[Alexander and the Pirate.]Of him whom al this Erthe dradde,Whan he the world so overladdeThurgh werre, as it fortuned is,Hic declarat per exemplum contra istos Principes seu alios quoscumque illicite guerre motores. Et narrat de quodam pirata in partibus marinis spoliatore notissimo, qui cum captus fuisset, et in iudicium coram Rege Alexandro productus et de latrocinio accusatus, dixit, ‘O Alexander, vere quia cum paucis sociis spoliorum causa naues tantum exploro, ego latrunculus vocor; tu autem, quia cum1055infinita bellatorum multitudine vniuersam terram subiugando spoliasti, Imperator diceris. Ita quod status tuus a statu meo differt, set eodem animo condicionem parilem habemus.’ Alexander vero eius audaciam in responsione comprobans, ipsum penes se familiarem retinuit; et sic bellicosus bellatori complacuit.King Alisandre, I rede this;How in a Marche, where he lay,It fell per chance upon a dayP. i. 359A Rovere of the See was nome,Which many a man hadde overcome2370And slain and take here good aweie:This Pilour, as the bokes seie,A famous man in sondri stedeWas of the werkes whiche he dede.This Prisoner tofor the kingWas broght, and there upon this thingIn audience he was accused:And he his dede hath noght excused,Bot preith the king to don him riht,And seith, ‘Sire, if I were of miht,2380I have an herte lich to thin;For if the pouer were myn,1056Mi will is most in specialTo rifle and geten overalThe large worldes good aboute.Bot for I lede a povere routeAnd am, as who seith, at meschief,The name of Pilour and of thiefI bere; and thou, which routes greteMiht lede and take thi beyete,2390And dost riht as I wolde do,Thi name is nothing cleped so,Bot thou art named Emperour.Oure dedes ben of o colourAnd in effect of o decerte,Bot thi richesse and my poverteTho ben noght taken evene liche.And natheles he that is richeP. i. 360This dai, tomorwe he mai be povere;And in contraire also recovere2400A povere man to gret richesseMen sen: forthi let rihtwisnesse1057Be peised evene in the balance.The king his hardi contienanceBehield, and herde hise wordes wise,And seide unto him in this wise:1058‘Thin ansuere I have understonde,Wherof my will is, that thou stondeIn mi service and stille abide.’And forth withal the same tide2410He hath him terme of lif withholde,The mor and for he schal ben holde,1059He made him kniht and yaf him lond,Which afterward was of his hondAn orped kniht in many a stede,And gret prouesce of armes dede,As the Croniqes it recorden.And in this wise thei acorden,The whiche of o condiciounBe set upon destruccioun:2420Such Capitein such retenue.Bot forto se to what issueThe thing befalleth ate laste,It is gret wonder that men casteHere herte upon such wrong to winne,Wher no beyete mai ben inne,And doth desese on every side:Bot whan reson is put asideP. i. 361And will governeth the corage,The faucon which that fleth ramage2430And soeffreth nothing in the weie,Wherof that he mai take his preie,Is noght mor set upon ravine,Than thilke man which his covine1060Hath set in such a maner wise:For al the world ne mai suffise1061To will which is noght resonable.1062[Wars and Death of Alexander.]Wherof ensample concordableLich to this point of which I meene,Was upon Alisandre sene,2440Hic secundum gesta Regis Alexandri de guerris illicitis ponit Confessor exemplum, dicens quod quamuis Alexander sua potencia tocius mundi victor sibi subiugarat1063imperium, ipse tandem mortis victoria subiugatus cunctipotentis sentenciam euadere non potuit.Which hadde set al his entente,So as fortune with him wente,That reson mihte him non governe,1064Bot of his will he was so sterne,That al the world he overranAnd what him list he tok and wan.In Ynde the superiourWhan that he was ful conquerour,And hadde his wilful pourpos wonne1065Of al this Erthe under the Sonne,2450This king homward to Macedoine,Whan that he cam to Babiloine,And wende most in his Empire,As he which was hol lord and Sire,In honour forto be received,Most sodeinliche he was deceived,And with strong puison envenimed.And as he hath the world mistimedP. i. 362Noght as he scholde with his wit,Noght as he wolde it was aquit.10662460Thus was he slain that whilom slowh,And he which riche was ynowhThis dai, tomorwe he hadde noght:And in such wise as he hath wroghtIn destorbance of worldes pes,His werre he fond thanne endeles,In which for evere desconfitHe was. Lo now, for what profitOf werre it helpeth forto ryde,For coveitise and worldes pride2470To sle the worldes men aboute,As bestes whiche gon theroute.For every lif which reson canOghth wel to knowe that a man1067Ne scholde thurgh no tirannieLich to these othre bestes die,1068Til kinde wolde for him sende.I not hou he it mihte amende,1069Which takth awei for everemoreThe lif that he mai noght restore.2480Confessor.Forthi, mi Sone, in alle weieBe wel avised, I thee preie,Of slawhte er that thou be coupableWithoute cause resonable.Amans.Mi fader, understonde it is,That ye have seid; bot over this[Are Crusades lawful?]I prei you tell me nay or yee,To passe over the grete SeeP. i. 363To werre and sle the Sarazin,Is that the lawe?Sone myn,2490Confessor.To preche and soffre for the feith,1070That have I herd the gospell seith;1071Bot forto slee, that hiere I noght.Crist with his oghne deth hath boghtAlle othre men, and made hem fre,In tokne of parfit charite;And after that he tawhte himselve,Whan he was ded, these othre tuelveOf hise Apostles wente abouteThe holi feith to prechen oute,2500Wherof the deth in sondri placeThei soffre, and so god of his graceThe feith of Crist hath mad aryse:Bot if thei wolde in other wiseNota.1072Be werre have broght in the creance,It hadde yit stonde in balance.And that mai proven in the dede;For what man the Croniqes rede,Fro ferst that holi cherche hath weyvedTo preche, and hath the swerd received,2510Wherof the werres ben begonne,A gret partie of that was wonneTo Cristes feith stant now miswent:Godd do therof amendement,So as he wot what is the beste.[Guilt of Homicide.]Bot, Sone, if thou wolt live in resteOf conscience wel assised,Er that thou sle, be wel avised:P. i. 364For man, as tellen ous the clerkes,Hath god above alle ertheli werkes2520Ordeined to be principal,And ek of Soule in specialHe is mad lich to the godhiede.So sit it wel to taken hiedeAnd forto loke on every side,Er that thou falle in homicide,Which Senne is now so general,That it welnyh stant overal,In holi cherche and elles where.1073Bot al the while it stant so there,2530The world mot nede fare amis:For whan the welle of pite isThurgh coveitise of worldes goodDefouled with schedinge of blod,The remenant of folk abouteUnethe stonden eny douteTo werre ech other and to slee.So is it all noght worth a Stree,The charite wherof we prechen,For we do nothing as we techen:2540And thus the blinde conscienceOf pes hath lost thilke evidenceWhich Crist upon this Erthe tawhte.Now mai men se moerdre and manslawhte1074Lich as it was be daies olde,Whan men the Sennes boghte and solde.Facilitas venie occasionem prebet delinquendi.In Grece afore Cristes feith,I rede, as the Cronique seith,P. i. 365Touchende of this matiere thus,In thilke time hou Peleüs2550His oghne brother Phocus slowh;Bot for he hadde gold ynowhTo yive, his Senne was despensedWith gold, wherof it was compensed:Achastus, which with Venus wasHire Priest, assoilede in that cas,1075Al were ther no repentance.And as the bok makth remembrance,It telleth of Medee also;Of that sche slowh her Sones tuo,2560Egeüs in the same plitHath mad hire of hire Senne quit.The Sone ek of Amphioras,Whos rihte name Almeüs was,His Moder slowh, Eriphile;Bot Achilo the Priest and he,So as the bokes it recorden,For certein Somme of gold acorden1076That thilke horrible sinfull dedeAssoiled was. And thus for mede2570Of worldes good it falleth ofteThat homicide is set alofteHiere in this lif; bot after this1077Ther schal be knowe how that it isOf hem that suche thinges werche,And hou also that holi chercheLet suche Sennes passe quyte,And how thei wole hemself aquite1078P. i. 366Of dedly werres that thei make.For who that wolde ensample take,2580The lawe which is naturelBe weie of kinde scheweth welThat homicide in no degree,Which werreth ayein charite,Among the men ne scholde duelle.For after that the bokes telle,To seche in al this worldesriche,1079Men schal noght finde upon his licheA beste forto take his preie:And sithen kinde hath such a weie,2590Thanne is it wonder of a man,1080Which kynde hath and resoun can,That he wol owther more or lasseHis kinde and resoun overpasse,And sle that is to him semblable.So is the man noght resonableNe kinde, and that is noght honeste,Whan he is worse than a beste.