Chapter 51

*Adieu, for I mot fro the wende.And gret wel Chaucer whan ye mete,18102941*As mi disciple and mi poete:For in the floures of his youtheIn sondri wise, as he wel couthe,Of Ditees and of songes glade,The whiche he for mi sake made,The loud fulfild is overal:Wherof to him in specialAbove alle othre I am most holde.1811For thi now in hise daies olde2950*Thow schalt him telle this message,That he upon his latere age,To sette an ende of alle his werk,1812As he which is myn owne clerk,Do make his testament of love,As thou hast do thi schrifte above,So that mi Court it mai recorde.’‘Madame, I can me wel acorde,’Quod I, ‘to telle as ye me bidde.’And with that word it so betidde,18132960*Out of my sihte al sodeynly,1814Enclosed in a sterred sky,Up to the hevene Venus straghte,1815And I my rihte weie cawhte,1816Hom fro the wode and forth I wente,1817Wher as with al myn hole entente,1818Thus with mi bedes upon honde,1819For hem that trewe love fondeI thenke bidde whil I lyveUpon the poynt which I am schryve.2970*[The Author prays for the King.]iv.*Ad laudem Cristi, quem tu, virgo, peperisti,Sit laus Ricardi, quem sceptra colunt leopardi.Ad sua precepta compleui carmina cepta,Que Bruti nata legat Anglia perpetuata.1820He which withinne dayes seveneThis large world forth with the heveneHic in fine libri honorificos que virtuosos illustrissimi Principis domini sui Regis Anglie Ricardi secundi mores, sicut dignum est, laude commendabili describens, pro eiusdem status salubri conseruacione cunctipotentem deuocius exorat.Of his eternal providenceHath mad, and thilke intelligence1821In mannes soule resonableEnspired to himself semblable,Wherof the man of his fetureAbove alle erthly creature1822After the soule is immortal,To thilke lord in special,2980*As he which is of alle thingesThe creatour, and of the kingesHath the fortunes upon honde,1823His grace and mercy forto fondeUpon mi bare knees I preye,That he my worthi king conveye,Richard by name the Secounde,1824In whom hath evere yit be founde1825Justice medled with pite,Largesce forth with charite.2990*In his persone it mai be schewedWhat is a king to be wel thewed,Touchinge of pite namely:[The King commended.]For he yit nevere unpitouslyAyein the liges of his lond,1826For no defaute which he fond,Thurgh cruelte vengaunce soghte;And thogh the worldes chaunce in broghte1827Of infortune gret debat,Yit was he not infortunat:3000*For he which the fortune ladde,The hihe god, him overspraddeOf his Justice, and kepte him so,1828That his astat stood evere moSauf, as it oghte wel to be;1829Lich to the Sonne in his degree,Which with the clowdes up alofteIs derked and bischadewed ofte,1830But hou so that it trowble in their,1831The Sonne is evere briht and feir,3010*Withinne himself and noght empeired:1832Althogh the weder be despeired,The hed planete is not to wite.1833Mi worthi prince, of whom I write,Thus slant he with himselve clier,1834And doth what lith in his power1835Not only hier at hom to seke1836Love and acord, but outward eke,1837As he that save his poeple wolde.So ben we alle wel beholde18383020*To do service and obeyssaunceTo him, which of his heyh suffraunce1839Hath many a gret debat appesed,1840To make his lige men ben esed;1841Wherfore that his Croniqe schalFor evere be memorialTo the loenge of that he doth.1842For this wot every man in soth,What king that so desireth pes,1843He takth the weie which Crist ches:3030*And who that Cristes weies sueth,It proveth wel that he eschuethThe vices and is vertuous,1844Wherof he mot be graciousToward his god and acceptable.And so to make his regne stable,1845With al the wil that I mai yiveI preie and schal whil that I live,As I which in subjecciounStonde under the proteccioun,18463040*And mai miselven not bewelde,1847What for seknesse and what for elde,1848Which I receyve of goddes grace.But thogh me lacke to purchace[The Author presents his Book to the King.]Mi kinges thonk as by decerte,1849Yit the Simplesce of mi poverteUnto the love of my liganceDesireth forto do plesance:And for this cause in myn ententeThis povere bok heer I presente18503050*Unto his hihe worthinesse,Write of my simple besinesse,1851So as seknesse it suffre wolde.1852And in such wise as I ferst tolde,Whan I this bok began to make,1853In som partie it mai be take1854As for to lawhe and forto pleye;And forto loke in other weye,1855It mai be wisdom to the wise:So that somdel for good aprise18563060*And eek somdel for lust and game1857I have it mad, as thilke same1858Which axe forto ben excused,1859That I no Rethoriqe have usedUpon the forme of eloquence,For that is not of mi science;But I have do my trewe peyneWith rude wordes and with pleyneTo speke of thing which I have told.1860[Farewell to Earthly Love.]But now that I am feble and old,18613070*And to the worschipe of mi kingIn love above alle other thing1862That I this bok have mad and write,1863Mi Muse doth me forto wite1864That it is to me for the besteFro this day forth to take reste,1865That I nomore of love make.1866But he which hath of love his make1867It sit him wel to singe and daunce,1868And do to love his entendance3080*In songes bothe and in seyingesAfter the lust of his pleyinges,For he hath that he wolde have:But where a man schal love crave1869And faile, it stant al otherwise.1870In his proverbe seith the wise,Whan game is best, is best to leve:1871And thus forthi my fynal leve,With oute makyng eny more,1872I take now for evere more3090*Of love and of his dedly hele,1873Which no phisicien can hele.For his nature is so divers,That it hath evere som traversOr of to moche or of to lite,That fully mai noman delyte,But if him lacke or that or this.1874But thilke love which that isWithinne a mannes herte affermed,[Heavenly Love.]And stant of charite confermed,3100*That love is of no repentaile;For it ne berth no contretaile,Which mai the conscience charge,But it is rather of descharge,1875And meedful heer and overal.Forthi this love in special1876Is good for every man to holde,1877And who that resoun wol beholde,1878Al other lust is good to daunte:Which thing the hihe god us graunte18793110*Forth with the remenant of graceSo that of hevene in thilke placeWher resteth love and alle pes,1880Oure joye mai ben endeles.1881

