Chapter L: LAUD 719, Bodleian Library, Oxford. Contains Vox Clamantis (13)

Quod patet ad limen instanti tempore crimen[757]
Describam primo, quo pallent alta sub ymo.
Nescio quid signat, plebs celica iura resignat,
Dum laicus clausas fidei vult soluere causas,
Que deus incepit et homo seruanda recepit:
Iam magis eneruant populi quam scripta reseruant,
Vnde magis clarum scribere tendo parum.
Lollia messis habens granum perturbat et ipsum, 20
Talia qui patitur horrea sepe grauat:
Semina perfidie sacros dispersa per agros
Ecclesie turbant subdola sicque fidem.
Inuentor sceleris sceleratus apostata primus
Angelicas turmas polluit ipse prius;
Postque ruit nostros paradisi sede parentes,
Morteque vitales fecerat esse reos:
Callidus hic serpens nec adhuc desistit in orbe,
Quin magis in Cristi lollia messe serit.
Ecce nouam sectam, mittit que plebis in aures, 30
Ad fidei dampnum scandala plura canit:
Sic vetus insurgit heresis quasi Iouiniani,
Vnde moderna fides commaculata dolet:
Vsurpando fidem vultum mentitur honestum,
Caucius vt fraudem palliet inde suam:[758]
Sub grossa lana linum subtile tenetur,
Simplicitas vultus corda dolosa tegit.
Fermento veteri talis corrumpit aceruum,
Qui noua conspergit et dubitanda mouet:
Dum magis incantat, obtura tu magis aures, 40
Forcius et cordis ostia claude tui:
Simplicitate tua ne credas omne quod audis;
Que docet ambiguus auctor aborta caue:
Nil nouitatis habens tua mens fantastica cedat;
Vt pater ante tuus credidit, acta cole.
Vera fides Cristi non hesitat, immo fideles
Efficit vt credant cordis amore sui:
Nil valet illa fides vbi res dabit experimentum,
Spes tamen in Cristo sola requirit eum:
Recta fides quicquid rectum petit, omne meretur, 50
Quicquid possibile creditur, ipsa potest.
Argumenta fides dat rerum que neque sciri,
Nec possunt verbo nec racione capi:
Subde tuam fidei mentem, quia mortis ymago
Iudicis eterni mistica scire nequit:
Vt solus facere voluit, sic scire volebat
Solus, et hoc nulli participauit opus.
Vna quid ad solem sintilla valet, vel ad equor[759]
Gutta, vel ad celum quid cinis esse potest?
Leticiam luctus, mors vitam, gaudia fletus 60
Non norunt, nec que sunt deitatis homo:
Non tenebre solem capiunt, non lumina cecus,[760]
Infima mens hominis nec capit alta dei:[761]
Nempe sacri flatus archanum nobile nunquam
Scrutari debes, quod penetrare nequis.
Cum non sit nostrum vel mundi tempora nosse,
Vnde creaturas nosse laborat homo?
Nos sentire fidem nostra racione probatam
Non foret humanis viribus illud opus;
Humanum non est opus vt transcendat ad astra, 70
Quod mortalis homo non racione capit:
Ingenium tante transit virtutis in altum,
Transcurrit superos, in deitate manet.
Qui sapienter agit, sapiat moderanter in istis,
Postulet vt rectam possit habere fidem:
Committat fidei quod non poterit racioni,
Quod non dat racio, det tibi firma fides.
Quod docet ecclesia tu tantum crede, nec vltra
Quam tibi scire datur quomodocumque stude:
Sufficit vt credas, est ars vbi nulla sciendi, 80
Quanta potest dominus scire nec vllus habet.
Est deus omnipotens, et qui negat omnipotenti
Credere posse, suum denegat esse deum;
Sic incarnatum tu debes credere Cristum
Virginis ex vtero, qui deus est et homo.
Vis saluus fieri? ~pete~, crede, ~stude~ reuereri;[762]
Absque magis queri lex iubet ista geri.
~Has~ fantasias aliter ~que~ dant heresias[763]
Dampnat Messias, sobrius ergo scias.
Tempore Ricardi, super hiis que fata tulerunt,[764] 90
Scismata lollardi de nouitate serunt:
Obstet principiis tribulos purgareque vadat
Cultor in ecclesiis, ne rosa forte cadat.

=Contra mentis Seuiciam in causa Superbie.=

Deficit in verbo sensus, quo cuncta superbo
Scribere delicta nequeo, que sunt michi dicta.
Radix peccati fuit ille prius scelerati,
Ex quo dampnati perierunt preuaricati:
Desuper a celis deiecit eum Michaelis
Ensis ad inferni tenebras de luce superni;
Nec paradisus ei prebere locum requiei 100
Spondet, vbi vere sibi gaudia posset habere:
Sic, quia deceptus alibi nequit esse receptus,
Mundum deposcit, vt in illo viuere possit:
Sic adhibendo moram venit ille superbus ad horam,
Quem mea mens tristis in partibus asserit istis.
Hunc vbi ponemus, hostem quem semper habemus?
Nam magis infecta veniens facit omnia tecta.
Laus ibi non lucet, vbi vana superbia ducet
Regna superborum; docet hoc vestitus eorum:
Cum valet ornatum sibi vanus habere paratum, 110
Non quasi mortalis, set vt angelus euolat alis.
Militis ad formam modo pauper habet sibi normam,
Vana sit vt vestis erit inde superbia testis,
Exterius signum cor signat habere malignum,
Cordis et errore fortuna carebit honore.
Nos igitur talem non consociare sodalem
Expedit, vt tuti reddamur in orbe saluti.
Quod deus odiuit reprobos Dauid hoc bene sciuit,
Ipseque psalmista scripsit de talibus ista:
‘Elatas mentes posuit de sede potentes, 120
Et sublimauit humiles, quos semper amauit.’
Vanus non durat, quem vana superbia curat,
Hec set eum ducit vbi gracia nulla reducit;
Culpa quidem fontis latices dabit hec Acherontis,
Vnde bibunt vani mortem quasi cotidiani.
Omne quod est natum stat ab hoc vicio viciatum,[765]
Quo magis inmundum vir vanus habet sibi mundum;
Set qui mentali de pondere iudiciali
Istud libraret, puto quod meliora pararet.
Hoc nam mortale vicium stat sic generale, 130
Quod mundum fregit, vbi singula regna subegit;
Hec etenim cedes nostras, vt dicitur, edes
Vertit, et insana dat tempora cotidiana.
O deus eterne, culpe miserere moderne,
Facque pias mentes sub lege tua penitentes!
Corpus, opes, vires sapiens non sic stabilires,
Dumque superbires, subita quin sorte perires:
Sunt que maiores humilis paciencia mores[766]
Nutrit, et errores vicii facit esse minores:
Ergo tuam vera mentem moderare statera; 140
Sit laus vel labes, pectore pondus habes.