[A Strange Bird.]Nota secundum Solinum contra homicidas de natura cuiusdam Auis faciem ad similitudinem humanam habentis, que cum de preda sua hominem juxta fluuium occiderit videritque in aqua similem sibi occisum, statim pre dolore moritur.Among the bokes whiche I findeSolyns spekth of a wonder kinde,2600And seith of fowhles ther is on,Which hath a face of blod and bonLich to a man in resemblance.And if it falle him so per chance,As he which is a fowhl of preie,That he a man finde in his weie,He wol him slen, if that he mai:Bot afterward the same dai,P. i. 367Whan he hath eten al his felle,And that schal be beside a welle,2610In which whan he wol drinke take,Of his visage and seth the makeThat he hath slain, anon he thenkethOf his misdede, and it forthenkethSo gretly, that for pure sorweHe liveth noght til on the morwe.Be this ensample it mai well suieThat man schal homicide eschuie,For evere is merci good to take,Bot if the lawe it hath forsake2620And that justice is therayein.For ofte time I have herd seinAmonges hem that werres hadden,That thei som while here cause ladden1081Be merci, whan thei mihte have slain,Wherof that thei were after fain:[Mercy.]And, Sone, if that thou wolt recordeThe vertu of Misericorde,Thou sihe nevere thilke place,Where it was used, lacke grace.2630For every lawe and every kindeThe mannes wit to merci binde;And namely the worthi knihtes,Whan that thei stonden most uprihtesAnd ben most mihti forto grieve,Thei scholden thanne most relieveHim whom thei mihten overthrowe,As be ensample a man mai knowe.1082[Tale of Telaphus and Teucer.]P. i. 368He mai noght failen of his medeThat hath merci: for this I rede,2640In a Cronique and finde thus.Hic ponit Confessor exemplum de pietate contra homicidium in guerris habenda. Et narrat qualiter Achilles vna cum Thelapho filio suo contra Regem Mesee, qui tunc Theucer vocabatur, bellum inierunt; et cum Achilles dictum Regem in bello prostratum occidere voluisset, Thelaphus pietate motus ipsum clipeo suo cooperiens veniam pro Rege a patre postulauit: pro quo facto ipse Rex adhuc viuens Thephalum Regni sui heredem libera voluntate constituit.Whan Achilles with Telaphus1083His Sone toward Troie were,It fell hem, er thei comen there,Ayein Theucer the king of MeseTo make werre and forto seseHis lond, as thei that wolden regneAnd Theucer pute out of his regne.And thus the Marches thei assaile,Bot Theucer yaf to hem bataille;10842650Thei foghte on bothe sides faste,Bot so it hapneth ate laste,This worthi Grek, this Achilles,The king among alle othre ches:As he that was cruel and fell,With swerd in honde on him he fell,And smot him with a dethes wounde,That he unhorsed fell to grounde.Achilles upon him alyhte,And wolde anon, as he wel mihte,2660Have slain him fullich in the place;Bot Thelaphus his fader graceFor him besoghte, and for pitePreith that he wolde lete him be,And caste his Schield betwen hem tuo.Achilles axeth him why so,And Thelaphus his cause tolde,And seith that he is mochel holde,P. i. 369For whilom Theucer in a stedeGret grace and socour to him dede,2670And seith that he him wolde aquite,1085And preith his fader to respite.Achilles tho withdrowh his hond;Bot al the pouer of the lond,Whan that thei sihe here king thus take,Thei fledde and han the feld forsake:The Grecs unto the chace falle,And for the moste part of alleOf that contre the lordes greteThei toke, and wonne a gret beyete.2680And anon after this victoireThe king, which hadde good memoire,Upon the grete merci thoghte,Which Telaphus toward him wroghte,1086And in presence of al the londHe tok him faire be the hond,And in this wise he gan to seie:‘Mi Sone, I mot be double weieLove and desire thin encress;Ferst for thi fader Achilles2690Whilom ful many dai er this,Whan that I scholde have fare amis,Rescousse dede in mi quereleAnd kepte al myn astat in hele:How so ther falle now distanceAmonges ous, yit remembrance1087I have of merci which he dedeAs thanne: and thou now in this stedeP. i. 370Of gentilesce and of franchiseHast do mercy the same wise.2700So wol I noght that eny timeBe lost of that thou hast do byme;For hou so this fortune falle,Yit stant mi trust aboven alle,For the mercy which I now finde,That thou wolt after this be kinde:And for that such is myn espeir,As for my Sone and for myn EirI thee receive, and al my londI yive and sese into thin hond.’2710And in this wise thei acorde,The cause was Misericorde:The lordes dede here obeissanceTo Thelaphus, and pourveanceWas mad so that he was coroned:And thus was merci reguerdoned,Which he to Theucer dede afore.Confessor.Lo, this ensample is mad therfore,That thou miht take remembrance,Mi Sone; and whan thou sest a chaunce,2720Of other mennes passiounTak pite and compassioun,And let nothing to thee be lief,1088Which to an other man is grief.And after this if thou desireTo stonde ayein the vice of Ire,Consaile thee with Pacience,And tak into thi conscienceP. i. 371Merci to be thi governour.So schalt thou fiele no rancour,2730Wherof thin herte schal debateWith homicide ne with hateFor Cheste or for Malencolie:Thou schalt be soft in compaignieWithoute Contek or Folhaste:For elles miht thou longe wasteThi time, er that thou have thi willeOf love; for the weder stilleMen preise, and blame the tempestes.Amans.Mi fader, I wol do youre hestes,2740And of this point ye have me tawht,Toward miself the betre sawhtI thenke be, whil that I live.Bot for als moche as I am schriveOf Wraththe and al his circumstance,Yif what you list to my penance,And asketh forthere of my lif,If otherwise I be gultifOf eny thing that toucheth Sinne.Confessor.Mi Sone, er we departe atwinne,2750I schal behinde nothing leve.Amans.Mi goode fader, be your leveThanne axeth forth what so you list,For I have in you such a trist,As ye that be my Soule hele,That ye fro me wol nothing hele,For I schal telle you the trowthe.Confessor.Mi Sone, art thou coupable of SlowtheP. i. 372In eny point which to him longeth?Amans.My fader, of tho pointz me longeth2760To wite pleinly what thei meene,So that I mai me schrive cleene.Confessor.Now herkne, I schal the pointz devise;1089And understond wel myn aprise:1090For schrifte stant of no valueTo him that wol him noght vertueTo leve of vice the folie:For word is wynd, bot the maistrieIs that a man himself defendeOf thing which is noght to comende,2770Wherof ben fewe now aday.And natheles, so as I mayMake unto thi memoire knowe,The pointz of Slowthe thou schalt knowe.
