[The Prudence of the Serpent.]Hic narrat Confessor exemplum, vt non ab auris exaudicione fatua animus deceptus inuoluatur. Et dicit qualiter ille serpens, qui aspis282vocatur, quendam preciosissimum lapidem nomine Carbunculum in sue frontis medio gestans, contra verba incantantis aurem vnam terre affigendo premit, et aliam sue caude stimulo firmissime283obturat.A Serpent, which that AspidisIs cleped, of his kynde hath this,That he the Ston noblest of alle,The which that men Carbuncle calle,Berth in his hed above on heihte.For which whan that a man be sleyhte,The Ston to winne and him to daunte,With his carecte him wolde enchaunte,470Anon as he perceiveth that,He leith doun his on Ere al platUnto the ground, and halt it faste,And ek that other Ere als fasteP. i. 58He stoppeth with his tail so sore,That he the wordes lasse or moreOf his enchantement ne hiereth;And in this wise himself he skiereth,So that he hath the wordes weyvedAnd thurgh his Ere is noght deceived.480[Tale of the Sirens.]Aliud exemplum super eodem, qualiter rex Vluxes cum a bello Troiano versus Greciam nauigio remearet, et prope illa Monstra marina, Sirenes nuncupata, angelica voce canoras, ipsum ventorum aduersitate nauigare oporteret, omnium nautarum suorum aures obturari coegit. Et sic salutari prouidencia prefultus absque periculo saluus cum sua classe Vluxes pertransiuit.An othre thing, who that recordeth,284Lich unto this ensample acordeth,Which in the tale of Troie I finde.Sirenes of a wonder kyndeBen Monstres, as the bokes tellen,And in the grete Se thei duellen:Of body bothe and of visageLik unto wommen of yong age285Up fro the Navele on hih thei be,And doun benethe, as men mai se,490Thei bere of fisshes the figure.286And overthis of such natureThei ben, that with so swete a steveneLik to the melodie of heveneIn wommanysshe vois thei singe,With notes of so gret likinge,Of such mesure, of such musike,Wherof the Schipes thei beswikeThat passen be the costes there.For whan the Schipmen leie an Ere500Unto the vois, in here avysThei wene it be a Paradys,Which after is to hem an helle.For reson may noght with hem duelle,P. i. 59Whan thei tho grete lustes hiere;287Thei conne noght here Schipes stiere,So besiliche upon the noteThei herkne, and in such wise assote,That thei here rihte cours and weieForyete, and to here Ere obeie,510And seilen til it so befalleThat thei into the peril falle,Where as the Schipes be todrawe,And thei ben with the Monstres slawe.Bot fro this peril nathelesWith his wisdom king UluxesAscapeth and it overpasseth;For he tofor the hond compassethThat noman of his compaignieHath pouer unto that folie520His Ere for no lust to caste;For he hem stoppede alle faste,288That non of hem mai hiere hem singe.So whan they comen forth seilinge,Ther was such governance on honde,That thei the Monstres have withstondeAnd slain of hem a gret partie.Thus was he sauf with his navie,This wise king, thurgh governance.Confessor.[The Sins of the Eye and the Ear.]Wherof, my Sone, in remembrance530Thou myht ensample taken hiere,289As I have told, and what thou hiereBe wel war, and yif no credence,Bot if thou se more evidence.P. i. 60For if thou woldest take kepeAnd wisly cowthest warde and kepeThin yhe and Ere, as I have spoke,Than haddest thou the gates stokeFro such Sotie as comth to winneThin hertes wit, which is withinne,540Wherof that now thi love excedethMesure, and many a peine bredeth.Bot if thou cowthest sette in reuleTho tuo, the thre were eth to reule:Forthi as of thi wittes fiveI wole as now nomore schryve,Bot only of these ilke tuo.Tell me therfore if it be so,Hast thou thin yhen oght misthrowe?290Amans.Mi fader, ye, I am beknowe,550I have hem cast upon Meduse,Therof I may me noght excuse:Min herte is growen into Ston,So that my lady theruponHath such a priente of love grave,That I can noght miselve save.Opponit Confessor.What seist thou, Sone, as of thin Ere?Respondet Amans.Mi fader, I am gultyf there;For whanne I may my lady hiere,Mi wit with that hath lost his Stiere:560I do noght as Uluxes dede,Bot falle anon upon the stede,Wher as I se my lady stonde;And there, I do yow understonde,P. i. 61I am topulled in my thoght,So that of reson leveth noght,Wherof that I me mai defende.Confessor.My goode Sone, god thamende:For as me thenketh be thi specheThi wittes ben riht feer to seche.570As of thin Ere and of thin yheI woll nomore specefie,Bot I woll axen overthisOf othre thing how that it is.[The Seven deadly Sins. Pride.]v.Celsior est Aquila que Leone ferocior ille,291Quem tumor elati cordis ad alta mouet.Sunt species quinque, quibus esse Superbia ductrixClamat, et in multis mundus adheret eis.Laruando faciem ficto pallore subornatFraudibus Ypocrisis mellea verba suis.Sicque pios animos quamsepe ruit muliebresEx humili verbo sub latitante dolo.292Hic loquitur quod septem sunt peccata mortalia, quorum caput Superbia varias species habet, et earum prima Ypocrisis dicitur, cuius proprietatem secundum vicium simpliciter Confessor Amanti declarat.293Mi Sone, as I thee schal enforme,Ther ben yet of an other formeOf dedly vices sevene applied,Wherof the herte is ofte pliedTo thing which after schal him grieve.The ferste of hem thou schalt believe294580Is Pride, which is principal,And hath with him in specialMinistres five ful diverse,Of whiche, as I the schal reherse,295[Five Ministers of Pride.i.Hypocrisy.]The ferste is seid Ypocrisie.If thou art of his compaignie,Tell forth, my Sone, and schrif the clene.Amans.I wot noght, fader, what ye mene:P. i. 62Bot this I wolde you beseche,That ye me be som weie teche590What is to ben an ypocrite;And thanne if I be forto wyte,I wol beknowen, as it is.296Confessor.Mi Sone, an ypocrite is this,—A man which feigneth conscience,As thogh it were al innocence,Withoute, and is noght so withinne;And doth so for he wolde winneOf his desir the vein astat.And whanne he comth anon therat,600He scheweth thanne what he was,The corn is torned into gras,That was a Rose is thanne a thorn,And he that was a Lomb beforn297Is thanne a Wolf, and thus maliceUnder the colour of justiceIs hid; and as the poeple telleth,Ipocrisis Religiosa.298These ordres witen where he duelleth,As he that of here conseil is,And thilke world which thei er this299610Forsoken, he drawth in ayein:He clotheth richesse, as men sein,Under the simplesce of poverte,And doth to seme of gret decerteThing which is litel worth withinne:He seith in open, fy! to Sinne,And in secre ther is no viceOf which that he nis a Norrice:P. i. 63And evere his chiere is sobre and softe,And where he goth he blesseth ofte,620Wherof the blinde world he dreccheth.Bot yet al only he ne strecchethHis reule upon religioun,Bot next to that condiciounIn suche as clepe hem holy chercheIpocrisis ecclesiastica.300It scheweth ek how he can werche301Among tho wyde furred hodes,302To geten hem the worldes goodes.And thei hemself ben thilke sameThat setten most the world in blame,303630Bot yet in contraire of her loreTher is nothing thei loven more;So that semende of liht thei werkeThe dedes whiche are inward derke.And thus this double YpocrisieWith his devolte apparantieA viser set upon his face,Wherof toward this worldes graceHe semeth to be riht wel thewed,And yit his herte is al beschrewed.640Bot natheles he stant believed,And hath his pourpos ofte achievedOf worschipe and of worldes welthe,And takth it, as who seith, be steltheThurgh coverture of his fallas.And riht so in semblable casThis vice hath ek his officersIpocrisis secularis.Among these othre seculersP. i. 64Of grete men, for of the smaleAs for tacompte he set no tale,650Bot thei that passen the comuneWith suche him liketh to comune,And where he seith he wol socoureThe poeple, there he woll devoure;For now aday is manyonWhich spekth of Peter and of John304And thenketh Judas in his herte.Ther schal no worldes good asterteHis hond, and yit he yifth almesseAnd fasteth ofte and hiereth Messe:660Withmea culpa, which he seith,Upon his brest fullofte he leithHis hond, and cast upward his yhe,As thogh he Cristes face syhe;So that it seemeth ate syhte,As he al one alle othre myhteRescoue with his holy bede.Bot yet his herte in other stedeAmong hise bedes most devouteGoth in the worldes cause aboute,670How that he myhte his warisounEncresce.[Hypocrisy of Lovers.]305Hic tractat Confessor cum Amante super illa presertim Ipocrisia, que sub amoris facie fraudulenter latitando mulieres ipsius ficticiis credulas sepissime decipit innocentes.And in comparisounTher ben lovers of such a sort,That feignen hem an humble port,And al is bot Ypocrisie,Which with deceipte and flaterieHath many a worthi wif beguiled.For whanne he hath his tunge affiled,P. i. 65With softe speche and with lesinge,Forth with his fals pitous lokynge,680He wolde make a womman weneTo gon upon the faire grene,Whan that sche falleth in the Mir.For if he may have his desir,How so falle of the remenant,He halt no word of covenant;Bot er the time that he spede,Ther is no sleihte at thilke nede,Which eny loves faitour mai,That he ne put it in assai,690As him belongeth forto done.The colour of the reyni MoneWith medicine upon his faceHe set, and thanne he axeth grace,As he which hath sieknesse feigned.Whan his visage is so desteigned,With yhe upcast on hire he siketh,And many a contenance he piketh,To bringen hire in to believeOf thing which that he wolde achieve,700Wherof he berth the pale hewe;And for he wolde seme trewe,He makth him siek, whan he is heil.Bot whanne he berth lowest the Seil,306Thanne is he swiftest to beguileThe womman, which that ilke whileSet upon him feith or credence.Opponit Confessor.Mi Sone, if thou thi conscienceP. i. 66Entamed hast in such a wise,In schrifte thou thee myht avise710And telle it me, if it be so.Respondet Amans.Min holy fader, certes no.As forto feigne such sieknesseIt nedeth noght, for this witnesseI take of god, that my corageHath ben mor siek than my visage.And ek this mai I wel avowe,So lowe cowthe I nevere boweTo feigne humilite withoute,That me ne leste betre loute720With alle the thoghtes of myn herte;For that thing schal me nevere asterte,I speke as to my lady diere,307To make hire eny feigned chiere.God wot wel there I lye noght,Mi chiere hath be such as my thoght;For in good feith, this lieveth wel,Mi will was betre a thousendelThan eny chiere that I cowthe.Bot, Sire, if I have in my yowthe730Don other wise in other place,I put me therof in your grace:308For this excusen I ne schal,That I have elles overalTo love and to his compaignieBe plein withoute Ypocrisie;Bot ther is on the which I serve,Althogh I may no thonk deserve,P. i. 67To whom yet nevere into this dayI seide onlyche or ye or nay,740Bot if it so were in my thoght.As touchende othre seie I noghtThat I nam somdel forto wyteOf that ye clepe an ypocrite.Confessor.Mi Sone, it sit wel every wihtTo kepe his word in trowthe upryhtTowardes love in alle wise.For who that wolde him wel aviseWhat hath befalle in this matiere,He scholde noght with feigned chiere750Deceive Love