Chapter 41

[Patience of Socrates.]Mi Sone, a man to beie him pes883Behoveth soffre as Socrates640P. i. 301Ensample lefte, which is write:And for thou schalt the sothe wite,Hic ponit Confessor exemplum de paciencia in amore contra lites habenda. Et narrat qualiter vxor Socratis ipsum quodam die multis sermonibus litigauit; set cum ipse absque vlla responsione omnia probra pacienter sustulit, indignata vxor quandam ydriam plenam aque, quam in manu tenebat, super caput viri sui subito effudit, dicens, ‘Euigila et loquere’: qui respondens tunc ait, ‘O vere iam scio et expertus sum quia post ventorum rabiem sequuntur ymbres’: et isto modo litis contumeliam sua paciencia deuicit.Of this ensample what I mene,Althogh it be now litel seneAmong the men thilke evidence,Yit he was upon pacienceSo sett, that he himself assaie884In thing which mihte him most mispaieDesireth, and a wickid wifHe weddeth, which in sorwe and strif650Ayein his ese was contraire.Bot he spak evere softe and faire,Til it befell, as it is told,In wynter, whan the dai is cold,This wif was fro the welle come,Wher that a pot with water nomeSche hath, and broghte it into house,And sih how that hire seli spouseWas sett and loked on a bokNyh to the fyr, as he which tok660His ese for a man of age.And sche began the wode rage,And axeth him what devel he thoghte,885And bar on hond that him ne roghteWhat labour that sche toke on honde,And seith that such an HousebondeWas to a wif noght worth a Stre.He seide nowther nay ne ye,Bot hield him stille and let hire chyde;And sche, which mai hirself noght hyde,670P. i. 302Began withinne forto swelle,And that sche broghte in fro the welle,The waterpot sche hente alofteAnd bad him speke, and he al softeSat stille and noght a word ansuerde;And sche was wroth that he so ferde,And axeth him if he be ded;And al the water on his hedSche pourede oute and bad awake.886Bot he, which wolde noght forsake680His Pacience, thanne spak,And seide how that he fond no lakIn nothing which sche hadde do:For it was wynter time tho,And wynter, as be weie of kindeWhich stormy is, as men it finde,Ferst makth the wyndes forto blowe,And after that withinne a throweHe reyneth and the watergatesUndoth; ‘and thus my wif algates,690Which is with reson wel besein,Hath mad me bothe wynd and reinAfter the Sesoun of the yer.’And thanne he sette him nerr the fer,And as he mihte hise clothes dreide,That he nomore o word ne seide;Wherof he gat him somdel reste,For that him thoghte was the beste.Confessor.I not if thilke ensample yitAcordeth with a mannes wit,700P. i. 303To soffre as Socrates tho dede:And if it falle in eny stedeA man to lese so his galle,Him oghte among the wommen alle887In loves Court be juggementThe name bere of Pacient,To yive ensample to the goodeOf pacience how that it stode,That othre men it mihte knowe.And, Sone, if thou at eny throwe710Be tempted ayein Pacience,Tak hiede upon this evidence;It schal per cas the lasse grieve.Amans.Mi fader, so as I believe,Of that schal be no maner nede,For I wol take so good hiede,That er I falle in such assai,I thenke eschuie it, if I mai.Bot if ther be oght elles moreWherof I mihte take lore,720I preie you, so as I dar,Now telleth, that I mai be war,Som other tale in this matiere.Confessor.Sone, it is evere good to lere,Wherof thou miht thi word restreigne,Er that thou falle in eny peine.For who that can no conseil hyde,He mai noght faile of we beside,Which schal befalle er he it wite,As I finde in the bokes write.730P. i. 304Yit cam ther nevere good of strif,To seche in all a mannes lif:888[Jupiter, Juno and Tiresias.]Thogh it beginne on pure game,889Fulofte it torneth into grameHic ponit Confessor exemplum, quod de alterius lite intromittere cauendum est. Et narrat qualiter Iupiter cum Iunone super quadam questione litigabat, videlicet vtrum vir an mulier in amoris concupiscencia feruencius ardebat; super quo Tiresiam eorum iudicem constituebant.891Et quia ille contra Iunonem in dicte litis causa sentenciam diffiniuit, irata dea ipsum amborum oculorum lumine claritatis absque remissione priuauit.And doth grevance upon som side.Wherof the grete Clerk OvideAfter the lawe which was thoOf Jupiter and of JunoMakth in his bokes menciounHow thei felle at dissencioun740In manere as it were a borde,890As thei begunne forto wordeAmong hemself in privete:And that was upon this degree,Which of the tuo more amorous is,Or man or wif. And upon thisThei mihten noght acorde in on,And toke a jugge therupon,Which cleped is Tiresias,And bede him demen in the cas;892750And he withoute avisementAyein Juno yaf juggement.This goddesse upon his ansuereWas wroth and wolde noght forbere,Bot tok awey for everemoThe liht fro bothe hise yhen tuo.893Whan Jupiter this harm hath sein,An other bienfait therayeinHe yaf, and such a grace him doth,That for he wiste he seide soth,760P. i. 305A Sothseiere he was for evere:Bot yit that other were levere,894Have had the lokinge of his yhe,Than of his word the prophecie;Bot how so that the sothe wente,895Strif was the cause of that he henteSo gret a peine bodily.Confessor.Mi Sone, be thou war ther by,[Chest.]And hold thi tunge stille clos:For who that hath his word desclos770Er that he wite what he mene,He is fulofte nyh his teneAnd lest ful many time grace,896Wher that he wolde his thonk pourchace.And over this, my Sone diere,Of othre men, if thou miht hiereIn privete what thei have wroght,Hold conseil and descoevere it noght,897For Cheste can no conseil hele,Or be it wo or be it wele:780And tak a tale into thi mynde,The which of olde ensample I finde.[Phebus and Cornide.]Phebus, which makth the daies lihte,A love he hadde, which tho hihteQuia898litigantes ora sua cohibere nequiunt, hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos qui in amoris causa alterius consilium reuelare presumunt. Et narrat qualiter quedam auis tunc albissima nomine coruus consilium domine sue Cornide Phebo denudauit; vnde contigit non solum ipsam Cornidem interfici, set et coruum, qui antea tanquam nix albus fuit,900in piceum colorem pro perpetuo transmutari.Cornide, whom aboven alleHe pleseth: bot what schal befalleOf love ther is noman knoweth,Bot as fortune hire happes throweth.899So it befell upon a chaunce,A yong kniht tok hire aqueintance790P. i. 306And hadde of hire al that he wolde:Bot a fals bridd, which sche hath holdeAnd kept in chambre of pure yowthe,Discoevereth all that evere he cowthe.This briddes name was as thoCorvus, the which was thanne alsoWelmore whyt than eny Swan,And he that schrewe al that he can901Of his ladi to Phebus seide;And he for wraththe his swerd outbreide,800With which Cornide anon he slowh.Bot after him was wo ynowh,And tok a full gret repentance,Wherof in tokne and remembranceOf hem whiche usen wicke speche,Upon this bridd he tok this wreche,That ther he was snow whyt tofore,902Evere afterward colblak therfore903He was transformed, as it scheweth,And many a man yit him beschreweth,810And clepen him into this dayA Raven, be whom yit men maiTake evidence, whan he crieth,That som mishapp it signefieth.Be war therfore and sei the beste,If thou wolt be thiself in reste,Mi goode Sone, as I the rede.904[Jupiter and Laar.]For in an other place I rede905Hic loquitur super eodem: Et narrat qualiter Laar Nimpha de eo quod Iupiter Iuturnam adulterauit, Iunoni Iouis vxori secretum906mreuelauit. Quapropter Iupiter ira commotus lingua Laaris prius abscisa ipsam postea in profundum Acherontis exulem pro perpetuo mancipauit.Of thilke Nimphe which Laar hihte:For sche the privete be nyhte,820P. i. 307How Jupiter lay be Jutorne,Hath told, god made hire overtorne:906Hire tunge he kutte, and into helleFor evere he sende hir forto duelle,As sche that was noght worthi hiereTo ben of love a Chamberere,For sche no conseil cowthe hele.And suche adaies be now feleIn loves Court, as it is seid,That lete here tunges gon unteid.830Mi Sone, be thou non of tho,907To jangle and telle tales so,And namely that thou ne chyde,For Cheste can no conseil hide,For Wraththe seide nevere wel.Amans.Mi fader, soth is everydelThat ye me teche, and I wol holdeThe reule to which I am holde,To fle the Cheste, as ye me bidde,For wel is him that nevere chidde.840Now tell me forth if ther be moreAs touchende unto Wraththes lore.[iii.Hate.]iii.Demonis est odium quasi Scriba, cui dabit IraMateriam scripti cordis ad antra sui.Non laxabit amor odii quem frena restringunt,Nec secreta sui iuris adire sinit.Of Wraththe yit ther is an other,Which is to Cheste his oghne brother,Hic tractat Confessor de tercia specie Ire, que Odium dicitur, cuius natura omnes Ire inimicicias ad mentem reducens, illas vsque ad tempus vindicte velut908Scriba demonis in cordis papiro commemorandas inserit.And is be name cleped Hate,That soffreth noght withinne his gateP. i. 308That ther come owther love or pes,For he wol make no relesOf no debat which is befalle.Now spek, if thou art on of alle,850That with this vice hast ben withholde.As yit for oght that ye me tolde,Mi fader, I not what it is.In good feith, Sone, I trowe yis.Mi fader, nay, bot ye me lere.Now lest, my Sone, and thou schalt here.Hate is a wraththe noght schewende,Bot of long time gaderende,909And duelleth in the herte loken,Til he se time to be wroken;860And thanne he scheweth his tempesteMor sodein than the wilde beste,Which wot nothing what merci is.Mi Sone, art thou knowende of this?Confessio Amantis.My goode fader, as I wene,Now wot I somdel what ye mene;Bot I dar saufly make an oth,Mi ladi was me nevere loth.910I wol noght swere nathelesThat I of hate am gulteles;870For whanne I to my ladi plieFro dai to dai and merci crie,And sche no merci on me leithBot schorte wordes to me seith,Thogh I my ladi love algate,Tho wordes moste I nedes hate;P. i. 309And wolde thei were al despent,Or so ferr oute of londe wentThat I nevere after scholde hem hiere;And yit love I my ladi diere.880Thus is ther Hate, as ye mai se,Betwen my ladi word and me;The word I hate and hire I love,What so me schal betide of love.Bot forthere mor I wol me schryve,That I have hated al my lyveThese janglers, whiche of here EnvieBen evere redi forto lie;For with here fals compassementFuloften thei have mad me schent890And hindred me fulofte time,Whan thei no cause wisten bime,Bot onliche of here oghne thoght:And thus fuloften have I boghtThe lie, and drank noght of the wyn.I wolde here happ were such as myn:For how so that I be now schrive,To hem ne mai I noght foryive,Til that I se hem at debatWith love, and thanne myn astat911900Thei mihten be here oghne deme,912And loke how wel it scholde hem qwemeTo hindre a man that loveth sore.And thus I hate hem everemore,Til love on hem wol don his wreche:913For that schal I alway besecheP. i. 310Unto the mihti Cupido,That he so mochel wolde do,So as he is of love a godd,To smyte hem with the same rodd910With which I am of love smite;So that thei mihten knowe and witeHow hindringe is a wofull peineTo him that