Chapter 36

[v.Supplantation.]v.Inuidus alterius est Supplantator honoris,735Et tua quo vertat culmina subtus arat.Est opus occultum, quasi que latet anguis in herba,736Quod facit, et subita sorte nociuus adest.Sic subtilis amans alium supplantat amantem,Et capit occulte, quod nequit ipse palam;Sepeque supplantans in plantam plantat amoris,Quod putat in propriis alter habere bonis.737The vice of SupplantaciounHic tractat Confessor de quinta specie Inuidie, que Supplantacio dicitur, cuius cultor, priusquam percipiatur, aliene dignitatis et officii multociens intrusor existit.With many a fals collacioun,738P. i. 238Which he conspireth al unknowe,Full ofte time hath overthrowe2330The worschipe of an other man.So wel no lif awayte canAyein his sleyhte forto caste,That he his pourpos ate lasteNe hath, er that it be withset.Bot most of alle his herte is setIn court upon these grete Offices739Of dignitees and benefices:Thus goth he with his sleyhte abouteTo hindre and schowve an other oute2340And stonden with his slyh compasIn stede there an other was;And so to sette himselven inne,He reccheth noght, be so he winne,Of that an other man schal lese,And thus fulofte chalk for cheseHe changeth with ful litel cost,Wherof an other hath the lostAnd he the profit schal receive.For his fortune is to deceive2350And forto change upon the whelHis wo with othre mennes wel:Of that an other man avaleth,His oghne astat thus up he haleth,740And takth the bridd to his beyete,Wher othre men the buisshes bete.Mi Sone, and in the same wiseTher ben lovers of such emprise,P. i. 239That schapen hem to be relievedWhere it is wrong to ben achieved:2360For it is other mannes riht,Which he hath taken dai and nihtTo kepe for his oghne StorToward himself for everemor,And is his propre be the lawe,Which thing that axeth no felawe,If love holde his covenant.Bot thei that worchen be supplaunt,Yit wolden thei a man supplaunte,741And take a part of thilke plaunte2370Which he hath for himselve set:And so fulofte is al unknet,That som man weneth be riht fast.742For Supplant with his slyhe castFulofte happneth forto moweThing which an other man hath sowe,And makth comun of propreteWith sleihte and with soubtilite,As men mai se fro yer to yere.Thus cleymeth he the bot to stiere,2380Of which an other maister is.Hic in amoris causa opponit Confessor Amanti super eodem.743Forthi, my Sone, if thou er thisHast ben of such professioun,Discovere thi confessioun:Hast thou supplanted eny man?Confessio Amantis.For oght that I you telle can,Min holi fader, as of the dede744I am withouten eny dredeP. i. 240Al gulteles; bot of my thoghtMi conscience excuse I noght.2390For were it wrong or were it riht,Me lakketh nothing bote myht,745That I ne wolde longe er thisOf other mannes love ywissBe weie of SupplantaciounHave mad apropriaciounAnd holde that I nevere boghte,Thogh it an other man forthoghte.And al this speke I bot of on,For whom I lete alle othre gon;2400Bot hire I mai noght overpasse,That I ne mot alwey compasse,Me roghte noght be what queintise,So that I mihte in eny wiseFro suche that mi ladi serveHire herte make forto swerveWithouten eny part of love.For be the goddes alle above746I wolde it mihte so befalle,That I al one scholde hem alle2410Supplante, and welde hire at mi wille.And that thing mai I noght fulfille,Bot if I scholde strengthe make;And that I dar noght undertake,747Thogh I were as was Alisaundre,For therof mihte arise sklaundre;And certes that schal I do nevere,For in good feith yit hadde I levereP. i. 241In my simplesce forto die,Than worche such Supplantarie.2420Of otherwise I wol noght seieThat if I founde a seker weie,I wolde as for conclusiounWorche after Supplantacioun,So hihe a love forto winne.748Now, fader, if that this be Sinne,I am al redy to redresce749The gilt of which I me confesse.Confessor.Mi goode Sone, as of SupplantThee thar noght drede tant ne quant,2430As for nothing that I have herd,Bot only that thou hast misferdThenkende, and that me liketh noght,For godd beholt a mannes thoght.750And if thou understode in sothIn loves cause what it doth,A man to ben a Supplantour,Thou woldest for thin oghne honourBe double weie take kepe:Ferst for thin oghne astat to kepe,2440To be thiself so wel bethoghtThat thou supplanted were noght,And ek for worschipe of thi nameTowardes othre do the same,And soffren every man have his.Bot natheles it was and is,That in a wayt at alle assaies751Supplant of love in oure daiesP. i. 242The lief fulofte for the levereForsakth, and so it hath don evere.2450Ensample I finde therupon,Qualiter Agamenon de amore Brexeide Achillem, et Diomedes de amore Criseide Troilum supplantauit.At Troie how that AgamenonSupplantede the worthi knyhtAchilles of that swete wiht,Which named was Brexeïda;And also of Criseïda,Whom Troilus to love ches,Supplanted hath Diomedes.[Geta and Amphitrion.]Of Geta and Amphitrion,That whilom weren bothe as on2460Qualiter Amphitrion752socium suum Getam, qui Almeenam peramauit, seipsum loco alterius cautelosa supplantacione substituit.Of frendschipe and of compaignie,I rede how that SupplantarieIn love, as it betidde tho,Beguiled hath on of hem tuo.For this Geta that I of meene,To whom the lusti faire AlmeeneAssured was be weie of love,Whan he best wende have ben aboveAnd sikerest of that he hadde,Cupido so the cause ladde,2470That whil he was out of the weie,Amphitrion hire love aweieHath take, and in this forme he wroghte.753Be nyhte unto the chambre he soghte,Wher that sche lay, and with a wyleHe contrefeteth for the whyleThe vois of Gete in such a wise,754That made hire of hire bedd arise,P. i. 243Wenende that it were he,And let him in, and whan thei be2480Togedre abedde in armes faste,This Geta cam thanne ate lasteUnto the Dore and seide, ‘Undo.’And sche ansuerde and bad him go,And seide how that abedde al warmHir lief lay naked in hir arm;Sche wende that it were soth.Lo, what Supplant of love doth:This Geta forth bejaped wente,And yit ne wiste he what it mente;2490Amphitrion him hath supplantedWith sleyhte of love and hire enchaunted:And thus put every man out other,The Schip of love hath lost his Rother,So that he can no reson stiere.And forto speke of this matiereTouchende love and his Supplant,755A tale which is acordantUnto thin Ere I thenke enforme.Now herkne, for this is the forme.2500[Tale of the false Bachelor.]Of thilke Cite chief of alleWhich men the noble Rome calle,Hic in amoris causa contra fraudem detraccionis ponit Confessor exemplum. Et narrat de quodam Romani Imparatoris filio, qui probitates armorum super omnia excercere affectans nesciente patre vltra mare in partes Persie ad deseruiendum Soldano super guerras cum solo milite tanquam socio suo ignotus se transtulit. Et cum ipsius milicie fama super alios ibidem celsior accreuisset, contigit ut in quodam bello contra Caliphum Egipti inito Soldanusa sagitta mortaliter vulneratus, priusquam moreretur, quendam anulum filie sue secretissimum isti nobili Romano tradidit, dicens qualiter filia sua sub paterne benediccionis vinculo adiurata est, quod quicumque dictum anulum ei afferret, ipsam in coniugem pre omnibus susciperet. Defuncto autem Soldano, versus Ciuitatem que Kaire dicitur itinerantes, iste Romanus commilitoni suo huius misterii secretum reuelauit; qui noctanter a bursa domini sui anulum furto surripiens, hec que audiuit usui proprio falsissima Supplantacione applicauit. Et sic seruus pro domino desponsata sibi Soldani filia coronatus Persie regnauit.Er it was set to Cristes feith,Ther was, as the Cronique seith,An Emperour, the which it laddeIn pes, that he no werres hadde:Ther was nothing desobeissantWhich was to Rome appourtenant,P. i. 244Bot al was torned into reste.To some it thoghte for the beste,7562510To some it thoghte nothing so,And that was only unto thoWhos herte stod upon knyhthode:Bot most of alle of his manhodeThe worthi Sone of themperour,Which wolde ben a werreiour,As he that was chivalerousOf worldes fame and desirous,Began his fadre to beseche757That he the werres mihte seche,7582520In strange Marches forto ride.His fader seide he scholde abide,And wolde granten him no leve:759Bot he, which wolde noght beleve,A kniht of his to whom he triste,So that his fader nothing wiste,He tok and tolde him his corage,That he pourposeth a viage.If that fortune with him stonde,He seide how that he wolde fonde7602530The grete See to passe unknowe,And there abyde for a throweUpon the werres to travaile.And to this point withoute faileThis kniht, whan he hath herd his lord,Is swore, and stant of his acord,As thei that bothe yonge were;761So that in prive conseil thereP. i. 245Thei ben assented forto wende.And therupon to make an ende,2540Tresor ynowh with hem thei token,And whan the time is best thei loken,That sodeinliche in a GaleieFro Romelond thei wente here weieAnd londe upon that other side.The world fell so that ilke tide,Which evere hise happes hath diverse,The grete Soldan thanne of PerseAyein the Caliphe of EgipteA werre, which that him beclipte,2550Hath in a Marche costeiant.And he, which was a poursuiantWorschipe of armes to atteigne,This Romein, let anon ordeigne,That he was redi everydel:And whan he was arraied welOf every thing which him belongeth,Straght unto Kaire his weie he fongeth,Wher he the Soldan thanne fond,762And axeth that withinne his lond2560He mihte him for the werre serve,As he which wolde his thonk deserve.763The Soldan was riht glad with al,And wel the more in specialWhan that he wiste he was Romein;Bot what was elles in certein,That mihte he wite be no weie.And thus the kniht of whom I seieP. i. 246Toward the Soldan is beleft,And in the Marches now and eft,2570Wher that the dedli werres were,He wroghte such knihthode there,That every man spak of him good.764And thilke time so it stod,This mihti Soldan be his wifA Dowhter hath, that in this lif765Men seiden ther was non so fair.Sche scholde ben hir fader hair,And was of yeres ripe ynowh:Hire beaute many an herte drowh2580To bowe unto that ilke lawe766Fro which no lif mai be withdrawe,And that is love, whos natureSet lif and deth in aventureOf hem that knyhthode undertake.This lusti peine hath overtake767The herte of this Romein so sore,That to knihthode more and moreProuesce avanceth his corage.Lich to the Leoun in his rage,2590Fro whom that alle bestes fle,Such was the knyht in his degre:768Wher he was armed in the feld,Ther dorste non abide his scheld;Gret pris upon the werre he hadde.Bot sche which al the chance ladde,Fortune, schop the Marches so,That be thassent of bothe tuo,P. i. 247The Soldan and the Caliphe eke,Bataille upon a dai thei seke,2600Which was in such a wise setThat lengere scholde it noght be let.Thei made hem stronge on every side,And whan it drowh toward the tideThat the bataille scholde be,The Soldan in gret priveteA goldring of his dowhter tok,And made hire swere upon a bokAnd ek upon the goddes alle,That if fortune so befalle2610In the bataille that he deie,That sche schal thilke man obeieAnd take him to hire housebonde,Which thilke same Ring to hondeHire scholde bringe after his deth.This hath sche swore, and forth he gethWith al the pouer of his londUnto the Marche, where he fondHis enemy full embatailled.The Soldan hath the feld assailed:2620Thei that ben hardy sone assemblen,Wherof the dredfull hertes tremblen:That on sleth, and that other sterveth,Bot above alle his pris deservethThis knihtly Romein; where he rod,His dedly swerd noman abod,Ayein the which was no defence;Egipte fledde in his presence,P. i. 248And thei of Perse upon the chacePoursuien: bot I not what grace2630Befell, an Arwe out of a boweAl sodeinly that ilke throwe769The Soldan smot, and ther he lay:The chace is left for thilke day,And he was bore into a tente.The Soldan sih how that it wente,And that he seholde algate die;And to this knyht of Romanie,As unto him whom he most triste,His Dowhter Ring, that non it wiste,2640He tok, and tolde him al the cas,Upon hire oth what tokne it wasOf that sche scholde ben his wif.Whan this was seid, the hertes lifOf this Soldan departeth sone;And therupon, as was to done,The dede body wel and faireThei carie til thei come at Kaire,Wher he was worthily begrave.770The lordes, whiche as wolden save2650The Regne which was desolat,To bringe it into good astatA parlement thei sette anon.Now herkne what fell therupon:771This yonge lord, this worthi knihtOf Rome, upon the same nihtThat thei amorwe trete scholde,Unto his Bacheler he toldeP. i. 249His conseil, and the Ring with alHe scheweth, thurgh which that he schal,2660He seith, the kinges Dowhter wedde,772For so the Ring was leid to wedde,He tolde, into hir fader hond,That with what man that sche it fondShe scholde him take to hire lord.And this, he seith, stant of record,Bot noman wot who hath this Ring.This Bacheler upon this thingHis Ere and his entente leide,And thoghte more thanne he seide,2670And feigneth with a fals visageThat he was glad, bot his corageWas al set in an other wise.These olde Philosophres wiseThei writen upon thilke while,That he mai best a man beguileIn whom the man hath most credence;And this befell in evidence773Toward this yonge lord of Rome.His Bacheler, which hadde tome,7742680Whan that his lord be nihte slepte,This Ring, the which his maister kepte,Out of his Pours awey he dede,And putte an other in the stede.Amorwe, whan the Court is set,The yonge ladi was forth fet,To whom the lordes don homage,And after that of MariageP. i. 250Thei trete and axen of hir wille.Bot sche, which thoghte to fulfille2690Hire fader heste in this matiere,Seide openly, that men mai hiere,The charge which hire fader bad.Tho was this Lord of Rome gladAnd drowh toward his Pours anon,Bot al for noght, it was agon:His Bacheler it hath forthdrawe,And axeth ther upon the lawe775That sche him holde covenant.The tokne was so sufficant2700That it ne mihte