[Tale of Nauplus and Ulysses.]Upon knyhthode I rede thus,How whilom whan the king Nauplus,1248Hic dicit quod amoris delectamento postposito miles arma sua preferre debet: Et ponit exemplum de Vlixe, cum ipse a bello Troiano propter amorem Penolope remanere domi voluisset, Nauplus pater Palamades eum tantis sermonibus allocutus est, quod Vlixes thoro sue coniugis relicto labores armorum vna cum aliis Troie magnanimus subibat.The fader of Palamades,Cam forto preien UlixesWith othre Gregois ek also,That he with hem to Troie go,1820Wher that the Siege scholde be,Anon upon PenolopeP. ii. 63His wif, whom that he loveth hote,Thenkende, wolde hem noght behote.Bot he schop thanne a wonder wyle,How that he scholde hem best beguile,So that he mihte duelle stilleAt home and welde his love at wille:Wherof erli the morwe dayOut of his bedd, wher that he lay,1830Whan he was uppe, he gan to fareInto the field and loke and stare,As he which feigneth to be wod:1249He tok a plowh, wher that it stod,Wherinne anon in stede of OxesHe let do yoken grete foxes,And with gret salt the lond he siew.But Nauplus, which the cause kniew,1250Ayein the sleihte which he feignethAn other sleihte anon ordeigneth.1840And fell that time Ulixes haddeA chyld to Sone, and Nauplus raddeHow men that Sone taken scholde,And setten him upon the Molde,Wher that his fader hield the plowh,In thilke furgh which he tho drowh.For in such wise he thoghte assaie,Hou it Ulixes scholde paie,If that he were wod or non.The knihtes for this child forthgon;12511850Thelamacus anon was fett,Tofore the plowh and evene sett,P. ii. 64Wher that his fader scholde dryve.Bot whan he sih his child, als blyveHe drof the plowh out of the weie,And Nauplus tho began to seie,And hath half in a jape cryd:‘O Ulixes, thou art aspyd:What is al this thou woldest meene?For openliche it is now seene1860That thou hast feigned al this thing,Which is gret schame to a king,Whan that for lust of eny slowtheThou wolt in a querele of trowtheOf armes thilke honour forsake,And duelle at hom for loves sake:For betre it were honour to winneThan love, which likinge is inne.Forthi tak worschipe upon honde,And elles thou schalt understonde1870These othre worthi kinges alleOf Grece, which unto thee calle,1252Towardes thee wol be riht wrothe,And grieve thee per chance bothe:Which schal be tothe double schame1253Most for the hindrynge of thi name,That thou for Slouthe of eny loveSchalt so thi lustes sette aboveAnd leve of armes the knyhthode,Which is the pris of thi manhode1880And oghte ferst to be desired.’Bot he, which hadde his herte fyredP. ii. 65Upon his wif, whan he this herde,Noght o word therayein ansuerde,Bot torneth hom halvinge aschamed,And hath withinne himself so tamedHis herte, that al the sotieOf love for chivalerieHe lefte, and be him lief or loth,To Troie forth with hem he goth,1890That he him mihte noght excuse.Thus stant it, if a knyht refuse1254The lust of armes to travaile,1255Ther mai no worldes ese availe,Bot if worschipe be with al.And that hath schewed overal;For it sit wel in alle wiseA kniht to ben of hih empriseAnd puten alle drede aweie;For in this wise, I have herd seie,1900[Examples of Prowess. Protesilaus.]The worthi king Protheselai1256On his passage wher he laiHic narrat super eodem qualiter Laodomia Regis Protheselai vxor, volens ipsum a bello Troiano secum retinere, fatatam sibi mortem in portu Troie prenunciauit: set ipse miliciam pocius quam ocia affectans, Troiam adiit, vbi sue mortis precio perpetue laudis Cronicam ademit.Towardes Troie thilke Siege,Sche which was al his oghne liege,Laodomie his lusti wif,Which for his love was pensif,As he which al hire herte hadde,Upon a thing wherof sche draddeA lettre, forto make him duelleFro Troie, sende him, thus to telle,1910Hou sche hath axed of the wyseTouchende of him in such a wise,P. ii. 66That thei have don hire understonde,Towardes othre hou so it stonde,The destine it hath so schapeThat he schal noght the deth ascape1257In cas that he arryve at Troie.Forthi as to hir worldes joieWith al hire herte sche him preide,And many an other cause alleide,1920That he with hire at home abide.Bot he hath cast hir lettre aside,1258As he which tho no maner hiedeTok of hire wommannysshe drede;And forth he goth, as noght ne were,To Troie, and was the ferste thereWhich londeth, and tok arryvaile:For him was levere in the bataille,1259He seith, to deien as a knyht,Than forto lyve in al his myht1930And be reproeved of his name.Lo, thus upon the worldes fameKnyhthode hath evere yit be set,Which with no couardie is let.[Saul.]Of king Saül also I finde,Adhuc super eodem, qualiter Rex Saul, non obstante quod per Samuelem a Phitonissa suscitatum et coniuratum responsum, quod ipse in bello moreretur, accepisset, hostes tamen suos aggrediens milicie famam cunctis huius vite blandimentis preposuit.Whan Samuel out of his kinde,Thurgh that the Phitonesse hath lered,In Samarie was areredLong time after that he was ded,The king Saül him axeth red,12601940If that he schal go fyhte or non.And Samuel him seide anon,P. ii. 67‘The ferste day of the batailleThou schalt be slain withoute faile1261And Jonathas thi Sone also.’Bot hou as evere it felle so,This worthi kniht of his corageHath undertake the viage,And wol noght his knyhthode letteFor no peril he couthe sette;1950Wherof that bothe his Sone and heUpon the Montz of GelboëAssemblen with here enemys:For thei knyhthode of such a prisBe olde daies thanne hielden,That thei non other thing behielden.And thus the fader for worschipeForth with his Sone of felaschipeThurgh lust of armes weren dede,As men mai in the bible rede;1960The whos knyhthode is yit in mende,And schal be to the worldes ende.[Education of Achilles.]And forto loken overmore,It hath and schal ben evermoreHic loquitur quod miles in suis primordiis ad audaciam prouocari debet. Et narrat qualiter Chiro Centaurus Achillem, quem secum ab infancia in monte Pileon educauit, vt audax efficeretur, primitus edocuit, quod cum ipse venacionibus ibidem insisteret, leones et tigrides huiusmodique animalia sibi resistencia et nulla alia fugitiua agitaret.1262Et sic Achilles in iuuentute animatus famosissime milicie probitatem postmodum adoptauit.1263That of knihthode the prouesseIs grounded upon hardinesse1264Of him that dar wel undertake.And who that wolde ensample takeUpon the forme of knyhtes lawe,How that Achilles was forthdrawe1970With Chiro, which Centaurus hihte,Of many a wondre hiere he mihte.P. ii. 68For it stod thilke time thus,That this Chiro, this Centaurus,Withinne a large wildernesse,Wher was Leon and Leonesse,The Lepard and the Tigre also,With Hert and Hynde, and buck and doo,1265Hadde his duellinge, as tho befell,Of Pileon upon the hel,1980Wherof was thanne mochel speche.Ther hath Chiro this Chyld to teche,What time he was of tuelve yer age;Wher forto maken his corageThe more hardi be other weie,In the forest to hunte and pleieWhan that Achilles walke wolde,Centaurus bad that he ne scholdeAfter no beste make his chace,Which wolde flen out of his place,1990As buck and doo and hert and hynde,With whiche he mai no werre finde;Bot tho that wolden him withstonde,Ther scholde he with his Dart on hondeUpon the Tigre and the LeonPourchace and take his veneison,1266As to a kniht is acordant.And therupon a covenantThis Chiro with Achilles sette,That every day withoute lette2000He scholde such a cruel besteOr slen or wounden ate leste,P. ii. 69So that he mihte a tokne bringeOf blod upon his hom cominge.And thus of that Chiro him tawhteAchilles such an herte cawhte,That he nomore a Leon dradde,Whan he his Dart on honde hadde,1267Thanne if a Leon were an asse:And that hath mad him forto passe12682010Alle othre knihtes of his dede,Whan it cam to the grete nede,1269[Prowess.]As it was afterward wel knowe.Confessor.Lo, thus, my Sone, thou miht knoweThat the corage of hardiesce1270Is of knyhthode the prouesce,Which is to love sufficantAboven al the remenantThat unto loves court poursuie.Bot who that wol no Slowthe eschuie,12712020Upon knihthode and noght travaile,I not what love him scholde availe;Bot every labour axeth whyOf som reward, wherof that IEnsamples couthe telle ynoweOf hem that toward love droweBe olde daies, as thei scholde.Amans.Mi fader, therof hiere I wolde.Confessor.Mi Sone, it is wel resonable,In place which is honorable2030If that a man his herte sette,That thanne he for no Slowthe letteP. ii. 70To do what longeth to manhede.For if thou wolt the bokes rede1272Of Lancelot and othre mo,Ther miht thou sen hou it was thoOf armes, for thei wolde atteigneTo love, which withoute peineMai noght be gete of ydelnesse.1273And that I take to witnesse2040An old Cronique in special,The which into memorialIs write, for his loves sakeHou that a kniht schal undertake.