Here hertes bothe anon descloseth.This king unto this maide opposeth,And axeth ferst what was hire name,1647And wher sche lerned al this game,And of what ken that sche was come.1648And sche, that hath hise wordes nome,Ansuerth and seith, ‘My name is Thaise,That was som time wel at aise:In Tharse I was forthdrawe and fed,Ther lerned I, til I was sped,1720Of that I can. Mi fader ekeI not wher that I scholde him seke;P. iii. 333He was a king, men tolde me:Mi Moder dreint was in the See.’Fro point to point al sche him tolde,That sche hath longe in herte holde,And nevere dorste make hir moneBot only to this lord al one,To whom hire herte can noght hele,Torne it to wo, torne it to wele,1730Torne it to good, torne it to harm.And he tho toke hire in his arm,1649Bot such a joie as he tho madeWas nevere sen; thus be thei glade,That sory hadden be toforn.Fro this day forth fortune hath swornTo sette him upward on the whiel;So goth the world, now wo, now wel:This king hath founde newe grace,So that out of his derke place1740He goth him up into the liht,And with him cam that swete wiht,His doghter Thaise, and forth anonThei bothe into the Caban gonWhich was ordeigned for the king,And ther he dede of al his thing,And was arraied realy.Qualiter Athenagoras Appolinum de naui in hospicium honorifice recollegit, et Thaisim, patre consenciente, in vxorem duxit.And out he cam al openly,Wher Athenagoras he fond,The which was lord of al the lond:16501750He preith the king to come and seHis castell bothe and his cite,P. iii. 334And thus thei gon forth alle in fiere,This king, this lord, this maiden diere.1651This lord tho made hem riche festeWith every thing which was honeste,1652To plese with this worthi king,Ther lacketh him no maner thing:Bot yit for al his noble arrayWifles he was into that day,1760As he that yit was of yong Age;1653So fell ther into his corageThe lusti wo, the glade peineOf love, which noman restreigneYit nevere myhte as nou tofore.This lord thenkth al his world forlore,Bot if the king wol don him grace;He waiteth time, he waiteth place,Him thoghte his herte wol tobreke,Til he mai to this maide speke1770And to hir fader ek alsoFor mariage: and it fell so,That al was do riht as he thoghte,His pourpos to an ende he broghte,Sche weddeth him as for hire lord;Thus be thei alle of on acord.Qualiter Appolinus vna cum filia et eius marito nauim ingredientes a Mitelena vsque Tharsim cursum proposuerunt. Set Appolinus in sompnis ammonitus versus Ephesim, vt ibidem in templo Diane sacrificaret, vela per mare diuertit.Whan al was do riht as thei wolde,The king unto his Sone toldeOf Tharse thilke traiterie,And seide hou in his compaignie1780His doghter and himselven ekeSchull go vengance forto seke.P. iii. 335The Schipes were redy sone,And whan thei sihe it was to done,Withoute lette of eny wenteWith Seil updrawe forth thei wenteTowardes Tharse upon the tyde.Bot he that wot what schal betide,The hihe god, which wolde him kepe,Whan that this king was faste aslepe,16541790Be nyhtes time he hath him bedeTo seile into an other stede:1655To Ephesim he bad him drawe,And as it was that time lawe,He schal do there his sacrifise;And ek he bad in alle wiseThat in the temple amonges alleHis fortune, as it is befalle,Touchende his doghter and his wifHe schal beknowe upon his lif.1800The king of this AvisiounHath gret ymaginacioun,What thing it signefie may;And natheles, whan it was day,He bad caste Ancher and abod;And whil that he on Ancher rod,The wynd, which was tofore strange,Upon the point began to change,And torneth thider as it scholde.Tho knew he wel that god it wolde,1810And bad the Maister make him yare,Tofor the wynd for he wol fareP. iii. 336To Ephesim, and so he dede.And whanne he cam unto the stedeWhere as he scholde londe, he londethWith al the haste he may, and fondethTo schapen him be such a wise,That he may be the morwe ariseAnd don after the mandementOf him which hath him thider sent.1820And in the wise that he thoghte,Upon the morwe so he wroghte;His doghter and his Sone he nom,And forth unto the temple he comWith a gret route in compaignie,Hise yiftes forto sacrifie.The citezeins tho herden seieOf such a king that cam to preieUnto Diane the godesse,And left al other besinesse,1830Thei comen thider forto seThe king and the solempnete.Qualiter Appolinus Ephesim in templo Diane sacrificans, vxorem suam ibidem velatam inuenit; qua secum assumpta in Nauim, versus Tyrum regressus est.With worthi knyhtes environedThe king himself hath abandonedInto the temple in good entente.The dore is up, and he in wente,1656Wher as with gret devociounOf holi contemplaciounWithinne his herte he made his schrifte;And after that a riche yifte1840He offreth with gret reverence,And there in open Audience1657P. iii. 337Of hem that stoden thanne aboute,1658He tolde hem and declareth outeHis hap, such as him is befalle,Ther was nothing foryete of alle.His wif, as it was goddes grace,Which was professed in the place,As sche that was Abbesse there,Unto his tale hath leid hire Ere:1850Sche knew the vois and the visage,For pure joie as in a rageSche strawhte unto him al at ones,And fell aswoune upon the stones,1659Wherof the temple flor was paved.Sche was anon with water laved,Til sche cam to hirself ayein,And thanne sche began to sein:‘Ha, blessed be the hihe sonde,That I mai se myn housebonde,1860That whilom he and I were on!’1660The king with that knew hire anon,And tok hire in his Arm and kiste;And al the toun thus sone it wiste.Tho was ther joie manyfold,For every man this tale hath toldAs for miracle, and were glade,Bot nevere man such joie madeAs doth the king, which hath his wif.And whan men herde hou that hir lif1870Was saved, and be whom it was,Thei wondren alle of such a cas:P. iii. 338Thurgh al the Lond aros the specheOf Maister Cerymon the lecheAnd of the cure which he dede.The king himself tho hath him bede,And ek this queene forth with him,1661That he the toun of EphesimWol leve and go wher as thei be,For nevere man of his degre1880Hath do to hem so mochel good;And he his profit understod,And granteth with hem forto wende.And thus thei maden there an ende,And token leve and gon to SchipeWith al the hole felaschipe.Qualiter Appolinus vna cum vxore et filia sua Thyrum applicuit.This king, which nou hath his desir,Seith he wol holde his cours to Tyr.Thei hadden wynd at wille tho,With topseilcole and forth