be forsake,And natheles his lord hath takeQuerelle ayein his oghne man;Bot for nothing that evere he canHe mihte as thanne noght ben herd,So that his cleym is unansuerd,And he hath of his pourpos failed.This Bacheler was tho consailed776And wedded, and of thilke EmpireHe was coroned Lord and Sire,2710And al the lond him hath received;Wherof his lord, which was deceived,A seknesse er the thridde morweConceived hath of dedly sorwe:And as he lay upon his deth,Therwhile him lasteth speche and breth,He sende for the worthiesteOf al the lond and ek the beste,P. i. 251And tolde hem al the sothe tho,That he was Sone and Heir also2720Of themperour of grete Rome,And how that thei togedre come,This kniht and he; riht as it was,He tolde hem al the pleine cas,And for that he his conseil tolde,That other hath al that he wolde,And he hath failed of his mede:As for the good he takth non hiede,He seith, bot only of the love,Of which he wende have ben above.2730And therupon be lettre writeHe doth his fader forto witeOf al this matiere as it stod;777And thanne with an hertly modUnto the lordes he besoghteTo telle his ladi how he boghteHire love, of which an other gladeth;And with that word his hewe fadeth,And seide, ‘A dieu, my ladi swete.’The lif hath lost his kindly hete,2740And he lay ded as eny ston;778Wherof was sory manyon,Bot non of alle so as sche.This false knyht in his degreeArested was and put in hold:For openly whan it was toldOf the tresoun which is befalle,Thurghout the lond thei seiden alle,P. i. 252If it be soth that men suppose,His oghne untrowthe him schal depose.2750And forto seche an evidence,With honour and gret reverence,779Wherof they mihten knowe an ende,To themperour anon thei sendeThe lettre which his Sone wrot.And whan that he the sothe wot,To telle his sorwe is endeles,Bot yit in haste nathelesUpon the tale which he herdeHis Stieward into Perse ferde2760With many a worthi Romein eke,His liege tretour forto seke;And whan thei thider come were,This kniht him hath confessed thereHow falsly that he hath him bore,Wherof his worthi lord was lore.Tho seiden some he scholde deie,Bot yit thei founden such a weieThat he schal noght be ded in Perse;And thus the skiles ben diverse.2770Be cause that he was coroned,And that the lond was abandonedTo him, althogh it were unriht,Ther is no peine for him diht;Bot to this point and to this ende780Thei granten wel that he schal wendeWith the Romeins to Rome ayein.And thus acorded ful and plein,P. i. 253The qwike body with the dedeWith leve take forth thei lede,2780Wher that Supplant hath his juise.Wherof that thou thee miht aviseUpon this enformaciounTouchende of Supplantacioun,That thou, my Sone, do noght so:And forto take hiede alsoWhat Supplant doth in other halve,Ther is noman can finde a salvePleinly to helen such a Sor;It hath and schal ben everemor,2790Whan Pride is with Envie joint,He soffreth noman in good point,Wher that he mai his honour lette.And therupon if I schal setteEnsample, in holy cherche I findeHow that Supplant is noght behinde;God wot if that it now be so:For in Cronique of time agoI finde a tale concordableOf Supplant, which that is no fable,2800In the manere as I schal telle,So as whilom the thinges felle.[Pope Boniface.]At Rome, as it hath ofte falle,The vicair general of alleHic ponit Confessor exemplum contra istos in causa781dignitatis adquirende supplantatores. Et narrat qualiter Papa Bonefacius predecessorem suum Celestinum a papatu coniectata782circumuencione fraudulenter supplantauit. Set qui potentes a sede deponit, huiusmodi supplantacionis fraudem non sustinens, ipsum sic in sublime exaltatum postea in profundi carceris miseriam proici, fame que783siti cruciari, necnon et ab huius vite gaudiis dolorosa morte explantari finali conclusione permisit.Of hem that lieven Cristes feithHis laste day, which non withseith,Hath schet as to the worldes ÿe,Whos name if I schal specefie,P. i. 254He hihte Pope Nicolas.And thus whan that he passed was,2810The Cardinals, that wolden saveThe forme of lawe, in the conclaveGon forto chese a newe Pope,And after that thei cowthe agrope784Hath ech of hem seid his entente:Til ate laste thei assenteUpon an holy clerk reclus,Which full was of gostli vertus;His pacience and his simplesseHath set him into hih noblesse.2820Thus was he Pope canonized,785With gret honour and intronized,786And upon chance as it is falle,His name Celestin men calle;Which notefied was be bulle787To holi cherche and to the fulleIn alle londes magnified.Bot every worschipe is envied,And that was thilke time sene:For whan this Pope of whom I meene2830Was chose, and othre set beside,A Cardinal was thilke tideWhich the papat longe hath desiredAnd therupon gretli conspired;Bot whan he sih fortune is failed,For which long time he hath travailed,That ilke fyr which Ethna brennethThurghout his wofull herte renneth,P. i. 255Which is resembled to Envie,Wherof Supplant and tricherie2840Engendred is; and nathelesHe feigneth love, he feigneth pes,Outward he doth the reverence,Bot al withinne his conscienceThurgh fals ymaginaciounHe thoghte Supplantacioun.And therupon a wonder wyleHe wroghte: for at thilke whyleIt fell so that of his lignageHe hadde a clergoun of yong age,2850Whom he hath in his chambre affaited.This Cardinal his time hath waited,788And with his wordes slyhe and queinte,The whiche he cowthe wysly peinte,He schop this clerk of which I telleToward the Pope forto duelle,So that withinne his chambre anyhtHe lai, and was a prive wyhtToward the Pope on nyhtes tide.Mai noman fle that schal betide.2860This Cardinal, which thoghte guile,Upon a day whan he hath whileThis yonge clerc unto him tok,And made him swere upon a bok,And told him what his wille was.789And forth withal a Trompe of brasHe hath him take, and bad him this:‘Thou schalt,’ he seide, ‘whan time isP. i. 256Awaite, and take riht good kepe,Whan that the Pope is fast aslepe7902870And that non other man be nyh;And thanne that thou be so slyhThurghout the Trompe into his Ere,Fro hevene as thogh a vois it were,To soune of such prolacioun791That he his meditaciounTherof mai take and understonde,As thogh it were of goddes sonde.And in this wise thou schalt seie,That he do thilke astat aweie2880Of Pope, in which he stant honoured,792So schal his Soule be socouredOf thilke worschipe ate lasteIn hevene which schal evere laste.’This clerc, whan he hath herd the formeHow he the Pope scholde enforme,Tok of the Cardinal his leve,And goth him hom, til it was Eve,And prively the trompe he hedde,Til that the Pope was abedde.2890And at the Midnyht, whan he knewhThe Pope slepte, thanne he blewhWithinne his trompe thurgh the wal,793And tolde in what manere he schalHis Papacie leve, and takeHis ferste astat: and thus awake794This holi Pope he made thries,Wherof diverse fantasiesP. i. 257Upon his grete holinesseWithinne his herte he gan impresse.2900The Pope ful of innocenceConceiveth in his conscienceThat it is goddes wille he cesse;Bot in what wise he may relesseHis hihe astat, that wot he noght.And thus withinne himself bethoght,He bar it stille in his memoire,Til he cam to the Consistoire;And there in presence of hem alleHe axeth, if it so befalle2910That eny Pope cesse wolde,How that the lawe it soffre scholde.Thei seten alle stille and herde,Was non which to the point ansuerde,For to what pourpos that it menteTher was noman knew his entente,Bot only he which schop the guile.This Cardinal the same whileAl openly with wordes pleineSeith, if the Pope wolde ordeigne2920That ther be such a lawe wroght,Than mihte he cesse, and elles noght.And as he seide, don it was;The Pope anon upon the casOf his Papal AutoriteHath mad and yove the decre:And whan that lawe was confermedIn due forme and al affermed,P. i. 258This innocent, which was deceived,His Papacie anon hath weyved,2930Renounced and resigned eke.That other was nothing to seke,Bot undernethe such a japeHe hath so for himselve schape,That how as evere it him beseme,The Mitre with the DiademeHe hath thurgh Supplantacion:And in his confirmacionUpon the fortune of his graceHis name is cleped Boneface.2940Under the viser of Envie,Lo, thus was hid the tricherie,Which hath beguiled manyon.Bot such conseil ther mai be non,With treson whan it is conspired,That it nys lich the Sparke fyredUp in the Rof, which for a throweLith hidd, til whan the wyndes bloweIt blaseth out on every side.This Bonefas, which can noght hyde2950The tricherie of his Supplant,Hath openly mad his avantHow he the Papacie hath wonne.Bot thing which is with wrong begonneMai nevere stonde wel at ende;Wher Pride schal the bowe bende,He schet fulofte out of the weie:And thus the Pope of whom I seie,P. i. 259Whan that he stod on hih the whiel,795He can noght soffre himself be wel.2960Envie, which is loveles,And Pride, which is laweles,With such tempeste made him erre,That charite goth out of herre:796So that upon misgovernanceAyein Lowyz the king of FranceHe tok querelle of his oultrage,And seide he scholde don hommageUnto the cherche bodily.Bot he, that wiste nothing why2970He scholde do so gret serviseAfter the world in such a wise,Withstod the wrong of that demande;For noght the Pope mai comandeThe king wol noght the Pope obeie.This Pope tho be alle weieThat he mai worche of violenceHath sent the bulle of his sentenceWith cursinge and with enterdit.The king upon this wrongful plyt,2980To kepe his regne fro servage,Conseiled was of his BarnageThat miht with miht schal be withstonde.Thus was the cause take on honde,And seiden that the PapacieThei wolde honoure and magnefieIn al that evere is spirital;Bot thilke Pride temporalP. i. 260Of Boneface in his persone,Ayein that ilke wrong al one2990Thei wolde stonden in debat:And thus the man and noght the statThe Frensche schopen be her miht797To grieve. And fell ther was a kniht,Sire Guilliam de Langharet,Which was upon this cause set;And therupon he tok a routeOf men of Armes and rod oute,So longe and in a wayt he lay,798That he aspide upon a day3000The Pope was at Avinoun,And scholde ryde out of the tounUnto Pontsorge, the which is799A Castell in Provence of his.Upon the weie and as he rod,This kniht, which hoved and abodEmbuisshed upon horse bak,Al sodeinliche upon him brakAnd hath him be the bridel sesed,And seide: ‘O thou, which hast desesed3010The Court of France be thi wrong,Now schalt thou singe an other song:800Thin enterdit and thi sentenceAyein thin oghne conscienceHierafter thou schalt fiele and grope.We pleigne noght ayein the Pope,For thilke name is honourable,Bot thou, which hast be deceivableP. i. 261And tricherous in al thi werk,Thou Bonefas, thou proude clerk,3020Misledere of the Papacie,801Thi false bodi schal abyeAnd soffre that it hath deserved.’Lo, thus the Supplantour was served;For thei him ladden into FranceAnd setten him to his penanceWithinne a tour in harde bondes,Wher he for hunger bothe hise hondesEet of and deide, god wot how:Of whom the wrytinge is yit now3030Registred, as a man mai hiere,Which spekth and seith in this manere:Cronica Bonefacii. Intrasti ut vulpis, regnasti ut leo, et mortuus es ut canis.Thin entre lich the fox was slyh,Thi regne also with pride on hihWas lich the Leon in his rage;Bot ate laste of thi passageThi deth was to the houndes like.Such is the lettre of his CroniqueProclamed in the Court of Rome,Wherof the wise ensample nome.3040And yit, als ferforth as I dar,I rede alle othre men be war,And that thei loke wel algateThat non his oghne astat translateOf holi cherche in no degreeBe fraude ne soubtilite:For thilke honour which Aaron tokSchal non receive, as seith the bok,P. i. 262Bot he be cleped as he was.What I schal thenken in this cas3050Of that I hiere now aday,I not: bot he which can and may,Be reson bothe and be natureThe help of every mannes cure,He kepe Simon fro the folde.802Nota de prophecia Ioachim Abbatis.For Joachim thilke Abbot toldeHow suche daies scholden falle,Quanti Mercenarii erunt in ouile dei, tuas aures meis narracionibus fedare nolo.803That comunliche in places alleThe Chapmen of such mercerieWith fraude and with Supplantarie3060So manye scholden beie and selle,That he ne may for schame telleSo foul a Senne in mannes Ere.Bot god forbiede that it wereIn oure daies that he seith:For if the Clerc beware his feithIn chapmanhod at such a feire,The remenant mot nede empeireOf al that to the world belongeth;For whan that holi cherche wrongeth,3070I not what other thing schal rihte.And natheles at mannes sihteEnvie forto be preferredHath conscience so differred,That noman loketh to the viceWhich is the Moder of malice,And that is thilke false Envie,Which causeth many a tricherie;P. i. 263For wher he may an other seThat is mor gracious than he,3080It schal noght stonden in his mihtBot if he hindre such a wiht:And that is welnyh overal,This vice is now so general.[Joab. Ahitophel.]Envie thilke unhapp indrowh,804Qualiter Ioab princeps milicie Dauid inuidie causa Abner subdole interfecit. Et qualiter eciam Achitofell ob hoc quod Cusy in consilio Absolon preferebatur, accensus inuidia laqueo se suspendit.Whan Joab be deceipte slowhAbner, for drede he scholde beWith king David such as was he.And thurgh Envie also it fellOf thilke false Achitofell,3090For his conseil was noght achieved,Bot that he sih Cusy believedWith Absolon and him forsake,He heng himself upon a stake.[Nature of Envy.]Senec witnesseth openlyHow that Envie proprelyIs of the Court the comun wenche,And halt taverne forto schencheThat drink which makth the herte brenne,And doth the wit aboute renne,3100Be every weie to compasseHow that he mihte alle othre passe,As he which thurgh unkindeschipeEnvieth every felaschipe;So that thou miht wel knowe and se,Ther is no vice such as he,Ferst toward godd abhominable,And to mankinde unprofitable:P. i. 294And that be wordes bot a feweI schal be reson prove and schewe.3110

