edited by Furnivall and Gollancz

Thomas Hoccleve (c. 1368–1426) was a clerk of the Privy Seal, copying royal documents in a cramped Westminster office for a wage that was often late and never generous. He called himself Chaucer's disciple and meant it literally — he had known Chaucer, and mourned him in verse as "the firste fyndere of our faire langage." Where his large public poem, the Regement of Princes (already on this shelf), speaks to a prince, these shorter poems speak in a private register almost without precedent in medieval English: the Complaint and the Dialogue with a Friend, written after 1421, are Hoccleve's own account of a mental breakdown severe enough that former friends crossed the street to avoid him, and of the harder, stranger burden of being disbelieved once he had recovered — a directness about inner distress, and about the world's refusal to credit a healed mind, that has no real medieval parallel. La Male Regle, written around 1406, is a confession of a misspent London youth — taverns, boats on the Thames, borrowed money, and the sickness that followed — cast as a begging-poem addressed to Health herself. The Letter of Cupid, translated and adapted from Christine de Pisan, and the balades scattered through both manuscripts — to Henry V, to the Duke of Bedford, to Hoccleve's fellow Privy Seal clerks, to his "maister Carpenter" — show the working poet angling, as Chaucer once had, for the notice and the annuities of great patrons.

The text below draws on both of the only two EETS volumes that print Hoccleve's shorter poems. F. J. Furnivall's Minor Poems, I (Extra Series 61, 1892) prints nineteen poems from the Phillipps MS. 8151 and the Durham MS. III.9, including La Male Regle, the Complaint, the Dialogue, and the two Gesta Romanorum tales Hoccleve versified — Jereslaus's Wife and Jonathas — together with the treatise Lerne to Dye. Sir Israel Gollancz's Minor Poems, II (Extra Series 73, 1925, printed for 1897) is explicitly a supplement to Furnivall's volume: poems Gollancz found, after Furnivall's book had gone to press, in the Ashburnham MS. Additional 133 — devotional pieces to the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and Virgin, a further copy of the Letter of Cupid (the best surviving text of it, in Gollancz's judgement), and three roundels — that Furnivall himself had wished to add to his own edition but could not. Read together, as they are here, the two volumes are the whole of Hoccleve's surviving minor verse.

Furnivall's lengthy scholarly Forewords — some seventy pages on Hoccleve's biography, patrons, and manuscripts — and the appendix of payment records from the Privy Council and Patent Rolls are not reproduced here for reasons of scope; the poems, Furnivall's and Gollancz's own textual notes, and both editors' glossarial apparatus are. Gollancz's short Foreword explaining how his supplementary volume relates to Furnivall's is kept in full. Middle English þ (thorn) is restored where this witness's optical character recognition had flattened it to plain "p"; method and limits are set out in the colophon below.

Contents

Part One — from the Phillipps MS. 8151 and the Durham MS. III.9 (ed. Furnivall, EETS Extra Series 61, 1892)

• I. The Compleynte of the Virgin Before the Cross
• II. Address to Sir John Oldcastle
• III. La Male Regle
• IV. Balade to King Henry V, on His Accession to the Throne
• VI. Two Balades to Henry V and the Knights of the Garter
• VII. Ad Beatam Virginem
• VIII. Balade, After King Richard II's Bones Were Brought to Westminster
• IX. Balade to My Gracious Lord of York
• X. Ad Beatam Virginem — The Mother of God
• XI. Balade to the Duke of Bedford, Regent of France
• XII. Balade to My Lord the Chancellor
• XIII. Balade and Roundel to Master Henry Somer, Subtreasurer
• XIV. Balade Put at the End of Hoccleve's Regement of Princes
• XV. Balade to King Henry V, for Money
• XVI. Balade to My Master Carpenter
• XVII. Balade by the Court of Good Company, to Sir Henry Somer
• XVIII. Balade to the Virgin and Christ, Englished for Master Robert Chichele
• XIX. The Letter of Cupid
• XX. Thomas Hoccleve's Complaint
• XXI. Hoccleve's Dialog with a Friend
• XXII. The Tale of Jereslaus's Wife, and Her False Brother-in-Law, from the Gesta Romanorum
• XXIII. Lerne to Dye
• XXIV. The Tale of Jonathas, His Magic Ring, Brooch, and Cloth, and His Deceitful Concubine Pellicula, from the Gesta Romanorum
• Textual Notes
• Glossarial Index (by T. Austin)
• Index of Names of Persons and Places (by T. Austin)

Part Two — from the Ashburnham MS. Additional 133 (ed. Gollancz, EETS Extra Series 73, 1925)

• Foreword (Sir Israel Gollancz)
• I. Invocacio ad Patrem
• II. Ad Filium, Honor et Gloria
• III. Ad Spiritum Sanctum
• IV. Ad Beatam Virginem
• V. Item de Beata Virgine
• VI. Item de Beata Virgine
• VII. The Story of the Monk Who Clad the Virgin by Singing Ave Maria
• VIII. L'Epistre de Cupide
• IX. Balade to King Henry V
• X. Three Roundels
• Glossary

Part One — The Minor Poems from the Phillipps and Durham Manuscripts

(ed. F. J. Furnivall, EETS Extra Series 61, 1892)

I. The Compleynte of the Virgin Before the Cross

HOCCLEVE’S MINOR POEMS.
A.D. 14183—1446.
Phillipps MS. 8151 (formerly Prince Henry's, Son of James I).
leaf 3: vellum, ab. 1450 a.p.
The Complevnte of the Virgin before
the Cross.
(englisht by command of Lapy HeErerorp.)
(In 5-measure sevens, ababb, cc.)
(The first leaf of the MS. and of this Compleynte (a 1) is lost.
The first 2 leavs of the Poem to ‘Oldeastel,’ sign. @ 7, 8, hav
been put befor the 2nd leaf of the Virgin Compleynte (sign. a
2), to prevent the MS. looking incomplete. Ther was thus at
least one rascaly bookseller in James I’s time.]
[7]
{ O Womman,—þat among the peple speekt 43 [sign. a2, leaf 8]
How þat the wombe blessid was þat beer,
And the tetes þat yaf to sowken eek
The sone of god / which on hy hangith heer,— ae Sn Oa
What seist thow now / why comest thow no neer? 47
Why nart thow heere? / 0 womman, where art thow,
That nat ne seest my woful wombe now? 49
[8]
{ O Simeon / thow seidest me ful sooth 50 0 Simeon, the
‘The strook' that perce shal my sones herte, sapetons Wee
My soule thirle it shal’ / and so it dooth: (Luke, ii. 35)
1 Peas j !
The wownde of deeth ne may I nat asterte, “ee
Ther may no martirdom me make smerte 54
So sore as this martree smertith me :
So sholde he seyn / þat myn hurt migtite see. 56
HOCCLEVE, M.P.—L. B

THE COMPLEYNTE OF THE VIRGIN MARY.
(9)
{ O. Toachim / o deere fadir myn!
And seint Anne, my modir deere also !
To what entente / or to what ende or fyn
Broghten yee me foorth / þat ain greened so?
Mirthe is to me beeome a verray fo.
Your fadir Dauid / þat an harpowr was,
Conforted folk' þat stood in heny cas.
[10]
Me thynkith yee nat doon to me aright,
þat were his suecessours / syn instrument
Han yee noon left / wher-w/th me make light,
And me conforte, in my woful torment.
Me to doon ese / han yee no talent,
And knowen myn conforteless distresse :
Yee oghten weepe for myn heuynesse.
[11]
{| O blessid sone / on thee wole I out throwe
My salte teeres / for oonly on thee
My look is set /o thynke / how many a throwe
Thow in myn armes lay / and on my knee
Thow sat / & haddist many a kus of me.
Eeek thee, to sowke, on my breestes yaf y,
Thee norisshyng! faire & tendrely.
[12]
Now thee fro me, withdrawith bittir deeth,
And makith a wrongful dissenerance.
Thynke nat, sone / in me þat any breeth
Endure may ; þat feele al this grenance ;
My martirdom me hath at the outrance ;
I needes sterue moot / syn I thee see
Shamely nakid, strecehid on a tree.
[13]
And this me sleeth / þat in the open day
Thyn hertes wownde shewith him so wyde

I. THE COMPLEYNTE OF THE VIRGIN MARY,
þat alle folk see and beholde it may,
So largeliche opned is thy syde.
O! wo is me, syn I nat may it hyde!
And, among othre of my smerte greeues,
Thow put art also, sone, amonges theeues,
[14]
As thow were an euel & wikkid wight.
And, lest þat somme folk’ par auenture
No knowleche hadde of thy pevsone aright,
Thy name, Pilat hath put in scripture,
þat knowe migfite it euery creature,
For thy penance sholde nat been hid.
O / wo is me / þat al this see hetid !
[15]
How may myn yen, þat beholde al this,
Restreyne hem for to shewe by weepynge
Myn hertes greef / moot I nat weepe? O yis!
Sone, if thow haddist a fadir lyuynge,
That wolde weepe & make waymentynge,
For þat he hadde paart of thy persone,
That were a greet abreggynge of my mone.
[16]
ol
oe)
But thow in eerthe / fadir haddist neuere ;
No wight for thee / swich cause hath for to pleyne,
As þat haue I / shalt thow fro me disseuere,
Jat aart al heolly myn? my sorwes deepe
Han al myn hertes ioie leid to sleepe.
No wight wrth me, in thee, my sone, hath part:
Hoolly of my blood! / deere chyld / thow art.
[17]
That doublith al my torment & my greef*.
Vn-to myn herte / it is confusion,
Thyn harm to see / þat art to me so leeft
Mighte nat, sone / the Redempeioun
12 MS. bleod.
B 2

I. THE COMPLEYNTE OF TITE VIRGIN MARY.
Of man han bee withoute effusiown
Of thy blood? yis / if it had been thy lust.
But what thow wilt be doon / souffre me must!
[18]
O deeth / so thow kythist thy bittirnesse
First on my sone / & aftirward on me.
Bittir art thow / & ful of crabbidnesse,
That my sone hast slayn thurgh thy crueltee,
And nat me sleest / certein, nat wole I flee.
Come of / come oft / & slee me heere, as blyue !
Departe from him / wole I nat a lyue!
(19)
{ O moone / o sterres / and thow firmament !
Ilow may yee, fro wepynge yow restreyne,
And seen your Creatour in swich torment?
Yee oghiten troublid been in euery veyne,
And his despitous deeth / with me compleyne.
Weepeth & crieth as lowde as yee may,
Our Creatour with wrong is slayn this day.
[20]
{ O sonne, with thy ecleere hemes hriglite,!
þat seest my child nakid this nones tyde,
Why souffrest thow him, in the open siglite
Of the folk heere / vnkenered abyde?
Thou art as moche, or more, holde him to hyde,
Than Sem, þat helid his Fadir Noe
Whan he espyde put nakid was he.
[21]
If thow his sone be / do lyk ther-to!
Come of / withdrawe thy bemes briglitnesse !
Thow art to blame / but if thow so do,
For shame / hyde my sones nakidnesse !
Is ther in thee no sparele of kyndenesse 4
temembre he is thy lord and Creatour !
Now keueve him / for thy worsship & honour !

I, THE COMPLEYNTE OF TIIE VIRGIN MARY.
[22]
{ O eerthe / what lust hast thow to susteene 148
The erois on which he put thee made, and it,
Is hangid? / and aourned thee with greene
Which þat thow werist / how hast thow thee qwit
Vn-to thy lord? / 0 do this for him yit! 152
O! wake for doel / & cleue thow in two,
And al þat blood / restore me vn-to, 154
[23]
Which thow hast dronke / it myn is, & not thyn; 155
Or elles thus / withouten taryynge
Tho bodyes dede / whiche in thee þat lyn,
Caste out / for they, by taast of swich dewynge,
Hem oghite elothe ageyn in hir clothynge. 159
Thow Caluarie / thow art namely
Holden for to do so / to thee speke Y. 161
[24]
O deere sone / myn deeth neighith faste, 162
Syn to an othir / thow hast youen me
Than yn-to thee / & how may my lyf laste,
bat me yeuest any othir than thee?
Thogh he / whom thow me yeuest / maiden be, 166
And thoghi by iust balance / thow weye al,
The weiglite of him & thee / nat is egal. 168
He a disciple is / & thow art a Lord ; 169
Thow al away art gretter than he is;
Betwixt your mighites / is ther greet discord.
My woful torment / doublid is by this ;
I needes mourne moot / & fare amis ; 173
It seemeth put thow makist departynge
Twixt thee & me for ay / withoute endynge ; 175
[26]
And namely / syn thow me ‘ womman’ callist, 176
As I to thee straunge were and vnknowe ;
Therthurgh, my sone / thow my ioie appallist ;

I. THE COMPLEYNTE OF THE VIRGIN MARY.
Wel feele I put deeth his vengeable bowe
Hath bent / & me purposith doun to throwe. 180
Of sorwe talke may I nat ynow,
Syn fro! my name / I-doon away is now. 182
[27]
Wel may men clepe and calle me ‘ Mara’! 183
From hennes forward, so may men me cal.
How sholde I lenger clept be ‘ Maria’,
Syn ‘1’, whieh is Ihesus, is fro me fat
This day / al my swetnesse is in-to galt 187
Torned, syn put ‘1’, which was the beautee
Of my name / this day bynome is me. 189
[28]
{| O Iohin, my deere freend! thow haast receyuel 190
A woful modir / and an heuy sone
Haue I of thee / deeth hath myn othir weyued !
How may we two, the deeth eschue or shone ?
We drery wightes two / wher may we wone? 194
Thou art of confort / destitut / I see ;
And so am I / ful careful been wee ! 196
[29]
Vn-to oure hertes / deeth hath sent his wownde: 197
Noon of vs may alleggen othres peyne.
So manye sorwes in vs two habownde,
We han no might, fro sorwe vs restreyne ;
T see non othir / die moot we tweyne ; 201
Now let vs steruen heer par compaignie }
Sterue thow there / & heere wole I die. 203
[30]
{| O Angels / thogh yee mourne and waile & weepe?, 204
Yee do no wrong / slayn is your Creatour
By the folk' þat yee weren wont to keepe
And gye & lede / they to dethes shour
Han put him / thogh yee han wo & langour, 2038
1 2¢me’ left out, for want of power to work it in.
2 Cp. Chancer’s ‘wrynge & waile & weepe,’ Clerk’s Envoy,
Cant. Tales.

I. THE COMPLEYNTE OF THE VIRGIN
No wonilir is it / who may blame yow?
And yit ful eheer he had hem þat him slow.
[51]
{| O/ special loue / put me ioyned haast
Vu-to my sone / strong is thy knyttynge !
This day ther-in fynde I a bittir taast ;
For now the taast I feele, & the streynynge
Of deeth / by thy deeth / feele I deeth me stynge.
O poore modir / what shalt thow now seye?
Poore Marie / thy wit is aweye !
Marie? nay / but ‘marred’ I thee cal.
So may I wel / for thow art / wel I woot,
Vessel of care & wo, & sorwes aH!
Now thow art frosty cold / now fyry hoot ;
And riglit as þat a ship, or barge, or boot,
Among the wawes dryueth steerelees,
So doost thow, woful womman, confortlees !
[33]
And of modir / haast thow eek! lost the style :
No more maist thow clept be by thy name!
{| O sones of Adam / al to long whyle
Yee tarien hens / hieth hidir for shame !
See how my sone / for your gilt & blame,
Hangith heer al bybled vp ou the crois !
Bymeneth him in herte & cheere & vois!
[34]
Ilis blody stremes, see now & beholde!
If yee to him han any affeccioun,
Now for his wo / your hertes oghten colde.
Shewith your loue and your dileecioun ;
For your gilt makith he correecioun
And amendes / right by his owne deeth :
þat yee nat reewe on him, myn herte it sleeth.
A modir þat so soone / hir cote taar
Or rente / sy men ueuere noon or this,

II. Address to Sir John Oldcastle

II. TO SIR JOHN OLDCASTLE. A.D. 1415.
For chyld / which þat shee of hir body baar,
To yeue her tete‘ as my chyld, þat heere is,
His cote hath torn / for your gilt, nat for his, 243
And hath his blood despent in greet foysoun ;
And al it was for your Redempcioun. 245
{| Cest tout.
Ceste Compleynte paramont feut translatee au
commandement de ma dame de Hereford,
que dieu pardoynt !
[I1.]
este feust faccte au temps qve le Noy
Henri le Þt, (que Dieu pardoint !)
fest a Pampton sur son primer
passage bers Parflete.
(In 5-measure eights, abab, ceded.)
01]
He laddre of henene / I meene charitee,
Comandith vs / if our brothir be falle
In to errour / to haue of him pitee,
And secke weyes, in our wittes alle, 4
Tfow we may him ageyn to vertu calle ;
And in gretter errowr ne knowe I noon
Than thow, þat dronke haast! heresies galle,
And art fro Crystes feith twynned & goon. 8
[2]
Allas! þat thow þat were a manly knyght,
And shoon ful cleer in famons worthynesse,
Standynge in the fauowr of euery wighit,
Haast lost the style of cristenly prowesse 12
1 The aa in ‘haast,’ 1. 7, and ‘aart, paart,’ 1 150, 152,
occurs elsewhere. ‘The Latiu side-notes, below, are in the MS,

WU. = TO SIR JOUN OLDCASTLE,.
Among alle hem / þat stande in the cleerncsse
Of good byleeue / & no man with thee holdith,
Sauf cursid caitifs, heires of dirknesse :
For verray routhe of thee / myn herte coldith.
[3]
Thow haast maad a fair pevmntacion
Fro Crystes lore to feendly doctryne ;
From honour & fro dominacion
Vn-to repreef and mescheuous v[e]nyne ;
Fro cristen folk! / to hethenly couyne ;
Fro seuretee vn-to vusikimesse ;
Fro ioie and ese / vn-to wo & pyne,
Fro light of trouthe / vn-to dirke falsnesse.
[4]
O Oldeastel / allas / what cilid thee
To slippe in to the snare of heresie ?
Thurgh which / thow foo arte to the Trinitee,
And to the blissid virgyne Marie,
And to the Innumerable holy compaignie
Of heuene / and to al holy chirche, allas!
To longe haast thow hathid in þat folie!
iyse vp / & pourge thee of thy trespas!
[5]
Seynt Austyn scith / ‘whiles a man abydith
In heresie or scisme / and list nat tlee
Ther fro / his soule / fro God he dividith,
And may nat saved been in no degree.
For what man holdith nat the vnitee
Of holy Chirche / neithir his bapteeme,
Ne his almesse / how large þat it be,
To helthe him profyte / ne god qweeme.’
[6]
And yit more-ouer he seith thus also,
‘Thogh þat an heretyk’, for Crystes name
Shede his blood / & his lyf for Cryst forgo,
Shall nat him saue’ / allas, the harm & shame!

Il. TO SIR JONN OLDCASTLE, A.D. 1415.
May nat thy smert thy sturdy herte attame ?
Obeie / obeie / in the name of Jhesu !
Thou art of merit & of honur lame ;
Conquere hem two / & thee arme in virtu!
(7]
If thyn hy herte, bolnynge im errour,
To holy chirche ean nat buxum bes .
Beholde Theodosius Emperour,
How humble & buxum vn-to god was he !
No reward tooke he of his dignitee,
But, as a lamb, to holy ehirehe obeide :
In the seripture / may men rede & se
How meekly of the Bisshop, grace he preide.
[s]
Thoffense which þat he ageyn god wroghite,
Was nat so greet as thyn / by many fold ;
And yit ful heuy he was, & it forthoglite,
Obeyyng' as put holy chirche hath wold.
Thow þat thy soule / to the feend haast sold,
Bye it agayn thurgh thyn obedience !
Thyn heresie is al to hoor and old ;
Correcte thee at Crystes reverence !
[9]
And for thy soules helthe / do eeke so!
Thy pryde qwenche, & thy presumpciown !
Wher thow hast been to Crystes feith a fo,
Plante in thyn herte a deep contniciown,
And hennes foorth be Crystes Champiown !
The welle of merey renneth al in brede ;
Drynke ther-of / syn ther is swich foysown,
Thyn hertes hotel / ther-of fille, I rede.
[10]
Thow haast offendid god wondirly sore ;
And nathelees / if thow the wilt amende,
Thogh thy gilt wer a thowsand! tymes more,
Axe him merey / & he wole it thee sende.

Il. TO SIR JOHN OLDCASTLE. A.D. 1415.
Thow art vuwys / thogh thow thee wys pretende,
And so been alle of thyn opinioun.
To god & holy chirehe thow thee bende !
Caste out thy venym thurgh confessionn !
[11]
Thow seist ‘ confessiown auriculeer
Ther needith noon’ / but it is the coutrarie ;
Thow lookist mis / thy siglite is nothyng cleer!
Holy writ ther-in is thyn Aduersarie, 84
And Clerkes alle fro thy conceit varie,
þat Crystes partie holden & maynteence.
Lene þat conceit / lest þat thow mis-earie !
Waar of the swerd of god / for it is keene.
(12)
Heere, in this lyf / vn-to god mercy crie,
And with the ax or hamer of penance
Smyte on the stoon / slee thyn obstinacie !
Haue of thy synnes heuy remembrance !
Rowne in the preestes ere / & the grenance
Of thy soule / meekly to him confesse ;
And in the wal of heuene / is no doutance,
Thow shalt a qwike stoon be / for thy goodnesse. 96
[13]
*O Oldeastel / how hath the feend thee blent !
Where is thy knyghtly herte / art thow his thral?
Thow errest foule eeke in the sacrament
Of the Auter / but how in special 100
For to declare: it needith nat at al ;
It knowen is in many a Regioun.
Now syn the feend hath youen the a fal /
Qwyte him / let see / ryse vp & slynge him doun ! 104
[14]
Ryse vp, a manly knyght, out of the slow
Of heresie / 0 lurker / as a wreeche
Wher as thow erred haast / correcte 1 now !
By humblesse / thow mayst to mercy strecche. 108

Bend thee to Holy
Church!
Thou objectest to
Confession.
[MS.]
Augustinus de
visitattone infirm-
orem déeit. ‘In
mure Ciuitatis
superne apponen-
dus es lapis viuus,
in cuius edificio
now auditur
securis aut mal-
Jews. hic perter-
endus est strepi-
tus / hic adici-
endus est, lapidi
matieus / hic con-
terendum est
totum lapidis
supernacuum |
strepitus pecea-
torum tuoren re-
cordatio super
quibus perstrepat
in aure sacerdotis
humilliza tua
contessio, Ku.’
{* sign. B 1, or
leafs)
Rise up, and sling
the Devil down!
Rise out of the
slough of Heresy !

Il. TO SIR JOIIN OLDCASTLE. A.D. 1415.
To holy chirehe go / & ther feeche
The holsum oyle of absolucion,
If thow of soules hurt ne shame reeche,
Thow leesist heuene / and al knyghtly renown.
(15)
Par cas / thow to thy self shame it arettist,
Vn-to Prelatz of holy chirche obeie :
If it so be / thy conceit thow iis settist.
What man aright can / in his herte weye
The trouthe of that{ To Ihesu Cryst, I seye,
Principally / is þat obedience.
God hath ordeyned preestes to purveye
Salue of penance / for mannes offense.
[16]
Vnto seint Petir and his successours,
And so foorth doun / god hath his power lent
Go to the Preest / correcte thyn ezrours,
With herte contryt vn-to god y-bent!
Despute no more of the sacrament !
As holy ehirehe biddith, folwe it!
And hennes forward / as by myn assent,
Presume nat so mochil of thy wit!
(17]
I putte eas, a prelat or a preest
Ilim viciously gouerne in his lynynge /
Thow oglitist reewe on it / whan thow it seest,
And folwe him nat / but aftir his techynge
Thow ogiitest do / & for thyn obeyynge
Thow shalt be sauf / & if he teche amis,
Toforn god shal he yeue a rekenynge,
And þat a streit / the greet peril is his.
[18]
Lete holy chirche medle of the doetryne
Of Crystes lawes / & of his byleeue,
And lete alle othir folke / ther-to enelyne,
And of our feith noon argumentes meeue.

II, TO SIR JONN OLDCASTLE.
For if we migtite our feith by reson preeue,
We sholde no meryt of our feith haue.
But now a dayes / a Baillif or Reeve
Or man of eraft / wole in it dote or raue.
[19]
Some wommen ecke, thoeh hir wit be thynne,
Wele argumentes make in holy wit!
Lewde ealates! sittith down and spynne,
And kakele of sumwhat elles, for your wit
Ts al to feeble to despute of it!
To Clerkes grete / apparteneth þat aart
The knowleche of þat, god hath fro yow shit ;
Stynte and leue of / for right sclendre is your paart. 152
{20
Oure fadres olde & modres lyued wel,
And taglite hir children / as
Of holy chirche / & axid nat a del
1em self taght were
‘Why stant this word heere?’ / and ‘why this word
‘Why spake god thus / and seith thus ees where ?”
‘Why dide he this wyse / and mighite han do thus?’
Our fadres medled no thyng of swich gere :
þat oghte been a good mirour to vs.
[21]
Tf land to thee be falle of heritage,
Which þat thy fadir heeld in reste & pees,
With title inst & trewe in al his age,
And his fadir before him brygelees,
And his and his / & so foorth / doutelees
Tam ful seur / who so wolle it thee rene,
Thow woldest thee deffende & putte in prees ;
Thy right thow woldest nat, thy thankes, leue.
[22
Right so / where as our goode fadres olde
Possessid were, & hadden the seisyne
Peisible / of Crystes feith, & no man wolde

OLDCASTLE, A.D, 1415.
Impugne hir right‘ it sit vs to enclyne
Ther-to / let us no ferthere ymagyne
But as þat they dide! occupie our righit ;
And in oure hertes fully determyne
Our title good / & keepe it with our might.
[23]
Who so hath right / and nat wole it deffende ;
It is no manhode / it is cowardyse :
And as in this cas / he shal god offende
So greuously / þat he shal nat souffyse,
The maugree, for to bere in no wyse
Fro Cryst put right first greew / & if þat we
Nat shuln susteene it / we been ful vnwyse :
Him self is feith / right / trouthe, & al bontee.
[24]
The Cristen Empevour Justinian,
As it is writen / who so list it see,
Made a lawe deffending! euery man,
Of what condicion or what degree
þat he were of’ / nat sholde hardy be
For to despute of the feith openly ;
And there vp on / sundry peynes sette he,
þat peril sholde eschued be therby.
[25]
Bewar Oldcastel / & for Crystes sake
Clymbe no more / in holy writ so hie!
Rede the storie of Lancelot de lake,
Or Vegece of the aart of Chiualrie,
The seege of Troie / or Thebes / thee applie
To thynge put may to thordre of knygiit longe!
To thy correccioun / now haaste and hie,
For thow haast been out of ioynt al to longe.
[26]
If thee list thyng rede of anctoritee,
To thise stories sit it thee to goon:
To Iudicum / Regum, and [osue,

We =6TO SIR JOHN OLDCASTLE.
To Tudith / & to Paralipomenon,
And Machabe / & as siker as stoon,
If þat thee list in hem bayte thyn ye,
More autentike thing / shalt thow fynde noon,
Ne more pertinent to Chiualrie.
[27]
Knyglites so dide in tymes put be past,
Whan they had tendrenesse of hir office ;
In Crystes feith they stooden stidefast ;
And as þat the preest, hir soules Norice,
I[em goostly fedde / & yaf hem the notice
Of Crystes lore! with obedience
They tooke it / but now regneth swich malice,
That buxumnesse is put in abstinence.
[28]
O Constantyn, thow Prince of hy nobleye /
O cristen Emperour / whos worthynesse
Desdeyned nat to holy chirche obeye,
But didest al thy peyne & bisynesse,
With wel disposid spirit of meeknesse,
The Ministres of god for to honure ;
How thow wroghtist / hast thow so strong witnesse,
That lyue it shal / whil the world wole endure |
(29)
Thow took nat on thee hir correctiown,
Ne vp on hem / thow yaf no iugeiment!
Swich was to god thy good affecciown,
Thow seidest / ‘they been goddes to vs sent !
And þat it is nothyng conuenient,
That a man sholde goddes iuge and deeme,’
Thow were a noble & a worthy Regent !
Wel was byset on thee / thy diadeeme !
[30]
Blessid be god / fro whom deryued is
Al grace / our lige lord / which þat is now
Our feithful cristen Prince and King / in this

Il. TO SIR JOWN OLDCASTLE, A.D. M15.
Folwith thy steppes / 0° for shame thow
Oldeastel / thow haast longe tyme ynow
Folwed the feend / thogh thow no lenger do,!
Do by my reed / it shal be for thy prow :
Flee fro the Feend / folwe tho Princes two !
[31]
teward had, & consideracioun,
Vn-to the dignitees of tho persones,
Thow art of a scars reputacioun !
A froward herte / haast thow for the nones !
Bowe & correcte thee / come of at ones!
Foule haast thow lost thy tyme many a day !
For thyn vnfeith / men maken many mones ;
To god retowrne / & with his feith dwelle ay!
(32]
Thogh god the haue souffrid regne a whyle,
Be nat to bold / be war of his vengeance !
He tarieth: for thow sholdist reconsyle
Thee to him / & leue thy mescreaunce.
Holsum to thee / now were a variaunce
Fro the feend to our lord god / & fro viee
Vn-to vertu, put were his hy plesaunce,
And his modres, man-kyndes mediatrice.
[33]
Some of thy fetheres weren plukkid late,
And mo shuln be / thow shalt it nat asterte ;
Thow art nat wys / ageyne god to debate!
The flood of pryde / caste out of thyn herte !
Grace is a-lyue / to god thee conuerte!
Thow maist been his / if thee list him obeie ;
Tf thow nat wilt so / sorrer shalt thow smerte,
Than herte of man may thyuke, or tonge seye!
[34]
Alinighty god / thow lord of al, and Syre,
Withouten whom is no goodnesse wrogiit,
This knyght, of thyn habundant grace enspyre !

If. TO SIR JOWNN OLDCASTLE.
Remembre how deere / þat thow haast him boght ! 268
He is thyn handwerke / lord! refuse him noght,
Thogh he thee haue agilt outrageously /
Thow þat for merey deidest, change his thoghit !
Benigne lord, enable hun to mercy !
[35]
\e put perverted him / yee folke dampnable !
Yee heretikes þat han him betrayed,
That manly was / worthy & honurable,
Or þat he hadde of your venym assayed,
I doute it nat / your wages shal be payed
Sharply / but yee correcte your trespas,
In your fals errowr / shul yee been outrayed,
And been enhabited with Sathanas,
[36]
Yee, with your sly coloured argumentes
Which þat coutenen nothyng but falshode,
Han, in this Knyght, put so feendly ententes,
þat he is overcharged with the lode
Which yee han leid on his good old knygttiode,
That now ‘a wrecchid knyght’ men calle may,
The lak of feith / hath qwenchid his manhode ;
His force ageyn god / nagtit is at assay.
[37]
‘Prynce of preestes’ / our lige lord yee calle
In scorn / but it is a style of honour:
Auctoritee of Preest excedith alle
Kerthely powers / thogh it seeme sour
To the taast of your detestable errour.
They þt in the feith been constaunt & sad,
Tn seint Petres wordes han good fauour,
And fayn been to fullfille þat he bad.
[38]
Alle eerthely Princes and othir men,
Bysshops to obeie / commandid he.
Yee han no ground to holde ther ayen :
HOCCLEVE, M.P.—I. Cc

Il, TO SIR JOHN OLDCASTLE. A.D. 1415.
Spirituel thynges / passe in dignitee
Alle the thynges temporel þat be,
As moche as dooth the soule the body.
In the scriptures, serche / & yee shul see
þat it no lees at al is hardily.
[39]
Two lighites, god made in the firmament
Of heuene / a more made he, & a lesse ;
The gretter light, to the day hath he lent,
It for to serue in his cleer briglitnesse ;
The smaller, to the nyght in soottifastnesse
He lente also / to helpe it with his light.
Two dignitees they toknen in liknesse :
Auctoritee papal, and kynges might.
[10]
Looke, how moche & how greet dyuersitee
Betwixt the sonne ther is, & the moone é
So moche is a popes auctoritee
Aboue a kynges might / good is to doone
put yee aryse out of your errozr soone,
Jat there-in walwid han / goon is ful yore.
And but yee do / god, I hyseeche a boone,
þat in the fyr yee feele may the sore!
[41]
Yee þat nat sette by preestes power,
‘Crystes Rebels, & foos’ men may you calle.
Yee waden in presumpciown to fer!
Your soules to the feend, yee foule thralle !
Yee seyn, ‘a preest in deedly synne falle,
If he so go to messe / he may nat make
Crystes body’ / falsly yee erren alle,
þat holden so / to deepe yee ransake !
[42]
As wel may a preest þt 1s vicions,
þat precious body make, day by day,
«As may a preest / þat is ful vertuous ;

If, TO SIR JOUN OLDCASTLE, A.D.
But waar the preest / his soule it hurte may,
And shal, but he be cleene : it is no nay.
3e what he be / the preest is instrument
Of god / thurgh whus wordes / trustith this ay,
The preest makith the blessid sacrament.
[43]
Yee medle of al thyng / yee moot shoo the goos :
How knowen yee what lyf a man is ynne?
Your fals conceites renne aboute loos !
If a preest synful be, & fro god twynne,
Thurgh penitence he may ageyn god wynne.
No wight may cleerly knowen it or gesse,
þat any preest, beynge in deedly synne,
For awe of god, dar to the messe him dresse.
[44]
Yee seyn also ‘ther sholde be no pope,
But he the beste preest were vp-on lyue.’
O! wher-to graspen yee so fer, and grope
Aftir swich thyng / yee mowe it neuere dryue
To the knowleche / nothyng there-of stryue !
Medle nat ther with / let al swich thyng passe!
For if þat yee do / shul yee neuere thryue ;
Yee been ther-in as lewde as is an asse !
[45]
Many man outward / seemeth wondir good,
And inward is he wondir fer ther-fro :
No man be Iuge of put / but he be wood :
To god longith þat knowleche, & no mo.
Thogli he be right synful / sooth is also,
The hy power þat is to him committid,
As large as petres is / it is right so:
Amonges feithful folk’ / this is admittid.
[46]
What is the lawe the werse of nature,
If þat a Inge vse it nat aright? .
No thyng / god wot / auyse him þat the cure
C2

II. TO SIR JOHN OLDCASTLE. A.D. 1415.
Ther-of hath take / looke he do but right ;
Waar / þat he nat stonde in his owne light!
Good is, þat he his soule keepe & saue.
Your fals coneeites, puttith to the flight,
I rede / and Crystes mercy, axe & haue!
[17]
Yee þat pretenden folwers for to be
Of Crystes disciples / nat lyue sholde
Aftir the flesshily lustes / as doon yee
þat rekken nat / whos wyf yee take & holde :
Swich lyf / the disciples nat lyne wolde,
For eursid is the synne of aduoutrie ;
But yee ther-in, so hardy been & bolde,
þat yee no synne it holden, ne folie.
[48]
If yee so holy been as yee witnesse
Of your self$ thanue in Crystes feith abyde !
The disciples of Cryst had hardynesse
For to appeere / they nat wolde hem hyde
For fere of deeth / but in his cause dyde.
They fledden nat to halkes ne to hernes,
As yee doon / þat holden the feendes syde,
Whiche arn of dirknesse the lanternes.
[19]
Ne neueve they in forcible maneere
With wepnes roos / to slee folk, & assaille,
As yee diden late in this contree heere,
Ageyn the king, stryf to rere, & bataille.
Blessid be god / of your purpos yee faille,
And faille shuln / yee shuln nat foorth ther with!
Yee broken meynee / yee wrecchid rascaille
Been al to weyke / yee han ther-to no pith!
[50]
Also yee holden ageyn pilgrimages,
Whiche arn ful goode ; if put folk wel hem vse ;
«nd eeke ageyns the makyuge of ymages.

Il. TO SIR JOHN OLDCASTLE.
What ‘al is nat worth þat yee elappe & muse.
Ilow can yee, by reson, your self excuse
þat yee nat erren / whan yee folk excite
To vice / and stire hem, vertu to refuse ?
Waar goddes strook* / it peisith nat a lyte.
[51]
For to visite seintes / is vertu,
Tf þat it doon be for deuoeionn ;
nd elles / good is, be ther-of esehu.
[eede wirkith in good entencioun.
»» eleene of lyf / & be in orisoun |
Of synne, talke nat in thy viage!
Let vertu gyde thee / fro toun to tonn !
And so to man / profitith pilgrimage.
[52
And to holde ageyn ymages inakynge,
(Be they maad in entaille or in peynture,)
Ts greet errour / for they yeuen stirynge
Of thoghtes goode / and causen men honure
The seint / after whom / maad is that figure,
And nat worsshippe it / how gay it be wroglit.
For this knowith wel enery ereature
put reson hath / þat a seint is it noght.
[53]
Night as a spectacle helpith feeble siglite,
Whan a man on the book! redith or writ,
And causith him to see bet than he miglite,
In which spectacle / his sighte nat abit,
But gooth thurgh / & on the book restith it‘
The same may men of ymages seye,
Thogh the ymage uat the seint be / yit
The sighte vs myngith to the scint to preye.
[54]
Ageyn possessions / yee holden ecke,
Of holy chirehe / & that is eeke errowr :
Your inward ye / is ful of smoke & reeke !

Wl, TO SIR JOHN OLDCASTLE. A.D. 1415.
While heere on eerthe / was our Sauueowr, 428
Whom Angels diden sevnice & honour,
Purses had he / why‘ for his chirche sholde
So haue eek’ aftir / as seith mine Auctowr :
Yee goon al mis / al is wrong / þat yee holde! 432
Tustinian Emperour had swich cheertee
To holy chirche / as put seith the scripture,
þat of goodes how large or greet plentee
It hadde of yifte of any creature‘ 436
Him thogfite it youe in the best mesure
þat mighite been / his herte it loned so.
Yee neuere yaf hem good, per auenture :
What title han yee / aght for to take hem fro? 440
[56]
And if yee had aght youe hem or this tyme,
Standynge in the feith / as yee ogliten stonde,
Sholden they now / for your change & your cryme,
Despoillid been of þat they hane in honde ‘ 444
Nay / þat no skile is / yee shu] vndirstonde,
They nyght and day labouren in prayeere
For hem that so yaf / styntith, and not fonde
To do sof for first bogtit wole it be deere. 448
[7]
Presumpcion of wit, and ydilnesse,
And couetyse of good / tho vices three
Been cause of al your ydil bysynesse.
{| Yee seyn ecke: ‘goodes, commune oghten be:’ 452
þat ment is, in tyme of necessitee,
But nat by violence or by maistrie,
My good to take of me / or I of thee,
For þat is verray wrong & robberie. 456
[58]
If þat a man the soothe telle shal,
How þat your hertes in this cas heen set,
For to ryfle, is your entente final ;

MW. TO SIR JOHN OLDCASTLE.
Yee han be bisy longe / aboute a net,
And fayn wolde han it in the watir wet,
The fissh to take / which yee han purposid.
But god and our lord lige hath yow let!
It nis, ne shal been / as yee han supposid.
(59
Men seyn ‘yee purpose hastily appeere,
The worm for to sleen in the pesecod :’
Come on / whan yow list / yee shul reewe it deere !
The feend is your cheef / & our heed is god !
Thogh we had in oure handes / but a elod
Of eerthe / at your heedes to slynge or caste,
Were wepne ynow / or a smal twig or rod;
The feith of Cryst / stikith in vs so faste!
[60]
We dreden nat / we han greet auantage,
Whethir we lyue / or elles slayn be we,
In Crystes feith / for vp to heuenes stage,
If we so die / our soules lift shul be ;
And on þat othir part / yee feendes / yee
In the dirke halke oft Helle shul descende !
And yit with vs abit this charitee,
Our desir is / þat yee yow wolde amende.
(61)
Yee holden many an othir errowr mo
Then may be writen in a litil space,
But Jak of leisir me commandith ho.
Almighty god / byseeche I of his grace
Enable yow to seen his blessid face,
Which þat is o god / & persones three.
temembre yow / heuene is a miry place,
And helle is ful of sharp aduersitee.
[62]
Yit, Oldeastel / for him þat his blood shadde
Vp on the crois / to his feith torne agayn !
Forget nat the loue / he to vs hadde,

ll. TO SIR JOHN OLDCASTLE. A.D. 1415.
þat blisful lord / þat for alle vs / was slayn !
From hennes forward / trouble nat thy brayn
‘As thow hast doon, ageyn the feith ful sore !
Cryst, of thy soule / glad be wolde, & fayn:
Retourne knyghtly now vn-to his lore !
[53]
Repente thee / and with him mike accord !
Conquere meryt and honour / let see,
Looke how our cristen Prince, our lige lord,
With many a lord & knyght beyond the See,
Laboure in armes / & thow hydest thee !
And darst nat come / & shewe thy visage !
O, fy! for shame / how ean a knyght be
Out of thonur of this rial viage?
[64]
Sum tyme was no knyghtly turn no where,
Ne no manhode shewid in no wyse,
3ut Oldeastel wolde, his thankes, be there.
How hath the eursid fiend changid thy gyse!
Flee from him! and alle his wirkes despyse !
And þat y-doon, vn-to our eristen kyng
Thee hie as faste / as put thow canst dyuyse,
And humble eeke thee to him / for any thyng !
Cest tont.

III. La Male Regle

Ill, LA MALE REGLE DE T. HNOCCLEUE.
(III.]
Cv ensuvt la male regle ve T. Poceleue,
{Against his ill-regulated life: eating and drinking to excess
for 20 years (1. 109—112) ; treating and kissing girls, 1]. 145—
160; (He confesses his cowardice in 1. 169—176 ;) drinking in
Taverns at Westminster, 1. 179; (tho’ still young—say 35—
1, 209) going on the river, 1. 190—208, and this mainly with
borrowd money, }. 8369—371.
Final 6 kept up. Double vowel for tone, ‘haast, aart, paart,’
&e., and to give the liquid w, treewe ; ow used for other 2,
souffyse, &e., sowffre ; nat for not, as always. ]
[In 5-ineasure eights, abab, bebe. Printed by G. Mason.]
precious tresor inconparable !
O ground & roote of prosperitee !
O excellent richesse commendable
Abouen alle / þat in eerthe be ! 4
Who may susteene thyn aduersitee 4
What wight may him avante of worldly welthe,
3ut if he fully stande in grace of thee,
Erthely god / piler of lyf / thow helthe? 8
[2] .
Whil thy power / and excellent vigour 8
(As was plesant vn-to thy worthynesse)
Regned in me / & was my gouernour,
Than was I wel / tho felte I no duresse, 12
Tho farsid was I with hertes gladnesse ;
And now my body empty is, & bare
Of ioie / and ful of seekly heuynesse,
Al poore of ese / & ryehe of euel fare ! 16
[3]
If þat thy fauour twynne from a wight‘ 17
Smal is his ese / & greet is his grenance!
Thy loue / is lyf / thyn hate sleeth doun right!

