LE ROMAN DE LA ROSE.

    • Maintes gens dient que en songes
    • N’a se fables non et mençonges;
    • Mais l’en puet tiex songes songier
    • Qui ne sunt mie mençongier;
    • Ains sunt après bien apparant,
    • Si en puis bien trere à garant
    • Ung acteur qui ot non Macrobes,
    • Qui ne tint pas songes à lobes;
    • Ainçois escrist la vision
    • Qui avint au roi Cipion. Skeat1899: 10
    • Quiconques cuide ne qui die
    • Que soit folor ou musardie
    • De croire que songes aviengne,
    • Qui ce voldra, pour fol m’en tiengne;
    • Car endroit moi ai-je fiance
    • Que songe soit senefiance
    • Des biens as gens et des anuiz,
    • Car li plusors songent de nuitz
    • Maintes choses couvertement
    • Que l’en voit puis apertement. Skeat1899: 20
    • Où vintiesme an de mon aage,
    • Où point qu’Amors prend le paage
    • Des jones gens, couchiez estoie
    • Une nuit, si cum je souloie,
    • Et me dormoie moult forment,
    • Si vi ung songe en mon dormant,
    • Qui moult fut biax, et moult me plot,
    • Mès onques riens où songe n’ot
    • Qui avenu trestout ne soit,
    • Si cum li songes recontoit. Skeat1899: 30
    • Or veil cel songe rimaier,
    • Por vos cuers plus fere esgaier,
    • Qu’ Amors le me prie et commande;
    • Et se nus ne nule demande
    • Comment ge voil que cilz Romman
    • Soit apelez, que ge commanz:
    • Ce est li Rommanz de la Rose,
    • Où l’art d’Amors est tote enclose.
    • La matire en est bone et noeve:
    • Or doint Diez qu’en gré le reçoeve
    • Cele por qui ge l’ai empris. Skeat1899: 41
    • C’est cele qui tant a de pris,
    • Et tant est digne d’estre amée,
    • Qu’el doit estre Rose clamée.
    • Avis m’iere qu’il estoit mains,
    • Il a jà bien cincq ans, au mains,
    • En Mai estoie, ce songoie, [ ]
    • El tems amoreus plain de joie,
    • El tens où tote riens s’esgaie,
    • Que l’en ne voit boisson ne haie Skeat1899: 50
    • Qui en Mai parer ne se voille,
    • Et covrir de novele foille;
    • Li bois recovrent lor verdure,
    • Qui sunt sec tant cum yver dure,
    • La terre méisme s’orgoille
    • Por la rousée qui la moille,
    • Et oblie la poverté
    • Où ele a tot l’yver esté.
    • Lors devient la terre si gobe,
    • Qu’ele volt avoir novele robe; Skeat1899: 60
    • Si scet si cointe robe faire,
    • Que de colors i a cent paire,
    • D’erbes, de flors indes et perses,
    • Et de maintes colors diverses.
    • C’est la robe que ge devise,
    • Por quoi la terre miex se prise.
    • Li oisel, qui se sunt téu
    • Tant cum il ont le froit éu,
    • Et le tens divers et frarin,
    • Sunt en Mai, por le tens serin, Skeat1899: 70
    • Si lié qu’il monstrent en chantant
    • Qu’en lor cuer a de joie tant,
    • Qu’il lor estuet chanter par force.
    • Li rossignos lores s’efforce
    • De chanter et de faire noise;
    • Lors s’esvertue, et lors s’envoise
    • Li papegaus et la kalandre:
    • Lors estuet jones gens entendre
    • A estre gais et amoreus
    • Por le tens bel et doucereus. Skeat1899: 80
    • Moult a dur cuer qui en Mai n’aime,
    • Quant il ot chanter sus la raime
    • As oisiaus les dous chans piteus.
    • En iceli tens déliteus,
    • Que tote riens d’amer s’effroie,
    • Sonjai une nuit que j’estoie,
    • Ce m’iert avis en mon dormant,
    • Qu’il estoit matin durement;
    • De mon lit tantost me levai,
    • Chauçai moi et mes mains lavai. Skeat1899: 90
    • Lors trais une aguille d’argent
    • D’un aguiller mignot et gent,
    • Si pris l’aguille à enfiler.
    • Hors de vile oi talent d’aler,
    • Por oïr des oisiaus les sons
    • Qui chantoient par ces boissons.
    • En icele saison novele,
    • Cousant mes manches à videle,
    • M’en alai tot seus esbatant,
    • Et les oiselés escoutant, Skeat1899: 100
    • Qui de chanter moult s’engoissoient
    • Par ces vergiers qui florissoient.
    • Jolis, gais et plains de léesce,
    • Vers une riviere m’adresce.
    • Que j’oi près d’ilecques bruire;
    • Car ne me soi aillors déduire
    • Plus bel que sus cele riviere.
    • D’ung tertre qui près d’iluec iere
    • Descendoit l’iaue grant et roide,
    • Clere, bruiant, et aussi froide Skeat1899: 110
    • Comme puiz, ou comme fontaine,
    • Et estoit poi mendre de Saine,
    • Mès qu’ele iere plus espanduë.
    • Onques mès n’avoie véuë
    • Cele iaue qui si bien coroit:
    • Moult m’abelissoit et séoit
    • A regarder le leu plaisant.
    • De l’iaue clere et reluisant
    • Mon vis rafreschi et lavé.
    • Si vi tot covert et pavé Skeat1899: 120
    • Le fons de l’iaue de gravele;
    • La praérie grant et bele
    • Très au pié de l’iaue batoit.
    • Clere et serie et bele estoit
    • La matinée et atrempeé;
    • Lors m’en alai parmi la prée
    • Contre val l’iaue esbanoiant,
    • Tot le rivage costoiant.
    • Quant j’oi ung poi avant alé,
    • Si vi ung vergier grant et lé, Skeat1899: 130
    • Tot clos d’ung haut mur bataillié,
    • Portrait defors et entaillié
    • A maintes riches escritures.
    • Les ymages et les paintures
    • Ai moult volentiers remiré:
    • Si vous conteré et diré
    • De ces ymages la semblance,
    • Si cum moi vient à remembrance.
    • Haïne.

    • Ens où milieu je vi Haïne
    • Qui de corrous et d’ataïne Skeat1899: 140
    • Sembloit bien estre moverresse,
    • Et correceuse et tencerresse,
    • Et plaine de grant cuvertage
    • Estoit par semblant cele ymage.
    • Si n’estoit pas bien atornée,
    • Ains sembloit estre forcenée,
    • Rechignie avoit et froncié
    • Le vis, et le nés secorcié.
    • Par grant hideur fu soutilliée,
    • Et si estoit entortillée Skeat1899: 150
    • Hideusement d’une toaille.
    • Felonnie.

    • Une autre ymage d’autel taille
    • A senestre vi delez lui;
    • Son non desus sa teste lui;
    • Apellée estoit Felonnie.
    • Vilennie.

    • Une ymage qui Vilonie
    • Avoit non, revi devers destre,
    • Qui estoit auques d’autel estre
    • Cum ces deus et d’autel féture;
    • Bien sembloit male créature, Skeat1899: 160
    • Et despiteuse et orguilleuse,
    • Et mesdisant et ramponeuse.
    • Moult sot bien paindre et bien portraire
    • Cil qui tiex ymages sot faire:
    • Car bien sembloit chose vilaine,
    • De dolor et de despít plaine;
    • Et fame qui petit séust
    • D’honorer ceus qu’ele déust.
    • Couvoitise.

    • Après fu painte Coveitise:
    • C’est cele qui les gens atise Skeat1899: 170
    • De prendre et de noient donner,
    • Et les grans avoirs aüner.
    • C’est cele qui fait à usure
    • Prester mains por la grant ardure
    • D’avoir conquerre et assembler.
    • C’est cele qui semont d’embler
    • Les larrons et les ribaudiaus;
    • Si est grans pechiés et grans diaus
    • Qu’en la fin en estuet mains pendre.
    • C’est cele qui fait l’autrui prendre,
    • Rober, tolir et bareter, Skeat1899: 181
    • Et bescochier et mesconter;
    • C’est cele qui les trichéors
    • Fait tous et les faus pledéors,
    • Qui maintes fois par lor faveles
    • Ont as valés et as puceles
    • Lor droites herites toluës.
    • Recorbillies et croçües
    • Avoit les mains icele ymage;
    • Ce fu drois: car toz jors esrage Skeat1899: 190
    • Coveitise de l’autrui prendre.
    • Coveitise ne set entendre
    • A riens qu’à l’autrui acrochier;
    • Coveitise à l’autrui trop chier.
    • Avarice.

    • Une autre ymage y ot assise
    • Coste à coste de Coveitise,
    • Avarice estoit apelée:
    • Lede estoit et sale et foulée
    • Cele ymage, et megre et chetive,
    • Et aussi vert cum une cive. Skeat1899: 200
    • Tant par estoit descolorée
    • Qu’el sembloit estre enlangorée;
    • Chose sembloit morte de fain,
    • Qui ne vesquit fors que de pain
    • Petri à lessu fort et aigre;
    • Et avec ce qu’ele iere maigre,
    • Iert-ele povrement vestuë,
    • Cote avoit viés et desrumpuë,
    • Comme s’el fust as chiens remese;
    • Povre iert moult la cote et esrese, Skeat1899: 210
    • Et plaine de viés palestiaus.
    • Delez li pendoit ung mantiaus
    • A une perche moult greslete,
    • Et une cote de brunete;
    • Où mantiau n’ot pas penne vaire,
    • Mes moult viés et de povre afaire,
    • D’agniaus noirs velus et pesans.
    • Bien avoit la robe vingt ans;
    • Mès Avarice du vestir
    • Se sot moult à tart aatir: Skeat1899: 220
    • Car sachiés que moult li pesast
    • Se cele robe point usast;
    • Car s’el fust usée et mauvese,
    • Avarice éust grant mesese
    • De noeve robe et grant disete,
    • Avant qu’ele éust autre fete.
    • Avarice en sa main tenoit
    • Une borse qu’el reponnoit,
    • Et la nooit si durement,
    • Que demorast moult longuement Skeat1899: 230
    • Ainçois qu’el en péust riens traire,
    • Mès el n’avoit de ce que faire.
    • El n’aloit pas à ce béant
    • Que de la borse ostat néant.
    • Envie.

    • Après refu portrete Envie,
    • Qui ne rist oncques en sa vie,
    • N’oncques de riens ne s’esjoï,
    • S’ele ne vit, ou s’el n’oï
    • Aucun grant domage retrere.
    • Nule riens ne li puet tant plere Skeat1899: 240
    • Cum mefet et mesaventure;
    • Quant el voit grant desconfiture
    • Sor aucun prodomme chéoir,
    • Ice li plest moult à véoir.
    • Ele est trop lie en son corage
    • Quant el voit aucun grant lignage
    • Decheoir et aler à honte;
    • Et quant aucuns à honor monte
    • Par son sens ou par sa proéce,
    • C’est la chose qui plus la bléce. Skeat1899: 250
    • Car sachiés que moult la convient
    • Estre irée quant biens avient.
    • Envie est de tel cruauté,
    • Qu’ele ne porte léauté
    • A compaignon, ne à compaigne;
    • N’ele n’a parent, tant li tiengne,
    • A cui el ne soit anemie:
    • Car certes el ne vorroit mie
    • Que biens venist, neis à son pere.
    • Mès bien sachiés qu’ele compere Skeat1899: 260
    • Sa malice trop ledement:
    • Car ele est en si grant torment,
    • Et a tel duel quant gens bien font,
    • Par ung petit qu’ele ne font.
    • Ses felons cuers l’art et detrenche,
    • Qui de li Diex et la gent venche.
    • Envie ne fine nule hore
    • D’aucun blasme as gens metre sore;
    • Je cuit que s’ele cognoissoit
    • Tot le plus prodome qui soit Skeat1899: 270
    • Ne deçà mer, ne delà mer,
    • Si le vorroit-ele blasmer;
    • Et s’il iere si bien apris
    • Qu’el ne péust de tot son pris
    • Rien abatre ne deprisier,
    • Si vorroit-ele apetisier
    • Sa proéce au mains, et s’onor
    • Par parole faire menor.
    • Lors vi qu’Envie en la painture
    • Avoit trop lede esgardéure; Skeat1899: 280
    • Ele ne regardast noient
    • Fors de travers en borgnoiant;
    • Ele avoit ung mauvès usage,
    • Qu’ele ne pooit où visage
    • Regarder reins de plain en plaing,
    • Ains clooit ung oel par desdaing,
    • Qu’ele fondoit d’ire et ardoit,
    • Quant aucuns qu’ele regardoit,
    • Estoit ou preus, ou biaus, ou gens,
    • Ou amés, ou loés de gens. Skeat1899: 290
    • Tristesse.

    • Delez Envie auques près iere
    • Tristece painte en la maisiere;
    • Mès bien paroit à sa color
    • Qu’ele avoit au cuer grant dolor,
    • Et sembloit avoir la jaunice.
    • Si n’i feïst riens Avarice
    • Ne de paleur, ne de mégrece,
    • Car li soucis et la destrece,
    • Et la pesance et les ennuis
    • Qu’el soffroit de jors et de nuis, Skeat1899: 300
    • L’avoient moult fete jaunir,
    • Et megre et pale devenir.
    • Oncques mès nus en tel martire
    • Ne fu, ne n’ot ausinc grant ire
    • Cum il sembloit que ele éust:
    • Je cuit que nus ne li séust
    • Faire riens qui li péust plaire:
    • N’el ne se vosist pas retraire,
    • Ne réconforter à nul fuer-
    • Du duel qu’ele avoit à son cuer. Skeat1899: 310
    • Trop avoit son cuer correcié,
    • Et son duel parfont commencié.
    • Moult sembloit bien qu’el fust dolente,
    • Qu’ele n’avoit mie esté lente
    • D’esgratiner tote sa chiere;
    • N’ele n’avoit pas sa robe chiere,
    • Ains l’ot en mains leus descirée
    • Cum cele qui moult iert irée.
    • Si cheveul tuit destrecié furent,
    • Et espandu par son col jurent, Skeat1899: 320
    • Que les avoit trestous desrous
    • De maltalent et de corrous.
    • Et sachiés bien veritelment
    • Qu’ele ploroit profondément:
    • Nus, tant fust durs, ne la véist,
    • A cui grant pitié n’en préist,
    • Qu’el se desrompoit et batoit,
    • Et ses poins ensemble hurtoit.
    • Moult iert à duel fere ententive
    • La dolereuse, la chetive; Skeat1899: 330
    • Il ne li tenoit d’envoisier,
    • Ne d’acoler, ne de baisier:
    • Car cil qui a le cuer dolent,
    • Sachiés de voir, il n’a talent
    • De dancier, ne de karoler,
    • Ne nus ne se porroit moller
    • Qui duel éust, à joie faire,
    • Car duel et joie sont contraire.
    • Vieillesse.

    • Après fu Viellece portraite,
    • Qui estoit bien ung pié retraite Skeat1899: 340
    • De tele cum el soloit estre;
    • A paine se pooit-el pestre,
    • Tant estoit vielle et radotée.
    • Bien estoit si biauté gastée,
    • Et moult ert lede devenuë.
    • Toute sa teste estoit chenuë,
    • Et blanche cum s’el fust florie.
    • Ce ne fut mie grant morie
    • S’ele morust, ne grans pechiés,
    • Car tous ses cors estoit sechiés Skeat1899: 350
    • De viellece et anoiantis:
    • Moult estoit jà ses vis fletris,
    • Qui jadis fut soef et plains;
    • Mès or est tous de fronces plains,
    • Les oreilles avoit mossues,
    • Et trestotes les dents perdues,
    • Si qu’ele n’en avoit neis une.
    • Tant par estoit de grant viellune,
    • Qu’el n’alast mie la montance
    • De quatre toises sans potance. Skeat1899: 360
    • Li tens qui s’en va nuit et jor,
    • Sans repos prendre et sans sejor,
    • Et qui de nous se part et emble
    • Si celéement, qu’il nous semble
    • Qu’il s’arreste adés en ung point,
    • Et il ne s’i arreste point,
    • Ains ne fine de trepasser,
    • Que nus ne puet néis penser
    • Quex tens ce est qui est présens;
    • Sel’ demandés as clers lisans, Skeat1899: 370
    • Ainçois que l’en l’éust pensé,
    • Seroit-il jà trois tens passé.
    • Li tens qui ne puet sejourner,
    • Ains vait tous jors sans retorner,
    • Cum l’iaue qui s’avale toute,
    • N’il n’en retorne arriere goute:
    • Li tens vers qui noient ne dure,
    • Ne fer ne chose tant soit dure,
    • Car il gaste tout et menjue;
    • Li tens qui tote chose mue, Skeat1899: 380
    • Qui tout fait croistre et tout norist,
    • Et qui tout use et tout porrist;
    • Li tens qui enviellist nos peres,
    • Et viellist roys et emperieres,
    • Et qui tous nous enviellira,
    • Ou mort nous desavancera:
    • Li tens qui toute a la baillie
    • Des gens viellir, l’avoit viellie
    • Si durement, qu’au mien cuidier
    • El ne se pooit mès aidier, Skeat1899: 390
    • Ains retornoit jà en enfance,
    • Car certes el n’avoit poissance,
    • Ce cuit-je, ne force, ne sens
    • Ne plus c’un enfés de deus ans.
    • Ne porquant, au mien escient,
    • Ele avoit esté sage et gent,
    • Quant ele iert en son droit aage;
    • Mais ge cuit qu’el n’iere mès sage,
    • Ains iert trestote rassotée.
    • Si ot d’une chape forrée Skeat1899: 400
    • Moult bien, si cum je me recors,
    • Abrié et vestu son corps:
    • Bien fu vestue et chaudement,
    • Car el éust froit autrement.
    • Les vielles gens ont tost froidure;
    • Bien savés que c’est lor nature.
    • Papelardie.

    • Une ymage ot emprès escrite,
    • Qui sembloit bien estre ypocrite;
    • Papelardie ert apelée.
    • C’est cele qui en recelée, Skeat1899: 410
    • Quant nus ne s’en puet prendre garde,
    • De nul mal faire ne se tarde.
    • El fait dehors le marmiteus,
    • Si a le vis simple et piteus,
    • Et semble sainte créature;
    • Mais sous ciel n’a male aventure
    • Qu’ele ne pense en son corage.
    • Moult la ressembloit bien l’ymage
    • Qui faite fu à sa semblance,
    • Qu’el fu de simple contenance; Skeat1899: 420
    • Et si fu chaucie et vestue
    • Tout ainsinc cum fame rendue.
    • En sa main ung sautier tenoit,
    • Et sachiés que moult se penoit
    • De faire à Dieu prieres faintes,
    • Et d’appeler et sains et saintes.
    • El ne fu gaie, ne jolive,
    • Ains fu par semblant ententive
    • Du tout à bonnes ovres faire;
    • Et si avoit vestu la haire. Skeat1899: 430
    • Et sachiés que n’iere pas grasse,
    • De jeuner sembloit estre lasse,
    • S’avoit la color pale et morte.
    • A li et as siens ert la porte
    • Dévéée de Paradis;
    • Car icel gent si font lor vis
    • Amegrir, ce dit l’Evangile,
    • Por avoir loz parmi la ville,
    • Et por un poi de gloire vaine
    • Qui lor toldra Dieu et son raine. Skeat1899: 440
    • Povreté.

