sette yt fyrst vp oil hyr hed ; 704
And made yt ffyrst3 by gret Avys p c. ffyrst ffyrst]
Off gret Eichesse and grete4 prys. [' grete St., gret cj
[8 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination^
Thys lady, that I spak of here,
Was curteys & of noble cherc, 708
And wonderly of gret vertu.
And fyrst she gan me to salue
In goodly wyse, axynge of me,
What maner thyng1 yt myghte5 be, [5 myghu St.] 712
Or cause why, I sholde hyr lere,
That I made so hevy chore ;
Or why that I was ay wepyng1,
Hor lak of eny maner tliyng1.' 716
Wlier-of, when I gan take hede,
I ifyll yn-to a nianer drede,
ffor vnkonnyng« and lewdenesse,8 [« lewdenesse St.]
That sche, of so gret noblesse, 720
Dysdeynede not in hyr degre
To speke to on) so pore as me ;
But yiff yt were, so as I gesse,
[leaf 13]
She was
courteous
and saluted
me,
and Inquired
why I was
weeping.
I was afraid
at one so
noble address-
ing me.
20 He wants to go to Jerusalem, but lacks Scrip and Slaff.
Al only of liyr gentyllesse ; 724
I remembered ifor gladly, wher VS most bevte.
lieauty and J
Ther ys greyest hvmylyte,
And that ys verrayly the sygne,
Swych ar most goodly & benygne, 728
Au appyl trc, with frut most lade,
Mirttiiattiie To folk that stonden in the shade.
l:tden apple-
inwichcB* "8 ^or l°wly d0^ hys brauwchys loute
lowest. Than A nother tre w»'t/i-oute ; i. sine frnctu st. 732
[leafis.twcio ffoi1 wher habouwleth most goodnesse, ['flbrst.]
Ther ys ay most of mekenesse.2 L2 mckcncsse si.]
Noon so gret tokene of beute,
As ys parfyt humylyte. 736
Who wantcth hyr in hys banero,
Hath not vertu hool & entere.
Then i told And affter thys I gan abrnvde,
her I wanted J
lo go to And to liyre8 thus I sayde, (.» Wre St., iiyr c.i 740
Jerusalem,
•' How to gon, I caste4 me, f ka»te St., cast c.]
To lorusaleem the cyte,
H'ayllyng1 (to inyn ente7ic«'on))
butiaciitii Uoth a sherpe5 & a bordon), p scrippe stj 744
scrip and a
•tatf. flor wych I went, yt ys no don to,
ffor to seke haw Round aboutc,
Yiff I my lite any fynde or se."
Grace dieu :
1 Now vndyrstonde,'6 than quod she, [« vnderstonde sto 748
' Yff thow lyst hawe7 of hem tydyng1, piiavest]
Tliow mostest, ouers alle thyng1 [« ouer St., auer c.]
To thyw entent, as thow shalt se,
•Follow me,1 ffor thy profyt, kom, fohve me. 752
th0riroilor An(^ yt is 8''ctly to thy pvowfi
foZfit- That thow llast me fovnde now,
By whos helpe9 thow schalt spede, [» heipe st., help co
To ffynden al that the shal nede.' 75G
The pylgrym:
reap, viiij Than quod I, " my lady dere,
ow ^lat y° wyi nie lere
name * your COUdyCJOUTZ,
Your coretre, & yovr Regyou?* ; 7GO
ffor yt ful plosauut wer to me,
[le;if 14]
' I am Mi,>
daughter of
the emperor
of every hunt
:uicl region,
and I am
-cut to L;<-I
him fi-ieiula.
But it is for
their t,nM»,r,
not his.
Grace Dicu tells DC Gnillcrid'e how she helps Pilgrims. 21
To wyte' pleyxly what ye be."
Ami sin; auswerde ful mekly, [Qracemn.}
'Tak lied to me now feythfully : 764
I am the1 douhter off themperovr, [' the St., om. c.]
Wych ys the lord and goveruour
Off eue/y loud and rogyoun ;
And he hath sent me hyder douw,
Here in-to this lowh co?itre,
Off entent, as thow shalt sc,
To gete liy»* frendys, &
Eouiulf a-boute» / eue»y wher :
Nat that he hath to hem no node,
But only (who kau token hede,)
That he haveth gret plesau«ce,
To hane of folkys acqueyntavnce, 776
ffor ther profyt, more than for hys ;
And thus yt stant & thus yt ys.
' Thow sest my noble ryche array,
And how that I am fresshe & gay, 780
fful ryally and wel beseyn,
Notliyng' in wast, nouther in vcyn ;
Thys eharboncle, nor tliys sterrys ulere,
ffressher wer neuer scyn yfere ; 784
Nor, I trowe, noon so fayre,
Whos bewte may nat a pay re.
f ffor to pylgrymes, day & nyht,
I enluiuyne, & yive lyht 788
To al2 pylgrymes in ther way, piBoStj
As wel in dyiknesse as be day,
So they lyst rewarde me,
And lyst that I her guyde be. 792
And yiff they erryn in her weye,
Ageyn I kan hem wel cowveye ;
I wyl hem helpen & Eedresse ;
ffor I am she, in sothfastnesse,
Whom thow owest scke of ryht,
In strawige lor.d1 wt't/i al thy myght.
' I yive lyht to folk echon
That out of hyr weye gon, 800
And releuc hem, oil & alle;
You see my
royal array.
I give light
l\y tluy am!
niclit to pil-
grims.
[I wyllc hem gnyc / and do soknur,
While they to me liave theyij Ketour.
St., om. C.]
796
[leufU.b.ifk]
I give lifjht to
nil who err;
my name is
Grace Dieu,
and T am
represented
by this dove.
22 Grace Dicn offers liely to Be Chiilkville. He accepts it.
Leffte vp folkys that be falle,
ffrom al mysheff & from al blame,
And Grace (lieu, that ys my name, 804
fful ncJful in ech contro.
' And by thys dowe wych thow dost se,
Wych I bere with wyngcs fayre,
Humble, benygne, & debonayre, 808
I am tookenyd, who lyst suke,
Willi hyr goodly Eyen mekc.
And so thow shall mo call in dede,
Whan thow hast ou-to me node, — 812
And that shal be ful ofl'te sythe,
Tliat I may my power kythe, —
Telpe1 the in thy pylgrymage. [' TO help
ffor fynaly in thy vyage, 816
As thow gost to that cyte,
Thow shalt hawe offte adiwsyte,
Gret mescheff and encombrauncc,
Empechementys & dysturbaunce, 820
Wych thow mayst nat in no Jegre
Passe nor endure w«'tA-oute me,
Nor that cyte never atteyne,
(Thogh thow ever do thy peync.) 824
W/tA-oute that I thy guyde be.
' Al-be that in-to that cyte
Thow hast seyn entren meny on,
Nakyd, in-to that cyte gon 828
Somino by ther sotel engyn,
And Bomnic also by cherubin.
But what go euere they koude don),
Thor was neuer receyved noon 832
(ffor outht2 they koude hem sylff avaiwcc,) ['ought St.]
But only thorgh" myn acqueyntaunce.
Lo, her ys al : avyse the
Yiff thow lyst acqueynted be 836
Wt't/i me : tel on thy fantasye,
And the trowthe3 nat denye.' p Troutiie St., trcwth c.]
The pylgryme:
" Ma dame, for Goddys sake, I praye,
Nat to leue me on the weye 840
Without me
thuu canst
not reach the
city.
Some enter
by subtlety,
[leaf 15]
but all by
me/
[Cap. ix]
' I pray thee,
leuve me not ;
Grace Dicu takes De G-uillcvillc to her house, 1330 years old. 23
Wt't/t-oute yowr bclpo & your favow ;
ffor in thys weye, your socour
Ys to me most neccssarie
To furtliru, that I nat ne taryc ; 844
Thaakyng1 to your liyh goodnesse,
Tliat yc kaui of gentellesse,
H'yrst vn-to me for my fbfthryng1,
Ther nedede me noon other thynx1." 848
[6 line* I Hank in MS. for «n Illumination.]
Tho liyr lyst no longer byde,
But took me in the same tycle,
And made me w/tA liyr for to gou
To an lious of hers a-noon,
AVlier I sholde fyiule, in dede,
Al thyng1 that I hadde of node.
She was hyr sylff (yn sothnesse)
Off thylk hous clieff foundoresse,
ffor on hyr word? yt was fyrst groundyd,
And by hyr wysdom) bylt and fovndyd ;
The yerys of the masownry
Tliryttene hundred & thrytty.
And ffor the fayrnesse & bewte
I hadde gret wyl that hous to se ;
I-baysshed,1 for yt was so fayr ; [' Abassiied St.]
ffor yt heng1 hih vp in the hayr : 2 [' eyre St.] 864
Twen hevene & Erthe stood the place,
As yt liadde (only by grace)
ffrom the hevene descendyd douw.
So stood that hevenly mancyoim, 868
Wi't/i steplys & wtt// toures liilic,
ffresshely arrayed to the Eye,
As, a place most rojral,
Above al other pryucypal ; 872
Wych stood vp on a ffayr River,
The water ther-of holsom & cler ;
But ther nas passage in that pla«e,
Nor shepe3 wherby men myghte passe, psiiippest.] 876
The pylgrym :
ffor wych to Grace Dieu I sayde,
And, to hyr thus I abrayde,
td v aid '
most neces-
sary to me.'
[Cap.
Then she
took me into
852 tor house.
856
[leaf 15, back]
She founded
this house
C«A 1330 year*
860 ago.
It hung be-
tween lieaven
and earth.
Jt stood ly
a river, ovi-r
which none
could pnss.
24 De Guillcmlle is afraid. Grace Dieu cheers him up.
I Bald, ' We
seem to be i it
peril — there
is no passage
over.'
"Thousliatt
pass,' she
said.
' I am afraid
I shall 1)6
drowned.'
[leaf 16]
reap, xi]
' Why art
tliou afraid of
this river ?
The passage
is better
known to
young
children than
to old people,
and there is
no other way,
except by the
Cherubim.
880
884
[Dei
Later hand in Si.J
" Madame, me semetli in my thouht
That we ben in perel brouht,
ffor I kan son no passage
To passe by, nor avaimtage."
Grace dieu :
' Off me, dred the never a del,
ffor thow sbalt passe fayre & \vel.'
The pylgrym :
" I kan not swymmen, yt stondeth so,
Wherfor I not what I may do.
And yiff I entre, I am in doute
But1 euer I shold! komen oute; ["Howst.] 888
ffor wych, tentre2 I stonde in drede, ['to enter]
I have of helpe so gretc* nede." p grete st., gre: co
Grace dieu argueth :
'What menyth thys? what may thys lie, 891
Tliat thow art now, as semeth me,
So sore a-drad of thys Eyver,
Wych ys but lyte, smothe & cler ?
Why artow ferful of tliys strewn]
And art toward lerusaleem, 896
And mustest of necessyte
Passen ferst the grote4 see, [« grete St., gret c.]
Or thow kome ther. lo, her ys al,
And dredyst now thys Kyueir smal !
And most kouthe ys thys passage
To chyldre that be yonge of age,
And offtev han thys ryver wonne
Than folk that ben on5 age romie.
And the passage ys most kouthe
To chyldren in ther tender youth,
ffor yt, in soth, ys fyrst passage
Off eucrych good pylgrymage ;
ffor other weye ys ther noon
To lerusaleem by to goon,
But yiff yt be by cherubii).
And yet somme ha ther entryd In,
That wer nat wasshe in thys Kyucr,
Nor bathyd in the stremys cler.
Wych to the ys not coutiirye,
900
P beth in St.] 904
908
912
the filth or
the house
UK in hast
been in tor
nine mouths,
[leaf 16, back]
thou must
be wattht
anil pas:} this
river.
A kinp once
passed over,
Grace Diett, explains tlie Need of the Water of Baptism. 25
' But thys to the ys neeessarie, 916
Consydred (shortly to expresse)
The grete1 fylth and vnclennesse, p grete St., gret c.j
The ordure and the dong1 also,
Off thy Ike hous thow koine fro, 920
Wher .ix. monethes thow hast be.
ffor wych yt nedeth vn-to the
To wasshe the her, yiff thow take hedo,
Thys my consayl & my Red : 924
To passe thys2 Ryuer of clennesse [' tiiys St., <,,». c.j
Yt ys to thee3 most sykernesse. p ihe St., am. c.j
And al4 I schal the telle A thyng1 : [»ekest.j
Ther passede onys her a kyng*, 928
ffyrst assuryng1 the passage
Vn-to euery inanw age ;
He made the pas hy/» sylff alone,
And yet in he>« was fylthe5 non. [•' flyithe St., fyith c.j 932
To wasshen hym yt was no node,
But that hym lyst, of lowlyhede,
Schewe example by hys grace
How other folkys sholde passe 936
Over by the same went.
Wherforo tel me thyn entent,
Yiff thow thys Ryuer lyst atteyne ;
And I shal A-noon ordeyne 940
A sergatmt of my w in specyal ;
Wych offycer the helpe shal
ffor to passe the water cler,
And wardoyn ys of the Ryuer. 944
He shal the wasshe, he shal tlie bathe,
And make tlie passe the more6 rathe, t6 more St., mor c.]
; And, to put tlie out of doute,
He shal crosse tho round aboutc, 948
Make the sur, as thow shalt se,
ffrom al tempestys of the se,
Tescape the wawe of euery streem,
And make the Wynne lerusalccm 952
By conquest ; & fynally —
That thow shalt drede noon emny
Wher so thow wende, Est or West —
as an example
to others.
Tell me thy
Intent,
and I will
appoint one
to wash and
bathe tliuo,
and cause
thee to reach
Jerusalem.
26 DC Guilleville asJcs ivhy he is to be WasJU, Baptized.
He shall
cross Ihoe
[leaf 17]
and annoint
thee,
and thon
s'n;ill li'.ir
no enemy/
• Why wash
me when 1
am clean ?
And as I nm
not old, the
cold water
may kill me.'
• Thon art
only clean
outwardly.
Thon art
soiled with
original sin,
[leaf:?, back]
' Sette A cross vp-on thy brest, 950
Le-hyndo also, and on thyn heil,
-Ageyn al meschcff and al drcd.
And off entent, as thow shalt se,
He shal also enoynte the 960
Lych as sholde a Chainpyon),
That thow ha no1 occasyon) [' imvc noon St.]
In thy passage, nor no node
No manor eniny for to dredc, 964
Sette hem echon at no prys.
Now her-vp-on say thyn avys.'
The pylgrym :
" I am wel payd tliat yt be do.2
Yiff resouw accorde wel thor-to.
l>ut fyrst I wolde som cause se,
What nedeth yt to wasshe me,
Or bathe,3 when yt ys no node ;
ffor I am clene' wasshe4 in dede
ffrom al felth5 and vnclennesse.
And oner more, so as I gesse,
I am of yerys no thyng1 ol<H ;
The water also of kyude0 cohJ,
Wych to entrc, as semoth me,
I sholde in grete" perel be; [7 grcte St., grct c.]
And clenner than I am thys tyde,
I sholde not be vp-on no syde." 980
Grace dieu speketh :
1 Herkcne,' quod she ; ' to voyde al doute,
Though thow be clene ynowh w/W-oute,
Thow art wit/Mime no thyng1 so;
ffor cause I shal the tell«, lo ! 984
Thow art soyled in especyal
Off the syime orygynal,
Off fader <fc moder ek also,
Thorgh vnclennesse of bothe two, 988
Spottyd of nature, as thcr hayr ;8 [• heyr« St.]
Wher-of thow mayst nat be made fayr,
But thow be wasshe, as I the telle,
2 From here to 1. 1346— the long talk on Baptism and Original
Sin in this 2nd recension — is absent from the first recension in
the C'amli. JiS. and its original French.
968
[" bathe St., bath C.]
I< Wiishen St.] 972
[i alle ITyltbe St.]
[° kynde St., kynd C.] 976
Grace Dicu explains Man's Creation and Innocence. 27
In thys Ryuor or thys wello. 992
And yet thow most have helpc of me
Yiff thow sholdyst clene' be ;
ffor I mot fyrst my gyluen drcsse
The bathe1 halwcn, & yblcsse, [> bathe St., bath c.] 996
And than yt shal ynowh suffise
To make the clene in alle 2 wyse : [' aiie St., ai c.]
IFor the wasshyng1 mad out-ward
Ys but tookeue (who taketh Reward) 1000
Off al clennesse forth wtt/t-Inne ;
At wych fyrst thow most be-gynne.'
The pylgrym :
" Madame, so hyt nat dysplese,
I can as yet no thyng1 in ese, 1004
And I shal tell? yow wher-fore
My dovte [is]3 now mor than before, pidoutest.]
And gretter4 in conclusyown, [« more gretter st.j
But yc make exposicioux, 1008
And bet declare yt to my mymle,
Or ellys my profyt ys be-hynde."
Grace dieil : [De lusticia & peccato Originall. Later hand.— St.]
' ffyrst, whan God the world be-gan,
And after hadde makyd man, 1012
And wowman for to be hys fere,
Thy forme fadrys, as thow shalt lere,
God, of hys gret curteysye,
To hem dyde suyche gentrye 101C
As to the I shal devyse.
He gaff to hem so gret ffrauMchyse,
Talyved5 euere, thys no lesyng1, [? TO have lived]
In elthe wi'M-oute languysshyng1, 1020
Lusty & fressh in o degre,
Neuer tave6 had necessyto [Ho have]
Off do.yyng*; and giff hem in sothnesse,
Lyberte, & Ryhtwyse7nesse, p wyee at., wy« c.] 1024
ff redam of wyl 8 & equy to ; [» and wj-Ue St.]
And that they sholde ryghtful be,
And ther-vp-on, ay done her cure
To ben Egal by mesure; 1028
The body to the soule obeye
and I must
liiillnw the
lalli Whifll
will cleanae
thee.'
1 1 ajn now in
more ilonM
than ever.'
• When God
created man
and wunian,
He gave him
health, lilt-.
and liberty.
[leaf 18]
28 Grace Dieu tells how Adam lost Paradise ly Disobedience.
Tin body TO
to obey the
thin '«' ""
»s the lower
is always
obedient to
the higher.
or the earth
for ins, and
his children's
forever.
[leaf is, back]
"fe'aMdaiV
things.
'In eue/'y matter skylful wove.
J J * '
U *° ^y Wt SubieCCJOll ; [J beryn St.J
So that alway, on-to2 resoiiH, [» vn-to St.] 1032
fforoyn3 strcugthys her douw lowe, p I'orcyn st., For eny c.)
Vpward sholde her sowcrayn knowe,
Alld lest4 WOl'tliy of dyfmyte. [MeestSt]
Vn-to most worthy of (legrc 1036
Obeyc sholde by Keuerencc :
Thys was of rygltt fyrst the sentence ;
Shewe of lewdnesse ay a sj'gne, 1039
The5 lasse of prys to the most dygne. [s The St., TO cj
' Off divyne purvyauxco
Thys was fyrst the ordynaunce,
That maw shold eus;- ha be in blysse,
And al tliat whyle, of no tliyng1 mysse; 104-t
~Euer ha be fre, & never tliral.
By ryhtwysnesse orygynal,
*~'°^ '^'^ oure ^^'T8 ous6 be-forn>, [«v»st.]
Yiff they no hadde her freiloni) lorn, 1048
ffor catel and for ther herytage
Ta last in oucij inaner age,
Ben herytavnce, fro gre to gre,
Off ryht to ther posteryte : 1052
Thys to seyne, who kan take hed
To al that folwed of ther sed
ffor eue/inore : & soth yt ys,
Yiff they hadde not do a-mys. 1056
' But whan they gan to God trespace,
They lost ther fredam and ther grace,
^yff also, and7 liberte, p and eke St.]
And hooly ther auctoryte, 1060
Off wych thow hast herd me soye,
ffor wych offence they most deye :
Tho, al8 thyngys in sentence [9<iiiest.]
Drowh fro man obedyence. 1064
Who dysobeyth hys sovereyn,
Off ryht mot9 fohven in certeyn p mot St., not c.]
That he shal dysobeyed be
Off lower thynges of degre, 1068
Wych wer soget to hys servyse
Grace Dicu explains how Children suffer /«• fathers' Sins. 29
nntl as lie
liail d
God,
all thing* dis-
obeyed him.
Compare this
story:
' Or he trespacede in any wysc.
ffor vn-to God, sothly to scye,
Whan Adam fyrst gan dysobcyo, 1072
Yt was Ryhtful, by kyndly lawe,
That to1 lij'Mt shold be wttfc-diawe [' Pfto]
AH maner'- obeyssavnce pmanercoffst.]
Off thynges vnder hys goumiaunce, 1076
Wych he hadde in subieccyon,
Only for hys rebellyon).
'And, yiff thow be Eesounable,
An exaiimple ful notable 1080
I shal vn-tu the declare
Openly, & no thyng1 spare,
Yiff thow lysten, taken hed ther-to : Excmpium.
' I suppose yt falleth so : 108 1
The kyng1 hath in hys court a knyht
Whom lie Inueth with al hys myht,
And, for cause that he tryst hyin wel,
He yeveth to3 \iyin a ffayr castel, — • pto, am. St.] 1088
Wallyd strong1 \\ith hihc tours
fFrom al assaut of wynd & shours, —
And to hys heyres, to pocessede ; 4 P '"'£y,sllto.1"TIe St"
And ther-vp-on makoth hem a dodo, 1092 [leafio]
Eliere5 by SUCCeSS}'011 [5 Evere a«ler St.]
Ther-of to have pocessyon
ffor eueremore, to o6 word, ['at o st.]
Whyl he ys trewe to hys lord, 1096
Voyde7 of al rebellyon). [' And voyde st.j
Thys was the condycion) :
But he offendeth, so may falle,
Than he & hys chyldren alle, 1100
The castel lese wtt/(-oute grace
Tliorgh ther fadrys gret trespace :
The chyldren han the gylt abouhl, —
Al-be that they offendyde nouht — 1101
Thorgh ther fadrys gylt, alias ;
And thus peraiittter slant the cas :
And lyk in cas semblable at al,
Kyhtwysnesse orygynal — 1108
' Orygynal ' ys for to seyn
A certain
kintf pave a
castle to a
knight and
his heirs in
fee,
on condition
that if he
disoheyd,
he ami his
children
Khnuld lose
all.
He did offend
and hi« chil-
dren snfferd
for his sin.
30 TJiro Adam and Eves Sin, Mankind became sinful.
Original sill ' Plevulv, J'f I slial not foylie,
is similar. „ , .
A gynnyng1 wyeh fro uou kam,
And was fyrst yoven to Adam 1112
And vu-to1 Eue hys wyff also, [' And to St.]
Adam and "Wycll they lostfe', botlie2 t\VO [* losto botlie St., lost both CJ
Kve lost
I'linuiue, Only for thcr IJebellyon),
Whos ryht was by condycon),
nmiti.cir Wherthro»h tbat tlier posteryto
posterity J
su«fer>i for ffnlly ha lost tlior lyberte.
tiieir parents
""• (Postcrytc, playuly in dedc, [St. leaves out 11.1119-1122.]
Ys folwyng1 dou« of a ky untie 1120
Lynoaly, fro gre to grc.)
And thus, toucliyng1 tlier lyberte,
ffor dysobeyng* tlioy ha lorn)
Off her fadrys hem to-forn ; 1124
Only throgh tlier dysobeisaunce
iTiiwrn>n«eir ^1|CJ' lla lost t'ie1' enheryfciuiice,
[leaf 19, tack] Wych they may not iuheryte ;
Wher-of ther fadrys ben to wyytc. 1128
' ffov nadde be ther transgressyon), —
3Ti-ansgressyowii ys for to say
A goyyng* fro the ryht[e] way,
Or shortly, in sentement,
Brekyng1 ofB a comau?«dement3 — 1130
Ther chyldren shold, by roson),
Ha cleymyd yt of verray ryht.
by their pa- Wliel'-for, viff tllOW lefft VI) thy svlll,4 ['sight St. J 1132
rent.' trans- ' •
grasuuu. And lyst conceyven everydel,
Tims timu Thow mayst parcey ve fayr & wol
niiiyest j)er-
tfilm 't'"lt Thow art spottyd in party
Off that thy ffadrys wer gylty ; 1140
So that thy fyltli ys causyd al
Only of synne orygynal,
\Vych that clerk ^s in sentence
Calle w'antyng1, or carence 1144
Off orygynal ryhtwysnessc,
artsimttwi "\Vych thow oughtest (I dar expresse,)
with urigiual J °
siu'' Ellys haue liadde of equytc
3— 3
Tliese four lines arc written at the right-hand side in C. &
St. ; but with no mark to signify where they ought to b« placed.
' I am aston-
ished at what
you say ;
Grace Dicu says our Oviyitwl Sin is not like a cut-off Nose. SI
' ] !y ty tic of postery to. ' 1148
The pylgrym:
" Ma dame, (lyk as ye shal fynde,)
I am a-stonyd in my mynde
Off your wordys ful gretly,
Wych ne sue nat kyndely. 1152
ffor fyrst, as ye han toll I1 to me
That I mo.ste wasshe1 be, [' moste wasshed St., most . . c.]
To casten out myw vnclennesse, —
The wyche2 fylth, as ye expresse c* which* St., wych c.] 1156
And namen yt in especyal
' Spot or synne orygynal,'
Wych ys only, by your sentence,
Jfo-thyng1 but wantyng1 or absence 1160
Off ryhtwysnesse — thus ssy ye ;
And in good feyth, as semeth me,
Was.shyiig1 no tliyug* may a-vaylle
To do a-way thyng1 that doth fay lie ; 1164
Yt wer Ixit cordyng* to rcson)
To make restytucyon)."
Grace clieu answerde :
1 Certys, yt ys soth that ye seye.
But to o thyng1 take hede, I praye : 1 1 G8
Who that liaveth not the bewte
Wych lie shold han of duete,
Voyde of fylth then ys he nouht ;
The wych, yif yt be truly souht, 1172
May be of feltli a be-gynnyng',
Gret cause also, & gret norysshyng1.
As by exauwple thus I pose :
'Yiff a man ffayllede a noose 1176
Wych he outh3 haue of Kesoun, ['ought* St.]
Yt wer, to myn oppynyotw,
A gret defauto ([ the ensure,)
Off bewte; & a gret ordure 1180
Ther must sue, yt ys no nay :
And yiff the noose wer kut a-way,
The bewte of a manhys4 face [« manny* St.]
Yt wolde gretly yt dyfface.5 p «iie aytrara st.] 1184
Semblably, in especyal,
but it seems
to me that
Washing KIII-
not avail me ;
[leaf 20]
Restitution
were better.'
' What you
say is true.
If a man
\verewithout
a nose,
it would he s
great want.
32 Grace Dieu shoivs how Folk are begotten in Lust.
so it is you ' Yiff Evhtwysiiesse orycjynal
want original
righteous-. Ihow wante, wych thow sholdcst hauo,
ness. f
I myghte pryve,1 so God me save [' preve si.] 1188
And conclude w«t//-oute wene,
Off som fyltlie thow wer vndenc.
I dar yt seyn, and wel expresse,
Namly whan thow in vnclennesse 1192
Off flesshly lust wer fyrst be-gete,
Wych shold not be for-gete ;
Tiw lust of ffor fleshly lust (in sentence)
the ties)) is
Snce"1''3 ycallyd ys coucupyscence. 1196
As thus consydre niyn entejit ;
Whan soule and iiessh to-gadiv2 assent pgydrest.]
[ie.if2o,back] To don any gret offence,
Than yt ys concupyscence, 1200
And nouther party by dyffence
Lyst not make resistance,
As they shold of equyte,
Wher-tliorgh ther fayrnesse & bewte 1204
Dyffacyd ys of botlie2 tweyne. [» iwotiie st., botii c.]
And euene lyk (in wordys playne)
and the of- Thoffence long1 or thow wer borne,
fence was
committed Off thy fadrys her-to-forn, 1208
IOIIK ere you
were bom.1 Hath lost (yiff thow koudest so)
Thi grete4 fredam & bewte ; [* grcte St., gret c.]
And ther trespace, (yiff thow lyst lere,)
Ther lynage beyth5 yt al to dere.' pbeyeti.st.] 1212
The pylgrym:6 P Pylygrym Asketh St.]
" Wz'tA al myu herte7 now I pray 17 hcrte St., hen c.]
0 thyng1 that ye wyl me seye :
wHshnT"^''3 y^ ^iys Wa88l|yng'i wt'tA-oute more,
eouTnels'!"" ^lay Eestablysshe or restore 1216
The ryhtwysne.sse wych, day & nyht,
1 ouhte haue hadde of verray ryht ;
Snrap"s"1 An<^ yi^ tliys wasshyng1 (i» sentence)
cencei" May A-nulle concupyscence 1" 1220
Grace dieu :
' Teuchyng*8 that we have on honde, [= Touchyng stj
Thow must pleynly vnderstonde
A tliyng< wych I the telle shal.
Grace Dieu cannot help D< Guillcville unless he's baptised. 33
' Ryghtvysnesse orygynal, 1224
Thow shall yt neuer haue A-geyn ;
But truste, & be ryght wel certeyu,
Tliat after thow be wasshe clene,
The fylthe ther-of, (thus I mene) 1228
Thy wasshyng1 shal yt sette A-syde,
I5ut concupyscence shal abyde.
' Take the wordys as I the telle ;
r.ut yiff thow wylt, I shal ay dwelle 1232
Wi't/t the, to hclpe the ay at node,
That thow mayst in verray dede
Maken myghty resystenee
Ageynys thy concupyssence, 1236
Wych shal the dere neveradcl
Yiff so be thow bere the wel.
And, but I seye thy wasshyng1,
I ntyhte the helpyn yn no tliyng1; 1240
fflbr the wasshyng1 (I the ensure)
Doth away al the ordure
Off al that kepen duely
Ther maryage, and feythfully; 1244
ffor wych, to the ys profy table
Thys wasshyng1, & gretly vayllable.
Thy ffader, thy moder ek also,
Wer wasshyn ther-in, bothe two, 1248
\Vlian they wer born) ; & so shalt thow,
Syth yt ys syttyng1 for thy prow :
That thow hem sue, yt ys Resouw.'
The pylgrym:
" I haue," quod he, " suspecyouw 1252
Off ther wasshyng1 now sodenly.
Yiff they wer wasshe duely
Off liter synne orygynal,
Me semeth yt sholde folwe in al, 1 256
Syth I am gete of1 ther kynrede, [' gate in St.]
I sholde go quyt (who taketh hede,)
Off orygynal in eiiery thyng1,
Thorgh vertu ferst of ther wasshyng1." 1260
Grace dien :
' Than,' quod she to me a-gayn,
FILGKIMAOE. D
' You ran
never have
original
righteousness
•gain.
[leaf 21 J
and concu-
Iiiw ce will
remain.
If I were to
dwell with
you,
yet wit limit
the washing
I could not
assist you.
This washing
will do you
Rood:
your parents
were washed,
BO must you
be.'
' If they were
washed,
ought I not
to be clean ? *
S-t Grace Ditu insists on the necessity of Baptism.
•drain is
fnvtl from
11 llaltlH'-
fore it is
sown,
but when it
crows it lias
ii- Imskti as
ami «o u u
Wltlt u
tin:
tlie liu,K
always re-
I1I.UI.S.'
It Menxsl
vain to reply
[:>.,t it
' Tak hod, whan men sowen greyn,
The Imske, the cliaff (yt ys no nay,)
Mot fyrst bo clenc putt a-way,
Er yt be throwe vp-on the lond,
And sowe a-brood w/t/t manhys homl,
Naked and pur, yff thow take hede.
And after-ward, whan yt doth seede,
Vpon the tyme of hys Uypyng1
And the seson of gadryng",
Men fyndo a-geyn the same corn,
Huskj-d as yt was bc-forn,
And ther-to clothyd ncwe a-geyn.
' By wych exaumplc, in certe\ n,
Thogh thy fadyrs were, by grace,
Off ther orygynal trcspace
purgyd clenc, & frely quyt,
The caffe1 and the strovvh abyt,
llenowcth ay & eucr shnl,
Off the synnc orygynal,
Vpon the greyn, wych of hem spryngeth,
The liusko alway wtVt hem they bryngeth,
Alle folkys, as thow shalt lere,
That kyndely be sowen hero
In thys world, fro day to day,
The husk w/t/i hem abyt alway,
And seuevyth nat in no manere
Tyl they be wasshe in the Ryuere :
"Wherfor (by short conclusyonw,)
They nede echon purgacyouw.'
The pylgrym :
Thawne me sumpte yt was but veyn,
Mor for me to speke a-geyn,
Or make replycacyoiw
Agoynys her opp}-nyoun-
Off hovynessc I wei)tc sore ;
ffor tho I koude do no more,
I was so whapyd & amaat,
Tyl at the last an aduocaat2
1 A godfather (after whom Gnillaume de Do Guillcville was
cJU-d).
1264
12C8
1272
1276
1280
1284
1288
1292
1296
A* AdmtaU kelp* Dt GtUUtille to enm (kt River.
Earn to me tbo ia my nede, m,
WiUKmK geidon other mede. 1300 ~
And, for HbadJe of ^eeie hk,
Profrwfc for to help of gnee »«•.
To make m* the Eyw» pM*t, 1304 SX"
Jb»d that I my^kt o«
la J
be co«de or
HTS
iae I nal
ke jpdk to Gnee Din :
Iwyl&ifyflaiM
A»d Tiered I
OffjwkH
(••rytT..
131C
1J»
::.t
-: ••
::::
--: . -..-
• . .
36 A Devil flies out of De Guillcville, and he is baptized.
A Mack bird
passed from
me,
and lie cried
out that all
was lost.
[Cap. xii]
he official
ilim-iM me
n the stream,
just as Orace
Kieu ha.l
said.
Then he and
the river
[leaf 23]
and she led
me to a fair
place, and
matfc me
good cheer.
And said,
' Now you
have passed
the slream,
and your
enemy is
gone,
I will teach
you many
things.'
That I sawli tlicr, fro me goon,
A foul that was of colour blak ;
And in hys lydene1 thus he spak, [Meenest.] 1340
Siyyng,2 men herd hy/» euery cost, — [* Cryynge St.]
' I-wys,' quod he, ' I hauo al lost ;
And fro me now ys taken al
By thys ylke offycyal.' 1344
The pylgrym : 3
He hath my clothys fro me Eauht,
And thre t3rme he hath me kauht,
And in the ryuer plongyd me,
Crossyd, (as men my lite se,) 1348
[5 lines blank in MS. fur </» Illiuinii<ition.~\
Enoynted in the stremes colde,
Lyk as Grace Dicu me tolde :
1 fonde she lyede neiw a del.
And whan that I was fayre & wel, 1352
The Kyuer passyd than A-noon,
And thavoooat ek was gun,
AVych only of gent[e]rye
lladde don to me gret curteysye 1356
That shal never out of mynde.
Thau Grace Dieu, most good & kynde,
Ladde me forth on4 my repay re [«inst.]
To a place ryht inly fayr; 13CO
And neuer she made me to-fore
So goode5 cher syth I was bore, p goode St., good c.]
Nor was so benygne of hyr port,
Vn-to me to don confort. 1364
' Now syth,' <iut>il she, ' that ytfl ys sene, [«a»ytst.]
Thow art wasshe, & made al clene,
And art passyd the ryuer .
"WYM-oute percyl or dauwger, 1368
Thy 11 Enmy fled Out of thy brest,
Wher ho aforn) liadde made hys nest,
I shal the shewe of gret delyt •
fful many thyng1 for thy profyt, 1372
Yff thow ha lust to lerue of me
Tliynges7 that I shal teche the, p TiijTitren St., Thygn c.]
3 This liue iu C. and St. comes after 1. 1345.
The Sii/n of Tau lloodir.d. The Order of Confirmation. 37
' And vnderstond horn by & by.'
And tho befyl ther sodeynly 1376
A wonder thyng1 (thus stood the cas,)
Wher-of I astonyd was ; — Then i wa»
And yet for-thy I shal not spare,
IJyht as yt fyl, for to declare, 1380
Whan I se tyiue & best scsoun
Touchyng my sherpc1 and my bordoun : [' sciipi*.M.]
Whan I ha leyser, trusteth wel,
I shal vow tellyn euerydel. 1381
But, or I dydc further passe, —
I sawe Amyddys of that place
A sygne of Tav wych ther stood, rp
And yt was al be-spreynt wt't/t blood. ~ ~ CTM.], »>» c.
[7 linen Itlmik in MS. for an ///«««'««///»«.]
And ek, as I koude vnderstom?,
I sawe be sydos2 a mayster stond1, ['besycie st.]
Off ryght gret auctoryte,
And sempte that he sholde be 1392
I.yk a vykcr douteles3 p iiouuin st., douties c.]
Off Aaron & of Moyses.
And pleynly tho (as I be-helcV,)
In hys hond a staff he4 la-Id1, [« he st, am. cj
Crookeil be-foru (I took good lu-J ;)
And hornyd also was hys lied.
Hys garnement, by gret ddyt,
Was of lyne5 cloth al whyt, piynyn st.j 1 100
Off the wych, ful wel I wotc, E^d!!"^","-"'1"1'"'""1'
That the prophete whyloin wrot,
Ezechyel, who lyst to look',
The nyntlie cliapytle off hys book : 1 104
Ordre off confyrmacioure
Wych, with the sygne of gret vertu
^farkyde manye -with Tav
Myd of her forlied, on by on,
And sayde to hem eueryohon, 1408
' I crosse yow, and cowfenne also
W/t/f thys / that ye take hed ther-lo,
That ye may be, fro day to day,
Good pylgrymes in your way ; 1412
[Cap. xiii]
1387 attlicsiKM
c of T;ut
with Mouil,
Clcaf2:!,l«ck]
anil ,•.!,•
of urcat
:iuthorityt
1390 havinft,'
crttsier in his
h.n 1. 1 ;
and In head
was limned.
He is de-
uriihed hy
Kzekiel
as marking
men in their
foreheads
with the M-'T
of the cruav.
[leaf 24]
Grace Dieu
marked me,
and I re-
ceived
strength
according to
my need.
38 De Guillemlle is Confirmd. The Order of the Last Unction.
ffor thys to yow, tokne & sygne
That God shal be to yow benygne,
That ye shal not venquysshed be
Off your Enmyes in no degre.' 1416
And wt't/t thys sygne of gret vertu
I was markyd off Grace Dieu
Myd my forked, brede & lengthe,
Wher-by I1 kauhte ful gret strengthe, [' i St., o*. c.] 1420
And Eeceyvede ther by Eyht,2 p off Right st.]
Vertu, force, & gostly myght,
To forthre me in verray dede
Off al that ever I hadde nede. 1424
Not nede as I hadde be-fore
Tliorgh the Eyuer or I was bore ;
Yt was not so gret necessyte
But covcnable congreuyte.3 [s Congmyte St., congeuyte c.] 1428
Ordre off the laste vncciou».
Affter al thys, I hadde a syht
Off the mayster, wych of Eyht
Made the holsom oynemwit,
And after took yt of4 entent [•off&oodost.] 1432
To the sayde offycyal,
And gaff to hym thys eharg1 wztA-al :
[6 lines Hank in MS. for an Illumination.']
'Have her,' (\und he, ' ful goodly i>iVStot«nM"t5ue4
Thre oynemcntys most worthy ; j".^
Tlie wych now to the I take 7)<
Only for pylgrymes sake,
Swych as in ther oppynyouws
Wyl be myghty champyou/*s
ffor to holde strong* bataylle
Whan ther Enmyes hem assaylle.
' Thow shold do thy bysy peyne
Teuoynte hem w»t/i the fyrste5 tweyne, \? fyrste St., fyrst c.]
And kep the thrydde WttA-ouUTmow
ffor folkys6 that byth wouwdyd soro, [« ffoiky« St., ffulk c.]
And swyche as lygge languysshyng1
On ther beddys, almost dcyng1, 1448
And of ther Ijff ha no dysport :
Thow shalt a-noou don hem cownfort ;
[Cap. jiv]
Then the
master gave
ointimnt to
the official,
Baying,
' Receive
three oint-
ments :
two of them
to be used
on pilgvkns
[leaf 24, back]
assailed by
their enemies,
keeping the
third for the
dying.
i (xxiviii.
1440
1443
The Ointments for Pilgrims, new Kings, &c. The Tau. 39
' Enoyntc hym in especyal
As ther leche spryrytual,
Wher thow sest that yt be nede ;
And ffuythfully, (yf thow take hede,)
Pylgrymes that travaytt iu ther way,
Wych passen her fro day to day,
And often in ther passage erre,
And assayllyd byth w«t/i werre ;
Yt fayllyth not, sory or blythe,
But they be wondyd offte sythe,
And grevyd wt't/t many aventure,
ffro deth that they may not recurc ;
And at ther ende, thys no faylle,
Whan that deth doth hem assaylle,
They gretly nede thys oynemcnt ;
And for thys skyle, in myn ciitent
I haue take yt in-to thy ward,
Al syke folkys to Reward1,
Tenojnte hem whan they hauc nede :
And other oyuementys in-dede
1 ha reservyd1 to my kepyng1,
Teuoyntc' wt't/t a newe kyng1
By the vykerys of Moyses,
The wych yt make dout[c]les,
At due tymij certeynly
By ther power as wel as I.
ffor syke folkys euerychon,
And for lechys, as thow art on,
Wyeh sholdest alway be bysy,
Wel awaylynge & redy,
At the tablys wher we sytte
Whan we etyn, & not flytte ; j
ffor the tav T, taken lied,
Wych thow makest in the* forhed.
' But I wyth-holvle to ward rue
Off custom & of duete,
The fynal execucyourc,
The vse & mynystracyoim
OS coiifcriiiyng in the ende :
Take Led now that thow not offeude.'
H52
1456
Pilgrims an
often at-
tacked by
foes,
1460
14C4
and often
meet with
death when
they need
this oint-
ment.
14G8
[' Reserved St., reseyvyd C.]
1472
I have re-
ceived other
ointments
[« thy St.]
1484
[leaf 25]
1476
for sick folks.
1480
But take
heed of the T
which you
make iu
men's fore-
heads.'
1488
40 The Maiden Reason talks about Ointment and Docturs.
[[Cap. xv]
As they
talked.
A lnaiil of
humble cheer
drew near :
tier name was
Reason.
[leaf 85, back]
•Sirs,' she
said, ' who
stand here
and >]ir:ik of
your oint-
ments, listen
tome.
P Syre St.]
[« St., C. burnt]
Ointment is
a virtuous
thing
for certain
wounds.
Physicians
should be
gentle in their
treatment ;
And whil they held ther parlomentys
And spak ek of ther oynementys, 1492
[6 lines Hank in MS. for an Illumination.']
Ther kam to heui of grot manere
A mayde mek, & humble of ehere,
Wyeh. that of entencyouw
Descendede from hyr tour a-doun. 1496
Than Grace Dieu spak vn-to me,
' lo, sestow nat yonder,' quod she,
' Resoim, by hyr sylff allone,
Wych cast hyr for to spoke A-noon 1500
To tliys folk that thow sest here 1 '
And she, demur and sad of chore,
Sayde to hem hyre1 fantasye [' st., c. burnt]
With-outen eny1 flatrye 1504
Resou« spak thus : -
' Syrs,' 3 quod she, in goodly wyse,
' That stonden here,4 & thus devyse
Off Euoyntynge4 & oynementys,
And ther-of hold your parlementys, 1508
I pray5 yow that ye nat dysdeyne
To hcrkne5 off me wordys tweyne, [" St., c. burnt]
Wych to tellyn I purpose,
And a-noon) to5 yow vnclose : 1512
Oyncmcnte ys a soote6 thyng, [«»oetst.]
And rylit virtuous in werkyng,
To wouwdys cloos, & ope also,
Yiff yt be sofftly leyd therto 1516
lloth wyth hand and instrument ;
ffbr lechys sliolden off entent
Soffte liandle the soor to seke,7 p and ««-ke St.]
Yt fyt8 hem wol to be meke ; piyttegtj 1520
To whom a-cordeth no Eudiiesse ;
They sholdo avoyde boystousuesse.
Wou«djyd folk desyren offte
Off leuliys to ben handlyd soffte; 1524
2 Camb. MS. reads : She bifjan to spcke to hem, and seyde
with-oute flateriugf, ' Locdingua, that tints diuisen sud spekeii of
youre oynementes, anil holden heere youre parlement of citoynt-
inge of oother folk, vnderstomleth now two little woordos tliat j
wole soone haue vuclosed yow. Oyncineut is,' ic., |>. 9.
Reason bids them le gentle and pitiful, not revengeful. 41
[' Thanne St.]
P while St.]
1532
1536
1540
' Itudnesse hem doth inor Jainage
Then J the oynement avaiwtago ;
Harmeth offte tymes more
To swyche as that be2 wouHilyd sore : \? aa bethe St.] 1528
I calle hem rude, that be felou«s,
tfers & cruel as be lyoiws ;
Tliat wyl,3 tliorgli ther cruelte,
On every tliyng a-vengyd l)e ;
Spare ne for-bere ryht uouht,
They be so rengable in ther thouht.
Swych be no goode surgyens,
Lechys, nor physycyens,
Syke flblkys to restore ;
ffor the wouwdys they hurte more
Tliorgh Kudnesse in ther entent ;
ffor they mynystre ther oynement
To boystously, & no thing soffte ;
"\Vher-thorgh they hurte & slen ful olfte,
Wych affter may nat be ameiidyd.
And for tliys skyle I am descendyd,
Kome to yow in sothfastnesse,
That ye ill yow ha no Eudnesso,
Cruelte, nor felonye,
Wych ar douhtrys to envye.
'I>eth pytous vn-to folkys wou/jdyd,
Tyl ye han her sorys sou«dyd.
Debonayre & mercydble,
Soffte, goodly, & tretable.
Thanne, in soth, yt may nat fayH
That your oynementys shal avaytt
To syke folke on euery syde,
That for ther hele on yow abyilo.
Remembreth }row vp-on thys poynt,
How ye wer whylom ek enoynt
To bekome mor debonayre ;
Nat to be cruel nor contrayre,
IJut teschewe al ffelonye,
And tavoyde malencolyo ;
And no vengau?«ce for to take,
But foryyue for Goddys sake ; 1564
tliosc who
are not are
" felons,"
[leaf 20]
anil injure
I host1 Wllcm
tliey should
cure.
1544
1548
1552
A titl I am
Conic tliut
tliere should
be no cruelty
in you.
Be I'itilul
tn wounded
folk;
then y i MI r
obitmenti
will l»e uf
nvuil.
1556
Ye were
anointed,
1560 not to be
cruel,
but to avoid
melancholy ;
and take no
vengeance.
42 The Vicar asks Reason ivliat his Horns and Goad arc for.
Jlea est vlc-io, A CRO
retribuiim. IX'iilcro-
nomie (xxxii :l.V.
for vengeance
belongeth
unto God.'
[leaf 26, back]
•What, then,
are my horna
tor?
and what is
the good of
my staff with
its pharpened
tiidi"
' My friend,
be reason-
able i
1568
' Al old Kancour for to Icte :
ffer, by record off the prophete
In liys Sawys that ben olde,
God hath to hyw sylff wi't//-holde
Vengauttce to hys lugcmunt ;
And ther-fore, who that of entent1
Wyl wrastle ageyw yt, this tho clieff
He shaft not faylle to han mescheff.'
"Whaime liesoun hadde hyr tale told,
Tho Vyker, that sempte wonder olde,
Off whom I tolde yow nat in vayn
Moyses2
Axed of Kesourt thus agayn :
' I pray yow that ye nat ne spare,
The truthc clerly to declare,
The moralyte to obserue,
Wlicrof sholde myn hornys serve ?
Thys staff ek, w/t/t the sharpc ix>ynt,
Telleth me fro poynt to poynt,
lie tliey nat maad, by good rcsoiiu,
For punysshynge and Correceio«n ;
Myn liornys, for to take wrak'
On shrewe's, & to putte abak' t
And off my staff ek, \\iih the prykke,
Chastysen folkys that be wykke,
Kather than lyk as ye me tolde
Her a-forn, how that I sholde
Enoynte hc»/i wt't/t the oynement ?
Wlier-vp-on seyth your entent.'
Resou// Answereth:
' My fayre frend,' quod tho Rusourc,
' Tak hed in thy dyserec/ou?i ;
1 Camb. MS. reads : And therfor who so wole tincme it him,
to yuel ende ho may come, p. 10.
- This is a red line, some one answering the preceding speaker.
The Camb. MS. goes on : Whan resoun hadde thus spoken,
the vicarie of whiche j seide bifore, answcrde hire and seidc,
"Sey me, j praye you, if ye can, win j haue thus myii lied horned
and the yerde sharp at the eende ? ]s it not for to do jmnish-
inge and correecoun of yuel dedes ? j trowe j shulde putte and
hurtle the yuel folk with myiic homes, and prikke liein," &c.,
p. 10.
[St. AC.]
„ 1572
»
[Stowe MS.]
[St. & C.]
[StoweJIs ;
[8L4CJ 1576
1580
[st. * cj 1584
1588
1592
Reason says, Sinners must be gentled ere they're jnmisht. 43
' Vnjcrstond me emery del :
I wotu1 what tliow menest wel, I1 »-ote St., wot c.] 1596
And knowe platly thy menyng1.
Mesure ys good in eue/y thyng1 :
Thogh thy« hornys <fe pyk also
Be yove 2 to the, bothe two, [> St., c. burnt] 1600
ffor2 Punyssliyng & for chastysyng1
Off folkys Rebel in werchyng* ;
Yet fyrst thow sholdest hem dyrecte,
And vfMi fayrnesse hem correcte, — 1601
Swych as thow sey, day by day,3 p fro day to day st.]
Erryn fro the hih"4 Eyhto way; — [« hih om. st.]
And yiff thow fouwde hew obstynat,
That5 longeth yt to thyra estat p ? Than] 1C08
To punysshen hym by thyw offyce,
And vp-on hem don ek iustyce
Egally for ther offence :
Tlie la we yiweth6 the lycence. [6yevethst.] 1612
' But ferst thow sholdest trete he»« fayre,
Be goodly ek, and debonayre,
And don alway ful gret labour
To shewe swetnesse afor Rygour. 1616
And thogh the juykke of Kygour be
ffor chastysyng1 y-yove to the,
Be alway war, touchyng* ryht :
Whan thow chastysest any whyht, 1620
Do yt ueuer by suych duresse
But yt be nieynt ay -with suetnesse ;
Medle wit/f-al the vnccyouw
Off pyte and co?«passyouw. 1624
' In thyn entent to be mor clene,
Thogh thyn hornys be sharp & kene
To punysshe folk by ryhtwysnesse,
Thow sholdest ay the poynt so dresse 1628
In thy Rygour of equyte,
Euere in hert to han pyte
On hem that tliow hast iustesyed.
Let mercy wt't/t ryht be so alyed, 1 632
And thynk how many day to-forn,
Or thow haddest any horn,
there la
niiKlerationin
all tliinga.
[leaf 27]
You must
direct, and
1-imisli wilh
lairness.
and arcord-
ina to the
offence.
Though your
staff [erosier]
is given you
to Bunlah
wicli,
let judgment
ever he teni-
l>ered wilh
mercy,
and have pity
upon those
whom you
h:ive "jue-
UoxL"
4-1 Reason says: Imitate the mild Moses; be merciful.
' Thow wer Ecnoynt : thynk tlier vp-on1
[ieaf27,back] Lat yt not fro thy niymle gon [St. &c.j 1G36
Which thing, vrlian tliow dost aduerte, „
RememVr Yt shaH nessho ful \vel thvn lierto
that you were •>
foreyou were ^'nan J* '3 liarde Or OUt of loyilt, [Stowc]
horned, fo j,onyss]ie or gmyte with the poynt, [St. 4 CO 1640
Or with thyn homes to liurtlc sore : ,,
Ha this in mynde cuer more, „
To medic mercy wt't/t equyte. „
' Kemembre also ful wel, and se ,, 1644
wnom tnow nrt vyker,
Krat *1>"™sI1ii-
Was humble, nieke, & delionayre,
Charytaljle, & nat contrayre : 1648
toeSpie. Of wllom t'ww sllalt cxauwjilc take,
To-forn2 or tliow thy domys inuke. [! Tofornst.j
Horn yd8 he was 1>y apparcnce, p Homyd st., us. torn c.]
Kat vsyng1 he/ft by vyolcnce : 1652
Tliys was that holy Moyscs
rlr^m'ff the 1''laf' la'l'lc al Isrnel in pees
i!«i'sca,the M'yddys tliorgh the large see ;
And wj't/t hys yerde, tliys was he 1656
That passedc tlie floodys range,
And made he;/( liaue good passage.
' Vnderstonduth tliys lessuu/;,
Ye that han in subiccctoun 1660
Peplys vnder your prelacye,
To leme how ye shal he»« gnye.
°eo|Je"andcTC I''10?'1 J'c ^)e 1'Oiliyd to sytll4 OUtWal'd, [« •iglit St ]
El!.!,™,-" She we as they wer styff & hard, 1664
thin lesson, Jja^ ]le)n jjjj^ g|.owen in yollr I1(;rto
To make your shep / to sore sinertc.
fuHmvarSr'" Thogh ye shewe / out-ward dredful,
v'mierfout- Beth in your hertys mercyful.s 1668
Wurdly.
1 Camb. MS. reads : Bithinke thee that then were enoyntcd
er thow were honied, and er tliow haddest any prikke, and er
tliow haddest any yerde or Btaf, And that ouhte michel softe
thee whan thow wolt correcte any wyght. tliou slinldest not also
foryete of whom thow doost the vicarishipe, p. 11.
6 Camb. MS. reads : And be merciable with-inne, wliat-euere
thow be with oute ; Pallas thou iniht make heor-inne with-outa
misdoinge, p. 11, omitting all between lines 1671 and 1699.
Reason cites Aristotle, and lids Church-Rulers le gentle. 45
' Dyssymule, and mak in swych caas
Off Elenchorwtt a fallaas. [St. AC.]
(ElendlUS ys a syllogysmo, [St.4CJ Verba Translaloris.
Or by fallaas, a Sophmme, [c.sst.] 1672
Thyng1 that liatfi on Apparence „
Wit/(-outen eny Existence ; , ,
Or an argument in shcwyngo „
Wych in effect hath no beynge „ 1676
Affter the thyng that yt doth shewe.) ,,
IT And thcr-fore, in worde's fewe,
To the purpos vallyable,
An exaumplc ful notable 1680
To folk that be not rekkeles,
Putteth Arystotyles :
In ElencMs thow mayst rede
lie byddeth for to take in dede 1684
A Booty's1 galle, & ther-w«t7<-al [' Booiys s«.]
On bord, on cloth, or on a wal
Portreye or peynte, as I ha told,
And yt wyl resemble gold 1G88
I»y apparence vn-to the syht,
Yiff yt be vernysshed cler & bryht.
1T And sothly, who that loku wel,
Off gold ther ys neuer a del, 1692
Hut apparence, to deceyue
ffolkys that kan not vel2 parceyve pweistj
Tlie feynte colour in hys kynde.
IT I!y wych cxaumplo lion in mynde, 1696
Thogh thow be honiyd on thyn bed,
To shewe outward a tookne of drede
Vn-to folk that be contrayre,
Yet ay be inward debonayre. 1700
' Tak exauwple off thy staff
Wych Grace Dieu vn-to the gaff :
Thogh the poynt be sharp & kene,
Yt ys vpward, pleyn, smothe & clene; 1704
The myddys ryht as any lyne,
Aboue, crokyd to enclyne;
Sygnefyyng vn-to the3
* Camb. IIS. reads : Dowtc not that that [yerde] ne tokcneth
[leaf 88]
Take an ex-
aiii|>li)of Aris-
totle* :
A I'.ill1- g:ill
I'uKli.-.i on a
board
will look
exactly like
(Old.
So yon,
tluniKli von
show tlreml-
ful williont
be merciful
Willlill.
Your staff
sllOllltl tfai-h
you humility,
46 Reason explains the meaning of the Pontiff's Staff,
[ieaf88,back] ' ' Whan thou i>unysshcst by Equyte ['-' stowe MS.] 1708
That ther-with-alle thow lia mckenesse
Al-way to drawe by sofftenesse ^t^ifcSLJSS&Jl
Thy shepe that gon out of the way,
ami to punish Rather by ffayrenesse than affray. 1712
with equity.
Whan they retornen home ageyn,
Lat ay thy Chary to be seyn,1
That yt surmouwte thy rygour. [St. &co
llemembre alle-way at ther Ixetour „ 171G
Above al manor other thyng, ,,
Vp-on ther elthe & Aiiu-nclyng1 ;
Ever show a ScllCW hem cue/' of lotlO a SygllO.
Bignotloveto
men. And in thy drauht be ay benygnc, 1720
Voyde of rancour & felonyo ;
Than dostow trewly occupyc
The staff wycli thou liast on hondc.
' ffor thow shalt well vuderstonde 1724
Yt tokenoth (who that kan conccrno,)
Your staff That thow shalt tlior-w«'t7( governe
is a sign of
authority; ^'lie peplys (I dar wel specefye,)
Cowmiyttyd to thy prelacye ; 1728
^[ak hem passe (thys thy charge,)
The Ryuer of thys world ful largr.
with it you Thy2 staff, to ther a-vau?itage [' Ti.y st., My c.]
slmll ciiiuluct . i *-o
men over the Slial COIullllte3 ther passage J P comluyte SI.] 1(32
deci>,
ffychehe the pyk profound & dope
In-to the wawes, he»t to kepe.
'And w/t/( al thys, thow most take hede
Off plank or bregge, yiff they node : 173G
ana provide Yiff they ffayH. thow shalt on make.
Ul'i.lges when
necessary. As thow art bounde' for her sake ;
And for that cause, folkys alle,
Hcnoeyour Pontifex tliey doth the calle, 1740
inline is "
or°Brw% Makyng a bregge, thys to seyne,
mater. f\lo passage that they may atteyne.
Vnderstond wel thys lessou«
Lyke4 myn informacyoim ; [* stowe MS.] 1744
II Yet oucrnaore I shal the toche,
that ther shulde be in the, humblcsse, whan tkou chastises! by
e(£uitec, p. 11.
At one time
a horned
benat (now in
hell) dwelt
here.
To drive liim
out Unite
Dieugaveyou
horns,
ami tells how he drove out the Horned Beast of Hell. 47
' Yiff thow take hod to my speche,
Toucliyng1 thyn hornys bothc two,
Thy staif ek, wt't/i the pyk also. 1748
IT Whylom her ther clydc dwelle
Thornyd best wych lyeth in helle,
Makynge here hys mansion [St. &c.]
And longe held her1 pocessyon), i> here St.] ,, 1752
Lordshepe ek & goueniaunce,
"Wyeh was gret dysplesaUHce
To Grace Dieu, that he so sholde
Abyden her, as I the tolde. 1756
And Tavoydett fro thys place
Tliys hornyd best, and teuchase,
She callcde the, lyk as I fynde, —
I trow thow haue yt wel in mynde, — 1760
Gaff the hornys in sentence
Wit// hym to stonden at diffonce.
The staff also, wych I off telle,
Sche took to the, hym to expelle ; 1764
Arniede the of entenciouu
(Lyk tamyghty champyoun,) rtoam.]
Wi'tA thys hornys that I of spak,
On thys beste to take wrak, 1 768
To make hym fro thys hous to fle,
By power that she gaff to the :
The vntrewe false enherytour,
That was her lord & gouernour, 1772
And long tyme pocessyowner,
Tyl thow dydest thy dever,2
As Grace Dieu the tauhte a-ryht,
To pntte hym out by verray niyght, 1776
Thorgh hurtlyng< of thyn hornys tweyne :
And dyst also thy bysy peync,
Wit/t thy staff to make hy/« flee,
Maugre hys myght & hys powste. 1780
and armed
you with
your stuff,
that yon
might drive
ont the ty-
rant.
in spite of hia
power.
1 Camb. MS. reads : Thow hurtledcst him with thine homos
. . . And thow beete him with thi yerde whan thou madest him
goon out of the place. The tweyue faire lahellcs lianginge at
thine tweyne hornes thou conqueredest at the clensinge, and
sweepinge, and poorginge of the place, and that was whan thou
dediedest, and halwedcst, and blissedest the place, p. 12.
•1 8 Reason says Grace Dieu wishes her ffmise always protected.
[leaf S9, back]
The two
labels on your
horns you ob-
tained when
you overcame
the beast,
ami hallowed
tlie place.
Grace Dieu
wills that you
shall be al-
ways armed,
BO that all
may lear you
anil rcnifln-
ber liow you
vanquished
the lue,
and you lie
ever ready to
defend the
mansion of
Grace Dieu.
aThogh" ho were sory to doparte, ['— ' stowe MS., leaf 36]
Thow dyst that Felouw so coarte,
That here lie clurst[e] nat abyde.
'And eke vpou that other syde, 1784
The two Labellys, large and longe,1
Haugynge by thyn hornys stronge, (Su&c,J
Ar Fygure of the cowqueste „
That thow madest on thys beste, ,, 1788
And of the Clensynge of thys place, cc. *st.]
Wasshe & swept only by grace, „
I inene fyrst at2 the halwyug, p stowe]
y t inakyng1 hooly by blessyng*, 1 792
Lyk a myghty champyoan
In the dedycaeyouH ;
AVych for to don, as yt ys skyl,
Off Grace' Dieu thys ys the wyl : 1796
That thow be anuyd offte sylhe,
As a vyctor, thy myght to kythe,
That thylke' best most contrayre
Be neue/' hardy to repay re, 1SOO
Nor yt tassaylle by no wrong1,
Whan he setli tliyw armour strong* ;
Wych ar sygnes in substaunce
Ay to be' put in reniembniunce, 1804
How thow hast venquysahed & fordon)3 [» bore dou» st.j
Thylke vntrewij fals felon),
Bete & oppressyd fynally ;
And that thow mayst ben ay redy, * 1808
ffressh & newe ay to bataylle
Ageyws aH that wyl assaylle,
At alle4 tyme & ech sesoiw, [« aiie st., ai c.j
Off Grace Dieu the ma«syoim, 1812
Or yt dyspoylle in a«37 wyse,
Ilobbe or reue yt in thcr guyse,
By5 sleythe, falshed, or any whyle, [» stowe}
Grace Dieu ff or to exile6 1816
8 Cainb. MS. reads : And dispcilo it of hire goodes hi dymos,
and taxes bi violences and by extoruiouns. lint thor of as j
wot wel of sooth, tliou doost not well tlii deuoir, For thi self
grauntest hem, and shewest the weyes to haue hem, the which
thing grace dieu halt no game, j>. 12.
Reason further explains the Pontiff's Horns.
49
' By1 dyuers extorsyons [' stowe]
Of dynies or Subventions, [c. & St.]
or taylladges [ijffounde newe, ,,
By Exaccions fuii vntrewe : „ 1820
YifE thow yt sufTre, ffer or ner, [St. *c.j
Thow dost not trewly thy deuer, ,,
Whan thow fyndest or dost espye „
Sotyl weyes ffor flatrye ,, 1824
To spoylle of Grace Dieu the hous
By any tytles ravynous,
Thow dost to hyre no plesaunce,
But gret A-noye & dystourbauwce. 1828
I siay, as yt lyth in my thouht,
Flatly the trouthe, & spare yt nouht :
II Thyn hornys hih" vp on tliyn hod,
Nor thy staff, (yt ys no dred, 1832
I ilar pleynly specefye,)
Ar but tooknes of mokerye,
Lych hornys of a lytell snayl,
Wych2 seme for noon avayl, p wiiiciw stj 1836
But for a lytel strawh" wyl shrynke :
Her-vp-on thow sholdest thynke.
' Swycli hornys hadde nat Seyw Thomas,
That kepte the entre & the paas 1840
ful myghtyly agey« the kyng1,
And wolde stiff re for no thyng1
Hym to entren in-to thys hous ;
But, as a champyoim vertuous, 1844
Kepte the fredam & frauwchyse,
And suffrede in no mane;- wyse
The house of Grace Dieu at al
ffor to serue, nor to be thral : 1818
Eather he dies to dey & sterue
Than suffre that yt sholdc serue,
Thj's holy bysshop Seyn Thomas.
5T Seynt Ambrose3 in the4 same eaas [' tiiisst.] 18~>2
3 Camb. MS. reads : Of seint Ambrose also j sey thee tliat
defended his hous ayens cinperoures and cmperises, so that lie
was lord ther-of alone. ' Youre jialeys,' quod ho, 'ye haue youre
toures, youre castelles, an<l your citees, with the reuenewes of
the empire. Wei ouhte tliis to suffice yow,' p. 12.
PII.ORIMAOE. E
[leaf 3d]
[prose, p. xii]
If you do not
do tliis,
your horns
and staff
are but a
mockery,
jui<l your
horns are no
better than
a snail's.
[Cap. xvi]
St. Thomas
did not net
but fought
inant'iilly for
(irace ]>iell.
50
[leaf SO, back]
St. Ambrose
at<o relused
to allow
Emperor
or Empress
to touch the
heritage of
Christ.
Anil so your
liorus should
be tor a de-
fence of tlie
Clmreli,
and your
staff to de-
manil of Plia-
nioh to M
the people go
free.
[leafol]
Then you
would be
truly called
Moses.'
[St. i c.]
[* Stowe]
Reason still expounds the Horns and Staff.
1 Deff endyd myghtyly also ['-' stowe MS., leaf 37]
Hys hous, lyk as he sholde do,
Ageyn the sturdy Emperour,
By dyllygence and grete labour ;
Tolde hym that he shulde kepe
Oonly hys Temperall Lordshepe,1
Hys paleys & hys niansyouws,
Hys cytes, castelles & hys touHS ;
The Eevcnnues ther-off ytake,
And ther-with-al, murye hyw make ;
Wych ouhte ynowh to hy»» suffyse,
And entermet hyw in no wyso
Touchyng1 Cristys herytage ;
And sayde, for al hys felle rage,
That .he wolde rather deye
Than suffre in any mane?- weye
Burynge hys tyme, short or long1,
He2 sholde ther-to done any wrong1.
Thys2 folk, to myn oppynyou»«,
Vsede2 ther hornys by Eesou?;,
As2 I to the ha told ryht now.
And, by exaiuwple, so sholdyst thow
Dar thyn hornys for dyffence,
And suffre that no vyolence
Were ydon vn-to thy spouse
Wych ys so ffayr & vertuouse,
Weddyd to the by iuste weddyng* :
I take3 record of the ryng1,
On3 thy fynger that thow dost vse ;
Therfor thow mayst the nat excuse
Off the yerde nor the wond?
Wych thow beryst in thyn hond,
To seyn manly to Pharao,
(As of ryht thow sholdest do,)
To suffre thy folkys to go fre,
As they ouht of lyberte ;
Nat to greue hem, nor oppresse,
Nor constreyne hem by duresse.
f Than sholdestow (yt ys no les,)
15e trewely callyd Moyses,
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
[Cap. xviij
While Reason
thus talked to
Moses,
tlu> official
put liis oint-
ments under
lock and key.
Two Pilgrims come to be married. IVTiat is needful. ol
Ryht agreable by vertu
Vn-to that lady, Grace Dieu,
And of servyse acceptable
To that lady worshepable.' 1896
1T In thys whyle that dame Resouw
Hadde comunycacyovm
Wyth Moyses, ryht tlier wi't/t-al
The forseyde offycyal 1900
Ys -with hys oynementys gon,
And putte hem in warde a-noon :
That they wer sauff, I dar wel seye,
Closyd vnder look & keye. 1904
Ordre off maryage :
And tho, my?* Eye as I vp caste,
I sawe komen l wonder faste [l saughe komyng st.]
A pylgrym al sodeynly,
Holdyng hys weye fynally, 1908
(As me thouht in hys en tent),
Drawynge in-to the oryent ;
And euene in the opposyt
I sawe ek konie by gret delyt 1912
[5 lilies blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
A wowanan, wych that was also
A pylgrym ek ; & bothe2 two, p bothe St., both c.]
Her wey took in especyal
To-wardys the offycyal 3 ; 1916
Sayde vn-to hym, they bothe a-noon, [st. & c.]
How they wolde to-gyder gun ,,
On pylgrymage in ther degre ,,
To lerusaleem, the Cytee, [stowe, leaf SB, back] 1920
' So ye teche vs, and dysserne ,,
How that we shaH vs gouerae, [st. & c.j
To be sur, in oure passage, ,,
To ffulfylle our pylgrymage.' „ 192-1
Thanne anoon Thoffycyal,
Whan he knew ther menyng1 al,
Tolde hem, yiff they woldi; gon,
3 Camb. IIS. goes on : And cche of hem took him las hand,
and he took hem and ioyned hem to-gMere, and sithe seide hem,
aa me thonhte, ' ye tweyue shule be bothe oon, and iclie of yow
bere trowthe to oother,' p. 13.
Then I saw
a man limn
the East,
and a woman
from the
West, ap-
proach tlie
official,
who joined
their hands
together.
52 More Advice to the Pilgrims about to Marry.
They most of herte be al on, 1928
ana hade Tvvevne in on. & on in tweyne,
them live ill •
?ovey ""d Both in loyo & ek in peyno ;
And so to-gydre ay persetiere,
Tyl that deth make hem dysseuere. 1932
Seyde1 ek to hem, 'look that ye pstowe]
In1 trouthe, <fe in stablete [stabyitee St.] „
Yee1 lone to-gydro as ye sholde, ,,
Whether ye be yong* or olde ; 1 936
ami promise And that your trouthe on outlier syde
wil.ii an oatli
Perpetuelly in on a-byde,
To your last, that yt endure :
IT And that ye shal to me Assure 1940
Both be feyth & ek by oth ;
And both wel war, for leff or loth,
That ye, for no varyaiwce,
that they Ne brekc nat your assuraiiHce ; 1944
would do as
he com- ffor yiff ye don), 2ye be forsworn) ; [»-> or.. St., leaf 39]
tiiem., And ek I warne yow to-forn,
Yiff that ye don2 in dede or thouht,
fful lytel shal a-vaylle, or nouht, 1948
Than vn-to yow your vyage,
Your labour, nor your pylgrymage.
it would be Yt wer wel bet, to my« entent,
them tuin That ech of yow allone went, 1952
Sool by hym sylff, and nut trospace,
[leaf 32] Than be fouude on3 any placu pin si.]
Vntrewi- to hys coinpanye ;
ffor, gret forfet & folye 1956
Yt ys, a man for to be found e
than to iw Vntrewe to hym that he ys botuide.
untrue to
e icii other, ^r ]}ut yiff your wyl of both yffeerc
Be parfyt, hool, & ek entere 1960
To gon to-gydre, (lat now se,)
On pylgrymage to that cyte,
Whyder to gon I caste also,
Ye most suerne her,4 bothe two, [' nweren here St.] 1964
On euecy part, for old or newe,
jiv'ciir to live That ech to other shal be trewe,
together in
peace. bo tenduren, al your lyfr,
Folk ask Moses for a Service. He clips their Crowns. ;".'}
' Wt't/i-outett werre or any stryff ; 19G8
Off on hert & entencyon),
Neuere to make dyuysyon),
Nor departyng1 causeles,
"WYtA-oute assent of Moysees.' 1972
Affter al tliys, A-noon rylit
I sit wK hem bothe trouthe ply lit, They pn>-
1 J iniHedall
Haud 111 hand ybouwde faste ; tllo«'.
Euej-e, whyl tlier lyff may laste, 1976
So to continue?* & endure,
Ther feyth by oth they dyde assure,
ffor euenuor : lo her ys al.
And thanne A-noon the offycyal 1980 nniithen the
official re-
Ys retournyd in certeyn turned again
to Moses,
Hoom to Hoyscs ageyn,
Wych stood of entenciovw
To here the talkyng1 of Kesouw. 1984
Ther-to he sette al hys en tent ;
But at the last ther parlement
Yendyd ys, for so gret pres1
Kam a-douw to2 Moyses, pvn-tostj 1988
Eequeryng hyin in humble wyse [St. &c.j [leafsa.iwck]
To graunten hem so/»me seruyse ,, mnrdwon
T t. L fe ill came iiskinj;
In hys hous, oft gentyllesse. „ service i »
And he full goodly gan hym dresse, [stowe MS., leaf 39, bk.]
As I conceyved with my look, „ 1993
[4 lines Uank in MS. for an Illumination.] [Sacrnmentum ordini> st]
And a peyre of slierys took, [c«i.. xviii]
Merkede3 hew (I took good lieed,) p Marke<i« St.]
On foure parleys of ther lied ; 1996
And affter that, vp-on the crowne, TIMH Moses
m n i lo°k ft I"1'1"
lo-iorn) hym as they knele doon, or»heaw,
nnd shaved
Seyng1 to he/« stondyng1 a-part, their crowns.
' That God shal be the hoolo part 2000
Pleynly of ther enherytau?ice,
As4 ther Rychesse & suffysauMce : pstowe]
Ther-of they may be wel certeyn.'
1 Camb. MS. reads : But as tliei weren . . . ajieken, a gret
cuinpany of folk maden cesso liere parlement auoon. Bifore
Muises lliei comen, and maden him retjueste that sum seruice in
his hous he wolde yiue hem and graunte hem, j). 13.
Reason justifies Head-shaving. Khe promises Help.
[Cup. xix]
Then Raafion
drew near,
sayinlf,
' To shave
the head is
deemed a
folly by some
men.
[leaf 33]
but not by
me.
may envy
you, I will
not.
Wherever
you dwell
you will be
known for
true men.
Resou// ageyn:
And thawne Eeson) effte ageyn, 2004
(Lych as I shal yow devyse,)
Gan to spekyn in thys wyse :
' Syrs, taketk bed,' a-noon quod she,
' Som whyle, as semeth vn-to me, 2008
Yt ys wysdom), ryht, & no wrong,
To feyne foly euere a-mong,
Thogh ye now, also God me saue,
Ben yclypyd & yshaue 2012
Vp-on your hedys euerychon),
Wycli thyng ys denipte of many on
fful gret vuwyt & gret ffolye
Off malys & malencolye ; 2016
They dome so malycyously,
But trewly so do nat I. [c. & St.]
ffor as in myn oppynyon „
I deme yt1 gret dyscreccion), pstowe, learw] 2020
And ful gret wyt that ye ha do,
And for that skyle taketh hede ther-to.
IT To be youre's, of entent,
Hooly to yow I mo present 2024
As your paramoire entere ;
And who-so-euere (as ye shal lere,)
Gruchche, or haue envye ther-to,
Al-way forth I wyl be so. 2028
ffor trusteth wel, that I am she
By whom that ye yknowe be
ffrom other bestys — lo her ys al —
And seueryd in especyal. 2032
1T And pleynly, ek, I kan yow telle,
Al the whyl that I dwelle
With yow, A-mongys hyh & lowe,
ffor verray men ye shal be knowe, 2036
Thorgh wysdom & thorgh prouydence,
And haue A verray dyfference
ffrom other bestys to dyscerne
How ye shal your sylff gouerne. 2040
Al the whyle that ye me holdo
With yow tabyde, as I tolde,
Reason tarit pitt up with Sins.
55
[i nouslit St.]
[» trontlie St.] 2044
2048
f SI it C 1
,', 2052
»
[St., le:lf 41]
[St. & C.]
2056
20GO
' Ye shal be men, & ellys nauht1 ;
And yifB the trouthe2 be wel souht,
Whan that I am fro vow gon,
Ye may avauwte (& that a-noon,)
That ye be (thys, no fable)
Bestys & vnresownable,
Dyspurveyed of al Rescue,3
And voyde of al dyscrecc/ouH ;
For yiff ye wante shortly me,
Yee may neuere in no degre
(Though" yee euere do youre peyne,)
"Worshipe, off youre sylff atteyne
Nor clymbe to no gret honour
But yiff yc han of me socour ;
Tliogli ye be lordys of estat,
Proud of your port, & eke ellat,
Lytel to yow, al may avaylle
Wit/i-outc me, yt ya no faylle,
ffor to make your lugementys,
Syllogysmes, or Argumentys,
Or of Wysdam any thyng ;
AVit/«-oute me, thys no lesyng,
Ye shal ha no cowclusyon,
But fynally confusyon).
IT ffor wych I caste me to telle
How ye shal ha, yiff ye lyst dwelle,
The loue of me on eiwy syde :
Ye most ay be, & so abyde,
That ye in yow ha sobyrnesse,
And voyde fro yow dronkenesse
And hyr suster glotonye,
Wraththe, Ire & ffelonye ;
ffor wher-so-euere that they be,
They make me a-way to fle ;
ffor wher tliey make her mansyouw,
I leve that habytacyou«.
Venus thenys doth me chase,
3 Camb. MS. reads : ye be but as doumbe bcstes, and as
coltes that ben clothed. With-oute me ye shul nenere liaue
wurshipe, be ye neuere so grete lordes, p. 14.
But if I 5
fc»ve von,
you will
become ;i* till*
rensoniible
beasts,
:u 1. 1 hick nil
however lii^
or wise you
may swill.
2064
2068
If I inn to
remain,
2072 Drunken-
ness,
Gluttony and
Wrath must
be banished.
2076
56 The Romance of the Rose. Reason explains the Tonsure.
drive m" ' ^'^ ^^^^ 1Ue OU* °^ *na* P^°, 2080
">vy, As yt ys sayd & told ful wel —
Who lyst loken eue?ydel, —
as may be WVt/j-outew any maner close,
seen in tlie
jiomance of in tlie Eoiuatmce of the Roose. 2084
//« /. ''.'>''.
IF Wherfor I pray yow cue/yclion),
Oaf si] ffor to kepe yow, on by on,
ffro thys vyees that I ha told,
And from al other, yong and old ; 208$
fllea'il these ^°r '"^ ^°UC ^a* Ye nem fflee> fc- * St.]
vices, Yiff ye lystou han frenshepe of me. „
IF ffor, but ye yow fro vyees kcpc,
Ye slial lesij the frenshepe 2092
Plutly of me, as I yow tolde.
And ffynally, I nat ne holde
Hym for my frend, (knowe thys ryht wol,)
That yivetu nys 1:)0(iy eue»ydel 2096
Iny'tViend. n-tO VyC6S, 6Ue)X3 ill OO11.
[Cap. xx] H And two wordys, or that ye gon,
Shortly to yow, & nat ne spare,
Openly I wyl declare 2100
Tookue of your crowne, cloos wM-Inne,
And at the cercle fyrst begywne.
Xnlfles"81"6 ^ meU6 ^1G C^OSUre fer WZt/4-OUte
That ys cerclyd round a-boute 2104
As A castel or strong douwgouw,
Or lyk a gardyn, wych envyroiiM
Ys closyd \\iih a myglity wal ;
The wych (who cousydreth al,) 2108
Wit/i-Inne ys ope, to sygnefyc,
that yow me That ye to God sholde hool anlve
to apply vour * *
to Guaw''°"y Your hertys> to uy»» so enterly
That noon affeccz'on worldly, 2112
Nor erthly thyng, ha noon entre.
ffor, lerueth thys shortly of me :
Your Cercle round aboute the lied
Sholde kepe (yt ys no died,) 2116
Off your hertys the closure,
aiitwidiy To voJ'de away al worldly cure
; of
Reason warns them against Worldly Pleasures.
57
And shewen (in conclusyon)1)
That ye have the world for-sake,
And of herte youre-sylff ytake
Hooly to God, off wyl enters ;
For ye ne may not bothe yifere
Serve God, and the worlde also,
And be trewe in bothe two :
The toon, a-syde most be layd.
' And tliyuk also what ye ha sayd.
God ys for our avauwtage, ^ JJ™
Our party, & our herytage,
Whom we ha chose with al our myght
ffor to serue day & nyht.
By wych word, so God me sane,
Me thynketh ye sholde no loye haue
Of thys worldys veyn plesau«ce,
Wych ys so ful off varyau?;ce,
So ful of chang1 & dovbylnesse ;
ffor now, to oon he yyveth Eychesse,
Robbeth a-nother, as ye may se,
And cast hy»i in-to pouerte ;
And sowme he yiveth neueradel :
Wherfore loke ye kepe wel
The part off your elleccyouw,
Off herte & hool eiitenc/ouw,
That ye ha chose, yiff ye be wyse,
Wych ouhte ynowgli to yow suffyse ;
ffor, as in cowparyson),
Yt passeth al pocessyon).
II Lat your tonsurys, round at al
Close your hertys as a wal ;
And that yt go so round aboute
ffor to sette2 the world w/t/t-oute,
And yt dysseuere in al3 thyng1,
And your party so departyng*,
That4 ye be shorn so as ye sholde
As4 chose shepe of Crystys folde,
2120
[St. & CO
»
))
[StoweMS., leaUS]
01 OS
,, al-iO
[St. & C.]
,',' 2128
'nit* pars \\ereditati*
(St.) (Psal. xv. 5.)
2144
shettest.]
p aiie St.]
2148
2152
r* stowc]
2156
1 Camb. MS. goes on : For from it [the world] ye muste
departe, if with your god ye wole part. Ye mowun not haue
bothe tweyno to-gideres ; that mown ye wel wite, p. 14.
[ie»rs4,backj
You must
serve God
day tnul
night,
2132
2136
and ptit no
trust in the
changing
pleasures of
the world.
2140
The choice
you luive
made sur-
passes all
cnrthly pos-
sessions.
You are the
chosen sheep
of Christ's
flock,
58 Reason on the Monk's Duty. Moses appoints his Officers.
[leaf 35]
and the
shepherd
alum receive
the fleece ;
but lie must
not 8he;tr it
out of mea-
sure— only
for need.
Lyk to bestys resoiumable.
Thawne of ryght (yt ys no fable)
Your shepperde, that taketh of1 yow kepe, ['oust.]
Schal receyuen off liys shop 2160
The flees somwhyle for hys travaylle ;
But he shal nat so yow assaylle,
To flen yow fro yowr skyn al bare ;
In swyche2 cas he moste spare ; [> >wyciw st.] 2164
ffor lie therto hath no lycence,
To yow to don) swych vyolence.
He shal yow shern duely in dede,
Nat out of mesour, but for nede, 2168
Take hys part hym to sustene ;
And for that skyle, thus I mene,
That he shal no vengeaunce make :
Therfore he hath the sherys take, 2172
And nat the knyff, to Eobbe & slen,
And folk out of her skyn to fflen ;
But eherysshe hem rather by fauour
Than oppresse hewi by Eygour : 2176
Thus sholde eue?y shepperde do,
Resouw algate techeth so.'
U And whan thys lady, dame Resou»^,
Hadde y-endyd hyr sermouw, 2180
Ther kam folk in sondry wyses,
That a-bood to han servyses,
Ordre off Colyt :
Made ther requests to Moyses ;
And he, Amongys al the pres 2184
Assygnede sondry offycerys.
And sowme off he?« he made hussherys,
And sowme also he ordeynys
To haue offyce off chaumberleyns ; 2188
And sergawjtys he made also,
To whos offyce yt lougeth to,
The Enmy to putte away,3
[leaf 35, back] Out of bodyes nyht & day, [st. &c.] 2192
3 Camb. MS. lias, 'for to areste and putte out the enemyes
that ben in the bodyes. To oothere he dide gret wurshipe ;
For to alle lie yaf to be rederes of his paleys and to preche
goddes lawe,' p. 15.
He must
cherish, not
oppress the
flock.'
[Cap. xxi]
Then came a
crowd to
Moses,
demanding
to be made
his servant*.
He made
ushers, chain,
berlains,
sergeants,
Moses's Ojficers lay ami cover his Table for Dinner. 59
[st. & co
[StoweMS., leaf 43, back]
[St. & C.]
Wher that euere by bataylle
He ys hardy ffor to assaylle.
Moses eke, who lyst take hede,
Ordeyned Lystres for to rede, „ 2196
Myd the palys for to stonde, ,t
To make folke to vnderstonde „
The lawe, by ful gret avys,
As longeth vn-to her offys. 2200
And soutme, as I kan beholde,
He made kandelys for to holde,
And torchys for to yive lyht ;
By ther offyce, as yt was ryht, 2204
Thay held hem, as I toforn ha sayd,
To-for the table, whan yt was layd ;
U For sone he sholde to dyner gon.
And vnto other he took a-noon 2208
Hys syluer cuppe gylt richely,
And bad hem maken yt redy
To semen hyw the same tyme.
And some also, on ther lyfft syde, 2212
Vp-on ther shulderys, he made weere
A Tookne off Cryst, & yt to bere,
That they sholde in especyal
Awayte vp-on thoffycyal, 2216
As trewe seruau?itys off entent,
And be mynystres dyllygent,
ffeythful, humble, & covenable
ffor to serue hyw at the table. 2220
[8 linen blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
And thaw they gan, by good avys,
Euerych to don hys owue offys,
And dyden ek ther bysy cure
To leyn the1 boordys, & to cure [Uii«st.,o>».c.] 2224
With napry ful couenable.
And somme sette vp-on the table
(Lyk ther offyce) wyn & bred ;
And somme also (I took good hed,) 2228
Lyst the wyn wer to strong,
Putte in water ther a-mong :
H ffor yt was somwhat passyd pryme,
readers to
preach.
candlcbearers
to attend his
table.
Others were
appointed to
attend the
official
and serve
him.
[leaf 36]
[Cap. ixii]
They pre-
pared the
table, putting
on it bread
and wine,
60
Grace Dieu takes De Guillcville to Moses.
as it was
past prime,
unit ({inner
time. (Cp.
Chaucer.)
But Muses
made other
officers to
serve in his
house
and aid ih,
official,
[Cup. xxiii]
after which
he culled
aloud lor
Urace Dieu,
at whose feet
I sat.
[leaf 38, tack]
When she
heard him,
ttlie took me
and went to
him.
Vp-on the hour off dyner tyme. 2232
But Moyses, to-for dyner,
Caste liy»« fyrst, wz't/t ful sad clier,
To delyuer hy>» l that abood. [' hem st.]
And sowiine that aforn \\yin stood, 2236
He made hem offycerys newe,
ffor to serwen and be trewe
\Wt/«-Inne hys lious, in specyal
To wayte vp-on the offycyal, 2240
And to helpe hym in hys node ;
ffor who that wysly taketh hede,
May se wel that thoffycyal
May nat allone goue/-nen al, 2244
Hut he liaue helpe, swych as hyw oulito.
Now shal 1 telle how he wroulite :
Thys Moyses, among he»i ail,
ffyrst he gan ful lowde calle 2248
Grace dieu, al be that she
Was faste by, wych, in liyr se
Sat vp in hyr trone on hyb ;
Sche was uat ffer, but wonder nyh", 2252
And took good heed of Query thyng.
(And al thys whyle beholdyng,
1 sat at hyr ffeet douw lowe.)
2 And whan she sawe & gan knowe 2256
That she was callyd among eclion, [st. 4 c.]
She taryeth nat, but kam anoon „
To Moyses ful evene & ryght ; „ 2259
And vu-to hym, with" alle hir mygfit, [stowcias., leaf 44, bk.]
She shewed hir-selff most f rendely, [st. & c.]
Wher-off he gan waxen hardy ,,
Whan she was kome, and thowhte lie was „
Myglity & mor strong in thys caas 2264
To fulfyllen hys eiitent,
Wych I, by good avysement,
Shal vn-to yow shortly here
a Camb. MS. adds : When she lierde liire cleped, she ros hire
up with-oute abidinge, and wente liire to uioyses, and with hire
she. ledde me. And thanne whan moyses sigh hire nyh him, he
bi-gan to wexe more hardy, and fulliche dide that that j wole
telle yow shortlyehe, p. 16,
I will now
tell you what
he did.
[Cup. xxiv]
First he
joined their
and then
Kave them a
aword and
keys.
Moses gives Grace Dieu to the Pilgrims, to help them. 61
Rehersen, yiff ye lyste to here. 2268
And Moyses, A-noon ryght than,
Thus to werkyn lie be-gan :
[6 lilies blank in MS. for an Illumination.}
Tlier hanclys fyrsfc, as ye slial lore,
Enoyntede, and closede he»i yfere, 2272
' And took to he»i ful cler & bryht
A swerd, the wych, vn-to my syht,
Was tliylke same that Chenibyn
Whylom held at Thentryng1 In 2276
At Paradys, who lyst to look ;
And keye's ek to hew he took,
To kepe hem wel in ther entent.
And al thys whyle was ther present 2280
Grace Dieu, I took good heede,
To helpyn hem the bet to spede.
Whom Moyses took hem also,
And sayde, (I took good hed thor-to,) 2284
' >Syrs,' quo>l he, ' most off vertn,
Seth her to-for yow, Grace Dieu
I gyve hyr yow for morii1 grace, [' more st., mor c.]
Tliat she may, in eue>y place, 2288
At alle tynics w/t/t yow be,
Yiff yt be-falle sothly that ye
Receyue liyre, as ye ouhte do,
W/t// loyii & glad herte also, 2292
And kepe hyr wit/t yow day be day,
That she ncuwe parte a-way.'
U And whan I horde al thys yfore,
I wex abaysshed in my chere ; 22S6
Seyde vn-to my sylff ryht tho,
" Alias, now, what shal I do?
Grace Dieu, I ha lost al ;
ffor I se how Thoffycyal 2300
Hath yowen byre fro me away
On thys sylne same day,
Vn-to thys hornyd fulk in sothc,2
And Mn^es
said, '1 Kive
Grace Uieu to
you;
[leafs?]
receive her
with joy and
keen her.'
Then I »aiil,
• What shall
IdoP
1 C'ambr. and Fr. Prose reverse this : "tliilke horncdc hath
given him to these newe officialles." p. 16.
62 Grace Dieu explains that Good to All is better than to One.
And -with hem, fro me she goth.1 2304
Wherfor now I kan nat se
who shall Who shal delyuemi vnto me
deliver m«
stair ri"r"!i] Slierpe2 or bordoim to my vyage, [J s«ypi» stj
journey?1 fo helpe me in my pylgrymage, 2308
Wych she me hyhte thys other day."
But thanne A-noon I took my way
To-wardys hyre lyne Ryght,
i thought i And Thoughte pleynly that I myghte 2312
would speak
to her. Seyn to hyre my f antasye,
And my matere specefye ;
ffor sythe the tyme, fier nor ner,
That I was wasshe in the Ryver 2316
By hyre Aduocat, fayre & wel,
I spak not wit/* hyre neuere a del.
(When i was And in the tyme off my wasshyng1,
washed the • •
Advocate Xhe aduocat, by hyr byddyng, 2320
spoke for me.)
Spak for me in goodly wyse,
As ye to-forn) ban herd devyse.
[leaf 37, back] Wher-forelthouhtelwoldeassaye [St. &c.]
To speke to hire, & not delaye : „ 2324
" Ma dame," quod I, " and y t yow plese, „
I am falle in gret dysesse, ,,
And dyscomforted in niyii herte, „
Andiaskt Wlian I consydre and aduerte, ,, 2328
her what I J
should do That Moyses caff yow a- way ;
without her. J
Which Gyfft ys no thyng to my pay : „
For yiff I wante yow, in certeyn „
My pylgrymage ys but in veyn." 2332
Grace Dieu answereth :
Quod Grace Dieu, ' yiff thow take hede,
Thow hast verrayly in dede
fforyete al that I ha the told.
j^e "»• , Wostow nat wel, to yong1 & old, 2336
gnj,™*. Thats I Wyl proiyte what I may S55*?ftffSS
,o the right To3 all that go t)ie ryhtii way ; M^S'.SSKS
So that eue/y pylgrym shal [»«»,.] g^S^Jgr
At alle4 tymes (lo her ys al) [• aiie St., ai c.] 2340
1 There is nothing in Camb. corresponding to the Hues be-
tween Nos, 2302 and 2344. i>. 110, MS.
Grace Dieu will help all Pilgrims.
Me fynde redy, euere in on,
In ther weye with hem to gon,
To co?«veye hem, wha?j they ha nede.
' What ! wenystow me to possede 2344
Thy sylff allone, quyt & clene 1
Thow art a fool, yiff thow yt wene !
The comou/i profyt, fer & ner,
Ys mor than profyt syuguler 2348
To be preferryd, as I the telle.
Sestow nat how a comoiw welle
Mor avaylleth (who looke wel,)
Than doth A-nother seuerel t 2352
ffor, at a comnioun welle, of ryht
May fette water eue;y whyht,
Her thrust to staurechen & apese,
And drawe yt at her owne ese. 2356
Whcr-as, a welle cloos aboute,
Wych for-barreth folk with-oute, [st. & c.]
That no man neye dar no ner, t1 st. & c.]
Lyst they fellyn in daunger. 2360
' And to purpos to expresse,
I am welle of al goodnesse ;
Nat holde cloos vn-to no wyht,
But vn-to alle (of verray ryht) 2364
I am comwne and plentevous,
And to profyte desyrons
To goode pylgrymes euerychon),
To forthre hem wherso they gon). 2368
' And thogh I be comomi to alle
That vn-to myu helpe' calle,
Thow mayst knowe & trusts wel
Thow hast nat lost me neumidel ; 2372
ifor ay w/t/t the I wyl abyde,
And neuece parte fro thy syde :
As longe as thow hast the cast
To ben a pylgrym stedefast, 2376
So long thow shalt nat off me faylle
To helpe in what I may avaylle.'
H Affter al thys, I confort took,
That Grace Dieu mo nat for-sook, 2380
63
and be will)
them in need.
[Cap. xxv]
You are a
fool, if you
think
the profit of
one is to be
preferred to
thutofall.
[leaf 38]
I am a well
of all good-
ami common
to all pil-
With lliee I
will abide ;IM
long as thoii
remain steud-
ftist.'
Then Reason
mounted tlie
pulpit to
preach, and
raid,
[Cap. xxvi]
' The sword
you have re-
ceived was
made to
uard Para-
[leafSS.back]
It is perilous
to all fools,
[' sythe st., sytii c.]
[St. & c.]
„
MS., leaf «?]
[st. & c.]
64 Reason's Sermon. The Sword is to thrust, cut, or spare.
But me couwfortede off hyr grace.
And tlio ryht in the sylue place
I sawli Auoon, Dame Resou?j
Ascende to make A Sarmouw
In to pulpet that ther stood.
U ' Syrs,' quod she, ' y t wer ryht good
ffor your profyt, (yt ys no drede,)
Off my sarnioun to taken hede.
Ther was a swerd, yt ys no nay,
Delyuered yow thys same day,
fforgyd sy the1 go f ul longe,
To kepe thentre wonder stronge,
And the passage of Paradys.2
At which" tyme was noon so wys
That entre myghte, ner comen In,
But yiff it were hy Cherubyn,
Which" at the gate was cheff porter,
Holdynge that swerd ful bryht & cler,
Folkys for to kepen oute.
' And this swerd, yt ys no doute,
Was to ffoolys ful peryllous,
Swych" as worn malycyous ;
ffor they ther-by wer made afferd,
And ypunysshed by that swerd.
Lyk ther gyltys & trespace
Thys swerd alway dyde hew manace.
The wych swerd (who that kan se,)
Ordeyned ys for thyngys thre :
To punysshe folk as they dysserue,
Poynt & egge, to hurte & kerue,
And wit/i the platte, among to spare,
That ryht fro mercy be nat bare.
'The poynt yiveth fyrst entendement
That neuera no fynal lugement,
Nor hasty execucyoim,
Be yove wj't/i-oute dyscreciouij,
In causys nouther hiR nor lowc
beenllse it
always me-
naced them
for their mis-
deeds.
It is designed
for three
tilings:
1. to hurt
with point,
•1. cut witli
edge,
:i. spare with
flat.
1. The Point
is to teach
that punish-
ment must
not be given
without dis-
cretion.
2384
2388
2392
2396
„ 2400
,,
„
2404
[st. & c.] 2408
„
2412
£?£$*£$£
SMSTllLi.
1!ml"' *""" Ca"-
2416
2 Camb. : that no sinnere entrede into the cuntre of which he
is lord. Now vnderstondeth what swerd it is, lio\v it is perilouse
to fooles, p. 17.
Reason orders Caution before talcing Vengeance. 65
Namly wher they be nat knowe :
tfor he ys a fool, & ffoul hardy,
That, oft' wenyng & surquedy, 2420
Hasty ys, liym sylff tavatmce,
Off Ire for to do vengaiiHce,
Or demen by suspecyon)
Wt't/(-oute examyiiacyoii). 2424
' Swyehe, I dar wel specefye,
Do nat trewly occupye
Tlie swerd of ryghtful lugenient.
Thorgh ygnoraujice they be so blent, 2428
And, as a blynde man, so they werke,
Stumblynge alway in the derku.
Good from evel they kan not chese,
Nor whot1 nat wher to saue or lose : ['wuotst.] 2432
Hedy to hyndren & to deere,
Swyehe sholde no swcrdys beere,
That kan not knoweu evel fro good, [su>«-e, leaf 4»j
Nor whan ys tymc of letyng blood ; 2436
Nor, kan nat dyscerne A-ryght —
ffor ygnorance & lak off syht —
At-wexen helthe & malladye ;
Nor, a-twen the meselrye 2440
Grettest, smallest, and the mone;
He kan no dyfference atwene
No we syknesse nor the olde.
' But eue/-y trewe luge sholde 2444
Weyen Justly'2 in ballamjce, pstowei
Consydren euery eyrciiTBstauwce8
Off trespacys by avysement,
Or he yive any lugement. 2448
'ffor thys word Glayve,4 (in sentence,) Verba translate™.
]>y record off lanuence
(Thys was nat fill yere agon)
In hys book Catholicon 2452
Seyth, Glayve in French, (& wryteth thus,)
* Mout doit ains le iuge entendre 1102
Les circonstances du ineffait,
Que nnl jugement en soit fait. p. 35.
4 Carnb. : Sword, as j fynde writon, is clepitl departinge of
throte, p. 17.
PILGRTMAGE. F
Beaton.
He wlio take*
veni;e:tiice on
lllrl r gUS-
picion
[leaf 89]
is blinded by
ignorance.
between
health un
disease.
Hefore judg-
ment in
given, every
ciremmtaii're
is to be
weighed.
LydKate's
derivation of
Gfaivf, Gfa-
dim.
66 Derivation of ' Glaive.' The Swords tivo $dges.
\r '« T «4".m Piilorline 1 [' GlaiHus St., GuladiuB C.j
Ys m Latyn Guladius,1 t g^ ;i gma ,u; .t,ir> & ge,J,
nl
s iled
l.n awnnl Qmr^l nf rriilo /ac lip nnt *\ dicitur Knsis in prelio; serf ensis t'/n-
-i b y £ ' I * '' ""» to""" <•"" ™»«" «"?• ">"" 8<"'
ffor that yl a-sonder kut
The throte off a man a two ^^^"'"^SS/u,.,.
mi -w i ii -le, i(Z «»<, = anterior pars t'olli ; pos-
Thys lanuence recordeth so ; t<,,:i9,. au.itl,P cei-vix.-c. & st.
ffor throte yn Ynglyssh, (tliys the ffyn,)
because some- Ys csillvd Gula in Latyn, 2460
body's throat *
was cut with Wlicr-off GLivve took livs name.
one.
[leaf so, buck] G rainery ens3 siiyn the same, t3st«we]
For yt a-sondyr3 doth deuyde „
The partyes layde on euery syde,4 2464
Wher, save Eigfit, ys3 no refuge. ,,
Grace Dieu ' But first. eVBl'V Eight3flll IllgO ,,
resumes.
Sholde, by3 good avysement, „
Or lie gesse3 eny lugement, ,, 2468
Disceme3 to-forn) (wi't/t al hys inyght), ,,
Seke and3 enqueryn out the ryght ,,
Off outlier3 part in hys presence, „
Nat3 ben to hasty off sentence, „ 2472
Nor3 off hys doomys in no wyse. „
H Also3 to yow I shal devyse, „
[Cap. xxvii] Wlicroff the tweync eggys serue,
ed«e»™ti,e Off tliys swerd, that kutte & kerue : 2476
Swonl servo fl.or o
By hy»» sylff may nat suffyse ;6 ,,
ffor yiff yowr swerde forgyd off steel „
Be to-forn) ypoynted wel, „ 2480
And sharpyd by dyscrect'oun, „
Ye moste (off ryght & good rosouw)
and to reform Tlier-wtt/t-al hauc rvclitwysnesse,
the vices of 11
your subjects Vyces to reformc and dresse, J4b4
On your sogectys (euej'e among,)
2 Glaive, si com tniis en escript, 1105
Guele devisant, si est dit. p. 35.
4 Camb. : For right that lie hath herd allegge, he shtilde do
his jugement, and 11011 oother wise, p. 18.
Quar tout ainsi comme allignier 1110
II a oui", son iugement
Doit il faire, non autrement. p. 35.
6 Pour quoi .1. seul pas lie soufist 1115
Et fjuel euseignement i gist.
Se vostre glaive ayez pointu
Par discretion, et agu. p. 36.
[Stowe, leaf 49] 24:92
2496
2 Stowe] 2500
Pa Stowe] 2504
2508
2512
by corrci-tion,
except such
as are re-
served to him
who has the
two horns.
[lenf 40]
The inward
man is the
>..ul which
delights in
(,'oodneHs.
Reason, on the Relations of the Soul and Body. 67
Hem to correcte whaw they do wrong. Region.
ffor vp-on trespacys & mysdede
Ye ha lycence (yt ys no drede,) 2488
ffor to do correccyowt
And couenable punycz'oun,
Egal, as folk ha dysservyd,
Except casys that he reservyd
Aud wt't/i-holde (soth to seyne,)
To1 hywi that hath the hornys tweyne : [' stowe]
They he except vn-to hys hand.
' And thus departyd ys your land
In double party, (thys no doute :)
The Ton, the body ys witA-oute,
fflesshly, & redy vn-to synne ;
But the thother man wit/t-inne2
Ys the soule & the spyryt,2
Wych in goodnesse hath most delyt.
Thys the land, loke wel therto,
That ye shal departe at3 two,
Atwyxe bothe, thogh that iieuere,
Whyl they lyue, may dysseuere.
' And to thys tweyne, ansmerynge
Ys thys swerd double-kervynge ;
Wher-w/t/j ye shal your wyt applye,
Sowle & body to lustefye,
Whan ye sen yt be to do ;
As thus tak hcd, I mene so :
The Body, ffro hys synnes grete, [stowe, leaf 49]
Duely punysshe4 in cold & hete,
Yive hyw peyne, and ek pewumcc,
Consydred eue/y cyrcu»istau;ice : 2516
Travaylle, whaw he ys to rage,
Sende hyin out on pylgrymage ;
Charge hyin wt't/t fastyng & wakyng ;
So that alway answerynge 2520
The penaunce be to the trespace, [stowe, leaf 19, baci<]
Off equyte that yt not passe :
f Thus ye shal do, yiff ye be wyse.
4 Camb. : To the bodi for his siuues ye mown yiue truuailv,
ie., p. 18.
The body mid
soul can
never be
separated in
life.
When the
body rngets
give it ]>.!''!,
and make
fast.
68 A proud Spirit is to be sharply cut. On dursinc/.
Reaton.
But art differ-
ently with
the spirit.
If one is
proud, dis-
obedient, or
elated,
[leaf 10, back]
you must use
the sharp
edge of the
sword to him.
and smite to
punish.
Cursing is
cruel and
perilous,
and can only
be cured by
Him who is '
above.
' But in a-nother mane?1 wyse 2524
Punysslien the spyryt ye slial also ;
As1 thus : taketh good heil ther-to : [' And St.]
In dyuers caas ye mot consydre,
And peysen eue?-y thyng to-gydre : 2528
Yiff he be proud or obstynat,
Dysobeyywge or ellaat,2
Hys trespace3 to amende, pstowe]
And ne4 lyst nat to entende [«nest.] 2532
To be redressed5 by meekuesse, pstowe]
And,6 thorgh pryde or Frowarduesse,5 [«norst.]
Wyl take no correction.
Thaw may yow" (in conclusyon) pjestowe] 2536
Tomen (to makcn hyra afferd,)
The totlier party off the swerd,
"Wych ys sharp, & whet ful kene,
To wonde, & hurte, & parte atwene, 2540
And ful mortally to byte :
Sparcth nat ther-wtt/i to smyte,
Lyk as ye may, by your power.
' Wherfor doth iustly your dever 2544
8 To smyte & hurte, for punysshyng,'1
By the sharpe strook of10 cursyng ; ['"stowcj
ffor wounde nor hurte ys uoon so10 fel „
Nor noon so mortal nor cruel10 ,, 2548
Nor mor pwyllous to be10 drad ; „
ifor lletnedy may noone10 be had, [St., Wafwi] „
Nouther salue, That soor to sownde
But by hyw that gaff the wouwde, 2552
Or by A-nother (in certeyn)
That ys a-bove, mor souereyn,
Wych hath an hand, power, & myght, .
Hyw to recure, (of verray ryght,) 2556
Serche the soor wi't/t-Inne & oute.
Wherfore he11 sholde gretly doute, [» he St., ye c.]
2 Camb. : and wol not amende for ammestinge ye mown tunic
to the kervinge, p. 18.
8 Sans Riens y aler espargnant.
Naures, se pouez, mortalment, Par force . . .
9 Camli. : Hurte hym ye mown dedliche bi the strok of cnrs-
ingp. And ther is no wounde so cruelle. For witli-oute remedyc
it is dedlych, etc. ; p. 18.
A Priest curses a Tree, and makes it barren. 69
2560
2564
2568
2572
2576
That so ys hurt, as I ha told,
Wherso be he yong or old.
Exauwple off the pereyl off cursyng.1
U And to purpos in especyal :
Yt fyl that oon offycyal
In-to a gardyn onys wente,
To gadre cheryes ofi entente,
The fayrest that he koude se,
And clamb ful hill vp on A tre.
But shortly, in hys comyng douw,
Yt fEyl thus, (in conclusyon),)
That a brauwche hys surplys hente,
And the cloth a-sonder Rente,
Wher-of in hert he wex fill wroth ;
And, or he any ferther goth,
Thus he seyde vn-to the tre,
" Xow," quod he, " cursyd mote thow be ! "
And wente \iyni forth, for nor ner, [sto«-e, leaf 50, back]
Tyl vn-to the nexte yer,
To gadre cheryssh2 he kam a-geyn, [« ciieryes st.]
And found the tre drye & bareyn.
Off wych thyng he wex al sad,
And in hys herte no thyng glad,
Whan he reme?»brede how that he
Hadde a-forn cursyd that Tre.
Wher-of he repenteth sore,
And, wit/t-outew any more
He seyde, (or he ferther wente,)
" I the assoylle, in myn entente.
God wot, I mente no thyng so,
So grete3 vengauwce to ha do :
I ha mysdon ; for-gyue y t me,
ffor the dyffaute was nat in the.
My-sylff, I may the Rentyng whyte,4
I knowe yt wel, & the aquyte."
And after the absolucyon)
Yt bar cheryes gret Foyson),5 p Foyson St., seyson c.]
1 This story is absent from C'amb. From 1. 2559—2680 (p. 125
MS.) only occupies three lines of Camb. Nor is it in the French
of Addit. MS. 22,987, the first version.
2584
P grete St., gret C.] 2588
[* Rcndyng wyte St.]
2592
Reason.
I nut :uitv of
the evil of
Cursing.
An official
went to
gather
cherries.
[leaf 41]
As ho <l,-
scentled the
ii'i-i', n branch
caught his
surplice anil
tore it.
This made
him curse
the tree.
2580
Next year he
came ttgaiu
and found the
tree barren.
Then lie
repented,
and absolve!
the tree.
70
Reason.
ami it bore
ten times
more than
ever.
[Ie:if41,back]
They are
foots who
curse with-
out thought.
Men heed
cursing but
little,
whereby the
soul is with-
out virtue.
So men
should heed
tlii- Sword,
and consider
well before
they use it,
[leaf 43]
2590
[» And eet St.]
2600
[» St., leaf 50, back.]
2604
[Stowe, leaf 51]
Cursing is not a, light Matter. Its Sword.
Laden with frut fynaly,
ffor tweyne, yt bar almost twenty ;
And heet1 hys fulle wit/t glad cher,
Affter, Guere, fro yer to yer ;
And neuej-e forgato, in hys lyvyng,
The sentence off hys cursyng ;
ffor swych thyng,2 so as seineth me,
Shulde nat lightly3 forgetyii be.
' ffor they be foolys, in certeyn,
That Keklesly of cursyng seyn,
How that a man that cursyd be,
That afferine of skorn, that he
Hath hetyn4 hys sawle of whyte4 bred.
Off curs they take so lytel heed,
Havyng no Eeward, Thorgh ther synne,
How the soule that ys m't/i-Inne
Ys off gostly frut, certeyn,
Wonder drye, and ek bareyn,
By the swerd of curs confouwdyd,
And so mortally ywou^dyd,
That yt may profyt neuer a dele
To bere5 frut (who loke wel,)
Of vertu, (I yow ensure,)
ffor that yt lakketh moysture
Off grace, wherby, (who kan espye,)
Al vertues fructefye.
' ffor wych, folk sholde' taken hede,
The swijrd of cursynge for to drede.
I mene as thus specyally,
Whan ther ys cause iustly why,
And he that doth yt, hath power
To execute yt fer & ner,
By ordynarye auetoryte.
But yet to-forn) (yt seineth me)
He sholde consydren (in hys syth6) p syght St.]
Whan that he smyte, he smyte of ryht,
And that hys cause be notable
Or he precede to be vengable. 2632
ffor, I telle yow sykerly,
No man ne smyteth duelly,
[« ctj-n \\-liyte St.,
hi-lvii whytC.]
2608
2612
P here St., ber C.] 2616
2620
2624
262S
Advice must be used before Punishment. 71
Wit/i the sharpe for to kerue, [stowe, leaf r,i, back] niamv.
But he to-forn ful wel obseruo 2636
Tliat he ferst with the platte assay,
In goodly wyse, what he may,
Al that ys mys,1 for to redrcsse : [i a mys st.] and try the
ffor by the platte, I ther2 expresse pdarst.] 2640 u»«lg*
Off thys swerd, and specefye,
Prudent a-wys3 in prelacye, pm-ysst.]
WitJi good & trewe avysiinicnt.
' And fyrst, that he, in good entent, 2644
By trewe Ammonycyon)
And fructuous predicacyon),
Or he smyte by violence,
To lete passe the sentence, 2648
The evele to smyten4 in sparynge, [« smyten St., smyte c.]
And spare hem also in smy tynge. according to
rni_ f -ri , , , * the doctrine
Inys was ot Ihesu the doctryne, ofciirist.
In whom lyth al the5 medycyne poorest.] 2652
Off deth, whaw men be wouwdyd so.
' 6 And taketh alway heed her-to,
To vse the platte, nyh & ferre,
Whaw ye se your sogettys erre, 2656
Alder-fyrst ; I mene thus,
With doctryne VertUOUS Try teaching
_ ... and preach-
leehe, preche, & so begynne ing first.
ffor to make hem leve ther synne. 2660
U Yiff ye may folkys so7 recure ptost.]
That be WOU?Hlyd, I VOW ensure. Doctrina bona dabit ftnttam.
* prouerbioram. li* (v. 15)
Ther grevous woundys to allegge,
Bet ys the platte than the egge. 2664 it is better to
ffor eche leche that wel kan werche, [stowe, leaf 52] thuT"*
Namly lechys of the cherche,
That han manhys8 sowle in cure pmannysst.]
With plat they sholde fyrst recure, 2668
Rather than with the sharpe wouwde,6 [leaf *2, back]
6-6 The following 16 lines English are 6 French ones of the first cast :
De ce plat vser vous deuez
Quant vos subies errer veez :
Sermouner et bien preseher,
Fait inaintes ibis peche laissier :
S'ainsi les pouez garantir,
Mieulx vault quo du traiichaut ferir.
72 The Sword Versatile. Its Wiclders are Ghei'ubin.
Reamn. By ther charge, as they ar bounde.
than by ' .Now haue ye herde1 & ye lyst se ['stowe]
wounding * J J
the'slmr HOW y6 Sllal VSeU allSl t'ir°' » 26?2
edge. rj-]ie piat; the sharpe, & eke the poynt,
I haue yow told, fro poynt to poynt;
And rehersyd ek also
[Cap. xxviii] In divers caas how ye shal do ; 2676
Tims I nave
toid you how Sowtyme luge by vengauwce,
and when tti *
swoni' Sorome punysshe by penau«ce,
Entrete sowme wz't/t ffayrnesse,
Somme chastyse with sharpnesse, 2680
And for that skyle, the sword, ywys,
Ysy-callydVersatylis;* PTt^/tt^«?&fto
Wych ys to seyn, (onto of doute,)
which is A thyng that mew mowe3 tonie abowte, pmnyst.]
called Versa-
tile, became Now the plattc, (wlio kan take hede,) 2685
(see Genesis) , ,, i ,
it turns every And4 the sharpe, wha?* yt ys nede. [4 stowe]
way, and ' '
lieed. Yt ys yput in your bandou-«, 2688
Ay to be redy, (as yt ys skyle,)
ffor to tourne yt at your wyl.
Ana when Thcr-to ye han power & myi'lit,
you wield the J "
sword. As the caas wyl suffre off ryht, 2692
Off verray trouthe & equyte.
' And for that skyle, sothly ye,
youarecaiid That in yow ther be no blame, [stowe, le.if 52, back]
Uherubin,
fed e'',uid"w" i"orf°r J° trowly ber the name 2696
wisdom. 5CherubiH, fful Of SCVeilCe 5~! Clienilmn, plain desrience,
Kt Ofl dniine sapience. Add.
And off dyvyne sapyence,
ffor mysterye that ys ther-In.5
' ffor yiff ye wer nat Cherubin, 2700
Thys to seyne, in your werkyng
if you were Yiff ye no haue uat ful koHnvng,
not Cherubin ^ * '
[leaf 43] Ye myghte do ful gret outraco,
you might do rf1
wrong, Kyght gret harme, & gret damage ; 2704
In stede off the platte & pleyn,
Touruen the sharpe egge in veyn
Correcte a cause grene & newe,
men1n°hasiu>n ^eme' or ye *-ne trouthe knewe, 2708
Off hast, wt'M-oute good a-vys,
2712
IlltO t lie li;im I
of the fuol
07 1 fi anil the angry
man this
Sword should
not be put.
2720
It is bright
ami burning
2724
This IrigU Sword betokens Lave. Porters of Paradise. 73
Wych ys contrayre to your offys. ««««,».
ffor in the hand (yif yt be souht,)
Off a fool that kan ryght nowht,
A swerd lie sholde nat be take,
Ryghtf ul dooinys for to make ;
And in the hand off men yrous,
To take a swerd ys peryllous.
ffor thys swerd (yiff ye take hede,)
Was bryht brennyng as the glede
On euery part & euery syde,
With flawme perpetuelly tabyde,
To yow ytake, (take hed ther-to,)
Off Grace Dieu nat longe ago.
And cause why, of the brennyng,
Yiff ye lyst to have knoweliehyng,
Was, that ye sholde, lyk your degre
Ben ay in love & charyte ;
ffor loue brennyng in your desyr [stow
Ys shewyd by the bryghte fyr ;
And so to speke, in wordys fewe,
Ye sholde alway your syluew shewe
51 Wy th cherysshyng ff yr of plesaimce ; '{•!£*„)'"£
ffor, yt wer a great meschauwce 'M *$!£*
Yff1 Ire, in stede of charyte, ['Mss.oflq
Brent your hertys, (as semeth me.)
Swych rage ffyr (shortly to telle,)
Was kyndlyd ffyrst, and kam from helle,
And to your swerd, I dar Eecorde,
Noon svvych fyr may nat accorde.
' Now haue I told (ye sen yt wel,)
Touchyng thys swerd euerydel ;
Why ye y t here, & skyle why. [St. & c.]
ffor ye be porterys2 verrayly „
Off the rewme of Paradys, ,,
Lych cherubin, prudent & wys. ,,
And the keyes ye han also ,,
To shette the gatys, & vndo ; „
2728
to show Hint
you should be
in charity
and love.
2733
2736
Rage came
first from
ML
Oaf43,ba,i.;
2740
2744
[Cap. xxix)
You are madr
Porters or
guards ot'
1'aradise,
" Fr. Portier estes, se ni est aduis, Du Eoiaulme de paradis.
From Camb. : Porteres ye ben, as me thinketh, of the kyiigdom
of heuene.
7* Paradise- Porters are St. Peter's Underlegates.
and have the
keys of it8
Kates.
You lire
Peter's Un-
derlegates,
and must
examine alt
v.1 in, enter.
You must
search all
who come in,
wisely con-
sidering
every circum-
stance,
[leaf 44]
striving to
discern folk's
guilt, and
opening the
gate to those'
who repent.
Wi't/(-oute yow tlier entreth noon,
Nor may in at the gaatys gon, 2748
W/M-Inne to haue hys mansyouw.
' Seyn Peter (of entcncyoun)
ILith mad yow (yifE ye vnderstondc,)
Hys vnderlegatys, ther to stonde, 2752
To kepe the passage & entre ;
And at the gate for to so
Trussellys, ffardellys, in that place.
Or any marchauwt in may passe, 2756
He mvste1 vntrusse he?» & vnbyndo, [' stowe, leaf.w, back]
That no thyng be lefft be-hynde.
How sore aforn that they yt close,
ye muste he;» make yt to vnclose 2760
By trewe reuelacyon)
And enter2 confessyon). [* Entere (entire) st.]
' Wherfor tak kep, & beth ryht wys,
And seth to-forn, by good a-vys, 2764
The swerd, the keySs ek also,
How ye ha take hew bothe two ;
And lat noon passe, (loketh we!,)
But he vnclose hys fardel. 2768
And also that ye wel piwyde
To cerche hem wel on euery syde,
Thys synful folk, wt't/t pakkys large.
Beth besy ay, hem to dyscharge; 2772
And weyeth wysly in balauwce,
Consydryng eue/y ci?-cu»istaunce,
By good deljrberacyon)
Demynge, in your dyscrecyon, 2776
Your verray name, & what ye hihte.
And cousydreth in your syhte,
To dyscerne, in eue?y place,
AfFter the gylt & the trespace, 2780
To charge synnerys, & coMstreyne,
Mekly for to suffre peyne,
And enioyne hem ther penauwce.
' And whan ye sen ther re'peHtauwce 2784
Ye may to swych, erly & late,
Opne duely the gate
The Pilgrim wants to be Porter of the Castle. 75
Off Paradys, of verray ryht, iie,,,on.
By iuste tytle, thorgh your myght. 2788
' Lo, her the sygnyfycacion), [stowe.ie.ir 54]
And trewe demonstracion)
Off swerd & keyijs, bothe yfere,
Shortly, (y iff yO1 lyst to lei'6,) ['yowSt.] 2792 The meaning
of Sword and
I ow/'passe & late yt gon), Keys i pass
J over-it has
By-cause folkys many on ofte» lwe|'
declared—
Han her-to-forn (who loke wel,)
Declaryd tlie mate/1 euecydel, 2796
And what they tokne in ther wrytyng :
Consydreth thys in euery thyng ;
Looke that ye yow nat excuse but charge
Your offyce trewly for to vse, 2800 your office
.... , * ,. , discreetly.'
So as ye ouhte dyscretly.
[The PU/jrimJ] The PU grim.
2 And whan that Resouw fynally
Hadde told hyr tale, I herde al wel, [Cap. xxx]
And consydred euerydel, 2804
Talent I hadde, & gret desyr
3 To haue that swerde.4 bryht as ffyr, [« »wenie St., swerd c.] Then i oe-
' J J ' sired to have
And the keye's eke y-ffere, iiwsword
and Keys.
Off entent (as ye shal here,) 2808
That I myghte ben an huissher, Hostiariue
Or at the gate a porter, [icafii.hack]
The passage to kepe of ryht
Ther-on tawayte6 day & nyht : [*stowe] 2812
This fantasy e5 fyl in my thouht; ,, TO be a
But, God wot, I wyste nouht,5 „
Nor knewe ful lytel (at the leste),
What was the ffyn of my requeste, 2816 not knowing
what tlie end
Nor took but lytel heed ther-to.3 would be.
And offte tyme yt falleth so,
That A man hath wyl ta thyng [stowe, leaf 54, hack]
1 Camb. MS. has : But to what ende j sliulde come, tlier-of j hadde
nowht yit thouht. It is thing bifallith ofte, p. 20.
*-* Dauoir ce glaive flamboiant,
Auecques les clefz, pour estre huissier
Du dit passaige, et portier ;
Mais ad quel fin de ce venroie,
Encore pas pense n'y auoie.
(5 French lines of the 1st cast puft out into 12 English, as usual.)
76 Moses gave the Pilgrim the 8word mid Keys fad v.p.
Wych neuere ys brouht to noon endjng, 2820
As men may oft'te sythe's se.
ffor yiff tlie sonys of zebedee
Had do inadil1 ther askyng ryhtfully
AS it befell They hadde ben herd ful hastyly : 2824
to the sons of „ „ ' , .
Off ther askyng, (as ye may lore,)
And off al that they gan requere,
Yt was ytornyd other wyse
Than they, aforen,2 gan devyse : [»afnnic., nflr..™* st.] 2828
In the gospel ye may yt se
. A"tl eV°"e ^k & ^ °f 1U°'
[cup. xxxij Whan I to Moyses gan gon,
Besechyng hyw that he, A-noon 2832
Wolde graimte,3 lyk myn askyng, p Rnmnteu st.]
The swerd and keyes to my kepyng,
Off hem frely to liaue vsage,
wiien i muic ffor to kepcn the passage. 2836
my v ju,.-i to
Moses, J5ut whan that he had herd me wel,
He fulfyllede neuereadel
Lych the purpos of myn askyng,
Nor thentent off my thynkyng : 2840
The swerd4 ho took me in myw hond, [• swed c., swerde St.]
he did not But (as ye shal vnderstoiid,)
Answer me as
i expected. Co/wnyttyd so to my depoos
That yt was alway stylle cloos 2844
In the skawberk, as I ha sayd,
[leaf 45] Wheroff I was nat wel apayyd.5 P apeyde st.]
The keyes also, stronge & wel
Bounde & closyd vnder seel ; 2848
And al was don off hih prudence, [sto»e, leaf 55]
But an was That I sholde haue6 no lycence [6 imue St., im c.]
done wi«ely J
PrU" VSen
But yiff I hadde auctoryte 2852
ffrom hem that hadden al the charge.
ffor yiff I vsede how at large
Mor than my power was or ys,
As I was tauht, I dyde amys. 2856
[Cap. xxxiij Wher-off I was, ay mor & more
Abaysshed, & astonyd sore,
And specyally (to speke in pleyn,)
the Pilgrim hasn't learnt ' Predicainentum ad aliquid.'
[i wolde vnto St.] 286 -t
Tlmt I to-foni) hadde nat seyn
Som other folk ybouwde so,
In cas gemblable as I was tlio ;
Thynkyng (in myw entencyoun)
Tliafc I wolde to1 Besouw
Holdeu my way, off hyre tenquere,
And the cause iustly lere
Off al thys thyng, for inor certeyn ;
And thus she Answenle me ageyn :
Reso«n Answerd :
' My ffayrii ffrend,' a-noon quotl she,
' Lych as I consydre & se,
Thy wyt ys blont & dul so»i del,
That thow mayst nat se ryht wel ;
And thogh thow haue at skole be,
Thow hast nat ther (as semeth me,)
Lernyd gret wyt, nor bore a- way ;
And specyaly (I dar wel say,) [stowc, leaf 55, buck]
Thow hast nat lernyd, for al thy wyt,
ptedicamentnm 2 ad aliquid. p Kr. Le predicament]
ffor thys predicament, sothly,
Hath hys beholdyng (fynaly)
Vnto som other nianer tliyng
Than to hy;w sylff, as in werkyng
Makyug (in conclusion),3)
Hys ground & hys fundacyoii)
Vp-on A-nother grounde, in soth :
Thys predicament alway.so doth,
ffor what he hath (tak heed, my brother,)
Nat off hyw-sylff, but off a-nother
He taketh yt, to be mor strong,
And to no whiht ne doth no wrong.
' And bore a-way thys in thy thouht,
That yt were ytold for nouht,
But he hys power (to speke in pleyn,)
Tooke off A-nother (in certeyn) ;
ffor off liym sylff yt may not be.
Exauwple I wyl now lerne the
2860 The Pilgrim.
I was aston-
ished that I
had not Keen
others in like
case with
myself,
2868
2872
2880
[St. & CJ
2888
289.2
3 II fait son ejifiement
Sur aultruy tous moult sagement.
nnd went to
Reason to en-
quire.
Reason.
[Cap. xuxiii]
She totd me
my wits were
Hunted and
dull;
2876
anil that I
had not • ,
learned .the
Prediramen-
tnm ad ali-
qnid,
[leaf 45, bark]
2884
which takes
what it had
from another,
:irnl is no
pood unless
it does so.
2896
Addit., leaf 9, col. 2.
2904
uencsi«i'>caj>;<u/o(8,6, &<•.).
[stowe, leaf 56]
M:mt:ui*>r;it Downms
]>euB (Piiradisuri);.
Gen«/< 2° (8).
[I liadde St.]
2912
78 Of God, and Lord God, and Lords and Subjects.
Reaum. That vfith thyM oync' inor clerly
Thow mayst be-holde yt openly.
'Whan God Almyghty (yiff yt be sonht,)
Al thys world hadde maad off nouht, 2900
(As clerkys wel reherse kan,)
To-foru or he had makyd man,
(Tak lied & loke prudently,)
He was ycallyd but God only,
Yiff Genesis ne lye nouht. ain't deus.
But A-noon as man was wrouht,
(Tak lied & marke wel thys word,)
Than was he callyd God & Lord,
In tookne, (who that kau obserue,)
He made1 a seruiiu«t hy;/* to serue,
Tho was he Lord, havynge lordshepe.
And yet (who that taketh kepe,)
Hys lordshepe was nat mor at al
As ben thys lordys temporal,
Gretter off domynacyon)
Whan they han in subieccyon)
Peplys at her lust to-beye2 :
ffolk ar wont than3 to seye, pffoike
That ther seruauntys & meyne
Yiveth them power & powstee ;
So that (in conclusion),)
Ther niyght & domynacyon),
Off ther sogettys fyrst doth pprynge,
And ys engendryd in werkyng.
tfor yiff ther sogettys wer put away,
Ther lordshepe (I dar wel say,)
Sholde faylle, & ther power ;
And sogettys, wych they haven4 her
To serven hem, and to obeye,
Sholde ek fayH, I dar wel seye ;
ffor lordshepe pleynly5 ther wer noon,
Yiff ther seruauwtys wer agon.
The name off servauwt ek also,
Yiff that lordshepe wer ago,
Muste ek faylle, as thow uiayst se ; [stowe, leaf M, back]
ffor nouther party may nat be 2936
Before the
creation God
Almighty
was called
God, nut
Lord.
Hut as soon
as man was
made He wag
railed (ind
and Lord.
TemtH>ral
lords are
considered
greater,
[leal iflj
lln more
inoplti lliev
hold;
2916
[» tubeye st.]
. . tinume St.]
ami failint-
suhjfcu, tliey
r.umot be
lords.
2920
2924
[' iiavethe St.] 2928
[5 pieyniy am. st.i
2932
The Pilgrim cannot have the Sword bare. 79
W«'t/i-oute?« other (yt ys no drede). se<uo».
' By wych exau?»ple (who taketh hede.) Also, if there
were no
Lordshepe ys sayd especyally ioni« tiiere
J J J J woulll be M0
Oft' seruau«tys ; & ek tnvly 2940 «>""»">•
Seruautttys also namyd be
Off lorilshepe, in ther degve.
And thus ys sayd, (liaue thys ther-wyth,)
PredicamentuM ad aliquid. 2941 one cannot
be without
ffor eche off other hath gynnyng, "'« otl'er-
And ys on other dcpendyng.
Whan the Ton ys, tha« ys the tother ;
ffor yt ne may nat be noon other; 2948
Whan the Ton faylleth, ek also '&<** »'»"ii
ami tall lo-
Tliey nmste ffaylle bothii two. gether.
11 Vnderstond wel thys lesson,
How thou1 art in subieccyon) ;2 [i HOW thou St.] 2952 [leaf w, back]
[Cap. xxxiv]
Consydre how thow art ysett [st. & c.]
Vnder a-nother, and soget ,,
To hyra, and mvstest hy/« obeye ,,
Wych hath also (I dar well saye) „ 2956
Vpon the(e) lurediccyon),
Power & doraynacyon),
As thy souereyn, what-ciiere he be.
' But o thyn" deceyveth the : 2960 YOU have no
suhjet-U as
Thow hast no sogetys as hath he; He has,
ffor wych thyng (consydre & se,)
Thow fayllest & art put a-bak.
And in swych caas, thow hast gret lak [sum-e, leaf 57] 2964
To haue the swerd, bryht and cler,
Cowzmyttyd vn-to thy power, al"1 -vo" «»>•
not have the
Out of the skawberk, yt to vse. ii"su!b0b"rd'
Yt wer but veyn for the to muse 2968
Ther-vp-on, or gruchche ageyn.
' The kej'b's also in certeyn,
Thow mayst nat han hem, nor possede
But vnder seel, (yt ys no dred.) 2972
The swerd also, (yt ys no dovte.) »en if it
_ were drawn
Yin that yt wer drawen oute, youomia
do nothing
- Camb. MS. coutinues : subiecte to ootliere and thou hast no
stibiect. Thi souereyn, what euere he be, p. 21.
and it were
belter to keep
it undrawn.
than, draw-
ing it, to look
like » fool.
[lenf.47]
[Cap. xxxv]
II is not for
you to open
and »lnit.
[Stowe, leaf 57, back]
80. The Pilgrim must first team Self-government.
seam,,. Thow sholdest ther-w»'t/t do ryht noulit.
ffor yiff tlie trouthe be wel soulit,
Thow hast yt nouht in thy demeyne
No thyng for to part at-weyne,1 [' in tweyne St.]
Nouther to kerue nor to smyte.
And shortly, (yiff I shal endyte,)
Bet wer to the, Touchy ng swych work,
To kepe yt cloos in the skauberk
Than folyly thy-sylff to bolde,
Out off the skauberk yt to holde ;
ffor ffolkys woldij demo off ryht,
Ther-off whan they hadde a syht,
Yt wer no wysdom, but foly,
And a maner Surquedy,
Whan they be-helde euerydel,
The keyes nat closyd vnder seel,2 p seen st., ei c.]
Syth thow (wiV<-outen any glose,)
Mayst uouther shette nor vn close,
Yt longeth nat to thyn offys.
' ffor wych, lerue to be wys,
And so how they wer taken cloos,
And vnder seel in thy depoos,
Knet & boujfde faste & strong,
That thow wi't/t hem ne do no wrong.
Thy power ferther doth nat strecche,
Wher-off thow sholdest no thyug rechche,
Yiff thow wer wys, as semeth me.
' And Tak also good heed, & se,
Off al that I to-forn ha sayd :
Thow sholdest be ryht wel a-payd
Off thy power, & nat ne stryve,
Thogh thow neuere in al thy lyve
Haddest no lordshepe mor at al.
And for to speke in specyal,
Yt ouhte ynowh to the suffyse,
As I shal to the devyse,
Thy-sylff for to gouerne a-ryht,
Dyschargyd off euery other whyht.
Than artow prudent, douteles ;
And for thys skyle, Moyses,—
2976
2980
2984
If you listen
to me, you
will rest
satisfied,
2992
2996
3000
3004
3008
and strive to
(toveni your-
.elf.
No(a. St.
3012
The Sword and Keys are to be used only ly Leave. 81
' Wych in hys tyme was wys & old, —
Took hem to the, as I ha told,
To fyn only (to speke in pleyn)
That he, as lord & souereyn,
May, whan hyw lyst, as thow shalt lere,
Whan that tyme doth yt1 requere, [' yt doth st.] 3020
The keyes closyd vnder sel, [stowe, leufss]
He may to the vnbynde' \vel ;
The swerd also, by tytle of lawe,
Make that thow shalt yt drawe
Out off the skauberk, fer nor2 ner, p ne st.]
Lych as thow hast off hyw power, [st. & c.]
Sogett alway to hys sentence ,,
And as the caas grauwteth lycence. ,, 3028
Hys power he may cowmytte ,,
To the, ffro wych thow mayst nat flylte. „
ffor as I shal to the devyse,
Yiff thow dydyst other wyse 3032
Thow sholdest offende ful gretly,
Pereyl off deth except only,
Wych ys a cause evydent
That thow mayst \vel (& nat be shent,) 3036
The swerd ydrawe, (tak lied her-to,)
And the keyes vnbynde also.
ffor uede & gret necessyte
Lycence3 graimtyd vnto the p stowe] 3040
Pleutevously, & ek vsage, „
Consydryd wit/t the surplusage,
Pre-supposyd ther be no whyht
To whom the offyce sholde of ryht 3044
Appertene off duete.
I mene thus, — tak hede4 & se ; [< lied c., hede st.]
Marke yt wel in tliyre entent, —
That he be5 nat ther present p be ti.ar c., be St.] 3048
Wycli halt the swerd (now vnderstond,)
Bare & nakyd in hys hond,
And the keyea vnbouwde also,
Off ryht, as he ouhte do, 3052
Thys he that haueth pleyn power,
(Who kan luoko wit/t eyen cler,)
PILGRIMAGE. G
3016 Moses gave
you Uw sword
and keys,
aiul may, if it
please liini,
302-4 [leaf 47, back]
give you
leave to use
them as re-
quired.
His power lie
may commit
to you.
Otherwise it
is sin to use
them unless
in peril of
death,
ami then only
i Die be not
present
whose duty
it is.
[Cap. xxxvij
Who holds
the sword
naked,
and the keys
unbound,
&2 Yet the Mendicants use the Sword and Keys.
and hasjuviS'
diction,
must be
obeyed,
[leaf 48]
You liave, I
think, no
subject of
your own.
Then I said,
' I have seen
people who
are without
•ubjecta
bear the
nuked sword,
and freely use
the keys,
And haueth lurediccyon)
Above, & domynact'on, 3056
And ys the ryght ful relatyff,
To whom, wzt/i-oute noyse or stryff,
Thow art soget, & vnder put
To liyw allone : & trewly, but 3060
Thow hym obeye, thow art Coupable ; l [' sum-e]
ffor yiff thow, in cas semblable,
Haddest sogettys vnder the,
Thow myhtest wel (lyk thy degre,) 306-t
Don as he doth2 in alls' thyng, [» hath St.]
And fulfylle in werkyng.
Thanne folwede yt a-noon forth-wyth,
Thy power wer Ad aliquid ; 3068
But thow hast noon, (as semeth mo,)
Wheroff thow ouhtest glad to be,
And in thyn herte ful loyous."
The pylgrym argueth :
"Ma dame,' qwocZ I, 'most vertuous, 3072
(Yiff ye lyst to here me,)
I have seyn, & alday se,
Som folkys (in conclusyon)) [stowc, leaf 59]
That hadden in subiecc'ioii) 3076
Sogetys noon, nor gouevnance,
And yet they dyde hem sylff .ivatiKce,
And wer ther-off no thyng afferd,
Nakyd for to bere the swerd. 3080
To whom also yt ys wel foiwde
That the keye's wer nut bou»de,
But redy euere (beth wel certeyn,)
Tvnshetten & to shette ageyn 3084
Lokkys echon (yt ys wel wyst,)
And entrede whan that euere he>« lyst.
At alle tyme they be redy,
Shette and vnshetto hardyly. 3088
The cause to me vn-knowew ys ; '• I*™>»M™M«' \<xiM«r. st.
And yet I dar afferme thys,
They ha no mor power than I ;
ffor wych they han, al sodeynly, 3092
* From 1. 3072 lo 1. 3230 is absent from Camb. MS.
at which I am
astonished.'
Reason.
[leaf 48, back]
' Heavenly
bodies are
made
Earthly things are ruled by heavenly. God is Lord of all. 83
Astonyd myw oppynyouii.
ffor yifE ther be Kelacyoim
Yfouwde there, I clar wel say
That yt ys ystole a-\vay.' 3096
1Resoun Answereth. ['— 'stoweMs., leafsa.j
Eesoun answerde ageyn to me :
' Take heed / and vnderstond,' quod she,
' The Formere off the higli hevene,
And maker / off the Sterres Sevene1 3100
Hath so ordeyned /' alle thynges, [c. & st.]
Tliat they shal, in her meuynges, ,,
Holden ther cours / swyfft or soffte, ,,
Lyk as the bodyes hili a-loffte, ,, 3104
Lyst ordeyne', (who kan knowe,) ,,
So that erthly thynges lowe „
Recey Ve dysposicyons2 P dysposiciouns St., dys . . sicyons C.]
Off hem, & ek impressiouns, 3108
To be goue/'nyd (in sentence)
Affter the hevenly influence,
Dyversly, ech in hys kynde,
Who3 the causys kan out fynde pstowe] 3112
Off3 ther dyuers mocyouws „
Thorgh naturel Inclynaciouws.3 „
11 Yet for al thys, yt lettytli nouht,
But that the Lord, wych al hath wrouht, 3116
Hath lordshepe sovereyne,
What hyw lyketh to ordeyne,
As the Lord most pryncypal
Wit/(-outeii any mene at al : 3120
In heuene, Erthe, or in the se,
So as hy»i lyst, yt muste be.
Off lievenly bodyes cyrculer,
He stant no thyng in ther dau?(ger; 3124
But he may do, thys myglity kyng,
Wliat-eue;-o hy»i lyst, in hys werkyng,
liih a-loffte, & her don4 lowe, [4 dovii) St.]
Thogh the hevene no-thyng knowe 3128
The Influence of hys power, [stowe, leafM]
Wych ys so myghty & enter, None can
rrn , t . . comprehend
Ihat no whyht may yt co?«prehende this power,
I'or earthly
things to
receive
impressions
from them,
and be
governd by
their in-
fluence.
But God lias
sovereign
power,
and is the
centre of the
universe.
84 God's chief Vicar, the Pope, delegates his Power
Beaton.
[leaf 49]
' How fer hys power doth extende, 3132
Was neue/'e yet noon so grot clerk.
'And thogh the lieuene, touchyng his wark1
Hadde any mane;' knowelychyng [' his wark St., o».c.]
and none are
so I Kinly as
to opi>ose
His decree.
The heavens
declare the
glory of God.
Though
God's chief
vicar have
jHiwer alwve
nil men to
shed His
influence
around,
To cowprehendyn hys werkyng,
Yt sholde nat so hardy be
To grachche ageyn hys deyete.
But I2 speke in wordys pleyn,
Humblely \\iUi Davyd seyn
Touchyng hys myght wych doth excclle,
'Lut the heuene hys glorie telle,
Hys laude, hys honour, & preysyng,
And yive worshepe to hys werkyng. Ce^'
And also (in hys best entent)
Lat also the fyrmament
Hys handwerk devoutly pceyse,
And day-by-day hys honour Reyse
In laude & prys ful many fold."
' But cause why that I ha told
Thys thyng to the thus,3 by-&-by,
I shal reherse the cause her why.
The hihe hornyd, most holy,
Callyd in erthe comomdy
Off God the chose cheff vyker,
And hys place kepeth4 her,
And doth yt pleynly occupye, —
The wych, no man wyl denye ; —
Yet thogh thys vyker, aboue echon
Haue power off yore agon,
Aboven eue7-ych other whyht,
And wolde the cours (of verray ryht)
Off hys niyghty excellence
Wher5 douw sliad by influence
To other lowere of degre
Cowmytted from hys souereyn se,
Whom he ordeyneth her & yonder
By cowmyssyon) to be vndor
6Hys high power by Ordymunico [«-
For to haven Governawnce
(Who that kail the trouthe
3136
3140
I"i
3145
3148
[3 thus C., om, St.]
3152
3156
[Stowe, leaf 60, back]
3160
were St.] 3164
3168
fit. MS., leal1 BO, back]
to Folk of Religion, who bear the Sword and Keys. 85
' To bere the swerd, and keye's eke,
So that by her dyscreeton
And prudent" mediacyoii
AH thynge vnder ther myglite
Wer goueniyd wel by Ryht,
Wycb to hem dooth l apertene
Vnder entent pur & clene,
Affter the bond off ther offys.
' But nat for- thy, yet for al thys,
Ther ys no cause but that he
"\Vych that hath the souereynte,
The cheff vyker above echon,
Off verray ryght, & otlier noon,
Ys curat (in conclusion;;,
W/t/t-oute al mediaciouw,)
Ouer crystys2 folkys alle.
Yt may noon other-wysij falle,
Off verray ryght, I the ensure.
Al-be that he, vnder hys cure
Haue set by hy3 co//miyssyon),
Sowme folkys of relygyon),
Hys offys to excersyce
Vnder hy;/i in sondry wyse ;
Hem establysshed, with power large,
ffor to helpe hy//; her hys charge ;
In hys name, or4 elles nouht
ffor what they do, or what ys wrouht,
ffro hym the power ys descendyd,
The wrong by hym mot be amendyd,
Yiff ther be any in ther werkyng.
' And therfore, toucliyng thys thyng,
(To seyn shortly, & nat tarye,)
They be nat but ordynarye,
Co//nnyttyd, ther offys for to do,
Thogh thow seat hem bothe two
Ber swerd And keye's in ther bond
Naked & vnclosyd ; yet vnderstond,
They ha nat stole hem, fer nor ner,
ffor they haddii pleyn power
Off the vyker pryncypal,
3172
[C. & St.]
„ 3176
[I to hem .looth St., ow.C.]
3180
yet he, as
'
3184
[« Crystene St.]
3188
[Stowe, leaf 01]
P his St.]
3196
[« ami SI.]
3208
au<l rurate
over nil
Ch rial's flcx-k,
3192
has others
I'MliiMii-Mnll- '
ed to niil him.
3200
320-t
And tliotigh
you seellie^e
[leaf 50]
benrin^'the
linked gwunl
and key*,
they received
them IP ONI
the principal,
86 Of the Sacrament of the Altar. Moses dines on
Reaton. ' Wych aboue gouenioth al, 3212
That gaff to hem ther power with
Fredioamentum ad aliquid.
They tooke yt (who consydereth al)
Off hj's gyffte in especyal ; 3216
And whan hywi lyst, (yt ys no nay)
who can take He may ageyn take yt away, [stowe, leaf 6i, back]
when He Whan that he seth tyme & place.
choosea.
nor thyng that grauwtyd ys off grace 3220
May be Restreyned J efft ageyn [> St., re»tey . . c.]
In many caas, be wel certeyn.
And thogh thow haue no swyche power,
you si.ouia Thow sholdest. with al thy» herte enter, 3224
be thankful,
To Ihftsu Cryst, in thyn entent,
Thanke of that he hath the sent ;
fferther nat medle than thyn offys ;
ffor I holde, lie ys nat wys, 3228
and not That in medlyng ys mor large
what does Than the bouwdys of hys charge.'
not concern
j""-' Off the Sacrament off the Awhter :
[Cap. xxxviij And whan thys lady, Dame Reson),
Pilgrim, r¥1 .
louchyrig my;* oppynyon), 3232
Hadde declaryd vnto me,
Ryht forth-wM I dyde se,
(As I be-held tho douteles,)
Then Moses That the hornyd Moyses 3236
went to
dinner, bhope hywi Ryght as any lyne
To make redy & go dyne,
And hys mete ek redy make.
And tho, good heed I gan take 3240
[ii-ar.iip.back] How hys mete (pleynly to deine, ) [c.&st.]
Was other than yt dyde seme ; „
And off 6 thyng, as I took heed, [St., leaf 62] „
which con- Ther was no thyna but wyii & bred, 3244
sisteil of
trad and Ihe wych wer nat to hys entent :
wine only.
nor tho he hadde gret talent
To etyn fflesshe, in hys delyt,
And blood ek in hys appetyt, 3248
ffor to dyfface the olde2 la we, p oide st., old c.]
And the Ryytys ther-off wft/t-drawe ;
Bread and Wine, which tm-n into Flesh awl Blood. 87
Cave ne saiij
cotnedas.
.St., o
AVycli lawe (as I vnderstood,)
Bad men they slioldo etc no blood.
But Moyses — in hys enteut,
Contrayre to that comandement,
To lielpyn liym Among hew alle, —
[6 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination.}
Grace Dieu be-gan to calle ;
And she kam fortli A-noon ryht.
And ther I sawh a wonder syht,
Mor merveyllous than eue?-e afom)
I hadde seyu syth I was born),
ffor ther I sawh, (as I took heed,)
In-lo Iluwh fflesshe, tornyd bred ;
Grace Dieu ordeynede yt so.
And wyn (I took good heed ther-to,)
Was tornyd ek in- to Red blood.
The wych (so as I vnderstood,)
Sempte of a lambe, as thouhte me.
And, as A man curteys & fre,
Hys offycerys he gau calle, [Moyses st., am. c.] [lear
And bad they sholde komen alle [st. & c.]
Vn-to dyner ; & ek hem tolde
The maner hooly how they sholde
Han myght & power enterly
ffor to maken al redy
The dyner al so wel as he,
At due tyme, in ther degre.
And as they weryn at dyner,
To hem he gaff pleynly power
To maken (in conclusion))
That merveyllous mutacz'on),
Bred in-to flesshe, wyn in-to blood.
And off that foodu (I vnder-stood)
He Gaff to etyn to hem alle
(Wych to-forn he dyde calle,)
Tliys newe mete most vnkouth,
Mynystnig1 yt in-to ther mouth.
With hem, hym-sylff he heet also,
And of the blood he drank ther-to.
I sawh yt wi't/t myn Eycn cler.
m. C.
3253
Pi/t/rim.
The Old I.nw
waiil men
sliouM pat no
blood.
3256
3260
Hut I saw
Hie lii-i'aci
turned into
raw Flesh,
3264
3268
, back]
3272
3284
anil the wine
into red
Ulo.nl.
[leaf 5 1]
His officers
tie called to
dinner,
3276
3280
and lie gave
them power
to do as lie
had done.
After which
he gave them
this food.
3288
88 Reason can't understand the Sacramental Change,
pilgrim. But swych a merveyllous dyner
Ne was neuere a-foni yseyn,
Nor neuere (that I herde seyn,) 3292
i saw the Ne was no swych mutacvon,
inn ration
with my own Nor off so wonderful Eenouw.
eyes,
[Cap. nxxviii] But whan I hadde be-holden al,
I tornede me A-noon wt't//-al 3296
To-ward that lady dame Eesouw,
Makynge to hyr thys questyoim :
The pylgrym : ! [> st. (leares) adds -Asked-]
and inquired ' Ma dame,' ouod I, ' I vow preve
of Reason •>
thou' fit6 That ye to me lyst to seye : 3300
What semeth yow, telle on pleynly.'
Resou?i koude nat answere.
' Certys,' quod she, ' that wyl not I, [St. & c.]
[leaf si, back] ffor ther-of I kan no thyng ;
Yt passeth myn vnderstandyng, ,. 3304
My wyt also, & ek my mynde. „
But she saw To sen, mvM Eyeii ben to blvnde :
no more than
i did, I se no mor ther-oft then thow ; „
And I am so astonyd now, 3308
Mor than euere I was a-fore, „
Syth tyme that I was bore.
and said if ffor yifE that she (I dar wel sav)
Grace Dieu _- , , J '
taJmadea Hadde ymakyd oft an Ay [deouoc. *st.,ie.if68] 3312
egjt, or of a A bryd wzM ffethres for the flvht,
grain iin ear, J
Or that she hadde, thorgh hyr myght,
Off a lytel barly greyn
Makyd an Er large & pleyn, 3316
Thys ylkede 2 Ornede Moy ses, [» For • tby« yike • t ]
she would I wolde han be stylle & in pes,
have said . , ,, „ .
nothing; And ther-oft han take noon heed.
but to con- But [slhe3 hath mad Rauwh fflessh of bred, [3 he c. & St.]
vert bread J
into flesh, Wherot I am falle in rage. [stowe.icafes, back] 3321
And also of that beuerage,
and wine That [s]he4 hath tornyd wyn to blood, [« he c. & St.]
into blood, -.. 1J¥ , , , ,
My sylff beholdyng, ther I stood, 3324
Ageyn the custom of nature.
And trew[e]ly, I the ensure,
That I shal no longer dwelle,
and tells Nature, an old Lady, who gets wroth. 89
3336
[St. & cj
3340
But to Nature the trouthe'1 telle, [> trouthe st., troutn GO
And sendyn hyre to be A-wreke 3329
To Grace Dieu, w*t/i hyr to speke,
With cher boystous, wordys nat ffayre,
Vnto whom she ys contrayre. 3332
ffor she hath, (yiff I shal not lye,) [Grace Dieu st.]
Off pryde only, & surquedye,
Lyft the custom & vsage,
And off nature the passage
Transcendyd pleynly, & the bouwdys
And in dede, ek yt founde ys
That she hath, of force & myght,
Broke hyr franchyse & hyr ryht.'
The Pylgrym:
And whan Eesouw hackle told me thys,
Sche A-noon retournyd ys
In-to hyr tour vp hifi ageyn.
And tha«ne A-noon, vp-on the pleyn 3344
I sawh a lady off gret age,
The wych gan holden hyr passage
Towardys Grace Dieu in soth,
And off hyr port I-rous & wroth,
And hyr handys ek of pryde
Sturdyly she sette a syde.
Hyr Eyen ek (I took good hede,)
] Jrennyng bryht as any glede ;
Wonder large off hyr feature,2
Trowynge that she was Nature :
And so she was, thys lady old,
ffor Resouw hadde vn-to me told
Hyr mane?- and condyciouw.
And, to myn inspecc'iouw,
Sche was redy for to stryve,
ffor Anger dyde hyr herte Ryve
Atweyne, in purpos for to chyde ;
Hyr handys set vndor hyr syde.
And vn-to Grace Dieu A-noon
Thys olde3 lady ys forth gon ;
And Rudly fyrst she gan abrayde,
And vn-to Grace Dieu she sayde :
[Stowe,
3352
[• Stature St.]
(Feature = make, huiM)
Reaton.
is proof that
she lias tran-
scended the
laws of
Nature,
[leaf 52]
to whom
complaint
should be
made.
Pilgrim.
[Cap. xxxix]
Then I saw!
an old Lady,
going to-
wards Grace
Dieu.
3348
I twus Nature
in :i furious
temper.
335C
3360
oide si., oia co 3364
She began
to upbraid
Grace Dieu,
saying :
90 Old Dame Nature remonstrates iiMJi Grace Dieit.
Nature. [6 lines blank in MS. fur an Illumination.}
'^c^T i ' Dame,' quod she / Right of Entent /2 ^gSZ?*
[leaf 52,back] , A stonden / her present, 3368
Lady, I come •>
to chide yoo wher-so that yee / be leefl ' or loth,
With youre gouernauwce I am wroth,
That ye be bold, in any wyse
ffor to medle of my frauwchyse. 3372
And I am kome, as ye may se,
To dyffende my lyberte.
Vn-to yow yt ys iiat due [stowe, leaf 64, back]
for removing My ord-ynawncys to remeue. 33 1 6
man*.' Record I take ofE alle wyse,
Yt outhe ynowgh to yow suffyse
The party that ye han ytake,
And no maystryes for to make
In the boiwdys that I kepe.
TO you is 'ffor, thogh ye han3 the lordshepe piianost.]
tUe'Sry Off the heuene & eue»y spere,
And off the sterrys bryht & clere,
And off the planetys hih" a-loifte,
Somme swyfft & soHmic soffte
Holdyng ther coin's & ther mevyng,
And as ye lyst in alle thyng
They stonden aH in your demeyne,
Ther cours, as ye lyst, ordeyne.
Ouer hem ye han the souereyntc ;
and ir i inter- And yiff I wolde medle me
S yiu' Towchyng ther cours, or how they goth,
«ngiy, «na With me ye wolde be ful wroth,
despise me. ,
And my presumpcion despyse.
And I, ryht in the sylue wyse,
ifyoumeddie Yiff ye medlede wrongfully
with my free- , , , , ,,
dom, Touchyng the bovwzdys ot my party,
Ther to cleyme off me lordshepe,
My fredam I wolde kepe.
ru die rather Rather than suffren any wrong,
than suffer
wrong. I wolde deye, thogh ye be strong ;
2 Camb. MS. reads: 'Lady,' quod she, 'to yow j come to
chide, for to defende myn owen. Wennes conieth it yow for to
remeue uiyne ordinaunces ? ' Camb. , p. 24.
All above the Moon is Season's; below it, Grace Dieu's. 91
' Tmsteth thys ryght wel iit al. [c. &st.] [leaf 53]
' And declare to yow I shal, „ 3404
Nat"re'
And now we
Now that ye & I be met, [stowe, irafor,] „ nremetni
mi .-1 i ii j. i declare the
The trewe bouwclys that be set hounds which
, were set be-
Atwyxe vs tweyne, syth go ful long, tween us.
That noon to other do no wrong ; 3408
Wych to yow I shal devyse,
And declare the frannchyse
Off outlier part, yiff ye lyst lere,
That noon ne medle, fer nor nere, 3412
To have lordshepe off othrys ryht,
Nouther by force nor by myght.
'And yiff ye lyst to lerne yt sone,
The eercle off the colde moone, 34 1C The 'circle
of the cold
Atwyxen yow & me for evere moon MS the
fixed bonnil-
Ihe boundya trewly doth dvsseuere, ury between
us two.
And yiveth to eueryeh hys party; s metho' St., am. c.
Yiff ye lyst look Eyghtf ully l n Ryghfuiiy c.] 3420
As I shal declare now : Luna di,u'?it'n.t«>
oamptabtti & ineo-
The hifier part longeth to yow,
Wher ys your lordshepe & your myght, S^SffSfSL.
And ye may tlier (off verray ryght) •*•»««•' """•
Maken thynges fresshe of hewe, 3425
And whan ye lyst, transforme hew nowe ;
Your power ys so vertuous ;
ffor thogh ye made dame Venus 3428 and though
. , , you should
A best wtt« liomys sharpe & hard make venns
ii horned
1 wolde ther-to ha no Reward. '»«•'.
And thogh that ye, (yt ys no fayl,) !ini1 Memiry
Off Mercurye made a snayl testudo &o. 3432
I wolde me nat putte in pres i would not
complain.
To gruchche, but kepe me sty lie in peg; [St., leaf es, back]
ffor ther I cleyme no maner ryht. 3435
' But her by-nethe, ys al my myght : 3 P mygM st., ])ut here be.
,. re ,, neath, I am
O& ellementys I am lliaystresse, Naturanaturata,motu*movens. Mistress,
Lady also & pryncesse
Off wyndys and inpressyouns, [st, &c.] [i«>i T..S, hack]
And make transmutacyouns, „ 3440
Many wonder varyance. ,,
2 C. ; St. has wrongly 'Incorup^'Mia.' 4 mota St.
92 Nature rules the Elements, and renews the Earth.
Nature.
and have the
government
of fire, air,
earth, and
sea.
[Cap. xli]
I renew (lie
earth's beau-
tics year by
vcar.
I make sweet
spices to
grow,
and the trees
to bud and
blossom,
causing all
which winter
made old to
become
young again.
Deaf 54]
I repair the
beauties of
the flowers,
' ffor I lia the gouernauwce Ist- & c.]
Off fyr, of heyr, (as ye may se,) '» i1"™ ^i cU]"d<>
Off ortho, and off the large se, 3444
Off ther accord & ther debate ;
I leue no tliyng in on estat,
But make eche thyng, by declyn,
fEor to drawe to hys ffyn. 3448
I make alday thynges newe
The olde, refresshyng off her hewe.
The erthe I clothe, yer by yer,
And rufresshe liym off hys cher 3452
Wyth1 many colour of delyte, C1 stowc]
Blewh1 & grene, Eed & whyt, „
At pryrne temps, w/t/t many a flour.
And al the soyl, thorgh my fauour 3456
Ys clad of newe ; medwe & pleyn
And hille's hih, ek spyce & greyn
I make to enspyre soote,
And do the bawme, out of the Rote 3460
In-to the crop a-ryse & sprynge.
' And in-to trees ek I brynge
Ther lusty blosmys whyte & rede ; [stowe, icafoa]
And in ther brauwchys ek I sprede 3464
A-brood myn fresshe vestymentys,
And wt't/i myn vnkonth paramentys
I clothe ham wyth buddys glade,
Wych, -with wynter, dede I made, 34fi8
Thorgh constveynt of hys coldys kene,
Tornyng to russet al the grene
With fretyng of hys bytter cold.
' But al that wynter maketh old, 3472
And wit/; hyr stonnys doth desteyne,
I make yt fresshe & yong ageyn ;
The bromys with ther golden floure, [c. & St.] 3475
That wynter made (witJi hys show) [St. &c.]
Nakyd and bare, dedly of hewe, ,,
With levys I kan cloth hem2 newe; [» hem St., i.yi» c.]
And off the feld the lyllyes ffayre,
And off herbys many a payre, 3480
That wynter slowh wzt/( hys constreynt,
Nature hates sudden Changes. She makes Men speak. 93
' And made hem of ther colour ffeynt, Nature.
ffor no cost, me lyst riot spare,
But ther Rychesse I do repare, — 3484
Whan hete off cold hath the1 victorye, — • [' UK om. st.]
That Salomon in al hys glorye ^SShSTt.^,?^81™1*""' s°l»?'Sul°:
Was nat clad (I dar wel sey) glory was not
so richly ar-
Halft so freschly as ben they ; 3488 rayed as is a
bush in my
JSor hys robe's wer nat lyche Hvery.
Off colour to the busshus Eyche,
Wych be clad in my lyifree,
ffro yer to yer, as ye may se.2 [stowe, leaf en, back] 3492
' And who that taketh lied ther-to,
Al thyng that mert se me do,
I do by leyser, by aud by : i do ail lei-
I am nat Rakel nor hasty ; 3496 hate sudden
changes.
I hate, in myil) OppyiiyOUttS, Subitas rautai-io«es odit natura
Al sodeyu mutacyoims ;
My werkys be the bettre wrouht,
Be cause that I haste nouht : 3500
I take record of dame Besoii).
' And also ek in no sesou)
I slope nouther day nor nyht ; i ,lever sleep.
ffor, of custom & of ryht, 3504
I hate al3 rnaner ydelnesse, paiiost.] i hate idle-
Ouer al wher 1 am maystresse.
I am nat slowh, thorgh-out the yer, f c«n & mumii
To do my werk & my dever 3508
Aifter my power & kownyng ;
And I make, \vi\Jt my werkyng, i make men
Man & womman to speke a-ryht '° 8pe" '
Euery language, thorgh my myght ; [u. &st.] 3512 OafM.back]
ffovlys to flen, I teche also, „ fowls to fly,
And euery beste for to go ; „
ffysshes to swymmen in the see, „
2 The passage contftiued in II. 3451 — 3492 exteuds over not
<|iiite six lines in Camb. It runs thus : The eerthe is of my robes,
and in prime temps ahvey j clothe it. To the trees j yeue
clothinge and apparamens ayens somer. And sithe j make dis-
poile hem ayen ayens winter, for to kerue hem oother robes and
kootes seeinyn^e alle newe, tiler is neither brembel ne broom ne
ootlier tre that j ne clothe ayen. Was neuere Salomon clothed
with suich a robe as is a bush, p. 24.
94 Nature complains that Grace Dieu tivms Water into Wine.
Nature. 'And I make ek (as ye may se,) [c. &st.] 3516
serpents to Serpeiitys on the grovnd to krepe ; ,,
And alle groynes ek I kepe,
and grain to Make hem grOVGll1 ill thor smySC, [' growen St.]
grow.
And al ther sesouws I devyse. 3520
And yiff I shal the trouthe expresse,
I nm mistress I am lntly &2 inaVStreSSC [» and ek St., leaf 67]
nt' the earth, '
Off al the Erthe, who lyst knowe.
but you ' But ye wolden holden lowe 3524
would dimin- .
ish my power, My power, (jt ys 11O QOUte,)
Yiff ye myghte yt brynge a-boute,
fful wrongfully, ageyn al ryht,
And3 apallen ek my myght pstowe] 3528
At your fre choys ; thys the fi'yn ;
fnta'bhJod111* Tourne vnkyndely my wyn
In-to blood, folk for to drynke ; 3531
The wychr4 doth me sore a-thynke, [« winciw St., wydi c.]
And fret myn herte5 so viiili rage p iiwte st., nert c.]
Tliat ye do me swych outrage,
So nyK vn-to myn herte yt sytte :
winch sur- And vt passoth ek my wyt, 3536
passes my *
wit- Your governaiiHce in thys matere.
' Touchyng6 bred, ye shal wel lore, [6 ^^ cj
(To spoken in especyal,)
I am not so wroth wttA-al, 3540
Nor gruchche (in my» oppynyou?«)
Off thylke mutocioun,
Be cause that I (who taketh lied,)
i never Medlede iieue?-e to make bred, 3544
troubled my-
seit'tomake Croste nor krome, al my lyve.
bread.
But I dar affermo her blyve,
Thogh I neuece made looff ,
[leaf 55] The mater that yt ys made off 3548
which is Kometh fro my 7 corn & groyne : [; me st. (t-r. line 3553)]
made of my
grain. ^nd I delyuercd hem, certeyn,
Vn-to Crafft, wych I assure
Ys soget vn-to Nature. [stu»-e, i™f c?, back] 3552
Thogh she yt made by hyr engyn,
The mater ffyrst was pleynly myn,
And kam fro me, yt ys no drede.
Nature complains of Grace Dieu's Miraculous Deeds. 95
[' :v clay St.]
done St.]
[» alle St.]
Exodt 3° eiipititlo
' But that ye han thus iurnyd bred
In-to Rawh fflesshe at your dyner,
In preiudyce off my power,
To forbarre me of my ryht, —
Wher hadde ye power outlier myght
To werke so ageyn ray lore 1
I may suffren yt no more.
I ha forboor yow many day,1
And suffryd ek (yt ys no nay,)
Wrongys that yc ha do 2 to me.
I not by whos auctoryte,
That ye, by your goueruau»cys,
My custowimys & myn oi'dynauwcys —
Ageyu Resourt and al3 skyl —
Ye hail ytournyd at your wyl.
I hatte hem wel in Remejwbraiiwce,
With euery maner cyrcumstau«ce.
' ffyrst, contrayre to myn entent,
The busshe affyre, & nat brent,
How ye yt made fill longe ago.
And I remewbre wel also
Off Aaron & of Moyses,
How that ye, ageyn my pes,
Ther yerdys, bothe4 old & drye, [« botiien St.]
Ye maden, thorgh your maystrye,
The Toon a serpent (ys yt nat so?) [stuwe, i«nf us]
In presence of Kyng Pharaoo ;
The tother, ye made wexe al grene
With frut & levys, (thus I mene,)
Budde and blosine, -with many flour,
To myn vnworshepe & dyshonour,
Ageyns nature, at the leste.
And ye tournede, at the feste
Off on callyd Architeclyu,
Water also in-to good wyn.
And also many A-nother thyng,
Thorgh your wonderful werkyng
Ye han ywrouht ageynys kynde.
' And o thyng cometh now to mynde,
AVhorwyth ye dyde myn herte tone,
3556
Nature.
Hut you have
turned bread
into flesh,
3560 [Cap. xlii]
which I can-
not allow
again.
3564
3568
3572
3584
3588
3592
I hiive
sufferd many
wrongs from
you,
3576
as the bush
on fire, but
not con-
sumed ;
3580
Moses' iwl
turned into .1
serpent ;
[Ieuf55,biiek]
Aaron's innde
to bud ;
water turned
into wine lit
Cana ;
96 Nature complains that Grace Dieu breaks her Laivs.
•A Virgin bear-
ing a Child.
[Cup. xliii]
These things
have caused
me much
sorrow, '
though I did
not seem to
heed them.
[leaf 56]'
You excite
me to war
against you,
because you
change my
laws, )
anil do not
call me to
yourcounsel.
[Cap. xliv]
' That yc made a mayde clone 3596
To bere a chyld, by your art,
And of man hadde neuere part.
To me ye dide to gret A1 wrong ; [> to grete st.j
And I ha suffryd al to long 3600
That ye, a-niong thys werkys alle, q^^Jra^i"^'!™
Lyst me nat to consayl calle. S'conlra'iHuiil'v'i'nuTtir
Wher-of, whan I dide aduerte, SS^aSMST*" "**""
I hadde gret sorwen yn myn herte ; 3604
Thogfi I made no noyse at al,
I gruchchede in especyal
A-geyn your werkys wonder stronge :
A man may suffren al to longe, 3608
As I ha don, or that he speke ; 2 p >peke St.]
And abyde or lie be wreke ; [stowe, i&.res, back]
Slepe to long, or he a-wake ;
Suffren, or he vengauwce take; 3612
And I ha ben to longe in pes,
And in maner Eekkeles
To suffre wrong, & took noon hede
Off al that ye ha done in dede. 3616
' And now ye ben ykome ageyn,
Off entent to make in veyu
Newe thynges men may se, [c. & st.]
Only to excyt* me „ 3620
Ageyns yow, both nyfi & ferre,
To be wroth, & gynne a werre,
And to be with yow at debat.
And, ne wer the gret estat 3624
That ye be off, trusteth me wel,
I wolde spare neuecadel
Yow to werreye & oppresse,
That ye ha swych hardynesse 3628
tlbr to chawjgen myn v sages,
And lyst uat, thorgh your gret outrages,
Off equyte, to myn avayl,
ffor to calle me to couwsay], 3632
"Wher-off I am riht wele apayd.'
II And whan Nature hadde al sayd,
Grace dieu fill sobyrly,
Grace Dieu reproaches Nature for her Hastiness. 97
(That herde hyr tale by and by,) 3636 grace me*.
Nat hastyly, but by mesure,
Thus Answerde to Nature :
Grace Dieu answerde : [stowe.ieareo] a™c.Dta.
' Ye ben,' quod she, ' to cruel, 55575L
To hasty also, and to fel 36.j0 llaslyi
Ageyns me, in your language.
ffor ye speke by gret outrage
Proudly to me, & ha no feere, .i. timorem
Lych sothly as thog1 ye were [i though st.] 3644
In party dionken of your wynes you Beem to
Wych that groweth on 2 your vy nes. P i,, st 3 ^nl"k' or
Ye resemble by your mood
And by your port, as ye wer wood. 3543
And for ouht that I kan se,
Ye be sottyd (thus3 semeth me) passtj
Off newe, & I wot nat how.
' Eemembreth what ye spake ryht now, 3652 Remember
And how ye sayde to me pleynly, ^f^""
' That ye wer nat to hasty "ow;r „ ,
• [Ieaf56,back]
In your werkys, fer nor ner ; [c. & st.]
But that ye wrouht al be leyser, „ 3656 that you
And in your werkys dyde tarye.' „ sTe'iy!" lei"
And I se now the contrarye
In your persone folyly.
ffor ye to me, ful nycely, 3560
Al that euere ye dide expresse,
Was ysayd off liastynesse, But now
WM-outen any gret avys, ^HS
Lyk as thogh ye wer nat wys ; 3664 y°U'
Your wordys nat in ordre set, [stowe, leaf 69, back]
Eancour, your Eesown hath so let.
And, trewly, nadde be
That I concevede, & dyde se 3668
Your sodeyn Ire & your Eancour, Had i not
And also for myw owne honour, i^Sh!,™
I hadde yow voyded A-noon ryht,
And boodew yow gon out of sylit. 3672
But folkys wych that ben Irous,
Hasty & malyneolyous, [c. & st.]
PILGRIMAGE. u
98 Grace Dieit, asks Nature, Who gives her Pmver.
' Other folk, that wyse bene,
Mot forbem hew in her tene, 3676
Be-cause they kan hewz nat1 gonerne; [' n»t hem St.]
Angry men And ek for they kan nat dyscerne
cannot . .
clearly dis- A thyng clerly in ther entent.
matur. ffor ther trouble, entendement 3680
Yi vtitJi TTP vblvnflfd so Poeta. [St., C. DM.) Ira impedit
re y Uiym SO, B,,i,nUM| ,,e possit eernere verum.
That they wot nat what they do.
To sen a trouthe, they nat entende,
ffor they kan nat co?»prehende, 3684
Thorgh ther obstynat blyndnesse,
No thyng but off wylf ulnesse :
[Cap. xiv] it 2 stondeth thus, I dar assure. p it si., i c.]
But tell me, ' But tel me now, dame Nature, 3688
Nature, see-
ing that you Touchyng that ye, her in thys place,
blame me,
Rebuke me off my trespace,
And vndernemen and repreve, [c. & St.]
[leaf 57] And outragously your-sylven greue „ 3692
Off offencys I scholde ha do ;
alldf'e.a,"Sry And affermen ek also,
at what I do,
Your f rauHchyse to avaylle [stowe, leaf 70]
Off boumlys & off botaylle : 3696
I mene thus, of bowndys set,
By mesour tryed out & met
A-twyxe the ryht of yow & me,
and say i had And seyn, ' A-geyn your lyberte 3700
no licence to J ' „
enter into Tliat I dyde gret offence
your garden :
To entre, & hadde no lycence,
In-to your gardyw al to gone,
Vnder the cercle off the moone, 3704
Wych to yow allone ys fre.'
I pray yow, answere ageyn to me,
(Say the trouthe, so God the8 saue !) pyowst.]
of whom do Off whom holde ye that ye haue, 3708
you hold all r • J
that you Your lordshepe & enery del?
Ye Resemble (who loke wel,)
Vn-to the wylde swyn savage,
Wych that renneth in hys rage 3712
In the woodys large & grene,
And ne kan no ferther sene
Grace Dicu tells Nature she is but her Chambermaid. 99
' But to the frut that he hath fouwde,
And the Acornys on the groundo,
3716
ffor to fille1 hys hongry mawe. [' Fyiie st., feiie c.]
ffor ho, in hys swynys lawe,
Off hys rudnesse bestyal,
Ne kan no ferther se at al 3720
Toward the hevene, nor the tre
Wher he receyveth hys plente,
That bar the frut for hys repast,
Al that ys from hys mynde past ; [stowe, leaf 70, back] 3724
ffor to the acorn al only,
And to hys ffoode fynally
Ys2 set hys herte & al hys tliouht ; p vt st., YS c.]
ffor he in soth ne recchet nouht [st. &c.j 3728
Off alle the surplus neuerailel. „
' And trew[e]ly ye may ryht wel ,,
Vn-to thys swyn resembled be, „
Wych kan not be-holde or se, ,, 3732
Nor of malys, nor dysdeyn, ,,
Lyst nat knowen in certeyn
Off whom ye han al your power
Wi't/t-Inne your bouwlys, fer or nor. 3736
Wtt/t-oute me ye ha no thyng ; [St. &c.]
Nor al your craff t nor your werkyng,
Wt't/i-oute me may nat avaylle.
Yovr werkys alle I sowbpowaylle, 3740
And hem supporte, yif ye ha mynde.
' Vndoth your Eyen3 dyrk & blynde, [3 Eyen st., Eyn c.]
The Eyen of yovr entendement ;
And, by good avysement, 3744
Tlie lyddys off your Eye vncloseth !
Knoweth wel (and nat supposeth)
I am lady, hool & entere ;
And ye be but my chamberere : 3748
Thys shal ye fynde al openly
Yiff ye Jooke avysely.
Leve your wordys hili aloffte,
And lerneth for to speke soffte, 3752
And Renounceth al your rage ; [stowc, leaf 71]
ffor ye sholde me don homage
You are like
a swine in
the woods,
which sees
nothing
beyond the
acorns on
which it
feeds,
[leaf 57, buck]
because you
know nothing
of whom you
receive yonr
power.
All you have
comes from
me,
anJ you are
only my
servant,
and should
do homage
to me.
100 Grace Dien says she is Natures Mistress.
Grace Dieu.
I gave you
what you
have to keep
you from
idleness,
and to me
you must
^ive an
,.( « uUUl .
[leaf 58]
The bounds
between us
runliih' yon,
but not me.
Whether you
are offended
or not, does
not concern
me.
A mistress
must have a
servant.
[Cap. xlvi]
Without me,
you can do
nothing.
' (Off lustyce and equyte),
ffor that ye holde, ye holde of me. 3756
ffor long agon, a gret partye,
I gaff to yow (of curteysye)
To occupye your sylff alway,
Off entent that, nyht nor day, 3760
That ye sholde nat ydel be,
And that ye sholde, a-geyn to me
Yelde accouxtys off euery thyng
Touchyng the fyn of your werkyng, 3764
As a chamberere (in sothnesse) [St. & c.j
Sliolde vnto hire mayst[e]resse. „
And therfore, yiff ye wer wys, „
Ye sholde nat in your avys „ 3768
Speke of boundys in no degre „
Set be-twyxe yow & me.
The bouwdys c6nstreyne your party ;
But, for al that, I go frely 3772
Wher that me lyst, at lyberte :
They bouwdii yow, & no thyng me ;
Close yow out, that ye nat passe ;
But I go fre in euery place ; 3776
In heuene, in erthe, & in the se
I bouwde yow, & ye not me.
Wer yt offende yow or greue,
I take of yow no maner leue, 3780
To go & medle wher I shal : [stowe, leaf 71, back]
Ye ha no thyng to do wz't/i al.
' I do ryht notiht in my werkyng
But as yt ys ryht wel syttyng 3784
Off equyte & ryhtwysnesse.
ffor she that ys a mayst[e]resse
Muste haue a scrnaunt hyr to-beye : l ['to ot»ye]
1 trowe ye kan yt not wt't/i-seye. 3788
And ye ouht to know ek wel
That ye ha power neueradel
WYWz-oute me, on no party.
I wyl shewe good skyle why, 3792
Vp-on the wordys that ye ha sayd,
So ye wyl nat ben euele apayd.
Grace Dieu says her Sun alone makes Nature work. 101
Ye seyde, ' the mevyng of the lievene
And the planetys alle seuene 3796
Longeti to me pleynly in al ;
And how ther cours celestyal,
I haue yt hoi in gouernaimee ;
And how that I, at my plesauwce 3800
Tourne the hevene Rouml abowte.
' Tlianne I axe of yow thys donte : [c. & st.j
Yiff I now made a newe ploy, [Camb., p. 27] „
ffor to take the so«ne away ,, 3804
Doim fro the hcuene a-noon ryht, „
That no man of hym hadde a syht „
Thys hundryd yer, in no manere, ,,
Nor that hys bryhte bemys clere 3808
Ne wer nat seyn : answcre here-to,
What maner thynges myghte ye do 1
Or wheroff sliolde ye lia socour, [stowe, leaf 72] „
To brynge forth outlier herbe or flour t „ 3812
Or fostre your sedys, blosme, or greyn 1
Or wt't/t newe grene a-gayn
Clothen the busshes in ther maner „
As ye ar wont fro yer to yer, „ 3816
By yerly reuolucioims ?
' And touchyng generacioims,
What power ha ye ouht to Jo,
Yiff the sorene wer ago 1 3820
Al sholde faylle, yt ys no nay.
And sythe go ful many a day,
The paynym Arystotyles,
Wrot & expressede douteles, 3824
That was so noble & prudent,
Preveth ful wel by argument,
By trouth also, & good Reson),
That al1 generacyon) EMmpium ['aiiest.] 3828
Ys SUSteyned by the SOMne. In 2° de generactone
Whan the skye's dyrke & donne
Bi.'n devoyded a-way clone,
With hys bemys bryht & shene, 3832
That on erthe wer no bryhtnesse,
I take your clerk vn-to wytnesse,
Gran LH,,,.
You have
said, ' The
heavens are
under my
rule,'
[leaf 58, back]
then I ask
you this :
' If I were to
lake away
t In- sun,
how would
you bring
forth herbs ?
how re-clothe
the bushes !
If tin' sun
were with-
drawn, all life
would fail,
as Aristotle
proved,
and Ite shall
be my ad-
vocate.
[leaf 59]
If I made the
sun atid stars
cease to
shine,
your power
would be Bet
aside.
[C. & St.]
„ 3840
[Stowe, leaf 72, back]
[' K. .un.le St., Round C.]
P eche St.]
[» brigltt St., bryght CO 3844
3S48
[«i»vest.]
102 Grace Dieu ridicules Nature's Presumption.
' Arystotyle, in thys debaat,
ffor to ben myn aduocaat 3836
A-geyns yow in thys matere.
ffor your power al yfere
Wer lost & gon (shortly to fyne,)
Yiff no sonne ne dyde shyne.
ffor your power wer al shent,
Yiff the Rounds1 fyrmament,
The planetys, & ech2 spere,
And the bryhte3 storrys clere.
Yiff I he?w maade to cesse echon,
Than wer your power clene agon,
A-batyd, & set a-syde.
Wher-vp-on, lat be your pryde,
And gruchchet nat ageyn[e]s me,
Syth I lia4 the sovereynte,
Lordshepe, & doniynacVou//.
' And y t wer abusyouw —
Lych as wry teth Ysaye, Nu"5'B'.ild sloriahitur .securis/
And in hys book doth specefye,
A gret despyt (both fer & ner) —
Yiff a-geyn the carpenter
The Ex wer bold, by surquedye,
ffor to holden chau«tpartye.
Yt wer a thyng ageyn[e]s kynde,
In Holy Wryt as ye shal fynde,
And a thyng off gret dysdeyne,
And yiflf the pot sholde also seyn
To the potter that hyw wrouhte,
And hys forme a-boute brouhte, 3864
Yiff he pleynede off5 hys inakyng, ponst.]
Touchyng hys fason) and werkyng,
Yt wer a thyng nat covenable.
' And evene lyk in cas semblable 3868
Ye argue ageyn[e]s me,
Wych in effect nat ellys be
(ffor al j'our sotel argument)
But myn handwerk & instrument, 3872
Wych I ha mad to helpen me,
Nat off no necessyte,
Siiye x° capita/a
Your grudg-
ing against
me is like
the axe argu-
ing witli the
carpenter,
or the pot
with the
potter ;
3852
3856
you were
made to be
my instru-
ment to help
me.
[Ieaf59,back]
[stowe,
Grace Dieu will do as she likes, turn Wine to Blood, &c. 103
' That I off yow (yiff ye take hede,) [c. & st.]
Sholde haue any maner uede „ 3870
Among my grete werkys alle, „
But only whan me lyst yow calle.
' And many a thyng I haue ek wrouht,
To wych I ne callede yow nouht. 3880
Yt nedede nat the caas so stood :
And I shal chauHge wyn to blood
WtVt-oute your couwsayl or your red, consiiium mmm smhit,
& OlmiiS VOlllHt.l* UK-it
And in-to Rawh flessh, ek whyt bred, »«. ysaye. w [io].
And brown also, whan that me lyst, 3885
Thogh off yow yt be nat wyst.
' The cause ys,1 in conclusion/a, C' as st.]
OS thys ylke mutaciiouw, 3888
At myn owue lust yt dresse ;
And ellys ne wer I no maystresse,
But yiff I hadde lyberte
To don al thyng that lyketh me 3892
W*'t/t-oute labour at myn ese,
Wych sholde yow nat dysplese,
Thogh I do thyng (tak lied her-to,)
Wych your-sylff ne may nat do ; 3896
Therof ye sholden ha dysport,
And in your herte gret couwtfort,
As of the bussh, wych to the syht
Sempte as yt hadde brent ful bryht, 3900
And brent nat, as I ha sayd ;
Wher-of ye sholde be wel apayd,
And thank me of entenciouw [.stowe, leaf 73, back]
Only for the savac'ioun, 3904
Rather than chyde, or2 lowde crye p and si.]
Off rancour & malencolye,
Off hast to be so Rekkeles.
1 And off the yerd of Moyses 3908
And off Aaron, wher-on ye pleyne ;
And off that Mayde souereyne, [c. * st.]
Mayde & moder in clennesse, „
Off chastyte the cheff pryncesse, 3912
Wych bar a chylde in verray dede,
And kept alway hyr maydenhede ;
I have done
many things
without you,
and I shall
turn wine
into blood
and bread
into flesh
now without
your advice,
else am I no
mistress.
You should
take comibrt
from the
wonders
wrought by
me, as of the
bush,
and the rods
of Moses and
Aaron,
[leaf 00]
and the Vir-
gin,
and the
miracle of
Cana.
A good serv-
ant ought to
rejoice in the
works of her
mistress.
The common
good must
always be
preferred.
104 The Common Good must le preferd to the Special.
grace pieu. ' And off the water tornyd to wyn
At the fest off Archityclyn : 3916
Al thys I wrouhte, thorgh my myht,
W«t/i-oute preiudyce of your ryht ;
Wher-off ye sholde ha grot gladnesse,
And nat gruchche for hevynesse 3920
Touchyng al thys, in no manere.
ffor alway a good chaumberere
Sholde' be ryht glad in herte
Whan she seye, or dyde aduerte 3924
The fayre werkys (in sothnesse)
Off hyr lady or maystress.e,
Pryncypally (who loke wel,)
Whan that she leseth neuej-adel 3928
Off hyr ffrauwchyse in no degre.
il'or eu«-e mot preferryd be
The comouw good in general.
Goodys that ben dipecyal, 3932
The comouw good, in soth I calle [stowe, leaf 7*3
That doth profyte to folkys alle,
Especyally in al vertu.'
And whan thys lady, Grace dieu, 3936
Had al sayd, I yow ensure,
A-noon thys lady, dame Nature,
1Whan she had herd hyr tale a long,
Knowyng that she hadde do wrong, 3940
And hyr cowpleynte (to specefye,)
Was ygroimdyd on folye,
fful huniblely in hyr degre
She fl'yl a-noon vp-on hyr kne. 3944
[3 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
Nature cryede mercy.
The fyrste'2 word that she gan seye, p Fyrste St., fyrst c.i
Nature, off mercy gau hyr i^reye,
And with humble cher & fface
She confessede hyr trespace ; 3948
And to hyr sayde most mekely,3 p mekely St., mekiy c.]
' Ma dame,' quod she, ' ful folyly
I have goveinyd me to yow,
1 Cap. 1. Caps, xlvii, xlviii, and xlix of C. are omitted.
Nature,
knowing she
was wrong,
[leaf 60, back]
cried for
mercy, and
said:
Nature begs Grace Dieu to forgive her.
' And ful vngoodly spoke now, 3952
Wher-off I repcnte' sore.
And certys, I no shal no more
Offende yow in no manere,
Nouther in speche nor in chere ; 3956
So that, of mercy &1 pyte, [> ami off St.; leaf 7*, back]
Ye wyl as now forgyve yt me,
That I ha don al outterly ;
And that ye wyl, so gracyously, 3960
Off alle that euere me asterte,
No thyng reservyn2 in your herte, p reservyn st., rehersyn c.]
Only off your benygne grace,
But clene forgete my trespace.' 3964
Grace Dieu answereth :
' Certys,' quod Grace dieu ryht tho,
' I wyl gladly that yt be so ;
But taketh hed of that I seye,
In peyne of lesyng of your eye, 3968
That ye neuere, in al your lyff,
Be nat hardy for to stryve
A-geyn my workys in no wyse ;
Nor that ye no thyng despyse 3972
What-euere I do, for al your wyt ; [c. & St.]
ffor I ne wyl nat suffren yt, ,,
But werke alway (as yt ys skyl)
Wj't/t-oute yow, affter my wyl.' 3976 The. \
IT And whan thys parlement was do,
As ye han herd, atweu hew two,
And Moyses ek dyned hadde
Wz't/t hys seruawtys good & badde, 3980
He made A-noon (thys, the cheff,)
ffor to departs the releff :
Hys Awmener yt hadde in charge, [stowe, leaf 75]
And bad to yive yt forth ful large 3984
To pylgrymes, wych day be day
Travayllede forth vp-on her way ;
Off the wych, as thouhte me
Ther was gret nouwbre & plente. 3988
But, or that he gaff any thyng
Off the releff in partyng
105
' I repent of
wliut I have
spoken.
Forgive me,
and forget
my trespass.'
Gran Diftt.
'Certainly,'
said Grace ;
' but beware
of striving
with me,
[leafGl]
for I will not
permit it.'
[Cap. li]
When Mnses
had dined,
and had com-
manded his
almoner to
give food to
poor pil-
grims,
106 Two Ladies appear: one with a Hammer and Broom,
me marim. Vn-to any mailer \vliyht,
Out off a chau?«bre, a-noon ryht,
I sawli two ladyes kome yfere,
Wych, of port & of manere
And off wowmanly plesauwce,
Hadden ful grot suffysaimce ;
And curteysly amyd the pros,
Atwen the peple and Moyses,
J
They putten hem, thys ylke two.
[6 lines Hank in MS. for an Illumination.']
two ladies
between
Moses and
the people.
3992
3996
The flrst hei
a little writ-
liana"1"1'
held a ham-
mer in one
hand,
other '" ""
fn'herinoutii
U And she that wente a-forn ryht tho, 4000
J
» y* sen'Pte vn-t-° my wyt),
Held in hyr hand a lytel wryt
Vnclosyd vn-to my reward,
As ye shall heryn affterward, [c. &st.] 4004
Yiff ye lyst a whyle dwelle. ,,
But off the tother I shal fyrst telle, ,,
1Wych in hyr bond, (as I be-helde „
The same tyme) an hamer helde.1 4008
Anil in hyr other hand Wl'tA-al,
*
^'10 '1C^ a yert'e) Scleilder & smal, [Stowe, leaf -5, hack]
To skouren chyldern, & chastyse.
And also, — as I shal devyse, 4012
Vn-to my syht a thyng vnkouth, —
4016
Anybody else
would have
been thought
[• wolde St., wold c.]
Atwyxo hyr teth, (yt ys no fayl,)
Wher-off I hadde gret mervayl.
Yet she yt helde so cvrteysly
That no man wolde2 deme ther-hy
That she was neuere the lasse wys.
But yiff a-nother (to my devys,)
Hadde holde yt so as dyde she,
Men wolde ha sayd, she hadde be
• '
Out of hyr wy t, or ellys falle
In-to rage. And fyrst of alle
Thys lady wysly dyde abrayde
To pylgrymes, & thus she sayde :
(The bysme lette hyr neuej'adel
1-1 The same tyme / an hamer held /
In hyre hande / as I behel* —Stowe, leaf 75.
4020
4024
who is Dame Penance, and sweeps and hammers men. ]07
4028
4032
4036
4040
[sadde . . . dradde St.] 4044
But that she myght speke wel :)
' Syrs,' quod she, ' I wot ryht wel
That ye consydren every del
My gouernauwce & myn aray.
But I wot wel, (yt ys no nay,)
Ye nat aduerten in substau?(co
Touchynge al my gouernaiwce.
I trowe ye kan nat al espye
What tliyug yt doth sygnefye.
But, kometh ner to me echon,
And I shal declare A-noon
To yow the maner by & by,
And yt expone feythfully,
Off the trouthe my sylff taquyte. [stowe.ieaf-e]
' I am the ffayre, louyd but lyte ;
Off my port, demur And sad,
Debonayre, & gretly drad
Off fele folkys that me se.
And trew[e]ly I am ek she
Now-a-dayes lytel preysyd,
And yet ful worthy to be reysed
Off prys, to folkys that be dygne ;
Rygerous & ful benygne
To alle that be vertuous ;
Happy also, and ryht Kwrous,
The gracyouse, of smal1 plesaurece,
I am callyd Dame Penauncc.
The cheff wardeyn (who lyst se,)
Off thylke yle most score ; 4056
The wych (who espye kail,) Verba Traimlatorys
Ys yhyd wit/j-Inne a man.
I make yt clone (I yow ensure,)
Off alle fylthe & al ordure, 4060
Or ther-yn entre any whyht.
Therfore I bere, off verray ryht,
Thys bysme ; Thys hamer, ek ther-to,
And thys lytel yerde also, 4064
On al Mthe's2 to be wreke. [< Fyiiim St.]
With thys liamcr I brose & broke,
Lyk to my condycyoxm
Penance.
[Prose.
Cap. lii]
' Sirs,' she
said, ' I know
you are ob-
serving my
demeanour
and dress;
but you do
not see what
it signifies.
[leaf6->]
I am ttie fair
one,
little loved.
4048
4052
il St., §yn sil C.]
I am little
praised.
My iiiinie U
Penance.
I guard Die
Jale within
man,
and clennee it
of :ill tiilli. .
108 Penance softens Men's Hearts, and makes them repent.
Penance.
4068
With my
hummer I
break obsti-
nate hearts.
4072
As a child
by striking
nn apple
makes it soft,
' With anguissh and contric'ioun,
Hertys that be obstynat
"With synnes olde, ek iudurat, [stowe, leaf 70, back]
And fulfyllyd with vnclennesse,
I do alway my bysynesse
To make hem souple, nesshe, and tendre,
And off her grete1 bollyng, sclender; [' grete St., gret c.]
Also for to wake and wepe,
[icnf62,back] Sorwe & pleyne vfith syhes depe, 4076
ffor ther synnes waymcntynge.
U And as a Chyldo with" betynge Exempli™, [c. & St.]
By exauwple (as ye so offte,) „
Maketli his harde 2 appy 1 soffto p he harde St., . . in« hard c.]
With offte smytyng off hys ffyst, [c. &st.] 4081
Tyl yt be tendre as hym lyst,
And that the lycour ysseth oute,
Hyght so fare3 I, yt ys no doute : p fare St., far c.] 4084
I smyte hertys vp & doim,
And make hem, by contryciioim,
Wyth salte terys (thys the cas,)
To sorwe, crye, & seyn, alias
That they euere dyde Amys 1
Ye shal yt fynde, & thus yt ys,
Off ther trespacys they repente,
And seyn, in al ther beste entente,
' A, Lord God ! now, off thy grace,
How shal I ban off my trespace
Allegement, wt't/t-oute the,
But thow granule, off thy pyte,
That I may, al outterly,
Off my Gylte's ha mercy,
So that I do no mor Amys ?
Now, goode Lord, thow graunte thys ! ' [St., if. 77] 4100
Thus I maken hem crye/i offte.
' And with thys Lamer I made soffte
Seyn Petrys herte, & yt to-brak,
That yt wente al vii-to wrak, 4104
Wych ffyrst was hard as any ston.
But I made yt nesshe A-noon
Whan he hys mayster fyrst forsook.
so 1 make
men cry
Alas! for
their ains,
and cry to
God for
mercy.
4088
4092
4096
With this
hammer
I softened
Peter's heart.
Penance reformd St. Peter and Mary Magdalene. 109
' But whan that I the hamer took, 4108
I smet hym so wit/t repentauwce,
And made hym nesshe with penaimce,
That the lews, off hys wepyng
Yssede out in c6mpleynyng 4112
Of verray sorwe & bytternesse,
He felt ther-off so gret dystresse
In hys greuous hertly peyne.
' And also Mary Mawgdeleyne, 4116
With thys hamer I smot1 so ['smote St.]
That hyr herte I rooff a-two,
Wych was ful hard with synnes old.
But wit/i strokys manyfold 4120
I made hyr tendre, (yt ys no doute,)
That the terys yssede oute,
Out off hyr brest, so gret plente,
That men myghte the lycour so 412 L
By hyr chekys renne a-down
Off verray sorwe, so gret foysowu,
That, in hyr bytter sorwes kene,
She was wasshe wtt/t-al so clene, 4128
And so inly purefyed,
That the.r was no f elthe espyed [stowe, leaf 77, back]
Off synne wM-Inne hyr tendre herte.
ffor, whan the bytter terys smerte 4132
Off hyr wepyng wer Konne down
Thorgh sorwe & gret contryci'oiw,
I took vn-to hem so gret kepe,
That I hem gadrede on an hepe,2 [2 hepe St., hep c.] 4136
That ordure leffte noon be-hynde.
And I to-gydre dyde ha?« bynde —
Al that euere they wrouhte a-wrong, —
And make ther-off a lye strong, 4140
That ther-wit/<-al (I yow ensure,)3
I wasshe a-way al ordure.3
ffor who so lyst consydre & se,
So gret a synne may non be, 4144
But that the lye off repentyng
Doth yt a-way in wasshyng,
And maketh yt clene euerydel,
and made
him weep
[leaf 63]
in the bitter-
ness of his
heart.
With it I also
uleft the heart
of Mary Mag-
dalene,
and with the
abundance of
her ir.it-s
washed ;iv, :iv
her sins.
The tears of
repentance
cleanse from
al! sin.
110 Penance cleans men's Hearts mit like an old Pot.
penance. ' Yiff yt ther-iii be wassbe wel. 4148
And for thys skyle, iu my wasshyng,
[leafes.backj I am vn-to the myghty kyng
mahina i am Callyd sothly the ' lavendcre,"
called the . , , . . . .
king's Laun- And also ck liys chauwiberere. [c. &st.] 4152
dress and
chamberer. In thys offyces bothe two, „
[Prose. ' Now viiJcrstondeth ek also.
Cap. liii |
That thys hanier I ber -with me
ffor thys skyle, as ye shal se, 4156
sty hammer Yt faretli, by a svnful man,
is used upon
a sinful man (Who so viiderstonde kan,)
As by A Pot (in sothfastnesee)
That ys ful of vnelenncsse, 4160
Verray stynkyng & horryble,
And to smclle ful odyble,
Wych may nat wel devoyded be, [stowe, leans]
ffor-as-myche (as ye wel se) 4164
The fylthe ys hardyd so w/t/t-Inne,
That yt wyl not lyhtly twy?}ne, —
as If he were Off old gadryng ful indllKlt,
a pot full of
hardened And in manor obstynat, — 4168
To be made clene in any wyse.
But than anoon I kan devyse
Myn hamer myglitly tavale,1 [' to avaie, let wi]
And breke the pot in pecys smale ; 4172
And on the felthe to be wreke ;
which before On smale sherdys I it breke.
it can be
cieansedmust ' And fyrst off alle I beoynne
be broken.
To drawe the felthe hyd wt't/<-Inne 4176
Out, to make yt shede a-brood,
Wych w't/(-Inne so long a-bood,
And al the ordure ek witfi-al.
And yiff I broke yt nat so smal 4180
On pecys vp-on euery syde,
The fylthe wt't/i-Inne wolde abyde,
And mor & mor ay wexyn hard.
[Cap. Hv] ' Now vnderstond, & hath reward 4184
from'this" To thys doctryne & thys lesson)
Touchyng verray contryciou»«,
Deaf w] Ye that desyre of herte & thouht
you wise
that it is not
enough to
gather your
sins together
and break
them like the
pot,
Folk must repent with Sobbing and salt Tears. Ill
' To lerne yt, & for-gete y t nouht. 4188 Peaam-e.
Thynketh, ye folkys that be wysc,
That yt doth nat ynowh suffyse
A man, in Groos (as ye shal lere,)
To gadre hys syjmes aH yffere ; 4192
But, lyk the pot, he most he?» breke, [stowe, leaf 78, bock]
And no thyng in the asshes reke.
I mene as thus : conceyveth al,
Thogh that a pot be broke smal 4196
On sherdys & on pecys ek,
Yet al yt ys nat worth a lek,
But euery sherd be cerchyd1 wel [' scrci.yd st.]
Touchynge hys ordure euecydel, 4200
And yscrapyd clone a-way,
Ye mot hem breke in gret affray,
That felthe noon ther-in abyde ;
ffor wych ye moste wel provyde 4204
Wt't/t sobbynge & wt't/t syhes depe
And salte terys that ye wepe,
And other peynys sharpe & sraerte ;
Thynkynge tlius wj't//-Inne your herte ; 4208
' Thow dyst offende on swych a day,
Where yt Sonday or Monday ;
Than dystow thylke grete synne ;
And swych an hour thow dys^t be^ywne, 4212
Havyng off God no dred nor fere.
Thys was gret ; that was grettere.
And thus thow dyst, thylke tyme,
Wher yt at Eve, wher yt at pryme, 4216
And to don evel, were2 offte blythe. p were St., wher c.]
And that thow dyst so offte sythe.
And rekne by & by yffere
The cyrcuwstau«cys & the manere ; 4220
Torne & cast ek, vp so doun,
Wher that thy Teniptaciiouw
Was gret or smal ; acouxte al thys, [stowe, leaf 79]
And thynke3 whan thow dyst amys, p thynke St., tiiynk c.]
Yiff a-forn thy great offence [c. &st.] 4225
Thow madest any rfeystence, ,,
And wher thow wrastlyst any thyng „
but tlmt each
siti must be
repented of,
and the cir-
cutmtanceB
of it called to
mind,
[leafei.back]
and whether
you resisted
it.
112 Penance smashes all Sins with her Hammer.
Penance. ' To wt'M-stondeii in wcrkyng [c. &st.] 4228
Thy temptaciouM, gret or smal ;
Or wher thow (in especyal)
In thy wrastlyng dist purchace
Thy temptacioim to euchace ; 4232
£r§°hameetl'er ^r w^er ^at *h°wt for shame or drede,
£{»£"" Lettyst for to do the1 dede ; [' that St.]
Or wher tliow settest drede asyde,
And on the dede dist abyde 4236
or left shame Tyl thow haddest do thy lust,
till you had
satisfied your And after that lefftvst the rust
desires.
To kankren in thy conscience,
In aggreggyng of thyn offence : 4240
Al thys mote be of due ryht
Consydred wel off euery whylit.
' And thys the maner (who loke wel,)
To breke in2 pecys euerydel ponst.] 4244
The vessell off thy gret offence
Wit/i-Inne thy 3 owne conscience : p thyn st.]
in this way i Smyt yt wz't/i the hamer sore.
break the "
vessel of your I yl y t on pecys nior & more 4248
Be mad by pleyn contric'ion),
By swych consyderacion)
That ther abyde fylthe noon.
'And thus I werke alway in on,4 [« const.] 4252
Wz't// thys hamer that I holde, [stowe, leaf 79, back]
Al vnclennesse to vnfolde ;
I5 breke al doim, & spare nouht p And St.]
Off no thyng that ys done or thouht, 4256
tin ail are Tyl that trewe purgacioun
purged by ' °
contrition. He makyd by contricioun.
rcTf 1?-1 ' "^U* J6*1 a
That I mot vn-to yow seye, 4260
Off thys olde pot texpresse,
Wycli ay ys ful of vnclennesse,
Off whos ordure, gadyrd off old,
in this pot is Wz't/t-Inne yt sylff, as I ha told, 4264
engendered
secretly a Engendryd ys a werm (in soth,)
"Wych ful grete6 damage doth [« grete St., gret c.]
By long processe, yiff yt abyde.
which is
called Con-
science.
It must be
stain, or ii
will never
cease to prey
upon its
master.
Penance breaks Conscience in bits by Contrition. 113
' ffor thys worm), hy?w-sylff doth hyde 4268 ?«.»»»•«•.
Wj'U-Inne thys pot ful couertly,
That no man may wel espy
Off hys engendryng, fer nor ner ;
Nor of hys norysshyng the maner. 4272
Thys, the werm of conscience,
Wych hath hys teht1 by vyolence [iiethest.]
Hardere (who that looke wel,)
Than outher Iron outher stel ; 427G
Wonder cruel, ay fretynge,
And ryht perillous in percynge,
So fer forth (yt ys no drede,)
But he be slayn in verray dede, 4280
Thys mortal werm wyl neuere fyne,
Vp-on hys mayster for to myne,
And gnawe vp-on hym day & nyht, [stowe, leaf so]
Tyl he ha slay hym thorgh hys myght, 4284
Thorgh hys dredful vyolence.
' But for to make resistence,
Ageyn thys werm, hym to wM-stand,
I ber thys2 hamer in my;* hand, pan at.] 4288
And smyte a-pon hy?w ay so sore,
And spare hym nat, but mor & more
I ley vpon hym, to be wroke.
And thys ys wha» the pot ys broke 4292
On pecys smale, vp & dou«,
By verray trewe contriciouw.
ffor yiff y t wer nat broke aright, [c. & St.]
Myn hamer sholde ha no myght : „ 4296
Thys the Fyn, shortly to seye, „
To slen hym nor3 to make hym deye, pstowe]
Wherfor ye moste4 suffre wel [« ye muste St., . . most c.]
That I breke hym eue?-ydel 4300
On pecys smale, the werm to presse,
Tavoyde away al vnclennesse.
And on thys werm, (yiff ye lyst se,)
Thus I shal avengyd be ; 4304
Make hym lowly to obeye,5 [s to beye c., tobeye St.]
That he of verray force deye
To-for yow in your owne syht.
PILGRIMAGE. I
To kill it, I
lay upon it
with my
hammer.
[leaf 65, back]
It must be
broken iw
pieces.
and it must
die.
114
.My hammer
is Contrition.
[Cap. Ivi]
You may
now learn
concerning
my Besom,
and why I
I'.-.ir it in my
mouth.
[leaf 68]
Care is re-
quired in its
use,
lest filth be
left here and
there,
Penance explains what her Bcso-m is.
' And thus, yiff ye take hede a-ryht, 4308
Thys the sygnyfycac'ioim
And verray exposicTouw
Off tliys liamcr that ye her se ;
The wych ys nainyd, ek off me, 4312
(Trewly, in conclusyouw,) [stowe, leaf 80, back]
Nat ellys but contryc'iouH.
' Swynge vp-on, yiff ye lyst lere,
Off the bysme ye shall here, 4316
Wych, myd my teth,1 Jay by day, [' Tethe St.]
Wi'tA-Inne my mouth I bere alway,
As I to forn ha told yow here ;
And how I am the Chaumberere 4320
Off hy»* that ys most niyghty kyng.
Aud tliys bysme ys \vel syttyng
To hyre that ys a chauwberere.
But yt may happe, the manere 4324:
Ys vn-to yow a thyng vnkouth,
That I yt hohle thus in my mouth.
But yiff I made mencyouK
Off the Exposyckra?*, 4328
Ye knowe wel, (yt ys no douto,)
That who that2 eucre shal caste/* oute [««ost.]
Any f el the or vnclennesse,
Out off a place, he most dresse 4332
The bysme wysly to and fro,
That he nat be-syde go ;
But that he haue ay in mynde,
That felthe noon be leffte be-hynde, 4336
Lyst, in the purgaciouw,
Men myghten han suspecyou«
That any maner vnclennesse, —
Thorgh slouthe or foryetylnesse, — 4340
Wer lefft be-syden, her or ther,
In any Angle or Corner,
ffor the bysme was nat redy [stowe.iearsij
To swepe clene by & by. 4344
ffor, by swych occas'iouw,
Ther myghte, of felthe gret foisouw
Be couert, as yt happeth offte,
Penance's Account of the Five Gates: one of Filth. 115
Porta c
Port* ferrea
43G4
On hepys reysyd hih a-loffte 4348
In som Angle, Est or West,
The wych thyng wer nat honest.
' And to purpos off thys matere,
In holy wryt, (as ye shal here,) 4352
I have y-rad ful yore Agon)
Off dyvers gatys mo than on,
And sondry namys, (who takuth hede)
They hadde sothly as I rede, 4356
Gaate ' off the welle, men dyde oil) calle ; Porta fontis
And a-nother, A-mong alle, [' Gaate St., anute c.]
As the byble kan yow telle,
Xamyd was the gate of helle. Porta inferni 4360
And A-uother I kan nevene,
Callyd was the Gate off hevene ;
And a-nother gate ther was,
That was callyd the gate off bras,
And also ek, to laste long,
Ther was a gate of Iren strong.
But A-mong he»?i euerychon
iNeemye speketh of on,
And callyd ys in scripture
The gate off felthe & ordure,
To voyden2 (In conclusiouj*)
Alle the fylthes of the Touw ;
(Ait by that gate, day be day,
Alle the donge to lede away, ,,
That no maner corupcyou/i' ,,
Nengendre nat m'tA-Inne the TOUM.
And bet yt ys, as thynketh me,
That thylke place defoulyd be,
Than al the cyte wer encouwbryd
Wyth ffylthes, wych may nat be nouwbryd
Wych euery day encresse off newe,
And mor & mor ay do renewe.
' But wlicr that I am chau»tberere,
And abyde, (as ye shal lere,) 4384
(for to do my besynesse,
- ' For ther-bi men cureii and puttcn out alle filthes.' — Camb.
p. 35.
Pettaace.
4368
[C. & St.] Porta Sterqnilinij
)j
4372
,, [Stowe, leaf 81, back]
4376
4380
I have read
of divers
Oate>,
as the gate
of hell and
the gate ot
heaven,
one of braes,
another of
iron ;
and one called
by Nehemiah
the Gate of
Filth,
[leaf (16, back]
out of which
was carried
all that could
corrupt the
town.
Where I live
116 The Five Gates which let Filth into Man. The 6th Gale.
there are six
gates,
by Bve of
which all
kinds of filth
are admitted;
that is by
1. smelling,
2. hearing,
3. touch,
4. taste,
and 5. sight :
and the sixth
is kept by me,
[Cap. Ivii,
aeaf'67]
and out of it
I sweep_ all
corruption.
This Sixth
Gate is man's
Mouth,
whence all
tilth goes in
confession.
4388
4392
4396
4400
And Grace Dien ys ek maystresse,
That ther be .vj.1 Gatys larger P«y«]
Wych to kepe, ys a gret charge,
As I shal to yow descry ue.
' And off thys syxe, ther be fy ve
By wych al maner vnclennesse,
ffylthe, ordure, and wrechchydnesse
Entreth in, erly & late.
Off wych fyve, the fyrste* gate [» mrst St.]
Ys callyd the gate off smellyng,
The tother the gate off heryng,
The tother of Touch, the fourthe of tast,
The ffyffthe (wych I rekne last,)
Callyd ys the gate off syht.
And by thys fyve, day & nyht,
Entreth in-to that mans'iouw
Al felthe & al corrupcyou?*
And al ordure (yt ys no doute), [stowe, i
The wyche3 may iiat comew oute [3 which* St., wych c.] 4404
Ageyn by hym4 in no manere, [«hemst.]
And therfore, As a chaumberere,
The syxtc gate I stonde & kepe,
And wz't/t my bysme faste swepe, 4408
Do my peyne & besynesse
Tavoyde away al vnclennesse.
' ffor thys syxte gate, in soth,
Gret helthe & gret profyt doth ; 4412
ffor yt maketh purgaciouw
Off al mane)- corrupciouw ;
And al fylthes round aboute,
By that gate men putten oute. 4416
Who that wyl with-Inne be
Clene off al dishoneste,
To purge hyw clene, as he best kan.
Thys gate ys callyd ' the mouth off man,' 4420
Most profytable off euerychon),
for alle fylthes ther-out gon,
Evene as they wer done in dede ;
No thyng concelyd for no drede, 4424
But seyd vn-to hys confessour,
(>th Gate, Man's Mouth. Penance's Tongue is her Besom. 117
With dyllygence & gret labour,
With terys and lamentaci'ou?*.
'And I1 ha most affeciiouw,
At thys gate to abyde ;
To make yt fayr on euery syde,
I purge, I swepe, I make yt clene,
ffor fylthe noon) I may sustene
Ther tabyde, in no manere.
And whyl that I am chawttberere
To Grace Dieu, my niaystresse,
I wyl kepen in clennesse
Hir dwellyng & hyr mansi'ouH
ffrom al manere corrupci'ouw.
And my bysme, that al thys doth,
Ys myn owne Tonge, in soth,
Wher-wit/i I swepe & make al wel.
That felthe abyde neueradel,
Hih nor lowh, in no maner,
I cerche eche Angle & ech comer ;
Eu«y hoole, gret & sraal,
I remewe, in especial,
Clene wz't/i-outen & wj't/t-Inne,
The fylthe of euery maner synne ;
Caste hem out, & spare nouht.
And ther ys no corner vnsouht,
But that I go to euery place ;
Now her, now ther, aboute I trace,
By verray pleyn confess'iouw,
W('t/t-oute frande or decepci'oun,
Ther may no thyng me skape fro,
ffor Grace Dieu wyl yt be so.
ffor she ne wyl no-wher abyde,
But yt be clene on euery syde ;
Whos chaumbre & whos mansion?*,
Uwellyng, & habytaci'ouw
Ys trewly, (wi'tft-oute offence,)
Verray clene conscience ;
And ther she wyl abyden ay,
Whan arl fythe's be put a-way,
And that yt be clene & entere.
, out. st.] 4428
[Stowe, leaf 82, back]
[C. Jt St.]
[St. & C.]
Pf nance.
At thin gate
I abide to
make it fair
[Cap. IviiiJ
4432
4436
While I Imld
my office I
will keep all
clean.
4440
4444
The Besom
with which I
do all this is
my Tongue.
[leaf 07, back]
4448
4452
4456
4460
[Stowe,leaf83] 4464
Nothing can
escape my
vigilance in
Confession.
The dwelling
of Grace Dieu
is Conscience.
118 P^iance's Bods for her Children young and old.
Penance.
[Cap. lix,
prose]
Now I have
told you all
the manner
of iwnR my
besom ;
1 will tell you
why I carry
these small
Bod*.
As a school-
IllistlVSS I
chastise
children who
do wrong,
[leaf 68]
whether they
bo 20 or 100
years old.
When they
do amiss, I
lie in wait for
them,
and make
them repent,
' Now, haue I told yow the manor
Off my bysme verrayly,
And doclaryd also, how I1 [Uhatise.] 4468
Make ther-witA confessyoiu*
By certeyn exposici'ouw
As ye ban herd her by & by.