II. LA MALE REGLE DE T. HOCCLEUE.
Who may compleyne thy disseueranee
Bettre than I, þat, of myn ignorance,
Vn-to seeknesse am knyt / thy mortel fo.
Now can T knowe feeste fro penaunce ;
And whil I was with thee / kowde I nat so.
[4]
My grief and bisy smert cotidian
So me labouren & tormenten sore,
þat what thow art now / wel remembre I can,
And what fruyt is in keepynge of thy lore.
Had I thy power knowen or this yore,
As now thy fo conpellith me to knowe,
Nat sholde his lym han cleued to my gore,
For al his aart / ne han me broght thus lowe.
[5]
But I haue herd men seye longe ago,
‘Prosperitee is blynd / & see ne may’:
And verifie I ean wel / it is so;
For I my self* put hane it in assay.
Whan I was weel / kowde I eonsidere it? nay !
But what / me longed aftir nouelrie,
As yeeres yonge yernen day by day ;
And now my smert accusith my folie.
[6]
Myn vnwar yowthe kneew nat what it wrogfite,
This woot I wel / whan fro thee twynned shee ;
But of hiv ignorance hir self shee sogiite,
And kneew nat þat shee dwellyng was with thee ;
For to a wight were it greet nycetee
His lord or freend wityngly for toffende,
Lest þat the weighte of his aduersitee
The fool oppresse / & make of him an ende.
[7]
From hennes foorth wole I do reuerence
Vn-to thy name / & holde of thee in cheef,,
And werre make, & sharp resistence

Itl. LA MALE REGLE DE T. HOCCLEUE.
Ageyn thy fo & myn, þat cruel theeft,
þat vndir foote / me halt in mescheef*,
So thow me to thy grace reconcyle.
O now thyn help / thy socour and releef*!
And I for ay / mis reule wole exyle.
[s]
But thy mercy excede myn offense /
The keene assautes of thyn aduersarie
Me wole oppresse with hir violence.
No wondir / thogh thow be to ime eontrarie ;
Fro me / thurgh my folie & inpudence:;
Wherfore / I, wrecehe / eurse may & warie
_ The seed and fruyt of ehyldly sapience.
(9]
As for the more paart / youthe is rebel
Vn-to reson / & hatith her doctryne,
tegnynge which / it may nat stande wel
With yowthe / as fer as wit can ymagyne.
O / yowthe / allas / why wilt thow nat enclyne,
And yn-to reuled reform bowe thee ?
Syn resoun is the verray streighte lyne
þat ledith folle / vn-to felicitee.
[10]
Ful seelde is seen / put yowthe takith heede
Of perils þat been likly for to faH ;
For, haue he take a purpos / þat moot nede
Been exeeut / no eonseil wole he eal ;
His owne wit, he demeth best of aH ;
And foorth ther-with / he renneth brydillees,
As he þat nat betwixt hony and gaH
Can iuge / ne the werre fro the pees.
[1]
AH othir mennes wittes he despisith ;
They answeren no thyng to his enteute ;
His rakil wit only to him souffysith ;

aS Ill. LA MALE REGLE DE T, HOCCLEUE.
His hy presumpcioun nat list consente
To doon as þat Salomon wroot & mente,
Jet redde men by conseil for to werke :
Now, youthe, now / thow sore shalt repente
Thy liglitlees wittes dul, of reson derke !
þy 7
My friends warnd My freendes seiden yn-to me ful ofte,
me against my 0
misrule. My mis reule me canse wolde a fit 5
And redden me, in esy wyse & softe,
A lyte and lyte to withdrawen it ;
But þat nat miglite synke in-to my wit,
So was the lust y-rvotid in myn herte.
And now I'mripe And now I am so rype vn-to my pit,
for the grave. —
þat searsely I may it nat asterte.
[13]
Whio-so cleer yen hath, & ean nat see,
Ful smal, of ye, auaillith the office /
{| Right so / syn reson youen is to me
For to diseerne a vertu from a viee,
If I nat ean with resoun me chenice,
But wilfully fro reson me withdrawe,
Thogh I of hiv haue no benefice,
No wondir / ne no fanour in hir lawe.
[4]
[leaf 19] Reson me bad / & redde as for the beste,
Reason bade me
eat and drink
moderately.
To ete and drynke in tyme attemprely ;
3ut wilful youthe nat oheie leste
Vn-to put reed / ne sette nat ther-by.
I take haue of hem bothe outrageously
And out of tyme / nat two yeer or three,
' eo
Bat for 20 years) But .xx."' wyutir past continuelly,
I've livd in excess./ g .
ZcExeesse at borde hath leyd his knyf with me.
[15] -
The eustume of my repleet abstinenee,
My greedy mowth, Reeeite of swieh outrage,
And hondes two / as woot my negligence,

Ill LA MALE REGLE DE T. HOCCLEUE.
Thus han me gyded / & broghit in seruage
Of hire þat werreicth enery age,
Seeknesse, y meene, riotoures whippe,
IIabundantly þat paieth me my wage,
So þat me neithir daunee list, ne skippe.
in [16]

• The outward signe of Bachus & his lure,
  þat at his dore hangith day by day /
  Exeitith folk / to taaste of his moisture
  So often / þat man can nat wel seyn nay.
  For me, I seye / I was enelyned ay
  With-outen daunger thidir for to hye me, >
  But if swieh charge / vp on my bake Jay,
  That I moot it forbere / as fora tyne ; }
  (17)
  Or but I were nakidly bystad
  By force of the penylees maladie,
  For thanne in herte kowde I nat be glad,
  Ne lust had noon to Bachus hows to hie.
  Fy § Lak of coyn / departith conpaignie,
  And heuy purs, with herte liberal,
  Qwenchith the thirsty hete of hertes drie,
  Wher chynchy herte / hath ther-of but smal.
  [1s]
  I dar nat telle / how þat the fresshe repeir
  Of venus femel lusty children deere,
  þat so goodly / so shaply were, and feir,
  And so plesant of port & of maneere,
  And feede cowden al a world with cheere,
  And of atyr passyngly wel byseye,
  At Poules heed me maden ofte appeere,
  To talke of mirthe / & to disporte & pleye.
  [19]
  Ther was sweet wyn ynow thurgh-out the hous,
  And wafres thikke / for this conpaignie
  þat IT spak of / been sumwhat likerous,
  ea

iI, LA MALE REGLE DE T. HOCCLEUE,
Where as they mowe a draghit of wyn espie,
Sweete / and in wirkynge hoot for the maistrie
To warme a stomak' with / ther-of they dranke.
To suffre hem paie, had been no courtesie :
That charge I tooke / to wynne loue & thanke.
[20]
Of loues aart / yit touchid I no deel ;
I cowde nat / & eek it was no neede :
Had I a kus / I was content ful weel,
3ettre than I wolde han be wath the deede:
Ther-on ean I but smal; it is no dreede :
Whan put men speke of it in my presence,
For shame [ wexe as reed as is the gleede.
Now wole I torne ageyn to my sentence,
| [21]
Of him þat hauntith tauerne of custume,
At shorte wordes / the profyt is this :
In double wyse / his bagse it shal consume,
And make his tonge speke of folk’ amis ;
For in the cuppe / seelden fownden is, 7
þat any wight his neigheburgh commendith.
Beholde & see / what auantage is his,
þat god / his freend / & eek’ him self, offendith.
22]
But oon anauntage / in this cas I haue:
I was so ferd / with any man to figlite,
Cloos kepte I me / no man durste I deprane
But rownyngly / I spak no thyng on highite.
And yit my wil was good / if þat I mighte,
For lettynge of my manly cowardyse,
þat ay of strookes ipressid the wighte,
So þat I durste medlen in no wyse.
[23]
Wher was a gretter maister eek! than y,
Or bet aqweyntid at Westmynstre yate,
Among the tauerneres namely,

Ill. DLA MALE REGLE DE T. HOCCLEUE. 31
And Cookes / whan I eam / eerly or late? 150 and Cooks at

• . Westminster
  I pynchid nat at hem in myn aeate, Gate?
  But paied hem / as þat they axe wole ; I paid freely, and
  was held ‘A
  Wherfore I was the welcomere algate, regular Gentle-
  And for ‘a verray gentil man’ y-holde. _ 184
  [24]
  And if it happid on the Someres day 185
  þat I thus at the tauerne hadde he, And after drink-
  ing and feeding,
  Whan I departe sholde / & go my way instead of going
  . to work at the
  Hloom to the priuee seel / so wowed me 188 Privy-Seal Office,
  Tleete & vnlust and superfluitee
  To walke vn-to the brigge / & take a boot / Pd take a boat,
  þat nat durste I eontrarie hem aH three,
  But dide as þat they stired me / god woot. 192
  [25]
  And in the wyntir / for the way was deep, 193
  Vn-to the brigge I dressid me also, In winter too, I’d
  have a boat,
  And ther the bootmen took vp-on me keep,
  For they ‘my riot kneewen fern ago: L96
  With hem was I [tugged to and fro, and the Boatmen
  ‘ . . fought for me, as
  So wel was hin / þat I with wolde fare ; T paid well.
  For riot paieth largely / euevemo ;
  He styntith neuere / til his purs be bare. 200
  [26]
  Othir than ‘inaistir’ / eallid was I nenere, 201 {leaf 21]
  : : : These fellows
  Among this meynee, in myn audienee. siren
  ‘ae “ Master,” and
  Me thoghte / I was y-maad a man for euere: that tickled my
  “ys ; : . vanity, and made
  So tikelid me þat nyce reverence, 20£ me ane
  þat it me made larger of despense LBA
  Than þat I thoght han been / 0 flaterie!
  The guyse of thy traiterous diligence
  Is, folk to mescheef* haasten / & to hie. 208 —
  [27]
  Al be it þat my yeeres be but yonge / 209
  Yit haue I seen in folk of hy degree,
  How þat the venym of faueles tonge

If, LA MALE REGLE DE T. TOCCLEUE.
Hath mortified hir prosperitee,
And brogfit hem in so sharp aduersitee
þat it hir lyf hath also throwe a-doun.
And yit ther ean no man in this contree
Vnnethe esehne this confusioun,
[28]
Many a seruant / vn-to his lord seith,
‘þat al the world spekith of him honour,’
Whan the contrarie of put / is sooth in feith;
And lightly leeued is this losengeour :
His hony wordes / wrappid in errour,
Blyndly coneeyued been / the more harm is !
O! thow, fauele, of lesynges Auetour,
Causist al day / thy lord to fare amis!
[29]
Tho combreworldes clept been ‘ énchantours’
eee
In bookes / as put I haue, or this, red,
That is to seye, sotil deceyuours,
By whom the peple is mis gyed & led,
And with plesance so fostred and fed,
þat they forgete hem self, & can nat feele
The soothe of the condicion in hem bred,
No more / than hir wit were in hire heele.
[30]
{ Who-so þat list in ‘the hook of nature
Of beestes’ rede / ther-in he may see
(If he take heede vn-to the seripture,)
Where it spekith of meermaides in the See,
How put so inly_mirie syngith shee,
put the shipman ther-with fallith a sleepe,
And by hiv aftir deuoured is he:
From al which song, is good, men hem to keepe.
[31]
Riglit so the feyned wordes of plesance
Annoyen aftir / thogh they plese a tyme.
To hem put been vuwyse of goucrnance,

Ilf, LA MALE REGLE DE T. HOCCLEUE,. B18)
Lordes! beeth waar / Let nat fauel yow lyme ! 244 Don’t tet Flattery
If þat yee been enuolupid in eryme, gah
Yee may nat deeme / men speke of yow weel,
Thogh fauel peynte hir tale in prose or ryme : M7 Us
Ful holsum is it / truste hi? nat a deel. 248
[32]
{| Holeote seith vp-on the book also 249 [leaf 22]
Of sapience / as it can testifie, Þe
Whan þat Vlixes saillid to and fro Re ei
By meermaides / this was his policie, 252 ene
the Mermaids’
Alle eres of men of his compaignie,
= song,
With wex he stoppe leet / for þat they noght
Hir song sholde heere / lest the armonye
Hem mighte vn-to swich deedly sleep han broght, 256
And bond him self / vn-to the shippes mast : 257 and bound himself
P tothe ship’s mast.
Lo! thus hem alle, saued his prudence.
The wys man is, of peril sore agast.
? oO
O flaterie ! 0 lurkyng! pestilence ! 260
If sum man dide his cure & diligence
To stoppe his eres fro thy poesie, AL So should men
And nat wolde herkne a_word of thy sentence, Re
Vn-to his greef it were a remedie. ; 264
[34]
As nay / al thogh thy tonge were ago, 265
Yit canst thow glose in contenance & cheere ; Flatterers support
P . all their lord’s bad
Thow supportist with lookes eueremo words,
Thy lordes wordes in eche mateere, 268
Al-thogh þat they a myte be to deere ;
And thus thy gyse is priuee and appert
With word and look! / among onr lordes heere
Preferred be / thogli ther be no dissert. tie ]
[35] a
dut whan the sobre / treewe, & weel auysid, 273 [leaf 22, buck)
ra ‘ iss is . . ay And when good
With sad visage his lord enfowrmeth pleyn, Aikivon
How put his gonernance is despysid
HOCCLEVE, M.P.—I, D

III. LA MALE REGLE DE T. HOCCLEUE.
Among the peple / & seith him as they seyn,
As man treewe ogtite vn-to his souereyn,
Conseillynge him amende his gouernance,
The lordes herte swellith for desdeyn,
And bit him voide blyue with meschaunce.
[36]
Men setten_nat by trouthe now adayes ;
Men loue it nat / men wole it nat eherice ; ;
And yit is trouthe best_at aH assayes.
When þat fals fauel, soustenour of vice,
Nat wite shal how hire to cheuyce,
Fulboldely shal trouthe hir heed vp bere.
WL OMT
Lordes, lest fauel / yow fro wele tryce,
No lenger souffre hir nestlen in your ere !
(37]
[TY] Be as be may / no more of this as now ;
But to my mis reule wole I refeere.
Wher as I was at ese weel ynow,
Or excesse vn-to me leef was, & deere,
And, or I kneew his ernestful maneere,
My purs, of coyn had resonable wone ;
But now, ther-in can ther but scant appeere ;
_ Excesse hath ny exyled hem echone.
[38]
The feend and excesse been conuertible,
As enditith to me my fantasie :
This is my skile / if it be admittible :
Excesse of mete & drynke is glotonye ;
Glotonye awakith malencolie ;
Malencolie engendrith werre & stryfe ;
Stryf causith mortel hurt thurgh hir folie :
Thus may excesse reve a soule hir lyfe.
[39]
{| No force of al this / go we now to wacche
By nightirtale / out of al mesure ;
For as in þat / fynde kowde I no macche

fil. LA MALE REGLE DE T. MOCCLEUE.
Tn al the priuee seel with me to endure ;
And to the cuppe ay took I heede & cure,
For þat the drynke apalle sholde noght.
ut whan the pot emptid was of moisture,
To wake aftirward / can nat in my thoghit.
[40]
But whan the cuppe had thus my neede sped,
And sumdel more than necessitee,
With repleet spirit wente I to my bed,
And bathid there in superfluitee.
But on the morn / was wight of no degree
“ So looth as I / to twynne fro my cowehe :
— By aght I woot / abyde / let me see!
Of two / as looth / I ain seur, kowde I towche.
[41]
I dar nat seyn Prentys and Arondel
Me countrefete, & in swich wach go ny me ;-
But often they hir bed louen so wel,
þat of the day / it drawith ny the pryme,—
Or they ryse vp / nat teH I can the tyme
Whan they to bedde goon / it is so late.
O helthe, lord / thow seest hem in þat cryme!
And yit thee looth is / with hem to debate.
7 [42]
And why / I not / it sit nat vn-to me,
þat mirour am of riot & excesse,
To knowen of a goddes pryuetee ;
But thus I ymagyne / and thus I gesse:
Thow meeued art, of tendre gentillesse,
Ifem to forbere / and wilt hem nat chastyse,
For they, in merthe and vertuous gladnesse,
Lordes reconforten in sundry wyse.
[43]
But to my purpos / syn þat my seeknesse,
As wel of purs as body, hath refreyned
Me fro Tauerne / & othir wantonnesse,

Ill, UA MALE REGLE DE T. BOCCLEUE.
Among an heep / my name is now desteyned,
My greuous hurt ful litil is conpleyned,
But they, the lak’ compleyne of my despense.
Allas þat euere knyt I was, and cheyned
To excesse / or him dide obedience.
[44]
Despenses large enhaunce_a mannes loos
Whil they endure / & whan they be forbore,
His name is deed / men keepe hir mowthes cloos,
As nat a peny had he spent tofore.
My thank is qweynt / my purs, his stuf hath lore,
And my Carkeis repleet with heuynesse.
Be waar, Hoccleue / I rede thee therfore,
And to a mene reule / thow thee dresse !
[45]
Who-so, passynge mesure, desyrith,
(As þat witnessen olde Clerkes wyse,)
Him self encombrith often sythe, & myrith ;
And for-thy let the mene thee souffyse.
If swich a conceit in thyn herte ryse,
As thy profyt may hyndre, or thy renoun,
If it were execut in any wyse,
With manly resoun thriste thow it doun !
[46]
Thy rentes annuel / as thow wel woost,
To searse been, greet costes to susteene ;
And in thy cofre, pardee, is cold roost,
And of thy manuel labour, as I weene,
Thy luere is swich / þat it vnnethe is seene
Ne felt / of yiftes seye I eek the same ;
And stele, for the guerdown is so keene,
Ne darst thow nat / ne begge also for shame.
[47]
Than wolde it seeme / put thow borwid haast
Moehil of þat þat thow haast thus despent
In outrage & excesse, and verray waast,

lll. LA MALE REGLE DE T. HOCCLEUE.
Auyse thee / for what thyng þat is lent,
Of vervay right / moot hoom ageyn be sent ;
Thow ther-in haast no perpetuitee.
Thy dettes paie / lest þat thow be shent,
And or þat thow ther-to compellid be.
[48]
Sum folk in this cas dreeden more offense
Of man / for wyly wrenchies of the lawe,
Than he dooth, eithir god or conscience ;
For by hem two, he settith nat [an] hawe.
If thy conceit be swich / thow it withdrawe,
I rede / and voide it clene out of thyn herte ;
And first of god, and syn of man, hane awe,
Lest þat they bothe / make thee to smerte.
[19]
Now lat this smert, warnynge to thee be ;
And if thow maist heere-aftir be releened
Of body and purs / so thow gye thee
by wit / þat thow / no more thus be greeued.
What riot is / thow taasted haast, and preeued ;
The fyr / men seyn / he dreedith þat is brent;
And if thow do so / thow art wel y-meeued ;
Be now no lenger, fool / by myn assent !
[50]
Ey / what is me / þat to my self, thus longe,
Clappid haue I / I trowe þat I raue.
A / nay / my poore purs / and peynes stronge
Han artid me speke as I spoken hane.
a)
<e)
to
Who-so him shapith, merey for to ecraue, 7
His lesson moot recorde in sundry wyse ;
And whil my breeth may in my body wane,
To recorde it / vnnethe I may souffyse.
[51]
{ O god! o helthe! vn-to thyn ordenance,
Weleful lord / meekly submitte I me.
Tam contryt / & of ful repentance

II, LA MALE BEGLE DE T. HOCCLEUE.
þat euere I swymmed in swich nycetee
As was displesaunt to thy deitee.
It sit a god, been of his grace free ;
Foryeue / & nenere wole I eft trespace !
[52]
My body and purs been at oones seeke ;
And for hem bothe / I to thyn hy noblesse,
As humblely as þat I can * byseeke
With herte vnfeyned / reewe on our distresse !
Pitee haue of myn harmful heuynesse !
Releeue the repentant in disese !
Despende on me a drope of thy largesse,
_ Night in this wyse / if it thee lyke& plese.
[53
{ Lo, lat my lord the Fourneval, I preye,
My noble lord / þat now is tresoreer,
From thyn Ilynesse haue a tokne or tweye
To paie me þat due is for this yeer
Of my yeerly .x. ti. in theschequeer,
Nat but for Michel terme þat was last:
I dar nat speke a word of ferne yeer,
So is my spirit symple and sore agast.
[54]
I kepte nat to be seen inportune
In my pursuyte / I am ther-to ful looth ;
And yit þat gyse / ryf is, and commune
Among the peple now, withouten ooth ;
As the shamelees crauowr wole / it gooth,
For estaat real / can nat al day werne,
3ut poore shamefast man ofte is wroth ;
Therfore, for to crane, moot I lerne.
The prouerbe is / ‘ the doumb man, no lond getith ;’
Who-so nat spekith / & with neede is bete,
And, thurgli argtinesse / his owne self forgetith,

IV. Balade to King Henry V, on His Accession to the Throne

1V¥. COUNSEL TO HENRY VY. 21 MARCH, 1412-13. ait
No wondir / thogh an othir him forgete. 436 a
Neede hath no lawe / as þat the Clerkes trete,
And thus to craue / artith me my neede ;
And right wole eek' þat I me entremete, ue we ot ees
Vor þat [axe is due / as god me speede ! _ 440. what is due to me.
[56]
And þat that due is / thy magnificence 441 [leaf 26]
Shameth to werne / as þat I byleeue.
As I saide / reewe on myn inpotence,
þat likly am to sterue yit or eeue, 444
But if thow in this wy[s]e me releene.
By coyn, I gete may swich medecyne Co. Pages
As may myn hurtes alle, þat me greeue,
Exyle cleene / & voide me of pyue. 448
[IV.]
Ceste balade enstvante feust faite au tres
noble Rov 2). le. Þt, (que dieu par:
doint!) le tovr que les se/yneurs De son
Hotalme lut firent lovr Homages
a Wenvngtovn,
[21 March, 1412-13. In 5-measure eights, abab bebe.]
[1]
he Kyng of Kynges regnyng! ouer al, [on leaf 26]
Which stablisshid hath in eternitee
His hy miglit / þat nat varie he may ne shal,
So constant is his blisful deitee, 4 K. Menry v.
My lige lord / this grace yow graunte he, May God grant
2 ° 9 ou to rule virtu-
That your estaat rial / which þat this day viaericet xxjo aie Susly !
nal 9 . Marecij. Ae regni
Haath maad me lige to your souereyntee, Vosiri primo.
. 1413
In reule vertuous continue may. ae

COUNSEL TO HENRY VY. 21 MARCH, 1412-13.
(2)
God dreede / & ficche in him your trust verray !
Be clene in herte / & Joue chastitee !
Be sobre / sad / iust / trouthe, obserue alway !
Good conseil take / & aftir it do yee!
3e humble in goost / of! your tonge attempree ;
Pitous & merciable in special ;
Prudent! / debonaire, in mesure free ;
Nat ouer large / ne vn-to gold thral !
[3]
Be to your liges also sheeld & wal!
Keepe and deffende hem from aduersitee !
Hlir wele and wo / in your grace lyth al.
Gouerneth hem in Jawe and equitce ;
Conquere hir lone / & haue hem in cheertee !
Be holy chirehes Champiown eek ay ;
Susteene hir right / souffre no thyng doon be
In preiudice of hir, by no way !
[4]
Scilicet. ecclesiam sanctam.
Strengthe your modir / in chacyng! away
Therrowr / which sones of iniquitee
Han sowe ageyn the feith / it is no nay,
Yee ther-to bownde been of duetee ;
Your office is it / now, for your seurtee,
Souffreth nat Crystes feith to take a fal!
Vu-to his peple / and youres, cheerly see,
In conseruyng! of your estat real !
[7]
Syn god hath sent yow wit substancial,
And kynges might / vertu, putte in assay !
And, lige lord / thogh my conceit be smal,
And nat my wordes peynte fressh and gay,
But clappe and iangle foorth, as dooth a iay,
Good wil to yow shal ther noon faille in me,
Byseechyng' yn-to god, þat, to his pay,
Yee may gouerne your hy dignitee.

VI. Two Balades to Henry V and the Knights of the Garter

v. AND VI.
Cestes balades ensuvantes? feurent fates au
tresnoble Rov . le quint, (qve dieu par-
voint!) & au treshonovrable conpaignic
Ih yow, welle of honur and worthynesse,
Our right cristen kyng / heir & Successour
Vn-to Instinians denout tendrenesse
In the feith of Ihesu, our Redemptour ;
And to yow, lordes of the garter / ‘flour
Of Chiwalrie’ / as men yow clepe & calle ;
The lord of vertu, and of grace Auctour,
Graunte / thefruyt of your loos nat appalle !
| [2]
O Lige lord, þat han eek! the liknesse
Of Constantyn, thensaumple and the mirowr
To Princes alle, in loue & buxumnesse
To holy chirche / 0 verray sustenour
And piler of our feith, and werreyour
Ageyn the heresies bittir galle,
Do foorth / do foorth / continue your socour!
Holde vp Crystes Baner / lat it nat falle !
[3]
This yle, or this, had been bnt hethenesse,
Nad been of your feith the foree & vigour !
And yit, this day, the feendes fikilnesse
Weeneth fully to cacche a tyme & hour
To haue on vs, your liges, a sharp shour,
And to his seruiture / vs knytte and thralle.
1 There are two Balades, of 4 stanzas each, under this heading.

VI. TO THE KNIGHTS OF THE GARTER.
But ay we truste in yow our protectour ;
On your constance we awayten alle.
[4]
Commandith pvt no wight haue hardynesse,
(Our worthy kyng and eristen Emperour !)
Of the feith to despute more or lesse
Openly among peple / where errour
Spryngith al day / & engendrith rumour.
Makith swich lawe / & for aglit may befalle,
Obserue it wel / ther-to been yee dettour.
Dooth so / and god / in glorie shal yow stalle.
[5] [VI 1]
Y° lordes eek shynyige in noble fame,
To whiche approped is the maintenance
Of Crystes cause In honour of his name
Shoue on / & putte his foos to the outraunce !
God wolde so / so wolde eek’ your ligeance :
To tho two prikkith yow your duetee :
Whio-so nat keepith this double obseruance,
Of meryt & honour / nakid is he.
{6} [VI 2]
Your style seith / þat yee been foos to shame.
Now kythe of your feith / the perseuevance
In which an heep of vs arn halt & Jame.
Our Cristen kyng of! Engeland and France,
And yee, my lordes, with your alliance,
And othir feithful peple þat ther be,
Truste I to god, shul qwenche al this nusanee,
And this land sette in hy prosperitee.
[7] [VI. 3]
Conqueste of hy prowesse is for to tame
The wylde woodnesse of this mescreance
Right to the roote / rype yee put same!
Sleepe nat this / but for goddes plesance
And his modres / & in signifiance
þat yee been of seint Georges liueree,

VII. Ad Beatam Virginem

Vil. TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN,
Dooth him seruice and knyglitly obeissance !
For Crystes cause is his / wel knowen yee !
[Ss] [VI 4]
Stif stande in þat / & yee shuln greene & grame
The fo to pees / & norice of distaunce ;
That now is ernest / torne it in-to game ;
Dampnable fro feith were variance!
Lord lige / & lordes, haue in remembraunce,
Lord of al is the blissid Trinitee,
Of whos vertu / the mighty habundaunce
Yow herte & strengthe in feithful vnitee! Amen !
Cest tout.
[VIL]
Ap teafam Virgivem.
[In five-measure eights, abab, bcbe.]
(4
Mn of lyf / 0 cause of al our welthe,
Fyndere oft grace and of our medecyne! ~
Where-as an appil refte our lyf and helthe,
And marie[de] vs vn-to ay lastyng pyne,
As sones of perdicion and ruyne ;
That matrymoyne / thy virginitee
Dissolued / & vnbownden hath, virgyne,
And at our large / maad vs walke free !
[2]
O blessid be thow ! vessel of clennesse,
Jn whom our soules salue list habyte !
Q tree of lyf / swettest of al swetnesse,
In thy fruyt yeue vs grace to delyte !
And thoghi thy sone, cause haue vs to smyte

VII. TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN.
For our giltes / yit our mediatrice,
As thow hast euere doon / thow him excite
Vu-to merey / for þat is thyn office.
[3
My soule is stuffid so with stynks of! synne,
þat ay it dreedith beforn thee appeere,
Lest for the filthe / which þat it is ynne,
Thow torne away thy merciable cheere,
And deyne nat accepte my preyeere.
And if my trespas heere / I nat confesse,
How shal I doon / 0 Crystes modir deere
Whan god shal iuge vs alle, more & lesse?
[4]
O why, my synnes / why, my wikkidnesses,
With your venym / my soule slayn, han yee,
And put in it sv desperat gastnesses,
þat merey may ne list beholde me 4
Why oppressith your heuy aduersitee
The hope of myn exaudicioun,
And shame in yow, maad hath so large entree,
jut yee the vois me reue of orisoun ?
[5]
Allas thy shame, o thow filthy offense
In the presence of shynynge holynesse !
O shenshipe of vnclene conscience
In the beholdynge of pured clennesse !
O eaitif soule inuolued in dirknesse !
What wilt thow do / where is thy remedie?
Who may thy mescheef and thy greef redresse,
Syn of thy gilt / thow darst nat mercy crie?
[8]
Lo! blessid womman among wommen alle,
Syn my spirit nat dar putte vp his bille,
Thy grace ne thy mercy for to calle,
But in his mazidnesse abydith stille,
My thristy soule / drynke may hir fille

Vil. TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN,
Of sorwe, and bathe in sorwe & heuynesse :
Hir ferdful shame / hir shende wole, & spille,
For to hir helthe / nat shee dar? hir dresse.
[7]
My synnes yernen fat thyn hy pitee
Fully hem kneew / for hir curaciozn ;
But they lothen appeere beforn thee
For hir cursid abhominacion.
O spryng and welle of our sauuaciown,
My dirke soule of thy grace enlumyne,
And keepe it fro the eastigaciown
That it disserued hath in helle pyne !
[8]
If I confesse myn iniqnitee,
Lady / þat I wroglit haue in thy presence,
Wilt thow me werne thy benignitee ?
If þat my gilt / & my dampnable offense
Of giltes alle haue an excellence,
Shal thy mercy be lesse / than it oghte?
May nat thy mercy, with my gilt dispense,
And pardon gete of þat þat it mis wroghite ?
[9]
The more þat my gilt passith mesure,
And stynkith in thy sones sighte and thyn /
The gretter neede hath it, of his cure
And of thyn help / wherfore, lady myn,
My soule fro the net and fro thengyn
Of him þat waytith it to slee /thow keepe!
His sotil snares, and cacchynge twyn,
In my memorie ficchid been ful deepe.
[10]
Lady / thyn help / nat wole I me despeire,
For in myn herte fully I conceyne
put thow to heuene / art the laldre & sterre
By which men clymben, blisse to receyue,
1 Why not ‘dar shee nat’?

VII. TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN.
Despeir heer-aftir shal me nat deceyue,
þat I ne shal ay thee byseeche of grace.
Thy might, I woot wel, is my gilt to weyue,
And of my trespas * pardoun me purchace.
[11]
Thow, Crystes modir / sholdest neuere han be,
Ne had our synnes causid it certayn ;
For why / it had be no necessitee
But for thow qwikne shuldest vs agayn,
þat for our gilt original wern slayn.
Thow art his modir / wherfore I thee preye
To saue me / haue thow no desdayn,
jut of bountee & mercy art the keye !
(12)
Euene as the moone / a mene is verraily
3etwixt vs and the sonne / of whom hir light
Shee takith / & it vniuerselly
Yeueth vn-to the world whan it is nyght ;
In swich a wyse / god, thy sone riglit,
The light of grace betook’ vn-to thee,
For to mynistre it vn-to euery wight
þat ther-of list enlumyned to be.
[13]
Thyn humble goost, & maydens chastitee,
For our behoue han so mochil wroght
In sundry wyse / as þat wel knowen we,
þat thee to thanke / we souffyse noghit.
Thow hast vs vn-to swich a plyt I-broght,
put he, þat lord was sum tyme of vengeance,
With his blood hath our synful soules boght,
And is now lord of mercy & souftrance.
[14]
Where is a streighter way vn-to man-kynde,
To god, thy sone / our soules for to lede,
Than where as þat we may thy sone fynde
Reforn his fadir, with his wowndes rede,

VIII. Balade, After King Richard II's Bones Were Brought to Westminster

VIII. ON RICHARD II.’8 BURIAL AT WESTMINSTER, 1413. 47
And the before hem / mercy for to grede: Thou showest
Thy sone his body shewith al bybled ; christ Wy Pape
And to thy sone also, thy maydenhede ae —
Shewith the pappes / wher-w7th he was fed. 112
[15]
O blessid Ihesu! for thy modres louc ; 113 Christ and Mary,
And modir! for the hy dileccion
þat thow hast to thy sone in heuene aboue,
Haueth me, bothe, in your proteccion ! 116 protect met
Plante in myn herte swich correccion,
þat I, your grace / & your mercy may hauc,
And fully stande in youre affeccion,
Or my body be clothid in his graue! 120
Cest tout.
[VIIT.]
© Ceste balade ensuvante feust faite tost
apres que Ics asses Du Tov Lichard
feurent apportes a Tl estimouster.
{A.p. 1418. In five-measure eights, abab, bebc.]
[1]
\ [here-as þat this land wont was for to be {leaf 31, back]
Of sad byleeue & constant vnioii ;
And as þat holy chirche vs taghte / we
With herte buxum lerned our lessoii ; 4. We are no longer
. . eee as of old, one in
Now han we changid our condicion ! Faith!
Allas! an heep of vs, the feith werreye ;
We waden so deepe in presumpeion,
þat vs nat deyneth vn-to god obeye. 8
[2]
We rekken nat thoghi Crystes lore deye ; 9
The feend hath maad vs dronke of the poisown

ON RICHARD Il.’8 BURIAL AT WESTMINSTER, 1413.
Of heresie / & lad vs a wrong weye,
þat torne shal to our confusiown,
But if þat left be this abusiown.
And yit, seur confort' haue I / thynkith me:
Our lige lord, the kyng, is Champioun
For holy chirehe / Crystes knyglit is he !
[3]
For why, o reuerent goostly fadres, yee,
And we, your sones eek’, han enchesoun
Right greet / to thanke god in Trinitee,
put of his grace / hath sent this Regioun
So noble an heed / looke vp, thow Albioun !
God thanke / & for thy cristen Prince preye,
Syn he, fo is to this Rebelliown :
He, of thy soules helthe, is lok and keye !
[4]
What mighten folk’ of good byleeue seye,
If bent were our kynges affeevion
To the wrong part / who sholde hem help purueye ?
A kyng set in þat wrong opinioun,
Mighte of our feith be the subuersiown ;
But eterne god, in persones three,
Hath reyned dropes of conpassioun,
And sent vs our good kyng for our cheertee !
[5]
See eek' how our Kynges benignitee
And louyng' herte / his vertu can bywreye.
Our kyng Richard þat was / yee may wel see,
Is nat fled from his remembrance aweye.
My wit souffysith nat to peyse and weye
With what honowr he broght is to this toun,
And with his queene at Westmynstre in thabbeye
Solempuely in Toumbe leid adoun.
[6]
Now god, byseeche I, in conclusioun,
Henri the .V.° in ioie & hy nobleye

IX. Balade to My Gracious Lord of York

IX. BALADE TO THE DUKE OF YORK. 49
Regne on vs yeeres many a miliown! May Henry V.
reign many
And where as þat men erren & forneye, 44 sition years!
Walkynge blyndly in the dirk aleye
Of heresie / 0 lord god, preye I thee, Ard God lead alt
sj d . Heretics to the
Enspire hem / þat no lenger they foleie! Faith!
To feithes path / hem lede thy pitee! Amen! 48
[IX]
[Balade to my gracious Lord of York. ]
[Father of Edward IV. about 1448 a.p.]
[In 5-measure nines, aab, aad, bab.)
[1]
(f° little pamfilet, and streight thee dresse [leaf 32, back!
Vn-to the noble rootid gentillesse Ho, Ee pai
Of the myglity Prince of famous honour, 3 Yorks
My gracious lord of york’ / to whos noblesse
Me recommande with hertes humblesse,
As he þat haue his grace & his fanour 6
Fownden alway / for which I am dettour
For him to preye / & so shal my symplesse
Hertily do / vn-to my dethes hour. 9
[21
Remembre his worthynesse, I charge thee, 10
How ones at London, desired he, who once at
Of me þat am his seruant / & shal ay, 12 fend him all the.
: ; Balades I had.
To haue of my balades swich plentee a
As ther weren remeynynge vn-to me ;
And for nat wole I! / to his wil seyn nay, 15
But fulfille it / as ferfoorth as I may,
Be thow an owter? of my nycetee,
For my good lordes lust, and game, & play. 18
t Again, why not ‘I wole nat’? * outputter, vent.
HOCCLEVE, M.P.—I. EB

IX. BALADE TO THE DUKE OF YORK.
[3]
My lord, byseeke eek‘ in humble maneere,
That he nat souffre thee for to appeere
In thonurable siglite, or the presence,
Of the noble Princesse & lady deere,
My gracious lady / my good lordes feere,
The mirour of! wommanly excellence.
Thy cheer is naglit / ne haast noon eloquence
To moustre thee before hir yen cleere:
For myn honour / were holsum thyn absence.
[4]
Yit ful fayn wolde I hane a messageer
To recommande me, with herte enteer,
To ir benigne & humble wommanhede ;
And at the tyme / haue I noon othir heer
But thee / & smal am I, for thee, the neer.
And if thow do it nat / than shal þat dede
Be left / & þat nat kepte I / out of drede.
My Lord / nat I / shal haue of thee / poweer.
Axe him a licence / vp on him crie & grede !
[5]
Whan þat thow hast thus doon / than aftirward
Byseeche thow þat worthy Prince Edward,
þat he thee leye apart / for what may tyde,
Lest thee beholde iny Maister Picard.
I warne thee / þat it shal be ful hard
For thee & me to halte on any syde,
But he espie vs / yit no force / abyde!
Let him looke on / his herte is to me ward
So freendly / þat our shame wole he hyde.
(6]
If þat I in my wrytynge foleye,
As I do ofte, (I can it nat withseye,)
Meetrynge amis / or speke vnfittyngly,
Or nat by iust peys / my sentences weye,
And nat to the ordre of endytyng' obeye,

IX. BALADE TO THE DUKE OF YORK.
And my colours sette ofte sythe awry‘ 51
With al myn herte wole I buxumly,
It to amende and to eorrecte, him preye ;
For vndir his correcciown stande y. 54
(7]
Thow foul book’, vn-to my lord seye also, oe 55
þat pryde is vn-to me so greet a fo,
4 1 3 1 4 0 39 626 964 46 -1
5 1 3 1 4 1 39 633 59 38 93.465065 þat
5 1 3 1 4 2 112 633 53 29 96.846046 the
5 1 3 1 4 3 181 632 160 40 93.289001 spectacle,
5 1 3 1 4 4 357 630 157 31 92.807426 forbedith
5 1 3 1 4 5 531 630 39 30 96.930542 he
5 1 3 1 4 6 586 640 59 26 96.900543 me,
5 1 3 1 4 7 964 626 39 32 95.500702 57
4 1 3 1 5 0 38 689 624 39 -1
5 1 3 1 5 1 38 689 73 31 96.257355 And
5 1 3 1 5 2 128 689 75 31 93.285889 hath
5 1 3 1 5 3 221 689 113 39 92.297707 y-doon
5 1 3 1 5 4 351 689 33 30 96.912918 of
5 1 3 1 5 5 398 691 84 37 96.320625 tyme
5 1 3 1 5 6 498 698 72 29 96.602806 yore
5 1 3 1 5 7 585 696 77 31 93.305908 ago
5 1 3 1 5 8 642 684 21 49 92.934486 ;
4 1 3 1 6 0 39 744 703 41 -1
5 1 3 1 6 1 39 746 73 31 96.843468 And
5 1 3 1 6 2 129 747 47 29 96.759682 for
5 1 3 1 6 3 191 757 51 28 93.286766 my
5 1 3 1 6 4 259 745 100 40 58.235455 siglite
5 1 3 1 6 5 375 745 93 40 92.936615 blyue
5 1 3 1 6 6 484 745 119 30 92.209129 hastith
5 1 3 1 6 7 620 754 48 20 96.367516 me
5 1 3 1 6 8 683 744 59 38 96.367516 fro,
4 1 3 1 7 0 38 800 969 44 -1
5 1 3 1 7 1 38 804 74 30 93.251556 And
5 1 3 1 7 2 129 803 123 31 88.508392 lakkith
5 1 3 1 7 3 269 805 53 39 96.836983 þat
5 1 3 1 7 4 338 805 53 39 93.206810 þat
5 1 3 1 7 5 407 802 107 31 93.206810 sholde
5 1 3 1 7 6 531 802 48 30 93.017288 his
5 1 3 1 7 7 596 802 120 30 90.519859 confort
5 1 3 1 7 8 732 801 47 38 96.483109 be,
5 1 3 1 7 9 966 800 41 30 96.914467 60
4 1 3 1 8 0 39 849 713 50 -1
5 1 3 1 8 1 39 861 50 30 96.894165 No
5 1 3 1 8 2 106 860 124 30 93.298935 wonder
5 1 3 1 8 3 246 859 98 40 86.126663 thogh
5 1 3 1 8 4 359 859 85 31 92.051033 thow
5 1 3 1 8 5 460 849 80 41 56.458244 hane
5 1 3 1 8 6 559 869 40 20 93.297897 no
5 1 3 1 8 7 615 859 137 30 91.801231 beautee.
4 1 3 1 9 0 40 916 639 42 -1
5 1 3 1 9 1 40 918 63 30 90.928795 Ont
5 1 3 1 9 2 118 928 95 30 90.685303 vp-on
5 1 3 1 9 3 230 917 96 40 91.146194 pryde
5 1 3 1 9 4 343 916 15 41 91.860374 /
5 1 3 1 9 5 374 917 108 30 63.781059 causer
5 1 3 1 9 6 498 916 32 30 96.615829 of
5 1 3 1 9 7 545 927 53 29 96.461983 my
5 1 3 1 9 8 614 918 65 28 96.644539 wo!
4 1 3 1 10 0 40 932 855 83 -1
5 1 3 1 10 1 40 974 56 40 93.291733 My
5 1 3 1 10 2 112 974 101 39 91.355072 sighte
5 1 3 1 10 3 230 974 25 29 96.974960 is
5 1 3 1 10 4 272 973 73 30 93.306206 hurt
5 1 3 1 10 5 360 972 115 40 75.424744 thurgh
5 1 3 1 10 6 492 973 50 30 90.224747 hir
5 1 3 1 10 7 557 972 179 31 88.634628 aduersitee.
5 1 3 1 10 8 770 932 35 83 60.339760 A
5 1 3 1 10 9 832 932 63 83 41.330513 oe
3 1 3 2 0 0 501 1027 47 44 -1
4 1 3 2 1 0 501 1027 47 44 -1
5 1 3 2 1 1 501 1027 47 44 54.006454 [8]
3 1 3 3 0 0 38 1084 970 102 -1
4 1 3 3 1 0 39 1084 969 43 -1
5 1 3 3 1 1 39 1088 81 31 93.283287 Now
5 1 3 3 1 2 136 1087 78 30 91.590691 ende
5 1 3 3 1 3 221 1080 18 52 96.891777 I
5 1 3 3 1 4 264 1086 72 31 93.136505 thus
5 1 3 3 1 5 353 1084 13 43 93.090683 /
5 1 3 3 1 6 382 1086 52 31 96.564796 the
5 1 3 3 1 7 451 1086 75 40 93.301193 holy
5 1 3 3 1 8 542 1086 146 36 91.669044 Trinitee,
5 1 3 3 1 9 967 1084 41 30 96.843826 64
4 1 3 3 2 0 38 1143 697 43 -1
5 1 3 3 2 1 38 1145 74 31 88.922279 And
5 1 3 3 2 2 129 1156 55 19 94.416710 our
5 1 3 3 2 3 199 1144 74 40 93.116890 lady
5 1 3 3 2 4 288 1143 15 43 93.116890 /
5 1 3 3 2 5 319 1144 53 30 93.193619 the
5 1 3 3 2 6 387 1144 111 30 92.308868 blissid
5 1 3 3 2 7 514 1144 132 39 92.334473 mayden
5 1 3 3 2 8 664 1144 71 36 95.580780 free,
2 1 4 0 0 0 967 970 39 30 -1
3 1 4 1 0 0 967 970 39 30 -1
4 1 4 1 1 0 967 970 39 30 -1
5 1 4 1 1 1 967 970 39 30 96.895760 63
2 1 5 0 0 0 37 1199 971 433 -1
3 1 5 1 0 0 39 1199 968 43 -1
4 1 5 1 1 0 39 1199 968 43 -1
5 1 5 1 1 1 39 1202 57 40 96.692413 My
5 1 5 1 1 2 112 1202 66 29 93.257797 lord
5 1 5 1 1 3 195 1200 28 31 93.059959 &
5 1 5 1 1 4 239 1201 72 40 89.428482 lady
5 1 5 1 1 5 328 1201 79 29 91.802101 haue
5 1 5 1 1 6 424 1200 31 29 92.011559 in
5 1 5 1 1 7 471 1210 191 30 91.400475 gouernance
5 1 5 1 1 8 676 1201 7 30 91.799118 !
5 1 5 1 1 9 968 1199 39 30 96.958282 66
3 1 5 2 0 0 41 1256 693 42 -1
4 1 5 2 1 0 41 1256 693 42 -1
5 1 5 2 1 1 41 1258 71 31 93.290337 And
5 1 5 2 1 2 128 1260 126 38 91.799347 graunte
5 1 5 2 1 3 271 1257 70 30 93.207947 hem
5 1 5 2 1 4 358 1257 59 30 92.489662 ioie
5 1 5 2 1 5 434 1256 28 31 93.135300 &
5 1 5 2 1 6 479 1256 42 41 93.196587 hy
5 1 5 2 1 7 538 1257 196 40 78.760323 prosperitee,
3 1 5 3 0 0 38 1313 688 43 -1
4 1 5 3 1 0 38 1313 688 43 -1
5 1 5 3 1 1 38 1316 65 30 95.512177 Nat
5 1 5 3 1 2 119 1318 31 27 95.512177 to
5 1 5 3 1 3 166 1315 114 30 93.170837 endure
5 1 5 3 1 4 296 1313 14 43 93.094810 /
5 1 5 3 1 5 326 1314 92 40 92.150436 oonly
5 1 5 3 1 6 435 1317 62 27 93.234917 two
5 1 5 3 1 7 514 1324 70 30 93.213699 yeer
5 1 5 3 1 8 599 1324 34 20 96.900284 or
5 1 5 3 1 9 648 1313 78 38 96.906372 thre,
3 1 5 4 0 0 38 1372 968 39 -1
4 1 5 4 1 0 38 1372 968 39 -1
5 1 5 4 1 1 38 1373 63 30 92.969925 But
5 1 5 4 1 2 116 1384 17 19 83.322357 a
5 1 5 4 1 3 149 1373 90 30 82.980949 .M.t!
5 1 5 4 1 4 264 1373 61 29 96.638985 and
5 1 5 4 1 5 342 1372 27 30 96.521866 if
5 1 5 4 1 6 382 1382 62 29 93.277466 any
5 1 5 4 1 7 460 1372 143 39 91.411560 plesance
5 1 5 4 1 8 968 1372 38 29 96.735275 69
3 1 5 5 0 0 39 1429 708 41 -1
4 1 5 5 1 0 39 1429 708 41 -1
5 1 5 5 1 1 39 1431 111 39 65.645935 Happe
5 1 5 5 1 2 166 1429 124 41 66.757172 miglite,
5 1 5 5 1 3 309 1440 40 19 95.760597 on
5 1 5 5 1 4 365 1440 52 29 93.011475 my
5 1 5 5 1 5 436 1439 90 29 92.405617 poore
5 1 5 5 1 6 543 1429 204 37 92.007538 souffissance,
3 1 5 6 0 0 37 1485 613 43 -1
4 1 5 6 1 0 37 1485 613 43 -1
5 1 5 6 1 1 37 1487 44 30 96.559219 To
5 1 5 6 1 2 97 1488 48 29 93.294281 his
5 1 5 6 1 3 160 1497 150 30 91.588585 prowesse
5 1 5 6 1 4 325 1485 15 43 91.588585 /
5 1 5 6 1 5 356 1487 27 30 93.006172 &
5 1 5 6 1 6 400 1486 49 30 92.925652 hir
5 1 5 6 1 7 464 1486 186 40 91.877327 benignitee,
3 1 5 7 0 0 38 1543 970 89 -1
4 1 5 7 1 0 38 1543 970 41 -1
5 1 5 7 1 1 38 1544 57 40 93.294914 My
5 1 5 7 1 2 112 1544 85 40 25.546394 lyues
5 1 5 7 1 3 215 1544 58 29 90.328651 ioie
5 1 5 7 1 4 290 1543 25 30 95.902687 it
5 1 5 7 1 5 331 1553 86 28 95.902687 were,
5 1 5 7 1 6 438 1543 62 30 96.951149 and
5 1 5 7 1 7 515 1546 182 27 93.304192 sustenance
5 1 5 7 1 8 711 1544 6 29 90.689049 !
5 1 5 7 1 9 970 1543 38 30 94.409714 72
4 1 5 7 2 0 441 1600 166 32 -1
5 1 5 7 2 1 441 1600 73 32 92.853378 Cest
5 1 5 7 2 2 530 1603 77 28 95.783859 tout.
2 1 6 0 0 0 40 1684 970 285 -1
3 1 6 1 0 0 40 1684 970 118 -1
4 1 6 1 1 0 74 1684 936 33 -1
5 1 6 1 1 1 74 1685 56 26 95.067505 Fol.
5 1 6 1 1 2 154 1687 40 29 95.067505 25,
5 1 6 1 1 3 219 1685 137 26 96.155174 Johannes
5 1 6 1 1 4 378 1684 106 32 96.237419 Talbot,
5 1 6 1 1 5 510 1684 133 27 96.582008 Dominus
5 1 6 1 1 6 666 1684 31 27 93.302315 de
5 1 6 1 1 7 721 1684 137 33 92.731415 Furnival,
5 1 6 1 1 8 881 1694 52 18 96.499550 was
5 1 6 1 1 9 953 1686 57 26 96.638474 first
4 1 6 1 2 0 40 1726 970 35 -1
5 1 6 1 2 1 40 1727 155 26 96.483055 summoned
5 1 6 1 2 2 211 1730 27 22 96.483055 to
5 1 6 1 2 3 253 1727 70 25 36.179749 Parl
5 1 6 1 2 4 337 1729 30 24 77.709579 11
5 1 6 1 2 5 389 1727 35 25 91.501770 H.
5 1 6 1 2 6 442 1728 24 31 96.665428 4,
5 1 6 1 2 7 482 1726 53 26 96.615128 and
5 1 6 1 2 8 555 1729 27 23 95.643974 to
5 1 6 1 2 9 602 1736 82 24 96.431702 many
5 1 6 1 2 10 697 1727 164 34 93.268219 subsequent
5 1 6 1 2 11 881 1728 81 25 44.926010 Parl's
5 1 6 1 2 12 982 1728 28 26 96.937935 in
4 1 6 1 3 0 40 1768 926 34 -1
5 1 6 1 3 1 40 1768 60 26 96.356667 that
5 1 6 1 3 2 113 1769 74 33 96.726997 reign
5 1 6 1 3 3 201 1768 51 26 96.866592 and
5 1 6 1 3 4 267 1768 46 26 96.041336 the
5 1 6 1 3 5 328 1771 148 23 0.000000 next...
5 1 6 1 3 6 499 1789 6 5 86.863014 .
5 1 6 1 3 7 526 1768 28 26 88.401352 T.
5 1 6 1 3 8 572 1768 143 34 95.232925 Tyrwhitt.
5 1 6 1 3 9 756 1769 82 32 95.232925 [Note
5 1 6 1 3 10 853 1769 28 26 93.165131 in
5 1 6 1 3 11 896 1770 70 32 91.694572 MS.]
3 1 6 2 0 0 41 1810 969 159 -1
4 1 6 2 1 0 76 1810 934 34 -1
5 1 6 2 1 1 76 1810 97 26 92.903893 Balade
5 1 6 2 1 2 198 1813 28 23 96.093147 to
5 1 6 2 1 3 252 1810 79 26 96.077660 Duke
5 1 6 2 1 4 356 1810 29 26 96.539192 of
5 1 6 2 1 5 407 1810 87 31 96.203697 York,
5 1 6 2 1 6 513 1810 27 26 87.716835 lf.
5 1 6 2 1 7 564 1812 33 23 88.683525 32
5 1 6 2 1 8 620 1810 45 26 92.020958 bk.
5 1 6 2 1 9 705 1810 93 26 92.020958 Prince
5 1 6 2 1 10 824 1811 79 25 41.079670 Edwé
5 1 6 2 1 11 924 1811 86 33 96.944801 (after,
4 1 6 2 2 0 42 1851 968 35 -1
5 1 6 2 2 1 42 1852 72 26 96.084824 Edw.
5 1 6 2 2 2 141 1852 59 32 96.109001 IV),
5 1 6 2 2 3 225 1854 47 23 96.025475 not
5 1 6 2 2 4 294 1852 67 25 96.486809 born
5 1 6 2 2 5 384 1851 45 26 96.282005 till
5 1 6 2 2 6 454 1852 81 25 80.033218 about
5 1 6 2 2 7 559 1853 76 25 90.877357 1442.
5 1 6 2 2 8 675 1852 26 25 90.877357 If
5 1 6 2 2 9 724 1861 37 17 96.660439 we
5 1 6 2 2 10 783 1861 113 25 96.944130 suppose
5 1 6 2 2 11 917 1853 55 25 95.414146 him
5 1 6 2 2 12 995 1855 15 23 96.993629 6
4 1 6 2 3 0 41 1893 969 34 -1
5 1 6 2 3 1 41 1902 75 25 96.386436 years
5 1 6 2 3 2 129 1894 44 25 96.881149 old
5 1 6 2 3 3 188 1894 63 31 96.881149 (and
5 1 6 2 3 4 265 1894 32 25 95.943153 he
5 1 6 2 3 5 311 1893 78 26 96.320206 could
5 1 6 2 3 6 403 1896 47 22 96.715462 not
5 1 6 2 3 7 464 1894 31 24 96.235947 be
5 1 6 2 3 8 509 1893 79 26 96.608665 much
5 1 6 2 3 9 603 1893 51 26 96.893143 less
5 1 6 2 3 10 667 1896 28 23 96.100723 to
5 1 6 2 3 11 708 1894 30 26 96.899078 be
5 1 6 2 3 12 752 1894 85 26 96.732071 under
5 1 6 2 3 13 850 1895 46 25 96.732071 the
5 1 6 2 3 14 910 1895 100 25 96.455910 tuition
4 1 6 2 4 0 42 1935 968 34 -1
5 1 6 2 4 1 42 1935 29 27 93.267128 of
5 1 6 2 4 2 82 1935 110 26 92.812302 Maister
5 1 6 2 4 3 202 1935 114 32 96.980553 Picard),
5 1 6 2 4 4 328 1935 55 26 96.277252 this
5 1 6 2 4 5 393 1943 77 25 96.623497 poem
5 1 6 2 4 6 481 1944 51 17 96.935608 was
5 1 6 2 4 7 541 1935 108 26 96.085793 written
5 1 6 2 4 8 662 1935 28 26 96.126450 in
5 1 6 2 4 9 705 1937 76 25 96.541916 1448.
5 1 6 2 4 10 802 1936 83 32 96.443695 [Note
5 1 6 2 4 11 898 1936 29 26 93.230881 in
5 1 6 2 4 12 940 1937 70 32 49.840126 MS.]}
2 1 7 0 0 0 1034 351 187 52 -1
3 1 7 1 0 0 1034 351 187 52 -1
4 1 7 1 1 0 1034 351 187 21 -1
5 1 7 1 1 1 1034 351 34 21 16.399708 I'll
5 1 7 1 1 2 1079 353 80 19 95.728119 correct
5 1 7 1 1 3 1172 352 16 20 92.606888 it
5 1 7 1 1 4 1198 359 23 13 92.606888 as
4 1 7 1 2 0 1034 382 137 21 -1
5 1 7 1 2 1 1034 382 25 19 96.895477 he
5 1 7 1 2 2 1070 382 48 19 96.024155 tells
5 1 7 1 2 3 1128 388 43 15 91.279770 me.
2 1 8 0 0 0 1034 575 197 56 -1
3 1 8 1 0 0 1034 575 197 56 -1
4 1 8 1 1 0 1034 575 197 26 -1
5 1 8 1 1 1 1034 575 41 21 82.851929 I’m
5 1 8 1 1 2 1085 577 36 18 96.083893 too
5 1 8 1 1 3 1131 576 67 25 96.083893 proud
5 1 8 1 1 4 1209 578 22 18 96.858612 to
4 1 8 1 2 0 1034 607 187 24 -1
5 1 8 1 2 1 1034 612 55 14 96.094612 wear
5 1 8 1 2 2 1098 607 123 24 96.573120 spectacles,
2 1 9 0 0 0 1034 864 157 50 -1
3 1 9 1 0 0 1034 864 157 50 -1
4 1 9 1 1 0 1034 864 157 20 -1
5 1 9 1 1 1 1034 864 43 20 96.714844 and
5 1 9 1 1 2 1087 864 104 20 96.551216 therefore
4 1 9 1 2 0 1034 894 147 20 -1
5 1 9 1 2 1 1034 894 64 20 95.953766 make
5 1 9 1 2 2 1108 894 73 20 94.732651 faults.
2 1 10 0 0 0 1036 1147 200 79 -1
3 1 10 1 0 0 1036 1147 200 79 -1
4 1 10 1 1 0 1037 1147 192 25 -1
5 1 10 1 1 1 1037 1147 50 24 95.869926 May
5 1 10 1 1 2 1097 1147 35 19 96.082191 the
5 1 10 1 1 3 1143 1147 86 25 96.896523 Trinity
4 1 10 1 2 0 1036 1177 200 23 -1
5 1 10 1 2 1 1036 1178 82 22 95.294281 protect
5 1 10 1 2 2 1130 1178 34 17 95.294281 the
5 1 10 1 2 3 1176 1177 60 19 95.770897 Duke
4 1 10 1 3 0 1036 1205 163 21 -1
5 1 10 1 3 1 1036 1205 43 20 96.494133 and
5 1 10 1 3 2 1089 1205 96 21 91.336929 Duchess
5 1 10 1 3 3 1194 1206 5 19 90.222160 !