    • Portraite fu au darrenier
    • Povreté, qui ung seul denier
    • N’éust pas, s’el se déust pendre,
    • Tant séust bien sa robe vendre;
    • Qu’ele iere nuë comme vers:
    • Se li tens fust ung poi divers,
    • Je cuit qu’ele acorast de froit,
    • Qu’el n’avoit c’ung vié sac estroit
    • Tout plain de mavès palestiaus;
    • Ce iert sa robe et ses mantiaus. Skeat1899: 450
    • El n’avoit plus que afubler,
    • Grant loisir avoit de trembler.
    • Des autres fu un poi loignet;
    • Cum chien honteus en ung coignet
    • Se cropoit et s’atapissoit,
    • Car povre chose, où qu’ele soit,
    • Est adès boutée et despite.
    • L’eure soit ore la maudite,
    • Que povres homs fu concéus!
    • Qu’il ne sera jà bien péus, Skeat1899: 460
    • Ne bien vestus, ne bien chauciés,
    • Néis amés, ne essauciés.
    • Ces ymages bien avisé,
    • Qui, si comme j’ai devisé,
    • Furent à or et à asur
    • De toutes pars paintes où mur.
    • Haut fu li mur et tous quarrés,
    • Si en fu bien clos et barrés,
    • En leu de haies, uns vergiers,
    • Où onc n’avoit entré bergiers. Skeat1899: 470
    • Cis vergiers en trop bel leu sist:
    • Qui dedens mener me vousist
    • Ou par échiele ou par degré,
    • Je l’en séusse moult bon gré;
    • Car tel joie ne tel déduit
    • Ne vit nus hons, si cum ge cuit,
    • Cum il avoit en ce vergier:
    • Car li leus d’oisiaus herbergier
    • N’estoit ne dangereux ne chiches.
    • Onc mès ne fu nus leus si riches Skeat1899: 480
    • D’arbres, ne d’oisillons chantans:
    • Qu’il i avoit d’oisiaus trois tans
    • Qu’en tout le remanant de France.
    • Moult estoit bele l’acordance
    • De lor piteus chant à oïr:
    • Tous li mons s’en dust esjoïr.
    • Je endroit moi m’en esjoï
    • Si durement, quant les oï,
    • Que n’en préisse pas cent livres,
    • Se li passages fust delivres, Skeat1899: 490
    • Que ge n’entrasse ens et véisse
    • L’assemblée (que Diex garisse!)
    • Des oisiaus qui léens estoient,
    • Qui envoisiement chantoient
    • Les dances d’amors et les notes
    • Plesans, cortoises et mignotes.
    • Quant j’oï les oisiaus chanter,
    • Forment me pris à dementer
    • Par quel art ne par quel engin
    • Je porroie entrer où jardin; Skeat1899: 500
    • Mès ge ne poi onques trouver
    • Leu par où g’i péusse entrer.
    • Et sachiés que ge ne savoie
    • S’il i avoït partuis ne voie,
    • Ne leu par où l’en i entrast,
    • Ne hons nés qui le me monstrast
    • N’iert illec, que g’iere tot seus,
    • Moult destroit et moult angoisseus;
    • Tant qu’au darrenier me sovint
    • C’oncques à nul jor ce n’avint Skeat1899: 510
    • Qu’en si biau vergier n’éust huis,
    • Ou eschiele ou aucun partuis.
    • Lors m’en alai grant aléure
    • Açaignant la compasséure
    • Et la cloison du mur quarré,
    • Tant que ung guichet bien barré
    • Trovai petitet et estroit;
    • Par autre leu l’en n’i entroit.
    • A l’uis commençai à ferir,
    • Autre entrée n’i soi querir. Skeat1899: 520
    • Assez i feri et boutai,
    • Et par maintes fois escoutai
    • Se j’orroie venir nulle arme.
    • Le guichet, qui estoit de charme,
    • M’ovrit une noble pucele
    • Qui moult estoit et gente et bele.
    • Cheveus ot blons cum uns bacins,
    • La char plus tendre qu’uns pocins,
    • Front reluisant, sorcis votis.
    • Son entr’oil ne fu pas petis, Skeat1899: 530
    • Ains iert assez grans par mesure;
    • Le nés ot bien fait à droiture,
    • Les yex ot plus vairs c’uns faucons,
    • Por faire envie à ces bricons.
    • Douce alene ot et savorée,
    • La face blanche et colorée,
    • La bouche petite et grocete,
    • S’ot où menton une fossete.
    • Le col fu de bonne moison,
    • Gros assez et lons par raison, Skeat1899: 540
    • Si n’i ot bube ne malen.
    • N’avoit jusqu’en Jherusalen
    • Fame qui plus biau col portast,
    • Polis iert et soef au tast.
    • La gorgete ot autresi blanche
    • Cum est la noif desus la branche
    • Quant il a freschement negié.
    • Le cors ot bien fait et dougié,
    • L’en ne séust en nule terre
    • Nul plus bel cors de fame querre. Skeat1899: 550
    • D’orfrois ot un chapel mignot;
    • Onques nule pucele n’ot
    • Plus cointe ne plus desguisié,
    • Ne l’aroie adroit devisié
    • En trestous les jors de ma vie.
    • Robe avoit moult bien entaillie;
    • Ung chapel de roses tout frais
    • Ot dessus le chapel d’orfrais:
    • En sa main tint ung miroër,
    • Si ot d’ung riche treçoër Skeat1899: 560
    • Son chief trecié moult richement,
    • Bien et bel et estroitement
    • Ot ambdeus cousues ses manches;
    • Et porgarder que ses mains blanches
    • Ne halaissent, ot uns blans gans.
    • Cote ot d’ung riche vert de gans,
    • Cousue à lignel tout entour.
    • Il paroit bien à son atour
    • Qu’ele iere poi embesoignie.
    • Quant ele s’iere bien pignie, Skeat1899: 570
    • Et bien parée et atornée,
    • Ele avoit faite sa jornée.
    • Moult avoit bon tems et bon May,
    • Qu’el n’avoït soussi ne esmay
    • De nule riens, fors solement
    • De soi atorner noblement.
    • Quant ainsinc m’ot l’uis deffermé
    • La pucele au cors acesmé,
    • Je l’en merciai doucement,
    • Et si li demandai comment Skeat1899: 580
    • Ele avoit non, et qui ele iere.
    • Ele ne fu pas envers moi fiere,
    • Ne de respondre desdaigneuse:
    • ‘Je me fais apeler Oiseuse,’
    • Dist-ele, ‘à tous mes congnoissans;
    • Si sui riche fame et poissans.
    • S’ai d’une chose moult bon tens,
    • Car à nule riens je ne pens
    • Qu’à moi joer et solacier,
    • Et mon chief pignier et trecier: Skeat1899: 590
    • Quant sui pignée et atornée,
    • Adonc est fete ma jornée.
    • Privée sui moult et acointe
    • De Déduit le mignot, le cointe;
    • C’est cil cui est cest biax jardins,
    • Qui de la terre as Sarradins
    • Fist çà ces arbres aporter,
    • Qu’il fist par ce vergier planter.
    • Quant li arbres furent créu,
    • Le mur que vous avez véu, Skeat1899: 600
    • Fist lors Deduit tout entor faire,
    • Et si fist au dehors portraire
    • Les ymages qui i sunt paintes,
    • Que ne sunt mignotes ne cointes;
    • Ains sunt dolereuses et tristes,
    • Si cum vous orendroit véistes.
    • Maintes fois por esbanoier
    • Se vient en cest leu umbroier
    • Déduit et les gens qui le sivent,
    • Qui en joie et en solas vivent. Skeat1899: 610
    • Encores est léens, sans doute,
    • Déduit orendroit qui escoute
    • A chanter gais rossignolés,
    • Mauvis et autres oiselés.
    • Il s’esbat iluec et solace
    • O ses gens, car plus bele place
    • Ne plus biau leu por soi joer
    • Ne porroit-il mie trover;
    • Les plus beles gens, ce sachiés,
    • Que vous jamès nul leu truissiés, Skeat1899: 620
    • Si sunt li compaignon Déduit
    • Qu’il maine avec li et conduit.’
    • Quant Oiseuse m’ot ce conté,
    • Et j’oi moult bien tout escouté,
    • Je li dis lores: ‘Dame Oiseuse,
    • Jà de ce ne soyés douteuse,
    • Puis que Déduit li biaus, li gens
    • Est orendroit avec ses gens
    • En cest vergier, ceste assemblée
    • Ne m’iert pas, se je puis, emblée, Skeat1899: 630
    • Que ne la voie encore ennuit;
    • Véoir la m’estuet, car ge cuit
    • Que bele est cele compaignie,
    • Et cortoise et bien enseignie.’
    • Lors m’en entrai, ne dis puis mot,
    • Par l’uis que Oiseuse overt m’ot,
    • Où vergier; et quant je fui ens
    • Je fui liés et baus et joiens.
    • Et sachiés que je cuidai estre
    • Por voir en Paradis terrestre, Skeat1899: 640
    • Tant estoit li leu delitables,
    • Qu’il sembloit estre esperitables:
    • Car si cum il m’iert lors avis,
    • Ne féist en nul Paradis
    • Si bon estre, cum il faisoit
    • Où vergier qui tant me plaisoit.
    • D’oisiaus chantans avoit assés
    • Par tout le vergier amassés;
    • En ung leu avoit rossigniaus,
    • En l’autre gais et estorniaus; Skeat1899: 650
    • Si r’avoit aillors grans escoles
    • De roietiaus et torteroles,
    • De chardonnereaus, d’arondeles,
    • D’aloes et de lardereles;
    • Calendres i ot amassées
    • En ung autre leu, qui lassées
    • De chanter furent à envis:
    • Melles y avoit et mauvis
    • Qui baoient à sormonter
    • Ces autres oisiaus par chanter. Skeat1899: 660
    • Il r’avoit aillors papegaus,
    • Et mains oisiaus qui par ces gaus
    • Et par ces bois où il habitent,
    • En lor biau chanter se délitent.
    • Trop parfesoient bel servise
    • Cil oisel que je vous devise;
    • Il chantoient ung chant itel
    • Cum s’il fussent esperitel.
    • De voir sachiés, quant les oï,
    • Moult durement m’en esjoï: Skeat1899: 670
    • Que mès si douce mélodie
    • Ne fu d’omme mortel oïe.
    • Tant estoit cil chans dous et biaus,
    • Qu’il ne sombloit pas chans d’oisiaus,
    • Ains le péust l’en aesmer
    • A chant de seraines de mer,
    • Qui par lor vois, qu’eles ont saines
    • Et series, ont non seraines.
    • A chanter furent ententis
    • Li oisillon qui aprenti Skeat1899: 680
    • Ne furent pas ne non sachant;
    • Et sachiés quant j’oï lor chant,
    • Et je vi le leu verdaier,
    • Je me pris moult à esgaier;
    • Que n’avoie encor esté onques
    • Si jolif cum je fui adonques;
    • Por la grant délitableté
    • Fui plains de grant jolieté.
    • Et lores soi-je bien et vi
    • Que Oiseuse m’ot bien servi, Skeat1899: 690
    • Qui m’avoit en tel déduit mis:
    • Bien déusse estre ses amis,
    • Quant ele m’avoit deffermé
    • Le guichet du vergier ramé.
    • Dès ore si cum je sauré,
    • Vous conterai comment j’ovré.
    • Primes de quoi Déduit servoit,
    • Et quel compaignie il avoit
    • Sans longue fable vous veil dire,
    • Et du vergier tretout à tire Skeat1899: 700
    • La façon vous redirai puis.
    • Tout ensemble dire ne puis,
    • Mès tout vous conteré par ordre,
    • Que l’en n’i sache que remordre.
    • Grant servise et dous et plaisant
    • Aloient cil oisel faisant;
    • Lais d’amors et sonnés cortois
    • Chantoit chascun en son patois,
    • Li uns en haut, li autre en bas;
    • De lor chant n’estoit mie gas. Skeat1899: 710
    • La douçor et la mélodie
    • Me mist où cuer grant reverdie;
    • Mès quant j’oi escouté ung poi
    • Les oisiaus, tenir ne me poi
    • Que dant Déduit véoir n’alasse;
    • Car à savoir moult desirasse
    • Son contenement et son estre.
    • Lors m’en alai tout droit à destre,
    • Par une petitete sente
    • Plaine de fenoil et de mente; Skeat1899: 720
    • Mès auques près trové Déduit,
    • Car maintenant en ung réduit
    • M’en entré où Déduit estoit.
    • Déduit ilueques s’esbatoit;
    • S’avoit si bele gent o soi,
    • Que quant je les vi, je ne soi
    • Dont si tres beles gens pooient
    • Estre venu; car il sembloient
    • Tout por voir anges empennés,
    • Si beles gens ne vit homs nés. Skeat1899: 730
    • Ceste gent dont je vous parole,
    • S’estoient pris à la carole,
    • Et une dame lor chantoit,
    • Qui Léesce apelée estoit:
    • Bien sot chanter et plesamment,
    • Ne nule plus avenaument,
    • Ne plus bel ses refrains ne fist,
    • A chanter merveilles li sist;
    • Qu’ele avoit la vois clere et saine;
    • Et si n’estoit mie vilaine; Skeat1899: 740
    • Ains se savoit bien desbrisier,
    • Ferir du pié et renvoisier.
    • Ele estoit adès coustumiere
    • De chanter en tous leus premiere:
    • Car chanter estoit li mestiers
    • Qu’ele faisoit plus volentiers.
    • Lors véissiés carole aler,
    • Et gens mignotement baler,
    • Et faire mainte bele tresche,
    • Et maint biau tor sor l’erbe fresche. Skeat1899: 750
    • Là véissiés fléutéors,
    • Menesterez et jougléors;
    • Si chantent li uns rotruenges,
    • Li autres notes Loherenges,
    • Por ce qu’en set en Loheregne
    • Plus cointes notes qu’en nul regne.
    • Assez i ot tableterresses
    • Ilec entor, et tymberresses
    • Qui moult savoient bien joer,
    • Et ne finoient de ruer Skeat1899: 760
    • Le tymbre en haut, si recuilloient
    • Sor ung doi, c’onques n’i failloient.
    • Deus damoiseles moult mignotes,
    • Qui estoient en pures cotes,
    • Et trecies à une tresce,
    • Faisoient Déduit par noblesce
    • Enmi la karole baler;
    • Mès de ce ne fait à parler
    • Comme el baloient cointement.
    • L’une venoit tout belement Skeat1899: 770
    • Contre l’autre; et quant el estoient
    • Près à près, si s’entregetoient
    • Les bouches, qu’il vous fust avis
    • Que s’entrebaisassent où vis:
    • Bien se savoient desbrisier.
    • Ne vous en sai que devisier;
    • Mès à nul jor ne me quéisse
    • Remuer, tant que ge véisse
    • Ceste gent ainsine efforcier
    • De caroler et de dancier. Skeat1899: 780
    • La karole tout en estant
    • Regardai iluec jusqu’à tant
    • C’une dame bien enseignie
    • Me tresvit: ce fu Cortoisie
    • La vaillant et la debonnaire,
    • Que Diex deffende de contraire.
    • Cortoisie lors m’apela:
    • ‘Biaus amis, que faites-vous là?’
    • Fait Cortoisie, ‘ça venez,
    • Et avecque nous vous prenez Skeat1899: 790
    • A la karole, s’il vous plest.’
    • Sans demorance et sans arrest
    • A la karole me sui pris,
    • Si n’en fui pas trop entrepris,
    • Et sachiés que moult m’agréa
    • Quant Cortoisie m’en pria,
    • Et me dist que je karolasse;
    • Car de karoler, se j’osasse,
    • Estoie envieus et sorpris.
    • A regarder lores me pris Skeat1899: 800
    • Les cors, les façons et les chieres,
    • Les semblances et les manieres
    • Des gens qui ilec karoloient:
    • Si vous dirai quex il estoient.
    • Déduit fu biaus et lons et drois,
    • Jamés en terre ne venrois
    • Où vous truissiés nul plus bel homme:
    • La face avoit cum une pomme,
    • Vermoille et blanche tout entour,
    • Cointes fu et de bel atour. Skeat1899: 810
    • Les yex ot vairs, la bouche gente,
    • Et le nez fait par grant entente;
    • Cheveus ot blons, recercelés,
    • Par espaules fu auques lés,
    • Et gresles parmi la ceinture:
    • Il resembloit une painture,
    • Tant ere biaus et acesmés,
    • Et de tous membres bien formés.
    • Remuans fu, et preus, et vistes,
    • Plus legier homme ne véistes; Skeat1899: 820
    • Si n’avoit barbe, ne grenon,
    • Se petiz peus folages non,
    • Car il ert jones damoisiaus.
    • D’un samit portret à oysiaus,
    • Qui ere tout à or batus,
    • Fu ses cors richement vestus.
    • Moult iert sa robe desguisée,
    • Et fu moult riche et encisée,
    • Et décopée par cointise;
    • Chauciés refu par grant mestrise Skeat1899: 830
    • D’uns solers décopés à las;
    • Par druerie et par solas
    • Li ot s’amie fet chapel
    • De roses qui moult li sist bel.
    • Savés-vous qui estoit s’amie?
    • Léesce qui nel’ haoit mie,
    • L’envoisie, la bien chantans,
    • Qui dès lors qu’el n’ot que sept ans
    • De s’amor li donna l’otroi;
    • Déduit la tint parmi le doi Skeat1899: 840
    • A la karole, et ele lui,
    • Bien s’entr’amoient ambedui:
    • Car il iert biaus, et ele bele,
    • Bien resembloit rose novele
    • De sa color. S’ot la char tendre,
    • Qu’en la li péust toute fendre
    • A une petitete ronce.
    • Le front ot blanc, poli, sans fronce,
    • Les sorcis bruns et enarchiés,
    • Les yex gros et si envoisiés, Skeat1899: 850
    • Qu’il rioient tousjors avant
    • Que la bouchete par convant.
    • Je ne vous sai du nés que dire,
    • L’en nel’ féist pas miex de cire.
    • Ele ot la bouche petitete,
    • Et por baisier son ami, preste;
    • Le chief ot blons et reluisant.
    • Que vous iroie-je disant?
    • Bele fu et bien atornée;
    • D’ung fil d’or ere galonnée, Skeat1899: 860
    • S’ot ung chapel d’orfrois tout nuef;
    • Je qu’en oi véu vint et nuef,
    • A nul jor mès véu n’avoie
    • Chapel si bien ouvré de soie.
    • D’un samit qui ert tous dorés
    • Fu ses cors richement parés,
    • De quoi son ami avoit robe,
    • Si en estoit assés plus gobe.
    • A li se tint de l’autre part
    • Li Diex d’Amors, cil qui départ Skeat1899: 870
    • Amoretes à sa devise.
    • C’est cil qui les amans justise,
    • Et qui abat l’orguel des gens,
    • Et si fait des seignors sergens,
    • Et des dames refait bajesses,
    • Quant il les trove trop engresses.
    • Li Diex d’Amors, de la façon,
    • Ne resembloit mie garçon:
    • De beaulté fist moult à prisier,
    • Mes de sa robe devisier Skeat1899: 880
    • Criens durement qu’encombré soie.
    • Il n’avoit pas robe de soie,
    • Ains avoit robe de floretes,
    • Fete par fines amoretes
    • A losenges, à escuciaus,
    • A oiselés, à lionciaus,
    • Et à bestes et à liépars;
    • Fu la robe de toutes pars
    • Portraite, et ovrée de flors
    • Par diverseté de colors. Skeat1899: 890
    • Flors i avoit de maintes guises
    • Qui furent par grant sens assises;
    • Nulle flor en esté ne nest
    • Qui n’i soit, neis flor de genest,
    • Ne violete, ne parvanche,
    • Ne fleur inde, jaune ne blanche;
    • Si ot par leus entremeslées
    • Foilles de roses grans et lées.
    • Il ot où chief ung chapelet
    • De roses; mès rossignolet Skeat1899: 900
    • Qui entor son chief voletoient,
    • Les foilles jus en abatoient:
    • Car il iert tout covers d’oisiaus,
    • De papegaus, de rossignaus,
    • De calandres et de mesanges;
    • Il sembloit que ce fust uns anges
    • Qui fust tantost venus du ciau.
    • Amors avoit ung jovenciau
    • Qu’il faisoit estre iluec delés;
    • Douz-Regard estoit apelés. Skeat1899: 910
    • Ici bachelers regardoit
    • Les caroles, et si gardoit
    • Au Diex d’Amors deux ars turquois.
    • Li uns des ars si fu d’un bois
    • Dont li fruit iert mal savorés;
    • Tous plains de nouz et bocerés
    • Fu li ars dessous et dessore,
    • Et si estoit plus noirs que mores.
    • Li autres ars fu d’un plançon
    • Longuet et de gente façon; Skeat1899: 920
    • Si fu bien fait et bien dolés,
    • Et si fu moult bien pipelés.
    • Dames i ot de tous sens pointes,
    • Et valés envoisiés et cointes.
    • Ices deux ars tint Dous-Regars
    • Qui ne sembloit mie estre gars,
    • Avec dix des floiches son mestre.
    • Il en tint cinq en sa main destre;
    • Mès moult orent ices cinq floiches
    • Les penons bien fais, et les coiches: Skeat1899: 930
    • Si furent toutes à or pointes,
    • Fors et tranchans orent les pointes,
    • Et aguës por bien percier,
    • Et si n’i ot fer ne acier;
    • Onc n’i ot riens qui d’or ne fust,
    • Fors que les penons et le fust:
    • Car el furent encarrelées
    • De sajetes d’or barbelées.
    • La meillore et la plus isnele
    • De ces floiches, et la plus bele, Skeat1899: 940
    • Et cele où li meillor penon
    • Furent entés, Biautes ot non.
    • Une d’eles qui le mains blece,
    • Ot non, ce m’est avis, Simplece.
    • Une autre en i ot apelée
    • Franchise; cele iert empenée
    • De Valor et de Cortoisie.
    • La quarte avoit non Compaignie:
    • En cele ot moult pesant sajete.
    • Ele n’iert pas d’aler loing preste; Skeat1899: 950
    • Mès qui de près en vosist traire,
    • Il en péust assez mal faire.
    • La quinte avoit non Biau-Semblant,
    • Ce fut toute la mains grévant.
    • Ne porquant el fait moult grant plaie;
    • Mès cis atent bonne menaie,
    • Qui de cele floiche est plaiés,
    • Ses maus en est mielx emplaiés;
    • Car il puet tost santé atendre,
    • S’en doit estre sa dolor mendre. Skeat1899: 960
    • Cinq floiches i ot d’autre guise,
    • Qui furent ledes à devise:
    • Li fust estoient et li fer
    • Plus noirs que déables d’enfer.
    • La premiere avoit non Orguex,
    • L’autre qui ne valoit pas miex,
    • Fu apelée Vilenie;
    • Icele fu de felonie
    • Toute tainte et envenimée.
    • La tierce fu Honte clamée, Skeat1899: 970
    • Et la quarte Desesperance:
    • Novel-Penser fu sans doutance
    • Apelée la darreniere.
    • Ces cinq floiches d’une maniere
    • Furent, et moult bien resem blables;
    • Moult par lor estoit convenables
    • Li uns des arcs qui fu hideus,
    • Et plains de neus, et eschardeus;
    • Il devoit bien tiex floiches traire,
    • Car el erent force et contraire Skeat1899: 980
    • As autres cinq floiches sans doute.
    • Mès ne diré pas ore toute
    • Lor forces, ne lor poestés.
    • Bien vous sera la verités
    • Contée, et la sénefiance
    • Nel’metré mie en obliance;
    • Ains vous dirai que tout ce monte,
    • Ainçois que je fine mon conte.
    • Or revendrai à ma parole:
    • Des nobles gens de la karole Skeat1899: 990
    • M’estuet dire les contenances,
    • Et les façons et les semblances.
    • Li Diex d’Amors se fu bien pris
    • A une dame de haut pris,
    • Et delez lui iert ajoustés:
    • Icele dame ot non Biautés,
    • Ainsinc cum une des cinq fleches.
    • En li ot maintes bonnes teches:
    • El ne fu oscure, ne brune,
    • Ains fu clere comme la lune, Skeat1899: 1000
    • Envers qui les autres estoiles
    • Resemblent petites chandoiles.
    • Tendre ot la char comme rousée,
    • Simple fu cum une espousée,
    • Et blanche comme flor de lis;
    • Si ot le vis cler et alis,
    • Et fu greslete et alignie;
    • Ne fu fardée ne guignie:
    • Car el n’avoit mie mestier
    • De soi tifer ne d’afetier. Skeat1899: 1010
    • Les cheveus ot blons et si lons
    • Qu’il li batoient as talons;
    • Nez ot bien fait, et yelx et bouche.
    • Moult grant douçor au cuer me touche,
    • Si m’aïst Diex, quant il me membre
    • De la façon de chascun membre
    • Qu’il n’ot si bele fame où monde.
    • Briément el fu jonete et blonde,
    • Sade, plaisant, aperte et cointe,
    • Grassete et grele, gente et jointe. Skeat1899: 1020
    • Près de Biauté se tint Richece,
    • Une dame de grant hautece,
    • De grant pris et de grant affaire.
    • Qui à li ne as siens meffaire
    • Osast riens par fais, ou par dis,
    • Il fust moult fiers et moult hardis;
    • Qu’ele puet moult nuire et aidier.
    • Ce n’est mie ne d’ui ne d’ier
    • Que riches gens ont grant poissance
    • De faire ou aïde, ou grévance. Skeat1899: 1030
    • Tuit li greignor et li menor
    • Portoient à Richece honor:
    • Tuit baoient à li servir,
    • Por l’amor de li deservir;
    • Chascuns sa dame la clamoit,
    • Car tous li mondes la cremoit;
    • Tous li mons iert en son dangier.
    • En sa cort ot maint losengier,
    • Maint traïtor, maint envieus:
    • Ce sunt cil qui sunt curieus Skeat1899: 1040
    • De desprisier et de blasmer
    • Tous ceus qui font miex à amer.
    • Par devant, por eus losengier,
    • Loent les gens li losengier;
    • Tout le monde par parole oignent,
    • Mès lor losenges les gens poignent
    • Par derriere dusques as os,
    • Qu’il abaissent des bons les los,
    • Et desloent les aloés,
    • Et si loent les desloés, Skeat1899: 1050
    • Maint prodommes ont encusés,
    • Et de lor honnor reculés
    • Li losengier par lor losenges;
    • Car il font ceus des cors estranges
    • Qui déussent estre privés:
    • Mal puissent-il estre arivés
    • Icil losengier plain d’envie!
    • Car nus prodons n’aime lor vie.
    • Richece ot une porpre robe,
    • Ice ne tenés mie à lobe, Skeat1899: 1060
