Chapter D: CAMB. UNIV. Dd. viii. 19 (Bern. Cat. ii. 9653). Confessio Amantis (18)

[Sidenote: Nota, qualiter Sibeles Dearum[1580] Mater et
origo nuncupatur.]
So as Saturne is soverein
Of false goddes, as thei sein,
So is Sibeles of goddesses
The Moder, whom withoute gesses
The folk Payene honoure and serve,
As thei the whiche hire lawe observe.[1581]
Bot forto knowen upon this
Fro when sche cam and what sche is, 1140
Bethincia the contre hihte,
Wher sche cam ferst to mannes sihte;
And after was Saturnes wif,
Be whom thre children in hire lif
Sche bar, and thei were cleped tho
Juno, Neptunus and Pluto,
The whiche of nyce fantasie
The poeple wolde deifie.
And for hire children were so,[1582]
Sibeles thanne was also 1150
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 166=]
Mad a goddesse, and thei hire calle
The moder of the goddes alle.
So was that name bore forth,
And yit the cause is litel worth.
[Sidenote: Iuno Dea Regnorum et diuiciarum.[1583]]
A vois unto Saturne tolde
Hou that his oghne Sone him scholde[1584]
Out of his regne putte aweie;
And he be cause of thilke weie,
That him was schape such a fate,
Sibele his wif began to hate 1160
And ek hire progenie bothe.
And thus, whil that thei were wrothe,
Be Philerem upon a dai
In his avouterie he lai,
On whom he Jupiter begat;[1585]
And thilke child was after that
Which wroghte al that was prophecied,
As it tofore is specefied:
So that whan Jupiter of Crete
Was king, a wif unto him mete 1170
The Dowhter of Sibele he tok,
And that was Juno, seith the bok.[1586]
Of his deificacion
After the false oppinion,
That have I told, so as thei meene;
And for this Juno was the queene[1587]
Of Jupiter and Soster eke,
The foles unto hire sieke,
And sein that sche is the goddesse
Of Regnes bothe and of richesse: 1180
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 167=]
And ek sche, as thei understonde,
The water Nimphes hath in honde
To leden at hire oghne heste;
And whan hir list the Sky tempeste,
The reinbowe is hir Messager.
Lo, which a misbelieve is hier!
That sche goddesse is of the Sky
I wot non other cause why.
[Sidenote: Minerua Dea sapienciarum.]
An other goddesse is Minerve,
To whom the Greks obeie and serve: 1190
And sche was nyh the grete lay
Of Triton founde, wher sche lay
A child forcast, bot what sche was
Ther knew noman the sothe cas.
Bot in Aufrique sche was leid
In the manere as I have seid,
And caried fro that ilke place
Into an Yle fer in Trace,
The which Palene thanne hihte,[1588]
Wher a Norrice hir kepte and dihte. 1200
And after, for sche was so wys[1589]
That sche fond ferst in hire avis
The cloth makinge of wolle and lyn,[1590]
Men seiden that sche was divin,
And the goddesse of Sapience
Thei clepen hire in that credence.
[Sidenote: Pallas Dea bellorum.[1591]]
Of the goddesse which Pallas
Is cleped sondri speche was.
On seith hire fader was Pallant,
Which in his time was geant, 1210
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 168=]
A cruel man, a bataillous:
An other seith hou in his hous
Sche was the cause why he deide.
And of this Pallas some ek seide
That sche was Martes wif; and so
Among the men that weren tho
Of misbelieve in the riote
The goddesse of batailles hote
She was, and yit sche berth the name.
Now loke, hou they be forto blame. 1220
[Sidenote: Ceres dea frugum.[1592]]
Saturnus after his exil
Fro Crete cam in gret peril
Into the londes of Ytaile,
And ther he dede gret mervaile,
Wherof his name duelleth yit.
For he fond of his oghne wit
The ferste craft of plowh tilinge,
Of Eringe and of corn sowinge,
And how men scholden sette vines
And of the grapes make wynes;[1593] 1230
Al this he tawhte, and it fell so,
His wif, the which cam with him tho,[1594]
Was cleped Cereres be name,
And for sche tawhte also the same,
And was his wif that ilke throwe,
As it was to the poeple knowe,
Thei made of Ceres a goddesse,
In whom here tilthe yit thei blesse,[1595]
And sein that Tricolonius
Hire Sone goth amonges ous 1240
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 169=]
And makth the corn good chep or dere,
Riht as hire list fro yer to yeere;
So that this wif be cause of this
Goddesse of Cornes cleped is.
[Sidenote: Diana Dea Moncium et Siluarum.[1596]]
King Jupiter, which his likinge
Whilom fulfelde in alle thinge,
So priveliche aboute he ladde
His lust, that he his wille hadde
Of Latona, and on hire that
Diane his dowhter he begat 1250
Unknowen of his wif Juno.
And afterward sche knew it so,[1597]
That Latona for drede fledde[1598]
Into an Ile, wher sche hedde
Hire wombe, which of childe aros.
Thilke yle cleped was Delos;[1599]
In which Diana was forthbroght,
And kept so that hire lacketh noght.
And after, whan sche was of Age,
Sche tok non hiede of mariage, 1260
Bot out of mannes compaignie
Sche tok hire al to venerie[1600]
In forest and in wildernesse;
For ther was al hire besinesse
Be daie and ek be nyhtes tyde
With arwes brode under the side
And bowe in honde, of which sche slowh
And tok al that hir liste ynowh
Of bestes whiche ben chacable:
Wherof the Cronique of this fable 1270
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 170=]
Seith that the gentils most of alle
Worschipen hire and to hire calle,
And the goddesse of hihe helles,
Of grene trees, of freisshe welles,
They clepen hire in that believe,
Which that no reson mai achieve.
[Sidenote: Proserpina Dea Infernorum.]
Proserpina, which dowhter was
Of Cereres, befell this cas:
Whil sche was duellinge in Cizile,[1601]
Hire moder in that ilke while 1280
Upon hire blessinge and hire heste
Bad that sche scholde ben honeste,
And lerne forto weve and spinne,
And duelle at hom and kepe hire inne.
Bot sche caste al that lore aweie,
And as sche wente hir out to pleie,[1602]
To gadre floures in a pleine,[1603]
And that was under the monteine
Of Ethna, fell the same tyde
That Pluto cam that weie ryde,[1604] 1290
And sodeinly, er sche was war,
He tok hire up into his char.
And as thei riden in the field,
Hire grete beaute he behield,
Which was so plesant in his ÿe,
That forto holde in compainie
He weddeth hire and hield hire so[1605]
To ben his wif for everemo.
And as thou hast tofore herd telle
Hou he was cleped god of helle, 1300
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 171=]
So is sche cleped the goddesse
Be cause of him, ne mor ne lesse.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Lo, thus, mi Sone, as I thee tolde,
The Greks whilom be daies olde
Here goddes hadde in sondri wise,
And thurgh the lore of here aprise
The Romeins hielden ek the same.
And in the worschipe of here name[1606]
To every godd in special
Thei made a temple forth withal, 1310
And ech of hem his yeeres dai
Attitled hadde; and of arai
The temples weren thanne ordeigned,
And ek the poeple was constreigned
To come and don here sacrifice;
The Prestes ek in here office
Solempne maden thilke festes.
And thus the Greks lich to the bestes[1607]
The men in stede of god honoure,
Whiche mihten noght hemself socoure, 1320
Whil that thei were alyve hiere.
And over this, as thou schalt hiere,
[Sidenote: Nota, quod dii Montium Satiri vocantur.]
The Greks fulfild of fantasie
Sein ek that of the helles hihe
The goddes ben in special,
Bot of here name in general
Thei hoten alle Satiri.
[Sidenote: Oreades Nimphe Montium.]
Ther ben of Nimphes proprely
In the believe of hem also:
Oreades thei seiden tho 1330
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 172=]
Attitled ben to the monteines;[1608]
[Sidenote: Driades Siluarum.]
And for the wodes in demeynes
To kepe, tho ben Driades;[1609]