' But I shal telle now shortly 4472
Vn-to yow a lytel tale,
Why I bere thys yerdys smale :
H I am off scolys a maystresse,
Cliyldren, in ther wantownesse, 4476
Affter ther gyltys to chastyse,
That wyl not lerne to be wyse ;
I mene thus, whan they trespace
Boldely, a-for my face, 4480
Off age thogh they be xxty yer,
Outher an hundryd, fer or ner,
Men may ful wel hem ' childre ' calle,
ffolk that ben in synne falle : 4484
And hooly wryt, — lied Y-saye,
In hys wrytynge, — doth specefye (ixv. 20)
A chyld an hundryd wynter old,—
(In hys wrytyiig yt ys told,) 4488
Swych a chyld a-cursyd ys ; —
And therfore, wha?* they doiO Amys,
In a-wayt y lygge alway
To wyten whether, ye or nay, 4492
Myii hamer hew* touchyd any thyng,
Or whether they, in ther purgyng,
Vn-to my bysme submyttyd be, [siowe, i«ii ->&, back]
Off lownesse and humylyte, 4496
That they be swept clenly at al,
And that the hamer breke smal
ffyrst by trewe contricyouw
And verray iuste cowfessi'ouw. 4500
Thanne A-noon myw yerde I take ;
And amendys for to make
By repentaurece, in diuers wyse,
With my yerde 1 ham chastyse, 4504
Putte hem to penauwce of entent
and confess
to God,
4516
[' sotlienesse St., sotlmesse C.]
[C. & St.]
4520
and ask of
Him forgive-
ness.
[Ieaf68,back]
Penance makes Folk go Pilgrimages, fast, and pray. 119
' To brynge hem to amendement, fena*ce,
And to haue in remembrauncc
Ther olde sy?mys in substau«ce; 4508
And whan they thynke on ther trespas
fful offte sythe to seyn ' alias,
That they so sone dyde assente ! '
And than they seyn, 'I me repente, 4512
0, Lord God, of my mysdede,
Off al fals lust & flesshlyhede.
But thow that art my Creatour,
I am A-knowe myn errour,
And axe off the forgyff(e)nesse,
Makyng be-hest in sotlienesse1
Xeuer her-after for to be
Hardy for toffende the.'
Tims I make hew, with gret peyiie, ,.
Oon hour to wepyn & cowpleyne ; „
Another hour, by largesse, „
rlbr to geven gret almesse „ 4524
To pore folk that be nedy.
' Another2 tyme also I [Stowe, leaf 84] [« And another St.]
Make he»« go on pylgrymage,
Barfoot, by many streilit passage ; 4528
I make he;n f aste,3 preye, & wake, p fnste St., fast cj
And to were (for Crystys sake,)
On ther bodyes ful offte
Sharpe heyres, no thyng softie.
And thus my smerte'4 yerde I vse,
Alle synnes to refuse,
And do wz't/«-al correcci'ouw,
Only off entencioiiM,
That the remors of noon offence
Abyde in ther conscience,
Xor retourne ther ageyn.
ffor I wyl be wel certeyu 4540
That okle synnes5 punysshed be p synne St.]
Off Ryghtwysnesse & equyte ;
ffor, wz't/i-oute punycyo.uw,
Passeth no transgressiouw ; 4544,
ffor, who to synne doth assente,
Thus I m:ikf
thmi to give
alms.
go on i>il-
grimage.
fast, and
pray.
4532
[' smerte St., smert C'.]
453C
Thus I use
my Hod.
Thus old
sins receive
righteous
punishment.
120 Penance is the Portress of Righteousness.
Pexance. ' Moste affter-ward \iyrn repente ;
And have due repentauwce
must remit. Allc' vnderfongyn hys penauMce 4548
ffor hys sywnes newe & old.
uMei?™me,i And tner-fore> tnys yerde I holde,
satisfaction. -\\TyCh namyd ys (of iuste resouw,)
Trewe satysfaccyouw. 4552
' And sothly, (yiff I shal nat feyiie,)
Satysfaccyouw ys to seyne,
Asseth that ys mad for synne,
[leaf «o And that a man haue w«t/i-Inne 4556
As myche sorwe & re"pentauwce, [Stowe, leaf st, back]
As he hadde fyrst plesaunce,
Lyk to hys flesshly appetyt,
Or in hys synne fals delyt. 4560
Off equyte & good resoun.
[Cap. ix, ' Now haue I made yow A sarmou;*
Tims i have Off my name & my» offys,
sermon or my And told the cause (yiff ye be wvs.) 4564
name and
office, Oil my komyng A-mong tliys pres,
A-twyxe yow & Moyses,
And sette me ek (yt ys no fable,)
Evene Aforn) hys owne table, 4568
and of my In my ii eutent, & thys the cheff,
roming be- J
tween you Be cause ye Axen the releff
and -Moses. •>
Off hys dyner, on & alle
And ther-affter faste calle, 4572
Wi't/t wonderful gret bysynesse.
' But vn-to yow I shal expresse
The cause off my stondyng here
Yiff yt lyke yow to lere. 4576
Kiuhteous- I am my-sylff the porteresse,
ness made me r
Porteress, (Maad oft verray Eyghtwysnesse,)
Off the releff that ye sen her,
And the trewe chauwceler, 4580
should".""- That noon of hifi nor lowh degre,
oaUneW'th" -^-°me no ner WttA-OUtS 1116,
ffor thanne ye dycle gret offence.
tfor thys releff, in existence 4584
Sholde be yove for no thyng
Penance.
Hi.- Sacra-
mental food
is ordained
for the good,
and for those
who hunger
and thirst
after Right-
eousness.
The Sacrament' of Bread aiid Wine, Christ's Flesh. 121
' To swyche as ben in ther lyvyng,
ffoolys nor trwavwtys in no wyse ;
ffor, as I shal to yow devyse, [stowe, ieaf8.v) 4588
Thys relefE ys the trewe ft'oode,
Ordeyned for he)» that be goode ;
Inwardly in ther hertys brent,
And in the loue off God fervent, 4592 [leaf on, back]
To hooly pylgrymes, day be day [c. & st.j
That gon the verray ryhte way, „
And off verray travayllynge „
Ben also syk & languysshynge, „ 4590
And l hunger han to be recuryd. [' stowe]
To1 swych thys releff ys assuryd, „
That kan yt1 hetyn deuoutly, „
To resseyue1 only ther-by „ 4600
Parfyt Elthe in ther entent,
And gostly ek allegement,
And- contyuue ther pylgrymage, pTost.]
Day be day, in ther vyage, 4604
As pylgrymcs sholde kowne,
The weye3 wych they ha be go»ne, p weye St., wcy c.]
Off trewe menyug, no-thyng feyned :
To swych thys releff was ordeyned 4608
Off Cryst Ihesu at the souper
Whan hys Apostlys sat ful ner.
He brak & party d yt to ech on,
Wher as they setyn on by on, 4612
The Grete Thursday at hys mauwde,
Off hys largesse & gret bou«tee,
Whan he sat with hem at the cene,
Gostly to swych as he knewe clene. 4616
To swych, he gaff hem alderlast
Hys owne boody for cheff repast,
As the cheff cherysshynge foode [.stowe, leafta, back]
To alle" folkys that be goode. 4620
' And peplys off hih & lowfi degre
Thorgh-out the world sustenyd be,
And therby han ther sustenauwce,
In al vertu hem-sylff tavau/ice. 4624
The wyche I kepe ful streihtly
It was given
by Christ
at the Last
Supper,
when He sat
with His dis-
ciples.
He gave it to
all good men.
122 Penance ends. Charity tells ivho she is.
Penanct. ' Jn niyft ciiteut, that fynally
Yt be nat touchyd of no whyht,
[leaf 70] But ho to-forn (as yt ys right,1) [istowc] 4628
ceivesTt until Be -with my yerde2 fyrst chastysed, [• yerde St., yerd c.]
he has been 111 / T i i
chastised and And also (as 1 lia devysed,)
purified. iir-ii i i_ l
\\ lilt, myn haincr broke a-two,
And \vMt my bysme swept also ; 4632
That he be purgyd al aboute,
Bothe wit/<-Innen & w/t/(-oute :
Let young Lat euery man be war & wys
and old do as J *
i command.- To werkyn affter my devys, 4636
AVhether that he be yong or old.'
tC'*nii"f ^n^ w^mn thy8 kwty liailde al told,
And yt3 declaryd (al yfere) pytsr., »H. c.]
Off hyr offyce the manere, 4640
Then the II Tho totlior lady that stood hvr bv,
other lady, J J J'
i-harity, Gan presso forth, & was redy
stood forth, r
and said: (Lych as ye shal vnderstond,)
With the scrypturc in hyr bond, 4644
Off the wych to-forn) I tolde ;
And hyr lettre she gan vnfolde,
And in opyn audyence
Thus she seyde in sentence. 4648
charity. ' Syrs,' <\uo<l she, ' yiff ye lyst lere, [stowe, leaf so]
; YOU have Ye han herd al the manere
heard Pen-
nereoffieeeribe How thys lady, Dame Penauwce.
Hatli declaryd in substau/M'c 4652
To yow hyr offyce by & by.
And, by your leue, now wyl I, — •
In hope I may your thank dysserue, —
and nowj Declare wher-off that I seme, 46">C
hope you will
hear me. Off myn offyce & my degre.
' I wyl ye wyte, that I am she
That neue-re hadde yet delyt
To haue no persone in despyt, 4660
Hill nor lowh, in no degre ;
My joy has ffor al my love, wherso I be,
ever been to J J t
prosper all As fer forth as I ha myRlit,
men,
Ys to forthren eue;y wyht. 4664
And nene^e yet, for no grenaurace,
4672
['of St., am. C.]
4676
4680
Chanty feels far all folk, and gives to the Poor.
' On no man I took vengau?zce. [stowe]
Myn Enemyes also I fforbere ; „
And myn Entent ys nat to dere [st, *c.] 4668
To no persone nor to no man, „
As fer forth as euere I kan. ,,
I am modre off al vertue ; „
And I am she (as yt ys due,)
That clothe folk wych nakyd be
And of mercy & of J pyte
I made Seyn Martyn, yore agon,
(Al-be that he hadde but on,)
Hys mantel to kutte A tweyne,
And dyde al hys bysy peyne
To clothe the poore, wych nakyd stood
Myd off the gate, devoyde of good.
I am noryce of al nedy, [stowe, leaf se, back]
And I herberwe comouwly
Al pylgrymes in ther nede ;
And I am she (yt ys no drede,)
That ffele as myche harm in me
Off other folkys aduersyte,
As they hem-sylff that yt1 endure.
And al2 my goodys (I ensure,)
Be cornouw vnto eue>y whyht,
Whan they ha nede, as yt ys ryht.
' Seyn Poul sayd ek, in hys wrytyng,
Off vertu he hadde no thyng, 4692
Wit/t-oute that he hadde me ; d Cor. \m. i— s;
And that he myghte in no degre
WM-oute me do no good dede.
And trew(e)ly (who taketh hede,) 469G
No good3 dede nor good3 en tent p goode St.]
Ys worth, but yiff I be present,
Among estatys hih nor lowe.
'And yiff ye lyst my name knowe, 4700
I am callyd dame Charyte,
That hauu al folk in cherte.4 [• cherte st., ceree c.]
1 Cainb. MS. reads : I am ... Thilke tliat loueth alle folk
witli hoi herte, with-oute yuel wil ; thilke tliat seecheth no
vengeaunce, ne neither showveth ne smyteth ; thilke that hath
set hire entente to forbere hire enemyes, pj>. 36, 37.
1 23
[Ieaf70,back]
Charity.
and love all
men.
I made St.
Martin cut
his mantle
to clothe the
naked.
I shelter the
homeless.
4684
P alle St.] 4688
and feel the
adversities
of others,
and divide
my goods
among the
poor.
St. Paul
could do no
good deed
without me.
Mv name i
Charity.
124 Chanty visits the Sick, and makes Folk think of Christ.
i cherish the Hem to cliervsshe, vs my del yt : 4704
despised,
feed the I ffeede' folk that hongry be,
hungry,
Charity. ' And other, that folk haue in despyt, [leaf 71]
Hem to cherysshe, ys my delyt ;
I ffeede folk that hongry be,
And parte wi't/i hem off my plente ;
.i;>a visit the And vysete he»i that lyggen seke,
And dwelle wz't/t folkys that be meke ; 4708
And for no cost I do not spare,
To be glad off the welfare
Off euecy other mane;- whyht,
As off myn owne of verray ryht. 4712
' I am she that paciently
Kan suffren, & benygnely [8tow«,ieaf87]
Alle sorwe's wel apese.
i comfort the And I am she that kan done ese, 4716
distressed,
Al hevynesses to recure.
And I am she that set no cure
Off grucchyng nor detracci'oiw ;
ffor thys ys my condici'ouw, 4720
Harm to speke neuc/'adel,
«peak well of But, off ech man to sey wel,
all men, •
Wych I holde a gret vertu.
[Cap. ixii] H And yiff he haue off Cryst Ihe«u 4724
Any maner Reme))tbraurcce,
I made hy«. for to ha plesaiwce
.and remind Off mercy, as I relierse kan,
ihcm of the
mercy of ffor loue to be-koino A man, 4728
Christ,
And taken your humanyte,
And suffren, by humylyte,
Deth for your sake, & passiouw ;
Made hyw fro hevene kome A-dou», 4732
And suffren ek (as yt ys fou?ide,)
To a pyler to be bovnde,
who humbled And tendure (that Lord most fre,)
Wt't/t sharpe thornys crownyd be, 4 730
And sprede hys Arrays on the rood,
And for your sake shede hys blood ;
[leaf 71, back] And to a croos to be ek nay led,
die upon the And douw tlierby hys blood yraylled [c. &st.] 4740
To-forn, be-hynde, & eue*y cost, „
And to his Fader yelde hys goste, „
He went to
hell to fetch
thence those
who were
bound by the
devil.
Charity sent Christ to Hell. Christ Jems' s Testament. 125
In to his hand hys spyryt take. [st.&c.] Charuy,
' Al thys I made hy?», for your sake, „ 4744
Tenduren off entenci'ouw,
To make your redempci'ou?i [stowe, lenfs?, back.]
That wer for symie lost echon.
And to helle I made hywt gon, 4748
To fette hem out that ley ther bouwde,
Tlie deveH2 power to confouwde, [" Deveiiys St.]
Wych hadde grevyd man so sore.
' And I shal telle yow eue/-more, 4752
How thys kyng most souereyne,
To-forn hys pass'iouw & peyne,
And hys tonnentys wonder stronge,
Or he the deth sholde vnderfonge, 4756
He fforgate nat off entent
ffor3 to make hys testament. p stowe]
The forme ther-ofE to endyte,
He callede me yt to wryte : 4760
ffor to make the forme hettre,
My sylff wrot yt, eue>y lettre
And namyd yt (yt ys no les,)
' The trewe testament off pes.'
Wych to-for yow alle I brynge,
Tliat ye may ha knowelychynge
What maner thyng ther-on doth sue,
And what to yow ther-off ys due, 4768
I wyl yow reden the sentence,
Yiff ye wyl yiven audyence.
Lo thys yt ys, herkneth echon,
As I shal her rehers A-noon. 4772
The testament off Cryst Ihesu.
I, Ihe«u, sone of Marye, [stowe, leaf 88]
Wych namyd am (w/t/t-oute lye)
Trouthe, Sothfast lyff, & weye,
Now to-forn or that I deye, 4776
The deth off whom ys ful certeyne,
And how I shal endure peyne ;
But to-forn, of good entent
I wyl mak my testament. 4780
' And fyrst off alle, wylfully
Testamentiim pads. 4764
Before His
death Christ
made His
Testament.
I wrote it,
and called it
The True
Testament
of Peace.
I will read it
to you, if you
will listen.
[Cap. Ixiii,
prose.]
I, Jesus, who
am the Truth,
[leaf 72]
the Life, and
the Way,
before I die
will make My
will.
126 The last Will and Testament of Christ Jems.
charity. I be-quetlie eiiterly
i bequeath My soule vn-to my Fader dere,
my Soul to
tintt> That syt above the sterrys clere, 4784
Yt to kepen & conveye,
And to governe yt in the weye
tor Him to Wlian y t shal descende doiw
keep while I
descend into Ill-to the dyrke1 llUlllsyoUM [i dyrke St., dyrk C.] 4/88
Off the foule pyt of hello,
Wher as fendys ewe dwelle,
My frenclys ther to fette a-way,
Wych ha be ther se many day, 4792
To delyvere hem out off wo.
My Body i ' Arid my body, I quethe also
bequeath to
the sepulchre lo the sepulki'c, for dayes tnre,
days, audio Wycli Joseph hath mad for me. 4796
true pil-
l-rims, Wych Body I love also
To trewe pylgrymes that her go,
As thyiig that most may he;« avayllo
Hem to releue2 in ther travaylle ; [" Hereieve st.] 4800
to sustain As cheff Repast, hem to sustene
them.
Iii ther vyage ageyn al tene.
My Heart to Myil herte I tlUCtlie (ek of eilteilt,) [St.m>>, U-al '», back]
those who J
keep My To aH tliat my comau«demeiit 4804
rominullil-
nients; Kepe, to ther power fcythfully,
And my statutys enterly.
My Mother ' My Moder, I leue to Seyn Ioh«n,
To be a-vaytyng euere in on 4808
Vp-on hyre, in al the smerte
That she shal fulyn at hyr herte,
Whan she me seth in gret mescheff,
[ieaf7i,back] Lad to my detli-ward as a theff ; [C.&st.] 4812
who shall
sustain her Wych shal tliorgh hyr herte blyve, ,,
shall suffer Sharper than any swerd y-Ky ve, „
And maken hyre in Terys drowne, ,,
And offte sythes for to swowne „ 4816
Off verray moderly pyte : „
But than shal lolum hyr socour be
In hyr lamentacioiiHS,
ffor trouble off my pass'ioiws, 4820
To couuiforte hyre in al hyr wo.
The last Will and Testament of Christ Jesus.
127
' And to Seyw lohan I leve also,
That he may han persuueraimce
To sen me in my gret suffrau«ce ; 4824
tt'or, he ys my frend certeyn,
And so am I to l\ym ageyn
ffreudly, off verray kyndenesse,
Wych ys not meynt \viih doubylnesse. 4828
'My blood, I quethe ek for Rau?«sou»
To al tliat haue1 compassion?} p that iiaue St., tiuuie c.]
Off my deth, & ek of me,
And off the grete aduerayte 4832
That I endure for her sake.
To all'" swych my blood I take,
That kepe hem elene out off synne, [stowe, leaf 89]
Therby that they may hevene wynne 4836
Ageyn al p«'secucyou?t
( Iff the ffendys temptaci'oure ;
Ageyn hys myght hem to provyde,
The large woncle vp-on my syde 4840
Al hope,2 I geue hem to refut. [« oope St., open]
' To wz't/i-stonde hys felle sut,
As champyouKS \rith hy?» to stryve,
My wondys I geue hem alle fyve ; 4844
The grete karectys, brood & Eeede,
To plete for he»i wha?& they ha nede,
I make ther vocat of my blood ;
And thogh ther cause be nat good, 4848
With synne Apeyred, & trespace,
Ther-by that they may gete 3 grace, I3 gete my st.]
Only of mercy &4 pyte [4 and off St.]
Keconcyled ageyn to me, 4852
A-noon, as they ha repentau?ice,
And Amende hem by penauwce,
And preye to me in ther dystresse,
ffor to grauwte hem forgyffnesse. 4856
'And to save he?» fro rneschaimce,
I5 make ek an ordynavnce [^Andst.]
Lawiis to be rad & songe,
Compyled off my« owne tonge, 4860
Wych I be-qtiethe to yong & olde,
Ckaritii.
To John I
also leave
Perseverance
to see the
end.
My lilood I
give to those
who have
compassion
on .Me :
it will c-lennse
them from
all sin.
My Five
Wounds I
leave to those
who contend
with the
devil,
[leaf 73]
and also be
reconciled to
Me.
I ulso make
an onlinaiu'e
wind) I be-
queath to
young and
old,
128 The last Will and Testament of Christ Jesus.
Charity.
that I shall
be a Mediator
between God
and man.
My Peace I
give to all the
world.
It is the
fairest gift I
ever gave, ex-
cept Myself.
[leaf's, back]
Peace is the
most perfect
jewel made
by My
Father.
[Cap. Ixiv]
It is good to
put the ex-
ample of
Peace in re-
membrance.
'To plete for hem, & plees1 holde [' piees St., pies c.]
To-for myn owne Ffader dere,
In al ther nedys fer & nere, 486 -t
Ther to ben her aduocat.
And (tavoyden al debat.)
I shal for hem be swych a mene,
Off synne to putte away the tene, [stowe, leaf 99, back] 4868
The tenys off eternal wo.
' And my pes, I gyue also
To al the world in habondauwce,
\Vhcrby they may hew sylff avauwce 4872
And ffraiwehysen at the beste,
Therby euere to lyve in reste,
In perfyt loyij ay tabouwde,
Yiff the ffaute be nat founde 4876
In them sylff, for lak off grace
Yt to refuse for ther trespace :
ffor, in pes ay to perseuere,
So ffayr a gyffte gaff I neuere, 4880
My sylff except, vn-to no man,
Syth tyme that the world be-gan.
ffor who consydreth, & loke wel,
Pes ys the parfyt lowel 4884
That al Rychesse doth transcende.
VeiTay pes doth ek amende [c. &st.]
Al vertues that men kan nevene ; ,,
And pees was fyrst wrought in heuene, ,, 4888
Off thylke souereyn Carpenter „
That syt aboue the sterrys cler, „
That forgyd fyrst, (who lyst look,) „
WYt/t-outen any noyse or strook : 4892
Strook nor noyse make?* r,o pes,
But they yt breke dou teles.
' Wherfore, As semeth vn-to me,
Yt ys good that the exaumple be 4896
Off pes yput in Remewibrau«ce,
Wych ys the ground off al plesauwce.
And off thys pes, by good Eeson,
That ther be shewyd a patrovn, 4900
To knowe the verray exauwzpleyre, [sto»-e, leaf 90]
The Last Will and Testament of Jesus Christ.
129
And tavoyden hys contrayro.
Verryly in portrature
Ye shal sen her the ffygure.
The portrature off pes to make,
' ffyrst ye shal a squyre take,
A Squyre off a carpenter ;
And ye shal vse thys maner :
ffyrst, to done your bysynesse,
The Ton ende vp-ward to dresse
Hih a-loffte, ryht as lyne ;
And ferthermor to determyne,
The tother endii lower doun,
So that (in coiiclusi'oun)
The Angle corner in your syht,
Wych loyneth the Endys lyne ryht ;
In wych corner (yiff ye lyst wyte,)
Ther ys in soth An ' A ' y wryte.
Thau lynealy, yiff ye descende
Doun vn-to the lower ende,
Ye shal fynde wryte A, ' P,'
And alderhyest ye shal se
In that ende An ' X ' yset ;
And whan thys lettiys ben yknet,
loyned in on, who kau espye,
Parfyt pes they sygnyfye.
4904
4908
4916
4920
4924
[6 lines blank in MS. for an
Illumination, no doubt.
The figure here is from the
Stotce MS.,
-I !
lil
And ovennor, thys lettrys thre [stowe,
Ar tooknys, that in vnyte
He sholde ha verray loue & pes,
~\\'i\,h thre thynge's douteles.
He that hath pocess'ioura
Off thys lowel, most off Renon/e,
And he to whom Cryst hath yt take,
Sholde kepe for hys sake
Pos vfih euery manor whyht.
PILGRIMAGE.
4028
Charity.
To make the
'portraiture'
of pence, take
a carpenter's
square :
let one end
stand np-
right i
4912
in the angle
formed by
the two sides
you will see
the letter A.
Look to the
lower end,
[leaf 7 4]
and you'll
see p,
and in tlio
upper end the
letter x.
[Cap. Ixv]
These throe
letters are
tokens of
peace.
4932
130 The Last Will aiul Testament of Jesus Christ.
ciuiritii. ' And fyrst above, as yt ys ryht, 4930
iiy.viam W her as the .X. condytmely
signified.
Ys set a-loffte, as most worthy ;
By wych (yiff yt be cspycd,)
I am trowly sygnyfyed, 4940
In tookno that noon be rekkoles,
Peace lie- ffyrst to liaue parfyt pes
tween God J J
and me can With God & me, WVCh byth U OH,
never be
separated. And may neuere assonder gon ; 4944
And also (as I shal devyse,)
That he (in no manor wyse)
Ne do no thyng in no degre
Wycli tliat sholde dysplosii me : 4948
Peace re- And yiff yt happu. oft' neclygeiice,
strains men *
from offend- A-geyn me tliat he do offence,
ini; me.
[leaf?*, tack] ! In alle haste that he hym peync [sto»-c]
To with-dra\ve hym / and Restreyno „ 4952
ff rom alle evellys, for my sake. [c. & St.]
And that he aiaendys make, „
Hys trespasse to Tbon a-knowe. „
[Cap. ixvi] 'And in the corner that stent lowc, ,, 495G
where you Wlier as ye sen An ' A ' stonde,
see the A tliat
repnweiits Ihcr-by ploynly ys vndcrstondo
111,- SOU) ill'
nun. The sowle off man, w/t/t whom cch whyht
Sholde ha pes, of vcrray ryht. [stnwe, leaf 91] -1900
So that in a maxhys2 thouht [J mannys st.]
Synderesis ne gruchclte nouht, — 3
(DeAnition of (Syndercsys, to spoke in pleyn,
Sumltrerit.) V J J ' • J
Ys as myche for to seyn,
By notable descvipciou?*,
The hiher party of Itesou/i ;
Whorby A mare shal best discernc
Hys conscience to governe,)— 4968
Thorgh no trespace nor offence,
By no IJemors off conscience ;
Lat eue/y man tak lied her-to,
And \rilli your neyhebour also 4972
1 Alle dedes don ayuns my wille Ixm restreined and amended.
Camb., p. 39.
3 Lines 4963-68 are written on the margin opposite 1. 4957.
The Last Will and Testament of Jcsv.s L'h'i-ixt. 131
' Ye most ha pes & vnytc, oitarn/,.
Sych ys ytokeuyd by the .p. -riie p iw-
tokens (ware
And ys yset fyrst off echon. between
Mlghtem,
' Ami that j-e sholde be al on, 4976
Thexauwple techeth yow fill wel,
(Yiff ye consydren cuccydel,)
How ye bothen, in O lyne IMT.IUMP
Stonde, & may yt not declyuo. 4980 i» one line,
Lyneally, yt ys noon other,
As brother verrayly to brother,
Nature wyl that yt so lie,
Hili and lowli, oft' o degre, 4984
Bothe twoync yinade lyche ;
The pore man & ek the ryehe, nud »n men
were orijiin-
At the gynnyng, as ye shal lere, aiiy ">>.-wie
Al forgyd wern of O matere, 4988
Touchy ng ther flyrste orygyiial,
And bothe tweyne be mortal ;
The Ton, the tother, in certeyne
They be but wermes bothe tweyne, 4992
And they ne kan hew sylfl'e nat kepe, [c. sst.j [leaf 7.1]
But that they shaH to erthe krepe ; „
When that deth doth hem assaylle. That winch
happens to
' ffor what ys worth, or may avayllo. „ -(996 «»B"ppeni
J J •> to another,
A felou« herte or hardynesse, „
Daunger, despyt or sturdynesse, „
Nat may socourc vp-on no syde, [stowc, leaf m. hack] 4999
Ther deynous port, tlier grete1 pryde, [' grete st., gret c.j
Yt may hem done noon avauwtage,
flbr al shal passo By o passage,
And by on hole off gret streihtncsse ;
Powerte & ek rychesse, 5004
Al goth O way, bothe gret & sinal : and all go
.. '«« way.
i.xcepciou7t ys noon at al,
To helpyn in thys streihte node.
' Wherfor euecy man take hedo, 5008 wherefore
have a rare
Ihorgh pryde to be nat rekkeloH, ie»t this jewel
be lost.
Thys ryohe lowcl callyd pes,
To kepe yt wel, & lose yt nouht.
'And eue/y man, in herte & thouht 5012
132 The Last Will aiid Testament of Jesus Christ.
Charity.
All testa-
menu should
be signed In
peace and
unity.'
[leaf 75, back]
[Cap. Ixvii,
prose.]
When
Charity had
finished the
testament,
site went on
to say,
' You have
heard in
what I Imve
read,
how Christ
gave His
peace :md
other gifts
to wen.
' Do hys dyllygent labour,
To ha pes W2t7/ hys neihebour,
As roote off al perfecciou?;,
Vp to parforme the patrouw 5016
Off vnyte & sothfast pes,
Tendure & lasten endeles ;
So as yt ouht, off iust resouw,
As tookne off the tabellyoura, 5020
Wi'tA wych, in pes and vnyte,
Al testamentys sholde be
Sygned & niarkyd comovmly,
And ek co?»fermyd openly. 5024
' And tovchyng her thys wryt present,
Callyd of Cryst the testament,
W«'t/( tookne off tabellioun,
I markc off entencyouw 5028
To last in pes & vnyte.' [c. & St.]
JAnd whan thys lady Charyte „
Hadde Eadd and yoven off Eiitent „
The pes off Cristes Testament „ 5032
To alle folkys that were there, [stowe.ieafM]
Cliargywgo hem,2 off herte entere, [• stowc]
Affter the fforme2 euerydel, ,,
Al ther lyve2 to kepe yt wel, — „ 5036
Anoon a-geyn, as ye shal se,
Thys3 fay re lady Charyte pniiest.]
Hyr tale gawne al openly,
Sayynge thus benygnely. 5040
Charyte speketh hyr ageyn.
' Syrs,' qiiod slie, ' ye haue herd al
By thys lettre (in specyal)
Wych I ha rad4 in your presence ['reddest.]
Openly in audyence, 5044
How Cryst Ihesu, off hys goodnesse,
And off hys grete kyndenesse,
Out off thys world whan he sholde gon,
Gaff hys pes, to yow echon, 5048
1 Camb. MS. reads : Whan cliaritee hadde al rad this testa-
ment, and rested, thanne she bigan ayen hire jiarlement, and
sniche woordcs slie seyde afterward, ' Lordinges, &c. , p. 39.
I will tell you
why I am put
between you
and tin- table
of Moses.
[Cap. Ixviii,
prose.J
Penance and Charity needed for the Lord's Supper. 133
' Wt't/t many gyfftys off gret prys,
Wych yo shal kepe, yiff ye be wys,
As I ha told in ech estat ;
ffor pes devoydeth al debat, 5052
Wher yt abydeth parfytly.
' But I shal telle the cause why
That I me putte fyrst in pres1 [' prees St., PCS c.]
Atwyxe yow & Moyses, 5050
And the table wher as he stood,
ffor me-thoulit yt was nat good [stowe, leaf us, back]
That noon off yow, in no degre,
Sholde a-proclie wt't/<-oute me 5060
To clayme part (thys, the cheff)
At hys table, off the releff
But I my-sylff wer ther present.
' And ek the sayde testament, 5064 [leaf 70]
That I ha told oS in substauMce,
And yiff ye haue in remembraiutce [c. & St.]
Dame Penauunce yow tolde so, „
Yiff ye took good hed ther-to, 5068
\WtAouterc hyre, thys the ende2 [» tiiende c., st.j
Ye be nat hable for to wende
To the table off Moyses.
And but ye haue ek parfyt pes 5072
With yow echon, & also me
Wych am ynainyd Charyte,
Ye lie vuwortliy & vnhable
To ha the releff off hys table. 5076
ffor yt were a presuwpc'ioure,
And a gret transgression?*,
To neyhen ner, or to be bold,
Or to clayme (as I ha told) 5080
Off that releff most spccyal,
Wher-off ech part ys on & al, —
Ther ys ther-in no dyfference ; —
And therfor, lat be noon offence 5084
In yow, vp-on no maner syde,
But that aforn ye yow provyde,
As I the charge haue on yow leyde.'
... 1111 i [Cap. Ixix,
And whan Charyte hadde al sayde, [stowe, leafiw] prose.]
Without pen-
ani* you aro
unable to
reach the
table;
and unless
you have
peace you
cannot have
relief.
It were pre-
sumption to
approach
without
preparation.'
134 Moses gives the Leavings of the Supper to all.
pilgrim. And mad a ful conclusions
when Off hyr spcche & hyr sarmoiw,
Charily had
fl[!'8i'i'm8the Pylgrymes he?» pxitte fast in pros
To-ward the table off Moyscs ; 5092
Conveyed ech in ther degre
With parfyt pes and Chary tc,
And \vith verray repentaiwce,
Confessiou?«, & ek peuau?«ce. 5096
Pylgrymes alle off good entente,
nud nrcwMited To Moyses tliev hem presentc,
themselves ' l
before HUM.*. As they inyghte hem redy make,
And, the releff off hym take 5100
[leaf 7(1, ba.-k] fful devoutly off aSSCllt.
And Grace Dieu was ay present [c. & st.]
Whan tliey, w«t/« gret deuocyouw, „
Took yt in ther entcncyotin, ,, 5104
And \\iih a clone conscience. ,,
Hat i saw j}ut I gawh ther in presence,
some who
worthy"" Sowme pressen to the table
That wer vnworthy & vnhable ; 5108
Wych held heni-sylff fer out asyde,
They ind And fro Clioryte "an hem hyde,
theiiiMlven Jo J
from charity. And fledde also fro dame PeoauKce ;
and lli'il Trulll
Penance. And yet hewj-sj'lff they gan A-vaii7tce, 5112
OS bolde'uesso al shaineles,1 [' siwmeies st., siwmiee c.]
ffor to reeeyve off Moyses
The releff, whcr as he stood.
The wychc thouhte'2 nat but good ; 5116
ffor he, off clene affecci'oun, [2,"yd,1Thouht'c"f S'" "' "* '
Moses be- Gaff yt wit//-oute excepcioiw
stowed M»
liikc°"a" (Offtlio plente tliat he hadde,) [stowe, icafu:i,
To pylgrynies good & badde, 5120
ffor he noon hedc ne dyde take.
But they retournede foul and blake,
I niene, swych that of boldnesse
Toke yt nat in clennesse, 5124
As they ouht ha done off rylit ;
but tire bad Swych wer foul & blake of syht
came away as
black as a Lvchfe'3 to a COlyerS Sak. P Lyche St., Lych C.]
collier 8 sack. "
ffor in hem-sylff was all the lak 5128
Good Pilgrims arc, satisfied, tho the Focd seems small. 135
51.32
5136
5140
5144
5148
That they semode so odyble,
Stynkynge also, & horryble,
Hungry, thorgh ther grot offence,
& nedy iu tlier conscience ;
And, for lak off good eiitent,
Wer also fid indygent,
And voyde ek off al gostly foode.
' But sothly, thylkc that wor goode,
And goostly tooke ther ffedyng,
They wer fulfylled in aH thyng
Off that releff most in substauwce,
And ther-in hadde al suffysau«ce,
Eeplevysshyd in liurto & thouht,
Off other thyng them uedede nouht.
Tlie goode pylgrymes thouhte so,
That they wer Redy for to go
(Thorgh suffysaiiMce off that repast)
ffro the table whan they wer past,
And, to-forn) alle, as they koude,
ffor verray loye they seyde loude,
That they wolde noon other thyng,
Hem to sustene in ther lyvyng,
And to deffende hem fro damage
As they wente on pylgryniagc
As pylgrymes good and sadde.
J5ut mervayl of 0 thyng I hadde
Wit/i-Inne my sylff, & grete1 doutc
That swych A incyiic & a route
As was ther, to putte a2 pruff,
Was fulfyllyd off the releff,
The wycli was (as thouhte me,)
So verray smal in quanty to.
Wher-off I gan worn! re sore,
And merveylle mor & more,
And thoghte, thogh ther hadde be
Ten so inyche in quantyte
Off releff lefft at the tahle,
Me sempte that I hadde3 be liable p hadde St., am. c.j
At O dyner, my-sylff ryht wel,
To have hcte yt eue/ydcl, 5168
Pilprim.
hungry and
indigent.
[Stowc, leaf'Jl]
5152
grete St., gret C.]
5156
[2 in St.]
5160
5164
[1«il 77]
The good
pilgrims
(•nine :i«p:ty
'
und desired
no other
sustenance.
[Cap. hx,
prose.]
I wondered
that MI little
I thought I
could have
eaten ten
times as
much myself.
136 / ask Grace Dieu to explain the Mystery.
pi/grim. _ And yet nat had (to my plesaimce)
Halff A repast of suffysaunce.
And yet, the pylgrymes euerychon
Sayde & affermede, On by on, 5172
[leaf 77, back] That they fonde swych fulsomnesse,
And so plentuons largesse [c.&st.]
As they y t tooke by good leyser [st. & c.]
At that rnerveyllous dyner, ,, 5176
Vet each That to euej'ych (in ther guyse)
pilgrim had J \ e J I
had enough, ^ lyfe] (Jyde yiiowll SXlffySe.
And euCT'ych (in especial) 5179
and hud been "\VaS ther fulfyllyd Wit/t ryht Smal [Slowe, leaf 9t, back]
made mighty • •
mid strong. Ther-w;t/), myghty mad, &1 stronge. [' and made St.]
'Ca''olx>ii' Wher-vp-on I gan ful longe,
And thouhte (A-mong hem euerychon)
Myn vnderstondyng was agon 5184
ffor lak off wyt in gret dystresse,
And forcloudyd wrtA dyrknesse.
i thought i Eeson was hyd, so sempte me,
had lost my
reason, That I kowde hyr nowhcr se ; 5188
In al that place, I sawh nat tho,
Xo whyht I inyhte speke vn-to,
Save Grace Dieu, wych ther abood,
And to-for the Table stood 5192
«o i went to Off Moyses ; & off entente,
Grace IJieu,
Vn-to hyre a-noon I wente.
[6 liiii'a blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
The pylgrym askede.
' Ma darae,' quod I, ' I ha gret nede
That ye wolde, off goodlyhede, 5196
And off your gret excellence,
niui asked Shewen to me som evydence
her lor some
proof of the How yt myghtii shewyd be,
truth of what J
i had seen. That so lytel quawtyte 5200
Off thj's releff (in any wyse)
[leaf 78] Myghte of resouw ynowh suffyse
To so mnnye as ben here 1
ffor, ma dame, (& ye lyst lore,) 5204
Swych ten in quantyte [Stowe, leaf 95]
Wolde nat snffysen vn-to me
Bread and Wine are changed to Christ's Flesh and Blood. 137
[Cap. Ixxil,
prose.]
She answered
me.
• I will teach
you by and
This food is
changed
from bread
and wine into
flesh and
blood
At 0 dyner, to my delyt,
To fulfylle myn appetyt.' 5208
Grace Lieu answerde,
' I leue ryht wel,' quotl Grace Dieu,
' Touchyng thys merveillous vertu,
Tliow liast gret neile for to lere ;
But herkene now, & ley to here, 5212
I shal the teche verrayly
The pryvytees, by & by,
Bothe by evydence & preff.
' Thys ylke vertuous releff', 5210
Som whyle (who yt vnderstooil)
ys ynamyd flcsshe & blood,
And sora tyine (tak good heed,)
Yt ys ycallyd wyn & bred, 5220
Goostely mete & goostely foode ;
To pylgrynies that be goode,
fflessh & blood yt ys no doute ;
Bred & wyn shewyd wM-oute, 5224
Al be yt so (yt ys no dred,)
That yt to-forn was wyn and bred,
As thow knowest wel certeyn ; l [' in certeyn st.]
But Moyses (no thyng in veyn) 5228
Vp-on liys table (as yt stood)
Hath tournyd yt to fflessh & blood.
Thys ys trewe, & verray soth ; [stowe, leaf os, back]
\Vher-off nature was rylit wroth ; 5232
Anger made hyr hertu r)'ve,
And ther-vp-on gan wt'tA me stryve :
She knewe no ferther (thys, the ffyn)
But that yt was ay bred & wyn. 523G
' Thow shalt wel knowii how that she
Sawh nat the grete pryvyte, [c. &st.] [ieaf7«,bai-k]
ffor lakkyng off dyscrecyoun, „
Off thys ylke mutacyouw, „ 5210
But2 I the charge ther I stonde, pstowe]
That flessh & blood thow vnderstonde,
And so beleue yt verrayly,
And lat nat meue the outwardly, 5244
Thogh that yt shewe outward so
by Moses
for good pil-
grims.
Nature was
nngry at this
because she
understood
not the
mystery.
138 Four of Alan's jive. Wits deceive him. The fifth,
Grace Dien. ' 111 tOUcll & Sylltii botllC two,
5248
Touch, taste, Also in last & in smellynge
siu'ht , and
Outward, as by apparence ;
Truste sliortly in sentence,
Foiirofman's Tliy fowre WVttVS (leme of lllc)
wits are clean J JV
gone, ffynally deceyved be ; 5252
Off verray foly they be blent,
That they ha noon Eiitendemeut,
The tronthe trewly to cowceyve ;
Swych dyrknesse hew, doth deceyve, 5256
That the offyce of hew echon
Ys from hew1 fouve clone agon, [' hem st., hym c.j
ffor lak, pleynly, of knowcJychyn.L;.
but i],,. fmi. ' But the f yffthe wyt off heryii'' — 5260
wit, (ir hear-
i»B, \vych nior clerly in sentence
Ilaueth full intelligence —
He techyth the wyttys eue/'ychon [stowe.icafosj
Evydently wliat they shal doii), — 5264
The tast, the touch, & ek the syht,
Sinellyng also (off verray ryht,)
Whan they ha lost ther knowelychyng,
The ffyffthe, that callyd ys Hcryng, 52C8
iimkM up for AllillCUVed ll ,tll SO Wei,
nil tlic rtsl,
lhat he knoweth euwydel
In thys matere what shal be d jn).
And thys was fyguryd longe a-gon, — 5272
Red the Byble, yiff ye kan, —
[leufTO] In Ysaak, that oldii man,
Whan Esau (to hys entente,)
In-to the fold on huntyng wente, 5276
And hys labour spente in veyn.
as it dia to ffor longe or that he kaia2 a'reyn, [2 koine si.]
Imiiicwliell .
Jiicoiide- lacol) verrayly in deile,
ceivetl him » J
Cladde3 in Esawys wede, p ciaUde St., ciad c.] 5280
Wt'tA her4 vi>on hys hondys layd [• heer st. (iiairjj
(As hys moder hadde hywi sayd,)
' To Ysaak helde5 hys passage, [Miciac St., held cj
in the mailer And to hym brouhtc the potato 5284
of the potage,
111 rylit gret hast, (as he was tauht,)
Hearing, is alone trustworthy, as Isaac's case shows. 139
And sayde, he haddo hys pray ykaulit
In venery, amyd the fekl.
' But, Ysaak no tliyng bc-lield, 5288
ffor he was dyrkyd off hys syht,
And gretly feblyd off hys niyght,
ffor Touch & sinollyng wer agon ;
And Ysaak wende euej-e in on, 5292
That Esau hadde be present.
But Rebecca, off entent,
Sente lacob in hys name ; [stowe, loaf M, back]
ffor in hyr herte she liadde a game, 5296
Esan, to sette abak.
' But thys olde1 man Ysaak — [' oide St., M c.]
The patryark of grot vertu, —
Took lacob for Esau, [Took / lacob / for / Esau] 5300
In touch, in tast, & in smellyng,
In syghte also ; but hys heryng
Was hyw be-lefft, hool & entere.
And thus lie sayde, as ye shal here : 5304
' The voys of lacob semeth me ;
Off Esau, the handys be ;
I here lacob speken \vel ;
But the handys that I fel, 5308
The handys ben off Esau.'
' Consydreth now how the vertu
Off Touch, & tast, smellyng, & syht [St. & c.]
Hadde pleynly lost hys myght ; „ 5312
The force off heryng stylle a-bood ; „
\VYt/< Isaak, ryht so yt stood. „
H By wych exawnple, tak good heed
ffor profyt off thyw owne speed, 5316
Off thys fygure that I ha told ;
Lefft vp thyn eyen & be-hold :
Avauwce the nat, nor mak no bost,
ffor thy .iiij.'2 wyttys thow hast lost. p fluure st.j 5320
Ther myght, ther force, ar fro the wcyved ;
Yiff thow truste hem, thow art deceyved ;
ffor Tast nor touch in no degre,
Nor 116 thyng that thow kanst se, 5324
Nor thy smullyng (tak good hod,)
thinking it
watt Ks;ut
wlio brought
it.
All his senses
deceived him,
except hear-
ing.
" The voice
is the voice
of Jacob,
but the hands
arc the hands
of Ksiiu."
[leaf 79, hack]
[Cap. Ixxiii,
prose.]
By this ex-
ample take
heed,
and do not
trust to your
four senses,
140 Let Hearing guide you. Christ's Flesh and Blood.
Grace Dieu.
but let hear-
ing be your
guide ;
it will teach
you the plaii
trutli.
Dread and
wine are the
very flesh
and blood of
Christ,
[leaf 80]
which
nourish the
whole world.
It was sent
from heaven
to feed man.
5328
[' flburc St.]
Ne shewe to the but wyn & bred ;
By ther engyn, hih nor lowe,
Thow ne shalt noon other knowe.
' Thy ffoure wyttys set a-syde,
And lat heryng be thy guyde ;
ffor, thys .iiij.1 in sothfastnesse
Kan nor may ber no wytnesse.
Wher-for thow mustest, for the beste,
Abyde on heryng, and ther reste ;
ffully truste to hys sentence ;
Yiff feyth to hyw, & ful credence ;
ffor heryng shal, wi'M-oute slouthe,
Teche to the, the pleyne trouthe,
liyght as yfc ys, ne doute yt nouht.
' And conceyue wel in thy thouht,
Thys releff (yiff thow kanst take hede,)
Ys pleynly nother wyn nor bred1,
But the flessh (yiff feyth to me,)
That heng vp-on the roode tre,
And, by force & verray strengthe,
On the croos was drawe alengthe,
ffnl streyhtly nayled on the rood ;
And thys ys ek the verray blood,
On goode ffryday that he shadde,
Whan lewes to the deth hy»j ladde,
Wher-off he was steyned reed.
H Thow mayst also call yt2 bred, [* caiie jt St., caiiya c.]
Thys same releff, (wt'tfi-oute stryff,)
The verray sothfast bred off lyff.
Wycb susteneth (I the ensure,)
Al the world \vitk hys pasture, 5356
And yiveth to hem in substau?ice [stowe, leaf 97, tack]
Verrayly ther sustemuwce.
H And ek also (thys myrc vsage,
Ther-off to han thys language, 53(30
Looke thow take good heed ther-to,)
I calle yt bred, & name yt so ;
Wych, for ma/jhys3 savac'ioiiM,
ffro the heuene kam a-dou«, 5361
To ffede man her verrayly.
5332
5336
5340
5314
5318
5351
Hie >•."/ |i;inis qui de
celo descendit.
Charity smvd the Heaven-brought wed of Christ on Earth. 141
' Yt ys the bred, ek, trewly
Wher-w*'t/( AuHgelys fedde ybe
In that hevenly souereyw se.
Thys bred, pylgrymes euejychon,
On pylgrymage, (wher they gon,)
Or wher-so-euere that they were,
In ther sherpe1 they shold yt bore. [' soryppo St.]
'And thogh that thow (as seniptc the,)
Sey yt but lyte of quawtyte,
I charge the, her a-noon ryht,
Trust in no wyse to thy syht,
Nor to thyn Eyen, wych ar blynde ;
But haue alway wel thy mynde
To thyn heryng ; & ther only
Tak thy doctryne fynally ;
ffor, by heryng thow slialt lore
A thyng that I shal the tellyn here : [St. & c.]
' My frond, take good hed, & se. „
Thow herdest late Charyte „
Maken to the a good sarmouw, „
But (its in conclusion?;,)
Thys lady (yiff thow took good hed,)
Spak but lytel off thys bred
In hyr sarmoun (thus stood the caas) ; [stowc, leaf
And pleynly, thys the cause was ;
ffor she hyr-sylff the menys souhte,
That she the greyn from hevene brouhte,
And made yt in the erthe lowe
Her be-nethe to be sowe ;
But that erthe, (be wel certeyn,)
Wher as POWC was thys greyn, ,
Was nat labouryd (trust me wel,)
Mor yheryd neueradel ;
Vnderstonde yt, yiff thow kowne.
ffor, by hete off the sojjne,
That shyneth fro the heuene A-loffte
Wrt/i hys attempre bemys soffte,
And the hevenly dewh" most clene,
W»t7i hys syluer dropys shene,
(The wyche2 doth no thyng in veyn,) [» wwdw St.,
Grace Diru.
Angels
feed on it in
5368 heaven.
5372
The food
seemed little
in quantity,
but your
5376 •1?i",d«- ,
eeived you.
5380
[leafSO.backJ
5384
[Cap. Ixxiv,
prose.]
[Camb.,p,43]
Charity
preached but
5388 "tile ot this
bread.
5392 She brought
the grain
from lieuvcii,
and sowed it
in earth.
5396
5400 The sun and
the dew made
it spring.
142 The Grain of Om&t was cut, milld, and baked.
Grace Diet*.
Wlien HI*- it
was t-ut and
gurnered.
Tlicn it was
threshed ami
[loafftl]
and brought
to tlie mill
and ground.
The mill
was l nnii-l
I iy the winds
of envy.
The stones
were scorn
and derision.
5408
5412
54 1C
Stowe, loaf OS, hack]
1 All. • Hindi- SI.;
[« owe st., oU c.] 5420
Charity made
the flour into
bread,
' Made to growen vp thys greyn,
Tyl yt was rype & ful off com.
' Than Chary te yt hath vp shorn,
And in a place wonder strauwge
She made yt leyn vp in hyr graiwge,
Tyl the thressherys (w/t/t gret hcte)
Hadde thys greyn ythrysshe.& bcto ;
And after fannyd yt so clone
That ther was no chaff yscnc,
And the strawh yleyd a-syde ;
ffor ther ne myghtc' nat a-byde
Husk nor chaff, but puryd greyn,
Nor, no thyng that was in veyn
Al mad1 nakyd off entent,
Out off hys olde2 vestement. [!
' And whan yt was so ffer y wrouht,
Thys greyn was to the melle brouht,
And grounds ther wM ful gret peyne . 5423
A-twyxu the harde3 stony s tweyne. p i.arde St., imrd c.j
And yiff I shal the sothe* telle, [» ««« st., «oih c.]
The seyl-yerdys off the melle,
Wych tournede abontun offte,
Wer clad in cloth that was not soft'te. 5428
•Tys5 melle ek (yiff thow canst espye,) PTIIJ»SI.]
Wytli fulsU wyndcs off envye,
(Wher as yt stood vp-on the grounde,)
Tournede euere aboute Bound ; 5432
And the Grynstonys (that I off spak)
Mad ful harde for the wrak,
Wer stonys off derysiouws ;
Off skorn, & fals illusiouws, 543G
The wych two (who kan aduerte)
Perceden ful nyh the herte.
'And whan no thyng was lefft at al,
But that yt was ygrouwde smal, 5440
Cliaryte gan neyhen ner,
And wolde be-come a pasteler,
Lych a baker, (yt ys no drede,)
Off that Hour to make her bred. 5444
And hyr Ovene was of old
Wisdom helpt Charity to make Bread that fed the Wwld. 143
' Verray hote, (& no-thyng cold,)
Wher-as she caste hyr for to bake.
' And whan she gan hyr past to make, 5448
Al tournede iiat vn-to hyr pay,
Wher-off she hadde no desmay,
Off thylke past wych that she wrouhte. [stowe, k-ufiw]
& A-noon she hyr be-thouhte 5452
(Among, in al1 her besynesse,) [' Among* / aik> St.]
Off on that was a gret maystresse,
So sotyle off dyscrecyourc
Was nouther founde in borgh nor tou»i ;
ffor what men thouhte, or wolde haue don,
She koude yt brynge about a-noon : [st.&c.]
Lernyd2 she liadde, in hyr centre, [» stowe]
At seolys2 ther she hadde be. „ 5460
Thogh al hyr kownyng wer nat wyst,
She koude haue mad, yiff that hyr lyst,
Al the world so large & Round,
And al the compas off the ground, 5464
ffor tashet3 & closyd al p to have shut]
W/t/(-lnne a sotyl boyst, but smal ;
And off An Ey wt'tA-Inue the shelle,
She koude also (I dar wel telle,) 5468
Ha put an Oxe strong & large ;
ffor yt was, no maner charge
To hyr gret magnyfycence ;
And hyr name was Sapience. 5472
' And, for hyr gret sotyllyte,
Thys lady, callyd Charyte,
Prayede hyr, off goodlyhed,
ffor to helpe4 make thys bred [' iieipcu st.j 547G
Off the fflour wych that she brouhte ;
And also lowly hyr be-souhtc
To tempre the past so sotylly,
That yt myghte fynally, 5480
Off llesemblauTice be but smal ; [stowe, leaf 99, baek]
And tliat yt myghte suffyse at al
(By vertu, verrayly in dede)
Al thys worlde to fostre & fede, 5484
That ech, off lowh & hih degre,
bill not with-
out trouble.
So she
sought aid
of Wisdom,
5456 [leaf SI, back
who eould
work mar-
vels.
She would
put the world
into a box,
or an ox into
nn eggshell.
Charity
prnyeil her
to knrail the
and that (he
bre:ul might
feed the
world.
144 Wisdom and Charity made the. Bread of Christ's Jiody.
[Cap. Ixxv,
prose.]
[leaf 82]
Charity made
lier request to
Wisdom,
who prepared
the bread as
desired.
Though it
appeared
little there
was much ;
' May, off lytel, ha plente.
' And for tliys cause ryht a-nooii
Dame Chary te ys forth gon 5488
Vn-to thys lady Sapience ;
And with humble Reue»-ence,
As she sat in hyr Royal Se,
Lowly, thys lady Chary te 5492
Prayede hyr good heed to take,
To helpe that thys bred wer bake.
And she goodly, and that a-noon,
fforth wz't/i Sapience ys gon ; 5496
And, as she koude best deuyse,
Temprede yt in swych a1 wyse, [' »wiche St.]
Made yt gret wj'M-oute mesiire,
To yive al folkys ther pasture, 5500
Suffyeyent to feden al,
Thogh to thy sylit yt was but smal
Outwanl, as iu rdsemblau/ice,
Yet, by souereyn suffysauttce, 5504
Closyd in a lytel space,
Ther was so gret plente of grace
To al the world, in habondauwce,
Ther-in to fynde suffysaunce. 5508
' Tak heed, & be nat neclygent
Off a-nother experyment
That ther was wrouht ; tak ek good hede,
and in every
part was the
virtue of the
whole ;
at which
Nature was
again angry.
In the niakyiig off thys bred,
Yt was y wrouht so sotylly
That in euery smal party,
Severyd and ybroke asoimder,
And departyd her & yonder,
Grettest & smal, Eekne echon
Wer lych off vertu, & al2 on ;
Off 0 power & 0 manere
As whan yt was hool and entere.
The wyche3 thyng (I the ensure,)
Yplesede4 nat to dame Nature ;
ffor she was wroth therfor wt'tft. me,
And ther-on wolde ha vengyd be.
She knew ther-off no thyng at al,
[Stowe, leaf 100] 5512
5516
[> alle In St.]
5520
P whlclie St., wych C.]
[« Plescde St.]
5524
Aristotle is sent ly Nature to reproach Sapience. 145
' ffor yt was hydde in especyal
ffrom hyr knowyng euerydel.
And also ek, ye wyte we], 5528
Offte sythe Ryot & age
Putte folkys in dotage, [c.&st.]
That they may not trouthe se.
And for she doutede hyr off me „ 5532
To be blamyd in certeyn,
Yiff so were she kome a-geyn,
Or put a-bak fro hyr entent,
Ther-fore she hath hyr clerk now sent, 5536
Arystotyles the wyse,
In dyffence off hyr fraimchyse,
To thys lady Sapyence.
' And whan he kam to hyr presence, 5540
As hym thouhte fyrst was due,
Goodly he gan hyr to salue ;
Affter, demeur & sad off chere, [stowe, leaf 100, back]
To hyre he sayde in thys manere : 5544
[6 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
Arystotyles dyde hys massage in thys mane;-e :
' Ma dame,' quod he, ' in-to thys place,
Vnder support off your grace,
Nature hath me hyder sent,
To declare yow (off entent) 5543
Your dyffautes, by & by ;
And to shewe the cause why
Off my komyng, ys1 thys, that ye [' i,, st.]
Han to-brook (as semeth me) 5552
Off nature the ordynauwce,
And don 2 to hyre gret grevauwce, p done St., don c.]
Wych pleseth me neueradel,
Al be yt so, I love yow wel. 5555
' Ye knowe (off your dyscrecyouw,
Off trouthe ek, yt ys no Eesouw,
Who so cleerly looke & wel,)
That an hotis or a vessel 5560
Sholde be lasse, & her ygynne,3 [c. &st.]
3 Camb. MS. reads : It is no resoun that the vessel or the
how be lasse than that that is ther-inne, p. 44.
PILGEIMAGE. L
Grace Dieu.
[leaf 82, back]
Age brings
in dotage.
Aristotle is "
sent by
Nature to
Wisdom,
and argues
thus:
[Cap. Ixxvi,
prose.]
'Nature lias
sent me to
you,
to declare
that you have
broken her
ordinance.
[leaf 83]
146 Aristotle reproaches Sapience for ill-treating Nature,
arace Dieu ' Than that thyng wych ys wttA-Inne,
report, J > J J
Aristotle. And yift I made to your entent,
it i« contrary By apparence off Argument, 5564
to reason to *
Sen "than that ^ ^hus, that I Wolde preve, [Stowe, leaf 101]
S'toHe.'''1 (ffor to mak« folk be-leve,)
if i should That a paleys huge & large,
to be a little Or A mciistre off gret1 charge, ['grest.j 5568
turret,
That yt wer but A Tumeys smal.
the wise Clerkys wolde (in especyal)
would say J
iwasBuiity Sevn yt wer but mekerye, [2 Mokerye St.]
of sophistry; J •
Or A maner sophystrye, 5572
Shewyd, as yt wer for game ;
[Cap. ixxvii] And ye your sylff ha do the same.
»nd you have (Yiff ye lyst to be avysed,)
done us ill, if ' J •> J
you maintain ln thys bred wych ys desguysed ; 5576
ffor the foode & the pasture,
That ys wiWiinne (as yc assure,)
Gyveth ful repast spyrytual
To al the world in general, 5580
So ffer the vertu doth extende ;
And yet, that thyug to contpiehende,
Al the erthe, in no wyse,
that winch Nor the hevene, mowh nat suffyse, 5584
heaven can-
not contain That thyng ye (in especyal)
Han closyd in a cloystre smal,
Who kan mesure yt, or compasse,
And shet yt in a lytel space ? 5588
«anbeheid And swvch .xiiij.e (on see or land1)
in the hand,
it there were I myghte wel holden in my« hand !
fourteen of J °
them! I trowe your sylfr kan nat sey nay;
And for no fauour I ne may 5592
This i cannot Suffre no lenger (in certeyn,)
But that I muste yow wz't/i-seyn,
[leaf ss, back] And declare, wher as ye ffaylle, [stowe, leaf m, back]
(3 And yt ys no grete mervey11'. ,, 5596
Who-so lyst gcode heed1 to take) ,,
Thogh nature dyde awake, „
3 Camb. MS. reads : This may j nouht wel suffre, lie resoun
may not weel preeve it, ne it is not riht gret wunder thouh
Nature merveile hire, p. 45.
Aristotle reproaches Sapience. She ansivers him. 147
' And ther-vpon gaff yow an hete, [c. & St.] arace oieu
Yow to Wi't7i-stonde & conterplete, „ 5600 ArMotu.
Touchyng hyr ryht in specyal.
' And thys greueth me most at1 al, [" off St.]
That my Maxime apryved,2 - p apprevya St.]
Ye in dede ban yt reprevyd : 5604 YOU have
. , . . . , , \ disputed
And (to speke in wordys pleyn,) my maxim,
Neuere in my lyff herde I seyn —
In-no scolys, her nor there, —
But that " on al " (what eue/-e yt were,) 5608
Mot3 be gretter than hys party. Omm>ffi}: ™"|™ 8Ne^ ^ parte-
But ye4 han makyd wrongfully, [*yst.] and assert
. , , , , , , that the part
(I wot nat by whatj mane;1 scole,) p what St., no c.] is equal to
The part Egal to the hoole, 5612
Wi'tft-outen any difference !
Wych I holde a gret offence
Ageyn nature, in verray soth.
And no wonder thogh she be wroth, 5616
And laboure for Amendement.
And for thys skyle she hath me sent Nature de-
mauds to
1 o your presence, only to here know what
you have to
"What ye wyl seyn in thys matere.' 5620 «wr for your-
Sapyence answerde. [cap. iMvm]
A-noon thys lady Sapience. [stowe, leaf 10*]
(Whan she hackle herde6 in sentence [6 herd c., herde St.]
The wordys of Arystotyles)
She stynte a whyle, & was in pes. 5624
But at the laste she abreyde,
And vn-to hy?» ryht thus she seyde : Wisdom
, TLIT t ii 71 , T i answered:
'My trend, quod she, I do wel se •! know you
Off trowthe that thow lovest me, 5628
And dost me calle, off herte entere,
" Thyn oune souereyn lady dere ; "
7In wych thow hast ylost no thyng [c. &stj [leaf 84]
But yfoiiKde fill grete Fortheryng. ,, 5632
Wlicrfor thow shuldest, lyke the wyse, „
7 Carab. MS. reads : Thou louest me, and ther-inne thou hast
no thing lost ; For therbi is al good bifalle tliee. Wel thou
shuldest avise thee, if thow woldest, and bithinke thee that
tweyne scooles j heeld, &c., p. 45.
148 Sapience answers Aristotle: She taught Nature.
craw Dieu ' Prudeently thy-sylff avyse, [c. & St.]
sapience. Thynke afom, & ek beholde, ,,
and it is good How that whylom I dydde holde ,, 5636
for you that
you do. Xwo scolys off f ul gret Renoiw ; ,,
And bothen (in conclus'ioiu;,)
i had two Wer vnder my goue?'nau?(ce.
Schools in J *
which i And the, in konnyn" to avauwce, 5640
taught many
things, I tauhte many thynges newe —
Record thy sylff yiff thov be trewe. —
And (to speke in wordys fewe,)
Crete merveilles dide shewe. 5644
and in one of And in on off thvs scolys tweyne.
them Nature J J
was my chief My scoler moste1 souereyn. [' moste St., must c.]
scholar.
ffyrst of echon (I the ensure,)
"Was hyr-sylff, dame Nature. 5648
' And as thy-sylff ful wel yt knewe,
I taulite hyr many thynges newe ;
ffyrst, by Graff t off hyr werkynge [stowe, leaf 102, back]
To make the fresshe flourys sprynge, 5652
Buddys, greyns, & flourettys,
i taught her The flour delys, the violettys,
to make all
violets, roses, The rosys also, fresslie oft hewe,
and flowers.
And many other craftys newe, 5656
As men may se (who taketh hede,)
Wych to reherse, yt ys no nede,
I tauhte hyr al, & thynges mo.
in my other ' And in my other scole also, 5660
school I
taught the Wyeli, thy sylff lyst to sue,
art of reason- « J J J
ing. I tauhte folkys to argue
Pro &2 contra, yong & olde, p and St.]
And wych wey they shoklen holde 5664
To preveu out the sothfastnesse
Off every thyng, fro the falsnesse ;
Betwyxen good & evel dyscerne.
[leaf si, back] 3And I maade ek (who kan concerne) [c. &st.] 5668
and how to Lawes off Cyvile and Canon ; „
make canon
and other And tlier, (in myii Eutenc/ou) ,,
laws.
3 Camb. MS. reads : And to make canonn and lawe, For
tlierfore was thilke scoole ovdeyned ; And ther was my wise
douhter science, p. 46.
5672
. c.
5676
5680
5684
Sapience's Daughter, Science, taught Aristotle.
' Myn eldest doubter, moste Entere, [c. & st.]
Ther I sette, folk1 to lere, [' ffoikys St.]
Wych that callyd ys " Syence," ^^"j
Sotylle, and off gret excellence ; Saplst.^;
And ther she helde hyr parlementys, ,,
And formede many argumeutys, „
As she that was deuoyde off slouthe. „
ffor loue off whom (thys the trouthe,) ,,
Thow kain to skole ; & for hyr sake
Nyht & day thow dydest wake,
Tyl, for tliyn owne Avauratage
Ye wer coniunat2 by maryage, p ronmnctt St.] [stowe,
Wherby I made the so wys,
That thow be-kam myn aprentys.
And thanne, off gret affeccyouw,
I made reuelaciouw
To the, Amongys my werkynges
Off naturys secre thynges ;
To knowe the clere fro the derke ;
Nat that thy syluen sholdest werke
No thyng that longeth to hyr art,
But that thow sholdest (for thy part)
The causes knowen by & by,
And ther-on demene3 fynally
The trouthe pleynly, & no more.
' And for that skyle gon ful yore,
In guerdon of thy gret labour,
I callede the my " paramour."
And syth thow hast, vnder my cure,
Dwellyd so longe wit/i Nature,
And seyn so many fayre thynges,
And so many vnkouth werkynges
WztA-Inne my scole, of gret fauour,
4Thogh thow seye in me Errour,
Thow sholdest, off thy Curtesy,
ffor-bere me more pacyently,
Yiff thow lovedest, and wer kynde. „
4 Camb. MS. reads : And whan thow and nature thus hauen
ben vnder my cure, that ban lerned in my scooles bothe faire
dedes and faire woordes, thouh ye seyen me nowerre, yit ye
shulden forbere me, p. 46.
149
Grace Dieu
report*
Sapience.
My daughter
Science
taught in
this school.
I revealed
many secrets
to you,
5688
5692
[3 demen St.]
5696
5700
and at last
took you a«
my friend.
[Cap. Ixxix]
And since
S>u and
ature lived
so long under
my care,
[C.&St.] 5704 Peaf85j
do not be
harsh.
150 Sapience didn't teach Aristotle all she knew.
Grace Dieu
reports
Sapience. '
Remember
the champion
who taught
a poor man
how to fight.
Afterwards
they met in
fight,
when the
champion,
by a trick
which tie had
not told the
poor man,
slew him.
[leaf 85, back]
' And thow sholdest haue in mynde, [c. & St.] 5708
And reme?»bren (off good Kesou«,) ,,
How onys a rayghty champyoim, „
That koude the crafft off fyhtyug wel,
Tauhte hys kownyng euerydel 5712
To a poore man hym besyde, [stowe, leaf 103, back]
And lyst ther-off no thyng1 to hyde ; [' no thyng / tireroff St.]
And for hys mede he took no thyng,
Off curteysye, for hys kownyng. 5716
' But affterward, the case stood so
That they sholde bothe two, — -
At Eequeste off dukys tweyne,
A certeryn quarll to dareyne, — 5720
Mete in a feld : & so they mette ;
And as they gan vp-on to sette,
Euerych other to assaylle,
He that was wysest in bataylle, 5724
Off wysdam & dyscrecyouw, —
I mene the maister Champyouw,
That was avysee, & mor wys —
Sayde A-noon to hys prentys, 5728
" Yt ys no ryht, wher-for I pleyne,
On, to fyhte ageyns tweyne.
Ye be tweyne, I am but On."
And Thaprentys tha?me Anoon, 5732
As he bakward cast hys look,
The tother Eauhte hy?» swych a strook
That he fyl ded, & al was done :
And thanne the mayster sayde Anoon, 5736
" My prentys hath nat lernyd al,
ffor I kepte2 in especyal pkepest.]
3A poynt, tyl that I hadde nede." [stowe]
'And thus, yiff thow kanst taken hcde,' ,, 5740
(Quod this Lady Sapience) „
' I taughte neuere al my Science & St.]
To the, as I reherse shal. „
"What, wenystow to knowen al ] „ 5744
Camb. MS. reads : It is enele bifalle thee to day, whan thou
come ayens rue. So j sey thee, So god save thee weenest thou
that j haue tauht thee now al my wit and al myn art, p. 46.
She kept back part, about the Sacramental Bread. 151
' For vn-to the, nat ne syt [c. &st.]
fEor to knowen al my wyt ; [stowe, leaf 104] „
Thow dyst yt neuere yet dysserue. „
Som-what to me I wyll reserue, ,, 5748
To be mor strong in bataylle, ,,
Lyst thow woldest me assaylle ,,
~With thy sotyl sophystrye, „
To don to me a vyllonye 5752
With argumentys off fallaas,
Sout out in som J mane?' caas, [' sought out / in somme St.]
By fraude or by decepcyoiu*
fEor lakkyng off dyscrecyouw. 5756
' But tel me now A-noon, I preye,
And the Trouthe nat geyn-seye,
Yiff I gaff a purs to the,
Eyght fayr & ryche vp-on to se, 5760
And wentyst forth vzt/t-al A-noon ;
And sodeynly, whan thow wer gon,
Par caas thow fou»de ther-in as hlyue
Off gold thre pecys, outher fyve 5764
Outher .vj., whan thow hast soulit,
Tel on, as yt lyth in thy thouht,
Wer yt deceyt or sophystrye,
Or myghtes'tow off gent(e)rye 5768
Seyn I hadde decey ved the 1
Answere ageyn ; tel on ! lat se ! '
Arystotylles 2 Answerde : [St., The pyigrym c.j
' Certys,' quod he, ' me lyst nat lye,
Yt were no maner sophystrye, 5772
But A tookne off genty Hesse ; [stowe, leaf 104, back]
And also (pleynly to expresse,)
A sygne (as I kan devyse,)
Off honour, love, & gret frauwchyse.' [c.&st.] 5776
Sapyence speketh :
' Certys,' quod she to hy»j ryht tho,
'Thys bred I haue yrnadd ryht so,
So sotyl ek, yt ys no doute,
But I ha not shewyd wzt/<-oute 5780
G-race Dieu
reports
Sapience and
Aristotle.
So it is not
fit that you
should know
all my arts.
If I were to
offer you a
purse,
anil you
founii money
in it,
should I have
deceived you?
[leaf 86]
No: but a
token of
honour and
love.
[Cap. Ixxxi,
prose.]
2 Aristotle, in the Fr. Prose, rightly, and in Camb. MS. — Aldenham.
152 Why Sapience didn't explain the Sacramental Bread.
Brace Dieu
reportt
Sapience.
So, with this
bread;
I have not
shown the
virtue which
is within it.
' The grete Tresour wych verrayly
Ys shet wt't/i-Inne secrely,
Pore folkys for to fede,
Ay, whan they ther-off ha nede ;
And specyally to hem that he
ffrendys vn-to charyte,
Wych in ther passage, nyht & day
If I had,
men would
not have
dared to eat
it.
Here is no
deception.
[leaf 86, back]
If I had
placed within
something of
small value,
you might
have blamed
me.
[Cap. lixiii,
prose.]
5784
Holden ay the ryhte1 way.
[1 Bighte St., ryht C.] 5788
Alle swych (yt ys no dred)
Shal be sustenyd -with thys bred,
And haue ther ful repast wtt/t-Inne,
Swych as be nat infect with synne.
And Over-mor, (yiff thow take hed,)
Yiff the valu off thys bred
Were yshewyd al wz't/)-oiite,
Men sholde nat (yt ys no doute,)
Haue no maner hardynesse
ffor taproche, in sothfastnesse ;
But rather, for verray feere,
Go, seke her bred ellys where,
To ther sustentaci'ouw.
' But her ys no decepcyouw,
But curteisye & gret bouwte,
Honour & lyberalyte ;
ffor, to speke in wordys fewe,
But yiff I dyde witA-oute she we
A grete2 thyng by apparence,
The wyche,3 as in existence,
Were nat wttA-Inne, (who lyst se,)
But verray smal off quawtyte,
Thou myyghtest than[e] me repreve,
And by argumentys preve
Ageyn me (in conclusyouw)
A maner off decepcyou?;,
And blame me in many wyse.
' And yet to the I shal devyse
Another Answers, wych to the
Shal suffyse, yiff thow lyst se.
I Holde yt no deceyt at al,
Thogb. to the Eye it shewe smal,
5792
5796
[Stowe, leaf 105]
5800
5804
[» grete St., gret C.]
which* St., wych C.] 5808
[C. & St.]
5812
5816
5820
She asks Aristotle if he's ever seen a Mans Heart. 153
[Stowe, leaf 105, back] 5828
5832
5836
[! myche St., wycll C.]
5840
' And w)'t/<-Inne be gret & large. [c. & St.]
Wher-vp-on, her I the charge „
That thow be-leue yt stedefastly,
And put no doute, but fermely 5824
Truste ay so, off herte & thouht ;
And loke thow denye yt nought,
But her-on feythfuljy abyde.
ffor yiff that I (on any syde)
Hadde yt mad in other wyse,
Than thow a-forn hast herd devyse,
I hadde, thorgh my neclygence,
Ther-in don ful gret offence.
' But tel me now A-noon, I preye,
And spare nat, platly to seye
As thow semest in thys matere,
Wych hast repreuyd me so here,
Off myche2 thyng, nat yore agon
Trowest thow answere A-noon,
That nat a-cordeth \vith resouw.
A vessel, hows, or inansi'ovm
May be lasse (& her I gynne)
Thare the thyng that ys wz't//-Inne.
' But ffyrst I axe, to voyde al stryff,
Sawh thow euere, in al thy lyff,
Off manhys3 herte the quautyte? p mannys St.]
Answere A-geyn ; tel on, lat se ! '
Arystotyles Answereth:
' Certys,' quod he, & that ful blyth,
' I haue yt seyn ful offte syth.' 5848
Sapyence axeth:
' Thanne,' quod she, wit/<-oute slouthe,
' Declare to me the verray trowthe ;
Syth thow halst thy sylff so wys, [stowe, leafioe]
How gret ys yt, to thyn avys.' 5852
Arystotyles answereth :
' Sothly,' quoit he, ' I dar expresse,
As touchyng the gretnesse,
Yt ys but smal vn-to the sihte ;
ffor ther-witA-al, vnnethe myghte, 5856
An hungry kyte (& do no wast,)
Grace Diett
reports
Sapience anil
Arigtotfe.
You must be-
lieve liriiily.
Had I done
otherwise,
I should have
been blame-
worthy.
[Cap. Ixxxiii,
prose.]
5844
You say the
vessel cannot
be less than
tlie thing it
contains :
[leaf 87]
did you ever
see the heart
of man ?
Yes, often,
said he.
Then tell me
how great it
154 Man's small Heart is not satisfied with the World.
orace Dieu ' Ther-ofE han a ful repast,
sapience and To stauNche hys hunger (for gret nede,)
At the ffulle hym-sylff to ffede.' 5860
toTe0"*'1 Sapyence axeth :
Quod Sapyence to hym ageyn,
' Than axe I the (no thyng in veyn,)
Yiff thow knowe auht, answere to me,
• what is Xhe inward sret capacyte 5864
its inward
capacity?- off an herte, wych ys so smal ;
And yiff yt myglite (to reknen al,)
Be fully fed in any wyse ;
Or what thyng myghte to yt suffyse 5868
To appese hys gret delyt,
Or staunche hys gredy appetyt.'
Arystotyles answerd : [stowe, leaf ine, back]
' Certys,' quod Aristotiles,
' I dar afferme douteles, 5872
Ther ys no thyngjthat I kan se,
ng can That may Gyve ful sawle
(Who that wysely kan aduerte,)
ffor to staiiHche a gredy herte,1 5876
[leaf 87, back] Nat alle the world, yt to fulfyl, rstowe, leaf loe, back]
Thogh" yt were hooly at hys wyl.' [stowe]
Sapience argueth : ,,
Thanwe her-vp-on / <\uoil Sapience, „
•it has been ' Yt behoueth in sentence, [st.&c.] 5880
MM
That the fulfyllyng in substauwce „
To the fulle haue suffysauwce ; ,,
Or ellys yt mot nedys be „
That the wlgar auctoryte, „ 5884
Wych for thy party thow hast leyd, ,,
Prevyd by argument & seyd, ,,
thai no place In al the world, thow toldest me,
in the world
is empty.' Ther may no place voyde be ; NOU est dnre vacuum 5888
And yiff that woyde wer any thyng,
Yt sholde folwe, off thy seyyng,
That yt muste fulfylled be ;
1 Camb. MS. reads : Serteyn, quod he, fulfille it, and saule it,
and staunche it, mihte not al the world, thouh al at his wille
he hadde it, p. 48.
So the Thing containd can be greater than What contains it. 155
' Or ellys*off necessyte 5892
Yt muste algatys voyde a-byde :
Thy sentence me lyst nat hyde.' 1 [l to hyde St.]
Arystotyles Answerde : cstowe, leaf 107]
' Touchyng,' quod he, 'that I ha sayd,
So ye be nat evele apayd, 5896
I wyl afferme the same yit,
I wende trewly to my wyt.
fEor to speke in wordys pleyn,
That 0 gret Good most souereyn 5900
Sholde (but yiff my wyt be dul,)
Make a thyng ffor to be ful.'
Sapyence speketh :
' fEor-soth,' quod she, ' thow seyst ryht wel,
And ther-in erryst neueradel. 5904
But yt behoueth (yf thow kanst se,)
That yt niot nedyes gretter be
Than al the world ys off gretuesse ;
And than mot folwen in sothnesse, 5908
(Vnderstond, & herkne me,)
That yiff that thyng sholde closyd be [c. & St.]
W/t/7-Iniie the world, (yt ys no drede,) „
On som party yc muste excede, „ 5912
(I dar ryht wel the trouth expresse,) „
Or overgon yt for gretnesse.'
Arystotyles : - p st. adds • Answera •]
' Certys,' quod he, ' I may nat wel [stowe, leaf 107, tack]
In thys wM-sey yow neueradel.' 5916
Sapyence argueth :
' Than her-vp-on,' a-noon quod she,
' In any wyse how myght yt be,
That thys world, so gret in al,
With [in] an herte that ys so smal 5920
Myghte be put, or closyd be ?
ffor thanne, off necessyte
Mot nedys folwen, & off Resouw,
The hous or thabitac'ioiw 5924
Mot be lasse (a preff to wynne,)
Than the thyng yput wt't/«-Inne.
Wher vp[on], conclude I may
Grace Dim
reports
Sapience and
Ariitotle.
' God created
the world
fall.'
' And this is
truth.'
But must be
greater than
the world,
[leaf 88]
and must
extend
beyond it.
Therefore
tli>- house is
less than
that con-
tained in It.
156
All Rome and Athens can be held
Grace Dteu
repttrts
Sapience and
Arittotlt.
[Cap. Ixxxiv,
prose.]
I will prove
it in another
manner.
You have
seen Home
and Athens
many times?
[Ieaf88,baek]
How far are
they apart ?
How many
students have
they ? '
' Th«y are
large, and
have many
students.'
' Where then
have you put
all the great-
ness which
you have
seen?'
' That al thy wordys (yt ys no nay,) 5928
Be repreuable fouwde in dede,
And verray fals, yiff thow take hede.
' Also to the I shal devyse
A preff in a-nother wyse, 5932
By open demoustracyouHS.
Hastow nat ben in thilke touns,
Eome,1 and Athenys ek also,
And soiourned in bothe two, 5936
fful many a yer in bothe leyn,
The maner & the gretnesse seyn,
And be-holde ther gouernauwce }
Now yifB thow haue in Bemembraunce 5940
By cler report off outher to'uw, [stowe, leatios]
Tel me thyn Oppynyoure,
What space of land they do contene,
And yiff thy wyth may eke sustene, [stowe] 5944
I charge the that thow me telle „
What noumbre off clerkys ther-in duelle, • ,,
Off ther estate and ther degres, [c. & St.]
And the gretnesse of ther cytes.' „ 5948
Arystotyles answerede : „
' Certys,' quod he, ' to sey the sothe, „
They be gret and large bothe, ,,
Rou?id off compas, & ryht wyde, ,,
And many scolerys ther a-byde, „ 5952
And many a-nother craffty man,
As I ful wel Remembre kan.'
Sapience Axeth :
Quod Sapience, ' than pray I the,
0 thyng that thow telle me ; 5956
Touchyng ther makyng and byldynges.
Yiff thow hast al thys grete'2 thynges [' gret c., grete St.]
Eeportyd wel, on euery syde,
Wher hastow put hem to abyde?' 5960
Aristotiles answerde : [stowe, leaf ics, back]
Quod he, ' wit/; support off your grace,
1 kan telle noon other place,
Grece, in Camb. prose.
in a Man's Memory ; all his Head in an Eye or Mirror. 157
' (ffor to speke in wordys pleyne,)
Wher I ha put tho townys tweyne, 5964
So renomyd & flourynge in glorye,
Saue only in my memorye ! '
Sapyence :
' Now sothly,' qiiod Sapience,
Thow hast shewyd thy sentence 5968
To me ful pleynly & ryht wel ;
And declaryd yt eue>-ydel
In wordys wyse, & nat rude.
And her-vp-on thow shalt conclude, 5972
(Yiff prudently thow lyst take heed,)
Yiff thy memorye be in thyn hed,
Thow seyst yt ys in lasse space
(Who so lyst a-ryht compasse,) 5976
Than ys thyn hed, on outlier syde, [c. & St.]
Wher thy Memorye doth a-byde.
' Also ek, in wordys fewe,
A-nother exauwple I wyl shewe,
Wych I to the reherse shal
Off thyn Eye by the bal :
Yiff thow ther-to kanst loke a-ryht,
Yt ys but smal vn-to the1 syht,
And conteneth lytle space ;
And yet the gretnesse off thy face
A-bydeth there, (yiff thow list lere) [stowe, leaf 109]
Swych as yt ys, hool & entere
In Roumlnesse off that lytle bour.
' Tak hed also off A merour,
Or ellys off a lytel glas.
To purpos in the same cas, 5992
Wher thow mayst ek thy face se
Off what gretnesse that yt be !
' And yiff thow wylt in bettre wyse,
Vn-to the, that I devyse 5996
To assoyl thyn Argument
ffynally to myn entent,
That seyst I sholde ha falshed the,
And repryved thy Maxime, 6000
Whan I seyde, yiff thow take heed,
Grace Dieu
report!
Sapience.
' In my
memory ! '
' This is a
wise answer,
[leaf 89]
for the
memory is
contained in
the head.
5980 [Cap. lixxv]
[HhySt.] 5984 The eye is
small, but it
can embrace
all the face ;
5988
and the face
can be seen
in a small
mirror.
158 So every part of the Sacramental Bread has full Virtue.
Grace Dieu.
reportt
Sapience and
Aristotle.
From these
examples
learn that I
spoke truly.
In a broken
mirror each
part retains
the virtues of
the whole.
[leaf 89, back]
[Cap. Ixxxvi,
prose.]
Am I to
understand
this locally
or virtually ?
[Cap. Ixxxvii,
prose.]
Not locally,
certainly.
Some under-
stand it
virtually and
some other-
wise.
' That euery party off thys bred
Off vertu, in especyal,
I make as gret as I do al, 6004
Thogh yt be broke on many a part.
' And tak Exaumple (for al thyn art)
Off A merour, fyrst hool at al :
Thogh yt be brooke on pecys smal, 6008
In eche part and quantyte
Thow mayst as wel thy face se [c. & St.]
As toforne, (yiff thou lyst lere) „
Whan yt was fyrst hool and entere „ 6012
Aristotiles Axeth: [stowe, leaf 109 ;om.c.j
'Now,1 myne owne lady dere, [' stowe, leaf 109, back]
I pray yow,2 (towchyng thys matere,) p yow pray St.]
Wych be so sotyl in ko?znyng,
Telleth me, touchy ng thys thyng, 6016
Vnderstonde ye " localiter,"
Or ellys " virtualiter ? "
Lat thys thynges ben yset,
To-gydre boureden & yknet ; 6020
In bouwdys closyd so strongly
That I ther-on may feythfully
Gyve answere, as yt ys skylle,
Or close my mouth, & so be stylle.' 6024
Sapience Answereth: [»t., o«.c.]
' I vnderstonde nat,' quod she,
' " Localiter," as thow shalt se ;
Thys to seyne, -with thy grace.
He occupieth ther no place. 6028
Sowme vnderstonde certeynly
That he ys ther vertuously ; .i. virtuniitw St., am. c.
Sowme seyn " ymaginatiue,"
And sowme " representatiue," 6032
On ther oppynyouws, as they dwelle.
And this exauwplys I the telle,
To yive the ful avysement
How thow mayst, in thy« entent, 6036
Conceyve, that halst thy sylff so wys,
And to yive the, good avys,
How a cloystre off smal mesure
The Sacramental Bread contains the Greatest Good. 159
' May comprehends gret pasture ;
And1, as grete thynges set [stowe, leamo]
In sinale boudys may be knet.
' And evene so, yiff thow take hed,
Vnder lyknesse off thys breed.
The grettest good most sovereyn
Ys ther closyd in certeyu ;
Nat only " ymaginatiue,"
Nouther " Representatiue,"
(Vnderstond now wel my lore,)
Nor " Virtualiter " wM-oute more ;
But ther yt ys 1 put sothfastly, p y> yt St.]
(Yiff thow lyst lerne ffeythfully,)
Bothen " Corporaliter "
And also ek " Realiter ; "
Bothe " Presencialiter "
And also ek " Veraciter ; "
"Wt't^-oute al symulacioura,
Deceyt, or any FicciouM —
And off thys puttyng, the cause why
I haue declaryd in party.
' ffyrst, yiff thow consydrest al,
ffor an herte that ys smal,
I ha the bred mad smal also,
(Yiff thow take good hed her-to.)
And for hys gret capacyte,
The good that hath most sovereynte,
I haue ther-in put (certeyn)
The good that ys most souereyn :
Gret vnto gret, smal vn-to smal,
"Wych ys Answcryng in al, [stowe, leaf no, back]
And corespondent by mesure.
fl'or affter that (I the ensure,)
That an herte be gret or smal,
Eyht so, in especyal,
Answeryng, by mesure,
Kyght so ys made 2 the pasture ; [» made St., mad c.]
A smal herte (tak good? hede,)
ft'yndeth also smal the bred.
' Consydre & se the maner howh :
6040 Grace Dieu.
reports
Sapience.
As a small
vessel may
contain much
food,
[St. &C.] 6044 [leaf 00]
so, in this
i) small bread,
is the greatest
» good.
6048
6052
It is there
corporally
and really.
6056
6060
6064
[Cp. Ixxxviii,
prose.]
For the small
heart, I have
made small
bread,
6068
and I have
great for the
great. ;
6072
6076 It is made
to suit alt
capacities.
160 The Virtues of the Sacramental Bread.
[leaf 90, back]
Grace Dieu
reports
Sapience.
Every one
has enough.
Tlie " house "
is less than
the good
dwelling
within it.
I ought to
answer no-
thing, unless
at mv will.
If I work a
wonder
I ought not
to be im-
peached.
[leaf 91]
' Yiff he desyre to haue ynowh,1 re. & st.] 6080
He slial ther ffynde (Truste me) „
Suffysaiuioe to hys sawle, „
Hyin to fulfyllfii at hys Ese, „
And hys desyrys to appese. „ 6084
And, as I reherse shal,
Her ys noon offence at al,
Nouther vn-to yong nor old.
' And for thys cause that I ha told, 6088
The hous ys lasse, wi't/<-oute wene,
Than thylke thyng yt doth contene ;
And lasse (for short conclusions,)
Ys the habytacyoutt 6092
Than the good (I dar wel tellc)
Wych wit/i-Inne the hows doth dwclle.
' And I suppose (tak also hed,)
That vn-to the, by lyklyhed 6096
I hadde don, in my werkynge,
Som thyng wych wer nat syttynge,
Off wych thow wer nat plesyd wel.
And ek (to Reknen euerydel,)
That I ha told the in substaunce,
Thogh yt wer nat to thy plesau»ce, [stowe, leaf in]
I ouhte off Eeson, nor off skyl,
Answeryng no-tliyng but at my wyl, 6104
Off ryht nouht, (as semeth me,)
Nor take no maner hed to2 the [* heed off si.]
Off no-thyng that thow hast me souht.
' And, par cas, yiff I hadde wrouht 6108
Some vnkouth thyng that wer notable
By Aventure, or profytable
Mor than any other whyht,
Wych wer merveillous to syht,
I ouhte nat, as thynketh me,
Off no wyht apechyd be ;
Consydred how (in sothfastnesse)
That I am namyd a " maystresse," [c. * st.] 6116
Wych ouhte suifysen vn-to the : „
1 Camb. MS. reads : If it wole ynowh, it shal fynde with-inne
that that may saule it, and fille it and suffice it, p. 49.
Aristotle resolves to go home and let Wisdom alone. 161
' Thow gest as now no mor of me : [c. & St.]
Tak thys now in especyal. ,,
' As for Answere to the, fynal, „ 6120
Lo, her ys al, in wordys pleyn : — ,,
Go now, & retourne home ageyn
To Nature (in cowclusioun),
To1 mak to hyre relac'ioun, ["And St.] 6124
As she that ys (shortly to fyne,)
A symple scoler clepd off rayne ;
And also (yiff thow lyst to lere,)
But off Grace my ehaumberere. 6128
' And syker, I wyll that y t be wyst,
I wyl do what-euere me lyst,
Wherso yt plese outher greve,
And take off hyre no maner leve; 6132
And don what euere lyketh me, [stowe, leaf in, back]
Only for loue off Charyte ;
What euere hyre lyst, that shal be do :
My wyl ys that yt shal be so. 6136
ffor what-so that hyr lyst devyse,
In al my beste ffeythfull wyse
I shal consente (& tarye nouht,)
To al that euere she wyl ha wrouht, 6 1 40
In specyal & in general.'
And whan that he hadde herknyd al,
Thys Aristotile gan abraide,
And humblely to hyre he seyde :
Aristotle racked hym selffe.
' Sothly,' quod he, ' I se ryht wel
Yt may avaylle neueradel
(ffor ouht that I kan espye,)
W/t/i yow to holden chaumpartye,2
Or Argue al the longe day :
Yt ys best that I go my way.
Do what yow lyst, ffer or ner,3 [c. & St.]
Your1 myght ys grete, and your power ; „ 6152
What-so ye lyst, ye may weH don.' ,,
Grace Die*
report»
Sapience.
'Go home,
.ind tell
Nature all.
I shall do
just what I
please,
and only for
Charity's
sake.'
[Cap. Ixxxix,
prose.]
6144 Aristotle says
[in Jit. Stowe't hand,
at side: in St.]
it is no good
arguing with
Wisdom.
6147
[2 Champartye St.]
He'll go
home.
[leaf 91, back]
3 Camb. MS. reads : Dooth what euere ye wole ; good leeue
ye haue, p. 50.
PILGRIMAGE. M
162 I ask Grace Dieu for the Bread from Moses's Table.
grace si™. ' And thus thys mayster ys a-gon, [C.& St.]
And dyde ek1 hys bysy cure, C1 »«« St.] „
Then Aris-
totle went,
and told
Nature all,
ffor to tellen to Nature
Off hys exployts and off hys sped.
And a-noon, as she took heed,
She gan to gruchen in hyr thouht ;
6156
6159
But whan she sawh yt wayllede2 nouht, [?v°ay?i'ed« st!]2]
Mor to maken resistance,
She suffrede al in paciience.'
Whan Grace Dieu off hyr bouwte,
but she bore
it with
patience.
[Cap. xc,
T>*°puorim. Thys tale hadde ytold to me,
To-forn as ye han herd devysed,
With gret desyr I was supprysed
In my thouht & my corage,
when i had And hungrede for myw avauntage,
heard this, , , •,
i longd for In hope tave had the bettre sped
that bread ;
6164
6168
and praytl
Grace l)ieu
to grant me
the hre.id I
sought.
ffor to haue Etyn off that bred.
The Pylgrym prayede. [St., o». c.]
" Ma dame," quod he, & gan hyra meke,
" Humblely I yow be-seke,
Me to grau?«te, to my»i encres,
Off the Releff off Moyses,
My voyded herte to fulfylle,
Wych so longe (a-geyn my wylle,
As ye wel knowe,) hath voyde be,
And neuere ne hadde hys ful sawlee.
ffor, to thys tyme neuere yit
I nat conceyvede in my wyt
Wher-wM yt myghte fulfylled be ;
ffor wych, I pray yow, graiwteth me."
Grace Dieu Answerde
' Certys,' quod she, ' thy requeste,
I holde yt ys nat dyshoneste ;
ffor thys bred ys necessarye
To alle folk wych lyst nat tarye
6172
6176
,3 [» sawle St.]
[Cap. xci,
prose.]
[leaf 92]
Said she:
' Your request
is reasonable; Ju ther vyage, thus semeth me
6180
[St., am. C.]
[Stowe, Ieafll2, back]
6184
[C. & St.]
ffor, or thow come to that cyte
Whyder thow castest for to gon,
By many weye's mo than on,
Thow shalt be troublyd (yt ys no dred)
6188
Grace Dieu promises me the Bread, and Scrip and Staff. 163
you will need
this lii. Mil on
your journey.
' Yiff thow haue nat off thys bred, 6192 grace pit*.
Al thy sorwes for tapese,
Thow art lyk to haue dysesse,
And in thy weye1 gret offence; [' weye St., wey c.]
ffor wych thow shalt ha lycence 6196
To take thys bred, & ek co?zge.
' But fyrst, off ryht & equyte,
Toward thys bred or that thow drawe,
(As yt ys wryten in my lawe ;) 6200
Thow must ha fyrst, pocessi'otiH
Off a sherpe2 & a bordou«, [! scrippe St.]
As thow to-forn Eequeryst me
In lowly wyse to grau?«te hem the. 6204
' And 1 answerde the ageyn,
And the be-hihte ek (in certeyn,)
That in myn hows ther was plente
Off bothe tweyne : thus told I the. 6208
And tolde the, on the tother syde,
That I sholde for the provyde,
To shewe the, in my depoos,
Thynges that wer wzt/<-Inne cloos, 6212
Wych I ha shewyd but to fewe ;
But vn-to the I shal hem shewe. [stowe, learns]
And somme off hem secrely
I ha the shewyd in party, 6216
And am ay redy (as I tolde)
Thy couenauwte's for to holde
Wz't/i-outen al collusi'oun.
'And towchyng shyrpe3 & bordouw, pskryppest.] 6220
Thow shalt hem haue (as I be-hihte) [stowe]
Deluyered in thyn owne sighte. [stowe, leaf us]
And after that, (yt ys no drede,) [stowe]
Thow shalt nowe put ther-in thy bred [c. & St.] 6224
Wt'tA-Inne thy shryppe,3 as yt ys ryht ; „
And affter that, thow shalt ha myght,
fforth vp-on thy way, by grace,
As A pylgrym for to passe. 6228
But flrst you
must have
your Scrip
and stall";
and I will
Kive you
them,
anil allow
you other
wonderful
things in
my house.
[Cap. xcii,
prose.]
[leafM.back]
You shall put
the bread in
your scrip.'
The pylgryine answerid:4 [The Pyigrym Answcrde. st.]
" Ma dame," quod he, wt't/i gret mcknesse,
4 In Stowe's hand.
[Cap. xciii,
prose.]
164 Grace Dieu says she must put my Eyes in my Ears.
The pugrim. " I thanke vn-to your worthyuesse ;
i timnk her. jfor my desyr & my wysshynges
Eesten fully in thys thynges. &232
I wolde, \vit/i-oute wordys mo,
Have hem fayn, & ben ago."
[Cap. xciv, Thanne thys lady, off hyr grace,
Grace Dieu Ladde me in-to a place 6236
leads me to i i / i i i.. i\
a place full In wyclie (wlio kan reporte wel)
of jewels, ,TT » , ,# - .
Was ful many a ffayr lowel,
Vp-on wyche myn Eye I leyde ; [stowe, leaf 113, buck]
And Euene thus to me she seyde : 6240
Orm* Dien. GraC6 dieil SDake : [In Stowe's hand. The Stowe MS. has it.]
ana telu me < j^fft Vn thv» Eye, be-hold & se.1
to look and J J '
see; And tak good heed now vn-to me !
' ffyrst, thys skryppe & thys bordoun
Haven thys condycyouK, 6244
but that That thow in soth may them2 nat se, [' mayst hem St.]
I can only •
and^u'doi; But y>ff so falle' thy» eyen be
arenpyiace,i8 Set ther as fchyn Erys stoilde.
KaS l"e'.y And therfor thow shalt vnderstonde, 6248
YifE thow hem seye A-noon now ryht
Wz't/t thyn Eyen cler & brylit,
Wher as they be, now truste wel
They sholde the plese neue?-adel. 6252
Therefore she Wherfor I shal (yiff that I may)
will take out
my Eyes, Bothe thyn Eyen take away,
[leaf as] And hem out off her place fette ; [c. &st.]
»nd place And in thyn Erys I shal hem sette, 6256
tliem in my " *
Ears. That thow mayst, at lyberte, „
Skryppe & bordou?* bettre se.' „
The Pilgrim. tllQ pylgryme marveletlie : 3 [The Pylgrym mwveylleth. St.]
" Madame," quod I, " what lyst ye seyn ?
Mo thynketh that ye speke in veyn : 6260
Ye speke off thyng that me wer loth, [stowe, learntj
And make myn herte wonder wroth,
i say i And yive to me occas'iowz
would rather
iSrS' -1° leue skryppe & ek bordou?j, . 6264
bourdon i From ] 6241 to ] gggj jg & ^.jiogug between Grace Dieu
and the Pilgrim touching the five senses, and as to the transfer
of his eyes to his ears, all which is omitted in the Camh. MS.
and iu the first French prose. — Aldenham. 3 In Stowe's hand.
Grace Dieu explains why my Eyes must go in my Ears. 165
"And to for-sake bothe tweyne.
And syker (yiff I shal nat feyne,)
I hadde leuere to do so,
Than to endure so grete1 wo, [' grete St., gret c.] 6268
ffor tapere monstruous,
Or shewe me-sylfE so odius ;
Or that ye sholde (I yow ensure,)
So me transforme or dysfygure." 6272
grace dieU Spake : 2 [* In Stowe's hand. It is in the Stowe MS.]
' Vnderstond," quod she, ' a lyte
In thys mater, my sylff taquyte,
Off wych I shal the telle more.
' Yt ys not yet ygon ful yore 6276
(Yiff thow reme»ibre, & lyst tak bed,)
Whan thow doutest the off thys bred,
And haddest merveil (ek parde,)
By what Resouw yt myghte be, 6280
Wlian thyn herte stood in doute
That so myche folk aboute
Hadde in thys bred ful suffysaurcce,
And ful repast to ther plesaunce, 6284
That al thy wyttys, in no wyso
Koude teche the the guyse [stowe, leaf m, back]
Of thys vnkouthe3 pryvyte ; p vnkouthe St., vnkoath c.]
The Pilgrim.
thnn undergo
such dis-
figurement.
Grace Dieu
answers me :
You remem-
ber I hat you
couldn't un-
derstand
how BO many
folk could be
flld with this
bread.
And, ne hadde thy Erys be,
(Yiff thow Eemembre the ryht wel,)
Thow haddest knowen neueradel.
' For yiff yt be a-ryht conceyved,
Alle tliy wyttys wer deceyved,
And lyede pleynly vn-to the,
What they felte or dyde se,
Saue the trouth (Si thus yt stood)
With thyn Eryng stylle a-bood.
' Wherfore I muste (of verray ryht,)
Translate thy?j Eyen & thy syht,
Thyder wher thyre Erys stonde.
And (as thow shalt wel vnderstonde,)
Thyw Erys muste haue Eyen clere
Taparceyve, in thys matere,
And to conceyven euecy thyng.
[Stowe] 6288 [leaf 93, back]
[C. & St.]
6292
Your senses
deceivd you.
6296
But your
Ears told you
tlie truth;
therefore I
must put
your Eyes
into your
Ears,
6300
[C. & St.]
that you may
perceive this
matter
clearly ;
166 Grace Dieu explains why my Eyes must go in my Ears.
arai-t n!fu. ' ffor, truste me wel, that Eryng .i. Auditus St., om. c. 6304
Wei dysposyd, voyde of slowthe,
Kan the telle best the trouthe,
In thynges wych that ben dotous,
Wonderful & nierveyllous. 6308
' ffor wych thyng, I wyll nat lette,
Ther thyn Eyeu for to sette,
'With, hem to sharpe mor thy wyt ;
for you do ffor thow seyst nat clerly yit, 6312
clearly yet. As thow ouhtest in thyw mynde.
Thow trustest vp-ou foure blynde.
On whom trowynge, (truste me,) 6315
Thow art fill blynde, & mayst nat se. [stowe, ieaf 115]
' But yt be-houeth, that clerly
YOU must Thow mustest sen, & openly,
Bee dearly ' '
before taking Or thoW liaUC POC6SS1OUW
Scrip and
Bourdon Outlier of skryppe or off bordoun. 6320
cut of my
iiouae; ffor thow shalt hem nat possede,
Nor bern hem out (yt ys no drede,)
Out off myn hous, in no manere,
(Sherpe1 or bordouH bothe yfere) [' skrippe St.] 6324
[leaf 94] Tyl thow knowe (wz't/f-oute slowthe) [c.ist.]
±Sulr Verrayly the pleyne trouthe
ofail Sat'' Off al that hath be told to the
ha. bee,, told fouchynge thys bred ; now truste to me, 6328
And wene nat, — in2 no maner wyse, p in St., nat c.]
As I shal to the devyse, —
That I no-thyng off volunte
Seye thys wordys to temple the 6332
A-skawnce : I wolde A-geyns ryht
Wit/i-drawe that I ha the be-hyht :
i win keep To the, my promys I wyl kepe ;
my promise
to you, ftor iieuere, vakyug3 nor a-slepe, [» wai-yng St.] 6336
(As I ryht wel reherse '.
for i never I decey ved neuere man
deceivd any
man. Off thyng that longede vn-to me.
(As I ryht wel reherse kan,)
ieceyved neu«-e man
J thyng that longede vn-to
' And ther-fore doute uo-thyng the, 6340
i win not That I wyl to no strange fourme,
deface or de-
form you. The diffacen, nor dysfourme ;
ffor platly (in coiicluslouw)
You have
tree choice.'
6356
0360
I object to have my Eyes taken out and put into my Ears. 167
' Yt lyth in thyn ellecci'ouH, 6344 oraceDim.
And in thy fre choys yt shal be, [stowe, leafus, back]
ffor to chesyn, as for me
To settyu thyw eyen her or there.
' And for my party, thow slialt lere 6348
Yiffi thow in me haue swyche l tryst, [' swyciie St., sw.vcu c.]
ffor to Remeue hew wher me lyst,
As for onys to assay e,
Yitf I ther-w?/t/i nat the dysmaye, 6352
But do yt for thyn avauwtage,
The ther nat pleyne on no damage."
The pilgrim axithe : [In Stove' ttiana. The Pylgrym Asketli. St.]
" Wher-off serueth (touchyng tbys thyng)
Clernesse off myre vuderstondyng,
Wych clerkys calle (in sentement)
Intellect or entendement,
Wych hath Eyen (I dar seyn so,)
As manye (or an hundryd mo)
As liadde Argus / of yore agoon,
Yit in hys Erys / hadde he noon,
In bookys olde / ye may weH se.
" I hope yt stant nat so with me,
That good avys shal me so faylle,
Nor no Rudnesse so masaylle.
Me thynketh pleynly (as I tolde)
But that myn vnderstondyng sholde
Techyn me the trouth al pleyn,
And ther- to haue no dysdeyne,
Me tenfourme of al thys thyng,
Wt't/i-outen any removvyng2
Off the Eyen in myn hed
Into3 myn Eryn (who kan tak hed) ;
Wych wer in soth An vnkouth syht,
And gret merveyl to eue?y whyht."
Grace Dieu Answerde4
Quod grace dieu, ' tak hed, & se,
Thyn vuderstondyng (truste me)
Wolde in soth ha no dysdeyne
To teche the the trouthe pleyn.
But thow mayst truste me ryht wel :
[Stovve]
[c.&st.] 6364
The Pi?(/rim.
I ask to
what end 1
should have
clearness of
understand-
ing.
[leaf 91, back]
Argus, the
hundred-eyd,'
had no ears.
[Stowe, leaf 110]
I' Remewyng St.] 6372
P Into St., In C.]
[St. & C.]
6376
[« St., am. C.]
6380
My under-
standing
should lead)
me plainly
without hav-
ing my eyes
removed.
It would be
an uncouth
sight, and
great marvel
to everybody.
Grace Diett.
168 Grace Dieu shows Jww I misunderstand the matter.
Grace Diett .
Grace Dieu
nays that I
don't under*
stand the
matter we
are talking
about ;
and that for
lack of know-
ledge I have
fallen into
darkness.
The under-
standing has
bat one eye,
and gives
judgment by
what it sees.
It cannot sec
farther than
the outside,
' He vnderstondeth neuemdel
Off thys roatere that we off talke,
He goth be-syde, & maketh a balke, — • 6384
To sen clerly thexcellence,
The valu and the1 magnyfycence [' u>e on. St.]
Off that we holde our parlement,
He ys so feble & indygent 6388
ffor lak off knowyng (in sothuesse),
He ys [so] fallen in dyrkuneSSC,2 [J dyrkenesse St., dyrknesse C.]
That he knoweth her-of ryht nouht,
Trusts me well, (yiff yt be souht,) 6392
The verray trouthe, (so god me saue).
' And ther thow seyst, he sholde ek haue
An hundryd eyen, & yet mo, [stowe, leaf i IB, back]
Thow shalt wel wyte yt ys nat so, 6396
Nor that y t ys a thyng credyble, [St. & c.]
Nor off hys lookys wych be possyble, ,,
Wych he hath by successyou/is ; , ,
I sey nat off thentencyouns ,, 6400
Wych thow hast in many wyse ; „
ffor than (shortly to devyse) ,,
In swych caas thow seydest wel,
And elles platly thow shalt fel 6404
Thow wentyst foule out off the weye.
' ffor he hath only but on Eye,
That Symply seth & vnderstondeth,
And thynges wych he vnderstondeth 6408
Lyk to hys syht, as they doth3 deme, poo St.]
He byt, & kan no ferther deme.
Swych thyng as longeth to hy»t off ryht,
ffor to be demyd by the syht, 6412
He receyveth to hys presence ;
And thanne thy?t Intelligence,
Also ffer as he doth se,
He Gyveth hys doom in that degre : 6416
On thyng nat seyn, he kan nat muse ;
But al swych thyng he doth refuse,
And sent yt forth (pleynly to seyn),
Outward, ther as yt kam a-geyn. 6420
ffor lak, he kan no ferther se,
Grace Diev, explains the 5 Gates of Penance's Sermon. 169
' Thorgh hys ffoltysshe vanyte.' through
The pilgrym axithe : [/*Kh.*"§?.i'TliePylgl'ym M"^^.
"Ma dame," quod I, "ful gladly [stowe, lesf m]
I wolde wyten certeynly, 6424
Clerly to be put out off doute,
What ys he that wych sendeth oute, i ask who is
, . . he that sends
And what ys he (ek m certcyn) out, and who
That Reporteth hem A-geyn 6428 in, tidings
early and
Tydynges erly & ek late ; i»te.
And yiff ther be ek any gate
A-twen tlie brynger / and hy»i that seut; [c. &st.j [leaf 95, back]
I wolde fayn / in myn Entent [stowo, leaf 117] 6432
Off yow / haue InformacyoiiH, [stowe]
And clerly dyffynycyouw." „
Grace Dieu Answerthe cstow«, c. tinnkj grace ok*.
' Certys," <\\tod sche, ' by thyn askyng [St. & c.]
Thow shalt neuere knowe no thyng 6436
As I be-leue, in substaujice.
' Thow henlyst whylom, how dame penau/ice urace Dieu
J refers to the
Made a declarackratt sermon of
Dame
Off vj. gatys, in hyr sarmou?z. 6440 Peiwunce.
And fyve off liem, she sayde blyue,
That they wer the wyttys fyue ; The flve gates
J J J aretheflve
By wych gatys she dyde assure, senses;
That al fylthes & al ordure 6444
Entrede in,1 in sondry wyse, [' inne st.]
(As thow herdyst hyre devyse,)
Whan they wer open, & uat cloos.
The wyeh gatys, to my purpos [stowe, leaf 117, back] 6448
I wyl now take in specyal
Wit/i-oute preiudice at al.
'ffor thys galys, I calle " porterys." and these
J ' gates are the
" Bryngerys-in2 & massagerys" [«iimest.] 6452 Jjjj'gj™'11
Off eche3 thyng, & gayd Wtt/i-OUte, P eclie St., ech C.] sengers.
But yiff yt falle wst/t-oute doute,
Certeyn Secretys, wych that be
Hyd & ydon in pryvyto. 6456
Thys gatys I calle the " passages,
Wherby in4 passen the massages." pinnest.]
' Thys to seyne (vnderstond me wel ;
170 The Eye and Nose report to Fancy, and she to Intellect.
Grace Dieu.
The Eye is
liir porter.
The Nose is
the door utul
messenger.
[leaf 96]
Concerning
the eye:
Looking is
its Porter
\vlin, when
he sees new
things,
makes ;i
report of
them,
first to
Fantasy
who goes to
Entende-
' Conceyve my speche eue?-ydel :) 6460
Eye ys the gate, lookyng porter ;
Nose, the dore & niassager
Who kan parcey ve ys smellyng ;
And semblably in eue?y thyng, 6464
Eueiie lyk yt doth be-falle
Off thyn other wyttys alle,
Thanne whan that lokyng is porter
Off the Eye, & massager. [c.&st.] 6468
' And I wyl here by & by „
Speke off the Eye specyally, ,,
And lete the tother passe & gon.
'Now herkne, & thow shalt here A-noon 6472
As I sayde rathe vn-to the, [£'• & *t-]
Lokyng, w/t/t wych men do se,
Vn-to the Eye ys porter
(As thow well wost) & massager ; 6476
And whan that he seth thynges newe,
fEresshe & lusty of ther hewe, [stowe, learns]
ffayr or foul, wher-so yt be,
He bydeth nat in no degre, 6480
Nouther slepeth nor resteth uouht,
But, as swyfft as any thouht, —
Thorgh hys bysy dyllygence,
A-noou, (as he hath licence 6484
Off the wyttys callyd comwne, —
Thanne hys offyce to contune,)
He maketh a demonstration??,
Report & ful relacyouw, 6488
ffyrst off aH, to fantasye.
' Thanne ffantasye doth hyr Lye .i. Fastinat st.
To Go forth to Entendement,
To yive a trewe lugement 6492
Off report that he hath brouht,
lustly to deme, & erre nouht,
Be yt off thynges newe or old.
' Now telle I the, as I ha told 6496
Amongys al thy doomys stronge ;
Yiff the thyng vn-to hym longe,
Thanne he (in conclusi'ouw)
6504
[C. & St.]
[Stowe]
[Stowe, leaf H8, back]
[S1.4CJ 6508
6512
6516
6520
6524
which judges
according to
reason.
[leaf 96, back]
Pilgrims go to Hearing ; he goes to Fancy ; she to Intellect. 171
' Wyl yt deinyn off Resouw. 6500 Grace Die,,.
And ther-vp-on ek determyne,
And in hast hys dooniys fyne,
Whan he hath cerchyd yt & sought.
' & yiff to hywi yt longeth novht,
By hem that brouhte yt (in certeyn),
In haste he sent yt forth ageyn ;
The Messagerys (Erly and late)
Conveye yt by the same gate
By wych yt kam : lo, her ys al.
' And mor to the I telle slial ;
(Eeporte me wel at alle tyuies ;)
The skryppe that longeth to pylgrymes,
(I mene, off pylgrymes in specyal,
Swyche as be goode foujide at al,)
Whan they hew skryppen euoychon,
They fyrst vn-to the gate gou
Off the Ere, & off Eryng ;
And ther, wzt/i-oute mor taryyng,
Hem sylff redy for to make,
ffyrst, the porter they awake
Yiff that he slepe ; and than A-noon,
By thylke gate, in1 they gon. p inne, stowe, leaf us, back.]
' Off other gatys (I ensure)
They do no fors, nor ha no cure ;
ffor heryng ther ys cheff porter ;
And he goth forth as massager,
ffyrst to wyttys that be comwne ;
And, or that they ther-on comwne,
They make a demonstracyoure
Cler,2 & ful relac'iou7«,
To fantasy e, wher as she3 Syt.
' And no lenger she abyt,
Uut to the grete luge she goth
(Wherso that he be glad or wroth) ;
She sheweth platly hyr entent
Vn-to thys luge, Entendement.
And whan that he hath musyd longe [stowe, leaf 119]
Theron, in hys doomys stronge,
And he, for lak off knowelychyng,
Pilgrims t-'o
first to the
gate of the
ear and of
hearing,
and awake
the Porter,
who goes as
messenger
6528
P Clere St.]
P he St.]
653:
to Fantasy;
then Fantasy
Etc the
e En-
ement ;
6536
172 Grace Dicu argues. I agree to have my Eyes in my Ears.
[leaf 97]
Grace Dieu.
for lack of
knowledge
lie could give
no judgment.
Tnste, touch,
.mil sight
were all
deceived.
To know the
ti utli, :i man
must place
his eyes in
his ears ;
iiu'V shall
then judge
truly, and
not err.
The Pilgrim.
\ aiis\vtml,
1 have con-
sidered
everything,
and wish my
eyes to be
placed in my
ears at once.
[leaf 97, back]
' ffeleth ther-in no mane/- thyng,
Thanne off Folye, he chek maat,
Awhapyd and dysconsolat,
Sent yt ageyn (yt stondeth so)
By thy Ike gate that yt kam fro ;
ffor he (shortly, in sentement)
Konde gyue noon other lugement,
ffor al hys wyttys wer a-gon,
Sane that Eryng (among echon)
Kam a-noon to hys refuge,
ffor to deme & be a Inge,
As yt longede off verray ryht.
'ffor smellyng, Tastyng, touch, & Syht,
They wer deceyved, euerychon ;
And for to knowe the trouthe a-noon,
And a trewe doom to make,
A man muste the Eyen take,
And to the Erys hem translate,
"VVych off Eryng ys the gate ;
And ther, whan they be set avyht,
They shal be cleryd so off syht
To deme trouthe, and no-thyng erre,
Bryht as any so?«ne or storre."
The pylgrym answereth :
" What euer," quod I, " that ye han sayd, [st<
Ther-off I am ryht wel a-payd.
I ha consydred eue>-ydel
That ye to-forn ha seyd ryht wel ;
ffor wych, ma dame, (as ye best se,)
I wyle1 that my n Eyen be
Wit/<-Inne myn Erys set a-noon,
Or ye any ferther gon.
ffor I ha conceyved in my thouht,
That to me, ful lyte or nouht
My pylgrymage sholde avaylle,
Yiff so that I dyde ffaylle
To haue a Skryppe / or Burdofi."
IT And tho / to myn Entencton /
(Lyche as to yow / I tolde Late /)
Myra Eyen two she gan translate
[c.tst.] 6540
6544
[st. &c.]
6548
6552
6556
6560
or.04
t'wyist.] 6568
6572
[Stowe, leaf 119, back.]
[Stowe] 6576
Grace Dieit moves my Eyes, and gives me Scrip and Staff. 173
In-to myre Eryn, ther they stood. [stowe]
And for she sawh that yt was good, [c. & St.] 6580
An huchche slie gan a-noon vn-shette ; „
And out a-noon ther-off she fette
(Lyk to my?j oppynyoun)
Bothe a skryppe & a bordouw. 6584
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
'Off wycli thynges, a-noon I
Gan to merveille ful gretly,
With myw Erys (as she me tolde)
Whan that I gan hem be-holde : 1 6588
The skryppe mad & shape clene, [stowe, leaf 120]
By A gyrdel heng off grene,
The wycli was (as I vnderstood)
Spreynt wiVt dropys off red blood, 6592
Wheroff I was abaisshed sore.
And over that, I sawh yet more :
Vpon the same gyrdle stronge,
Off syluer, smale bellys honge, 6596
Twelue in nouwjbre, & no mo,
Wei enamellyd ; & also
Ecli off hew (I yow ensure)
H.idde a dyuers Scrypture, 6600
The lettrys large & curyous ;
And in the ffyrste was wryte« thus :
" God the ffader," fful wel ywrouht,
That heuene and erthe made off nouht, 6604
And made ek man to hys lyknesse,
Off hys grace & hys goodnesse.
And fertliermor (yiff I shal telle)
Was wryten in the uexte belle : 6608
" God the Sone, off wysdam most."
In the thrydde, "God the Holygost."
And they wer mad so wel, echon,
Semynge to me they were al on ; 6612
And wi't/t-Inne I dyde se
A claper that seruede hem aH thre.
In the fourthe was wryte & graue,
How goddys sone, man to sane, 6616
— * Not in Cainb. prose. — Aldenham.
The Pilgrim.
Grace Dieu
transfers ray
eyes into my
ears,
and brings
Ibrtli a scrip
and staff.
I marvel
greatly.
The scrip
hangs by a
green girdle,
sprinkled
with drops
of blood,
with twelve
silver bells
hanging.
Each bell
had a writing
upon it.
[Cap. xcv,
prose.]
1. God the
Father.
[leaf 98]
2. God the
Son.
8. God the
Holy Ghost.
4. Christ's
coming on
tlie earth,
174 My 4th, oth, Qth, 7th, 8th, and Mh Girdle-Sells of Silver.
The Pilgrim.
ami birth by
a Virgin.
5. Christ's
passion.
crucifixion,
fi. His descent
into Hell.
[Ieaf98,back]
7. His Resur-
rection.
8. His Ascen-
sion.
9. Holy
Chord).
Cryst ihesu, descended doure
ffrom that hevenly mansyouw
In-to the Erthe. & be-kam man
And (as I reherse kan,)
Off the holy gost conceyved,
Porely in thys world receyved,
Born off A mayde pur & ffre,
Ay flouryng in vyrgynyte,
Wych alle wemmen dyde excelle.
And wry ten in the fyffthe belle,
Graue in ordre, by & by,
Was hys grete tormentry,
And ek how he was crucyfyed,
And how that he for man hath dyed,
And suffryd ful gret passi'ouw,
To maken hys redempcyouw,
With many woimdys ful tcrryble,
And rebukys ful penyble,
Mankynde only for to save ;
Take fro the croos, put in hys graue,
Affter al hys peyne & wo.
And in the .vj. was wryte also,
(Wrouht, yt myghte nat be amendyd,)
How he to helle ys descendyd,
Hys frendys ther to fette a-way,
Wych hadde be there so many a1 day
To brynge hew to paradys.
And in the .vij. (by gret avys)
Was wryte hys resurecc'iouw ;
In the viij.,2 hys Ascencioura
Vp to the hihe heuene iigeyn,
With hys fader (in certeyn)
To sytten there on the ryht syde,
Wit/4 hym perpetuelly tabyde,
Ther to demen quyk & deile,
Euery man affter hys dede.
Also (yiff ye lyst to wyte,)
In the nynthe ther was wryte
(Graue off hym that dyde yt werche,)
Crystys spouse, hooly cherche,
[Stowe, leaf 120, back]
6620
6624
6628
6632
[Syxte St.]
6640
P a am. St.l
[Seventhe St.] 6644
[2 heythe St.]
6648
[Stowe, leaf 121]
6052
0056
The 10th, Uth, and 12th Silver Bells. My Staff. 175
WitA al hys dyuers paramentys,
And aft the .vij.1 sacramentys. [' sevene St.]
And in the Tenthe, men mylite se
The Oonyng and the vnyte 6660
Off seyntys, the comunyoure,
Ordeyned for manhys2 refeceyouH, [* mannys St.]
And ofE sy lines Indulgence
By baptesme & by penyteiice. 6G64
And in the .xj.3 (be wel certeyn,) p Eiierentiw St.]
Was the Eysyng vp A-geyn
OfE aft man-kynde, bothe hifi & lowe,
Whan gabryel hys horn shal blowe, 6668
To calle aH ffolkys off entent
To konie to the lugement.
Body & sowle (as ye shal lere)
Bothe knet Ageyn yfere, 6672
Shal ther come to audience,
ffor to heryn the sentence ;
And thyder haven ther Kepayr
To-for the luge hifi in the hayr, 6676
Goode & badde : thus stant the caas.
And in the .xij.,4 grauen ther was [< Tweithe St.]
Only, off goode, the guerdouw, [stowe, leafiao, back]
And off wykked, punycyouw,5
Swych as dyde no penaunce,
Nor ne hadde no rdpentaurece
To make amendys, I yow ensure.
Loo, her, hooly the scrypture
Off the syluer bellys clere,
And off the namel6 ek yfere.
Now shall I tellen the ffaciouw
And the nianer off the bordoiw,
Wych was (yiff ye lyst to lere)
Wrouht & mad in thys manere :
Yt was ymad bothe strong & lyht,
Long also, & evene vpryht ;
Off drye wode (yiff yt he souht)
Wyche neuere ne roteth nouht,
Nor neuere perisshetli, (in certeyn,)
Nouther for ffyr, nor ffor no reyn.
[5 tlie punyoion] 6680
r>G84
[« Thenomel St.]
6688
6692
6696
The Pitffrim.
10. The Cora-
inunion of
11. Tlie Ris-
ing of all,
to tli e Last
Judgment.
[leaf 99]
12. The Re-
ward of tlie
<ioo<l,ami the
Punishment
of the
Wicked.
How shall I
describe the
Staff?
[Cap. xcvi,
It was atrong
and light,
of dry wood,
which does
not perish
by fire or
water ;
176 My Staff has a Mirror on the Top, and a Carbuncle "beloic.
it had a
mirror at
tlie top,
in wliich
might be
seen nil the
country Car
and near.
The pilgrim. Yt was y vvrouht & mad so wel ;
And a-boue, a Rouwd poomel
Off a merrour, that shon fill bryht,
And gaff envyrovm a gret lyht,
In the wych, men niyghte se
ffer ffrom hem al the centre
Rounde aboute hem Envyrotm.
ffor ther ne was no regyouw
So ffer from yt, by no dystauwce,
(To Reknen eue»-y cyrcu»fstau»ice)
But mere niyghte sen yt euerydel,
And beholde yt tt'ayre & wel.
And in that myrour dyde I se
The mane;- hool off the cyte
To the wych I was so bent [stowe,
ffor to gon, in myn entent.
ffor wych (in myn oppynyoux)
I preysede gretly the Bordou«,
And louyd also wel the bet.
& lower douM ek ther was set
A-nother poomel, wych off makyng
Was lasse & Round, (to my seemyng,)
Maad off a charboncle ston,
The wych as any sonne shoon,
Thorgh al the centre shadde hys lyht
(Yt was so Oryent and so bryht)
An huge compas rouml a-boute.
And whan she hadde ytaken oute
Thys two lowellys ffayr & ryclie,
I tvowe nowher wer noon lyche,
Grace dieu (fayre mot hyr falle !)
In goodly wyse gan me calle.
Grace dieu speketh:
Thys lady goodly spak to me,
' Kom ner, my sone ; tak hed & se ;
Loo her (yiff I shal nat feyne)
Thylke Ryche Gyfftys tweyne
Wych I be-hihte whylom to the ;
And thow shalt nat deceyved be.
'Loo her A skryppe & a Bordouw,
I saw in it
the City to
which I was
bound.
[leaf 99, back J
There was
another pom-
mel lower
down.
made of car-
buncle.
Grace Dieu
calls me, and
Bays:
Grace Dieu.
[Cap. xcvii,
prose.]
6700
6701
6708
6712
6716
6720
6724
6728
6732
Grace Dieu gives me a Scrip (cald Faith], and a Staff. 177
6736
[Stowe, leaf 122, back]
6740
6744
' The wych (off hool entencyou»)
I gyve to the, now kep he?« wel !
Considre the msmer everydel,
How they be ryht necessarye
To forthre the, (thow shalt nat tarye,)
To helpe the in thy vyage,
And to spede thy pylgrymage.
Thow shalt off hern have ay gret nede,
Yiff thow lyst thy lourne spede,
Nedful to pylgrymes alle ;
And "feyth," thy Skryppii tliow shalt calle ;
Wyth-oute wych, l may nat be p yt untciu out]
Brouht aboute no lournee 6748
Nor vyage that may a-vaylle.
ffor, thy bred & thy vytaylle,
Ther-in thow shalt alway eoncerve,
And alle tymes thow shalt observe 6752
Thys skryppe wel in thy bandoim,
In euery cyte & euery Touw,
In al thy nioste feythftil wyse,
And also for to auctoryse. 6756
'Touchyng thys Skryppe callyd "ffeyth,"
Herkne what thapostel seytli
In a pystel that he endyteth,
And to the Romayns pleywly wryteth
" The ryht-ful man, wtt/t-oute stryff,
By thys skryppe lat hys lyff ; " 2 Iu8tH8
Thys to seyne, that ffeyth off ryht
Yiveth lyff to euery maner whyht ;
As Abachuch that hooly man,
In hys wrytyng reherse kan,
The secouwde chapytle off hys book,3
Who so lyst lyfft vp hys look.
'And thys skryppe (wM-oute wene,)
Off hys colour mot be grene ;
Wych colour (who so look a-ryht)
Doth gret co?»fort to the syht ; 6772
- § 1. 17, as it is written, ' The just shall live by faith. '
Behold, his soul (which) is lifted-up is not upright in him •
but the just shall live by his faith.
PILGRIMAGE. XT
Grace Dint.
' Lo, I give
thee a Scrip
anil a Staff;
they will help
thee in thy
pilgrimage ;
and thou
shalt tall thy
strip Faith.
[leaf 100]
6760
Fide uitlit
6764
[Stowe, leaf 123]
6768
Hearken
what the
apostle says
touching thi»
scrip called
Faith, in the
Kpistle to the
Romans.
As also in
the second
chapter of
Hiibakkuk,
178 The Green of tlie Scrip is mingled with the Red Blood
Grace Dieu.
Faith makes
pilgrims tflad
anil bright,
•and comforts
them in the
way,
as the green
•colour gives
clearness to
the sight,
{leaf 100, bk.]
It is of more
value, when
•sprinkled
with blood,
than either
pearl or
margitrite,
•and has
more worth
•and virtue
than any
other rich
stone.
The red
shows the
blood of the
martyrs
' Sharpeth the Eye, (yt ys no dred,)
And so dotli ffeyth, (who taketh lied ;)
Yt maketh pylgrymes glad & lyht,
Wi't/t hem abydyng day & nyht ; 6776
And in ther weye (I dar reporte,)
Gretly doth hem Reconforte.
ffor good l pylgrymes euerychon, [' g<x*ie St.]
On pylgrymage wher they gon, 6780
Only ffeyth doth hem sustene,
By exaumple, as the grene,
The gentyl colour glad & lyht,
Yiveth clernesse to the syht. 6784
2 ' Whan the grene al wj't/t-oute
Ys spreynt -with dropys Round aboute
Off red blood (who kan entende),
Than the syht yt doth amewde 6788
fful gretly, I dar wel seyn ;
ffor ther ys drope3 noon cevteyn, p droop St.]
But yt ys worth, & off mor prys
To pylgrymes that be wys, 6792
Than outher perle or margaryte.
And (as I dar ryht wel endyte,)
Yt is mor Ryche & precyous,
Mor off valu & vertuous, 6796
The bloody dropys, whan they be spreynt [St., leaf iss, bk.]
Vp-on the grene', & ymeynt,
To make a man mor strong & lyht,
And tafforce -with hys syht, 6800
Than any other Ryche ston
ffor to rekne hem euerichon,
' The grene ys good in specyal
Whan the rede ys meynt wtt/(-al 6804
Off blood ; for pleynly the Rednesse .
Wych that was shad4 in clennesse [* shadde St.]
Off gloryous martyrs longe agon,
That spente her blood, & leffle noon, 6808
But suffrede al the vyolence,
And the mortal ek 5 sentence p eke the mortal St.]
Off Tyrauwtys Tyranye,
2 From 1. 6785 to 1. 6859 is omitted in Camb. prose. — Aldenham.
of Martyrs who died to set Pilgrims an Example. 179
who died for
the faith.
•• And sparedo nat platly to dye, 6812 Grace Die«.
{Ther legende so wryt & seyth)
fFor to dyffende crystys ffeyth ;
ffor wych, vp-on thys skryppe off grene,
The bloody dropys ther ysene, 6816
•Shewyn (in conclusions)
Ther martyrdam, ther passi'oiiH,
Off ther owne voluwte,
Only to yiven vn-to the 6820 [leaf 101]
Verrayly an exaumplayro
{ Wherso-euere thow repayre)
To suffre deth for crystys sake,
Itather than thow shust forsake 6824
Thy skryppe in any maner wyse,
Off wych thow hast herd me devyse.
'ffor seyntys wych that guff rede so, [stowe, leaf 121]
I wot ryht wel that they be go 6828
To paradys, & Entryd in ;
ffor the swerd off chenibin,
"\Vycli whilom at the gate stood,
Ys so blontyd wttA her blood, 6832
That yt ys (I dar wel seyn)
In : the skawberk vp ageyn. c1 in to St.]
' But now-a-dayes it stantf so,
Hooly seyntys ben aH a-go, 6836
Tliat wer so myghty & so strong,
And dradde nat to suffre a2 wrong [> a om. St.]
ffor the ffeyth, yt to dyffende,
Her lyff, her blood, ther-on to spende ; 6840
Kcdy they worn, & that a-noon ;
I!ut now, annethe3 ther ys nat on p rnneth« St.]
That wyl hyj» putte in lupartye,
Crystys feytli to magnefye, 6844
X(ir make myghty resystence
Agcyn Tyrauwtys by dyffence.
' Yet somme boste & speke grete
AVhan tliey be fumous, ful off heete, 6848
And han yheete & dronke at large,
Her bely stuffyd as a barge :
Than they, for our feythys sake,
The saints
thiit sufl'ered
went to
Paradise.
The sword of
the cherubim
who Rtood ut
the gate is
blunted with
their blood.
But now
there is none
to put him-
self in jeo-
p:irdy for the
faith.
Yet some-
boast,
when they
have eaten
and drunken.
180 Now, folk brag Tnd don't fight for the Faith. Heresies.
Grace pieu. ' Wyl crystys croos vp-on hem take ; 685-2
And, as champyouws, tha?*ne they scyth
That they wyl fyhte for our ffeyth.
But wlian yt kometh vn-to node,
Al that they spak kmchyng dedc, 6856
Yt ys for nouht, I dar wel seyn ;
And thus ther bost ys but in veyn ;
By ther wordys they wyl nat dwelle. [stowe, leaf m, back]
' But by old tyme, I slial the telle, 6860
"Whan I the skryppe gan fyrst devyse,
Yt was al in a-nother wyse,
"WWt-oute bellys, symplely ; .i. simplicity St., am. c.
Thaw suffysede, stedel'astly 6864
To lone god, our creatour,
And hyiu to serue w/t/< gret honour.
' But affter roos vp heresyes,
Oppynyomjs & fantasyes, C868
The ffeythe1 falsly for to greue; [' fleyti* St., ffeyth c.j
And ther gan eiwy man to leue
On god affter hys owne lust,
And sette pleynly Al ther trust 6872
Affter ther owne ffantasye ;
Off wych (yiff I shal nat lye)
So)»me wer callyd " Arryens,"
And sowme also " pellagyens," 687C
\Vith ther oppynyouws ne\vc ;
And other sectys ful vntrewe,
The feyth off cryst for to werreye,
And lyst nat to the cherche obeye, 6880
Thorgh ther false oppynyouns,
Concludyng by collusi'oims
Off falslied shewyng many sygne,
Ageyn thy skryppe to malygne, 6884
Ther-vp-on to be a-wreke ;
Off whom me lyst no mor to speke.
' But my speche I wyl restreyne ;
ffor wych cause, folk dyde hyr peyne, 6888
And prelatys off the cherche,
Ageyn ther malys for to werche,
Makyng in especj-al [stowe, leaf 125]
that they will
fight tor our
faith,
[leaf 101, bk.]
but their
boii9t is vain.
[Cap. xcixf
prose; cap.
Its is omit-
teil.
The scrip
lntd no belts
at lir.-t,
but wlieii
heresies
arose,
and men
believed on
God accord-
ing to their
own opinions,
(of whom
some were
Arrian*,
nnii some
Pelagians),
prelates of
the church,
Councils rcj'ormd the Church, and set 12 Articles on Bells. 181
i. SinodaSt. 6892 Grace Die*.
[leaf 102J
made synods
mid councils
to restore the
unity of the
faith ;
' Sonys & couHsaylles general,
Off prouydence & gret avys,
ffor to wythstonde ther malys,
And ther errours to putte a-way,
That contyuuede many a day, (J89G
To re forme the bewte
OS tlie cherche by vnyte,
I mene, by vnyte in substau«ce
Off our ffeyth and our creau«ce, 6900
In ther hool Entencyoim ;
To make Restytiicyoux,
By tlier dyllygent labour,
Off that was broke by ther Evrour, 6904
That w*t/(-Inne nor wtt/t-oute
Yt sholde no mor be put in doute.
' And for that skyle, <& no thyng ellys,
They souhten out the .xii. bellys 6908
That I off spak, & I the telle :
They settc lettrys in ech belle,
And articles off our creauwce,
By thapostolys Ordynauwce; 6912
The wych wer mad (w«t/t-oute stryff)
In hooly cherche prymytyff.
' And in the Skryppe (tak lied to me)
Off wyche1 now I telle the [' which* St., wych cj 6910
(Off entent ful pur & clene),
The bellys, mad off sylue/1 shene,
They hengen hem, as thow inayst se,
AVych thow howest (off duete) 6920
Off te sythes here hem Rynge, [stowe, leaf 125, back]
Off entente only to brynge
Ther sown vn-to thy remewbrauwce,
And how thow shalt, in thy creau^ce, 6924
Leve in god ay stedefastly.
' And for that skyle, cowtynuelly
In thyn Erys the tawake,
Thy bellys shal a chymbyng make, 6928
Day be day (in sothfastnesse)
To teche tin'' the stedefastnesse
< )ff the feyth, thy-sylff to Saue.
and they
devised the
twelve Bells,
with letters
it) eudi,
and Articles
of our Belief,
made in the
jirhnilive
Church. ,
And the bells
were hung m
the serin,
to teach thee
stead fastness
in the faith ;
[leaf 102, bk.]
182 The Bells on thy ticrip of Faith teach thee Belief in God,
Grace Dieit.
and tllou
needeat no
other clock,
day or mgM,
if thou count
their strokes
truly.
' And the nedeth nat to haue
Noon other horlege,1 day nor nyht,
6932
[' Orloge St.:
Thou
shouldst
always think
upon the
scrip called
Faith,
:trul what the
Apostle
writes !o the
Romans.
Thou shalt
first believe
in God,
[leaf 10S1
and that this
wine nnd this
bread are
changed into
flesh and
blood.
ffor to smyte thyw hourys ryht,
YifE thow ther strokys trewly tellys,
.xij. hourys and .xij. bellys ; 6936
And ek also graue in the lettre
.xij. Artycles, to go the bettre,
Wych shal echon yfou?;de be
Wyth-Inne thy skryppe, to teche the, 6940
And tenforme the wel ynowh.
' But thow hast be somwhat slowh,
In thyn herte to taken liede,
Tlier scrypture' for to Rede ; 6944
I mene thus, thy sylff to saue,
The Scrypture in the bellys graue ;
Yet, by ther chymyng (in substauj/ce.),
Thow sh oldest ay ha remewbrauwce 6948
Vp-on thy skryppe callyd " ffeyth,"
' And thynk ek what Thapostel sey th :
To the Eoraeyns he endyteth,
Pleynly seyth, and thus he wryteth : [stowe, leaf 120] 6952
" That thys bellys, in ther chymyuge,
And by noyse off ther sownynge,
Parfytly they brynge in feyth Fides ex auditu. iioanuoi u>.> st.
To the Erys ; and thus he seyth : 6956
" Wher thyn Eyen be set most clere,
The verray trewe sown to here,
Abydynge, nat transytorye,
To excyten thy Memorye, 6960
Thy pylgrymage to Aclieve,
How thow shalt ffyrst, in god Iw-leue ;
Wych doth nat ynowh suffyse,
Wyth-oute that I shal devyse. 6964
' ffor yt be-houeth ek herto,
That thow mustest beleue also
Stedefastly (yt ys no drcd),
That thys wyn & ek thys bred 6968
Be chaiwgyd in-to flesshe & blood.
2 x. 17. So then faith (cometh) by hearing, and hearing l>y
the word of God.
Grace Z)i>».
Believe also
in the
Trinity ;
and take an
example from
the three
silver bells,
which have '_
one clapper
in chiming,
in token of
unity,
and declare
' There is but
one God.'
the Sacrament and the Trinity. She puts the Scrip on me. 183
' And her-w«t/<-al yt ys ek good,
Be-leue 0 god in Trynyte,
Thre personys in vnyte. 6972
And, thy ffeyth mor strong to make,
Thow shalt a good exauwple take
Off thylkii syluer bellys thre,
To wych, in Tookne off Vnyte, 6976
A claper serueth in chymyng,
Wych. declareth in sownyng,
" Ther ys but o god, & no mo."
' And tak Alway good bed ber-to, 6980
ffro thys, that thy ffeyth nat varye,
"VVho-eue/'e sowne the contrarye. [stowe, leaf 120, back]
And truste wel how the partycles
And the Remnaunt off Artycles 698i
Of aH the tother, (who kan entende)
Euerychon, her-on depende.
'Now take thy Skryppe, & go thy way,
And thynk her-on ryht wel alway ; 6988
And forget nat (yong nor old,)
No thyng that I ha the told,
Wryt in thyn herte as in a book.'
[The Pilgrim.]
And off hyr hand the Skryppe I took ; 6992
But she, only off hyr goodnesse,
The skryppe aboute me gan dresse, —
Thys Grace dieu, ful manerly, —
And Tapoynte yt ffetysly, 6996
Oner1 my shuldere she yt caste, [' On St.]
And be-gan to bookele yt faste,
In travers wyse, yt tenbrasse,
She gan the gerdel to cowpasse ; 7000
Made the pendant, that was long,
To be knet & fastnyd strong,
Tliat the Tonge thorgh gan perce.
And than to me she gan reherse 7004
A scrypture off ysaye
Remembryd in hys prophesye,
The .ii.2 chapytle ye may se, [« Eiierenthe St.]
Grace dieu seyng to me : 7008
Take the
soripand go
and forget
not anything
I have told
Uu*.'
The Pilgrim.
[Cap. ciii,
prose.]
Grace Dieu
then throws
the scrip over
my shouN
ders,
[leaf 103, bk.)
and rehearse*
to me the
llth chapter
of I>niah.
J84 Grace Dieu gives me a Girdle, and a Latin Creed.
Grace Dim. GraC6 dlCU '. l C1 Dieu Spak St.]
'ffyrst, thow shall haue ffor Sykeruesse [stowe, leaf 127]
A gyrdel off Ryghtwysnesse,
To restreyne al lecherye.
And, for to make also dye 7012
Al fflesshly lustys euerychon,
I shal the gyrde (& that a-noon,)
Wyth thys skryppe, wych thow shalt here
Tlie to dyffende (that no tliyng deere) 7016
On pylgrymage, wherso thow go.'
she then Arid thawne she took a wry t also
writing. Out off hyr huchche, & rauht yt me.
in MS. for an Illumination.]
e Dim. ' In thys wryt, thow iiiayst,' <[uod she, 7020
tvJi'n?«con" ' Be-holde the descrypciouw,
^1G maller ^00^i anc^ ^i
OS the skryppe that I the took ;
And offte cast ther-on thy look 702i
ffro day to day, the bet to spede ;
And offte sythe that thow yt rede,
The cope pleynly, & scripture,
it is in Latin, The wycli ys mad (I the ensure) 7028
In latyn only, off entent
To yive to the entcndenient,
for clerks And to clerkys that kan lettrure,
•who can un-
derstand it, And vnderstonde hem in Scrypture, /032
That they may, both hih" & lowe,
-(leaf 101] The maner off thy Skryppe knowe,
.ma for them To fohve the ff eyth off crystys secte ;
To hem thys latyn I dyrecte. 703G
185
A LATIX POEM OX THE ARTICLES OF THE
CREED.
(43 Stanzas of 12 lines each, ryming aab, aabbb, abba.)
(1)
[p. 318, v]
17
1 c Redo ego catholicus,
Simplex sim uel iherarchicus,
Fide finna & simplici :
Implicite, si laicus,
Explicite, si clericus,
Siinbolo volo subici,
A firmamento deici,
Nunqurtw volo nee eflici,
Vt plaueta erraticus :
Malo morte?)i2 qua;;; infici.
Erroribtis heretic!,
Legi dei concentricus. 12
(2)
In deum, a quo conditns 13
Est inu»dus, credo3 primitus
lam lucis orto sidere :
Fidei est introitus,
Vbi, ego neophicus,
Debeo pedem figere.
Parum est deo credere,
Vel denut ni preponere
Ei velim4 in corditus :
Nisi eum diligere,
Velim verbo & opcre,
Et toto conle penitus.
(3)
Patrem primttm magnifico
Kternmu, et g'.orifico,
A quo meu»i exordium,
Eum-qwe sic speeifico,
Catholice k explico,
Qui genuerit filiuw,
Eum-n!K3 esse alinm,
Non aliud per propriu//i,
J'ersonale diuidico : 33
Finem atqiie principiuw,
Atque eoriim nescium,5
Ymaginor & iudico. 36
(4) [leaf Ml, back]
Oomipotentewi pariter 37
0/rtnia-q«e suauiter
Dispone?tte»>i hmtc" clamito,
Nil fnistra, nil inaniter,
Nil-qi«« nisi vtiliter,
Operantem recogito ;
Si in fide hac hesito,
Si vacillo uel dubito,
Non sum discretus arbiter
Egeo duci digito,
Quia errans exorbito,
Et relinquo bonum iter.
(5)
Creator em liunc fateor,
A quo reus ego reor,
Keruj/i creatas species ;
Que«i adorare teneor,
lie quo dictujffl confiteor.
Illi soli tu seruies,
Hoe non feci millesies,
Mea" culpa & pluries.8
9 Me perdituwt intueor,
Nisi dicat "saluus fies !
Tu es mea progenies ;
Tui fili misereor."
(6)
29
41
49 I believe in
lilHl
53
60
Cell & terre domtottua, 61 tiie Fatiier
Angeloi-JtOT & homtnm/i, Almighty,
Enm in fide video ;
Pati-ein-que esse luminnm,
]>ante»t tenebris8 tenninu;«, 65
Sic intueus spem habeo.
Et si ei non valeo
Servire sicut debeo, 68
Ob grandem inolewi criniinuwi,
Quo me verta?» hunc timeo,
t'ontremisco & paueo,
Ne vindex sit peccaminmn. 10 72
(7) [105, col. 4]
Et quia pnirem credere
Non creditur sufficere,
Ne nou esset relacio
Ad articulos vergere
Me volo, et cojtuertere,
Qui dati sunt de filio,
Cuius est generaeio,
Sic miranda-q»c racio,
Earn nescit exp»-imere,
Veluti vespertilio
Stupet11 solari radio,
Sic nescit ibi cernere.
73 Maker of
Heaven and
" '
77
81
In ih^snm Christian, igitur,
Mea fides dirigitur.
Ipse est pafris filius ;
Genitus est, et gignitur,13
Et gigni semper creditur,
Sicut a sole radius.
Nil in fatie supcrius,
Nil in nato inferius ;
45 In quantum deus dicitur,
Eternum est suu7» prius,
Eternum-qwc posterius ;
48 , Nnllis extremis clauditur.
84
85 and in Jesus
*-''"•'"•
89
93
96
> St. Credo Ego ( atliolicui. (Jn. Stowe adds, " a large nombar of verses vpon j»
crede, in lattyn, slipuld folow here in this place.")
" Mori inalo, Print. s quo. Pr. * veils. Pr. ' eorum fore nescio, Pr.
' Hunc di«poiientem, Pr. 1 MS. Maa. ' pluries, Pr. ' tencbre, Vt.
'" peccnminum, Pr. » Super, Pr. » I
B pluries, Pr.
1 ginitur, Pr.
186
A Latin Poem on the Articles of the Creed.
(9)
His only Son Filium eius vnicu«( 97
our Lord, per decretum catholicum,
HIDIC affirmo & assero ;
Sine quo, totum lubricuMi,
Inane & erraticunt, 101
Et carens casu prospero.
Sibi gemum me oflero,
Nu»ic, et qumndiu fuero.1
Q««muis sit valde modicum,
Ad eum-qwe me transfero,
Quandocujtqttc errauero 107
Tanquam ad pohvut articum.
(10)
109
Who was con- Domi'mtm nostru?/i dicere
reived I by the Hunc nos nlii Jextere
111MV lillOSt, ~ , ,. . . ,. .
Qui dicimur catliolici,
Debemns et attollere, [leaf 105]
Mente, uerbo, et opere, 113
Preconio multipliui,
Potestas eius deici,"
Nunqiiam potest, ncc effici
Minor sine decrescere 117
Sibi-qwe debent subici*
Terrigene & celici,
Et infernws hunc tremere. 120
(H)
bom of the ftui conceptus est vtero, 121
Virgin Mary, Virginali, hoc assero,
Illibatis visceribus,
CUIKS cnim perscrutauero,
Moduwi hebetatns ero, 125
Retensis4 cunctis sciisibiis,
Hoc fecit nijitis vsibus
Et consuetudinibus
Nature, pro me misero ;
Vnde, ex infelicibus
Me reputo liominibus,
Si hec oblitus fuero.
129
(13)
Natus est temporaliter, 14&
Qui natus eternaliter
De deo pn/re fuerat.
Ipso :iato celeriter
Factus est6 pins arbiter 149
Pro mtuido qui perierat,
Homo enim offenderat,7
Deum qui hupic creaueral ;
Et sic erat lis iugiter, 153
Vnde esse non poterat
Quia }>omo qui peccauerat
Nou puniretur grauiter. 156
(14)
Ex maria, ergo, jiium
Pacis traxit co?(imereium,
Nona rep.irans federa,
Et reddens Arbitragium
Se8 ad pi^ris arbitrium
Obtulit, proptcr scelera,
Mundi beata viscera
HuiH.s niatris, et vbora,
Sunm-qwe puerperiuwi.
Felix ipsa puerpera,
Seruiant ei sydera,
Et totus grex fideliu/H,
(15)
157
161
165
168
169
(12)
•uflerd De ipt'ri'fa 8«»c'o fuit,
Q««wt uirgo deufft genuit,
De deo p<rfre genitii)»,
Quern deus carnem induit,
Et vterum non horruit ;
Licet sibi insolitu»i
Iter5 fuit incognitu/H,
Et nature abscondituwi,
Quia fecit vt voluit :
Plus scratari est irritti//> ;
Fides valet ad meritivni ;
Et plus vltra no» arguit.
132
t
133 !
I
137 |
141 I
1441
Virgiae ipsa firmiter
Seruante, et9 stabiliter
Sancti pudoris liliiun10
SUUJK, Venus et lupiti-r,
Et totum celu?H pariter 173
Mirantur puerperiuwi.
Etas quoqji? viuenciuui,
Et luuentus & senimn, 176
De hoc stupent pefheiiniter.
'Miror,' dicit, 'ingenium,
Et virgiuem et filium
Hie studerem inaniter.' 180
(16)
181
Passat est ipse tilius,
Licet pecca^i nescius,
Penas & contumelias,
Factjts-qw est propicius,
Qui ferus fuerat prius.
lam expertus miserias,
Xii/iqKcwi inuentus alias,
Fuit pater-familias,
Qui contulerit plenius
Suas misericordias [IDS, col. 3]
Pro suis, & angustias
Sustinuerit durius. 192
18.r-
189
i vixero, Pr. * deijci, Pr. 3 snbijci, Pr. « Retunain, Pr. ' Ita, Pr.
6 et, Pr. " 11):., col. S. » Sed, Pr. » Seruantqnc, Pr. '» Blium, Pr.
A Latin Poem mi the Articles of the Creed.
187
(17)
Sub, qui supra est, ponitur, 193
Et subdito subicitur,1
Rex celor«»i altissimus
Coram iudice Jucitur,
Et iudicio sistitur, 197
Qui ludex est equissimus,
Superior sit infinuis,
Et virorum nouissiimts,
A suis-q«e relinquitur, 201
De maximo fit miuiimw,
Et licet sit sanctissiimjx,
Reus mortis condieitur ; 204
(21)
(18)
205
Poncio Pilato, Feram,
Ferente et mortiferam
Contra ipsnin senteneiam.
In cruce manum dexteram
Affigendawi, et alteraw 209
Exteudit in angariam ;
Tune secuiiditm leremiam2
Transeiuitibus per viani,
Potuit suam asperam
Monstrare contumeliam,
Illatam per inuidiam,
Cum nil egisset perperani.
213
216
(19)
217
Crucifixus ille fuit,
Et soluit quod non rapuit,
Dans ;i/(i//<aiu in precinm.
Sna pena non Intuit,
Sanguis fluens edoeuit, 221
Et latus SUUMJ i>«)-uium,
Anime-qwe diuorcium.
Qua/ftuui graue suppliciui»
Pro homii'u siistiiiuit \ 225
Suu»i q?foq«e obprolniu/;t
Factem oculis o»iniuin,
Euidenter hoc innuit. 228
(20)
Mortuus est, eum tradidit3 229
Deo p<i<ri, et reddidit,
Fuso sanguine, spirituui.
Moriens, ai'tem condidit,
Qua sibi mortewi subdidit, 233
Sibi tollens ins solitum,
Hostis \>er liawc dcposituwi
Quod tcnebat ad libitum.
C'onfusus totum perdidit, 237
Infenius-qit« dans gemilum,
Videns suon«»i exituui,
Sibi dolorews addidit. 240
Et ideo dim moritur,
Et du?/i •far hoc reuiuitur,
Fletus miscetur gaiidio,
Pro morte fletus oritur,
Cum innocens occiditur, 245
Pro alieuo vicio.
Fit autejit exultaeio,
Cum meiitali tripudio, 248
Du»i per mortem mors vincitur
Pio tame;! arbitrio
Videtur-qwc com pass! n
Satis in plus iutenditur. 252
241 umlei1 Ton-
tills Pilate.
(22)
Sepultus est p r triduuui,
Vsu sopito seiisuu/!!,
Sicut mortui seculi,
Suu»i erat irriguuw,
Exhaustuwt atqite arcuum ; 257
Exbausti OWHCS riuuli,
Deleti era»t tituli
Visit wlgaris4 oculi.
Vincisse fuisse suum,
Fuisse caput Anguli,
Dnctor uel rector popttli
Aut deus exercituiii/i.
253 «fas crucified,
dead,
261
264
(23)
265 and buried;
He descended
Descendit eiiis anima,
Corporis sancta victima,
Relicta in sudario,
Ad acherontis infima [IOG, col. i]
Venit pro dragina deciina, 269
Longo perdita senio,
Non ilia que de gaudio
Lapsa est a principio
Ad inferni nou:ssinia. 273
Sed ilia procnl dubio,
Que, in primo poinerio,
Rapta est 1'raude pessima. 276
(24)
Ad inferna, cum Inmine 277 into Hell;
Veuiens, & in numine,
Genus Adam visitauit,
A baratri voragine,
Desentos5 iu caligine, 281
Suos oitt«es liberauit,
Ille hostem tu/(c mactanit,
Et mactatU7« spoliaiiit
Sua consuettidine. 285
Ne furiat in quos pauit
Sicut prius, et quos lauit,
Fuso corporis sanguine. 288
1 mbijcitur, Pr. « Hieruuiam. Pr. > leaf 105, col. «.
« vulgarin, Pr. 5 ? Descenios.
188
A Latin Poem on the Articles of the Creed.
(25)
t lie third day Tercia die redijt, 289
irom'the8*'" ^ tel"l'us no'* preterijt,
dead; Datn//t ante dinorciu//s.
Regredicsns, introijt
Potenter vnde exijt 293
( 'orporis domiciling,
La|>is magnus ad hostium1
Datus iu hostiariu/H1
Hn/ie iugressiDit no/t2 nescijt,
Custoduwi-q«« astancin//!
Sellereia3 et studium
Percipere uon uequijt. 300
He :i-, m.ir.i
into Heaven,
mid sitteth
tin the riglit
luuidofUod
the Father
Almighty;
from thence
to judge
(26)
Resurrexit a mortuis, 301
Kesuin]>tis viribus suis,
Vltra inorti non subditus,
Clausis venis irriguis
Et tersis plagis profluis, 305
I tnpiissiliilis penitus,
Vita sibi est habitus, [1<K>, col. 8]
Piiuacio interitus,
Realteratis mutuis. 309
Thome testis est digitus,
Vulneribus appositus,
Ex iussn, clausis lanuis. 312
(27)
Ascendit supra sydera, 313
Et supra celi supera,
Rediens de incolatu,
Transeundo per nera,
Findens redemptis ethera 317
Potentyssimo volatu.
Tune Rachel, CUM* apparatu4
Leticie, & omatu,
Exiens sua cfimera, 321
Obnia«i terso ploratu,
Mutato-q«s eiulatv,
Ei venit hymnifera. 324
(28)
Ad celos, sic quondo fnit 325
' Regressus, et rchabuit
Honoris pnini solinni,
Qua«do vnita//! stat nit.
Carnewi nws/ram et posuit, 329
Caput esse celestiuwi ;
Time homo in exilium
Datns, & in obprobriu/«,
Luctum tergere debuit, 333
Et relevare ciliuwi
Demissnm \iropter viciu//(,
Re graciando potuit. 336
(29)
Sedet ad dexteraM Dei '•','•*
Patris, cocqualis ei,
Honiiue«t sic inciguificans,
I Tenipus sui lubilei
Cognoscens, et reipuiei. 341
1'lus se penis newt implicaus,
Modus suus est indieans
Qiu«i Iain iudex sit iudicans,
j Ne presuina/it nimis rei. 345
<vluodqi«c5 deuotus supplicans,6
Cicius-qtw; ins vindicans.7
Impetrat premia spei. 348
(30)
Omnipotextis filnm 349
Potencie lion nesciuj/i,
Hu«c a/ii»na mea credit ;
Et si quid est contrarium
Poteueie I'd obuium, 353
Huic inesse no/i concedit,
Imbecillis si aocedit,
Ad en//t minquam recedit,
NO/I repoita/is auxiliuni. 357
Totum posse stio cedit.
Deus pater, siii dedit
Regni celi doiiiiniiiM. 360
(31)
Inde Venturas, In fine, 361
Cum ferula discipline
Et vie if in is gladio,
Eductis teeto vagine
Pro iusticie diuine 365
Exercendo iudicio.
Tu/tc disin/icte reuuio
Hominum. et reiuuctio8
Erit substancie bine 369
(i,niditma qiu: ostensio
Actuuw et opeiacio10
Absqitc teginine cortine. 372
(32)
ludicare cu?/i veniet, 373
Nulhis eu»» elfugiet,
Nee hfiiebit dilfugiuni.
Null«s ibi exeipiet,
Neqitc deflendere sciet 377
Se pcy declinatoriu»i ;
Nichil tu»c dilatoriiiwi
Omninm ap]>ellanciu'jt
Valebit uel proficiet 381
Inimo sccimdum propriu//4
Opus ncl exercitU7« [106, col. 4]
Vnusquisque recipiet. 384
1 ostium . . . ostiarium, Pr, a KUT.-MIIII -uum, Pr. 3 Sollentia, Pr.
4 OH Hiarfiiit : Kachel interpivUta, viit«u dointtii, & *\xnat cecum . . qut in morte
[? MS.] Bluntes dieit vi*»ios [xxxiii. 7] ' AnjiHi |iac(* armure] flebilnt.' In assensu
ei«« [? MS.] 5 Neqiie. Pr. • leaf 1(16, col. X. • vcndicang, Pr.
8 MS. ieiunctio. rviunctio, Pr. y Omnium, Pr. 10 apertio, Pr.
A Latin Poem on the Articles of the Creed.
189
(33)
Vinos & mortuos scio 385
Dissiimili stipendio1
Ilia die pmniari,
Quosdam eterno gaudio,
Alios-qwe incendio 389
Infernali minvrari ;
Vinos se poteru/it fari,
Et de vita gloriari,
Quorum erit vocacio ; 393
Mortui-qwe nomi;iari
Potermit, et appellari,
Qnonm erit expulsio. 396
(34)
Credo, cum precedenlibus, 397
Kt cum predictis om»ibiu,
Quosdam adlnic articulos,
Quos in mundi ca?«pestiibus
Totis aniuie viribus 401
Colligo ut nianipulos,
Fidei namqttc flosculos,
Hos sicut et preambulos,
Cognosce ex colorihus, 405
Ad ipws habens octilos,
Vt discurraw per singulos,
Non exceptis aliquibus. 408
(35)
In ifiritum sanctu/" credo, 409
Licet fex siin, et putredo,
Et vilis esca vermiuw*.
Ipsc pa/ris est ilulcedo,
Estfilij, &2mulcedo; 413
Et consolator cordiu»»,
Dicere potest omm'ui/i.
Artifex sum per3 prnpriuw,
Pc/re nato-qwc procedo ; 417
Digitus sum erranciuitt,
Tercia persona triuin,
Procedews, nu?iqi«im recedo.
(36)
Sancta»( eccksiam dei 421
Credo ease inatrem inei, [107, col. I]
Cun<;tor«?n-q«« fidelium.
Qui contrariant«r ei,
Facti sn»t o?«ni«o rei ; 425
Erit eis opprobrium.
Pro hac, quondam martiriwm
Passi sunt, et supplicium
Boni athlete fidei ; 429
Cruentatiim vestiginm,
Et Roma, cap«t gencinnt,
Testes fiunt hui«s rei. 432
(37)
Catholica///. hanc clamito,
Et rcfertam recogito
Septe»i medicinalibus,
Distinctis quasi digito,
Ad succurrendum jwrdito 437
In distinctis langoribus,4
Pcimum originalibus,
Medelam confert omnibus,
Alia qite non hesito, 441
Dant diuccsis respectibus
Curam infiniiitatilnis,
Scruato niodo debito. 444
the n
tin- li
lead.
(38)
Sanctoru./- communione/"
Et glorificaciononi
In celesti ecclcsia,
Credo per assercionei»
Et per affirmaeionem
Owjnis honorans5 dnlia,
Aliqnos yperdnlin,
Soluwj deti/x-qMfi latria,
Ponendo dietinccioneiii, 453
Satis sperans de veil in,
Si sua patrocinia
Pro me present6 cancionem. 456
445 I believe in
the Holy
(ilioat, the
holy Catholic
Churdi,
449
(39)
Bemissioneui fieri,
Peccatoruwi, ut reperi,
Credo per pcnitendaw,
Ycr naanian, hoc suggeri, [I07,e.a]
In agro regum veteri, 4fil
Dico ad euidencia?«,
Nam sicut hie mimdiciaw
In aqnis, et rarcnciam
Lejire, ut earn pueri,
Kecepit : sic per gra^Mi
Penitens, reueitenciajre
Habet a porta infer!.
457 the Commu-
nion of
Saints,
465
468
(40)
Peccatoruw sic macu'a-i,
Et spirituals pustulas,
Assero purificari ;
Aliter has vt stipulas,
Ad infernales foculas,7 473
Omnes dico destinari,
Perhenniter has versari,
In lehenna8 et cremari,
Et spinarum sarcinulas, 477
Ex ipsis quoqw« parari,
Hosti qui nunnuam predari,
Sicut sorbiciunculas. 480
469 tlio Forgive-
neiss of sin*,
' dinpendio, Pr.
Omne* Kdorans, L'r.
* iitqtie, Pr.
c prestent, Pr.
et. Pr. * Innguorihtia, pr.
" iaculnfl Pi-. * iehenua Pr.
190
A Latin Poem on the Articles of the Creed.
body, and tlie
lil'e everlast-
ing.
(41)
the Resurrec- Carnis resnrrectione/», 481
tion of the Atqwc recoBuiccionem
luncturaruw et ossiuwi
Post vite reunionem,
Ad reddendajft racione//i 485
Fateor ad iudicimn,
Ad consequendum premium,
Per actu»;t meritoriu»i,
Atqtw retribricionem 489
Habendum, rcl suppliciuro
Per commissuwi contrarius/i
Atq«e cottdempnacione?». 492
(42)
Vita.ni eternam firmiter 493
Credo, et ha«c finaliter
Dico metam1 iucolatua,
Felix qui vadit taliter,
Qui non perdit suum2 iter, 497
Sancttts qnoqite, et beatus
Ibi omnis collocatus, [I07,col.3]
Vere est glorificatus,
Et lam viuit feliciter, 501
Cunctus ibi sit paratus,
Glorie locus, et datus
Sine fine pcrhenniter. 504
(43)
Amen. Amen, corde dicens ergo, 505
Volo ego ani mergo,
Dissimilis non fiery ; 3
Nam si nimis me immergo,
Vel profunde nimis pergo, 509
Vadens ad portas inferi.
Si errans vmbra4 vesperi
Laberintho, ut pueri,
Ad leuam me nimis vo-go 513
Tuto volo itineri,
Redire cursu celeri,
Respicere-qw a tergo.5 516
1 metliam, Pr. 2 Qwi suuin non perdit, Pr. 3 fieri, Pr, * vmbras, Pr.
-' 86 French lines (to Lydgate's 152} follow on Foillet xxiiij before the iml Latin poem begin*.
Tlie Pilffrim.
I ask Grace
Dieu about
the girdle.
Grace Dieit.
fCap. civ,
pro«e.]
She says I
ought first to
have askt for
a Staff,
[The Pilgrim.]
Wyth tliys skryppe whan I was bouwde, 7037
Glad I was, & ful Jocou?ide ;
And than I gan a-noon enquere,
Prayede she wolde vn-to me lere. 7040
(Lyst tliat tlier wer any lak)
Off the gyrdel that she off spak,
That I niyghte vnderstonde aryht
The thyng that she hadde me behyht. 7044
Grace dieu :
Quod Grace dieu, ' touchyng al thys,
Off thy gyrdel & my promys,
Thow sholdest (off good entencioun)
ffyrst yaxyd6 A Bordou», [« have askt, y axed« St.] 7048
The to sustene nyht & day,
And supporte the on thy way
Wherso that thow go7 or walke. pgoost.]
And affter, I caste me to talke 7052
Vfith the, and pleynly ek expresse
Off the gyrdel off ryhtwysnesse.
Grace Dicu describes the Staff cald " Good Hope." 191
1 But ffyrst tak bed off the Bordoiw, [leaf ics]
How yt ys good in ech sesoun, 7056 <3fa"I>i'«-
SOT he nat falleth1 comou«ly [' ffuyiieth St.]
That leneth ther on stedefastly.
ffor wych thow shalt (as yt ys ryht.) to prevent
J \ J J J >/ llly failing.
Wt't/t al thy fforce & al thy myght, 7060
Ther-on reste, what so be-falle.
And trewly thow shalt nat falle,
What perillous passage that thow go,
As longe as thow takest hed ther-to, [stowe, leaf us] 7064
And, tavoyde2 away dyspeyr, p to avoyde St.]
Wherso thow gost in foul or ffayr,
Or what fortune the be-falle.
" Good hope " alway thow shalt yt ealle : 7068 The name of
the si aff is
Thys the name off thy Bordouw, 'Good Hop*,1
in French
Off trust & trewe affecci'ou?/, • Esperance.'
Wych ys callyd Esperaunce,
Affter the speche vsyd in frau^ce, 7072
And the maner off that language.3 piangagest.]
' And looke alway, in thy passage,
That thow holde the wel ther-by,
And ther-on reste fcythfully 7076 imu>t«iway>
In peryllous pathys wher thow wende.
And by the pomellys at the Ende,
Holde the strongly, I the rede,
ffor they shal, in al thy nede 7080
Sustene the, thow 4 falle nouht, [« that ihou]
' The hiher pomel (yiff yt be souht) [Cap. cv,
Ys i/*esu cryst : haue hym in mynde ; The ingher
And in scrypture (as thow shalt fynde.) 7084 the'endoftiie
TT ji R i o i i i dlaflfia JeBUB
He ys the morour5 cler & bryht, pMerourst.] cimat.
Wt't/i-oute spot, (bothe day & nyht,)
In the wyche, a man, by grace, SaS^lcLSlst.'^.c.
Jlay beholde hys owne fface, 7088
In wych merour (as I tolde) [leafios, bk.]
Al the world otihte be-holde.
In wych also men may fynde
Alle thynges wrouht be kynde. 7092
Reste vp-on hym with herte and thouht,
And go surly, & dred the nouht ;
192 The two Pommels of the Pilgrim's Staff: Christ & Mary.
Grace Dien. And to hys helpe alway calle, 7095
And truste wel thow slialt nat falle. [stowe, leaf 128, back]
[Cap.cvi, 'The tother pomel lowere1 doun, [> lower st.]
prose.]
The lower Wych (w(t/?-oute comparison;?,
K"IMaid' Yiff I sh.il the trouthe telle)
•11 otter fe Ys the Ma yde that doth excello 7100
beauty and
bounty, A\ other off bewte & bounte ;
ffor she, in hyr vyrgynyte,
Bar a chyld in th}rs world here,
Miiyde & moder bothe yfere, 710i
the «irimneic The Charboiuicle most cler ofB lyht,
that Illn- J
whole world. Chasynge away dyrknesse off nyht,
And al thys world doth tmlwmyne ;
The ffrcsshe bemys so clerly shyne. 7108
Al that go mys in ther passage,
Or erryn in ther pylgrymage ;
Or ffolk that gon out off her way,
(As wel be nyhte as be day, 7112
I dar afferme yt in certeyn)
She maketh liem to resorte ageyn
Vn-to the ryhte weyc a-noon :
she is the - ffor to pylgrymes euervchon 7116
tnieffnideof
pilgrims. She ys the trewe dyderesse ;
And ther socour in al dyrknesse ;
And yiff they sl3'dre, or fallu doun,
TUys Empe/'esse off most renxiuw, 7120
Only off mercy, doth hem releue,
That no thyng ne may hem greue
In ther passage nyh nor ferre,
For she ys the loode sterre, 7124
With her bryhte bemys clere,
To al2 pylgrymes in thys lyff here, [« T^I c., Taiic st.]
That ban to hyre affectyou;/. 7127
[leaf 109] 'And for that skyle, in thys bordou?«, [stowc, leafisa]
she is set low In thys pomel (yiff thow kanst kuowe)
down in the r,.
pommel, She ys J'Set her donn alowe3 [» ysette . . alowe St., y»et lowe C.]
I5y an Arche ymad off newe :
No charbou??cle so brj'ht off he we, 7132
Nor noon other precyous ston,
Rekne the .xij.4 euecycbon. [» twelve]
Virgin Mary is the lover Pmnmel mi the Pilgrim's Staff. 193
'And in thys bordouw, looke wel
How she ys set for a pomel,
Pylgrymes to saue, they1 be nat lorn,
Wher-as ther was but On to-forn.
' But thys pomel most bryht & shene,
Pylgrymes only to sustene,
Ys set in ful goodely wyse ;
ffor ellys myghte2 nat suffyse'
The tother, but she wer ther also,
Hem to supporte, wher-so they go.
ffor she ys mene, (& that ful offte,)
To the pomel hifi as-loff te :
Thys to seyne, thys heuenely quene,
To hyr sone ys euere a mene ;
Coumfort most pnncypal & cheff
TaP pylgrymes in ther myscheff, r» TO a,i.
Hem to supporte, who taketh hede.
'And therfore whan thou hauest^ nede,
Trust on hyre, & neuere varye,
ffor she ys most necessarye
To holde6 hem vp in ther passage,
Wher they ben old or yong off age.
Leue on hyre, what so befalle,
& in thy way thow shalt nat falle,
Yiff that thow in eche sesouw
Haue in hyre affeccibuw,
T!T
mayst nat stomble nouther s]
Whan thys pomellys ben to-gydre ;
She ys the pomel set mor lowe,
7136
Brace Ditn.
P that they:
in order to
save pil-
grims,
7140
myghte yt aj
7144
P off St.]
7148
to whom she
is chief com-
fort.
7151
P haste St.]
TO ho,do St., roWe CJ
7 j 56
whether they
be old or
young.
M
s I shal the trewly teche,)
To the hifier thow shalt wel reche ;
Bothe wroulit off Stonys clere :
And yiff thow loue on bothe yfere,
Thow mayst trust, thorgh ther myght,
Thow shalt nat falle, but gorc vp ryht.
' Wherfor, for thy sauacyourc,
Hold the wel by thys Bordourc
Wych ys mad ful stronge, to laste;
And therfor, therby hold the" faste ;
PILGRIMAGE.
7164 [leaf 109, bk.]
She is the
pommel set
lower down,
by whose
help the pil-
grim reaches
71fi8 the "'gher
D one.
7172
194 Each Pommel has an Inscription. I. on God; II. the Virgin.
far both
pommels
there is :i
writing.
1. for the top
pummel,
3. for the
lower one.
Grace pun. Trust on yt & nat lie feyne ;
ffor thys pomellys bothe tweyne 7176
Ben so noble and ffayr off syht,
So glad, so coumfortable & bryht,
And lyk thy1 skryppe (I the ensure,) ['the St.]
Thow shalt ffor ech haue a scrypture 7180
Yiff thow kanst hem vnderstond :
Lo, haue hew* here now in thy?z hoiul ;
And consydre & loke hem wel :
The ffyrst toucheth the pome], 7184
Yset a-loffte most cheffly ;
And the tother, wryt ther-by,
(Shortly, for thow slialt nat tnryt')
Longeth to the Secou«darye. 7188
[St.] Pater Creator Omnium [k cetera, whiche should folowe.
[John Stowe, leaf 109, back]
I. A LATIN POEM ON GOD IN TPJXITY.
[Not in St.]
(37 stanzas, of 12 lines each, ryming aab aabbb nbbn.)
17
21
(1)
(2)
Father, Crea-
p ater, creator owumiMi,2
1
3 Noster voluisti esse,
tor of all
things,
Origo et principium
Ne uobis esset neccesse,
A quo causantur omreia,
Extra te quicquam querere
Ad te, tuartim ouium,
Non poteras plus prodesse,
Tuoruw grex fidelium,
5
Neqnc de maiori messe
Alta mittit suspiria,
Nobis vnq«am tribuere ;
In fletu et miseria,
Solus debes sufficere,
Captiuati per deuia,
Quia solus reficere
our only re-
Non habcmus reinediuwi,
9
Potes mentes plebis fesse,
medy,
Nisi tua clemencia,
Aliud quam te temere ;
Tua paterua gracia
Nobis ferat auxilium. [If. no]
12
Auermes nam deficere
Restat, si velis abesse.
2 Anotlier short hymn has the same title :
18. DE SANCTA TRINITATE.
Father, Son,
and Holy
till. ..-I, :;' in 1
and 1 in :;,
demise us
from crime!
Tims cleunsd;
add us to the
laithhii:
Pniise ever-
l:ist inur be to
Fiti her, Son,
and Holy
Spirit '.
(1)
(3)
Pater, creator omnium,
donans cuncta per filium,
' accepta nostros genitus
per dona sancti spiritus 4 fac inngi cum fidelibus. 12
(2)
, O mutatis tnnitas
et trinitatis unitas !
pro tuo sancto nomine,
emunda nos a crimine ! 8
Alone, LaJeiniscke Hymnen des Mittelcdtcrs, i. 25 (1853).
5 A Gap for the first word of every stanza was left blank for the Rubric:itor to fill
in ; but lie hasnt fild it. I therefore insert the words from the old printed book,
ab. 1500.
Mundatos a criniinibus,
dona virtutum floribus,
et in poloruni scdibus
fac jnngi cum fidelibus.
Sit laus patri per saecula,
agnoque sine macula,
atque sancto spiritui,
quo mereamur perfrui. Amen !
The first Latin Poem, on God in Trinity.
195
(3)
Qvies Fuisti, et eris ; 25
Pater, succurre miseris,
Qui non manenms in idem,
Idem ipse tu diceris,
Qui nunquam pcrmutaberis, 29
Manens semper in ibidem,1
Sicut hoc credimtM quidem,
Fac, pater, per iatam fidem,
Vt noxas uostri sceleris, 33
Dimittas nobis totidem,
Quotiens promisit pridem,
Redemptor nostri generis. 36
(4)
In relis sursum habitas, 37
Qui in terris nos visitas,
DominiM exercituum,
Si non feris aut excitas,
Nos remissos non suscitas 41
Ad ullum opus strenuum,
Ad volanduw in arduunt,
Et altam messem fructuu//t,
Alas liabens irritas, 45
Laborami« in vacuum,
Nee habemus irriguum,
Nisi'tua det bonitas. 48
(5)
Sanctificetur, dicimus, 49
Nomen taunt, quod colimus
Et quod est ammirabile,2
Sine quo recognoscimus,
Et audacter proferimus 53
Nil sanctum, nil valibile,3
Serf cum non sit hoc facile
Laudare, nee possibile
Eo-qwe non sufficimns. 57
Tamen, prout optabile4
Cordibus est, & habile,5
Ad Iaudandi6»t assurgirm<s. 60
(6)
til
Nomen tibi6 alpha & O,
Significans, in secreto,
Finem atqi«c p»-incipiu»n,
Tali decet alphabeto,
Nos studere corde leto, 65
Leccio est credenciuwt,
Theologos hoc studiu»i
Nos facit et ad solium
De mu)idi arundineto 69
Transfert, muta/ts in giiudin »«,
Miserrimujn naufragium
Quod patimtt;- in hoc ffreto. 72
(7)
Tuum pater est praprium, 73 lielp us in
Non annexum pec aliui/i, i™bourln"™°ii
Misereri et parcere without Tli.y
De te, suu?n tentoriuwi grace !
Et SUUHI diuersoriu?», 77
Debent filij facere
Morte«* non vis, sed viuere,
Vis omnes qui conuertere
Se volunt per suspiriuw. 81
Nuwquojn uis tuos perdere,
Nee pxillos milus tradere,
Quorum tu es refugium. 84
(8)
Adueniat ergo dens, 85 May Thy
Aliquando iubileus, Nam.^«be)
->4 , . , .. ...' sanctified,
Nobis datlS exiho, Alpha and
Si quisqwo/rt nos^rem est reus, Omega,
Nee est ibi Machabeus, 89 gSfg^™
Qui fortis sit in jirelio,7
Non propter hoc intencio
Tua sit ut nos gladio,
Vastet, Golyath, Getheus,8 93
Semper enim in vinio"
Nobis nocet &10 inuio,
Factus seou amon-eus. 96
(9)
Regnum tuum, vt dieitur,
Rex eterae, vim patitur,
Violenti11 hoc rapiunt,
Virtu tibjw concutitisr,
Penitencia pellitur, 101
Preces illud effodiunt.
Si ista no»t sufficiuut,
Machinas multi faciunt ;
Quib«w super ascenditur, 105
Na»i quidant se subiciunt,1-
Votis quibus obediunt,
Ars ista nu»qM«)» fallitur. 108
97 Thou wishest
us to live, not
die ; come to
our rescue !
(10)
Fiat ergo per gratazm,
Quia tolem violeneiam
Permittis illuc intrennw,
Et murormn custodiam,
Non des ad resistenciawi
Quia nichil tune possemiwt,
Artem nee vires hreiemus,
Vt perhoram solawt13 stemus,
Nisi tu des constanciaw, 117
Retrocedere solemn,
Quaiido adire debemus
Illud regnuw et pmft'iam. 120
1 09 Thy kingdom
sutlers vio-
lence : let us
enter it by
Prayer and •
-.-,,, 1 Vn it crn',- '
Penitence !
i id idem. 2 admiraliile, Pr. leaf 110, col. !. • laudabile, Pr.
« pro vt est liahile, Pr. * Cordibns et optabile, Pr. « tunin, Pr.
leaf 110, col, S. • Etheus, Pr. » viuio, Pr. '» in, Pr. « Et violent!, Pr.
'2 safficiiint, Pr. « Et . . . solum, Pr.
196
The first Latin Poem, mi God in Trinity.
(11)
Tliy will is to Yoluntas tua saluare
»aye men : Egt homines,1 et iuuare
help Us; We T ..IT- .1
seek Thee In tribulacionibus ;
alone. A mari usqwc ad mare,
Vnire et congregare
Cuxctos de nacionibus,
Debiles cum pauperibus,
Preparatis iam omnibus
Ad cenaiu tuam vocare,2
Pusillis cum maioribus,
In oportunitatibus
Auxiliuw ministrare.
121
125
129
132
(12)
Thee, who
rulest in
Heaven, we
worship,
weeping.
Sicut, pater, hoc credimut, 133
Sicut de lioc confidirmw,
Sic nobis auxiliaris,
Aliunde now querinuis
Auxiliu/M, nee petimus, 137
Quia solus tu mederis,
Si now aliquando feris
Pro narfris culpis et tens.
Nou propter hoc diffidimws, 141
Scimws enim qwia geris
Curam nostti, et nos3 queris
Quando a te4 recedimus. 144
(13)
We pray In celo, supra spericam 145
1'l.'c«Vb« , Rotantis inuwdi fabricam,
mindful of us . .... .
•mnprg on Immobills domiuans,
earth. Sedem tenens teatricaxt,5
Aciem tua»i bellicaiu, 149
De excelso coHtemplaris ;
Nos eccitas, nos hortaris,
Vt sit toga militaris,
Prills tincta per rubricaw, 153
Quam hostis familiaris
Nobis tollat tuis caris
Innoceucie tunicam. 156
(14)
We earn our Et quia, sine viribus 157
£*££** Et armis spiritalibus,
our soul ' Accessimus ad duellum,
desires the Quia, nullis verberibus
Hread t Thy pomatum, U(,J calcaribus, 161
Sentimjjs carnis asellum.
Ideo, sanctum scabellum,
Quo stas, ad videnduwt belluw,
Adoramns cum fletibus,6
Et ipsitmmet domicellum
Per ydoneuwi flagellum, 167
Subicias supplicibus. [leaf ill]
(15)
In terra, nos te colonum, 169
Et in celo te patronu?» [? MS.]
Animarwwi cognoscimus,
Et te7 deum ulcionu///
Esse, et puuicionu>/» 173
In inferno metuimtts.
Et ideo requirimus,
Et devote assistimus 176
Ante tnnnt sanctum thronum ;
Vt nobis, qui peccauiniMS,
Sis, vt de te presuminiMS,
Meinor miseraeionuwj. 180
(16)
Paneni nostrum In sudore 181
Vescendum, et in labore,
Dedisti a principle,
Vsqi<e modo t«li more
Ipso mixto cum merore,8 185
Nos<ra fuit refectio ;
Serf, ne esset fastidio,
Prouidisti de alio,
Longe satis meliore ; 189
Hoc est, de tuo filio,
In que»i panis comiersio
Fit, ipso institutore. 192
(17)
Quotidianum petimus 193
Hunc panem, et reqniriratw,
Cotidie indigentes,
Primuwt exactor proximiw
Secundicm petit animus ; 197
Sine ipso moricntes,
Primo uiuiDit onr/fes gentes,
Serf secu»do penitentes
Quia panis est azimus, 201
Ideo, accipientes
Oraui ferme/ito care«tes,
Delient esse," vt credim«s. 204
(18)
Da panem istui/i, dmniiic, 205
Ytni//iqi«e qui pro homine,
Vtroqwc fuit pensatus, [in S]
Sustentet moderamine,
Vmu vnujft, sed minime 209
Fiet alter saciatus,
Si in nobis sit reatus, [? SIS.]
Per quern nobis sis iratus.
Non propter hoc in turbine, 213
Vindicte sis recordatns ;
Sed memor sis, q«orf nos natus
Tuus redemit sanguine. 216
' liominis, Pr. « leaf 110, col. 4. 3 noatri nosnue, Pr.
4 A te quando, Pr, 5 thearifam, Pr. 6 flacibus, C. 7 te, Pr., om. C.
8 tali more, Pr. 9 Esse debent, Pr.
TJic first Latin Poem, on God in Trinity.
197
(19)
Nobis tuis paupenbus 217
Jn lani;,, descendentibus,
Succurrere UOH renuit.
Nam mactatus vcrberibus,
Kt perfossus1 vulneribus, 221
Pro nobis mori voluit,
Et2 proprijs se exuit,
Et soluit quod no/^ rapuit,
Obses pro peecotoribiis, 225
Mors sua noatta.m diluit,
Set3 penitere debuit
Pro ta»t caris opcribus. 228
(20)
Hodie et cotidie, 229
Simili vena Veuie,
Egeremuft liune minui,
Nisi sue ta/« nimie
Riui miaericordie 233
Nosiro cederent vsui
Per ijwos enim ablui,
Credimi<« qui assidui
Sumiu culpis nequicie, 237
Supposito-qMe fletui,
Debito q«e gemitui,
Nos demus volu/itarie. 240
(21)
Et quia digiie lugere 241
Non possumtts, neq«« flere,
Si exiguttt demerita,
Nee httiemus quo supplere
Nisi solu«i miserere, 245
Quia no;t valent merits,
No«(raquoq«csuntirrita[iii -f]
Anima nostra perdita ;
Ideo clamamus vere, [?MS.]249
Respice nos, et visita,
Et erige & snscita, [? MS.]
Non nos sinens plus iaeere. 252
(22)
253
Dimitte nobis, & quita
Peccottt, pater, oblita ;
Et dele de libro tuo
Ilia &utcm que su»it seita.
Lamentari nos fac* ita 257
Ne scribantur pirpetuo.
Nonsuntvnu//i, no« suntduo,
Nee numeranda biduo ; s
S(tl sunt quasi infinita,
Non habita ex mutuo,
Neqwc facta in triiluo,
Sed in tota nos^ra vita.6
261
(23)
Debita ipsa iiouiimts, 265 He deigml to
Nam pro pecc««is tradimsts7
Animas in obsidiuw.
Penes nos non habuimiw,
Nee in domo inuenimus
Vllum carius vadiuwt.
De!«s, nostruni refugiu//;,
Tu, nosti vsurariu»i,
Cui nos obligauimus,
Nisi feras auxilium,
Vel cum cogas nimim/i,
Totum nostrum amisimus.
269
273
276
(-24)
Nostra esse hec debita
Propter que sic est subdita
Anima vsurario,
Non neganiits, ne irrita,
Et tibi ingratuita
Esset ilia negaeio.
Talis tamen confessio
Nu«qi«»»i dicit sufficio,
Neque tibi sit placita
Nisi feruens deuoeio
Et amara contricio [1C. ill, col. i]
Dicat fleo deperdita. 288
277 Look on us,
and raise ua ;
blot out, our
innumerable
sins!
281
285
264
(25)
Sicut ergo debitores
Et miseri pcccatores,
Egemus indulgencia ;
Sic quoq)(« condonatores
Rancoris, et quittatores,
Volumw* vti venia ;
In tua namqiM curia,
Rancor et iracu«dia
Non su/tt boni petitores.
Nam viudiete pro gracia
Et pro misericordia
Noscuntur reportatores.
(26)
Et Ideo indulgemus
Iniurias, vt vellemus
Eas nobis indulgeri.
Nil rancoris retinemus
In cordibus, nee habemus
Quod noil sit amoris veri.
Si fuimMS nimis feri,
Et ad indulgendma seri,
Et vltores si possemus,
,N<w<ri velis misereri,
Et cordibus sic mederi,
Vt in charitate stemus.
289 <3od, our re-
fuge, help us
to pay our
debts for our
sins!
293
297
300
301 As debtors,
we pray Thy
favour. We
have love in
our hearts.
305
309
312
i »>iif<H)fiui, Pr. » Et ex, Pr. 3 Sed, Pr. * fac nos, 1'r.
"' tridno, Pi. « vita nostra, Pr. ' dedimiu, Pr.
198
The first Latin Poem, on God in Trinity.
(27)
Tluu only Jifos scimws quod non aliter1
™aj°er8 reach Centre preces vtiliter
Thee, if the Ascendtuit ad te, domiue.
Holy Spirit Oedimws q«oqwe finniter
teach us. j i -i 01 <-
Qiwxi ascendunt velociter o!7
Si sint sine rubigine,
Si lacriman«rt flumine,
Corda cuwi penitudiue
Lauentur efficaciter, 321
Et mmida mens a crimine,
Vt vis valet in ho»ii/tt',
Te requirat humiliter. 324
(28)
325
For our iron Dimittimus, si corditus
neeJll.™re- Cunetis dicamus penitus,
membrance Hoc totum ualet supplere,2
ft™- $£* Si sairitus paraclitus,
Dextere tue digitus, [? MS.] 329
Ad hoc velit nos docere.
Sine ipso, nunqifaw vere
Iniurias indulgere
Potest arrogans spirit«s ; 333
Nam nimis eredens valere,
Admodiu/i. cornute fere,
Monstrat <\uod sit indomitus.
selves.
(31)
Et ideo, te et illuw 361
Qui rubricatu»/i vexilluwt
Gerit, et arnia nibea,
Qui mare facit tranquilluwi,
Et nostruj/i portat sigilluwt5 365
Exaratum a lancea, [? MS.]
Qui veste rectua lutea
Strauit in sna area
lufernalem cocodrilluw 369
Petimus, vt sic ferrea
Corda franguntur per ea
Que stint pretacta paxilluMi,"
(32)
Ne nos inducas eciam 373
In festinam sentenciam
Quia cito pmremus,
Expecta nos per graciam,
Et per tuam clemenciam 377
Et differ,7 vt emendemus ;
In mmido nihil hrtfcemus
Nisi vt nosmet apterous
Ad intranduwi in gloriam ; 381
Sed caro, in qua maneraws,
Nos ducit vt deuiemiLs
Per uiam nimis inuiam. 384
(29)
We pray Debitoribus ideo, 337
grac^tam Qifanifoqwe nimis ferreo
us to enter Corde, dat indulgcncia?» ,
into Glory. Dicens, satis indulgeo,
Et satis supersedeo, 341
\' si | »>• in In irinii aliam ;
Sect tu ha»c3 fraudulentiam
Deus nu»q)(«»t ad veniam
Conucrtis wl das pro eo. 345
Immo, ad iracuHdiaiu,
Te, per equipolleneiara,
ProuocattiHi, reddis reo. 348
GoJ, flght Nostris igitur mcntibus, 349
N±h?^' Indnratis et rudibus,
«•« do of our- Tria suiit necessaria,
j)e commissis reatibus,
Atqwc iniquitatibns 353
Crebra reminiscencia ;
Frequenter pati tristia,
CUHI pena et angari.i4
Et cum infirmitatibus, 357
Sancti spin'ftis gracia,
De cella vnguentaria
Fnndcns amorewt cordibus. 360
(33)
In temptaciouem mit, 385
Et labitur atq«e fluit,
Licet longe sit temptator.
Nujiqtjam facit quod congmit,
Serf bonum omne destruit 389
Quod constrnit Imfcitator.
Deus, omnium creator,
Tu, pro nobis, sis pugnator,
Sicut nos^fa spes9 arguit ; 393
Et carnis sis sic domator,
Vt ems sit triumphator
Spiritus qui succubuit. 396
(34)
Sed viuiMt adhuc itetere 397
Volumws, et requirere,
Vt ille, hoste domato,
Spiritus se9 extollere
Nequet ve\ erigere 401
Quasi a se10 subiugato.
Nam hnoemus pro probate"
Qworf, quisquid dixerit plito,
Nil a se potest facere. [? MS.]
Immo, abs te increato,
Et a famine et nato,
Totum hnftet procedere. 408
1 laliter, Pr. 2 leaf 112. » lianc tn, Pr. * angustia, Pr.
' leaf Hi, col. 2. 6 pauxillum, Pr. ' Differa, Pr. * spes noetra, Pr.
• Se spiritm, Pr. '" A se quasi, Pr. >' leaf Hi. col. 3.
The second Latin Poem, on the Virgin Mary.
199
(35)
Libera nos, ergo, deus, 409
Tu ac tuus Nazareus, [? MS.]
Cum proprio spirami'/te.
Vnus1 cstis, scd mdeus
Non credit quod galileus 413
Conceptus sine semi«e
Sit, seu natus de virgine,
Siue passus pro homine :
Et in hoc sit ipse reus. 417
Plus credit in velamiiie,
Littereqife in luminc [?]
Factus ciuis tartareus.
(36)
A malo hoc et2 alijs 421
Tins deus subsidijs,
Conserua nos, & defiende,
Extrahe3 nos de vicijs,
Releuans* de miserijs ; 425
Et benignum te ostende,
Cuiqi««5 nostrum die 'ascende ;
Veni mecum pro haiende
Vite eterne gaudijs." 429
Tales tue sunt prebende,
Nullatenus concedende
Free us, God
and Christ ;
draw us from
our sins ; let
us win denial
life.
420 Nisi tuis famulijs.6
(37)
Amen, pater,7 coneludimus, 433
Quia fmem de nouim?<s [?]
De via reuertencium.
Locum ad quern nos tendimHs,
Et in quo nos quiescimies 437
Post laboris stipendinm,'
Tu nobis sis solacium,
Et corona et premium,
Quia in te sperauimus, 441
Confirmans vaticiniam [112/1]
Dauid per priuilegium,
In domum suam ibimus." 444
432
Father, be
our comfort
nnd reward,
for we have
hoped in
Thee, and
will live in
Thy house.
II. A LATIN HYMN TO THE VIKGIN MARY.
(14 stanzas of 12 lines each, ryming (tab aabbb abba.)
(1)
Ave reclmatoriuM [MS. torn] 1
Et propiciatorium,
Et captini spes populi,
Data in diuersorium
Keis, et in refugiu?», 5
Et in locum latibnli,
Que yMitris ade vetuli,
Et damuatricis seculi
Eue, ue damnatorium, 9
Pro quodaTO morsu ])omnli
Aspect! visu reguli,
Commutasti in gaudium. 12
(2)
Maria, apto nomine, 13
Presagio, non omine,
Diceris ab infancia ;
Que in uoctis caligine,
Pro viamm discrimine, 17
Polo muiidi sis media,
Vt gens, ]>er mare deuia,
Ad te, uua vestigia
Dirigat viso lumine, 21
Et a circumferencia,
Pro impetranda fji».-/.i,
C'ii-cu»ideris in cardine.
24
' ? MS. vnura. * atqii«, Pr. *
5 Cui, Pr. • optiinin fnmulia, Pr
' Pr. adds 'Ara«n.' *> Fonna, Pr.
(3)
Gratia tu efficeris
Directiuum itineris
Norma10 vite rectisshna.
In orbibus stelligeris
None legis et veteris,
Stellartj?/* splendidissima,
In prosperis humilima,
In aduersis11 fortissima,
Semper astans fro miseris,
Electan«m dignissima,
Tarn corpore q?(«m anima,
In inferis & superis. [leaf us]
(4)
Plena est tua ydria,
Hausta, celesti gracia,
Puteo sancti spiritus.
Si pulseris instancia
Precum, res est notoria,
Quod effundes 12 et strepitus
Deprecantis, sollicitus
Obtinebit ut penitus.
25 Hail, hope of
the captives,
star in the
darkness !
29
33
37 Rightest rule
of life,
41
full art t In .11
of the Holy
Deorsum stillicidia 45 Spirit-
Mittas ; nee sit prohibitus
Camelorwm exercitus
Portans peccata gi-ania. 48
Et extrahe, Pr. 4 Nos releuans, Pr.
" amen, Pr. 8 dispendium, Pr.
11 asperis, Pr. 13 efTundens, Pr.
200
The second Latin Poem, on the Virgin Mary.
(5)
God filld thee Domiims, ad hoc prouida, 49
will, mercy. Te repleuit vt placida
It was with ~ I , . *. .
thee in child-
liood, and
Refundendi sis feruida,
Quia sicut in yride. 1
rosTaho've1 Signum nubis est roride.
heaven. Sic tu, plena et grauida,
Signum h«ftes t\ue rorida.
Compassiue et lluida.
Sis, tue genti languide
Qt«n«sqz«e anima morbida,
Et tua siti arida,
Per te respiret valide.
(6)
Thou shalt Tecum a puericia,
lulled Wess- Vir8° dulcis' clemencia,
ed, thou Creuit, et miseracio ;
hope of fallen gic Creuit-qM« celestia
Transcendens aula regia,
Dei sedes2 in solio.
Nulla vnqi«im plantacio
Fuit, uel educacio
Reis sic necessaria ;
Nam licet sit collectio
Ei«s semper dispendio
Caret, et decrescencia.
Thou alone
om'lort'nerit-
age; thou
guidest all
who wander
and fall.
Benedicta propterea
Omni loco et platea [leaf us, c
Dicaris ab hominibus,
Quia per hoc est flaminea
Cherubin dira rumphea
Amota suis passibus,
Introitus exulibus
Patet, et viatoribus.
Via celi est lactea,
Que solebat volentibus
Intrare regnum om»ibus
Esse sanguine rubea.
(8)
Hlessed be
thy child
Christ, who
died for us,
and gave
Himself for
our food.
53
57
60
61
73
77
81
84
85
Tu es lapsi spes howiims,
Que nou dees nee desinis
Misereri in seculunt.
Tu, diuine imagiuis,
Et eterni es luminis 89
Beatum receptaculuw ;
Tu, languidis vehiculuwt
Et miseris latibulunt,
Sub cui«* vmbra tegmirH's, 93
Pauper querit vmbraculuw,
Et reus diuerticulum.
Ab incursu formidinis. 96
(9)
In mulitribus tu es 9
Vnica, que restitues
Hereditatem perditam,
Que de pcccaio argues
Mnnduin, sett nulli renues 101
Grfl^zam tua«? solitam ;
Imino cunctis gratuitam
Ipsam dabis, et placitam.
Quia semper hac afflues, 105
Et licet quis per orbitam
Tortam vadet, et vetidam,3
Eum cito non obrues. 108
(10)
Et si dicatur verius 109
Pro reis, et salubrius
Ipsos errantes dirigis,
Ip«os lapses 4inferius, 112
Et iacentes diutius [leaf ur,, col. s]
Qitam oporteret erigis,
Et qw«ndoq?(e hos corrigis,
Ne manits inimdi remigis
Aliquid agat durius, 117
Signujfi est quod hos diligis,
Et non ilormis n«c negligis,
Ne cedant in deterius. 120
Benedictus in secului/i 121
Sit ille, per que»i titulu/.i
Talem habes in seculo,
Christns, qui tui clausulu//;
Vteri sui5 baiulm/j 125
Fecit firmato pessulo.
Qui, moriens pro populo.
Se dedit in patibulo
Opprobij spectaculu?ft ; 129
Et, supsrato Zabulo,
Fracto-q«e suo baculo,
Se suis dat in pabulu?)!. 132
(12)
Fructus est comestibilis, 133
Comedentibus vtilis,
Dulcis \iii\nif gnstui,
Nature a?/miirabilis,6
Arti indoctrinabilis, 137
Stupendus intellect!,
Inusitatus vsui,
Vetito quonda/M fructui ;
In omHibiut dissimilis 141
Solummodo auditui,
Et non alteri sensui
Fide comprehensibilis. 144
I ydria, 1
2 sedet 3 vetitam, Pr. 4 Lapsos ipsoa, Pr.
•'' suum, Pr. '• iulmindiilis, Pr.
Hymn to the Virgin. I get the Pilgrim's Scrip and Staff. 201
(13)
Ventris tui in ortulo, 145
Ornato flore primulo,
Iste fructus colligitwr ;
Sal, ut vultus in speculo
Representatur oculo, 149
Et speculuwt non leditur,
Sic dum1 a te recipitur, [us/4]
DUHI manet ; dum egreditur,
Hoc sit illeso claustrulo : 153
Nulla via relinquitur,
Nil suspeetu/;i admittitur ;
Fructum habes cu;/i flosculo.
1 is, Pr.
3 meutem,
(14)
Amen dicit et assent, [Fo. xxviij] Christ sprang
Qui tuas laudes aperit,
Et te recte magnificat,
Qui devote se iugerit
Ad laudandu*« vt sciuerit,
Et ad nitem2 te applicat.
Qui aliter se implicat,
Et tuas laudes abdicat,
Hie viam bonam3 deserit ;
Ille tibi preiudicat,
Ille in fide claudicat ;
Saluus esse non potent.
Pr. 3 bonam viam, Pr.
fl'om tliec-
He is blest
who praises
He who does
not, cannot
Io5 be saved.
168
[The Pilgrim.]
4Affter, (shortly to expresse) 7189
Grace dieu, off hir goodnesse,
Off the skryppe and the bordou» [stowe, leaf iso]
Putte me in pocessi'oim ; 7192
And I thouhte a-noon ryht tho
That I was redy for to go
Vp-on my way, but trew(e)ly
I ne was no thyng redy, 7196
Lyk as I wende ; ffor vn-to me
Ther as I stood, ryht thus sayde she.
Grace dieU Sayd [In Jn. Stowe's han<l. The Stowe MS. luu it.]
' The tyme ys good and couenable
(As I ha sayd), and acceptable, 7200
That I my promys and my graunt,
Holde vn-to the, & my couenauMt,
As I be-hihte : tak lied her-to.
And thow requeryst yt also, 7204
To be gyrt (for sykernesse)
With a gyrdel off ryhtwysnesse,
[Cap. cvii,
prose.]
Grace Dieu
gives me the
Scrip mill
Staff.
She savs that
[leaf 111]
I ask her for
a Girdle of
Righteous-
ness,
4 The 44 French lines following are given for Comparison with
Lydgate's 82 English lines 7189—7270 : —
APres, entre les mains me mist (7189) i.epelenn
Lc bourdon, dont grant ioye me fist,
Car tresbien prest estre cuidoye
De me mestre tout a la voye ;
Mais non estoie ; car lors me dist :
OR est le point, eomme tay dit,
Que te tiengne mon conuenant
De ce que tay prornis deuant
Et aussi de ce mas requis,
Pour la parolle que te dis,
Cest, destre de iustice ceincts,
(7192-3)
(7199) grace dieu
(7204-5)
202 Before having a Girdle I mnst put on a Doublet.
grow aim. ' Thy reynys strongly for to streync,
fflesshly lustys to refreyne.1 [' Rwtreyne St.] 7208
' No man hath power (truste me)
ffor to gon at liberte,
But he be gyrt ryht myghtyly.
Therfor, (off purpos fcythfully), 7212
The tassure in wele and wo,
she win gird I wyl the gyrde, or that thow go,
me with one * °J
u i »gree to go that thow (in thyn entente)
Off fre wyl lyst to assente, 7216
To be thus gyrt ; and ellys nouht,
Now sey, as lyth ryht in thy thouht.'
Tke Pilgrim. The pllgrimC : [In Jn. Stowe's hand. The SI. MS. li«» it, If.lSO.bV.]
i agree to "Ma dame." ouod I in lowly wyse,
everything. J *
" Al that euerc ye deuyse, 7220
I wyl ther-off no thyng refuse,
Nor ther-vp-on no lenger muse :
But off thys thyng, wj't/t al my myght
I yow requere off verray ryht." 7224
Onice Dieu. Grace dleu : [In Jn. Stowe's hand.]
she «ayu that ' ffyrst, to make thy sylueu strong,
I must have J * '
To be myghty a-geyn al wrong,
Yt be-houeth, in thy diffence,
ffor to make resistence, 7228
That tliow haue strong armure.
And ffyrst, (thy syluen to assure,)
Next thy body shal be set
apurpointor A purpoynt or a doublet, 7232
On wych thow shalt fful myghtyly
Be gyrt and streyned ryht strongly
Pour bien estraindre fort les reins. (7207)
DC bieu aler nul na pouoir, (7209-10)
Sil nest bicn ceinct et bien estroit.
Pour ce, te dis que te ceindroie (7212-14)
Tout preniieremeut que la voye
Tu te misses ; mais que ton gre
Bien y fust, et ta volente. (7216)
Or en dy ce que tu voulras. (7218)
Lepelerin H A refuser (dis ie) nest pas (7219-21)
Tel chose, ie la vous requier. (7224)
grace dieu H Or fault, dist clle, tout premier, (7225)
Que tu soies arme de tons poiucts ;
Kt quau dessoulz soit le proupoins ; (7230-2)
Et pilis fermement seres ceinct
/ don't like Armour; but Grace Dieu shows me a lot. 203
[Stowe, leaf 131]
Non haiebebat v
Armorum.
7240
mm
7244
1 kuowe St.]
' With a gyrdel off Ryhtwysnesse,
Ther-on thyn armure for to dresse.' 7236
The pylgrym.
"Certys," quod I, "yiff ye lyst se,
Yt wer contrarye vn-to me
To gou armyd in my vyage ;
Yt wolde lette my pylgrymage,
And don to me ful gret grevauwce ;
ffor I hadde neuere yet vsaiu^ce
Nor in custom, truste me,
Al my lyue, armyd to be :
I knewe1 ther-off nothyng the guyse.
To me yt doth ynouh suffyse,
To be gyrt (in sothfastnesse)
Vfitft a gyrdel off ryhtwysnesse."
But than thys lady off gret uertu,
Wych ys callyd Grace Dieu,
In-ta chauwbre ful secre
Entrede ; and than she callyd me.
Grace Dieu:2 L*st., Kom mr q«o<i ai» c.]
"Kom ner," quod she, "and ha no drede;
Look vp an3 hili, & tak good heede. ponst.]
Vpon thys perche, the harneys se,
Wher-wi't/i that thow wylt4 armyd be, [• myghtc St.] 7256
Pertynent to thy vyage
And nedful to thy pylgrimage."
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination^
Ther saw I helmys and haberioiws
Plate and maylle, for champyou»s 7260
[leaflU.bk.]
to go under
my armour.
The Pilgrim.
I fear the
armour will
inconveni-
ence me.
us 1 know
nothing about
7248
[Cap. cix,
prose.]
7252
Grace Dieu
calls me into
a chamber,
The PU/irim.
[Cap. ex,
prose.]
Sur les armes, et bien estrainct.
II Arme, dis ie ; quc dictes vous ?
Au cueur me donnez grant courronx.
Armey cheminer lie pourroie ;
Armes porter ie ue sanroye ;
Amies ie ne pourroie trouuer ;
Ceincturc souffist a porter.
T Adonc en sa courtine entra,
Kt pour y entrer mappela.
T Or regarde, dist elle hanlt,
A ceste perche ne te fault
Pour chercher armes loing aler ;
Assez en voys pour bien tarmer ;
I .•! sont heaulmes et gambesons,
Gorgerottes et haubergeons,
(7234)
(7237)
(7241)
Le pelerin
(7246-8)
(7249)
(7252-3)
(7254) grace dieu
(7255)
(7256-7)
(7259-60)
204 / must, wear Armour against the attacks of Foes.
ne pilgrim. tGorgetys ageyn al vyolence,
[t leaf 115] And lakkys stuffyd, off diffence;
Timnds"!)? Targetys and sheldys, large & longe,1 [> stronge St.]
And pavys also that wer stronge,2 [> longest.] 7264
ffor folk to make resistence, rstowe, leaf isi, back]
Talle3 that wolde hem don offence. p to ail]
The pylgrym
i ask, who Than quod I, "as in bataylle,
will attack
»«'' What enmy fhal me assaylle 1 268
Or a-geyn me make affray,
To distonrble me in my way ] "
oracfDieit. Grace dieu
' Wenystow thy sylff tassure,
ffor to4 gon wit/t-oute arniure [» to St., om. c.] 7272
To lerusaleem, & nat fynde
sue says I Bry»aimtys to-forn And ek be-hynde,
shall meet Jo J J
enemies of ail Damjgerys crete. & encouwibrauwces,
kinds by the
way> Empechemetttys & meshauncys 1 7276
Thevys and mardrerys ay lyggynge
Vp-on the weye, euere espyynge,
Thow shalt ffynde, so gret plente,
That thow off hem shalt wery be, 7280
Ther assautys to endure,
wherefore i Wherf ore5 the nedeth strong armure, p Therfore St.]
need strong
armour. Myghtyly hem to w«'t/«-stonde.
And for thy profyt, y wyl ffounde, 7284
Wzt/i harneys to arrayen the, ttt%f^£S5a!uM'
That thow shalt nat afferyd be.' K'>'lee"" VJ "***'
ne piignm. The pylgrym
" Ma dame," quod I, " syth ye wyl so,
Arrnyd algatys that I go, 7288
i ask what Shew me what armure I shal were,
armour I
•hail wear. And what wepeuys I shal bere ;
And how I shal me amen wel,
And the maner euerydel." 7292
Targes, et quanqne faillir pent (7263)
A oil quil desfenilre se veult.
Lepelei-iu II Qui est, dis ie, qui massauldiu, (7267-8)
De qui desfeiulre me faulva ?
Grace Di&iu gives me a Gambeson to protect me. 205
tThanne, off merveyllous fasoun,
She took to me a Gambisouw,1
A mauer barneys that I knewe noulit :
And behynde, ther-on was wrouht 7296
A ful strong styh2 off fyne stel,3
ffor to receyue strookys wel p stygiw . . flyne st., fyn c.]
Off the hamer, whan mere yt smyte,
That yt shal hurte but a ]yte. 7300
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination^
Than qitod Grace Dieu to me :
' Thys Gambesouw wych thow dost se,
Ys so wrouht, (who taketh hede,)
ffor ta-woyde4 a man fro drede ; [« to avoyde St.] 7304
That, from cartage in-to Inde,
Men niyghte nat a bettre fynde ;
ffor (as thow shalt wel vnderstonde,)
Thogh a man hadde foot nor bond, 7308
And were vn-to a stake bourcde,
Hys foome?* aboute rouwde,
Yiff he hadde on thys garnement,
And clad ther-in (off good entent), 7312
He myghte nat ouerkomen be,
But fynally, in surete,
With gret worshepe & gret glorie,
Off hys Enmyes ban vyctorye. 7316
'And yet thys garnement, (I dar swore, [St., if. 132,
Who that euere doth yt were,)
Hath most loye & plesauwce
In thyng that ys to folk penaurcce, 7320
ffor hys proffyt & avauwtage, —
Som folk holde yt gret damage ; —
ffor pacience (in conclusions)
Haueth5 thys condiciouH, p Hath St.] 7324
(ffor to descryve and spek in pleyn
Off pacience the trewe greyn,)
I mene, to hys avau?itagc
ffructefyeth wit/t fforage :
The
[t Cap. cxi,
Camb. prose.]
[leaf 115, bk.]
She gives me
a Gambisouu
witli a steel
anvil on its
back,
Grace Dien
and says
there is no
better be-
tween Car-
thage ami
Ind.
Armed with
this, 1 shall
overcome all
my foes.
This gambe-
son is a joy
to sufferers.
[leaf 1 IB]
For the gain
of Patience
is thut
7328
1 Gambeson, Gabison. A fashion of long and quilted horse-
mans cassocke or coat, used in old time. — Cotgrave.
2 Cp. 'the Styth set at thy bak,' 209/7478, below.
20( i
The Gamleson I am to wear is cald Patience.
Grace Dieit.
~tnnii fills its
name 1-9, and
pestilence its
cellars.
Us dainties
are poverty ;
its recreation,
ranting.
Tlic more
pain it feels,
the firmer it
is made by
the steel of
suffering.
And as Pa-
tience is
prickt n-ith
woe
like a pur-
point is with
stitches,
so this Gum-
beson
Tempest fulfylleth hys garnerys,
And pestylence hys celerys ;
Hys sofftest bedde,1 (in sothnesse,)
Ys yraakyd off hardnesse.
In peyne and wo, ys hys delyt,
And in siiffrauHce, ys hys respyt ;
Hys deyntes stonde in poverte,
Hys solace in aduersyte ;
And fastyng (in conclusions)
Ys2 hys recreaciouj).
He wexeth fat by3 abstynence,
And gruchcheth for no vyolence ;
Peyne and tribulacyouw
Ben to hym consolaci'ouw ;
And the mor he feleth peyne
Tlie mor he ys (in certeyne)
Hardyd in herte by constavwce,
With the Stel off hist suffraiiNcc.
' And for that pacience, with wo
Ys ypryked and punysshed, so
By verray trewe examynyng,
As a purpoynt with sawyng4
By long examynaci'oiw,
Therfore thys armure Gambisouw,
[' bedde St., bed C.]
7332
7336
[* Ys alle St.]
[3 with St.]
7340
7344
7348
[Stowe, leaf 1:18]
[« sowynge St.]
7351
.i. i»;u-iiMiee St., ouj. C.
is cald n Pur-
point,
(Who consydreth fro poynt to poynt)
Ys ycallyd a purpoynt
W/t/t-ouUi prykyng (in substauwce,)
And pnnysshyng, with gret suffraiiHce, 73o(5
In mescheff and 5 aduersyte P ana in St.]
He taketh al hys dygnyte ;
[leaf no, bit.] And theroff (in conclustoun)
He receyueth hys Eenouw, 7360
Thys armure most merveyllou?,
In al diffence most gracious.
' And therfor (shortly in sentence)
The name ther-off ys pacience, 7364
The wych, in euery aventure,
Ys yinakyd for tendure,
Peyne and tribulacionw,
Voyde off al rebellious : 7368
and its name
it* Patiettce.
Christ wore it ; and I am to p^it it next my skin. 207
p a St., o». c.]
' Ryht as a sty th * forgyd off Stel [' stythee st.]
ffeleth the strokys2 neuemlel [J strokys St., stokys c.]
Off thys ffethris Smothe & soffte,
Thogh men ther-on smyten offte, 7372
So pacyence (in hyr werkyng)
Maketh neuere no gruchchyng
Off no thyng she doth endure.
'And therfore, (I yow ensure,) 7376
Vfith thys Gambisouw, Cryst \hesus,
That paciente lord, most vertuons,
Was yclad (yiff ye lyst se)
Whan he heng vp-on a tre, 7380
And w«t/t hys blood, mankynde hath bouht,
.Suffrede deth, and gruchchede nouht, [stowe, leaf iss, back]
Nor spak no word in hys penau?«ce ;
But, thorgh hys myghty gret suffrauwce, 7384
He was bete and hamryd wyth,
As a plate vp-on a3 styth,
The forgyd Monye for RaiiHsottii
To maken our redempciouw :
The4 cruel Smythes, off Rancour [»The«st.]