love wolde atteigne.Thus evere on hem I wayte and hope,Til I mai sen hem lepe a lope,And halten on the same SorWhich I do now: for overmor914I wolde thanne do my myhtSo forto stonden in here lyht,920That thei ne scholden finde a weie915To that thei wolde, bot aweieI wolde hem putte out of the stedeFro love, riht as thei me dedeWith that thei speke of me be mowthe.So wolde I do, if that I cowthe,Of hem, and this, so god me save,Is al the hate that I have,Toward these janglers everydiel;I wolde alle othre ferde wel.930Thus have I, fader, said mi wille;Say ye now forth, for I am stille.Confessor.Mi Sone, of that thou hast me saidI holde me noght fulli paid:That thou wolt haten eny man,To that acorden I ne can,P. i. 311Thogh he have hindred thee tofore.Bot this I telle thee therfore,Thou miht upon my beneicounWel haten the condicioun940Of tho janglers, as thou me toldest,916Bot furthermor, of that thou woldestHem hindre in eny other wise,Such Hate is evere to despise.Forthi, mi Sone, I wol thee rede,That thou drawe in be frendlihedeThat thou ne miht noght do be hate;So miht thou gete love algateAnd sette thee, my Sone, in reste,For thou schalt finde it for the beste.950And over this, so as I dar,I rede that thou be riht warOf othre mennes hate aboute,Which every wysman scholde doute:For Hate is evere upon await,And as the fisshere on his baitSleth, whan he seth the fisshes faste,So, whan he seth time ate laste,That he mai worche an other wo,Schal noman tornen him therfro,960That Hate nyle his felonieFulfille and feigne compaignieYit natheles, for fals SemblantIs toward him of covenantWithholde, so that under botheThe prive wraththe can him clothe,P. i. 312That he schal seme of gret believe.Bot war thee wel that thou ne lieveAl that thou sest tofore thin yhe,So as the Gregois whilom syhe:917970The bok of Troie who so rede,Ther mai he finde ensample in dede.[King Namplus and the Greeks.]Sone after the destruccioun,918Whan Troie was al bete dounHic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos qui, cum Ire sue odium aperte vindicare non possint, ficta dissimilacione vindictam subdole assequuntur.919Et narrat quod cum Palamades princeps Grecorum in obsidione Troie a quibusdam suis emulis proditorie920interfectus fuisset, paterque921suus Rex Namplus in patria sua tunc existens huiusmodi euentus certitudinem sciuisset, Grecos in sui cordis odium super omnia recollegit. Vnde contigit quod, cum Greci deuicta Troia per altum mare versus Greciam nauigio remeantes obscurissimo noctis tempore nimia ventorum tempestate iactabantur, Rex Namplus in terra sua contra litus maris, vbi maiora saxorum eminebant pericula, super cacumina montium grandissimos noctanter fecit ignes: quos Greci aspicientes saluum portum ibidem inuenire certissime putabant, et terram approximantes diruptis nauibus magna pars Grecorum periclitabatur. Et sic, quod922Namplus viribus nequiit, odio latitante923per dissimilacionis fraudem vindicauit.And slain was Priamus the king,The Gregois, whiche of al this thingBen cause, tornen hom ayein.Ther mai noman his happ withsein;It hath be sen and felt fulofte,The harde time after the softe:980Be See as thei forth homward wente,A rage of gret tempeste hem hente;Juno let bende hire parti bowe,The Sky wax derk, the wynd gan blowe,The firy welkne gan to thondre,As thogh the world scholde al to sondre;Fro hevene out of the watergatesThe reyni Storm fell doun algatesAnd al here takel made unwelde,That noman mihte himself bewelde.990Ther mai men hiere Schipmen crie,That stode in aunter forto die:He that behinde sat to stiereMai noght the forestempne hiere;The Schip aros ayein the wawes,The lodesman hath lost his lawes,P. i. 313The See bet in on every side:Thei nysten what fortune abide,Bot sette hem al in goddes wille,Wher he hem wolde save or spille.9241000And it fell thilke time thus:Ther was a king, the which NamplusWas hote, and he a Sone hadde,At Troie which the Gregois ladde,As he that was mad Prince of alle,Til that fortune let him falle:His name was Palamades.Bot thurgh an hate nathelesOf some of hem his deth was castAnd he be tresoun overcast.1010His fader, whan he herde it telle,He swor, if evere his time felle,He wolde him venge, if that he mihte,And therto his avou behihte:925And thus this king thurgh prive hateAbod upon await algate,For he was noght of such empriseTo vengen him in open wise.The fame, which goth wyde where,Makth knowe how that the Gregois were1020Homward with al the felaschipeFro Troie upon the See be Schipe.Namplus, whan he this understod,And knew the tydes of the flod,And sih the wynd blew to the lond,A gret deceipte anon he fondP. i. 314Of prive hate, as thou schalt hiere,Wherof I telle al this matiere.926This king the weder gan beholde,927And wiste wel thei moten holde1030Here cours endlong his marche riht,928And made upon the derke nyhtOf grete Schydes and of blockesGret fyr ayein the grete rockes,To schewe upon the helles hihe,So that the Flete of Grece it sihe.And so it fell riht as he thoghte:This Flete, which an havene soghte,The bryghte fyres sih a ferr,And thei hem drowen nerr and nerr,1040And wende wel and understodeHow al that fyr was mad for goode,To schewe wher men scholde aryve,And thiderward thei hasten blyve.929In Semblant, as men sein, is guile,And that was proved thilke while;The Schip, which wende his helpe acroche,930Drof al to pieces on the roche,And so ther deden ten or twelve;Ther mihte noman helpe himselve,1050For ther thei wenden deth ascape,Withouten help here deth was schape.Thus thei that comen ferst toforeUpon the Rockes be forlore,Bot thurgh the noise and thurgh the criThese othre were al war therby;P. i. 315And whan the dai began to rowe,Tho mihten thei the sothe knowe,That wher they wenden frendes finde,Thei founden frenschipe al behinde.9311060The lond was thanne sone weyved,Wher that thei hadden be deceived,And toke hem to the hihe See;Therto thei seiden alle yee,Fro that dai forth and war thei were932Of that thei hadde assaied there.Confessor.Mi Sone, hierof thou miht aviseHow fraude stant in many wiseAmonges hem that guile thenke;Ther is no Scrivein with his enke1070Which half the fraude wryte canThat stant in such a maner man:Forthi the wise men ne demenThe thinges after that thei semen,Bot after that thei knowe and finde.The Mirour scheweth in his kindeAs he hadde al the world withinne,And is in soth nothing therinne;And so farth Hate for a throwe:Til he a man hath overthrowe,1080Schal noman knowe be his chereWhich is avant, ne which arere.Forthi, mi Sone, thenke on this.Amans.Mi fader, so I wole ywiss;And if ther more of Wraththe be,Now axeth forth per charite,P. i. 316As ye be youre bokes knowe,And I the sothe schal beknowe.[iv. v.Contek and Homicide.]iv.Qui cohibere manum nequit, et sit spiritus eius933Naribus, hic populo sepe timendus erit.Sepius in luctum Venus et sua gaudia transfert,Cumque suis thalamis talis amicus adest.Est amor amplexu non ictibus alliciendus,Frangit amicicias impetuosa manus.Mi Sone, thou schalt understondeThat yit towardes Wraththe stonde1090Of dedly vices othre tuo:And forto telle here names so,It is Contek and Homicide,Hic tractat Confessor super quarta et quinta specie Ire, que impetuositas et homicidium dicuntur. Set primo de impetuositate specialius tractare intendit, cuius natura spiritum in naribus gestando ad omnes Ire mociones in vindictam parata pacienciam nullatenus obseruat.That ben to drede on every side.934Contek, so as the bokes sein,Folhast hath to his Chamberlein,Be whos conseil al unavisedIs Pacience most despised,Til Homicide with hem meete.Fro merci thei ben al unmeete,1100And thus ben thei the worste of alleOf hem whiche unto wraththe falle,In dede bothe and ek in thoght:For thei acompte here wraththe at noght,Bot if ther be schedinge of blod;And thus lich to a beste wodThei knowe noght the god of lif.Be so thei have or swerd or knif935Here dedly wraththe forto wreke,Of Pite list hem noght to speke;1110Non other reson thei ne fonge,Bot that thei ben of mihtes stronge.936P. i. 317Bot war hem wel in other place,937Where every man behoveth grace,Bot ther I trowe it schal hem faile,To whom no merci mihte availe,Bot wroghten upon tiraundie,That no pite ne mihte hem plie.938Opponit Confessor.Now tell, my Sone.Fader, what?939If thou hast be coupable of that.1120Confessio Amantis.Mi fader, nay, Crist me forbiede:I speke onliche as of the dede,940Of which I nevere was coupable941Withoute cause resonable.Bot this is noght to mi matiereOf schrifte, why we sitten hiere;[Contek within the Heart.]For we ben sett to schryve of love,As we begunne ferst above:And natheles I am beknoweThat as touchende of loves throwe,1130Whan I my wittes overwende,Min hertes contek hath non ende,Bot evere it stant upon debatTo gret desese of myn astatAs for the time that it lasteth.For whan mi fortune overcastethHire whiel and is to me so strange,And that I se sche wol noght change,Than caste I al the world aboute,And thenke hou I at home and oute1140Have al my time in vein despended,And se noght how to ben amended,P. i. 318Bot rathere forto be empeired,As he that is welnyh despeired:For I ne mai no thonk deserve,942And evere I love and evere I serve,And evere I am aliche nerr.Thus, for I stonde in such a wer,I am, as who seith, out of herre;And thus upon miself the werre1150I bringe, and putte out alle pes,That I fulofte in such a resAm wery of myn oghne lif.So that of Contek and of strifI am beknowe and have ansuerd,As ye, my fader, now have herd.Min herte is wonderly begonWith conseil, wherof witt is on,Which hath resoun in compaignie;Ayein the whiche stant partie1160Will, which hath hope of his acord,And thus thei bringen up descord.Witt and resoun conseilen ofteThat I myn herte scholde softe,943And that I scholde will remueAnd put him out of retenue,944Or elles holde him under fote:For as thei sein, if that he moteHis oghne rewle have upon honde,Ther schal no witt ben understonde.1170Of hope also thei tellen this,945That overal, wher that he is,P. i. 319He set the herte in jeupartie946With wihssinge and with fantasie,947And is noght trewe of that he seith,So that in him ther is no feith:Thus with reson and wit avisedIs will and hope aldai despised.Reson seith that I scholde leve948To love, wher ther is no leve1180To spede, and will seith therayeinThat such an herte is to vilein,Which dar noght love, and til he spede,Let hope serve at such a nede:He seith ek, where an herte sitAl hol governed upon wit,He hath this lyves lust forlore.949And thus myn herte is al totoreOf such a Contek as thei make:Bot yit I mai noght will forsake,9501190That he nys Maister of my thoght,Or that I spede, or spede noght.Confessor.Thou dost, my Sone, ayein the riht;Bot love is of so gret a miht,His lawe mai noman refuse,So miht thou thee the betre excuse.And natheles thou schalt be lernedThat will scholde evere be governed951Of reson more than of kinde,Wherof a tale write I finde.1200