[Sidenote: Naiades fontium.]
Of freisshe welles Naiades;
And of the Nimphes of the See
[Sidenote: Nereides Marium.[1610]]
I finde a tale in proprete,
Hou Dorus whilom king of Grece,
Which hadde of infortune a piece,--
His wif forth with hire dowhtres alle,[1611]
So as the happes scholden falle, 1340
With many a gentil womman there
Dreint in the salte See thei were:
Wherof the Greks that time seiden,
And such a name upon hem leiden,
Nereïdes that thei ben hote,
The Nimphes whiche that thei note
To regne upon the stremes salte.
Lo now, if this believe halte!
Bot of the Nimphes as thei telle,[1612]
In every place wher thei duelle 1350
Thei ben al redi obeissant
As damoiselles entendant
To the goddesses, whos servise[1613]
Thei mote obeie in alle wise;
Wherof the Greks to hem beseke
With tho that ben goddesses eke,
And have in hem a gret credence.
[Sidenote: Manes dii mortuorum.[1614]]
And yit withoute experience
Salve only of illusion,
Which was to hem dampnacion, 1360
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 173=]
For men also that were dede
Thei hadden goddes, as I rede,
And tho be name Manes hihten,
To whom ful gret honour thei dihten,
So as the Grekes lawe seith,
Which was ayein the rihte feith.
Thus have I told a gret partie;
Bot al the hole progenie
Of goddes in that ilke time
To long it were forto rime. 1370
Bot yit of that which thou hast herd,
Of misbelieve hou it hath ferd,
Ther is a gret diversite.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
Mi fader, riht so thenketh me.
Bot yit o thing I you beseche,
Which stant in alle mennes speche,
The godd and the goddesse of love,
Of whom ye nothing hier above
Have told, ne spoken of her fare,
That ye me wolden now declare 1380
Hou thei ferst comen to that name.[1615]
Mi Sone, I have it left for schame,
Be cause I am here oghne Prest;[1616]
[Sidenote: Qualiter Cupido et Venus deus et dea amoris
nuncupantur.[1617]]
Bot for thei stonden nyh thi brest[1618]
Upon the schrifte of thi matiere,
Thou schalt of hem the sothe hiere:
And understand nou wel the cas.
Venus Saturnes dowhter was,
Which alle danger putte aweie
Of love, and fond to lust a weie; 1390
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 174=]
So that of hire in sondri place
Diverse men felle into grace,
And such a lusti lif sche ladde,
That sche diverse children hadde,
Nou on be this, nou on be that.
Of hire it was that Mars beyat
A child, which cleped was Armene;
Of hire also cam Andragene,
To whom Mercurie fader was:
Anchises begat Eneas 1400
Of hire also, and Ericon
Biten begat, and therupon,
Whan that sche sih ther was non other,
Be Jupiter hire oghne brother
Sche lay, and he begat Cupide.[1619]
And thilke Sone upon a tyde,
Whan he was come unto his Age,
He hadde a wonder fair visage,
And fond his Moder amourous,
And he was also lecherous: 1410
So whan thei weren bothe al one,
As he which yhen hadde none
To se reson, his Moder kiste;
And sche also, that nothing wiste
Bot that which unto lust belongeth,
To ben hire love him underfongeth.
Thus was he blind, and sche unwys:
Bot natheles this cause it is,
Why Cupide is the god of love,
For he his moder dorste love. 1420
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 175=]
And sche, which thoghte hire lustes fonde,
Diverse loves tok in honde,
Wel mo thanne I the tolde hiere:[1620]
And for sche wolde hirselve skiere,
Sche made comun that desport,
And sette a lawe of such a port,
That every womman mihte take
What man hire liste, and noght forsake
To ben als comun as sche wolde.[1621]
Sche was the ferste also which tolde 1430
That wommen scholde here bodi selle;
Semiramis, so as men telle,
Of Venus kepte thilke aprise,
And so dede in the same wise
Of Rome faire Neabole,
Which liste hire bodi to rigole;
Sche was to every man felawe,
And hild the lust of thilke lawe,[1622]
Which Venus of hirself began;
Wherof that sche the name wan, 1440
Why men hire clepen the goddesse
Of love and ek of gentilesse,
Of worldes lust and of plesance.
Se nou the foule mescreance
Of Greks in thilke time tho,
Whan Venus tok hire name so.
Ther was no cause under the Mone[1623]
Of which thei hadden tho to done,
Of wel or wo wher so it was,
That thei ne token in that cas 1450
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 176=]
A god to helpe or a goddesse.
Wherof, to take mi witnesse,
[Sidenote: Nota de Epistola Dindimi Regis Bragmannorum
Alexandro magno directa, vbi dicit quod Greci tunc ad
corporis conseruacionem pro singulis membris singulos deos
specialiter appropriari credunt.]
The king of Bragmans Dindimus[1624]
Wrot unto Alisandre thus:
In blaminge of the Grekes feith
And of the misbelieve, he seith
How thei for every membre hadden
A sondri god, to whom thei spradden
Here armes, and of help besoghten.
Minerve for the hed thei soghten, 1460
For sche was wys, and of a man
The wit and reson which he can
Is in the celles of the brayn,
Wherof thei made hire soverain.
Mercurie, which was in his dawes
A gret spekere of false lawes,
On him the kepinge of the tunge
Thei leide, whan thei spieke or sunge.
For Bachus was a glotoun eke,
Him for the throte thei beseke, 1470
That he it wolde waisshen ofte
With swote drinkes and with softe.
The god of schuldres and of armes
Was Hercules; for he in armes
The myhtieste was to fihte,
To him tho Limes they behihte.[1625]
The god whom that thei clepen Mart[1626]
The brest to kepe hath for his part,
Forth with the herte, in his ymage
That he adresce the corage. 1480
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 177=]
And of the galle the goddesse,
For sche was full of hastifesse[1627]
Of wraththe and liht to grieve also,
Thei made and seide it was Juno.
Cupide, which the brond afyre[1628]
Bar in his hond, he was the Sire[1629]
Of the Stomak, which builleth evere,
Wherof the lustes ben the levere.
To the goddesse Cereres,[1630]
Which of the corn yaf hire encress 1490
Upon the feith that tho was take,
The wombes cure was betake;
And Venus thurgh the Lecherie,
For which that thei hire deifie,
Sche kept al doun the remenant[1631]
To thilke office appourtenant.
[Sidenote: [ORIGIN OF IDOL-WORSHIP.]]
Thus was dispers in sondri wise
The misbelieve, as I devise,
[Sidenote: Nota de prima ydolorum cultura, que ex tribus
precipue Statuis exorta est; quarum prima fuit illa, quam
in filii sui memoriam quidam princeps nomine Cirophanes a
sculptore Promotheo fabricari constituit.]
With many an ymage of entaile,
Of suche as myhte hem noght availe; 1500
For thei withoute lyves chiere
Unmyhti ben to se or hiere
Or speke or do or elles fiele;
And yit the foles to hem knele,
Which is here oghne handes werk.
Ha lord, hou this believe is derk,
And fer fro resonable wit!
And natheles thei don it yit:
That was to day a ragged tre,
To morwe upon his majeste 1510
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 178=]
Stant in the temple wel besein.
How myhte a mannes resoun sein
That such a Stock mai helpe or grieve?
Bot thei that ben of such believe
And unto suche goddes calle,
It schal to hem riht so befalle,
And failen ate moste nede.[1632]
Bot if thee list to taken hiede
And of the ferste ymage wite,
Petornius therof hath write[1633] 1520
And ek Nigargorus also;
And thei afferme and write so,
That Promotheüs was tofore
And fond the ferste craft therfore,
And Cirophanes, as thei telle,
Thurgh conseil which was take in helle,[1634]
In remembrance of his lignage[1635]
Let setten up the ferste ymage.
Of Cirophanes seith the bok,
That he for sorwe, which he tok 1530
Of that he sih his Sone ded,
Of confort knew non other red,