in no degre.To love is every herte fre,Bot in deceipte if that thou feignestAnd therupon thi lust atteignest,That thow hast wonne with thi wyle,Thogh it thee like for a whyle,309Thou schalt it afterward repente.And forto prove myn entente,I finde ensample in a CroniqeOf hem that love so beswike.760[Tale of Mundus and Paulina.]Quod Ipocrisia sit in amore periculosa, narrat exemplum qualiter sub regno Tiberii Imperatoris quidam miles nomine Mundus, qui Romanorum dux milicie tunc prefuit, dominam Paulinam pulcherrimam castitatisque famosissimam mediantibus duobus falsis presbiteris in templo Ysis deum se esse fingens310sub ficte sanctitatis ypocrisi nocturno tempore viciauit. Vnde idem dux in exilium, presbiteri in mortem ob sui criminis enormitatem dampnati extiterant, ymagoque dee Ysis a templo euulsa vniuerso conclamante populo in flumen Tiberiadis proiecta mergebatur.It fell be olde daies thus,Whil themperour TiberiusThe Monarchie of Rome ladde,Ther was a worthi Romein haddeA wif, and sche Pauline hihte,Which was to every mannes sihteOf al the Cite the faireste,And as men seiden, ek the beste.P. i. 68It is and hath ben evere yit,That so strong is no mannes wit,770Which thurgh beaute ne mai be draweTo love, and stonde under the laweOf thilke bore frele kinde,Which makth the hertes yhen blinde,Wher no reson mai be comuned:311And in this wise stod fortuned312This tale, of which I wolde mene;This wif, which in hire lustes greneWas fair and freissh and tendre of age,Sche may noght lette the corage780Of him that wole on hire assote.Ther was a Duck, and he was hote313Mundus, which hadde in his baillieTo lede the chivalerieOf Rome, and was a worthi knyht;Bot yet he was noght of such myhtThe strengthe of love to withstonde,That he ne was so broght to honde,That malgre wher he wole or no,This yonge wif he loveth so,790That he hath put al his assayTo wynne thing which he ne mayGete of hire graunt in no manere,Be yifte of gold ne be preiere.And whanne he syh that be no medeToward hir love he myhte spede,Be sleyhte feigned thanne he wroghte;And therupon he him bethoghteP. i. 69How that ther was in the CiteA temple of such auctorite,800To which with gret DevociounThe noble wommen of the tounMost comunliche a pelrinageGon forto preie thilke ymageWhich the godesse of childinge is,And cleped was be name Ysis:And in hire temple thanne were,To reule and to ministre thereAfter the lawe which was tho,Above alle othre Prestes tuo.810This Duck, which thoghte his love gete,Upon a day hem tuo to meteHath bede, and thei come at his heste;Wher that thei hadde a riche feste,And after mete in prive placeThis lord, which wolde his thonk pourchace,To ech of hem yaf thanne a yifte,And spak so that be weie of schrifteHe drowh hem unto his covine,To helpe and schape how he Pauline314820After his lust deceive myhte.And thei here trowthes bothe plyhte,That thei be nyhte hire scholden wynneInto the temple, and he therinneSchal have of hire al his entente:And thus acorded forth thei wente.Now lest thurgh which ypocrisieOrdeigned was the tricherie,P. i. 70Wherof this ladi was deceived.These Prestes hadden wel conceived830That sche was of gret holinesse;And with a contrefet simplesse,Which hid was in a fals corage,Feignende an hevenely message315Thei come and seide unto hir thus:‘Pauline, the god AnubusHath sent ous bothe Prestes hiere,316And seith he woll to thee appiereBe nyhtes time himself alone,For love he hath to thi persone:840And therupon he hath ous bede,That we in Ysis temple a stedeHonestely for thee pourveie,Wher thou be nyhte, as we thee seie,Of him schalt take avisioun.For upon thi condicioun,The which is chaste and ful of feith,Such pris, as he ous tolde, he leith,That he wol stonde of thin acord;And forto bere hierof record850He sende ous hider bothe tuo.’Glad was hire innocence thoOf suche wordes as sche herde,With humble chiere and thus answerde,And seide that the goddes willeSche was al redy to fulfille,That be hire housebondes leveSche wolde in Ysis temple at eveP. i. 71Upon hire goddes grace abide,To serven him the nyhtes tide.860The Prestes tho gon hom ayein,And sche goth to hire sovereign,Of goddes wille and as it wasSche tolde him al the pleine cas,Wherof he was deceived eke,And bad that sche hire scholde mekeAl hol unto the goddes heste.And thus sche, which was al honesteTo godward after hire entente,At nyht unto the temple wente,870Wher that the false Prestes were;And thei receiven hire thereWith such a tokne of holinesse,As thogh thei syhen a godesse,And al withinne in prive placeA softe bedd of large space317Thei hadde mad and encourtined,Wher sche was afterward engined.Bot sche, which al honour supposeth,The false Prestes thanne opposeth,880And axeth be what observanceSche myhte most to the plesanceOf godd that nyhtes reule kepe:And thei hire bidden forto slepe318Liggende upon the bedd alofte,For so, thei seide, al stille and softe319God Anubus hire wolde awake.The conseil in this wise take,P. i. 72The Prestes fro this lady gon;And sche, that wiste of guile non,890In the manere as it was seidTo slepe upon the bedd is leid,In hope that sche scholde achieve320Thing which stod thanne upon bilieve,Fulfild of alle holinesse.Bot sche hath failed, as I gesse,321For in a closet faste byThe Duck was hid so privelyThat sche him myhte noght perceive;And he, that thoghte to deceive,900Hath such arrai upon him nome,That whanne he wolde unto hir come,It scholde semen at hire yhe322As thogh sche verrailiche syheGod Anubus, and in such wiseThis ypocrite of his queintiseAwaiteth evere til sche slepte.And thanne out of his place he crepteSo stille that sche nothing herde,And to the bedd stalkende he ferde,910And sodeinly, er sche it wiste,Beclipt in armes he hire kiste:Wherof in wommanysshe dredeSche wok and nyste what to rede;Bot he with softe wordes mildeConforteth hire and seith, with childeHe wolde hire make in such a kyndeThat al the world schal have in myndeP. i. 73The worschipe of that ilke Sone;For he schal with the goddes wone,920And ben himself a godd also.With suche wordes and with mo,The whiche he feigneth in his speche,This lady wit was al to seche,323As sche which alle trowthe weneth:Bot he, that alle untrowthe meneth,With blinde tales so hire ladde,That all his wille of hire he hadde.And whan him thoghte it was ynowh,Ayein the day he him withdrowh930So prively that sche ne wisteWher he becom, bot as him listeOut of the temple he goth his weie.And sche began to bidde and preieUpon the bare ground knelende,And after that made hire offrende,And to the Prestes yiftes greteSche yaf, and homward be the Strete.The Duck hire mette and seide thus:‘The myhti godd which Anubus940Is hote, he save the, Pauline,For thou art of his disciplineSo holy, that no mannes myhtMai do that he hath do to nyhtOf thing which thou hast evere eschuied.Bot I his grace have so poursuied,That I was mad his lieutenant:Forthi be weie of covenantP. i. 74Fro this day forth I am al thin,And if thee like to be myn,950That stant upon thin oghne wille.’Sche herde his tale and bar it stille,And hom sche wente, as it befell,Into hir chambre, and ther sche fellUpon hire bedd to wepe and crie,And seide: ‘O derke ypocrisie,Thurgh whos dissimilacionOf fals ymaginacionI am thus wickedly deceived!Bot that I have it aperceived960I thonke unto the goddes alle;For thogh it ones be befalle,It schal nevere eft whil that I live,And thilke avou to godd I yive.’And thus wepende sche compleigneth,Hire faire face and al desteignethWith wofull teres of hire ÿe,So that upon this agonieHire housebonde is inne come,And syh how sche was overcome970With sorwe, and axeth what hire eileth.And sche with that hirself beweilethWelmore than sche dede afore,And seide, ‘Helas, wifhode is loreIn me, which whilom was honeste,324I am non other than a beste,Now I defouled am of tuo.’And as sche myhte speke tho,P. i. 75Aschamed with a pitous ondeSche tolde unto hir housebonde980The sothe of al the hole tale,And in hire speche ded and paleSche swouneth welnyh to the laste.And he hire in hise armes fasteUphield, and ofte swor his othThat he with hire is nothing wroth,For wel he wot sche may ther noght:Bot natheles withinne his thoghtHis herte stod in sori plit,And seide he wolde of that despit990Be venged, how so evere it falle,And sende unto hise frendes alle.And whan thei weren come in fere,He tolde hem upon this matiere,And axeth hem what was to done:And thei avised were sone,And seide it thoghte hem for the besteTo sette ferst his wif in reste,And after pleigne to the kingUpon the matiere of this thing.1000Tho was this wofull wif confortedBe alle weies and desported,Til that sche was somdiel amended;And thus a day or tuo despended,The thridde day sche goth to pleigneWith many a worthi Citezeine,And he with many a Citezein.Whan themperour it herde sein,P. i. 76And knew the falshed of the vice,He seide he wolde do justice:1010And ferst he let the Prestes take,And for thei scholde it noght forsake,He put hem into questioun;325Bot thei of the suggestiounNe couthen noght a word refuse,326Bot for thei wolde hemself excuse,The blame upon the Duck thei leide.Bot therayein the conseil seideThat thei be noght excused so,For he is on and thei ben tuo,1020And tuo han more wit then on,So thilke excusement was non.And over that was seid hem eke,327That whan men wolden vertu seke,Men scholde it in the Prestes finde;Here ordre is of so hyh a kinde,That thei be Duistres of the weie:328Forthi, if eny man forsueieThurgh hem, thei be noght excusable.And thus be lawe resonable1030Among the wise jugges thereThe Prestes bothe dampned were,So that the prive tricherieHid under fals IpocrisieWas thanne al openliche schewed,That many a man hem hath beschrewed.329And whan the Prestes weren dede,The temple of thilke horrible dedeP. i. 77Thei thoghten purge, and thilke ymage,Whos cause was the pelrinage,1040Thei drowen out and als so fasteFer into Tibre thei it caste,Wher the Rivere it hath defied:And thus the temple purifiedThei have of thilke horrible Sinne,Which was that time do therinne.Of this point such was the juise,Bot of the Duck was other wise:For he with love was bestad,His dom was noght so harde lad;1050For Love put reson aweieAnd can noght se therihte weie.And be this cause he was respited,So that the deth him was acquited,Bot for al that he was exiled,For he his love hath so beguiled,That he schal nevere come ayein:For who that is to trowthe unplein,He may noght failen of vengance.330And ek to take remembrance1060Of that Ypocrisie hath wroghtOn other half, men scholde noghtTo lihtly lieve al that thei hiere,Bot thanne scholde a wisman stiereThe Schip, whan suche wyndes blowe:For ferst thogh thei beginne lowe,At ende thei be noght menable,331Bot al tobreken Mast and Cable,332P. i. 78So that the Schip with sodein blast,Whan men lest wene, is overcast;1070As now fulofte a man mai se:And of old time how it hath beI finde a gret experience,Wherof to take an evidenceGood is, and to be war alsoOf the peril, er him be wo.