    • Que je vous di bien et afiche
    • Qu’il n’ot si bele, ne si riche
    • Où monde, ne si envoisie.
    • La porpre fu toute orfroisie;
    • Si ot portraites à orfrois
    • Estoires de dus et de rois.
    • Si estoit au col bien orlée
    • D’une bende d’or néélée
    • Moult richement, sachiés sans faille.
    • Si i avoit tretout à taille Skeat1899: 1070
    • De riches pierres grant plenté
    • Qui moult rendoient grant clarté.
    • Richece ot ung moult riche ceint
    • Par desus cele porpre ceint;
    • La boucle d’une pierre fu
    • Qui ot grant force et grant vertu:
    • Car cis qui sor soi la portoit,
    • Nes uns venins ne redotoit:
    • Nus nel pooit envenimer,
    • Moult faisoit la pierre à aimer. Skeat1899: 1080
    • Ele vausist à ung prodomme
    • Miex que trestous li ors de Romme.
    • D’une pierre fu li mordens,
    • Qui garissoit du mal des dens;
    • Et si avoit ung tel éur,
    • Que cis pooit estre asséur
    • Tretous les jors de sa véue,
    • Qui à géun l’avoit véue.
    • Li clou furent d’or esmeré,
    • Qui erent el tissu doré; Skeat1899: 1090
    • Si estoient gros et pesant,
    • En chascun ot bien ung besant.
    • Richece ot sus ses treces sores
    • Ung cercle d’or; onques encores
    • Ne fu si biaus véus, ce cuit,
    • Car il fu tout d’or fin recuit;
    • Mès cis seroit bons devisierres
    • Qui vous sauroit toutes les pierres,
    • Qui i estoient, devisier,
    • Car l’en ne porroit pas prisier Skeat1899: 1100
    • L’avoir que les pierres valoient,
    • Qui en l’or assises estoient.
    • Rubis i ot, saphirs, jagonces,
    • Esmeraudes plus de dix onces.
    • Mais devant ot, par grant mestrise,
    • Une escharboucle où cercle assise,
    • Et la pierre si clere estoit,
    • Que maintenant qu’il anuitoit,
    • L’en s’en véist bien au besoing
    • Conduire d’une liue loing. Skeat1899: 1110
    • Tel clarté de la pierre yssoit,
    • Que Richece en resplendissoit
    • Durement le vis et la face,
    • Et entor li toute la place.
    • Richece tint parmi la main
    • Ung valet de grant biauté plain,
    • Qui fu ses amis veritiez.
    • C’est uns hons qui en biaus ostiez
    • Maintenir moult se délitoit.
    • Cis se chauçoit bien et vestoit, Skeat1899: 1120
    • Si avoit les chevaus de pris;
    • Cis cuidast bien estre repris
    • Ou de murtre, ou de larrecin,
    • S’en s’estable éust ung roucin.
    • Por ce amoit-il moult l’acointance
    • De Richece et la bien-voillance,
    • Qu’il avoit tous jors en porpens
    • De demener les grans despens,
    • Et el les pooit bien soffrir,
    • Et tous ses despens maintenir; Skeat1899: 1130
    • El li donnoit autant deniers
    • Cum s’el les puisast en greniers.
    • Après refu Largece assise,
    • Qui fu bien duite et bien aprise
    • De faire honor, et de despendre:
    • El fu du linage Alexandre;
    • Si n’avoit-el joie de rien
    • Cum quant el pooit dire, ‘tien.’
    • Neis Avarice la chétive
    • N’ert pas si à prendre ententive Skeat1899: 1140
    • Cum Largece ere de donner;
    • Et Diex li fesoit foisonner
    • Ses biens si qu’ele ne savoit
    • Tant donner, cum el plus avoit.
    • Moult a Largece pris et los;
    • Ele a les sages et les fos
    • Outréement à son bandon,
    • Car ele savoit fere biau don;
    • S’ainsinc fust qu’aucuns la haïst,
    • Si cuit-ge que de ceus féist Skeat1899: 1150
    • Ses amis par son biau servise;
    • Et por ce ot-ele à devise
    • L’amor des povres et des riches.
    • Moult est fos haus homs qui est chiches!
    • Haus homs ne puet avoir nul vice,
    • Qui tant li griet cum avarice:
    • Car hons avers ne puet conquerre
    • Ne seignorie ne grant terre;
    • Car il n’a pas d’amis plenté,
    • Dont il face sa volenté. Skeat1899: 1160
    • Mès qui amis vodra avoir
    • Si n’ait mie chier son avoir,
    • Ains par biaus dons amis acquiere:
    • Car tout en autretel maniere
    • Cum la pierre de l’aïment
    • Trait à soi le fer soutilment,
    • Ainsinc atrait les cuers des gens
    • Li ors qu’en donne et li argens.
    • Largece ot robe toute fresche
    • D’une porpre Sarrazinesche; Skeat1899: 1170
    • S’ot le vis bel et bien formé;
    • Mès el ot son col deffermé,
    • Qu’el avoit iluec en présent
    • A une dame fet présent,
    • N’avoit gueres, de son fermal,
    • Et ce ne li séoit pas mal,
    • Que sa cheveçaille iert overte,
    • Et sa gorge si descoverte,
    • Que parmi outre la chemise
    • Li blanchoioit sa char alise. Skeat1899: 1180
    • Largece la vaillant, la sage,
    • Tint ung chevalier du linage
    • Au bon roy Artus de Bretaigne;
    • Ce fu cil qui porta l’enseigne
    • De Valor et le gonfanon.
    • Encor est-il de tel renom,
    • Que l’en conte de li les contes
    • Et devant rois et devant contes.
    • Cil chevalier novelement
    • Fu venus d’ung tornoiement, Skeat1899: 1190
    • Où il ot faite por s’amie
    • Mainte jouste et mainte envaïe,
    • Et percié maint escu bouclé,
    • Maint hiaume i avoit desserclé,
    • Et maint chevalier abatu,
    • Et pris par force et par vertu.
    • Après tous ceus se tint Franchise,
    • Qui ne fu ne brune ne bise,
    • Ains ere blanche comme nois;
    • Et si n’ot pas nés d’Orlenois, Skeat1899: 1200
    • Ainçois l’avoit lonc et traitis,
    • Iex vairs rians, sorcis votis:
    • S’ot les chevous et blons, et lons,
    • Et fu simple comme uns coulons.
    • Le cuer ot dous et debonnaire:
    • Ele n’osast dire ne faire
    • A nuli riens qu’el ne déust;
    • Et s’ele ung homme cognéust
    • Qui fust destrois por s’amitié,
    • Tantost éust de li pitié, Skeat1899: 1210
    • Qu’ele ot le cuer si pitéable,
    • Et si dous et si amiable,
    • Que se nus por li mal traisist,
    • S’el ne li aidast, el crainsist
    • Qu’el féïst trop grant vilonnie.
    • Vestue ot une sorquanie,
    • Qui ne fu mie de borras:
    • N’ot si bele jusqu’à Arras;
    • Car el fu si coillie et jointe,
    • Qu’il n’i ot une seule pointe Skeat1899: 1220
    • Qui à son droit ne fust assise.
    • Moult fu bien vestue Franchise;
    • Car nule robe n’est si bele
    • Que sorquanie à damoisele.
    • Fame est plus cointe et plus mignote
    • En sorquanie que en cote:
    • La sorquanie qui fu blanche,
    • Senefioit que douce et franche
    • Estoit cele qui la vestoit.
    • Uns bachelers jones s’estoit Skeat1899: 1230
    • Pris à Franchise lez à lez,
    • Ne soi comment ert apelé,
    • Mès biaus estoit, se il fust ores
    • Fiex au seignor de Gundesores.
    • Après se tenoit Courtoisie,
    • Qui moult estoit de tous prisie,
    • Si n’ere orguilleuse ne fole.
    • C’est cele qui à la karole
    • La soe merci m’apela
    • Ains que nule, quant je vins là. Skeat1899: 1240
    • El ne fu ne nice, n’umbrage,
    • Mès sages auques sans outrage,
    • De biaus respons et de biaus dis,
    • Onc nus ne fu par li laidis,
    • Ne ne porta nului rancune.
    • El fu clere comme la lune
    • Est avers les autres estoiles
    • Qui ne resemblent que chandoiles.
    • Faitisse estoit et avenant,
    • Je ne sai fame plus plaisant. Skeat1899: 1250
    • Ele ere entoutes cors bien digne
    • D’estre emperieris, ou roïne.
    • A li se tint uns chevaliers
    • Acointables et biaus parliers,
    • Qui sot bien faire honor as gens.
    • Li chevaliers fu biaus et gens,
    • Et as armes bien acesmés,
    • Et de s’amie bien amés.
    • La bele Oiseuse vint après,
    • Qui se tint de moi assés près. Skeat1899: 1260
    • De cele vous ai dit sans faille
    • Toute la façon et la taille;
    • Jà plus ne vous en iert conté,
    • Car c’est cele qui la bonté
    • Me fist si grant qu’ele m’ovri
    • Le guichet del vergier flori.
    • Après se tint mien esciant,
    • Jonesce, au vis cler et luisant,
    • Qui n’avoit encores passés,
    • Si cum je cuit, douze ans d’assés. Skeat1899: 1270
    • Nicete fu, si ne pensoit
    • Nul mal, ne nul engin qui soit;
    • Mès moult iert envoisie et gaie,
    • Car jone chose ne s’esmaie
    • Fors de joer, bien le savés.
    • Ses amis iert de li privés
    • En tel guise, qu’il la besoit
    • Toutes les fois que li plesoit,
    • Voians tous ceus de la karole:
    • Car qui d’aus deus tenist parole, Skeat1899: 1280
    • Il n’en fussent jà vergondeus,
    • Ains les véissiés entre aus deus
    • Baisier comme deus columbiaus.
    • Le valés fu jones et biaus,
    • Si estoit bien d’autel aage
    • Cum s’amie, et d’autel corage.
    • Ainsi karoloient ilecques,
    • Ceste gens, et autres avecques,
    • Qui estoient de lor mesnies,
    • Franches gens et bien enseignies, Skeat1899: 1290
    • Et gens de bel afetement
    • Estoient tuit communément.
    • Quant j’oi véues les semblances
    • De ceus qui menoient les dances,
    • J’oi lors talent que le vergier
    • Alasse véoir et cerchier,
    • Et remirer ces biaus moriers,
    • Ces pins, ces codres, ces loriers.
    • Les karoles jà remanoient,
    • Car tuit li plusors s’en aloient Skeat1899: 1300
    • O lor amies umbroier
    • Sous ces arbres por dosnoier.
    • Diex, cum menoient bonne vie!
    • Fox est qui n’a de tel envie;
    • Qui autel vie avoir porroit,
    • De mieudre bien se sofferroit,
    • Qu’il n’est nul greignor paradis
    • Qu’avoir amie à son devis.
    • D’ilecques me parti atant,
    • Si m’en alai seus esbatant Skeat1899: 1310
    • Par le vergier de çà en là;
    • Et li Diex d’Amors apela
    • Tretout maintenant Dous-Regart:
    • N’a or plus cure qu’il li gart
    • Son arc: donques sans plus atendre
    • L’arc li a commandé à tendre,
    • Et cis gaires n’i atendi,
    • Tout maintenant l’arc li tendi,
    • Si li bailla et cinq sajetes
    • Fors et poissans, d’aler loing prestes. Skeat1899: 1320
    • Li Diex d’Amors tantost de loing
    • Me prist à suivir, l’arc où poing.
    • Or me gart Diex de mortel plaie!
    • Se il fait tant que à moi traie,
    • Il me grevera moult forment.
    • Je qui de ce ne soi noient,
    • Vois par la vergier à délivre,
    • Et cil pensa bien de moi sivre;
    • Mès en nul leu ne m’arresté,
    • Devant que j’oi par tout esté. Skeat1899: 1330
    • Li vergiers par compasséure
    • Si fu de droite quarréure,
    • S’ot de lonc autant cum de large;
    • Nus arbres qui soit qui fruit charge,
    • Se n’est aucuns arbres hideus,
    • Dont il n’i ait ou ung, ou deus
    • Où vergier, ou plus, s’il avient.
    • Pomiers i ot, bien m’en sovient,
    • Qui chargoient pomes grenades,
    • C’est uns fruis moult bons à malades; Skeat1899: 1340
    • De noiers i ot grant foison,
    • Qui chargoient en la saison
    • Itel fruit cum sunt nois mugades,
    • Qui ne sunt ameres, ne fades;
    • Alemandiers y ot planté,
    • Et si ot où vergier planté
    • Maint figuier, et maint biau datier;
    • Si trovast qu’en éust mestier,
    • Où vergier mainte bone espice,
    • Cloz de girofle et requelice, Skeat1899: 1350
    • Graine de paradis novele,
    • Citoal, anis, et canele,
    • Et mainte espice délitable,
    • Que bon mengier fait après table.
    • Où vergier ot arbres domesches,
    • Qui chargoient et coins et pesches,
    • Chataignes, nois, pommes et poires,
    • Nefles, prunes blanches et noires,
    • Cerises fresches vermeilletes,
    • Cormes, alies et noisetes; Skeat1899: 1360
    • De haus loriers et de haus pins
    • Refu tous pueplés li jardin,
    • Et d’oliviers et de ciprés,
    • Dont il n’a gaires ici prés;
    • Ormes y ot branchus et gros,
    • Et avec ce charmes et fos,
    • Codres droites, trembles et chesnes,
    • Erables haus, sapins et fresnes.
    • Que vous iroie-je notant?
    • De divers arbres i ot tant, Skeat1899: 1370
    • Que moult en seroie encombrés,
    • Ains que les éusse nombrés.
    • Sachiés por voir, li arbres furent
    • Si loing à loing cum estre durent.
    • Li ung fu loing de l’autre assis
    • Plus de cinq toises, ou de sis:
    • Mès li rain furent lonc et haut,
    • Et por le leu garder de chaut,
    • Furent si espés par deseure,
    • Que li solaus en nesune eure Skeat1899: 1380
    • Ne pooit à terre descendre,
    • Ne faire mal à l’erbe tendre.
    • Où vergier ot daims et chevrions,
    • Et moult grant plenté d’escoirions,
    • Qui par ces arbres gravissoient;
    • Connins i avoit qui issoient
    • Toute jor hors de lor tesnieres,
    • Et en plus de trente manieres
    • Aloient entr’eus tornoiant
    • Sor l’erbe fresche verdoiant. Skeat1899: 1390
    • Il ot par leus cleres fontaines,
    • Sans barbelotes et sans raines,
    • Cui li arbres fesoient umbre;
    • Mès n’en sai pas dire le numbre
    • Par petis tuiaus que Déduis
    • Y ot fet fere, et par conduis
    • S’en aloit l’iaue aval, fesant
    • Une noise douce et plesant.
    • Entor les ruissiaus et les rives
    • Des fontaines cleres et vives, Skeat1899: 1400
    • Poignoit l’erbe freschete et drue;
    • Ausinc y poïst-l’en sa drue
    • Couchier comme sur une coite,
    • Car la terre estoit douce et moite
    • Por la fontaine, et i venoit
    • Tant d’erbe cum il convenoit.
    • Mès moult embelissoit l’afaire
    • Li leus qui ere de tel aire,
    • Qu’il i avoit tous jours plenté
    • De flors et yver et esté. Skeat1899: 1410
    • Violete y avoit trop bele,
    • Et parvenche fresche et novele;
    • Flors y ot blanches et vermeilles,
    • De jaunes en i ot merveilles.
    • Trop par estoit la terre cointe,
    • Qu’ele ere piolée et pointe
    • De flors de diverses colors,
    • Dont moult sunt bonnes les odors.
    • Ne vous tenrai jà longue fable
    • Du leu plesant et délitable; Skeat1899: 1420
    • Orendroit m’en convenra taire,
    • Que ge ne porroie retraire
    • Du vergier toute la biauté,
    • Ne la grant délitableté.
    • Tant fui à destre et à senestre,
    • Que j’oi tout l’afere et tout l’estre
    • Du vergier cerchié et véu;
    • Et li Diex d’Amors m’a séu
    • Endementiers en agaitant,
    • Cum li venieres qui atant Skeat1899: 1430
    • Que la beste en bel leu se mete
    • Por lessier aler la sajete.
    • En ung trop biau leu arrivé,
    • Au darrenier, où je trouvé
    • Une fontaine sous ung pin;
    • Mais puis Karles le fils Pepin,
    • Ne fu ausinc biau pin véus,
    • Et si estoit si haut créus,
    • Qu’où vergier n’ot nul si bel arbre.
    • Dedens une pierre de marbre Skeat1899: 1440
    • Ot nature par grant mestrise
    • Sous le pin la fontaine assise:
    • Si ot dedens la pierre escrites
    • Où bort amont letres petites
    • Qui disoient: ‘ici desus
    • Se mori li biaus Narcisus.’
    • Narcisus fu uns damoisiaus
    • Que Amors tint en ses roisiaus,
    • Et tant le sot Amors destraindre,
    • Et tant le fist plorer et plaindre, Skeat1899: 1450
    • Que li estuet à rendre l’ame:
    • Car Equo, une haute dame,
    • L’avoit amé plus que riens née.
    • El fu par lui si mal menée
    • Qu’ele li dist qu’il li donroit
    • S’amor, ou ele se morroit.
    • Mès cis fu por sa grant biauté
    • Plains de desdaing et de fierté,
    • Si ne la li volt otroier,
    • Ne por chuer, ne por proier. Skeat1899: 1460
    • Quant ele s’oï escondire,
    • Si en ot tel duel et tel ire,
    • Et le tint en si grant despit,
    • Que morte en fu sans lonc respit;
    • Mès ainçois qu’ele se morist,
    • Ele pria Diex et requist
    • Que Narcisus au cuer ferasche,
    • Qu’ele ot trové d’amors si flasche,
    • Fust asproiés encore ung jor,
    • Et eschaufés d’autel amor Skeat1899: 1470
    • Dont il ne péust joie atendre;
    • Si porroit savoir et entendre
    • Quel duel ont li loial amant
    • Que l’en refuse si vilment.
    • Cele proiere fu resnable,
    • Et por ce la fist Diex estable,
    • Que Narcisus, par aventure,
    • A la fontaine clere et pure
    • Se vint sous le pin umbroier,
    • Ung jour qu’il venoit d’archoier,
    • Et avoit soffert grant travail Skeat1899: 1481
    • De corre et amont et aval,
    • Tant qu’il ot soif por l’aspreté
    • Du chault, et por la lasseté
    • Qui li ot tolue l’alaine.
    • Et quant il vint à la fontaine
    • Que li pins de ses rains covroit,
    • Il se pensa que il bevroit:
    • Sus la fontaine, tout adens
    • Se mist lors por boivre dedans. Skeat1899: 1490
    • Si vit en l’iaue clere et nete
    • Son vis, son nés et sa bouchete,
    • Et cis maintenant s’esbahi;
    • Car ses umbres l’ot si trahi,
    • Que cuida véoir la figure
    • D’ung enfant bel à desmesure.
    • Lors se sot bien Amors vengier
    • Du grant orguel et du dangier
    • Que Narcisus li ot mené.
    • Lors li fu bien guerredoné, Skeat1899: 1500
    • Qu’il musa tant à la fontaine,
    • Qu’il ama son umbre demaine,
    • Si en fu mors à la parclose.
    • Ce est la somme de la chose:
    • Car quant il vit qu’il ne porroit
    • Acomplir ce qu’il desirroit,
    • Et qu’il i fu si pris par sort,
    • Qu’il n’en pooit avoir confort
    • En nule guise, n’en nul sens,
    • Il perdi d’ire tout le sens, Skeat1899: 1510
    • Et fu mors en poi de termine.
    • Ainsinc si ot de la meschine
    • Qu’il avoit d’amors escondite,
    • Son guerredon et sa merite.
    • Dames, cest exemple aprenés,
    • Qui vers vos amis mesprenés;
    • Car se vous les lessiés morir,
    • Diex le vous sara bien merir.
    • Quant li escris m’ot fait savoir
    • Que ce estoit tretout por voir Skeat1899: 1520
    • La fontaine au biau Narcisus,
    • Je m’en trais lors ung poi en sus,
    • Que dedens n’osai regarder,
    • Ains commençai à coarder,
    • Quant de Narcisus me sovint,
    • Cui malement en mesavint;
    • Mès ge me pensai qu’asséur,
    • Sans paor de mavés éur,
    • A la fontaine aler pooie,
    • Por folie m’en esmaioie. Skeat1899: 1530
    • De la fontaine m’apressai,
    • Quant ge fui près, si m’abessai
    • Por véoir l’iaue qui coroit,
    • Et la gravele qui paroit
    • Au fons plus clere qu’argens fins,
    • De la fontaine c’est la fins.
    • En tout le monde n’ot si bele,
    • L’iaue est tousdis fresche et novele,
    • Qui nuit et jor sourt à grans ondes
    • Par deux doiz creuses et parfondes. Skeat1899: 1540
    • Tout entour point l’erbe menue,
    • Qui vient por l’iaue espesse et drue,
    • Et en iver ne puet morir
    • Ne que l’iaue ne puet tarir.
    • Où fons de la fontaine aval
    • Avoit deux pierres de cristal
    • Qu’à grande entente remirai,
    • Et une chose vous dirai,
    • Qu’à merveilles, ce cuit, tenrés
    • Tout maintenant que vous l’orrés. Skeat1899: 1550
    • Quant li solaus qui tout aguete,
    • Ses rais en la fontaine giete,
    • Et la clartés aval descent,
    • Lors perent colors plus de cent
    • Où cristal, qui por le soleil
    • Devient ynde, jaune et vermeil:
    • Si ot le cristal merveilleus
    • Itel force que tous li leus,
    • Arbres et flors et quanqu’aorne
    • Li vergiers, i pert tout aorne; Skeat1899: 1560
    • Et por faire la chose entendre,
    • Un essample vous veil aprendre.
    • Ainsinc cum li miréors montre
    • Les choses qui li sunt encontre,
    • Et y voit-l’en sans coverture
    • Et lor color, et lor figure;
    • Tretout ausinc vous dis por voir,
    • Que li cristal, sans décevoir,
    • Tout l’estre du vergier accusent
    • A ceus qui dedens l’iaue musent: Skeat1899: 1570
    • Car tous jours quelque part qu’il soient,
    • L’une moitié du vergier voient;
    • Et s’il se tornent maintenant,
    • Pueent véoir le remenant.
    • Si n’i a si petite chose,
    • Tant reposte, ne tant enclose,
    • Dont démonstrance n’i soit faite,
    • Cum s’ele iert es cristaus portraite.
    • C’est li miréoirs périlleus,
    • Où Narcisus li orguilleus Skeat1899: 1580
    • Mira sa face et ses yex vers,
    • Dont il jut puis mors tout envers.
    • Qui en cel miréor se mire,
    • Ne puet avoir garant de mire,
    • Que tel chose à ses yex ne voie,
    • Qui d’amer l’a tost mis en voie.
    • Maint vaillant homme a mis à glaive
    • Cis miréors, car li plus saive,
    • Li plus preus, li miex afetié
    • I sunt tost pris et aguetié. Skeat1899: 1590
    • Ci sourt as gens novele rage,
    • Ici se changent li corage;
    • Ci n’a mestier sens, ne mesure,
    • Ci est d’amer volenté pure;
    • Ci ne se set conseiller nus;
    • Car Cupido, li fils Venus,
    • Sema ici d’Amors la graine
    • Qui toute a çainte la fontaine;
    • Et fist ses las environ tendre,
    • Et ses engins i mist por prendre Skeat1899: 1600
    • Damoiseles et Damoisiaus;
    • Qu’ Amors ne velt autres oisiaus.
    • Por la graine qui fu semée,
    • Fu cele fontaine clamée
    • La Fontaine d’Amors par droit,
    • Dont plusors ont en maint endroit
    • Parlé, en romans et en livre;
    • Mais jamès n’orrez miex descrivre
    • La verité de la matere,
    • Cum ge la vous vodré retrere. Skeat1899: 1610
    • Adès me plot à demorer
    • A la fontaine, et remirer
    • Les deus cristaus qui me monstroient
    • Mil choses qui ilec estoient.
    • Mès de fort hore m’i miré:
    • Las! tant en ai puis souspiré!
    • Cis miréors m’a decéu;
    • Se j’éusse avant cognéu
    • Quex sa force ert et sa vertu,
    • Ne m’i fusse jà embatu: Skeat1899: 1620
    • Car meintenant où las chaï
    • Qui meint homme ont pris et traï.
    • Où miroer entre mil choses,
    • Choisi rosiers chargiés de roses,
    • Qui estoient en ung détor
    • D’une haie clos tout entor:
    • Adont m’en prist si grant envie,
    • Que ne laissasse por Pavie,
    • Ne por Paris, que ge n’alasse
    • Là où ge vi la greignor masse. Skeat1899: 1630
    • Quant cele rage m’ot si pris,
    • Dont maint ont esté entrepris,
    • Vers les rosiers tantost me très;
    • Et sachiés que quant g’en fui près,
    • L’oudor des roses savorées
    • M’entra ens jusques es corées,
    • Que por noient fusse embasmés:
    • Se assailli ou mesamés
    • Ne cremisse estre, g’en cuillisse,
    • Au mains une que ge tenisse Skeat1899: 1640
    • En ma main, por l’odor sentir;
    • Mès paor oi du repentir:
    • Car il en péust de legier
    • Peser au seignor du vergier.
    • Des roses i ot grans monciaus,
    • Si beles ne vit homs sous ciaus;
    • Boutons i ot petit et clos,
    • Et tiex qui sunt ung poi plus gros.
    • Si en i ot d’autre moison
    • Qui se traient à lor soison, Skeat1899: 1650
    • Et s’aprestoient d’espanir,
    • Et cil ne font pas à haïr.
    • Les roses overtes et lées
    • Sunt en ung jor toutes alées;
    • Mès li bouton durent trois frois
    • A tout le mains deux jors ou trois.
    • Icil bouton forment me plurent,
    • Oncques plus bel nul leu ne crurent.
    • Qui en porroit ung acroichier,
    • Il le devroit avoir moult chier; Skeat1899: 1660
    • S’ung chapel en péusse avoir,
    • Je n’en préisse nul avoir.
    • Entre ces boutons en eslui
    • Ung si très-bel, qu’envers celui
    • Nus des autres riens ne prisié,
    • Puis que ge l’oi bien avisié:
    • Car une color l’enlumine,
    • Qui est si vermeille et si fine,
    • Com Nature la pot plus faire.
    • Des foilles i ot quatre paire Skeat1899: 1670
    • Que Nature par grant mestire
    • I ot assises tire à tire.
    • La coe ot droite comme jons,
    • Et par dessus siet li boutons,
    • Si qu’il ne cline, ne ne pent.
    • L’odor de lui entor s’espent;
    • La soatime qui en ist
    • Toute la place replenist. Skeat1899: 1678