X. Ad Beatam Virginem — The Mother of God

TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN, THE MOTHER OF GOD.
[X.]
Ad beatam Virginem.
(Generally cald CHaucer’s ‘“‘ Mother of God.”)
[In 5-measure sevens, ababb, cc.}
(1]
Mo of god / and virgyne vndeffouled !
O blisful queene / of queenes Emperice !
To god thy sone / punyssher of vice,
þat of his merey / thogh þat I be nyce,
And negligent in keepyng of his lawe,
His hy mercy, my soule / vn-to him drawe.
(2)
Modir of mercy / wey of indulgence,
þat of al vertu art superlatyf;,
Sauer of vs by thy beneuolence,
Humble lady / mayde / modir and wyf !
Causer of pees / feynter of wo & stryf'!
My prayer vn-to thy sone presente,
Syn for my gilt I fully me repente.
senigne confort of vs wrecches alle!
Be at myn endyng' / whan þat I shal deye!
O welle of pitee / vn-to thee I ealle!
Ful of swetnesse / helpe me to weye
Ageyn the feend / þat with his handes tweye,
And his might, plukke wole / at the balance
To weye vs doun / keepe vs from his nusance !
[4]
And, for thow art ensaumple of chastitee,
And of virgynes / worsship and honour,
Among aH wommen blessid thow be!
Now speke and preye to our Sauueonr,

X. TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN, THE MOTHER OF GOD. ly)
þat he me sende swich grace & fauour,
þat al the hete of! brennyng! Leccherie
He qwenche in me, blessid maiden Marie !
qwench all lust in
me!
[5]
O blessid lady / the cleer light of day !
Temple of our lord / and roote of al goodnesse !
þat by prayere wypest cleene away
The filthes of our synful wikkidnesse,
Thyn hand foorth putte / & helpe my distresse,
And fro temptaciouwn deliure me
Of wikkid thoght / thurgh thy benignitee,
[5]
So þat the wil fulfild be of thy sone,
And þat of the holy goost he menlumyne.
Preye for vs, as ay hath be thy wone !
Lady / alle swiche emprises been thyne.
Swich an aduocatrice, who can dyuyne,
As thow / right noon / our greeues to redresse :
In thy refuyt is al our sikirnesse.
[7]
Thow shapen art by goddes ordenance,
Mene for vs, flour of humilitce :
Ficche þat, lady, in thy remembraznee,
Lest our fo, the feend, thurgh his sotiltee,
þat in awayt lyth for to cacche me,
Me ouercome with his treecherie.
Vn-to my soules helthe thow me gye!
[8]
Thow art the way of our Redempciown,
For cryst of thee hath deyned for to take
Flessh and eek! blood / for this entenciown,
Vp on a crois to die for our sake :
His precious decth made the feendes qwake,
And cristen folk for to reioisen euere.
From his mercy / helpe / vs we nat disseuere !
Deliver me from
wicked thoughts !
[leaf 35]
Pray for us, as
thou art wont!
Guide me to my
soul’s health!
d4
Let us not depart
from Mis mercy!

TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN, THE MOTHER OF GOD.
[9]
Tendrely remembre on the wo & peyne
þat thow souffridist in his passiozn,
Whan watir & blood, out of thyn yen tweyne,
For sorwe of him, ran by this cheekes doun !
And syn thow knowest þat the enchesoun
Of his deeth was / for to saue al man kynde,
Modir of mercy, þat haue m thy mynde!
(10)
Wel ogliten we thee worshipe & jhonure)
Paleys of Cryst / flour of virginitesT
Syn vp on thee / was leid the charge & cure,
The lord to bere, of heuene & eerthe & see,
And alle thynges þat ther ynne be.
Of heuenes kyng, thow art predestinat
To hele our soules of hir seek estat.
[11]
Thy maidens wombe, in which our lord lay,
Thy tetes / whiche him yaf to sowke also
To our sauynge / be they blessid ay !
The birthe of Cryst / our thraldom putte vs fro,
Ioie & honour / be now & eueremo
To him and thee / þat vn-to libertee,
Fro thraldam, han vs qwit / blessid be yee !
[12]
By thee, lady, y-makid is the pees
Betwixt Angels and men / it is no doute.
Blessid be god, þat swich a modir chees !
Thy gracious bountee spredith al aboute.
Thogh þat oure hertes steerne been, & stoute,
Thow to thy sone canst be swich a mene,
That aH our giltes he foryeueth clene.
13]
Paradys yates opned been by thee,
And broken been the yates eck of helle!
By thee / the world restored is pardee !

X. TO TIE BLESSED VIRGIN, THE MOTHER OF GOD. 5d
Of al vertu / thow art the spryng & welle!
By thee, al bountee / shortly for to telle,
In heuene & eerthe, by thyn ordenance
Parforned is / our soules sustenance !
[14]
Now, syn thow art of swich auctoritee,
Lady pitous, virgyne wemmelees,
þat our lord god nat list to werne thee
Of thy requeste / I wot wel / doutclees
Than spare nat / foorth thee to putte in prees
To preye for vs, Crystes modir deere !
Benyguely wole he, thyn axyng' heere.
[15]
Apostle, and freend familier of Cryst,
And his y-chosen virgyne / seint Ion /
Shynynge apostle / & euangelyst,
And best beloved among hem echon !
With our lady, preye I thee to been oon,
þat vn-to Cryst shal for vs alle preye:
Do thus for vs / Crystes derlyng, I seye!
[16]
Marie & Jon, heuenely gemmes tweyne !
O lighites two, shynynge in the presence
Of our lord god / now do your bysy peyne
To wasshe away our clondeful offense,
So þat we mowen make resistence
Ageyn the feend / & make him to bewaille
put your preyere may so moche auaille.
[17]
Yee been the two, I knowe verraily,
In which the fadir god gan edifie
(By his sone oonlygeten specially)
To him an hows / wherfore I to yow crye,
‘Beeth leches of our synful maladie!
Preyeth to god / lord oft misericorde, |
Oure olde giltes / þat he nat recorde !’
Pray for us; and
Christ will grant
thy prayer!
[leaf 86, back]
Saint John! join
our Lady in pray-
ing to Christ for
us!
Mary and John,
help us against
the Devil !
Core our sinful
malady t

XI. Balade to the Duke of Bedford, Regent of France

TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD, REGENT OF FRANCE.
[18]
‘Be yee oure help and our protecciown,
Syn, for meryt of your virginitee,
The priuilege of his dileceiown
In yow confermed god, vp on a tree
Hangyng' / and vn-to oon of yow seide he
Right in this wyse / as I reherce can,
‘“Beholde! heere, lo / thy sone, womman!”’
[19]
‘And to þat othir / “heer thy modir, lo !”’
Than preye I thee / þat for the greet swetnesse
Of the hy loue / þat god, twixt yow two,
With his mowth made / and of his noblesse
Conioyned hath yow / thurgli his blisfulnesse,
As modir and sone, helpe vs in our neede!
And, for our giltes, make oure hertes bleede !
[20]
Vn-to yow tweyne / I my soule commende,
Marie and Iofin, for my sauuaciown !
Helpith me þat I may my lyf amende !
Helpith now / þat the habitacioun
Of the holy goost, our recreaciown,
Be in myn herte now and eueremore !
And of my soule / wasshe away the sore! Amen!
[XI]
Ce feust mus en le ture de monsergueur
Johan, lors nomuies / ore Wegent de
Hrance & Due ve Bedford.
[In 5-measure nines, abab, bebbe.]
[1]
yr the rial egles excellence,
I, humble Clerc, with al hertes humblesse,

—
—
am
2 1 3 0 0 0 181 198 713 29 -1
3 1 3 1 0 0 181 198 713 29 -1
4 1 3 1 1 0 181 198 713 29 -1
5 1 3 1 1 1 181 204 42 20 91.842590 XI.
5 1 3 1 1 2 273 202 37 21 91.842590 TO
5 1 3 1 1 3 334 202 62 21 96.220642 THE
5 1 3 1 1 4 421 201 85 21 96.090034 DUKE
5 1 3 1 1 5 530 200 39 21 96.239464 OF
5 1 3 1 1 6 592 199 155 28 95.985664 BEDFORD,
5 1 3 1 1 7 772 198 122 21 95.388229 REGENT
2 1 4 0 0 0 42 276 829 1576 -1
3 1 4 1 0 0 44 276 738 391 -1
4 1 4 1 1 0 44 276 738 42 -1
5 1 4 1 1 1 44 281 76 31 96.716255 This
5 1 4 1 1 2 135 279 104 31 85.978714 book!
5 1 4 1 1 3 256 280 139 38 93.268974 presente
5 1 4 1 1 4 410 278 14 39 90.356987 /
5 1 4 1 1 5 441 277 26 30 90.356987 &
5 1 4 1 1 6 484 276 34 30 96.238106 of
5 1 4 1 1 7 530 286 77 30 93.296082 your
5 1 4 1 1 8 623 286 159 19 92.814651 renerence
4 1 4 1 2 0 44 334 639 43 -1
5 1 4 1 2 1 44 337 155 40 92.001900 Byseeche
5 1 4 1 2 2 217 337 14 29 93.253548 I
5 1 4 1 2 3 250 336 115 40 83.106171 pardoii
5 1 4 1 2 4 382 335 62 29 93.269516 and
5 1 4 1 2 5 460 334 223 38 92.717262 foryeuenesse,
4 1 4 1 3 0 44 390 638 43 -1
5 1 4 1 3 1 44 397 69 36 94.201202 þat,
5 1 4 1 3 2 129 394 33 30 96.347450 of
5 1 4 1 3 3 177 404 74 29 95.799522 myn
5 1 4 1 3 4 267 392 161 40 93.299644 ignorance
5 1 4 1 3 5 445 391 27 30 92.035408 &
5 1 4 1 3 6 488 390 194 36 92.422440 lewdenesse,
4 1 4 1 4 0 45 447 657 40 -1
5 1 4 1 4 1 45 451 63 30 93.265015 Nat
5 1 4 1 4 2 123 451 80 29 91.893234 haue
5 1 4 1 4 3 219 450 17 29 95.846878 I
5 1 4 1 4 4 252 450 86 28 96.851547 write
5 1 4 1 4 5 355 448 24 30 96.754166 it
5 1 4 1 4 6 395 448 34 30 96.166412 in
5 1 4 1 4 7 444 458 32 20 96.166412 so
5 1 4 1 4 8 492 447 111 40 93.293228 goodly
5 1 4 1 4 9 619 456 83 29 91.743828 wyse
4 1 4 1 5 0 44 503 716 47 -1
5 1 4 1 5 1 44 509 44 29 96.813118 As
5 1 4 1 5 2 104 510 54 40 96.064621 þat
5 1 4 1 5 3 174 517 47 20 92.906433 me
5 1 4 1 5 4 237 507 91 39 76.386932 oghite
5 1 4 1 5 5 344 508 86 28 88.792381 vn-to
5 1 4 1 5 6 446 515 79 29 93.242180 your
5 1 4 1 5 7 540 503 220 39 80.840698 worthynesse.
4 1 4 1 6 0 44 565 631 43 -1
5 1 4 1 6 1 44 569 78 39 92.917435 Myn
5 1 4 1 6 2 138 579 61 29 93.180687 yen
5 1 4 1 6 3 213 566 15 42 93.180687 /
5 1 4 1 6 4 242 566 76 31 93.295403 hath
5 1 4 1 6 5 335 566 160 31 92.204910 custumed
5 1 4 1 6 6 509 565 166 40 92.680191 bysynesse
4 1 4 1 7 0 44 622 680 45 -1
5 1 4 1 7 1 44 626 41 31 93.230461 So
5 1 4 1 7 2 102 625 124 31 93.139885 daswed
5 1 4 1 7 3 240 625 15 42 93.262985 /
5 1 4 1 7 4 270 626 53 39 95.782227 þat
5 1 4 1 7 5 339 624 17 30 96.633842 I
5 1 4 1 7 6 371 634 71 28 96.633842 may
5 1 4 1 7 7 458 633 39 19 97.002129 no
5 1 4 1 7 8 513 622 53 30 93.284698 bet
5 1 4 1 7 9 582 622 142 38 86.210365 souffyse.
3 1 4 2 0 0 42 674 829 561 -1
4 1 4 2 1 0 503 674 46 44 -1
5 1 4 2 1 1 503 674 46 44 77.292381 [2]
4 1 4 2 2 0 44 732 624 44 -1
5 1 4 2 2 1 44 737 17 30 92.979668 I
5 1 4 2 2 2 76 736 110 31 91.955528 dreede
5 1 4 2 2 3 202 736 58 30 96.637184 lest
5 1 4 2 2 4 276 737 54 39 96.423416 þat
5 1 4 2 2 5 345 745 54 30 93.218742 my
5 1 4 2 2 6 414 734 125 30 92.041809 maister
5 1 4 2 2 7 553 732 115 40 96.135902 Massy,
4 1 4 2 3 0 43 791 546 42 -1
5 1 4 2 3 1 43 796 60 37 95.593979 þat
5 1 4 2 3 2 119 794 25 30 96.768982 is
5 1 4 2 3 3 160 793 33 31 93.282707 of
5 1 4 2 3 4 207 793 160 30 92.648865 fructuous
5 1 4 2 3 5 384 791 205 40 95.181709 intelligence,
4 1 4 2 4 0 43 847 662 41 -1
5 1 4 2 4 1 43 852 105 30 92.884300 Whan
5 1 4 2 4 2 164 851 38 30 93.023567 he
5 1 4 2 4 3 218 851 164 30 88.503136 beholdith
5 1 4 2 4 4 397 850 71 30 93.298996 how
5 1 4 2 4 5 484 847 221 41 49.815197 vnconnyngly
4 1 4 2 5 0 42 906 743 43 -1
5 1 4 2 5 1 42 909 57 40 96.538055 My
5 1 4 2 5 2 115 908 82 31 96.577049 book
5 1 4 2 5 3 213 908 26 29 93.287514 is
5 1 4 2 5 4 254 907 112 30 92.757126 metrid
5 1 4 2 5 5 381 906 14 42 92.757126 /
5 1 4 2 5 6 410 906 70 30 96.849625 how
5 1 4 2 5 7 497 916 60 20 96.540268 raw
5 1 4 2 5 8 573 915 54 29 96.346252 my
5 1 4 2 5 9 643 906 142 29 96.568352 sentence
4 1 4 2 6 0 43 961 828 41 -1
5 1 4 2 6 1 43 965 81 30 91.115005 How
5 1 4 2 6 2 140 964 99 31 96.253494 feeble
5 1 4 2 6 3 255 963 57 31 96.402985 eek
5 1 4 2 6 4 327 964 79 30 96.462303 been
5 1 4 2 6 5 421 973 55 29 96.682549 my
5 1 4 2 6 6 492 962 136 30 35.622044 colours!
5 1 4 2 6 7 651 961 49 30 96.933037 his
5 1 4 2 6 8 717 961 154 39 96.677544 prudence
4 1 4 2 7 0 44 1019 670 40 -1
5 1 4 2 7 1 44 1022 75 31 92.138527 Shal
5 1 4 2 7 2 135 1032 65 20 93.281525 sore
5 1 4 2 7 3 216 1020 179 31 92.811333 encombrid
5 1 4 2 7 4 409 1020 78 30 96.867172 been
5 1 4 2 7 5 505 1020 32 30 96.823212 of
5 1 4 2 7 6 552 1029 52 30 96.938103 my
5 1 4 2 7 7 621 1019 93 38 76.963020 folie
5 1 4 2 7 8 698 1015 17 50 93.135788 ;
4 1 4 2 8 0 42 1076 656 44 -1
5 1 4 2 8 1 42 1080 64 31 93.305313 But
5 1 4 2 8 2 121 1080 48 39 92.177299 yit
5 1 4 2 8 3 184 1081 97 28 92.893684 truste
5 1 4 2 8 4 298 1079 14 29 75.335251 I
5 1 4 2 8 5 328 1077 15 43 75.335251 /
5 1 4 2 8 6 358 1080 54 39 96.039078 þat
5 1 4 2 8 7 427 1077 49 30 93.127701 his
5 1 4 2 8 8 492 1076 206 31 92.800217 beneuolence
4 1 4 2 9 0 43 1135 557 42 -1
5 1 4 2 9 1 43 1136 190 41 92.391411 Compleyne
5 1 4 2 9 2 249 1135 76 31 91.541191 wole
5 1 4 2 9 3 340 1146 77 29 93.239449 myn
5 1 4 2 9 4 431 1135 169 39 88.521347 insipience
4 1 4 2 10 0 45 1191 611 44 -1
5 1 4 2 10 1 45 1194 155 40 92.383636 Secreetly
5 1 4 2 10 2 214 1192 17 43 90.296715 /
5 1 4 2 10 3 245 1193 28 31 90.296715 &
5 1 4 2 10 4 290 1192 84 31 96.602852 what
5 1 4 2 10 5 389 1192 26 30 96.540871 is
5 1 4 2 10 6 431 1192 58 30 93.062660 mis
5 1 4 2 10 7 505 1191 14 41 92.964729 /
5 1 4 2 10 8 534 1191 122 30 76.808090 rectifie.
3 1 4 3 0 0 43 1246 763 557 -1
4 1 4 3 1 0 505 1246 47 44 -1
5 1 4 3 1 1 505 1246 47 44 89.435646 [3]
4 1 4 3 2 0 44 1304 762 44 -1
5 1 4 3 2 1 44 1307 97 30 93.133080 Thow
5 1 4 3 2 2 157 1306 88 31 0.000000 book
5 1 4 3 2 3 259 1305 14 43 79.266212 /
5 1 4 3 2 4 288 1306 43 40 96.844612 by
5 1 4 3 2 5 346 1305 115 31 96.549988 licence
5 1 4 3 2 6 478 1305 35 30 96.430359 of
5 1 4 3 2 7 524 1315 53 29 93.199173 my
5 1 4 3 2 8 593 1304 101 31 91.160988 lordes
5 1 4 3 2 9 711 1315 95 29 96.954300 grace,
4 1 4 3 3 0 43 1361 733 43 -1
5 1 4 3 3 1 43 1364 44 31 96.919594 To
5 1 4 3 3 2 104 1364 68 30 92.975754 thee
5 1 4 3 3 3 189 1363 93 40 92.113152 speke
5 1 4 3 3 4 298 1364 17 29 89.820084 I
5 1 4 3 3 5 331 1361 14 43 89.820084 /
5 1 4 3 3 6 360 1363 62 30 96.991608 and
5 1 4 3 3 7 438 1362 63 30 97.005760 this
5 1 4 3 3 8 519 1363 15 29 96.731529 I
5 1 4 3 3 9 552 1365 32 27 96.929115 to
5 1 4 3 3 10 600 1361 70 30 93.294777 thee
5 1 4 3 3 11 686 1372 90 29 91.198875 seye:
4 1 4 3 4 0 45 1419 678 42 -1
5 1 4 3 4 1 45 1421 16 31 92.255135 I
5 1 4 3 4 2 78 1421 108 40 96.495865 charge
5 1 4 3 4 3 202 1421 71 30 93.276070 thee
5 1 4 3 4 4 288 1420 15 41 93.269913 /
5 1 4 3 4 5 316 1423 31 27 93.292984 to
5 1 4 3 4 6 364 1420 101 30 91.392738 shewe
5 1 4 3 4 7 482 1420 85 30 92.928947 thow
5 1 4 3 4 8 583 1420 57 39 96.603500 thy
5 1 4 3 4 9 658 1419 65 30 96.778351 face
4 1 4 3 5 0 45 1476 716 42 -1
5 1 4 3 5 1 45 1479 114 30 90.827980 Beforn
5 1 4 3 5 2 176 1488 53 30 96.677109 my
5 1 4 3 5 3 245 1478 66 30 93.278366 seid
5 1 4 3 5 4 327 1477 123 30 91.243179 Maistir
5 1 4 3 5 5 465 1476 15 42 89.880562 /
5 1 4 3 5 6 496 1476 28 31 89.880562 &
5 1 4 3 5 7 540 1480 31 27 96.922943 to
5 1 4 3 5 8 587 1476 65 30 93.273224 him
5 1 4 3 5 9 669 1486 92 30 92.586227 preye
4 1 4 3 6 0 46 1534 692 42 -1
5 1 4 3 6 1 46 1536 48 31 96.765717 On
5 1 4 3 6 2 111 1547 52 29 93.299561 my
5 1 4 3 6 3 179 1535 130 30 92.593460 behalue
5 1 4 3 6 4 323 1534 15 42 91.610809 /
5 1 4 3 6 5 354 1537 53 39 96.362930 þat
5 1 4 3 6 6 422 1534 38 31 93.217705 he
5 1 4 3 6 7 477 1534 83 40 93.039886 peise
5 1 4 3 6 8 575 1534 62 30 93.213524 and
5 1 4 3 6 9 654 1543 84 30 91.479393 weye
4 1 4 3 7 0 45 1590 731 43 -1
5 1 4 3 7 1 45 1593 99 31 96.418343 What
5 1 4 3 7 2 159 1603 75 30 93.246361 myn
5 1 4 3 7 3 250 1594 124 28 92.705238 entente
5 1 4 3 7 4 391 1591 35 39 96.846390 is,
5 1 4 3 7 5 442 1594 54 39 93.407227 þat
5 1 4 3 7 6 517 1592 8 30 91.168068 I
5 1 4 3 7 7 541 1591 92 40 91.168068 speke
5 1 4 3 7 8 650 1591 31 29 96.863754 in
5 1 4 3 7 9 698 1590 78 38 96.863754 thee,
4 1 4 3 8 0 46 1648 674 40 -1
5 1 4 3 8 1 46 1651 59 30 93.291405 For
5 1 4 3 8 2 121 1649 144 31 0.000000 rethorik*
5 1 4 3 8 3 280 1649 77 30 96.549698 hath
5 1 4 3 8 4 372 1649 56 30 96.924454 hid
5 1 4 3 8 5 445 1649 47 30 95.643036 fro
5 1 4 3 8 6 508 1659 48 20 96.931084 me
5 1 4 3 8 7 573 1649 54 30 93.300262 the
5 1 4 3 8 8 642 1648 78 40 92.751740 keye
4 1 4 3 9 0 47 1706 677 42 -1
5 1 4 3 9 1 47 1707 41 31 96.670731 Of
5 1 4 3 9 2 103 1708 48 29 93.079048 his
5 1 4 3 9 3 167 1710 95 27 92.188179 tresor
5 1 4 3 9 4 277 1708 14 40 93.009125 /
5 1 4 3 9 5 306 1709 54 28 93.259621 nat
5 1 4 3 9 6 376 1706 137 41 92.621864 deyneth
5 1 4 3 9 7 529 1706 49 30 93.242004 hir
5 1 4 3 9 8 594 1706 130 39 92.769302 nobleye
4 1 4 3 10 0 45 1764 609 39 -1
5 1 4 3 10 1 45 1764 79 31 96.789940 Dele
5 1 4 3 10 2 139 1764 78 30 96.817932 with
5 1 4 3 10 3 233 1774 82 20 96.797348 noon
5 1 4 3 10 4 332 1774 32 19 96.657578 so
5 1 4 3 10 5 381 1764 142 39 95.071289 ignorant
5 1 4 3 10 6 539 1774 33 20 95.071289 as
5 1 4 3 10 7 588 1774 48 19 92.477921 me
5 1 4 3 10 8 650 1766 4 27 92.477921 !
3 1 4 4 0 0 446 1820 165 32 -1
4 1 4 4 1 0 446 1820 165 32 -1
5 1 4 4 1 1 446 1820 73 32 93.038887 Cest
5 1 4 4 1 2 535 1823 76 28 96.575432 tout.
2 1 5 0 0 0 919 198 37 20 -1
3 1 5 1 0 0 919 198 37 20 -1
4 1 5 1 1 0 919 198 37 20 -1
5 1 5 1 1 1 919 198 37 20 77.162842 Or
2 1 6 0 0 0 981 198 128 21 -1
3 1 6 1 0 0 981 198 128 21 -1
4 1 6 1 1 0 981 198 128 21 -1
5 1 6 1 1 1 981 198 128 21 76.950287 FRANCE.
2 1 7 0 0 0 992 332 19 28 -1
3 1 7 1 0 0 992 332 19 28 -1
4 1 7 1 1 0 992 332 19 28 -1
5 1 7 1 1 1 992 332 19 28 96.979614 4
2 1 8 0 0 0 971 902 37 30 -1
3 1 8 1 0 0 971 902 37 30 -1
4 1 8 1 1 0 971 902 37 30 -1
5 1 8 1 1 1 971 902 37 30 96.575516 13
2 1 9 0 0 0 972 1191 39 29 -1
3 1 9 1 0 0 972 1191 39 29 -1
4 1 9 1 1 0 972 1191 39 29 -1
5 1 9 1 1 1 972 1191 39 29 96.467270 18
2 1 10 0 0 0 975 1304 39 29 -1
3 1 10 1 0 0 975 1304 39 29 -1
4 1 10 1 1 0 975 1304 39 29 -1
5 1 10 1 1 1 975 1304 39 29 96.798027 19
2 1 11 0 0 0 974 1476 39 29 -1
3 1 11 1 0 0 974 1476 39 29 -1
4 1 11 1 1 0 974 1476 17 29 -1
5 1 11 1 1 1 974 1476 17 29 78.581375 bo
4 1 11 1 2 0 997 1476 16 29 -1
5 1 11 1 2 1 997 1476 16 29 73.455177 lo
2 1 12 0 0 0 46 1889 971 245 -1
3 1 12 1 0 0 46 1889 971 202 -1
4 1 12 1 1 0 81 1889 936 36 -1
5 1 12 1 1 1 81 1891 8 16 88.918587 1
5 1 12 1 1 2 109 1891 55 26 88.918587 The
5 1 12 1 1 3 184 1899 85 26 96.919182 poem,
5 1 12 1 1 4 286 1891 45 25 96.684830 fol.
5 1 12 1 1 5 348 1891 32 26 78.669456 37
5 1 12 1 1 6 395 1891 25 25 90.990433 b.
5 1 12 1 1 7 438 1893 28 23 93.197777 to
5 1 12 1 1 8 487 1891 98 25 92.346817 Monsr.
5 1 12 1 1 9 600 1890 88 26 96.771408 Johan
5 1 12 1 1 10 711 1889 164 34 96.294983 (afterwards
5 1 12 1 1 11 896 1890 79 25 95.880058 Duke
5 1 12 1 1 12 989 1890 28 25 96.989777 of
4 1 12 1 2 0 47 1932 970 33 -1
5 1 12 1 2 1 47 1932 136 32 95.656540 Bedford),
5 1 12 1 2 2 199 1933 52 25 96.718010 and
5 1 12 1 2 3 271 1933 70 31 96.199272 that,
5 1 12 1 2 4 358 1932 44 26 96.419380 fol.
5 1 12 1 2 5 420 1934 32 24 74.332878 839
5 1 12 1 2 6 472 1933 25 25 91.029892 b.
5 1 12 1 2 7 515 1934 28 23 96.225281 to
5 1 12 1 2 8 562 1932 46 25 96.652420 the
5 1 12 1 2 9 630 1932 93 25 96.630447 Prince
5 1 12 1 2 10 738 1932 164 33 96.207695 (afterwards
5 1 12 1 2 11 924 1933 93 32 90.589844 Henry
4 1 12 1 3 0 47 1973 968 33 -1
5 1 12 1 3 1 47 1975 44 31 91.972771 V),
5 1 12 1 3 2 107 1984 66 16 96.465668 were
5 1 12 1 3 3 185 1975 65 25 96.285172 both
5 1 12 1 3 4 265 1977 60 23 95.984749 sent
5 1 12 1 3 5 338 1974 66 25 96.892357 with
5 1 12 1 3 6 419 1974 45 25 96.701843 the
5 1 12 1 3 7 478 1973 69 26 96.325844 book
5 1 12 1 3 8 560 1974 28 25 96.344643 of
5 1 12 1 3 9 599 1974 46 25 96.196877 the
5 1 12 1 3 10 658 1975 126 31 95.736702 Regimen
5 1 12 1 3 11 797 1975 30 31 96.329208 of
5 1 12 1 3 12 835 1975 114 30 96.262260 Princes,
5 1 12 1 3 13 963 1973 52 26 96.176926 and
4 1 12 1 4 0 46 2015 968 34 -1
5 1 12 1 4 1 46 2025 42 16 95.892464 are
5 1 12 1 4 2 107 2016 87 25 95.385727 added
5 1 12 1 4 3 212 2019 28 23 95.385727 at
5 1 12 1 4 4 259 2016 47 26 96.333244 the
5 1 12 1 4 5 325 2015 51 26 96.333244 end
5 1 12 1 4 6 390 2016 29 25 96.003731 of
5 1 12 1 4 7 434 2016 60 25 96.399384 that
5 1 12 1 4 8 508 2015 69 25 96.135139 book
5 1 12 1 4 9 596 2016 29 24 96.299973 in
5 1 12 1 4 10 645 2016 57 25 95.958397 MS.
5 1 12 1 4 11 718 2016 64 33 96.138527 Reg.
5 1 12 1 4 12 801 2017 40 31 93.212090 17,
5 1 12 1 4 13 858 2016 32 26 92.750542 D.
5 1 12 1 4 14 908 2016 106 26 94.486565 XVIII.
4 1 12 1 5 0 48 2057 884 34 -1
5 1 12 1 5 1 48 2058 78 32 74.747772 (Brit.
5 1 12 1 5 2 141 2058 84 33 77.084259 Mus.]
5 1 12 1 5 3 246 2078 6 6 68.850014 .
5 1 12 1 5 4 277 2078 6 6 63.172447 .
5 1 12 1 5 5 304 2078 6 6 63.172447 .
5 1 12 1 5 6 331 2058 32 26 89.150368 T.
5 1 12 1 5 7 378 2057 134 34 78.036179 Fyrwhitt
5 1 12 1 5 8 526 2058 103 32 96.755966 (Letter
5 1 12 1 5 9 641 2058 95 31 96.459015 pasted
5 1 12 1 5 10 749 2058 28 25 96.226631 in
5 1 12 1 5 11 791 2058 46 25 93.242851 the
5 1 12 1 5 12 852 2058 80 33 92.104286 MS.).
3 1 12 2 0 0 82 2099 932 35 -1
4 1 12 2 1 0 82 2099 932 35 -1
5 1 12 2 1 1 82 2099 64 26 96.975662 This
5 1 12 2 1 2 159 2108 77 26 96.651230 poem
5 1 12 2 1 3 250 2100 23 25 96.780876 is
5 1 12 2 1 4 286 2103 48 22 96.861343 not
5 1 12 2 1 5 347 2099 28 26 96.734322 in
5 1 12 2 1 6 389 2099 55 26 95.793907 MS.
5 1 12 2 1 7 460 2099 63 34 81.741341 Reg.
5 1 12 2 1 8 537 2101 41 30 81.741341 17,
5 1 12 2 1 9 594 2100 32 25 92.310211 D.
5 1 12 2 1 10 642 2100 48 26 96.530144 VI.
5 1 12 2 1 11 705 2100 88 25 96.632187 which
5 1 12 2 1 12 808 2100 45 25 96.799850 the
5 1 12 2 1 13 868 2100 53 25 96.585777 late
5 1 12 2 1 14 935 2100 79 25 96.903488 Thos.
2 1 13 0 0 0 48 2141 792 78 -1
3 1 13 1 0 0 48 2141 792 78 -1
4 1 13 1 1 0 48 2141 792 35 -1
5 1 13 1 1 1 48 2141 109 34 96.409714 Wright
5 1 13 1 1 2 176 2142 109 34 96.412483 printed
5 1 13 1 1 3 304 2142 40 25 96.358826 for
5 1 13 1 1 4 369 2142 47 26 93.106407 the
5 1 13 1 1 5 435 2141 162 34 92.463310 Roxburghe
5 1 13 1 1 6 617 2141 69 26 96.093140 Club
5 1 13 1 1 7 710 2142 29 25 96.093140 in
5 1 13 1 1 8 766 2144 74 26 78.569237 1:60.
4 1 13 1 2 0 49 2184 594 35 -1
5 1 13 1 2 1 49 2184 72 34 95.945045 only,
5 1 13 1 2 2 137 2186 27 24 95.945045 at
5 1 13 1 2 3 177 2184 62 32 96.049881 end,
5 1 13 1 2 4 254 2184 47 26 96.487732 the
5 1 13 1 2 5 314 2192 78 27 94.982071 poem
5 1 13 1 2 6 406 2192 34 17 92.486671 on
5 1 13 1 2 7 453 2192 25 26 92.486671 p.
5 1 13 1 2 8 494 2185 41 30 96.596748 61,
5 1 13 1 2 9 552 2184 91 26 96.095367 below.
2 1 14 0 0 0 879 2142 138 26 -1
3 1 14 1 0 0 879 2142 138 26 -1
4 1 14 1 1 0 879 2142 138 26 -1
5 1 14 1 1 1 879 2142 72 26 95.320152 That
5 1 14 1 1 2 969 2142 48 26 96.037323 has
2 1 15 0 0 0 1213 188 39 31 -1
3 1 15 1 0 0 1213 188 39 31 -1
4 1 15 1 1 0 1213 188 39 31 -1
5 1 15 1 1 1 1213 188 39 31 84.212509 57
2 1 16 0 0 0 1038 284 198 24 -1
3 1 16 1 0 0 1038 284 198 24 -1
4 1 16 1 1 0 1038 284 198 24 -1
5 1 16 1 1 1 1038 287 48 16 96.340256 sent
5 1 16 1 1 2 1097 284 43 20 93.235489 this
5 1 16 1 1 3 1151 284 85 24 92.473534 Balade,
2 1 17 0 0 0 1032 565 218 86 -1
3 1 17 1 0 0 1032 565 218 86 -1
4 1 17 1 1 0 1034 565 211 25 -1
5 1 17 1 1 1 1034 565 38 20 92.862473 tho
5 1 17 1 1 2 1081 565 17 20 88.915771 it
5 1 17 1 1 3 1107 566 18 18 88.915771 is
5 1 17 1 1 4 1136 568 36 17 96.679794 not
5 1 17 1 1 5 1182 567 63 23 95.343231 good,
4 1 17 1 2 0 1033 595 204 25 -1
5 1 17 1 2 1 1033 595 89 20 95.570732 because
5 1 17 1 2 2 1132 601 37 19 96.395134 my
5 1 17 1 2 3 1179 597 58 18 96.395134 work
4 1 17 1 3 0 1032 625 218 26 -1
5 1 17 1 3 1 1032 625 39 19 96.773918 has
5 1 17 1 3 2 1078 626 66 20 96.684906 dazed
5 1 17 1 3 3 1150 632 36 19 96.124084 my
5 1 17 1 3 4 1194 633 56 18 95.898766 eyes.
2 1 18 0 0 0 1033 745 171 25 -1
3 1 18 1 0 0 1033 745 171 25 -1
4 1 18 1 1 0 1033 745 171 25 -1
5 1 18 1 1 1 1033 745 42 20 88.047653 Mr.
5 1 18 1 1 2 1086 745 73 25 95.899925 Massy
5 1 18 1 1 3 1169 748 35 18 96.512100 too
2 1 19 0 0 0 1034 911 203 84 -1
3 1 19 1 0 0 1034 911 203 84 -1
4 1 19 1 1 0 1034 911 203 21 -1
5 1 19 1 1 1 1034 911 42 20 96.176765 will
5 1 19 1 1 2 1087 918 34 14 96.224609 see
5 1 19 1 1 3 1131 912 28 19 92.914490 its
5 1 19 1 1 4 1169 912 68 20 92.708687 weak-
4 1 19 1 2 0 1034 942 187 24 -1
5 1 19 1 2 1 1034 947 56 18 96.589752 ness,
5 1 19 1 2 2 1100 942 38 20 95.765724 but
5 1 19 1 2 3 1148 942 43 20 96.502937 will
5 1 19 1 2 4 1202 943 19 23 95.419167 (1
4 1 19 1 3 0 1034 972 66 23 -1
5 1 19 1 3 1 1034 972 66 23 95.966476 trust)
2 1 20 0 0 0 1036 1197 135 25 -1
3 1 20 1 0 0 1036 1197 135 25 -1
4 1 20 1 1 0 1036 1197 135 25 -1
5 1 20 1 1 1 1036 1199 31 18 96.745323 set
5 1 20 1 1 2 1077 1197 17 20 96.542046 it
5 1 20 1 1 3 1104 1197 67 25 96.002716 right.
2 1 21 0 0 0 1038 1544 215 111 -1
3 1 21 1 0 0 1038 1544 215 111 -1
4 1 21 1 1 0 1039 1544 214 25 -1
5 1 21 1 1 1 1039 1544 38 20 96.032181 Let
5 1 21 1 1 2 1085 1544 46 20 95.950516 him
5 1 21 1 1 3 1140 1545 67 23 95.950516 weigh
5 1 21 1 1 4 1216 1551 37 18 95.690475 my
4 1 21 1 2 0 1038 1574 215 24 -1
5 1 21 1 2 1 1038 1574 79 24 95.712212 intent,
5 1 21 1 2 2 1127 1575 42 19 95.712212 and
5 1 21 1 2 3 1179 1581 74 13 96.520134 excuse
4 1 21 1 3 0 1038 1604 136 20 -1
5 1 21 1 3 1 1038 1604 34 20 96.886993 the
5 1 21 1 3 2 1084 1607 56 17 96.260139 want
5 1 21 1 3 3 1150 1605 24 19 96.260139 of
4 1 21 1 4 0 1039 1634 107 21 -1
5 1 21 1 4 1 1039 1634 107 21 93.710236 Rhetoric.
2 1 22 0 0 0 1099 1714 95 24 -1
3 1 22 1 0 0 1099 1714 95 24 -1
4 1 22 1 1 0 1099 1714 95 24 -1
5 1 22 1 1 1 1099 1714 55 24 90.160530 {leaf
5 1 22 1 1 2 1161 1714 33 24 70.027557 38}

XII. Balade to My Lord the Chancellor

TO TIE CHANCELLOR, ARCIIBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.
[XID]
[Balade to my Lord the Chancellor.)
[Abont 1407—1410. In 5-measure eights, abab, bebc.]
[1]
rk in god, benigne and reuerent,
My lord the Chanceller / with al humblesse
I, your seruant at your commandement,
Byseche vn-to your excellent noblesse, 4
jut my patente bere may witnesse
That myne arrerages been granted me:
Right as your staf / your warant wole expresse /
Byseeche I, y, yow so my patente be. 8
[2]
I truste in yow / for eueve or this han yee
Be my good lord / and now to stynte / I gesse,
Applied is nat your benignitee,
Specially / syn my poore symplesse 12
Nat hath offendid your hy worthynesse
Wityngly ; but myn herte is eneve bent
To sheete at yow good wil / in soothfastnesse,
Ther-in am I ful hoot & ful fernent. 16
[3]
O my lord gracious, wys, and prudent !
To me, your Clere / beeth of your grace free!
Let see now cacche a lust and a talent
Me to haue in your fauour & cheertee. 20
Ther-on wayte I / 1 wayte on your bountee,
That to so manye han shewid gentillesse.
Let me! no stepchyld been / for I am he
That hope haue in yow, confort & gladnesse. 24
Crest tout.
1 MS. me be.

XIII. Balade and Roundel to Master Henry Somer, Subtreasurer

XII. BALADE AND ROWNDEL TO MAISTER SOMER. 59
perm
Cestes Balade NK chanecow cnsuvyantes
feurent faites a mon {*Aeistre .2). Somer,
quant il estoit Soustresorer.”
[Written between Michaelmas and Christmas, 1407 (%). In
5-measure eights, abab, bebe}
(u
he Sonne, with his bemes of briglitnesse,
To man so kyndly is, & norisshynge,
þat lakkyng' it / day nere but dirknesse :
To day he yeueth his enlumynynge,
And causith al fruyt for to wexe & sprynge:
Now, syn þat sonne? may so moche auail,
And moost with Somer is his soiournynge,
That sesoun bounteuous we wole assaiH.
(2)
Glad cheerid Somer / to your gonernaille
And grace / we subinitte al our willynge !
To whom yee freendly been / he may nat faille
But he shal haue his resonable axynge :
Aftir your good lust, be the sesonynge
Of our fruytes / this laste Mighielmesse,
The tyme of yeer was of our seed ynnynge,
The lak of which / is our greet heuynesse.
(3)
We truste vp-on your freendly gentillesse,
Ye wole vs helpe / and been our suppofrt]aille.
Now yeue vs cause ageyn this eristemesse
For to be glad / 0° lord / whethir our taille
Shal soone make vs with our shippes saille
To port salut! if yow list / we may synge,
The sun that
nourishes man
comes most in
summer,
[leaf 39]
Then, Somer,
get us our
Michaelmas pay !
Make us glad by
Christmas !
1 Somer was made a Baron of the Exchequer on Nov. 8, 1408.
See him calld Sir Henry Somer, on p. 64.
2 MS. senne.

60 XII, ROWNDEL TO H. SOMER, SUB-TREASURER.
And elles, moot vs bothe mourne & waille,
Til your fauouwr vs sende releeuynge. 24
[4]
We, your seruantes, Hoecleue & Baillay, 25
Hethe & Offorde, yow beseeche & preye,
‘Haasteth our heruest / as soone as yee may !’
For fere of stormes / our wit is aweye ; 28
Were our seed Inned / wel we migliten pleye, °
And vs desporte / & synge / & make game,
And yit this rowndel shul we synge & seye
In trust of yow / & honowr of your name. 32
We 4, Hoccleve,
Baillay, Hethe and
Otforde, pray you
to get our Salaries
paid;
and then we'll sing
you this
[5]
[Rownyel, or Chaneeon ta Somer. |
Q [1: Burden.]
Rowndel:
omer, þat rypest mannes sustenance
With holsum hete of the Sonnes warmnesse,
Al kynde of man thee holden is to blesse! (3) 35
[2]
Ay thankid be thy freendly gouernance,
And thy fressh look' of mirthe & of gladnesse! (5) 37
Somer &e (6—8)
[3]
To heny folk’ / of thee the remembraanee
Is salue & oynement to hir seeknesse.
For why / we thus shul synge in Cristemesse, (11) 40
Somer &e' (12—14.)
[leaf 59, back]
Summer! all
men ar bound to
bless thee,
and thy glad look,
which cheers all
sad folk,

XIV. Balade Put at the End of Hoccleve's Regement of Princes

XIV,
Ceste balade ensuvante feust mise
for du liure del Wegiment des Prin
[See note 1, abuy, p. 57; and p. 195-6, of T. Wright’s edition
of the De Regimine (about 1412 a.p.), Roxb. Club, 1860.
In 5-measure eights, abab, bedc.]
(1)
litil book? / who yaf thee hardynesse
Thy wordes to pronounce in the presence
Of kynges ympe and Princes worthynesse,
Syn thow al nakid art of eloquence 4
And why approchist thow his excellence,
Vnelothid, sauf thy kirtil bare also?
J am right seur, his humble pacience
Thee yeueth hardynesse to do so.
[2]
But o thyng woot I wel; go wher thow go,
I am so pryuee vn-to thy sentence,
Thow haast, and art / and wilt been eueremo,
To his hynesse of swich benevolence !
Thogh thow nat do him due reverence
In wordes / thy cheertee nat is the lesse.
And if lust be, to his magnificence,
Do by thy reed / his welthe it shal witnesse !
[3]
Byseeche him, of his gracious noblesse,
Thee holde exeusid of thyn innocence
Of! endytynge / and with hertes humblesse,
If any thyng thee passe of negligence,
Byseeche him of mercy and indulgence,
And þat, for thy good wil! / he be nat fo
To thee / put al seist of loues feruence !
put knowith god? / whom no thyng is hid fro.
Cest tout.
' hert—ed, Wright (MS. Reg. 17, D. VI.) he—ed

XV. Balade to King Henry V, for Money

XV. BALADE TO HENRY V, FOR MONEY.
[XV. ]
{ Eten au Rov, qve dicu pardoint!
[1
Ween Kyng, our lord ful gracious,
We, humble lige men to your hynesse,
Meekly byseechen yow (0 kyng pitous !)
Tendre pitee haue on our sharp distresse ;
For, but the flood of your rial largesse
Flowe vp on vs / gold hath ys in swich hate,
þat of his loue and cheertee the seantnesse
Wele arte vs three! to trotte yn-to Newgate.
[2]
Benigne lige lord! o hauene & yate
Of our confort! let your hy worthynesse
Oure indigences softne / & abate!
In yow lyth al / yee may our greef redresse !
The somme þat we in our bilt expresse,
Ts nat excessif ne outrageous ;
Our long seruice also berith witnesse,
We han for it be ful laborious
[3]
O lige lord, þat han be plenteuous
Vn-to your Liges / of your grace algate,
Styntith nat now for to be bounteuous
To vs, your seruantz of the olde date!
God woot we han been ay, eerly & late,
Louynge lige men to your noblesse.
Lat nat the strook' of indigence vs mate,
O wortliy Prince! mirour of prowesse !
Cest tout.
' There were 4: Hoccleve, Baillay, Hethe and Offorde, on p,
60, 1. 25-6.