they go,16621890And striken nevere, til thei comeTo Tyr, where as thei havene nome,1663And londen hem with mochel blisse.Tho was ther many a mowth to kisse,Echon welcometh other hom,Bot whan the queen to londe com,And Thaise hir doghter be hir side,The joie which was thilke tydeTher mai no mannes tunge telle:Thei seiden alle, ‘Hier comth the welle1900Of alle wommannysshe grace.’The king hath take his real place,P. iii. 339The queene is into chambre go:Ther was gret feste arraied tho;Whan time was, thei gon to mete,Alle olde sorwes ben foryete,And gladen hem with joies newe:The descoloured pale heweIs now become a rody cheke,Ther was no merthe forto seke,1910Bot every man hath that he wolde.1664Qualiter Appolinus Athenagoram cum Thaise vxore sua super Tyrum coronari fecit.1665The king, as he wel couthe and scholde,Makth to his poeple riht good chiere;And after sone, as thou schalt hiere,A parlement he hath sommoned,Wher he his doghter hath coronedForth with the lord of Mitelene,That on is king, that other queene:And thus the fadres ordinanceThis lond hath set in governance,16661920And seide thanne he wolde wende1667To Tharse, forto make an endeOf that his doghter was betraied.Therof were alle men wel paied,1668And seide hou it was forto done:The Schipes weren redi sone,And strong pouer with him he tok;1669Up to the Sky he caste his lok,1670And syh the wynd was covenable.Qualiter Appolinus a Tyro per mare versus Tharsim iter arripiens vindictam contra Strangulionem et Dionisiam vxorem suam pro iniuria, quam ipsi Thaisi filie sue intulerunt, iudicialiter assecutus est.Thei hale up Ancher with the cable,1930The Seil on hih, the Stiere in honde,1671And seilen, til thei come alondeP. iii. 340At Tharse nyh to the cite;And whan thei wisten it was he,The toun hath don him reverence.He telleth hem the violence,Which the tretour StrangulioAnd Dionise him hadde doTouchende his dowhter, as yee herde;1672And whan thei wiste hou that it ferde,16731940As he which pes and love soghte,Unto the toun this he besoghte,To don him riht in juggement.Anon thei were bothe asentWith strengthe of men, and comen sone,And as hem thoghte it was to done,Atteint thei were be the laweAnd diemed forto honge and drawe,And brent and with the wynd toblowe,That al the world it myhte knowe:1950And upon this condicionThe dom in execucionWas put anon withoute faile.And every man hath gret mervaile,Which herde tellen of this chance,And thonketh goddes pourveance,Which doth mercy forth with justice.Slain is the moerdrer and moerdriceThurgh verray trowthe of rihtwisnesse,And thurgh mercy sauf is simplesse1960Of hire whom mercy preserveth;Thus hath he wel that wel deserveth.P. iii. 341Qualiter Artestrate Pentapolim Rege mortuo, ipsi de regno Epistolas super hoc Appolino direxerunt: vnde Appolinus vna cum vxore sua ibidem aduenientes ad decus imperii cum magno gaudio coronati sunt.Whan al this thing is don and ended,This king, which loved was and frended,A lettre hath, which cam to himBe Schipe fro Pentapolim,Be which the lond hath to him write,1674That he wolde understonde and witeHou in good mynde and in good pesDed is the king Artestrates,1970Wherof thei alle of on acordHim preiden, as here liege lord,That he the lettre wel conceive1675And come his regne to receive,Which god hath yove him and fortune;And thus besoghte the communeForth with the grete lordes alle.This king sih how it was befalle,1676Fro Tharse and in prosperiteHe tok his leve of that Cite1980And goth him into Schipe ayein:The wynd was good, the See was plein,Hem nedeth noght a Riff to slake,Til thei Pentapolim have take.The lond, which herde of that tidinge,Was wonder glad of his cominge;He resteth him a day or tuoAnd tok his conseil to him tho,And sette a time of Parlement,Wher al the lond of on assent1990Forth with his wif hath him corouned,Wher alle goode him was fuisouned.P. iii. 342Lo, what it is to be wel grounded:1677For he hath ferst his love foundedHonesteliche as forto wedde,Honesteliche his love he speddeAnd hadde children with his wif,And as him liste he ladde his lif;And in ensample his lif was write,1678That alle lovers myhten wite2000How ate laste it schal be seneOf love what thei wolden mene.For se now on that other side,Antiochus with al his Pride,Which sette his love unkindely,His ende he hadde al sodeinly,1679Set ayein kinde upon vengance,And for his lust hath his penance.Confessor ad Amantem.1680Lo thus, mi Sone, myht thou liereWhat is to love in good manere,2010And what to love in other wise:The mede arist of the servise;Fortune, thogh sche be noght stable,Yit at som time is favorableTo hem that ben of love trewe.Bot certes it is forto reweTo se love ayein kinde falle,For that makth sore a man to falle,As thou myht of tofore rede.Forthi, my Sone, I wolde rede2020To lete al other love aweie,Bot if it be thurgh such a weieP. iii. 343As love and reson wolde acorde.For elles, if that thou descorde,And take lust as doth a beste,Thi love mai noght ben honeste;For be no skile that I finde[The Lover requires Counsel.]Such lust is noght of loves kinde.Confessio Amantis, vnde pro finali conclusione consilium Confessoris impetrat.Mi fader, hou so that it stonde,Youre tale is herd and understonde,2030As thing which worthi is to hiere,Of gret ensample and gret matiere,Wherof, my fader, god you quyte.Bot in this point miself aquiteI mai riht wel, that nevere yitI was assoted in my wit,Bot only in that worthi placeWher alle lust and alle graceIs set, if that danger ne were.Bot that is al my moste fere:2040I not what ye fortune acompte,Bot what thing danger mai amonteI wot wel, for I have assaied;For whan myn herte is best arraiedAnd I have al my wit thurghsoghtOf love to beseche hire oght,For al that evere I skile may,1681I am concluded with a nay:That o sillable hath overthroweA thousend wordes on a rowe2050Of suche as I best speke can;Thus am I bot a lewed man.P. iii. 344Bot, fader, for ye ben a clerkOf love, and this matiere is derk,And I can evere leng the lasse,Bot yit I mai noght let it passe,1682Youre hole conseil I beseche,That ye me be som weie techeWhat is my beste, as for an ende.Mi Sone, unto the trouthe wende2060Now wol I for the love of thee,And lete alle othre truffles be.1683