=Contra carnis lasciuiam in causa Concupiscencie.=

O sexus fragilis, ex quo natura virilis
Carnea procedit, anime que robora ledit![767]
O natura viri carnalis, que stabiliri
Non valet, vt pura carnalia sint sibi iura!
Federa sponsorum que sunt sacrata virorum,
Heu, caro dissoluit, nec ibi sua debita soluit:
Tempore presenti de carne quasi furienti
Turpia sunt plura, que signant dampna futura:
Hec desponsatis sunt metuenda satis. 150
Philosophus quidam carnis de labe remorsus
Plebis in exemplum talia verba refert:
‘Vnam de variis penam sortitur adulter,
Eius vt amplexus omnis in orbe luat;[768]
Aut membrum perdet, aut carceris antra subibit,
Aut cadet insanus non reputandus homo,
Aut sibi pauperies infortunata resistet,
Aut moriens subito transit ab orbe reus.’
Et sic luxuries fatuis sua dona refundit,[769]
Vertit et econtra quicquid ab ante tulit. 160
Quod prius est dulce, demonstrat finis amarum,
Quo caro non tantum, spiritus immo cadit:
Sic oculus cordis carnis caligine cecus
Errat, et in dampnum decidit ipse suum:
Sic iubar humani sensus fuscatur in vmbra
Carnis, et in carnem mens racionis abit.
Dum carnalis amor animum tenet illaqueatum,
Sensati racio fit racionis egens;
Stans hominis racio calcata per omnia carni
Seruit, et ancille vix tenet ipsa locum. 170
Non locus est in quo maneant consueta libido
Et racio pariter, quin magis vna vacat:
Bella libido mouet, fauet et vecordia carnis,
Et sua dat fedo colla premenda iugo;
Libera set racio mentem de morte remordet
Carnis in obsequio, statque pudica deo.
Nil commune gerunt luxus sibi cum racione;
Ista deum retinet, illa cadauer habet:
Sic patet vt nichil est quicquid peritura voluptas
Appetit in carne, que velut vmbra fugit. 180
Pluribus exemplis tibi luxus erit fugiendus;
Biblea que docuit, respice facta Dauid:
Consilio Balaam luxus decepit Hebreos,
Quos caro commaculat, carnea culpa premit.
Discat homo iuuenis, celeri pede labitur etas,
Nuncia dum mortis curua senecta venit:
Ecce senilis yemps tremulo venit horrida passu,
Et rapit a iuvene quod reparare nequit:
Vir sapiens igitur sua tempora mente reuoluat,
Erigat et currum, quam prius inde cadat.[770] 190
Heu, set in hoc vicio plebis quasi tota propago
Carnis in obsequio stat viciata modo:
Ex causa fragili causatur fictilis etas,
Quo nunc de facili frangitur omnis homo.
Carnis enim vicia sunt sic communiter acta,
Quod de continuis vix pudet vsus eis:
Cecus amor fatuos cecos sic ducit amantes,
Quod sibi quid deceat non videt vllus amans.
Pendula res amor est subito collapsa dolore,
Ordine precipiti miraque facta parat;[771] 200
Sique tuam velles flammam compescere tutus,
Artem preuideas, quam prius inde cadas.
Cum viciis aliis pugna, iubet hec tibi Paulus,[772]
Carnis et a bello tu fuge solus homo;
Et quia vulnifico fixurus pectora telo
Vibrat amor, caute longius inde fuge:
Vinces si fugias, vinceris sique resistas;
Ne leo vincaris, tu lepus ergo fuge.
Mente tui cordis memorare nouissima carnis,
Et speculo mortis respice qualis eris:[773] 210
Oscula fetor erunt, amplexus vermis, et omne
Quod fuerat placidum, pena resoluet opus.
Occupat extrema stultorum gaudia luctus,
Et risum lacrima plena dolore madet:
Vana salus hominis, quam terminat egra voluptas,
Tollit et eternum viuere vita breuis.
Crede, satis tutum tenet hoc natura statutum,[774]
Quo caro pollutum reddet ad yma lutum;
Cum fera mors stabit et terram terra vorabit,
Tunc homo gustabit quid sibi culpa dabit. 220
Est vbi mundicia carnis sine labe reatus,
Casta pudicicia gaudet ad omne latus:
Stat nota bina solo quo luxus non dominatur,
Pax manet absque dolo, longaque vita datur.

=Contra mundi fallaciam in causa Periurii et Auaricie.=

Sunt duo cognati viciorum consociati,
Orbem qui ledunt pariter, nec ab orbe recedunt:
Iste fidem raram periurat, et alter auaram
Causam custodit; socios tales deus odit.
Primo periurum describam, postque futurum,
Est vbi ius rarum, scriptura remordet auaram: 230
Ex vicio tali fertur origo mali.
Nemo dei nomen assumere debet inane,
Falsa nec vt iuret, os perhibere malo:
Lex vetus hoc statuit, set, prothdolor, ecce modernus[775]
Munere corruptos iam nouus error agit.
Nil nisi dona videt dum se periurat Auarus,
Eius enim sensum census vbique regit;
Sic non liber homo librum sine pondere librat,
Seruit et ad libras quas sua libra trahit.
Set quia periurus defraudat iura superni, 240
Iurat eum dominus iure perire suo:
Sic lucrum siciens laqueos incurrit, et eius
Lingua prius mendax premia mortis habet;
Sic vendens et emens vacuus non transiet, immo
Munera que capiet sulphur et ignis erunt.
Vendere iusticiam nichil est nisi vendere Cristum,
Expectat dampnum qui facit inde forum:
Testis erit Iudas quid erit sibi fine doloris;
Dum crepuit medius, culpa subibat onus.
Penituit culpam, que semel nisi fecerat illam, 250
Quod tulit et lucrum reddidit ipse statim;[776]
Set nec eo veniam meruit nec habere salutem,[777]
Iam valet exemplum tale mouere virum.
Vendidit ipse semel iustum, nos cotidianum
Ob lucri precium vendimus omne malum:
Ille restaurauit, set nos restringimus aurum;
Penituit, set nos absque pauore sumus.
Sic et auaricia tanta feritate perurget
Corda viri, quod ab hoc vix homo liber abit:
Cessat iusticia, cessatque fides sociata, 260
Fraus dolus atque suum iam subiere locum:
Plebs sine iure manet, non est qui iura tuetur,
Non est qui dicat, iura tenere decet:
Omnibus in causis, vbi gentes commoda querunt,
Nunc modus est que fides non habuisse fidem.[778]
Vox leuis illa Iacob, Esau manus hispida nuper,
Que foret ista dies, signa futura dabant:
Alterius casu stat supplantator, et eius
Qui fuerat socius fraude subintrat opes:
Ex dampno fratris frater sua commoda querit; 270
Vnus si presit, inuidet alter ei:
Filius ante diem patruos iam spectat in annos,
Nec videt ex oculis ceca cupido suis:
Nunc amor est solus, nec sentit habere secundum,
Stans odioque tibi diligit ipse tua.
Quid modo, cumque manus mentitur dextra sinistre,
Dicam? set caueat qui sapienter agit.
Viuitur ex velle, non amplius est via tuta,
Cuncta licent cupido, dum vacat ipse lucro;
Arma, rapina, dolus, amor ambiciosus habendi, 280
Amplius ad proprium velle sequntur iter:
Lex silet et nummus loquitur, ius dormit et aurum
Peruigil insidiis vincit vbique suis:
Hasta nocet ferri, gladius set plus nocet auri;
Regna terit mundi, nilque resistit ei.
Set quia mors dubium concludit ad omnia finem,
Est nichil hic certum preter amare deum:
Rebus in humanis semper quid deficit, et sic
Ista nichil plenum fertile vita tenet:
Quod tibi dat proprium mundus, tibi tollit id ipsum, 290
Deridensque tuum linquit inane forum:
Quam prius in finem mundi deuenerit huius,
Nulla potest certo munere vita frui.
Heu, quid opes opibus cumulas, qui propria queris,
Cum se nemo queat appropriare sibi?
Hunc igitur mundum quia perdes, quere futurum;
Est aliter vacuum tempus vtrumque tuum.
Mammona transibit et auara cupido peribit,
In cineres ibit, mors tua fata bibit,
Pauper ab hac vita, sic princeps, sic heremita, 300
Mortuus ad merita transiet omnis ita.
[Sidenote: Salomon: Memorare nouissima, et ineternum non
peccabis.]
Quicquid homo voluit, mors mundi cuncta reuoluit,
Nemoque dissoluit, quin morti debita soluit:
Hec qui mente capit gaudia, raro sapit.
[Sidenote: Idem: Omnia fac cum consilio, et ineternum non
penitebis.]
Set sibi viuenti qui consilio sapienti
Prouidet, ingenti merito placet omnipotenti.
Tempore presenti que sunt mala proxima genti,[779]
Ex oculo flenti Gower canit ista legenti:
Quisque sue menti qui concipit aure patenti
Mittat, et argenti det munera largus egenti; 310
Stat nam mortalis terra repleta malis.[780]
Hoc ego bis deno Ricardi regis in anno
Compaciens animo carmen lacrimabile scribo.[781]
Vox sonat in populo, fidei iam deficit ordo,
Vnde magis solito cessat laus debita Cristo,
Quem peperit virgo genitum de flamine sacro.
Hic deus est et homo, perfecta salus manet in quo,
Eius ab imperio processit pacis origo,
Que dabitur iusto, paciens qui credit in ipso.
Vir qui vult ideo pacem componere mundo, 320
Pacificet primo iura tenenda deo.