[v.Supplantation.]

v.Inuidus alterius est Supplantator honoris,735

Et tua quo vertat culmina subtus arat.

Est opus occultum, quasi que latet anguis in herba,736

Quod facit, et subita sorte nociuus adest.

Sic subtilis amans alium supplantat amantem,

Et capit occulte, quod nequit ipse palam;

Sepeque supplantans in plantam plantat amoris,

Quod putat in propriis alter habere bonis.737

The vice of SupplantaciounHic tractat Confessor de quinta specie Inuidie, que Supplantacio dicitur, cuius cultor, priusquam percipiatur, aliene dignitatis et officii multociens intrusor existit.With many a fals collacioun,738P. i. 238Which he conspireth al unknowe,Full ofte time hath overthrowe2330The worschipe of an other man.So wel no lif awayte canAyein his sleyhte forto caste,That he his pourpos ate lasteNe hath, er that it be withset.Bot most of alle his herte is setIn court upon these grete Offices739Of dignitees and benefices:Thus goth he with his sleyhte abouteTo hindre and schowve an other oute2340And stonden with his slyh compasIn stede there an other was;And so to sette himselven inne,He reccheth noght, be so he winne,Of that an other man schal lese,And thus fulofte chalk for cheseHe changeth with ful litel cost,Wherof an other hath the lostAnd he the profit schal receive.For his fortune is to deceive2350And forto change upon the whelHis wo with othre mennes wel:Of that an other man avaleth,His oghne astat thus up he haleth,740And takth the bridd to his beyete,Wher othre men the buisshes bete.Mi Sone, and in the same wiseTher ben lovers of such emprise,P. i. 239That schapen hem to be relievedWhere it is wrong to ben achieved:2360For it is other mannes riht,Which he hath taken dai and nihtTo kepe for his oghne StorToward himself for everemor,And is his propre be the lawe,Which thing that axeth no felawe,If love holde his covenant.Bot thei that worchen be supplaunt,Yit wolden thei a man supplaunte,741And take a part of thilke plaunte2370Which he hath for himselve set:And so fulofte is al unknet,That som man weneth be riht fast.742For Supplant with his slyhe castFulofte happneth forto moweThing which an other man hath sowe,And makth comun of propreteWith sleihte and with soubtilite,As men mai se fro yer to yere.Thus cleymeth he the bot to stiere,2380Of which an other maister is.Hic in amoris causa opponit Confessor Amanti super eodem.743Forthi, my Sone, if thou er thisHast ben of such professioun,Discovere thi confessioun:Hast thou supplanted eny man?Confessio Amantis.For oght that I you telle can,Min holi fader, as of the dede744I am withouten eny dredeP. i. 240Al gulteles; bot of my thoghtMi conscience excuse I noght.2390For were it wrong or were it riht,Me lakketh nothing bote myht,745That I ne wolde longe er thisOf other mannes love ywissBe weie of SupplantaciounHave mad apropriaciounAnd holde that I nevere boghte,Thogh it an other man forthoghte.And al this speke I bot of on,For whom I lete alle othre gon;2400Bot hire I mai noght overpasse,That I ne mot alwey compasse,Me roghte noght be what queintise,So that I mihte in eny wiseFro suche that mi ladi serveHire herte make forto swerveWithouten eny part of love.For be the goddes alle above746I wolde it mihte so befalle,That I al one scholde hem alle2410Supplante, and welde hire at mi wille.And that thing mai I noght fulfille,Bot if I scholde strengthe make;And that I dar noght undertake,747Thogh I were as was Alisaundre,For therof mihte arise sklaundre;And certes that schal I do nevere,For in good feith yit hadde I levereP. i. 241In my simplesce forto die,Than worche such Supplantarie.2420Of otherwise I wol noght seieThat if I founde a seker weie,I wolde as for conclusiounWorche after Supplantacioun,So hihe a love forto winne.748Now, fader, if that this be Sinne,I am al redy to redresce749The gilt of which I me confesse.Confessor.Mi goode Sone, as of SupplantThee thar noght drede tant ne quant,2430As for nothing that I have herd,Bot only that thou hast misferdThenkende, and that me liketh noght,For godd beholt a mannes thoght.750And if thou understode in sothIn loves cause what it doth,A man to ben a Supplantour,Thou woldest for thin oghne honourBe double weie take kepe:Ferst for thin oghne astat to kepe,2440To be thiself so wel bethoghtThat thou supplanted were noght,And ek for worschipe of thi nameTowardes othre do the same,And soffren every man have his.Bot natheles it was and is,That in a wayt at alle assaies751Supplant of love in oure daiesP. i. 242The lief fulofte for the levereForsakth, and so it hath don evere.2450Ensample I finde therupon,Qualiter Agamenon de amore Brexeide Achillem, et Diomedes de amore Criseide Troilum supplantauit.At Troie how that AgamenonSupplantede the worthi knyhtAchilles of that swete wiht,Which named was Brexeïda;And also of Criseïda,Whom Troilus to love ches,Supplanted hath Diomedes.[Geta and Amphitrion.]Of Geta and Amphitrion,That whilom weren bothe as on2460Qualiter Amphitrion752socium suum Getam, qui Almeenam peramauit, seipsum loco alterius cautelosa supplantacione substituit.Of frendschipe and of compaignie,I rede how that SupplantarieIn love, as it betidde tho,Beguiled hath on of hem tuo.For this Geta that I of meene,To whom the lusti faire AlmeeneAssured was be weie of love,Whan he best wende have ben aboveAnd sikerest of that he hadde,Cupido so the cause ladde,2470That whil he was out of the weie,Amphitrion hire love aweieHath take, and in this forme he wroghte.753Be nyhte unto the chambre he soghte,Wher that sche lay, and with a wyleHe contrefeteth for the whyleThe vois of Gete in such a wise,754That made hire of hire bedd arise,P. i. 243Wenende that it were he,And let him in, and whan thei be2480Togedre abedde in armes faste,This Geta cam thanne ate lasteUnto the Dore and seide, ‘Undo.’And sche ansuerde and bad him go,And seide how that abedde al warmHir lief lay naked in hir arm;Sche wende that it were soth.Lo, what Supplant of love doth:This Geta forth bejaped wente,And yit ne wiste he what it mente;2490Amphitrion him hath supplantedWith sleyhte of love and hire enchaunted:And thus put every man out other,The Schip of love hath lost his Rother,So that he can no reson stiere.And forto speke of this matiereTouchende love and his Supplant,755A tale which is acordantUnto thin Ere I thenke enforme.Now herkne, for this is the forme.2500