FRAGMENT B.

    • Whan I had smelled the savour swote,
    • No wille hadde I fro thens yit go,
    • But somdel neer it wente I tho,
    • To take it; but myn hond, for drede,
    • Ne dorste I to the rose bede, Skeat1899: 1710
    • For thistels sharpe, of many maneres,
    • Netles, thornes, and hoked breres;
    • [Ful] muche they distourbled me, [ ]
    • For sore I dradde to harmed be.
    • The God of Love, with bowe bent, Skeat1899: 1715
    • That al day set hadde his talent
    • To pursuen and to spyen me,
    • Was stonding by a fige-tree.
    • And whan he sawe how that I
    • Had chosen so ententifly Skeat1899: 1720
    • The botoun , more unto my pay [ ]
    • Than any other that I say,
    • He took an arowe ful sharply whet,
    • And in his bowe whan it was set,
    • He streight up to his ere drough Skeat1899: 1725
    • The stronge bowe, that was so tough,
    • And shet at me so wonder smerte,
    • That through myn eye unto myn herte
    • The takel smoot, and depe it wente.
    • And ther-with-al such cold me hente, Skeat1899: 1730
    • That, under clothes warme and softe,
    • Sith that day I have chevered ofte.
    • Whan I was hurt thus in [that] stounde,
    • I fel doun plat unto the grounde.
    • Myn herte failed and feynted ay, Skeat1899: 1735
    • And long tyme [ther] a-swone I lay .
    • But whan I com out of swoning,
    • And hadde wit, and my feling,
    • I was al maat, and wende ful wel
    • Of blood have loren a ful gret del. Skeat1899: 1740
    • But certes, the arowe that in me stood
    • Of me ne drew no drope of blood,
    • For-why I found my wounde al dreye .
    • Than took I with myn hondis tweye
    • The arowe, and ful fast out it plight, Skeat1899: 1745
    • And in the pulling sore I sight.
    • So at the last the shaft of tree
    • I drough out, with the fethers three.
    • But yet the hoked heed, y-wis,
    • The whiche Beautee callid is, Skeat1899: 1750
    • Gan so depe in myn herte passe,
    • That I it mighte nought arace;
    • But in myn herte stille it stood,
    • Al bledde I not a drope of blood.
    • I was bothe anguissous and trouble Skeat1899: 1755
    • For the peril that I saw double;
    • I niste what to seye or do ,
    • 1758. Both two (!).

    • Ne gete a leche my woundis to;
    • For neithir thurgh gras ne rote,
    • Ne hadde I help of hope ne bote. Skeat1899: 1760
    • But to the botoun ever-mo
    • Myn herte drew; for al my wo,
    • My thought was in non other thing.
    • For hadde it been in my keping,
    • It wolde have brought my lyf agayn. Skeat1899: 1765
    • For certeinly , I dar wel seyn,
    • The sight only, and the savour,
    • Alegged muche of my langour.
    • Than gan I for to drawe me
    • Toward the botoun fair to see; Skeat1899: 1770
    • And Love hadde gete him, in [a] throwe,
    • Another arowe into his bowe,
    • And for to shete gan him dresse;
    • The arowis name was Simplesse.
    • And whan that Love gan nyghe me nere, Skeat1899: 1775
    • He drow it up, withouten were, [ ]
    • And shet at me with al his might,
    • So that this arowe anon-right
    • Thourghout [myn] eigh, as it was founde,
    • Into myn herte hath maad a wounde. Skeat1899: 1780
    • Thanne I anoon dide al my crafte
    • For to drawen out the shafte,
    • And ther-with-al I sighed eft.
    • But in myn herte the heed was left,
    • Which ay encresid my desyre, Skeat1899: 1785
    • Unto the botoun drawe nere;
    • And ever, mo that me was wo,
    • The more desyr hadde I to go
    • Unto the roser, where that grew
    • The fresshe botoun so bright of hewe. Skeat1899: 1790
    • Betir me were have leten be;
    • But it bihoved nedes me
    • To don right as myn herte bad.
    • For ever the body must be lad
    • Aftir the herte; in wele and wo, Skeat1899: 1795
    • Of force togidre they must go.
    • But never this archer wolde fyne
    • To shete at me with alle his pyne ,
    • And for to make me to him mete.
    • The thridde arowe he gan to shete, Skeat1899: 1800
    • Whan best his tyme he mighte espye,
    • The which was named Curtesye;
    • Into myn herte it dide avale.
    • A-swone I fel, bothe deed and pale;
    • Long tyme I lay, and stired nought, Skeat1899: 1805
    • Til I abraid out of my thought.
    • And faste than I avysed me
    • To drawen out the shafte of tree;
    • But ever the heed was left bihinde
    • For ought I couthe pulle or winde. Skeat1899: 1810
    • So sore it stikid whan I was hit,
    • That by no craft I might it flit;
    • But anguissous and ful of thought,
    • I felte such wo, my wounde ay wrought,
    • That somoned me alway to go Skeat1899: 1815
    • Toward the rose, that plesed me so;
    • But I ne durste in no manere,
    • Bicause the archer was so nere.
    • For evermore gladly, as I rede,
    • Brent child of fyr hath muche drede. [ ] Skeat1899: 1820
    • And, certis yit, for al my peyne,
    • Though that I sigh yit arwis reyne,
    • And grounde quarels sharpe of stele,
    • Ne for no payne that I might fele,
    • Yit might I not my-silf withholde Skeat1899: 1825
    • The faire roser to biholde;
    • For Love me yaf sich hardement
    • For to fulfille his comaundement.
    • Upon my feet I roos up than
    • Feble, as a forwoundid man; Skeat1899: 1830
    • And forth to gon [my] might I sette,
    • And for the archer nolde I lette.
    • Toward the roser fast I drow;
    • But thornes sharpe mo than y-now
    • Ther were, and also thistels thikke, Skeat1899: 1835
    • And breres, brimme for to prikke,
    • That I ne mighte gete grace
    • The rowe thornes for to passe,
    • To sene the roses fresshe of hewe.
    • I must abide, though it me rewe, Skeat1899: 1840
    • The hegge aboute so thikke was,
    • That closid the roses in compas.
    • But o thing lyked me right wele;
    • I was so nygh, I mighte fele
    • Of the botoun the swote odour, Skeat1899: 1845
    • And also see the fresshe colour;
    • And that right gretly lyked me,
    • That I so neer it mighte see.
    • Sich Ioye anoon therof hadde I,
    • That I forgat my malady. Skeat1899: 1850
    • To sene [it] hadde I sich delyt,
    • Of sorwe and angre I was al quit,
    • And of my woundes that I had thar ; [ ]
    • For no-thing lyken me might mar
    • Than dwellen by the roser ay, Skeat1899: 1855
    • And thennes never to passe away.
    • But whan a whyle I had be thar ,
    • The God of Love, which al to-shar
    • Myn herte with his arwis kene,
    • Caste him to yeve me woundis grene. Skeat1899: 1860
    • He shet at me ful hastily
    • An arwe named Company,
    • The whiche takel is ful able
    • To make these ladies merciable.
    • Than I anoon gan chaungen hewe Skeat1899: 1865
    • For grevaunce of my wounde newe,
    • That I agayn fel in swoning,
    • And sighed sore in compleyning.
    • Sore I compleyned that my sore
    • On me gan greven more and more. Skeat1899: 1870
    • I had non hope of allegeaunce; [ ]
    • So nigh I drow to desperaunce,
    • I rought of dethe ne of lyf,
    • Whither that love wolde me dryf.
    • If me a martir wolde he make, Skeat1899: 1875
    • I might his power nought forsake.
    • And whyl for anger thus I wook,
    • The God of Love an arowe took;
    • Ful sharp it was and [ful] pugnaunt,
    • And it was callid Fair-Semblaunt, Skeat1899: 1880
    • The which in no wys wol consente,
    • That any lover him repente
    • To serve his love with herte and alle,
    • For any peril that may bifalle.
    • But though this arwe was kene grounde Skeat1899: 1885
    • As any rasour that is founde,
    • To cutte and kerve, at the poynt,
    • The God of Love it hadde anoynt
    • With a precious oynement,
    • Somdel to yeve aleggement Skeat1899: 1890
    • Upon the woundes that he had
    • Through the body in my herte maad ,
    • To helpe hir sores, and to cure,
    • And that they may the bet endure.
    • But yit this arwe, withoute more, Skeat1899: 1895
    • Made in myn herte a large sore,
    • That in ful gret peyne I abood.
    • But ay the oynement wente abrood;
    • Throughout my woundes large and wyde
    • It spredde aboute in every syde; Skeat1899: 1900
    • Through whos vertu and whos might
    • Myn herte Ioyful was and light.
    • I had ben deed and al to-shent
    • But for the precious oynement.
    • The shaft I drow out of the arwe, Skeat1899: 1905
    • Roking for wo right wondir narwe; [ ]
    • But the heed, which made me smerte,
    • Lefte bihinde in myn herte
    • With other foure, I dar wel say, [ ]
    • That never wol be take away; Skeat1899: 1910
    • But the oynement halp me wele.
    • And yit sich sorwe dide I fele,
    • Transpose 1913, 4?

    • That al-day I chaunged hewe,
    • Of my woundes fresshe and newe,
    • As men might see in my visage. Skeat1899: 1915
    • The arwis were so fulle of rage,
    • So variaunt of diversitee,
    • That men in everich mighte see
    • Bothe gret anoy and eek swetnesse,
    • And Ioye meynt with bittirnesse. Skeat1899: 1920
    • Now were they esy, now were they wood,
    • In hem I felte bothe harm and good;
    • Now sore without aleggement,
    • Now softening with oynement;
    • It softned here, and prikked there, Skeat1899: 1925
    • Thus ese and anger togider were.
    • The God of Love deliverly
    • Com lepand to me hastily,
    • And seide to me, in gret rape ,
    • ‘Yeld thee, for thou may not escape! Skeat1899: 1930
    • May no defence availe thee here;
    • Therfore I rede mak no daungere.
    • If thou wolt yelde thee hastily ,
    • Thou shalt [the] rather have mercy.
    • He is a fool in sikernesse, Skeat1899: 1935
    • That with daunger or stoutnesse
    • Rebellith ther that he shulde plese;
    • In such folye is litel ese.
    • Be meek, wher thou must nedis bowe;
    • To stryve ageyn is nought thy prowe. Skeat1899: 1940
    • Come at ones, and have y-do,
    • For I wol that it be so.
    • Than yeld thee here debonairly.’
    • And I answerid ful humbly,
    • ‘Gladly, sir; at your bidding, Skeat1899: 1945
    • I wol me yelde in alle thing.
    • To your servyse I wol me take;
    • For god defende that I shulde make
    • Ageyn your bidding resistence;
    • I wol not doon so gret offence; Skeat1899: 1950
    • For if I dide, it were no skile.
    • Ye may do with me what ye wile,
    • Save or spille, and also sloo;
    • Fro you in no wyse may I go.
    • My lyf, my deth, is in your honde, Skeat1899: 1955
    • I may not laste out of your bonde.
    • Pleyn at your list I yelde me,
    • Hoping in herte, that sumtyme ye
    • Comfort and ese shulle me sende;
    • Or ellis shortly, this is the ende, Skeat1899: 1960
    • Withouten helthe I moot ay dure,
    • Bu -if ye take me to your cure. [ ]
    • Comfort or helthe how shuld I have,
    • Sith ye me hurte, but ye me save?
    • The helthe of lovers moot be founde Skeat1899: 1965
    • Wher-as they token firste hir wounde.
    • And if ye list of me to make
    • Your prisoner, I wol it take
    • Of herte and wil, fully at gree.
    • Hoolly and pleyn I yelde me, Skeat1899: 1970
    • Withoute feyning or feyntyse,
    • To be governed by your empryse.
    • Of you I here so much prys,
    • I wol ben hool at your devys
    • For to fulfille your lyking Skeat1899: 1975
    • And repente for no-thing,
    • Hoping to have yit in som tyde
    • Mercy, of that [that] I abyde.’
    • And with that covenaunt yeld I me,
    • Anoon doun kneling upon my knee, Skeat1899: 1980
    • Profering for to kisse his feet;
    • But for no-thing he wolde me lete,
    • And seide, ‘I love thee bothe and preyse,
    • Sen that thyn answer doth me ese,
    • For thou answerid so curteisly. Skeat1899: 1985
    • For now I wot wel uttirly,
    • That thou art gentil, by thy speche.
    • For though a man fer wolde seche,
    • He shulde not finden, in certeyn,
    • No sich answer of no vileyn; Skeat1899: 1990
    • For sich a word ne mighte nought
    • Isse out of a vilayns thought.
    • Thou shalt not lesen of thy speche,
    • For [to] thy helping wol I eche,
    • And eek encresen that I may. Skeat1899: 1995
    • But first I wol that thou obay
    • Fully, for thyn avauntage,
    • Anon to do me here homage.
    • And sithen kisse thou shalt my mouth, [ ]
    • Which to no vilayn was never couth Skeat1899: 2000
    • For to aproche it, ne for to touche;
    • For sauf of cherlis I ne vouche [ ]
    • That they shulle never neigh it nere.
    • For curteys, and of fair manere,
    • Wel taught, and ful of gentilnesse Skeat1899: 2005
    • He muste ben, that shal me kisse ,
    • And also of ful high fraunchyse,
    • That shal atteyne to that empryse.
    • And first of o thing warne I thee,
    • That peyne and gret adversitee Skeat1899: 2010
    • He mot endure, and eek travaile,
    • That shal me serve, withoute faile.
    • But ther-ageyns, thee to comforte,
    • And with thy servise to desporte,
    • Thou mayst ful glad and Ioyful be Skeat1899: 2015
    • So good a maister to have as me,
    • And lord of so high renoun. [ ]
    • I bere of Love the gonfanoun ,
    • Of Curtesye the banere;
    • For I am of the silf manere, Skeat1899: 2020
    • Gentil, curteys, meek and free;
    • That who [so] ever ententif be
    • Me to honoure, doute, and serve,
    • And also that he him observe
    • Fro trespas and fro vilanye, Skeat1899: 2025
    • And him governe in curtesye
    • With wil and with entencioun;
    • For whan he first in my prisoun
    • Is caught, than muste he uttirly,
    • Fro thennes-forth ful bisily, Skeat1899: 2030
    • Caste him gentil for to be,
    • If he desyre helpe of me.’
    • Anoon withouten more delay,
    • Withouten daunger or affray,
    • I bicom his man anoon, Skeat1899: 2035
    • And gave him thankes many a oon,
    • And kneled doun with hondis Ioynt, [ ]
    • And made it in my port ful queynt ;
    • The Ioye wente to myn herte rote.
    • Whan I had kissed his mouth so swote, Skeat1899: 2040
    • I had sich mirthe and sich lyking,
    • It cured me of languisshing.
    • He askid of me than hostages:—
    • ‘I have,’ he seide, ‘ taken fele homages [ ]
    • Of oon and other, where I have been Skeat1899: 2045
    • Disceyved ofte, withouten wene. [ ]
    • These felouns, fulle of falsitee,
    • Have many sythes bigyled me,
    • And through falshede hir lust acheved,
    • Wherof I repente and am agreved. Skeat1899: 2050
    • And I hem gete in my daungere, [ ]
    • Hir falshed shulle they bye ful dere.
    • But for I love thee, I seye thee pleyn,
    • I wol of thee be more certeyn;
    • For thee so sore I wol now binde, Skeat1899: 2055
    • That thou away ne shalt not winde
    • For to denyen the covenaunt,
    • Or doon that is not avenaunt.
    • That thou were fals it were gret reuthe,
    • Sith thou semest so ful of treuthe.’ Skeat1899: 2060
    • ‘Sire, if thee list to undirstande,
    • I merveile thee asking this demande.
    • For-why or wherfore shulde ye [ ]
    • Ostages or borwis aske of me,
    • Or any other sikirnesse, Skeat1899: 2065
    • Sith ye wote , in sothfastnesse,
    • That ye have me surprysed so,
    • And hool myn herte taken me fro,
    • That it wol do for me no-thing
    • But-if it be at your bidding? Skeat1899: 2070
    • Myn herte is yours, and myn right nought,
    • As it bihoveth, in dede and thought,
    • Redy in alle to worche your wille,
    • Whether so [it] turne to good or ille.
    • So sore it lustith you to plese, Skeat1899: 2075
    • No man therof may you disseise . [ ]
    • Ye have theron set sich Iustise,
    • That it is werreyd in many wise.
    • And if ye doute it nolde obeye,
    • Ye may therof do make a keye, Skeat1899: 2080
    • And holde it with you for ostage.’
    • ‘Now certis, this is noon outrage,’
    • Quoth Love, ‘and fully I accord;
    • For of the body he is ful lord
    • That hath the herte in his tresor ; Skeat1899: 2085
    • Outrage it were to asken more.’
    • Than of his aumener he drough [ ]
    • A litel keye, fetys y-nough,
    • Which was of gold polisshed clere,
    • And seide to me, ‘With this keye here Skeat1899: 2090
    • Thyn herte to me now wol I shette;
    • For al my Iowellis loke and knette [ ]
    • I binde under this litel keye,
    • That no wight may carye aweye;
    • This keye is ful of gret poeste.’ Skeat1899: 2095
    • With which anoon he touchid me
    • Undir the syde ful softely,
    • That he myn herte sodeynly
    • Without [al] anoy had spered, [ ]
    • That yit right nought it hath me dered. Skeat1899: 2100
    • Whan he had doon his wil al-out,
    • And I had put him out of dout,
    • ‘Sire,’ I seide, ‘I have right gret wille
    • Your lust and plesaunce to fulfille.
    • Loke ye my servise take at gree, Skeat1899: 2105
    • By thilke feith ye owe to me.
    • I seye nought for recreaundyse,
    • For I nought doute of your servyse.
    • But the servaunt traveileth in vayne,
    • That for to serven doth his payne Skeat1899: 2110
    • Unto that lord, which in no wyse
    • Can him no thank for his servyse.’
    • Love seide, ‘Dismaye thee nought,
    • Sin thou for sucour hast me sought,
    • In thank thy servise wol I take, Skeat1899: 2115
    • And high of degree I wol thee make,
    • If wikkidnesse ne hindre thee;
    • But, as I hope, it shal nought be.
    • To worship no wight by aventure
    • May come, but-if he peyne endure. Skeat1899: 2120
    • Abyde and suffre thy distresse;
    • That hurtith now, it shal be lesse;
    • I wot my-silf what may thee save,
    • What medicyne thou woldist have.
    • And if thy trouthe to me thou kepe, Skeat1899: 2125
    • I shal unto thyn helping eke,
    • To cure thy woundes and make hem clene,
    • Wher-so they be olde or grene;
    • Thou shalt be holpen, at wordisfewe.
    • For certeynly thou shalt wel shewe Skeat1899: 2130
    • Wher that thou servest with good wille,
    • For to complisshen and fulfille
    • My comaundementis, day and night,
    • Whiche I to lovers yeve of right.’
    • ‘Ah, sire, for goddis love,’ seide I, Skeat1899: 2135
    • ‘Er ye passe hens, ententifly
    • Your comaundementis to me ye say,
    • And I shal kepe hem, if I may;
    • For hem to kepen is al my thought.
    • And if so be I wot hem nought, Skeat1899: 2140
    • Than may I [sinne] unwitingly. [ ]
    • Wherfore I pray you enterely ,
    • With al myn herte, me to lere,
    • That I trespasse in no manere.’
    • The god of love than chargid me Skeat1899: 2145
    • Anoon, as ye shal here and see,
    • Word by word, by right empryse,
    • So as the Romance shal devyse.
    • The maister lesith his tyme to lere,
    • Whan the disciple wol not here. Skeat1899: 2150
    • It is but veyn on him to swinke,
    • That on his lerning wol not thinke.
    • Who-so lust love, let him entende,
    • For now the Romance ginneth amende . [ ]
    • Now is good to here, in fay, Skeat1899: 2155
    • If any be that can it say,
    • And poynte it as the resoun is
    • Set; for other-gate, y-wis,
    • It shal nought wel in alle thing
    • Be brought to good undirstonding: Skeat1899: 2160
    • For a reder that poyntith ille [ ]
    • A good sentence may ofte spille.
    • The book is good at the ending,
    • Maad of newe and lusty thing;
    • For who-so wol the ending here, Skeat1899: 2165
    • The crafte of love he shal now lere,
    • If that he wol so long abyde,
    • Til I this Romance may unhyde,
    • And undo the signifiaunce
    • Of this dreme into Romaunce. [ ] Skeat1899: 2170
    • The sothfastnesse that now is hid,
    • Without coverture shal be kid,
    • Whan I undon have this dreming,
    • Wherin no word is of lesing.
    • ‘Vilany, at the biginning, Skeat1899: 2175
    • I wol,’ sayd Love, ‘over alle thing,
    • Thou leve, if thou wolt [not] be
    • Fals, and trespasse ageynes me.
    • I curse and blame generally
    • Alle hem that loven vilany; Skeat1899: 2180
    • For vilany makith vilayn,
    • And by his dedis a cherle is seyn.
    • Thise vilayns arn without pitee,
    • Frendshipe, love, and al bounte.
    • I nil receyve to my servyse Skeat1899: 2185
    • Hem that ben vilayns of empryse.
    • ‘But undirstonde in thyn entent,
    • That this is not myn entendement,
    • To clepe no wight in no ages
    • Only gentil for his linages. [ ] Skeat1899: 2190
    • But who-so [that] is vertuous,
    • And in his port nought outrageous,
    • Whan sich oon thou seest thee biforn,
    • Though he be not gentil born,
    • Thou mayst wel seyn, this is a soth, Skeat1899: 2195
    • That he is gentil, bicause he doth
    • As longeth to a gentilman;
    • Of hem non other deme I can.
    • For certeynly, withouten drede,
    • A cherl is demed by his dede, Skeat1899: 2200
    • Of hye or lowe, as ye may see,
    • Or of what kinrede that he be.
    • Ne say nought, for noon yvel wille, [ ]
    • Thing that is to holden stille;
    • It is no worship to misseye. Skeat1899: 2205
    • Thou mayst ensample take of Keye, [ ]
    • That was somtyme, for misseying,
    • Hated bothe of olde and ying ;
    • As fer as Gaweyn, the worthy,
    • Was preysed for his curtesy, Skeat1899: 2210
    • Keye was hated, for he was fel,
    • Of word dispitous and cruel.
    • Wherfore be wyse and aqueyntable,
    • Goodly of word, and resonable
    • Bothe to lesse and eek to mar . Skeat1899: 2215
    • And whan thou comest ther men ar,
    • Loke that thou have in custom ay
    • First to salue hem , if thou may:
    • And if it falle, that of hem som
    • Salue thee first, be not dom , Skeat1899: 2220
    • But quyte him curteisly anoon
    • Without abiding, er they goon.
    • ‘For no-thing eek thy tunge applye
    • To speke wordis of ribaudye .
    • To vilayn speche in no degree Skeat1899: 2225
    • Lat never thy lippe unbounden be.
    • For I nought holde him, in good feith,
    • Curteys, that foule wordis seith.
    • And alle wimmen serve and preyse,
    • And to thy power hir honour reyse. Skeat1899: 2230
    • And if that any missayere
    • Dispyse wimmen, that thou mayst here,
    • Blame him, and bidde him holde him stille.
    • And set thy might and al thy wille
    • Wimmen and ladies for to plese, Skeat1899: 2235
    • And to do thing that may hem ese,
    • That they ever speke good of thee,
    • For so thou mayst best preysed be.
    • ‘Loke fro pryde thou kepe thee wele;
    • For thou mayst bothe perceyve and fele, Skeat1899: 2240
    • That pryde is bothe foly and sinne;
    • And he that pryde hath, him withinne,
    • Ne may his herte, in no wyse,
    • Meken ne souplen to servyse.
    • For pryde is founde, in every part, Skeat1899: 2245
    • Contrarie unto Loves art.
    • And he that loveth trewely
    • Shulde him contene Iolily,
    • Withouten pryde in sondry wyse,
    • And him disgysen in queyntyse. Skeat1899: 2250
    • For queynt array, withouten drede,
    • Is no-thing proud, who takith hede;
    • For fresh array, as men may see,
    • Withouten pryde may ofte be.
    • ‘Mayntene thy-silf aftir thy rent, Skeat1899: 2255
    • Of robe and eek of garnement;
    • For many sythe fair clothing
    • A man amendith in mich thing.
    • And loke alwey that they be shape,
    • What garnement that thou shalt make. Skeat1899: 2260
    • Of him that can [hem] beste do,
    • With al that perteyneth therto.
    • Poyntis and sleves be wel sittand,
    • Right and streight upon the hand.
    • Of shoon and botes, newe and faire, Skeat1899: 2265
    • Loke at the leest thou have a paire;
    • And that they sitte so fetisly,
    • That these rude may uttirly
    • Merveyle, sith that they sitte so pleyn,
    • How they come on or of ageyn. Skeat1899: 2270
    • Were streite gloves, with aumenere [ ]
    • Of silk; and alwey with good chere
    • Thou yeve, if thou have richesse;
    • And if thou have nought, spend the lesse.
    • Alwey be mery, if thou may, Skeat1899: 2275
    • But waste not thy good alway.
    • Have hat of floures fresh as May,
    • Chapelet of roses of Whitsonday ; [ ]
    • For sich array ne cost but lyte. [ ]
    • Thyn hondis wasshe, thy teeth make whyte, [ ] Skeat1899: 2280
    • And let no filthe upon thee be.
    • Thy nailes blak if thou mayst see,
    • Voide it awey deliverly,
    • And kembe thyn heed right Iolily.
    • [Fard] not thy visage in no wyse, [ ] Skeat1899: 2285
    • For that of love is not thempryse;
    • For love doth haten, as I finde,
    • A beaute that cometh not of kinde.
    • Alwey in herte I rede thee
    • Glad and mery for to be, Skeat1899: 2290
    • And be as Ioyful as thou can;
    • Love hath no Ioye of sorowful man.
    • That yvel is ful of curtesye
    • That [lauhwith] in his maladye; [ ]
    • For ever of love the siknesse Skeat1899: 2295
    • Is meynd with swete and bitternesse. [ ]
    • The sore of love is merveilous;
    • For now the lover [is] Ioyous,
    • Now can he pleyne, now can he grone,
    • Now can he singen, now maken mone. Skeat1899: 2300
    • To-day he pleyneth for hevinesse, [ ]
    • To-morowe he pleyeth for Iolynesse .
    • The lyf of love is ful contrarie,
    • Which stoundemele can ofte varie.
    • But if thou canst [som] mirthis make, Skeat1899: 2305
    • That men in gree wole gladly take,
    • Do it goodly, I comaunde thee;
    • For men sholde, wher-so-ever they be,
    • Do thing that hem [best] sitting is, [ ]
    • For therof cometh good loos and pris. Skeat1899: 2310
    • Wher-of that thou be vertuous,
    • Ne be not straunge ne daungerous.
    • For if that thou good rider be,
    • Prike gladly, that men may se.
    • In armes also if thou conne, Skeat1899: 2315
    • Pursue, til thou a name hast wonne.
    • And if thy voice be fair and clere,
    • Thou shalt maken no gret daungere [ ]
    • Whan to singe they goodly preye;
    • It is thy worship for to obeye. Skeat1899: 2320
    • Also to you it longith ay
    • To harpe and giterne, daunce and play;
    • For if he can wel foote and daunce,
    • It may him greetly do avaunce.
    • Among eek, for thy lady sake, Skeat1899: 2325
    • Songes and complayntes that thou make;
    • For that wol meve [hem] in hir herte, [ ]
    • Whan they reden of thy smerte.
    • Loke that no man for scarce thee holde,
    • For that may greve thee manyfolde. Skeat1899: 2330
    • Resoun wol that a lover be
    • In his yiftes more large and free
    • Than cherles that been not of loving.
    • For who ther-of can any thing,
    • He shal be leef ay for to yeve, Skeat1899: 2335
    • In [Loves] lore who so wolde leve; [ ]
    • For he that, through a sodeyn sight,
    • Or for a kissing, anon-right
    • Yaf hool his herte in wille and thought,
    • And to him-silf kepith right nought, Skeat1899: 2340
    • Aftir [swich yift] , is good resoun, [ ]
    • He yeve his good in abandoun.
    • ‘Now wol I shortly here reherce,
    • Of that [that] I have seid in verse,
    • Al the sentence by and by, Skeat1899: 2345
    • In wordis fewe compendiously,
    • That thou the bet mayst on hem thinke,
    • Whether-so it be thou wake or winke;
    • For [that] the wordis litel greve
    • A man to kepe, whanne it is breve. Skeat1899: 2350
    • ‘Who-so with Love wol goon or ryde
    • He mot be curteys, and void of pryde,
    • Mery and fulle of Iolite,
    • And of largesse alosed be. [ ]
    • ‘First I Ioyne thee, here in penaunce, Skeat1899: 2355
    • That ever, withoute repentaunce,
    • Thou set thy thought in thy loving,
    • To laste withoute repenting;
    • And thenke upon thy mirthis swete,
    • That shal folowe aftir whan ye mete. Skeat1899: 2360
    • ‘And for thou trewe to love shalt be,
    • I wol, and [eek] comaunde thee,
    • That in oo place thou sette, al hool,
    • Thyn herte, withouten halfen dool,
    • For trecherie, [in] sikernesse; [ ] Skeat1899: 2365
    • For I lovede never doublenesse.
    • To many his herte that wol depart ,
    • Everiche shal have but litel part .
    • But of him drede I me right nought,
    • That in oo place settith his thought. Skeat1899: 2370
    • Therefore in oo place it sette ,
    • And lat it never thennes flette .
    • For if thou yevest it in lening,
    • I holde it but a wrecchid thing:
    • Therefore yeve it hool and quyte, Skeat1899: 2375
    • And thou shalt have the more merite.
    • If it be lent, than aftir soon,
    • The bountee and the thank is doon;
    • But, in love, free yeven thing
    • Requyrith a gret guerdoning. Skeat1899: 2380
    • Yeve it in yift al quit fully,
    • And make thy yift debonairly;
    • For men that yift [wol] holde more dere
    • That yeven is with gladsome chere.
    • That yift nought to preisen is Skeat1899: 2385
    • That man yeveth, maugre his. [ ]
    • Whan thou hast yeven thyn herte, as I
    • Have seid thee here [al] openly,
    • Than aventures shulle thee falle,
    • Which harde and hevy been withalle. Skeat1899: 2390
    • For ofte whan thou bithenkist thee
    • Of thy loving, wher-so thou be,
    • Fro folk thou must depart in hy,
    • That noon perceyve thy malady,
    • 2395-2442. Not in G. ; from Th.