*Adieu, for I mot fro the wende.

And gret wel Chaucer whan ye mete,18102941*

As mi disciple and mi poete:

For in the floures of his youthe

In sondri wise, as he wel couthe,

Of Ditees and of songes glade,

The whiche he for mi sake made,

The loud fulfild is overal:

Wherof to him in special

Above alle othre I am most holde.1811

For thi now in hise daies olde2950*

Thow schalt him telle this message,

That he upon his latere age,

To sette an ende of alle his werk,1812

As he which is myn owne clerk,

Do make his testament of love,

As thou hast do thi schrifte above,

So that mi Court it mai recorde.’

‘Madame, I can me wel acorde,’

Quod I, ‘to telle as ye me bidde.’

And with that word it so betidde,18132960*

Out of my sihte al sodeynly,1814

Enclosed in a sterred sky,

Up to the hevene Venus straghte,1815

And I my rihte weie cawhte,1816

Hom fro the wode and forth I wente,1817

Wher as with al myn hole entente,1818

Thus with mi bedes upon honde,1819

For hem that trewe love fonde

I thenke bidde whil I lyve

Upon the poynt which I am schryve.2970*

[The Author prays for the King.]iv.*Ad laudem Cristi, quem tu, virgo, peperisti,Sit laus Ricardi, quem sceptra colunt leopardi.Ad sua precepta compleui carmina cepta,Que Bruti nata legat Anglia perpetuata.1820

[The Author prays for the King.]

iv.*Ad laudem Cristi, quem tu, virgo, peperisti,

Sit laus Ricardi, quem sceptra colunt leopardi.