The vice of Supplantacioun

Hic tractat Confessor de quinta specie Inuidie, que Supplantacio dicitur, cuius cultor, priusquam percipiatur, aliene dignitatis et officii multociens intrusor existit.

With many a fals collacioun,738

P. i. 238

Which he conspireth al unknowe,

Full ofte time hath overthrowe2330

The worschipe of an other man.

So wel no lif awayte can

Ayein his sleyhte forto caste,

That he his pourpos ate laste

Ne hath, er that it be withset.

Bot most of alle his herte is set

In court upon these grete Offices739

Of dignitees and benefices:

Thus goth he with his sleyhte aboute

To hindre and schowve an other oute2340

And stonden with his slyh compas

In stede there an other was;

And so to sette himselven inne,

He reccheth noght, be so he winne,

Of that an other man schal lese,

And thus fulofte chalk for chese

He changeth with ful litel cost,

Wherof an other hath the lost

And he the profit schal receive.

For his fortune is to deceive2350

And forto change upon the whel

His wo with othre mennes wel:

Of that an other man avaleth,

His oghne astat thus up he haleth,740

And takth the bridd to his beyete,

Wher othre men the buisshes bete.

Mi Sone, and in the same wise

Ther ben lovers of such emprise,

P. i. 239

That schapen hem to be relieved

Where it is wrong to ben achieved:2360

For it is other mannes riht,

Which he hath taken dai and niht

To kepe for his oghne Stor

Toward himself for everemor,

And is his propre be the lawe,

Which thing that axeth no felawe,

If love holde his covenant.

Bot thei that worchen be supplaunt,

Yit wolden thei a man supplaunte,741

And take a part of thilke plaunte2370

Which he hath for himselve set:

And so fulofte is al unknet,

That som man weneth be riht fast.742

For Supplant with his slyhe cast

Fulofte happneth forto mowe

Thing which an other man hath sowe,

And makth comun of proprete

With sleihte and with soubtilite,

As men mai se fro yer to yere.

Thus cleymeth he the bot to stiere,2380

Of which an other maister is.

Hic in amoris causa opponit Confessor Amanti super eodem.743

Forthi, my Sone, if thou er this

Hast ben of such professioun,

Discovere thi confessioun:

Hast thou supplanted eny man?

Confessio Amantis.

For oght that I you telle can,

Min holi fader, as of the dede744

I am withouten eny drede

P. i. 240

Al gulteles; bot of my thoght

Mi conscience excuse I noght.2390

For were it wrong or were it riht,

Me lakketh nothing bote myht,745

That I ne wolde longe er this

Of other mannes love ywiss

Be weie of Supplantacioun

Have mad apropriacioun

And holde that I nevere boghte,

Thogh it an other man forthoghte.

And al this speke I bot of on,

For whom I lete alle othre gon;2400

Bot hire I mai noght overpasse,

That I ne mot alwey compasse,

Me roghte noght be what queintise,

So that I mihte in eny wise

Fro suche that mi ladi serve

Hire herte make forto swerve

Withouten eny part of love.

For be the goddes alle above746

I wolde it mihte so befalle,

That I al one scholde hem alle2410

Supplante, and welde hire at mi wille.

And that thing mai I noght fulfille,

Bot if I scholde strengthe make;

And that I dar noght undertake,747

Thogh I were as was Alisaundre,

For therof mihte arise sklaundre;

And certes that schal I do nevere,

For in good feith yit hadde I levere

P. i. 241

In my simplesce forto die,

Than worche such Supplantarie.2420

Of otherwise I wol noght seie

That if I founde a seker weie,

I wolde as for conclusioun

Worche after Supplantacioun,

So hihe a love forto winne.748

Now, fader, if that this be Sinne,

I am al redy to redresce749

The gilt of which I me confesse.

Confessor.

Mi goode Sone, as of Supplant

Thee thar noght drede tant ne quant,2430

As for nothing that I have herd,

Bot only that thou hast misferd

Thenkende, and that me liketh noght,

For godd beholt a mannes thoght.750

And if thou understode in soth

In loves cause what it doth,

A man to ben a Supplantour,

Thou woldest for thin oghne honour

Be double weie take kepe:

Ferst for thin oghne astat to kepe,2440

To be thiself so wel bethoght

That thou supplanted were noght,

And ek for worschipe of thi name

Towardes othre do the same,

And soffren every man have his.

Bot natheles it was and is,

That in a wayt at alle assaies751

Supplant of love in oure daies

P. i. 242

The lief fulofte for the levere

Forsakth, and so it hath don evere.2450

Ensample I finde therupon,

Qualiter Agamenon de amore Brexeide Achillem, et Diomedes de amore Criseide Troilum supplantauit.

At Troie how that Agamenon

Supplantede the worthi knyht

Achilles of that swete wiht,

Which named was Brexeïda;

And also of Criseïda,

Whom Troilus to love ches,

Supplanted hath Diomedes.

[Geta and Amphitrion.]

Of Geta and Amphitrion,

That whilom weren bothe as on2460

Qualiter Amphitrion752socium suum Getam, qui Almeenam peramauit, seipsum loco alterius cautelosa supplantacione substituit.

Of frendschipe and of compaignie,

I rede how that Supplantarie

In love, as it betidde tho,

Beguiled hath on of hem tuo.

For this Geta that I of meene,

To whom the lusti faire Almeene

Assured was be weie of love,

Whan he best wende have ben above

And sikerest of that he hadde,

Cupido so the cause ladde,2470

That whil he was out of the weie,

Amphitrion hire love aweie

Hath take, and in this forme he wroghte.753

Be nyhte unto the chambre he soghte,

Wher that sche lay, and with a wyle

He contrefeteth for the whyle

The vois of Gete in such a wise,754

That made hire of hire bedd arise,

P. i. 243

Wenende that it were he,

And let him in, and whan thei be2480

Togedre abedde in armes faste,

This Geta cam thanne ate laste

Unto the Dore and seide, ‘Undo.’

And sche ansuerde and bad him go,

And seide how that abedde al warm

Hir lief lay naked in hir arm;

Sche wende that it were soth.

Lo, what Supplant of love doth:

This Geta forth bejaped wente,

And yit ne wiste he what it mente;2490

Amphitrion him hath supplanted

With sleyhte of love and hire enchaunted:

And thus put every man out other,

The Schip of love hath lost his Rother,

So that he can no reson stiere.

And forto speke of this matiere

Touchende love and his Supplant,755

A tale which is acordant

Unto thin Ere I thenke enforme.