[The Prudence of the Serpent.]Hic narrat Confessor exemplum, vt non ab auris exaudicione fatua animus deceptus inuoluatur. Et dicit qualiter ille serpens, qui aspis282vocatur, quendam preciosissimum lapidem nomine Carbunculum in sue frontis medio gestans, contra verba incantantis aurem vnam terre affigendo premit, et aliam sue caude stimulo firmissime283obturat.A Serpent, which that AspidisIs cleped, of his kynde hath this,That he the Ston noblest of alle,The which that men Carbuncle calle,Berth in his hed above on heihte.For which whan that a man be sleyhte,The Ston to winne and him to daunte,With his carecte him wolde enchaunte,470Anon as he perceiveth that,He leith doun his on Ere al platUnto the ground, and halt it faste,And ek that other Ere als fasteP. i. 58He stoppeth with his tail so sore,That he the wordes lasse or moreOf his enchantement ne hiereth;And in this wise himself he skiereth,So that he hath the wordes weyvedAnd thurgh his Ere is noght deceived.480[Tale of the Sirens.]Aliud exemplum super eodem, qualiter rex Vluxes cum a bello Troiano versus Greciam nauigio remearet, et prope illa Monstra marina, Sirenes nuncupata, angelica voce canoras, ipsum ventorum aduersitate nauigare oporteret, omnium nautarum suorum aures obturari coegit. Et sic salutari prouidencia prefultus absque periculo saluus cum sua classe Vluxes pertransiuit.An othre thing, who that recordeth,284Lich unto this ensample acordeth,Which in the tale of Troie I finde.Sirenes of a wonder kyndeBen Monstres, as the bokes tellen,And in the grete Se thei duellen:Of body bothe and of visageLik unto wommen of yong age285Up fro the Navele on hih thei be,And doun benethe, as men mai se,490Thei bere of fisshes the figure.286And overthis of such natureThei ben, that with so swete a steveneLik to the melodie of heveneIn wommanysshe vois thei singe,With notes of so gret likinge,Of such mesure, of such musike,Wherof the Schipes thei beswikeThat passen be the costes there.For whan the Schipmen leie an Ere500Unto the vois, in here avysThei wene it be a Paradys,Which after is to hem an helle.For reson may noght with hem duelle,P. i. 59Whan thei tho grete lustes hiere;287Thei conne noght here Schipes stiere,So besiliche upon the noteThei herkne, and in such wise assote,That thei here rihte cours and weieForyete, and to here Ere obeie,510And seilen til it so befalleThat thei into the peril falle,Where as the Schipes be todrawe,And thei ben with the Monstres slawe.Bot fro this peril nathelesWith his wisdom king UluxesAscapeth and it overpasseth;For he tofor the hond compassethThat noman of his compaignieHath pouer unto that folie520His Ere for no lust to caste;For he hem stoppede alle faste,288That non of hem mai hiere hem singe.So whan they comen forth seilinge,Ther was such governance on honde,That thei the Monstres have withstondeAnd slain of hem a gret partie.Thus was he sauf with his navie,This wise king, thurgh governance.Confessor.[The Sins of the Eye and the Ear.]Wherof, my Sone, in remembrance530Thou myht ensample taken hiere,289As I have told, and what thou hiereBe wel war, and yif no credence,Bot if thou se more evidence.P. i. 60For if thou woldest take kepeAnd wisly cowthest warde and kepeThin yhe and Ere, as I have spoke,Than haddest thou the gates stokeFro such Sotie as comth to winneThin hertes wit, which is withinne,540Wherof that now thi love excedethMesure, and many a peine bredeth.Bot if thou cowthest sette in reuleTho tuo, the thre were eth to reule:Forthi as of thi wittes fiveI wole as now nomore schryve,Bot only of these ilke tuo.Tell me therfore if it be so,Hast thou thin yhen oght misthrowe?290Amans.Mi fader, ye, I am beknowe,550I have hem cast upon Meduse,Therof I may me noght excuse:Min herte is growen into Ston,So that my lady theruponHath such a priente of love grave,That I can noght miselve save.Opponit Confessor.What seist thou, Sone, as of thin Ere?Respondet Amans.Mi fader, I am gultyf there;For whanne I may my lady hiere,Mi wit with that hath lost his Stiere:560I do noght as Uluxes dede,Bot falle anon upon the stede,Wher as I se my lady stonde;And there, I do yow understonde,P. i. 61I am topulled in my thoght,So that of reson leveth noght,Wherof that I me mai defende.Confessor.My goode Sone, god thamende:For as me thenketh be thi specheThi wittes ben riht feer to seche.570As of thin Ere and of thin yheI woll nomore specefie,Bot I woll axen overthisOf othre thing how that it is.[The Seven deadly Sins. Pride.]v.Celsior est Aquila que Leone ferocior ille,291Quem tumor elati cordis ad alta mouet.Sunt species quinque, quibus esse Superbia ductrixClamat, et in multis mundus adheret eis.Laruando faciem ficto pallore subornatFraudibus Ypocrisis mellea verba suis.Sicque pios animos quamsepe ruit muliebresEx humili verbo sub latitante dolo.292Hic loquitur quod septem sunt peccata mortalia, quorum caput Superbia varias species habet, et earum prima Ypocrisis dicitur, cuius proprietatem secundum vicium simpliciter Confessor Amanti declarat.293Mi Sone, as I thee schal enforme,Ther ben yet of an other formeOf dedly vices sevene applied,Wherof the herte is ofte pliedTo thing which after schal him grieve.The ferste of hem thou schalt believe294580Is Pride, which is principal,And hath with him in specialMinistres five ful diverse,Of whiche, as I the schal reherse,295[Five Ministers of Pride.i.Hypocrisy.]The ferste is seid Ypocrisie.If thou art of his compaignie,Tell forth, my Sone, and schrif the clene.Amans.I wot noght, fader, what ye mene:P. i. 62Bot this I wolde you beseche,That ye me be som weie teche590What is to ben an ypocrite;And thanne if I be forto wyte,I wol beknowen, as it is.296Confessor.Mi Sone, an ypocrite is this,—A man which feigneth conscience,As thogh it were al innocence,Withoute, and is noght so withinne;And doth so for he wolde winneOf his desir the vein astat.And whanne he comth anon therat,600He scheweth thanne what he was,The corn is torned into gras,That was a Rose is thanne a thorn,And he that was a Lomb beforn297Is thanne a Wolf, and thus maliceUnder the colour of justiceIs hid; and as the poeple telleth,Ipocrisis Religiosa.298These ordres witen where he duelleth,As he that of here conseil is,And thilke world which thei er this299610Forsoken, he drawth in ayein:He clotheth richesse, as men sein,Under the simplesce of poverte,And doth to seme of gret decerteThing which is litel worth withinne:He seith in open, fy! to Sinne,And in secre ther is no viceOf which that he nis a Norrice:P. i. 63And evere his chiere is sobre and softe,And where he goth he blesseth ofte,620Wherof the blinde world he dreccheth.Bot yet al only he ne strecchethHis reule upon religioun,Bot next to that condiciounIn suche as clepe hem holy chercheIpocrisis ecclesiastica.300It scheweth ek how he can werche301Among tho wyde furred hodes,302To geten hem the worldes goodes.And thei hemself ben thilke sameThat setten most the world in blame,303630Bot yet in contraire of her loreTher is nothing thei loven more;So that semende of liht thei werkeThe dedes whiche are inward derke.And thus this double YpocrisieWith his devolte apparantieA viser set upon his face,Wherof toward this worldes graceHe semeth to be riht wel thewed,And yit his herte is al beschrewed.640Bot natheles he stant believed,And hath his pourpos ofte achievedOf worschipe and of worldes welthe,And takth it, as who seith, be steltheThurgh coverture of his fallas.And riht so in semblable casThis vice hath ek his officersIpocrisis secularis.Among these othre seculersP. i. 64Of grete men, for of the smaleAs for tacompte he set no tale,650Bot thei that passen the comuneWith suche him liketh to comune,And where he seith he wol socoureThe poeple, there he woll devoure;For now aday is manyonWhich spekth of Peter and of John304And thenketh Judas in his herte.Ther schal no worldes good asterteHis hond, and yit he yifth almesseAnd fasteth ofte and hiereth Messe:660Withmea culpa, which he seith,Upon his brest fullofte he leithHis hond, and cast upward his yhe,As thogh he Cristes face syhe;So that it seemeth ate syhte,As he al one alle othre myhteRescoue with his holy bede.Bot yet his herte in other stedeAmong hise bedes most devouteGoth in the worldes cause aboute,670How that he myhte his warisounEncresce.[Hypocrisy of Lovers.]305Hic tractat Confessor cum Amante super illa presertim Ipocrisia, que sub amoris facie fraudulenter latitando mulieres ipsius ficticiis credulas sepissime decipit innocentes.And in comparisounTher ben lovers of such a sort,That feignen hem an humble port,And al is bot Ypocrisie,Which with deceipte and flaterieHath many a worthi wif beguiled.For whanne he hath his tunge affiled,P. i. 65With softe speche and with lesinge,Forth with his fals pitous lokynge,680He wolde make a womman weneTo gon upon the faire grene,Whan that sche falleth in the Mir.For if he may have his desir,How so falle of the remenant,He halt no word of covenant;Bot er the time that he spede,Ther is no sleihte at thilke nede,Which eny loves faitour mai,That he ne put it in assai,690As him belongeth forto done.The colour of the reyni MoneWith medicine upon his faceHe set, and thanne he axeth grace,As he which hath sieknesse feigned.Whan his visage is so desteigned,With yhe upcast on hire he siketh,And many a contenance he piketh,To bringen hire in to believeOf thing which that he wolde achieve,700Wherof he berth the pale hewe;And for he wolde seme trewe,He makth him siek, whan he is heil.Bot whanne he berth lowest the Seil,306Thanne is he swiftest to beguileThe womman, which that ilke whileSet upon him feith or credence.Opponit Confessor.Mi Sone, if thou thi conscienceP. i. 66Entamed hast in such a wise,In schrifte thou thee myht avise710And telle it me, if it be so.Respondet Amans.Min holy fader, certes no.As forto feigne such sieknesseIt nedeth noght, for this witnesseI take of god, that my corageHath ben mor siek than my visage.And ek this mai I wel avowe,So lowe cowthe I nevere boweTo feigne humilite withoute,That me ne leste betre loute720With alle the thoghtes of myn herte;For that thing schal me nevere asterte,I speke as to my lady diere,307To make hire eny feigned chiere.God wot wel there I lye noght,Mi chiere hath be such as my thoght;For in good feith, this lieveth wel,Mi will was betre a thousendelThan eny chiere that I cowthe.Bot, Sire, if I have in my yowthe730Don other wise in other place,I put me therof in your grace:308For this excusen I ne schal,That I have elles overalTo love and to his compaignieBe plein withoute Ypocrisie;Bot ther is on the which I serve,Althogh I may no thonk deserve,P. i. 67To whom yet nevere into this dayI seide onlyche or ye or nay,740Bot if it so were in my thoght.As touchende othre seie I noghtThat I nam somdel forto wyteOf that ye clepe an ypocrite.Confessor.Mi Sone, it sit wel every wihtTo kepe his word in trowthe upryhtTowardes love in alle wise.For who that wolde him wel aviseWhat hath befalle in this matiere,He scholde noght with feigned chiere750Deceive Love in no degre.To love is every herte fre,Bot in deceipte if that thou feignestAnd therupon thi lust atteignest,That thow hast wonne with thi wyle,Thogh it thee like for a whyle,309Thou schalt it afterward repente.And forto prove myn entente,I finde ensample in a CroniqeOf hem that love so beswike.760[Tale of Mundus and Paulina.]Quod Ipocrisia sit in amore periculosa, narrat exemplum qualiter sub regno Tiberii Imperatoris quidam miles nomine Mundus, qui Romanorum dux milicie tunc prefuit, dominam Paulinam