FOOTNOTES:

[751] CARMEN SUPER MULTIPLICI, &c. _The_ MSS. _referred to are_ SCEHL _with Fairfax_ 3 (F) _and Bodley_ 294 (B).

[752] _Title and Preface_ ll. 1-12 _om._ EL

[753] _Title and Preface_ consequenter] hic p_re_cipue F

[754] _Title and Preface_ ‘Putruerunt,’ &c. _om._ E

[755] _Title and Preface_ pro salute interpellam] p_ro_ salute efficacius interpellem F

[756] Anno] In Anno F

[757] l. 13 ad _om._ S

[758] 35 palliet F (_corr._) palleat SCHLB paleat E

[759] 58 scintilla CEL

[760] 62 non] nec F

[761] 63 nec] non CEH

[762] 86 _No paragr. here_ FL stude SCEHLB time F

[763] 88 Que fantasias aliter tibi FB

[764] 90 _Paragr._ FL

[765] 126 stat _om._ S

[766] 138 f. _Two lines om._ FL _The section_ ll. 142-224 _is omitted here in_ E _and inserted after_ l. 321

[767] 143 legit C

[768] 154 omnis SFLB viuus CEH

[769] 159 fatuis _om._ F

[770] 190 inde] ille FL

[771] 200 fata EHLB

[772] 203 hoc EH

[773] 210 mortis] cordis S

[774] 217 statum S

[775] 234 modernus SFLB modernos CEH

[776] 251 Quot C

[777] 252 Sic CEH

[778] 265 est qui CEH

[779] 307 _Paragr._ SE _no paragr._ CHFLB

[780] _After_ 311 _one line space_ F

[781] 312-321 _Ten lines om._ L

TRACTATUS DE LUCIS SCRUTINIO[782]

=Incipit tractatus de lucis Scrutinio quam a diu viciorum tenebre, prothdolor, suffocarunt,[783] secundum illud in euangelio, Qui ambulat in tenebris nescit quo vadat.=

[Sidenote: Nota quod eorum lucerna minime, clarescit quos in
ecclesia per Antipapam Auaricia promotos ditescit.]
Heu, quia per crebras humus est viciata tenebras,
Vix iter humanum locus vllus habet sibi planum.
Si Romam pergas, vt ibi tua lumina tergas,
Lumina mira cape, quia Rome sunt duo pape;
Et si plus cleri iam debent lumina queri,
Sub modio tecta latitat lucerna reiecta:
Presulis officia mundus tegit absque sophia,
Stat sua lux nulla, dum Simonis est ibi bulla;
Est iter hoc vile, qui taliter intrat ouile,
Nec bene discernit lucem qui lumina spernit. 10
Sic caput obscurum de membris nil fore purum[784]
Efficit, et secum sic cecus habet sibi cecum.[785]
[Sidenote: De luce ordinis professi.]
Aut si vis gressus claros, non ordo professus
Hos tibi prestabit, quos caucius vmbra fugabit.
Ordine claustrali manifestius in speciali[786]
Lux ibi pallescit, quam mens magis inuida nescit:
Lux et moralis tenebrescit presbiteralis,
Clara dies transit, nec eis lucerna remansit;
Sunt ibi lucerne, iocus, ocia, scorta, taberne,
Quorum velamen viciis fert sepe iuuamen. 20
Sic perit exemplum lucis, quo turbida templum
Nebula perfudit, que lumina queque recludit:[787]
Sic vice pastorum quos Cristus ab ante bonorum
Legerat, ecce chorum statuit iam mundus eorum.
[Sidenote: Nota quod, si regum lucerna in manu caritatis
deuocius gestaretur, ecclesia nunc diuisa eorum auxilio
discrecius reformaretur, eciam et incursus paganorum a Cristi
finibus eorum probitate eminus expelleretur.]
Si lux presentum scrutetur in orbe regentum,
Horum de guerra pallet sine lumine terra:
Ne periant leges, iam Roma petit sibi reges,
Noscat vt ille pater que sit sibi credula mater.
Scisma modernorum patrum nouitate duorum
Reges delerent, si Cristi iura viderent; 30
Lux ita regalis decet ecclesiam specialis,
Qua domus alma dei maneat sub spe requiei.
Teste paganorum bello furiente deorum,
Raro fides crescit vbi regia lux tenebrescit:
Hec tamen audimus, set et hec verissima scimus[788]
Nec capit hec mentis oculus de luce regentis.
Vlterius quere, cupias si lumen habere,
Lumina namque Dauid sibi ceca magis titulauit.
[Sidenote: De luce procerum.]
Si regni proceres aliter pro lumine queres,
Aspice quod plenum non est ibi tempus amenum, 40
Dumque putas stare, palpabis iter, quia clare
Nemo videt, quando veniet de turbine grando,
Diuicie cece fallunt sine lumine sese;
Quam prius ille cadat, vix cernit habens vbi vadat:
Sic via secura procerum non est sine cura.
Stans honor ex onere sibi conuenit acta videre;
Qui tamen extentum modo viderit experimentum,
De procerum spera non surgunt lumina vera.
[Sidenote: De luce Militum et aliorum qui bella sequntur.]
Si bellatorum lucem scrutabor eorum,
Lucerne lator tenebrosus adest gladiator, 50
Sunt ibi doctrina luxus, iactura, rapina,
Que non splendorem querunt set habere cruorem;
Et sic armatus lucem pre labe reatus
Non videt, vnde status suus errat in orbe grauatus.
[Sidenote: De luce legistarum.]
Si lex scrutetur, ibi lux ~non inuenietur~,
Quin vis aut velle ius concitat esse rebelle:
Non populo lucet index quem mammona ducet,
Efficit et cecum quo sepe reflectitur equm.
Ius sine iure datur, si nummus in aure loquatur,
Auri splendore tenebrescit lumen in ore, 60
Omnis legista viuit quasi lege sub ista,
Quo magis ex glosa loculi fit lex tenebrosa.
[Sidenote: De luce Mercatorum.]
Si Mercatorum querantur lumina morum,
Lux non fulgebit, vbi fraus cum ciue manebit.
Contegit vsure subtilis forma figure
Vultum laruatum, quem diues ~habet similatum~.
Si dolus in villa tua possit habere sigilla,
Vix reddes clarus bona que tibi prestat auarus;
Et sic maiores fallunt quamsepe minores,
Vnde dolent turbe sub murmure plebis in vrbe. 70
Sic inter ciues errat sine lumine diues,
Dumque fidem nescit, lux pacis ab vrbe recessit.
[Sidenote: De luce vulgari, que patriam conseruat.]
Si patriam quero, nec ibi michi lumina spero;
Nam via vulgaris tenebris viciatur amaris:
Plebs racione carens hec est sine moribus arens,[789]
Cuius subiectam vix Cristus habet sibi sectam.
Sunt aliqui tales, quos mundus habet speciales,
Fures, raptores, homicide, turbidiores:
Sunt et conducti quidam pro munere ducti,
Quos facit assisa periuros luce rescisa.[790] 80
Rustica ruralis non est ibi spes aliqualis,
Quo nimis obscura pallent sine lumine rura:
Sic magis illicebras mundanas quisque tenebras[791]
Nunc petit, et vota non sunt ad lumina mota.
Sic prior est mundus, et si deus esse secundus
Posset, adhuc talis foret in spe lux aliqualis:
Set quasi nunc totus deus est a plebe remotus;[792]
Sic absente duce perit orbis iter sine luce.
[Sidenote: Hic in fine[793] tenebras deplangens pro luce
optinenda deum exorat.]
O nimis orbatus varii de labe reatus,
Omnis in orbe status modo stat quasi preuaricatus. 90
Cum tamen errantes alios sine lege vagantes[794]
Cecos deplango, mea propria viscera tango:[795]
Cecus vt ignorat quo pergere, dumque laborat,[796]
Sic iter explorat mea mens, que flebilis orat:
Et quia perpendo quod lucis ad vltima tendo,
Nunc iter attendo quo perfruar in moriendo.
Tu, qui formasti lucem tenebrasque creasti,
Crimina condones, et sic tua lumina dones:
In terram sero tunc quando cubicula quero,
Confer candelam, potero qua ferre medelam. 100
Hec Gower scribit, lucem dum querere quibit;
Sub spe transibit, vbi gaudia lucis adibit:
Lucis solamen det sibi Cristus. Amen.