[Alexander and the Pirate.]Of him whom al this Erthe dradde,Whan he the world so overladdeThurgh werre, as it fortuned is,Hic declarat per exemplum contra istos Principes seu alios quoscumque illicite guerre motores. Et narrat de quodam pirata in partibus marinis spoliatore notissimo, qui cum captus fuisset, et in iudicium coram Rege Alexandro productus et de latrocinio accusatus, dixit, ‘O Alexander, vere quia cum paucis sociis spoliorum causa naues tantum exploro, ego latrunculus vocor; tu autem, quia cum1055infinita bellatorum multitudine vniuersam terram subiugando spoliasti, Imperator diceris. Ita quod status tuus a statu meo differt, set eodem animo condicionem parilem habemus.’ Alexander vero eius audaciam in responsione comprobans, ipsum penes se familiarem retinuit; et sic bellicosus bellatori complacuit.King Alisandre, I rede this;How in a Marche, where he lay,It fell per chance upon a dayP. i. 359A Rovere of the See was nome,Which many a man hadde overcome2370And slain and take here good aweie:This Pilour, as the bokes seie,A famous man in sondri stedeWas of the werkes whiche he dede.This Prisoner tofor the kingWas broght, and there upon this thingIn audience he was accused:And he his dede hath noght excused,Bot preith the king to don him riht,And seith, ‘Sire, if I were of miht,2380I have an herte lich to thin;For if the pouer were myn,1056Mi will is most in specialTo rifle and geten overalThe large worldes good aboute.Bot for I lede a povere routeAnd am, as who seith, at meschief,The name of Pilour and of thiefI bere; and thou, which routes greteMiht lede and take thi beyete,2390And dost riht as I wolde do,Thi name is nothing cleped so,Bot thou art named Emperour.Oure dedes ben of o colourAnd in effect of o decerte,Bot thi richesse and my poverteTho ben noght taken evene liche.And natheles he that is richeP. i. 360This dai, tomorwe he mai be povere;And in contraire also recovere2400A povere man to gret richesseMen sen: forthi let rihtwisnesse1057Be peised evene in the balance.The king his hardi contienanceBehield, and herde hise wordes wise,And seide unto him in this wise:1058‘Thin ansuere I have understonde,Wherof my will is, that thou stondeIn mi service and stille abide.’And forth withal the same tide2410He hath him terme of lif withholde,The mor and for he schal ben holde,1059He made him kniht and yaf him lond,Which afterward was of his hondAn orped kniht in many a stede,And gret prouesce of armes dede,As the Croniqes it recorden.And in this wise thei acorden,The whiche of o condiciounBe set upon destruccioun:2420Such Capitein such retenue.Bot forto se to what issueThe thing befalleth ate laste,It is gret wonder that men casteHere herte upon such wrong to winne,Wher no beyete mai ben inne,And doth desese on every side:Bot whan reson is put asideP. i. 361And will governeth the corage,The faucon which that fleth ramage2430And soeffreth nothing in the weie,Wherof that he mai take his preie,Is noght mor set upon ravine,Than thilke man which his covine1060Hath set in such a maner wise:For al the world ne mai suffise1061To will which is noght resonable.1062[Wars and Death of Alexander.]Wherof ensample concordableLich to this point of which I meene,Was upon Alisandre sene,2440Hic secundum gesta Regis Alexandri de guerris illicitis ponit Confessor exemplum, dicens quod quamuis Alexander sua potencia tocius mundi victor sibi subiugarat1063imperium, ipse tandem mortis victoria subiugatus cunctipotentis sentenciam euadere non potuit.Which hadde set al his entente,So as fortune with him wente,That reson mihte him non governe,1064Bot of his will he was so sterne,That al the world he overranAnd what him list he tok and wan.In Ynde the superiourWhan that he was ful conquerour,And hadde his wilful pourpos wonne1065Of al this Erthe under the Sonne,2450This king homward to Macedoine,Whan that he cam to Babiloine,And wende most in his Empire,As he which was hol lord and Sire,In honour forto be received,Most sodeinliche he was deceived,And with strong puison envenimed.And as he hath the world mistimedP. i. 362Noght as he scholde with his wit,Noght as he wolde it was aquit.10662460Thus was he slain that whilom slowh,And he which riche was ynowhThis dai, tomorwe he hadde noght:And in such wise as he hath wroghtIn destorbance of worldes pes,His werre he fond thanne endeles,In which for evere desconfitHe was. Lo now, for what profitOf werre it helpeth forto ryde,For coveitise and worldes pride2470To sle the worldes men aboute,As bestes whiche gon theroute.For every lif which reson canOghth wel to knowe that a man1067Ne scholde thurgh no tirannieLich to these othre bestes die,1068Til kinde wolde for him sende.I not hou he it mihte amende,1069Which takth awei for everemoreThe lif that he mai noght restore.2480Confessor.Forthi, mi Sone, in alle weieBe wel avised, I thee preie,Of slawhte er that thou be coupableWithoute cause resonable.Amans.Mi fader, understonde it is,That ye have seid; bot over this[Are Crusades lawful?]I prei you tell me nay or yee,To passe over the grete SeeP. i. 363To werre and sle the Sarazin,Is that the lawe?Sone myn,2490Confessor.To preche and soffre for the feith,1070That have I herd the gospell seith;1071Bot forto slee, that hiere I noght.Crist with his oghne deth hath boghtAlle othre men, and made hem fre,In tokne of parfit charite;And after that he tawhte himselve,Whan he was ded, these othre tuelveOf hise Apostles wente abouteThe holi feith to prechen oute,2500Wherof the deth in sondri placeThei soffre, and so god of his graceThe feith of Crist hath mad aryse:Bot if thei wolde in other wiseNota.1072Be werre have broght in the creance,It hadde yit stonde in balance.And that mai proven in the dede;For what man the Croniqes rede,Fro ferst that holi cherche hath weyvedTo preche, and hath the swerd received,2510Wherof the werres ben begonne,A gret partie of that was wonneTo Cristes feith stant now miswent:Godd do therof amendement,So as he wot what is the beste.[Guilt of Homicide.]Bot, Sone, if thou wolt live in resteOf conscience wel assised,Er that thou sle, be wel avised:P. i. 364For man, as tellen ous the clerkes,Hath god above alle ertheli werkes2520Ordeined to be principal,And ek of Soule in specialHe is mad lich to the godhiede.So sit it wel to taken hiedeAnd forto loke on every side,Er that thou falle in homicide,Which Senne is now so general,That it welnyh stant overal,In holi cherche and elles where.1073Bot al the while it stant so there,2530The world mot nede fare amis:For whan the welle of pite isThurgh coveitise of worldes goodDefouled with schedinge of blod,The remenant of folk abouteUnethe stonden eny douteTo werre ech other and to slee.So is it all noght worth a Stree,The charite wherof we prechen,For we do nothing as we techen:2540And thus the blinde conscienceOf pes hath lost thilke evidenceWhich Crist upon this Erthe tawhte.Now mai men se moerdre and manslawhte1074Lich as it was be daies olde,Whan men the Sennes boghte and solde.Facilitas venie occasionem prebet delinquendi.In Grece afore Cristes feith,I rede, as the Cronique seith,P. i. 365Touchende of this matiere thus,In thilke time hou Peleüs2550His oghne brother Phocus slowh;Bot for he hadde gold ynowhTo yive, his Senne was despensedWith gold, wherof it was compensed:Achastus, which with Venus wasHire Priest, assoilede in that cas,1075Al were ther no repentance.And as the bok makth remembrance,It telleth of Medee also;Of that sche slowh her Sones tuo,2560Egeüs in the same plitHath mad hire of hire Senne quit.The Sone ek of Amphioras,Whos rihte name Almeüs was,His Moder slowh, Eriphile;Bot Achilo the Priest and he,So as the bokes it recorden,For certein Somme of gold acorden1076That thilke horrible sinfull dedeAssoiled was. And thus for mede2570Of worldes good it falleth ofteThat homicide is set alofteHiere in this lif; bot after this1077Ther schal be knowe how that it isOf hem that suche thinges werche,And hou also that holi chercheLet suche Sennes passe quyte,And how thei wole hemself aquite1078P. i. 366Of dedly werres that thei make.For who that wolde ensample take,2580The lawe which is naturelBe weie of kinde scheweth welThat homicide in no degree,Which werreth ayein charite,Among the men ne scholde duelle.For after that the bokes telle,To seche in al this worldesriche,1079Men schal noght finde upon his licheA beste forto take his preie:And sithen kinde hath such a weie,2590Thanne is it wonder of a man,1080Which kynde hath and resoun can,That he wol owther more or lasseHis kinde and resoun overpasse,And sle that is to him semblable.So is the man noght resonableNe kinde, and that is noght honeste,Whan he is worse than a beste.