    • But hyde thyn harm thou must alone, Skeat1899: 2395
    • And go forth sole, and make thy mone.
    • Thou shalt no whyl be in oo stat,
    • But whylom cold and whylom hat;
    • Now reed as rose, now yelowe and fade.
    • Such sorowe, I trowe, thou never hade; Skeat1899: 2400
    • Cotidien, ne [yit] quarteyne,
    • It is nat so ful of peyne.
    • For ofte tymes it shal falle
    • In love, among thy peynes alle ,
    • That thou thy-self, al holly , Skeat1899: 2405
    • Foryeten shalt so utterly,
    • That many tymes thou shalt be
    • Stille as an image of tree,
    • Dom as a stoon, without stering
    • Of foot or hond, without speking. Skeat1899: 2410
    • Than, sone after al thy peyne,
    • To memorie shalt thou come ageyn,
    • As man abasshed wondre sore,
    • And after sighen more and more.
    • For wit thou wel, withouten wene, Skeat1899: 2415
    • In swich astat ful oft have been
    • That have the yvel of love assayd,
    • Wher-through thou art so dismayd.
    • ‘After, a thought shal take thee so,
    • That thy love is to fer thee fro: Skeat1899: 2420
    • Thou shalt say, “God, what may this be,
    • That I ne may my lady see?
    • Myne herte aloon is to her go,
    • And I abyde al sole in wo,
    • Departed fro myn owne thought, Skeat1899: 2425
    • And with myne eyen see right nought.
    • ‘ “Alas, myn eyen sende I ne may,
    • My careful herte to convay!
    • Myn hertes gyde but they be,
    • I praise no-thing what ever they see. Skeat1899: 2430
    • Shul they abyde thanne? nay;
    • But goon visyte without delay
    • That myn herte desyreth so.
    • For certeynly, but-if they go,
    • A fool my-self I may wel holde, Skeat1899: 2435
    • Whan I ne see what myn herte wolde.
    • Wherfore I wol gon her to seen ,
    • Or esed shal I never been ,
    • But I have som tokening.”
    • Then gost thou forth without dwelling; Skeat1899: 2440
    • But ofte thou faylest of thy desyre,
    • Er thou mayst come hir any nere,
    • 2443. G. begins again.