Now herkne, for this is the forme.2500

[Tale of the false Bachelor.]Of thilke Cite chief of alleWhich men the noble Rome calle,Hic in amoris causa contra fraudem detraccionis ponit Confessor exemplum. Et narrat de quodam Romani Imparatoris filio, qui probitates armorum super omnia excercere affectans nesciente patre vltra mare in partes Persie ad deseruiendum Soldano super guerras cum solo milite tanquam socio suo ignotus se transtulit. Et cum ipsius milicie fama super alios ibidem celsior accreuisset, contigit ut in quodam bello contra Caliphum Egipti inito Soldanusa sagitta mortaliter vulneratus, priusquam moreretur, quendam anulum filie sue secretissimum isti nobili Romano tradidit, dicens qualiter filia sua sub paterne benediccionis vinculo adiurata est, quod quicumque dictum anulum ei afferret, ipsam in coniugem pre omnibus susciperet. Defuncto autem Soldano, versus Ciuitatem que Kaire dicitur itinerantes, iste Romanus commilitoni suo huius misterii secretum reuelauit; qui noctanter a bursa domini sui anulum furto surripiens, hec que audiuit usui proprio falsissima Supplantacione applicauit. Et sic seruus pro domino desponsata sibi Soldani filia coronatus Persie regnauit.Er it was set to Cristes feith,Ther was, as the Cronique seith,An Emperour, the which it laddeIn pes, that he no werres hadde:Ther was nothing desobeissantWhich was to Rome appourtenant,P. i. 244Bot al was torned into reste.To some it thoghte for the beste,7562510To some it thoghte nothing so,And that was only unto thoWhos herte stod upon knyhthode:Bot most of alle of his manhodeThe worthi Sone of themperour,Which wolde ben a werreiour,As he that was chivalerousOf worldes fame and desirous,Began his fadre to beseche757That he the werres mihte seche,7582520In strange Marches forto ride.His fader seide he scholde abide,And wolde granten him no leve:759Bot he, which wolde noght beleve,A kniht of his to whom he triste,So that his fader nothing wiste,He tok and tolde him his corage,That he pourposeth a viage.If that fortune with him stonde,He seide how that he wolde fonde7602530The grete See to passe unknowe,And there abyde for a throweUpon the werres to travaile.And to this point withoute faileThis kniht, whan he hath herd his lord,Is swore, and stant of his acord,As thei that bothe yonge were;761So that in prive conseil thereP. i. 245Thei ben assented forto wende.And therupon to make an ende,2540Tresor ynowh with hem thei token,And whan the time is best thei loken,That sodeinliche in a GaleieFro Romelond thei wente here weieAnd londe upon that other side.The world fell so that ilke tide,Which evere hise happes hath diverse,The grete Soldan thanne of PerseAyein the Caliphe of EgipteA werre, which that him beclipte,2550Hath in a Marche costeiant.And he, which was a poursuiantWorschipe of armes to atteigne,This Romein, let anon ordeigne,That he was redi everydel:And whan he was arraied welOf every thing which him belongeth,Straght unto Kaire his weie he fongeth,Wher he the Soldan thanne fond,762And axeth that withinne his lond2560He mihte him for the werre serve,As he which wolde his thonk deserve.763The Soldan was riht glad with al,And wel the more in specialWhan that he wiste he was Romein;Bot what was elles in certein,That mihte he wite be no weie.And thus the kniht of whom I seieP. i. 246Toward the Soldan is beleft,And in the Marches now and eft,2570Wher that the dedli werres were,He wroghte such knihthode there,That every man spak of him good.764And thilke time so it stod,This mihti Soldan be his wifA Dowhter hath, that in this lif765Men seiden ther was non so fair.Sche scholde ben hir fader hair,And was of yeres ripe ynowh:Hire beaute many an herte drowh2580To bowe unto that ilke lawe766Fro which no lif mai be withdrawe,And that is love, whos natureSet lif and deth in aventureOf hem that knyhthode undertake.This lusti peine hath overtake767The herte of this Romein so sore,That to knihthode more and moreProuesce avanceth his corage.Lich to the Leoun in his rage,2590Fro whom that alle bestes fle,Such was the knyht in his degre:768Wher he was armed in the feld,Ther dorste non abide his scheld;Gret pris upon the werre he hadde.Bot sche which al the chance ladde,Fortune, schop the Marches so,That be thassent of bothe tuo,P. i. 247The Soldan and the Caliphe eke,Bataille upon a dai thei seke,2600Which was in such a wise setThat lengere scholde it noght be let.Thei made hem stronge on every side,And whan it drowh toward the tideThat the bataille scholde be,The Soldan in gret priveteA goldring of his dowhter tok,And made hire swere upon a bokAnd ek upon the goddes alle,That if fortune so befalle2610In the bataille that he deie,That sche schal thilke man obeieAnd take him to hire housebonde,Which thilke same Ring to hondeHire scholde bringe after his deth.This hath sche swore, and forth he gethWith al the pouer of his londUnto the Marche, where he fondHis enemy full embatailled.The Soldan hath the feld assailed:2620Thei that ben hardy sone assemblen,Wherof the dredfull hertes tremblen:That on sleth, and that other sterveth,Bot above alle his pris deservethThis knihtly Romein; where he rod,His dedly swerd noman abod,Ayein the which was no defence;Egipte fledde in his presence,P. i. 248And thei of Perse upon the chacePoursuien: bot I not what grace2630Befell, an Arwe out of a boweAl sodeinly that ilke throwe769The Soldan smot, and ther he lay:The chace is left for thilke day,And he was bore into a tente.The Soldan sih how that it wente,And that he seholde algate die;And to this knyht of Romanie,As unto him whom he most triste,His Dowhter Ring, that non it wiste,2640He tok, and tolde him al the cas,Upon hire oth what tokne it wasOf that sche scholde ben his wif.Whan this was seid, the hertes lifOf this Soldan departeth sone;And therupon, as was to done,The dede body wel and faireThei carie til thei come at Kaire,Wher he was worthily begrave.770The lordes, whiche as wolden save2650The Regne which was desolat,To bringe it into good astatA parlement thei sette anon.Now herkne what fell therupon:771This yonge lord, this worthi knihtOf Rome, upon the same nihtThat thei amorwe trete scholde,Unto his Bacheler he toldeP. i. 249His conseil, and the Ring with alHe scheweth, thurgh which that he schal,2660He seith, the kinges Dowhter wedde,772For so the Ring was leid to wedde,He tolde, into hir fader hond,That with what man that sche it fondShe scholde him take to hire lord.And this, he seith, stant of record,Bot noman wot who hath this Ring.This Bacheler upon this thingHis Ere and his entente leide,And thoghte more thanne he seide,2670And feigneth with a fals visageThat he was glad, bot his corageWas al set in an other wise.These olde Philosophres wiseThei writen upon thilke while,That he mai best a man beguileIn whom the man hath most credence;And this befell in evidence773Toward this yonge lord of Rome.His Bacheler, which hadde tome,7742680Whan that his lord be nihte slepte,This Ring, the which his maister kepte,Out of his Pours awey he dede,And putte an other in the stede.Amorwe, whan the Court is set,The yonge ladi was forth fet,To whom the lordes don homage,And after that of MariageP. i. 250Thei trete and axen of hir wille.Bot sche, which thoghte to fulfille2690Hire fader heste in this matiere,Seide openly, that men mai hiere,The charge which hire fader bad.Tho was this Lord of Rome gladAnd drowh toward his Pours anon,Bot al for noght, it was agon:His Bacheler it hath forthdrawe,And axeth ther upon the lawe775That sche him holde covenant.The tokne was so sufficant2700That it ne mihte be forsake,And natheles his lord hath takeQuerelle ayein his oghne man;Bot for nothing that evere he canHe mihte as thanne noght ben herd,So that his cleym is unansuerd,And he hath of his pourpos failed.This Bacheler was tho consailed776And wedded, and of thilke EmpireHe was coroned Lord and Sire,2710And al the lond him hath received;Wherof his lord, which was deceived,A seknesse er the thridde morweConceived hath of dedly sorwe:And as he lay upon his deth,Therwhile him lasteth speche and breth,He sende for the worthiesteOf al the lond and ek the beste,P. i. 251And tolde hem al the sothe tho,That he was Sone and Heir also2720Of themperour of grete Rome,And how that thei togedre come,This kniht and he; riht as it was,He tolde hem al the pleine cas,And for that he his conseil tolde,That other hath al that he wolde,And he hath failed of his mede:As for the good he takth non hiede,He seith, bot only of the love,Of which he wende have ben above.2730And therupon be lettre writeHe doth his fader forto witeOf al this matiere as it stod;777And thanne with an hertly modUnto the lordes he besoghteTo telle his ladi how he boghteHire love, of which an other gladeth;And with that word his hewe fadeth,And seide, ‘A dieu, my ladi swete.’The lif hath lost his kindly hete,2740And he lay ded as eny ston;778Wherof was sory manyon,Bot non of alle so as sche.This false knyht in his degreeArested was and put in hold:For openly whan it was toldOf the tresoun which is befalle,Thurghout the lond thei seiden alle,P. i. 252If it be soth that men suppose,His oghne untrowthe him schal depose.2750And forto seche an evidence,With honour and gret reverence,779Wherof they mihten knowe an ende,To themperour anon thei sendeThe lettre which his Sone wrot.And whan that he the sothe wot,To telle his sorwe is endeles,Bot yit in haste nathelesUpon the tale which he herdeHis Stieward into Perse ferde2760With many a worthi Romein eke,His liege tretour forto seke;And whan thei thider come were,This kniht him hath confessed thereHow falsly that he hath him bore,Wherof his worthi lord was lore.Tho seiden some he scholde deie,Bot yit thei founden such a weieThat he schal noght be ded in Perse;And thus the skiles ben diverse.2770Be cause that he was coroned,And that the lond was abandonedTo him, althogh it were unriht,Ther is no peine for him diht;Bot to this point and to this ende780Thei granten wel that he schal wendeWith the Romeins to Rome ayein.And thus acorded ful and plein,P. i. 253The qwike body with the dedeWith leve take forth thei lede,2780Wher that Supplant hath his juise.Wherof that thou thee miht aviseUpon this enformaciounTouchende of Supplantacioun,That thou, my Sone, do noght so:And forto take hiede alsoWhat Supplant doth in other halve,Ther is noman can finde a salvePleinly to helen such a Sor;It hath and schal ben everemor,2790Whan Pride is with Envie joint,He soffreth noman in good point,Wher that he mai his honour lette.And therupon if I schal setteEnsample, in holy cherche I findeHow that Supplant is noght behinde;God wot if that it now be so:For in Cronique of time agoI finde a tale concordableOf Supplant, which that is no fable,2800In the manere as I schal telle,So as whilom the thinges felle.[Pope Boniface.]At Rome, as it hath ofte falle,The vicair general of alleHic ponit Confessor exemplum contra istos in causa781dignitatis adquirende supplantatores. Et narrat qualiter Papa Bonefacius predecessorem suum Celestinum a papatu coniectata782circumuencione fraudulenter supplantauit. Set qui potentes a sede deponit, huiusmodi supplantacionis fraudem non sustinens, ipsum sic in sublime exaltatum postea in profundi carceris miseriam proici, fame que783siti cruciari, necnon et ab huius vite gaudiis dolorosa morte explantari finali conclusione permisit.Of hem that lieven Cristes feithHis laste day, which non withseith,Hath schet as to the worldes ÿe,Whos name if I schal specefie,P. i. 254He hihte Pope Nicolas.And thus whan that he passed was,2810The Cardinals, that wolden saveThe forme of lawe, in the conclaveGon forto chese a newe Pope,And after that thei cowthe agrope784Hath ech of hem seid his entente:Til ate laste thei assenteUpon an holy clerk reclus,Which full was of gostli vertus;His pacience and his simplesseHath set him into hih noblesse.2820Thus was he Pope canonized,785With gret honour and intronized,786And upon chance as it is falle,His name Celestin men calle;Which notefied was be bulle787To holi cherche and to the fulleIn alle londes magnified.Bot every worschipe is envied,And that was thilke time sene:For whan this Pope of whom I meene2830Was chose, and othre set beside,A Cardinal was thilke tideWhich the papat longe hath desiredAnd therupon gretli conspired;Bot whan he sih fortune is failed,For which long time he hath travailed,That ilke fyr which Ethna brennethThurghout his wofull herte renneth,P. i. 255Which is resembled to Envie,Wherof Supplant and tricherie2840Engendred is; and nathelesHe feigneth love, he feigneth pes,Outward he doth the reverence,Bot al withinne his conscienceThurgh fals ymaginaciounHe thoghte Supplantacioun.And therupon a wonder wyleHe wroghte: for at thilke whyleIt fell so that of his lignageHe hadde a clergoun of yong age,2850Whom he hath in his chambre affaited.This Cardinal his time hath waited,788And with his wordes slyhe and queinte,The whiche he cowthe wysly peinte,He schop this clerk of which I telleToward the Pope forto duelle,So that withinne his chambre anyhtHe lai, and was a prive wyhtToward the Pope on nyhtes tide.Mai noman fle that schal betide.2860This Cardinal, which thoghte guile,Upon a day whan he hath whileThis yonge clerc unto him tok,And made him swere upon a bok,And told him what his wille was.789And forth withal a Trompe of brasHe hath him take, and bad him this:‘Thou schalt,’ he seide, ‘whan time isP. i. 256Awaite, and take riht good kepe,Whan that the Pope is fast aslepe7902870And that non other man be nyh;And thanne that thou be so slyhThurghout the Trompe into his Ere,Fro hevene as thogh a vois it were,To soune of such prolacioun791That he his meditaciounTherof mai take and understonde,As thogh it were of goddes sonde.And in this wise thou schalt seie,That he do thilke astat aweie2880Of Pope, in which he stant honoured,792So schal his Soule be socouredOf thilke worschipe ate lasteIn hevene which schal evere laste.’This clerc, whan he hath herd the formeHow he the Pope scholde enforme,Tok of the Cardinal his leve,And goth him hom, til it was Eve,And prively the trompe he hedde,Til that the Pope was abedde.2890And at the Midnyht, whan he knewhThe Pope slepte, thanne he blewhWithinne his trompe thurgh the wal,793And tolde in what manere he schalHis Papacie leve, and takeHis ferste astat: and thus awake794This holi Pope he made thries,Wherof diverse fantasiesP. i. 257Upon his grete holinesseWithinne his herte he gan impresse.2900The Pope ful of innocenceConceiveth in his conscienceThat it is goddes wille he cesse;Bot in what wise he may relesseHis hihe astat, that wot he noght.And thus withinne himself bethoght,He bar it stille in his memoire,Til he cam to the Consistoire;And there in presence of hem alleHe axeth, if it so befalle2910That eny Pope cesse wolde,How that the lawe it soffre scholde.Thei seten alle stille and herde,Was non which to the point ansuerde,For to what pourpos that it menteTher was noman knew his entente,Bot only he which schop the guile.This Cardinal the same whileAl openly with wordes pleineSeith, if the Pope wolde ordeigne2920That ther be such a lawe wroght,Than mihte he cesse, and elles noght.And as he seide, don it was;The Pope anon upon the casOf his Papal AutoriteHath mad and yove the decre:And whan that lawe was confermedIn due forme and al affermed,P. i. 258This innocent, which was deceived,His Papacie anon hath weyved,2930Renounced and resigned eke.That other was nothing to seke,Bot undernethe such a japeHe hath so for himselve schape,That how as evere it him beseme,The Mitre with the DiademeHe hath thurgh Supplantacion:And in his confirmacionUpon the fortune of his graceHis name is cleped Boneface.2940Under the viser of Envie,Lo, thus was hid the tricherie,Which hath beguiled manyon.Bot such conseil ther mai be non,With treson whan it is conspired,That it nys lich the Sparke fyredUp in the Rof, which for a throweLith hidd, til whan the wyndes bloweIt blaseth out on every side.This Bonefas, which can noght hyde2950The tricherie of his Supplant,Hath openly mad his avantHow he the Papacie hath wonne.Bot thing which is with wrong begonneMai nevere stonde wel at ende;Wher Pride schal the bowe bende,He schet fulofte out of the weie:And thus the Pope of whom I seie,P. i. 259Whan that he stod on hih the whiel,795He can noght soffre himself be wel.2960Envie, which is loveles,And Pride, which is laweles,With such tempeste made him erre,That charite goth out of herre:796So that upon misgovernanceAyein Lowyz the king of FranceHe tok querelle of his oultrage,And seide he scholde don hommageUnto the cherche bodily.Bot he, that wiste nothing why2970He scholde do so gret serviseAfter the world in such a wise,Withstod the wrong of that demande;For noght the Pope mai comandeThe king wol noght the Pope obeie.This Pope tho be alle weieThat he mai worche of violenceHath sent the bulle of his sentenceWith cursinge and with enterdit.The king upon this wrongful plyt,2980To kepe his regne fro servage,Conseiled was of his BarnageThat miht with miht schal be withstonde.Thus was the cause take on honde,And seiden that the PapacieThei wolde honoure and magnefieIn al that evere is spirital;Bot thilke Pride temporalP. i. 260Of Boneface in his persone,Ayein that ilke wrong al one2990Thei wolde stonden in debat:And thus the man and noght the statThe Frensche schopen be her miht797To grieve. And fell ther was a kniht,Sire Guilliam de Langharet,Which was upon this cause set;And therupon he tok a routeOf men of Armes and rod oute,So longe and in a wayt he lay,798That he aspide upon a day3000The Pope was at Avinoun,And scholde ryde out of the tounUnto Pontsorge, the which is799A Castell in Provence of his.Upon the weie and as he rod,This kniht, which hoved and abodEmbuisshed upon horse bak,Al sodeinliche upon him brakAnd hath him be the bridel sesed,And seide: ‘O thou, which hast desesed3010The Court of France be thi wrong,Now schalt thou singe an other song:800Thin enterdit and thi sentenceAyein thin oghne conscienceHierafter thou schalt fiele and grope.We pleigne noght ayein the Pope,For thilke name is honourable,Bot thou, which hast be deceivableP. i. 261And tricherous in al thi werk,Thou Bonefas, thou proude clerk,3020Misledere of the Papacie,801Thi false bodi schal abyeAnd soffre that it hath deserved.’Lo, thus the Supplantour was served;For thei him ladden into FranceAnd setten him to his penanceWithinne a tour in harde bondes,Wher he for hunger bothe hise hondesEet of and deide, god wot how:Of whom the wrytinge is yit now3030Registred, as a man mai hiere,Which spekth and seith in this manere:Cronica Bonefacii. Intrasti ut vulpis, regnasti ut leo, et mortuus es ut canis.Thin entre lich the fox was slyh,Thi regne also with pride on hihWas lich the Leon in his rage;Bot ate laste of thi passageThi deth was to the houndes like.Such is the lettre of his CroniqueProclamed in the Court of Rome,Wherof the wise ensample nome.3040And yit, als ferforth as I dar,I rede alle othre men be war,And that thei loke wel algateThat non his oghne astat translateOf holi cherche in no degreeBe fraude ne soubtilite:For thilke honour which Aaron tokSchal non receive, as seith the bok,P. i. 262Bot he be cleped as he was.What I schal thenken in this cas3050Of that I hiere now aday,I not: bot he which can and may,Be reson bothe and be natureThe help of every mannes cure,He kepe Simon fro the folde.802Nota de prophecia Ioachim Abbatis.For Joachim thilke Abbot toldeHow suche daies scholden falle,Quanti Mercenarii erunt in ouile dei, tuas aures meis narracionibus fedare nolo.803That comunliche in places alleThe Chapmen of such mercerieWith fraude and with Supplantarie3060So manye scholden beie and selle,That he ne may for schame telleSo foul a Senne in mannes Ere.Bot god forbiede that it wereIn oure daies that he seith:For if the Clerc beware his feithIn chapmanhod at such a feire,The remenant mot nede empeireOf al that to the world belongeth;For whan that holi cherche wrongeth,3070I not what other thing schal rihte.And natheles at mannes sihteEnvie forto be preferredHath conscience so differred,That noman loketh to the viceWhich is the Moder of malice,And that is thilke false Envie,Which causeth many a tricherie;P. i. 263For wher he may an other seThat is mor gracious than he,3080It schal noght stonden in his mihtBot if he hindre such a wiht:And that is welnyh overal,This vice is now so general.[Joab. Ahitophel.]Envie thilke unhapp indrowh,804Qualiter Ioab princeps milicie Dauid inuidie causa Abner subdole interfecit. Et qualiter eciam Achitofell ob hoc quod Cusy in consilio Absolon preferebatur, accensus inuidia laqueo se suspendit.Whan Joab be deceipte slowhAbner, for drede he scholde beWith king David such as was he.And thurgh Envie also it fellOf thilke false Achitofell,3090For his conseil was noght achieved,Bot that he sih Cusy believedWith Absolon and him forsake,He heng himself upon a stake.[Nature of Envy.]Senec witnesseth openlyHow that Envie proprelyIs of the Court the comun wenche,And halt taverne forto schencheThat drink which makth the herte brenne,And doth the wit aboute renne,3100Be every weie to compasseHow that he mihte alle othre passe,As he which thurgh unkindeschipeEnvieth every felaschipe;So that thou miht wel knowe and se,Ther is no vice such as he,Ferst toward godd abhominable,And to mankinde unprofitable:P. i. 294And that be wordes bot a feweI schal be reson prove and schewe.3110