pulcherrimam castitatisque famosissimam mediantibus duobus falsis presbiteris in templo Ysis deum se esse fingens310sub ficte sanctitatis ypocrisi nocturno tempore viciauit. Vnde idem dux in exilium, presbiteri in mortem ob sui criminis enormitatem dampnati extiterant, ymagoque dee Ysis a templo euulsa vniuerso conclamante populo in flumen Tiberiadis proiecta mergebatur.It fell be olde daies thus,Whil themperour TiberiusThe Monarchie of Rome ladde,Ther was a worthi Romein haddeA wif, and sche Pauline hihte,Which was to every mannes sihteOf al the Cite the faireste,And as men seiden, ek the beste.P. i. 68It is and hath ben evere yit,That so strong is no mannes wit,770Which thurgh beaute ne mai be draweTo love, and stonde under the laweOf thilke bore frele kinde,Which makth the hertes yhen blinde,Wher no reson mai be comuned:311And in this wise stod fortuned312This tale, of which I wolde mene;This wif, which in hire lustes greneWas fair and freissh and tendre of age,Sche may noght lette the corage780Of him that wole on hire assote.Ther was a Duck, and he was hote313Mundus, which hadde in his baillieTo lede the chivalerieOf Rome, and was a worthi knyht;Bot yet he was noght of such myhtThe strengthe of love to withstonde,That he ne was so broght to honde,That malgre wher he wole or no,This yonge wif he loveth so,790That he hath put al his assayTo wynne thing which he ne mayGete of hire graunt in no manere,Be yifte of gold ne be preiere.And whanne he syh that be no medeToward hir love he myhte spede,Be sleyhte feigned thanne he wroghte;And therupon he him bethoghteP. i. 69How that ther was in the CiteA temple of such auctorite,800To which with gret DevociounThe noble wommen of the tounMost comunliche a pelrinageGon forto preie thilke ymageWhich the godesse of childinge is,And cleped was be name Ysis:And in hire temple thanne were,To reule and to ministre thereAfter the lawe which was tho,Above alle othre Prestes tuo.810This Duck, which thoghte his love gete,Upon a day hem tuo to meteHath bede, and thei come at his heste;Wher that thei hadde a riche feste,And after mete in prive placeThis lord, which wolde his thonk pourchace,To ech of hem yaf thanne a yifte,And spak so that be weie of schrifteHe drowh hem unto his covine,To helpe and schape how he Pauline314820After his lust deceive myhte.And thei here trowthes bothe plyhte,That thei be nyhte hire scholden wynneInto the temple, and he therinneSchal have of hire al his entente:And thus acorded forth thei wente.Now lest thurgh which ypocrisieOrdeigned was the tricherie,P. i. 70Wherof this ladi was deceived.These Prestes hadden wel conceived830That sche was of gret holinesse;And with a contrefet simplesse,Which hid was in a fals corage,Feignende an hevenely message315Thei come and seide unto hir thus:‘Pauline, the god AnubusHath sent ous bothe Prestes hiere,316And seith he woll to thee appiereBe nyhtes time himself alone,For love he hath to thi persone:840And therupon he hath ous bede,That we in Ysis temple a stedeHonestely for thee pourveie,Wher thou be nyhte, as we thee seie,Of him schalt take avisioun.For upon thi condicioun,The which is chaste and ful of feith,Such pris, as he ous tolde, he leith,That he wol stonde of thin acord;And forto bere hierof record850He sende ous hider bothe tuo.’Glad was hire innocence thoOf suche wordes as sche herde,With humble chiere and thus answerde,And seide that the goddes willeSche was al redy to fulfille,That be hire housebondes leveSche wolde in Ysis temple at eveP. i. 71Upon hire goddes grace abide,To serven him the nyhtes tide.860The Prestes tho gon hom ayein,And sche goth to hire sovereign,Of goddes wille and as it wasSche tolde him al the pleine cas,Wherof he was deceived eke,And bad that sche hire scholde mekeAl hol unto the goddes heste.And thus sche, which was al honesteTo godward after hire entente,At nyht unto the temple wente,870Wher that the false Prestes were;And thei receiven hire thereWith such a tokne of holinesse,As thogh thei syhen a godesse,And al withinne in prive placeA softe bedd of large space317Thei hadde mad and encourtined,Wher sche was afterward engined.Bot sche, which al honour supposeth,The false Prestes thanne opposeth,880And axeth be what observanceSche myhte most to the plesanceOf godd that nyhtes reule kepe:And thei hire bidden forto slepe318Liggende upon the bedd alofte,For so, thei seide, al stille and softe319God Anubus hire wolde awake.The conseil in this wise take,P. i. 72The Prestes fro this lady gon;And sche, that wiste of guile non,890In the manere as it was seidTo slepe upon the bedd is leid,In hope that sche scholde achieve320Thing which stod thanne upon bilieve,Fulfild of alle holinesse.Bot sche hath failed, as I gesse,321For in a closet faste byThe Duck was hid so privelyThat sche him myhte noght perceive;And he, that thoghte to deceive,900Hath such arrai upon him nome,That whanne he wolde unto hir come,It scholde semen at hire yhe322As thogh sche verrailiche syheGod Anubus, and in such wiseThis ypocrite of his queintiseAwaiteth evere til sche slepte.And thanne out of his place he crepteSo stille that sche nothing herde,And to the bedd stalkende he ferde,910And sodeinly, er sche it wiste,Beclipt in armes he hire kiste:Wherof in wommanysshe dredeSche wok and nyste what to rede;Bot he with softe wordes mildeConforteth hire and seith, with childeHe wolde hire make in such a kyndeThat al the world schal have in myndeP. i. 73The worschipe of that ilke Sone;For he schal with the goddes wone,920And ben himself a godd also.With suche wordes and with mo,The whiche he feigneth in his speche,This lady wit was al to seche,323As sche which alle trowthe weneth:Bot he, that alle untrowthe meneth,With blinde tales so hire ladde,That all his wille of hire he hadde.And whan him thoghte it was ynowh,Ayein the day he him withdrowh930So prively that sche ne wisteWher he becom, bot as him listeOut of the temple he goth his weie.And sche began to bidde and preieUpon the bare ground knelende,And after that made hire offrende,And to the Prestes yiftes greteSche yaf, and homward be the Strete.The Duck hire mette and seide thus:‘The myhti godd which Anubus940Is hote, he save the, Pauline,For thou art of his disciplineSo holy, that no mannes myhtMai do that he hath do to nyhtOf thing which thou hast evere eschuied.Bot I his grace have so poursuied,That I was mad his lieutenant:Forthi be weie of covenantP. i. 74Fro this day forth I am al thin,And if thee like to be myn,950That stant upon thin oghne wille.’Sche herde his tale and bar it stille,And hom sche wente, as it befell,Into hir chambre, and ther sche fellUpon hire bedd to wepe and crie,And seide: ‘O derke ypocrisie,Thurgh whos dissimilacionOf fals ymaginacionI am thus wickedly deceived!Bot that I have it aperceived960I thonke unto the goddes alle;For thogh it ones be befalle,It schal nevere eft whil that I live,And thilke avou to godd I yive.’And thus wepende sche compleigneth,Hire faire face and al desteignethWith wofull teres of hire ÿe,So that upon this agonieHire housebonde is inne come,And syh how sche was overcome970With sorwe, and axeth what hire eileth.And sche with that hirself beweilethWelmore than sche dede afore,And seide, ‘Helas, wifhode is loreIn me, which whilom was honeste,324I am non other than a beste,Now I defouled am of tuo.’And as sche myhte speke tho,P. i. 75Aschamed with a pitous ondeSche tolde unto hir housebonde980The sothe of al the hole tale,And in hire speche ded and paleSche swouneth welnyh to the laste.And he hire in hise armes fasteUphield, and ofte swor his othThat he with hire is nothing wroth,For wel he wot sche may ther noght:Bot natheles withinne his thoghtHis herte stod in sori plit,And seide he wolde of that despit990Be venged, how so evere it falle,And sende unto hise frendes alle.And whan thei weren come in fere,He tolde hem upon this matiere,And axeth hem what was to done:And thei avised were sone,And seide it thoghte hem for the besteTo sette ferst his wif in reste,And after pleigne to the kingUpon the matiere of this thing.1000Tho was this wofull wif confortedBe alle weies and desported,Til that sche was somdiel amended;And thus a day or tuo despended,The thridde day sche goth to pleigneWith many a worthi Citezeine,And he with many a Citezein.Whan themperour it herde sein,P. i. 76And knew the falshed of the vice,He seide he wolde do justice:1010And ferst he let the Prestes take,And for thei scholde it noght forsake,He put hem into questioun;325Bot thei of the suggestiounNe couthen noght a word refuse,326Bot for thei wolde hemself excuse,The blame upon the Duck thei leide.Bot therayein the conseil seideThat thei be noght excused so,For he is on and thei ben tuo,1020And tuo han more wit then on,So thilke excusement was non.And over that was seid hem eke,327That whan men wolden vertu seke,Men scholde it in the Prestes finde;Here ordre is of so hyh a kinde,That thei be Duistres of the weie:328Forthi, if eny man forsueieThurgh hem, thei be noght excusable.And thus be lawe resonable1030Among the wise jugges thereThe Prestes bothe dampned were,So that the prive tricherieHid under fals IpocrisieWas thanne al openliche schewed,That many a man hem hath beschrewed.329And whan the Prestes weren dede,The temple of thilke horrible dedeP. i. 77Thei thoghten purge, and thilke ymage,Whos cause was the pelrinage,1040Thei drowen out and als so fasteFer into Tibre thei it caste,Wher the Rivere it hath defied:And thus the temple purifiedThei have of thilke horrible Sinne,Which was that time do therinne.Of this point such was the juise,Bot of the Duck was other wise:For he with love was bestad,His dom was noght so harde lad;1050For Love put reson aweieAnd can noght se therihte weie.And be this cause he was respited,So that the deth him was acquited,Bot for al that he was exiled,For he his love hath so beguiled,That he schal nevere come ayein:For who that is to trowthe unplein,He may noght failen of vengance.330And ek to take remembrance1060Of that Ypocrisie hath wroghtOn other half, men scholde noghtTo lihtly lieve al that thei hiere,Bot thanne scholde a wisman stiereThe Schip, whan suche wyndes blowe:For ferst thogh thei beginne lowe,At ende thei be noght menable,331Bot al tobreken Mast and Cable,332P. i. 78So that the Schip with sodein blast,Whan men lest wene, is overcast;1070As now fulofte a man mai se:And of old time how it hath beI finde a gret experience,Wherof to take an evidenceGood is, and to be war alsoOf the peril, er him be wo.
[The Prudence of the Serpent.]Hic narrat Confessor exemplum, vt non ab auris exaudicione fatua animus deceptus inuoluatur. Et dicit qualiter ille serpens, qui aspis282vocatur, quendam preciosissimum lapidem nomine Carbunculum in sue frontis medio gestans, contra verba incantantis aurem vnam terre affigendo premit, et aliam sue caude stimulo firmissime283obturat.A Serpent, which that AspidisIs cleped, of his kynde hath this,That he the Ston noblest of alle,The which that men Carbuncle calle,Berth in his hed above on heihte.For which whan that a man be sleyhte,The Ston to winne and him to daunte,With his carecte him wolde enchaunte,470Anon as he perceiveth that,He leith doun his on Ere al platUnto the ground, and halt it faste,And ek that other Ere als fasteP. i. 58He stoppeth with his tail so sore,That he the wordes lasse or moreOf his enchantement ne hiereth;And in this wise himself he skiereth,So that he hath the wordes weyvedAnd thurgh his Ere is noght deceived.480
[The Prudence of the Serpent.]