[Patience of Socrates.]

Mi Sone, a man to beie him pes883

Behoveth soffre as Socrates640

P. i. 301

Ensample lefte, which is write:

And for thou schalt the sothe wite,

Hic ponit Confessor exemplum de paciencia in amore contra lites habenda. Et narrat qualiter vxor Socratis ipsum quodam die multis sermonibus litigauit; set cum ipse absque vlla responsione omnia probra pacienter sustulit, indignata vxor quandam ydriam plenam aque, quam in manu tenebat, super caput viri sui subito effudit, dicens, ‘Euigila et loquere’: qui respondens tunc ait, ‘O vere iam scio et expertus sum quia post ventorum rabiem sequuntur ymbres’: et isto modo litis contumeliam sua paciencia deuicit.

Of this ensample what I mene,

Althogh it be now litel sene

Among the men thilke evidence,

Yit he was upon pacience

So sett, that he himself assaie884

In thing which mihte him most mispaie

Desireth, and a wickid wif

He weddeth, which in sorwe and strif650

Ayein his ese was contraire.

Bot he spak evere softe and faire,

Til it befell, as it is told,

In wynter, whan the dai is cold,

This wif was fro the welle come,

Wher that a pot with water nome

Sche hath, and broghte it into house,

And sih how that hire seli spouse

Was sett and loked on a bok

Nyh to the fyr, as he which tok660

His ese for a man of age.

And sche began the wode rage,

And axeth him what devel he thoghte,885

And bar on hond that him ne roghte

What labour that sche toke on honde,

And seith that such an Housebonde

Was to a wif noght worth a Stre.