    • And wastest in vayn thy passage.
    • Than fallest thou in a newe rage;
    • For want of sight thou ginnest morne, Skeat1899: 2445
    • And homward pensif dost retorne.
    • In greet mischeef than shalt thou be,
    • For than agayn shal come to thee
    • Sighes and pleyntes, with newe wo,
    • That no icching prikketh so. Skeat1899: 2450
    • Who wot it nought, he may go lere
    • Of hem that byen love so dere.
    • ‘No-thing thyn herte appesen may,
    • That oft thou wolt goon and assay,
    • If thou mayst seen, by aventure, Skeat1899: 2455
    • Thy lyves joy, thyn hertis cure; [ ]
    • So that, by grace if thou might
    • Atteyne of hir to have a sight,
    • Than shalt thou doon non other dede
    • But with that sight thyn eyen fede. Skeat1899: 2460
    • That faire fresh whan thou mayst see,
    • Thyn herte shal so ravisshed be,
    • That never thou woldest, thy thankis, lete, [ ]
    • Ne remove, for to see that swete.
    • The more thou seest in sothfastnesse, Skeat1899: 2465
    • The more thou coveytest of that swetnesse;
    • The more thyn herte brenneth in fyr,
    • The more thyn herte is in desyr.
    • For who considreth every del,
    • It may be lykned wondir wel, Skeat1899: 2470
    • The peyne of love, unto a fere; [ ]
    • For ever [the] more thou neighest nere
    • Thought , or who-so that it be, [ ]
    • For verray sothe I telle it thee,
    • The hatter ever shal thou brenne, Skeat1899: 2475
    • As experience shal thee kenne.
    • Wher-so [thou] comest in any cost,
    • Who is next fyr, he brenneth most.
    • And yit forsothe, for al thyn hete,
    • Though thou for love swelte and swete, Skeat1899: 2480
    • Ne for no-thing thou felen may,
    • Thou shalt not willen to passe away.
    • And though thou go, yet must thee nede
    • Thenke al-day on hir fairhede,
    • Whom thou bihelde with so good wille; Skeat1899: 2485
    • And holde thysilf bigyled ille,
    • That thou ne haddest non hardement
    • To shewe hir ought of thyn entent.
    • Thyn herte ful sore thou wolt dispyse,
    • And eek repreve of cowardyse, Skeat1899: 2490
    • That thou, so dulle in every thing,
    • Were dom for drede, without speking.
    • Thou shalt eek thenke thou didest foly,
    • That thou were hir so faste by,
    • And durst not auntre thee to say Skeat1899: 2495
    • Som-thing, er thou cam away;
    • For thou haddist no more wonne,
    • To speke of hir whan thou bigonne:
    • But yif she wolde, for thy sake,
    • In armes goodly thee have take, Skeat1899: 2500
    • It shulde have be more worth to thee
    • Than of tresour greet plentee.
    • ‘Thus shalt thou morne and eek compleyn,
    • And gete enchesoun to goon ageyn
    • Unto thy walk, or to thy place, Skeat1899: 2505
    • Where thou biheld hir fleshly face.
    • And never, for fals suspeccioun,
    • Thou woldest finde occasioun
    • For to gon unto hir hous.
    • So art thou thanne desirous Skeat1899: 2510
    • A sight of hir for to have,
    • If thou thine honour mightest save,
    • Or any erand mightist make
    • Thider, for thy loves sake;
    • Ful fayn thou woldist, but for drede Skeat1899: 2515
    • Thou gost not, lest that men take hede.
    • Wherfore I rede, in thy going,
    • And also in thyn ageyn-coming,
    • Thou be wel war that men ne wit;
    • Feyne thee other cause than it Skeat1899: 2520
    • To go that weye, or faste by;
    • To hele wel is no folye. [ ]
    • And if so be it happe thee
    • That thou thy love ther mayst see,
    • In siker wyse thou hir salewe, Skeat1899: 2525
    • Wherwith thy colour wol transmewe,
    • And eke thy blood shal al to-quake,
    • Thyn hewe eek chaungen for hir sake.
    • But word and wit, with chere ful pale,
    • Shul wante for to telle thy tale. Skeat1899: 2530
    • And if thou mayst so fer-forth winne,
    • That thou [thy] resoun durst biginne,
    • And woldist seyn three thingis or mo,
    • Thou shalt ful scarsly seyn the two.
    • Though thou bithenke thee never so wel, Skeat1899: 2535
    • Thou shalt foryete yit somdel,
    • But-if thou dele with trecherye.
    • For fals lovers mowe al folye
    • Seyn, what hem lust, withouten drede,
    • They be so double in hir falshede; Skeat1899: 2540
    • For they in herte cunne thenke a thing
    • And seyn another, in hir speking.
    • And whan thy speche is endid al,
    • Right thus to thee it shal bifal;
    • If any word than come to minde, Skeat1899: 2545
    • That thou to seye hast left bihinde,
    • Than thou shalt brenne in greet martyr;
    • For thou shalt brenne as any fyr.
    • This is the stryf and eke the affray,
    • And the batail that lastith ay. Skeat1899: 2550
    • This bargeyn ende may never take,
    • But-if that she thy pees wil make.
    • ‘And whan the night is comen, anon
    • A thousand angres shal come upon.
    • To bedde as fast thou wolt thee dight, Skeat1899: 2555
    • Where thou shalt have but smal delyt;
    • For whan thou wenest for to slepe,
    • So ful of peyne shalt thou crepe,
    • Sterte in thy bedde aboute ful wyde,
    • And turne ful ofte on every syde; Skeat1899: 2560
    • Now dounward groffe, and now upright, [ ]
    • And walowe in wo the longe night,
    • Thyne armis shalt thou sprede a-brede ,
    • As man in werre were forwerreyd . [ ]
    • Than shal thee come a remembraunce Skeat1899: 2565
    • Of hir shape and hir semblaunce,
    • Wherto non other may be pere.
    • And wite thou wel, withoute were,
    • That thee shal [seme] , somtyme that night,
    • That thou hast hir, that is so bright, Skeat1899: 2570
    • Naked bitwene thyn armes there,
    • Al sothfastnesse as though it were.
    • Thou shalt make castels than in Spayne, [ ]
    • And dreme of Ioye, al but in vayne,
    • And thee delyten of right nought, Skeat1899: 2575
    • Whyl thou so slomrest in that thought,
    • That is so swete and delitable,
    • The which, in soth, nis but a fable,
    • For it ne shal no whyle laste.
    • Than shalt thou sighe and wepe faste, Skeat1899: 2580
    • And say, “Dere god, what thing is this?
    • My dreme is turned al amis,
    • Which was ful swete and apparent,
    • But now I wake, it is al shent!
    • Now yede this mery thought away! Skeat1899: 2585
    • Twenty tymes upon a day
    • I wolde this thought wolde come ageyn,
    • For it alleggith wel my peyn.
    • It makith me ful of Ioyful thought,
    • It sleeth me, that it lastith noght. Skeat1899: 2590
    • A, lord! why nil ye me socoure,
    • The Ioye, I trowe, that I langoure?
    • The deth I wolde me shulde slo
    • Whyl I lye in hir armes two.
    • Myn harm is hard, withouten wene, Skeat1899: 2595
    • My greet unese ful ofte I mene.
    • But wolde Love do so I might
    • Have fully Ioye of hir so bright,
    • My peyne were quit me richely.
    • Allas, to greet a thing aske I! Skeat1899: 2600
    • It is but foly, and wrong wening,
    • To aske so outrageous a thing.
    • And who-so askith folily,
    • He moot be warned hastily;
    • And I ne wot what I may say, Skeat1899: 2605
    • I am so fer out of the way;
    • For I wolde have ful gret lyking
    • And ful gret Ioye of lasse thing.
    • For wolde she, of hir gentilnesse,
    • Withouten more, me onis kesse , Skeat1899: 2610
    • It were to me a greet guerdoun,
    • Relees of al my passioun.
    • But it is hard to come therto;
    • Al is but foly that I do,
    • So high I have myn herte set, Skeat1899: 2615
    • Where I may no comfort get.
    • I noot wher I sey wel or nought; [ ]
    • But this I wot wel in my thought,
    • That it were bet of hir aloon,
    • For to stinte my wo and moon, Skeat1899: 2620
    • A loke on [me] y-cast goodly,
    • [Than] for to have, al utterly,
    • Of another al hool the pley.
    • A! lord! wher I shal byde the day
    • That ever she shal my lady be? Skeat1899: 2625
    • He is ful cured that may hir see.
    • A! god! whan shal the dawning spring?
    • To ly thus is an angry thing; [ ]
    • I have no loye thus here to ly
    • Whan that my love is not me by. Skeat1899: 2630
    • A man to lyen hath gret disese,
    • Which may not slepe ne reste in ese.
    • I wolde it dawed, and were now day,
    • And that the night were went away;
    • For were it day, I wolde upryse. Skeat1899: 2635
    • A! slowe sonne, shew thyn enpryse!
    • Speed thee to sprede thy bemis bright,
    • And chace the derknesse of the night,
    • To putte away the stoundes stronge,
    • Which in me lasten al to longe.” Skeat1899: 2640
    • ‘The night shalt thou contene so, [ ]
    • Withoute rest, in peyne and wo;
    • If ever thou knewe of love distresse,
    • Thou shalt mowe lerne in that siknesse.
    • And thus enduring shalt thou ly,
    • And ryse on morwe up erly Skeat1899: 2646
    • Out of thy bedde, and harneys thee
    • Er ever dawning thou mayst see.
    • Al privily than shalt thou goon,
    • What [weder] it be, thy-silf aloon, [ ] Skeat1899: 2650
    • For reyn, or hayl, for snow, for slete,
    • Thider she dwellith that is so swete,
    • The which may falle aslepe be,
    • And thenkith but litel upon thee.
    • Than shalt thou goon, ful foule aferd ; Skeat1899: 2655
    • Loke if the gate be unsperd ,
    • And waite without in wo and peyn,
    • Ful yvel a-cold in winde and reyn.
    • Than shal thou go the dore bifore,
    • If thou maist fynde any score , [ ] Skeat1899: 2660
    • Or hole, or reft, what ever it were;
    • Than shalt thou stoupe, and lay to ere,
    • If they within a-slepe be;
    • I mene, alle save thy lady free.
    • Whom waking if thou mayst aspye, Skeat1899: 2665
    • Go put thy-silf in Iupartye,
    • To aske grace, and thee bimene,
    • That she may wite, withouten wene,
    • That thou [a]night no rest hast had, [ ]
    • So sore for hir thou were bistad. Skeat1899: 2670
    • Wommen wel ought pite to take
    • Of hem that sorwen for hir sake.
    • And loke, for love of that relyke,
    • That thou thenke non other lyke,
    • For [whom] thou hast so greet annoy, Skeat1899: 2675
    • Shal kisse thee er thou go away , [ ]
    • And hold that in ful gret deyntee.
    • And, for that no man shal thee see
    • Bifore the hous, ne in the way,
    • Loke thou be goon ageyn er day. Skeat1899: 2680
    • Suche coming, and such going,
    • Such hevinesse, and such walking,
    • Makith lovers, withouten wene ,
    • Under hir clothes pale and lene, [ ]
    • For Love leveth colour ne cleernesse; Skeat1899: 2685
    • Who loveth trewe hath no fatnesse.
    • Thou shalt wel by thy-selfe see
    • That thou must nedis assayed be.
    • For men that shape hem other wey
    • Falsly her ladies to bitray, Skeat1899: 2690
    • It is no wonder though they be fat;
    • With false othes hir loves they gat;
    • For oft I see suche losengeours
    • Fatter than abbatis or priours.
    • ‘Yet with o thing I thee charge, [ ] Skeat1899: 2695
    • That is to seye, that thou be large
    • Unto the mayd that hir doth serve,
    • So best hir thank thou shalt deserve.
    • Yeve hir yiftes, and get hir grace,
    • For so thou may [hir] thank purchace, Skeat1899: 2700
    • That she thee worthy holde and free,
    • Thy lady, and alle that may thee see.
    • Also hir servauntes worshipe ay,
    • And plese as muche as thou may;
    • Gret good through hem may come to thee, Skeat1899: 2705
    • Bicause with hir they been prive.
    • They shal hir telle how they thee fand
    • Curteis and wys, and wel doand,
    • And she shal preyse [thee] wel the mare .
    • Loke out of londe thou be not fare ; [ ] Skeat1899: 2710
    • And if such cause thou have, that thee
    • Bihoveth to gon out of contree,
    • Leve hool thyn herte in hostage,
    • Til thou ageyn make thy passage.
    • Thenk long to see the swete thing Skeat1899: 2715
    • That hath thyn herte in hir keping.
    • ‘Now have I told thee, in what wyse
    • A lover shal do me servyse.
    • Do it than, if thou wolt have
    • The mede that thou aftir crave.’ Skeat1899: 2720
    • Whan Love al this had boden me,
    • I seide him:—‘Sire, how may it be
    • That lovers may in such manere
    • Endure the peyne ye have seid here?
    • I merveyle me wonder faste, Skeat1899: 2725
    • How any man may live or laste
    • In such peyne, and such brenning,
    • In sorwe and thought, and such sighing,
    • Ay unrelesed wo to make,
    • Whether so it be they slepe or wake. Skeat1899: 2730
    • In such annoy continuely,
    • As helpe me god, this merveile I,
    • How man, but he were maad of stele,
    • Might live a month, such peynes to fele.’
    • The God of Love than seide me, Skeat1899: 2735
    • ‘Freend, by the feith I owe to thee,
    • May no man have good, but he it by.
    • A man loveth more tendirly
    • The thing that he hath bought most dere.
    • For wite thou wel, withouten were, Skeat1899: 2740
    • In thank that thing is taken more,
    • For which a man hath suffred sore.
    • Certis, no wo ne may atteyne
    • Unto the sore of loves peyne.
    • Non yvel therto ne may amounte, Skeat1899: 2745
    • No more than a man [may] counte
    • The dropes that of the water be.
    • For drye as wel the grete see
    • Thou mightist, as the harmes telle
    • Of hem that with Love dwelle Skeat1899: 2750
    • In servyse; for peyne hem sleeth,
    • And that ech man wolde flee the deeth,
    • And trowe they shulde never escape,
    • Nere that hope couthe hem make
    • Glad as man in prisoun set, Skeat1899: 2755
    • And may not geten for to et
    • But barly-breed, and watir pure,
    • And lyeth in vermin and in ordure;
    • With alle this, yit can he live,
    • Good hope such comfort hath him yive , Skeat1899: 2760
    • Which maketh wene that he shal be
    • Delivered and come to liberte;
    • In fortune is [his] fulle trust .
    • Though he Iye in strawe or dust,
    • In hope is al his susteyning. Skeat1899: 2765
    • And so for lovers, in hir wening,
    • Whiche Love hath shit in his prisoun;
    • Good-Hope is hir salvacioun.
    • Good-Hope, how sore that they smerte, Skeat1899: 2769
    • Yeveth hem bothe wille and herte
    • To profre hir body to martyre;
    • For Hope so sore doth hem desyre
    • To suffre ech harm that men devyse,
    • For Ioye that aftir shal aryse.
    • Hope, in desire [to] cacche victorie; [ ] Skeat1899: 2775
    • In Hope, of love is al the glorie,
    • For Hope is al that love may yive ;
    • Nere Hope, ther shulde no lover live.
    • Blessid be Hope, which with desyre
    • Avaunceth lovers in such manere. Skeat1899: 2780
    • Good-Hope is curteis for to plese,
    • To kepe lovers from al disese.
    • Hope kepith his lond, and wol abyde,
    • For any peril that may betyde;
    • For Hope to lovers, as most cheef, Skeat1899: 2785
    • Doth hem enduren al mischeef;
    • Hope is her help, whan mister is.
    • And I shal yeve thee eek, y-wis,
    • Three other thingis, that greet solas
    • Doth to hem that be in my las . Skeat1899: 2790
    • ‘The firste good that may be founde,
    • To hem that in my lace be bounde,
    • Is Swete-Thought, for to recorde
    • Thing wherwith thou canst accorde
    • Best in thyn herte, wher she be; Skeat1899: 2795
    • Thought in absence is good to thee.
    • Whan any lover doth compleyne,
    • And liveth in distresse and peyne ,
    • Than Swete-Thought shal come, as blyve,
    • Awey his angre for to dryve. Skeat1899: 2800
    • It makith lovers have remembraunce
    • Of comfort, and of high plesaunce,
    • That Hope hath hight him for to winne.
    • For Thought anoon than shal biginne,
    • As fer, god wot, as he can finde, Skeat1899: 2805
    • To make a mirrour of his minde;
    • For to biholde he wol not lette.
    • Hir person he shal afore him sette,
    • Hir laughing eyen, persaunt and clere,
    • Hir shape, hir fourme, hir goodly chere, Skeat1899: 2810
    • Hir mouth that is so gracious,
    • So swete, and eek so saverous;
    • Of alle hir fetures he shal take heede,
    • His eyen with alle hir limes fede.
    • ‘Thus Swete-Thenking shal aswage Skeat1899: 2815
    • The peyne of lovers, and hir rage.
    • Thy Ioye shal double, withoute gesse,
    • Whan thou thenkist on hir semlinesse,
    • Or of hir laughing, or of hir chere,
    • That to thee made thy lady dere. Skeat1899: 2820
    • This comfort wol I that thou take;
    • And if the next thou wolt forsake
    • Which is not lesse saverous,
    • Thou shuldist been to daungerous. [ ]
    • ‘The secounde shal be Swete-Speche, Skeat1899: 2825
    • That hath to many oon be leche,
    • To bringe hem out of wo and were,
    • And helpe many a bachilere;
    • And many a lady sent socoure,
    • That have loved par-amour, Skeat1899: 2830
    • Through speking, whan they mighten here
    • Of hir lovers, to hem so dere.
    • To [hem] it voidith al hir smerte,
    • The which is closed in hir herte.
    • In herte it makith hem glad and light, Skeat1899: 2835
    • Speche, whan they mowe have sight.
    • And therfore now it cometh to minde,
    • In olde dawes, as I finde,
    • That clerkis writen that hir knewe
    • Ther was a lady fresh of hewe, Skeat1899: 2840
    • Which of hir love made a song
    • On him for to remembre among,
    • In which she seide, “Whan that I here
    • Speken of him that is so dere,
    • To me it voidith al [my] smerte, Skeat1899: 2845
    • Y-wis, he sit so nere myn herte.
    • To speke of him, at eve or morwe,
    • It cureth me of al my sorwe.
    • To me is noon so high plesaunce
    • As of his persone daliaunce.” Skeat1899: 2850
    • She wist ful wel that Swete-Speking
    • Comfortith in ful muche thing.
    • Hir love she had ful wel assayed,
    • Of him she was ful wel apayed ;
    • To speke of him hir Ioye was set. Skeat1899: 2855
    • Therfore I rede thee that thou get
    • A felowe that can wel concele
    • And kepe thy counsel, and wel hele,
    • To whom go shewe hoolly thyn herte,
    • Bothe wele and wo, Ioye and smerte: Skeat1899: 2860
    • To gete comfort to him thou go,
    • And privily, bitween yow two,
    • Ye shal speke of that goodly thing,
    • That hath thyn herte in hir keping;
    • Of hir beaute and hir semblaunce, Skeat1899: 2865
    • And of hir goodly countenaunce.
    • Of al thy state thou shalt him sey,
    • And aske him counseil how thou may
    • Do any thing that may hir plese;
    • For it to thee shal do gret ese, Skeat1899: 2870
    • That he may wite thou trust him so,
    • Bothe of thy wele and of thy wo.
    • And if his herte to love be set,
    • His companye is muche the bet,
    • For resoun wol, he shewe to thee Skeat1899: 2875
    • Al uttirly his privite;
    • And what she is he loveth so,
    • To thee pleynly he shal undo,
    • Withoute drede of any shame,
    • Bothe telle hir renoun and hir name. Skeat1899: 2880
    • Than shal he forther, ferre and nere,
    • And namely to thy lady dere,
    • In siker wyse; ye, every other [ ]
    • Shal helpen as his owne brother,
    • In trouthe withoute doublenesse, Skeat1899: 2885
    • And kepen cloos in sikernesse.
    • For it is noble thing, in fay,
    • To have a man thou darst say [ ]
    • Thy prive counsel every del;
    • For that wol comfort thee right wel, Skeat1899: 2890
    • And thou shalt holde thee wel apayed,
    • Whan such a freend thou hast assayed.
    • ‘The thridde good of greet comfort
    • That yeveth to lovers most disport,
    • Comith of sight and biholding, Skeat1899: 2895
    • That clepid is Swete-Loking,
    • The whiche may noon ese do,
    • Whan thou art fer thy lady fro;
    • Wherfore thou prese alwey to be
    • In place, where thou mayst hir se. Skeat1899: 2900
    • For it is thing most amerous,
    • Most delitable and saverous,
    • For to aswage a mannes sorowe,
    • To sene his lady by the morowe.
    • For it is a ful noble thing Skeat1899: 2905
    • Whan thyn eyen have meting
    • With that relyke precious,
    • Wherof they be so desirous.
    • But al day after, soth it is,
    • They have no drede to faren amis, Skeat1899: 2910
    • They dreden neither wind ne reyn,
    • Ne [yit] non other maner peyn.
    • For whan thyn eyen were thus in blis,
    • Yit of hir curtesye, y-wis,
    • Aloon they can not have hir Ioye, Skeat1899: 2915
    • But to the herte they [it] convoye ;
    • Part of hir blis to him [they] sende,
    • Of al this harm to make an ende.
    • The eye is a good messangere,
    • Which can to the herte in such manere Skeat1899: 2920
    • Tidyngis sende, that [he] hath seen ,
    • To voide him of his peynes cleen .
    • Wherof the herte reioyseth so
    • That a gret party of his wo
    • Is voided, and put awey to flight. Skeat1899: 2925
    • Right as the derknesse of the night
    • Is chased with clerenesse of the mone,
    • Right so is al his wo ful sone
    • Devoided clene, whan that the sight
    • Biholden may that fresshe wight Skeat1899: 2930
    • That the herte desyreth so,
    • That al his derknesse is ago;
    • For than the herte is al at ese,
    • Whan they seen that [that] may hem plese.
    • ‘Now have I thee declared alout, Skeat1899: 2935
    • Of that thou were in drede and dout;
    • For I have told thee feithfully
    • What thee may curen utterly,
    • And alle lovers that wole be
    • Feithful, and ful of stabilite. Skeat1899: 2940
    • Good-Hope alwey kepe by thy syde,
    • And Swete-Thought make eek abyde,
    • Swete-Loking and Swete-Speche;
    • Of alle thyn harmes they shal be leche.
    • Of every thou shalt have greet plesaunce; Skeat1899: 2945
    • If thou canst byde in sufferaunce ,
    • And serve wel without feyntyse,
    • Thou shalt be quit of thyn empryse,
    • With more guerdoun, if that thou live;
    • But al this tyme this I thee yive .’ Skeat1899: 2950
    • The God of Love whan al the day [ ]
    • Had taught me, as ye have herd say,
    • And enfourmed compendiously,
    • He vanished awey al sodeynly,
    • And I alone lefte, al sole, Skeat1899: 2955
    • So ful of compleynt and of dole,
    • For I saw no man ther me by.
    • My woundes me greved wondirly;
    • Me for to curen no-thing I knew,
    • Save the botoun bright of hew, Skeat1899: 2960
    • Wheron was set hoolly my thought;
    • Of other comfort knew I nought,
    • But it were through the God of Love;
    • I knew nat elles to my bihove
    • That might me ese or comfort gete, Skeat1899: 2965
    • But-if he wolde him entermete.
    • The roser was, withoute doute,
    • Closed with an hegge withoute,
    • As ye to-forn have herd me seyn;
    • And fast I bisied , and wolde fayn Skeat1899: 2970
    • Have passed the haye , if I might [ ]
    • Have geten in by any slight
    • Unto the botoun so fair to see.
    • But ever I dradde blamed to be,
    • If men wolde have suspeccioun Skeat1899: 2975
    • That I wolde of entencioun
    • Have stole the roses that ther were;
    • Therfore to entre I was in fere.
    • But at the last, as I bithought
    • Whether I sholde passe or nought, Skeat1899: 2980
    • I saw come with a gladde chere
    • To me, a lusty bachelere,
    • Of good stature, and of good hight,
    • And Bialacoil forsothe he hight. [ ]
    • Sone he was to Curtesy, Skeat1899: 2985
    • And he me graunted ful gladly
    • The passage of the outer hay,
    • And seide:—‘Sir, how that ye may
    • Passe, if [it] your wille be,
    • The fresshe roser for to see, Skeat1899: 2990
    • And ye the swete savour fele.
    • Your warrant may [I be] right wele;
    • So thou thee kepe fro folye,
    • Shal no man do thee vilanye.
    • If I may helpe you in ought, Skeat1899: 2995
    • I shal not feyne, dredeth nought;
    • For I am bounde to your servyse,
    • Fully devoide of feyntyse.’
    • Than unto Bialacoil saide I,
    • ‘I thank you, sir, ful hertely , Skeat1899: 3000
    • And your biheest [I] take at gree,
    • That ye so goodly profer me;
    • To you it cometh of greet fraunchyse,
    • That ye me profer your servyse.’
    • Than aftir, ful deliverly, Skeat1899: 3005
    • Through the breres anoon wente I,
    • Wherof encombred was the hay.
    • I was wel plesed, the soth to say,
    • To see the botoun fair and swote,
    • So fresshe spronge out of the rote. Skeat1899: 3010
    • And Bialacoil me served wel,
    • Whan I so nygh me mighte fele
    • Of the botoun the swete odour,
    • And so lusty hewed of colour.
    • But than a cherl (foule him bityde!) Skeat1899: 3015
    • Bisyde the roses gan him hyde,
    • To kepe the roses of that roser,
    • Of whom the name was Daunger.
    • This cherl was hid there in the greves,
    • Covered with grasse and with leves, Skeat1899: 3020
    • To spye and take whom that he fond
    • Unto that roser putte an hond.
    • He was not sole, for ther was mo;
    • For with him were other two
    • Of wikkid maners, and yvel fame. Skeat1899: 3025
    • That oon was clepid, by his name,
    • Wikked-Tonge, god yeve him sorwe!
    • For neither at eve, ne at morwe,
    • He can of no man [no] good speke;
    • On many a lust man doth he wreke. Skeat1899: 3030
    • Ther was a womman eek, that hight
    • Shame, that, who can reken right,
    • Trespas was hir fadir name,
    • Hir moder Resoun; and thus was Shame
    • [On lyve] brought of these ilk two. Skeat1899: 3035
    • And yit had Trespas never ado
    • With Resoun, ne never ley hir by,
    • He was so hidous and ugly ,
    • I mene, this that Trespas hight;
    • But Resoun conceyveth, of a sight, Skeat1899: 3040
    • Shame, of that I spak aforn.
    • And whan that Shame was thus born,
    • It was ordeyned, that Chastitee
    • Shulde of the roser lady be,
    • Which, of the botouns more and las, Skeat1899: 3045
    • With sondry folk assailed was,
    • That she ne wiste what to do.
    • For Venus hir assailith so,
    • That night and day from hir she stal
    • Botouns and roses over-al. Skeat1899: 3050
    • To Resoun than prayeth Chastitee,
    • Whom Venus flemed over the see,
    • That she hir doughter wolde hir lene,
    • To kepe the roser fresh and grene.
    • Anoon Resoun to Chastitee Skeat1899: 3055
    • Is fully assented that it be,
    • And grauntid hir, at hir request,
    • That Shame, bicause she is honest,
    • Shal keper of the roser be.
    • And thus to kepe it ther were three, Skeat1899: 3060
    • That noon shulde hardy be ne bold
    • (Were he yong, or were he old)
    • Ageyn hir wille awey to bere
    • Botouns ne roses, that ther were.
    • I had wel sped, had I not been Skeat1899: 3065
    • Awayted with these three, and seen.
    • For Bialacoil, that was so fair,
    • So gracious and debonair,
    • Quitte him to me ful curteisly,
    • And, me to plese, bad that I Skeat1899: 3070
    • Shuld drawe me to the botoun nere;
    • Prese in, to touche the rosere
    • Which bar the roses, he yaf me leve;
    • This graunt ne might but litel greve.
    • And for he saw it lyked me, Skeat1899: 3075
    • Right nygh the botoun pullede he
    • A leef al grene, and yaf me that,
    • The which ful nygh the botoun sat;
    • I made [me] of that leef ful queynt.
    • And whan I felte I was aqueynt Skeat1899: 3080
    • With Bialacoil, and so prive,
    • I wende al at my wille had be.
    • Than wex I hardy for to tel
    • To Bialacoil how me bifel
    • Of Love, that took and wounded me, Skeat1899: 3085
    • And seide: ‘Sir, so mote I thee,
    • I may no Ioye have in no wyse,
    • Upon no syde, but it ryse;
    • For sithe (if I shal not feyne)
    • In herte I have had so gret peyne, Skeat1899: 3090
    • So gret annoy, and such affray,
    • That I ne wot what I shal say;
    • I drede your wrath to disserve.
    • Lever me were, that knyves kerve
    • My body shulde in pecis smalle, Skeat1899: 3095
    • Than in any wyse it shulde falle
    • That ye wratthed shulde been with me.’
    • ‘Sey boldely thy wille,’ quod he,
    • ‘I nil be wroth, if that I may,
    • For nought that thou shalt to me say.’ Skeat1899: 3100
    • Thanne seide I, ‘Sir, not you displese
    • To knowen of my greet unese,
    • In which only love hath me brought;
    • For peynes greet, disese and thought,
    • Fro day to day he doth me drye; [ ] Skeat1899: 3105
    • Supposeth not, sir, that I lye.
    • In me fyve woundes dide he make,
    • The sore of whiche shal never slake
    • But ye the botoun graunte me,
    • Which is most passaunt of beautee, Skeat1899: 3110
    • My lyf, my deth, and my martyre,
    • And tresour that I most desyre.’
    • Than Bialacoil, affrayed all,
    • Seyde, ‘Sir, it may not fall;
    • That ye desire , it may not ryse . Skeat1899: 3115
    • What? wolde ye shende me in this wyse?
    • A mochel foole than I were,
    • If I suffrid you awey to bere
    • The fresh botoun, so fair of sight.
    • For it were neither skile ne right Skeat1899: 3120
    • Of the roser ye broke the rind,
    • Or take the rose aforn his kind;
    • Ye ar not courteys to aske it.
    • Lat it stil on the roser sit,
    • And growe til it amended be, Skeat1899: 3125
    • And parfitly come to beaute.
    • I nolde not that it pulled wer
    • Fro the roser that it ber ,
    • To me it is so leef and dere.’
    • With that sterte out anoon Daungere, Skeat1899: 3130
    • Out of the place where he was hid.
    • His malice in his chere was kid; [ ]
    • Ful greet he was, and blak of hewe,
    • Sturdy and hidous, who-so him knewe;
    • Like sharp urchouns his here was growe, Skeat1899: 3135
    • His eyes rede as the fire-glow;
    • His nose frounced ful kirked stood, [ ]
    • He com criand as he were wood,
    • And seide, ‘Bialacoil, tel me why
    • Thou bringest hider so boldly Skeat1899: 3140
    • Him that so nygh [is] the roser?
    • Thou worchist in a wrong maner;
    • He thenkith to dishonour thee,
    • Thou art wel worthy to have maugree [ ]
    • To late him of the roser wit; Skeat1899: 3145
    • Who serveth a feloun is yvel quit.
    • Thou woldist have doon greet bountee,
    • And he with shame wolde quyte thee.
    • Flee hennes, felowe! I rede thee go!
    • It wanteth litel I wol thee slo; Skeat1899: 3150
    • For Bialacoil ne knew thee nought,
    • Whan thee to serve he sette his thought;
    • For thou wolt shame him, if thou might,
    • Bothe ageyn resoun and right.
    • I wol no more in thee affye, Skeat1899: 3155
    • That comest so slyghly for tespye;
    • For it preveth wonder wel,
    • Thy slight and tresoun every del.’
    • I durst no more ther make abode,
    • For the cherl, he was so wode; Skeat1899: 3160
    • So gan he threten and manace,
    • And thurgh the haye he did me chace.
    • For feer of him I tremblid and quook,
    • So cherlishly his heed he shook;
    • And seide, if eft he might me take, Skeat1899: 3165
    • I shulde not from his hondis scape.
    • Than Bialacoil is fled and mate,
    • And I al sole, disconsolate,
    • Was left aloon in peyne and thought;
    • For shame, to deth I was nygh brought. Skeat1899: 3170
    • Than thought I on myn high foly,
    • How that my body, utterly,
    • Was yeve to peyne and to martyre;
    • And therto hadde I so gret yre,
    • That I ne durst the hayes passe; Skeat1899: 3175
    • There was non hope, there was no grace.
    • I trowe never man wiste of peyne,
    • But he were laced in Loves cheyne;
    • Ne no man [wot] , and sooth it is,
    • But-if he love, what anger is. Skeat1899: 3180
    • Love holdith his heest to me right wele,
    • Whan peyne he seide I shulde fele.
    • Non herte may thenke, ne tunge seyne,
    • A quarter of my wo and peyne.
    • I might not with the anger laste; [ ] Skeat1899: 3185
    • Myn herte in poynt was for to braste ,
    • Whan I thought on the rose, that so
    • Was through Daunger cast me froo.
    • A long whyl stood I in that state,
    • Til that me saugh so mad and mate Skeat1899: 3190
    • The lady of the highe ward,
    • Which from hir tour lokid thiderward.
    • Resoun men clepe that lady,
    • Which from hir tour deliverly
    • Come doun to me withouten more. Skeat1899: 3195
    • But she was neither yong, ne hore,
    • Ne high ne low, ne fat ne lene,
    • But best, as it were in a mene.
    • Hir eyen two were cleer and light
    • As any candel that brenneth bright; Skeat1899: 3200
    • And on hir heed she hadde a crown.
    • Hir semede wel an high persoun;
    • For rounde enviroun, hir crownet
    • Was ful of riche stonis fret.
    • Hir goodly semblaunt, by devys, Skeat1899: 3205
    • I trowe were maad in paradys;
    • Nature had never such a grace,
    • To forge a werk of such compace.
    • For certeyn, but the letter lye,
    • God him-silf, that is so high, Skeat1899: 3210
    • Made hir aftir his image,
    • And yaf hir sith sich avauntage,
    • That she hath might and seignorye
    • To kepe men from al folye;
    • Who-so wole trowe hir lore, Skeat1899: 3215
    • Ne may offenden nevermore.
    • And whyl I stood thus derk and pale,
    • Resoun bigan to me hir tale;
    • She seide: ‘Al hayl, my swete frend !
    • Foly and childhood wol thee shend , Skeat1899: 3220
    • Which thee have put in greet affray;
    • Thou hast bought dere the tyme of May,
    • That made thyn herte mery to be.
    • In yvel tyme thou wentist to see
    • The gardin, wherof Ydilnesse Skeat1899: 3225
    • Bar the keye, and was maistresse
    • Whan thou yedest in the daunce
    • With hir, and haddest aqueyntaunce:
    • Hir aqueyntaunce is perilous,
    • First softe, and aftir[ward] noyous; Skeat1899: 3230
    • She hath [thee] trasshed, withoute ween ; [ ]
    • The God of Love had thee not seen,
    • Ne hadde Ydilnesse thee conveyed
    • In the verger where Mirthe him pleyed. [ ]
    • If Foly have supprised thee, Skeat1899: 3235
    • Do so that it recovered be;
    • And be wel war to take no more
    • Counsel, that greveth aftir sore;
    • He is wys that wol himsilf chastyse.
    • And though a young man in any wyse Skeat1899: 3240
    • Trespace among, and do foly,
    • Lat him not tarye, but hastily
    • Lat him amende what so be mis.
    • And eek I counseile thee, y-wis,
    • The God of Love hoolly foryet, Skeat1899: 3245
    • That hath thee in sich peyne set,
    • And thee in herte tormented so.
    • I can nat seen how thou mayst go
    • Other weyes to garisoun; [ ]
    • For Daunger, that is so feloun, Skeat1899: 3250
    • Felly purposith thee to werrey , [ ]
    • Which is ful cruel, the soth to sey.
    • ‘And yit of Daunger cometh no blame,
    • In reward of my doughter Shame,
    • Which hath the roses in hir warde, Skeat1899: 3255
    • As she that may be no musarde. [ ]
    • And Wikked-Tunge is with these two,
    • That suffrith no man thider go;
    • For er a thing be do, he shal,
    • Where that he cometh, over-al, Skeat1899: 3260
    • In fourty places, if it be sought,
    • Seye thing that never was doon ne wrought;
    • So moche tresoun is in his male,
    • Of falsnesse for to [feyne] a tale. [ ]
    • Thou delest with angry folk, y-wis; Skeat1899: 3265
    • Wherfor to thee [it] bettir is
    • From these folk awey to fare,
    • For they wol make thee live in care.
    • This is the yvel that Love they calle,
    • Wherin ther is but foly alle, Skeat1899: 3270
    • For love is foly everydel;
    • Who loveth, in no wyse may do wel,
    • Ne sette his thought on no good werk.
    • His scole he lesith, if he be clerk;
    • Of other craft eek if he be, Skeat1899: 3275
    • He shal not thryve therin; for he
    • In love shal have more passioun [ ]
    • Than monke, hermyte, or chanoun.
    • The peyne is hard, out of mesure,
    • The Ioye may eek no whyl endure; Skeat1899: 3280
    • And in the possessioun
    • Is muche tribulacioun;
    • The Ioye it is so short-lasting,
    • And but in happe is the geting; [ ]
    • For I see ther many in travaille, Skeat1899: 3285
    • That atte laste foule fayle.
    • I was no-thing thy counseler,
    • Whan thou were maad the homager
    • Of God of Love to hastily;
    • Ther was no wisdom, but foly. Skeat1899: 3290
    • Thyn herte was Ioly, but not sage,
    • Whan thou were brought in sich a rage , [ ]
    • To yelde thee so redily,
    • And to Love, of his gret maistry.
    • ‘I rede thee Love awey to dryve, Skeat1899: 3295
    • That makith thee recche not of thy lyve.
    • The foly more fro day to day
    • Shal growe, but thou it putte away.
    • Take with thy teeth the bridel faste,
    • To daunte thyn herte; and eek thee caste, Skeat1899: 3300
    • If that thou mayst, to gete defence
    • For to redresse thy first offence.
    • Who-so his herte alwey wol leve, [ ]
    • Shal finde among that shal him greve.’
    • Whan I hir herd thus me chastyse, Skeat1899: 3305
    • I answerd in ful angry wyse.
    • I prayed hir cessen of hir speche,
    • Outher to chastyse me or teche,
    • To bidde me my thought refreyne,
    • Which Love hath caught in his demeyne:— Skeat1899: 3310
    • ‘What? wene ye Love wol consent,
    • That me assailith with bowe bent,
    • To draw myn herte out of his honde,
    • Which is so quikly in his bonde?
    • That ye counsayle , may never be; Skeat1899: 3315
    • For whan he first arested me,
    • He took myn herte so hool him til,
    • That it is no-thing at my wil;
    • He [taughte] it so him for to obey,
    • That he it sparred with a key. Skeat1899: 3320
    • I pray yow lat me be al stille.
    • For ye may wel, if that ye wille,
    • Your wordis waste in idilnesse;
    • For utterly, withouten gesse,
    • Al that ye seyn is but in veyne. Skeat1899: 3325
    • Me were lever dye in the peyne, [ ]
    • Than Love to me-ward shulde arette
    • Falsheed, or tresoun on me sette.
    • I wol me gete prys or blame,
    • And love trewe, to save my name; Skeat1899: 3330
    • Who me chastysith, I him hate.’
    • With that word Resoun wente hir gate,
    • Whan she saugh for no sermoning
    • She might me fro my foly bring.
    • Than dismayed, I lefte al sool, Skeat1899: 3335
    • Forwery, forwandred as a fool,
    • For I ne knew no chevisaunce . [ ]
    • Than fel into my remembraunce,
    • How Love bade me to purveye
    • A felowe, to whom I mighte seye Skeat1899: 3340
    • My counsel and my privete,
    • For that shulde muche availe me.
    • With that bithought I me, that I
    • Hadde a felowe faste by,
    • Trewe and siker, curteys, and hend, Skeat1899: 3345
    • And he was called by name a Freend; [ ]
    • A trewer felowe was no-wher noon.
    • In haste to him I wente anoon,
    • And to him al my wo I tolde,
    • Fro him right nought I wold withholde. Skeat1899: 3350
    • I tolde him al withoute were,
    • And made my compleynt on Daungere,
    • How for to see he was hidous,
    • And to-me-ward contrarious;
    • The whiche through his cruelte Skeat1899: 3355
    • Was in poynt to have meygned me; [ ]
    • With Bialacoil whan he me sey
    • Within the gardyn walke and pley,
    • Fro me he made him for to go,
    • And I bilefte aloon in wo; Skeat1899: 3360
    • I durst no lenger with him speke,
    • For Daunger seide he wolde be wreke,
    • Whan that he sawe how I wente
    • The fresshe botoun for to hente,
    • If I were hardy to come neer Skeat1899: 3365
    • Bitwene the hay and the roser.
    • This Freend, whan he wiste of my thought,
    • He discomforted me right nought,
    • But seide, ‘Felowe, be not so mad,
    • Ne so abaysshed nor bistad. Skeat1899: 3370
    • My-silf I knowe ful wel Daungere,
    • And how he is feers of his chere,
    • At prime temps, Love to manace;
    • Ful ofte I have ben in his caas.
    • A feloun first though that he be, Skeat1899: 3375
    • Aftir thou shalt him souple see.
    • Of long passed I knew him wele;
    • Ungoodly first though men him fele,
    • He wol meek aftir, in his bering,
    • Been, for service and obeysshing. Skeat1899: 3380
    • I shal thee telle what thou shalt do:—
    • Mekely I rede thou go him to,
    • Of herte pray him specialy
    • Of thy trespace to have mercy,
    • And hote him wel, [him] here to plese, Skeat1899: 3385
    • That thou shalt nevermore him displese.
    • Who can best serve of flatery,
    • Shal plese Daunger most uttirly.’
    • My Freend hath seid to me so wel,
    • That he me esid hath somdel, Skeat1899: 3390
    • And eek allegged of my torment;
    • For through him had I hardement
    • Agayn to Daunger for to go,
    • To preve if I might meke him so.
    • To Daunger cam I, al ashamed,
    • The which aforn me hadde blamed,
    • Desyring for to pese my wo; Skeat1899: 3397
    • But over hegge durst I not go,
    • For he forbad me the passage.
    • I fond him cruel in his rage, Skeat1899: 3400
    • And in his hond a gret burdoun.
    • To him I knelid lowe adoun,
    • Ful meke of port, and simple of chere,
    • And seide, ‘Sir, I am comen here
    • Only to aske of you mercy. Skeat1899: 3405
    • That greveth me, [sir] , ful gretly
    • That ever my lyf I wratthed you,
    • But for to amende I am come now,
    • With al my might, bothe loude and stille,
    • To doon right at your owne wille; Skeat1899: 3410
    • For Love made me for to do
    • That I have trespassed hidirto;
    • Fro whom I ne may withdrawe myn herte;
    • Yit shal I never, for Ioy ne smerte,
    • What so bifalle, good or ille, Skeat1899: 3415
    • Offende more ageyn your wille.
    • Lever I have endure disese
    • Than do that shulde you displese.
    • ‘I you require and pray, that ye
    • Of me have mercy and pitee, Skeat1899: 3420
    • To stinte your yre that greveth so,
    • That I wol swere for evermo
    • To be redressid at your lyking,
    • If I trespasse in any thing;
    • Save that I pray thee graunte me Skeat1899: 3425
    • A thing that may nat warned be,
    • That I may love, al only;
    • Non other thing of you aske I.
    • I shal doon elles wel , y-wis,
    • If of your grace ye graunte me this. Skeat1899: 3430
    • And ye [ne] may not letten me,
    • For wel wot ye that love is free,
    • And I shal loven, [sith] that I wil,
    • Who-ever lyke it wel or il;
    • And yit ne wold I, for al Fraunce, Skeat1899: 3435
    • Do thing to do you displesaunce.’
    • Than Daunger fil in his entent
    • For to foryeve his maltalent;
    • But al his wratthe yit at laste
    • He hath relesed, I preyde so faste: Skeat1899: 3440
    • Shortly he seide, ‘Thy request
    • Is not to mochel dishonest;
    • Ne I wol not werne it thee,
    • For yit no-thing engreveth me.
    • For though thou love thus evermore, Skeat1899: 3445
    • To me is neither softe ne sore.
    • Love wher thee list; what recchith me,
    • So [thou] fer fro my roses be?
    • Trust not on me, for noon assay,
    • In any tyme to passe the hay.’ Skeat1899: 3450
    • Thus hath he graunted my prayere.
    • Than wente I forth, withouten were,
    • Unto my Freend, and tolde him al,
    • Which was right Ioyful of my tale .
    • He seide, ‘Now goth wel thyn affaire , Skeat1899: 3455
    • He shal to thee be debonaire.
    • Though he aforn was dispitous,
    • He shal heeraftir be gracious.
    • If he were touchid on som good veyne,
    • He shuld yit rewen on thy peyne. Skeat1899: 3460
    • Suffre, I rede, and no boost make,
    • Til thou at good mes mayst him take. [ ]
    • By suffraunce, and [by] wordis softe,
    • A man may overcomen ofte
    • Him that aforn he hadde in drede, Skeat1899: 3465
    • In bookis sothly as I rede.’
    • Thus hath my Freend with gret comfort
    • Avaunced me with high disport,
    • Which wolde me good as mich as I.
    • And thanne anoon ful sodeynly Skeat1899: 3470
    • I took my leve, and streight I went
    • Unto the hay; for gret talent
    • I had to seen the fresh botoun ,
    • Wherin lay my salvacioun;
    • And Daunger took kepe, if that I Skeat1899: 3475
    • Kepe him covenaunt trewly.
    • So sore I dradde his manasing,
    • I durst not breke[n] his bidding;
    • For, lest that I were of him shent,
    • I brak not his comaundement, Skeat1899: 3480
    • For to purchase his good wil.
    • It was [hard] for to come ther-til,
    • His mercy was to fer bihinde;
    • I wepte, for I ne might it finde.
    • I compleyned and sighed sore, Skeat1899: 3485
    • And languisshed evermore,
    • For I durst not over go
    • Unto the rose I loved so.
    • Thurghout my deming outerly,
    • [Than] had he knowlege certeinly, Skeat1899: 3490
    • [That] Love me ladde in sich a wyse,
    • That in me ther was no feyntyse,
    • Falsheed, ne no trecherye.
    • And yit he, ful of vilanye,
    • Of disdeyne, and cruelte, Skeat1899: 3495
    • On me ne wolde have pite,
    • His cruel wil for to refreyne,
    • Though I wepe alwey, and compleyne.
    • And while I was in this torment,
    • Were come of grace, by god sent, Skeat1899: 3500
    • Fraunchyse, and with hir Pite [ ]
    • Fulfild the botoun of bountee.
    • They go to Daunger anon-right
    • To forther me with al hir might,
    • And helpe in worde and in dede, Skeat1899: 3505
    • For wel they saugh that it was nede.
    • First, of hir grace, dame Fraunchyse
    • Hath taken [word] of this empryse: [ ]
    • She seide, ‘Daunger, gret wrong ye do
    • To worche this man so muche wo, Skeat1899: 3510
    • Or pynen him so angerly;
    • It is to you gret vilany.
    • I can not see why, ne how,
    • That he hath trespassed ageyn you,
    • Save that he loveth; wherfore ye shulde Skeat1899: 3515
    • The more in cherete of him holde.
    • The force of love makith him do this;
    • Who wolde him blame he dide amis?
    • He leseth more than ye may do;
    • His peyne is hard, ye may see, lo! Skeat1899: 3520
    • And Love in no wyse wolde consente
    • That [he] have power to repente;
    • For though that quik ye wolde him sloo,
    • Fro Love his herte may not go.
    • Now, swete sir, is it your ese Skeat1899: 3525
    • Him for to angre or disese?
    • Allas, what may it you avaunce
    • To doon to him so greet grevaunce?
    • What worship is it agayn him take,
    • Or on your man a werre make, Skeat1899: 3530
    • Sith he so lowly every wyse
    • Is redy, as ye lust devyse?
    • If Love hath caught him in his lace,
    • You for tobeye in every caas,
    • And been your suget at your wille, Skeat1899: 3535
    • Shulde ye therfore willen him ille?
    • Ye shulde him spare more, al-out,
    • Than him that is bothe proud and stout.
    • Curtesye wol that ye socour [ ]
    • Hem that ben meke undir your cure. Skeat1899: 3540
    • His herte is hard, that wole not meke,
    • Whan men of mekenesse him biseke.’
    • ‘That is certeyn,’ seide Pite;
    • ‘We see ofte that humilitee
    • Bothe ire, and also felonye Skeat1899: 3545
    • Venquissheth, and also melancolye;
    • To stonde forth in such duresse,
    • This crueltee and wikkednesse. [ ]
    • Wherfore I pray you, sir Daungere,
    • For to mayntene no lenger here Skeat1899: 3550
    • Such cruel werre agayn your man,
    • As hoolly youres as ever he can;
    • Nor that ye worchen no more wo
    • On this caytif that languisshith so,
    • Which wol no more to you trespasse, Skeat1899: 3555
    • But put him hoolly in your grace.
    • His offense ne was but lyte;
    • The God of Love it was to wyte,
    • That he your thral so gretly is,
    • And if ye harm him, ye doon amis ; Skeat1899: 3560
    • For he hath had ful hard penaunce,
    • Sith that ye refte him thaqueyntaunce
    • Of Bialacoil, his moste Ioye,
    • Which alle his peynes might acoye.
    • He was biforn anoyed sore, Skeat1899: 3565
    • But than ye doubled him wel more;
    • For he of blis hath ben ful bare,
    • Sith Bialacoil was fro him fare.
    • Love hath to him do greet distresse,
    • He hath no nede of more duresse. Skeat1899: 3570
    • Voideth from him your ire, I rede;
    • Ye may not winnen in this dede.
    • Makith Bialacoil repeire ageyn,
    • And haveth pite upon his peyn;
    • For Fraunchise wol, and I, Pite, Skeat1899: 3575
    • That merciful to him ye be;
    • And sith that she and I accorde,
    • Have upon him misericorde;
    • For I you pray, and eek moneste, [ ]
    • Nought to refusen our requeste; Skeat1899: 3580
    • For he is hard and fel of thought,
    • That for us two wol do right nought.’
    • Daunger ne might no more endure,
    • He meked him unto mesure.
    • ‘I wol in no wyse,’ seith Daungere, Skeat1899: 3585
    • ‘Denye that ye have asked here;
    • It were to greet uncurtesye.
    • I wol ye have the companye
    • Of Bialacoil, as ye devyse;
    • I wol him letten in no wyse.’ Skeat1899: 3590
    • To Bialacoil than wente in hy
    • Fraunchyse, and seide fur curteisly:—
    • ‘Ye have to longe be deignous
    • Unto this lover, and daungerous,
    • 3595-3690. Not in G. ; from Th.