Bot let do make in remembrance
A faire ymage of his semblance
And sette it in the market place,[1636]
Which openly tofore his face
Stod every dai to don him ese.
And thei that thanne wolden plese
The fader, scholden it obeie,
Whan that they comen thilke weie. 1540
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 179=]
[Sidenote: Secunda Statua fuit illa, quam ad sui patris
Beli culturam Rex Ninus fieri et adorari decreuit. Et sic
de nomine Beli postea Bel et Belzebub ydolum accreuit.]
And of Ninus king of Assire
I rede hou that in his empire
He was next after the secounde
Of hem that ferst ymages founde.
For he riht in semblable cas
Of Belus, which his fader was
Fro Nembroth in the rihte line,
Let make of gold and Stones fine
A precious ymage riche
After his fader evene liche; 1550
And therupon a lawe he sette,
That every man of pure dette
With sacrifice and with truage
Honoure scholde thilke ymage:
So that withinne time it fell,
Of Belus cam the name of Bel,
Of Bel cam Belzebub, and so
The misbelieve wente tho.
[Sidenote: Tercia Statua fuit illa, que ad honorem Apis
Regis Grecorum sculpta fuit, cui postea nomen Serapis
imponentes, ipsum quasi deum Pagani coluerunt.]
The thridde ymage next to this
Was, whan the king of Grece Apis 1560
Was ded, thei maden a figure
In resemblance of his stature.
Of this king Apis seith the bok
That Serapis his name tok,
In whom thurgh long continuance
Of misbelieve a gret creance
Thei hadden, and the reverence
Of Sacrifice and of encence
To him thei made: and as thei telle,
Among the wondres that befelle, 1570
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 180=]
Whan Alisandre fro Candace
Cam ridende, in a wilde place
Undur an hull a Cave he fond;[1637]
And Candalus, which in that lond
Was bore, and was Candaces Sone,
Him tolde hou that of commun wone
The goddes were in thilke cave.
And he, that wolde assaie and have[1638]
A knowlechinge if it be soth,
Liht of his hors and in he goth, 1580
And fond therinne that he soghte:
For thurgh the fendes sleihte him thoghte,
Amonges othre goddes mo
That Serapis spak to him tho,
Whom he sih there in gret arrai.
And thus the fend fro dai to dai
The worschipe of ydolatrie
Drowh forth upon the fantasie
Of hem that weren thanne blinde
And couthen noght the trouthe finde. 1590
Thus hast thou herd in what degre
Of Grece, Egipte and of Caldee
The misbelieves whilom stode;[1639]
And hou so that thei be noght goode
Ne trewe, yit thei sprungen oute,
Wherof the wyde world aboute
His part of misbelieve tok.
Til so befell, as seith the bok,
That god a poeple for himselve
Hath chose of the lignages tuelve, 1600
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 181=]
Wherof the sothe redely,
As it is write in Genesi,
I thenke telle in such a wise
That it schal be to thin apprise.
[Sidenote: [iv. BELIEF OF THE JEWS.]]
[Sidenote: De Hebreorum seu Iudeorum Secta, quorum
Sinagoga, ecclesia Cristi superueniente, defecit.]
After the flod, fro which Noë
Was sauf, the world in his degre
Was mad, as who seith, newe ayein,
Of flour, of fruit, of gras, of grein,
Of beste, of bridd and of mankinde,
Which evere hath be to god unkinde: 1610
For noght withstondende al the fare,
Of that this world was mad so bare
And afterward it was restored,
Among the men was nothing mored
Towardes god of good lyvynge,
Bot al was torned to likinge
After the fleissh, so that foryete
Was he which yaf hem lif and mete,
Of hevene and Erthe creatour.
And thus cam forth the grete errour, 1620
That thei the hihe god ne knewe,
Bot maden othre goddes newe,
As thou hast herd me seid tofore:
Ther was noman that time bore,[1640]
That he ne hadde after his chois
A god, to whom he yaf his vois.
Wherof the misbelieve cam
Into the time of Habraham:[1641]
Bot he fond out the rihte weie,
Hou only that men scholde obeie 1630
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 182=]
The hihe god, which weldeth al,
And evere hath don and evere schal,
In hevene, in Erthe and ek in helle;[1642]
Ther is no tunge his miht mai telle.
This Patriarch to his lignage
Forbad, that thei to non ymage
Encline scholde in none wise,
Bot here offrende and sacrifise
With al the hole hertes love
Unto the mihti god above 1640
Thei scholden yive and to no mo:
And thus in thilke time tho
Began the Secte upon this Erthe,[1643]
Which of believes was the ferthe.
Of rihtwisnesse it was conceived,
So moste it nedes be received[1644]
Of him that alle riht is inne,[1645]
The hihe god, which wolde winne
A poeple unto his oghne feith.
On Habraham the ground he leith, 1650
And made him forto multeplie
Into so gret a progenie,
That thei Egipte al overspradde.[1646]
Bot Pharao with wrong hem ladde
In servitute ayein the pes,
Til god let sende Moïses
To make the deliverance;
And for his poeple gret vengance
He tok, which is to hiere a wonder.
The king was slain, the lond put under, 1660
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 183=]
God bad the rede See divide,
Which stod upriht on either side[1647]
And yaf unto his poeple a weie,
That thei on fote it passe dreie[1648]
And gon so forth into desert:
Wher forto kepe hem in covert,
The daies, whan the Sonne brente,[1649]
A large cloude hem overwente,
And forto wissen hem be nyhte,
A firy Piler hem alyhte. 1670
And whan that thei for hunger pleigne,
The myhti god began to reyne
Manna fro hevene doun to grounde,
Wherof that ech of hem hath founde
His fode, such riht as him liste;
And for thei scholde upon him triste,
Riht as who sette a tonne abroche,
He percede the harde roche,[1650]
And sprong out water al at wille,
That man and beste hath drunke his fille: 1680
And afterward he yaf the lawe
To Moïses, that hem withdrawe
Thei scholden noght fro that he bad.
And in this wise thei be lad,
Til thei toke in possession[1651]
The londes of promission,
Wher that Caleph and Josuë
The Marches upon such degre
Departen, after the lignage
That ech of hem as Heritage 1690
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 184=]
His porpartie hath underfonge.
And thus stod this believe longe,
Which of prophetes was governed;
And thei hadde ek the poeple lerned
Of gret honour that scholde hem falle;
Bot ate moste nede of alle
Thei faileden, whan Crist was bore.
Bot hou that thei here feith have bore,[1652]
It nedeth noght to tellen al,
The matiere is so general: 1700
Whan Lucifer was best in hevene
And oghte moste have stonde in evene,
Towardes god he tok debat;
And for that he was obstinat,
And wolde noght to trouthe encline,
He fell for evere into ruine:
And Adam ek in Paradis,
Whan he stod most in al his pris
After thastat of Innocence,
Ayein the god brak his defence 1710
And fell out of his place aweie:
And riht be such a maner weie
The Jwes in here beste plit,[1653]
Whan that thei scholden most parfit
Have stonde upon the prophecie,[1654]
Tho fellen thei to most folie,
And him which was fro hevene come,
And of a Maide his fleissh hath nome,
And was among hem bore and fedd,
As men that wolden noght be spedd 1720
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 185=]
Of goddes Sone, with o vois
Thei hinge and slowhe upon the crois.
Wherof the parfit of here lawe
Fro thanne forth hem was withdrawe,
So that thei stonde of no merit,
Bot in truage as folk soubgit
Withoute proprete of place
Thei liven out of goddes grace,
Dispers in alle londes oute.
And thus the feith is come aboute, 1730
That whilom in the Jewes stod,
Which is noght parfihtliche good.
To speke as it is nou befalle,
Ther is a feith aboven alle,
In which the trouthe is comprehended,
Wherof that we ben alle amended.