He seide nowther nay ne ye,

Bot hield him stille and let hire chyde;

And sche, which mai hirself noght hyde,670

P. i. 302

Began withinne forto swelle,

And that sche broghte in fro the welle,

The waterpot sche hente alofte

And bad him speke, and he al softe

Sat stille and noght a word ansuerde;

And sche was wroth that he so ferde,

And axeth him if he be ded;

And al the water on his hed

Sche pourede oute and bad awake.886

Bot he, which wolde noght forsake680

His Pacience, thanne spak,

And seide how that he fond no lak

In nothing which sche hadde do:

For it was wynter time tho,

And wynter, as be weie of kinde

Which stormy is, as men it finde,

Ferst makth the wyndes forto blowe,

And after that withinne a throwe

He reyneth and the watergates

Undoth; ‘and thus my wif algates,690

Which is with reson wel besein,

Hath mad me bothe wynd and rein

After the Sesoun of the yer.’

And thanne he sette him nerr the fer,

And as he mihte hise clothes dreide,

That he nomore o word ne seide;

Wherof he gat him somdel reste,

For that him thoghte was the beste.

Confessor.

I not if thilke ensample yit

Acordeth with a mannes wit,700

P. i. 303

To soffre as Socrates tho dede:

And if it falle in eny stede

A man to lese so his galle,

Him oghte among the wommen alle887

In loves Court be juggement

The name bere of Pacient,

To yive ensample to the goode

Of pacience how that it stode,

That othre men it mihte knowe.

And, Sone, if thou at eny throwe710

Be tempted ayein Pacience,

Tak hiede upon this evidence;

It schal per cas the lasse grieve.

Amans.

Mi fader, so as I believe,

Of that schal be no maner nede,

For I wol take so good hiede,

That er I falle in such assai,

I thenke eschuie it, if I mai.

Bot if ther be oght elles more

Wherof I mihte take lore,720

I preie you, so as I dar,

Now telleth, that I mai be war,

Som other tale in this matiere.

Confessor.

Sone, it is evere good to lere,

Wherof thou miht thi word restreigne,

Er that thou falle in eny peine.

For who that can no conseil hyde,

He mai noght faile of we beside,

Which schal befalle er he it wite,

As I finde in the bokes write.730

P. i. 304Yit cam ther nevere good of strif,To seche in all a mannes lif:888[Jupiter, Juno and Tiresias.]Thogh it beginne on pure game,889Fulofte it torneth into grameHic ponit Confessor exemplum, quod de alterius lite intromittere cauendum est. Et narrat qualiter Iupiter cum Iunone super quadam questione litigabat, videlicet vtrum vir an mulier in amoris concupiscencia feruencius ardebat; super quo Tiresiam eorum iudicem constituebant.891Et quia ille contra Iunonem in dicte litis causa sentenciam diffiniuit, irata dea ipsum amborum oculorum lumine claritatis absque remissione priuauit.And doth grevance upon som side.Wherof the grete Clerk OvideAfter the lawe which was thoOf Jupiter and of JunoMakth in his bokes menciounHow thei felle at dissencioun740In manere as it were a borde,890As thei begunne forto wordeAmong hemself in privete:And that was upon this degree,Which of the tuo more amorous is,Or man or wif. And upon thisThei mihten noght acorde in on,And toke a jugge therupon,Which cleped is Tiresias,And bede him demen in the cas;892750And he withoute avisementAyein Juno yaf juggement.This goddesse upon his ansuereWas wroth and wolde noght forbere,Bot tok awey for everemoThe liht fro bothe hise yhen tuo.893Whan Jupiter this harm hath sein,An other bienfait therayeinHe yaf, and such a grace him doth,That for he wiste he seide soth,760P. i. 305A Sothseiere he was for evere:Bot yit that other were levere,894Have had the lokinge of his yhe,Than of his word the prophecie;Bot how so that the sothe wente,895Strif was the cause of that he henteSo gret a peine bodily.Confessor.Mi Sone, be thou war ther by,[Chest.]And hold thi tunge stille clos:For who that hath his word desclos770Er that he wite what he mene,He is fulofte nyh his teneAnd lest ful many time grace,896Wher that he wolde his thonk pourchace.And over this, my Sone diere,Of othre men, if thou miht hiereIn privete what thei have wroght,Hold conseil and descoevere it noght,897For Cheste can no conseil hele,Or be it wo or be it wele:780And tak a tale into thi mynde,The which of olde ensample I finde.

P. i. 304

Yit cam ther nevere good of strif,

To seche in all a mannes lif:888

[Jupiter, Juno and Tiresias.]

Thogh it beginne on pure game,889

Fulofte it torneth into grame

Hic ponit Confessor exemplum, quod de alterius lite intromittere cauendum est. Et narrat qualiter Iupiter cum Iunone super quadam questione litigabat, videlicet vtrum vir an mulier in amoris concupiscencia feruencius ardebat; super quo Tiresiam eorum iudicem constituebant.891Et quia ille contra Iunonem in dicte litis causa sentenciam diffiniuit, irata dea ipsum amborum oculorum lumine claritatis absque remissione priuauit.

And doth grevance upon som side.

Wherof the grete Clerk Ovide

After the lawe which was tho

Of Jupiter and of Juno

Makth in his bokes mencioun

How thei felle at dissencioun740

In manere as it were a borde,890

As thei begunne forto worde

Among hemself in privete:

And that was upon this degree,

Which of the tuo more amorous is,

Or man or wif. And upon this

Thei mihten noght acorde in on,

And toke a jugge therupon,

Which cleped is Tiresias,

And bede him demen in the cas;892750

And he withoute avisement

Ayein Juno yaf juggement.

This goddesse upon his ansuere

Was wroth and wolde noght forbere,

Bot tok awey for everemo

The liht fro bothe hise yhen tuo.893

Whan Jupiter this harm hath sein,

An other bienfait therayein

He yaf, and such a grace him doth,

That for he wiste he seide soth,760

P. i. 305

A Sothseiere he was for evere:

Bot yit that other were levere,894

Have had the lokinge of his yhe,

Than of his word the prophecie;

Bot how so that the sothe wente,895

Strif was the cause of that he hente

So gret a peine bodily.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, be thou war ther by,

[Chest.]

And hold thi tunge stille clos:

For who that hath his word desclos770

Er that he wite what he mene,

He is fulofte nyh his tene

And lest ful many time grace,896

Wher that he wolde his thonk pourchace.

And over this, my Sone diere,

Of othre men, if thou miht hiere

In privete what thei have wroght,

Hold conseil and descoevere it noght,897

For Cheste can no conseil hele,

Or be it wo or be it wele:780

And tak a tale into thi mynde,

The which of olde ensample I finde.

[Phebus and Cornide.]Phebus, which makth the daies lihte,A love he hadde, which tho hihteQuia898litigantes ora sua cohibere nequiunt, hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos qui in amoris causa alterius consilium reuelare presumunt. Et narrat qualiter quedam auis tunc albissima nomine coruus consilium domine sue Cornide Phebo denudauit; vnde contigit non solum ipsam Cornidem interfici, set et coruum, qui antea tanquam nix albus fuit,900in piceum colorem pro perpetuo transmutari.Cornide, whom aboven alleHe pleseth: bot what schal befalleOf love ther is noman knoweth,Bot as fortune hire happes throweth.899So it befell upon a chaunce,A yong kniht tok hire aqueintance790P. i. 306And hadde of hire al that he wolde:Bot a fals bridd, which sche hath holdeAnd kept in chambre of pure yowthe,Discoevereth all that evere he cowthe.This briddes name was as thoCorvus, the which was thanne alsoWelmore whyt than eny Swan,And he that schrewe al that he can901Of his ladi to Phebus seide;And he for wraththe his swerd outbreide,800With which Cornide anon he slowh.Bot after him was wo ynowh,And tok a full gret repentance,Wherof in tokne and remembranceOf hem whiche usen wicke speche,Upon this bridd he tok this wreche,That ther he was snow whyt tofore,902Evere afterward colblak therfore903He was transformed, as it scheweth,And many a man yit him beschreweth,810And clepen him into this dayA Raven, be whom yit men maiTake evidence, whan he crieth,That som mishapp it signefieth.Be war therfore and sei the beste,If thou wolt be thiself in reste,Mi goode Sone, as I the rede.904[Jupiter and Laar.]For in an other place I rede905Hic loquitur super eodem: Et narrat qualiter Laar Nimpha de eo quod Iupiter Iuturnam adulterauit, Iunoni Iouis vxori secretum906mreuelauit. Quapropter Iupiter ira commotus lingua Laaris prius abscisa ipsam postea in profundum Acherontis exulem pro perpetuo mancipauit.Of thilke Nimphe which Laar hihte:For sche the privete be nyhte,820P. i. 307How Jupiter lay be Jutorne,Hath told, god made hire overtorne:906Hire tunge he kutte, and into helleFor evere he sende hir forto duelle,As sche that was noght worthi hiereTo ben of love a Chamberere,For sche no conseil cowthe hele.And suche adaies be now feleIn loves Court, as it is seid,That lete here tunges gon unteid.830Mi Sone, be thou non of tho,907To jangle and telle tales so,And namely that thou ne chyde,For Cheste can no conseil hide,For Wraththe seide nevere wel.Amans.Mi fader, soth is everydelThat ye me teche, and I wol holdeThe reule to which I am holde,To fle the Cheste, as ye me bidde,For wel is him that nevere chidde.840Now tell me forth if ther be moreAs touchende unto Wraththes lore.