Sparede nat for no labour
Til they hadde hym forgyd wel,
Tryed hym out as any stel :
In wych metal ther was no lak ;
And ay they forgede on hys bak ;
And paciently he dede endure ;
He armyd was in swych armure
Wyth the Arrays off pacience.
' And therfore, in thy dyffence,
That thow suffre no dyffame,
Tak a purpoynt off the same,
Wherso thow go, in5 see or lend : [5on St.]
Haue yt here redy to thyn hond ;
Next thy body, lat yt be set,
In stede off a strong" doublet ;
ffor next thy cors yiff thow yt were,
AH thyn Armure thow shalt bere
Mor esely ; & ha no wonder,
Yiff pacience be trcwly vnder. 7408
Grace Dieu,
And as an
anvil feela no
MOWB,
HO Patience
never com-
plains.
[Cap. cxii,
prose.]
Christ was
clad with it
on the cross,
and com-
plaind not,
ili» he was
hammerd
like plate on
an anvil.
7388
7392
iupra tlnntum intmiu
fabrieaueruHt peeeatores
7396
7400
[« stronge St.] 7404
[leaf 117]
Take then
this purpoint
of Patience,
nnd wear it
next your
skin.
208 / put on the Gamleson, but am too fat for it.
The pylgrym.
A-noon aSter (by hyr assent)
I dyde vp-on thys garnement.
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
The wych was hevy for to beere, [stowe, leaf mj
And ryht komerous ek to were ; 7412
Grevous also, and streith1 to lace, [' streyte st.]
And ryht peynful to enbrace ;
And, for the peyne, I gan abreyde,
And to grace dieu I seyde : 7416
" Ma dame," quod I, "thys purpoynt
Was nat shape fro poynt to poynt
To my plesau?ice, I yo\v ensure ;
ffor I may nat wel endure 7420
To bern yt pleynly at rnyw ese :
The shap ther-off ne doth nat plese2
To me, pleynly ; nor the ffasoiw
Accordeth to myn oppynyou?*." 7424
Grace dieu
Quod Grace dieu, ' thys garnement
Ys wel shape to my?i entent,
Thogh yt be nat to thy plesauwce ;
ffor tliy body, in substaurece 7428
Ys so ffaat, so gret3 and large, [> flute / grate St.]
And ouerlade wt't/t grete* charge, [* grete St., gret c.]
That yt may nat be enbrachyd5 [s ben bracyd St.]
Aboute the, nor wel ylacyd, 7432
And yet the faute, to myn entent,
Ys nat in the garnement,
But only fou«de in thy gretuesse,
And in thy boystous frowardnesse, 7436
That thow mayst vp-on thy bak
Sustene yt, but thow fynde a lak ;
And al the faute ys fou«de in the,
Off wylful contrariouste. [stowe, leaf is*, back] 7440
' But, thyn errour to reforme,
Thow must thy-sylff mekly confourme.
The Pilgrim.
[Cap. cxiii,
prose.]
I put on tile
Gambeson ;
but it pains
me,
and I t.'ll
Grace DieH
I cannot bear
Job vi. 11, 12.
Grace Dieu.
[leaf 117, bk.]
She telU me
my body is
too big and
fat;
the fault is
not in the
Gambeson,
but in my
eontrarious-
ness.
Sidenole in MS. : Quo est [eiiim] fortituilo mea vt sustinerem ?
aist qnis finis metis, vt pacienter again ? (12) nee fortitude mea
lapidu?)i, nee caro mea enea est. lob (vi. 11).
I must grow lean and fit myself to the Purpoint, Patience. 209
' TV. rlnra nirn^niaiir trusts mo Non recto corde es, qni« no»
0 Uiys gamcment, HUSK! me, visdirigere voluntatcw tuam
And nat the garuemeiit vn-to the ; aa volu"tat<w del- August.
7445
1 mekenesse St.] 7448
[* Acconlyng St.]
7459
[• all way St., . . way C.]
And put away the gret outrage,
The ffaatnesse and the surplusage
That ys in the, and the gretnesse ;
And the cowfourme by meknesse1
To thys purpoynt, that yt may be
Accordynde2 & egal vn-to the,
In euery party wel syttynge.
' And thogh that yt, as in semynge,
Be nat, at the pryme fface,
Kuenly shape the tenbrace
Yet affter-ward, vn-to thy/i ese
Yt shal be syttynge, & wel plese ;
ffor thyng that greueth the to-day
Shal be to-morwe3 vn-to thy pay ; p tomorwe / 1» st.]
Yt may so faH, off auenture ;
' And therfore al-way4 the assure
In thys garnement for diffence,
Wych ys callyd pacyence,
With whos power, (now vnderstonde,)
AH assautys thow shalt wzt/i-stonde.
' ffor wrong despyt & al desdeyn
That any man kan to the seyn,
Outlier off pryde or surquedye,
Repreff or any vyllenye,
Venge the nat / nor do no wrak,
But looke a-noon thow tourne bak ;
Lawhe and be glad, & sey ryht nouht,
And be nat troublyd in thy thouht.
' And off me thys wysdam lere,
Berkyng off houwdys for to here,
Yt may to the, by good suffrauwce,
Xouther damage nor do greuauwce.
Ageyn assautys off al swych wrak,
Lat the Styth set5 at thy bak,
And tliy purpoynt off pacience,
Myghtyly stonde at dyffence :
Anil w/'t/t thys tweyne, truste me,
Al maner off aduersite
PILGUIMAGK.
Grace Diett.
1 must fit
myself to the
garment, not
the garment
to me.
1 must get
rid of my fat,
and shape
myself by
meekness to
fit the Pur-
poynt.
74o2
7456
Pain to-day
shall be joy
to-morrow.
[leaf 118]
[Cap. cxiv,
prose.]
The Pur-
poynt is cald
' Patience,'
7464
7468
[Stowe, leaf 13 jj
7472
Nota St., om. C.
MagnoivtiM viror/nn est,
necligere letlentem. C.
Seneca. St., om. (_'.
7476
P »ytt St.]
7480
and will
enable me t . »
Rtiffer wrongs
cheerfully.
210 / agree to put on the Purpoint of Patience or Suffering.
Grace pieti. ' Thow shalt venquisshe & ber doun ;
ufd'adven^ And, lyk a myglity champyoun, 7484
i shall be Thow shalt wit/t laurer crownvd be.
crownd, "
By suffrauBce off aduersyte.
as were the As1 by record? ful longe a-gon ['And St.]
martyrs,
Wer thys2 martrys euerychon, p were thes St.] 7488
Wych that wer in euery poynt
Strongly armyd in the purpoynt
who, by pa- Off pacience, to sustene
tlence or suf-
fering won The strok, when they wer leyd atwene 7492
the laurel of
victory. The hamer and the Styth also,
Ami a-twyxe bothe two,
[leaf us, bk.] The grene laurer off victorie,
And the crowne ek off her glorye, 7496
Yforgyd wer, (who taketh hede)
ffor guerdoim off ther eternal mede.
Grace Dieu ' And therfore I consaylle the,
advisen me to
put on this Wit/* thys purpoynt that thow be, — 7500
purpoint of
Patience. Wych ys callyd pacyence, —
Armyd ffyrst for thy diffence.
Thys my co)*sayl ; & thus I rede, cstowe, leaf 135, b«cio
Be cause only thow shalt ha node, 7504
As for thy cheff protecc'iouw
Ageyn al trybulacyou«
Off false brygauntys that shal lye
Vp-on the waye, the tespye.' 7508
The pylgrym.
[Cap. cxv, " Certys," quod I, " yt stondeth so,
prose.]
That I wot nat what I may do
Touchynge your consayl, by no waye ;
i agree to put But at the lest, I shal assaye 7512
on ' Patience.'
Me taraye, in my dyffence,
\V«'t/t your purpoynt off pacience."
[cap. civi, Grace dieu.
Quod Grace dieu, " thow must also,
Or thow in arrays haue a-do, 7516
Yp-on thy purpoynt ' pacyence '
But above it Haue a-boue, in thy diffence,
I must put
on the The haberioim wych hangeth yonder,
habergeon
of Fortitude, go inly ffayr, that yt j's wonder ; 7520
But above it I must wear the Habergeon of Fortitude. 211
' fforgyd off old (yt ys no faylle)
ffor to entren in bataylle,
Wyth Deth to ffyhte, & his meynee ;
Thys to seyne, (yiff thow kanst se,) 7524
Ageyn al peynys and tourmentys
And hys dredful1 tournementys, [' dredefuiu St., dredrui c.]
Replevysshed2 \\ith mortal Rage. [2 Repienysshed St.]
Deth ys a best3 most sauage ; p beast St.] 7528
He chauwgeth purpoos and devyses ; [stowe, leaf isej
And al thys4 vnkouth sondry guyses, [«thesst.]
Wyt off man and al Resoun :
ffor he let5 fallen hys bordoun, p For lett St.] 7532
Hys Maas, & ek hys dredful spere,
He hurteth nyfi, & ek affere,
And spareth noon off no degre
How liih" they syttyn in her Se, 7536
ffor rychcsse nor for puissau»ce.
' But who wj'l haven assuraiwce
Ageyn deth, as a chain pyou»,
I,nt hym haue on thys haberioun ; 7540
And off deth, in al hys nede,
He shal hac no maner drede ; [« have St.]
Off hys assautys nor hys wrak,
Nor for hym onys" tourne abak, ['enystj 7544
Whil he hath on thys garneraent
The wych was forgyd (off entent)
Off the8 most myghty armvrer, ['the St., ow.c.]
Wych syt aboue the sterrys cler, 7548
That forgede Sowne & mone also,
And made hem in her cours9 to go. ['courage., there Com-s St.]
And no man may be armyd wel
In plate, mayl, nor in stel. 7552
Nor sur10 for hys savaciouw, [>»«urest.]
But he haue on thys haberioun,
Wych callyd ys off verray ryht,
' ffortitudo ' most off myght. 7556
ffor, ' fforce ' ys callyd thys vertu,
Wyth wych seruauwtys off cryst ihe»u
Wer Armyd, the myghty champiouns
That made hem hardy as lyouws 7560
to ti jlit
against
the savage
beast Death,
[leaf 119]
who spare*
no one.
Aeainat him
this Haber-
geon will
protect me.
It was made
by the Creator
of Sun and
Moon,
[Cap. civii,
prose.]
and its name
is Fortitude,
or Force.
212 The Virtue of the Habergeon 'Fortitude' or ' Fwce.'
Grace Dieu^ 'In batayH & in toarnemciitys,
The cham- And constauwt eucve in ther entcntys [siowe, leafisu,
pious of
no &yng dradde,
Vp-on ther body whan tliey liadde 7564
[leaf 119, ok.] Thys haberiouM ycallyd ' force,'
with'thu*' Wher-wyth they dyde hew-sylff afforce,
To putte hem forth, & nat wit/i-drawe,
In dyffence off crystys lawe, 7568
Thovgli ther prowesse & hyh~ renou«.
' And sothfastly thys haberiou?*,
(Who that euere doth yt were,)
Dagger no.- Off daggere, dart, Swerd nor spere, 7572
sword, sliear
"ierceaif "''"" Slloot °f Arvve nor off quavel,
(Thogh they be grou^de1 sharpe off stel,) [1 ^'.f^-'
They shal nat perce thorgh the maylle,
ffor the Rynges (thys no ffaylle) 7576
it is strongly Wer llyuettyd2 so myghtyly p Revettyd St.]
rivete*!, and
anneaid with Clenclivd and iiavled so strongly ;
martyn* J * a J >
biooif. The yren werke3 was ek so good, [3 werke St., weer c.]
Annelyd & tempryd w»t/t the blood 7580
That ran out off her wondys kene,
Thys made hem manly to sustene
Thassaut off brygavwjtys nyht & day,
That lay for pylgrymes on the way, 7584
By vertu off thys haberiou?*. Kortitn.io .1. K.m-e st.
'And therfore (off enteocyoun,)
By my counsayl, sey nat nay
This Halier- To putte yt On, & y t taSSay,4 [* lilt assay St.] 7588
tudo' must Aboue thy purpoyiit ' pacyence ' ;
Po^ofn'? ^or' y'^ fforce (by my sentence)
• patience.- Vp-on the totlier be wcl set,
Thow shalt ffyhte wel the bet 7592
(I dar wel seyn) wherao5 thow go : pwherst.]
Now lat se what thow seyst her-to." [stowe, leaf is?]
The Pilgrim. The p
[cap. cxviii, " ^Ia dame," (to speke in wordys ffewe,)
i ask to see " I Pray Yow that ye wyl nie shewe, 7596
i'!im'etoTe0a1% And to do youre15 bysy cure [« youre st, my c.]
That I may se al the annure7 [' thannure St., c.]
Wych I shal were in thys vy&ge,
My other artm: Helmet, Gorger, Target, Gloves, & Sword. 213
Grace dieu (in Jn.
stn\\v's hand).
7604
7608
And yiff I ffynde avauntage 7600
In tharneys ye prayse so, cc. & St.]
I wyl accorde wel ther-to." l „
Thanne she a-noon hath forth brouht
The habe'/'iouw, fful wel ywrouht,
Off wych to-forn I ha yo\v told ;
And, to make me strong & bold,
Out off hyr tresour ek she ffette
An Elm, A Gorger, A Targette,
Glovys off plate, A swerd also,
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
And thanne she spak & seyde, loo,
Grace dieu.
' Off thys barneys, take good heede, 7C11
And truste wel thow mustest 2 nede [s trust . . must st. (badly!].
Haue hem vp-on, (As by my lore,)
Or thow shalt repente sore ;
ffor they only to the suffyse,
Yiff thow the goueme lyk the wyse. 7G16
And to my doctryne lyst attende,
Lyk a man, the to dyffende
Ageyn hem that wyl do the wrong. c*'o«-t, leans?, back]
'And yiff I hadde the ffou>«de strong, 7G20
I hadde the yove bet armure ;
But I ha don my bysy cure
Yt to conserue, ffor the3 prowli [" thy st.]
Off folk tliat be nior strong than thow. 7624
' An helm tavoyde the fro dred,
Thow shalt ha ffyrst vp-on thyn hod,
The to preserue, erly and late ;
And a gorger mad off plate ; 7628
And affter thys [ijforgyd ffayre,
Glovys off plate, a myghty pay re,
Set vp-on thyn hondys tweyne.
ffor ellys (yiff I shal nat ffeyne) 7632
Wytb-outen hem (as thynketh me,)
Thow myghtest nat wel armyd be.
' And, to declaren in substaitMce,
Thyn helm ys callyd ' Attempraurece,' 7636
1 The Stowe MS. puts the heading ' Grace Dieu ' aliove the next
[leaf ISO]
The Pilgrim.
Grace Dieu
brings forth
a Helmet,
Corslet, Gor-
Ber, Target,
Gloves, and a
Sword,
Gracf Dittt.
with which I,
the pilgrim,
must l>e
armed.
The Helmet
is for my
head.
[leaf 120, bk.]
tiie Goreer
for my tnroat,
and the
Gloves for my
hands.
The Helmet
is called
' Attemper-
ance.'
[Cap. c»i«,
prose.]
line.
214 The Virtues of the Helmet : it protects Eyes and Ears.
Orate Dieu.
This Helmet,
Attemper-
ance, will
enable me to
foresee
event" ;
it proton* the
eyes,
ftml by clos-
ing the r;u-s,
[lenflil]
keeps detrac-
tion from the
heart.
' By wych aforn thow shalt wel se,
Herkne and smel, at lyberte,
Thynges to-forn or that they falle,
And cast a-forn, meschevys alle, 7640
That no thyng vnwarly greue.
ffor Attempravwce (who lyst preue)
Haueth thys condyciouw,
Only off higli1 dyscrecyou« [' high* St., o«. c.] 7644
Kepeth theye2 cloos and secre I" the eye]
That yt haue no lyberte
To opne, (who-so lyst to lere,)
But whan tyme yt doth requere, 7648
That fooly nor no vanyte
Be nat to large nor to fre,
'ffor yiff thys helm be mad a-ryht, [stowe, leafiss]
Yt shal nat haue to large a eyht, 7652
Lyst som Arwe, sharpe y-grounde,
Entre inyghte, & gyue a wou?*de.
And at the Erys ek also
Thow mustest3 taken lied therto, pmustest.] 7656
That yt be nat to large off space,
Lyst that by the same place
Entrede (by collusyou?*)
Som noyse off fals detracctouw, 7660
Or som fooltyssh dalyauwce,
Gruchchyng, or noyous pe>turbauMce.
' ffor thys helm, surer than Stel,
Stoppeth the Erys ay so wel [c. 4 St.] 7664
By prudent cyrcuwspeccyouw
That Dartys 4 off Detraccyou« t4 i)»ru st.]
(Grounde and fyled for to smerte)
Haue noon entre to the herte, 7668
Wych be gretly for to drede
Whan they, off fals neyhebourliede,
Ben yforgyd off malys,
And ysquaryd by fals devys. 7672
ffor ther ys noon mor dredful shour [c. & St.]
Than off a shrewede neyhebour ;
ffor, -with ther dartys, swyche5 ko?me p wyci* St., swych c.]
Hurte wers than bowe or go?me : 7676
Grace DifH.
This Helmet
' Attem-
perance* pro-
tects nosep
ears, and
eyes.
[' ther-to St.:
7687
a«iPit«
.
'"'" (v- 17)-
St. Paul bade
men wear it —
Of the Helmet of Salvation, and the Gorger of Sobriety. 215
' Ageyn whos mortal meshauwce,
Tliys helm callyd ' attemprauwce '
Ys nedful, in thy dyffence,
for to make resistance 7680
At Nase, at Ere, & at the Syht,
That yt hem kepe & close a-ryht.
ffor thys helm, for assurance, [stowe, leaf iss, back]
Wych ys callyd ' attemprauwce ' 7684
As worthy & noble off fame,
Sey» poul gaff ther-ton1 a name,
And callyd yt (for gret delyht)
' The helm off helthe & off profyt,' G»j«a» wiutis a«iPi
J ' ad. Ephesios vj° Cttpi
AnJ commau/adede mew take hed
ffor to sette yt on ther hed
As for ther cheff Savaclouw.
' And a Gorger, lower dou«, 7692
He bad (as for mor sykernesse)
They sholde make off sobyrnesse ;
ffor sobyrnesse, -with attemprauwce,
Haueth alway allyawzce ; 7696
ffor bothe they ben off on allye,
Ay to refreyne glotonye.
And trusteth wel, (without* faylle,)
Thys Armure liath a double maylle ; 7700
And ellys (pleynly I ensure,)
Yt wer to feble to endure.
' And yiff thow lyst the cause espye,
Ys thys, only, for glotonye 7704
Hath in hym sylff, off2 frowardnesse, past.]
A dowble maner off woodnesse ;
Woodnesse off 'fast & fals delyt,
Havynge to mesour no respyt ; 7708
And outrage ek off dalyau?zce,
ffor lakkyng off Attempe>-au«ce.
' And fyrst, he doth hym sylff most wo,
And sleth hys neyhebours also, 7712
Whan the claper ys out Konge,
Wt't/i the venym off hys Tonge,
Whan he hym teryth & to-rent. [stowe, leaf is>]
ffor ther ys addere, nor serpent 7716
" take the
helmet of
salvation" —
for their chief
saltation.
[Cap. cxx,
prose.]
The Gorger
of Sobriety
restrains
illuttony.
[leaf 121, bk.]
This armour
is double
mail,
because Glut-
tony is doubly
mad, in taste
ami excess.
It works ruin
with the
tongue.
216 Of the Gwger of Sobriety, and the Gloves of Continence.
Orace Diett.
Neither adder
nor serpent is
ao dreadful as
a venomous
tongue.
St. William
of Chalys
(an liis Life
allows)
[leaf l»i]
bade mm .<"
the best,
whatever
they heard.
Turn awav
all back- "
biters.
[Cap. cxxi,
prose.]
Next, have
Gloves for the
' So dredful, nor malyeyous,
As ys A Tonge venymous ;
No tryacle may the venym saue. 7719
Tlier-fore yt ys ful good to have1 — [' to have St., tave c.]
Agcyn hys mortal cursydnesse, —
A Gorger off Sobyrnesse,
The wych Armurc ys profytable
To alii;2 folkys worshepable. [« TO aiie St., Taiie c.] 7724
' Lat no man w*'t/<. hys tonge byte,
Nor \vith hys vrordys falsly smyte,
Malycyously to make wrak
Off hys neyhebour, at the3 bak ; phustj 7728
ffor who so doth, he ys nat wys.
' And Seyii Wylh'am off Chalys, —
A man off gret abstynence,
Wych neuere dyde offence, 7732
(As hys lyff platly doth teche,) —
In hys Tonge nor in hys speche, —
ffor ay he dyde hys bysy peyne,
Wykkede tongys to refreyne. 7736
And mys-spekerys, thorgh outrage,
That with her Tonge fyl in rage,
He brydlede hem, & dyde hem wreste,
What-euere they herde, to sey the beste. .7740
Off wliom ys good exauwple take,
And off hys lyff a Merour make,
That eueve hadde in cdndyciouw
To here no detracciouw 7744
In hys presence, nyh nor fere,
Neuere to lestene bakbytere.
And therfor, (as I slial devyse,) otowe, leaf 139, back]
Arme the in the same wyse 7748
Tavoydeii (shortly in sentence)
Al bakbyterys fro thy presence,
And al maner detraccioun.
Wher thow hast domynaci'ou?;. 7752
' The nexte armure, the to saue,
Yp-on thyn hondys thow shalt haue :
A peyre off glouys forgj'd wel,
Surere than yren outher stel, 7756
The Gloves of Continence, to stop lewd touchings, &c. 217
' Alle vyces to restreyne ; Grace Dim.
Tharmure off thyn handys tweyne, to restrain ait
J J J vices, and
A-geyil the lust off fals touchyng, prevent im-
proper touch-
Tast, or any dyshonest thyng 7700 "«*•
To ffele or touche, as by wrong.
' ffor to make the sylue strong,
Thow shall thy counsayl take off me,
Vp-on thyn handys, armyd to be 77 G 4
W/t/t a peyre oft' glouys sure.
And the name off that arniure, The name of
this 3rd part
The thrydde part oft attempraiutce,
ance
Wych ys callyd in substaurece 77G8 [leaf 122,1*.]
(The taforce in thy dyffence)
The noble uertu ' contynence.' is-conti-
Wych vertu, seyd in syngulerte,
Ys egal to pluralyte. 7772
ffor thys vertu (yiff yt be souht)
By hym-sylff allone ys nouht
tfor honest wyl, cowioynt w*tA dede
In clennesse, ys worthy mede, 777C
A-geyn al fflesshly ffreelte
To arme ' A man in chasty te. n T™ £i;KPn«,
' Nouther off hem (who kan se) before tlle °"e above il '" C-J TI.J. virtue u
May wt't/ioute?z other be, 7780
No mor than (yiff I shal nat ifeyne)
\Vit/<-oute nou»«bre off glouys tweyne,
No man ys suryd for2 diifence, P for St., for to c.]
tfor to make resistence. 7784
But whan that wyl & tast also in win ami
taste.
Ben accordyd, bothe two,
Off honeste, nat to trespace,
Thogh they hadde freddm & space, 7788
And also opportunyte
To don A-mys at lyberte,
Than semeth yt (yiff tliow take hede)
He wer worthy ful gret mede ; 7792
As was Seyn Bernard, that holy man, st.Benumi,
that holy
The wych (as I reherse kan) >na".
Was wel armyd on owthcr hond,
Whan he off a-venture ffond:; p ''omie . . m>nde St.] 7796
218 Of St. Bernard's Continence. The Sword of Righteousness.
' (He ther-off no thyng wytynge,)
A wommaH in hys bedde l lyggynge [' bedde St., byd c.]
Nakyd, ful off lusty hede,
-And plesynge off hyr port in dede, 7800
Wycll gaff hym grot OCCasioUM, [•— * St. leaves out these I lines.]
Wytli toknys off temptaciouw,
Thorgh hyr port off whommaMhede.'2
But he ther-off took noon hede ; 7804
ffor she ne myghte hym nat excite,
In hyr hewte to delyt ;
He took off hyre no reward,
ffor to tourne to hyr ward ; 7808
ffor, surere than any stel,
Hys handy s wern yarmyd wel,
Tliat, wlian he sholde haue A-do,
tfro Touch & Tast he kepte hym so 7812
[leaf 12S]
took no heeil
of her,
[Stowe, leaf HO, back]
so that she
thought him
no man ;
but he won
the palm of
rhastity.
Therefore
the Gloves
are needful.
Likewise the
Sword.
The name
thereof is
Kighteous-
nes».
That she myghte hy/» nat dyllude.
Wher-vp-on), she gan conclude,
And affermede off hyw a-noon,
That outher off yren or off ston
He was ymad, & lyk no man :
And thus he the palme wan
Off chastyte ; and she A-noon,
Shamyd & confus, ys a-goon ;
And lie -with victoire3 a-bood sty lie.
' And therfor (as by my wylle)
Thow shalt the Armen (& nat feyne)
Wyth swych a payre4 Glouys tweyne.
' ffor the also I shal prouyde
Tave A swertl ek by thy syde ;
(A bettre was ther neuere founde,
Off stel forgyd, whet nor Grouwde,)
Wyehe5 shal ynowh suffyse [s winche st., Wyeh c.]
The to dyffendc many6 wyse, [6in eny St.]
Yiff any Enmy the assaylle
(Outher in skarmussli outher7 bataylle,) For in St.] 7832
I the ensure, in al thy nede,
Whyl thow hast yt, thow shalt nat drede
Off noon Enmy, nor no dystresse,
The name off wych ys ' Ryhtwysnesse.' 7836
7816
7820
Pvyctovyest.]
7823
[• payre / off St.]
7828
The Sword of Righteousness makes the Body obey tJie Spirit. 219
' A bettre swerd was neue;'o wrouht,
Off prince nor off kyng ybouht;
ffor the swerd off goode Oger,
Off Rowland nor off Olyuer,
Was nat (for to reknen al)
Off valu, to thys swerd egal,
So trusty nor so vertuous,
To ffolk in vertu coragous.
ffor thys swerd haueth so gret mylit, [stowe,
To ryche and povre for to do ryht,
And thorgh hys vertuous werkyng
Yiveth euery man hys owne thyng :
A swerd mad for an Emperour,
And for eucry goueraour,
And al that hauen regencie
A-boue other, or1 maystrye,
Therby to gouenie ther meyne
And ther sogetys in equyte,
That noon do to other wrong
(Thogfi he be myghty outher strong,)
liy fforce nor by vyolence,
Hys neyhbour to don offence.
' ffor thys swerd, in eueiy place,
All« wrongys doth inAnace,
And techeth A nianhys3 body we], [» mannys St.]
Xot to be stordy nor rebel ;
A-geyn the Spyryt, no thyng to seye,
But to be soget, and obeye ;
And techeth A manhys2 herte off ryht,
To loue god \viili al hys myght,
A-boue al other Erthly thyng,
As hym that ys most myghty kyng ;
Eschewe ff raude, deceyt & guyle ;
And that, by couert off no whyle,
He, in hys affccclou?*,
Off wyl nor off entenciouH
Ne do no maner tyranye,
Oppressyouw, nor robberye ;
And cheffly, that euej'y nianec wyht
Goueme and rule hy;» sylff arylit,
[leaflSS, bk.J
Orace Dieu.
It is better
than the
sword of
7840 Rowland or
Oliver, or of
Ogier the
Dane.
7844
It makes
every one do
Right.
7848
['off St.] 7852
7856
7860
It constrains
the body to
be subject to
the spirit,
7864
7868
7872
[leafmj
and never
oppress or
rob any one.
7876
220 Of the Sword of Righteousness that subdues the Flesh.
Grace men. ' VyCBS putte in1 SUbieCC10U», £' Ts£""^el7Hl''ta!'k ^
it helps to That vertu ha2 domynactoim p ha his St.]
Hulxlue the •
flesh, xhe fflesshe felly to chastyse,
Yin0 yt rebelle in any wyse 7880
To be to sturdy or to bold,
as st. Benet, As seyii Benyth3 dyde off old, [' Benett St.]
girt with J J J
this sword, Gyrt with the swerd off Rycrhtwysneese.
withstood J ° *
temptation, Whan he dyde hys flessh oppresse 7884
As a myghty chanipyouH :
Wit/t-stondyng hys temptac'iouw.
As regent and gouemour,
He made the spyryt Einperour, 7888
Siuot the flessh, by gret duresse,
With the swerd off Byhtwysnesse ;
Punysshede hym so cruelly,
Wz't/i-oute respyt or mercy, 7892
Almost euene to the deth,
In poynt to yeldyn vp the broth ;
Tyl he, lyk a manly man,
With thys swerd the laurer waan. 7896
and overcame Hys fflesshe rebel, he can to dau?ik-,
tue flesh.
And his mygnt vp-on him liaunte, [' c. leave* out tins line.]
Ther yt was inobedyent.
To ben at hjrs comaundement, 79(>0
So lowly to hyw, & so mek.
[Cap. cxxiii, 'The wyche5 swerd thow shall bern ek '
xwsTwm-d On pylgrymage, wher thow shalt gon,
ne"ifoueous' Ageyn thyn Enmyes euerychon, 7904
?oun™S'im" Thy prevy enmyes (thus I mene,)
•" Hard and greuous to sustene ;
ifor ther be noon so peryllous,
So dredful nor so dangerous, 7908
[ieafis«,t)kj As ben thylke Enmyes in secre, [stowe.ieafus]
»ecret"«if-llr Wycli off thy sylff ycausyd be,
And grucche ageyn the nyh" & ferre, [B nygii St., nygiit c.]
With the Spyryt to holde a werre. 7912
' But or that thow thys baret ffyne,
And or that froward wyl enclyne,
Thyn herte make to assente,
Loke thow chauwgc thyn entente, 7916
The Sword of Righteousness & the Scabbard of Humility. 221
' Synsualyte to oppresse
Wt't/f thys swerd off Eyghtwysnesse :
1 >aunte alway hys rebellious,
And brynge hym to subiecciouH ;
Lat nat thy flesshe ha the maystrye,
But mak hym lowly bowe & plye
To the spyryt in euerythyng ;
And lat thy resown, as lord and kyng,
(By tytle off domynac'iouw,)
The ftessh haue in subiecci'ou??.
Than nedeth yt no mor to muse ;
Thys swerd off ryht thow dost wel vse,
Thy sylff to goiwnen & to saue.
'And thys swerd also shal haue
(To kepe yt clene in hys degre)
A skawberk off humylyte,
Wher-inne,1 (for most <ivau7ztage)
Thy swerd shal haue hys herbergage ;
Only to teche & sygnefye,
That eche good werk (who kan espye,)
May lyte- vaylle, but yiff yt be
Closyd vnder humylyte.
7920
The flesh
must bow to
the spirit in
everything.
7924
7928
7932
[' inne St., in c.]
[Cap. cxxv,
prose.]
This Sword
of Righteous-
ness is kept
in the Scab-
hard of
Humility.
7936
P lytel St.]
IT Ero. HumilitusKolaest obsertiatrix
et eust(os)<]«e virtutuin. St., oia. C.
' Thys skauberk (in especyal)
Ys makyd off A skyn mortal : rstowe, lean 12, back] 7940
Thys to seyne, (who so kan se,)
Al Erthly folkys that her3 be p here St.]
(Off ech estate both yong & old,)
.Shal deyen, as I ha the told.
I la thys ay in thy mynde & thouht,
And lat thy skawberk ther-off be wrouht ;
And ther-vp-on conclude, and se
To namen yt ' Humylyte.'
' ffor ther ys noon so proud alyue,
A-geyns deth that may wel stryue ;
And who that hath ay deth in mynde,
80111 whyle I trowe, he shal fynde
To knowe hys oune ffreelte,
A skawberk off humylyte.
' And, to purpos, I telle kan
How that onys a pubplycan 79-36
All folk shall
die.
7944 [leaf 125]
Remember
this, and be
humble.
7948
7952
222 The Pharisee and Publican. Tlie Scabbard of Humility.
The Pharisee
and the
Publican.
The proud
Pharisee
despised the
Publican.
He hadn't
the Scabbard
of Humility.
[leaf 125, bk.]
Virtue is of
no avail
without
Humility.
[Cap. cxxvi,
prose.]
And a pharise also,
Kam to the temple bothe two.
The ton hym sylff gan iustefye,
And off pryde to magnefye,
That he was lyk non other whiht
And bostede in hys oune syht,
He was hooly in hifi degre :
Thus sayde the proude pharysee ;
And off pryde he fyrst be-gan l
To despyse the pubplykan ;
Sayde, ' he was to hym nat liable
Off meryt, nor comparable
' Off whos pryde, aft'erme I dar,
That he thys swerd to proudly bar,
Havynge nat (who lyst to se)
The skawberk off humylyte,
He lyst nat Se, no thyng at al,
That ha2 was a man mortal;
But off hih pj-esumptuousnesse
He shewede out hys Eyghtwysnesse,3
Gan to boste, & crye lowde.
' And so dow al thys folkys proude,
To gete hem fame by veyn glory e,
And putte her namys in memorye.
But thow ne shall no thyng do so,
But let* thy Swerd (tak heel her-to)5 [J
(The Swerd, I mene, of Eyghtwysnesse,
ffor any maner holynesse,)
Cloos w»t/t-Inne (wher so thow be,)
The skawberk off humylyte.
' ffor what deme off dyscreclouw
A-vaylleth any perfecciouw —
Abstynaiwce, outher penau«ce,
Or any vertu, in substaunce —
But yiff they ygroundyd be
On6 lownesse and humylyte,
Ground and rote off eche good werk.
And put thy Swerd in the skawberk
Off meknesse & lavlyhede."
' And affter that, tak good heede
7960
7964
[' Stowe leaves out this line.]
7968
7972
P he St.]
[Stowe, leaf 143]
7976
[' And liyra sylff/ koude
nat Redresse. St.
7980
' = leavi' ]
7984
7988
pofrsij 7992
F Lowiyhede St.]
7996
Girdle of Perseverance &C<mstancy. Target of Prudence, 223
' (As a man no thyng afferd)
The to gyrde with thys swerd,
Thys noble swyrd off ryghtwysnesse
In the skawberk off meknesse.
'And thy gyrdel ek shal be—
With wych thow shalt ygyrden the—
The gyrdel off ' perseuerauwce ' ;
The Bokle callyd ek ' constaiwce ' ;
That whan the tong ys onys Line,
They shal neue>-e parte A-twynne,
But perpetuelly endure1
To kepe the cloos in thyw Armure,
That they departe nat assonder.
And yiff they dyde, yt wer gret wonder;
ffor perseuerauwce (I dar seye)
Ys the verray parfyt keye
And lok also (I dar assure)
Off perfection?* off armure.
'And therfore alway do thy peyne
ffor to fastne wel thys2 tweyne,
The gyrdel off perseueratmce
With the Bookie off constau/sce ;
And than thy Swerd, longe tabyde,
Ys wel gyrt vn-to thy syde :
Ha thys wel in mynde, I charge.
'Now wyl I spekyn off th/Targe,
The wych in soth (who kan entende,)
Schal thyn Armure wel s A-mende,
And kepe yt, (lyk as yt ys wrouht,)
In vertu that yt A-peyrii nouht.
The wych vp-on thy brest to-fore,
Off custom eue/-e shal be bore,
As cheff thyng for thy dyffence :
The name off wych shal be ' prudence
A Targe most worthy off Eenouw.
ffor, whilom, Kyng Salamoure
Bar ay thys targe in hys entent,
ffor to do ryhtful lugement,
Rychere to hym (Erly & late)
Than off gold to .ij.< hondryd plate,
Grace Dicn.
8000
8004
[' to endure St.] 8007
[Stoive, leaf US, back]
8012
The Girdle
of Persever-
ance,
with its
Buckle called
' Constancy.'
[leaf 126]
Always fasten
Perseverance
with Con-
o/\i /»
[MhesSt.J 801 G
8020
[Cap. "cxxviii,
prose ; cap.
cxxvii is not
in the verse
PalleSt.] 8024 English.]
The Target.
8032
Its name is
Prudence,
which King
Solomon bore
in his mind.
8035
'
C' G.M. / t.
224 Of the. Target of Prudence, and King Solomon.
Grace Dim.
While Salo-
mon was
governed by
Prudence his
magnificence
lasted.
tleaflSfl.bk.]
Therefore
wear this
Target,
to repel
assaults.
Be-no coward,
Imt wisely
bold.
' And mor off valu (as yt ys told)
Than al the sheldys mad off gold,
Wych in hys temple (out off doute)
He made hange round a-boute. 8040
'ffor, by thys targe off prudence, [stowe, leaf m]
He hadde so gret excellence
Of worshepe, & so gret honour,
As he that was off wysdom flour. 8044
Whil he was goue/'nyd by prudence,
Endurede hys magnyfycence ;
And whan that prudence was a-go,
Hys worshype wente a-way also. 8048
Hys sheldys off gold, ek euerychon,
A dyeu1 whan prudence was a-gon. [' A Dieust.]
ffor prudence, the shyld I calle,
Off fyue hundryd the best off alle, 8052
ffor to rekne hym,2 on by on ; piiem St.]
And, to kepe a man ffrom hys foil,
Ys noon so myghty off vertu,
Nor equyualent3 off valu. [* Equypoient St.] 8056
' Wherfor,4 whil thow art at large, [« Aiway St.]
Looke thow haue vp-on, thys targe,5
Wherso thow entre in batayH,
Whan thyn Emnyes the assaylle, 8060
To force6 thy quarel & a-mende, [« Taflbrcc st ]
Ber vp, & wel thy-sylff " dyffende F c. inserts -thy,' st. -tiw.']
At alle assautys fer & ner,
In maner off a bokeler. 8064
ffor8 gonnys, dartys, & quarel, [" agnintt]
Shrowde the ther-vnder wel ;
Be no coward, But wysly bolde.
' And now I haue the pleynly tolde 8068
Off thyn armure, (yiff thow tak hede,)
Wher-off thow shalt haue ay most nede,
WM-outen many wordys mo :
Now be avysed1 wliat thow wylt do.' 8072
The pylgrym.
°"Certys," f\uod I, "ther ys no more; [stowe, leaf u», back]
9 Lines 8073—8100 have no counterpart in the Cambr. prose,
or in its original, the first version of the French prose.
: ' Stowe puts this line
before the one above it.]
I ask why Armour is not given for my Legs and Feet. 225
" But I am astonyd sore
Off o thyng wych cometh to myude,
Wych that ye ha lefft be-hynde :
Thys to seyne, off al armure
Ye han me makyd1 strong & sure,
Saue my leggys & ffeet also :
Ye haue no thyng yseyn2 ther-to,
Nor ryht nouht for hem ordeyned ;
The wych ouhte be cowpleyned ;
ffor folk off hifi dyscreci'ons
Speke fyrst off Savaci'ons,
Off greevys, & kusshewys3 ek also,
Whan that men shal haue a4-doo ;
But ye (by short conclusi'ou«)
Make ther-off no mencyou/i.
" But, for to telle yow my thouht,
ffor my party, I rechche nouht ;
ffor, in spede off my vyage,
Yt were to me noon avauretage,
Yiff I sholde gon at large,
ffor to here so gret a charge."
Grace dieu axete s cs «
' Sawli thow eue/-e6 (so god the blesse !)
In forest or in wyldernesse
(Tel on, yiff yt cometh to mynde)
Huntyng for hert outlier for ynde,7
Chasyng for Rayndeer or8 for Roo,
Huntyng for buk outher for do 1 '
The pylgrym answereth
"Trewly," qiwd I, "to speke in pleyn,
Somtyme, huntyng haue I seyn."
Grace dieu
' Thanne,' quod she, ' I the comaimde,
Answere vn-to thys demat<nde :
Bestys that ben in wyldernesse,
Whan huntys don ther besynesse
To chacen hem, and kachche her pray,
What ys that thyng that best may
Helpen bestys in ther defence,
ffor teschewe the vyolence
PILGRIMAGE.
The Piliirim.
8076
[' made St.]
I want
annour for
my legs and
feet.
pseyest.] 8080
[s kysshewys St.]
[no St.]
[" Hynde St.]
[8 other St.]
[Stowe, leaf 145]
[leaf 127]
8084
8088
8092
;e, om. St.]
[s neuere St.]
8096
8100
Orace Dieu.
Grace Dieu
aaks if I have
ever seen
hunting.
The Pifgrim.
I answer
' I'M.'
8104
She nslu
whut it the
bent defence
of animals in
the chase.
8108
226 Grace Dieu says Venus & Cupid He in wait for Pilgrims;
[leaf 127, bk.]
The Pitflr
I answer
' flight,'
Grace Dieu.
The Pifirr/tH.
Armour
would there-
fore hinder
their flight.
Bays that
a deadly
huntretift lies
in wait for
me:
her name is
Venus.
Her son is
Cupid.
[leaf 128]
['
p teskai* st.] 8112
' Off houndys in swycli sodeyn iapo
ffrcly fro the dcth to skape f ' 2
The pylgrym
" Tre\v[e]ly, vu-to my Syht,
To hem, best help3 ys the fly lit." P help, o«. St.]
Grace dieu
' Thanne, yiff they hadde vp-on Armure,
On ther leggys, (hem sylff tassure)
Outlier off plate, maylle, or stel,
ffro byt off hoitndys to kepe hem wel,
Answere ageyn, shortly to me,
Sholde they be swyfft, away to fle? '
The pylgrym [Stowe, leaf US, back]
" Certys," (]iwd I, " I wot ryht wel,
Yt sholde hew furthre neueradel
So to ben arm yd, (as I gesse,)
But rather hyndren ther Swyfftnesse."
Grace dieu
' Now her-vp-on tak lied to me,
Conceyue what I shal telle the :
In thy passage, ther4 thow shalt pace, [«wherst.]
Yt ys holde a perylous place ;
And I the putte in ful surncsse,
Ther lyth A mortal hunteresse,
In a-wayt to hyndre the,
Wyth gret nouwbre off lip meyne,
Gretly to drede, & dauwgerous ;
The name oft' whom ys dame Venus,5 [b Venus St., om. c.]
And hyr sone callyd Cupide,
The blynde lorl, wayty?(gc asyde
With hys Arwes fyled keue,
To the ful dredful to sustene.
' And tliys lady doth euere espye,
With huntys in hyr cowpanye,
!Most peHllous to hurte & wouwde,
Al pylgrymes to confou?«de.
ffor ther ys hunte6 nor foster
That chaceth ay the ivylde deer,
K"or other bestys that byth Savage,
That may be lykned to the rage
8116
8120
8124
[6 Hunt St.]
812&
8132
8136
8140
8144
and Flifjht is their only defence : so my Legs are unarmd. 227
' Off dame Venus : wherfor tak hede [stowe, leafiw] Grace D/eu.
How gretly she ys to drede. 8148 sheisgreatiy
' And yiff thow kanst the trouthe espye,
Venus ys sayd ofE venerye ; Ve"stodweitur * venandi> """• a
ffor she ys the hunteresse
Wych euere doth hyr bysynesse 8152
To take pylgnmes by soin treyne,
And tenbracen in hyr cheyne,
And wi't/t hyr ffyry brond also
fEor to don hem peyne & wo, 8156
And ther passage for tassaylle.
' And fynally, in th ys bataylle From her
Ther geyneth power noon, nor myht, 8159
Nor other rescus but the fflvht, Fl'8" e8t ,,8U"m Remediu™ St., m ,lt is tlle
« a 1,1. i. j-n- only defence,
nor flyht ys only best diffence ;
And1 ffor to make resistance [l And St., am. c.]
A-geyn hyr dredful mortal werre,
The ffyht2 wt't/i hyre ys best a-ferre. [» fflyght St.] 8164
' ffor yiff A man be rekkeles
ffor to putte hym sylff in pres,
ffarwel dyflFence off al Armure !
Ther folwe shal dyscou;»fytnre 8168
On tlie party that doth a-byde ;
ffor Venus & hyr sone cupyde,
In ther conquest han vyctorye,
And in ther werrys, ffals veyn glorye, 8172
Whan folkys at dyffence' stonde
To fyhtii with hem hand3 off honde ; [3 honde St.]
'And for thys skyle, thow sholdest4 be lyht ['simstst.]
ffor to take th(5 to the flyht ; [c. &st.] 8176 [leaf 128, bk.j;
Whan tliow hast node, (take5 yt in mynde,) p have St.] Therefore i
Legharneys ys lefft be-hynde, [c. & St.] liberty" by
That thow mayst, at lyberte, [stowe, leaf IM, back]
Hyr dartys and hyr brondys fle. 8180
' Whan thow hyr seyst," mak no dyffence, [• «eest St.]
Nor noon other resistence,
But eschewe place & syht,
And alway tak the to the flyht. 8184
Tourne thy bak, & she wyl go ; 1 gj'^^^"^-
And yiff thow fleet, she fleth also. riugi8t.c^it,;oltcgis' illa
228 / put on all my Armour, and my Sword and Target.
Grace Dieu.
Flight is
the best
remedy.
[1 best St.] 8188
8192
The Pilgrim.
[Camb. prose,
cap. exxix.]
[* I St.]
8196
[3 And 1 St.]
8200
I dislike the
purpoint;
but lest Grace
Dieu should
be wroth,
I put it on,
and the ha-
bergeon ;
then the
gorger
and helmet ;
[leaf 189]
then the
gloves and
sword ;
and lastly,
the target.
[Camb. prose,
cap. cxxx.]
But it is
grievously
heavy.
[-> ffounde ther St.]
[MestSt.] 8204
' A-geyn whos malys and envyo,
fflyht ys the beste1 remedy e
Off al other (yifi yt be souht) ;
Other barneys the nedeth nouht
Vp-on thy leggys (truste me,)
fior no maner necessyte,
With Venus to holde chauwipactye.'
And whan I sawh, &2 gan espye,
And vnderstood hyr wonder wel
Touchynge tharmure euerydel
Wych she hadde for me brouht,
I3 gan assaye, and taryede nouht
Me tarrne fro poynt to poynt ;
But me lykede nat my purpoynt :
I fond ther-in4 so gret a lak,
Yt heng so heuy on my bak,
I wolde fayn haue lett yt be ;
But lyst6 that she were wroth w/t/t me,
I suffrede ; &, in conclusion?*,
Ther-on dyde the haberioun
Wych she me tok, ful6 bryht & clere. [6 toke / M om. St.]
And affter that, the double Gorger,—
To hyr byddynge I took swych hede ;—
And thajzue the helm vp-on my« hed,
Mad ful strong, and forgyd wel ;
Next, my glovys, tfynere than stel,
And gyrte me w*'Wi my swerd ryht tho.
And alderlast, I took also
My targe, that callyd was ' prudence,'
And hengyd yt on in my dyffence
Round a-boute my nekke a-noon.
And platly, whan I hadde al don
Lyk as she bade, m't/t myn barneys,
I felte ther-off so gret a peys,
That I myghte nat endure
The greuous wheyhte off myn annure,
That for dystresse I a brayde,
And to grace dieu I sayde :
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
The pylgrym
8212
[Stowe, leaf H7]
8216
8220
8224
But it lathers me so, that I complain of it to Grace Dieu. 229
" Ma dame," quod I, " ne greff1 yow nouht ['grave St.]
Thogh I dyscure to yow my thouht ;
And lat yt yow no thyng dysplese,
Thogb I declare my« gret vnhese,2 pvneaeSt.] 8228
And disclose yow my mescheff ;
Thys armure doth me so gret greff,
So gret annoy & dysplesauwce,
That I ne may me nat3 a-vaujzce p nought St.] 8232
Vp-on my way nor my lourne,
Swych hevynesse encouwbreth me.
"Myn helm hath rafft me my syyng
And take a- way ek myn heryng ; 8236
And most off al dyspleseth me,
I se nat that I wolde se.
And also, (yiff ye lyst to lore,)
Thyng that I wolde, I may nat here ; 8240
And smelle also I may no thyng
That sholde be to my lykyng.
"Thys gorger (ek as ye may se,) tston-e, leaf 117, back]
Gret encouxibraimce doth to me, 8244
And strangleth me almost vp ryht,
That I may nat speke a-ryht,
I fele so gret a passiouw :
And (for short conclusiouw) 8248
Thys armure may me nat profyte,
In wych I do me nat delyte.
" Thys glouys bynde me so sore,
That I may4 weryn liem no more, [« may om. St.] 8252
Wit/< her pynchyng to be lx>uwde,
Myn handys ben so tendre and Kounde ;
And al the remnaurat (I ensure)
That ye gaff me, off armure, 8256
Me streyneth so on eue/y syde,
That I may nat ther-wit/i a-byde.
" I ha to yow told al the caas ;
I am nat strengere5 tha?« dauyd was, I* stronger c.] 8260
"Wych hadde so myche suffysaimce ;
But, for cause off dystisauwce
In hys youthe whan he was tendre,
And off makyng smal & sklendre, 8264
The Pilgrim.
I complain
of the annoy-
ance caused
by my arm-
our.
The Helmet
stops my see-
ing and hear-
ing-
[leaf 129, bk.}
The Gorger
nearly
strangles me.
[Camb. prose,
cap. rxxxi.J
The Gloves
pinch me;
the other
Armour I
can't put up
with.
I am not
stronger than
David,
230 I declare that I won't wear Armour 'when I fiyht Venus.
The Pllfirim.
when he
fought with
Ooliath.
[leaf 130]
1 Bay I will
leave the
armour when
1 meet Venus.
Grace Diea
[Camb. prose,
cap. cxxxii.]
tells me
the armour
is light,
if 1 could
use it.
!mt
1 shall have
a paekhorse
to carry my
armour.
8268
8272
P»-j-MeSt.] 8276
[Stowe, leaf 1 »8]
[« dydde me St.] 8280
" (lu the byble yo may se,)
Hy»i lyst nat Armyd for1 to be p for on. St.]
Whan that he (thus stood the caas,)
Sholde fyhte w't/t Golyas,
Swych Armure he hath forsake ;
Off whom I wyle exauwple take,
ffor my party, to go lyht,
To ben ay redy to the flyht,
Whan that Venus (by bataylle,)
On the weye me wyl2 assaylle, p wyiiemest.]
Al thys arinure I wyl leue,
Be-cause that they do3 me greue,
Off purpos (lyk as ye shal se)
That I may the bettre fle,
Lyst I stode in lupartye
Whan Venus me dyde1" espye,
Wych ys tlie peryllous hunteresse,
Pylgrymes to putten in dystresse."
Grace dieu
' Yt nedeth her-on no inor to muse, —
By cause thow dost thy sylff excuse, — .
How armure doth to the grevauxce ;
ffor lie that hath5 no suffysauHce P hath St., am. c.]
Wyth-Inne hyw-sylff tendure peyne,
Off lytel thyng he wyl cowpleyne,
And a lytel charge refuse.
' But shortly, yiff thow koudest vse
Thys Armure, yt sholde seme lyht,
And nat lette the in thy flyht ;
ffor thys armure ys nat heuy
To hertys stronge, that be myghty
To endure, and byde longe
Vp-on heuy chargys stronge.
' But thow hast excusyd the,
That thow wylt nat Armyd be,
But go lyht, bothe6 fer & ner, [« bothe on. St.]
And therfore thow shalt han A" Somer8 / Baim/st.,
To karyen-in9 thyn harneys al,8 ['ao™. st. »imiest.]
Wych in soth shal be but smal,
8 These lines are in Cambridge prose, p. 138.
8284
8288
8292
8296
8301
I'll have only Sling & Stones. So I cast off my Armour. 231
' To trusse yt in, whan thow hast necle,
And \v*t/t the thow shalt yt lede,—
Lyst sodeynly, in bataylle,
Any man the wolde assaylle, —
Lyte and lyte to vse tlie, [Stowe, leaf u», back]
8304
Grace Dieit
says that,
[leaf 130, bk.]
8308
Euere a-mong, armyd to be.
' And for thow hast made menciou?;,
Off dauyd the noble champyouw, —
That he wold noon Armys bere, — 8311
Wych slowh the Lyon & the Beere ; le°0^"'set! V1'9"'" °"
But touchyng the same founne1 [' fonn fourme C., fourme St.]
Thow mayst the neue/-e to hy/« cowfourme,
But yiff thy body thow2 applye [Miiow St., now CO
ffor to fyhte a-geyn Golye 8316
"VVt't/f thy staff & witA thy slynge ;
And \\itJt the also that thow brynge
In thy skryppe stonys fyxie,
"VViU the geauwt for to stryue, 8320
As dauyd dyde, thorgh hys renouw,
Whan he hywi slowh & beet a-douH.'
The pylgrym:! t3 Pylgryme St., pylgrm C.]
" Ma dame, certys," tho ([uod I,
" That ye me graunt so gracyously 8324
To be arm yd as dauyd was
"Whan he fauht wi't/< Golyas,
I thanke yow \ri\Jt al niy« niyght,
And yow be-seche / a-noon ryht 8328
That I may be armyd so,
"VVhan-eue/'e that I shal haue a-do.
Other Armure ne wyl I noon,
On pylg/image whan I shal gon ; 8332
But that ye4 lyst to do your peyne [*yow St.]
A Sorner, fyrst[e] to ordeyne, *i Balm / St., om. c.
And ther-wyth (as ye haue be-hyht)
Stonys & slynge a-uoon ryht. 8336
But fyrst I shal dysArme me
Off thys Armure, as ye shal Se." [stowe, leaf 119]
And so I dyde; & caste5 dou« pkaitst.]
Purpoynt, helm and haberiou», 8340
Glouys & swerd, I yow ensure,
[Carab. prose,
cap. czxxvi.]
a1* toucliing
David, who
slew the lion
and the bear
I must, like
him, take
sling and
stones.
The Pilgrim.
[Camb. prose,
cap. cxxxvii.-
viii.]
I gladly agree
to this,
and throw off
all my
armour.
[Camb. prose,
cap. cxxxix.]
[leaf 131]
232 Grace Dieu leaves me, and I grieve over her going.
Grace Dieu
is displeased,
and leaves
me.
[3 stylle n. ther St.]
[• And St., om. C.J
[5 in to manure of a St.]
ne pilgrim. And fynally, al myn armure ;
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
Wheroff me thouhte I was wel esyd.
But Grace dieu was nat wel plesyd 8344
(Shortly) off my gouernauwce,
But took yt parcel in grenaunce,
And fro me she gan declyne,1 ^Myi?e^tI™(anerttiielnext m'«;
And entrede in,2 in hyr courtyne. pinnest.] 8348
And disarmyd I a-bood,
And fulle nakyd so3 I stood,
And4 ffel in-to A manec5 Rage
Off dysconfort, in my corage. 8352
The lak vpon me6 sylff I leyde ; [«myst.]
And thus vn-to my sylff I seyde :
" Alias ! " qww/ I, " what shal I do,
Now grace dieu ys go me fro ? 8356
I stonde in gret dysioynt, certeyn,
But vn-to me slie kome a-geyn,
Wych armede me ful ryally,
And apparayllede Richely, 8360
Lyk taknyht" that sholde assaylle [• toaknyht? st.]
Hys Enmye's in8 bataylle. ['in the]
But I was nat worthy ther-to,
That she sholde ha9 do So,
Off neclygence and ffreelte
Now I haue dyspoylled me,
Destytut on euecy syde.
" And trewly now I most a-byde,
peat isi, bk.] As a shepperde (who taketh kep,)
"\Vz't/( dauyd for to kepe shep,
W/t// staff & slynge, as dyde he,
I trowe yt wyl noon other be.
Grace dieu so me be-hyhte
Wlian that I stood10 in hyr syhte, [l° stoode St.]
Dj'sarmyd my body, euerydel,
Wher-off she lykede11 no thyng wel ; ["lykyng St.] 8376
But pleynly, off my goueniauwce,
Me sempte she hadde dysplesauHce."
And whil I stood in swych dysioynt,
12 Omitting the coming of the wench Memory with her eyes in the back
of her neck, p. 73 Roxb.
I ask myself
what 1 shall
do
unless Grace
Dieu returns
and arms
me.
I wasn't
worthy that
she should.
I must go
and keep
sheep like
David.
have St.] 8364
8367
[Stowe, leaf H9, back]
8372
[Camb. prose,
cap. cxl.-i."]
She comes back, and says I must be put to led and mid. 233
And was brouht vn-to the poynt 8380
Off heuynesse in my corage,
Tryst & mornyng off visage,
Grace dieu cam a-geyn
And thus she gan vn-to me1 seyn : [' vnto c., to me St.] 8384
Grace dieu
' Thow shalt no thyng do,' quod she,
'But at2 thyn owne lyberte : paiiest.]
Thyw armure thow hast cast a-way,
And stondyst 7iow in gret affray, 8388
Venquisshed (in conclusion;*),
Wit/(-oute strook yput adouw,
And fallen in gret febylnesse ;
Wher-for behoueth besynesse, 8392
And also ful gret dyllygence.
'Thy gret3 harmys to Eeco?wpense, pgretest.]
Thow must be wasshe & bathyd offte,
And couchyd in a bed ful soffte, 8396
Ther-in thy syluew to dysporte,
And lian a leche, the to couwforte, [stowe, leaf 150]
Thy synwes harde to mollefye
With oynementys, to make hem plye. 3400
Tel on A-noon ; let for no slouthe ;
Her-off, yiff I sey the the4 trouth.' [• the the St., the c.]
The pylgrym
" Ma dame," quod I, " yt ys no les ; 5 p lees St.]
Off my peynes to haue reles, 8404
I wolde fayn (trusteth me)
Off my disesses6 holpen be. [« dysseee St.]
The mane*- (yiff ye koude espye)
ffor to shape a remedye ; 8408
ffor, be my trouthe, I yow ensure,
That I may no longer dure
To sutfre mor, (taketh7 good lied,) [' more ' take St.]
But that I muste pleynly be ded : 8412
W('t/(-Inne my-sylff, many wyse,
Off labour I fele so gret fey«tyse."
Grace dieu
Quod Grace dieu a-noon to me :
' I haue espyed wel, and Se : 8416
While I was
sad,
Grace Dieu
cume back
to me,
Grace Dieu.
[Camb. prose,
cap. cxli.]
and told me
I must wash
and bathe
often.
and hare a
doctor to rub
my sinews
with oint-
ments.
The Pilgrim.
[leaf 1S2]
[Camb. prose,
cup. cxlii.]
I require
a remedy for
my weak-
ness.
Grace Difu.
Grace Dieu
says she
234 Grace Dicu has kept David's 5 Stones, and gives me them.
Grace Dieu. ' But I dyde my bysynesse
To taken heel to thy syknesse,
The to helpyn & releue
Off thyng that doth tliyn herte greue. 8420
I wot ryht wel (yt ys no nay)
Thow shoklest gon a pe;-yllous way.
' But fyrst tak hed, & be wel war,
The stonys wych that dauyd bar, 8424
Wyth the wych he slewe1 Golye, [' siougn si., leaf 150, back]
And hadde off liym the mystrye,
has long kept The same stonys, I ha2 lonffe [• have St.]
David's
stonertopiay Kept lie/ii bou«de wonder stronge 8428
WM-Inne a purs (shortly to seye),
OfE entent, w/t/t hem to pleye
with her Wit/; mavdenys wych on me a-byde,
maidens at J J J J
the French Eue/'e a-waytyi)ge on my syde, 8432
game of J J i J J
Ton-bail. At tlie martews,3 the gentyl play
Vsyd in fraiiMce many day :
These, i shall The wych stonys, the to saue,
I purpose that thow shalt haue, 8436
[leaf 112, bk.] As dauyd hadde, in hys dyffence,
ft'or to make insistence
A-geyn the geau»t Golyat,
Vn-to hy//;. to seyn ' chek maat,' 8440
Whan tliat euere in bataylle
He cast hym proudly the tassaylle.'
me pilgrim. And a-noon she dydc hyr pcyne
To take v/ith hyr handys tweyne 8444
She takes Ollt off a pOlirS,4 stollVS f VU6 J [« Pars St.]
them from
her purse lliat ncue/'c yet, in al my lyue,
I ne sawh nat to my syht
Xo waxier ston so cler nor bryht. 8448
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
And in al hast, thys lady fre,
and gives Wyth hyr hond she took '•> hem me : [5 gaffe St.]
them to me. , ,
Wych I receyuede ful lowJy,
3 Martel s. in. Xom d'un jeu :
Kt .v. pierres i met petites,
Don pnceles aux marl-ewes geueut
Quant beles et roudes les treuvent.
(Hose. Riehel. 1573, fo. 176 ft.)— Godefroi.
/ am to fight the Giant Goliath, ivho tempts Pilgrims. 235
['morn. St. 8452 Tie Pilgrim.
And in1 my skryppe sykerly,
I putte hem up, on by on.
But she to-forn, off eoerychon,
Sche made2 a declaraciouw p made to me. stowe, leafisi]
And ful3 cler exposic'iouw ; pa full St.] 8456
In whos speclie ther was no lak ;
And euene thus to me she spak :
Grace Dieu 4 [* St., om. c.]
' Thow shalt,' quod she, ' yt ys no fayl,
Offten entren in5 bataylle, pin to St.] 8460
"With thy foomen for to stryue,
And hanl! a werre al thy lyue piuuustj
W/t/t the Geau^t Golyas,
"VVych hath be-set ech nianec pas 8464
"VVher thow shalt passe in thy vyage,
As thow gost on pylgrymage.
Whos loye ys (who kan co«ceyue,)
AH pylgrymcs to deceyue ; 8468
Vp-on the wey lyth, hem tespye,
As doth the hyrayne for the fflye.
' And as she hyr net kan spynne,
Tyl that she the flye wynne, 8472
And by hyr sleythe7 kan hem take, [~ eieyght« st, sieyth c.]
Eyht so hys trappys lie doth make, .1. Goiia» St., om. c.
Alle pylgrymi-s to eiibrace,
Wher they walke in any place, 8476
ffalsly to take on hew vengaurcce,
~With hys deceytys off jtlesauwce,
And flesshly lustys off delyt
fful plesauut to the appetyt. 8480
' Wi't/t worldly rychesses,8 & veyn glorye [8 Richesse St.]
Off goodys that ben t/'<aisitorye,
Off he;/* he maketh a sotyl net ; 9 [9 nette . . knette St.]
And whan he hath yt vp ful knot,9 8484
Ther-wi't/t he doth hys besy peyne, [stowe, leaf 151, back]
Pylgrymes to bryngen in A treyne.
Hem cachchynge (or they kan espye)
As the hereyne doth the fflye, 8488
By apparence ful ag/^'able,
Thys ffalse geau?«t deceyuable,
1 put them in
my Scrip,
and Grace
Dieu tells me
about them.
Grtzce Lieu,
I shall have
battle all my
life with '
Goliath,
[leaflSS]
who lies in
wait for
pilgrims,
as the spider
for the fly.
236 The 1st Stone is Memory of Christ's Death, a Ruly.
Graff Dieu.
[leaf 133, bk.]
I am to take
no heed of
the world.
but be fall of
courage like
David.
The first
atone is the
memory of
Christ's
death for
mankind.
The precious
Ruby,
'Lyk the1 bacyn that ys brcwnynge,
And sheweth ffayr as in shynyiige ; 8492
Yet nat for-thy, thogh yt be bryht,
The Beere yt reueth off hys syht,
And niaketh hym blynd, he may nat se.
' Ryght so, worldly prosperyte, 8496
fflesshly hist & fals plesauwce,
Causen folk, by deceyvauwce,
ffor to be blynd, & lose her syht.
' Wher-for wM-stond wft/* al thy mylit 8500
The power of thys proud Golye.
Al fflesshly lustys ek defye ;
And off the world ek, tak noon hede,
Wych deceyueth a man at nede. 8504
' And yiff thow wylt don aff ter me,
I sbal a-noon her2 techyn the, [» here St.]
Lych a myghty champyou«
To venquysshe al temptaciouM3 8508
Off the world, Golye, & the fflessh.
' Looke fEyrst that thow be fressh,
Lyk to dauyd off corage,
Manly off herte, wys & sage 8412
A-geyn thyw Enmyes for to stryue ;
And enere have redy,4 stonys ffyue, [» have redy St., haardy c.]
To caste hem (off entenc'iouw) 85 1 5
A-geyn[e]s al5 Temptaci'olM, [s AseynsallemanereoffSt., If at l.-.i]
Loke thow be redy, euere in on.
'The name off thy0 ffyrstU ston
Ys the mynde most off * vertu, t
Off the deth off cryst ihesu ; F off moste St.] 8520
How that he sprad on the rood,
ffor mankynde, hys owne blood ;
The peple ther-wit// to bey?i8 a-geyn, pbyenSt.]
Wych that Golyas hadde slayn. 8524
Thys, the precyous ruby Ryche,
In al thys world ther ys noon lyche ;
Wych receyuede hys rednesse
3 Stowe here awkwardly inserts a parenthesis of two lines :
Looke thow be redy / eucre in oon,
To fight« with hem as thy foon. — leaf 151, back.
« ««tt«tone.-Jn. stowe.
The 2nd is Remembrance of Mary ; 3rd, Heavens Bliss. 237
ri'.l with tin-
blood of
Clirist.
y* second stone. Jn. Stowe.
^[ Secuudus lapis / E«t
, memoria gloriose vi/*-
J ginis Marie. $t.,on.C.
[leaf 134]
The second
stone is the
Remem-
brance of
Christ's
8540
mother Mary,
8544
the precious
Pearl.
' Off crystys blood, & hys rychesse. 8528 Qrace pie*.
' Dye thy« herte (as yt ys good,)
In the sylue1 same blood ;
Ha ther-in feyth & stedefastnesse ;
Than artow strong (in sothnesse) 8532
Ageyn golye & ;il hys myght,
ffor to venquysshe hym by fh'ht :
Thy mynde ha ther-on, euere in oon.
'And the nexte2 Ryche Ston, p next St.] 8536
In nouwbre callyd the secou»de,
Wych wyth al grace doth habounde,
Off vertu hath most suffysauwce,
And ys callyd Remembraurcce
Off that mayde & moder fre,
Y-chosen off the deyte
fful many hundryd yer to-forn,
Or she was off hyr modern born).
Thys, the precyouse margaryte
Off hevenly dewh & dropys whyte,
Sprang in a Cokyl bryht & shene,
ffor tavoyden al our tene,
Whos grace, thorgh the world doth shyne : [St., if. 152,
Lat hyre thyre herte enlwmyne,
And a-dewhen3 \viUi hyr grace ;
And neuere dred the (in no place)
But thow shalt han the maystrye
Off tlie devel and off golye.
'TliA tlirvrlilp cfnn vc ' \fomnrvp the third stone. Jn. Stowe.
10rVe U Tercius lap). / Est Memori,
Off the perdurable glorye,'
And off the hihe blysse in hcuene
A-boue the planetys allc seuene :
Thys, the blyssyd saphyr4 trewe,
Al-to-gidre off hevenly hewe, 8560
Wych recoiwforteth most the syht
Wyt/t hys cou/ifortable lyht :
Kep hyt for thyn owne stoor,
ffor yt saueth euery soor ; 8564
Yt sleth5 bochches & ffelouws,
Destroyeth venym & poyssouws ;
And off colour yt ys ynde :
[»adewen St.]
8548
8552
St.,ora.t'.
8557
St.]
The third
stone ie the
Memory of
the everlast-
ing bliss of
Heaven,
the Sapphire.
piieetiust.]
It destroys
venom and
poisons, and
in dark blue.
238 The ±th Stone, named Allcston, is Memory of Hell-Jin.
grace oieu. ' Lat yt neue/1 out off thy mynde. 8568
i am to azure ' Azure tlivn licrte ther-\v//t/)-al :
my heart
with it. And loue yt yn especyal,
As for tliy cheff pocess'iouH ;
And thanke (off hih affecciiou«) 8572
[leaf 131, bk.] To god Only, Wycll1 Off grace [' god /which oonly St.]
Hath ordeyned swych a place
ffor his chose chyldre- dero, [* children St.]
The wyche,3 as cbamplonns here, p whiciw st., wych c.] 8576
fEyliten •vfi/ih golye day he day,
And overkome hy»» in tlier way ;
Pylgrymes that passen many Eewm4 [• Reem St.]
Toward hevenly Jerusaleem. 8580
The fourth ' The fEourthc ston ys callyd ' Mynde ' : "'S^stowe*'0"'
Be-war that yt he nat be-hynde. ^SS^SfSlSJL
Haue yt5 in thy memoryal pui^hrfMiJ
Memory or Mviide off tlie peynys infernal, 8584
the Pains of TIT , . .
Hell, Wych ys gretly for to drede,
and its flamy Wyt/(. hys flawmy fyrys rede,
men't sinnera. Eedy (ther ys noon other wente,) 8587
Thys Syniieiys to tonnento6 [6 The» Synnen / to Tornemente St.]
Eternally, for ther penauwce,
That deye" w*/t/(-out repentaurice ; Fdyenst.]
' But, off that lord grettest off myglit,
Wlios mercy cue?1 passeth ryht, 8592
Off synnerys desyreth nat tlie8 deth ; pbntst-]
ffor he doth mercy or that he9 sleth ; [9 or he St.]
Loth, swych folkys to tormente,
That off herte hem wyl repente. 8596
' But yet haue alway in thy thouht,
(And look that thou for-gete yt nouht,)
To haue thy mynde, euere a-niong,
Up-on thys mortal peynys strong. 8600
' And the name of thys dredful stone
it is called Ys ycallyd Albeston,
Wych, whan yt receyueth ffyr,
To hete yt hath so gret desyr, 8604
That10 whan \vyt/( n ftyr yt ys jTiieynt, [10 That St., Than c.]
Affter, neuere12 yt wyl be queynt. [" wiian the st .]
'Haue on thys ston ay mencyoun, [^ Never affler St.]
The oth is Holy Writ, an Emerald, cleansing impurities. 239
' And in eche templacyoiw, 8608 am™
Latt love ofE God, and drede ofE peyne, [stowe, leaf iss]
Fro dedly Synne the Kestreyne. tstowe MS.]
And yifE thow hast her-Inne niemorye, „ 8611
Off Golye thow liast the vyctorye. ,,
'The ffyffthe ston (I the ensure) t1l
That thow shall han, ys 'scryptiire '
Hooly wryt, & thus I mene,
The Eraerawd that ys so grene, [stowe, leaf 153, back] 8616 the Emerald,
A ryche ston, off gret counfort,
That to the eye doth most dysport,
And, thorgh hys rayght & hys puissaunce,
St., om. c.
[leaf 13-,]
The fifth
stone is'Holy
Writ,
Voydelh a-way al grevauwce
ffrom an eye1 fer & ner,
And makelh A marchys- syhte' cler,
Clenseth a-way al ordure,
The gownde, & euery thyng vnpure.
' Now haue I told the, by & by,
Off thys stonys coryously,3
Wych thai ben in notiwbre fyue :
Put hem in thy skryppe blyue,
Caste hew* ay whan tliow hast nede ;
And specyally (as I the rede)
Caste he?» euere in ech sesoiw
A-geyns al temptacyotw,
Ech affler other, in thy dyffence ;
And mak alway strong resystence,
Spendynge thys4 stonys, on by on ;
And I ensure5 the a-noon, [5
Thow shall nat faylle (yiff thow be wys,)
Off vyctorye to gete a prys.'
The pylgrym
Thau quod I to hyre a-geyn,
"Thys fyue stonys (in certeyu)
Ben ryht good & gracious,
& at assay ryht vertuous ;
But I merueylle, syth ye be wys,
Why thai ye, in your a-vys,
Lykne my Mouth un-to a slynge ;
ffor I kan nat aboutij brynge,
8620
[' Eyee St.]
manj-s St.]
8624
P Ceryously St.]
which
cleanses from
all ordure.
Theae ."> |
stones
8628
8632
lam to
cast ;iiMiiiNi
temptations,
one by one.
[* tlies St.]
assure St.] 8636
The Pilgrim.
8640
[SI.&C.] 8644 [leaf 135, bk.]
240 Grace Dieu lids me make a Sling to cast the Stones with.
The Piltirim.
1 doubt of
the way to
meet my
foes.
Grace Dieu.
There are
divers
thoughts in
the heart
as one cord is
made of two.
[leaf 136]
Take heed
to keep the
atones well.
[St. &C.] [Stowe, leaf 154]
8648
[' Stowe. Telpe C.]
[C. & St.]
8652
8655
[a ahrewdenesse St.]
86CO
8664
" Nor deuyse, how that I sclial
To caste stonys ther-wyM-al,
To helpe1 my sylff ageyn my ffon ;
fEor custoom hadde I neue/-e noon,
God knoweth wel, nyli nor ferre,
Me to gouenie in swych a werre."
Grace dieu.
Quod she, ' Kanstow nat espye ]
Who kan wysdom, lie kan folye ;
And who that knoweth ek goodnesse,
Parcel he knoweth off shrewdnesse ; 2
fEor ryhtwysnesse, & also wrong,
Entennedlen euere a-mong ;
And in an herte (yiff yt be souht)
Ther tourneth many a dyuers thouht,
Lyk a corde (yt ys no doute),
Wyt/i-Inne yt3 tourneth ofte aboute ; [3 wiiiche St.]
And off two cordys, they a-corde
Offte for to make a corde.
' ffor Cordys be sayd (who kan aduerte,)
Off offte tournynges4 in an herte; [' turmentynges St.]
And vcyth twynnyng, (in certeyne,)
A5 cord ys ymad off tweyne. poost.] 8668
' And thus thow shalt aboute brynge,
Off thy thouht to make a slynge,
Ther-in to putte stonys ffyue,
Ageyn thyw enmyes for to stryue,
To cast hem in thys mortal werre,
Wer-so thow6 lyketh, nyh or ferre.
' ffor, slynge ys noon, (thya no doute,)
That may tourne so offte aboute
As may thy thouht (be wel certeyu) ;
ffor bothe on hylle, on vale & pleyn, [stowe, leaf jsi, back]
Yt tourneth her, yt tourneth yonder, 8679
So offte" sythe, that yt ys wonder, F so oflte St., Some c.]
ffer or ner, ryht at thy lust,
On whos abood, yt ys no trust. [C. & st.]
But, yits I rede, tak good kep [»yittest.]
(Lyk thys Erdys9 that kepe shep) [nhes herdys st.] 8684
Thy slynge and stonys to kepe wel,
8672
[« the St.]
8676
T/ie fil,mm.
I feel foolish
for turning
herdsman.
/ ask Grace Dieu for a Cart to carry my Armour. 241
And that thow err, neumulel."
The pylgrym :
" Alias," (\uoil I, " what may tliys be,
That, off my foly nycete, 8688
I am be-kome an Ertle1 man, — ['herde St.]
And noon other crafft ne kan, —
A rud shepperde, thorgh my folye,
And ha for-sake chyualrye, 8692
Annys tliat longen to a knyht,
Thes-off Gompbynynge day & nyht.
And syker, so I may ryht wel,
Whan I consydre euerydel 8696
Hou dauyd (who lyst taken kep)
Was fyrst an Erile,2 & kepte3 shep ; [« herde «t. » kept St.]
But, thorgh hys manly goumiaunce,
Ilym-sylff affter he dyde avauxce 8700
To Ix; callyd a myghty kyng,
Thorgh hys vertuous lyuyng,
And \ryth al thys, a famous knyht.
Wherfor, I pray yow anoon ryht, 8704
Lyk your heat, doth your deuer
To ordeyne me a somer,
Myn liarneys ther-in for to karye ;
And her-vp-on that ye nat tarye, [stowe, leaf 155] 8708
But in al hast that ye me spede,
That whan yt falleth4 I ha node, [« irayiieth* St.]
Myn armure l>e nat fer me ffro,
Whaw that I ha nede ther-to." 8712
Grace dieu :
Quod grace dieu anoon to me,
' Thow hast abydynge ay w//t/« the
A seruant and a chauwberere,
Wych in soth. (as thow shall Icrc,) 8716
Lesyth hyr tyme, & doth ryht nouht,
A Damyselle : 5 lat hyr be souht, p stowe]
To trusse thyn harneys euerydel.
ffor yiff hyr lyst, she kan ryht wel 8720
(I haue off hyre no mane;- doute,)
Trusse, and bern yt ek a-boute,
And folwe the owher6 so thou go; [<wi»rst.]
PILGRIMAGE. i.
tlio' David
was lii >t a
shepherd.
and then a
mighty king.
I ask Tor a
cart
to parry my
nnnuur.
Grttef Diet!
says I have
a servant
alrendy,
(Memory,)
[leal 1.W, hk.]
\vho ran pack
and riirry my
arms.
24>2 Grace Dieu shows me a Servant with Eyes at her lac},- ;
grace pieu. ' And by my couHsayl, lat her so, 8724
Sytli that she kan do hyr deuer,
Bothe be thy seniaiit & soiner.'
ne pilgrim. 1h& pylgrym :
n^Aa "^ra dame," (to Sl)e'{e feythfully,)
servant. " j ],a noon sywch vfijih me," q«od I. 8728
aran Dieu Grace dieu :
' Certys,1 quod she, ' thou hast swych on ;
I shal hyr shewe to the a-noon,
buismetook YifE in thy sylff tlier be no lak :
Looke be-liynden at thy bak ! ' [stowe, leaf iss, i™*] 8732
The pi/,/rim. The pylgrym :
Jo so, And so I dyde', — lyk as she
The same tynie comauwdyd me,—
ami see a Be-hcld bak ward, & saw1 sywch on ; [' »a«- om. st.]
woman j*o/»
WherofC astonyd I was a-noon, 8/3G
And fyl in-to a fill grct iloutc,
Re-cause, whan I be-held aboiite,
without oj-es, I sawh that eyen haddc slie noon,
Ne2 mor tliau hatli a stok or ston ; [»NoSt.] 8740
Wych was to me a thyng hydous ;
lykeamon- Slio scmpte, a best monstruows,
slroils beast.
Outward, }>y lij'r co»tenau»ce.
But tlio I hadde a rimembiwutee S7 1 1
How Grace dieu hadde don to me
Touchynge my« eyen, vrytli wych I so,
Wyth them to make me se the bet,
In myn erys whan they wer set, 8748
By hyr oune puruyaiiMce ;
Wlicr-off liavyng a remej»brau«ce,
[lent is-] I gan consydre & loke wol
Hyr sliap & nianer euerydel. 8752
nut on look- Tyl at the laste, I dyde fyiwle
ing further, J
i see her eyes In hyr hatercl, for be-liyiide,
III ,. ,,,,1
behind her. TweyilC Eyen fflll clcr & brvlit J
Wych was to me a wonder syht. 87 5G
And on thys thyng gretly musynge,
To grace dieu my-sylff tournynge,
Sodeynly I tho abrayde,
And, astonyd, to hyre I snyde : 8760
who is a Treasurer of Knowledge and Ex-pcricnce. 24:3
The pylgrym :l [l C. has tliis heading I lines higher.] The Pilgrim.
" Ma. dame," <\iiod I, (" yiff ye lyst lere,) [stowe, leaf i56j i ten Grace
I ha fouwde a chauHtberere,
Me suyng at my bak bc-liynde,
Off whom I hadde to-forn no myndo 8764
Nor no maner remembraiince ;
And syker, I ha no grot plesaunce
Off hyr offyee nor h}rr seruisc ;
Cause why, I slial devyse : 87C8
Me semeth she ys vngraeyous,
Connterfeet & monstruous :
And as me semeth in my syht, i .loui.i if
this tnonster
feme ne kan nat, halff a-ryht, 8772 can truss ana
iir t; keep my
Wjrtfl me farOMen n\yn armure, armour.
Xouther kepe my?j liarneys sure."
Grace dieu : oran DM
' Certys,' (pioil Grace dieu ryht tho,
' I wot my sylff yt ys uat so : 87 7G
Slie kan hem trussc most trewlv, »«»ur«i mo
siie can
And beren 2 also sykerly. p bercn su, bern c.j
Wlierfor, in thyn opj)ynyouM,
Tyl thow haue occasiou« 8780
Or som cause, dyspreyse liyr nouht ;
ffor wliau the trouthe ys clerly souht,
Thow shalt knowij wol that she
Ys ful necessarye to tlie, 8784
Yiff thow lyst maken3 prouydence P maken st., makem c.] [leaf 137, bk.]
Off any koiiwyng or scycnce, m,\ ran also
-«T. . teucli me.
it to concovue wyt/i-outc lak,
' I3y cause hyr Eyen stonden bak, 8788 Her eyes
*r. bein<; in her
\ t ys a sygne (as thow shalt lore) back,
. . show she is a
lliat Sll3 IS a tresoUVeVC Treasurer «f
t\CC I p r • Expellees,
T Kollliyng iV Ol SCleilCyS, [Stoive, leaf ISC, back]
And oil' all Kxperyencys 8792
That be co»nnyttyd to liyr garde ;
Yiff thow kowne a-ryht rewarde,
Thyngis passyd, tliow shalt fynde whokwps
t« i i 111 •' • i things past
Hchfl kepetli hem closyd m hyr mynde, 8796 i» ii«r mimi.
Sore shot wyt/t lok & keye,
That they go nat lyhtly awey.
Past things
Bile klKt\vs,
but not future
one*.
Her name is
Memory.
The Pilgrim.
244 Her name is Memory. To her I entrust my Armour
araae Die*. ' Al1 thyngfe's off antyquyte, ['AlleSt.]
Storyes that auctorysed2 lie, [' au»torj«ed St.] 8800
And thywges digue off K6niewbrau»ce,
And al the olde gouernaurece
Wych a-for thys hath3 be do, phast.]
She kan devyse, no whyht so, 8804
Fresshly renewyd in hyr thouht.
' And yet, to-forn, she seth rylit nouht,
Nor a-parceyueth no nianec thyng
Off that shal folwe in hyr seyyng, 8808
Off wysdam, Armys, nor vyctorye.
And hyr name ys " memorye " ;
And so thow shall off Ryght hyr calle
Her-affter-ward, what euer falle. 8812
And wherso that4 thou wake or slope, [« ii»» am. st.]
Tak hyr thyw annure for to kepe ;
And she wyl make no dauwger,
But the to serue, &5 don hyr dcuer." [»So«i.st.] 8816
The pylgrym to memoyre.
Than (\uod I to thys chaiiwbcrere :
" "Wvnli flint 6 linn vrmr Avmi florn [* that St., than O.
w j cn inai nan j ov r ej en ci ,re, ( Wych „,„, = Vou who)]
Only be-hynde (yiff yt be souht)
& to-forn ne se ryht nouht,— 8820
ffor off thynges that passyd be,
Ys your charge7 for to se ; [' ciiarge only st, st<»ve, i™r ir,v]
And I to-forn shal taken hede : —
But I stonde in a nianer drede,
In what wyse ye shal sustene
To remembre, (thus I mene,)
Or so gret a ciiarge to here,
Off thynges out off my»de feere,8
Hem to reporte, wyt/(-oute blame ;
But, for ye han so good a name,
And, to bore,9 ben ek couenable, [»becrest.]
Strong also & seruysable ; 8832
Te yow thys armure I cominytte,
Out off your garde that they nat flytte."
[lilaitk in MS. for an Illumination.]
And she tooke10 [hem] ful lowly [» tooke st., took c.]
In-to hyr kepyug fynally, 8836
[leaf us;
Tho' I iloubt
her fttnetis,
8824
[« myn Hwr St.] 8828
1 commit my
armour to
Memory's
clmrge.
8840 says I am
now reaily to
BO <«i my
journey,
[•const.] 8844
[«— *om. St.]
except for the
breiul,
Moses gives me Bread far my Journey to Jerusalem. 245
And in hyr tresour vp hew layde.
And Grace dieti thaw to me sayde :
Grace dieu: Gr«<* DU,
Quod she a-noon, ' tak hed her-to !
Now artow rcdy for to go
As a pylgrym on thy louraec
To lerusaleeni the cyte ;
Eedy in al (yt ys no drede),
Save off o1 thyng tliow hast node,
Only off bred, 2(wyt/i-oute more,)
Ther-wyth tliy skryppc to astore :
Off wyeh bred2 I ha the told.
' But I the rede, l»e nat to bold
To take noon (in no dcgre,)
Wyt/t-outeu lyconce or corcge
Off the ladyes (in substauwce) t-sto
Wych ha that bred in goueniau/ice.
And alderfyrst : thow ek observe,
That thow ko»ne yt wel dysserve,
And thy sylff, aforn to make
To be worthy yt to take
Off the ladyes, benygne off cherys,
Wych ther be set ffor awnienerys :
Wi't/i-oute hem, put the nat in pres.'
Thanne wente I to3 Moyses,
Hyw be-souhte, to my good sped,
ffor to youe* me off that bred.
And he me gaff yt ful goodly ;.
And in my skrypjie, a-noon I
Putte that bred most off vertu.
Than«e to me spak Grace dieu :
Grace dieu:
Qttml Grace dieu to me tho blythe,
' By my couwsay], offte sythe
Lok ther-to that thow tak hede
Wlian thow slialt etyw off thys bred,
Tliy sylucn gostly todysporte,
And thyn herte to vecou«forte,
Therby tarmc thy sylff ryht wel,
Bet tliiin in Iren or in stel ;
8848
, leaf 157, bacV] [leaf 138, Ijk.]
8852
[St. t C.]
which I am
to make my-
8856 '™'"'*
pvn-toSt.] 8860 nePilffrim.
[« yeve St.]
I go tu Moses.
£C, & St.]
He RIVCB me
bread freeiy,
8864 «"«U|«itit
in my skrip.
Grace Dim
8868 saystliat
8872
when I eat
this Bread, I
shall he
armed.
246 As I loont touch my Armour, Grace Dieu calls me Coward.
Grace Dieu ' Thcrby to han expccyence
ffor to make resistance 8876
Ageyn al thy mortal ffon.
' But herkene vn-to mo A-noon :
Conceyuo (for conclusion?*)
reproaches Yt yS a gret1 COnfllsi'OUtt ['affulUSt. Stowe, leaf 158] 8880
To the (yiff thow lysfc to lore,)
That she wych ys thy chauwberere
Shohle, affter the, thyn nnnys bere ;
for not flaring And thow thy-sylff darst horn nat were, 8884
armour. Nor wyt/t thy fynger tonche hem nouht,
[leaf 139] Swych dred & fer ys in thy thoulit,
Thow braydest on a koward knyht,
liesemblynge hem that dar nat ffyht : 8888
They are not I liolde hem nat goode werryours,
PMMI War-
hol*'their Manly knyhtos, nor conquerours,
thelvaii"1""1 '•l'na*; ha»gc her sheldys vp on2 the wal, [« vp on c., on st.]
To make a mowstre in specyal, 8892
Outward by, as by apparence,
ffor to shewo the excellence
Off ther rychesse by fressh array ;
And ther bodyes, nyht nor day, 889G
Nor them sylff, dar nat a-vauwce
To handle* uouther swerd nor lauwce ; t3 ^indie'i/]'''
They pretend ]iut outward shewyn ffressli peywtures
Off dyuers bestys and ffygures, 8900
Lyk to manly champyouHS,
they'd slay As they wolden slen lyouws
In dyff ence off ther contro.
And yet, par cas, yt may so be, 8904
Ther bodyes strangely4 kassure, [« Btrongeiy St., strongly c.]
but have They stuffe her somerys \vylh armurc,
iniioirt Wych ay hem folweth at the bak,
behind em.
That in shewyng thor be no lak ; 8908
And for al that, (who taketh hede)
And yt koine vn-to the uede,
(I mene, as ofP a mortal werre,) [stowe, leaf iss, back] 8911
They wolde he;» sylff holde5 afferre, [5 hoiae st., on. cj
To preue her manhood & hyr inyght.
' But I holde hym a manly knyght,
The way to Jerusalem is full of foes. I should go arnid. 247
' Wych off hys harnoys (for & nor) Grace Ken.
Ys \\\m Sylliert the SOmcr, 8916 The manly
knight
And berctli hys arniure on hys bak, '«»» w»
armour ou
On hys Enniycs to take wrak ; »'» ""lck.
And in hys harneys, day & nyht
Ys fou»de redy, lyk a knylit, 8920 [iratiss, bk.]
Off prouydence hywe sylfE to kepp,
And thcr-in, day and nyht dotli slope,
Iledy to sendc hywt \\y\Jt hys hond,
Xamly, whan he ys in a lend 8924 e»nwiaii.v
• ' • when deadly
Wher the werre vs ay mortal, wirtogotog
• * on.
' And truste wel in espccyal,
That the land & the cowtre The way to
Jerusalem
Toward Icrusalem the cyte, 8928 is b«8.rt «•'">
enemies,
Thow inayst nat passe yt, fur nor ner,
W//t/(-oute pereil & grot dauwger.
Yt ys ay fill off Ennemyes,
Off brygau/ttys, & fals cspycs, 8932
And off {Tuition ffnl despytous.
' And in thys passage perilloue,
ife senieth (in no inaner
That yt may to the suffyso, 893G agai,1Btwi,om
your HtoTics
Tliy stonys platly, nor thy staff slvii£;e. and stun win
•" J J • not suffli-e ;
(\Vycli w//t/( the that tltow dost brynge),
I5ut yiff thow do thy deuer,
To haue wi/t/t the thy Somer, 8940
To ber tliy annys on thy bak,
Bet than in Ixnvgys or cloth suk.
' Yt1 WCr a gret doryslOU/l ['AnJytSt. Stowe,leaf IM>] umlUwnuld
To the, and cvet confusiou//, 8944 deruionto
you
Yiff thy chau/«brere sholdc IIC/K brynge,
And thow, for Ink off fforseyynge,
Stoode thy syllff disconsolaat,
Uysarmyd, nakyd, & chuk-inaat, 8948 to be found
' nmraud and
ConsyuredJ that thy chau»«berere [2 consj-ure St.] check-mate.
Ys lasse off niyght & off powere
Thau thow thy-sylff[e] sholdest be,
Yiff thow Ix; gouc'/'nyd by equytc.' 8952
The pylgrym :
" Certeys yc seyn ryht wol at aH.
248 Tho' I was too fat, I am now fit, lut have no Servant.
The Pilgrim.
[leal HiiJ
I a«k why I
could not
endure the
armour.
Grace Dieu
too fnt.
The Pilffi-im.
I nay I nmv
Onice Itltu.
Grace Dieu
asks me
whether I'm
alone,
or have n
man too.
Tlie Pilgrim.
I Bay I liave
no one but
myself.
[leaMM.bk.:
" But I wolde in especyal
Wyten how yt myghte be,
Or whehr the faute1 wer in me, [' the defaute st.] 8956
The cause2 platly of thys cas, [» stowe]
That I so sone dysarmyd was ;
And why I myghte nat endure
The hevynesse off myn arniure." 8960
Grace dieu :
' Hastow,' quod she, ' no Remembrau»ce,
How I the tolde,3 in substaiwce, [» toiae St., tow cj
Thow wer to fat, and to lykynge,
To gret and large (as by semyiige,) 8964
The to putte in aventure
So hevy arniure to endure 1 '
The pylgrym :
" I wel remewbre,"4 so ye sayde, C Remembre me St.]
And thys defautys on me ye layde ; 8968
And yet ye sayde to me no wrong ; [stowe, leaf 159, back]
But now I ffele my sylff mor strong
To ben armyd, off5 good entente, pin St.]
Yiff so be that ye assente." 8972
Grace dieu :
' AVostow what thow art ? ' q?<od she :
' Yiff thow be Oil, declare toc me ; [« to ow. St.]
Yiff thow be double outlier tweyne,
Tel me A-noon & nat ne feyne. 8976
Lat ther be no varyau»ce
Wher thow haub'7 gouemaunce p ha«t the St.]
Off any nunur other wyht
Than off thy sylff : tel on now ryht.' 8980
The pylgrym :
"Ma dame," quod I, "yiff ye lyst se,
Off thys thyng ye axe me,
(Yiff ye lyst pleynly to8 cojicerne,) ptoom. St.]
I haue no mo for to gotiecne 8984
But mysylff, nor to comanwde.
I haue merveyl off your demauwde ; [c. & St.]
What ye mene, off this questyouw ,,
W//t//-oute a declaracyoiut." „ 8988
Grace dieu :
Grace Dieu says my Servant is now my Master. 249
' Yiff vn-to nio good audyencc,
And also do thy dyllygence
Tcrkne1 a-noon what I shal say ;
And thy sylff shalt nat seyw nay ;
But I slial prctie the contrayre,
That thou hast an aduersayre,
And On ek off thy nioste foon,
Wliom that thow off yore agou
Hast yhad in goueruaunce,
And dost ful bysy iittendau/tce
ffor to cherysshe day & nyght,
W//tA al tliy power, and thy myght ;
A dayes, for to fede \iyrn offte,
And a nyht, to leyn hy//t soffte ;
Wyt/i metys most delycyous,
And, vrijth deyntes oulragous,2
Tliow dost ful besy attewdauHce
To ffostren hyw to liys plesavmce.
' What-euere cost ther-on be spent,
Thow takest noon heed in thyn entent,
J5ut al hys lustys to obeye.
' And yet I dar aff ernie & seye,
He was ordeyned for to be
Soget & seruauMt vn-to the,
And tabyde in thy servyse.
' I5ut now yg tournyd al that guyse,
Pleynly, yiff thow lyst to se ;
ffor he hath now the souereynte,
Lordshepo & domynaci'ovw,
That ffyrst was in subiecc'ioim.
And to concludes, at () word,
Thow art soget, & lie ys lord ;
And yet he was delyvered the,
Thy scruatwt cuero to ha be ;
I!ut he ys now thy most enmy,
And doth hys power outterly,
Euere in on, the to werreye,
And day & nyght to dysobeye,
And for thy lustys ay to varye,
Vn-to the to be contrarye,
[' To hcrkcn St.]
Orttee Viett.
Grace Dieu
telU me thai
8992
[Stowe, leaf inn]
I have att
adversary,
8996
9012
9020
[0. & St.]
9024
one formerly
under my
control, •
9000
but now
fnstenl by me
with luxuries.
[» outrageous St.] 9004
9008
He WHB or-
dallied to be
my servant,
9010
[leafUl]
but is now
uiy lord,
and my
greatest foe
(my body).
[Stowe, leaf 100, back] 9028
250 Grace IHeu describes how I pamper my Foe (my Body}. '
grace Dien. ' Xat-W(/M-stondynge Hie dyllygence,
Tlie costys & the grct expense
That thow dost hyw for to plese,
.And liys Gredynesse tapese : 9032
Nmvhi-is Thow beyst1 hyw, many fressh lowel, [ibye»tst.]
l<xni|wred J
i>y you. And sparest nat off thy catel
To bey n2 hyw knyues & tablettys, [«i>yenst.]
Kyche gyrdelys & corsettys. 9036
YOU buy Clothes off sylk & off skarlet,
him silks anil
pearls. Eiubrawdyd, & vryth perlys3 ffret : [» pciii* st.]
Al hys desyrs thow pursues,
Soimvhyle to lede hyw to the stcwes, 'J040
YOU bathe To wasslie & bathe hyw tendyrly,
lay him on And to IcVll hy Hi Sofftely
feullicrbeds,
On ffether beddys, mad fill we],
ffor to slope hys vndennel ; 9044
And afterward to kembe hys hed :
wyni-'S a'soi whyt & red,
inaluosyn & ypocras,
Thow dost to liym ful gret solas, 9048
And art mor bysy bym to quemc
Than thy-sylff, I dar \vel deine.
cTi'i'hhn'like ' "^S a n°ryss^le Ou4 ^Jr CllfllUwt, [' nory«c ,' to St.]
n nur»e. Tliow art eiiCT'c dttendaiwt 9052
To ffostren hyw, lyk hys tlelyt,
[leaf ni, bk.] And to seme liys appetyt ;
And shortly, whan thow hast al do,
Amiyethe Thow hast noon so mortal ffi) ; 9056
la your dcaa-
liestfoe ffor the, to trayshe5 Wffth al hys niylit, p tra.vashen St.]
He lyth a waytynge day & nyht ;
And hys ffamylynryte
Ys fill noyous vn-to the. 9060
ffor Euiny noon ys so perillous,
So dredful, nor contagyous,
on earth. Ill al the6 CrtllC, fer llOr Her, [* the St., om. C. Stowe, leaf 161]
As an enmy ffamylyer, . Fumiiiari> inimkiu St., em. c. 9064
K"or so gretly to be drad " t7 d«dde . . sadde St.]
Off ffolkys tliat bo wyse & sad.7
' And yiffi thow lyst to lem off me,
Tak good hed; for tliys ys he [St. &c.] 9068
drni-e Dieu.
He stopt
your wearing
armour.
He is your
greatest
enemy.
The PUf/rim.
I wonder who
this foe is,
who's always
trying to de-
base me.
/ ask wlw my Foe is, that I may kill him ami cut him up. 251
' Wych wolde nut suffre the to lore,
Xoon Arrays nor noon barneys were,
The to dyffende fro thy?« enmyes,
Brygauwtys and other false espyes ; [c. jtstj 9072
And shortly (yiff I shal nat tarye)
He ys thy gretest aduecsarye
That thow hast, & most to drede :
Be war therfor, & tak bet hede.' 9076
The pylgrym :
" JIa dame," ({uod I, " yiff ye lyst sc,
I mervej'lle what lie sholde be,
He that ye accuse and blame,
And put on hywi so gret dyffame, 9080
How that he sholde, day & nyht,
Be bysy (as ffer as he hath myght)
To traisshe1 me, as a fals tractour, [' traysshe stj
And to my worsliype & honour 9084
Don any derogacioiw
By swych cowpassyd fals traisou?«.
"I pray yow for to tellen me
What mane;- whyht he2 sholde be. ["that he St.] 9088
Telleth me ek whar he was born,
And warneth me off hywt to-forn ;
Telleth hys name & hys fygure,
That I may my sylff assure 9092
Agey« liys mortal Eumyte, [.stowe, leaf ici, bk.j
That I myghto avcngyd be.
And, by my trouthe, a-noon I shal
Dysmewbreu hyw on pecys snial, 9096
Quyk on the Ertlie, what-eue/-e he be,
And ye hys name tellen me.
And yet thys vengaiwce, in no wyse
jMyghte nat ynowh sutfyse, 9100
Thogb al quyk (to niyw entente)
I dysmembrede hy»;, ther he wente."
Grace dieu :
' Certys,' cyuvl she, ' thow seyst ryht wel :
But, & thow wylt wyten eue;ydel, 9104
And conceyve ek in thy thoulit,
Xe wer thy-sylff, he wer ryht nouht,
[leaf 14-2]
I ask what
is ]\l» name,
so that I
may at once
cut him into
little liii.i.
Grace Dieu.
252 Grace Dicu will journey with me, and describe my Foe.
Grace Diex. ' Nor, W//t/«-OUte tllO, CCrteyW,
He no wer nat but in veyii ; 9108
ffor ffolkys, nouther yong nor olde,
Sholde nat on hy;« bo-holde,
But haue hy»e in despyt, certeyu,
In repreff, & in gret desdeyn, 9112
(Ne wer tliy sylff, I the ensure,)
ffor but a lyknesse off ordure,
Your foe is And a statue off slyym1 vnclene, [' >iymesi.]
a comiwnmu
ot slime. (Vnderstond wel what I incne.) 9116
dung, anil
corruption. Donge & putrefaccioiw,
A Kareyn off corrupeyoiw :
Thow shalt yt fynde (in wordys fewe,)
As openly I shal the shcwe, 9120
craceDieu Wliati thow gy»iiest thy passage.
win,jmc,"ey Aml> for tny» owne avauntage,
[leaf ui, bk.] I wyl go wytA the off cntcnt, 9123
o" the way" And, holdyug our2 parlcmont, ['wrest, stowe, iwfics]
who my foe ,,,, or/ i jv
in. Thow & I, to-gydre yffere,
What that he ys, I shal the lore.'
ne Pilgrim. y° pilgrime3 [* In Stowe-» bund. The I'ylj-ryim St.]
" Go we," quod I / " I am wel payd
Off al that euere ye ha sayd ; 91 28
I'm very But specvaly I vow requere
|ilc:i»l Iliat
Orace Dicu That yc & I may gon yfere,
with me. And departs4 nat our way ; t* >i<-part St.]
And that ye wyl me goodly say 9132
(Lyk to your oppynyoiw)
umi win de- The inaner & condicioun
scribe my foe „
tome. Off my« enmy, & off me,
Whil that we5 to-gydre be, p we St., ye c.] 9136
No wliyht but ye & I yfere, —
Excepte that my chauwberere
Wyth me haveth6 my» armure ; — pberetb suj
And my sylue?^ mor tassure, 9140
That in hyre ther" be no lak, [7 ther ther c., ther st.]
Me folweth alway at the bak."
Grace Dieu.8 [» St., am. c.]
Q«O(? grace dieu, ' ffor to declare
Thyw Enmy pleynly, & nat spare, 9144
She describes him : he is Worms-meat. I am his slave. 253
to Orryblc St.]
9164
'He ys foul & ek terry ble1
Lothsom also, & Odyble,
Off condycyoun ful dyuers,
Eight contrayre & pei-uers ; 2 [' p»v«n st.] 9148
Was engendryd (I dar assure)
And brouht forth, as3 by nature, [3 as st., om. c.]
Off woormys that in erthe krepe,
And lyggen in the soil ful depe.
He ys a worme, & shal also [stowe, leaf icj, back]
]}e wormys mete ; tak lied her-to !
Off wormys (in especyal)
He took hys orygynal ;
And in-to wormys he shal tourne,
And wyth wormys ek soiourne ;
In the erthe4 putrefye ; [« tiw Erthe St., therthe c.]
And wonnys shal hy»» ek defye,
Tome hy w to foul eorrujmyoun :
Swych ys hys condyc'ioun.
' And nat for-thy (tak hed & se,)
Euwy nj'ht he lyth \vylh the
A-bedde ; and truste ek trewly,5 [5 Trueiy St.]
Ye parte" nmere company. [« d«parie St.]
And vn-to the yt ys gret shame,
And a maner off dyfTame
To the, & gret confusioiiK ;
Affter hys replecyotuj,
He may nat purge hyw on no syde
]5ut thow hy»w lede, & l>e liys guyde;
In chau»ibre, go}'ng to pryvee,
Hys chawttberleyn thow mustest be :
Wyt/t-oute the (yt stondeth so)
That he sotlily may no-thyng do :
Thow art hys pyler & hys potent ;
And ellys he were Inpotent,
Ulynde, & lame donteles,7 p douties St.]
l)cff, and also specheles,
And off no rcputac'iou;*,
Jfe wer tliy supportacionw.
' And yet to speke in general,
He kan to the no thank at al : 9184
says my Foe
is loathsome,
bred from
worms,
9152
9156 [leaf 118]
an<l shall rot
anil return to
them.
9160
Ami vet he
lien iik'htly
in l.,.,l w it'll
me.
I shamelessly
9168
9172
go to tlie
privy with
9176
9180
Without me
he'd be blind,
lame, iteuf,
and dumb.
254 / mustn't slay my Foe, but must correct Mm In/ Penance,
' Hys frowarJ comwsacyoun
Ys off swych condyetoutt.'
The Pilgrim. Y° pilgrime. J [' '" Stowe's hand. The Pylgryme St., leaf 163]
" Ma dame," quod I, " al that ye seyn,
I vmlerstontle yt wel certeyn ; 9188
But I merveylle ful gretly
[leafiM.bk.] That ye lyst nat to mo plcynly
ibcgGrace Make' ful relacyouw.
Dicu to ex-
plain dearly And clcrlv deiiioHstrac'ioiiN. 9192
wlui my liie
'•• W//U toknys l)othe» hih & lowr,
Attonys that I niyglito hyw knowc ;
ffor thawue, nouther nyht nor d.-iy
Ther sholde be niakyil no <h'lay, 9196
\Vyt7i-oute rcspyt or pylc
tiint i may But that I sholcle a-vcncyd be
killliini. f3
(Wyt/(-outc support or favour)
By cruol detli, on that tray tour." 9200
Grace Dieu GrHCG DioU.2 [» St., om. C.]
Ray« lie mint " N:it-\vyt/(-stoii(lynt'e liys offence.
nut 1» Blal.i, J • J
but chastised, To slell ll}-W» tllOW hast HO lycOMOU J
That may be suffryd in no wysc.
But thow mayst hyw wcl cliaslyse 9204
And correcte by due3 peyne, p de«- st.j
and kept And fro vycys \ivin rcstreyne.
IV,,,, I VICCR.
And, whan that he doth forfeti-.
As a mayster thow shalt hyw beto, 9208
And correcte hy>tt by travaylle, —
Nat as a tyraunt by battaylle,
By cruel Ii3'gour nor vengaiwee, —
]>ut reformo \iyrn by petiaimce, 9212
At-wyxe the yok off loue & drede.
ffor (yiff thow Ij^t to taken hede,)
HO must do Penan/zee ys hys chcff maystresse, [stmve, icar ics, back]
Hym to chastyse & to redresse : 9216
She shal, off al dyffaute & blame,
Kcfreynen hy»z, & make hy?)i tame,
Off dyscrcciou?* wel a-vysed.
And whan she, hath hy>» wel chastysed, 9220
She shal (as thow shalt vnderstond,)
Make liyw redy to thyu bond,
Foe is my Body and Flesh, and is to be kept under. 255
As A seruaufit, the to serue,
Lyk a sergauut, to obserue .9224
Lowly, what thow byst1 liyw do, [> byddest St.]
And. nat sey nay, nor go thcr-f ro,
But be at thy coniauxdement. 9227
' Tbys sholdest tliow, oft"2 good entcnt, [3 o« St., om. c.]
(Lyk vn-to au holsom leche,)
liather desyre, than any wreche.
iibr (yiff thow look wyt/i Eyen cler,)
He stondoth nat vnder dauuger 9232
Off dethe to the, no maiw \vyse ;
ffor thow art botwdc to duuysu
Hj's goostly elthc3 & wol ffare ; p heitiw St.]
And oner thys, nat for to spare, 9236
(Wherso that he wake or slope)
ffrom al pp/'eyl4 hyw to kepc, [« pwyik St.]
Wherso that tliow be dnl or ffrtssh ;
ffor thys, thy Body & thy fllessh, 9240
He that I mene. the syluu5 same, p wive si.]
Oli'liym I kan noon other name."
The Pylgryme.6 [« st., om. c.]
" Ma dainn," ([uod I, " wliat may thys be?
Whether divine I, other " ellys ye 1 ['or St.] 9244
ffor (as for as I kail espye,)
I merveylle off your fantasyc,
Or by what weye ye wolde gun. [stowc, leaf iei]
Ys nat my body & I al on 1 9248
I trowe yia ; & ellys wonder,
Or how niyhto wo be assondf r ?
Ys he a-nother than am I ?
I pray yow, tel me ffeyth fully, 9252
(And me declareth the sothnessu8 [» soiiifastncsM St.]
Wyt/(-onten any dowbylnesse,)
"\\rhat that ye menii verrayly ;
ffor her ys no whyht but ye & I, 9256
Except only my chauwborere,
\Vych that folweth us9 ryht hero. [» vsst.]
" A-noon to me doth sygnefyo,
A\'lier yt be trouth or fayrye 9260
That we shold ben on or tweyne :
[leaf ut] .
Your foe
must be your
servant.
You must
look to hi-,
health ;
for he is your
own body
ami fleflh.
Ttif Pilgrim.
I wonder at
this,
anil »Hk if
my body iiiul
I ar'n't one.
[leaf 1U, bk.]
Are we one
or two ?
Grace Dieu
if I were in a
place full of
enw :m. 1
92G4
Kit ami no are emphatic, anil r*rli
HtiuiiU fur a mtaflure.]
9208
9272
9276
[stowe, leaf lei, back]
25C If I were in a cosy plate, would I stay there 1 I would.
"Tel on a noon, & doth nat ffeyue."
arace Difit^ Grace Dieu.1 [>«, em.co
QuotZ Grace dieu : ' out off my mouth
\Vente neuere north nor south,
Est, nor west, no lesyng,8
IllusyoUM, nor fals dromyng.
But I axe a questyouw :
Answere ther-to by good resouw :
' Yiff thow were now in a place
fful off merthe & oil' solace,
rminihni with "\Vyt7i mete & drynke, at good esc,
And wyth al thys, the to plese,
lladdyst thy comauwdementys
Off liallys, cliaiuwbrys, & gayc Tentys,
Sofftu beddys, dysport & play,
And euery thyng vn-to thy pay,
llavyng no lak vp-on no syde ;
Yiff thow myghtest ther abyde
At thy clioys ffrely ahvay,
"Woldestow gladly parte a-way,
Or ellys stylle8 abyde there?
Tel on boldly, & ha no ft'ere,'
Yl pilgrim* [• In Slowe'n haml. The P.vlurynw SI.]
" Ma dame," quod I, " dysplese vow nouht ;
I sey ryht as lyth in my thouht :
Myn hertys ese for to swe,
I wolde abyde (& nat reinewe,)
ffor inyw esc, euere in on,
IJather thaw thenys5 for to gon ;
ffor yt ys profytable tabydu"
"\Vher tliat a man, on euery syde
ffyndeth vn-to hys plesauncc
Soiour/ w//M-oute varyaiwice.'
Grace Dieu.8
1 Ys that verrayly,' quod she,
' Soth that thow hast sayd to me ?
I vnderstonde, by thy language,
Thow woldest leuc thy pylgrymago,
And platly settyn hyt a-syde,
Only for reste, & ther a-byde.'
would I utity
or depnrl ? "
The Pifitri
Imj
I wmil.l
renmiti.
9280
[3 styiie Eiiy, si.]
• ti.*i.« st
9284
9288
[« ti>
St.]
Gfilff Dieu
[leaf 143]
.ii.k> if IM
t-ive up my
[' Sokour St.] 9292
[> St., am. C.]
9296
for rest.
Grace Dieu reproves my trill uujni'^ to stay in comfort. 257
The Pylgryme.1 [' st., <D». c.] £*<• /•,/,„•/,„.
" Ma dame,"q?io<2 I, " for my ilysport,
Wher I fond2 cse & coimfort, p Fonde I St.] 9300
I wolde abyde a whyle there, [siowo, leafiujj isaviMstny
Tyl I sawli tymo & good leyser."
Grace dieu.3 P In Stoive's han.l. Grace Dicu St.] Grace B/cu
To me slie sayde a-noon rvht than :
« •
me :
' 0 wrechchc ! o tliow vnhappy man ! 9304 o wretch:
• r I I 1 o i 'in? ° nnhappy
iak Jied, & bo mor ententyff, man!
How here, in thys mortal lyff,
Tliogli that a man renne cuennovo,
Ho may neuere liast hym to sore 9308
To kome to tymoly to that place.
' I putte caas, that he ha space if you n>ni<i
go on (l;ulv
fforth to precede, day bo day,
At good leyser vp-on hys way. 9312
Her-vp-on I axo the,
YifE thow haddyst lybcrte,
loye, merthe, & al solace,
Woldestow fro thylke place, 931 G wonMynn
Stop Dlrl r ?
Yitf thow haddyst fre chois at wyllo
Eemewen, or a-byde stylle t '
Ye pilgrirne4 [« In Stowed hand. The Pylgrymc St.] The Pit grim.
" Alias ! " quad I, " what may I scyn 1
I kan nat wel answere a-gcyn. 9320
But o thyng I wot ryht wel ;
The cyrcumstancys euoydel isay, YCS;
Consydryd vp-on euery sydc,
Par cas, rather I5 sholdo abydc, [5 rather than I St.] 9324 iicafits, i>k.]
Thau ben to hasty to precede,
Tyl I sawh I muste node unless i «**
- . , ~* olili^uU to
Goon forth on necessyte : [stowe, leaf 105, hack] move.
In caas tha?i wolde I haste me." 9328
Grace Dieu : arac« BI>»
Qwo<Z Grace dieu tha«ne vn-to me :
' By thyn answere, I do wel se teiis me
That thyn cntcncyoim ys trouble,
And thy wyl ys also double ; 9332 my^iii is
J J J doiiMe and
Thy inward thoulit ek v«ryablc, variable.
Thy purpos dyuers & vnstable,
PILGRIMAGE. S
258 Grace Dieu accitses me of Icing doullc-mindcd, two-u-illd.
orate Km. ' Consj'dryd vp on outlier syde,
How som whylc thow wylt al)yde, 9336
And a-notlier tyme also,
She says, one TllOW art ill Wvl1 forth for to go : [' wylle St.]
ilny I'll j;o, •'
Now in travaylle, now in restc,
another ni And offto thow thy'wkest, for the bestc, 9340
stay.
Stylle in a puce to soiourne ;
And sodeynly thy wyl2 doth tourne, pwyttcst.]
ffor to holde thy passage ;
Tliy purpos doxible off vysage,
Constreyned by a dyuers lawe,
Now forth, & now yt doth wyt/t-drawe ;
•Soldo or neuej'o off O3 thouht ; POO st.] 9347
Tlic toon wylo, & the4 tother nouht." [• wyiiethesi.]
Tht pilgrim. The pylgrym :
i agree. " Ma dame," quod I, " lyk as ye soyn,
fful trewr I ffelc yt, in certeyn."
grace Dieu. Grace dieu :
Thaw c[iind she ; " lat nat the groue [siowe, leaf ic«]
Vp-on thy wordys ; thogh I prenc, 9352
she'll pro™ And thogh I make an Argument,
me iluuble-
tliow art double in thyw eutcnt,
Alway nat on,5 in certcyne, [5 «on si,]
]>ut partyd ofto in-to tweyne. 9356
ffor yt ys knowe, off yore agon,
That two wyllys be nat on,
AVych be seueryd in o thouht,
And off entent acorde nouht. 93GO
ffor, how myghte they accorde,
"Whan they drawe nat by o6 eorde 1 [' they nat be / offoo St.]
Thys knoweth eue?y manor whyht,
That hath off EGSOUM any syhi" 9364
The pylgrym :
i a»k her " Ma dame," quod I / " I yow be-seche,
»m. Clerly7 that ye wyl me teche F ciereiyst.]
What that I am ; wycli seyn that I
Am nat the same that my body. 9368
"\Vhut am I tliajme? thys wolde I so,
Yiffi ye lyst enfourmen me :
Ther wer no thyng to me so leff,
Self-knowledge the lest. Man is the Image of God. 259
igiioratof raiisHH
rum, vires hcrbui
f ignorate St.
"As knowe her-off A trewc preff." 9372
Grace dieu :
Quod grace dieu : ' yt semetli wel,
Thow liast nat lernyd euerydel
Thyngys nouther liih nor lo\vc, 9375
Syth thy sylff thow1 kanst nat knowe; [' am. St.]
Tlie wych, a-l>oue al other thyng [sume, icar I<K, back]
Ys the beste^ knowelych3'ng [« beatst.]
That man may liau in thys3 lyfB here. p t hys st.]
' And, yiff thow lyst platly lere, 9380
To knowe thy sylff ys bet knowyng
Than to be Emperoux outher kyng,
Or for to kiiowen al scyences,
Practykes, & expecyenees ;
Or to hail al the rychesse
Off thys world! (in sothfastnesse),
Or the tresour euerydel,
But syth thow knowest nat ryht wel
Thy sylff, as thow sholdest knowe,
(Wyth cyrcu»(stau«cys hih & lowe,)
Jle seiueth (as in rnyn avys,)
Taxe and lerne,4 thow art wys.
And I shal telle the feythfully
In thys matere, trewUIy,5
What that I fele in myre entent
Shortly, as in sentenient :
' The Body, fyrst, (bo nat in doute,)
Off wych6 I spak closyd w//tA-owtc, [6 tiw which St.]
Whan yt ys fro the segregat,
Dysseucryd & separat, 9400
Thanne off the, (I dar wel seyn
And afferuie yt in certeyn)
Off god thow art the portrature,
Thymage7 also, and ffygure ; u TIW ymai?e st.] 9404
And8 off nouht (yiff thow kanst se) [8 Ami not tst.]
He ffourmede & he made the,
(That lord9 ffyrst, in thy creauwce,) p Lorde St.]
To hys owue r6seiublau?jce 9408
And ymage, wych off lyknesse
!Most dygne, & worthy off noblesse, [stowe, leaf 107]
tells me I
ilnn't knotr
inywlf.
Yet self-
knowledge
is worth nil
sciences
and riches.
9384
9383
[* To axe and lern St.] 9392 ['caf IK, bk.]
trevvly C., St.]
9396
Apart from
your body,
yon are the
imace of
260 / am tlie son of God, not of Thomas DeGnillcryl/c.
draft Bleu. ' A preilt1 (to Spoke off dygliytl') [' Apparent St.]
lie inyghte nat ha set on2 the [» wtu> in St.] 9il2
Mor wortliy, nor mor notilble,
Than to hyw sylff3 resemblable. p«eivenst.j
Ood pm> you He gaff to the, off hys goodnesse,
Clcr syht off Resoun, & ffayrncssp,4 [* Fayrencsse St.] 94 1G
And off nature to be mor lyht
Than any ffoul that ffleth in flylit,
And ncuere to deyen, ek wyt/i-al,
and made you ffor lie made the Immortal, 9420
immortal.
Permanent, & cnere5 stable. pckost.]
And tftdwellyd6 Immutable, p to have a«-oiiya si.]
Yiff thow nat haddyst, off entent,
fforfotyd liys comaiwdcment ; 9424
Thau liaddystow, thorgh thy Rcnouw,
Excellyd in co7»parysouw :
Compaiyaoon myghte noon lia bo
[iein<7] To thy noblesse & dygnete, 9428
Off hewene nor Evthe, in certoyn,
Nor (to declare & spoke in ployn,
Bryd, nor other creature,
Except off angelys the nature. 9432
nr»i is your 'God vs thy ffailer. (tak hod hcr-to)
father.
Y.mareGuil's And, tllOW On llVS SO11C alSO.
•M,
Most excellynge off kynredo
That ciiew was (w(/t/t-oute dreile), 9436
Most noble, & off grettest style ;
au<» not the ffor off Thomas do guillevyle
8.111 Of
Thoinande Thow art nat sone on that party
Guillcvilic,
I dar afferme, & seyn trewly, 9440
Who-eue)'e gruchche, or make stryff [stowe, leaf 107, back]
That he nat hadde, in al hys lyff,
To seke, in al hys nacyoura,
No sone off swych condycyoiw, 9444
Douhter nouther (yt ys no fable,)
Off kynrede7 so notable. f kynreiic st]
from whose But. off Enc;endmre bodyly
bixly you got u J J '
your body. Thow haddest off hy?» thy body, 9448
"Wych kam off hym by nature :
The wj'ch body (I kan assure8) p dar Ensure st]
Tlw man's Body is foul, his Soul springs from Gal. 201
' Ys to the (tak lied her-to,) Grace mm.
Tliy« Enmy & thy grettest foo, 9452 Ymir i»«iy is
'On that party (yiff thow lyst so,) '<*'•
Itoos fyrst the grete Enmyte ;
Nature hath yt so ordeyned ;
]>ut yt thorgh verlu be restrcyned. 945G
For the ffrut (what-euere yt bo) A» the tree i.<,
no is its fruit.
Beretli the tarage off the tre
That yt kam fro (I dar assure) ;
ffor yt were ngoyn nature, 94GO
A Thorn to bern a Fygge soote ;
The bud hath tarage1 off the 'route, [' Fr. tcn-agc-\
Lyk as an ap; yl or a pero,
Thogh yt be born, ncnere so fere, 94G4 [leaf 117, bk.j
Yt savoureth (whan that al ys do,)
Off the Tro that yt kain fro.
'And semblably bane in mynds,
Manys body, as be kynde, 94G8 Man's body
tv i «• tl!l" ''ear only
As oil uywi sylff (be wel eertt-yii), foul fruit.
May ber no ffrut but foul & veyn
Ordure &2 corrupcioure, p and flbuii st.]
Slym & pntrefacciouK. 9472
' I!ut yiff thy gynnyng be wel sotiht, [stowe, icai icsj ijutyou are
Off swych fylthe thow koine3 nouht :
ffor fyrst, in thy creaciou» p s\vydi« nyitiie . . ka:n st.]
Thow haddyst no producc'iouw 947G
(Yiff I shal declaren al)
Off no man that was mortal.
Thy makynge may nafc be amendyd,
ffor off god tliou art descended ; 9480 <ie«»mi«i
And i)leyuly (yiff tliou vnderstondys,)
God made neuere vfijtJi bys hondys
Her in ertlio (what sholde I feyne4) [' ffcyne St.]
Off mankynde mo than tweyne; 9484 ire created 2
-,r . i / , •, of mankind,
Vn-to wychc (wyt/t-oute wheer) and cmpow-
TT ' erd them to
lie oommyttede liys power, create others
And gaff to hem an exaiiHqilayrc,
Other, lyk hem, to make fayre, 9188
Lyk thexamples in5 general, t1 the Ensampiis St.] i.ntrenervd
rat l • to Himself
lo ujm reseruynge in specyal
262 God set your Soul in your Body, that you might subdue it.
Graff Dint.
the creation
otspiriU.
He put you,
your soul,
to dwell
awhile in
your body,
to try you,
ami nee how
you'd behave.
Between you
antlyourlHuly
there is con-
tinual war-
fare.
If you force
it down,
It'll not dnre
rebel against
you.
' Off spj'rytys (in conclusion)*)
Thordynaiwce & the ffasown,
Off wych he wolde (as by skyl)
Noon other medle, by hys wyl.
' And her-vp-on (yiff thow lyst so,)
The same lord, he made the
Off hys goodnesse, for thy prowh ;
And in the1 body wher thow art HOW,
He the putte (as I dar telle),
Ther a whyle for to dwelle,
And ther tabyde (thys, the cheff)
For tassaye the by preff ;
And by tliy port2 also dyscerne
How thow3 sholdest the gouerne
Prudently, both for & ner ;
And yiff thow dydest thy dover
To4 dyffende thy party, [• For to St.]
Yiff he5 wolde holde chauwpartyo
Ageyn[y]s the in any wyse.
ffor, (as I shal to the devyse,)
Atwyxe6 yow (yt ys no faylle)
Ther ys werre & strong bataylle,
And contynuelly ther shal be,
But so falle, thow yelde the,
And putte the in subiecciouw
Thorgh hys fals collusi'ouw,
By hys deceyt & flaterye7
Evere to haue the maystrye
Over the (in c6nclusiioun)
Wliyl he hath domynac'ioim.
' But yiff that thow (as yt ys ryht,)
Dyscoujffyte hym by verray myghte,
And by force ber hym doun
Lyk a niyghty champyouw,
Than shal-tow (bothe fer & ner,)
Over hym han ful power,
That he shal neuere, for no quarelle,
Ageyn[y]s the, dor rebelle,
To Interupte thyre entente.
' And trewly, but thy sylff assente
9492
949G
[> tliey St.]
9500
[» part St.]
[> thow oat. St.] 9504
[Stowe, leaf IRS, back]
[> lie St., ye C.] 9508
[« Atwix St.]
9516
[' Flaterye St., nutry C.]
9520
9524
9528
Your Body ever seeks to Idray y&u to your Foes. 263
' He shal neue/-e be so bold,
The to wj/t/tstondo, as I ha told. 9532
' He ys Dalyda, thow art Sunipsou« ;
Thow art strong (as by resou«),
Sturdy on thy feet to stonde :
Suffre liyin nat, the to wyt/i-stonde, 9536
Nor over the to hail1 maystryo p h'aue tw St.]
ffor no glosyng nor rlatrye.'2 [2 iflaterye St.]
'And yiff thou take lied3 ther-to, piiedcst.]
She ne4 k;in nat ellys do ; [«natst.] 9510
But vrytfi flatrye5 & dcceyt, p fflaterj-e St.]
Nyht & day lyn in a-wayt,
And swych wach on the doth make,
To make thyw ciiinyus the to take 9541
At mescheff, wluui they may the fynde.
And yiff tli(j\v wylt, sche6 shal the byndo. l>},',f£"^fy
Sher thy?t heer whyl thow dost slepe, fKftx'.i .
But thow koxne tliy-sylue« kepe. 9548
And overmor, I the ensure,
Thy cou«sayl al she7 wyl dyscure, [7 he St., c.]
And thy secretys eueriehon,
To phylystees that be thy ifoon. 9552
Other frensliepe, truste8 me, [« trust vn-to St.]
She9 hath pleynly noon to the. ['Hec., St.]
' Now dies, & to my speche entcnde,
How thow wylt thy syllf dyffende ; 9556
Be nat to thy confusioim
Deceyued as whyloiu was Sampson^.'
The pylgrym:
" JIa dame," to grace dieu quod I,
" I me/'veylle ful gietely ; '
['» gretely St., gretly C.] 95GO
ffor pleynly (as yt11 doth me seme) [" yt St., o». c.]
Outlier I slepe or12 I dreuie [" outlier st.]
Tliat ye, a-niong your wordys alle,
Lyst a ' Spyryt ' me to calle, 95 G 4
\Vych wyl/t my body do abyde,
"\VJier-so that I go or ryde ;
And seyra, I am to 13 cler seyng ; [« «> St.]
And me semeth I se no thj'iig. 9508
Aud ok I take good lied hcr-to,
Y.iur t»,,ly
is Drlilali,
tlnni art
Salnpsun.
[leaf llS,bk.]
It watt-lies
.la.van.liiinlit
to ^ive ynu
over to your
toes,
ami will dis-
close your
scrn-tH to Ihe
1'hilistiiies.
lie not ile-
ceivetl its
was.
The Pilgrim.
I wonder at
Grace Nicu's
calling tne a
Spirit,
264 Grace Dicu likens Soul and Body to the Sun ami Clouds.
tii' 'it myllody
iT.n'.toi'le.
[leaf us]
i ask her to
explain all
tins.
grace pieit.
The "HI" is
Boiii,.iiii)c8
bright,
andmme-
time* under
u cloud.
what muses
day when
thesunta
T «ay, rhe-
whose light
th'ro"ciouas.
[i«af us, b
" How ye affeniio, & seyn also,
-1 ll;lt "^ ''°dy> Wycll seth so we'> [Stowe- leaf 1
How tliat lle setl1 neueradel, 9572
But ys as1 blyml as ys a2 ston. POM. St. » u en? st.j
And your wordys euerychon
Ben so viikouth &z merveyllous, [3 and so St.]
And to my wyt so dauwgerous, 9576
That they faren, whan I hem here,
As a flee were in DIVM Ere ;
I am astouyd so outterly.
I pray you tel me mor elcrly, 9580
r* J J J'
That I may wyle (by som mene)
Off al thys tliyng, what that4 ye mene." [< that am. St.]
Grace dleu :
lied," ^uod she, 'yiff thow ko»no,
se somwliyle how the sowne, 958-i
•
\Vyili hys bomys bright & clcre,
Most ffressh in hys mydday si>cre,
TllC S:lllie tyillC, Vllder a cloildo,
Uffte sytlic he doth liyw schro wudo, 9588
That men may nat be-holde & se
Tlie bryhtenesse5 oil' hys bcwtc. p bryhtucnae c.]
Wlier-vp-on, I the coraannde
To answcre to tliys demau»dc : 9592
Whan the s(i?inc ys closyd so
J '
That hys clevnesse ys ago,
Tel on, &6 Answere, yiff thow may, [« idle on si.]
Off what thyng causyd ys the day.' 95DG
The pylgrym :
«' To telle shortly in a clause :
Off day, ther ys noon other cause [stowe, leaf nu]
But phebus, as I kan cspye.
Tliogh hys bemy.-=, vuder skye 9000
Ben hyd, yet yt ys no doute,
Al the lyht that sheweth oute,
Ys ycausyd eue/ydel
Off the sowne (who loke wel) ; 9004
Thorgh a skye hys lyht doth passe,
To shewe yt forth in eue;y place.
And shortly ellys (yt ys no iiay)
The Sun is the Soul; the Body is the Cloud darkening it. 2G5
" WyWt-oute hys lyht, ther wcr no day." 9608 without the
« j . sun there
Grace dieu : «,.]«• no day.
QiwtZ Grace dieu : ' answcro me ; arace Di"i
^ llsls* llOW 1
How maystow iiarceyuc or se, <-•>« «oc the
. BIIII l.hro a
Or in any wyse espyo • clt""'-
Ilys bryhte beniys thorgh a skye ? ' 9612
The pylgrym : The puarim.
" liyht so," <ytod I, "as tliorgli a vcrre, Men see hi*
, , beams afar,
Men sen hys buinys shyne a-fenv, a» they see
fire Ih'niu-h
Or as men sen off ffyi- the lyht, »untem.
Tliorgh a lanterne cler & bryht." 9616
Grace dieu: c race Dim.
Grace dieu a-noon to me : The sun
means the
' V\ hat thow ha t sayd, tak lied.' quod she, Koui shining
in the Body.
'And vnderstond ffyrst in thy syht,
By the sownc that shyneth bryht, . 9020
Thy soule cler, in especyal,
WytA-Inne thy body wycli ys mortal.
Off tliys mate/- we haue an honde, [.stow*, leaf 170, back]
Ther-by thy soule I vnderstoude. 9624
' Thy body (yiff thow kanst cspyo) The body is
Vs dyrk, as ys a clowdy skye ; cloudy sky,
And lyk also (who kan dyscernc)
To a smoky, blak lanterne. 9628
And nat for-thy (I dar exprcssc) and .yet the
Men may sen, thorgh the bryhtncsso '«« <••«" llc
Been thro it.
Off the soule (yt ys no doute),
And the clernesse, for w//t/t-outo. 9632
Clerkys recorde yt in ther skolys ;
And other wene, that be but ffulys,
In ther foltyssh fals demyng,
That al the cler enlwmynyng 9630
Wher-off that pore skye (lo,)1 [> Bkyioost.]
Whcr-wyth the sowle ys shrowdyd so,
Eclypsyd off hys fayr bryhtnesse.
And ne were the gret dyrknesso 9640 nut for the
Off thys skye (who loke a-ryht), VmruQ
The sowle sholde han so cler a syht "ee SmTasJ
At o look, fro the oryent
To sen in-to the Occident. 9644
266 The Soul's eyes pierce farther wlicn freed from the
Oraec Pirn. ' ffor off tllO Ixillj' (trustij Hie)
The Eyen, no verray eyen be,
But lyk to glas, (I Jar wel seyn),
Wher-thorgh the clere soule ys seyn, 9G18
And outwarj (\\yth hys beinys bryht)
Yiveth ther-to clernesse and lyht.
T»e MM) luu ffOr the sowle. (who taketh hede.)
mi now I "I
bmiiiyeyes. off bodyly eyen hath no nede, 9G,r)2
No mor than, in seiublable caas,
The bryhte sowne liath off the glas,
Nouther byforn, nouther be-by nde. [stowe, leaf 171]
' Aiul conceyue also iu thy mynde, 9G5G
TIIC spiritual Tliat Eyen wycli ben espyrytual,
rather Wyth-oute spectacle or ffenestral,
Sen off hem syllf mor parfytly,
fferthcr perce, & mor clerly, 9000
wiicntiipy Thaw wlian1 the bodyly dyrknesse. p wkmtiiatsi.j
nre free from
d-irkiie'u" ^"'ie Sost'y ey^ (^otl" oppresse.
ffor gostly Eyen sen wel the bet,
Whan yt ys so they be nat let 906 4
\Vytli bodyly Eyen that ben outwarj,
And hail to no-thyng tlier reward,
But to thynges oil veyngloryc,
That be p.issyngc & transytorye, 9CG8
Dyrked \ryUt a worldly gkye.
ThoT..HnS ' And wlivlom blyndo2 was Tobye [2 wynde St., Uynd c.]
« .1- blind
in iiis bodily Off bodyly eyen, as wyt/t-oute;
15ut inwardly (yt ys no doute) 9G72
lie was nat blynded off hys syht,
But hadde hys eyen cler & bryht ;
ins mind'« I mene. the Eyen off hys mynJc :
eyes tauslit
his son, ffor by tho Eyen (as I ffynde) 9G7G
[leaf i5o. bk.] He tauhte hys sone, & clerly toldc
The weye that he sliolde holJe
In hys passage, & nouht erre.
an.i were Hys Eyen wer cler as any sterre. 9G80
rliMi- ai a
•tar. Off hys mynde, wych made njm se ;
And ellys yt niyghte neuere ha be,
Off hys inward inspeccyouw, P i»fnr">«<*n st., *>it/i instrumion
To yove him swych instruccyoun3 9G81
The Soul sees
all.
The ho.ly \s
bliiui witliin
mid without.
The Soul sees. TJie Body is Hind. TJic Soul works the Wits. 267
' How he sholde hy»» gouenic, Grace Dim.
Wyt/j-oute the siht1 wych ys eterne, [stowe, leaf 171, back]
I mene, the siht1 spyrytual, p «igiit« St.] The «pirituai
"VVych ys gostly & eternal. 9688 »otbyage.
' That syhte,1 by age wasteth nouht ;
And (yiff the trouthe be wel souht,)
Tliy bodyly eycn (truste2 me,) p trust St.]
Wytfi hem thow niayst no tltyng yse. 9692
The soule seth al by cler lookyng,
And the body seth notliyng;
Blj'nd wyt/<-Innen & w//t/t-oute.
And ner the soule, (yt ys no doute,) 9696
Seyng cler he shold ha noon,
Na mor than hath the3 colde ston. past.]
' And as yt ys towehyng syht,
Evene so (who looke a-ryht) 9700
Yt ys off al thy wyttys fyue ;
ffor who seyth nay, or gey»4 yt stryue, p ageyu st.j
Euerych off hem, in sentemcnt,
Ys but a maner instrument, 9704
The wych, touchyng ther werkyng,
Off the they receyve euery thyng ;
ffor, wyt/i-outen helpe off the,
They no thyng here, they no thyng so, 9708
Nor no thyng thay may reporte.
And yiff thow dyst5 hem nat supporte, [5 dydcstst.]
And sustenyst wyth thy myghte, 9711
Eryng,6 Smellyng, Touch & Syht, p Hcryng stj
Thy body wer nat etierydel
But a verray foul dongel,
Impotent, and feble also,
Outher to mevyn or to go.' 9716
The pylgrym:
"Thanne, wyt/<. your supportac'ioim, [stowe, leaf 172]
I axe off you thys questyoun ;
And ffryst off aH I thus begynne :
'How may the sowle that ys wyt/t-innc, 9720
Ber the body that ys \vylh-onte ? '
To me assoylleth fyrst thys doute ;
ffor yt sumeth mor Iteson,
So, each of
your Five
Wits
ifi an instru-
ment thro
which you
ami your Soul
wort.
Without the
Soul
['caflilj
the ll.-lv IB
inipateiit and
li.-el.le.
Tlu, Pilgrim
lak,
How ma.r the
soul within
bear the body
without p
268 Grace Dicu explains the relation of Soul and Body.
Tia puprim. " (As to my oppynyouw,) 9721:
snreiy the The body outward (thus I mcnc)
tliiiiR (soul) * . v
within is Sholde the soule inward sustene.
borne up by
without3' ^'^ ye 8rante *° speke at large, 9727
Thyng that coHteneth, berth1 the chargo, P berethstj
And bereth vp al, to myn entent :
And thyng, w//t/<-Inne that ys content,
That thyng ys born, as semeth me.
And lier-vp-on I wolde se, 9732
Syth that ye ben prudent & wys,
A good answere, by your avys."
awe nifi Grace dieu :
' Vp-on thy qucstioun to conclude
nays NO. An answcre, as by syniylytude : 9736
Conccyuc fyrst in thy« entent,
'J'liy clothyng & thy vestyment.
Take your CoillClie thy boady 2 CUe/Tilcl pUudj-St.]
clotliea out*
side your AV?/t/<-Iimen : yiff thow loke \vel, 9740
bo,ly.
Thy body closyd ys wyt/t-Inne ;
And but yiff thow fro resou« twynnc,
Thow Avylt nat geyn-seyn vn-to me,
Y™^" the Thow beryst thy clothys, & they nat the, C744
not, the And fully ben in thy deiioos :
clotltes you. J
And yot thow art wythrluiK hem cloo^ ; [stowe, leaf 171, bk.]
And, (yiff thow clerly kanst dysconie,)
[ieari5i,bk.] At thy lust dost hem gonerne ; 9748
And (to seyn shortly in substau«ce,)
Thow hast off hem the goueniaiuice.'
Tte pui/rim. The pylgrym :
" And ys yt lyk, ma dame," q?w/ 1,
" In ul, off me & my body 1 " 9752
Grace Dim. Grace dieu :
'To yive the3 mor cler evydcnce, p th« tbi- stj
I putte a maner dyfference ;
Leff the chaff, & tak the corn :
The soul The sowle bereth, & ys born. 975G
bears, and is
borne, it ffor, ffyrst, the sowle pryncvpally
siistaim the J , V
boay. Sustem tli iv bereth Uie bod}' ;
And parcel-lyk4 (to thyw entent) r« Pocli« lykc St.]
The body bereth by accident 97GO
9764
[' ilyiMest even St.]
[» swppe / in st,] 97C8
P oo St.]
Grace Diett.
And tho tho
limly bears
the Soul,
its powers
return to the
Soul.
[Stowc.lc.if 173] 9772
C'ytSt.]
How the Soul rules the Body, tho the Body contains it. 269
' The sowle, but her-on reportc,
The myghte, the vertu, ay resorto
Off the body, in certeyn,
Evere vn-to the sowle ageyn.
' And evydence her-on to make :
Thow mayst a cler exauwple lake,
Yiff thow euere dydest1 so
Any shyp a-myd2 the see,
(Shortly declaryng, at a3 word,)
The maryner w//t/<-Inue the Ixml
Lcdoth the shyp, (tak hed her-to,)
And ys hy»j sylfE ylad also.
Tak here Exauwple, & be wel sad,
But he yt ladde, he* wer nat lad.
' Semblably, by exaumple cler,
Thy sawle ys cheff maryner,
Ledcre & governercsse
Off thy body, in sothnesse :
She ledcth5 hywt ay too & too,
And ys hyr syllf ylad also.
ffor, at hyr lust & hyr talent,
She, by hyr owne fre assent,
Ledeth the body, as yt ys skyl.
ffor the body, but by hyr wyl,
Hath no power, (yt ys no drede)
No syde, the sowle for to lede.
' And therfor, do thy besy peyne,
Havyuge the body in thy denieyne,
To lede hy»t so, & he ek the,
In thys dredful worldly see,
fful off wyndys & Tempest,
And wawes boyllynge Est & west,
That, by assent, here6 in your live, p here St., her c.]
At goode hauene ye may aryve,
And at good port, \vha;t cruel deth
Schal make liym yeldon vp the breth.' 9790
The pylgrym:
" Ma dame, sothly, I do lere,
By your wordys that I here,
To forthre me, & uat to tarye.
9776
[s le.Iethe . . too ft too St.,
ledeht . . two & two C.j
9780
Tlie mariner
hMils tilt!
ship,
tho he is
borne by it
BO the Soul
Roverns the
Uoily,
tho she is
in it.
9784 [leaf 102]
9788
Strive, there-
fore,
so to guide
your lioily
9792
that you may
re:ich the
Haven when
you die.
The Pilgrim.
I ask Grace
Dlen to tiike
off my heavy
body.
Hint I may
have more
knowledge of
270 As my Body has darkend my Spirit, she will disembody me.
" Yt wer to me ryht necessarye, p That St., <m. c.] 9800
1Tliat off your grace ye woldc blyue, [stowe, leaf 173, back]
Out off my sliyp make maryue ; 2 p to make me m-yue sto
I mcne thus, ma dame, tliat ye
Wokle in al haste dyspoylle me 9804
Off my body, wych ys greuous,
Ilevy, gret, & ponderous,
That I myghte off liywi a-noon ryht
Haue kjiowelychyng & ok a3 syht p eke St.] 9808
Mor cler, to make me vnderstondo
The mater that we liaue an4 honde, [MM St.]
To sen hy>n, how lie ys cowpassyd, 9811
AVych liath so offte to me5 trespassyd ; P j.°™ {^^cf1"
And yet he wyl nat, for myw ese,
Hys Rancour a-gej-ns me appese.
' But yet I pray yow feythfully,
To don your deuer ffynally, 9816
That I may sun hyw (& nat ellys),
AVlier he be swych as yo me tellys ;
ffor I nat vndcrstond ywys,
What ye ha sayd, nor what he ys." 9820
Grace clieu :
' I niay ryht wel be-leve,' quod she,
' Thys thyng so vnkouth & secre,
That thow art dyrkyd in thy syht,
Yt to consydre & sen6 a-ryht.
And the cause why thow art let
Ys, for thy body hath so shet
Thy gostly Eyen (in substaimce)
AVyt/t a clowde off ygnoraujzce,
And dyrked wyt/i a mysty skye,
That thow mayst nat wel espye
The secrenesse,7 yong nor Old.
And as to-forn I ha the told,
Other obstacle ys ther noon
But thy body, blynd as a ston ; 8 p as stoon St.]
He dyrketh so tliyn Inward syht.
But for thy sake, a-noon ryht 9836
I schal assayen & provyde,
Thy body for to Icyn asyde,
peafl5S,bk.]
Gruct Dint.
8he doeftn't
wonder at my
my body has
closed my
spiritual eyes.
wen St.] 9824
9828
[Stowe, leaf 174]
P secretenesse St.] 9832
She will f ;ikc
me out of it.
My Body falls from me, awl I fly into tJie Air.
271
'ffro the1 take yt, yiff3 I kan, [Miietost. * yiir timt St.]
That thow inayst conceyvii than 9840
Off hy/» liooly the gouernaiittce,
And what he ys, as in substauncc.
But thow nmstest, in certeyn,
Affter, gone, resorte ageyn 9844
To thy n olile dwellyng place,
Tyl that doth, a certeyw space,
Scliall the dyspoylle, and make twynne3 Pa twynne St.]
ffro the body that thow art Inne.' 9848
The Pylgryme : 4 [« si., o«. c.]
And Grace dieu a-noon me took,
(I not, wlier tliat5 I sleptc or wook,) p whether si.]
& made (for short conclurioutt,)
My body for to falle a-dou?j. 9852
And afFter tliat, a-noon rylit
Me sempte that I took my flyht,
And was ravisshed in-to tlie hayr,
A place delytablo & ffayr. 9856
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.']
And me thouht ek, in my syht, [stowe, iean-4, back]
I was nat hevy, but verray lyht,
And my beholdyng was so clcr,
That I sawli bothe fer £ ner, 98CO
Hih & lowe, & oueral.
And I was ryht glad \vyt,h-n\ ;
Al was wel, to my plesauwce,
Save a maner dysplesauwce 9864
I hadde off 0 thyng, in certeyn,
That I muste go dwelle ageyn
W.yM-Inne my body, wych that lay
Lyk an hevy lompe off clay ; 9868
AVych to me was no forthryng,
I5ut perturbau?zce, & gret lettyng,
Thyder to resorte off newe.
Tho wyst I wel that al was trewo 9872
That grace dieu hade seyd to me.
And tha«ne I wente for to se i i"ok nt it,
"\Vhor the body slepte or nouht.
And whan I hadde longe souht, 9876
Oraee Ditn.
But only Ibr
a time.
1 must then
IH- put b:ick
in inv IttHly
till Tdie.
Tlie Pilirrim.
My body fall*
aivny,
anil 1 am
carried into
the air.
Deaf 153]
1 seem to
become ligbt,
and see
clearly.
I feel sad
that 1 must
go lm«* to
my Uody.
272 / see that my Body is my greatest Foe.
ne Pilgrim. Tastyd liys pows1 in certeyne, p tried hi* puhu]
and feel its And gropyd euery nerff & veyne,
And fond in hy»i no broth at al,
My h,Hiy is But dod & cold as a ston wal. 9880
dead.
And whan I dyde al thys espye,
i defy it. Hys goueniauMce I gau dcfye.
ar«n D'itu Grace dieu :
Tho grace dieu spak vn-to me,
[leaf 153, bk.] ' Lifft vy thyn Eyen, beholde & so, 9884
bids me Yiff tllOW komie now clerly : 2 P kan . . Clerelye St.]
recognise
"""iSod foe> Knowe in erthe thy grot enmy, [stowe, leaf ivs]
meteaTirms H° tlltlt W°lde Dat Suffl'° tlie 1)el'°
eneiii^™' Noon Army s, nor noon harneys wore, 9888
Cuusyngc, thow myghteat nat endure,
Vp-on thy bale to bore Armure,
The to dyffende fro thyw Enmyes,
ffro bvygaimtys & false espyes, 9892
Wych tlie3 werreyew euermore. ptost.]
Off hyw, I ha the told bo fore,
That yt ouhte ynowh suffise ;
Yet, as I shal to the devyse, 9896
Thow mayst nat chesyn, in certeyn,
Buttmnstgo Wwt/t-Iimen hy»z to entre A"eyn,
into it again. "
Retrussen hym, & ek recharge
(Bothe in streyth4 & ek in large) [• straight* St.] 9900
Bern liywt w//t/< the in thy vyago,
Whyder thow gost on pylgrymngc.'
ma put/fiat. The pylgrym :
" Ma dame, inyu entenciou»
Was now, & my cleuoci'ou», 9904
Off newe to haue Armyd me,
Assayed yiff yt wolde ha be,
That I myghte ha bor Armuro,
My sylff the bettre to assure ; 9908
i think now ffor, as now, to my semyng,
that my arm- ,,,,,,* ,,
our is light. They be nat hevy, no maue>- thyng,
Nor lyk the conceyt off my thouht ;
They weye5 but a thyng off nouht." pweyst.] 9912
grace Dieu. Grace dieu :
'Certys,' q»«x? she, 'no mor they doth; [Stowe, leaf 175, bk.]
/ re-enter my senseless Body and feel my Joy is gone. 273
' And therfore thow seyst ful soth.
But thow shalt vnderstonde me
Yiff thow dyst now armen the, 9916
And woldest now a-noon begywne
In the poynt that thou art Inne,
Thy meryte to reknen al,
Nor thy decert, ne wer but smal ; 9920
ffor thy» Armure thow must vse,
And feythfully yt nat refuse,
\Vhnn thow art entryd (thys the cheff,)
Thy body that lyth now blynd & deff, 9924
Doom also, and insensyble,
Wych muste Vfyth the be penyble,
Sustene also, & be suffrable.
ffor he wyl also be partable 9928
Off thy merytes & guerdouws,
As he was off thy passioures :
Your decertys shal be al on.
Wherfore, enhaste the a-noon, 9932
In-to hyw for to retourne,
Ther a whylii to soiourne
Wi/ih hym, «s thow hast don toforn.
And, that your tyme be nat lorn, 9936
Thau off assent & wyl entere,
Wyl he1 be to-gydre yffere, ['ye St.]
Enarme yow, & make yow strong
ffor to wyt7(stondyn mery wrong.' 9940
And whan she hadde al to me sayd,
Wrier 2 I was wel or evele a-payd, [= whether st.]
I sawh ther was noon other goyn ;
I was retrassyd, & a-geyn 9944
Wyih the body that I kam fro ;
And certey/ily me thouhte tho, [stowe, leaf ne]
I was nakyd, and al bare
Off al my loye & my wel-fare ; 9948
ffor al was gon in 0 moment.
And tho I hadde ageyw Talent
(Me sempte yt myghte nat be forbore)
To loue, as I dide affore ; 9952
& holy vn-to hys entente,
PILGRIMAGE. T
[leaf 154]
says I must
use my arm-
our when I
re-enter my
body, now
senseless.
My body
will share
my merits.
I must hasten
to enter it
again.
I am clothed
again in mj
body.
and feel that
all my joy 11
gone.
274 I weep and sorrow, for now I am hound to my Body.
The puanm. Me thouhte I gan a-noon assente,
[leaf ioi, bk.] ffully tokeyen hys plesaunce.
Thus aparceyvnge my woful chauwce, 9956
Clerly sawh wyt/;-Inne me,
That I sholde deceyved be,
Lyk as I was off yore agon,
i begin to And tho I gan to wepe a-noon, 9960
weep anil
•'s'1- Silie & sorwe, & seyn " alias !
What shal I don now in thys cas 1
Or to what party in certeyne
Shal I drawen off thys tweyne "\ " 9964
Grant Dim GiaCB dieU \
•ay» QwocZ grace dieu, ' what may thys be ?
Why wepystow ? what eyleth the,
So thy syluen to dyscou?iforte ?
ffor trewly (as I kau reporte,) 9968
tearsbeion* Wepyng & tendre terys grene, ^SSUtataSff/T
only?"' Only to wommei* appartene,
Whaw sodey?dy they falle in rage,
And nat to meH off strong corage.' 9972
TII« pilgrim. The pylgrym :
" Certys," quod I / " I may wel wepe ; [St., leaf re, i.iuk]
ffor, (yiff ye lyst to take?* kepe,)
i tell her that My love, my myrthe & my plesau?jce,
all my mirth J J ' J J
has gone. Myn Elthe, & al 1 my suffysauwce, [' heithe and, St.] 9976
Sodeynly me han forsake.
I may cowpleyne, & sorwe make,
i, who could ffor, whylom, aboue the skye
ny in the sky
' I was wont to fle2 ful hihe, r'flyesto 9980
And hadde also ful glad repayre
Wytli bryddys fleyng in the hayr,3 [' Kyre St.]
In my most lusty fressh sesouw ;
am now cast But now I am avaylyd dow?i, 9984
I fynde (by gret aduerayte)
Al that ys contrayre vn-to me.
I am venquisshod, I am bor douw,
My vertu (in conclus'iou?*) 9988
Hath lost liys myht, hys excellence ;
»nd bound by ffor now, ther ys no resystence
my body.
On my party (as yt ys iounde) ;
I am chaind like an Ape. Why is my Body so strong ? 275
9996
[1 the Clogge St.]
10000
10008
" ffor, off the body, wher I am bounde,
Ys hool my force, & al my myght,
(Wych ys ageyn al skyle & ryht,)
And buryed quyk, (yt stondeth so,)
I Am in erthe, wher-etiere I go ;
(Thys verray Ernest, & no lape,)
Cheyned, ryht as ys An Ape,
Vn-to a clog,1 & must yt swe,
And fro thenys may nat remewe ;
ffor my body, gret & large,
Ys the Clog that me doth charge,
Wych letteth, wj/t/i hys grete wheyhte,
That I may nat flen an hyhte2 ; [stowe, leaf 177] 10004
ffor euere, wyt/t hys mortal lawe, [;
Doiw to therthe he doth me drawe.
"I trowe (shortly in sentence)
The word ywrete in sapyence
"Was whilom seyd off me ywys,
"Who kan take lied ; and yt ys thys :
' A body corrupt (yt ys no nay) c°^™tqj
Greveth the soule3 nyht & day,
Kepeth hym in captyvyte ; ; p body c., St.] 10013
Yt may nat gon at lyberte,
Nouther wakynge nor a-slepe ; '
ffor wych, certys, I may wel wepe,
And seyn ' alias,' & sory be,
Off my grete aduej-syte."
Grace dieu:
' Thaw haue in mynde, for any slouthe,
That vn-to the I tolde trouthe.'
The pylgrym:
" Your wordys alle I do aduerte,
& thanke you vrylh al myn herte.
Off he?« I am ryht wel apayd ;
ffor al that euere ye han sayd
Ys verray soth, & no lesyng,
" But I be-seche yow off O thyng,
Yiff I durste you compelle,
O word that ye lyst me telle : 10028
What ys the cause (declareth why,) [stowe, leaf 177, back]
9992 The Pilgrim.
9o Capif «/o.
10016
10024
[leaf 155]
I am buried
alive, -
and chaind
like an Ape
to u Clog,
my Body
prevents my
10020
I believe,
with the Book
of Wisdom,
that a corrupt
Body grieves
the Soul.
So I may well
weep.
Grace Dieu.
Tlie Pilarim.
I thank
Grace Dieu
for what she
has told me,
[leaf 155, bk.]
and ask her
276 The Body is bold on his own Dunghill, and must be subdued.
why I'm not
HB strong as
my body.
Grace Ditu
But lie's in
his own
country,
and every one
is bold on his
own dunghill.
What I have
to do is to
attack him,
play him at
chess,
[leaf 156]
and check-
mate him •.
keep liira
low by absti-
nence,
" That he ys mor strong than I ; ,
Or why am I not (telleth me),
As strong or myghty as ys he 1 " 10032
Grace dleU : : [' St., ce Dieu in Stove't hand, in margin in C.]
'Yiff tlie roote be wel out souht,
Strengere than thow, that ys he nouht.
But her-vp-on now herkne me :
Thow mayst nat, in no degre, 10036
Hym venquisshe (in conclusions),
Oppressyn hym, & here hy»i douw
So myghtyly in hys centre,
As thow sholdest, yiff that he 10040
Hadde hys conuersacioim
Wher thow hast domynac'iouH.
' In hys centre he doth now dwelle.
Therfor shortly, I the telle, 10044
He liath the gretter avauwtage ;
And yt ys sayd off ffolkys Sage,
And a prouerbe wryte off old,
How that euery whyht ys bold 10048
Vy-on hys owne (erly & late),
At the dongel at hys gate ;
Strong to make resystence.
& men sen by experyence, 10052
Ech man mor myghty off hys hond,
Whan he ys in hys owne lond :
Thys doth hy»w trustere, & be bold.
' But for al thys that I ha told, 10056
Tak lied in no mamv wyse, [stowe, u»fi78]
Ne let nat, for no cowardyse,
Hywt tasaaylle ffer nor ner ;
ffor yiff thow ko?me, at the cheker, 10060
Thy drawhtys drawe, & wel pleye,
Make hym lowly to obeye
Yp-on hys dongel, in hys estat,
Ther, to hy»?i to seyn ' chek maat ; ' 10064
Thys maat shal be, thorgh thy puissaurace,
To holde hy»n vnder gouernauwce.
And lyst that he do noon offence,
Kepe hym lowe wyth abstynence, 10068
govern him
by reason ;
10072
[1 Dyssyplyned St.] 10076
10080
make him
work,
sleep little,
and flog him ;
make him
pray, and do
penance,
[» lustyse St.]
10084
and keep him
in subjection.
The Body is to be brought under. The Sandhill and Ant. 277
' Voyde hyw fro replecyouw, Grace tneu.
And governe hy?» so, by Kesouw,
Off mete and drynk, only that he
Ne do no supertluyte.
Lat hyw lytel Ete or drywke ;
Mak hym labour & ek swynke ;
Lytel slepe, & gret wakyng ;
Dyscyplynes1 & ek betyng,
Yiff to hyj» in many wyse.
' And thus thow shalt hy/» best chastyse :
Devout wepyng wt/t/i orisoujis,
And hooly medytacyouws,
Wyt/( Instrumentys off penaunce,
Shal off thy cause do vengauwce,
Best iustefye2 thy party ;
And they shal make the fynally
(Wj/M-oute contradicc'iouw)
To haue hy/u in subiecciou« ;
And, for thyn encres off glorye,
Yiue the renouw & vyttorye
Whyl thow so dost, nyght & day,
And he shal neuere dor3 seyn nay.
' And to fforther tbyw entent,
Lat vs tweyne, by assent,
Gon vn-to an hyl off sond,
Wych stant her al-most at the bond :*
A soffte pas, lat vs go walke.'
Verba Peregrin! 5 : cs st. in margin, am. c
And as we wente & gon 6 talke, [« gonne St.]
A sondy" hyl she gan me shewe ; 17 sodeyn st.]
And thus she sayde, on wordys fewe :
[Grace Dieu] :
' Leffte vp thy/i eye a-noon,' quod she,
' And ffyrst off al, be-holde & se
How that an Ampte, a best smal,
WytA herte, body, rnyght & al,
To nouht elles doth entende,
But on thys hylle8 vp tascende, p
And, in hyr paas & clymbyng soffte,
She ys bor douw, & let ful offte
- 10088
[Stowe, leaf 178, back]
P dar St.]
10092
[' at Iionde St.]
She takes me
to a hill of
sand
The Pilgrim.
10096
10100
-i. Formica. St., om. C.
St., hyl C.] 10104
Grace Dieu.
[leaf l&6,bk.]
andshowa me
an ant
trying to
climb up it.
Site is often
swept down.
27.8 The Ant, often swept down, reaches the top of the Sandhill.
Oract Dieu.
and can't get
to the top of
the hill.
The sand is
80 dry and
gmalftliat it
carries her
down.
But the
climbs up
again,
[leaf 157]
The Pilgrim.
and at last
reaches the
top, and rests
there.
Gract JHeu.
This is a pat*
tern of your
body and you.
' Wyth powdry sondys out off nouwbre,
Wych hyr passage so encouwbre, 10108
And hyr desyre1 ek restreyne, [' desires st]
That;she may nat fully atteyno
The hyest party off the hyl,
ffor she ys let ageyw hyr wyl. 10112
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
And thogh she peyne hyr nyht & day,
Evere the sooud lyth in hyr way,
Overwhelmed, & bereth hyr dou»,
Contrayre to hyr eutenci'ou/i, 10116
Yt ys so sotyl, drye & smal, .
And wonder brotyl ek wyt/<-al,
That, by reuoluc'ioiw, [stowe, leaf 179]
Yt rebateth & bereth dou/t 10120
Thys lytel beste that I off telle.
' But for al that, she wyl nat dwelle
In the vale cast dou/t lowe,
Ther tabyden auy thro we ; 10124
But hyre afforceth a-noon ryht
To remourate wf/t/t al hyr myght,
Hyr sylff afforcynge, newe & newe,
Euere hyr labour to renewe, 10128
(Lyk a myghty ohampjoon)
Tliogh she wer offte avalyd douw.'
But at the laste, thorgh hyr labour,
I sawh hyr, lyk a conquerour, 10132
Wyth hyr travaylle renewyd offte
Gete vp on the hyl a-loffte ;
And ne wolde neue/'e lete
Tyl yt was cowqueryd in quyete ; 10136
And thanne off ryht, as for hyr2 beste p the St.]
Vp-on the cop3 she dyd'e reste. pcoppest.]
Grace Dieu 4 : [• st., m stowe't hant inc.]
Qwd grace dieu tho vn-to me :
' Her, thow mayst beholde & se 10140
(Yiff thow lyst to loke a-ryht)
The forcys (platly) & the myght
Bothe off thy body & off the ;
And in5 a pleyn Exauwple se
[»inc.,oi».st.] 10144
Do like the Ant : when your Body keeps you dmvn, resist it. 279
' Off thampte, wych ys doun [i]falle
Among the brotyl sondys alle.
Yiff he, at, e\\ery fallyng doun, 10147
Hadde lost hys myght & hys renoun [stowe, leaf 179, back]
ffor to recure the hylle a-geyn,
Tha«ne al hys labour were in weyn ;
But, for on1 dysconfyture [<ASI. No«a St., am. c.]
He wyl nat cessyn to recure 10152
That he hath lost, (as by hys wy],)
Tyl he be hifie vp on the hyl.
' And yiff thow clerly vnderstond,
Thy body ys the hyl off sond, 10156
The wyche,2 thorgh hys brotylnesse,3 [« which* St., wych c.]
And powdrys of vnstabylnesse, I' Brotylnesse St.]
Ys redy (off entenciou??,)
Evere to make the falle dou«, 10160
And to dyrken (off entent,)
The eye off thyw entendement
To kepe the in the vale lowe.
'And whan he may espye or knowe 10164
That thow, in any maner wyse,
Woldest on the hyl aryse,
Wyt/( sondry4 reuoluc'iouws [*sondyst.]
Off dyuers temptac'iouws 10168
He travayleth (thys, no tale)
Lowe to holde the, in the vale,
W//tA hys sturdy vyolence,
But thow make resistence 10172
Be tyme's & at p?-ime face
Whara he begynneth to manace.
' And to wyt/istonde hys felle5 myghte, ['ffoui st.]
At the gyrenyng thow must be lyhte, 10176
Mawgre hym, vfi/th herte & wyl,
ffor to gete vp on the hyl ;
And thy lourne nat to tarye,
Ther ys no bettre exaumplarye 10180
Than thampte (yiff thow tak hede)
Vp-ward the hyl thy sylff to spede.' [stowe, leaf iso]
' Remembre, in thyre entencyoure
The precept off kyng salomoure, 10184
Take ex-
ample from
the ant.
After every
fall, it
climbd up
again, till it
got to the
top.
Now your
body is the
hillofeand
which dark-
ens your un-
derstanding.
[leafl 57, bk.]
When it sees
you want to
climb up,
it tempts you
to keep down,
unless you
resist at once,
and get up
the hill.
The ant is
your best ex-
ample.
Remember
theprecept
of King
Solomon
280 Solomon bade folk imitate the Ant. Avoid Sloth.
Grace Dieu.
who com-
manded men
to go to the
ant,
and to avoid
Sloth, the
mother of
all vices.
Beware of
[leaf 158]
Sloth's tricks,
and his Bands
of tempta-
tions.
Your body
prevents your
rising in
virtue.
It is a sing,
and lies long
in bed.
' Wych, iii hys book of sapyence,
Comauwdede (shortly in sentence)
And bad l men taken bed her-to, [' baden St.]
To the Ampte ffor to go, 10188
Tavoyde slouthe, cheff noryce
And moder vn-to eue>y vyce.
' Salomon?* vnderstood & ffond
The pereyl off thys hyl off sond 10192
In hys tyme, & ek ther-to,
The nature off the Ampte also ;
Ther-off,2 whaw he wrot in hys book, [»wi.er-offst.]
& good bed also he took 10196
To thampte in sothfastnesse,
Whaw he bad voyde al ydelnesse.
' Be war, therfore, off sleuthe, I rede
And euej'e3 among, tak good heede [«st.&c.] 10200
Off hys sleyhty false4 whyles, [«ffaisst.]
Off hys treynes & hys guyles.
Voyde hym fro the by the roote ;
Kep hym lowehe5 vnder foote ; [5 lowiw / ay St.] 10204
Hys powdry sondys, trede hem dou»,
The sondys off al Temptacyoun,
(Whos nouwibre no maw may acounte.)
Wych wyl nat suffre the to mounte 10208
Vp on the hyl, to reste a-loffte,
They wyl6 lette the so offte, [«wyiiest.]
Or thow mayst lia ful vyctorye.
'And haue alway in memorye, 10212
Thys sondy hyl ys thy body, Exposidon. St., om. c.
Wych letteth the (as most Enemy,)
That thow mayst nat in vertu ryse. [stowe, leaf iso, back]
' But alderfyrst thow must despyse 10216
Slouthe, as I shal the lere ;
Than by ese thow shalt conquere,
Wyt/( Thampte, (in certeyn space)
To clymbe aboue the hyl by grace. 10220
' And haue alway wel in mynde,
That thow shalt thyn enemy ffynde
Slowh" & ful off slogardye, L7 siowthe St.]
Longe a bedde for to lye, 10224
Don't trust
your body ;
/ am never to trust or obey my Body, which is my Foe. 281
' Slombrynge eu«-e, & neclygent, Grace men.
And contrayre to thyn enteut,
Ay awaytynge (lyk as espye)
To brynge the in lupartye. 10228
Truste hym nat! ne,1 for no chaunce, ['nor St.]
Have in hy?» noon affyauwce
ffor no flavour nor flatrye ; 2 [2 riaterye St.]
ffor I dar pleyuly certefye, 10232
Yiff thow obeye hyj» nyh3 or ferre, pnygfist.] never obey it;
Thar* he wyl be-gynne a werre
A-geyn[y]s the, most peryllous,
Most dredful & contagyous, 10236
(Be yt be nyhte, outlier be day)
To disturble on thy way, [leafiss.bk.]
Wj/t/j al hys power lie wyl ffonde.
And thus thow mayst wel vnderstonde, 10240
To knowe & wyte fynally
Who ys thy mortal enneray.
' Now go thy way, for yt stant so,
That I mot nedys fro the go ; 10244
I may no lengre, on thy weye
Ledyn the, nor nior conveye.
I haue abyden longe ynowh : [stowe, leaf isij
I muste, ffro the, gon hewnys nougfi ; 10248
ffor a gret while (to thyw entent)
I haue holde a parlement
Wyt/i the, & her-to ben thy guyde.
ffarwel ! for I may nat abyde.' 10252
it is your
mortal
enemy.
Now go on
your way.
I must leave
you.
The Pylgryme.4
[« Stowe, am. C.]
Grace Dieu
bids me
farewell.
The Pi I {trim.
"Ma dame," <\uod I a-noon right5 tho, [5 St. om. right]
" Certys, yiff ye go me fro,
I am but lost; recure6 ys noon, [6 R:cover St.]
Al so sone as ye ar gon." 10256
Grace Dieu.7 u st., om. cj
Quod grace Dieu, ' I wot that wel ;
But I wyl that thow knowe, & ffel,
What I shal8 sey« the in substaimce. p siiaiie i St.]
Som folk ha feyth, & gret ffyatmce9 p and Aflj-au»ce St.]
In dyuers ffrendys ; & off gret trust, 10261
Sette their hope & hertys lust
I declare I
am lost if she
goes.
Grace Dieu
bids me not,
like some
folk, trust in
friends.
282 Grace Dieu's Stone of Invisibility. She leaves me.
Grace
I am not to
trust in her.
If I offend,
[leaf 159]
she will not
sustain me.
' As they sholde hew* neue>- ffaylle,
Wych offte ful lytel may avaylle. 10264
They wene ful offte, in ther degre,
By he»» for to supportyd be,
Yiff they hadde, in any place,
Outher offendyd or do trespace. 10268
' But towchyng thys, I wyl thow se,
Her-in ne truste1 nat in me, [' Her-inne / ne trust st.]
Yiff thow offende, nor do nat wel,
I wyl sustene the neueradel, 10272
Nor SUpporte the nat ywy.S,2 P St. transposes these lines.]
To ffyn thow sholdest don amys,2 [stowe, leaf isi, back]
Nor ber the vp agen[y]s ryht.
For off thyw eye, nor off thy syht, 10276
I wyl no tyme be seyn off the,
But whan yt lyketh vn-to me,
And wha?« yt ys to my plesauwce,
Vp-on thy goode gouernau?«ce, 10280
Than, whan me lyst, I koine a-noon.
' ffor, I haue a certeyx ston
Wherthorgh (trewe as any byble,)
I kan me makyn invysible 10284
Whan that me lyst, a-noon ryht,
And hyden me out off thy siht,
And shrowden me, bothe Est & west,
Whan thow wenyst to han me best, 10288
fful ffer tfro the, in aventure :
And therfor, thus in3 me assure, pi St.]
Whaw thow dost* wel, I am present; [4 dost c., am. st .]
And yiff thow erre in thy?* entent, 10292
ffarwel, a-noon I am ago.
And now I muste5 parte also, p must St.]
(Wlierso thow6 be glad or lyht,) [« that thow st.]
As for a while out off thy siht.' 10296
pilgrim. And ryght a-noon, as she hath sayd.
God wot, I was ful evele apayd
Off hyr departynge ; in my« herte
Yt made me ful sore smerte ; 10300
Me lyst nat lawhe neueradel,
ffor me lykede no thyng wel
She has a
Rtone which
makes her
invisible.
When I do
well, she'll
l>e with me:
when ill,
she's off.
Grace Dieu
leaves me,
to my sorrow.
/ call Memory, ivitli my Armour, and meet a big Churl. 283
10304
10308
10312
Hyr departyng nor absence ;
They dyde to me so gret offence.
& yet for-thy, yt ys no nay,
fforth I wente vp-on my way [stowe, leafiss]
Wych that I afor be-gan.
And in my mynde a-noon yt ran,
To calle memoyre1 vn-to me, {' Memorye St.]
That she sholde' redy be
Tawayte vn-to2 me, & don hyr cure ponst.i
To brynge my n barneys & armure ;
And bad she sholde for-gete he»i nouht':
And affter me she hath hem brouht,
So as I had lyst in my way,
I fylle in any sodey?i ffray ;
And trew[e]ly (yt ys no drede)
I hadde off hem inly gret nede ;
ffor I fond gret Encoumbreinewtys ;
By pe/yllous weyes & by wentys
I hadde had3 gret aduersyte, p had hadde St.]
And offte also in perel be,
Hadde nat rnyw harneys & armure
Don to me ful gret socour.
Yet offte, thorgh my slouthe, alias,
I stood in many peryllous caas ;
But yiff I hadde wel armyd be,
I hadde nat (in no degre)
Suffryd so myche, yt ys no nay.
But tho beffyl vp-on my way,
As I wente a paas forth pleyn,
I mette a cherl, a gret vyleyu, 10332
"Wych in the way a-gayn me wente,
Wyih hys browhes4 fersly bente : [»Browy«st.]
Hys look, hys cher, al for the wrak,
And a gret staff on hys bak, , 10336
Clobbyd, & boystous ffor to se,
& was yhewe5 out off A tre [5 y-hewyd St.]
Callyd in ffrench A cornowler.6 [stowe, leaf isa, back]
And whan thys cherl gan neyhen ner, [« Comowber St.]
As yt sempte, by hys passage, 10341
He wente nat on7 pylaymage, p went not / on iiit st.i :
i proceed
on my
pilgrimage.
[leaf 159, bk.
Memory
brings my
armour.
10316
which was
10320
often of great
10324 help to me.
10328
I meet a
Churl, a great
villain,
with a big
cherry-tree
staff. (Cor-
itoiller.)
(Cornillier :
m. The long
cherrie, wild
cherrie, or
Cornill tree.
—1611. Cot-
grave.)
284 The Churl asks who I am, and why I dare go by this place.
The Churl
[leaf 1611]
enquires
whither I am
bound.
The Pilgrim.
1 fear lie'll
attack me,
[leaf 160, bk.]
but I answer
?l;iinly that
am going on
pilgrimage,
and I beg
him not to
stop me.
reproaches
me for break-
ing the king's
orders.
Nor was no pylgryw in certeyn.
But whan we motte, thus he gau seyw : 10344
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.']
TVio T-nrlo <~!VK»T-I 1 [' Later in margin. ' The revvd churle ' in
stowe's hand. ' Tlie Bwde Cherl ' St.]
' What may thys be 1 ' quod he a-noon ;
' Whyder shal thys pylgrym gon 1
To what cost ys hys vyage 1
Or whyther2 goth he on pylgrymage? ['whedirst.] 10348
ffor he semeth (yt ys no nay)
To ben a pylgrym, by hys array.
But lie get no bettre grace,
Or he passe out of thys place ; 10352
He shal ffyrst (in cdnclusiouH)
Answere to3 my questions. ' pvn-tost.]
Wheroff I wex4 abaysshed tho, [« «-exid« St.]
Whan I herde hym spekyn so: 10356
I dradde, by hys fers vysage,
That he, in hys sodeyw rage,
By hys lookys & hys chere
As he gan a-prochen nere, 10360
That lie wolde assayllen me :
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
The Pylgrym.5 p st.. OK. co [stowe, leanss]
But, lowly, in6 my degre [« thus in St.]
I axede'7 hy?« what he wold; [' askydo St.]
And platly vn-to hyw I tolde, 10364
(As me sempte no thyng aniys,)
I axede no-thyng that was hys.
I seyde, ' I wente on pylgriniage ;
Prayynge hy;« that my passage 10368
He sholde nat lette in no degre,
Syth the weye was large & ffre.'
The Rwde Vyleyil.8 ['St., 'rude vyleyn' in margin, C.]
Thys boystous, sturdy, fBers vyleyn,
To me answerde thus ageyn, 10372
(Off whom to-forn I ha yow told)
' How artow hardy ; how artow bold,
ffor to go for-by thys place,
The lawe and statutys for to passe," ['pace St.] 10376
Or to do swych dysplesauHce
begin to quake, but Lady Reason takes my part. 285
[' Agcyns St.]
10380
f'bryngeSt.] 10383
Nichil tuleritis in viam, neqne
virgam neq»e peram. Luce
9« Capidilo, (S» versu).
'Ageyn1 the kyngys ordynauwce;
Or to vsurpe by vyolence
A-geyn the precept & dyffence
Off the kyng, wych yore agorc
Bad pylgrymes euecychon,
Nat bern,2 off no presumpciouw,
Nouther skryppe nor borclouw t
And thow, off foly gouernauwce,
Dost ageyn hys ordynaunce ;
And thow hast (sothly3 for to seyne,) [stowe, leaf w), back]
Offendyd hyw in bothe tweyne. [s shortly St.] 10388
Wherevp-on, answere to me,
How thow durstest hardy be
ffor to don so gret offence
Ageyw hys royal excellence ! ' 10392
And trewly, in thys sodeyw caas
I gret[e]ly astonyd was,
And, for fer, be-gan to quake,
What Answere I sholde' make 10396
Vn-to hys vnkouthe opposaylle,
Wych for my party myghte avaylle.
And whyl I stood astonyd so,
At my bak I sawh riht tho 10400
Kome, for my protecc'iouw,
A lady that callyd was Resou»,
Wych cryede lowde vn-to me,
And bad ' I sholde in no degre, 10404
In no wyse, answere ageyn,
ffor my part, to that vyleyn ;
ffor she was, by commauwdement
Off Grace dieu, vn-to me sent, 10408
ffor my party to speke & plete,
And answere hywi in al hys heete,
To hy>w that stood thus in my way.'
And she ne made no delay 10412
Thys lady Resoux, but abrayde,4 [« Obreyd* St.]
And to the cherl right thus she sayde :
ReSOne.5 [* In Stowe's hand. 'Resoun' St.]
' Sey, thow cherl,' a-noon quod she,
' What ys thy charge ? declare me ! 10416
The Chart.
I have
offended
against the
king'i ordi-
nance, by
having scrip
and staff.
The Pilgrim
I am afraid
how to an-
swer.
[leaf 161]
Reason comes
to my aid,
sent by Grace
Dieu,
and answers
for me.
Rtaeoti,
286 Reason rebukes the Churl. He asks for her Commissi (i>.
Reason
reproves the
Churl.
She tells the
Churl he
looks like a
Reaper or
Mower,
or a false
spy,
and she de-
mands his
name,
and why he
has that big
Staff on his
back.
[leaf 161, bk.]
The Chnrl
supposes
Reason is
some May-
oress.
The Churl
demands her
name.
' Thow semyst f reward & pervers, [Stowe, leaf isi]
Off thy port, strauwge & dyvers.
Thow semyst (as I kan devyse,)
A repman, for thyn vnkouth guyse, 10420
Or A mowhere wyth thy1 sythe ; [' the st.]
Or, to dyscryve the now blythe,
I trowe thow art som ffals espye ;
But the trouthii nat denye ; 10-124
Tel me thy name ; spare nouht !
And tel me wher thow hast ek souht
The hoystous staff vp-on thy hak,
Wher-in I ffynde ful gret lak ; 10428
ffor yt ys nat accordynge,
But ff reward, pleynly, in semynge,
As fer as I reherse kan,
To euery wel gouernyd man.' 10432
[Blank- in MS. for an Illumination.]
Thys cherl, lenyng vpon2 hys staff, [«onst.]
To resoun, thys answere he gaff : 3 pyaffest.]
The Cherl.4 ['St., 'cherl'.->.mar<m.,C.]
Thys cherl, hy raaner off dysdeyne,
Vn-to resouw thus gan seyne : 10436
' I trowe,' quod he, ' by lyklynesse5 [5 lyknesse St.]
Thow art chose som mayresse,
Or wexe off newe so fortunat
To be som lady off gret estat ; 10440
But, for al thy presumciou»
I wolde SB6 thy COWimyssiOUM, C'Fayn woldelseSt. (If. IM.bk.)]
(ffor al thy port & strange' guise,7) 10443
Thy ffredam also, & ffrauwchyse ; 7 17 st. transposes these lines.]
Lyst affterward thow falle in blame.
Shewe he?ft to me, & tel thy name ;
ffor, by noon other mene weye,
I wyl no thyng vn-to the seye, 10448
Nor the answere, truste8 me, ["trust on St.]
To lete hym gon at lyberte.'
[Resoun]
Thanne,9 resouw, nat to hasty, p Than St.]
But by leyser ful prudently 10452
Toward hy?)i castynge hyr look,
C'yittnoSt] 10464
Grace Dieu's Commission to Reason.
' Out off a Coffyn a lettre took ;
To hym sayde, & spak but lowe,
I wyl that tbow my power knowe : 10456
Haue her ther-off inspeccyouw,
And se her my cownnyssi'ouw.
And whan thow hast yt rad & seyn,
Thow shalt wel knowen, in certeyn, 10460
Why I am kome, w#t/(-oute blame,
My power also, & my name.'
The Vyley II. l [« St., • vyleyn ' in margin, C.]
Quod he, wych koude no curteysye,
' I koude neuere yet'2 clergye.
And yiff thy power shal be wyst,
Eed yt thy sylff, yiff that the lyst.'
And she yt radde vtyih good wylle :
The cherl was coy & stood ful stylle. 10468
And whaw that he hyr power seth, [stow, leaf iss]
Grucchynge, he grunte icyth hys teth,
Hys grete malys for to kythe,
And shook hys berd fful offte sythe ; 10472
Gau to groyne mor & more,
And off despyt to gruchche sore,
Whan she hath maad,3 ope & cler, p made St.]
Al theffect off hyr power, 10476
ffro poynt to poynt, vp-on a rowe.
And yiff ye lyst pley/dy to knowe,
Loo, her, by declarac'iou?*,
Hyr power & cowzmyssiouw : 10480
The Comision Of Reason 4 [* In Stowe'« hand. 'TlieComys-
_ . sioun off Reasoun ' St.]
' Grace (lieu, by whos gone ?-naunce,
By whos myglit & whos puissauwce,
Kynges in every regiouw,
Prynces & lordys off renoun, 10484
Ben gouecnyd in ther estatys,
(Bothe Temporal, & ek prelatys,)
To Our cosyn,5 dame Eesou;*, [5 Co«my»sioun St.]
Off fame worthy, & off renouw, 10488
Whom al our court doth magnefye
As to the nexte off our allye, —
Elthe,8 loye, & contynuance, [« Heiihe St.]
287
She shows
him her
commission.
[leaf 162J
The Churl
says lie can't
read :
she must read
it herself.
The Pilf/riat.
While site
does so, the
Clmrl grinds
his teeth,
and groans
and grum-
bles.
Grace J)ieu.
Reason's
power and
Commission
from Grace
Dieu.
288 Reason is to summon the Churl, Rude Entendement.
Grace Duii't
Commiuion
to Reato*.
[leafici, bk.]
Peed'" '° Pr°"
against a
Churl, called
""demerit
who robs pii- .
grims of their
•crips and
andi>a<
Pride,
the staff of
Obstinacy,
and annoys
[leaf les]
.umrnonthis
' Worshepe, & long pej'seuerawice, 10492
,71
Wytft power, by our commyssioun,
For to don execucyouw,
RedreS, & amendement,1 [' St. transposes these lines.]
Off fawtys wych in our parlenient1 [gtowe, infiss, buck]
Be cowpleynyd on, day by day, 10497
Off pylgrymes wych passen by the way,
Voyde off guile & al deceyt, —
How on'2 lyth falsly in a-wayt, poonst.] 10500
Hem to dysturble, robbe & reue,
And in her passage he?» to greue ;
A cherl ffroward & dauHgerous,
^^ C^6r * P°rt malycyous> 10504
And ay pervers in hys entent,
Whose name ys ' rud Entendemerct '
Wych lyth awaytyng, by gret mescheff,
By hihe3 weye's, lyk a theif ; pi.yest.] 10508
Day & nyht, gret wach doth make,
Cely pylgrymes for to take,
To robbe hew (off entencyouw)
Off ther skryppys, & bordouw, 10512
And stuff4 that they han \ty\Ji he»i lad. [«stuflest.]
' And thys cherl, to be mor drad,5 [Madde . . dradde St.]
And supportyd on ech syde,
Hath ytake a niaas off pryde, 10516
A staff off ffals extorcionre,
Callyd by Kebelliouji
(Trewly for to specefye)
' The staff off obstynacye,' 10520
, .
Grau»tyd off pryde, by assent,
Vn-to rud Entendement.
'And thus thys .iii.6 corefederat, [«threst.]
Causen a ful7 gret debaat [' foulest.] 10524
And a perillous mortal stryff
To pylgrymes in thys present lyff,
Ther weye's, when they ha \v(/t/i-set.8 [8 sette . . mett« St.]
' And trewly now, thys iii9 be met,8 [9 thes thre St.]
I kan no bet10 amende'ment, [>» better St.] [stowe, leaf ise]
But that Rud Entendement 10530
to
She is to do
execution on
Kmle En-
teiutement,
as the Com-
missary of
Grace Dieu.
Beason. is to try, and do vengeance on Rude Entendement. 289
' By som manej- offycere 10532
OS youres, ageyn a certeyw day,
Wyt/i-oute pj-olongyng or dellay.'
And her-vp-on, by mauwdement,
We haue youe a comaiwdement 10536
That thys cherl hy»i nat excuse,
Nor your maujwlement nat refuse,
But kome to stonde at lugemeut,
A day assygned co?wpetent. 10540
' And to don execuciouw,
Lych 1 to your coj«myssioim, p Lyke st.
Vp-on thys cherl, for hys trespace.
Letteth nat, nor doth no grace, 10544
But yow auengeth on that wrechche,
Lyk as your power forth doth strechche.
ffoi- in thys caas most decessarye,
We make yow our cowmyssarye, 10548
On our byhalue, wytfi al your myght,
To executen & to dou ryht
Wher ye sen that most ys nede.
'Lo her ys al, taketh good heede 10552
To vnderstonden your power.
The daate couwtyd, a thowsand yer,
Thre hundryd over, thrytty & on,2
Wryte & asselyd nat yore agon,2
And sent by ful cowmyssYouw,
Vn-to thys lady dame Resou«.'
The wyche, wha« she hadde rad,3
Off eontenauHce demewr & saad3
She abrayde by good avysement
And sayde to End Entendement
Resown : 4
' By euydence, notable & cler,
Thow hast,' quod she, ' herd my power : 10564
I ha declaryd yt vn-to the.
Now gyff answere ageyn to me !
Rude Intendement : 5 p i» stop's i,,,,d. Entendement st.]
' And what artow,' a-noon qiiod he,
' Touch yng thy power, lat me se ! ' 10568
jt\Gsown * r* Q» .., -
(." al.t Qtn, U.J
PILGUIMAGE.
agoon St.]
10556
10559
P Radde . . Sadde, St.]
[Stowe, leaf 186, back]
The commis-
sion is of tile
year 1381.
[* St., on. C.]
Reason
bids Rude
Entendement
answer.
Rude En-
tetiflemeitt
asks who she
is-
• Lady Rea-
son.'
Sire chaffs
him.
Suite En-
tntftrmfnt
10572
290 Rude Entendement says Reason steals folk's Corn.
' Hastow nat herd me Eacl1 yt al, C1 redde St.]
Anil told ek in especyal,
Record by my cowmyssioun,
That I am cullyd ' dame Resoun ' 1
I trowe thy wyt ys fer the fro ;
Or I deme yt stondeth so
Thow louest somwher paramours,
Or besy art2 to maken tours P «>ow art st.i 10576
Or castellys, by gret devys,
Therby to gete« tlie A prys."
Rude Entendement:8 pst.,o».c.]
' I haue,' quod he, ' vp & dou?t
Herknyd tliy cowmyssioiro,
And vnderstonde yt eue/ydel ;
And therby I se f ul wel [stowe, leaf iw]
That thy name ys ek ' Resoim.'"
' But a repliciic'iouff
I wyl make vp-on thy name,
Wych ys hyndred by dyffame ;
ffor that name sykerly
Ys dyffamyd ful gretly ;
AVherfore I myghte nat for-bere
ffor to axe what thow were,
To knowe thy power & thy myght :
Me sempte liur-in I haddii ryht.'
Resowi : 4 t4 s
' Seyslow,' quod she, ' that my name
Ys a name off dyffame
Or dysclanndryd ? lat me se
How or where that myghte be.'
Rude Entendement:5 pst.,o».c.]
- ' Certys,' quod he, 'yiffi thow lyst here,
The place wel I shal the lore ;
I wyl nat spare, but platly telle :
Thow art dyffamyd at the melle,6 10600
And disclaundryd off ffals mesour,
By robberye off mele & flour
nays Reason'!
name is de*
tamed.
So lie asks
to know her
liower and
might.
10580
10584
10588
10592
10596
Kuile Ijn-
temtemtitt
[leaf 104]
accuses Rea-
son of steal
ing folk's
meal at the
mill.
s Saison est au moulin: Pro. (Belike because Grist is taken
in, and delivered out, by measure.) — Cotgrave, 1611.
liaison, (sailor's) ration. ' Ratio, mesure. '— D'Arnis.
Season admits that a false Mill-Measure is cald Reason. 291
Rtule En-
tendement.
Region
says this is
mere slander.
No doubt you
may see at a
mill,
Measure
' The peple present, them be-forn,
Stelynge ther greyii & ek ther corn.' 10604
ReSOn :l [i In Stowe's hand. Resou* St.]
' Eecord off ffolkys that be sage, [stowe, leaf is?, back]
' Sclau/zdere ys no vasselage ; '
And phylosofres ek expresse,
' To sclauwdere, ys no worthynesse, 10608
NOT dyffames, forth to telle.'
' And as touchyng off the melle,
Thow myghtest ther pe/-aventurc
Seen & be-holden A mesure
Wych (by folkys oppynyouw,)
Bereth the name off ' Eesouw.'
And wyle2 that folkys so yt calle,
To shrowde hys falshede, & tapalle,8
But* for al that, (yt ys no drede,
Who that wysly taketh hede,)
Thogh yt bere name off Eesou«,
Yt ys but fals decepci'oiw,
Vnder a colour off ffals laude,
ffor to hyden deceyt & fraud e.
' A-T\vyxe a name, & Existence,
Men mvt5 sette a dyfference;
ffor vnder name off sothfastnesse,
Offte ys wrouht f ul gret falsnesse ;
And vnder honest couerture,
Offte ys hyd ful gret ordure. 1Q628
In many a place yt ys ek seyn,
That pompe, pryde, and fals dysdeyn,
Courtyned' vytA humylyte, c< contyned st.]
^Assendentogrete'dygnyte; FJ st. (C burnt)] 10632 p«ri«.bk.]
But feyned sywplesse, out off doute,
At the laste yt breketh oute.
' Ech vyce ek (in conclusions)
Haueth thys condycyouw,
To shewen out an exauwplayre [su»e, leaf IM]
Off vertu, wych that ys contrayre
To hyw by fals apparence,
To yive a maner evydence 10640
To blynde the peplys, by shewyng
10612 "aid Reason
P while St.] 10615
[* to pajje St.] meant to con-
ceal a miller's
[« But, am. St.] rascality ;
10620
but you must
distinguish
['inoweSt.] 10624 between a
name and the
thing it
names.
Pride is often
curtaind by
Humility.
Every vice
'"'les i'self
under an ap-
parent virtue.
292 Reason asserts her Worth. The Churl denies it.
Rea,on. ' Off that they ffayllen in beyng,
That men sholden off hew deme 10643
They wer swych1 lyk as they seme [' Outward were shuchc St.]
Outward, as by ther feyned cher.
' But vertu, that stondeth euere cler,
"Wyt/t couerture off no veyn laude,
Ys nat dyffacyd by no ffraude; 10648
And thogh that vyces, by fals ffame,
Off vertu som tyme haue A name,
Cler2 vertu (who so loke wel) pcierest.]
Therby ys spottyd neuecadel, 10652
But shyneth clerere & mor bryht,
That falsnesse may nat cloude hys lyht ;
But in hys bryhtnesse doth endure.
' And thogh that I, off fals mesure 10656
(To shrowde yt by decepcyoiw,)
Am I-callyd ther Resouw
At the Melle, by fals diffame,
My sylff ther-off am nat to blame ; 10660
But rather sholde, (in many wyse,)
Off prude:it folkys that be wyse,
Receyve worshepe & hihe renoiw,
Lych my name, eallyd Resoura. 10664
' ffor Resouw, platly. nyhe nor ferre,
By no falsnesse may nat erre.
The name off vertu helpeth nouht 10667
Vertu voyde out off the thouht ; [stowe, leaf iss, back]
And vertu wyl hym-sylff nat shrowde
AV//t//. dyrknesse off no mysty clou.lc,
But shewe hym-sylff fforth openly :
My name ys Resoiw, & swych am I.'
But tlio'
Vices some-
times have
the name of
Virtue,
pure Virtue
shines clear.
And tlio a
false mill-
measure is
cald ' Iteason,
I, Reason,
am not to
blame,
hut am
worthy of
honour.
For Reason
cannot err.
[leaf 10:.]
Virtue
shrouds not
itself.
I am Reason.
Rude EH<
tfmlentent
says. Do you
think me a
Fool? .
I know what
is what,
Rude Iiitendiment : 3 C" in stowe-s
' Syker,' quod rude Entendement,
' Wenystow I be so blent
That I knowe no mane/- thyng
Off thy sotyl Argwyng 1
' I knowe kanvas, I knowe sylk,
I knowe the flye dreynt in the mylk,
I knowe A mesour, fful & halff,
I knowe the kowh & ek the kalff,
10672
iand. Entendement St.]
10676
10680
Rude Entendement declares Reason did steal the Corn. 293
[> all« oone St.] 10688
P am. St.]
' Affter that men by name hew calle,
And dylierence off bestys alle.
' I knowe the name off thys & that,
I knowe an houwl, I knowe a caat, 10684
And off bothe I knowe how,
That nouther off hem ys calff nor kow :
I knowe ther namys euerychou :
Ther namys & they ben al on.1
And 2 I dar seyn wyt/i-oute blame,
Gladly ewrc, affter the name
ffolweth tlie coiidici'ou/i.
' Wherfor 1 soy thow art Besom* : 10692
And how resuiiw ys ek thy name,
A name' sclau«Jryd by dyffame;
And as I told the her-to-forn,
' Syth that Besonw stal the corn, 10696
Than was the corn stole?* by the :' [stowe, leanso]
Yt may noon other wyse be,
But euene lyk as I the telle,
That al the water off the melle3 pMyiiest.j 10700
(Wych maketh yt tourne round aboute,)
May nat suffyse (yt ys no doute)
To wasshe away the gret dyffame,
Nor the disclau»dre off thy name.
Thow mayst, by fals collusion;;,
ffynde an excusaciouw
To putte yt fro the eiwydel ;
But her-vp-on, trust me ryht wel,
ffor sotylte, nor no quey?ztyse,
I vnderstonde noun other wyse
Touchyng thy name, nor neuer shal,
Than I ha told : lo, her ys al ! ' 10712
Rescmii : * p st., <»». cj
' By thy wordys, yt doth sue,
fful sotylly thow kanst argue ;
And thy premysses for to make,
fful ffayre exauwples thow kanst take, 10716
By SOtyl declaraciOU/tS B««o loquitur yronice. A.
To preue thy conclusi'ou»es,
Thy/j entent to bryngen Inne.
Rude En-
tettflement.
and tliat dog
and cat are
not cow ahd
calf.
Things are
what their
names say
they are.
You are
Reason,
and you stole
the Corn.
All the mill-
water can't
wash the dis-
tft'aee olF your
nantc.
1070i [leaf 166, bk.]
You may
make what
excuses you
like,
10708
I nit I say
you stole tlie
Corn.
i roni willy
praises ihe
Churl's argu-
ment,
29 4« Reason asks why Elide Entendement robs Pilgrims.
utaion. ' Yt were ful hard off the to wywne, 10720
Or to getyn avaiwtage ;
Thow art so prudewt & so sage,
And dost in wysdam so excelle.
and asks him ' But I pray the for to telle, 10724
if his name is
not Rude En- What YS thy name, Est or west,
tendement.
By wych thow art knowe best :
As I conceyue in my entent, [stowe, leaf iso, back]
Artow nat rude Entendement'!' 10728
sudiEn- Rude Entendement:1 [' st., cm. c.]
tentleiiieHt
~ Quod rudentendement3 ryht tho, [* Rude Entendement St.]
says that ' Thoah that men me calle so
though men
can him so, jjy my name, (what so they mene,)
he is not such J J •>
am nat swych iyk as tney wene > 10732
ffor yt may pleywly so befalle,
That so?»nie off he?» that so me calle,
They be m6r End3 tha» am I, [» Rude St.] 10736
[leaf 166] And mor ek insuffycyent
Off konnyng, as by lugement'
Reman. Resown : l
Quod resou?i tlia?ine, ful sad off cher,
'Touchyng that thow hast sayd4 her, [«seydest.] 10740
Yt doth ynowh to me suffyse ;
Reason asks jjut j merveillc iii what wyse,
wliy he lies •>
in wait to rob \\Tjjy or wliarfore, so by decey t
pilgrims of
That thow lyggest in a-wayt 10744
Vp-on the weyes (yt ys no faylle)
Pylgrymes only to assaylle,
In cytes, borwes, & in toun.s,
their staffs ffor (,0 reue ]le;^ t]101- bordoiUJS : 10748
and scrips,
Her skryppes ek to take away,
As they walke by the way.
' Tel on platly, & nat spare ;
But thy power ffyret declare, 10752
and why lie How thow art bold. & hast no ryht [stowe, leaf 190]
thus offends
Grace Dieu. go toffendyn in the siht
Off grace dieu, (as I ha sayd,)
Wych ys, sothly, evele apayd, 10756
And taketh gretly in greuauttce
[« & ek C., and St.] 10768
Rude En-
tendement
refers her to
the King's
command in
the gospel,
and says lie
won't stop
taking Pil-
grinir scrips
and staves.
Reason
[leaf 166, bk.]
10772
' Because, God orderd him to.' Reason shmvs this is alterd. . 295
' The mane?- off thy goueniaiiwce.'
Rude Entendement : l t»st.,o».cj
' Yiff thow wylt a whyle dwelle,
The cause pleyidy I shal telle. 10760
In the gospel, yt ys rad2
How the kyng hyw syluew bad,2 p ndiie . . badOe St.]
' No man to bern3 out off hys tou«, p beren St.]
Nouther skryppe nor bordouw.' 10764
And platly, for to kepe hys lawe,
I wyl nat feyne nor wyt/;-drawe,
But, off liool entenci'ou??,
Be-reue skryppe & ek4 bordou»
ffro pylgryrnes, wher they passe :
They gete off me noon other grace.'
Resouw : 5 p st., <»«. c.j
' Touchynge thyn oppynyouw
Off the skryppe & the bordouw,
(Yiff yt be clerly co?)iprehendyd,)
Thogh they somtyme wer dyifendyd,
That dyffenco ys now wy/t/t-drawe,
And they be suffryd by the lawe,
That pylgrymes (nyh & ferre)
In pylgrynuiges may hem bere,
Hem to sustene in ther walkyng ;
ffor noon vnworshepe to a kyng,
Thogh somwhyle, syth he hath myghte,
Chau^ge hys lawes off verray ryht.
'And cause off chau^gyng (in certeyn)
Off thys lawe I shal the seyn :
"Who that hath Achevyd wel
Hys pylgrymage, euerydel,
Yt nedeth hym nat6 (who kan se) [« n»t irym st.]
Longer a pylgryw for to be. 10788
Therfor (tak good hed to thys !)
A man no lenger pylgrym ys,
Than he hath skryppe & bordouu ;
ffor bothen (in conclusiou?i) 10792
Ne serue to noon avauntage,
Whaw men ha don ther pylgrymage.
"" And Ciyst Ihesw / ys Terme and Fyne / p-? st., o«. c.]
10776
10779
[Stowe, leaf 100, back]
10784
says the
Goftpel prohi-
bition is now
wi tli drawn,
and pilgrims
may carry
staves to help
them in walk-
ing.
Pilgrims are
so only white
they have
scrip and
stalf.
296 Reason shows that Christ bade Pilgrims bear Scrip & Staff'
Reason.
Christ is the
goal of every
Pilgrim's
pilgrimage.
When the
Apostles
reacht Him,
[leaf 167]
He ;il first
forbade them
to take scrip
or staff.
But before
He died,
He modified
the com-
mand,—
see the gospel
of St. Luke,
ii. 3,—
and told
them to take
satchel,
scrip and
stair,
and He'd give
them food.
' Wlieder / that euery / goode Pylgryme / 10796
Tendytli / in his pylgrymage / 7
And who that hath swych avau?*tage
To koine to hyw, he may sey wel
That lie hath enilyd eue/-ydel 10800
Hys pylgrymage, & ffaylleth nouht
To kome to that that he hath souht.1 [' bought st,]
Thus thapostles, On by on,
Koine to hyw* eue/ychou), 10804
Travayllynge nyht & day :
As parfyt pylgryines in ther way,
By choys & Ly ellecci'oii?*
And also hy vocaeiiouw 10808
They kam to hyw*, (yt ys no nay)
And tha?me to hem2 he gan say, [» hem st., hy» c.]
Bad hem, ' in cyte nor in toww,
Nouther ber skryppe nor bordou?*.' 10812
And they, in euery maner thyng, [stowe, ie«f 191 j
Lowly obcyde hys byddyng.
' But to-forn he sholde deye,
That precept he ga?z modefye 10816
To hys dysciples, (as I rede,)
ffor ho sawh they sholde ha iiede,
Affter hys deth, whan he wer gon ;
Therfor he bad he?/* euerychon, 10820
Vn-to her protecciou?*
To haue a skryppe & a bordou?;.
' Eadeth luk the gospeler, ^%£'fi£3!£&!!*»f'
Wher the text ys pleyn & cler : [tsiiicrtst.] 10824
He byddeth (who kan loke wel)
' That who that haveth a sachel,3 p Sageiie St.]
Lat hyw (to hys dyffenciouw,)
Take a skryppe & a bordou?*, 10828
And a staff vp-on to reste,
ffor ye shal fynde yt for the beste ;
Swych thywges ben vn-to yow due,
Affter me yiff ye shal sue, 10832
And folwen my goue*-nau?*ce ;
And ye shal hauew suffysau?*ce
Off brede,4 wherso that ye be, [« brede St., bred c.i
Eude Entendement disputes this. Eeason re-affirms it. 297
' Tyl tyme that ye kome to me, 10836 Reason.
In your nede yow to releue.'
' Wher-vp-on I may wel preue,
That yt ys at alii' tymes
Permyssyble to pylgrymes 10840
To bern A skryppe & ek a staff;
ffor ther mayster, lycence hew* gaff;
Record the byble, yiff yt be souht.
' Wherfor, medle the ryht nouht 10844
Tarest1 pylgrymes by vyolence, [' TO ha nest St., leaf 191, back]
ffor they han ther-to Jycence,
Mawgre thy malys & thy myghte ;
ffor ther conge shal off ryht 10848
Laste to hem in ther vyage,
Tyl they ha doa her pylgrymagc.'
Rude Entendement:2 p st., o*. c.j
' The wordys that thow dost specefye,
Ar but wordys off mokarye ; 10852
ffor yiff so stood, thys myghty kyng
Hadde dyffendyd any thyng
That he hadde ordeyned or ysayd,
Off the textys3 that thow hast layd, p Thais St.] 10856
They sholde ha be4 (who lyst to look,) [* be c., am. St.]
Yracyd clene out off the book,
Lych vn-to liys ordynauwce,
Wyt/t-outew any varyauKce-'
Resouw5 :
' That ys nat so,' a-noon (\iiod she,
' ffor, off ryht & equyte,
Ech° thyng (shortly for to ryme,)
Muste duely7 haue hys tyme : — •
I dar afferme that yt ys soth,
What men seyn, or what me» doth ; —
Consydred8 wel, by cler seyng, [» consyderyng st.]
The Trewe cause off euery thyng,
Thenchesouw & mutaci'oiuis,
The dedys & narraci'ouws
Off alle thyng, (who loke wel) ; [stowe, leaf 192]
And cause also why the gospel 10872
Ys mor plesynge to the silit —
10860
[5 St., am. C.]
[« Eche St.]
F Most cluelly St.] 10864
10868
Therefore
it is at all
times permis-
sible to pil-
^rima to bear
scrip mid
staff.
So don't stop
pilgrims,
[leaf 167, bk.]
Their leave
lasts tilt their
pilgrimage
ends.
Rude En-
tendement
says No.
KGodl.ad
alterd His
laws,
He'd have
struck em out
of the book.
Reason
disputes this:
things tuive
their time,
and then
change.
The gospel
is more
pleasing to
298 How Obstinacy mind Ndbal and Pharaoh.
Re<i*on.
those who
understand
uright, than
to others.
[leaf 168]
Rude Ha-
tendemfHt,
Rude En-
tendement
declares that
Reason takes
no heed of
truth.
KtlltOH
bids Rude
Enteiulement
lay down his
Staff of Oh-
stinacy.
Nabal and
Pliaraoh
' To folk that vnderstonde a-ryht —
Than to swych, wych in ther thouht
Vnderstonde ther-off ryht nouht ; 10876
Euene lyk (& thus I niene)
As in A medwe ffressh & grene,
Wher as folkys do repayre,
The mor that ther be flourys fayre, 10880
Lusty, soote, & fressh off hewe,
Spredynge a-brood vryilt- bawme newe,
ffolkys, the mo1 (I dar endyte) ['merest.]
To loke ther-on hem-sylff delyte.' 10884
Rude Entendement2: pst..««.co
Thys cherl, boystous3 in hys entent, p boystous c., o»>. s».]
Callyd ' Rud Entendiiment,'
ffroward in hys oppynyouw,
Abrayde a-non vn-to Resou«. 10888
Qworf lie felly, to ben a-wreke,
' Yt ar but fantasmes that ye speke ;
ffor, pleynly, as thynketh me,
' ffalsnesse,' ye namen now bewte. 10892
Off trouthe also (yt ys no drede,)
Ye lyst take no maner hede.
Do her-vp-on what euer ye kan,
ffor I wyl holde that I be-gan.' 10896
Resovw4: [• st., o«. c.]
' Certys,' qitod Resouw, ' a-noon ryht tho, [su>we, if. 192, bk,]
Thow ne shalt no thyng do so ;
But (for short conclusiou«)
Thow shalt ley thy staff a-dou/i ; 10900
Thow hast lenyd ther-on to longe,
Thorgh oppynyou/js ffals & wronge ;
And folyly, affter thy lust.
Ther-in to myche5 set thy trust, t5 inne to muche St.] 10904
ffor by thys staffe6 (lyst to me,) [« staffe St., staff c.]
In the byble as thow mayst se,
Xabaal & kyng Pharaou?«
Wer brouht vn-to confusloim : 10908
They lynede7 so longe vp-on that staff F
Wych that pryde vn-to he?» gaff,
The staff callyd ' obstynacye,'
Entendement stopl the Jews from turning Christians. 299
' That, thorgh ther pompous surquedye,
Ther owne deth (for lak off grace,)
They dyde wylfully purchace ;
ffor they were pompous & Ellat,
And in ther hertys indurat,
Ek obstynat in ther entent,
Only for Rud Entendement ;
Was to her grete dysavayl,
The pryncypal off ther couwsayl.
' ffor thys cherl, ffroward & ffel,
Made hew for to be rebel,
And voyden (shortly in sentence)
The vertu off obedience ;
Ek oue/'mor (as thow shalt se,)
Yiff Rud Entendement nadde be,
The lewes (in conclusions)
Hadde lefft1 ther oppynyouw,
And ther heresyes wyth-drawe,
And tournyd hem to crystys lawe ;
And, in ther cowversi'oiiH,
Take the skryppe & the bordoure,
And lyk pylgrymes hem goiuVnyd,
And ful clerly ek dyscernyd,
Wych now he dyrked vnder skyc,
Only for ther obstynacye.
' That staff, I rede the to ley dorm,
And leff thy Rude oppynyou» ;
And leue ther-on no mor at al,
Lyst at the laste thow haue a ffal.'
Rud Entendement :
Quod Rud entendement to2 Resouw :
' Thy proverbys, nor thy sermoure,
NOT al that euere thow dost me rede,
I take ther-off no maner hede,
ffor al thy peynted wordys swete,
My staff in soth I wyl nat lete ;
But as me thynketh for the beste,
Ther-vp-on I wyl me reste,
Wher-euere I wnlke by the weye,
And in ryht nouht to the obeye,
10912
10916
10932
10936
10940
[2 vnto St.]
10944
10948
[leaf 168, bit.]
came to grief
through
obstinacy.
10920
10924
But for Rode
Entende-
ment,
the Juws
[1 leme St.] 10928
[Stave, leaf 103]
v.'Otlld liave
turnd Chris-
tians,
and become
Pilgrims.
Rude En-.
tenclemcnt
tvt'u • < •- tO
be guided
by Reason,
Hlnl .It: Cuss
her puwer.
300 Season lids me disregard Rude Entcndement.
[leaf 169]
summons
Rude Enten-
dement to the
Assizes at
Doomsday.
Reason bids
me go on my
way,
As Rude Kn-
tendeinent's
head is hard-
er than stone,
and all reason
is lost on
him,
' Holden my« owne, as yt ys ryht,
Mawgre tliy power & thy myght.' 10952
Resou// :
Quod Resoiw ; ' tha?me I se ful wel,
And aparceyue1 euerydel, c1 apperceyve yt St.]
By thy wordys Rude & pleyn, [Stowe, leaf 193, back]
That yt were to me but vcyn, 10956
Mor to talke off thys matere
To the, wych that lyst nat here,2 piere stj
Nor accorde to my« En tent ;
But, at the grete lugement 10960
Wher tassyses3 slial be holde, r3 Thnssyscs St.]
Al couert falsenesse to vnfolde,
I somowne the, ther tappere,
To Answere in thys matere ! 10964
Looke thow be ther, thylke day,
Wyt/(-oute prolongyng or delay.'
Affter al thys, (as ye shal se,)
Rescue kam ageyn to me, 10968
And bad me go fortli on my way,
And ha no dred,4 nyht nor day [« drate St.]
Off thys Rucl Eiitendemeiit ;
(Resoun.)
'ffor fynally, (in seutenient,) 10972
Wytlt-inne an hevy styth off stel,
A ffuthre sliolde entre as wel
As any doctryne (yt ys no dred)
Sholde entre iu-to hys bed. 10976
' ffor thys Rud entendeineiit
Ys wyt/t Rudnesse so yblent,
That dyamaunt, I trowe, ys noon,
Nor noon other maner ston 10980
So indurat, to mollefye,
As he ; for fl'als obstynacyn
Hath blendyd5 hywi by liyr decyt, r5 Wyndrf* St.]
That wher he cachcheth a eonceyt, 10984
Ther-vp-ou he wyl ay holde,
ffor all the skyles that I tokle ;
Nor resouw that I koude' seyn, [stowe, leaf 194]
Al was but lost, and sayd in veyn ; 10988
/ beg Reason to be my Guide to Jerusalem.
301
' In hys Rudnesse lie kepte hy;« cloos,
And wyl nat chauwgen hys purpos.
' Wherfor go forth, & ha no drede,
Nor tak off \\yrn no inane;1 hede ; 10992
But hold thy weye1 forth as blyue ; [' way St.]
ffor, wyt/f a cherl to stonde & stryue,
Yt wolde nat but lyte avaylle :
Lat hym -wyUi }iys wyndes saylle, 10996
ffrowardly ageyn the strem,
Wliil thow gost to lerusaleem.
Be off hyw no thyng afferd,
Thogh he shake on the hys herd ; 11000
Lafc hy»j gruchche, & mowhes make,
Ami his Chyn vp-on the shake,
Wexe ek pale for envye
And on hys staff ' obstynacye ' 11004
Lat hyw reste, & stonde stylle :
Hold thow thy way / ay forth at wylle ! '
The pylgrym.
" Ma dame," <\uod I, " yt stondeth so,
I wot nat what ys best to do, 11008
But ye, off your benygnyto,
Lyst for to conveye me
A?*d ben my giiyde vp-on the way,
Me to goueniu nyht & day, 11012
Tyl I koine to that cyte
"\Vycli I caste for to se.
ffor, w//t/i-oute yow, certoyu
My labour ys nat but in veyn : [stowe, le.if IBI, back] 11016
Yt ys so pe/'yllous a passage,
That I shal ffynde in my vyage
Many anoyes, mo than on,
I kan nat rekne hew. eueryehon ; 1 1020
Pereilles that on2 the weye lye; ["msi]
But yiff I hadde companye
Off yow, yt wolde ynowh suffyse
Me to supporte in many wyse." 1 1024
Eesoun :
QwocZ Eesou?z tha»nc a-noon to me,
' fful wel I myghte gon \vylh the,
[leaf Itt), bk.J
Reago n.
I am there-
fore not to
him,
but to go
forth on my
journey
to Jerusalem
without fear
of Rude En-
teudeinent. ,
The Piltrrim.
I ask Ileason
to lie my
guide,
as the pns-
»:iue is BO
dangerous.
Reaton.
[leaf 170]
302 I yo on my way, and meet a Damsel featherd like a Dove.
Reaton.
She says she
could go,
but clouds
would rise,
and I should
lose sight of
her.
She will be
with me
while I am
in the right
wny :
otherwise,
not.
When I want
her, she'll be
with me.
' And nat dopartc out off thy siht
Al the wliyle that thow gost ryht,
And boldest forth the evene way ;
But offte sithe (yt ys no nay)
Ther shal a-twen vs (who espyes,)
Arysii two fful vnkouth1 skyes,
Wonder blak off tlier colours,
Off smoky mystes & vapours,
That somwhyle, off dyrknesse
And off the owgly ffoul thyknesse,
Off sondry chauwges that shal be,
Thow shalt lese the syht off me.
' And somtyme, ful glad off chore,
Thow shalt se me ffressh & cler,
Affter the woye that thow dost holde,
Lyk to-forn, as I the tolde.
ffor thow boldest the weye ryht,
Thow shalt se me cler & bryht.
' And fynally, yiff thow go wronir,
I wyl me hyden (euere among,) [stowe, leaf 195]
Out off thy syht, & shrowden me
That thow shall me nowher se.
' Wberfor, off me wba» thow hast uede,
Sek me no ferther (as I rede)
Her nor tber, vp-on no syde,
But wlier thy sylue?« dost abyde.
Yiff thow me seke ther duely,
Thow shalt me fynde?i ay redy.