[Sidenote: [THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.]]
[Sidenote: De fide Cristiana, in qua perfecte legis
complementum, summi misterii sacramentum, nostreque
saluacionis fundamentum infallibiliter[1655] consistere
credimus.]
The hihe almyhti majeste,
Of rihtwisnesse and of pite,
The Sinne which that Adam wroghte,
Whan he sih time, ayein he boghte, 1740
And sende his Sone fro the hevene
To sette mannes Soule in evene,[1656]
Which thanne was so sore falle[1657]
Upon the point which was befalle,
That he ne mihte himself arise.[1658]
Gregoire seith in his aprise,[1659]
It helpeth noght a man be bore,
If goddes Sone were unbore;
For thanne thurgh the ferste Sinne,
Which Adam whilom broghte ous inne, 1750
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 186=]
Ther scholden alle men be lost;
Bot Crist restoreth thilke lost,
And boghte it with his fleissh and blod.
And if we thenken hou it stod
Of thilke rancoun which he payde,
[Sidenote: Gregorius. O necessarium Ade peccatum![1660] O
felix culpa, que talem ac tantum meruit habere redemptorem!]
As seint Gregoire it wrot and sayde,
Al was behovely to the man:
For that wherof his wo began
Was after cause of al his welthe,
Whan he which is the welle of helthe, 1760
The hihe creatour of lif,
Upon the nede of such a strif
So wolde for his creature[1661]
Take on himself the forsfaiture
And soffre for the mannes sake.
Thus mai no reson wel forsake
That thilke Senne original
Ne was the cause in special
Of mannes worschipe ate laste,
Which schal withouten ende laste. 1770
For be that cause the godhede
Assembled was to the manhede[1662]
In the virgine, where he nom
Oure fleissh and verai man becom
Of bodely fraternite;
Wherof the man in his degre
Stant more worth, as I have told,
Than he stod erst be manyfold,
Thurgh baptesme of the newe lawe,
Of which Crist lord is and felawe. 1780
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 187=]
And thus the hihe goddes myht,[1663]
Which was in the virgine alyht,
The mannes Soule hath reconsiled,
Which hadde longe ben exiled.
So stant the feith upon believe,
Withoute which mai non achieve
To gete him Paradis ayein:
Bot this believe is so certein,
So full of grace and of vertu,
That what man clepeth to Jhesu 1790
In clene lif forthwith good dede,[1664]
He mai noght faile of hevene mede,
Which taken hath the rihte feith;
For elles, as the gospel seith,
Salvacion ther mai be non.
And forto preche therupon
Crist bad to hise Apostles alle,
The whos pouer as nou is falle
On ous that ben of holi cherche,
[Sidenote: Iacobus. Fides sine operibus mortua est.[1665]]
If we the goode dedes werche;[1666] 1800
For feith only sufficeth noght,[1667]
Bot if good dede also be wroght.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Now were it good that thou forthi,
Which thurgh baptesme proprely
Art unto Cristes feith professed,
Be war that thou be noght oppressed
[Sidenote: Nota hic contra istos qui iam lollardi
dicuntur.[1668]]
With Anticristes lollardie.
For as the Jwes prophecie[1669]
Was set of god for avantage,
Riht so this newe tapinage 1810
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 188=]
Of lollardie goth aboute
To sette Cristes feith in doute.
The seintz that weren ous tofore,
Be whom the feith was ferst upbore,
That holi cherche stod relieved,
Thei oghten betre be believed
Than these, whiche that men knowe
Noght holy, thogh thei feigne and blowe
Here lollardie in mennes Ere.
Bot if thou wolt live out of fere, 1820
Such newe lore, I rede, eschuie,
And hold forth riht the weie and suie,
As thine Ancestres dede er this:
So schalt thou noght believe amis.
[Sidenote: Incepit Jhesus facere et docere.]
Crist wroghte ferst and after tawhte,
So that the dede his word arawhte;[1670]
He yaf ensample in his persone,
And we the wordes have al one,
Lich to the Tree with leves grene,
Upon the which no fruit is sene. 1830
[Sidenote: Nota quod, cum Anthenor Palladium Troie a
templo Minerue abstulit, Thoas ibidem summus sacerdos auro
corruptus oculos auertit, et sic malum quasi non videns
scienter fieri permisit.]
The Priest Thoas, which of Minerve
The temple hadde forto serve,
And the Palladion of Troie
Kepte under keie, for monoie,
Of Anthenor which he hath nome,[1671]
Hath soffred Anthenor to come
And the Palladion to stele,
Wherof the worschipe and the wele
Of the Troiens was overthrowe.
Bot Thoas at the same throwe, 1840
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 189=]
Whan Anthenor this Juel tok,
Wynkende caste awei his lok
For a deceipte and for a wyle:
As he that scholde himself beguile,
He hidde his yhen fro the sihte,
And wende wel that he so mihte
Excuse his false conscience.
I wot noght if thilke evidence
Nou at this time in here estatz[1672]
Excuse mihte the Prelatz, 1850
Knowende hou that the feith discresceth
And alle moral vertu cesseth,
Wherof that thei the keies bere,
Bot yit hem liketh noght to stere
Here gostliche yhe forto se[1673]
The world in his adversite;
Thei wol no labour undertake
To kepe that hem is betake.
Crist deide himselve for the feith,
Bot nou our feerfull prelat seith, 1860
‘The lif is suete,’ and that he kepeth,
So that the feith unholpe slepeth,
And thei unto here ese entenden
And in here lust her lif despenden,
And every man do what him list.
Thus stant this world fulfild of Mist,
That noman seth the rihte weie:
The wardes of the cherche keie
Thurgh mishandlinge ben myswreynt,
The worldes wawe hath welnyh dreynt 1870
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 190=]
The Schip which Peter hath to stiere,
The forme is kept, bot the matiere
Transformed is in other wise.
Bot if thei weren gostli wise,
And that the Prelatz weren goode,
As thei be olde daies stode,
It were thanne litel nede
Among the men to taken hiede
Of that thei hieren Pseudo telle,[1674]
Which nou is come forto duelle, 1880
To sowe cokkel with the corn,
So that the tilthe is nyh forlorn,
Which Crist sew ferst his oghne hond.[1675]
Nou stant the cockel in the lond,
Wher stod whilom the goode grein,
For the Prelatz nou, as men sein,
Forslowthen that thei scholden tile.
And that I trowe be the skile,
Whan ther is lacke in hem above,
The poeple is stranged to the love 1890
Of trouthe, in cause of ignorance;
For wher ther is no pourveance
Of liht, men erren in the derke.[1676]
Bot if the Prelatz wolden werke
Upon the feith which thei ous teche,
Men scholden noght here weie seche
Withoute liht, as now is used:
Men se the charge aldai refused,
Which holi cherche hath undertake.
[Sidenote: Gregorius. Quando Petrus cum Judea, Andreas cum
Achaia, Thomas cum Yndea, et Paulus cum gente venient, quid
dicemus nos moderni, quorum fossum talentum pro nichilo
computabitur?]
Bot who that wolde ensample take, 1900
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 191=]
Gregoire upon his Omelie
Ayein the Slouthe of Prelacie
Compleigneth him, and thus he seith:
‘Whan Peter, fader of the feith,
At domesdai schal with him bringe
Judeam, which thurgh his prechinge[1677]
He wan, and Andrew with Achaie
Schal come his dette forto paie,
And Thomas ek with his beyete
Of Ynde, and Poul the routes grete 1910
Of sondri londes schal presente,[1678]
And we fulfild of lond and rente,
Which of this world we holden hiere,
With voide handes schul appiere,
Touchende oure cure spirital,
Which is our charge in special,
I not what thing it mai amonte
Upon thilke ende of oure accompte,
Wher Crist himself is Auditour,
Which takth non hiede of vein honour.’ 1920
Thoffice of the Chancellerie
Or of the kinges Tresorie
Ne for the writ ne for the taille[1679]
To warant mai noght thanne availe;
The world, which nou so wel we trowe,[1680]
Schal make ous thanne bot a mowe:
So passe we withoute mede,
That we non otherwise spede,
Bot as we rede that he spedde,
The which his lordes besant hedde 1930
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 192=]
And therupon gat non encress.
Bot at this time natheles,
What other man his thonk deserve,
The world so lusti is to serve,
That we with him ben all acorded,
And that is wist and wel recorded
Thurghout this Erthe in alle londes
Let knyhtes winne with here hondes,
For oure tunge schal be stille
And stonde upon the fleisshes wille. 1940
It were a travail forto preche
The feith of Crist, as forto teche
The folk Paiene, it wol noght be;
Bot every Prelat holde his See
With al such ese as he mai gete
Of lusti drinke and lusti mete,[1681]
Wherof the bodi fat and full
Is unto gostli labour dull
And slowh to handle thilke plowh.
Bot elles we ben swifte ynowh 1950
Toward the worldes Avarice;
And that is as a sacrifice,[1682]
Which, after that thapostel seith,[1683]
Is openly ayein the feith
Unto thidoles yove and granted:
Bot natheles it is nou haunted,
And vertu changed into vice,
So that largesce is Avarice,
In whos chapitre now we trete.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
Mi fader, this matiere is bete 1960
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 193=]
So fer, that evere whil I live
I schal the betre hede yive
Unto miself be many weie:
Bot over this nou wolde I preie
To wite what the branches are[1684]
Of Avarice, and hou thei fare
Als wel in love as otherwise.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi Sone, and I thee schal devise
In such a manere as thei stonde,[1685]
So that thou schalt hem understonde.[1686] 1970