Hic narrat Confessor exemplum, vt non ab auris exaudicione fatua animus deceptus inuoluatur. Et dicit qualiter ille serpens, qui aspis282vocatur, quendam preciosissimum lapidem nomine Carbunculum in sue frontis medio gestans, contra verba incantantis aurem vnam terre affigendo premit, et aliam sue caude stimulo firmissime283obturat.
A Serpent, which that Aspidis
Is cleped, of his kynde hath this,
That he the Ston noblest of alle,
The which that men Carbuncle calle,
Berth in his hed above on heihte.
For which whan that a man be sleyhte,
The Ston to winne and him to daunte,
With his carecte him wolde enchaunte,470
Anon as he perceiveth that,
He leith doun his on Ere al plat
Unto the ground, and halt it faste,
And ek that other Ere als faste
P. i. 58
He stoppeth with his tail so sore,
That he the wordes lasse or more
Of his enchantement ne hiereth;
And in this wise himself he skiereth,
So that he hath the wordes weyved
And thurgh his Ere is noght deceived.480
[Tale of the Sirens.]Aliud exemplum super eodem, qualiter rex Vluxes cum a bello Troiano versus Greciam nauigio remearet, et prope illa Monstra marina, Sirenes nuncupata, angelica voce canoras, ipsum ventorum aduersitate nauigare oporteret, omnium nautarum suorum aures obturari coegit. Et sic salutari prouidencia prefultus absque periculo saluus cum sua classe Vluxes pertransiuit.An othre thing, who that recordeth,284Lich unto this ensample acordeth,Which in the tale of Troie I finde.Sirenes of a wonder kyndeBen Monstres, as the bokes tellen,And in the grete Se thei duellen:Of body bothe and of visageLik unto wommen of yong age285Up fro the Navele on hih thei be,And doun benethe, as men mai se,490Thei bere of fisshes the figure.286And overthis of such natureThei ben, that with so swete a steveneLik to the melodie of heveneIn wommanysshe vois thei singe,With notes of so gret likinge,Of such mesure, of such musike,Wherof the Schipes thei beswikeThat passen be the costes there.For whan the Schipmen leie an Ere500Unto the vois, in here avysThei wene it be a Paradys,Which after is to hem an helle.For reson may noght with hem duelle,P. i. 59Whan thei tho grete lustes hiere;287Thei conne noght here Schipes stiere,So besiliche upon the noteThei herkne, and in such wise assote,That thei here rihte cours and weieForyete, and to here Ere obeie,510And seilen til it so befalleThat thei into the peril falle,Where as the Schipes be todrawe,And thei ben with the Monstres slawe.Bot fro this peril nathelesWith his wisdom king UluxesAscapeth and it overpasseth;For he tofor the hond compassethThat noman of his compaignieHath pouer unto that folie520His Ere for no lust to caste;For he hem stoppede alle faste,288That non of hem mai hiere hem singe.So whan they comen forth seilinge,Ther was such governance on honde,That thei the Monstres have withstondeAnd slain of hem a gret partie.Thus was he sauf with his navie,This wise king, thurgh governance.Confessor.[The Sins of the Eye and the Ear.]Wherof, my Sone, in remembrance530Thou myht ensample taken hiere,289As I have told, and what thou hiereBe wel war, and yif no credence,Bot if thou se more evidence.P. i. 60For if thou woldest take kepeAnd wisly cowthest warde and kepeThin yhe and Ere, as I have spoke,Than haddest thou the gates stokeFro such Sotie as comth to winneThin hertes wit, which is withinne,540Wherof that now thi love excedethMesure, and many a peine bredeth.Bot if thou cowthest sette in reuleTho tuo, the thre were eth to reule:Forthi as of thi wittes fiveI wole as now nomore schryve,Bot only of these ilke tuo.Tell me therfore if it be so,Hast thou thin yhen oght misthrowe?290Amans.Mi fader, ye, I am beknowe,550I have hem cast upon Meduse,Therof I may me noght excuse:Min herte is growen into Ston,So that my lady theruponHath such a priente of love grave,That I can noght miselve save.Opponit Confessor.What seist thou, Sone, as of thin Ere?Respondet Amans.Mi fader, I am gultyf there;For whanne I may my lady hiere,Mi wit with that hath lost his Stiere:560I do noght as Uluxes dede,Bot falle anon upon the stede,Wher as I se my lady stonde;And there, I do yow understonde,P. i. 61I am topulled in my thoght,So that of reson leveth noght,Wherof that I me mai defende.Confessor.My goode Sone, god thamende:For as me thenketh be thi specheThi wittes ben riht feer to seche.570As of thin Ere and of thin yheI woll nomore specefie,Bot I woll axen overthisOf othre thing how that it is.
[Tale of the Sirens.]
Aliud exemplum super eodem, qualiter rex Vluxes cum a bello Troiano versus Greciam nauigio remearet, et prope illa Monstra marina, Sirenes nuncupata, angelica voce canoras, ipsum ventorum aduersitate nauigare oporteret, omnium nautarum suorum aures obturari coegit. Et sic salutari prouidencia prefultus absque periculo saluus cum sua classe Vluxes pertransiuit.
An othre thing, who that recordeth,284
Lich unto this ensample acordeth,
Which in the tale of Troie I finde.
Sirenes of a wonder kynde
Ben Monstres, as the bokes tellen,
And in the grete Se thei duellen:
Of body bothe and of visage
Lik unto wommen of yong age285
Up fro the Navele on hih thei be,
And doun benethe, as men mai se,490
Thei bere of fisshes the figure.286
And overthis of such nature
Thei ben, that with so swete a stevene
Lik to the melodie of hevene
In wommanysshe vois thei singe,
With notes of so gret likinge,
Of such mesure, of such musike,
Wherof the Schipes thei beswike
That passen be the costes there.
For whan the Schipmen leie an Ere500
Unto the vois, in here avys
Thei wene it be a Paradys,
Which after is to hem an helle.
For reson may noght with hem duelle,
P. i. 59
Whan thei tho grete lustes hiere;287
Thei conne noght here Schipes stiere,
So besiliche upon the note
Thei herkne, and in such wise assote,
That thei here rihte cours and weie
Foryete, and to here Ere obeie,510
And seilen til it so befalle
That thei into the peril falle,
Where as the Schipes be todrawe,
And thei ben with the Monstres slawe.
Bot fro this peril natheles
With his wisdom king Uluxes
Ascapeth and it overpasseth;
For he tofor the hond compasseth
That noman of his compaignie
Hath pouer unto that folie520
His Ere for no lust to caste;
For he hem stoppede alle faste,288
That non of hem mai hiere hem singe.
So whan they comen forth seilinge,
Ther was such governance on honde,
That thei the Monstres have withstonde
And slain of hem a gret partie.
Thus was he sauf with his navie,
This wise king, thurgh governance.
Confessor.
[The Sins of the Eye and the Ear.]
Wherof, my Sone, in remembrance530
Thou myht ensample taken hiere,289
As I have told, and what thou hiere
Be wel war, and yif no credence,
Bot if thou se more evidence.
P. i. 60
For if thou woldest take kepe
And wisly cowthest warde and kepe
Thin yhe and Ere, as I have spoke,
Than haddest thou the gates stoke
Fro such Sotie as comth to winne
Thin hertes wit, which is withinne,540
Wherof that now thi love excedeth
Mesure, and many a peine bredeth.
Bot if thou cowthest sette in reule
Tho tuo, the thre were eth to reule:
Forthi as of thi wittes five
I wole as now nomore schryve,
Bot only of these ilke tuo.
Tell me therfore if it be so,
Hast thou thin yhen oght misthrowe?290
Amans.
Mi fader, ye, I am beknowe,550
I have hem cast upon Meduse,
Therof I may me noght excuse:
Min herte is growen into Ston,
So that my lady therupon
Hath such a priente of love grave,
That I can noght miselve save.
Opponit Confessor.What seist thou, Sone, as of thin Ere?
Respondet Amans.Mi fader, I am gultyf there;
For whanne I may my lady hiere,
Mi wit with that hath lost his Stiere:560
I do noght as Uluxes dede,
Bot falle anon upon the stede,
Wher as I se my lady stonde;
And there, I do yow understonde,
P. i. 61
I am topulled in my thoght,
So that of reson leveth noght,
Wherof that I me mai defende.
Confessor.
My goode Sone, god thamende:
For as me thenketh be thi speche
Thi wittes ben riht feer to seche.570
As of thin Ere and of thin yhe
I woll nomore specefie,
Bot I woll axen overthis
Of othre thing how that it is.
[The Seven deadly Sins. Pride.]v.Celsior est Aquila que Leone ferocior ille,291Quem tumor elati cordis ad alta mouet.Sunt species quinque, quibus esse Superbia ductrixClamat, et in multis mundus adheret eis.Laruando faciem ficto pallore subornatFraudibus Ypocrisis mellea verba suis.Sicque pios animos quamsepe ruit muliebresEx humili verbo sub latitante dolo.292
[The Seven deadly Sins. Pride.]
v.Celsior est Aquila que Leone ferocior ille,291
Quem tumor elati cordis ad alta mouet.
Sunt species quinque, quibus esse Superbia ductrix
Clamat, et in multis mundus adheret eis.
Laruando faciem ficto pallore subornat
Fraudibus Ypocrisis mellea verba suis.