FOOTNOTES:

[782] _Text of_ S _collated with_ CEHL

[783] _Title_ 2 Suoffocarunt S

[784] 11 oscurum CH

[785] 12 cecus] secus C

[786] 15 manifestus L

[787] 22 Nebula] Lumina L

[788] 35 et hec] p_er_ hec L

[789] 75 hec _om._ L

[790] 80 rescisa SEHL recisa C (_corr._)

[791] 83 illecebras EL

[792] 87 a plebe] a luce CEH

[793] 89 _margin_ Hic in fine] No_ta_ q_uo_d Ioh_ann_es Gower auctor huius libr hic in fine E

[794] 91 sine luce L

[795] 92 de plango C

[796] 93 S _has here lost a leaf_

ECCE PATET TENSUS ETC.[797]

Ecce patet tensus ceci Cupidinis arcus,
Vnde sagitta volans ardor amoris erit.
Omnia vincit amor, cecus tamen errat vbique,
Quo sibi directum carpere nescit iter.
Ille suos famulos ita cecos ducit amantes,
Quod sibi quid deceat non videt vllus amans:
Sic oculus cordis carnis caligine cecus
Decidit, et racio nil racionis habet.
Sic amor ex velle viuit, quem ceca voluptas
Nutrit, et ad placitum cuncta ministrat ei; 10
Subque suis alis mundus requiescit in vmbra,
Et sua precepta quisquis vbique facit.
Ipse coronatus inopes simul atque potentes
Omnes lege pari conficit esse pares.
Sic amor omne domat, quicquid natura creauit,
Et tamen indomitus ipse per omne manet:
Carcerat et redimit, ligat atque ligata resoluit,
Vulnerat omne genus, nec sibi vulnus habet.
Non manet in terris qui prelia vincit amoris,
Nec sibi quis firme federa pacis habet: 20
Sampsonis vires, gladius neque Dauid in istis
Quid laudis, sensus aut Salomonis, habent.
O natura viri, poterit quam tollere nemo,
Nec tamen excusat quod facit ipsa malum!
O natura viri, que naturatur eodem
Quod vitare nequit, nec licet illud agi!
O natura viri, duo que contraria mixta
Continet, amborum nec licet acta sequi!
O natura viri, que semper habet sibi bellum
Corporis ac anime, que sua iura petunt! 30
Sic magis igne suo Cupido perurit amantum
Et quasi de bello corda subacta tenet.
Qui vult ergo sue carnis compescere flammam,
Arcum preuideat vnde sagitta volat.
Nullus ab innato valet hoc euadere morbo,
Sit nisi quod sola gracia curet eum.

* * * * *

_The_ MS. _has here lost a leaf._

FOOTNOTES:

[797] ‘Ecce patet tensus’ &c. _This follows the_ Cinkante Balades _in the Trentham_ MS.

EST AMOR ETC.[798]

=Carmen quod Iohannes Gower super amoris multiplici varietate sub compendio metrice composuit.=[799]

Est amor in glosa pax bellica, lis pietosa,
Accio famosa, vaga sors, vis imperiosa,
Pugna quietosa, victoria perniciosa,
Regula viscosa, scola deuia, lex capitosa,
Cura molestosa, grauis ars, virtus viciosa,
Gloria dampnosa, flens risus et ira iocosa,
Musa dolorosa, mors leta, febris preciosa,
Esca venenosa, fel dulce, fames animosa,
Vitis acetosa, sitis ebria, mens furiosa,
Flamma pruinosa, nox clara, dies tenebrosa,[800] 10
Res dedignosa, socialis et ambiciosa,
Garrula, verbosa, secreta, silens, studiosa,
Fabula formosa, sapiencia prestigiosa,
Causa ruinosa, rota versa, quies operosa,
Vrticata rosa, spes stulta fidesque dolosa.
Magnus in exiguis variatus vt est tibi clamor,
Fixus in ambiguis motibus errat amor.
Instruat audita tibi leccio sic repetita;
Mors, amor et vita participantur ita.

Lex docet auctorum quod iter carnale bonorum
Tucius est, quorum sunt federa coniugiorum:
Fragrat vt ortorum rosa plus quam germen agrorum,
Ordo maritorum caput est et finis amorum.
Hec est nuptorum carnis quasi regula morum, 5
Que saluandorum sacratur in orbe virorum.
Hinc vetus annorum Gower sub spe meritorum
Ordine sponsorum tutus adhibo thorum.

FOOTNOTES:

[798] _Text of_ S, _collated with_ F _See also_ vol. i. p. 392

[799] _Title_ Carmen de variis in amore passionib_us_ breuiter compilatum F

[800] 10 tenobrosa S

QUIA VNUSQUISQUE ETC.[801]

=Quia vnusquisque, prout a deo accepit, aliis impartiri tenetur, Iohannes Gower super hiis que deus sibi sensualiter donauit villicacionis sue racionem[802] secundum aliquid alleuiare cupiens, tres precipue libros per ipsum, dum vixit, doctrine causa compositos ad aliorum noticiam in lucem seriose produxit.=[803]

=Primus liber Gallico sermone editus in decem diuiditur partes, et tractans de viciis et virtutibus, necnon et de variis huius seculi gradibus, viam qua peccator transgressus ad sui creatoris agnicionem redire debet, recto tramite docere conatur. Titulusque libelli istius Speculum Meditantis nuncupatus est.=

=Secundus enim liber sermone Latino metrice compositus tractat de variis infortuniis tempore regis Ricardi secundi in Anglia contingentibus: vnde non solum regni proceres et communes tormenta passi sunt, set et ipse crudelissimus rex, suis ex demeritis ab alto corruens, in foueam quam fecit finaliter proiectus est. Nomenque voluminis huius Vox Clamantis intitulatur.=

=Tercius vero[804] liber, qui ob reuerenciam strenuissimi domini sui domini Henrici de Lancastria, tunc Derbeie Comitis, Anglico sermone conficitur, secundum Danielis propheciam super huius mundi regnorum mutacione a tempore regis Nabugodonosor vsque nunc tempora distinguit. Tractat eciam secundum Aristotilem super hiis quibus rex Alexander tam in sui regimen quam aliter eius disciplina edoctus fuit. Principalis tamen huius operis materia super amorem et infatuatas Amantum passiones fundamentum habet: nomenque sibi appropriatum Confessio Amantis specialiter sortitus est.=

FOOTNOTES:

[801] ‘Quia vnusquisque’ &c. _Text of_ S, _collated with_ CHGF. _See also_ vol. iii. p. 479 f.

[802] 3 racionem SCH racionem, dum tempus instat, GF

[803] 4 ff. tres--produxit] inter labores et ocia ad aliorum noticiam tres libros doctrine causa forma subsequenti propterea composuit GF

[804] 18 vero] iste F

ENEIDOS BUCOLIS ETC.[805]

=Carmen, quod quidam Philosophus in memoriam Iohannis Gower super consummacione suorum trium librorum forma subsequenti[806] composuit, et eidem gratanter transmisit.=[807]

Eneidos Bucolis que Georgica metra perhennis
Virgilio laudis serta dedere scolis;
Hiis tribus ille libris prefertur honore poetis,
Romaque precipuis laudibus instat eis.
Gower, sicque tuis tribus est dotata libellis
Anglia, morigeris quo tua scripta seris.
Illeque Latinis tantum sua metra loquelis
Scripsit, vt Italicis sint recolenda notis;
Te tua set trinis tria scribere carmina linguis
Constat, vt inde viris sit scola lata magis: 10
Gallica lingua prius, Latina secunda, set ortus
Lingua tui pocius Anglica complet opus.[808]
Ille quidem vanis Romanas obstupet aures,
Ludit et in studiis musa pagana suis;
Set tua Cristicolis fulget scriptura renatis,
Quo tibi celicolis laus sit habenda locis.