[Phebus and Cornide.]

Phebus, which makth the daies lihte,

A love he hadde, which tho hihte

Quia898litigantes ora sua cohibere nequiunt, hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos qui in amoris causa alterius consilium reuelare presumunt. Et narrat qualiter quedam auis tunc albissima nomine coruus consilium domine sue Cornide Phebo denudauit; vnde contigit non solum ipsam Cornidem interfici, set et coruum, qui antea tanquam nix albus fuit,900in piceum colorem pro perpetuo transmutari.

Cornide, whom aboven alle

He pleseth: bot what schal befalle

Of love ther is noman knoweth,

Bot as fortune hire happes throweth.899

So it befell upon a chaunce,

A yong kniht tok hire aqueintance790

P. i. 306

And hadde of hire al that he wolde:

Bot a fals bridd, which sche hath holde

And kept in chambre of pure yowthe,

Discoevereth all that evere he cowthe.

This briddes name was as tho

Corvus, the which was thanne also

Welmore whyt than eny Swan,

And he that schrewe al that he can901

Of his ladi to Phebus seide;

And he for wraththe his swerd outbreide,800

With which Cornide anon he slowh.

Bot after him was wo ynowh,

And tok a full gret repentance,

Wherof in tokne and remembrance

Of hem whiche usen wicke speche,

Upon this bridd he tok this wreche,

That ther he was snow whyt tofore,902

Evere afterward colblak therfore903

He was transformed, as it scheweth,

And many a man yit him beschreweth,810

And clepen him into this day

A Raven, be whom yit men mai

Take evidence, whan he crieth,

That som mishapp it signefieth.

Be war therfore and sei the beste,

If thou wolt be thiself in reste,

Mi goode Sone, as I the rede.904

[Jupiter and Laar.]

For in an other place I rede905

Hic loquitur super eodem: Et narrat qualiter Laar Nimpha de eo quod Iupiter Iuturnam adulterauit, Iunoni Iouis vxori secretum906mreuelauit. Quapropter Iupiter ira commotus lingua Laaris prius abscisa ipsam postea in profundum Acherontis exulem pro perpetuo mancipauit.

Of thilke Nimphe which Laar hihte:

For sche the privete be nyhte,820

P. i. 307

How Jupiter lay be Jutorne,

Hath told, god made hire overtorne:906

Hire tunge he kutte, and into helle

For evere he sende hir forto duelle,

As sche that was noght worthi hiere

To ben of love a Chamberere,

For sche no conseil cowthe hele.

And suche adaies be now fele

In loves Court, as it is seid,

That lete here tunges gon unteid.830

Mi Sone, be thou non of tho,907

To jangle and telle tales so,

And namely that thou ne chyde,

For Cheste can no conseil hide,

For Wraththe seide nevere wel.

Amans.

Mi fader, soth is everydel

That ye me teche, and I wol holde

The reule to which I am holde,

To fle the Cheste, as ye me bidde,

For wel is him that nevere chidde.840

Now tell me forth if ther be more

As touchende unto Wraththes lore.

[iii.Hate.]iii.Demonis est odium quasi Scriba, cui dabit IraMateriam scripti cordis ad antra sui.Non laxabit amor odii quem frena restringunt,Nec secreta sui iuris adire sinit.

[iii.Hate.]

iii.Demonis est odium quasi Scriba, cui dabit Ira

Materiam scripti cordis ad antra sui.

Non laxabit amor odii quem frena restringunt,

Nec secreta sui iuris adire sinit.

Of Wraththe yit ther is an other,Which is to Cheste his oghne brother,Hic tractat Confessor de tercia specie Ire, que Odium dicitur, cuius natura omnes Ire inimicicias ad mentem reducens, illas vsque ad tempus vindicte velut908Scriba demonis in cordis papiro commemorandas inserit.And is be name cleped Hate,That soffreth noght withinne his gateP. i. 308That ther come owther love or pes,For he wol make no relesOf no debat which is befalle.Now spek, if thou art on of alle,850That with this vice hast ben withholde.As yit for oght that ye me tolde,Mi fader, I not what it is.In good feith, Sone, I trowe yis.Mi fader, nay, bot ye me lere.Now lest, my Sone, and thou schalt here.Hate is a wraththe noght schewende,Bot of long time gaderende,909And duelleth in the herte loken,Til he se time to be wroken;860And thanne he scheweth his tempesteMor sodein than the wilde beste,Which wot nothing what merci is.Mi Sone, art thou knowende of this?Confessio Amantis.My goode fader, as I wene,Now wot I somdel what ye mene;Bot I dar saufly make an oth,Mi ladi was me nevere loth.910I wol noght swere nathelesThat I of hate am gulteles;870For whanne I to my ladi plieFro dai to dai and merci crie,And sche no merci on me leithBot schorte wordes to me seith,Thogh I my ladi love algate,Tho wordes moste I nedes hate;P. i. 309And wolde thei were al despent,Or so ferr oute of londe wentThat I nevere after scholde hem hiere;And yit love I my ladi diere.880Thus is ther Hate, as ye mai se,Betwen my ladi word and me;The word I hate and hire I love,What so me schal betide of love.Bot forthere mor I wol me schryve,That I have hated al my lyveThese janglers, whiche of here EnvieBen evere redi forto lie;For with here fals compassementFuloften thei have mad me schent890And hindred me fulofte time,Whan thei no cause wisten bime,Bot onliche of here oghne thoght:And thus fuloften have I boghtThe lie, and drank noght of the wyn.I wolde here happ were such as myn:For how so that I be now schrive,To hem ne mai I noght foryive,Til that I se hem at debatWith love, and thanne myn astat911900Thei mihten be here oghne deme,912And loke how wel it scholde hem qwemeTo hindre a man that loveth sore.And thus I hate hem everemore,Til love on hem wol don his wreche:913For that schal I alway besecheP. i. 310Unto the mihti Cupido,That he so mochel wolde do,So as he is of love a godd,To smyte hem with the same rodd910With which I am of love smite;So that thei mihten knowe and witeHow hindringe is a wofull peineTo him that love wolde atteigne.Thus evere on hem I wayte and hope,Til I mai sen hem lepe a lope,And halten on the same SorWhich I do now: for overmor914I wolde thanne do my myhtSo forto stonden in here lyht,920That thei ne scholden finde a weie915To that thei wolde, bot aweieI wolde hem putte out of the stedeFro love, riht as thei me dedeWith that thei speke of me be mowthe.So wolde I do, if that I cowthe,Of hem, and this, so god me save,Is al the hate that I have,Toward these janglers everydiel;I wolde alle othre ferde wel.930Thus have I, fader, said mi wille;Say ye now forth, for I am stille.Confessor.Mi Sone, of that thou hast me saidI holde me noght fulli paid:That thou wolt haten eny man,To that acorden I ne can,P. i. 311Thogh he have hindred thee tofore.Bot this I telle thee therfore,Thou miht upon my beneicounWel haten the condicioun940Of tho janglers, as thou me toldest,916Bot furthermor, of that thou woldestHem hindre in eny other wise,Such Hate is evere to despise.Forthi, mi Sone, I wol thee rede,That thou drawe in be frendlihedeThat thou ne miht noght do be hate;So miht thou gete love algateAnd sette thee, my Sone, in reste,For thou schalt finde it for the beste.950And over this, so as I dar,I rede that thou be riht warOf othre mennes hate aboute,Which every wysman scholde doute:For Hate is evere upon await,And as the fisshere on his baitSleth, whan he seth the fisshes faste,So, whan he seth time ate laste,That he mai worche an other wo,Schal noman tornen him therfro,960That Hate nyle his felonieFulfille and feigne compaignieYit natheles, for fals SemblantIs toward him of covenantWithholde, so that under botheThe prive wraththe can him clothe,P. i. 312That he schal seme of gret believe.Bot war thee wel that thou ne lieveAl that thou sest tofore thin yhe,So as the Gregois whilom syhe:917970The bok of Troie who so rede,Ther mai he finde ensample in dede.