[Tale of Hercules and Achelons.]Ther was a king, which Oënes1274Was hote, and he under his pesHic dicit, quod Miles priusquam amoris amplexu dignus efficiatur, euentus bellicos victoriosus amplectere debet. Et narrat qualiter Hercules et Achelons propter1275Deianiram Calidonie Regis filiam singulare duellum adinuicem inierunt, cuius victor Hercules existens armorum1276meritis amorem virginis laudabiliter conquestauit.Hield Calidoyne in his Empire,And hadde a dowhter Deianire.Men wiste in thilke time nonSo fair a wiht as sche was on;2050And as sche was a lusti wiht,Riht so was thanne a noble kniht,To whom Mercurie fader was.This kniht the tuo pilers of bras,The whiche yit a man mai finde,Sette up in the desert of Ynde;That was the worthi Hercules,Whos name schal ben endelesFor the merveilles whiche he wroghte.This Hercules the love soghte2060Of Deianire, and of this thingUnto hir fader, which was king,P. ii. 71He spak touchende of Mariage.The king knowende his hih lignage,And dradde also hise mihtes sterne,To him ne dorste his dowhter werne;And natheles this he him seide,How Achelons er he ferst preideTo wedden hire, and in accordThei stode, as it was of record:2070Bot for al that this he him granteth,That which of hem that other daunteth1277In armes, him sche scholde take,And that the king hath undertake.This Achelons was a Geant,A soubtil man, a deceivant,Which thurgh magique and sorcerieCouthe al the world of tricherie:And whan that he this tale herde,Hou upon that the king ansuerde2080With Hercules he moste feighte,He tristeth noght upon his sleighteAl only, whan it comth to nede,Bot that which voydeth alle dredeAnd every noble herte stereth,The love, that no lif forbereth,For his ladi, whom he desireth,With hardiesse his herte fyreth,1278And sende him word withoute faileThat he wol take the bataille.2090Thei setten day, thei chosen field,The knihtes coevered under SchieldP. ii. 72Togedre come at time set,And echon is with other met.It fell thei foghten bothe afote,Ther was no ston, ther was no rote,Which mihte letten hem the weie,But al was voide and take aweie.Thei smyten strokes bot a fewe,For Hercules, which wolde schewe2100His grete strengthe as for the nones,He sterte upon him al at onesAnd cawhte him in hise armes stronge.This Geant wot he mai noght longeEndure under so harde bondes,And thoghte he wolde out of hise hondesBe sleyhte in som manere ascape.And as he couthe himself forschape,In liknesse of an Eddre he slipteOut of his hond, and forth he skipte;2110And efte, as he that feighte wole,He torneth him into a Bole,And gan to belwe of such a soun,As thogh the world scholde al go doun:The ground he sporneth and he tranceth,Hise large hornes he avancethAnd caste hem here and there aboute.Bot he, which stant of him no doute,1279Awaiteth wel whan that he cam,And him be bothe hornes nam2120And al at ones he him casteUnto the ground, and hield him faste,P. ii. 73That he ne mihte with no sleighteOut of his hond gete upon heighte,Til he was overcome and yolde,And Hercules hath what he wolde.The king him granteth to fulfilleHis axinge at his oghne wille,And sche for whom he hadde served,Hire thoghte he hath hire wel deserved.2130And thus with gret decerte of ArmesHe wan him forto ligge in armes,As he which hath it dere aboght,For otherwise scholde he noght.[Penthesilea.]And overthis if thou wolt hiere1280Nota de Pantasilea Amazonie Regina, que Hectoris amore colligata contra Pirrum Achillis filium apud Troiam arma ferre eciam personaliter non recusauit.Upon knihthode of this matiere,1281Hou love and armes ben aqueinted,A man mai se bothe write and peintedSo ferforth that Pantasilee,Which was the queene of Feminee,2140The love of Hector forto siekeAnd for thonour of armes eke,To Troie cam with Spere and Schield,And rod hirself into the fieldWith Maidens armed al a routeIn rescouss of the toun aboute,Which with the Gregois was belein.[Philemenis.]Fro Pafagoine and as men sein,Nota qualiter Philemenis propter milicie famam a finibus terre in defensionem Troie veniens tres puellas a Regno Amazonie1282quolibet anno percipiendas sibi et heredibus suis impertuum ea de causa habere promeruit.Which stant upon the worldes ende,That time it likede ek to wende2150To Philemenis, which was king,To Troie, and come upon this thingP. ii. 74In helpe of thilke noble toun;And al was that for the renounOf worschipe and of worldes fame,Of which he wolde bere a name:And so he dede, and forth withalHe wan of love in specialA fair tribut for everemo.For it fell thilke time so;2160Pirrus the Sone of AchillesThis worthi queene among the pressWith dedli swerd soghte out and fond,And slowh hire with his oghne hond;Wherof this king of Pafagoine1283Pantasilee of Amazoine,1284Wher sche was queene, with him ladde,With suche Maidens as sche haddeOf hem that were left alyve,Forth in his Schip, til thei aryve;2170Wher that the body was begraveWith worschipe, and the wommen save.And for the goodschipe of this dedeThei granten him a lusti mede,That every yeer as for truage1285To him and to his heritageOf Maidens faire he schal have thre.And in this wise spedde he,Which the fortune of armes soghte,With his travail his ese he boghte;2180For otherwise he scholde have failed,If that he hadde noght travailed.[Eneas.]P. ii. 75Eneas ek withinne Ytaile,Nota pro eo quod Eneas Regem Turnum in bello deuicit, non solum amorem Lavine,1286set et regnum Ytalie sibi subiugatum obtinuit.Ne hadde he wonne the batailleAnd don his miht so besilyAyein king Turne his enemy,He hadde noght Lavine wonne;Bot for he hath him overronneAnd gete his pris, he gat hire love.1287Be these ensamples here above,2190Lo, now, mi Sone, as I have told,Thou miht wel se, who that is boldAnd dar travaile and undertakeThe cause of love, he schal be takeThe rathere unto loves grace;For comunliche in worthi placeThe wommen loven worthinesse[Gentilesse.]Of manhode and of gentilesse,Hic dicit,1288quod generosi in amoris causa sepius preferuntur. Super quo querit Amans, Quid sit generositas: cuius veritatem questionis Confessor per singula dissoluit.For the gentils ben most desired.Mi fader, bot I were enspired2200Thurgh lore of you, I wot no weieWhat gentilesce is forto seie,Wherof to telle I you beseche.The ground, Mi Sone, forto secheUpon this diffinicion,The worldes constitucionHath set the name of gentilesseUpon the fortune of richesseWhich of long time is falle in age.Thanne is a man of hih lignage2210After the forme, as thou miht hiere,Bot nothing after the matiere.P. ii. 76For who that resoun understonde,Upon richesse it mai noght stonde,For that is thing which faileth ofte:For he that stant to day alofteAnd al the world hath in hise wones,Tomorwe he falleth al at ones1289Out of richesse into poverte,So that therof is no decerte,2220Which gentilesce makth abide.And forto loke on other sideHou that a gentil man is bore,Adam, which alle was tofore1290With Eve his wif, as of hem tuo,Al was aliche gentil tho;So that of generacion1291To make declaracion,Ther mai no gentilesce be.For to the reson if we se,2230Of mannes berthe the mesure,It is so comun to nature,That it yifth every man aliche,Als wel to povere as to the riche;1292For naked thei ben bore bothe,The lord nomore hath forto clotheAs of himself that ilke throwe,Than hath the povereste of the rowe.And whan thei schulle bothe passe,I not of hem which hath the lasse2240Of worldes good, bot as of charge1293The lord is more forto charge,P. ii. 77Whan god schal his accompte hiere,For he hath had hise lustes hiere.Omnes quidem ad vnum finem tendimus, set diuerso tramite.Bot of the bodi, which schal deie,Althogh ther be diverse weieTo deth, yit is ther bot on ende,To which that every man schal wende,Als wel the beggere as the lord,Of o nature, of on acord:2250Sche which oure Eldemoder is,1294The Erthe, bothe that and thisReceiveth and alich devoureth,That sche to nouther part favoureth.1295So wot I nothing after kindeWhere I mai gentilesse finde.For lacke of vertu lacketh grace,Wherof richesse in many place,Whan men best wene forto stonde,1296Al sodeinly goth out of honde:2260Bot vertu set in the corage,Ther mai no world be so salvage,Which mihte it take and don aweie,Til whanne that the bodi deie;And thanne he schal be riched so,That it mai faile neveremo;So mai that wel be gentilesse,Which yifth so gret a sikernesse.For after the condicionOf resonable entencion,2270The which out of the Soule growethAnd the vertu fro vice knoweth,P. ii. 78Wherof a man the vice eschuieth,Withoute Slowthe and vertu suieth,That is a verrai gentil man,And nothing elles which he can,Ne which he hath, ne which he mai.Bot for al that yit nou aday,1297In loves court to taken hiede,The povere vertu schal noght spiede,2280Wher that the riche vice woweth;For sielde it is that love allowethThe gentil man withoute good,Thogh his condicion be good.Bot if a man of bothe tuoBe riche and vertuous also,Thanne is he wel the more worthBot yit to putte himselve forthHe moste don his besinesse,For nowther good ne gentilesse2290Mai helpen hem whiche ydel be.[Effects of Love.]Bot who that wole in his degreTravaile so as it belongeth,It happeth ofte that he fongethWorschipe and ese bothe tuo.1298For evere yit it hath be so,That love honeste in sondri weieProfiteth, for it doth aweieThe vice, and as the bokes sein,It makth curteis of the vilein,12992300And to the couard hardiesceIt yifth, so that verrai prouesseP. ii. 79Is caused upon loves reuleTo him that can manhode reule;And ek toward the wommanhiede,Who that therof wol taken hiede,For thei the betre affaited be1300In every thing, as men may se.For love hath evere hise lustes greneIn gentil folk, as it is sene,2310Which thing ther mai no kinde areste:1301I trowe that ther is no beste,If he with love scholde aqueinte,That he ne wolde make it queinteAs for the while that it laste.And thus I conclude ate laste,That thei ben ydel, as me semeth,Whiche unto thing that love demethForslowthen that thei scholden do.And overthis, mi Sone, also2320Nota de amore caritatis, vbi dicit, Qui non diligit, manet in morte.After the vertu moral ekeTo speke of love if I schal seke,Among the holi bokes wiseI finde write in such a wise,1302‘Who loveth noght is hier as ded’;1303For love above alle othre is hed,Which hath the vertus forto lede,Of al that unto mannes dede[Love contrary to Sloth.]Belongeth: for of ydelschipeHe hateth all the felaschipe.13042330For Slowthe is evere to despise,Which in desdeign hath al apprise,P. ii. 80And that acordeth noght to man:For he that wit and reson kan,It sit him wel that he travaileUpon som thing which mihte availe,For ydelschipe is noght comended,Bot every lawe it hath defended.And in ensample theruponThe noble wise Salomon,2340Which hadde of every thing insihte,Seith, ‘As the briddes to the flihteBen made, so the man is boreTo labour,’ which is noght forboreTo hem that thenken forto thryve.For we, whiche are now alyve,Of hem that besi whylom were,Apostolus. Quecumque scripta sunt, ad nostrum doctrinam scripta sunt.1305Als wel in Scole as elleswhere,Mowe every day ensample take,That if it were now to make2350Thing which that thei ferst founden oute,1306It scholde noght be broght aboute.Here lyves thanne were longe,Here wittes grete, here mihtes stronge,Here hertes ful of besinesse,Wherof the worldes redinesseIn bodi bothe and in corageStant evere upon his avantage.And forto drawe into memoireHere names bothe and here histoire,2360Upon the vertu of her dedeIn sondri bokes thou miht rede.