FOOTNOTES:

[805] ‘Eneidos Bucolis’ &c. _Text of_ S, _collated with_ CHGF

[806] forma subsequenti] versificatum F

[807] _Title_ Epistola cuiusdam Philosophi Iohanni Gower super consummacione suorum trium librorum, prout inferius patet, gratanter transmissa G

[808] 12 Anglia F

O DEUS IMMENSE ETC.[809]

=Carmen quod Iohannes Gower adhuc viuens super principum regimine vltimo composuit.=[810]

O deus immense, sub quo dominantur in ense
Quidam morosi Reges, quidam viciosi,
Disparibus meritis sic pax sic mocio litis
Publica regnorum manifestant gesta suorum:
Quicquid delirant Reges, plectuntur Achiui,
Quo mala respirant, vbi mores sunt fugitiui.
Laus et honor Regum foret obseruacio legum,
Ad quas iurati sunt prima sorte vocati:
Vt celeste bonum puto concilium fore donum,
Quo prius in terris pax contulit oscula guerris: 10
Consilium dignum Regem facit esse benignum,
Est aliter signum quo spergitur omne malignum.
In bonitate pares sumat sibi consiliares
Rex bonus, et cuncta venient sibi prospera iuncta:
Qui regit optentum de consilio sapientum
Regnum, non ledit set ab omni labe recedit:
Consilium tortum scelus omne refundit abortum
Regis in errorem, regni quo perdit amorem.
‘Ve qui predaris,’ ~Ysaias~ clamat auaris;
Sic verbis claris loquitur tibi qui dominaris. 20
Rex qui plus aurum populi quam corda thesaurum
Computat, a mente populi cadit ipse repente.
Os vbi vulgare non audet verba sonare,
Stat magis obscura sub murmure mens loqutura:
Que stupet in villa cicius plebs murmurat illa,
Vnde malum crescit, sapiens quo sepe pauescit.
Est tibi credendum murmur satis esse timendum;
Cum sit commune, tunc te super omnia mune.[811]
Lingua nequit fari mala, cor nec premeditari,
Que parat obliqus sub fraude dolosus amicus: 30
Mundus erit testis, vir talis vt altera pestis
Inficit occulto regnum de crimine multo.
Blandus adulator et auarus consiliator,
Quamuis non velles, plures facit esse rebelles:
Sepius ex herbis morbus curatur acerbis,
Sepe loquela grauis iuuat et nocet illa suauis.
Qui falsum pingunt sub fraudeque vera refingunt,
Hii sunt qui blando sermone nocent aliquando:
Rex qui conducit tales, sibi scandala ducit,
Nomen et abducit quod nobile raro reducit: 40
Quod viguit mane, sibi vespere transit inane,
Dummodo creduntur que verba dolosa loquntur.
Consilio tali regnum magis in speciali
Vndique turbatur, quo Regis honor variatur:
Nunc ita sicut heri poterit res ista videri,
Vnde magis plangit populus, quem lesio tangit.
Set premunitus non fallitur inde peritus;
Quod videt ante manum, fugit omne notabile vanum:
Cum laqueatur auis, cauet altera, sicque suauis
Rex pius in cura semper timet ipse futura. 50
Rex insensatus nullos putat esse reatus,
Quam prius ante fores casus sibi sint grauiores;
Set qui prescire vult causas, expedit ire,
Plebis et audire voces per easque redire:
Si sit in errore Regis vel in eius honore,
Hoc de clamore populi prefertur ab ore.
Est qui morosus, Rex non erit ambiciosus,
Set sub eo tutum regni manet omne statutum:
Nomine preclarus nunquam fuit vllus auarus,
Larga manus nomen cum laude meretur et omen: 60
Nomen regale populi vox dat tibi, quale
Sit, bene siue male, deus illud habet speciale.
[Sidenote: Nota.]
Rex qui tutus eris, si temet noscere queris,
Ad vocem plebis aures sapienter habebis:
Culpe vel laudis ex plebe creatur, vt audis,
~Fama ferens verba que~ dulcia sunt et acerba.
Fama cito crescit, subito tamen illa vanescit,
Saltem fortuna stabilis quia non manet vna:
Principio scire fortunam seu stabilire,
Non est humanum super hoc quid ponere planum; 70
Fine set expertum valet omnis dicere certum,
Qualia sunt facta, quia tunc probat exitus acta.
Rex qui laudari cupit et de fine beari,
Sint sua facta bona, recoletur vt inde corona.
Regia precedant benefacta que crimina cedant,
Viuat vt eterno sic Rex cum Rege superno:
Absque deo vana cum sit tibi cotidiana
Pompa, recorderis, sine laude dei morieris.
Rex sibi qui mundum prefert Cristumque secundum
Linquit, adherebit vbi finis laude carebit: 80
Regis enim vita cum sit sine laude sopita,
Nomen erat quale, dabit vltima cronica tale.
Et sic concludo breuiter de carmine nudo,
Ordine quo regnant Reges, sua nomina pregnant.
Quo caput infirmum, nichil est de corpore firmum,
Plebs neque firmatur, vbi virtus non dominatur.
Rex qui securam laudis vult carpere curam,
Cristum preponat, Reges qui laude coronat:
Nam qui presumit de se, cum plus sibi sumit,
Fine carens laude stat fama retrograda caude. 90
Omni viuenti scola pertinet ista regenti,
Displicet hic genti qui non placet omnipotenti,
Gracia succedit, meritis vbi culpa recedit:
Qui sic non credit, sua Rex regalia ledit.
Non ex fatali casu set iudiciali
Pondere regali stat medicina mali.
Plebs vt ouile gregis, mors vitaque, regula legis,
Sub manibus Regis sunt ea quanta legis.
Tanta licet pronus pro tempore det tibi thronus;
Sit nisi fine bonus, non honor est set onus. 100
Rex igitur videat cum curru quomodo vadat,
Et sibi prouideat, ne rota versa cadat.
Celorum Regi pateant que scripta peregi,
Namque sue legi res nequit vlla tegi.

FOOTNOTES:

[809] ‘O deus immense’ &c. _Text of_ S, _collated with_ CH

[810] _Title_ Carmen quod Iohannes Gower tempore regis Ricardi, dum vixit, vltimo composuit CHG

[811] 28 comune S

LAST POEMS

=Hic in fine notandum est qualiter ab illa Cronica que Vox clamantis dicitur vsque in finem istius Cronice que tripertita est, Ego inter alios scribentes super hiis que medio tempore in Anglia contingebant, secundum varias rerum accidencias varia carmina, prout patet, que ad legendum necessaria sunt, notabiliter conscripsi. Sed nunc, quia vlterius scribere non sufficio, excusacionis mee causam scriptis subsequentibus plenius declarabo.=

Quicquid homo scribat, finem natura ministrat,
Que velut vmbra fugit, nec fugiendo redit;
Illa michi finem posuit, quo scribere quicquam
Vlterius nequio, sum quia cecus ego.
Posse meum transit, quamuis michi velle remansit;
Amplius vt scribat hoc michi posse negat.
Carmina, dum potui, studiosus plurima scripsi;
Pars tenet hec mundum, pars tenet illa deum:
Vana tamen mundi mundo scribenda reliqui,
Scriboque mentali carmine verba dei. 10
Quamuis ad exterius scribendi deficit actus,
Mens tamen interius scribit et ornat opus:
Sic quia de manibus nichil amodo scribo valoris,
Scribam de precibus que nequit illa manus.
Hoc ego, vir cecus, presentibus oro diebus,
Prospera quod statuas regna futura, deus,
Daque michi sanctum lumen habere tuum. Amen.