    • Fro him to withdrawe your presence, Skeat1899: 3595
    • Which hath do to him grete offence,
    • That ye not wolde upon him see;
    • Wherfore a sorowful man is he.
    • Shape ye to paye him, and to plese,
    • Of my love if ye wol have ese. Skeat1899: 3600
    • Fulfil his wil, sith that ye knowe
    • Daunger is daunted and brought lowe
    • Thurgh help of me and of Pite;
    • You [thar] no more afered be.’ [ ]
    • ‘I shal do right as ye wil,’ Skeat1899: 3605
    • Saith Bialacoil, ‘for it is skil,
    • Sith Daunger wol that it so be.’
    • Than Fraunchise hath him sent to me.
    • Bialacoil at the biginning
    • Salued me in his coming. Skeat1899: 3610
    • No straungenes was in him seen,
    • No more than he ne had wrathed been.
    • As faire semblaunt than shewed he me,
    • And goodly, as aforn did he;
    • And by the honde, withouten doute, Skeat1899: 3615
    • Within the haye, right al aboute
    • He ladde me, with right good chere,
    • Al environ the vergere,
    • That Daunger had me chased fro.
    • Now have I leve over-al to go; Skeat1899: 3620
    • Now am I raised, at my devys,
    • Fro helle unto paradys.
    • Thus Bialacoil, of gentilnesse,
    • With alle his peyne and besinesse,
    • Hath shewed me, only of grace, Skeat1899: 3625
    • The estres of the swote place.
    • I saw the rose, whan I was nigh,
    • Was gretter woxen, and more high,
    • Fresh, rody, and fair of hewe,
    • Of colour ever yliche newe. Skeat1899: 3630
    • And whan I had it longe seen,
    • I saugh that through the leves grene
    • The rose spredde to spanishing ; [ ]
    • To sene it was a goodly thing.
    • But it ne was so spred on brede, Skeat1899: 3635
    • That men within might knowe the sede;
    • For it covert was and [en]close
    • Bothe with the leves and with the rose.
    • The stalk was even and grene upright,
    • It was theron a goodly sight; Skeat1899: 3640
    • And wel the better, withouten wene,
    • For the seed was not [y]-sene .
    • Ful faire it spradde, [god it] blesse !
    • For suche another, as I gesse,
    • Aforn ne was, ne more vermayle. [ ] Skeat1899: 3645
    • I was abawed for merveyle ,
    • For ever, the fairer that it was,
    • The more I am bounden in Loves laas.
    • Longe I abood there, soth to saye,
    • Til Bialacoil I gan to praye, Skeat1899: 3650
    • Whan that I saw him in no wyse
    • To me warnen his servyse,
    • That he me wolde graunte a thing,
    • Which to remembre is wel sitting;
    • This is to sayne, that of his grace Skeat1899: 3655
    • He wolde me yeve leyser and space
    • To me that was so desirous
    • To have a kissing precious
    • Of the goodly freshe rose,
    • That swetely smelleth in my nose; Skeat1899: 3660
    • ‘For if it you displesed nought,
    • I wolde gladly, as I have sought,
    • Have a cos therof freely
    • Of your yeft; for certainly
    • I wol non have but by your leve, Skeat1899: 3665
    • So loth me were you for to greve.’
    • He sayde , ‘Frend, so god me spede,
    • Of Chastite I have suche drede,
    • Thou shuldest not warned be for me,
    • But I dar not, for Chastite. Skeat1899: 3670
    • Agayn hir dar I not misdo,
    • For alwey biddeth she me so
    • To yeve no lover leve to kisse;
    • For who therto may winnen, y-wis ,
    • He of the surplus of the pray Skeat1899: 3675
    • May live in hope to get som day.
    • For who so kissing may attayne,
    • Of loves peyne hath, soth to sayne,
    • The beste and most avenaunt,
    • And ernest of the remenaunt.’ Skeat1899: 3680
    • Of his answere I syghed sore;
    • I durst assaye him tho no more,
    • I had such drede to greve him ay.
    • A man shulde not to muche assaye
    • To chafe his frend out of mesure, Skeat1899: 3685
    • Nor put his lyf in aventure;
    • For no man at the firste stroke
    • Ne may nat felle doun an oke;
    • Nor of the reisins have the wyne,
    • Til grapes rype and wel afyne Skeat1899: 3690
    • 3691. G. begins again.