[Tale of Nauplus and Ulysses.]Upon knyhthode I rede thus,How whilom whan the king Nauplus,1248Hic dicit quod amoris delectamento postposito miles arma sua preferre debet: Et ponit exemplum de Vlixe, cum ipse a bello Troiano propter amorem Penolope remanere domi voluisset, Nauplus pater Palamades eum tantis sermonibus allocutus est, quod Vlixes thoro sue coniugis relicto labores armorum vna cum aliis Troie magnanimus subibat.The fader of Palamades,Cam forto preien UlixesWith othre Gregois ek also,That he with hem to Troie go,1820Wher that the Siege scholde be,Anon upon PenolopeP. ii. 63His wif, whom that he loveth hote,Thenkende, wolde hem noght behote.Bot he schop thanne a wonder wyle,How that he scholde hem best beguile,So that he mihte duelle stilleAt home and welde his love at wille:Wherof erli the morwe dayOut of his bedd, wher that he lay,1830Whan he was uppe, he gan to fareInto the field and loke and stare,As he which feigneth to be wod:1249He tok a plowh, wher that it stod,Wherinne anon in stede of OxesHe let do yoken grete foxes,And with gret salt the lond he siew.But Nauplus, which the cause kniew,1250Ayein the sleihte which he feignethAn other sleihte anon ordeigneth.1840And fell that time Ulixes haddeA chyld to Sone, and Nauplus raddeHow men that Sone taken scholde,And setten him upon the Molde,Wher that his fader hield the plowh,In thilke furgh which he tho drowh.For in such wise he thoghte assaie,Hou it Ulixes scholde paie,If that he were wod or non.The knihtes for this child forthgon;12511850Thelamacus anon was fett,Tofore the plowh and evene sett,P. ii. 64Wher that his fader scholde dryve.Bot whan he sih his child, als blyveHe drof the plowh out of the weie,And Nauplus tho began to seie,And hath half in a jape cryd:‘O Ulixes, thou art aspyd:What is al this thou woldest meene?For openliche it is now seene1860That thou hast feigned al this thing,Which is gret schame to a king,Whan that for lust of eny slowtheThou wolt in a querele of trowtheOf armes thilke honour forsake,And duelle at hom for loves sake:For betre it were honour to winneThan love, which likinge is inne.Forthi tak worschipe upon honde,And elles thou schalt understonde1870These othre worthi kinges alleOf Grece, which unto thee calle,1252Towardes thee wol be riht wrothe,And grieve thee per chance bothe:Which schal be tothe double schame1253Most for the hindrynge of thi name,That thou for Slouthe of eny loveSchalt so thi lustes sette aboveAnd leve of armes the knyhthode,Which is the pris of thi manhode1880And oghte ferst to be desired.’Bot he, which hadde his herte fyredP. ii. 65Upon his wif, whan he this herde,Noght o word therayein ansuerde,Bot torneth hom halvinge aschamed,And hath withinne himself so tamedHis herte, that al the sotieOf love for chivalerieHe lefte, and be him lief or loth,To Troie forth with hem he goth,1890That he him mihte noght excuse.Thus stant it, if a knyht refuse1254The lust of armes to travaile,1255Ther mai no worldes ese availe,Bot if worschipe be with al.And that hath schewed overal;For it sit wel in alle wiseA kniht to ben of hih empriseAnd puten alle drede aweie;For in this wise, I have herd seie,1900[Examples of Prowess. Protesilaus.]The worthi king Protheselai1256On his passage wher he laiHic narrat super eodem qualiter Laodomia Regis Protheselai vxor, volens ipsum a bello Troiano secum retinere, fatatam sibi mortem in portu Troie prenunciauit: set ipse miliciam pocius quam ocia affectans, Troiam adiit, vbi sue mortis precio perpetue laudis Cronicam ademit.Towardes Troie thilke Siege,Sche which was al his oghne liege,Laodomie his lusti wif,Which for his love was pensif,As he which al hire herte hadde,Upon a thing wherof sche draddeA lettre, forto make him duelleFro Troie, sende him, thus to telle,1910Hou sche hath axed of the wyseTouchende of him in such a wise,P. ii. 66That thei have don hire understonde,Towardes othre hou so it stonde,The destine it hath so schapeThat he schal noght the deth ascape1257In cas that he arryve at Troie.Forthi as to hir worldes joieWith al hire herte sche him preide,And many an other cause alleide,1920That he with hire at home abide.Bot he hath cast hir lettre aside,1258As he which tho no maner hiedeTok of hire wommannysshe drede;And forth he goth, as noght ne were,To Troie, and was the ferste thereWhich londeth, and tok arryvaile:For him was levere in the bataille,1259He seith, to deien as a knyht,Than forto lyve in al his myht1930And be reproeved of his name.Lo, thus upon the worldes fameKnyhthode hath evere yit be set,Which with no couardie is let.[Saul.]Of king Saül also I finde,Adhuc super eodem, qualiter Rex Saul, non obstante quod per Samuelem a Phitonissa suscitatum et coniuratum responsum, quod ipse in bello moreretur, accepisset, hostes tamen suos aggrediens milicie famam cunctis huius vite blandimentis preposuit.Whan Samuel out of his kinde,Thurgh that the Phitonesse hath lered,In Samarie was areredLong time after that he was ded,The king Saül him axeth red,12601940If that he schal go fyhte or non.And Samuel him seide anon,P. ii. 67‘The ferste day of the batailleThou schalt be slain withoute faile1261And Jonathas thi Sone also.’Bot hou as evere it felle so,This worthi kniht of his corageHath undertake the viage,And wol noght his knyhthode letteFor no peril he couthe sette;1950Wherof that bothe his Sone and heUpon the Montz of GelboëAssemblen with here enemys:For thei knyhthode of such a prisBe olde daies thanne hielden,That thei non other thing behielden.And thus the fader for worschipeForth with his Sone of felaschipeThurgh lust of armes weren dede,As men mai in the bible rede;1960The whos knyhthode is yit in mende,And schal be to the worldes ende.[Education of Achilles.]And forto loken overmore,It hath and schal ben evermoreHic loquitur quod miles in suis primordiis ad audaciam prouocari debet. Et narrat qualiter Chiro Centaurus Achillem, quem secum ab infancia in monte Pileon educauit, vt audax efficeretur, primitus edocuit, quod cum ipse venacionibus ibidem insisteret, leones et tigrides huiusmodique animalia sibi resistencia et nulla alia fugitiua agitaret.1262Et sic Achilles in iuuentute animatus famosissime milicie probitatem postmodum adoptauit.1263That of knihthode the prouesseIs grounded upon hardinesse1264Of him that dar wel undertake.And who that wolde ensample takeUpon the forme of knyhtes lawe,How that Achilles was forthdrawe1970With Chiro, which Centaurus hihte,Of many a wondre hiere he mihte.P. ii. 68For it stod thilke time thus,That this Chiro, this Centaurus,Withinne a large wildernesse,Wher was Leon and Leonesse,The Lepard and the Tigre also,With Hert and Hynde, and buck and doo,1265Hadde his duellinge, as tho befell,Of Pileon upon the hel,1980Wherof was thanne mochel speche.Ther hath Chiro this Chyld to teche,What time he was of tuelve yer age;Wher forto maken his corageThe more hardi be other weie,In the forest to hunte and pleieWhan that Achilles walke wolde,Centaurus bad that he ne scholdeAfter no beste make his chace,Which wolde flen out of his place,1990As buck and doo and hert and hynde,With whiche he mai no werre finde;Bot tho that wolden him withstonde,Ther scholde he with his Dart on hondeUpon the Tigre and the LeonPourchace and take his veneison,1266As to a kniht is acordant.And therupon a covenantThis Chiro with Achilles sette,That every day withoute lette2000He scholde such a cruel besteOr slen or wounden ate leste,P. ii. 69So that he mihte a tokne bringeOf blod upon his hom cominge.And thus of that Chiro him tawhteAchilles such an herte cawhte,That he nomore a Leon dradde,Whan he his Dart on honde hadde,1267Thanne if a Leon were an asse:And that hath mad him forto passe12682010Alle othre knihtes of his dede,Whan it cam to the grete nede,1269[Prowess.]As it was afterward wel knowe.Confessor.Lo, thus, my Sone, thou miht knoweThat the corage of hardiesce1270Is of knyhthode the prouesce,Which is to love sufficantAboven al the remenantThat unto loves court poursuie.Bot who that wol no Slowthe eschuie,12712020Upon knihthode and noght travaile,I not what love him scholde availe;Bot every labour axeth whyOf som reward, wherof that IEnsamples couthe telle ynoweOf hem that toward love droweBe olde daies, as thei scholde.Amans.Mi fader, therof hiere I wolde.Confessor.Mi Sone, it is wel resonable,In place which is honorable2030If that a man his herte sette,That thanne he for no Slowthe letteP. ii. 70To do what longeth to manhede.For if thou wolt the bokes rede1272Of Lancelot and othre mo,Ther miht thou sen hou it was thoOf armes, for thei wolde atteigneTo love, which withoute peineMai noght be gete of ydelnesse.1273And that I take to witnesse2040An old Cronique in special,The which into memorialIs write, for his loves sakeHou that a kniht schal undertake.