Ad sua precepta compleui carmina cepta,

Que Bruti nata legat Anglia perpetuata.1820

He which withinne dayes seveneThis large world forth with the heveneHic in fine libri honorificos que virtuosos illustrissimi Principis domini sui Regis Anglie Ricardi secundi mores, sicut dignum est, laude commendabili describens, pro eiusdem status salubri conseruacione cunctipotentem deuocius exorat.Of his eternal providenceHath mad, and thilke intelligence1821In mannes soule resonableEnspired to himself semblable,Wherof the man of his fetureAbove alle erthly creature1822After the soule is immortal,To thilke lord in special,2980*As he which is of alle thingesThe creatour, and of the kingesHath the fortunes upon honde,1823His grace and mercy forto fondeUpon mi bare knees I preye,That he my worthi king conveye,Richard by name the Secounde,1824In whom hath evere yit be founde1825Justice medled with pite,Largesce forth with charite.2990*In his persone it mai be schewedWhat is a king to be wel thewed,Touchinge of pite namely:[The King commended.]For he yit nevere unpitouslyAyein the liges of his lond,1826For no defaute which he fond,Thurgh cruelte vengaunce soghte;And thogh the worldes chaunce in broghte1827Of infortune gret debat,Yit was he not infortunat:3000*For he which the fortune ladde,The hihe god, him overspraddeOf his Justice, and kepte him so,1828That his astat stood evere moSauf, as it oghte wel to be;1829Lich to the Sonne in his degree,Which with the clowdes up alofteIs derked and bischadewed ofte,1830But hou so that it trowble in their,1831The Sonne is evere briht and feir,3010*Withinne himself and noght empeired:1832Althogh the weder be despeired,The hed planete is not to wite.1833Mi worthi prince, of whom I write,Thus slant he with himselve clier,1834And doth what lith in his power1835Not only hier at hom to seke1836Love and acord, but outward eke,1837As he that save his poeple wolde.So ben we alle wel beholde18383020*To do service and obeyssaunceTo him, which of his heyh suffraunce1839Hath many a gret debat appesed,1840To make his lige men ben esed;1841Wherfore that his Croniqe schalFor evere be memorialTo the loenge of that he doth.1842For this wot every man in soth,What king that so desireth pes,1843He takth the weie which Crist ches:3030*And who that Cristes weies sueth,It proveth wel that he eschuethThe vices and is vertuous,1844Wherof he mot be graciousToward his god and acceptable.And so to make his regne stable,1845With al the wil that I mai yiveI preie and schal whil that I live,As I which in subjecciounStonde under the proteccioun,18463040*And mai miselven not bewelde,1847What for seknesse and what for elde,1848Which I receyve of goddes grace.But thogh me lacke to purchace[The Author presents his Book to the King.]Mi kinges thonk as by decerte,1849Yit the Simplesce of mi poverteUnto the love of my liganceDesireth forto do plesance:And for this cause in myn ententeThis povere bok heer I presente18503050*Unto his hihe worthinesse,Write of my simple besinesse,1851So as seknesse it suffre wolde.1852And in such wise as I ferst tolde,Whan I this bok began to make,1853In som partie it mai be take1854As for to lawhe and forto pleye;And forto loke in other weye,1855It mai be wisdom to the wise:So that somdel for good aprise18563060*And eek somdel for lust and game1857I have it mad, as thilke same1858Which axe forto ben excused,1859That I no Rethoriqe have usedUpon the forme of eloquence,For that is not of mi science;But I have do my trewe peyneWith rude wordes and with pleyneTo speke of thing which I have told.1860[Farewell to Earthly Love.]But now that I am feble and old,18613070*And to the worschipe of mi kingIn love above alle other thing1862That I this bok have mad and write,1863Mi Muse doth me forto wite1864That it is to me for the besteFro this day forth to take reste,1865That I nomore of love make.1866But he which hath of love his make1867It sit him wel to singe and daunce,1868And do to love his entendance3080*In songes bothe and in seyingesAfter the lust of his pleyinges,For he hath that he wolde have:But where a man schal love crave1869And faile, it stant al otherwise.1870In his proverbe seith the wise,Whan game is best, is best to leve:1871And thus forthi my fynal leve,With oute makyng eny more,1872I take now for evere more3090*Of love and of his dedly hele,1873Which no phisicien can hele.For his nature is so divers,That it hath evere som traversOr of to moche or of to lite,That fully mai noman delyte,But if him lacke or that or this.1874But thilke love which that isWithinne a mannes herte affermed,[Heavenly Love.]And stant of charite confermed,3100*That love is of no repentaile;For it ne berth no contretaile,Which mai the conscience charge,But it is rather of descharge,1875And meedful heer and overal.Forthi this love in special1876Is good for every man to holde,1877And who that resoun wol beholde,1878Al other lust is good to daunte:Which thing the hihe god us graunte18793110*Forth with the remenant of graceSo that of hevene in thilke placeWher resteth love and alle pes,1880Oure joye mai ben endeles.1881

He which withinne dayes sevene

This large world forth with the hevene

Hic in fine libri honorificos que virtuosos illustrissimi Principis domini sui Regis Anglie Ricardi secundi mores, sicut dignum est, laude commendabili describens, pro eiusdem status salubri conseruacione cunctipotentem deuocius exorat.

Of his eternal providence

Hath mad, and thilke intelligence1821

In mannes soule resonable

Enspired to himself semblable,

Wherof the man of his feture

Above alle erthly creature1822

After the soule is immortal,

To thilke lord in special,2980*

As he which is of alle thinges

The creatour, and of the kinges

Hath the fortunes upon honde,1823

His grace and mercy forto fonde

Upon mi bare knees I preye,

That he my worthi king conveye,

Richard by name the Secounde,1824

In whom hath evere yit be founde1825

Justice medled with pite,

Largesce forth with charite.2990*

In his persone it mai be schewed

What is a king to be wel thewed,

Touchinge of pite namely:

[The King commended.]