' Now, on thy lourne, forth the spede
Sytb to tarye thow hast no node.'
11028
i vnkouthe St.] 11032
11036
11040
11044
11048
11052
11056
The Pilgrim.
I proceed on
my way.
Yc pilgrime.2
Off by re answere I wex al sad,3
Yet forth I wente, as she me bad,:;
Remewynge me4 fro that place,
Me recomauwdynge to hyr grace ;
And prayde god ful Enterly
[leaf 170, bk.] Me to conveye sykerly,
W//t//-oute» any dysturbau?«ce,
And me to saueu fro myschaurece,
To be my guyde, & wysshen me
[a In Stowe's hand.]
[« sadde . . . badde St.]
[* me St., om. C.]
11060
11064
The Featherd, Dove-like Damsel is playing at ball. 303
ffor to kome to the cyte
Whyder to gon, tho I me caste.
And forth I wente wonder faste,
W//t/t my bordou« in myn hond ;
And in the weye a-uoon I fond
A damysele off queynte array,
Wych me mette vp-on the way.
And lyke a dowuc (as thoughts me)1
She was ifetheryd for to fle ;
And on her leggys bothe two, [f towe, leaf 195, back]
The Pilgrim.
11068
and meet a
damsel,
11072
s';e°t*-^e't»'i«T ""
1 1076
Lyk a dowve she was also,
And endownyd soifte & ffayr,
Smothe as2 gossomer in the hayr. p as a St.]
And trewly (as I koude espye)
Me sempte thys mayden off ffolye, 11080
Now her, now ther, agey« a wal
That she pleyede at the bal,
Ke/mynge alway vp & dou».
And thanne I hadde affeecioim 11084
To wyten pleynly & enquere
II yr name, and what she dyde there.
[Blank in MS. ami in St. for an Illumination.]
The pylgrym:
" Damysele," a-noon quod I,
" I rnerveylle ful gretly3 pgreteiy St.] 11088
Off your ffethres ffressh & sheue,
What they tokne or what they mene ;
And that ye ben endowned so
Yp-ou your leggys bothe two ;
ffor, syth tyme that I was born,
I sawhij neuere her-to-fforn
Noon yffetheryd, saufflly4 only ye :
ffor, by lyknesse, ye may fle
Whaw that ye lyst, hill & lowe ;
And ffayn ther-fore, I wolde kuowe,
(Yiff ye lyst to specefye)
What your ffetherys sygnefye ; 1 1 100
And your endownyng, vp & doun, [stowe, leatisw]
I wolde ther-off ha som resoiwj ;
And or ye any ferther go,
featherd like
a dove
on both her
legs.
She is play-
ing at bail.
I ask her
why her lees
are featherd,
11002 [leaf 171]
11096
what her
feathera
menu.
304 The Fcatherd GirFs name is Youth, and she is skittish.
and what her
name is,
The Feuthtnl
Girl, Youth.
The Piliirim.
I tell her
she's worlli
any money
to a man.
The Feathrrd
Qirt, Youth,
says she does
no harm to
the prudent.
[leaf 171, blc.]
She is called
'Youth.'
She winces
like a wild
colt,
PuyenSt.] 11112
11116
11120
Your name I wolde wyte also." 11104
The ffetherede:
' Certys,' qwoil slie, ' whan thow dost knowe
The cause pleynly (hih & lowe)
Wheroff I seme, sothly in dede 11107
Thow shalt off me han ful gret drede.'1 [' drede St., dede c.]
The pylgrym:
" Ye ben trewly (us semeth me)
So ffressh and vnkouth for to se,
Se lusty ek off port & chere,
Tliat no man myghte bey»2 to dere,
Off yow to ban possession;; :
And me semeth off resouw,
(By lyklynesse, as I kan ffel,)
A man myghte nat loue to wel
Your persone, by lyklyhede.
And as touchynge any drede
Tliat men sholde han off you, certeyn,
Me semeth swyeh drecl wer but in veyn."
The ffetherede :
' Thow seyst fful soth, & ryght trewly :
Who me vseth prudently,
And nat outrageth in no wyse,
But by w gouemeth lyk the wyse,
Swych, fro \wiv.yl may \vel eskape.
And trust her-on, (yt ys no jape,)
My gouernawjce (who kan espye),
Ther-iu ys fouwde no ffolye ;
And yet off custom, at the laste,
In grete3 percyll, ffolk I caste, P grete St., gret c.]
(As yt ys fful offte seyn)
And longe or they may ryse ageyn.
' And my name ys ek fful kouthe,
ffor I am ycallyd ' youthe ' ;
I passe bothe thorgh thymie & thykke,
And I kan wynse ageyn the prykke,
As wyldo coltys in Arras,
Or as bayard out off the tras,
Tyl I a lassh haue off the whyppe ;
ffor now I renne, & now I skyppe,
11124
[Stowe, leaf 198, liai-k]
11128
11132
11136
11140
Youth trips, sings, climbs trees, and amuses herself. 305
[' merry foot.]
11143
[" Alle danngerys St.]
11148
P trees St., tres C.] 11152
11156
'And now I lepe louy pe1 ;
Now I sterte, & now I ffle.
Selde abydyng in 0 thouht,
Al dauwgerous2 I sette at nouht,
W//t/t wyldenesse I go to scole ;
Now I sprynge, now I carole ;
I tryppe, I crye, synge & daunce,
And eue>-e ful off varyavmce,
And fful selde abyde in On.
I wrastle, & I caste the ston ;
I breke bothen hegge & wal,
And clymbe trees3 oueral
In gardyns wher tlie ffrut ys good.
And who that euece be wroth or wood,
I ne take no mane?- hede.
' Sestow nat wel, in verray dede,
By my ffethrys cler & bryht,
Vp-on my ffeet, how I am lyht,
And as swyfft (sothly to tel) [stowe, leans?]
As whyloill was Asael. 8 Regum 2 Capltulo. St.,om.C. 11160
But the byble doth vs lere
He bouhte hys swyff tnesse al to dere ;
And offte sythes, out off noumbre,
To gret swyff tnesse doth encoumbre, 11164
As olde storyes telle kaan ;
ff or bet y s y t, on wyseman 4 [* y t y« . . wyso St., wys c.]
Slowh off ffoote, wyt/t prudence,
Than ffoure other (in sentence)
Lyht off ffoote, wyt/t hyr ffolye,
Wych hem syluera kan nat guye,
Nor by wysdom kan nat werche,
' Wherffor somtyme holy chercho
Whylom made an ordynau?zce,
That no man sholde ha goueniau?jce
In hys bowndys (yt ys no drede)
But yiff he hadde ffeet off led,
In gret sadnesse to endure.
' But off al thys I do no cure ;
I wyl be ffethryd, & go ffle;
And among, go sporte me ;
PILGRIMAGE.
11168
11172
11176
utarts and
runs.
trips, singa,
dunces, and
is always
changing.
She climbs
trees and
steals fruif.
She is ns Hoot
as Asahel.
[leaf 172]
But one slow
wise man is
better than
four last fools.
In spite of
Holy Church,
Youth means
to amuse her-
self.
1 1 180
306 Youth play?, Hockey, Dice & Merils, & reads Romances
Mi» Youth ' Plcye at the cloos, among, I shal,
i.iays hockey, And somwliyle ReHiiyn at the bal
Wijth a Staff mad lyk an hook ;
And I wyl hail a kainpyiig crook ; 1 1 184
ffor I desyre, in my depos,
ffor to han noon other croos.
'And among, I wyl nat spare
hunts, nshes, To huute for hert, ffor buk & haie ; 11188
Somtyme ffysshe, & cachche ffowlys,
And somtyme pleyen at the bowlys ;
shoots at Among, shetyn1 at bessellys, ['shetenst.]
pTay^t And affter pleyn2 at the merellys, [sume, leaf 107, back]
merits (with •»•,-. ,11- i i i A o
pawns), Now at the dees, in my yong age, [»pieyenst.] lll'Jj
at dice and , „
hazard, Bothe at hassard & passage ;
Now at the dies, now at the tablys,
reads only llede no storyes but on ffablys, 11196
On thyng that ys nat worth a lek ;
piay» at Ploye at the keyles & the quek ;
ninepins and
quickboard, Somwhyle my wyttys I applye
hews songs. To here song & menstralcye, 1 1 200
And pleye on dyuers Instrumentys :
And the ffyn of myn entent ys
[leaf 172, bk.] To folwe the lust off my corage,
ami is joiiy. And to spendc my yonge age 11204
In merthe only, & in solace,
ffolwe my lustys in ech place ;
Her only de- Ther-to hooly I me enclyne,
Bure,'aude«iie Rather than to han doctryne 1 1 208
parents- Off ffader, moder, thogh they be wyse,
teaching.
Al ther techyng 1 dcspyse ;
And in uo thyug ys set my cure,
But my lustys to procure.' 11212
Tke pilgrim. The pylgrym :
"Trewly," quod I a-noon ryht tho,
' ' Wolde god y t stoode so
That ye wer mevyd, & tliat a-noon,
To passe the way that I shal gon." 11216
mi rou/h. Yowthe :
' Whyder-ward (tol on, lat sc,)
Wyl tow holder thy lourne ? '
Youth goes with me. We see a Damsel playing with a Glove. 307
The pylgrym: cstowe, ie«r w]
"To Jerusalem, the ryhte way
I wyl holde, yiff that I may." 11220
Yowthe :
Qtuxl yowthe, ' ther ys no mor to seye ;
A whyle I wyl the conveye.'
The pylgrym:
" Kan ye techii me a-noon
The ryhte way how I shal gon 1 " 11224
Yowthe :
' ffor soth,' c[uoil yowthe, ' nat ryht wol,
But we shal faylle neueradel ;
ffor we shal ffynde wel certeyn
Som whyht that shal the trouthe seyn, 11228
And the ryhte weye vs lere.'
And whyl that we spak thus yffere,
So as yowthe gan me conveye,
Me thouthe I sawh a fforkyd weye 11232
Partyng at an heg on tweyne,
Thykke and thornyssh in certeyne ;
And hadde uat the heg ybe,
The same way, as sempte me,
By the which" I sholde ha gon, ,,
Hadde in sothnesse ben but on ;
But the heg wych stood atwen,
Departyd yt (men myghte sen), [stowe, icacws, back] 11240
And the passage ek devyde :
The ton was set on the ryht syde ;
The tother path (I gan be-holde)
On the lefft party gon holde. 11244
And on the lefft hand I sawh a-noon
A damysele sytte on a ston ;
Hyr on1 hand on hyr brest was layd, [' oon St.]
And in the tother (as I abrayd) 11248
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
She held a gloue vantouwly,'2 [' Glove wantonly st., glove v . . c.j
And tournyd yt fful ffetysly
Aboute hyr ffyngres vp & dou».
And shortly in conclusions, 1 1 2">2
By mane/' off hyr goiwnau«co
Tilt Pilgrim.
I fisk Miss
Youth the
way to Jeru-
salem.
Mia Youth.
She says we
shall Hud
some one to
tell it us.
The Pilgrim.
We come to a
forkt wnyf
parted by a
hedge,
[St. and C.] 11236 Deaf 173]
one path
going to the
right,
and the other
to the lea.
We take the
lelt road, and
meet a damsel
sitting on a
stone,
fingering o
glove.
308 We see a Net-Maker (Labour) making and undoing nets.
T/ie Pi/prim. I Sawll, & 1)}' llJT CCWiteiiaUJiCC,
A womman (as by lyklynesse)
Tiii» Damsel But off lytel bysynesse, 11256
By hyr labour, ouht to wynno :
Hyr lyst nat carde nouther spynne,
Nor, to getyn hyr dyspcnce,
Do no inftner dyllygence.1 [' off a.viiyum« sto 11260
At i>er risiit On whos ryht hand I sawh on svtte
ll:inil MI> a
Net-maker Sobvrly, & lyst Uat fflytte,
ILiBOBB), •> •" •
But kept hyro covert in the shade ;
And olde nattys ageyn lie made, 11264
Wych, ffor no labour wolde spare,
[leafiTs, i*.] But bogy was hem to repare ;
And off \\yui thus stood the caas.
fful gretly I astonyd was, 11268
Tliynkynge hys labour was in2 veyn ; [! in St., holt in c.]
who iiwkca He made, & hem vnmado aqeyn : [Stowe, leaf iw]
and unniiikes i t
a net. Whcr-iii me sempte a ful gret lak :
And ffyrst off al, to hyw I cpak : 11272
The pylgrym:
" My ffrend," qutjd I, " a-noon ryht here
I pray the that thow wost me lore
The beste weye, & most certeyne,
OS thys ilke weye's tweyne 11276
Wych that lyen a-for my fface ;
ffor neuere yet I clydc pace
By noon off \icin, in al my lyff ;
or him i a»k Wlierffor tcl me (& mak no stryff) 11280
Jerusalem, Wycli ys the beste & most certeyn."
Net-mater. The Natte-makere :
Labour.
' Ihe natte-makere answerde ageyn :
' \Vhyder castestow (in thy syht)
ffor to holde thy weye ryht 1 ' 11284
•ft, niarim. The pylgrym:
" Syker," qitod I, "now herkne me
ami say i I wolde passe the grete se,
want t.> ITOSS
great sea. And oversaylle the salte strem,
To kome vn-to Jerusalem ; 11288
Off wych cyte, told longe aforn,
The bysshop was off mayde born."
The Net-Maker says Miss Idleness sends Pilgrims wrong. 30'J
The Natte-makere :
' Trewly, syr, wyt/t your grace, [stowe, leaf 199,
I sytto 110 thyng in thys place
ffor to teche men the weye ;
Nor, pylgrymes to conveye,
Yt ys no parcel off my charge ;
But off thys tweyue weyiJs large,
As ffolk reporte in many loud,
That the weye on the lefft hoiid,
Wher-as the damysele doth sytte,
(And ne lyst nat for to fflytte,)
Ys a passage ful peryllous,
And to pylgrymes eiicombrous:
And thys damysele queywte,
Off malys dotli neuece feynte
To calle pylgrymes uyht & day,
To make he»t go the same way,
Wher they do gret pereyl ffele,
Be they armyd neuece so wel.
' But, trewly, by myn avys,
Swych pylgrymes as be wys,
They that ben in vertu strong,
Shal lete the way that ly[e]th wrong,
And tracen in hyr pylgrymage
On the ryht hand in ther vyage ;
The wych, fful many on hath take,
And affterward hath yt for-sake,
Brooke thorgh the hegg by vyolencc,
And ther-in don fful gret offence ;
Toward the lefft path tournyd bak,
Tyl they ha fallyn on the wrak
Off ffalse guydes : by the lore
Off me, her-off thow gest1 no more :
Wherso that thow \vynno or lese,
Off thys two weyes thow mayst chese.'
The pylgrym ./ [stowe,
" Syre, I pray the off o thyng :
Touchyng thy labour iu2 werchyng, [>a
Tel me the cause (in certeyn)
Why makestow, AT vndost ageyn
Net-Maker,
Labour,
11293 euysit's nut
f to tell folk
the way :
11296
but the led
road in very
dangerous,
11300
11304
pge»tst.]
11324
ndsto
[leaf 174 J
and the
qutiiut Dani-
liuughter) til*
ways tries to
miuce Pil-
Krhiid go lh;U
11308
Hut he ii.i-
\iws me,
D.'iiuillcvillr,
11312
to take the
right-hand
pntli, tho
many have
11316
11320
[luittfd it fur
Hi.- left.
I can choose
one of the
two.
The Pitf/rim.
11328
310 Net-Maker Labour says Differeiux of Ranks must exist.
me pilgrim. " Thy werk so offte sythe a day ?
The seraeth trewly (I may say),
Ther-in (who consydreth al,)
Thy wyt ys verray dul & smal, 1 1332
(As to myw oppynyouw)
Ydel, tiiyn occupaciowi :
Yiveth to me an evydence
To yive to the no credence 11336
To no thyng that thow hast me sayd ;
[leafni.bk.] And thougfi that thow be euele apayd, [St. andc.]
I shal seyn trouthe, as semeth me : „
i uk why the Yt wer merveyl thow sholdest the1 puieest.] 11340
Net-Maker J
makes and go sy m pie a crafft on the to take,
unmakes his ,
nets, To make nattys, & viimake ;
The wyche2 crafft (whan al ys souht) p which* St., wych c.]
Ys so pore, yt wynneth nouht." 1 1344
Net-xaK«r, The nat-makere :
—^- ' Touchyng my crafft, wych I vse,
To the I may me thus excuse :
Thogh yt be symple, & pore off name,
Therfor thow sholdest me nat blame : 11348
that each one Swycli as I kan, swych I acheue :
must work
according to Tliys, no cause me to repreue,
his powers. * '
Nor to rebuke oft no ffolye.
' Yiff ye aduerten prudently, 11352
Everyman EufiTV man hath nat a fforge, [Stowe, leaf 200, bk.]
can't make « •
gold crowns Crownys oft gold, in for to forge ;
Nor ffolkys alle,3 yong nor old, p aiie St., aiu c.]
Kan nat the crafft to chauwge gold ; 1 1356
Nor alle may nat be lowelerys :
Ech crafft hath hys offycerys :
Nor alle ffolk may nat noblys telle ;
or sen rubies. Nor alle ffolk may nat Eubyes selle ; 11360
ffor kownyng thawne wer off no prys,
Yiff ech man were alyche wys.
' Lerne ek off me, thys sentence,
There mu»t Ther muste be a dyfference 11364
be diversity
(Pleynly yiff thow lyst to knowe,)
ofrnnksand Off Estatys hill & lowe,
And off crafftys ek also.
Let each do well. Cart & Plough bear up Church & State. 31 1
'And tak also good heed herto, 113G8 ttet-xuter,
Yiff all ffolk in a Eegiouw
Hodden On1 occupaciouu ['oonst.j
In the Eychest cralFt of alle,
Dome tha?me what sholde falle : 11372
Thanno al ylyche (yiff tliow tok2 lied) ptakosi.]
The iTbot as good as ys the hod ; ['e»f 17»]
, . . Otherwise the
A knaue also, by hys werkyng, toot were as
Sholdo ben Egal \ryth the :! kyng ; past.] 11376 K»»V
• a knuve fiqtml
The wych (wlio wysly kan espye,) to the king.
Ne wer no mane;' polycye,
But ratlier a confusiow*
In eue;-y mauer llegi'ouM. 11380
' Wherfor, in Townys & cytes,
Lat men lyuen lyk her degres :
Wyse ffolk that kan dyscerne, Let wise men
17 govern by
Lat hem by wysdam so governe 11384 wisdom,
That no man ne haue no wrong ;
And swych as myghty ben, & strong,
Vfyth myghte lat hem the loud dyflcudc ; [stowc, leaf 201]
And clerkys to ther studye entonde; 11388 clerks study,
And labourerys, lat hem worche ; labuuro™
And spyrytual ffolk off the cherche,
Lat ther occupac'ioure
Ben in conte?»placiou?z, 11392
In deuociowt & prayere ; churchmen
Voyde he»H Siom offyeo seculer ; do secular
Lat he»n go lyub lyk ther bond; 11395
And swyche4 ffolk as tyle the lond, [' swyche St., »wycii c.] Let land-
tlllera work
Lat hem do trewly ther labour, in drought
and miu,
Bothe in drouht & ek in shour;
ffor trewly (yiff I rekne shal)
Carte & plowh. they ber vp al [Notast. later.} 11400 for can ana
Plough bear
The clergye & the cheualrye. up ciergy ana
°J J Chivalry.
' And overmor, ffor my partye,
Thogh my crafft (in conclusion;*)
Be off no reputaciouw, 11404
Swych as I kan, swych I ha wrouht ;
And therfore rebuke me nouht ;
ffor crafftys vsyd in pouerte
ray, and not
o secul
duties.
312 As Rust dulls a Sword, so Idleness, ~by Vice, ruins the Soul.
Net-Maker,
Labour.
Poor crafts
are needful.
' May nat alle refusyd be :
Crafftys poore be necessarye ;
And ffor me, lyst the nat to tarye,
[leaf 175, bk.] Euery crafft (& thus I mene)
Mut goueme other, & sustene,
So yt be don wyt/i-oute slouthe,
And duely y wrouht in trouthe ;
And thus thow shalt my wordys take.
And thogli that I make & vnmake,
11408
11412
The net IB
made and un-
made to avoid
idleness.
If Labour
knew other
trades, he'd
work at em,
and not undo
his net.
As a sword
sometimes
rusts,
The Pilgrim.
Net-Maker,
Labour.
so men rust
and go wrong
thro idleness.
The rust of
vice destroys
the bright-
ness of virtue.
11415
Non ffiicile capitur a di-
abolo, qui bono vacat ex-
Blame me nat, nor (in sothnesse) «•«<*> / leronimm.
I do yt to voyden ydelnesse.
' And yiff I, lyk thyw oppynyouw,
Koude other oceupaci'ouw, 11420
I wolde yt done, be wel certeyn, tstowe, leaf aoi, back]
And nat vnmake thys natte ageyn,
ffor wych thow dost repreue me.
And her, 0 thyng I axe off the : 11424
What ys the cause (flier or ner)
That a swerd burnysshed cler,
Somwhyle rusteth, as thow mayst se,
Leseth hys bryhtnesse & bewte 1 ' 11 428
The pylgrym:
" Touchyng thyw askyng, in certeyn,
Me to answere, yt wer but weyn ;
Thow hast thy sylff (who kan Wei,)
The cause ytold, pleynly & wel." 11432
The Natte-makere :
' So as a swerd (I dar expresse,)
Yffadyd ys off hys bryhtnesse,
And off hys clernesse ek also,
Whan men take noon hed ther-to, 1 1 436
But rusteth & ffareth al amys,
Ryght so a man that ydel ys,
& kan hy»i sylff nat occupye,
(By resemblaimce thow majrst espye,) 11440
In-to hys1 sowle (thus I be-gynne) [' in thy St.]
The rust off vyces or off synne
Doth a-way (wyt/i-outij gesse)
OS alle2 vertu the clernesse; [* aiie St., al c.] 11444
But excercysa.{in sentence)
How the World despises the Poor, and holds the Rich wise. 313
1U56
;.' sadde . . . cladde St.]
' And contymial dyllygence,
Born vp -wyth vertuous labour,
Ys bet than any ifoorbysshour
Ageyn the rust off ydelnesse,
Off vertu to gyue perfyt clernesse.'
The pylgrym : [stowe, leaf 202]
"Now, gentyl ffrend," a-noon quod I,
" Tel me thy name trew[e]ly,
Wych art so wys off answerynge :
Tel on, & mak no mor taryynge."
The If atte-makere :
' To telle the trouthe verrayly,
Yt befalleth comounly
(As clerkys wryte, that be sad,1)
Wha« a man ys ffebly clad,1
And outward hath noon apparence,
Phylysophres (in ther sentence)
And Ek poetys that wer wys,
They seyn swych on ys off no prys
Nor off no reputacioun
Affter the worldys oppynyouw.
And thys comouwly the language
That thylke ffolkys be most sage,
And wysest holden (in certeyn),
That be ffressh, & wel beseyn,
And kan make he?« syluera gay
Vfyth ryche fforewrys & array,
And devyses most vnkouth,
Swych ffolk, in euery ma«hys2 mouth,
Be wysest holde in thys world here.
' And ouermor, as ye shal lere,
Thogh a man wer neuere so wys,
And hadde lernyd at Parys,
Thys thryrty yer at scole be
In that noble vnyuersyte,
And hadde ful experyence
Off eue?y wysdom & scyence,
& koude exponew euery doute,
And wer but porely clad wyt/t-oute,
Men wolde derae most comou?ily [st. & c.]
11448
11452
Labour.
[leaf 176]
Work is the
best remedy
for the ills of
Idleness.
The Pilgrim.
I ask the
Net-Maker
his inline.
Net-SIuker,
Labour,
says that
11460
11464
11468
11471
[* inannys St.]
when ;i man
is poorly clad,
he is little
esteeuid ;
11476
[Stowe, leaf 202, back] 1 1 480
but if he has
rich furs and
dress,
he's held
wise.
ThougTi a
mail hud
stmlied at
Paris for
thirty years,
and could
clear every
doubt.
if he were
poorly clad
[leaf 176, bk.]'
814 Philosophy f eft the Universities. Labour supports the State.
Net-Maker,
Labour,
he would
Ixj accounted
a fool.
Philosophy
has Ml the
universities
utul lives in
cities with
welldrest
folk.
Farewell
Knowledge,
if he has a
kn! coat !
' I iloii't
wonder that
you think
nij unwise,
' because my
clothes are
torn.
4 And yet,
without me,
Adam iiinl
his offspring
hud not been,
•or Noah.
* I sustain the
wliole state.
Deaf 177]
'That hys wysdom wer ffoly, [st.ic.j 11484
And that lie wer a fool at al
By oypynyoim general :
So they rehcrse in ther sentence ;
ffor wysdom now, & sapyoncf, 11488
Practyk off phylosofyu, [st. &(.•.]
Off avRinetryk & gometrye,
Off Astronomye & musyk,
And expwyence off physyk, 11492
Ys fHed now fro vnyuersytes,
And dwelleth in borwes & cytes
Wi/t/< folk that wel arrayed be
At the eye, as men may se. 1 149(1
' And ffarwel kownyng, now eue/'y day,
Wher ther ys no ffressh array !
\V//t7(-oute army, konnyng, farwel !
Wherfor I me?-veylle neueradcl 11500
Thogli thow me settyst at no prys,
Nor thogh thow holdcst me nat wys,
By cause my ray ys al to-rent.
And yet, by good avysement, 11504
Yiff thow loke wel aboute,
I am he (yt ys no doute,)
Who so lyst to taken hed,)
That yiue to allii1 folk ther bred, [' aiie st., .,!!<• c.j 1 1508
Or shortly (ellys for to seye) Nota. Nota. st. (inter}.
They sholde ellys for hunger deye,
Ne were2 I & my werchyng ; p were St., wer c.]
Ye, bothe adam & hys off-spry ng. [stowe, leafsos] 11512
Hadde I nat be, (yt ys no ffaylle,)
What myghte the gret shyp avaylle
Off Noe (in couclusiouji)
Nor al hys generacloiw? 11516
' And, ffor to speke iu general,
I susteno <fe her vp al,
& yt ys I, ech hour & space,
That makth the tyme shortly pace 11520
Wyt/t-oute anoy or perturbaiuice ;
ffor I am he, by remeMbraimce,
Syth adiim the Appyl hect, H •. \st.]
Labour shows me the right road. Idleness a pretty Girl. 315
' Wych w//t/t labour & vrytit ewet [c.sst.] 11524 ffet-naner,
Labour.
Haue youe ftoode & pasture ~ —
J ' I ve always
To eucry levyng creature, 6e««t and1 1°
Bothe to best & ek to man, man-
Syth1 ty me that the world be-gan [' syth the St.] 11528 since the
world began.'
Wher-off I am no thyng to blame.
And my verray ryhte name My name i»
J J J 'Labour ami
Ys (wyt/i-oute mor sarmon) occupation.-
" Labour & Occupaciouw." fNota st. iater~\ 11532
' I rechche nat, wha?j al ys do,
Wych thow me calle off bothi- two ;
And folkys alle that stonde in grace,
By me vn-to the cyte pace 11536 M'vetoUyoa
J * tlie right (and
The ryhte way wyt/t-oute lak.
And for that ffyrst to me thow spak,
The ryhte way,2 the to lere, [» weye, s
Off thys two weyes that ben here, 11540
And I ha told the myn avys,
Now ches the beste, syth thow art wys.' iSt0-1'6 Uie
The pylgrym:
And than a-noon, as ye shal here, [stowe, leaf »s, back]
Whyl we spak togydre yffere, 11544
My body (for hys gret plesaunce)
Gat liym wytA youthe acqueyntaunce,
& bothe, voyded off dyscord,
Wher3 yfalle off on accord. [» were St.] 11548
" And Yowthe (off wych aforn I sayde)
Vn-to me thus gan abrayde :
' Yt wer syttynge (as semeth me) Smmtu'
And accordynge to thy degre, 11552
To gon and getyn aqueyjitauwce,
And, to haue som dalyaunce,
The bet thy sylff ffor to provyde
"Wyt/t hyr that syt on the lefft syde, 11556
Thylke damysele, I mene, [c.&st.] [i«fm,bk.]
-lr, . fc go instead to
W hicn ys so goodly on to sene, „ the pretty
Damsel, Miss
And to hyr doctryne yme som feyth. „ idleness,
And thow mayst sen how that she leyth 11560
Vnder hyr armole, hyr on hond ;
And (yiff tliow kanst wel vnderstond)
316 / ask pretty Miss Idleness the way to Jerusalem.
who has ;t
Glove in one
hand.
She'll teach
me the way
better than
tin- Net-mak-
er, Labour.
The Pilyrim.
So I (of
course) go
unit salule
Jil V! I V MiSS
Idleness,
ami ask her
the way to
Jerusalem.
Ilia IMenen
says.
[leaf 178]
•This is the
king's high-
way,
easy and
MUOC'tll,
' In the tother hond (parde)
A Gloue she halt, as thow mayst se. 11564
Go to hyre, & do thy cure ;
And I trowe, off aventure,
She wyl the teche, & pleynly seyn
The weye wych ys most certeyn, 11568
Bet than thys cherl that sytteth here,
Swart and owgly off hys chere,
Wych ys a verray tormentour
To putte ffolkys to labour, 11572
And may to the no thyng avayllo,
But vexyn the vtyth grot travaylle.'
And by hys consayl (off entente)
Vii-to hyre a-noon I wente ; 11576
And ffyrst, as me thouhte yt due, [stowe, leaf sot]
I gan hyr goodly to salue.
And she, devoyde off al dysdeyne,
Mekly saluede me ageyn. 11580
And alderfyrst (shortly to seye)
Humblely I gan hyr preyo
That she wolde, off coortesysye,
Govorne me also, & guye, 11584
Teche me, & sey nat nay,
In my vyage the ryhte way,
By wych pylgrymes euerychon
To Jerusalem wer wont to gon." 11588
The damysele:
' Certys,' quod she, off cher benygne,
' I ne knowe noon other sygne
Nor other tookne, in thys passage,
Off ffolk that gon on pylgrymage; 11592
But I knowe (be wel certeyii)
Yiff I shal the trouthe seyn,
On hors, on foote, in general,
Thys the weye most royal, 11596
Callyd the kynge's hihe l weye. (' i«gii« St., '»'' c.]
And her-wyt/j-al, I dar wel seye
Yt ys most esy off passage
To ffolkys old & yong off age, 11600
Smotlie & pleyn, (yt ys no nay,)
She shows me the Highway to Pleasure, Revels and Games. 317
11604
pinytst.]
[«RebubeSt.] 11620
' And most y vsyd nyht <fe day ;
And by thys ylke same weye,
Gladly ffolkys I conveye,
Swych as loue paramours,
To ward the voode, to gadre ffiours,
Soote rosys & vyolettys,
Ther-ofE to make hew chapel 'ettys, [' chapel- St., ciwpi- c.]
And other fflourys to her plesauwce. [stowe, leaf 201, back]
' And in thys weye I teche hew daunce ;
And also, ffor ther lady sake,
Endyte lettrys, & songys make
Vp-on the glade somerys dayes,
Balladys, Rouwdelays, vyrelaycs.
I teche hew ek, (lyk ther ententys,)
To pleye on sondry Instrumentys,
On harpe, lut,2 & on gyterne,
And to revelle at taverne,
Vfyih al3 merthe & mellodye,
On rebube4 and on symphonye ;
To spende al the day In ffablys,
tleye at the ches, pley at the tablys,
At treygobet5 & tregetrye, [5 and at Treygobett stj
In karyyng & in logolory : 11624
And to al swych maner play,
Thys the verray ryhte way.'
The pylgrym :
"Trew[e]ly, to my plesauwee,
ffor your noble dalyaunce 11628
I wolde (off good entenci'ouw)
Knowe your condycyoun ;
Youre Name also, yiff that ye
Lyst goodly to telle hem me."
The damysele: „
' Yiff thow wylt abyde a throwe, „
My name and al,6 thow shalt wel knowe : [« aiie St., om. wei.]
I am a poopet," in sothnesse, p Poepetst.]
Doubter to Dame Ydelnesse, 11636
Set her,8 by hyr ordynamjce. [8 here St.] [stowe,
And al my joye & my plesauwce
Ys, by hyr wyl that her8 me sette,
MiesIdlenesH.
' anil I guide
lovers along
it to gather
flowers,
11607
' and teach
en) to dance,
11612 ' make songs,
1 1 6 1 G ' play music,
' revel at tlie
tavern,
' and play
at back -gam-
mon and
juggling.'
The Pilgrim.
I ask lier who
she is.
[Stowe, leaf 204, back]
[St. AC.] 11632
[leaf 178, bk.]
says she is
the daughter
of Idleness.
318 Idleness only combs her hair, reads Romances, & does Folly.
Him Itlleneu
thinks only
of her gloves
fitting well,
"I combing
her hair,
and reading
romances.
She cherishes
folks' bodies
in folly,
makes em
play the Gal-
lant merrily,
[leaf 179J
and drenses
them gaily.
The road to
Pleasure is
broad and
easy;
that to Duty
narrow and
hard.
' My glovys streythly on to setto : 11640
I take off no-thyng elles lied,
But, offte a day, konibe myn lied,
Prye ech hour in a merour, — •
God wot, that ys most my labour, — 11644
Wake a nyhtys, slepe a day, [c. & St.]
And specyally the haly day „
I studye among (thys the caas) ,,
In Elenches off ff alias, 11648
Out to ffynde thynges newe,
To make ffablys seme trewe ;
And, above al other thynges,
On romaiiHcys ffondyd on lesynges, 11652
Ther-in ys my studye most.
' And I am ek, in euery cost,
Paramour to thy body,
Yt to cherysshe in al ffolye. 11656
And wherso that thow slepe or wake,
Labour, I make the forsake ;
And by my wyl (ek in certeyne)
Thow shalt dure1 no maner peyne, [' endure St.] 11660
But lyon,2 sewen, & make a-vauwt, p lyen St.]
And muryely pleyen the Galawnt.
' I make ffolk, vp-on ther bed,
To were cbaplettys off whyht & red, 11664
Pyke her naylles, wernays take,
And al travaylle to forsake,
Studye ffor to ffynde off newe, [Stowe, leaf 205, back]
Devyscs mad off many an hewe, 11668
ffolk to make hem ffressh & gay,
And hem dysguyse in ther array :
Thys myn offys, yer by yere.
' Now dies a-noon, whyl thow art here, 11672
Wycke weye3 thow wylt take ; [3 whiciw way st]
And wherso that thow slepe or wake,
Thow shalt lerne a thyng off me :
Thys same weye wych thow dost se, 11676
Ys large & pleyn, esy to pace ;
The tother, streiht, & hard to trace,
And ffewe ffolkys go ther-by :
Idleness tells me how sharply Penance's thorny rods prick. 319
' Thys, mor plesauwt & redy. 11680 MUI Mie,,e,,.
Now, syth thow hast dyscrec'iou?*
Muk thy sylff Elleccyouw." ciiooscr
The pylgrym: The pugnm.
" Trew[e]ly," quod I a-noon,
" Thys two weye's wer but on,1 ['oonstj 11684
Ne wer only (as ye may sen)
Thys ylke heegg that stant betweii.
Wherf or I pray that ye nat lette, i ask who «•»
To telle who the heggc; her sette." 11688 "i'vidhig'tii^
twopatlis.
Yaelnesse: Mu, iMf,,n,
' Touchyng thys heg that stondeth here, says the
Yt was maad (yiff thow lyst lere,) two™ was set
Off a grot turinenteresse Tormentress
Wych doth to ffolk ff ul gret dystresse ; 1 1 692
And she maketh pylgrymes alle, [stowe, leaf 206]
Penytence, hyr sylfE to calle. Penitence or
_-,. . , ' Penance.
\Vho hath wf/t/i hyre Aqueyntaiuice,
Muste endure gret peuauwce : 11696
Hattful she ys off cher & fface
To alle that by thys weye pace, — •.
I mene, the weye that I am Inne ; —
But who that lyst ffro me to twynne, 11700
And the tother weye take, [st.&c.] [leaf n»,bk.]
I dar pleynly vndertake, And «u who
~ . go iluit roiul
On leg, on ffoot, on too & hele, win be pricki
TT -i i iv i i w''h sharp
He shal fful sharpe thornys ffele, 11704 thorns.
Gret prykyng, I the ensure,
And sharp, wyt/t-outcw al mesure,
ffor they be sharpe, & no-thyng soffte.
' And thys lady kometh fful offte 1 1708
(I mene thys lady dame Penauwce Thin Dame
Wyt/t whom I ha noon acqueyntau«ce) ;
To thys heg she kometh al day,
Maketh yerdys, & goth hyr way, 11712 daily makes
Besmys also,2 sotyl & queynte. [' also St., niic cj brooms of Hie
And day nor nyht slie doth nat ffeynte
To make ay newe in hyr werkynge,
Instrumentys ffor chastysynge 11716 to chastise
Off sy»aie, by gret ordynauncc, "'"'
320 Idkncss tells me to take the left road, Moral Virtue the rigid.
HinMlenai.
Folk don't
like this
Dame Pen-
ance.
The Pifffrim.
I mean to
take the right
path,
hut Miss
Youth per-
suades me
In take the
left.
[leaf 180]
Then I meet
a liuly stand-
ing at a gate ;
her name
is Moral
Virtue,
and she bids
me take the
right path,
thro' her
gate.
I see two
Itostern
gates,
looking dan-
gerous.
So I louvo
holh,
' Thys same lady, Dame Penaunce ; [c. & St.]
And in hyr occupacioiw „
ffolk haue but smal affecc'ioiw. ,, 11720
I ha the tolde off hyre to-fforn, „
Off instrumentys that she hath horn), „
Off Bysme, off hamer, off thywges mo.' ,,
And thanne I thouhte I wolde go 11724
By the path & hy the weye [stowe, leaf zoe, back]
By wych the man gan me cowveye,
That made the nattys in certeyn,
Vnmade & made hem effte ageyn. 11728
And, lyk as tauhte me my guyde,
I drewh toward tlie ryhte1 syde [' righte St., ryht c.]
And in that weye lyst nat tarye ;
But youthe a-noon, to me contrarye, 11732
fful besy was me ffor ta let2 ; [' «o utte St.]
Seyde the tother way was het,
More 3 hawntyd, the passage, [» More st, Mor c.]
Off ffolk that gon on pylgrymage. 1 1736
And fforth the same weye I helde,
Tyl that a-fforn me I be-held,4 [« beheide St.]
Reysed on hihte, a lytel wal,
Two posternys & a gate snial5 ; p smai St., final c.] 1 1740
And mid the gaate a lady stood,
That was bothe ffayr & good,
(I pray god, rfayre6 mot hyr ffalle ! [««ayrest.]
And vertu moral men hyr calle. 11744
And she A-noon, off hyr goodnesse,
Off bowite and off gentyllesse,
(As she that lyst to be my guyde,)
Bad, I sholde on the tother syde 1 1748
Declyue nouther to nor ffro,
But by the same gate go
"Wher as she stoode,7 lyue ryht, f stoo.ie st, stood c.]
And I conceyvede in my syht, 11752
And fful clerly gan dyscerne
On owther party a posterne,
And sawh that they were eucouwbrous
To passe by, & damagerous : 11756
Bothe I leffte (as was my ffaate),
Moral Virtue tells me to take the Right-hand Road. 321
And lyue ryht vn-to the gaate
The weye I held, by hyr byddynge, [stowe, leaf so-]
Wher as she stood hyr sylff lenyng. 1 1760
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
The pylgrym :
And lyst she ffotwde in me som lak,
Vn-to byre ryht thus I spak :
" Ma dame," qttoil I / " I stonde in wher1 [' where st.]
Touchynge thys weyes that ben her; 11764
I not off hem wych I shal holde."
And she to me fful goodly tolde
And specyally gan charge me,
The fforeyn2 posternys ffor to file; [« stowe] 11768
[Vertu Moral]
' And do thy power and thy myght
To holde the weye that goth ryht,
Tho weye (I mene) ryht as lync,
Wher I stonde, & nat declyne 11772
On noutlier party, nyht nor day,
Also ffer fforth as thow may.'
She sayd ek, as I vnderstood,
That ' he ys an archer good
Wych ffaylleth nat hyw-sylff taquyte,
Alway the marke ffor to smyte ;
And no man blamen hyw. ne may,
Thogh he hytte yt nat alway :
So he do trewly hys deuer,
Wyth hys arme to sinyto yt ner
In al hys beste ffeythfful wyse,
Yt doth ynowh to hyw suffyse
That in hys drawyng lie nat ffeyne.
And therfor do thy besy peyne
Aforn, thy sylff so to provyde,
Tcschewe the weyes that gon asyde ;
Hold the myd, in especyal.
' ft'or I am callyd ' vertu moral,
I'olytyk, & general ' ;
And myw offyce her-w^/t/t-al
I contene (iis clerkys shewes)
Al" the pathys to goode thewes, pAndaist.]
PILGRIMAGE.
The Pi/prim.
11776"
11780
11784
[Slowe, le»f 207, back]
[C. * St.]
11788
11792
I ask Morn I
Virtue which
way 1 shall
take.
[leaf 180, bk.]
Moral Virtue
says I musr
mo MM right
rouil, wliet-e
she stands.
and not turn
out of it.
As an archer
can't always
hit his mark.
and is not to
be blamed
if he docs his
best,
so I must go
straight,
and keep the
middle path.
My teacher's
name is
Virtue, Moral,
Politic, and
(ienenil.
She shows
the paths to
322 Hffiv am I to avoid Vices, that cut like Cankenconns ?
Moral virtue fiie ryhte way, & ther dcgres ;
wishes to « And yet I haue extremytes 11796
get rid of her . ,
extremities, (Who kan looke on ech a syde,)
The wych I wolde fro me devyde,
As fferffortli as I kan or may
Severyn hem, and caste a- way, 11800
ffor cause they be vycyous
In my syht, & rylit greuous.
' ffor thyse extremytees, in soth,
ffarn ryht as a kanker doth,
[ie*f isi] I mene the werm (who lyst se)
wi.ioii work That fFreteth the herte off a tre,
k'erworm And, wytft liys ffret & wyt/i hys rage,
Doth to tymber gret damage.
Yiff thylke werm (yt ys no nay)
Be nat the rather kut away
And dysseveryd ffrom hys place,
unit destroys The tre so sore he wyl manaca
Vp to the croppe1 fro the roote, p oropr* St., m>p c.j
That affterward ther ys no hole,
As mew may sen in many tres.
n.vtiieex- ' And semhlaly thextremytes
trcinilies, tlic . , ~
iwsteriis. Tlie posternys that be ftoreyne,
Wych that ben in noumbre tweyne,
1 liaue he;» fro me pnt a-way
Wyt/t-oute ffauor or2 delay, poreny stowc.irafsos] 1D?20
Off entent that, in thys place,
pilgrims Pylgrymes noon shal by hem pace,
must not ^o, -I -i o0o
if they w»ut That wyl oner the grete see
To Jerusalem the cyte ; S^SSSttfSoL.
ffor yiff they wonte by that passage, gSiSgSAtjS?'
Yt wer pereyl & gret damage.'
The pylgrym:
" ^Ia dame, wyt/i your reuecence,
I wolde se som evydence, 11828
i ask t.ow Yiff yt wer possyble, me to knowe
I'm to avoid ,. . /, .*- . \
ranker-like I5y SOH1 GXaUHiple (lllB Or lOWC,)
How thys vyces (som or alle,)
Lyk to kauker, ye hew calle."
Vertu moral:
Mwcd Virtue sti&ivs hmv Virtues have attendant Vices. 323
' Seniblably as dyuers tres,
Kankres han in ther degres,
Eyht so vertues (douteles) VIMI are like
Han dyuers extremytes, 11836 attheei-
J tremitiesof
Kankres at outlier ende, virtues.
That ffrete on hem wherso they wende.
'Lo, her, Exauwple in especyal !
fforce ys a vertu Cardynal, 11840 [leaf isi, bk.j
The wych hath a kanker double, EXi" "
On outher party hy»j to trowble, two'viceV, '
To dystroye hyw nyht & day
Yiff they ne be nat kut a-way 1 1844
Wonder peryllous to deuyse ;
The ton ys callyd ' Cowardyse ' ; [stowe, leaf sos, back: cowardice
The tother (yiff I shal expresse)
Ycallyd ys ' Foolhardynesse,' 11848 f1"1 f0"'-
HMMMi
Wych \ryth fforce may nat abyde,
Tliey bo so ffer set out asyde,
ffer ffro fforce at two posternys.
But fforce so wysly hyw gouemys 11852
That he liath no thyng a-doo
Wyth noon of thys werniys two ;
ffor in myd place (as I yow tolde) in nwdio consistit virtus.
fforee, off custom doth hym holde. 11856 Forrefain
. , the middlo
' A-nother exau?wple ye may se p'a<*.
Touchynge Lyberalyte,
Wych hath also (who knn dyscerne) viw»,
Set ffer ffrom hywt at a posterne 11860
The ffalsii werm off covey tyse,
Wycli ys ycallyd Auaryse. Avarice and
' The tother Kanker (who lyst Be)
Ys callyd Prodygaly te ; 11864
And a-twen thys werniys tweyne,
Myddii l place (ffor mor certcyne) C1 Mydde St., Myd c.]
Halt hy»» Lyberalyte.
Go, red Ethikes, wher thow shalt se 1 1 868 H**** AH.-
'
.... tittle's Ktliics,
( \\ lian-so-euere tliat tliow lia space) "»'» yn'ii
,T . find Virtue
Vurtu set ay m myd2 place, [» mydde St.] »etinthe
Wher as they most clerly shyne,
And many kankres wycli on he//< myne. 11872
324 / confess that I have gone ly two wrong roads.
itorxtnrttt.
flood pil-
griinfl must
p> th« middle
way.
ami avobl
vi'lc gates.
[lenf 182]
They mmt
follow Virtue
in their
youth.
The I
I, lii-iinill.-
villc, confess
that I have
iroiif wrontf.
Moral Virtne
doesn't won-
der at it, lor
all roads fork,
and even
lieometrians
' But goode pylgrymes that ha grace,
Ahvay by the myddys pace;
Exauwzple1 off whom b[y] nyht & day t'Ueiau>»piest.,<«..iry]
Hold ahvay the mene way. 1187G
Lat moral vertu he tliy guyJe ;
ffle posternys that stonde a side,
By whos pereyl (who taketh hedc) [c. * St.] [Stowe, leaf son]
Many a pylgryru hath he ded. 11880
' And whyl that youthe (herkne mo,)
ffressh and lusty ahyt \\yiJi the,
YifE the to vertu ech hour and space ;
ffor, whan youthe a-way doth pace 11884
W?/W(-oute vertu (truste me.)
Yt ys fill hard (who that kan se,)
Vertu to wynne, whan youthe ys gon.
Who that ill youthe lyst lenie noon, 11888
ffor custoom take in tendre age,
(As seyn thys olde ffolkys sage,)
W^tA-oule 2 lahour (thyt! no nay,) [' »nt st , am. c.]
Ys ful hard to parte away.' 1 1892
The pylgrym.
" Ma dame," quod I, "so mot I the,
I wende sykerly ta he
In the ryhte weye ywys ;
But, certys, I ha gon amys, 1 1 896
ffor I ha chose (and thus yt stood)
Two euele weye's ffor on good :
I not what yt may sygnefye,
That I thus erre thorgh my ffolye." 11900
Vertu moral:
' Ha no merveyl in thy siht ;
flor thcr ys weye noon so rylit
That yt ne fforketh out asyde
By many pathys that yt devyde,
Wych cause ffolkys euere among,
fful (liFle sythes to go wrong.
'And many on that thow dost sen,
Ys nat ther-for A Geomctryen
W//Ui-In a compas (ha thys in mynde)
Tliogh he ko?die out the centre fynde ;
11904
[Sloive, leaf 209, back]
11908
Moral Virtue lids me pray to find the right way, & Truth, 325
Moral Virtue
['inonSt.J 11912 can't fiml the
right way by
geometry.
11916
11920
11924
Therefore
pray.
r»tln are
very diverse.
11928
'ffor verrayly (who kan devyse)
Yt ys fou«de out but in O1 wyse;
Yet ffolkys ffaylHj dyuersly
To ffynde yt out by geomet^.
An Archer eke, in thynne and thykke,
Faylleth soiiityme off tlie prykke.
tf Wherfore, to ffynde the ryhte weye,
Yt ys good, to god to prey •.
Yet in prayere, bothe day & night,
The weye goth nat alway ryht,
ffor, bothe in psalinys & in vers
Ther ben patliys fful dyuers,
And also ok in Orysouws-,
Out f..rkyd by entenciou«s ;
As tlius : who that kan aduerte :
The mouth dyuerseth ffro the herte ;
JJut herte and mouth be bothen on :'
P.y dyiiPrs patliys, in sotli, they gon ;
And, (pleynly ffor to specefye,)
Sowime preye, by ypocrysye,
Off the peple to be seyn,
And ther prayer ys but in veyn ;
Sorome also preye ffor Kychesse,
To wynne worshepe & noblesse,
Tavo* encres & in worldly glorye, pa. s, To h.w]
And, (For thyngus transytoryp,
Worldly honour ffor to Wynne
Pmyer ek mad3 in dedly synne, P«b maile. «^Mtal
fl»r cruelte or ffor vengati«ce,
Or, to brynge men to meschauMce :
Swych i)rayer hath no dcuocyoux ;
Yt ys nat worth a smal botouw,
' Al thyse nr< pathys fforkyd wrong [• A,,e thes am .s,j
lake py !grymes eiieramong j j 94-
To gon Amys in ther passage.
'And syth* thow gost on pylgrymage, P -yt,, «.. .,., c, i, ,)eo,,i,,e-
-Lvere enqucre, nylit uiid day, ^7,;u^vi^eli"— "Kate<Ie
Tyl thow ha fouwde the rylite way
Ho.irt ami
M.llltll L'0
'li«erc.it
ways.
Some pray lo
be seen of'
11932
or for motiey
11936
or worldly
honour.
119-10
•Such pravcr
isn't worth a
button.
le' m"«l
t, in thyn askyng, be no slouthe [«
Tyl thow be brouht vn-to the trouthe.'
3 (ria/ttly) St.]
I find the
right way.
326 / talk with the Spirit of Mortification of the Body.
[leaf 183]
I see a body
•trelfht on
the cross,
and n spirit
speaking to
it.
Tlie Pilgrim.
I a«k the
Spirit why
he'a there.
Mortification
of the Sort!/
says lie is a
pilgrim,
and his 1 in.lv
brought him
into the
wrong way ;
[leaf IBS, bk.]
And so I gan to hyre doctryne
My?i erys besyly enclyne, 11952
fful wel avysyng me ryht tho,
By wych posterne I sholde go.
And whyl I gan be-thynke me,
To-for my fface I dyde so 11956
A body vp on a cross dystreyned,
And, as me thouhte, gretly peyned,
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
To-fforn, a syde, and at the bak.
And to the body a spyryt spak, 11960
The body crossyd lyk a roode,
Tho spyryt in the weye stood ;
The body ek (as thouhte me,)
Myd the hegh, hong on a tre, 11964
Hys wyttys crossyd, as ye shal here,
Mouth, handys, Eye & Ere ; [stowe, leaf 210, back]
The nase also, for smellyng,
Was crossyd ek. to my semyng. 11968
And ' on the spyryt my look I layde, [' And St., An c.]
And to hyw ryht thus I sayde :
The pyl m:
" I pray the, ft'rend, tel me A-noon,
Or we any ferther gon, 11972
What causeih the to stouden here :
I am abaysshyd off thy chere,
But thow (lyk my« affeccioun)
Make a declarac'iouH," 11976
Mortyfycaciou« off the body :
I 1 am a pylgrym (soth to seye,)
That wolde ha take the same weye
fful yore agon, ne hadde be
Tiiys lord that hangeth vp on the tre : 11980
ffro the weye on the tother syde
He brouhte me, and was my guyde ;
Me made (ther ys no mor to seye,)
Yn-to hj's lust ffully tobeye, 11984
And Tacomplysshe liys byddyng
Wyt/f-oute gruchchyiig in euery thyng.
' But trowly in thys passage
By help of Dame Penance, the Spirit canqnerd Ike Uwty. 327
ed su]
11992
[stowe, leaf 211]
11996
12000
1 2004
' I luuldc ffounde gret damage,
Haddc nat the grace oflf god ybc ;
And therfur, ffor tavenge me,
I ha the maner wel devysed,1
Wherby that he ys her cliastysed,
W//t/t ffauour and the gouemaunce
Off a lady callyd Penaimce,
Wych, w^/t// hyr haiucr (as thow mnyst se,)
Smot the nayles in-to the tre,
Euene as I bad hyr do.
'And tlianno A-noon he was ago :
In-to thys heg he took the weye,
And tlais I made liywt to obeye
To my plcs:iiiMce in euery thyng,
So that no mater off wynsyng
Ys ffounde in hywi in fflessh nor Iwn,
(To seke hya mcwbrys euwychon,)
Gruchchyng, nor rebellious,
Nor no contradicci'ouH.'
The pylfjrym:
Thanne in the sylue same place
He gan A-noon to tourne hys face,
And sayde (as ye shal here and se)
To the body vp on the Trc :
Mortyfycaciouw oflf the body :
' Hastow wel herd what I ha sayd ?
Tel on ! artow nat wel apayd
Me tobeye wylf ully
(As Resouw axeth skylfully)
Whan so that me lyst comaundo 1
Answcre anoon to my domaundo !
The body answereth :
'Certys,' quofl the body tlio,
' Algatc now yt standeth so,
I nillSte, off'2 Iiecessyto [2 off verrey, Slowe, leaf 211, back]
Yow obeye, inawgre me. 12020
But yiff I myghte (thys no Lipe,)
ffrom your boiuidys wel eskape,
In no thyng (shortly ffor to seye,)
To yow I wolde no mor oljeye.' 12024
11988 Mortification
12012
[St., am. cj
for which he
nailcl this
Htxly on the
croaa.
by help of
• I.ady
Penance,'
niul entirely
mibilued it.
12008
of Ike Hotly
ask 8 the Body
if it will obey
him.
liOlC
The tt'i'ly o
the Crott
[lea
savs it can't
help ifcelf ;
if itcouW,
it wouldn't
obey.
328 The Body must be subdued till it obeys the Spirit yladly.
The Spirit
declares the
body
shall remain
on the cross
liil it is meek
and humble.
and skill
follow with n
cross on its
back,
like Christ,
who com-
plained not.
[leaf 181, hk.]
The Pilurim.
I ask why
the II. i.li' is
so bound !
Mortiftcatioa
of tke Hud it
says he wiis
granted n
castle, on first
coming to
the country,
The spyryt :
Tli.-w quod the spyryt, ' syth y t ys so,
I shal the telle what I wyl do :
To kepe me (bothe ffer & ner)
ffroin al pwyl & al dannger 1 2028
That thow woldest don to me :
Thow shalt 1)0 stylle vp on thys Tre
Tyl thow, by ffeythful obeysauwce,
Be mek & humble to my plesaiwce. 12032
' Yet shallow nat ay her abytle ;
ffor I shal gon, & be thy guyde;
And thow shalt (wyt/t-oute lak)
Wyt/i a croos vp-on thy bale, 12036
Wyfh spyiyt off humylyte,
ffolwe, & born yt affter me,
Off hool entent, in1 al vertu, [Una St.]
That thow mayst swell cryst ihesu, 12040
Wych in hys gospel byt & seyth,
(To whom men musten yiven fEeytli,)
' He ys nat worthy (thus scyth he)
Nor liable for to ffolwe me, 12044
The wych, vp on hys shuldere,
Lyst, off dysdeyw, no croos to2 bore.' ["toon. St.]
He bar yt ffyrst hyw .sylff, certeyn,
"W//t/(-oute gruchchyng or dysdeyn 12048
To shewe exau))(ple & sygne also, [stowe, leafsis]
That affter hywt we sholde go
Crossyd off entenciou«,
Eeme»ibrynge on liys passiouw.' 12052
The pylgrym to the spyryt:
To the spyryt tho quod I :
<!Tel and declare ffeythfully,
What nedede yt so many place
To crosseu by w in he<l & fface ? 1 2056
I pray the, teche me A-noon,
Or we any fferther gon."
Mortyfycacioux off the body :
'Yifl'tliow kanst vnderstonde wel,
To me was youew a castel 12060
\Vha» I kam ffyrst to thys centre,
We must bar the Windows (Senses) of 'mi-rBudyayaiiust Vices. 32!)
' Off entent I sholde be ttortijiratimt
•r, 11-0 oflteHmli,.
Luere ther-in, & nat gon oute,
Te kepe me sur1 ffro euery douto [' surest] 12064
Wliyl that I a pylgrym were,
That enmy noon me sholde dere
By noon assaut, vp-on no syde,
Yiff I koude wysly nrovyde 12068 a« .1 fcrmn
_ . „ " iKaii-M Ml
nor my sylft on-1 euery part [Must.] em-mi™;
ffro shot off ijuarel, or cast off dart,
Or ffro shetyng off croos bowes,
Outher at wyketys or wyndowys 12072 i»itiiei«n.
-«ri jvi-q r\ ill hi* windows
1 lent'1 Open reklesly, [' vieffie St.] open,
Off neclygence or ffooly,
And be nat dyffenoyd \vel [stowe, icafju, bai*] 12075
W//t/< barrys off yren nor off stal, KeT,e"^sin's? ™ c
Nor yclosyd by good dcvys,
Overthwertyd -vryth no latys ;
ffor wych, my« Enmyes ninny tyme, ami IMS f(M>s
\vi.innlril liitn
(Botlie at eve and ek at prime) 12080 timi iiic-m.
Whan they open liaue hew ffom«le,
They hau me hurt wytli many a wonde,
The wych fful sore doth me greue.
'But, off entent me to rcleue, 12084
I liauo ordeyned (by grot avys) NOW lie lias
-r, ... (lie wimlo\v8
J>arrys off yren & latys, bnrrwi an,i
Th.e ffenestrallys to Amende
In cross wyse, me to dyffende. 12088 [irafiss]
'And ech pylgrym, in thys world here, And every
* I'iltfhm
idaude node ffor to lore IMF ««
ilows of his
The fenestrallyx off hys body, bw|y>
ffor to crosse liom myghtyly, 12092
And hem to kepe in surete.
'And no dyffenco so good mayl)e,
As in croos4 wyse (yiff they be wys) [• a crow St.]
To close5 ther wyndowes wyt/i latys, [5 st. closes c.] 12096
In reniewbrau«ce ((Tor ther goode) in remem-
r\jx i 11 i i bnince of
Oft bym that iicng vp on A roode. ciinst,
' And, to dyffende vs ffro dau»g"r
L;it vs makcn a baner 12100 nmimake»
f^ff., Itanner of the
On tlie croos, ffor our dyffence t'ro«.
must
330 Hoto Mortification marks his 5 Senses with the mark Tail.
ilafliflention
uftke »K/V-
Out of our
body's win-
dows we
nni-t hang
Hauliers of
the Cross.
An shown in
Kzekiel ix.
3—7,
nil iliai hii.l
the mark Tau
on tlieir t'ore-
)n-:nls i'M-:ii>fd
death.
tleaf 1(0, bk.]
s,, I, Mortifi-
cation, have
my windows,
my five nous-
es, marked
with Tau,
to keep out
ray foes.
Anil my
name is Mor-
tification,
Chastising,
Oppression
or Taming of
the Flesh.
' Ageyn the dredful vyolence
And assaut off our enmyes.
'And at ech wyket, ffor Espyes 12104
At ffenestrallys & at cornerys,
Lat be hangcn out banerys
Off tlie croos, and put hem onto,
Our Enmyes to sette in doute ; 12108
ffor yt ys a kouthe thyng, [stowe,ie»fm]
Men drede the baner off a kyng ;
As yt ya Ifyguryd wonder wel
In the book off Ezechyel, 12112
The .ix. capytle (who taketh hede), ix' vavUuta.
Whcr openly ye may redo
That, by the tookne off Tav, Memorandum st., »«. c.
The sygne was off so gret vertu, 121 1C
That they that hadde yt (yt ys no drcde)
Wel enprented in ther fforlied,
I)y the vertu (yt ys no jape)
ffro the deth they dyde Eska^ : 12120
They wcr dyffencyd by thylke aygne,
That no whyht myghte ageyn1 hem inalygne. [' geyn st.j
' And, ffor to kepii thys castel,
I forgete neuecadcl 12124
To be mor myghty by vertu,
To marke my wywdowcs w//t/< Tav,
The wyndowes off my wyttys tfyuc,
Ageyn my ffoome;» ffor to stryue, 12128
That my ffoomen spyrytual
Entre nat by no ffencstrall.
' Now, as thow lyst mo to comauxde,
I haue answeryd to thy demauwde ; 12132
And my name (in conclusiouw)
Ys callyd Mortificaciouw
Off the fflessh, or chastysyng,
Oppression, or ellys dawntyng. 1213G
' Ches now, off thys namys alle,
By wych that thow wylt me calle ;
And god I praye, -\rytli al myn herle,
To gvau»te me I may adue/'tc, 12140
flbr wysdom or ffor ft'olye,
/ weep, at\d reproach my Budy fur having injured me. 33i
12152
Euere that I may yt mortefye.' [stowe.imf us,
Than?;e he made no mor delay,
But wente fforth vp-on hys way; 12144
The body affter hywj gan gon,
And bar hys croos alway in on,
And was with hym ay Cnteyfiyed1. [St., c. *a« a blank Hue.]
And whan I hadde al thys espyed, 12148
[lilank in MS. for an Illumination.]
In myn herte I was fuH wo,
That I myghte nat do so
As off hem I do reporte ;
And gretly gan me dyscomforte;
The pylgrym dysconfortyd.
And, ffor thys vnkouth woful caas,
fful offte sytlie I seydo ' alliis '
Vn-to my sylfE, in cdwpleynyMge,
Wepto, and gan my» liondys wrynge ;
And, in my deilly mortal wo,
Vn-to my sylff I seyde tho :
" Al that tliow wendyst ha be toward,
Ys but a passage that goth bakward.
Tliow gost nat as thow sholdcst do."
And to my body I seyde also :
" Alias ! wliy naddestow ybe
Crucefyed vp on a tre 1
Crossyd thy-syllf also l)e-tymes,
To ha go fforth viytJi pylgrymes
On pylgrymage? alias the wliyle !
Tliy grete slouthe wyl me be-guyle,
And don to me fful gret offence
Thorgh thy grete neclygence,
"VVych, yiff I hadde aforn espyed,
Thow sholdest ha be cracefyed
(WwW-oute mercy or pvte) [sto.re.ie.-ir 211, mttin,j <*«
» fV / befvre this.]
Vn-to the deth vp-on A tre,
And born a croos vp-on thy bak."
And whyl that I thus to liywt spak, 12176
Constreyned vryth. fful gret dystresse,
Myd off al myn hevynesse,
Sodeynly (as ye shal here)
Tke Pilgrim.
' .Mm tiricn-
tiitll ' departs.
12164
12168
12172
»<•*<«,.«
I am irrcatly
12156
In via Dei non pro-
frreili, rej;re<li &c c'
Ue/*n»rd(W. St.,om.C.
CC.A8t.] 12161
I weep, :in«l
wring my
liands,
[leaf 186];
ami reproach
my body,
whose sloth
li:is beguild.
inc.
Ha<l I known
this Kooncr,
I'.l have
crucified my
body.
332 Grace Dicu bids me subdue my Flesh. I sec a Wheel.
flrurf Dieu.
Tlieil Onui!
J >I.MP appears
Slic says that
In- -..tvs ritfllt
hftf 8Mb, Ul"
[leaf ISO, bk.]
and does
pt'liam-e with
the cross un
Ills back ;
Tke P lyrim.
while I am
cltnv to pro*
cceJ.
My excuse is
tliat I'll! ti«>
we;ik to bear
tlie cross.
The Pili/rim.
1 s..(. a Wheel
in the way,
which
T S'twll Prr'lf«> (lifll 'llinerc Apparuil gratia <W rAilTitilm
i s.uvn uiutt .ippci L, i» c«««»to. (wna »l). si.]
Tlie wych, in fill goodly wyse 12181
lUil 1110 that I slioltle aryse ;
\_ISIank in MS. for an ffluminattDn.]
S;iy«le to me, ofE hyr grace,
' HIT ys iiuon iiliydyng place ll'ISl
il'ui- to soiounu! (yt ys no ilix-de) ;
And also (yiff tliow lyst take liede,)
Thow hast clerly had a syht
Tliat thys pylgrym goth most right, 121SS
And mosti; dydd1 hyiu-sylff avauncc fc. .vst.]
Thet on hys HIcsslu; tooke vungnuttcc, „
I inene \\yrn (yift thow ha niyndo) „
The wych vi>on hys bak behynde ,, iL'l'.tJ
liar hys croos, to do peiiauiicc. „
lint thow, in al thy gouernau/ece,
Art vorray slowh,1 as I wel knowe, [' si«wtii<- St.]
That syttest at the orthe lowe, 1'Jl'JC
And lyst no Iferther fforth to gon.'
To whom I answurde2 n-nooii, [»«nswcrest.]
Sayde, in al my/t hevynesse,
That yt was ffor ffebylnesse, 12^00
" I was nat off my wyl at large,
Nor strong to ber so gret a charge [stowe, leaf ti\ i»ck]
As the pylgryw off whom we spak,
Wych bar hys croos vp-on hys bak." 12204
Grace dieu :
' Lefft3 vp thyu eye, & looke wel ! [> Lyn\ st.]
Sestow nat,' <\uod she, ' a whel
Large and round, & off gret niyght ? '
And I a-noon leift vp my syht, 12208
And sawh a whol (yt ys no doute)
By vyolence tourne aboute
ContynuL'lly to-ffor my fface,
Myd the weye I sholde pace. 12212
The pylgrym:
And I answerde, toucliyng thys wlic-1,
" ^Ia dame," qj/oJ I, " I se yt wel."
Grace dieu :
' Wel,' ([nod she, 'than tak good ht:J.
Within this Wheel is another, both revolving.
333
' In flbrthryng off thyn owni; spcde. 12216 _oro«>
Thys whel ys (I the ensure)
A lyknesse and A ffygure,
And pl«ynly (yiff I shal nat tnrye)
Vn-to the an exaiunplarye, 12220
Tlie to gonerne in thy vyage,
Yiff thow wylt in thy pyjgrymage
l!e wel exsplcyted1 (in certeyn), [' e»i>i«yie<i stj
And ellys thy labour ys in veyn, 12224
Lcsynge thy travayH euerydel.
' Tak lied,' <\uod she, 'how in thys wliel
Thcr ys wyt/<-inne (yiff thow kanst »c) [stowc, leaf iisj
»"J'" '» :l
likeness mut
e*amni« to
grimag«.
[leans?]
in o« wheel
A-nother off lasse quantyte,
Tornynge contrayre (by liys syyt)
To- ward the parly opposyyt; v«r»«j ]><iri
And off tynilier, wroulit fful cleiie,
Hath .iiij. spook ys yt to sustene,
'
hot vp-on an Kxtre large,
Off the sweygh to }>cre the charge.'
And sothly (as 1 koude espye)
Hadde nat ben A Boternye
Ther-on tournyng round aboute,
I wolde ha denipte (wyt/t-oute doute)
Tournyng ecb wwt/i-Iunen other.
lliat yt haddc be noon other
But the same sylue whel
W ych whyloin Ezechyel
8a\vh in hys avysi'ouw,
As hooly \vryt niaketh meneioun.
The pylgrym :
And off thys whel (pleynly to lereV
__ ~ ,. ,u
(Jit Grace dieu I gau enquere,
Tliat she wolde (in conclusiou?i,)
Make a declaraci'oun.
Grace dieu :
()uod grace dien to me Anoon,
Yui thow reme»(bre. nat yore a"on,
*
How thow off god (I the ensure)
Art thymage and creature.'
The pylgrym :
12228
i»»«nthw
tiiiinller ime,
12232
with four
•»*"•*
aliigoxle,
12236
12240
eacii tuniinR
within the
»ucii as EIO-
chicl MW in
fiw?™' n
12244
TKC pnari,u.
iaskheri<,
tell me more
«|«iii ti»
12248
grace ci>«.
siw retnuui>
me tint I
w:l" "liille '»
the image of
Gotl-
12252
334 The Wheel signifies Lust. The Body hinders the Spirit.
The Pitffrim.
Grace Dien.
[leaf 187, bk.]
AH I had my
from OoiF,
I miiftt re-
turn tn II in),
like a planet
ic turns to
it* -liii-lintf
place.
Tli. Spirit
moves
aifitinst the
Itody.
\vliicli strives
to delay it.
" Certys," quod I, " in substaunce, [stowe, leofsis, buck] .
I ha thys wel in remewbraurace."
Grace dieu :
' Cunceyue,' quod she, ' tha?«, in thy syht,
Yt muste ffoluc, off verray ryht, 12256
Syth thow haddest, in alle1 thyng, [' »He St., an c.]
Off liy»t orygynal begynnyng,
And were off hyw (yifE yt be soul it)
In euery party niaad & wrouht, 12260
To hy»f, off verray ryht certeyn,
Thow must resorte & tourne ageyn,
As by mevyng natural,
Ageyn to thyn ovygynaL 12264
' Tak exaujHple pleyn & cler :
As by mevyng circular
In hys tournyng by cowpassc2 ['compute si.]
Ageyn resorteth to hys place 12268
That ho kain ffro whan lie be-gan,
How fler aboute that lie ran ;
And Trevvly, in no mocyoux
Ys noon so grut pecfecciouw 12272
As off a spyryt hyw* to releue,
Ageyn the body ffor to meue ;
The wych (who loke verrayly)
Ys to the spyryt most enmy ; 12276
Wyeh euere ys bysy, day be day,
To taryen liym vp-on hys3 way, p iris St., thys c.]
And (I dar wel afferme thys)
Meketh hy»» offte to gon aniys. 12280
And thogh thow go nat alway wel
Yet dyscou«forte the ueueradel ;
Tak euece hed, yong and old, [stowe, l
The Wheel
si^tlilieH Lust
of Ihe botly.
St-nsuality,
Off thexaujxple I ha the told ;
Vp-on wych, yiff thow wylt dwclle,
Mor clerly I shal the telle.
' Tliys snyde whel (who kan espye)
That I off spak, doth sygnefye
Lust off the body, in hys mevyng,
Wych clcrkys calle (in thcr wrytyng
And name yt) Sensualytc ;
12284
12288
The Spirit is dclayd ly the Body, as Planch by Jietardat'wns. 335
' The vych wyl n.it brydled be, 12292
But ffrowanl cuero in bys entent, Oraee Die"'
Mevyng toward the occydent,
Everc in on, bolhe day & nyht, 12295
AV_yt/( swych a swegh1 & svvych a niyglit r1 s
Tliat, wlier the spyryt gnichclie or mowiic, which dmg»
He maketh ]\ym offte to retoiime i>:«-k when it
iniivm k> tlw
u ytft hyiM ageyn by vyolence, KM«.
Mawgre al bys resystence, 12300
Al-tliogh the spyryt (in liys entent)
Meueth toward the oryent,
Wych thenys kam. & yifE he sholde
Tliyder ageyn, fful ffayn lie wolde : 12304 The spirit
'r - • i- i • it..o . i alway travel*
rowan the Est, in alle2 thyng, [' niie st., ai c.]
He travaylleth in liys raevyng
Wych (be3 my red) shal neuei-c tarye, t'bySt.]
But labour, & be contrarye 12308 contrary to
To the mevyng off the body,
And contynuo vertuously
Bcxnuwplc (as I dyde speccfye
To the,) off the boterflye, 12312 like the
Wych ay ffro the Occident SS&mm
m 1.1 from \\vni
loumeth toward the orient, to EMI.
In hys labour hy>» to qnyte,
Tyl he by vertu, lyte and lyte, [stowe,i«af2i»mKi<-k] 12316
So longe ageyn the wliel doth go,
Tyl the niarke that he kam ffro,
AVytft gret labour he may atteyne.
' And evene lych (in certeyne) 12320
The planutys alle seuene The wen
Hblde her coura in the4 henene, C'mtosi.] JM" h!"'i!e'" '
iir ii i - . i heavellB,
Wych trewly, 111 ther mevynges,
Han fful many gi-et lettynges 12324 nre.ieiny.i by
By sondry rotaidouloniu,
And be contrayre moeyouws,
Or they may (yt ys no doute)
Ther cyrcuyt go round aboute ; 12328 O»f i88,bk.]
And yet ther wyl and ther eutent in their
Ys ay to-ward the oryent
ffro when they kam, (yt ys no fable) ;
336 Of ' Ccelum mobile,' Epicycles, Eccentrics, Erratics.
return to tlie
same point
fmm which
tliey set out.
Tlie Planets
try to go
East,
but 'O<ehnn
inubilf,1 tlio
heaven,
(IntwH them
Io I he \\Vst.
1233G
12340
[»alleaSl.] 12344
In tlie Epi-
cycles they
retrograde,
and BO they
become
itationary
In the Ec-
centrics,
are cald Er-
ratics,
and take long
to complete
their course.
Ami ;i* these
heaveTily
bodies are
retarded,
[leaf 180]
even so the
pilgrim is
delayd and
hinilerd in
his course,
since he is
Microcosm.
[Stowc, leaf 217]
' And thyderward tliey be moveable,
To thylke poynt to koine agoyn,
ffro wych they meuede ffyrst certeyn
Off tlicr cours, thys thentent ;
But the heuene and the ffyrmament
Wych clcrkys calle (yiff ye lyst so)
In latyn Celuw mobile,
Contrayre ffro the Oryent,
Draweth hem to the Occident
\Vyt7i hys sweygfi1 (yt ys no nay,) [' .weygiu* St.]
And taryeth hem mor in A day
Tlian they be mevyng cyrcnler
^lay recuryn in A2 yer
Toward the Est in ther mevyng.
' And yet they haue mor lettyng,
(\Ylio the verray trouthe wyste,)
ffor, whan they travaylle to resyste
To the heuene callyd ' mobyle,'
In the Epicicles whan they be,
They make hem rctrogradyent,
And cause hem in the ffyrmamont
Ther tabyde stacionarye,
Out off ther cours ordynaryc,
And sette hem in the excentrykes,
Wher thay be callyd Erratykes.
Ilutournyng nat (shortly to ryme,)
But by proccsse off long tyme.
' And sythe, thys bodyes celestyal,
In ther mevyng natural,
Bun let thus in ther3 moryouifs, P lette . . her st.]
And han swych retardacyouns
To ben hyndred in ther labour,
Or they may han ful rccour
To the place they kam ffyrst fro ; .
^Icrvcylle nat thogh yt be so
That thow be let in thy vyage,
And Encoumbryd, iu thy passage,
Off Eetanlac'ioiiMs that falle,
Sy tli ' Mycrocosme,' men the calle ;
And microcosme ys a word
12332
12348
12352
1235G
12360
123G4
12368
Resistance to Sensuality, and Perseverance, ivin Heaven. 337
Wych clerkys calle 'the lasse world." 12372 om« Dim.
And in thy way, haue in mynde ; tiie Less
Epicicles thow shall ffynde,
' Off Infortunyes fful d3ruers,
Off sodeyn caas, fful peruers ; 12376
fEor thy lyff (yt ys no doute,) Life is like
Ys lyk a cercle that goth aboute,
Bound and swyfft as any thoulit,
Wych in hys course ne cesset1 nouht [' ces»eth« st.: 12380
Yiff he go ryht, and wel compace
Tyl he kome to hys restyng place, u» re«tiiig-
Wycli ys in god, yiff he wel2 go p\vyii«st.] 12383 uod1: "
Hys owne place wych he kam ffro. [stowe, io»fsi7, bk.]
Hut yet, in al hys mocyonn,
He hath noon Exempciouw ;
ffor Epicicles (who hath reward) Hn>«t«
epicycles that
Make the offte go bakward 12388 *hr««4«*
cwiinc it,
III thy cours, the to tarye,
And to make thfe stacyonarye,
Excentryked, day be day,
To make the con out off the way 12392 making it go
westward.
Westward, vn-to the Occident ; not to the
east.
Whan thow sholdest gon to3 thoryent, [3 «™ to c., go St.]
fful offte sythe thow gost abak.
' And the planetys that I off spak, 12396 The Planet.
•boWTMOUut
Also ek the Boterflye, iryou-n not
be senituul
Vn-to thfc Exemplefye
To don thy labour, an<l nat ffeyne,
And myghtyly thy sylff to peyne 12400 [leaf isa, bk.]
In thy mevyng, that thow nat be
Ylet by scnsualyte,
Wych on thy way doth gret grenau»co,
But yiff thow haue perseuerauwce. 12404 »"•! win have
pcr»evenuiL-f,
' Yet m thy cours be alway strong :
By processe off tyme long,
Thow shalt retourne a«ey?» by grace yousimii
0 J J ° return to
Vn-to thy« owne due place, 12408 rewinOod.
Reste in gml, and ther abyde.
' Thogh that thow be set asyde,
Thyder to atteyne soone,
PIlXiltlMAGE. Z
338 The Revolutions of the Sun & Planets an example to man.
e Dint.
Tuke example
of the Moon.
Tlie moon
returns to
hi* j'hnv in
a inoiilh.
Till' Blltl,
S:iturn,
Jupiter.
all run
their natural
course.
'Tuk cxaumplo by the nioonc, 12412
How ho ys let ok in hys way,
Somtyme tlie space off A day;
But by liys labour (in certeyn)
He recureth yt ageyn, 12416
Sotlily wj't/t-Inne A nioneth space
To resorte to1 hys place. [' vntost.]
' And yiff thow lyst tak hod hcr-to, [stow, leaf «sj •
The somie recureth ek also, 12420
By his inevyug cyrculer,
Loos oil' a day w/tfi-Inne A yer.
' Satoume, that syt so hyh and £Eer,
Saturn re-
volves in
thirty years,
[leaf 190]
Jupiter in
twelve.
Tlie Pilnrim.
I liunent
that I am 80
far behind.
nnd may not
ret-over one
day in thirty
jreurs.
12424
[» pucyeiitly St.]
And the planete lubyter,
They take pacyenly 2 alway ;
Thogh they be let sow tynio a day,
They dysconforte Le>» noueradcl,
ffor they recure ageyn fful wel
(By pacyence and abydyng)
Al that they suffrc in ther niovyng ;
Thcr naturel cours (I yow3 ensure)
Pacyently thoy mnsto endure ;
Yt nolde avayllo hem to be wrotli ;
ffor Satourii, aboute hys cours he goth
In Thrytty yer, and lasse nouht ;
And lubiter (yiff yt be souht),
By hys nievyng cyrculer,
Hys cours parforineth in xij yer ;
They muste ha ther-to so grot4 space [niie.toKn-irsi.]
Or they resorle to ther place."
The pylgrym:
" Ala dame, w/t/i your grace awl pes,
To me yt semeth douteles,
My labour may me nat avaylle ;
I do but lese my travayllo :
Los off a day, lyk as yo seen,
I may nat recure ageyn ;
I vnderstonde, ffor nor ner,
Almost the space off thrytty yer.
Alias! I ani to ffer be-hynde : [ston-e, leaf sis, back]
What conforte thanne5 sholde I ffynde, [s timu st.]
12428
[•you St., om.C.1
12432
12436
12440
12444
12448
c'gretcst.]
n* warm
1 2452
12456 Rennwlity
ever drags me
back.
12460
12464
['oust.] 12468
Sensuality. A man may sin mortally in a Moment. 339
"So grot1 labour to endure,
My place ageyn ffur to recure.
Thogh day be day (in certeyne)
I dyde dyllygence awl peyne
ffor to resorte, yt wyl nat be ;
The cours off sensualyte,
To my desyr ys so ff reward,
To make me to go bakward,
Tliat by reuoluci'oim
My tyme I lese, ami my sesou» ;
ffor, the mor I me constreyne
To do my labour and my peyne,
The mor to me she ys coutrayre,
In my lourne me to tarye ;
And trewly I kan nat ospye
What al tliys doth sygnefye."
Grace dieu:
Q»w? grace dieu fftil sobyrly,
' I speke nat off a2 day only,
But in an hour (yiff thow kanst se)
Yt may happij so to be,
How that A man in A moment
May slen hy?» sylff, off cntent
Or casuely, on se or lond ,
Lese a membra, ffoot or hond,
Wych he slial, peraventure,
In thrytty yer, nat recure
Ageyn, so myghte bow the cas,
To refourme yt as yt was.
' And semblably to be-giiyrjne,
Yiff thow ha don a dedly sy«ne.
Wheroff the strook the soule sleytli,
And offte ys cause off cruel deth ;
ffor swerd ys noon, nor spore, founrlo,
So peryllous to mayme and wonde
As dcdly gywie, (to reknew al,)
The wych ycallyd ys ' mortal ',
Bo-cause hys hurtys ffynally
Ben in effect verray dedly.
' And yiff thow sle thy-sylueH so
[C. & St.]
A iniui inny
kill wir in
12472 " moment.
[leaf Wl, l.k.J
12476
12480 If ii man »ln»
mortally.
12484
12488
340 Christ's Sufferings are Salvation to the Penitent.
and cannot
recover in 30
years,
lie should not
despair.
Jesus suffered
tlciitli to save
iii.-n.
His passion
secures sal-
vation
[leaf 1111]
to the peni-
tent.
The Pilgrim.
These ex-
amples are
unsnited to
my ease.
The planets
have their
set times,
and must
return lo
their flrst
position.
'W«'t7t Jedly synno, as somme do,
And myghtest nat in Thrytty yer
lien hool and sownd, but stonde in wher 12492
Toucliyng thy sauackmH,
Yet, as to myw oppynyouw,
Thow sholdcst nat thy sylff dyspcyro,
Tliy mortal syknesse to apeyre, 1 2496
Nor thy syluew dysconforto,
But inwardly the Keconforto,
And spccialy in O thyng
Tlianke ihenu, that blyssyd kyng 12500
Lyst suffre dethe1 ffor thy sake, [' dethc., dethe St.]
Thy deedly wondys, liool to make ;
"\Vit'(-oute whos dethe,1 I ensure,
Thow myglitest nat to lyff recure, 12504
Nor, tliy grete loos (certeyn),
"VVt't/t-oute liys dethe1 wynne ageyn;
ffor hys nooly pnssionn
Ys salue and fful sanaci'oiiK 1 2508
To fPolk tliat haven in constauwce2 [» inromkiunce st.]
Off her synne's repentau«ce ;
ffor penau«ce ys so vertuous
And acceptable to cryst iheous, 12512
That who that dotli yt hertyly,
Off hys synnes hath remedy.'
The pylgrym:
To grace dieu c\uod I rylit tho, [stowe, leaf zw, back]
" Ma dame, in soth yt stondcth so,
Your exau/«ples by rehersaylle
May to me fful lyte avaylle,
ffor they Ije nat (who lookc wel)
Vn-to purpos neuecadel.
" ffor the planetys liih in lieuene,
In ther mevyng, alle seuene,
How so they in her cours be let,
Yet ther Termys ben yset,
And ther bouMilys, (in certeyn,)
What tyme they shal resorte ageyn,
By tcrme and3 lyinytaciou«,
\Vz't/t-oute any transgressiou»» ;
12516
12520
12524
[' and by St.]
12528
But, tliru my
transgres.
Mull.--,
1 shall never
return to
innocence.
[leaf 191, bk.]
The ImtterHy
/ urge that my Sins prevent my return to Innocence. 341
" Off ther tyme they may nat erre,
As yt ys set, nyh nor fferre,
But that they shal, at certeyn space,
Eetourne to her due place, 12532
At ther tyme, whan-euwe yt be.
"But yt slant nat so wt't/t me,
Xo thyng at al, off my retour;
And cause why, ffor my« Errour 1 2536
Hath no lymytaci'ouws ;
ffor I, thorgh my traiifgressi'outts,
So long1 tyme ther-in soionrne, [' longe St.]
That I shal nuuere ageyn Eetourne 12540
To eutre the place that I kam ffro.
" Touchyngc the boterflye also,
Therby, to my« oppynyouw,
I ha noon informaciouw 12544
As off hys mevyng on the whel ;
ffor, at hys lust, (who loke wel)
He may go slowh, he may go lyht, [stowe, leaf 220]
He hath .iiij. wynge's ffor the fflyht ;
And whan he seth yt may avaylle,
He may cliese, iu hys travaylle,
At hys lust, abyde and reste
By good leyser, ffor the2 bcste : ["ins St.] 12552
Al thys consydrcd prudently,
I dar wel seyn, so may nat I."
Grace dieu:
' Myn exaumples, trewly,' quod she,
' May to purpos taken be, 12556
Yiff thow aduerte wel ther-to ;
ffor, set thys cas, — that yt be so
That thys planetys, in her mevyng,
May nat erre no maner thyng, 12560
Nouther ffaylle, but in certeyn
To ther places retourne agcyn
ffro whenys they kam, On and alle ;
Yet sowme off hern, I sey, may ffalle 12564
As yt bc-ffyl, the trouthe wyst,
Whan seyn lohan tlie ewangelyst
Sawh, among the sterrys allc,
e nntterny
the whir!
12548 lias 4 wings.
ami can
w-'ttle where
he likes.
I can't.
Gntre Diftt
lays that.
even if tlie
phtni'ts must
rt-liirn to
their places,
some may
fall.
as St. John
saw one lall
342 Tho Lucifer full for ever, Repentance will restore, me.
Grace DffH.
from lienven
to earth.
This Star
was called
• Absinth,'
Wortftwooil
(Rev. viii. 10,
11),
nignlfyitiB
• Lucifer/
[leaf 192]
He shall
never return
Again to Ma
first position.
But tho you
fall from the
Firmament
of Faith,
yet. if you
repent.
' How On ffrom heuene dyde ffalle— 125C8
Lyk a brond off ffyr w/t/t Icvene —
DOIUJ to the Erthe ffro the heucne ;
Tlie vvyclie sterre, I dar wel soyn,
Retournede neuere yet ageyn 12572
Thyder ffro whens he dyde ffalle ;
And ' Absinthium ' men hym calle,
Be cause lie doth sygnefye,
Thorgh hys pryde and ffals envye, 12576
The bryhtc anwgel that ffel so ffer, — [stowe, leaf KO, back]
I mono the Anngel Lucyfer —
ffro the heuene in-to dyrknessc ;
And he hath ek mor bytternesse 12580
Than any woormood growyug here.
And, Trewly, yiff thow lyst lere,
That he whylom (thus stood the cans,)
Bryhter than any sterre was : 1 2584
Truste me wel, an/1 be certeyn
That he slial neue/'e Retourne ageyn
To the place that he kain ffro.
' But off the, yt slant nat so ; 12588
And ffyrst, by thys exaiw»ple layd
To con ferine that I ha sayd :
Thogh thow a-mong, in tl»y« extent, 12591
ffalle douw ffro the ffyrraaraent A Finnamento FUei St., o.«.c.
Off verray ffeyth, doura ffro so fer
With the Angel lucyfer,
And thy ffal and thy soioum
Were wtt//-oule mor retourn, 12596
That thow sholdest ay and euere
In thyii errour so pevseuere,
And woldest nat thy sylff avaiuice,
Tho tamende1 by repentauHce, [' St., tamemende c.] 12GOO
Tha?i, thorgh thj'?« erroure and ffolye,
Thow stoode in gret3 lupartye pgretest.]
To koine agcyn to thy« degre.
'But yiff thow woldest ame»do the, Note St., om. c.
And off herte and hool entente 12G05
Resorte ageyn, and the repente
Off al tliat enere thow hast mysdo,
you .hall
be reeeivd
again.
You ..hall lie
restored to
\ "111 til .!.
plaee,
12616
[ioiifi92,bk.]
12620
anil not go
amiss.
JaleiiVr must
ever reinalli
in hell.
1262-1
/ must rest on the Wheel, and climb aloft, u,p Us Spokes. 343
' Thow sholdest neivre haue erryd so, 12608 grace me*.
But that thow sholdest (truslc me)
fful wel ageyn rcceyved be;
And wit/i al thys, only by grace, [st«\ve, loaf 221]
Ivestoryd to thy flyrste place : 12612
Ther-to thow sholdest ha no let,
Thy tonne, thy1 bouwlys, ben so set, [Undsi.]
And markys fl'or thy savacyou/t
Only by crystys passi'oiw :
Truste me wel, and thus yt ys,
They wyl nat suffre the gon Amys,
Wliyl thow the holdest by resoim
Wyth-Inno thy lymytacioiiH,
Nat to Erryn, nyh2 nor ffer ; [' nyia c., nygiie st.j
But so no may nat lucyfer,
ft'nr he muste abyde and dwelle
Wit/t-oute lictourne, styH in lielle ;
He may haue noon other graiwt.
And thys Exauwple ys suffysaimt
Off the planetys told off me,
In thy passage tenforme?} the.
' And fferther-more, the to guye
Touehyngo also the boterllye,
OIF wych Exauwple, in thyn Avys,
Thow settyst ther-off but lytel prys ; 12632
But yiff thy wyt, off KesoiiH sctli,
The .iiij. wynges wt't/t wyeh he Illetli,
And liys ffeet ek (tak hed ther-to)
Make hyw on tlie whel to go 12636
At leyser, liym sylff to spede.
By wych cxauwple (as I rede)
Thow shalt liym. folwo in sondry wyse ;
And ffyrst off all<;, the avyso 12640
How thys whel hath (yt ys no doute,)
.iiij.3 spokys strechchyd oute, t3 Fume si.]
Vp-on wych, ffor thy beste,
Thow mayst wel thyw sylucH reste, [sum-e, leaf 221, imeki
And by ese, solfte and soffte 12643
Clymben tyl thow koine aloll'te.
' Thys spokys .iiij.4 olf moat vertu ['Fume st.]
A» to tlie
butterfly
with 4 wingtt,
lie if-l' on
the wheel,
anil IK earried
on.
Cono0rnhig
the wheel
with 4
you oan rest
on it,
fllKi I'liuih
alolt.
344 I'm to look to the 4 parts of Christ's Cross. Miss Youth.
These 4
spoken are
in Christ's
cross.
[leaf 193]
Ezekiel saw I
Wheel
(ix. 14)
typifying
4 helps in
Christ's cros;
to aid you
on your
Journey.
' Ben in the croos off cryst iliem, 12648
The wyche1 ben yset fful wel [' wych c., whiche St.]
\V«t//-lnne in the myddel whel,
Off wyche, wi't/t hys eyen bryhte,
Ezechiel hadde a syhte : 1 2652
Hys pro phesye doth vs lere,
To hy/» a whel ther dyde appere,
Wych hym thouhte (in sondry placys)
with 4 faces, By semyng hadde .iiij.2 ffacys, [« Foure St.] 12656
ffor to shewyn in ffygure
Auctorysed by scrypture
(Yiff thow lyst to haue in mynde)
.iiij.3 holpys thow mayst fynde PFonreSt.] 12660
In oiystys cvos, (yiff thow take hede,)
In thy lourne the to spede ;
Wych .iiij. shal the4 solace, [« Foure the siiaiu St.]
Make the to thy ffyrste place 12664
ffor to retourne the weyii ryht.
' As longe as thow hast a syht
To .iiij.5 partyes off crystis cros, [s Koure st.]
Ne drede the neuere off no los,
Nor off hyndryng in thy vyage.
And looke, in thy pylgryinage,
Wher-so-euero thow repayre,
Tlier-off to take thyw exaumplayre,
ffor thow mayst no bettre do.'
And whan she hadde sayd me so,
Tliys Grace dieu, affter a-noon,
ffarwel, fro me, she was a-gon
Al sodeynly out off my syht. [stowe,
But thanne, off cher ffnl glad and lyht,
Youthe
And with hyr ffresshe ffethrys ffayre,
Youthe gan to me repayre, 12680
And to me sayde in hyr manere :
' Thow art a ffool ! what dostow here 1
Tak good hed to my sentence !
Thow art mad, to yive credence, 12684
To leue and herknen eue?-ytale
Or syngyng off the nyhtyngale ;
AS loll^' .18
you look to
tlir 4 parts
uf the Cross,
you'll get on.
Tilt Pilgrim.
Grace Dieu
departs.
12668
12672
12676
'Youth' tells
me I'm a fool,
and 111:1.1 to
believe every
tale 1 heur.
Miss Youth persiiades me to climb up on her back. 345
Victim e*t lupsilmi
cenia, & variorum
turn tertiore *:ileri
Ambrosias. St., »m. C.
12696
a<t<tles-
cupidita-
1 ' Ther-in ys no melody,
Whos song ys eue/'e ' Occy, occy,' 12688
Wych ys to seyne, whan she hath do,
" Go sle thy sylff ! " slie meneth so.
Leff al tliys thyng, and go \rith me ;
ffor, thys weye wycli thow dost se, 12692
Ys penyble and encombrous,
Dredful also, and envyous ;
Thy myglit, thy power, Ijen ago ;
Thy l)ody ys wcry ek also ;
The weye wyl make the to tarye,
ffor yt ys ffroward and contrurye,
And ffor also ffro thyn entente ;
And I ther-to wyl nat assente. 12700
' And in ffortliryng ek off the
I wyl nat go, but I wyl ffle ;
ffor thow and I shal han repayr,
Nat on the ground, But in the hayr, 12704
Whev thow slialt fynde no inaner Ink ;
ffor I wyl trusse the on my bak, [stuwe, leaf 2-22,
l!er the fforth (yt shal nat ffaylle)
That thow shalt fele no trawaylle 12708
In thy vyage, but ful soffte
I shal ber the hih a-loffte,
That thow mayst sen aboute Rou«d,
The se, the heyr, and al the ground ; 12712
And al that euere ffolkys do,
Thow shalt be-holde and sen also.'
The pylgr3nn :
" Yst in thy power, answere me,
Thus to ber me, and to ffle?" 12716
Youthe :
' Ther-to I liaue suffysauwce,
So yt be to thy plesaunce ;
And that thow shalt knowe agon,
Skyp on my bak, and lat vs gon, 12720
And in effect thow shalt wel se
How that I shal helpyn the.'
[6 lilies blank in MS. for an Illumination.']
And I, wz'tft-oute' mor abood,
Uirt rimlli.
[" If. 193, bit.]
The Nightin-
gale's song
' oet'y ' meHna
only go and
kill yourself.
Youth tries to
dissmiile me
from my
journey,
itiul to tibUie
with her.
She will fly
up in the uir.
and take me
on her but'kf
ta that I ran
sec all things.
T*« Pilgrim.
ilia routt
bids me ckip
on her buek.
[leaf nil :
3 1C Youth flies aloft with me and drops me. I meet Gluttony.
So I climb
up i'ii it.
Mi»a Youth
UMTS me
uloll,
12721
12727
[Stowe, leal 223]
[» Strcghle St ] 12732
[» Ifrutvanlr St .]
rite piiyrim. Clamb on hyr bak wher-as she stood.
To byre yt was no grevauwce ;
ffor, as lyhtly (in suhstaiiKce)
I was take vp in-to lyte,
As a chykno off1 a kyte, ['»hu
Al sodcynly, or I was war ;
And on hyr bak, fforth she me bar
Vn-to the hegh, and was my guyde
Slretth2 vn-to the tother syde.
And to that weye she hath me born)
Wycb that I hadde letft to-forn,
And held to me ful wel forward ; 3
Uut gret encombraiwco ad'terward
Ther-off ys ffallcn vn-to me,
And fful gret adnersyte,
AVych I slial tellyn in substau/ice,
As they kome to rumemhrau/icc.
Whan I was passyd the hegh alias,
ffynally thys was the eaas :
Yowthe mo brouht (and thus yt stood,)
In-to a weye large and brood,
And sayde she wolde, off al that day,
No fertlier ber me on my way.
And so, wher yt were4 sour or soote, [« «ut st.,
She trow 5 me dou«. I wente on foote \? threwe c
Ay be that hegh, doim costeyynge.
"And, wtt/t-oute long6 taryyngc,
In the weye that she me sette,
An Olde" wekke a-noon I incite, ['
Hydous and owgly off hyr look ;
And off hyr shap, good bed I took ;
Hyr Eyen royllynge in hyr lied,
Hyr flace colouryd was lyk8 led, [
Hyr noose heng doim to hyr chyii,
Hyr mouth fful large, and ok ther-in
holding a AVit/i byr teth (as I beheld,)
her teeth. A ff ul large sak she held ;
Ther-in a tonge she held also,
And Kampawntly she gan to go :st<»vi', i«if sas, tai-k]
Vu-to me- ward, off crueltc,
over the l
to a |>:tl li
1:11 -'' JUld
wide.
where she
throws me
down.
[leaf 191, bk.]
I meet :t
liiileouj old
bag,
1273G
12740
12744
12749
[• longest.]
..oidc.] 12752
was to St.] 1275C
12760
127G8
12772
The oM li:,^
tries to
strangle me.
[» vukku St.]
1277C
Giuliani/.
Gluttony is mistress of Epicureans, wlwsc God is their JJclli/. 3-17
Lych as she wolde ha stranglyd me ; 12761 me p:/s/,-im.
[7 liii&s blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
Can hyr han-lys to mo strecche,
And felly sayde ' Arrow,1 thow wrechche ! [' Arrow st.]
Thow skapyst nat:' she swor, seyu2 gcorge, ['«jyntst.j
She wolile me stranglyn by tlic Gorge
Thus yt sempte, as by hyr cher ;
And I hadde-on no gorger
In my dyffencQ, but drowh abak,
And vn-to hyro rylit thus I spak :
The pylgrym :
" What artow," a-noon <\twd I,
"That komyst so dyspytously,
Thow Olde wekke,:! vrith meschaiwce,
ffroward oti' look and contynauncc ;
ami al that euere I se on the,
fful gretly dyspleseth me."
Glotonye :
'I am,' (\tiod she, 'as thow shall lere,
Off Epicuris chyldre dere,
Vcrray modcr and mnystrvsse,
And off that sorte gouenieresse :
I goiieme how, (thus slant the eas,)
Wlio that euere her ll'uder was.'
The pylgrym:
"fful ffayn," quod I / "I woldii se
Wliat Epicurieiis sholdo be."
Glotonye :
' 'lliey be (ffor short conclusiouw)
A sect off thys condic'ioiin,
"\Vych holde, and lerne thys off me,
That perfyt ffelycyte
Ys, that a man lyk hys delyt,
ffolwe ahvay hys appetyt ;
Ther Sak, ther wombe, (I vndertake,)
Off liem ther goddya they do make ;
Tlier loye and al ther bysynesse
Ys only set in lykerousncssc ;
ll'or, thys Sect alway most thywkus
On dyuecs metys and on drynkes :
1-J780
[leaf 1»5]
She wiys she
is the mother
ot 'the follow-
ers of Kpi-
curu*,
12784
[Stuwc, leaf 2i4]
12788
;i sect wliich
l.-.l.i that
indulging
yuurupt>etite.
12792
Tliuir gml is
their belly.
12796
Tliey think
most ul* meat
and drink.
348 The hay Gluttony describes her greedy drinking & eating.
Glutton!/.
The Kpk-u-
reans
enjoy only
sunerfluily
and indulg-
ence.
[leaf 195, bk.]
The old hag'
inline is
'Gluttony.'
She drinks
more than
she needs.
and stuff* her
belly with as
much us :i
men could
live by, —
jellies pot-
ages,
ynocras,
malmsy,etc.
She dances
and drinks
all night.
She is also
cald ' Omtri-
inargia'
CGreek for
•gluttony').
12801
12808
12812
12816
' To tliys Sect yt ys end wed, 12799
With rost1 somwhyle, and with stewyd,
To be seruyd, and metys bake,
Now to ffryc, now stcykes make,
And many other soteltcs.
And dyuers ffoiwdyn out dey«tes ;
ffor al thys sect, I the ensure,
He nat content that nature [sto«-e]
Yservyd be wj't/* suirysaiwcc ;
But ther loye and tlier plesauwce
Slant in - superfluy te ; [' aiie ; in st.]
And hooly ther ffulycyte
(Affter ther oppynyou//) [stowc, i™fsi»,
Ys in delectacyoiiH.'
The pylgrym:
" AVliat ys thy name] tt-1 on," <[>iod I.
Glotonye :
And she Answerd redyly,
' To soy trouthc, mid nat to lye,
My name in soth ys ' Glotonye.'
My sak, I ffolle vp to the brynkc,
And lie-were I spare ffor to drynke,
fful oifte whan 1 ha no nede ;
And I allone (yt ys no drede)
fful offtc sythe, off3 lykerousiirs.se,
ffylle my pau?*che, off grcdynesse,
Wit/i as niyche (trew(e)ly)
As .iij. men myghte lyue by,
Swyche as hnucu indygencc ;
ff'or, in Kyot and dyspence,
In wast, in reuel and outrages,
Spent in gelces4 ami potages,
And dyucrs diynkes ffor solas,
Eoniney, clarrc,5 ypocras, [s cian-e and si.]
In malvesyn, and in Osey,
The longe nyht I daunce and ploy, 12832
And cesse nat to drynke alway ;
Go to bedde whan yt ys day ;
And somine clorkys a-mong alle,
' Castrimargia ' 6 ine calle.'
12820
1 III Sil.J
12824
C'UeelesSt.] 12828
castrymagi« st,] 12836
Tke Pi/urim.
Gluttony.
Gastrimargia
(or Gluttony)
means stval-
sels nni-lii-vvil.
Gluttony swallows mussels whole, and cats till she's sick. 349
The Pylgrym:
" Declare me, and nat no ffeyno,
What ' castrimargia ' l ys to seyne." [' Castrimagia St.]
C lotonye : [stowe, leaf sjs]
' " Castrimargia,"2 ys ploungyn dou« [» Castrimasia st.]
Off mussellys by submerciouw ; 1 2840
Wyth-oute chawyng, doim they lauwche,
Devouryd hool in-to the pawnche ;
And ther they be so depe ydreynt,
In the mawe to-gydre meynt, 12844
That my sak, by submerciouw,
Ys offte tournyd vp so doun.
Whan yt ys fful ami overleyn,
Yt goth out by the gorge ageyn ; 1 2848
Over bord, al goth to wrak ;
And thus I voyde among my sak ;
The Tempest draweth dou« the sayl.
' I make tracys, as doth a snayl, 12852
Wit// drawlyng3 on my mokadour, p drawyng st.]
And efft ageyn do my labour
(As an vngry4 wolff, certeyn,) [« hungry st.]
ffor to ffylle my pook 5 ageyn. p pawnche st.] 12856
' I may resemble wel to Bel,
Off whom that speketh Danyel,
The ydolo that devourede al :
My bely round, and no thyng smal, 128CO
And wt't/i my nose long and round,
I trace alfter, as doth an hound,
To ffynde the ffwet6 wher mete ys good ; c'nvtst.]
And, by the goolet off myn hood 12864
The beste7 goth ; yiff that I may, p best St.]
Thya lyff I lete nyht and day.1
The pylgrym:
" Yet off a8 thyng I pray the, [stowe. leaf MS, bock] pone St.]
That thow woldest telly n me : 128G8
Yiff thow the ffyllest (in thyw avys)
Off metys that ben off lytel prys,
An off benys or browne9 bred, [» brovne St., brown c.j
(Koine ther any in thyw bed,) 12872
Tliyii appetyt for to stau«clie,
[leaf 196]
When Glut-
tony'g belly
1H "Vrrlu;li!i-tl,
she UK-leu itx
coiitentv up.
She niakefl
slimy tracks
on her Imml-
kerdiief.
aiul tries to
re fill her
Iwlly.
Slierewmb'es
Itel, »l which
Uaniel >poke.
With her none
she tracks the
.Hivril of
meals.
The Pilgrim.
I ;isk her if
she eats
beans and
brown bread.
350 Gluttony is Greediness. Gluttony wants a long Gullet.
Gluttony
gorges gross
food as well
aS (Irliculf.
[leafl9«,V)U.]
Men may do
excess ami
superfluity
with U'.iu
bread.
Gluttony
consists in
greediness.
Tke Pilarim.
I ask what
T.i-t !• is.
Tu-lr is the
moiitli of my
:;-int-li gullet.
I wish it
was as I(in7
as a crane's
neck,
that I might
fill it with
mussels and
fried collops,
" Swych hardc metys in thy pawnchef "
Glotonye :
Quod she, ' thow shalt ful wel espye,
The custom ys off glotonye,
As wel (yiff I shal expresse,)
In grete metys to don excesse,
(Who the trouthe' wel espyes,)
As wel as in delycacyes ;
ffor men as wel may dou» outrages
Wt't/t bene bred and swyd1 potage,
Excesse and superfluyto,
Als wel as in curyouste :
The mete nat causcth the excessc,
But the ffretyng gredyncsse,
They2 maketh only the GlotouH,
And nat the mete in no sesoun :
Tast, that ys the pryncypal,
And lust ther-off, that causeth al.' Ni;
The pylgrm:
Than <\uod 1 / " I pray the,
What thyng ys ' Tast ' ] declare me."
Glotonye :
' Yiff I to the declare shal,
Therby inward passeth al ;
And ther-in ek myw appetyt
Hath specially al hys delyt ;
Yt ys the mouth off my sachel,
Wherby passeth euerydel ;
By that golet, large mid strong,
Off mesour nat .iij.3 Enchc long ;
I wolde, ffor delectac'iouH,
That yt were (off hys ffaconw,)
Long as ys a kranys nekke ;
Tha?me I nolde off nothyng wrekke,
But only (yiff I shal telle)
Wz't/1. fatte musscllys yt to ffelle,
Wit/t lard, and collopys wel yfryed ;
How hard they were to be defyed,
I woldu thcr wer ffoiwde no lak
In the stuffyng off my sak,
12876
1 2880
[' swetest.]
12884
[' Thy C., They St.]
12888
12892
. leaf asr,]
1289C
["three St.] 12900
12904
12908
Gluttony's greedy Eyes. The deadly Tongue in her Mmith. 351
12912
12916
12920
12928
' Wych that liath a double mouth,
To reeeytie noitli and sowth,
Al deyntes tliat may be foimde ;
ffatte inussellys largo and Kounilc,
I threste hew in fful lykerously.
'And yet myn Eyen bo nior gredy,
Mor desyroua to do grot wast
Than ya my 8ak outlier my ta*t :
To ther desyre, in no wyse
Nothyng may ynowli suffysc ;
My« Eyen, thorgh none sulf'ysaimce,
Don to my stoniak gret grevauttce,
Mor peryllous than swyrd or knytt',
ffor to shorte a manliys1 lylf ; [' mauysst.] 12924
And ffynally, (who that kan «e,) [stowe, leaf 220, back]
Excesse and superfluyte
Slen mo men, iiyh anil ffere,
Than outlier sword, dagger or spere.'
The pylgrym;
" Sj'th excesse and swych outrage
Don to the so gret damage,
Off mussellys smale and grete,
Why lystow wt'tA hem surfecte,
Syth thow concludes! (in sentence)
In surfct ys gret pestylence ? "
Glotonye :
' \Vtt/i-Inne my mouth (as thow shalt lure,)
I bere A touch, (yiff thow wylt hece,) 12936
A Touch off gret infeccioun
The wyche,3 by corrupci'oun, p wyoh c., which* St.]
Wher that cuere he haue rei)e3fr,
He infecteth al the heyr,
And sletli mo ffolk by vyolenco
Tha» any other iiostylence.
' That touch, by touchyng redyly,
Ys mad so sharpe and so gredy
l.y touch off metys delycat,
Thaiine he to Resouw obstynat,
Mut, w/tA hys touch, touchy?* som whyht,
Or ellys wolde he, a-noon ryht, 12948
12932
12940
1.944
Gluttony.
IIMil Illill I
hail a duuble
ntuuth.
[leaf 107]
Glittlony'a
eyt;s nre still
inure greedy
than her
month and
taste.
Kxcess slays
more men
than swuril,
datrj,'«r, or
spear,
The PHi/rim.
I ask her why
she itliitta tier-
Fell' witli
Gluttony
says she has
a Touch in
her mouth,
that infects
the air and
sluys more
folk than Hi.-
Plague does.
This Touch
is made so
grec.ly hy
delicate
meats
that it must
touch aome
one.
[leaf 11)7, bk.]
352 Gluttony's Tongue talks evil, and sJiamfS its owner.
r./Httnny. 'Wexyll WOll,1 or by outrage [' utterfAfrom wob C.( woodc St.]
SodoynJy ffalle in-to a rage,
The to2 touche, as yt ys due ; [»t«>si.]
Tlie totlier touch ay doth \\yni sue ; 12952
Taste, or Ami seiiihlably, (who lyst to se,)
Touch, seeks
miiy its own Ryht thus ffareth tast by me,
griilifu-iition. *
Wych lytel rechchet3 off my profyt, [s n«ciiciietii« St.]
So that he liaue hys owne delyt." 12956
na pilgrim. The pylgrym :
i »sk the " Ma dame," (\uoil I, " what euere ffalle
)i:iiin- of this , , , , . .111 m i 11 n it
T.mch. A\ liat shal I thys louch y called
a'Htiooy Glotonye :
calls it the ' Thow shalt calle byw, Her and uer,
* Hvin« lues- , nf\fr\
senger,1 The fflcyiige massagef,
Off wynges swyft, wych wyl nat tlwclle,
Every Ihyng out for to telle : ^£ZS
Al that euere ys in the herto, ft ^M- B
Tlier shal no tliyng besyde asterte ; 12964
And most, a-mong thys ffolkys alle,
.ii-.ir«e,i A shrewde ncihbour, men \\yrn calle ;
Or a clyket fful mortal, 129C7
Wych opneth and vncloseth al. [siowe, l
' And hys comlicioun ek ys thys,
Gladly eucre to seyn Amys ;
theTotigne And most he doth hy)» sylff applye
thut ttilks
viiiiiinjr ffor to speke vyllenye,
And thiT-vp-on tabyde longe.
when it ha. WliaM he hath drouke wynes stronge,
wines. And wt't/j deyntes ffeld hj-s sak,
ThaHiic al thyng goth to wrak, 12976
What he touchet, I ensure,
So ffer he goth out off mcsure.'
me pilgrim. The pylgrym :
" What ar they, off her tongys large,
That wit/i wyn hem overcharge?" 12980
pinna*!/. Glotonye :
' Ther-in ys most hys appetyt,
And ther-in he hath most delyt.
By hym I am out off mesure
Brouht, that I may nat endure ; 12984
Drunkennesses a man of his Wits, & makes him quaml. 353
' Offt by hy,« I ffalle in blame,
In gret dyshonour and dyffame ;
ffor he me gaff (who loke wel)
Thys sak also, and thys phonel
Wyth wych my wynes I vp to/me.
And whan that I haue onys gome [sto.e, ,e.r828j
To tonnes vp, (as thow mayst se,)
[ take ther-off so gret plente, 1 2992
Swych habou«dau«ce and swych foysouw,
That I lese wyt and resoun,
Byscreciouw, wysdawi and mynde,
That I kan no weye1 ffynde
To gon vn-to myu owne hous,
Mad and dronke, as ys A mous.
' Than spek I nat but Ribaudye,
Outrage and gret vyllenye ;
I haue noon other Elloquence ;
ffor tha?t I do no reuerence,
Mouther to god, (in no manere,)
Kor to hys owue moder dere ;
ffor yiff I slial the trouthe expose,
Whare I am ffalle in dronkenesse,2 [' dronkeiiwae st.
My tonge thaw I gy,me to3 broche> ^'^'L
That, yiff Resourc wolde aproche,
I bydde hym shortly (thys no nay,)
To take hys leue, and gon hys way.
And also in. my dronkenesse
I sey the same to Ryhtwysuesse ;
ffor thogh prudence and equyte,
Sapyence And veryte,
Hadden with me tho to done,
Tliey sholde be put abak fful'sone.
' Witk sobyrnesse, nor attemprau«ce,
I wyl haue noon acqueyntauNcc :
They be no thyng off myn allye ;
I haue off hem but moquerye ; [stowe, i«
ffor, wlier dronkenesse ys guyde,
Ecli vertuyssetasyde;
And whan wM wyn ful y» ,liyw ]lorilf
I am ffers as an vnycorn ; , ,fto ,
P1LOI1IMAGE.
A A
aiuttony.
12988 Funnel.
['way St.] 12990
13000
13004
Excess in
wine causes
loss of
reason.
of discretion,
and wisdom ;
ribiildry, and
irreverence
to (jod and
the Virgin.
13008
It sends off
13012
13016
righteous'
ness, equity,
and truth ;
[leaf 198, bk.]
>»«*] 13020 mocks at
temperance,
354 The Glutton's 2 Bellies, Drunkenness and Greediness.
and uuurretH
with every
one-
wiii,-ii nre of
Venus.
is Drunken-
n,.ih stuff
themselves
f""
[leaf 199]
to the brink.
' ffor, tha» bothe, in wrong ami ryht,
I Wyl stryue w«t/i onery whyht,
* J
Tak vp (jiiarellys, awl dyffame,
Sette on euery why lit a blame, 13028
And, lyk a bole, (yt ys 110 dred,)
Myw Eyen llollyn in iny» lied ;
LJk a botore'1 : hllue also ^""z^r^ to
Two wombys wlia)/ I liaue A-do.' 13032
•J'Jjg pylgrym I
" Expowne me, i'm/1 nat ffeyne,
llastow vcrrayly wombys tweyiicl"
Glotonye :
' Trewly,' >[ito>! glotonye to me,
' I Iwue tweyne, as thow mayst so, 13036
Wych lien fill nyli (who kan espye,)
Off the kynrede and allye
Off Venus; ffor lykerousnesse
Off welfare, and cret excesse, 13040
Engendre and cause naturelly
fHesshly lust and lechery.
' And the ffyrst off thys kynrede
Ys callyd (who that taketh hede) [stowe, Uwfsw] 13044
()^ 80IU ffo^ys ' Dronkenesse,'
And the tother ' Gredynesse '
Off sondry metys and deyntes ;
And bothe two, in ther degres, 13048
Wj'l ther placys occupj'e,
Drynke and etc by envye.
Evore ther glotoris appetyt
Ys so ful off ffals delyt, 13052
So gredy and so vnstauHchable,
Ther Etyk j's so importfible ;
Now I etc, and now I drynke ;
Tyl I be ful vp to the brynke, 13056
I do alway my Ixjsy peyne.
And trow(e)ly thys wombys tweyne,
Wych al devoure, and neuere slake,
Make Venus to a-wake 130GO
Out off hyr slep, (lyk as I sayde,)
And causeth hyre fful olFte abrayde.
/ sec old Venus, her face maskt, riding a ivild sow. 355
' And for that I am glotonye, aintton,,.
I dar trewly spccefye 1.3064
How Venus (yt ys no ffayl) vonns i»
W J J ' tsi-kt to the
Juiere me sueth at the tayl ; Glutton's tali.
We departe seld or neuere,
ffor we be to-gydre euere ; 13068
She wyl nat parte, yiff she may.
'And whom that I, be nylit or day,
Areste, or make to abyde,
Wher-so that he go or ryde, 13072
I brynge hym off entencibun
To IXJII Vnder SllbiectlOmi [Stowe, leafSSO, lack]
Off Venus ; for she and I
Coufedryd ben so trew[e]ly, 13076 AiiBiimon.
fin i «• 11 must obey
lliat ttolkys vnder my demeyne, — her.
Swych as be lacyd in my cheyne,
Or sesyd, (ther ys no mor to seye,) —
Vn-to hyre they muste obeye.' 13080
The pylgrym : ne Piiari,a.
" I praye, declare a-noon to me, it»»k wi>0
What tliyng thys Venus sholde be."
Olotonye : Gintio*v.
Quod glotonye, ' wt'W-oute glose,
Tliow shall off hyre (I suppose) 13084 [imriiw,'*.]
Hyryn tydynges A-noon ryht,
Off hyr power and off1 hyr myght; e'offr., ow.st.]
And thannc, yiff tliow wylt enquere,
What she ys, she wyl the lore.' 13088
And, whyl I stood2 musynge thus, [z«i<K«ii'St.] •/•*,. i;illriiu.
I sawh a-noon wher that Venus VNIUII n|>-
Kam rydynge on a swyn savage, «ii.i i««r
And in hyr hand, a fFals vysiige 13092
I sawh hyr bern, fful brood and lai'ge, bearinga
To- Horn hyr Eyen, lyk A targe. Mm iier
And tliys Venus trew(e)ly
Was Arrayed queyntely ; 13096
flbr hyr clothys and hyr array [siowe, leafim] HerriutiiM
Ifll .,11 ai'« 'o||i wit|t
J)eioulyd wern WHfl aongo uwl elay, dunemd
tl'or wyi-.h (in twi-y mane/- place)
Slic gan xlin.iiidr and hyde hyr fface 13100
356 Venus send* a dart into my heart. She hates Virginity.
Tht Pi/irrlm.
Venn* smites
me with n
dart.
thru my eye,
to the heart.
[leaf 200]
Old Vc
Dame .Venus
snys
she's a foe to
Virginity,
« ho, if Bite
liaci not
taken refuge
in religion,
13104
13108
13112
1311C
Vnder hyr hood, so couertly
That no man ne1 myghte espy [' nc St., «». c.]
[7 lines Uank in MS. for an Illumination.]
The manor off hyr goue?-nauHce
Outward by hyr co?itenauwce,
ffor hyr fface was nat bare ;
And, to me- ward as she gan ffare,
Wtt7i a sharp dart wych she bar
She smette me, or I was war,
(Longe or I koude aduerte,)
Thorgh the Eye vn-to the herte.
Myw Elm was lefft bchymle, alias !
My fface bare (thys was the cas) ;
Agcyn Venus vyolence,
I hadde as tho no bet dyffence.
The pylgrym:
" O, thow Okie ! what ha«tow do,
Vnwarly me to smyte so 1 "
Olde venus:
'Reporte off mo, and soy ryht thus, [«<>»«, i«if MM
That I am callyd Dame venus.
My dwellyng and my raanciouit
(To me Ordeyned off Kesonu)
Ys in the Reynys most certeyn, —
Ther wyl no clerk ageyns thys seyn ; —
I chace a-way al chastyte,
And, werray* vyrgynyte :
Vyrgynyte, whylom off ryht,
To the AuHgellys cler and bryht
Was suster, and ther nexte allye :
put now (yiff I shal nat lye
Touchy ng parfyt vyrgynyte,)
Wher that euwe she may me se,
She halt hyr nose, and wol3 be go, p woia« st.]
Vp-on hyre I stynke so ;
To hyre I am so gret Enmy,
That, but4 slie hadde ffynally [* That but st. But that c.]
fried ffor hyr savacyou/z
Whylom in-to Religioiw,— 13136
She hadde (wjt/t-oute mor refut,)
13120
t'wcrrejcSt.] 13124
13128
13132
Virgins must stay at home. Why Venus- hates Virginity. 357
ditnisso
gieudHm.
' Be slay n, and dede by my1 pursuit — !£,'„"",?„$;,
AVrher the castel ys so strong, u^ilor'conmd
That I may do to hyre no wronge, SJ^,^"* h^'pestc'ccci-
Nor the fforteresse wynne, No«a st. casifnoTi' nfagis'sus^S"™
As longe as she halt hyr wtt/e-Iuno ; i'wpudicfi'rpinm'ne.-'1'1
H1.-J5! i_ / i i i \ hie AilKUstiiiH*. St ,o«. C.
Bat yiff so be (y t ys 110 doute) :, by c._ tlllllvlie ,ny st-]
That she gO a-brood \Vi't7<-OUte L2<IuCe«C. • unMtet • ami a word
now lost, lolluw Mluaiu.
At large, and haue hyr lyberte, — 13H5
As Dina wente for to se
Wo*/Hiien off that regioun,
(As lioly wryt maketh menciouw) «enesi» 3icupi(K/o,st.,om.o.
lacobys douhter (thys the cas) 13119
And she a-noon dyllbulyd was, [stowe, icafidj
And the slau/edre gret arose, "p'st"*?"'""'"^
lie-cause slie kepte hyr sylff nat4 cloos. [* nat c., in st.]
' Ek I ne liaue noon avauwtage 13153
ttbr to harme nor do damage —
Nat the valu off An Oystre—
Wliyl chastyte kepeth hys cloystre, 13156
And goth nat out in no inaner,
Than ffarvel5 al my power.' p «6m»eii« st.]
The pylgrym:
" Tel on a-noon, and nat ne ffeyne,
What ys thoffence off thys tweyne, 13160
Off maydeuhed or chastyte t
What wrong hail* they don to the, piiaiust.}
That thow hew hatest in thy thouht]
Declare in hast, and tarye nouht." 13104
Venus : or* vr»n,.
' ffyrst, vndcrstonde ami herkne me,
That neuere yet Vyrgynyte i. virginity
Wolde in no place abyde,
But I wer out, ami set asyde : 13168
To hyre I am abhomynable,
Contraryous and dyffamable ;
I stynke on hyre, wher euere she be. [stowe, leaf 2.11, bark]
would Imve
been ttluin.
If Vir(jinily
go abroad,
[leafatO, bk.]
us Dinah
(Jacob's
daughter)
went,
(Vein's it
xxxiv. 1, S),
slie will come
to harm.
While Chas-
tity keeps in
its cloister,
Venus has no
power.
T/if Pilprim.
I ask, what
wrong, Vir-
miniy and
i 'lentil v have
done to
Venus.
thinks Venus
is abomin-
able,
and utink-.
' And ek hyr suster Chastyte,
Wher euere that she me espy,
She tlleth hyr way, awl cryeth " ffy !
ff'ir wher yt thowhe,7 or ellw ffrese,
13172
2. Chastity
always Hees
from' \'4?nu.s,
mid says Fy !
7 than-]
358 Venus has maliynd Chastity in the 'Romance of the liosi-.'
chaMily
iiinile Joseph
flee from
Potinhar's
wile,
[.leaf 2"0]
and will
never touch
Venus.
So Venus has
therefore to
ttlanuer
as she ili "•* in
her Roiutince
of the Roue,
where Chan-
I ily is i-nld
False-Sem-
blant.
The Pil'il-hn.
I tell Venus
tliut she lias
no right to
call the /;.,.
nmtice of the
Rose hers.
I know its
author (G. de
Loria).
' Leucrc she hadde hyr mantel lese, 13176
Than abyden in the place
Wlier that she may se my fiace.
' She made Joseph, by "ret1 stryff, Genoh so r»i»f«io.-
losejili, raHefto pallio,
fflen ffro Putyffarys wyff, [>g«test.] «ag«- St., ««i.c.
Lefft hys mantel, and also 13181
A-noon ffroni hyre he was a-go ;
ffor chastyte (by oppynyou?i,)
Haueth thys condyci'oun, 13184
Tliat she sauff ne wyl nat vouche,
In no wyse me to touche.
' And whan that I hyr maner se,
That yt wyl noon other l>e, 13188
Than I am besy, be dyffame,
ffor to putte on hyre a blame,—
By som sclauwlre ffalsly ffouwdo, —
Hyr goode name to cowfowule, 13192
By swych ffolk (shortly to telle)
That ar wont \viUt me to dwelle,
And tabyden in myw hous,
Off condiciouw vycyous, 13196
That ar glad ay to myssaye,
And chastyte ffor to werraye,
As yt shewelh (wj't7(-onte glose)
In my EomaiiHce off the Eose ; ""'""."^r,,"'',^* st> 1 3200
Make hyr name to berc appallyd, [sto»-e, leafsssj
And Faulssemblant to be callyd :
In that book by my notarye, 13203
Wych to hyr name ys ffuH2 co?«trarye. p St., am. c.]
And cause why that I do thus
Geyn chastyte fful vcrtuous,
Ys ffynally (yiff thow lyst se),
She wyl no queyntanwce lian wj't/t me." 13208
The pylgrym:
" Wherfor seystow in any wyse,
And wrongfully lyst to devyse
Mong thy?j Errours, on and alle,
Thys Eomaunce thy« to calle 1 1321 2
Tliy part ther-off ys neueradel ;
ffor I knowe that maw fful wel
Jean de Meun grafted non-Love things into the Romance. 359
" Wt't/i, ouery manor cyrcuwstauwce,
Wych that made that Romauucc."
Venus :
' Thys Eomaunce (in conclusion/*),
I may callc yt off Resoiw
Myn owne book, (whu/t al ys do.)
And I my sylff made yt also ;
And yiff that thow consydre wol,
Gynnynge, ende, ami eiuvydcl,1 [' KuwyJel St., <
He speketh ther (yiff thow kanst so)
Off nat ellys but off me,
Except only (yt ys no doute)
My clerk, my skryveyn, racede oute
Off strange ffeldys as I be-hold,
And sewh yt in A-nother ffeld,
ffolkys wcnynge (yt ys no dred)
That he liadde sowho2 the same sed p newest.]
Vp-on hys owne loud certeyn.
' But to declare the trouthe pleyn,
Ho dydo nat so, no thyng at al,
In strailHge feldys, for ho yt still,
(Al bo yt so by fful grot lak,)
He put al in hys owne sak
Be-causo only (who kail dele)
He caste the trouthe to co^cele ;
Off sur<[iiedye, (yt ys no nay,)
\Volde ha born yt \r£l/< \\yni away,
Al be, sothly, (who haue a syht)
He hadd(! ther-to no manor ryht ;
' But affterward he was asoryed
By a normau«d, and ospyed,
Wych loude cryode, awl made A sou;*,
Yt was no ryht nor no KesoiiH
Off other ffolkys gadryng
To make hys berthene by stelyng.
But for al that, forth he wente,
Nouht abaysshed in hys entente,
But boldely, or I was war,
fforth wt't/t hy?H hys stelthe he bar,
Ymjpyd yt in / in my romaiwce,
13216
O/d VeHHf
>;f.v> the Ho-
iiiimir of (he
K.-r W hrrs.
13220
lor site i» the
sulje. t ol it,
from I1, u-in
iiini: to end,
13224
Hut' JVM\ lie
Menu .stniyit
inti) other
•leceitfjlly.
13228
13232
1323G
13210
Hut Ire was
I.. iiml tint
J3244 and ileiiouiist
l»y a Norman.
13248
This Jean <le
Meun ^I'jiftetl
liis noil- Love
[leaf 202]
13252 maeerialliito
Venue's I(u*
utuiice.
360
Jean de Meun was exposed ly a Norman.
Old Vennf.
to her great
displeasure.
But Jean do
Meuu was
found out by
a Norman,
which made
him hate
Normandy.
Mnle bouche
therefore tied
from Nor-
mandj,
and lied about
monks, Htc.
The Pilgrim.
\ tell old
Venus
[leaf 202, bk.]
that Jean de
Meuu is
rightly called
bouche j '
13256
13260
' Wych was to me gret dysplesaunce ;
ffor my wyl was, that he no thyng [stowe, leaf 233]
Sliokle ha set in hys wrytyng,
No thyng (as to my« entent,)
But yt wer to me pertynent,
Or accordynge to my matere,
Or at the leste (as ye shal here),
That he hadde set in1 no mor [' »eite inne St.]
But that was off hys owntj stor :
He was askryed off hys ffolye
Off On yhorn in Norma«ndye ;
ffor wych, none*1 affter (by couenauttt)
Ho louede neuere no Nonnatmd :
The RomauHce kan yt wel declare,
In wyeh he wrot (and lyst nat spare,) 13268
That Male-bouche (yt ys no lye)
ffledde ffyrst out off Nonna?«ndye ;
Wher-off he made a strong lesyng,
Lyede also in hys wrytyng, 13272
Off relygious, euele2 to speke, pweiest.]
And vp-on hem to ben a-wreke,
To my ffauour (as ye may se)
Be-cause I piirsue chastyte.' 13276
The pylgrym:
" Than may I ryht wel certeyn
Afferme, that thow and thy skryveyn
Ben replevysslied (who kan ae)
Off malys and inyquy te ; 1 3280
ffor who-so, thogh he wer my brother, [stowe, icafs^s, i«u-k]
Wyl gladly seyn evol off A-nother
I may off hym seyn (Est and south,) .
That he haueth no good mouth ; 1328-t
ffor with hys tonge (who that touche,)
He may be callyd ' Male bouche.'
Wherfor trewly thy skryveyn
Hihte3 'Male bouche,' I dar wel seyn, p Hath* St.] 13288
Whan he (voyde off al flavour)
Gan appelle hys neyhbour,
Only for he dyde hym ascrye,
To seyn the trouthe, and lyst nat lye. 13292
Old Veniu
*ays Lying id
her trade.
She will
deceive me
by lying.
[Cap. iii. 47.
prone]
The Pilflrrm.
01,1 Vemit
13308
Old Venus says I cannot escape her Dart. She is uyly. 301
" And thow (who takoth hed ther-to) The pnarim.
Hast a wykked mouth also,
Wych, off thyw Inyquyte,
Hast lyed vp-on Chastyte, 13296
To make goode ffolk hyr haate,
And ageyn hyr to debate."
Venus :
' Thow seyst soth, (yt ys no drede,)
But thow shalt wyte (in verray dede) 13300
My condicioim ys to lye ;
And pleynly, (yiff thow kowne espye)
Be ryht wel war alway off m t ;
Wi'tA lyyng I shal deceyue the.' 13304
The pylgrym:
" Tel on to me the cause why ; [stowe, lent a.sij
Why hastow smet me vnwarly ? "
Venus :
' What trowestow for to go ffre
Whyl that I am so nyh by the '(
Nay, nay ! that may nat be-falle.
Thow knowest nat thassautys allo
Off my work, nor the manere,
But by processe thow shalt lore ;
Wherso-euece that I assaylle,
Off my pray I wyl nat ffaylle ;
And wher I hurtii wft/< my darte,
Yt ys ful hard ffor1 to departe ['ffro me St.] 13316
Wit/t-outen harm ffro my dauwger,
Whom-eue/-e I marke, ffer or ner,
I dar yt swern (in verray sothe)
By myn hed ykempt so smothe.'
The pylgrym:
" Syth thow art kempt so sotylly
And arrayed so ffrcsshely,2 [« ffressheiy st., ffresshiy c.]
As thow sayst in thy« language,
Why hydestow thy vysage 13324
That I may nat clerly yt3 se? [»yto>». st.]
ffor som deceyt I trowe yt be."
Venus'* t [» In Slowc's hand, Venus S'.] [Stowe, lent' 434, back]
' \Vher-eue/-e that I repay r,
13312
say§ I shall
lr;n II the
reason of her
attack on me.
I cannot
escape her
durt.
13320 [leaf 203]
1 ask lirr why
she hides her
face.
Old Veniii.
362 The hulcqis Face aiul JtoiriJile Haunts of Old Venus.
Old re
ltec*:iutie she
isn't fair.
She has guy
KOWMS but
wrinkled
rli.vVs ;\\\<\
in liicleouo.
>ler face Is
hidden, bc-
cnti8e »tie in
nut lair,
and hv-
i| ih-nts i|;ii k
1 1 i-n •»•.-.
[Cap. iv. 4H,
)>ro»c.]
sliu riilea a
liorsc.
sin- lives in
horrible
jilanjs like t
in lun_- and
clay.
uiul tlierefore
wears a
mask,
' Trusts wcl, I am nat ffayr ; 13328
And yiff I hadde grot fayrnesse,
I wolde nut hyde yt in dyrkuesse.
And thogh that I be kempt1 ryht wel, ['kept St.]
Yt ue sueth neueradel 13332
That I am ffayr, for in array,
Thogh that I be queynte awl gay,
I am ryht foul for to beholde ;
My chekys llympled ami ryht Okie, 13330
And ful hydous, (yt ys no nay)
Awl mor horryble than I dar say.
' And tlicr-for be ryht wel ccrtuyn,
I hyde me that I be nat seyn, 13340
And holde me euere in placys dyrke,
Go by cornerys that l>e myrke ;
And I ne haue no mane;1 syth- [! «ysiii« St.]
At mydday whan the sojtne ys bryht 13344
In hys spere fill hili aloffte ;
And I me putte in pcreil oit'te,
Yiff thow knewii my passages,
Placys off my gret outrages 13348
Wych I vse, trusts me,
Thor-off thow woldest astonyd be :
' I Kyde vp-on A cursyd hors,
I trowc nowher be no wore ; 13352
ffor placys that be most peryllous,
Most horryble and hydons,
Most dredful and most vnsure, [stowe, leaf is:.]
Ther I logge, off nature : 13350
Thys my custom, day be day,
As a so who, in donge and clay,
Ther ys my lust most to dwelle ;
I am mor ffoul than I kan telle : 1 3360
Rylit foul I am in abstracto : S""!u«"u,« a''vw">?i'e"" Ait"'"
But yet mor ffoul in Concrete ••» "SjjfirtS^.
I am holde, a thowsand Hold ;
And, therfor, as I ha told,
I bor thys wonderful peynture, 13305
Thys ffalse vysage, thys ffigure,
Off enteut, in euecy place,
,
alistraliitKr ub allHi, q«i;i
cr<-tiun esl roBpcc'.u
St., am. C.
to hide lier
liiiteous face.
smearing it
with \vliitc
le;ul, ceruse,
or 'popping.
wliieli makes
wrinkles in
it.
Old Venus paints her face. She looks out for Pilijriins. 363
'ffor to shrowde thcr-wtt// my fface, 13368 <K.I iv««..
And my ffeturys ffor to hyde,
That men espyen in no syde
My scornyng- nor my mokerye, —
In ffrench ycallyd 'Farderye' 13372
And in ynglyssh, off old wiytyng,
Ys ynamyd ek ' poppyng ' —
Wych, whaw ffolkys ffatt in age,
Makcth Eyvelys in the vysage, 13376
And large ffrowncys1 I ensure. [' m-owncy* st.j
' And, also, ageyn nature,
I make ffolkys ffor to dome
By crairt outward, my sylff to seme 13380
tfayrere than etiece that I was,
To looke in merour or in glas.
' Also my condiciouw
Ys to walkyn vp and dou«, 13384
Now in towne, now in the field ; [su>»-e, leafiss, ijackj
In O place I abyde seld,
But yt be by swych a fortune2 p Founne si.j
"\Vher my lust I may parfounne; 13388
I menu, placys off dyffame,
Wych, to reherse, ys gret shame;
Wher-off my clerk, off whom I told
Hath yseyd lyk as he wolde,
Spekynge ful outragously,
And gaff Exauwple ffynally
tt'or to spoke off dyshoneste,
Off entent (as thow mayst so)
Out off my slep me to awake,3
In a-wayt, I sholdii take
Pylgryines that walke by the way,
Hem tarcste, and make affray, 13400 *
Off fforce don;* hem bowe liyr chyne,
And tobeye my doctryne.
' He wende I hadde ben a-slepe ;
But the weyes I do kepe 13404
Nyht and day, (yt ys no les ;)
And I am nat rekkelcs,
But hem areste in euery place, tliey'I"'
Venus is al-
ways on the
move,
in town or
country,
in places of
ill repute.
13392
13396
[3 to wake C., tawuke St.]
She'n ever on
the Wiitrh to
tiike in 1MI-
364 Venus' s Officers : Riyx, Incest, Adultery, Sodomy.
OM ream.
None esva|ie
her save by
flight.
TAf Pifffrim.
[Cap. iii. 49,
pro«e.J
I ask to see
her Otftcei'8.
OM
[Slowe, leaf !.•)«:
The names of
hrr officers
are
liaptus,
[leaf *ll, l)k.]
ravishing
wuinen ;
Si uprum,
rapo of
Vilnius;
,
of one's kin ;
Ailillh'rimn,
with wives ;
Sodomy shall
nut be iKuncil.
[I in St.]
These are
dangerous
to practice.
' Wher-so-euere that tliey pace ;
Thcr skapeth noon, day nor nyht,
But yiff yt Ixs only by fflyht ;
I may nat ffaylle', ffer nor ner,
Yiff myw offycerys done ther dever.'
The pylgrym:
Thamie quod I / " I pray the
Lat me sen hem, what they be ;
But I leue, in myn entent,
That they be nat her present."
Venus :
' ffor sothe, I haue hew her wttA me,
But I \vil nat shewe hem the ;
Yet neue/'theles, yiff thow wylt dwelle,
Tlie namys off hem I shal tellc :
Tlie ffyrste callyd ys ' raptus,'
The tother 'stupruw,' And next, ' Incestus,'
The ffourthc, ' Adulteriu/**,'
Tlie fByffthe, ' Fornicact'ouw.'
'Raptus ffor'-soth (by descryvyng,)
Ys ycallyd ' Ravysshyng
Off woMtmen ' (who so taketh hedu),
A Synue gretly for to drede.
' And stupruw (wj't/(-oute weue,)
Ys off maydenys that be cleiie.
' ' Incestus ' ys a synue in dede,
A man to taken hys kynrede.
' The ffourthe ys ' avout[e]rye '
Wtt/« wyve's by ffoul lecherye.
' Another ther ys, wych for me
Shal nat here rehersyd be,
Nor told, in no mauer wyse,
Wych houeth 2 ynowh to suffyse ;
And yt shal nat tfor me be wyst,
Vnderstond yt as ye3 lyst.
' Ech by hyw sylff ys vycyous,
And to vse, fful perillous ;
I wyl nat telle hem out at al.
But to swych (in especyal)
As dwelle \ilUi rue, yuug and old,
15408
13412
13116
13420
13424
13128
13432
13436
[J hawethe St.]
[Stowe, Ie:if236, bai-k]
[>theSt.] 13440
13444
Venus threatens me. Gluttony, a Bmcd, sells lire Flesh. 365
' And be wt't/i-holde in my« houshold ;
Yet I dar make descripci'ouw ;
They be ffoul off condici'oim,
Off simp, off ffounne, I the ensure,
And ryht lothsom off ffygure.
1 With hem I marke many On,
Pylgrymes that by the weye l gon ;
The2 may skapen on no syde.
' And be ek war, yiff thow abyde,
A-mong other, I slial th6 smyte,
In abydyng yiff thow delyte ;
Or thow must be in thy ffleyng,
Swyfft as A tygre in rennyng,
But, ffor al tliat, I dar say,
I shal nat faylleu off my pray,
ffor al thy fflyht. wliyl glotonye
Hath power the ffor to gnye,
Al kommeth to my subieccfouw,
Wlier she hath domyiiacioun.'
The pylgrym:
" I may yive credence wel her-to,
flbr glotonye me toldts so,
That thow or she, selde or neuenj,
Lyst a-sonder to dysseuere.
But, as ffer as I kan lere,
Ye ben to-gydre ay yffere :
She causeth ffyrst, in substauwce,
That I off the hauo acqueyntauwce."
Thanne glotonye fful redyly
Answerdu, that was faste by,
Glotonye :
' Yiff thow me calle, in sothnesse,
Lyk as I am, A Bocheresse,
Or in ffrench (who loke wel)
I am callyd a ' Makerel,'
Whos offyce (to specefye,)
Ys in ynglysshe ' bauderye ; '
And lerue, (ffor conclusions, )
That ys verrayly my surnoiiH ;
ffor, (the soth yiff I shal telle,)
13448
13452
[« They St.]
13456
marks Pil-
^i it us by
tliexe Officers
of hers,
and will smite
me too unless
1 flee.
13460
[leaf 205]
She is leagued
with Glut-
tony.
134C4
[Stowe, leaf S.17]
The Pitgrim.
I believe thin,
134C8
as (ilntlony
ftrflt told me
of Venus.
13472
13476
13480
Gluttony.
Gluttony says
she is a
liutcheress,
whoM trade
is Bawdry :
306 Gluttony and Venus bind me hand and foot, like a Gulf.
Gtuttony.
she rel
flesh,
live
and gets
twice us much
for it as liny
other Kutflivr
does.
[leaf 205, Mi.]
Gluttony is
no fish, tlio'
she's enlii :i
Markeral.
[A liee liiiu.l,
Maifttefeau,
A slie Ituiid,
MiKIHfrelle.
— Sherwood.]
Mil
snys they
have me.
Tke filftrim.
Gluttony
seizes me hy
the throat.
Slie nnil
Venus hind
me hand and
foot
' Qnyk flessh I vse for to selle ; 13484
And yet (who vnderstondeth me)
I ha leniyd wel to sle
Mo bestys (in conclusions)
Tlian .iij.1 Bocheiys in som toun. [' three st.] 13488
But what fflessh euwe that I selle,
Mor money at tlie stalle I telle,—
Double (yiff I shal sey2 sotli,)— [> i sey the st.]
Than any other bocher doth ; [stowe. leaf 2:17, hack] 13)92
ffor wych, my name t[o] expresse3 _ p texprense c. st.j
Thow mayst me calle a ' bocheresse '
Or a bawde, ami no thyng lye,
That sclleth fftessh by bauderyo. 13496
' I am no ffyssh (who loke wel)
Tliogh I be callyd A ' makercl,'
Wych in ffrauwce ys a name
Off grot* sclawidre ami diffame ; [• urcte st., gret c.j 13500
And I shal lerne tlie, parcel
Off my crafft to knowe sonulel :
I liane abyde in soth to longe,
Tliogh my powerys be wonder stronge.' 13504
Venus : 5 [Blank in MS.] P «•. •>»• co
' Sothly,' <\uod Venus, ' thow seyst wel ;
]>ut ne dred the neueradel,
ffor, by the wordys that thow hast told,
We han on hym fful good6 hold, [«goodcst.] 13508
Wych shal tourne to no lape ;
ffor he may nat our handys skape,
Nor, out off our dauwgcr gon."
The Pilgrim:
And by the throte tluwiiic anoon 13512
Glotonye held me so ffaste,
To grou/(de almost that she me caste.
And Venus gan to neyen ner,
And, fful dredful off hyr cher, 13516
Gan ley to hand, me to cowfoimde.
And they han me so sore boumle, [sto«-e, leatsts]
Hand and ffoot, and leggys to,
I myghte nat mcne, to nor7 ffro ; F IMS St.] 13520
That I ilar afferme (and so.yn,
They tic me to the tail of Venus's sou; and teat & rob me. 367
13536
Who hadde al the maner seyn,)
I was lyk (he myghte ha told)
Tacalff1 wych sholde ha be sold [To a calf] 13524
In som market Haste by,
On stallys in the bochery.
In swych dysioynt they ladde me,
Myn Eyen cloos, I myghte nat se ; 13528
And for they wolde nat off me ffayl,
They bond me to a swyne's tayl,
I mene. the swyn off dame Venus,
fful dredtful and fful contagyous, 13532
[6 lines Hank in MS. for an Illumination.}
The wyche2 (by fful mortal la we) P wych c., which, stj
At hys tayl gan me to drawe,
And to brynge me vp on the wrak,
Thys ylke two that I off spak,
Venus, and ek Glotonye,
To shewe on me ther tyrantrye,
Gan bete on me, and bonehe sore.
And affter thys, they dyde more
They Kobbede me off my treasonr ;
And ffor that I ffond no socour
A-goyn ther myght, (as I ha told,)
Bothe my syluer and my gold ;
And nakyd they wolde ha spoyled me,
Nadde sothly O thyng be : 3 ' P y.bc st-;)
They sawli on komen ffaste by,
Vnwar, wz't/i a gret company ; 13548
And pleynly (as I koudij deme,)
A pylgrym he dyde seme,
And a gret lord (yt ys no nay)
By lyklylied off hys array. 13552
Venus : •» [Blank in MS.]
fyiod Venus tha«m:, ' by my wylle,
Lat hyw lyn a wliyle stylle,
Tyl we may, ffrom al dauwger,
Spoyllen hyw at bet leyser. 13556
' Her komcth on, me semcth now,
Wych ys mor lyldy ffor5 our prow, P to St.]
Wham we tweyne wyl nat ffnylle
The Pilgrim.
like a calf.
and fasten
me to the tail
of Venus's
swine,
[leaf 206]
which drags .
me about,
while Venus
and Gluttony
bent me
13540
[Stowo, leaf 238, back]
13544
ami rob me
of all my
money.
[* St., am. C.]
lint, some one
comes in
siKht, with „
Kreat com-
pany.
OM Vemii
tells Gluttony
to let me lie.
368 The Sow drags me thn the tmtd. The Newcomer is beaten.
while they
aiuail the
Newcomer.
The Pilgrim.
[Ieaf20«,bk.]
Venus and
Gluttony
leave me,
and the now
dr;nva me
through the
mud.
Vemi8 and
dhlMiinv
attiifk I In1
Newcomer,
:. KlViil l"ri1 i
beat him,
pull him to
the ground,
blindfold
him,
Htreteh him
on the bare
hide of a
Bumpier,
[stowe, leaf 239]
and bind him
fust.
[leaf SHY]
' flbr to spoyllen and assaylle ;
We wyl vs bothe putte in pres.'
[The Pilgrim:]
And \vhyl they leffte me thus in pes,
I koude make no declyn ;
So euere in On the cruel swyn
Me drowh out off the hill? way
Among the donge, among the clay,
At hys tayl, me to confounde,
To wych I was so sore bounde.
And whil I lay thus in dystresse,
A-noon I gan my« Eyen dresse
To be-holde how thylke tweyne
Wer dyllygent, and dyde her peyne,
The lord tassaylle, that I off spak ;
And made hym fyrst, fro horse bak,
Maugre hys myght, to lyhte doun ;
ffor, mercy nor remyssyou«
Ther was noon, on no party ;
They hyw beete fful cruelly ;
And by the throte they hyw took,
And pullyd hyw so that he shook,
Leyde hym lowe douw to grouwde ;
And hys Eyen so they bounde,
That he loste1 look and syht,
Hys force, hys power, ami hys myght.
And affter that, thogh he wer strong,
They gan strechche hyw forth along,
On a barhyde off A Somer,
Lyk a beste off A bocher,
Voyde off pyte and off shame.
And for he was a man off name
(Semynge, by hys contenaunce,)
Therfor they tooke mor vengauwce
Vp-on hym, and bounde hyw sore ;
And Venus swyu, \\iili brustlys hoore,
Drowh hym forth On the bar hyde
Endelong awl ek a-syde,
[6 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination
By brookys and by sloos fowle, [stowe.kafssi
13560
13564
13568
13572
13576
13580
13584
13588
13592
13596
]
The Newcomer is ill-treated and roU. Nobody helps him. 30!)
A-mong the clay they hym dyffoule ;
On hym they were so cruel,
The bar hyde halp 1 neueVadel ; [• i.aipe st.] 1 3600
ffor thys olde wekkys Uveyne
Gan hym cerche, awl ek constreyne ;
In eue?-y place they han hy« souht ;
They took hys good, they leffte hym noulit, 13604
And to hyw dyde gret disesse.
And to me yt was noon ese
To beholdyn and to se * <• st. <«,„„».« ,tete «„„.]
Tlier tyranye, ther cmelte ; * j 3gog
And tre w(e)ly 2 y t sat me sore, P trewiy c., st.]
That the folk I spak off yore
Halp nat hyr lord, but hyw forsook,
And, noon hed off hy»»3 they took, p hym <*,. st. 13612
But in hys mescheff lefft hyw sool ;
And lyk as he hadde ben a ffool,
They scorned hym, and hadde game,
And gan lawhen at hys shame ; 13616
[6 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
They halp hyw nouht, but leet hy-we.be
In hys grete aduersyte,
Markede hym in hys mescheff, cstowe, leaf s.oj
The Pilgrim.
roblwd and
cruelly used ;
his followers
leave him,
with st-orn.
Ther he lay bouxdeu as a theff,
Scornywge at hys bak behynde.
Arid swych folkys men may fynde
In many place (yiff yt be souht) ;
Whan a man ys to mescheff brouhfc,
And falle in-to aduersyte,
tful fewe frendys than hath he ;
At mescheff, they hym for-sake,
And but a lape off hy;/« they make,
Al be yt so, that they beforn
Wer supported and vp born
P.y hys lordshepe, in ther degre.
Whan he stood in prosperyte,
Than they wolde make hew strong,
To stonde -vtiih hy»» in ryht and wrong,
WM false tehestys (as I ha told,)
In al hys werkya make hym bold,
PILOBIJUGE.
13620
13624
13628
13632
13636
H B
[leaf 207, bk.]
Men often
thus forsake
their friends
in adversity.
370 Tho' bound, I try to reach the Hedge on the other side.
T*« Pilgrim.
Let no mnn
tnist to for-
tune.
I, bound,
rememlter
the hedge,
and li y to
reach it.
I draw near
the hedge,
[leaf 208]
which is full
of thorns,
and I pray
toUod.
That they wolde wt'tfi hym abyde
ffor lyfE or deth, on euery syde ;
But fynally, whan al ys do,
I ha wyst lordys deceyved so 13640
In dyvers centres, mo than on,
Whan ther ffrenshepys wer agon.
Lat no man trusten on ffurtuue,
Wych seldc, in on, lyst to coutune. 13644
And thus thys man, brouht to the poynt,
Stood allone in swych dysioynt,
And in gret mescheff, as dyde I ; [su>we,ie»f8io, back]
ffor, Venus and Glotony 13648
In swych mescheff hadde hyw brouht,
That off hys lyff he rouhte nouht,
tfor liys grete aduersyte.
But than I gan remewbre me 13652
As I lay bou«den in the place,
I wolde assayen ffor to pace
The hegh, that was so thykke and strong,
Off wych I tolde, nat go fful long ; 13656
And for mor esc and sofftenesse,
I thouhte I wolde my sylucw dresse
To the path on the tother syde ;
ffor, wher as tho I dyde abyde, 13660
Me sempte the place peryllous,
Bothe dredful1 and dotoUS. [' Lothe dredefulle St.]
I gan a-noon to neyhen ner
To- ward the hegh, anil her ami ther 13664
I gan consydren in my mynde,
Yiff I myghte an hoole ffynde
To pace by, that wer nat thykke
fful off thorn ys me to prykke, 13668
Al thys I gan consydre and se,
Swych routhe I hadde, and pyte,
A-mong the sharpe busshys alle,
That my body sholde falle 13672
In any dau?«ger or damage,
Yiff I passede 2 that passage ; p passed* St., possede c.]
Prayde god, for hys pyte,
ffrom swych harm to saven me ; 13676
/ am caught and bound. I see a hideous old Hag, Sloth. 371
ffor I stood in fful gret dred, [stows, leaf su]
Lyk a bryd that kan no Eed,
Wych, in hyr gret mortal ffer,
Loketh her, and loketh ther, 13680
And for dred begyraneth quake,
Whan she ys in the panter take,
Or engluyd with bryd-lym,
Al hyr ffethrys fful off slym, ] 3684
Or vnwarly, in heth or holt,
Ys y-slayn wt'tA arwe or bolt,
Whil she ys besy to escape,
The ffoulere kan hyr so be-Iape. 1 3688
Eyght so fferd I, al out off loynt,
Brouht vn-to the same poynt ;
But ' who that wyl nat whaw he may,
He ys a fool, (yt ys no nay,) 13692
And he ne shal nat whaw he wolde.'
ffor why! I stood and gan be-holde
Now her now ther, ami for ffer shake,
Vnwarly, by the fleet ytake, 1309(5
I was bou?iden, and forth lad,
That for fer I was nyfi mad,
And knew nat what was best to do ;
But, amyd off al my wo, 13700
I sawh a wekke,1 Old and hydous, [i vekkest.]
Off look and cher ryht monstrous,
Pyled and seynt as any kaat, [c.& st.]
And moosy2-heryd as a raat. [«m<«.yst.] 13704
[6 lines Ua.uk in MS. for an Illumii/afum.]
And thys wekke3 (as I was war) p vekkest.] [stmve.ir. 211,1,1-.]
Vnder hyr Arm, an Ax she bar,
Lych a bocher that wyl slen
Crete bestys, and aff ter ffleen, 1 3708
And sythen put hem to larder.
Lyk swych a womman was liyr cher ;
ffor bestys at ther ffeet be-hynde,
With a corde she dyde bynde, 13712
And cordys ek (as I was war)
Gret plente, on hyr Arm she bar,
And affter, wit/t hyr owne hond,
The Pilgrim.
I am in great
fear,
like a bird
eaiijjht with
lime.
As I stare
about,
I am seizd
and bound.
I sec an old
Wekke or
[leaf 208, bk.]
Hag.
witli an axe
under lier
arm,
and ropes on
372 The hag Sloth seizd me because I cald her ' old.'
THe Pi/urim.
She hinds
me by the
feet.
I ink tin-
ugly old
tiiinu' why
she attackt
me unaware
Strongly by the ffeet me bond ;
In the knotte ther was no lak ;
And thamie thus to hyr I spak :
[loaf 200]
The Hag
Stuttt.
Sloth says
she is no
falcon.
inn will be
free.
I Khali not
escape lier.
She seizil me
because I cald
iuT Old.
13716
['» Stowe's hand, pylgrym St.]
" 0, thow Okie Ryvelede whyht !
ffoul ami owgly off thy syht ! 13720
Why artow, off thy cruelte,
Kome vnwarly thus on me,
ffals, and a traytour in werkyng,
And spak no word in thy koniyng? 13724
I wot, by tooknes off thy fface,
Thow kam neuere out off no good place,
Nor, thogh thow haddest the Reuers sworn,
I wot that thow wer neuer born 13728
OS no good moder, out off drede.
And as touchynge thy kynrede,
Be thyre array (yt semetli wel) [stowe, leaf 212]
I shold yt preysen neueradel. 13732
file fforth thy way, and cast the bondys
That thow beryst, out off thyw hontlys."
[Sloth]:
Quad she, (as in conclusi'ou/i)
' I am no Gerfawk nor fawcoiw, 1373G
Nouther sparhawk nor Emerlyoiw,
Nor lyk to thy?i oppynyou» ;
Clies nor bellys, nyh nor ffere,
To be boiiHde I wyl nat bore ; 13740
ffor, al fire, wtt/i-oute charge,
My lust ys for to gon at large.
Slollthe. [In Stowe's hand, slowlhe St.]
'Trust me wel, bothe hih ami lowe, 13743
By ffeyth that I my ffader howe,1 [> ffiider owe St., ffiuic howe c.]
Thow shalt nat (wha« al ys do,)
ffro my dauwger escape so ;
But thow shalt, for al thy pryde,
Ben arestyd, and abyde, 13748
Be cause thow hast ben so bold
To calle me ' stynkynge and old ; '
And causeles thus blamyd me,
Wych haue in many a place be, 13752
13756
[Stowe, leaf 242, b:u-k]
13764
[« St., am. C.J
13768
3 St., out. C.J
Sloth's Master is the Chief Butdier of Hell.
' In somer caul in wynter shours,
In chauwtbrys off thys Emperours,
Off kynges, dukys, (who lyst sek,)
And off grete' bysshopys ek,
Off abbotys, pryours, and prelatys,
And many other grete cstatys,
Wych neuer was (to ther semynge)
Callyd Oldi:1 nor stynkynge, [> oi.tc St., out c.]
Wher-off I wyl avenge me ;
But yiff thow the strenger be,
And nior off power, than am I.
I shal the veni[iiysshe cruelty.'
The Pylgrym2:
Than off hyre I gan enquere,
That she wolde me pleynly lore,
Awl declare, by short avys,
Bothe hyr name and hyr offys.
Slouthe3 :
'The trouthe,' yiff I shal the telle,
' Wi't/t a mayster I do dwelle.
ffel ami vnkouth off hys cher,
And ys off hello cheff Boocher ;
And with thys corde (yt ys no drede)
Al pylgrynies to hy»» I lede,
As thys Bocherys don a bcste.
•Swych as I may in soth areste,
I bynde hem by the feet echon ;
And I ha lad hym many on,
And yet I hope' that I shal,
And thy sylff in especial ;
Truste wel, for haste nor rape,
Thow shall not fro my daiwgcr skape.
' But ffyrst off aH I shal me spcde,
To thylke place the to lede ;
ffor I am she (my name ys spronge)
That lye a bedde \\iik ffolkys yonge,
And make heni tourne to and ffro ;
I4 close her Eyen bothe two,
I make hem slepe, dreme ami slombre,
Yonge folkys out off nouwbre ;
13772
13776
[Stove, lent 213]
13780
13784
13788
373
She lus N'l'ii
amotiK king?
and noble*
13760
aiul will )>e
avengd on
me for abus-
ing her.
I enquire
her name and
office.
[leaf 209. bk.1
Sloth.
Her Master
i8 Hi.' chief
H ut rlier of
Hell.
Sue leads ;tll
pilgrims to
liitn.
nn<l intends
to lead me.
She lies in
IT. I with
young folk,
and niiikes
em slumber;
374 Sloth works ly the Raven's ' eras,' to-morrow, puttiny-o/.
Sloth
till his nhip
is wrei-kt.
She makes
brambles
grow in
gardens.
[leaf 210]
She goes by
the Raven's
crat (to-
morrow),
and puts
everything
off.
Her name is
Sl.nh,
or Idleness,
or Heaviness.
' I make the Maryner fful ffast
Lyu awl slepe vnder the mast, 13792
Tyl hys vessel, by sora cost,
lie ydrownyd and ylost ;
I broke al hys gouemaylle,
By costys, wher as he doth saylle ; 13796
And myd off many straurage se,
The wrak ys maad only by me.
ffor lak, in soth, off governaunce,
I cause that al goth to meschau«ce, 13800
Ther loodmawage, ther sttuff, ther wynes.
' I cause also that, in gardynys,
(Who so lyst to looke aboute,)
That bremblys, netlys, fful gret route, 13804
Wexe and encresse round a rowe,
And many1 weedy s that be nat sowe ; [' in many St.]
And for tamende hem, day be day,
I putte yt euere in-to delay ; 13808
ffor I lemede, syth go fful long, [stnwe, leaf MS, bock]
The maner off the Rauenys song,
Wych by delay (thys the eas)
Ys wont to synge ay ' craas, craas ;' 13812
That song I kepe wel in my thouht,
Thys lessoutt, I forgete yt nouht ;
My custom ys ek, what I may,
Al thyng to puttyn in delay ; 13816
And, myn vsage off Okie2 dilate, [» oide St., old c.]
What I shal done, to don yt late ;
Wherfor off ryght (to seyn the trouthe)
My name ys ycallyd ' slouthe ' ; 13820
ffor I am slowh caul eucombrows,
Haltynge also, and Gotows,
Off my lymes crampysshywge,
Maymed ek in my goyuge, 13824
Coorbyd,3 lyk ffolkys that ben Old, p c.wbyd St.]
And afowndryd ay w/t/t cold ;
On ech whedyr, I putte blame,
And, ther-fore, Slouthe ys my name, 13828
Off custom callyd ' Ydelnesse.'
' Thow mayst me calle ek ' hevynesse,'
Sloth's Elijah-Axe. Her Ropes, Sloth and Negligence. 375
' ffor what thyng etier that I se, «'<"*
Shortly yt dysplescth me, 13832
And, tlier-off no tale I telle,
ffor, I am the same Melle
That tourneth ay and grynt ryht nouht,
Save waste vp-on myn ownb' thouht; 13836
With Envye my sylff I were,
And ther-for, thys ax I here ;
Off wych Ax the name ys ryff, [atom, fear MI]
' Werynesse off A manhys lyff,' 13840
As thus, for verniy slogardy,
A man for slouthe ys wery.
'Thys Ax (the byble wyl nat lye) [c.&st.]
Made the prophote Helye, „ 13844 ;•«;
Whan he fHedde out off Bersabee, „
Twye's slumbre vnder a tre
Callyd lunypre,1 wher he slop ; [> lunypere St.]
But an Auregel (or he took kep) 13848
Pookede hyw, and made hy>« ryse.
' Wyth thys Ax, in the same wyse,
Clerkys I do ther reste take
At ther book, whan they sholde wake, 13852
The pelwe to lyn vnder ther lied,
ffor slouthe hevyere than led,
And ffor they be soget to me, — 13855
The trowthe theroff thow mayst se, — [St., u»e tiana m c.]
Be no ropys mad at Clervaws
(ffor they wer makyd at Nervaws)
The ton off hem (to seye3 trouthe) [2 »ey c., st.j
By name ys ycallyd ' Slouthe,' 1 860
And the tother (in sentence)
Ys ynamyd ' Neclygence,'
Strong to bynden and enbracc,
And ther hertys for to lace ; 13864
Wyth wych, throtys, sore I bynde,
That they ha nouther wyl nor mynde,
But for neclygence spare,
To the prest for to declare 13868
Ther trespace by deuocyoiw [stowe, leaf 214, back]
Lowly in confessi'oun.
is a M 11 that
Illl IIS, but
doesn't
grind.
Her axe
[leaf 210, hk.]
•ti-
led i iv the
ii-ophet
Elijah
wben lie slept
under the
juni|>er tree
(1 Kinirs xix.
4-7).
She iiiiikcs
Clerks sleep
wlien they
nuould wake.
{Cistercian
Abbey, fil. by
SI. llernard.)
(? Nervieux.)
Her ropes are
u.lled Sloth
and N.'i-li-
gence.
she stops i. ill,
^.'uiiiu' U> run-
fussion.
376 Sloth's Ropes: 1. If ope of Long Life; 2. Foolish Fear;
sioih. ' I ber ek other cordys ffy ve ;
other scoras And ther namys to descryue : 13872
[8 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
[leaf sii] ' The f yrst ys ' hope ofi longe l lyff ,' [' longe st., long c ]
The first, Wych in thys world ys now fful ryff,
Hope of Long . 1 1 ?£.
Life. That causeth men, for lak oil grace,
To truste' that th62 shal ha space ['they St.] 13876
Longe ynowh, to telle ther errour,
Ther synne ek, to ther confessour.
The second, ' The secuude ys (who lyst take hed,)
2±!' Off clerkys callyd « ffoly dred,' 13880
which stops Wych, off ffoly, inaketh hem spare,
their'*!!!".8 The trouthe, outward to declare,
Ther synnes clerly to dyscure.
' And they be lyk (I dar ensure) 13884
To bryddys ffleyng in the hayr,
Wych dar nat haven ther repayr,
To touche nouther corn nor greyn,
They're like Be cause only that they ha seyn 13888
cm! by a A Shewelys3 enarmyd in the field p image, scarecrow]
With bowe ay bent, wt't/i spere or sheld,
To ffleyen hew fro ther pasture, —
Wych ys but A ded ffygure, 13892
An apparence, and noon harm doth ;
The wych resembleth wel (in soth)
To a prest, in hys estaat,
A confessour or a curaat, [su>we, ieaf2i.vj 13896
Swych as han lurediccioure
ffor to here confessioun ;
And trewly, what they here or se,
They muste be niwe't and secre, 13900
Ther tonge may tellyw out no thyng ;
They won't ffor they be dowmb in ther spekyng,
As an ymage wrouht off Tre or ston ;
Ouht to seyu, power ha they noon ; 13904
They may here, but no thyng declare ;
ffor wych, folk sholde no- thyng spare
confess their To tellyn out ther synnes and offence
To ther curatys wyth humble reuerence, 13908
[leaf 211, bk.] And gaste hem nouht by noon oppynyouw
3. Shame ; 4. Hypocrisy ; 5. Despair. Hell's Hangman. 377
' To shewyn pleynly ther confessi'ouw ;
ffor goode prestys (who so taketh lied)
In ther kepyng haven greyn ami bred, 13912
Bred off lyff, sed ek off scyence,
And goostly ffoode ek off elloquence,
Hys sogetys fructuously1 to ffeede ^K^^ff
Wt't/t doctrine wha« that they ha node. 13916
' The thrydde Corde ys ycallyd ' Shame,'
Causynge A man, he dar nat attanie
To tellyn out hys ffautys, nor expresse,
Only for dred and ffor shamfastnesse. 13920
' The ffourthe corde callyd ' Papyllardio,'
Wych ys a mane/- off ypocrysie ;
Wolde ben holden mor hooly tha;; he ys,
Dar nat telle (whan lie hath don amys) 13924
Hys grete ffautys in confession/* [stowe, leaf sw, back]
Lyst hys curat kauth2 oppynyoim [« kaugiite st.]
Ageyns hy»i, ffor hys gret offence ;
Vnder colour off feyned Innocence, 13928
Kcpeth cloos, and doth the trouthe spare,
Tyl he ffalle in the dewellys snare,
ffor shamfastnesse in confessiouw.
' The ffyffte corde ys ' Desperaciouw ' : 13932
Thys the Corde, pleynly, and the laas,
Wyth wych whilom hangyd was Itidas
Whan he hadde traysshed cryst ihe<ni ;
Wych corde ys ffer ffrom aH vertu, 13936
Off vyces werst (shortly for to telle) ;
ffor he that ys hangemau off helle,
Wi'tA the corde off despe/nciouw
Hangeth aH (in conclusion?*) 13940
ffolk endurat1' in ther entente, t3 indurat st.]
That dysespeyre, and wyl nat repexte,
Neuer in thys world whyl they ben alyve.
' And w/t/t thys cordys, that be in nou/«bre ffy ve,
I shal don al my besy peyne, 13945
Yiff that I may, thy throte to restreyne,
Hale the fforth, ami no longer d\velle
liy the way wych ledeth vn-to helle.' 1394»
[The Pilgrim]:
Slotli.
Her third
cortl ia
Shame.
The fourth.
' Hyixx'ri»ie,
or outwnrd
shew of re-
ligion, n
counterfeit-
ing of xeale
in religion.
Paptfanlit.'
(Cotgrave.)
Tlie litlh,
Despair,
with wliich
Jtulits wan
hanged.
Hull's hang-
mail hangH
nil folk who
d.'s|.:iir and
won't repent.
With these
rope*, Slotli
'II haul me
olt
[leaf 212]
378 Sloth binds me worse. A white Dove frees me. I see Pride.
TIUS pilgrim. And affter thys, by hyr grete sloyhte,
And hyr Ax that was so gret off wheyhtc,
Wotn smites Lyk a theff And A ffals ffeloiw,
•"."" She smot me so that I fyl a-douw ; 13952
[8 lines Uank in MS. far an Illumination.}
ffor I ne hadde power nouther myght, [stowe, leaf 246)
On my ifeet for to stonde vp ryht.
binds me And affter that, f ul sore she me bond
bonds, "With the cordys that were in hyr hond : 13956
Over my« throte, ffyrst she gan hem caste,
And knette hem affter wonder straight and ffaste ;
and begins to And ffro the hegli, by hyr mortal la we,
[' Cruelly she gan me for to drawe, 139CO
Whcr-off I felte gret anoy and greff,
Lyk taffalle1 in-to gret mescheff ' (to have Mien; to faiie St.]
And gret dystresse, only nadde be
But a wiiito A whyht dowhe, wych tint I sawh fle 13961
dove releases , •, |
me, To-ward hegh, wych my cordys brak,
And Ellys hadde I sothly go to wrak ;
But she was sent vn-to me by grace,
Me to socoure in the same place. 13968
And whan I sawh that I was vubouwle,
ami breaks The cordys brak, that wer gret and rouwde,
Vp on my fleet I gan me for to dresse ;
And as I myghte (for vcrray werynesse), 13972
To-ward the hegh I wende ha gon ful ryht ;
i see two But ther I sawh, ff ul owgly off ther syht,
Two that wern to me ful contrayre,
And to my purpos gretly aduersayre, 13976
[leaf sij, bk.] At the pendant off an hyl doun lowe ; [c.&st.]
one carrying And on off hem (as I koude knowe) „
tlieotber T v
putty one in my beholdyng (lyk as I was war; „
)ierrlnLk°." Vp-on hyr nekke, she the tother bar ; „ 13980
And she that was vp-on the bak yborn), [sto»-e,ieafit«,bk.]
Was gretly bolle and yswolle afora,
And in hyr hand she bar a staff ff ul rou«d,
Wych whilom Grew on A werray2 grouwd. ['wan-ysi.j
[8 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
o,,e pride) And off hyr look (in rnyn inepeccyouH) 13985
is like a lion. „ .
She was lyk to a fiers lyou«,
Pride described. She bids me yield to her.
379
And hornyd ek as an vnycorn ;
And in hyr hand also she bar an horn, 13988
And lyk a skryppe (ek affcrme I dar)
A peyre belwys aboute hyr nekke she bar;
And she hadde On (as was hyr delyt)
On hyr shuldres, A mantel large off whyt, 13992
A peyre off spores poynted (soth to say)
Lyk the bek off a sonier lay,
Shewyng out that she was maystresse
Vn-to hyre that was hyr porteresse, 1 3996
I raene, tholde1 that bar hyre on hyr bak, [> the olde St.]
Whos clothyng was shapyn lyk a sak.
But she that rood, off whom I2 tolde, pist. to-ibm ic.]
Maade the tother3 lede hyr wher she wolde; 14000
And she that bar, (ye shal vnderstonde,) i* = ur other]
Held a largo merour in hyr bond,
Hyr owgly ffeturys to beholde awl so. [« to om. St.]
And than I gan a-noon to4 remewbre me, 14004
Seyde, " alias ! what hap haue I, or grace !
AH they that I mete in thys place,
Ben olde, echon, to-forn and ek be-hynde ; [st.*c.]
I am gretly astonyd in my mynde ; [stowe, leaf 247] 14008
They wyl me slen, thorgh som dysa venture,
Or me Outrage, I shal yt nat recure ; "
ffor she that rood vp-on the olde a-forn,
I herde a-ffer, how she blew hyr horn, 14012
And ffaste gan affter me to ryde,
To me sayde, as I stood a syde,
The Olde Pride : 5 P st, »«.c.]
' Yeld the ! ' quod she in al hast to me,
Or thow shalt doye ; yt wyl noon other be." 14016
The Pylgrym:6 [«st.,<»».c.j
" What artow," qiwd I to that olde ;
" Wenystow I so sone sholde
Yelde me, and knowe nat thy name,
Wt'U-outc mor? in soth I wer to blame; 14020
Thyn offyco ek, and also thy power,
Or that I me yelde prysowner."
Pride : T p pn<ie st. iu stowe's hand c.j
' Vnderstond wel ffyrst, and se,
The Pilgrim.
Pride is
horned like a
unicorn,
mid has spurs
as sharp as ;i
jay's beak.
She's mis-
tress of the
woman who
carries her,
and holds a
large mirror
in her hand.
[leaf 2 18]
I am in great
dread, us I
think they'll
kill me.
OM Pride
bids me
yield.
The Pilfjrim.
I ask her
iiiiine and
office.
Watt bred iu
Heaven.
Her father
WaS I.HI'lIrl,
who was ciiftt
down to hell,
[leaf 21.1, bk.]
[Stowe, leaf l»7, back]
14029
i. Ouum St.
14033
14036
14039
380 Pride was Lucifer's Daughter. She ntind Adam.
frhie ' And wyte yt wcl, that I am she 14024
OflE a» Oldo sothly the Eldest :
Why loin, in hevone I hadde a nest ;
And ther I was Eyred and yleyd,
And engcndryd ek (as yt ys seyd),
Thogh yt be hih", and hennys ffer.
' My ffader was ynaniyd Lucyfer ;
Off bryd ther was neuer (in-to thys day)
In bussh nor braiwche leyd swych an Ey ;
ffor aff ter tyme that I Eyred was,
Wyth thys belwys (trowly thys the caas)
I blewe ther so horryble a blast,
That my ffader was a-noon doiw cast
ff roni that hih hevenly mansion;*,
In-to helle cast fful lowe douw :
To-fforn lie was a bryd ful cler awl bryht,
And passyngly ffayr vnto the1 syght, [' to the St., bunt c.j
Noble, gentyl, anil also ek mor clcr
Tlm/t Phobus ys in hys mydday spcr ;
But now ho ys bhik, and mor horryblo
Than any deth, also mor terry ble.
' And shortly ek (in conclusion?*)
Wit/t my ffader I was also cast douw,
In-to thys Erthe douw ful lowe ;
And ther I sawh awl dydc knowc
On ymad fill fressh off fface,
ffor to restore a-geyn my place ;
The wych, whan I dyde espye,
At \\yrn I hadde gret envyc,
And cast* that I wolde assay
ffor to lette hy»i off hys way.
And w/t/i-Inne a lytel throwe,
I took my l)elwys, and gan bio we,
And made on hywt so fel a suit,
I made liy»i Etyn off the frut
Wych was dyffendyd hywi (certeyn) [sio«e, leaf 248]
Off hys lord, cheff and souereyn ; 140GO
Wher-for he was (after my devys,)
Affter chacyd out olf paradys ;
Ther he loste hys avau«tage. .
and nlie willi
him.
On earth she
saw Adam,
14044
14018
14052
14056
tempted him,
and made
him eat the
fruit,
for which
lie was driven
out of
Paradise.
Pride breeds Discord, War, Blood-shed. Sh.c will rule all. 381
' Thus wrouht I ffyrst in my yong age : 14064
And day be day I ne cessede nouht
Tyl I hadde gret llama's xvrouht ;
ffor yt am I, both nyh and ferre,
That make A-mong gret lordys, werre ; 14068
I cause al dissenci'oiws,
Dyscord nwl indygnoc'iouns,
And make hum, by ful gret envye,
Everych other to dyffye ; 14072
ffor I am leder and maystresse,
Cheventayne and guyderesse,
Bothe off werre awl off bataylle.
I make off plate' and of maylle 14076
Many devyses, mo than on ;
And to rekne hew euerychon,
Yt wolde douw but lytel good.
' I causedc ffyrst, shedyng off blood ; 14080
I ffond vp fyrst, devyses newe,
Rayes off many sondry hewe ;
Off short, off long, I ffond the guyse ;
Now straight, now large, I kan devyse, 14084
That men sholdo, for syngulerte,
Beholde and lokyn vp-on me.
I wolde be holden ay sanz per,
And by my syluew synguler ; [stowe. leaf 248. back] 14088
I wolde also that, off degre,
Ther wer noon other lyk to me ;
Yiff any dyde me resemble,
Myn herte' wolde for Ire tremble, 14092
Ityve atwo almost for tene.
' What euere I sey, I wyl sustenc,
Be yt wrong or be yt ryht ;
And I wyl ek, off verray myght, 14096
Be cheff mayster aboue eclion :
Other doctryne kepe I noon.
' I hate also, in my» entent,
Good consayl and avysement, 14100
And overmor, thus ys yt,
I preyse noon other ma/thys1 wyt, p nw»iiy> St.]
But myn owno, what so be-fallo,
Site cnimes
diBcord und
w;ir and
battle,
[lenfSli]
nnd hicitcil
the Hrxt
slieililtHK of
I] 00,1.
She will he
held peel-leas.
nnd be every
one's waster.
She hates
good counsel
and advice.
382 Pride's Contempt of others, and love of Flattery.
Nothing is to
be done or
said, save by
her.
[leaf 214, bk.]
She thinks
all other folk
Asses.
But site re*
fiiRea praise,
by way of
mockery,
saving it's :i
joke;
but this is
only sham
humility
to make folk
flutter her
more.
She leaps for
joy on hear-
ing flattery.
' ffor that I holde best off alle ; 14104
And me seuieth that I kan
Mor than any other man ;
Ther-wit/i I am ek best apayd,
No thyng ys wel douw nor wel sayd, 14108
By noon off hih nor lowh degre,
But yiffi yt be only by me
Gouernyd al, to my delyt ;
And ek I wolde ha gret despyt, 14112
ffor bothe in hopen and in cloos
I wolde be preysed, and ha the loos ;
ffor I wolde no man wer preysed, [c. & St.]
"Worshepyd, nor hys honour rcysed, „ 14116
But I allone, mor ne lasse ; [ston-e, leaf M9]
ffor I holde ech man an Asse
Saue I, wych, a-boue ech on,
Am worthy to haue the prys allone. 14120
' And sothly yet, whan men me preyse,
Or -with laude myw honour reyse,
Outward I do yt al denye,
And soy 'yt ys but mokerye 14124
That they so lyst my prys avau»ice ;
I sey I ha no suffysaimce
Lyk to her oppynyouw,
To haue swych cowmeudacioure :' 14128
And al thys thynges 1 expresse,
To shewe a maner of meknesse
Outward, as by apparence,
Thogh ther be noon in existence. 14132
I wit/t-seye hem, and swere soore,
Off eutent that, mor and more
They sholde myw honour magnefye
To-for the peple by flaterye,1 [' flaterye. flatry c.] 14136
Taferme off2 me, bothe for and ner, [!on St.]
That my wyt ys synguler.
' And whan I here ther flatrynges,
Ther grete bost, ther whystlynges, 14140
ffor verray loy I hoppe and dauwce,
I ha ther-in so gret plesauwce,
That, lyk a bladder, in ech cost
Pride looks fierce & grand; lut she's mere Bladder &Foam. 383
likes to sit on
n Chair of
Dignity like
[leaf 215]
When folk
obey her.
' I wex swolle with ther host, 14144 Priae
And thywke my place and my degre [stowe, leaf zio, back]
Muste gretly enhaiuisyd bej
And thynke yt sytteth wel to me
Tave a cheyre1 off dygnyte, pchayerst.] 14148
Lyk as I were a gret pryncesse,
A lady, or A gret duchesse,
Worthy for to were A Crowne.
'And whaw I se Round envyrouwe, 14152
ffolk me Obeye on euery part,
I resemble a ffers lyppart ;
Off port, off2 cher, I-rous ami ffel , [» and St.]
And off my lookys ryht cruel 14156
I be-holde on hem so rowe,
And gynne to lefftcn vp the3 browe [Jgyn ... my st.]
Off verray lndygnaciou«,
Off contenauHce lyk a lyotui, 14 ICO
As thogh I myghte the skye's bynd :
Al ys but smoke, al ys but wynd,
Lyk a bladdere that ys blowe,
Wych, wttfe-Inne a lytel throwe, 14164
Pryke yt wt't/i a poynt, a-noon,
And ffarwel, al the wynd ys gon,
That men ther-off may no thyng se.
' And lyk as foom amyd the se 14168
Ys reysed hihe \\iih a wawe,
And sodeynly ys efft wtt/i-drawe,
That men sen ther off ryht nowht,
Kyght so the wawe's off my thouht, 14172
By pryde reysed hih a-loffte,
Wt't/t vnwar wynd be chauwgyd offte.
' Ech ma»«hys ffawtys besyde me, [stowe, leaf tw]
Sane myn owne, I kan wel se ; 14176
But I parceyuc neueradel
Off no tliyng that they do wel.
' To alle scornerys, in sotlinesse,
I am lady and maystresse ; 14180
And off the castel off landown,
That off scomyng hath cheff renouH,
By Olde4 tyme (as men may sen) [« oUe st, old cj
she looks like
n Lion;
but it,'s only
a bladder : '
prii-k it. and
it collapses.
She seen all
men's faults,
not her own ;
and not their
good works.
Of the Castle
of Landou
384 Pride's Horn of Ci-uclty, and Bellows of Vain-glory.
priae. ' I was som tyme crownyd quen. 14184
she was But the propliete ysaye,
crowned
queen; Whan he dyde me espye,
ami cursed by He cursvde (off ful yore ago,)
1 311 tilll,
Bothe my crowne awl me also. v\Sk»oRcS;Sft) 14188
[leaf »iB,bk.] < My name ys, ' that wyl feynte
Euero to be nyce and queynte ' ;
And I am she (yt ys no dred)
The horn in That ber an horn in my forhed, 14192
notes cruelty. Wych ys ycallyd ' Cruelte,'
To hurte folk abonte me :
Off verray surquedy awl pryde,
I smyte and wynsc on euery syde ; 14196
Prest nor clerk, I wyl noon spare ;
And wyth my syluew thus I ffaro,
Mor cruel, in my ffelle rage,
Thau a Boole wylde and savage, 14200
Wych rent a-doun bothe roote and rynd.
Her bellow., ' I ber thys belwes fful off wynd,
8tl"r. I ber thys sporys, I ber thys staff,
Wych that my ffader to me gaff; 14204
horn, and I bere thys horn (who looke wel),
white m«ntle. I were also a whyt mantel, [Stowe, leaf MO, back]
To close ther vnder (vp ami dou»)
Al my guyle and my tresouw. 14208
' ffro tyme long, out off memoyre,
The bellows i» Tlivs belwes callyd ben ' veyngloyre,'
Vain Glory,
Ther-wttfi to quyke the ffyr ageyn,
To make ffoolys in certeyn, 14212
1 hogh they be blak as cole or get,
Off me whan they ha kauht an hot,
To semyn in ther owne syht
That they in vertu shynew bryht, 14216
Bryhter than Any other man
That was syth the world be-gan,
Or any that they alyve knowe.
once blown in ' Thys Belwes I made whilom Blowe 14220
Nebiiciiui- In the fforge, with gret bostyng,
Off Nabugodonosor the kyng,
That bostede in hys rogiouw
Vainglory ruins Rcnmvn. Fable of the Fox and Haven. 385
' That the cyte ' off Babiloun
Wyth al2 hys grete Eyalte,
Wyth al2 hys fforce and hys bewte,
"Was bylt and mad by hyw only :
Tliys was hys bost ; and ffynally
AVi't/i thys belwes I made a levene,
Tlie fflawme touchyde nyfi the heuene,
But affterward yt gan abate,
Yt lasteth nat by no long date.
' And as gret wynd (who lyst to se)
Smyt al the ffrut douw off A tre,
Brawnche and bowh, and levys fayre,
And ther bewte doth apayre,
Kyght so tlie wynd off veyu glorye —
Be yt off conquest or vyctdrye,
Or off what vertu that yt be —
Yt bloweth yt doun (as me?* may so),
Worshep, honour, Renouw, ffanie —
Tlier ys in bostyng so gret blame,
ffor bryddes that flen in the hayr,
And hyest make ther repayr,
Thys wynd kan maken he?» avale,
Talyhte lowe dou» in the vale.
' Hastow, a-for-tyme, nat herd sayd,
How for an Exau?nple ys layd,
That a Reuene,3 Or north or souht,4
Bar a chose wtt/i-Inne hyr mouht4
As she fley ouer a ffeld ;
The wyche,5 whaw the ffox beheld
Thoghte that he wolde yt haue ;
Sayde, ' Eavene, god yow sane,
And kepe yow fro al meschau«ce !
Prayynge yow, for my plesaunce,
That ye lyst, at my prayere,
Wyth your notys fressh and clere
Syngen soni song off gentyllesse,
And your goodly throte vp dresse,
Wych ys so fful off melodye
And off hevenly Armonye ;
ffor trewly, as I kan dyseerne,
PILGRIMAGE.
[i Citce St.] 14224
P alU St., am. C.]
14228
1.4260
Pride
[lenf2ir,J
burnt theCity
ill Jtal.y l.»n.
14232
[Stowe, le»f2Sl]
14236
As wind
blown the
fruit off a
tree,
BO Vainglory
14240
14244
14248
P Ravene St.]
[• Soiitlic . . Mowtlie St.]
14251
P whlclw St., wych C.]
14256
l>low» down
Fame.
Fable of the
Raven and
tlie Fox.
The Raven
now with a
chee§c in lior
beak.
The Fox begd
her to sing
[leaf 215, bk.]
with her hea-
venly voice.
C C
38G Fable of the Fox and Raven. Flattery spoils all virtue*.
Pride. Ther ys harpe nor gyterne, [stowe, leaf 2.11. Uae-k] 14264
Symphonye, nouther crowde,
Whan ye lyst to syngii lowdc,
Ys to me so gracyous,
So swete, nor inelodius 142G8
As ys your song viiih notys clere ;
The FOX Hiiii Aud I am komen ffor to here,
h«u her sing Off entent, in-to thys place,
a motet. «•?«
A lytel motet wtt/( your grace. 14J72
' And whan the Ravene hadde herknyd \vel
The ifoxys spechii euwydel, —
As she that koude nat espyo
Hys tresoun nor hys fflaterye,1— [' fflatrye c., st.j 14276
The Raven ffor to svnge she dyde hyr pcj'nc,
o|«ml her
i,,.ak, dn.pt And "an hyr throte for to streyue,
the cheuse, "
niaade an owgly souw,
>'• Ther whyles the chose fyl a-dou», 14280
And the ffox, lyk hys entente,
Took the chese, and forth lie wentc.
The Raven < And thys decevt (yiff yt be souht,)
was deceived , , i . i IOCM
by Battery. \Vas only by my bylwes wrouht,
AVit/i false2 wynd off trecherye, p M» c., stj
Thorgli the blast off fflaterye,1
The wych, vrith hys sugryd galle,
Euecy vertu doth appalle 142.^8
And bet yt dourc on every syde.
' Ther-for lat no man abyde
The wyndes, that ben so peryllous,
Off thys behvys contagyous ; 14292
Let every Lat ech man, (in especyal,)
mail consider
he is mortal. ConsydrCll that he ys mortal, P tliynke St., tliynk C.]
And thynke3 that swych wynd in-dede [stove, l
Bloweth But on asshes dede, 14296
That wyl vritii lytel blast a-ryse,
[leaf 217] And dysparpylc in many wyse ;
And affter swych dyspers'iouH
Al goth in-to perdic'ioun. 143dO
' Thys belwes ek (yt ys no drede)
Causeth (who-so taketh hede)
Bombardys and cornemusys,
inspires Music. Her Peacock's tail. Her Boasting. 387
ntysst.] 14304
' Thys ffloutysi ek, with sotyl musys,
And thys shallys 2 loude crye,
And al swych other menstralcye,
Witli ther blastys off bobbauwce,
Don offte tynie gret grevau/jce ;
ffor, wyth ther wyndes off gret myght,
They quenche, off vertu al the lylit°;
They blowe many a blast in veyn, P «„
They seuere the chaff fer fro" the greyn.
' Thys wynd also, (as ye shal lore,)
Whan yt taboureth* in my« Ere, ,
And Witt hys blast hath ther repayr,
Bereth me An hand that I am ffayr,
3Tob]e also, and ryht myghty,
Curteys, wys, and ful worthy,
With swyche wyndes cryyng lowd.
A-noon I gynne wexen proud ;
But whan ther wynd ys ouwgon,
ffrut ther-off ne kometh noon ;
Al ys but wynd (yt ys no dou'te,)
Turnynge as offte sythe aboute
As phane doth, or wheder-cok.
'And my Tayl, lych a pocok,
Offto sythe on heihte I reyse,
With swych wynd, wha« mew me prey.se.
And whan I ha swych prys ywonne,
I swolle,5 gret as any tonne,
Lyk to brcstyn for swollyng;8
Ne wer I hadde som aventyng
To make the wynd fro me twywie,
Wych ys closyd me with-Inne,
Me semeth ellys al wer lorn.
' And, therfore I here thys horn,
Wych that callyd ys ' bostyng,'
Or voyde pownche,7 by som lesyng.
And trewly, with myn hydous blast,
AH the bestys I make a-gast,
Off my contre, for verray drede,
Make hew to lefft vp hyr hed.
'And offte tyme I boste also
] 4308
chaffs / fro st.]
14312
that quench
Virtue's
light.
14316
With con-
tinual flat-
tery, and
blowing of
the bellows,
she waxes
14320 l»-°ud.
[Stowe, leaf 252, back] B,,t nn ,,
i t -> i . wind, with-
14324 out fruit.
14328
Pride sticks
up her tail
like a Pea-
cock.
I* swelle St.]
[" sivellynge St.]
14332
[leaf 217, bk.]
14336 She bears the
Horn of
Boasting.
[' pawnche St.]
At its noise
all the Iwasts
14340 quake-
388 Pride's Boasting awl Cackling over her doings.
boasts of
things she
never did,
her lineage,
possessions,
and acquaint-
ance.
When she's
done any-
thing not*
able,
up goes her
tale, and she
cackles like a
hen that's
laid an egg.
[leaf 218]
Unless folk
listen to her,
she gets
wroth.
She resem-
bles the
cuckoo,
' Off thyng wher neue;1 I hadde a-do, 14344
My sylff avauHce, off thys and that,
Off tliynges \vych I nouer kam at.
' I boste also off my lynage,
That I am komo off hih parage, 14348
Born iu An lious off gret renou?t ;
That I ha gret pocessi'ou»,
And that I kan ful many a thyng,
And am aijueynted viith the kyng. 14352
' I booste and bio we offte A day, [stowe, leaf ZM]
Whan that I ha take my pray,
Or whan that I, (lyk myn awys,)
Ha done a thyng off any prys, 143f>6
Achevyd, by my gret labour,
Thyng resownynge to honour ;
Consayl ther-off 1 kan noon make ;
Vp \v»t/t my tayl, my ft'ethrys shake, 14360
As, whan an henne hath layd an Ay,
Kakleth affter, al the day ;
Whan I do wel any thyng,
I cesse neuere off kakelyng, 143C4
But telle yt forth in eucry cost ;
I blowe my» horn, and make bost ;
I sey ' Tru / tru,' and blowe my ffanie,
As hontys whan they fynde game. 14368
llyht so, wliaw that I do wel,
Avauwtyng I tell yt euerydel,
And axe also off surquedy,
1 Hath any man do so, but I, 14372
Outlier off hit or lowh degre ? '
' And, but ech man herkne me,
(Wher yt to hem be leff or loth,)
Wt't/t hem in soth I am ryht wroth, 14376
Be yt wrong, or be yt ryght.
And I wyl here noon other whyht,
But so be I be herd to-forn,
Whan that eue?-e I blowe myw horn. 14380
' And thus thow mayst wel knowen how
I resemble the Cookkoow,
Wych vp-on o1 lay halt so long, [' oo st. (leaf ass, tacit)]
which knows
only one
song.
Pri.Ie will
always argue
prove white
bhick,
anil mitk.'
great noiae
about it.
Sometimes
Mie'H extol
Fasting
Pride is fond of Argument and Chatters like a Jay. 389
' And kan synge noon other song. 14384 Pride.
' And avawntyng (who taketh lied)
Ys sayd off wynd (yt ys no dred)
Wych ys voyde off al prudence
In shewyng out off hys sentence; 14388
And on ech thyug (in hys entent)
He wyl make an Argument,
Sustene hys past and make yt strong,1 14391
\Vhcr that yt be ryht or wrong,1 [' Btronge . . . wronge c]
Sette a prys and sctte A lak,
And preue also that whyht ys blak ;
And who-eu<?re agcyn hyw stryue,
He wyl ffyhte with hyw blyue, 14396
And, holdyug hys oppyiiyouw,
Make a noyse and a gret SOUM
ffor to supporter hys entent,
Lyk as yt wer a thouder dent. 14400
' Somtyme lie wyl, off suri|uedye,
fTastyng, gretly niaguufye,
And [irechyn uk (by gret bohbaiiHce)
Off abstynencc and off penaurtce ; 14404
And yiff hys pawnche be nut fful,
WynJ and wordys rud2 and did [« Rude St.]
Yss(!ii out fful gret plente,
To make al folkys that hy/;< so, 14408
Vp-on hym to stare and muso
And to here hys Cornemose3 : p cornemvse st.j
Swych hornys (who that vnderstoode)
Ar wont to make noon huntys goode ; 14412
Hys hornys he bloweth al the day, [stowe, leaf zsij
And langleth euere lyk a lay,
A bryd that callyd ys ' Aguas,'
"\Vyeh wyl suifren in no caas
No bryd aboute hyr nest to make,
Wit/i noyso she doth hyw so a-wake.
' Thus alle ffolk that here hys bost
Wyl eschewe (in eue;y cost) 14420
Off swych a bostour that kan lye,
The dalyannce and the cowpanye.
' And off my spores, to specefye
to ni:ikc folks
utiire.
[leaf 218, bk.]
[Aufi**e, a 1'ie, I'iannct, or
Magatapie.— C'otKr.]
14416
She chatters
like a Jay or
Her s
390
Pride's Spurs of Disobedience and Rebellion.
Of her Spurs,
one is called
Disobedience,
tlic other
Rebellion.
The fint
made Adam
eat of the
fruit,
>nd take
Eve's advice.
The second.
King Pha-
raoh wore.
[teaf 219]
when he re-
fused to let
the people of
Israel go,
and was by it
brought to
confusion.
'What they tooknc or signefye,
Thow shalt wyte (and thow abyde)
That offte I shape for to ryde,
And am ful loth, in cold or heet,
ffor to gon vp-on my ffeet,
Yiff that myn hors bo faste by,1
And al myw harneys be redy.
' On off my spores (in sentence)
Ys callyd ' Inobedyeuce ; '
The tother (in conclus'iouw)
Callyd ys ' Rebellious. '
' The ffyrste2 made, (by my sut,)
Adam to Etyn off the ffrut
That was forboode to hym afforn ;
But tliys spore, sharpere thaw thorn),
Maade hym stedcfastly beleue
The couwsayl and the reed of Eue,
Aforn ytake out off hys syde ;
But to the frut she was hys guyde.
' The tother spore, hadde also
Vp-on hys Ele, kyng Pharao, —
Whylom a kyng off gret renoiu/,
And hadde in hys subiecciou?;
(As the byble kan wel tel)
Al the peple off Israel,
And in thraldam and seruage, —
In hys woodnesse awl hys rage
Wolde nat graiwte hem lybertc
To gon out off hys contre
(In hooly wryt, as yt ys ryff);
And, for thys Pharao held stryff
Ageyn mor myghty than he was,
ffynally (thus stood the caas,)
By the spore off Kebellyoun
He was brouht to cowfusioun.
' Hard ys to sporne ageyn an hal,
Or a crokke a-ge}'w a wal ;
Swych wynsyng, thorgh hys foly,
Ageyn the lord most myghty,
Made hym, that he was atteynt,
14424
14428
l fast ly St.]
14432
ffyrst . . . suyt St.]
14436
14440
[Stowc, leaf S54, back]
14444
14448
14452
14456
14460
Prides Staff of Obstinacy, on which Saul leant.
' And myddes off the see ydreynt. 14464
' He was a ffool, (yt ys no faylle,)
The grete mayster for tassaylle,
That ys lord most souerayne ;
But prydo that tynie held hys ivyne, 14468
Off mulys and oil'1 sur<[iiedye, [' •"». c., St.]
ffor to trustee and affyc
In thys spore that I off spak,
Tyl he fyl vp-on the wrak. 14472
'Now wyl I speken off the staff [si,,we, le.u 2:,:,;
AVych that pryde to me gaff,
And I, to my protecciouw,
Bar yt in-stede off a bordoura, 14476
And ther-vp-on (for my besto)
Off custoom I lene and reste ;
And who that wolde yt take a-way,
Wit/i hym I wolde make ffray2; [» a «r»y St.] 14480
I wyl leue yt for no techyng3 pthjng St.]
ffor no couwsayl nor no prechyng,
But, obstynat in inyw entent,
I voyde resou« and argument ; 14484
ffor \\-itk tliy.s staff (who kail entende)
Myn offencys I dyll'ende.
' ffor thys staff, (in sentement,)
Why loin Kud4 entendement, [• Rude St.] 14488
The cherl, held by rebellious,
WhaK he dysputede wt't/t Resoun,
And callyd ys ' Obstynaeye ',
On wyche (the byble wyl nat lye) 14492
Lenede whilom kyng Saul,
Whan he (off Resoura rud and dul,)
Was reprevyd off Samuel,
A prophete in Ysrael, 14496
ffor the grete vnleful pray
That he took vp-on a day
In Amalech, most Ryche thy»ges,
As, in the ffyrste book off kynges, 14500
Makyd ys cler mencyou«.
' And I, for my rebellion;?,
Hatyd am in many wyte, [stowe, leaf KS, back]
391
a tool to
strive nRii
God.
But I'ridc
innite him
trust in ln'i
Spur of 1{«-
Iwlliou.
Piicte'D Btaff,
to lean on,
[leaf 219, bit.]
and defend
lier ufttmces
with.
ThiR staff,
ObftiiKicy,
<v:is tield by
Klldl' l'.]i!i:ii-
ilouient
(p. 288 above;.
Saul too leant
upon it when
reproved by
Samuel,
for sparing
the cattle
he took from
Ainalek,
I Kings (=
1 Samuel XV.
9-33).
392 Pride keej}s Pagans in idolatry, and damns Jews.
prtiie ' Off alii! folkys that be wyse ; 14504
is hated by And ek. thorgh my« Inquyte,
wise folk, and
drives away I am clien cause, and make ffle
God's grace. .
Grace (lieu ; to-for my nace
She may bydcn in no place: — 14508
Wher-as I am, she duelleth nouht.
' And ek also (yiff yt be souht)
she keeps tin I cause paynymes, euerychon,
heathen to •••
their idol- ffrom ther Errour they may nat gon, 14512
Ydolatrye to for-sake,
And the ffeyth of cryst to take,
ffrom ther errour hem wtt/i.-drawe,
And to koine to crystys lawe ; 14516
They be blynded so by me,
And Indurat, they may nat se
[leafsso] To conuerte as they sholde do.
and the Jews 'And the lewe's ek also 14520
to their
obstinacy, I nyl stynte, nor cesse nouht,
Tyl off entent I haue hew brouht
leading em to To ther ffvnal perdyc'iouw
perdition and * »
thiiniiaiioii. And to ther dampnaciouw : 14524
I debarre hem from al grace,
That the hegh they may nat pace ;
The liegh, I ineue, off penau?«ce,
Tlier-by to kome to r^peutaurace : 14528
I stcrte afoni lie?/( (in certeyn)
And make he;» for to tourne ageyn,
ffor to wyiisc and dysobeye,
And to toume A-nother weyc. 14532
'Ek to the, I wyl nat spare, [stuw^it-afsse]
Her mantle, Off my Mantel to declare,
Wych ys fayr by apparence,
And haueth ek gret excellence, 14536
fair without, Both off shap ami off bewte
Owtward (who that lyst to se),
ffor couece (yt ys no doute)
Al the fowle that ys wyth-oute, 1 4540
(like snow As Snowh (who that loke wel)
will)* Maketh whyht a ffoul dongel ;
And lyk also as fressh peynture
Pride's Mantle hides her foiilness. She's like an Ostrich. 393
' Makcth fayr a sepulture 14541 priar.
On euery party, syde and brynke, covers »tink
Wt't/(-Inne thogh yt ffoule stynke within,
Off karyen and off roote boonys ;
So tliys mantel (for the noonys) 14548
Maketli me (in my repayr)
Outward for to semyre ffayr. ami makes
J her look holy.
Farfyt, and oil grot holynesse.
' But, yiif Outward my fnuluesse 14552
Wer open shewed to the sylit,
I sholde be ffuul, and no thyng bryht :
My mantel overspredeth al ; [leaf 2211, tk.]
But who that (in especyal) 1455G
Inwardly knewc herte and tliouht, [c. 4 st.]
Blowh, and he shal fynde nouht; souffle; si, narien. st.,o«.c.
Wherfor, by deecripci'oure,
I bere the sygnyficaci'oim [c.&st.j 14560
In resemblance, and am lych Pri.iei»iike
m n> 11 11 i an ustrieli,
lattoul1 callyd an Ostrych, ['To a fowl]
Off whom the nature cuecydcl [siowe.kufi.ofl, buck]
Ys vnderstonde by my mantel. 1 45G4
' Thys2 ffoul hath fethres frcssh to se, p TI.J-H st.. Thy c.] which has
Beautiful
ftayre Wynnes, and may nat ffle. feathers ana
^ wiiiK«, I'ut
Nor fro the erthe (in hys repayr) cannot fly.
He may nat soore iu-to the heyr; 14568
Yet men wolde demyw, off rosou«,
And wene in ther oppynyouw,
By apparence, to ther syht,
That he wer liable to the fflyht ; 14572
But he ftleth nat, whan al ys do.
' And by myn habyt ek also so i'ri.ie'»
mantle
Men mygntc deme ther-liy in al
That I were celestyal, 14576
Goostly and contemplatyff. i»ak«» h«r
look M'" 'I-
Parfyt, and hooly off my lyff, »ai.
liable to fflcn vp to heucne,
Her aboue the sterrys seuene ; 14580
And how my conuersaci'ouM
Wer nat in erthij lowe dou?i ;
]5ut who the trouthe kan wel se,
394 Pride's Mantle of Hypocrisy. The Foe and the Ifcrrinys.
Her maiill.-',-
name is
Hyputrisy.
Ifa lined
with f..x.-kiu
Story ot Ilic
fux ttMKIlil'S?
hnii.-uir dead.
A carter flung
him iulo hit*
load of
herrings,
and the Fox
ate hi* fill of
em and went
off.
' I nuutlier kan, nor may nat fle ; 14584
I ber thys mantel but for ffraiule,
Off ifolk outward to hauu A laudu ;
And the name to specefyc,
Callyd y.s ' ypocrysye,' 14588
Therby outwardf a prys to wynne.
' And the forour wyeh ys \vj't/(-Inne,
Off fox sky/mes cu«/-y<li'l ;
Al be that, outwanl, my mantel 14592
Ys y woven (by gret dflyt) ;si<«ve. ifafs:.;]
Ofl'shejiys wolle, soft'te and whyt,
I were yt on (sotli to seye)
l!y fawssemblau«t wha?t I preyc ; 1459G
And who lyst knowij verrayly,
Many men vse yt mo than I,
Wrai>i>e he;/» ther-in, in ther ncile,
In hope the bettre for to siiode. 14GOO
' I covere slouthe vnder meknesse,
And f^rcte1 ffelthe vnder fayrnesse ; [' gnt<- *'-, gretc.]
Sey (whan rathest I wyl greue)
Sanctificet;<r in my be-leve ; 1 4C04
'And as the ffox (yt ys no dred)
Jfaade hy;« oonys as lie wer tied,
And off fals fraude, (yt ys no nay,)
Myddes off the way he lay, 1 4008
Ded only by resemblauttce
Outward, by chcr awl eoKtenau«ce ;
Thus he feynede ful falsly,
Seynge a carte passe by 14612
fful off haryng (thcr yt.wcnte) ;
And the cartere vp hy»i liente ;
In-to the carte a-non \\yin threwh,
ffor he in soth noon other knewh. 14616
And whyl the carter forth hy»! lodde,
On the haryng the fox hym fedde ;
He heet hys felle, and wente hys way.
'And euene lyk, fro day to day, 14620
Vnder thys mantel I me wrye, [stow, leaf 257, back]
Wych callyd ys ' ypocrysye,'
By wych (erly, and ek ful laat,)
The old hay Flattery, who carries Pride on her hick. 395
1 V|.JI-toSI.]
[St. &I.YJ 1462S [leaf 221, bk.]
If riM didn't
!ILT cloak on,
[Stove MS.]
[Sl.&C.]
146:52
1463G
['St., Old. C.]
' I ha be hrouht to hill estaat
fful offte sythe, (as men may 8c)
And roysed vn-to1 hili degre.
' Hut yiif thys mantel wer asyde,
Viider wych I do me hyde,
Off (Folk (that vnderstonde wel)
I shold be prcyswl neumidul ;
For ffolkys woldeii at me chace,
Hunte at me in euery place,
Sette on me ful many a lak.
'And she that bereth me on hyr bak,
I shal tlie manor off hyr telle,
Yiff thow wylt a whylii dwelle.'
The Pylgrym asketli:-
Thamie ([nod I, or she was war,
Vn-to the olde that hyr bar :
" Certys, in myn oppynyouw,
Off lytel reputaci'ouM,
Nor off no prys, thow sholdest be,
Bo thyH offyce, (as semeth me,)
To Ixsrn A beat so cruel,
Vp-on thy bak, Irons and fel."
The Olde Answerde : *
' I am she that ful wel kau
Scorue and mokke many A man ;
And to my»j offyce, yt ys due,
ffolkys lowly to salue.
' Lordys that ben off gret estaat,
On hem I wayte, Erly and late ;
In wrong and ryght, I kan he»i plese,
And pleynly to ther hertys esc,
flul gret plesau?*ce I kau do ;
My song to hem ys ' placebo,'
And they ful wel vp-on me leve,
I seye4 nat that sholde he>« greue ; [« seye St., sey c.j 14656
And tliogh tliey kan me nat cspyc,
Vn-to hewt I kan wel lye.
' And my crafft I thus devyse :
T scy to ffoolya, they be wyse,
And to folk that ben hasty,
14624 PrMe.
wise folk
\voiild hunt
her out.
I tell the
stvoll.l pt'l-son
who lK>rc
Pride on her
back
14640 that she's no
14644
[3St., am. C.J
;SlcilVf, leal J.'rS]
Her (!«wrip-
lion anil
offii-e.
14648
To Lords,
14652
14660
slie sings
placebo ;
itlie pleaaea
everyone by
306 Flattei-y lies to folk, ami is most welcome at Courts.
[leal 222]
tells tyrants
they are
pitiful.
Flattery ' I affemiC l boldely [' afterincyt St.]
They be mesurable and ffrc,
And off ther port fful attempre.
' I sey also (off ffals entent,)
To ffolkys that be neclygeut,
That they in vertu be l>csy ;
And to tyrauwtys, ful boldely
I afferme, and sey hem thus,
That they off herte be pytous ;
I swcro yt, for to make hew sure.
' And placys ful off old ordure,
I kan strowhe with Rosshys grene,
That ther ys no ffelthc sene.
And I kan sette (or folk take lied)
A Coyffe vp-on a skallyd heed :
Thys myn offyce, and noon other ;
' And at the kyngc's hous, my brother,
I am welkomyd off euiTy man,
So \vel to hem I plesc kan,
ffor in that court ys no gestour,
I yow ensure, nor trcgetour,
That doth to hew/ so grct pleaannCQ
As I do wj't/i my dallyau/tce,
They han in me so gret delyt.
' Yet for al that, myw appetyt
Ys to deceyue hem, grene and rype ;
So swetly wt't/( my flloute I pyi>e,
My song ys swettere, hew tagrec,
Thau off mcremaydunys in tlie se,
Wycli, w/t/; ther notys that they sowne,
Cause folkys for to drowne
"With ther soote mellodye.
' My ryhto name ys ' Flatrye,' [=
Callyd ' cosyn to Tresouw,'
And by tlysseiit off lyne JOUK
Eldest douhter off Falsnesse,
Cheff noryce off Wykkednesse ;
And aH thys olde ffolk (certeyn)
Her-to-fforn that thow hast seyn,
[leaf 222, bk.] I CXCCptC off hem lieU(,V8 OH,
At kings'
Courts
no one IB H
welcome a
she.
Her sott<; is
sweeter tlian
that of mer-
maids.
Her name is
' Flattery,'
cousin to
Treason.
14664
146G8
14672
[Stowo, lenf 45S, back]
14676
14C80
14684
14688
14692
14696
14700
Flattery the Nurse of Prule. The Mirror & the, Unicorn. 397
14704
[l ftlatrye C. St.]
[Stowe, leaf 259]
14708
14712
[» vnder St.]
[' St., om. C.
14716
i St., om. C.]
' I bane he?w fostryd euecychon
W/t/( my mylk, on and alle,
In tast lyk sugre ; but tbe galle
Ys hyd, they may yt nat espye.
'And, \vitlt my mylk off fflaterye1
I was noryce, ami ek guyde,
In especyal vn-to Pryde,
Vn-to whom, in sothfastnesse,
I am verray porteres.se.
And, that in me ther be no lak,
I bere byre euere vp-on my bak,
And ellys she, in sowre and soote,
She sholde shortly gon on2 fote.'
The Pylgrym:3
Thawne \\und I, " answere to me ;
Thylke merour wych I se,
Wycli thow beryst, tber-in to prj'e,
Tel on, what yt doth sygnefye ! "
Flatrye:4
' Ilerdestow neuere her-to-forn
Tellyn, how the vuycorn,
Off hys nature, how that he
fforgetetb al hys cruelte,
And no manor harm ne doth,
WhaM that he be-halt (in sotb)
Hj's owne bed, and bath a syht
Ther-off, wzt/(-Inne a merour bryht ? '
The Pylgrym:5
" I baue lierd6 sayd," quod I, " ryht wel [stowe, leaf 259, buck]
Ther-off the maner euerydel." [« h«rd St., her c.] 14728
Flatrye : 7 p st., om. co
Tha» ([itnd she, ' I wyl nat spare,
Off Eesoim, Pryde to compare
To the vnycorn (off ryht),
The wych, wha» he hath a syht 14732
Off hym sylff in A merour,
And beholdeth the rygour
Off hys port, be bereth hym ffayre,
And gynneth wexyn debonayre. 14736
And thys merour (in substaunce)
14720
P St., OM. C.]
Flattery
was nurse to
Pride,
and is her
Porteress.
She bears
' Pride ' upon
her bock.
The Pilgrim.
I ask Flattery
wlmt her
Mirror
typifies.
Flattery.
As tbe uni-
corn gives up
bis cruelty
when belo^ikn
in a glass,
14724
Thf Pilgrim,
Ff nttery.
8<>, when
Pride ftees
herself in a
mirror,
[leaf 228]
B>ie turns
polite.
398 Flattery's Mirror of Agreement. The Serpent Envy.
Flutter//. ' Ys ycallycl ' Aceordaunce,'
iicr mjrror is RcsownyHg ay (be wel certcj'n)
cot-dance.' To al tliat prydii lyst to seyn, 14740
SIM always To holde wvth hvw in ecli degrc,
asirees with
Pride, WVtA-outan al eoiitraryoustc ;
ffor wliyl that folk hys wordys preyse,
And on heyhte hys honour reyse, 14744
Al that whyle (in sykernesse)
whatiienu Prvde Icucth hvs fforsnessc,
not fierce,
ami doesn't And ellvs. lyk an vnycorn,
poke with her J ' •>
hom. HO wolde hurtle \fiilt his horn, 14748
That no thyng, on so nor londo,
ShoLlc hys cruelte wit/t-stonde.
' And for tliys cause, to my socour,
I ber1 wit/t me thys merour, [>b«rest.] 14752
ffro hys sawiis nat dyscorde ;
Flattery ai- Wliat-euere he seyth, I acconle
ivays agrees
witii what An<l asscnte ay wel thcr-to. [stowc, leaf 201]
Pride says ;
an.i is tile < "Who viiderstant. I am Echcho 14756
Kclio
talk™5 °"e's -A.mong ^ie rokkys wylde and rage,
Wych answere to cuecy age :
To yong and old, what so they seyn,
I answere the same ageyn, 14760
whether right Iii ryght and wrong, to ther menyng,
or wrong. .