[Tale of Hercules and Achelons.]Ther was a king, which Oënes1274Was hote, and he under his pesHic dicit, quod Miles priusquam amoris amplexu dignus efficiatur, euentus bellicos victoriosus amplectere debet. Et narrat qualiter Hercules et Achelons propter1275Deianiram Calidonie Regis filiam singulare duellum adinuicem inierunt, cuius victor Hercules existens armorum1276meritis amorem virginis laudabiliter conquestauit.Hield Calidoyne in his Empire,And hadde a dowhter Deianire.Men wiste in thilke time nonSo fair a wiht as sche was on;2050And as sche was a lusti wiht,Riht so was thanne a noble kniht,To whom Mercurie fader was.This kniht the tuo pilers of bras,The whiche yit a man mai finde,Sette up in the desert of Ynde;That was the worthi Hercules,Whos name schal ben endelesFor the merveilles whiche he wroghte.This Hercules the love soghte2060Of Deianire, and of this thingUnto hir fader, which was king,P. ii. 71He spak touchende of Mariage.The king knowende his hih lignage,And dradde also hise mihtes sterne,To him ne dorste his dowhter werne;And natheles this he him seide,How Achelons er he ferst preideTo wedden hire, and in accordThei stode, as it was of record:2070Bot for al that this he him granteth,That which of hem that other daunteth1277In armes, him sche scholde take,And that the king hath undertake.This Achelons was a Geant,A soubtil man, a deceivant,Which thurgh magique and sorcerieCouthe al the world of tricherie:And whan that he this tale herde,Hou upon that the king ansuerde2080With Hercules he moste feighte,He tristeth noght upon his sleighteAl only, whan it comth to nede,Bot that which voydeth alle dredeAnd every noble herte stereth,The love, that no lif forbereth,For his ladi, whom he desireth,With hardiesse his herte fyreth,1278And sende him word withoute faileThat he wol take the bataille.2090Thei setten day, thei chosen field,The knihtes coevered under SchieldP. ii. 72Togedre come at time set,And echon is with other met.It fell thei foghten bothe afote,Ther was no ston, ther was no rote,Which mihte letten hem the weie,But al was voide and take aweie.Thei smyten strokes bot a fewe,For Hercules, which wolde schewe2100His grete strengthe as for the nones,He sterte upon him al at onesAnd cawhte him in hise armes stronge.This Geant wot he mai noght longeEndure under so harde bondes,And thoghte he wolde out of hise hondesBe sleyhte in som manere ascape.And as he couthe himself forschape,In liknesse of an Eddre he slipteOut of his hond, and forth he skipte;2110And efte, as he that feighte wole,He torneth him into a Bole,And gan to belwe of such a soun,As thogh the world scholde al go doun:The ground he sporneth and he tranceth,Hise large hornes he avancethAnd caste hem here and there aboute.Bot he, which stant of him no doute,1279Awaiteth wel whan that he cam,And him be bothe hornes nam2120And al at ones he him casteUnto the ground, and hield him faste,P. ii. 73That he ne mihte with no sleighteOut of his hond gete upon heighte,Til he was overcome and yolde,And Hercules hath what he wolde.The king him granteth to fulfilleHis axinge at his oghne wille,And sche for whom he hadde served,Hire thoghte he hath hire wel deserved.2130And thus with gret decerte of ArmesHe wan him forto ligge in armes,As he which hath it dere aboght,For otherwise scholde he noght.[Penthesilea.]And overthis if thou wolt hiere1280Nota de Pantasilea Amazonie Regina, que Hectoris amore colligata contra Pirrum Achillis filium apud Troiam arma ferre eciam personaliter non recusauit.Upon knihthode of this matiere,1281Hou love and armes ben aqueinted,A man mai se bothe write and peintedSo ferforth that Pantasilee,Which was the queene of Feminee,2140The love of Hector forto siekeAnd for thonour of armes eke,To Troie cam with Spere and Schield,And rod hirself into the fieldWith Maidens armed al a routeIn rescouss of the toun aboute,Which with the Gregois was belein.[Philemenis.]Fro Pafagoine and as men sein,Nota qualiter Philemenis propter milicie famam a finibus terre in defensionem Troie veniens tres puellas a Regno Amazonie1282quolibet anno percipiendas sibi et heredibus suis impertuum ea de causa habere promeruit.Which stant upon the worldes ende,That time it likede ek to wende2150To Philemenis, which was king,To Troie, and come upon this thingP. ii. 74In helpe of thilke noble toun;And al was that for the renounOf worschipe and of worldes fame,Of which he wolde bere a name:And so he dede, and forth withalHe wan of love in specialA fair tribut for everemo.For it fell thilke time so;2160Pirrus the Sone of AchillesThis worthi queene among the pressWith dedli swerd soghte out and fond,And slowh hire with his oghne hond;Wherof this king of Pafagoine1283Pantasilee of Amazoine,1284Wher sche was queene, with him ladde,With suche Maidens as sche haddeOf hem that were left alyve,Forth in his Schip, til thei aryve;2170Wher that the body was begraveWith worschipe, and the wommen save.And for the goodschipe of this dedeThei granten him a lusti mede,That every yeer as for truage1285To him and to his heritageOf Maidens faire he schal have thre.And in this wise spedde he,Which the fortune of armes soghte,With his travail his ese he boghte;2180For otherwise he scholde have failed,If that he hadde noght travailed.[Eneas.]P. ii. 75Eneas ek withinne Ytaile,Nota pro eo quod Eneas Regem Turnum in bello deuicit, non solum amorem Lavine,1286set et regnum Ytalie sibi subiugatum obtinuit.Ne hadde he wonne the batailleAnd don his miht so besilyAyein king Turne his enemy,He hadde noght Lavine wonne;Bot for he hath him overronneAnd gete his pris, he gat hire love.1287Be these ensamples here above,2190Lo, now, mi Sone, as I have told,Thou miht wel se, who that is boldAnd dar travaile and undertakeThe cause of love, he schal be takeThe rathere unto loves grace;For comunliche in worthi placeThe wommen loven worthinesse[Gentilesse.]Of manhode and of gentilesse,Hic dicit,1288quod generosi in amoris causa sepius preferuntur. Super quo querit Amans, Quid sit generositas: cuius veritatem questionis Confessor per singula dissoluit.For the gentils ben most desired.Mi fader, bot I were enspired2200Thurgh lore of you, I wot no weieWhat gentilesce is forto seie,Wherof to telle I you beseche.The ground, Mi Sone, forto secheUpon this diffinicion,The worldes constitucionHath set the name of gentilesseUpon the fortune of richesseWhich of long time is falle in age.Thanne is a man of hih lignage2210After the forme, as thou miht hiere,Bot nothing after the matiere.P. ii. 76For who that resoun understonde,Upon richesse it mai noght stonde,For that is thing which faileth ofte:For he that stant to day alofteAnd al the world hath in hise wones,Tomorwe he falleth al at ones1289Out of richesse into poverte,So that therof is no decerte,2220Which gentilesce makth abide.And forto loke on other sideHou that a gentil man is bore,Adam, which alle was tofore1290With Eve his wif, as of hem tuo,Al was aliche gentil tho;So that of generacion1291To make declaracion,Ther mai no gentilesce be.For to the reson if we se,2230Of mannes berthe the mesure,It is so comun to nature,That it yifth every man aliche,Als wel to povere as to the riche;1292For naked thei ben bore bothe,The lord nomore hath forto clotheAs of himself that ilke throwe,Than hath the povereste of the rowe.And whan thei schulle bothe passe,I not of hem which hath the lasse2240Of worldes good, bot as of charge1293The lord is more forto charge,P. ii. 77Whan god schal his accompte hiere,For he hath had hise lustes hiere.Omnes quidem ad vnum finem tendimus, set diuerso tramite.Bot of the bodi, which schal deie,Althogh ther be diverse weieTo deth, yit is ther bot on ende,To which that every man schal wende,Als wel the beggere as the lord,Of o nature, of on acord:2250Sche which oure Eldemoder is,1294The Erthe, bothe that and thisReceiveth and alich devoureth,That sche to nouther part favoureth.1295So wot I nothing after kindeWhere I mai gentilesse finde.For lacke of vertu lacketh grace,Wherof richesse in many place,Whan men best wene forto stonde,1296Al sodeinly goth out of honde:2260Bot vertu set in the corage,Ther mai no world be so salvage,Which mihte it take and don aweie,Til whanne that the bodi deie;And thanne he schal be riched so,That it mai faile neveremo;So mai that wel be gentilesse,Which yifth so gret a sikernesse.For after the condicionOf resonable entencion,2270The which out of the Soule growethAnd the vertu fro vice knoweth,P. ii. 78Wherof a man the vice eschuieth,Withoute Slowthe and vertu suieth,That is a verrai gentil man,And nothing elles which he can,Ne which he hath, ne which he mai.Bot for al that yit nou aday,1297In loves court to taken hiede,The povere vertu schal noght spiede,2280Wher that the riche vice woweth;For sielde it is that love allowethThe gentil man withoute good,Thogh his condicion be good.Bot if a man of bothe tuoBe riche and vertuous also,Thanne is he wel the more worthBot yit to putte himselve forthHe moste don his besinesse,For nowther good ne gentilesse2290Mai helpen hem whiche ydel be.[Effects of Love.]Bot who that wole in his degreTravaile so as it belongeth,It happeth ofte that he fongethWorschipe and ese bothe tuo.1298For evere yit it hath be so,That love honeste in sondri weieProfiteth, for it doth aweieThe vice, and as the bokes sein,It makth curteis of the vilein,12992300And to the couard hardiesceIt yifth, so that verrai prouesseP. ii. 79Is caused upon loves reuleTo him that can manhode reule;And ek toward the wommanhiede,Who that therof wol taken hiede,For thei the betre affaited be1300In every thing, as men may se.For love hath evere hise lustes greneIn gentil folk, as it is sene,2310Which thing ther mai no kinde areste:1301I trowe that ther is no beste,If he with love scholde aqueinte,That he ne wolde make it queinteAs for the while that it laste.And thus I conclude ate laste,That thei ben ydel, as me semeth,Whiche unto thing that love demethForslowthen that thei scholden do.And overthis, mi Sone, also2320Nota de amore caritatis, vbi dicit, Qui non diligit, manet in morte.After the vertu moral ekeTo speke of love if I schal seke,Among the holi bokes wiseI finde write in such a wise,1302‘Who loveth noght is hier as ded’;1303For love above alle othre is hed,Which hath the vertus forto lede,Of al that unto mannes dede[Love contrary to Sloth.]Belongeth: for of ydelschipeHe hateth all the felaschipe.13042330For Slowthe is evere to despise,Which in desdeign hath al apprise,P. ii. 80And that acordeth noght to man:For he that wit and reson kan,It sit him wel that he travaileUpon som thing which mihte availe,For ydelschipe is noght comended,Bot every lawe it hath defended.And in ensample theruponThe noble wise Salomon,2340Which hadde of every thing insihte,Seith, ‘As the briddes to the flihteBen made, so the man is boreTo labour,’ which is noght forboreTo hem that thenken forto thryve.For we, whiche are now alyve,Of hem that besi whylom were,Apostolus. Quecumque scripta sunt, ad nostrum doctrinam scripta sunt.1305Als wel in Scole as elleswhere,Mowe every day ensample take,That if it were now to make2350Thing which that thei ferst founden oute,1306It scholde noght be broght aboute.Here lyves thanne were longe,Here wittes grete, here mihtes stronge,Here hertes ful of besinesse,Wherof the worldes redinesseIn bodi bothe and in corageStant evere upon his avantage.And forto drawe into memoireHere names bothe and here histoire,2360Upon the vertu of her dedeIn sondri bokes thou miht rede.