(LIBRI QUINTI §§ iii--xiii _in sequenti volumine continentur_)

LINENOTES:

[1446] _Latin Verses_ i. 5 dicet AM ... B₂

[1447] 4 þer was G, AdB

[1448] 30 Wher in it moste nedes dwelle H₁ ... B₂

[1449] 35 asyhte F

[1450] 40 ouermore, B

[1451] 47 that he] þat þat A

47 f. ffor he þer of his part ne taþ
Bot kepeþ to anoþer þat he haþ

So H₁ ... B₂ _with some variations_ (þat _for_ Bot C it hath
_for_ he haþ H₁)

[1452] 59 farst F fare A ... B₂, Ad ... Δ

[1453] 73 departe AMH₁ _om._ Ad

[1454] 82 To holde hir whil my lif may laste H₁ ... B₂ _line
om._ T

[1455] 103 fiele] seche A ... B₂

[1456] 104 fulofte I A ... B₂ ofte I H₁

[1457] 110 wise] þing A ... B₂

[1458] 120 acordeþ XE ... B₂

[1459] 129 fulle AM

[1460] 133 that he] he to H₁ ... B₂

[1461] 135 He is] He as H₁ ... B₂

[1462] 141 the _om._ AMB₂, T

[1463] 142 his] þis A ... B₂

[1464] 160 _margin_ tunc] tantum BT _om._ G, Δ

[1465] 143 the] is AM

[1466] 146 payed CB₂, AdB

[1467] 159 tho] þus BT

[1468] 168 that _om._ B

[1469] 173 þe king A ... B₂

[1470] 185 þe poyntes whiche H₁, BT, W

[1471] 188 Tho XGERCB₂, B They H₁

[1472] 196 the world] worldes A ... B₂, Λ

[1473] 201 is al AM

[1474] 210 þis world H₁ ... B₂

[1475] 211 myhte _om._ H₁ ... B₂ (hadde _for_ have H₁)

[1476] 212 a mannes H₁ ... B₂, Ad, W

[1477] 217 the] þo GEC þese (þeis) AdBTΔ

[1478] 235 þe king BT

[1479] 242 the _om._ AMH₁XRLB₂

[1480] 249 telleþ AM

[1481] 253 dropesie (dropseie) AM

[1482] 268 þer vpon B

[1483] 273 put AJ, F putte C, BT

[1484] 274 He touched (toucheþ) al þat by him lay H₁ ... B₂, Λ
(toucheþ H₁GC touchit B₂ touche X)

[1485] 278 al] as AM

[1486] 281 him most(e) AJMG ... B₂

[1487] 288 al] as AMXERLB₂

[1488] 295 þis SBT

[1489] 301 waisshen F waisschen B wasshen (waschen) AJ, S

[1490] 306 wyssh (wissh) SB wisshe AJ, F

[1491] 314 change AM

[1492] 316 hom] þanne (þan) H₁ ... B₂, Λ

[1493] 332 bruche AM

[1494] 350 befull F

[1495] 364 Benethe] Grieueþ C &c.