* * * * *

S _as above_: _in_ CHG _as follows_:

=Nota hic in fine qualiter a principio illius Cronice que Vox clamantis dicitur, vna cum sequenti Cronica que tripertita est, tam de tempore Regis Ricardi secundi vsque in ipsius deposicionem, quam de coronacione Illustrissimi domini Regis Henrici quarti vsque in annum Regni sui secundum, Ego licet indignus inter alios scribentes scriptor a diu solicitus, precipue super hiis que medio tempore in Anglia contingebant, secundum varias rerum accidencias varia carmina, que ad legendum necessaria sunt, sub compendio breuiter conscripsi. Et nunc, quia tam grauitate senectutis quam aliarum infirmitatum multipliciter depressus vlterius de cronicis scribere discrete non sufficio, excusacionem meam necessariam, prout patet, consequenter declarare intendo.=

Henrici Regis annus fuit ille secundus,
Scribere dum cesso, sum quia cecus ego,
Vltra posse nichil, quamuis michi velle ministrat,
Amplius vt scribam non meus actus habet.
Scribere dum potui, studiosus plurima scripsi;
Pars tenet hec mundum, pars tenet illa deum:
Vana tamen mundi mundo scribenda reliqui,
Scriboque finali carmine vado mori.
Scribat qui veniet post me discrecior alter,
Ammodo namque manus et mea penna silent. 10*
Sic quia nil manibus potero conferre valoris,
Est michi de precibus ferre laboris onus.
Deprecor ergo meis lacrimis, viuens ego cecus,
Prospera quod statuas regna futura, deus,
Daque michi sanctum lumen habere tuum. Amen.

* * * * *

_In the Trentham_ MS. _as follows_ (_without heading_),

Henrici quarti primus Regni fuit annus,
Quo michi defecit visus ad acta mea.
Omnia tempus habent, finem natura ministrat,
Quem virtute sua frangere nemo potest.
Vltra posse nichil, quamuis michi velle remansit,
Amplius vt scribam non michi posse manet.
Dum potui scripsi, set nunc quia curua senectus
Turbauit sensus, scripta relinquo scolis.
Scribat qui veniet post me discrecior alter,
Ammodo namque manus et mea penna silent. 10**
Hoc tamen in fine verborum queso meorum,
Prospera quod statuat Regna futura deus. Amen.

=Orate pro anima Iohannis Gower. Quicumque enim pro anima ipsius Iohannis deuote orauerit, tociens quociens Mille quingentos dies indulgencie ab ecclesia rite concessos misericorditer in domino possidebit.=

* * * * *

CH _as above_: G _as follows_:

=Orantibus pro anima Iohannis Gower mille quingenti dies indulgencie misericorditer in domino conceduntur.=

(_Shield of arms borne by two angels._)

Armigeri scutum nichil ammodo fert sibi tutum,
Reddidit immo lutum morti generale tributum.
Spiritus exutum se gaudeat esse solutum,
Est vbi virtutum regnum sine labe statutum.

(_A bier, with candle at head and foot._)

[812]Vnanimes esse qui secula duxit ad esse
Nos iubet expresse, quia debet amor superesse;
Lex cum iure datur, pax gaudet, plebs gratulatur,
Regnum firmatur, vbi verus amor dominatur:
Sicut yemps florem, diuisio quassat amorem,[813]
Nutrit et errorem quasi pestis agitque dolorem.
Quod precessit heri docet ista pericla timeri,
Vt discant veri sapientes secla mederi.
Filius ipse dei, manet in quo spes requiei,[814]
Ex meritis fidei dirigat acta rei. 10

=Diligamus invicem.=

[815]Presul, ouile regis, vbi morbus adest macularum,
[Sidenote: Nota de primordiis Stelle Comate in Anglia.]
Lumina dumque tegis, tenebrescit pestis earum.
Mune pericla gregis, patuit quia stella minarum,
Vnde viam Regis turbat genus insidiarum.
Velle loco legis mundum nunc ducit auarum,
Sic vbicumque legis, nichil est nisi cordis amarum,
Quod maneat clarum, stat modo dulce parum.

Cultor in ecclesia qui deficiente sophia
Semina vana serit, Messor inanis erit.
Hii set cultores, sunt quorum semina mores
Ad messem Cristi, plura lucrantur ibi.[816]
Qui cupit ergo bonus celorum lucra colonus,
Vnde lucrum querat, semina sancta serat.
Qui pastor Cristi iusto cupit ordine sisti,
Non sit cum Cristo Symon mediator in isto:
Querat pasturam Pastor sine crimine puram,
Nam nimis est vile, pascat si Symon ouile. 10
Per loca deserta, quo nulla patet via certa,
Symon oues ducit, quas Cristo raro reducit.

Dicunt scripture memorare nouissima vite;
[Sidenote: Nota contra mortuorum executores.[817]]
Pauper ab hoc mundo transiet omnis homo.
Dat fortuna status varios, natura set omnes
Fine suo claudit, cunctaque morte rapit.
Post mortem pauci, qui nunc reputantur amici,
Sunt memores anime, sis memor ergo tue:
Da, dum tempus habes, tibi propria sit manus heres;[818]
Auferet hoc nemo, quod dabis ipse deo.

FOOTNOTES:

[812] ‘Vnanimes esse’ &c. _This and the three remaining pieces are found in_ CHG, _and, except the second, also in_ E

[813] 5 _margin_ No_ta_ pro amore E

[814] 9 ipse] ille E Diligamus invicem _om._ E

[815] ‘Presul’ &c. 1 Regis MSS.

[816] ‘Cultor in ecclesia’ &c. 4 ff. _margin_ No_ta_ q_ui_d pastores eccl_es_ie debe_n_t esse et q_uo_modo debe_n_t intrare &c. E

[817] ‘Dicunt scripture’ &c. 2 ff. _margin_ Nota--executores] No_ta_ q_uo_d bonu_m_ est vnicuiq_ue_ esse executor sui ipsius E

[818] 7 Dum tua tempus habes EH

NOTES

EPISTOLA.

This Epistle, written apparently on the occasion of sending a copy of the book to the archbishop, is found only in the All Souls MS., and it is reasonable to suppose that this was the copy in question. The statement of Mr. Coxe in the Roxburghe edition, that ‘the preface to archbishop Arundel ... is also in the original hand’ of the book (Introduction, p. lix) is a surprising one, and must have been due to some deception of memory. The hand here is quite a different one from that of the text which follows, and has a distinctly later character. The piece is full of erasures, which are indicated in this edition by spaced type, but the corrections are in the same hand as the rest. Having no other copy of it, we cannot tell what the original form of the erased passages may have been, but it is noticeable that the most important of them (ll. 26-34) has reference almost entirely to the blindness of the author, and nearly every one contains something which may be regarded as alluding to this, either some mention of light and darkness, or some allusion to the fact that his only perceptions now are those of the mind. We may perhaps conclude that the Epistle was inscribed here before the author quite lost his eyesight, and that the book then remained by him for some time before it was presented. The illuminated capital S with which this composition begins is combined with a miniature painting of the archbishop.

2. _tibi scribo_, ‘I dedicate to thee.’

3. _Quod ... scriptum_: written over erasure; perhaps originally ‘Quem ... librum,’ altered to avoid the repetition of ‘librum’ from the preceding line.

4. _contempletur_: apparently in a passive impersonal sense.

17. _Cecus ego mere._ The word ‘mere’ alone is over erasure here, but if we suppose that the original word was ‘fere,’ we may regard this as referring originally to a gradual failure of the eyesight, not to complete blindness.

19. _Corpore defectus_, ‘the failure in my body,’ as subject of ‘sinit.’

23. _dumque_: equivalent to ‘dum’ in our author’s language; cp. i. 165, 2007, &c.

33. _morosa_: this word has a good meaning in Gower’s language; cp. ‘O deus immense,’ l. 2, where ‘morosi’ is opposed to ‘viciosi.’

VOX CLAMANTIS

CAPITULA.