XVI. Balade to My Master Carpenter

ni awn Vas ~ RQ heldh, 4 C
WIÞ TL. aettel woysedd thaws
XVI. BALADE TO MY MAISTER CARPENTER. 63
[XVL.]
[Balade to mv maister Carpenter. | [leaf $1)
GA adB&cd
D. &e. [Credi-
tors].
| Ceste balade
feust tendrement
considere, & bone-
ment execute.
[In 5-measure sevens, ababd, cc.]
[1]
Ne heer, my maister Carpenter,! I yow preye,
How many ehalenges ageyn me be ;
And I may nat deliure hem by no weye,
So me werreyeth coynes scarsetee,
That ny Cousin is to necessitee,
For why, vn-to yow seeke I for refut,
Which þat of confort am ny destitut.
[2]
Tho men / whos names I aboue expresse,
Fayn wolden þat they and I enene were:
And so wolde I / god take I to witnesse !
I woot wel, I moot heere / or elles where
Rekne of my dettes / & of hem answere.
Myn herte, for the dreede of god & awe,
Fayn wolde it qwyte / & for eonstreynt of lawe.
[By
But, by my trouthe / nat wole it betyde }
And therfore, as faire as J can & may,
With aspen herte / I preye hem abyde,
And me respyte / to sum lenger day.
Mr. Carpenter,
T ean’t pay my
creditors.
Help me!
They want their
money.
And Ido wish 1
eould pay em,
But, upon my
word, I can’t.
Some of hem grante / and some of hem seyn ‘ nay !’
Some won’t giv
me time. This
And I so sore ay dreede an aftir elap,
That it me reueth many a sleep & nap.
[4]
If þat it lykid / vn-to your goodnesse,
To be betwixt [hem] and me, swich a mene
stops my sleeping.
[leaf 41, backj
1 ‘Carpenter’ is written over an erasure, the original having probably another
name, to whose owner it had been sent, as it was doubtless afterwards sent to
other moneyful folk.
(1417-88), its M.P. and benefactor &c., born 1370, died
Carpenter was no doubt the famous town-clerk of London
1441.

XVII. Balade by the Court of Good Company, to Sir Henry Somer

THE COURT OF GOOD COMPANY, TO H. SOMER,
a\s þat I mighte kept be fro duresse £
Myn heuy thoglites wolde it voide elene.
As your good plesanee is / this thyng demene!
How wel þat yee doon / & how soone also,
I suffre! may in qwenehynge of my wo.
Cest tout.
[XVID]
Ceste balade cnsuvante feust, par la Court
ve bone conpaignic, enusiee a lonure
sire Henri Sommer, Chauneeller de
lesehequer,? & bn de la diede
Court.
[After 1408. In 5-measure sevens, ababb, cc.]
(1
Wes sir, and our freend speezal,
And felawe, in this eas / we calle yow.
Your letre sent vn-to vs / eleerly / al
We haue red / & vndirstanden how
It is no wit to your eonceit, as now,
Vse the rule foorth as we been Inne ;
But al an othir rule to begynne :
(2)
Rehereynge how, in the place of honour,
The Temple / for solace / & for gladnesse,
Wher as nat oglite vsid been errour
Of ouer mochil waast or of excesse,
First wern we fowndid to vse largesse
In our despenses / lhut for to exceede
Yeson / we han espyed / yee nat beede.
1 It’s ‘soufire’ before, p. 50, 1. 20; 54, 1. 58, and at 68, 1. 51.
2 He was to come and preside at the Court’s dinner on the
Thursday following, May 1.

XVI.
a)
G Yee allegge eek! / how a rule hath be kept
Or this / which was good / as yee haue herd seyn ;
But it now late / cessid hath, & slept ;
Which good yow thynkith / were vp take ageyn:
And but if it so be / our Court certeyn,
Nat likly any whyle is to endure ;
As hath in mowthe, many a creature.
[4]
Yee wolden, þat in conseruacioun 22
Of our honour / & eek! for our profyt,
þat thentente of our old fundacioun
Obserued mighte been / & to þat plyt
Be broglit as it was first / & passe al qwyt 96
Out of the daunger of' outrageous waast,
Lest with scorn & repreef, feede vs swich taast.
[5]
Vn-to þat ende, .vj®. shippes grete,!
To yeue vs han yee grauntid & behight,
To bye ageyn our dyner, flour or whete ;
And besyde it / as reson wole, & rigfit,
Paie your lagh / as dooth an othir wight, 33
þat by mesure rulith him, and gyeth,
And nat as he / whom outrage maistrieth.
[6]
In your letre / contened is also,
þat if vs list to chaunge in no maneere
Our newe gyse, ne twynne ther-fro §
The firste day of May, yee wole appeere,
(þat day yee sette be with vs in feere,) 40
1 The great Noble of Edward II]. stampt with a Ship, in
which he sat, bearing his shield on his left arm, and his sword
in his right hand, was issued in 1844, in honour of his naval
victory over the French, off Sluys, on Midsummer Day 1340.
Its worth was 6s. 8¢. The Ship lasted thro’ all our Kings to the
early days of Q. Elizabeth. The half-Noble also had the Ship ;
the quarter-Noble, not. See Ruding, p. 219.
HOCCLEVE, M.P.—I. F

THE COURT OF GOOD COMPANY, TO H. SOMER.
And to keepe it / yee wole be reedy :
This is theffect of your lefre soothly.
[7]
| the whiche, in this wyse we answere :
c Excesse for to do / be yee nat bownde,
Ne noon of vs / but do as we may bere :
Vp-on swich rule, we nat vs ne grownde.
Yee been discreet / thogh yee in good habownde
Dooth as yow thinkith for your honestee !
Yee, and we aH, arn at our libertee.
[s]
At our laste dyner / wel knowen yee
3y our Stywardes limitacioun,
(As eustume of our Court axith to be,)
And ay at our congregacion
Obserned / left al excusacion,
Warned yee wern / for the dyner arraye
Ageyn thorsday next, & nat it delaye.
(9]
Be yow nat holde auysid in swiech wyse
As for to make vs destitut, þat day,
Of our dyner / take on yow þat empryse,
If your lust be / dryueth exeesse away.
Of wyse men / mochil / folk' lerne may :
Diserecion mesurith euery thyng :
Despende aftir your plesance & lykyng'!
[10]
Ensaumpleth vs / let seen / & vs miroure ;
As þat it seemeth good to your prudence,
Reule þat day / for the thank shal be youre ;
Dooth as yow list be drawe in consequence ;1
We trusten in your wys experienee ;
But keepith wel your tourn / how so befalle,
On thorsday next / on which we awayte alle.
Cest tout.
} Wave as much wine drawn as you think fit.

XVIII. Balade to the Virgin and Christ, Englished for Master Robert Chichele

XVII. AN ENGLISHT BALADE TO THE VIRGIN AND CHRIST. 67
[XVIIL]
Ceste balade ensuvante feust translate
Alt conumandement De mow M#Heistre
Robert Chichele.
{leaf 48, back]
[In 5-measure eights, abab, bebe.]
(J
AS þat I walkid in the monthe of May
Besyde a groue in an heuy musynge,
Floures dyuerse I sy, nglt fressh and gay,
And briddes herde I eek lustyly synge,
þat to myn herte yaf a confortynge.
But cuere o thoght me stang vn-to the herte,
Jat dye I sholde / & hadde no knowynge
Whanne, ne whidir, I sholde hennes sterte.
[2]
Thynkynge thus / byfore me I say
A crois depeynted with a fair ymage.
I thoghite I nas but asshes and foul clay :
Lyf passith as a shadwe in enery age ;
And my body yeueth no better wage
Than synne / which the sonle amoyeth sore.
I preyde god / mercy of myn outrage,
And shoop me / hiv to offende no more.
[3]
On god to thynke / it yeueth a delyt,
Wel for to doon / & froo synne withdrawe ;
But for to putte a good deede in respyt /
In May I walkt in
a grove,
and thought 1
knew not when I
should die.
T saw a Crucifix,
and prayd God for
merey.
Harmeth / swich delay is nat worth an hawe.
{leaf 44)
Wolde god, by my speeche and my sawe,
I mighte him and Ins modir do plesance,
Would God I
migbt please him!
F2

68 XVII. AN ENGLISHT BALADE TO THE VIRGIN AND CHRIST.
And, to my meryt, folwe goddes lawe,
And of mercy, housbonde a purueance ! 24
[4]
Mother of Jesus! } Modir of Ihesu, (verray god and man, 25
þat by his deeth / victorie of the feend gat,)
Haue it in mynde / thow blessid womman,
For the wo / which vn-to thyn herte sat 28
In thy sones torment / forgeete it nat!
Grant me grace to Grante me grace / to vertu me take,?
be virtuous!
Synne despyse, & for to hate al that
That may thy sone & thee displesid make! 32
[5]
Jesus, with Mercyful lord Ihesu / me heere, I preye, 33
þat right vnkynde / & fals am vn-to thee !
Iam right swich; I may it nat withseye.
contrite heart! ‘With salte teeres crane I thy pitee, 36
crave thy pity !
And herte contryt / mercy haue on me
jut am thy reereant caytif traitour !
By my dissertes, oghte J dampned be ;
But ay thy mercy heetith me socour. 40
[8]
Lady, I trust by Lady benigne / our souereyn refuyt ! 41
thy prayers to be
saved. Seur trust haue I, to han, by thy prayeere,
Of strength / & confort, so vertuous fruyt,
[leaf 44, back] That I shal sauf be, Crystes modir deere ! 44
My soules ship, gouerne thow, & steere !
Let me nat slippe out of thy remembrance,
Lest, whan þat I am rype vn-to my heere,
The feend me assaille, & haue at the outrance. 48
[7]
Lord, I thank thee To thanke thee, lord ; hyly holde I am, 49
Who diedst for 9 9
my guilt! For my gilt / nat for thyn / þat woldest die,
Who souffred euerve swich a martirditn.
Yit thy decth gat of the feend the maistrie, 52
1 This begins the alternate stanzas to the Virgin and Christ.
2 To betake myself to Virtue.

XVHUI. AN ENGLISHT BALADE TO THE VIRGIN
And þat, al kynde of man may testifie.
O! blessid be thy loue eharitable,
þat list so deere our synful soules bie,
To make vs sauf / wher we weren dampnable,
[8]
Now thy socour / o Heuenes Empcerice,
Fro me, wrecehe, torne thow nat thy face!
Ther as I deepe wrappid am in vice,
Gretter neede haue I / thyn help to purchace !
Vn-to the souerain leche, preye of grace,
þat he my wowndes / vouchesanf to cure,
So þat the feend my soule nat embrace,
Al thogh I haue agilt ouer mesure.
(9)
Wel ogiiten we thee thanke, gracious lord,
fat thee haast humbled, for to been allied
To vs! auctour of pees and of concord,
On the erois was thy skin in-to blood died!
Allas! why haue I me to symne applied ?
Why is my soule encombrid so with synne}
Lord, in al þat I haue me mis gyed,
Foryeue / & of my trespas wole I blynne.
[10]
Lady / wardeyn of peple fro ruyne,
þat sauedest Theoffe and many mo!
Of thy grace, myn herte enlumyne !
For, as I trowe, & woot it wel also,
Thy miglit is me to warisshe of my wo.
Of thy benigne sone, mercy eraue,
Of þat forueyed haue I, & mis go.
His wil is thyn / my soule keepe & saue !
[11]
Lord Thesu Cryst / I axe of thee pardoun |
I yilde me to thee, lord souereyn !
My gilt confesse I / lord / make vnioun
Letwixt thee & my soule / for in veyn

AN ENGLISHT BALADE TO THE VIRGIN AND CIIRIST.
My tyme haue I despendid in certeyn.
Some of the dropes of thy precious blood
joat the crois made as weet as is the reyn,
Despende on me, lord merciable & good!
[12]
Lady! þat clept art ‘modir of mercy,’
Noble saphir / to me þat am ful lame
Of vertu, and am ther-to enemy,
Thy welle of pitee, in thy sones name,
Lete on me flowe / to pourge my blame,
Lest in to Despeir þat I slippe & falle!
For my seurtee to keepe me fro blame,
Of pitee, mirowr, I vn-to thee calle!
[13]
Synne, þat is to euery vertu fo,
Betwixt god & me / maad hath swich debat,
þat my soule is dampnyd for eneremo,
But if þat merey / which hath maad thacat
Of mannes soule, þat was violat
By likerous lust & disobedience,
For which our lord Thesu was incarnat,
Me helpe make the feend resistence !
[14]
Lady! þat art of grace spryng & sours,
Port in peril / solas in heuynesse !
Of thy wont bontee, keepe alway the cours !
Lat nat the feend, at my deeth me oppresse !
Torne the crois to me, noble Princesse,
Which vn-to euery soor is the triacle !
Thogh my dissert be naght / of thy goodnesse,
Ageyn the feendes wrenches, make obstacle !
[15]
Lord, on thy grace & pitee / myn herte ay
Awaitith / to purchace thy mercy.
Allas ! I eaytif / wel I mourne may,
Syn the feend serued often sythe haue y.

XVIII. AN ENGLISHT BALADE TO TITE VIRGIN AND CHRIST. 71
It reewith me / do with me graciously,
For I purpose to stynte of my synnes.
What ageyn thee / mis take hath my body,
Keep me from the
My soule keepe fro the feendes gymnes ! 120 Devil's snares!
[16]
Blessid virgyne, ensample of al vertu, 12] Blessed Virgin,
þat peere hast non / of wommanhode flour!
For the loue of thy sone, our Lord Thesu,
Strengthe vs to doon hi seruice & honour! 124. strengthen us to
Lady ! be mene yn-to our Sauueour, ii a
þat our soules þat the feend waytith ay
To hente / & wolde of hem be possessour,
Ne sese hem nat in the veugeable day ! 1
[17]
The flessh / the world / & eek’ the feend my fo, 129
My wittes alle han at hir retenance :
They to my soule doon annoy & wo.
For why, Lord, dreede I me of thy vengeance, 132 Lord, ue my soul
With merey, my soule in-to blisse enhance !
Worthy marchant! saue thy marehandie,
lo
1o 4)
Which þat thow boghtest with dethes penance !
Lat nat the feend haue of vs the maistrie ! 136
[18]
Excellent lady! in thy thoght impresse 137 — [leaf 46, back]
How & why thy chyld soufirid his tormente ! cee
from the Devil’s
Preye him to haue on vs swich tendrenesse, net!
Jrut in the feendes net we be nat hent ! 140
At the day of his steerne ingement,
Lat nat him leese þat he by deeth hoghite !
I woot wel / ther-to hath he no talent :
Mynge him ther-on / for thee so to doon / oglite! 144
[19]
Whan in a man, synne growith & rypith, 145
The fruyt of it is ful of bittirnesse ;
But penitence eleene away it wypith,
And to the sonle yeueth greet swetnesse. 148

XIX. The Letter of Cupid

O Christ the
Judge,
mix Mercy with
thy Judgment!
O Queen,
pray for us, and
bring us to bliss!
I, Cupid, whom
gods, devils, and
men obey,
greet my subjects.
1-1 The Lettre of Cupide, god of Loue, B (Bodley MS. 638, leaf 38 bk.)
2 Amoris T, (Tanner MS. 346, If. 41). Cvpide B. 4 quhois 8. (But few of
the after variations of spelling are given.) 5-5 onely S. (MS. Arch. Seld. B.
24, If. 211 bk.) %® of the ... oonly F, The postin Cithera soi sothly S.
7 subditiv §

XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
O steerne Iuge / with thy rightwisnesse,
Medle thy mercy / and shewe vs fauour !
Vn-to our soules, maad to thy liknesse,
Graunte pardoun of our stynkyng errour ! 152
[20]
O glorious qweene / to the repentaunt 153
þat art refuyt / socour and medecyne !
Lat nat the foule feend make his auaunt,
þat he hath thee byreft any of thyne! 156
Thurgh thy prayere, thow thy sone enclyne
His merciable grace / on vs to reyne!
Be tendre of vs / 0 thow blissid virgyne !
For if thee list / we shuln to blisse atteyne. 160
Cest tout.
[End of the Phillipps MS.)
[XIX]
[Fairfax MS. 16 (Bodl. Lib. about 1430-40), leaf 40.]
{ ‘Litera Cupidinis, vet Amatoris,” directa
subditis suis amatoribys,’
[a.p. 1402]. [Hocclyffe (in Storce’s hand). |
[In 68 five-measure sevens, ababd, cc.}
(1)
{ Cupido? / vn-to whos* comaundement 1
the gentil kynredé / of goddis ®an hy,®
And pepill infernal / ben obedient,
And mortel folke al / serven besely,
®The goddesse sone / Sythera soothly,® 5
to al[le] thoo / that to our deyte
ben sugetes? / hertly gretyng sende we ! 7

X1X. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
[2]
In general, we !wol[len] / that ye knowe,! 8
that ladies of honour / and reuerence,
and other gentil wymen / 2haven) sowe?
3suche seed of? compleynt / in our audience,
of men ‘that do hem? / outrage and offence, 12
that yt oure eeres greuetti / for® to here ;
so pitouse is theffecte / of this® matere. 14
[3]
7Passyng al londes / on the litel” He
that cleped ys albyow8 / they most eompleyw :
they seye, that there® ys / eroppe and rote of gile:
10300 konne tho men / dyssymnle{n]!° and feyne™
with stondyng dropes / !2on her eyen tweyne,'? 19
When that her hertes / feliti no distresse,
to blynden womew / wyth her doublenesse. 21
[4]
13Her wordes spoken ben / so syghyngly,}®
wyth so pitouse !chere / and contynaunee,!!
that euery wyght' / that meneth tru[é]ly,
Demeth that they in hert / hane suche! grevaunce.
they sey, so importable / ys her penannce, 26
that but her lady / lust to sechew hem grace.
they ryght' anoone / [mote]}!° sterven in the place. 28
[5]
‘A, lady myw),” they sey / ‘‘I yowe ensure, 29
Was doth!” me grace / and I shal ever be—
while that my lyfe / may last[en]! and endure—
to yow as humble / and lowe in echi degre
as possible ys / and kepe al thing!9 secre 33
1-1 will that know 3e S. 2—? haue we S.
donne thamme S: F reads wymen, as this MS.
passid all ye boundis of ye S. 8 britanne S.
®—10 So can thir mefi dissvmilei S. ™ seyti B.
S; in, Speght 1602. 13-13 Thir wordis ben spoken generaly Ss.
and countenaiice 8S. %— In hert that thai haue high 8
Speght ‘must.? %—!73edoS. lesten 8.
thing as F. S$ omits as.
5 so S.

74 XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, UIS SUBJECTS.
ryght as youre seluen! lyst[e] / that I do ;
and elles myn? herte® / mote brest a-two.” 35
[6]
Butit’shardto fful herd 4yt is# to know / a manys hert ; 36
know a man’s
heart. for outwarde may ®no man)? / the trouthe deme ;
Swhen worde out of his mouthe / may non astert,°
but 7yt by reson) semed / euery wight to” queme ;
8so is hit seyde® of hert / as hit wolde seme. 40
Women are O° feythful woman / ful of!° Innocence,
deceivd by false
appearance. thou arte deceyved / be fals apparence ! 42
; i)
Women believe 11 By processe ®moveth / oft woman?? pite : 43
men, and grant . .
‘em favoursto | wenyng al?8 thing were / as [þat] thise!! mew sey,
a they graunte hem grace / of hir benignite,
15for that men shulde nat / for her sake? dey ;
and with good hert{e] / set hem in the wey 47
of blesful loue / kepe yt yf they!® konne:
thus other while!? women beth y-wonne. 49
[8]
And when the And whann this man) / the ‘Spot hath be!® the stele, 50
man has posses- . .
sionofthewoman, and fully is / in his possessyon),
with that woman / kepeth he not}® to dele
he runs after any 20after, yif he may / fynde[n]*° in the tovne
other in the town,
any woman / his blynde affecciom 54
Curse him! On?! to bestowe[n] / euel?? mote he preve *
a man, for al his “othes / is herde to leve !*8 56
[9]
And for that euery fals man / hath a make, oT
(as vn-to every wight / is lyght' to knowe,)
1 selfe Sp., self' F, seluei S. ? that myn S. 3 herte Sp., hert F. 4-4 Is It
S. 55 non S. 6-8 Quha word may nofi out of his mouth stert S. 77 it
he resonfi any wicht shuld S. &-8 So ItisS.B. ® AS. 1? of Sp., om. F.
1 Stanzas 7-16. These verses are omitted in the Digby MS. 181. —™ womeii
movit of 8, of Talso. 1 that all S. !om. S, 13—} That they schuld not for
thare lone S. 38 he F, they S, ye F. _” This othir quhilis 8, And thus o. w.
¥. 18-38 the pot hath by AS, penne F. ! not S, no more F. °°?
5 1 13 1 7 17 1244 2190 71 51 92.949509 After
5 1 13 1 7 18 1331 2196 47 31 92.949509 yat
4 1 13 1 8 0 169 2228 1162 40 -1
5 1 13 1 8 1 169 2238 186 26 52.605164 ..fundenS.
5 1 13 1 8 2 394 2236 18 16 76.187462 2
5 1 13 1 8 3 432 2237 43 26 77.469429 On
5 1 13 1 8 4 488 2237 34 31 77.469429 A,
5 1 13 1 8 5 537 2244 37 17 76.702515 vn
5 1 13 1 8 6 588 2235 28 26 80.418617 F.
5 1 13 1 8 7 656 2234 22 15 51.417179 *
5 1 13 1 8 8 692 2234 110 26 79.972168 fouleS.
5 1 13 1 8 9 841 2231 189 26 29.325062 oth...
5 1 13 1 8 10 1048 2230 57 27 88.761490 leue
5 1 13 1 8 11 1119 2230 64 31 82.105118 AS,
5 1 13 1 8 12 1199 2229 91 25 57.998138 beiene
5 1 13 1 8 13 1304 2228 27 26 70.891518 F.

or
he !fast[e] spedeth him? / yn-to his felowe : And goes and
F . tells his mates
til he be there / his hert ys ow a lowe ; 61
hys fals deceyt / 2[ne] may him not? suffise,
but of hys treson) / telleth al? the wise.‘ 63. att about it.
[10]
Ys this a faire avaunte / is this honoure 4 GL Is this honour?
a man him silfe Saccuse / thus, and diffame ?°
6[ Now] ys it good / confesse him® / a traytoure, a man to confess
G . he’s a traitor,
and bringe a woman / to [a]? sclaundrouse name, and tell how he’s
. shamed a woman ?
and tel§ how he hir body / hathe do shame? 68
No worshippe °may he thus / to him® conquere,
but grete esclaundre! / vu-to him and here! 70
(11]
[Vn] To hir name yet / was! yt no reprefe, 71 The woman's not
I spedith him fast S (spedeth = sped’th). 2-* ne / may nat him 8. Sat 8,
4 ewyee T. 5 accuse & defaine S. %—® Now Is It good econfesse him 8, ys
it ge. h.selfe F. 7 InaS, Bom. 8 sayS. 9% thus he may hin self 8.
W-0 Bot gett a sclander 8, disclaunder Sp. T. 2 St. 11-16 are st. 1 to 6 in the
Digby MS. 2-” name 3hit is D, nay yet was F, nay BT, naS. om. T.
Mom. S. © so falsly D. 1° wrot 8. 7 athanks, % nede D, rede F, in soch
aneed Sp. ¥%-! cai helpei mei 8. -? Allthouch that men by!
_ subtiltee S, of men D, men F, throngh mens Sp. 7! Ignorant A S.
trayse no wonder Is, sen ye S. * tel F D, tell Sp., tellen 8. *4 om. D.

XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS’ SUBJECTS.
when this traytoure / this woman hath for-sake,
2 to be blamed,
for, al for vertu / was [it]! that she wroght ;
but he that brewed hath! / al this myschefe,
that spake so faire / and falsly! inward thoght,!
his be the sclaundre / as yt be reson) oght!; 75 vut the man is.
and yn-to hir / [a] thank!” perpetuel,
that in a nede!8 / helpe can? so wel! 17
[12]
20Al-thogh of men), thorgh sleyght' / and sotilte,2? 78 No wonder that
an innocent
a sely symple / and Innocent”! woman woman is
betrayed ys / no wondre, sith the*? cyte a
of Troye / (as [þat] the storye telle?? can)
be-trayed was / thorgh the*! disceyt of man,

76 XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
and set on)! fire / and [al] dovne? ouer-throwe,
and destroyd. and fynaly dystroyed / as men knowe. 84
(13]
° Betraied men not? / Citees* grete, and kynges? 85
what wyght is yt® / that kan shape remedye®
Tayens these falsely / purposed’ thinges ?
who can the crafte / suche craftes® to espye,®
tA but !°man, whos wytte / is euer redy?° to aplye 89

• to! thyng that !sovneth / in-to [hy]! falshede ?
  Women, beth ware / of !mennys sleight,“ I rede! 91
  [14]
  And furthermore / han these! men in vsage, 92
  and when they’ve that, where [as] ®they / not lykly ben!’ to? spede,
  no chanee them-
  selves, they feea suche as [they]! ben / with a double visage
  soins for thern. they procuren?9 / for to pursw her nede ;
  he prayeth him, in his cause / to proeede, 96
  and largely 2°guerdoneth / he his®® trauayHe :
  lytell wote?! women / how men hem”? agsaylle! 98
  [15]
  Another wretch’ Another wrecheli / vnto his felowe seythe : 99
  tell a man in love,
  that ‘thow fisshest fayre / she that the hath fired,
  ys fals and° inconstant / and hath no feythe!
  she, 2*for the rode of folke / ys so desired,?!
  his girlishiret and? as au hors / fro day to day ys hired, 103
  daily by others + °
  that
  5 1 12 1 2 2 507 1641 91 30 93.219170 when
  5 1 12 1 2 3 614 1641 83 30 91.618355 thow
  5 1 12 1 2 4 715 1644 156 36 92.442528 twynnest
  5 1 12 1 2 5 887 1640 14 41 92.442528 /
  5 1 12 1 2 6 916 1641 46 30 93.170135 fro
  5 1 12 1 2 7 978 1641 50 30 91.707924 hir
  5 1 12 1 2 8 1044 1652 178 30 91.707924 companye,
  2 1 13 0 0 0 178 1696 1211 225 -1
  3 1 13 1 0 0 178 1696 1211 225 -1
  4 1 13 1 1 0 421 1696 968 42 -1
  5 1 13 1 1 1 421 1699 130 35 96.583321 another
  5 1 13 1 1 2 567 1698 121 30 73.527107 cometh
  5 1 13 1 1 3 705 1696 14 42 93.271812 /
  5 1 13 1 1 4 734 1698 61 30 93.241776 and
  5 1 13 1 1 5 812 1698 105 30 92.799416 blered
  5 1 13 1 1 6 932 1708 36 29 93.291626 ys
  5 1 13 1 1 7 985 1698 78 39 93.081223 thyn
  5 1 13 1 1 8 1080 1699 58 39 96.098312 ye!
  5 1 13 1 1 9 1331 1700 58 29 95.857819 105
  4 1 13 1 2 0 871 1766 69 44 -1
  5 1 13 1 2 1 871 1766 69 44 49.896553 [16]
  4 1 13 1 3 0 215 1824 1173 58 -1
  5 1 13 1 3 1 215 1862 108 20 41.328983 ear
  5 1 13 1 3 2 421 1828 7 13 89.078659 ‘
  5 1 13 1 3 3 441 1826 79 30 93.297958 Now
  5 1 13 1 3 4 535 1825 112 40 91.882538 prikke
  5 1 13 1 3 5 663 1828 46 27 72.705383 ow
  5 1 13 1 3 6 725 1825 60 30 93.274643 fast
  5 1 13 1 3 7 800 1824 14 41 91.047539 /
  5 1 13 1 3 8 830 1825 61 29 96.785156 and
  5 1 13 1 3 9 908 1825 66 30 96.853722 ride
  5 1 13 1 3 10 990 1825 58 40 93.242363 thy
  5 1 13 1 3 11 1062 1826 130 39 91.435379 iourney
  5 1 13 1 3 12 1330 1827 58 30 96.455688 106
  4 1 13 1 4 0 178 1864 1094 57 -1
  5 1 13 1 4 1 178 1868 73 44 81.488655 back’s
  5 1 13 1 4 2 258 1864 79 57 0.000000 turnd,
  5 1 13 1 4 3 420 1882 94 30 96.565941 while
  5 1 13 1 4 4 531 1881 76 30 96.396744 thou
  5 1 13 1 4 5 624 1883 45 28 96.574997 art
  5 1 13 1 4 6 684 1881 85 30 93.059975 there
  5 1 13 1 4 7 786 1882 13 39 93.059975 /
  5 1 13 1 4 8 815 1880 48 30 96.284378 for
  5 1 13 1 4 9 879 1881 65 35 93.285965 she,
  5 1 13 1 4 10 960 1880 135 31 92.444008 behinde
  5 1 13 1 4 11 1112 1881 57 40 96.830750 thy
  5 1 13 1 4 12 1185 1881 87 37 96.304054 bake,
  2 1 14 0 0 0 177 1955 1212 305 -1
  3 1 14 1 0 0 177 1955 1212 305 -1
  4 1 14 1 1 0 212 1955 1177 36 -1
  5 1 14 1 1 1 212 1958 76 26 78.831192 laS.
  5 1 14 1 1 2 327 1958 149 33 86.905327 2allSSp.
  5 1 14 1 1 3 515 1955 47 17 66.383835 %-%
  5 1 14 1 1 4 574 1957 71 25 91.299400 men)
  5 1 14 1 1 5 658 1956 33 32 91.299400 D,
  5 1 14 1 1 6 709 1957 97 32 96.257408 Betray
  5 1 14 1 1 7 820 1959 47 22 41.962776 not
  5 1 14 1 1 8 880 1964 60 17 41.962776 men
  5 1 14 1 1 9 988 1956 88 27 61.852440 BEST.
  5 1 14 1 1 10 1114 1955 172 28 62.710651 ‘4realmesS.
  5 1 14 1 1 11 1323 1957 11 15 53.485798 ©
  5 1 14 1 1 12 1348 1958 41 24 91.004639 hit
  4 1 14 1 2 0 192 1991 1194 34 -1
  5 1 14 1 2 1 192 1994 85 31 56.368900 3,0m.
  5 1 14 1 2 2 292 1994 25 25 56.368900 S.
  5 1 14 1 2 3 357 1993 117 25 35.306046 &ar,S.
  5 1 14 1 2 4 516 1991 47 17 58.013626 7-7
  5 1 14 1 2 5 581 1992 111 33 92.220642 Agayne
  5 1 14 1 2 6 705 1991 94 32 93.263519 falsely
  5 1 14 1 2 7 813 1991 134 33 92.676193 porposyd
  5 1 14 1 2 8 960 1991 29 31 63.991371 'T,
  5 1 14 1 2 9 1006 1991 74 25 93.222122 these
  5 1 14 1 2 10 1095 1991 80 32 93.058685 falsly
  5 1 14 1 2 11 1188 1991 56 33 93.223236 Sp.,
  5 1 14 1 2 12 1260 1991 80 33 93.056694 falsly
  5 1 14 1 2 13 1354 1992 32 31 93.137947 D,
  4 1 14 1 3 0 178 2024 1211 36 -1
  5 1 14 1 3 1 178 2028 64 25 95.844391 false
  5 1 14 1 3 2 255 2028 48 25 92.628319 hid
  5 1 14 1 3 3 317 2028 26 25 88.488335 S.
  5 1 14 1 3 4 382 2027 11 16 88.706100 8
  5 1 14 1 3 5 410 2030 81 23 25.778360 castes
  5 1 14 1 3 6 503 2026 27 26 25.778360 S.
  5 1 14 1 3 7 569 2027 11 16 80.886421 9%
  5 1 14 1 3 8 597 2026 72 33 92.756615 aspie
  5 1 14 1 3 9 682 2026 32 31 92.957275 D,
  5 1 14 1 3 10 732 2034 64 25 93.093269 espy
  5 1 14 1 3 11 809 2026 57 33 92.769249 Sp.,
  5 1 14 1 3 12 881 2034 64 25 92.042740 spye
  5 1 14 1 3 13 959 2026 29 25 81.941727 F.
  5 1 14 1 3 14 1027 2024 68 16 0.000000 2°—!0
  5 1 14 1 3 15 1111 2029 29 30 96.733452 yt
  5 1 14 1 3 16 1153 2025 27 26 93.293243 Is
  5 1 14 1 3 17 1193 2026 73 33 92.310760 quho
  5 1 14 1 3 18 1279 2026 65 33 91.352776 redy
  5 1 14 1 3 19 1357 2035 32 25 96.609734 ay
  4 1 14 1 4 0 180 2060 1205 34 -1
  5 1 14 1 4 1 180 2063 65 25 58.402016 IsS.
  5 1 14 1 4 2 331 2063 31 24 20.370617 In
  5 1 14 1 4 3 377 2062 25 26 38.793900 §S.
  5 1 14 1 4 4 454 2060 68 17 0.000000 2%!
  sowning is to Sp., is sowuynge T, vnto hie S, into hy A.
  18—13 false men Sp. } othirS. ™% T inserts as, where as A, 46—!6 quhare thai
  heii not likly for toS. 1” are D. 38 as D, as they B F Sp., where as T, as that
  S. S inserts men. °° to guerdouf thair S. *! know 8S. * men hem D
  Sp., men F. * om, §. 4— for hir fude of folk Is so disirit S, . . desered F.
  °° That S.

XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS. 77
so lyberal ys / she wol no wyght?! with-sey,
but smertly of another / take a snake ;? alia
snack with
for thus thes wommen / faren, al the pake ; 110 some one else,
who so hem trusteth / hanged mot he be!
112 as women like
ay? they desyren chaunge / and nouelte!” change.
[17]
4Wherof procedeth this / but of envye? 113
for he him selfe / hyre ne wynne® may, When a man can’t
he speketh hir reprefe / and vileyny[e], Telata aire
as mannes blabbyng® tong / ys wont alway :
thus dyuers men / ful 7often make? assay Mi
for to Sdistourben folke / in sondry® wyse,
for they may not / acheven® her empryse. 119
[18]
fful many a man!? Neke / wolde!! for no good, 120
(that hath !in Ioue / his tyme! spent and vsed,)
Men wyste !%his lady, his axyng!! withstood, Tho’ everyone
knows his lady
and) that he were / of hyr pleynly' refused, — 123 vetusea nim,
or wast and}? 18yeyn, wer / al that he had}§ mused ;
wherfore he can / no better!9 remedye, he hegins to lie
. . . about her.
but on”? his lady / shapith him to lye. 126
[19}
‘Euery womman,’ he seyth / ‘ys lyght to gete, 127 He says any

• woman can be
  (kan noon sey nay) / if she be wel I-soght': 7! got if she’s well
  courted.
  who so may ?2han leyser2? / with her? to trete
  Ay / ,
  1 nothing Sp. *smacke Sp. °% Euer Sp. 4 The collations markt D are from
  the Digby MS. 181, in the Bodleian Library. This MS. begins the poem with
  stanzas 11—16 of the Ashburn. version. It then has stanzas 7—16 the same as
  17—26 here, then leaves out stanzas 7—10, then takes as its stanzas 17—26 the
  Ashb. 87-9, 50-6, and after that runs with the Fairfax, its stanzas 87—58
  corresponding with Fairfax 47—68. See p. 92 below. ® wennei S. © blabbyng
  D Sp., babbyng St. B, labbing ST. 7-7 of will mak 8. 8-8 distrouble folk on
  sunder S: distourble T. ° haue D, obtaine Sp. 1 Many one Sp. '—! wolde
  eke D, wald eke S. /—" his tyme in love D. —8 that sithe 8S. 4 askyng' D.
  1 Ere Sp. 16—!6 war planly of hirS. 7 or S. 18-8 vayn att that he had D A,
  ... hath F, none other Sp. 7° onely T. ?! sought D. — leisur haue D,
  leiser haue Sp., leyser haue T. 3 thame 8.

78 XIX. TIIE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
of his purpose / ne? shal he faile noght,
but he ow maddyng? / be so depe ybroght', 131
that he® shende al / with open homelynesse,*

that louen wymimen / nat as° that, I gesse.’ 133
[20]
To sclaunder women / thus, what may profyte? 134
Gentlemen should too gentils® namely / that “hem armen sholde,’
arm in defence of .
women, and in® defence of wommen / hein delyte,
2as that® the ordre / of gentilesse!® wolde :
yf that a man / lyst gentil to be holde, 138
he moot
5 1 3 5 1 3 612 848 55 30 93.229874 flee
5 1 3 5 1 4 683 847 58 30 76.259026 al!!
5 1 3 5 1 5 759 848 68 29 93.040482 that
5 1 3 5 1 6 842 846 15 41 93.015526 /
5 1 3 5 1 7 871 847 113 30 93.015526 ther-to
5 1 3 5 1 8 1000 857 37 29 92.992363 ys
5 1 3 5 1 9 1054 849 179 35 62.670898 coutrarye
5 1 3 5 1 10 1221 842 17 50 81.230164 :
2 1 4 0 0 0 426 900 967 44 -1
3 1 4 1 0 0 426 900 967 44 -1
4 1 4 1 1 0 426 900 967 44 -1
5 1 4 1 1 1 426 916 16 19 91.643867 a
5 1 4 1 1 2 458 904 239 40 37.767517 sclaundryng??
5 1 4 1 1 3 713 907 76 36 93.226318 tong
5 1 4 1 1 4 803 903 14 40 92.120842 /
5 1 4 1 1 5 833 903 26 30 96.943100 is
5 1 4 1 1 6 874 903 49 30 93.250809 his
5 1 4 1 1 7 939 905 84 37 91.791176 grete
5 1 4 1 1 8 1038 900 220 41 3.231926 aduersarye.®
5 1 4 1 1 9 1332 900 61 30 30.720596 140
2 1 5 0 0 0 186 981 1208 390 -1
3 1 5 1 0 0 186 981 1208 390 -1
4 1 5 1 1 0 875 981 71 43 -1
5 1 5 1 1 1 875 981 71 43 79.407799 [21]
4 1 5 1 2 0 426 1045 965 45 -1
5 1 5 1 2 1 426 1052 29 29 92.916412 A
5 1 5 1 2 2 471 1050 85 31 91.616951 foule
5 1 5 1 2 3 571 1049 121 41 0.000000 thing!
5 1 5 1 2 4 708 1060 36 29 92.911377 ys
5 1 5 1 2 5 758 1049 15 41 92.911377 /
5 1 5 1 2 6 789 1049 34 29 93.293587 of
5 1 5 1 2 7 837 1052 90 35 93.243851 tonge
5 1 5 1 2 8 944 1051 31 26 97.000343 to
5 1 5 1 2 9 993 1048 36 29 91.921227 be
5 1 5 1 2 10 1046 1046 115 41 82.536530 lyght';
5 1 5 1 2 11 1333 1045 58 29 84.845634 141
4 1 5 1 3 0 186 1103 1052 44 -1
5 1 5 1 3 1 186 1118 64 19 95.686462 Great
5 1 5 1 3 2 260 1118 79 20 95.686462 talkers
5 1 5 1 3 3 349 1118 41 24 73.542152 gab
5 1 5 1 3 4 426 1109 49 30 73.542152 for
5 1 5 1 3 5 488 1108 71 30 96.486816 who
5 1 5 1 3 6 575 1118 33 20 93.260094 so
5 1 5 1 3 7 624 1107 153 40 80.311600 mychel!
5 1 5 1 3 8 794 1105 176 41 72.658440 clappeth?®
5 1 5 1 3 9 985 1104 15 42 91.377037 /
5 1 5 1 3 10 1014 1104 136 41 91.316193 gabbeth
5 1 5 1 3 11 1167 1103 71 31 86.509109 ofte.
4 1 5 1 4 0 186 1154 1142 50 -1
5 1 5 1 4 1 186 1154 112 14 15.207043 a
5 1 5 1 4 2 426 1165 53 30 93.306183 the
5 1 5 1 4 3 495 1167 91 37 91.754204 tonge
5 1 5 1 4 4 603 1164 40 30 64.020920 of!
5 1 5 1 4 5 659 1162 103 31 79.887703 men!’
5 1 5 1 4 6 777 1173 33 19 92.837204 so
5 1 5 1 4 7 826 1162 132 40 42.785156 'Sswyft'
5 1 5 1 4 8 974 1172 34 30 93.220345 ys
5 1 5 1 4 9 1024 1160 15 42 93.099236 /
5 1 5 1 4 10 1054 1160 60 31 96.885262 and
5 1 5 1 4 11 1131 1159 65 32 45.542877 so!’
5 1 5 1 4 12 1212 1159 116 40 92.621155 wyght,
4 1 5 1 5 0 426 1218 918 41 -1
5 1 5 1 5 1 426 1222 69 30 96.457443 that
5 1 5 1 5 2 510 1221 91 29 94.728546 whan
5 1 5 1 5 3 618 1220 25 30 94.728546 it
5 1 5 1 5 4 660 1220 24 30 93.304901 is
5 1 5 1 5 5 701 1219 127 40 91.975052 areysed
5 1 5 1 5 6 844 1219 14 40 93.125137 /
5 1 5 1 5 7 873 1230 41 28 96.894592 vp
5 1 5 1 5 8 932 1222 45 26 93.267372 ow
5 1 5 1 5 9 993 1218 85 37 93.099098 lofte,
5 1 5 1 5 10 1340 1254 4 4 35.102280 ;
4 1 5 1 6 0 426 1272 968 45 -1
5 1 5 1 6 1 426 1280 93 27 61.216171 reson
5 1 5 1 6 2 534 1280 36 37 93.163971 yt
5 1 5 1 6 3 586 1276 146 31 67.078445 seweth!9
5 1 5 1 6 4 747 1275 14 42 92.225395 /
5 1 5 1 6 5 777 1287 32 19 96.847672 so
5 1 5 1 6 6 826 1275 108 40 96.696617 slowly
5 1 5 1 6 7 950 1275 62 30 93.237450 and
5 1 5 1 6 8 1028 1274 88 37 90.234016 softe,
5 1 5 1 6 9 1334 1272 60 30 91.181488 145
4 1 5 1 7 0 426 1332 641 39 -1
5 1 5 1 7 1 426 1335 69 29 93.057518 that
5 1 5 1 7 2 510 1333 57 31 75.683548 it2°
5 1 5 1 7 3 582 1333 66 31 95.934067 him
5 1 5 1 7 4 665 1344 94 19 92.780716 neuer
5 1 5 1 7 5 775 1334 12 37 91.437355 /
5 1 5 1 7 6 804 1332 156 31 89.970955 ouer-take
5 1 5 1 7 7 977 1342 70 29 93.113388 may
5 1 5 1 7 8 1061 1344 6 17 92.118126 :
2 1 6 0 0 0 427 1386 967 45 -1
3 1 6 1 0 0 427 1386 967 45 -1
4 1 6 1 1 0 427 1386 967 45 -1
5 1 6 1 1 1 427 1391 86 31 93.129242 lord!
5 1 6 1 1 2 537 1401 32 20 92.959236 so
5 1 6 1 1 3 585 1390 82 30 92.959236 thise
5 1 6 1 1 4 682 1400 71 20 92.211060 men
5 1 6 1 1 5 768 1388 14 43 92.211060 /
5 1 6 1 1 6 798 1389 73 30 88.758873 beth
5 1 6 1 1 7 888 1392 102 36 95.149223 trusty
5 1 6 1 1 8 1007 1388 32 31 93.139381 in
5 1 6 1 1 9 1055 1398 72 29 91.937767 asay
5 1 6 1 1 10 1142 1389 5 29 91.937767 !
5 1 6 1 1 11 1335 1386 59 29 96.678436 147
2 1 7 0 0 0 186 1533 1209 44 -1
3 1 7 1 0 0 186 1533 1209 44 -1
4 1 7 1 1 0 186 1533 1209 44 -1
5 1 7 1 1 1 186 1548 54 20 83.217842 Tho’
5 1 7 1 1 2 251 1554 39 14 0.000000 one
5 1 7 1 1 3 300 1553 83 15 0.000000 woman
5 1 7 1 1 4 427 1536 163 40 41.916382 Al-be-hyt
5 1 7 1 1 5 605 1536 68 30 96.437943 that
5 1 7 1 1 6 689 1535 107 31 79.380623 man)?!
5 1 7 1 1 7 814 1535 98 41 91.793571 fynde
5 1 7 1 1 8 927 1536 15 41 93.233383 /
5 1 7 1 1 9 957 1534 50 32 32.024555 07?
5 1 7 1 1 10 1024 1538 125 27 69.579628 woman)
5 1 7 1 1 11 1165 1545 87 29 92.017807 nyce,
5 1 7 1 1 12 1335 1533 60 30 96.913811 148
2 1 8 0 0 0 186 1578 849 55 -1
3 1 8 1 0 0 186 1578 849 55 -1
4 1 8 1 1 0 186 1578 766 19 -1
5 1 8 1 1 1 186 1578 18 19 93.257629 is
5 1 8 1 1 2 214 1578 124 19 89.986359 inconstant
5 1 8 1 1 3 947 1592 5 5 62.143059 .
4 1 8 1 2 0 427 1590 608 43 -1
5 1 8 1 2 1 427 1593 203 37 91.456482 In-constant,
5 1 8 1 2 2 647 1592 134 30 93.078522 recheles
5 1 8 1 2 3 796 1590 14 43 93.020668 /
5 1 8 1 2 4 827 1602 32 20 93.305855 or
5 1 8 1 2 5 875 1592 160 38 90.308083 varriable,
2 1 9 0 0 0 185 1648 1211 268 -1
3 1 9 1 0 0 427 1648 782 40 -1
4 1 9 1 1 0 427 1648 782 40 -1
5 1 9 1 1 1 427 1648 209 40 79.464470 23Deynouse,
5 1 9 1 1 2 654 1659 32 19 93.262459 or
5 1 9 1 1 3 702 1648 148 40 45.129276 proude?s
5 1 9 1 1 4 866 1648 14 40 92.932892 /
5 1 9 1 1 5 896 1648 133 30 95.929604 fulfilled
5 1 9 1 1 6 1046 1648 34 29 96.869690 of
5 1 9 1 1 7 1092 1648 117 36 96.069962 malice,
3 1 9 2 0 0 186 1703 1208 156 -1
4 1 9 2 1 0 186 1703 1030 42 -1
5 1 9 2 1 1 186 1718 41 19 96.927086 and
5 1 9 2 1 2 236 1717 107 25 84.108482 deceitful,
5 1 9 2 1 3 426 1703 231 41 71.575264 Wythouten?!
5 1 9 2 1 4 674 1704 88 40 91.916443 feyth
5 1 9 2 1 5 778 1715 34 19 96.170532 or
5 1 9 2 1 6 826 1705 70 29 93.214622 love
5 1 9 2 1 7 910 1706 16 39 93.214622 /
5 1 9 2 1 8 942 1704 61 30 93.277168 and
5 1 9 2 1 9 1020 1703 196 40 71.966469 deceyvahle,
4 1 9 2 2 0 426 1759 968 43 -1
5 1 9 2 2 1 426 1761 88 40 68.229736 sly,
5 1 9 2 2 2 528 1764 127 37 92.337242 queynt,
5 1 9 2 2 3 670 1762 60 29 93.229103 and
5 1 9 2 2 4 748 1761 90 30 0.000000 fals®°
5 1 9 2 2 5 856 1761 15 41 93.000038 /
5 1 9 2 2 6 886 1762 32 28 96.248741 in
5 1 9 2 2 7 935 1761 27 29 93.304520 al
5 1 9 2 2 8 977 1760 167 30 7.788544 vnthrift?®
5 1 9 2 2 9 1160 1759 157 41 75.708237 coupable,
5 1 9 2 2 10 1335 1760 59 29 96.803429 152
4 1 9 2 3 0 426 1816 710 43 -1
5 1 9 2 3 1 426 1818 151 37 95.815598 Wikked,
5 1 9 2 3 2 593 1818 60 30 93.250908 and
5 1 9 2 3 3 671 1818 77 30 92.124626 feers
5 1 9 2 3 4 763 1816 14 43 92.124626 /
5 1 9 2 3 5 793 1818 93 29 87.560402 and®
5 1 9 2 3 6 902 1818 47 29 96.906006 ful
5 1 9 2 3 7 966 1818 33 29 93.277527 of
5 1 9 2 3 8 1015 1817 121 37 82.586426 ernelte,
3 1 9 3 0 0 185 1856 799 30 -1
4 1 9 3 1 0 185 1856 799 30 -1
5 1 9 3 1 1 185 1857 15 18 96.768806 it
5 1 9 3 1 2 211 1856 83 20 96.652321 doesn’t
5 1 9 3 1 3 303 1856 69 19 96.828766 follow
5 1 9 3 1 4 966 1875 18 11 16.518345 on
3 1 9 4 0 0 185 1873 1211 43 -1
4 1 9 4 1 0 185 1873 1211 43 -1
5 1 9 4 1 1 185 1886 47 19 96.900993 that
5 1 9 4 1 2 241 1886 27 19 85.327118 all
5 1 9 4 1 3 278 1891 43 14 96.169106 are.
5 1 9 4 1 4 425 1879 37 37 92.759239 yt
5 1 9 4 1 5 479 1875 147 31 91.520004 foloweth
5 1 9 4 1 6 642 1874 85 30 63.211624 nat®
5 1 9 4 1 7 743 1876 14 40 82.248123 /
5 1 9 4 1 8 773 1874 69 30 93.047203 that
5 1 9 4 1 9 858 1874 133 38 25.267668 swich,??
5 1 9 4 1 10 1007 1874 28 30 93.098999 al
5 1 9 4 1 11 1052 1884 152 20 90.125282 wommen
5 1 9 4 1 12 1221 1873 46 30 77.637459 be.
5 1 9 4 1 13 1336 1873 60 29 77.637459 154
2 1 10 0 0 0 183 1958 1213 314 -1
3 1 10 1 0 0 183 1958 1213 314 -1
4 1 10 1 1 0 219 1958 1177 35 -1
5 1 10 1 1 1 219 1962 79 26 11.951637 loom.
5 1 10 1 1 2 316 1963 32 25 79.008675 D.
5 1 10 1 1 3 394 1961 10 16 84.326973 2
5 1 10 1 1 4 423 1961 137 26 88.429039 madnesse
5 1 10 1 1 5 580 1961 44 32 90.357048 Sp.
5 1 10 1 1 6 670 1959 10 16 63.302429 *
5 1 10 1 1 7 699 1969 51 16 0.000000 0m.
5 1 10 1 1 8 769 1975 25 11 0.000000 S.
5 1 10 1 1 9 842 1959 10 16 90.934860 ‘4
5 1 10 1 1 10 870 1959 145 34 61.487926 hninylnes
5 1 10 1 1 11 1034 1959 27 26 80.782944 8.
5 1 10 1 1 12 1110 1959 47 17 23.300180 5
5 1 10 1 1 13 1175 1958 61 26 96.840858 And
5 1 10 1 1 14 1256 1958 62 26 92.981636 that
5 1 10 1 1 15 1336 1958 60 26 38.223003 loue
4 1 10 1 2 0 185 1993 1207 37 -1
5 1 10 1 2 1 185 1997 116 33 96.614525 nothing
5 1 10 1 2 2 314 2005 100 17 96.256660 women
5 1 10 1 2 3 428 2005 28 16 93.186340 as
5 1 10 1 2 4 470 1997 26 30 44.844479 §,
5 1 10 1 2 5 510 1996 59 25 93.300644 love
5 1 10 1 2 6 583 1996 44 30 93.245255 D.,
5 1 10 1 2 7 640 1995 65 33 91.754715 they
5 1 10 1 2 8 716 1996 79 24 91.754715 doten
5 1 10 1 2 9 811 2004 27 16 91.056419 as
5 1 10 1 2 10 851 1996 56 32 91.056419 Sp.,
5 1 10 1 2 11 922 1997 46 23 66.899818 nat
5 1 10 1 2 12 982 2004 28 16 66.899818 as
5 1 10 1 2 13 1024 1995 33 25 90.650299 D.
5 1 10 1 2 14 1107 1993 11 16 70.988777 ©
5 1 10 1 2 15 1130 1994 37 25 93.222527 To
5 1 10 1 2 16 1180 1993 153 33 91.663757 gentillesse
5 1 10 1 2 17 1348 1993 44 33 95.525642 Sp.
4 1 10 1 3 0 183 2027 1213 36 -1
5 1 10 1 3 1 183 2031 46 17 66.655937 7—7
5 1 10 1 3 2 243 2032 90 25 92.297539 thame
5 1 10 1 3 3 347 2031 106 26 66.575226 honour
5 1 10 1 3 4 466 2031 94 25 89.524666 schald
5 1 10 1 3 5 573 2031 26 24 45.747124 S.
5 1 10 1 3 6 638 2029 11 16 45.747124 8
5 1 10 1 3 7 666 2039 51 16 93.105408 om.
5 1 10 1 3 8 732 2030 32 31 92.985710 D,
5 1 10 1 3 9 782 2030 45 33 96.265221 Sp.
5 1 10 1 3 10 841 2033 63 30 96.265221 puts
5 1 10 1 3 11 920 2029 83 25 95.164009 ‘and’
5 1 10 1 3 12 1017 2029 68 25 95.164009 after
5 1 10 1 3 13 1101 2028 138 25 85.154419 ‘women.’
5 1 10 1 3 14 1275 2027 47 17 79.783081 %—®
5 1 10 1 3 15 1334 2027 62 26 96.321526 And
4 1 10 1 4 0 184 2063 1208 35 -1
5 1 10 1 4 1 184 2067 25 25 72.660553 S.
5 1 10 1 4 2 259 2065 199 33 72.660553 gentilnesse
5 1 10 1 4 3 491 2065 10 25 89.318504 D
5 1 10 1 4 4 520 2065 31 26 75.200851 T.
5 1 10 1 4 5 598 2064 65 16 38.367348 '—
must all eschewe Sp. ™ selaundrous Sp., 8.
13 MWS. aduersyte. 4 vice Sp., foule wise of t.S. moche D. 16 chappith and
S. nan S. 18—}8 swight aud so D, swyft ys /andis F. ™ is shewed Sp.,
schewit S. it D, yf F. # men) D. * one Sp. %-*8 Sclee queynt and false
S, Deignons Sp. 74 With out D. - Deynouse and proud §, 7° yntrust Sp.,
vntriste compurable B. 7 om. 8, and reads fulfillit. “5 not D. 7% suche D.

XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
[23]
When that 1the high god! / Aungels formed had, 155
a-monge hem al[le] / wheither ther were noo
that founden was / malicious and bad ?
Yis! al men woot / that ther was many oon),
that for hir pride / fil? from heven anoon :
’shul men therfore? / al Aungels, proude name 4
Nay! he that that? susteneth / is to blame. 161
[24]
Of twelve apostels, oon) / a traytour was: 162
the remenant, yit / good[e] were and triwe.
than),® yf it happe / men fynde[n], per eaas,®
007 womman fals / swich® is good for® to esehiwe,
and deme nat? that they! / ben al{le] vntrewe !
T sel? wel / mennes owne!® fals[e]nesse,
hem causeth wommen / for to trusten lesse. 168
[25]
140! euery man oght™ haue / an herte tendre 169
yn-to!® woman / and deme hir honurable,
wheither his shap be / onther thikke or slender,!®
or he be badde or good / this!” ys no fable.
enery man woot / that witte hath resonable,
that of a woman / he deseended}§ ys:
than ys yt shame, of hir / to speke amys !
[26]
A wikked tre, gode frnte / may noow forth bryng ; 176
for swiehe}® the frute ys / as that is the tre.
take hede of whom / thou took thy bygynnyng!
lat thy moder / be Merour vunto the !
honure hir / yf thou wolt honured be! 180
1-1 gol the hie D. ? fett D. °—% Shuld me for them yeue Sp.
D, that F. °SoSp. ®pareasD. 7A D. 8 suche D, a soch good is Sp.
BST. not D. Mall S. 1S inserts full. 1 owne Sp., oone F.
ought to D. © ynto a Sp.
16 sklendre B, sklendir D.
F, discendit 8, discended Sp.
Y suche D.

80 XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
Dispise thou hir nat / in no manere,
Lest that ther-by / thy wikkydnesse appere ! 182
[2"]
An olde proverbe / seyde ys in englyssh : 183
Ivsabadbird men seyn ‘that brid or foule / ys dyshonest,
that fouls its
own nest. what that he! be / and holden ful? chirlyssh,
that vsetli to defoule / his ovne neste.’
men, to say wel of wymen / #yt is? hest, 187
Men shouldn't and #nat to displesen hem / ne depraue,!
aie yf that °they wol hir> honour / kepe and® saue. 189
[28]
Women say that These ladyes eke? / Scompleynen hem ow clerkes, 190
Clerks write
books against that they han made bokes / of hir diffame,
em,
In which dispisen they / womman[e]s!° werkes,
and speken of hem / grete reprefe and shame,
and eauseles yiven!! hein / a wikked name: 194
thus they dyspysed ben / om euery syde,
and selaundred,! and bylowen! / on) ful wyde. 196
[29]
Tho sory bokes / maken mensyon) 197
on how they how they betraydew / in especial,
betrayd David,
Solomon, &e., adam, dauid, sampson) / and salamon),
and many oow mo / who may rehersen al 16
the tresom / that they haue done and
5 1 12 1 1 9 1080 1588 64 43 96.336784 [ay]
5 1 12 1 1 10 1162 1590 66 30 77.766022 shal
5 1 12 1 1 11 1242 1590 41 31 5.649414 ?17
5 1 12 1 1 12 1301 1592 58 30 96.267136 201
4 1 12 1 2 0 394 1644 868 42 -1
5 1 12 1 2 1 394 1645 84 29 48.684654 the
5 1 12 1 2 2 495 1644 97 30 92.981865 world
5 1 12 1 2 3 608 1644 50 30 92.192039 hir
5 1 12 1 2 4 674 1644 107 31 50.204689 malice
5 1 12 1 2 5 796 1646 15 40 91.577507 /
5 1 12 1 2 6 825 1656 68 29 96.483238 may
5 1 12 1 2 7 912 1648 55 27 93.189621 not
5 1 12 1 2 8 983 1646 223 39 90.828285 comprehende
5 1 12 1 2 9 1221 1660 4 18 86.863350 :
5 1 12 1 2 10 1237 1647 25 19 59.128384 18
2 1 13 0 0 0 394 1700 969 113 -1
3 1 13 1 0 0 394 1700 969 113 -1
4 1 13 1 1 0 394 1700 969 42 -1
5 1 13 1 1 1 394 1701 64 30 96.253975 Was
5 1 13 1 1 2 474 1701 69 30 93.266457 that
5 1 13 1 1 3 559 1700 121 40 86.479759 theys!
5 1 13 1 1 4 697 1701 115 30 41.415924 elerkes
5 1 13 1 1 5 828 1712 75 29 92.209251 seyn
5 1 13 1 1 6 920 1700 14 42 93.195145 /
5 1 13 1 1 7 949 1704 35 37 96.852547 yt
5 1 13 1 1 8 999 1702 76 30 96.649704 hath
5 1 13 1 1 9 1092 1705 88 28 87.149849 noon
5 1 13 1 1 10 1195 1703 87 31 87.063477 ende.
5 1 13 1 1 11 1303 1704 60 30 96.798218 203
4 1 13 1 2 0 845 1770 69 43 -1
5 1 13 1 2 1 845 1770 69 43 93.744293 [30]
2 1 14 0 0 0 155 1826 1210 98 -1
3 1 14 1 0 0 155 1826 1210 98 -1
4 1 14 1 1 0 155 1826 1210 42 -1
5 1 14 1 1 1 155 1839 62 24 86.719284 Ovid,
5 1 14 1 1 2 228 1840 20 18 96.499565 in
5 1 14 1 1 3 258 1839 34 19 96.499565 his
5 1 14 1 1 4 398 1826 109 40 92.780609 Ouyde
5 1 14 1 1 5 523 1827 33 30 95.403488 in
5 1 14 1 1 6 573 1827 48 30 93.285744 his
5 1 14 1 1 7 637 1826 111 30 49.003502 boke®
5 1 14 1 1 8 765 1827 15 40 90.231590 /
5 1 14 1 1 9 795 1827 97 30 93.015633 called
5 1 14 1 1 10 910 1831 5 12 84.950272 ‘
5 1 14 1 1 11 929 1829 143 39 84.950272 remedye
5 1 14 1 1 12 1303 1831 62 29 95.495453 204
4 1 14 1 2 0 155 1870 930 22 -1
5 1 14 1 2 1 155 1871 93 21 96.113060 Remedy
5 1 14 1 2 2 257 1871 19 21 96.420990 of
5 1 14 1 2 3 287 1870 54 22 91.657570 Love,
5 1 14 1 2 4 1080 1886 5 5 49.024757 .
4 1 14 1 3 0 156 1882 1021 42 -1
5 1 14 1 3 1 156 1899 79 20 92.374924 abused
5 1 14 1 3 2 244 1884 103 38 85.458168 women,
5 1 14 1 3 3 397 1884 40 30 0.000000 Of
5 1 14 1 3 4 451 1883 85 30 54.991539 loue’
5 1 14 1 3 5 552 1882 15 42 92.203423 /
5 1 14 1 3 6 582 1886 83 36 91.503273 grete
5 1 14 1 3 7 682 1883 118 38 91.503273 reprefe
5 1 14 1 3 8 817 1883 33 29 93.290558 of
5 1 14 1 3 9 865 1894 150 20 51.940941 womimen
5 1 14 1 3 10 1033 1886 124 29 91.308434 writeth
5 1 14 1 3 11 1169 1897 8 27 91.308434 ;
2 1 15 0 0 0 155 1928 907 55 -1
3 1 15 1 0 0 155 1928 907 55 -1
4 1 15 1 1 0 155 1928 828 20 -1
5 1 15 1 1 1 155 1929 43 19 96.277977 and
5 1 15 1 1 2 204 1924 33 32 96.277977 was
5 1 15 1 1 3 252 1934 14 13 96.086197 a
5 1 15 1 1 4 280 1928 40 20 96.453537 fool
5 1 15 1 1 5 331 1928 33 19 96.846817 for
5 1 15 1 1 6 485 1941 6 5 0.000000 .
5 1 15 1 1 7 777 1940 5 5 65.176514 9
5 1 15 1 1 8 979 1942 4 5 0.000000 :
4 1 15 1 2 0 155 1935 907 48 -1
5 1 15 1 2 1 155 1935 67 48 91.894722 doing
5 1 15 1 2 2 232 1959 23 18 90.346985 it.
5 1 15 1 2 3 398 1940 127 37 92.640213 wherin,
5 1 15 1 2 4 544 1941 15 29 76.405350 I
5 1 15 1 2 5 577 1942 103 36 92.884346 trowe,
5 1 15 1 2 6 699 1940 38 29 93.289619 he
5 1 15 1 2 7 754 1940 71 29 93.130280 dide
5 1 15 1 2 8 841 1939 14 41 93.242249 /
5 1 15 1 2 9 871 1944 82 35 92.101349 grete
5 1 15 1 2 10 970 1941 92 39 92.893188 folye,
2 1 16 0 0 0 157 2025 1213 242 -1
3 1 16 1 0 0 157 2025 1213 242 -1
4 1 16 1 1 0 191 2025 1177 37 -1
5 1 16 1 1 1 191 2026 9 16 75.100044 1
5 1 16 1 1 2 220 2027 61 25 84.097382 that
5 1 16 1 1 3 293 2027 33 25 91.842987 he
5 1 16 1 1 4 352 2027 11 25 58.761158 D
5 1 16 1 1 5 377 2027 57 34 58.761158 Sp.,
5 1 16 1 1 6 450 2027 33 25 92.064857 he
5 1 16 1 1 7 497 2027 29 26 75.279556 F.
5 1 16 1 1 8 568 2027 10 15 45.984489 2
5 1 16 1 1 9 598 2027 39 25 49.811115 for
5 1 16 1 1 10 650 2027 25 25 49.811115 S.
5 1 16 1 1 11 718 2025 47 17 0.000000 %-°
5 1 16 1 1 12 785 2027 26 25 96.073181 Is
5 1 16 1 1 13 829 2036 32 24 96.302795 ye
5 1 16 1 1 14 877 2027 25 31 86.701775 8,
5 1 16 1 1 15 918 2027 82 26 93.041016 isthe
5 1 16 1 1 16 1015 2028 31 26 81.060654 D.
5 1 16 1 1 17 1091 2027 47 17 36.710724 4-4
5 1 16 1 1 18 1158 2028 101 34 91.830597 deprise
5 1 16 1 1 19 1276 2029 92 25 92.853737 thame
4 1 16 1 2 0 157 2061 1207 36 -1
5 1 16 1 2 1 157 2070 49 17 92.926117 nor
5 1 16 1 2 2 218 2062 34 32 92.015526 3it
5 1 16 1 2 3 266 2061 24 26 91.799911 d.
5 1 16 1 2 4 305 2062 25 31 65.354324 8,
5 1 16 1 2 5 347 2067 47 20 96.273384 not
5 1 16 1 2 6 408 2062 40 25 96.924759 for
5 1 16 1 2 7 461 2065 27 22 92.818588 to
5 1 16 1 2 8 502 2062 105 33 91.714577 dispyse
5 1 16 1 2 9 658 2061 60 26 86.914810 DBT.
5 1 16 1 2 10 756 2061 47 16 45.965141 ®—*
5 1 16 1 2 11 816 2068 25 26 27.455372 3e
5 1 16 1 2 12 851 2062 69 25 84.611481 wald
5 1 16 1 2 13 934 2069 64 26 62.926640 3our
5 1 16 1 2 14 1010 2063 26 25 77.965408 S.
5 1 16 1 2 15 1074 2062 52 26 0.000000 Sor
5 1 16 1 2 16 1139 2062 44 34 0.000000 Sp.
5 1 16 1 2 17 1222 2063 11 16 82.282356 7
5 1 16 1 2 18 1245 2072 61 17 85.762611 euer
5 1 16 1 2 19 1319 2064 45 33 92.941971 Sp.
4 1 16 1 3 0 157 2095 1210 36 -1
5 1 16 1 3 1 157 2095 46 16 62.333107 8-8
5 1 16 1 3 2 222 2096 137 33 89.738708 complene
5 1 16 1 3 3 378 2097 90 25 58.132515 thaime
5 1 16 1 3 4 488 2097 30 25 93.202293 of
5 1 16 1 3 5 534 2097 25 31 84.616211 S,
5 1 16 1 3 6 580 2096 149 33 91.811539 compleyn)
5 1 16 1 3 7 746 2097 33 25 72.130104 D.
5 1 16 1 3 8 824 2096 11 16 5.548363 ®
5 1 16 1 3 9 854 2097 70 24 95.493958 That
5 1 16 1 3 10 942 2098 61 25 92.984421 that
5 1 16 1 3 11 1023 2098 32 25 81.773621 D.
5 1 16 1 3 12 1101 2097 68 16 4.251461 1
5 1 16 1 3 13 1186 2098 66 33 93.292526 they
5 1 16 1 3 14 1269 2098 98 33 90.747559 dispise
4 1 16 1 4 0 158 2130 1207 35 -1
5 1 16 1 4 1 158 2139 100 17 96.170715 women
5 1 16 1 4 2 273 2131 53 25 95.201447 and
5 1 16 1 4 3 339 2131 47 26 88.533920 her
5 1 16 1 4 4 400 2132 44 33 76.202705 Sp.
5 1 16 1 4 5 484 2131 18 15 0.000000 ™!
5 1 16 1 4 6 521 2140 65 24 89.893646 yeve
5 1 16 1 4 7 601 2132 32 25 60.282394 D.
5 1 16 1 4 8 672 2130 69 16 0.000000 #*—!
5 1 16 1 4 9 753 2131 196 26 90.661812 Disclaundred
5 1 16 1 4 10 964 2132 44 33 60.135693 Sp.
5 1 16 1 4 11 1048 2132 21 17 71.701828 33
5 1 16 1 4 12 1083 2133 88 25 93.252487 blown
5 1 16 1 4 13 1186 2133 26 30 90.592285 S,
5 1 16 1 4 14 1228 2133 94 32 91.980507 belyed
5 1 16 1 4 15 1335 2133 30 25 23.219929 ‘'T,
4 1 16 1 5 0 158 2164 1210 37 -1
5 1 16 1 5 1 158 2164 20 16 35.692295 4
5 1 16 1 5 2 195 2165 118 26 73.739960 betraied
5 1 16 1 5 3 327 2166 33 30 92.955231 D,
5 1 16 1 5 4 377 2166 69 25 77.302719 haue
5 1 16 1 5 5 458 2166 127 33 91.544113 betrayed
5 1 16 1 5 6 599 2166 26 25 79.984276 S.
5 1 16 1 5 7 669 2165 21 16 37.416931 1
5 1 16 1 5 8 709 2167 133 32 90.809425 espeeyatt
5 1 16 1 5 9 857 2166 32 33 93.136505 D,
5 1 16 1 5 10 904 2166 111 34 93.264153 especial
5 1 16 1 5 11 1029 2168 57 33 92.814201 Sp.,
5 1 16 1 5 12 1102 2167 97 34 93.295021 special
5 1 16 1 5 13 1215 2167 27 31 92.066628 F,
5 1 16 1 5 14 1259 2167 109 33 91.926888 speciall
4 1 16 1 6 0 158 2199 1212 36 -1
5 1 16 1 6 1 158 2200 25 26 89.308762 S.
5 1 16 1 6 2 221 2199 67 16 10.384436 18-16
5 1 16 1 6 3 301 2200 72 34 92.633179 quho
5 1 16 1 6 4 387 2201 122 25 16.838388 rehersei
5 1 16 1 6 5 523 2200 85 26 85.414215 schall
5 1 16 1 6 6 621 2201 25 25 0.000000 S..
5 1 16 1 6 7 685 2199 67 17 15.991631 ’—!
5 1 16 1 6 8 764 2201 54 25 91.436485 and
5 1 16 1 6 9 832 2201 35 25 87.643089 all
5 1 16 1 6 10 882 2202 25 25 87.643089 S.
5 1 16 1 6 11 945 2201 66 16 39.494560 18-18
5 1 16 1 6 12 1024 2202 55 25 93.273392 The
5 1 16 1 6 13 1093 2201 82 26 92.001984 warld
5 1 16 1 6 14 1190 2210 60 25 96.247124 may
5 1 16 1 6 15 1264 2205 45 22 96.412445 nat
5 1 16 1 6 16 1323 2210 47 25 96.494545 yer
4 1 16 1 7 0 158 2235 1023 32 -1
5 1 16 1 7 1 158 2235 94 25 50.241631 inalice
5 1 16 1 7 2 266 2235 70 26 52.989136 c.S:
5 1 16 1 7 3 358 2235 96 26 91.224800 wordle
5 1 16 1 7 4 469 2235 32 32 91.574181 D,
5 1 16 1 7 5 518 2235 87 26 90.329224 worde
5 1 16 1 7 6 618 2235 29 27 90.138451 T,
5 1 16 1 7 7 687 2235 67 16 11.706133 ?°—!
5 1 16 1 7 8 767 2235 63 26 95.622574 And
5 1 16 1 7 9 843 2235 60 26 95.622574 that
5 1 16 1 7 10 917 2244 30 18 91.324333 ve
5 1 16 1 7 11 961 2236 43 25 82.065102 S.-
5 1 16 1 7 12 1025 2235 21 16 40.071877 *°
5 1 16 1 7 13 1059 2236 77 25 91.307922 bokis
5 1 16 1 7 14 1151 2236 30 26 92.218658 B.

XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
and every wyght / that lin such case delyteth.!
a clerkys custome ys / whan he endyteth 208
of women, be yt prose / or? ryme, or vers,
3seye they? ben wikke / al knowe he the revers. 210
[31]
And that boke, scolers / lerne in thir chyldehede,* 211
for they of women / be war sholde® in age,
and for to Slouen hem / euer ben® in drede,
syn’ to deceyve / is set al hire® corage.
they seyn, perylle / to cast, ys avauntage,? 215
Wand namely suche!? / as men han
5 1 2 10 1 8 733 858 33 29 96.629402 in
5 1 2 10 1 9 783 858 36 30 93.271660 be
5 1 2 10 1 10 835 858 182 40 45.812057 wrapped,!
3 1 2 11 0 0 71 911 967 117 -1
4 1 2 11 1 0 71 911 967 43 -1
5 1 2 11 1 1 71 916 47 30 96.050041 for
5 1 2 11 1 2 133 926 93 28 96.368294 many
5 1 2 11 1 3 242 925 17 20 94.694801 a
5 1 2 11 1 4 274 925 71 20 94.694801 man
5 1 2 11 1 5 362 914 42 39 93.290413 by
5 1 2 11 1 6 421 911 152 33 69.302101 woman!?
5 1 2 11 1 7 589 913 14 41 87.314301 /
5 1 2 11 1 8 618 914 77 30 93.266968 hath
5 1 2 11 1 9 712 915 230 39 79.213791 myshapped.8
5 1 2 11 1 10 978 916 60 29 95.825256 217
4 1 2 11 2 0 522 985 67 43 -1
5 1 2 11 2 1 522 985 67 43 94.233147 [32]
3 1 2 12 0 0 72 1045 968 40 -1
4 1 2 12 1 0 72 1045 968 40 -1
5 1 2 12 1 1 72 1046 82 30 86.229538 14No
5 1 2 12 1 2 171 1046 119 39 92.838867 charge,
5 1 2 12 1 3 306 1045 119 30 92.838867 whatso
5 1 2 12 1 4 443 1045 14 39 91.256538 /
5 1 2 12 1 5 472 1045 91 39 92.235245 thyse
5 1 2 12 1 6 580 1045 150 39 39.792767 clerkys!4
5 1 2 12 1 7 746 1056 95 29 57.489719 seyn
5 1 2 12 1 8 828 1041 16 48 57.489719 :
5 1 2 12 1 9 979 1047 61 29 96.879066 218
3 1 2 13 0 0 73 1102 695 40 -1
4 1 2 13 1 0 73 1102 695 40 -1
5 1 2 13 1 1 73 1103 35 30 96.779533 of
5 1 2 13 1 2 120 1102 29 30 93.169121 al
5 1 2 13 1 3 163 1102 51 30 91.091530 hir
5 1 2 13 1 4 229 1113 106 29 93.273888 wrong
5 1 2 13 1 5 351 1102 134 39 91.968910 wryting
5 1 2 13 1 6 502 1102 14 40 93.066498 /
5 1 2 13 1 7 532 1102 15 30 96.268822 I
5 1 2 13 1 8 565 1102 39 30 96.860542 do
5 1 2 13 1 9 619 1113 41 19 96.860542 no
5 1 2 13 1 10 677 1113 91 28 79.533272 cure;
3 1 2 14 0 0 72 1159 721 41 -1
4 1 2 14 1 0 72 1159 721 41 -1
5 1 2 14 1 1 72 1161 28 30 93.096497 al
5 1 2 14 1 2 117 1161 50 29 93.015503 hir
5 1 2 14 1 3 183 1160 137 39 91.050980 trauayle
5 1 2 14 1 4 336 1159 60 31 95.579330 and
5 1 2 14 1 5 413 1159 139 31 26.453625 labour!
5 1 2 14 1 6 567 1159 14 40 89.067657 /
5 1 2 14 1 7 595 1170 36 29 96.783325 ys
5 1 2 14 1 8 647 1160 33 30 93.245224 in
5 1 2 14 1 9 696 1163 97 37 64.491760 veyn,
3 1 2 15 0 0 72 1216 702 40 -1
4 1 2 15 1 0 72 1216 702 40 -1
5 1 2 15 1 1 72 1218 70 36 93.287567 For,
5 1 2 15 1 2 159 1217 122 29 92.931206 betwex
5 1 2 15 1 3 296 1226 49 20 92.734833 me
5 1 2 15 1 4 361 1216 14 39 92.734833 /
5 1 2 15 1 5 390 1216 63 30 96.609215 and
5 1 2 15 1 6 467 1227 54 28 93.290642 my
5 1 2 15 1 7 536 1216 105 40 32.297081 lady?®
5 1 2 15 1 8 657 1219 117 35 96.738113 nature,
2 1 3 0 0 0 71 1272 970 155 -1
3 1 3 1 0 0 71 1272 970 155 -1
4 1 3 1 1 0 71 1272 970 42 -1
5 1 3 1 1 1 71 1274 68 30 95.977631 shal
5 1 3 1 1 2 154 1273 85 31 73.088364 nat!”
5 1 3 1 1 3 255 1274 38 29 93.290527 be
5 1 3 1 1 4 309 1274 113 29 91.603035 suffred
5 1 3 1 1 5 439 1272 15 42 93.063385 /
5 1 3 1 1 6 468 1273 93 31 96.143593 while
5 1 3 1 1 7 577 1274 54 30 96.923912 the
5 1 3 1 1 8 647 1274 96 30 96.654114 world
5 1 3 1 1 9 760 1284 71 30 96.465332 may
5 1 3 1 1 10 848 1275 86 38 90.092903 dure,
5 1 3 1 1 11 979 1275 62 30 93.934166 222
4 1 3 1 2 0 72 1328 711 41 -1
5 1 3 1 2 1 72 1330 117 31 53.448227 these}§
5 1 3 1 2 2 206 1329 120 40 92.417229 clerkys
5 1 3 1 2 3 341 1328 16 42 93.233131 /
5 1 3 1 2 4 371 1330 43 39 92.754814 by
5 1 3 1 2 5 429 1328 81 31 0.000000 hir
5 1 3 1 2 6 525 1330 112 30 57.356319 cruel?9
5 1 3 1 2 7 653 1330 130 39 92.695450 tyranie,
4 1 3 1 3 0 73 1385 968 42 -1
5 1 3 1 3 1 73 1387 103 30 0.000000 thus
5 1 3 1 3 2 193 1386 115 40 58.703110 vpon®?
5 1 3 1 3 3 324 1396 155 29 90.529449 wymmen
5 1 3 1 3 4 494 1385 15 42 92.367081 /
5 1 3 1 3 5 524 1386 120 40 92.367081 kythen
5 1 3 1 3 6 661 1386 49 30 92.766144 hir
5 1 3 1 3 7 726 1388 154 39 92.361618 maystrie.
5 1 3 1 3 8 979 1389 62 29 91.640175 224
2 1 4 0 0 0 522 1456 69 44 -1
3 1 4 1 0 0 522 1456 69 44 -1
4 1 4 1 1 0 522 1456 69 44 -1
5 1 4 1 1 1 522 1456 69 44 95.109146 [33]
2 1 5 0 0 0 74 1516 880 42 -1
3 1 5 1 0 0 74 1516 880 42 -1
4 1 5 1 1 0 74 1516 880 42 -1
5 1 5 1 1 1 74 1518 150 40 53.704124 Whylom
5 1 5 1 1 2 241 1518 45 30 96.316147 ful
5 1 5 1 1 3 304 1516 126 40 3.336592 mony?!
5 1 5 1 1 4 446 1518 34 30 93.284042 of
5 1 5 1 1 5 495 1517 102 30 37.814945 hem??
5 1 5 1 1 6 613 1517 15 41 90.893539 /
5 1 5 1 1 7 643 1528 61 20 94.951073 wer
5 1 5 1 1 8 719 1518 32 30 95.827034 in
5 1 5 1 1 9 769 1529 52 29 91.893303 my
5 1 5 1 1 10 838 1518 116 40 91.893303 cheyne
2 1 6 0 0 0 981 1520 57 28 -1
3 1 6 1 0 0 981 1520 57 28 -1
4 1 6 1 1 0 981 1520 15 28 -1
5 1 6 1 1 1 981 1520 15 28 67.605820 to
4 1 6 1 2 0 1003 1521 15 27 -1
5 1 6 1 2 1 1003 1521 15 27 58.963799 lo
4 1 6 1 3 0 1026 1521 12 5 -1
5 1 6 1 3 1 1026 1521 12 5 78.320061 '
2 1 7 0 0 0 74 1573 969 327 -1
3 1 7 1 0 0 74 1573 745 42 -1
4 1 7 1 1 0 74 1573 745 42 -1
5 1 7 1 1 1 74 1574 137 41 25.141846 y-tyed?5
5 1 7 1 1 2 226 1573 15 41 91.490715 /
5 1 7 1 1 3 256 1574 62 30 96.582634 and
5 1 7 1 1 4 333 1585 80 27 96.741699 now,
5 1 7 1 1 5 431 1573 85 30 96.882660 what
5 1 7 1 1 6 532 1573 48 30 93.259064 for
5 1 7 1 1 7 595 1574 146 40 88.227745 vnweldy
5 1 7 1 1 8 757 1585 62 30 96.501801 age,
3 1 7 2 0 0 74 1630 758 42 -1
4 1 7 2 1 0 74 1630 758 42 -1
5 1 7 2 1 1 74 1633 62 29 96.877800 and
5 1 7 2 1 2 152 1633 47 29 93.273911 for
5 1 7 2 1 3 214 1632 116 37 75.236923 vnlust,
5 1 7 2 1 4 348 1642 71 29 96.280975 may
5 1 7 2 1 5 435 1634 55 28 92.211861 not
5 1 7 2 1 6 506 1630 14 42 92.211861 /
5 1 7 2 1 7 536 1633 31 28 96.345833 to
5 1 7 2 1 8 585 1631 68 30 92.685013 love
5 1 7 2 1 9 669 1631 163 40 34.968224 atteyne,?4
3 1 7 3 0 0 75 1687 788 43 -1
4 1 7 3 1 0 75 1687 788 43 -1
5 1 7 3 1 1 75 1690 62 30 93.175102 and
5 1 7 3 1 2 153 1700 84 30 92.565704 seyn,
5 1 7 3 1 3 255 1689 68 30 96.968414 that
5 1 7 3 1 4 340 1689 69 29 96.769867 love
5 1 7 3 1 5 425 1699 36 29 93.202873 ys
5 1 7 3 1 6 477 1688 15 41 93.182480 /
5 1 7 3 1 7 507 1688 57 30 93.258820 but
5 1 7 3 1 8 581 1687 146 42 48.875565 werray?
5 1 7 3 1 9 744 1689 119 40 92.900955 dotage.
3 1 7 4 0 0 75 1744 968 100 -1
4 1 7 4 1 0 75 1744 968 42 -1
5 1 7 4 1 1 75 1747 114 37 76.834702 26thus,
5 1 7 4 1 2 207 1747 48 29 96.877205 for
5 1 7 4 1 3 271 1746 67 30 96.333046 that
5 1 7 4 1 4 354 1746 75 39 96.429901 they
5 1 7 4 1 5 444 1746 72 30 92.618324 hem
5 1 7 4 1 6 532 1745 106 31 34.713852 selfe?6
5 1 7 4 1 7 654 1744 143 42 52.888294 /lakken
5 1 7 4 1 8 815 1757 112 29 91.739067 corage,
5 1 7 4 1 9 983 1747 60 30 90.763283 229
4 1 7 4 2 0 76 1802 770 42 -1
5 1 7 4 2 1 76 1805 74 39 93.291664 they
5 1 7 4 2 2 165 1804 85 30 92.667892 folke
5 1 7 4 2 3 267 1802 153 31 23.062973 exciten®’
5 1 7 4 2 4 435 1802 15 41 92.816742 /
5 1 7 4 2 5 464 1803 44 39 93.280815 by
5 1 7 4 2 6 523 1802 50 30 92.745064 hir
5 1 7 4 2 7 589 1802 134 40 92.342781 wykked
5 1 7 4 2 8 741 1814 105 27 91.698624 sawes,
3 1 7 5 0 0 76 1859 966 41 -1
4 1 7 5 1 0 76 1859 966 41 -1
5 1 7 5 1 1 76 1861 48 30 96.946991 for
5 1 7 5 1 2 139 1865 31 26 93.272537 to
5 1 7 5 1 3 187 1860 144 31 0.000000 rebelle®?
5 1 7 5 1 4 347 1859 130 41 48.165787 agayn?
5 1 7 5 1 5 493 1870 50 20 93.083885 me
5 1 7 5 1 6 558 1859 15 41 92.219208 /
5 1 7 5 1 7 588 1861 61 29 96.503082 and
5 1 7 5 1 8 666 1871 55 29 93.292854 my
5 1 7 5 1 9 738 1861 98 30 73.763878 lawes.
5 1 7 5 1 10 984 1863 58 29 96.160851 231
2 1 8 0 0 0 1243 188 36 29 -1
3 1 8 1 0 0 1243 188 36 29 -1
4 1 8 1 1 0 1243 188 17 29 -1
5 1 8 1 1 1 1243 188 17 29 18.379946 DN
4 1 8 1 2 0 1267 188 12 29 -1
5 1 8 1 2 1 1267 188 12 29 31.029549 —_
2 1 9 0 0 0 1068 334 215 108 -1
3 1 9 1 0 0 1068 334 215 108 -1
4 1 9 1 1 0 1068 334 200 25 -1
5 1 9 1 1 1 1068 334 74 20 96.650757 Clerks
5 1 9 1 1 2 1152 335 80 24 96.636192 always
5 1 9 1 1 3 1241 336 27 18 96.889702 do
4 1 9 1 2 0 1068 369 177 18 -1
5 1 9 1 2 1 1068 369 38 18 93.630409 say
5 1 9 1 2 2 1117 369 82 14 95.753616 women
5 1 9 1 2 3 1209 369 36 14 95.753616 are
4 1 9 1 3 0 1068 392 215 25 -1
5 1 9 1 3 1 1068 392 106 25 96.296852 naughty,
5 1 9 1 3 2 1185 393 36 18 96.935928 tho
5 1 9 1 3 3 1231 393 52 24 96.896988 they
4 1 9 1 4 0 1068 421 214 21 -1
5 1 9 1 4 1 1068 421 63 19 96.528893 know
5 1 9 1 4 2 1140 422 17 19 96.266182 it
5 1 9 1 4 3 1167 422 32 18 91.357246 isn
5 1 9 1 4 4 1209 423 8 18 91.357246 t
5 1 9 1 4 5 1228 424 54 18 74.396645 true,
2 1 10 0 0 0 1069 1050 204 55 -1
3 1 10 1 0 0 1069 1050 204 55 -1
4 1 10 1 1 0 1069 1050 204 20 -1
5 1 10 1 1 1 1069 1050 9 20 45.013847 I
5 1 10 1 1 2 1087 1050 60 20 45.013847 don’t
5 1 10 1 1 3 1156 1055 48 15 84.716904 care
5 1 10 1 1 4 1214 1050 59 20 96.433144 what
4 1 10 1 2 0 1069 1080 132 25 -1
5 1 10 1 2 1 1069 1080 83 20 96.642105 writers
5 1 10 1 2 2 1162 1085 39 20 96.965317 say
2 1 11 0 0 0 1069 1395 185 25 -1
3 1 11 1 0 0 1069 1395 185 25 -1
4 1 11 1 1 0 1069 1395 185 25 -1
5 1 11 1 1 1 1069 1395 86 25 96.336151 against
5 1 11 1 1 2 1165 1399 89 15 96.891449 women.
2 1 12 0 0 0 1070 1525 217 109 -1
3 1 12 1 0 0 1070 1525 217 109 -1
4 1 12 1 1 0 1071 1525 216 25 -1
5 1 12 1 1 1 1071 1526 67 24 96.403419 Many
5 1 12 1 1 2 1148 1525 23 20 93.030617 of
5 1 12 1 1 3 1181 1525 41 19 89.798012 ’em
5 1 12 1 1 4 1232 1530 55 14 95.100250 were
4 1 12 1 2 0 1070 1555 188 22 -1
5 1 12 1 2 1 1070 1557 70 18 96.417831 lovers
5 1 12 1 2 2 1149 1560 60 17 96.322563 once,
5 1 12 1 2 3 1219 1555 39 19 96.720222 but
4 1 12 1 3 0 1072 1585 136 24 -1
5 1 12 1 3 1 1072 1585 52 19 96.261856 have
5 1 12 1 3 2 1135 1590 73 19 96.514534 grown
4 1 12 1 4 0 1072 1615 89 19 -1
5 1 12 1 4 1 1072 1615 89 19 88.857513 useless.
2 1 13 0 0 0 78 1954 1211 176 -1
3 1 13 1 0 0 78 1954 1211 176 -1
4 1 13 1 1 0 112 1954 1176 36 -1
5 1 13 1 1 1 112 1955 43 17 81.975052 1—1
5 1 13 1 1 2 173 1959 34 22 26.880178 off
5 1 13 1 1 3 220 1955 75 26 90.141502 suich
5 1 13 1 1 4 311 1955 128 26 90.494377 delitteth
5 1 13 1 1 5 451 1955 25 25 89.189110 S.
5 1 13 1 1 6 517 1954 77 27 0.000000 20m.
5 1 13 1 1 7 609 1955 69 26 0.000000 DB.
5 1 13 1 1 8 717 1955 47 17 47.286957 %-°
5 1 13 1 1 9 776 1957 110 33 66.334320 Toseye
5 1 13 1 1 10 899 1966 32 24 49.519890 ye
5 1 13 1 1 11 945 1958 26 25 49.519890 S.
5 1 13 1 1 12 1008 1957 47 17 0.000000 4
5 1 13 1 1 13 1069 1958 62 25 93.239937 ther
5 1 13 1 1 14 1144 1957 144 26 92.775047 childhode
4 1 13 1 2 0 79 1990 1210 34 -1
5 1 13 1 2 1 79 1991 33 31 74.626030 D,
5 1 13 1 2 2 128 1991 17 26 74.626030 S
5 1 13 1 2 3 159 2000 50 16 86.757484 om.
5 1 13 1 2 4 222 1990 43 25 86.757484 hir
5 1 13 1 2 5 300 1990 46 16 36.379372 5~®
5 1 13 1 2 6 359 1990 95 26 85.571404 schuld
5 1 13 1 2 7 469 1990 32 25 96.307968 be
5 1 13 1 2 8 514 1998 53 17 89.943817 war
5 1 13 1 2 9 579 1991 27 25 74.947136 S.
5 1 13 1 2 10 645 1990 47 17 12.983208 &—§
5 1 13 1 2 11 705 1991 59 25 90.908897 loue
5 1 13 1 2 12 778 1991 91 26 65.542007 thame
5 1 13 1 2 13 882 1992 58 25 91.760765 euir
5 1 13 1 2 14 951 1993 32 25 93.305870 be
5 1 13 1 2 15 996 1993 26 31 81.593155 S,
5 1 13 1 2 16 1038 1993 60 25 93.155235 love
5 1 13 1 2 17 1113 1992 32 27 92.070900 D.
5 1 13 1 2 18 1183 1992 11 16 92.070831 7
5 1 13 1 2 19 1207 1993 82 25 92.033134 Siuch
4 1 13 1 3 0 78 2023 1207 38 -1
5 1 13 1 3 1 78 2027 26 24 42.426033 S.
5 1 13 1 3 2 172 2025 11 17 38.562744 §
5 1 13 1 3 3 203 2026 61 25 92.331841 ther
5 1 13 1 3 4 286 2025 33 26 43.784363 D.
5 1 13 1 3 5 386 2023 47 17 0.000000 %—
5 1 13 1 3 6 454 2025 30 25 93.288620 of
5 1 13 1 3 7 505 2025 73 33 92.733032 perel
5 1 13 1 3 8 599 2034 62 16 81.719719 men
5 1 13 1 3 9 685 2026 96 26 96.358421 should
5 1 13 1 3 10 806 2029 57 23 93.254265 cast
5 1 13 1 3 11 885 2027 183 33 82.300613 thauauntage
5 1 13 1 3 12 1093 2028 57 33 92.496742 Sp.,
5 1 13 1 3 13 1175 2030 55 23 90.851540 tast
5 1 13 1 3 14 1251 2028 34 25 86.121300 D.
4 1 13 1 4 0 78 2059 1211 36 -1
5 1 13 1 4 1 78 2060 68 16 47.253014 10-10
5 1 13 1 4 2 164 2060 116 33 96.216110 Namely
5 1 13 1 4 3 298 2061 29 25 96.743835 of
5 1 13 1 4 4 342 2060 66 25 96.323044 such
5 1 13 1 4 5 426 2060 44 33 55.508362 Sp.
5 1 13 1 4 6 516 2059 66 16 0.000000 4—
haue in be wrappes B, ben I-wrapped D, be-
wrapped Sp., be-wrappes F, 1? women DS, 35 myshapped D Sp., myshappes
FB. 1 —* Now charge Is quhat so thir clerkis S, charge is Sp.
1 Jabour and tr. Sp. S. 14om.S. ' not D, nat AST, noon F.
Sp. 9 outrageous A. *—9 on selie Sp. *! many D, meny B. 7 them D.
2 ycheined S. * susteyiieS. * verry D, veray S. *°—°6 Thus for thaifie seluefi
S,:ilf D. * excersesS. *reule S. 79 ayens D.
HOCCLEVE, M. P.—I.

82 XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
[34]
neve Dil But mawgre hem / that blamen wommen most, 232
most, suche is! the foree / of myn impressyon),
that 2sodenly / I felle? can hir bost,
and al hir wrong / ymagynaciow ;
Icanmake’em yt shal not ben / in her elleccion, 236
Rn the fouls’ ‘the foulest slutte / of al a3 tovne refuse,*
yf that me lyst® / for al that they can muse ; 238
[33]
But hir in hert / as brenyngly desire, 239
asifshewerea a8 thogh she were / a duchesse or a quene ;
duchess.
so can I folkes hertys / set on fire,
; and as me list hem® sende / Ioy or tene.
they that to wommen / “ben ywhett’ so kene, 243
my sharp[e] pevsyng strokes / how they® smyte,
shul fele, and knowe / and how they kerve and byte.
[36]
Ovid too, Perdee,!° this grete}! clerke / this sotil Ouyde, 246
aed and mony another / han! deceyved be
of women / as yt knowen ys ful wyde ;
Wote no man} more / and that is grete deynte
fo} y ?
so excellent a clerk / as that was he, 250
abusers, were and other mo that koude / so! wel preche,
trickt by women. -
betrapped wer / for aght they coude teche. 252
[37]
And trusteth wel / that yt!® is no mervaylle, 253
Women are upto. ffor women !’ knywen / pleynly!’ hir entent ;
them and their
lies. they wiste how sotyly / they koude assayle
hem, and 48what falshode / they in hert{e]}§ ment ;
and !this clerkys / they! in hir daunger hent; 257
lis the D Sp., is F. 2— sotelly y felle T. 3in all the Sp., þe B. ‘4 to refuse
B. 5lust D. ®& sem T. 7-7 yhurtS. &—® strokis péreyng quho 3e 8. %—® 3e
beri S. 1° Parde D. 1%} 0m.Sp. 1°—™ many D, m. ofie othir haue 8. % Wote
no man S, What no men F. }* full Sp. 35 ought D. 1 ys F, it Sp. 1-7
knewe full p. S. 8-8 yt... thair hert S, 1—!® thus they clerkes Sp., haue for
they 3.

XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
with oo venym / another was distroyed ;
and thus thise clerkes / often were anoyed. 259
[38]
These ladyes ne thise gentils / neuerthelesse, 260
were noon of thoo / that wroghten in this wysse ;?
but swyche? filthes? / as weren vertulesse,
they quytten thus / this olde clerkis wisse ;#
To® clerkis, °for-thy, lesse® may” suffyse 264
than to deprave® wommen / generally ;
for worshippe shul they gete /noow therby. 266
[39]
If that thise men / that loners hem pretende, 267
to women weren °feythfull / good® and trewe,
and dreden hem / to deceyven or offende,
wonien, to loue hem / wolde nat eschewe ;
but every day hath man / an herte!? newe: 271
yt, vpon oon, abide / can no while.
what fors ys it / swich a wight to be-gile? 273
[10]
Men) beren eke this womew / vpon honde, 274
that lyghtly / and wyth-outen” any peyne,
they 1? wonne ben / they can!? no wyght' withstonde,
that his disese / list to hem compleyne : 277
they been so freel / they mowe hem nat refreyne ; 8
but who so lyketh / may hem lyghtly hane,
od
so ben hir hertys / esy in to graue.14 280
[41]
To maister Jolin de Meun / as I suppose, 281
Than?® yt was / a lewde occupaciow
In makyng of the Romance / of the Rose,
1 wise Sp. suche D. % filokes S.
they lasse D. 7 might Sp. & dispraue Sp.
1 wyth out D, without eny B.
so fre T, not D B, Thai haue suich merej /
44 craue D Sp., craue F, To D Sp., I F.
4 wise Sp.
§—9 gf. T.
5 To Sp., The F D.
10 hert F D, hnrte Sp.
2—l? women bei that cat S.
they may no maii with-seyne 8.
16 Them D Sp., an F.

84 XIX, THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, IIS SUBJECTS.
in his Romance of SO many a sly / ymagynaciow
the Rose, to devise
so many tricks to and perils! / for to rollen? vp and doun, 285
deeeive a poor
girl. so longe processe / so many a slye cautele,
for to deceyve / a sely damesele ! oi
[42]
Nat? can I 4seen / ne* my wytte comprehende, — 288
that art and peyn® / and sotilte [s]holde® faylle
for to conquere / and sone make an ende,
whan man a feble place / shal? assaylle,
and Ssoone also® / to venquyssli a bataylle, 292
of whiche no wyght / dar maken® resistence,
Ne hert hath noow / to stondem at! defence ; 29-4
[43]
to
eS)
ta |
Butifittakes Than “yt moot' folowen! / of necessite,
so much trouble
to deceive a syn?” art asketh / so grete engyn and peyne
woman,
a woman }8to dysceve / what she® be
surely she's more of constance!4 / they ben)! not so bareyne
constant than . . . .
some clerks say. ‘as that somme of thise / sotil clerkys feyne ;1® 299
but they ben / as that wommen oghten be,!7
sad / constant / and fulfilled of pite.1® 301
[44]
so ee How frendely was / Medea to Iason) 302
Medea was to t]
file Jason, in the?9 conquering / of the flees®° of golde!
how falsly quyt he / hir affeecion,
by whom victorie he gate / as he hath! wolde!
how may this man, for shame / be? so bolde 306
to falsen®$ hir / that from his dethe and shame
him kept,*4 and gat him / so grete pris and name? 308
) perelous T, perillis S. ® rot D. % Not D. 4-4 say neSp.S, nein F. > part
S. © shulde T, schuld)S. %~-? When) D, Quheii a man schallaf. p. 8. & also
son S. %inay make Sp. ™ to make any Sp. '— mote It falow S, ffolowe D.
2 sich S, om.so. 1—!8 for to Dissaue quho S: what so Sp. 1} confiaunce B,
constaunte S. © be they Sp. 1-16 As ar sum meii Or othir subtile clerkes 8.
V—17 yicht as Women oucht to be S, ought to D. }8 bountee S. }% the grete D,
the om. S. *° flees D, flece Sp., flee F, flesse S. 22 haue D, S om. hath,
“2 durst be D, * flaylen DT. * helped’, om. him, a priss S.

XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS. 85
[15]
Of troye also / the traytour! Eneas, 309 and Dido to the
. faithless wretch
the feythles wrechch / how hath he him for-swore? Eneas.
to dido, that queen / of Cartage was,
that him releved / of his *smertys sore !°
what gentilesse? myght' she / han doon) more 313
than® she with hert vnfeyned / to hym kydde?
and what myschefe ®to hir / ther-of® betydde ! 315
[16]
In my legende of Martres? / men may® fynde 316 In my Legend of
7 Martyrs you miy
(who so® that lyketh therin / for! to rede,) see that oaths ean
Q ; bind no man,
that oothe in no™ behest / !?may no man) bynde ;
of repreuable shame / han they no drede ;
In mannes hert{e] / trouthe hath no} stede ; 320
the soyl ys noght / ther may no trouthe growe !
to womman namely / yt is nat un-knowe.! 322 as women know.
[17]
Clerkes seyn also / ‘ther is no malice O20) Seta
vuto al5 womans / crabbed wykkydnesse !’ like a woman's,
O woman)! how shalt thow!® / thy self chevice,
Wsyn men) of!” the / so Smuchel harme wytnesse ?}§
No fors! doo forth / také!® no? heuynesse ! 327
kepé thyw owné / *! what men clappe?! or crake !
and somme of hem shul smert / I vndertake ! 329
[48]
‘Malice’ of women / what is yt to drede? 330 But women’s
naughtiness
they sle no men / dystroyen”? no citees !
3they not oppressen folke / ne over-lede,”
1 Duke D. * forfareS. 3-8 hertess.S. 4 gentilnesse D. * Than) D, That
FB. 6-§ thare-of to hirS. 7 Cupid’s or Chaucer's ‘ Legend of Good Women’
{Skeat]. Speght wrongly reads ‘natures.’ 8 may men) DT. % om. D. om,
D. YotheneSp.S T. — meii may finde S. #neuirS. 4 not ymk[nJowe
D. % om. D. ' shaltow T. 1”—" Sith D, Sich meii to S. 38—!8 moche harm
alle gois S; moche D, soch (for ‘so muchel’) Sp. 1 and take S. 7° noon D.
Speght’s line is ‘ Beth ware, women, of her fikelnesse.’ !—! quhat so men
clepe S. *? ne distroy S. *—*5 ne not oppresses folk In no seyni led S.

86 XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
doesn’t burt betray Empires / !Remes ne ducheas,!
<Ingdoms or sel
houses on fire. ne men) 2bereve hir landes / ne hir Mees,?3 334
empoysone folkys / ne houses set ow) fire,
ne false contractes / maken for non) hire ! 336
[49]
Women have,as_ Trust, perfyte loue / and entere® charyte, 337
a rule, trust, love
and good morals, fervent® wyl / and entenlented? corage
She thewes® good / as 9yt sytt® wel to be,
han women ay!? / of custome and vsage ;
and wel they kan / al! mannes yre aswage 341
with soft[e}] wordes / discreet}? and benigne :
what they be!® Inward / sheweth™ outwarde sygne.
[50]
Women’s hearts Womman[ne]s herte / vn-to no cruelte 344
devout and
ee enclyned ys / but they ben charitable,
pitouse, devoute / ful of humylite,
shamefaste,!> debonarie!6 / and amyable,
Dredful / and of!’ hir wordes mesurable : 348
(If otherwise, what woman thise!’ / hath not, perauenture,
they’ 1-
nara.) 19Ne folweth nat}® / the wey of hir nature. 350
[51]
Men say that Eve Men seyn, ‘oure first{e] moder / natheles, 351
made all folk 5 .
lose their liberty. made al man-kynde / lese”° his lyberte,
and naked yt! of Ioy[e] / douteles ;
22ffor goddis hestes / disobeyed she,??
whan she presumed / tasten of a? tre 355
wicheh* god forbad / that she ne ete of sholde ;
and nade the denel ben / namore she wolde.’*> 357
1—1 realmis ne Duchess S, Duchesses D. °?— bireven) D, bereueii landes nor
thar soes 8. 3 Messnages, houses and lands, holdings. See Catholicon. *no D.
SeuirS. ®franard S. 7 entalented DB. %-® To D, All Sp., To thewis S B T.
8—9 sittith DSp. 1! ever Sp. ™
5 1 8 1 4 8 717 2090 65 33 92.766609 they
5 1 8 1 4 9 795 2099 84 16 91.997726 conne
5 1 8 1 4 10 897 2091 44 32 91.616684 Sp.
5 1 8 1 4 11 989 2089 22 16 69.527573 ©
5 1 8 1 4 12 1028 2093 80 23 86.738029 swete
5 1 8 1 4 13 1161 2091 25 25 88.733200 DS.
5 1 8 1 4 14 1234 2088 21 16 61.624115 ©
5 1 8 1 4 15 1273 2090 59 25 53.003334 bem
5 1 8 1 4 16 1346 2089 32 26 77.207298 D.
4 1 8 1 5 0 173 2124 1204 35 -1
5 1 8 1 5 1 173 2126 21 15 74.449585 M4
5 1 8 1 5 2 211 2127 66 32 90.196999 they
5 1 8 1 5 3 296 2126 72 26 95.617241 shew
5 1 8 1 5 4 386 2127 44 32 93.598511 Sp.
5 1 8 1 5 5 470 2125 22 16 74.149986 1
5 1 8 1 5 6 509 2125 165 25 78.091461 Sehamefull
5 1 8 1 5 7 694 2125 25 25 86.160416 S.
5 1 8 1 5 8 759 2124 22 16 54.788074 26
5 1 8 1 5 9 799 2125 136 32 89.677238 debonayr
5 1 8 1 5 10 954 2125 32 25 82.510368 D.
5 1 8 1 5 11 1026 2124 22 17 73.424141 1”
5 1 8 1 5 12 1065 2124 54 26 96.290443 and
5 1 8 1 5 13 1138 2125 29 25 93.287758 of
5 1 8 1 5 14 1183 2124 24 25 89.295822 D
5 1 8 1 5 15 1227 2125 56 32 89.295822 Sp.,
5 1 8 1 5 16 1304 2125 29 24 92.664841 of
5 1 8 1 5 17 1351 2124 26 25 89.917786 F.
4 1 8 1 6 0 173 2158 1209 35 -1
5 1 8 1 6 1 173 2161 21 16 82.993668 18
5 1 8 1 6 2 206 2162 61 25 87.424812 that
5 1 8 1 6 3 281 2161 25 25 82.530571 S.
5 1 8 1 6 4 340 2160 66 16 15.159349 1919
5 1 8 1 6 5 419 2160 147 25 91.175812 Followeth
5 1 8 1 6 6 582 2163 46 22 96.334747 not
5 1 8 1 6 7 641 2160 44 33 96.403114 Sp.
5 1 8 1 6 8 717 2159 22 15 70.251968 7°
5 1 8 1 6 9 750 2159 53 25 75.961395 lose
5 1 8 1 6 10 818 2159 32 31 93.107307 D,
5 1 8 1 6 11 865 2163 28 21 89.849579 to
5 1 8 1 6 12 906 2159 51 25 27.563137 lese
5 1 8 1 6 13 971 2159 25 26 27.563137 S.
5 1 8 1 6 14 1028 2158 91 26 30.148249 “him
5 1 8 1 6 15 1131 2159 26 25 67.256638 S.
5 1 8 1 6 16 1188 2158 69 15 36.923004 -
5 1 8 1 6 17 1269 2158 40 25 96.763504 for
5 1 8 1 6 18 1322 2158 60 26 96.622627 that
4 1 8 1 7 0 173 2192 1208 36 -1
5 1 8 1 7 1 173 2216 29 6 49.678574 ..
5 1 8 1 7 2 220 2217 7 5 49.678574 .
5 1 8 1 7 3 241 2196 62 25 92.207977 hest
5 1 8 1 7 4 316 2196 122 32 91.107269 disobeyt
5 1 8 1 7 5 451 2195 61 25 91.976151 sche
5 1 8 1 7 6 528 2196 26 29 91.899612 S,
5 1 8 1 7 7 570 2195 75 25 89.145523 heste
5 1 8 1 7 8 661 2194 27 25 71.205078 T.
5 1 8 1 7 9 729 2193 22 16 71.454559 *
5 1 8 1 7 10 769 2193 45 26 90.498085 the
5 1 8 1 7 11 867 2195 44 31 90.498085 DSp.
5 1 8 1 7 12 927 2194 63 25 89.747437 BT.
5 1 8 1 7 13 1029 2193 22 16 88.192215 *4
5 1 8 1 7 14 1070 2194 69 25 96.624123 That
5 1 8 1 7 15 1155 2193 45 34 79.354843 Sp.
5 1 8 1 7 16 1240 2192 67 17 0.000000 ™—*5
5 1 8 1 7 17 1328 2193 53 25 96.919922 But
4 1 8 1 8 0 173 2229 747 35 -1
5 1 8 1 8 1 173 2231 33 32 81.300865 3it
5 1 8 1 8 2 220 2239 30 25 96.993477 ye
5 1 8 1 8 3 265 2231 63 25 95.653946 fend
5 1 8 1 8 4 341 2231 60 25 93.250656 that
5 1 8 1 8 5 416 2233 85 31 74.363380 agayn
5 1 8 1 8 6 515 2229 94 26 84.350288 stoden
5 1 8 1 8 7 624 2229 69 25 96.087814 wold
5 1 8 1 8 8 706 2229 26 31 68.005844 5S,
5 1 8 1 8 9 749 2237 32 17 93.258514 ne
5 1 8 1 8 10 796 2229 83 26 92.294762 wolde
5 1 8 1 8 11 893 2229 27 25 89.978050 F.

XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS. 87
[52]
The enviouse suellyng / that the fend, our fo, 358
had vnto man in herte? / for his welthe,
sent a serpent / and made hir for to go
to deeeyve Eve / and thus was manues helthe? But it was the
Devil who did
beraft him by the fende / ryght® in a stelthe, 362. this.
the woman ‘noght! knowyng? / of the® deceyt :
gode wote, ful °fer was yt / from® hir conceyt. 364
[53]
Wherfore I sey? this / good[e} woman) Eve, 365. Eve didn’t
deceive Adam,
our fader Adam / ne deceyved noght.
ther may no man / for a deceyt yt preve
proprely, but yf that she / in hir thoght
had it compassed§ first / er yt was? wroght*; 369
and for swich was nat hir!? / impressyon),"!
Men calle / yt may,!* no deceyt}® by reson). 371
[54]
No! wyglit deceyveth / but he yt! purpose ; 372
the fende !this deceyt cast / and nothing? she ; The Devil did.
than ys yt wronge / to demen or suppose
that she sholde of this!” harme / the cause he.
witeth the fende / and his She the!’ Mawgre, 376 Blame him,
and for excused / haue?® hir Innocence,
sauf oonly that she / breeke®® obedyence. 378
[55]
And touching that?! / ful fewe men ther ben— — 379 Ae every man
Vunethes?? any / dar I saufly seye—
fro day to day / as °3that men now? wel seen,
but that! the hest / of god they dysobeye : disobeys God.
haue this in mynde / sires,” I yow preye ; 383
Vharte Sp., hert FD. ? wealth Sp. 83S om. him and reads and ry: right
even) D, by the fende Sp. 4-4 kn. notS. 5 that Sp. %® fer It was from 8S.
7 S inserts that. 8 pwrpositS. %—® orsheit Sp. © hir D, hit F. 1 enten-
cioun S. @—P may calf it D, may it call Sp. disceipt oft her Sp. ™ Ne no
Sp. 4 om. Sp. 1-16 yis desaite...natS. 17 his D, That of his harme she
should Sp. ™—8 hieS. 3 haldS. * brake D Sp. 7 this Sp. ?? Vunethe.
*8—23 men move D, as men may all day see Sp, mow T. *om. D. * Seris D.

wm
v/)
And when men
say women are
unstable,
Task § Wasn’t
Adam change
able?’
Yet God
took flesh of a
Virgin,
and if He’d
known that
woman was so
bad as men say
she is, He’d never
have been born
of her.
She is so full of
virtues that no
man can express
them,
1—1 3¢ wold hold womeii ye S, hir wolde D. ? whan B. % suche D, soch a Sp,
4-4 hoith ware cause symiable S, 0 case Sp. ° MS. fynne. 6 thoiich S. 77 God
dischargit 5.
Ss. % man D.
such D. lows.

XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
yf that ye he disereet / and resonable,
lye wol hir hold[en] / the! more excusable. 385
[56]
And where? men seyn) / in man) ys stedfastnesse, 386
and woman) ys / of hir corage vnstable,
Who may of Adam / bere swiche® witnesse ?
telleth me this / was he nat chaungeable ?
they #bothe weren / in a caas semblable ; + 390
sauf willyngly the feende / deceyued Eve,
and so dide she nat Adam / by your leue. 392
[57]
Yet was this synne® / happy to man-kynde: 393
the feende deeeyved was / for al his sleyght';
for aught® he coude him / in his sleythes wynde,
7god, to discharge? mankynde / of the weight'®
of? his trespase, cam? doun / from the! hevenes height,
and flessh and blood / !he tooke of A}? virgyne,
and suffred deth / him} to delyuer of pyne ! 399
[58]
And god, to whom / ther may no thing hyd be, 400
yf he in woman knowe / had suche malyce
as men of hem recorde / in generalte ;
of! our lady, of lyfe / reparatrice,
Nolde han be born / but for that! she of viee 404
Was woyde / and of al vertu (wel he wyste)
endowed?6 / of hir to be bore hym liste. 406
[59]
Hir heped?’ vertu / hath swieli! excellence, 407
that al to leene!® / ys mannes faculte
to declare yt / and ther-for in suspenee,
8 plicht S. ®forS. 1®come D. “om. 8. ?—™ tuke of a cleyn
MMs. yf. %-1 om. D. Endewed D. ™ happy D, hicht S.

XIX. TIE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, IIS SUBJECTS,
hir dué preysing / put moot nedes be ;
but this I sey / [right] verraly, that she,
next god, !the best frend ys! / that to men longeth :
the key of mercye by? hir girdille hongeth.
[60]
And of mercye / hath enevy man) swich® nede,
that, cessyng* that / farewel the Ioy of maw!
of her power / now taketh® ryght® good hede !
she mercye may / wol,’ and purchace kan!
dysplese§ hir nat® / honureth that woman,
and other women al{le]!° / for hir sake !
and but ye do / your sorowe shal a-wake !
[61]
Thou preciouse gemme / O martir! Margarete,
of 2 thy blood / draddest noow effusion) !
thy martirdome / ne may I nat!® foryete !14
thou constant womman / in thy passyon)
onuercoom? the feendis / temptacion :
43]
and many a wyght'!® / conuerted thy doctryne,
17Vnto the feith of God / holy virgyne !17
[62]
But vnderstondeth / I commende hir noght
by enchesow / of hir virginite.
trusteth ryght1!8 wel! / it cam neuer in my thoghit,
for euer werre y*° / ayein?! chastyte,
and ever “shal / but this, lo, meveth me,”
hir louyng hert / and constant to hir lay,
dryve oute of my rem[em]braunce / I ne may !
1-1 is the best frende B. 2? at Sp. 3 suche D.
D. ShereS. 7 wet! DSp. 8 Dispise S. © not D.
11 of martirs Sp. 1 ThatofSp. 1-8 may I not D.
louer trne, thou maiden mansuete.’ 1 ouercame Sp.
Ashb. MS. god / holy D.
4 wanting S.
#” And all othir women S.
MU Speght’s line is: ‘Thou
16 mai S.
Speght, / holy God thou, 1602, fol. 312, back, col. 2.
19 om. ‘ryght wel’ Sp.
F B omit 1. 441. 38 om. S.
DST. *% AyensD, — I shat / but lo this mouyth D, (lo this) Sp, lo this
commend me 8.

XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
[63]
In any boke also / where can ye fynde, -
(that of the werkis / tor the! dethe or lyfe
of Ihesn speketh / or maketh any mynde,)
that wommen him forsook? / for woo or stryfe?
wher was ®ther any wyght' / so ententyfe*
a-bouten* him / as women? pardee® noon)!
thapostels hym forsoken® / euerychon) !
[64]
Womman) forsooke hyn) noght / for al the feyth
of holy chirche / in womman left oonly :
this is no lees / for thus’ holy wryt seyeth.
Lok! and ye shal so fynde yt / hardely ;®
and therfore I may preve / wel herby,®
that in womman regneth / stable constance ;
and in men / ys the!® chaunge and?! variance!
[65]
Now holdeth this for ferme / and for no lye,
that this 2trew / and Inst! ecommendacion)
of women, tolde!’ / I nat™ for flaterye,
ne to cause hem? pride / or?® elacion,
but oonly loo / for this entencion,
to yeve hem corage / of pevseneraunce
In vertu / and” hir honure to enhaunee.!*
[66]
The more vertu / the lasse is the pride.
vertu so digne is / and so noble in kynde,
that vice and [s]he! / wol not*° in feere abide :
[s]he putteth vyce2! / clene out of hi{r] mynde,
[s]he fleeth from him / [s]he leneth” him behynde!
2 hym) forsoke D, him forsook Sp. F. %—3 any so Inly ententife
5 proued Sp., for ee 6 The Apostelis forsoke hym D, him
om. S. 8 redely S. %-® prove wet therhy

XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, IIS SUBJECTS.
O womman) / that of wertu art hostesse,!
gret ys thyn honor / and thy worthynesse ! 462
[67]
Than wol we thus / coneluden and dyflyne : 463
we yow comaunde / oure Ministres echon,
that redy 2been / to oure hestes? enclyne,
that, of thise false? men / our reble* foon),
ye do punyshement® / and that anoom ! 467
voide Shem our® court / and banyssh hem? for euer,
so that Sther-in / they ne come more§ neuer. 469
[68]
fulfilled be °yt / cessyng al delay !° 470
look [that]!° ther be noow / excusaciom
Nwriter in the ayer / the lusty!! moneth of May,
In oure paleys / where many A Milion)
of louers trwe / han habitacion), 474
the yere of grace / Ioyful and Ioeunde
A thousand and}? foure houndred / and}3 secounde, £76
@ Explicit W/era Cupidinis “dei amatoris
directa suis subditis.
(In a late hand, Stowe’s?) T. hoeleve.
1 hostresse Sp., Hostes 8. 2-2 ye be oure hestes to Sp.
3 false Sp., om. FD. 4 rebell Sp. -5 pnnicioni S. &-® thame
3ourS. 7thameS. ®—% here after therin they come D, therein
more come they Sp. %-® this precept without DS. 1 § in-
serts that. — Wretyn) in the lusty D Sp. (Read ‘th? ayer’
as one syllable.) 17 om. DSp.S. the D. “4—4 Explicit ete
S. directa subditis suis amatoribus D T, the lettre of Cupide
god of loue directed to his suggestys louers, B. [At end of
line, and of other poems, ‘Lyty’; ? the rubricator, B.]

XIX. THE LETTER OF CUPID TO LOVERS, HIS SUBJECTS.
The title of the poem in Stowe’s edition of 1561,
Fol. ecexxvi, back, and in Speght’s edition of 1602, is:
“The Letter of Cupide. This letter was made by
Thomas Occlene of the office of the priuy Seale,
Chaucers scholler; and was by him termed, A Trea-
tise of the conuersation of men and women in the
little Island of Albion: which gate him such hatred
among the gentlewomen of the Court, that he was
inforced to recant in that booke of his, called
Planctus proprius.” 1—Speght 1602, Fol. 310, back,
col. 1, at foot.
1 The Complaint that follows here, from the Durham MS.
The Fairfax MS has the stanzas of the Letter of
Cupid in the following wrong order: 1-6, 17-26, 7-9,
30-36, 47-9, 10-16, 37-9, 50-9, 40-6, 27-9, 60, 61-2,
63-4, 65-8. In the text above, the stanzas are set in
the right order of Hoccleve’s autograph Ashburnham
MS, which was got only at the last moment, years after
the Fairfax MS had been printed, and collated with a
lot of other poor MSS, and when I had no hope of
getting access to the Ashburnham MS.
Speght has the order of stanzas right to no. 60, but
then puts 63, 64 before 61, 62. Nos. 65-8 he has
right.
A partial collation of the Ashburnham MS, as well
as of Shnley’s MS at Trinity Coll. Cambridge, is given
in the Notes below, with extracts from Christine de
Pisan’s L’ Epistre de Cupide, from which Hoccleve
adapted his poem. Mr. Gollanez will print the Ash-
burnham MS as Part II of Hoccleve’s Minur Poems for
the Early English Text Society.

II. MOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT, &c.
DURHAM MS.
Collated in part with MS. Arch. Seld. Supra 53 (Bodleian Library).

9+
Durham MS. IIl. 9.
After the two fly-leaves, the first 10 paper leaves of the poem—
all the Complaint, and the beginning of the D/alog—are in the
handwriting of John Stowe, the Chronicler.
Collation of vellum sheets: a@ and J in eights missing; ¢, «, e, f,
g, h, 2, k,l, m, in eights; 2 1—83.

XX. Thomas Hoccleve's Complaint

(Durham Hoccleve: III. 9.]
Chamas Porclive(’s Complaint.’]
[The Prolog.]
(1)
A - fter that hervest Inned had his sheves,2 1
and that the broune* season of myhelmesse
was come, and gan the trees robbe of ther> leves
That grene had bene® / and in lusty fresshnesse,
and them’ in-to colowre / of yelownesse 5
hadd dyen® / and doune throwne vndar? foote,
that chaunge sank! / into myne herte roote. 7
(2)
for freshely browght it! / to my remembraunce, 8
that stablenes in this worlde is there none 5
there is no thinge / but chaunge and variaunce ;
how welthye? a man be / or well be-gone,!8
endure it shall not / he shall it for-gon."4
deathe® vnder fote / shall hym thrist adowne :
that is every wites!® / conclusyon. 14
(3)
whiche for to weyue / is in no mannes!” myght, 15
usty, freshe, and gay.
and in the ende / of novembar, vpon a nyght,
[The various readings are from the Selden MS, unless markt
Dm. for the Durham MS, or St. for Stowe’s part of the Durham
MS.) ! Pencil: Jater, 2 W. Browne [in margin].
$ broun, Selden ; brome, Stowe. + sesoun ° her ® ben
Them §Sdied 9% throwen vndir alterd from ‘sange’ in Dm,
1 brou3te it! [browght Dm] 1 welthi 18 wel be-goon
Mt for-goon 1 Decth 16 wi3tes mannes (mans, St.)

XX. HOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT. 1 LOST MY WITs.
syghenge sore / as I in my bed lay,
for this and othar thowghts! / whiche many_a day 19
before? I.toke / sleape cam none_in.myne_eye,
so vexyd me / the thowghtfull maladye. 2)
(4)
I see well, sythen® I with sycknes last
was scourged / clowdy hath bene the favonre
pre And
that shone [on]* me / full bright in tymes past ;
the sonne abatid / and the derke showre
hildyd downe right on me / and in langour Ae
he® made [me] swyme / so that my wite®
to lyve / no lust hadd, ne [no]? delyte. 28
(5)
The grefe abowte / my® harte so® [sore] swal 29
and bolned evar / to and to so sore,
that nedes / oute I mustfe] there-with-all ;
I thowght I nolde it kepe!® cloos no more,
ne lett it in me / for to olde!! and hore ; 33
and for to preve!2 / I cam of a woman,
I brast oute on the morowe / and thus began. 35
here endythe my prologe . and folowythe my
complaynt.
[The Complaint. |
(6)
A lmyghty god / as lykethe his goodnes, 36
visytethe folks?8 alday / as men may se,
with lose of good / and hodily sikenese,
and amonge othar / he forgat not me ;
witnes vppon the wyld infirmytie 40
which that I had / as many a man well knewe,
and whiche me owt of my selfe™ / cast and threw. 42
! opir pou3tis ? Byforne * I sy wel sithin 4 shoon on
5 Me © spirite (for wite) 7 ne no [no added above the line]
Smyn so sore [sore added above the line]? nolde / kepe it!
1 eelde 72 preue: pryve St. 18 vesitep folke 14 silfe

I GOT WELL, BUT OLD FRIENDS
(7)
It was so knowen to the people / and kouthe,
that eownsell was it none / ne none be inyght[e] ;
how it with me stode / was in every mans! mowtlic,
and that full sore / my fryndes? affright[e] ;
they for myne helthe / pilgrimages hight{e], 47
and sowght them? / some on hors and some on foote,—
god yelde it them* /— to get[en] me [my] bote.* 49
(8)
but althowghe the substaunce / of my memory
went{e] to pley / as for a certayne space,
yet the lorde of vertew / the kynge of glory,
of his highe myght / and® [his] benynge grace,
made it to returne / in-to the place
ot
when[ne]s it cam / whiche® at all hallwe messe,
(9)
And evere? sythen /—thanked he god owr lord,
of his good® reconsiliacion,—
my wyt and I / have bene of suche accorde
as we were / or the alteracion
of it was / but by my savacion, 61
[Sith] that® tyme have I he / sore sett on fire,
and lyved in great torment / and martire ;
(10)
for thowgh that my wit_/ were home! come agayne,
men_wolde it not! so vnderstond or take ;
Cs
with me to dealé / hadden they dysdayne ;
a ryotows person T was / and forsake ;
myn olde ffrindshipe / was all ovarshake ; 68
no wyte!? withe me lyst make daliance ;
the worlde me made a strannge continance, 70
? frendis: frynds St. 3 hem
6 was St. om. was 7 every St.
3 Sith þat 20 hoom
2 wi3t
Il

98 HOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT.
(11)
whiche! that myne herte / sore gan? torment[e| ;
for ofte whan I / in westniynster hallfe],
and eke in london / amonge the prese* went[e],
I se# the chere / abaten and apalle
of thein® that weren wonte me for to calle
to companye / her heed they caste a-wry[e],
when I them mette / as they not me sye.
[leaf 4]
In Westminster
Hall and London
they turnd their
heads trom me.
(12)
As seile is in the sauter / might I say,
they that me sye / fledden a-wey fro me ;
forgeten I was / all owte of mynide a-way,
as he that dede was / from _hertes cherte ;
1 was forgotten,
Mo ales ete a seats es I Tae
for many a wyght / abowte me dwellynge,
herd I ime blame / and putte in dispreisinge.
(13)
Thus spake many one® / and seyde by me:
‘all-thowghe from hym / his siknesse savage
with-drawne and passyd / as for a tyme be,
tesorte it wole / namely in suche age
as he is of’ / and thanne my visage
Folk said | should
go mad again,
hygan to glowe / for the woo and fere ;
Tho wordis, them vnwar / cam to myn ere.
Ps
‘whane passinge hete is,’ quod they, ‘ trustyth this
assaile hym wole* agayne that maladie ;’
and yet parde / they token them amise ;
none effect at all / toke there? prophecie ;
manie someres ben past / sithen remedye
Yet 1 havn’t gone
su.
Wof that, god of his grace me purveide:
“thanked be god / it shope notight!! as they seide. 98
10-10 these lines as in Seld.: transposed by St. 1 shoop not!

XX. HOOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT,
(19)
what fall[e] shall / what men so! deme or gesse, 99
to hym that wott? [well] every mans3 secre, A+ k
reservyd is / it is a lew[e]dnesse,
men wyser them pretende / then they be ;
and no wight knoweth / be it he or she,
whom, how ne whan / god wole hym visete; [Poe 4) & 3
It happethe ofte 4 / whan men wene it lite. 105
(16)
Some tyme I wend / as lite as any man, 106 Cleaf 4, back)
for to have fall / in-to that wildenesse
but god, whan [that] hym list / may, wole and can,
helthe with-drawe / and send a wyght sycknesse ;
Thowghe man be well this day / no sykernesse
to hym bihight is / that it shall endure ;
god hurte now can / and nowe hele and cure.
(17)
he suffrith longe / [but] at® the laste he smit ;
whane that a man is / in prosperite,
To drede a fall comynge / it is a wit;
who so that takethe hede / ofte may se ..u
This worldis change / and mutabilite
In sondry wyse / howe nedeth not expresse :
To my mater / streit wole I me dresse.
(1s)
Men seyden, I loked / as a wilde steer,
and so my loke abowt T gan to throwe ;
mnyne heed to hie / a-nother seide I Leer,
ful bukkyshe ig his brayne / well may I trowe ;
and seyde the thirde6/ and apt is in the rowe
to site of them / that a resounles reed
Can geve™ / no sadnesse is in his heed.
1 ? whatso men

• but at
  ul
  2 woot
  § thridde

100 XX. HOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT. MEN’S TALK OF ME MADE ME SaD.
(19)
Chaungid had I my! pas / some seiden eke,
for here and there / forthe stirte I as a Roo,
none abode? / none arrest, but all brain-seke.
A-nother spake / and of me seide also,
my feete weren aye / wavynge to and fro
and my feet and
eyes never still.
whane that I stonde shulde / and withe men talke,
ita)
and that myne eyne® / sowghten every halke.
(20)
T leide an ere aye to / as I by * wente,
and herde all / and thus in myne herte I cast:
So I thought
of longe abydynge here / I may repent[e] ;°
leste, of hastinesse / I at the last[e]
answere a-myse / best is hens hye fast[e];
for yf Lin this preace / a-mysse me gye,
to harme will® it me turne / and to folly{e].
1’d better go
away ;
(21)
14]
And this I demyd well / and knew well eke,
[leaf 5]
what-so-evar I shuld _answere or sey,
they wold{en]? not have® holde it worthe a leke ;
for why / as I hadd Jost my tonges key,
Kepte I me cloos / and trassyd me my wey,
drowpynge and hevye / and all woo bystad ;
hut I was very
sad.
small eawse had I / me thowght[e], to be glade.
(2)
My sprites / laboryd [euere] bysyly ®
to peinte countinaunce }° / chere and loke,
yA a Je
for that men spake of me / so wonderingly,
Men’s talk of me
made me go cold
and hot.
and for the very shame / and fere I qwoke ;
thowghe myne herte had be / dypped in y® broke, 152
It wete and moyste I-now was of my swot,
whiche was nowe frostye colde / now firy hoot.
4 by: be St.
a
S yen
7 wolden
10 countenaunce
Yme ? Noon abood
5 may me repent ® wole
® lubouriden / euere ful bisily
® han
M wook

XX. HOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT. MY GLASS SHOWD
And in my chamber at home when I? was
ny selfe alone? / I in this wyse wrowght :
. -
I streite vnto my myrrowr / and my glas, A+ ‘
to loke how that me / of my chere thowght[e].
yf any [other] were ® it / than it owght[e] ;
for fayne wolde I / yf it had not? be right,
amendyd it / to my kimynge and myght.
(24)
Many a sawte made I to this myrrowre,
thinkynge, “ yf that I loke in this manere
amonge folke / as I now do,® none errowr
of suspecte loke / may in my face appere,
this countinance, I am svre,® and this chere,
If I forthe vse / is no thinge reprevable
to them that have / conseytes resonable.”
(25)
And there-with-all / I thowght[e] thus anon :
“men in theyr? owne case / bene blynd alday,
as I haue hard say / many a day agon,
and in that [same] plyght§ / I stonde may ;
how shall I doo / which is the best[e] way,
my trowbled spirit / for to bringe at® rest{e] ?
peal Re
yf [ wist howe / fayne wolde I do the best[e]
(26)
”
Sythen I recoveryd was / have I full ofte
Cawse had of angre / and ympacience,
where I borne have it 1° / esely and softe,
sulferynge wronge be done to me, and offence,
and nowght™ answeryd ageyn / but kept sylence, 180
lest that men of me / deme would, and seyne,
“se how this man / is fallen in agayne.’
1 þat I 2 aloone ° othir were + not had bene
5 nowe do § sure * her 8 same plite Sin
11 not

HOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT. YET SOME THOUGIT
(27
As that I ones! / fro westmynstar cam,
vexid full grevously / withe thowghtfull hete,
thus thowght I / ‘‘a great fole I am,
this pavyment / a dayes thus to bete,
and in and out / labour[e] fast and swete, 187
wonderinge / and hevynes to purchace,
sythen I stand ? out / of all favour and grace.” 189
(28)
And then thowght I / on that othar syde:
“Tf that I not be sene / amonge the prees,
men deme wele® / that I myne heade hyde,
and am werse than I am / it is no lees.”
O lorde, so my spirite / was rest[e]les,
I sowght[e] reste / and I not it found,
but aye was trouble / redy at myn hond.
(29)
I may not lett a man / to ymagine
ferre above the mone / yf that hym lyst ;
there-by the sowthe / he may not determyn[e],
but by the prefe / bene thing[e]s knowne* & wiste ;
many a dome / is wrappyd in the myst ; 201
man by his dedes / and not by his lokes,
shall knowne be / as it is writen in bokes. 203
(30)
by taste of frewte / men may well wete and knowe 204
what that it is / othar prefe is there none ;
every man wott well that / as that I trowe,
right so they / that demen my witt is gone,
as yet this day / there demythe many a one © 208
Tam not well / may, as I by them goo,
taste and assay / yf it be so or noo. ANG)
3 wole 4 knowen 5 zit
1 oones 2 stone
® many oon

XX. MOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT. I HAVE MY WITS AGAIN.
(31)
Vpon a looke / is harde, men them to grownde
what a man is / there-by the sothe is hid ;
whither his wittes / seke bene or sounde,
by cowntynaunce / it is not wist ne kyd ;
thowghe! a man harde / have ones bene bityde,
God shilde it shuld / on hym contynue alway ;
by comunynge / is the best assay.
(32)
I mene to comon? of thing[e]s mene,
for Lam but right lewde / dowt/elles,
and ygnoraunte / my cunnynge is full lene,
yet homly reason / know I nevartheles ;
not hope I founden be / so resonles
as men demen / marie, christ forbede !
I can no more / preve may the dede.
(33)
If a man ones / fall in dronkenesse,
shall he contynewe / there-in evar mo?
nay, thowghe a man doo / in drinkynge excesse
so ferforthe / that not speake he ne can, ne goo,
and his wittes / welny ben refte hym froo,
and buryed in the Cuppe / he aftarward
Comythe to hym selfe agayne / ellis were it hard ;
(34)
Right so / thowghe my * witt / were a pilgrime,
and went[e] fer fro home / he cam agayne ;
God me voydyd# / of this® grevous venyme
that had enfectyd / and wildyd my brayne.
se how the curtese leche moste sovereyne,
ynto the sycke / gevythe® medisyne
in nede / and hym relevythe of his peyne.*
1 Thou * commone 3 þat my + deuoided
5 the ® 3eueth 7 erenous pine

HOCULEVE'S COMPLAINT.
Iv’S TIME FOR ME TO
(35)
Now let this passe / god wott, many a man
senythe full wyse / by cowntenaunce and chere,
whiche, and he tastyd were what he can,
men myghten licken hym / to a fooles pere ;
and some man lokethe / in foltyshe maner[e]
as to the outward dome / and Inudgement,
that at the prese / descrete is and prudent.
(36)
but alates, howe so be / my countynaunce,
debate is now none / bytwyxt me and my wit,

• ae.
  all-thowghe there were / a dysseveraunce
  ponaneaniaesy = Tose
  as for a tyme / betwyxt me and it ;
  the greatar harme is myne, that nevar yet?
  was I well lettered / prudent and discrete,
  there nevar stode yet / wyse man on my fete.
  (37)
  The sothe is this / suche conceit as I had,
  and vndarstondynge / all were it but small,
  byfore that my wytt[e]s / wearen vnsad,
  (thanked be owr lorde Thesu christ of all !)
  suche have I now / but blowe is ny ovar all
  the reverse / where-thorwghe is the mornynge
  whiche cawsethe me / thus syghe? in complaynynge.
  (38)
  sythen my good fortune / hathe changed his ® chere,
  hye time is me / to crepe in-to my grave,
  to lyve Ioy[e]les / what do I here?
  I in mync herte / can no gladnes have ;
  I may but small sey / but yf men deme I rave,
  sythen othar thinge the[z]* woo / may I none grype,
  ynto wy sepulture / ame | nowe ripe.
  Bait
• sy3e
  4 þan
  3 huir

XX. HOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT. FOLKS CAN’! SEE THAT VM WELL, 105
(39)
My well, adwe / farwell, my good fortune ! 267
my good hap
out of yowr tables / me playned have ye ;
sythen well ny eny wyght / for to comune
~<a en
with me lothe is / farwell prosperitie !
Tam no lengar / of your lyverye ; 27 il
has gone.
ye have me put_/ out of yowr remembraunce ;!
adewe, my good adventure / and good chaunce! — 273
(40)
And as swithe after / thus by-thowght I me: 274
yf that I in this wyse / me despeyre,
It is purchase / of more advarsytye ;
what nedethe it / my feble wit appeire ;
But still,
sythe god hathe made / myne helthe home repayre 278
blessed_be he / and what men deme or? speke,
lam well again,
thank God;
suffre it, thinke I / and me not on me wreke. 280
(41)
but some dele had I / reioysynge amonge, 281
[leat 7]
and gladnese ? also / in my spirite,
that thowghe the people / toke them mis & wronge,
and tho’ folk
don’t think me so,
me demynge / of my syck[eJuesse not quite,
yet for they / compleyned / the hevy plite 285
that they lad sene me in / with tendernesse
of hertes cherte / my grefe was the lesse. 287
(42)
In them put I no defawlte but one ; 288
that I was hole / they not ne deme kowlte,
and day by day / they se me by them gon
In heate and colde / and neythar still nor lowde
knew they me do suspectly / a dirke_clowde ae)
they feel for me.
They can’t believe
I’m well,
theyr * sycht obseuryd with-in® and with-out{ e],
and for all that_/ were they ® in suche a dowt[e]. 294
1 retenawnce and 3 a gladnesse 4 Hir
5 withynne ® ay

XX. HOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT, A MOURNER’S COMPLAINT.
(43)
Axid have! they / full ofte sythe, and freined
of my fellaw[e]s / of the prive seale,
and preyed them to tell them / with * hert vnfeynyd,
how it stode wyth me / whither yll® or well.
and they the sothe / told them every dell,
but they helden / ther word[e]s not but les ;
they myghten as well / have holden ther pes.
(44)
This troubly lyfe / hathe all to longe enduryd,
not have I wyst / how in my skynne to turne ;
but now my selfe / to my selfe have ensured,
for no suche wondrynge / aftar this to morne ;
as longe as my lyfe / shall in me soiorne,
of suche ymaginynge / I not ne reche ;
Jat them drem 4 as them ® lyst / and speke & dreche.
(45)
This othar day / a lamentacion
of a wofull man / ina boke I sye,
to whome word[e]s / of consolation
Reason gave? / spekynge effectually ; ,.
and well easyd / myn herte was ther-by ;
for when I had a while / in the boke red,
with the speche of Reason / was I well fed.
(46)
The hevy man / wofull and angwysshiows,
compleyned in this wyse / and thus seyd he:
‘my lyfe is yvnto me / full eneonberows ;
for whithar / or vu-to what place I flye,
my wyckednesses / evar followe § me,
as men may se / the shadow a body swe,
and in no maner / I may them eschwe.
1 Axide han 2 wiþ 3 yucl

• deem ° hem

folowen
® added later in margm

• af

XX. MOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT. REASON COMFORTS
(17)
‘vexation of spirite / and torment
lake I right none / I have of them plente ;
wondarly byttar / is my taa[s]t? and sent ;
wo be the? tyme / of my natyvyte,
vnhappy man / that evar shuld it® be!
O death, thy strooke / a salve is of swetnes
to them that lyven / in suche wreehednes.
(48)
‘Gretar plesaunce / were it me to dye,
by many folde / than for to lyve soo ;
sorows so many / in me multiplye,
that my lyfe is / to me a wery? foo ;
comfortyd / may I not be of my woo ;
of my distrese / se none end [ can,
no force how sone / I stinte to be a man.’
(49)
Than spake Reason / ‘what menythe all this fare? 337 Reason®
thowghe welthe be not frindly to the yet,
out of thyn herte / voyde wo and care !’
‘by what skyll / how / and by what rede and wit,’ Thomas®
seyd{e] this wofull man / ‘myght I done it?’
‘wrastle,’ qwode Reason / ‘a-gayne hevynesses
of the worlde / troubles, suffring and duresses.
(50)
‘beholde how many a man / suffrethe desseas[e]
as great as thow / and all a way greatar ;
and thowghe it them pinche / sharply and sese,
yet paciently / they it suffar and bere :
thynke here-on / and the lesse it shall the dere :
suche sufferaunce is / of mans gylt elensynge,
ae Sane
and them inablethe / to Joye evarlastiuge.
1 Jaast 2 be be 8 || 4 verre

later, in the margin.

108 XX. HOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT. I IIEAR REASON,
(91)
[leaf 8] ‘woo, hevynes / and tribulation, 351
ae eomon are? to en? all / & profitable.
thowghe grevows be / maun[e]s temptacion,
It sleythe man not / to them that ben suflerable,
and to whom god[de]s stroke / is aeeeptable, DG
| purveyed Toye is / for god woundythe tho
that he ordeyned hathe / to blysse to goo / 357
‘Gold purgyd is / thou seyst, in the furneis, 398
for the fyner and elenner / it shall be ;
and should be of thy disease / the weéyght and the peis
borne
bere lyghtly / for god, to prove the,
seorgyd the hathe / with sharpe adversitie ;_ 362
not gruche and sey / “ why susteyn I this?”
for yf thow do / thow the takest amis ; 364
‘but thus thow shuldest / thinke in thyn herte, 365
asa punishment and sey, “to the, lorde god / I have a-gylte
for sin,
so sore: I moot / for myn offensis smerte
as I am worthy / O lorde, I am spilt,
but thow to me / thy® merey graunt{e] wilt. 369
fam full swre / thow maist it not denye ;
lord, I me repent / and I the merey crye.”’ 371
(54)
lenger I thowght[e] / red haue in this boke, 32
but so it shope / that I ne myght[e] nowght ;#
he that it owght / agayne it to® hym toke,
Ttook Reasow’s me of his haste vnware / yet have I ecawght
teaching jo heart,
sume of the doctryne / by reason tawght 376
to the man / as a-bove have I sayde,
where-of © I hold[e] me / full well apayde. 378
7 aren 2me * þi; the St. 4 nan3t ° to to, Dim.
® Welperof.