[Tale of Nauplus and Ulysses.]Upon knyhthode I rede thus,How whilom whan the king Nauplus,1248Hic dicit quod amoris delectamento postposito miles arma sua preferre debet: Et ponit exemplum de Vlixe, cum ipse a bello Troiano propter amorem Penolope remanere domi voluisset, Nauplus pater Palamades eum tantis sermonibus allocutus est, quod Vlixes thoro sue coniugis relicto labores armorum vna cum aliis Troie magnanimus subibat.The fader of Palamades,Cam forto preien UlixesWith othre Gregois ek also,That he with hem to Troie go,1820Wher that the Siege scholde be,Anon upon PenolopeP. ii. 63His wif, whom that he loveth hote,Thenkende, wolde hem noght behote.Bot he schop thanne a wonder wyle,How that he scholde hem best beguile,So that he mihte duelle stilleAt home and welde his love at wille:Wherof erli the morwe dayOut of his bedd, wher that he lay,1830Whan he was uppe, he gan to fareInto the field and loke and stare,As he which feigneth to be wod:1249He tok a plowh, wher that it stod,Wherinne anon in stede of OxesHe let do yoken grete foxes,And with gret salt the lond he siew.But Nauplus, which the cause kniew,1250Ayein the sleihte which he feignethAn other sleihte anon ordeigneth.1840And fell that time Ulixes haddeA chyld to Sone, and Nauplus raddeHow men that Sone taken scholde,And setten him upon the Molde,Wher that his fader hield the plowh,In thilke furgh which he tho drowh.For in such wise he thoghte assaie,Hou it Ulixes scholde paie,If that he were wod or non.The knihtes for this child forthgon;12511850Thelamacus anon was fett,Tofore the plowh and evene sett,P. ii. 64Wher that his fader scholde dryve.Bot whan he sih his child, als blyveHe drof the plowh out of the weie,And Nauplus tho began to seie,And hath half in a jape cryd:‘O Ulixes, thou art aspyd:What is al this thou woldest meene?For openliche it is now seene1860That thou hast feigned al this thing,Which is gret schame to a king,Whan that for lust of eny slowtheThou wolt in a querele of trowtheOf armes thilke honour forsake,And duelle at hom for loves sake:For betre it were honour to winneThan love, which likinge is inne.Forthi tak worschipe upon honde,And elles thou schalt understonde1870These othre worthi kinges alleOf Grece, which unto thee calle,1252Towardes thee wol be riht wrothe,And grieve thee per chance bothe:Which schal be tothe double schame1253Most for the hindrynge of thi name,That thou for Slouthe of eny loveSchalt so thi lustes sette aboveAnd leve of armes the knyhthode,Which is the pris of thi manhode1880And oghte ferst to be desired.’Bot he, which hadde his herte fyredP. ii. 65Upon his wif, whan he this herde,Noght o word therayein ansuerde,Bot torneth hom halvinge aschamed,And hath withinne himself so tamedHis herte, that al the sotieOf love for chivalerieHe lefte, and be him lief or loth,To Troie forth with hem he goth,1890That he him mihte noght excuse.Thus stant it, if a knyht refuse1254The lust of armes to travaile,1255Ther mai no worldes ese availe,Bot if worschipe be with al.And that hath schewed overal;For it sit wel in alle wiseA kniht to ben of hih empriseAnd puten alle drede aweie;For in this wise, I have herd seie,1900[Examples of Prowess. Protesilaus.]The worthi king Protheselai1256On his passage wher he laiHic narrat super eodem qualiter Laodomia Regis Protheselai vxor, volens ipsum a bello Troiano secum retinere, fatatam sibi mortem in portu Troie prenunciauit: set ipse miliciam pocius quam ocia affectans, Troiam adiit, vbi sue mortis precio perpetue laudis Cronicam ademit.Towardes Troie thilke Siege,Sche which was al his oghne liege,Laodomie his lusti wif,Which for his love was pensif,As he which al hire herte hadde,Upon a thing wherof sche draddeA lettre, forto make him duelleFro Troie, sende him, thus to telle,1910Hou sche hath axed of the wyseTouchende of him in such a wise,P. ii. 66That thei have don hire understonde,Towardes othre hou so it stonde,The destine it hath so schapeThat he schal noght the deth ascape1257In cas that he arryve at Troie.Forthi as to hir worldes joieWith al hire herte sche him preide,And many an other cause alleide,1920That he with hire at home abide.Bot he hath cast hir lettre aside,1258As he which tho no maner hiedeTok of hire wommannysshe drede;And forth he goth, as noght ne were,To Troie, and was the ferste thereWhich londeth, and tok arryvaile:For him was levere in the bataille,1259He seith, to deien as a knyht,Than forto lyve in al his myht1930And be reproeved of his name.Lo, thus upon the worldes fameKnyhthode hath evere yit be set,Which with no couardie is let.[Saul.]Of king Saül also I finde,Adhuc super eodem, qualiter Rex Saul, non obstante quod per Samuelem a Phitonissa suscitatum et coniuratum responsum, quod ipse in bello moreretur, accepisset, hostes tamen suos aggrediens milicie famam cunctis huius vite blandimentis preposuit.Whan Samuel out of his kinde,Thurgh that the Phitonesse hath lered,In Samarie was areredLong time after that he was ded,The king Saül him axeth red,12601940If that he schal go fyhte or non.And Samuel him seide anon,P. ii. 67‘The ferste day of the batailleThou schalt be slain withoute faile1261And Jonathas thi Sone also.’Bot hou as evere it felle so,This worthi kniht of his corageHath undertake the viage,And wol noght his knyhthode letteFor no peril he couthe sette;1950Wherof that bothe his Sone and heUpon the Montz of GelboëAssemblen with here enemys:For thei knyhthode of such a prisBe olde daies thanne hielden,That thei non other thing behielden.And thus the fader for worschipeForth with his Sone of felaschipeThurgh lust of armes weren dede,As men mai in the bible rede;1960The whos knyhthode is yit in mende,And schal be to the worldes ende.[Education of Achilles.]And forto loken overmore,It hath and schal ben evermoreHic loquitur quod miles in suis primordiis ad audaciam prouocari debet. Et narrat qualiter Chiro Centaurus Achillem, quem secum ab infancia in monte Pileon educauit, vt audax efficeretur, primitus edocuit, quod cum ipse venacionibus ibidem insisteret, leones et tigrides huiusmodique animalia sibi resistencia et nulla alia fugitiua agitaret.1262Et sic Achilles in iuuentute animatus famosissime milicie probitatem postmodum adoptauit.1263That of knihthode the prouesseIs grounded upon hardinesse1264Of him that dar wel undertake.And who that wolde ensample takeUpon the forme of knyhtes lawe,How that Achilles was forthdrawe1970With Chiro, which Centaurus hihte,Of many a wondre hiere he mihte.P. ii. 68For it stod thilke time thus,That this Chiro, this Centaurus,Withinne a large wildernesse,Wher was Leon and Leonesse,The Lepard and the Tigre also,With Hert and Hynde, and buck and doo,1265Hadde his duellinge, as tho befell,Of Pileon upon the hel,1980Wherof was thanne mochel speche.Ther hath Chiro this Chyld to teche,What time he was of tuelve yer age;Wher forto maken his corageThe more hardi be other weie,In the forest to hunte and pleieWhan that Achilles walke wolde,Centaurus bad that he ne scholdeAfter no beste make his chace,Which wolde flen out of his place,1990As buck and doo and hert and hynde,With whiche he mai no werre finde;Bot tho that wolden him withstonde,Ther scholde he with his Dart on hondeUpon the Tigre and the LeonPourchace and take his veneison,1266As to a kniht is acordant.And therupon a covenantThis Chiro with Achilles sette,That every day withoute lette2000He scholde such a cruel besteOr slen or wounden ate leste,P. ii. 69So that he mihte a tokne bringeOf blod upon his hom cominge.And thus of that Chiro him tawhteAchilles such an herte cawhte,That he nomore a Leon dradde,Whan he his Dart on honde hadde,1267Thanne if a Leon were an asse:And that hath mad him forto passe12682010Alle othre knihtes of his dede,Whan it cam to the grete nede,1269[Prowess.]As it was afterward wel knowe.Confessor.Lo, thus, my Sone, thou miht knoweThat the corage of hardiesce1270Is of knyhthode the prouesce,Which is to love sufficantAboven al the remenantThat unto loves court poursuie.Bot who that wol no Slowthe eschuie,12712020Upon knihthode and noght travaile,I not what love him scholde availe;Bot every labour axeth whyOf som reward, wherof that IEnsamples couthe telle ynoweOf hem that toward love droweBe olde daies, as thei scholde.Amans.Mi fader, therof hiere I wolde.Confessor.Mi Sone, it is wel resonable,In place which is honorable2030If that a man his herte sette,That thanne he for no Slowthe letteP. ii. 70To do what longeth to manhede.For if thou wolt the bokes rede1272Of Lancelot and othre mo,Ther miht thou sen hou it was thoOf armes, for thei wolde atteigneTo love, which withoute peineMai noght be gete of ydelnesse.1273And that I take to witnesse2040An old Cronique in special,The which into memorialIs write, for his loves sakeHou that a kniht schal undertake.
[Tale of Nauplus and Ulysses.]
Upon knyhthode I rede thus,
How whilom whan the king Nauplus,1248
Hic dicit quod amoris delectamento postposito miles arma sua preferre debet: Et ponit exemplum de Vlixe, cum ipse a bello Troiano propter amorem Penolope remanere domi voluisset, Nauplus pater Palamades eum tantis sermonibus allocutus est, quod Vlixes thoro sue coniugis relicto labores armorum vna cum aliis Troie magnanimus subibat.
The fader of Palamades,
Cam forto preien Ulixes
With othre Gregois ek also,
That he with hem to Troie go,1820
Wher that the Siege scholde be,
Anon upon Penolope
P. ii. 63
His wif, whom that he loveth hote,
Thenkende, wolde hem noght behote.
Bot he schop thanne a wonder wyle,
How that he scholde hem best beguile,
So that he mihte duelle stille
At home and welde his love at wille:
Wherof erli the morwe day
Out of his bedd, wher that he lay,1830
Whan he was uppe, he gan to fare
Into the field and loke and stare,
As he which feigneth to be wod:1249
He tok a plowh, wher that it stod,
Wherinne anon in stede of Oxes
He let do yoken grete foxes,
And with gret salt the lond he siew.
But Nauplus, which the cause kniew,1250
Ayein the sleihte which he feigneth
An other sleihte anon ordeigneth.1840
And fell that time Ulixes hadde
A chyld to Sone, and Nauplus radde
How men that Sone taken scholde,
And setten him upon the Molde,
Wher that his fader hield the plowh,
In thilke furgh which he tho drowh.
For in such wise he thoghte assaie,
Hou it Ulixes scholde paie,
If that he were wod or non.
The knihtes for this child forthgon;12511850
Thelamacus anon was fett,
Tofore the plowh and evene sett,
P. ii. 64
Wher that his fader scholde dryve.
Bot whan he sih his child, als blyve
He drof the plowh out of the weie,
And Nauplus tho began to seie,
And hath half in a jape cryd:
‘O Ulixes, thou art aspyd:
What is al this thou woldest meene?