[A Strange Bird.]Nota secundum Solinum contra homicidas de natura cuiusdam Auis faciem ad similitudinem humanam habentis, que cum de preda sua hominem juxta fluuium occiderit videritque in aqua similem sibi occisum, statim pre dolore moritur.Among the bokes whiche I findeSolyns spekth of a wonder kinde,2600And seith of fowhles ther is on,Which hath a face of blod and bonLich to a man in resemblance.And if it falle him so per chance,As he which is a fowhl of preie,That he a man finde in his weie,He wol him slen, if that he mai:Bot afterward the same dai,P. i. 367Whan he hath eten al his felle,And that schal be beside a welle,2610In which whan he wol drinke take,Of his visage and seth the makeThat he hath slain, anon he thenkethOf his misdede, and it forthenkethSo gretly, that for pure sorweHe liveth noght til on the morwe.Be this ensample it mai well suieThat man schal homicide eschuie,For evere is merci good to take,Bot if the lawe it hath forsake2620And that justice is therayein.For ofte time I have herd seinAmonges hem that werres hadden,That thei som while here cause ladden1081Be merci, whan thei mihte have slain,Wherof that thei were after fain:[Mercy.]And, Sone, if that thou wolt recordeThe vertu of Misericorde,Thou sihe nevere thilke place,Where it was used, lacke grace.2630For every lawe and every kindeThe mannes wit to merci binde;And namely the worthi knihtes,Whan that thei stonden most uprihtesAnd ben most mihti forto grieve,Thei scholden thanne most relieveHim whom thei mihten overthrowe,As be ensample a man mai knowe.1082[Tale of Telaphus and Teucer.]P. i. 368He mai noght failen of his medeThat hath merci: for this I rede,2640In a Cronique and finde thus.Hic ponit Confessor exemplum de pietate contra homicidium in guerris habenda. Et narrat qualiter Achilles vna cum Thelapho filio suo contra Regem Mesee, qui tunc Theucer vocabatur, bellum inierunt; et cum Achilles dictum Regem in bello prostratum occidere voluisset, Thelaphus pietate motus ipsum clipeo suo cooperiens veniam pro Rege a patre postulauit: pro quo facto ipse Rex adhuc viuens Thephalum Regni sui heredem libera voluntate constituit.Whan Achilles with Telaphus1083His Sone toward Troie were,It fell hem, er thei comen there,Ayein Theucer the king of MeseTo make werre and forto seseHis lond, as thei that wolden regneAnd Theucer pute out of his regne.And thus the Marches thei assaile,Bot Theucer yaf to hem bataille;10842650Thei foghte on bothe sides faste,Bot so it hapneth ate laste,This worthi Grek, this Achilles,The king among alle othre ches:As he that was cruel and fell,With swerd in honde on him he fell,And smot him with a dethes wounde,That he unhorsed fell to grounde.Achilles upon him alyhte,And wolde anon, as he wel mihte,2660Have slain him fullich in the place;Bot Thelaphus his fader graceFor him besoghte, and for pitePreith that he wolde lete him be,And caste his Schield betwen hem tuo.Achilles axeth him why so,And Thelaphus his cause tolde,And seith that he is mochel holde,P. i. 369For whilom Theucer in a stedeGret grace and socour to him dede,2670And seith that he him wolde aquite,1085And preith his fader to respite.Achilles tho withdrowh his hond;Bot al the pouer of the lond,Whan that thei sihe here king thus take,Thei fledde and han the feld forsake:The Grecs unto the chace falle,And for the moste part of alleOf that contre the lordes greteThei toke, and wonne a gret beyete.2680And anon after this victoireThe king, which hadde good memoire,Upon the grete merci thoghte,Which Telaphus toward him wroghte,1086And in presence of al the londHe tok him faire be the hond,And in this wise he gan to seie:‘Mi Sone, I mot be double weieLove and desire thin encress;Ferst for thi fader Achilles2690Whilom ful many dai er this,Whan that I scholde have fare amis,Rescousse dede in mi quereleAnd kepte al myn astat in hele:How so ther falle now distanceAmonges ous, yit remembrance1087I have of merci which he dedeAs thanne: and thou now in this stedeP. i. 370Of gentilesce and of franchiseHast do mercy the same wise.2700So wol I noght that eny timeBe lost of that thou hast do byme;For hou so this fortune falle,Yit stant mi trust aboven alle,For the mercy which I now finde,That thou wolt after this be kinde:And for that such is myn espeir,As for my Sone and for myn EirI thee receive, and al my londI yive and sese into thin hond.’2710And in this wise thei acorde,The cause was Misericorde:The lordes dede here obeissanceTo Thelaphus, and pourveanceWas mad so that he was coroned:And thus was merci reguerdoned,Which he to Theucer dede afore.Confessor.Lo, this ensample is mad therfore,That thou miht take remembrance,Mi Sone; and whan thou sest a chaunce,2720Of other mennes passiounTak pite and compassioun,And let nothing to thee be lief,1088Which to an other man is grief.And after this if thou desireTo stonde ayein the vice of Ire,Consaile thee with Pacience,And tak into thi conscienceP. i. 371Merci to be thi governour.So schalt thou fiele no rancour,2730Wherof thin herte schal debateWith homicide ne with hateFor Cheste or for Malencolie:Thou schalt be soft in compaignieWithoute Contek or Folhaste:For elles miht thou longe wasteThi time, er that thou have thi willeOf love; for the weder stilleMen preise, and blame the tempestes.Amans.Mi fader, I wol do youre hestes,2740And of this point ye have me tawht,Toward miself the betre sawhtI thenke be, whil that I live.Bot for als moche as I am schriveOf Wraththe and al his circumstance,Yif what you list to my penance,And asketh forthere of my lif,If otherwise I be gultifOf eny thing that toucheth Sinne.Confessor.Mi Sone, er we departe atwinne,2750I schal behinde nothing leve.Amans.Mi goode fader, be your leveThanne axeth forth what so you list,For I have in you such a trist,As ye that be my Soule hele,That ye fro me wol nothing hele,For I schal telle you the trowthe.Confessor.Mi Sone, art thou coupable of SlowtheP. i. 372In eny point which to him longeth?Amans.My fader, of tho pointz me longeth2760To wite pleinly what thei meene,So that I mai me schrive cleene.Confessor.Now herkne, I schal the pointz devise;1089And understond wel myn aprise:1090For schrifte stant of no valueTo him that wol him noght vertueTo leve of vice the folie:For word is wynd, bot the maistrieIs that a man himself defendeOf thing which is noght to comende,2770Wherof ben fewe now aday.And natheles, so as I mayMake unto thi memoire knowe,The pointz of Slowthe thou schalt knowe.