XX. WOCCLEVE’S COMPLAINT. ILL BEAR MY TROUBLES. 109
(55
for evar sythen / set hane I the lesse 379 and have since
put up with folks’
by the peoples / ymagination, vB talk of my illness,
talkynge this and that / of my sycknesse,
whiche came of god[de]s visytacion ;
myght I have be found / in probation, i 3
F.-
mw
not grutehynge / but have take it in soffrannee,
! 99
holsome aud wyse / had be my governaunce. 385
(56)
farwell my sorow / I caste it to the cok. 386 [leafs, back]
with pacience / I hens-forthe thinke vnpike Hl unpick the
5 lock of my woes,
of suche thowghtfull dissease and woo / the lok, rep
and let them out / that_have me made_to sike ; let them out,
here-aftar owr lorde god / may, yf hym lyke, 390
make all myne olde affection resorte ;
and in hope of that / woll I me comforte. 392
(57)
Thrwghe? gods iust dome / and his iudgement, 393
and for my best[e] / now I take and deme, and take my
9 . punishmeut for
gave? that good lorde / me my punishement : the best.
in welthe I toke of hym / none hede or yeme,
hym for to please / and hym honoure and queme, 397
and he me gave a bone / on for to knaw[e], God gave mea
bone to gnaw.
me to correcte / and of hym to have awe. Se)
(58)
he gave me wit / and he toke it away 400
when that he se® / that Lit mys dyspent{e],
and gave agayne / when it was to his pay,
he grauntyd me / my giltes to repent{e],
and hens-forwarde / to set myne entent[e], 404 Pil now try to
. °,° please God and
vuto his deitie / to do plesaunce, to amend.
and to amend / my synfull governaunce. 406
1 Thoru3 * 3af 3 sy

XXI. Hoccleve's Dialog with a Friend

XXI, HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. HIS TALK WITH A FRIEND
(59)
lawde and honore / and thanke vnto the be, 407
lorde god / that salve art / to all hevynes!
thanke of my welthe / and myne adversyte,
thanke of myne elde / and of my sek[e]nese ;
and thanke be / to thyne Infinite gooduese 411
for thy gyftes and benefices all[c],
and vnto thy mercye and grace I callfe]. 413
XXI.
[Thomas Hoccleve (in Stowe’s hand). ]
[Dialogus cum Amico.} ater, in pencil)
(1) .
And, endyd my ‘complaynt’ / in this manere, 1
one knocked / at my chambre dore sore,
and eryed a-lowde / ‘howe, hoecleve! arte thow
here ?
open thy dore / me thinkethe [it] full yore
sythen I the se / what, man, for god[de]s ore 5
come ont / for this quartar I not the sy,
by owght I wot’ / and ont to hym cam I. 7
(2)
This man was my good frynde_/ of farn_a-gon, 8
that I speke of / and thus? he to me seyde:
‘Thomas / as thow me lovest, tell anon?
what dydist thow / when I knocked and leyde
so fast upon thy dore’ / And I obeyde 12
vnto his will / ‘come in,” quod I, ‘and se.”
and so he dyd / he streyght went in with me. 14
(3
To my good frind / not thowght I to make it queinte,3
ne my labowre / from hym to hyde or leyne ; 16
and right anon / I redd hym my ‘ complaynt’ ;
and that done / thus he seyde, ‘sen we twayne
bene here / and no mo folke / for god[de]s peyne, 19
1 þus. 2 anoon 3 quette

IIOCCLEVE’S DIALOG.
Thomas, soffar me speke / and be not wrothe,
the to offend[e] / were me full lothe.
(4)
‘That I shall saye / shall be of good entent[e] :
hast thow made this complaynte / forthe to goo
amonge the e’ / “tye, friend ;” so I mente] ;
what ells! / ‘ Nay, Thomas, ware, do not soo!
yf thou be wyse / of that mattar hoo,
erse thow it not / ne it a-wake ;
kepe all that cloos / for thyn honours sake.
‘how it stode with the / leyde is all a-slepe ;
men haue forget it / it is owt of mynd;
t thou towche there-of / I not ne kepe;
be; that rede I / for I ean not finde
O man to speake of it / in as good a kynde
as thow hast stonde / amonge men or this day,
stondyst thow nowe’ / “ A, nay,” quod I, “nay, nay !
“ Thowghe I be lewde / 1 not so fere-forthe dote ;
I wott what men haue seyde / and seyne of me ;
ther word[e]s have I not / as yet forgote ;
but greate marvayle have I / of yow, that ye
bet of my ‘compleynte’ / avysed be,
sythen, mafey / I not redd it vnto yow
so longe a-gone / for it was but right now.
(7)
f ye toke hede / it makethe mention
t men of me speke / in myne andience
full hevely / of your entencion
aanke you / for of benevolence
?
t I full well / procedith yowr sentence ;
but eertis, good frinde / that thinge that I here
can I witnesse / and vnto it refere.

(8)
‘““And where as that ye / me counscile and rede,
that for myne honore / showlde I by no weye
any thinge mynge / or towche of my wildhede,
T vnto that / annswere thus and saye :
of god{de \s stroke / how so it peyse or waye,
owght no man to thinke / reprefe or shame ;
ene
lis chastisynge / hurtithe no maus name.
(9)
“An othar thinge / ther mevithe?! me also ;
sythen my syck[e]nesse / sprad was so wyde
that men knew well / how it stode with me tho,
so would I now / vpon that othar syde
wist were / how our lord Ihesu, which is gyde
to all relefe / and may all hertes cure,
relevyd hathe me / synfull creature.
(10)
“had I be for an homysede yknowe
y ’
or an extorcioner / or a robbowr,
or for a coin? elypper / as wyde y-blowe
as was my syckenese / or a werriowr
a-gayne the faythe / or a falee mayntaynowr
of cawsys / thowghe I had a-mendyd me,
them to have mynged / [would] have been nicete ;
(11)
“ And why / for tho proceden of frailtie
of man hym selfe / he brewythe all[e] tho ;
for sythen god to man / gyven® hathe libertie,
which chese may / for to do well or no,
yf he myse-chese / he is his owne foo ;
and to reherse his gilt / whiche hym accusethe,
om a erm
honor saythe nay / there he scilence excusithe.
2 coin S. comon Dm.
5 3o0ue
1 imenep

XXI. WOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. WE COMPLAINS OF LIGHT COIN. 113
(12)
“but this is / all a-nothar case sothelye : vy 78
and sythe he hathe / withe-drawe it eurteisly, God.
am I not holden [tell] it owt / O yes ;
but yf god had this thanke / it wer amyse.! 82
In feythe, frinde / [1 thenke] make san open? shryfte,
and hyd{e] not / what I had of his gyfte. St
(13)
“Tf that a leche / euryd had me so,— 85 gira?
as they lacken all / that science and myght,— “—
a name he shulde / have had for evar mo, ied baggie
what cure he had done / to so seke a wight. od
4 1 8 2 3 0 50 1058 965 42 -1
5 1 8 2 3 1 50 1059 62 30 96.131104 and
5 1 8 2 3 2 127 1063 52 36 95.937477 yet
5 1 8 2 3 3 196 1070 52 29 93.280769 my
5 1 8 2 3 4 264 1069 72 30 91.884491 purs
5 1 8 2 3 5 352 1058 13 42 93.067894 /
5 1 8 2 3 6 380 1059 40 30 93.059593 he
5 1 8 2 3 7 437 1059 98 30 92.544044 wolde
5 1 8 2 3 8 552 1059 78 30 96.402596 have
5 1 8 2 3 9 646 1059 88 30 96.402596 made
5 1 8 2 3 10 751 1059 56 29 92.190926 full
5 1 8 2 3 11 837 1058 96 40 92.079475 lyght;
5 1 8 2 3 12 976 1060 39 28 73.185860 89
2 1 9 0 0 0 51 1114 690 43 -1
3 1 9 1 0 0 51 1114 690 43 -1
4 1 9 1 1 0 51 1114 690 43 -1
5 1 9 1 1 1 51 1116 57 30 87.484550 bnt
5 1 9 1 1 2 124 1119 120 37 92.437553 curteys
5 1 9 1 1 3 261 1116 92 31 90.821022 Ihesu
5 1 9 1 1 4 369 1114 13 43 92.257141 /
5 1 9 1 1 5 398 1117 32 29 96.544136 of
5 1 9 1 1 6 445 1116 48 30 96.973724 his
5 1 9 1 1 7 509 1127 86 29 93.195480 grace
5 1 9 1 1 8 611 1117 130 39 72.316689 pacient,
2 1 10 0 0 0 50 1172 1191 692 -1
3 1 10 1 0 0 50 1172 1191 692 -1
4 1 10 1 1 0 50 1172 963 43 -1
5 1 10 1 1 1 50 1173 88 31 91.883133 axith
5 1 10 1 1 2 154 1176 55 28 91.418304 not
5 1 10 1 1 3 224 1172 14 43 91.418304 /
5 1 10 1 1 4 255 1174 58 30 96.896683 but
5 1 10 1 1 5 329 1174 33 30 93.243591 of
5 1 10 1 1 6 376 1174 75 39 92.184502 gilte
5 1 10 1 1 7 467 1174 224 30 91.001442 amendement.
5 1 10 1 1 8 976 1174 37 29 92.549316 91
4 1 10 1 2 0 484 1253 68 41 -1
5 1 10 1 2 1 484 1253 68 41 95.699043 (14)
4 1 10 1 3 0 53 1318 1149 43 -1
5 1 10 1 3 1 53 1318 93 30 91.001144 “The
5 1 10 1 3 2 162 1319 133 30 96.166740 benefice
5 1 10 1 3 3 311 1319 33 29 96.966362 of
5 1 10 1 3 4 357 1319 59 40 92.608566 god
5 1 10 1 3 5 432 1318 14 43 92.469208 /
5 1 10 1 3 6 461 1322 55 27 96.602921 not
5 1 10 1 3 7 532 1319 64 40 96.655479 hyd
5 1 10 1 3 8 612 1320 38 29 93.291222 be
5 1 10 1 3 9 666 1318 137 43 43.294872 shuld[e]
5 1 10 1 3 10 819 1331 5 18 43.294872 :
5 1 10 1 3 11 976 1321 39 28 38.500729 92
5 1 10 1 3 12 1046 1327 74 24 88.786339 Surely
5 1 10 1 3 13 1129 1326 73 20 91.516174 then
5 1 10 1 3 14 1192 1312 14 50 53.904118 T
4 1 10 1 4 0 1045 1356 157 20 -1
5 1 10 1 4 1 1045 1356 84 20 89.603943 shouldn’t
5 1 10 1 4 2 1182 1357 20 18 96.899261 hid
4 1 10 1 5 0 50 1362 1191 54 -1
5 1 10 1 5 1 50 1375 111 40 92.934410 sythen
5 1 10 1 5 2 178 1376 34 30 93.167534 of
5 1 10 1 5 3 224 1386 93 30 87.439064 myne
5 1 10 1 5 4 333 1377 67 29 92.956131 hele
5 1 10 1 5 5 417 1377 12 38 92.956131 /
5 1 10 1 5 6 445 1377 39 30 97.012833 he
5 1 10 1 5 7 498 1387 76 29 96.281128 gave
5 1 10 1 5 8 591 1387 48 20 93.261444 me
5 1 10 1 5 9 656 1377 116 37 92.919044 triacle,
5 1 10 1 5 10 1045 1362 65 43 54.973141 Gail's
5 1 10 1 5 11 1120 1362 95 43 40.173645 benefits
5 1 10 1 5 12 1219 1387 22 18 95.538582 to
4 1 10 1 6 0 52 1420 1035 59 -1
5 1 10 1 6 1 52 1427 34 56 48.727287 It
5 1 10 1 6 2 99 1427 33 56 48.727287 to
5 1 10 1 6 3 146 1432 120 47 92.344330 confese
5 1 10 1 6 4 282 1431 13 42 92.344330 /
5 1 10 1 6 5 310 1432 63 31 93.306206 and
5 1 10 1 6 6 389 1433 116 30 91.467361 thanke
5 1 10 1 6 7 522 1433 85 39 92.646118 hym,
5 1 10 1 6 8 624 1444 49 19 92.089760 am
5 1 10 1 6 9 685 1433 12 20 25.345030 ®
5 1 10 1 6 10 713 1433 16 30 85.658035 I
5 1 10 1 6 11 746 1432 131 43 60.656776 hold{e],
5 1 10 1 6 12 1046 1420 41 16 79.959198 ue
4 1 10 1 7 0 55 1481 1128 49 -1
5 1 10 1 7 1 55 1489 9 5 0.000000 ‘
5 1 10 1 7 2 182 1500 82 19 91.177979 ame
5 1 10 1 7 3 280 1489 94 30 91.177979 hathe
5 1 10 1 7 4 391 1489 127 41 92.993080 shewyd
5 1 10 1 7 5 534 1490 48 30 93.139297 his
5 1 10 1 7 6 600 1490 133 40 72.026642 myracle
5 1 10 1 7 7 746 1501 8 28 92.774490 ;
5 1 10 1 7 8 1135 1481 48 48 59.898415 No
4 1 10 1 8 0 159 1547 1029 40 -1
5 1 10 1 8 1 159 1548 138 39 91.625923 sytacion
5 1 10 1 8 2 313 1548 26 29 96.511658 is
5 1 10 1 8 3 354 1559 18 18 96.763496 a
5 1 10 1 8 4 389 1547 148 39 96.376762 spectacle
5 1 10 1 8 5 976 1549 40 29 96.538628 96
5 1 10 1 8 6 1139 1555 49 13 58.328316 a
4 1 10 1 9 0 131 1603 606 42 -1
5 1 10 1 9 1 131 1604 89 31 72.079987 hiche
5 1 10 1 9 2 236 1604 68 31 96.601738 that
5 1 10 1 9 3 321 1604 16 31 89.029327 I
5 1 10 1 9 4 353 1603 13 42 89.029327 /
5 1 10 1 9 5 383 1604 131 31 92.377716 beholde
5 1 10 1 9 6 533 1615 68 29 96.213089 may
5 1 10 1 9 7 618 1605 58 29 95.956375 and
5 1 10 1 9 8 696 1615 41 26 96.623634 se,
4 1 10 1 10 0 93 1659 924 43 -1
5 1 10 1 10 1 93 1672 10 19 26.286850 js
5 1 10 1 10 2 119 1660 74 31 95.914551 then
5 1 10 1 10 3 210 1661 17 30 93.301659 I
5 1 10 1 10 4 243 1661 63 39 89.735764 dyd
5 1 10 1 10 5 323 1659 13 43 92.575539 /
5 1 10 1 10 6 352 1660 69 30 96.746574 how
5 1 10 1 10 7 438 1664 84 36 96.259544 great
5 1 10 1 10 8 537 1671 17 20 92.794182 a
5 1 10 1 10 9 569 1661 84 30 92.794182 lorde
5 1 10 1 10 10 671 1661 24 29 95.956459 is
5 1 10 1 10 11 713 1661 46 30 95.956459 he.
5 1 10 1 10 12 977 1662 40 29 96.806831 98
4 1 10 1 11 0 484 1739 593 42 -1
5 1 10 1 11 1 484 1739 68 42 96.039978 (15)
5 1 10 1 11 2 936 1749 141 14 67.793640 —
4 1 10 1 12 0 53 1807 1174 57 -1
5 1 10 1 12 1 53 1807 95 38 22.554903 aut
5 1 10 1 12 2 166 1807 94 37 0.000000 irind,
5 1 10 1 12 3 283 1802 121 76 88.000267 amonge
5 1 10 1 12 4 422 1802 52 76 90.663925 the
5 1 10 1 12 5 492 1802 83 76 89.812744 vises
5 1 10 1 12 6 587 1802 70 76 94.604950 that
5 1 10 1 12 7 675 1802 84 76 91.043610 right
5 1 10 1 12 8 777 1819 63 30 83.423195 uow
5 1 10 1 12 9 978 1808 39 29 0.000000 a
5 1 10 1 12 10 1140 1815 87 49 28.347668 ee
2 1 11 0 0 0 52 1863 635 47 -1
3 1 11 1 0 0 52 1863 635 47 -1
4 1 11 1 1 0 52 1863 635 47 -1
5 1 11 1 1 1 52 1863 140 32 84.192535 rehersed
5 1 11 1 1 2 209 1865 25 36 96.533043 I,
5 1 11 1 1 3 252 1875 59 20 96.672546 one
5 1 11 1 1 4 327 1865 32 30 96.922180 of
5 1 11 1 1 5 375 1865 96 44 96.194565 them,
5 1 11 1 1 6 487 1865 70 30 96.684288 dare
5 1 11 1 1 7 574 1866 16 29 92.667572 I
5 1 11 1 1 8 606 1875 81 35 92.667572 saye,
2 1 12 0 0 0 76 1902 527 9 -1
3 1 12 1 0 0 76 1902 527 9 -1
4 1 12 1 1 0 76 1902 527 9 -1
5 1 12 1 1 1 76 1903 82 7 16.958866 a
5 1 12 1 1 2 491 1903 54 4 8.962765 eatin
2 1 13 0 0 0 53 1921 739 42 -1
3 1 13 1 0 0 53 1921 739 42 -1
4 1 13 1 1 0 53 1921 739 42 -1
5 1 13 1 1 1 53 1921 92 30 93.156578 hathe
5 1 13 1 1 2 162 1921 73 30 50.654137 hurt
5 1 13 1 1 3 250 1932 48 19 50.654137 me
5 1 13 1 1 4 315 1932 70 30 92.939636 sore
5 1 13 1 1 5 394 1921 14 42 91.357788 /
5 1 13 1 1 6 416 1922 78 37 93.925056 and
5 1 13 1 1 7 503 1922 15 40 93.925056 I
5 1 13 1 1 8 522 1925 77 38 96.036362 wot
5 1 13 1 1 9 614 1922 68 29 93.208237 well
5 1 13 1 1 10 700 1932 92 29 93.028694 ynow
2 1 14 0 0 0 65 1955 678 13 -1
3 1 14 1 0 0 65 1955 678 13 -1
4 1 14 1 1 0 65 1955 678 13 -1
5 1 14 1 1 1 65 1956 148 11 28.892498 ne
5 1 14 1 1 2 234 1955 55 8 21.449905 rennet
5 1 14 1 1 3 402 1956 11 4 47.270031 ae
5 1 14 1 1 4 624 1962 80 5 16.560364 PERRI
5 1 14 1 1 5 722 1965 21 3 0.000000 meery
2 1 15 0 0 0 53 1977 1116 42 -1
3 1 15 1 0 0 53 1977 1116 42 -1
4 1 15 1 1 0 53 1977 1116 42 -1
5 1 15 1 1 1 53 1988 32 19 93.198410 so
5 1 15 1 1 2 101 1977 93 40 93.070007 hathe
5 1 15 1 1 3 210 1978 26 29 96.914101 it
5 1 15 1 1 4 251 1989 50 19 92.812279 mo
5 1 15 1 1 5 316 1977 13 41 92.691574 /
5 1 15 1 1 6 347 1978 101 30 96.831200 which
5 1 15 1 1 7 467 1979 25 29 93.288658 is
5 1 15 1 1 8 508 1978 81 41 54.067226 feble
5 1 15 1 1 9 607 1979 5 18 54.067226 *
5 1 15 1 1 10 629 1989 129 28 87.813950 moneye
5 1 15 1 1 11 772 1991 5 17 87.813950 :
5 1 15 1 1 12 1047 1984 56 25 94.730568 light
5 1 15 1 1 13 1113 1984 56 20 66.460953 coin.
2 1 16 0 0 0 71 2015 117 8 -1
3 1 16 1 0 0 71 2015 117 8 -1
4 1 16 1 1 0 71 2015 117 8 -1
5 1 16 1 1 1 71 2015 117 8 95.000000
2 1 17 0 0 0 53 2020 965 245 -1
3 1 17 1 0 0 54 2020 964 56 -1
4 1 17 1 1 0 54 2020 964 56 -1
5 1 17 1 1 1 54 2044 92 29 96.356918 many
5 1 17 1 1 2 162 2045 17 18 89.003288 a
5 1 17 1 1 3 195 2044 72 19 89.003288 man
5 1 17 1 1 4 284 2034 61 30 96.410461 this
5 1 17 1 1 5 361 2035 61 38 93.239014 day
5 1 17 1 1 6 438 2032 12 43 93.239014 /
5 1 17 1 1 7 467 2035 57 30 96.719734 but
5 1 17 1 1 8 541 2035 73 39 96.972481 they
5 1 17 1 1 9 630 2020 71 54 92.883286 gold
5 1 17 1 1 10 722 2021 120 55 12.396240 wey[e],
5 1 17 1 1 11 959 2036 59 28 95.746758 103
3 1 17 2 0 0 53 2089 646 42 -1
4 1 17 2 1 0 53 2089 646 42 -1
5 1 17 2 1 1 53 2090 33 30 96.809860 of
5 1 17 2 1 2 100 2100 70 20 93.111275 men
5 1 17 2 1 3 187 2089 12 41 93.111275 /
5 1 17 2 1 4 216 2093 55 28 93.104012 not
5 1 17 2 1 5 288 2090 74 31 92.217987 wole
5 1 17 2 1 6 380 2091 25 30 96.017075 it
5 1 17 2 1 7 421 2091 72 30 96.912056 take
5 1 17 2 1 8 509 2102 37 20 92.327965 ne
5 1 17 2 1 9 562 2102 137 29 89.939941 receyve,
3 1 17 3 0 0 54 2145 964 120 -1
4 1 17 3 1 0 54 2145 964 44 -1
5 1 17 3 1 1 54 2147 60 30 96.957481 and
5 1 17 3 1 2 130 2147 36 40 96.398880 yf
5 1 17 3 1 3 182 2148 25 29 96.521461 it
5 1 17 3 1 4 222 2147 70 30 96.784790 lake
5 1 17 3 1 5 307 2147 49 30 93.290550 his
5 1 17 3 1 6 374 2148 64 39 92.580467 peis
5 1 17 3 1 7 453 2145 13 44 92.580467 /
5 1 17 3 1 8 482 2148 74 40 92.778725 they
5 1 17 3 1 9 572 2148 94 30 84.344589 woll®
5 1 17 3 1 10 683 2149 24 29 93.279236 it
5 1 17 3 1 11 724 2149 104 30 92.234642 weive.
5 1 17 3 1 12 959 2149 59 28 96.173904 105
4 1 17 3 2 0 123 2228 828 37 -1
5 1 17 3 2 1 123 2228 9 16 41.160259 1
5 1 17 3 2 2 150 2230 56 25 41.160259 MS.
5 1 17 3 2 3 222 2238 82 25 66.111809 anyse
5 1 17 3 2 4 374 2228 11 17 36.962822 *
5 1 17 3 2 5 404 2230 103 27 59.139664 makeI
5 1 17 3 2 6 522 2230 146 27 0.000000 thenkean
5 1 17 3 2 7 683 2239 68 26 0.000000 open
5 1 17 3 2 8 821 2230 11 16 36.095196 4
5 1 17 3 2 9 849 2240 28 16 68.621994 as
5 1 17 3 2 10 893 2231 58 25 95.577377 Dm.
2 1 18 0 0 0 99 2271 876 74 -1
3 1 18 1 0 0 99 2271 876 74 -1
4 1 18 1 1 0 362 2271 315 28 -1
5 1 18 1 1 1 362 2271 10 17 38.132645 +
5 1 18 1 1 2 392 2272 65 26 93.117172 feole
5 1 18 1 1 3 471 2273 39 26 96.392921 St.
5 1 18 1 1 4 584 2273 10 16 45.590130 >
5 1 18 1 1 5 614 2273 63 26 91.309242 wole
4 1 18 1 2 0 99 2315 876 30 -1
5 1 18 1 2 1 99 2315 169 30 90.046127 HOCCLEVE,
5 1 18 1 2 2 286 2316 144 21 77.433342 M.P.—II.
5 1 18 1 2 3 966 2317 9 20 67.723763 1

HE COMPLAINS OF WASHT AND CLIPT COIN.
(16)
‘how may it holde his peise / when it is waishe
so that it lackethe! / somewhat in thiknese ?
the falce people / no thinge them abashe
to elyp it eke / in? brede and in rowndnese,
in that * it shulde be / alweye the lesse :
the pore man / amonge all othar is
full sore anoyed / and grevyd in this.
(17)
“Tf it be golde and hole / that men hym profre
for his labowre / or his chaffar lent,
take it yf him lyst / and put it in his coffre,
for wasshinge or elyppynge / hold hym content
or leye / he got none othar payment ;
it semythe but small / othar is there ;
trewthe is absent / but falshed is not fer.
(18)
‘how shall the pore do / yf in his holde
no more money / he ne have at all,
par cas / but a noble / or halfpeny of golde,
and it so thin is / and so narowe and smale,
that men the eschaunge eschewen ovar all?
not will it goo / but moche+* he there-one lese ;
he mote do so / he may none other chese.
(19)
“T myselfe in this ease / bene have, or this,
wherefore I know it / a grete dell® the bett.
he that in falsynge of coyne / gilty is,
hathe great wronge / that he nere® on a7 gebet ;
It is pitie / that he there-from is let,
sythen he there-to hathe / so great title and right :
teigne Tustice / and preve on them thy myght!
1 Jacke 2 it eke it in 3 in than; is that St.
;
4 miche > dele 6 nere 5. 7 þe.

XXI. HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. OF SWEATERS AND FALSE
(20)
“when I this wrote / many me dyd amyse ;
they weyed gold / vnhad aucthoritic ;
no statute [made] was! then / as [þat] now ? is ;
Imt_sythen golde to wey / chargid now hen we,
Reason axith / that it obeyed be ;
now tyme it is / unto weight[e]s vs draw[e],
sythen that the parlyament / hathe made it a lawe.
(21)
“yet othar shrewes / done a worse gyn ;
and tho bene they / that the coyne countarfete,
and they that with gold / coper, eloth and tyn,
to make all seme gold / they swinke and swete
In hellfe] for to purchace / them a sete :
If thethar lede them / theyr® falce covetise,
that purchas made was / in a foltyshe wyse.
(@2
“what cawsethe, trowe4 ye / all this mischance ?
what comforte gyven ® is / to this vntrwthe ?
Jn feythe, men seyne / it is the mayntynance
of great[e] folke / whiche is great ® harme & ruthe.
god graunt here-aftar / that ther be no slowthe,? = 152
of this treason / punishement to do,
ryght such as that is / partinent ther-to. 154
(23)
“they that consenten / to do that falshede, 155
as well as the werkars / withe peyne egal]
punished $ owght to be / as that I rede.
now, manyteynors / be ware now of a fall!
I speke of no parson / in especial] ® ; 159
In contries dyvers / is there many one
of yow / and hathe bene 1° / many a day a-gon. 161
1 made was; was Dm. * þat nowe ; now St. ° her
4 trowen © 30uen 8 a great 7 sloupe; showpe Din.
a

• punischid
  special 10 he

XXI, HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. OF THE FALSING OF COIN.
(24)
“Alas / that to owr Kyng[e]s preiudice, 162
aud harme to all / his lige people trew[e],
Continue shall / this fowle and cursed vice
whiche / and it forthe goo / many one shall it rew[e].
of falsynge of coyne / not begone of newfe],
God and our Kynge / remedye all this grefe,
for to the people / it is a foule mischefe. 168
“by comon harme / is not small to set[te] ; 169
that venom / ovar wyde and brod[e] spredethe :
grete merit were it / suche thinge stope and let{te],
ig?
as that the comon / in-to myschefe ledythe.
the voyce of the people / vengaunce on yow gredithe,
ye cursed men / ye false moneyours,
and on yowre outeris / and yowr maynteynonrs! 175
(26)
“(), this I drede alweye / this heviethe me 176
many a sythe / that punishement
none fall{e] shall / on this cursed meynye ;
how trewe so be / ther enditement,!
owr lyge lorde / shall be so Imocent, 180
that ynto hym / shal) hyd be y® notice ;
ynwasshen gold / shall wasshe? a-way that vice. 1
LD
Lo
(27)
“ Enformed shalbe / his hie excellence
by menes / whom that the lady moneye
hath rowned with / and shewyd evidence
of that false folke / my sowle dare I laye,
tho mens ® shullen have / no defectyve plate ;
here receyte shall be / good and fyne algate. 189
1 enditement ; entendement St. 2 waisshe ; vanyshe St.
3 meenes

XXJ. ILOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. LL ENGLISH ‘LEARN TO DIE,’ 117
(28)
“ Nowe in good faythe / I drede there shall be 190
suche multitude / of that falce secte mw \ Sanus
with-in this two yere / or ellis thre, 7
but yf this stynkynge errowr / be correcte, If this evil isn’t
that so myche } of this land / shall be infecte ign “rs
there-with, that trewthe shall a-downe be throw{e}, truth will be
and that cursed falshed / it? overgrow[e]. is6 “Nn
(29) ee
“Jo, frinde / nowe haue I myne entent ynreke 197 SS
of my longe tale / displese yow nowyht.”
‘nay, Thomas, nay / but late me to the speke :
when thy compleynt / was to the end ybrowght, My friend asks
what else Dinean
cam it owght in thy purpos / and thy thowglhit, 201 to write.
owght ell[e]s ther-with / to have made than that?’
“yo, certayne, frind” / ‘O nowe, good Thomas, what?’
(30)
“ frinde, that I shall you tell / as blyve, y-wys: 204 (leat 12]
in latyn have I sene / a small tretis[e], Vve seen a Latin
. . 5 . treatise ‘ Learu to
whiche ‘lerne for to dye’ / L-eallyd is: die,
a bettar restieynte / know I none fro viee : 207
for whan that deathe / shall men ® from hence # trice,
but he that lesson / lerned have or than,
war that / for? deathe comethe, wot ther no wyght whan.
(31)

• Aud that have I purposed to translate, 21] a
  If god his grace / lyst ther-to me lene, .
  sythen he of helthe / hathe openyd me the gate ;
  for where my sowle is / of vertwe all lene,
  and thrwghe my bodyes gilt / fowle® & vuclene, 215
  2 1 12 0 0 0 54 2114 1052 44 -1
  3 1 12 1 0 0 54 2114 1052 44 -1
  4 1 12 1 1 0 54 2114 1052 44 -1
  5 1 12 1 1 1 54 2120 31 27 89.574295 to
  5 1 12 1 1 2 102 2118 82 30 91.046669 clens
  5 1 12 1 1 3 201 2118 25 29 91.711388 it_/
  5 1 12 1 1 4 270 2116 182 42 85.159302 some-what
  5 1 12 1 1 5 466 2117 34 41 85.159302 by
  5 1 12 1 1 6 501 2118 206 40 91.722939 translation
  5 1 12 1 1 7 922 2130 5 8 82.091026 ‘
  5 1 12 1 1 8 1063 2129 14 16 52.402779 vw
  5 1 12 1 1 9 1102 2114 4 3 79.401726 &
  2 1 13 0 0 0 54 2174 964 114 -1
  3 1 13 1 0 0 54 2174 964 114 -1
  4 1 13 1 1 0 54 2174 964 42 -1
  5 1 13 1 1 1 54 2175 33 30 96.920715 of
  5 1 13 1 1 2 103 2175 32 41 96.643776 it,
  5 1 13 1 1 3 154 2174 78 31 94.524696 shall
  5 1 13 1 1 4 248 2175 51 40 85.991066 be
  5 1 13 1 1 5 309 2208 15 5 85.991066 /
  5 1 13 1 1 6 330 2184 94 30 92.828896 myne
  5 1 13 1 1 7 440 2175 189 40 79.506966 oceupation.
  5 1 13 1 1 8 914 2189 5 3 45.357788 2
  5 1 13 1 1 9 958 2176 60 29 0.000000 ING
  4 1 13 1 2 0 128 2257 824 31 -1
  5 1 13 1 2 1 128 2258 9 16 90.919777 1
  5 1 13 1 2 2 157 2258 92 26 92.774849 moche
  5 1 13 1 2 3 354 2257 11 16 73.745003 2
  5 1 13 1 2 4 383 2258 40 30 73.745003 it;
  5 1 13 1 2 5 442 2258 22 24 87.415123 is
  5 1 13 1 2 6 478 2258 38 25 87.415123 St.
  5 1 13 1 2 7 626 2257 10 15 37.067471 3
  5 1 13 1 2 8 655 2267 61 15 88.595779 man
  5 1 13 1 2 9 823 2257 9 17 91.876259 4
  5 1 13 1 2 10 852 2257 100 26 89.324440 hennes
  2 1 14 0 0 0 281 2298 512 33 -1
  3 1 14 1 0 0 281 2298 512 33 -1
  4 1 14 1 1 0 281 2298 512 33 -1
  5 1 14 1 1 1 281 2300 9 16 63.573544 >
  5 1 14 1 1 2 311 2299 56 32 95.252205 for;
  5 1 14 1 1 3 387 2299 51 26 75.752998 aud
  5 1 14 1 1 4 453 2299 39 26 95.630096 St.
  5 1 14 1 1 5 601 2298 10 16 79.374794 ®
  5 1 14 1 1 6 630 2301 18 24 79.374794 &
  5 1 14 1 1 7 665 2299 75 25 77.504349 fowle
  5 1 14 1 1 8 754 2299 39 25 96.634277 St.
  2 1 15 0 0 0 1329 488 14 18 -1
  3 1 15 1 0 0 1329 488 14 18 -1
  4 1 15 1 1 0 1329 488 14 18 -1
  5 1 15 1 1 1 1329 488 14 18 49.842583 (1

1. HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. ULL ENGLISH ‘LEARN TO DIF.’
   (32)
   “for I not only / but, as that I hope,
   many an othar wight / eke there-by shall
   his consyence / [ful] tenderly grope,
   and withe hym selfe acompte, & reken of all
   B23
   that he hathe in his! lyfe / wrowght, great &2 small,
   while he tyme hathe / & freshe wit and vigowr,
   and not abyde / vnto his dethes howr.
   (33)
   “man may in this tretis / here-aftarward,
   yf that hym lyke / rede and beholde,
   consyder and se well / that it is full hard
   delay accompts / tyll lyfe begyne to colde ;
   short tyme is then / of his offencis olde
   to make a iust / and trew[e] rekenynge ;
   sharpnes of peyne / is there-to great hindringe.
   (34)
   “ Not hath? me stiryd / my devocion
   to do this labour / ye shullan yndarstond[e],
   but at the exitynge / and monicion
   of a devout man / take I here on hond{e]
   this labowr / and as I cane,‘ wole I fond[e]
   his reade, thrwghe gods grace, to parforme,
   to
   oo
   bo
   ~— 2
   thowghe I be bare / of intellecte and forme.
   (35)
   “ And whan that endyd is / I nevar thinke,
   more in englyshe aftar / be oceupied ;
   I may not labowr / as I dyd, and swinke ;
   my lust is not there-to / so well applied
   as it hathe bene / it is ny mortyfied ;
   wherefore I cesse thinke / be this done,
   the night approchethe / it is fer past none.
   1 this 2 or 3 corr. from ‘have I,’ in St.

• came

XXI. HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. 1M 63, OLD AND SORROWFUL. 119
(36)
“ Of age am I fifty winter and thre ; 246 1amss; : 5
Ripenesse of dethe / fast vpon me hastetlie ; * A f s a!
my lymes sumdell / now vnweldy be ; - 41 ,
all my syght apperithe faste, and_wastithe, my sight is im-
pard, and my
and my conceyte / a dayes now now / not tastethe 250 mind too. 7
as it hathe done / in yeres precedent ;
iS hb kanal nes oy
now all a-nother is my sentement.? [Stowe ends.] 252
(37) [Zoecleve’s parchment begins. |
“ More am I heuy now yp-on a day, 253 [leat 13]
Than I sum tyme was in dayes fyne ;
Thynge þat or this me thoghite game & play,
Is ernest now / ®the hony fro the hyue The honey is
: gone from the
Of my spirit withdrawith wondir blyue ; 257 hive of my spirit.
Whan al is deon / al this worldes swetnesse Z
At ende torneth in-to bittirmesse.+ 259
(38)
“ The fool, thurgh loue of this lyf present, {Pula Uses
Deceyued is / but the wys man woot weel Kew
How ful this world of sorwe is, and torment ; The world is full
Wherfore in it / he trustith nat a deel; “a
Thogh a man this day / sitte hye on the whecl, 264
To morwe he may be tryced from his sete ;
This hath be seen often / among the grete. 266
(39)
“Tow fair thyng / or how precious it be 267 Fair things are
þat in the world is / it is lyk a flour, i
To whom / nature yeuen hath beantee ae“ Fie
Of fressh heewe / and of ful plesant colour ;
With soote smellynge also, and odour ; gl
But as soone as it is bicomen drye, and soon tose
their colour and
ffarwel colour / and the smel gynneth® dye. 273° scent.
1 now hastip 2 sentement
5 A later hand (? Stowe’s) has written ‘then’ over.the line as if it were left out.

• ‘tornithe in to bittyernisse, is repeated below in a later hand.

A later hand writes ‘be’gyineth ‘to.’ At foot : “hongrie men seem diyures,’ &e.

HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG.
(40)
“Rial miglit and eerthely magestee,
Welthe of the world / and longe & faire dayes,
Passen / as dooth the shadwe of a tree ;
Whan deeth is come / ther be no delayes ;
The worldes trust is brotil! at assayes ;
The wyse men / wel knowen this is sooth,
They knowen / what deceit to man it dooth.
(41)
“Lond / rente / eattel / gold / honour / richesse,
þat for a tyme lent been to been ouris,
fforgo we shole / sonner than we gesse.
Paleses / Maners / Castels grete & touris
Sha] vs bireft be / by deeth þat ful sour is ;
Shee is the rogh besom / which shal vs aH
Sweepe out of this world / whan god list it faH.
(42)
“ And syn þat shee shal of vs make an ende,
Holsum is, hir haue ofte in remembrance,
Or shee hir messager seeknesse vs sende.
{| Now, my freend / so good yeue yow good chaunce,
Is it nat good to make a purueance
Ageyn the comynge of þat messageer,
That we may stande in conscience cleer?”
(43)
{ ‘yis, Thomas, yis / thow hast a good entente,*
But thy werk / hard is to parfourme, I dreede ;
Thy brayn, par cas / ther-to nat wole assente,
And wel thow woost / it moot assente neede
Or thow aboute brynge swich a deede:
Now in good feith / I rede as for the beste,
þat purpos caste out of thy myndes cheste.
1 bretil, first.
2 Tohan Medwell, Master my lord Chamberlain, .
[at top]. Also, later, ‘W. Browne.’ At foot, ‘Thomas Carterys.’

HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. BUT VM STILL WELL ENOUGIL TO WORK. 121
CH)
‘Thy bisy studie aboute swich mateere
Hath causid thee / to stirte in-to the plyt
That thow were in / as fer as I can heere ;
2 ey siti Pp)
302 our writing
a
has made you / is
erackt again.
And thogh thow deeme / thow be there-of' qwyt /
806 ‘Stop work till
your brain's
right.’
Abyde / and thy purpos putte in respyt
Til þat righit wel stablisshid be thy brayn ;
And ther-to thanne / I wole assente fayn.
(45)
‘ Thogh a strong fyr / þat was in an herth late,
Withdrawen be / and swept away ful cleene /
yit aftirward / bothe the herth and plate
Been of the fyr warm / thogh no fyr be seene
There as fat it was / and right so I meene :
Al-thogh past be the grete of thy seeknesse /
yit lurke in thee may sum of hir warmnesse.’
(46)
{ “O, what is yow, freend / benedicitee ?
Right now, whan I yow redde my ‘conpleynte,’
Made it nat mynde / it standith wel with me?
Myn herte with your specche gynneth feynte.
316 [leaf 14, back]
Hoccleve re-
proaches his
friend:
1 told you I was
well.
Shuld we be now / al neewe to aqweynte,
put han so wel aqweynted be ful yore?
Ee mneEene
What / han yee now lerned a neewe lore?
(47)
Ww
to
to
3233 Why do you
“Han yee lerned / your freend for to mis-truste
inistrust me ?
And to his wordes / yeue no credence ? ;
Tf your frendshipe cancre so and ruste, an
Sore wole it trouble myn innocence,
þat ay yow holden haue in existence
A verray freend / certes, sore am I greeued,
That yee nat leeue / how god me hatli releened.?
eo
to
1 Later, in margin: ‘Ryght worshipefull Fa.’ At foot,
‘Wereof se. . Thomas C.’

IOCCLEVE’S DIALOG.
“ Who so nat leeneth / what put a man seith,
Is signe þat he trustith him but lyte.
A verray freend yeneth credence & feith
Vn-to his freend / what_so he speke & wryte.
ffrendshipes lawe / nat worth wer a myte,
If þat yntrust / vn-to it wer amnexid ;
Vutrust hath many a wiglit ful sore vexid.
(49)
“T with my seluen made foreward,
Whan with the knotte of frendshipe I me knytte
Vu-to yow, þat I neuere aftirward
Fro þat hy bond departe wolde, or flitte ;
Which keepe I wole ay / 0, your wordes sitte
Ny to myn herte / and thogh yee me nat loue,
My loue fro yow / shal ther no wight shoue.
“Tullius seith / þat frendshipe verray
Endurith euere / how-so men it assaiH ;
ffrendshipe is noon / to loue wel this day,
Or yeeres outhir / and aftirward fail.
A freend to freend / his peyne & his trauaill
Dooth ay / frendshipe to keepe & conserue
Til dethes strook’ þat bond a-sondir kerne.
(51)
“To this mati? accordith Salomon—
yee knowe it bet than I by many fold:
Ones freend / and holde euere ther vp-on.
In your frendshipe wer a slipir hold,
Tf it abate wolde and wexe cold,
þat vn-to now hath been bothe hoot & warm ;
To yow wer it repreef / and to me harm.

XXI. HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. INS FRIEND BIDS
“Tf þat me list in this mateere dweH,}
And it along / for to drawe and dilate,
Auctoritees an heep, kowde I yow teH
Of frendshipe / but stynte I moot algate,
Or elles wole it be ful longe & late
Or I haue endid my purposid werk,
ffor feeble is my conceit, & dul & derk’.
(53)
“ But as þat I seide eer / and sooth it is,
My selendre wit feele I as sad and stable
As euere it was at any tyme or this:
Thankid be our lord Ihesu merciable !”
© Yit, Thomas, herkne a word, and be souffrable, 369
And take nat my speeche in displesance ;
In me shalt thow fynde no variance.
(54)
‘Tam thy freend / as put I haue ay been,
And euere wole / doute it nat al,
But truste wel, it is but seelden seen
þat any wight / put eaght hath swich a fal
As thy seeknesse was / þat aftir shal
Be of swich disposiciown and might
As he was erst / and so seith euery wight.
(55)
‘Of studie was engendred thy seeknesse,?
And þat was hard / woldest [thow] now agayn
Entre into þat laborious bisynesse,
Syu it thy mynde and eek thy wit had slayn ?
Thy coneeit is nat worth a payndemayn :
Let be / let be/ hisye thee so no more,
Lest thee repente / and reewe it ouersore.
1 Later, in margin: ‘Is the same ene (?). . . he me life in.’

• In a later hand at top: ‘per me peter hardy oft halyfax’ ;
  then, rbd out, ‘ows this bok.’

124 XXI, HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. HE JOYS IN MUSING OVER HIS BOOKS.
(56)
‘My reed proceedith nat of froward wil,
But it is seid of verray freendly-hede
tfor if so-eausid seeknesse on me fil
As dide on the! right euene as I thee rede,
So wolde I do my self / it is no drede ;
And Salomon bit / aftir conseil do ;
And goad is it / conforie thee ther-te,
Solomon bids you
do as you're
advised,
57)
‘He þat hath ones in swich plyt y-faH,
But he wol rule him / may in slippen eft:
This rede I thee / for aght þat may befat,
Syn þat seeknesse god hath thee byrett,
The cause eschue / for it is good left,
Namely, thyng of thoghtful studie kaghit,
Perillous is / as þat hath me been taght.
As God has cured
your sickness,
avoid its cause.
(58)
7 ‘Rit as a theef þat hath eschapid ones!
The roop / no dreede hath eft his art to vse,
Til þat the trees him weye vp, body and bones,
So looth is him / his sory craft refuse /
Sa farest thow / ioie hastow for to muse
Vp-on thy book! / and ther-in stare & poure,
Til þat it thy wit / consume and denoure.
fleaf 16, back]
You love to pore
on your books.
(59)
‘T can no more / the latter errour
Wers is, tede I / than put þat was beforn ;
The smert of studie / oghte he miroww sy
To thee / let yit thy studie he forborn.
Haue of my wordes / no desdeyn or scorn ;
ffor þat I seye / of freendly tendernesse
Give up your
studies.
I seye it al / as wisly god me blesse.
1 Written up the side in a later hand:
Know er thow kynt [knyt, p. 152]. and then thow mayst slake ;
If thou knyt er thow know, then hytt ys to late.
(See p. 152.)

HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. MY MADNESS DIDN’T COME FROM BOOKWoRK. 125
(60)
“Tf thee nat list vp-on thy self to reewe, 414. If you won't take
pity on yourself,
Thomas, who shal reewe vpon thee, [ preye? who will ?
Now do foorth, let see / and thyn harm reneewe ;
And henyer / shal it peise and weye
Than it dide eer / ther-to my lyf I leye, 418
Whieh thee wolde ouer mochil harme & greeue.’
“ ffreend, as to þat / answer I shal by leeue.! 420 Hoccleve answers.
(61)
“Where-as put yee deemen of me, and trowe 421 {leat 17]
My insanity
That y of studie my disese took';—
Which conceit eek! / among the peple is sowe /—
Trustith right wel / þat nenere stndie in book! tuscan
Was cause / why my mynde me forsook 425 aa fa3
But it? was causid of my long seeknesse, but from my long” “4
And othir wyse nat / in soothfastnesse. 427 a
(62)
« And for-thy neuere aftir this / preye y yow, 428
Deemeth no more so / ne nat it mynge.
That men kneew I had seeknesse / is ynow, 1 don’t care that
= 7 tolk should know '
Thogh they make of the eause no serchynge : about it. /
Ther cometh but smal frnyt of swich deemynge. 452
To yow told hane I treewely the cause ; < —-
Now let vs stynten heer / & make a panse, J3d Let'sdrop it.
(63)
“Tn this keepe I no replicacionn ; 435 J
It is nat worth / the labour is in veyn ; /
Shal no stirynge or excitacioun
Lette me of this labour, in certeyn. Asis intended
Trustith wel this pourpos is nat sodeyn ; 439
Vp-on my wittes stithie hath it be bete leas
Many a day / of this no lenger trete.? 441
1 Later scribbles at foot: ‘William .. thi. . nunny ny,’ &e.
2 MS, is.
3 Later, at foot : ‘ Lord, Hane merce upon all eresten solles . .
John taler. . sone frome the beg",’ Ke.

HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG.
I WON'T GIVE UP MY WRITING.
(64)
“T haue a tyme resonable abide 442
Or that I thoghite in this laboure me ;
And al to preeue my self, I so dide:
A man in his conceit / may serchee « see
In .v®. yeer / what he do may, pardee, 446
And aftir þat take vp-on him, and do
Or leve / reson accordith heer-to.” 448
(65)
{ ‘O Thomas, holdist thow it a prudence, 449
teed, weyne, and wirke aftir thyn owne wit! He f
Seide y nat eer / þat Salomons sentence
To do hy reed / and by Conseil, men bit ;
And thow desdeynest / for to folwen it. 153
What art thow now / presumptuous become,
And list nat of thy mis / been vndirnome ?’ 455
q{ “Nay, freend / nat so / yee woot well, elles-where
Salomon bit / ‘oon _be thy Conseillour 457
Among a .Mt’ and if þat yee were
As constant as yee han been or this hour,
By yow wolde I be red / but swich errour 460
In your conceit I feele now, sanz faille,
That in this cas yce can nat wel consaiH.? 162
(67)
“ffor god woot / a blynd Cownseillour is he 463
Which þat conseille shal in a mateere, - LP .
If of a soothe / him list nat lerned he ; '
And euene swich oon fynde I now nowheere.*
I pleynly toid yow haue, the maneere 467
How þat it with me standen hath / and stant ;
But of your trust to me ward, be ye scant. 469
1 In the begynuyng god be my speade wythe grace & vertu
{later, at bottom]. 2 MS. now heere.