For openliche it is now seene1860
That thou hast feigned al this thing,
Which is gret schame to a king,
Whan that for lust of eny slowthe
Thou wolt in a querele of trowthe
Of armes thilke honour forsake,
And duelle at hom for loves sake:
For betre it were honour to winne
Than love, which likinge is inne.
Forthi tak worschipe upon honde,
And elles thou schalt understonde1870
These othre worthi kinges alle
Of Grece, which unto thee calle,1252
Towardes thee wol be riht wrothe,
And grieve thee per chance bothe:
Which schal be tothe double schame1253
Most for the hindrynge of thi name,
That thou for Slouthe of eny love
Schalt so thi lustes sette above
And leve of armes the knyhthode,
Which is the pris of thi manhode1880
And oghte ferst to be desired.’
Bot he, which hadde his herte fyred
P. ii. 65
Upon his wif, whan he this herde,
Noght o word therayein ansuerde,
Bot torneth hom halvinge aschamed,
And hath withinne himself so tamed
His herte, that al the sotie
Of love for chivalerie
He lefte, and be him lief or loth,
To Troie forth with hem he goth,1890
That he him mihte noght excuse.
Thus stant it, if a knyht refuse1254
The lust of armes to travaile,1255
Ther mai no worldes ese availe,
Bot if worschipe be with al.
And that hath schewed overal;
For it sit wel in alle wise
A kniht to ben of hih emprise
And puten alle drede aweie;
For in this wise, I have herd seie,1900
[Examples of Prowess. Protesilaus.]
The worthi king Protheselai1256
On his passage wher he lai
Hic narrat super eodem qualiter Laodomia Regis Protheselai vxor, volens ipsum a bello Troiano secum retinere, fatatam sibi mortem in portu Troie prenunciauit: set ipse miliciam pocius quam ocia affectans, Troiam adiit, vbi sue mortis precio perpetue laudis Cronicam ademit.
Towardes Troie thilke Siege,
Sche which was al his oghne liege,
Laodomie his lusti wif,
Which for his love was pensif,
As he which al hire herte hadde,
Upon a thing wherof sche dradde
A lettre, forto make him duelle
Fro Troie, sende him, thus to telle,1910
Hou sche hath axed of the wyse
Touchende of him in such a wise,
P. ii. 66
That thei have don hire understonde,
Towardes othre hou so it stonde,
The destine it hath so schape
That he schal noght the deth ascape1257
In cas that he arryve at Troie.
Forthi as to hir worldes joie
With al hire herte sche him preide,
And many an other cause alleide,1920
That he with hire at home abide.
Bot he hath cast hir lettre aside,1258
As he which tho no maner hiede
Tok of hire wommannysshe drede;
And forth he goth, as noght ne were,
To Troie, and was the ferste there
Which londeth, and tok arryvaile:
For him was levere in the bataille,1259
He seith, to deien as a knyht,
Than forto lyve in al his myht1930
And be reproeved of his name.
Lo, thus upon the worldes fame
Knyhthode hath evere yit be set,
Which with no couardie is let.
[Saul.]
Of king Saül also I finde,
Adhuc super eodem, qualiter Rex Saul, non obstante quod per Samuelem a Phitonissa suscitatum et coniuratum responsum, quod ipse in bello moreretur, accepisset, hostes tamen suos aggrediens milicie famam cunctis huius vite blandimentis preposuit.
Whan Samuel out of his kinde,
Thurgh that the Phitonesse hath lered,
In Samarie was arered
Long time after that he was ded,
The king Saül him axeth red,12601940
If that he schal go fyhte or non.
And Samuel him seide anon,
P. ii. 67
‘The ferste day of the bataille
Thou schalt be slain withoute faile1261
And Jonathas thi Sone also.’
Bot hou as evere it felle so,
This worthi kniht of his corage
Hath undertake the viage,
And wol noght his knyhthode lette
For no peril he couthe sette;1950
Wherof that bothe his Sone and he
Upon the Montz of Gelboë
Assemblen with here enemys:
For thei knyhthode of such a pris
Be olde daies thanne hielden,
That thei non other thing behielden.
And thus the fader for worschipe
Forth with his Sone of felaschipe
Thurgh lust of armes weren dede,
As men mai in the bible rede;1960
The whos knyhthode is yit in mende,
And schal be to the worldes ende.
[Education of Achilles.]
And forto loken overmore,
It hath and schal ben evermore
Hic loquitur quod miles in suis primordiis ad audaciam prouocari debet. Et narrat qualiter Chiro Centaurus Achillem, quem secum ab infancia in monte Pileon educauit, vt audax efficeretur, primitus edocuit, quod cum ipse venacionibus ibidem insisteret, leones et tigrides huiusmodique animalia sibi resistencia et nulla alia fugitiua agitaret.1262Et sic Achilles in iuuentute animatus famosissime milicie probitatem postmodum adoptauit.1263
That of knihthode the prouesse
Is grounded upon hardinesse1264
Of him that dar wel undertake.
And who that wolde ensample take
Upon the forme of knyhtes lawe,
How that Achilles was forthdrawe1970
With Chiro, which Centaurus hihte,
Of many a wondre hiere he mihte.
P. ii. 68
For it stod thilke time thus,
That this Chiro, this Centaurus,
Withinne a large wildernesse,
Wher was Leon and Leonesse,
The Lepard and the Tigre also,
With Hert and Hynde, and buck and doo,1265
Hadde his duellinge, as tho befell,
Of Pileon upon the hel,1980
Wherof was thanne mochel speche.
Ther hath Chiro this Chyld to teche,
What time he was of tuelve yer age;
Wher forto maken his corage
The more hardi be other weie,
In the forest to hunte and pleie
Whan that Achilles walke wolde,
Centaurus bad that he ne scholde
After no beste make his chace,
Which wolde flen out of his place,1990
As buck and doo and hert and hynde,
With whiche he mai no werre finde;
Bot tho that wolden him withstonde,
Ther scholde he with his Dart on honde
Upon the Tigre and the Leon
Pourchace and take his veneison,1266
As to a kniht is acordant.
And therupon a covenant
This Chiro with Achilles sette,
That every day withoute lette2000
He scholde such a cruel beste
Or slen or wounden ate leste,
P. ii. 69
So that he mihte a tokne bringe
Of blod upon his hom cominge.
And thus of that Chiro him tawhte
Achilles such an herte cawhte,
That he nomore a Leon dradde,
Whan he his Dart on honde hadde,1267
Thanne if a Leon were an asse:
And that hath mad him forto passe12682010
Alle othre knihtes of his dede,
Whan it cam to the grete nede,1269
[Prowess.]
As it was afterward wel knowe.
Confessor.
Lo, thus, my Sone, thou miht knowe
That the corage of hardiesce1270
Is of knyhthode the prouesce,
Which is to love sufficant
Aboven al the remenant
That unto loves court poursuie.
Bot who that wol no Slowthe eschuie,12712020
Upon knihthode and noght travaile,
I not what love him scholde availe;
Bot every labour axeth why
Of som reward, wherof that I
Ensamples couthe telle ynowe
Of hem that toward love drowe
Be olde daies, as thei scholde.
Amans.
Mi fader, therof hiere I wolde.
Confessor.
Mi Sone, it is wel resonable,
In place which is honorable2030
If that a man his herte sette,
That thanne he for no Slowthe lette
P. ii. 70
To do what longeth to manhede.
For if thou wolt the bokes rede1272
Of Lancelot and othre mo,
Ther miht thou sen hou it was tho
Of armes, for thei wolde atteigne
To love, which withoute peine
Mai noght be gete of ydelnesse.1273
And that I take to witnesse2040
An old Cronique in special,
The which into memorial
Is write, for his loves sake
Hou that a kniht schal undertake.