And contrarye hem in no thyng.
[The Pilgrim:]
And dalyau»;ce wit/t fflatrye, 14764
Heryng the mane)1 and2 the guyse p ana St., ad c.]
Off hyr deceyt in many wyse,
i see an old I sawh an old on, ful hydous,
Off look and cher ryht outragous, 147C8
Off whom ful sore I dradde me ;
with sprars And in hyr Eyen I dyde se
in her eyes, J *
Tweyne sperys3 sharp anil kene; P tvorya st.]
Oaf 223, bk.] And she glood vp-on the grene, 14772
gliding on (Me sempte, by good avysement)
the grass like * *
a serpent. On alle foure, lyk a serpent,
Megrc and lene, off chere and. look ;
And for verray Ire she shook, 14776
The Sfrpent-Hctg, Envy, carries two others on her back. 399
Droye as a bast, voydc off blood, TIU punrim.
Hyr tllessh wnstyd, (and thus yt stood,)
Men myghte sen bothe iicrffe and bon,
And hyr loyntes euerychon). 14780
Other tweyne (I was wel war,)
I sawli, that on hyr bak she bar,
Wonder dredfnl and horryble,
And to beholde ful terryble : 14784
[6 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
On off how (by gret outrage) [stowe, leaf seo, tai-kj
Vej'llcd was in hyr vysage,
That men ne sliolde hyr face so,
Nor hyr port in no degre ; 14788
Hyr lokkys worn ryht End and hadde ;
In hyr ryht hand A knyff she hadde,
And in hyr lyfft (as sempte me)
A boyst vritlt oyneme//tys had she; 14792
But hyr knyff, stel1 sharp and kene, ['ffiiist.]
Was hyd, that no man myghte yt sen,
Be-hynde hyr bak ful coucrtly.
The tother vekke, that rood on hih", 1479G
Hadde in hyr hand a swerd also,
And (as I took good lied ther-to)
Endelong yt was yset,
fful off Eerys, and y-ffret 14800
Off swych folkys as wer wood.
The toon Ende, (thus yt stood,)
She yt held wj't/i-Inne hyr mouth,
Wych was a thyng ful vnkouth. 14804
And ther-wf't/i-al, slie,2 euere in on, [z she St., the c.j
ffaste gnew vp-on a bon ;
And (bettre hede3 ek as I took,) p hetie St., bed c.]
She hadde also a long flessh-hook, 14808
Double-fforkyd at the ende,
Sharp ami krokyd for to rende.
The Pylgrym : * c* at., am. c.j
Thys thyngc's whan I gan beholde,
Off the wych aforn I tolde, 1 18 12
I abrayd w/t/i al my peyne; [stowe, leaf 201 j
And off hyre that bar the tweyne
The Serpent-
liag (Knvy)
bore two
others on her
back .
One was
veiled,
anil tieUl a
knife in her
in-lil hand,
behind her
back.
The other
hag lintl a
sword in her
hand,
full of cars,
[leaf 2S I]
(and held one
en1! in her
mouth,)
anil a long
Heidi-hook.
i ask the img
(Envy) the
names of the
three.
The serpent-
• False Envy,'
daughter to
pride ami
[»ac.,oi».st.]
400 False, Envy is the daughter of Pride, Inj Satan.
ne piifn-im. Vp-on liyr bak / I gan enquorc,
That she lyst me for to lore,
'
And declaren vn-to me
Wheroff they seruede alle thre,
And off that owgly co?upanye
They wolde her namys specefye.
K»i',,. Envye Answerde : l t1 stowe, leaf aci. om. c.]
' I merveylle nat,' ywys, quod she,
' Thogh [that] thow abaysshed be ;
ffor the troutlie, yiff I shal seye,
We wolde make the to deye
Or thow sholdest yt espye.
' ffor I am callyd ' Fals Envye,'
T
Douhter to Pryde : why loin 1 was
Conceyved whaw that Sathanas
By liys cursyd inoder lay,
Sythij go fful many a2 day ;
And trustly, thogh I be nat ffayr,
I am hys douhter and hys hayr,
Who so lyst seke out the lyne.
' And shortly to determyne,
Who so that consydre wel,
Tlier ys strengthe nor castel,
,
Nouther cyte, borgn nor touw,
But that I, by fals tresouw,
Haue hew touniyd vp so doun [stowe, leaf ui, back]
By slauhtre and gret occis'iowj.
And haue her-off the lasse wonder,
Whan I devydede lion assonder.
' I am that beste (who taketli kep)
That devowrede whilom Joseph,
_ ,
ffor whom lacob, in gret peyne,
Gan to sorwen and co?wpleyne,
Sayde, in hys mortal rage,
How a beste most savage
Hadde hys chyld falsly devowryd,
Wher-off he myghte nat be socouryd ;
He ffelte yt at hys herte roote.
'And vn-to me ys nothyng soote
(The trouthc yiff I shal expresse,)
14816
14824
14828
she has upset
every fort anil
she is the
fevouref1
Joseph,
^ jaeob
14836
14840
14844
14847
14852
Envy deli g Ids in other folks' grief. She'll never die. 401
' But other folkys bytternesse ;
And whan I se ffolk lone and bare,
That ys my norysshyng and welffare ;
And thus with me the game goth :
Gladdest I am, whan folk ar1 wroth;
Ther meschd'ff (I yow ensure)
Ys my fedyng and pasture ;
The mylk off other mewhys greff,
Off my fostryng ys most cheff ;
And yifE I hadde ther-off plente,
I sholde be faat2 in my degre,
And for I ha nat inyn En tent
Off plente, tlierfur, I am shent ;
I wexe megre, pale and lene,
Dyscolouryd, off verray tene,
As I sholde yelde vp the hreth ;
And no thyng so sone me sleth
At alle tymes, as whan I se
Other folk in prosperyte ;
And thor habuMdauwce in good,
That dryeth and sowketh vp my blood.
(The trouthe, ylff I shal yow teche)
Evene lyk an horse leche.
' And I dar seyn, (iu my« avys,)
Yiff that I were in paradys,
I sholde deye, awl nat abyde,
To beholde, on euecy syde,
The loye and the ffelycyte
Off hem that ben in that contre ;
To me yt sholde be grete3 wrong,
ffor to duellyn hew among ;
Yt wolde myn herte assonder rende ;
And platly, to the worldys ende,
I dar wel cowferme and seye,
I, envye, shal neuece deye,
Xor in no cas yelde vp the broth ;
ffor he that ys ycallyd ' deth,"
Thorgh-out the worlde,4 fynally,
Shal be dec! as sone as I.
' I am that beste serpentyne,
PILGRIMAGE.
14856
C'arnSI.J
[Stowe, leaf 2C2J
14880
P grcte St., jjvet C.]
14884
14888
[' worlde St., world C.]
14892
1> D
Kara
Nothing ig
sweet to her
but hitteriiess
to other folk.
14860
Tlieir sorrows
are her best
food.
PffattSt.] I486 4
14868
14872
14876
[leaf 225]
Kotllhlf? HO
grieves her
as the pros-
perity of
others.
Were nlw iu
Paradise,
she'd die at
seeing others'
joy.
Yet ' Envy '
sli:ill never
die out of the
world.
is a Ser|ient
who hates
every one.
402 The two Spears in the eyes of Envy. One piei-st Christ.
Enm ' Wych, off cntent, my sylff enclyne,
Wit// alle folkys to dcbaate ;
And alle ffolkys ek I haate ; 14896
I loue no thyng (thys the cas)
Hili nor lowo, hault nor baas,
In heveiie, erthe, nor in the se ;
I ha despyt off charyte, 14900
And ek also, in every cost, [stowe, leaf 202, back]
I wen-eye the holy gost ;
And wit// thys sperys (in certcync)
Sot wit/i-Inue myn Eycn twoyne, 1 1901
I werreye euery manor whyht ;
I taake noon heed off wrong nor ryht,
Howard off no man alyuc.
' And the namys to descryue, 1 4908
Off thys sperys that I tolde.,
Wych that thow dost1 [in mo] behold
The Ton ys naniyd (Truste 111(3)
' Wi-aththe off the prosperyte
Off other ffolkys me besyde,
Wher that cue/- I go or ryde ; '
The tother callyd ys off me,
' loye off ffolkys aduersyte : '
Yt maketh me glad, rind nothyng dul ;
And wt't// the ffyrste spore, kyng Saul,
He afforcede hym-sylff ther-wit//,
ffor taslayn2 kyng Davyd ; ptoha.iayn.st.] 11920
Hanger3 fret on hy/» so sore, p Aunger si.]
Whaw he horde the prys was more
Off Davyd thaw off hyw-sylff, alias !
Off envye (and thus yt was) 14924
He hadde so inly gret dysdeyn,
So gret despyt (ek in certeyn)
That he ne myghte (I ensure)
In hys herte the wo endure. 14928
' The tother spere off wych I spnk
Thcr-wit/i was taken fful gret wrak,
ffor ther-wit//, (who that lyst aduerte,)
Cryst was percyd to the herte [siowc, i™f2«i] 14932
By the hand off Longius
She carries
two sin-sirs in
her eyes ;
[leaf 225, bk.j
i In- one i
called \Vi;iili
I her folks'
Prosperity,
tlie other,
Joy ot their
Adversity.
With the first
Saul, antjry
and envious,
tried to kill
David.
[C. & St.]
[l ? wych, dost, rtirh
afoot, like 11,1)811 ?]
11912
1191G
With the
other, Christ
wan pierced
to the heart
by Longius.
BMW//.
The Jews'
scorn paind
Christ more
than His
death did.
Envy's eyes slay like the Basilisk's. Her two Daughters. 403
' (As the gospel telleth vs)
Affter hys grovous passioiw.
'And yet (as in conclusions) 14936
Whan he drank Eysel and galle,
Seornyng off the lewes alle,
Ther niowyng and derysiou/i
Was to hy m gretter passi'oun 1 4940
In hys suffryug, or he was ded,
Than was the sharpe sperys bed,
Wych, A-mong hys peynes snierte,
Rooff tlwt lord vn-to the herte. 14944
' And thys sperys bothe two,
Yplauwtyd ben (tak hed her-to)
Myd off myn herte awl off my thoubtc,
And fro me departe nouht ; 14948
And fro myn eyen (yt ys no douto)
Thys two "sperys kam fyrst oute;
And the* (yiff I shal uat feyne)
They be set lyk home's tweyne, 14952
And liound aboutew envyrouw
They envenyine as poysouw.
' Myn eyen ben off kynde lyk
The Eyen off a basylyk, 14956
Wych, wit/i a sodeyn look, mew sleyth,
And maketh hem yeldyn vp the broth ;
And who that dwelleth ny& by me,
He dcyeth A-noou as I hyw se ; 14960
Ther may no ma?» hym-sylff for-bere,
But my two douhtres that I bere.
' Yiff thow lyst a whyle dwelle,
At bet leyser they may the telle
Than may I, (on eue/-y syde)
Be cause' only that they ryde
Vp-on my bak, at ese and reste ;
flor tliey ha leyser at the beste, 14968
(Who taketh hed) mor thaw hauc I ;
Therfore oppose hcwt by and by,
What I am, bothe fer and ner,
And they wyl telle the my manor.' 14972
The Pylgrym:1 [• st., om. c.j
[Stowc, leaf 2«l, back]
149G4
Knvy's two
spears came
IV,. in her
and shed
nson round
Her eyes slay
like the eye
of a basilisk.
and kill her
neighlKmm.
Only her two
daughters
can live with
them,
who ride upon
her I'n.'K,
She bids me
<niestion
them.
I awk Knvy'a
upper
Daughter
who she is.
[leaf 220, bkO
Treason.
She in railed
' Treason/
40-i Envy's daughter, Treason, carries out her Mothers malice.
And fyrst off alle, tho I spak
To hyro that sat vp-on tho bak
Off Envye, formest off alle,
Bytter off look as any galle,
As she hadde ben in rage,
Shrowdyd to-forn al hyr1 vysage,
Kequerynge hyre nat to spare,
What she was, for to declare.
Tresovm Answerde : 2
Q?<o<7 she, for short conclusion?*,
' Yiff thow lyst knowe, I am Tresou?t ;
And yiff that ffolkys knewcn me,
My fellashcpe they wolde ffle,
Eschewe yt, but he wer a ffool,
Lete me abyde allone, al sool,
Off me, so peryllous ys the suit.
' ffor thorgh me ys execut,
Off my moder callyd Envye, [
Al the malys (who kan espye),
Hyr wyl, hyr lust, and hyr lykyng,
And hyr venym in euery thyug.
And, for hyr-sylff may nat fulfylle
Al hyr malys at3 hyr wylle,
Ther-for, off gret Inycjuyte,
ffyrst to scole she sette me,
Bad, I sholde my« herte caste
To practyse and Icrne faste,
ffynde a way, by somme4 vyce
Tacomplysshen hyr malyce,
Hyr cursyd fals affeccioiw
To putte in execuciouw.
' And I wyl tellyn (off entente)
ffyrst wher I to scole wente ;
Off wyche5 scole (thys the caas), p whiciw St.,
Myn owne ffader mayster was ;
Wych tauhte my suster fyrst to frete,
And tho fflessh off me?i to etc,
As yt were, for the noonys,
Gnawe and Ro?mge he»i to the boonys.
'"Wha?* he me sawh the same whyle,
by whom is
executed the
malice and
venom of
her motheY
4 Envy.'
She was first
put to school
under her
father.
who taught
her Sister to
eat men's
flesh.
14976
['>,y»st.]
[st.&c.] 14980
st., »m. c.j
»[st.*c.]
14984
14988
]
14992
.j
1499G
.]
15000
15004
ii c.]
15008
[' som»e st., som c.]
Treason's Father gives her a false, Face and a Knife. 405
' ' Kome ncr,' \\uod he, 'for vn-to guylc 15012 Treamn.
I se (by cler inspccciouw) Treason's
father says
Ys nool thy dysix>siciouH ; hwdtopii-
J J * tion is wliolly
To lerne and practyse in inalyce [leaf as?]
And in every other vyce, 15016
Tliow art off wyt ami kottiiyng liable
To be fals and deceyvable.
I!e fals inward, and outward sad,1 [siowe, leaf 26 1, back]
And ther-off I wyl be glad1 [' sa.Me-sia.We st.j 15020
Wherso-eucre that we gon.'
' And wit/i that word he took A-noon
Vn-to me, by gret corage, He gives her
J * a false visnge
Out off a Boyst, a fals vysago, 15021 »ndakniie.
Took yt me ful couertly.
A kiiyff ek, wych fful prevyly
I am wont to here with me,
llyd, that fiblk ne may yt se. 15028
' Tha?j my fader gan abrayde,
And to me ryht thus he sayde,
' Douhter,' quod he, ' tak good hcile : Her father-.
Yiff the fowlere ay in dede 15032 exhortation.
Shewede hys gy?«ies and liys snarys
To thrustelys and to ffelde-ffaarys,
Hys lymtwygges, hys panterys,
And hys nettys by reverys,2 [! n.werys St.] 15036
Bryddes, ffor al hys grote peync,
Tlier-to wolde noner attej'ne,
But hem eschewo wttA al her myght,
Beetc her wynge's, take her fflyht, 15040
Hys trappes aH, a-noon for-sake ;
ffor wych, douhter, wha?z tliow wylt make when she
wants to trick
Any tresourc or com pace, folk!
Shew outward an humble face ; 15044
Thogli thyn herte be venymous,
And off malys outragous,
(Tak hed her-to, niy douhter dere,) [stowe, leaf 285, back, top]
Outward, alway shew good chore; [sto««, leaf 264, back, foot] she is to show
And, to hyde thy vyolence, 15049 outwardly.
Looke tliow be, by apparence, N"" wintwwiiiacmrehii.si.ii,.
* quu»i (lite )ato[nt] sub •ImiUtn-
Sootyl off port and off manere, "•••MH^wI Seneca. [icafzar.bk.]
406 Treason is to lie treacherous like Joab, Judas, TrypJion.
Treaion ' And plesaujit alway off thy chere. 1 5052
is to imitate ' Do as doth the scorpyou??,
the Scorpion, ..
Wycli by syimilaciouw
Outward (as by resemblauwce)
look amiable, Ys Amyable off contenauwce, 15056
and sting folk And at the bak (or folk take hede.)
in tlie back.
With styngyng causeth folk to blede.
' And ther-for, off entenci'oim,
That thow sue hys condicioun, 15060
Her father I ha the yovon (off entent)
gives her
abox, oint- ^ Boyst her, wzt/( an oynement.
Vnder couert, to gywne a stryff,
a sharp knife, I ha the taken a sharp1 knyff, [' sharpest.] 15064
And also, for nior avaiwtage,
ami a rase In-to thy hand a fals vysage;
witiithewi And w/t7t thys .iiij.2 (who rekne kan) p ffoure st.]
a man has Ther hath peryssliud many A man : 15068
perished,
ffor in Regain, ye may se
as Joab slew That loab (thorgh hys crueltc,
Oijinm. xx. As yt y.s kouthe, ageyn al ryht)
Slowli Amasa, A3 worthy knylit. [» the st.] 15072
'Ek whilom in the saiiiii caas
see also Slood the travtouv callvd Iiulas,
Jiulas who
betrayed AVhaw he traysslied cryst ihesu
(That blyssyil lord, off most vertu) 15076
To the lewes fful yore agon. [stove, leaf 205, lack]
and read of And thow inayst Redyn, off tryphon
Tryphon'i J
treachery in Xho ffals trosou?*. many weyes.
the Macca- « J
""S9~ In tlle lll)ok off ^^chabeyes. 15080
'Ami al thys tresouws4 wrouht off Old,
Vll-to the I haUC he)W told, [* alle his TresouM St.]
To thy?« offyce, as yt ys due,
Off entent that thow hejH site ; 15084
And that thow mayst hejw wel reporte,
Thyw owiie nioder to coiuiforto,
ffor to helpyjj hyr ffulfylle
[ieaf»i8] The surplus off hyr owne wylle, 15088
And lat thy couert veny»« byte.
she is to use ' Spare nat also to5 smyte [5 for 10 st.]
her knife, r ,,.,,,,., ,
Wyth thys knyft, cloos ami secre,
Treason is to blind Lords with Flattery, & then kill Hum. 407
' Whan thow hast opportunyte ; 15092 Trm>°"-
And loke that thow be dyllygent, i«u smear her
J -70 taw willi the
\vyth thy pleaaont vnyment1 c> oyneuu-nt stj ph«««ntotot-
Tenoynte-wyth thy vysage,
That men sen nat thyw ont/vjgc ; 15096
Be war that yt 1x3 nat apert ;
Kep al tliy venywi in covert, "f^n hid"
Ellys thow dost iiat worth a lek.
'Shew the outward, ay humble mid mek, 15100
Contrayre to that thow art wit//-Iiine,
Wha« any tresoutt thow wylt yy/aie ;
And looke thow take lied ful offtc, J!!nii?ey«Mr
'With thy wordys sniothc twl soffte, 15104 ^'.'t'of oillt"
And vfltlt thy speclie oil' filaterye,3 p IIUIUM-VO si., mntrye c.] llatU!r5r-
To blore many a L >rdys Eye ;
ffor, wit/( enoyntyng oil' swyoh thy7(ges,
Lordys, pry noes, ami ok kynges, [stmve, loaf arc] 15108 prim-os'li'il
( Hli.'r many dyuers ostatys, "'iv'e'.i'i'iy it,
Botlie byaahopya and prelatys,
lla ben thtr-w/M doceyved offte.
'But, for tho oyneinent ys soli'le, 15112
They lian echon (in ther entcnt,)
Savour in that oynuineut ;
They desyre, for ther plesaunce, s"re toholfr
That ffolkys in ther dallyaiutce 151 1C ^'j8"
Sey no thyng that he»( dy.splesc,
But ill that may be to hew ese,
Wlicr-so that yt be ryht or wrong.
'Ther-1'or. my doubter, ouer among. 15120 she i« always
to b« bol'l
Spare nat Ay to be bold ;
But that thow (as I ha told) »' greasing
them with
111 thy speclie and thy language, her flattery,
With a fflatryng ffals vysage, 15124
Enoyut he)« vrith tliys Oyne'ment. cieafzas.bk.]
And whan thow hast hem ther-w/t/t blent, Jh«'»Wbiind«i
Wt't/t tresoim coveryd in thy thouht, em>
Smyt -with the knyff, and spare nouht, 15128 ^f,',",,^,,,
"With swych malys and cruelte,
That they may -luiuer recuryd be.
'And whim my ffador, gon ful yore,
408 Treason flatters and stabs; lites and stings to death.
Tre.itoa ' lladde in scole taulit me tliys loore, 15132
IB sent forth Than was I lefft vp on A sak.
upon her
mother's Hifi vp on my moder bak,
back. J
As thow sest, ther-on to Kyde,
And she ageyn to be my guyde. 15136
' And trewly, yifB I shal expresse,
she lias be- I am bekome A gret maystresse
come a great „,
mistress of ttro poynt to poyut, as thow mayst se,
lore. Off that my ffader tauhte me, 15140
Bothe off speohe and language,
And to sliewe a fals vysage
Whan that me }yst in myn entent ;
And also -with the oynement 15144
Off wych I tolde nat longe ago,
And w/t/t the knyff yhyd also
Vnder my cloke : off fals tresonn
I ha lernyd my lessoun, 15148
And reporte yt in my a mynde. [' my st., am. c.]
siie win bite ' I kan byte also be-hynde
silently,
Wj't/t my sharpe totli fful we],
And yet no berke neneradel. 15152
and use both I kan Eiioynten eue/'y loynt.
ointment and
knife. And aftter, wrtA my knyve's2 poynt, p knyffls st.j
Whan me lyst to make wrak,
I kan wel smyten at the bak 15156
Wit//, my tresouw ffraudulent ;
she i» like a ffor I resemble the serpent.
serpent hid •
by flowers. Wych, viider lierbys fressli ami soote,
Ys wont to daren by the roote, 15100
[ieaf2so] Coueryd wt't/t many a lusty (flour.
Her sting is < But tlier no may be no socour
deadly.
Ageyn my styngyng, in no degre,
Whan I haue opportunyte. 15164
And vnder colour, by deceyt,
she lies in I lyrrrre eufij'nior in awayt.
wait to J D;
deceive. Simple and coy, off3 port fill lowe, ['off my St.]
That mew my tresoim may nat knowe, 151C8
Who-so-eue>'e kometh or goth. [stowe, leaf 207]
' Men ne knowe' alway cloth,4 [' goothe . . . cioothe St.]
Thogh tlie colour fresshly sliyncs ;
Treason is hidden ami artful. Few escape her nets. 409
' Nor men ne derne nat1 ahvay wyncs ; 2 f1 "JV^Ves'st']'"' Treat™.
Tliogh they blosme or budde fay re, 15173
Som wynd or ffrost may yt apayre,
Or som8 tempest wz't/i hys rage, psomwest.]
To-for the tyme off the ventage : 15176
13y exaumple. ys off te sene, she is like
the worm in
Som whilwh ml off levys grene, the heart of
J a willow ;
Wych hath ful many werm wtt/t-Inne,
That fro the herte wyl nat twynne 15180
Tyl they cons wine yt eueiydel, —
The trottthe her-off ys prevyd wel, —
And I resemble (who kan se)
Vn-to the sylue same Tre. 15184
I am the brygge, the plane4 also, [< plank St.] likeaphmk
That vnwarly wyl breke atwo
Whan men ther-on haw most her tryst ;
My tresoim neuer toforn ys wyst. 15188 Her treason
s never
i T« i «• 's nev
lo jeue on me, yt ys grot fiolye, known
J ' forehand.
iior I dar pleynly specefye, —
Tak lied,5 for yt ys no lapc, — [s hede St.]
Yt ys ful hard a man tescapc, 15192 ir» imrdtn
esrnpe her
Outlier l>y wyt or by resou?i, nets.
ffro my nettys off tresotm,
As longe as I haue avau?itage
ffor to bere thys ffals vysage 1519(i
AVitri me8 euer, off entenciouw, [«st.; c. /<«>•»/.] [leaf 229, bk.]
Jlbr I am callyd dame Tresou?*,
Wych, by" the crafft that I wel kan, ^^ff^^
Have be-traysshed many a man, 15200 sheha»be-
tiri i -i i rti A trayed many
What wzM fnatrye and wzt/s ffables. » man.
' I pley nouther at ches nor tables ;
And yiff yt happe (ffer or ner) when >he
That I pley at the chek or, 15201 SS^"
Outlier w/t/( hill or lowh estat,
To hem ful off te I sey ' chek mat ' »iie mates,
Wha?j they wene (in ther degre)
Best assuryd for to be ; 15208
flor, by sloyhte off my drawyng. and heats
lt""k and
I ou«/-kome bothe Eook and kyng ; Kinc.
ffro inyn Engyn ther skapeth noon. Noneeaopc.
410
says her
mother
' Envy" lius
charged her
to bring me
to her, dead.
St. Xl.'llMl.l
even shall
nut help me,
i hiMi^h he
riiis.-.l three
fh'rkv from
the dead.
the Pili/rlm.
She looks like
killing me,
[leaf SSt]
but is
i vsti'aiiieil by
tier sister.
Detraction,
who is to
tell me her
name,
and then .join
Treason in
slaying me.
Treason is to kill me, but is stopt ly Detraction.
' Also, off fful yore agon, 15212
Thogh thow kanst yt nat espye,
My moder, that callyd ys Euvye,
Iliith bad to the in thouht and dedc
Gret emnyte and gret hatrcde ; 1 ••- I <>
AVlieivvp-on, she hatli to me
Yove in1 charg to take tlu-, ['ast.j
And comaiutdyd, by hyr leue,
Olf tby lyff tbe to be-reuo, 15220
And to don my« bool entente,
Ded , to byre, the- to '- presente ; [' to St., o«. <:.]
And that tbys thyng Le do in rape.
' And thcrfor thow slialt nat uskapc ; 1 ">22 1
Thow stondest in so hard a caas
That the by.ssbop sey»» Nycholas,
ffro deth ne shal nat heipjfl tbe,
That whilom lieyscdo elerkys thre 1522S
fl'ro doth to lyve (men wry ten so); [stow*, leaf SH.-]
l!ut he hath no thyng now a-do,
The to socoure in no degre,
Ageyn my myght to belpyw the.' 1 .r>2.'}2
And w«t/( that word (yt ys no ffaylle)
She be-gan me to assaylle
il'ul mortally off look and elier,
And gan aproche ami neyhen nor, 1 ")2.'>G
Made a maner3 contenaiiMce ['manfi-ec.irst.]
ffor to smyte by rusemblau«ce,
Tyl the tother ffoul and old
That stood be-syde stout and bold, 152-10
"\V/t//-drouu hyr hand, and off fals guyle
Bad byre to abydc a whyle :
Detraccicwn4 : [«st.,o»..co
'Suster,' quod she, 'be nat hastyfE ! RgSUMk »«d,
Lat byw a whyle haue hys lyff,
And abyde a lyte throwe
Tyl that he my name knowe ;
And thanne ye, and I also,
Shal assaylle hyw bothe two 15248
So mortally, that he shal deye,
And eskape no mane;- weye.
Pride is to see me die. Detraction and Envy hate me. 411
' ffor, but I (in myu entent)
Wher1 at hys deth wit/* yow present, [' Wercst.] 15252
Myw herte wolde assonder Eyue.
And ye shal sen (her, as blyue) [stowe, leafsos, uu*]
Our bothen Awnte callyd Pryde,
Off vyces alle lord and guyde : 15256
But yiff he were vriih vs also,
He sholde deye for verray wo.
And he hath power most, and myght ;
And the cause, off verray ryht 15260
To hyiw parteneth touchyng deth ;
Tlier-for, or any man }iy>» sloth,
Lat yt be don bassent2 off Prydo, [< by went]
And we shal stonde by hys syde.' 15264
Traysouw : 3 p st., »«.. c.]
QMO<? traysoun, ' I assente wel
That we werkyn euerydel
As ye ha sayd to-forn, and cast ;
l!ut I wolde ha yt done in hast, 15268
That in vs ther wer no lak.'
Than she that sat vp-on the bak,
Eyght hydous off enspecciouM,4 [' iTis|,c,ri,,«ii st.]
I ruene sothly, Detracci'ouw 15272
Abrayde, off g»et cruel te,
And sayde thus in hast to me :'
Detracciovm : 5 c5 st., »>». c.]
' How artow,' ({nod she, ' so hardy
To bcrn a staff so boldely 1 15276
I liaate stavys euerychon,
Off pylgrymes, whan they gon [stowe, icat 211:1]
On pylgi-ymage whcr they wende,
Whan they be crossyd At the ende. 15280
In hem I ffynde alway som lak,
And berke at hem behynde her bak
Thogh to-forn I be plesauwt,
And resemble Faulz-semblauwt, 15284
Wych hateth the and other mo ;
So doth my moder ek also,
Whos herte doth for Anger ryve.
'And whyl that thow art her6 alyve [« i.er« St.] 15288
Detraction.
Their Aunt,
or Uncle,
4 IMtle,' is
also to be pre-
sent :M my
ileuth,
and agree to
4 Tl'tMSOIl '
[leaf 23n, bk.]
The PHurim.
Detraction.
H |.||-
K with
and crosses
at top.
F;dse-Sem-
1)1, Mil ;ilnl
Envy bate
me loo.
412 Detraction is eager to devour me. Slie likes rotten can-ion.
' Wo shal the Etyn, fflcssh aiul bon ;
and Envy win Other grace thow gctyst noon
eat me alive. . ..
Off vs, thogh thow make stryfl ;
ffor thow sawh neuece, iu al thy lyif, 15292
Nor ne koudest yet espye,
NO dog is Houwdys in the bocherye
greedier U> , n ,
eat raw flesh, Mor gredy, rawh flessh to etc,
than Deirac- Than I am now, the to ffretc ; 15296
tion is to 1111
devour me. ffor my throto ys al blody,
Lych a wolff that ys gredy,
Shop in a foldc for to strangle,
And to devonre hem in som Angle. 1 5300
sue cats ' Stynkynge kareyn,1 her and tlier, [' kareyns st.]
only stinking ,r - ,..
meat, Ys my foode most enter ;
In hyllys and in valys lowc,
Lyk a Raven or lyk a crowe, 15304
Oaf 2:11] On swych mossclles most I thy like,
And ha best savour whan they stynke.
Myn appetyt, yt ys so kene [stowe, i«ifjtv.i, i.a.-k]
I lone no flessh * whan yt ys clcno; pBeMteSfc.fcwMj'Cj
Yt mvt stynken north and south, 15309
Or yt koine w/t/t-Inne my mouth ;
And al the felthe that men seth,
gnawing and Ys fyrst giiawcn in my tcth, 15312
chewing it. . - . -.
And ychawyd vp and dcnM :
My mayster tauhte me tliys lessowt,
Whare that I to scole wente,
To recorde yt in myjj entente.' 15316
The Pilgrim. The Pylgiyme : 3 pst., om.c.]
" I trowe thow koudest forge a-ryht
Yiff thow foiwle day or nylit
M.ater or cause to forge by ;
i say that But I suppose verrayly, 15320
canVmakean No smyth ne may forge wel
axe without _. ~. , ,
steel, An Ax off yren nor ott stel ;
But yiff he haddc on off the tweyne
Thogh" he euere dyde hys peyne, 15324
He sholde nat fynde the manec how :
so «he can't No mor ([ suppose) ne kanstow."
slander with-
out cause.
says she can
always find
material.
She turns
goodness to
malice,
Detraction devours men's good names, & tears them to bits. 413
' Trewly yiff thow lyst lere, Detraction
I kan ffynde ynowh mat-ore : 15328
I am so prudent and so wys ;
Good, I kan tourne in-to malys ;
Trcwe nienyng and goodnesse,
I chaimge in-to wykkednesse. 15332
' ffor me, I make ay soni resoim
By fals Interpretaciouw,
What good werk I se men do.
Wyn in-to water I chauwgo also; 15336
I tourne ek by collusioun
Tryacle to venym and poysouw.
Applys ffayre I kau enpayre,
Thogh they be bothe good an/I ffayre ; 15340
Worshepe I tourne in-to dyftamc ;
On folkys goode, I putte ay blame ;
Ther goode name, in halle and boure,
As Rawh fflessh I kan devoure.' 15344
The Pylgryme : 1 [' st., o». c.]
" Her-vp-on I pray the,
Thy name that thow telle me."
Detracciouw : 2 p st., am. c.j
' To make a short desm'pc'iouH,
I am callyd ' Detracci'ouw ' ; 15348
Thys the sentence off my lawe :
With my teth I rende and gnawe.
Off folkys fflessh, by gret avys,
I make mortrews and* colys p ami eke St.] 15352
Vn-to my moder callyd Envye.
Whan she hath any malladye,
I make liyr sowpe yt vp a-noon,
Whan I ha grounde both flessh ami bon. 15356
' She me made goulnieresse
Off hyr kychene, and maysteresse :
Ther kometh no mete in hyr syhte
But yiff that I to-forn yt dyhte ; 153GO
And hyr thank for to dysserue,
Off straujige mes I kan hyr serue,
With ffarsyd Erys fful off pnysoiro
Put on A spyte by traysouw. 15364
wine to
water.
remedy to
poison,
[leaf Sio, bk.]
She devonrs
men's irooil
natne like
raw flesh.
The Pit prim.
Her name is
1 Detraction.'
She makes
broth of
men's flesh,
for ' Envy,'
her mother.
and servefl
her with ears
-•I nil with
poison.
414 Detractions Tunguc is slimy ; her MesMtook rends fame.
Drtrartinn. ' Swettcre thaw sainouji outlier karp,
My tonge ys, that spyte sharp
Her office is Wycli hath the offyco and the charge
ffor to make a woumle large ; 1 5368
Yt keraeth sharps, and mor narwe
Than any quarel or hookyd arwe,
Thogh the bo we be stronge bent
ffro the place that yt ys sent : 15372
Wyth wych fful many a1 maw ys kut. [' a c., on. st.j
' And on thys spyte, tlie Erys be put,
Off folk that yiven audyencc,
[icar HI] ffor to heryn the sentence 15376
And thabomynable sown
by sianiior Off sklauwdrc and off detraccioiw,
anil detrac-
tion. ifor to lestene hem fer or ner.
And thus I Am maad hastelcr 15380
ffor to do my 2 bysynesse, [stowe, leaf 2711]
To sorue my modcr in hyr syknesse.' p <i«ne my fui si.]
'[lie Pilffrim. Tll6 Pylgryilie : 3 [» Stowe, leaf 47I. »«l.C.]
" Wherfor," (]uod I, " berstow that Crook,
Dowble-f orkyd as a flessh-hook » " 1 5384
Detrarthn. Detracciouw : 4 i' s'-. »»-c.j
' Tak hed,' (]twd [s]he,5 ' and thow shalt se p I c., St.]
How that I werke in my degre :
ffyrst off aH (yiff thow lyst lore),
wiicn »iie Whan I percyd haue an Ere 15388
has pierst i -v
an CM, Thorgh-out, and fynde no dynence,
Tlian I do my dyllygence,
With my flesshhook to a-proche ;
And ther-wi'tA-al I do acroche, 15392
i.er neshiiook Eeiide away, w»Vt som fals blame,
$>rttS The Eenou»t and the goode name
Off folke,6 thogh ther be no preff ; [« fl«ike St., Hoik c.]
ffor I am wers thaw ys a theff, 15396
Wych day and nyht doth hys labour,
ffro mew to stelyn ther tresour.
' But I stele off entenciouw
Ther goode fame and ther renou», 15400
wi.ici, is Wych (shortly for to sjiecefye)
r. ,n .,• lll.rn , - ,
robbery. Ys wore thaw any roljerye.
pkanSt.] 15411
Mflius i-st iiuincn bonum
15415
ignodf St., KoodC.]
Detraction is a thief, and cooks men's repute as Soup. 415
The Pylgryme : J [' st, am. c.]
" Than, record off thyw owne mouth,
Thow art a theff, both north and souht ; 15404
ffor a good name (I dar expresse)
Ys bet than gold or gret rychesse."
Detracciovw : 2 c2 st., »«. c.]
' Thow mayst wel seyn yt off Resoun ;
ffor, as the wyse Salomon?* 15408
In hys proverbys bereth wytnesse,
That gold, tresour, and gret Rychesse,
A good name doth wel al suriuounte,
Who that lyst3 a-ryht aconite.
' And her-vp-on I make A preff,
That ther ys noon so perillous theif
As he that steleth a-way the flame,
The renouw, and the goode4 name
Off a man in hys contre,
Off malys and Inyquyte ;
ffor swych A theff (be wel certeyn)
May yt nat restore ageyn ; 15420
5 And with-outc Restitution p— s St., am. c.]
ShaH I neuere ha fful pardon ;
I shaH be asshamytJ sore,
His goode Name to Restore, 15424
That I hadde onys sayde certeyn,
For to Revoke my worde ageyn.5
Myn Awnte (I wot ryht wel also) [stowe, leaf 272]
Wolde nat nccorde ther-to.' 15428
The Pylgrym : 6 t" stowe, leaf 272, am. c.]
" I wolde wyte what thow dost than,
Whan thow hast Robbyd thus A man
Off hys honour ami goode4 flame :
What dostow thnnne- wt't/t liys name 1" 15432
Detracciouw : 7 p st., am. c.]
' I wyl answere to thy demaurede :
1 8 maake a maner off vyaunde [» And st.]
Off that name douteles ;
And next, afftcr the fyrste mes, 15436
Wyth swych A Coolys I hyr serue,
Ellys h-he sholde for hunger sterue :
I call her a
Thief,
Detraction.
for, as Solo-
mon shows,
[leaf 2«2, bk.j
11 good name
is above
riches,
and, once
stolen,
cannot lie
restored.
The Pil'j,-nii.
What do you
do when
you've rohd
a man of lii-
good lialuc ?
Detraction.
I cook the
name
and serve it
to my mother
Envy as a
Soup for her
second
course.
4 1 6 Detraction is worse than Hell, and hurts holy folk.
Detraction. ' Thys secouwde cours (yt ys no drod,) 15431)
This cheers Doth grct good Vll-to llJT hcd;1 [' drede . grete Roocle / . hede St.]
Whaw she hath sowpyd that potage,
and she Off verray custoom and vsage ;
traction her ffor wych~ I am mad2 ' cusyner," p maa OM. st.]
I'otager. And for hyr moutli, ' chcff potager.' ' 15444
The pilgrim The Pylgryme : 3 psi., 0,».c.]
" ffor auht that I espye kan
says -I never Svtho tvme that the world began,
Haw a worse
Beast thim J sawh UeUW, nor fond OF now. [tUowe, leaf 272, hack]
you are.
A werse best tlia?z art thow." 15448
Dftrnrti*,,. Detraccioun : 4 [• st., on. c.]
' Al ys trewe that tliow dost telle,
[leaf 2*1] ffor I am wers tha?i any helle ;
Hen can fTor trewly helle hath no inyght
only hurt
those whom lo don harm to Any whylit 15452
]}ut to the ffolk tliat he hath bou»df,
' But I kan hurte, ami make a wouwle,
Nat only to folk present,
But vn-to he?» that ben absent. 1545G
•mi cannot Helle ek (as I telle kan.)
injure the ,, , , . ,
i>oiy. Mfiy damage noon hooly man ;
ffor thogh in helle wer seyw lohrt,
Off peynii sholde he ifelyn noon, 154GO
ffor hys parfyt hoolynesse
Sholde lyhte al ther dyrknesse,
And quenche also (yt ys no drede)
The brennynge ek off euery glede. 154G4
• Detraction • ' But I kan hurte (truste me,)
hurls the
present and An hundryd myle by-yo\vnde se.
ffro my wondyng, (thys no iape)
By absence no man may eskape. 15468
Afftere, I hurte in absence
Mor Grevously tha/z in presence,
good folk as Goode folk as wel as badde,
That to-forn good renoun hadde. 15472
' Trust ek wel (yiff thow lyst knowe)
even st. Joim, Yiff seyw lolin) were in erthe lowe, —
Mrtfe. Tliat hadde for hys perfectyouTi
And holynesse, so gret llenoim, — 15476
Detraction
can blast any
man's reputa-
tion, however
good he is.
[leaf 238,1*.]
The Pilarirn.
I fear attack
from Envy,
Treason and
Detraction,
and arm my*
sell,
Detraction's power. I attack her, Envy, and Treason. 417
' ffor arl hys vertues good and fayre,
Yet I koude hys name apayre
By ffals report, and that ful blyue ;
ffor ther ys noon so good alyve, 15480
Nor neuere was, in-to thys day,
But that I koude fynde a way,
Hys name and hys vertues alle,
ffor tapeyre hem or apalle, 15484
By som fals wynd reysed aloffto ;
And so I haue don ful offte ;
Swych ys my coudiciou/*
Wych callyd am ' Detracuioun." 15488
The Pylgrym : [stowe, on i«ir 273, om. c.]
And whan I longe lestnyd hadde,
Gretly in my herte I dradde ;
And, to w/t/t-stonde hys cruelte,
I caste for to armeu me, 15492
Lyst that thys thre wolde a-noon,
By assent vp-on) me gon,
Affter that DetracciouH
Hadde maade an ende off hyr sarmouw, 15496
WitA-outeM any mor abood ;
ffor they round aboute stood,
Echon redy me tassaylle [su>wc, leaf 273, back]
Mortally, as by1 batay lie. [Hnst.] 15500
ffyrst I lookede me be-hynde,
And gan enqueryrt off my niy«d(>,
To taken me my awerd in haste,
Or I eny ferther paste ; 1 5504
Gaff also to hyre in charge,
ffor to taken me my targe ;
ffor shortly, leyser hadde I noon,
Other Armure to done vp-on. 15508
And, lyk to my comaimdemcnt,
She took hem me off good entcnt,
In hope they sholde me avaylle.
And I be-gan hew to asaaylle, 15512
Sotte vp-on, to my power.
And they, malycyous off cher,
Seynge I wolde me dyffcude
PILGRIMAGE. KE
take in \
swc.nl ami
shield,
and assail my
foes.
418 A white Dove affriylds my Foes. I meet Wrath.
The Pilgrim.
Hut they
charge me.
The white
dove alights
on my head,
[leaf 234]
and frightens
my enemies.
They desist,
threatening
vengeance
on me when
Grace Dieu
is away.
The dove
disappears.
I meet one
armed with
sharp nails,
like a hedge-
hog.
[leaf ±14, l>k.]
girt with
Gan Att onys on me doscoudo 15510
Lykly tahaue had the bet off me,
Hadde nat the whyhte dowe be,
Wych, me to couwforte in my dred,
Alyhte adouw vp-on my?« lied, 15520
[6 lilies blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
And goodly gan me to coumforte,
Makyng my» Emnyes to resorte
ffor verray ffer, and stoude asyde,
That they durste nat abyde 155 2 1
But off maalys cryede out, [stowe, leaf 271]
And, on me gan make a shout,
Swoor (I haue yt wel in mynde,)
Yiff they myghton eue;-e fynde 15528
Me at large, by any way,
Whaw Grace Dieu wer1 gon away [' wer St., when c.]
They wolde (thorgh her cruelte)
Vp-on me avengyd be. 15532
And how yt ffyl, I wyl nat spare,
Vn-to yow for to declare.
Off me trewly, thus stood the cans :
Whan that I delyuered was 15536
Off my dedly mortal foon,
Yt fyl so, and that a-noon,
The whyte dowe had take hyr flyght.
And was agon out off my syht 15540
Vn-to hyr lady Grace dieu,
Wych that hath so grot vertu.
Thamnc off me, thus yt be-fyl.
As I wente toward an hyl, 15544
"With on I mette, hydous and wykko,
And al hys body Armyd tliykke
Wit/t hallys that wer sharp ami kene :
And as I koude denie and sene, 15548
Lyk a skyn off an yrchown
He was arrayed vp and dou«,
Ygyrt wit// a brood fawchon ; [c. & st]
In eucry hand a callyou«, [? canio«, a flint stone] 15552
Out off wyche (yt ys no doute)
The rede fyr gan sparklyn oute : [stowc, i«if 271, hac-k]
Wrath describes himself. His delight is in Vengeance. 419
And yt sempte by hys vysage
That he was ffallyn in A rage ; 1555G
And in hys mouth A sawe off stel
He bar, that was endentyd wel
[7 lines Uank in MS. for an TI,luininationJ\
With tetli ffyled for to byte ;
And lyk as thogh he wolde smyte, 15560
He caste hys look vn-to me-ward.
And wha?z I took ther-to Reward,
Aud off hys port gan haue a syhte,
I Axede hy»« what that ho hihte. 15564
WVathe : l [' In Stowe's li.iml, U, Wmthtlie St.]
' Tak thys,' quo/I he, ' in wordys fewe :
I am kome for to shewe
To the (off hoi entenc'ioiui)
ffully myn occupacioun, 15568
As thow shall wyte wi't/i-Inne A throwe.
And yiff thow lyst my name knowe,
I am the oldii, most owgly,
Skywned rowh and yrchownly; 15572
Myw heer vntressyd and vndyht,
And in Ordre nat kempt A-ryht, ,
Douhter to that Rowhe yrchouw
Wych euere (in hyr entencioun) 15576
Ys to vertu grettest Enmy ; [stowe, leaf 275]
Wt't/i whos prykkes mortally
She hath hyr sylff Enarmyd me,
To shewe outward my cruelte.
And who-eue;-e to me aproche,
A-noon I marke hy;» viith my broche,
Perce hy?«. thorgh, by grot vengauwce :
ffor thys my loye and most plesatwce, 15584
Voyde off mercy and al pyte,
Euere for tavengyd be
On aH that do me any wrong ;
ffor off power I am mor strong, 15'588
That god only, off hys nrffratroce,
Hath in my« hand yput vengauNce
And fully execuci'ovwj,
liy Ifttre and by coiwrnyssiourt : 15592
Tlie Pi f {/rim.
and » steel
aaw in hi*
mouth.
I ask his
name.
His name and
occupation.
He is the
rough-skiml
ion of 1 1 if
hedgehog,
daughter of
Virtue's
greatest foe.
[C.*St.] 15580 ~£leaf2:;r.]
He is void
of mercy and
and is clothed
with venge-
ance and
execution.
is sharper
Ulan bramble
or thorn,
420 Wrath's name is ' Touch me not.' He makes folk bestial.
wnint ' ffor wycli I am (in vayn Entont)
Deyngnows ami inpacyent,
Mor sharp (behynden and befom,)
Than brembel, or any msaier thorn. 15596
And who that1 lyst to close hys vyncs, [' «o St.]
Or Eou?«d abouten hys gardynes
W/'t// my sharpnesse cloos aboute,
He sholde ha no mane?1 doute 15600
Off entryug in, nor off no ffon ;
ffor hogh so sharp ys makyd noon
So stronge wrouht, nor so myghty,
That ys drad so myche as I, 15G04
Nor so despytous by to pace. [stowe, leaf 275, back]
' My name callyd in ech place
Ys thys, ' Noli me tangere ' ;
ffor I haue ' carmew et ve ' ; • 15608
Thys to seyne, (yiff yt be souht)
Be war that thow touche me nonht.
Wit//, me I haue (Eve awl morwe)
LanicHtaciouw, dool and sorwe; 15612
ffor I, devoydo off al Resovw,
Wyl cachche A-noon occasions
(Thogh that ther no cause be)
A-noon for to avenge me [c. *st.] 15616
I putte al folk in swych affray. „
' And as a Bakke at mydday
ffletli, ami yet may se no syht
Thogh that the sowie shyne bryht, 15620
Ryght so, off malys and off pryde,
Whorso-eufire that I abyde,
I blynde ffolkys off al Resouw,
And, for lak off descreciou?*,2 [» dysnwioun st.] 15624
I cause hew that they may nat so
But bestyally in ther degre.
I trouble he?w (in especyal)
That they be verray bestyal; 15628
I make hem looke palu and megre,
Yive hem vergows and vynegre
To encresse her trouble and3 \vo, p and c., am. sij
And yive hem other sawtys nio; 15632
or any hedge.
Mis name is
•Noiliiw
Unurh me
not/
He is void of
all reason,
[leaf°sr>,bk.]
Minding
people,
and making
them bestial.
In man, the
micrwosm or
less world,
Wrath
awakens
disseiition,
darkens their
wit,
anil L'
their reason.
Wrath makes folk revengeful, and is bitter as Wormwood. 421
' Mor to folkys colleryk wrath.
Thau to folkys fllewmatyk.
' I make also (as I wel kan) [stowe, leaf 276]
In the ffyrmament off a man 15636
Whom that phylosoffres Alle
' The lasse world' a maw they calle
In thcr bookys (so they wrytr) ;
And in that world I kan excyte 15640
The wyndes off dyssenci'oim
And thondrys off rebellious
' I dyrke (wM-oute Awy.semont)
Ther wyt and thcr enteudemeut, 15644
And clypse also ther Ivesouw
(ffor lakkyng off dyscrecioux),
And cause hem to ben despytous,
Vengablc and maleucolious, 15648
I am so verray serpentyne.
' Whan Ire doth my« horte myne,
I am so vtenymows (in soth),
I bolle as any crepawd doth ; 15652
I make blast, I blowe and yelpe ;
I am the bychchu gret wt'tA whelpe,
That whelpeth kenetys off mcschaiu/ce,
Euere redy to do vengauwce. 15656
In loue, I kan ha no swetnesse,
flbr, I liaue mor sharpnesse
Than outlier brambel, bussh or brere.
'And I am ek (as thow shalt leru) 15660
Whan I am steryd in my blood,
Mor sowr and bytter tha« wormood ;
Xe wer vengauuce, I wer but lorn,
ffor, I am the sharpe thorn 15664
Offwych (by deSC?'i'pCi'OUM) [Stowe, leaf 270, back]
Illdicuni maketh menClOUtt, EKrediat..,- Rampn«». Iuilic«in 9°.
CUpttlllo. C., f'Hi, St.
Off wych the ffyr sprang out A-noou,
And brente the cedrys eue>ychon. 15668
ffor who ne toucheth, in myn Ire,
With Anger I renne anoon affyre,
Whan any wynd at me doth blowe,
Men may yt by the smoke knowe. 15672
He is an
veiuiinous as
a tuad,
and sliarper
than briar or
hush,
or than the
bramble of
.I'ltliaul,
which burnt
the cedars
(Judges ix.
15).
422 Wrath's stones, Despite and Strife. His iron, Impatience.
Wrath
lias two hard
atones,
to cause fire,
'Despite 'and
• Strife :'
these forced
the Haw lie
holds in his
teeth,
made by the
hammer
Strife
[leaf 236, bit.]
out of the
iron Impa-
tience, which
was dug out
of hell.
' Righteous*
with the tile
of ' Correc-
tion '
' I hurtle thys hardi; stoonys tweyne,
Smytii fyr w't/i al my peyne ;
Make the sparklys out to gon ;
And yiff I hadde ynowh bronstoon, 15G76
I sholde (off malys, in niy werkyng,)
Sctte affyre al manor thyng
Wi't/t-oute mercy or respyt.
' On off thys stonys ys ' Despyt ' 15680
Ycallyd / the tother hyhte 'StryfT :
With wyche tweyne, al my lyff
I haue, in hili and lowe estaat,
Mad folkys offten at debaat ; 15684
And off thys two, by mortal lawe,
\Vhylom forgyd was thys1 sawe, ['my si.]
The wych, (As thow mayst beholdc)
Wit/t-In my sharpe teth I holde ; 15688
And in the forgyng, ek ther-wit/t
The hamer Stryff, despyt the Stytli.'2 [* stythe St., styM* c.]
' And the yren (by sentence)
Callyd was ' Inpacyence' 15692
Wych was dolven out off helle,
Whcr that blakii ffendys dwelle.
And (yiff thow lyst sen al the caas,) [stowe, leaf JTV]
Thus the sawe endentyd was, 15696
And al teth set by and by
Wrouht by me ful crafftyly.
' tfyrat (as I shal her expresse,)
A lady callyd ' Ryghtwysnesse,' 15700
Smyth and also forgeresse
[a line llanlf in C. ; no gap in St.]
Off al vertues, rekne echon,
Hyr sylff hem forgeth, on by on ; 15704
Ami she hath (in conclusion?*,)
A ffyle callyd ' Correcc'ioun '
Wit// wych (thogh yt be nat soote)
She ffyleth synnes to the roote, 15708
That no Eust (I the ensure)
May ther kankren nor endure,
She skoureth yt a-way so clene,
That noon ordure may be sene. 15712
Wrath's Saiv cuts love in two, & divided Jacob and Esau. 423
' And yet she hath assayed offte, wratk
With hyr flyle (no thyng sofftu)
Vp-on my cursyd yren hard,
Rebel, rusty, and f reward, 15716
fEor to do the rust a-way.
And as she f ylede day be day filed tin» saw
T.k-ht ami
Vp-on my u yren, rowh anil old, *>y,
Ther-off she made (as I ha told) 15720
Thys sharpe1 sawe (in verray dede) [' sharpe st., sharp c.]
Wych that callyd ys 'Hatredc.'
And wyth thys sawe (tak lied her-to)
Ys I-sawhe and kut a two, 15724 which .eve™
-.^ - . , concord ami
1 a/iyt lone and vnyte, fraternity,
Concord and ffratemyte ; [stowe, leaf 277, back]
Off cliaryte and allyauwco
Maud also dysseuerannce ; 15728 [leaf 237]
Yt cut a two ech vertu.
' In lacob and Esav Oll"1;lt ''.'•.-" K*"" ,'•"'"'.' l>Kiui'"' V1'"il-"1 die» as in the case
vtoocul^lao.l,. Uama .->,-. t.<,,,<«ft, „, .,.„„,, alll,
1 now mayst sen a pleyn tygure K>au.
Yiff thow rede the sorypture : 15732
Thys sawhe made hem goii assonder,
The Ton her, the tother yonder ;
And longe"2 tyme assonder were. [•* lun^e st., ionj;c.]
' And thys sawhe also I be re 15736 [Camb. prose,
... . cap. cxlix.]
(As thow sest) her in my mouth
Wher-euece I go, both Est and south,
Off entent (be wel certeyn)
Whan-euere I i»ray, or shoklii seyu 15740 Wnithijeais
,r I In- Saw
My pater noster nyht or day, always,
Thanne I sawhe my-sylff a-way
ffrom the hooly tryuyte :
I preve yt thus, (as thow mayst se.) 15744
I pray god (off entenci'oim)
Off my syiines to ban pardon//,
Evene lyk to my socour
So3 I forgyve my neilihebour. [»A«»t.] 15748
In my prayere ck I sette, and inms
fiii . i f 4t against
I DM he lorgyue me my dette iiimneii in
As I forgyve folk tlioffence
That to me dydc vyolencc ; 15752
424 Wrath makes Murderers, and sleiv Apostles and Martyrs.
WratJi
never for-
gives his foes,
and so Iris
prayer fails.
[Camb. prose,
cap. cl.]
[leaf -237, bk.]
•Satan first
brn-e Wrath's
saw.
His falchion
makes
knijjhts ot
his own con-
dition,
murderers
like Barab-
bas.
Tyrants like-
wise wore it,
when they
slew the
Apostles and
Martyrs.
Kings should
hunt them
out.
' And to conclude, (yifi yt be souht,)
I forgyve her-oft'1 ryht noulit ; [> ther off st.]
Thau muste yt folwe (off equyte)
My prayere ys ageyn[e]s me : 15756
To- ward my-sylff (by mortal lawc) [stowe, leaf STS]
Wrongly I lourne tliys ylke sawe
Jii the wych ys no profyt,
Worshepe, honour, but fals delyt, 157GO
But gret damage and harm ful oifte.
' And ho that sholdo stonde aloffte,
Holdynge thys sawhii (thys the caas,)
He ys be-nethe, and stout most baas ; 15764
In sigue wheroff, (who lyst knowe,)
Sathanas, he ys most lowe,
Wych fyrst off alle bar thys sawe.
'My fawchoun ek, whaw I yt drawe, 15768
Wych that hangeth by my syde
Ther-wztA offte I kan provyde
To maken (off Entenciou?;)
Knyhtys off my condiciou?; ; 15772
Swych I mono, in ther degre,
As thys mordereiya be.
Thor-wyth I gyrde lieni oueryclion,
Off wyche Barrabas was On, 15776
As he that was an homycyde.
' And looke ek on the tother syde,
Tyrau?«tys wer gyrt wzt/< thys2 fawchoun c* the St.]
Wha?i they (with ful gret pass'iouw) 15780
Slowhe thapostellys ek also,
And holy martyrs bothe two
Swych tyrautttys, in ther rage,
Lyk to bestys most savage 15784
Toiirnyd were fro ther Eesou»,
Wors than Beere, boor or lyoun,
Wycli that dwelle in wyldernesse. [stowe, leaf STS, i«ck]
' And ryhtful kyngiis, in sothnesse, 15788
Sholdo hunte hem out, ami at hew?, chace,
Wher they dwcllo in Any place,
Both beforn awl ek behynde,
Rather tha» outher hert or hynde. 15792
Wrath and Tribulation rush to attack me. 425
' Ther-for, w/Wi-oule wordys mo, »VU<A
I!o Avj'sed wliat thow wylt do ; warns inu
YilF thow wylt stonden at dyffence, that i
J must defend
Ageyn me maken resystence 15796 "uy^'if.
Wt't/t thy swerd, and wit/; thy targe,
Wych that ys so brood and large :
Off hem I haue no maner doute,
Be cause thow art nat wit/<-oute, 15800
Tlie to dyffende, fro poynt to poynt, [leafass]
Clad a-bove w/t/t a purpoynt ;
And I shal ek (yt ys no drede)
Hauc helpe, yiff yt be nede, 15804
Ageyns the to do vengaiwee
The to bryngen to outraimce.'
The pllgrym:1 ['InStowe'slrand. The I'ylgrym St.] Tke Pilgrim.
" Be war, touche me nat," auoil I ; [Not in
Camb. prose.]
" ffor yiff thow do, (fynally,) 15808
I am cast, in my2 dyffence, p my st., thy c.] i defy wmiii.
ffor to make resystence
As longe as me lastetli breth ;
tful myghtyly vn-to the detli, 15812
I shal nat spare, (yt ys no faylle)."
And ffyrst he gan me thus assayllc ;
Hys callyowjs to-gydre he smoot [sume, karavaj iiekn,..-ks
Tyl they gan to wexen hoot, 15tflG SuSy"*
And ther-wtt// ho gan loudii crye. ami »ii,.uts,
. ! , ! , T anil comes
And than at erst I gan espye ; aituiiutinc
•» ii iii wilh "i'ribu-
ttro the hyl descendyng doura, lation'
Kam vfiUi hym ' Trybulaciouw,' 15820 [luCamb.
Off stature gret and large
WitA-outo sheld or any targe.
To nie-ward she gan liyr tlresse.
In hyr hand, (by gret duresse,) 15824 amui with
A gret hamer I beheld ; ;^rreat l
And in the tother hand she held
A peyre off pynsou/js ek ther-wyth ; and a pair of
A l A T> f i iv * Pinchers.
And A naimfei off A smyth, 15828
At hyr brest she hadde vp-bou/(do.
TribulaClOn : 3 [3 In Stowe's hand. Trybulai-iuu Sjt.J
she to me, ' thow art wel fou/wle.
426 Tribulation is Heaven's Goldsmith, and makes Crowns.
Tribulation ' Thow kuowost (I trowe, in tliyw enteiit)
_w»sBeutby Tliat Ire hath mo to1 the sent : ['vutost.] 15832
Thys sawe shal me ber record ;
ffor he and I ben ofE accord ;
Mawgre thy myght, thow nivst ley douit
Her, affor me, thy Bordouw. 15836
r>af MS, bk.] ' Thow hast nat On, in thy dyffeuce, [st. * c.J
Xo Gambysouw2 off pacyence, p si., c. &iii-»<]
nnddoei For off thy targe2 and off3 thy swerd p Targe / imr si.]
not fear my
weapons. I am in no wyse afterd ; 15840
They may no thyng avayllb the,
ffor to ffyhte ageynes4 nie.' [»ageyns c., «.]
The Pilgrim. tliQ pilgrylH '. 5 [5 I" Stowe's hand. The I'yljjrym St.j
" Touchyng thy name, me lyst nat lere ;
laaktheusc But off the I wolde eniiucre. 15844
of her tools.
Whcr-off thy« Instreumentys thre
Servyn, that thow beryst wt't/t the."
Tribulation tribulacion : 6 [* I" Stowe's luiml. Ti'ylniliuvoii St.]
' My« instrumentys (in wordys ffewc)
Declare openly, and shewe 15848
(Shortly iu conclusi'ou?*)
What ys myw occupac'iou?z.
say» that if Mc waiiteth notliyng but a styth,
•nvttito" But I sholde, lyk a smyth, 15852
would forge
o'feLiferow" 2°rgc A-noon (witA-oate stryfl')
Vn-to the A crowne off lyff.
But, for cause (yiff thow ha inynde)
Tliat thy Styth ys lefft behynde 15856
Off nuclygence, ther thow g(jst,
Thow stanst in pereyl to be lust.
And for thy styth ys now away,
I shal the smyten, yiff I may ; 15860
Tha« thow slialt, Wit/t-Inne A trowe,7 [rthrowcst.j
My konnyng and my crafft wel knowc.
she is the ' I am gold-sniy th (in sothnesse)
Goldsmith , x ,Eo/.,
of Heaven, Oil hcveiie, and the forgeresse 15864
(Towns of Wycli ill erthe (by gret avys)
Paradise. ° J '
fforgc the crownys off parauys :
ffor wt't/i myw hamor, mor and moru [sio«-c, ieaf2so]
I batrc the metal wonder sore, 15868
Tribulation's Hammer of Persecution & Tongs of Distress. 427
["men St.] 15880
15884
' ffor to preve wel the metal
That yt be foiwdij good .at al,
By assay, bothe ffer and ner.
And in A ffurneys bryht and cler,
To preve yt good, (as I the tolde)
\Vft/(. my Toongys I yt holdc
fful offtu sytlie, and spare yt nouht.
And whan I ha the trouthe out souht,
And H'ynde that ther be no let,
Yilf yt be good, I make yt bet.
Yiff yt be wykke, (truste me,)
I make yt wors (as ffolk1 may se).
' My« hamer, by descry pcioutt,
Ys callyd ' persecutions,"
Wych doth to tfolk ful gret offence :
Wha/i the doublet off pacyeuce
Ys devoyded from her bak,
Than go, farewel, al goth to wrak ;
Ther manhood and ther renouw
Al tourneth to confusions.
' lob, whilom by pacyence,
Hadde yt On in hys dyffence,
And other seyntys, fer ami ner
Eehersyd in our kalender.
' My toongus (as I shal expresse)
Ben ycallyd ek ' Dystresse,'
Wych that werkyn to an lierte
fful gret anguissh ami gret smerte ; 15896
And in a pressour off gret peyne [stowe, leaf aso, tack]
They kan ful offte A man dystreyne
Bothe wttA-outen and wit/t-Inne,
As gold ffoyl ybetyn thywne.
Swych pressyng (who kan espye)
Causeth, from a manhys Eye,
The salte terys dystylle douw,
Makynge A demonatrocloun,
And an evydent massuLji'
OH' sorwe in herto and grcte2 rage
' Thys Bannfel also that I were,
And a-ffor my brest yt bere,
betteramelal
15872 [leaf 239]
tests it in a
furnace.
15876
improves
good in.'liil,
in. i wurseus
bad.
Her Hammer
is called 'Per-
secution/
15888
15892
with wliicll
she over-
coiner
patiem-e.
Her ton^a ai'e
Ui«tre<i,
atitl squeeze
a man as tliin
aa gold foil.
15900
15904
2 gi'ete St., si-et C.]
[C. 4 St.] 15908 [leaf 281), bk.]
428 Tribidakian's Apron, of Shame. She threatens me.
Tribulation,
Her brejisl-
;ipnm is Con-
iii-i'iii or
Sliame.
She will
smile me on
the hack,
to fulfil Ire's
desire;
.in.) I shall
hurst (ir
Kl'oali.
' Empty ves-
sels make
most sound.'
The unvirtu-
ous have no
lieace when
l^rseeuted.
[leaf 210]
' Cully d ys by rybtful name [c.&st.]
' Confusion;*' or ellys ' Shame" ; ,,
As thus (for to speoefye)
Whan I do swych tormentrye 15912
Wt't/t my l)yttcr peynys strong —
Bo yt rylit or ellys wrong —
To don execucioiiK
Outlier be cyvyle or kanoun ; 15916
The shame ther-off, and the1 out/'«gc, [> gretc si.]
Shewyd ys in the vysage ;
And most he hath occns'ioun,
That most hath persecutions. 15920
' Ami I slial preue A-noon by the,
Yill' thow ko;uic ashamyd be.
I shal assaye for to smytc
Vp-on thy link, my sylif taquytc 15924
ifor to fulffylle the talent [st.nve. i™i s«i]
That Ire hath in hys entcnt
Enelosyd by fill mortal lawe.
ITor whylo that Ire bercth the sawe, 15928
Thow shalt, by persucuui'uu/i,
Uuthcir breste, or make a sou;t
Outward, as by som gruclichyng,
Or by som noyse in odmpleynyng : 15932
A voyde vessel, pype, or to/me,
Whan the lycour ys out RO?MIC,
Who smyt thur-on / vp / or doiut,
Yt maketh outward a gret sou?}, 15936
Mor tha;j to-forn, wha»t yt was ful ;
And therfore, who that ys dul
And voyde off vertu (douteles)
15y paeyence kan ha no pes, 15940
Whan he, by trybulac'iou«,
Suffreth 2 persecuc'iomj, [! R-iffretiw my St.]
Wrong, or any maner wo :
Adonay me tolde so, 15944
Whan she me made fyrst a sniyth,
ffor to forge vp-on hyr Styth.'
t//6 pilgrylD. : 3 [' In Stowe'B Imnil, C. The Pylgvym St.]
" Yiff thow be niakyd by offys
Tribulation's 1st Commission from King Adonijah. 429
I auk Tribu-
lation to shmv
me her Com-
mission.
" (As thow seyst) smyth off paradys, 15948 The piiynm.
Mak me no dylac'iou/i, [stowe, leaf K\, back]
But she we me thy cowmiyssioxw,
Thy power also, and thy myght,
That I may sen hem A-nou ryht. 15952
ilor, but I se hem, trusts me,
I wyl in no thyng leue the
Off al that euero thow hast me told."
And she, out off A box ful old, 15956
Took out A CoHzmyssiouw ,
And sayde, lyk hyrc entenci'oun :
She produces
H.
t1 I» Stowe's hand, C. Trybularion St.]
'Se tliys,' (\_wxl she, 'and rede yt wel,
And looke yt oue;- Euerydel, 15960
And ther-vp-on the wel avyse.
YifE that it may nat suffyse,
I shal the shewe A-notlier to,
Wych I haue wit/; me also : 15964
Rod hem bothe, and thow shalt se
My power and Auctoryte.'
[8 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
rtepilgrym:2 [' In Stowe1. hand. The Pylsrym St.]
And whan they worn vn-to me take,
A-noon I gan me redy make, 15968
liedde hem bothe two yffere ;
And fynally, yiff ye lyst here,
And to me yiven Audyence, [st.jtc.]
This was the fyrste, as in sentence. [st.*co 15972
The comisyon & power gyven to tribulation :3
' Adonay, the myr'hty kyng p in stowe's hand. The
" Jo J J o Comyisloiiuiuicl Poweryove/
Wych ys lord off eue*y thyng, ^-^J^'1"^"0"- s'owe'
Empe/'our off Eyghtwysnesse,
Whos power (in sykernesse) 15976
Neuere eclypsyth off hys lyht,
But shyneth eue;-e ylyche bryht,
As he that lord ys off nature,
And euer in On shal so endure> 15980
As off power ami off Kenoun,
Elthe to trybulaciou» !
bids me read
it.
She will show
me a second
one too.
The Pit/trim.
[leaf 210, l)k.]
Here's the
first Commis-
sion.
Tribulation'*
lit Commit-
tton
from the
great king,
Ailomiy.
430
Hmv Prosperity has ruind Spirituality.
1st Commis-
tion
ia ittmtod
against
' Prosperity '
wliich hath
taken castles
and towns
from Grace
Dieu and the
king,
[leaf 241]
and robbed
treasure,
specially
Spiritual
goods.
15984
15988
15996
10000
* to me St.]
'We haue-vnderstoncle late,
Tydynges nat ful old off date,
How the Stepmoder off vertu,
And ful enmy to cryst ihesu,
Wych callyd ys ' Prosperyte,'
Ageyn al ryht, thorgh hyr powste,
Hath Our sawdyours1 assaylled, [' s<>w.iyi>iini st.]
Set on hem, and nat yfaylled,
By maner off collusi'ouw
Drawe her hoodys lowe douw [stowe, leaf s*s, Lack] 15992
Ouer ther face, by swych degre
That they be blynd, and may nat se,
(Wych ys ful hard for to recnre,)
And be-rafft hem ther Armure ;
Only off fals presuinpciouw,
Wz't/i-outc restytuc'iouw,
Take away ther Garnysouws,
The castelys also and the Touns
Wych that longede off equyte
Vn-to Grace dieu and me.2
' But now off newe, (yt ys no nay,)
ffrom vs she hath hem take away,
W*'t/t-oute forberyng or favour
Dyspoylled vs off Our tresour,
And, in our tours strong and Old,
Vesellys off syluer and off gold,
Take \\ern a-way by Tyranye,
Bextors'iouM and3 roberye ;
I rnene most, in especial,
Ther goodys that were Espyrytual ;
Swych goostly goodys euerychon
Ben yrobbyd And agon ;
And thorgh hyr Eavyne and robbyng,
She hath lefft ful nyfi no thyng.
ffor wych, we lyst no lenger tarye,
But vn-to the, Our secretarye
And Our sergawit in thys caas,
(Wych off custom berst our maas)
We (wyth al our hool entent,) [Stowe, leaf 2Si]
Sende vn-to the A Maimdemeut,
1G004
16008
3 and l>y St.]
16012
16016
16020
Tribulation chastises the Prosperous, and turns them to God. 431
' And cowmytten our power,
ffor to cerche ffer and ner, 16024
Hows by hows, wher-eue/'e he bo,
To sekyti out Prosperyte.
' And that thow, in al wyse
Bo bysy, hy/» fur to chastyse, 1 6028
That he no mor, by no quarelle,
Be hardy, ageyn vs to rebelle ;
Holde hyw eue?-e so lowe doun,
Cliargyng, by thys cowmyssi'oim, 16032
That alle tho that thow niayst fynde
(I mene, hem that be mad1 blynde ['made St.]
Bassaut off thys Prosperyte)
Tourne lier lioodys, and make hew so ; 1 0036
Chastyse he;«, (in tliyw entcnt,)
And byd hem take avysement,
ffyrst, her Eyen to vnclose,
And so her hertys to dyspose, 16040
ffor to looken vp ful off te
To the hevene hili aloffte ;
And hem syluen mor tassure, [St. &c.j
Take ageyn ther oldc Anuure ,, 16044
Vn-to he»i, bothe plate and maylle, ,,
(Lyst ther enmyes he?« assaylle,) ,,
Wych they ha broke, and lost in veyn ;
Lat hem reforge he??* newe ageyn. 16048
'Graunte to swycli euerychon, [Stowe, leaf «i, bark]
Crownys with many A ryche ston,
I mene, to hem that, off assent,
Obeye vn-to thy mauwdement. [st.&cj 16052
' And for thys skyle, (in sykcrnesse,)
We have maad the Forgeresse
And Goldsmyth off our hevenly tour,
ffor to don ay thy labour, 16056
To al that suffre as Champyooa,
ffor to forge hc»), ryche crownys,
Wher-so they suffre, on se or lond,
'And sese also in-to thy« hond, 16060
Solace and play in ech cyte,
And al swych worldly vanyte,
1st Commis-
sion.
This com-
mand is sent,
in order to
chastise
' Prosperity '
and all folk
whom she lias
Winded,
so aa to m:ike
them look up
to Heaven.
[leaf 211, bk.]
When they
do BO, they
are to have
Crowns.
Tribulation
is declared
Goldsmith of
the heavenly
tower,
to forge
crowns for
those who
snfler.
432 Tribulation is to try all folk. The obedient arc crmond.
Tribufittion'e
\*t Commis-
tion
to bury all
vain amuse-
ments.
She i« Riven
full power to
do her devoir.
She is to try
:M folk with
affliction ;
and those
who obey her
are to be
crownd in
lleiiven.
This 1st
romniisgion
was d;tt«d on
the day Adam
was driven
out of Para-
dise.
' And loyes that ben transyto'rye,
Eevel, and al worldly glorye. 1COG4
And wher thow mayst hem son or knowe,
IJurye hem in the Erthij lowe ;
Oppresse hew \viih thy sharpe shours,
ffor they deceyve our sawdyours.1 [' sowayourn st.] 16068
'And we the grauwte ful power
Duely to don thy dever ;
To sen our vessellys euerychon,
Wher that they be voyde or noon, 1G072
fful off good or wykkednesse,
To knowe do thy besynesse.
Touche how w/t/( Trybulaciou?* ;
And yiff they Gruchche, or make SOUH, 16076
Yt ys a tookne vn-to the
Off good, that they yvoyded be.
And yiff thow se by thy tuuchyng [stowe, ieaf2«i]
That they resovvne no manor thyng,* 16080
Hyt ys an opne / Evydence
Off gruchchyng / ther ys noon Offence ;
For we Charge the / day by day,
Ccrche hem wel / And make assay. 1 6084
' And who off hyli / or lowh" degro
That lowly / wyl obeyfen] the,
For hys suffrawnce / and lowly hede
He shal be Crownyd! / For hys mode 16088
In oure Court / CelestyaH.
Loo ! off thy power / thys ys AH,
Charge to done / Execucion,
And Fyu off oure Commyssion, 16092
II Yove and wrytc / (who loke wel,)
Vnder oure owne / pryve sel
Vp-on the day / (by goode avys)
Whan Adam / Out off Taradys 16096
Exyled was / (as thow mayst se)
With" alle hys hool Postcrytc,
* As the catchwords at the foot of this leaf arc "Yt ys an
open," the next sheet, at least, of the Cotton MS. is missing.
I therefore copy and print it from the Stowe MS. 952, loaves
284-301, with its metrical pause-bars. — F.
Tribulation's 2nd Comm.,from Satan, to harass Pilgrims. 433
' For ther was nGSn / Excepcu'on.
U ' And the tother Co?»myssiofi
That I off spak / I shaH the shewe ;
And yt ys thys / In wordys Fewe :
II Thamyral / off the grete See,
Fulle off Wawes / (as men may so,)
Which that callyd? / ys Sathau —
Grettest Enmy / vn-to Man,
Foo to Adam / and hys Lynage,
For topresse hem / with hys Raagc,
[Stove IIS. only.]
16100
2nd Contmia-
s ion
16104
[Stove, leaf 2X1, back]
Kyng of alle / Inyquyte,
And Tormentour / off Equyte,
By wronge / and Persecucton,
Elthe / to Trybulaci'own,
Swycli as we / may to hyrn sendo
For tapeyre / and nat Tamende, —
We haue syttyng / In oure Dongown,
Kuowyng / by clere Relac/own
That the Sergeauntys / Fynally
Off the myghty kyng / Adonay
Ageyn oure power / haue ytake,
And ther-vp-on / hem Eedy make
With vs / For to haue a-do,
And wynne the place / that we kam Fro,
And hem purpose / in that Cyte
Ther For to / Eecey ved! be ;
And, lyke / as myghty Champyowns,
Made hem Skryppes / and Bordowns,
Seyn that they / in ther vyage,
Wyl thedyr goon / On pylgrymage,
Euerych off hem / In ther dcgre.
' Wher-vp-on / we charge the,
Sende to the / oure Ma?mdement,
The yevnge / In Cowmaundement,
That thow shalt kepe / the Passage,
To lette hem / in ther Pylgrymage ;
Espye hem out in euery place,
Smyte hem / or that thow Manace ;
Oppresse hem / with thy vyolence
Abowc lobys Pacyence,
PILGRIMAGE.
1G116
16124
16132
16136
[Stowe, leaf 2a;.]
from Admiral
Satan, man's
greatest foe.
16108
16112
"We-kno«--
iiu- that
Atloiiijah'n
servants are
preparing to
attack our
city,
16120
and have
Scrips and
Staves—
16128
charge tliee
to ntop tlieno
I'lU'ruus aixl
mnite them."
434 Tribulations treatment of me depends mi my Conduct.
Tribulatton't
'ind Commit-
from Satan,
to torture
pilgrims,
that they
may hang
themselves
as Judas did.
Rated when
Christ on the
Cross let the
thief enter
Paradise.
The Pilfirim.
I ask Tribula-
tion whether
he menus to
work (iod's
and S;lt;tn's
commissions
equally.
Tribulation
siiys that if,
when I'm
beaten,
I take it
patiently,
Which tooke away / hys Tempecalte, [Stowe MS.
He nat gruchchynge / In no degre.
1T Travaylle / In thyn Entencion
To Eeve hem SkryppU / and Bordoil ;
Atte the herte / do hem sorwe and wo ;
And with thy Toongos / pynche hem so
On eue/'y halff / that thow nat Fayle
To Rende out Bovel / and Eutraylle ;
As the Bowell^x / off ludas,
Stroyne hern / In the same caas,
Tliat they / be grete Adversyte
May hango hem selff / vp on a Tree,
11 And on thys caas / both ferr anil nor,
To the we grawntij / FuH power,
As by oure / Co?wmyssioim
Wretyn / In ourc derkc DongouM,
The same tyme / whan Cryst Ih<-xu
Vp on the Cros / by hys vertu
Grauntcd the Theeff / For a greto prys,
To Entren / In-to Paradys ! '
The Pylgrym :
"And whan I haddc / hem bothe seyn,
I tooke hem / vn-to hym ageyn,
Axede hym / anoOii Eight tho
Yiff he wolde / vse hem bothi; twoo
Lykii Frely / In Werkynge, [st.™-,., i?ai •&
Syth thei Fyn / off ther menynge
Conclude nat / In oo Sentence ;
For, as grote ys / the dyfference
Atwone hem tweyne / by Obstacle,
As bytwone venym / and Tryacle."
Trybulacum :
' When I ha take / on the the wrak,
And strongely ForgytV / on thy Bak,
Than shaltow / by Ellecciown
Haue Choys / to which Cowmyssio?<n
Thow wylt the take / and thcr abyde.
For jiff tliat thow / on yche a syde
Seyst ryglit nought / In thy dyffence,
But suffrest alle / lii Pacyence
only.]
16140
16144
16148
16152
16156
16100
16164
16168
16172
16176
I am free to let Tribulation send me either to God or Satan. 435
' Witli-oute Murmwe / or any Sou?*,
But off hoole / EntenciouM
When thow Felyst / dool or Smerte,
Tliankest god / with alle thyii hw-te,
Than maystow wytte / and fully knowe
That my power / hyt and lowe
Is taken / In Conclusions
Off the Fyrst / Commysswun.
IT ' But yiff yfc falle / be wel certoyn,
That thow stry ve / or gruchche ageyu
In thy sylff / by vyolence
Arryuest / For Impacyence,
And besy art / yt to with-stonde,
Thankest nat god / ek off hys sonde,
But Fyndest / somwe Fals Occasyoura
To lese thy Skryppe / and thy Bordouw,
Castest hem / wylfully a-way,
As whylom dydd* / (yt ys no nay)
By grete mescheef / Theophilus.
And semblably / yiff thow do thus,
Than ys my Cowimyssioim
Yove / to thy dampnaciouw
By the power / off Sathan,
Which / For to deceyve Man,
Travaylleth ay / to make hym lese.
1T ' Wher-Fore thow mayst / off bothe chese
And haste ek / Fre Ellecciouw,
Which / off Eche Cowmyssiouw
I shaH vse / ageyn[e]s the.
IT For I ha no Lyberte,
But eveno lyke / as I tli6 Fynde,
The to C<5iistreyne / or vnbynde,
Affter thy / Condiciozm
To vsen / Eche Cowmyssioim.
f My power ys / In allo Kewmys,
Lyke vn-to / the Sonnu Bemys,
Shynynge most hoote / the Somwerys day
On Foufe Erthe / and tendre Clay,
Hys grete heete / maketh hem anoon
To wexe as harde / as eny Stoon.
[Stowe MS. only.] Tribulation.
16180
and Hi.iTik
God for it,
16184
his power
over me is
under the 1st
Commission.
But if I
murmur.
16188
[Stowe, leaf isc]
16192
and cast away
»iy scrip and
stall,
as Thenplii.
lus did,
16196
then I'm
given over to
Satan.
16200
I have free
choice.
16204
16208
16212
Tribulation
is like the
liot sun :
16216
it hardens
clay;
436 Tribulation knocks me dmvn, and sorely oppresses me.
Tribulation.
it melts wax.
It works
according to
folks' dispo-
Hitiun.
The Pilgrim.
Tribulation
strike-* me
down.
Ire wantfl to
wound me,
but
Tribulation
stops him.
He will pinch
and batter me
himself.
16220
1G224
The Pilgrim
Tribulation
presses me
sorely.
I am helpless
IF ' But wex and Talwli / yt doth Relente. [StoweHS. only.)
And evene thus / In myn Entente, [stowe, ie«r zse, buck]
Lyke Folkys / Dysposiczouu
Is myn / Operaciion ;
And thus vsynge / inyn Sergawntry,
I kan werke / dyuersly ;
Wher-ffore I rede / be war off me,
For I anoon / shal sraytii the.'
The Pylgrym:
And Justly Covenauwt / he held :
lie smoot me so / that Spere and Sheld*
Fro me Fyllen / dou»t to growide,
Ilys Strokys werft / so Fel and liouwde.
And trewly / For my grete dystressi-,
Ire kauglite / a grete gladnesse,
And wolde / to my confusiouw,
Ha wounded me / with hys Fawchou?* ;
But Trybulacfon / stoode be syde,
And badde he shulde / a whyle abyde,
Medic off hym / as yitt no more ;
'ffor I shaH ffyrst / my sylff, so sore,
Done on hym / so grete vengau«ce,
So grete aiioy / and dystourbance,
With my Toonges / streyne hym so,
And batre hym / On the bak ther-to
"With myn hamer / large and longe,
That hath an heed / yfforgeil stronge,
To chastyse hym / in swych mauere
Ther-by that he / shaH wel lore,
As be my / Comyssyouw
That I am / Try bulac town.' [stowe, leaf 287]
And ffelly thus / to Ire he spak,
And euere batrynge / on my bak,
With his Toonges / gan me streyne
That me semptc / ffor the poyne,
I was pressyd / In a pressour,
Voyde off helpe / and allo sokour,
Compleynyng / ffor my grete penau«ce,
Tyl yt ffel / In my Remembrance,
IT And hadde vnto / a worde Kewarde
16228
1G232
16236
16240
16244
16248
16252
/ adopt St. Bernard's Prayer to Mary, my Refuge. 437
That I radde onys / off seynt Bernard, [StoweMS. only.]
How, in alle greff / and alle mesehaiwce, 16257
In euery mescheff / and pcnaimcc,
Helpe and Kefuyt / ffor to ffynde,
That a Man / shulJe haito his mynde, 16260
OtFhcrte also / dully Kepayre
To hyr / that ffayrcst ys off ffayre,
Which, thurgli / hyr humylyte,
Was Moder / and a Mayde ffree, 162C4
Whos helpe neums was behyude
To hem that lyst / hauo liyr in mynde :
She kan liclpe horn / In her Nede
Best off alle / her lourne spede. 1 6268
H ffor which, / with alle niyn herte Entere,
To her I make / iny pniyer,
And sey to hyr / with humble Chore,
The wordys which that ffolwen liore, 16272
Which Seynt Bernard / fful longe ago
In latyn / wrote hein eke also : — 16274
The Pilgrim.
Then I rerjil-
feot St. Item-
folk in trouble
to RO for
refuiie to
tile VirKin
Mary.
IT ' Tu es Refugiuvu rneuw A Tribulacume.' [r«.x«i.7.j
JMy worshipfuH Maystre Seynt Bernard? taught me,
that, in alle pereylle* and alle anguysshes, and in euery
Tribulacton or wordely wrechchednesse, that I shulde
fflen ffor llefuyt vnto the2 // And that I shuld* devoutly
and niekely bosekyn and prayen vnto the / The same
seint Bernard! seyynge thes wordes vnto me / ' Si In-
surgant venti tcmptaci'ouu»t / vt \iatct super missus est.
Yiff the bytter ifelle wyndes off temptac/on assaylle the,
yiff thow falle, by any ffrowarct aventure, vp-on the
Contagyous Itokkys of Tribulact'on / Beliolde the bright
glade sterre off the see, and make thyn Invocac/on and
thy prayer vnto that blysfull Mayde, oure Lady saynt
Maryo ' // And yiff yt Falle that thow bo trowblydf
in thy Conscience with multytude off many horryble
synwes, Confus and ashamydl with the horryble ffylthe
ther-off, and ther-vp-on thow drcde the off the fferfuH
Ami I there-
fore pray to
tier HI words
eligliiiht frotn
St. Itcninrd'n
I.ntin Homily
ii. n. 17, A'Kiwr
Miesut eft:
Eil. l-Hris,
I»30, vol. I.
l*arn nltera,
n. 10S.I, or
Vol. II. |>. 12.
eil. Vcneiiis,
176n, witll
oiniRsionH
after 'Marye,'
1. 16,287 aiid
16.SU7.— H.
Parkinson.
[> Stowe, lear
487, back]
He taught me
ill all dangers
16278
16283
to pray to the
Star of the
Sea,
Our Lady
St. Mary.
16288
' l.iii" . 16,276-8 are a quotation from the }>nssagc below,
. 16,280- lri,310. — U. Parkinson.
438 Tho I fly to Mary, my sins stop me going whole-heartedly.
[StoweMS.
only.]
St. Bernard.
16294
He said, in
all troubles,
call on Mary.
16298
While she
lioUlnthee up,
tliou canst
not I'all.
1G303
[l Slnwe, leaf
288J
16308
[' End of
St. Bernard]
So, in any
ti-iliulation
1 go to Her,
16312
16316
but I can't
do so with
my whole
heart,
16320
16324
for I'm f:nl*-il
and wrinkled
with siu.
16328
sentence off the domys Man // And her-vp-on be-
gynest to ifallyn iu-to the dyrke pytte off Drerynesso,
vp-on the wofuH swolwh" off Dysespeyr and Desper-
ado urc / 'Cogita Mariain / Leffte vp tliyn herte, and
thenke vp-on Marye ' // In alle pereylles, in alle
Auguysshes, In alle dotows thynges, Thynke and
calle vnto Marye // ifor alle the whyle thow ffolwest
vp-on that blysfuH Lady, thow mayst nat goon out off
thy weye ; whyls thow prayest to liyrc, thow mayst uat
tfalle iu despeyr // whiles at thow thenkyst hertly vp-
on hyre, thow mayst nat Eire // And wliiles that she,
witli hyr Meroyable hande holdeth the vp, thow
mayst nat falle // And "Whiles that she, witli the
benygne gracious shelde JOff hyr proteccwn, dyffendeth"
the / yt nedeth" the nat to drode thyn Enmyes // And
wliiles that she ys thy gracious guydo in thy peryllous
pylgrynmtage off this mortal lyff, thow mayst nat wexo
wery // ffor, thurgh" hyr Mercyalilc Conveyynge, thow
shalt arryven vp at the Agreablo havenc off euere-last-
ynge lyfl2 // Therffore, whau that any Tribulacton put
vp-ciii me or assaylleth me, To the only, and to no mo,
I haue my Eecours ffor helpe // Whan) any adversyte
or wrechcliydnesso swe vp-on me, In the aH-only I
ffyndo refuyt and Refuge // Bot / 0, alhis ! grete mater
have I to Coinpk-yne; ffor, but yiff Tribulaci'on con-
streyne, or somwe sodeyne adtie/'syte excyte me and
pooke vp-on me, I kail neuere, off my ffroward dysposi-
cAm;/, haue hertly Recours vnto the // And trewly, llbr
thys Cause, I may lustly and fuH Covenably take vp-on
me the name off a drye stobyll, or off a welkyd leuf,
that ys ffallo dou» ffrom a tree // ffor, semblably so as
a dvye stobyl or a ffadyd leef ffalle to the ErtB, and
neuere ys reysed vp ageyn to the brauxche he kam
ffro // Eight so I, the most wrechchyd1 Wyght off alle
syuwers, and most dy ffadyd! and wylked! witfi syn;/e,
nat-with-stondyng my grete vnhappy Infortunye wliich"
that I lye dcfoulyd Inne / yitt kan I neua-e, tyl I be
mevyd with somwe anguyssh or adnefsyte // 0 blysfuH
lady, I file vnto the ; dy vert my passage vn-to the Soc-
ouiable tent off thy grace // But, O, alias ! as god
Thou only hope of my Soul! TaJx me; let me rest in Thee ! 439
dyffeml, yiff thow puttest me a-way, and Ecfusest my
komyngo, whedir shulde I ffcrther fflcn to ffyndo
sokour or eny helpe? And yiff the gretnesse off my
synnes causeden, thurgli my dcmerytes, that thow
woldest ffor my defautes pw;-sue me // 1 Alias! what
slmlde I done // Certys, in the grete bytternesse off my
sovvle, I were lyk to be dyspeyied off hope // and than
mygfit I weH seyn vnto the, " Contra ffoliuw, quod
vento Bapitw;', ostcndis potcnciam tuaw, & stipulam
sitiam [= siccam] prosequeris " // Alias, blyssccV and
mercyfuH lady ! sholdest shewyn tliy myght and tliy
power ageyn a ffadyd and a welkyd left', that ys lefft vp
and Eavysshed? with a sodeyn wynde, and sholdest,
goode Lady, pursucn a Drye stobyl, ffeble and vn-
myglity, to witlistonde thy power // 0, thow only hope
of my Sowlo ! thow shalt neuece do so, namly vnto me,
which" haue avowed! to ben thy servaunt, and flletJi
vnto the for socour and helpe // Nov thow, lady, shalt
nat voyde hym ffro the / whom that Trylmlact'on so sore
pursueth, to do vengaujice vpon, and he ffleth" to the
ffor helpe, and hath noon other socour nor Dyuertycle
to Declyne vnto, but only to the // But, benygne
Lady, off thy grace thow shalt mercyably Eeceyve hym,
and thow shalt swetly and Oauorobly, as a Modcr off
Mercy, ffostrcn hym // ffor thow, Lady, were notably
ffyguryd atforfi by the Arke of Noe / In-to which was
Krreyveit the Cely Dowe, whan he Eesorted1 ageyn,
in-as-much as he koude ffyndo no loude to Kest vp-on
liis ffeet // ffor the DredffuH wawes off the sternc
flloode liadde so ouerfllowed! the Erth. Thus, in the
same wyse, 0 thow blysfutt lady, thow shalt do to mo,
which haue no place to fflee to but aH-ouly vnto the ;
ffor, off thy Custommable goodncsse and off thy be-
nygne grace, thow shalt Eeceyve mo, 2And benygnely
off tliy Mercy, as a Destytuyt and a Desolate pore
Creature, thow shalt ffostre me in) the soote lappe off
tliy mercyable Mantel // ffor trewly, lady, the Eage
l-'l<Mjde off worldly Tribulacz'on kometh so sore vpon),
that I ha no Eecours to Eesorte vnto, but only vnto
the / Nor I haue no verray Eestyngc place, but only in
[Stowe MS.
only.]
16331
[' Stowe, lt?nf
288, lack]
If my sln.s
msule Thee
pursue me,
what should
I do?
(Jo/i xiii. 25.)
16339
16343
Only liopc i»t'
my n<nil,
reject me not!
10317
10351
but uit'tvi-
t'ully ix-ceive
me,'
16355
as Noali ili.l
the l)'ive lliat
coulil Unit nn
litlnl to ]'.•>!
163GO
I linve no
*]iot t<> fty to,
but only
Thee ;
[2 Stowc, leaf
16366
4-10 / can come to Christ only thro Thee. Thou art my Refuge.
[Stowe MS.
only.]
16373
Km is nut
Christ
my Uefii^e,
as D.tviil MIVH
lP8.cxliv.2j?
1G379
Truly He is.
Ci Kinat xxii.
2)
Hut lleeini;
to Thee is
tleeiutf to
Him.
16385
f K.I. Paris,
JH31I, ml. I.
Pars nllriM,
Sermv tie
A'lti'ieilttctu,
n.7, ]>. 2170:
a parallel in
N.H,p.215l.
-H. I'.J
163'JO
lid ^IVCH UH
no i;iiini gave
by Thy
liamlg.
[» Sto\ve, leaf
289, l>:ic-UJ
16395
Tims, thro
Thee alune
ran we hope
fur Life,
16401
16406
tliou sove-
reign Refuge
for all who
nee to Thee.
the / And thcrfore I may fful wol conclude, and say //
' Tu es Refugiuw / meum a Tribulaeione / Thow art only
my Eefuyt in euery Tribulaeion.1 But ys nat also thy
blyssyd! son/ze, my sovereyn Lorde, Cryst Ihesu, my
Rescus and my Rcfuyt in euery Tribulacton 1 Seyth
nat Dauid in the sawter book // ' Dommws Firmamen-
ium monni, & Kefugiuni nieuw, & Liberator meus /
Tlie lorde ys Firmame?ztuw, my protection, my Eefuge
and my delyuerer in euery Tribulact'on / Vere ipse est
Kofugium meuwf, Deus meus / Saluator meus, & spe-
?-abo in eum / Sothly he ys my Refuge, my lorde god /
my Savyour, And al-only I shall tvuste and hope in
hyiu' // But, 0 blyssed! lady, ffleyng to the ys nat
ellys but a Eecours vnto liym ; And who that shaH
haue Recours to hym / mvste ffirste off necessyte passyn
by the; and by thy blyssed1 medyacouw so atteyne to
kome to hym // ffor, as the fforsayde holy Doctour
Seynt IBeruanlf recordeth,1 ' Xichil nos Deus h«Jere
voluit ({und per tuas manus non transiret' // This to
seyn, ' the blyssed lordo / hath so dysposyd1 the Orden-
aunce off his gracyous gyfftes, tliat we may lia poccs-
siou?i off no goodnesse but yiff yt passe by the honndes
off that blyssed! 2Mayden' // And therfore, 0 thow
meccyable lady, that I may haue lielpe off hym in
ouery Tribulao'on, ffyrst yt behovetfi me that I resorte
vnto the; And therfore I may wel seyn, as I ffirst
seyde // ' Tu es Refugium menm A Tribulact'one ' // And
I may wel seyn thys ffirst worde / ' Tu / Thow ' ; ffor,
sauff only Thow, ther ys noon other in whom ys hope
off vertu and off lyff / And I may say / ' Thow ' / ffor
Thow art allone, With-out eny other Egal vn-to the,
ffor-as-much as thow art syngulerly blyssyd1 byfforne alle
other // And I may say ' Es,' that thow art devoyde, by
a synguler prerogatyff, ffrom alle vnclennesse off syn»e ;
and so in perfytnesse off vertu Thow shalt perseveren
and abyden / in-to tlie worldis ende // And thow mayst
be callyd Covenably / ' Refugium,' That is to seyn,
' sovereyne RefTuyt and Refuge ' ; ffor benygnely Thow
Receyvest, Swetly ffostryst, and mercyably closest
vnder thy Mantel off Mercy, alle tho that ffleen to the
Mary, Ic mine! Tribulation has driven me to Thee. 441
ffor socour and helpe // And though" tliow be ordeyned?
ifor a Com/won Reffuge vnto alle synwers / yitt enclyne
the in especyal to be niyn /. ' Myn ' : why so ? Myn,
Trewly / ' Quia tibi Soli peccaui, & maluin Coram to
ffcci / fEor only vnto the I ha synwytt and tresspassed1,
And to-ffore thyn Eyen Done fful Outragous Offencys ' //
Lady, artow my pocessiouw, sythen yt stant so, that
fful ofte sythe, thurgh ffals ffauour off prosperyte and
transytorye off this wrechched? worlde, I ha fforgetyn
the // Artow or shallow be niyn verrey herytage, sythen
I, woful wrechch", neuere ne DydcJ no Dygne servyse
vnto the / Or l Artow yoven to me syngulerly in pro-
pyrte? God dyffende But I cleyme in-to my poces-
sioun and in-to my propyr herytage // ffor-as-imicli as I
have euere knowen the Custom ?>wibly to haue mercy
vjKin wrechclies ; and I am fful wel expert, and ha
fful experyence off thy benygne gooduesse, whicli, in
aH mescheff and iu aH my nedys, I hauc euere ffouwde
redy vn-to me // wher-off, blyssede lady, with alle my
herte I thanke the // And ffor as much" as thow hast,
nat only at oone tyme, but at alle tymes, be Reffuyt
and synguler Reffuge vnto me / ' Ideo te semper ven-
dico e««e meuwi : Thernbre eue)-e in espacyal I chalenge
the to be myn.' 'Vnde hoc michi? wlitroff, or by
what Tytle, komyth" this vn-to me, Or off what Doctour,
Or of what Mayster, have I lernyd to Chalenge so hill a
Tresour ] ' ' Certe, a Tribulaczone / Certys, off Tribula-
cton' / ffor, trewly I dar wel seyn in this caas, that
Tribulaci'on was my Maystresse and my Techere ; and
off hyr I lenied this lessouw, that witfi-outen aboode or
any taryyng to haue my Resort ffor Socour vn-to the,
off Entent that thow shuldest syngulerly be my sup-
]>orte and Reffuge /'/ But how may yt be in any wyse
that this shulde longen or apertenen vnto Trybula-
c/on // Or what konwyng hat Trylmlacfon, or may in
eny wyse techen a Man the weye off Elthe? Syth" hyr
Condicion ys rather to brynge a man in-to Drerynesse ;
and to Casten hym in-to the ffroward pathys off dyses-
pcyr and desperact'on. Trewly, by clere Consyderac/on
off dyuers Respectys, 2she techeth" both the Ton and
[Stowe MS.
only.]
16414
He Thou Rpe-
cially Tiiine;
for uguinst
Thee only
have 1 (tiiul.
16419
Thou art my
inhuritamx'.
[i Stowe, I
2003
16424
16429
Thou liiiHt
ever been my
Refuge.
Thou art apc-
cially uiine.
16135
16439
Tribnlatidii
sent me tu
Thet,
16443
16447
[' stowc, leaf
KXP, Lack]
442 Thmi, Mary, helping me, I sJiall defy all Tribulation.
(Stowe MS.
only.]
taught me to
Hoc to Tlice,
16455
If Tribulation
tries to drive
iiu- 1 1> despair,
1C4GO
I shall say,
' Mury is my
Kefutfe.'
10465
10169
Ifhe says I
;un too late.
16474
my sins are
too great ;
I shall an-
swer,
16478
p Stowe. loaf
201]
'Mary is ever
ready to grunt
Mercy to nil
who ask it.'
16483
I Hie still
threatens me,
16488
I shall say,
•Mary is'luy
help;
the tother // But she taught me that I shulde fTlen viito
the ; and she nievede me also that I shukle dyses-
peyre // But, ffor I sawh Eltlie in the ton, and grete
distourbau/tcc an[d] trouble in the tother, TherfEore, in
Eschwyng off dyspeyr, I chees, off hool herte, to fflcn
to the ffor sokour and helpe // ffor, ffleyng to the, ys
savacwn ; & to dyspeyr / ys deth witli-oute Eemyssiou/i.
Than»e, ffrom henwys fforwan*, yiff my Maystresse
Trybulaciou caste hyre to ben but a Stepmoder off myn
Eltlie and my savacion, and, sternely Eebukynge and
vndernemynge me / Mynystre vnto me any mater off
dysespeyr, To dresse mo in-to the dyrke wey of drery-
nesse, I shaft answere vn-to hyre in my dyffenso, and
seyn as I ffirst sayd1, ' Tu es Refugiuw mcu»t a Tribu-
lacj'one ' // And yiff that Tribulacton replyc ageyns me,
and be bolde or hardy to axe me why I dyspeyre nat,
or wher myn hope Shulde ben, Or who yt ys that may
be myn helpe in this caas, or my socour in eny wyse,
I shal boldly answere agcyn, and seyn //' 0 blysse.V
lady, ' That yt ys only Thow.' And yff he contynuo
in hys malys, and labour off ft'rowarilnessc, to subuorten
myn hope, and sey ' vnto what endc abydestow / Thow
art komo to late, Tempus miserendi prt-terijt / Tyme oit
mercy ys ypassyd1 / Quia maior est Iniquitas tua q?<'(in
vt veniam conseraaris //' ffor thy wykkedncsse ys more
than thow mayst ha mercy off,' I shaft 1 widely yivc
answere by O syllable, and seyn ' Quia Es / ffor thow /
art,' that ys to seyne, thow abydest ffyx and slabli; /
JEuer in Oon, with-outen Ende, Eedy to do Mercy to
allc that Requeren the // Thane, yiff he, Confus off myn
Answere, in Thretyng wyse Eeplye ageyn me, and say
thes wordes that her Sue / ' Al be yt so that the blysse.*
Mayde be thy Synguler hope and thy ffuH Trust, &
outfj-e Endelessly j's redy to do mercy / yitt truste me
wel, ffor my part, wher-so-eu<//-e that thow be, Or to
what party that thow ffle, I shaH pursue the ' ; Than,
nat-with-standyng the trouble off his Inportable maly.*,
I shaH answere with a gladde herte agcyn, and seyn,
that 'thow, blysseil Mayde / Es Rufugiu?» mcu»i. / Art
my socour and Ituffuyt in eue/y Trybulac/on : ' wher-
Tribulation drove me to Thcc. Thou art my one Comfort. 443
vpon, in Conclusiown, I drede hys manacys nor hys [StoweMs.
Thretys neueradel / And sothly, blyssed? lady, I may
wel seyn that them art ' Beffugiu w,' Which" ys to i fear not
seyne, a fflyght ofi hem that be gylty / ffor-as-much" as,
nat only I, but alle tho that be gylty, fflen vnto the 16495
ffor helpe / Thanne, yiff that Desperacton Convyct and Mary! ail
sinners fly
confus with, & Trybulacoun axe me by what Mene I to Tine for
may knowe Thylke souereyn Keffuge and Reffuyt off
alle that be gylty, or off whom I was taught, or who 16499
was my ledere or my guyde to kome to thylke souereyn
Ifeffuge / I wylle answere and [seyn] ' A Tribulacionc ' / Tribulation
ffor Trybulac/on (as I have sayd to-fforne) was my
Maystresse and niy guyde, and ys ChefE leder and
governeresse Off my passage / And whan I was slowh" 16504
in my passage, with hyr vexacz'on she Constreyned! me Thee!""
to fflen to the ffrom liyr fface / Semblably as a yonge flee" 'tmm the
Chylde, whan he liath espyed! the wolff, naturelly ffleth
vn-to liys Moder, Or as a Cely Dowe, whan she hath Mother,
espveiV the Sparawk, ffleth" horn to hyr Colverhows, to its nest
Evene ^o, blyssed! lady, ffrom the dredfuH fface of j;1;;;',1'"" '•
Trybulacj'on / to th^ tliat art Confortercsse off alle Pjgjg^jj'
Sowles that bo seke, I take my fflyght / And therfore I 16512
may eue>-e Eecorde my Lessouw, and say, as I ffirst
sayde, ' Tu es Refngium meuw a Trilmlacwne ' / In the
which wordes I do tweyne thyngns / ffirst, I cleyme off
Right that thow art verrayly she in whom I truste to 16516
ffynde Comfort in alle adversyte, whan I sey / ' Tu es
l!efugni»i meuju ' /. Secondely, I am aknowe Expresly
ffro whom that I file, whan I say / ' A Tribulacwme ' /
Thanwe, so as I verrayly afferme that thow art only in Tiiee nione
•' I Inisl t</liiul
She in whom I truste ffully to ffynde Comforte Innc /. ™»"'»«-
Goode,blyssede Lady, off thy mercyable gi'ace, dysdeyne 16522
nat to ben ' RefugiuM meu;« In Tribulactone ' / And
nat myn only hope, but my fowrfolde hope ; ffor in
ffoure manc/'e wyse I truste to ffynde in the Comfort
and Consolac/on // ffor who ys the verray hope off T1'°" "T* "ie
• J iKipeolliearts
liertes that ben oppressed1, 1 parceyvo Clcrly at the Eye, "i'?™8'-
and sey 'Tu' / ffor whan tho wrechchy<V wcrldc shaH 16528
drawo to an cnde, and alle sliaH ffayle, than thow slialt Thoujimit
• not tail them.
nat ffayle // ffor thanwe shaH synf uH sowles fflen to be
The First Consolation of Afflicted Hearts: Mary.
The Pint
Consolation
ofopprfit
llearlt.
16535
[' Stowe, loaf
292]
This is in
'i'hee, Mary,
16539
16543
for Thou art
my rewtiiij--
pliice,
16549
in \vliom all
Kilmers liupc
for reft.
16553
Tlio my sins
are HM obsta-
cle between
me and Thee,
16558
yet I can look
at Thee thro
16563
tlie \vimloW8
of Holy
Scripture,
[" Stove, leaf
2112, kick]
16568
and see Thy
words,
sliadowydf vnder thy gracyous mantel off mercy : why 1
ffor thow art / Refugiuw a Tribulactone. /
Here begynneth" the ffirste Consolacion
And hope off hertes that ben oppressyd!
With Eny Trybulacton. /
1Tho ffyrste Consolacton that I ffynde, 0 blyssede
Lady, ys only in the / ffor who ys the verray hope off
hcrtcs that ben oppressed, but only Thow ? / ffor, so as
A Pylgrym or a passagour that kometh ffro fforeyno
Cuntres reioyseth" whan he Resorteth" to his restynge
place, wher he hopetli in pees and quyete to abyden /
Moche more I, that am oppressyit with Afflyccton off
my troubled! soule, and al besett with drerynesse, whan
I leffte vp myu hede out of the dyrke angles off
wrechchydnesse, I howe to Reioysshen and to be gladde
whan I Consydre, so, and vorrayly beholde that thow
art the Restynge place off my verray hope, and the
ffynal terme off my desolacton // For I perceyue wel
that thow art the Mete and the Marke off alle labour,
In whom the sovereyn hope off alle synfuH restyth
Inne // But wheroff and in what wyse may I knowo.
thys ? / Haue nat my synwes made an Obstacle / and
reysed1 vp a wal betwyxe the and me? / ffor soth, yis /
how may I thattne, sythen ther is so grete an Obstacle
sett atwen, knowen or verrayly wyten The secrete
pry vctcs off thy benygne grace < / Sothly, I wote right
wel that I may nat / But al be yt so that ther be a
Closour and a wal which lette me that I may nat sen
nor Clerly beholden the lyght off thy mercyable grace //
yitt neuertheles I, as a wrechche, fferfully stonde be-
hynde the wallys, and with" a ffuH dredfuH Eye looke
lime by the wyudowes // Which ben the wyndowes
that I looke Inne by 1 jj Trewly, the wyndowes and the
Comfortable ffenestrallys, as yt semyth vnto me, ben
hooly Scn'ptures // The which ffuH notably make
inencton off the grete swetnesse 20ff thy mercyable
pyte // ffor by thylke agreable ffenestrallys beholdynge,
I se and Clerly Consydre the soote sugryd wordys
which, by a specyal Inspyraci'on off the holy Gost, Thy
Thou, Mary, givest Hope of Life, aiul hast Mercy on all. 445
syluen saydest with thyn hooly halwyd! mouth // ' In [Stowe MS.
me Omnis gra^t'a vite & veritatis ; In me omws spes vite
& virtutis. Transite ad me, Omnes qui Concupiscitis (*«feno««-
. . m xxiv. 25-
me, & a generaciOTiibws meis Inplemim. Spiritus emm *»vuig.; is-
meus, dulcis, & hereditas mea super mel & ffauura;
memoria mea in generactone seculotum. qui edurat me, 16575
adhuc Esurient ; & qui bibunt me, adhuc sicient ' //
This to seyne, 'In me is alle grace off lyff and off
Trouthe ; In me ys alle hope off lyff and off vertu / that in Thee
Kometh" and maketh youre passage vn-to me, ye alle Life"1*'
that hertly desyre me, and ye slial ha plente, and be 16580
ffulfylled1 off my generacions // ffor my spyryt ys soote /
and myn herytage excedytfi in swetnesse, sugro and
hony. The mynde and tlie memorye off mo shall 16583
Listen with~-outen Ende. And who that ffedeth hym on and that they
my swetnesse, shaH hungren ageyn / And they that and drink*1
savourly drynken off my boimtevous goodnesse, shaH shall want
effte ayeyn sore thruste ther-affter ' // ffor Certys, blyssed 16587
lady, alle ys swetnesse, alle ys Comfortable, that kometfi
ffro the ; And, by thylke opne wyndowe off thy mer-
eyable grace, I Consydre And buholde in my Contem-
platyff medytaci'on the grete habondaiwce off mercy
and off pyte that ys in the // ffor, O thow blyssed 1G592
lady, yiff hooly Scrypture Kecorde and bare wytnesse tureywSit-'p"
that thow art mercyable, pytous and benygne, and Th"u"artlit
thow thy sylff bare ' Eecorde her-vp-on, And theroff p'st'owo, leaf
ffolweil noon Effecte, preff, nor Experience / Shulde
men ben bolde or hardy ffor to seyn that the Scryp- 16597
tures wer ffals / nay, nay, god dyffende // ffor thow,
blyssed! Lady, in effect verrayly hast mercy vp-on alle and hast
that off hool herte calle vn-to the, and Castvst fful «ii wno
cry to Thee
benygnelly the stremys off thy mercyable Eyen vp-on for >'elP-
alle tho [that] hope in the, and Crye to the ffor helpe,
an[d] comfortably IJeceyuest hem vn-to grace; ffor, as 16603
loachym the Bysshop, Reconlede // 'Tu es gloria leru-
saleni ; Tu leticia Israel ; Tu honorificencia popwli //
Thow art the gladncsse and the glorye off lerusalem ; (Juait* »v.
Thow art the myrthe and the Reioyssynge off allo 16607
Israel ; and thow art the worships and the macnvfvconce Tnotl »rt the
,., 6 J J honour of all
off alle peplys / ffor, more than cny scn/pture makytfi folk-
446
The First Consolation of. Afflicted Hearts : Mary.
[Stowe VLB.
only.l
16613
When Theo-
philus
(iespuml, anil
denial Christ*
16619
Thou restor-
edst him to
favour.
16623
[2 Stowe, leaf
293, back]
Who ever
trusted Thee,
and lost his
desire ?
16028
16632
I lift up
ipy heart to
to Thee,
16637
for Thou art
my hope.
16641
In Tliee only
I find help.
16645
who art the
full hope of
my soul.
mcnczon, Thow shedyst and powryst dcran the Oylle off
tliy Mercy vp-on sy?merys / And off ffull yore agone,
that hath be thyn vsage and thy Custoom / Eecorde I
take off Thcophilus,1 which", whan he was ffallyn in-to
tlie horryble ffoule pytt off Desperaci'on, and denyed1 thy
blyssed! Sonwe Ihesu Crist, doynge homage to the, Thow,
blyssed Mayde, Thow beuygne Lady, Thow gloryous
queue off pytce and off mercy, fforsoke liyni nat whan
he Resorted" Ageyn vn-to the, but niercyably delyuer-
edest hym ffrom the boudys off the ffende, brekyng
and Annullyng the Eecorde, wretyn with his owne
hande, Eestorynge hym to grace and to mercy ageyn.
By swycli wyndowes and by swych" ffenestraH / I,
stondynge behynde vnder the wali off my syn«es, and
looke and beholde how benygne and how MercyfuH at
thow Art // 2ffor who yitt euere callytt vn-to the / Or
what man eue/'c putte his trust or his fulle hope hertly
in the, and was defraudyd? off hys vertuous desyr? //
Whan I Eemembre and Consydre aH thes thynges,
And so Clcrly at the Eye how thow helpyst al hem
that ben oppressydf, and Eeconcylest ageyn to grace
alle hem that ben dysespeyred1 / And generally art
socour and helpe to alle synwerys, Ther-iibr I, wofuH
Wrechche lefft, vp and dresse the Inward" Eye off
myn herte vn-to tlie / ffor hooly and Enterly in the
I putte myn hope stable and ffyx, perpetually to per-
seueryn and abyden, Coucludyng thus withe the Pro-
phete / ' Tu es spes mea & porcio mea in terra
viuenciuwi // Thow, blyssed lady, art myn only hope,
my part and my porcton in the londe of euery-lastynge
lyff ' // ffor, lady, whan I am ffalle in any Trybulact'on,
walke and goo Eounde aboute the Erthe, and seke
affter the helpe off men, an[d] kan nowher noon ffyndeii
but Only in the // Than may I wel ben aknowen, and
Confesse me, and3 seyn / ' Tu es porcio mea : Thow
alloue, Lady, art my part and my porcton,' ffor thow
Dystyuctly, alle other excludyd, art, were, and shalt
ben the Outer and the ffulle hope off my soule. And
ther-ffor I may Covenably applye and seyn vnto th^
1 See Migne, vol. 182, p. 1143/1. 3 MS. 'and and'
TJic Second Consolation of Afflicted, Hearts: Mary. 447
the werdys off leremye the prophete, ' Spes mea tu in
die Affliccionis / Thow art myn Only hope in the
dayes off myn afflycct'on' // Et hec potest Consolacso
mea, que est mentis spes oppresse, peccipio ad occw-
lum1 . . .
2 Here begynneth the Seconnde
Cousolacwn Off Hcrtcs that ben
Oppressyd! with Trybulacwn.
The secownde Consolac/on, O blysscd1 lady, which
that I ffynde in the ys this, that whan I Consydre and
se, and in Expe/ience ffynde, That whan alle the lustys
off this transytorye worlde passe away and nat abyde,
Thow abydest euece in Oon, stable and ffyx with-oute
Mutabylyte, ' Quia es. / ffor thow art stedfast and
stable, shalt perseuwe with-outen elide ' // And lyk as
thes Marynerys in the absence off the sonnc, whan the
dyrke nyght kometh vp-on, ha no comfort off lyglit /
but only off the loode sterre, which off his nature
abydeth ffyx in hys spere, and neuece draweth ffor to
declyn by medyacj'on, off which they guye and goueme
ther passage // Eveno so I, a wofuH wrechche, in the
mydf see off this Troublyd! worlde fforpossydf and ffor-
dryven with many sturdy wawes off adversyte and off
Trybulaw'on, whan the lytyl pore vessel off myw herte
ys ouercaste and ffordry ven with many ffrowariV wyndes
off affliction // Than«e have I no Comfort nor helpe
but only to lefften vp the Eye off myn herte vn-to the,
which art verrayly callyd the Sterre off the See3 / Only
to dyrecten and to brynge wrechches, oute off alle
Tempestys off Trybulacion, to the havene and to the
blysfuli porte off euere-lastyng lyff // And her-vpon I
aparceyve 4Therby Tliat thow art the sothefaste loode-
Sterre off the see / ffor / Stella, a stando dicitwr / A
Sterre ys seyde off stondyng; And therffore, off Sted-
fastnesse off stondyng thow mayst wel be callyd a
Sterre // ffor, whan alle other Erthely Creatures be
1 The catchword is 'Tu,' so a sheet of ten leaves or less is
possibly missing, tho' I suppose the First Consolation cannot
have run much further than it does here.
3 Stella mai'i.i .- see Jlignc, vol. 182, p. 1142/2.
[Stowe MS.
-
xliijo L'ajii-
'»'«•
16653
[• Stowe, leaf
•2111]
The Second
Consolation
of troubled
Ueartt.
16658
When
worldly plea-
sures pasg,
Thou, Mary,
nuiilest.
16663
As seamen
in the night
steer by the
Load-Star,
16667
so I, amid
the waves of
adversity,
16672
find help only
in Thee, Star
of the Sea.
16G78
[« Stowe, leaf
•Kit, bai-k]
Thou art a
Star, for Thy
fixedness.
16684
448 The Second Consolation of Afflicted Hearts : Mary.
istowe us. voryable thurgh Changynge, thow Abydest stable and
- stedfaste with-out Mutabylyte / euere in Oon // And
that shewed fful wel in the passiouw off thy blyssetf
Sonwe // ffor whan alle his discyples ffledde a-way,
Thow, as a ffyx Sterre, stoode euere stable In the
ffyrmament off the ffeyth to-ffore the Croos. Thy
Stabylnesse was shewed fful wel also in the Concepci'on
off thy blyssed sonne, That, nat with-stondyng tho
promys and the beheste off the Aungel, thow stoodo
euere Stable, and nat Chauwgest thyn holy pwpos off
thy vyrgynyte // Thy grete stabyluesse ys also ffonden
wel ffro day to day in the grete Reffuyt and Eeffuge
that thow dost to alle synful men, havyng mercy vp -on
hem euere in ther mescheff whan they ha node ; and in
this stant moste in euery Trybulacton the synguler
Consolation and Comfort that I have in my Sowle /
ffor trewly, blyssei? lady, yiff thow were unstable and
varyant as otlier Creatures ben, I koude vp-on no syde
ffynden Comfort in myn hert // why so? // ffor than
were ther noone other that mygnt delyuere me out off
the trowble ffloodys off the see off thys Mortal lyff /
ffor I stoode pleynly vp-on the wrak, myd off the
ffelle Rage ffloodys off this dredfuH See, lyk to ha be
perysshed, nadde ben that thy Mercyable hande hadde
ben porrect to me- ward // And therfore, J 0 thow
blyssed! lady, I make my prayer and myn Inuoccact'on
vn-to the, to bcne a Meue of Mercy to brynge me to
the holsom?»e bauene off euery-lastyng lyff, Seyyng to
the thes wordes that her swen / Cum beato Petro / ' Si
tu es, lube me venire ad te super aquas ' / ' Si tu es ' /
that ys fforto seyn, 'ffor thow art, and neuere shalt
Cessyn ffor to ben, commando me // O thow blyssed!
Mayde, whicB art the port and the havene off Elthe
vnto wreehches, me stondyng vp-on the watrys, that ys
to seyn, mydct off Trybulacions in this worlde, to
ouerekomen hem, and So to kome vn-to the' // ffor,
Certys, lady, yiff so be that thow exclude my prayer
ffro thyn Erys, off alle wreehches I am the moste
wrechchyd! ; and yiff my synnes fforbarre me, that I be
nat herde demyng, also that ffor my grete offencys, I
16690
when Thou
eonceivedat
Him,
and keptest
Thy vir-
ginity.
16696
16700
If Thou wort
w natable.
none else
could deliver
me.
16706
[i Stowe, leaf
295]
I pray Tliee
bring me to
Hit- haven or
everlasting
Life.
16713
Bid me,
16717
among the
troubles of
this world,
eoaie to
Thee.
16722
The -2nd and 3rd Consolations of a Troubled Soul. 449
am nat worthy to preyse the // ' Quia non cst Speciosa
J .
Laus m Ore Peccatoris / In as mycfi as ther ys no
worthy prey[s]yng in the niouthe off a SynfuH man' /
how shall I euece be bolde or hardy to telle fforth the
Magnyffycence off thy laude // Certys, lady, yiff I
see that I be nat benygiiely horde off the, I wyl
arrettyn the cause to my sywnes, and to the grete
defautys that I ha done; ffor thow, lady, ffayllest
neuere, nor thow wan test nat to do socour and helpe to
alle that deuoutly Iresechyn and prayeii vn-to the. Et
hoc est q«od pramisisti Ecclesiastics xxiiij" : " Sum, &
vsq?<e ad Futuru;« seculum non desinaui" / That is to
seyne / " I am, and in-to the worlde that is to komene,
I shaH nat Cesse ffor to be" / And ther-ffore, blyssedf
*
lady, be-cause thow hast bon, and cuere art, and shalt
ben, Comfort and Consolaczon to alle wrechches and
SynfuH men, In hope that thy Mercy and thy Consola-
czon in my grete Nede ! Shall nat ffayllen vn-to me /
Thys ys my Secownde Consolaci'oMii, which" that I
cachche in the. /
The Thrydde Consolaetonl
Off A TroublycV Sowle ]
The Thrydde Comfort and Consolacton, 0 blyssed!
lady, that I have, ys this, That I se that ffolkys,
oppressyif with werynesse off ther owne thougfitys,
ffynden a Shadwyng place and an holsomwe llefuge
whan they fflen to the ffor socour and helpe // wherfore,
lady, yiff I seye and beholde thatt the ffoxys off the
Erthe hadden holj's to putte Inne ther heedes, And
bryddes off the heyre, nestys to breden Inne, and a
Sparwe koude ffynden out an hcvesc off an hous to
bredyn Inne / And a Tortyl a place to make hym Inne
a Neste to ffostreu hys bryddes ther-Inne // And that
I say also this hygh hylles, ordeyued? ffor hertys to
pasturen Inne. And in kavydl stones ffou/ide an hoole,
.
an yrehoux to liaue his Reffuge ther-Inne ; And amonge
al thys, I seye the Childeren off men Dysconsolat
and Destytuyt off ther loggyng // As whilom thy
blysseiH so/me hadde no place whei to putte Inne his
PILGRIMAGE. G G
Mary, I am
not worthy to
praise Thee.
16727
16731
£rha° ^xT
16736
A.Tiion»n,
and Hlmlt U-
Ct"'»"luti""-
[1 ^blil-kT '
16743
r»e Third
Cmmlatiox
16747
16752
M the »p.ir-
ron- linili
16758
ana the
!">le to lllde
16763
450 Mary, the Third Consolation of TrouUed Sends.
heede // Trcwly, lady, and I seye mankynde thus
dyswarre off ther herberwe, that they hadde no place,
107(36 in ther grete nocessytc off Refl'uge, to Dyverte to / yt
[i stowe, lear were but lytyH 1\Vondre though I were dyspurveyed!
off hope In my sowle, wher I shulde eny Consolac/on
an.i a» Thou, or Comfort ffyiide // But, ffor-as-mych as thow allone,
Ivrnii! '('.'i ill , And al Only, art yoven Ifor a Synguler Eeffugo vn-to
Wrechchys, and Art made ther protectour and dyffenee,
16772 And, Affter the grete opp?-essiouM oif her, art made ther
Kestynge place, to abyden Innc in Equyte / wherby I
tfynde a Path and a weye, to whom, in al mescheff and
i shall turn necessyte, I shaH fflen and dyuerte vn-to // ffor thow
th^xoaVs art( as I sayde Rathe, Thylke Arche off .Noe, vn-to tin;
which", and in the which", in tyme off grete Deluge, allo
16778 the worlde (Hey vnto, and were savyi? ther-Inne, alle
they that by grace myglit Entren, as wcl thes Rude
beestes, as Men that were Eesotfnable / Eight so,
of salvation blyssed! lady, thow art de verray Arkc OIF Mankyndes
lor good and •
li:"1- sa vac ton, vnto the which", Eightful and vnrigHtful men
u'Svrree to ^or nolP° // And thow art ffygured1 also by thylko
Tree which that Danyel spak off, vnder which alle
16785 the beestes off the Erthe hadde here dwellynge placo,
and vp-ou whos brafichys Rcstyde alle the bryddus oil'
umicr wiiic'i. the heyr. And vender this Tree was the pasture and
'«»• the ffoodo off alls levynge Creatures / Trewly, 0 blysseiK
lady, me semyth" verrayly Thow art the sylue same
Tree, vnto which alle Eesonable Creaturys fflen vnto
16791 ffor to ffyude socour aud helpe. And sothly, Lady,
with supportaci'on off thy mercy, me semytli that
amonge so manye I shulde nat ben ExcludyiH // ffor aH-
And tim' I'm be-yt-so that I be nat liable nor worthy to be KeknyiH
amonge the Clene bryddes off hevene, which" sytten
16796 vpon the liyh brau?ichys of Contemplacz'on / yett,goode
' k°"f Wysse(J lady / 2Dysdeyne nat, thouh" I be Rude And
but besiiai, Bestyall thurgh Synne, that I may Sytteu lowe vp-oii
1 may mend
by Thy grace, the Erthe, by mekeuesse and humylyte to amende me
vnder the agreable Bowes and braiwchys off thy Cus-
16801 towzmable grace, ther to be shadwyd and shrowdyd
with thy mercy // And sythyn that eucry Creat^/'i;
ffynt ffoode aud spyrytual Reffeccion in the // Lady,
Mary, the, Third Consolation of Troubled Soitls.
yiff yt be nat lefful to me, ffor my grete syraies, ffor to
Tasten and to Etyn off thyn hooly plentevous ffruyt,
yett suffre, blyssed! lady, that at the leste that I may
Saltern ibi ffenuwi vt bos Comedain. / Haue my pasture
ther with" Rude Oxys, and walkyn as a man deiect
with" Nabugodonoser / Ther, amongc thys wylde beestys,
to han my habitact'on, to take ther party off the Remys-
saylles leffte off hem that be gostly and Spyrytual
Repast, to my Sowle helpe // ffor trewly, lady, and
thow lyst pacyently to suffre me thus, why shulde
nat my Sowle be Comfortyd? why sluilde I than«e
be dysespeyred1 off thy grace // why shulde my wofuH
Eyen be dyrked with" longe abydynge in the salte
Terys off bytteruesse // ffor Certys, thouh the mul-
tytude off my Sywnes passe in nowmbre the Sotyl
emale Sandys and graver! off the See, And though"
I were nat worthy, ffor my wykkydnessys, to lyfften
vp myn Eyen towarde the bryglite hevene, yett, uat-
with-standyng alle this // 'Te tamen, a ffacie ffuroris
Domini, Refugiuw haieo // I have the, my Synguler
Refuge, ffor the fface of the woodncsse off my Lorde
God' // & yiff that oure fferme ffader ^dam, affter
hys grete Offence, hadde had swych" a shadewyng place
to have tournytf vn-to, ffor to haue hydde hys nakyd-
nesse, I suppose the lorde hadde nat seyde vn-to hym /
' Adam, vbi Es 1 Adam, wher Artow 1 ' // But the goode
lorde, seyng so mycli peple pe/ysshe ffor the Synne off
the seyde Adam, ordeygned1 the to ben a Synguler
Mene ffor manwys saluac/on, off Entent, that who-so-
euere ffledde vn-to the ffor helpe and ffor Reffugc,
shulde nat pe;ysshen, But Restyn vnder the Shad we
off thy protecc/on, to be ConservycK ffro dampnaci'on
vnder the large off thy Charyte // Seyynge vnto thi1,
thylke wordys that lie wrutyn In ysaye / the pwphcte,
xvj" Capitulo : " Absconde fugientes, & vagos ne prodas ;
liabitabiiHt apud te profugi mei, & cetera / Esto Lati-
buluw eorw;» a Facie vastatoris " // This to seyne, " 0
thow blyssed! Lady, hyde hem that fflen vnto tli6 ffor
helpe, and they that be vagaboudc, clys[c]oure hem nat,
ffor synfull ffolkys that be ffugytyff shalle ffleen vn-to
451
Tho' I may
not eat of
Thy fruit,
16806
let me share
the leaviiigtt
of the 8pi-
rituul repast.
16813
Tho' my sin*
are more than
the sea-sand,
16819
yet Thou,
Mary, art
my llctuge.
[1 Stowe, leaf
297]
16826
16830
'1 in. u aavest
us from
Adiim'it trans-
gression.
16835
We pray to
The<
16840
to hide us
who flee to
Thee for help.
452
Mary, the Fourth Consolation of Troubled
16844 the ffor socour and helpc ; ami be tliow her dyffuuce
and her pj'otecci'on to-ffore the ffaco off the Enmy " //
And whan I ha this in my lleiuembraiince, yt ys the
Thrydde Consolact'on, which" tliat I ffynde Only iu the,
In mery Trybulaci'on.
.My Impe lit
Thy aid.
Muiy, is my
Third Conso-
lation.
Tilt Fourth
Coniofiition.
16851
[' Stowe, loarf
297, backj
An I trust
Jll-l tn.|H' ill
Thee, Mary,
16856
I claim an
ancestral
right nf re-
fuge iu Thee.
16861
Sinners were
the eunse of
Thy bring
the Mother
of God;
16866
they made
Thee
hunounl.
1G871
Thou nrt
bouml to u»
ninn.'is,
nntl we to
Thee.
16878
[' Stowe, leaf
WS]
Here begynneth" the
ffourthe Consolaczon.
Certys, Lady, and yt were so that thow dyst Comfort
to alle other Syn/terys save only to me, I hadde 1Grete
inatere to Compleyne, and to make grete Sorwe Ami
Lamentacion // But, ffor-as-myeh as I liauo a Syngnler
Trust and a Speeyal hope in the, to-fforne alle other,
Therffore I wyl Keioyssli in myn herte, and Cleyine off
Ryglit the, in Especyal, to be my Keffuge / And thys I
Cleyme off herytage by lyneal Dyscent oil' Succession/?,
be Tytle off myii Awncetrys, other Sywnerya that ha
be to-fforne. and Sythen thow clydest niercy vn-to
hem / I, that am a Symier, Cleyme off lliglit tliat thow
Shalt done Mercy vn-to me // ffor Certys, by olde
tyme, lady, Synwerys that wernc to-ffoni^, weryn Occa-
sions That thow were Chosyn to ben the Moder off
god, and queue of hevene, and lady also off al the
world. And certys, lady, with" Supportaeion off your
grace / hadde uat Sywuerys ben, thow liaddest neue/v
1» Keysed1 to so high a degre off worshippe ; And tlicr-
ffore The holy Doctour Seynt Awstyn Seyth vn-to the
In a Meditacton // ' O Maria, nntltuin Audeo, multuiu
gitudeo / Multuw-qMe'gaudiuw, multam-ip<« michi ffacis
audaciam.' ' 0 blyssoi? Marye, I am gretly hardy and
bolde, and gretly I Eeioysshe, and tliow yevest me
grete hardy nessc ffor to speken' // ffor I spoke, and as I
speke, rigfit so yt ys / ffor we to the, and thow to vs /
A nyli Confederacye hatli loyned vs to-gedre / That
thow ffor vs haste thylke beynge that thow art. And
trewly in the same wyse, by the Only, we hauc the
beyng that we arn) // ffor yiff that -Oure Trespace
and cure Trausgressiouw hadde nat be to-fforne / Ther
hadde nat ffolwedf ther-vpon cure Eedenipcion // And
yiff yt hadde nat be necessarye, vs to haue be bought,
Mary, the Fourth Consolation of Troubled Souls.
yt hadde nat be necessarye the to haue Cliylded1 ourc
savyour and Eedc/Mptour, ' Vt quid enim iiesciuiu pcc-
cata pro peccatoribtt* pareres, si deesset qui peccasset /
Vt quid ffieris, mater Saluatoris, si nulla esset Indi-
gencia salutis ' / ' 0 blyssed lady, why or wher-ffore
shuldestow haue Chylded! and brought fforth hyin ffor
Remedye Off Sywnerys, which nciiere knewe what
synfte was, yiff thev ueu«re hadde be no<5n that haddl
syn«ed! to-fforne // Or to what ffyn sholdestow ban
ben Moder off the Savyour, yiff ther hadde be noon
Indygence off savaceonf An<l thcs wordys off Seynt
Awstyn, lady, I may Eight weH seyn vu-to the // ffov
sythen Syjmerys were Cause and Occasyouw off thyn
honour and off thy Magnyffycence, by cause only off
ther grete sy?mes, yt semytli vn-to me, sythen that I
am a Successonr off hem, Contynuyngo ffro day to day
in Synne, That I, amonge alle other Synnerys, may
Eightffully Cleymen to fflen to the ffor helpe and ffor
Eeffuyt // And that thow, in Becompensacj'ou off the
grete ben«fetys whicli thow hast Recey ved! ffor Sywierys,
wylt nat to me, that am a Synner, denye the Entre /
Sythyn thow, lady, off verray Right art bounden to be
Eeffuge vnto Sywnerys / ' Sed, quomodo obligata // But
how, lady, artow Ixwnden ? ' Artow nat more bownden
off Equyte to EighfuH men than to Synnerys // ffor-
soth thow art bouwle to bothe ; Jffor to EightfuH Men
thow art bouwden by Love, And to SynfuH Men thow
art bou/idc by thyn Offyce // ffor a leche hath in hous-
holde with hym, hem that he loveth / and he hath
besyde also, woimdyd and seke men, whom that lie
Recuretli and maketh hool / ffor wher-to shulde Oon
bere the name off a leche, but yiff he wolde helyn men
off ther maladyes // Or wherto shuldestow be callyd!
the Moder off Mercy / Or wher-to shuldestow ha be
Chosen to be the Moder Off god, yiff thow aH-only
shuldest loven goode Men and EightffuH, And with
alle this shuldest nat done nor shewyn no mercy vnto
Syimerys / Trewly thow art holden to loven and to
Cherysshen hem that be RightfuH, And to haue mercy
on hem that be SynffuH // And that shewyth fful weH
453
We sinners
inailf needful
T!iv t»t!Hi-iiig
of Christ.
16886
16892
AII we :n .- the
en iiH>- (if Thy
greati less,
16898
I .ni.l all
may rightly
claim Thee,
M:u-y, us our
refuge.
16904
Tliou ;irt
bound to
HK the
ri^t'teima.
[i Stowf, leaf
20M, Itiu-kJ
16910
The Phy-
sician lit'it
sick folk.
16915
16919
Thou art
first to have
mercy on
sinneri.
454
Mary, lie our Refuge in Tribulation !
16923
Thy secre-
tary, St.
Bernard, said
Thou wast
debtor to sin-
ners as well as
righteous :
16928
16933
[i Stowe, leaf
*J9]
to give sin-
ners forgive-
ness ;
and the
grace.
16940
Therefore,
Mary, bless
them wlio
made Thee
blessed.
As sinners
causd Thee to
be blessed.
be our Refuge
in tribula-
tion!
Queen of
Heaven,
Loadstar of
the Sea,
by thylko Memoryal wrytyng off thy Secretys, which"
thyn owne Secretarye, Seynt Bernard wroot, Seyyng in
thes wordes // ' Sapientibws & Insipientibzw, iustis &
peccatoribws, Debitricem te ffecisti : Omnibus Omwia
ffrtrfa Est // To wyse men and to ffoolys, To EiglitfuH
men And to Sywnerys / thow hast made thy syluen
doctour / ffor thow art made alle vn-to alle,' by the
plentevous habondauwce off thy Charyte. And thow
hast opned! the Bosom off thy Mercy so largely, that
alle may taken off the plentevousnesse ther-off // He
that ys in Captyvyte, Redempc/on ; the Syke Man,
Elthe ; And he that ys hevy, Consolacton ; And the
Synrjerre, fEoryiffnesse and Remyssyouw ; 2And the
RightfuH Man, grace and perfeccton / 'Vt non sit qui
se abscondat a. Galore eius' // So that noon off no degre
may shrowdon hym, but that the Somze of thy Charyte
shal shyne vp-on hym ; And syth" thow art be-kome
dettour to RightfuB men and to Synful men also //
Alle SynfuH men may Justly alleggyn this vers vnto
the, and seyn :
ffestina miseris / Misereri virgo beata ;
Nam te si Eecolis, miseri ffecere beatam ;
Ergo, beafa, miseros quorum te Causa beauit.
[Mary, be our Refuge in Tribulation! 16946
4 verses o/S lines each, abab, bcbc.']
(1)
() blyssed! mayde' / fflour off alle goodnesse,
On alle SynfuH / ha Mercy and pyte ;
Tliynke how Synnerys / in verray sothefastnesse
were Cause ffirst / (who so [that] lyst se,) 16950
That ffolkys shulde / blyssyd / callyn tlie,
Only ordeyned? / ffor ther Savac'ion ;
Now, goode lady / off thy benygnyte
Be oure Refuge / In Trybulacion / 16954
(2)
11 Queue off hevene / off helle ek Emperesse,
Loode' Sterre / ycalledf off the See
To Marynerys / that Erryn in dyrknesse,
Thow art ther Comforte / in Alle aduersyte. 16958
Mary, be our Refuge in Tribulation !
455
Thy lyglit, ffro Tempest maketti hem go ffre,
And vp taryve / thurgli thy proteccton,
At the havene / ofE alle ffelycyte,
And ffor tescape / Eche Trybulacton. 16962
(3)
1) 0 holy Sterre // ffyx in stabylnesse, [stowc, if. 299, bit.]
With-oute Eclypsyng / Or Mutabylyte,
Ylyche Clere / shynyng in bryghtnesse,
In whom the Sonwe / sent ffro the deyete, 16966
lyste ffor to take / Oure humanyte,
Off Mankynde / to make Redemption,
That thow sliuldest / 0 mayde, 0 Moder ffre,
Be Oure Eeffuge / In Trybulacton ! 16970
(4) Lenvoye.
U Pryncesse, excellyng off mygfet and worthynesse
Alle Creaturys / as in dygnyte /
Myn hertys body / my worldly Clieff goddesse,
Pray thy Son»e / ta1 mercy vp-on me. / ['to have]
Syth in alle mescheff / to thy grace I file 16975
Reffute to ffynde / And Consolac'ion.
And syth my trust / ys Only Sette in the,
Be my Reffuge / in Trybulacion. / 16978
Explicit.
2 And sothly, lady, I am Right wel a-knowe that I
was constreyned! off verray nede And neccssyte, to fflen
to the ffor Socour and helpe, and Chacyd off Trybula-
cton to kome to the ffor Comfort and Consolacion /
U And trewly, yiff I seyde the Contrarye, I shuldo
ffoule ffayllen off the Sotfi. 11 Now, trewly, I am
mycii holden vn-to Trybulacton, And owe Rigfit wel to
Callyn hyre a Maystresse off myn, that taught me, and
was so goode a guyde to ary ven vp at so holsom a Port,
and at so notable an havene, to ffynde Reffuyt and
Refuge, IT 0 blyssed lady, in the / ffor tyl I hadde
gone to Scole with Trybulacwn, I savoured? fful lytil in
the soote mylk of grace which" dystylleth" douw ffro thy
mercyable brestys to Synwerys, to ffostren hem in ther
gretc nede, spocyally whan they ffalle in Trybulacton.
Ami trewly I nipy say, ffor my party, that Trybulaa'on
brill:: U8 to
tlie Haven of
Felicity !
Holy .Star,
in whom
God's Son
took hu-
manity,
be our Refuge
In tribula-
tion !
Pray thy Son
t<» have mm-y
on me !
My trust is
only in Thee.
[3 Stowe, leaf
300]
Miiry, I am
driven to
Tliee by
tribulation,
16982
ami am much
WlioMon tu
her
16987
for Bending
me to such a
Refuge.
Tilt she
sclioald me,
I i:i-ir,l little
of the milk nf
tliy breasts.
16993
450
The Fourth Consolation of afflicted Souls.
1G99G
Blessed are
tlir beatings
that drive a
child from
liis errors!
17002
[I Stowe, leaf
:i'n», backj
Christ or-
daind tribula-
tiou
17008
to make us
oltey our
Master.
And Tribnla-
tiun I lit1- sent
me to find
refuge, Mary,
in Thee.
17015
I pray Thee
17021
17026
to rescue me
in this storm,
and be my
refuge.
17031
[* Stmve, leaf
SHI]
was a necessarye Maystresse vn-to me, lycli vnto a pro-
cellc which" dryveth att sodeynly a Shyppe vn-to goode
aryvaylle. IT And necessarye ys also thylke sharpe
prykke, that bryngeth" hym tliat Erreth" in his passage,
agi'yn to tlie Eight wey. IT And wel-fuH and blyssed*
be tho betynges and Skowryngcs, that Compellyn a
Chylde to declyne ffrom liis trespacys and his Errours.
And ther-fforo, blysseit lady, rather than I shulde be
Rekkeles to llesorte vnto the, lat me Rather, vnder thy
protoccj'on, ffele somwe party Off Trybulac/on. H And,
benygne lady, I belene 1Verrayly, that, by the ordyn-
a»nce off thy blyssed1 Somze, Was suffrytJ and ordeyned*
as a yerdc in a Maystres hande to Restreyne neclygent
Children ifrom her Wau)4onesse and thcr trwandyse,
and to compellyn hem raekely to obeye the doctryne
and dyscyplyue off ther Mayster. IT And thus, lady, I
that am Slowli, Neclygent, and ffroward1 in alle vertu-
ous werkys, My ^faystresse Trybulac/on, with" hyre
yerde off Dyscyplyne and of Castygaczon, She liath"
taught me to komme to the in my grete nede, ffor to
ffynde in thy grete Mercy, Refuge and Consolac/on.
11 So that thow mayst covenably seyn to me the
wordys wretyn in the Sawter book / " In Tribulac/one
iiuiocasti me / In Trybulacj'on euere thow callyst vn-to
me." H And Sothely, lady, I conffesse me, and am wel
aknowe, that yt ys So; Besechyng fful mekely vn-to
the, with alle myn hoole herte, only oif mercy and off
pytye, that thow lyst to seyn vnto me, and gracyously
to Acomplysshe and ffulfyllen in me, thy pore servauwt,
the Resydue in effect, that ffolweth in the same vers /
" libcraui te & exaudiui te in Abscondito tempestatis /
I ha delyuered? the, and I have horde the in the dyrke
trouble off the Tempest that Assaylled1 the." f Now,
goode blyssed1 lady, do now so to thy pore seruaiwt,
and Releve hym, off thy mercy, in the Tempest off this
grete nede, and graunte hym off Syrcnes Remyssioiw,
to be vn-to hym Refuyt and Eeffuge in eiwy Trybu-
lact'on / Prestante Vnigenito 2Tuo, qui est benedictus in
secula seculor«»«. Amen.
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
TrUulatian has Driven me to take Refuge in God.
V And whyle I made my prayere,
The Owgly Smyth / as ye shall here / 1 70Sfi
y-callyd / Trybulaciown,
Whan She herde / myn Orysonw,
And Saugfi / by noon Occasyouw
I wolde nat leue / my Bordou« /
Nor my Skryppe / ffor no manace ;
And sawh how / In the same place
I hadde Chose / to myn Entent /
Reffuge / that was Suffycyent,
In alle Trouble and dysese,
Myn hertly Sorwys / to apese,
And stynte / alle myn Aduersyte,
Anoiifi she seyde / thus to me :
Trybulaci'on. /
' I am,' quod she / ' lyk off nianere
To thylke wynde / (as thow shalt here )
That with his blast / maketh fful offte'
The levys Ryse / and fflen aloffte
Toward the Skyes / hyfi in the heyr. /
Thus haue I / causy.1 tliy Repeyr /
Thurgh my Trowble / prykert the ,
Vn-to Reffuge / ffor to ffle. / , _ft, „
' Caste thy look / toward the hevene / ^ J^
ffer abowe / the Sterrys Sevene /
In thy Contemplation /
That wer but / as a leff her dou», , 7oco
ftor-welky,* / and caste a-way,
457
17040
17044
17048
17052
saw Hint I
wouldn't give
"P my scrip
and staff,
she had
driven me to
take refuge.
t, thorgli my coj/<myssiou«,
f ha tournd tlie vp-se'-douw,
And many a-nother ek also,
WtV* my trouble and wttA my wo;
And w*«A my toonges I hem chaee'
Ageyn the lord wha« they trespace,
That I cause hem for to ffle
To god, on hem to han pyte.
'And so»mie I have ek causyd offte
To fflen vn-to the sterre aloffte
To whom thow fleddyst w»W gret labour,
i MS. btgin, again.] [-|eaf 242-j
oSM 17064
17068
amlhadtnrnd
me upside
down with
woe,
17072
and made me
flee to God.
Others she
had sent to
Mary,
458 Tribulation drives the Strayers lack to the riyht way.
to be com-
forted by
Her.
If I ever
leave Her,
Tribulation
will harass
me,
as she has
already done
to many,
and driven
them lark
to Mary.
Tribulation
l-ail i^li:l*ti^
Uie dissolute
and those
l>rt'«\estind
to salvation.
[leaf 212, bis.]
Tribulation
bids me
adieu,
and warns me
to be stable.
' ffor to have off hyre, socour,
Confort and consolaciouw,
Ageyn al tribnlac'ioun ;
Wher-in thow erryst neuecadel,
But wrouhtest prudently and! wel.
' Kep the wel in hyr presence,
tfor, by verray experyence,
As sone as thow art from hyr go,
I shal nat longe be the fro,
By vertu off my co?)tmyssi'ouM,
ffor to don execuc'iomt,
As I ha don to many on ;
Witfe my toonges made he?» gon,
That wer out off the weye ferro,
Resorte ageyn vn-to that stcrre,
Ther to haue proteccioiw
In euery trybulac'ioura.
' And thus I kan, in many wysc,
AVt't/i my yerde wel chastyse
Swych folkys as be dyssolnt,
And chace at hem in my pursut,
Namly, folk predestynaat,
And swych as be preordynaat
To kome vn-to savacioiw,
That kan in trybulaciouw
Suffren, and have pacyence.
' And yitf that thow, for thyu offence, ic.&st.] 17100
Hast her-to-forn haad nede off me, „
And, in partye, I ha to the ,,
Parcel declaryd off my»i offys,
As thow mayst fele (yiff thow be wys)
Wit/i-oute?i any gret owtrage
Don to the, or gret damage,
AVM-outen many wordys mo,
A dieu ! farwel ! for I wyl go.
And be war, in thy passage,
That thow do wel thy pylgrymage,
And in thy way be iust and stable,
Lych a pylgrym good and liable.'
The Pylgrym:1
17076
17080
17081
17088
17092
17096
17104
17108
17112
[1 St., am. C.]
Thinking on my unstaUencss, I come to a wood, & sec a Hag. 459
17128
And as I stood allone, al sool, rstowe, leaf 302, back]
tran cowpleyne, and make dool,
Havyng no thyng vp-on to reste,
Saue (as me sempte for the beste)
I lenede me on my bordouw •
ffor thogfi that Trybulacioim
Wer departyd in certeyn,
She sayde she wolde kome ageyn.
But I (wherso I wooke or slepte )
With my refuge, ay I me kepte,' P ,,,pe . . kepe st,
' nave. oy hyre, protecci'o«n
Ageyn ech trybulaczozm,
But for that I, by gret owtrage,
Was off my port, wylde and savage,
Dyuers off my jcondycioiro,
And al day turnynge vp ami dou»,
fful off chauwg and doubylnesse,
Havyng in me no stabylnesse.
And whyl I wente thus musyiige,
Wtt/i-Inne my sylff ymagynynge,"
I ffyl a-noon, in my passage,
In-to a woode ful savage ;
Me thouhte the weye' peryllous,
And by to passe, Encombrous ;
I knew nat what was best to done,
ffor, in a woode, a man may soone
Lose his weye, and gon amys,
Or he be war ; and thus yt ys,
As pylgrymes knowe wel echon,
That on pylgrymage gon :
Passage they fynde, narwh and streyth ; [amn Ie.lf303]
Brygauretys lyn 2 ek in a-wayt, r» ive» s. n
* 1 i v " i. *jcll f?t.J
And wylde bestys many on,
Tassaylle pylgrymes, wher they gon :
ffolk expert, the trouthe knowe.
And iii a valey that stood lowe,
sawh on stonden in my way,
Old and owgly, off array
Dysguysed wonder queyntely,
Off port and chere ryht vngoodly, 17152
The Pilgrim.
17116
I rest on my
staff,
17120
17124
tliinkofmy
changeable-
ness,
17132
and muse.
I come to a
wood,
wild and
dangerous.
17136
17140
17144
17148 I see an old
liag standing
in a valley.
460 7 sec an ugly animal, Avarice, Iroken-backt & six-handed.
rtf pilgrim. Semyng to me (yt ys no fayllc)
That she wolilii me assay! le ;
Yt seniptc so, as by hyr clier ;
Never read And al my lyff, for or1 ner, [' "or St.] 17156
1 of any . . .
taut no Radde I neiwr, in book nor geste,
marvellous,
On so nierveyllous a beste ;
:» Daniel, Nat in the Book off Donycl,
or K.zokiel, 1-lCA
or the Nouther in Lzecnyel, irloU
Nor in Thapocalyps off lohan,
Swych a l>este fond I noon.
I was abaysshed a-noon rylit,
Whan fyrst off liyre I hadde a sylit ; 171C4
In liyre I fond so many a lak :
Heriia.-k u ffyrst, she hadde a brook e bak,
broken. , , , . . , . ,, .. ,
Corbyd and haltyng, bothc two ;
Off rowli frese, she hadde also 17168
A garncment shape lyk a sak,
AVych slie werede vp-on2 hyr bak : p wend« on st.]
Gret noiu//bre tlier-on I toldo,
[lent iw, i.k.] Off cloutys and off paclichys olde. 17172
Koiiniiher Aboute liyr necke, I sawli ek wel, [st..»-e, leaf. -»:i, back]
IK** i. a biK That thcr heng a gret gachej . [(, 4 ^
She shop hyr no-thyng for the flylit ;
ffor, that poket (to my syht,) 17176
Hlie felde yt ful (in cspwyiil)
Off Coper, yren, awt off metal.
And as yt seniptc to me also,
Her ton-rue HjT OW11C tollgC lialp We! tlier-to, 17180
''•"'"" out- Wych heng out at hyr mouth fill3 long. [3 f«i »». st.]
And aboute hyr necke strong,
Thys lady, wt't/i liyr corbyd bak,
"NVas y-moselyd with that sak, 17184
Sowyd sore, that nyht nor day
Yt myghte nat wel falle A-way.
si.e lias e In iiouwbre she hadde (I gau beholde 4) [• a« i . . iioWe st.]
Syxe handy s, for I hem tolde ; 1 7 1 88
2, the palms Alld twCVllC (to ]11V» In8peCd[OU»)
«faKrifflu. , «.
AVer the pawmys off A gryffoiiM.
in tiie 3rd a Aiid I beheld the same whyle,
In On hand she helds a ffyle, [* hadde st.] 17192
Six-hailed Avarice bi<h ,,u do homage to her Idol. 461
fforgyd off ful myghty stel ;
And (as fer as I koude fel,)
The ffyle was ymad and ment
To ffyle brydles, off entent.
Touchynge hyr other gouernauwce,1
She held also a gret ballauwce,
Only off purpos (yiff she kowne,)
To peyse the sodyak* and the sonne,
And caste hew in the wynd in veyn',
And neue,-e to callyn hew. ageyn :
A large dyssli, ek I beheld,
In hyr hand how that she held.
And in hyr ffyffthe hand a krokct;
And on hyr hed a gret mawmet.
Hyr syxthe hand she gan to kunche
Lowe' dou/z vn-to hyr hau«che,
Wych cause was (vn-to my syht) [s
She haltede, and wente nat vp-ryht,
Lyk as a crepyl, w»u potente ;
Evene me thouhte so she wente.
[9 linen blank in MS. for c
And, by m&ner off bataylle,
Thys vekke gan me to assaylle,
Off malys and inyquyte,
And felly sayde thus to me :
The old Avarice : :J
' l swer to the, by my mawmet
Wych vp-on myw hed ys set,
In whom ys holy my plesaiwee,
My trust pleynly, and my craumce,
I have abyde vp-on thys way
Tawayte on the ful many a day.
'Ley dou» thy skryppe and thy bordoun,
And do homage to my Mahown !
flor yt ys he (tliow slialt wel knowe)
By whom that I, off hih and lowe
Allowyd am, and off gret prys
17196
In the 4th
hand, scales
17200 (towei?h
i7.,04
17208
and a big
dish.
_
cri>cket-
The Oth held
lier haunch.
[leaf241]
mid made her
,,st .
, 7 , ,
, 7990
i ».„ ,
4G2 I ask Avarice to describe herself & Idol. The Vale of Sorrow.
Avarice.
Without
Avarice no
man is sure of
prosperity.
I must sub-
mit to her
idol, or die.
The Pilgrim.
[leaf 2W, bit.]
[Cap. iv.]
I ask her
authority,
race, and
nation ;
and what her
Idol is,
shaped like a
marmoset.
Why should
1 do homage
to a dumb
and blind
thing?
Acarice
[Cup. v,
prose.]
bids me fol-
low her,
ami see the
Vale of Sor-
row and the
Interjection
of Lamenta-
tion.
Yholde prudent, and ryht wys.
ffor no man hath, wit/i-oute me,
Worshepe nor no dygnyte ;
In liin estat ys no whyht Set,
But thorgh favour off my mawmet,
To whom thow mvst submytte the,
Or thow shalt deye ; so mot I the ! '
Pilgrim : *
" ffyrst, thow mvst declare me
Thy power aud.thyw Auctoryte,
Thow olde, ryvelyd off vysage,
Thy kynrede, and thy lymige,
Thy contre and thy nac'iouw,
And also off what regiouw
That thow art born, (I wyl ffyrst knowe,)
"Wi't/i bak and chyuo courbyd lowe ;
The maner ck off thy mawmet,
Shape lyk a marmoset :
Tel me hys conditions ;
ffor me thyttketh yt no resoun
Off equyte, nor by no ryht,
Syth he ys dowmb, and blynd off syht,
I that am born off good lynage,
Sholde vn-to \iyrn do now homage."
Avarice : 2
' Syth thow wylt fyrst yse,
And what my name sholde be,
I wyl, as now, no thyng spare ;
But the trouthe to the declare,
That thow shalt (wM-oute offence)
Yive to me the mor credence.
' Yiff thow lyst the trouthe se,
Kom on a-uoon, and folwe me,
And thow shalt (yiff thow kanst espye)
Here me ful lowde crye ;
ffor I shaH3 sen, duryng my lyff, [*
The vale off sorwew4 and off stryff,
The woful Interiecci'oun
Most ful off lamewtactoutt.'
Pilgrim : 5
17228
17232
[i St., om. C.]
[St. & C.]
„ . 17236
17240
17244
17248
17252
17256
17260
[' »orow St.]
pst.,«».c.]
I see an Abbey like a Chessboard, plundcrd by all the Pieces. 463
17276
And trewelyi (I took good kep,) [Urew,y a, tru.y st.j
she wente vp to a fosse kaue dep
And ther she bad me loke doiw ;
Wher I hadde inspection?*
Off an abbey, wych eu^ydel
(As I beheld the maner wol)
Was fouwdyd besyden a cheker, [c & st
Squat as ys a Tabler.
[8 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination 1
And I beheld2 also wjt/j-al,
Ther wer esches, bothe gret and smal,
tful wel ywrouht in all; thynges.
Ther sawh I rookys an<l ek°kynges
And knyhtys (ek in verray soth)
Druwen, as a ffers y-doth
In travers wyse, by bataylle,
Eue>ych other gan assaylle •
Wyth sharps swerdys, thus thauhte me,
A dysguyse thyng to se ;
ffor at the dies, in al my lyff,
Sawh I neuere swych a stryff^
Nor so fers A cowtenauwce ;
ffor everyche gan hyw sylff ;
"VVha?« ther bataylle was ado,
To make hem redy for to go
To that abbay ther besyde,
And, be surquedye and pryde,
Ther to forreye, what they may,
Eobbe and spoylle, and ber a-way
And reve hem off ther rychesse,
And brouhte« hem in swych dystresse,
-hat no thyng leffte to ther refut,
But made al bare- and destytut.
"VVhan I hadde al thys yseyn
How al was niakyd wast and pl'eyn,
Qwl I, "what thyng meneth thys,
That thys cherche destroyed ys? 1730Q
Thysys(tomyWOppynyoilM)
ilie woful Interiecczouw,
"\Vlier-off pleynly (me semeth so)
The Pilgrim.
I follow her,
CCap. vi,
prose.J
and see an
abbey,
[leaf 245]
beside a
cliess-boartl,
with chess
men on it,
where a battle
takes place,
17280 the pieces
"Billing with
swords.
17284
17288
And when the
battle is over,
all the men go
to the abbey,
17292 plunder it,
1729G
[C. & St.]
and leave it
bare.
[leaf 2 15, bk.]
[Cap. vii,
prose.J
I ask what
this means.
464
Avarice declares that she is the Church's ruin.
The Pili/rhii.
Avarice
[Cap. vlii,
prose.]
says this
mischief la
nought by
her.
as Jeremiah
complained
(iv, vii, viii,
th.it the
Queen of
Nations was
brought into
subjection.
Avarico causd
Ihis ruin;
and all of
her school do
as she does.
[leaf 2 1C]
[Cap. ix,
prose.]
The Pilfrim.
[Cap. x,
prose.]
I rannot |
believe she}
has such
power.
Euerych wyse man sholde ha wo, 17304
And cowpleyne (I the ensure)
Thys vnhappy aventure."
Avarice : J C1 st., °«. c.]
1 Wher thow be wel or evele apayd,
Lo her ys al that I ha sayd. 17308
Thys mescheff (yiff thow kanst yt se)
Ys ydon and wrouht by me,
Antl acowiplysshed vp in dede,
Al-thogh that yt be no node ;
Wher-off, in hys prophesye,
The nobyle prophete leremye
(As ho that lyst no thyng to feyne)
AVi'ptc sore, and gan cowpleyne :
' Alias ! ' quod he, ' how the pryncesse,
Off folkys alls' cheff maystresse,
Ys trybutarye, and bor doim,
And brouhte in-to subiecc'ioiiM ! '
' The prophete wyste aforn ryht wel,
That I sholde causen euerydel
Thys grete desolac'ion)
And thys habomynac'ion).
I and mync (yiff yt be souht)
Have thys grete mescheff wrouht.
' Thys the custom (in mbetoonoe),
Holy the maner and vsaunce,
Off al that to my scole go,
By my doctryne to do so,
And so to werke, by my techyng ;
flbr ther ys nouther rook nor kyn&
But ech off hem (for ther part)
Sore studyen in that art,
Euecych. off hem to fynde a waye,
How they may to me obeye.
Thow niayst me leve in sykernesse ;
Ther owne werkys ber wytnesse.'
Pilgrim:2 ['st.,o».c.]
" I may nat levyn (fer nor ner)
Thow sholdest han so gret power,
\Vych that art so poryly
[Stowe.leafsor,] 17312
17316
17320
17324
17328
17332
17336
17340
Avarice's story of the Ung whose Paramour was Liberality. 465
P St., om. C.J
" Arrayed, and so dysguesyly ;
Halt and lame, (as semeth me)
Broke-bakkyd, and foul to so. 17344
And w/tA al thys (I the ensure),
A verray monstre in nature,
(Who lyst looke, he shal yt fynde,)
And engendryd a-geyn kynde. 1734g
How sholdystow, w»tA al thys thymes
Ouer erlys, dukys,' kynges, t, Ullke3 ^ st-]
Have, power or doinynacibn
To brynge hem in subiecciou, 173g9
Sythen they, by gret noblesse,
Haven off kynde swych fayrnesse,
And brouht forth by engendrure,
Kyndely, as by nature ? "
Avarice : 2
' Yiff thow wylt a whylii dwelle,
A good exauwple I shal the telle,
lieporte me wel in eue/-y thyng :
' Ther was onys a myghty kyng, 1 7m
K ych that hadde, to hys plesaunce,
A lady in hys governance,
Whom that he louede paramour,
And took to hyre al hys tresour, [stowe, leaf 305, back] 17354
Good3 and lowefe ouwydel, P gOMls HL]
>e-cause that he louede hyr so wel.
And shortly, thus wrtA hym stood,
She gou^-uode al hys good, j 7368
W hos name was Lyberalyte :
She was benygne, large and fro,
Wych, in eiwry rcgicmn,
Hadde gret fame and gret Uenoun. 17373
And she dyde mere hyr labour,
So to dyspendyn hys tresour,
That hys worshepe on euery syde
Gan encreco and sprede wyde ; 17376
Gat hy»l honour and gret flame,
And w/tA al thys, a ryht good name.
' The story doth also specefye,
She made hys goodys rnulteplye,
PILGRIMAGE.
II II
The Pilgrim.
She (Avarice)
IS 80 foul,
a regular
monster.
How can she
rule and sub-
due earls and
kings ?
[Cap. xi,
prose.]
explains.
She tells me
the story of a
who had a
paramour
[leaf 240, ok.]
named
' Liberality.'
liy spending
his treasure
she gaind
him great
honour and a
good name.
466 How Avarice imprisond Liberality, & shamed the King.
Ararict.
[Cap. xii,
prone.]
Seeing this,
the ol.l lint,'
Avarice went
to the court,
stole away
the king's
paramour
Liberality
while lie
slept,
:unl shut her
up in prison.
Then Avarice
took her
place by t ho
king's side,
by enchant-
limit.
btvame liis
paramour,
riutl timid
his honour
to shame.
' And causede also, how that he
Was wel belovyd in hys centre ;
ffor love excellyth in worthynesse
Euery tresour and rychesse. 17384
'But whan that I thys dyde1 espye, [' dyd this st.]
I haddc ther-off fill gret envye,
And caste to fynde occasion;}
ffor to tourne al vp-so-douH. 17388
I gan taproclie the court ful ner,
A-queyntede me with the porter
And wt't/i thoffycerys eiwychon ;
And in-to chaumbre I kam a-noon, 17392
Wher as the kyng a bedde lay.
Wliyl he slepte, I stal away
(Throgli my sleyhte in prevyte,)
Ilys paj-amour Lyberaly te ; 1 7396
And or the kyng yt koude espye,
Benchaiittte'ment And sorcerye
I gan at hyre so enchace,2 [» tenrhaw st.]
That she was voyded fro that place ; 17400
And, by fals colluskmw,
I shot hyrc in a strong prysouw,
Wher I ha cast, (shortly to telle,)
Wliyl that I lyve, she shal ther dwelle ; 17404
And in hyr stede (off entente,)
To bedde vn-to the kyng I wente,
Whyl that he slepte vnwarly.3 p slept vnwarciy St.]
' And whan he wook al sodeynly, 17408
In stede off Lyberalyte,
In hys Armys he took me ;
At wych tyme, by sorcerye,
I blente so the kynge's Eye, 17412
That I be-kam hys pwamour,
And hadde in guarde al hys tresour.
Wherso that he wook or slep,
Off hj-s worshepe I took no kep ; [Stowe, leafsoc: 17416
Ilys honour, gold, hys goodc fame,
Al I touruede yt to shame ;
ffor ho no myghte (who-so mo knewo)
ffyndc noon offycere mor vutrewe. 17420
Avarice was begotten in Hell by Satan.
' I am the same (tliys the cas,)
Off whom that whylom wrot Esdras,
Apemenen, wych, hyr sylff al sool,
Made the kyng so grot a fool :
Wha» she was hevy, he was sad ;
Whan she lowh, than he was glad ;
She took hys crowne, and leycl yt douw,
And he, by lowh subiecc'iouw,
Al hyr lustys dyde obeye,
ffor he durste hyr nat wt't/t-seye :
Thus yt stood, and thus yt was,
As tliow shalt fyude/i in Esdras.
' By wych exauwple, thow mayst se
That yt fareth thus by me ;
ffor I kan, by my werkynges,
Decoyue prynces and ek kynges ;
And al the meyne off the cheker,
I kan make off herte enter,
To robben abbeys euwychon,
And to dyspoylle hem, on by on,
Wtt/»-outen any cowpass'iouw.
' And touchyng ok my nactoun,
And my name (yiff I shal telle,)
I was engendryd fyrst in hello ;
And ther the pryncii Sathanas
(Yiff thow wylt wyte,) my fader was;
And in that Valey Infernal
I was begete : lo her ys al.
' And my name ek to devyse,
I am callyd Covetyse
(Off verray ryht, and nat off wrong,)
And Avaryce, somwhyle Among ;
]Jut Covey tyse, men calle me
Off veiTay ryht and equyte,
Whan I am mevyd in1 my blood [< am. c., St.]
To conej'te other me»nys good.
And Avaryce men me calle,
Whan that I fro folkys alle
Kepe al that eu?re I gete kan,
And wyl dcpartc wz't/t no man,
467
Avarice
is she of
whom Kttdnig
wrote (1 Exit:
iv. 29— 31),
01 (Apame, the
** KinVscon-
cubine' (Jo-
*eph. Antig.
fib. 11, cap. 4,
Itnbsnces
Themasius\
wlio iiiade u
i •* < oo ^°°' "t'tli
1/42O King, am
17432
[leafs*?, UU.]
I-,,,/. Avarice can
174OO deceivckings.
and mnke em
17440 ''Ob"bbei'"-
[Can. I'",
prose.]
17444 She was be-
gotten hi hell.
of Satan ;
17448
lier name is
' Covetous-
ness'
17452 and 'Ava-
rice*:
1745G
Covetous nea a
when she
coveta others*
goods;
Avarice when
she keeps all
174(50 Begets.
408
Avarice's hands are like a Griffin's paws.
Avarice
is iU-clad on
purpose,
eo as not to
waste money
on clothes.
[leaf 8*8]
She's like a
dog on a
haystat'k.
[Cap. xiv,
pros*.]
Her hands
are made to
take,
not to give.
She shuts np
all her gold.
Her desire is
insatiable.
' Wher they be wel or evclc apayed.
' And that I am thus cvcle arrayed,
I do yt only off entent
That my gold ne he nat spent, 17464
On clothys waatyd, nor my good.
And levere me were, bothe gowne and hood
Wer with wermys day be day
Coiiswmyd, and yffret a-way, [stowe, leaf 300, back] 17468
Tharc pore folk (so god me spede,)
Sholde were hem in ther node ;
ffor I caste me nat at al,
Xeue>-e for to be lyberal 17472
Whyl I may walken on the ground ;
ffor I resemble vn-to that hound
Wych lyggeth in a stak off hay,
Groynynge al the longc day, 17476
Wyl suffre no beste ther-to to gon,
And yet liyw sylff wyl etc noon.
' Myn handys off merveyllous fasouw,
Lyk the pawmys off a gryffouw, 17480
Be mad (wher-so I slepe or wake,)
Nat to yive, but for to take.
To axe me good, wer gret foly ;
ffor thys my purpos, (fynaly, 17484
And as mo semeth for the bcste)
To shette my gold vp in my clieste :
Thys al myn hool entencion,
Offys and occiipac'ion. 17488
Al good, wher yt be grene or rype,
I kan wel glenyre, I kan wel grype,
Bothe to-forn and at the bak :
What I may gete, goth in-to sak, 17492
Off entent (be wel certeyn)
Neuere to taken yt out ageyn.
' My wyl ys euecc viistauwchable,
And my desyr in-sacyable ; 17496
My thouht nor myn affecc'ioiw
Ha neuwe ful replcciouw.
I am the swohvh (who lyst to se)
Wych that in the salte see, 1 7500
Avarice is tied to her Riches like an Ape to a llocl: 469
' Al that mere goth forth by, Avarice
He devotireth yt Outterly, is like the
Whirlpool
And neuere ne sent no thvng ageyn. '»«' "'"k» .
- ' " ' everything in
Tawayte tlier affter wer but veyn, 17504 *••"•
flbr shortly, he devoureth al,
Coper, yren, and metal ;
Al that puyseth or yivoth sonti, [leafzjs, bk.]
To the botllle yt goth1 doUM, [' botome it goythe St.] 17508
To gretter wrak thaw on a rok.
'And as an Ape vn-to a l>lok AS an Ape is
, , .,, , tied to a clog,
Or to a clog, tyed w(t/< a clieync,
Uyht so I do my liysy peyne ; 17512
I teye my sylff (by gret dystresse)
And bynde me to my ryehesse ; «o is she tied
T V. 1 1 t, 1 11. *" ''"' riclleBi
1 bynue yt nat ; yt byndcth me,
That I am bonde, and nothyng fre, 17516
flbr to have theroff plesaurace.
ffor lak only off suiFysauwce,
I am so teyd (I may nat skapc,)
Wi't/( a clog, ryht as an Ape, [su>we,ie»rs<i;] 17520
Wych in soth so letteth me,
That I ha no lybcrte and has no
J liberty.
To gon at large; hiu nor lowc.
' And yiff thow lyst also to knowc 17524 [C»P. x»,
pI'CHO.j
What my vj - handys be, [! »y«e m i7c«oj
I shal declare a-noon to the,
And make a tlemonstracibn :
I Gryppe and strcyne lyk a Gryft'ou;«, 17528 nerni» hands
And filSte I liolde ther-W/t/(-al everything.
CojKir, yren, and ech metal ;
Streyhtly kepe yt in myw hond,
Bothe in water and 'on lond. 17532
And thow aforn dyst neuece so
So cursyd handys as they be ;
Enannyd abouten Envyrouw
AV/tA the pawmys off a Gryflbuw. 17536
' The fyrste hand (for to dyff yne) Her «rst
hand is' Ra-
By ryht ycallyd ys ' Eavyne, vine.1
That sheweth Gentyl outward alway,
Tyl that he3 may cachche liys ptay ; [Mist.] 17540
470 Avarice's 1st lumd, Ravine, and 2/td luind, Cubpurse.
[leaf 219]
Her 1st hand,
Ravine, is
like a kite.
She steals
chickens,
horses, carts,
anil innkcs
poor men sell
their cowl
and oxen.
[Cap. ivi,
prose.]
She em-kit em
as a spider
does a fly.
Her second
hand
[Cap. itvii,
prone.]
is set behind
her, in rob
aecretly.
[leaf 849, lik.]
Its name i*
' Cutpurse.'
' Dyspoylleth1 pylgrymes est and west, [' dinpoyiyn St.]
Bothe in woode and in fforcst,
W/t/i-outen any excepcion :
Thys ys my condyci'on, 17544
To robbe and rene wtt/i, al my myght.
' I cleyme al thyng myn off rylit ;
Myn hand ys lyk vnto2 a ky to : [' iyk to c., lyke to st.]
I take chykenys tliat be lyte ; 17548
Whor I ham fyndii, fer or ner,
I her hem hoom to my dyner.
Gret robbery, on folk I make ;
Hors and carte, bothe I take, 17552
With porvyaiittce and wyth vytaylle.
And off malys I wyl nat faylle :
YifE a pore man haue a kowh,
Oxe or mare that draweth hys plowh, 17556
I make hem selle hem by duresse,
ffor to stau?ichc my gredynesse,
Wher any swych I kan espye.
And as an yreyne sowketh tlie flye, 17560
And hyr entroylles3 draweth oute, p entrails St.]
Evene lyk I renne aboute,
And cesse nat, whan I ha he-gonne,
Tyl that I my pray ha wonne. 17564
' Tlie tother hand, to do gret wrak,
Ys set behynden at the bak,
That no man ne sholde espye
The maner off my roberye. 17568
So secretly I kan yt vse,
Outward my falsnesse to excuse.
Thys hand ful hili vp-on A tre
Maketh many on enliangyd be; [ston-e, leaf 307, back] 17572
And wit// hys ffeet (wych ys nat fayr,)
ffor to waggon in the hayr* [«ayrest.]
fful lull a-loffte, j't ys no dred.
' Thys hand, fro many manliys hed, 1757G
Causeth the Erys be kut away ;
And thys hand, fro day to day,
Ys the hand off gret dyffame,
Callyd Cuttepurs by name, 175^0
Avarice's 2>trf hand, Outpurse, robs, burgles, dips Florins. 471
Her -in, I
baud, Cut-
purse,
' \Yych hath a knyff fill 'sharp of egge,1 [>-> sto»-e]
And yet he dar no glovys begge ; - p stowe]
tfor, to vse hys robbery
Off the glovere openly, 17584
He kepeth liym cloos, al out off syht,
And vseth for to walke a3 nyht p on st.j
In narvve lanys, vp and dou«.
Whax that the mono ys go dou», 17588
Than he maketh hys ordynaiwce
(I!y gret mescheff and gret niuschauHce)
ffor to vse ther brybery,
And for to havnte ther robbery : 17592 robs folk,
On no thyng ellys they sette her thouht,
ffor off hyr owne they ha ryht nouht.
' Thys hand, by force, ageyn al ryht,
Breketh vp howsys toward nyht, 17596
Bothe in bowrys and ill hallys,
And maketh hoolys thorgh the wallys.
' Thys hand kan dygge and make inynys ;
Thys hand kan Royne also florynes ; 17600
Tliy.s hand ful seldc hath any rcste ;
Thys hand kan brake Gofer and chestc ;
Thys hand, (in cold anil ek in bete,)
Kan falsly selys con«terfete, 17604
And the prent ther-off y-graue ;
And thys hand wyl also haue
(By som Engyn, or sleyhtc weyc)
Vn-to cilery look4 a keye. [Mockest.j 17608
'Thys hand kan forge (I vndertake)
ffals monye, and the prent make.
Thys hand in frenshe5 (I dar expresse) [s frcnche St.]
Ys callyd ' Poitevyneresse,' 17612
ffor yt forgeth (thys the ffyn)
A monye callyd Poytevyn,6
Wych ys in valu (by a-cou«tyng)
fful skarsly worth halff a fferthyng. 17616
' Thys hand ek falsly beyth and sylleth ;
• PoUevine, monnaie de Poitoti. ' Une poitcvinc,, c'est le quart
rl'mi parisi (1273 Carl de Ponthieu, Richel., 1. 10112, 1°, 159 r°.).'
— Godefroi. Sol Parisian . . as much as the Tornois & a quarter.
Hoi Timrnnis, The tenth part of oue shilling. — Cotgravc, 1611.
breaks into
bouses by
digs mines,
clips florins.
breaks open
coffers :unt
chests,
eounterfeits
avals,
ami IIAR n kpy
to every lock.
It is railed
in French
' poitevy-
neressei'
[leaf 25fl]
for it forges
tbe 'poyte-
vyn,' worth
hal fa far-
tbing.
472 Avarices 2nd hand, Cntpurse, ami 3rd hand, Usury,,
Avarice.
Her 2nd
hand, Cut-
purse,
robs barns
and gratia*
ries.
iiiiikt'9 idle
officers,
and strips
poor folk
of till they
possess.
[Cap. xij,
prose; cap.
\ viii omit-
ted.]
The tliird
[leaf 250, bk.]
forges money,
to lessen
others' unil
increase Us
own.
' And in reknynge, thys hand mystclleth.
Tliys hand also (yt ys no drede)
Kan spoylle folk whan they be dede. 17620
Thys hand kan al the nyht wachche,
And ful streythly glcne and kaehche, [stowe.ieafsos]
And rendyn vp (yt ys no nay,)
Al that eue?-e lyth in hys way. 17624
' Thys hand, thogh men haddc sworn,
Kan robbe and bern away the com
Out off bernys and garnerys ; 17627
Thys hand kan ferette in ko/myngherys1 [' conyngeri St.]
Be nyhte tyine, whan men .slepe ;
Thys hand, by holys kan in crepe,
And bern a-way what he may fynde,
And lyst to leue nothyng behynde ; 1 7632
Thys hand maketh ydel offycerys
And many false labourerys.
Thys hand (ngeyns al resouw)
Doth many gret extorsi'oim 17636
In eue>y lond and- ech contre, [' in »frwt out, * orer c, and st.]
Worthy enhangyd for to be,
Yiff the falsnesse wer yknowe
That he doth, bothe hyh and lowe ; 17640
ffor thys hand wyl neuere spare
Pore folk, to make hew liare
And nakyd (off entenci'on)
ffrom al ther pocessioitn. 17644
' My thrydde hand, mad by gret wyle
W/t/( the wych I ber the ffyle,
I shal, as kometh to reme»ibrau«ce,
Declai-o to the (in substauwce) 17648
What thyjig yt doth specefye. [st. & c.]
And the trouthe doth sygnefye, „
Thys hand ys wrouht ageyn nature, „
Wjrch euere doth hys besy cure „ 17652
Alway (off entcnt vntrowe)
To forge money newe and nowe,
Other folkys gold dystresse,
And hys owne to encressc, 17656
By som fals colhis'iourt.
1 worth n fourth more: see
note, p. 471.]
Avarice's 3rd hand, Usury. Her Balance.
' And euerc in liys entenc'iouw
He ffynt out weye's sotylly
ffor tencresse hyw-sylff ther-by ; 17660
By maner off enchauwtement
He ffyndeth out (in hys entent)
To tourni:, by hys sotylte, 17663
A Tourneys, to A parysee1 ;
By hys engyn, wyl vndertake,
Off fyve, syxe for to make.
' Thys hand kan also (in certeyn)
In gernerys shette vp liys greyn,
Abydynge (with an hevy cbere)
Tyl ther koine A dere yere,
At avaurctage yt to selle,
And tlie pans2 ful streyhtly telle,
Vsynge ther-in ful many a whyle.
'And thys hand that halt the ffyle, [stowe, leaf sos, back]
"Wasteth bothe grot and sinal,
Consumeth and devourcth al,
Off poro folkys, the substau?ice :
I pray god yive \\jrn evele chaimce ;
ffor nothyng may thys fyle endure.
' Thys hand ycallyd ys ' Vsure,'
Vsyd in ful many place,
Wych ys to god a gret trespace,
Bothe at marketys and at ffayres.
And also provostys find ek may res
In touwes,3 borwys and cytes —
ffolk off hyh and lowli degres —
Echon they may nat hem excuse4
But that so?rtme off hem yt vse.'
Pilgrim : 5
" Declare to me (in substauuce,)
Wher-off serueth thy balaunchc.
I trowe thow wylt ther-in ryht sone
Peyse ther-in bothe sonne and mone, 17692
The sterrys ek, or thow ha do,
And tlie zodyak / also."
Avarice:6 [« st., o». c.]
' Lerne, and vnderstond me wel,
473
Her third
Imnd finds
out how
to make five
into MX ;
17668
['pens St.] 17672
]7676
17680
17684
[« touns C., St.]
[St. & r.]
[* excuse St., C. burnt.}
17688
P St., ora. C.]
to keep >;niiu
until bread
is dear ;
to consume
the Bubstiincc
of the poor.
Its name is
' Usury ' j
and folk
[leaf!ol]
lilgli and low
practise it.
Tfie Pilgrim.
[Cap. «,
prose.]
I ask Avarice
what her lia-
lance is for.
Avarice,
47-t Avarice's 4th hand. Haw she sells Time by Usury.
xrarig 'Andlshaltelletheeuerydel: 1"G9G
Grace dieu, ful yore agon,
Among the planetys euerychon,
(As clerkys wel rehersi- kowne,)
Gmisetthe In the zodyak sette a sonne, 1 < "0*
z"'iia", \a ffor to shale liys bemys bryht,
ail the woria. And to mynystrc hys cler lyht
Indyft'erently (I the ensure)
Vu-to eue/-y creature,
And to be comoiw, ther-w«'t/<-al,
To al the world in general ;
To make tlie Erthe wtt/< frut habouwdc,
Tiiat ther wer no dyffaute fou/ule. 17708
' Wher-off (yiff'I shal nat lye)
But Avarice I hadde in lierte ful grot envye ;
wanted it all Til
for herself, ffor, y t wcnte nat as 1 wolde ;
ffor, my wyl were, that yt sholde 17712
Vn-to my lust appropryd be,
By exauwplo as thow shalt se.
' ffyrst, agcyn[e]s al resouw,
I wolde, by vsurpac'/oim,
ffro poynt to poynt in ech degre,
[ie»f 251, bkj The zodyak sholde obeye me,1 [' m, si., c. kumt]
Sonne and mono (ageyns alle skyll), [st.ic.]
Wynd and wether were at my wyll ; [c.&st.] 17720
ail put under Al put in my governance, »
lier, so that . n
she might Yt to woye in my ballauwce.
r™^« ' Al thys thyng (as thow shalt se2) t' »c St., c. »,„•«>]
moon, &<•. in 177-74.
her lialaiice. J vsiirpo J't Vp-OU 1116 :
The yer, I weyo yt in ballaunce, [stowe, leaf son]
And selle [yt] ek at my plesauuce ;
And she docs I solle the wyke, I selle the day,
«!i w«k7 (To wycli no man dar seye 3 nay) [3 «y c., «y st.] 17728
by char^ SoH^tyme by twelue and by thryttene,
u?»t '"' By twenty ek, and by nyntcne ;
And in a yer (who kan yt telle)
The pound for xx"" pans4 I selle ; [' p«« «>0 1773:
The nioneth also, by reknyiig,
I selle for ix. or .x. shyllyng ; [c.&st.]
The wyke also for vj. or fyve,
Avarice's 4?th Imiid. Of usurious Loans and Sales. 475
'At a-cou«te tliat we nat stryvo 1773G
Afftcr the so»mie, wha?t al ys do,
That my loonc koineth to ;
And lyk as cuwy man doth take,
Ther-on my reknyng I do make.' 17740
Pilgrim:1 ['st,«.».c.]
Than, \\wxl I anon, " lat se
Touchyng that I shal axen tlie ;
I wolde ther-on liave thy devys :
Her ys a woode off lytel prys, 17744
Wycli a woodoman sclleth me ;
And in the sale, thus seyth he,
' ffor .xxx. tjr sliyllyng I wyl yt seUe,
So that a-noon (as I shal telle) 17748
Tliat thow to me, (lych my« cutout,)
Make to mo thys payeinent
AWt/t-outew any mor delay.
But yiff I graiwte a lenger day, 17752
As thus, tabyde a yerys space,
Thamie I wyl (withoule grace2) p without grace St., c. b«r»t]
Have fourty shyllyng (by iuste reknyng) [c.&st.]
The Pilarim
[Cap. xxi,
prose.]
I put a case
to lier :
A wooilmim
sella me a
wood for 30».
to I H- paid at
once.
If I don't pay
for u year,
[leaf 252]
lie dinrires
By -cause off uiyw abydyng : ' „ 1775G
Vp-on thys caas I wolde se „
Wher lyk (as yt semeth the)
The sellere off the wych I telle,
Outlier peysseth or doth sello 17700
The tyino, outlier the zodyak,
Off the wyche to-forn wo spak."
Avarice : 3 p st., <-«. c.]
' Touchyng thys thyng, now herkne me,
And I shal answurren vn-to the : 177G4
Tliys cas (yiff thow lyst to lore,)
Ya vnderstondo in twey manerc :
Par cas soin man, (as thow slialt se,)
Off node and off necessyto, 17768
Hys woode, that were by good reknyng
Worth off valu syxty sliyllyng,
ffor verray nede and indygence,
Off bothe to make recompense, 17772
ffor fourty shyllyng doth yt selle j ior ta,.,
Does tlie
Heller sell the
time or the
zodiac ?
Bays tlie case
is to be un-
derstood in
two ways:
if a man is
Ibrst l»y want
to sell a wood
worth G0».
476
Avarice's 4>th haiid. How she sells Time.
Avirice.
for ready
money,
he doesn't
sell time.
lint of old,
womlsellers
Bold l.y
length and
luv.iitth,
and said,
• Von nhall
have the
wood for so
much,
[leaf 252, bk.]
if you pay
cium down.
Hut if you
don't, you'll
pay a higher
Krice for
mger time,
as the wood.
•11 grow.'
If the seller
warnd the
buyer before-
hand,
lie didn't Bell
time.
nut if the
wood wera
cut down,
and couldn't
grow,
and still the
Heller riiisd
his price,
[Stowc, l.-;if ;i»'.i, back]
17776
17780
The cause pleyuly for to telle,
He muste haue retly payihnent.
Thys marchati«t (to my Ingement,
Who-so off resoim lookii wel)
The tymii selleth neuemlel ;
' But that marchauwt (\vtt/(-outii wlier,)
Tliat abydeth al a yer,
Oil' hyw the cas stant other wyse,
As I shal to the devyse :
By Okie1 tymc (lyst my tale,) [' old c., St.]
Cliapnicrt that made off woodu2 sale, [' of wood mad st.]
They made lier sale (who taketh hedc) 17785
l>y A inesour off lengthc and Lrede ;
And to the byggere they wolde seyn :
' Yiff thow wylt my wodde Ijoyn, 1 7788
At O word, (so god me sane !)
At swych a prys tliow shalt yt haue,
So that my payement be leyd dou?t
W/t/j-outen mor dylacion. 17792
And yiff thow byde a yerys day
Off my payment by dillay,5 t1 <M«y >*'•]
I shal tlie telle by short avys,
I wyl yt sette at liifier prys ; 17796
ffor yiff that I A yer abyde,
My wode shal on euery syde
"\Vexe and encresse (I the ensure),
And multcplyen off nature.' 17800.
' And yiff the marchaimt, in bargeynyng,
Telle hy?» thus in hys sellyng,
To-forn, or tliat the wode be boulit,
The tyme in soth he selleth nouht, 17804
Nouther -weyeth yt in Ijallaiutce ;
But yiff the wode (par cas or chaiwce)
AVer yhewe, or feld a-doiuj
T6-for ther convenci'on, 17808
\Vych affterward (wo ka« espj^)
May nat encresse nor multeplye ;
Yiff he sette the sale vp sore,
As thus to sellyu yt for more, 17812
By cause off bydyng off A yer, —
17816
17820
then lie
weiglut time.
17824
Avarice then
tells what she
does \viiij her
Dish Tru-
anty.
[Cap. nil,
prose.]
[leaf 253]
17828
She begs with
it for bread,
17832
Avarice's 4>th haiid, False Semblance, & its Beggar's Dish. 477
'Than I Suppose (w/t7/-OUtc Wer,) Arariee.
lie peyseth (as I relierse slml,)
Hys long abydyng tyme anil al.
' But whan tlie wode may multcplyc,
Wexe and encressen at the Eye,
Than thoncres and wexyng al
Ys mesuryd in esp£cyal,
And yweyed in ballau?«ee,
Who loketh euery cyrcuwstauwce.
' Now shal I make descrypci'on,
And a cler declaracwn
(YifE tliow kanst wel vnderstond) :
Tliys dyssh that I liolde in my« bond, [stowe, leaf 310]
(In ffrenche callyd 'Coquynerye*
And in ynglyssh ' Trwandrye,')
Thys hand I vse in bryberye,
In beggyng and in lasyngrye.
At every dore I axe and crane,
My sustenance for to haue,
And ofFte sytlie (yt ys no dred)
I put vp many a lompe off bred
In-to my sak, (so mot I the,)
And kepe yt tyl yt mowlyd be,
That yt may nothyng avaylle.
' And euery man I kan asaylle
W('t/< my« Importable cry,
I spare noon that goth forby ;
And thus I axe my purchace.
And I wyl pay en in no place,
What vytaylle euere that I spende
And to notliyng I do1 entendo,
I5ut for to axcn and to cryo ;
And al labour I do defye ;
I wyl nat travaylle in no wyse ;
I kan my sylff so wel desguyse
Wt't/t my mantel al-to-rent,
Tliat the peple ys verray blent
Wt't/; my fals illusi'ouw
And fcyned symulaciouw.
' I crye and coniure al the day
17836
Ih.,' she lets
that get
mouldy.
She attacks
every one.
17840
She'll never
pay for food.
['that i st.] 17844
17848
17852
Her toni
clotliea take
every one in.
478 Avarice's 4-th hand, False Semblance, & its Beggar's Dish.
Arm-ice
•its in crowd-
ed place)*.
crying for
alma ;
feigiung
•icKIMMM
[Ieaf253, bk.]
nnd blind-
And cursing
people who
Kive her
nothing.
[Cap. xxiii,
prose.]
With her
hand of False
Semblance
nlie advances
Iwssiars of
all kinds,
who nsk for
bread, cheese,
clothes.
' On pylgrymcs tliat passe l>y tlie way,
As I wer fiillyn in A rage ;
And wer that folk ha most passage, 17856
Ther I kan sytte in gret tlystresse,
And crye on horn for tlier ahncsse
Wit/i a pytous feyned face.
And, in hem to fynde grace, 178GO
I feyno ful many a mallady,
As I wer in A dropesy,
Or sodeynly podagre fallo ;
And alway, aff ter good I callc ; [c.&st.] 17864
I fnync me blyiul, I fey no me lame; [st. &c.]
And for to lye, I ha no shame ; „
I crye w/t/i bak ycorbyd doim, „
And make many a pj^us sou». „ 17868
And thogh I fele no manor peyne,
I kan ful wel a cause feyne,
That I am falle in indygence,
ffor to l>eg£yn my dyspence. 17872
' And yiff that folk ne yiff me nouht,
Thaw -vi tih a gruchchynge hevy1 thonht [' hevy am. si.]
I curse hem in-to hello pet.
Myn herte on malys ys so set,2 [• pit . . »j-t st.] 1787G
On aH I woldc avcngyd be,
That wyl no pyte han off me. [stowe, leaf sio, bark]
' Thys ys the hand off fanssemblauwce ;
And wt't/t thys hand, I kan avaunco 17880
Alle thys trwauwtys eue/-ychon
Wych that on my daunce gon,
Tliat, by her offyce and her name,
ffor to axe, liaue no shame : 17884
15rylx>urs that gon vp ami doun,
Devoyde off occupactouw,
And lyst hem sylff nothyng avauncc,
To travaylle for ther sustenaimce, 1 7888
As thow mayst sen ful many On
That aboute the world so gon.
' So»«me axe bred, so??jme axe chese ;
And for that they wer loth to lese, 17892
Sowi me axe clothys and cootys oldc ;
Ami-ice's Mi hand, False Semblance, & its Beggar's Dish. 479
' And some off hem am ok ful bokle,
Off dyvcrs housys to axe a rente,
Wych on the byldyng neuece spente, 17896
As menstrallys and Tregetours,1 [• Trigetours St.]
And other feyned sowdyours,
That with patentj's aboute gon ;
And among hem euerychon, 17900
I holde tliys false panlo wner vs.2 P •"""•" '""*'• e*«i>'"-» si-si
J oftkeprogf,areAereoittofC.]
3 1 will nat spekyn of no ffrerys, [3 stowe us. BM, loaf 310, bk.]
whiche, in every region,
ar bound by theyr professyon 1 7904
vnto wilfull poverte.
wlierfore they haven lyberte
to beggen, as them selff affyrm,
and on this text they them confyrm : 17908
Christ axyd, when he was her[e] man,
water of the Samaritan —
I mene, the woman at the well —
in erthe, when he dyd her[e] dwell ; 17912
wherfore, befull [it] is to frerys,
sythe they be no processionerys,
to get theyr lyvelode wher tliey may.
' To ther beggyng I say nat nay, 17916
so that they fayn[e] not in dedo
to axe nat, but for veray nede,
thayr trewc sustentac'ion,
without all symulation, 1 7920
that wilfully men to them profrys ;
nat to shit vp gold in coffers,
nor to setten ther labowr
to gathar and hope gret tresure. 17924
'as to myn opynyon,
I hold it no perfection,
thowghe that my dyshe & my sachell
can techen them the craft [ful] well; 17928
for bothe two (in sothfastncs)
be gret[e] took ens of falsnes ; [stowe, leaf si i]
and who that evar dotho them vse,
I no can them nat excuse, 17932
bothe of hyghe and low degre,
Avarice.
and rent,
which never
poea to builil-
lll|(8.
Her men are
Minslrt'Is,
uliiiin S<il-
llirl's,
Pardoners.
[Stowe US.
992]
Slie won't
claim Friare,
who say
Christ's ask-
ing water of
the Samari-
tan woman
at the well
justifies their
"egging.
She doesn't
condemn it if
they ask it
for their
needs,
and not to
shut iiji their
money in
coffers.
But she
doesn't think
their doing it
perfection.
480 Avarice's 5th hand with the Crook given In/ Simon Mayus.
[Stove MS.
952.)
Her 5th hand
with the
Crook.
The Crook
wa- given her
by Simon
Magus.
The S of
Simon U
crookt
like the utaff
of n bishop or
abbot.
Avnrice in the
Abbess of the
Abbey
Simony.
By her 5th
hand the
hateful vice
of Simony
waR brought
into Christ's
church.
' but they be servants vnto me.
' And also, yf thow lyst to loke,
toucbyngc myn hand eke wtt/i the crooke, 17936
I will the tell, or I ha do,
in what wyse I cam therto :
thou shalt know[e] certaynly,
that Symon Magus and Gj'osy, 17940
bothe twayn, in theyr entent,
made ther-of to me present,
but the crooke, by oblacion,
was gyven to me of Symon. 17944
' and yf I shall the trutlic atame,
the fyrst[ii] letter of his name
is an .s. (who takythe hede,)
of shape y-krokyd in the hed ; 17948
and of his name (be well eertoyn)
it is chefe capytall & cheftayn.
thow wost full well thy sclfe, ywys,
that every .s. y-crokyd is, 17952
lyche a crose highc in the top,
lyche the staffe of a byshope,
or of an abot, wher it be,
thow mayst example ther-of se. 17956
' and of an abbey, in sothncsse,
I am callyd an abbesse.
whiche abbey, by gret vyllenye,
ys [y]callyd symonye. 17960
and as myn hand her wit/; this hook,
of the .s. his nam[e] tooke,
ryght so, in conclusion,
symonye cam of syinon. 17964
' and fyrst thow shalt well vnderstond,
that by falsnes of this bond,
most horryble and odyous,
was brought fyrst in-to christis hous 17968
the false vyce of symonye.
and by his feyned trecherye,
by his sleyhte, and by his gyn,
at the dore he cam not in ; 17972
but at some travas, lych a theffe,
Avarice's 5th haiul. False Shepherds. SellcrsofholyOffi^. 481
' whcr he dothe full gret myschefe ;
for wher so evar he dothe aproehe,
with this staffe he can a-croche
the herts of folks by covetyse,
and ordcynythe in full cursyd wyse
sheppards to kepe christis sliepe,
whiche of theyr offyse toke no kepe.
'an herd man is [yjsayd, in dede,
only, for he shuld[ij] fede
his shepe with spyrituall doctryn ;
but they draw by an othar lyn •
they may be callyd, for ther werkynge,
pastours only of fedynge.
they fede them selff witA haboundaimce,
and let ther shepe go to myschaunoe :
I trow it is full well ysene,
them selfe be fatt, ther shepe be leno.
t trow, the most[e] part of all,
men shuld them rather wolv[e]s call
than trwe herd[e]s; yong and old,
tliey come to robb[e] christis fold;
they shuld ther sliepe from wolv[e']s were •
the wool, the mylke, a-way they bere.
I can not se wher-of they serue,
that lat ther shepe at meschefe starue,
and put them selffe in gret defame,
'and they would eke make lame
grace dieu of cursydnosse,
lyke as I shall a-non exprese,
ffrom the trone of hir mageste,
by gyfte of temporalite :
his fals office I can well tell ;
he can now byen, he can now sell,
by bound[e]s of collusyon ;
and all comythe in by syr symon.
'yet at the last it shall be found
that grace dieu is nat bound,
nor, hathe not lost hir fraunchise
by none suche fals[e] marchandyse*
as comytho in by syniony,
PILGRIMAGE.
17976
17980
[Stowe MS.
952.)
Avarice
by simony
ordains false
shepherds to
keep Christ's
sheep,
[leaf 31 1, bit.]
17984
who feed
T7OQO 'hemselves
1/yhO mid let tlu-ir
sheep go lean.
17992 They're
wolves, not
shepherds.
17996
1 8000 They cripple
the Grace of
God
18004
by buying,
and selling
holy offices.
18008
18012
I I
482 A.'s 5th hand. The users of Simony are worse than Judas.
[Stowe MS.
952. J
The buying is
Siiin'iiy ; tin;
selling is Gy-
esite, the sin
ofGehn/i
lilr/l , 2
Klugsv.ttiL
the taking of
money for
e pi ritual
gifts.
Those who
nell holy
offices n re
like .hi'i:Ls,
[St., leaf 312]
nay, worse
than Jmlua,
for he restord
tlie pence he
took.
while the si-
tnoniRta
never return
money.
Whatever
goes into
Avarice's
sack, never
comes out
again.
' nor couetyse of Gye'sy.
' this hand also with his crochet,
in swyche a manor is yset 1S01G
to sell and byen this gret vertwe
whiche is callyd grace dicn ;
but, kyndly to specify,
the byggyng is callyd symony, 18020
and the sellyng in certeyn,
(for to spcke in wordes pleyn,)
they that it sell, for gret or lyt,
bene y-callyd Gyesite; 18024
but symony, (who can entend,)
dothe bothe nam[e]s comprehend ;
and all that wolde thus enchaco
grace dieu out of hir place, 18028
to scllen hir for gold & good,
they be mad, or el[le]s wood ;
and resemblen (in swiche cas,
I dare affirm,) vnto ludas, 18032
that ihara christ for mony sold
full fallsly, and the panns he told.
' and sucho folke (as thynkythe me)
wers than iudas, yet thay be ; 18036
for the penuis that iudas toke,
aftanvard he it forsoke,
and restoryd it agayn ;
but this folke, be well ccrtcyn, 18040
will for no predication
nevar make restitution,
and cawse why, (who lokytho well,)
is only this, for the sachell 18044
whiche hangythe fro my nckc doune,
of nature and condici'oun :
' what-evar into my sake ther gothe,
(who that evar be lesse or lothe,) 18048
it will nevar ysswe out ageyn ;
the cntre is bothe large and pleyne,
and the mouthe to gon in by
is evar open at the entry. 18032
but to comyn out, that wyll nat be
Avarice's 6th hand, Treachery. When
' by no raaner of sotelte ;
the way is narow & streyght certoyn,
for to comyn out agoyn,
lyke a wyle in a ryver,
to cache the fysche botlie fer and nere •
the entre large / the comynge out
is so strayt, it stant in clout.
'A-nothar hand I have also,
with whiche I werke myche wo
by a maner of roberye :
and it is callyd 'trecherye,'
withe the whiche, (who can conceyve )
full many folk [us] I cleceve.
vndar colour of ryghtwysnes,
I do to folke full gret falsnes,
that be syniple and inocent.
withe my frawd they be so blent
in marchamlyse that I vse,
I can my selffe nat well excuse.
' in deceyt stant my labowr,
by fals weyght and fals mesure :
by large' mesure I can byen,
and straight mesure I sell ageyn ;
in byggyng I wyu ha trwe °yay</
but in my salle I do gret slayt,
bothe in peys and in balance.
' with sobar cher and countenance
my chaffe'r I can well sell,
and to symple folke I tell
that it is bettar than it is,
and wittyngly I do a-mys
touchynge the pris, how that it gothe,
and falsly swere many an othe,
sober all-way, and sad of chere.
' and whan that I am a drapere,
I hange out courteyns in the lyght,
for to blynde folke's syght,
that men may not sen at ye full
nothar the colowr nor the wull ;
set it at hyghe pris therto,
she's a Draper. 483
18056
[Stowe MS.
952.]
Avarice.
18060
Her sack is
like a fluh-pot
in a river, big
at the mouth,
close at the
out.
Her oth hand
18064 i»eald
Treachery,
1 8068 and cheats
simple folk.
18072
It buys by
18080
18084
[leaf 312, ok.]
18088 WhenAra-
rice is a
Draper, she
darkens her
shop,
BO that folk
18092 w^.seet"e
484 Avarice's 6th hand, How she works sham Miracles ly it.
istowe MS. and swere I myght ha sold it so
ZL the last[e] day, to a chapman:
" thus I hegyll many a man
H withe this hand of whiche I tell,
bothe when I by and sell.
' this hand myglit nat well be worse :
cheat, in some tyme ther-wM I can sell horse,
horse-deal- ^ ly],e & f^oe coursar, I can
with othis deceyue many a man.
' som tyme by borows and by towns
ami with I walke about[eu] with pardons,
BrinSor" with reliks, and dede bones,
closyd vndar glase and stons :
I shew them vndar sell and bull,
and thus the pore people I pull,
of ther sylvar I make them quite,
in falsnes I ha so gret delyght.
' to abbeys eke I can wel gon,
sue steals stcll ymagis of tre and stone,
abbe*y,8,«-<>f thowghe they ben old, & paynt them IICWP,
1 and make them seme freshe of hewe,
with colours bothe whit and redd ;
sets jeweu on and at theyr brestis and at thcr hedd
I set berryls and crystall ;
vndar, I make an hole full smalc ;
puts wood I put in oyle, wyne, and blood,
?henf'k and melke also, to getf ten] good ;
make the lycour round about,
ami makes at small holes to rennyn out,
holes for the , , ,
fluids to run as it were done by myracle,
out, ns if by , « i 1 ft! OJ
miracle. that ther nis balme nor triacle
in this world, so ryche of prys,
of foltyshe people thai, ben nat wys.
These >he ' I set eke out swyche ymagis,
8l'°1V8> in stret[i]s and at hermytagis,
and in subbarbys at many a towne,
with sham with bullis fret full of pardon :
SnS w^'p"' byshops seles be nat bebynd :
and thus I make folk[e> blynd,
by my sleyght and by my guyle.
Avarice's Qth lumd. She works sham Miracles by it. 485
18140
18H4
18148
18152
' and yet I vse a-nothar whyle :
I go to fay tours of entent,
and make them eke of myn assent,
and, by fals colusyon,
and cursyd dissymulati'on, '
I mene suche as ha no shame,
to fayne them selffe bothe blynd and lame,
crokyd, halt, and dome with all,
on euery leg a gret movmall,
full of plastars old and new,
to make the people on them rew.
' and, for more dccepci'on,
I make them to be leyd a-doun,
U to-forn tlic ymagys down to ly,
and for helthe lowd[i;] cry,
ther to have amendeinent.
and they and I of one assent,
I lyft them vp my selfe anon,
and make them on ther fct to gon
with-outen eny more obstacle,
as all wer wrowght by myracle.
' the people, takynge none hede therto,
supposythe pleynly that it wer so ;
with offerynge and wi't/i pilgrimdgis
come full oft to suche ymagis,
for to done ther observaunce : •
and thus I can my selffe avaunco
as othar losengars can,
w»tA good that is full fairly won,
whiche that /7?e people obeycthe full sore,
but of this thynge, as now no more
I wyll nat make rehersall.
' & for this hand may myche avayle
to profet me bothe clay and nyght,
T take none hede of wronge or ryght,
thowghe it to folks do gret domage,
whill I ther-in fynd advantage,
it bathe of falshed many a braunche,
and why? I1 put it to my haunche, [' sis.it] 18172
and to my tonge reyse it agayne :
[Stowe MS.
9i2.|
Avarice
1813G [St.,leaf31S]
makes also'1
18156
18160
nnd tliseasd
Mk
to lie down
before lier,
i mages :
tlicn site sets
em uti their
aa if a tun :n-l<
were
wrought ;
and folk
make offer- '
injfs ami pil-
,;MIII:I,'---. to
these image *.
18168 Avarice takes
no heed of
wrong or*
right.
486 Avarices haunch, Lying; and tongue, Forswearing.
[Stowe MS. ' the cawse I woll vnto the sayne :
jwriL. nlvn haunche is callyd lesynge,
Her haunch and my tonge forswerynge j 18176
to1f'/u'e',^or!r and, to this twayn, trechery
.wearing, .g famylyar> and rf aly>
and to them bothe, of kyndly lawe,
of custome she will evar drawe. 18180
wher they ben old or yong of age,
they be echon of o lynage,
and, by hyre, fyrst, certeyne,
myne haunche cawhte this spaven.
' she made my touge fyrst taplye
to fynd out lesynge, and to ly ;
and of lyenge I made to-forne,
[leaf sis, MC.] was forswerynge fyrst yborn ;
which .prang for wher that evar forsweryng be,
from Lying.
lesynge is nyhe, as men may se ;
and wher-so-evar that they go,
barret is nat fer them f ro ; 18192
all thre bene of on accord,
with truthe evar-more at dyscord.'
The Pilgrim. pilgrim :
i ask her to " Tell on, I pray, let me se
t«U me about . .« « « ioin/*
them. iii what wyse may this be ;
thow callyst thy tonge ' forswcrynge,'
and thyn haunchfi also ' lyenge,'
whiche is so halt and corbyd doun) ;
tell me here-on some reson." 18200
Atariet Avarice :
quod avarice, ' lay to ere,
and anon thow shalt well here,
how that I this othar day
met Truth niett wt't/j. truthe vi)-on the way : 18204
and Equity,
withe her was also equite,
and bothe tweyn, I dj'd se.
of them, as I toko hede,
begging, ami how they begged bothe ther bretl ; 18208
very poor.
they were so poore bothe two,
for theyr frynd[c]s wer all go.
and yf I shall the truthe' showe,
Hmo Avarice got a Spavin in her Leg. Her Tongue. 487
'this day they ha but frynd[e]s fowe, 18212 [StoweMS.
ne noil) ne shal, yf that I may. Ararin
'and when I met them on the way,
I gan to turne the bake full sone ;
with them I had no thynge to done; 18216
for me sempte, to my plesaunce,
they myght me no thynge avaunce,
nor no profit done to me.
therfore from them I gan to fle
over the ftld[e]s as they lay,
and I ne cept none hyghe way,
but forthe, lyke myii opinion,
as I rann, I fell doune; [w, I, «<w* a foot]
and with that full ther was no gayni1,
but that 1 cawht a great spavayne
vpon my logo, whiche made me
for to halt, as thow mayst se; 18228
and sothly yet, (who loke well,)
to halt, I hate it nevar a dell,
for when vriih haltynge I am dull,
it makythe my sake to be more full ;
haltynge dothe me more avauuce ;
therby I make chevysaunce,
for in haltynge is no synne ;
who dothe vpryght, may nothynge wyun ; 18236
haltynge me wynnythe many a grote,
it maketh me hatter thin my cote,
that I must my tunge in sothe
cast out as a dogge dothe. 18240
' and than full offe it falleth so,
that to the kyng[e]s court I goo,
and am ther, of no man afferyd.
and whan I have the lawes leryd, 18244 learns law,
and am come to hyghe estat,
than I become an advocat,
and make folk[e]s to me drawe,
swyehe as hav to don with lawe. 18248
'but first I swere, Wi't//-out[en] doute,
my tunge I shall nat puten oute,
for ryght ne wronge, ne for no tliynge,
turiKl her
buck on Truth
and Equity,
18220 and fled from
thorn.
18224 She fell, anil
gut a spavin
in her leg,
which made
her limp.
18232 Thislin,,)
won her a lot
of money.
wish.
[SlOHV, I
U4J
Avarice goes
to tin: King's
Ltmrt,
turns Advo-
cate,
ami won't
spi uk a word
except tor
pay.
488 Avarice will Lie to any extent for Gold.
[Stowe MS. ' but wher I se ryght gret wynnynge. 18252
Avarice ' °» that party evar I hold,
works like lyche a balaunce of whiche y told,
of a iialS'ice, whose tutige draweth to that cost,
wher the weyht gothe doune most : 18256
to that party he wyll nat fyne
the balaunce to enclyne.
goes wh«re'« and so fare I when I begyne,
offees. to holden ther I may most wyne. 18260
when she ' whan folke me pray wt't/t all ther myght
gets folks'
money, for to help them in theyr ryght,
wher the cawse be grene or rype,
a-non as I the money grypc, 18264
she swears than I dare swaryn, by bone & blood,
their cause is , , , , . , ,
good, tho' it that theyr cawse is trwe and good,
thoughe I know the contrary.
and than anon I wyll not tary, 18268
for gold and sylvar evar amonge,
to make ryght, thowghe it be wronge ;
she turns for I can make, vnto hir syght,
wrong, and rvght of wronge, and wrong of ryght: 18272
wrong into J ° J °
right, tourne the matere vp se doune,
and preue it out by good reson,
that in the case there is no lake :
only to get and all I do, to fyll my sake 18276
withe gold and othar men[nu]s good,
how evar aforne the case stode.
' thus hauc I told the by resonne,
and mad a demonstration, 18280
why that my tonge (by dyscryvynge)
is [yjcallyd ' forswcrynge. '
Her Tongue and withe lesyngs, (who lyst know,)
is sown with 1 J o > \ J
Lies. Vp and dowue it is y-sowe ;
to falshed I do most avauntage,
and to truthe gretyst damage.
and in this plyht, as I the told,
ever my purpos I shall hold, 18288
that yf the lawe ne chaunge nought,
I will be fals of word and thought,
[Stowe, leaf ,
ni every place, wher evar I be,
Avarice tells the meaning of the Hump on her Bade. 489
' that no man shall levc me :
now I ha told the of my sake.
' touchinge the bonche vpon my bake,
I wyll to the now specifye
what thyngo it dothe signefye.
this is the boch gret and hydous,
with whiche this folke relygi'ous
bene ybonchyd, full many on ; —
som, I say, nat everychon,
suche as by transgvessyon
kepe not theyr professyon,
as they be bound by theyr degre.
' and by example, (as thow mayst se,)
so as a boche or a fellon
ar cawsyd of corruption
of wyckyd humours & corrupt blood,
of colore adust, fervent and wood,
and othar suparfluyte ;
ryght so, ryches and gret plente
ar cawse that a rychu man,
as the gospell rehers[e] can,1
May in-to heven have none entre,
But euen lyke as ye may se,
A caniell may hym-silffe applye
To passen thorugh a nedelyes eye,
Whiche is a thyng not credible,
But a maucr impossible,
Thys beste is so encomerous,
Off bak corbyd and tortuous,
And so to passe, no thyng able.
' And euene lyk in caas semblable,
ffolkis off relygyoun,
Bounde by ther professyoun
ffor to lyue in pouerte
Off ther owne volunte,
And to pouert hem2 silffe proffesse,
18292
»
[Stowe]
18320
18.324
[" liym C., them St.]
Jeue they be bocchyd with3 richesse, pbyst.] 18328
To gadre vp good4 in ther bandoun, ['good st., mui Tii>.]
Tresoure, and greet pocescyoun ; [st. & Tib.]
1 The readable part of MS. Cottou Tiberius, A. vii, begins here.
(Stow.- 118.
952.]
The Bunch or
Hump on her
back
18296
typifies the
Monks, etc.,
18300
wlio don't
keep tlieir
vows.
18304
As swellings
are causd by
bitd humours
and blood,
18308
18312
[Stowe %2, leaf 311, buck]
[St. & Tib.]