Of Wraththe yit ther is an other,

Which is to Cheste his oghne brother,

Hic tractat Confessor de tercia specie Ire, que Odium dicitur, cuius natura omnes Ire inimicicias ad mentem reducens, illas vsque ad tempus vindicte velut908Scriba demonis in cordis papiro commemorandas inserit.

And is be name cleped Hate,

That soffreth noght withinne his gate

P. i. 308

That ther come owther love or pes,

For he wol make no reles

Of no debat which is befalle.

Now spek, if thou art on of alle,850

That with this vice hast ben withholde.

As yit for oght that ye me tolde,

Mi fader, I not what it is.

In good feith, Sone, I trowe yis.

Mi fader, nay, bot ye me lere.

Now lest, my Sone, and thou schalt here.

Hate is a wraththe noght schewende,

Bot of long time gaderende,909

And duelleth in the herte loken,

Til he se time to be wroken;860

And thanne he scheweth his tempeste

Mor sodein than the wilde beste,

Which wot nothing what merci is.

Mi Sone, art thou knowende of this?

Confessio Amantis.

My goode fader, as I wene,

Now wot I somdel what ye mene;

Bot I dar saufly make an oth,

Mi ladi was me nevere loth.910

I wol noght swere natheles

That I of hate am gulteles;870

For whanne I to my ladi plie

Fro dai to dai and merci crie,

And sche no merci on me leith

Bot schorte wordes to me seith,

Thogh I my ladi love algate,

Tho wordes moste I nedes hate;

P. i. 309

And wolde thei were al despent,

Or so ferr oute of londe went

That I nevere after scholde hem hiere;

And yit love I my ladi diere.880

Thus is ther Hate, as ye mai se,

Betwen my ladi word and me;

The word I hate and hire I love,

What so me schal betide of love.

Bot forthere mor I wol me schryve,

That I have hated al my lyve

These janglers, whiche of here Envie

Ben evere redi forto lie;

For with here fals compassement

Fuloften thei have mad me schent890

And hindred me fulofte time,

Whan thei no cause wisten bime,

Bot onliche of here oghne thoght:

And thus fuloften have I boght

The lie, and drank noght of the wyn.

I wolde here happ were such as myn:

For how so that I be now schrive,

To hem ne mai I noght foryive,

Til that I se hem at debat

With love, and thanne myn astat911900

Thei mihten be here oghne deme,912

And loke how wel it scholde hem qweme

To hindre a man that loveth sore.

And thus I hate hem everemore,

Til love on hem wol don his wreche:913

For that schal I alway beseche

P. i. 310

Unto the mihti Cupido,

That he so mochel wolde do,

So as he is of love a godd,

To smyte hem with the same rodd910

With which I am of love smite;

So that thei mihten knowe and wite

How hindringe is a wofull peine

To him that love wolde atteigne.

Thus evere on hem I wayte and hope,

Til I mai sen hem lepe a lope,

And halten on the same Sor

Which I do now: for overmor914

I wolde thanne do my myht

So forto stonden in here lyht,920

That thei ne scholden finde a weie915

To that thei wolde, bot aweie

I wolde hem putte out of the stede

Fro love, riht as thei me dede

With that thei speke of me be mowthe.

So wolde I do, if that I cowthe,

Of hem, and this, so god me save,

Is al the hate that I have,

Toward these janglers everydiel;

I wolde alle othre ferde wel.930

Thus have I, fader, said mi wille;

Say ye now forth, for I am stille.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, of that thou hast me said

I holde me noght fulli paid:

That thou wolt haten eny man,

To that acorden I ne can,

P. i. 311

Thogh he have hindred thee tofore.

Bot this I telle thee therfore,

Thou miht upon my beneicoun

Wel haten the condicioun940

Of tho janglers, as thou me toldest,916

Bot furthermor, of that thou woldest

Hem hindre in eny other wise,

Such Hate is evere to despise.

Forthi, mi Sone, I wol thee rede,

That thou drawe in be frendlihede

That thou ne miht noght do be hate;

So miht thou gete love algate

And sette thee, my Sone, in reste,

For thou schalt finde it for the beste.950

And over this, so as I dar,

I rede that thou be riht war

Of othre mennes hate aboute,

Which every wysman scholde doute:

For Hate is evere upon await,

And as the fisshere on his bait

Sleth, whan he seth the fisshes faste,

So, whan he seth time ate laste,

That he mai worche an other wo,

Schal noman tornen him therfro,960

That Hate nyle his felonie

Fulfille and feigne compaignie

Yit natheles, for fals Semblant

Is toward him of covenant

Withholde, so that under bothe

The prive wraththe can him clothe,

P. i. 312

That he schal seme of gret believe.

Bot war thee wel that thou ne lieve

Al that thou sest tofore thin yhe,

So as the Gregois whilom syhe:917970

The bok of Troie who so rede,

Ther mai he finde ensample in dede.

[King Namplus and the Greeks.]Sone after the destruccioun,918Whan Troie was al bete dounHic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos qui, cum Ire sue odium aperte vindicare non possint, ficta dissimilacione vindictam subdole assequuntur.919Et narrat quod cum Palamades princeps Grecorum in obsidione Troie a quibusdam suis emulis proditorie920interfectus fuisset, paterque921suus Rex Namplus in patria sua tunc existens huiusmodi euentus certitudinem sciuisset, Grecos in sui cordis odium super omnia recollegit. Vnde contigit quod, cum Greci deuicta Troia per altum mare versus Greciam nauigio remeantes obscurissimo noctis tempore nimia ventorum tempestate iactabantur, Rex Namplus in terra sua contra litus maris, vbi maiora saxorum eminebant pericula, super cacumina montium grandissimos noctanter fecit ignes: quos Greci aspicientes saluum portum ibidem inuenire certissime putabant, et terram approximantes diruptis nauibus magna pars Grecorum periclitabatur. Et sic, quod922Namplus viribus nequiit, odio latitante923per dissimilacionis fraudem vindicauit.And slain was Priamus the king,The Gregois, whiche of al this thingBen cause, tornen hom ayein.Ther mai noman his happ withsein;It hath be sen and felt fulofte,The harde time after the softe:980Be See as thei forth homward wente,A rage of gret tempeste hem hente;Juno let bende hire parti bowe,The Sky wax derk, the wynd gan blowe,The firy welkne gan to thondre,As thogh the world scholde al to sondre;Fro hevene out of the watergatesThe reyni Storm fell doun algatesAnd al here takel made unwelde,That noman mihte himself bewelde.990Ther mai men hiere Schipmen crie,That stode in aunter forto die:He that behinde sat to stiereMai noght the forestempne hiere;The Schip aros ayein the wawes,The lodesman hath lost his lawes,P. i. 313The See bet in on every side:Thei nysten what fortune abide,Bot sette hem al in goddes wille,Wher he hem wolde save or spille.9241000And it fell thilke time thus:Ther was a king, the which NamplusWas hote, and he a Sone hadde,At Troie which the Gregois ladde,As he that was mad Prince of alle,Til that fortune let him falle:His name was Palamades.Bot thurgh an hate nathelesOf some of hem his deth was castAnd he be tresoun overcast.1010His fader, whan he herde it telle,He swor, if evere his time felle,He wolde him venge, if that he mihte,And therto his avou behihte:925And thus this king thurgh prive hateAbod upon await algate,For he was noght of such empriseTo vengen him in open wise.The fame, which goth wyde where,Makth knowe how that the Gregois were1020Homward with al the felaschipeFro Troie upon the See be Schipe.Namplus, whan he this understod,And knew the tydes of the flod,And sih the wynd blew to the lond,A gret deceipte anon he fondP. i. 314Of prive hate, as thou schalt hiere,Wherof I telle al this matiere.926This king the weder gan beholde,927And wiste wel thei moten holde1030Here cours endlong his marche riht,928And made upon the derke nyhtOf grete Schydes and of blockesGret fyr ayein the grete rockes,To schewe upon the helles hihe,So that the Flete of Grece it sihe.And so it fell riht as he thoghte:This Flete, which an havene soghte,The bryghte fyres sih a ferr,And thei hem drowen nerr and nerr,1040And wende wel and understodeHow al that fyr was mad for goode,To schewe wher men scholde aryve,And thiderward thei hasten blyve.929In Semblant, as men sein, is guile,And that was proved thilke while;The Schip, which wende his helpe acroche,930Drof al to pieces on the roche,And so ther deden ten or twelve;Ther mihte noman helpe himselve,1050For ther thei wenden deth ascape,Withouten help here deth was schape.Thus thei that comen ferst toforeUpon the Rockes be forlore,Bot thurgh the noise and thurgh the criThese othre were al war therby;P. i. 315And whan the dai began to rowe,Tho mihten thei the sothe knowe,That wher they wenden frendes finde,Thei founden frenschipe al behinde.9311060The lond was thanne sone weyved,Wher that thei hadden be deceived,And toke hem to the hihe See;Therto thei seiden alle yee,Fro that dai forth and war thei were932Of that thei hadde assaied there.Confessor.Mi Sone, hierof thou miht aviseHow fraude stant in many wiseAmonges hem that guile thenke;Ther is no Scrivein with his enke1070Which half the fraude wryte canThat stant in such a maner man:Forthi the wise men ne demenThe thinges after that thei semen,Bot after that thei knowe and finde.The Mirour scheweth in his kindeAs he hadde al the world withinne,And is in soth nothing therinne;And so farth Hate for a throwe:Til he a man hath overthrowe,1080Schal noman knowe be his chereWhich is avant, ne which arere.Forthi, mi Sone, thenke on this.Amans.Mi fader, so I wole ywiss;And if ther more of Wraththe be,Now axeth forth per charite,P. i. 316As ye be youre bokes knowe,And I the sothe schal beknowe.