Here hertes bothe anon descloseth.This king unto this maide opposeth,And axeth ferst what was hire name,1647And wher sche lerned al this game,And of what ken that sche was come.1648And sche, that hath hise wordes nome,Ansuerth and seith, ‘My name is Thaise,That was som time wel at aise:In Tharse I was forthdrawe and fed,Ther lerned I, til I was sped,1720Of that I can. Mi fader ekeI not wher that I scholde him seke;P. iii. 333He was a king, men tolde me:Mi Moder dreint was in the See.’Fro point to point al sche him tolde,That sche hath longe in herte holde,And nevere dorste make hir moneBot only to this lord al one,To whom hire herte can noght hele,Torne it to wo, torne it to wele,1730Torne it to good, torne it to harm.And he tho toke hire in his arm,1649Bot such a joie as he tho madeWas nevere sen; thus be thei glade,That sory hadden be toforn.Fro this day forth fortune hath swornTo sette him upward on the whiel;So goth the world, now wo, now wel:This king hath founde newe grace,So that out of his derke place1740He goth him up into the liht,And with him cam that swete wiht,His doghter Thaise, and forth anonThei bothe into the Caban gonWhich was ordeigned for the king,And ther he dede of al his thing,And was arraied realy.Qualiter Athenagoras Appolinum de naui in hospicium honorifice recollegit, et Thaisim, patre consenciente, in vxorem duxit.And out he cam al openly,Wher Athenagoras he fond,The which was lord of al the lond:16501750He preith the king to come and seHis castell bothe and his cite,P. iii. 334And thus thei gon forth alle in fiere,This king, this lord, this maiden diere.1651This lord tho made hem riche festeWith every thing which was honeste,1652To plese with this worthi king,Ther lacketh him no maner thing:Bot yit for al his noble arrayWifles he was into that day,1760As he that yit was of yong Age;1653So fell ther into his corageThe lusti wo, the glade peineOf love, which noman restreigneYit nevere myhte as nou tofore.This lord thenkth al his world forlore,Bot if the king wol don him grace;He waiteth time, he waiteth place,Him thoghte his herte wol tobreke,Til he mai to this maide speke1770And to hir fader ek alsoFor mariage: and it fell so,That al was do riht as he thoghte,His pourpos to an ende he broghte,Sche weddeth him as for hire lord;Thus be thei alle of on acord.Qualiter Appolinus vna cum filia et eius marito nauim ingredientes a Mitelena vsque Tharsim cursum proposuerunt. Set Appolinus in sompnis ammonitus versus Ephesim, vt ibidem in templo Diane sacrificaret, vela per mare diuertit.Whan al was do riht as thei wolde,The king unto his Sone toldeOf Tharse thilke traiterie,And seide hou in his compaignie1780His doghter and himselven ekeSchull go vengance forto seke.P. iii. 335The Schipes were redy sone,And whan thei sihe it was to done,Withoute lette of eny wenteWith Seil updrawe forth thei wenteTowardes Tharse upon the tyde.Bot he that wot what schal betide,The hihe god, which wolde him kepe,Whan that this king was faste aslepe,16541790Be nyhtes time he hath him bedeTo seile into an other stede:1655To Ephesim he bad him drawe,And as it was that time lawe,He schal do there his sacrifise;And ek he bad in alle wiseThat in the temple amonges alleHis fortune, as it is befalle,Touchende his doghter and his wifHe schal beknowe upon his lif.1800The king of this AvisiounHath gret ymaginacioun,What thing it signefie may;And natheles, whan it was day,He bad caste Ancher and abod;And whil that he on Ancher rod,The wynd, which was tofore strange,Upon the point began to change,And torneth thider as it scholde.Tho knew he wel that god it wolde,1810And bad the Maister make him yare,Tofor the wynd for he wol fareP. iii. 336To Ephesim, and so he dede.And whanne he cam unto the stedeWhere as he scholde londe, he londethWith al the haste he may, and fondethTo schapen him be such a wise,That he may be the morwe ariseAnd don after the mandementOf him which hath him thider sent.1820And in the wise that he thoghte,Upon the morwe so he wroghte;His doghter and his Sone he nom,And forth unto the temple he comWith a gret route in compaignie,Hise yiftes forto sacrifie.The citezeins tho herden seieOf such a king that cam to preieUnto Diane the godesse,And left al other besinesse,1830Thei comen thider forto seThe king and the solempnete.Qualiter Appolinus Ephesim in templo Diane sacrificans, vxorem suam ibidem velatam inuenit; qua secum assumpta in Nauim, versus Tyrum regressus est.With worthi knyhtes environedThe king himself hath abandonedInto the temple in good entente.The dore is up, and he in wente,1656Wher as with gret devociounOf holi contemplaciounWithinne his herte he made his schrifte;And after that a riche yifte1840He offreth with gret reverence,And there in open Audience1657P. iii. 337Of hem that stoden thanne aboute,1658He tolde hem and declareth outeHis hap, such as him is befalle,Ther was nothing foryete of alle.His wif, as it was goddes grace,Which was professed in the place,As sche that was Abbesse there,Unto his tale hath leid hire Ere:1850Sche knew the vois and the visage,For pure joie as in a rageSche strawhte unto him al at ones,And fell aswoune upon the stones,1659Wherof the temple flor was paved.Sche was anon with water laved,Til sche cam to hirself ayein,And thanne sche began to sein:‘Ha, blessed be the hihe sonde,That I mai se myn housebonde,1860That whilom he and I were on!’1660The king with that knew hire anon,And tok hire in his Arm and kiste;And al the toun thus sone it wiste.Tho was ther joie manyfold,For every man this tale hath toldAs for miracle, and were glade,Bot nevere man such joie madeAs doth the king, which hath his wif.And whan men herde hou that hir lif1870Was saved, and be whom it was,Thei wondren alle of such a cas:P. iii. 338Thurgh al the Lond aros the specheOf Maister Cerymon the lecheAnd of the cure which he dede.The king himself tho hath him bede,And ek this queene forth with him,1661That he the toun of EphesimWol leve and go wher as thei be,For nevere man of his degre1880Hath do to hem so mochel good;And he his profit understod,And granteth with hem forto wende.And thus thei maden there an ende,And token leve and gon to SchipeWith al the hole felaschipe.Qualiter Appolinus vna cum vxore et filia sua Thyrum applicuit.This king, which nou hath his desir,Seith he wol holde his cours to Tyr.Thei hadden wynd at wille tho,With topseilcole and forth they go,16621890And striken nevere, til thei comeTo Tyr, where as thei havene nome,1663And londen hem with mochel blisse.Tho was ther many a mowth to kisse,Echon welcometh