18316
so riches stop
a ricli mnn'a
entry into
heaven,
[Tiberiul, A
vii, leaf 8l>.
[Cott. Tib.,
A vii, If. 8«]
ns a Camel
can't go thru
a needle's
eye.
[Cap. xxxiii,
prose.]
Monks bound
to live in
poverty
arc so swollen
by riches
490 The Hum}) or Botch of Property stops folks' goiny to Heaven.
[Tiberiu», A ' ffor hard it is ffor hem to trace, C^t. & Tib.]
**}££? Or by so smal an lioole to passe „ 18332
that they Vp to that lieucnly mansyoun, „
SmafhST To cleyme there habytacyoun.
into Heaven. _ ._ __ TT. , ,, , i.. / i i \
This little rpHis lytle hoole (who kan sc,)
poverty8"8 JL Bytokeiieth willefful pouertc, „ 18336
Keceyued with-outen eny stryffe ; „
ffor, pore wo kam in-to this lyfle, ,,
And nakyd, (wlio taketli heede ther-to,) „
Out off this lyffo we schal eke go. [stowe, leafsisj „ 18340
so let f..ik ' Wherffore late ffolkis good heede take, „
wive*1 from (Swyche as hail this world fforsake,) „
the hump of . .
riches, Hem to preserue by holynesse ,,
ffroiu the hocche ofE ffalsc richesse, „ 18344
which will "Whiche is a thyng (who kau discerne) ,,
close the Bate , . .
oi Paradise, That wyl close the posterne „
Of Paradys1 and the entre, [' st. an. uura~,: „
And slope the hole1 off pouerte, „ 18318
Cieafs»,'i>ack] "\Vhichc is, to parffyte ffolke, the gate „
M!? thru? To lute hem in, erly and late,
Alle that ben ffoundcn vertuous
In ffolkis eke relygyous. 18352
Properte.
[Cap. «xiv, ' nnilis Ixicche is callyd ' Proj^erto,'
-L Whiche is afferd off Pouerte ;
ffor poucrte (as clerkys teche) 18355
Is bothe medicyne2 and leche [" mcdcync Tib., meiiisvn si.]
ami Poverty To lauuchc the bocche off Properte.
lances and
empties it. And voyde alle suporfluyte,
And the bollynge in eche3 syde. P o" eciie a st.]
But Property ' But Properte dar not Abyde [Tiu. istj 183GO
won't let it,
To suffre Pouerte hym to kerue, ,,
for fear of Leste off the wounde he sehulye sterue ,,
Leuere lie hathe, in peyire tendure, „
Than pouerte schulde his bocche recure ; 18364
ffor he is dredefful, and eke arwh, [Tib. x St.]
To passe an hole that is so narwh „
As hym4 semyth in his devys, [Mtst.] „
Outlier to heven or paradys : ,, 18368
His herte is no thyng ther-oii set. „
18372
18376
18380
18384
Avarice's Idol, Gold, men's only Good and God.
' Now wole I speke off my mawmet.
The Mawmet:
' .4 Ncl off myn ydol that is so oold,
XjL. Made off silucr aud off gold,
In the whiche (I the ensure)
Is the ymage and the ffygure
And the prynte (as thou mayste see)
Off the lord off the contre.
This is the god whiche, by depos,1 [' depose St.]
Loueth to be schutte in hucches clos.
IT Somwhyle, that men may hym not knowe,
lie wole hym hyde in erthc lowe.
'This god kan make ffolkys blynde,
That to bis 6bseruaunce hem bynde ;
And causith hem, ageyn resoun,
To caste her loke's lowe down
In-to the erthe, ageyne nature,
Hem-silffe so mykel they assure
In eerthely tresoure, whiche at2 o day [»in St.]
Schal vnwarely passe away ;
ffor lawe3 in erthe, on euery syde, t1
Lyche a molle they abyde ;
In ertbe is hoolly tlier labour ;
In erthe ys also tlier tresour ; 18392
Erthe is ther loye a,nd ther plesaunce ;
No thyng but erthe may hem avaunce ;
Gold and seluer makyth hem nygh wood ;
Gold is ther god, gold is ther good ; 18396
I worschipe gold and my tresour
As ffor my god and savyour ;
Saue gold, noon other god I haue.
[Illumination.]
'T Thonke not how I schal be grave 18400
J_ In eerthe lowe, ther to be ffreete,
Corupcyoun and wormes mete,
Ilydous, stynkyuge, and horryble,
And to loke vp-on, odyble : 18404
What may my gold thanne me4 avayle, [« me than st.]
Whanne wormes lian5 with me batayle 1 p have St.]
But here, while I haue lyberte,
491
[Tiberius,
A vii.l
Avarice*
[Cap, xx xr,
prose.]
Her Maitmet,
of silver and
gold,
Is an image
of the lord of
the country,
a god.
[Tib. leaf 40]
which can
blind folk.
leaf .115, back]
low St.]
and make em
look on tin-
ground,
18388
where they
live, like a
mole.
Tlieir trea-
sure and joy
is all in t.Mi Mi.
Gold is their
only God,
They don't
think, when
they rot*
[leaf 40, back]
what their
>ro!d '11 do
for em.
492 Avarice always tries to get goods, by Lies or Games.
[Tiberim,
Avii]
Ararict.
Gold is
her god and
mawmet;
for gold,
St. Lawrence
was roasted.
Her work Is
to K'-t IDulu-y,
ny lying or
Raining.
[Tib. leaf 41]
She worships
her man-met.
She bids me
kneel to it,
or she'll
worry me.
The PUgrim,
Avarice
assails me.
[» all [my] hert to
gold St.]
' This thyng to-fforne I kan no1 se, [' nat si.] 18408
ffor in no thyng I2 kan affye, P i St., that i Tib.]
But gold and good to multeplye.
Gold is my god and my Mawmet ; 18411
IT And al on gold myne hertc3 is sette ;
ffor golde, I dyde fful greet offence,
In colys to roste seynt Laurence.
For he, off pite (thus it stood) [st. & Tib.]
Jaue the tresoure and the good 184 1C
Off holy clmrchc ffor almesse,
To pore ffolkis he4 ffonde in distresse. [*to foike that he st.]
B
[Illumination.]
Ut I,5 in myne oppynyoun, p 1 St., o
18421
18424
To gete good is my lahoure,
And to awmente my trosoure,
And (as it is to ffolke fful kouthc,)
More in age thanne in jouthe,
Som tyme with lesynges and with ffablys,
Som tyme at7 cheese, som tyme at tablys, p »' s'-. »' "'« Tib-]
At morels and the botevaiwt,
At hasard and at8 [the] devaunt, [" at St., om. Tib.] 18428
And at these pleyes euerychon,
My mawmet I worschipe euere in oon.
IT ffor, wher-so9 it he vyce or synne, [• w St., om. Tib.]
I do no thyng hut ffor to wynne ; 18432
To good is al-way my repayre.
' And, ffor my Mawmet is so ffayre,
And ffulffylled off10 alle plesaunce, ['« withe St.]
Do u ther-to som 6bseruaunce, [" DO St., TO do Tib.] 18436
And knele auoon vpon thy kne, [stowe, learsio]
Lowely to12 his de'yte. [»vntost.]
ffor, but13 thow do with-out[e] more, tu g-^.-.^fcj
Thow schalt abyggen it fful sore ; 18440
And I schal ellys verrey14 the ; [" warreye St.]
Thow geteste no lenger trewys off me.'
IT The Pylgryme :
AXd while sche gan me15 assay le [15 me Tib., me to st.]
fful cruelly, as by batayle, 18444
Alle sodeyuely I dyde sen,
Youth saves me from Avarice's attach I enter a wood. 493
How that jouthe wente atwcn,
Bytwyxen Avarise and me,
Cryed trewys, and bad let be. 18448
IT Than ^outhe spak : l [' youthe stj
' I \0 to hym no vyolenco,
I 9 ffor I am komen in his diffence,
Ageynse2 the to make liyrn strorige. [» aguynst St.]
Thow schalt to hym do now no wronge, 18452
(Thow3 thow be cruel off entent,) p thowgiie stj
Wliile that I am here present.'
f Auaryce :
[Tiberius,
Avii.l
The Pilgrim.
' Youth ' in-
tervenes.
Youth
Li-Is Avarice
leave me
alone.
18456
' ?Eue4 thow ne were not ffaste by,
« Thow myghtteste truste ffynaly,
That 1 ffor no thyng wolde lette,
But that I schulde vp-on hym sette.
[Illustration.]
IT Thy komynge is not to my pay ;
Thow haste me lettyd off my_pray ; 18460
ffor the whiche, I am fful wo ;
But now to hym I may nat do,
ffor to ffulffille my talent,
Wliile thow art with hym present. 18464
But go thi way, and late hym be,
And anoon thow schalt wel se,
I schal hem cacchen5 in a trappe, [! cacben St., cacche Tib.]
And aresten by the lappe, 18468
That he schal not skape away
ffro my daungere, 3eue6 I may.' [«yfst.]
1T The Pylgryme :
AXd whanne that I was at my large,
And thought I wolde me7 discharge, 18472
ff rom alii: daunger to go ff re, p me St., not Tib.]
ffrom Auaryce at lyberte,
Thorough helpe and flavour (in this cas)
Off jouthe that my guyde was, 18476
I wolde, as tho, no lenger byde,
But in-tawode8 there bysyde [» into a wood St.]
I entryd, whiche stood ffaste9 by. p but fast St.]
And as I wente, alle sodcynely 18480
I horde oon wonder lowde cryc, '
Avarice
[leaf 11, back]
doesn't like
this,
as she can't
do what she
wants to me.
She begs
•Youth' to
depart,
and then
she'll trap
me.
Tlit Pilgrim.
' [leaf 42]
I enter a
wood.
He is in a AmydJe2 the way, vpon a lond, [' ami myd St.]
With-in a cercle I hym ffond, 18496
494 A Messenger bids me come and speak to his Mistress.
[Tiberius, And afftir me gan ffaste hym hye,
ne pi/orim. As he hadde ben in a rage.
i am pursued And so straungc was his langage, 18484
That I ne vnderstood hym nought ;
ffor I conceyued in my thought, [stowe, leaf sie, back]
How he that affter me gan gon :
ffrenche1 nor Latyn he spak mjon. [' ffrenchs Tib., French* St.]
And in his hand (I was wel war,) 18489
bearing « A nakyd swerde how that he bar,
nuked sword,
fful scharpe grownde ffor to byte,
And redy as he wolde smyte, 18492
who was me And bade, I schulde me ffaste dresse,
B|n.;ik to Ins
mistress. Koine to speke with his Maystresse.
le2 the way, vp
a cercle I hym J
[Illustration.]
[ieaf4s,back] "WTTTItli-in whiclie (so god me save,)
Yf I snwgh fful many a ffygure grave,
fful meruelous, as in workynge ;
And he bare armys off A kyuge, 18500
and carries a A Boxe, lyche a Messangere.
box like a ' •>
Messenger. And trcwely, as 1 neyghed nere,
By sygne's that I dyde so,
I wende so that he hadde be, 18504
Hopynge the bette, at lyberte,
ffrom al daunger to skape ffre :
f To whom I spake fful boldely, 18507
And seyde, " I merveyF ryght greetly P
That thow byddeste me ifaste dresse
ffor to koine to thi maystresse ;
And by no tokene tliat I kan se,
I wote not what sche schulde be; 18512
ffor whiche, I preye the not to spare,
Off hir the maner to declare."
He shows me IT And he to me in worde's ffewe,
With his ffynger gan me schewe 18516
fful ffaste by, a mausyouii),
like a pa- Kyght vp, lyche a pavyloun ;
witii a crow And on the pomel (who lyste knowe)
sitting above.
Wonder hygh ther sate a krowe, 18520
The Schoolmistress's Pavilion with a Crow on the top of it. 495
18524
i hyghe St., liygli Tib.}
18528
His whynges splayynge to and ffro ;
And with the noyse he made tho,
The messangere gan newe abreyde,
And vn-to me ryght thus he seyde :
1T The Messangere :
' T)yhoolde $one habytacyoun
JL3 And the hyghu1 pavylloun :
In that place (I dar expresse)
There abydith my maystresse,
Whiche cessith, nowtlier nyght nor day,
To teche hir scolers what sche may,
fful many wonderfful lessouns,
And many dyuerse cdnclusyouns. [Illustration.'] 18532
' A Nd, therffore, I callyd the,
XX That thow scholdeste the maner se [stowe.ieafsi?]
Off hir scole, and knowe it offte.
And ffor tliis skele, the crowe aloffte 18536
Is sette, (jeue2 thow kanste espye,) [*yfst]
Afftir hir scolerys ffor to crye ;
That fforby passe, bothe este and west ; 18539
Thereffore sche hath made there3 hir nest.' [s ther made St.]
f The pylgryme :
"/^Ertis me semyth it were ffolye
\J To kome there, or go fforby,
But jeue I knewe (in sentence)
What doctryne or wliat science,
To hir scolers sche dothe teche.
Thereffore, opunly in thy speche,
Declare what it schulde be,
Or ellys I wole not go with the."
1T The Messangere :
* ' A yere,' ({uod he, ' and no mo,
ther I had to scole go ; 4
COtietyso, off entente,
To that scolo sche me sente ;
And sothcly, as it semyth me,
So I trowe sche dyde the.'
IT The Pylgryme :
[»-« st.,oa. Tib.j
18552
[Tiberim,
A vn
The Pilgrim.
The Meiten-
tfer
declares that
there hia
mistress
teaches her
schoUrs,
[leaf 43]
18544
18548
whom the
Crow calls to
her.
The Pilgrim.
I say I won't
go to her un-
less he telU
UK- what
she'll teach
me.
[leaf 43, bk.]
says Covet*
oiiBiiesa Rent
him to that
school.
"/^Erteynely that is not so;
V^
Though sche and I (bothe' two)
18556
496 Tlie School of Fortune. How Fmfotnes arc predicted.
[Tiberius,
Avii. I
The Pilgrim.
Covetousness
never told me
of the School.
The Mesten-
ger.
" Hadde I-ffere longe dalyaunce,
Sche made no1 maner off rdniembraunce ['no St., me no Tib.]
Off this scole, in no degre,
Off whiche thow spekist off2 to me." ['off.om.st.] 18560
f The messangere :
' ri^Han I dar seyn (as thow schalt ffynde)
JL That it was, out off hyre mynde ;
ffor at this scole ther comyth no wyght
ffor to leerne, day nor nyght, 18564
Hut jeue that he, ffirste, (off entent,)
Be ffro covetyse I-sent.
'Jit off this scole, (jeue thow wylte dwelle,)
The inauer, I schal the telle : 18568
II ffirste, whanne I was heder sent,
I wolde, by som experiment,
Or by som schorte conclusyoun,
Haue preued3 out my lessoun; p provyii st.] 18572
ffor speculatyff and the practyk
Off this scole be not lyk ;
ffor speculatyff (in sentence)
With-outon good experience, 18576
Avaylith lytle or ellis nought,
How longe euere that it be sought.
IT Now take heede, and thow schalt se
I wolde haue4 dygnyte, [«h»neast.j 18580
[Tib. leaf 44] Or som other greet tresour,
And ther-on sette my labour ;
And wolde knowe, to5 this estat JKJtffepaj,
Wher I schal be ffortunat. 18584
II ffirste, with my swerd, vp-on the ground
I make a cercle large and round,
With karectis and with" ffygnres, [«witho».Tib.,st.]
And knowe not the a ventures, 18588
Nor the dirkenesse hydde with-Inne,
Off the karectis, whanne I gynne
To emprynte : al7 they be sene, U tyii st.]
I wote neuere what they mene ; 18592
[Illustration.']
SAue I conyecte yt may so be,
That spiritis scholde obcye to8 me, [8 obey St.]
None enter
the school
unless sent
by Covetoua-
ness.
The manner
of the school.
Its specula*
live ami prac-
tical sidi-s
differ.
One wants to
get dignity
or treasure,
and to know
one's luck.
The Messen-
ger makes a
circle on the
ground,
with char-
acters and
figures.
, srftn
1 8604
18608
/ denounce the folly of invoking Spirits.
' By myMnvocacyouns [lmyneSl]
-o answere to my questyouns,
Swyche sperytis as I kalle ;
And jit I knowe noon off hem alle,
Sane off entente, as thow mayste se',
That they schulde graunte me
Som maner gyffte, or som gerdoun,
Concernynge myn oppynyoun,
By vertu off the cercle round,
And Carectis graven in the ground,
By schewynge or by apparence,
Affter that I jeue credence.'
If The pylgryme :
Alle that thow doste specyffye,
Is but ffalsehed and ffantesye
And cursyd ymagynacyoun,
Biouth' in ffirste by Illusioun. P bl.ongllt ^
' This scole is nought, in sotheffastenesse,
Whos doctryne is but cursydnesse.
The scolers there-off, I holde hem wood;
Swyche spiritis may don to the no good;
And jeue thow koudeste the trouthe entende,
Bonne they may, but not amende :
They wole wyrke in3 thi damage,
But no thyng to thyne avauntage,
Who that kan lokc wel aboute.°
" Also thi siluen* stante in doute
Where-off thi cercle scholde seme ;
And thynges that thow doste obserue,
Alle is but ffoly and mysbyleve,* p fll|9 beiev
Towchynge the spiritis, thow mayste wel leve
ffor the they wyl no thynge do wel,
ffor they the louen neuere a del."
IT The Messangere :
Bar afferme (witli-otitii6 slouthe)
.1 In party that thow haste seyde trouthe,
Lxcepte oonly (it is no nay)
In many thynges they helpe may,
A man r greetly to iagny ffyo, F man St., c. o,»r.n
18632
K K
497
1859C
TkcPitarim.
' declare il is
"" fal8ellood-
The scho]a
"* ***' ""
to sto
• my se,ffc MJ 18G20
1 8G j 9
186]6 thes]lil,ts
ll"n" ;
s,>
18624
408
Hmv the Messenger makes Spirits obey him.
[Tiberius,
A vii.l
Mewenger.
[leaf I J]
but Lite
spirits must
obey tlie
King.
The Pitf/rim.
I ask tlic
MfSMjnjjer by
what |>mver
lie compels]
Mi.' Spirits.
The Pil,friut.
lie says they
will oin-y him
ns MMttwg
he 1 1. .1, u
authority
ami a com-
mission from
the Kim.;.
[leaf 45, bk.]
[1 commaunclyd St.,
roinauinle Til).]
Whanne they be constreyned to do so,
And hauo no power to go ther-ffro,
Comaunded1 to swycho obseruaunce
By hym2 that hathe the gouernaunce [' them sto
I mene the kyng, to whom, eche wcye,
Mawgre tlier myght, they muste obeye.'
II The Pylgryme :
" T Conceyue, and se wel here,
J_ Thow art the kyngUs messangcre,
By the armes that thow dost were,
And by the sygnes I se tho bore ;
But make3 demonstracyoun
To me off tin comyssyoun,
By what power or by what peyne
That thow mayste* hem so coustreync."
II The Messangere : [' mayst st
18636
18640
[:t make a St.]
1S644
., music Tib.]
'/^
\J
Ommyssyoun I haue neuece on ;
And trewely I dar axu non ;
18648
And though I dyde (as thow schalt se)
He wolde grauute noon to me.'
IT The Pylgryme :
" ri^Hanne wote I wel, (jeue it be sought,)
_L ffor the, that they wole do ryght nought."18G52
IT The Messangere :
' TTEre vp-on, what so }e seye, •
_|__l_ Wote6 wel they wole5 obeye
Pleynely vnto my byddynge ; P i won . . . timt they win sto
ffor they wenc that, off the kynge 18656
I haddii fful auctorite,
Cownnyssyoun and fful pouste,
To maken them, lyehe6 myn entcnt, piykesto
To (jbeye7 my comaundement U <"• fobeye] 18660
By vertu off myn orysoun,8
Karcctys and cwdurysoun 8 ; [s orisons . . . com»i.\>simis si . ;
ffor drede off whiche, (bo wel certeyn,)
I kuowe they dar me not with-seyn.' 18664
1T The Pilgryme :
"Her thow be wel ov yuel apayd,
Take good heed what thow haste «iyd :
Thow haste ben ffalse in tin workyng,
/ say Magical Signs and Seals are Marks of the Devil. 499
[2 iniquite St.]
P tobbaye St.]
18672
" And wrongely don vn-to thi kyug ; j 86 68
fVher-£Pore thow shalt I-ponysshed 1 be P P...I.I*. * ]
nor tin greet Inequyte,2
To make spiritys the to obeye,3
And swyche charges on hem leye
By disseyte and flalse tresoun,
And, haste4 no cowzmyssi'oun
ffor the to schewe on see nor lond,
And haste « I-made eke, with thyn hand,
Karectis and cercle round,
And compassid it vp-on the ground •
And art so blynd, thow kanste not seen, [.sto«, u., S18> bk ,
(Jll im narf.ir iirli«f *1 —
[« liast St.]
(Tiberius,
Avii.]
The Pilgrim.
I declare the
Messenger
shall be
punished.
He has done
treason.
18676
On no party, what they inene.
"And swyche karectis (I dar wel telle)
Be markis off the deuel off helle,
ffirste ordeyned (who kan conceyue)
Innocentis to disceyue.
And thow mayste also (truate me)
There-with thow schalt dysseyued be ;
ffor this selis, thow schalt ffynde,
Constreyne the, and sore bynde
By a maner allyaunce
To do the deuel swyche obseruaimce
Made to thi conffusi'oun,
As bonde or oblygacyoun ;
By whiche he wole (off verrey niyght)
Cleyme the his man off ryght ;
By swyche a tytle, make hym'stronge.
" And to spiritis thow doste greet wronge,
Hem to constreyne in thi workynge
To brynge the other menne's thynge,
(Be it by day, be it by nyght,)
Vn-to whiche tliow haste no ryght ;
Where-in thow art greetly^ to blame,
To bydde hem in the kynges name
Or constreyne hem, ageyno resoun,
By karecte or by 6 comyssyoun,
To robbe or steele, to thi flavour,
Off other ffolkes? ther tresour, c
By verrey fforce, ageyne8 ryght.
18680
His char-
acters are
marks of
the Devil.
18684
His seals
18688 do'theDevil
allegiance.
18692
18696 It is a wrong
against the
spirits
18700
gretly St., Kreet Tib.]
to constrain
[« by, OT». St.] 18704 othe" men's
goods.
1., ffolke Tib.]
[".igaynstSI.J
500
The Company of the Users of Spirit-conjuration.
(Tiberius,
A vii. i
The Pitf/rim,
This con-
-inuiiiiiL'; the
Spii-ils is
wrong
ii.u;u'i-. the
King,
and may lw
reunited in
hell.
[leaf 46, bk.]
fiecro mon-
ey'*
These words
affright the
messenger;
but be is one
only of a
great com-
pany :
Solomon,
Virgil,
{-vprinii,
Awlard,
all nse<\ this
art.
Magio iB~not
so dangerous
puxiynst.] 18712
[»roberj-st.]
18716
1*720
18724
[C. & St.]
" And 30110 thow loke aboutb'1 ryght, [' about Tib., St.]
To the kyng, vsynge this vice, 18709
Thow doste fful greet preivdice2 [! preimiice st.]
Ageyne his lawefful ordynaunce,
Where it is boden3 (in substaunce)
And dyffendid, (who kan espye,)
Alle manor theffte and robrye,4
In peyne off doth : take heedc lier-to,
And with-drawe thyne hand ther-ffro
With al thi myght and al thy peyne.
Thow standeste5 in daunget atwene twcyne; p statist st.]
Outher off God or off Satliaii
Thow art off the leego man ;
And therffore, ffor to lyue in reste,
Lecue the worstc, and cheese the bcste ;
ffor (schortly I schal devyse,)
Thow schalt be quytte lyke thi sorvyse,
In hello with dampnacyoun,
Or heuene, to thi savacioun."
1f The Messangere :
'/~\F thy wordus I6 take hede, [« words when I St.]
\J They putte me7 in fful greet drede : . 18728
But, o thyng conifforteth me, u me St., me not Tib.]
Whanne that I considere and se
Tliere is so greet a companye,
^Ie to susteyue in my ffolyc,
Off il'olkis tliat to-fforne haue be
Off wonder greet autoryte,
As why lorn was kyng Salamou/t,
And Virgyle, off greet rcnoun,
Cypryan and Albalart,
And many an-othcr in this art,
Maystres by experyence,
And hadde also ther-to lycence
(\Vith-outen8 eny noyse or stryffe,)
itbr to vse it al her lyffe.
'And this ilku craffte also
(Who that takyth heed tlier-to,)
Is not in rewarde so pp/'illous,
Dredefful, nor superstyci'ous,
[Stowe, l«if .11!)]
18732
18736
[Tib. & C.]
18740
[8 outen St., out Tib.]
18744
I refuse to go to the Messenger's Mistress, Necromancy. 501
18748
18752
18756
' As som crafftis that haue bo do
With sacriffyce, and eke also
With obseruaunces, vpon mowntcynes,
In descrte,1 and eke in pleynes, [' decrert st.]
And in placis fful2 savage,
Solytarye, and fful off rage,
That, alle the nianer ffor to nouwbre,
It wolde a man greetly encombre,
As thow schalt so and knowe anon
?eue thow lyste with me to gon ;
And ffynally, tin pas to dresse [Tib. & St.]
To hir that is the chaff maystresse „
Off alle this thyng that I haue tolde,
That, jeue thow be hardy and bolde
ffor to proche3 to hir presence, [» taprociw St.]
Thow schalt haue fful experyence.'
IT The Pylgryme :
" rilHat euere I schulde' this thyng se,4 ['shuid . . ysc St.]
I God, off his grace, dyffendij me; 18764
And he be my proteccyoun
Fro5 thylke habytacyoun !
ffor, by opene evidence,
And by recorde off tin sentence,
Thilke place, with-oute6 wene, t« with out Tib., st.]
To good7 it doth no-thyng partene; ['god si.]
ffor, by the crowe that sytte alofftc,
Makyth noyse and cryeth offte,
It schewith wel how thylku place
Is devoyde, and ffer ffro grace,
And longeth (as I reherse kan)
To the Deuel and to Sathan ;
ffor, save the Deuel, noon other wyght
Hathe power there, off verray ryght.
Therffore I wole me holden heere,
And to that place koine noon nere ;
And trewb'ly, (to my dcvys,)
Thi-silff also (jeue thow be wys,)
Thow schalt wysely with-drawu the,
And abydb'8 here with me
ffor thyne owiiu avauntage,
[Tiberius,
A vii |
Necromttn-
as s;nTi!irl;ll
rites ill wild
aputs.
Tlie Mt'sscii-
ger bids me
k'» to his
Mistress.
18760 [leaf 47]
Gmlfi.rbid!
I Miy;
fro St., ? Tib.]
18768
18772
18776
18780
for, l>y the
trow winch
SJtH :I!M|I Ull
her piiviliun,
the place
l>elougs tu
Sutan,
and I wilt not
go tu it,
[Stowe, leaf SID, IHU*]
[*abydenSt.] 18784
502 The Dulce who preferd to be damnd ivith the Majority,
[Tiberius,
Avii.]
The Pilgrim.
for it menus
destruction.
[leaf 47, back]
Story of the
duke of
Fl'ryse, who,
as lie was to
be baptisd,
antl had (me
foot in the
well, drew it
out on
hearing
that more
folk would go
to Hell than
Heuven,
and said he
preferd being
(laninil with
the majority.
[leaf 48]
Surely Solo-
mon amended
ere he died,
"Lestc it turne to tin damage ;
fEor, who gothe to that mancyouh,
Gothe streytto to his destruccyoun, 18788
As ther haue do fful many oon,
Whiche here-to-fEome haue theder gon,
Kesemblyngo (as I kan devyse) 18791
To hym that was the Duke of1 Fryse, ['of St., ow.Tib.]
Whiche, whanne he shuld ha be baptisyd, [Tib. & St.]
(In storye as it ys devysed,
And as boko's kan wel telle,)
His o fEoot was putte in the welle, 1879G
To haue receyvod cristis lawe,
But ho in haste gan it with-drawe ;
[Illustration.]
FOr hym thought he herde a cry,
That afformed certeynely,
fEor synne and fEor Inyquyte,
How mo ffolke schulde dampned be
At the day off lugement,
Gon to helle, there to be brent,
Jo mo (as in comparison!))
Thanne fEolk fEor ther savacyoun
Scholde tliat day receyued IH-,
To dvvelle in lieuene, that ffayre cyte.
II But this duke, hym-silff to encombre,2 [» tencomber st.]
Seyde3 with the gretteste nowmbre, pseydst.]
And wolde go,4 thorough his fEolye, [• he would go St.]
And with hem holde5 companye, [skepest,] 18812
There-witli afEerinynge, in his thought,
That, off baptysme, he sette6 nouglit. ['sett St.]
fEor whiclie, me semeth it were fEolye,
The to haldcn companye 18816
With swyche fEolko in thyn eutent, [Tib. & St.]
OfE whiclie affter thow schalt repente.
" fEor I suppose that Salamoun
(Off whom thow madest mencyouu) 18820
Wher in-ffectte, or hadde his parte,
In liis daye's, off swyche arte,
As som fEolk seyne, (who kan enteude,)
That liym-silffe he dyde amende 18824
18800
18804
18808
Necromancy's Messenger refuses to repent.
" Off that and many another thyng,
To-ffore the hour off his deiyng,
And resceyued was to grace,
And hath in hcuene a dwellynge place. 18828
1T And scmblabely, the tother man,
The gretti clerke callyd Cypryan,
To-fforne his deth, lyste to fforsaki;
This craffte, and ffor Crystis sake, 18832
Suffred (as made is mencyoun) psion-e, leaf szo]
Martirdam and passyoun,
And is in heuene stelleffyed,
And with seyntis gloreffyed. 18836
1T Take heede to hem, by reed off me,
And not to hem that dampned be.
Thenke on hem that ben in blyssc ; 18839
And where as1 thow haste don ainysse, [' what that St.]
With-drawe thy ffoot, and do penaunce,
And liaue in herte' repentaunce."
1f The Messangere :
' /^Ertys,' quod he (' jeue thow lyste so,)
\_J That thow soyste, ne may not be. 18844
Though thyne argumente be stronge,
At that scole I haue ben longe,
And ft ul wel lerne'd my lessoun ;
And by sodeyne departysoun, 18848
(Who takyth heede, it is no nay,)
So sone I may not part away, [TU>. i st.]
As2 I kan not (in myne entente) p Ami si.]
ffynde in myne herte to repente, 18852
Nor to departe vp-on no syde ;
I am with-hoolde ; I muste abyde,
With otlier scolers mo than oon,
Wliiche tliat there to scole goon, 18856
As ffolke may sen tlier, gret ffoysoun.
' And eke my skvippe and my bordoun
Ben I-leffte in that hostage,
And lyne in manor off morgage ; [TO.&st.] 18SGO
And I ne may not hem3 recure; p them nat st.}
And also (as4 I the ensure) [»ciest.]
I gyue no force,5 in certeyn, [5 for» st,]
503
[Tiberius.
A vu.j
The Piftrrint
and went to
heaven ;
Cyprian iiNo
forsouk this
BTttft,
Allll S
as a inarlyr.
Look to the
Saints, mul
not ilir
bumml !
The mesBen-
cer has lieou
long at tins
School of
Commerce
with Spirits
and will nut
leave it.
[leaf 48, back]
111- 8crip
and KtalViuo
there.
504 Necromancy: her Sword in a Book; her Wings.
(Tiberius.
A vii. |
The Pilgrim
I think 1M
better run
away.
The Messen-
ger calls on
nis mistress,
Necromancy,
to fall upou
me.
Site comes
after me.
[leaf W]
She has a
Sword
anil big
Wings.
She bids me
stay and see
her craft.
She sits high
uixm a tree.
Her name
is * Necro-
mancy.'
18868
p periiious st.]
18872
[Must.]
1 Though I neuere liom liaue ageyn." 18864
1T The Pylgryme :
ANd whanne that I these worde's horde,
In manor : trewcly I iferde [' St., Tib. M«rt]
As though I luulde astonyed be ;
And, as it seined vn-to me,
I stood in a pensions2 cas.
And therffore I abasched was,
And sawe no bette reffute to me,
But fPro that place' ffor to ffle ;
ffor he (schortely, in sentence)
To whoino I neuere dyde offence,
Me to bryngen in-to3 distresse,
Gan to callen liis maystresse
To koine vpon4 me in greet rape, [* vpon St., on Tib.]
That I schuldc liir not escape.
And sche, off ffalse entencyoun,
Kam out off liir pavilloun5
Affter me, that I wente abak,
Hydons off look, oolde and blak,
Off whom I greetly6 was afford.
In the7 mydde off a book, sche heelde a swerd ;
Other scawberk hadde sche noon ; V in the, om. st.]
And, as I byhelde anoon,
Sche hadde (in sothe, as thoughtc8 me)
Large whynges ffor to ffle. 18888
If And, by a manor ffelonye,
Sclie gan londo ffor to crye ;
And, mo manasyuge off pryde,
Bad me that I schulde abyde ; 18892
And ellis, mawgrey al my myglit,
I schuldc not skape out off hir9 syght p his St.]
Til I hadde in partye
Somwhat seyno off hir maystrye. 18896
And towarde me hir look sche caste,
And gan to come vp-on fful ffastc ;
But as sclie kam, it sempte me,
That sclie sate hygh vp-on a tre, 18900
And pleyncly gan to speceffye,
Hir name was ' Nygromauncye,'
18876
[s i»vyiyon st] 18880
[6 gretiy i st.] 18883
Her book,' Death of the Soul,' I meet the hag ' Heresy.' 505
[Illustration,]
[Tiberius,
A vii.,
The Pil,irim
WHiche, by my craffte1 (in substaunce) [' be croa st.]
Kan ft'olke encresse, and wcl avaunce, 18904
That ben in my subieccyoun
And lyste to leerni; my lessoun.
2Tllis ilkb' book that tllOU3 Wolte SO, P that tlion om. Tib.] [leaf 48, back]
Is I-callyd Mors Anime, 18908
"VVhiche is in englysche (ffor to seyn,)
' Dethe off the sowlo,' in certeyn.
And this nakyd swerd wliiche I hoolde,
(As thow mayste thi silffe byholde,) 18912
There-with (ffor schorte conclusyoun,)
Whanne thow haste herde my lessoun,2
There-with thow sclmlt yslaynb'4 be. [< vniuyn st., >invne TH>O
Her Itook is
called -Jlora
Aiiinm-,1
' De.ith of tlie
Soul.1
And thus sche gan manasso me,
Where-off I stood in fful greet drede ;
P.iit off grace, (as I toke hede)
A white dowuii I dyde se
ffleen sodeynely towardes me ;
But with me, where as I stood,
Sche ne made no lenger5 abood.
And I ne made no greet delay,
But wentb' fforthe vp-on my way ;
And I mette (or I was war)
An oolde oon, whicho that0 ffagot bar
Vpon liir bak, and eke therto,
In hir hand sche heelde also
A peyri; cysours scharpe I-grownde.
And, to me-ward as sche was bounde,
Sche bad (ffor schorte conclusyoun)
ffor to leye my skryppe adoun ;
And gan vp-on me ffor to ffrowne,
LowdU crycd, hir lyste not rowne :
f Heresye :
r but thow leye here adoun,
I schal, to thi conffusyoun,
Schape thi skryppe off newe array,
ffor it is not to my pay ;
18916
When I have
It-unit her
lesxon, her
sword shall
slay me.
She threatens
me.
18920
The dove
again saves
longe St.]
18924 and I depart.
I meet an old
his,
[« a St.] ' Heresy,1
18928
18932
who bids me
lay down my
scrip,
18936
nr it will
be ahaped
otherwise
for lllr.
-" oin. St. The good old tailor's eye caught the second
'lesson,' 1. 13914, in his MS. instead of the first, 1. 18906.
50G Heresy formd Pelagians, Arians, and other fleets.
I Tiberius,
Avii.]
The Pilfifim.
[leaf 51) J
I refuse to
olioy her until
I kiiow lier
imlliiirity.
lie re fit.
She first
shaped (he
srrip of l*e-
lagiaui ami
Arians.
Her name is
' Heresy.'
Her business.
Hn.l it not
been fur the
Nicean Coun-
cil, and
Constantine,
and Augus-
tine,
' I schal it kutte in other wysc,
Lyche as niy-sylueu lystc devysc.'
[IHvttration.]
f The Pylgryme :
ooldii vekkc, as semcth me,
That thow mayste not clcrely so ;
"Wherffore me lyste, by thi byddynge,
ffor to do no manor thyng,
But jeue to-fforne I knowe and su [su
Thy powere and thyn autorite ;
Thy worke also, and thyne office,
I wole ffirste knowe in myn avyce."
[Illuttratio*.]
Heresie:
18940
18944
18948
[st..«».Tib.]
[ilwthcorst.]
' TT^Or pleynely, off lasse and more,
Evene afftir my ffadris lore,
I wole (off bothe'1 ffalse and trewc,)
Tlie skrippb's kutte and schapi; newe,
Off pylgrymus greet and smale,
Kutte hem alle on pecys smale ;
ffor it was I, my-silffe allon,
That schope the skryppes jore agon ;
ffirste, off this Pellagyens,
And also off these Arryens,
And off other sectys newe,
ffounde ffalse, and'2 vntrewe,
As ooldij boke's speciffye ;
ffor I am callyd ' Heresye,'
The whiche do alwey3 my labour
To brynge ffolke in greet errour,
That ffolwe4 my condissiouns ; [• foiow st, fluike Tib.]
Only by ffalse oppynyouns,
Make her hertis to declyne
ffro the trouthe off lustc doctryne, 18968
And cause hem ffor to don ther cure,
And ainys to5 expowne hooly scripture. pAmysst.]
' And, trewely, nadde bene
The greete6 counceyle at Nyceno, ['• srect Tib, gret St.] 18972
Ordeyned by greet Constantyn,
And nadde ben also Augustyu
18952
18956
L« ana run st.] 18960
P all ways St., awey Tib.]
18964
[' tanull St.] 18976
18980
18983
ta lliat om. St.]
18988
Heresy threatens me, and her Father bars my way
' And many other greet doctours
ffor to anulli)1 myn errours,
The skryppes off holy churche cclion,
I hadde ffor-don (fful 3ore agoon,)
Off Pylgrymes that passe by the way,
Sythen goon fful many a day.
'And jit I schal, what so byffalle,
Assayle the amonge liem alle,
And myn ooldii purpos holde,
In ffyre, though that2 I brennij schuld
I wole my wytti-s alle applye,
Hardyd with obstynacye,
Contynue til the ffyre be hoot ;
Therffore I berii this ffagot.
'And ffirste, thow cobalt me not escape
But newe I wole thy skryppes schape,
Or ellis I dar vndirtake
That thow schalt it here fforsake, 18999
And leve it with me vtterly « : p e,ltterly
My ffader is here ffa.ste by, ,*„„,, taf „. ^
cho hathe power (as thow mnyste se)
And* bothe vp-on londe and see, Py. st, 18996
Thow schalt not skape hyni (in certeyne,)
But with dannger and greet peyne '
The Pylgryme:
Myne eyen «,«,» I gan vnffokle,
And anoon I gan byholde
In the weye' me byfforne,
An hunte stoode* witlt his home,
Off chore and looke7 ryght pervers.
And the passage, in travels,
With cordes lie gan it ouere-leyne,
ffrette with nettys alle the pleyne.
And he brought in his companye
The ffalse vekke Hercsye.
And, that men schulde hym wel knowe,
s home he gan fful lowdo bio wo ;
As it were to catche his pray
Ryght so he blewe on* the way, , Ue, vp on st, 19012
[Illustration.]
507
(Tiberius,
A vii.j
Jferettf/.
She will
attack me,
[leaf 51]
and reshape
my scrips.
[s then St.]
I shall not
ese:t[»e her
father, Satan.
The Pilgrim.
19000
[« otooJ Tib., stode St.]
P look Tib., lake St.]
19004
19008
I see him, a
hunter with
his horn,
who ptrews
the pljiiu
with neta.
•inil hlowa hi ;
horn.
508 Heresy's Father sets nets, hooks, and lines fvr me.
[Tiberiu,, Bad1 his doughter Heresye, [' ba.i st., And Tib.]'
TtoPuhm, The passage so to2 kepe and guye, [' «> to St., to TH,.]
Clear r,i, bk.f That I scholde not, in no syde,
"VfatheT ffrom tllcr Damage Diy sylffe provyk- 19016
;»Ifge? "'y Aml trewely (as I haue sayd)
The nets are The nettys were so uarewe layd,
^o out out On3 loud, on water, and in the hayr, p on st., in Tib.]
That I myght haue no repayr
To passe ffreely that passage.
It was so fful off mortal rage,
Off daunger and adversite,
That, but yiff4 I amydde tlie see ['yimiiat Tib.,yrst.]
swimming is Durste swymme, ther was no way 19025
the only miy . . -.
out. • ffor me to passe, nyght nor day.
And there he dyde also malygue
To leyne out nettys, and assigne,
There to stoppen my passage ;
So that I ffonde noon avauntage,
ffrom his dawngere to declyne ;
ffor many an hook and many a lyne 19032
Were caste in-to5 that peryllous so, piusij
Off entente to letten me ;
[Illustration.]
Mini, mawgre alle my fforce and myght,
But jeue I kowde swymme nryght 19036
[leaf 68] Ainonge the wawys ff corse and ffelle,
I muste vndir his dawnger dwelle.
But ffirete, while he his trappys leyde, [c.&Tib.]
Vnto6 the huntii tlius I sayde : C6 St., Tib. w««i] 19040
ne pilgrim. The Pylgryme:
i ask the " TTvntu," quod I, " tclle me now,
Hunter wliat .„ , 7
om.vrheis, _|_J_ What manor omcere arthow,7 ['art ton st.]
the°Ki'ng's Whiche [thus] lyggeste on the way,
Vlllawefflllly8 to CaCcllC pray, [• vnlawfully St., vnlawefull Tib.]
Thus to make thyne arestis, 19045
Xamely on the kyngUs beestis? [stowe, leaf 32-2]
I trowe thow haueste no lycence
ffor to don so greet offence ; 19048
I dar afforme (eerly and late),
Swyche hunters, the kyng doth hate ;
T
sec Pilgrims swimming in the sea, some upside down. 509
" And it scinyth, by tin manere,
Off his, tliow art noon officere." 19052
IT The hunte1 : pimnursto
aVoJ lie, ' what makystctow swycho stryff 1
Thow art wonder Inquysytyff,
Eesy also, by argument,
To hoolJe with me a parlement, 19056
J5y langage, and louge pletyng ;
ft'or, tliough I longe not to the kyng,
(Aud thow conceyue aryght I-wys,)
Som tyine I was oon off his; 19000
And though I liauc no conge3 p Hberte st.]
Off hym, to hunte in this contre,
lie suffryth me here, in this place,
At his beestis ffor to chace, 190G4
And assaxite on hem to make.
And whanne that I by fforce hem take,
Be it by clay, be it by nyght,
I cleyme hem to ben myn off ryght.' 190G8
IT The Pylgryme :
ANd while I herde alle his resouns
And ffrowarde oppynyouns,
Myne hcrte. abaschyd, gan to colde,
Namely whanne I gan byholde 19072
Pylgrymes, by greet aduersite,
fful many oon swymme3 in the see; p swymmen St.]
And they were clothyd euerychon.
And som off hem, I sawe anoon, 19076
Ther ffeet reversed vp so doun ;
And som (in myu inspeccyoun)
Swowmu fforth fful euene and4 ryght; [*ast.j
And som hadde whyngos ffor the fflyght, 19080
That afforcyd5 hem silfffful offte p offerj-a St.:
For to fflowe8 fful hygh alloff te. [« for taHowe St.]
And though ther" purpos was so sette, p the St.]
The see hath hem fful off to lette ; 19084
[Illustration.']
SOtnmo, by the ffeet were hounde stronge
With knottys, off8 herbis louge ; [» of the St.]
Ami rui/fiiir. with wfuvt-'s wood and rage,
[Tiberius,
A vii ]
The Httuter,
Satuu,
'tterevy't
fallier,
sny» lie was
once ;in
officer of the
King,
nmt now
limits on IMS
own iiulliof-
[leaf 52, bk.]
The Pitt/rim.
I am cast
down, niid
see many
pilgrims In
great ad*
versity hi the
witli their
clothes on,
and some
with their
feet in the
air,
while others
have \vinys ;
ottierB1 feet
are t'lofjd
\viili weeds.
510 The Sea is the World, in which Pride wrecks men.
[Tiberiui,
Avii.)
[leaf 53]
The Pil<irim.
The sad state
of Pilgrims.
[' St., Tib. 1/lunQ 19088
[a wex St.]
tells me that
many snares
arc laid for
The PHtiritit.
I ask who
put the
pilgrims in
the sea.
The Hunter
says that
Were ysmytt1 in ther vysagc,
That they losten look and syght,
And ffeble wore2 off fforce and myght :
And, by dyuerse apparaylle,
The rage so gan hem assayle,
In many another dyuerse wyse,
Mo than I may as now devyse.
The Hunte : 3
' T J)o fful wel,' quod he,4 ' espye
J_ Wliere-on thow castyste so thyne eye.
rlbr alle thy wyles and tin lape,
Thow schalt not so ffro me eskape; [stowe, leaf sis, back]
I schal the cacche by som crook ;
I haue leyde ifor the, las and hook,
As thow mayste thy-sylucn so :
Thow schalt net skapen by this see.'
IT The Pylgryme :
lElle me anoon, aud lye nought,
As it lythe, ryght in thy thought,
These pylgrymes alle that I se,
Who hatho thus putte hem in thys5 see?"
H The hunte :
19092
P huntar St.]
[' quod he full well St.]
19096
19100
:rpi
19104
P thy St.]
TS not this,' quod lie anoon,
'An hyghe6 way ffor ffolke to goon
Therby, alle day in ther vyage, [« hyghe st., i.ygh Tib.] 19109
Swyche as goon on pilgrymage?
I hadde not ellis (as I haue seyde)
Myne hookys and my nettys leyde, 19112
To cacchen alle in this pluee
ffolke that fforby here do pace ;
[leaf 53, bk.] ffor this grectii 7 large see p greet Tib., gret St.]
Whiehe that thow here doste se,' 19116
It is the world, ay fful off trowblc,
fful off many wawys dowble,
And fful off woo and greet torment,
In whiche fful many a man is schent, 19120
With bellowys blowe on eue/y syde,
Which that myne owne douhtcr, Pryde,
Is wonte, with liir ffor to bere,
Good pylgrymes ffor to dere. 19121
the sea is
the world,
full of
trouble,
in which
Pride wrecks
many.
Cwetmsncss drowns fM, The Contemplative. 'Ortigomctra.' 511
19132
19136
19HO
' And manJ a pylg'yme thow maystc se
Swymme ia this pc/vlous see :
Sowme off hem, (whiclie is not ffeyre )
Ther ffeet han vpwarde in the ayre I • p ^ st, 1 9 , 28
And alle swyche (jeue thow lyste se)
Ben thylke ffolke that charged be
With the sak off couetyse,
And oucre-lade in many wyse,
That they, to swymme be not able,
Ther burthen is so Importable ;
Whiche, by ffalse affeccyoun,
Ploungith lier heediis low a-down
Vuder the wawys off this world here,
That they may not (in no manere)
Swymme, ffor the hcvynesse
That they bere, off greet ryehesse.
/"VTher ther ben that swymmen ryght,
\J And haue eke wynges ffor the fflyght •
And tho ben ffolkis whiehe, in this lyffe,
In liertij ben coutsmplatyffe,
In wordely tbyng haue no plesatincc,
Save in ther bare sustenaunce :
In this world, ther loye is nought;
ffor alle ther herte and alle ther thought
And ffynal truste off ther workynge, °
Is sette vp-on the lieuenly kynge °
'But ffor alle that, (I the assure,') csto,e,
In his see they muste endure Ptmm
Bo.hly, by greet penaunce,
In hevene hem sylffe' to avaunco. P «,m .u,,, st,
And, ffor the love" off crist ih«u, P ,„„ 8t. laive Tib ,
ihey make hem whynges off vertu, 19156
To fllecn (by clene affeceyoun)
To the heuenly mansyoun ;
Whiche greetly displesith me,
Theder whanne I 8e hem ffle.
Swycho ffolke resemblen alle
Vn-to a bry.l that clerkes callo
Ortigometra in ther bokys ;
And this bryd caste his lokys
[Tiberiu«.
Avu.]
The Hunter,
Katun.
which p!iui£-
us tlieir deads
under the
world's
waves.
19114
Some hnve
wings for
flight.
These are the
Contem-
plative,
19148 whose
thoughts
are alwjiys
set on th'e
heavenly
King;
W] [leaf 5i]
they must
still endure
and suffer to
gain Heaven.
They are like
the bird
512 ' Ortiyometra.' Folk clogd with the Weeds of Riches.
[Tiberius, ' To-ffome hym prudently, to so
The u^ntfi: Whanne he sclial swynimu in the see :
This ffoul hath whyngus ffor the fflyght,
Be he * anoon off kyndely ryght. [' to be st .] 19168
wiiich. when 'Whanne he is wory off' travayle,
it is tired,
And that his ffederes do2 hym ffayle, [» done St.]
Anoon (off his condiscyoun)
amps into In-to the water he fallith doun. 19172
tlie water,
And thanne 3 to svvymme wole not ffayle : [' that St.]
and sets np ( )ff his o whyntH). lie makith a ssayle,
one wing as tt
sail- Ainonge the sturdy wawys alle
To kepe hym silffe, that he not ffalle, 19176
tiinteanfly Til he resume ageyne his myght,
Off aeustom,4 to take his fflyght. [« custom st.]
Thus skmndijmel je may hym se,
Som tyme swymwe, som tyme fflee,
In bokys as it is I-ffounde.
Those Pii- ' But they that haue5 ffeet I-boundo P iiaue tiier St.]
jfrims in tlie
sea with their "With, herbes and with wedUs greene,
feet hound
with weeds, fhat they may not aryght sustene,
Xowther to swymme nor to fflee,
They be so bouuden in the see
[leaf si, bk.] Off wordely ° delectacyoun [6 worldly St.]
In ther inwarde affeccyoun ; 19188
have their ffor alle ther hool ffelicy te
iniixls so fixt „
on n-orl.lly Is sctte 111 VeyilC ' pl'OSpe/'lte [7 veyiw St., verrey Tib.]
prosperity
ami riches, off the world, and in rychesse,
fful off chaunge and dowblenesse, 19192
With whiche they be so8 sori- bounds, t8 so St., <-». Tib.]
That her soulis yt wole conffounde ;
that they can ffor they haue power none,9 nor myght, P '™« «'•• Tib-
neither sw » ^TQ^^],,,,. to SWy,,lme nor ffleen10 aryght ; ['« flyen st.]
So sore tlie world doth hem constreyne, 19197
That it were to hem greet peyne,
Her hertis ffro the world to viibynde.11 [» tuunbymi St.]
so,™, too, ' And som also be makyd12 blynde, ["made St.] 19200
are blind, so . ,
that they Iher eyen cloos, they may not se,
can't see the .
emptiness of ffor to considcro the vanyto
tliis world's
gioiy, Off this worldis ffalse veyneglorye,
Euere vnsure and transitovye, 1920i
Heresy's Father is Satan, ^vko tempts Pilgrims. 513
'And fful Off mvtabylyte,' P miltllWyte St., mvtabyte Tib, [Tlta
Wluche schewith to hem fful greet bewete V**£*m. %?
By a* mauer off Anna™,.,, - . T^"",'"'-
19208
3a,
' is ffalse in existence ;
That is fful ffoule, dothe schewe ffayre,
Lychc a ffloure that dothe vnapayre3 p
Whaune it is plukkyd and leyde lowe,
Or with som sodeyne wynde I-blowe. L 99J
AVhiche bewete (as wryto Salamoun) 1 PnmmWo™,,,,"^
Is but a ffalse decepcyoun ; ?roverbs- SL st'
And ffolkis that beth there-with blente
Or they be war, beth offte schente, j 92 1 6
ffor lak ther eyeu be not clere.
IT 'Eke som ther swymmes" (as je may leere) tamest.]
i hand and armys strecchyd out •
Swyclie as parte her good aboute 199o0
To pore ffolkis that haue neede ;
And swyche vnbyiide' her ffeet, in deede, P vnbynd «.. v,,.
ffrom worfely« delectacyoun, Pwotia^ T""]
And off devoute entencyoun, 19994
By councel off her cdnffessour,
Jnbynde her ffeet, by 7 greet labour, P w«h st,
nor to goon in there vyages,
Barffote, to seke pilgrym°ages ;
Off ther synnes to haue pardoun,
fforjeuenesse and remyssyoun,
Whanne ther menynge trewely
Is voyde ffrom al ypocrysy.
AXd thus as now (withoute8 slouthe)
To the I haue tolde the trouthe.
' And trewelyS jit, ouere alle thyng, P
I hate trowtlie in my workyng ;
And off malys, bo the day and°iiyght,
Werrey" trouthe with al my myght
' By name, callyd I am Sathan°; 'c,. werray st., Ve,,,y rn, ]
ihe whiehe, as ffer as euere I kon, j 9240
I worke, in myne entencyoun,
ffor to cacche, in my bandoun,
Alle pylgrymes (as thow mayst se,)
That swy/wmen in the wawy see i ™AA
PILOKIMAQB.
LL
like a flower
fades, when it
is plucked.
They who ,
swim with
outstretch!
arms are
those who
gave to the
poor,
[leaf 55J
19228
and went
pilgrimage*.
[* without Tib
St.]
st 3
19236
But Truth is
hated by
Satan the
hunter,
and he is
always en-
deavouring
to lay hold
of pilgrims,
514 Satan's snares to catch folk. He personates an Angel.
[Tiberius,
A TO.]
Sattni.
by means of
Temptation,
and nets
spread day
and night,
[leaf 55, buck]
as a spider
weaves a net
to catch flies ;
but he cannot
injure virtue
and manly
resistance.
He can trans-
form himself
into an angel
of light.
' Off this world, fful off disscyte.
' And ouere I lye in greet awayte,
And 110 moment I ne ffyne
ffor to leyne out hook and lyne. 19248
' My lyne (by demonstracyoun)
I-callyd is Temptacyoun ;
And whanne that ffolke (in ther entente)
Off herte and wylle ther-to conceute, 19252
Thanne on myn hook (by ffalse awayte,)
They ben I-cacchyd with the bayte ;
And thanne, by fful mortal lawe,
To my bandoun, I hem drawe. 19256
' I leye out nettes nyght and day,
In water and lond, to eacche my pray.
' With nettys, I haue eke my repayre [stowc, leaf iii]
ffor bryddes that ffleen eke in the hay re, 19260
ffor to make hem ffalle adown
ffrom ther contemplacyown.
And, thus ffolkys to bygyle,
I am a ffoulere eke som wliyle ; 1926 4
ffor alle that hygh or lowii goon,
I make nettis ffor euerychoon,
(In myne entente, it is no drede),
To eacche hem, outlier1 by ffoot or hedc, ['orst.] 19268
As an vreyne wewyth2 a calle, t2 wevithe St.]
To make ffiyes there-in to3 ffalle. pto«/».st.]
' But T ne may not do no wronge
To ffolke that ben in vertu stronge. 19272
I venquysche (nouther nygh nor fferre)
No man that halte ageyne me werre ;
And ffeble is my vyolence,
Whanne ther is manly n'systence. 19276
ANd jit I haue a thowsande trcynes,
And as many laas and cheynes,
With4 whiche I compasse, day by day, [»o™. st.]
To lettu pylgrymes on ther way ; 19280
ffor I, by ffalse illusyoun
And by dyssumylaeyoun/' p.iy«simiiMyonst.]
Kan me6 transfformc (anoon ryght,) [« me st., my« ™.]
To lykenessc off an anngel bryght ; 192S4
Satan makes a Hermit Ml Us own Father.
'• Take off hym the resemblaunce,
The vesage and the contenaunce,
So to disseyuen, in couert ;
And to an heremy te in desert ; j 9 .,S8
1 dyde oones so appere, PMaim,i«.3 '
•il off ffetliercs bryght and cloro,
And toke' on me the message P toke s,, (lo Tib 3
515
[Tiberius,
A vii.J
and dM once
so nppear to
a liovniit in
the desert,
19292
1929G
1 9300
19304
Off an auwgel, by my vysage,
And bad vn-to that hooly man
To kepe hym warly ffrom Sathan,
ffor he was schapen, by batayle,
The nexte morewe, hym to assayle ;
And tolde hym also, (ffynally,
ffor to disceyve hym sotylly,)
He woldii take, (in sotlienesse,)
Off hys ffader the lyknesse,
liothe vesage and contenaunce,
Tlie maner and the resemblaunce.
[IHtutration.]
AXd bad the heremyte anoon ryght
To fforce liym, at the ffirste ayght.
To smyte hym ffirste, with knyffe or swcrde,
And no tliyng to ben afterde
With al his myghtty vyolencc,
Whanne he cam ffirste to his presence.
IT And so, vpon the uexto morewe,
ffor to encresse his dool and sorewe,
I made his ffader hym vesyte ;
And anoon, this seyde heremyte,
This Innocent, thys cely man,
Wenynge hit liaddii be Sathan,
Vp stertc anoon, and toke a knyff,
And raffte liis ffader off his lyff,
That he to grounde ffel downe deed.
' And thus I kan (who takyth heed)
A tliotisande weyes, ffolke3 dysceyue
Ortheymytreynes^kanconceyue. Ptawb*.] 1D320
And thorffore.* be wel war off me, P Hmbn st., „,*,« Tib 3
ffor I caste eke « dysseyue the ; P eke to st j
Jew I at large may the ffynde,
niul bade
him beware
of Satan,
[leaf 50]
n-bo \voulil
visit liini on
tiie morrow
in the like-
ness of liia
father :
he must kill
him at once.
19311
[Stowe, leaf 331, back]
19316
According! v.
his father '
conies,
and tlie
liertnit slays
hint.
[leaf 50, back]
516 By crossing myself, I make Satan powerless.
[Tiberius,
Avii.]
Satan goes
about
like a raven-
ous lion,
to devour
the Lambs of
Christ's fold.
Satan de-
clares I shall
not escape
him.
The Pilarim.
I defy Satan,
[leaf 57]
cross
myself,
s the
devils,
'In my laas1 I schal the bymle ; [' i»ce St.] ptendit St.]
f ffor, as seynt Petre lyste endyte,2
And iu his pystelys ffor to wryte,
I go and serchu, day and nyght,
With aUe my fforce, with al my myght,
Lyche a ravenous lyoun,
ffor to devours, vp and doun,
Alle fBolkys, jonge and oolde,
That lambre3 be off cristis ffoolde.
I haue off hem, fful 301-6 agoon,
Off hem devoured many oon ;
Strangelyd mo than I kan telle ;
And that4 were to longe to dwelle,
ffor to rekeae hem alle in nowmbre,
Tliousandis mo than I kan nowmbre ;
And truwely, in two bundled 3er,
I koude not telle the maner
Off alle my treynes by and by.
' Aud I warne the outerly,
Thow schalt not lyghttely (jeue I may,)
ffro my daunger skape away.'
11 The Pylgryme :
WHer thow be wel or yuel apayd
In the wordes that thow haste sayd,
I haue ffounden a greet dyffence,
To make ageyne the, insistence,
And conceyued5 it in my thought. pSS5JSm3
Llowe thyne home, and spare nought,
ffor thow schalt ffayle (jeue that I may)
To make off me6 schortely thi pray." p the St.] 19352
And to be more strange in vertu,
With the crosse off crist ihe*'u,
And off his grace moste beuygne,
I gan me crossen, and eke sygne,
ffor to assure'7 my passage, ptassure St.]
Ageyno his laas so fful off rage.
And by my crossynge, I anoon
Gan to passe hem euerichoon ;
They hadde no power ffor to laste :
ffor, by the vertu, they to-braste ;
19328
[MambenSl.] 19332
[•it st.] 19336
19340
19344
19356
19360
Satan laments. His purpose is to lie always.
And I aiioon gau ffasto fflee,
517
[Stowe, leaf 325]
. . , , "~t Lstowe, leafS2-i] [Tn>pri,,.
And wolde haue taken anoon the see • m(U ^*T'
T*"* '--- - 1»004 Sato,
Bnt> longo or I entter myght
Wl.au' Sathan off me hadde a syght, [• s,, Ti,
Le gan to crye (so stood the cas)
Out and harow ! alias, alias ! '
IT Sathan the hunte weymentith » P i,llllllir 8t ,
And tonnentyth with hym sUffe.3 P ««••»». tamm
Illutti-ation. s'-]
and flee.
19368
19376
[6 conhmwion St.]
[7 greet Tilx, grelu St.]
19380
[sg,s,. greet
' Vnhappy," and fful off meschaunce P «.. i
I was, whanne I dyde me avauuce
In any wyse ffor to teche
Vertu, 01° trowthe ffor to preche ; P
ffor, it longeth not to me
To teche trouthe in no degre ;
But, off ffortime it happe so,
That I be cdnstreyned ther-to,
By vertu off som orysoun
Or by som conyurisouu,6
That greete7 clerkes me compelle
The verrey trowthe ffor to telle,
Mawgrey my wylle, off many a t
By vertu off the groete8 kyng.
ffor ellys (who that kau eapye)
My pm-pos is, euere ffor to lye,
And 9 haue disseyued fful many a man,
Eyght as dyde lulyan.
' Though I were by hym constreyned,
And by his charmes grcotly peyued,
Jit at the laste, whanne I abrayde,
I lyed, alle that euere I sayde.
And now I oughte a-cursyd be,
Wlumne that I gan niedle n,e '
To seyne a trouthe agaynes '» kynde, [» ,lgayns Tib
Seth,n men in me may" noon ffynde; p.»wJ
Uiere-off 1 repente me fful sore,
With trowthe, medle I wolo no more.'
The Pylgryme answerth to Satan
O Sathan, thi displesaunce
Was to me fful greet plesalmce,
1937:
Satan la-
ments.
It's not his
work to
preach Truth,
[leaf 57, back]
19384 He tries to
lie alwnys.
19388
19395
19396
He'll meddle
no more with
Truth.
518 / swim to a tree, and am thrown on FortwnJs Wheel.
(Tiberius, " Eeleuyugo mo off my distressc."
Thwart*. I took there-off greet liardynesse, 19400
j am em. Made as tho1 no lenger lette, ptiiowst.]
baldened, j gparetl nowti,er hook nor nette,
relying on But, trustynge (in conclusyouii)
my scrip and . , i n i A j
staff. Vp-on my sknppe and my burdoun,
And there-vp-on I bylened2 me [« lened St.]
\Vlianne I entryd iu-to the see ;
[leaf ss, Tib.] And, in swymmyngc to be more stable,
Me thought my skryppii proffitable 1940S
To kepe me sure in herte and thought,
In my way, that I erru'd nought.
T
ill this dredeff ul see, p yet truly st.] 19411
Is4 greet myscheeff and aduereyte : [*o»i.st.]
jswim, sup- Many a perel (I lou ensure,)
portal by my *
scrip and And many a straunge aventure
I ffelte tho in my passage, 19415
Off wawys and off5 rokkis rage, ^JJiijiSfmj'3
And many a tempeste (in certeyn)
Off thondrynge, lyghtnynge, and off reyn,
and undergo _\n j other perels that be-ff elle,
iiiuny perils
That, jeue I sclmlde hem allii tcllc,
Or the myschevUs alle endyte,
They were to longe for6 to wry to. [" for St., o«. Tib.]
lint while that I, in my passage,
Byheelde the see, sterne and savage, 19424
i see a tree, Me thought I sawe bysyde me,
and tliiukiu,' ,
it an island, That there stood a greene tre ;
it. And I was glad alle7 thilkij while, pufst.]
Weuynge there liadde ben an yle, 19428
In hope that I schuldc londe,
Ilastely, vp at som stronde,
[leaf 58, back, "\Vliiche was to me fful greet plesaunce.
And as I gau my silffe avaunce, 19432
And thederward gan ffaste hye,
Anoon my sylffe I dyde aspye
(Whanne that I gan loke Avel)
Then i am That I was caste vp-on a whel, 1943G
whee°!' " Off whiche to-fforne I sawgh 110 thynge ;
The Tree fias Nests on it. Fortune, and her double look. 519
ffor the ffloodes, in ther fflowynge,
Hadde with his wawe's oucrydel
Ouere-fHowyd so that whel, 19440
That I toke no heede there-at,
Tyl sodeynely there-on I sat.
And wyldely the wawys smette
Vp-on this whel, ay as they niette ; 19444
ANd euere round, (as thoughte me,)
This whel wente aboute the tre,
AVhere-off, I astonyed was,
Whanne I sawe this sodeyue eaas. 19448
Yp on whiche tre anoon,
I sawgh nestys fful many oon ;
And bryddes (that I koude knowe,)
Sowme liyh, and somme'1 lowe, [> «<>m Tii.., some si.] 19452
Ther nestis made (I toke good hede)
Grete and smale (it is no drede).
IT And 1 denied,2 in certeyne, [* it winyii st.]
That this tre hadde hoolys tweyne ; 1945G
And on the hygher hoole aloffte, [si. iTHi.]
I sawe an hand putte out ffnl ofl'te. „
And tliis hand (as to niy look) ,,
To the nestis put up an hook, ,, 11)460
And (as to myne inspeccyoun)
AVas bcsy to pulle the nestis doun.
And as I stode a lytel tin-owe [St. & Tib.]
At the hoole that stood moste lowe, 194G4
I sawgh heedes lokynge oute
Towarde the braunches rounde aboute,
In purpos (^ciie it myght haue be) ^Kj," Vi'^'ke'si'i
To clymbe vp hyghe on that:i tre : [stowe, leaf 230]
Tlicy woldo haue take it flayne in honde. 194G9
And there I sawo a lady stonde
Amonge the wyldc wawys trowble,
Vp-ou a whel dyuerse and dowble. 19472
Departyd was her garnemcnte,
llalfEe hool, and haluendel was rente;
The to party, as snow was white
To loke vp-on, off greet delyte ; 1947G
The tother party (as thought me)
[Tiberius,
Avii.J
ThePitiirim.
volves round
the treef
ami on which
are many
birds' nests.
[Tib., leaf 59]
The tree lifts
two holes in
its trunk ;
antt out of
the up)nT one
ROCS a haiul
with a hook,
trying to
nestti down.
A lady
(Fortune) is
standing on
a wheel.
Her cflmi
is of t\vo
parts,
520 My Sta/lwlps me. I ask Fortune to explain her Wheel, &c.
[Tiberius, Was ffoule and owgely on to se.
'. And hir vysage eke also
««d so also SB Was departyd euene a two ; 19480
The to party was amyable,
And to byholde d&ytable,
Bothc off porte and off manere,
Glad and lawynge off hir chere ; 19484
II The tother syde, hydous and old,
Whicho was ryuelyd many ffold ;
Dame For- And on hir schuldres rownd and square,
staff on her A crokyd staffe in sothe sche bare. 19488
shoulders.. , *
And whanue I gan al this aduerte,
Dyscomffortyd in myn herte
[Illustration.] C1 I was, and gretly gan gastc St.]
[Tib., leaf 59, f l^Hanne was I, greetly agaste1 ;
I And my burdoun I heelde ryghte ffaste, 19492
And dyde also greetly my peyne
i grip my To grype it with myne hande's tweyne ;
And seyde, (off sodeyne moscyoun,)
"Bordoun," quod I, "bordoun, bordoun ! 19496
and tell it, But thow me helpe2 in this caas, [' iieipe now st.]
unless it
heii>s me I may3 wepe and seyne alias, P may well st.]
My peynes ben so scharpe and kene.
And but thow helpe to sustene 19500
Myne nownpowere and inpotence,4 [« impotence st.i
That I may stonden at dyffence
Vp-on my ffeet, and that anoon,
i shall be ffare-wel ! my loye is alle agoon !" 19504
it enables me IT But tho, thorough helpe off my bordoun,
to rise. -r i
I roos vp as a champyoun.
But whanne this lady dyde espye
Fortune tries That I was vi), sche gan to hye 19508
to set me a
down again, ffor to haue putte5 me doun ageyn ; ptaputstj
And I trowe ryght wel certeyn,
That, but I hadde' spoken ffayre,
And off my porte be debonayre, 19512
I hadde ben to6 ffeble off inyght, [6 to St., ffui Tib.]
Vp-on my ffeet to stonde7 vp ryght. ptastandst.]
[Tib., leaf oo] T)^ I abrayde, and bade in deede
ff that sche scholde taken heede 19516
How Fortune is ever changing, and betrays all ivho trust lier. 521
To thilke party tliat was ffayre
Off hir, ami putte mo ffro Jispayre,
And schewe, lyke hir contenaunce,
Som counfforte or soni plesaunce ; 19520
And that sche wolde expowuc me
What lady that sche schuldc be,
Hir name, hir power, euerydel, [stowe, leaf 320, back]
Bothe off hir and off hir whel, 19524
And off the tre, and off the croppo,
And off the nestis in the coppe,1 [' cop si.]
And do to2 me som Avauntage, [2 done to St., do Tib.j
To ifurthre me in my vyage.3 19528
1 ffortnne :
[Tiberim,
A vii.l
The Pilpritn.
I ask her
name, and
what her
Wheel, and
the Tree and)
Nests mean.
Fortune.
fN me (schortely to expresse)
Furtune says
19532 she is
19536
There is no manor stablenesse ;
ffor, (be hereoff ryght wel certeyn,)
Alle that I worke, is vncerteyn ;
Lyke my dowble contenaunce,
I am so fful off variaunce.
TherfEore, to axe how I me guye,
It is no wysdam, but ffolye ;
I worke no thyng in certeyutc,
But fful off greet duplycyte.
I am what-euere I do provyde :
ffor I la we4 on the ryghte5 syde, [4 lawghe st.j p ryght TII.., si.]
And schewe a cher off greet delyte 19541
On the party that I am white.6 [« deiyt . . . whit St.]
Thanne men me calle ' glad ffortune ' ;
But, no while I do contune ;
ffor, longo or ffolke may apwceyue,
I kan hem sodeynely disseyue,
7 And make her loye go to wrak
Wyth ffroward mowhi-s at the bak.
'Than y, lykned8 to the moone,
ffolk wyl chauMge my nami; sone ;
And fro my whel whaw they are falle,
ever variable
and full of
duplicity.
When she
favour* folk,
they call lier
MJhul For-
tune' ;
19544
[Stowe, leaf .127]
[Tib. A. 7, If. 60, bk.]
[» lykenyd St.] 19549
[Cott. Vitell.
0. 13. J
but when she
throws them,
' Infortune.'
3 Stowe leaves a blank of 10 lines in his copy, and puts a side-
note "fortune should be [lorturatyd."
7 The text is now again taken up from SIS. Cott. Vit. c. xiii.
leaf 253.
522 How Fortune plays with men. Her Wheel Charyldis.
Fortune. ' ' InfortuiiU ' they me calle. 19552
To ffolk vnworthy, and nat dygne,
I am somwhyle most benygne,
Lyggynge awayt in euery cost, 19555
Off ffolk whom that1 I cherysshe most.
She deceives Alld who that OH 1116 Set llJ'S lllst, [' that Til)., on,. C., St.]
all who trust
her. I kan decoy ve hy;« on hys trust.
Tak lied pleynly, and thow shall se
A pleyn exauwple off thys tre, 19560
The Tree may HoW tllVS tl'C (at 0 WOl'd)
be likened to
the World. May be resemblyd to the world.
H 'ffyrst, in thys world be grete estatys, 19563
Off kyiiges, prynces, and off- prehitys, [3 on <.»i. Tii>., of St.]
AYych in thys erthe3 chauMgen offte. p world st.]
Tlie Nests on Alld the HCStyS hvli aloffte
the Tree are ' "
dejiiws of Bell degrees4 off lordshepe, [* degrees Tib., degres C., St.]
That so offte on heihte lope, 19568
Bothe off hyli and lowli degre.
Those below ' Alld they that al by-ncthe be,
Loke vp-ward, and al day gaze,
As yt wer vp-on A maze : 19572
Tho be they, that so offte
want to Desyre for to clynibe aloti'te
climb to high ,
estate. To hill estat and hm degre,
fl'rom ther estaat off pouerte. 19576
Hut in it, ' So/Nine5 off hem may longe abyde,
long, their ftbr I SOtte llCHt oft'te aSJ'de ; [5 C' None}, Some Tib., St.]
fortunes
change. Wych thyng to hyiii ys no thyng soote,
AYha» they be longe put vnder ffoote 19580
Thorgli my double varyauHce.
And somme kan hanc suffysauwce, P '5™}st- som kil" '"""'
lieat -MI, bk.] And ben ryht glad in ther cutout
Off the lytel that god hath sent ; [Tib., leaf eo 19584
They ha7 no care for8 ther dyspence. F 'tT^s J'^iibj
And so»Miie haue eucre Indygence,
And kan w/t/( no thyng be content,
AY/l/i covey tyse they be so blent, 19588
AYych, for ther ounc wrechehydnessc, [stowo, leaf 327, back]
Lyve eiie/-e in pouert and dystressc.
The wheel ' Touchyng my whel (yt ys no doute,)
Fortune's Crook, and the Nests, or folk of hiyh degree. 523
' Wycli tourneth euere round aboute,
Ther may no man aloffte Abyde
But yiff so be I bo hys guyde.
Yt turneth euere to and ffro ;
The pley ther-off ys meynt \\iih wo ;
The wyche \vliel (who that1 kan se,)
Ys a pereyl off the se,
On, the grettest off echon,2
ffor to rekne lie)/* on by on ;
And, thys phylisoffres alle,
' Karybdis ' lyst yt for to calle,
Yt dovoureth so many A man,
Ye, mo than I rehersu kan.'
19592 Fortune.
which always
tutus
signifies that
man cammt
remain aloft,
19596
[' C., St., whiche whel
who Tib.] "
[* one . . . one St.]
19600
;inil is called
Charybdis.
1960-t
f The Pylgrym3
[3 Tib., pilgryme St., via, C.J
" Toucliyng thy staff, tel on, lat se
What maner tookne yt may ba,
That yt corbyd lych and4 Crook, ['an Tib.]
And mad in maner off5 an hook." piykest.] 10608
IT Dame Fortune" : [6 Tib., »«. c.j
' Wit/; thys Crook, by grot vengaiwce,
ffolk, that to soon7 I dyde avaiutco, [' u> ffome Tib., St.]
Thorgh my transmutactouw,
Al sodeynly I rende hem douw, 19612
That sat in chayerys hili aloffte ;
To whom ther fal ys8 no thyng soffte. [T"'[-,lS[!fJi't']1Ck:l
Reyse vp ageyn al sodeynly
Other that be nothyng worthy, 19616
And cause ek so>«my' (Est and west)
ffor to bylde fful hili ther nest
And ther babytctotiH ;
So)«tyme, off wyl, uat off resouK, 19620
I take noon lied off no degre,
But only off my vohwte.'
H The Pylgryme9 : p Tib., o.». c ]
" fful ffayn I wolde ek vndcrstontle
The menyng also off the liond, 19624
At the hoolii hyh aloffte,
That reyseth vp his crook so offte,
The nestys for to rende a-douw :
T<:1 me thexposic'ioiirt." 19628
The Pittiritn.
I ask Fortune
;ilimii her
houkt stuff.
Fortune.
She says it
brings down
those too
soon raised
up,
and raises
up others,
Mm' un-
worthy.
[leafS5r>]
The PiFttriin.
I ask tier
about the
! hunt con-
tinually rais-
IIIK the
Crook, to pull
the Nests
524 No estate is safe from Fortune's tricks. I fall from her.
Fortune
nays the
Nests are
men of Die
highest de-
gree.
These Princes
and Lords
can never be
safe against
mutability,
against trea-
son and
poison.
[leaf 255, bk.]
When For-
tune smiles
on Folk, she
lies in wait to
trick eui.
IT Dame Fortune1 : p TH>, oi». c.]
' The nestys hih" vp-on the tre,
That Lou hyest off degre,
Ben they off ryht and good resoure
That eutre by successions,
As kynges, by iust enlierytaimce,
Whom that trOUthe lyst avaiWCU2 ptrouthe lubundaunce Tib.]
Only by lyneal dyscent,
Hys lyges echon3 off assent;
Or,4 for lak off succession?*,
Swyche as by ellecctouw
Ben reysed vp to liifi degre,
As many princes and lordys be.
' Thogh I to hem have envye,
To reve hem off tlier Kegalyc,
Yet, thogh I ther-to haue no myght
ffor to robbe hew off ther ryht,
Yet (who lyst looke wt't/t Eyen clcr)
They be f ul offte in my dau«ger ;
ffor they may nat assuryd be
Ageyn my mutabylyte,
Nor ageyu my mortal stryff ;
ffor offte sythe they lese her lyff
By compassyng off ffals Tresouw,
By mordre also, and poysou/i.
And trewly, al thys frowardnesse
' Ys tookned5 by the crookydnesse
Off my staff and off my crok,
Wrong6 at the elide, as ys an hook.
' And whan I loke wit/i Eyen cler,
Lawhe on ff oik,7 and make hem clier, [' folk, o>». Tib., foike st.]
Thanne lygge I rathest in a-wayt,
ffor to don hem som deeeyt.
' Lo, her ys al ; go forth8 thy way ;
And truste \vel, yiff that I may,
What wcyo euere that thow go,
Or thy pylgrymage be do, —
Tourne yt to sour, outlier to swete, —
Onys I shal yet9 wit/; the mete.'
[Stowe, lenfSSS] 19632
p leegi« echone Til).] 19G3G
[»OrTib., OffC., ofStO
19640
[Tib., leaf 62] 19611
19618
19652
p tokcnyd St.]
["wrongest.] 19G56
19660
P ffm-the Til)., fertile
St., futh C.]
196G4
IT Fortune is walkyd.10
[' ther St.]
[i» Tib., on. C., St.]
Cast off ly Fortune, I am disconsolate.
And ffortune weute her way A-noon.
And also sone as she was gon, 1960S
I stood in dred and iu gret doute
Vp-on hyr whel turnyngc aboute,
Tyl that,1 by reuoluc'ioure, [' Timt i, Tib.]
1'- was cast fful lowe A-doiw, p low. Tib.] 19672
By power off that3 double <jueno ; ['the Tib.]
ifor, I myghte me uat sustene,
In iupartyo and in gret dred,
Wysshynge that I hadde be ded. [stowe, leaf ass, back] 19676
And in trouble and grot peyne, [Tib., leaf 02, back]
Thawne I gan my sylff4 cowpleyne, [Myflest.]
Dysconsolaat off al vertu,
Only for lak off Grace Dimi, 19630
That was whylom to me ffrendly,
Whom I ha lost tliorgh my foly, [stowe]
Wher-off I felte ful5 gret offence, [s fui, om. Tib.]
That I forsook so penytence, 19684
Only (alias !) for lak off grace,
By hyr sharpe heggh6 to passe, [« »iian> i»8iie si.]
Wher I myhte have had socours,
And medycyne to my» Errours,
By hyr spyrytual doctryne
ffro the wyche I dyde enclyhe.
Alias, my woful aventure,
That I lefftij my« Armure
Behynde me, alias, in veyn !
But yiff I myhte hem gete ageyn,7
I sholde8 lyue bettre in pes, pwoniast.]
And no mor ben so reke'les ; 9 [» rekeie. Tib., vekies c.,
But, alias my woful ffaate !
I make my cowpleynt al to late ;
ffor I stonde in lupartye
Only off deth, thorgh my ffolye. 19700
Alias ! what may I now best werche 1
0 sacramcntys off the cherche,
1 hope by grace wcl certeyn,
I receyvede yow nat in veyn ; 19704
But now, alias, that I am falle,
I ha lost yow,10 on and11 alle,
525
The Pilgrim.
Fortune de-
parts,
and I a in
thrown from
her \\ lir.cl.
I lament my
loss of Grace
Dien,
19688
19692
[" Hffeyn Tfb., kole in MS. C..
get them ngayne St.J
19695
redw St.]
[leaf 256]
and my hav-
ing left, my
armour
U-li] ml,
lam in
jeopardy.
['".vow j-owc., j
L" and OM. Tib.]
, yow st.i
support in
my scrip and
staff.
526 TJte White Dove appears, with a Bill from Grace Dim
Thf pilgrim. And ha no sustcntac'/'oiw
In my skryppe nor my bordoim, 19708
Wher-on that I may lonu me,
Toward lerusalem the cyte.
And thogh al day I studye ami muse,
How shal I my sylff excuse, - 19712
Or what answere1 shal I make,
Off al that I ha vndertake,
And behilite in my coragn,
To fulfyllu my vyage, 19716
What2 fyrst I hadde inspecciouw [« C- wiwn,) what St.]
Off that noble lloyal ton//,
Wyth-Inne A merour, shenc and bryht,
When I first
snw the
vision of the
Heavenly
City,
I was eager
to go there.
Now I am
st.'i't, ami I
weep.
[leaf 256, hk.]
lint soon tlie
white dove
np|ieiirs to
me with a
bill
from Grace
Men,
giving me
adviee,
Wych gaff to me so cler a lyht,
That ther-wyth-al I was a-noon
Ravysshiid, thyder for to gon ;
Jiut I may synge ' weyllaway ' ;
I am arestyd on the way,
And dystourblyd lier, wepynge.
And whyl I lay thus compleynynge,
And knewh non helpe nor rcsjiyt,
A-noon ther kam A dowiJ whyht
Towardys me, by goddys wyllc,
And brouhte me a lytel bylle,
And vndyde yt in my syht ;
And affter that she took hyr flyht,
And, fro me gan passe away.
And I, w»'t/<-outii mor delay,
Gau the byllii to vnfolde ;
And ther-in I gan beholde,
How Grace clien, to my« avayl,
In that bylle gaff me counsayl,
' That I sholde, f ul hu»/blcly
Knelynge on my kiies,3 deuoutly
Salue, wi't/t fful good avys,
The blyssede quen off paradys,
AVych bar, for Our savaci'on,4
19720
[Stowe, k-ul' :::!:i ;
19724
19728
19731
[8t.*C.]
19730
P on kncs St.] 19740
[' savalion St.] 19743
1 Some leaves are out of Tib. A. vii, after these catch
' Or \vliat answere. '
and an ABO Prayer, which the Poet Chaucer englisht. 527
19752
19756
The ffrut off Our redcmpcion J ['federation st.]
And the ftburme off thys prayere
Ys j-wreto, as ye shal here,
In Ordre pleynly (who kan so)
By maner off An .A. b. c. ;
And ye may knowe yt sone, and rede,
And seyn yt whan that ye ha node.
the translator - : p st., am. c.]
And toucliynge the translations
Off tliys noble Orysoure,
"\Vliyloin (yiff I shal nat fcyne)
The noble poete off Breteyne,
My maystor Chaucer, in hys lynie,
Affter the Frenche he dyde yt rynie,
Word by word, as in substauwce,
Ryght as yt ys yniad in Frauwce,
fful devoutly, in sentence,
In worshepe, and in reuerewce
Off that noble hevenly queue,
Bothe inoder and a maydo clene.
And sythe, he dyde yt vndertake,
ffor to translate yt ffor hyr sake,
I pray thys [Queue] that ys the beste, [c. & st.j
ffor to brynge liys soule at reste, „
That he may, thorgh hir prayere, fsf""1?i1<BIf:li'J> „
Aboue the sterrys bryht and clerc, „ 1970S
Off hyr mercy and hyr grace
Apere afforn hyr sonys fface, [c. & st.]
Wyth scyntj's euece, for A nieinorye,
Eternally to regne3 in glorye. p regme c., rengne St.] 19772
And ffor mcmoyre off that poete,
"Wylh al liys rothorykcs sweto,
That was the ffyrstc in any age
That amend'ede our langage ; 19776
Therfore, as I am boiunlo off dette,
In thys book I wyl hym sette,
And ympen thys Oryson
Affter hys translac'ion, 197SO
My pnrpos to deteniiyne,
That yt shal enlwmyne
The Pift;riin.
anil a t'onn of
prayer,
19748 like an ADC,
trnnslntetl
1>3' CHAUCER
from the
French.
197GO
197G4
[Ieaf2.-i7]
May the
Queen of
Heaven tfive
him n place
alKive the
stars '.
He was the
In si (o amend
our langiui^e.
His poem
will l>e in-
serted heret
a» n set-off
tothcwriter's
debt,
528
Chaucer's ABC Prayer to the Virgin.
in order that
folk limy nee
Our Latlv's
ABC.
Thy s lytyl book, End off mukyng,
Wyth soin clause off hys wrytyng.1
And as he made thys Orysouw
Off ful devout entenctoim,
And by mauer off a prayere,
liyht so I wyl yt settyn here,
That men may knowe and ploynly so
Off Our lady the .A. b. c.2
19784
19788
Queen of
1'it.v,
I flee to thec.
Have meroy'
on me!
Tliou wilt
help me.
Seven thieves
clnise me.
[MS. Ff. v. 30, Camb. Univ. Libr., leaf 112, back.]
Incipit carmen secw»d«m ordinem
alphabet!.
A1
(1. A.)
1 mihty and al merciable queene, U Cap™ lviim
To whom faf al f is world fleeth for socour,
To haue relees of sinne, of sorwe and teene,
Gloriowse virgine, of allii floures flour, 19794
To fee j flee, confownded in errour ;
Help and releeue, J>ou mihti debonayre !
Haue mercy on my perilous langour !
Yenquisshod me liath my cruclle aduersairc 19798
•
(2. B.)
Bountee so fix hath in fin herte liis tente,
Jjafr wel j wot1 thou wolf my socour bee.
Jjou canst1 not1 warne him, fat with good entente
Axeth J)iu helpe ; fin herte is ay so free ; 19802
)3ou art1 largesse of pleyn felicitee,
Hauene of refute, of quiete and of reste.
Loo how fat theevcs sevene chasen mee !
Help, lady briht, er fat my ship to-breste ! 19806
1 Compare Scogan's quoting Chaucer's Unlade of Gcutihicsse,
though without its Envoy, in his Poem to his pupils, Henry
IV.'s sons. Thynne's Chaucer, 1532, leaf 380, back, col. 1 ;
Urry's, p. 547, col. 1.
2 The remainder of this leaf, 257 of the MS., is loft blank,
the scribe never having copied-in Chaucer's poem. It is printed
above from the first of the Society's Parallel-Texts. John St.iwv
also left blank three leaves of his copy, putting A, 13, C, etc.,
where the successive stanzas should start.
Chaucer's ABC Prayer to the Virgin.
(3. C.)
Comfort1 is noon, but in yow ladi deere ;
ffor, loo, my sinne and my confus'iojm
(Which ouhten not1 in f i presence appeere,)
Han take on me a grcevous acclo?in. 19810
Of verrey rihf and desperaciowii ;
And as bi rihf, Jiei mihten wel snsteene
Jjat* j were wurf i my dampnacio?«i,
Nere mecci of you, blisful heuene queene ! 19814
(4. D.)
DOwte is fer noon, fou queen of misericorde,
fat fou nart cause of grace and me?-ci heere ;
God vouched saf, thoruh fee, wz't/t us to accorde ;
ffor, certes, crystes blisful mooder deere, 19818
Were now J>e bowii bent1 in swich maneere [learns]
As it was first1, of justice and of jre,
)3e rilitful god, nolde of uo mercy heere ;
But1 thoruh fee ban we grace, as we desire. 19822
(5. E.)
Euere hath myn hope of refuit been in fee ;
ffor heer biforn, fill ofte, in many a wyse
Hast1 fou to misericorde resceyued me ;
But1 mcrci, ladi, at1 fe grete assyse, 19826
Whan we shule come bifore fc hyo iustyse !
So litel fruit shal fawiie in me be founde, [2 M"*]'""
ftaf, but fou er fat1 day hue wel2 chastyse1, [1~',°°r7j"
Of verrey rihf my werk me wole confowide. 19830
(6. F.)
Fleeinge, j flee for socour to f i tente,
Me for to hide from tempeste ful of dreede,
Bisceching yow, fat ye you not absente
f ouh j be wikke, O, help yif af fis neede ! 19834
Al haue j ben a beste in wil and deede,
Yit, ladi, fou me clof e with fi grace !
Jjin enemy and myn, (ladi, tak heede !)
Vn-to my deth, in poynf is me to chace. 19838
(7. G.)
Gloriows uiaydo and mooder, which fat ueucce
Were bitter, neifer in eerfii nor in see,
PILGRIMAGE. 51 M
529
Chancer.
Comfort is in
thee alone.
Thru thee,
GoU was re-
concileii to
us.
My hope of
ret'uge liaa
been ever in
theo.
Help rne at
this need !
530 Chaucer's ABC Prayer to the Virg-in.
chawer. But1 ful of swetnusso, & of merci enere,
Help, bat my fader lie not Avroth with me ! 19842
Speak forme, Spelt bou ! for j ne dar not him ysee.
• So haue j doon in eerbe, (alias ber-while !)
or i nivaii go Jjaf certes, but if' J>ou my socour bee,
To stink eteme, he wole my gost exile. 19846
(8. H.)
He vouched saaf, tel him, as was his wille, [leaf 11.1. inn* j
Bicomen a man, to haue oure alliaunce ;
Christ won And with his precious blood he wrot1 be bille
pardon lor
tenfy pe"i" Vp-on be crois, as general aequitaunce 19850
To euei-y Penitent1 in ful criaunce ;
And berfore, ladi brihf, bou for us praye !
pawne slialt bon bobe stinte al his greuaunce,
And make oure foo to failen of his praye. 19854
(9. I.)
I wot1 it wel, bou wolf ben oure socour,
bou art1 so ful of bowntee in certeyn ;
an ffor> whau a soule falleth in errour,
J>' Pitee 8°tn & haleth him ayein ; 19858
biirtiie makesf bou his pees with his souereyn,
And Ijringest him out* of be crooked strete.
Who so bee loueth, he shal not1 lone in veyn ;
Jpat shal he fynde, as he be lyf shal lete. 19862
(10. K.)
Kalendeeres enlumyned ben bei
baf in bis world ben lighted w/t/i bi name ;
And wlio-so goth to yow be rihtc; wey,
Him thai1 not1 drede in soulc to be lame. 19866
Queen of Now, queen of comfort1, sithe bou art1 bat same
comfort, let
not my Foe To whom i soeclie' for my medicyne. [' Ms.vutaini-]
fret my *
wound! Laf not1 my foo no more my wownde entame 1 ;
Myn liele, in-to bin hand, al j resyne. 19870
(11. L.)
Ladi, bi sorwe kan j not1 portreye
Vnder fe cros, ne his greevous penaunce ;
But, for youre bobes peyue's, j yow preye,
i*t not the Lat not1 oure alder foo make his bobauncc, 19874
Fiend brag
pat1 he hath, in luse lyste's of uiischaunce, [leaf in]
Chaucer's ABC Prayer to the Virgin.
531
Conuict? pat ye bope haue bouht so doere.
As j seide erst1, pou ground of cure substaunce,
Continue on us pi pitous eyen cleere ! 19878
(12. M.)
Moises, p«t sauh pe bush with flawmUs rede
Brenninge, of which per neuer a stikke brende,
was sigue of pin vuwemnied maidenhede.
)3ou art1 pe bush on which per gan descende 19882
Jje Holigosf, pe which pat1 Moyses wende
Had ben a-fyir : and pis was in figure.
Xow, ladi, from pe fyir pou us deufende,
which pat in helle eterualli shal dure ! 19886
(13. X.)
Noble princesse, pat neuere haddest peerel
Certes, if any comfort1 in us bee,
Jjaf conieth of pee, pou cristes mooder deere.
"VVe han noou oope/' melodye or glee, 19890
Vs to reioyse in oure aduersitee ;
Ne aduocaf noon, pat wole, & dap so preye
ffor us, and pat for litel hire as yee,
J3at helpen for an Aue -Marie or tweye. 19894
(14. O.)
O verrey light of eyen pat ben blyndc !
0 ven-ey lust of labour and distresse !
O tresoreere of bowntee to mankynde !
J)ee whom god dies to moode;- for humblessc ! 19898
ffrom his ancille he made pe maistresse
Of heuene & eerpe, oure Mile up for to beede.
\)is world awaiteth euere on pi goodnesse,
ffor pou ne fullest neuere wight at neede. 19902
(15. P.)
Purpoa I haue, sum time for to enquere, [leaf in, imck]
"Wherfore and whi pe Holi Cost1 pee souhte :
Whan Gabrielles vois cam to1 pin ere, ['MS. vn to]
He, not1 to worre us, swich a wunder wrouhto, 1 9906
But1 for to saue us pat he sithen bouhte.
)3a?nie needeth us no wepene us for to saue,
Rut oonly per we diden not, as us ouhte,
Doo penitence, and merci axe antr haue. 19910
Chaucer.
thnt lie lias
ruind me!
from Hell
You, Lady,
are our sole
and unpaid
advocate.
0 light of the
blind,
mother of
Christ,
thou failcst
no one in
need.
We've only
to repent, to
ask for
mercy, and
have it.
532
C'haiicer's ABC Prayer to the Virgin.
Chaucer.
To whom
shall I flee,
but to thee?
Chastise me.
judge, and
heal me !
God forgives
only those
who please
thee.
I bring my
penitent soul
to thee.
19914
19918
1992L-
ta-bye
19926
(16. Q.)
Queen of comfort1, yit whan j me bithiuke
f af j agilf haue bof e him and fee,
And faf my soule is wurthi for to sinke,
Alias, j, caityf, winder may I flee?
Who shal vn-to f i sone my mene bee ?
Who buf fi-self, faf arf of pitee welle.
Jjou hasf more reuthe on oure aduereitee,
)3an in fis world mihf any tunge telle.
(17. E.)
Redrcsse me, mooder, and me chastise !
ffor certeynly, my faderes chastisinge,
Jjaf dar j nouhf abiden iii no wise ;
So hidous is hys1 rihful rekenynge [IM?;^^
Mood«-, of whom oure niecci gan to springe
Beth ye my juge, & eek my soules leche ;
ffor euere in you is pitee haboundinge
To eche, faf wole of pitee you biseeche.
(18. S.)
Soth is, faf God ne granteth no pitee
With-outii fee ; for God, of his goodne?se,
fforyiveth noon, buf if like vn-to fee.
He hath fee maked, vicair & maistresse
Of al fe world, and eek goueYnowresse [leaf 115]
Of heuene ; and he represseth his iustise
After f i wil ; and f orfore, in witnesse,
He hath fee corowned in so rial wise.
(19. T.)
Temple deuouf, fe?- god hath his woninge,
ffro which fese misbileeued depriued1 been !
To you, my soule penitenf j bringe.
Eesceyue me ! I can no ferfere fleen. 19938
With thornes venymous, O heuene queen,
ffor which f e eerf e acursed was f ul yore,
I am so2 wounded, as ye may wel seen, pom. MS.]
faf j am losf almosf ; if smerf so sore. 19942
(20. V.)
Virgine, faf arf so noble of apparaile,
And ledesf us in-to f e hye tour1
19930
19934
f1 prrueil, Jnlin'g and
Laud MSS.J
Chaucer 's ABC Prayer to the Virgin.
533
1994G
[' MS. fresh]
19950
p =
19954
19958
Of Paradys ! fou me wisse, and co?msaile
How j may liaue fi grace & fi socour,
All liaue j ben in filthe and in errour.
Ladi, vn-to f «t court1 fou me aiourne,
Jjatf cleped is J>i bench, O freshe1 flour,
J)er-as fat1 merci euere shal soiourne.
(21. X = Ch.)
Xpc2 fi soue, fat in fis world alighte,
Vp-on J>e cros to suffre his passiown,
And eek3 fat Long! us his herte pighte, pus. eek
And made his herte blood to renue ado«n :
And al was fis for my salnaciown ;
And j to him am fals, and eek vnkynde ;
And yit he wole not1 my dampnactoitn :
Jjis thanke j yow, socour of al mankyudo.
(22. Y.)
Ysaac* was figure of his deth, certeyn, [leaf 115
J3af so fer-forth his fader wolde obeye,
fat1 him ne rouhte no-thing to be slayn ;
Kihfr soo fi soue lust, as a lamb, to deyc. 199G2
Now, ladi ful of merci, j yow preye,
Sithe he his merci mesured so large,
Be ye not1 skautt ! for alle we singe & soye
J)af ye ben from vengeawnce ay oure targe. 199GG
(23. Z.)
Zacharie yow clepeth fe opene welle
To wasshe sinful soule out1 of his gilt1 ;
Jjerfore fis lessown ouht j wel to telle,
Jjaf, nere fi tender herte, we weren spilt1. 19970
Now, ladi bryjte,4 sithe fou canst and wilt1,
Ben to f e seed of Adam merciable, [* MS. o« , bryjt Oy.]
And5 bring us to faf palai's fat is hilt1 [5 And John's MS.OM.]
To penitentes fat ben to merci able ! Amen ! 19974
H Explicit1 carmen.
Whan T, wyth good deuoc'ioun, [stowe, leaf 330]
Haddc6 sayd thys Orysomi, Lf wi«n with «. a. i had si,]
Off the ffloodys the gretii E;ige
Ga?«ne somwhat to a-swage,
Chaucer.
Lady, lead
me to thy
Court of
Mercy !
Christ shed
His blood for
me.
As Christ
died for me,
do you.
Lady, shield
me!
Bring us to
the Palace
built for
penitents !
[leaf 258]
The Pifitrim.
The waves
bewail to
ab:ite alter
19978 this prayer.
534
The two halves of the Lady Astronomy-Astrolor/y.
I reach a hill
of wail,
and find one
lady writing
in the sand,
and another
lady leaning
on a red
spear.
I see only
half the "body
uf the Lady
Astronomy-
Astrology.
[leaf 258, bk.]
I ask her if
tiiis sea pro*
duces such
monsters as
she is.
And the wyndes, for myre ese,
Gan in party to apese.
The whel I leffte, off ffortune,
"Wych selde in One1 doth contune
I swam forth, in ful gret ffer ;
I knew no waye, her ne ther ;
Tyl at the laste, off grace, I fond
A verray lytel hyl off sond,
And thyderward I gan me dressc,
To reste me for werynesse.
And there, in soth, A-noon I ffond
A lady wrytynge in the sond,
Lokyuge toward the ffyriuament
Thorgh a lytel instrument.
A-nother lady I sawh ek ther,
That lenede byre on A red sper :
I myhte nat beholde her wel,
ffor I sawh but the halvendel
Off hyr body, nor hyr fasown
And (as to my» inspecciouw,)
In hyr hand she held a spere,
Lokynge vp on the sterrys clere.
And douii I sat, and gan beholde
Thys .ij. ludyes off wych I tolde;
ffor I was wery off travaylle.
And yiff yt myhti; me avaylle,
1 dyde also my besy peyne
To sen the maner off hew tweyne.
And to hyre (A-noon ryht,)
That was but halff On2 in my sylit,
I sayde a-non as ye shal here,
So?wwhat abaysshed off my chere :
[The Pilgrim:]
" Tel on," quod I, " lat me se ;
Be ther swych monstres in thys3 So
Abydynge, lyk as ye do seme ?
ffor I kau noon other deme,
But, monstres that ye shoklii be,
By sygnes outward that I se.
Yiff thow mayst speku, nat ne spare,
[' one St., On co 19982
19986
19994
[Stowe, leaf 830, back] 19998
20002
20006
[J one st ]
20010
200 H
says that the
half of her I
is noble.
The PU(trim.
The visible half of the Lady is cold Astronomy. 535
" The trouthe to me for to declare." 20018
Astrology : l [i st., <»». co Attroioffy
Quod she, ' I may speke wel,
And I ha lost ek neuenidel
Off my spechij nor language.
And thogh I shewe to thy vysage, 20022
My-sylff, but halff on, in thy sylit,
Wyeh halff (who so Joke a-ryht)
Ys ryht noble and honurable,
And also ryht Auctorysable.' 20026
Pilgrime : 2 p st., om. c.j
" Touchyug thys halff, tel on clerly,
What maner thyng ye niene ther-by.
The totlier part, what sholde yt be,
Wych as now I may nat so 1 " 20030
Astrology : 3 [3 St., ? sWogye (in maruin) C.]
' Certys, (thogh thow yt nat espyc,)
She ys callyd Astronomye,
Wych ys wont to wake a-nyht,
To loke vp on the sterrys bryht. 20034
Off whom, whylom thus stood the cas :
In Egypt ffyrst she norysshed was,
Of thylke noble prudent kyng
Wych excellede in konnyng, 20038
And was callyd (as thow mayst so)
The noble wyse Tholomee,
(So thys clcrkys Olde hyw calle,)
That ffond the cours off storrys alle, [stowe, Uafaai] 20042
Mevynge in ther bryhte sperys,
Uothe be dayes and by yerys ;
How that they ineve, long or sone,
And the cours off sonue and mone; 20046
tfond out the eclyp.ses (by resoii«) [c. & St.]
In the tayl off the dragouw, ,,
Or in the lied (wtt/i-oute lake) ; „
Tlie cours ek off the zodyake. „ 20050
' And many mo conclusion NS ,,
Off lieveuly transimitaci'ou«s
Hi; ffond ill out, by gret labour ;
Wher-ffore, worshep and grot honour, 20054
I ask what
the visible
half is,
ami what the
invisible.
Astrology.
The visible
part is Astro-
nomy,
nourisht first
in Egypt,
by Ptolemy,
who found
out the
courses of
the stufs,
[leaf 259]
the eclipses,
and the
zodiac,
536
The Lady Astrology justifies her teaching.
Attroloffit.
whereby lie
gaind great
onour.
Constella-
tions
have influ-
ences on the
earth
which are
cald Neces-
sity,
or Natural
Dominion,
on account
of which her
invisible half
is named
Astrology,
[leaf 259, bk.]
ami termd
superstitious.
But consider:
' Thys worthy kyng gat in hys tyme,
Wych wer to long for me to ryme.
The causes and theffectys alle,
Wych off her mevyng sholde falle 20058
By ther mevyng, (wttft-oute1 lak :) [' with out c., St.]
Thys ys the halff that I off spak ;
And, al thys ys my party e,
Wych I calle Astro nomye. 20062
' I sey also (yiff thow take lied,)
That ther be (yt ys no dred)
Many constellaci'ouws
And many varyaci'ouws ; 200GG
And lyk affter ther dyfferences,
Tliey yive in erthe influences,
Many dysposiciouHS
And dyvers operaciou?is. 20070
' And yiff I durste speke in pleyn,
And the trouthe apertly seyn,
I wolde affermen vn-to the,
To calle al thys ' Necessyte,' 20074
Or name yt ' Dysposic'ioun,'
Or ' Naturel Domynyouw.'
And therfor, toucylmg al thys Art,
Namyd for the to ther part, 20078
I am callyd ' Astrologye ; '
The tother part, ' Astronomye.'
' And be-cause I tellii more
Tlian Astronomye dyde off yore, 20082
Off ffolk to mo-ward envyous,
Calle me ' superstycyous,'
Be-cause off the dyfference,
That I glose the scyence, [c.j si.] 20086
And expoune it (fer & nere) ,,
Kyht as me lyst, on my manere ; ,,
And after myiie opinioun, „
Expouue the conclusyons, [stowe, leaf ssi, back] 20090
And prove them out, fro day to day, [c. & St.]
Who that euere ther-to seyth nay. „
' ffor, I pray the, lat now so, ,,
How myhte yt falle, or elles be, „ 20094
The differing Dispositions of Men arc due to the Stars. 537
20098
20102
[a contrary & dispitious St.]
20106
20110
201H
' ffor to Jeme yt off resoun
By cler1 demonstractouw, [Merest.]
Her in thys world, (by good avys,)
On ys a fool, A-notber wys ;
Thys man glad, tliat man Irous ;
He lovynge, he envyous ;
On, ffrownywg, lokyng nat ffayre ;
A-nother, off cher ys debonayre ;
A-nother, off port ys gracyous ;
A-iiother, contrayre and despytous ; 2
On, stedefast, A-nother vnstaLle ;
A-nother, in loue varyable.
On wyl do ryht, A-nother wrong ;
Thys man ys ffeble, that maw ys strong,
Thys man pensyff, that man ys sad,
He thys ys wroth, he that ys glad ;
Thys man hasty in werkynge,
Another ys soffte and Abydynge ;
Thys man ys hevy, that man ys lyht ;
Thys goth be day, that man be nyht ;
On vseth trouthe, he trecherye,
And to stele by Roberye.
0 man ys trewe, A-nother ffals,
And somme Arn hangyd by the hals ;
And (who lyst loken her-wyth-al,)
O man ys gret, A-nother smal ;
Soni man loueth wysdam and scyence ;
Som man, ryot and dyspence ;
Som man ys large, som man ys hard ;
Som man ys ek a gret nygard ; [c. & St.]
He3 thys A coward, he that ys bold ; p his St.]
And som man halt a good houshold ; 20126
And somme, off hevtly indygence,
Ar fful streyhte off ther dyspence ;
And som man, durynge al hys lyff,
Kan nat lyve but in stryff. 20130
' Wher-off kbmen al thys dyfferencys,
But off hevenly influencys,
By gouemau/tcc (who loketh al)
Off the bodyes cdcstyal ? 20134
Attrolofrit.
we see some
men are wise,
others
foolish,
some right,
some wrong,
some hasty,
some soft,
20118
20122
some I ni.',
some false.
[leaf 260]
some liberal,
some miserly.
All these
differences
are due to
celestial in-
fluences.
538
Men's bodies
here
follow their
Constella-
tions, which
are the
* second
causes.'
The Creator
maile each
thing* work
after its kind,
as St. Anvils-
tine records.
[leaf 200, l,k.]
lint h Dunie
Fortune and
Chary bdis
are under
subjection to
the heavens;
and men
reckon their
hours and
days accord-
ing to tlie
heaven's
movements,
good or bad,
God made tlw whole World subject to the Stars.
'And I dar also specefye, fstowe, leafsss]
As the planetys dyversefye
Abouij, (who so koude knowe,)
So the bodyes her dovw knve 20138
(Affter myn oppynyou«)
ffohve tlier constellacVouw.
ffor, thys philisoffres allo,
The 'secoimde causys ' dyde hew calle : 20142
Affter ther name (in wordys ffcwe)
Tlier effectys they must shewe,
Or ellw I wolde boldly seyn,
They tooke ther name but in veyn. 20146
' The crcatour, at begyanyng,
Whan he hem made in hys werkyng,
He gaff hem power, (clerk<;* ffynde)
Kiu-rych to werkyn in hj's kynde, 20150
And for to mevu to som ffyn.
' And as the doctour seynt Awstyn
Eeeordeth shortly in sentence,
The lord, off hys magnyfycouce, 20154
Suffreth hem, (who-euere muse)
Affter ther kynde her cours to vse.
' And dame Fortune ek also,
And hyr Karybdis1 bothii two, [' carhdes st.] 20158
"\\rt't7< al hyr domynactouw, [f. & st.j
Stant vnder subiecc'/ouw ,,
Off the hevcne, off verray rylit, „
Ai 2 hyr power and hyr inj-ght ['-=uw. st.] 201 G2
Ys2 youe to hyre at certeyu tyracs,
Bothe at Eve and ek at pryrnes,
To executes hyr3 power ptiierst.]
Vndur the sterrys bryht and cler: 20166
Bothe hyr dedys infortunat,
And ek hyr werkys ffortunat,
Bothe to lawhen and to wepe.
'And, men muste her3 houres kepe, 20170
To i-ekne al the daye's sevene
Affter the mevyng off the heveno ;
"\Vych be goode, And wych contrayro,
Wych amende, and wych a-payre, 20174
Homer belicvd in tite Influence of the Stars on Men. 530
[Stowe, leaf 332, hack]
[> Slocyens C., St.]
20182 Thl.,the
Stain hold,
aiul Aiatiiesis.
' Affter the sterrys hem assure
In good, or in Evele Aventure ;
Wych hourys ben happy And Ewrous,
And wyeh also malicious.- 20178
' And shortly, (who consydrelh al)
Affter the bodyes celestyal,
Lych as they her cours done holde,
And the Stocyenes1 wolde
Hulden wit/i me, (yiff they wer here,)
In ther bookys as they lere.
' And Mathesis wolde confer/mo
Al that euere I afferme, 20186
Make a confyrmaeioujt
Vp-on niy« oppynyouw,
By ther Argument*"* cler.
And the poete ek, Homer,'
Whylom merour off elloquence,
Contentyth ek to thys sentence :
He seyth in liys wrytyng thus :
At rysyng vp oft' Phebus,
That whan hys bemys y-reysed be,
He yiveth ech man volunte
And wyl (ther kan no man sey nay,)
How he shal gouerne hym that day. 20198 >i»yi
' And affter Phebus ordynau»ce,
Sowme ha sorwe, ami som plesauHce
Thys poete (in couclusiou?j)
Leueth2 on thys oppynyou« : p i*\-etiie St.] 20202
And what-so other folkys do,
I leue ther-on my sylff also ;
And my levyng that thow sest here,
YfouwdyJ ys on a red sper ; 20200
And yiff thow kanst yt wel espye,
My leuyng doth so sygnefye.
' Now tel on, and thyn herte bolde,
Wyche 3 party thow wylt holde, p whiciie St., wycii c.]
And make a demoustrac'ibun 20211
Affter thyn oppynyoim ;
And as thow hast her-in cruau«ce,
Outlier ffeyth or affyauwce.' 20214
Attroloffil,
;i> the 8tii1*B
certify.
20190 Ami Homer,
the mirror of
K;IVK thai the
Sun, at Ins
20194 risil1*.
[Ieaf2fil]
givea man
wilt to rule
every
and that the
Sun allots
sorrow and
pleasure to
men.
Like Hmncr,
1 helieve
tliia.
What is your
opinion ?
540
/ hold Astrology to be Superstition.
I feel abaxht
and afraid,
anil I ask
counsel of
Reason.
Then I
answer:
[leaf 261, bk.]
Astrology IB
superstition.
You seem to
have been
in the sky,
The pilgrim. The Pilgrim: [st.,o». c.]
Whan I herde hyr wordys alle,
Off look and cher I gan to palle,
And wex abaysshed mor and more,
And be-gan to sylic sore ; 20218
Thoghto in myn herte, off grete l ffer, [' grct c., St.]
I was nat passyd al daunger
[Line wanting in loth MSS., tJuJ1 neither has a yap.]
As yet, in thys streyth passage ; 20222
[I}lank in MS. for an Illumination.]
Thoulite also, (so god me rede !)
That I haddc ful gret nede,
Touchynge thys oppynyouw,
To axii co?msayl off Eesoun. 21226
I answerde to that party :
"Thow spekyst," quod I, "ful largely.
God grauwte me (to myw entent) [stowe, leafsss]
In thys mater A-vysiiment, 20230
My wordys so, for texpresse,
That ffynally I may represse
Thyn errours and tliyw ffolye,
Groundyd on Astrologye, 20234
Wych ne be nat vertuous,
ffor they be supcrstycious.
" Yt semeth as thow haddest ben
Hill in the hevene, for to sen 20238
Al abouti1, nyh and fferre,
And axyd ther, off eue;y sterre>
Ther coursys and thcr moc'iouns
And tlier reuoluc'iou7js, 20242
And dyseuryd ther secres
To the, and al ther pryvytes,
Wych ar good, wych ar malygne,
"\Vlian they shal entren any sygne, 20246
Or entren any manc'iouw,
Tlior to hauo domynyouw.
" I trowe, thow wylt the makyn bold,
How that Venus hath the told 20250
The tyme assygned, whan that sho
Shal, next, conyoyned bo
to have
discoverd
the stars'
secrets,
ami got
Venus to tell
you when
she'll ,[oin,
Astrology defends belief in the Planets' influence.
'And declaryd to the / the day
Whan that she shal parte away
ffro mars, that ys hyr owne knyht :
In hevene thow haddyst lier-off a syht.
Wher wer thow euere so pryve,
Or w/t/i the sterrys so secre,
To knowe the power and the myght
That god hath yove to hem off ryht 1
" L dar affermen her a-noon,
Sterrys and planetys, eue/ychon,
Be soget to hys power royal
And to hys ryht Imp«yal.
Whatso-eue>-e thow kanst allegge,
They ha noon other pryvylegge,°
ffrauwchyse nor cowmyssioiw,
But vnder hys domynacwuw ;
And vn-to that (I dar we! seye)
Alle the planetys muste obeye,
And fro that ordre neuere varye,
Who-eue/-e afferme the contrarye."
[Astrology.]
Quod she a-noon ageyn to me,
' Neuw in my lyff ne dyde I so
No pryvylege (touchyng thys thyng) -
Yove1 to the sterrys in ther mevyng;
Nor, in the heuene so hih and fferre,
I spak 2 neuere vrith no sterre"-
Nor I nat knowe ther secres,3
Ther mevyng, nor ther pryvytes,
Nor how ther cours aboff < ys lad', [<
But as I haue in bookys rad,
And ther conceyved by wrytyng,
Bothe off her cours and ther mevyng.
' And also long experyence
Hath yove to me ther-off scyence;
Ek okle clerkes her-to-fforn—
That wer ful longe or thow wer born-
Yt dyde ynowh to hem suffyse,
To knowe the maner and the guyse
Off grote effectys off the hevene,
541
The Pili/riii
20254 and when
part from
Mars.
20258
But I say
onofio "'"' sta''8
•iU.i0.i and planets
are subject
to God,
and must
obey His
orders;
they have
no privilege
20266 or c"m'"is-
sion from
Him.
20270
[leaf 262]
[lgyven
20274 Astrology
declares she's
not been to
the stars and
St.] askt their
secrets,
20278
P 8ec,ete8 w
bat she has
read old
books,
20286
and old clerks
were con-
tent to know
the effects of
the hen veil s,
20290
542
/ aiiswcr Astrology's arguments.
Aftrotoffi/.
ami trust ill
them.
sin' believes
in the influ-
ences of
1'lanets and
Stars,
which are no
derogation
from Owl's
power.
[leaf 204, l.k.]
Tho' n kinR
grants a com-
mission to
Provosts,
his power i»
not retstminil
!•!• it.
Til Pilprim.
1 rejoin, Unit
tliis answer is
A King
doesn't lose
his power hy
appointing
deputies.
' And oft' the1 planetys alii: sevcne. [' the St., om. c.]
Ther-in, ful myche they sette her lust,
And ther-in was fynally'2 her trust, [s fynaiiy «-:ls si.] 20294
As they by wrytyng specefye.
'And I ful3 gretly ek affye pwiiist.]
In the hevenly inoctbnns
And in ther reuoluctouws,
Conceyvynge that, by ther mevyng,
That, alone* the myhty kyng, [' tha alone st.]
Ys no party (fer nor nor)
The inor excludyd fro hys power,
Nor exempt in no degre
tl'rom hys impwyal powste ;
l!ut semblablj1 (and thys ys soth)
As a kyng off custom doth,
Off hys myght and hih reno^iw
Graunteth a co>»myssknw
ifor a space, or al ther lyves,
To hys provostys5 or bayllyves ;
Yet for al that, in no manere
He restreyneth nat hys powere.'
[The Pilgrim:]
" Thyn answere, I conceyve yt wcl,
AVych may suffyso neueradel, 20314
No mor than may a rede6 sper [6 reade St., red c.]
Suffyse off myght, nor off power
(Who-so the trouthe espyi1 ko«ne)
To endure to bem" A tonne. [sto«-e, leafsu] rjberest.]
ffor yiff the kyng (shortly to devyse) 20319
Hadde yove8 hys power in swych wyse [« have gyve -st.]
To hys provostys,9 and ek also [» provost c.]
To hys baylyves,10 bothii two, ['" baylys C., ba.vlyvs St.]
20298
20302
2030C
provosts SI.] 20310
And hadde hem mad ther-off certeyn,
And myghte yt nat repelle ageyn,
Tlia;me he were (to our purpos)
Dysbarryd, and from hys power clos.
" And evene lylc (to our entent)
Off planetys and the fyrmament,
And off sterrys the moci'oiw,
Yiff they hadde cowMnyss'ioun
20323
20326
20330
The Pitgrim.
If the stars
had a com-
mission
to dispose
all tiling tit
their own
tlieir power
would lie of
Necessity,
[leaf 263]
excluded.
As God ordaind Stars to give, Light, He, must rule them. 543
"Vp-on al thyng,1 liili and lowe, [' thynge st.]
Her in erthtj that men knowe,
Bothe to shette and ek vnclose,
And as hj'm lyst, ffor to dyspose 20334
At tlier ownii voluwte,
That yt mylite noon other be,
But as the hevcne (in substaiwce)
Lyst to tourne the ordynauwce ; 20338
Thau muste ther power (who kan so)
Be fallen off necessyte,
As the sterrys wolde ordeyne :
The kyng no niyght yt nat rostreyne ; 20342 »"<i God's
ffor he, off verray volunte,
Hath wyth-drawen hys powste. [c. & St.]
Tims thow woldest hym exclude, „
And by thy wordys ek conclude, „ 20346
That alle thynge's that her be,
Sholde falle off necessyte,
"Wherby (wlio that kan dyscerne)
The lord that al hath to gouev-ne, 20350
Sholde, by hys cowmyssiotiB,
Ilestreyne hys domynackmn,
"\Vych ys A maner impossible,
And as to me, no thyijg credyble, 20354
\Vhat-euYTe her-on thow lyst to seyn.
" But I wyl answere the agcyn,
Touchyng the hevenly moc'ioujis,
Ther power and ther co/HinyssIou/js, 20358
Ther influencys and ther mevyng :
Al thys, they haue yt off the2 kyng [• thcyr c.]
And off the lord (who kan concerne)
That hevene and erthe doth gouenie. 203C2
And trewly, in A-nother wyse
Tlian thy sylff dost her3 devyse. p here St.]
" Touchyng ther power, (tak good heede,
In Genesis thow mayst yt rede;) [stowe.i&ifsaj, bkj 203GG
He ordeyiiede steiTys for to shyne,
To yive lyht, and enlwmyne,
And to the world, by ther bryhtnesse,
To yivc coumfort and clernesse ; 20370
It is impos-
sible that the
Lord, who
governs all,
should f?rant
a commis-
aud as to the
power of the
stars,
we read in
Genesis,
that God or-
daind stars
to shine, and
give light to
the world :
544 The Stars are only Signs of God, & can't affect His work.
mt Pilgrim. " And to dyscernc, (who loke a-ryht)
To knowe the dayes wel fro nyht,
He sette hem ther (by certeyn lynes)
As for markys and for sygnes : 20374
Lat the byble wel be souht,
And other thyng thow fyndest nouht.
" Off the power that he hew sette, 20377
Ther-off he wyle no thyng hew1 lettc ; [' iwm om. st.]
but their But shortly, al ther gouernaiwce
government ,
is with Him. Abyueth vnder hys piussauwce ;
[i«argfi.i,bk.] He byndythe,2 and vnbynt also; [» St., vnaoth c.]
What euere hym lyst, that mot be do ; 20382
And 0 word that her ys sayd,
(And ful notable to be layd,
To be put in remembrauwce,
My conclusiouM to Avaunce,) 20386
God gave tiie That the sterrys ff er above,
mars only for ,,.. , . „. '
signs, Wor only nor sygnes yove,
That thyngiis (who so lyst to se)
Wyth hem sholde markyd be. 20390
"And who that euere ageyn nialygnes,
and marks of They be but inarkys, nor but sygnes
Off thylkii lord celestyal,
That syt above, and rewleth al, 20394
Sterrys and eonstellaei'outts.
as, in cities ' ' And as in cytes and in townys,
and towns, *
dive™ crafts Maystres off dyvers crafftys
are ilennted
i.y signs hung Hang out, on polys3 and on raff tys, [» boiys sto 20398
on poles,
Dyuers sygnys liifi and lowe,
Wher-by that men ther crafft may knowe ; —
such a» lions As sowiue off hem hang out lyou«s,
painted ou Somme Eglys and gryffou/is, 20402
Peynted on bordys and on stagys,
Dyuers Armys and ymages
(In cytes mo than .ix. or ten,)
Wherby me?z knowe thys4 craffty men; [nhesst.] 2040G
But wher-so-euere they hangyd be,
where men Hih aloff te, that men may se,
can see them. _r . „ ,
NO one imt a He wer A flool, and notliyng sage,
fitol would ,.,. . i i.. i i
think that lliat wolue dome m hys corage, 20410
The Stars and Firmament witness their Maker, God.
P more Tib.]
20422
20426
" That thys markys, on pool or rafft,
Kan no thyng medlen off the crafft,
NOT helpe ther-to, (yt ys no ffayl,)
Nor to the craffty men avayl. ' [st0we, leaf »] 20414
" And at tavernys (wj't/i-oute wene)
Thys tooknys nor thys bowys^ grene, P c. Tib. .eves st ]
ihogh they shewe ffrcssh and ffayre,
The wyn they mende nat, nor apeyre, 20418
Nor medle no thyng (thys the ffyn)
Off the sale nor3 off the wyn,
Nor hath nothyng to governe,
Off the celer nor taverne :
By hem ys no thyng do nor let ;
They be ther, but for markys set.
"And semblably, to Our entent,
The sterrys and the ffyrmament,
Planetys and constellac&mns,
Cerclys, sygnes, nor mansibuws,
Ar (to speke in wordys ffewe)
No-thyng but markys, for to shewe
Off the workman, and off < the lord
That made al thyng with A word.
"In erthe, ther ys no taverner,
That couchyd hath in hys celer
So many wyniis red nor whyht,
Nor other drynkes off delyt,
As thys lord hath Beverages
Off Grace,5 y-mad ffor sondry ages.
And off al thys, (who lyst to se,°)
The sterrys, no-thyng but toknys be,
That al our goodys, her doun lowe,
Kome fro that lord (who lyst to knowe) • 20442
And alle the gyfftys ek off grace
Descende from that hevenly place.
" He Partyth hys gyfftys dy versly,
And off hys grace and hys mercy, 2044G
t folkys ha suffysauwce,
Plente yuowh, and habondauwce ;
ffor, off hys grace (as yt ys skyl,)
545
' off am.
9Q430
20434
PgracynSt.] 20438
The Pilgrim.
these signs
were part of
tile craft.
The green
boughs hung
out at a
tavern
[leaf 264]
don't affect
the wine :,
they're only
signs.
So alio the
stars and
constellations
do but show
their Lord
and Maker.
No taverner
on earth has
such wines
and drinks
as God has
for His folk.
From Him
we have all
our goods,
and gills of
grace ;
every one
has enough,
as is His
will.
[leaf 264, bk.]
Don't believe
that the Stars
have any
influence for
good or evil.
If they had,
a man might
i\» well be
a thief or
robber
as a true
inuu,
since Neces-
sity would
muke him
one.
If the Stars
have onhiiinl
it must be so,
why should
a thief be
punish t,
or a true man
rewarded,
aa the stars
are the cause
whereby a
man does
well ?
20454
20458
20462
C3 began st.]
546 The Stars hare no influence on Men's lives.
" He parteth, as yt ys hys wyl. 20450
" Therfor lat grace be thy gnyde, [Tib., leaf <a, back]
And al thy resouns set asyde ;
And wene nat, in thy?i entent,
The sterrys nor the ffyrmament
Ha no vertu (w-M-oute glose)
Good or evel, for1 to dyspose, p for ow. Tib.]
But as the lord celestyal
Ordeyneth, that governeth al.
"Wher-for, beholde and loke a-ryht,
And deme off resouw in thy syht,
And be vrith me nat evele apayd.
" Yiff yt wer soth that thow hast sayd
Yt wer as2 good (thys, the cheff)
To ben a robbere and a theff,
(By the resoims that thow gan,3)
As for to ben A trewo man, 20466
flohvyuge, off necessyte,
That yt myhte noon other be ; [stowe, leaf 335, back]
The sterrys, the hevene, bothe two,
Han ordeyned yt mot be so 20470
By ther hevenly influence,
Wyth-outerc any resystence.
Why sholde A theff thaw punysshed be,
That fro robbry may nat ffle ; 20474
Or A trewe man, by resovw,
Vertuous off condyci'oure,
Mawgre hys wyl and* al hys myht, [« w;u St., and Tib.]
Escheweth wrong, and doth al ryht. 20478
Touchyng hys meryte nor gerdouw,
He noon dysserveth, off resouw,
ffor the sterrys euecydel
Ben only cause that he doth wel. 20482
Wher-vp-on (who-so taketh hede)
Bothe sholde haue ylyche mede,
Good or harm, wher-so the wcrche.
"And also off al hooly5 cherche, phooiyoM.Tib.] 20486
Yiff thy resouws wer certeyn,
Moreover, the ..
sacraments The sacramcntys-wer in veyn
would avail / • «• i i i i.\
nought, In thys cas (ym yt be souht) ;
The time of a Man's Birth has nought to do with his Life. 547
20506
" ffor they sholde a-vaylli- noulit,
Nor to mankynde do1 no good. [' c., Tib., be st.j
" And Cryst Ihetm, that shadde liys blood,
Only mankynde for to save,
What effectc2 sholde haue p TMI., effwt <:., st.] 20494
Hys poyne or greto' passion??,
To brynge vs to savaci'ouw, [3 c., Tib., do well St.]
Yiff no man myghte don evel3 nor good,
But evene so as the hevene stood 1 20498
Ther wer noon helpe nor socour ;
The wych4 wer a gret errour, [« whiche Tib.]
A man to leve in any 5 wyse p c., Tib., nuch a St.]
So as thow dost her devyse ; 20502
ffro6 wych, I pray god me preserue I [6 Tib., am- c., St.]
" Thow seyst also, men sholde obseme
Houres and constellaci'oiws
ffor sondry operac'wnms ;
The ascendent, consydre and se,
Off a matthys natyvyte,
To ffynde the dysposic'ioura
Off A manhys condyci'ouw,
To good or evel,7 be kyndely la we
Off nature, he sholdo drawo ;
The wyche (who8 the trouthe espyes)
Ar9 but fables, and fill off lyes ;
ffor men ha seyn10 her-to-fforn, ['
Two chyldreii in O moment born,
The ton ryht good and fortunat,
And the tother infortunat ;
And men ha seyn5 ek at 0 tyme,
(Bothe at Evyw and at pryme,)
Twey men that a craffit wol konne :
At On hour they ha be-gonne ; [Tib., leaf ct, back] 20522
The ton Off hem ful wel hath wroulit,
Anil the tother hath11 do ryht nouht.
And tweyne, on hour (who kan espye)
I Ian bothe had 0 malladye : [» The tother he hath Tib.] 2052G
The ton was mad hoi by nature,
The tother myghte nat endure, [c. & st.]
But hath deyed, in certcyn : „
20490 The Pilgrim.
[leaf 20r.]
nor the death
of Christ.
If no man
could do evil
or good but
:i* tlte Stars
dlreut,
tiiere'd he no
help for u*.
20510
As to hours
and constel-
lations,
you say that
it man's
nativity
controls Iris
(liH|Ktsitioti
ami con-
dition, &c.:
[' badd St.]
Ba\ [Stmve. leaf 8.16]
LS/ [«C., Tib., who-sciKt.]
[» C., Tib., as St.] 20514
these nre
fiildes and
scne St., scyne Tib.]
lies.
For we see
that, of two
children born
together, one
20518
J8 fortunate,
the other un-
fortunate;
that of two
sick, one
must live,
[leaf 265, bk.]
the other die :
548 Predestination does not clash with Man's Free Will.
" "VVherfor thy resouws be but veyn. 20530
" Or telle me also a resou«
Touchynge thy« oppynyoura :
An hundryd thousand men assaylle
Euerych other in bataylle ;
Wher-off kometh ther1 destyne,
That they ben alle at o lourne,
And yet par cas (yt ys no nay)
They wer nat alle born) on2 o day,
Nor they nat entre, nyh nor ferre,
Att at tonys3 in-to that werre ;
And yet, by Martys4 mortal lawe.
Euerychon they ben yslawe :
Tel the cause what may thys be,
And spek no mor off destyne.
" Yet som folk ben ordynat,
And also predestynat,
Prescryt5 to-forn to loye and blysse,
Off the wych som other mysse,
Swych as (in conclusiouw)
Gon vn-to6 dampnacMnm). [« c., st., in to Tib.] 20550
" And, trewly 7 (yt ys no dred) {.' treweiy Tib.]
The cause ys nat (who taketh hed,)
The dyvyne prescyence ;
But the grete dyfference 20554
Ys causyd off good and off badde,
Affter the lyff that they her ladde. [6 Tib., the St., thy c.]
And in this8 world (bothe ffer and ner,9)
As they rowede in the Ryuer, P
Sowme to loye, somme to peyne,
ffro synne as they hera-sylff restreyne ;
The goode to savaei'ouw,
The evele vn-to dampnacioiw,
The Pilgrim.
so nativity's
influence is
nonsense.
or 100,000
men in battle,
all were not
born on the
same day,
though all are
slain.
Yet some folk
are predesti-
nate to bliss,
and some to
damnation.
But the cause
is not God's
foreknow-
ledge :
it Is the great
difference in
the lil'e that
folk lead.
[' C., Tib., that St.]
Pin st.] 20538
P ones St.]
[* martis St., marry* C.]
20542
20546
which sends
them to
salvation or
damnation.
20558
20562
Though God
knows It all
[leaf 266]
beforehand.
men are free
to choose
Constreyned no-thyng by destyne, [stowe,!«.fs3«,ba.-k]
But by fire wyl and lyberte. pthyngom.st.]
"Thogh god knewe al thys thyng10 to-forn,
Many11 day or they wer born, ["Many a St.] 20566
Hys knowyng nor hys prescyence,
Vu-to man doth noon offence.
ffredam ys yove12 to hem to chese, ["gyvcn st.]
God, not the Stars, is the cause of Disease and Defect. 549
" Whether hywi lyst to wywne or lese ; 20570 The pugnm.
ffor, knowyng (who that looke wel)
Off god, ne causeth neueradel
Wher them lyst, off bothe tweyne,
To gon to loye, outher to peyne. 20574
" And, ther-for, do by my lore,
And off destyne spek no more ;
ffor the planetys euecychon,
And the sygnes, on by On, 20578
And euery sterre, in hys degre,
Mevyn by the volunte
Off the lord that syt aloffte.
" And also (as yt falleth offte) 20582
ffolkys that in thys world her be,
(At the Eye as thow mayst se,)
Sowme be lame, and feble off myght ;
And sofwmu strong, and gon vp-ryht, 20586
And many welde hem sylff ryht wel ;
But, off the sterrys neueradel,
Nor off the hevenly influence,
Strengthe, myght, nor impotence, 20590
Be nat causyd (on no syde)
But as the lord lyst to provyde.
" No man blynd, nor no, man lame
Born — the gospel seyth the same ; — 20594
ffor whan cryst, in swych A cas,
Off the lewys axyd was,
(As in lohwn ye may fynde,)
Why the blynde mare was bor1 blynde, [' borne st.] 20598
He told hem pleynly at A word,
'To preve the workys off the2 lord, [2 mn-e St.]
And hys dedys by myracle,
Wz't/i-outen any mor obstacle ;' 20602 [leaf 266. bkj
And other cause was ther noon,
As seyth the gospel off seyn lohn).
" And nothyng thorgh the moc'ioiw
Off sterrys dysposic'kmre, 20G06
Was thys blyndnesse to hywj sent.
" And davyd seyth ' the fyrmament
Was ordeyned, at 0 word,
whether
they'll go to
joy or pain.
Say no more
uf Uestiujr.
All the stars
move by the
will of Uod.
Tlio' some
fulk are
lame and
weak,
others
strong,
tlie stars and
heavenly in-.
fluences are
not the cause.
but only God.
As to the
blind,
St. John says
Christ told
the Jews the
man was
born blind to
show His
miraculous
power,
and not by
the stars'
disposal.
David de-
clares the
firmament
was urdaind
to declare the
works of the
Lord.
Ptolemy says
a wise man
has power
over all con-
stellations.
Sapiens doumiabitur astris.
[« wyse St., wys C.J
530 Astrology contends for the Power of Stars over Men.
m piin>-im. To telle the werkys off the lord. Ceil enarrant. 20610
The sterrys, he1 makyd for to shyne, [su>we, leaf 337]
Vp-on the Erthii tenlwmyne ; [' be St.]
Hih in hevene to abyde,
A-sonder only to devyde 20614
The day and ek the dyrke nyht.
"And in hys Centyloge a-ryht,
The grete clerk, kyng2 Tholome, [> grete kynge St.]
Affernieth ther (who lyst to se); 20618
He seyth (As I reherse kau)
That in erthe A wysir'man
Haueth domynaci'ouji
Above ech constellaciou»." 20622
And affter he hadde herd me seyn,
Thus he answerde me ageyn :
Astrologye : 4 c* st-. <"»• C0
' Affter thy wordys rehersyd here,
The. heuene, with hys sterrys clere, 20626
Sholde hauew, in substawzce,
But lytel power or puissauuce,
And sholde also, by thy devys,
Ben also off lasse prys 20630
Thaw ys the erthu, her douu lowe,
"\V/tA greynys and wt't/t sedys sowe ;
ffor the Erthe, wher-on we gon,
Bryngeth fforth ffruit<;s many On,— 20634
Eue/ych grouynge in hys kyude, —
And ilourys fayre, as tliow mayst fynde ;
And yet, for al hys gret ffayrnesse,
The hevene liaueth mor noblesse [st.ic.] 20G38
Than bathe therthe in hys degre, ,,
By many effects, as man may se ; „
And it also more necessary. „
And shortly, (for me lyst nat tarye,) „ 20642
In hevenly myght and puissau«ce,
The erthe hath al hys governauHce.'
[The Pilgrim]:
" In som thyng thow seyst ful soth,
Touchyng that the hevene doth. 20G46
In erthe, ther sholdo no« groyus sprywge,
Astrology
answers me :
According to
this, the
heavens have
little power,
and are of less
worth than
the earth
with its
fruits and
flowers.
[leaf 267]
Yet the
lieavens are'
nobler than
it.
and govern
the earth.
The P/tpriitt
True, say I,
The Pilgrim.
the heavens
do give light
and tieat to
the earth;
Man has Free Will; is not subject to Stars, Astronomy. 551
" Nor ff ruitys noil yt sholde forth brynge,
Ne wer the lievene (wyth hys myght)
Gaff ther-to, couwtfort and lyht ; 20650
ffor the hevene, thorgh hys bryhtnesse,
Thorgh hys hete, and hys cleniesse,
Cause th in erthe many a pay re
fflourys and ffruit to spryngii fayre, 20654
And yiveth ther-to (as thow mayst se)
fful grete gyfftys off bewte,
Lych as the lord off most renoiw
Hath yove he?« by co/«myssi'ou«. 20658
" But hys power, nor hys powste,
Ne strechchet nat (who lyst to se,
Xeuere sythe the world by-gan,) [stowe, leaf 337, back]
Toucliynge the gouemau?jce off man. 20662
ffor man hath choys and voluwte,
ffredain also, and lyberte.
Hevene ne sterrys, botho two,
Ther-wz'tA haue no-thyng to do, 20666
Nor neuer afoni, power hackle,
To cause hym1 to don good or baddo. [' them St.]
" But whaw I mette ffyrst vrith the,
Off 0 thyng thow spak to me, 20670
Touchyng thy tother halff partye
Wych callyd ys ' Astronomye.'
Tel me a-noon, and have y-do, [St. &c.]
Ys she ffer now fro the go ? „ 20674
AVher ys hyr habytac'iouw, „
Hyr dwellyng, or hyr manci'ou?» ? " „
Astrologie : 2 p st., om. cj
' Wher that she be, her or yonder, [St. & c.]
We ne be nat ffer asonder, 20678
ffor vnder liyre protecc'iou?ts
I make dy vynaciowis ;
And by hyr power graiwtyd me,
I have scolerys two or tlire, 20682
Wych that on me euere abyde,
And departc nat fro my syde."
Pilgrim : 3 p St., o«. c.]
" Tel on a-noon, I pray the,
but they
don't govern
man.
Man has
choice and
freedom ;
and neither
sky nor stars
can make him
do good or ill.
Now tell me
about
Autronomy.
[leaf 207, bk.J
Astroloyy.
Astronomy is
near me.
Slie has two
Scholars I'or
divining:
The Pityrim.
Astroloffy.
the first is
20690
Pyromancy,
who divines
in the fire.
552 Of Pyromancy, Aeromancy, and Hydromancy.
ne puorim. " Declare her namys here to me, 20686
And thy-sylff no-thyng excuse,
Wher thow dost swych craff tea vse ;
ffor syth thow seyst so nyh they be,
WM al myn herte I wolde hem se."
Astrologie:1 [i6t..e».c.3
' ffor to ff ulfylle thy desyr :
The ffyrste place ys in the ffyre ;
And my scoler, ffyrst off echon,
Wher-so-euere that we gon, 20694
(I kan hyr in no wyse excuse,)
In that place she doth yt vse.
And she (as I shal specefye)
Callyd ys ' Pyromancye ' : 20698
ff ro thennys she may nat wel dysseuere ;
And in the ffyr she dwelleth euere ;
And therby (in conclus'iouM)
She maketh hyr dyvynackraM, 20702
Be yt ffoul or be yt ffayr.
' My secouwde scoler in the hayr2 p i» the ayre st.]
Pleynly, affter my doctryne,
At alle tyme's doth devyne ; 20706
And therfor (yiff thow ko?me espye,)
Hyr name ys callyd ' Aermancye.'
' The thrydde ys off ff ul gret renews,
And hath hyr habytaciouw [Stowe.ieafsas] 20710
In the se (who kan dyscerne) ;
Whom Neptunus doth goueme ;
By whom (the story telleth thus)
The myghty man Neptauabus, 20714
ffader to Alysauwdre the kyng,
Wrouht fful many A dyuers thyng ;
And in the water and in the se
Was al hys crafft, as thow mayst se. 20718
Ther-fore (me lyst nat for to lye,)
Yt ys callyd Ydromancye,
By water (in conclusiouw),
Augurye or dyvynaci'ouw. 20722
' The ffourthe, (yt nedeth nat telle,)
ffor, awhyle yiff thow wylt dwelle,
The second it
At-rmancy,
who divines
by air.
[leaf 268]
The third is
Hydro-
man cy, who
divines by
water.
The fourth is
Aetrology.
Oeomancy,
wlio divines
by earth ami
sand.
Geomancy claims to fix Sowing-times, aiid to foretell Crops. 553
' Thow shalt A-noon, her in presence
Sen ther, off experyence, 20726
ffor yt ys wrouht by manhys bond,
Somwhyle in erthii and in sond :
Ther-fore (shortly to specefye)
Yt ys callyd Geomancye.' 20730
[The Pilgrim]:
Than quod I, " tel on to me,
What be the poyntys that I se :
Declare to me, and nat ne ffaylle,
What may they helpyn or A-vaylle." 20734
Geomanc[y]e l : [' st., o«. c.j
' Be-twyxen ernest and ek game,
' Geomancye,' her ys my name.
Astrologye ys my maystresse,
That dyde my name to the" expresse ; 20738
To whos doctryne and whoa sentence
I yivij ffeyth and fful credence ;
And by thys poyntys, I kan knowe
Whan ys tyme to Ere and sowe; 20742
And wher, thys nextii yer certeyn, [c. s St.]
Ther shal be plente off frut and greyn. „
And I kan telle, nyfi and fferre, „
Bothe off pes and ek off werre ; „ 20746
And in effect, I wyl nat fFaylle „
To telle the ffyn off a bataylle.
And, that I lese nat my labour,
I take the tyme and ek the hour 20750
Whan that I my work begynne,
Who shal lesyn, or who shal wynne,
Or who shal ffaylle2 off hys plesaunce ; [' who shaiinn St.]
ffor thys poyntj ha re'semblaunce 20754
To the sygne's in the hevene,
And to the planetys alle .vij.3 p «even st.]
' And, I taake also good heed
To the tayl and to the hed, 20758
Hift a loffte, off the dragoun,
Whan I ffourme my questyouw,
Wher-on, by hevenly influence, [st<we,kaf238,bac*]
I yive trewe and iust sentence 20762
Qeomancy
Bets forth In
occupation.
By her
l''niin s she
can tell times
fur sowing
[leaf 268, bk.j
and future
crops,
peace and
war.
loss and
success,
hy the signs
in the sky
and planets,
and the tail
and head of
the Dragon,
554
Genmancy.
Ttte PHfirim.
Geomaiicif.
and the sky's
iill'ilirlnr.
The Pilgrim,
I scold
Uuomancy,
and say it
ia fully to
trust in
Astrology,
[leaf 209]
slir has no
sense in her
head,
and her craft
is dangerous
to simple
folk.
I bid lier go,
as I'm afraid
1'in in danger
of falling
/ reproach Geomancy for trusting in Astrology.
' On every thyng, and ech demauwle,
Lyk as my ffygures me comaunJc.'
Pilgrym:1 t1 si., o«.cj
" Tel fforth to me eue/ydel,
Wher-off serveth that tuel." 20766
Geomancy : 2 p «., am. c.j
' I looke thorgh (off liool cntent)
Vp-ward to the ffyrmainent,
To han, vn-to my ([uest'iouw,
A manor dysposicioun, 20770
Or tliat I my ffygur sue,
How the hevene doth influe.
Pilgryine : 3 p st., «». c.j
" Now I telle the Outterly,
That thow art ryht vnhappy, 20774
And dygno (to iny» oppynyow)
Off sliame and off coufusi'ouK,
Tliat, so myche off thy ffolye
Trustest in astrologye, 20778
Wenyng, at thy4 comauttdeineiit, [niiest.j
ffor to make the ffyrmament
As thow lyst, ryht at thy« hond,
ffor to descende vp-on the sond, 20782
By influence avale a-dou»
By cause off thy questioura;
Wenyuge ta fond5 Out a weye [5 to a found st.]
That the lievene tlie sholde obeye. 20786
" In thyn lied ys no resouw,
Clemesse nor dyscrec'tou?* ;
Tliy crafft and thow be6 peryllous [6 be, «•. st.]
To syinple ifolkys vertuous, 20790
To brynge hem in mysgouernau/jce.
I praye god, saue me fro meschau«ce,
And ffro thy grot Inyquyte !
Go hens, that I no mor th6 se ! 20794
I drede me gretly in my thouht,
That I am in pereyl brouht ;
Namly in thys dredful se,
I trowe sothly that I be 20798
ffalle on a pereyl doutl:les,
/ sail to another Isle, and meet the hay Idolatry. 555
Wych that callyd ys ' Cyrces.' " r*« pa./rhn.
lrriiys tweyne loudii gan to crye, [' A8s'tr^,[.JJ]a"d a'01™110? into Cyrces.
And gan vn-to me specefye 20802
That I was falle Vp-Oll Cyrces,2 (»»yrcesSt., cycesC.] Theytellme
And that I sholde (douteles, Men.
By no treyne nor by no lapc)
ffroni ther3 daunger nat escape. piheyrst.] 20806
And I, for dred, gan haste me s» i sail off,
Streyht ageyn vn-to the se,
And leffte hem bothe on An ylond, «n<J '«>ve
Asl rolo^y
Makynge ther poyntys in the sond. [stowe, ieaf«] 20810 °^'n"™0'11 tllo
And tha?me I gan to bydde and preye, isla"a-
That god wolde helpe me4 on my weye, t™M ]^^ here
flrorn alle5 stormys in my passage, p3inbi~(^*^p
And also fro the gret outrage 20814
Off wynde's wych that, hih and lowe, [c. &st.] t'eafwj, bk.]
Sternely at me gan blowe. „
And in the samu sylue whylo, Then i «mi
T i i i i i nnmn anollier liltlc
I sawh apere a lytel yle, 20818 isle,
AVher-ofE I haddii gret gladnessc ;
And thydenvard I gan me dresse ;
liauhte so ffer vp -with myn hond,
That, off grace, I kam to lond. 20822
And ther I sawh, off cher fful bold, ami meet on
it a hideous
A vekke, hydous and ryht old, oiairaK
(Idolatry),
And wonder Ougly off hyr chere ;
Ilyr handys she beet also yffere ; 20826
And hyr lawhyng to determyne,
Lych an horS she call tO Wyne.6 [6 wliyne Tib.] who whinnies
IT 11 u i i like a horse,
And I, my look vp-on hyr leyde,
And eveue thus to hyre I seyde : 20830
The Pylgryme:7 F Tib, pilgrim st., o«. cj
" 0 thow most ffoul in beholdyng,
Tel on the cause off thy lawhyng ! "
[C. In margin j Idolatrj-eTiU.StJ Idolatry.
' Kom On, and entre in w/t/t me. <»»a who
bids me
And the cause thow shalt se.' 20834 fom,e i"to
her house.
[The Pilgrim] : [B/ouv/or illumination ;»
nd I entrede by hyr byddyng :
And ther I ffond On8 syttyng [» «m TH>., on si.]
And I entrede by hyr byddyng : J enter with
her, and find
556 In Idolatry *s house I see a Carpenter warship an Idol.
The
an image on
a chair,
crownd like
a king,
Deaf 270]
with a shield
painted with
black Hies
and spiders,
and a churl
kneeling and
sacrificing
toil.
The churl
is a carpenter
or a mason.
lilolatry.
Idolatry
delights in
seeing the
churl worship
the Image,
and wants
me to kneel
to it.
20838
C' And mynei Tib.]
In A chayer, an ymage,
Kyht ffoul off look and off vysage :
He sat crownyd lyk a kyng,
In hys bond a swerd holdyug ;
Vp-on hys shuldrys brood and large
Me thouhtti that he had a targe, TO
Wyth Make fflyu's al depeynt :
Yrcynus1 wern A-niong hem meynt;
[An Illumination follows thin line in Tib.]
And (wych that ys ful foul to nevene) „ 20845
Ther was a maner off smoky levene2 „ [J heume Tib.]
Wych the ydole dyde embrace. ,,
And round aboutew in the place, „
Yt was fful (I yow ensure)
Off bryddiis dunge and foul ordure. 20850
To-for thys mawmet (in certeyn)
I sawh knelyn a vyleyn,
Wt't/t powdrys and3 with fumys blake, p ana <m. Tib.]
Sacryfyse for to make 20854
To thys ydole, with hys sheld.
And he that4 knelede (as I he-held) t« that <m. Tib.]
Was5 (to iuy« Oppynyouw) [5 Ami was Tib.]
A Carpenter or a masoun. 20858
Idolatry e : ' [« Tib., su, <» warp.-* c.]
Thawne thys dame Ydolatrye, [stowe.iearsas, back]
ffoul and horryble off look and Eye,
' Behold,' quod she, ' and looke wel, [Tib., leaf M]
And se the maner euecydel 20862
How I ha7 loye and gret gladnesse [' imue Tib.]
To sen thys cherl, by gret humblesse,
Toward thys mawmet hym-sylff tavau«ce,8 [e to vaum-e Tib.]
Don worshepe, and dbseruazmce ; 20866
And I abyde, for to se
That thow shalt knele vp-on thy kue,
To-fforn hym, by devoci'ouH,
fforsake thy skryppe and thy bordou?*; 20870
And, to hys myghty excellence,
Don worshepe and reuerence.'
The Pylgryme : 9 [• Tib., pilgrim st., om. c.]
Lyst for thys thyng I ffyl10 in blame, [lo Lcste . . ireiic Tib.]
Idolatry strives to deface the wordiip of God. 557
" Tel on ffyrst, what ys thy name." 20874 The pugrtm.
Dame IdolatryC : [Tib., Ydolatre St., Ydolatrye in margin C.] [leaf 270, bk.J
' Ydolatrye1 I am,' quod she, [' And idolatry* Tib j idoiatr,,.
Slie explains
' And off ff olkes that be fire,2 [« free Tib., St., tr c. »«>•»<] that .i,e is
* Idolatry,'
Ihys my custom and vsage [c., Tib., St.]
ffor to brynge hem in seruage. „ 20878
And I kan, by collusiouw,
•
Tourne al estatys vp-so-doure,
And I kan, by collusiouw, ?ml !le1' ol)-
• jeet is to
And sette (thogh ffolk liadde yt sworn,)
That ys bakward, to go beforn. 20882
To dyfface, ys my labour,
The kynges worshepe and honour, 'SJ^^W
And al that to my sylff applye. S^V^U?^
ffor I am callyd ' Ydolatrye,' 20886
The wyche (who wel loke kan)
ff rend and douhter to Satlian : s'.'« « «»
friend and
ffor Sathan (shortly for to telle) iHuS"" °f
In mawmetys I make hyw dwelle. 20890
' By thys cherl vp-on hys kne, [Tib., leaf 66, back]
Her thow mayst exau?»ple se,
How he, wyth al hys dyllygence,
Doth hym honour and reuerence, 20894
Wenynge, by hys apparaylle,
The mawmet myhte to hyra avaylle.
ffor Sathan, — that ys cloos wM-Inne, who is en-
dosed in the
To Infecte hys soule wyth synne, 20898 i**
And hys wyttys to entrouble, —
Yiveth an answere wych ys double, »"a always
gives answers
Wych hath (to marren hys entent.) with • (loub'«
* meaning.
A maner off double entendement, 20902
And leueth hym euere in nonc-certeyn,3 c>,"01"^eCrt"en'eTib]
Or kepeth hy»)i Mue't4 off dysdeyn ; [« muyt st., Muet Tib.]
And hys5 requeste doth refuse, [! his Tib., hyr c., her St.]
To make the fool more for6 to muse, [• for c., St., o». Tib.]
Lose hys tyme, off wylfulnesse. 20907
' And yet, in al hys wrechchydnesse, [stowe, l
Efft7 he doth hys dyllygence, [' ome Tib., eft St.] The churl
-ii-r ; » o i prays the idol
VVtt/i8 smoke and ftyr hyw to encense, [« with am. Tib.] ibranan-
Prayeth hys Mawmet nat to fay lie, 20911
To yive Answere, and hym9 consaylle, [«c., Tib.,
558 The Carpenter who made the Idol, yet prays to it.
r>af27i] ' And helpe hym, that he myghte spcde,
"""""•"• To forthre hym in hys gret nede, 20914
Syth he in hym doth so affye.
' Se how tliys fool, off hys ffolye,
Seth how hys Mawmet, ffoul off cliere,
butithear. Herys1 hath,2 and may nat here j fi t.Ti.Iul T?U ] 20918
not, and an-
swers not, And syttynge also in hys se,
Eyen hath, and may nat se ;
for it is dumb But ys as dowmb as stok or ston ;
And hath ffet, and may nat gon, 20922
Nor from hys chayer, a foot remewe,
Thogh al the world hywt woldu sue.
' Hys swerd, hys targe, in bataylle
May to hyw rylit nouht avaylle ; 20926
ami RS dead ffor he VS ded, as ston Or3 tre. P C., Tib., in St.] [Tib., leaf 07]
us wood.
And4 trewly (so as thynketh me,) [• And ooniy Tib.]
Whoever be- "\VllO doth to SWycll On,5 reverence, [5 oon Tib., one St.]
lieves in it is ,
afoot Requerynge6 hys benyvolence, [e itwmyrynge Tib., requeryth St.]
He ys (for short conclus'ioun) 20931
A fool, in myn oppynyoun.
' And for to touch yn hym mor ner,
Yet the car- The SaillU Syluii 7 Carpenter [' selffe same St., same silffc Tib.]
penter fi rst n An o K
made the Dyde a-forn liys bysy peyne M\)6i>
To forge hym, wyth liys handys tweyne,
And make hy»i ffyrst off swych entaylle,
and knows And wot he may nothyng avaylle 20938
him."'1 "dp To helpe hym, whan that* al ys do. C8 »!„'{" '• st" whan"e
They ben A-coursyd, bothe two : t Jj^"^
That's why And thys the cause (wyth-oute more) y^*** rei
ffyrst why that I lowh so sore.' 20942
The Pilgrim. The PylgiymC : 9 P Tib., Pilgrim St., om. C.]
Yet nat-wyth-stondyng, off entente,
To the clierl10 A-noou I wente, C'° cimrie Tib.]
i bw the car- Bad hym a-ryse, and that a-noon,
riSe' And that he sholde thenys gon, 20946
And leue hys fals oppynyouw,
[leaf sn, bk.] Go take11 hys skryppe and hys bordouw, [" T(c.-^™/)]
And, off herte ful mekly, „
and ask for- Gon and crye the kyng, mercy 20950
civeues8 for , , 1,1 /
ins guilt. Off the gylt and the trespace
1Hiy Idolatry is not justified by Pilgrims adoring Images. 559
That he hadde don in that place,
And that hys herte was so set
To worshepe A Marmoset, 20954
Wych to helpe, (fer nor ner,)
Hath no puissauwce nor power, [stowe, leaf 310, back]
Wher-off (wtVi-outii mor respyt,)
The Cherl in herte hadde gret despyt, 20958
And felly gan a-geyn abrayde,
And vn-to me ryht thus he sayde : [Tib., lears?, i
The Vyleyiie : l [' St., veleyne Tib., . . yleyn C., in
[5 C., St. they nre, Tib., St.
T/ie G-fffllattle line i« pood.']
The Pilitrim,
He scorns
me,
ptherom.Tib.] 20966
20970
20974
' How darstow 2 me her repreue, p darste thow Tib.]
Or thyw herte so to greue, 20962 llim
To sen me don swych dbwtnaufice
"VVz't// al myw hoole affyau?jce,
To thys ydetle's set on stages,
Syth pylgrymes, in ther3 passages
Honowre and worshepe, euerychon,
Ymages off tymbcr and off ston ;
And crystene peple, ful nyh alle,
On ther knes to-forn hew falle ;
And, wha« al to-gydre ys souht,
They may helpe yow ryht nowht,
Nor done to yow noon avauretage,
No mor than her, may myn yinage."
11 The Pylgryme : 4 c* Tib., pilgrim st., o«. c.-\
"That thow woldest her conclude,
Thy resou?is ar5 but rude,
ffor, sothly, we nothyng laboure
The ymages to honoure,
Stook nor ston, nor that men peyntes ;
But we honoure the holy seyntes
Off whom they beryn the lyknesse,
In our mynde, to enpresse,
Iiy'cleru6 demonstraciouTis,
Ther martyrdam, ther pass'iou«s,
Ther holy lyff, ther7 myraclea
AVych ben to vs but8 spectacles,
And as merours, that represente
Ther trewe menyng and ther9 entente,
Thor grete labour and vyctorye ;
and asks how
e reprove
when pil-
grims wor-
ship images
of wood and
stone also;
yet they help
no more than
his own Idol
does.
The Pilgrim*
20978
I tell him
this is not so.
We Chris-
tians honour
the saints
20982
[« clere St., cler C., cleer Tib.]
F and ther Tib.]
but St., but as C.] 20986
P ther om. St.]
[leaf 272]
for their
miracles(
The PH0rtm.
of Christ anil
Hi- Apostles,
nml Martyrs.
5GO Christian Images are meant to le read like Books.
" That we sholde ha memorye, [Tib., leaf esj 20990
By hem, a kalender to make,
What they suffrede for crystes sake,
Patryarches and propbe'tys,
Wych in hevene haue now her setys ; 20994
The1 passiouw off cryst hym-sylue, [' Ami the Tib.]
[An Illumination follows in Tib.]
And off hys apostelys twelue,
And off martyrs that wer vyctours ;
The pacyence off c6nfessours,
And off maydenes, in ther degre,
That deydi; 2 in vyrgyny te, f c., a*y«i Tib., dyed St.]
As clerkys in ther lyvtis3 ffynde. ptx.v.st.] [stowe.ieafsu]
" Ymages prdsente to Our mynde, 21002
And to vs, clerly expresse,
Off her lyvyng the holynesse ;
And for thys skyle, (wj't/t-outc let)
Ymages in cherches ben vp set ;
And vn-to folkys many On,
fful gret profyt also they done,
Namly, to swych (I yow ensure)
That ne kan, no lettrure ; 21010
ffor, on y mages wha« they lookys,
Ther they rede, as in ther bookys,4 c\10ty8-:.bSkjS5tTib.]
What they ouhte off ryht to sue, [Tib., leaf 68, back]
And also what they shal5 eschewe, [5 scimide Tib., simid st.]
Our images
express tiie
Saints' lioly
lives,
and are
set up in
cliurclies
that the un-
learned may
read from
them as from
books;
and learn
what to An,
and to avoid.
[leaf 272, bk.]
Hut why
should he
worship the
Idol, which
contains
Satan,
and will hurt
him mort-
ally?
Ther they may yt clerly lere.
" But off thy mawmet, I wolde here,
Wych may the no thyng socoure,
Why thow sholdest hym honoure.
ffor (who that any resouw kan,)
Wit/i-Inne, enclosyd ys Sathan,
And ther hym-sylff hath mad a se,
The prynce off al inyquyte,
21015
21018
21022
The wyche6 (shortly for tendyte,) [« which* Tib., St., «-ych c.]
fful mortally he shal the quyte,
Whan he seth tyme, and best leyser.
And therfor, now, whyl thow art her, 21026
Off thy Mawmet for to telle,
Sey on ; for I ne may nat dwelle."
/ meet the old hag Sorcery, who hooks me.
561
c Tib., o«. c.j
[J geste Tib., getet St.]
21030
21034
The Vyleyn : * [' *t., veic
' Thow gest2 no mor, as now, for me ;
But off 0 thyng I wariiti the ;
Yiff thow in thys place abyde,
Myn ax shal thorgh tliy uekkij glyde,
But yifE3 thow do to myw Image,
Lowly worshepe and homage.
dies yiff3 the lyst, and lat me so,
ifor thow gest4 no mor off me.' [* getest st., geste Tib.]
The Pylgryme : 5 p Tib., pilgrim st., o«. c.j
Than I stood in flul gret duute.
And as I tournede me aboute, 21038
Myd off thys He that I off tolde,
And euery party gan beholdo,
Myd off thys se, lookyng ech way
How I myhte eskapc a-way ; 21042
And to- for myw Eye6 I fond [«eyneSt.] [Tib., leaf 09]
A Maryssh, or elles a merssh" lond, [' menin St.]
That perilous was, and ful profouwde,
And off ffylthus ryht habouwde. 21046
And thyder-ward as8 I gan hye [»wasc.]
A vekke Old me dyde espye,
Komyng wit/< an owgly cher; [stowe, leaf 311, back]
Vp-on hyr hed, a gret paner; 21050
In hyr ryht hand (as I was war,)
An hand kut off, me sempte she bar.
And, or any hede I took,9 P i to..k Tib. (c. burnt), »he ti>ke St.]
.She kauhte me "with a crokyd hooke.10 i">-^'^'""'"1'
[JJlaitk in MS. fw an Illumination, given in Tib.
Tlie old Witch /«w, in her left hand, a lony stick,
hooJit under the Pilgrim's left armpit; and her
riijht haiul ijrasps a big cut-off hand by its ?rm/.]
And as slie gan me fastc holde,
I axede hyre what that she wolde, 21056
And make11 a declarae'Jou» [" make c., Tib., St.]
Off name and off coudyc'foun.
IT Sorcerye : 12 [|J Tib., st., <m. c.]
Quod she : ' vnderstond me thus ; 21059
My liamij yS 'BythalaSSUS,'13 ['MjytUalassusIib., Uythassus C., St.]
Wych ys to seyne, (who lyst14 se) [" 'ystc Tib., lyst c., St.]
PILGRIMAGE. O O
Tlie nilniii.
The Car-
penter de-
clares be'li
chop my
bead oft1 if
I don't
worship his
Idol.
and go to-
wards a
marsli.
On the way
I meet an old
hag (Sorcery)
with a basket
on her head,
and a cut-oft"
hand in Irer
right hand.
[leafZVS]
She seizes
hold of me
with her
hook.
Sorcery
tells me she
is Hytlm-
liiBSiis,
562
Sorcery.
and her
name is
Sortilege or
Sorcery
lot at St., nat C.,
not Tib.]
Sortilege or Sorcery, who should le cold Malef.cc.
' A ffamous pereyl off the se,
In wych (vvyth-outen any grace) [Tib, leaf 69, back]
Alle ! ffolk that forby pace, [' AIU, Tib., AI c., AH St.] 2 1 OC4
And alle tho that thorgh me gon,
I make hem perysshen,2 eue»yehon. [' p«ry«he St.]
' And also ek touchyng my name,
I am callyd (by gret dytfame, 21068
As som 3 ffolkys specefye,) [3 »om c., Tib., some St.]
' Sortylege4 or Sorcerye.' C4 Cortyiage Tib.]
Many folkys thus me calle ;
And yet they hate me nat5 alle ;
I am be-lovyd, bothe ffer and ner.
' And I ber ek in thys paner
(Who that wit/j-Iuue lyst to seke)
Many knyves and hoodys ek,
Dyvers wryte's and ymages,
OynemeJitys and herbages,
Gadryd in constellac'iouHS ;
ffor I obserue my sesouws,
and make off hem elleccyou/i
afftir myne oppynyoun.
And ' Maleffyce ', folkes6 alle, [Tib.]
Off ryght, they shulde me so calle.
I have ful many evel vsages
Off drynkes and off beverages, „
Wherby I make (her and yonder,)
ffrendys for to parte assonder ;
ffor, Wt't/t fals COwiurySOUreS7 [7 C. & Tib., eouiarationl St.]
And viih myn ineawtac'iouTis,
And many dyuers enchauretemeiit,
Sondry folk ben offte slient. 21092
And, wt't/t dyuers crafftys ek,
I kan make men ful sek ;
And so?rcme also ful cursydly
ffor to deye sodeynly. 21096
'And, in lordys ek presencys, [stowe, learzw]
I kan make ek8 apparencys [> eke mi.ke Tib.j
Whan that me lyst, ful many On, [Tib., leaf-oj
Yiff I sholde telle he?w eiu-rychon.' 21100
The Pilgrim. ^ The PylgrymC : 9 C9 Pilgrim Tib., St., on. C.]
(with knives,
and oiut-
meiitBt&c.ttn
her basket, ;
[leaf 273, bk.]
bnt alie
should be
raid ' Mule-
fice/
na her drinks
21073
21076
21080
[« Malyfite folks St.]
[Tib.] 21084
[Tib. & C.]
and enchant-
ments ruin
folk,
and kill Rome.
How Sorcery went to the Devil's School, and lost her Soul. 5C3
puarim.
" Tel on, (wi't/t-oute mor taryng,)
\Vher lernystow al thy komiyng.1" t1 k"J',f"lfel,s^Tib
IT Sorcerye : 2 [* Tib., St., erye, i« mari/in C.] Sorcery.
' Sothly, (as I reherse kan,) shegoti.er
I lernede my ko?Hiyng off Sathan, 21104 s'atan'Jwh'o0'"
r t rrl . ,. - lias his school
[An Illumination follows in Tit*., of the Devil and near),
four women, one with a lony-headed rod, and an-
other with a child in her amis.]
Wych halt hys scole nat hewnys ffer,
And hath ydon ful3 many A yer. [3ydonest.]
And to that scole kome and gon, 21107
Off scolervs ful many4 on • P scolars • • m""y a st-- "coler" • • mmf
J * Tib., scolerys . . manyng U.J
And he, aboue al maner thyng,
Ys ful glad off ther komyng.
And off that Art, in many wyse,
Ther, I ha5 lernyd the gnyse. [* haue Tib.] 21112
And offte6 sythe (yiff thow lyst se,) [» otrte c., Tib., eft st.j
Ther, wyth othor scolerys be.'
1T The Pylgryme : 7 ['Tib., piigrimst., o».c.] TO> puarim.
" Tel on (and make no mor lettynge8) [Tib., leafvo, back]
What gaff thow hy»i for thy kuwnynge91!" [stletc
1T
: 10 [• kU'mynje Tib , oouynge St.] [ic Tib., St., om. C.] Sorcery.
21117
in return for
21120
'The trouthe', yiff I telle shal,
My soule I gaff hy;», hool and al,
And forsook (by chaffaryng)
The werkys off the myghty k}rng.
And who that euere wyl do so,
And to that scole approche vn-to,
He may (yiff that I shal nat lye,)
ffynde ther swych11 mercerye.' C" f^d,;1;e''T'jb'e]st-' frynde ' '
If The Pylgryme : 12 t" Tib., pilgrim st., am. c.]
" Thow hast (as I shal devyse,) 21125 iteiiher
Mad a shrewde13 marchauwlyse, [13 schrewyd Tib.]
To yeue14 A thyng off gret noblesse, [" yue c., jeue Tib.]
T-. ,, • .
Lxcellyng ek in worthynesse,
And also off so15 gret vertu, [>» so c., St., <m. Tib.]
ffor a thyng off no valu,
And (off trouthe and off resouw)
Most wyl16 off reputac'ioure; ['« vyie TH>., vyii st.] 21132
ffor the wych, (I dar wel telle,)
baa deal,
to give her
"oul for a
21128 worthless
564 Of the face Physiognomy, and the hand Chiromancy.
" In gretii1 pe/'eyl thow dost chvelle, [' gwt c., St., gvet Tib.]
(02 verray soth, And off no lape,)
The Pilgrim.
and that
she stands in
great peril,
Sorcery.
but she
doesn't
repent,
and will not
change tho*
she goes to
Hell for it.
[leaf 274, bk.]
The Pilgrim.
I a»k her
wliat the
cut-off hand
means.
Sorcery.
She says
Mathesis
gave it her
long ago,
and also a
whole face,
cald ' Physi-
ognomy, and
the hand is
•Chiro-
mancy.' to
tell folks' for-
tvtnes by.
The Pilffrim.
Sorcery.
[6-«y«. line']
Man is cald a
Microcosm,
[» haue St.] 21140
[Tib., leaf 71]
[Stowe, leaf 342, back]
21144
Neuere lykly to eskape."
f Sorcerye : 2 P Tib-. st-. *» mar'i" C-J
' Al thy seyyng, eue/'ydel,
I wot my-sylff that, wonder we! ;
ffor I stonde in swych meschatwce
That I ha3 no repentauwce ;
I am so ffer ybrouht wit7<-Inne,
And engluyd so wz'Ui synne,
So clevynge vp-on my» errour,
That I truste on no socour ;
ffor thogh I sholde go to helle,
I wyl nat go ffro that I telle.'
IT The Pylgryme : 4 [* Tib., »,». c., st.]
" Declare to me, and haue Ido, [Tib.]
Where-off seruith that hand also „ 21148
whiehe thow5 holdyst now so ffaste : „
Thys thyng, expowne to me in hast." pthow St., that Tib.]
IT Sorcerye : 6 P Tib., St., erye <n margin C.]
Quod she to me ageyn" a-noon ; r7 ageyn, <w».T!b.]
'Mathesis, fful yore agon, [c.&Tib.] 21152
Gaff yt to me (by gret outrage,)
And also ek8 an hool vysage, [8 c., Tib., eke also st.:
"VVych that I haue in my depoos,
Her, wit/t-Inne niy paner cloos. 21156
Yt ys ycallyd ' Fhysonomye,'9
And thys hand 'Cyromancye,'9 [» Tib. transposes these lines.]
To telle the dysposic'ioims
Off ff oik, and thor condyc'iou?is.' 21160
II The Pylgryme : 10 ['" Tib., pilgrim st., am. c.]
" Tel on ! expowne that thyng to me,
In what wysi; that inyhte be,
Or that thow and I dysseuere ;
ffor, at that scole I was neuere." 21164
f Sorcerye : u [" Tib., st., o«. c.]
' Herdystow neuere (off aventurc) [Tib., leaf 71, back]
That a man, in serypture,
Off thys12 phylosofres alle, [» That off these Tib.]
How ' Mycrocosme ' 13 they hywt calle, [ls ^^^BB, C-]
Man is a Microcosm. His hand is starrd like the Heavens. 565
' (Shortly to tellen, at 0 word) sorcery.
Xat ellys but ' the lasso world ' ] ' 2 1 1 70 or the ie»»
IT The Pylgryme : l i> Tib., wigrim st., o,«. c.j ™ pi/anm.
" I haue herd yt2 in scolys offte, p Ami i imue herd Tib.]
Ther yrad,3 bothe loude and sofftc." p "',^u,e™'ibs V' lvherc '
IT Sorcerye : 4 [« St., . . ei-ie i« margin C.] Sorcery.
' Thyn Answere mvt be vcrrefycd ; 21173
Thys lasso world ys stellefyed which is
Til j i^ it stardlike
-Lych hevene, and as the ttyriuaiuent, the sky;
Ther-off to make A lugement, — 21176
Vnderstonde by bothe two,
The vysage and the hand also, — tii.it is, by
TT . , man's face
v p-on wych, by trewe sy lit, and hand.
Men may yive a doom A-ryht, 21180 [leaf 275]
Telle the condyc'iouws By the lines
T5y dyvers lyneaciouns man's fate
•\\T l 41, i. i /T 11 \ can be told;
\Vych ther be set (I the ensure,) they are
Ryht as sterrys off nature. 21184 stars™8
IT The Pylgryme : 5 P Tib, Pilgrim St., am. C.] The Pilgrim.
" To thy wordys I may accorde i partly agree
with yon,
In party, and nat dyscorde, sorcery.
That a maw whom we nevene [stowe, leafsnj
Ys ysterryd as the hevene ; 21188
But her-vp-on, in substaunce,
Thow puttest nat in rcmembraunco, nut recollect,
Namynge thylke lyneact'ou»s,
By namys off constellacj'oiujs ; [Tib, leaf 72] 21 192
(for trewely 6 (who kan remewibre) t6 "f^^"'-' trewly °-
The body off man, and eue>y me/ubre, man's i,,>,iy
T, a, .1 ... i» of earth,
Ben off erthe, in certeyn, ami win
turn to earth.
And to erthe shal tourne ageyn. 2119G
" And, affter philisofres talys, riiiiosophers'
Ther ben hylle's, ther ben wales,7 C7 talis..-. • "'{8 Tib- tallu • • thm S I'm's
and valleys,
Medwcs, ryvers, bothe two,
Wylde bestys ek also, 21200
And grete ffeldys men may sen, fleM» ana
paths,
And pathes that hem depacteth8 a-t\ven, p dcparte Tibj
And places also off desert,
S.»//me open, sommo couert : 21204
Thys be the lyneac'ioims and lines caid
566 Man's Heaven is his Soul; his Sun is his Reason.
The pit.jrim. " Y-uainyd constcllac'iouHS,
In the handys and the vysage,
Wherby, clerkys that be sage,
Affter thyra oppyuyouw,
Make dyvynacwuw,
And declare to the and me
(Who that kan beholde and se)
A ma/fhys1 dysposic'ioure.
Constella-
tions in mull's
hands and
I'aces,
whereby
their disposi-
tions can be
divined.
21208
21212
nut all tlii*
is fables and
lies.
[leaf 275, bk.]
The only
heaven in
uiuii is his
soul.
and of this,
the Sun or
intellect
is his reason :
and his good
example is
the Stars.
Clerks call
the less
world man,
and his Stars
make him
cald Celestial.
But to sup-
pose tliat
shapes and
lines
[' mannes Tib., mans St.]
" But al thys, in conclus'iomz ;
To devyne, by swych2 thynges, [» swyche Tib., niche m.]
AT but fables and lesynges. [c.&Tib.i 21216
ffor, (yiff thow wylt trewly nevene,) „
In A man, ther ys noon hevene,
(ffor to name y t trewuly.3) p trewly e., truly st.j
But hys sowlii al only. 21220
What so euere ther-off thow tellt-s,
That ys hys hevene, and nothyng ellys :
Thus clerkys seyn, that trouthe konne.
And, off thys, the bryhte sonne 21224
Narayd ys (in sentemeut)
Intellect or entendement.'4 [« C., Tib., Incdent or encendement St.]
The niOlie5 (in COncluSlOUw) P mone Tib., name C.]
Ys ycallyd hys resouw, [Tib., leaf 71, back] 21228
Hys vertues, and goode thewes.
"And good exau»nple that he shewcs,
Tho ben the sterrys bryht and clere,
Wych that in thys heuene apere. 21232
And houly clerkys, in bookys kan,
' The lasse world ' thus calle A man.
And who that hath most holynesse
In vertu, haveth most bryhtnesse : 21236
Wych sterrys make a mare at al
To be callyd ' celestyal,' [stowe, leaf sts, back]
And concluden (off Eesou?j,)
Hevenly dysposic'ioujj. 21240
Thys the trowthe, wft//-oute glose.
" And lyk thy wordys, I suppose,
Affter the Caas off thy seyyng;8 [s seiynge Tib., snyenge St.]
That swyche toknys outward shewyng, 21244
tfygures or7 lyneac'iou^ts, p and Tib.]
Maries in a man's Hand or Face can't control his Acts. 507
" Shewede the condyciouws, The rugrim.
And outward made ther-ou A skyl
Off governance towchyng hys wyl, 21248 govern Man's
Off folkys inclinac'iouws, —
Yt ar1 but fals fllndaciOU7lS, [' That are Tib.] nonsense.
(Ther-vp-on, who lyst to se,)
To conclude necessyte, 21252
That yt muste be so off ryht. [leaf zw]
" ffor tooknyg, in A mailhys2 Syllt, [> maimes Tib., mans St.] They are but
signs, and oft
And sygnes (bothe at eve and prune,) deceive.
Deceyve and faylle ful off to tyme, 21256
To folk that looke -with eyen cler.
Ryght as, off A tauerner, A« a tavemer
The grene bussh that hangeth out, creen bust
for a sign,
Ys a sygne (yt ys no doute,) 212GO
Outward, folkys for to telle,
That wt'tA-Inne ys wyn to sell. that wine is
on Bale iu-
And for al that, (I the ensure) "Me;
Yt may falle3 off a venture, pfoyiest.] [Tib., leaf 73] 2126-1
ffor alle the bowes, rekne echon, but ""no-
times it isn't.
That, wt'tA-Inne, wyn ys ther noon.
"And Eveue (to purpos off thys cas,)
Yt ffyl thus off Ypocras, 21268 The shape
mi i r a"d in!aB« of
The phylysofre ful famous, thephiiogo-
" J J pher Hippo-
Kyht prudent and vertnoua, cra»
Off whom the ffygur and yniage
And tooknys alle off hys vysage, 21272
Wer ybrouht to Phylemouw, were brought
* toPhylemon,
A phylisofre off gret renoure,
ffor to descryue hem by and by,
And to concluden naturelly 21276
Al the inclynaciouns
And also the condiciioims
Off Ypocras, that was so wys.
" And Philemoun (by short avys) 21280
Concludede (as in settlement) who, by
tbem, ad-
Tliat he was incontynent, jmigd inm to
be a vicioue
And off hys lyvyng vycyous, man-
And naturely ek lecherous. 21284
ffor (whan he took good heed tlicr-to,)
508
Chiromancy &c. are accursed Arts.
But Hippo-
eras bridled
hia inclina-
tions by his
reason, and
lived virtu-
ously.
His outward
slmpeand
lines caused
no necessity
The Pilgrim. " The tooknys outward told hym so,
By Open demonstrac'iouw. [stowe, leafs*!]
" But ypocras, (off good resoun) 21288
[leaf 276, bk.] By vertu only, dyde hys peyne,
Alle the sygne's to restreyne,
ffor-dydo liys inclynac'ioujz
Wyth a brydel off resouw ; 21292
And wyth hys fflessh held swych a stryff,
That lie was vertuous off lyff.
" The tooknys (who so lyst to se)
Causede noon necessyte ; 21296
ffor, thogh they gaff an apparcnce,
They wer fals1 in existence, [' were «Tai»e Tib.]
And maden a ful strong lesyug [Tib., leaf 73, back]
To PhylemouM in hys demyng. 21300
" Wher-for, lerne tliys off me ;
Lat thy ffantasyes2 be, [' ffimte«ye Tib.]
ffor to brynge3 folk in4 rage, P bry"MnTiV]ry"g °'f "^
Both off thy/j hand and thy vysage, 21304
And also ek off thy paner
Wyche5 that thow she west her. [s wtuciie Tib., St., wych c.]
ffor they be superstycious,
Cursyd, and ryht contagyous; 21308
And therfor, by the rede off me,
A-noon let cast hem in the Se."
And in thys poynt, good hed I took,
And brak6 loos oute off hys hook ; [« brake Tib., St.]
Therefore
tliese arts are
superstitious,
and accurst.
Chuck em
into the sea.
Then I broke
away from
Sorcery
and went to
a rock,
and was Boon
surrounded
by the sea.
Aud, wyth-oute ruor delay,
Wen to forth vp-on my way,
Tyl at the laste I gan Aproche
ffastii by vn-to A roche.
And I a-noon (off goode entente)
Ther-vp-on, a-noon I wente.
And to thys roche large 7 and squar,
The se kam doun, or I was war,
And besette me round aboute ;
Wher-off I stood in ful gret doute,
And hadde in herte fful gret wo,
Whan I was besegyd so
Wyth the floodys steme and huge,
21313
21316
P longe Tib.]
21320
21324
The old Enchantress, Scylla, or Conspiracy.
And knew,1 as tho, no refuge, [ikneweTib., knew c., st.]
Confort nor consolac'iouw.
And sodeynly I sawh konie dou?* 21328
A wonder Old enchauwteresse,
And to me-ward she gan hyr dresse.
And I sawh wel ek ther I stood,
On the wawes how she rood, 21332
Off look and chere2 fful pervers ; [» chere St., ciier c.]
And howndys manye and dyvers [Tib., leaf 71]
She hadde, behynde and ek beforn ; [stowe, leaf 344, back]
And myghtyly she blewh an horn, 21336
Made hyr houralys a gret route,
ffor tassaylle me round aboute.
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination, given in Tib.,
of the Horribloicer on the waves, and the Pilgrim on
his little bit of ground, and eight hounds round
And as I stood vp-on the wrak,
Evene thus to me she spak :
1T Scilla, (or) Conspiracciovw : 3
QwocZ she, ' thow must descende a-douw,
ffor ther geyneth no rauwsouw
But that thow shalt devoured be
Off thys houndys, that thow dost se.'
IT The Pylgryme : * [4 Tib , pilgrim st., on. cj
" Certys," quod I, " yt is no nay,
I stonde in a perillous way ;
But, I praye the, in thys rage,
Let me nat off my passage,
Nor bryng me nat in no dyffame
Tyl that thow ha told thy name,
And shewyd, by relac'iouw,
Thy maner, and thy condyci'ouw."
Scilla, Conspiracyoun : 5
' My name (for short conclusiouw)
Ys callyd ' Conspiraciioim,'
Or ellys (what so euere falle,)
' Scilla ' ek thow mayst me calle ;
And am ek (yiff thow lyst6 se)
On off the pereilles off the se.
21344
21348
[Tib., leaf 74, back]
21352
P Tib., St., am. C.]
569
The Pilgrim.
[leaf 277]
An old en-
chantress
(Scylla)
comes to me,
riding on
tlie waves,
and sets her
hounds at
me.
21340
Tib. (om. St.,
in margin C.)]
Scj/lta, or
Conspiracy.
She bids me
come down,
or her dogs
'II devour me.
The Pifffrim.
I :i-.l. her not
to hinder me
till site's told
me her name.
Sci/tta.
[leaf 277, bk/J
She says it's
Conspiracy,
21356 or Scilla,
t6 lysle to Tib., lyst C., St.]
a peril of the
sea.
570
Conspiracy's Hounds that carry out her Frauds.
Scpllti, or
Conspiracy.
She hunts
folk who row
in it,
and makes
her hounds
bark at 'em.
They bite
grievously,
nnd are
I'ouplt'tl by
great oaths.
If they don't
bark, they
bite men,
and work by
fraud.
She tells a
story of two
kings
who went
to war.
The flntt
attackt, with
his knightB,
[leaf 278]
who had
sworn tile
day before to
fight well.
But they
tail,! him,
213GO
2 1304
['or greet
' I chace at horn that ther-in Kowe,
And make the felle floodys fluwe,
ffolkys for to putte in doute,
Do myn houwdys, ful gret route,
Berkyn, and gret noyse make ;
And grete bestys for to take
Wtt/i-oute noyse or1 berkyng :
Wonder grevous ys ther bytyng.
I couple hem wt't/t myn ovvne liondys,
And grete hothe's2 ben the bondys
Wyth wych I make ther allyaunce,
Bothe by feyth and assunumce.
' Wyth the noysij that they make,
Pylgrymes offte they do?z a-wake ;
And tliogli they berke nat On A man,
fl'ul mortally they hyten kan ;
And thogh they by ten by greet3 sleyhte,
Ther berkyng ys no thyng on heyhte ;
Ther fraude ys do so couertlye,
That no maw may yt espye ;
ffor, vnder colour, (in sothnesse,)
They wyl ha4 thank for her falsnesse. [• woie haue Tib.]
< An/1 tn TMirnno nff flivs rlivntr [leaf 75, Tib., with a big l!lu-
Ana, to purpos n tnjs uiyng, ^tutotftmtotgigiiiiit
Yt flyl onys, tliat a kyng,
A-geyn a-nother kyng nat ferre,
Off purpos held A. mortal werre ; 21384
And wt't/t the meyne that they wt't/i-hcld,
Bothe they kam in-to the ffeld. [stowe, leaf MS]
'The ffyrste kyng that I off telle,
With6 knyhtys that aboute hyw dwelle,
On whom he trustede as hys lyff,
Gan fyrst asayllen in thys stryff ;
But for al that, I, wrt/t my wyle,
Thus I dyde the kyng begyle :
I made hys knyhtys, the6 day to-forn,
Vn-to hywi for to be sworn,
Ther-vp-on her lyff to spende,
That they sholde hym wel dyffende,
And knyhtly gouenie the bataylle.
' But at the poynt, thoy dyde liy/» faylle ;
[» othe. Tib.] 2 1308
21372
P greet Tib., gre
C., St.]
21376
21379
[sof St., with
Tib., C.]
21389
2 1392
21396
How Scylla makes a King's Knights deceive him. 571
' They entren in wt't/t manly chore ;
And whan they gan assemble yfere, 21400
Off purpos, thys1 knyhtys eue/ychon, {' these Tib , the. st.j
Wer y-yolden, On by On,
By sleyhte and by collusiiouw,
To make hyw paye ther rau»sou». 21404
Wherfor, the same kyng, alias, [Tib,ieaf75,b.cio
Was decey ved in thys caas ;
With shame and gret cowfus'iouw
Drowh bak vn-to hys pavylTioiiH, 21408
Supposynge, in hys drede,
That thys knyhtys off manhede
Hadde be take in that dystresse,
Off manhood and off hih prowesse. 21412
And therfor, touchyng ther raiwsouw,
'1 he kyng made ther redempciioura.
And whan that they kam to hys syht,
He thawkede hem wz't/t al hys myght, 21416
Demynge, off manhood, for hys sake,
That they liadde, echon be take,
And lovede hem more than beforn,
Be-cause they han hem so wel born
But al was fals decepc'ioura,
Contrayre to hys oppynyouw.
' And swyche2 houwdys douteles,
God wot, I ha mo than a les ;
Off hem, plente and gret foysouw,
ffor to cachche me venysouw,
Off ffatte bestys, hih off gres,
WM howndys that be nat Eekkeles, 21428
To chachche," and brynge what they may, [> cache stj
Hoom to my larder, day be day.
Swych hotmdys, my« horn wel knowe,
And they wyl kome whan I blowe, 21432
And fawne also whan they me seth.
And thow most fele ther sharpe teth ;
And 4 trusts wele, they shal nat f aylle, [• And Tib, for st.]
In al hast, the tassaylle.'5 t5 ^ "wyiie Tib., to assayii st.i
. j ., ., [Slowe, leaf, 315, back]
And wyth the blowyng off hyr horn,
(Bothe behynde and beforn,)
Sci/tla, or
Conepiracy.
and surrend-
enl, in order
to make him
pay their
ransom.
So the king
had to re-
treat,
21420
P swyclie Tib, swych C.
suclie St.]
21424
and redeem
his kuighta.
Then lie
tbankt them
for their
manhood,
and lovd
them ;
but the whole
thing was a
fraud.
[leaf 278, bk.]
Scylla has
many hounds
to catch her
venison, &c.
line]
When Scylla
blew her
horn,
Tile Pilgrim.
her hounds
attuckt me !
But the
waves make
her and her
lings
withdraw,
Scylla.
she threaten*
ing to be
revenged if
ehe finds me
again.
[Tib., leaf 70] 21 440
21444
21448
21452
572 Scylla's hounds bite me. I am on a rock in the sea.
As cruelly as the hoimdys kan,
Vp-on me echon they ran,
And gan assaylle me mortally :
They berke, l they byte,1 ryht felly, ['-' »«. St., they bete Tib.]
And to me dydo ful gret wrong,
The grete lemerys wer so strong.
And liadde nat the floodys be,
That drowh ageyn in-to the See,
And ek Scilla (of whom I tolde,)
Wt't/i hyr Eyen ffoul and Olde,
Caste hyr look on me A-non,
And sayde that she imistu gou
Bakwai'd, and hyr-sylff wit/i-drawe
\Vyth the flood and wyth the wawe ;
[Scylla or Conspiration.]
' But ffyret,' <\nod she, 'ha thys in mynde,
A-nother tyme, yiff I the ffynde,
Truste fully, I shal be
Bet avengyd vp-on the.' 2145G
[The Pilgrim.]
And whan hyr hoimdys and she wer gon,
I leffte behynclen al aHon,
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination, given in Tib.,
of the Pilgrim lying on his little oral green Island
in the sea, his bare knees, chest, and right arm
showing thro' rents in his torn white robe.]
Al to-torn and rent w/tft wondys
Thorgh bytyng off hyr cruel houndys, 21460
Wyth gret sorwe and pass'iouw,
In torment and afflicc'iouw ;
And me remewibryng in certeyn, [Tib., leaf 70, back]
That yiff the floodys kome ageyn, 21464
She sholde, tencresse wz't/i my wo.
Kome ageyn hyr-sylff also ;
Therfore, to fflen out off hyr syhte,
In the beste wyse I myghte. 21468
I dyde my labour and my cure,
In hope my sylue;? to assure,
Yiff I myhte, by hap or grace,
To drawc to •som otlier place. 21472
[leaf 479]
I am left
alone in
torment,
and try to get
to some other
place.
In a trance, I see a Tower revolving like a Wheel. 573
••
[leaf 97 Tib., 84«Stowe]
21488 [Ieaf279,bk.]
And whyl I lay thus in A trance,
In gret Anoy and pe'rturbaiuace,
I herde a voys mellodyus,
Wonder soote and gracyous, 21476
Wych was to me ful gret plesau»ce ;
ffor I forgat al my grevaunce,
My dool and al my passioim,
Wyth mellodye oif thylke soun. 21480
But as I stood thus in a wher,
And drowhe1 me toward the ryver,
A Tour I sawh, wylde and savage,
And squar abouten, oif passage, 21484
[An Illumination of the Toicer follows in Tib., with
flames coming out of six holes below the battlements.
The Pilgrim is shown on his Island.]
Wych hadde Bounde2 ffenestrallys, [« Round c., St., rownd Tib.]
Percyd thorgh, vp-on the wallya ;
At wyche hoolys, (out off doute,)
Smoke and flawme passede oute ;
And yet tliys tour (who loke wel,)
Tournede abouten as a whel
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
Vp-on the fflodys Envyroun,
Wyth the wawe's vp and dou«. 21492
Somwhyle (as I koudti knowe)
The hiest party was most lowe ;
And also (ek I sawh ful offte)
The lowest party set alolfte ; 21496
And thus, by transmutaci'ouw,
Yt turnede alway vp so douw.
And in tliys whyle, euer Among,
I herde a melodyous song, 21500
Off On (as I koude vnderstond,)
That ber a phetele3 in hys hond; [» phethcie Tib., pheteii St.]
And thys menstral (soth to seyne)
Was departyd evene a tweyne : 21504
ffrom the myddel vp, A man,
Donward (as I relierse kan)
A bryd wynged merveyllously,
Wyth pawnys streynynge mortally. 21508
The Pilarim.
In a trance,
I hear a me-
lodioiiu voice,
which makes
me forget my
grief.
I go towards
the river,
and see a
square tower,
wliich turns
round like a
wheel
with the
waves.
Sometimes
the top is nt
the bottom ;
and then the
bottom is at
the top.
In the Wheel
is a Minstrel,
who is man
above and.
bird below.
57-i A Merman, Worldly Gladness, tells me what he dees.
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination, given in Tib., of
a Bird-man flying to the Pilgrim, a curvd fiddle
in his left hawl, itx curvd bow in his right.}
And thys beste J ful savage, [' beeste Tib., best c.]
Lyk a man off hys vysage,
Spak to me tful curteysly ; [Tib., lest 77, back]
And thus he sayde muryely ;2 [» merely Tib.] 21512
IT Gladnesse off the World :3 [' Tib., ;» *<,«*„ c.]
' Tel on to me (and sey nat nay,)
What maner solace, or what play
Lovest thow best : tel on, lat se,
And I shal pleyn to-fore* the; ^•^S^*
ffor I kan (lych to thyn entent) 21517
Pleye on euery instrument ;
And,5 for to make' lordys cher, [' And am. Tib.]
"Bothe at ches and the cheker, 21520
Tlie dravvhtes ther-off, ful wel I kan,
Ye / bet than any other man.
And whan that ylke play ys do,
ffor shepperdys I kan also, 21524
At the merellys, best off alle,
Whan so that they lyst me calle,
Type and taboure in the strete,
Wyth lusty folkys whan I6 mete. [« they Tib.] 21528
' At weddynges, to do plesau?ice,
I kan karole wel, and7 daunce ; [' and wei Tib.]
In euery play I do excelle.
And yt wer to long to telle 21532
The dysportys and the playes
That I vse on somer dayes :
My loye ys al in merthe and game; 21535
And ' Worrldly8 Play,' that ys my name. [" wordeiy Tib.]
' Men may me calle (off equyte)
A Mermayden off the se, [stowc, leaf 346, back]
That synge off custom, ay gladdest,
To-forn a storm and9 a tempest, [' or St., and Tib.] 21540
To make ek folk10 (thys my labour,) ['° foike eke TH>.]
To forgete ther creatour ;
And folk in my subiecctouw,
I brjTige hem to destruccwnw.' [Tib., leaf 78] 21544
Tht Pitarim.
[leaf 880]
WorhUu
Qladiirit*.
Tills Minstrel
offers to play
to me, as he
can play
everything,
niul amuses
lords as well
aa shepherds.
He sings
anil dunces at
weddings ;
and his name
is ' Worldly
Play,1
a Mermaid
(or Merman)]
of the Sea.
He makes
people forget
their Creator,
and ruins
them.
[leaf 280, bk.]
How Admiral Satan halt the Turning Tower. 575
21548
21552
[» Tih., worldly gladnen
St., OBI. C.J
P Fyrnte Tib., Fyrst C., St.]
21556
215GO
IT The Pylgryme : l [> Tib., Pilgrim st., <,». c.j
" Thogh thow be-gynne in gladnesse,
Thow endest euere in wrechchyduesse ;
Ellys I wolde, for my plesaimce,
Wyth the haven aqueyntauwce.
I pray the, put me out off doute
Off thys tour turnynge aboute ;
What maner thyng that yt.may be,
ffyrst off alle, that wolde I se."
11 Wordely Gladnesse : *
' ffyrst,3 (yiff thow lyst to se,)
The grete Amyral off the see,
Wych that callyd ys Sathan,
Thys tour sothly he began ;
ffor he fyrst (off entenci'ouw)
Made ther hys habytacisouw.
And other shyp ne hath he noon,
Among the floodys for to gon,
In the wyche, by gret deceyt,
He lyth euere in a-wayt,
Wyth pylgrymes to holde stryff,
And to make hem lese her lyff.
He seth, bothe by liyl and vale,
Thorough4 thylke hoolys smale,
By what weye that they gon ;
(Amongys wyche, thow art on,)
And, to deceyve hem in her weye,
Her he niaketh me sytte, and pleye
With soote song and armonye,
AHe pylgrymes to espye. 21572
Yt behoueth the taproche,
Or that thow go ner to that roche.' [Tib., leaf 78, back]
^ The Pylgryme : 5 p Tib., Piigrim st., „,„. c.j
" Expowne fyrsWyk 6 my desyr ; [« fflrste TO., fyrst lyke St.]
Wherfor serueth the smoky ffyr
That yssetli 7 at the hoolys oute,
In thylke tour8 round aboute :
Wych thyng, fyrst to me declare ;
And thanne to pleye, I shal nat spare."
f Worldly Gladnesse : 9
The Pilgrim.
I ask him
what tlie
Turning
Tower
ineana.
Worldly
Qladnens.
-.
He says that
Satan, Ad-
miral of the
Sea, began
this tower,
and ever lies
ill wait for
pilgrims.
21564
[* Thorough Tib., Thorgh C.,
thrwghe St.]
21568
He bids me
play sweet
songs to de-
ceive them.
Tile Pilgrim.
21576
P yssyth Tib., yssnythe St.]
[B towre Tib.]
21580
1 worldly C. <n margin, Wordely
Gladnesae Tib., worldly gladmis
bt.J
[leaf 281]
Worldly
Gladness.
576 Satan's fires stir up Lust,& Love of Riches, but all perish.
and with Ilia
flre lie makes
folk amorous.
' Sathau, devoyded off al grace,
Haveth ther hys dwellyng place.
In thylke dyrke ffyr, (nat bryht,) [stowe, leaf 347] 21583
Tlier he lyht,1 bothe daye and nylit ; [' lythe Tib., lyethe si.j
And A-mong the smokys blake,
Ther he gan hys bed to make.
And wyth that ffyr despytous,
He inaketh folkys amerous; 21588
[A double Illumination in Tib.: on the left a man
kissing and embracing a woman ; on the right two
men playing at dice.]
And \iiih the flawme lie kan enbrace,
ifolkys hertys to han solace
In worldly loye (at A word)
Mor than in ther sovereyn lord. 21592
' The folkys wych, in ther desyr,
That nyht and day bre?me in thys ffyr,
Ar thylke ffolkys (fynally)
Wych that brenne so fervently, 21596-
"VYorldly goodys, whaw they be-gynne,
To encressyn and to Wynne,
Gret tresour to multeplye ;
In the wych they mor affye 21600
Inwardly, in ther entent,
Than in the lord, that al hath sent,
fflowynge and ebbynge in thys se,
SOTO tyme wt't/i gret prospe?-yte, p towr st., tourne TH>.] 21604
Somwhyle, whan the touru2 doth varye,
The world they fynde to he»w contrarye ;
Al goth to wrak ; they may nat chese ;
And thogh so fulle that they lese, 21608
And fynde ffortune in nowncerteyii,3
Yet they wylle hem awntre4 ageyn
To say lien in5 thys perillous see,
So ful off mutabylyte ;
ffor the hoote smoky ffyr
Neuere quencheth, in her desyr.
fieaf28i,bk.] And by his6 sleyhtys, thus Sathan, [«iiisTib.,st.,c.6«r.i(]
He hath dcceyvyd many A man. [st.&c.] 21616
Let now se, and make no lape, „
The people
wlio liuni in
liia flre
are those
who heap up
riches,
which they
trust more
than God,
and for tliia
purpose ven-
ture mi the
sea of muta-
bility.
[3 no certayne St., novvn
certeyne Tib.]
[* aventer St., aventllre
hem Tib.]
[5 on Tib.]
21612
•
Tlic Merman throws me into the Sea. Youth rescues me. 577
The Pilarim.
I repudiate
these games,
which bring
a man to
shame.
The Merman
[» ffedle Till.] 21628 MoS ami
sings ;
[» to on. Tib.] 21631
' Wher thow hys treynes kanst1 eskapc.' ^£u.?|? f** **
H The Pylgryme : 2 p Tib., Pilgrim st., «». c.]
" Wyth-Outii long processe to make,
Hys tour and hym, her I forsake ; 21620
And, (shortely 3 to Specefye,) P scliortely Tib., shortly C., St.]
Swyche pleyes I defye,
Wych bryng a man in sorwe and shame.
But yiff that any other game [Tib., leaf 79, back] 21624
Thow kanst, I wyl abyde and se
The maner, how yt lyketh me."
And thys menstral thaw a-noon
Maade hys ffythele4 for to gon,
And song wyth-al fful lustyly.
And wyth hys syngyng, sodeynly
To me he gan to5 tourne hys tayl;
And wyth hys pawnys,6 sharp as A nayl, [stowe, if. 317, bk.]
By the Arm he gan me streyne : p c., St., pawmes Tib.]
Mawgre rey myght and al my peyne,
Horrybely " he Caste me [* Horybely Tib., Hon-ybly C., horyble St.]
Amyddes off the grete se, 21636
[An Illumination follows in Tih., of the Pilgrim
thrown off his Island into the sea; the Bird-
Merman playing his own fiddle, and Youth (ici/h
tilings) embracing him.
Among the wawes, ffer be southe.
And naddi; ben8 that tymo, Youthe, [» ne had be st.]
(Off wych I thouhte no thyng tho,
ffor she was filed, off yore ago,)
I suppose that I hadde be
Perysshed Amyddys off the se.
But Youthe than, in hyr Retour,
Was to myw helpe gret socour ;
ffor Youthe, in the same placo,
The Meremayden gan enbrace,
That redy was, off cruelte,
Tliylke tyme to ha stranglyd me,
And don to me gret vyolence.
But, for loyo off the presence
Off thys Youthe that I off sp.ik,
I eskapede from hyr wrak, 21652
PILGRIMAGE. p p
[Tib., leaf fill]
21648
and then
seizes me and
throws me
into the sea.
21640
21644
I should have
drownd, had
not Youth
saved me,—
whoembraces
the Merman,
[leaf 282]
578 / swim lack to my Isle, and lament my sad case.
The Pi?0rim.
while I swim
back to my
isle.
Youth re-
joices with
tlie Merman,
and forsakes
me.
So I sit dmvn
anil lament.
How shal
escape ?
Five enchant-
resses (Scylla,
Circe, Siren,
Chary bills
and Bytha-
1,-issus have
brought me
to great di.--
tress,
[leaf 482, bk.]
to stay long
in this isle.
21656
216GO
[» lesle Til)., lc«t St.]
And hadde myn Arm ageyM at large ;
And (wttA-oote1 shyp or barge,) [' without Tib., St.]
I gau swymme, witfe-Inne a wbyle,
Ageyn vn-to that same yle
ffro the wycb. that I kam ffro.
Whan the meru'mayde was go —
I mene, thys vvorldys fals solace,
That gan so sore at me to chace ; —
But lyst2 she sholde ha taken me,
I swam ful faste amyd the so ;
ffor dred off hyre, I was in were.
But Youthe and she, to-gydre yfere, 21664
fful gret loyo tliey gan to make ;
And thus hath Yowthu me forsake ;
ffor than I loste liyr in certeyn,
That she to me kam neuec ageyn. 21668
And doim I sat, ffor werynesse,
And gan compleyne in gret dystresse :
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination, yiren in Tib., of
the Pilgrim sitting on his Islanrl.]
" Alias," C[uod I, (myd off my wo,) [Tib., leaf so. back]
" Alias, alias ! what shal I do? 21672
How shal I, wrechche, eskape a-way
Out off thys'yle"! weyllavay !
ffor, by .v.3 Enchavmteresses, [3 c., st., nor ffvue Tib.]
I am brouht in gret dystressys, 21676
And in gret pereyl, douteles :
ffor Scilla ffyrst, and ek Cyrces,
Han causyd me to gon A-inys ;
Syrenes,4 and Karibdis, [• Tib., c. *«>•»(, sirines St.] 21680
And Bythalassus,5 werst of alle, [s Tib., St., c. bunt]
Ben attonys on me falle ; [stowe, ieaf34s] [st.sc.]
And, mortally me to be-guyle, „
They han me brouht in-to thys lie, ,, 21684
Long in sorwe to soiourne,
And kan non other wcy retourne,
To ffynde socour in tliys cas.
I may wel sorwe and seyn alias ! 21688
Out off my wey, in nouwcerteyn,6 [° noancerteyn Tib.]
And kan no mene to kome Ageyn.
/ pray to God, and a Ship nears me, with a Dove on it. 579
" Was neuere pylgrym in swych poynt, 21G91
Trewly, nor in swych disioynt.1 [' c., Tib., sm-he ioynt St.]
" Now, goode god, off thy grete grace,
Be my socour in thys place !
ffor thow, for my savaci'ouw,
Art the pomel off my bordouw. 21G96
To the, as for my2 cheff couwfort, [« the TH>., my st.]
In thys node I ha resort,
To brynge me, throgh thy grete myght,
In-to the weye I may go ryht, 21700
And ben supportyd (fer and ner)
"\Vyth that charbouracle bryht and cler,
AVych that, wyth hys bemys bryht,
Yiveth vn-to my bordoim lyht. 21704
"Now parte3 wj't/i me, off thy clernesse, p parten st.]
And bryng me Out off my dystresse,
Out off thys dedly mortal rage ! [Tib., leaf si]
ffor, syth tyme off my tendre age, 21708
My trust, and myn affyau«ce,
My loye, and al my suffisauHce,
Al hooly hath bow in the,
Agey ns al ad uersy te, 21712
In euery peyne and ech labour,
To fynden confort and socour.
And now I4 stonde in so gret drede, [' i st., that c., Tib.]
Helpe me in thys gretb'5 nede ! " [s gret c., St., greet Tib.]
And whyl I gan me thus cowipleyne, 21717
Evene A-myd off al my peyne,
I sawh, A-myddys off the se,
A shype6 say lie toward ys me ; [« shype St., shypt'.] 21720
And evene above, vp on the mast
(Wherfor I was the lasse A-gast,)
I sawh a croos" stonde, (and nat flytte,)
And ther-vp-on, A dowe sytte, F crosse TU>., m>se st.] 21724
Whyt as any mylk or snowh,
Wheroff I haddti loye ynowh.
[An Illumination follows in Tib., of a SJiiji with i/.-i
fore anil Mnd castles, ami a Done on a Cross at
///" fop of the mast. Tlw Pilr/rim i* on Jii» ix/e.]
And in thys shyp (a-geyn al sliours,)
The
No pilgrim
ever was in
such st raiu
us I am.
tJnod God,
help me !
Tlinu art tlie
pomel of mv
staff,
anil support-
est me with
the I'alhilnclc
that lights it.
lli-ing me
out of my
distress !
[leaf2S.-i]
Then, in the
midst of my
trouble,
a ship sails
towards me,
with a cross
anil a uhite
dove on its
mast,
580
Grace Dicu comes to me again , out of the Ship.
The Pilgrim.
and castles
and towers.
I forget all
my sorrows.
The ship
casts anchor,
and Grace
Dieu de-
scends from
it.
[leaf 283, bk.J
kneel, and
pnty her to
help me.
Grace Diett.
She says she
lias sought
me long on
sea and land,
and asks
21732
[Stowe, leaf S48, back]
Thor wcr castellys, and ek tours, 21728
Wonder dyvers mansi'ouws, [Tib., leaf si, back]
And soudry habytac«)u?is,
(By resemblaujjce awl semyng,)
Lych the loggyng off A Kyng :
And as I took good lied ther-at,
Al my sorwes I for-gaat ;
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
Namly, syttyng on A roche, Arystoteles (/«««•)
Whan I sawh the shyp aproche 21736
Toward the He war1 I abood, [> where Tib., wher st.]
Wych dyde to me f ul gret good ;
Namly, whan yt kain so faste,
And began ther, Anker caste. 21740
Out off wych ther ys descendyd,
On, that mylite nat ben amendyd,
I meue, the lady off most vertu,
Wych was callyd Grace Dieu. 217-44
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination, given in Tib., of
Grace Dieu, come out of the Ship (from which the
Dove has ijone) on to the Island, and the Pilyrim
'kneeling to her. A second Illumination of like
Idnd is on the top of leaf 82.]
And ffyrst, whan that I dyde hyr se,
I ffyl a-douw vp-on my kne,
Prayede2 hyr lielpen in thys nede, p i prayed mo
To me that stood in so gret drede, 21748
Out off thys He, only by grace,
To helpyn that I myhte pace.
[Grace Dieu] :
' What ys al thys ? ' A-noon quod she ; Deaf 82, Tib.]
' Whens komestow? wher hastow bel 21752
fful longe (as thow shalt vnderstond)
I ha the souht, On se aud lond,
God woot, in ful good entent ;
And yt wer mor cowvenyent 2175G
That thow sholdest, affter me
Ha souht, wher that I hadde be.
But tel me, or thow go asyde,
Castestow,3 her for tabyde, pc., Tib., cast towe St.] 21760
Grace Dieu lids me go back to Dame Penance.
581
' Or to restyn any whyle
\Vy th-Inne tliys dredf ul peryllous yle t '
Pilgrim:1 [<st., ow.c.]
"Certys, I stoondc in gretij2 where ['gretc, St., greet Tib.]
Off that I am aryved here j 21 704
I whot3 nat be what a venture. p woot TU>., wot St.]
And trewely4 I yOW ensure, [« trewely Tib., trewly C., truly St.]
Tabyden lier ys no plesauwce,
But a-nooy, and gret grevavwce ; 21768
And fayn I wolde (wytli al my myglit)
Koine to the weye that goth rylit;
And, Out off thys He go, [Tib., leaf 82, back]
So fful off sorwen5 and off wo." [* sorow st.] 21772
U Grace Dieu : 6 [• Tib., st., in man/in c.]
' Thanne I caste, for thy sake,
In-to my shyp, the for to take,
Only off mercy and pyte.
Entre in, and I shal lode the 21776
(Wyth-outen any mor delay,)
In-to A mor surer way :
That lyno ryht shal lede the
To the place and the cyte 21780
Wych thow hast (\vilh herte and thouht,)
Long tynie, as a pylgryra, soulit. pstuwc. leursiu]
' In myd weye thow must abydo,
And nat tourne on nouther syde. 21784
And, redyly thy-sylff tavaunce,
Thow shall fynde dame Penauwce,
Whom thow lefftest folyly ; [' wenteste tliuw Tib., wenst tow St.]
And therfor wentystow7 wrongly : 21788
Wy th liyre thow wolde&t nat soiourne ;
But thow shalt ageyn retourne [» iwgx Tib., \\eyg\\e St.]
Toward tlie lieggh8 off hyr pla?4ntyng,
And seyen9 to hyre thy felyng.' p seye Tib, scyn c.] 21792
U The Pylgrym : 10 ['» pilgrim Tib., st., »»«. c.]
" Ma dame," quod I, " that ys my wyl ;
ffor (off resouw and off skyl)
Ech pylgrym sholde (what he may,)
Desyre to gon the shortest way; 21796
Yt wer goodly to do so.
Grace Dien.
whether I
mean to stop
on the isle,
[leaf JWJ]
The PitiH-itti.
1 tell her No:
I want to
leave the
island.
Then she bids
me enter her
ship,
ami return
to Dame
Penance.
Thf Pilyrim.
[leaf 281, bk.]
582 I am to lathe in a Cistern, fild with drops from an Eye.
I thank
Grace Dieu,
The Pilgrim. " And, for the co»fort that ye ha Jo
To me, off mercy mor than rylit,
I thanke yow wyth al my myght."
Anil than thys lady, off hyr grace,
Brouhto me Vn-to a place
Wych, syth tyme that I was born),
I hadde neuero scyn to-forn ;
21800
[Tib., leaf s.1]
21804
who leads m
to a rock,
with an Eye,
out of wliicli
drops like
tears run to
a cistern
near.
In this I
must bathe
before I enter
tier ship.
The Piliirim.
[Ieaf2»5]
Grace Dvu.
Tliia rock is
formed nf
liarcl hearts
of men.
« And thyder1 she made me to gon [> theder Tib., tiiethar st.]
To a roche off harde"2 stou p hard c., St., nu.]
And, At an eye, ther ran oute
Dropys off water al aboute : '2 1 808
The dropys wer (to my semyng)
Lych salte terys off wcpyng ;
And in-ta3 cisterne ther besyde, p ta St., to a Tib.]
The dropys gowne for to glyde. 21812
1T Grace Dieu : 4 [• Tib., st., »». c.]
' ffyrst,1 quod Grace Dieu to me,
' In thys vessel that thow dost se,
Wyth water off the harde ston
Thow must be bathyd, and that A-noon ; 2181C
Wych shal helpe, and be refuge
To hole thy wondys large and huge ;
[lilank in MS. for nn Illuminafioii, f/ieen in Tib., of
tears dr/>j)/>imj, from an Eye in a liill, into <ni
oblony marble lixtli, Grace Di>-n, iritk hawl*
si/read, speaking to the Pil<jrim.~\
ffor in my shyp thow entryst nouht,
Tyl thy woundys be clene soulit.' 21820
U The Pylgrym : 5 [5 Tib., pilgrim st. a*, c.]
" I pray yow to6 declare' me, [Tib., leaf 83,baok]
Thys Eye, Vfl'ih dropys, that I Se; P Madame I preye you Tib.]
That je wolde specefye
What thyng that yt dotli sygnefye." 21824
H Grace Dieu answerith : 7 [7 Tc';',?™™*"j st"
' Thys roche (yiff thow wylt wyt A-iion)
Wj'ch ys hard as any ston,
Ar the hertys, in ech estaat,
Off folkys wych ben Indurat 21828
To knowe ther errour and ther synne,
In wych that they be fallyn Inne ;
The Second Baptism for Sinners like Magdalen & Peter. 583
' 1'yl I SOtn wliyle lyst to SO [Stowe, leaf SVJ, back]
(Only off mercy and pyte,) 21832
To tourne her herte, hard as ;i ston,
And make the1 water out to gon, [' there Tib., the St.]
At ther eye to reune doiw2 p adoun Tib.]
13y sorwe and by contrictoiw. 21836
' The3 salte terys lian tlier her cours : p The om. TIU.]