[King Namplus and the Greeks.]

Sone after the destruccioun,918

Whan Troie was al bete doun

Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos qui, cum Ire sue odium aperte vindicare non possint, ficta dissimilacione vindictam subdole assequuntur.919Et narrat quod cum Palamades princeps Grecorum in obsidione Troie a quibusdam suis emulis proditorie920interfectus fuisset, paterque921suus Rex Namplus in patria sua tunc existens huiusmodi euentus certitudinem sciuisset, Grecos in sui cordis odium super omnia recollegit. Vnde contigit quod, cum Greci deuicta Troia per altum mare versus Greciam nauigio remeantes obscurissimo noctis tempore nimia ventorum tempestate iactabantur, Rex Namplus in terra sua contra litus maris, vbi maiora saxorum eminebant pericula, super cacumina montium grandissimos noctanter fecit ignes: quos Greci aspicientes saluum portum ibidem inuenire certissime putabant, et terram approximantes diruptis nauibus magna pars Grecorum periclitabatur. Et sic, quod922Namplus viribus nequiit, odio latitante923per dissimilacionis fraudem vindicauit.

And slain was Priamus the king,

The Gregois, whiche of al this thing

Ben cause, tornen hom ayein.

Ther mai noman his happ withsein;

It hath be sen and felt fulofte,

The harde time after the softe:980

Be See as thei forth homward wente,

A rage of gret tempeste hem hente;

Juno let bende hire parti bowe,

The Sky wax derk, the wynd gan blowe,

The firy welkne gan to thondre,

As thogh the world scholde al to sondre;

Fro hevene out of the watergates

The reyni Storm fell doun algates

And al here takel made unwelde,

That noman mihte himself bewelde.990

Ther mai men hiere Schipmen crie,

That stode in aunter forto die:

He that behinde sat to stiere

Mai noght the forestempne hiere;

The Schip aros ayein the wawes,

The lodesman hath lost his lawes,

P. i. 313

The See bet in on every side:

Thei nysten what fortune abide,

Bot sette hem al in goddes wille,

Wher he hem wolde save or spille.9241000

And it fell thilke time thus:

Ther was a king, the which Namplus

Was hote, and he a Sone hadde,

At Troie which the Gregois ladde,

As he that was mad Prince of alle,

Til that fortune let him falle:

His name was Palamades.

Bot thurgh an hate natheles

Of some of hem his deth was cast

And he be tresoun overcast.1010

His fader, whan he herde it telle,

He swor, if evere his time felle,

He wolde him venge, if that he mihte,

And therto his avou behihte:925

And thus this king thurgh prive hate

Abod upon await algate,

For he was noght of such emprise

To vengen him in open wise.

The fame, which goth wyde where,

Makth knowe how that the Gregois were1020

Homward with al the felaschipe

Fro Troie upon the See be Schipe.

Namplus, whan he this understod,

And knew the tydes of the flod,

And sih the wynd blew to the lond,

A gret deceipte anon he fond

P. i. 314

Of prive hate, as thou schalt hiere,

Wherof I telle al this matiere.926

This king the weder gan beholde,927

And wiste wel thei moten holde1030

Here cours endlong his marche riht,928

And made upon the derke nyht

Of grete Schydes and of blockes

Gret fyr ayein the grete rockes,

To schewe upon the helles hihe,

So that the Flete of Grece it sihe.

And so it fell riht as he thoghte:

This Flete, which an havene soghte,

The bryghte fyres sih a ferr,

And thei hem drowen nerr and nerr,1040

And wende wel and understode

How al that fyr was mad for goode,

To schewe wher men scholde aryve,

And thiderward thei hasten blyve.929

In Semblant, as men sein, is guile,

And that was proved thilke while;

The Schip, which wende his helpe acroche,930

Drof al to pieces on the roche,

And so ther deden ten or twelve;

Ther mihte noman helpe himselve,1050

For ther thei wenden deth ascape,

Withouten help here deth was schape.

Thus thei that comen ferst tofore

Upon the Rockes be forlore,

Bot thurgh the noise and thurgh the cri

These othre were al war therby;

P. i. 315

And whan the dai began to rowe,

Tho mihten thei the sothe knowe,

That wher they wenden frendes finde,

Thei founden frenschipe al behinde.9311060

The lond was thanne sone weyved,

Wher that thei hadden be deceived,

And toke hem to the hihe See;

Therto thei seiden alle yee,

Fro that dai forth and war thei were932

Of that thei hadde assaied there.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, hierof thou miht avise

How fraude stant in many wise

Amonges hem that guile thenke;

Ther is no Scrivein with his enke1070

Which half the fraude wryte can

That stant in such a maner man:

Forthi the wise men ne demen

The thinges after that thei semen,

Bot after that thei knowe and finde.

The Mirour scheweth in his kinde

As he hadde al the world withinne,

And is in soth nothing therinne;

And so farth Hate for a throwe:

Til he a man hath overthrowe,1080

Schal noman knowe be his chere

Which is avant, ne which arere.

Forthi, mi Sone, thenke on this.

Amans.

Mi fader, so I wole ywiss;

And if ther more of Wraththe be,

Now axeth forth per charite,

P. i. 316

As ye be youre bokes knowe,

And I the sothe schal beknowe.

[iv. v.Contek and Homicide.]iv.Qui cohibere manum nequit, et sit spiritus eius933Naribus, hic populo sepe timendus erit.Sepius in luctum Venus et sua gaudia transfert,Cumque suis thalamis talis amicus adest.Est amor amplexu non ictibus alliciendus,Frangit amicicias impetuosa manus.

[iv. v.Contek and Homicide.]

iv.Qui cohibere manum nequit, et sit spiritus eius933

Naribus, hic populo sepe timendus erit.

Sepius in luctum Venus et sua gaudia transfert,

Cumque suis thalamis talis amicus adest.

Est amor amplexu non ictibus alliciendus,

Frangit amicicias impetuosa manus.