LIB. I. Cap. iii. _quandam vulgi turmam._ It may be noted that these headings do not always exactly correspond with those placed at the head of the chapters afterwards. For example here the actual heading of the chapter has ‘secundam vulgi turmam,’ and for the succeeding chapters ‘terciam,’ ‘quartam,’ ‘quintam,’ &c. Usually the differences are very trifling, as ‘illius terre’ for ‘terre illius’ above, but sometimes they proceed from the fact that alterations have been made in the chapter headings, which the corrector has neglected to make in this Table of Chapters. This is the case for example as regards Lib. VI. Capp. xviii. and xix. Slight variations of the kind first mentioned will be found in Lib. III. Capp. i, v, viii, xii, xvi, xix, xx.

LIB. III. Cap. iiii. The form which we have here in D corresponds to the heading of the chapter given by LTH₂ (but not by D itself) in the text later. G has the text here after ‘loquitur’ written over an erasure.

LIB. VII. Cap. xix. Here S has lost two leaves (the sixth and seventh of the first full quire) to Lib. I. Cap. i. l. 18. The verso of the former of these leaves had no doubt the four lines ‘Ad mundum mitto’ &c. with picture, as in the Cotton MS.

LIB. I. PROLOGUS.

3 f. Cp. _Conf. Amantis_, iv. 2921 f.,

‘Al be it so, that som men sein
That swevenes ben of no credence.’

‘propositum credulitatis’ seems to mean ‘true ground of belief.’

12. _interius mentis_: cp. i. 1361.

15. That is, ‘hinc puto quod sompnia que vidi,’ &c.

21 ff. We are here told to add to ‘John’ the first letters of ‘Godfrey,’ the beginning of ‘Wales,’ and the word ‘Ter’ without its head: that is, ‘John Gower.’

23. _que tali._ The use of ‘que’ in this manner, standing independently at the beginning of the clause, is very common in Gower.

33 f. Taken from Ovid, _Tristia_, v. 1. 5 f.

36. Cp. _Tristia_, i. 1. 14, ‘De lacrimis factas sentiet esse meis,’ which, so far as it goes, is in favour of the reading ‘senciat’ here.

37 f. This couplet was originally _Tristia_, iv. 1. 95 f.,

‘Saepe etiam lacrimae me sunt scribente profusae,
Humidaque est fletu litera facta meo.’

The first line however was altered so as to lose its grammatical construction, and the couplet was subsequently emended.

43 f. Cp. Ovid, _Tristia_, i. 5. 53 f.

47 f. Cp. _Pont._ iv. 2. 19, where the comparison to a spring choked with mud is more clearly brought out.

49. The original reading here was ‘confracto,’ but it has been altered to ‘contracto’ in C and G, while E gives ‘contracto’ from the first hand. The general meaning seems to be that as the long pilgrimage to Rome is to one with crippled knee, so is this work to the author, with his limited powers of intellect.

56. The reading ‘conturbant’ in all the best MSS. seems to be a mistake.

57 f. The author is about to denounce the evils of the world and proclaim the woes which are to follow, like the writer of the Apocalypse, whose name he bears. Perhaps he may also have some thought of the formula ‘seint John to borwe’ by which travellers committed themselves to the protection of the saint on their setting forth: cp. _Conf. Amantis_, v. 3416.

LIB. I.

1. The fourth year of Richard II is from June 22, 1380 to the same date of 1381. The writer here speaks of the last month of that regnal year, during which the Peasants’ rising occurred.

4. Cp. Ovid, _Her._ xvii. 112, ‘Praevius Aurorae Lucifer ortus erat.’

7 f. Godfrey of Viterbo, _Pantheon_, p. 24 (ed. 1584), has

‘Luce diem reparat, mirandaque lumina praestat,
Sic fuga dat noctem, luxque reversa diem.’

He is speaking of the Sun generally, and the second line means ‘Thus his departure produces the night and his returning light the day.’ As introduced here this line is meaningless.

9. Adapted from Ovid, _Metam._ ii. 110.

11. Cp. _Metam._ vii. 703, but here ‘mane’ is made into the object of the verb instead of an adverb.

13. Cp. _Metam._ ii. 113.

15. Cp. _Metam._ ii. 24.

17 f. From Godfrey of Viterbo, _Pantheon_, p. 24 (ed. 1584).

21 ff. Cp. _Metam._ ii. 107 ff.,

‘Aureus axis erat, temo aureus, aurea summae
Curvatura rotae, radiorum argenteus ordo.
Per iuga chrysolithi positaeque ex ordine gemmae
Clara repercusso reddebant lumina Phoebo.’

‘alter ab auro’ seems to mean ‘different from gold.’

27. Cp. _Metam._ ii. 23.

33-60. This passage is largely from Ovid: see especially _Fasti_, i. 151 ff. and iii. 235-242, iv. 429 f., v. 213 f., _Metam._ ii. 30, _Tristia_, iii. 12. 5-8.

40. In Ovid (_Fasti_, iii. 240) it is ‘Fertilis occultas invenit herba vias.’ The metrical fault produced by reading ‘occultam ... viam’ seems to have been corrected by the author, and in G the alteration has been made by erasure, apparently in the first hand.

44. _redditus_: apparently a substantive and practically equivalent to ‘reditus.’

59. Ovid, _Fasti_, v. 213 f., where however we have ‘Saepeque digestos.’ It is difficult to say exactly what our author meant by ‘O quia.’

67. Cp. _Metam._ xiii. 395.

79 f. _Speculum Stultorum_, p. 47, ll. 9 f. (ed. Wright, Rolls Series, 59, vol. i.).

81. _irriguis._ Perhaps rather ‘Fontibus irriguus, fecundus,’ as given by most of the MSS.

131. _ad ymum_, ‘to that low place,’ i.e. his bed.

135. _Non ita ... Quin magis_: cp. ll. 264 ff., 351 ff., 442 ff., 499 ff, &c. This form of sentence is a very common one with our author and appears also in his French and English: cp. _Mirour_, 18589, _Balades_, vii. 4, xviii. 2, xxx. 2, _Conf. Amantis_, i. 718, 1259, 1319, &c.

For example, _Bal._ xviii. 2,

‘Tiel esperver crieis unqes ne fu,
Qe jeo ne crie plus en ma maniere.’

_Conf. Amantis_, i. 718 ff.,

‘So lowe cowthe I nevere bowe
To feigne humilite withoute,
That me ne leste betre loute
With alle the thoghtes of myn herte.’

It is most frequent in Latin, however, and the French and English forms seem to be translations of this idiom with ‘quin.’

152. ‘Dreams cast the soul into wanderings’: ‘ruunt’ is transitive, as very commonly, and apparently we must take ‘vaga nonnulla’ together.

155. _grauis et palpebra_, &c., ‘and my heavy eyelid unclosed pondered over troubles, but no help came.’ This is the best translation I can give, but the explanation of ‘ex oculis’ as ‘away from the eyes’ must be regarded as doubtful.

168. That is, on a Tuesday. It would be apparently Tuesday, June 11, 1381. The festival of Corpus Christi referred to afterwards (see l. 919), when the insurgents entered London, fell on June 13.

201. _Burnellus_: a reference to the _Speculum Stultorum_, p. 13 (Rolls Series, 59, vol. i).

205 ff. Cp. _Speculum Stultorum_, p. 13, whence several of these lines are taken.

211 f. ‘They care not for the tail which He who gave them their ears implanted in them, but think it a vile thing.’ The former line of the couplet is from _Speculum Stultorum_, p. 15, l. 17.

213 f. _Speculum Stultorum_, p. 15, ll. 23 f.

255. _caudas similesque draconum_, ‘and tails like those of dragons.’

267. _Minos taurus_, ‘the bull of Minos,’ sent from the sea in answer to his prayer.

271. There is some confusion here in the author’s mind between different stories, and it is difficult to say exactly what he was thinking of.

277 f. Cp. Ovid, _Metam._ xi. 34 ff.

280. _crapulus._ I do not know what this is, unless it is equivalent to ‘capulus,’ which is rather doubtfully given by D. That would mean the ‘handle’ of the plough, but we have ‘ansa’ in l. 282.

289 f. Cp. _Pont._ i. 3. 55 f.