[Alexander and the Pirate.]Of him whom al this Erthe dradde,Whan he the world so overladdeThurgh werre, as it fortuned is,Hic declarat per exemplum contra istos Principes seu alios quoscumque illicite guerre motores. Et narrat de quodam pirata in partibus marinis spoliatore notissimo, qui cum captus fuisset, et in iudicium coram Rege Alexandro productus et de latrocinio accusatus, dixit, ‘O Alexander, vere quia cum paucis sociis spoliorum causa naues tantum exploro, ego latrunculus vocor; tu autem, quia cum1055infinita bellatorum multitudine vniuersam terram subiugando spoliasti, Imperator diceris. Ita quod status tuus a statu meo differt, set eodem animo condicionem parilem habemus.’ Alexander vero eius audaciam in responsione comprobans, ipsum penes se familiarem retinuit; et sic bellicosus bellatori complacuit.King Alisandre, I rede this;How in a Marche, where he lay,It fell per chance upon a dayP. i. 359A Rovere of the See was nome,Which many a man hadde overcome2370And slain and take here good aweie:This Pilour, as the bokes seie,A famous man in sondri stedeWas of the werkes whiche he dede.This Prisoner tofor the kingWas broght, and there upon this thingIn audience he was accused:And he his dede hath noght excused,Bot preith the king to don him riht,And seith, ‘Sire, if I were of miht,2380I have an herte lich to thin;For if the pouer were myn,1056Mi will is most in specialTo rifle and geten overalThe large worldes good aboute.Bot for I lede a povere routeAnd am, as who seith, at meschief,The name of Pilour and of thiefI bere; and thou, which routes greteMiht lede and take thi beyete,2390And dost riht as I wolde do,Thi name is nothing cleped so,Bot thou art named Emperour.Oure dedes ben of o colourAnd in effect of o decerte,Bot thi richesse and my poverteTho ben noght taken evene liche.And natheles he that is richeP. i. 360This dai, tomorwe he mai be povere;And in contraire also recovere2400A povere man to gret richesseMen sen: forthi let rihtwisnesse1057Be peised evene in the balance.The king his hardi contienanceBehield, and herde hise wordes wise,And seide unto him in this wise:1058‘Thin ansuere I have understonde,Wherof my will is, that thou stondeIn mi service and stille abide.’And forth withal the same tide2410He hath him terme of lif withholde,The mor and for he schal ben holde,1059He made him kniht and yaf him lond,Which afterward was of his hondAn orped kniht in many a stede,And gret prouesce of armes dede,As the Croniqes it recorden.And in this wise thei acorden,The whiche of o condiciounBe set upon destruccioun:2420Such Capitein such retenue.Bot forto se to what issueThe thing befalleth ate laste,It is gret wonder that men casteHere herte upon such wrong to winne,Wher no beyete mai ben inne,And doth desese on every side:Bot whan reson is put asideP. i. 361And will governeth the corage,The faucon which that fleth ramage2430And soeffreth nothing in the weie,Wherof that he mai take his preie,Is noght mor set upon ravine,Than thilke man which his covine1060Hath set in such a maner wise:For al the world ne mai suffise1061To will which is noght resonable.1062[Wars and Death of Alexander.]Wherof ensample concordableLich to this point of which I meene,Was upon Alisandre sene,2440Hic secundum gesta Regis Alexandri de guerris illicitis ponit Confessor exemplum, dicens quod quamuis Alexander sua potencia tocius mundi victor sibi subiugarat1063imperium, ipse tandem mortis victoria subiugatus cunctipotentis sentenciam euadere non potuit.Which hadde set al his entente,So as fortune with him wente,That reson mihte him non governe,1064Bot of his will he was so sterne,That al the world he overranAnd what him list he tok and wan.In Ynde the superiourWhan that he was ful conquerour,And hadde his wilful pourpos wonne1065Of al this Erthe under the Sonne,2450This king homward to Macedoine,Whan that he cam to Babiloine,And wende most in his Empire,As he which was hol lord and Sire,In honour forto be received,Most sodeinliche he was deceived,And with strong puison envenimed.And as he hath the world mistimedP. i. 362Noght as he scholde with his wit,Noght as he wolde it was aquit.10662460Thus was he slain that whilom slowh,And he which riche was ynowhThis dai, tomorwe he hadde noght:And in such wise as he hath wroghtIn destorbance of worldes pes,His werre he fond thanne endeles,In which for evere desconfitHe was. Lo now, for what profitOf werre it helpeth forto ryde,For coveitise and worldes pride2470To sle the worldes men aboute,As bestes whiche gon theroute.For every lif which reson canOghth wel to knowe that a man1067Ne scholde thurgh no tirannieLich to these othre bestes die,1068Til kinde wolde for him sende.I not hou he it mihte amende,1069Which takth awei for everemoreThe lif that he mai noght restore.2480Confessor.Forthi, mi Sone, in alle weieBe wel avised, I thee preie,Of slawhte er that thou be coupableWithoute cause resonable.Amans.Mi fader, understonde it is,That ye have seid; bot over this[Are Crusades lawful?]I prei you tell me nay or yee,To passe over the grete SeeP. i. 363To werre and sle the Sarazin,Is that the lawe?Sone myn,2490Confessor.To preche and soffre for the feith,1070That have I herd the gospell seith;1071Bot forto slee, that hiere I noght.Crist with his oghne deth hath boghtAlle othre men, and made hem fre,In tokne of parfit charite;And after that he tawhte himselve,Whan he was ded, these othre tuelveOf hise Apostles wente abouteThe holi feith to prechen oute,2500Wherof the deth in sondri placeThei soffre, and so god of his graceThe feith of Crist hath mad aryse:Bot if thei wolde in other wiseNota.1072Be werre have broght in the creance,It hadde yit stonde in balance.And that mai proven in the dede;For what man the Croniqes rede,Fro ferst that holi cherche hath weyvedTo preche, and hath the swerd received,2510Wherof the werres ben begonne,A gret partie of that was wonneTo Cristes feith stant now miswent:Godd do therof amendement,So as he wot what is the beste.[Guilt of Homicide.]Bot, Sone, if thou wolt live in resteOf conscience wel assised,Er that thou sle, be wel avised:P. i. 364For man, as tellen ous the clerkes,Hath god above alle ertheli werkes2520Ordeined to be principal,And ek of Soule in specialHe is mad lich to the godhiede.So sit it wel to taken hiedeAnd forto loke on every side,Er that thou falle in homicide,Which Senne is now so general,That it welnyh stant overal,In holi cherche and elles where.1073Bot al the while it stant so there,2530The world mot nede fare amis:For whan the welle of pite isThurgh coveitise of worldes goodDefouled with schedinge of blod,The remenant of folk abouteUnethe stonden eny douteTo werre ech other and to slee.So is it all noght worth a Stree,The charite wherof we prechen,For we do nothing as we techen:2540And thus the blinde conscienceOf pes hath lost thilke evidenceWhich Crist upon this Erthe tawhte.Now mai men se moerdre and manslawhte1074Lich as it was be daies olde,Whan men the Sennes boghte and solde.Facilitas venie occasionem prebet delinquendi.In Grece afore Cristes feith,I rede, as the Cronique seith,P. i. 365Touchende of this matiere thus,In thilke time hou Peleüs2550His oghne brother Phocus slowh;Bot for he hadde gold ynowhTo yive, his Senne was despensedWith gold, wherof it was compensed:Achastus, which with Venus wasHire Priest, assoilede in that cas,1075Al were ther no repentance.And as the bok makth remembrance,It telleth of Medee also;Of that sche slowh her Sones tuo,2560Egeüs in the same plitHath mad hire of hire Senne quit.The Sone ek of Amphioras,Whos rihte name Almeüs was,His Moder slowh, Eriphile;Bot Achilo the Priest and he,So as the bokes it recorden,For certein Somme of gold acorden1076That thilke horrible sinfull dedeAssoiled was. And thus for mede2570Of worldes good it falleth ofteThat homicide is set alofteHiere in this lif; bot after this1077Ther schal be knowe how that it isOf hem that suche thinges werche,And hou also that holi chercheLet suche Sennes passe quyte,And how thei wole hemself aquite1078P. i. 366Of dedly werres that thei make.For who that wolde ensample take,2580The lawe which is naturelBe weie of kinde scheweth welThat homicide in no degree,Which werreth ayein charite,Among the men ne scholde duelle.For after that the bokes telle,To seche in al this worldesriche,1079Men schal noght finde upon his licheA beste forto take his preie:And sithen kinde hath such a weie,2590Thanne is it wonder of a man,1080Which kynde hath and resoun can,That he wol owther more or lasseHis kinde and resoun overpasse,And sle that is to him semblable.So is the man noght resonableNe kinde, and that is noght honeste,Whan he is worse than a beste.[A Strange Bird.]Nota secundum Solinum contra homicidas de natura cuiusdam Auis faciem ad similitudinem humanam habentis, que cum de preda sua hominem juxta fluuium occiderit videritque in aqua similem sibi occisum, statim pre dolore moritur.Among the bokes whiche I findeSolyns spekth of a wonder kinde,2600And seith of fowhles ther is on,Which hath a face of blod and bonLich to a man in resemblance.And if it falle him so per chance,As he which is a fowhl of preie,That he a man finde in his weie,He wol him slen, if that he mai:Bot afterward the same dai,P. i. 367Whan he hath eten al his felle,And that schal be beside a welle,2610In which whan he wol drinke take,Of his visage and seth the makeThat he hath slain, anon he thenkethOf his misdede, and it forthenkethSo gretly, that for pure sorweHe liveth noght til on the morwe.Be this ensample it mai well suieThat man schal homicide eschuie,For evere is merci good to take,Bot if the lawe it hath forsake2620And that justice is therayein.For ofte time I have herd seinAmonges hem that werres hadden,That thei som while here cause ladden1081Be merci, whan thei mihte have slain,Wherof that thei were after fain:[Mercy.]And, Sone, if that thou wolt recordeThe vertu of Misericorde,Thou sihe nevere thilke place,Where it was used, lacke grace.2630For every lawe and every kindeThe mannes wit to merci binde;And namely the worthi knihtes,Whan that thei stonden most uprihtesAnd ben most mihti forto grieve,Thei scholden thanne most relieveHim whom thei mihten overthrowe,As be ensample a man mai knowe.1082
[Alexander and the Pirate.]