other hom,Bot whan the queen to londe com,And Thaise hir doghter be hir side,The joie which was thilke tydeTher mai no mannes tunge telle:Thei seiden alle, ‘Hier comth the welle1900Of alle wommannysshe grace.’The king hath take his real place,P. iii. 339The queene is into chambre go:Ther was gret feste arraied tho;Whan time was, thei gon to mete,Alle olde sorwes ben foryete,And gladen hem with joies newe:The descoloured pale heweIs now become a rody cheke,Ther was no merthe forto seke,1910Bot every man hath that he wolde.1664Qualiter Appolinus Athenagoram cum Thaise vxore sua super Tyrum coronari fecit.1665The king, as he wel couthe and scholde,Makth to his poeple riht good chiere;And after sone, as thou schalt hiere,A parlement he hath sommoned,Wher he his doghter hath coronedForth with the lord of Mitelene,That on is king, that other queene:And thus the fadres ordinanceThis lond hath set in governance,16661920And seide thanne he wolde wende1667To Tharse, forto make an endeOf that his doghter was betraied.Therof were alle men wel paied,1668And seide hou it was forto done:The Schipes weren redi sone,And strong pouer with him he tok;1669Up to the Sky he caste his lok,1670And syh the wynd was covenable.Qualiter Appolinus a Tyro per mare versus Tharsim iter arripiens vindictam contra Strangulionem et Dionisiam vxorem suam pro iniuria, quam ipsi Thaisi filie sue intulerunt, iudicialiter assecutus est.Thei hale up Ancher with the cable,1930The Seil on hih, the Stiere in honde,1671And seilen, til thei come alondeP. iii. 340At Tharse nyh to the cite;And whan thei wisten it was he,The toun hath don him reverence.He telleth hem the violence,Which the tretour StrangulioAnd Dionise him hadde doTouchende his dowhter, as yee herde;1672And whan thei wiste hou that it ferde,16731940As he which pes and love soghte,Unto the toun this he besoghte,To don him riht in juggement.Anon thei were bothe asentWith strengthe of men, and comen sone,And as hem thoghte it was to done,Atteint thei were be the laweAnd diemed forto honge and drawe,And brent and with the wynd toblowe,That al the world it myhte knowe:1950And upon this condicionThe dom in execucionWas put anon withoute faile.And every man hath gret mervaile,Which herde tellen of this chance,And thonketh goddes pourveance,Which doth mercy forth with justice.Slain is the moerdrer and moerdriceThurgh verray trowthe of rihtwisnesse,And thurgh mercy sauf is simplesse1960Of hire whom mercy preserveth;Thus hath he wel that wel deserveth.P. iii. 341Qualiter Artestrate Pentapolim Rege mortuo, ipsi de regno Epistolas super hoc Appolino direxerunt: vnde Appolinus vna cum vxore sua ibidem aduenientes ad decus imperii cum magno gaudio coronati sunt.Whan al this thing is don and ended,This king, which loved was and frended,A lettre hath, which cam to himBe Schipe fro Pentapolim,Be which the lond hath to him write,1674That he wolde understonde and witeHou in good mynde and in good pesDed is the king Artestrates,1970Wherof thei alle of on acordHim preiden, as here liege lord,That he the lettre wel conceive1675And come his regne to receive,Which god hath yove him and fortune;And thus besoghte the communeForth with the grete lordes alle.This king sih how it was befalle,1676Fro Tharse and in prosperiteHe tok his leve of that Cite1980And goth him into Schipe ayein:The wynd was good, the See was plein,Hem nedeth noght a Riff to slake,Til thei Pentapolim have take.The lond, which herde of that tidinge,Was wonder glad of his cominge;He resteth him a day or tuoAnd tok his conseil to him tho,And sette a time of Parlement,Wher al the lond of on assent1990Forth with his wif hath him corouned,Wher alle goode him was fuisouned.P. iii. 342Lo, what it is to be wel grounded:1677For he hath ferst his love foundedHonesteliche as forto wedde,Honesteliche his love he speddeAnd hadde children with his wif,And as him liste he ladde his lif;And in ensample his lif was write,1678That alle lovers myhten wite2000How ate laste it schal be seneOf love what thei wolden mene.For se now on that other side,Antiochus with al his Pride,Which sette his love unkindely,His ende he hadde al sodeinly,1679Set ayein kinde upon vengance,And for his lust hath his penance.Confessor ad Amantem.1680Lo thus, mi Sone, myht thou liereWhat is to love in good manere,2010And what to love in other wise:The mede arist of the servise;Fortune, thogh sche be noght stable,Yit at som time is favorableTo hem that ben of love trewe.Bot certes it is forto reweTo se love ayein kinde falle,For that makth sore a man to falle,As thou myht of tofore rede.Forthi, my Sone, I wolde rede2020To lete al other love aweie,Bot if it be thurgh such a weieP. iii. 343As love and reson wolde acorde.For elles, if that thou descorde,And take lust as doth a beste,Thi love mai noght ben honeste;For be no skile that I finde[The Lover requires Counsel.]Such lust is noght of loves kinde.Confessio Amantis, vnde pro finali conclusione consilium Confessoris impetrat.Mi fader, hou so that it stonde,Youre tale is herd and understonde,2030As thing which worthi is to hiere,Of gret ensample and gret matiere,Wherof, my fader, god you quyte.Bot in this point miself aquiteI mai riht wel, that nevere yitI was assoted in my wit,Bot only in that worthi placeWher alle lust and alle graceIs set, if that danger ne were.Bot that is al my moste fere:2040I not what ye fortune acompte,Bot what thing danger mai amonteI wot wel, for I have assaied;For whan myn herte is best arraiedAnd I have al my wit thurghsoghtOf love to beseche hire oght,For al that evere I skile may,1681I am concluded with a nay:That o sillable hath overthroweA thousend wordes on a rowe2050Of suche as I best speke can;Thus am I bot a lewed man.P. iii. 344Bot, fader, for ye ben a clerkOf love, and this matiere is derk,And I can evere leng the lasse,Bot yit I mai noght let it passe,1682Youre hole conseil I beseche,That ye me be som weie techeWhat is my beste, as for an ende.Mi Sone, unto the trouthe wende2060Now wol I for the love of thee,And lete alle othre truffles be.1683