For he yit nevere unpitously

Ayein the liges of his lond,1826

For no defaute which he fond,

Thurgh cruelte vengaunce soghte;

And thogh the worldes chaunce in broghte1827

Of infortune gret debat,

Yit was he not infortunat:3000*

For he which the fortune ladde,

The hihe god, him overspradde

Of his Justice, and kepte him so,1828

That his astat stood evere mo

Sauf, as it oghte wel to be;1829

Lich to the Sonne in his degree,

Which with the clowdes up alofte

Is derked and bischadewed ofte,1830

But hou so that it trowble in their,1831

The Sonne is evere briht and feir,3010*

Withinne himself and noght empeired:1832

Althogh the weder be despeired,

The hed planete is not to wite.1833

Mi worthi prince, of whom I write,

Thus slant he with himselve clier,1834

And doth what lith in his power1835

Not only hier at hom to seke1836

Love and acord, but outward eke,1837

As he that save his poeple wolde.

So ben we alle wel beholde18383020*

To do service and obeyssaunce

To him, which of his heyh suffraunce1839

Hath many a gret debat appesed,1840

To make his lige men ben esed;1841

Wherfore that his Croniqe schal

For evere be memorial

To the loenge of that he doth.1842

For this wot every man in soth,

What king that so desireth pes,1843

He takth the weie which Crist ches:3030*

And who that Cristes weies sueth,

It proveth wel that he eschueth

The vices and is vertuous,1844

Wherof he mot be gracious

Toward his god and acceptable.

And so to make his regne stable,1845

With al the wil that I mai yive

I preie and schal whil that I live,

As I which in subjeccioun

Stonde under the proteccioun,18463040*

And mai miselven not bewelde,1847

What for seknesse and what for elde,1848

Which I receyve of goddes grace.

But thogh me lacke to purchace

[The Author presents his Book to the King.]

Mi kinges thonk as by decerte,1849

Yit the Simplesce of mi poverte

Unto the love of my ligance

Desireth forto do plesance:

And for this cause in myn entente

This povere bok heer I presente18503050*

Unto his hihe worthinesse,

Write of my simple besinesse,1851

So as seknesse it suffre wolde.1852

And in such wise as I ferst tolde,

Whan I this bok began to make,1853

In som partie it mai be take1854

As for to lawhe and forto pleye;

And forto loke in other weye,1855

It mai be wisdom to the wise:

So that somdel for good aprise18563060*

And eek somdel for lust and game1857

I have it mad, as thilke same1858

Which axe forto ben excused,1859

That I no Rethoriqe have used

Upon the forme of eloquence,

For that is not of mi science;

But I have do my trewe peyne

With rude wordes and with pleyne

To speke of thing which I have told.1860

[Farewell to Earthly Love.]

But now that I am feble and old,18613070*

And to the worschipe of mi king

In love above alle other thing1862

That I this bok have mad and write,1863

Mi Muse doth me forto wite1864

That it is to me for the beste

Fro this day forth to take reste,1865

That I nomore of love make.1866

But he which hath of love his make1867

It sit him wel to singe and daunce,1868

And do to love his entendance3080*

In songes bothe and in seyinges

After the lust of his pleyinges,

For he hath that he wolde have:

But where a man schal love crave1869

And faile, it stant al otherwise.1870

In his proverbe seith the wise,

Whan game is best, is best to leve:1871

And thus forthi my fynal leve,

With oute makyng eny more,1872

I take now for evere more3090*

Of love and of his dedly hele,1873

Which no phisicien can hele.

For his nature is so divers,

That it hath evere som travers

Or of to moche or of to lite,

That fully mai noman delyte,

But if him lacke or that or this.1874

But thilke love which that is

Withinne a mannes herte affermed,

[Heavenly Love.]

And stant of charite confermed,3100*

That love is of no repentaile;

For it ne berth no contretaile,

Which mai the conscience charge,

But it is rather of descharge,1875

And meedful heer and overal.

Forthi this love in special1876

Is good for every man to holde,1877

And who that resoun wol beholde,1878

Al other lust is good to daunte:

Which thing the hihe god us graunte18793110*

Forth with the remenant of grace

So that of hevene in thilke place

Wher resteth love and alle pes,1880

Oure joye mai ben endeles.1881

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