[Tale of the false Bachelor.]

Of thilke Cite chief of alle

Which men the noble Rome calle,

Hic in amoris causa contra fraudem detraccionis ponit Confessor exemplum. Et narrat de quodam Romani Imparatoris filio, qui probitates armorum super omnia excercere affectans nesciente patre vltra mare in partes Persie ad deseruiendum Soldano super guerras cum solo milite tanquam socio suo ignotus se transtulit. Et cum ipsius milicie fama super alios ibidem celsior accreuisset, contigit ut in quodam bello contra Caliphum Egipti inito Soldanusa sagitta mortaliter vulneratus, priusquam moreretur, quendam anulum filie sue secretissimum isti nobili Romano tradidit, dicens qualiter filia sua sub paterne benediccionis vinculo adiurata est, quod quicumque dictum anulum ei afferret, ipsam in coniugem pre omnibus susciperet. Defuncto autem Soldano, versus Ciuitatem que Kaire dicitur itinerantes, iste Romanus commilitoni suo huius misterii secretum reuelauit; qui noctanter a bursa domini sui anulum furto surripiens, hec que audiuit usui proprio falsissima Supplantacione applicauit. Et sic seruus pro domino desponsata sibi Soldani filia coronatus Persie regnauit.

Er it was set to Cristes feith,

Ther was, as the Cronique seith,

An Emperour, the which it ladde

In pes, that he no werres hadde:

Ther was nothing desobeissant

Which was to Rome appourtenant,

P. i. 244

Bot al was torned into reste.