Of him whom al this Erthe dradde,
Whan he the world so overladde
Thurgh werre, as it fortuned is,
Hic declarat per exemplum contra istos Principes seu alios quoscumque illicite guerre motores. Et narrat de quodam pirata in partibus marinis spoliatore notissimo, qui cum captus fuisset, et in iudicium coram Rege Alexandro productus et de latrocinio accusatus, dixit, ‘O Alexander, vere quia cum paucis sociis spoliorum causa naues tantum exploro, ego latrunculus vocor; tu autem, quia cum1055infinita bellatorum multitudine vniuersam terram subiugando spoliasti, Imperator diceris. Ita quod status tuus a statu meo differt, set eodem animo condicionem parilem habemus.’ Alexander vero eius audaciam in responsione comprobans, ipsum penes se familiarem retinuit; et sic bellicosus bellatori complacuit.
King Alisandre, I rede this;
How in a Marche, where he lay,
It fell per chance upon a day
P. i. 359
A Rovere of the See was nome,
Which many a man hadde overcome2370
And slain and take here good aweie:
This Pilour, as the bokes seie,
A famous man in sondri stede
Was of the werkes whiche he dede.
This Prisoner tofor the king
Was broght, and there upon this thing
In audience he was accused:
And he his dede hath noght excused,
Bot preith the king to don him riht,
And seith, ‘Sire, if I were of miht,2380
I have an herte lich to thin;
For if the pouer were myn,1056
Mi will is most in special
To rifle and geten overal
The large worldes good aboute.
Bot for I lede a povere route
And am, as who seith, at meschief,
The name of Pilour and of thief
I bere; and thou, which routes grete
Miht lede and take thi beyete,2390
And dost riht as I wolde do,
Thi name is nothing cleped so,
Bot thou art named Emperour.
Oure dedes ben of o colour
And in effect of o decerte,
Bot thi richesse and my poverte
Tho ben noght taken evene liche.
And natheles he that is riche
P. i. 360
This dai, tomorwe he mai be povere;
And in contraire also recovere2400
A povere man to gret richesse
Men sen: forthi let rihtwisnesse1057
Be peised evene in the balance.
The king his hardi contienance
Behield, and herde hise wordes wise,
And seide unto him in this wise:1058
‘Thin ansuere I have understonde,
Wherof my will is, that thou stonde
In mi service and stille abide.’
And forth withal the same tide2410
He hath him terme of lif withholde,
The mor and for he schal ben holde,1059
He made him kniht and yaf him lond,
Which afterward was of his hond
An orped kniht in many a stede,
And gret prouesce of armes dede,
As the Croniqes it recorden.
And in this wise thei acorden,
The whiche of o condicioun
Be set upon destruccioun:2420
Such Capitein such retenue.
Bot forto se to what issue
The thing befalleth ate laste,
It is gret wonder that men caste
Here herte upon such wrong to winne,
Wher no beyete mai ben inne,
And doth desese on every side:
Bot whan reson is put aside
P. i. 361
And will governeth the corage,
The faucon which that fleth ramage2430
And soeffreth nothing in the weie,
Wherof that he mai take his preie,
Is noght mor set upon ravine,
Than thilke man which his covine1060
Hath set in such a maner wise:
For al the world ne mai suffise1061
To will which is noght resonable.1062
[Wars and Death of Alexander.]
Wherof ensample concordable
Lich to this point of which I meene,
Was upon Alisandre sene,2440
Hic secundum gesta Regis Alexandri de guerris illicitis ponit Confessor exemplum, dicens quod quamuis Alexander sua potencia tocius mundi victor sibi subiugarat1063imperium, ipse tandem mortis victoria subiugatus cunctipotentis sentenciam euadere non potuit.
Which hadde set al his entente,
So as fortune with him wente,
That reson mihte him non governe,1064
Bot of his will he was so sterne,
That al the world he overran
And what him list he tok and wan.
In Ynde the superiour
Whan that he was ful conquerour,
And hadde his wilful pourpos wonne1065
Of al this Erthe under the Sonne,2450
This king homward to Macedoine,
Whan that he cam to Babiloine,
And wende most in his Empire,
As he which was hol lord and Sire,
In honour forto be received,
Most sodeinliche he was deceived,
And with strong puison envenimed.
And as he hath the world mistimed
P. i. 362
Noght as he scholde with his wit,
Noght as he wolde it was aquit.10662460
Thus was he slain that whilom slowh,
And he which riche was ynowh
This dai, tomorwe he hadde noght:
And in such wise as he hath wroght
In destorbance of worldes pes,
His werre he fond thanne endeles,
In which for evere desconfit
He was. Lo now, for what profit
Of werre it helpeth forto ryde,
For coveitise and worldes pride2470
To sle the worldes men aboute,
As bestes whiche gon theroute.
For every lif which reson can
Oghth wel to knowe that a man1067
Ne scholde thurgh no tirannie
Lich to these othre bestes die,1068
Til kinde wolde for him sende.
I not hou he it mihte amende,1069
Which takth awei for everemore
The lif that he mai noght restore.2480
Confessor.
Forthi, mi Sone, in alle weie
Be wel avised, I thee preie,
Of slawhte er that thou be coupable
Withoute cause resonable.
Amans.
Mi fader, understonde it is,
That ye have seid; bot over this
[Are Crusades lawful?]
I prei you tell me nay or yee,
To passe over the grete See
P. i. 363
To werre and sle the Sarazin,
Is that the lawe?
Sone myn,2490
Confessor.
To preche and soffre for the feith,1070
That have I herd the gospell seith;1071
Bot forto slee, that hiere I noght.