Here hertes bothe anon descloseth.This king unto this maide opposeth,And axeth ferst what was hire name,1647And wher sche lerned al this game,And of what ken that sche was come.1648And sche, that hath hise wordes nome,Ansuerth and seith, ‘My name is Thaise,That was som time wel at aise:In Tharse I was forthdrawe and fed,Ther lerned I, til I was sped,1720Of that I can. Mi fader ekeI not wher that I scholde him seke;P. iii. 333He was a king, men tolde me:Mi Moder dreint was in the See.’Fro point to point al sche him tolde,That sche hath longe in herte holde,And nevere dorste make hir moneBot only to this lord al one,To whom hire herte can noght hele,Torne it to wo, torne it to wele,1730Torne it to good, torne it to harm.And he tho toke hire in his arm,1649Bot such a joie as he tho madeWas nevere sen; thus be thei glade,That sory hadden be toforn.Fro this day forth fortune hath swornTo sette him upward on the whiel;So goth the world, now wo, now wel:This king hath founde newe grace,So that out of his derke place1740He goth him up into the liht,And with him cam that swete wiht,His doghter Thaise, and forth anonThei bothe into the Caban gonWhich was ordeigned for the king,And ther he dede of al his thing,And was arraied realy.Qualiter Athenagoras Appolinum de naui in hospicium honorifice recollegit, et Thaisim, patre consenciente, in vxorem duxit.And out he cam al openly,Wher Athenagoras he fond,The which was lord of al the lond:16501750He preith the king to come and seHis castell bothe and his cite,P. iii. 334And thus thei gon forth alle in fiere,This king, this lord, this maiden diere.1651This lord tho made hem riche festeWith every thing which was honeste,1652To plese with this worthi king,Ther lacketh him no maner thing:Bot yit for al his noble arrayWifles he was into that day,1760As he that yit was of yong Age;1653So fell ther into his corageThe lusti wo, the glade peineOf love, which noman restreigneYit nevere myhte as nou tofore.This lord thenkth al his world forlore,Bot if the king wol don him grace;He waiteth time, he waiteth place,Him thoghte his herte wol tobreke,Til he mai to this maide speke1770And to hir fader ek alsoFor mariage: and it fell so,That al was do riht as he thoghte,His pourpos to an ende he broghte,Sche weddeth him as for hire lord;Thus be thei alle of on acord.Qualiter Appolinus vna cum filia et eius marito nauim ingredientes a Mitelena vsque Tharsim cursum proposuerunt. Set Appolinus in sompnis ammonitus versus Ephesim, vt ibidem in templo Diane sacrificaret, vela per mare diuertit.Whan al was do riht as thei wolde,The king unto his Sone toldeOf Tharse thilke traiterie,And seide hou in his compaignie1780His doghter and himselven ekeSchull go vengance forto seke.P. iii. 335The Schipes were redy sone,And whan thei sihe it was to done,Withoute lette of eny wenteWith Seil updrawe forth thei wenteTowardes Tharse upon the tyde.Bot he that wot what schal betide,The hihe god, which wolde him kepe,Whan that this king was faste aslepe,16541790Be nyhtes time he hath him bedeTo seile into an other stede:1655To Ephesim he bad him drawe,And as it was that time lawe,He schal do there his sacrifise;And ek he bad in alle wiseThat in the temple amonges alleHis fortune, as it is befalle,Touchende his doghter and his wifHe schal beknowe upon his lif.1800The king of this AvisiounHath gret ymaginacioun,What thing it signefie may;And natheles, whan it was day,He bad caste Ancher and abod;And whil that he on Ancher rod,The wynd, which was tofore strange,Upon the point began to change,And torneth thider as it scholde.Tho knew he wel that god it wolde,1810And bad the Maister make him yare,Tofor the wynd for he wol fareP. iii. 336To Ephesim, and so he dede.And whanne he cam unto the stedeWhere as he scholde londe, he londethWith al the haste he may, and fondethTo schapen him be such a wise,That he may be the morwe ariseAnd don after the mandementOf him which hath him thider sent.1820And in the wise that he thoghte,Upon the morwe so he wroghte;His doghter and his Sone he nom,And forth unto the temple he comWith a gret route in compaignie,Hise yiftes forto sacrifie.The citezeins tho herden seieOf such a king that cam to preieUnto Diane the godesse,And left al other besinesse,1830Thei comen thider forto seThe king and the solempnete.Qualiter Appolinus Ephesim in templo Diane sacrificans, vxorem suam ibidem velatam inuenit; qua secum assumpta in Nauim, versus Tyrum regressus est.With worthi knyhtes environedThe king himself hath abandonedInto the temple in good entente.The dore is up, and he in wente,1656Wher as with gret devociounOf holi contemplaciounWithinne his herte he made his schrifte;And after that a riche yifte1840He offreth with gret reverence,And there in open Audience1657P. iii. 337Of hem that stoden thanne aboute,1658He tolde hem and declareth outeHis hap, such as him is befalle,Ther was nothing foryete of alle.His wif, as it was goddes grace,Which was professed in the place,As sche that was Abbesse there,Unto his tale hath leid hire Ere:1850Sche knew the vois and the visage,For pure joie as in a rageSche strawhte unto him al at ones,And fell aswoune upon the stones,1659Wherof the temple flor was paved.Sche was anon with water laved,Til sche cam to hirself ayein,And thanne sche began to sein:‘Ha, blessed be the hihe sonde,That I mai se myn housebonde,1860That whilom he and I were on!’1660The king with that knew hire anon,And tok hire in his Arm and kiste;And al the toun thus sone it wiste.Tho was ther joie manyfold,For every man this tale hath toldAs for miracle, and were glade,Bot nevere man such joie madeAs doth the king, which hath his wif.And whan men herde hou that hir lif1870Was saved, and be whom it was,Thei wondren alle of such a cas:P. iii. 338Thurgh al the Lond aros the specheOf Maister Cerymon the lecheAnd of the cure which he dede.The king himself tho hath him bede,And ek this queene forth with him,1661That he the toun of EphesimWol leve and go wher as thei be,For nevere man of his degre1880Hath do to hem so mochel good;And he his profit understod,And granteth with hem forto wende.And thus thei maden there an ende,And token leve and gon to SchipeWith al the hole felaschipe.Qualiter Appolinus vna cum vxore et filia sua Thyrum applicuit.This king, which nou hath his desir,Seith he wol holde his cours to Tyr.Thei hadden wynd at wille tho,With topseilcole and forth they go,16621890And striken nevere, til thei comeTo Tyr, where as thei havene nome,1663And londen hem with mochel blisse.Tho was ther many a mowth to kisse,Echon welcometh other hom,Bot whan the queen to londe com,And Thaise hir doghter be hir side,The joie which was thilke tydeTher mai no mannes tunge telle:Thei seiden alle, ‘Hier comth