To some it thoghte for the beste,7562510

To some it thoghte nothing so,

And that was only unto tho

Whos herte stod upon knyhthode:

Bot most of alle of his manhode

The worthi Sone of themperour,

Which wolde ben a werreiour,

As he that was chivalerous

Of worldes fame and desirous,

Began his fadre to beseche757

That he the werres mihte seche,7582520

In strange Marches forto ride.

His fader seide he scholde abide,

And wolde granten him no leve:759

Bot he, which wolde noght beleve,

A kniht of his to whom he triste,

So that his fader nothing wiste,

He tok and tolde him his corage,

That he pourposeth a viage.

If that fortune with him stonde,

He seide how that he wolde fonde7602530

The grete See to passe unknowe,

And there abyde for a throwe

Upon the werres to travaile.

And to this point withoute faile

This kniht, whan he hath herd his lord,

Is swore, and stant of his acord,

As thei that bothe yonge were;761

So that in prive conseil there

P. i. 245

Thei ben assented forto wende.

And therupon to make an ende,2540

Tresor ynowh with hem thei token,

And whan the time is best thei loken,

That sodeinliche in a Galeie

Fro Romelond thei wente here weie

And londe upon that other side.

The world fell so that ilke tide,

Which evere hise happes hath diverse,

The grete Soldan thanne of Perse

Ayein the Caliphe of Egipte

A werre, which that him beclipte,2550

Hath in a Marche costeiant.

And he, which was a poursuiant

Worschipe of armes to atteigne,

This Romein, let anon ordeigne,

That he was redi everydel:

And whan he was arraied wel

Of every thing which him belongeth,

Straght unto Kaire his weie he fongeth,

Wher he the Soldan thanne fond,762

And axeth that withinne his lond2560

He mihte him for the werre serve,

As he which wolde his thonk deserve.763

The Soldan was riht glad with al,

And wel the more in special

Whan that he wiste he was Romein;

Bot what was elles in certein,

That mihte he wite be no weie.

And thus the kniht of whom I seie

P. i. 246

Toward the Soldan is beleft,

And in the Marches now and eft,2570

Wher that the dedli werres were,

He wroghte such knihthode there,

That every man spak of him good.764

And thilke time so it stod,

This mihti Soldan be his wif

A Dowhter hath, that in this lif765

Men seiden ther was non so fair.

Sche scholde ben hir fader hair,

And was of yeres ripe ynowh:

Hire beaute many an herte drowh2580

To bowe unto that ilke lawe766

Fro which no lif mai be withdrawe,

And that is love, whos nature

Set lif and deth in aventure

Of hem that knyhthode undertake.

This lusti peine hath overtake767

The herte of this Romein so sore,

That to knihthode more and more

Prouesce avanceth his corage.

Lich to the Leoun in his rage,2590

Fro whom that alle bestes fle,

Such was the knyht in his degre:768

Wher he was armed in the feld,

Ther dorste non abide his scheld;

Gret pris upon the werre he hadde.

Bot sche which al the chance ladde,

Fortune, schop the Marches so,

That be thassent of bothe tuo,

P. i. 247

The Soldan and the Caliphe eke,

Bataille upon a dai thei seke,2600

Which was in such a wise set

That lengere scholde it noght be let.

Thei made hem stronge on every side,

And whan it drowh toward the tide

That the bataille scholde be,

The Soldan in gret privete

A goldring of his dowhter tok,

And made hire swere upon a bok

And ek upon the goddes alle,

That if fortune so befalle2610

In the bataille that he deie,

That sche schal thilke man obeie

And take him to hire housebonde,

Which thilke same Ring to honde

Hire scholde bringe after his deth.

This hath sche swore, and forth he geth

With al the pouer of his lond

Unto the Marche, where he fond

His enemy full embatailled.

The Soldan hath the feld assailed:2620

Thei that ben hardy sone assemblen,

Wherof the dredfull hertes tremblen:

That on sleth, and that other sterveth,

Bot above alle his pris deserveth

This knihtly Romein; where he rod,

His dedly swerd noman abod,

Ayein the which was no defence;

Egipte fledde in his presence,

P. i. 248

And thei of Perse upon the chace

Poursuien: bot I not what grace2630

Befell, an Arwe out of a bowe

Al sodeinly that ilke throwe769

The Soldan smot, and ther he lay:

The chace is left for thilke day,

And he was bore into a tente.

The Soldan sih how that it wente,

And that he seholde algate die;

And to this knyht of Romanie,

As unto him whom he most triste,

His Dowhter Ring, that non it wiste,2640

He tok, and tolde him al the cas,

Upon hire oth what tokne it was

Of that sche scholde ben his wif.

Whan this was seid, the hertes lif

Of this Soldan departeth sone;

And therupon, as was to done,

The dede body wel and faire

Thei carie til thei come at Kaire,

Wher he was worthily begrave.770

The lordes, whiche as wolden save2650

The Regne which was desolat,

To bringe it into good astat

A parlement thei sette anon.

Now herkne what fell therupon:771

This yonge lord, this worthi kniht

Of Rome, upon the same niht

That thei amorwe trete scholde,

Unto his Bacheler he tolde

P. i. 249

His conseil, and the Ring with al

He scheweth, thurgh which that he schal,2660

He seith, the kinges Dowhter wedde,772

For so the Ring was leid to wedde,

He tolde, into hir fader hond,

That with what man that sche it fond

She scholde him take to hire lord.

And this, he seith, stant of record,

Bot noman wot who hath this Ring.

This Bacheler upon this thing

His Ere and his entente leide,

And thoghte more thanne he seide,2670

And feigneth with a fals visage

That he was glad, bot his corage

Was al set in an other wise.

These olde Philosophres wise

Thei writen upon thilke while,

That he mai best a man beguile

In whom the man hath most credence;

And this befell in evidence773

Toward this yonge lord of Rome.

His Bacheler, which hadde tome,7742680

Whan that his lord be nihte slepte,

This Ring, the which his maister kepte,

Out of his Pours awey he dede,

And putte an other in the stede.

Amorwe, whan the Court is set,

The yonge ladi was forth fet,

To whom the lordes don homage,

And after that of Mariage

P. i. 250

Thei trete and axen of hir wille.

Bot sche, which thoghte to fulfille2690

Hire fader heste in this matiere,

Seide openly, that men mai hiere,

The charge which hire fader bad.

Tho was this Lord of Rome glad

And drowh toward his Pours anon,

Bot al for noght, it was agon:

His Bacheler it hath forthdrawe,

And axeth ther upon the lawe775

That sche him holde covenant.

The tokne was so sufficant2700

That it ne mihte be forsake,

And natheles his lord hath take

Querelle ayein his oghne man;

Bot for nothing that evere he can

He mihte as thanne noght ben herd,

So that his cleym is unansuerd,

And he hath of his pourpos failed.

This Bacheler was tho consailed776

And wedded, and of thilke Empire

He was coroned Lord and Sire,2710

And al the lond him hath received;

Wherof his lord, which was deceived,

A seknesse er the thridde morwe

Conceived hath of dedly sorwe:

And as he lay upon his deth,

Therwhile him lasteth speche and breth,

He sende for the worthieste

Of al the lond and ek the beste,

P. i. 251

And tolde hem al the sothe tho,

That he was Sone and Heir also2720

Of themperour of grete Rome,

And how that thei togedre come,

This kniht and he; riht as it was,

He tolde hem al the pleine cas,

And for that he his conseil tolde,

That other hath al that he wolde,

And he hath failed of his mede:

As for the good he takth non hiede,

He seith, bot only of the love,

Of which he wende have ben above.2730

And therupon be lettre write

He doth his fader forto wite

Of al this matiere as it stod;777

And thanne with an hertly mod

Unto the lordes he besoghte

To telle his ladi how he boghte

Hire love, of which an other gladeth;

And with that word his hewe fadeth,

And seide, ‘A dieu, my ladi swete.’

The lif hath lost his kindly hete,2740

And he lay ded as eny ston;778

Wherof was sory manyon,

Bot non of alle so as sche.

This false knyht in his degree

Arested was and put in hold:

For openly whan it was told

Of the tresoun which is befalle,

Thurghout the lond thei seiden alle,

P. i. 252

If it be soth that men suppose,

His oghne untrowthe him schal depose.2750

And forto seche an evidence,

With honour and gret reverence,779

Wherof they mihten knowe an ende,

To themperour anon thei sende

The lettre which his Sone wrot.

And whan that he the sothe wot,

To telle his sorwe is endeles,

Bot yit in haste natheles

Upon the tale which he herde

His Stieward into Perse ferde2760

With many a worthi Romein eke,

His liege tretour forto seke;

And whan thei thider come were,

This kniht him hath confessed there

How falsly that he hath him bore,

Wherof his worthi lord was lore.

Tho seiden some he scholde deie,

Bot yit thei founden such a weie

That he schal noght be ded in Perse;

And thus the skiles ben diverse.2770

Be cause that he was coroned,

And that the lond was abandoned

To him, althogh it were unriht,

Ther is no peine for him diht;

Bot to this point and to this ende780

Thei granten wel that he schal wende

With the Romeins to Rome ayein.

And thus acorded ful and plein,

P. i. 253

The qwike body with the dede

With leve take forth thei lede,2780

Wher that Supplant hath his juise.

Wherof that thou thee miht avise

Upon this enformacioun

Touchende of Supplantacioun,

That thou, my Sone, do noght so:

And forto take hiede also

What Supplant doth in other halve,

Ther is noman can finde a salve

Pleinly to helen such a Sor;

It hath and schal ben everemor,2790

Whan Pride is with Envie joint,

He soffreth noman in good point,

Wher that he mai his honour lette.

And therupon if I schal sette

Ensample, in holy cherche I finde

How that Supplant is noght behinde;

God wot if that it now be so:

For in Cronique of time ago

I finde a tale concordable

Of Supplant, which that is no fable,2800

In the manere as I schal telle,

So as whilom the thinges felle.

[Pope Boniface.]

At Rome, as it hath ofte falle,

The vicair general of alle

Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra istos in causa781dignitatis adquirende supplantatores. Et narrat qualiter Papa Bonefacius predecessorem suum Celestinum a papatu coniectata782circumuencione fraudulenter supplantauit. Set qui potentes a sede deponit, huiusmodi supplantacionis fraudem non sustinens, ipsum sic in sublime exaltatum postea in profundi carceris miseriam proici, fame que783siti cruciari, necnon et ab huius vite gaudiis dolorosa morte explantari finali conclusione permisit.

Of hem that lieven Cristes feith

His laste day, which non withseith,

Hath schet as to the worldes ÿe,

Whos name if I schal specefie,

P. i. 254

He hihte Pope Nicolas.