Mi Sone, thou schalt understondeThat yit towardes Wraththe stonde1090Of dedly vices othre tuo:And forto telle here names so,It is Contek and Homicide,Hic tractat Confessor super quarta et quinta specie Ire, que impetuositas et homicidium dicuntur. Set primo de impetuositate specialius tractare intendit, cuius natura spiritum in naribus gestando ad omnes Ire mociones in vindictam parata pacienciam nullatenus obseruat.That ben to drede on every side.934Contek, so as the bokes sein,Folhast hath to his Chamberlein,Be whos conseil al unavisedIs Pacience most despised,Til Homicide with hem meete.Fro merci thei ben al unmeete,1100And thus ben thei the worste of alleOf hem whiche unto wraththe falle,In dede bothe and ek in thoght:For thei acompte here wraththe at noght,Bot if ther be schedinge of blod;And thus lich to a beste wodThei knowe noght the god of lif.Be so thei have or swerd or knif935Here dedly wraththe forto wreke,Of Pite list hem noght to speke;1110Non other reson thei ne fonge,Bot that thei ben of mihtes stronge.936P. i. 317Bot war hem wel in other place,937Where every man behoveth grace,Bot ther I trowe it schal hem faile,To whom no merci mihte availe,Bot wroghten upon tiraundie,That no pite ne mihte hem plie.938Opponit Confessor.Now tell, my Sone.Fader, what?939If thou hast be coupable of that.1120Confessio Amantis.Mi fader, nay, Crist me forbiede:I speke onliche as of the dede,940Of which I nevere was coupable941Withoute cause resonable.Bot this is noght to mi matiereOf schrifte, why we sitten hiere;[Contek within the Heart.]For we ben sett to schryve of love,As we begunne ferst above:And natheles I am beknoweThat as touchende of loves throwe,1130Whan I my wittes overwende,Min hertes contek hath non ende,Bot evere it stant upon debatTo gret desese of myn astatAs for the time that it lasteth.For whan mi fortune overcastethHire whiel and is to me so strange,And that I se sche wol noght change,Than caste I al the world aboute,And thenke hou I at home and oute1140Have al my time in vein despended,And se noght how to ben amended,P. i. 318Bot rathere forto be empeired,As he that is welnyh despeired:For I ne mai no thonk deserve,942And evere I love and evere I serve,And evere I am aliche nerr.Thus, for I stonde in such a wer,I am, as who seith, out of herre;And thus upon miself the werre1150I bringe, and putte out alle pes,That I fulofte in such a resAm wery of myn oghne lif.So that of Contek and of strifI am beknowe and have ansuerd,As ye, my fader, now have herd.Min herte is wonderly begonWith conseil, wherof witt is on,Which hath resoun in compaignie;Ayein the whiche stant partie1160Will, which hath hope of his acord,And thus thei bringen up descord.Witt and resoun conseilen ofteThat I myn herte scholde softe,943And that I scholde will remueAnd put him out of retenue,944Or elles holde him under fote:For as thei sein, if that he moteHis oghne rewle have upon honde,Ther schal no witt ben understonde.1170Of hope also thei tellen this,945That overal, wher that he is,P. i. 319He set the herte in jeupartie946With wihssinge and with fantasie,947And is noght trewe of that he seith,So that in him ther is no feith:Thus with reson and wit avisedIs will and hope aldai despised.Reson seith that I scholde leve948To love, wher ther is no leve1180To spede, and will seith therayeinThat such an herte is to vilein,Which dar noght love, and til he spede,Let hope serve at such a nede:He seith ek, where an herte sitAl hol governed upon wit,He hath this lyves lust forlore.949And thus myn herte is al totoreOf such a Contek as thei make:Bot yit I mai noght will forsake,9501190That he nys Maister of my thoght,Or that I spede, or spede noght.Confessor.Thou dost, my Sone, ayein the riht;Bot love is of so gret a miht,His lawe mai noman refuse,So miht thou thee the betre excuse.And natheles thou schalt be lernedThat will scholde evere be governed951Of reson more than of kinde,Wherof a tale write I finde.1200

Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde

That yit towardes Wraththe stonde1090

Of dedly vices othre tuo:

And forto telle here names so,

It is Contek and Homicide,

Hic tractat Confessor super quarta et quinta specie Ire, que impetuositas et homicidium dicuntur. Set primo de impetuositate specialius tractare intendit, cuius natura spiritum in naribus gestando ad omnes Ire mociones in vindictam parata pacienciam nullatenus obseruat.

That ben to drede on every side.934

Contek, so as the bokes sein,

Folhast hath to his Chamberlein,

Be whos conseil al unavised

Is Pacience most despised,

Til Homicide with hem meete.

Fro merci thei ben al unmeete,1100

And thus ben thei the worste of alle

Of hem whiche unto wraththe falle,

In dede bothe and ek in thoght:

For thei acompte here wraththe at noght,

Bot if ther be schedinge of blod;

And thus lich to a beste wod

Thei knowe noght the god of lif.

Be so thei have or swerd or knif935

Here dedly wraththe forto wreke,

Of Pite list hem noght to speke;1110

Non other reson thei ne fonge,

Bot that thei ben of mihtes stronge.936

P. i. 317

Bot war hem wel in other place,937

Where every man behoveth grace,

Bot ther I trowe it schal hem faile,

To whom no merci mihte availe,

Bot wroghten upon tiraundie,

That no pite ne mihte hem plie.938

Opponit Confessor.

Now tell, my Sone.

Fader, what?939

If thou hast be coupable of that.1120

Confessio Amantis.

Mi fader, nay, Crist me forbiede:

I speke onliche as of the dede,940

Of which I nevere was coupable941

Withoute cause resonable.

Bot this is noght to mi matiere

Of schrifte, why we sitten hiere;

[Contek within the Heart.]

For we ben sett to schryve of love,

As we begunne ferst above:

And natheles I am beknowe

That as touchende of loves throwe,1130

Whan I my wittes overwende,

Min hertes contek hath non ende,

Bot evere it stant upon debat

To gret desese of myn astat

As for the time that it lasteth.

For whan mi fortune overcasteth

Hire whiel and is to me so strange,

And that I se sche wol noght change,

Than caste I al the world aboute,

And thenke hou I at home and oute1140

Have al my time in vein despended,

And se noght how to ben amended,

P. i. 318

Bot rathere forto be empeired,

As he that is welnyh despeired:

For I ne mai no thonk deserve,942

And evere I love and evere I serve,

And evere I am aliche nerr.

Thus, for I stonde in such a wer,

I am, as who seith, out of herre;

And thus upon miself the werre1150

I bringe, and putte out alle pes,

That I fulofte in such a res

Am wery of myn oghne lif.

So that of Contek and of strif

I am beknowe and have ansuerd,

As ye, my fader, now have herd.

Min herte is wonderly begon

With conseil, wherof witt is on,

Which hath resoun in compaignie;

Ayein the whiche stant partie1160

Will, which hath hope of his acord,

And thus thei bringen up descord.

Witt and resoun conseilen ofte

That I myn herte scholde softe,943

And that I scholde will remue

And put him out of retenue,944

Or elles holde him under fote:

For as thei sein, if that he mote

His oghne rewle have upon honde,

Ther schal no witt ben understonde.1170

Of hope also thei tellen this,945

That overal, wher that he is,

P. i. 319

He set the herte in jeupartie946

With wihssinge and with fantasie,947

And is noght trewe of that he seith,

So that in him ther is no feith:

Thus with reson and wit avised

Is will and hope aldai despised.

Reson seith that I scholde leve948

To love, wher ther is no leve1180

To spede, and will seith therayein

That such an herte is to vilein,

Which dar noght love, and til he spede,

Let hope serve at such a nede:

He seith ek, where an herte sit

Al hol governed upon wit,

He hath this lyves lust forlore.949

And thus myn herte is al totore

Of such a Contek as thei make:

Bot yit I mai noght will forsake,9501190

That he nys Maister of my thoght,

Or that I spede, or spede noght.

Confessor.

Thou dost, my Sone, ayein the riht;

Bot love is of so gret a miht,

His lawe mai noman refuse,

So miht thou thee the betre excuse.

And natheles thou schalt be lerned

That will scholde evere be governed951

Of reson more than of kinde,

Wherof a tale write I finde.1200

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