[1496] 368 And for no drede now wol I wonde H₁ ... B₂, Λ

[1497] 371 ffor what man stonde B ffor what man þat stonde T

[1498] 372 unto] to H₁ ... B₂, BTΔ, W vp to Λ

[1499] 385 a doun J, F adoun A, B

[1500] 394 forbiedeþ J, S, F forbedeþ A, B The more he haþ þe
more he greedeþ H₁ ... B₂, Λ (dredeþ _for_ greedeþ R)

[1501] 412 tak SB take AJ, F

[1502] 424 everemore] ouercome AM ... B₂, Λ

[1503] 448 vnderstod (vnderstood) AJ, B vnderstode S, F er
this] þis AM ... L I wis B₂

[1504] 454 Now _om._ A ... B₂

[1505] 458 _margin_ de _om._ AMXRCLB₂, Δ

[1506] 459 ilke] þilke AM

[1507] 463 on] in H₁ ... B₂

[1508] 471 as _om._ H₁ ... B₂, Δ

[1509] 486 I] it AM

[1510] 487 neveremore] neuer B neu_er_more more T

[1511] 493 fro] by (be) H₁ ... B₂, B

[1512] 505 liste] lust to B

[1513] 511 his H₁ ... B₂, W

[1514] 534 Wher of H₁G ... B₂ Wher_e_ þ_at_ X

[1515] 536 as doth] and as G, B

[1516] 545 at _om._ AM

[1517] 551 his] þat B

[1518] 601 bagge BT

[1519] 606 euere more AJ, F eueremore SB

[1520] 611 at] of B

[1521] 649 Al AM ... B₂

[1522] 654 auerous BTΛ

[1523] 659 And sche þan þoughte how sche mighte B Grete it was
_and_ sore he sight Λ _line om._ T

[1524] 660 As sche BTΛ

[1525] 671 apposeþ AM, W

[1526] 681 him AMECLB₂

[1527] 691 that] how þat H₁XRCLB₂ how GE

[1528] 698 þe BT

[1529] 702 he leide] is leid(e) H₁ ... B₂ was leyed W

[1530] _Latin Verses_ ii. 1 Mentibus H₁ ... B₂, BTΛ, W

[1531] 4 Equiperans A Equipans J, B, F

[1532] 764 experience H₁ ... B₂, Δ

[1533] 773 ff. _margin_ Et nota--decreuit _om._ BT

[1534] 781 of] as E ... B₂ os X

[1535] 786 And wol (woln) non oþer maner leue H₁ ... B₂ (whi
_for_ wol R)

[1536] 787 _margin_ De Secta Egipciorum _om._ B

[1537] 787 lo] so B _om._ ME

[1538] 792 thogh _om._ AMH₁B₂, Δ

[1539] 795 forth] feiþ L seþ C seintis B₂

[1540] 811 þegipcienes (þe Egipcienes) YGEC, BΔ þe Egipcianis X
thegipciens (þe Egipciens) AJMH₁RB₂, SAdT, FWH₃ egipcens L

[1541] 821 _as in_ 811 _but_ Egipcienes Y þegipciens L

[1542] 833 Fro] Of A ... B₂

[1543] 835 _margin_ De Secta Grecorum] De secta egipciorum B
_om._ E

[1544] 836 that _om._ XRCLB₂

[1545] 850 he to plihte (toplighte &c.) J, SAdBTΔ, FWH₃ al to
plyhte (alto plight &c.) AM ... B₂

[1546] 862 dede him H₁ ... B₂, Δ, W

[1547] 866 hihe A, S, F hih BT

[1548] 893 he BT

[1549] 901 Whiche A, S Which J, B, F

[1550] 915 _margin_ Sciencie A

[1551] 923 whane F

[1552] 928 feigneþ B

[1553] 936 be the] beþ þe AMXE ... B₂ ther beth H₁ ben (_om._
the) J, Δ, W

[1554] 937 f. _margin_ Mercurius--furtorum _om._ X ... CB₂, H₃
Mercurius deus lat_ro_nu_m_ L Mercurie deus H₁

[1555] 939 stal] dide (dede) H₁ ... B₂

[1556] 948 ōn F

[1557] 951 tho] þe X ... B₂, Ad

[1558] 967 _margin_ Eolus deus ventorum _om._ B

[1559] 979 Tho] They (þai &c.) H₁ ... B₂, B

[1560] 981 _margin_ Neptunus deus maris _om._ X ... B₂ Iubiter
deus deliciarum H₁

[1561] 986 mad J, S, F made AC, B

[1562] 987 tho] þe H₁ ... B₂

[1563] 989 al _om._ BT

[1564] 992 wold(e) hem H₁ ... B₂, Δ he wolde hem M

[1565] 1006 ben _om._ AM

[1566] 1009 Nonarigne (Nouarigne, Nonareigne &c.) H₁ ... B₂, B
Nonartigne (Nonartyne) M, WH₃

[1567] 1013 benethe in] beneþe (by neþe, benethen &c.) H₁ ...
B₂, BT beneþin A

[1568] 1050 sende] sayde B _line om._ T

[1569] 1058 a glotoun] þe glotoun B

[1570] 1059 _margin_ Esculapius deus medicine _om._ B

[1571] 1065 thei _om._ AMXRCLB₂

[1572] 1072 him AM ... CB₂, BT, WH₃

[1573] 1083 _margin_ Hercules &c. _om._ B.

[1574] 1103 _margin_ Pluto &c. _om._ AH₁XE ... B₂ (_ins. later_
M), B

[1575] 1105 fro] for H₁, BT of W

[1576] 1107 euery H₁ ... B₂

[1577] 1109 fflagetoun AMH₁, W fflogetoun GECLB₂, B

[1578] 1112 of the helle] of helle AM ... B₂, AdBΔΛ, W

[1579] 1119 Iupiteres (Iubiteres &c.) MYXGERC, SB Iupiters
(Iubiters) AJLB₂, FH₃ Iupiter (Iubiter) H₁, AdTΔ, W