Crist with his oghne deth hath boght
Alle othre men, and made hem fre,
In tokne of parfit charite;
And after that he tawhte himselve,
Whan he was ded, these othre tuelve
Of hise Apostles wente aboute
The holi feith to prechen oute,2500
Wherof the deth in sondri place
Thei soffre, and so god of his grace
The feith of Crist hath mad aryse:
Bot if thei wolde in other wise
Nota.1072
Be werre have broght in the creance,
It hadde yit stonde in balance.
And that mai proven in the dede;
For what man the Croniqes rede,
Fro ferst that holi cherche hath weyved
To preche, and hath the swerd received,2510
Wherof the werres ben begonne,
A gret partie of that was wonne
To Cristes feith stant now miswent:
Godd do therof amendement,
So as he wot what is the beste.
[Guilt of Homicide.]
Bot, Sone, if thou wolt live in reste
Of conscience wel assised,
Er that thou sle, be wel avised:
P. i. 364
For man, as tellen ous the clerkes,
Hath god above alle ertheli werkes2520
Ordeined to be principal,
And ek of Soule in special
He is mad lich to the godhiede.
So sit it wel to taken hiede
And forto loke on every side,
Er that thou falle in homicide,
Which Senne is now so general,
That it welnyh stant overal,
In holi cherche and elles where.1073
Bot al the while it stant so there,2530
The world mot nede fare amis:
For whan the welle of pite is
Thurgh coveitise of worldes good
Defouled with schedinge of blod,
The remenant of folk aboute
Unethe stonden eny doute
To werre ech other and to slee.
So is it all noght worth a Stree,
The charite wherof we prechen,
For we do nothing as we techen:2540
And thus the blinde conscience
Of pes hath lost thilke evidence
Which Crist upon this Erthe tawhte.
Now mai men se moerdre and manslawhte1074
Lich as it was be daies olde,
Whan men the Sennes boghte and solde.
Facilitas venie occasionem prebet delinquendi.
In Grece afore Cristes feith,
I rede, as the Cronique seith,
P. i. 365
Touchende of this matiere thus,
In thilke time hou Peleüs2550
His oghne brother Phocus slowh;
Bot for he hadde gold ynowh
To yive, his Senne was despensed
With gold, wherof it was compensed:
Achastus, which with Venus was
Hire Priest, assoilede in that cas,1075
Al were ther no repentance.
And as the bok makth remembrance,
It telleth of Medee also;
Of that sche slowh her Sones tuo,2560
Egeüs in the same plit
Hath mad hire of hire Senne quit.
The Sone ek of Amphioras,
Whos rihte name Almeüs was,
His Moder slowh, Eriphile;
Bot Achilo the Priest and he,
So as the bokes it recorden,
For certein Somme of gold acorden1076
That thilke horrible sinfull dede
Assoiled was. And thus for mede2570
Of worldes good it falleth ofte
That homicide is set alofte
Hiere in this lif; bot after this1077
Ther schal be knowe how that it is
Of hem that suche thinges werche,
And hou also that holi cherche
Let suche Sennes passe quyte,
And how thei wole hemself aquite1078
P. i. 366
Of dedly werres that thei make.
For who that wolde ensample take,2580
The lawe which is naturel
Be weie of kinde scheweth wel
That homicide in no degree,
Which werreth ayein charite,
Among the men ne scholde duelle.
For after that the bokes telle,
To seche in al this worldesriche,1079
Men schal noght finde upon his liche
A beste forto take his preie:
And sithen kinde hath such a weie,2590
Thanne is it wonder of a man,1080
Which kynde hath and resoun can,
That he wol owther more or lasse
His kinde and resoun overpasse,
And sle that is to him semblable.
So is the man noght resonable
Ne kinde, and that is noght honeste,
Whan he is worse than a beste.
[A Strange Bird.]
Nota secundum Solinum contra homicidas de natura cuiusdam Auis faciem ad similitudinem humanam habentis, que cum de preda sua hominem juxta fluuium occiderit videritque in aqua similem sibi occisum, statim pre dolore moritur.
Among the bokes whiche I finde
Solyns spekth of a wonder kinde,2600
And seith of fowhles ther is on,
Which hath a face of blod and bon
Lich to a man in resemblance.
And if it falle him so per chance,
As he which is a fowhl of preie,
That he a man finde in his weie,
He wol him slen, if that he mai:
Bot afterward the same dai,
P. i. 367
Whan he hath eten al his felle,
And that schal be beside a welle,2610
In which whan he wol drinke take,
Of his visage and seth the make
That he hath slain, anon he thenketh
Of his misdede, and it forthenketh
So gretly, that for pure sorwe
He liveth noght til on the morwe.
Be this ensample it mai well suie
That man schal homicide eschuie,
For evere is merci good to take,
Bot if the lawe it hath forsake2620
And that justice is therayein.
For ofte time I have herd sein
Amonges hem that werres hadden,
That thei som while here cause ladden1081
Be merci, whan thei mihte have slain,
Wherof that thei were after fain:
[Mercy.]
And, Sone, if that thou wolt recorde
The vertu of Misericorde,
Thou sihe nevere thilke place,
Where it was used, lacke grace.2630
For every lawe and every kinde
The mannes wit to merci binde;
And namely the worthi knihtes,
Whan that thei stonden most uprihtes
And ben most mihti forto grieve,
Thei scholden thanne most relieve
Him whom thei mihten overthrowe,
As be ensample a man mai knowe.1082
[Tale of Telaphus and Teucer.]P. i. 368He mai noght failen of his medeThat hath merci: for this I rede,2640In a Cronique and finde thus.Hic ponit Confessor exemplum de pietate contra homicidium in guerris habenda. Et narrat qualiter Achilles vna cum Thelapho filio suo contra Regem Mesee, qui tunc Theucer vocabatur, bellum inierunt; et cum Achilles dictum Regem in bello prostratum occidere voluisset, Thelaphus pietate motus ipsum clipeo suo cooperiens veniam pro Rege a patre postulauit: pro quo facto ipse Rex adhuc viuens Thephalum Regni sui heredem libera voluntate constituit.Whan Achilles with Telaphus1083His Sone toward Troie were,It fell hem, er thei comen there,Ayein Theucer the king of MeseTo make werre and forto seseHis lond, as thei that wolden regneAnd Theucer pute out of his regne.And thus the Marches thei assaile,Bot Theucer yaf to hem bataille;10842650Thei foghte on bothe sides faste,Bot so it hapneth ate laste,This worthi Grek, this Achilles,The king among alle othre ches:As he that was cruel and fell,With swerd in honde on him he fell,And smot him with a dethes wounde,That he unhorsed fell to grounde.Achilles upon him alyhte,And wolde anon, as he wel mihte,2660Have slain him fullich in the place;Bot Thelaphus his fader graceFor him besoghte, and for pitePreith that he wolde lete him be,And caste his Schield betwen hem tuo.Achilles axeth him why so,And Thelaphus his cause tolde,And seith that he is mochel holde,P. i. 369For whilom Theucer in a stedeGret grace and socour to him dede,2670And seith that he him wolde aquite,1085And preith his fader to respite.Achilles tho withdrowh his hond;Bot al the pouer of the lond,Whan that thei sihe here king thus take,Thei fledde and han the feld forsake:The Grecs unto the chace falle,And for the moste part of alleOf that contre the lordes greteThei toke, and wonne a gret beyete.2680And anon after this victoireThe king, which hadde good memoire,Upon the grete merci thoghte,Which Telaphus toward him wroghte,1086And in presence of al the londHe tok him faire be the hond,And in this wise he gan to seie:‘Mi Sone, I mot be double weieLove and desire thin encress;Ferst for thi fader Achilles2690Whilom ful many dai er this,Whan that I scholde have fare amis,Rescousse dede in mi quereleAnd kepte al myn astat in hele:How so ther falle now distanceAmonges ous, yit remembrance1087I have of merci which he dedeAs thanne: and thou