XXI. HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. TE IS
(68)
“Han yee aght herd of me in communynege,
Wherthurgh yee oghten deeme of me ainis ?
Haue I nat seid reson / to your thynkygne?”
{I ‘ffor soothe, Thomas / to my conceit / yis;
But euere I am agast, & dreede this,
Thy wit is nat so mighty to susteene
That labour / as thow thy self woldest weene.’
.
Knowe how it ee with an othir wight,
So wel as him self / al- thogh many a man
Take on him more / than ly th in his might
a,
To knowe / þat man is nat ruled cd right
_—
þat so so ) presumeth i in his i iugement :
Beforn the doom / good wer auisament,”
(70)
4M ‘Now, Thomas / by the feith I to god owe
Nad I nat taastid thee / as þat I now
Doon haue / it had been hard, maad me to trowe
The good plyt / which I feele wel þat thow
Art in / I woot wel thow art wel ynow,
What-so men of thee ymagyne or clappe,
Now haue I god, me thynkith, by the lappe.
(71)
‘But al so hertly / as I can or may,
Syn þat thow wilt to þat labour thee dresse,
I preye thee / in al mancere way
fresshinesse ;
Whan thow ther-to goost / take of hem the lesse ;
To muse longe / in an hard mateere,
The wit of man abieth it ful deere.’
Thy wittes to conserue / in hir

j238 XXL HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG, I WRITE BY FITS AND STARTS,
(72)
q ‘ffreend, I nat medle of matires grete ;
‘Ther-to nat streeche may myn intellect ;
I neuere yit was brent with studies hete ;
Let no man holde me ther-in suspect :
If I lightly / nat cacche may theffect
Of thyng! in which / laboure I me purpose,
A dicu my studie / anoon my book’ I close.
Hoccleve.
My brains won't
stretch to that.
If I can’t do my
work easily,
I shall shut my
book.
(73)
« By stirtes / whan pata fressh lust me takith,
Wole I me bisye now and now a lyte ;
But whan þat my lust dullith and asslakith,
I stynte wole / and no lenger wryte ;
And pardee, freend / bat may nat hyndre a mnyie,
As þat it seemeth to my symple auys ;
Iugeth your self / yee been prudent and wys.”
OU
S
oo
[leaf 19]
I shall write by
starts, as the
fancy takes me,
and stop when it
slacks.
(74)
{ ‘Sikir, Thomas / if thow do in swieh wyse
As þat thow seist / I am ful wel content
þat thow vp-on thee take þat empryse
Which þat thow has purposed and y-ment ;
Vn-to þat ende / yeue y myn assent,
Go now ther-to / in Ihesu Crystes name ;
And as thow haast me seid / do thou þat same.
Hoccleve’s friend.
Then I’m content.
Set to work, in
Christ’s name.
(75
‘TJ am secur þat thy disposicioun
Ts swich / þat thow maist more take on hoonde
Than I first wende in myn oppinioun,
By many fold / thankid be goddes soonde!
Do foorth in goddes name / & nat ne woonde
To make and wryte / what thyng þat thee list :
þat I nat eer kneew / now is to me wist.
au cer Annee |
Compose aud
write what you
like.
1 Later scribble at top: ‘Thomas. . Tomas Gairdynnayr’ (?).

HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. MEANT FOR THE DUKE
(76)
‘And of o thyng / now wel I me remembre,
Why thow purposist in this book trauail :
I trowe þat in the monthe of Septembre
Now last, or nat fer from / it is no farH,— ~
No force of the time! / it shal nat auailt
To my mateer / ne it hyndre or lette,—
Thow seidist / of a book! thow wer in dette
77)
‘Vn-to my lord / bat now is Heutenant,
My lord of Gloucestre / is it nat so?’
q ‘“ Yis soothly, freend / and as by couenant
He sholde han had it many a day ago ;
But seeknesse and vnlust / and othir mo
Han be the causes of impediment.”
{ ‘Thomas / than this book’ haast thow to him ment?’
(78)
q “Yee sikir, freend, ful treewe is your deemynge ;
ffor him it is / þat I this book’ shal make,
As blyue as put I herde of his comynge
firo ffrance / I penne and ynke gan to take,
And my spirit I made to awake,
þat longe lurkid hath in ydilnesse
ffor any swich labour or bisynesse.
(79)
“But of sum othir thyng / fayn trete I wolde,
My noble lordes herte / with / to glade,
As ther-to bownden am I deepe, & holde ;
On swich mateere / by god þat me made,
Wolde I bestowe many a balade,
Wiste I what / good freend / te on what is best,
Me for to make / and folwe it am I prest.
1 MS thine ; but this is surely a writing mistake.
HOCCLEVE, M.P.—Il,

HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG.
“ Next our lord lige, our kyng victorious,
In al this wyde world / lord is ther noon
Yn-to me so good ne so gracious,
And haath been swich / yeeres ful many oon:
God yilde it him / as sad as any stoon
Is herte set is / and nat change can
ffro me, his humble seruant & his man.
(81)
“ffor him I thogfite han translated Vegece
Which tretith of the art of Chiualrie,
But I see his Knyglithode so enerece,
þat no thyng my labowr sholde edifie,
ffor he þat art / wel can for the maistrie.
Beyonde, he preeued hath his worthynesse,
And among othre / Chirburgh to witnesse.
“This worthy Prynce lay before þat hold
Which was ful strong / at seege many a day,
And thens for to departe hath he nat wold,
But knyglitly ther abood / vp-on his pray
Til he by force it wan / it is no nay.
Duc henri, þat so worthy was and good,
ffolwith this Prince / as wel in deede as blood.
(83)
{ ‘Or he to Chirburghi cam / in iourneyynge,}
Of Constantyn he wan the cloos and yle,
ffor which / laude and honur and hy preysynge
Rewarden him / and qwyten him his whyle.
Thoghi he beforn þat had a worthy style,
yit of noble renoun is þat encrees :
He is a famous Prince / doutelees !

XX{. IOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. PRAISE OF THE DUKE
(84)
‘« ffor to reherce or teH in special
Euery act put his swerd / in stee] wroot there,
And many a place / elles I woot nat al;
And thogh euery act come had to myn ere,
To yepresse? hem / my spirit wolde han fere,
Lest I his thank’ par chaunce miglite abregge
Thurch vnhonnynge / if I hem sholde allegge._
(85)
“ But this [I seye / he callid' is Humfrey
Conueniently, as þat it seemeth me,
ffor this conceit is in myn herte al-wey,
Bataillous Mars / in his natiuitee
Vn-to þat name / of verray specialtee
Titled him / makynge him ther-by promesse
joat strecche he sholde in-to hy worthynesse ;
(86)

• ffor humfrey / as vn-to myn intellect,
  ‘Man, make I shal’ / in englissli is to seye ;*
  And þat byheeste / hath taken treewe effect,
  As the commune fame / can bywreye :
  Who-so his worthy knyghthode / can weye
  Duely in his conceites balaunce,
  Ynow hath / wher-of his renoun enhaunce.
  (87)
  “To cronicle his actes / wer a good deede,
  ffor they ensaumple miglite, and encorage
  fful many a man / for to taken heede
  How for to gouerne hem in the vsage
  Of armes / it is a greet auauutage
  1 For ‘expresse’ ?
• Humfrey, quasi ‘homme feray’ [in margin] ? in a 17th-
  Century hand. Other scribble: ‘John, Thomas .. John...
  winsayn bene .. as.. so p ff H Hon... Armo.. stoke...
  gingen .. Wiylyam.’

HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG.
A man before him / to haue a mirour,
Ther-im to see the path vn-to honour. 609
(88)
“*O lord / whan he cam to the seege of Roon 610
firo Chirburgh / whether fere or cowardyse,
So ny the walles / made him for to goon
Of the town / as he dide? I nat souffyse
To telle yow / in how knyglitly a wyse Olt
He logged him ther / and how worthyly
He baar him / what / he is al knyghit soothly. 616
(89)
{ “ Now, good freend / shoue at the cart, I yow preye ;
What thyng may I make vn-to his plesance ? 618
Withouten your reed / noot I what to seye.”
{| °O / no, pardee, Thomas / 0, no, aseannce.’
{| “No, certein, freend / as now no chenissance 621
Can I; your conseil is to me holsum ;
As I truste in yow, mynystreth me sum.” 623
(90)
{| ‘Wel Thomas / trowest thow his hy noblesse 624
Nat rekke / what mateere þat it be
pot thow shalt make of 2’ { “no, freend, as I gesse,
So put it be mateere of lonestee.”
q «Thomas, and thanne I wole auyse me ; 628
ffor who-so reed & conseil yeue shal,
May nat on heed / foorth renne ther-with-al. 630
(91)
‘And þat? so noble a Prince, namely, 631
So excellent / worthy and honurable,
Shal hane / needith good anys soothly,
þat it may be plesant and agreable
To his noblesse / it is nat couenable 635
To wryte to a prince so famous,
But it be good mateer’ and vertuous. 637

XXI. IOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. HE MUST THINK BEFORE HE WRITES. 15:
(92)
‘ © ey ~ 5 (33 © Si quis habet No one begins to
Thow woost wel / who shal an hous edifie, ps, Nunta bene
Gooth nat ther-to withoute auisament, nou currit ad without advice.
fA
If he be wys, for wit his mental_ye a
Pot 35 3 . 9 F © Impetuosa M
first is it seen [ pourposid [ cast_ & ment, cle D)
Tlow it shal wroght_been_/ elles al is shent. 642
Certes, for the deffaute of good forsighte,
Mis-tyden thynges / þat wel tyde miglite. 644
(93)
‘This may been vn-to thee / in thy makynge 645
A good mirour / thow wilt nat haaste, I trowe,
Vn-to thy penne / and ther-w7th wirke heedlynge, You mustn't
. write without
Or thow auysed he wel / and wel knowe G48 taking thonght,
aud getting
What thow shalt wryte / 0, Thomas / many a throwe aavice.
Smertith the fool / for lak of good auys ;
But no wight hath it smerted þat is wys ; 651
(94)
‘ffor wel is he waar / or he wryte or speke, 652 [leaf 22, back]
What is to do or leue / Who by prudence
tule him shal / no thinge shal out from him breke
Hastily ne of rakil negligence.’
q “ ffreend, þat is sooth / 0 / now your assistence 656 True, friend,
says Hoccleve,
And help / what I shal make, I now bysceche ; advise me.
In your wys conceit / serche yee & seeche.” 658
(95)
{ He a long tyme in a studie stood, 659
And aftir þat, thus tolde he his entente :
. Hoecleve’s friend.
{ ‘Thomas, sauf bettre auys, I holde it good, Thomas, as it’s
9 now Lent
Syn now the holy seson is of lente ,
In which it sit every man him repente 663
Of his offense / and of his wikkidnesse /
, . ._ repent and con-
Be heuy of thy gilt / and the confesse, 665 fess your sins,

HOW HE CAN GET WOMEN’S FAVOUR AGAIN,
(96)
Thow woost wel / on wommen, greet wyt? & lak’
Ofte haast thow put / be waar / lest thow be qwit.
Thy wordes fille wolde a quarter sak,?
Which thow in whyt / depeynted haast with blak ;
In hir repreef, mochil thyng haast thow write,
That they nat foryeue haue / ne foryite.
(97)
‘Sumwhat now wryte in honowr & preysynge
Of hem / so maist thow do correccioun
Sumdel of thyn offense and mis-berynge.
Thow art cleene out of hir affeccionn ;
Now syn it is in thyn eleccioun
Whethir thee list / hir lone ageyn purchace,
Or stonde as thow doost / out of love & grace /
(98)
‘ Bewar, rede I / cheese the bettre part.
Truste wel this / wommen been felt and wyse ;
Hem for to plese / lyth greet craft & art.
Wher no fyr maad is / may no smoke aryse ;
But thow haast ofte / if thow thee wel auyse,
Maad smoky brondes / and for al þat gilt,
yit maist thow stonde in grace / if þat thow wilt.
(99)
‘By buxum herte & by submission
To hir graces / yildinge thee coupable /
Thow pardon maist haue, & remission
And do yn-to hem plesance greable.
To make partie / art thow nothyng able ;
Humble thy goost / be nat sturdy of herte ;
Bettre than thow art / han they maad to smerte.
1 wyte, blame ; not wié, the little brain that Hoccleve had.
2 A sack that holds a quarter (being a double sack), = a lot

HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG.
‘The wyf of Bathe, take I for auctrice
þat wommen han no ioie ne deyntee
þat men sholde vp-on hem putte any vice ;
I woot wel so / or lyk to þat, seith shee.
By wordes writen / Thomas, yilde thee ;
Euene as thow by scripture hem haast offendid,
Riglit so / let it be by wrytynge amendid.’
{] “ ffreend / thogh I do so / what lust or pleisir
Shal my lord haue in þat / noon / thynkith me.”
{ ‘Yis, Thomas, yis / his lust and his desir
Is / as it wel sit / to his hy degree,
ffor his desport / & mirthe in honestee,
With ladyes / to haue daliance :
And this book' / wole he shewen hein par chance.
(102)
‘And syn he thy good lord is / he be may
ffor thee swich mene / þat the liglitlyere
Shuln they foryeue thee / putte in assay
My conseil / let see / nat shal it thee dere ;
So wolde I doon / if in thy plyt I were.
Leye hond on thy breest / if thow wilt so do,
Or leue / I can no more seyn ther-to.
(103)
{] ‘But thogh to wommen thow thyn herte bowe,
Axynge hir graces / with greet repentance
ffor thy giltes / thee wole I nat allowe
To take on thee swich rule and gouernance
As they thee rede wolde / for grenance
So greet / ther folwe miglite of it, par cas,
That thow repente it sholdesit ay, Thomas.

en
| a‘.
i Eve beguiled
Adam, and the
serpent her,
But God said
Eve should break
the serpent’s
head,
So let no husband
feel shame if his
wife break his
head.
[leat 24, back]
Hang up your
hatchet, and sit
down.
Tlow do you and
your wile get ou?
Hoccleve,
she wouldn’t -
a me to tell
you.
Hoccleve’s friend,
If you want to
live in ease,
take patiently
all that women
say.

HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG.
(104)
qe , . wh Ke . © Genesis Ait domi-
i‘ Adam begyled was with Eeues reed, % Genres A tom
7° ipsa conteret caput
And sikir so was shee by the Serpent, thunk
To whom god seide / ‘this womman thyn heed
Breke shal / for thurgh thyn enticement
Shee hath y-broken my eovmandement.” 726
Now, syn womman had of the feend swich might ;
To breke a mannes! heed / it seemeth hight. 728
(105)
‘ffor why, let noon housbonde / thynke it shame 729
Ne repreef vn-to him / ne vilenye,
Thogii his wyf do to him þat selue same.
Hir reson axith haue of men maistrie 132,
Thogh holy writ witnesse and testifie
Men sholde of hem han dominacioun,
It is the reuers in probacioun. 739
(106)
‘ange vp his hachet / & sette him adoun ;* 736
ffor wommen wole assente in no mancere
Vn-to þat poynt / ne þat conclusioun.
4] Thomas / how is it twixt thee & thy feere? 39
2 1 21 0 0 0 411 1518 913 97 -1
3 1 21 1 0 0 411 1518 913 97 -1
4 1 21 1 1 0 411 1518 913 40 -1
5 1 21 1 1 1 411 1519 27 30 45.020119 @
5 1 21 1 1 2 456 1519 109 37 78.361343 “Wel,
5 1 21 1 1 3 586 1519 68 37 96.227188 wel,
5 1 21 1 1 4 671 1520 82 38 29.324074 quod
5 1 21 1 1 5 769 1519 16 30 78.837807 I
5 1 21 1 1 6 801 1518 15 39 78.837807 /
5 1 21 1 1 7 831 1519 84 30 96.393745 what
5 1 21 1 1 8 930 1519 52 29 93.214485 list
5 1 21 1 1 9 998 1529 70 29 93.119850 yow
5 1 21 1 1 10 1084 1518 116 30 91.941589 ther-of
5 1 21 1 1 11 1217 1518 107 29 58.242195 heere!
4 1 21 1 2 0 412 1575 771 40 -1
5 1 21 1 2 1 412 1576 57 39 93.101074 My
5 1 21 1 2 2 485 1576 65 39 91.456551 wyf
5 1 21 1 2 3 566 1575 116 40 18.920326 miglite
5 1 21 1 2 4 697 1575 80 31 91.849350 haue
5 1 21 1 2 5 793 1575 92 30 90.037346 hokir
5 1 21 1 2 6 901 1575 28 30 93.205070 &
5 1 21 1 2 7 944 1579 84 35 93.203911 greet
5 1 21 1 2 8 1043 1575 140 39 91.371132 desdeyn
2 1 22 0 0 0 411 1631 964 42 -1
3 1 22 1 0 0 411 1631 964 42 -1
4 1 22 1 1 0 411 1631 964 42 -1
5 1 22 1 1 1 411 1632 33 30 96.333466 If
5 1 22 1 1 2 460 1633 16 29 92.474495 I
5 1 22 1 1 3 492 1632 107 31 91.523193 sholde
5 1 22 1 1 4 615 1633 34 29 93.305740 in
5 1 22 1 1 5 665 1633 96 30 17.495136 swiech
5 1 22 1 1 6 777 1644 48 18 93.150963 cas
5 1 22 1 1 7 841 1631 13 42 93.150963 /
5 1 22 1 1 8 871 1633 87 40 92.803841 pleye
5 1 22 1 1 9 974 1643 17 19 96.265518 a
5 1 22 1 1 10 1007 1632 134 40 34.367928 soley.”
5 1 22 1 1 11 1316 1632 59 29 36.657581 742
2 1 23 0 0 0 411 1712 966 393 -1
3 1 23 1 0 0 411 1712 966 393 -1
4 1 23 1 1 0 801 1712 90 41 -1
5 1 23 1 1 1 801 1712 90 41 95.919975 (107)
4 1 23 1 2 0 411 1778 772 42 -1
5 1 23 1 2 1 411 1779 22 31 66.144760 {|
5 1 23 1 2 2 450 1780 99 30 82.812210 ‘Now
5 1 23 1 2 3 567 1780 133 30 93.153709 Thomas
5 1 23 1 2 4 715 1779 14 41 90.260017 /
5 1 23 1 2 5 744 1779 26 30 96.070030 if
5 1 23 1 2 6 786 1780 70 29 93.295135 thee
5 1 23 1 2 7 872 1779 52 29 93.203972 hst
5 1 23 1 2 8 940 1782 31 26 93.100594 to
5 1 23 1 2 9 988 1778 71 40 92.614632 lyue
5 1 23 1 2 10 1076 1778 30 29 96.417725 in
5 1 23 1 2 11 1125 1788 58 26 96.417725 ese,
4 1 23 1 3 0 411 1835 646 31 -1
5 1 23 1 3 1 411 1835 102 31 92.406906 Prolle
5 1 23 1 3 2 529 1835 74 30 92.556763 aftir
5 1 23 1 3 3 619 1845 206 20 92.267769 wommennes
5 1 23 1 3 4 842 1835 215 30 89.755409 beneuolence.
4 1 23 1 4 0 411 1890 749 42 -1
5 1 23 1 4 1 411 1892 108 40 89.896271 Thogh
5 1 23 1 4 2 538 1892 23 30 96.876160 it
5 1 23 1 4 3 577 1893 38 29 96.876160 be
5 1 23 1 4 4 631 1892 170 40 93.204819 dangerous
5 1 23 1 4 5 817 1890 12 42 93.204819 /
5 1 23 1 4 6 846 1891 79 39 96.945396 good
5 1 23 1 4 7 941 1891 25 29 96.972809 is
5 1 23 1 4 8 983 1891 70 29 80.612900 hem
5 1 23 1 4 9 1069 1890 91 40 96.310692 plese,
4 1 23 1 5 0 411 1948 677 42 -1
5 1 23 1 5 1 411 1948 59 31 93.128769 ffor
5 1 23 1 5 2 485 1950 77 29 96.865631 hard
5 1 23 1 5 3 578 1950 26 29 96.749336 is
5 1 23 1 5 4 620 1950 25 29 92.373718 it
5 1 23 1 5 5 660 1948 15 42 92.373718 /
5 1 23 1 5 6 689 1952 33 27 93.273697 to
5 1 23 1 5 7 738 1959 94 20 90.422974 renne
5 1 23 1 5 8 847 1949 34 29 92.123230 in
5 1 23 1 5 9 897 1948 55 29 66.501167 hir
5 1 23 1 5 10 967 1948 121 30 94.378830 offense.
4 1 23 1 6 0 411 2004 966 42 -1
5 1 23 1 6 1 411 2005 98 30 95.745216 What
5 1 23 1 6 2 525 2016 33 19 96.852524 so
5 1 23 1 6 3 575 2006 74 40 92.962227 they
5 1 23 1 6 4 665 2016 77 29 92.715874 seyn
5 1 23 1 6 5 757 2006 14 39 93.144791 /
5 1 23 1 6 6 787 2005 71 30 96.994087 take
5 1 23 1 6 7 873 2005 30 30 96.884125 al
5 1 23 1 6 8 918 2005 34 29 93.127792 in
5 1 23 1 6 9 967 2005 150 39 88.379341 pacienee.
5 1 23 1 6 10 1315 2004 62 30 91.380180 TAT
4 1 23 1 7 0 412 2061 777 44 -1
5 1 23 1 7 1 412 2062 103 43 91.270531 Bettre
5 1 23 1 7 2 532 2066 46 26 92.906204 art
5 1 23 1 7 3 598 2063 79 40 92.267067 thow
5 1 23 1 7 4 693 2066 57 30 85.092316 nat
5 1 23 1 7 5 765 2061 14 42 85.092316 /
5 1 23 1 7 6 794 2062 76 30 96.632629 than
5 1 23 1 7 7 887 2062 56 40 93.278831 thy
5 1 23 1 7 8 962 2057 96 52 91.912613 fadres
5 1 23 1 7 9 1079 2057 110 52 0.000000 before,
2 1 24 0 0 0 411 2117 964 43 -1
3 1 24 1 0 0 411 2117 964 43 -1
4 1 24 1 1 0 411 2117 964 43 -1
5 1 24 1 1 1 411 2119 141 37 95.954163 Thomas,
5 1 24 1 1 2 570 2119 63 29 96.846474 han
5 1 24 1 1 3 649 2119 77 30 93.219818 been
5 1 24 1 1 4 743 2117 13 43 93.217033 /
5 1 24 1 1 5 773 2119 37 30 93.288582 be
5 1 24 1 1 6 825 2119 84 39 33.120277 riglit
5 1 24 1 1 7 924 2119 58 29 96.942543 wel
5 1 24 1 1 8 999 2128 79 20 96.664589 waar
5 1 24 1 1 9 1093 2117 151 31 79.647163 therfore.’
5 1 24 1 1 10 1316 2118 59 29 43.038555 749
2 1 25 0 0 0 474 2201 842 75 -1
3 1 25 1 0 0 474 2201 842 75 -1
4 1 25 1 1 0 474 2201 842 33 -1
5 1 25 1 1 1 474 2201 9 16 94.750259 1
5 1 25 1 1 2 504 2201 71 33 94.750259 Why
5 1 25 1 1 3 589 2202 22 24 88.862976 is
5 1 25 1 1 4 623 2210 14 17 88.862976 a
5 1 25 1 1 5 650 2201 85 26 95.972054 man’s
5 1 25 1 1 6 748 2201 67 26 95.972054 head
5 1 25 1 1 7 830 2202 82 25 94.982330 easier
5 1 25 1 1 8 927 2205 26 21 96.954720 to
5 1 25 1 1 9 968 2201 80 26 93.207710 break
5 1 25 1 1 10 1063 2201 64 26 96.575211 than
5 1 25 1 1 11 1141 2209 15 17 93.037422 a
5 1 25 1 1 12 1169 2201 147 33 90.280586 serpent’s
5 1 25 1 1 13 1306 2197 15 42 88.159599 ?
4 1 25 1 2 0 538 2241 710 35 -1
5 1 25 1 2 1 538 2241 10 15 73.265205 *
5 1 25 1 2 2 568 2244 126 32 93.718803 Compare
5 1 25 1 2 3 709 2244 45 24 96.378639 the
5 1 25 1 2 4 777 2243 18 26 0.000000 MH
5 1 25 1 2 5 801 2244 43 31 0.000000 ife
5 1 25 1 2 6 858 2244 29 31 93.246559 of
5 1 25 1 2 7 897 2243 92 26 91.130486 Bath’s
5 1 25 1 2 8 1001 2243 94 32 96.098938 Prolog
5 1 25 1 2 9 1106 2243 55 25 96.456093 and
5 1 25 1 2 10 1179 2242 69 25 89.772278 Tule.
2 1 26 0 0 0 1331 2170 109 126 -1
3 1 26 1 0 0 1331 2170 109 126 -1
4 1 26 1 1 0 1331 2170 109 51 -1
5 1 26 1 1 1 1331 2170 109 51 23.877811 facet
4 1 26 1 2 0 1346 2211 94 85 -1
5 1 26 1 2 1 1346 2211 94 85 36.414410 “yd

HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. I NEVER REPROVED WOMEN IN
(108)
{| ‘‘ffreend, hard it is / wommen to greeue, I grante ;
ut what haue I agilt / for him put dyde,
Nat haue I doon why / dar I me auante,
Out of wommennes graces slippe or slyde.”’
{| ‘Yis, Thomas, yis / in thepistle of Cupyde Tod
Thow haast of hem / so largeliche said,
That they been swart wrooth / & ful euele apaid.’ 756
(109)
{| “ffreend / doutelees sumwhat ther is ther-in 757
put sowneth but right smal to hir honour ;
But as to þat / now, for your fadir kyn,
Considereth / ther-of / was I noon Auctour ;
T nas in þat cas / but a reportour, Y 761
Ot folkes tales / as they seide / I wroot:
I nat affermed it on hem / god woot! 763
(410)
“Who so þat shal reherce a mannes sawe, TOL
As þat he seith / moot he seyn & nat_varie,}
ffor, and he do / he dooth ageyn the lawe
Of trouthe / he me tho wordes nat contrarie.
Who-so þat seith ‘I am hir Aduersarie, 768
And dispreise hir condicions and port,
flor þat I made of hem swich a report,’ / 770
(111)
‘He mis-auysed is / and eck to blame. 771
Whan I it spak’ / I_spak conpley nyngly ;
I to hem thogfite no repreef ne shame,
What world is this / how vndirstande am [? wid
Looke in the same book! / what stikith by !
Who so lookith aright / ther-in may sce
put they me oghten haue it in greet cheertee, 177
eee can ere ney om —_ ees
1 This is Chaucer's excuse for telling his naughty Tales.

HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG. I MEAN TO WIN WOMEN’S LOVE.
(112)
«And elles / woot I neuere what is what. 778
The book concludith for hem / is no nay,
Vertuously / my good freend / dooth it nat?”
q ‘Thomas, I noot / for neuere it yit I say.’
‘No, freend?” ‘no, Thomas’ / { “ Wel trowe I,
in fay ; 782
ffor had yee red it fully to the ende,
yee wolde seyn / it is nat as yee wende,” 784
(113)
‘Thomas / how so it be / do as I seide: 785
Syn it displesith hem / amendes make.
If þat some of hem thee ther-of vpbreide,
Thow shalt be bisy ynow, I vndirtake,
Thy kut to keepe / now I thee bytake 789
To god / for I moot needes fro thee weende :
The love and thank' of wommen / god thee seende !
(114)
‘ Among, I thynke thee for to visyte
Or þat thy book fully finisshid be,
ffor looth me were / thow sholdest aght wryte
Wherthurgh / thow mightest gete any maugrec ;
And for þat cause / I wole it ouersee ; 796
And, Thomas / now a dieu & fare weel ;
Thow fynde me shalt / al so treewe as steel.’ 798
(115)
Whan he was goon / 1 in myn herte dredde
Stonde out of wommennes beneuolence ;
C38
And to fulfille þat / þat he me redde,
I shoop me do my peyne and diligence
To wynne hir loue by obedience. 803
Thogh I my wordes can nat wel portreye /
Lo, heer the fourme / how I hem obeye.
ND
as)
ety

HOCCLEVE’S DIALOG.
{ My ladyes aH / as wisly god ime blesse,
Why þat yee meeued been / can [ nat knowe ;
My gilt cam nenere yit to the ripnesse,
Althogh yee for your fo / me decme & trowe ;
But I your freend be / byte me the crowe!
Tam al othir to yow / than yee weene ;
By my wrytynge / hath it, & shal be, seene.
(117)
But nathelees / I lowly me submitte
To your bontees / as fer as they han place
In yow / vn-to me, wreeche, it may wel sitte
To axe pardoun / thogh I nat trespace ;
Leuer is me / with pitous cheere & face,
And meek spirit, do so / than open werre
yee make me / & me putte atte werre.}
A tale eek / which I in the Romayn deedis
Now late sy / in honur & plesance
Of yow, my ladyes /—as I moot needis,
Or take my way / for fere in-to ffrance,—
Thogh I nat shapen be / to prike or praiice,—
Wole I translate / and þat shal pourge, I hope,
My gilt / as cleene / as keuerchiefs dooth sope.
1 At foot, in a later hand: ‘ Hyharie’ (?).
2 Per me gabriell curtys [in a later hand at top].

XXII. The Tale of Jereslaus's Wife, and Her False Brother-in-Law, from the Gesta Romanorum

Tale

XXH. THE EMPEROR JERESLAUS'S WIFE.
[for various rcadings from MS Reg. 17 D 6, sce p. 243.)
XXIL.
fabula de quadam Emperatrice Romana,
q)
n the Romain actes writen is thus:
Whitom an Emperour in the Citee
Of Roome regned, clept Iereslaus,
Which, his noble estat & hy dignitee
Gouerned wysly ; & weddid had he
The doghtir of the kyng of Vugarie,
A fair lady / to every mannes ye.
(2)
And for þat beautee in womman, allone
Withouten bontee, is nat commendable,
Shee was ther-to / a vertnous persone,
And specially pitous & merciable
In aH hir wirkes / which ful couenable
And pertinent is / vn-to wommanhede :
Merey causith / good renon fer to sprede.?
(3)
Now in iny tale foorth wole I proceede :
As put this Emperour in his bed lay
Vp-on a nyght / a thoght gan in him breede,
Vn-to the holy land / to take his way ;
And on the morwe / left? lenger delay,
His wyf and his brothir / he made appeere
Before him / and hem seide in this maneere :
(4)
“My deere wyf / myn hertes ioie and hele,
put thyng þat stablisshid in myn herte is,
I can nat hyde fro thee / ne concele,
Ne nat ne wole / and shortly it is this:
Vn-to the holy lond / I wole ywis ;
lbbb hhh.... Thomas kyngston hath Rede this gudly
boke [in a later hand at the bottom of the page]. ? ? MS. lest.

XXII. JERESLAUS’S WIFE. HE GOES TO THE HOLY LAND. 141
And for thy / make I thee principally
He makes his
wife “ Lady” of
the Empire,
Of al thempyre / me absent / ‘ lady,’ 28
(4)
“ Bytakynge and committynge vn-to thee, ax)
with eharge of the
folk and Jand;
Of peple and land / the charge special ;
And yndir thee / my brothir heer shal he
Steward of it / to rule & gouerne al
and his brother
“ Steward,” to
rule all
That to me and my peple, greet & smal, 33
Profitable is / by Conseil & assent
Algate of thee / and thyn auysament.! 35
(6)
“ Al-thogh thee thynke / this purpos sodeyn, 56
by her advice.
[leaf 27, back]
Yit be nat heuy / but in gree it take.
With goddes grace / my comynge ageyn
Shal nat be longe to / I, for thy sake,
Wole the shorter abood / there make. 40
He promises, for
her sake, fo come
back home as soon
as he can.
Truste me weel / as blyue as þat I may,
Haaste I me wole / fro thennes away.” 42
(7)
| To whom / with spirit of humilitee, 43
His wife, the
Enipress,
She seide / “syn it is your good plesance
To departe hens / & / go to þat Contree,
I take moot algates, in souffrance,
Your wil / and shal, with hertes obeissance, 47
As treewe as turtle / þat lakkith hir feere
submits to his
will.
She will be as
trne to him as the
turtle-dove to its
mate,
In your absence / I shal be / my lord deere. 419
(8)
“ fful sore [am agast, & grectly dreede 90
þat neuvere yee shuln thennes with your lyf
-Retorne / almighty god yow sane & speede !”
he [to] hiv yaf wordes confortatyf,
And kiste hir / and seide, ‘ farewel, wyft! 54
Be nat abasshit / ne nat dreedith, I preye ;”
And foorth he hastith him in his iowrneye. 56
The Emperor
starts for the
Holy Land,
‘ Later scribble at side; ‘hh ham for... LLL.. UL,’ &e.

JERESLAUS’S WIFE.
(9)
The sorwe of herte / and cheer of heuynesse!
Which this good lady at his departynge
Made / the book nat can telle or expresse ;
Wherfore / of þat haue I no knowlechynge ;
Eek kepe I nat / the belle of sorwe out rynge,
Thogh þat I kneew wel enery circumstance
Of hir wo / & hir heuy contenance,
(10)
{ But whan this Emperour was thus agoon,
His brothirs herte was so elenat
And so prowd / þat by wight ne sette he noon ;
Him self forgat he / for his hy estat ;
The pore & simple folk / this potestat
Oppressid sore / and dide hem greet duresse ;
The riche / he robbid eek of hir richesse.
(11)
And yit this wikkid man / this Seneschal,
Meeued was werse / and to fulfil it / thoglite ;
he dide his might / and his peyne total,
And alle weyes / serchid he & soghite,
And to brynge it aboute he faste wroglite ;
Al-thoghi he faillid / at preef and assay,
He was knyt vp / with a wommanly nay.
(12)
He day by day lay / on this Emperice?
To make hir vn-to him flessfily consente ;
4] But shee answerde / “it wer oner greet vice
To me / if I ther-to myn herte bente.
Nay, brothir, nay / god woot, I neuere it mente,
1 thomas . . Thomas kaye the sonne of thomas kay . . Thom-
mas Kaye the sone of Thommas Kaye. . Thomas Kaye the sonne
present Wryting.

JERESLAUS’S WIFE. SHE SENDS FOR
Ne neuere shal / 1 truste in goddes grace ;
Yee goon wrong / yee mis-chosen han your place.
(13)
‘In al your lyf / yee nenere, ne noon othir,
Shal make me consente to þat synne.
tlor shame, fy / þat yee, my lordes brothir,
And whom þat he right feithful trust hath Inne,
Sholde any swich tale / to me begynne,
Which wer ageyn his / and your honestee,
And myn / þat am his wyf', wel knowen yee.
(14)
“A treewe wyf / I lyue wole & dye ;
his wole I be / to whom þat I am bownde
Whyle he lyneth and I / withouten lye ;
Trustith wel / it noon othir shal be fownde.”
But for al this / at euery tyme & stownde
he stired hire / whan he fond hir soul,
Vn-to this deede vicious and foul.
(15)
And whan shee sy / shee mighte haue no reste,—
Nat wolde he stynte of his iniquitee,—
Shee aftir three / or foure / of the gretteste
Of al thempire sente / and thus spake shee :
{] “Sires / the cause / þat hath meeued me
flor yow to sende / is this / as I shal seyn,
Of which / I sore encombred am / certeyn :
(16)
“yee woot wel / þat my lord the Emperour,
Tn his absence / hath maad me principal
Of thempire / and his brothir gouernour
And Steward vndir me / for to rule al,
With this addicion / þat he nat shal
Wirke / my Conseil and assent vnhad :
This was my lordes wil / and thus he bad ;

JERESLAUS’S WIFE.
“ And nathelees / the poore he hath oppressid, 113
And robbid ryehe folk’ / yee woot, I trowe ;
And werse thyng / which shal nat been expressid
As now / he wolde han doon / my self it knowe ;
Wherfore / vp-on the feith / which þat ye owe 117
To my lord / and on his part, I yow charge
Enprisone him / let him nat goon at large ;} 119
(18)
ffettreth him faste” / and they answerden thus: 120
{| “ Ma dame / he hath doon many a wikkid deede
Syn our lord wente / it wel knowe is to ys.
To your commandement / as we moot neede /
We wole obeie / but withoute dreede 124
yee muste in this / warrante vs and allowe,
Lest our lord / whan he comth / vs disallowe.” 126
4] “What, Sires,” quod shee / “ doutith yow right noglit ;
ffor if my lord kneew / as mochil as I, 128
That he hath doon / sholde be deere bogiit.
þat I yow charge / wole I stande by.”
They made anoon areest on his body, 13]
And in-to prison / they him threew & easte,
And fettred him in yren bondes faste, 135
(20)
Wher he abood / til put word comen was, 134
How þat the Emperour was hoom comynge.
Thanne he thus thoghte / ‘how shal I doon / allas,
Now knowe shal my lord, by enquerynge,
The verray cause of myn enprisonynge, 138
1 Tater, at foot: ti — s — d
1— 10 — 2
—— 9 — 4
3 4 84
[1 crost thro’ for 2] 2 2 10 100
S* to to Summa totalis 42 10

JERESLAUS’S WIFE. IER BROTHER-IN-LAW BEGS TIER FORGIVENESS. 145
Wherthurgh, his grace / I vttirly shal leese,
Or per eas / my lyf / I ne shal nat cheese ;
(21)
“Tn feith if I may / it shal nat be so.”
A messager / as blyue ordeyned he,
And made him / to the Emperice go,
And byseeche hir / of hir hy[e] bontee,
Syn shee had ay been of hir grace free,
þat shee so mochil grace / wolde him do,
As come / and speke a word with him or two.
(22)
{| VYn-to the dore / of his prison / shee cam ;
Withouten danger / shee ther-to obeide :
“What is your wil,” qwod shee / “lo, heer I ain”
He lookid pitously // and meekly preide,}
*O gracious lady / reewe on me,” he seide ;
“Tf put my lord me fynde heer in prison,
My deeth wole it been, & confusion.
23)
“My gentil lady / what shal yow profyte
To do me of a mescheuous deeth stertie ?
Tf þat I lyue may / wole I me qwyte
Treewely to yow / and your thank disserue.
What yow hst me commande / I wole obserue,
And do as humblely as any man
þat in this world lyueth / do may or can.”
(24)
And shee anoon right, meeued of pitee,
Seide / ‘if [þat] I wiste þat of thy folie
Thow stynte woldest, & amende thee
Nens-foorth / and thee vn-to vertn applic,
My grace wolde I nat to thee denye.”
He seide and swoor / al þat he cowde swere,
Amende he wolde / and wel aftir him here.
141 [leaf 30]
he sends to the
Empress,
and begs her
to come and speak
to him.
She eomes.
152 He prays her
to pity him.
155 What good It his
death do her?
1f she’ll spare
him, he’ll repay
her and deserve
her mercy.
159 ,
162 [leaf 30, back]
She says that if
she can be sure
he'll amend,
166 she’ll pardon him.
He swears he will.
1 Later, at side: ‘hyghte.. Thomas. . bee.
HOCCLEVE, M. P.— Il.
L

JERESLAUS’S WIFE,
(25)
{1 O noble lady / symple and Innocent, 169
Trustynge vp-on his ooth and his promesse,
fful wo is me / for thy wo consequent!
Often happith / wommannes tendrenesse
Torneth hir vn-to harm / and to duresse : 173
This Emperice fond it so by preef,
Whom þat forsworn man / greet harm dide, & greef. 175
This man shee took! out of the prison hous, 176
And made him bathid been, and fresshly shane,
And dide him elothe in elothes precious,
And a fressh Courser / eek’ shee made him haue,
And seide, “now, brothir / so god yow saue!
Takith your hors / and ryde foorth with me
Toward my lord” / and foorth with hiv rood he. 182
And as they riden / right in the hy way!
Ny a fforeste / an hert before hem ran :
Ther nas but “ryde on, ryde / and hay, dogge, hay!”
Euery man dooth his peyne / in what he ean,
The hert to sué / ther lefté no man 187
With this good lady / sauf this wikkid wight,
This Steward / which brak' al þat he had hight. 189
(28)
4] Par auenture / men wole han meruail, 190
That damoisele / wth hir had shee noon :
No foree of þat / the book withouten fail
Makith no mynde / as moehil as of oon ;
This chanzce shoop / many a yeer agoon ; 194
That tyme par cas / was no swieh array
As þat in sundry Contrees is this day. 196

JERESLAUS'S WIFE. SHE SHUNS HER BROTHER-IN-LAW’S PROPOSALS. 147
(29)
Whan this knyglit sy / ther was noon but they two, 197
To themperice / he seide in this maneere :
“Tt is ago fern / syn I spak' yow to
Of loue / come on now, my lady deere,
He asks her
to cone into the
forest and yield
to his desire.
With me / in-to this priuee foreste heere, 201
That y of yow / may haue my talent!
Now shal be doon / þat I longe haue ment.” 203
(30)
{| ‘What, fool / took I thee nat out of prison), 204
No lenger hens / than yistirday,” quod shee,
In trust and hope / of thy correccion),
As thow swoor / and behighitest vn-to me ;
And now to thy folie and nycetee 208
Retourne woldest thow / nay, doutelees
It shal nat be / stynte and holde thy pees ! 20
{leaf 31, back]
She reproaches
him,
bids him hold
his tongue,
(31)
“Ther neuere shal man / do with me þat deede, 211
Sauf my lord themperour / which þat of right
Licenced is ther-to / 0, god forbeede,
þat by myn honestee / sette I so ligiit !
Peyne thee nat ther-to / for in thy might 215
Shal it nat be / thy wil for to perfourme ;
By no way wole I me ther-to confourme.” 217
(32)
And he answerde / and spak' vnreuerently : 218
and absolutely
refuses him.
lle declares that
if she won’t give
herself to him,
“ But if þat thow / consente wilt to me
In this foreste / as swythe right wole y
Hange thee by thyn heer / vp-on a tree,
he’ll hang her on
a tree by her hair,
Wher no wiglit shal thee fynde / and so,” quod he, 222
Of wikkid deeth / thow sterue shalt & die ;
Truste on noon help at al, ne remedie.” 224
to starve and die.
L
ro

SHE IS STRIPT AND HANGD UP RY HER
(33)
{| “ By thy manaees / sette I nat a myte,”
Shee seide / “of hem haue I no dreede at al.
Thogh thow me thretne / myn heed of to smyte,
And do me what torment thow canst / I shal
Thee werne ay þat / this for answer final
Take if thee list / for, to þat poynt me dryue,
Thow neuere shalt / whyles I am on lyue.
(34)
“Thow woost wel / in effect / thus seide I cer.”
He strypid hiv anoon / left al delay,
Yn-to hir smok / and heng hir by hir heer
Vp-on an ook! / and by hir, hir palfray
He stonde leet / and foorth on deuel way
Rood this tirant / this man malicious,
This eruel-herted man enuenymous.
(35
And whan he had his felawshipe atake,
He bleew and blustred / and made heny cheere ;
And a strong lesyng' / he gan to hem make ;
He seide, ‘‘allas / þat I nere on my beere,
So wo is me / for þat my lovdes feere,
My lady, is me reft / by force of men.”
God yeue him sorwe // and alt swiche [Amen] !
(36)
{1 O false lyer / 0 thow eofre and cheste!
Of vnelennesse / o stynkynge Aduoutour
In wil, seye I / and willy to inceste ;
O false man to god / and thow traitour
To thy lord and brothir, the Emperour ;
O enemy to wyfly chastitee,
And in thy wirkes ful of erueltee ;
1 Tater, at top: ‘O false lyer.’

XXII. JERESLAUS’S WIFE. SHE IS SEEN IN THE OAK BY AN EARL.
(37)
{ O cursid feendly wrecche / why hast thow
Deceyued & betrayed Innocence ?
devilish wretch !
What wilt thow seye / & how wilt thow looke, how,
Whan thow comest / to thy Lordes presence,
And art opposid by his excellence,
How þat it with his lady hath betid[de]?
I am seur / þat the trouthe shal been [hidde].
to
Su
a
to
cr
Oo
(38)
ffor as wel as þat to thy conpaignie
Thow lyedist / whan thow hem ouertool: /
As lowde wilt thow / vn-to thy lord lye,
I woot wel / and with bolde face and look.
Nathelees / of this tretith nat the book’;
Wherforé to my talé wole I go,
Of this lady / and foorth teH of lir wo.
you'll lie to your
Lord.
(39)
| Whan þat shee so had hanged dayes three,}
Ly þat foresté / rood ther on huntynge
An Er! / þat was of a strangé contree ;
Beforn whos howndes was a fox rennynge,
And they aftir it blyué folewynge ;
And as þat they ran / they hadden a sent
Of the lady / and thidir be they went ;
[leaf 33]
An Earl, while
hunting,
to
=I
_
1)
=?
ww
(40)
And there as shee heeng / they stood at a bay.
This Erl, of þat meruaillynge him greetly,
Thidir him hyeth / in al þat he may ;
And whan he hire / there hangynge sy,
Ife seidé / womman / what art thow, & why
Hangest thow in this wyse Vp-on the tree?”
to
~I
~
sees the Empress
hanging on the
oak.
2a)
gq “A strange woman / sire, am I” / quod shee
3 ? ?
1 Later, at top: ‘Wh.. Benéainen... benefold . . Beniamin
.. Beneee eee.’ At side: ‘Thomas, I haue my hertili co-
meudyd vnto you of du...
?

150 XXII. JERESLAUS’S WIFE IS GOVERNESS TO THE EARL'S DAUGHTER.
(41)
“ Of fer[re] parties / how in-to this place
I cam / god woot”’ / shee wolde by no way
Deskeuere what shee was / ne what fallace
Was doon to hire / cloos she kepte hire ay,
And tolde nat o word of hire affray.
Than axed hire the Erl / “ whos hors is this
þat by thee standith?” // qwod shee, ‘myn it is ;”
She won’t tell him
who she is.
to
io 4)
oO
(42)
Wherby the Erl anoon right vndirstood
oat it noon othir wyse migiite be,
But shee sum gentil womman was of blood ;
And in his herte / routhe of hire had he,
And seide to hire / “if it lyke thee,
Vn-to my wil / thee confourme and enclyne /
Deliure wole I thee / out of thy pyne.
{leaf 33, back]
The Ear pities
her,
and offers to free
her
(43)
“To, this I meene / this is myn entente ;
A yong doghtir / haue I in sootlifastnesse,
Of which I wolde / if þat thee list assente,
Thow tooke on thee to be gouerneresse,
And teche hire / as longith to a Maistresse
þat Lordes children han in gouernaiH ;
And wel wole I thee qwyte thy tranailt ;
if she’ll be his
daughter’s
governess.
(44)
‘¢Myn entente is þat / and othir right noon.”
{] “Sire,” quod shee / gladly wole I obeye
To yow in þat” / and shee was take anoon
Doun fro the tree / & shortly for to seye,
With him to his Castel / shee rood hir weye ;
And of the chyld / shee tooke the gouernance,
Which torned hire aftir to greet nusance.
She agrees,
is taken down,
goes to the Earl’s
castle,
and takes eharge
of his girl.
sim

XXII. JERESLAUS’S WIFE. A REJECTED LOVER PLOTS AGAINST HER. 151
(45)
Shee with this yong chyld in the Chambre lay! 309 [leaf 34}
Euery nyght / wher lay therl and the Contesse, She slug
Betwixt whos beddes brente a lampe alway ; Earl's room.
And wel beloued / for hire hy gooduesse,
Of euery wight was / bothe more and lesse, 313
This Emperice / til vp-on a nyglit,
Giltlees, hir good loos / refte a wikkid wight. 315
(46)
4] Ther was a Styward / in this Erles hous, 316 ake
þat to hire ofte had spoke of flesshily loue ; lie with her.
To whom seide ay this lady gracious,
“ Maad haue I an avow to god aboue,
Loueres alle / fro myn herte shoue, 320
Sauf conly him / whom, of goddes precept,
To Loue / I holde am / and þat shal be kept. 322
(47)
“J truste in god / myn herte shal nat change 323 She refuses him.
ffro þat, whil my lyf shal soiourne in me.”
{1 “O / wilt thow so / wilt thow make it so strange ;
Wilt thow noon othir wyse do,” quod he.
{1 “þat I seid haue / I wole holde,”’ quod shee. 32
And whan he sy / noon othir remedie,
He wroothly wente / out of hir conpaignie. 329 He resolves to be
(48)
And fro thens foorth / conpassid in his wit,” 330 [leaf 34, back]
How to be venged / vp-on hire, & wroken. revenged on her.
@ And on a nyght / vnhappyly shoop it,
Left was the Erles Chambre dore vnstoken ;
To which he com / and fond it was nat loken, 334
1 Later scribble at top and side: ‘o.. of. . of the saide saide
. . of the saide.. . 4,000,000,000 . . 278231459... as.. of the
Of. . Sy. . 400,000,000 . . 29,000,000.”
? Later letters often seribbled in margins: D, h, y, a, w, uh
n, and ‘myn... And for... where... hyl?