291. _Metam._ viii. 293.

325 ff. For this passage compare _Metam._ viii. 284 ff.

335. _Metam._ viii. 285. The Digby MS. has a rubricator’s note here in the margin, ‘sete. a bristell.’

341. _quod_: consecutive, ‘so that’; cp. ‘sic ... quod,’ ll. 223, 311, &c. In the next line ‘pascua’ seems to be singular.

351 ff. See note on l. 135.

381. _Fasti_, ii. 767.

395. _Cutte que Curre_, ‘Cut and Cur,’ names for mongrel dogs.

396. As a note on ‘casas’ the Digby MS. has ‘i.e. kenell’ in the margin.

402. ‘Neither does he of the mill remain at home.’

405. The rubricator of the Digby MS. has written in the margin, ‘i.e. threefoted dog commyng after halting.’

407. Digby MS. rubric, ‘i.e. Rig þe Teydog.’ Note the position of ‘que,’ which should properly be attached to the first word of the line: cp. l. 847.

455. As a note on ‘thalia’ here (for ‘talia’) the Digby MS. has ‘Thelea i.e. dea belli’ written by the rubricator. It is difficult to conjecture what he was thinking of.

457. The Digby MS. rubricator, as a note on ‘Cephali canis’ has in the margin, ‘i.e. stella in firmamento.’

465. ‘super est’ is the reading of the Glasgow MS. also.

474. _artes._ This seems to be the reading of all the MSS., though in S the word might possibly be ‘arces.’ I take it to mean ‘devices,’ in the way of traps, or ingenious hiding-places.

479. ‘The grey foxes determine to leave the caverns of the wood’: ‘vulpes’ (or rather ‘vulpis’) is masculine in Gower.

483. ‘Henceforth neither the sheep nor the poor sheepfold are anything to them.’ For this use of ‘quid’ with a negative cp. l. 184.

492. _solet._ The present of this verb seems often to be used by our author as equivalent to the imperfect: cp. l. 541, iii. 705, 740, &c. Also ‘solebat,’ i. 699, iii. 1485; cp. v. 333, where ‘solebant’ seems to stand for ‘solent.’ In other cases also the present is sometimes used for the imperfect, e.g. l. 585 ‘quas nuper abhorret Egiptus.’

499 ff. See 1 Sam. v. The plague of mice is distinctly mentioned in the Vulgate version, while in our translation from the Hebrew it is implied in ch. vi. 5. ‘Accharon’ is Ekron.

541. _solent_: see note on l. 492.

545. _Coppa_: used as a familiar name for a hen in the _Speculum Stultorum_, pp. 55, 58, and evidently connected with ‘Coppen’ or ‘Coppe,’ which is the name of one of Chantecleer’s daughters in the Low-German and English _Reynard_.

557 f. ‘They determine that days are lawful for those things for which the dark form of night had often given furtive ways.’

568. _quod_: equivalent to ‘vt’; cp. ll. 600, 1610.

576. G reads ‘perstimulant’ with CED.

579 f. See Ovid, _Metam._ vi. 366 ff. Apparently ‘colonum’ is for ‘colonorum.’

603. _Toruus oester_: cp. _Speculum Stultorum_, p. 25.

615 f. Cp. _Speculum Stultorum_, p. 24, l. 21 f.

635. Cp. _Speculum Stultorum_, p. 25, l. 15.

637 f. _Speculum Stultorum_, p. 26,

‘Haec est illa dies qua nil nisi cauda iuvabit,
Vel loca quae musca tangere nulla potest.’

652. _stramine_: probably an allusion to the name of Jack Strawe, as ‘tegula’ in the next couplet to Wat Tyler.

Cap. ix. _Heading_, l. 3. It seems to be implied that the jay, which must often have been kept as a cage-bird and taught to talk, was commonly called ‘Wat,’ as the daw was called ‘Jack,’ and this name together with the bird’s faculty of speech has suggested the transformation adopted for Wat Tyler.

716. There is no punctuation in S, but those MSS. which have stops, as CD, punctuate after ‘nephas’ and ‘soluit.’ The line is suggested by Ovid, _Fasti_, ii. 44, ‘Solve nefas, dixit; solvit et ille nefas.’ There it is quite intelligible, but here it is without any clear meaning.

It may be observed here that the passage of Ovid in which this line occurs, _Fasti_, ii. 35-46, is evidently one of the sources of _Confessio Amantis_, v. 2547 ff.

749. _Sicut arena maris_: cp. Rev. xx. 8, to which reference is made below, ll. 765 ff.

762. ‘All that they lay upon us, they equally bear themselves.’ Apparently this is the meaning, referring to the universal ruin which is likely to ensue.

765-776. These twelve lines are taken with some alterations of wording and order from Godfrey of Viterbo, _Pantheon_, p. 228 (ed. 1584). In l. 765 the reference to the Apocalypse is to Rev. xx.

774. _forum_: apparently ‘law.’

783 ff: This well-known chapter was very incorrectly printed in the Roxburghe edition, owing to the fact that a leaf has here been cut out of S, and the editor followed D. Fuller, whose translation of the opening lines has often been quoted, had a better text before him, probably that of the Cotton MS.

810. It is difficult to see how this line is to be translated, unless we suppose that ‘fossa’ is a grammatical oversight.

821. Cp. Ovid, _Metam._ i. 211, ‘Contigerat nostras infamia temporis aures.’

849 f. Adapted from _Amores_, iii. 9. 7 f., but not very happily.

855 ff. With this passage we may compare the description in Walsingham, vol. i. p. 454, ‘quorum quidam tantum baculos, quidam rubigine obductos gladios, quidam bipennes solummodo, nonnulli arcus prae vetustate factos a fumo rubicundiores ebore antiquo, cum singulis sagittis, quorum plures contentae erant una pluma, ad regnum conquaerendum convenere.’

868. The reading ‘de leuitate’ is given also by G.

869. _limpidiores._ The epithet is evidently derived from 1 Sam. xvii. 40, where the Vulgate has ‘et elegit sibi quinque limpidissimos lapides de torrente.’

876. ‘These fools boast that the earth has been wetted,’ &c.

871 ff. Cp. _Metam._ xi. 29 f.

879 f. Cp. _Conf. Amantis_, Prol. 37*. One of the charges against Sir Nicholas Brembre in 1388 was that he had designed to change the name of London to ‘New Troy.’

891. _siluis que palustribus_, ‘from the woods and marshes.’

904. Cp. Ovid, _Ars Amat._ iii. 577 f.

909. Cp. _Metam._ viii. 421.

919. Corpus Christi day, that is Thursday, June 13.

929 f. _via salua_: apparently meaning ‘Savoye,’ the palace of the duke of Lancaster in the Strand. In the next line ‘longum castrum’ looks like ‘Lancaster,’ but it is difficult to say exactly what the meaning is.

931. _Baptisteque domus._ This is the Priory of St. John of Jerusalem at Clerkenwell, which was burnt by the insurgents because of their hostility to Robert Hales, the Master of the Hospital, then Treasurer of the kingdom. Walsingham says that the fire continued here for seven days.

933-936. Ovid, _Fasti_, vi. 439 ff., where the reference is to the burning of the temple of Vesta. Hence the mention of sacred fires, which is not appropriate here.

937. _Metam._ ii. 61.

939 f. _Metam._ i. 288 f.

941 ff. This accusation, which Gower brings apparently without thinking it necessary to examine into its truth (‘Est nichil vt queram,’ &c.), is in direct contradiction to the statements of the chroniclers, e.g. Walsingham, i. 456 f., Knighton, ii. 135; but it is certain that dishonest persons must have taken advantage of the disorder to some extent for their own private ends, however strict the commands of the leaders may have been, and it is probable that the control which was exercised at first did not long continue. The chroniclers agree with Gower as to the drunkenness.

943 f. Ovid, _Trist._ v. 6. 39 f.

951. Ovid, _Fasti_, vi. 673.

953. _Metam._ xv. 665.

955 f. That is, the deeds of Friday (dies Veneris) were more atrocious than those of Thursday.