And thus whan that he passed was,2810

The Cardinals, that wolden save

The forme of lawe, in the conclave

Gon forto chese a newe Pope,

And after that thei cowthe agrope784

Hath ech of hem seid his entente:

Til ate laste thei assente

Upon an holy clerk reclus,

Which full was of gostli vertus;

His pacience and his simplesse

Hath set him into hih noblesse.2820

Thus was he Pope canonized,785

With gret honour and intronized,786

And upon chance as it is falle,

His name Celestin men calle;

Which notefied was be bulle787

To holi cherche and to the fulle

In alle londes magnified.

Bot every worschipe is envied,

And that was thilke time sene:

For whan this Pope of whom I meene2830

Was chose, and othre set beside,

A Cardinal was thilke tide

Which the papat longe hath desired

And therupon gretli conspired;

Bot whan he sih fortune is failed,

For which long time he hath travailed,

That ilke fyr which Ethna brenneth

Thurghout his wofull herte renneth,

P. i. 255

Which is resembled to Envie,

Wherof Supplant and tricherie2840

Engendred is; and natheles

He feigneth love, he feigneth pes,

Outward he doth the reverence,

Bot al withinne his conscience

Thurgh fals ymaginacioun

He thoghte Supplantacioun.

And therupon a wonder wyle

He wroghte: for at thilke whyle

It fell so that of his lignage

He hadde a clergoun of yong age,2850

Whom he hath in his chambre affaited.

This Cardinal his time hath waited,788

And with his wordes slyhe and queinte,

The whiche he cowthe wysly peinte,

He schop this clerk of which I telle

Toward the Pope forto duelle,

So that withinne his chambre anyht

He lai, and was a prive wyht

Toward the Pope on nyhtes tide.

Mai noman fle that schal betide.2860

This Cardinal, which thoghte guile,

Upon a day whan he hath while

This yonge clerc unto him tok,

And made him swere upon a bok,

And told him what his wille was.789

And forth withal a Trompe of bras

He hath him take, and bad him this:

‘Thou schalt,’ he seide, ‘whan time is

P. i. 256

Awaite, and take riht good kepe,

Whan that the Pope is fast aslepe7902870

And that non other man be nyh;

And thanne that thou be so slyh

Thurghout the Trompe into his Ere,

Fro hevene as thogh a vois it were,

To soune of such prolacioun791

That he his meditacioun

Therof mai take and understonde,

As thogh it were of goddes sonde.

And in this wise thou schalt seie,

That he do thilke astat aweie2880

Of Pope, in which he stant honoured,792

So schal his Soule be socoured

Of thilke worschipe ate laste

In hevene which schal evere laste.’

This clerc, whan he hath herd the forme

How he the Pope scholde enforme,

Tok of the Cardinal his leve,

And goth him hom, til it was Eve,

And prively the trompe he hedde,

Til that the Pope was abedde.2890

And at the Midnyht, whan he knewh

The Pope slepte, thanne he blewh

Withinne his trompe thurgh the wal,793

And tolde in what manere he schal

His Papacie leve, and take

His ferste astat: and thus awake794

This holi Pope he made thries,

Wherof diverse fantasies

P. i. 257

Upon his grete holinesse

Withinne his herte he gan impresse.2900

The Pope ful of innocence

Conceiveth in his conscience

That it is goddes wille he cesse;

Bot in what wise he may relesse

His hihe astat, that wot he noght.

And thus withinne himself bethoght,

He bar it stille in his memoire,

Til he cam to the Consistoire;

And there in presence of hem alle

He axeth, if it so befalle2910

That eny Pope cesse wolde,

How that the lawe it soffre scholde.

Thei seten alle stille and herde,

Was non which to the point ansuerde,

For to what pourpos that it mente

Ther was noman knew his entente,

Bot only he which schop the guile.

This Cardinal the same while

Al openly with wordes pleine

Seith, if the Pope wolde ordeigne2920

That ther be such a lawe wroght,

Than mihte he cesse, and elles noght.

And as he seide, don it was;

The Pope anon upon the cas

Of his Papal Autorite

Hath mad and yove the decre:

And whan that lawe was confermed

In due forme and al affermed,

P. i. 258

This innocent, which was deceived,

His Papacie anon hath weyved,2930

Renounced and resigned eke.

That other was nothing to seke,

Bot undernethe such a jape

He hath so for himselve schape,

That how as evere it him beseme,

The Mitre with the Diademe

He hath thurgh Supplantacion:

And in his confirmacion

Upon the fortune of his grace

His name is cleped Boneface.2940

Under the viser of Envie,

Lo, thus was hid the tricherie,

Which hath beguiled manyon.

Bot such conseil ther mai be non,

With treson whan it is conspired,

That it nys lich the Sparke fyred

Up in the Rof, which for a throwe

Lith hidd, til whan the wyndes blowe

It blaseth out on every side.

This Bonefas, which can noght hyde2950

The tricherie of his Supplant,

Hath openly mad his avant

How he the Papacie hath wonne.

Bot thing which is with wrong begonne

Mai nevere stonde wel at ende;

Wher Pride schal the bowe bende,

He schet fulofte out of the weie:

And thus the Pope of whom I seie,

P. i. 259

Whan that he stod on hih the whiel,795

He can noght soffre himself be wel.2960

Envie, which is loveles,

And Pride, which is laweles,

With such tempeste made him erre,

That charite goth out of herre:796

So that upon misgovernance

Ayein Lowyz the king of France

He tok querelle of his oultrage,

And seide he scholde don hommage

Unto the cherche bodily.

Bot he, that wiste nothing why2970

He scholde do so gret servise

After the world in such a wise,

Withstod the wrong of that demande;

For noght the Pope mai comande

The king wol noght the Pope obeie.

This Pope tho be alle weie

That he mai worche of violence

Hath sent the bulle of his sentence

With cursinge and with enterdit.

The king upon this wrongful plyt,2980

To kepe his regne fro servage,

Conseiled was of his Barnage

That miht with miht schal be withstonde.

Thus was the cause take on honde,

And seiden that the Papacie

Thei wolde honoure and magnefie

In al that evere is spirital;

Bot thilke Pride temporal

P. i. 260

Of Boneface in his persone,

Ayein that ilke wrong al one2990

Thei wolde stonden in debat:

And thus the man and noght the stat

The Frensche schopen be her miht797

To grieve. And fell ther was a kniht,

Sire Guilliam de Langharet,

Which was upon this cause set;

And therupon he tok a route

Of men of Armes and rod oute,

So longe and in a wayt he lay,798

That he aspide upon a day3000

The Pope was at Avinoun,

And scholde ryde out of the toun

Unto Pontsorge, the which is799

A Castell in Provence of his.

Upon the weie and as he rod,

This kniht, which hoved and abod

Embuisshed upon horse bak,

Al sodeinliche upon him brak

And hath him be the bridel sesed,

And seide: ‘O thou, which hast desesed3010

The Court of France be thi wrong,

Now schalt thou singe an other song:800

Thin enterdit and thi sentence

Ayein thin oghne conscience

Hierafter thou schalt fiele and grope.

We pleigne noght ayein the Pope,

For thilke name is honourable,

Bot thou, which hast be deceivable

P. i. 261

And tricherous in al thi werk,

Thou Bonefas, thou proude clerk,3020

Misledere of the Papacie,801

Thi false bodi schal abye

And soffre that it hath deserved.’

Lo, thus the Supplantour was served;

For thei him ladden into France

And setten him to his penance

Withinne a tour in harde bondes,

Wher he for hunger bothe hise hondes

Eet of and deide, god wot how:

Of whom the wrytinge is yit now3030

Registred, as a man mai hiere,

Which spekth and seith in this manere:

Cronica Bonefacii. Intrasti ut vulpis, regnasti ut leo, et mortuus es ut canis.

Thin entre lich the fox was slyh,

Thi regne also with pride on hih

Was lich the Leon in his rage;

Bot ate laste of thi passage

Thi deth was to the houndes like.

Such is the lettre of his Cronique

Proclamed in the Court of Rome,

Wherof the wise ensample nome.3040

And yit, als ferforth as I dar,

I rede alle othre men be war,

And that thei loke wel algate

That non his oghne astat translate

Of holi cherche in no degree

Be fraude ne soubtilite:

For thilke honour which Aaron tok

Schal non receive, as seith the bok,

P. i. 262

Bot he be cleped as he was.

What I schal thenken in this cas3050

Of that I hiere now aday,

I not: bot he which can and may,

Be reson bothe and be nature

The help of every mannes cure,

He kepe Simon fro the folde.802

Nota de prophecia Ioachim Abbatis.

For Joachim thilke Abbot tolde

How suche daies scholden falle,

Quanti Mercenarii erunt in ouile dei, tuas aures meis narracionibus fedare nolo.803

That comunliche in places alle

The Chapmen of such mercerie

With fraude and with Supplantarie3060

So manye scholden beie and selle,

That he ne may for schame telle

So foul a Senne in mannes Ere.

Bot god forbiede that it were

In oure daies that he seith:

For if the Clerc beware his feith

In chapmanhod at such a feire,

The remenant mot nede empeire

Of al that to the world belongeth;

For whan that holi cherche wrongeth,3070

I not what other thing schal rihte.

And natheles at mannes sihte

Envie forto be preferred

Hath conscience so differred,

That noman loketh to the vice

Which is the Moder of malice,

And that is thilke false Envie,

Which causeth many a tricherie;

P. i. 263

For wher he may an other se

That is mor gracious than he,3080

It schal noght stonden in his miht

Bot if he hindre such a wiht:

And that is welnyh overal,

This vice is now so general.

[Joab. Ahitophel.]

Envie thilke unhapp indrowh,804

Qualiter Ioab princeps milicie Dauid inuidie causa Abner subdole interfecit. Et qualiter eciam Achitofell ob hoc quod Cusy in consilio Absolon preferebatur, accensus inuidia laqueo se suspendit.

Whan Joab be deceipte slowh

Abner, for drede he scholde be

With king David such as was he.

And thurgh Envie also it fell

Of thilke false Achitofell,3090

For his conseil was noght achieved,

Bot that he sih Cusy believed

With Absolon and him forsake,

He heng himself upon a stake.

[Nature of Envy.]

Senec witnesseth openly

How that Envie proprely

Is of the Court the comun wenche,

And halt taverne forto schenche

That drink which makth the herte brenne,

And doth the wit aboute renne,3100

Be every weie to compasse

How that he mihte alle othre passe,

As he which thurgh unkindeschipe

Envieth every felaschipe;

So that thou miht wel knowe and se,

Ther is no vice such as he,

Ferst toward godd abhominable,

And to mankinde unprofitable:

P. i. 294

And that be wordes bot a fewe

I schal be reson prove and schewe.3110

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