Sicque pios animos quamsepe ruit muliebres
Ex humili verbo sub latitante dolo.292
Hic loquitur quod septem sunt peccata mortalia, quorum caput Superbia varias species habet, et earum prima Ypocrisis dicitur, cuius proprietatem secundum vicium simpliciter Confessor Amanti declarat.293Mi Sone, as I thee schal enforme,Ther ben yet of an other formeOf dedly vices sevene applied,Wherof the herte is ofte pliedTo thing which after schal him grieve.The ferste of hem thou schalt believe294580Is Pride, which is principal,And hath with him in specialMinistres five ful diverse,Of whiche, as I the schal reherse,295[Five Ministers of Pride.i.Hypocrisy.]The ferste is seid Ypocrisie.If thou art of his compaignie,Tell forth, my Sone, and schrif the clene.Amans.I wot noght, fader, what ye mene:P. i. 62Bot this I wolde you beseche,That ye me be som weie teche590What is to ben an ypocrite;And thanne if I be forto wyte,I wol beknowen, as it is.296Confessor.Mi Sone, an ypocrite is this,—A man which feigneth conscience,As thogh it were al innocence,Withoute, and is noght so withinne;And doth so for he wolde winneOf his desir the vein astat.And whanne he comth anon therat,600He scheweth thanne what he was,The corn is torned into gras,That was a Rose is thanne a thorn,And he that was a Lomb beforn297Is thanne a Wolf, and thus maliceUnder the colour of justiceIs hid; and as the poeple telleth,Ipocrisis Religiosa.298These ordres witen where he duelleth,As he that of here conseil is,And thilke world which thei er this299610Forsoken, he drawth in ayein:He clotheth richesse, as men sein,Under the simplesce of poverte,And doth to seme of gret decerteThing which is litel worth withinne:He seith in open, fy! to Sinne,And in secre ther is no viceOf which that he nis a Norrice:P. i. 63And evere his chiere is sobre and softe,And where he goth he blesseth ofte,620Wherof the blinde world he dreccheth.Bot yet al only he ne strecchethHis reule upon religioun,Bot next to that condiciounIn suche as clepe hem holy chercheIpocrisis ecclesiastica.300It scheweth ek how he can werche301Among tho wyde furred hodes,302To geten hem the worldes goodes.And thei hemself ben thilke sameThat setten most the world in blame,303630Bot yet in contraire of her loreTher is nothing thei loven more;So that semende of liht thei werkeThe dedes whiche are inward derke.And thus this double YpocrisieWith his devolte apparantieA viser set upon his face,Wherof toward this worldes graceHe semeth to be riht wel thewed,And yit his herte is al beschrewed.640Bot natheles he stant believed,And hath his pourpos ofte achievedOf worschipe and of worldes welthe,And takth it, as who seith, be steltheThurgh coverture of his fallas.And riht so in semblable casThis vice hath ek his officersIpocrisis secularis.Among these othre seculersP. i. 64Of grete men, for of the smaleAs for tacompte he set no tale,650Bot thei that passen the comuneWith suche him liketh to comune,And where he seith he wol socoureThe poeple, there he woll devoure;For now aday is manyonWhich spekth of Peter and of John304And thenketh Judas in his herte.Ther schal no worldes good asterteHis hond, and yit he yifth almesseAnd fasteth ofte and hiereth Messe:660Withmea culpa, which he seith,Upon his brest fullofte he leithHis hond, and cast upward his yhe,As thogh he Cristes face syhe;So that it seemeth ate syhte,As he al one alle othre myhteRescoue with his holy bede.Bot yet his herte in other stedeAmong hise bedes most devouteGoth in the worldes cause aboute,670How that he myhte his warisounEncresce.[Hypocrisy of Lovers.]305Hic tractat Confessor cum Amante super illa presertim Ipocrisia, que sub amoris facie fraudulenter latitando mulieres ipsius ficticiis credulas sepissime decipit innocentes.And in comparisounTher ben lovers of such a sort,That feignen hem an humble port,And al is bot Ypocrisie,Which with deceipte and flaterieHath many a worthi wif beguiled.For whanne he hath his tunge affiled,P. i. 65With softe speche and with lesinge,Forth with his fals pitous lokynge,680He wolde make a womman weneTo gon upon the faire grene,Whan that sche falleth in the Mir.For if he may have his desir,How so falle of the remenant,He halt no word of covenant;Bot er the time that he spede,Ther is no sleihte at thilke nede,Which eny loves faitour mai,That he ne put it in assai,690As him belongeth forto done.The colour of the reyni MoneWith medicine upon his faceHe set, and thanne he axeth grace,As he which hath sieknesse feigned.Whan his visage is so desteigned,With yhe upcast on hire he siketh,And many a contenance he piketh,To bringen hire in to believeOf thing which that he wolde achieve,700Wherof he berth the pale hewe;And for he wolde seme trewe,He makth him siek, whan he is heil.Bot whanne he berth lowest the Seil,306Thanne is he swiftest to beguileThe womman, which that ilke whileSet upon him feith or credence.Opponit Confessor.Mi Sone, if thou thi conscienceP. i. 66Entamed hast in such a wise,In schrifte thou thee myht avise710And telle it me, if it be so.Respondet Amans.Min holy fader, certes no.As forto feigne such sieknesseIt nedeth noght, for this witnesseI take of god, that my corageHath ben mor siek than my visage.And ek this mai I wel avowe,So lowe cowthe I nevere boweTo feigne humilite withoute,That me ne leste betre loute720With alle the thoghtes of myn herte;For that thing schal me nevere asterte,I speke as to my lady diere,307To make hire eny feigned chiere.God wot wel there I lye noght,Mi chiere hath be such as my thoght;For in good feith, this lieveth wel,Mi will was betre a thousendelThan eny chiere that I cowthe.Bot, Sire, if I have in my yowthe730Don other wise in other place,I put me therof in your grace:308For this excusen I ne schal,That I have elles overalTo love and to his compaignieBe plein withoute Ypocrisie;Bot ther is on the which I serve,Althogh I may no thonk deserve,P. i. 67To whom yet nevere into this dayI seide onlyche or ye or nay,740Bot if it so were in my thoght.As touchende othre seie I noghtThat I nam somdel forto wyteOf that ye clepe an ypocrite.Confessor.Mi Sone, it sit wel every wihtTo kepe his word in trowthe upryhtTowardes love in alle wise.For who that wolde him wel aviseWhat hath befalle in this matiere,He scholde noght with feigned chiere750Deceive Love in no degre.To love is every herte fre,Bot in deceipte if that thou feignestAnd therupon thi lust atteignest,That thow hast wonne with thi wyle,Thogh it thee like for a whyle,309Thou schalt it afterward repente.And forto prove myn entente,I finde ensample in a CroniqeOf hem that love so beswike.760
Hic loquitur quod septem sunt peccata mortalia, quorum caput Superbia varias species habet, et earum prima Ypocrisis dicitur, cuius proprietatem secundum vicium simpliciter Confessor Amanti declarat.293
Mi Sone, as I thee schal enforme,
Ther ben yet of an other forme
Of dedly vices sevene applied,
Wherof the herte is ofte plied
To thing which after schal him grieve.
The ferste of hem thou schalt believe294580
Is Pride, which is principal,
And hath with him in special
Ministres five ful diverse,
Of whiche, as I the schal reherse,295
[Five Ministers of Pride.i.Hypocrisy.]
The ferste is seid Ypocrisie.
If thou art of his compaignie,
Tell forth, my Sone, and schrif the clene.
Amans.
I wot noght, fader, what ye mene:
P. i. 62
Bot this I wolde you beseche,
That ye me be som weie teche590
What is to ben an ypocrite;
And thanne if I be forto wyte,
I wol beknowen, as it is.296
Confessor.
Mi Sone, an ypocrite is this,—
A man which feigneth conscience,
As thogh it were al innocence,
Withoute, and is noght so withinne;
And doth so for he wolde winne
Of his desir the vein astat.
And whanne he comth anon therat,600
He scheweth thanne what he was,
The corn is torned into gras,
That was a Rose is thanne a thorn,
And he that was a Lomb beforn297
Is thanne a Wolf, and thus malice
Under the colour of justice
Is hid; and as the poeple telleth,
Ipocrisis Religiosa.298
These ordres witen where he duelleth,
As he that of here conseil is,
And thilke world which thei er this299610
Forsoken, he drawth in ayein:
He clotheth richesse, as men sein,
Under the simplesce of poverte,
And doth to seme of gret decerte
Thing which is litel worth withinne:
He seith in open, fy! to Sinne,
And in secre ther is no vice
Of which that he nis a Norrice:
P. i. 63
And evere his chiere is sobre and softe,
And where he goth he blesseth ofte,620
Wherof the blinde world he dreccheth.
Bot yet al only he ne streccheth
His reule upon religioun,
Bot next to that condicioun
In suche as clepe hem holy cherche
Ipocrisis ecclesiastica.300
It scheweth ek how he can werche301
Among tho wyde furred hodes,302
To geten hem the worldes goodes.
And thei hemself ben thilke same
That setten most the world in blame,303630
Bot yet in contraire of her lore
Ther is nothing thei loven more;
So that semende of liht thei werke
The dedes whiche are inward derke.
And thus this double Ypocrisie
With his devolte apparantie
A viser set upon his face,
Wherof toward this worldes grace
He semeth to be riht wel thewed,
And yit his herte is al beschrewed.640
Bot natheles he stant believed,
And hath his pourpos ofte achieved
Of worschipe and of worldes welthe,
And takth it, as who seith, be stelthe
Thurgh coverture of his fallas.
And riht so in semblable cas
This vice hath ek his officers
Ipocrisis secularis.
Among these othre seculers
P. i. 64
Of grete men, for of the smale
As for tacompte he set no tale,650
Bot thei that passen the comune
With suche him liketh to comune,
And where he seith he wol socoure
The poeple, there he woll devoure;
For now aday is manyon
Which spekth of Peter and of John304
And thenketh Judas in his herte.
Ther schal no worldes good asterte
His hond, and yit he yifth almesse
And fasteth ofte and hiereth Messe:660
Withmea culpa, which he seith,
Upon his brest fullofte he leith
His hond, and cast upward his yhe,
As thogh he Cristes face syhe;
So that it seemeth ate syhte,
As he al one alle othre myhte
Rescoue with his holy bede.
Bot yet his herte in other stede
Among hise bedes most devoute
Goth in the worldes cause aboute,670
How that he myhte his warisoun
Encresce.
[Hypocrisy of Lovers.]
305Hic tractat Confessor cum Amante super illa presertim Ipocrisia, que sub amoris facie fraudulenter latitando mulieres ipsius ficticiis credulas sepissime decipit innocentes.
And in comparisoun
Ther ben lovers of such a sort,
That feignen hem an humble port,
And al is bot Ypocrisie,
Which with deceipte and flaterie
Hath many a worthi wif beguiled.
For whanne he hath his tunge affiled,
P. i. 65
With softe speche and with lesinge,
Forth with his fals pitous lokynge,680
He wolde make a womman wene
To gon upon the faire grene,
Whan that sche falleth in the Mir.
For if he may have his desir,
How so falle of the remenant,
He halt no word of covenant;
Bot er the time that he spede,
Ther is no sleihte at thilke nede,
Which eny loves faitour mai,
That he ne put it in assai,690
As him belongeth forto done.
The colour of the reyni Mone
With medicine upon his face
He set, and thanne he axeth grace,
As he which hath sieknesse feigned.
Whan his visage is so desteigned,
With yhe upcast on hire he siketh,
And many a contenance he piketh,
To bringen hire in to believe
Of thing which that he wolde achieve,700
Wherof he berth the pale hewe;
And for he wolde seme trewe,
He makth him siek, whan he is heil.
Bot whanne he berth lowest the Seil,306
Thanne is he swiftest to beguile
The womman, which that ilke while
Set upon him feith or credence.
Opponit Confessor.
Mi Sone, if thou thi conscience
P. i. 66
Entamed hast in such a wise,
In schrifte thou thee myht avise710
And telle it me, if it be so.
Respondet Amans.
Min holy fader, certes no.
As forto feigne such sieknesse
It nedeth noght, for this witnesse
I take of god, that my corage
Hath ben mor siek than my visage.
And ek this mai I wel avowe,
So lowe cowthe I nevere bowe
To feigne humilite withoute,
That me ne leste betre loute720
With alle the thoghtes of myn herte;
For that thing schal me nevere asterte,
I speke as to my lady diere,307
To make hire eny feigned chiere.
God wot wel there I lye noght,
Mi chiere hath be such as my thoght;
For in good feith, this lieveth wel,
Mi will was betre a thousendel
Than eny chiere that I cowthe.
Bot, Sire, if I have in my yowthe730
Don other wise in other place,
I put me therof in your grace:308
For this excusen I ne schal,
That I have elles overal
To love and to his compaignie
Be plein withoute Ypocrisie;
Bot ther is on the which I serve,
Althogh I may no thonk deserve,
P. i. 67
To whom yet nevere into this day
I seide onlyche or ye or nay,740
Bot if it so were in my thoght.
As touchende othre seie I noght
That I nam somdel forto wyte
Of that ye clepe an ypocrite.
Confessor.
Mi Sone, it sit wel every wiht
To kepe his word in trowthe upryht
Towardes love in alle wise.