[Tale of Hercules and Achelons.]Ther was a king, which Oënes1274Was hote, and he under his pesHic dicit, quod Miles priusquam amoris amplexu dignus efficiatur, euentus bellicos victoriosus amplectere debet. Et narrat qualiter Hercules et Achelons propter1275Deianiram Calidonie Regis filiam singulare duellum adinuicem inierunt, cuius victor Hercules existens armorum1276meritis amorem virginis laudabiliter conquestauit.Hield Calidoyne in his Empire,And hadde a dowhter Deianire.Men wiste in thilke time nonSo fair a wiht as sche was on;2050And as sche was a lusti wiht,Riht so was thanne a noble kniht,To whom Mercurie fader was.This kniht the tuo pilers of bras,The whiche yit a man mai finde,Sette up in the desert of Ynde;That was the worthi Hercules,Whos name schal ben endelesFor the merveilles whiche he wroghte.This Hercules the love soghte2060Of Deianire, and of this thingUnto hir fader, which was king,P. ii. 71He spak touchende of Mariage.The king knowende his hih lignage,And dradde also hise mihtes sterne,To him ne dorste his dowhter werne;And natheles this he him seide,How Achelons er he ferst preideTo wedden hire, and in accordThei stode, as it was of record:2070Bot for al that this he him granteth,That which of hem that other daunteth1277In armes, him sche scholde take,And that the king hath undertake.This Achelons was a Geant,A soubtil man, a deceivant,Which thurgh magique and sorcerieCouthe al the world of tricherie:And whan that he this tale herde,Hou upon that the king ansuerde2080With Hercules he moste feighte,He tristeth noght upon his sleighteAl only, whan it comth to nede,Bot that which voydeth alle dredeAnd every noble herte stereth,The love, that no lif forbereth,For his ladi, whom he desireth,With hardiesse his herte fyreth,1278And sende him word withoute faileThat he wol take the bataille.2090Thei setten day, thei chosen field,The knihtes coevered under SchieldP. ii. 72Togedre come at time set,And echon is with other met.It fell thei foghten bothe afote,Ther was no ston, ther was no rote,Which mihte letten hem the weie,But al was voide and take aweie.Thei smyten strokes bot a fewe,For Hercules, which wolde schewe2100His grete strengthe as for the nones,He sterte upon him al at onesAnd cawhte him in hise armes stronge.This Geant wot he mai noght longeEndure under so harde bondes,And thoghte he wolde out of hise hondesBe sleyhte in som manere ascape.And as he couthe himself forschape,In liknesse of an Eddre he slipteOut of his hond, and forth he skipte;2110And efte, as he that feighte wole,He torneth him into a Bole,And gan to belwe of such a soun,As thogh the world scholde al go doun:The ground he sporneth and he tranceth,Hise large hornes he avancethAnd caste hem here and there aboute.Bot he, which stant of him no doute,1279Awaiteth wel whan that he cam,And him be bothe hornes nam2120And al at ones he him casteUnto the ground, and hield him faste,P. ii. 73That he ne mihte with no sleighteOut of his hond gete upon heighte,Til he was overcome and yolde,And Hercules hath what he wolde.The king him granteth to fulfilleHis axinge at his oghne wille,And sche for whom he hadde served,Hire thoghte he hath hire wel deserved.2130And thus with gret decerte of ArmesHe wan him forto ligge in armes,As he which hath it dere aboght,For otherwise scholde he noght.[Penthesilea.]And overthis if thou wolt hiere1280Nota de Pantasilea Amazonie Regina, que Hectoris amore colligata contra Pirrum Achillis filium apud Troiam arma ferre eciam personaliter non recusauit.Upon knihthode of this matiere,1281Hou love and armes ben aqueinted,A man mai se bothe write and peintedSo ferforth that Pantasilee,Which was the queene of Feminee,2140The love of Hector forto siekeAnd for thonour of armes eke,To Troie cam with Spere and Schield,And rod hirself into the fieldWith Maidens armed al a routeIn rescouss of the toun aboute,Which with the Gregois was belein.[Philemenis.]Fro Pafagoine and as men sein,Nota qualiter Philemenis propter milicie famam a finibus terre in defensionem Troie veniens tres puellas a Regno Amazonie1282quolibet anno percipiendas sibi et heredibus suis impertuum ea de causa habere promeruit.Which stant upon the worldes ende,That time it likede ek to wende2150To Philemenis, which was king,To Troie, and come upon this thingP. ii. 74In helpe of thilke noble toun;And al was that for the renounOf worschipe and of worldes fame,Of which he wolde bere a name:And so he dede, and forth withalHe wan of love in specialA fair tribut for everemo.For it fell thilke time so;2160Pirrus the Sone of AchillesThis worthi queene among the pressWith dedli swerd soghte out and fond,And slowh hire with his oghne hond;Wherof this king of Pafagoine1283Pantasilee of Amazoine,1284Wher sche was queene, with him ladde,With suche Maidens as sche haddeOf hem that were left alyve,Forth in his Schip, til thei aryve;2170Wher that the body was begraveWith worschipe, and the wommen save.And for the goodschipe of this dedeThei granten him a lusti mede,That every yeer as for truage1285To him and to his heritageOf Maidens faire he schal have thre.And in this wise spedde he,Which the fortune of armes soghte,With his travail his ese he boghte;2180For otherwise he scholde have failed,If that he hadde noght travailed.[Eneas.]P. ii. 75Eneas ek withinne Ytaile,Nota pro eo quod Eneas Regem Turnum in bello deuicit, non solum amorem Lavine,1286set et regnum Ytalie sibi subiugatum obtinuit.Ne hadde he wonne the batailleAnd don his miht so besilyAyein king Turne his enemy,He hadde noght Lavine wonne;Bot for he hath him overronneAnd gete his pris, he gat hire love.1287Be these ensamples here above,2190Lo, now, mi Sone, as I have told,Thou miht wel se, who that is boldAnd dar travaile and undertakeThe cause of love, he schal be takeThe rathere unto loves grace;For comunliche in worthi placeThe wommen loven worthinesse[Gentilesse.]Of manhode and of gentilesse,Hic dicit,1288quod generosi in amoris causa sepius preferuntur. Super quo querit Amans, Quid sit generositas: cuius veritatem questionis Confessor per singula dissoluit.For the gentils ben most desired.Mi fader, bot I were enspired2200Thurgh lore of you, I wot no weieWhat gentilesce is forto seie,Wherof to telle I you beseche.The ground, Mi Sone, forto secheUpon this diffinicion,The worldes constitucionHath set the name of gentilesseUpon the fortune of richesseWhich of long time is falle in age.Thanne is a man of hih lignage2210After the forme, as thou miht hiere,Bot nothing after the matiere.P. ii. 76For who that resoun understonde,Upon richesse it mai noght stonde,For that is thing which faileth ofte:For he that stant to day alofteAnd al the world hath in hise wones,Tomorwe he falleth al at ones1289Out of richesse into poverte,So that therof is no decerte,2220Which gentilesce makth abide.And forto loke on other sideHou that a gentil man is bore,Adam, which alle was tofore1290With Eve his wif, as of hem tuo,Al was aliche gentil tho;So that of generacion1291To make declaracion,Ther mai no gentilesce be.For to the reson if we se,2230Of mannes berthe the mesure,It is so comun to nature,That it yifth every man aliche,Als wel to povere as to the riche;1292For naked thei ben bore bothe,The lord nomore hath forto clotheAs of himself that ilke throwe,Than hath the povereste of the rowe.And whan thei schulle bothe passe,I not of hem which hath the lasse2240Of worldes good, bot as of charge1293The lord is more forto charge,P. ii. 77Whan god schal his accompte hiere,For he hath had hise lustes hiere.Omnes quidem ad vnum finem tendimus, set diuerso tramite.Bot of the bodi, which schal deie,Althogh ther be diverse weieTo deth, yit is ther bot on ende,To which that every man schal wende,Als wel the beggere as the lord,Of o nature, of on acord:2250Sche which oure Eldemoder is,1294The Erthe, bothe that and thisReceiveth and alich devoureth,That sche to nouther part favoureth.1295So wot I nothing after kindeWhere I mai gentilesse finde.For lacke of vertu lacketh grace,Wherof richesse in many place,Whan men best wene forto stonde,1296Al sodeinly goth out of honde:2260Bot vertu set in the corage,Ther mai no world be so salvage,Which mihte it take and don aweie,Til whanne that the bodi deie;And thanne he schal be riched so,That it mai faile neveremo;So mai that wel be gentilesse,Which yifth so gret a sikernesse.For after the condicionOf resonable entencion,2270The which out of the Soule growethAnd the vertu fro vice knoweth,P. ii. 78Wherof a man the vice eschuieth,Withoute Slowthe and vertu suieth,That is a verrai gentil man,And nothing elles which he can,Ne which he hath, ne which he mai.Bot for al that yit nou aday,1297In loves court to taken hiede,The povere vertu schal noght spiede,2280Wher that the riche vice woweth;For sielde it is that love allowethThe gentil man withoute good,Thogh his condicion be good.Bot if a man of bothe tuoBe riche and vertuous also,Thanne is he wel the more worthBot yit to putte himselve forthHe moste don his besinesse,For nowther good ne gentilesse2290Mai helpen hem whiche ydel be.[Effects of Love.]Bot who that wole in his degreTravaile so as it belongeth,It happeth ofte that he fongethWorschipe and ese bothe tuo.1298For evere yit it hath be so,That love honeste in sondri weieProfiteth, for it doth aweieThe vice, and as the bokes sein,It makth curteis of the vilein,12992300And to the couard hardiesceIt yifth, so that verrai prouesseP. ii. 79Is caused upon loves reuleTo him that can manhode reule;And ek toward the wommanhiede,Who that therof wol taken hiede,For thei the betre affaited be1300In every thing, as men may se.For love hath evere hise lustes greneIn gentil folk, as it is sene,2310Which thing ther mai no kinde areste:1301I trowe that ther is no beste,If he with love scholde aqueinte,That he ne wolde make it queinteAs for the while that it laste.And thus I conclude ate laste,That thei ben ydel, as me semeth,Whiche unto thing that love demethForslowthen that thei scholden do.And overthis, mi Sone, also2320Nota de amore caritatis, vbi dicit, Qui non diligit, manet in morte.After the vertu moral ekeTo speke of love if I schal seke,Among the holi bokes wiseI finde write in such a wise,1302‘Who loveth noght is hier as ded’;1303For love above alle othre is hed,Which hath the vertus forto lede,Of al that unto mannes dede[Love contrary to Sloth.]Belongeth: for of ydelschipeHe hateth all the felaschipe.13042330For Slowthe is evere to despise,Which in desdeign hath al apprise,P. ii. 80And that acordeth noght to man:For he that wit and reson kan,It sit him wel that he travaileUpon som thing which mihte availe,For ydelschipe is noght comended,Bot every lawe it hath defended.And in ensample theruponThe noble wise Salomon,2340Which hadde of every thing insihte,Seith, ‘As the briddes to the flihteBen made, so the man is boreTo labour,’ which is noght forboreTo hem that thenken forto thryve.For we, whiche are now alyve,Of hem that besi whylom were,Apostolus. Quecumque scripta sunt, ad nostrum doctrinam scripta sunt.1305Als wel in Scole as elleswhere,Mowe every day ensample take,That if it were now to make2350Thing which that thei ferst founden oute,1306It scholde noght be broght aboute.Here lyves thanne were longe,Here wittes grete, here mihtes stronge,Here hertes ful of besinesse,Wherof the worldes redinesseIn bodi bothe and in corageStant evere upon his avantage.And forto drawe into memoireHere names bothe and here histoire,2360Upon the vertu of her dedeIn sondri bokes thou miht rede.
[Tale of Hercules and Achelons.]
Ther was a king, which Oënes1274
Was hote, and he under his pes
Hic dicit, quod Miles priusquam amoris amplexu dignus efficiatur, euentus bellicos victoriosus amplectere debet. Et narrat qualiter Hercules et Achelons propter1275Deianiram Calidonie Regis filiam singulare duellum adinuicem inierunt, cuius victor Hercules existens armorum1276meritis amorem virginis laudabiliter conquestauit.
Hield Calidoyne in his Empire,
And hadde a dowhter Deianire.
Men wiste in thilke time non
So fair a wiht as sche was on;2050
And as sche was a lusti wiht,
Riht so was thanne a noble kniht,
To whom Mercurie fader was.
This kniht the tuo pilers of bras,
The whiche yit a man mai finde,
Sette up in the desert of Ynde;
That was the worthi Hercules,
Whos name schal ben endeles
For the merveilles whiche he wroghte.
This Hercules the love soghte2060
Of Deianire, and of this thing
Unto hir fader, which was king,
P. ii. 71
He spak touchende of Mariage.
The king knowende his hih lignage,
And dradde also hise mihtes sterne,
To him ne dorste his dowhter werne;
And natheles this he him seide,
How Achelons er he ferst preide
To wedden hire, and in accord
Thei stode, as it was of record:2070
Bot for al that this he him granteth,
That which of hem that other daunteth1277
In armes, him sche scholde take,
And that the king hath undertake.
This Achelons was a Geant,
A soubtil man, a deceivant,
Which thurgh magique and sorcerie
Couthe al the world of tricherie:
And whan that he this tale herde,
Hou upon that the king ansuerde2080
With Hercules he moste feighte,
He tristeth noght upon his sleighte
Al only, whan it comth to nede,
Bot that which voydeth alle drede
And every noble herte stereth,
The love, that no lif forbereth,
For his ladi, whom he desireth,
With hardiesse his herte fyreth,1278
And sende him word withoute faile
That he wol take the bataille.2090
Thei setten day, thei chosen field,
The knihtes coevered under Schield
P. ii. 72
Togedre come at time set,
And echon is with other met.