the welle1900Of alle wommannysshe grace.’The king hath take his real place,P. iii. 339The queene is into chambre go:Ther was gret feste arraied tho;Whan time was, thei gon to mete,Alle olde sorwes ben foryete,And gladen hem with joies newe:The descoloured pale heweIs now become a rody cheke,Ther was no merthe forto seke,1910Bot every man hath that he wolde.1664Qualiter Appolinus Athenagoram cum Thaise vxore sua super Tyrum coronari fecit.1665The king, as he wel couthe and scholde,Makth to his poeple riht good chiere;And after sone, as thou schalt hiere,A parlement he hath sommoned,Wher he his doghter hath coronedForth with the lord of Mitelene,That on is king, that other queene:And thus the fadres ordinanceThis lond hath set in governance,16661920And seide thanne he wolde wende1667To Tharse, forto make an endeOf that his doghter was betraied.Therof were alle men wel paied,1668And seide hou it was forto done:The Schipes weren redi sone,And strong pouer with him he tok;1669Up to the Sky he caste his lok,1670And syh the wynd was covenable.Qualiter Appolinus a Tyro per mare versus Tharsim iter arripiens vindictam contra Strangulionem et Dionisiam vxorem suam pro iniuria, quam ipsi Thaisi filie sue intulerunt, iudicialiter assecutus est.Thei hale up Ancher with the cable,1930The Seil on hih, the Stiere in honde,1671And seilen, til thei come alondeP. iii. 340At Tharse nyh to the cite;And whan thei wisten it was he,The toun hath don him reverence.He telleth hem the violence,Which the tretour StrangulioAnd Dionise him hadde doTouchende his dowhter, as yee herde;1672And whan thei wiste hou that it ferde,16731940As he which pes and love soghte,Unto the toun this he besoghte,To don him riht in juggement.Anon thei were bothe asentWith strengthe of men, and comen sone,And as hem thoghte it was to done,Atteint thei were be the laweAnd diemed forto honge and drawe,And brent and with the wynd toblowe,That al the world it myhte knowe:1950And upon this condicionThe dom in execucionWas put anon withoute faile.And every man hath gret mervaile,Which herde tellen of this chance,And thonketh goddes pourveance,Which doth mercy forth with justice.Slain is the moerdrer and moerdriceThurgh verray trowthe of rihtwisnesse,And thurgh mercy sauf is simplesse1960Of hire whom mercy preserveth;Thus hath he wel that wel deserveth.P. iii. 341Qualiter Artestrate Pentapolim Rege mortuo, ipsi de regno Epistolas super hoc Appolino direxerunt: vnde Appolinus vna cum vxore sua ibidem aduenientes ad decus imperii cum magno gaudio coronati sunt.Whan al this thing is don and ended,This king, which loved was and frended,A lettre hath, which cam to himBe Schipe fro Pentapolim,Be which the lond hath to him write,1674That he wolde understonde and witeHou in good mynde and in good pesDed is the king Artestrates,1970Wherof thei alle of on acordHim preiden, as here liege lord,That he the lettre wel conceive1675And come his regne to receive,Which god hath yove him and fortune;And thus besoghte the communeForth with the grete lordes alle.This king sih how it was befalle,1676Fro Tharse and in prosperiteHe tok his leve of that Cite1980And goth him into Schipe ayein:The wynd was good, the See was plein,Hem nedeth noght a Riff to slake,Til thei Pentapolim have take.The lond, which herde of that tidinge,Was wonder glad of his cominge;He resteth him a day or tuoAnd tok his conseil to him tho,And sette a time of Parlement,Wher al the lond of on assent1990Forth with his wif hath him corouned,Wher alle goode him was fuisouned.P. iii. 342Lo, what it is to be wel grounded:1677For he hath ferst his love foundedHonesteliche as forto wedde,Honesteliche his love he speddeAnd hadde children with his wif,And as him liste he ladde his lif;And in ensample his lif was write,1678That alle lovers myhten wite2000How ate laste it schal be seneOf love what thei wolden mene.For se now on that other side,Antiochus with al his Pride,Which sette his love unkindely,His ende he hadde al sodeinly,1679Set ayein kinde upon vengance,And for his lust hath his penance.Confessor ad Amantem.1680Lo thus, mi Sone, myht thou liereWhat is to love in good manere,2010And what to love in other wise:The mede arist of the servise;Fortune, thogh sche be noght stable,Yit at som time is favorableTo hem that ben of love trewe.Bot certes it is forto reweTo se love ayein kinde falle,For that makth sore a man to falle,As thou myht of tofore rede.Forthi, my Sone, I wolde rede2020To lete al other love aweie,Bot if it be thurgh such a weieP. iii. 343As love and reson wolde acorde.For elles, if that thou descorde,And take lust as doth a beste,Thi love mai noght ben honeste;For be no skile that I finde[The Lover requires Counsel.]Such lust is noght of loves kinde.Confessio Amantis, vnde pro finali conclusione consilium Confessoris impetrat.Mi fader, hou so that it stonde,Youre tale is herd and understonde,2030As thing which worthi is to hiere,Of gret ensample and gret matiere,Wherof, my fader, god you quyte.Bot in this point miself aquiteI mai riht wel, that nevere yitI was assoted in my wit,Bot only in that worthi placeWher alle lust and alle graceIs set, if that danger ne were.Bot that is al my moste fere:2040I not what ye fortune acompte,Bot what thing danger mai amonteI wot wel, for I have assaied;For whan myn herte is best arraiedAnd I have al my wit thurghsoghtOf love to beseche hire oght,For al that evere I skile may,1681I am concluded with a nay:That o sillable hath overthroweA thousend wordes on a rowe2050Of suche as I best speke can;Thus am I bot a lewed man.P. iii. 344Bot, fader, for ye ben a clerkOf love, and this matiere is derk,And I can evere leng the lasse,Bot yit I mai noght let it passe,1682Youre hole conseil I beseche,That ye me be som weie techeWhat is my beste, as for an ende.Mi Sone, unto the trouthe wende2060Now wol I for the love of thee,And lete alle othre truffles be.1683
Here hertes bothe anon descloseth.
This king unto this maide opposeth,
And axeth ferst what was hire name,1647
And wher sche lerned al this game,
And of what ken that sche was come.1648
And sche, that hath hise wordes nome,
Ansuerth and seith, ‘My name is Thaise,
That was som time wel at aise:
In Tharse I was forthdrawe and fed,
Ther lerned I, til I was sped,1720
Of that I can. Mi fader eke
I not wher that I scholde him seke;
P. iii. 333
He was a king, men tolde me:
Mi Moder dreint was in the See.’