Eyht as a welle liath hys soui-s
Vpward, -with water quyk and clcr,
And I'enneth in-ta4 grot ryvcr, [< in ta st., in to a Tib.] 21840
Jfyht so, by dystyllac'iouw
The crystal terys desceude douw,
Whan folk5 for ther synnes wepe. [s wimnne foike Tib.]
And swyche0 dropya I do kepe, [« swychc Tib., swyt-h c.]
Grace Diett.
These hcartg
Urace Dieu
softens, and
makes their
tears run out
of Hie Kye for
rMTitrilH.il.
And the water eue/-ydel,
To make A bath, in a vessel,
ffor wondyd folk that felii peyno
In conscience, and sore pleyne,
Tyl they for elthe7 and sui-ete,
Wyth thys bath ywasshen Ix; ;
ffor yt recureth euecy wondo,
Callyd ' bapteme the secouwle,'
That doth a-way al8 grevaiwco.
Wyth wych water, dame Penaiwce
Maketh a lye (I the ensure,)
To wasshen a-way al ordure ;
In wyche bathe9 (in corteyne)
The hooly womman Mawdeleyne
Ywasshen was, tak bed her-to.
Tliapostel Peter ek also,
And many mo thaw I may telle,
Wer y wasshen in thys welle ;
And so shallow, by red off me,
Yiff tliow lyst to purgyd be.'
U The Pylgryme : 10 ['" Tib., i
" Ma dame, (yiff that ye lyst to se,)
Thys vessel (as semetli vn-to me,)
Ys nat halfffful; and Trewely11 [ll
Therfore I dredc fynally
That I may nat bathyd be,
21845
21848
[? neeitiic
[Tib., ieai'84]
21852
They make a
bath in the
vessel, for
folk with
wounded con-
sciences to
wash in ;
and this is
calld the
second
Baptism,
21856 [leaf ass, bk.]
[» whit-he luthe St.,
\v.vch bath C., Tib.]
in which the
Magdalene
w;is cleansed,
21860 and st. Peter;
as I am to be.
2 1864
st., om. c ]
., n-ewiy c.,
21868
The Pilgrim.
I say the
vessel is only
half full.
58-t Grace Dieu smites the Rock, and Water flows from it.
The Pltarim.
<!r:ic«; Dieu
juts out her
Euls 01
and.
The white
dove brings
her a wand,
like the rod
'
[leaf 286]
with which
Grace Dieu
smites the
rock,
Grace Dieit.
and plenty
of water
gushes out,
[' Tib., grace dieu St.,
am. C.]
21872
21875
[« a Tib., St., am. C.]
3 anon to her flyenge St.]
21880
P smot Tib.]
" But yiff ther were mor plente."
II Grace Dieu Answerith : l
Quod she to me (as in substaimce),
' Thow hast off water suffysaunce."
She sayde soth, as I wel ffond,
And putte fortli A-noon hyr hond
Toward hyr shyp off gret delyt.
And tha?me a-noon, a2 dowe whyt
Retournyd ys at hyr callyng,
And kam to hyre A-noon fleyng.3
In hyr beek she brouht A wond,
\Vych Grace Dieu took in hyr hond ;
And thanne the dowe (in certeyn) [Tib., leaf si, back]
ffley vn-to the shyp a-geyn. [stowe, leafsso]
Thys yerde sempte (douteles)
Lyk4 to the yerde off Moyses, [«c.,st.,om.Tib.] 21884
Wyth wych (the byble seyth apert,)
The ston he smette,5 in desert ;
And wt't/t the water that out ran,
Off Israel, botlie beste and man,
Drank ynowh in habondau«ce,
Ther was so huge suffysauwcc.
And trewly, as to my?i entent,
By sygnes that wer evydent,
Wyth the same yerde a-noon,
Grace Dieu smette5 on the ston.
And tlianno the roehe', Eowh and hard,
(1 hadde ther-to ful good reward) 2189C
At an eye (yt ys no doute)
The water gan to ro/men oute
In-to the vessel that I off spak,
That off plente ther was no lak. 21900
[Grace Dieu]:
Grace Dieu A-noon to me,
thow hast ynowh plente
Off water, (I dar vndertake,)
Suffysauntly a bath to make ; 21904
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination, given in Tib.,
of the Pilgrim in a square white bath, jUlinij with
the drops from an Eye in a green rock, l»j which
21888
21892
21912
21916
f [Lavabo i*r sinsuias noctes]
Lectum menm : lacrhnid meis
lukewarm,
and nice to
bathe in.
The Pitarim.
I f?et into tln>
buth,
but Teel faint,
[leaf 286, bk.]
and cannot
lung stay.
/ get into the Bath, but soon get out again, which is wrong. 585
Grace Dieu stands, with a lomj wand in her rirjht
hand.]
' And raor holsom yt ys to the, [Tib., leaf ss] Grace men.
Be-cause the water (as thow niayst se,)
Ys lewk : therfor yt ys mor liable,
And to bathys mor couwifortable.' 21908
[The Pilgrim]:
And Grace dieu me bad A-noon,
In-to the bath I sholde gon.
And in I wente A-noon, by grace,
And ther a-bood but lytel space ;
tfor (to rehersyn eue;ydel)
The bath lykede me nat ryht wel :
I gan feynte on eue>y syde,
Wher-fore I myhte nat abyde
In that bath to stonde l stable ; [' c., rib., bathe to stond st.]
tfor, I was nat resembhible
To kyng Davyd in my bathyng,
AVych, wyth the terys off hys wepyng, 21920
Wyssh hys bed-strawh2 euecydel, [2 wysche . . bedstraw Tib.]
Hys bed also, (who loke wel).
And3 off the bath whan I was go,
Grace Dieu A-non kam to :
H Now Grace Dieu spekyth : 4
0,110/1 she, ' wenystow to be
Al hool off thyji infyrmyte,
And off thyn wondys euerychon,
That so sone art out gon,
Out off thys ylke holsom welle,
And lyst nat ther5 no lenger dwelle?
' What woldestow ha sayd to me,
Yiff I hadde wrappyd the, 21932
Nakyd, cast the vp and doim
In thornys for thy savaci'oun,
Ther ta suffryd6 sharp prykyng ;
Or, A-mong netlys fful bytyng, 2193C ornettie.
Bak and brest, and euery syde ;
Whan thow myghtest nat abyde [Tib., leaf ss, back]
In sofftc water, by suffrau»»cc,
Thy-sylff in Elthc7 to avau/(cc? [' heithe Tib.] 21940
[3 out Tib., St.]
21924
[' Tib., grace dieu
St., am. CJ
21928
p not ther in Tib.]
When I'm
out,
Grace Dieu.
[Stowe, leaf 350, back]
[« to a Miffta) Tib.,
to sofer St.]
Grace Dieu
reproves me
for not stop-
lung in the
What should
I have said
to her if she'd
cast me
naked into
thorns
instead of
suit water ?
Grace Dittl.
How can I
now enter
her ship witli
Dame Pen-
mice?
21944
21948
586 Grace Dieu reproaches me. I plead for pity, & will do well.
1 Tel vn-to me the maner how,
What wyse thow shalt entre now
In-to my shyp, wher dame Penamzce
Haueth al the gouernauwce,
Bothe to bynden and vnbynde ?
I trowe thow wylt abyde beUynde,
And make her-off a long delay,
And I shal seylle forth on my way.'
IT The Pylgryme:1 p TH>., pilgrim st., <«». cj
" Madame," thawne a-noon quoil I,
" Haueth2 on3 me pyte and mercy ! [* Hath TO., havytho st.]
With-in joure schippe, so doth4 provyde, [Most.]
By-hynde that I not abyde. 21952
To trowthe, jeue5 je lyste entende, Pyf st.]
AVith-in joure schippe I schal amende,
And redresse also (I-wys,)
Alle that I haue don amys.
f Cousidcrith also in joure syght,
That in batayle, a manly knyght,
(By exaumple, as it is tfounde)
Whanne he hathe kaught eny*5 woundo,
Xot-withstondynge his langour, [» hath o»» cawht a st.]
It encresith his vygoor,
Makith hym, off cher and off vysage,
The more hardy 7 off corage, [' i'»rJy st., i,a,d Tib.] 2 1 964
Grete emprysii vudertoke,
ifor drede off deth, hem not fforsake."
f Grace dieu answerith : s ts «"••« •»"=» «0
Qvotl grace dieu anoon ryght,
'Byholde and PC a noble knyght,
Makyngo thyne owne cliaumberer,9
The Pifftr-'in.
(Tiberius,
Avil]
[Tib., leaf h5,
biiokj
I ask t'«r pity
and merry.
I promise
that I will
iimeiHl in
tier ship,
as a knight,
when wound*
21 950
21900
Qrure Diett.
Grace Dieu
says
[Tib., leaf Wi]
219G8
nttlier to
sbow »oino
brave deed
To bere thyne armure as10 a sqvycr, ['
Whicho mayste not thy silff assure
ffor to berne hem, nor endure.
' I wolde seen, to-ffore wytnesse,
Som knyghttely deede off hygh prowcsse
Accomplyschid, thorough tin myght,
To bere recorde thow art a knyght,
21972
2197G
3 Many leaves are here missing in the MS. Cott. Vit, c. xiii. ;
but the missing portion is supplied from MS. Cott. Tib., A vn.
Grace Dieu warns me that I must keep my Promises. 587
' By armcs proved in som coste.
Thow art no thyng but wynde and boste,
Byhotynge mycbe, whan al is wrought,
And in dcede doste ryght nought.' 21980
U The Pylgryme:
" "l/TAdame," quod T, " yt is no ffayle,
J-TA I schal amende with travayle ;
And, I hope, vexacyoun [stmve, leafusi]
Schal June to me fful hygh ronoun, 21984
To conquere som excellenco
By vse and lunge experyence.
" I hauc pleynely, in tlie see,
Nauffragus fful long I-be, 21988
And suffrcd (bothe este and weste,)
Many1 perel and greet tempeste, [' many a St.]
And jit I stonde in a deluge.
But jeue I hane off 3011 reffuge, 21992
AVith-in joure schippe me ffor to marke,
As Xoe was with-in his arke,
I may not (schortely to telle,)
Escape out off this2 ffloodcs ffelle." puiwstj 21996
H Grace dieu answerith: [grace aicu st.]
J)E wel provyded in thi thouglit,
_U That thow behoti: me ryght nought,
Jeue thow wolte:! my thanke dissorue, pwyitst.]
But that thow wolte3 trewely obserue; 22000
ffor bette it is, not vndei-takr,
And avowys noon to make,
Than to make hem by assent,
And breke hem affter, off cntcnt : 22004
Swhiche avowes, lone I nought,
But they be made off herto and thouglit.
AVberffore, with-ont euy slouthe,
Kei>e thyne heeste to me, off trouthe.' 22008
H The Pylgryme:
th jonrc supportacyouu,
It is myne entencyoun,
My promyssf, bothi:4 day and nyght, [' bothe am. St.]
To kepe yt, as I haue byhyght." 22<)12
fl Grace dieu answerith: [grace ak-u st.]
(Tiberius,
A vii.l
Grace Dieu.
than pro-
mises.
The Pilgrim.
I nrf^e Iliat
1 hope to do
some excel-
ling acts;
ami that I've
IHTII ship.
wreckt,
peril* and
trlllpot,
and am still
in a deluge.
Grace Dieu.
She says
[Tib.. l«if SO,
back]
it is better
not to make
and break
them [ilirr-
wards.
I must keep
mine.
The Pilgrim.
I assure her
I will keep
them.
588
[Tiberiui,
Avii.l
The Pili/rim.
Then Grace
Dieu takes
me to the
shore, where
the ship is.
Its bonds arc
loose.
The osiers
round it
break,
and its lumps
come apart.
[Tib., leaf 87]
I link Grace
I lien the
name of the
ship.
whose cap-
tain 1 blame,
fur letting its
bonds break.
Grace Dieti.
This ship is
' Italigion,'
which is
li.mu'l with
circum-
stances and
observances.
Voung folk
neglect the
observances ;
Grace Dieu takes me to her /Si/tip 'Religion.'
THanne Grace dieu, with good chore,
Ladde me doun to the revere ;
And there we han a schippe I-ffonde.
With greete bondis it was bounde ; 22016
But the bondu's sat not cloos ;
The mosto parte off hem were loos ;
The smalij osyers, here and jonder, 22019
To-brake'1 thanne, and2 wente asonder, [i^,*';1-!;™1'111'0
Tlie hopiis about the vessel,
Byeause they were, not bounde wel ;
Jit the hoopes (it is no nay)
Were stronge I-nowgh at good assay ; 22024
Deffaute in hem was ffounde noon ;
But, ffor the osyers nygh cchon
Were broke ffyrste (as it is ffounde),
Wherffore the hoopys were vnbounde. 22028
H The Pylgryme : [J with out Tib., «t.]
" ~|% /TAdame," quod I, " with-oute3 blame,
_L.Y_I_ Off joure schippe, telle me the name,
And who that scholde it wel gouerne ;
ffor sothely, as I kan discerne,
The gouernour, is not wys,
(As me thynket4 in myn nvys,)
That lyste suffren (off ffolye)
The boondes breke so reklesselye
In myddes off the perelous see,
In whiche there is no surete."
f Grace dieu answerith:
' ri^His schippe (as by discripcyoun)
_|_ I-callyd ys llelygyoun ;
Whiche is bounde witli circumstauncis,
And ffret witli dyuerse 6bseruauncis.
And while that it is bounde wel,
It may perysche neueradel ;
But jonge ffolkes neclygent,
That entre this schippe off entent,
And, thorough ther niys-gouernauncis,
Kepe not the obseruauncis
That were made by ffolkis olde,
ffor to bruke hem ben fful bolde :
22032
; ' tliynkythe St.]
22035
[.Stowe, leaf 351, back]
22040
22044
22048
If small things in Religion are neglected, great ones will be. 589
' ffirste, thosyerys smale,
Tolle off hem but lytel tale,
Caste hem byhynden at her bak,
Where-thorwgh the schippe goth al to wrak :
Breke the smalo circumstauncis,
And flare-wel the greete obseruauneis !
ffor, jeue the smale comaundi-mentis
Be not kepte in ther ententis,
The greete (in conclnsyoun)
Gon vn-to destruccyoun.
The smalU (bothe in colde and heete,)
Be wardeynes off the greete ;
And jeue tlie snialu sothely ffayle,
Aryght this schippe ne may not sayle.
Breke the smale here and Bonder,
And the greete muste goon assonder.
Thus the schippe off religyouu
Gothe offte to Uistruccyoun.
So, wolde god, ther lyvynge
Were lykii now ther gynnynge,
The schippe scholde the better preve,
Ageyne al tempeste hym^silffe relevc
It were almesse, by the roode.
' Jit I hoope som are gode,
Swyche as to holynesse entenile;
And who doth not, god hym amende !
God jeue liem grace so to dresse
Tlie maste2 vpward, by holynesse,
And that they may, to her avayle,
By grace, so to crosse sayle,
That in the wynde be no debat
To make ther passage ffortunat ;
That redely they may, and blyue,
At the hauene vp taryve,
Where loye and blysse (who kan disseme)
Is endelesly, and lyffe enterne.
!J Now cheese ffreely, affter my lawe,
To whiche castel thow wolt drawo ; [stowe. leaf 352]
And in my schippe, they ben echon
Bylte fful ffayre, off lyme and stoon.
[Tiberiut,
2205^ AvUJ
'-1"1'-' Orace Dial.
then tlie
osiers break,
anil Hi,- ship
goes to pieces.
If small
observances
are not held,
[Tib., leaf 87,
back]
the larger are
destroyed.
22056
220GO
22064
Thus the ship
of religion is
22068 ollen ™>'«1.
[' them St.] 22072
Still, I hope
some folk arc
good.
22076
[" The mast St.,
must Tib.]
and will keep
the mast up
by holiness,
22080
80 that they
may get to
22084 the haven of
joy and bliss,
and eternal
life.
She asks me
22088
590 / decide to enter the Cistercian Castle (Order of Monks).
[Tiberius,
AviL]
(trace Dim.
22092
[Tib., leaf 88]
I may choose
the house of
the Cisterci-
iiiis, Cluniacs,
CartliiwiaiM,
or Friars
rrearhers
or Minors,
etc.
All stand on
firm ground.
and are safe
against the
foe.
Therefore I
[i her St.]
22096
choose one
and enter,
[Tib., leaf 8S,
back]
as the sea of
the World
will assail me
daily.
The Pilurim
I choose
the castle of
Cyitewa, the
t'istercian
order,
Grace Dieu.
' And sythen thow haueste lybcrte
ffar to entren or go ffre,
Cheese amonge these towres alle,
At whiche gate thow wolte calle.
51 Ther1 ben the Cystews ffaste by
And not fful ffer is eke Clwny.
Byholde 3onder a Chartrehous,
2 An ordur that is full vertuous.2 [«-' St.. om. Tib.]
Thow mayste eke senc ffrere Prechours,
And other that callyd ben Menours ;
Ordres off many other 3 guyse, P » nothar St.]
Mo thanne as now I kan4 devyse : [• i can as now St.]
Cheese at thyne owne voluute, t! wilt s'0
In whiche off alle thow wolte5 be. [Illustration.] 22104
Alle they stonde in6 stable grownd, [«onst.]
To kept;, bothi; saaff and sownd,
Body and soule, (it is no drede)
Who kepith his rule in verrey deede.
And these placis agriiable,
Alle they ben dyffensable
Ageyne the ffende and alle his myght,
That man assayleth day and nyght
In this mortal trowbely see,
ffulffilled with greet aduersyte.
And, therffore, jeue thow do wel,
Entre anoon in som castel,
There thow mayste (at a word)
Kepe the within sehippes bord.
Tliis wordely see (it7 is no ffayle)
Eche day off newe the schal assayle ;
Wherffore I councel the to ffle,
Whyle thow haste myght and lyberte.'
IT The Pylgryme:
22108
22112
2211G
p it St., om. Tih.]
22120
MAdame," quod I, " whan al ys sought,
I haue chose (off herte and thought,)
Off Cystews, (in eche syde)
In that castel to abyde,
In-to that ffortresse I wole gon."
Grace Dieu:8 p «..«..
' Entre my schyppe,' quod sche, ' anoon.1
22124
The Porter 'Dread of God.' The King is in the Castle. 591
[Tiberius,
A vii.]
Grace ItifH.
and the stiip
luiists anchor,
and sails to it.
I go to the
entry,
Tilt Pilgr.m.
and ask ad-
mit I itiuv of
tlio porter,
The farter.
who says he
must first
have the
King's
permit.
And affter that, sche lyste not dwelle,
But gan hir hanker vp to pulle,
And in the see, fforthe bygun to saylo
Towarde the castel, jeue it wolde avayle, 22132
Me to spede on1 my lorne. ["vponst.]
And at the laste, I ffonde a large entre ;
But, off entente, stylle awhile I stood
Sool by my silffe, and at the gate abood. 22136
IT The pylgryme:
" T)0rter," quod I, in haste, " I preye the,
JLT At this castel graunte me entre,
ffor Grace dieu hathe me hyder brought, [stowo, if. 352, bk.]
Off the entre that I ffaylo not." 22140
IT The Porter answerith:
aVod the porter anoon to me,
' Jeue I knewe, and dydo se
That the kyng wolde it avowe,
Thyne entre I scholdo alowe ; 22144
But the wyllb'2 off the kyng [» mil is St.] [Tib., leaf
There-off I knowe no manor thyng.'
IT The Pylgryme :
" fTlElle me thanne, lyke myne entent,
I Is the kyng hym-silffe present 1 "
H The porter answerith :
' T I lEuste wel, as thow solialt lecrc,
I I wolde not ellis sytten hoere :
It is a sygne (eerly and late,)
Whanne thow seeste me at the gate, 22152
To tellc (by good avyseiuent,)
The kyng hym-silffe ys here present.'
II The Pylgryme: [Illustration.]
" T I lElle me thy name, off gentillesse, 22155
1 With-outcn3 eny straungenesse." P outen St., out Tib.]
U The Porter answerith :
Nd I schal4 telle the with-out schame : [* i shall the si.]
Drede off god, that is my name ;
"Whiche is ground (with-out offence)
Off wysdam and Sapycnce. 22160
I voyde synne, and vycos chace,
That noon5 may entre?; in this place; p noon St., men Tib.]
22149
The King is
in the caslle.
The Pili/rim.
The. Pnrtff,
[Tib., leaf 89,
b:ick]
The Porter's
name ia
• Dn-ail of
God/
avoiilinj; sin,
JtlHl IKJl-HCCUt-
ing vice.
592 The Pm-ter lets me into the Castle. I see its Buildings.
' Nowther oolde nor jonge off age
Sclial have heere1 noon herbergage;
ffor this staffe (jeue thow take heede)
With the greet parlom2 of leecl,
Is I-callyd (in substauuce)
' Off god almyglitty, the veugaunce ; '
And there- with-al, in cruel wyse,
Alle synners I chastyse.
« And with this ylke sturdy Maas,
I pntte hem out a fful greet paas ;
ffor noon swyche (jeue thow lyste3 lere,) [» none . . iy«t St.]
Bon hardy to entre here.'
H The Pylgryme :
[Tiberius,
Avii.)
The Porter.
chastising
sinners,
[HherSt.] 22 164
221C8
22172
of whom
none enter.
The Piliirin
The Piliirin.
[Tib., leaf 90]
He lets me
into the
Monastery,
and I see its
cloister,
chapter-
house, etc.,
with servitors
serving.
ye,4 I praye the, oonly off5 grace,
I may entren in this place ;
ffor myne entente and my raenynge
Is to do servyse to the kyng."
U The Porter answerith :
?Eue I knewe that it6 were so,
"With-outen many wordes mo
Tliow scholdeste haue graunte off me,
To entren at good lyberte.'
f The Pylgryme :
" TN other wyse neuere a del
J_ Wole I not entren in7 this castel,
But ffor to do the kyng servyse."
And thanne, in fful goodly wyse,
I was leten in off the porter :
Hym lyste to make no daunger.
H Aboute I wente, byholdynge
Vp-on many a ryche thynge ;
I sawe A cloystre and A dortour,
A chapytleaous8 and A ffreytour ;
And there-with-al, a ffayre Hostrye,
And a large ffermerye ;
And, off God, thanke to dysserve,
ffayre meyne I sawgh there serve.
And, I suppose ffor my beste,
There to herborewe and to reste,
On ther cam, and preyed me,
[«Syre, om. St.]
['that of SI.]
22176
[" " St., om. Tib.]
22180
in om. St.]
22185
[Stowe, leafSM]
22188
[8 chapytle lions St.]
22193
22196
Charity greets me. I meet the fair Lady Lesson. 593
And hir name was Charite. 22200 (Tiberius,
[Illustration.'} *,,ATii'1 '
L The Pilgrim.
mO pylgrymes, in goodly wyse, charlty
J_ Sche dyde moste trewely the servyse. 8reeta me>
With chere benygne, and glad vysage,
Sche brought hem to ther herbergage ; 22204 she shows
pilgrims to
And eucre sche was moste ententyff, ">eir lodging,
With-outen l noyse or eny stryff : [' outcn st., out Tib.]
To serue pore ffolkys alle, [Tib., leaf 90,
That ffor helpe to hir calle, 22208 udtebw;
Sche was besy enere more.
And in this book, not goon fful jore, See p. 134,
above, where
1 spake ore mr, dowteles. i speak of he.-
with Moses.
nor sche heelde the wrytte off pees, 22212
Whanne Moyses, the byschop cheefE,
Gan departs the releeff
To pilgrymes (in substaunce)
To jeuen hem ther sustynaunce. 22?16
A
Nd2 thorough the cloystre, thanne anoon, Thro-ihe
cloister
By the waye as I gan goon, [»«iidom. St.]
Off aventure in my repayre,
I mette a lady Inly ffayre, 22220 f"188' » fair
Bothe off schappe and off stature ;
And sche bare (I jou ensure)
In hir hand, a smal coffyn with a »™»»
parchment
Whiche was made off parchemyn. 22224 •"<
A white dowve (it is no dowte) SS^fciio™
Alle-way sewyd hir abowte. [Illumination.] her'
U The Pylgryme :
ANd as I lokyd heere and ther,
I stood in a maner wher, 22228
What tokenes it3 myght be, p tooknj-s that it St.] [Tib., leaf 91 j
The thynge's that I dyde se ;
Prayed hir in goodly wyse, i ask her
J 6 J J what these
That sche wolde anoon devyse 22232 things mean.
There-off by exposicyoun,
A cleer sygnyffyeacyoun.
U Lessoun declarith:4 [*<ieciarith, am. st.]
' ri^Rewely,' quod sche, there as sche stood,
1 ' I ne thenke no thyng but good, 22236
PILGRIMAGE. Q Q
594 Lady Lesson, and Lady Hagiography, described.
[Tiberius.
Avii]
Lady Lesion.
is the Sub-
cellarer and
Pittancer,
and feeds the
&oul with
holy
thoughts,
supplied by
the Mercer
and clois-
terer,
The Pilgrim.
to whom she
takes me.
This lady's
body is
[Tib., leaf 91,
back]
clear on one
side,
and clouded
on the other.
'ffor I am Sowcelerere1
Off this place, and Pytauncere.
I menystre the lyfflode
To the sowle, and eke the ffoode :
I ask her
name and
station.
[' sawcelerere St.]
[Stowe, leaf 353, back]
22241
The herte I flfeede (the pawnche nought,)
With fful many an hooly thought.
My ffoode is soote and cherischynge,
And ryght hoolsom in tastynge ;
Whiche ffoode is delyuered me
By on whom that2 thow schalt se ; p that am. st.]
ffor sche is bothe A Mercer s
Off this place, and cheeff Cloystrer.' 4 [« loyster co 22248
fl The Pylgryme :
Lyke the desyre whiche that I hadde,
To that lady sche me ladde ;
Whiche (schortely to speceffye)
Plente hadde off Mercerye, 22252
And moste delytable off syght,
Sche hadde Merours ffeyre and bryght.
But this lady merveyllous
Was off schappe suspdcyous ; 22256
ffor I took good heede ther-to :
Sche departyd was on5 two ; P '» St.]
That made hir body to devyde,
Wonder cleer on the ryght syde ; 22260
But (as I aspyen koude,)
Hir lyffte was schadewed with a clowde. [Illumination.]
ANd whanne that I byheelde the guyse
Off alle hir queynte marchaundyse, 22264
"Madame," quod I, "in certeyn,
Wonder ffayne I wolde beyn,
Somwhat off joure thynges heere,
Jeue so were 30 wolde lere 22268
To me (by schorte conclusioun,)
Joure name and joure condicyoun."
H Agyographe :
* Mercier : m. A good Pedler or meane Haberdasher of
small wares ; a tradesman that retailes all manner of small
ware, and hath no better then a shed or booth for a shop. 1611.
Cotgrave (1650).
Why Hagiography is bright on one side, dark mi the other. 595
T Am,' quod sche, ' cheeff noryce
22272
[' full St., om Tib.]
22277
To alle ffolkes that ffleen vyce.
No cloyster is worthe (who looke aboute)
On no syde whan I am out.
I make cloystris ffernie and stable,
Worschipe-full1 and honowrable;
And my name (jeue thow lyste so,)
Is callyd Agyographe,
Whiche is to seyne (I the ensure,)
Off holy wrytynge the scripture. U Satic<a »crip[tura] 22280
And at ffeyres and at ffeestis,
I reste in skynnes off dede bestis.'
IT The Pylgryme:
FAEclare me, and doth not ffeyne,
22284
Why be je partyd thus on tweyne
The to parte, 2 wonder ffayre off cheere,
Lusty, amyable, and cleere ; z
The tother party,3 wonder myrk, P «• '."•?*!*-* hm:
[Tiberius,
ATii.]
Hagiography
She is chief
nurse to all
who flee vice,
and her name
is Hau'.vi-
graphy.
[Tib., leaf U2]
the writing
of Scripture
on beasts'
skins or
parchment.
She has one
aide bright,
flnd the
Schrouded with a cloude dyrk." 22288
11 Agyographe:
" Was not,' quod sche, ' sothe to say,
J_ Lyche the1, borne vp-on a day,
But by processe and leyser,
And by space off many a jer. 22292
' By oolde tyme (stylle and loude,)
I was schadewed with a cloude,
And fful derkely kepte in cloos,
Tyl tyme that the sonne aroos — 22296
I mene, the tyme that was to-fforn
That Cryst ihesu lyste to be born, —
Thilke tyme, my party ryght,
Off a cleer skye kaught his lyght ; 22300
The whiche skye, proffetys seyde,
Was that blessed holy mayde,
Off lesse bothe braunche and fflour,
That bare Ihesu, oure saviour. 22304
' That tyme, with his streemes clere,
ffirste my bryghttenesse dyde appere ;
And alle derkenesse to termyne,
Only by grace whiche is devyne. 22308
because
she was not
born on one
day.
Her dark
side signifies
the time
before Christ,
her bright
side the time
after Him.
[Tib., leaf 92,
back]
596 Hagiography's dark Side, and the Goods she has.
[Tiberius,
Avii.]
Her dark Bide
' But the party off my vysage
Whiche is clowded with vmbrage,
Off cleernesse scholde haue no reporte,
But jeue he hadde his resorte
To that party, by vertu,
Off the cleernesse off crist ihesu ;
Where-off,1 lakkynge dyscrescyoun, [' wherfore St.]
as the Old
Testament is
explained by
the New.
22312
22316
The Pifgrim.
I ask her to
explain this,
and I'll give
her the first
May rose I
find.
She says she
sells oint-
ments,
to relieve
sick folk,
[Tib., leaf 93]
knives,
combs for
horse and
man,
and mirrors
t» derke St.,
dj-rk Tib.]
22320
22324
Thow madeste a lymytacyoun,
AfEermynge (by a maner slouthe,)
My dyrke2 parte wher voyde off trouthe :
I mene as thus, (in sentement,)
That the oolde testament
Were derke and cloudy off his syght,
Jeue that it ne took his lyght
(Claryffyed by entendement)
Off the newe testament,
Whos schynynge (in conclusyoun)
Is cause off oure savacyoun.'
IT The Pylgryme :
Xpowne this with-oute 3 glose, p out Tib., St.]
And je schal haue the ffyrste rose 22328
That I may ffynde (yt is no nay)
In the moneth of ffresche may."
H Agyographe :
Vod sche, ' jeue I schal the telle,
Mercery e I haue to selle, 22332
In boystes, soote oynementis,
There-with to don allegementis
To ffolkes whiche that4 be not glade, [* that St., o«. c.]
But discorded5 and mallade, p discomfited st.] 22336
And hurte with perturbacyoun,6 [stowe, leaf 35*, back]
Off many tl'ybulacyouns : [' perturbacions St., perturbacyoun Tib.]
I haue knyues, phyllettys, callys,
At ffeestes to hangen vp on wallys ; 22340
Kombe's (mo than nyne or ten,)
Bothe ffor horse and eke ffor men ;
Merours also, large and brode,
And, ffor the syght, wonder gode ; 22344
Off hem I haue fful greet plente
ffor ffolke that hauen voluute [Ilhtmination.]
Hagiography's Mirrors. One makes me too fair.
'to1
Byholde hem-silffe ther-ynne, [' to st., om. Tib.j
Wher they be cleone, or ffoule of synno.
22349
22352
22356
22360
22363
' But, som ffolke hem-silffe byholde
ffor to hyde her ffylthes ooldo,
Whiche ther bewete dothe apayrc.
And somme merrours sehewen ffayre,
By apparence off bewtc,
Though that ther be no bewte :
Alle these thynges (who takith kep)
I haue hem towched on an hep.
Jeue here be aught that may jou pleese,
Take it at thyne owne eese.'
[The Pilgrim:]
U In these thynges ffresche off delyte,
I sawgh there-in fful greet profEyte,
And also in her acqueyntaunce,
Preyed hir to haue suffraunce,
To grannte me leyser, and good esc,
To seen what thyng me myghte2 pleese. [*™y1'fftTu)S]t"me
And, by good inspeccyoun,
Haddii turned al3 vp so doun, p ail toumyii St.]
Jeue eny thyng I koude espye
Amonge allo hir mercerye.
Vp and down I dyde se
"What thyng lyked beste to me ;
But, amonge hir thyngtis alle,
Vp-on a merour I was ffalle,
Whiche schewyd me, in his glas,
More ffayre in sothenesse than I was,
By apparence sodeynely
The merour lyed verily : 4 [« sodeyneiy Tib., verily St.] 22376
I knewe it wel in e'xystence
And by oolde experyence.
Whan the trouthe was conceyved,
I wyste wel I was deceyved ; 22380
To hir sayde, (iu myne avys,)
That to hir it was no prys
To schewen out swycho mercerye,
Off merours to make men to prye. 22384
f Agyographe :
597
[Tiberiui,
Ani.J
Hagiography
to show folk
whether
they're pure
or sinful. .
22368
22372
I may take
what I please
of her stock.
The Pilgrim.
[Tib., leaf 93,
backj
I turn her
things upside
down,
to find what
pleases me
best.
I find a glass
which allows
me more f;tir
than I am ;
and I find
fault with
this.
598 Hagiography's mirror ' Adulation.'
' T Schewe no thyng, in sothe,' quod sche,
[Tiberius,
Avii.j
Haffioffraphif
She explains
that mirrors
are of dif-
ferent kinds.
TIM Pilgrim.
and the one
I have
' But as it is in veryte.
I wole hoolden my byheste,
As ffolkes maken me requeste ;
ffor, as iFer fforthe as I kan,
I wole deceyue no maner man ;
The deceytes, ffeytheffully [stowe, leaf 355]
I wole schewe hem opunly. 22392
Merours ther ben in many wyae,
As Craffty ffolkes kan devyse,
[Tib., leaf ei] Whiche schewen dyuerse vysages
And many wonderfful ymages, 2239G
Whiche to declare, I wole not dwelle :
Eeede perspectyff, and that wole telle,
And schewen out the varyaunce
Off dyuerse ffacys, by de'rnonstraunce.' 22400
IT The Pylgryme:
ANd off a merour that I ffonde,
Whiche that I heelde in myn hande,1 [' iiondst.]
I preyed hir, with-outii 2 schame, p out Tib., st.]
To telle me there-off the name. 22404
IT AgyOgiaphe : 3 [» agiographye St.]
"Yt were good to hye and lowe,
That alle ffolkes scholde knowe,
And there-off hadde a trewe syght,
lustely what this merour hyght, 22408
That ffolkes (ffor greet lak off lyght)
Were not deceyued in her syght.
THis merour (by descripcyoun)
Is called Adulacyoun : 22412
This is (withouten eny blame)
Veryly his ryghte4 name; [* ryght Tib., St.]
ffor, take good heede, that fflateryng
Is engendred off lesyng : 22416
Somme callen hir Placebo,
ffor sche kan maken an Eccho,
Answere euere ageyn the same,
Because that he wole haue no blame. 22420
Though it be ageyne resoun,
There is no contradiccyoun,
H
ia cald ' Adu-
lation.'
Now, flattery
comes from
lying,
and is cald
by some,
1 placebo/
because she
echoes folk's
wishes.
22432
22436
22440
This flattering Mivrw lies, and deceives folk.
' ffor, bothe off newe, and jore agon,
ffolkUs sothely (mo than on) 22424
Han in Adulacyoun
ffounde fful greet decepcyoun :
Lordes (wherffore I seye ' alias ! ')
Han be dysseyued in this caas, 22428
And, by advlacyoun
Brought to ther destruccyoun.
IT fflaterye : * [' am. St. aaaiograyhg still »j)«u*>
' IT! Or this custom hath fflaterye, pieyn st.j
1 To seyne3 thus by losdngerye —
Whanne hym lykyth to bygyle,
ffalsely by his sotyl while, —
To hem that be moste vycyous,
How that they are vertuous ;
And though they ben to vyces thral,
They seyne eke they be lyberal,
Though they be streyte and ravynous,
And greete nygardes in her hous.
They calle ffame and hygh renoun,
Itaveyne and ffalae extorcyoun.
Thougli they be ffooles, and off no prys,
They afferme that they are wys.
IT Who that trustith in swyche langage,
He is a ffool, and no thyng sage, [stowe, leaf 355, back]
And ffolyly spente his labour,
That lokyth ill any swyche merour ; 22448
And namely, whanne al is do,
That he knowith it is not so.
' Echo wyght knowe hym-sylueu kan,
Bette thanne eny other man. 22452
Leff, off3 fflaterye the sentence, [Mcveofst.]
And jeue to trouthe fful credence ;
Thow knoweste bet thi-silffe, (off ryght,)
Thanne doth eny other wyght. 22456
U ' Late4 lordiis (whanne they kan espye,) [*ietst.]
Sette asyde alle fllaterye !
But now, alias, it stondyth so,
They be disseyued by Eccho ; 22460
And ther 8c>getes,5 in many cost, [5 sogcis St.]
22444
59(J
[Tiberius,
Avii |
Hagutgrajthy
[Tib., leaf 91,
back]
Aihilation
has brought
many to
destruction.
The vicious
are told they
are virtuous ;
fools, that
they are
wise.
He who
trusts flat-
terero is a
fool.i
[Tib., leaf 95]
Lords are
deceived by
Echo,
GOO
[Tiberius.
Avii.]
and wrong
the poor,
because flat-
terers
tell them that
poor folks'
goods belong
to them of
right.
This causes
rebellion
[Tib., leaf 95,
back]
mid blood-
shed.
Wherefore,
take this
other mirror,
and look in it.
The Pilgrim.
I refuse the'
mirror,
but look in
another,
which shows
me foal
and vicious.
Flatterers cause bloodshed. A worsening Mirror.
' Ben by fflaterye lost,
And put in greet oppressyoun
And in greet tribulacyoun ; 22464
I mene, by swychii as be stronge,
To pore men ffor to do wronge,
And suppose, thorough ther greet myght,
That they may doon it off ryght ; 22468
fflaterers bere hem so on hande,
Whiche, day and nyght, aboute hem stonde,
And fful ffalsely hem counsayle
To dispoylli the porayle ; 22472
Seyn,1 the good is herys off ryght ; [' «eyne St.]
Whiche causith, in the peplys syght,
fful greet envye and greet haterede,
AVhanne they be pressed with greet drede ; 22476
And causith, by swyche oppressynges,
Greetii rwmours and rysynges,
And, som while, rebellyoun
In many dyuerse regyoun ; [Illumination.] 22480
ffor lak oonly off polosye2 p poiecie St.]
Off ffolke aboue, that scholde hem guye ;
Causith, som while, schedynge off blood.
Wherffore this meroure, jeue it be good, 22484
Take it to thi pocessyouu,
To haue there-in Inspeccyoun.'
IT The Pylgryme:
" It /I" Adame," quod I, " jow not displeese,
-Li J. This myroure schal do me noon eese : 22488
For,3 wher-so that I leese or wyime, c3 for st., on. Tib.]
I wole neuere looke there-Inne."
But ryght anoon, myne happe it was
To loken in another glasse, 22492
In the whiche (withouten wene)
I sawe my-sylff, ffoule and vncleene,
And to byholde, ryght liydous,
Abhoruynabel and vecyous. 22496
Thilke 4 merour and that glas [« Tiuike St., That Tib.]
Schewyd to me what I was. [Illumination.] [stowe, ir. swj
WHerffore, off rancour and dysdeyn,
The same merour I caste ageyn, 22500
The Mirror of Conscience. Lady Lesson. Holy Scripture. 601
22504
22512
With-out abood,1 in hir panere,
ffrowarde off look, and eke off chere,
And gan my bak awey to tume ;
And therffore soore I gan to morne.
IT Agyographe :
)w I se wel, by thy2 conteuaunce, p thy st.,
And also by thy gouernaunce,
Thow haste no luste to loke and se
In this merour (yt semyth me) 22508
Callyd ' the3 Merour off Concyence,' p the am. St.]
Whiche schewith (by trewe experyence,
With-out Eccho or fflaterye,
Or eny other losengerye,)
Vn-to a man, what ymage
He bereth aboute, or what4 visage, [» what om. St.]
The portrature, ryght as it is,
And in what thyng he dothe amys, 22516
And how he schal the bette entende,
Alle his ffylthes to amende.'
1T Lessown [the Subcellarer] :
THanne quod the southe-Celerer : D [5 sowceierer St.]
' Towchynge hir, the Mercer, 22520
It is to hir, displesaunce,
That thow wolte not ban aqueyntaunce
With hir, whiche sothely myght be
fful greet proffyte vu-to the, 22524
In what thow scholdeste haue ado.
1 And 3eue I wyste thow woldeste so,
I wolde maken the to ben able.
Eche day to sytten at hir table ; 22528
With hir to be comensal,
Off Cheerte6 in especyal. p cimitc St.]
And7 (jeue I schal the trouthe telle) [St. &Tib.] p for St.]
In howsholde with hir I dwelle, „ 22532
And am to hir, off custom, ner.
' And the name off this Mercer
I-callyd is ' hooly scripture,'
Whiche ffor to leren, I do my cure, 22536
In a vessyl off Parchemyn : —
Off ffee, I calle the offycc myn : —
[Tiberiu.,
A™,
leaf IKi]
The Pilgrim.
Tliis I throw
away.
Haffioffraphy
tells me it is
the Mirror of
Conscience,
which shows
a man as he
is.
and how he
shall amend.
Lady Lesson.
The Sub-
cellarer
offers to fit
me
to sit at table
with the Mer-
cer or Pedlar,
[Tib., leaf 96,
back]
whoie nnme
is Holy Scrip-
ture,
kept in parch-
ment.
[Tiberius,
Avii.l
Lady Letson.
Her name in
' Lesson ' or
' Study.'
Iflwillkno*
her.
602 The Holy Ghost's grace follmcs Study. Two more Ladies.
'In swyche a vessel, euery coost, 22539
I here it that they1 be not lost. [Mtst.: *tnitame*tt,t.yM.]
Therto I do my dylygence,
To kepe it ffrom alle vyolence ;
ffor it may not (as thow doste2 se,) [»m.y»t8i.]
In noon other vessel be,
To kepe it in savacyoun ;
And my name is eke ' Leesown,'
And ' Studye,' amonge these clerkes alle,
Whiche off bothe, thow lyste me calle.
' And ffirste, jeue thow haue plesaunce,
With me to hauen aqueyntaunce,
Thow schalt aqueyntyd ben anoon
With these ladyes euery chon,
Verreyly at thyue ownii lyst :
In my byheste haue ffully tryst,
ffor grace oS the hooly goost
Schal ffolewe the in euery coost,
Kyght as this whyte dowue doth,
Ay sueth me, and that is soth,
Whiche schal the teche and tellen al
The secrees celestyal.
ffor, sche is ofi hevene (ffer and ner)
The verrey trewe mcssagor.
Erly at morewe, and at eve
Estudyantys3 sche kan releve,
To jeue hem her reffeccyoun
By rnyne ad-mynystracyoun.' 4
Other two ladyes I sawe also ;
To the chapitre that wente tho ; 22568
The ton off hem, bar in hir hondis,
Corde's and eke stronge bondis ; [Illiiminatiun.]
THe thother (in the same while)
In hir mouthe sche bare a ffyle 22572
Eadentyd ; the teth there-off were large ;
And on hir Lreste, a fful brood targe.
H The Pylgryme :
ANd or they ffurtlier myglite5 goon, p mygiit Tib., st.]
I requyred hem anoon, 12576
Te telle me (by good avys,)
Grace of the
Holy (ilKist
shall follow
me,
and she will
ahow me ce-
lestial secrets.
22544
22548
22552
22556
[Stowe, leaf 350, back]
22560
[» estudiauncys St.] 22564
f« adinyn . . St., and
uiin . . Tib.]
[Tib., leaf 97]
The Pilffrim.
Then I see
two more
ladies,
one bearing
cords,
the other s
file atid a
targe.
Lady Obedience, with her Discipline and Prudence. 603
22580
Bothe ther names and ther offis.
U Obedyence :
THe lady that the boondys bar,
To me seyde (as I was war),
' I am,' quod sche, ' (schortely to expresse),
Of this hous the1 cheeff pryoresse, [' the am. St.]
Nexte Grace Dieu (in substaunce,)
I haue here2 the gouernaunce, [» here St., ofrmrTib.] 22584
(Bothe byfforne and eke byhynde.)
And with these boondes eke I bynde,
(Wher-so that they be soure or swete,)
OS ffolkes bothe hand and ffete, 22588
That they, in no wyse, doore .i. au.ient St., om. Tib.
Passen by noon opene doore : .1. jw hostiuw st., om. Tib.
I holde hem in, lyke prisoners,
And off look and eke off cherys ;
And my name (in sentence)
Callyd is Obedyence.
' My boondes and my lygamentys
Ben dyuerse comaundementys,
To holden in subieccyoun
ffolkes off relygyoun.
H And off my ffyle to termyne,
It is I-called Dyscyplyne :
And that I (bothe northe and south)
Am wonte to bere it in my mouth,
Betokeneth reprehensyoun
Off ffolke, ffor her transgressyoun,
There-with I secure in euery syde,
That ther may no ruste abyde, [Ilium! nation.]
Nowther ffylthe, ffor noon offence.
' My targe callyd ys ' Prudence :
Euery thyng (I the ensure)
t6 goueVne it by mesure.'
H And, as I hadde good reward,
I sawgh oon in-to the ffreyterward
Goon a mesurable paas,
Wonder sobre off look and ffaas,
And no thyng dissolut off cher :
Armyd sche was with a gorger. 22616
22592
22596
22600
22604
22608
|[Tiberiu»,
A vii.l
Obedience.
The lady
with the
bonds is the
chief Prioress
of the Con-
vent,
[Tib , leaf 97,
back]
nn>l with her
bunds she
binds folk,
and detains
them indoors.
Her name is
Obedience.
Her bonds
are Com-
mandments
to keep
Monks and
Nuns in
subjection.
The file is
1 Discipline/
which scours
olTthe rust
of filthy sins,
[Tib., leaf 98]
The targe is
' Prudence.'
[Tib. & St.]
The Ptlarim.
22612 I then see
[Stowe, leaf 357]
another Udy
armed with
a gorger,
604
Lady Abstineiicc, ai\d her Gorger 'Sobriety'
[Tiberius,
Avii.)
•The Pilgrim.
whom I askt
to tell her
name.
and explain
the coverd
tables, the
folk sitting
at them,
and the dead
people serv-
ing them.
Abstinence.
She says she
in the Re-
fectorer, who
manage* the
Refectory
and feeds
the folk.
Her name is
Abstinence.
Her Oorger
is ' Sobriety/
[Tib., leaf 98,
back]
The dead
who serve
at table, are
the Founders
and endowers
of religious
houses,
who thus
daily feed
monks and
nuns.
The Pylgryme:
Off whom I gan anoon enquere,
That sche wolde goodly leere
To me (by schorte conclusyoun)
Hir name and hir condissyoun ; 22620
And off the tablys cured echon,
And there-ate sy ttynge many on ; l [' » one St.]
And also, as I dyde obserue,
Noon other ffolke at mete serve, 22624
But ffolkes deede euere more,
Where-off I was abaschyd sore.
IT Abstynence :
' T Am,' quod sche, ' the Freytourer
J_ Off this hous, and Boteler, 22628
And mynystre the sustenaunce
To ffolkes, lyke to ther plesaunce.
I kepe hem hool, I kepe hem cleene,
By a mesurable meene,
That, surffot be not to blame.
'Abstynence,' that is my name ;
And my gorger that thow doste so,
IsI-callyd'Sobrete,'2
To kepe the gorge in3 sobrenesse,
ffrom sorffet, and al excesse.
Nd these ffolkes that ben deede,
Whiche that seruo, (jeue thow take heede,)
Be thilke ffolkes euerychon, 22641
Whiche that, off jore agoon,
To-fforne her doth, off holynesse
And off verrey parffytenesse, 22G44
Made the ffoundacyoun
Off ffolkys off relygyoun ;
Endowyd4 hem with greet substaunce, [« enduyd st.]
Ther-by to haue ther sustynaunce. 22648
II And ffor that skele (as I devyse)
They done5 eche day her servyse, p done St., don Tib.]
And ben to hem eke servysable
Whanne they sytten at the table. 22652
' And ageyneward, sothe to seye,
The tother ffor hein wake and praye,
22632
p.obri»u>sto 22636
PbySt.]
'A'
22656
22659
The two ladies, Chastity and Willing Poverty.
' Bothe by day and eke by nyght,
As they are bounden, off dewe ryght,
To ther sowlis to don socowre,
And afftirward to the dortoure.'
[The Pilgrim]:
IWote not wel what it mente,
I sawgh how tweyne1 ladyes wente : [1 JJJ™
The on2 off hem, (as I was war,) p tone St.]
In hir hand, a staff sche bar ;
The tother, save a gambesoun,
Was nakyd (in myne inspeccyoun).
And sche that bare the staff, anon
ffro bed to bed sche is agon
Thorowgh-out the dortour (by and by),
And made the beddes ff ul clenly ;
And with clothis cleene and white
Sche spradde hem ouer, by delyte,
That no thyng ne lay a3 wronge. p a St., am. Tib.] 22671
Sche that was nakyd, gan a songe, [Illumination.]
WHiche (to putte in remembraunce) [stowe, if. 357, bk.]
Was pleynely this, as in substaunce :
U The ffyrste verse off the song:
605
22664
22668
F Schal synge, with al my myght,
And so I howe,4 off verrey ryght, 22676
I am nakyd, as je may se ; [• owe, ought: have St.]
By no thyng men may holden me ;
Thowgh they me pursue, day and nyght,
To hold[e] me they have no myght.5 [St., ««. Tib.] 22680
U The secunde verse :
Smale posterne I may pace,
And, thorough thykke and thynne trace ;
ffor, thow that ffolke's dyde her peyne,
They may off me no thyng restreyne, 22684
Affter, euere thow6 they chace. ['thoghest.]
H The thryde verse :
I Am ' Wylleffull Pouerte ; '
And, off myne owne volunte,
[Tiberius,
Avii.]
Abstinence.
In return for
which, tin-
lilt lr r pray
for their
Founders'
souls.
The Pilffrim.
I then see
two more
ladies,
one (Chas-
tity) with a
Staff, the
other naked,
except her
Gambeson
a sleeveless
jacket).
The first
(Chastity)
made the
beds, and
laid white
sheets over
them.
[Tib., leaf 99]
The naked
one sang
this song :
Willinff
Poverty.
I am naked ;
no one can
hold me.
I can pass
through a
narrow door.
I am Willing
Poverty.
[Tib., leaf 99,
back]
s The 2nd and 3rd verses have only 5 lines each ; the first
ought to have the same ; but as Stowo's 6th line stops the linc-
numbcring getting uneven, I put it in.
606
Willing Poverty, and her jacket Patience.
(Tiberius,
Avii.]
I sleep
securely.
No thief can
rob me.
The Pilgrim.
I go to the
naked lady.
wanna
Poverttf.
She says
again, she
is 'Wilful
Poverty,'
and has
given up all
property
save her
j:ick«t
Patience,
[Tib., If. 10(1]
in exchange
for celestial
goods.
The Pilgrim.
Her poverty
is ' volun-
tary,'
Willing
Poverty.
because
nothing
avails a man
except what
is done will-
ingly.
' See next a
case of
involuntary
poverty.'
She shows
me an old
woman
frowning and
sad.
[Tib., If. 100,
back]
' I despyse alle rychesse ; 22688
Slepe in loye and sekyrnesse,
Nor theves may not robbe me.' [Illumination.]
The Pylgryme:
TO hir, that so nakyd was,
I gan to hasten a greet paas ; 22692
Bysoughtte hir that sche nolde spare,
Hir name, to me ffor to declare.
If Pouerte :
' ~|\/ry name, jeue I sclial telle the,
1VJ. I am ' wyllefful Poverte ; ' 22696
ffor,1 to swyche pouerte I haue me take, [' °*>- St.]
And the world I haue fforsake,
Eychesse and alle pocessyoun,
Save oouly this Gambysoun, 22700
Whiche is callyd 'Pacyence.'
And therffore, with-out offence,
fforsake I haue the Tempera!
ffor goodes that ben celestyall : [Tib. & St.] 22704
There is my rychesse and gerdoun,
My tresovvre and my pocessyoun.'
U The Pylgryme :
" T Preye the that thow not tarye :
1. Why is it callyd ' voluntarye ' I " 22708
11 Pouerte:
' ri^Ryste this (it is no ffayle,)
JL Ther may no thyng a man avayle ;
(What manor thyng that euere it be,)
But it be doon off volunte. 22712
Rome fforthe, and se an exanplayre2 [» eiempiayre St.]
Off poverte not voluntarye.'
And, with-oute3 more lettynge, [» out Tib., St.]
Sche Schewyd me oon, ffelle off lokynge : 22716
Groynynge scho sat, ffrownynge and sad ;
And off hir cheere sche was not glad.
' Here thow4 mayste seen pouerte [«thow st., om.Tib.]
Whiche is no thyng off volunte. [Illumination.] 22720
Thow mayste off hir 5anon enquere,5 p— s St., Tib. torn.]
And the trouthe sche schal the leere.
n The Pylgryme :
How Impatient Poverty plays ti~icks to get money. 607
" rilHow oolde," quod I, " so ffoule off cheere,
I What cause haste thow to abyden1 heere [s^e> "•
Amonge this ffayre companye p hastow tawden St.] 22725
Off ladyes ? I trowe thow art a spye.
Thow owghttyest not, with so ffoule a fface,
To2 abyden in so ffeyre a place." p loom. St.] 22728
U Pouerte Impacyent : 3 P impacyent Tib., am. St.]
^ Vod sche, ' the trowthe ffor to kythe,
Thow haste seyne fful offte sythe
With lordes, ladyes, (it is no doute,) [St. & rib.]
In her4 chawmbres rounde abowte ,, 22732
For to maken dyuerse Japes, p thayr st.] „
Foxes rennen, and eke apes, ,,
Dysporte and' pleye on euery syde :
And semblably, here I5 abyde ; p i here St.] 22736
Where-off thow scholdest me not6 repreve ; P not me St.]
ffor vn-to hem, no thyng I greve ;
It dothe hem non dysavauntage,
ffor to my silffe is the damage. 22740
ANd7 jeue men me callen ' Pouerte,' ['and, am. St.]
And 1 8 take it not at gree piom.st.]
Thorough myne no wne9 Impacyence, pownest.] 22743
My grucchynge doth no wight10 offence, CjJ^
(Who so takyth heede ther-to) 0|""
But to my silffe, and to no mo.
Off ffolkes off dyscressyoun,
I am had in derysyoun ;
They holde off me but a lape,
As a lord dothe off his ape.'
The Pylgryme:
" TTTy'' semyth, as12 by tliy resemblaunce ['»a»o»i. St.]
I I And by thy owgely 13 contenaunce, [u own St.]
By lyfftynge vp off thy mosel, 22753
That thow pleyest the ape wel ;
And that thow art the comune ape,
Affore ffolke to pleye and lape." 22756
II Pouerte Impacyent :
11 I need hardly say in an E. E. Text that the vulgar error of
holding that 'like' is not a conjunction, is due to ignorance.
Like, from 'like as,' is a conjunction; Like, from 'like to or
unto, ' is a preposition. See 8. Walker, Grit. on Shakcsp. , ii. 1 1 5- 1 23 .
22748
[Tiberius,
Avii.J
The Pilgrim.
I aek the old
woman why
she IB among
these fair
ladies.
Impatient
Poverty*
She, * Im-
C'ent
ertyy
answers :
You've often
seen, in lords'
and ladies'
rooms,
foxes and
apes to make
fun for them.
Well : as I
take my
poverty
impatiently
and grum-
blingly.
discreet folka
hold me in
derision
like 11 lords
do their apes.
[Tib., If. 101]
The Pilgrim.
Your lifting
of your
muzzle shows
that you play
the Ape well,
say I.
608 / leave Impatient Poverty, and go to Lady Chastity.
[Tiberius,
Avai
Impatient
Poverty.
She answers:
' That comes
from lack of
patience,
winch pouts
my lips,
and makes
me look like
nn ape.
I always grin
like a bitch ! '
The Pilffrhn.
Then I leave
her, and go
to the lady
who made the
beds in the
Dormitory.
[Tib., If. 101,
back]
Chastity.
She is Dame
Chastity,
Chatelaine
of the castle.
She is well;
armd,
has maild
glove* to
defend the
castle and
22760
[i hygh Tib., high St.]
22764
[« decert St.]
22768
' ri^Hat is thorough myne Impacyence,
I And ffor lak off pacyence,
That makyth me in herte swelle,
And, with greete wyndes belle,
That dothe my lyppes hyghe1 reyse,
Whiche, no man ne schulde preyse ;
ffor it makyth a demonstraunce
Off an apys contenaunce.
' I love no maner besynesse,
But oonly slouthe and ydelnesse.
' Eyghtffully, thorough my dyssert,2
I may ben callyd wel ' Povert.'
Off good, I haue no manor thyng,
But as the3 bycche, ay groynyng,
Wel worse sothely than I seme ;
Off euery thyng, the worst I deme.'
H The Pylgryme :
A Noon I laffte hir companye,
And gan me ffaste ffor to hye
To hir that, with hir lokes glade,
In4 the dortoure bedde's made ; [« in St., But in Tib.] 22776
And curteysely I gan hir preye, [St. & Tib.]
To me sche wolde hir name seye. [stowe,ieafS58, b»ck]
H Dame 5 chastyte : p Dame om. st.]
PaSt.]
22772
T Am callyd by my name,
The ffeyre, with-oute6 spotte or blame, [« out Tib., St.]
That may, in no place endure 22781
Where that ffylthe is, or ordure.
And of7 ffolkes that me se, p of St., om. Tib.]
I am8 callyd Chastyte ; p They caiie Tib.] 22784
Off thys castel, chasteleyne,
Whiche, day and nyght, I9 do my peyne [»iom. St.]
ffor to kepen this castel
ffroni schotte off Gonne and of10 quarel. [10ofst.,om.Tib.]
And therffore I am armed wel, 22789
Bette thanne in yren and n steel ; [" Bet than yren outher st.]
Nyght and day is my laboure, [St. 4 Tib.]
For to dyffeude 12 euery toure, [" for to defenden St.]
Bothe13 erly and also late, [» st., Tib. ward] 22793
And on myne handys, I hauc off plate, [Illumination.]
/ see Lady Prayer, winging her way to the Sky, 609
APeyre1 gloues, ffor dyffence, [-peyreofst.]
I-callyd'Dowble Contynence.' 22796
-\r i ,
JVlyghty venus to rechace,
. stop Venus
And to putte hir ffro that place, [Tib. & St.] [Tib., lf. 102]
That sche may haue noon entre
ffor to assayile2 chastyte, P fortassaiiie st.] 22800 from«SBa«-
Whiche sclial, as a 3 conquerour,) [. a st., om. TIUO
Kepe and deffende the dortour,
' To alle my ffreendes, I wole socoure,
That with herte' me honowre, 22804
Hem to kepe ffrom vnclennesse,
While I to hem am cheeff maystresse.'
ITThePylgryme: a.*,,,..
fftir this, anoon I wente
A
In-to the mynstre (off good entente), 22808 i".«.e
And, asyde castynge my syght,
I sawe a lady ffayre and bryght, i „, ,
Sad off contenaunce and off4 cheere ; [• 0«om. st.] iWcSS?
And sche bare, lyke a messangere, 22812 *
Aboyste; and anon ryght, [8-.^»sfe«»«]
Toward the heuene sche took hir fflyght ; who dies
ffor (as I kowde byholde and se,)
Sche was whynged, ffor to ffle. 22816
ANd trewely (as I koude espye,) upward,
Sche ffleye5 ffer aboue tlie skye. I* flygh St.] "by," "
And, as me thoughte, longe and large, [St. & Tib.] [Tib., if. 102,
Affor hir brest, sche bare a targe ; „ 22820 b*°^
And (schortely as I kan reherse)
The sylve heuene sche dydij perse. and into
And I thought (in sotheffastenesse) "eave"'
Hir laboure and hir besynesse „ 22824 whose busi-
Was ffor to niaken (in certeyne) Se'dead
Deede men to ryse6 ageyne. [My vest.] SSn?"
And I gan fEor to neyghe7 nere, F neygh Tib., nygi,e St.]
Preyed hir (off herte entere) 22828
To jeue me infformacyoun
Off name and of8 condyscyoun. p and of St., »n<i Tib.]
IT Prayere :
Prayer.
name, jeue thow lyste to here, [stowe, leaf 359]
1 am, off ffolke, callyd 'Prayere' : 22832
PILGRIMAGE. n B
610 The Dead who wait on the Monks are Etidmvers of Orders.
[Tiberim,
Avii.)
Prayer.
She Bnys that
these dead
folk
[Tib., If. 103]
are good men
%vho, while
living, gave
of tbeir alms
to sustain
this house.
and provide
the monks
a competent
livelihood,
that they
might pray
for them.
She Hies to
heaven
to present
Ood with
well-meant
prayers.
Her Tarce
is Fervent
Continuation
of Prayer.
„ 22836
[' Tib. would be ' jeue.'J
22844
[« and St.]
22848
[» sanwr ilke St.]
' And lerne off mo that (off resoun,) [St.* Tib.]
Echo man is worth! the guerdoun „
(Yf * that trouthe he obseraed,)
Lyke as he hath trewely deserued.
And eche wyght, ffor his good dede,
Is worthi to resseyue his mede,
Lyke his meryte, off equyte.
' These deede ffolk whiche thow doste se, 22840
[Illumination. Pilgrim, Angel, and two dewl Men.]
Ben they whiche, euery day suynge, [Tib. * St.]
Jeuen lyuelode and fost[e]rynge „
To lyvynge ffolkes that here-in dwells :
In what wyse, I schal the telle.
Whanne they alyue were heere present,
They gaff off herte, in2 good entent,
Thorough ther parffyte holynesse,
In-to this hous fful greet almesse ;
And, to ther sustentacyoun,
They made the ffoundacyoun
Off this ylke same 3 hous ;
And jaff vnto relygyous
Meete and drynke (off good entent)
And lyuelode competent ;
Off purpos (sothe ffor4 to seye)
That they scholde ffor hem preye.
And so they don, bothe day and nyght,
Off consuetude and off ryght.
' Wherffore, callyd I am ' Prayere,'
Whiche that am the messagere
That fflee5 to heuene with whynges lyght,
ffer aboue the sterres bryght,
To-ffore the lord, to presente
Prayere made in good entente,
Lyche as these ffolkes haue in charge.
' And the name eke off my Targe,
Is Fervente Contynuacyoun
Off preyere by devocyoun.
FOr there nys6 halpeny nor fferthyng, [«nysst., is Tib.]
But it requerith his guerdownyng
More trewely (jeue it be tolde)
22852
(» for ow. St.]
2285G
22860
fly St.]
22864
22868
Lady (h-ison takes Prayers to Heaven, and will guide me. 611
[Tiberius,
Ami.]
Prayer.
[Tib., If. 103,
buck]
Prayer
sbortena
PnrgiMcry.
Sbeis 'Od-
son,' and
takes prayers
to beaven ;
' Tlianne the sowme a thowsande ffolde, 22872
In tlie lyffe that is eterne,
OfE hym tliat eche thyng kail concerne,
Eternally lyvyng in glory. [stoweMs., leafsso]
' Prayer abreggeth purgatory, [st. &TH>.] 22876
And alleggeth (in certeyne,) ,,
Of sowles the greete1 peyne, [> greet Tib., gret st.] „
And gyveth to hem remyssyoun. „
"Wher-ffore I am callyd ' Orysoun,' „ 22880
That do off ffolkl's the message
To2 god, by fful swyffte passage. [» to St., And to Tib.]
The requested I kan speede, 22883
Off ffolke that preye in love and dreede, [stowe, lenfssg, bk.]
And make the procuracyoun
Off Prayere and off Orysoun.
ANd with the kyng (take heede also,
Who hath any thyng ado 22888
To expleyten his laboure)
I am cheveste procuratoure ; [st. & Tib.]
And euere my supply cacyoun, „
Whanne3 it is grownded on resoun, „ 22892
It is never, I dar devyse, p wimn st., Euere Tib.] ,,
Not refusyd, in no wyse.
WHerffore, by the reed off me,
Jeue thow wolte4 gon to that Cyte, [«wiust.]
I schal the schewe the ryghte5 way, p ryght Tib., St.]
And the passage (it is no nay)
Gladdely eke, jeue it may pleese.
' And also, ffor to doon the eese, 22900
I schal the lene a mansyoun,
To make thyne habytacyouu :
It syttc wel, bothe0 to hygh and lowe, [s boibe o». st.]
Thy comynge ther afforne be" knowe ; ptost.] 22904
ffor who that schal haue there cntre,
Knowe, to-ffornt', it muste be ;
Nor n6 man may haue there hostage,
But I to-fforne do his message. 22908
'And off the theeff, in his haugynge, [Tii>. AS;.] [Tib., if. 101]
Whanne he henge by tlio myghty kynge „
Crist ilie*u, vp-ou the roode,
and ber en-
treaty is never
refused by
God.
22895
She ways slie
will show me
the way to
the City,
ami lend me
a house there,
for tlie com-
ing of all
inuat be
known be-
forehand.
G12 Lady Prayer will take my Message to the Heavenly City.
[Tiberius.
Avii.]
Prayer.
Even of th»
penitent thief
upon the
Cross, she
was the mes-
senger to
Heaven ;
and she will
do my mes-
sage tor uie.
Tlit Pilgrim.
I accent her
offer.
[Tib., If. 104,
back]
Then I see
a Lady blow-
ing a horn.
I That deyod ffor oure alder goode ; 22912
Off whom the theeff fful humbely
Axed off that lord mercy ;
The same tyme, ffor his socoure,
II wento afforne enbassatoure, [' i St., And Tib.] 22916
And trewely dyde his message,
And made2 redy his passage, ['To make St.]
That he inyght resseyued be
In Paradys, that ffayre centre. 22920
ANd semblabely, as by my reed,
By this exaumple take good heed,
That thow b6 not putte in blame,
Thy-silffe, ffor to do the schame. 22924
Thow haste as greet neede, at a preeff,3 p?meeffTib.]
I4 sothe, as hadde the seyde theeff. ['in St.]
And, to ffurther thy vyage,
I wole my silffe don thi message.' 22928
IT The Pylgryme:
ANd thanne anoon, with humble cheere
I thankyd tho vnto Preyere,
And seyde, " my cause to amende,
That to-fforne I wolde hir sende, 22932
ffor my reffute and my socoure,
ffor to ben my procuratoure."
Anoon affter, in certeyne,
Whanne I hadde the place seyne, [siowe, leafseo] 22936
And, by cleer inspeccyoun,
Made my vysitacyoun,
ANd in my way as I gan go,
Within the place to and ffro, [st.&Tib.] 22940
Of aventure me by-fforn, ,,
I sawgh one that blewe an horn, ,,
And made a noyse wonder lowde. , ,
And (as I espyen koude) „ 22944
In organys and in sawtrye ,,
She made a wonder melodye. „
[Illumination: the Pilgrim, with a Woman at an
Organ, blowing a cow's horn ; beyond, a table with
a Harp on it. One large and five small windows
in the room.']
The Handmaid, and her Horn of Call on God for Help. 613
22948
[' Lat-er-iaj 22952
[»servysst.] 22956
[» iy St.]
[Tib. & St.]
22960
WHom I by-sought, off hardynesse,
To me, that sche wolde expresse,
(Off hir grace, in goodly wyse,)
Her office, and her servyse.
IT Latrya : [A.aTp«'o, the state of a hired workman.]
' (~\R this place, ffolkes alle,
\J ' Latrya ' 1 they me calle.
Myne offyce is moste ill wakynge,
To kepe the gate aboute the kynge.
I wacche thereon, day and nyght,
Do my fforse,2 and eke my myght,
ffor to lyne s aye in away t,
That there be ifoundeu no dysceyt.
Nowther behynde nor beforn ;
ffor thanne anoon I blowe myn horn.
' Who lythe to longe, I make hym ryse ;
Slogardes alle, I4 chastise, [« ail i do St.]
And to slouthe I do greet sorewe ;
ffor, bothe at eeue and eke at morew, 22964
I kepe the howres off rysynge,
To do worscliipe vnto5 the kynge.
Alle ffolkes vp I calle,
That no slomber on hem ffalle.
' Myne home is Invocacyoun
Off Deus in adiutorium :
I blowe myn horn toward rnydnyght,
To reyse vp ffolkes anoon ryght;
I suffre hem not, off sleep to deye.
Myne orgones, I tempre ffor to pleye,
And vp-on hem I make a sown
With-OUten IntermySSyOWn. sine intennisaione orai-e. St. oro. Tib.
' And trewely, alle my melodye 22977
Is in songe off Persalmodye.6 [• and psalmody St.]
And, devoutely, in myne ententis,
1 calli; so myne Instruments ;
ffor thylke kyng that is most stronge,
Moste hym delytyth in swyche songe ;
To hym it7 is moste pertynento,
Whanne it is songe off good entente,
In clennesse and in pure to.'
[s vnto St., to Tib.]
22968
22972
22980
['How. st.]
22984
[Tiberiug,
Avii. |
The Pilgrim.
I ask what
her work is.
She says she
is Lntria,
a handmaid.
She keeps
the gate of
the Castle
day and
night,
[Tib., If. 105]
makes folk
get up,
and whips
sluggards.
Her horn is
cald Invoca-
tion of God
to help.
She blows
it at mid-
night,
and sings
Psalmody,
in which
the King
delights.
Obedience warns me of the Hardships of my Journey.
[Tiberius,
Avii.J
The Pilgrim.
Then I see
the lady who
had bonds in
her hands.
Obedience.
She is Obedi-
ence,
[Tib., If. 105,
back]
and askg me
if I come
there as a
Tke Pilgrim.
I tell her
that I want
to go to
Jerusalem.
Obedience.
She says Die
beds and pas-
sage are hard.
The Pilfirim.
I assure her
that I don't
mind that.
Obedience.
Obedience
then binds
me
And while that Latrya spak to me,
I sawgh the lady, whiche in1 hir liandys [' lady within st.j
"Whiche I off spak, that bar the bondys,2 [stowe,iears«o,bk.]
Sad and demure off hir vysage. ['bands St.] 22989
To me sche takyth hir passage :
IT Obedyeace :
• pT^Elle me,' quod sche, ' on euery part 22991
_|_ Verely what that thou art, [stowe MS., Tib. bumf]
And the truthe specifye, „
Yf thou come ought as espye [St. 4 Tib.]
Into this place, to or3 ffro, [»a..dst.] „
Or thou eny ffurther go.' „ 22996
H The Pylgryme:
M
Adame," quod I, " haue on me ruthe.
am no spye, in good trouthe ;
[St. & Tib.]
23000
23004
23008
My purpos is, and that anoon,
To Jerusalem ffor to goon. „
And, the weyes as I sought, „
Hedre grace dieu me brought ,,
Only my waye ffor tabrygge, „
And to eschewe eche other brygge." „
IT Obedyence : 4 [« latrta sto
' Tolde she the not (jeue thow haue mynde,) „
Here-in that thow scholdest ffynde „
Beddes harde, and no thyng soffte,
As it is I-preved offte
Off ffolke off euery maner age :
And heere is a fful hard passage.'
IT The Pylgryme:
HOw harde euere that it be,
Trewely I schal it take at gre ;
To grace dieu, what that I kan,
Serue hir as hir trewe man." [St. 4 Tib.]
IT Obedyence : 5 p utria stj
' Take heder thy ffeet and tliyne hondes ; ' 6 [St. & Tib.]
I shall them bothe knett in bands. [fe^0Mbsa;,j?f ' 23016
thow shalt ha ges [lyke] a faucon,
6 There is only one more after leaf in MS. Cott. Tib. A. vii, and
the portion of the poem contained on that leaf, — which is nearly
illegible, — is not missing in Vit. c. xiii. — W. WOOD (colder).
23012
Obedience binds me securely. Envy, &c. get into the Castle. 615
' only of entenci'oun, 'SHW| Ms-
• i "0». ]
without eny contrariouste, obedience.
that [thou] shall ylured be.' 23020
Pilgrim : ne pugrim.
she band me foot and hand also. foot and
hand ;
that to move to ne fro
I hadd uo manor lyberte ;
nor my tonge was not frc 23024
for to speke, but by lycence ;
nor in the seller, nor in the spence,
ete nor drynke on no syde,
but lycens were my gyde. [t-iviiaut UM~\ 23028
And, for tacounte the terme entier,
the space of XXXIX1 yere [' nine and thirty] for 39 years.
I was bound of volunte,
to obedience (as ye may so), 23032
as the statuts, fayn and well,
bound the folk of that castell.
and truly, in hert nor in thought, [stowe, leaf soij
my bonde's2 greuyd me ryght nought ; ['iKmdsst.j 23036 Myix>mi«
, , ., , , don't trouble
but (as it comythe to remeinbraunce) me.
ther befell a wondar chaunce : •
the portar hanpede on a day one day the
Porter of tlie
to ben for out of the way ; 23010 cmtie W1IS
the kynge was absent eke also ; the 'King
absent,
and, in absence of bothe two,
(and the gate was vnshet.) and the
Ca»tle-gate
ther cam in, withoute3 let, p without st.] 23044 °Pe11-
a thefe, that no man coude espye. in came
False Envy,
that was callyd Falls Envye :
hir two doughtars. the ton, ' Treson ' Treason,
Detraction,
called / the tother, ' Detraction ' : 23048
with them (by gret cruelte)
Scilla, a monstre of the se, and scyiia,
with hounds,
and her hounds hir folowynge
with grete noyse and gret barkynge. 23052
and this rueyne, in the castell
made noyse and gret revell :
In a lenton (who lyst se)
. . . and drove out
they made the ladyes for to ne 23056 the Ladies.
616 / ride the horse, Good Renown, away from Envy, &c.
[Stowe MS.
958.]
The Pilgrim.
Envy,
Treason, and
Detraction
sought me.
I got a horse,
to escape
from them.
Scylla.
Treat/on.
Scytfa.
This Horse
wasQood
Renown,
with the four
feet.
1. Void of
Defame.
out of thilke holy boundes.
and Scilla folowed with hir hounds,
gan at them sore euchace ;
and Envy, thrughe all the place, 23060
with hir doughters (out of doute,)
gan to seke me round ahout.
they were conspiryd alle1 thre ['ail St.]
playnly to devoure me, 23064
only by conspiraci'on
of envie and detraction.
their felowship I forsoke ;
and anon an horse I toke, 23068
for to flyen, wt't/i all my myght,
to escape out of hir syght.
and truly, for no maner rape,
theyr treynes2 1 niyght not eskape. p ireyna sto 23072
quod Scilla then, (of gret despyt,)
' he wenythe for to have respit,
and by his horse to bene socowryd,
that he shall nat ben devowryd 23076
of vs by persecution.'
'ye, for all that,' quod Treason,
' as it is [vn]to vs dwe,
aftar hym we shall pursue. 23080
what maner of horsse myght he have, [stowe, leaf sei, back]
that from owr daunger shuld hym save 1 '
Scilla :
quod Scilla, ' I shall well telle,
yf ye lyst a while dwelle : 23084
this horse is cawlyd ' Good Reuowne,'
whiche hathe (in conclusyon)
fowr fette hym to susteyne ;
and elle's3 (without eny wene) peiisst.] 23088
he shuld (to his confusion,)
at myscheffe halten even a-downe,
with thre, tweyne, or with one,
vpryght he shuld nevar gon, 23092
but stomble aye, and gon a-myse.
' the fivste'4 fote of his horse is, [»Br»tst.]
that he have no condicion
[Stowe IIS.
962.)
Sci/lla.
The feet of
the horae
•Good Re-
nown,'
2. Free-born.
S. Legiti-
mate.
4. Sane.
The Feet of the horse, Good Renown. The Serpent. Envy. 617
' sownynge to dyffamaci'on, 23096
this is to seyne, touchynge shame,
that he be voyde of dyffame.
' The second, (to his advantage,)
that he be borne out of servage : 23100
this to nieane, that he, in all,
out of thraldome be lyberall.
' The third, (withouten all outrage,)
to be borne in trwe manage. 23104
' the fourthe is, a foot full good,
of nature that he be nat wood,
nor that he, by no frolage,
be nat fallen into rage. 23108
' these fowre feet (in sothnesse),
of truthe all- way here witnesse ;
but we (by conspiratiou?*)
shall maken hym alryght a-doune ; 23112
and, shortly, (to owr avayle),
here-on we shall haue a consayle.'
and, lyke to theyr opynyon,
fyrst ther spake Detraction : 23116 attraction.
qiiod she, ' I can a noble songe
that aye resownythe vnto wronge,
That Dan of Inuidia [Fiat Dan coluber in *'»• cerastes in semita,
mordens un^ulas equi, ut cadat aaeensor ejus
ffiat coluber in via. retro.-o«n»»« xiiv. 17.]
'this songe I wot ryght welle,' quod, she, 23121
' was I-songen first for rne.
to vse it, I am nat rekles,
I am the horned Cerastes,1 P ««p<w-nu, eeraita, a homed serpent.]
whiche evar (as ferforthe as I may,)
trace ever the wronge way.
and covertly, in my werkyuge,
I vse for to byte and stynge ;
with tethe & tonge I do most wrake,
evar behynden at the bake.
' the horse of hym, in diffame,
[ no blank in MS.]
so priveily I shall disceyve,
that he shall nat apparceyve.
I shall be falshed so prevyd,
23125
23128
says she is
the Horned
Serpent that
bites and
stings folk
behind their
backs,
23132
[Stowe, leaf 362]
;unl she will
upset my
horse.
618 Envy wounds me. Dogs tear me. My legs & arms are broken.
[Stowe MS.
952.]
Detraction.
The Pilprim.
Detraction
makes my
horse full
with her
Serpent-
tongue.
I tumble
down among
the hounds.
Envy wounds
me with 3
upears,
and the dogs
tear me.
Treason hits
me on the
head with a
club;
and breaks
my legs and
arms.
Then they
leave me.
' to make hym halten in some syde ; 23136
•whiehe so sore shall hym greve,
that he shall not mowe releve.'
' Sothly,' quod tho Treason,
' that good was hir oppinion.' 23140
and when she hadd hir tale do,
echon they accordyd well therto ;
the houndlis1 stodeu at abaye [' hounds St.]
and gau barke, by gret affray. 23141
and at[te] last, Detraction
made myn hors to falle a-doun,
and to halten in swyche wyse
that I myghte 2 uat a-ryse :
withe a tonge of a serpent
niyue horse and I were bothii shent ;
And doun at erthe, in gret affray,
amonge the houndes ther I lay.
and aftar (by great felonye)
I was assaylyd by Envye ;
and wt't/i tlire speres sharpe ground,
she gave to me many a wound. t
and of Scilla, the cruell hounds,
gaue me many mortall wounds ;
I was to-torne with ther clias.
and than cam Treason wt'tfj hir mas,
hevy as a clobbe of leed,
and ther-of set me on ye hede ;
lege and arnie she brake in twayne,
that yet I fell the grete3 payne
of that ylke mortall stryffe,
and shall felle it all my lyffe.
and whill I lay thus in a traunco
of grete anoye and grete grevaunce, 23168
those olde4 vekke's dispitious, [«0ust.]
[No gap in MS.]
they me left in full gret drede,
wenynge that I had be dcde. 23172
and comfort, truly was ther none,
for all my fryndes5 were gou : [5 frynds St.]
in prison, lay Charite ;
[» myghtst.] 23148
23152
23156
231GO
[3 gret St.] 23164
/ make myself a wooden Leg, and anoint my bruises. 619
[Stowe MS.
952.]
The Pityrim.
Scylla is de-
lighted at my
wounds,
and re-
proaches
Treason for
not having
injured me
more.
I accuse
Treason
before the
King,
Mercy was hound, & eke Pitie, 23176
whiche lykyd me nothyng well.
and Scilla cawsyd everydell ;
for my sorow and my grevaunce
was to her full gret pleasaunce ; 23180
and it grevyd hir full sore
that I hadde1 harme no more; [stowc, leaf sa, bk.] [IMS. had]
and she (of indignation,)
made a quarell to Treason, 23184
that she dyd no more vengaunce,
to encrese my wof ull chaunce.
wherfore I (in myn entent)
I axyd a ryghtfull iugement, 23188
cast my gage tofore the kynge,
to have amende of all this thynge ;
and, for this great transgression,
I made a-pele vppon Treson ;
and complaynynge thus my wo,
I lay, and turnyd to and fro,
maymyd in so mortall wyse
that I myghte2 nat aryse
on my fete, for gret destrese ;
and vpreard my-selfe to drose.
I made me a leg of tre
to rysen (yf it wold ha be) ; 23200
and that leg (in my discese)
dede me after full gret ese ;
for, to my gret confusion,
lost I hadde3 my bordon; piadsi.j 23204
I mist not where, in serteyn,
tyll Grace Dieu it brought ageyn,
whiche that found it on a day
at the turnynge of a waye. 23208
and in thes wofull auentures,
as I anoynted my bresures,
complaynynge early on a morow,
as I lay, and made sorowe, 23212
when phebus, with his bemes bryght, At ,„„„_
gilt the hylle's4 with his lyght, [« hyib st.j
to chase the uiystes that were derke,
23192
p myght St.] 23196
and (tho1 my
arms are
broken)
make myself
a leg of wood,
and anoint
my wounds.
620 Ovid comes, and pities me. He'll curse my harmers.
[Stowe MS.
952.]
The Pilgrim.
old Ovid
comes to me,
Ovid.
pities me,
The Pilffrint.
Quid.
says he loves
me,
and will curse
my injurers.
23216
[Stowe, leaf S63] 23220
[' myglit St.]
to me there coine a full old clerk e,
whom, sythe tyme that I was bore,
I had nevar sene tofore ;
and his booke on me he layd,
and euen thus to me he sayd :
Ouidius :
qwod he, 'of true affection,
I ha gret compassyon
on thy sorowe and on thy doole,
that thow liggest here all soole
in grete myscheffe (as semethe me)
wher-of I haue full gret pyte.'
Pilgrim :
" for to put me in certeynn,
I pray the that thou woldest seyn
thy name openly to me,
that I myghte1 thanken the."
Ouidius :
' of my name it stondethe thus ;
I am callyd Ovydius,
whiche loue thee, more than thou canst wene : —
here-aftar it shall be sene.
and yf thow haddyst, her-to-forne,
in my tyme, in sothe be borne,
to thy consolation
I shold haue towght thee a lessonne,
whiche shuld ha be to thy plesaunce,
and shuld ha made thee in substaunce
ffull sufflciaunt, in many a thynge,
bothe in doctryne and in connynge.
but I am come to denounce
a sertayn curse, & to pronounce,
on alle2 thilke the sentence,
whiche vnto the ha don offence,
whiche sentence (in wordes3 fewe)
to the in latyn I shall shewe,
Terra sibi fruges $• cetera / '
Pilgrim :
whan his vers weren all ysayd,
vnto hym thus I abrayd :
23224
23228
23232
23236
23240
23244
P all St.]
[3 words St.]
23248
/ leave Vengeance to God. Acrostic of my Name.
621
[Stowe MS.
959.]
The Pilffrim.
I tell Ovid
that I'll put'
off earning
till God
judges at
Doomsday.
Ovid goes ;
" that ye (of true affection,)
have on me compassyon, 23252
on my doolie and on my smert.
I thanke yow with all niyn hert; [stowe, leaf ses, back]
but I ha no devosyon
In cursynge nor in malison ; 23256
I shall delay[e]n all cursynge,
tyll tyme that the myghty kynge,
by iugement, eche thyng shall dome,
as vnto hym it shall but seme, 23260
of ryghtwisenesse, to provide."
and in this wise, the clerke Ovide
went his way, and lef te a me [' left st.]
lyggynge in great adversitie ; 23264
and to expresse (in complaynynge)
my grete2 sorow by writynge, ["great St.]
I will myn owne name shewe,
sette out by lettars on a rowe 23268
at the gynnynge of this ditie
in eche ballad as ye may se,
of Frenche and Lattyn, bothe I-fere,
ryght anon as ye shall here. 23272
hauythe me excusyd of my rudenesse,
thowghe I to you my name expresse :
[ACROSTIC OF GUILLAUME DE DEGUILVEVILLE'S NAME:
GUILLERMUS DE DEGUILEVILLA.]
and I, De
Guileville,
will tell you
my name by
an Acrostic.
(1)
rt rato messiurn tempore,
\J Quant nature aez beaux ' fruiz (lore, 2
Et prompta sunt in liquore
Ses vins qu'encore pas n'aflbre, 4
Quo folium in arbore
Se commence a deuenir sore,
Et boreas in equore
Si n'est pas trop nuysant encore. 8
(2)
TTIdi scriptum in margine
V Ou cestuy escript s'enracine,
Miraiidam pulcritudine,
Grace dieu, du ciel royne digne, 12
Me vocantem ex nomine :
' Vien auant, et si t'achemine
Mecum, quia regimine
Tu as mestier, et de doctrine.' 16
(3)
1 Lla me duxit prospere
J. En 1'ung ties chasteaulx de son pere,
Exhortando summopere,
Que 1'un de leans ie fusse frere, 20
Virginiqwe puerpere,
Estoille de mer pure et clere,
Me servum vellem tradere,
En la faisant ma bonne mere. 24
1 beaux, Petit print, om. St.
2 Stowe ends here. The rest is copied from Petit's French edition of Le
romant des trois Peltrinaiges. Lc premier pelerinaige cst de I'hommc durant
yu'est en me . . . ab. 1500. Foeillet .Ixxxiiij. col. 2, sign, l.iiij.
622 Acrostic of my Name : Guillermus DC DeGuilerilla.
w
LEgis audite nouello,
Plaisante me fut la nouuelle,
Nam, mel nmndi mixtum felle,
Si me nuysoit a la forcelle. 28
Tune pellem dedi pro pelle,
Pour semir a ceste pucelle,
Puro sperans frui melle,
Pour quoy la vie se reuouuelle. 32
(5)
LOngo cursn pacifice
Remains ou chastel sans malice,
Ytilitati publice
Entenjant, selon nion office. 36
Sparsim apparent rubrice
'A tout cliascun, s'il n'est trop nyce,
Nam faetum est theatrice,
Sans quelconque notable vicu. 40
EA propter prodieute
D'une cauerne pestilente,
Inuidia furiente,
Et du bien de 1'autruy dolente, 44
Improuise ac repente,
Scilla la lisse pullulente,
Proditione ptesente,
Sans nul delay me mist en vente. 48
(7)
RAbida sic orta pestc,
De corner fist tres grant moleste
Cum canibus atqwc reste ;
Moy, comme vne sauuaige beste, 52
Alba circumtecta veste,
De chasser se monstra moult preste ;
Alta echo bosci teste,
Trop me fut ceste chace agreste. 56
(8)
ME persequens indufesse,
La tres cruelle veneresse,
Ac violenter me subesse
Fist a ses chiens hors de lesse, 60
Sicqwe clamare necesse
Bien me fut, pour yssir de presse,
Sed, si potuit prodesse,
N'est pas bien ceste chose expresse. 64
(9)
TTAluisset facta pace,
V Se trahison vne autre trace
Non intrasset sine face,
Afin qu'on n'apperceust la face ; 68
Nam, duce nieticorace,
Par le coup d'une grosse masse,
Ostenso vultu fallace,
Si m'abatit en my la place. 72
1 Fo. Ixxxiiij, back.
(10)
Sic persequitur peruerse
Tous temps / et assault et reuer.se
Viros, sinderesis terse,
Faulse trahison la peruerse ;
Et timendum, si sic per se,
Au dedans du chastel conuerse,
Me per hanc oues disperse
Soient par maniere bien diuerse.
(11)
DEtraction cum murmure,
Pour luy ayder, tres gramle cure
Subministrant, et gutture,
I Par le dur glaiue qui trop dure ;
j Asseruntqw de iure,
I Que faire doyuent grant iniure
! Hominibus vite pure,
2 Que le susdit chastel enmure.
76
SO
8S
E
(12)
Xpertns hoc minis dure,
.Soustiens leur griefue forfaieturc,
Maxime cum nullo rure ;
Bestes y ait de tel facture, 92
Turpissime sunt figure,
Et sans ouuraige de nature ;
Vnde earum iacture
Plus griefues me sont sans mesure. 96
(13)
DE quanim turpitudine,
Et dn tout mauuaise conuine,
Exaratur in margine,
De ceste voye ou ie cheinine, 100
Non qworf alie pagine
D'auctorite saincte et diuine,
Maiores certitudine 103
N'en contiennent mieulx la doctrine.
(14)
EArum tormentum grane,
Plus assez que cy ne 1'agrane
Sustinui / non pro caue
Trahison qui les maulx encaue, 108
Sepe mihi dicens aue,
Combien qu'elle me fust moult haue,
Me prostrauit ictu claue,
En faisant de moy son espaue. 112
(15)
p Kauiter sic, et noeue,
vT El m'abatit de sa massue,
Constat ouibus pascue,
Que bien i'ay ma peine perdue, 116
Et castrum superuacue,
Pour auoir la teste tondue,
Intraui nam precipue ;
Men esperance y est rompue. 120
2 Leaf 84, back, col. 2.
Acrostic of my Name : Guillermus De DeGuilevilla. 623
(16)
YT seruirem virge iesse,
Me mist grace de dieu en Iesse ;
Quod fruerer magna messe,
M'acertena par grant proraesse ; 124
Sed video nunc expresse,
Dont grande doleur mon cueur presse,
Quod egredi est necesse,
Et ailleurs celebrer ma messe. 128
(17)
ID, si seruato ordine,
Et bonne paix a marie digne,
De qua, cum moderamine,
A elle j>laindre ie me fine. 132
Potuissem pro nemine
Qui en cestuy monde chemine,
Stetissem tanto turbine,
Demourant hors de discipline. 136
(18)
T Egatus eeli curie
I i l Pleust a saincte vierge marie,
Quatinus nunc summarie,
Et de plain sans point farderie, 140
Cognosceret ex serie,
Se ie dy voir ou menterie,
Et quis currentis furie
A punicion demerie. 144
(19)
EX hoc iustiflcatiue,
A bon aduis tournant 1'estriue,
Deus auctoritatiue
Osteroit tout ce qui estriue ; 148
Impediret causa tiue
Sa nef, qu'a bon port elle n'arriue,
Simul, et miseratiue
Me feroit il grace hastiue. 152
(20)
VTinam nutu gratie,
Gardienne qu'est de ma Tie,
Impetum tante furie,
En memoire ie n'eusso mie ; 156
Sed defectus iusticie,
Qui ou poulce Cut endormie
Im cellula memorie,
Trestous les iours Harou i'en crie. 160
(21)
ILlud nesciens nescire,
A dur colier mon ame tire,
Presertim cum inuenire
Je ne puisse, ou trouueray mire, 164
Qui iam velit subuenire
A ma playe las qui s'empire
Ex dcscensu magne ire,
Dont souuent ie ne suis pas sire. 168
(22)
IVcis creator optima,
l Estre vueillez fort animiS
Succurrendi promptissime
A tel grief dont suis opprime ! 172
Et sum certus finnissime,
Se luy est mon fait intime,
Michi succurret proxime,
Et sera mon vieil roil lime. 176
(23)
T Egi quodam vohimine,
Jj Quant fait est bien examine"
Justicie libramine,
Qui a tort, est tantost mine ; 180
Et instus not redit sine
Honneur, quant Ie plait est fine1,
Et iudici sine fine
Est vray salut predestine. 184
(24)
4 Rborcs solis et lune,
A Se m'eussent dit quant ie fuz n<<,
Cui casui vel fortune
2Je seroye ioinct et adun£, 188
Non dedissem causam prime
Pour ainsi estre destine,
Nam semper me traliens fune,
Grande trahison m'a esgnme.3 192
1 Fo. Ixxxv.
3 The French goes on : —
OR ai ie dit que vue aduenture
Au chastel ie trouuay moult dure,
Pour Ie portier qui ne fut pas
A la porte gardant Ie pas,
1 Fo. Ixxxv., col. 2.
Que cestes vieilles n'y entrassent,
Et que leurs chiens n'y amenasseut ;
Mais pour ce ne doy ie pas taire
Ce que par apres i'en vy faire.
This French edition was 'corrected' by a Monk of DeGxiilleville's monastery,
and was printed in or about 1500 by " Maistre Barthole et Jehan petit" (title,
last line), and " A paris, Au soleil d'or / en la maison Maistre bertholde "
(Fo. j. back, col. 1), as the "Correcteur," P. Virgin, says.
Prof. Paul Meyer refers me to three other Acrostics by DeGuileville on his
own name: 1. in Le PeUrinage de t Ame, Roxburghe Club, 1895, p. 57-64, in
alternate French and Latin line?, beginning
624 The King comes lack, and orders the Arrest of my Foes.
[Stowe HE.
952.]
Tlu Pilgrim.
Now I've
told all the
Imrm that
Scylla, Envy,
and Detrac-
tion did me.
\Vlien the
king catne
back
I tnlJ him
my wrongs.
The King
had procla-
mation made
for my toes'
arrest,
now I ha told myn adventure
of all that evar I dyd endure, 23276
of Scilla and her houudes fell,
and eke (as ye ha hard me tell)
of Envy and of Treason,
and of falce Detraction. 23280
how they ha wrought to my hyndrynge
In the absens of the kynge
and of his portar, in sertayne.
But when they were come home agayne, 23281
and enteryd in-to the castell,
it lyked me ryght wonder well,
a-non I went to his presens,
and tolde hym of the gret offens 23288
whiche that Scilla -with hir hounds
had don to me wit/tin his bounds,
by the conspiracion
of Envy and [of] Treason : 23292
my wrong I dyd specifye.
the kynge a-non let make a crye,
that were-so-evar they myght be
found in towne or in citie, [stowe, leafsei] 23296
G
.race Dieu, du ciel royne,
Semper regnans sine fine,
Cognoissant pous et orine,
Et magistra medicine . . .
and making the writer's name "Guillermus de Guillevilla" as above ; 2. in
the same volume, an Acrostic in French only, in three separate sections —
the third in but a few MSS.— p. 348-53, 376-8 (see note, p. 356 there),
having the guile with one I only: "Guillermus de Guilevila"; this begins,
p. 348 :—
C\ racieuse est 1'assemblee
\JT Qui n'est onques dessemblee,
Et en rien n'est descordable,
Qui en .iii. est distincter . . .
3. In the Pilcrinage Jficsucrist, Roxburghe Club, 1897, p. 119-130, in French
only. This begins : —
Glorious Dieu. dont te vint il
Qu'envoias ci aval ton fil,
Et que pelerin le fe'is
Bien savoies, qu'en tel courtil,
N'avoit pour li May ne Avril,
Et son soulas point n'i veis.
This Acrostic makes the name " Guillermus de Deguilevilla " ; but the editor
of the Roxburghe volume, the late Prof. Stiirzinger, notes on p. 125 that ten
MSS. leave out one couple of the De stanzas, thus reducing the name to
"Guillermus de Guilevilla."
I may add here that the prose treatise on the Virgin as the sinner's Refuge
from Tribulation, and the Consolation of Afflicted Hearts, p. 437, etc., above, is
substituted by Lydgate for about a page of DeGuileville's French verse, Foeillet.
Ivij., cols. 2-4, which I shall print in the Forewords to this Part II.
The Ladies return to the Castle, to work fearlessly. 625
that folke shuld them spare nought, [Btow. m
to his presens till they were brought 98*-]
for he cast hym, anone ryght,
on them to done iustice and ryght, 23300 that he might
that they go no more at large ;
and gave his porter eke in charge
forto shette the gate's sore,
that they entre there no more, 23304
nor that they have ther no chere.
and then I saughe a messagere Then the
wher the kynge of custome dwells, „!£ £"
In the castell rynge bells, 23308 SSS^SS
for to maken assemble', Cl"Ue>
where the kynge set in his se,
of the ladyes that ther dwell,
(of whome to-forne ye have herd tell,) 23312
that suffred gret oppressyon whom Envy
of Envy and Detraction, %»»$£>.
of Scillas houndeV by berkynge, [. ho»nds «j SSSfi*
in th[e] absens of the kynge, 23316
of their drede and mortall rage,
wher-of they suffred gret damage.
' Madams,' quod this messegere, The Ki,,a.,
' the kynge, most myghty of power, 23320 ^^lr-
whiche hathe, in great charitie, JSwMd"
(in effecte, as ye shall se,)
and purposethe in his entent,
he hathe be longe from yow absent, 23324
(as ye know yowr-selffe full well,)
but of new, to this castell,
he is come for his pleasaunce ;
and he hathe made an ordynaunce 23328
and statutes full covenable,
to yow echon) ryght profytable,
commaundynge yow, echon, in dede,
that, hens-forthe, ye ha no drede 23332 not to fear
of your enemys, nor hevynesse, [stow., leaf se., back]
but that yow do yowr besynesse
(as it is the kynges 2 will) c, kyilg. sto
yowr office truly to fulffyll, 23336 wo'k°their
PILGUIMAGE. g s
62C The Ladies live happily. I resolve to visit Castles.
[Stowe MS.
952.|
The King'i
Meaenger.
The Pilffrim.
Then every
lady did her
duty quietly
and happily.
Where the
gate is well
kept, no vices
fan enter.
Then I re-
Bolvd
to visit castles
and see how
every officer
workt.
So I got
teavef
saw many
countries,
'as ye dyd, when ye began,
and bettar, yf ye bettar can ;
for the kynge (as ye shall se)
•will on your foon avengid be :
to yow I ha no more to say."
than the messengar went his way,
and thes ladys, by good advyse,
full truly dyd theyr offyse,
evereche, lyke to ther degre,
voyde of all contrariouste ;
and (shortly for to devyse)
wher that truthe and iustice
be truly kept in any place,
I dare sayne ther abydythe grace ;
And where the gate is kept well,
of palays, maner, or castell,
that vycis may ha none entrie,
that place stant in suerte,
and eche thynge tournethe for </ie best ;
for, ther is peace, and ther is rest,
and evar gladly, to theyr forthynge,
ther abyte the ryghtfiull kynge ;
and ther is suraunce & eke trust.
and afftar this, I had a lust,
cawght in my-selfe a great corage,
for to holden my passage,
and greatly gan my selffe delyght,
dyvers castells to vysyte,
for to consythar the maner
of euery maner offycer,
How euerych dede in his degre.
and it is good, a man to se
many thynges, and to here,
for therby a man may lere [stowe, leaf 368]
ful moche thynge outward by syght, ,,
and take example to done right ,, 23372
And whan I hadde ther-to lycence1 [> iyeen» St.]
I wente and dede my diligence2 p dyiygens st.]
to visiten, and to se
ful3 many wonderful couwtre. p Mom. si.] 23376
23340
23344
23348
23352
23356
23360
233G4
[MS. Cott. Vitell. C. ziii,
leaf 287, begins again.]
23368
[C. ft St.]
/ see Heligimis Orders who break their Bonds. Grace Dieu. 627
and ther1 I fond ful gret foysoun [' tiier St., am. c.]
Of many dyuers Religyonw ;
and I saugh, of many oon,
The grete bondes euerychon) 23380
broke, that shuld hem wel conserve,
yef they wold hem wel observe,
Kepe hem from al aduersite,
as here-to-forn ye dede se, 23384
Whan the sniale wikres2 brak, ['wyrks.st. (»« j>. sss, a»ow.)]
The hope's wenten al to wrak,
And many shippes for lak, alias,
Was yperysshed3 in the same cas, p peryshyd St.] 23388
and brought vnto confusioun,
(toforn as is maad4 mens'iouM) [» made is St.]
for lak in their gouernaunces,
Nat kepyng their obseruauwces. 23392
And her-vpon I ferther wente
to sene5 more (in myn entente). [! «ene St., sen c.]
And withyne a litel space
I cam into a noble place ; 23396
and at the gate I saugh somers ;
and on hem sitte,6 f ressh of chers, [6 sat St.]
Aungels, of gret vertu ; [o-<yno«/< «»«]
and hafter hem, kam Grace Dieu, 23400
fresshly Ridyng in a char.
and the gate (I was wel war)
Of the castel stood vnshet.
and truely, whan I had met 23404
the Somers, I gan enquere [C. *stj
of oon, that he wold[e] lore „
goodly, and informc me, [stowe, onieafsas] „
whos the some^-s sholde7 be, p show St.] „ 23408
Which hadde, vpon) hir weye, „
Aungels hem to conveye, [6-n/nMe une\ „
Only for to make hem strong.
The aungel:
' To Grace Dieu,' c\iiod he, ' they long.' 23412
The pilgrym:
Quod I to oon that rood behynde,
" tclle me wher I shal hir fynde."
The Pitffrlm.
and divorH
religions
with broken
bonds.
(as you saw ;
when the
wickers
broke, the
hoops burst,
anil the ships
aank.)
for lack of
government.
At a noble
place,
I see Angels
on horses,
and Grace
Dieu in a
Chariot.
[leaf 887, bk.]
These horses,
ridden by
Angels,
ale Grace
Divu's.
628 Grace Dieu shows me a lad old Head of a Convent,
I go to Grace
Dieu's
chariot,
The AUngCl: [Stowe, leaf S65,baclO
The pugrim. QMOd thaungel, ' as it is due,
her, in hast, she shal vs sue.' 23416
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
And in my way so I me bar,
that I fonde hir in hir char ;
and a-mong hir folkes alle,
benignely1 she gan me calle, [l benyngiy st., benigiy c.] 23420
and bad I shold ek ha no fere
to tellij what I dede there.
The pilgrym:
And I answeryd2 anon) ryght, [» amweryd st, answerd c.]
and tell her
my adven-
tures.
[leaf 288]
Grace Diett.
The Pilgrim.
I follow her
thru many
dwellings,
and gee
Virtues and
Vices,
an old lady,
head of a
Convent,
how I wente to haue a syght
of sondry castelles (it is no doute,)
that in the countre stood aboute,
and of folkes gouernaunce,
that ther abood for her plesaunce.
Grace dieu:
Graciously, y-wys, qwod she,
' Now thou hast yfounden me
toforn or that I was ago.
but (withoute3 worde's mo), I
come and folwe on after me,
and many thynges thou shalt se."
and she ladde me, vp and doun,
by many diuerse mansioun,
In cloystres, as wente tho
Eound about, to and fro :
ther I saugh vertues and ek vices,
and many dyuerse edifices.
I saugh ther places ruynous,
and to dwelle in / perillous.
she shewed me, on our walkyng,
an olde lady ther haltyng,
and (as by her contenaunce,)
She hadde ther gret goueniaunee :
she bar a Eewle of a masown,
and pleyed by derysiown,
and (as I coude tho espie)
by a maner mokerye.
23424
23428
without c., st.] 23432
23436
int]
23440
23444
23448
[> gret C., grete St.] 23452
23456
The Pitftrim.
wit li a great
epoon in her
I land.
Her head was
set on back-
wards.
Grace Dieu.
[leaf 288, bk.J
23-460
Tin1 house
wan founded
[Stowe, leaf 366]
by St.
Benedict,
founded by St. Benedict, whose. Rule was neglected. 629
In hir hand (as I was war)
a grete1 spoon also she bar ;
and as she reysed it a-lofte,
to hir mouth she putte it ofte.
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
And also (as to my reward,)
hir hed was turned ek hakward,
that toforn (as I ha mynde,)
Was turned and ysette behynde.
[Grace Dieu]:
Q«od Grace dieu a-noon to me,
' at the eye thou mayst se ;
this hous (yef thou canst espye,)
whilom was by masounrye
bilt, and founded spiritually
by sent Benet, feithfully
by lyne and level of masoun,
thorugh gostly foundac'ioun,
for which, whilom parmanable,
it was tabide the mor stable.
' conceyve also, (by my doctryne,)
thyng that is maad by rule and lyne,
In it self hath more beaute
tendure, and mor stabilite.
but whan the masoun was agoon,
the rule' wente, and that a-noon,
and the lyne stood nat faire
Whan the rule gan apaire ;
and thus the rule, and ek the lyne,
bothe attones gan declyne.
and feithfully, in this castel,
the rule was nat kept ryght wel ;
for, sith the halt held this place,
al good rule gan difface.
of vertu ek she is so bare,
the edifices to repare ;
for the old fundac'ioun,
She hath nat but derisiouw ;
She reccheth nat what-euece fallc ;
thaugh the stoones fallen alle,
23464
23468
23472
23476
but its Rules
were not
faithfully
kept. .
23480
[See 1. 83,144]
23484
23488
Its Head
cared nothing
If its Stones
of Virtue fell
out.
630 The Convent's Mortar of Prayer and Work didn't last.
orafe pieu. ' of vertu, bilden in the place ;
for, save to play and to solace,
I dar sey she, in hir werkyng*,
Intendeth to noon other thyng1.' [8t.sc.] 23492
m Pilgrim. The Pylgrym :
Qeafi89] " Ma dame," quod I, " to my semyng,
i said the this place first, in his bildyng,
masonry of
the house was (Who con'sydereth euerydel)
not perman- v
eilt. the masounry was nat maad wel, 23496
Was not duely maad, nor stable,
Sith it is not parmanable."
grace pieu. Grace Dieu : l [' St., o«. c.]
' Touchyng the bildyng, tak good heed :
the masounry, (it is no dreed,) 23500
I dar ful wel thy-self assure,
it was maad for to endure,
and to haue last2 for many yer, [" iu»t c., lut St.]
and the Save oonly the morter 23504
mortar was
not stable. Was not iustly (as I ha sayd)
stably among the stoones layd,
Sounded vpon true entent
more stedfastly than is cyment. 23508
it was made ' It was first maad of orisouws,
sons and of fastyng and afflicciouns,
to holde the cloystre round about
by stablenesse, and not gon out 23512
into the world, vagabouml, [stowe, leaf s«6, tack]
the edifices to confound ;
but in their cloystres stille abyde
in mekenesse, and not in pryde, 23516
Haue their frequentaei'ouHS
in p?-«y(ir and in orisouws ;
erly on morwen to aryse,
in vertu to hauo excercyse ; 23520
and at f'tsste's more and lasse,
singing of of te tyiiies synge masse.
masses,
' this was whilom, (I you ensure,)
of their morler, the temprure, 23524
founded vppoii) charyte,
on concord and fraternyte,
Every Nun does as she likes, and the Poor arc neglected. 631
' In love and in perfeccioura, ^ace mu_
Voyde of al devisiouw, 33528 [leaf 289, ok.]
In parfit pes and vnyte peace and
of higli and lowe in their degre, "ity>
for love only of crist ihesu. a,,d love of
' And yef the morter, in his vertu, 23532 °
had abide in stabilnesse,
Withouten eny doubleuesse,
Lich the first fundaci'oim,
The werke1 nad not falle a-douw, [> werk u., worke st.j 23536
but stable stonde in his degre.
' and now, echon ha libe;-te,
at J>eir lust, to slepe and wake ;
and noon other hed2 ne take ['heodestj 23540
forto kepe their dbseruaunce :
and thus, for lak of gouernaunce, But from lilck
Pes from hem, and vnyte, S^ETST
Exiled is, and charyte. 33544 Sft"*
' that whilom gaff drynke and foode, wMrit^,
and vnto pore their ly viiloode, bgtrai t"' B
i /* the poor.
oonly of mercy and pyte,
and, held hospitalyte ; 23548
and, of euery manere age,
gaf to pore folk herbegage,
such as thei seyen, in distresse,
in myschif, and in Seknesse.' 23552
Pilgrim : 3 P st., ... CJ ra< „,„,.,,„.
" Ma dame (and ye list take hede,) But, ,*\A i.
Who hath nought, (it is no drede,) "«e nothing
may not parten his Almesse S!"81™
to folk that Leven in distresse." 23556
Grace Dieu:4 c« st.. ««. c.]
'Thow seyst soth, (as thynketh me,) 1™,™-
but wher thou leggest pouerte, SSf Uni"
whilom thei had suffisaunce, but there
plente ynowh, and habundaunce, 23560 ""iftey
i.i. , . worshipt
vnan thei worsheped in special [sto«, leaf 367] K-engre"
The myghty kyng that gaf hem al
suffisaunce in euecy lond ; 5 [» land . . . hand st.]
but now he hath withdrawe his hond3 23564
but now tltey
are cureless,
and the place
is unclean :
•plders,
swallows,
dogs' dung,
nettles and
weeds are in
it and around
It.
C32 Spiders ure in the Convent ; Dogs' dung in the Cemetery.
grace Dien. ' for their offences ; this the fyn :
ther goode's Jrawen to declyn ;
for thei be Rekles of livyng
forto se?-ue that noble kyng ; 23568
and, for slouth and necligence,
they doon in o thyng gret offence,
ffor wher the lord (in his degre)
Duely shuld honnowred1 be, [> honoryd shuid st.] 23572
the place is not, with diligence,
Clenly kept with reuerenee ;
for beforn, and ek behynde,
Yraynes and webbiis men may fynde ; 23576
and also ek, (yef thou take hede,)
Swalwes and othre bryddes brede;
and also ek (through al their boundes)
dong of dogges and ek of houndes, 23580
nettles and wedes round aboute,
in cymyterys ful gret route,
lich a disert or places2 wilde, ['place St.]
wher no man hath lust to bilde, 23584
Heplevisshed of al ordure,
as it were withouten cure ;
and many oother dishonestes,
bestial in ther degres, 23588
mor than I can here devyse.
' and crist ihesus dede iustyse
on hem that in the temple solde :
because oonly thei were bolde 23592
to done dishonnour to his hous,
he was in party Regerous,
As the gospel kan you telle ;
he bett hem out with a flagelle, 23596
That noon of hem durst abyde.
' Wherfore this halte that here is guyde,
list nat, of hir frowardnesse,
suche3 thynges to redresse, [s suche st, such c.] 23600
nor do seruyse in hir werkyng
for tenteude vpon) the kyng :
her look, hir cher, (as ye may se,)
is vpon) worldly vanyte, 23604
Christ did
justice on
those who
denied the
temple.
[leaf 290, bk.]
But this
negligent
Head would
not reform
abuses.
She cared
only for
worldly
vanity :
God will avenge this. Abuses have crept in, & Gluttony. 633
[' ezechiell St.]
23620
P St., am. C.]
' and al hir hertes besynesse,
rather than on holynesse ;
for which the kyng (iustly and wel,
that considered eue/ydel) [sto™, leaf sm, back] 23608
hem to quyte wil not cesse,
maketh their goodes to discresse ;
and, for their pompe and their pryde,
Set her Bichesse out a-syde, 23612
amenusyng their substance,
their tresour and their habundance,
Which made hem first their1 lord forsake.
' therfore he can it fro hem take [' theyr St., the c.j 2361 6
Whan-eue?-e he list, who loke wel ;
ffor the Prophete Ezechel2
Writeth, (who so taketh hede)
Idelnesse, plente of bred,
caused (in conclusions)
of Sodom the distrucc'ioure.'
Pilgrim : 3
" I pray yov, telle on a-noon ryght,
She that halteth in my syght,
What is hir name, and hir offys,
of whom ye sette4 so litel prys 1 "
Grace Dieu : 5
' To make a playn discripei'oun,
She is called ' Abusiouw,'
because, the good that god hath sent,
by hir thei ben wrongly dispent,6
And ageyn his wul7 abused ;
Wherof she may nat ben excused.
' She halt a rule of a masouw,
only by fals collusiouw ;
for, to the rule that she is bounde,
(Whan the trouth is soughft]8 and founde, p known st.]
Therto she haveth no reward,) 23637
Hir bed ytourned is bakward ;
Vnto the world she cast hir look,
Wich, vnder colour, she forsook. 23640
' hir spon also doth signefye
the foule vice of Glotonye,
Grace Dieu,
and the king
will not fall
to take
redress for
these evils.
23624
[« Is get St.]
P St., am. C.]
23628
A» Ezekiel
said,
idleness was
the destruc-
tion of
Sodoia.
The Pilgrim.
I ask who
l li is bad Head
of a Convent
is.
Orace Dieu.
This Head is
' Abuse,'
[« spent St.]
[' will St.]
23632 [leaf 291]
and has her
head turned
backward.
Her Spoon
signifies
Gluttony,
634
In Convents, the community of goods is gone.
Grace Dicu.
She has for-
saken lh<'
unity of
antiquity,
and dis-
covered the
vice of
Property,
using the
Spoon of In-
dividualism,
usurping the
fat, and leav-
ing the lean,
[leaf 291, bk.]
not like
shepherds,
but like
ravenous
wolves.
getting goods
with the
spoon of In-
dividualism,
and obtaining
Christ's
curse.
' for, ageyn ryght and al Resou«,
by force and vsurpaci'oim, 23644
she hath forsake the vnyte
of frate?-nal antiquyte,
by perfeccioure to contune
to haue hir goode's in comune. 23648
' but this fals Abusioun,
only by vsurpaciouw
In Religiouw (who list se),
fonde out the vice of propurte, 23652
Which is thyng most vicious,
rennyng among religious, [stowe, ie»rs88]
Which causeth ofte discord and stryf,
contrary to Thapostles lyf. 2365G
' In propurte (ye may ther rede)
thei ne dide nothyng possede ;
her good was comouw, in ce?'teyn.
Wherfore the Spon that thou hast seyn' 23660
ys callede ' Syngularyte,'
thyng to possede in propurte ;
to gedre the fatte (thus I rnene,)
vnto hir self, and leve the lene : 23664
As the Prophete Ezechiel,
to the sheperdes of Israel
Spak and wrot, f ul yore a-go :
' Sorwe be to you, and wo, 23668
that ne take to nothyng hede,
but your silven1 forto fede ; [' •«'>•• st.j
not lik sheperdes of cristus hous ;
but verray wolves Ravinous, 23672
liggyng awayt, bothe nyght and day,
forto devoure what thei may :
they take bothe mylk and wolle ;
and the fatte, away thei pulle 23676
with the spoon of cruelte
ycalled Syngularyte,
thei Eobbe pantener and purs,
and gete hem ofte Cristes cours.2 ["curs St.] 23680
' ffor which cause, I, Abusiouw,
4m come of entenciiouw
So the property they have misused is given to worthier folk. 635
' Such abusi'ouws to se,
and their superfluyte
to kutte away, which that thei vse,
and their goodes to ainenuse.
' The Aungels ban hem take away,
Which thou mettest this same day,
With grete somers in sothnesse,
ledyng away the gret Richesse,
to parte it (of entenelouw)
to folk that in deuoci'ouw
lede her lives in comune,
and in deuociouw do contune ;
such as in god gretly delyte,
fro good to bet alway profyte.
' figure herof, ye may se,
how that by olde Antiquyte,
the bible ful wel can you tel,
how the childre of Israel
took of Egypt the Tresour
In recompense of her labour.
As for guerdouw, by dwete
Whan they passed the rede Se,
they tooke in thyng by Eobberye,
as clerkes list to specifye ;
they bare1 with hem gret substaunce,
only by Goddes ordynaunce,
Egipciens (it is no drede)
Were not worthy it to possede.
' and som folk deme off Eesoun,
that folk that haue possess'ioun,
and ben cursed of livyng,
It is leful (by their demyng)
forto spoylle hem duely,
and yeve it hem that ben worthy.'
Pilgrim : 2
Touchyng that oppynyouw,
thus I answerd of Resouw :
" god ne doth nat thus alway,
who that conceyveth, day by day ;
for ther ys many an vsurer
23688
23692
[Stowe, leaf 308, back]
23712
23716
[» St., om. C.J
23720
23684
But the
Angels
have curried
off their
wealth,
to part it
among de-
vout folk.
23696
23700
Tin' Israelites
took the
treasure of
Egypt
23704
[' bare St., bar C.]
23708
by God's
decree ;
and some
folk hold
that evil
men's goods
may be law-
lully taken
and given to
tlie worthy.
Tlie Pi/orim.
But God let
many usurer*
exist,
636
The Pilflrim.
who possess
unworthily
and give not
to the poor.
Grace Dieu.
They shall
give account
toOod;
[leaf 292, bk.]
but the pos-
sessions of
religious
houses
came by way
of alms.
that the
monks might
pray for the
founders.
Convents were endowd for Prayer and Worship.
•' in dyuers londes fer and ner,
that wynne gold ful cursedly,
and it possede ful1 vnworthily, ' ful, om. St.] 23724
how falsly that they come therto ;
and god suffreth that it he so ;
and yet, to pore they yeve no thyng,
though they be ryghtful of livyng." 23728
Grace Dieu:2 p st., o«. c.]
' As to thy conclusi'ouw,
ther is noon soluci'ouw :
god gaf neuere (fer nor ner,)
licence to noon vsurer,
that he shuld (I the ensure)
ben admytted to fals vsure.
god suffreth hem to han tresour,
gold, Richesse, and gret honour :
of al the tresour that they weld,
To hym they shal acountes yeld. [o. *st.]
first, they it wan3 by violence, pjt
of god hauyng no licence ;
wherfor, to their Dampnac'ioura,
he suffreth their pocessiouw,
as he hadde4 no reward ; [« had c.( St.]
but ho wil punysshe hem afterward,
(though they for a while habound,)
the vice of Vsure to confound.
' but goodes of religious,
that was yeve in-to5 her hous pwntost.] 23748
In ther first foundaciiouw,
their tresour and possessi'ouw,
it was yove hem of almesse
for their grete perfitnesse, 23752
of entent that, day and nyght, [stowe, i«af see]
that they shold, with al their myght,
Worshepe god with grete honours,
and truely pray for their foundours. 23756
' and iustly, this condiciouw
is worth an obligac'ioun.
that6 whau it falleth their fooly, C6 then stj
that thei not vse duely 23760
23732
23736
23740
23744
If these fail, the Goods are taken, as Israel spoilt Egypt, 637
' their offices as thei sholde do, arace Kex.
to kepe ther obseruaimces also
(lich to their professi'oura)
in pmyer and deuoci'oure, 23764
god wil, of his ryghtf ul lawe, If they do not
to chastice hem, his hond with-drawe, SlfS-to
swffre her goodes to vnthry ve, them'
but if thei amende hem Hive ; 23768
yive it to hem that wil hym seme,
and his comandementes obserue.
' herof ye may sen a figure ^ „ type
fful wel rehersed in scripture : 23772 i"Egypt'
In Egipt whilom, how it fel,
Whan the childre of Israel [leaf 293]
Wher1 ther in subieccioun P were St.] After the
al that ilke regiouw ; 23776 I8raelit*8
thorugh their travaiH and labour,
was maad ryche of gret tresour ; ha(, enricht
but afterward (as ye may se) "'
Vij yeres of Sterylite 23780 <*me seven
folwed on, (as ye may red,) Si™.f
wherof loseph took good hed
long a-forn, of high prudence ;
and faugh his noble providence, 23784
Ageyn the hunger, Eche syde,2 p ed.e «y<ie St., ech a syde c.] TI^M were
ful prudently gan to provide, bJ°JoMphf°r
and shop ther-fore a remedye,
(as Genesis doth specifye ;) 23788
for, thorugli the myght of goddes hond,
he sustened al the lond
from hunger and adue?-site,
The vij yer of Sterilite. 23792
' but of al this grete dede,
thei of Egipt took non hede> bat th?
to thanken (in espea'al) didynouh*ank
the myghti lord that gaf hem al ; 23796
nor wolde suffre, in no wyse,
Israel do sacrifyse ;
but held in subiecci'ouw, rh(™ hel(j
out of the lond of promyasiouw. 23800 StaSSJT
638 Vicious folks' Riches shall lie given to the Virtuous.
Grace Dieu.
and therefore
God gave
them the
treasure of
Egypt
[leaf!93,bk.]
an a reward
for their
virtue.
The Pilgrim.
Yet I have
seen many
devout people
in poverty.
Why does
God suffer
this?
23804
[Stowe, leaf SS9, back]
23808
23812
[C. & St.]
' wherfore, merveille neuere a del,
thaugh god suffred Israel,
oonly of his ryghtwesnesse,
to robben hem of their Richesse,
and spoylen hem of their Tresour.
god gaf it hem for their labour,
And as for a mede in guerdoun,
Departyng from that Regiouw.
' They hadde disserued it of yore,
by gret labour that sat hem sore,
thorugh c6nstreynt of Kyng Pharao,
which wolde not suffren hem to go,
Xor to departe in rest and pes,
for no massage of Moyses ; ' [' message offmosese st.j
but put hem euere in delay,
' and thus the lord can take a- way
Richesse of folke's vicious,
and yive it hem that be vertuous ;
As he hath done here in this place :
thou mayst beholde it with thy face.'
Pilgrim : 2
" Certe*," quod I with hevy cher,
' ' In other places mo than her
(to telle shortly, and not tarye)
I ha beholde the contrary,
wher folk, by gret douocioun,
han kept their religi'ouw
ful streytly, in gret honeste,
that han falle in pou«rte,
bothe of liflood and vesture,
that thei myghte3 nat endure,
Mischef hath hem brought so lowe.
and fayn I wold the cause knowe,
why god wil suffre their grevaunce,
forto lakke their suffisaunce."
Grace Dieu : 4
Qwod Grace Dieu a-noon to me,
' I wil herof answere the,
and make therof no gret delay ;
but her cometh oon nov in our way,
23816
23820
[» St., am. C.]
23824
23828
P myglit C., St.]
23832
[« St., am. C.]
23836
The Dwarf ' Sterility ' who dwelt seven years in Egypt. 639
' and I wil first, of good resouw,
knowen his entenciouw ; 23840
or go thy self, by my biddyng*,
And axe the cause of his comyng1.'
And sodeynly, good hede I took ;
and cast on syde on hym my look, 23844
which, lich a dwerf, (ihis the caas,)
of his fetures shapen was.
a pyk of Iren, sharp and longe,
he held, that was of makyng strong1. 23848
Pilgrim. : 1 [Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
And to me-ward his look he layde. [' St., m». c.]
but first, to hym ryght thus I sayde.
" Telle on, thou dwerf, (ha no shame,)
To vs, thyn office and thy name." 23852
Sterelite : 2 p st., am. c.]
' I called am (yef thou list se)
Of folkes alle, 'Sterility,' [stowe. learsro]
which ha this hous maad ful bareyn,
bothe of frut and ek of greyn. 23856
Ther good, their lond, (yef it be sought,)
I ha distruyed and brought to nought :
This my craft and myn offys ;
and therfor (by gret avys) 23860
to caste folk in pouerte,
I am called ' Sterilite ; '
foul and ougly of look and cher :
In Egypt I dwelled vij yer. 23864
wher I abyde, (be wel certeyn,)
I make the land to be bareyn.'
Grace Dieu : 3 p st, o». c.j
Quod Grace Dieu, ' a litel space,
Go thy way out of this place ; 23868
and what-so-euere herafter falle,
whan me list, I shal the calle."
And whan that tourned was his bak,
Grace dieu thus to me spak : 23872
' touchyng the goode's, day be day,
which that I ha take away
fro this place here present,
Graff Dint.
leaf ^.1 1
A Dwarf
approaches,
Strrilitt/.
named
•Sterility,"
who dwelt
7 years in
and is «eiit
awuy by
Grace Dieu.
[Ieaf2»l,bk.]
640
Grace Dieu sends me to the Cellarer 'Purveyance.'
Grace DifH
23876
bids me go to
the Cellarer,
' Purvey-
ance.'
She trill never
return
to tlie Con-
vent till '
Virtue again
reigns there.
[leaf 295]
The PUgrim.
Grace Dieu
departs in
her chariot.
I go in the
Cellarer,
' I dide [it] oonly of entent
that other folk ahold it possede,
•which (bothe in wark and ck in dede,)
lede her lyf in perfitnesse,
In vertu, and more holynesse
than thei which that her now be.
' and touchyng that thou askest me,
Thou shalt haue answere therof noon,
but first, I charge the to goon
to hir that is the Selerere
of this place that stondeth here ;
aske hir (that thou mayst conceyve)
touchyng the good she doth receyve,
to telle the playnly al the guyse,
how it is spent, and in what wyse.
and, hir to knowe among hem alle,
' Purveyaunce ' folk hir calle.
and whan she hath declared al,
thou shalt haue (in special)
of the demaunde (by good resowj)
a true Deelaracioura,
as it accordeth and is dwe.
' and forth my Somers I wil swe ;
for, in this place, on no syde,
I caste me no lenger to abyde ;
nor neuere (to speke in worde's playn)
hider1 to retourne agayn,
til the tyme that I may se
that vertu and honeste
Resorte by deuoci'ouw
Into thys Keligiouw.'
And with that word, (as I was war,)
I saugh hir gon in-to hir char,
and in this while (of good entent,
lich to hir comandement)
I wente with a sobre chere,
forth vnto the celere[re].
and, my iourue to avaunce,
I knewe2 hir by hir coutenauiicc ; f" knew St., knowe cj
for (the trouthti3 to expresse) [Urouthc.]
23880
23884
23888
23892
23896
23900
[' hethar St.]
[Stowe, leaf 370. back] 23904
23908
23912
Everything given to Convents is wasted and spent. 641
She was of gret sobrenesse, 23916 r*« ptigrm.
of gret reuerence and honeste,
and of gret maturyte ;
saad of look, and ek of cher,
Egle-eye'c*, bryght and cler. 23920
[The Pilgrim]:
" Ma dame," qwod I, " of good entent, anda«k her
Grace Dieu hath to you sent,
that ye sholde (in worries fewe) 23923
the playne trouthe1 to me she we, C1 pl{JJJ,fJgltt] C-> play"
wher ye putte the rychesse where she
that ye receyve, in sothfastnesse." • goodisinn
n i o "er-
Celerar : * P St., after 1. W9J8, am. C.] ProrWe»<-«,
And she that spak no word in vyyn,
to me answerd thus agayn ; 23928
' al that I haue in my depos,
from hir ther shal notliyng be clos.
Kome forth in hast, and folwe me, she bids me
and thou slialt the trouthe3 se.' P troutli c., tra')» St.] 23932
and I cam after (for the best),
and she gan vnlokke a chest,
the whichii,4 whan I dede se, [« wWciw st, which c.]
I gan gretly abasshe me, 23936
for the huehcho (it is no doute) to«che«t,
, , full of holes
was ful oi holes round aboute ; with hands
and at ech hole (as thoughts5 me) p thought c., thowght St.] out of em.
an hand put out, I dide se, 23940
(who '-so euece slope or wake) [« wher c., who St.] [leaf 295,bk.]
Eedy to receyve and r take. p and St., and to c.]
Pilgrim:8 [lilank for Illumination.] [«st., om.c.] r<« Pilgrim.
I prayed her, to specify e
what thyng it dede signefyo. 23944
Celerar : 9 p St., om. C.] The Cellarer.
' To tclle, and voiden al deceyt,
this the place of the receyt This place i«
of goode's, which that, day and nyght, of Goods!P
kome to this place of ven-ay ryght, 23948
(forto spoke in general,) Everything
. . ,, • i , 'hat '-omesin
but this handes consumen al, *» consumed
by the
SjK-iide and waste on cuerj syde, [siowe, leaf 371] Hands:
PILGniMAGE. T T
042
The CeHarer,
Providence.
nothing is
left for the
poor.
The Pilgrim.
Providence,
l/ie C'ellarrr.
The Hands
that take
( 'liurch goods
are:
1. Tlie haii.l
of Dimes, or
Tenth* for
the king;
[leaf 29fi]
2. tliatofthe
Collector for
ttvnl.iK
bulls, con-
tributions,
etc.
The Hands
waste the
L'oods of
holy church.
3. The Hand
with an Eye
in it
is that of the
Visitor,
The three Hands that grab the Cliimh's goods,
' that ther may no tliyng abyde, 23952
for to departe by ahnesse
to folk that liven in distresse.'
Pilgrim:1 p st., <.». c.]
" Ma dame," quod I, " as semeth me,
ye sholde, of ryght and equyte, 23956
The hande's kerve, and kutte away,
and stoppe the holes nyght and day."
Provide[n]s Celerar : 2
Quod Providence anoon to me,
' Thes, ben the hande's thre,
which that theve's (by assent)
ar wont to vsen (of entent),
I mene, pyratys of the Se,
which brynge folk in pouerte.
' The first hand of alle thre,
ys called (lerne this of me,)
' the hand of Dynics,' by gadryng,
To gadre vp dyme's for the kyng.
' the tother hand, fill sore pulles
gold for trentals and for bulks,
and dyuers subuenciouns
and grevous contribuciouns,
gmunted (in especial)
at Chipytres3 general. [' chapters st.]
the hande's do no thyng, nor werche,
but waste the good of holy cherche.' 23976
Pilgrim:4 [«st.,0».c.]
"What hand is that (telle on, let Se,)
Which hath an Eye (as thynketh me,)
Sett -in the mydde's of the hand 1
for I saugh neue?-e (on Se nor land)
Such another her-toforn,
Sith the tyme that I was born."
Providens : 5 cs st, am. c.]
' Be nat astonyed, neuere a del !
this hand is (who so loke wel,)
of our noble Visitour,
Which doth his peyne and his labour
to looke for lucre and fals guerdon??,
[« St., on. C.]
[6-fiflt«ole line] 23960
23964
23968
23972
23980
23984
Church Visitors seek Money, not Eight. I meet Apostasy. 643
The Cellarer,
Providence.
who always
looks for
lucre,
anil not for
mending
wrong.
So we are
very poor.
The Pilgrim.
[leaf 296, bk.]
and meet an
old woman,
' alway, for retribucioun, 23988
they caste her eye for wynnyng,
and, ryght nought for ameiidyng ;
take (in their entenci'ouws,)
pans for1 procuraciouus. ['and St.] 23992
ther entent, in no wyse, [&-*i/iiabie UM]
ys sett on ryght nor on iustice.
' ek other handes, mo than tlire,
han cast vs in gret pouerte.' 23996
[The Pilgrim:]
With that word, makyng 110 delay,
I took my leve and wente away.2 [stowe, leaf 371, back]
I hadde no leve, (shortly to telle,) ['my way St.]
but shop me horn to my castel. 24000 i go away,
And on my waye,3 me be-fel, p way c., St.]
[No gap in either MS.]
I mette an olde oon in that tyde,
that to me kam on the left syde, 24004
Of whos look I was affrayed1 :
hir handus pactid, and displayed?
vpward to a castel wal,
resemblyng (as me thought in al) 24008
That hir entent was to ascende
vpon the \val, or to descende.
a blak Ravoun4 (it is no doute,) [«ra»ynst.]
took his flyght ful round aboute, 24012
Wher-so-euere that she went,
and I knewh nothyng what it ment ;
[Hlank in MS. for an Illumination.]
But I caste, withynne a throve,
playnly that I wokle5 knowe, p wold c., would St.] 24016
of al thys thyng som evidence ;
and wente a-noon to hir presence,
and first of al, I gan enquere,
to telle me what she dide there ; 24020
of name and of condici'oun
Make a declarac'ioim.
Apostacye : 6 p st., am. c.]
Quod she, ' yef thou konne espye,
I am called ' Apostacye,' 24024
with a black
Haven Sying
round her.
I ask who
she is.
Apoitaiy.
She is 'Apo-
stasy,'
644 Apostasy acts like Noah's Raven; she doesn't return.
Apostagy.
who act her
hand to the
plough,
[leaf 297]
but turnd
back
to worldly
vanity.
She often
meant to turn
back to the
King,
hut the Knven
Btopt her,
with his cry
of Cras, eras !
As the raven
ivhinul not
attain to
Noah,
[' best C., St.]
[•done St.] 24028
[• plughe St.]
P worldly St.]
24036
P round St.]
24040
' which whilom, of entenci'outt,
made my professi'ouw,
In al my beste1 feythful wyse,
for to ha do2 truely seruyse
duryng my lif, vnto the kyng
that is most myghty of werkyng.
' I sette myn hand! vnto the plough ; 8 24031
But I haue hym falsecl ynough,* [« jmughe St., nougn c.]
tourned the bak (as thcu mayst se)
vnto wordly 5 vanyte,
left myn homage, trouth and al,
and am kome doim ouere the wal
for vayn glorie (out of doute) ;
In many countre rowne6 aboute,
of en tent, for to purchaas
prosperity and vayn solas.
' and yet f ul ofte (in many caas,)
myn entent and purpos was,
fro worldly glorie, fals and vayn,
to haue tourned horn7 agayn, [' ? MS., hem c., them St.] 24044
and amended my Hvyng
In the seruyse of the k}Tng ;
but truely (it is no nay) [stowe, leaf .172]
the Ravoun8 was euere in my way.' p raven St.] 24048
Pilgrim : 9 [» st., «-. c.]
" Truely, and thou dedest wel,
thou sholdest lette neuere a del
for to delaye so thy paas.
thaugh that he crye on th6, ' eras, eras,' 24052
thou sholdest10 remembre the among1, ["> simut St.]
and take noon hede vnto his song1."
Apostasie : " [" st., on. c.]
' The trouthe 12 forto specifye, [» trouth c., tmthe St.]
I folwe, in13 myn Apostasye,
In my passage vp and douw,
the Eavencs condic'iouw,
that whilom was of Noe sent
out of the arke, of entent
to beholden how it stood1,
of the deluge and the flood!
["in, am. St.] 24056
240GO
Apoitaty.
[leaf 2117, bk.J
>o Apostasy
returns not
again,
but iilu'uys
singw Cru»,
to-morrow.
Tke Pi/arim.
Noah's Haven calls ' Cras," to-morrmv : so Apostasy delays. 645
' boyllyng with many sturdy wawc ;
Wher the water gan withdrawe. 24064
' but the Haven fond1 a kareyii ;
therfore he cam not agayn.
and I stoncle in the same caas,
abyde, and synge alway 'eras, eras,1 [c. *st.j 24068
inakyng many fals delayes, „
and prolonge forth my dayes, „
forto Eesorten horn ageyn,
and spendL;1 thus my tyme in veyn.' f spend c.] 24072
Pilgrim : * p st., om. cj
" Thy werkUs (yef I shal not tarye)
ben vnhappy and contraryc ;
and thyu handi-s, bothe two,
ben yp»vced forugh also. 24076
greyn nor frut, vpon) no syde,
In no wyse wyl abyde ;
for shortly (who so list to sek)
al goth thorugh, and wasteth ek.3 [3 »eke . . eke st.j 24080
\Vho-so-eue/-e the trouthe atame,
thy touge is dampned, and ek lame,
that it may seyn noon orisoiw,
nor make no supplicacioim, 24084
Which sholde ben acceptable
vnto that kyng most honowrablo.
he is not plesed, (on noo syde,)
\Vhil in this staat thou dost abyde, 24088
and hast no purpos to Eetourne,4 [• for to tourn st.]
but in the world dost ay soiowrne."
Apostacie : 5 [» st., OM. co
' Truely, to thy sentence
I may yeve ful credence ; 2401)2
for Seynt Poule hym-silfe6 saith, [« wife St., »iifc.]
(to whom, men must yeve fayth,
and ful beleve to his word,) [stowe, leaf 372, back]
' who is not withynne shippes7 bord, ['syppcsst.] 24096
stant in perail of Perysshyng,
and on the poynt of his drownyne,'
fel fer from his savaci'ou??,
ffor lakkyng of discrecioun. 24100
Her tongue
says no
prayer or
supplication
acceptable
to the King.
As St. Paul
saith,
not within
the »in»,
stands in
danger of
drowning.
646 / tell Apostasy to return. Age and Sickness come to me.
Apoitaty.
She doubts
whether, if
she returnd
to God,
she would
find grace.
The Pilgrim.
I assure her
that she will
find grace,
if she will
devoutly fix
her heart on
God.
Then I go
home
and relate
all I have
seen.
[leaf 298, bk.]
Two Messt'ii-
gers, 'Age'
and ' Sick-
ness,' come
to me,
' and I wot wel, for my partye,
I issed a out thorugh my folye ;
Wherfore I stonde in nonece/'teyn,
yef I retourned horn ageyn,
wher I sholde grace haue,
therby my soule for2 to save.'
Pilgrim : 3
" ne doute the nat to tourne ageyn,
but be therof ryght wel cecteyn,
That of grace thou shalt not faille,
So that thou make' a4 stoupaille
of the hoole's that open5 be
in thyn handes (as thou maist se),
this to mene, in sentement,
that playn and hool be thyn entent,
grounded on perfeccioura ;
and that, by gret deuoc'iouw,
that thou make thyn herte stable,
and of entent not variable,
look her-to on euery syde,
for I may no longer abyde,
for, I caste me a-noon,
horn to my castel forto goon,
and by the nexte waye6 wende,
and ther, vnto my lives ende,
abiden in the same place,
lik as god wil yeve me grace."
and whan I was koine horn ageyn,
of al that euere I had seyn,
I made playn Relac'ioim
to folk of that Relig'iou/i ;
and afterward (I you ensure,)
ther fel a wonder aventure,
the whiche,7 whan I dede aduerte,
yt liked1 nothyng1 to myn herte :
I saw tweyne olde (by assent,)
Koine to me of oon entent,
AVonder dyuers of her chores ;
and bothe tvvo wer massageres : 8
the toon of hem (I was wel war)
[i yiwyd St.]
24104
[» for St., am. C.]
[' St., am. C.]
24108
[»aom. St.]
St., ai«>ii C.]
24112
2411G
24120
[« St., next way I1.]
24124
24128
24132
[- which C., whiche St.]
[SI.&C.]
2413G
[s messengers St.,
massager C.] ,
Age, and Sickness come from Death, to warn me. 047
[Slow, leaf 27:1]
[' Damming St., (.•cunning c.]
;: 24144
[' Si., OIK. C.]
24148
Vpon hir bak, a bed she bar ;
The tother (if I shal not feyne)
bar also, patentes tweyne ;
the toon also, in hir comwyng,1
gird with a baiukek, for wrastelyn
In their coinyug I fonde gret lak,
and evene thus to me they spak :
Age & Sicknes : -
' deth,' quod they, ' hath to thiS sent
bothe vs tweyne, of entent,
pleynly to the to declare,
that hyni self ne wil not spare
forto come to the anoon ;
and bad, aforn we sholde3 goon, [» shoki c., aimtd st.] 24152
and done our fulle besynesse,
with al our myghte, the to opprese,4 [*{2op«S""c]t''
and not departe fro the at al,
til thou be cast, and hauo a fal, 24156
that he may, at his conimyng,
fynde tlie, by our workyng1,
80 awhapedf and amat,
that he may seyn to the, ' chek mat.' ' 24 160
Pilgrim : 5 [Blank fur Illumination.} c5 si., «<». e.]
Qwod I, "declareth vnto me,
ffirst of alle, what ye be.
I knowe not your goueniaunce ;
With deth I ha non aqueyntjumce ;
and yef that he be your maystresse,
I pray you, first, that ye expresse
your office, and your seruyse,
and your names doth devyse."
Age & Sicknes : 6
Quod they, ' it wer not-but in veyn,
With vs to stryve, or wynse ageyn ;
for, ther is noon7 so hardy,
so wys, so Biche, so myghty,
that may, by force nor8 allye,
holden with vs Champartye.
' for deth hath had, ful yore agoon,
lordshipe of folkes euerychoon ; 24176
24140 The PUgrin.
24164
[••St., om. C.]
[' none St.]
24172
[» or St.]
on the part
ol Beatli,
and nay tlmt
lie wilt soon
follow,
and check-
mate MI.-.
24168
I have no
acquaintance
with Death.
I ask who
they are.
They say
it is in vain
in strive with
one so mighty
:i» 1 »••;] Hi .
who ia Rulor
of every one, .
048
Age and
ami is more
feanl l>y lords
and kings
titan tliepoor,
who often
wish to be
dead.
Death hati
sent to warn
me that I
si. all not
escape him.
The Messen-
gers are
•Sickness1
and •Old
[leaf 299, bk.]
Age.'
And tho'
Medicine,
with her
drinks
and apothe-
caries stuff,
saves folk for
a time,
yet Sickness
and Death
have the
mastery in
the end.
Death warns me that I cannot escape him,
' for, who considereth alle thynges,
Drad more of lordes and of kynges
than of folkes (who list se)
which that duellen in pouecte. 24180
for pore folk that lakke l bretJ, [' i»k c., lake St.]
desire ful ofte2 to ben detK [» desyr ofte for St.]
' and, yef thou aryght behold,
vnto deth thou art yhold, 24184
that he, toforn3 hath to the sent ; i" to tofom c.]
for ofte, without avisement
lie cometh to folkes vnwarly,
and hem assailleth sodeynly, 24188
though the contrary had sworn,
but, he hath vs sent to-forn,
as massagers4 to warne the; ^ufe»i"^e7i-»st''ik''
from his power thou mayst5 not fle ; [Mnayst.] 24192
and ech of vs (withoute blame)
Slial declare the his name.'
[Sekenesse :]
The firste6 to me dede expmse : [« first c., St.]
quod she, 'my name is Sekenesse. 2419G
helthe and I, but litel space [St. 4 c.]
May abiden in O place.
we wrastlen ofte (as men may se) ;
som while she venquyssheth me, 24200
and, som tyine,7 in certeyn,
I over-throwe hir ageyn,
make hir forto bowe hir chyne.
and, ne were8 that medicyne
ys cause' that she dgth releve,
my sayllyng shold hir often grove,
but, maugre hir potac'iouws
and dyuerse confecc'iouns,
and other soudry lettuaryes
Maked at the potycaryes, —
bothe emplastres drye and moystes,
and oyuementes put in boystes, —
yet deth and I (who lyst espye)
Haue, at the laste,9 the maystrye. t9 tut c., St.]
' first I souke vp (for the nones)
[" some tym St.]
[« ware St., wer C.] 24204
24208
24212
Hmv Sickness troubles Folk, and makes them Repent. 649
[•yscallyst.j 24220
24224
[» St, om. C.]
[* messenger St.]
[5 shold C., ilmlil St.]
[« St., om. C.]
[7 this St.]
24228
'the mary closed in the bones, 24216
and (wher that it be bad or good,)
waste1 the flessh, and drynke the blood!; [' wast st, baste c,]
And thus my silf, I cdnsume al
the vertu that called1 is2 ' vital' ;
and at the last (who list knowe,)
ley hyra in a bed ful lowe,
That deth may (withouten stryf)
a-noon bereve hym of his lyf.'
Pilgrim : 3
" Sothly, thou art no massagere,4
to whom men sholde5 make chere."
Secnes : 6
' ffor sothe', yis,7 (who taketh hede,)
folk ar holde to me in dede ;
for, sike folke's to avaunce,
I make hem to ha repentaunce
"Whan she was put out of mynde,
and therby, a mene fynde,
that folke's, by contriciou?z,
may come to their savac'iou« ;
for proudest folkes, (as I gesse,)
I chastyse with Seknesse.8
' and first, I haue gret delit,
from hem to take their appetit ;
their .v. witte's and Eesoun,
I be-reve hem, vp and doun,
make (as thou shalt vnderstonde,)
folk so feble, thei may not stoude.
'and we be come to thfe blyve,
with the to wrastlen and to stryve.'
Pilgrim : 9
" Or ye to me don eny shame,
let me first knowen the name
of the tother massager,10
That loketh with so fel a cher."
Sicknes : u
' I graunte wel she shal the telle,
yef thou wilt a whjle12 duelle.'
Age : l3
24232
[>> sycknesse. St.] 24236
[Stows, leaf 874]
[five]
24240
24244
[» SI, om. C.]
['« messenger SI.]
24248
[» St., om. C.]
2 wl.il c, whill St.]
[l3 St, om. C.]
Sicknen*
sucks up
folks' mar-
row
iiinl vital
powcrj
The Pilgrim.
SirltHtit.
but slie irivei
sick folk
time tor
repentance,
[leaf 300]
Their appe-
tite is lust
first ;
then the 5
senses, then
reason.
The Pilgrim.
I ask who the
2nd Messen-
ger is.
Old Aot.
650 Old Age, Death's Conner, brings me two Summonses.
[fill Ayr.
She is 'Old
Age,1
who plucks
the iivn
feathers of
Youth,
and is the
Courier of
Death.
[leaf 300, bk.]
24252
24256
24260
[> knowne St.]
[4 St.] [5 messenger St.]
242G5
[* message St.]
[" trouth C., truthe St.]
24268
Qttod she, ' of folkes that ben sage,
I am of custom called ' Age,'
Contrarious (as it is kouth)
to hir that is ycalled! Youth,
which whilom had (thou myghtest1 se)
fresshi' fetheres forto fle.
but Age hath plukked! hem away,
that vnnethe2 gon I may; [* vnn«th c., vnnethe st.]
my fet be now (who taketh hede)
hevy as they were of lede ;
I may not gon, but with labour,
and yet of Deth I am corour,
knowe3 in Couratres fer and ner.
'And4 who that is a massager,5
Wher he holdeth his passage,
mut do truely his massage,*
and the trouthe7 telle of ryght.
' I am vnweldy, and not lyght ;
and (to speke in worde's fewe,)
myn empty skyn doth wel shewe
what that I am ; and oner more,
thou mayst se, by my lokkes hore,
and by ryvels of8 my visage,
How that I am called ' Age,'
of whom, folkes that9 discerne, [» folk that c., Mke that St.]
may ful many thynges lerne. 24276
' though that wasted' be my bloodf,
I ha seyn bothe evel and good ;
Preyed" (if I shal not feyne)
ende and gywnyng of bothe tweync.
age, in konnyng1 doth excelle ;
who muche seth, can muclie telle :
no man in kownyng1 (this, the chef,)
withoute10 syght may ha no pref." [10 without c., withe out St.]
Tk. puanm. Pilgrim : u t" «.. <"•• C-1
" To here now, myn entent is, [stowe, leaf sit, back]
what betokne tin patentes ;
and after that, make no delay,
but take thy leve, and go thy way." 24288
Ola Age. Age I 12 C" st-. om.;C.]
Her empty
tkiu
and shriveld
visage show
she is old.
24272
pin St.]
Bui she
excels in
knowledge.
I bid her tell
me what her
Patents are,
and then go.
24280
24283
Old Age will guide me to Death. Her two Patents. 651
[> the »m. c., the St.]
24293
[« the om. st.]
24296
24300
' towar<1
24304
[' patents c., St.]
p to St.]
24308
' wher-so it like the, or displese,
I wil abiden at myn eese,
And fro this place not retourne,
but euere in on with the1 soiourne.
I may not parte lyghtly a-way,
as Youthe dede this other day.
She the2 forsook (in verray dede)
whan thou haddest to hir most nede ;
she went hir way, and took hir flyght,
and fled a-noon out of thy syght ;
caste hir neuere to come ageyn :
to looken after, wer but veyn.
but I, be leyser mut abyde,
tdward dethe3 to be thy guyde ; [3 ^JJ
for, til deth come, I vndertake
hat I shal the not forsake.
' I haue doon my besy peyue.
to brynee thd paten tes4 tweyne,
oonly of fauour, for5 thy best ;
ther-vp-ou that thou mayst reste,
and of noon entenci'oure
to take fro the thy bordoura :
to the, bothe may availle.
'and, for mor suer sowpewaille,6 [• supewnyie St.] 24312
to the bordoim spiritual,
a staf is nedfol, temporal :
Euerych of hem with-oute7 wene, ['ouic., St.]
the tother must of ryght susteiie ; 24316
for whan the t6 part doim doth falle,
help of the tother he must calle,
yef hym list hym-self assure.
but thou ne shalt not8 wel endure ['not, om.c., si.] 24320
the felle assautes of vs tweyne :
for, we ne shal no lenger feyne,
•
but (for short conclusi'ouw)
ber the to the Erthe a-douw.'
Pilgrim : 9
And bothe tweyne, with a brayf?,
vpon a bed they ha me layd1,
for they wolde not of me faille,
[» St., ow. C.]
OM Age.
su« says
with in.',
[leafsoi]
tin Death
°
brought me
2 Patents to
rest "a,
»» » temporal
stuff is
needed, as
well as a
spiritual one.
24324
nut«iiesay«
1 shall not
endm-e tin
assaults of
h,?r,and
Sickness.
The Pilgrim.
They lay me
052
The Pilgrim.
[leaf 301, bk.J
Then the
lady Mercy,
' Misericord,'
comes to inef
with one
brea»t bare,
tu give me
milk, and a
Cord
Lady Mercy will lead me to the Infirmary.
to pull niu
up.
Mercy.
She bids me
rise and fol-
low her to
the Infir-
mary.
THt Vilarim.
Mrri-u.
[leaf SOS]
She tells me
her occupa-
tion.
When Judges
give sentence,
ther tabyde, til deth assaille.
And1 in distresse and gret affray,
vpon the bed whil I thus lay,
I myghte2 tho no ferther gon,
to me a lady cam a-noon,
with ful many noble signe,
of cher and lok, ful benigne,
(I dar ryght wel record1,)
Whos name was ' Myseryconl ;
oon of hir brestes opon was,
to yeve me mylk in such a caas.
And also (as I was war,)
me sempte tliat a corde she bar,
to bynden hay (so thoughts3 me).
and, of mercy and pyte,
to me that lay, like a wrecche,
She gan hir corde abrood to strecche ;
[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]
And ful goodly, with that sygne,
to me she sayd with cher benygne :
Mysericord : 4
' Kys a-noon, and sue me,
for by thy cher, I do wel se
that thou art feblyd?5 of thy myght,
and thou list not her a-ryght ;
Wherfore I wil the fostre and guye,
and lede the to the fermerye.'
Pilgrim : 6
Quod I, " that were ful glad to me.
But, for I wot not what ye be,
I pray you with ful humble cher,
your name, that ye wil me lere."
Misericord : 7
' My name, yef it be concey ved,
I ought wel to ben receyued,
for, whan luges, for offence
ban yovect8 hir sentence,
I do my peyne and my labour,
of Justice and of Rigour
forto do remiss'iouw,
24328
[Stowe, leaf 375]
[« rayght St., C.] 24332
24336
24340
P thought C., St.]
24344
[« St., am, C.]
24348
[5 feble St.]
24352
I' St., OIB. C.]
24356
St., am. C.]
[« have gyven C.] 24360
Mercy made God set the Rainbow in the Sides, for Peace. 653
[* yove C., gyven St.]
24368
[3 and St., on C.]
24372
24376
'and make a mittigacioun
(as folkes may ful wel discerne).
' for whan the kyng that is eterne,1 [' eterne St., «teme c.]
had yoven2 in sentement
a ful dredful lugement
of Adam and3 the lynage,
forto deye for their outrage,
I cam to hym ful humblely,
and p?-ayed hym ful benygnely,
the myghty kyng celestial,
not forto distruyen al;
but that he wold, in his grevauwce,
modefyen his vengeaunce,
and to with-drawe his lugement.
' and his bowe that was bent,
I made hym drawe of the corde,
and, for sygnes4 of Concorde, [«sygn«c., sygnest.] 24380
Sette it in the heven alofte ;
and (as men may se ful ofte)
In tookne of pes, and not of wrak,
from vs he tourned hath his bak, [stmre.imfs-s, back]
that, of his mercyable lawe, 24385
he may not the bowe drawe,
whan of mercy (as it is knowe)
toward hym-self he drough the bowe. 24388
' whan he, for our Inyquyte,
dyed vpon the rode tre,
he bought our gilt so sore.
and vuderstond, oner more,
vp nor doun (who loke wel)
he may not drawe it neuer a del.
for, of the bowe the discord1,
vndorstonde by the cord1 :
I made hem so forto acorde,
that called am ' Misericords.'
for (yef thou dost5 wel vnderstond!)
the stryng therof is in myn bond! :
thou mayst behold it we], and se ;
for, of mercy and of pyte,
I drawe out wrecches from her charge,
24364 Uerry.
t* canst S(.]
she mitigates
it.
When God
sen tenet
Adam and
his .-l.il r.-H
to death.
she prayd
Him
to withdraw
His judg-
ment;
and she made
Him
set his i-i.in-
bow in the
heaven, in
token of
peace.
He drew the
bow itgainst
Himself,
when He diet!
on the Cross.
[t-tvltablt line'}
[St. AC.] 24392
24396
She, Mercy,
made the
bow and cortl
agree,
and so her
name is
' Misericord/
24400
She pulls
wretches out
from their
burden,
054 CJiarity wove Mercy's Rope. Mercy's Milk for Sinners.
Mr™/. ' and make hem go loos at large. 24404
' therfore folkes alle acorde
to calle me ' Misericorde ' ;
of which (by declaraciou?t)
to make an exposiciiouw, 24408
Misericorde, truely
»nd has ys, on wrecches to han me?-cy.
tuemf on ' thus my name1 thou shalt knowe ; [' this nam st.]
I drawe hem vp, whan they ben lowe. 24412
Thecordeier the cordeler that waf2 the corde ["wave St.]
who wove the ,. i
cord of Pea™ of pes, vnyte, and Concorde,
and Unity ,
only on wrecches to han pyte,
was charity; hyr name was called ' Chary te.' 24416
' and yef the corde wer broke a-sondre,
and without ther is no man, (her nor yondre,)
it none may , . , , .....
ascend to though he eugre aide his peyne,
that myghte3 to the heven atteyne ; [• myght c., St.] 24420
by it nione for, by this corde (as I the toldf)
ciimb up alle Synners must hem hold1,
and playnly clymben vp therby,
oonly of pyte and mercy.' 24424
The Pilgrim, Pilgrim I 4 [' St., «"• C-]
why is one " lady, put me out of doute,
breads bare ? why ha ye now drawen oute
[leaf sos] O°n of your brestes fayr and whyte
(which to behold, I me delyte,) 24428
like as ye wolde be my bote,
wasshe me with your mylk most sote 1 "
iimy. Misericord : 5 P s'-. °«- co
Because you ' Truely,' quod she ' (yef ye take hede,)
neaiofmy of my mylk thou hast mor nede 24432
milk than of J J
gow or silver. (yef the trouthe be iustly told)
than outlier of siluer, outlier6 of gold, ["or St.]
or of any precious ston,
forto rekne hem euerychon. 24436
This milk is for this mylk which thou dost se, [stowe, ieafS76]
I'uyTtoheip ys called Me?'cy and Pyte,
sinners.
alle Synners to sustene ;
and to releve hem in their tene, 24440
it7 bryngeth hem in rest and8 pecs. [« 4 !£; JM.JC.]
This Milk of Mercy, Christ shed widely on the Cross. 655
' And, like as Aristo tiles ««•<•#.
writte, that mylk is nothyng elles Mnki« blood
(as alle Philesophres telles) 24444 tition,
according to
but blood, by transmutaciovw Arutoiie.
tliorugh hete and lent1 decocci'ouw, fiytesto
tourned away from his rednesse
to pecfectioun of whytenesse ; 24448
and (to apeke in wordes playn)
this nomore forto sayn,
that a man that ys irous, An angry
froward and malencolious, 24452 5oS»**"
hath but red blood : and that reduesse
may neue?-e tourne to whitenesse can only i«
/ i » .. Mm tunid white
(as clerkes sayn,) but yef so be
it lie decoct by charyte, 24456 when decoct
.1 , T . ,. . ... by Charity.
that his malicious appetit
be itournedf into whit,
thorugh perfectioun of hete
of chary te, that ys most swete, 24460
Than the smoke of fals envye,
the fume eke of malencolye, [st.&c.] [ieafsos,bk.]
fleth away, in rednesse, [t-wi/auc n,ie „
chaunged clene into whitenesse. 24464
' and who that drynketh of this mylk — Whoever
, ., ' „ drinks of this
mor sote and sof te than any • silk — [z th.i any c., than St.] milk corgim
, .. offencm.
foryeveth (in a htel space)
ech offence and trespace 24468
that men ha gilt hym in his live ; [c. & St.]
hym list no more ageyn to stryve.
' of such mylk, most of vertu, Christ Jesa.
gret plente hadde crist ihesu ; 24472 or a1"'
Shewed his brestis of pyte
whan he was hanged on a tre. on the crow,
he suffrect tho (it is no derate,)
the likour for to Eenne aboute, 24476
and for to shede it out yffere »nd shed out
than he was stonken3 with a spere, p stongen St.]
the syde of his humanyte,
on alle synful to ha pyte, 24480
for to wasshe away our vyce.
656 Mercy is pitiful, like her Father God. She does good works.
Mercy.
more than
mother or
nurse ever
gave to child.
Red blood is
changed by
Charity into
white milk.
[leaf 801]
Mercy
feeds the
hungry,
clothes the
naked,
visits folk in
prison,
buries the
poor,
and serves the
sick.
[* mankynff <"'.,
mtuikyml St.]
' was neuere moder nor noryce
that gaf such mylke l her-to-fore [' myike St., myik c.]
to hir child, whan it was bore. 24484
his brestes, that be most fair and whyte,
most holy, and fresshest of delyte,
arn eue?-e open to folkes alle.
his voyce,2 synners doth ek calle, p voyw st, voy« co 24488
and bit hem in their herte thenke,
of his soote mylk to drynke : [stowe, leaf 370, back]
' for blod of ire is noon in me,
but mylk of me?-cy and pyte,' 24492
which wassheth away al vengeauwce :
who hath this mylk, hath suffisaunce.
' The Rede blood (as folk3 may se) ['men st.]
y-chaunged is, by charyte, 24496
Into whyte mylk, hoolsom and good,
shaad for maukynd4 vpon) the rood ;
with the which, I fostred and fede
alle folkes that ha nede,5 [' fedd . . nedde St.] 24500
such as list, by on acorde,
for to be6 drawi- with my conle, [« be St., am. c.]
to alle I am so mercyable,
to my fader, Resemblablo, 24504
and to my moder Charyte.
' for whan that I may any se
In myschief, hunger, outher thurst,
hem to fede, it is my lust. 24508
naked and nedy, that ben lothe,
I haue in custom hem to clothe ;
And, gretly I me delyte,
folk in prisouw to visyte ; 24512
and lede, with a glad visage,
pore folk to their herbegage ;
And thei that deye in 7 pouecte, [' en c., in st.]
to burye hem, I delite me : 24516
to suche8 labour I entende; f8 such c., suche St.]
al thyng amys, I do amende ;
folkes sike and vnweldy,
of pyte only and mercy, 24520
I serve hem in humylite.
rue
I tell Mercy
that I'd fol-
low her if I
were not
feeble
and kept back
by Sickness
and Age.
[leaf 304, bk.]
Mercy,
I camiot follow Mercy, as I grmo feebler mid feebler. 657
' And now I am ycome to the, .w«-py.
In al my beste1 feythful wyse, [' best c., St.]
foi-to profre iny seniyse." 24524
Pilgrim : 2 [« st., om. cj
" Ma dame," quod I, " as it is due,
my lust is gretly you to sue ;
but, for my grete febilnesse,
which me restreyneth by distresse, 24528
And, fees massagers3 also pmeasenKcmst.]
Causen that I may not go.
And if ye wold!, of your gooduesse,
Boon your grete besynesse 24532
Thes massagers4 to putte away, [« thes messengers st.]
I wolde (withoute5 mor delay) [5 without c., St.]
folwe, in al my best entent,
to gon at your comandement." 24536
Misericord : 6 C6 st., <,»,. co
' Truely (nouther nygh nor ferre)
I may not voyde nor differre
the massagers7 from thy presence ; [' messengers St.]
but I shal do my diligence, 24540
with my cordc, the tenbrace,
and to lede the to the place [stowc, leaf 377] «
which called is the Fermerye.
the massagers8 her faste by, 24544
I ha no myght hem to coharte,
to maken hem fro the departe.
til that deth hym-silf assaille,
tabiden on the, they wil not faylle.' 24548
Pilgrim : 8 [* st., OM. c.]
Than anoon Myserycorde
gan tenbrace me in hir corde.
and the olde, bothe tweyue,
Were present, and dide her peyne 24552
to brynge me to my bed? anoon,
and list not from me fer9 to goon. [' for st.]
and therwith-al, anoon ryght
I gan to feblen of my myght1 24556
mor and mor, crly and late,
til the porter at the gate
PILGRIMAGE. u u
She says I
must KO to
the Inlir-
inary ;
and the Mea-
sengera must
remain with
me.
The Pt/i/r/w.
I grow more
feeble.
658 Prayer and Alms come to show me the way to Jerusalem.
The Porter
The Porter.
[leaf 305]
brings me
two messeii-
gen
to show me
the way to
Jerusalem.
They are to
lie xeiit be-
fore,
to prepare
mv reception
there.
These Mes-
sengers lire
4 I'raj-er ' and
• Alms.'
The PHtirim.
Hut, said I,
I have no
possessions,
[leaf 305, bk.]
brOUgllte 1110 two lliassagers,1 [' brought C. & SI., messengers St.]
bonygne and goodly of her chers. 245GO
[The Porter:] [6 lines Manlffor an Illumination.]
Qwod the porter anoon to me :
' I ha the brought (yef thou lyst so)
two massagers1 (it is no nay)
which shal the teche the ryghte2 way [! rygbt c., st.] 24564
to Icrusalem the cite ;
for (bi tooknes that I se,)
I conceyve (on euery syde)
thou mayst her, no while abyde. 245C8
wherfore, to make thy passage,
Send! hem toforne, on thy massage,3 [» message st.]
that thou mayst, by thy sendyng,
be bet receyvedf at thi coniyng, 24572
withouten eny spot of blame,
and make to hem, in thi name,
a manor of commyssi'oun,
and ek a procuraci'ouH, 2457fi
that they may, thorugh their werkyng1,
be receyueMf of the kyng1
thorugh fauour of their laiignge,
to taken vp their herbergiigf 24.r>M)
In that cyte clestial,
wher the kyng is eternal.
' thes ladyes name's to expr<-s.sr,
they ben Prayer and Almesse ; 24584
And they ben redy, bothc tweyne,
In this caas to done her poyne.'
[The Pilgrim :]
" Truely," qnod I to the porter,
" I wolde, with al myn hcrt entier, 24588
don alines of entenciou?* ;
but I ha noo pocessioun,
nor nothyng in propurtc,
but al thyng in cowmuuyte. 24592
al propurte, I ha forsake,
And to pouerte me take,
Of myn4 ordre, in sothfastnesse. [4 St., c. 6«r»r]
" Wherfore, touchy ng such almesse, [stowe, kai 377, i>aok]
lam too poor to employ Messengers. The improvident King. 659
aniHIierelnre
cannot tun r
nrim-es,
iluLi-s iiint
lords may
luivi- sucli
messengers.
" I ha sothly no powore 24597 n, ru,,,im.
to make of hir a massngere,
to take Letbergage for me
In that hevenly, chef cyte. 24600
alines, and al such oother thynges,
mot ben of Ionic's and of kynges
Sent to-forn to that cyte,
Yef they wil wol receyved be, 24604
tlier to make her purveaunee,
terberwe1 he.m to their plesatmce. [' to harbour, lodge]
" for (who-so list the trouthe lore)
alle estates in this world hero — 24608
kyngcs, prynces, bothc two,
Duke's, Ionic's ek also, —
Keekne hem alle, by and by,
and thei be pilgryines as I : 24612
let hem toforn pourveye wcl
forto take vp their hostel,
Sendo her massager.s2 to sc ['thryr ine»cnKare si.]
their herbergage in that cyte, 24616
that, for lak of providence,
through slouth, or through neeligence,
they be dispurveycd, at her comyiifT,
as Barlani telleth of a kyng<, 24620
which, of custom synguler,
lieyned1 neuwe but a3 yer pomst.]
In a lond ; and this the elide,
than of force he must wende 24624
Into an Ilond! (in cecteyu)
that was of vitaille ful bareyn ;
and thus this kyng cam to meschuiwee,
for laak oonly of pourveyaunce, 24628
that he toforn, for his availle,
lyst to sendc no vitaille.
Tlier was noon other mene wey ; [c. & st.]
for hunger, he must node deye. 24632
" after whom, thus stood the cas,
that a-nother kyng tlier was,
which shulde4 for a yer succede ; [' slmld c., St.]
but he was wys, and took good hale, 24636
Mli.ry of a
Km-, who
retain! only
a year.
and Ilien wetit
to a barren
Maml,
wlicre lie
came U» urief
IHTJIIISI- lie
liatl made no
provision for
himself.
[leaf 30(1]
So he ilicil.
660 Let us all prepare our places in Paradise, as 8t. Louis did.
The
His successor
made pro-
vision (luring
his reign,
.ml was all
right.
So let each
111:111 provide
for hi* entry
into Para-
dise,
ns St. Louis
dM,
:iinl was re-
ceived into
the heavenly
Jerusalem,
[hmf 306,bk.]
for his
prayers,
his alms,
" whil he stood in haboundaiwec,
forto make his purveyaunce,
to senile, in the same while,
vitaille into that barcyn lie. 24640
he was prudent, aforn to so,
to provide that Scarsete
sholde sodeyuly hym not assaille :
wherfore, he sent his vitaille 24644
Into that ylc that bareyn was.
" wherfore, let ech man in such caas,
sen aforn, in his resouw, [stowe, leafsvn]
while he stant in pocessiioiw 246J8
of his Rewine, by good avys
to sende aforn to paradys,
to taken vp, in that cyte,
herbergage lik his degre ; 24652
as whilom dede1 seynt Lowys, ['dyd si.]
the holy kyng that was so wys :
AVhil he hadde domyuacioiw
thorugh-out al his Regiou«, 24656
he ne was not necligent,
but sent aforn, of good entent,
liis massagers2 and his corrours, [" messengers St.]
his vitaillers,3 his pourveyours, P vitiiars St.] 24660
only for his avauntage,
to taken vp his herbergage
In that ilke noble Rewm,4 [«rein«si.]
called hevenly leurusalem ; 24664
wher he was, for a memorye,
Receyved1 forto regne in glory e,
that holy5 kyng contemplatif, pst., c. *«™t]
for the vertues of his lif, 24668
his prayours and his orysomjs,
his fastynges and deuoci'ouws,
his mercy meynt with ryghtwesnesse,
his compassiouws, his almesse, 24672
of cherches his foundac'iovms,
and other dyuers mans'iouws
y-mad for folke's pore and blynde,
Which, neuiVe, shal6 out of myndc : [« shall uevar stj 24676
and sundry
virtues.
24G80
24684
Hut I rim't
make Alms
[' sessenger (,!) St.]
my Mes-
senger,
24688
21692
its 1 ye mi
lnc>]K'ity.
Prayer agrees to be my Messenger to Paradise. G61
" alle thes vertues (in snbstaunce) nc pn,,rn«.
made aforn hym pourveyaunce ;
took vp a paloys most Royal
In that cyte celestial,
for kyng Lowys, that holy man,
as his lif reherce can,
wel bet than I can expresso.
" and for my part, touchyng almesse,
I may not make hir (for nor nor)
forto be my massagcr : 1
She nys not pertynoiit to me,
which ha no tliyng in propurte,
but by licence (in eerteyn)
oonly of my souuereyn.
" whcrfore (of entenei'ou?;)
I shal make a cowmyssionw
to oon that is prudent and sage,
to taken vp myn he/'bergagc :
the name of whom is Prayer,
to go toforn as massagcr.'' 2
Prayer : 3
Quod Prayer, 'for thy best,
I wil fulfills thy requeste
as forforth4 as I ha myght,
and as toforn5 I ha behyght.'
[The Pilgrim]:
And with that word, imoon Siknesese
bad hir haste fast, and dresse,
withouten eny mor delay,
forto spede hir on hir way ;
and without eny longer space,
for tavoyden anoon the place.
[Sikuesse] :
Quad she, ' it is now no sesoiw
to maken a comyss'iouH, 24708
at this tyme, to prayere ;
for, playnly (who list to lore,)
bothe at coinplyn and at pry me,
it hath be mad afore this tyme ; 24712
or elle's, herbergage to wynne,
[* messenger St.] 24696
P St., oiu. C.]
So I must
sew! l*niyer
as my mes-
senger.
1'rayer
[4 drfortlie St.]
[Stowe, leaf 378, back] 2 4 700
p reason St.]
24704
Sii-kneii
says it's too
late to make
a Commission
now.
662 Death comes to me. Grace Dien warns me of my end.
Sickiifgg.
The Pilgrim.
Death steps
on lily bed,
and I am in
>;iv:it dread.
[leaf: 307, bk.J
<Jraee Dieu
Deatli tells
licr to make
as lie mis
liuifli else
lo do.
(iraee Dieti
\van» < me
that
Deatli U
present,
' It were to late now to begynue.'
Pilgrim:1 C'st., <»».<•.]
"God me2 graunti: grace ami mynde, [* me si, am. c.]
good herbergage forto fynde ; 24716
for now I haue ynowh to do,
of vo-ay cunstroynt and of wo,
to remembre on11 my siknesso." p 0011 c., oust.]
and with that word, ther gun in dresse 21720
oon vpon my bedf anoon,
the cruelist of al my foon ;
of whom in soth, whan I took hede,
I loste speclie, of vway dredc : 24724
I myghtU4 make no quusl'ioiut [• mygiit c., St.]
to axen hir oondicTonn,
she was so drcdftd of bir chore :
a sithe she bar, and ek a bere ; 24728
sette hir foot vpon my brest,
for to maken on me arest.
\_lilaiih- in MS. for an Illumination.']
but than* a lady of gret wtn, p St., c. *MIM/.]
that was called Grace dieu, 24732
bad hir a wyle lete be, '
wliil that6 she spak a word to me. [«ihatst.,ni»c.]
Deathe :7 [<SV'e the French on i>. 665.] [~Kt.,om. c.]
' Sey on, and tarye neucc a del ;
for I may not abideu wel. 2473G
I liaatc soothly al taryyng ;
and I no love non Abidyng.
tlie cause is this, (who takntli liede)
I ha mo thynges forto sjuidu, 24740
In other places mo than oon ;
wherfore telle on, for I mot goon.'
. [Grace Dieu] : 8 t" iMigiim st., <»» c.]
Grace dieu, hir look she layde
Vp-on me, and thus she sayde : 24744
' thou stanst vpon) a streyt passage,
now as in thy pilgremage.
Deth is present, as thou maist se,
fro the which, no man may fle. 24748
she is of contynauHcc odyble, [stowe.
Death will give me to the Worms, aiid port Smtl & Bmh/. (563
' and of thynges most terryble ; Qraei z>/>«.
she is the ende of euery tliyng ;
and now she cast, at hir cowmyng, 24752
tliy lif1 playnly, as thou shalt kno\ve, [' wife st., t« vie De«.]
with hir sithe vp to mowe :
And afterward, this the fyn,
to putte tilt' in hir colfyn ; 24"r>6
and after, of euteiicioun,
to yeve the in pocessioim
to worinUs (as tliou shalt ek knowc,)
that liggen iu the erthe' lowe ; 24760
the which (as I wel telle can)
Is common, to eue>y man.
' ther may no man, of no dogro,
hygh nor lowh, liis power He. 24764
ffor, lych as herbe'r- and as floures,
that spryngen with .soote2 shoures [J soot c., St.]
Lothe in ApriH and in JNIay,
and afterward (it is no nay,) 24768
with a sythe (who list to kuowe,)
they ben on erthe leyd ful lowe,
and far-wel then al their fresshnesse !
farwel her colour and grenesse ! 24772
It not appereth, lier nor there,
the hoote Sonno maketli liein Sere ;
[Blank in MS. fur an Illumination.]
Ther colours and their f ressh aray,
al ys tourned into hay. 24776
'and, thou, that so longe be
(Irene and lusty forto se,
Deth (his power for to kythe,)
wil abatyn with his sythe 24780
thy grenesse, and ek also
partcn tin'.! on:i }>eces two, [Must.]
The soule, the body, her and yonder,
and niaken hem to parte assondre. 24784
for, playnly, as thou shalt lore,
they may, as now, not gon yfere ;
the soule nuiste4 go tofore, [< miutc., St.]
and the body shal be bore, 24788
nml nienntt
to mow HIT
life down,
put me in n
coffin,
nnd give me
up to worms.
This eml \»
common to
nil men,
[leaf 308]
as the (lowers
fall before the
scythe.
Death Mill
divide my
soul ami body
nsumlcr.
064 / tn ust pray for mercy t Death swings his Scythe at me.
Grace Dieu.
to be joined
afterwards
eternally.
I must be
ready.
[leaf 303, bk.]
I have come
to the wicket.
I must first
rry to (iod
tor mercy,
pro nising
Ijinly 1'tm-
anee
to make up
my default in
Purgatory.
The Pilgrim.
My speech
l>f<jins to fail.
Death swings
his scythe at
me;
[' St., c. b
[« st., c. i
' In erthe to haue his mansiouw,
and tournii to corrupciouM ;
and afterward, be wel certeyn,
loyned with the soule ageyn,
and ben to-gidre eternally.
' Now loke that thou be ful redy ;
for yf1 ther be no lak in the,
thou shalt go streyht to the2 cyte
Of the kyngdom and the llewm
that called ys lerusalem,
to which thy pilgreinage was setto.
' thou art come to the wyket
(Which is gynnyng1 of thy labour,)
thow 3 beheld in a inyrrour, [•' timw st., c.
whan thow wore fill tendre of ag<
at gynnyng of thy pilgryniiige ;
and therfor4 now thou art sutte
at the boundes of the wyket,
I consaille the, first to crye
Vnto my Fadro for nuvcye,
behotyng the lady dame Penaunce,
yef thou ha not in suffisauuce
Don to her, wb.il thou wer here,
lustly and truely thy devere ;
thou art in wil, at thy partyng1,
thorugh grace and mercy of the kyng",
that Kegneth eternally in glorye,
It to fulfille in purgatorye ;
ther tabiden in that place,
tyll the lord1 wil do the grace,
of his mercy, at the laste.'
And, for the tyme cam on faste,
and my speche gan to faille,
I though te it6 fooly for tasaille
Grace dieu with questiomis,
with demandes or" resonns.
And (as I coude ek wel discernc)
Deth aboodf at the posterne,
and gan to lete goon his sythe,
his cruel myght on me to kythe,
24792
24796
24800
[st.se.]
24S04
24808
24812
[st.&c.] 24816
24820
> it st., a c.j
24824
24828
/ yd so friijhtend thai I wake ont of my Sleep.
GG5
And gau so streytly me coharte,
That the soule mot departe.
And, such a feor anoon me took,
Out of my slep that I a-wook.
Tile Pilgrim.
my Soul
must go.
[leaf SOU]
24832 I awake.
The last sayings of Death, Grace Dieu, ami the Pilgrim are, in De Cuileville's Krcnch
(Petit's edition, Foeillets xcj. 4— xcij. 2) :—
Que, se n'en as a souffisance 24810
OR dictes tost done / ce dist elle, 24735 Fait / volentiers tu la t'eras
Car moult ie he longue vielle : 24737 En purgatoire, on tu iras.
LA MORT.
^R dictes tost done / ce dist elle,
Car moult ie he longue vielle :
Prestement me vueil ileliurer,
Car autre part me fault aler.
LE PELEBI.S'.
11 Adonc viut grace (lieu a moy,
Et me dist doulcement, Or voy.
GRACE niEr.
IT Je voy bieu, qu'a 1'cstroit jossaige
Tu es de ton pelerinaige.
Voicy la Mort, qui de pres t'est,
Qui, des choses terribles cst
La fin / et Ie terminement.
'Ta vie, tiintost faulcher eutent,
Kt la mectre du tout a fin ;
Et puis ton corps en vng cofin
Elle mectra, pour Ie bailler
Aux v«rs puans, i>our Ie manger.
Ceste chose est toute commune
A tout chascun et a chasctine :
Homme, en ce monde, est expose
A la mort, comnie 1'herbe an pre
Est a la faulx / aussi est feyn,
Qui huy cst verd / et.sec demain ;
Or as eslu verd vng long temps,
Et si as receu pluyes et veus ;
Mais fault maintenant te faulehier,
Et en deux pieces despieeer.
24813
24811!
24741
LE PEI.EItlN.
OR voiis dy ie / que lors se i'eusse
Peu bien parler / qiie ie luy eusse 24821
24743 Fait des dcmandes dont i'auoye 24824
24744 Grant double / et que pas ne sauoic,
1 Folie est d'actendre au besoing, 24822
Car souuent ou cuide que loing [' fa. xdj. f]
24746 Soit la mort ; qu'elle est aux postis, 24821!
24747 Bien ie Ie seen / ie fuz soubzpns.
24750 La mort laissa sa faulx courir, 24827
24751 Et me fist du corps dcpartir. 24830
24753 Ce me sembla en ce moment,
[' Ko. xcij] Si que, de I'espouentement
24756 Esueille et desdormy fu,
24758 Et me tromiay si esi>erilii, [nut .
24759 Qu'auiser ie ne me pouoie
24761 Se ia mort ou en vie i'estoie,
24762 Jusqu'a tant que i'ouy sonner
L'orologe de niiyt, pour leuer ;
24765 Et aussi lors chantoient les cocqs :
24769 Pour quoy, leuer me cuiday lors ;
Mais ne peu / car fnz reteiiu
24772 De la grant pensee ou ie fu
24766 Pour Ie myen aduentureux songc,
24780 Ou quel, sequelque vne mensongv
24782 Est< it meslee on contenue,
L'huys est estroit/ 1'ame / et la cher 24783 Ou qui fust de peu de value.
Ne pourroient ensemble passer.
L'ame premiere passera,
Et puis apres la chair yra.
Mais si tost ne sera ce mie ;
Auant sera la chair pourrie,
Et autre fois regeueree
En la grant commune assemblee.
Doncques regarde se apoiuctey
Deuement tu es, et appareiHuy.
S'a toy ne tient, tantost verras
La grant cite ou tendu as.
Tu es au guichet et a 1'huys
Que ou mirouer nieca tu vis.
Se tu es despoille et nuz,
Dedans tantost seras receuz.
Celle entree tu auoics moult chiur,
Ix>rs quant tu la vis au premier ;
Et toutesfols, tant ie te dy,
Qu'a mon pere tu eryes mercy,
Eii prometaut a penitence,
24786 Nul esmerueillcr ne s'en doit,
24787 Car iamais froment on ne voit
24788 Croistre / qu'entour paille n'y uyc,
Jusques que dehors on Ten traye ;
24790 Par quoy, s'en mon songe y a grain,
24782 Et auecques paille ou estraiu
y ait / ce qu'est bon / soit garde ;
24794 Cc que n'est bon, soit hors vomit'.
Que ne ily pas tant settlement
24795 Pour ce premier liure present,
24796 Dont cy cndroit ie feray tin,
24800 Pour me reposer en cheinin,
24802 Mais aussi pour ce que s'ensuit,
Ou tout Ie grain en paille gist,
Que rccommande aux bons vennt-urs,
Qui sceuent hors venner erreurs.
24807 II La fin du premier peleiiuaigc
24808 De 1'homme dunint qu'est
24809 En vie . Deo gratias.
667
NOTES.
2/30. Chaunteplure. This is the name of a thirteenth-century French
poem, addressed to those who sing in this world and will weep in the
next. Hence the name is applied to any alternation or mixture of joy and
sorrow. Cf. Chaucer, Anelida and Arcite, 320 :
"I fare as doth the song ofChaunte-pleure,
For now I pleyne, & now I pleye."
4/122. My lord of Salisbury. See note in the description of the Stowe
MS. There is an illumination in the Harl. MS. 4826, representing " Lyd-
gate presenting his booke called fie Pilgrime unto fie Earle of Salisbury."
Underneath the drawing is written "Thomas Montacute Earle of Salis-
bury." The earl is represented as a young man clothed in armour. This
Thomas de Montacute, born 1388, was summoned to Parliament as Earl of
Salisbury in 1409, but not fully restored to his father's rights (which had
been forfeited through treason) till 1421. He engaged actively in the
French wars, being the most famous and skilful captain on the English
side, and noted for his courtesy, liberality, and bravery. His death at the
siege of Orleans in 1428 was much lamented, and greatly affected the
course of the war.
6/173. Calliope, be syde cytheron. Calliope was the muse who presided
over eloquence and heroic poetry ; Citheron, a mountain of Boeotia, sacred
to the Muses and named after king Cithseron. In the Secrees of Old
Philisoffres the seeker after wisdom expresses his desire
" To taste the licour of Cy theroes toune."
6/176-7. The sugryd tonne Off lubiter. This is the nectar of the gods,
which was served by a beautiful Phrygian youth called Ganymede, who
was carried up to Heaven by Jupiter to take Hebe's place as cupbearer.
9/307. In the Abbey of Chalys. The Cistercian abbey of Chal is, Chaalit,
Chaslis or Chailly in the diocese of Senlis was founded by St. Louis, in the
twelfth century. According to the prologue of the monk who corrected
the undated Paris version of De Guileville's second recension, Chalis was
an offshoot of the abbey of Pontigny, " chaliz de pontigny fille."
10/355. strongly kept for coming in. ffor = against. For this meaning
of for ct'. Piers Ploivman, Passus VI, 9 :
'"Somme shal sowe fie sakke,' quod Piers, 'for shedyngof Jie whete';"
and Sir Thopas, 1. 150 :
" And over that an habergeoun
For percinge of his herte."
12/444. By record of Seyn Matthew. Matt. xi. 12 : "The kingdom of
heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."
12/447. Crysostom recordeth ek also. It is not to Chrysostom but to St.
Jerome that this saying should be ascribed, as has been pointed out to me
by Dom John Chapman, O.S.B.
The passage comes from St. Jerome, Comm. in Matt. ii. 11, on Matt. xi.
12 : " Grandis enim est violentia, in terra nos esse generates et coelorum
sedem quaerere, possidere per virtutem quod non tenuimus per naturam."
PILGRIMAGE. x x
668 Notes. Pages 15-49, lines 535-1852.
The quotation in the margin, however, is not from St. Jerome direct,
but from the Glossa Ordinaria of Walafrid Strabo.
15/535. Ghrete noumbre of thys lacobins. Jacobins was a name applied
to the .Dominican monks of France from the fact that their chief Paris
monastery was that of St. Jaques (Jacobus)
The name of canons was applied to ecclesiastical officers attached to
cathedrals or churches. They were divided into two orders, canons
regular and canons secular. The latter lived in the world ; the former in
communities and under some rule, though their discipline was usually less
severe than that of regular monks. The rule of St. Augustine was that
usually observed by the canons. The Augustinians included, besides the
canons, those other monastic fraternities which followed the rule deduced
from the writings of St. Augustine. The chief of these were the Begging
Hermits or Austin Friars, and the Dominicans.
The Mendicant orders were those communities which, having taken
vows of poverty, supported themselves by begging. They included the
Dominicans, Franciscans, the Austin Friars and the Carmelites.
16/574. 12 grees of hnmylyte. The reference is to the twelve monas-
teries founded by St. Benedict (Greg. Died. II. 3). The number of monks
in each of these was restricted to twelve.
24/912. And yet somme ha entryd in. In the Cambridge prose this
passage is more precise : " Heere is the firste passage of alle goode
pilgrimages ther is noon oother wey bi noon oother place, saue onliche bi
cherubyn ; Therforth hauen somme passed, and in here owen blood han
wasshen hem."
37/1387. A sygne of Tav ivych ther stood. The implement of cruci-
fixion used by the Romans varied in form. Malefactors were sometimes
impaled upon or nailed to an upright stake. At other times a cross-piece
for the arms was affixed to the upright, sometimes obliquely, in which
case the cross was called crux decussata, sometimes at right angles below
the top, when it was called crux immissa, and sometimes at right angles
across the top, when it was called cnix commissa. It is of course the latter
to which the name of Tau, the Greek T, was given, and though never so
common as the crux immissa the Tau form of cross is not infrequently
found in mediseval art.
37/1402. The prophete whylom wot. / Ezechyel. " And He called to
the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side ;
and the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the
midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that
sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst
thereof."— Ezekiel ix. 3, 4.
See Bishop Andrewes' Sermons (Luke xvii. 32). " This reward (Ezek.
x. 4) is for those whose foreheads are marked with a Tau."
45/1683. In Elenchis thoio mayst rede. Elenchus was the name of a
treatise by Aristotle concerning sophistry and fallacious arguments.
49/1839-40. Seyn Thomas Tliat kept the entre & thepaas. The refer-
ence is to Thomas a Becket and his sturdy maintenance of the rights,
privileges and prosperty of the Church against King Henry II. and his
officers.
49/1852. Seynt Ambrose in tJie same case. St. Ambrose was bishop of
Milan in the fourth century, and was specially remarkable for the energy
and firmness with which he defended the faith, discipline and integrity of
the Christian Church. The incident referred to in the text is as follows:
The Arians, headed by the Emperor Valentinian II. and his mother,
Notes. Pages 55-98, lines 2079-3696. 669
demanded the use of two churches in the city for their own worship.
Ambrose refused, — the Arians tried to seize the churches by force, and
when Ambrose was requested to restore peace by submission to the
emperor's will, he replied : " If you demand my patrimony, which is
devoted to the poor, take it ; if you demand my person I am ready to
submit; carry me to prison or to death, I will not resist ; but I will never
betray the Church of Christ. I will not call upon the people to succour
rne ; I will die at the foot of the altar sooner than desert it."
55/2079. Pent** thenys doth me chase. See the pseudo-Chaucer
Romaunt of the Rose, 1. 5135 :
" Thus taught and preched hath Resoun,
But Love spilte hir sermoun,
That was so imped in my thought
That hir doctrine I sette at nought."
66/2449. For thys word Gla-yve. Aldis Wright gives this note :
" Isidore of Seville, in the 18th book of his Origines, chap, vi, says of the
etymology of gladius, "Proprie autem appellatur gladius, quia gulam
dimdit, id est cervicem desecat."
66/2458. Thyt lanuence recordeth so. The reference is to the Catholicon
sen universale vocabvlarium ac summa, grammatices of F. Johannis Genu-
ensis. The quotation in the margin of the text is from this vocabulary.
92/3449. I make alday thynges newe. The worst poets of this period
became poetical in speaking of Spring, and Lydgate is no exception to the
rule, for though he only uses the common images which formed the stock
in trade of all his contemporaries, yet his delight in the subject is so
evident that we cannot help being carried away by it. With this passage
however we may compare the description of Spring in Beson and
Sensiiallyte, which shows us that, true as Lydgate's enjoyment of the
season was, he did not know more than one way of expressing it :
" This is the lusty seson newe,
Which every thing causeth renewe,
And reioyseth in MB kynde,
Commonly, as men may fynde,
In these herbes white and rede,
Which springen in the grene mede,
Norysshed with the sonne shene,
So that all the soyl is grene,
Al ouersprad with sondry floures,
With ba-^me dewed, and soote shoures, . . .
And euery bough, braunch, and tre
Clad newe in grene, men may se,
By kyndely disposicion
Ech to bere fruyt in ther seson. . . .
And Zepherus, the wynde moost soote,
Enspired bothe croope and roote
Of herbes and of floures newe
That they wern alway fresh of hewe." — (1. 101 f.)
95/3589. Off on callyd Architeclyn. The name should be Architriclin,
"the master of the feast," and is written so in Camb. From Gk. apx',
chief, and TpiK\lvos, a couch for reclining on at supper, and hence a
dining-room. The Greek word was preserved in the Latin translation of
St. John, and was taken to be a proper name.
98/3696. Boundys and botaylle. Botaylle seems to be a variant of
buttal = a bound or boundary. Other forms are buttel, buttelle, buttle,
670 Notes. Pages 101-125, lines 3795-4773.
butle. 1577 Test. 12 Patriarchs (1604) 85. " 1 have not ... removed the
bounds and buttles of lands." — (N. E. D.) Cf. the modern abut, used in
describing boundaries in a legal conveyance.
101/3795. The mevyng of the hevene And the planetys alle seuene.
According to the Ptolomaic system of Astronomy the earth was encircled
by seven spheres named after the principal planet of each, the Moon,
Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Beyond these was
the sphere of the Fixed Stars, which was supposed to make one revolution
in twenty-four hours. To account for various irregularities in the
heavenly motions two extra spheres were added in the Middle Ages — viz.
the Crystalline and the Priinum mobile or "first moved," which was
supposed to communicate its movement to all the inferior spheres.
101/3823. The payniin Arystotyles. See Aristotle, De generations ani-
malium, II. 3. 4 ; where we are told that the sun's heat, and that secreted
in the bodies of animals, are of the same nature, and form the essential
life-principle.
101/3836. Skyes dyrke <fc donne. Cf. Life of our Lady :
" I fynde also that the skyes donne
Whiche of custome curteyne so the nyght,
The same tyme with a sodayn light
Enchaced were that it wexid al light."
Cf. also Temple of Glas, 2/30-31 :
" Til at(te) last certein skyes doune
With wind Ichaced, haue her cours Iwent."
106/4011. To skouren chyldern and chastyse. The ordinary meaning
of scour is to cleanse, from Lat. excurdre, to take great care of (Skeat's
Concise Diet.}. But in this passage it evidently stands for scourge, and is
from Lat. excoridre, to flay oft'.
115/4354- Dyvers yatys mo than on. See Nehemiah iii. 14 and 26,
where the dung-gate and the water-gate are mentioned. Psal. cvii. 16 :
" He hath broken the gates of brass." Math. xvi. 18 : " The gates of hell
shall not prevail against it." Gen. xxviii. 17: "This is the gate of
heaven." Acts xii. 10 : " They came to the iron gate which opened."
118/4487. A child an hundryd wynter old. The quotation is incorrect.
The passage from Isaiah runs as follows:
"There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that
nath not filled his days : for the child shall die an hundred years old ; but
the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed." — Isaiah Ixv. 20.
121/4613. Ifaunde, in this sentence, stands for the supper at which
Christ gave to His disciples the "new commandment" "to love one
another." The word maunde is the M.E. form of Lat. mandatum,
meaning a command or charge. (See Skeat's Concise Dictionary.)
123/4675. Seyn Martyn. Saint Martin, while yet a catechumen, was
one day riding when he met a half naked, shivering beggar. Touched
with compassion he cut his cloak in two with his sword and gave half to
the beggar. The same night he had a dream in which Christ appeared to
him wearing the cloak and saying to the angels : " My servant Martin,
though yet unbaptized, hath done this.."
125/4773. The Testament of Cryst Ihesus. We may compare this
Testament with that of Piers the Plmaman in Langland's vision (Passus
VI, 1. 88 et seq.), which begins :
" He shal haue my soule |>at best hath yserued it,
And fro fende it defende for so I bileue."
Notes. Pages 129-169, lines 4962-6442. 671
Dr. Skeat tells us that, according to Wlritaker, the committal of the
soul to God alone, and not also to the Virgin and saints, was held to be
heretical at the beginning of the sixteenth century.
129. P. A. X. " One clause of this will or testament bequeathes to
mankind Pax Triplex — ' triple tranquillity.' The three things signified by
the three initial letters, at the three corners of a right-angled triangle,
formed by the stem and one limb of a Latin cross are — X, the initial of
Xpur-rds, ' Christ ' ; A, of Anima, ' the soul ' ; P, of Proximus, our ' neigh-
bour.' When these three are properly disposed towards each other
there is a firmly-established peace of mind ; since they indicate the whole
duty of man's life, viz. his love to God and his neighbour." — N. Hill in
the Ancient Poem of Guillaume de Guileville.
130/49&2. Synderesis. This word appears to be made up of Gk. aw,
meaning with or together, and Siaipetris = division or separation, and if
so would probably stand for that faculty of man which discriminates.
In the Pylgremage of the Soide Sinderesis is called the Worm of Con-
science, and is represented in the woodcut in Verard's edition as a woman
with a serpent's head. Sathanas calls it " thou foule Synderesys," and it is
described as " wonder hydous to loke upon, and of ful cruel semblaunt."
It says of itself, " In al places I am byleued of trouthe. I knows wel
apertly all thy thoughtys, thy dedes and thy wordes."
146/5569. The proper meaning of tiirneys is given by Roquefort as
pont-levis, or drawbridge.
161/6148. With yow to holden chaumpartye. Chaumpartye comes
from French champ parti, and means equality or division of power. See
Chaucer, Knight's Tale, 1091 :
" Ne may with Venus holde champartye."
" Lydgate seems to have known the word only from this phrase of
Chaucer's, which he misunderstood and took as meaning, 'to hold rivalry
or contest, to hold the field against, to resist.' "
In English Law champerty, — campi-partiti,—ia a bargain with a
plaintiff or defendant campum partire, — to divide the land or other matter
sued for if he prevail at law ; the champertor being bound to carry on the
party's suit at his own expense. (See Elackstone, Bk. 4, chap. 10, p. 134.
Ed. 1825.)
169/6442. The wyttys five. We should say "the five senses." Wits
however was commonly used with the meaning of senses. Cf. Every-
man, in which Five Wits refuses to accompany the hero to the grave.
In The World and the Child, Dods. I, p. 273, Age says :
"Of the five wits I would have knowing.
Pres. Forsooth, sir, hearing, seeing, and smelling,
The remenant tasting and feeling:
These being the five wits bodily."
We may compare with these five gates the five described in
Bunyan's Holy War :
"The famous town of Mansoul had five gates, in at which to come,
out at which to go, and these were made likewise answerable to the
walls, — to wit, impregnable, and such as could never be opened nor
forced but by the will and leave of those within. The names of the
gates were these : Ear-gate, Eye-gate, Mouth-gate, Nose-gate, and Feel-
gate."
We still use the word wit, in the sense of the text, in sucli an expres-
sion as "He has lost his wits."
672 Notes. Pages 174-192, lines 6640-7105.
174/6640. How he to helle ys descended. The belief in the descent of
Christ into hell during the period between His death and resurrection was
founded upon 1 St. Peter iii. 19, " He went and preached unto the spirits
in prison," and upon the apocryphal gospel of St. Nicodemus.
It was a popular subject in mediaeval art and poetry. One of the
finest of Fra Angelico's frescoes in San Marco deals with this tradition,
and Dante refers to it in the fourth canto of the Inferno, 11. 52 f. :
" lo era nuovo in questo stato,
Quando ci vidi venire un Possente,
Con segno di vittoria incoronato.
Trasseci 1'ombra del primo Parente
D'Abel suo figlio, e quella di No6 . . .
Ed ultri inolti ; e fecegli beati."
It was one of the stock incidents in miracle plays, and forms the
subject of the earliest extant English Miracle, The Harrowing of Hell.
This play begins with a conversation between Domirwu and Satan, of
which the following lines form a part :
Domtnus. "Adam, thou hast dere aboht,
That thou levedest me noht ;
Adam, thou liavcst aboht sore
And I nil suffre that na more :
I shal the bringe of helle pine
And, with the, alle mine."
(Satan. "Who is that ich here tliore
I him rede speke na more." ....
Dominus. " Wost thou never, what ich am ?
Almost the thridde winter is gan,
That thou havest fonded me
For to kno\v[en] what I be ;
Sinne found thou never nan
In me, as in other man ;
And thou shalt wite well to-day
That mine will I have awei,
Whan thou bilevest al thin one,
Than miht thou grete & grone."
180/6875. Somme iver callyd Arnjens. The Arian heresy arose from
the opinions of Arms concerning the Trinity and the nature of Christ,
whom he declared to be different in substance from the Father, to have
been created by Him before the world, and hence to be inferior to Him.
The Pelagian teaching was a reaction against Manichaeism and
Fatalism. Its principal points were the denial of original sin ; the
possibility of living without siu ; and the sufficiency of free-will and the
knowledge of the law for salvation.
192/7105. The Charbounde. The carbuncle or ruby seems to have
been a favourite stone with Lydgate. In the Seems of Old Philisoffres
we also find references to its supposed power of shining in the dark :
" As a charbouncle ageyn dirknesse of nyght ; " (I. 444)
" Rubyes that yeve so cleer a light
On hooly shrynes in the dirk nyght." (11. 552-3)
In Barth. Angl. xvi. 26, the following note is found : " Carbunculus
is a precious stone and shyneth as fyre whose shynynge is not over-
come by night. It shyneth in derke places and it semeth as hit were a
flame."
Notes. Pages 203-216, lines 7259-7730. 673
In the R. de la R. the carbuncle worn by Richesse is described in the
following terms :
" Une escharbouclc on cercle assise,
Et la pierre si clere estoit
Que, maintenant qu'il anuitoit,
L'en s'en veist bien au besoing
Conduire d'une liue loing." (11. 1106-10)
203/7259. Ther saw I helmys & haberiouns. The armour of a
mediaeval knight was both complicated and cumbrous, and often con-
sisted of many more articles than those mentioned in the text.
Beneath the armour was worn the gambison, a thickly padded tunic,
intended to keep the mail from bruising the body. It was usually
quilted, and hence was often called the purpoint.
The habergeon or byrnie was, as the name implies, a protection for
the neck and breast. In this case it was probably made of chain-mail
(1. 7576), but sometimes it consisted of leather or some strong material
sewn with over-lapping rings. In Sir Oawayne <fc the Grene Kniyt we
are told that
" pe brawden bryne of bry^t stel rytigej,
Vmbe-weued ]>at wyj, upon wlonk stuffe."
The helmet. given to the Pilgrim was needful
" For to make resistance
At Nase, at Ere, & at the Syht."
Helmets of many shapes existed at this period. Some of these were
hoods of chain-mail, with loose flaps, which could, when required, be
fastened across the lower part of the face. These, however, left the eyes
and nose exposed, so the Pilgrim's helmet was possibly one of the steel
barrel-shaped ones which covered the whole head, or, more probably, a
steel casque with movable vizor. (Cf. 11. 7642-48.)
The gorger or armour for the throat is said in 1. 7628 to be made
of plate. In 1. 7700, however, we read :
"Thys Armure hath a double maylle."
The gorger of mail was more properly called a camail, and usually
consisted of a shaped curtain of mail, which was attached to the helmet
and fell down over the neck and upper part of the body.
The gloves (11. 7628 f.) of this period were usually made of steel platea,
rather than of the ring-mail or studded leather common at an earlier
date. They often consisted merely of gauntlets, articulated at the wrist,
with steel plates attached, which covered the backs of the hands but left
the palms free. In some engravings, however, we see gloves with
elaborate articulated steel fingers.
The girdle, worn round the hips, was usually much ornamented
and fastened in front with a buckle of varying form. It supported the
sword which was generally cross-hilted, and was enclosed in a scabbard
of leather, often studded with metal. In the text we are told that the
Pilgrim's scabbard
" Ys makyd off A skyn mortal." (1. 7940)
The shield generally used at this time was short, and often triangular
in shape. The Pilgrim wore no armour on his legs. These would
ordinarily have been covered with greaves for the legs and cuisses for
the thighs. Frequently only the fronts of the legs were thus protected.
216/7730. Seyn Wylliam of Chalys. St. William of Chalis was Guil-
laume de Donjeon, at one time abbot of Fontaine-jean. He became
674 Notes. Pages 219-238, lines 7839-8602.
abbot of Chalis in 1187, was made Archbishop of Bourges in 1200, and
died in 1209. He was canonized by Honoring III. in 1218.
He took the habit of a monk in the order of Grammont, but after-
wards passed over to the Cistercian order and entered the abbey of
Pontigny.
219/7839. The swerd of goode Oger. The feats of Ogier the Dane are
told in many metrical romances, the longest of which is called Les
Enfances tf Ogier le Danois, by Adenez, herald to Henry III., Duke of
Brabant. Ogier seems to have been a real man, living" in the time of
Charlemagne. He was supposed to be the 8on of a king of Denmark,
but falling into the power of Charlemagne as a hostage, he became one
of his knights and went through many adventures.
His swords were called Curtana and Sauvagine. They took the
smith Munifican three years each to make.
The sword of Roland was a famous weapon called Durendal, with
which he is said to have cloven a rock in the valley of Roncesvalles and
to have made a fissure 300 feet deep. According to one legend he threw
it, before his death, into a poisoned stream, where it still remains.
Oliver's sword was called Hautedaire or Glorious. With it he hacked
to pieces nine swords made by the smiths Munifican, Ansias and Galas,
each of which had taken three years in the making.
220/7882. As seyn Benyth dyde of old. The asceticism of St. Benedict
of Nuvsia is well known. There is a story that while yet a boy he
retired to Subiaco and lived there as a hermit, and the place is still
shown where he is said to have rolled in thorn-bushes to overcome
sensual temptation.
227/8150. Venus ys saydoff renerye. Lydgate was fond of seeking for
fanciful derivations of the name Venus. In Reason and Sensuality we
find two more :
"Venus is said of venquisshing,
For she venquyssheth everythyng." (120/4581-2.)
" Aftir etli ymologie
Venus, by exposicion
Is seyde of venym & poysovne." (89/3386-88.)
234/8433. Martews. Dr. Furnivall gives the following note :
" Et cinq pierres i met petites
Du rivage de mer eslites,
Dont puceles as martiaus geuent,
Quant beles et rondent les treuent."
Roman de la Rose, 21767-70, IV. 320 Bibl. Elzev.
Jouer aux marteanx, signifiat lancer des petits cailloux ronds en 1'air
pour les recevoir dans 1'une et Pautre main, en les faisant choquer. C'est
un jeu analogue ii notre jeu d'osselets : ib. v. 216-7.
Osselets. The game termed Cockall or Hucklebones. 1611. Cotgrave.
238/S6O2. Albeston. This is a corruption of asbestos, which by its
derivation means unquenchable. There is perhaps some confusion with
albus and stone.
See also the note to p. 66, 11. 539, etc., of the Temple of Cflas, in which
Dr. Schick gives the following references to Albeston. '• For in a
temple of Venus was made a candylsticke ; on whyche was a lantern so
brennynge that it myght not be quenched wyth tempeste nother with
reyne." (Bartholomanis, De Propridatibm Eernm, xvi, ii.)
Notes. Pages 247-306, lines 8923-11181. 675
"Isidore sayth in his xvi booke, that in a certaine temple of Venus
there was made and hoong up such a Candlesticks wliorin was a light
burning on that wise, that no tempest nor storm could put it out, & he
beleueth that this candlesticke had somewhat of Albeston beset within."
(John Maplet, A greene Forest, fol. 2.)
In the Compleynt at the end of the Temple of Glas the following
lines occur (p. 66, 11. 537-552) :
" Myn hete is so violent
Wlierwyth myn pitous herte is brent,
That may ben likkenyd to a ston,
Wliich is I-callyd albiston,
That onys whan it hath caught feer,
Ther may no man the flaumbe steer,
That it wel brenne aftir euere,
And neuere from the fer disseuere,
So they acordyn of nature.
And for this ston may longe endure,
In fer to brenne fayr & bryght,
As sterrys in the wyntyr nyght.
I fynde, in Venus oratorye,
In liir worshepe & memorye
Was made a laumpe of this ston,
To brenne a-fore here, euere in on."
247/8923. Sende. In Stowe we find ffende = defend.
261/9458. Tarage. See note to 1. 3812 of Reson and Sensitallyte.
The meaning seems here to be quality or kind.
266/9670. And whylom blindii was Tobye. See Tobit ii. 10 and chap,
iv, in which the blinding of Tobit is described, and his counsels to his
son are given.
279/10184. The precept offkyng salomoun. Tliis precept is, of course,
in the book of Proverbs (vi. 6), not in Wisdom, as Lydgate seems to imply.
295/10763. No man to bern. See Matt. x. 9, 10: "Provide neither
gold, nor silver, nor braes in your purses, nor scrip for your journey,
neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves."
297/io864. The author shows here more wisdom than many biblical
commentators, who, by refusing to recognize the principle of progressive
revelation, involve themselves in many unnecessary difficulties.
304/III37- As wU.de coltys in Arras. Dr. Skeat suggests that instead
of Arras we should read harras or haras, meaning a stud of horses.
305/1 1141. And now I lepe louy pe.
"And now I leap with merry foot."
Camb., however, has "joynpee," and in Verard's edition of Deguile-
ville's second recension we read "pieds joincts."
305/1 1 160. As whylom was Asael. 2 Sam. ii. 18-23 : " Asahel was as
light of foot as a wild roe. And Asahel pursued after Abner ; and in
going he turned not aside to the right hand nor to the left from follow-
ing Abner. . . . And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from
following me : wherefore should I smite thee to the ground ? . . .
Howbeit he refused to turn aside : wherefore Abner with the hinder end
of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out
behind him."
306/11181, etc. Pleye at the cloos, etc. In the statutes of Ed: IV. (17
676 Notes. Page 306, lines 11181-11198.
Ed. IV. cap. 3), and in 18 and 20 Hen. VIII., the game of closh or cloisli
is mentioned and prohibited. According to J. Strutt (The Sports and
Pastimes of the People of England) it was a game much like ninepins.
It seems to have been Dutch in origin. Flem. and Du. Idos = bowl
(for playing). Kilian has klos : globus, sphaara ; klos-beytel = fiagellum.
Plantin has klos = une boule; klos-porte = une porte a bonier, anneau de
fer a passer la boule ; klos bane = pare a bouler ; klossen-bouler = jouer a
la boule par travers un anneau de fer. From this we may gather that
the klos was struck through the klos-porte with the Idos-beytel.
The next game (11. 11182-3) seems to be hockey, but the nature of
the kampyng-crook mentioned in the following line is not quite clear.
Taken by itself one would think it meant hockey-stick, hut in 1. 11183
" a staif mad lyk an hook," which must surely be a hockey-stick, has
already been mentioned.
The game of camp-ball was a game much like foot-ball, though the
ball was thrown, not kicked, but no staff or crook seems to have been
used in it. The vb. camp also means to contend in athletic contests. The
N.E.D. gives the following example: 1774-6, J. Bryant, Mythol: "In
our island the exhibition of those manly sports in vogue among country-
people is called camping: and the enclosures for that purpose, where
they wrestle and contend, are called camping closes." Kampyng crook
might therefore stand for some kind of a staff used in athletic contests.
One of the definitions of crook in the N. E. D. is " a barbed spear," but it
can hardly have that meaning in this place, as the crook mentioned does
not seem to be a warlike weapon.
Dr. Skeat suggest that bessellys may stand for baissel(le) from Fr. baisser,
to lower, and refers to the term " knock-em-down " as applied to a skittle.
Shetyn at bessellys may thus mean to play or shoot at skittles. I have,
however, since seen in Halliwell and the N. E. D. bercel, meaning a mark
to shoot at, an archer's butt. In the Prompt. Pan., pp. 32, 56, this word
appears under five different forms, bercel, berseel, bertel, byrselle, bersell.
Cf. PUg. 1. 15305, where Lydgate writes mosselles for De Guileville's
morceaidx.
Merelles was another name for nine men's morrice. This game is
played with nine pieces a side, on a board marked with points and inter-
secting lines. The aim of each player is to place three of his men in a
row, which gives him the right of removing one of his opponent's pieces.
The game is won by the player who succeeds in reducing his opponent's
pieces to two.
Hazard and passage were both games of dice. In hazard the chances
were complicated by many arbitrary rules. "There were two kinds:
French hazard, in which the players staked against the bank, and English,
or chicken hazard, in which they staked against each other."
" Passage is a game at dice, to be played at but by two, and it is per-
formed with three dice. The caster throws continually till he hath thrown
dubblets under ten, and then he is out and loseth, or dubblets above ten,
and then he passeth and wins." — Compleat Gamester, 1680, p. 119.
The game of tables is the same as backgammon.
Keyles was the original form of the modern game of ninepins. It was
played in various ways and with an uncertain number of pins, which,
according to ancient engravings, were placed in a single row and knocked
down by throwing a club at them.
Quek or quickboard was, with many other games, forbidden in the reign
of Edward IV. The N. E. D. says it was ' A chequer or chess-board, some
game played on this,' and cites from Riley, Land. Mem. 395, with the
Notes. Pages 311-313, lines 11382-11476. 677
date 1376: "A pair of tables, on the outside of which was painted a
chequer-board that is called a 'quek.'"
The passage describing Youth and her games runs as follows in the
first French version, and is almost word for word the same in the second :
Jeunece sui, la legiere (Et) pour ce piec'a sainte eglise
La giberresse et coursiere Ordena que ne fust mise
La sauterelle, la saillant Personne pour li gouverner
Que tout dangier ne prise un gant Qui n'eust pies de plonc pour aler
Je vois, je vieng, sail et vole. Si ques de ce (je) sui privee,
Je espringale, je karole, Tant com serai (ain) si duvee.
Je trepe et queur (et) dance et bale Un estuef me faut pour jouer
Et vois a la huitefale, Et une croce a souler ;
Je luite et sail fossez piez joins Autre croce ne me faut mie.
Et gete la pierre au plus loins Se (je) 1'ai, ce sera folie,
Et nulle fois (je) ne m'esmaie Mes piez tenir ne se pourront
De trespasser inur (et) ou liaie. De voleter ne ne vourront ;
Se des pommes a mes voisins Encor ne sui (je) pas saoule
Veul avoir, tost en leurs gardins De jouer au gieu de (la) boule,
Sui saillie et sur i pommier D'aler quillier, d'aler billter
Sui tost rampee et de legier. Et de jouer au mereillier,
Pour nient (je) ne sui pas duvee D'ouir chancons et instrumens
Mes pies ne si emplumee. Et querre mes esbatemens.
Mes piez me porte ou je veul. En ma pelote jour et nuit
Eles ont, tu le vois a 1'ueil. Ai plus soulas et plus deduit
Asael jadis les porta Qu'en quanque me dit mon pere
Me* chierement les compara Ne (en quan)que m'enseigne ma
(Trop) grant legierete n'est mie Je la tourne et la manie, [mere.
Souvent bonne a la vie. (Je) m'en gene, c'est ine'studie.
Miex vaut i saige a pies pesans Soing n'ai fors que de moi jouer
Que quatre folz or piez volans. Et de mes soulas procurer.
(Stiirzinger, 11803-55.)
311/11382. Lat men lyuen lyk her degres. This passage bears a marked
general resemblance to Passus VI. of Piers Plowman, in which Piers
insists that all men should work in their several ways for the general good
of the community :
' Bi crist,' quod a kny^te f>o • ' he kenneth us );e best,
Ac on (ie teme trewly • taujte was I neuere.
Ac kenne me,' quod }>e knyjte • and, bi cryst, I wil assaye ;
' Bi seynt Poule,' quod Perkyn • ' je profre yow so faire,
J>at I shal swynko and swete • and sowe for us bothe.