For who that wolde him wel avise
What hath befalle in this matiere,
He scholde noght with feigned chiere750
Deceive Love in no degre.
To love is every herte fre,
Bot in deceipte if that thou feignest
And therupon thi lust atteignest,
That thow hast wonne with thi wyle,
Thogh it thee like for a whyle,309
Thou schalt it afterward repente.
And forto prove myn entente,
I finde ensample in a Croniqe
Of hem that love so beswike.760
[Tale of Mundus and Paulina.]Quod Ipocrisia sit in amore periculosa, narrat exemplum qualiter sub regno Tiberii Imperatoris quidam miles nomine Mundus, qui Romanorum dux milicie tunc prefuit, dominam Paulinam pulcherrimam castitatisque famosissimam mediantibus duobus falsis presbiteris in templo Ysis deum se esse fingens310sub ficte sanctitatis ypocrisi nocturno tempore viciauit. Vnde idem dux in exilium, presbiteri in mortem ob sui criminis enormitatem dampnati extiterant, ymagoque dee Ysis a templo euulsa vniuerso conclamante populo in flumen Tiberiadis proiecta mergebatur.It fell be olde daies thus,Whil themperour TiberiusThe Monarchie of Rome ladde,Ther was a worthi Romein haddeA wif, and sche Pauline hihte,Which was to every mannes sihteOf al the Cite the faireste,And as men seiden, ek the beste.P. i. 68It is and hath ben evere yit,That so strong is no mannes wit,770Which thurgh beaute ne mai be draweTo love, and stonde under the laweOf thilke bore frele kinde,Which makth the hertes yhen blinde,Wher no reson mai be comuned:311And in this wise stod fortuned312This tale, of which I wolde mene;This wif, which in hire lustes greneWas fair and freissh and tendre of age,Sche may noght lette the corage780Of him that wole on hire assote.Ther was a Duck, and he was hote313Mundus, which hadde in his baillieTo lede the chivalerieOf Rome, and was a worthi knyht;Bot yet he was noght of such myhtThe strengthe of love to withstonde,That he ne was so broght to honde,That malgre wher he wole or no,This yonge wif he loveth so,790That he hath put al his assayTo wynne thing which he ne mayGete of hire graunt in no manere,Be yifte of gold ne be preiere.And whanne he syh that be no medeToward hir love he myhte spede,Be sleyhte feigned thanne he wroghte;And therupon he him bethoghteP. i. 69How that ther was in the CiteA temple of such auctorite,800To which with gret DevociounThe noble wommen of the tounMost comunliche a pelrinageGon forto preie thilke ymageWhich the godesse of childinge is,And cleped was be name Ysis:And in hire temple thanne were,To reule and to ministre thereAfter the lawe which was tho,Above alle othre Prestes tuo.810This Duck, which thoghte his love gete,Upon a day hem tuo to meteHath bede, and thei come at his heste;Wher that thei hadde a riche feste,And after mete in prive placeThis lord, which wolde his thonk pourchace,To ech of hem yaf thanne a yifte,And spak so that be weie of schrifteHe drowh hem unto his covine,To helpe and schape how he Pauline314820After his lust deceive myhte.And thei here trowthes bothe plyhte,That thei be nyhte hire scholden wynneInto the temple, and he therinneSchal have of hire al his entente:And thus acorded forth thei wente.Now lest thurgh which ypocrisieOrdeigned was the tricherie,P. i. 70Wherof this ladi was deceived.These Prestes hadden wel conceived830That sche was of gret holinesse;And with a contrefet simplesse,Which hid was in a fals corage,Feignende an hevenely message315Thei come and seide unto hir thus:‘Pauline, the god AnubusHath sent ous bothe Prestes hiere,316And seith he woll to thee appiereBe nyhtes time himself alone,For love he hath to thi persone:840And therupon he hath ous bede,That we in Ysis temple a stedeHonestely for thee pourveie,Wher thou be nyhte, as we thee seie,Of him schalt take avisioun.For upon thi condicioun,The which is chaste and ful of feith,Such pris, as he ous tolde, he leith,That he wol stonde of thin acord;And forto bere hierof record850He sende ous hider bothe tuo.’Glad was hire innocence thoOf suche wordes as sche herde,With humble chiere and thus answerde,And seide that the goddes willeSche was al redy to fulfille,That be hire housebondes leveSche wolde in Ysis temple at eveP. i. 71Upon hire goddes grace abide,To serven him the nyhtes tide.860The Prestes tho gon hom ayein,And sche goth to hire sovereign,Of goddes wille and as it wasSche tolde him al the pleine cas,Wherof he was deceived eke,And bad that sche hire scholde mekeAl hol unto the goddes heste.And thus sche, which was al honesteTo godward after hire entente,At nyht unto the temple wente,870Wher that the false Prestes were;And thei receiven hire thereWith such a tokne of holinesse,As thogh thei syhen a godesse,And al withinne in prive placeA softe bedd of large space317Thei hadde mad and encourtined,Wher sche was afterward engined.Bot sche, which al honour supposeth,The false Prestes thanne opposeth,880And axeth be what observanceSche myhte most to the plesanceOf godd that nyhtes reule kepe:And thei hire bidden forto slepe318Liggende upon the bedd alofte,For so, thei seide, al stille and softe319God Anubus hire wolde awake.The conseil in this wise take,P. i. 72The Prestes fro this lady gon;And sche, that wiste of guile non,890In the manere as it was seidTo slepe upon the bedd is leid,In hope that sche scholde achieve320Thing which stod thanne upon bilieve,Fulfild of alle holinesse.Bot sche hath failed, as I gesse,321For in a closet faste byThe Duck was hid so privelyThat sche him myhte noght perceive;And he, that thoghte to deceive,900Hath such arrai upon him nome,That whanne he wolde unto hir come,It scholde semen at hire yhe322As thogh sche verrailiche syheGod Anubus, and in such wiseThis ypocrite of his queintiseAwaiteth evere til sche slepte.And thanne out of his place he crepteSo stille that sche nothing herde,And to the bedd stalkende he ferde,910And sodeinly, er sche it wiste,Beclipt in armes he hire kiste:Wherof in wommanysshe dredeSche wok and nyste what to rede;Bot he with softe wordes mildeConforteth hire and seith, with childeHe wolde hire make in such a kyndeThat al the world schal have in myndeP. i. 73The worschipe of that ilke Sone;For he schal with the goddes wone,920And ben himself a godd also.With suche wordes and with mo,The whiche he feigneth in his speche,This lady wit was al to seche,323As sche which alle trowthe weneth:Bot he, that alle untrowthe meneth,With blinde tales so hire ladde,That all his wille of hire he hadde.And whan him thoghte it was ynowh,Ayein the day he him withdrowh930So prively that sche ne wisteWher he becom, bot as him listeOut of the temple he goth his weie.And sche began to bidde and preieUpon the bare ground knelende,And after that made hire offrende,And to the Prestes yiftes greteSche yaf, and homward be the Strete.The Duck hire mette and seide thus:‘The myhti godd which Anubus940Is hote, he save the, Pauline,For thou art of his disciplineSo holy, that no mannes myhtMai do that he hath do to nyhtOf thing which thou hast evere eschuied.Bot I his grace have so poursuied,That I was mad his lieutenant:Forthi be weie of covenantP. i. 74Fro this day forth I am al thin,And if thee like to be myn,950That stant upon thin oghne wille.’Sche herde his tale and bar it stille,And hom sche wente, as it befell,Into hir chambre, and ther sche fellUpon hire bedd to wepe and crie,And seide: ‘O derke ypocrisie,Thurgh whos dissimilacionOf fals ymaginacionI am thus wickedly deceived!Bot that I have it aperceived960I thonke unto the goddes alle;For thogh it ones be befalle,It schal nevere eft whil that I live,And thilke avou to godd I yive.’And thus wepende sche compleigneth,Hire faire face and al desteignethWith wofull teres of hire ÿe,So that upon this agonieHire housebonde is inne come,And syh how sche was overcome970With sorwe, and axeth what hire eileth.And sche with that hirself beweilethWelmore than sche dede afore,And seide, ‘Helas, wifhode is loreIn me, which whilom was honeste,324I am non other than a beste,Now I defouled am of tuo.’And as sche myhte speke tho,P. i. 75Aschamed with a pitous ondeSche tolde unto hir housebonde980The sothe of al the hole tale,And in hire speche ded and paleSche swouneth welnyh to the laste.And he hire in hise armes fasteUphield, and ofte swor his othThat he with hire is nothing wroth,For wel he wot sche may ther noght:Bot natheles withinne his thoghtHis herte stod in sori plit,And seide he wolde of that despit990Be venged, how so evere it falle,And sende unto hise frendes alle.And whan thei weren come in fere,He tolde hem upon this matiere,And axeth hem what was to done:And thei avised were sone,And seide it thoghte hem for the besteTo sette ferst his wif in reste,And after pleigne to the kingUpon the matiere of this thing.1000Tho was this wofull wif confortedBe alle weies and desported,Til that sche was somdiel amended;And thus a day or tuo despended,The thridde day sche goth to pleigneWith many a worthi Citezeine,And he with many a Citezein.Whan themperour it herde sein,P. i. 76And knew the falshed of the vice,He seide he wolde do justice:1010And ferst he let the Prestes take,And for thei scholde it noght forsake,He put hem into questioun;325Bot thei of the suggestiounNe couthen noght a word refuse,326Bot for thei wolde hemself excuse,The blame upon the Duck thei leide.Bot therayein the conseil seideThat thei be noght excused so,For he is on and thei ben tuo,1020And tuo han more wit then on,So thilke excusement was non.And over that was seid hem eke,327That whan men wolden vertu seke,Men scholde it in the Prestes finde;Here ordre is of so hyh a kinde,That thei be Duistres of the weie:328Forthi, if eny man forsueieThurgh hem, thei be noght excusable.And thus be lawe resonable1030Among the wise jugges thereThe Prestes bothe dampned were,So that the prive tricherieHid under fals IpocrisieWas thanne al openliche schewed,That many a man hem hath beschrewed.329And whan the Prestes weren dede,The temple of thilke horrible dedeP. i. 77Thei thoghten purge, and thilke ymage,Whos cause was the pelrinage,1040Thei drowen out and als so fasteFer into Tibre thei it caste,Wher the Rivere it hath defied:And thus the temple purifiedThei have of thilke horrible Sinne,Which was that time do therinne.Of this point such was the juise,Bot of the Duck was other wise:For he with love was bestad,His dom was noght so harde lad;1050For Love put reson aweieAnd can noght se therihte weie.And be this cause he was respited,So that the deth him was acquited,Bot for al that he was exiled,For he his love hath so beguiled,That he schal nevere come ayein:For who that is to trowthe unplein,He may noght failen of vengance.330And ek to take remembrance1060Of that Ypocrisie hath wroghtOn other half, men scholde noghtTo lihtly lieve al that thei hiere,Bot thanne scholde a wisman stiereThe Schip, whan suche wyndes blowe:For ferst thogh thei beginne lowe,At ende thei be noght menable,331Bot al tobreken Mast and Cable,332P. i. 78So that the Schip with sodein blast,Whan men lest wene, is overcast;1070As now fulofte a man mai se:And of old time how it hath beI finde a gret experience,Wherof to take an evidenceGood is, and to be war alsoOf the peril, er him be wo.
[Tale of Mundus and Paulina.]