Fro point to point al sche him tolde,
That sche hath longe in herte holde,
And nevere dorste make hir mone
Bot only to this lord al one,
To whom hire herte can noght hele,
Torne it to wo, torne it to wele,1730
Torne it to good, torne it to harm.
And he tho toke hire in his arm,1649
Bot such a joie as he tho made
Was nevere sen; thus be thei glade,
That sory hadden be toforn.
Fro this day forth fortune hath sworn
To sette him upward on the whiel;
So goth the world, now wo, now wel:
This king hath founde newe grace,
So that out of his derke place1740
He goth him up into the liht,
And with him cam that swete wiht,
His doghter Thaise, and forth anon
Thei bothe into the Caban gon
Which was ordeigned for the king,
And ther he dede of al his thing,
And was arraied realy.
Qualiter Athenagoras Appolinum de naui in hospicium honorifice recollegit, et Thaisim, patre consenciente, in vxorem duxit.
And out he cam al openly,
Wher Athenagoras he fond,
The which was lord of al the lond:16501750
He preith the king to come and se
His castell bothe and his cite,
P. iii. 334
And thus thei gon forth alle in fiere,
This king, this lord, this maiden diere.1651
This lord tho made hem riche feste
With every thing which was honeste,1652
To plese with this worthi king,
Ther lacketh him no maner thing:
Bot yit for al his noble array
Wifles he was into that day,1760
As he that yit was of yong Age;1653
So fell ther into his corage
The lusti wo, the glade peine
Of love, which noman restreigne
Yit nevere myhte as nou tofore.
This lord thenkth al his world forlore,
Bot if the king wol don him grace;
He waiteth time, he waiteth place,
Him thoghte his herte wol tobreke,
Til he mai to this maide speke1770
And to hir fader ek also
For mariage: and it fell so,
That al was do riht as he thoghte,
His pourpos to an ende he broghte,
Sche weddeth him as for hire lord;
Thus be thei alle of on acord.
Qualiter Appolinus vna cum filia et eius marito nauim ingredientes a Mitelena vsque Tharsim cursum proposuerunt. Set Appolinus in sompnis ammonitus versus Ephesim, vt ibidem in templo Diane sacrificaret, vela per mare diuertit.
Whan al was do riht as thei wolde,
The king unto his Sone tolde
Of Tharse thilke traiterie,
And seide hou in his compaignie1780
His doghter and himselven eke
Schull go vengance forto seke.
P. iii. 335
The Schipes were redy sone,
And whan thei sihe it was to done,
Withoute lette of eny wente
With Seil updrawe forth thei wente
Towardes Tharse upon the tyde.
Bot he that wot what schal betide,
The hihe god, which wolde him kepe,
Whan that this king was faste aslepe,16541790
Be nyhtes time he hath him bede
To seile into an other stede:1655
To Ephesim he bad him drawe,
And as it was that time lawe,
He schal do there his sacrifise;
And ek he bad in alle wise
That in the temple amonges alle
His fortune, as it is befalle,
Touchende his doghter and his wif
He schal beknowe upon his lif.1800
The king of this Avisioun
Hath gret ymaginacioun,
What thing it signefie may;
And natheles, whan it was day,
He bad caste Ancher and abod;
And whil that he on Ancher rod,
The wynd, which was tofore strange,
Upon the point began to change,
And torneth thider as it scholde.
Tho knew he wel that god it wolde,1810
And bad the Maister make him yare,
Tofor the wynd for he wol fare
P. iii. 336
To Ephesim, and so he dede.
And whanne he cam unto the stede
Where as he scholde londe, he londeth
With al the haste he may, and fondeth
To schapen him be such a wise,
That he may be the morwe arise
And don after the mandement
Of him which hath him thider sent.1820
And in the wise that he thoghte,
Upon the morwe so he wroghte;
His doghter and his Sone he nom,
And forth unto the temple he com
With a gret route in compaignie,
Hise yiftes forto sacrifie.
The citezeins tho herden seie
Of such a king that cam to preie
Unto Diane the godesse,
And left al other besinesse,1830
Thei comen thider forto se
The king and the solempnete.
Qualiter Appolinus Ephesim in templo Diane sacrificans, vxorem suam ibidem velatam inuenit; qua secum assumpta in Nauim, versus Tyrum regressus est.
With worthi knyhtes environed
The king himself hath abandoned
Into the temple in good entente.
The dore is up, and he in wente,1656
Wher as with gret devocioun
Of holi contemplacioun
Withinne his herte he made his schrifte;
And after that a riche yifte1840
He offreth with gret reverence,
And there in open Audience1657
P. iii. 337
Of hem that stoden thanne aboute,1658
He tolde hem and declareth oute
His hap, such as him is befalle,
Ther was nothing foryete of alle.
His wif, as it was goddes grace,
Which was professed in the place,
As sche that was Abbesse there,
Unto his tale hath leid hire Ere:1850
Sche knew the vois and the visage,
For pure joie as in a rage
Sche strawhte unto him al at ones,
And fell aswoune upon the stones,1659
Wherof the temple flor was paved.
Sche was anon with water laved,
Til sche cam to hirself ayein,
And thanne sche began to sein:
‘Ha, blessed be the hihe sonde,
That I mai se myn housebonde,1860
That whilom he and I were on!’1660
The king with that knew hire anon,
And tok hire in his Arm and kiste;
And al the toun thus sone it wiste.
Tho was ther joie manyfold,
For every man this tale hath told
As for miracle, and were glade,
Bot nevere man such joie made
As doth the king, which hath his wif.
And whan men herde hou that hir lif1870
Was saved, and be whom it was,
Thei wondren alle of such a cas:
P. iii. 338
Thurgh al the Lond aros the speche
Of Maister Cerymon the leche
And of the cure which he dede.
The king himself tho hath him bede,
And ek this queene forth with him,1661
That he the toun of Ephesim
Wol leve and go wher as thei be,
For nevere man of his degre1880
Hath do to hem so mochel good;
And he his profit understod,
And granteth with hem forto wende.
And thus thei maden there an ende,
And token leve and gon to Schipe
With al the hole felaschipe.
Qualiter Appolinus vna cum vxore et filia sua Thyrum applicuit.
This king, which nou hath his desir,
Seith he wol holde his cours to Tyr.
Thei hadden wynd at wille tho,
With topseilcole and forth they go,16621890
And striken nevere, til thei come
To Tyr, where as thei havene nome,1663
And londen hem with mochel blisse.
Tho was ther many a mowth to kisse,
Echon welcometh other hom,
Bot whan the queen to londe com,
And Thaise hir doghter be hir side,
The joie which was thilke tyde
Ther mai no mannes tunge telle:
Thei seiden alle, ‘Hier comth the welle1900
Of alle wommannysshe grace.’