now in this stedeP. i. 370Of gentilesce and of franchiseHast do mercy the same wise.2700So wol I noght that eny timeBe lost of that thou hast do byme;For hou so this fortune falle,Yit stant mi trust aboven alle,For the mercy which I now finde,That thou wolt after this be kinde:And for that such is myn espeir,As for my Sone and for myn EirI thee receive, and al my londI yive and sese into thin hond.’2710And in this wise thei acorde,The cause was Misericorde:The lordes dede here obeissanceTo Thelaphus, and pourveanceWas mad so that he was coroned:And thus was merci reguerdoned,Which he to Theucer dede afore.Confessor.Lo, this ensample is mad therfore,That thou miht take remembrance,Mi Sone; and whan thou sest a chaunce,2720Of other mennes passiounTak pite and compassioun,And let nothing to thee be lief,1088Which to an other man is grief.And after this if thou desireTo stonde ayein the vice of Ire,Consaile thee with Pacience,And tak into thi conscienceP. i. 371Merci to be thi governour.So schalt thou fiele no rancour,2730Wherof thin herte schal debateWith homicide ne with hateFor Cheste or for Malencolie:Thou schalt be soft in compaignieWithoute Contek or Folhaste:For elles miht thou longe wasteThi time, er that thou have thi willeOf love; for the weder stilleMen preise, and blame the tempestes.Amans.Mi fader, I wol do youre hestes,2740And of this point ye have me tawht,Toward miself the betre sawhtI thenke be, whil that I live.Bot for als moche as I am schriveOf Wraththe and al his circumstance,Yif what you list to my penance,And asketh forthere of my lif,If otherwise I be gultifOf eny thing that toucheth Sinne.Confessor.Mi Sone, er we departe atwinne,2750I schal behinde nothing leve.Amans.Mi goode fader, be your leveThanne axeth forth what so you list,For I have in you such a trist,As ye that be my Soule hele,That ye fro me wol nothing hele,For I schal telle you the trowthe.Confessor.Mi Sone, art thou coupable of SlowtheP. i. 372In eny point which to him longeth?Amans.My fader, of tho pointz me longeth2760To wite pleinly what thei meene,So that I mai me schrive cleene.Confessor.Now herkne, I schal the pointz devise;1089And understond wel myn aprise:1090For schrifte stant of no valueTo him that wol him noght vertueTo leve of vice the folie:For word is wynd, bot the maistrieIs that a man himself defendeOf thing which is noght to comende,2770Wherof ben fewe now aday.And natheles, so as I mayMake unto thi memoire knowe,The pointz of Slowthe thou schalt knowe.
[Tale of Telaphus and Teucer.]
P. i. 368
He mai noght failen of his mede
That hath merci: for this I rede,2640
In a Cronique and finde thus.
Hic ponit Confessor exemplum de pietate contra homicidium in guerris habenda. Et narrat qualiter Achilles vna cum Thelapho filio suo contra Regem Mesee, qui tunc Theucer vocabatur, bellum inierunt; et cum Achilles dictum Regem in bello prostratum occidere voluisset, Thelaphus pietate motus ipsum clipeo suo cooperiens veniam pro Rege a patre postulauit: pro quo facto ipse Rex adhuc viuens Thephalum Regni sui heredem libera voluntate constituit.
Whan Achilles with Telaphus1083
His Sone toward Troie were,
It fell hem, er thei comen there,
Ayein Theucer the king of Mese
To make werre and forto sese
His lond, as thei that wolden regne
And Theucer pute out of his regne.
And thus the Marches thei assaile,
Bot Theucer yaf to hem bataille;10842650
Thei foghte on bothe sides faste,
Bot so it hapneth ate laste,
This worthi Grek, this Achilles,
The king among alle othre ches:
As he that was cruel and fell,
With swerd in honde on him he fell,
And smot him with a dethes wounde,
That he unhorsed fell to grounde.
Achilles upon him alyhte,
And wolde anon, as he wel mihte,2660
Have slain him fullich in the place;
Bot Thelaphus his fader grace
For him besoghte, and for pite
Preith that he wolde lete him be,
And caste his Schield betwen hem tuo.
Achilles axeth him why so,
And Thelaphus his cause tolde,
And seith that he is mochel holde,
P. i. 369
For whilom Theucer in a stede
Gret grace and socour to him dede,2670
And seith that he him wolde aquite,1085
And preith his fader to respite.
Achilles tho withdrowh his hond;
Bot al the pouer of the lond,
Whan that thei sihe here king thus take,
Thei fledde and han the feld forsake:
The Grecs unto the chace falle,
And for the moste part of alle
Of that contre the lordes grete
Thei toke, and wonne a gret beyete.2680
And anon after this victoire
The king, which hadde good memoire,
Upon the grete merci thoghte,
Which Telaphus toward him wroghte,1086
And in presence of al the lond
He tok him faire be the hond,
And in this wise he gan to seie:
‘Mi Sone, I mot be double weie
Love and desire thin encress;
Ferst for thi fader Achilles2690
Whilom ful many dai er this,
Whan that I scholde have fare amis,
Rescousse dede in mi querele
And kepte al myn astat in hele:
How so ther falle now distance
Amonges ous, yit remembrance1087
I have of merci which he dede
As thanne: and thou now in this stede
P. i. 370
Of gentilesce and of franchise
Hast do mercy the same wise.2700
So wol I noght that eny time
Be lost of that thou hast do byme;
For hou so this fortune falle,
Yit stant mi trust aboven alle,
For the mercy which I now finde,
That thou wolt after this be kinde:
And for that such is myn espeir,
As for my Sone and for myn Eir
I thee receive, and al my lond
I yive and sese into thin hond.’2710
And in this wise thei acorde,
The cause was Misericorde:
The lordes dede here obeissance
To Thelaphus, and pourveance
Was mad so that he was coroned:
And thus was merci reguerdoned,
Which he to Theucer dede afore.
Confessor.
Lo, this ensample is mad therfore,
That thou miht take remembrance,
Mi Sone; and whan thou sest a chaunce,2720
Of other mennes passioun
Tak pite and compassioun,
And let nothing to thee be lief,1088
Which to an other man is grief.
And after this if thou desire
To stonde ayein the vice of Ire,
Consaile thee with Pacience,
And tak into thi conscience
P. i. 371
Merci to be thi governour.
So schalt thou fiele no rancour,2730
Wherof thin herte schal debate
With homicide ne with hate
For Cheste or for Malencolie:
Thou schalt be soft in compaignie
Withoute Contek or Folhaste:
For elles miht thou longe waste
Thi time, er that thou have thi wille
Of love; for the weder stille
Men preise, and blame the tempestes.
Amans.
Mi fader, I wol do youre hestes,2740
And of this point ye have me tawht,
Toward miself the betre sawht
I thenke be, whil that I live.
Bot for als moche as I am schrive
Of Wraththe and al his circumstance,
Yif what you list to my penance,
And asketh forthere of my lif,
If otherwise I be gultif
Of eny thing that toucheth Sinne.
Confessor.
Mi Sone, er we departe atwinne,2750
I schal behinde nothing leve.
Amans.
Mi goode fader, be your leve
Thanne axeth forth what so you list,
For I have in you such a trist,
As ye that be my Soule hele,
That ye fro me wol nothing hele,
For I schal telle you the trowthe.
Confessor.
Mi Sone, art thou coupable of Slowthe
P. i. 372
In eny point which to him longeth?
Amans.
My fader, of tho pointz me longeth2760
To wite pleinly what thei meene,
So that I mai me schrive cleene.
Confessor.
Now herkne, I schal the pointz devise;1089
And understond wel myn aprise:1090
For schrifte stant of no value
To him that wol him noght vertue
To leve of vice the folie:
For word is wynd, bot the maistrie
Is that a man himself defende
Of thing which is noght to comende,2770
Wherof ben fewe now aday.
And natheles, so as I may
Make unto thi memoire knowe,
The pointz of Slowthe thou schalt knowe.