[1580] 1134 _margin_ dearum JY, S ... Δ, FH₃ deorum AM ... B₂, W

[1581] 1138 the _om._ H₁ ... B₂, Δ, W lawes H₁ ... B₂

[1582] 1149 here (her) B, W his C

[1583] 1155 f. _margin_ Iuno &c. _om._ AM ... B₂ et diuiciarum
_om._ BT

[1584] 1156 him _om._ B

[1585] 1165 Iupiter he SAdΔ

[1586] 1172 was _om._ H₁ ... B₂ as seiþ H₁ ... B₂

[1587] 1176 And _om._ BT

[1588] 1199 Palon(e) H₁ ... B₂

[1589] 1201 after þat for sche was w. AM ... B₂

[1590] 1203 The] To H₁E ... B₂

[1591] 1207 _margin_ Pallas &c. _om._ C, BT

[1592] 1221 _margin_ Ceres dea frugum _om._ JH₁ ... B₂ Saturnus
dea frugum B

[1593] 1230 grape AM ... B₂, Δ

[1594] 1232 the _om._ AM, W

[1595] 1238 her tilþes B

[1596] 1245 _margin_ et Siluarum _om._ AM

[1597] 1252 And] Bot (But) SAdBTΔΛ

[1598] 1253 ledde BT

[1599] 1256 was cleped BTΛ

[1600] 1262 al to] vnto B

[1601] 1279 Whil sche was] Which was H₁ ... B₂

[1602] 1286 hir _om._ H₁ ... B₂

[1603] 1287 To gedre ARCLB₂ To gedres M

[1604] 1290 Than BTΛ þe weie H₁E ... B₂

[1605] 1297 hield] tok(e) H₁ ... B₂

[1606] 1308 in _om._ AM for H₁ ... B₂

[1607] 1318 to bestes ER, BTΔ, W

[1608] 1331 Attitred AMXRB₂

[1609] 1333 tho] þer H₁ ... B₂

[1610] 1336 _margin_ Nereides Marium _om._ B

[1611] 1339 forth _om._ AM ... B₂

[1612] 1349 the _om._ AM ... B₂

[1613] 1353 goddes BΛ, W goddesse AM ... B₂

[1614] 1358 _margin_ Manes &c. _om._ B

[1615] 1381 comen ferst AM came first W

[1616] 1383 here] hire (hir) JL, Ad, W ȝour(e) X ... CB₂

[1617] 1383 ff. _margin_ Qualiter &c. _om._ H₁ ... B₂

[1618] 1384 þe brest A ... B₂, Ad, H₃

[1619] 1405 lay] haþ AM

[1620] 1423 telle X, B, W

[1621] 1429 a comun AM all comyn X

[1622] 1438 hild J, F hield SB huld A

[1623] 1447 no] þe AM ... B₂

[1624] 1453 Bragmas AM ... B₂, H₃

[1625] 1476 tho] þe H₁XGCLB₂, AdB, W

[1626] 1477 whom that] þe whom B whom H₁B₂, TΔ, W

[1627] 1482 hastifesse J, S, F hastifnesse A hastiuesse B

[1628] 1485 of fire H₁E ... B₂, Δ, WH₃

[1629] 1486 Bar] Bereþ (Berþ) XG But AME ... B₂

[1630] 1489 To] Lo AMH₁XG

[1631] 1495 kept J, B, F kepte A

[1632] 1517 ate] at here (atte her) AM ... B₂ at hor W

[1633] 1520 Petornius A, S, F Petronius J, B

[1634] 1526 which _om._ E ... B₂ þ_at_ W to helle E ... B₂

[1635] 1527 hir(e) E ... B₂ (her R)

[1636] 1535 sette SB set AJ, F

[1637] 1573 Vndur A, F Vnder J, S, B

[1638] 1578 And he] He AM ... B₂

[1639] 1593 mysbelieue H₁E ... B₂

[1640] 1624 bore] bifore BT

[1641] 1628 habraham F _rest_ Abraham (J _defective here_) _so
also l._ 1650

[1642] 1633 and erþe E ... B₂, Ad

[1643] 1643 the Secte] þat secte S ... Δ this secte W to sette
AMH₁X this] þe AM ... B₂

[1644] 1646 And alle mysbelieue weyued E ... B₂, Λ (misbelieues
RLB₂)

[1645] 1647 is] was E ... B₂

[1646] 1653 al _om._ XE ... B₂

[1647] 1662 on] in BT

[1648] 1664 on fote (foote) passen ECLB₂, B on fete p. R on
fote myght p. W in fote it p. X

[1649] 1667 The daies] Be (By) daies S ... Δ A dayes W

[1650] 1678 perced(e) þo þe RCLB₂, Λ, W

[1651] 1685 toke (tooke) C, SB tok (took) A, F

[1652] 1698 lore MH₁XGLB₂, AdBT, W (hath lore H₁L, W)

[1653] 1713 Iwes F Iewes A, SB

[1654] 1715 stonde AC, B stond F

[1655] 1743 _margin_ ineffabiliter ... creditur B

[1656] 1742 Which mannes soule haþ set in euene S ... Δ

[1657] 1743

And haþ his grace reconciled
ffro which þe man was ferst exiled
And in himself so sore falle

_So_ S ... Δ (_inserting a couplet between 1742 and 1743_)

[1658] 1745 auise E ... B₂

[1659] 1746 _margin_ Gregorius. Nichil nobis nasci profuit,
nisi redimi profuisset SBΔ (proficit _for_ profuit B)

[1660] 1756 ff. _margin_ O certe necessarium Ade peccatum
etc_etera_ B O felix--redemptorem _om._ SBΔ(AdT) _The note
stands at l. 1746 in_ H₃

[1661] 1763 wolde he AdB

[1662] 1772 to] wiþ BT

[1663] 1781-1793
Thurgh vertu of his hihe myht
Which in Marie was alyht
To begge mannes soule aȝein
And þis belieue is so certein
So full of grace and of vertu
That what man clepeþ to Jhesu
In clene lif forþwiþ good dede
He mai noght faile of heuene mede 1790*
So þat it stant vpon belieue
That euery man mai wel achieue
Which taken haþ &c. SAdBTΔ

[1664] 1791 forþwiþ F forþ wiþ AJ, B

[1665] 1800 f. _margin_ Iacobus &c. _om._ S ... Δ

[1666] 1800 þe goode dede JE ... B₂ (þo C) the goodenesse (þe
goodnesse) H₁X goode dedes G

[1667] 1801 f.

ffor feiþ . bot if þer be good dede
Thapostel seiþ is worþ no mede SAdBTΔ

[1668] 1807 f. _margin_ Nota hic--dicuntur _om._ BΔ(AdT), W
Nota contra istos qui lollardi dicuntur S Nota contra lollardos
C

[1669] 1808 Iwes F Iewes AJ, SB

[1670] 1826 his dede þe BT his dede his Λ, W

[1671] 1835 Anthenor AJ, SB Antenor F

[1672] 1849 estatz F estates J astatz (astates) A, SB

[1673] 1855 goodly (goodlich) BT

[1674] 1879 Pseudo telle] Pheudo telle E Pfeudo t. C hem telle
Λ _om._ T

[1675] 1883 sew A, S, F siew B

[1676] 1893 erren] crepen E ... B₂, Λ

[1677] 1906 f.