The king hath take his real place,
P. iii. 339
The queene is into chambre go:
Ther was gret feste arraied tho;
Whan time was, thei gon to mete,
Alle olde sorwes ben foryete,
And gladen hem with joies newe:
The descoloured pale hewe
Is now become a rody cheke,
Ther was no merthe forto seke,1910
Bot every man hath that he wolde.1664
Qualiter Appolinus Athenagoram cum Thaise vxore sua super Tyrum coronari fecit.1665
The king, as he wel couthe and scholde,
Makth to his poeple riht good chiere;
And after sone, as thou schalt hiere,
A parlement he hath sommoned,
Wher he his doghter hath coroned
Forth with the lord of Mitelene,
That on is king, that other queene:
And thus the fadres ordinance
This lond hath set in governance,16661920
And seide thanne he wolde wende1667
To Tharse, forto make an ende
Of that his doghter was betraied.
Therof were alle men wel paied,1668
And seide hou it was forto done:
The Schipes weren redi sone,
And strong pouer with him he tok;1669
Up to the Sky he caste his lok,1670
And syh the wynd was covenable.
Qualiter Appolinus a Tyro per mare versus Tharsim iter arripiens vindictam contra Strangulionem et Dionisiam vxorem suam pro iniuria, quam ipsi Thaisi filie sue intulerunt, iudicialiter assecutus est.
Thei hale up Ancher with the cable,1930
The Seil on hih, the Stiere in honde,1671
And seilen, til thei come alonde
P. iii. 340
At Tharse nyh to the cite;
And whan thei wisten it was he,
The toun hath don him reverence.
He telleth hem the violence,
Which the tretour Strangulio
And Dionise him hadde do
Touchende his dowhter, as yee herde;1672
And whan thei wiste hou that it ferde,16731940
As he which pes and love soghte,
Unto the toun this he besoghte,
To don him riht in juggement.
Anon thei were bothe asent
With strengthe of men, and comen sone,
And as hem thoghte it was to done,
Atteint thei were be the lawe
And diemed forto honge and drawe,
And brent and with the wynd toblowe,
That al the world it myhte knowe:1950
And upon this condicion
The dom in execucion
Was put anon withoute faile.
And every man hath gret mervaile,
Which herde tellen of this chance,
And thonketh goddes pourveance,
Which doth mercy forth with justice.
Slain is the moerdrer and moerdrice
Thurgh verray trowthe of rihtwisnesse,
And thurgh mercy sauf is simplesse1960
Of hire whom mercy preserveth;
Thus hath he wel that wel deserveth.
P. iii. 341
Qualiter Artestrate Pentapolim Rege mortuo, ipsi de regno Epistolas super hoc Appolino direxerunt: vnde Appolinus vna cum vxore sua ibidem aduenientes ad decus imperii cum magno gaudio coronati sunt.
Whan al this thing is don and ended,
This king, which loved was and frended,
A lettre hath, which cam to him
Be Schipe fro Pentapolim,
Be which the lond hath to him write,1674
That he wolde understonde and wite
Hou in good mynde and in good pes
Ded is the king Artestrates,1970
Wherof thei alle of on acord
Him preiden, as here liege lord,
That he the lettre wel conceive1675
And come his regne to receive,
Which god hath yove him and fortune;
And thus besoghte the commune
Forth with the grete lordes alle.
This king sih how it was befalle,1676
Fro Tharse and in prosperite
He tok his leve of that Cite1980
And goth him into Schipe ayein:
The wynd was good, the See was plein,
Hem nedeth noght a Riff to slake,
Til thei Pentapolim have take.
The lond, which herde of that tidinge,
Was wonder glad of his cominge;
He resteth him a day or tuo
And tok his conseil to him tho,
And sette a time of Parlement,
Wher al the lond of on assent1990
Forth with his wif hath him corouned,
Wher alle goode him was fuisouned.
P. iii. 342
Lo, what it is to be wel grounded:1677
For he hath ferst his love founded
Honesteliche as forto wedde,
Honesteliche his love he spedde
And hadde children with his wif,
And as him liste he ladde his lif;
And in ensample his lif was write,1678
That alle lovers myhten wite2000
How ate laste it schal be sene
Of love what thei wolden mene.
For se now on that other side,
Antiochus with al his Pride,
Which sette his love unkindely,
His ende he hadde al sodeinly,1679
Set ayein kinde upon vengance,
And for his lust hath his penance.
Confessor ad Amantem.1680
Lo thus, mi Sone, myht thou liere
What is to love in good manere,2010
And what to love in other wise:
The mede arist of the servise;
Fortune, thogh sche be noght stable,
Yit at som time is favorable
To hem that ben of love trewe.
Bot certes it is forto rewe
To se love ayein kinde falle,
For that makth sore a man to falle,
As thou myht of tofore rede.
Forthi, my Sone, I wolde rede2020
To lete al other love aweie,
Bot if it be thurgh such a weie
P. iii. 343
As love and reson wolde acorde.
For elles, if that thou descorde,
And take lust as doth a beste,
Thi love mai noght ben honeste;
For be no skile that I finde
[The Lover requires Counsel.]
Such lust is noght of loves kinde.
Confessio Amantis, vnde pro finali conclusione consilium Confessoris impetrat.
Mi fader, hou so that it stonde,
Youre tale is herd and understonde,2030
As thing which worthi is to hiere,
Of gret ensample and gret matiere,
Wherof, my fader, god you quyte.
Bot in this point miself aquite
I mai riht wel, that nevere yit
I was assoted in my wit,
Bot only in that worthi place
Wher alle lust and alle grace
Is set, if that danger ne were.
Bot that is al my moste fere:2040
I not what ye fortune acompte,
Bot what thing danger mai amonte
I wot wel, for I have assaied;
For whan myn herte is best arraied
And I have al my wit thurghsoght
Of love to beseche hire oght,
For al that evere I skile may,1681
I am concluded with a nay:
That o sillable hath overthrowe
A thousend wordes on a rowe2050
Of suche as I best speke can;
Thus am I bot a lewed man.
P. iii. 344
Bot, fader, for ye ben a clerk
Of love, and this matiere is derk,
And I can evere leng the lasse,
Bot yit I mai noght let it passe,1682
Youre hole conseil I beseche,
That ye me be som weie teche
What is my beste, as for an ende.
Mi Sone, unto the trouthe wende2060
Now wol I for the love of thee,
And lete alle othre truffles be.1683