It fell thei foghten bothe afote,
Ther was no ston, ther was no rote,
Which mihte letten hem the weie,
But al was voide and take aweie.
Thei smyten strokes bot a fewe,
For Hercules, which wolde schewe2100
His grete strengthe as for the nones,
He sterte upon him al at ones
And cawhte him in hise armes stronge.
This Geant wot he mai noght longe
Endure under so harde bondes,
And thoghte he wolde out of hise hondes
Be sleyhte in som manere ascape.
And as he couthe himself forschape,
In liknesse of an Eddre he slipte
Out of his hond, and forth he skipte;2110
And efte, as he that feighte wole,
He torneth him into a Bole,
And gan to belwe of such a soun,
As thogh the world scholde al go doun:
The ground he sporneth and he tranceth,
Hise large hornes he avanceth
And caste hem here and there aboute.
Bot he, which stant of him no doute,1279
Awaiteth wel whan that he cam,
And him be bothe hornes nam2120
And al at ones he him caste
Unto the ground, and hield him faste,
P. ii. 73
That he ne mihte with no sleighte
Out of his hond gete upon heighte,
Til he was overcome and yolde,
And Hercules hath what he wolde.
The king him granteth to fulfille
His axinge at his oghne wille,
And sche for whom he hadde served,
Hire thoghte he hath hire wel deserved.2130
And thus with gret decerte of Armes
He wan him forto ligge in armes,
As he which hath it dere aboght,
For otherwise scholde he noght.
[Penthesilea.]
And overthis if thou wolt hiere1280
Nota de Pantasilea Amazonie Regina, que Hectoris amore colligata contra Pirrum Achillis filium apud Troiam arma ferre eciam personaliter non recusauit.
Upon knihthode of this matiere,1281
Hou love and armes ben aqueinted,
A man mai se bothe write and peinted
So ferforth that Pantasilee,
Which was the queene of Feminee,2140
The love of Hector forto sieke
And for thonour of armes eke,
To Troie cam with Spere and Schield,
And rod hirself into the field
With Maidens armed al a route
In rescouss of the toun aboute,
Which with the Gregois was belein.
[Philemenis.]
Fro Pafagoine and as men sein,
Nota qualiter Philemenis propter milicie famam a finibus terre in defensionem Troie veniens tres puellas a Regno Amazonie1282quolibet anno percipiendas sibi et heredibus suis impertuum ea de causa habere promeruit.
Which stant upon the worldes ende,
That time it likede ek to wende2150
To Philemenis, which was king,
To Troie, and come upon this thing
P. ii. 74
In helpe of thilke noble toun;
And al was that for the renoun
Of worschipe and of worldes fame,
Of which he wolde bere a name:
And so he dede, and forth withal
He wan of love in special
A fair tribut for everemo.
For it fell thilke time so;2160
Pirrus the Sone of Achilles
This worthi queene among the press
With dedli swerd soghte out and fond,
And slowh hire with his oghne hond;
Wherof this king of Pafagoine1283
Pantasilee of Amazoine,1284
Wher sche was queene, with him ladde,
With suche Maidens as sche hadde
Of hem that were left alyve,
Forth in his Schip, til thei aryve;2170
Wher that the body was begrave
With worschipe, and the wommen save.
And for the goodschipe of this dede
Thei granten him a lusti mede,
That every yeer as for truage1285
To him and to his heritage
Of Maidens faire he schal have thre.
And in this wise spedde he,
Which the fortune of armes soghte,
With his travail his ese he boghte;2180
For otherwise he scholde have failed,
If that he hadde noght travailed.
[Eneas.]
P. ii. 75
Eneas ek withinne Ytaile,
Nota pro eo quod Eneas Regem Turnum in bello deuicit, non solum amorem Lavine,1286set et regnum Ytalie sibi subiugatum obtinuit.
Ne hadde he wonne the bataille
And don his miht so besily
Ayein king Turne his enemy,
He hadde noght Lavine wonne;
Bot for he hath him overronne
And gete his pris, he gat hire love.1287
Be these ensamples here above,2190
Lo, now, mi Sone, as I have told,
Thou miht wel se, who that is bold
And dar travaile and undertake
The cause of love, he schal be take
The rathere unto loves grace;
For comunliche in worthi place
The wommen loven worthinesse
[Gentilesse.]
Of manhode and of gentilesse,
Hic dicit,1288quod generosi in amoris causa sepius preferuntur. Super quo querit Amans, Quid sit generositas: cuius veritatem questionis Confessor per singula dissoluit.
For the gentils ben most desired.
Mi fader, bot I were enspired2200
Thurgh lore of you, I wot no weie
What gentilesce is forto seie,
Wherof to telle I you beseche.
The ground, Mi Sone, forto seche
Upon this diffinicion,
The worldes constitucion
Hath set the name of gentilesse
Upon the fortune of richesse
Which of long time is falle in age.
Thanne is a man of hih lignage2210
After the forme, as thou miht hiere,
Bot nothing after the matiere.
P. ii. 76
For who that resoun understonde,
Upon richesse it mai noght stonde,
For that is thing which faileth ofte:
For he that stant to day alofte
And al the world hath in hise wones,
Tomorwe he falleth al at ones1289
Out of richesse into poverte,
So that therof is no decerte,2220
Which gentilesce makth abide.
And forto loke on other side
Hou that a gentil man is bore,
Adam, which alle was tofore1290
With Eve his wif, as of hem tuo,
Al was aliche gentil tho;
So that of generacion1291
To make declaracion,
Ther mai no gentilesce be.
For to the reson if we se,2230
Of mannes berthe the mesure,
It is so comun to nature,
That it yifth every man aliche,
Als wel to povere as to the riche;1292
For naked thei ben bore bothe,
The lord nomore hath forto clothe
As of himself that ilke throwe,
Than hath the povereste of the rowe.
And whan thei schulle bothe passe,
I not of hem which hath the lasse2240
Of worldes good, bot as of charge1293
The lord is more forto charge,
P. ii. 77
Whan god schal his accompte hiere,
For he hath had hise lustes hiere.
Omnes quidem ad vnum finem tendimus, set diuerso tramite.
Bot of the bodi, which schal deie,
Althogh ther be diverse weie
To deth, yit is ther bot on ende,
To which that every man schal wende,
Als wel the beggere as the lord,
Of o nature, of on acord:2250
Sche which oure Eldemoder is,1294
The Erthe, bothe that and this
Receiveth and alich devoureth,
That sche to nouther part favoureth.1295
So wot I nothing after kinde
Where I mai gentilesse finde.
For lacke of vertu lacketh grace,
Wherof richesse in many place,
Whan men best wene forto stonde,1296
Al sodeinly goth out of honde:2260
Bot vertu set in the corage,
Ther mai no world be so salvage,
Which mihte it take and don aweie,
Til whanne that the bodi deie;
And thanne he schal be riched so,
That it mai faile neveremo;
So mai that wel be gentilesse,
Which yifth so gret a sikernesse.
For after the condicion
Of resonable entencion,2270
The which out of the Soule groweth
And the vertu fro vice knoweth,
P. ii. 78
Wherof a man the vice eschuieth,
Withoute Slowthe and vertu suieth,
That is a verrai gentil man,
And nothing elles which he can,
Ne which he hath, ne which he mai.
Bot for al that yit nou aday,1297
In loves court to taken hiede,
The povere vertu schal noght spiede,2280
Wher that the riche vice woweth;
For sielde it is that love alloweth
The gentil man withoute good,
Thogh his condicion be good.
Bot if a man of bothe tuo
Be riche and vertuous also,
Thanne is he wel the more worth
Bot yit to putte himselve forth
He moste don his besinesse,
For nowther good ne gentilesse2290
Mai helpen hem whiche ydel be.
[Effects of Love.]
Bot who that wole in his degre
Travaile so as it belongeth,
It happeth ofte that he fongeth
Worschipe and ese bothe tuo.1298
For evere yit it hath be so,
That love honeste in sondri weie
Profiteth, for it doth aweie
The vice, and as the bokes sein,
It makth curteis of the vilein,12992300
And to the couard hardiesce
It yifth, so that verrai prouesse
P. ii. 79
Is caused upon loves reule
To him that can manhode reule;
And ek toward the wommanhiede,
Who that therof wol taken hiede,
For thei the betre affaited be1300
In every thing, as men may se.
For love hath evere hise lustes grene
In gentil folk, as it is sene,2310
Which thing ther mai no kinde areste:1301
I trowe that ther is no beste,
If he with love scholde aqueinte,
That he ne wolde make it queinte
As for the while that it laste.
And thus I conclude ate laste,
That thei ben ydel, as me semeth,
Whiche unto thing that love demeth
Forslowthen that thei scholden do.
And overthis, mi Sone, also2320
Nota de amore caritatis, vbi dicit, Qui non diligit, manet in morte.
After the vertu moral eke
To speke of love if I schal seke,
Among the holi bokes wise
I finde write in such a wise,1302
‘Who loveth noght is hier as ded’;1303
For love above alle othre is hed,
Which hath the vertus forto lede,
Of al that unto mannes dede
[Love contrary to Sloth.]
Belongeth: for of ydelschipe
He hateth all the felaschipe.13042330
For Slowthe is evere to despise,
Which in desdeign hath al apprise,
P. ii. 80
And that acordeth noght to man:
For he that wit and reson kan,
It sit him wel that he travaile
Upon som thing which mihte availe,
For ydelschipe is noght comended,
Bot every lawe it hath defended.
And in ensample therupon
The noble wise Salomon,2340
Which hadde of every thing insihte,
Seith, ‘As the briddes to the flihte
Ben made, so the man is bore
To labour,’ which is noght forbore
To hem that thenken forto thryve.
For we, whiche are now alyve,
Of hem that besi whylom were,
Apostolus. Quecumque scripta sunt, ad nostrum doctrinam scripta sunt.1305
Als wel in Scole as elleswhere,
Mowe every day ensample take,
That if it were now to make2350
Thing which that thei ferst founden oute,1306
It scholde noght be broght aboute.
Here lyves thanne were longe,
Here wittes grete, here mihtes stronge,
Here hertes ful of besinesse,
Wherof the worldes redinesse
In bodi bothe and in corage
Stant evere upon his avantage.
And forto drawe into memoire
Here names bothe and here histoire,2360
Upon the vertu of her dede
In sondri bokes thou miht rede.