And of>er laboures do for (a loue • al my lyf-tyme,
In couenaunt |>at fiow kepe • holi kirke and myselue
Fro wastours and fro wykked men • (;at (jis worlde struyeth."
(11. 22-29.)
313/11476. In that noble universyte. The university of Paris was one
in which the speculative rather than the practical side of learning was
encouraged. * It arose from a movement carried out by teachers on the He
de la Cite', who taught under the licence of the chancellor of the cathedral,
and of whom Abelard was one of the greatest. It was around this
community of teachers that the university grew up, and between 1150-
1170 came formally into existence, though its statutes were not compiled
until 1208.
It became the model of Oxford and Cambridge as well as of most of
the universities of central Europe.
678 Notes. Pages 314-317, lines 11503-11623.
814/11503. ray. Raye (from Lat. radius) was striped cloth, often
spoken of as cloth ofraye. Lydgate mentions it in his London Lyckpenny :
" In Westminster Hall I found out one
Which went in a long gown of raye."
It was commonly worn by the legal profession, but was not confined
to them. A Royal MS. 15. E. 4, has drawings of a country woman and a
husbandman wearing clothes with stripes running round the body.
In a political song of the time of Ed. II. a change of fashion in the
direction of the stripes is mentioned :
" A newe taille of squierie is nu in everi town ;
The raye is turned overthuert that sholde stonde adoun ;
Hii ben degised as turmentours that comen from clerkes plei."
317/ii6l4. Balladys, Koundelayes, vycelayes. The ballade is a poem,
usually consisting of three seven-lined stanzas and an envoy, which is
sometimes of seven and sometimes of four lines. Each stanza, as well as
the envoy, ends in a refrain. Three rimes only are employed.
A roundelay might be either a dance or a song. The latter consists of
thirteen verses on two rimes. Lines 1 and 2 are repeated at 11. 6 and 7
and 11 and 12, while 1. 3 is repeated at 1. 13. The rimes run ABB ABAB
ABBABB.
A virelay is an ancient French poem, composed of short lines on two
rimes. The essential point of a virelay is the repetition of the same rimes
in different order. (See Dr. Skeat's note on Hoccleve's Rhymes and
Chaucer's Virelays, inserted in the E. E: T. S. Hoccleve's Works, iii.)
317/11623. At treyyobet <fc tregetnje. The passage in Yerard's edition,
describing the diversions of Idleness, runs as follows:
Par luy ie meyne gens au bois Dont long le parlcment seroit
Cueillir fleurs, violettes et nois, Qui toutes dire les voulroit,
En esbatement, en deduit, Et la leur fois ie veoir danseurs,
En lieu de ioye et de delict ; Jeux de basteaulx et de iougleurs,
Et la leur faiz oyr chansons, Jeux de tables et d'eschiquiers,
Rondeaulx, balades et doulx sons De boulles et de mereilliers,
De herpes et simphonies, De cartes ieux de tricherie,
Et plusieurs autres melodies Et de mainte autre muserie.
(Ver. fol. xlv.)
According to Halliwell treyyobet is "an old game at dice." Dr. Skeat
points out that the word is evidently composed of trey, tray, meaning
"three," and the Eng. go bet (as in Chaucer's Book of the Ditchesse, 136),
meaning "go more quickly," "hurry up." Perhaps, in this case, go bet
might be taken literally (cp. N. E. D. "to go one better"). In any case,
the word probably represents some call or exclamation connected with
the game.
In the Frere and Boy (1617) III. 73, we read :
"Ye hath made me daunce, maugre my hede,
Amonge the thornes, hey go bet."
Treyetrye means juggling, mumming, conjuring. Chaucef's Franklin's
Tale contains (II. 413-20) a description of some of the doings of tregetours.
Karyyng. I have been unable to find any example of this word in
an appropriate sense. Can it be connected with Fr. carriere, meaning a
race? Cotgrave gives, "A Careere, on horse-back, and (more generally)
any exercise or place for exercise on horse-back ; as, a horse-race, or a
place for horses to run in, and, their course, running, or full speed
therein."
Notes. Pages 318-336, lines 11665-12370. 679
318/11665. Wernays take. In Stowe we find wormes. The parallel
passage in Camb. runs as follows : "And sum time j make wormes come
in the hondes for to digge in hem to tile hem and to ere hem with oute
any sowings. "
321/11768. fforeyn. According to Godefroy, forain = du dehors,
exterieur, ecarte. " Avoit este ordene que a la venue on entree du dit
palais nul ne s'arrestast devant la dite porte, mais passast oultre chacun a
cheval, et s'espandissent parmi les rues foraines, afin de y avoir moins de
presse." (Gr. Chron. de Fr. Charl. V., lx.— P. Paris.)
332 et seq. The editor of Reson and Sensiiallyte, in his note on 637 ff.
compares this discourse in the Pilgrimage with the mystical speculations
of Alanus ab Insulis, concerning the two opposite rotations of the
firmament, — the account in Reson and Sensuallyte being founded on
these speculations.
Alanus takes the opposite rotations of the celestial bodies to signify
the contest between the spiritual and sensual parts of man.
332/12257. Of hym orygynal begynnyng. Other passages, containing
the same idea will be found beginning at 1. 12301 and 1. 12377. Cf. also
1. 847-50 and 1. 1245-1277 of Beson and Senswdlyte and Prof. Siepert
note on the first of these passages.
335/I233O. Ay toward the oryent. Barth, De Prop. Rerum, Lib. xix,
cap. 22. " All the planets move by double moving ; by their own kind
moving out of the west into the east, against the moving of the firmament;
and by other moving out of the east into the west, and that by ravishing
of the firmament. By violence of the firmament they are ravished every
day out of the east into the west. And by their kindly moving, by the
which they labour to move against the firmament, some of them fulfil their
course in shorter time, and some in longer time."
386/12338. Celum Mobile. See note to 101/3795.
336/12356, etc. In the Epicides, etc. Barth. De Prop. Rerum, Lib.
xix, cap. 22. "The first moving of a planet is made in its own circle
that is called Eccentric, and it is called so, for the earth is not the middle
thereof, as it is the middle of the circle that is called Zodiac. Epicycle is
a little circle that a planet describeth, and goeth about therein by the
moving of its body, and the body of the planet goeth about the round-
ness thereof Also in these circles the manner moving of planets
is full wisely found of astronomers, that are called Direct, Stationary, and
Retrograde Motion. Forth-right moving is in the over part of the circle
that is called Epicycle, backward is in the nether part, and stinting and
abiding or hoving is in the middle."
386/12370. Syth Mycrocosme men the calle. (See also 421/15638 and
567/21 168.) Microcosm in Gk. = little world. Ancient philosophers
considered the world to be a living creature, and manj being looked upon
as a world in miniature they supposed that the movements of man and
the world corresponded, and that the fate of man could be made out by
observing the movements of the stars.
In Appendix IV to the E. E. T. S. edition of the Secrees of Old Phili-
soffres this idea is expanded :
" Oolde philosofris put in remembraunce
fat in man is founde grete myracle,
namyd )>e lytulle worlde by autores allegaunce . . .
. . . He is hardy as a lyon, dredfulle as ]'e hare,
Large as ]?e cok, and as a hound coiietous,
harde as a herte in forest which doth fare ;
680 Notes. Pages 348-354, lines 12830-13031.
Buxum as }>e tyrtylle, as lionesse dispitous,
Simple us ]>e lainbe, lyke Tpe foxe malicious . . .
. . . Note this processe in pe audith countable
Of pe remembraunce, and knowe redelie
]>at in beeste nor thyng vegetable
No thyng may be vniversally,
But if it be founde naturally
In mannes nature ; wherfor of oon accorde
Olde philesofris callidy hym )>e lytelle worlde."
348/12830. Romney, darn, ypoc.ras. Bomney was a sort of Spanish
wine, dark in colour, strong and thick.
Hippocras was a wine, usually red, medicated with sugar and spice.
It was called by apothecaries vinum Hippocraticum after Hippocrates,
the celebrated Greek physician. The following is a recipe for Hippocras :
"Take of cinamon 2 oz., of ginger | an oz., of grains a quarter of
an oz. : punne (pound) them grosse, & put them into a pottle of good
claret or white wine with half a pound of sugar ; let all steep together,
a night at the least, close covered in." — 1589. Haven of Health.
Clarre was wine mixed with honey and spices. It obtained its name
from the fact that it was strained to make it clear.
Malvesyn was malmsey, a corruption of O.F. malvoisie, from Malvasia,
a town in Greece. It was a strong, sweet wine.
Osey. Dr. Skeat has a note on this wine in his edition of Piers
Plowman. He says that it seems to have been a sweet straw-coloured
wine, and considers that the name is a corruption of Alsace, which in
the Romance of Partenay is written Ausoy. The wine however is said
by Hackluyt to come from Portugal.
349/12853. Mokadonr. Cotgrave gives as the gloss of bavarette,
"A bib, moket or mocketer, to put before the bosotne of a child."
Fairholt quotes from the Coventry Mysteries :
" Goo horn, lytyl babe, and sytt on thi moder's lappe,
And put a mokador aforn thi breast ;
And pray thi modyr to fede the with pappe."
The word sometimes means handkerchief (Halliwell), and in this
sense seems to be the same as mtickinder, a handkerchief which was
generally worn affixed to the girdle. See Fairholt's Costume in England
(Glossary).
349/12857. Bel, Of whom that speaketh Danyel. The history of
Daniel and Bel is found in the Apocryphal book of Bel and the Dragon.
The comparison of Gluttony to Bel, " the ydole that devourede all," is
not however sustained by the story, which sets forth how Daniel proved
to the king that the sacrifices, which Bel was supposed to devour, were
really consumed by the priests and their friends.
354/13031. Lyk a botore. See Batman vppon Bartholome, his Booke
De Proprietatibus Rerum, Bk. xii, eh. 28, ed. 1582, p. 186-7 :
" Of the Miredromble.
The Miredromble is called Macrocaliis, and is a bird that maketh
noyse in the Winter, and hath small chins in his iawes, in which hee
taketh first meate, and then sendeth it to the second wombe ; For he
hath two wombes : in that one onelye hee taketh meate, and in that
other onely he seetheth and defieth. But the first is taken instead of the
crop of the throat, as Isidore saith. In Greeke Onacrocalus is called a
Birde with a long bill : and there be two manner kindes : One is a water
foule, and that other a foule of desart ; and he that dwelleth in Water is
Notes. Pages 360-394, lines 13269-14605. 681
a bird of great gluttonye, and putteth the bill downe into the water, and
maketh a great noise, and is enimie namely (specially) to Eeles, and the
pray that hee taketh, he swalloweth sodinly, & sendeth it into his
worabe. And. then he cheweth and moueth his iawes, as he held meate
in his mouth." . . . [Batman : " Onocrotalus is as bigge as a Swan,
which, putting his head into the water, brayeth like an asse."]
In Verard's edition the lines run as follows :
" Pour neant nay pas comme ung butor
Deux venires, car butordement
Je parle a chascun lourdement." (fol. 1, bk.)
For the history of the word botore, see the N. E. D.
860/13269. Malebomhe. Malebouche, Danger and Sharne were the
guardians of the Rose-tree in the Romance of the Rose :
" And yet of Daunger cQmeth no blame,
In reward of my daughter Shame,
Which hath the roses in hir warde,
As she that may be no musarde.
And Wikked-Tunge is with these two
That suffrith no man thider go ;
For er a thing be do he shal . . .
Seye thing that never was doon ne wrought;
So moche treson is in his male." (11. 3252-63, Skeat's ed.)
Jean de Meun says also that Wikked-Tunge kept the fourth gate
"with soudiours of Normandye." (1. 4234.)
— and speaks in another place of the hinder gate :
" That Wikked-Tunge hath in keping,
With his Normans, fulle of jangling." (11. 5851-52.)
367/13539- bonche sore. "To bounche or pusshe one; he buncheth
me & beateth me ; il me pousse." Palsgrave. Compare Piers Ploimnan,
Prol. 74 :
" He bonched hem with his breuet & blered here eyes."
375/13857-8. " Be no ropys mad at Clervaws
ffor the\j iver maked at Nervaws."
Camb. has : " The! ben not cordes of cleernans (for cleeruaus) but
thei were made of synewes al blak and twyned and out of my wombe
drawen."
In Petit's edition these lines run :
"Ne sont pas cordes de clervaulx
Ains furent faictes a noirvaulx."
383/i4i8o. The castel of landown. Possibly to be identified with
Chateau Landon, formerly the chief town of Gatinais, which was taken
by the English in 1436 and rescued by the French the following year.
(See Notes and Queries, Ser. VII, vol. ix, p. 177.) I cannot however
establish any connection between this place and the idea of scorn and
contempt.
885/14224. That the cyte of Babiloun. Daniel iv. 30: "The king
spake, and said, Is this not this great Babylon, that I have built for the
house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of
my majesty ? "
885/14224. A Rettene. See jEsop's fable of the Fox and the Crow.
394/14605. And as the fox. This story is to be found in the Roman du
Renart. "Si coume Renart manja le poisson aus charretiers."
682 Notes. Page 395-410, lines 14654-15226.
395/14654. My song to hem is "placebo." To sing "placebo" meant
" to flatter." The expression is used in this sense in Chaucer's Somnour't
Tale, 1. 366 :
" Beth war therefor with lordes how ye pleye.
Singeth Placebo, and I shal, if I can,
But if it be unto a povre man.
To a povre man men sholde hise vyces telle
But nat to a lord, thogh he sholde go to helle."
397/14720. The unycorn. The reference in this passage is probably to
some traditional mode of hunting the unicorn. One way of using the
mirror in hunting is described by Bartholomseus Anglicus in his description
of the tiger in JDe Prop. Rerum, Lib. xviii, cap. civ. " He that will bear
away the whelps, leaveth in the way great mirrors, and the mother fol-
loweth and lindetli the mirrors in the way, and looketh on them and seeth
her own shadow and image therein, and weeneth that she seeth her chil-
dren therein, and is long occupied therefore to deliver her children out of
the glass, and so the hunter hath time and space for to scape, and so she
is beguiled with her own shadow, and she followeth no farther after the
hunter to deliver her children." (R. Steele's edition.)
In Jultws C(esar, Act II. so. i. we are told
" That unicorns may be betray'd with trees,
And bears with glasses, elephants with holes,
Lions with toils, and men with flatterers."
There were various traditions about the untameable fierceness of the
unicorn. Gower refers to one in the Mirour de I'homme, 1563-1569:
" Del unicorn ce dist Solyn,
N'il poet danter aucun ens;in,
Mais moert ainz qu'on le poet darfter,
Taut ad le cuer gross et ferin."
Topsell also, in his History of Four-footed Beastt, bears testimony to
the fierceness and wildness of the unicorn, but adds that a young virgin
has an irresistible attraction for him, so that in her presence he would
become gentle and tame, and might easily be captured by the hunters.
402/14920. ffor taslayn Kyng Davyd. See 1 Samuel xviii. 6-11.
406/15078. Tryphon. See Maccabees xii. 39, xiii. 1-34. Tryphon,
having placed Antiochus upon the throne of Asia, afterwards plotted te
depose him. He was opposed by Jonathan Maccabteus, and fearing him,
he met him deceitfully with gifts and good words and enticed him to
enter the town of Ptolomais, where he slew his men and kept Jonathan a
prisoner. Then Simon Maccabseus rose up to deliver his brother, and
Tryphon treated with him, promising to release Jonathan if money and
hostages were given. These were sent by Simon, but still Tryphon did
not let Jonathan go, and presently slew him.
After this he killed Antiochus and made himself king in his stead, and
" brought a great calamity upon the land."
410/15226. St. Nicholas. The story here referred to is that of one of
the most startling miracles of St. Nicholas of Myra.
A certain innkeeper was accustomed, in a time of scarcity, to steal
children, and serve up their flesh to bis guests. On one occasion St.
Nicholas came to his inn, and the host placed before him part of the bodies
of three boys, whom he had kidnapped, murdered and salted in a tub.
Nicholas, however, at once perceived the nature of the food placed before
him, and going to the tub lie made over it the sign of the cross, where-
upon the three children rose up whole and sound.
Notes. Pages 413-421, lines 15338-15666. 683
The life and miracles of St. Nicholas are recounted at length in Mrs.
Jameson's Sacred and Legendary Art.
413/15338. Tryacle. This word, which has been fully explained by
Morley in his Lib. of Eng. Lit., p. 21, comes from theriaca, the name of a
medicine, supposed to be capable of preventing or curing the effects of
poison, compounded by Andromachus, physician to Nero. Modern treacle
is a corruption of it. The word is frequently found in writers of this
period. Of. Piers Plowman, I. 146 :
" Loue is triacle of heuene."
Chaucer, Cant. Tales (Skeat), C 314-17:
" By corpus bones 1 but I have triacle . . .
Myn herte is lost for pitee of this mayde."
413/15352. I make mortrews & colys. Mortrewes was a kind of soup
made either of meat or fish and other ingredients, stamped and crushed in
a mortar. See Skeat's note to Chaucer's Prologue, 1. 384.
Colys (Fr. coleis) was also a kind of broth. Mrs. Glass (1767) uses
this word in the form cullis, as do modern cookery-books.
416/15459. For thogh in helle wer seyn lohn. These lines, as well as
11. 21218-21222 on p. 566, bear a striking correspondence to the words of
Marlowe and Milton on the same subject, and show that the materialistic
view of the future life was not the only one prevalent in the Middle Ages.
Milton's words— put into the mouth of Satan — are well known:
" The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n." — Bk. I. 254-5.
" Which way I fly is hell; my self am hell."— Bk. IV. 76.
" the more I see
Pleasures about me, so much more I feel
Torment within me, as from the hateful siege
Of contraries ; all good to me becomes
Bane, and in heav'n much worse would be my state."
Bk. IX. 119-23.
Perhaps less familiar are Marlowe's lines :
Faustus. " How comes it then that you are out of hell ? "
Mephis. "Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it;
Thiuk'st thou that I who saw the face of God
And tasted the eternal joys of heaven
Am not tormented with ten thousand hells
In being deprived of this ? " (So. iii.)
Mephis. " Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscribed
In one self place; for where we are is hell,
And where hell is, there must we ever be ;
And, to conclude, when all the world dissolves,
And every creature shall be purified
All places shall be hell that is not Heaven." (Sc. v.)
420/15608. For I have ' carmen et ve.' See Dr. Aldis Wright's note in
the Koxburghe Club edition of Camb., p. 220, in which he points out that
the Laud MS. has curamen in ve, and that Petit has carmen en m. Camb.
has " aorwe & waylinge," which gives the sense we should expect. If we
take curamen to mean the same as cura, we get the same meaning as in
Camb. Ve stands for vce (adv.).
421/15666. ludicum maketh mencioun. Judges ix. 15: "And the
bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then
come and put your trust in my shadow : and if not, let fire come out of
the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon."
PILGRIMAGE. Y Y
684 Notes. Pages 428-437, lines 15944-16256.
428/15944. Adonay. Adonai was a Hebrew name for the Almighty,
being the plural form of Adon = Lord. It was used by the Jews instead
of Jehovah, for fear of breaking the third commandment by the direct
mention of the most Holy One.
435/16195. Tlieophilus. This Theophilus was a legendary bishop of
Adana in Cilicia. He was deposed from his office through slander, and
in order to be reinstated, sold himself to the devil. On his repentance and
prayer, however, the Virgin Mary came to his assistance, and, taking the
bond he had signed from the devil, restored it to Theophilus. See also p.
446/ii6i3.
437/16256. That Iradde onys off seynt Bernard. In Verard's edition
there follows a prose Latin treatise or prayer which was translated into
English by Lydgate. In Petit's edition, however, the prose is absent and
we find, instead, the following lines, Foeillet, Ivii. col. 2 :
Gil qui du cueur t'inuoquera
En toutes affaire(s) qu' aura,
Se tu ne lui es gracieuse
Doulce et misericordieuse,
Pour ce, mere du souurain iuge,
Humblement viens a mon refuge.
Aide moy, dame de pitie',
En ceste grand aduersite
Ou tu me vois du tout perdu,
Se par toy ne suis secouru ! '
Et, se tu dis que n'ay mery
Enuers toy d'obtenir mercy,
Ne iamais pardon recouurer,
Par ce que tousiours retourner
J'ay voulu, a ma vie damned C6WI
ORoyne de misericorde, Encores tousiours empiree,
De paix, de doulceur et Concorde, Sans point me vouloir tenir quoy,
Helas, dame ! ce poise moy.
Bien sauez que presentement
Ay bon vouloir d'amendement :
Auec ce / tant one ne mesfiz
Enuers vous n'enuers vostre filz,
Comme fist iadis Theofile ;
Car se i'ay fait des maulx cent mille,
Toutesfois n'ay ie pas nye
Vostre bonte / ne renye
Le doulx lesus, ainsi qu'il fist
Pardon, apres vous en requist,
Et doulcement luy pardonnastes,
Et que me vint a remembrance
D'une parolle que iadis
J'auoie veu et leu es escripz
Sainct Benard, qui ainsi disoit :
Qu'a trestous les griefz qu'on auoit,
On deuoit son refuge faire
A la dame tout debonnaire,
Mere de Dieu, Vierge Marie,
Qui, a bien aider, ne fault mye
A ceulx qui s'enfuyent et s'en vont
A elle / a tons besoings qu'ilz ont.
A lui done, de cueur fiz mon pry,
Et d'elle ie fiz mon refuy,
De mon pouoir la collaudant,
Et ce que s'ensuit lui disant :
JRoyne de misericorde,
De paix, de doulceur et Concorde,
Apres, de mes maulx, Ie deluge,
Je in'en viens a toy, a refuge
En ma tres grant necessity
Selon que i'en suis excite
Par sainct Bernard, mon devot pfere,1
Qui me dit, ' que ie te requiere
En tout ce que i'auray mestier
Et besoing, sans rien excepter.
Se les vens de temptation
(Dit il) ou tribulation
T'assaillent / regarde 1'estelle.
Et appelle Marie la belle.
Se d'orgueil ou d'ambition,
D' enuie ou de detraction
Tu es infeste / n'oblie mye
De tantost inuoquer Marie.
Se paresce / ire / ou auarice,
Luxure, ou quelconque autre vice
Hurte la nef de ta pense'e,
A celle qui onques lassee
Ne fut, de benefices faire,
Et vers vostre filz impetrastes
Pour luy grace et reunion,
Et pleniere remission,
' Dame, pas pis ne me ferez,
Et grace vous m'ympetrerez
Maintenant, et toute mon aage
De faire mon pelerinage
Si bien et conuenablement,
Qu' auecques vous, finablement,
Et auec vostre benoist filz,
La dotilce Marie debonnaire.
T'en fuy / et la prie qu'elle ait soing Puisse regner en paradis.'
1 back.
Notes. Pages 447-463, lines 16652-17271. 685
De t'aider a ce grant besoing. i Insi comme i'eu fait mon pry,
Se, par multiplication, A La fauresse qui m'eut oy,
Ou par reiteration, Me dist, puis que mis ie n'auoye
De tes pech6s es inuolue Jus mon bourdon, et quis auoye
De tous poinctz / et enuelopd Eefuge bon et suffisant,
En trop dure obstination, Qu' elle se cesseroit a tant.
Et es en desperation f ' Je suis (distelle) tout ainsi Tri-
De iamais point ne t'amender, Que le veut, qui maine a 1'abry, *«'«•
Ne a bonne vie retourner, Et destourne les fueilles cheu^s, '°A'
Rue toy, plorant, deuant Marie, Ou les rachasse vers les nues.
Et qu'elle t'ayde / la supplie, A refuge t'ay fait aler,
Lui disant, par bonne fiance, Et deuers les nues regarder,
Bon amour et bonne esperance, Qui es vne fueille seich^e,
Ce que la deuot sainct Benard Et deiect6e et desuoyfe
Lui disoit en vne autre part : En cestuy chemin maleureux,
' Cele et nye ta misericorde, Oun'est pas(dont meschief est) seulz.
(Disoit il), dame de Concorde
447/16652. Ad oc-ulum. The apparent gap, referred to on p. 447,
appears not to exist, as the contents of the next passage in Verard are
much the same as in Lydgate. The next sentence in Ver. begins : " Tu
secunda consolatio mea est." Possibly some copyist put the Latin
catchword by mistake.
447/i6668. To declyn by medyacion. Mediation is an astrological
term, meaning either (1) mid-day, or (2) the moment of the culmination of
a star.
448/16713. Owm beato Petro. See St. Matt. xiv. 28.
450/16784. Thylke Tree which that Danyel spak off. Dan. iv. 10-12:
" I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height there-
of was great. . . . The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof
much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under
it, and the fowls of heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was
fed of it"
451/i68o8. fPalkyn as a man deiect with Nabugodonoser. Dan. iv. 33:
" The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar : and he
was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet
with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and
his nails like birds' claws."
451/16825. Oure forme fader. Ferme or forme, meaning first, was one
of the few remnants in M.E. of the old superlative in -ma, of which we still
have traces in uttermost, innermost, etc. The O.E. word was forma,
Goth, fruma. In N.E. we have foremost, which is really a double
superlative.
456/17017. In Tribulacione inuocasti me. Psal. Ixxxi. 7: "Thou
calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee."
462/17243-4. The maner ek off thy maumet, Shape lyk a marmoset.
Mawmet is a corruption of Mahomet, and came to stand for anything
worshipped idolatrously.
O.F. Marmoset comes from L. Lat. marmoretum, a grotesque figure,
orig. a small marble figure adorning a fountain.
463/17269-71. An abbey wych ....
Wasfoundyd besyden a cheker.
" Fr. eschiquier. This word is thus explained by Roquefort : ' Lieu ou
s'assembloient les commissaires que le Roi, les Princes souverains ou
686 Notes. Pages 468-484, lines 17474-18103.
grands vassaux envoyoient dans leurs domaines. Dans la province de
Normandie oette cour e'toit permanentre, et en 1250 on y portoit appel des
sentences des bailiffs.' See also Du Cange's Glossary, sub voc. ' Scaca-
rium.' The word is introduced here as being radically connected with
the game of 'eschecs' or 'chess' which is described, and the reader will
at once recognize in it the origin of our Court of Exchequer." — (Ancient
Poem of Cfuillaume de G-utteville, Note, p. xxxv.)
468/17474. For I resemble unto that hound. See ^Esop's fable of The
Dog in the Manger.
479/17902. I will not spekyn of nofrerys. See note to 16/535.
479/17914. Processionerys. This word is written pocessionerys in the
MS. Possessioners were, according to Mr. Wright, " the regular orders
of monks, who possessed landed property and enjoyed rich revenues."
Dr. Skeat thinks that in some cases the word may have been applied to
beneficed clergy.
480/17940. Symon Magus & Gyosy. For Simon Magus see Acts viii.
By Gyosy is to be understood Gehazi (2 Kings v. 20-27).
480/17973. travas. I have been unable to find the word in this form.
It probably stands either for (1) travesse = a pass: "The fabricke was a
moimtaine with two descents and severed with two travesses" (M<wque
of the Inner Temple, and Gray's Inne, 1612); or for (2) travers = a barrier,
a sliding door or movable screen. " A travers slided away." Masque at
Ashley Castle, Marston.
481/17987. They feed themselves with haboundaunce. We may com-
pare with this passage Milton's indictment of the clergy in Lyeidas, in
which he brings against them the very same accusations as were made by
Lydgate in this poem. Cf. also Piers Plowman, Prol. 83-99, where
Langland gives an account of the clergy who forgot that they had received
their tonsure :
" in tokne
And signe fiat f>ei sholden shryuen here paroschienes,
Prechen and prey for hem and the pore fede,"
and went instead to London to seek for sinecure offices with rich emolu-
ments attached to them.
483/1 8088. And whan that I am an drapere. In Piers Plowman, V.
209, Avarice resorts to the drapers to learn how to cheat :
" Thanne drowe I me amonges draperes my donet to lerne
To drawe f>e lyser alonge f>e lenger it semed;
Amonge fie riche rayes I rendred a lessoun,
To broche hem with a paknedle and plaited hem togyderes,
And put hem in a presse and pynned hem (jerinne,
Tyl ten jerdes or twelue hadde tolled out |>rettene."
484/18103. I walke abouten with pardons. Cf. with this passage
Chaucer's Prologue, I. 692 f., and the Prologue to the Pardoner's Tale, 1.
335 f., as annotated in Morris and Skeat's editions. '
In the second French version there is an interesting addition to this
list of wonders in the shape of an account of the practice of baptizing
dead children :
" Aucuneffois faiz baptisez
Daucuns petiz enfans mors nez.
Dessus lautier ie les faiz mectre
Qui ressemble tout massis estre,
Mais il est tout creux par dedens ;
Notes. Pages 484-494, lines 18130-18488. 687
Et par certains soubzterremens
Des charbons ardans ie soubzmectz
Et laultier esohaufer ie faiz,
Qui a lenfant donne chaleur.
Et puis ie monstre que vigueur
• II ya et dy quil est vivant
la soit ce quil soit tout puant
Et tel puant ie le baptise.
Et par ainsi a moi iatise
Or et argent a ma prebende.
Qui chose est horrible et horrende
De baptizer une charoigne." (Ver. fol. Ixxi.)
484/i8l30. fret-fwl = freightfull, fully loaded, fret = the fraught or
freight of a ship. (Cotgrave.)
489/18308. Of colore adust. Adust comes from Lat. adustus, pp. of
adurere, to burn, scorch. The term was much used in medicine and was
applied to a supposed state of the body which included dryness, heat,
thirst, and a burnt colour of the blood. See exs. in N. E. D.
492/18414. In colys to roste'Seynt Laurence. The story of St. Laurence
is told at length in Mrs. Jameson's Sacred and Legendary Art. The epi-
sode referred to in the text is as follows. When Sixtus II. was condemned
to death he commanded his deacon Laurence to distribute the church
treasures to the poor, in order that they might not fall into the hands of
the tyrannical prefect of Rome. This Laurence did, and when the prefect
demanded the treasure, he gathered together all the sick and poor of the
city, and presenting them to the prefect, said : " Behold, here are the
treasures of Christ's Church." In revenge for this the prefect caused
Laurence to be stretched on a gridiron above a furnace.
492/18427-8 : At merels & the botevaunt
At hasard & at the devaunt.
For merels and hasard. see note to 306/1 1181, etc. I have not, so far,
been able to identify botevaunt and devaunt. The passage in Verard runs
as follows :
" Et que ien pers souuant ma cote
A mains ieux qui font denyez
Aux mereles, quartos et dez
Et que ien vois a val la rue
Comme ung oblayer toute nue."
Dr. Skeat points out that O.F. devant means "in front of, ahead of,"
and suggests that devaunt is a game, gained by him who is devant, or "in
front of the rest." From the context and the French original we may
assume that it was a game of cards or dice.
Dr. Skeat thinks also that botevaunt looks like bot-devaunt, compounded
of bot, a butt, a thing to aim at, and devant, in front of. If this is so, it
may have been one of the many varieties of the game of skittles.
The "early mention of cards, sixty years before the date of their
introduction into France, (was) supposed to be an interpolation of Pierre
Virgin, in retouching the poem of De Guileville; but . . . they are
mentioned in the Stadtbuch of Augsburg, in 1275. . . . The invention,
therefore, cannot be ascribed to the French in 1390, as Mezeiai asserts."
(Pilg. of Man, 1859, p. 34.)
494/18488. ffrenche nor Latyn he $pak noon. This is probably an
allusion to the fact that the knowledge of magical arts came from the
East, and their principal exponents were found among the Arabians.
688 Notes. Pages 496-503, lines 18586-18835.
496/18586. I make a cercle large and round. For an account of the
process of incantation and invocation of spirits see Secrees of Old Phili-
loffres, note to p. 16, 1. 495. The pentangle mentioned in this description,
within which it was necessary to stand, was a pentagon inside a circle,
and not the "endless knot" or five-pointed star of Sir Gawayne and tJie
Grene Knight.
600/18735. As whylom was Kyng Salamoun, etc. Solomon was said
to be the king of the jinns and fairies, and to be able to command them
to do anything he chose. Amongst other works he employed the genii
in building the Temple. According to the rabbis he had a signet-ring
which revealed to him all he wished to know, and gave him power over
the inhabitants of the unseen world.
Virgil. Tales of his magical powers grew up during the Middle Ages
(not from any contemporary records), and were very widely dispersed.
Amongst other stories there is one that, finding the devil in a bottle, he
undertook to release him after learning all his arts, and that he first
employed his magical power in the creation of a perfect woman. Some
critics consider these tales to be of popular and Neapolitan, others of
literary origin.
For Albalart we should read Abelard, the name being printed Abe-
leard in Verard's edition. But for this, I should have taken the reference
to be to Albertus Magnus, since the rationalistic views of Abelard seem
very far opposed to any spiritualistic and magical practices. His unortho-
doxy and scepticism, however, being misunderstood, probably gave rise
to tales of his propensity for necromancy.
Gyprian was a magician of Antioch, a learned man, deeply versed in
astrology and necromancy, and of great power to raise demons. To this
man there resorted a certain youth, who desired to win the love of a
Christian girl called Justina, who, however, had devoted herself to
chastity and the service of God. Cyprian undertook to help the youth,
but on seeing Justina he fell so deeply in love with her that he deter-
mined to win her for himself, and employed all his arts to that end.
Justina, however, resisted him, and by her purity and steadfastness so
worked upon the mind of Cyprian (who found that not even his familiar
demon had power over her) that he himself became a Christian, and
finally suffered martyrdom with her in the Diocletian persecution.
(See Butler's Lives of the Saints, and Mrs. Jameson's Sacred and
Legendary Art.) In the Secrees of Old Philisoffres, 1187-90, Lydgate
again refers to Cyprian.
502/18792. Duke of Fryse. This story is told of the Prankish mis-
sionary, St. Wulfran, and a certain King Radbod. Radbod, having been
deeply touched by Wulfran's teaching, consented to become a Christian.
At the last moment, however, just as he was about to receive the sacra-
ment of baptism, he inquired of Wulfran what had been the fate, after
death, of all his ancestors who had died in a state of heathenism. Wulfran
promptly replied that they were undoubtedly damned, whereupon Rad-
bod, declaring that if that were so he would be damned with them, refused
to be baptized, and relapsed into heathenism.
(See Lives and Legends of English Bishorts, Kings, etc., Mrs. Arthur
Bell.)
503/18835. And is in heuene stelliffyed. This is acommou expression.
Cf. Temple of Glas, 6/135-6:
" She was magnified
With lubiter to bein Istellified."
Notes. Pages 506-527, lines 18972-19755. 689
Cf. also Chaucer's Horn of Fame, 1001-8 :
" How goddes gonne stellifye
Brid, fish, beste, or him or here
As the Raven, or either Bere ....
How alle these arn set in hevene."
606/18972. The greete counceyle at Nycene. The great Council of
Nicea was summoned by the Emperor Coustantine, A.D. 325, in order to
settle the questions raised by the Arian heresy. St. Augustine was one
of the greatest opponents of heresy, and was especially engaged in the
refutation of the errors of the Pelagians and the Donatists.
511/19163. Ortigometra. This is supposed to be the landrail or corn-
crake, which belongs to a group of birds fitted for progress on either
land or in water, and with wings not very well adapted to long flights.
615/19288. And to an heremyte in desert. I have been unable to
identify this tale. Stories of the wiles of the devil were, however, very
common, and Dora John Chapman, O.S.B., has called my attention to one
in Cassian, Coll. ii. 7: "De monacho qul, deceptus a diabolo, voluit
filiam suum immolare." In this story, the devil appears to the monk as
an angel of light, and leads him to believe that it would be pleasing to
God if he were to sacrifice his son to Him.
517/19368. harow.' Orier haro ou harol sur = to cry out upon, or to
make a hue and cry after. According to the ancient opinion this cry was
used in Normandy by those who were wronged, as if to implore the aid of
Duke Rol, but modern etymologists throw doubt upon this derivation.
Diez suggests O.H.G. hara = here.
" Glameur de haro = a claim of those who are in possession of land
which others seek to put them from."
In Gilbert Parker's The Battle of the Strong, the scene of which is
laid in Jersey, the heroine says before the magistrates : " Haro I Haro 1
Monsieur le Prince, on me fait tort 1 " No prince was present, but this
was the formula.
617/19386. Ryght as dyde Julyan. The emperor Julian was brought
up as a Christian, but afterwards became a pagan. There is a legend
that he made a compact with Mercury to sell his soul to paganism in
return for the promise of the Imperial crown. He devoted much of his
energy to an attempt to discredit the Christian prophecies and to restore
paganism. He wrote a book against the truth of Christianity, and is said
to have indulged in divinations and secret arts, whence he came to be
regarded as a powerful necromancer, who had sold himself to the devil.
527/19755. My mayster Chaiicer. Ten Brink considers that Chaucer's
translation of De Guileville's ABO belonged to about the same period
as his version of the legend of St. Cecilia. He points out that Chaucer's
A B 0 is rather an imitation than a translation of De Guileville's.
" The stanza of the original, which consisted of twelve short lines of very
involved rhyme, was changed by Chaucer into the more dignified and
serious form of a stanza of eight decasyllabic lines. The imitation is also
rather free in things of greater importance ; the French stanza most
frequently sketches out the thought in a general way, while the corre-
sponding English stanza gives it more exhaustively, or enlarges upon it ;
in other cases when the parallel stanzas have the same contents, there are
often deviations in the arrangement of the thoughts."
Two stanzas of De Guileville's Poem are given for purposes of
comparison.
690 Notes. Pages 533-539, lines 19953-20182.
A toy du monde le refui Bien voy que par toy conforms
Vierge glorieuse, m'en fui Sera mes cuers desconforte's.
Tout confus, ne puis miex faire , Quer tu es de salu porte.
A toy me tien, a toy m'apuy Si je suis mal tresportez
Relieve moy, abatu suy : Par vii larrons, pechie's inortez
Vaincu m'a mon aversaire. Et erre par voie torte,
Puis qu'en toy ont tous repaire Esperance me conforte
Bien me doy vers toys retraire Qui a toy hui me raporte
Avant que j'aie plus d'annuy. A ce que soie deportez
N'est pas luite necessaire Ma povre arme je t'aporte :
A moy, se tu debonnayre, Sauve la : ne vaut que morte
Ne me sequeurs comme a autrui. En li sont tous biens arortez.
533/19953. And eek that Longius his herte pighte. Longius, usually
called Longinus, was the Roman soldier who pierced the heart of pur
Saviour. He is said to have been afterwards converted to Christianity,
and to have suffered martyrdom. The spear with which he delivered the
blow is said in the Romance of King Arthur to have fallen into the posses-
sion of Joseph of Arimathea, who brought it to England. There is also a
tradition that it is preserved among the treasures of St. Peter's at Rome.
533/19967. Zacharie yow depeth \>e opene welle. Probably a reference
to Zechariah xiii. 1.
535/20040. The noble wt/sg Tholomee. In this passage Claudius Ptole-
mteus, the chief exponent of the system of astronomy which was called
after him, and which continued in universal acceptation until the sixteenth
century, is confused with one of the kings of Egypt of the same name.
Claudius Ptolemy was himself a native of Egypt, and flourished in
Alexandria about the middle of the second century A.D. His Centyloge,
mentioned in 1. 20615, is a work called Centiloquium, from the fact of its
containing a hundred aphorisms on astrological subjects.
538/20152. And as the doetour seynt Austyn. In Verard's edition, the
sidenote to this passage gives the reference Lib. V. De Civitate, cap. vi.
This chapter, however, which is upon the difference in the sexes of twins,
and the resulting differences in their future lives, is really an argument
against the influence of the stars. St. Augustine says plainly :
"The mind of man is not subject unto any of these phases of the stars ;
those artists, now desiring to bind our acts unto this that we see them
free from, do shew us plainly that the effects of the stars have not power
so much as upon our bodies . . ."
" What fonder affection can there be than to say that that figure of
Heaven which was one in the conception of them both had not power to
keep the sister from differing in sex from her brother, with whom she had
one constellation, and yet that the figure of heaven which ruled at their
nativity had power to make her differ so far from him in her virgin's
sanctimony."
It is rather difficult to see how De Guileville could have so far mis-
understood St. Augustine's meaning, if Verard's sidenote really gives the
proper reference.
539/20182. The Stocyenes. De Civitate, Lib. V. cap. viii. " Of their
opinion that give not the name of Fate the position of the stars, but unto
the dependance of causes upon the will of God " seems to be the ground
of these lines, and of the assertion concerning the opinion of Homer on
this point.
"Homer's verses, translated into Latin by Tully, are as these are:
'Tales sunt hominum mentes qualis pater ipse
lupiter auctifferas lustravit lumine terras.'
Notes. Pages 539-570, lines 20185-21359. 691
' We would not bring poetic sentences for confirmation of this ques-
tion, but because that Tully saith, that the Stoics, standing for the power
of Fate, use to quote this place of Homer, we now alledge them, not as
his opinion, but as theirs, who by these verses of Fate shewed in their
disputations what they thought of Fate, because they call upon Jove,
whom they held to be that great God, upon whose directions these causes
did depend.' "
539/20185. Mathesis. This is the Greek /uaSrjcris, meaning "learning."
The word was very commonly employed in the Middle Ages, and eventu-
ally came to be personified.
545/20416. Thys tooknys nor thys bowys grene. Cf. the proverb,
" Good wine needs no bush.'1 The custom of indicating a public-house
by a bush or bough, hung outside, was Roman, and there was a Latin
proverb : " Vino vendibili hedera non opus est." In France a peasant
who wishes to sell his vineyard places a green bush over his door.
549/20595. ffor whan cryst, in swych A cas. See St. John ix. 1-3.
549/2o6o8. And davyd seyth. See Psalm xix. 1, 2.
550/20615. And in hys Centyloge. See note to 586/20040.
552/20698. Pyromancye, etc. See the explanations of these modes of
divination in the notes to p. 16 of the Secrees of Old Philisoffres. See also
The Assembly of Gods, notes to p. 26/867-870.
552/20714. The myghty man Neptanabus. The name should be
Nectanabus. He was the reputed father of Alexander the Great.
According to the legend, Nectanabus, a king of Egypt, foresaw, through
his magic, that he should be overcome by his enemies, and this befalling,
he fled to Macedon. There seeing the queen Olimpias, wife of Philip, he
fell in love with her, and by means of a dream, induced by magic, brought
her to believe that'she was destined to be the paramour of a god. Having
deceived her thus, he was able, through his magic arts, to take advantage
of her delusion, and the outcome of this union was a son, who afterwards
became Alexander the Great. The story is told at length in Gower"s
Confessio Amaniis, Bk. VI.
555/2o8oo. Oyrces. For Cyrces we should read Syrtes, meaning quick-
sands, or sandbanks. The name is specially applied to two sandbanks
on the north coast of Africa.
561/2io6o. Bythcdassus. Can this be a miswriting (both in the French
and English versions) for Di-thalassos ? The latter word means either
(1) divided into two seas, or (2) between two seas, where two .seas meet,
as off a headland ; used for the meeting of currents in the Syrtes.
The second sense agrees well with the context.
566/21222. That is hys hevene & nothyny ellys. See note to p. 41 6/
15459-
567/21268. Ytfyl thus of Ypocras. This story of Philemon (or Pole-
mon) and Hippocrates is also given, with extra details, in the Secrees of
Old Philisoffres (11. 2479-2520). As the editor of that text points out in
the notes, the story is really told of Zopyrus and Socrates. " Polemon
was the only writer on physiognomy known to the Arabs, and Socrates is
not very different in its Arabic form from Hippocrates, who was far
better known."
570/21359. I chace at hem that ther-in Rowe. "To row" here means
" to swim." We may compare Beowulf, 1. 512 :
692 Notes. Pages 573-617, lines 21508-23107.
" pS git on sund re6n,
paer git e&gor-stream earmum pehton."
" Tlien you swam in the sea
Where you covered the ocean-stream with your arms."
573/21508. pawnys = palms of the hands. "But it is such safe
travelling in Spain that one may carry gold in the pawn of his hand." —
Hoivell's Letters (Nares).
576/21583. In thylke dyrke" fyr (not bryht). We may compare with
this line Cynewulf s idea of the appearance of the flames of hell.
" fconne eall (jreo on efen nimeS
Won fyres wtelin wide tosomne
Se swearta lig."— Christ, Pt. III. 11. 963-5.
" When the pallid surge of fire, the swarthy flame
Shall seize all those three things, at once, alike,
And far and wide." — Gottancz's trans.
585/21932. Wrappyd. This seems to stand for rapt, ravished or
carried away. Cf. Ferrex and Porrex :
" His noble limmes in such proportion cast
As would have wrapt a sillie woman's thought."
It cannot be taken in its ordinary sense, since the next line contradicts
it. Possibly, however, it might be metathesis of tvarpyd, cast.
590/22095. 27ie Cystews. The order of the Cistercians was founded
towards the end of the eleventh century by Robert, Abbot of Moleme, in
Burgundy. He endeavoured to restore the exact observance of the rule
of St. Benedict in his monastery, but failing, retired with twenty monks
to Ctteaux, near Chalons, where he founded the first monastery of the
Cistercian order.
The order of Clugni was the first branch of the Benedictine order. It
was founded in 910, by Abbot Bernon at Clugni, on the Garonne. The
Cluniac monasteries were remarkable for the severity of their discipline.
The Oarthusians were founded in 1080 by a certain Bruno, professor of
Philosophy at Paris. The first monastery was built at Chartreux near
Grenoble. Strict seclusion and almost perpetual silence were distinguish-
ing points in the discipline of the order.
Fratres Minores was the name applied in humility by St. Francis of
Assisi to the order of monks instituted by him, better known as the
Franciscans.
Preaching Friars was another name for the Dominicans, who had
received special authority from the pope to preach. At first the work of
preaching was not permitted to friars.
597/22356. Toiached. Can this stand for to-sched, meaning " divided,
separated," from M.E. to-schseden? Stowe has couched, which makes
good sense.
598/22417. Somme catten hir Placebo. See note to p. 395/14654.
615/23030. The space of xxxix yere. This is one of the indications
from which we are enabled to gain some knowledge concerning the life of
De Guileville. The following account, of the entrance of Envy into the
monastery, is probably the reflection of some actual experience of the
writer's.
617/23107. frolage. Neither Godefroy nor Littre^ give this word. It
seems however to be connected with froler, the ordinary sense of which
is to touch lightly. Littre says, " (Berry.) froler, battre, etriller ; freler,
meme sens ; genev. frouler, norm, frevler. D'apres Diez, froler est pour
Notes. Pages 620-660, lines 23249-24653. 693
f rotter, dim. de frotter. On pourrait croire aussi qu'il est pour/ross!er, de
froisser."
620/23249. Terra sibifniges. Ovid. Ibis. 107-8 :
" Terra tibi fruges, amnis tibi deneget undas
Deneget adflatus ventus et aura suos," etc.
Verard quotes sixteen lines.
683/23618. The Prophete Ezechiel. Ezekiel xvi. 49 : " Behold, this was
the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance
of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the
hand of the poor and needy."
686/23701. took of Egypt the Tresour. See Gen. xi. 2 and xii. 35.
687/23773. In Egipt whilom. See Gen. xli.
645/24093. Seyn Poule hym-silfe saith. See Acts xxvii. 31.
655/24443. nylk is nothyng dies. See Arist. Hist. Animalium, B. vii.
iii. 2.
658/24620. As Barlam telleth of a kyng. This story is also found in
the Talmud, where we are told that a certain rich man released a slave
and sent him forth with a ship of merchandise to seek his fortune. The
slave was wrecked upon an island and lost all he had, but the people of
the island received him with acclamations and made him their king.
The slave, amazed and dazzled, could not understand the reason of
his good fortune, but on inquiring of those around him he was told that
the island was inhabited by spirits who had prayed to God that He
would send them yearly a man to rule over them. This prayer had been
granted, but each king was permitted to reign for one year only, and at
the end of that time was stripped of all and conveyed to a desolate unin-
habited island. Former kings had been content to enjoy their year of
power without considering the future, but he, if he were wise, would send
workmen to the island, to till the ground and erect houses, in order that
when the time came for his removal thither he might find a fertile and
inhabited place ready to receive him.
The slave, wiser than his predecessors, followed this advice, and upon
the expiration of his year of power, entered upon a new kingdom, in
which he might henceforth dwell in security and enjoyment.
The story was known to De Guileville in die romance of Barlaam and
Josaphat, which was one of the richest storehouses of legend of the
Middle Ages. It is told in a Greek book, long ascribed to John of
Damascus. M. H. Zotenberg, however, holds the opinion, in which
Gaston Paris concurs, that it was composed a hundred years earlier, in
the first half of the seventh century, by a monk of the convent of St. Saba.
The story of Barlaam and Josaphat is supposed to be a Christianized
version of the life of Buddha. Barlaam was a Christian hermit, who, in
the third or fourth century, converted an Indian prince called Josaphat,
and as a means to his end made use of a large number of ancient folk-
tales and fables, which he interpreted spiritually.
The romance was translated into nearly every European language
during the Middle Ages. For a full account of it see Poemes et le'gend'es
du Mot/en Age by Gaston Paris, and Barlaam and Josaphat, English
Lives of the Biiddha, by Joseph Jacobs.
660/24653. As whylom dede seynt Loiin/s. The prayers and fastings,
the alms, and compassion of St. Lewis, " his mercy meynt with ryghtwes-
nesse" may be illustrated by many incidents and habits of his life.
Amongst the religious or charitable monuments erected by him were the
694
Notes. Page 660, line 24653.
abbey of Royaumont, on the building of which he sometimes worked with
his own hands, several hospitals, the two monasteries of Franciscans and
Dominicans in Paris, and many churches and chapels.
He was accustomed to indulge in many of the practices of asceticism,
such as the wearing of hair-cloth, the use of the discipline, and strict con-
trol of his appetites; but he never allowed these practices to become
obtrusive or to interfere with the proper execution of his royal duties.
Towards the poor he displayed always great compassion, "often
serving them at table, washing their feet, and visiting them in the
hospitals" (Butters Lives of the Saints). "He protected the poor from
the oppressions of the great, and would not suffer his own brothers to
pass the limits of law and equity." Ho led two crusades, both of which,
however, proved disastrous to his armies, and died himself in 1270, of the
pestilence which attacked his second expedition at Tunis.
695
GLOSSARY.
a, adj. all, 179/6838.
a, prep, on ; a syde, on her side, 89/
3350-
a, vb. have, 7/253.
abaisshed, abaysshed, pp. abashed,
61/2296, 76/2858, 173/6593, 284/
10355.
abaye, adv. at bay, 618/23143.
abrayde, vb. (1) speak, 20/739, 106/
4025; pret. spoke, 28/878, 161/
6143. (2) cry out, 208/7415;
pret. cried out, 228/8223, 242/
8759. (3) upbraid, 89/3365.
abusyon, n. deception, 102/3852.
abyggen, vb. pay for, 492/18440.
abyt, abyte, •!/•&. abides, endures, 2/43,
171/6532, 626/23358.
accorde, vb. agree, 208/7424, 213/
7602, 240/8663 ; PP- agreed, 217/
7786.
acroche, vb. lay hold of, 414/15392,
481/17976.
adawed, pp. awakened, 7/226.
adewhen, 116. bedew, 237/8551.
aduersyte, n. adversity, 123/4832.
aduerte, aduerten, vb. consider, 96/
3603, 107/4033, 142/5437.
adust, adj. burning, 489/18308. See
Note,
aermancy, n. aeromancy, divination
by means of the winds, 552/
20708.
afferd, afferyd, adj. afraid, 64/2403,
204/7286.
affere, afferre, adv. afar, 211/7534,
246/8912.
afforce, vb. strengthen, 212/7566;
pres. afforceth, 278/IOI25-
affray, n. (1) fear, 46/1712, 111/
4202. (2) attack, 204/7269.
affte that, conj. according as, 159/
6072.
affye, r6. confide, 391/14470, 558/
20915.
aforen, aforn, adv. before, 69/2582,
74/2759, etc.
afowndryd, pp. foundered, 374/
13826.
after, affter, prep, according to, 74/
2780, 118/4477, 286/8505, etc.
agaas, n. magpie or jay, 889/14415.
ageyn, prep, against, 88/3325, 94/
3527, 127/4837.
aggreggyng, n. increasing, 1 1 2/4240.
agilt, pp. offended, deceived, ABC,
532/19912.
ago, agon, pp. gone, 224/8047, 136/
5184, etc.
agrysed, pp. horrified, 11/41 1.
aiourne,«6. imp. cite, summon, A BC,
533/19948.
a-knowe, 1 acknowledge, 119/4516;
to ben a-knowe, to acknowledge,
130/4955.
albe, conj. albeit, 22/826 ; al be yt
so, although, 145/5556.
albeston, n. asbestos, 238/86O2. See
Note.
alday, adv. always, 82/3074, 92/
3449-
alder, of all,^l.B 0,630/19874; alder-
fyrst, first of all, 71/2657; alder-
hyest, highest of all, 129/4922;
alderlast, last of all, 228/8i 14.
alengthe, adv. along, at full length,
140/5346.
algate, conj. since, 327/1 201 8.
algatys, adv. always, 155/5893, 204/
7288.
allegement, n. remission, relief, 108/
4095, 121/4602, 596/22334.
allegge, vb. alleviate, 71/2663 ; alleg-
geth, 611/22877.
almesse, n. alms, 119/4524.
alowe, adv. low, below, 192/7130.
also, conj. as, 168/6415.
amat, amaat, adj. dismayed, amazed,
34/1297, 647/24159.
amende, vb. give satisfaction, 224/
8061.
amendement, n. reparation, 147/
5617.
696
Glossary.
amendyng, n. amendment, 46/1718.
amenuse, vb. diminish, 686/23686;
pr.part. amenusyng, 633/23613.
ammonycyon, n. admonition, 71/
2645.
among, adv. at times, 306/1 1181.
ampte, n. ant,277/ioioi, 280/ioi88.
ancille, n. hand-maiden, ABC, 531/
19899.
and, conj. if, 72/26; 1, 117/4464, etc.;
and if, except, 133/5072.
annethe, adv. hardly, 179/6842. See
unnethe.
annoy, n. annoyance, 229/8231.
anoon, adv. immediately ; annoon
ryght, immediately, 106/3992.
answeryng, pr.part. corresponding,
159/6070.
anulle, vb. destroy, do away with,
32/1220.
apallen, vb. enfeeble, 94/3528.
aparceved, pp. perceived, 188/5269.
apayd, appayyd, pp. pleased, satis-
fied, 76/2840, 80/3004, 155/5896,
etc.
apayre, apeyre,^. spoil, become less,
21/786, 340/12496; pp. apeyrecl,
127/4849.
apechyd, pp. impeached, 160/6114.
apertly, adv. openly, 586/20072.
apparayllede, pp. apparelled, 232/
8360.
appartene, vb. belong, 274/9970.
appelle, vb. challenge, 860/13290.
apryved, adj. approved, 146/5603.
armole, n. annhole, armpit, 315/
11561.
armure, n. armour, 202/7229, 212/
7598, 230/8269, etc.
armvrer, n. armourer, 211/7547.
arretten, vb. account, ascribe, 449/
16731.
arrew, interj. 847/12767.
arsmetryk, n. arithmetic, 314/1 1490.
arwe, n. arrow, 212/7573, 214/7653.
arwh, adj. cowardly, 490/18364.
as, conj. than, 78/2914, etc.; as if,
686/23743-
ascrye, vb. call upon, 860/13291 ;
pp. askryed, challenged, accused,
860/13263.
askawnce, adv. aside, 166/6333.
assautys, n. assaults, 204/728i, 211/
7543-
assay, n. trial, 289/8642, 427/15871.
assaye, vb. undertake, try, 62/2323,
71/2637, 167/6351.
assent, n. opinion, accord, 134/5ioi.
asseth, n. satisfaction (Fr. assez),
120/4555.
assoyl, vb. solve, explain, 167/5997 ;
imper. 267/9722.
assoylle, vb.pr.sg. absolve, 69/2586.
assurance, n. pledge, 62/1944.
assure, vb. rely, 2/29.
asterte, vb. escape, 852/12964.
astonyd, pp. astonished, 242/8736.
at, prep, in or to, 814/11496; at two,
in two, 67/2504.
atame, vb. broach, enter upon, 480/
17945, 645/24081.
a-thynke, vb. displease, 94/3532.
avale, vb. drop down, 885/14245;
pp. cast down, 274/9984, 278/
10130.
avaunce, vb. advance, 82/3078, 128/
4872.
avaunt, n. boast, 318/ 11661.
avauntage, n. advantage, 130/5OOI,
149/5681, etc.
avaunte, vb. boast, 66/2046.
avayl, n. advantage, 96/3631.
avaylleth, vb. pres. avails, 222/7988.
avayting, pr. p. awaiting, 1 26/4808.
aventure, n. chance, 160/6no, 217/
7796.
aventyng, n. vent, 887/14332.
avout(e)rye, n. adultery, 864/13433.
avowe, vb. acknowledge, permit,
591/22143.
avys, n. (1) consideration, 72/2709,
97/3663. (2) judgment, 100/3768,
239/8644. (3) opinion, 168/5852.
(4) understanding, 168/6038, 167/
6365.
avyse, vb. advise, 148/5634 ; pp. in-
formed, 146/5575.
avyse, adj. discreet well-informed,
150/5727-
avysely, adv. advisedly, 99/3750.
avysement, n. discretion, considera-
tion, 66/2447, 168/6035.
avysyon, n. vision, 16/586, 17/635,
888/12243.
awayt, adv. in wait, watching, 10/
371.
awhapyd, pp. astonished, 172/6542,
647/24159.
awhter, n. altar, 86/323oa.
awmaylle, n. enamel, 19/690.
Glossary.
697
awmener, n. almoner, 106/3983 ; pi.
awmenerys, 245/8858.
awntre, vb. adventure, 576/2 1610.
awreke, pp. avenged, 89/3329, 180/
6885.
awstynys, n. Augustinians, 16/536.
awys, n. 71/2642. See avys.
axe, vb. ask, 101/3802, 164/5862,
120/4570; pp. yaxyd, 190/7048.
ay, n. egg, 88/3312, 888/14361.
See ey.
baas, adj. low, 402/14898.
bacyn, n. beacon, 286/8491.
bakke, n. bat, 420/15618.
balke, w. to make a balke, to
blunder, mistake, fail, 168/6384.
bandouo, n. power, disposal, juris-
diction, 72/2688, 177/6753, 514/
19256.
baret, n. strife, 220/7913, 486/18192.
barmfel, n. leather apron, 426/15828,
427/15907.
batayll, n. battle, 212/7561, 218/
7832, etc.
baudrek, n. baldrick, girdle, 647/
24144.
bawm, n. balm, 92/3460, 298/ 10882.
bayard, n. (bay) horse, 804/11138.
beere, n. bear, 286/8495.
beffyl, vb. pret. befell, 288/10330.
befull, adj. should be lefull, lawful^
479/17913.
behest, n. promise, 119/4518, 369/
13635-
behihte, behyhte, vb. pret. promised,
168/6206, 232/8373 ; pp. behyht,
behight, 166/6334, 587/22OI2 ;
wbjunc. behote, 687/21998; pr.
p. byhotynge, 687/21979.
be-iape, vb. beguile, 871/13688.
beleve, n. creed, 894/14604.
behvys, bylwes, n. bellows, 379/
13990, 886/14284.
ben, vb. pres. pi. are, 88/3306.
bere hem so on hande, deceive
them, 600/22469.
bereth me an hand, flatters me, 387/
14316.
berri, vb. bear, 28/1031, 166/6322.
berthene, n. burden, 869/13248.
beseke, vb. beseech, 1 62/6172.
beseyn, pp. dressed, provided, 21/
871,318/11468.
besmys, n. brooms, rods, 819/11713.
beesellys, n. 306/1 1 191 . See Note,
best, n. beast, 91/3429, 242/8742.
besyde, besyden, adv. aside, 114/
4334, 4341-
bet, adj. better, 61/2282, 116/4377,
etc.
bewte, n. beauty, 181/6897, 21 8/
7806.
beyn, vb. buy, 286/8523, 260/9035 ;
pi: sg. 2. beyst, 260/9033.
bit, vb. pres. ind. bids, 666/24489.
blent, pp. blinded, 66/2428, 138/
5253, 292/I0674.
blyue, adv. quickly, 94/3546, 126/
4813, etc. ; as blyue, immediately,
151/5763.
bobbaunce, n. ostentation, 387/
14307, 889/14403.
bocchyd, pp. swollen, 489/18328.
boch, n. hump, swelling, 489/18297 ;
pi. bochches, 287/8565.
boden, pp. commanded, 600/18712.
bolde, vb. embolden, 80/2983.
bole, n. bull, 864/13029.
bolle, pp. inflated, 878/13982.
bollyng, n. swelling, 108/4074.
bombardys, n. instruments like bas-
soons, 886/14303.
bonche, vb. strike, knock about, 367/ '
13539-
bonche, n. bunch, hump, 489/18294.
booden, pp. bidden, 97/3672.
bordoun, n. pilgrim's staff, 17/6i2
et passim.
borgh, n. borough, 148/5456; pi.
borwes, 294/IO747.
botaylle, n. limits, boundary, 98/
3696. See Note,
bote, n. remedy, 322/1 1814, 654/
24429.
botevaunt, n. a game, 492/18427.
See Note.
botore, n. bittern, 864/13031.
bowgys, n. bags (O.Fr. boulge,
bouge), 247/8942.
boyst, n. box, 143/5466, 899/14792.
boystous, adj. rough, churlish, 89/
3331, 208/7436.
brayd, n. throw, twist, 661/24325.
braydest, vb. pr. resemblest, 24G/
8887.
brenne, vb. burn, 607/18984; pp
brent, 96/3574, 108/3900, 121/
4591.
brennyng, n. burning, 78/2723.
698
Glossary.
breste, 116. burst, 428/1 5930.
brestyng, n. bursting, 887/14331.
bresures, n. bruises, 619/232 10.
broche, vb. hasten, spur, 368/13007.
broche, n. spear, spine of hedgehog,
419/15582.
bromys, n. brooms, 92/3475.
brond, n. sword, 227/8i55 ; pi.
brondys, 227/8 1 80.
bronstoon, n. sulphur, 422/15676.
brood, adj. broad, 127/4845.
brooke, adj. broken, 460/1 7160.
brose, vb. bruise, 107/4o66.
brotyl, adj. brittle, 278/ion 8, 279/
10146.
brotylnesse, n. brittleness, 279/
10157.
brustlys, n. bristles, 868/13594.
brybours, n. beggars, 478/17885.
bryd, n. bird, 88/3313, 260/9431.
brygaunt, n. robber, brigand, 8/70 ;
pi. brigauntys, 204/7274.
brygge, n. bridge, 409/15185.
burdon, n. pilgrim's staff, 172/6575.
See bordoun.
but, conj. except, 77/2893, 108/4096,
etc. ; but yiff, except, 155/59pi.
by and by, adv. one by one, bit by
bit, 4/146, 93/3495, 122/4653.
bydde, «6. pray, beseech, 555/
20811.
byggere, n. buyer, 476/17787.
byggyng, n. buying, 482/1 8020.
bysme, n. besom, broom, 106/4014,
122/4632.
byst, vb. pr. ind. 2. biddest, 255/
9225; pr.3. byt, commands, bids,
168/6410, 868/12041.
byth, -oft. pr. pi. are, 180/4943.
caas, ?i. case, 86/3222, 175/6677 ;
par caas, (1) suppose, by
chance, 151/5763. (2) for example,
perhaps, 160/6io8.
caffe, 7i. chaff (of corn), 84/1278.
calle, n. caul, web, net, 614/19269 ;
pi. callys, 596/22339.
callyn, vb. call, 461/I72O2.
callyoun, n. pebble, 418/15552, 425/
15815.
carence, n. lack, 30/1 144.
cast aforn, vb. foresee, 214/7640.
caste, vb. purpose, 301/1 1014;
castestow, dost thou purpose,
808/11283.
cast hyr, vb. pret. set herself,
purposed, 40/1500, 148/5447.
catel, n. property, 260/9034.
celerys, n. cellars, 206/7330.
cely, adj. innocent, 288/10510, 439/
16357-
cene, n. (Holy) Supper, 121/4616.
centyloge, 71. 550/2o6i6. See Note.
cerche, vb. search, 117/4444; pr. p.
cerchyng, 18/663 ; pp. cerchyd,
111/4199.
certys, adv. certainly, 88/3302, 153/
5846.
chalenge, vb. claim, 441/16433.
chamberere, chaumberere, n. serv-
ant, 98/3748, 100/3765, 104/3922.
char, n. chariot, 627/23401.
charge, n. (1) charge, task, 85/
3196, 143/5470. (2) load, 208/
743°-
charge, vb. charge, burden, 74/278 1,
275/10002,67/2519.
chasteleyne, n. chatelaine, 608/
22785.
chaumbre, n. chamber, room, 106/
3992,208/7251.
chaumpartye, champartye, n. re-
sistance, competition, contest,
161/6148, 228/8193, 647/24174.
See Note.
chaunceler, n. chancellor 120/4580.
chaunteplure, n. song and weeping,
2/30. See Note,
chauntpartye, n. 262/9508. See
chaumpartye.
cheff, this the, above all, 188/5061.
chek maat, pp. check-mate, 172/
6541, 234/8440.
cheker, n. chess-board, 468/17271.
cher, chere, n. cheer, countenance,
appearance, manner, 1/23, 89/
3331, 145/5543.
cherte, cheerte, n. love, dearness,
charity, 128/4702, 601/22530.
cherysshynge, adj. nourisliing, 121 /
4619.
ches, n. jess, 872/13739.
chese, cnesyn, vb. choose, 66/2431,
167/6346.
cheventayne, n. chieftain, 881/14074.
chevysaunce, ji. bargain, profit
487/18234.
chose, n. chosen flock, elect, 12/
426.
clamb, vb. pret. climbed, 69/2566.
Glossary.
699
clarre, n. a wine, 848/12830. See
Note.
clepd, pp. called, 161/6126.
cler, adv. clearly, 87/3289.
clere, adj. bright, 176/6685.
clergie, n. clerkship, learning, 287/
10464.
clobbyd, adj. clubbed, 288/10337.
cloos, pp. (1) closed, 169/6447.
(2) enclosed, 163/6212, 222/7985.
cloos, n. closh, a game, 306/1 1181.
See Note,
closour, closure, n. enclosure, 9/337,
66/2117.
cloystrer, n. cloisteral monk, 594/
22248.
clyket, n. catch, latch, 352/12967.
coarte, coharte, vb. coerce, worry,
48/1782, 657/24545.
coffyn, n. box, 287/10454, 593/22223.
cokyl, n. shell, 237/8547.
collusions. 7i. prevarications, ISO/
6882.
colverhows, n. dove-cot, 443/16509.
colys, coolys, n. broth, 418/15352,
415/15437.
colyt, n. acolyte (Palsgrave: 'Collet,
the seconde order, acolite'), 58/
21820.
comensal, n. habitual guest, table
companion, 601/22529.
commytted, pp. sent out, 86/3205.
compace, n. stratagem, 406/15043.
compasse, vb. measure, encompass,
157/5976, 183/7000.
complyn, n. compline, the last
service of the day in monasteries,
661/24711.
comwne, adj. common, general or
universal, 68/2365, 171/6527.
comwne, vb. commune, 171/6528.
concerne, vb. regard, 248/8983.
conceyue, vb. understand, 170/6460.
conduite, vb. guide, 46/1732.
condygnely, adv. worthily, 130/
4937-
conge, n. leave, permission, 163/
6197, 245/8850, 297/10848.
coniunt, pp. conjoined, 149/5682.
coniurysoun, n. conjuration, 498/
18662.
cons.-iyl, counsayl, n. counsel, 96/
3602, 217/7763.
constaunce, n. constancy, firmness,
206/7345,223/8004.
PILGRIMAGE.
consuetude, n. custom, 610/22858.
contagyous, adj. foul, noxious, 367/
13532, 668/21308.
conterplete, vb. plead against, 147/
5600.
contrariouste, n. contrariousness,
208/7440.
contraryouste, n. accident, impedi-
ment, 7/230, 398/14742.
contrayre, adj. contrary, 78/2710,
129/4902.
centre, n. country, 176/6702.
contune, vb. continue, 170/6486 ;
pp. contunyd, 4/125.
conuersacion, n. course of life, 276/
10041.
conveyed, pp. accompanied, 134/
5°93-
conyecte, vb. conjecture, 496/18593.
coorbyd, corbyd, pp. bowed, 374/
13825, 460/17167.
cop, coppe, n. summit, 278/10138,
621/19526.
coquynerye, n. roguery, 477/17827.
corage, n. heart, 9/313, 806/11203.
coragous, adj. courageous, 219/7844.
cordeler, n. a machine for rope-
making (N. E. D.), a rope-maker,
664/24413.
cornemose, n. bagpipe, 889/14410;
pi. cornemusys, 886/14303.
cornowler, n. cherry-tree (Fr. cor-
nillier), 288/10339.
corour, n. courier, 660/24262.
coryously, adv. by sequence, 239/
8626.
cost, n. side, 86/1341, 124/4741.
costeyynge, pres. p. going by the
side, 346/12749.
couenable, covenable, becoming,
proper, fit, 67/2490, 244/8831,
etc.
couert, pp. covered, 114/4347.
couertly, adv. covertly, secretly,
113/4269.
counfortable, adj. comfortable, 237/
8562.
coupable, adj. guilty, 82/3061.
courtyne, n. a small courtyard, 232/
8348.
courtyned.pp. curtained, 291/10631.
coy, adj. quiet, retiring, 287/10468,
408/15167.
crampysshynge, adj. cramping, 374/
13823-
/. Z
700
Glossary.
creaunce, n. belief, 181/6900, 6911,
6924, 259/9407.
credence, n. belief, 140/5336.
crepawd, n. toad, 421/15652.
crepyl, n. cripple, 461/I/2II.
criaunce, n. belief, 630/19851.
crochet, n. crook, 482/18015. See
kroket.
crokke, n. pitcher, 890/14460.
croos, n. cross, 180/6852.
croppe, n. top of a tree, 322/1 1813,
521/19525.
crowde, n. riddle, 880/14265.
curat, n. care-taker, guardian, 85/
cure, n. care, solicitude, 56/21 18;
care, 85/3190; set no cure, care
not, 124/4/iS; dyde hys besy
cure, did his best, 162/6155.
cure, vb. cover, 59/2224 i PP- cured,
604/22621.
curteisye, n. courtesy, 152/5803.
curteys, adj. courteous, 87/3268.
curteysly, adv. courteously, 106/
3997, 4017.
curyouste, n. fastidiousness, nicety,
350/12884.
cusyner, n. cook, 416/15443.
cyroinancye, m. chiromancy or divi-
nation by the hand, 664/21157.
cyvyle, adj. civil law, 428/15916.
dallyawne, dalyaunce, n. converse,
sport, 14/520, 215/7709.
dampnable, adj. to be condemned,
3/88.
dainyselle, n. maiden, 241/87 1 8.
daren, vb. lurk, 408/15160.
dareyne, vb. (to) settle by battle, 150/
5720.
daunger, n. power, 255/9232.
dawntyng, n. taming, 330/12136.
debonayre, adj. usually gentle, cour-
teous, gracious, 107/4044.
deceyuable, adj. deceitful, 285/8490.
deceyvaunce, n. deceit, 286/8498.
declyn, n. declination, 92/3447.
declyne, vb. turn aside, deviate, 131/
4980, 232/8347-
dede, adj. dead, 92/3468.
dediedest, vb. pret. didst dedicate,
47/note.
deere, dere, vb. injure, 66/2433,
4668 ; sitbj. 184/7oi6.
dees, n. dice, 306/1 1 193.
defie, vb. digest, (cause to) decay,
253/9i6o; pp. defyed, 350/i29o8.
degre, n. degree, 78/2725.
deiect, pp. cast down, 451/l68o8.
delyt, M. delight, 187/5207, 154/
5869.
delytable, adj. delightful, 271/9856.
deme, denien, demene, demyn, vb.
judge, condemn, 65/2423,86/3241,
149/5694, 222/7987; pret. demptf,
333/12238; pp. demyd, 168/6412;
pres. p. demynge, 74/2776.
demeur, adj. demure, 145/5543.
demeyne, domain, n. possession,
dominion, 80/2977, 856/13077.
dent, n. stroke. Thonder dent, clap
of thunder, 889/14400.
cleparte, vb. divide, 67/2504, 223/
8009 ; pp. departyd, divided,
scattered, 67/2496, 144/5516.
departyng, n. separation, 68/1971.
departysoun, n. departure, 503/
18848.
depeynt, pp. painted, 666/20843.
depoos, depos, n. deposit, stock,
268/9745, 806/11185.
dere, vb. injure, 610/19124.
descry ve, vb. describe, 116/4389,
206/7325.
despyt, n. scorn, contempt, con-
tumely, 122/4660, 209/7465 ;
cause of scorn, 102/3855.
despytous, adj. spiteful, 247/8932.
desteyne, vb. stain, 92/3473.
determyne, vb. end, 666/20827.
devaunt, n. a game, 492/18428. See
Note.
dever, deuer, n. duty, 47/1774, 93/
3508, 242/8725.
devoyded, pp. cleared away,
emptied, 101/3831, 110/4163 ;
pres. devoydeth, does away, 133/
5052.
devys, n. opinion, 106/4020; plan,
122/4636.
devyse, vb. tell, explain, set forth,
present, declare, devise, relate,
arrange, design, 62/2322, 76/2828,
94/3520, 110/4170, 152/58l6, 157/
5996, 179/6826, 202/7220.
deye, deyen, vb. die, 118/4298, 221/
7944-
deyete, n. deity, 84/3138.
deynous, deyngnows, adj. disdain-
ful, 131/5000, 420/15594.
Glossary.
701
differre, vb. put away, 667/24538.
disclaundre, n. disgrace, 293/10704.
discresse, vb. diminish, 683/23610.
distourble, vb. disturb, trouble, 204/
7270; pp. dystourbled, 526/19725.
distruyen, vb. destroy, 668/24374 :
pp. distruyed, 689/23858.
do, n. doe, 225/8 100.
do, don, done, vb. do, cause, make,
124/47i6, 9-2/3460, 129/4909, 138/
5264 ; pres. doth, 168/6409. be to
do, ought to be done, 7/262. ye
... ha do, ye have done, 146/
5574. have ii-do, 210/7516, 218/
7811. they do no for, they pay
no attention, 171/6524. I dyde
upon, I put on, 208/7410; imp.
pi. doth, 241/8705; dyst, dist,
pret. didst, 111/4209, 112/4231.
dystovv, didst thou, 111/4211.
dongel, n. dung-hill, 267/9714, 276/
10050.
donne, adj. dun, 101/3830.
doole, n. grief, 620/23223.
doom, n. judgment, 168/6416, 172/
6555 ; pi. doomys, 170/6497.
dor, doore, vb. dare, 202/9528, 277/
10090, 608/22589.
dortour, dortoure, n. dormitory, 592/
22191, 606/22658.
dotous, adj. doubtful, 166/6307, 370/
13662.
doubylnesse, n. duplicity, 67/2137.
doute, n. problem, fear, 101/3802,
425/15799.
doute, vb. fear, 68/2558; pret. dout-
ede, feared, expected, 145/5532;
thow doutest, thou didst wonder,
166/6278.
dowhe, dowe, n. dove, 878/13964,
579/21724.
drad, pp. dreaded, feared, 68/2549;
pret. 179/6838.
drauht, n. behaviour, treatment of
others, 46/1720.
drawlyng, n. slavering, 849/12853.
dred, drede, n. doubt, 79/2972, 142/
5443.
dredful, dredefful, adj. stern, causing
dread to others, 44/1667, 490/
18364.
dresse, vb. cause, prepare, direct,
108/3889, 442/16462; wield, 114/
4332; arrange, place, set, 129/
4910, 188/6994, 208/7236.
dreynt, pp. drenched, drowned, 292/
10678; ydreynt, 849/12843.
duete, n. duty, 81/3045, 181/6920.
dure, vb. endure, 238/8410.
duresse, n. severity, 220/7889, 470/
17557-
dwelle, vb. hesitate, delay, 88/3327 ;
wait, 106/4005 ; consider, 158/
6033 ; abide, 180/6859.
dyde vpon, vb. pret. sg. put on, 208/
7410.
dytface, vb. deface, injure, 81/1184;
pret. dyffaced, 82/1205.
dyffaute, n. fault, 69/2590; pi. dyf-
fautes, 145/5549.
dyft'ence, n. prohibition, 296/10775.
<\yfiendyd,pp. forbidden, 296/10774,
297/10854.
dygne, digne, adj. worthy, 107/
4049, 244/88oi.
dyhte, vb. pret. prepared, 418/15360.
dymes, TO. tithes, 49/1 8 1 8, 642/23967.
dyrk, dyrke, adj. dark, 99/3742, 101/
dvrked, pp. darkened, become dark,
"139/5186.
dyrknesse, n. darkness, 186/5186,
168/6390, 192/7106, 7118.
dysavayl, n. disadvantage, 299/
10919.
dysclaundered, pp. disgraced, 290/
10595-
dyscure, vb. discover, publish, 263/
9550; pp. dyscured, 7/233.
dysesse, n. disease, discomfort, 62/
2326, 168/6194.
dysfourme, vb. deform, 166/6342.
dysguesyly, adv. hideously, strange-
ly, 466/17342.
dysgiiyse, adj. strange, monstrous,
463/17282.
dysioynt, n. perplexity, dilemma,
232/8357, 8379, 867/13527.
dysobeisaunce, n. disobedience, 30/
1125.
dysparple, t'6. scatter, 886/14298.
dyspence, n. outlay, expence, 308/
11259.
dyspleasaunce, n. discomfort, dis-
pleasure, 229/8231, 282/8378.
dysport, n. pleasure, joy, 108/3897.
dyspoyllen, vb. strip, 14/499.
dyspurveyed, pp. unprovided, de-
prived of, 66/2049. dispurveyed,
669/24619.
702
Glossary.
dysseuereth, vb. pres. departs, l/i6.
dystresse, vb. distrain, 472/17655.
dystreyne, vb. strain, afflict, 427/
15898.
dystreyned,/>p. stretched, 326/1 1957.
dysusance, n. disuse want of cus-
tom, 229/8262.
dyswarre, adv. unaware, 450/16765.
dyuertycle, »i. by-path, wayside
shelter (N. K. D.), 439/16351.
echon, each one, 82/3085, 84/3159,
86/3183, etc.
efft, adv. again, 86/3221.
egal, adj. just, 67/2491 ; equal, 147/
5612, 219/7842.
egge, n. edge, 64/2410, 71/2664; pi.
eggys, 66/2475.
ek, eke, conj. also, 70/2612, 75/2807,
etc. ; ek also, also, 78/2933.
Elenchus, Elenchis, logical refuta-
tion (see Note), 45/1671, 1683,
318/11648; gen. Elenchorum, 46/
1670.
ellaat, ellat, adj. presumptuous,
elated, 66/2058, 68/2530, 299/
10915.
elm, n. helmet, 218/7608.
elthe, n. health, well-being, 46/I7I8,
121/4601.
embrawded, pp. embroidered, 250/
9038.
emerawd, n. emerald, 239/86l6.
emerlyoun, n. merlin hawk, 372/
13737-
empechementys, n. hindrances, 22/
820, 204/7276.
emplastres, n. plasters, 648/24211.
empryse, n. enterprise, 686/21965.
enbrace, vb. clasp, encompass, 208/
7414, 235/8475 > PP- enbracyd,
208/7431.
enchace, n. drive away, 112/4232.
encombre, rb. obstruct, 602/18809.
encombrons, adj. troublesome, hin-
dering, 309/H302, 320/11755.
encomerous, adj. cumbersome, 489/
18319.
encress, n. increase, 116/4381.
enHeles, adv. endlessly, without end,
132/5oi8.
endyte, vb. point out, 80/2980.
engluyd, pp. ensnared, 664/21142.
engyn, n. skill, wit, 84/3553, 140/
5327,409/15211.
enherytour, n. inheritor, 47/1771.
enlwmyne, vb. give light, 192/7107.
enoynted, pp. anointed, 86/1349.
enqueryn, vb. inquire, 66/2470.
enspyre, vb. put forth, 92/3459.
ensure, vb. pres. assure, 86/3189,
104/3937.
entame, vb. injure, cut open, ABC,
680/19869.
entayile, n. fashion, 668/20937.
entencioun, n. purpose, understand-
ing, 53/1983, 172/6576.
entend, vb. pres. look steadfastly,
98/3683.
entende, vb. to be intent, 68/2532,
277/10103.
entendement, n. discretion, under-
standing, 64/2413, 188/5254.
entent, entente, Ji. intention, under-
standing, mind, 69/2564, 86/3225,
108/4092, 121/4601, etc. If I made
to your entent, if I pretended, 146/
5562.
enter, entere, adj. entire, 74/2762,
117/4465, etc.
enterly, adv. entirely, 87/3273.
entre, n. entry, 214/7668.
envye, n. inclination, 864/13050.
envyroun, adv. round about, 176/
6700, 6703.
er, n. ear, 88/3316; erys, pi. 164/
6247.
erdys, n. herdstnen, 240/8684.
eryng, n. hearing, 166/6304, 172/
6548.
esches, n. chess-men, 468/17274.
especyal, adj. private, particular,
104/3932 ; in especyal, adv.
secretly, 146/5526, 160/5738.
esperaunce, n. hope, 191/7071.
espye, vb. perceive, 142/5429.
estalys, n. classes of people, 1/26.
etyk, n. ethics, 864/13054.
etyn, vb. eat, 87/3283 ; pp. etyn, 162/
6170.
euerych, adj. every, 84/3161 ; each
one, 186/5177.
euerychon, n. every one, 68/2367,
116/4421.
euerydel, adv. altogether, every part,
73/2740, 75/2796, etc.
evene lych, adv. in similar manner,
335/12320.
evene upryht, adv. straight, 175/
6692.
Glossai'y.
703
ewrous, adj. happy (heureux), 107/
4052, 539/20177.
ex, »». axe, 102/3857.
exaumplere, exauinplayre, n. ex-
ample, 128/4901, 179/6821.
except, pp. reserved, 67/2495.
excyted, pp. impelled, 8/296.
expley ten, i)6. execute, perform, 61 1/
22889.
exspleyted, pp. assisted, 333/12223.
expone, vb. expound, 107/4040.
exposicioun, exposycioun, n. ex-
planation, 114/4310, 4328.
extre, n. axletree, 333/12233-
ey, n. egg, 143/5467, 380/14032.
eyrie, n. eyes, 78/2897.
eyred, pp. laid (of an egg), 380/
14027, 14033.
eysel, n. vinegar, 408/14937.
fallaas, n. deception, fallacy, 45/
1670, 151/5753.
falleth, vb. pres. ig. happens, 241/
8710; pi. falle, 214/7639.
falshed, pp. deceived, 157/5999.
farderye, n. painting one:n face
(Jig. dissimulation), 368/13372.
fason, ffasoun, n. fashion, 102/3866,
184/7022, 208/7423.
faulssemblant, fawssemblaunt, adj.
false-seeming, 368/13202, 394/
14596.
faute, ttaute, n. fault, 128/4876, 208/
7433 ! pl- fawtys, 288/10496.
fawchon, n. falchion, 418/15551.
fayl, faylle, fEaylle, n. doubt, 106/
4015,211/7521,212/7576.
fayn, adv. gladly, 164/6234.
fayrye, n. enchantment, 266/9260.
faytoure, n. begging impostors, 485/
18135.
fel, felle, adj. cruel, fierce, 68/2547,
97/3640, 127/4842.
fel, vb. feel, 168/6404.
fele, adj. many, 107/4045.
fellon, n. whitlow, ulcer or boil, 489/
18305; pi. ffelouns, 237/8565.
felly, adv. fiercely, 298/io889, 347/
1 2766.
fellyn, vb. subj. should fall, 68/2360.
felth, felthe, n. filth, dirt, 26/973,
110/4173 ; pi. felthes, 107/4065.
felyn, vb. feel, 126/4810.
fendys, n. fiends, 126/4790.
fere, adj. far, 260/9464.
ferme fader, n. first father, 451 /
16825.
fermerye, n. infirmary, 692/22194.
fette, lib. fetch, 68/2354, 126/4749 ;
pret. 173/6582.
feyne, vb. feign, deceive, 120/4553.
feynte, adj. feigned, pretended, 45/
1695.
feynte, vb. pretend, 884/14189.
feyntyse, n. faintness, 238/8414.
ffaat, adj. fat, 208/7429.
flaccioun, n. fashion, 175/6687.
ffaillede,i>6.2>re<. was without, lacked,
needed, 17/635 5 !»'• P- ffayl'yng,
20/743-
ifardel, n. burden, 74/2768 ; pi.
fardellys, 74/2755.
ffarn, vb. pres. pi. act, work, 322/
11804.
ffarsyd, adj. stuffed, 418/15363.
ffayrenesse, n. gentleness, 46/1712.
ffenestral, n. window, 266/9658 ;
pi. ffeneetrallys, 829/12087.
ffers, n. queen (at chess), 468/17278.
ffiethris, n. feathers, 207/7371.
ffetysly, adv. neatly, daintily, 183/
6996, 807/11250.
ffleyen, vb. put to flight, 876/13891.
fflewmatyk, adj. phlegmatic, 421/
I5634-
fHoutys, n. flutes, 887/14304.
ffoltysshe, adj. foolish, 169/6422 ;
fooltyssh, 214/7661.
ffond, vb. pret. found, 217/7796.
ffoud, vb. pret. established, 381/
14081, 14083.
ffonde, vb. try, 281/10239.
ffoorbysshour, n. furbisher, 313/
11448.
fforewrys, n. coverings, 818/11470.
fforeyn, adj. alien, 28/1033; outer,
821/11768,822/11817. See Note,
fforpossyd, pp. tossed up and down,
447/16670.
fforwelkyd,£p. withered, 457/17061.
ffoul-hardy, adj. foolhardy, 66/2419.
ffovlys, n. fowls, birds, 93/3513.
ffreelte, n. frailty, 217/7777, 232/
8365.
ffrette, vb. interlace, fret, 607/19006;
pp. ffret, decorated, 260/9038 ;
strengthened, 688/22042.
ffryst, first, 267/9719.
ffwet, n. track, scent (Fr. feute),
349/12863.
704
Glossary.
ffyaunce, n. trust, 281/io26o.
ffychche, vb. fix, stick, 46/1733.
flagelle, n. scourge, 682/23596.
flawe, pp. flayed, 11/379.
flawme, n. flame, 72/2720.
flawiny, adj. flaming, 288/8586.
flen, vb. flay, 68/2163, 2I74-
flen, vb. fly, 98/3513, 275/iooo4 ;
pr. p. fleyng, 274/9982.
flour, n. flower, 92/3455, 96/3585 ;
flour delys, lily, 148/5654.
flourettys, n. small flowers, 148/
5653.
flytte, iib. remove, 81/3030, 308/
11262.
foisoun, n. abundance, 114/4346;
foyson, 69/2594, 109/2126.
fohve, folwen, vb. follow, 166/5908,
227/8l68 ; pret. folwede, 82/3067.
foly, adj. foolish, 241/8688, 286/
10385.
folyly, adv. foolishly, 80/2983, 104/
395°-
fon, ffon, n. foes, 224/8054, 240/
8649.
fooly, n. foolishness, 214/7649.
for, ffor, against, 10/355, 224/8o6s ;
because, 114/4343; of, 211/7553;
from, 451/16824.
forbarre, vb. deprive, shut out, 95/
3559 ; pres. forbarreth, 68/2358.
forbern, vb. forbear, 98/3676 ; pret.
fforbar, 12/419.
forboor, pp. forborne, suffered, 95/
3563-
forbore, pp. forbidden, stopped, 12/
43°-
force, n. (give no force, care not,)
503/18863.
forcloudyd, pp. clouded over, 136/
5186.
forfete, n. offence, 254/9207.
forgetyn, pp. forgotten, 70/26o2.
Formere, n. Creator, 88/3099.
forour, n. fur, 394/14590.
forth, adv. henceforward, 54/2O28.
forthre, forthren, vb. further, help,
28/844, 177/6740.
forthryng, fortheryng, n. furthering,
help, 28/847, 147/5632.
forthy, adv. therefore, 86/3180, 236/
8494 ; nat forthy, nevertheless,
266/9629.
fortunyd, pp. favoured, given good
luck to, 4/126.
foryete, pp. forgotten, 62/2335.
foryetelnesse, foryetylnesse, n. for-
getfulness, 6/207, H4/4340-
fosse caue, n. hollow, 468/17266.
foster, n. forester, 226/8143.
founde, vb. endeavour, 204/7284.
fowre, adj. four, 188/5251.
franchyse, fraunchyse, ffraunchyse,
n. right, privilege, 89/3340, 90/
3372, 104/3929.
fraunchysen, vb. enfranchise, 128/
4873.
fre, adj. noble, 87/3268, 174/6623,
234/8449-
fressh, adj. brave, 286/8510.
fret-full, freight full, 484/i8l3o.
See Note,
fret, vb. devour, irritate, 94/3533 ;
pres. sg. fl'reteth, 322/1 1806; pres.
pi. frete, 328/11838; pr. p. fret-
ynge, devouring, 118/4276.
fretyng,arfj. biting, irritating, 11/387.
fretynge, n. biting, 92/3471.
freytour, n. refectory, 692/22192;
ffreyterward, 608/22612.
frolage, n. 617/23107. See Note,
fulfil, vb. accomplish, 61/1924.
fulfylleth, vb.pres. fills, 206/7329.
fulsomnesse, n. fulness, satisfaction,
186/5173.
fumous, adj. puffed up, 179/6848.
fygure, n. symbol, 48/1787.
fyl, fylle, vb. pret, fell, 76/2813, 216/
7738; pret. subj. sg. 288/10316.
fyll, vb. pret. befell, happened, 69/
2562, 76/2830.
fyn, ffyn, fyne, n. end, conclusion,
81/3017, 92/3448, 295/10795-
fyne, ffyne, vb. end, conclude, cease,
102/3839, 220/7913.
fythes, n. filths, 117/4464. See
felth.
gadre, vb. gather, 69/2564, 111/
4192; pret. gadrede, 109/4136;
pp. gadyrd, 112/4263.
gadryng, n. gathering, 110/4167.
gaff, vb. pret. gave, 68/2552, 132/
5048. See geue.
gambisoun, gambesoun, n. doublet:
A quilted coat worn under arm-
our, 206/7294, 73°2-
game, n. plan, 189/5296.
gan, aux. vb. did, 76/2828, 122/4642,
etc.
Glossary.
705
game, gan, gonne, vb. pret. began,
132/5039, 180/6870, 682/21812,
132/5039; pp. gonne, 368/12990.
garnement, n. garment, 206/7311,
211/7545.
garnerys, n. garners, 206/7329.
gaste, lib. terrify, 376/13909.
geaunt, n. giant, 23 1/8320, 234/8439,
235/8463.
gedre, vb. gather, 634/23663.
generacyon, n. generation, 101/
3828 ; pi. generaciouns, 101/3818.
gent(e)rye, n. courtesy, 161/5768.
gentyllesse, n. kindly thought, 151/
5773-
Geomancye, n. divination by line's or
figures, 553/20736.
gex, n. jess, 614/23017.
gest,«6.^res. gettest, 161/6u8,309/
11322.
geue, u6. give, 127/4841 ; gaff, pret.
68/2552, etc.
jeue, conj. if, 496/18567, etc.; un-
less, 687/21991.
gilt, pp. sinned against, 666/24469.
glayve, n. sword, 66/2449, 66/2461.
glede, n. fiery coal, 80/2991, 89/
3352, 416/15464.
glood, vb. pret. glided, 398/14772.
glose, vb. pres. interpret, 686/20086.
glose, n. pretence, 80/2991, 355/
13083.
glosyng, n. deceit, 268/9538.
glouys, n. gloves, 216/7755, 217/
7765-
gnew, vb. pret. gnawed, 399/14806.
gon,i*.go, 121/4594, 132/5047, 141/
5370; subj. thow go, 212/7593;
ben ago, he gone, 164/6234 ; they
ha be gonne, they have gone, 121/
4606.
gonne, vb. pret. pi. See ganne.
gonne, n. gun, 214/7676 ; pi. gonnys,
224/8o65.
goodly, adv. kindly, 86/1302.
goolet, golet, n. gullet, 349/12864,
350/12899.
gorge, n. throat, 347/12768.
gorger, n. gorget, throat armour,
213/76o8,228/82o8; gorgetys,j9i.
204/7261.
gospeler, n. evangelist, 296/10823.
gotows, adj. gouty, 374/13822.
gownde, n. purulent matter, 239/
8624.
gouernance,governaunce,7i. govern-
ment, governance, rule, 82/3077,
84/3170, 166/5939.
gouernaunce, n. demeanour, be-
haviour, 90/3370, 107/4031, 232/
8345.
gouernaylle, n. rudder, 374/13795.
gracyouse, adj. gracious, beautiful.
107/4053.
grameryens, n. grammarians, 68/
2462.
graue, pp. engraved, 174/6627, 182/
6946.
graunge, n. granary, 142/5410.
graunt, n. grant, gift, 4/uo.
gre by gre, step by step, 16/577.
gree, gre, n. favour, goodwill ; take
at gree, receive with goodwill,
607/22742, 614/23012.
greevys, n. greaves, leg-armour,
225/8o85.
greff, n. grief, 229/823O.
greff, vb. imp. grieve, 229/8225.
gres, n. grease, hih off gres, very
fat, 571/21427.
gretter, adj. greater, 147/5609,
grevaunce, n. grievance, injury, 145/
5554;
greyn, n. grain, corn, 34/i28i, 205/
7326.
groos, n. in groos, as a whole, 111/
4191.
gropyd.^p. handled, felt, 272/9878.
groundyd, pp. based, grounded, 23/
857-
groven, vb. grow, 94/3516.
groyne, vb. grunt, 287/10473; pp.
groynynge, 468/17476.
grucche, gruchen, vb. grudge, com-
plain, 79/2969, 162/6159; grucche,
pres. sg. 1. 94/3541 ; gruccheth,
pres. sg. 3. ; grucche, subj. pres.
54/2O27, 180/4962 ; grucchede,
pret. 96/3606, 207/7382; gruche-
het, imp. 102/3849; grucchyng,
pr. p. 124/4719, 214/7662.
grynt, vb.pres. sg. grinds, 876/13835.
grypyng, pr. p. grasping, gripping,
16/593-
guerdoun, n. guerdon, reward, 175/
6679, 210/7498.
guye, vb. guide, 305/1 1 170, 316/
11584.
guyse, n. manner, 94/3519, 249/
9014.
706
Glossary.
gyderesse, n. guide, 192/71 17.
gyn, n. snare, contrivance, 480/
17971.
gynne, vb. begin, 96/3622.
gynning, n. origin, 79/2945, 131/
4986.
gyterne, n. guitar, 317/1 1617.
lia, vb. to have, 132/5014; pres. 2.
hastow, hast them, 166/5934; subj.
pres. ha, 220/7878.
haberioun, n. habergeon, armour for
breast, 210/7519, 228/82o6; pi.
haberiouns, 208/7259.
liable, adj. fit, able, 14/497, 183/5070,
222/7967.
habondaunce, n. abundance, 128/
4876, 144/5507.
hal, n. awl, 390/14459; pi- hallys,
418/15547.
hals, n. neck, 537/2oii8.
halt, halte, n. lame person, 629/
23481,632/23598.
halt. vb. pres. holds, l/l8, 81/3049;
pres. 2. 153/5851, 168/6037; pp.
holde, held, counted, 226/8128.
haliiendel, n. half, 619/19474, 634/
19996.
halwyd, adj. hallowed, 446/16570.
hamryd, pp. hammered, 207/7385.
hardy, adj. bold, 84/3137.
hardyd, pp. hardened, 206/7345.
hardyly, adv. boldly, 82/3088.
hardynesse, n. boldness, 96/3628,
152/5797.
harneys, n. armour, 208/7255, 213/
7611.
harow! interj. 617/19368. See Note,
haryng, n. herrings, 394/14613.
hasteler, «. one who roasts meat:
414/15380.
haterel, n. neck, 241/8754.
hanlt, adj. high, 402/14898.
haunte, vb. practise, 220/7898, 471/
17592; hawntyd, pp. frequented,
320/11735.
hayr, n. heir, 26/989.
hayr, heyr, n. air, 176/6676, 92/
3443-
heet, vb. pret. he ate, 70/2597. See
hetyn.
heg, heegg, heggg, hegh, n. hedge,
307/1 1233, 319/1 1686, 1 1688, 346/
12731.
helm, n. helmet, 213/7625.
hem, pron. them, 124/4704, 126/
4793-
heng, vb. pret. sg. hung, 140/5344,
207/7380; pret. pi. hengen, 181/
6919; pp. hengyd, 228/8216.
hente, i-b. pret. seized, 894/14614.
hepys, n. heaps, 116/4348.
her, n. hair, 188/5281.
her, prep, here, 160/6o86.
her, pron. their, 178/68o8, 179/685O,
etc.
herbergage, n. lodging, 221/7934,
592/22164.
herberwe, vb. harbour, shelter, 123/
4682, 592/22198.
hereyne, n. spider, 286/8488 ; hy-
rayne, 288/8470.
herkynd,j>p. listened to, 161/6142.
hertly peyne, n. pain of his heart,
109/4115.
heryn, ^6. to hear, 106/4004.
best, n. promise, 241/8705.
het, n. heat, 884/14214.
hete, n. 147/5598.
hetyn, vb. to eat, 121/4599 ; pp.
hetyn, 70/2607; hete, 186/5168;
pret. heet, he eat, 70/2597.
herene, heuene, hewene, M. heaven,
260/9429, 660/20613, 20626.
hevese, n. eaves, 449/16755.
hihte, vb. pats, are called, 74/2777 >
hyght, is called, 698/22408.
hoi, hool, adj. whole, 99/3747, 177/
6736.
holde, adj. old, 862/13363.
holde, pp. held, counted, 226/8 128.
See halt,
holy, hooly, adv. wholly, entirely,
87/3272, 175/6684, etc.
hoole, n. whole, 147/5&I2.
hoole, n. hole, 117/4445.
hooly, adj. holy, 118/4485, 179/
6836,
hoore, adj. hoary, 868/13594,
hope, adj. open, 127/4841.
horlege, n. clock, 182/6933.
hostage, n. entertainment, 61 1/
22907.
ho we, vb. pres. ought, 444/16545,
606/22676; pres. sg. 2. howest,
oughtest, 181/6920.
hows, n. house, 168/5840, 160/
6094.
huchche, n. hutch, chest, 178/6581,
184/7019.
Glossary.
707
huissher, n. usher, 76/2809 > $•
bussherys, 58/2 1 86.
hunte, n. hunter, 226/8143 '< pi-
huntys, 889/14412; hontys, 388/
H368.
hunteresse, n. huntress, 226/8130,
230/8281.
hurtle, vb. push, clash, 44/1641, 398/
14748 ; pr. p. hurtling, 47/1777.
huske, husk, n. chaff, 34/1263,
1286.
huskyd, pp. husked, enclosed in a
husk, 34/1263.
hussherys. See huissher.
hy, adj. high, 86/3192.
hydous, adj. hideous, 242/8741.
hye, vb. hasten, 618/19433.
hyhte, vb. prd. promised, 62/2309.
hyr, pron. dat. to her, 241/8720.
hyrayne, n. See hereyne.
hyryn, vb. hear, 866/13085.
iakkys, n. jackets, 204/7262.
iape, n. jest, 226/8i 1 1, 305/1 1 126.
ibaysshed,2>p. abashed, 28/863.
importable, inportable, adj. un-
bearable, 354/13054, 442/16487,
477/17839.
in, prep, on, 231/8303.
indurat, pp. hardened, 108/4070,
110/4167, 299/10916.
influe, vb. influence, 664/20772.
inly, adv. internally, 86/1360.
inobedyent, adj. disobedient, 220/
7899.
locunde, adj. joyful, merry, 190/
7038.
logolory, n. jugglery, 317/1 1624.
lourne, lournee, n. journey, 177/
6744, 229/8233 ; task, day's work,
548/20536.
louy pe, joyfully (lit. merry foot),
305/1 1 141. See Note.
lowel, n. jewel, 128/4884, 164/6238,
etc. ; pi. lowellys, 176/6725.
irous, adj. angry, wrathful, 89/3348,
97/3673,383/14155.
luge, n. judge, 171/6533, 172/6550.
lugement, n. judgment, 176/6492.
lupartye, n. jeopardy, 179/6843,
342/12602.
lurediccyon, n. jurisdiction, 79/
2957.
iastesyed, pp. judged, punished, 43/
1631.
kachche, vb. catch, 225/8 107.
kam, vb. pret. came, 188/5278.
kampyng crook, 306/11184. See
Note,
kan, vb. pres. know, knows, 60/2442,
88/3303, 184/7o3i.
kanoun, n. canon or ecclesiastical
law, 428/15916.
karecte, n. sign, token, 499/18704 ;
pi. karectys, n. signs, characters,
127/4845, 496/18587.
kareyn, n. carcass, corpse, 252/gi 18,
412/15301.
karyyng, n. 317/11624. See Note,
kautli, vb. subj. should catch, 377/
13926.
kembe, vb. comb, 260/9045 ; pp.
ykempt, 861/13320.
kene, adj. severe, 212/7581 ; sharp,
226/8137.
kenetys, n. hounds (O.Fr. chenet),
421/I5655-
kep, kepe, n. heed, care, 74/2763,
78/2912, 109/4135, 232/8369.
kerue, vb. carve, 64/2410, 80/2979;
pres. pi. kerue, 66/2476.
keyles, n. skittles, 806/11198. See
Note,
knet, vb. pret. pi. knotted, 80/2997 ;
pp. knet, knotted, bound, knitted,
joined, 159/6O42, 188/7002, 175/
6672 ; pp. yknet, knit together,
168/6020.
knowlychynge, n. knowledge, 125/
4766, 188/5259, 171/6540.
knyhtly, adv. in a knightly manner,
4/129.
komerous, adj. cumbersome, 208/
7412.
konne, vb. know, 121/4605 ; pres.
sg. 2. canst, 141/5399 ; pres. pi.
214/7675. See kan.
konnyng, n. knowledge, skill, cun-
ning, 72/2702, 143/5461,168/6015.
konnyngherys, n. rabbit warrens,
472/17628.
koude, kowde, vb. could, sg. 136/
5188, 172/6546; pi. 186/5147,
165/6286 ; knew, understood, 150/
5711, 287/10463.
kouthe, adj. known, 330/1 2 109.
kroket, n. hook, crook, 461/17205.
See crochet.
knsshewys, n. armour for the legs,
225/8o85.
708
Glossary.
kydes, n. goats, wicked folk, 3/
99-
kynd, kynde, n. Nature, 2/52, 95/
3593, 102/3859, 191/7092.
kyridely, adj. natural, 547/2O5U.
kythe, lib. make known, 48/1798,
287/10471.
lace, n. cord, 8/269. See las.
ladde, vb. pret. led, sg. 164/6236;
pi. 140/5350. See hit.
lade, pp. laden, 20/729.
lak, n. need, fault, 79/2964, 647/
24145; gift, offering(?), 389/
14393 ; reproach, 396/14633.
lappe. 11. border, hem, 493/18468.
large; At large, free, 332/I22OO.
large, adv. liberally, 106/3984.
largesse, n. liberality, bounty, 119/
4523,121/4614,186/5174.
las, n. lace, line, pi. laas, 610/19100,
614/19278.
lasse, adj. less, smaller, 106/4019,
176/6718, etc.
last, pp. lasted; ta last, to have
lasted, 28/1050.
lasyngrye, n. flattery, 477/17830.
See losengerye.
lat, vb. pres. leads, 177/6762. See
ladde.
laude, n. praise, 291/io62i, 292/
10647.
launche, vb. lance, 490/18357.
laurer. n. laurel, 210/7485, 7495,
220/7896.
lavendere, n. laundress, 110/4151.
lavlyhede, n. lowliness, humility,
222/7995.
lawhe, lawhen, vb. laugh, 282/IO3OI,
869/13616; imper. 209/747 ' ', pret.
lowh, 467/17426.
lawynge, adj. laughing, 620/19484.
leche, n. doctor, 71/2665, 288/8398;
pi. lechys, 71/2666.
lede, vb. take, carry, 116/4374, 231/
8304.
leeff, leff, willing, dear, 90/3369,
258/9371 ; for leff or loth, 52/
1942.
lefft, vb. imp. lift, 189/5318, 164/
6241 ; pres. sg. 1. leffte, 22/8o2.
lefful, adj. lawful, 451/1 6804.
leggest, vb. pres. 2. allegest, 63 1/
23559-
lek, n. leek, 111/4198.
lemerys, n. limehounds, hounds led
in a leash, 672/21444.
longer, adj. comp. longer, 88/3327,
202/7222, etc.
lent, adj. slow, 666/24446.
lenton, n. Spring, Lent, 616/23055.
lere, ub.tell, 20/758; speak, tell, 190/
7040 ; learn, 75/2792, 81/3019,
94/3538, 111/4191, etc.; imp.
lere, 209/7473.
les, n. leash of hounds (three dogs in
one leash was the usual number),
571/21424.
lese, vb. to lose, 131/soi i, 286/8499;
pres. sg. leseth, 104/3928, 241/
8717 ; pp. lorn, 278/9936.
lestene, vb. to listen, hear, 216/7746,
414/15379.
lesyng, n. losing, 106/3968.
lesyrig, n. lying, 266/9265.
lete, rb. cease, leave, relinquish,
278/10135, 299/10946.
lette, vb. delay, hinder, 166/6309,
208/7240, 230/8292 ; imp. let,
delay, 288/3401 ; pres. sg. lettyth,
88/31 15 ; pi-et. sg. 106/4027 ; pret.
sg. 2. lettyst, didst delay or
abstain, 112/4234 ; pp. ylet, 337/
12402; pp. let, 266/9664; imp.
letteth, 289/10544-
letter, after the, adv. literally, 4/145.
lettrure, n. literature, learning, 184/
7031, 560/2 1010.
lettuaryes, n. electuaries, 648/24209.
lettynges, n. hindrances, 885/12324.
leue, vb. believe, 181/6925.
leuere. adv. rather, 868/13176, 468/
17465.
levene, n. lightning, 842/12569, 385/
14229.
levyn, leva, vb. believe, 464/17337,
17339-
levys, n. leaves, 92/3478.
lewk, adj. tepid, 686/21907.
ley to here, vb. imp. pay attention,
137/5212.
leyd, pp. alleged, set, 154/5885.
leyn, vb". lay, leyn the bordys, lay
the table for a meal, 69/2224 !
made it leyn vp, caused it to be
laid up, 142/5410.
leyser, n. leisure, 97/3656 ; by
leyser, at leisure, 98/3495, 136/
5I75-
longeth, vb. pres. sg. belongs, 168/
Glossary.
709
6411, 171/6512; pres. pi. longen,
101/3797; pret. sg. longede, 16(>/
6339; appertained,172/655i; sub.
pres. longe, 170/6498.
loodmanage, n. pilotage, 374/13801.
lore, n. teaching, 159/6049, 213/
7613-
loone, n. loan, 476/17738.
loos, n. praise, 882/14114.
lorn, pp. lost, 193/7137, 273/9936.
losengars, n. flatterers, 485/i8l6l.
losengerye, n. flattery, 699/22432.
loth, adj. unwilling, 62/1942, 90/
3369; hateful, 164/626i, 656/
24509.
loute, vb. bend down, 20/731.
lowh, vb. pret. laughed, 467/17426.
louyd, pp. loved, 107/4042.
lust, n. pleasure, desire, 78/2917,
180/6870, 240/866, etc.
lust, vb. pret. pleased, desired, AS
0,533/19962.
lustyhede, n. delight, 218/7799.
lycence, n. leave, 43/i6l2.
lych, lyche, lyk, conj. 14/508, 26/
961, 86/1350, 47/1759; prep. 2/
61 ; conj. or prep. 2/47, 17/628,
73/2744, etc.
lydene, n. speech, language, 36/
1340.
lye, n. solution, 588/21855.
lyfflode, n. livelihood, 594/22239.
lyffree, n. livery, 98/3491.
lytt,pp. left, 89/3335.
lygge, vb. pres. sg. 1. lie, 118/4491;
pres. sg. 3. lyth, 161/5766; pres.
pi. lyggen, 124/4707; pr.p. lyg-
gynge, 204/7277, 218/7798.
lyk. See lych.
lykerousnesse, n. gluttony, 347/
12796, 354/13039.
lyketh, vb. pres. sg. lyketh me, it
pleases me, 108/3892 ; pret. sg.
me lykede, it pleased me, 228/
8200.
lyn, vb. lie, 268/9542.
lyne, adj. linen, 87/1400.
lyne, n. line ; lyne right, in a straight
line, 62/2311.
lyppart, n. leopard, 888/14154.
lyst, vb. imp. desire, 68/2532, 72/
2671 ; pres. pleases, 81/3019, 86/
3217 ; pres. pi. please, desire, 82/
3086 ; pres. subj. 72/2671, 241/
8720.
lyst, conj. lest, for fear, 69/2229,
114/4337, etc.
lystres, n. lectors, lawyers, 69/2196.
lyte, n. ? , 846/12727.
lyte, little, 107/4043, 166/6273, 205/
7300, etc.
lyth. See ligge.
lyvelode, n. livelihood, 479/17915.
Maas, n. mace, 211/7533.
mad, vb. pret. made, 186/5181, 181/
6913; pp. makyd, 112/4258.
magnyfycence, n. power of doing
great things, 148/5471.
make, vb. cause, 81/3024 ; pret. sg.
made, caused, 105/3981.
makerel, n. procuress, 866/13478.
makyng, n. writing poetry, 6/149;
composition, 6/165.
maister. /S'ee mayster.
malencolye, -n. melancholy, 103/
3906.
malencolyous, adj. melancholy, 97
mallade, adj. ill, 696/22336.
maluesyn, n. malmsey wine, 250/
9047, 348/12831.
malys, n. malice, 99/3733, 180/6890.
manace, n. menace, 219/7860; pi.
manacys, 2/65.
maner, n. kind of, 77/288 1, 80/2988,
etc.
manhys, n. gen. man's, 71/2667,
140/5363, etc.
manly, adv. boldly, 60/1885.
mansioun, n. dwelling, habitation,
47/1751, 66/2077, etc.
mardrerys, n. murderers, 204/7277.
margaryte, n. pearl, 178/6793, 237/
8545'
marke, vb. pres. sign, 182/5028.
marke, vb. go, sail, 687/21993.
marmoset, n. an image, a grotesque
figure, 559/20954. See Note.
martews, n. a game, 234/8433. See
Note.
mary, n. marrow, 649/24216.
maryue, vb. me arrive, 270/g8o2.
rnasaylle, vb. assail me, 167/6366.
masown, n. builder, 9/326.
masownry, n. building, 28/859.
massager, n. messenger, 170/6462,
171/6526; pi. massagerys, 169/
6452; messagerys, 171/6507.
massages, n. messages, 169/6458.
710
Glossary.
maunde, n. 121/4613. See Note,
maundement, n. command, 289/
i°535-
mawgre, in spite of, 279/IOI7/, 297/
10847.
mawmet, n. Mahomet, idol, 461/
17206.
mayster, maister, n. master, 108/
4107, 150/5726, 162/6154, etc.
maystresse, n. mistress, 91/3437,
94/3786, 104/3926, 118/4475, etc.
maystry, maystrye, mystrye, n.
mastery, 95/3580, 219/7852, 221/
7921 ; pi. maystryes, 90/3380,
234/8426.
mede, n. reward, 150/5715, 217/
7776, 7792-
medle, vb. mingle, 44/1643.
medwe, n. meadow, 92/3457.
medyacion, n. 447/1 6668. See Note.
meke, vb. humble, 162/6171.
mekerye, mokerye, n. mockery, pre-
tence, 49/1834, 146/5571.
melle, n. mill, 142/5422, 290/io6oo.
membrys, n. limbs, disciples, fol-
lowers, 12/422, 427.
memoyre, n. memory, 288/10309.
mencyoun, n. memory, 288/8607.
fnendycauntys, n. mendicants, beg-
ging Friars, 15/541.
mene, n. medium, mediator, inter-
mediary, 88/3120, 128/4867, 193/
7145, 7148; 2)1. menys, means,
141/5391.
mene, adj. middle, 824/11876, 659/
24631.
menstre, n. minster, cathedral, 146/
5568.
menynge, n. intention, 513/19231.
mercerye, n. merchandise, 663/
21124.
mercyable, adj. merciful, 488/16302.
merellys, merels, n. nine men's
inorrice, 806/11192, 492/18427.
See Note.
merkede, vb. pret. marked, 68/1995.
merour, merrour, morour, myrour,
n. mirror, 157/5990, 176/6699,
6709, 191/7085, etc.
mervayl, merveil, merveyl, mer-
ueylle, n. marvel, wonder, 106/
4016, 146/5596, 166/6279, 167/
6376 ; pi. merveilles, 148/5644.
merveille, merveylle, vb. wonder,
marvel, 185/5162, 178/6586.
merveillous, merveyllous, adj. mar-
vellous, 87/3259, 160/6i 12, 206/
7361, etc.
meschaunce, n. mischance, misfor-
tune, 127/4857 ; injury, 215/7677 ;
pi. meschauncys, 204/7276.
mescheff, n. mischief, misfortune,
126/7150, 206/7357, 2^9/8229; &•
meschevys, 214/7640.
meselry, n. leprosy, 66/7440.
mesour, n. measurement, 98/3698.
mesour, mesure, n. moderation, 43/
1598,215/7708; by mesure, with
deliberation, 97/3637.
messagerys. See massager.
mesurable, adj. moderate, 396/
14663.
met, pp. measured, 98/3698.
rneue, mevyn, vb. move, 187/5244,
267/97io; pp. mevyd, 806/11215 !
pret. ineuede, 886/12334.
mevyng, n. movement, 96/3387, 101/
3795 ; pi. meuynges, 88/3102.
meyne, meynee, n. retinue, house-
hold, 78/2919, 211/7523, etc.
meynt, pp. mingled, 1/24, 2/48, 127/
4828.
misericorde, n. mercy, 529/19815.
mo, adv. more, 116/4354, 162/6190,
173/6597, etc.
moder, modre, n. mother, 108/391 1,
128/4671 ; gen. modern, 237/
8544.
mokadour, n. bib or handkerchief,
349/12853. See Note.
mokerye. See mekerye.
mollefye, vb. soften, 288/3399.
monstruous, montruows, adj. mons-
trous, deformed, 166/6269, 242/
8742.
moosy-heryd, adj. covered with hair
like down, 371/13704.
moralyte, n. moral, 8/85, 4/136, 42/
1579.
mormall, n. a cancer, gangrene or
sore, 486/18142.
morour. See merour.
mortal, adj. death-causing, deadly,
10/368, 11/407,226/8130.
mortrews, n. stews or broth, 413/
15352. See Note.
moste, adj. greatest, 249/8995.
mostest, vb.pres. sg. 2. must, 20/750.
See mot.
mot, vb. pres. sg. 1. 112/4260; pres.
Glossary.
711
sg. 2. mostest, 20/750; pres. sg. 3.
mot, mote, 86/3200, 104/3930, 1 12/
4241, 155/5906, etc.; pres.pl. 2.
mot, 68/2527; pres. pi. 3. mvt,
291/10624 ; imper. sg. 2. mote, 69/
2574 ; imper.pl. 2. mot, 111/4202.
motet, n. a musical composition, 386/
14272.
mowh, vb.pres. sg. 1. may, 146/5584 ;
pr. pi. mowe, 72/2684.
mowhes, n. grimaces, 301/1 1001.
mowlyd, pp. made mouldy, 477/
17836.
mowstre, n. show, 246/8892.
mowyng, n. grimacing, 408/14939.
mussellys, mosselles, n. morsels
(O.Fr. morceaulx), 350/12906,
412/15305.
musys, n. music, 887/14304.
mutacion, n. change, 87/3280, 94/
3542, 103/3888.
mvt, 291/10624. See mot.
myche, adv. much, 120/4557, 130/
4964, 1.35/5164; myche thyng,
many things, or a great thing,
153/5837.
myd,prep. between, 114/4317 ; myd
off, amidst, 128/4680.
mynde, n. memory, 286/8519, 238/
8581.
myne, vb. consume, prey upon, 113/
4282, 323/U872, 421/15650.
mynystracyoun, n. administration,
39/1488.
mynystre, 1)6. pres. pi. administer,
apply, 41/1540.
myrke, adj. dark, 362/13342.
mys, adj. amiss, 71/2639; astray,
192/7109.
mystrye. See maystrye.
nadde, vb. pret. had it not, 97/3667.
namel, n. enamel, 175/6686, 458/
17095.
namly, adv. especially, 66/2418.
napry, n. table cloths, 69/2225.
nart (ne art), vb. pres. 2. art not,
529/i98i6.
narwh, adj. narrow, 459/17143.
nase, n. nose, 216/7681. See noose,
nauffragus, pp. ship-wrecked, 587/
21988.
neclygence, n. negligence, 180/4939,
153/5831.
neclygent, adj. negligent, 144/5509.
neihebour. See neyhbour.
nere (ne were), vb. pret. were not,
529/I98i4.
nerff, n. nerve, sinew, 11/397.
nesshe, vb. make tender, 44/163.
nesshe, adj. soft, 108/4073, 4106,
109/41 10.
neuer a del, neuere a del, neuer a
dele, not at all, by no means, 62/
2318, 68/2372, 70/2615, etc.
nevene,i*.name, 115/4361, 128/4887.
neye, vb. approach, 68/2359.
neyhbour, neihebour, neyhebour, n.
neighbour, 130/4972, 182/5014.
217/7859, etc. '
neyhen, vb. approach, 188/5079, 142/
5441.
nolde (ne wolde), vb.pret. would not,
629/19821.
none certeyn, n. uncertainty, 646/
24103.
noose, n. nose, 81/1176, 1182. See
nase.
noryce, norysshe, n. nurse, 123/
4681, 250/9051.
not, vb. pres. sg. 1. know not (ne
wot), 95/3566, 271/9850, etc.
nouche, n. an ouch, brooch, 19/688.
nouht, adv. not, 99/3728, 111/4188.
noumbre, n. number, 106/3988, 217/
7782.
noumbryd, pp. numbered, 116/4380.
nouther, prep, neither, 64/2417, 91/
3414, etc.
nownpowere, n. weakness, 520/
19501.
noyous, adj. hurtful, 214/7662, 250/
9060.
nycely, adv. foolishly, 97/3660.
o, card. num. one, 86/3243, 131/4979,
188/6971, etc. See on.
occupye, vb. use, 46/1722 ; hold,
66/2426.
occysion, n. slaughter, 10/373, 400/
14840.
odyble, adj. .hateful, 110/4162, 135/
5129, 253/9146.
off, prep, from, 269/9763.
on, prep, in, 111/4197, 202/7233, etc.
on, card. num. one, 92/3446, 115/
4354, 120/4571, etc.; on by on,
individually 66/2080 ; alway in
on, always in one way, 112/4252.
onys, adv. once, 160/5710, 211/7544.
712
Glossary.
oonyng, n. union, 175/666o.
ope, vb. open, 40/1515.
opposaylle, n. opposition, 286/10397.
oppose, vb. imper. question, 403/
14970.
opposyt, n. opposite side, 61/1911.
or, conj. before, 66/2448, 202/7214,
etc.
ordeyne, vb. appoint, 241/8706.
ordure, u. dirt, filth (Jig. sin), 26/
919, 31/il8o,32/i242.
ornede, adj. horned, 88/3317.
ortigometra, n. corn-crake, or land-
rail, 511/19163.
orysouns, n. prayers, 826/11923.
osey, n. a wine, 348/12831. See
Note.
other, conj. or, 36/1300.
ouer al wher, adv. everywhere,
93/3506.
ouht, n. aught, 97/3649.
oune, adj. own, 222/7962.
outhe, vb. pres. ought, 00/3378.
outher, owther, adj. and conj. either,
66/2471, 101/3812, 217/7795, etc.
outrage, n. insolence, conceit, 97/
3642, 209/7445.
outragous, adj. excessive, 249/9004.
outraunce, n. extremity, 426/15806.
outterly, adv. utterly, 106/3959, 108/
4097.
outward, adv. outside, 27/999.
overgon, vb. surpass, 166/5914.
overthwertyd, pp. crossed, 329/
12078.
owher, adv. wherever, 241/8723.
oynemente, n. anointing, ointment,
40/1513.
paament, n. pavement, 9/330.
pace, vb. RO, pass away, 1/20.
palle, vb. lose spirit, 540/2O2i6.
palmer, n. pilgrim, 2/66.
paner, n. basket, 661/21050.
pans, | wii us, n. pence, 478/17672,
482/18034.
pantener, n. keeper of the pantry,
684/23679.
panter, n. snare, 371/13682 ; pi.
panterys, 406/15035.
papyllardie, n. religious hypocrisy,
377/13921.
parage, n. kindred, 888/14348.
paramentys, n. clothing, 92/3466,
175/6657.
paramour, paramoire, n. lover, 149/
5698, 54/2025.
parcel, n. part, 240/8656.
parcel, adv. partly, 282/8346.
parde, interj. pardieu, 166/6279.
parfyt, adj. perfect, 121/4601, 223/
8012.
parlement, H. talk, conversation,
debate, 40/1491, 106/3977.
parlom, n. plummet, 592/22 166.
parmanable, adj. durable, 629/23467.
portable, adj. capable of1 sharing,
273/9928.
parte, vb. divide, share, 124/4706.
party, n. side, part, 68/2538, 91/
3419, 155/5912, etc.
partyd, pp. divided, distributed,
11/382, 121/46H.
partyng, n. distribution, 106/3990.
parysee, n. a coin (see note, p. 471),
473/17664.
pas, paas, n. pass, crossing, path,
26/931, 288/10331.
passage, n. (a game), 306/11194.
See Note,
passage, n. entrance, 12/434 ; ford,
23/875 I crossing, 44/1658.
passen, passe, vb. pass over, cross,
evade, 24/898, 284/10376.
passioun, n. passion, suffering,
124/4731, 229/8247-
passyngly, adv. surpassingly, 19/
691.
pasteler, n. pastry-cook, 142/5442.
pasture, n. nourishment, food, 140/
5356, 159/6076.
patentes, n. patents, open letters,
647/24142.
patroun, n. pattern, 128/4900.
pavys, n. shields, 204/7264.
pawnys, n. palms, 573/2 1 508. See
Note,
pay, n. pleasure, satisfaction, 62/
2328, 143/5449, 266/9276.
payd, pp. pleased, satisfied, 26/967,
252/9127.
pelwe, n. pillow, 876/13853.
pencellys, n. small flags, 12/436.
pendant, n. hanging end of girdle,
188/7001.
pendant, n. slope, 378/13977.
penyble, adj. painful, 174/6634.
peplys, n. peoples, nations, 2/40,
121/4621.
perch, n. pole, 208/7255.
Glossary.
713
perdurable, adj. everlasting, 237/
8S56.
perse, vb. pierce, penetrate, 609/
22822.
pertinent, adj. belonging, 208/7257.
pea, n. peace, 88/3318, 125/4764.
peyne, n. trouble, endeavour, 116/
4409, 123/4678.
peyntures, n. paintings, 246/8899.
peys. n. weight, 228/822O.
peysen, peyse, vb. weigh, 68/2528,
461/17200.
phane, n. vane, 887/14324.
phetele, n. fiddle, 678/21502.
phonel, n. funnel, 863/12988.
pighte, vb. pret. (ABC), pierced,
533/19953.
platly, adv. plainly, frankly, flatly,
merely, 48/1597, 49/1830, 166/
6343, 247/8937.
platte, plat, n. flat (of a sword), 71/
2668, 72/2685.
plauynge, pres. pi. playing, 19/698.
pleasaunce, n. pleasure, pleasant-
ness, 73/2731, 107/4053, etc.
plete, vb. plead, 127/4846.
pleyn, adj. full, 86/3210, 112/4249.
pleyne, vb. complain, 108/3909,
167/6354; pret. pleynede, 102/
3865.
pleynly, adv. fully, 87/3278.
plye, vb. bend, 221/7922.
•plye, adj. supple, 288/8400.
pocessede, vb. to possess, 29/1091.
See possede.
pocessyowner, n. possessor, 47/1773.
pocok, n. peacock, 887/14326.
podagre, with gout in the feet,
478/17863.
poitevyneresse, n. (see note, p. 471)
471/17612.
pomel, poomel, TO. pummel, boss,
knob, 176/6698; 193/7U6, 494/
18519; pi. pomellys, 193/7i62.
pontifex, n. bridge-maker (fig-
priest), 46/1740.
pook, n. sack, 249/12856.
poopet, n. doll, baby, 817/11635.
popping, n. softening or painting,
868/13374. ' Pappen, to make
soft.' — Stratmann.
porayle, TO. poor people, 600/22472.
porrect, pp. extended, 448/16709.
port, n. behaviour, carriage, 36/
1363, 107/4043, 218/7800.
pose, vb. put a parallel case, 31/
1175.
possede, vb. possess, 1/7, 79/2971.
potent, n. power, 268/9177.
potente, n. tipped staff, 461/17211.
pours, TO. purse, 234/8445.
povre, adj. poor, 219/7846.
powerte, n. poverty, 131/5004.
pows, n. pulse (O.Fr. pong), 272/
9877.
powstee, pouste, n. ability, 78/2920,
430/15988,498/18658.
poytevyn, n. a coin (value i
farthing), 471/17614.
practykes, n. practices, 269/9384.
preff, n. case, proof, 186/5157, 137/
5215, 156/5932.
prelacye, n. spiritual government,
44/i66i, 46/1728.
prent, n. print, 260/9411.
prentys, n. apprentice, pupil, 150/
5728, 5737.
pres, TO. crowd, 106/3997 ; putte
in pres, trouble myself, 91/3433,
188/5055, 227/8i66.
preven, preue, vb. prove, 146/5565,
148/5665, 246/8913; pret. sg.
preveth, 101/3826 ; pp. prevyd,
154/5886.
procelle, n. tempest, 466/16995.
processionerys, n. mistake for
pocessionerys, 479/17914. See
Note,
procuraeioun, n. power of attorney,
668/24576.
procuratoure, n. deputy, 611/22890.
profyte, vb. provide, 62/2337, 63/
2366.
proinyssioun, n. promise, 687/23800.
prouyned, pp. pruned, 7/244.
provynours, n. propagators, 8/277.
prowh, prow, n. advantage, 20/753,
218/7623, 367/13558.
prykke, n. spiked point, 42/1587,
48/1617.
prykyng, pr. p. tormenting, 206/
pryme, TO. the first quarter of the
artificial day, 6 A.M. to 9, 111/
4216, 59/2231.
pryme fface, prime face, n. first
sight, 209/7453, 279/10173.
pryme temps, TO. Spring, 92/3455.
prys, TO. praise, estimation, 84/3149,
107/4049 ; prize, 289/8638.
714
Glossary.
pryve, vb. 32/ii88. See preven.
pryvyte, n. mystery, secret, 165/
6287 ; secrecy, 169/6456.
puissaunce, n. power, 211/7537,
239/8619.
punycyoun, «,. punishment, 175/
6680.
purchace, vb. procure, 112/4231.
purpos, to purpos, for instance,
69/2561, 221/7955.
purpoynt, n. a padded garment to
wear under armour, 266/7232,
231/8340.
puruyaunce, n. providence, provi-
sion, 242/8749.
puryd, adj. purified, 142/5417.
pyk, n. pike-staff, 43/1599; point
of staff, 46/1733.
pyled, adj. bald, 371/13703.
pyler, n. pillar, 124/4734.
pynsouns, n. pincers, 426/15827.
pystel, n. epistle, 177/6759.
quarel, n. bolt, 212/7573, 224/8o65,
329/12070.
quarel, quarll, n. quarrel, 150/572O,
224/8o6i.
quek, n. quickboard, 306/11198.
See Note.
queme, vb. comfort, 266/9049.
quethe, vb. bequeath, 126/4794,
127/4829.
queynte, queynt, pp. quenched,
18/483, 238/86o6.
queynte, adj. elegant, knowing,
clever,neat, 303/1 1071, 309/1 1303,
819/II7I3.
queyntyse, n. wisdom, 298/10709.
quite, adv. quit, rid, 484/18109.
quod, vb. pret. said, 62/2325, 155/
5895, etc.
quyk, n. living, 174/6651, 261/9097.
quyke, adj. living, 9/336.
quyt, adj. white, 68/2345.
quyte, vb. requite, 386/12315.
quytte, pp. requited, 600/18724.
racede oute, vb. pret. sg. rooted out,
369/13226.
radd, rad, pp. read, 127/4859, 132/
5031-
rafft, n. beam, 046/20411.
raffle, vb. pret. deprived, 616/19316.
raft, pp. deprived, 229/8235.
rage, adj. angry, 78/2735, 439/16367.
rakel, adj. rash, hasty, 98/3496.
rape, n. haste, hurry, 378/13781, 410/
15223.
rathe, adv. early, soon, lately, 25/
946, 170/6473-
rathest, adv. soonest, l/i8, 524/
19659.
rauhte, vb. pret. reached, handed,
fetched, 160/5734, 184/7019.
raunsoun, n. ransom, 127/4829, 207/
7387.
ray, n. striped cloth, 814/11503;
pi. rayes, 881/14082. Kaye,
from Lat. radnts, Fr. rate, a
stripe. The name was commonly
applied to striped cloth. Lydgate
in ' London Lyckpeny ' speaks of
" a long gown of raye." See Note,
rebateth, vb. pres. sg. beats down,
278/10120.
rebube, n. violin, 317/1 1620.
rechche, vb. care, 80/3000 ; pr. sg.
recchet, cares, 99/3728 ; pret. •
rouhte, 870/13650.
reche, adj. rich, 19/687, 691.
reconforte, vb. comfort, 178/6778 ;
pr. sg. recounforteth, comforts,
237/8561.
recour, n. recourse, 886/12364.
recure, n. recovery, 281/10255.
recure, rb. get, climb, 1 6/602, 279/
10149.
recure, vb. cure, 68/2556, 124/4717 ;
pp. recuryd, cured, 121/4597.
recure, recuryn, vb. recover, 279/
10152, 886/12344.
.red, n. advice, counsel, 108/3883,
118/4485.
red, rede, adj. reed, 684/19994,
642/20315.
rede, vb. advise, 191/7079, 210/7503.
refreyne, vb. bridle, restrain, 202/
7208, 216/7736.
refuse, vb. reject, 119/4534.
refut, n. refuge, 127/4841 , 356/ 1 3 1 37.
regencie, n. rule, government, 219/
7851.
reke, vb. rake, 111/4194.
rekkeles, adj. heedless, 96/3614.
releff, n. residue, remainder, 105/
3982, 121/4598, 133/5076.
religious, n. folk bound by vows,
15/539-
remeue, remewe, remewen, vb.
remove, 90/3376, 117/4446, 167/
Glossary.
715
6350, 257/9318; pr. p. remowyng,
remewynge, 167/6372, 802/11059.
remyssaylles, n. remnants, 451/
16810.
renneth, vb. pr. sg. runs, 98/3712 ;
pr. pi. renne, 109/4125 ; pp. ronne,
109/4133.
renomyd, adj. renowned, 157/5965.
rentyng, n. annual tribute, 69/2591.
repay re, n. resort, 86/1359,! 75/667 5.
replevysslied, pp. replenished, 135/
5141,211/7527.
replicacioun, n. reply, 290/10584.
repman, n. reaper, 286/10420.
repreff, n. reproof, 209/7468.
repreuabie, adj. reprehensible,
166/5929.
repreve, vb. reprove, 98/3691, 152/
5811 ; pp. repreuyed, 168/5836.
rescus, n. rescue, 227/8 1 60.
resembled, pp. compared, 99/3731.
resemblaunce, n. appearance, 143/
5481, 144/5503.
resorte, vb. return, 889/12455, 342/
12606 ; retire, 418/15522.
respyt, n. relief, 206/7334.
reepyt, n. respect, 216/7708.
resseyue, vb. receive, 121/4600.
restreyned, pp. withheld, 86/3221.
retour, n. return, 21/794, 46/1716.
retrussen, vb. repack, 272/9899.
reue, vb. deprive, 294/10748 ; pres.
sg. reueth, 286/8494.
reward, n. notice, regard, glance,
27/1000, 91/3430, 106/4003, 70/
2608, 266/9666.
rewarde, vb. regard, look at, 21/
791, 243/8794.
rewme, n. kingdom, 78/2743, 238/
8579 ; pi. rewmys, 435/i62ii.
reynys, n. loins, 262/7207.
romney, n. a wine, 848/12830.
See Note.
ronnge, vb. gnaw, nibble, 404/1 5010.
roo, n. roe, 226/8099.
rooff, vb. pret. sg. tore, broke,
109/4II8, 403/14944.
roote, adj. rotten, 898/14547.
rouhte. See rechche.
rowe, vb. swim, 570/21359-
rowe, adv. roughly, 888/14157.
rowh, adj. rough, 460/17 '68.
rowne, vb. whisper, 606/18934.
royne, vb. pare, clip, 471/17600.
rudnesse, n. want of skill, rough-
PILGRIMAGE.
ness, rough handling, 6/169, 40/
1521, 41/1525.
rychesse, n. riches, richness, 19/706,
131/5004.
ryff, adj. openly known, 876/13839,
390/14453.
rygour, n. severity, 43/i6i6, 1627.
ryhtwysnesse, ryghtwysnesse, n.
righteousness, 119/4542, 218/
7836, 221/7918.
rympled,pp. wrinkled, 862/13336.
rypyng, n. ripening, 84/1269.
ryve, vb. burst, break, 137/5233.
ryvelede, adj. wrinkled, 872/13719 ;
pp. ryvelyd, 462/17237.
ryvelys, n. wrinkles, 868/13376.
ryytys, n. rites, 86/3250.
sad, sadde, adj. grave, sober,
discreet, 107/4043, 135/5 1 53>
250/9066.
sadnesse, n. steadiness, 806/11177.
salue, n. ointment, 3/68, 68/2551.
salue, vb. salute, 146/5542, 316/
11578; pret. sg. saluede, 316/
11579.
sanz per, without equal, 881/14087.
sarmoun, n. sermon, 64/2388, 141/
5385, etc.
sauff-conduite, n. safe-conduct, 4/
112.
sauffly, prep, except, 803/11095.
saue, vb. cure or anoint, salve, 216/
7719 ; pres. sg. saueth, 287/8564.
savacioun, »i. salvation, 108/3904,
215/7691, etc.
saw, n. (a prophet's) saying, 42/
1567.
sawdyours, sowdyours, n. soldiers,
430/15989, 479/17898.
sawle, sawlee, n. satisfaction (of
appetite), fill, 70/2607; 164/5874,
162/6178.
sawter, n. Psalter, 9/332,466/17017.
sawtrye, n. psaltery, 612/22945-
sawtys, n. salts, 420/15632.
sawyng, n. sowing, 206/7350.
saylling, n. assault, 648/24206.
scalys, n. ladders, 16/566.
sche, pron. she, 169/6435.
schent. See shent.
schrowude, vb. shroud, 264/9588.
schulye, vb. subj. should, 490/18362.
scolys, n. schools, 118/4475. See
skole.
716
Glossary.
scyenoe, n. knowledge, 72/2697.
se, n. seat, 60/2250, 568/20919.
secre, adj. secret, 107/4056, 203/
7251, etc.
secrely, adv. secretly, 152/5782,
168/6215.
seke, adj. sick, 124/4707.
selde, adv. seldom, 268/9347.
semblable, adj. similar, 82/3062,
102/3868, 266/9653.
semest, vb. pres. sg. thinkest, 153/
5835 ; pret. sempte, seemed, 87/
3267, 136/5i87.
sen, vb. see, 88/3306, 127/4824, 166/
6318 ; pres. sg. 2. sestow, seest
tliou, 68/2350, 73/2739; pres. sg.
3. seth, 168/6467 ; pres. pi. sen,
67/2511 ; pres. subj. seye, 149/
5704, 104/3924; pret. saugh, 640/
23908; pp. seyri, 101/3809, etc.
sentement, n. in sentemente, in
effect, 30/JJ32, 167/6357.
sentence, n. meaning, decision,
opinion, 140/533$, 166/5894, 157/
5968 ; in sentence, in effect, 47/
1761, 88/3109, 146/5622.
senys, n. synods, 181/6892.
sermon, n. discourse, 11/403.
setyn, vb. pret. pi. sat, 121/4612.
seuerel, adj. private, separate, 63/
2352.
seueryd, pp. separated, distin-
guished, 54/2032.
sewen, vb. follow, 318/1 1661.
seyne, seyn, vb. say, 72/2701, 86/
3203, 168/6027 ; pres. sg. 1. seyn,
98/3700 ; pres. sg. 2. seyst, 157/
5975 ; pr. p. seyng, 183/7oo8.
seynt, adj. singed, 371/13703.
seyritys, n. saints, 175/666i, 179/
6827.
seyyng, seyng, n. seeing, 244/88o8,
267/9697.
shallys. n. shells, conches, trumpets,
887/14305.
sharpe, n. edge (of sword), 71/2635,
72/2686.
shede, vb. pour, shed, 110/4177;
pret. shadde, 140/5349 ; pp. shad,
84/3164.
sheldys, n. shields, 224/8038, 8049.
shene, adj. bright, fair, 101/3832,
237/8547, etc.
shent, pp. destroyed, 81/3036, 102/
3841.
shepe, n. ship, 23/876.
sherd, n. shard, 111/4199; pi.
sherdys, 111/4197.
shern, vb. shear, 68/2167.
sherpe, shyrpe, shryppe, skryppe,
n. pilgrim's scrip, wallet or pouch,
17/612, 163/6220, 6225, 172/6575,
231/8319, etc.
shette, shit, vb. shut, 73/2746, 82/
3084, 479/17922; pp. shet, I46/
5588, 162/5782.
shetyn, shetyng, pr. p. shooting,
306/1 1 191, 329/12071.
shewellys, n. scarecrow, 876/13889.
shope, shop, vb. pret. prepared, 86/
3237, 460/17175.
shour, n. shower, 92/3476, 214/
7673.
shrewdnesse, n. wickedness, corrup-
tion, 240/8656.
shrewede, shrewde, adj. shrewish,
malicious, cursed, 214/7674, 563/
21126.
shryppe. See sherpe.
shust, vb. pres. 2. shouldest, 179/
6824.
shyrpe. See sherpe.
siyyng, pr. p. complaining, 36/
1341.
skallyd, adj. scalled, scabbed, 396/
14676.
skape, i)6. escape, 226/8ii2.
skarmussh, n. skirmish, 218/7832.
skauberk, skawberk, n. scabbard,
76/2845, 81/3025, 222/7972, etc.
skole, n. school, 77/2873. See scolys.
skouren, vb. scourge (Lat. excoriare),
106/4011.
skryppe. See sherpe.
skryppen, vb. pres. pi. put on the
pilgrim's scrip, 171/6515.
skryveyn, n. scrivener, scribe, 359/
13226,860/13278.
skyes, n. clouds, 802/11032.
skyle, skyl, skylle, n. reason, 54/
2022, 105/3975, 168/6023, 227/
8175, etc.
skylfiil, adj. reasonable, 28/1030.
slayt, n. contrivance, 488/18078.
slen, vb- slay, 889/12472 ; pres. sg.
sleth, 215/7712, 288/8594; prus.
subj. sle, 339/12489; pp. yslawe,
548/20542.
sleythe, n. sleight, deceit, 48/1815,
286/8473.
Glossary.
717
sloos, n. sloughs, bogs, 868/13597.
sloiithe, TO. sloth, 114/4340.
slowh, vb. pret. sg. slew, 92/3481.
slyde, vb. slip, l/i8.
slydre, vb. slide, slip, 193/7 161 ',
pres. siibj.pl. slydre, 192/7119.
sinerte, adj. painful, bitter, 109/
4132, H9/4533-
smerte, vb. smart, 214/7667.
smet, vb. pret. sg. 1. smote, 109/
4109.
socour, n. help, 101/3811, 192/7 u 8.
sodeyn, adj. sudden, 226/8m.
sodeynly, adv. suddenly, 82/3092.
soffte, adj. gentle, 41/1552.
soffte, adv. softly, gently, 40/1519,
1524.
soget, sogett, n. subject, 79/2954,
81/3027 ; pi. sogectys, sogettys,
sogetys, 66/2484, 71/2656, 219/
7854.
soiour, 71. sojourn, stay, 2/42, 256/
9292.
soiourned, pp. stayed, sojourned,
166/5936.
soin del, adv. somewhat, 77/2871.
somor, n. packhorse, 280/8300, 231/
8334, 241/8706 ; pi. somerys, 246/
8906.
sond, TO. sund, 277/10093 i &• sondys,
278/10107.
sonde, n. sending, visitation, 435/
16190.
sool, adv. sole, alone, 7/255, 369/
13613-
soor, n. sore, 40/1519, 68/2557.
soote, adv. sweetly, 92/3459.
soote, adj. sweet, 261/9461.
sore, adv. closely, 74/2759, 243/
8797-
sorwe, vb. sorrow, 108/4076.
sorwen, sorwe, TO. sorrow, 96/3604,
109/4134, etc.
sotel, 102/3871. See sotyl.
soth, n. truth, 77/2885, 89/3347, etc.
sothfastly, adv. truly, 212/7570.
sothfustriesse, n. truth, 110/4159,
203/7247-
Bothly, adv. truly, 61/2290, 157/
5967.
sothnesse, n. truth, 100/3765, 168/
6389 ; in sothenesse, earnestly,
119/4518.
sottyd, pp. besotted, 97/3650.
sotyl, sotyle, sotylle, adj. subtle,
fine, 143/5455, 149/5674, 151/
5751-
sotylly, adv. subtly, 143/5479, 144/
55'4-
sotyllyte, TO. subtlety, cleverness,
143/5473-
soundyd, pp. cured, 41/1550.
souper, TO. supper, 121/4609.
souple, adj. supple, 108/4073.
sout, pp. sought, 151/5754.
sowbpowaylle, sowpewaille, vb.
pres. support (cf. suppowelle, D.
Arth. 2815), 99/3740, 661/24312.
sowcelerere, TO. undercellarer, 594/
22237.
sowe, pp. sown, 141/5394.
sowketh, vb. pres. sucketh, 470/
17560.
sown, n. sound, 181/6923, 182/6958.
sownde, vb. cure, 68/2551.
sowne, vb. sound, 896/14691 ; subj.
pres. sg. 188/6982.
sownynge, n. sounding, ringing,
182/6954.
sowpewaille, n. support, 661/24312.
speed, sped, TO. success, 139/53 16,
162/6157.
spence, TO. provision-room, 615/
23026.
spere, n. sphere, 102/3843, 264/
9586.
splayng, splayynge, pres. pi. spread-
ing, stretching, 19/697, 495/18522.
spores, n. spurs, 879/13993.
sprad, vb. pret. sg. shed, 286/8521.
spreynt, pp. sprinkled, 173/&592,
178/6786.
squyre, TO. square, 129/4906, 4907.
stablete, TO. stability, 62/1934.
stant, stent, vb. pres. sg. stands, 83/
3124, 130/4956, 179/6835; pres.
sfj. 1. stonde, 116/4407; pres. sg.
3. stoudeth, 98/3687 ; pres. pi.
stonden, 90/3368.
stelleffyed, pp. made like a star,
603/18835 ; set with stars, 565/
2 u 74. See Note,
stelthe, TO. loot, 359/13252.
sterne, adj. strong, 2/55.
sterue, vb. die, 416/15438; pret.
starff, 3/98.
steryd, pp. stirred, 9/315.
stonde, stonden, stondeth. See
stant.
stondyng, TO. standing, 120/4575.
718
Glossary.
stonken, pp. stung, pierced, 655/
24478.
stoor, n. store, 287/8563.
stoupaille, n. stoppage (Fr. estoupail,
bouchon), 646/24110.
stowndemel, stoundemel, adv. mo-
ment by moment, l/io, 612/19179.
strawh, n. straw, 49/1837.
streiht, streilite, streith, adj. narrow,
difficult, 10/366, 131/5007, 208/
74I3-
streilitnesse, n. narrowness, 131/
5°°3-
strengere, adj. stronger, 229/826o.
streyhtly, adv. closely, 140/5347,
318/11640.
streyne, vb. restrain, distress, press
hardly, 202/7207,436/16248; pres.
sg. streynetli, constrains, 229/
8257; pp. streyned, 202/7234.
strowh, n. straw, 34/1278.
styh, styth, n. anvil, 206/7297, 209/
7478, 300/10973-
stynte, vb. stop, 892/14521 ; pret.
sg. ceased, 147/5624.
subieccion, n. subjection, 28/1031,
82/3076.
subvencions, n. rates, 49/i8i8.
sue, swe, swen, vb. follow, 126/4767,
148/5661, 266/9285, 328/12040;
pr. p. suyng, 248/8763; pp.
sewyd, 593/22226.
suerne, vb. swear, 62/1964.
suffraunce, n. suffering, 127/4824,
207/7384, 210/7486, etc.
suffysaunce, n. sufficiency, 68/2003,
135/5140, 230/8286, etc.
suffysen, suffyse, vb. suffice, 90/3378,
186/5206, 161/61 17; pret.sg.suSy-
sede, 180/6864.
suit, n. pursuit, 880/14057, 404/
14987.
sur, adj. safe, sure, 26/949, 211/7553.
surance, n. assurance, 626/23359.
surcote, n. over-dress, 18/682.
surete, n. safety, 206/7314.
surgyens, n. surgeons, 41/1535.
surmounte, vb. subj. pres. sg. over-
come, exceed, 46/1715.
surples, n. surplus, excess, 6/156.
surplusage, n. excess, 209/7446.
surquedy, n. arrogance, 80/2988,
102/3857, 299/10912.
suryd, pp. assured, made safe, 217/
4432-
sut, n. suit, 127/4842.
suying. See sue.
swen, 64/2389. See sue.
swerd, n. sword, 218/7609, 222/7982,
etc.
sweygh, swegh, n. movement, 333/
12234, 335/12296.
swolwh, n. whirlpool, 488/16293,
468/17499.
gwowne, vb. swoon, 126/4816.
swych, such, 74/2785, 127/4834, etc.
swyd, adj. 860/12882. (Stowe has
'swete.')
swynge, vb. imp. strike, 114/4316.
swynke, vb. toil, 277/10074.
syde, No syde, anywhere, 269/
9786.
syker, surely, 161/6129, 166/6266,
etc.
sykerly, surely, 70/2633 ; securely,
286/8452.
sykernesse, n. security, 184/7009,
216/7693.
sylue, adj. same, 90/3396.
syluen, sylue, n. self, 262/7225, 217/
7762.
syiuleresis, 180/4962. See Note,
synguler, adj. single, private,
unique, 68/2348, 882/14138.
synwes, n. sinews, 288/8399.
syt, vb. pres. sg. sits, 128/4890, 211/
7548.
syt, Nat ne syt, it is not suitable,
151/5745-
sytb, n. sight, 44/1663, 70/2629.
sytbe, sytb, prep, since, 62/2315,
102/3850, etc.
sythe, n. time, 111/4218; pi. sythes,
126/4816; sythe go ful long, a
very long time ago, 64/2391.
syttyng, syttynge, adj. fit, suitable,
becoming, 88/1250, 114/4322,
209/7451.
syyng, n. sight, seeing, 229/8235.
ta, to a, 75/2819.
tabellyoun, tabellioun, n. scrivener,
132/5020, 5027.
tabler, n. chess- or draught-board,
468/17272.
tablettys, n. tablets, 260/9035.
taboureth, vb. pres. sg. drums, 387/
I43H-
tadwellyd, vb. to have dwelt, 260/
9422.
Glossary.
719
tafforce, taforoe, vb. to strengthen,
178/68oo, 217/7769.
take, vb. commit, give, 126/4743 !
pres. sg. 1. give, 127/4834; pret.
took, 405/15022 ; pp. taken, take,
given, committed, 80/2995, 127/
4933 ; take, taken, 174/6636 ;
tak, imper. 244/88l4-
taknyht, to a knight, 282/8361.
tal, talle, to all, 198/7149, 204/7266.
tale, n. telle of hem but lytel tale,
take but little account of them,
689/22052.
talent, n. appetite, desire, 76/2805,
86/3246, 269/9781.
talwh, n. tallow, 486/16217.
talyved, vb. to have lived, 27/1019.
tamyghty, to a mighty, 47/1766.
tapalle, vb. to cloak, cover, 291/
10616.
taparceyve, vb. to perceive, 165/
6302.
tapese, vb. to appease, 168/6193.
tapoynte, vb. to arrange, 188/6996.
taqnyte, vb. to acquit, to discharge,
107/4041.
tarage, n. kind, nature, quality,
261/9458, 9462. See Note,
targe, re. target, shield, 223/8o22,
228/8215.
taryen, vb. delay, 334/12278.
tashet, vb. to have shut, 148/5465.
tassaye, vb. to try, 262/9502.
tastyd, pp. touched, felt (O.Fr.
taster), 272/9877.
Tav, n. the letter T. The sign of
the Cross, 87/1387, 1406, 330/
12115. See Note,
tavale, vb. to let fall, 110/4171.
tavaunce, vb. to advance, 121/4624.
tave, vb. to have, 162/6169, 218/
7826.
tavoyde, tavoyden, vb. to drive out
or away, to clear away, to avoid,
41/1562, 47/1757, 116/4410, 128/
4866; to free, 206/7304, 218/7625.
taxe, vb. to ask, 269/9392.
taylladges, n. taxes, impositions,
49/l8i9.
teht, n. teeth, 11.8/4274.
tellyn, vb. tell, 141/5382 ; pres. sg.
2. tellys, 182/6935.
telpe, vb. to help, 22/815.
temperalte, n. temporal possessions,
434/16139.
temprure, n. due proportion, 630/
23524.
tenbracen, vb. to bind, clasp, 227/
8154; tenbrasse, to embrace, 183/
6999.
tenchose, vb. to choose out, 47/1758.
tenduren, vb. to endure, continue,
62/1967.
tene, n. vexation, injury, 98/3676,
126/4802 ; pi. tenys, 128/4869.
tene, vb. irritate, 96/3595.
tenoynte, vb. to anoint, 89/1472.
tenquere, vb. to inquire, 77/2865.
teucliyng, prep, concerning, as to,
32/1221.
thampte, n. the ant, 279/10145,
10181.
thamyral, n. the admiral, 438/16103.
than, thanne, conj. then, 111/4211,
180/6853, etc.
thapostel, n. the apostle (Paul),
182/6950 ; gen. pi. thapostolys,
181/6912.
thar, vb. pret. needs, ABC, 530/
19866.
tharinure, n. the armour, 217/7758,
228/8196.
tharneys, n. the armour, 218/7601.
thassaut, n. the assault, 212/7583.
that, conj. lest, 669/24617.
that, pron. that which, what, 1/14,
the, vb. prosper (O.E. {-eon), 310/
11340,324/11893.
then, adv. and conj. than, 88/3307.
thenchesoun, n. the occasion, 297/
10869.
thenpryses, n. the enterprises, 4/
127.
thentryng, n. the entrance, 61/2276.
ther, adv. where, 148/5460, 220/
7899, etc.
ther, as adv. there where, 164/6247,
etc.
ther-to, adv. also, 87/3288.
thewes, n. manners, customs, vir-
tues, 321/H794, 666/21229.
tho, conj. then, 61/2297, 201/7193,
etc.
thoffycyal, n. the officer, 59/22i6,
61/2300.
thouhte me. See thynketh.
throwe, n. space of time, 278/ 10124,
880/14055.
thrust, n. thirst, 68/2355.
720
Glossary.
thrydde, adj. third, 173/66io.
thylke, pron. that, 107/4056, 111/
42 1 5, etc. ; pi. thylke, those, these,
135/5136, 176/6732, 188/6975.
thynketh, vb. pres. it seems, me
thynketh, it seems to me, 164/
6260, 167/6367 ; pret. thouhte
me, it seemed to me, 106/3987.
thys, pron. these, 118/4474, 156/
5958 ; this is, that is, 72/27OI,
81/3053, 140/5359, etc-! there is,
67/2497.
to. prep. 60/1871.
to, n. the one, 520/19481. See
ton.
to, prep, according to, 155/5898.
to-brak, vb. pret. sg. broke to pieces,
108/4103 ; pp. to-brook, 145/
5552.
to-brast, iib.pret.pl. burst in pieces,
516/19362.
to-forn, adv. beforehand, 70/2628,
71/2636 ; to-forn or, before, 78/
2902 ; pi. to-for, before, 118/4307.
togydre, adv. together, 109/4138,
168/6020.
tokeyen, vb. 274/9955. Should be
' tobeyen, to obey.'
tokne, vb. pres. pi. betoken, typify,
75/2797 ; pp. tookenyd, 22/809.
tonnen up, vb. to broach a cask,
or to fill a cask ?, 858/12991.
took, tok, vb. pret. sg. gave, 76/2841,
205/7294, 228/8207.
tookne, n. token, 180/4941, 151/
5773 ; pi. tooknys, 129/4928.
toon, ton, n. (the) one, 67/2127,
79/2947, etc.
to-rent, vb. pres. sg. rends in pieces,
215/7715.
tormentrye, n. torture, torment, 10/
368, 174/6628.
tornen, torne, tournen, tourne, vb.
turn, 68/2537, 72/2684, 2690,
2706; pret. sg. 1. tornede, 88/
3296 ; pp. tornyd, 87/3262, 104/
39' 5 ; pr- p. tornyng, 92/3470.
tortyl, n. turtle-dove, 449/16756.
tother, thother, n. (the) other, 67/
2500, 95/3583, etc.
tour, n. tower, 89/3343.
tourneys, n. a coin (see note, p.
71), 473/17664.
towched, pp. divided, ? 597/22356.
See Note.
tractour, n. traitor, 261/9083.
traisoun, n. treason, 261/9086.
travas, n. 480/17973. See Note.
travaylle, vb. pres. subj. pi. labour,
336/12348.
travers wyse, adv. cross-ways, 183/
6999.
trawaylle, n. labour, 345/1 2708.
trayshe, traisshe, vb. betray, 250/
9057, 251/9083.
tregetour, n. juggler, 896/14682,
479/l7897.
tregetrye, n. jugglery, 817/11623.
trentals, n. thirty masses for the
dead, 642/23970.
tretnble, adj. tractable, mild, kind,
41/1552.
treygobet, n. 317/1 1623. See Note.
treyne, n. snare, 227/8153, 235/
trone, n. throne, 60/2251.
trowe, vb. pres. sg. I. believe, trust,
107/4035 ; pres. sg. 2. trowest,
153/5838 ; pr. p. trowynge, 89/
3354, 166/6315.
trnsse, trussen, vb. pack, bind, 231/
8303, 241/8719, 243/8773, 345/
12706.
trussellys, n. bundles, 74/2755.
trustly, adv. truly, 400/14831.
trwauntys, n. truants, 121/4587.
tryacle, n. liniment, 3/68, 216/7719,
418/15338. See Note,
tryed out, pp. tested, 98/3698, 207/
7392-
tryst, n. confidence, 602/22554.
tryst, adj. sad, 18/662, 233/8382.
tuel, n. pipe, tube, 664/20766.
tunshetten, vb. to open, 82/3084 ;
unshette, 82/3088.
turneys, n. turret?, 146/5569. See
Note.
tweyne, adj. two, 142/5424; 148/
5645, etc.; bothe tweyne, both,
163/6208.
twynne, vb. separate, 110/4i66,268/
9742.
twynnyng, n. twining, doubling,
240/8667.
tyssu, n. ribbon, 18/683.
tytles, n. claims, 49/1826.
umbrage, ». shadow, 696/22310.
underfongyn, underfonge, vb. re-
ceive, 120/4548, 125/4756.
Glossary.
721
undermel, n. morning rest, siesta,
250/9044.
undernemen, vb. blame, 98/3691 ;
pr. p. undernemynge, 442/16461.
underspreynt,f>p. underspread, 1/25.
understonde, pp. understood, ISO/
4958.
undyht, adj. disordered, 419/15573.
unfraunchysed, adj. in bondage, 1/4.
ungoodly, adv. wrongly, 106/3952.
unhable, adj. unfit, 133/5075, 134/
5108.
unhese, n. discomfort, 229/8228.
unkonnynge, n. ignorance, 19/719.
unkouth, unkouthe, adj. unknown,
strange, 87/3285, 166/6287, 264/
9575, etc.
unkyndely, adv. unnaturally, 94/
353°-
unleful, adj. unlawful, 391/14497.
unnethe, adv. with difficulty, hardly,
153/5856. See annethe.
unresownable, adj. irrational, 55/
2048.
unshette, vb. open, 82/3088, 173/
6581.
unwar, adv. without warning, I/
10.
unwarly, adv. unawares, 214/7641.
unwemmed, adj. unspotted, ABC,
531/19881.
umvorshepe, n. dishonour, 95/3586,
295/10780.
unwyt, n. ignorance, 54/2OIJ.
vsaunce, n. habit, 263/7242.
vakynge, adv. waking, 166/6336.
vallyable, adj. available, 45/1679.
varyance, n. change, 91/3441.
vayllable, adj. available, helpful,
33/1246.
vaylle, vb. avail, 221/7937.
vekke, wekke, n. old woman, 346/
12752,347/12775,399/14796.
venery, venerye, n. hunting, 139/
5287, 227/8150.
vengable, adj. vengeful, 70/2632.
vengyd, pp. avenged, 144/5524.
vergows, n. verjuice, 420/15630.
verray, adj. true, genuine, 64/2036,
134/5095, etc.
verre, n. glass, 266/9613.
vertu, n. virtue, strength, 61/2285.
vertuous, adj. beneficial, powerful,
40/1514, 178/6796.
vertuously, adv. virtually, in effect,
158/6030.
vestement, n. clothing, 142/5420.
victoire, n. victory, 218/7821.
vocat, n. advocate, 127/4846.
volunte, n. will, 166/6331, 179/68ig.
voode, n. wood, 317/1 1606.
voyde, adj. destitute, 1/4, 135/5135.
voyde, voyden, vb. drive out, expel,
clear away, 66/2072, 116/4371 ;
pres. sg. voydeth, 239/862O ; pp.
voyded, 97/3671.
voyded, adj. emptied, 162/6175.
vyage, n. voyage, 121/4604, 235/
8465.
vyker, n. representative, 87/1393 >
pi. vykerys, 89/1473.
vy-on, misprint for upon, 276/10049.
vyrelaye, n. a species of short poem.
817/11614. See Note,
vytaylle, n. food, 177/6750.
wake, vb. watch, 119/4529.
wante, vb. subj. pres. sg. lack, 62/
233I-
wantyng, n. deficiency, 80/1144.
war, adj. wary, 122/4635.
wardeyn, n. warden, guardian, 25/
944-
wawes, n. waves, 488/16104.
wayllede, vb. pret. sg. availed, 162/
6160.
waymentynge, ». lamenting, 108/
4077.
wede, n. garment, 188/5280.
wekke, n. See vekke.
weld, welde, vb. pr. pi. rule, have
power over, 549/20587,686/23737.
wel-full, adj. beneficial, 466/16999.
welkyd, adj. faded, 488/16320.
wende, vb. go, 188/5070 ; pr. subj. 2.
wende, 191/7077.
wene,n. doubt, 82/1189, 160/6089.
wene, vb. think ; pr. sg. 2. interrog.
wenystow, 150/5744 ; pret. sg.
wende, 189/5292, 324/1 1894 ; subj.
pres. sg. 2. wene, 68/2346 ; imper.
sg. 2. 166/6329 ; pr. p. wenyng,
66/2420.
went, wente, n. ford, path, way, 25/
937, 288/8587 ; pi. wentys, 283/
10320.
werclie, werkyn, vb. make, work,
174/6655, 122/4636.
were, n. See wheer.
722
Glossary.
werD, weryn, vb. pret. pi. were. 64/
2402, 87/3277.
wernays, n. mistake for wermes,
318/11665.
werray, adj. dirty [(O.E. warig),
378/13984.
werre, n. war, 96/3622, 227/8i63 >
pi. werrys, 227/8 172.
werre, vb. make war upon, ABC,
531/19906.
werreye, vb. make war upon, 96/
3627, 180/6879.
werryours, n. warriors, 246/888g.
wexe, wexyn, vb. grow, 86/3583,
110/4183 ; pres. sg. wexetli, 206/
7339 ; pret. sg. wex, 61/2296, 69/
2571.
weymentith, vb. pres. sg. laments,
517/19369.
weyved, pp. removed, 139/5321.
whan, adv. when, 152/5784, 172/
6559-
whapyd, pp. astonished, 34/1297.
whedyr, n. weather, 874/13827.
wheer, wlier, were, n. (fig-) doubt,
261/9485, 340/12492, 578/21663.
wher, conj. wliether, 111/4222, 112/
4230, etc.
wher, adv. there where, 126/4790,
143/5447, etc.
wherso, conj. whether, 69/2560.
whet, pp. whetted, sharpened, 13/
485.
whot, vb. pres. pi. know, 66/2432.
whyht, wyht, whiht, n. person,
creature, 63/2354, 2363, 77/2890,
etc.
whyle, n. wile, guile, 48/1815, 219/
7870.
whyle, n. time, 4/140.
whylom, whilom, adv. formerly,
148/S636, 179/6831.
whyte, vb. (for quit, quite), acquit,
discharge, 69/2591.
wikres, n. wickers, osiers, 627/
23385.
willefful, adj. voluntary, 490/18336.
wisse, vb. direct, ABC, 588/19945.
withseye, withseyn, vb. deny, con-
tradict, 100/3788, 146/5594, 155/
5916.
wlgar, adj. vulgar, 164/5884.
wond, n. wand, 50/1883.
wonde, n. wound, 68/2540 ; pi.
wondys, 127/4844.
wonder, adj. wonderful, 6/216 ; adv.
64/2392.
wonderly, adv. wonderfully, 35/
1302.
woninge, n. dwelling, ABC, 532/
19935-
wonne, pp. achieved, crossed, 24/
903-
wood, wod, adj. mad, 97/3648, 305/
11154, 352/12949.
woodnesse, n. madness, 21 6/7706,
390/14450.
woormood, n. wormwood, 342/1 258 1.
worshepable, adj. honourable, 216/
7724.
worshype, n. honour, dignity, 224/
8048.
worth, adj. worthy, 128/4698.
wost, vb. pres. sy. 2. wouldest, 308/
11274.
wostow, vb. pres. interrog. knowest
tlion, 62/2336.
wot, vb. pres. sg. know, 97/365 1, 243/
8776, 75/2814 ; pi. 98/3682.
wrak, n. vengeance, ruin, destruc-
tion, 42/1585, 142/5434, 216/7727,
etc.
wrak, n. ? 569/21339.
wrappyd,pp. 686/21932. See Note.
wrastle, vb. wrestle, struggle, 42/
1571.
wreche, n. vengeance, 266/9230.
wreke, wroke,pp. avenged, 96/3610,
113/4291.
wreste, vb. turn (twist), 216/7739.
wrong, adj. twisted, 624/19656.
wrye, vb. pres. sg. cover, 394/14621.
wyket, n. small gate, 18/486; pi.
wyketys, 12/432.
wykke,.odj- wicked, 418/15545.
wyl, n. lust, 468/17495.
wyle, n. trap, snare, 488/18057.
wylfully, adv. voluntarily, 327/
12013.
wyne, vb. win, 488/18260.
wynse, rb. kick out, 804/11136,
884/14196.
wynsyng. n. kicking, 390/14461.
wyse, n. manner, way, 177/6755,
etc. ; another maner wyse, an-
other kind of way, 68/2524.
wyssh, vb. pret. washed, 686/21921.
wysshen,r6. guide, show, 302/1 1065.
wyten, wyte, vb. know, 118/4492.
129/4917, etc. ; pres.pl. 2. wyte,
Glossary.
723
145/5528; pret. sg. 1. 75/2814;
pp. wyst, 82/3086; pr.jp. wytynge,
218/7797.
wyth, 7i. wit, 156/5944.
wyth-set, pp. resisted, 288/10527.
Y, I, 118/4491, 204/7284.
yald, vb. pret. pi. yielded, 11/406;
yarmyd, pp. armed, 218/7810.
yblent, pp. blinded, 800/10978.
yblynded, pp. blinded, 88/3681.
ybonchyd, pp. humped, 488/18299.
ybounde, pp. bound, 77/286i.
yeallyd, pp. called, 78/2904, 137/
5220.
yclypyd, pp. clipped, 54/2OI2.
ydrawe, vb. draw, 81/3037.
ydreynt, pp. drowned, 891/14464.
yelde, yeldyn, vb. yield, 100/3763,
220/7894; pp. y-yolden, 571/
21402.
yerde, yerd, n. rod, staff, 60/1883,
108/3908; pi. y.erdys, 118/4474.
yfere, yffere, adv. together, in com-
pany, 61/2295, 111/4192, etc.
yffret, pp. knotted, tied, 16/588.
yfounde, pp. found, 88/3095.
ygon, pp. gone, past, 166/6276.
ygrounded, pp. founded, 104/3942.
ylieete, pp. eaten, 179/6849.
yheryd, pp. ploughed, 141/5398.
yhold,_pp. beholden, 648/24184.
yhyd, pp. hidden, 167/4058.
yiveth, vb.pr.sg. giveth, 43/i6l2.
yknet, pp. knitted, joined, 128/4924.
ykome, pp. come, 86/3617.
ylad, pp. led, 268/9772, 9780.
yle, n. isle, 107/4056.
yleyd, pp. laid, 142/5415.
ylke, adj. same, 108/3888, 137/5240.
ylkede, same ?, 88/3317.
ymaked, ymakyd, pp. made, 88/
3312, 206/7332, 7366.
ymeynt, pp. mingled, 178/6798,
6804.
y-moselyd, pp. muzzled, 460/17184.
ympen, vb. graft, 627/19779; ym-
pyd,pp. 359/13253.
ynamyd, pp. named, 137/5218.
ynde, n. hind, 226/8098.
ynde, n. indigo, 287/8567.
ynowh, ynouh, adv. enough, 111/
4190, 208/7246, etc.
yore, adv. long ago, yor agon, long
ago, 84/3160; yon ful yore, very
long ago, 143/5690.
youe, yove, vb. give, 245/8862, 266/
9684; yowen, yoven,yove,#p. 61/
2301,132/5031,213/7621; yoved,
pp. given, 662/24360.
ypavyd, pp. paved, 8/331.
ypocras, n. Hippocras, a wine, 250/
9047, 348/12830. See Note.
ypunysshed, pp. punished, 64/2404.
yput, pp. put, 72/2688.
y-rad,pp, read, 116/4353.
yraylle, vb. clothe, arrange, 7/246.
yraylled, vb. pret. sg. ran, rolled,
124/4740.
yrchovvn, n. hedgehog, 418/15549.
yreyne, n. spider, 476/17560. See
hereyne.
y-rive, vb. pierce, 126/4814.
yrous, adj. angry, hasty, 73/2715.
ys, pron. his, 170/6463.
ysayd, pp. said, 87/3662.
yse, vb. perceive, 267/9692, 462/
17251.
ysee, behold, ABC, 680/19843.
ysene, adj. visible, 142/5413.
ysett, pp. placed, 79/2953.
yseyd,pp. said, composed, 6/150.
yeeyn,pp. seen, 88/3291, 225/8o8o.
yshaue, pp. shaved, 54/2OI2.
y-shewyd, pp. shown, 162/5795.
yslawe, pp. slain, 10/361, 648/20542.
ysquaryd, pp. squared, 214/7672.
ysswe, vb. issue, 482/18049; pres.
ysseth, 108/4083; pres. pi. yssen,
889/14407 ; pret.pl. yssede, 109/
4112, 4122.
y stole, pp. stolen, 88/3096.
ytake, pp. committed, 57/2122, 73/
2721 ; taken, 80/3379.
ythrysshe, pp. threshed, 142/5412.
ytokned, pp. betokened, symbol-
ized, 131/4974.
ytornyd, ytournyd, pp. turned, 95/
3570-
y-wrouht, pp. wrought, made, 95/
3593, 144/5513.
ywryte, ywrete, pp. written, 129/
4918, 275/10008.
ywys, certainly, truly, 72/268 1,
270/9219.
yyveth, vb. pi-es. sg. giveth, 67/2138.
725
INDEX.
AARON and Moses, rods of, 95.
Abbey ruined by Avarice, 463.
ABC, Chaucer's, 528-533.
Abstinence and her gorger Sobriety,
604.
Abusion, the bad head of a Con-
vent, 628-629, 633-634; her spoon
and rule, 428-429, 634.
Acrostic of Deguilleville's name,
621-623.
Adam, his disobedience due to pride,
390.
Adam and Eve, their creation and
disobedience, 27-29.
Adonay, liis commission to Tribula-
tion, 429-433.
Adulation, Hagiography's mirror,
598-600.
Aeromancy and her three sisters,
Piromancy, Hydromancy and Geo-
mancy, 552-554.
Age and Sickness warn the Pilgrim
of the coming of Death, 647-651 ;
attack the Pilgrim, 651.
Albeston, the fourth stone of David,
238.
Alms, the Pilgrim cannot send her
as messenger, 658-661.
Ant and Sandhill, comparison of,
277-278.
Anvil of Patience, 205, 426.
Apemenen, Apame, 467.
Apostasy, 643-646 ; her raven, 643,
644.
Aristotle, his Elenchis, 45; on gener-
ation, 101-102 ; sent by Nature
to reproach Sapience, 145-147 ;
his maxim that the whole is
greater than the part, 147; is the
pupil of Science and Sapience,
148-149; discourses with Sapi-
ence about great and small, 152-
160; takes his leave of Sapience,
161; on transmutation, 655.
Armour, for pilgrims, 201-227 ;
shown to Pilgrim by Grace Dieu,
203-204 ; necessary for the Pil-
grim, 202, 204 ; Pilgrim objects
to it, 203, 208, 229-230 ; not
given for legs and feet, 225-228 ;
Pilgrim puts it on, 228 ; Pilgrim
takes it off, 231-232 ; carried by
the damsel Memory, 241-244 ;
Grace Dieu reproaches the Pil-
grim for not wearing it, 245-248.
Articles of the Church, signified
by the bells of the scrip, 180-183 ;
poem on, 185-190.
Asceticism of St. Benet, 220.
Astrology and Astronomy, the dif-
ference between them, 534-536.
Astrology, declares the influence of
the stars, 537-542, 550 ; the Pil-
grim answers her, 540, 542-549,
551; her pupils, 551-555.
Attemperance, the Pilgrim's helmet,
213-215.
Avarice, her description, 460-461 ;
her six hands, 460^161, 469-485 ;
her mawmet or idol, 461, 491-492;
shows the Pilgrim an abbey
plundered by chessmen, 463 ;
is the ruin of the Church and
kings, 464-467 ; deceives a king
by causing him to forsake liber-
ality, 466-466 ; her character,
467-469 ; is bound to her riches,
469 ; by Ravine despoils pil-
grims, 469-470 ; by Cutpurse,
cheats and steals, 470^472 ; by
Usury oppresses the poor, and
sells Time and the Sun, 472-476 ;
by False Semblance advances
impostors, 477-479 ; by Simony
disgraces the Church, 480-483;
by Treachery she deceives and
works sham miracles, 483-485 ;
her deformities, 486-490.
Backbiting restrained by Gorger
of Sobriety, 216.
Baptism, its necessity explained by
726
Index.
Grace Dieu, 24-34 ; of the Pil-
grim, 33-36.
Baptism, the second, 583.
Bath of Penitence, 582-585.
Bells of the scrip mean the Articles
of the Church, 173-175, 180-185.
185-190.
Besom of Penance is Confession,
114, 117.
Body, the, should be subdued, 220-
221, 249, 254, 262-263, 276-286,
328 ; Pilgrim pampers it, 250 ;
is the Pilgrim's greatest foe, 249,
250-251, 261, 272; is the Pil-
grim's master, 249, 253 ; is evil
by nature, 252, 253 ; must not
be slain but corrected, 254-255 ;
would deceive man, 263 ; is a
cloud darkening the soul, 264-
267, 270 ; its relation to the soul,
267-269.
Bordoun, its description, 175-176,
190-194 ; its pommels, 190-194.
Bread given to the Pilgrim by
Moses, 245 ; bread and wine of
Sacrament become Flesh and
Blood, 87, 137, 140; sufficient for
all who come, 135-136.
Bread of Life, made by Charity and
Sapience, 141-144.
Buckle of Constancy, 223.
Burning bush, Nature protests
against miracle of, 95.
Bythalassus, or Sorcery, a peril of
the sea, 561.
Chalys, the Pilgrim a monk of, 9 ;
the Abbey founded by St. Lewis,
9 ; described, 592.
Champion, story of the, 150.
Charbuncle of the staff, 192.
Charibdis, or Fortune, a peril of the
sea, 523.
Charity, her character and work,
122-125 ; caused the crucifixion
of Christ, 124-125 ; she wrote the
Testament of Christ, 125; guards
the table of the Sacrament, 133 ;
made the Bread of Life, 141-144 ;
welcomes the Pilgrim to the
monastery, 593; made Miseri-
corde's rope, 654.
Chastity, maligned by Venus in
the Romance of the Rose, 358 ;
chatelaine of the monastery, 608-
609 ; her gloves, called " Double
Continence," 609.
Chaucer, his ABC Prayer to the
Virgin, 527-533.
Cherry Tree, Story of the, 69-73.
Cherubin, chief porter of Jerusalem,
keeps the gate with a sword, 10,
13 ; those who bear the sword of
judgment are called this, 72.
Chiromancy or divination by the
hand, 564-568.
Christ Jesus, His Crucifixion due to
charity, 124-125 ; His Testament,
125-132 ; is the higher pommel
of the bordoun, 191 ; wore the
gambison of Patience on the
Cross, 207 ; His death is the first
stone of David, 236 ; saves men
by His death, 340 ; pierced by
Envy's spear, 402-403 ; the milk
of His inercy, 655-656.
Church, founded by Grace Dieu, 23 ;
heresies in the, 180 ; reformed by
councils, 181 ; Articles of the,
173-175, 180-183, 185-190; her
goods, how wasted, 640-643.
Cistercian order chosen by Pilgrim,
590; the Porter, Dread of God,
591.
Coelurn mobile, 336.
Commission of Grace Dieu to
Reason, 287-289; of God to
Wrath, 419 ; of Tribulation from
Adonay, 429-433 ; of Tribulation
from Satan, 433-434.
Complaint of the Pilgrim over
his armour, 229-230 ; over the
encumbrance of his body, 274-
275, 331 ; cast off by Fortune,
525-526; over the perils of
the sea, 578-579 ; assailed by
Envy, 619 ; in Latin verse. 621-
623.
Confession, priests should insist on,
74, 116-117; hindered by Sloth,
375-376.
Confessors, their duties, 74, 376.
Confirmation, order of, 37-38 ; of
De Gmlleville, 38.
Conscience, the worm of, 113 ;
Hagiography's mirror, 600-601.
Conspiracy or Scylla, 569 ; her
hounds, 570-572.
Constancy, the buckle of the Pil-
grim's girdle, 223.
Index.
727
Continence, the Pilgrim's gloves,
216-218.
Contrition, the true manner of, 110-
112 ; the hammer of Penance,
112-114.
Convent, a, its bad head, 628-629,
633-634 ; endowed for prayer
and worship, 630-631, 636 ;
prayer and almsgiving neglected,
630-633 ; is spoiled on account
of its evil ways, 635-638; its
cellarer Purveyance, 640.
Creed, its articles engraved on the
bells of the scrip, 173-175, 181-
182 ; poem on the, 185-190.
Cross, must be borne by Christ's fol-
lowers, 328 • of Christ, 344 ; sign
of, renders Satan powerless, 516.
Cursing, is unprofitable and danger-
ous, 68-70.
Cutpurse, Avarice's second hand,
robs secretly and forges, 471.
Cyprian, 500, 503.
Cyrces, a peril of the sea, 555.
David, his sling and stones, 231,
234-240.
David and Goliath, 229-230, 231.
Dead serve the living at meat, 604,
610.
Death attacks the Pilgrim, 662 ;
his powers, 663.
Deguilleville, his dream, 6 ; his
writing stolen from him, 7 ; he
writes his dream again, 7-8 ; he
desires to go on pilgrimage, 17-
18 ; is baptized, 35-36 ; is con-
firmed, 38 ; enters the Cistercian
monastery, 590 ; awakes from
his dream, 665 ; acrostic of his
name, 621-623.
Detraction, wishes to devour the
Pilgrim, 411-412 ; she steals
good name and reputation, 413-
417; her fleshhook, 414; she
can hurt those who are absent,
416; attacks the horse Good Re-
nown, 617-618.
Discipline, the file of Obedience,
603.
Disembodiment of the Pilgrim, 270,
273.
Disputation between Aristotle and
Sapience concerning the Sacra-
ment of the Altar, 145-161.
Disputation between Nature and
Grace concerning the Sacrament,
89-105.
Double nature of the Pilgrim, 255-
281, 334-335.
Dove accompanies Grace Dieu, 19 ;
represents the grace of God, 22 ;
rescues Pilgrim from Sloth, 378 ;
frightens the Pilgrim's enemies,
418 ; rescues the Pilgrim from
Necromancy, 505 ; brings Pil-
grim advice from Grace Dieu,
526.
Dread of God, Porter of the Monas-
tery, 591.
Dream, Deguilleville's, 6.
Dreams, their character, 6.
Drunkenness, its effects, 353-354.
Duke of Frieseland, story of, 502.
Ears, Pilgrim's eyes must be placed
in, 164-172.
ElencJms of Aristotle, 45, 318.
Elijah under the juniper, 375.
Empty vessels make most sound,
428, 432.
Envy, her daughters, 399,403-417 ;
her works and character, 400-
402 ; her spears, 402-403.
Envy and her daughters enter the
monastery, 615-616 ; by the aid
of Good Renown the Pilgrim
tries to escape from, 616 ; assail
the Pilgrim, 617-618; the king
orders their arrest, 624-625.
Epicureans, 347.
Eyes are the porters of the body,
170.
Eyes must be placed in the ears,
164-172.
Ezekiel, 330, 344.
Faith in God, Transubstantiation,
and the Trinity necessary, 182-
183.
Fuith the Pilgrim's scrip, 177 et seq. ;
defended by martyrs, 179.
False Semblance, Avarice's fourtli
hand, begs shamelessly, 477-
479.
Flattery, bears Pride on her back,
379, 395-397 ; deceives all, 395-
396 ; her mirror, 397-398.
Flattery, Hagiography's mirror,
598-600.
728
Index.
Force is signified by the Habergeon,
the second armour of the Pilgrim,
211.
Fox and the raven, fable of, 384-
385.
Fox and the herrings, fable of, 394.
Forswearing, Avarice's tongue, cor-
rupts justice, 486-488.
Fortune, princess of all transitory
things, 1-2 ; her double look, 1,
519 ; her wheel and tree, 518-
525 ; is uncertain and treacherous,
1-2, 521-522, 524 ; her crook,
5*23-524 ; her school of magic,
495-496, 503.
Fortunes, how predicted, 496.
Free Will, 435, 551, 567-568.
French young men's pastimes, 305-
306.
Gambison of Patience, 205-210.
Games played by youth, 305-306 ;
taught by Idleness, 317; played
by Avarice, 492.
Gate of Moral Virtue, 320.
Gates of man's body, six, 115-117,
169-172.
Geomancy, 553-555.
Girdle of Perseverance, 223.
Glaive, meaning of, 65-66.
Gloves of Continence, 216-218.
Gluttony, her appearance and char-
acter, 346-351 ; her tongue, 351-
352 ; her two stomachs, 354 ;
with Venus attacks Pilgrim and
stranger, 365-370.
Gold is the idol of Avarice, 491-492.
Goliath, 230, 231, 235, 236.
Good Renown aids the Pilgrim to
escape from Envy, 616 ; his four
feet, 616-617.
Gorger of Soberness restrains from
gluttony and backbiting, 215-
216.
Gospel, how it should be under-
stood, 297-298.
Grace Dieu, her appearance and
attire, 18-19 ; undertakes to help
the poet and all pilgrims, 20-22 ;
takes the poet to her house, 1330
years old, 23 ; explains the neces-
sity of Baptism, 24-34 ; explains
original sin, 26-32 ; is the help
of all pilgrims, 62- 63 ; has power
over the heavens, 90, 101 ; re-
proaches Nature, 97-104 ; is
Nature's mistress, 99-101 ; can
do miracles at her will, 103-104;
explains the sacramental change
to the Pilgrim, 137-162 ; promises
the Pilgrim the sacrament, scrip
and staff, 163 ; explains why the
Pilgrim's eyes must be placed in
his ears, 164-172 ; disembodies
the Pilgrim, 270-273 : her stone
of invisibility, 282 ; leaves the
Pilgrim, 282 ; her commission to
Reason, 287-289 ; explains the
meaning of the Wheel of Lust,
332-335, 336-337 ; explains the
movements of the planets, 335-
336, 338; warns the Pilgrim
against discouragement and de-
spair, 339-344 ; comes to the
Pilgrim in the ship of Religion,
580 ; causes the Pilgrim to enter
the bath of Penitence, 582-585 ;
reproaches the Pilgrim, 586-587 ;
spuils a monastery of its goods
on account of its evil govern-
ment, 627 et seq. ; shows Religious
Orders to the Pilgrim, 628 et seq. ;
warns the Pilgrim of his end,
662-664.
Guyllyam, De Guilleville's sponsor,
35.
Habergeon of Fortitude, 211-212.
Hagiography, or Holy Scripture, is
partly dark and partly light, 594-
596 ; her mirrors, 596-601.
Hearing, the only trustworthy sense,
138-140, 164-166 • the porter of
the body, 171.
Heart of man is small but cannot be
satisfied, save by a greater thing
than the world, 153-156.
Heaven, third stone of David is
memory of, 237 ; is in a man's
soul, 566.
Hedge of Penance divides the paths
of Idleness and Labour, 307 ; is
painful, 319 ; Pilgrim crosses it
on the back of Youth, 346 ; Pil-
grim tries to get through it,
but is caught by Sloth, 370-371.
Hell, Christ descended to, 126, 174;
fourth stone of David is memory
of, 238 ; Lucifer cast down to,
380 ; cannot hurt the holy, 416.
Index.
729
Helmet of Attemperance protects
eyes and ears, 213-215.
Heresies, 180.
Heresy formed schismatic sects,
506 ; wishes to reshape the Pil-
grim's scrip, 505-507.
Hermit deceived by Satan, 515.
Holy Scripture, or Hagiography,
601-602.
Holy Writ is fifth stone of David,
239.
Hope, the Pilgrim's staff, 191.
Horns of Invocation, 613 ; of Moses,
37, 42, 49-50 ; of Pride, 379, 384.
Humility, the scabbard, 221-222.
Hypocrisy, Pride's mantel, 392-395.
Idleness, the damsel, at the parting
of the ways, 307 ; sends pilgrims
astray, 309 ; teaches people to
play and revel, 317 ; her charac-
ter, 318 ; advises the Pilgrim to
take the left-hand path, 319.
Idol of Avarice is gold, 461, 491-
492 ; worshipped by a carpenter,
555-556, 557-561.
Idolatry and what the Pilgrim sees
in her house, 555-561.
Images, their adoration not idolatry,
559-560.
Impatience under correction pro-
duces hatred, 422-423.
Invocation of spirits, dispute on,
497-500.
Isaac and his sons, 138-139.
Jacob and Esau, 423.
Jerusalem, the heavenly, Deguille-
ville sees it in a vision 9 ; Cherub-
in guards the gate, 10, 13 ; the
means of entering it, 10, 12, 14,
15-22, 24 ; pilgrims to it suffer
torments, 10-11.
Joseph devoured by Envy, 400;
in Egypt, 637-638.
Judas, 482.
Justice corrupted by Avarice, 486-
488.
Keys, why they are given and how
they should be used, 74.
Keys and sword may be used only
by permission, 81-86.
King who loved liberality, 465-
466.
King and his false knights. 570-
571.
King who only reigned for one year,
659-660.
Kings and nobles taught by Avarice,
464-467.
Labour a net-maker, at the parting
of the ways, 308 ; warns Pilgrim
against Idleness, 309 ; speaks of
social differences and the func-
tions of labour, 310-315 ; shows
the Pilgrim the right path, 315.
Latria, 612-613 ; keeps the monas-
tery gate, 613 ; her instruments,
613.
Lesson, the Pittancer of the monas-
tery, 594, 601-602.
Lewis, King, his good deeds, 660.
Longius, 402.
Lucifer has no place for repentance,
342-343 ; cast down from heaven
by Pride, 380.
Lying, the haunch of Avarice, 486.
Magical arts, shown to the Pilgrim
by Necromancy's messenger, 496-
497 ; denounced by the Pilgrim,
497-503.
Man is the image of God and comes
from God, 259-262, 334 ; returns
to God at last, 334, 337 ; is a
microcosm, 336, 564.
Marriage, Order of, 51-53.
Martyr^, their torments, 10-11 ;
defend faith of Christ, 179 ; none
have faith now-a-days to be, 179-
180 ; wore thepurpointof Patience,
210.
Mary Magdalen softened by contri-
tion, 109.
Mary, the Virgin. See Virgin.
Mawmet, or idol of Avarice, 461,
491-492.
Memory contains all things, 156-
157 ; carries the Pilgrim's armour,
241-244 ; has her eyes behind,
242, 243-244.
Messenger of the king, 625-626.
Messenger of Necromancy, shows
the Pilgrim magical arts, 496-
497 ; argues with the Pilgrim
about magic, 497-503.
Messengers to Paradise are Alms
and Prayer, 658-661.
730
Index.
Microcosm, man is a, 336, 564-565.
Miracles ; Nature protests against,
94-95 ; falsely worked by Ava-
rice's hand, Treachery, 484-485.
Mirror of Adulation, 397-398, 598-
600; of Conscience, 601.
Misericorde pities and helps all
sinners, 652-653, 656 ; her cord,
653-654; her milk, 654-656;
leads the Pilgrim to the infirmary,
657.
Monastery of Chaalis, founded by
St. Lewis, 9 ; explored by the
Pilgrim, 592; its inhabitants,
592-615.
Monks, Orders of, 15, 590 ; their
duties, 56-58 ; their faults, 627-
637.
Moral Virtue directs the Pilgrim in
the right way, 320-324 ; dis-
courses on Virtues and Vices,
322-324 ; bids the Pilgrim pray
to find the right path, 325.
Mortification of the body crucifies
and overcomes the bodv, 326-
331.
Moses, his appearance, 37 ; asks
the meaning of his horns and
goad, 42; gives the tonsure, 53;
ordains officers, 58-60 ; gives
Grace Dieu to the pilgrims, 61 ;
gives sword and keys to pil-
grims, 61 ; gives the Pilgrim sword
and keys sealed up, 76 ; gives
them unsealed to priests and
monks, 82-86 ; divides the releff
among pilgrims, 105 ; gives the
Sacrament to good and bad, 134—
135 ; gives the Pilgrim bread,
245.
Murderers produced by Wrath, 424.
Music inspired by Pride, 386-387.
Nature remonstrates with Grace
Dieu about the Sacramental
change and miracles, 90-96 ;
governs all beneath the sun, 91-94;
she describes Spring, 92 ; re-
proached by Grace Dieu, 97-104 ;
her power comes from Grace
Dieu, 99-104; begs Grace Dieu
to forgive her, 105.
Necromancy, 504-505 ; her messen-
ger, his doings and arguments,
494-503.
Obedience, her ropes, file and targe,
603 ; binds the Pilgrim for thirty-
nine years, 614-615.
Obstinacy, the staff of Eude En-
tendement, hardens Jews and
heathen, 298-299, 391-392.
Official baptizes De Guilleville, 36 ;
marries two pilgrims, 51-53.
Ointments made by the master, 38 ;
their use, 38-40.
Orders of Confirmation, 37-38 ; last
Unction, 38-39 ; of Marriage, 51-
53 ; of Colyt, 58.
Orders of Monks, 15, 590 ; those
that break rule, 627-637.
Original Sin explained by Grace
Dieu, 26-32.
Ortigometra, contemplative pil-
grims compared to the bird, 511-
512.
Ostrich, Pride is like an, 393.
Ovid tries to console the Pilgrim,
620-621.
Part made equal to whole by Sa-
pience, 147.
Patience, the Pilgrim's Gambison,
205-210.
Path, Pilgrim takes wrong, 320.
Paths of Labour and Idleness, two,
307 et seq.
Pax given to the world by Christ,
128 ; the figure of, 129-131.
Penance, 106 ; her hammer of Con-
trition, 107-114 ; her besom of
Confession, 114-117 ; her rods of
Satisfaction, 1 18-120 ; the portress
of the Sacrament, 120-122, 133 ;
helps to subdue the body, 254,
327 ; Pilgrim must return to her,
581.
Penitence, the bath of, 582-585.
Perils of the sea, 518, 523, 555, 567,
573, 578.
Perseverance, the Pilgrim's girdle,
223.
Perseverance in resistance to sensu-
ality leads back to God, 337.
Pharaoh wore Pride's spur, Kebel-
lion, 390.
Philemon and Hypocras, story of,
567-568.
Physiognomy, 564.
Pilgrimage, the poet desires to go
on, 17-18.
Index.
731
Pilgrims to Jerusalem are torment-
ed, 10-12 ; leave their scrips and
staffs outside Jerusalem, 17 ; swim
in the sea, 509-513 ; Satan lays
snares for, 513-514.
Pilgrymage de Mounde (by G. de G.)
shows the right way, 3; Lydgate's
translation of it, 4-5 ; date of
Lydgate's translation, 5.
Planets, their movements, 335-33G,
338.
Poem on the Articles of the Church,
185-190 ; on God in Trinity, 194-
199 ; on the Virgin Mary, 199-
201 ; to Mary, in tribulation, 454-
455 ; Chaucer's ABC, 528-533 ;
acrostic on De Guileville's name,
621-623.
Pommels of the staff, 192-194.
Pope or Vicar appointed by God,
84-85 ; delegates his power, 85-
86.
Porter, Fear of God, speaks to the
Pilgrim, and brings him Orison
and Almesse, 91.
Posterns, Moral Virtue advises the
Pilgrim to avoid them, 320-321,
324.
Poverty, Impatient, 606-608.
Poverty, Wilful, her song, 605-606.
Prayer of St. Bernard, 437-456 ; to
the Virgin (Chaucer's A B G),
528-533.
Prayer necessary for finding the
right way, 325.
Prayer the messenger to heaven,
609-612; her power, 611 , agrees
to be the Pilgrim's messenger to
Paradise, 661.
Predicamentum ad aliquid, 77-79.
Prelates and priests, their duties,
40-50, 64-75.
Pride, her description and lineage,
379-380; deceives Adam, 380;
her works, 381-384 ; her bellows,
384-387; her horn, 387-389; her
spurs, 389-391; her staff, 391-
392; her mantle, 392-395; is
borne by Flattery, 378, 395.
Priests should insist on Confession,
74.
Priests who buy and sell spiritual
gifts, 481^82.
Property, Avarice's hump, keeps
men from heaven, 489-490.
PILGRIMAGE.
Prologue of Deguilleville, 6-9 ; of
Lydgate, 1-5.
Prudence the Pilgrim's target, 223-
224 ; the targe of Discipline, 603.
Ptolemy, 535-536, 550.
Publican and Pharisee, story of, 222.
Purpoynt. See Gambison.
Purveyance shows the Pilgrim how
the Church's goods are wasted,
640-643.
Pyromancy, 552.
Rainbow a sign of concord with
God, G53.
Ravine, Avarice's first hand, despoils
the poor, 470.
Reason advises priests to be gentle,
40-42 ; advises Moses how to use
his horns and goad, 42-50 ; justi-
fies the tonsure, 54-58 ; tells
monks their duty, 55-58 ; her
sermon, 64-75 ; cannot under-
stand the Sacramental change,
88 ; rebukes Rude Entendement,
285-286 ; her commission from
Grace Dieu against Rude Enten-
dement, 287-289 ; defends herself
against the accusations of Rude
Entendement, 291-292 ; disputes
with Rude Entendement about
the scrip and staff, 294-297 ;
rebukes his obstinacy, 298-300.
Religion, Grace Dieu's ship, 579-
580, 588-589 ; small religious ob-
servances must not be neglected,
588-589.
Religious Orders visited by Pilgrim,
626 et seq.
Repentance will restore the Pilgrim,
342-344 ; often caused by sick-
ness, 649
Riches bind Avarice, 469 ; clog
people's feet, 512; love of, leads to
Satan, 576 ; of the wicked shall
be given to the virtuous, 638.
Righteousness, sword of, 218-221.
Righteousness who helped to forge
Wrath's saw, 422-423.
Rods of Moses and Aaron ; their
magical powers, 95.
Romance of the Rose, 56, 358-360 ;
its author called Malebouche, 360;
Norman exposes Jean de Meun,
359-360.
Rude Entendement, the Pilgrim
3B
732
Index.
meets, 283-284 ; trys to stop the
Pilgrim, 284-285 ; rebuked by
Reason, 285-286 ; Reason's com-
mission against, 287-289 ; accuses
Reason of dishonesty, 290, 293 ;
disputes with Reason, 294-297 ;
continued Nabal, Pharaoh and
the Jews in obstinacy, 298-299;
is blinded by his folly, 300.
Sacrament of the Altar, 8G-88, 105;
guarded by Penance, 120-122 ;
must be taken with Charity,
133 ; given to all, 134-135 ; suf-
ficient for all who come, 135-136;
the virtues of the Bread of the,
158-160; promised to the Pilgrim,
163.
Sacrament of baptism given to the
Pilgrim, 4 ; of Confirmation re-
ceived by the Pilgrim, 6 ; of
marriage, 7 ; of penance and how
confession should be made, 33-34.
Sacramental change not understood
by Reason, 88 ; explained by
Grace Dieu, 137-162 ; understood
through Hearing only, 140 ; not
taught to Aristotle, 150-152.
St. Austin, 452-453.
St. Benedict, his asceticism, 220 ;
his rule badly kept, 629.
St. Bernard, his continence, 217-218;
his prayer to the Virgin Mary,
437-451.
St. Cyprian, 500, 503.
St. John, 126-127, 416-417.
St. Lawrence, 492.
St. Lewis, founded monastery of
Chalys, 9 ; did many good works,
660-661.
St. Nicholas, 410.
St. Peter keeps a gate of Jerusalem,
14 ; softened by Contrition, 109.
St. William of Chalys, 216.
Saints and monastic orders help
others to enter heaven, 14-15 ;
to honour the images of saints is
not idolatry, 559-560.
Salisbury, Earl of, commands Lyd-
gate to translate the Pilgrymaye
de Mounde, 4.
Sapience helps Charity to make the
Bread of Life, 143-144 ; her two
schools, 148-150 ; taught Nature
and Aristotle, 148-149 ; but did
not teach them about the Sacra-
ment, 150-152 ; discourses with
Aristotle about the Sacramental
change, 151-160 ; explains to
Aristotle how the great can be
contained in the small, 152-160.
Satan, his commission to Tribulation,
433-434 ; lays nets and snares for
pilgrims, 507-508,513-514 ; tells
the Pilgrim about the sea of the
World, 510-513 ; his works and
snares, 513-516 ; by deceit lie
causes a hermit to kill his father,
515 ; made powerless by the sign
of the Cross, 516 ; laments, 517 ;
his school, 563.
Saul, 391, 402.
Scabbard of Humility, 221-222.
Schisms produced by Heresy, 506.
Schools of Sapience and Satan, 148-
150, 563.
Scilla, a peril of the sea, 569, 615-
616.
Scrip, its colour. 177-179 ; its
twelve bells, 173-175, 180-183.
Scrip and staff left outside Jerusa-
lem by pilgrims, 17 ; promised to
Pilgrim, 163 ; cannot be seen with
the eyes, 164 ; described, 173
et seq. ; given to the Pilgrim, 176-
183, 201; Rude Entendement
tries to hinder the Pilgrim from
carrying them, 285, 295 ; Reason
shows why they should be borne,
295-297.
Sea of the World, 509 ; pilgrims
swim in it, 509-513 ; troubles
and perils in the sea, 510, 518,
523, 555, 569, 573, 578.
Senses. See Wits.
Sensuality drags the Pilgrim back,
339.
Ship of Grace Dieu or Religion, 579;
is bound together by osiers signi-
fying ceremonies, 588-589 ; con-
tains castles and monasteries, 580,
589-590.
Sickness comes to the Pilgrim, 646-
647 ; troubles folk and makes
them repent, 648-649.
Simony, Avarice's fifth hand, causes
holy offices to be bought and sold,
480-482.
Sin, deadly, 339.
Sins, contrition for, must be par-
Index.
7:33
tioular, 111 ; must be punished,
119.
Sling : the Pilgrim's mouth is his,
240.
Sloth binds the Pilgrim, 371-372 ;
her master, 373 ; her effects, 373-
374 ; her ropes, 375-377.
Small things may contain great
ones, 153-157.
Sobriety, the gorger of Abstinence,
604 ; the gorger for the Pilgrim,
216.
Solomon, 223-224, 500, 502.
Song of Wilful Poverty, 605.
Sorcery, 561 ; her merchandise, 562 ;
how she lost her soul, 563 ; her
hand Chiromancy, and face
Physiognomy, 564-568.
Soul is in the similitude of God, 259-
260, 261-263 ; rules the body and
not the body the soul, 262-270 ;
is as a sun behind clouds, 264-
266 ; sees without bodily eyes,
266-267 ; is separated from the
Pilgrim's body by Grace Dieu,
270-273 ; is at enmity with the
body, 272, 276, 281 ; hindered by
the body may not see nor mount
on high, 274-276, 280.
Spears of envy, 402-403.
Spirit, called Mortification of the
body, 326-331 ; of man hindered
by the body, 335.
Spirits, invocation of, 497-500.
Spring, description of, 92.
Spurs of Pride, Disobedience, and
Rebellion, 390.
Stars, their influence, 537-551.
Sterility destroys the goods of a
monastery, 639.
Stones of David, five, 234, 236-239.
Stories of the Champion, 150 ; the
cherry tree cursed by a priest,
69-70 ; of the Duke of Frieseland,
502 ; the Fox and the Herrings,
384-385 ; the Fox and the Raven,
394 ; the Hermit deceived by
Satan, 515 ; the King and his false
knights, 570-571 ; the king who
loved Liberality, 465-466; the
king who only reigned for one
year, 659-660; Philemon and
Hypocras, 567-568; the Publi-
can and Pharisee, 222.
Sword of Judgment given to pil-
grims by Moses, 61 ; the mean-
ing of Glaive, 65-66 ; proper use
of, 64-73 ; its name Versatylis,
72.
Sword and Keys desired by (ho
Pilgrim, 75 ; given to him sealed
up, 76 ; Reason explains why,
77-86 ; given unsealed to priests
and monks, 82-86.
Sword of Righteousness, 218-221.
Synderesis, 130.
Syren, a peril of the sea, 573.
Target of Prudence, 223-224.
Taste, 350-351.
Tau, a sign sprinkled with blood,
37.
Testament of Christ, 125-132.
Thief, the penitent, 611-612.
Time sold by Usury, 474-476.
Tobias, 266.
Tongue of a drunkard, 351-353.
Tonsure given by Moses, 53 ; justi-
fied by Reason, 54, 56-58.
Tower, Revolving, 573, 575-576.
Transmutation. See Aristotle.
Transubstantiation. See Sacra-
mental Change.
Treachery, Avarice's sixth hand,
cheats and works sham miracles,
483-485.
Treason receives a box, a false
face, and a knife from her father,
405-408 ; is flattering, secret, and
treacherous, 405-409 ; her power,
408-410 ; attacks the Pilgrim,
618.
Tribulation is Heaven's goldsmith,
426-427, 431 ; her hammer, Perse-
cution, 427 ; her tongs, Distress,
427; her apron, Shame, 427-428;
her Commission from Adonay,429
-433; her Commission from Satan,
433-434 ; works for God or Satan
according to the Pilgrim's behavi-
our, 435-436 ; smites the Pilgrim,
436 ; the Pilgrim's prayer to
Mary against, 437-456 ; turns the
Pilgrim to God, 457-458.
Trinity, the, Faith in it is necessary,
182-183 ; the doctrine of, 183 ;
poem on, 194-199.
Unicorn, Pride is like an, 397-398.
Usury, the third hand of Avarice,
734
Index.
472-474 ; defined by means of the
comparison of the wood and
woodman, 475-477.
Venus, or Luxury, chases away
Reason, 55 ; with Cupid lies in
wait for men, 226-227 ; can only
be escaped by flight, 227, 330;
accompanies Gluttony, 355 ;
smites the Pilgrim, 356 ; can hurt
cloistered Chastity, 357 ; why she
and Chastity hate each other,
357-358 ; Romance of the Rose, is
her book, 358 : her description,
355, 362-363; her officers, 364-
365 ; with Gluttony binds and
ill-treats the Pilgrim and a
Stranger, 366-369.
Vicar. See Moses.
Virginity hated by Venus, 356-357.
Virgin Mary, bequeathed to St.
John, 126 ; one of the pommels
of the bordoun, 192-193; is a
mediator between man and Christ,
193; poems to, 199-201, 454-
455 ; second stone of David is
memory of, 237 ; Chaucer's ABC
Prayer to her, 527-533; Prayer
of St. Bernard to the, 437-456.
Virtue. See Moral Virtue.
Virtues have their attendant vices,
323.
Wheel of Fortune, 518-522, 525.
Wheel of Lust and its meaning,
332-335.
Wicket by which Jerusalem is
entered, 12, 13, 664 ; kept by St.
Peter, 14.
Wings to fly into Paradise given to
pilgrims by saints, 14-15.
Wits : man deceived by them, 138 ;
Hearing alone trustworthy, 138-
140, 164-166 ; are but instruments
of the soul, 267 ; should be marked
with the Cross, 329-330. See also
Gates of the Body.
Wood and Woodman, example of
the, 475-477.
Worldly Gladness, a syren, 573-577.
Wrath, his description, 418-419 ;
has a commission from God, 419;
his character and works, 420-421;
his two stones, Despite and Strife,
422 ; his iron, Impatience, 422 •
his saw, Hatred, 422-424 ; his
falchion with which murderers
are girded, 424 ; attacks the Pil-
grim, 425.
Youth is feathered and lively, 303-
306; her games, 305-306; ac-
companies the Pilgrim, 307 ;
advises the Pilgrim to follow
Idleness, 315-316; flies aloft
with the Pilgrim, 345-346; flies
with him across the hedge of
Penitence, 346 ; saves the Pilgrim
from Avarice, 493 ; rescues the
Pilgrim from the syren, 577 ;
leaves the Pilgrim, 578.
735
INDEX OF NAMES.
AARON, 87/1394,95/3577, 108/3909.
Abachuch, 177/6765.
Absinthium, 342/12574.
Adam, 30/IH2, 890/14436, 432/
16096.
Adonay, 428/15973.
Albalart, 600/18737.
Alysaundre, 662/20715.
Amalech, 891/14499.
Amasa, 406/15072.
Ambrose, St., 42/1852.
Apemenen, 467/17423.
Architeclyn, 96/3589, 104/3916.
Argus, 167/6361.
Aristotile, Arystotyles, 45/i682,
101/3823, 145/5537, 154/5871,
161/6143, 666/24442.
Arras, 304/1 1137.
Arryens, 606/18958.
Asael, 305/1 1 160.
Athenys, 166/5935.
Augustyn, Awstyn, Seynt, 452/
16869, 606/18974, 538/20152.
Babiloun, 886/14224.
Barlam, 669/24620.
Barrabas, 424/15776.
Bel, 349/12857.
Benet, Benyth, St., 16/568, 220/7882,
629/23464.
Bernard, St., 217/7793, 437/i6273-
Bersabee, 876/13845.
Breteyne, 627/19754.
Calliope, the Lady of the Well
beside Citharon, 6/172-3.
Cartage, 206/7305.
Chalys, Seyn Wyllyam of, 21 6/
7730-
Cbartrehous, 590/22O97.
Chaucer, 627/19755.
Clervaws, 876/13857.
Clwny, 590/22096.
Constantyn, 606/18973.
Crysostom, 12/447.
Cryst, Cryst Ihesu, 14/505, 121/4609,
124/4724, 174/6617, 286/8520, et
passim.
Cupide, 226/8135, 227/8170.
Cypryan, 600/18737, 608/18830.
Cystews, 590/22095.
Dalyda, 268/9533.
Dan, 617/23119.
Danyel, 349/12858, 450/16784.
Dauyd, David, 231/8310, 234/8424,
241/8697, 402/14920.
Dina, 867/13146.
Egipciens, 686/23709.
Egypt, 535/20036, 686/23701.
Epicuris, 347/i278o.
Esau, 188/5274, 189/5293, 423/
15730.
Esdras, 467/17422.
Eue, 30/i 1 1 3, 390/14440.
Ezechye), Ezechel, 87/1403, 333/
12242, 633/226i8.
Fraunce, 627/19758.
Fraunceys, St., 16/582.
Fryse, Duke of, 602/18792.
Gabrielles, 681/19905 (ABC).
Ganymede, Jupiter's butler, 6/178.
George, St., 347/12767.
God, 9/326, 41/1564, 42/1568, et
passim.
Golyas, Golye, Golyat, 230/8268,
231/8316, 234/8439.
Gregoir, St., 12/424.
Gyosy, 480/17940, 482/i8oi4.
Helye, 876/13844.
Holy Gost, the, 173/66io, 531/
19883, 19904 (ABO).
Homer, 539/2oigo.
Jacob, 139/5295, 400/14845.
lanuence, 66/2450, 66/2458.
leremye, 447/16649, 464/17314.
Jerusalem, 8/294, 9/312, 20/742,
308/U288, etc.
lease, 595/22303.
lewys, 549/20596.
736
Index of Names.
Ihesu, ihesu cryst, 191/7083, 595/
22304, etc.
Inde, 205/7305.
loab, 406/15070.
loiiohym, 445/1 6604.
lob, 427/15889.
lohan, Jolni, St., 126/4807, 341/
12566,416/15459,549/20604.
Joseph, 1^6/4796, 358/13179, 400/
14844, 687/23782.
Isaye, Ysaye, 102/3853, 118/4485,
188/7005, 384/1 8 1 85.
Israel, 44/1654, 890/14448.
lubiter, 6/176, 338/12436.
ludas, 406/15074, 482/i8o32.
lulyan, 617/19386.
Landown (castle of), 883/14181.
Laurence, St., 492/18414.
Longius, 402/14933, 588/19953
(ABC).
Lowys, St., 660/24653.
Lucyfer, 842/12578, 880/14030.
Machabeyes, 406/15080.
Mahown, 461/17224.
Mars, 541/20255 ; Martys, 548/
20541.
Marty n, St., 128/4674.
Marye, 125/4773, 437/16287.
Mathesis, 689/20185, 564/21152.
Matbew, St., 12/444.
Mawdelayne, 588/21858.
Mercury e, 91/3432.
Moyses, 87/1394, 44/1653, 61/2269,
80/3014, 86/3236, 95/3577, 134/
5114, 137/5228,
Muses, the, 6/171.
Nabal, 298/10907.
Nabugodonosor, 884/14222, 451/
16809.
Neemye, 116/4368.
Neptanabus, 662/20714.
Neptune, 662/20712.
Nervaws, 876/13858.
Noe, 314/11515, 587/21994, 644/
24059.
Nycene, 606/18972.
Nycholas, St., 410/15226.
Oger, 219/7839.
Olyuer, 219/7840.
Ovydius, 620/23221, etc.
Paris, 318/11476.
Pellagyens, 606/18957.
Peter, St., 14/494, 516/19325, 583/
21860.
Pliarao, Pharaoo, Pliaraon, 60/1885,
90/3582, 298/10907, 390/14444.
Phebus, 264/9599, 880/14042, 539/
20199.
Pliylemoun, 667/21273, etc-
Phylystees, 268/9532.
Poul, Poule, St., 123/4691, 215/7686,
645/24093.
Putyffarys wife, 868/13180.
Rebecca, 139/5294.
Rome, 166/5935.
Rowland, 219/7840.
Salomon, Salaiuoun, Salomoun, 93/
3486, 228/8032, 279/ioi84, 415/
15408,500/18735.
Sampsotin, 268/9533.
Samuel, 891/14495.
Sathan, Sathanas, 400/14828, 424/
15766, 433/16105, 613/19239.
Satourne, 888/12423.
Saul, 391/14493, 402/14918.
Sodom, 633/23622.
Stocyenes, 689/20182.
Symon Magus, 480/17940.
Theophilus, 486/16195, 446/i66i3-
Tbolomee, 586/20040, 650/20617.
Thomas, St., 49/1839-51.
Tobye, 266/9670.
Tryphon, 406/15078.
Venus, 55/2079, 91/3428, 226/8134,
280/8273, 354/13060, etc.
Virgy Ie,500/i8736.
Ypocras, 567/21268, 668/21288.
Ysaak, 188/5274, 189/5288, 5292.
Zacharie, 688/19967 (A B C).
Zubcdee, 76/2822.
RICHARD CLAY & SONS, LIUITKD,
BKEAD sritKKT HILL, E.G., AND
BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.
PQ
UB3
1905
Guillaume de Deguilleville
The pilgrimage of the
life of man
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