Quod Ipocrisia sit in amore periculosa, narrat exemplum qualiter sub regno Tiberii Imperatoris quidam miles nomine Mundus, qui Romanorum dux milicie tunc prefuit, dominam Paulinam pulcherrimam castitatisque famosissimam mediantibus duobus falsis presbiteris in templo Ysis deum se esse fingens310sub ficte sanctitatis ypocrisi nocturno tempore viciauit. Vnde idem dux in exilium, presbiteri in mortem ob sui criminis enormitatem dampnati extiterant, ymagoque dee Ysis a templo euulsa vniuerso conclamante populo in flumen Tiberiadis proiecta mergebatur.
It fell be olde daies thus,
Whil themperour Tiberius
The Monarchie of Rome ladde,
Ther was a worthi Romein hadde
A wif, and sche Pauline hihte,
Which was to every mannes sihte
Of al the Cite the faireste,
And as men seiden, ek the beste.
P. i. 68
It is and hath ben evere yit,
That so strong is no mannes wit,770
Which thurgh beaute ne mai be drawe
To love, and stonde under the lawe
Of thilke bore frele kinde,
Which makth the hertes yhen blinde,
Wher no reson mai be comuned:311
And in this wise stod fortuned312
This tale, of which I wolde mene;
This wif, which in hire lustes grene
Was fair and freissh and tendre of age,
Sche may noght lette the corage780
Of him that wole on hire assote.
Ther was a Duck, and he was hote313
Mundus, which hadde in his baillie
To lede the chivalerie
Of Rome, and was a worthi knyht;
Bot yet he was noght of such myht
The strengthe of love to withstonde,
That he ne was so broght to honde,
That malgre wher he wole or no,
This yonge wif he loveth so,790
That he hath put al his assay
To wynne thing which he ne may
Gete of hire graunt in no manere,
Be yifte of gold ne be preiere.
And whanne he syh that be no mede
Toward hir love he myhte spede,
Be sleyhte feigned thanne he wroghte;
And therupon he him bethoghte
P. i. 69
How that ther was in the Cite
A temple of such auctorite,800
To which with gret Devocioun
The noble wommen of the toun
Most comunliche a pelrinage
Gon forto preie thilke ymage
Which the godesse of childinge is,
And cleped was be name Ysis:
And in hire temple thanne were,
To reule and to ministre there
After the lawe which was tho,
Above alle othre Prestes tuo.810
This Duck, which thoghte his love gete,
Upon a day hem tuo to mete
Hath bede, and thei come at his heste;
Wher that thei hadde a riche feste,
And after mete in prive place
This lord, which wolde his thonk pourchace,
To ech of hem yaf thanne a yifte,
And spak so that be weie of schrifte
He drowh hem unto his covine,
To helpe and schape how he Pauline314820
After his lust deceive myhte.
And thei here trowthes bothe plyhte,
That thei be nyhte hire scholden wynne
Into the temple, and he therinne
Schal have of hire al his entente:
And thus acorded forth thei wente.
Now lest thurgh which ypocrisie
Ordeigned was the tricherie,
P. i. 70
Wherof this ladi was deceived.
These Prestes hadden wel conceived830
That sche was of gret holinesse;
And with a contrefet simplesse,
Which hid was in a fals corage,
Feignende an hevenely message315
Thei come and seide unto hir thus:
‘Pauline, the god Anubus
Hath sent ous bothe Prestes hiere,316
And seith he woll to thee appiere
Be nyhtes time himself alone,
For love he hath to thi persone:840
And therupon he hath ous bede,
That we in Ysis temple a stede
Honestely for thee pourveie,
Wher thou be nyhte, as we thee seie,
Of him schalt take avisioun.
For upon thi condicioun,
The which is chaste and ful of feith,
Such pris, as he ous tolde, he leith,
That he wol stonde of thin acord;
And forto bere hierof record850
He sende ous hider bothe tuo.’
Glad was hire innocence tho
Of suche wordes as sche herde,
With humble chiere and thus answerde,
And seide that the goddes wille
Sche was al redy to fulfille,
That be hire housebondes leve
Sche wolde in Ysis temple at eve
P. i. 71
Upon hire goddes grace abide,
To serven him the nyhtes tide.860
The Prestes tho gon hom ayein,
And sche goth to hire sovereign,
Of goddes wille and as it was
Sche tolde him al the pleine cas,
Wherof he was deceived eke,
And bad that sche hire scholde meke
Al hol unto the goddes heste.
And thus sche, which was al honeste
To godward after hire entente,
At nyht unto the temple wente,870
Wher that the false Prestes were;
And thei receiven hire there
With such a tokne of holinesse,
As thogh thei syhen a godesse,
And al withinne in prive place
A softe bedd of large space317
Thei hadde mad and encourtined,
Wher sche was afterward engined.
Bot sche, which al honour supposeth,
The false Prestes thanne opposeth,880
And axeth be what observance
Sche myhte most to the plesance
Of godd that nyhtes reule kepe:
And thei hire bidden forto slepe318
Liggende upon the bedd alofte,
For so, thei seide, al stille and softe319
God Anubus hire wolde awake.
The conseil in this wise take,
P. i. 72
The Prestes fro this lady gon;
And sche, that wiste of guile non,890
In the manere as it was seid
To slepe upon the bedd is leid,
In hope that sche scholde achieve320
Thing which stod thanne upon bilieve,
Fulfild of alle holinesse.
Bot sche hath failed, as I gesse,321
For in a closet faste by
The Duck was hid so prively
That sche him myhte noght perceive;
And he, that thoghte to deceive,900
Hath such arrai upon him nome,
That whanne he wolde unto hir come,
It scholde semen at hire yhe322
As thogh sche verrailiche syhe
God Anubus, and in such wise
This ypocrite of his queintise
Awaiteth evere til sche slepte.
And thanne out of his place he crepte
So stille that sche nothing herde,
And to the bedd stalkende he ferde,910
And sodeinly, er sche it wiste,
Beclipt in armes he hire kiste:
Wherof in wommanysshe drede
Sche wok and nyste what to rede;
Bot he with softe wordes milde
Conforteth hire and seith, with childe
He wolde hire make in such a kynde
That al the world schal have in mynde
P. i. 73
The worschipe of that ilke Sone;
For he schal with the goddes wone,920
And ben himself a godd also.
With suche wordes and with mo,
The whiche he feigneth in his speche,
This lady wit was al to seche,323
As sche which alle trowthe weneth:
Bot he, that alle untrowthe meneth,
With blinde tales so hire ladde,
That all his wille of hire he hadde.
And whan him thoghte it was ynowh,
Ayein the day he him withdrowh930
So prively that sche ne wiste
Wher he becom, bot as him liste
Out of the temple he goth his weie.
And sche began to bidde and preie
Upon the bare ground knelende,
And after that made hire offrende,
And to the Prestes yiftes grete
Sche yaf, and homward be the Strete.
The Duck hire mette and seide thus:
‘The myhti godd which Anubus940
Is hote, he save the, Pauline,
For thou art of his discipline
So holy, that no mannes myht
Mai do that he hath do to nyht
Of thing which thou hast evere eschuied.
Bot I his grace have so poursuied,
That I was mad his lieutenant:
Forthi be weie of covenant
P. i. 74
Fro this day forth I am al thin,
And if thee like to be myn,950
That stant upon thin oghne wille.’
Sche herde his tale and bar it stille,
And hom sche wente, as it befell,
Into hir chambre, and ther sche fell
Upon hire bedd to wepe and crie,
And seide: ‘O derke ypocrisie,
Thurgh whos dissimilacion
Of fals ymaginacion
I am thus wickedly deceived!
Bot that I have it aperceived960
I thonke unto the goddes alle;
For thogh it ones be befalle,
It schal nevere eft whil that I live,
And thilke avou to godd I yive.’
And thus wepende sche compleigneth,
Hire faire face and al desteigneth
With wofull teres of hire ÿe,
So that upon this agonie
Hire housebonde is inne come,
And syh how sche was overcome970
With sorwe, and axeth what hire eileth.
And sche with that hirself beweileth
Welmore than sche dede afore,
And seide, ‘Helas, wifhode is lore
In me, which whilom was honeste,324
I am non other than a beste,
Now I defouled am of tuo.’
And as sche myhte speke tho,
P. i. 75
Aschamed with a pitous onde
Sche tolde unto hir housebonde980
The sothe of al the hole tale,
And in hire speche ded and pale
Sche swouneth welnyh to the laste.
And he hire in hise armes faste
Uphield, and ofte swor his oth
That he with hire is nothing wroth,
For wel he wot sche may ther noght:
Bot natheles withinne his thoght
His herte stod in sori plit,
And seide he wolde of that despit990
Be venged, how so evere it falle,
And sende unto hise frendes alle.
And whan thei weren come in fere,
He tolde hem upon this matiere,
And axeth hem what was to done:
And thei avised were sone,
And seide it thoghte hem for the beste
To sette ferst his wif in reste,
And after pleigne to the king
Upon the matiere of this thing.1000
Tho was this wofull wif conforted
Be alle weies and desported,
Til that sche was somdiel amended;
And thus a day or tuo despended,
The thridde day sche goth to pleigne
With many a worthi Citezeine,
And he with many a Citezein.
Whan themperour it herde sein,
P. i. 76
And knew the falshed of the vice,
He seide he wolde do justice:1010
And ferst he let the Prestes take,
And for thei scholde it noght forsake,
He put hem into questioun;325
Bot thei of the suggestioun
Ne couthen noght a word refuse,326
Bot for thei wolde hemself excuse,
The blame upon the Duck thei leide.
Bot therayein the conseil seide
That thei be noght excused so,
For he is on and thei ben tuo,1020
And tuo han more wit then on,
So thilke excusement was non.
And over that was seid hem eke,327
That whan men wolden vertu seke,
Men scholde it in the Prestes finde;
Here ordre is of so hyh a kinde,
That thei be Duistres of the weie:328
Forthi, if eny man forsueie
Thurgh hem, thei be noght excusable.
And thus be lawe resonable1030
Among the wise jugges there
The Prestes bothe dampned were,
So that the prive tricherie
Hid under fals Ipocrisie
Was thanne al openliche schewed,
That many a man hem hath beschrewed.329
And whan the Prestes weren dede,
The temple of thilke horrible dede
P. i. 77
Thei thoghten purge, and thilke ymage,
Whos cause was the pelrinage,1040
Thei drowen out and als so faste
Fer into Tibre thei it caste,
Wher the Rivere it hath defied:
And thus the temple purified
Thei have of thilke horrible Sinne,
Which was that time do therinne.
Of this point such was the juise,
Bot of the Duck was other wise:
For he with love was bestad,
His dom was noght so harde lad;1050
For Love put reson aweie
And can noght se therihte weie.
And be this cause he was respited,
So that the deth him was acquited,
Bot for al that he was exiled,
For he his love hath so beguiled,
That he schal nevere come ayein:
For who that is to trowthe unplein,
He may noght failen of vengance.330
And ek to take remembrance1060
Of that Ypocrisie hath wroght
On other half, men scholde noght
To lihtly lieve al that thei hiere,
Bot thanne scholde a wisman stiere
The Schip, whan suche wyndes blowe:
For ferst thogh thei beginne lowe,
At ende thei be noght menable,331
Bot al tobreken Mast and Cable,332
P. i. 78
So that the Schip with sodein blast,
Whan men lest wene, is overcast;1070
As now fulofte a man mai se:
And of old time how it hath be
I finde a gret experience,
Wherof to take an evidence
Good is, and to be war also
Of the peril, er him be wo.