Which haþ conuert wiþ his prechinge
And whan þat Andrew E ... B₂, Λ

(conuerted ... teching L conuer E)

[1678] 1911 schal] to B

[1679] 1923 no writ ... þe taile A no writ ... no t. YE ... B₂
to write ... to taile B

[1680] 1925 which now we see and trowe E ... B₂, Λ

[1681] 1946 and] of YEC, BT

[1682] 1952 as a sacrifice] a good s. E ... B₂

[1683] 1953 þat after E ... B₃

[1684] 1965 the] þo E ... L

[1685] 1969 a _om._ BT, W

[1686] 1970 hem _om._ BT wel Ad

NOTES

PROLOGUS

_Latin Verses._ i. 1 f. The author acknowledges his incapacity for higher themes, as at the beginning of the first book. The subject of the present work is a less exalted one than that of those which preceded it.

3 f. _Qua tamen_ &c. The couplet may be translated, ‘Yet in that tongue of Hengist in which the island of Brut sings, I will utter English measures by the aid of Carmentis.’

5 f. _Ossibus ergo carens_ &c. That is, ‘Let the evil tongue be far away.’ The reference is to Prov. xxv. 15, ‘A soft tongue breaketh the bone,’ taken here in a bad sense: cp. iii. 463 ff.

7. ‘Moved by the example of these wise men of old.’ For this use of ‘ensampled’ cp. _Traitié_, xv. l. 4,

‘Pour essampler les autres du present.’

13. _Who that al_ &c. ‘If one writes of wisdom only’: a common form of expression in Gower’s French and English both; see note on _Mirour_, 1244. In English we have ‘who that,’ ‘who so (that)’ or ‘what man (that),’ sometimes with indic. and sometimes with subjunctive: cp. Prol. 460, 550, i. 383, 481, ii. 88, iii. 971, 2508, &c. See also note on l. 460.

_writ_, present tense, syncopated form.

16. _if that ye rede_, ‘if ye so counsel me,’ i.e. if you approve, equivalent to the ‘si bon vous sembleroit’ of the _Mirour_, l. 33.

24. The marginal note is wanting in F and S, and may perhaps have been added after the year 1397, when Henry became Duke of Hereford, cp. ‘tunc Derbie comiti,’ or even later, for in the _Cron. Tripertita_ Gower calls him Earl of Derby at the time of his exile, using the same expression as here, ‘tunc Derbie comiti.’ Caxton, followed by Berthelet, gives the following: ‘Hic in primis declarat Ioannes Gower quam ob causam presentem libellum composuit et finaliter compleuit, An. regni regis Ric. secundi 16.’

31. That is, compared with what it was in former time: cp. l. 133.

41. _write ... stode_: subjunctive. For the subjunctive in indirect question cp. ii. 1243, 1943, iii. 708, 771, &c.

43. _as who seith_, i.e. ‘as one may say,’ a qualification of what follows, ‘a gret partie’: the phrase is a common one, e.g. i. 1381, ‘as who seith, everemo,’ 2794, ii. 696, ‘as who seith, ded for feere,’ &c.

46. _schewen_, used absolutely, ‘set forth their histories.’

52. _a burel clerk_, ‘a man of simple learning,’ esp. ‘a layman’; cp. Chaucer, _Cant. Tales_, B 3145, D 1872: ‘burel’ was a coarse cloth.

54. _tok_, ‘took place,’ ‘existed’: cp. Chaucer, _Troilus_, iv. 1562,

‘And if so be that pees herafter take.’

So ‘prendre’ in French, e.g. _Mir._ 831,

‘Le mariage devoit prendre.’

72. _the god_, so 198, ii. 594; cp. ‘the vertu,’ 116, ‘the manhode,’ 260, ‘the man,’ 546, 582, ‘The charite,’ 319, &c.

74. _ended_, ‘continued to the end.’

77 ff. Apparently a reference to the treatise on the duties of a ruler contained in the seventh book: ‘I shall make a discourse also with regard to those who are in power, marking the distinction between the virtues and the vices which belong to their office.’

81 ff. ‘But as my wit is too small to correct the faults of every one, I send this book unto my own lord Henry of Lancaster ... to be amended at his command.’ For ‘upon amendement to stonde’ cp. ii. 583. The suggestion of amendment at the hands of the author’s patron is of course a mere compliment, like that paid by Chaucer to Gower at the conclusion of _Troilus_, but it gives a modest appearance to the general censure.

It is not likely that the expression ‘upon amendement’ refers to the change made in this part of the text, to which the author would hardly have called attention thus. Also, unless we explain as above, the meaning would seem to be ‘as my wit is too small to admonish every one, I send my work as now revised to my own lord Henry of Lancaster,’ a much too pointed application of the coming admonitions.

It is hardly needful to add that ‘to tellen every man his tale’ is not a reference to the _Canterbury Tales_, as some have supposed.

* * * * *

24*-92*. For this variation see the Introduction. The text of B, which is here followed, is as good as any other, but none of the copies which give the passage are thoroughly good in spelling, and the text has in this respect been slightly normalized. A and E are here defective, and J, which is the best available MS., has eccentricities of spelling (‘Richardus,’ ‘wyche,’ ‘hyt,’ ‘hys,’ ‘aftur,’ ‘resonabul,’ ‘ȝef,’ ‘be heste,’ ‘be ginne,’ &c.), which make it rather unsuitable as a basis for the text. It will be found however that J and B mutually correct each other to a great extent, and we have also MGRCL as additional witnesses of a respectable character. Thus in regard to some of the variations in spelling from B we have as follows:--

24* bok J

25 belongeþ MC

27* euere JML

31* Preiende G Preiend MCL

36* betyde (betide) GCL

40* be JML

43* f. nyh: syh (sih) JL

47* f. seid: leyd J

49* besinesse J

51* boke JM

52* myhte loke J

53* f. wrytinge: comandinge J

55* herte JMGCL

59* wiþoute GC

62* non JGC

65* handleþ JMGL

66* preye (preie) JMGCL heuene JMG

69* befalle J

75* bit JMCL

80 longe JML

82* bok J

87* begynneþ (beginneþ) ML

89* f. bok: tok J

92* begynne MCL.

34* ff. A very loosely constructed sentence. It means apparently, ‘I consider how it befell, as a thing destined then to come to pass, namely that as on Thames I came rowing by boat &c., I chanced to meet my liege lord.’ The disorder in which the clauses are thrown together is a feature which we shall notice elsewhere in our author’s style. ‘The toun of newe Troye’ is of course London, supposed to have been founded by Brut of Troy, whence was derived ‘Britain,’ the ‘insula Bruti’ of the opening lines.

52*. _loke_, ‘examine’: cp. ii. 733, vi. 1959.

65*. There is here a corruption which affects all the existing copies. The various readings are given in the critical notes, and evidently ‘outkrong’ is that which has most support. I conjecture that the author wrote ‘onwrong,’ i.e. ‘awrong,’ which being an unusual word suffered corruption at the hand of the first transcriber, the ‘w’ being mistaken, as it easily might be, for ‘tk’: cp. Chaucer, _H. of Fame_, ii. 403, where ‘tokne’ is apparently a corruption of ‘towne.’

66*. _the hevene king_, ‘the king of hevene.’ Gower regularly writes the final ‘e’ in ‘hevene,’ ‘evene,’ ‘evere,’ ‘nevere,’ &c. The preceding syllable is of course syncopated in pronunciation.

69*. _what befalle_, ‘whatsoever may befall’: cp. iii. 325, ‘what it were.’

75*. _bit_, i.e. ‘biddeth.’