    • Be sore empressid, I you ensure,
    • And drawen out of the pressure.
    • But I, forpeyned wonder stronge,
    • [Thought] that I abood right longe
    • Aftir the kis, in peyne and wo, Skeat1899: 3695
    • Sith I to kis desyred so:
    • Til that, [rewing] on my distresse,
    • Ther [to me] Venus the goddesse,
    • Which ay werreyeth Chastite, [ ]
    • Came of hir grace, to socoure me, Skeat1899: 3700
    • Whos might is knowe fer and wyde,
    • For she is modir of Cupyde,
    • The God of Love, blinde as stoon,
    • That helpith lovers many oon.
    • This lady brought in hir right hond Skeat1899: 3705
    • Of brenning fyr a blasing brond;
    • Wherof the flawme and hote fyr
    • Hath many a lady in desyr
    • Of love brought, and sore het ,
    • And in hir servise hir hertes set. Skeat1899: 3710
    • This lady was of good entayle,
    • Right wondirful of apparayle;
    • By hir atyre so bright and shene,
    • Men might perceyve wel, and seen,
    • She was not of religioun. [ ] Skeat1899: 3715
    • Nor I nil make mencioun
    • Nor of [hir] robe, nor of tresour,
    • Of broche, [nor] of hir riche attour; [ ]
    • Ne of hir girdil aboute hir syde,
    • For that I nil not long abyde. Skeat1899: 3720
    • But knowith wel, that certeynly
    • She was arayed richely.
    • Devoyd of pryde certeyn she was;
    • To Bialacoil she wente a pas,
    • And to him shortly, in a clause, Skeat1899: 3725
    • She seide: ‘Sir, what is the cause
    • Ye been of port so daungerous
    • Unto this lover, and deynous,
    • To graunte him no-thing but a kis?
    • To werne it him ye doon amis; Skeat1899: 3730
    • Sith wel ye wote, how that he
    • Is Loves servaunt, as ye may see,
    • And hath beaute, wher-through [he] is
    • Worthy of love to have the blis.
    • How he is semely, biholde and see, Skeat1899: 3735
    • How he is fair, how he is free,
    • How he is swote and debonair,
    • Of age yong, lusty, and fair.
    • Ther is no lady so hauteyne,
    • Duchesse, countesse, ne chasteleyne, [ ] Skeat1899: 3740
    • That I nolde holde hir ungoodly
    • For to refuse him outerly .
    • His breeth is also good and swete,
    • And eke his lippis rody, and mete
    • Only to pleyen , and to kisse. Skeat1899: 3745
    • Graunte him a kis, of gentilnesse !
    • His teeth arn also whyte and clene;
    • Me thinkith wrong, withouten wene,
    • If ye now werne him, trustith me,
    • To graunte that a kis have he; Skeat1899: 3750
    • The lasse [to] helpe him that ye haste, [ ]
    • The more tyme shul ye waste.’
    • Whan the flawme of the verry brond,
    • That Venus brought in hir right hond,
    • Had Bialacoil with hete smete, Skeat1899: 3755
    • Anoon he bad , withouten lette,
    • Graunte to me the rose kisse.
    • Than of my peyne I gan to lisse,
    • And to the rose anoon wente I,
    • And kissid it ful feithfully. Skeat1899: 3760
    • Thar no man aske if I was blythe,
    • Whan the savour soft and lythe
    • Strook to myn herte withoute more,
    • And me alegged of my sore,
    • So was I ful of Ioye and blisse. Skeat1899: 3765
    • It is fair sich a flour to kisse,
    • It was so swote and saverous.
    • I might not be so anguisshous,
    • That I mote glad and Ioly be,
    • Whan that I remembre me. Skeat1899: 3770
    • Yit ever among, sothly to seyn,
    • I suffre noye and moche peyn.
    • The see may never be so stil,
    • That with a litel winde it [nil] [ ]
    • Overwhelme and turne also, Skeat1899: 3775
    • As it were wood, in wawis go.
    • Aftir the calm the trouble sone
    • Mot folowe, and chaunge as the mone.
    • Right so farith Love, that selde in oon
    • Holdith his anker; for right anoon Skeat1899: 3780
    • Whan they in ese wene best to live,
    • They been with tempest al fordrive.
    • Who serveth Love, can telle of wo;
    • The stoundemele Ioye mot overgo.
    • Now he hurteth, and now he cureth, Skeat1899: 3785
    • For selde in oo poynt Love endureth.
    • Now is it right me to procede,
    • How Shame gan medle and take hede,
    • Thurgh whom felle angres I have had;
    • And how the stronge wal was maad, Skeat1899: 3790
    • And the castell of brede and lengthe,
    • That God of Love wan with his strengthe.
    • Al this in romance wil I sette,
    • And for no-thing ne wil I lette,
    • So that it lyking to hir be, Skeat1899: 3795
    • That is the flour of beaute;
    • For she may best my labour quyte,
    • That I for hir love shal endyte.
    • Wikkid-Tunge, that the covyne
    • Of every lover can devyne Skeat1899: 3800
    • Worst, and addith more somdel,
    • (ForWikkid-Tunge seith never wel),
    • To me-ward bar he right gret hate,
    • Espying me erly and late,
    • Til he hath seen the grete chere Skeat1899: 3805
    • Of Bialacoil and me y-fere.
    • He mighte not his tunge withstonde
    • Worse to reporte than he fonde,
    • He was so ful of cursed rage;
    • It sat him wel of his linage, Skeat1899: 3810
    • For him an Irish womman bar . [ ]
    • His tunge was fyled sharp, and squar ,
    • Poignaunt and right kerving,
    • And wonder bitter in speking.
    • For whan that he me gan espye, Skeat1899: 3815
    • He swoor, afferming sikirly,
    • Bitwene Bialacoil and me
    • Was yvel aquayntaunce and privee.
    • He spak therof so folily,
    • That he awakid Ielousy; Skeat1899: 3820
    • Which, al afrayed in his rysing,
    • Whan that he herde [him] Iangling,
    • He ran anoon, as he were wood,
    • To Bialacoil ther that he stood;
    • Which hadde lever in this caas Skeat1899: 3825
    • Have been at Reynes or Amyas; [ ]
    • For foot-hoot, in his felonye [ ]
    • To him thus seide Ielousye:—
    • ‘Why hast thou been so necligent,
    • To kepen, whan I was absent, Skeat1899: 3830
    • This verger here left in thy ward?
    • To me thou haddist no reward , [ ]
    • To truste (to thy confusioun)
    • Him thus , to whom suspeccioun
    • I have right greet, for it is nede; Skeat1899: 3835
    • It is wel shewed by the dede.
    • Greet faute in thee now have I founde;
    • By god, anoon thou shalt be bounde,
    • And faste loken in a tour,
    • Withoute refuyt or socour. Skeat1899: 3840
    • For Shame to long hath be thee fro;
    • Over sone she was agoo.
    • Whan thou hast lost bothe drede and fere,
    • It semed wel she was not here.
    • She was [not] bisy, in no wyse, [ ] Skeat1899: 3845
    • To kepe thee and [to] chastyse,
    • And for to helpen Chastitee
    • To kepe the roser, as thinkith me.
    • For than this boy-knave so boldely
    • Ne sholde not have be hardy, Skeat1899: 3850
    • [Ne] in this verger had such game,
    • Which now me turneth to gret shame.’
    • Bialacoil nist what to sey;
    • Ful fayn he wolde have fled awey,
    • For fere han hid, nere that he [ ] Skeat1899: 3855
    • Al sodeynly took him with me. [ ]
    • And whan I saugh he hadde so,
    • This Ielousye, take us two,
    • I was astoned, and knew no rede,
    • But fledde awey for verrey drede. Skeat1899: 3860
    • Than Shame cam forth ful simply;
    • She wende have trespaced ful gretly;
    • Humble of hir port, and made it simple,
    • 3864. Th. vayle; G. bayle. Th. stede; G. stide.

    • Wering a vayle in stede of wimple,
    • As nonnis doon in hir abbey. Skeat1899: 3865
    • Bicause hir herte was in affray,
    • She gan to speke, within a throwe,
    • To Ielousye, right wonder lowe.
    • First of his grace she bisought,
    • And seide:—‘Sire, ne leveth nought Skeat1899: 3870
    • Wikkid-Tunge, that fals espye,
    • Which is so glad to feyne and lye.
    • He hath you maad, thurgh flatering,
    • On Bialacoil a fals lesing.
    • His falsnesse is not now anew, Skeat1899: 3875
    • It is to long that he him knew.
    • This is not the firste day;
    • For Wikkid-Tunge hath custom ay
    • Yongé folkis to bewreye,
    • And false lesinges on hem leye. [ ] Skeat1899: 3880
    • ‘Yit nevertheles I see among,
    • That the loigne it is so longe [ ]
    • Of Bialacoil, hertis to lure,
    • In Loves servise for to endure,
    • Drawing suche folk him to, Skeat1899: 3885
    • That he had no-thing with to do;
    • But in sothnesse I trowe nought,
    • That Bialacoil hadde ever in thought
    • To do trespace or vilanye ;
    • But, for his modir Curtesye Skeat1899: 3890
    • Hath taught him ever [for] to be
    • Good of aqueyntaunce and privee;
    • For he loveth non hevinesse,
    • But mirthe and pley, and al gladnesse;
    • He hateth alle [trecherous] , [ ] Skeat1899: 3895
    • Soleyn folk and envious;
    • For [wel] ye witen how that he
    • Wol ever glad and Ioyful be
    • Honestly with folk to pley.
    • I have be negligent, in good fey, Skeat1899: 3900
    • To chastise him; therefore now I
    • Of herte crye you here mercy,
    • That I have been so recheles
    • To tamen him, withouten lees.
    • Of my foly I me repente; Skeat1899: 3905
    • Now wol I hool sette myn entente
    • To kepe, bothe [loude] and stille, [ ]
    • Bialacoil to do your wille.’
    • ‘Shame, Shame,’ seyde Ielousy,
    • ‘To be bitrasshed gret drede have I. Skeat1899: 3910
    • Lecherye hath clombe so hye,
    • That almost blered is myn ye ; [ ]
    • No wonder is, if that drede have I.
    • Over-al regnith Lechery,
    • Whos might [yit] growith night and day. Skeat1899: 3915
    • Bothe in cloistre and in abbey
    • Chastite is werreyed over-al. [ ]
    • Therefore I wol with siker wal
    • Close bothe roses and roser.
    • I have to longe in this maner Skeat1899: 3920
    • Left hem unclosid wilfully;
    • Wherfore I am right inwardly
    • Sorowful and repente me.
    • But now they shal no lenger be
    • Unclosid; and yit I drede sore, Skeat1899: 3925
    • I shal repente ferthermore,
    • For the game goth al amis.
    • Counsel I [mot take] newe, y-wis. [ ]
    • I have to longe tristed thee,
    • But now it shal no lenger be; Skeat1899: 3930
    • For he may best, in every cost,
    • Disceyve, that men tristen most.
    • I see wel that I am nygh shent,
    • But-if I sette my ful entent
    • Remedye to purveye. Skeat1899: 3935
    • Therfore close I shal the weye
    • Fro hem that wol the rose espye,
    • And come to wayte me vilanye, [ ]
    • For, in good feith and in trouthe,
    • I wol not lette, for no slouthe, [ ] Skeat1899: 3940
    • To live the more in sikirnesse,
    • [To] make anoon a forteresse ,
    • [To enclose] the roses of good savour.
    • In middis shal I make a tour
    • To putte Bialacoil in prisoun, Skeat1899: 3945
    • For ever I drede me of tresoun.
    • I trowe I shal him kepe so,
    • That he shal have no might to go
    • Aboute to make companye
    • To hem that thenke of vilanye; Skeat1899: 3950
    • Ne to no such as hath ben here
    • Aforn, and founde in him good chere,
    • Which han assailed him to shende,
    • And with hir trowandyse to blende . [ ]
    • A fool is eyth [for] to bigyle; Skeat1899: 3955
    • But may I lyve a litel while,
    • He shal forthenke his fair semblaunt.’
    • And with that word cam Drede avaunt,
    • Which was abasshed, and in gret fere,
    • Whan he wiste Ielousye was there. Skeat1899: 3960
    • He was for drede in such affray,
    • That not a word durste he say, [ ]
    • But quaking stood ful stille aloon,
    • Til Ielousye his wey was goon,
    • Save Shame, that him not forsook; Skeat1899: 3965
    • Bothe Drede and she ful sore quook;
    • [Til] that at laste Drede abreyde,
    • And to his cosin Shame seyde:
    • ‘Shame,’ he seide, ‘in sothfastnesse,
    • To me it is gret hevinesse, Skeat1899: 3970
    • That the noyse so fer is go,
    • And the sclaundre of us two.
    • But sith that it is [so] bifalle,
    • We may it not ageyn [do] calle,
    • Whan onis sprongen is a fame. Skeat1899: 3975
    • For many a yeer withouten blame
    • We han been, and many a day;
    • For many an April and many a May
    • We han [y]-passed, not [a]shamed ,
    • Til Ielousye hath us blamed Skeat1899: 3980
    • Of mistrust and suspecioun
    • Causeles, withouten enchesoun.
    • Go we to Daunger hastily,
    • And late us shewe him openly,
    • That he hath not aright [y]-wrought, Skeat1899: 3985
    • Whan that he sette nought his thought
    • To kepe better the purpryse; [ ]
    • In his doing he is not wyse.
    • He hath to us [y]-do gret wrong,
    • That hath suffred now so long Skeat1899: 3990
    • Bialacoil to have his wille,
    • Alle his lustes to fulfille.
    • He must amende it utterly,
    • Or ellis shal he vilaynsly
    • Exyled be out of this londe; Skeat1899: 3995
    • For he the werre may not withstonde
    • Of Ielousye, nor the greef,
    • Sith Bialacoil is at mischeef.’
    • To Daunger, Shame and Drede anoon
    • The righte wey ben [bothe a]-goon. Skeat1899: 4000
    • The cherl they founden hem aforn
    • Ligging undir an hawethorn.
    • Undir his heed no pilowe was,
    • But in the stede a trusse of gras.
    • He slombred, and a nappe he took, Skeat1899: 4005
    • Til Shame pitously him shook,
    • And greet manace on him gan make.
    • ‘Why slepist thou whan thou shulde wake?’
    • Quod Shame; ‘thou dost us vilanye!
    • Who tristith thee, he doth folye, Skeat1899: 4010
    • To kepe roses or botouns ,
    • Whan they ben faire in hir sesouns.
    • Thou art woxe to familiere
    • Where thou shulde be straunge of chere,
    • Stout of thy port , redy to greve. Skeat1899: 4015
    • Thou dost gret foly for to leve
    • Bialacoil here-in, to calle
    • The yonder man to shenden us alle.
    • Though that thou slepe, we may here
    • Of Ielousie gret noyse here. Skeat1899: 4020
    • Art thou now late? ryse up [in hy] , [ ]
    • And stoppe sone and deliverly
    • Alle the gappis of the hay;
    • Do no favour, I thee pray.
    • It fallith no-thing to thy name Skeat1899: 4025
    • Make fair semblaunt, where thou maist blame.
    • ‘If Bialacoil be swete and free,
    • Dogged and fel thou shuldist be;
    • Froward and outrageous, y-wis;
    • A cherl chaungeth that curteis is. Skeat1899: 4030
    • This have I herd ofte in seying,
    • That man [ne] may, for no daunting, [ ]
    • Make a sperhauke of a bosarde.
    • Alle men wole holde thee for musarde, [ ]
    • That debonair have founden thee, [ ] Skeat1899: 4035
    • It sit thee nought curteis to be;
    • To do men plesaunce or servyse,
    • In thee it is recreaundyse. [ ]
    • Let thy werkis, fer and nere,
    • Be lyke thy name, which is Daungere.’ Skeat1899: 4040
    • Than, al abawid in shewing,
    • Anoon spak Dreed, right thus seying,
    • And seide, ‘Daunger, I drede me
    • That thou ne wolt [not] bisy be
    • To kepe that thou hast to kepe; Skeat1899: 4045
    • Whan thou shuldist wake, thou art aslepe.
    • Thou shalt be greved certeynly,
    • If thee aspye Ielousy,
    • Or if he finde thee in blame.
    • He hath to-day assailed Shame, Skeat1899: 4050
    • And chased awey, with gret manace,
    • Bialacoil out of this place,
    • And swereth shortly that he shal
    • Enclose him in a sturdy wal;
    • And al is for thy wikkednesse, Skeat1899: 4055
    • For that thee faileth straungenesse.
    • Thyn herte, I trowe, be failed al;
    • Thou shalt repente in special,
    • If Ielousye the sothe knewe;
    • Thou shalt forthenke, and sore rewe.’ Skeat1899: 4060
    • With that the cherl his clubbe gan shake,
    • Frouning his eyen gan to make,
    • And hidous chere; as man in rage,
    • For ire he brente in his visage.
    • Whan that he herde him blamed so, Skeat1899: 4065
    • He seide, ‘Out of my wit I go;
    • To be discomfit I have gret wrong.
    • Certis, I have now lived to long,
    • Sith I may not this closer kepe;
    • Al quik I wolde be dolven depe, Skeat1899: 4070
    • If any man shal more repeire
    • Into this garden , for foule or faire.
    • Myn herte for ire goth a-fere , [ ]
    • That I lete any entre here.
    • I have do foly, now I see, Skeat1899: 4075
    • But now it shal amended bee.
    • Who settith foot here any more,
    • Truly, he shal repente it sore;
    • For no man mo into this place
    • Of me to entre shal have grace. Skeat1899: 4080
    • Lever I hadde, with swerdis tweyne,
    • Thurgh-out myn herte, in every veyne
    • Perced to be, with many a wounde,
    • Than slouthe shulde in me be founde.
    • From hennesforth, by night or day, Skeat1899: 4085
    • I shal defende it, if I may,
    • Withouten any excepcioun
    • Of ech maner condicioun;
    • And if I any man it graunte,
    • Holdeth me for recreaunte.’ Skeat1899: 4090
    • Than Daunger on his feet gan stonde,
    • And hente a burdoun in his honde.
    • Wroth in his ire, ne lefte he nought,
    • But thurgh the verger he hath sought.
    • If he might finde hole or trace, Skeat1899: 4095
    • Wher-thurgh that men mot forthby pace, [ ]
    • Or any gappe, he dide it close,
    • That no man mighte touche a rose
    • Of the roser al aboute;
    • He shitteth every man withoute. Skeat1899: 4100
    • Thus day by day Daunger is wers,
    • More wondirful and more divers,
    • And feller eek than ever he was;
    • For him ful oft I singe ‘allas!’
    • For I ne may nought, thurgh his ire, Skeat1899: 4105
    • Recover that I most desire.
    • Myn herte, allas, wol brest a-two,
    • For Bialacoil I wratthed so.
    • For certeynly, in every membre
    • I quake , whan I me remembre Skeat1899: 4110
    • Of the botoun , which [that] I wolde
    • Fulle ofte a day seen and biholde.
    • And whan I thenke upon the kisse,
    • And how muche Ioye and blisse
    • I hadde thurgh the savour swete, Skeat1899: 4115
    • For wante of it I grone and grete.
    • Me thenkith I fele yit in my nose
    • The swete savour of the rose.
    • And now I woot that I mot go
    • So fer the fresshe floures fro, Skeat1899: 4120
    • To me ful welcome were the deeth;
    • Absens therof, allas, me sleeth!
    • For whylom with this rose, allas,
    • I touched nose, mouth, and face;
    • But now the deeth I must abyde. Skeat1899: 4125
    • But Love consente, another tyde, [ ]
    • That onis I touche may and kisse,
    • I trowe my peyne shal never lisse.
    • Theron is al my coveityse,
    • Which brent myn herte in many wyse. Skeat1899: 4130
    • Now shal repaire agayn sighinge,
    • Long wacche on nightis, and no slepinge;
    • Thought in wisshing, torment, and wo,
    • With many a turning to and fro,
    • That half my peyne I can not telle. Skeat1899: 4135
    • For I am fallen into helle
    • From paradys and welthe, the more
    • My turment greveth; more and more
    • Anoyeth now the bittirnesse,
    • That I toforn have felt swetnesse. Skeat1899: 4140
    • And Wikkid-Tunge, thurgh his falshede,
    • Causeth al my wo and drede.
    • On me he leyeth a pitous charge,
    • Bicause his tunge was to large.
    • Now it is tyme, shortly that I Skeat1899: 4145
    • Telle you som-thing of Ielousy,
    • That was in gret suspecioun.
    • Aboute him lefte he no masoun,
    • That stoon coude leye, ne querrour; [ ]
    • He hired hem to make a tour. Skeat1899: 4150
    • And first, the roses for to kepe,
    • Aboute hem made he a diche depe,
    • Right wondir large, and also brood;
    • Upon the whiche also stood
    • Of squared stoon a sturdy wal, Skeat1899: 4155
    • Which on a cragge was founded al,
    • And right gret thikkenesse eek it bar.
    • Abouten , it was founded squar,
    • An hundred fadome on every syde,
    • It was al liche longe and wyde. Skeat1899: 4160
    • Lest any tyme it were assayled,
    • Ful wel aboute it was batayled;
    • And rounde enviroun eek were set
    • Ful many a riche and fair touret.
    • At every corner of this wal Skeat1899: 4165
    • Was set a tour ful principal;
    • And everich hadde, withoute fable,
    • A porte-colys defensable
    • To kepe of enemies, and to greve,
    • That there hir force wolde preve. Skeat1899: 4170
    • And eek amidde this purpryse
    • Was maad a tour of gret maistryse;
    • A fairer saugh no man with sight,
    • Large and wyde, and of gret might.
    • They [ne] dredde noon assaut Skeat1899: 4175
    • Of ginne, gunne, nor skaffaut. [ ]
    • [For] the temprure of the mortere
    • Was maad of licour wonder dere;
    • Of quikke lyme persant and egre,
    • The which was tempred with vinegre. Skeat1899: 4180
    • The stoon was hard [as] ademant,
    • Wherof they made the foundement.
    • The tour was rounde, maad in compas;
    • In al this world no richer was,
    • Ne better ordeigned therwithal. Skeat1899: 4185
    • Aboute the tour was maad a wal,
    • So that, bitwixt that and the tour,
    • Rosers were set of swete savour,
    • With many roses that they bere.
    • And eek within the castel were Skeat1899: 4190
    • Springoldes, gunnes, bows , archers; [ ]
    • And eek above, atte corners,
    • Men seyn over the walle stonde
    • Grete engynes, [whiche] were nigh honde; Skeat1899: 4194
    • And in the kernels, here and there, [ ]
    • Of arblasters gret plentee were. [ ]
    • Noon armure might hir stroke withstonde,
    • It were foly to prece to honde.
    • Without the diche were listes made,
    • With walles batayled large and brade, Skeat1899: 4200
    • For men and hors shulde not atteyne
    • To neigh the diche over the pleyne.
    • Thus Ielousye hath enviroun
    • Set aboute his garnisoun
    • With walles rounde, and diche depe, Skeat1899: 4205
    • Only the roser for to kepe.
    • And Daunger [eek] , erly and late
    • The keyes kepte of the utter gate,
    • The which openeth toward the eest.
    • And he hadde with him atte leest Skeat1899: 4210
    • Thritty servauntes, echon by name.
    • That other gate kepte Shame,
    • Which openede, as it was couth,
    • Toward the parte of the south.
    • Sergeauntes assigned were hir to Skeat1899: 4215
    • Ful many, hir wille for to do.
    • Than Drede hadde in hir baillye
    • The keping of the conestablerye,
    • Toward the north, I undirstonde,
    • That opened upon the left honde, Skeat1899: 4220
    • The which for no-thing may be sure,
    • But-if she do [hir] bisy cure
    • Erly on morowe and also late,
    • Strongly to shette and barre the gate.
    • Of every thing that she may see Skeat1899: 4225
    • Drede is aferd, wher-so she be;
    • For with a puff of litel winde
    • Drede is astonied in hir minde.
    • Therfore, for stelinge of the rose, [ ]
    • I rede hir nought the yate unclose. Skeat1899: 4230
    • A foulis flight wol make hir flee,
    • And eek a shadowe, if she it see.
    • Thanne Wikked-Tunge, ful of envye,
    • With soudiours of Normandye,
    • As he that causeth al the bate, Skeat1899: 4235
    • Was keper of the fourthe gate,
    • And also to the tother three
    • He went ful ofte, for to see.
    • Whan his lot was to wake a-night,
    • His instrumentis wolde he dight, Skeat1899: 4240
    • For to blowe and make soun,
    • Ofter than he hath enchesoun;
    • And walken oft upon the wal,
    • Corners and wikettis over-al
    • Ful narwe serchen and espye; Skeat1899: 4245
    • Though he nought fond, yit wolde he lye.
    • Discordaunt ever fro armonye,
    • And distoned from melodye, [ ]
    • Controve he wolde, and foule fayle, [ ]
    • With hornpypes of Cornewayle. [ ] Skeat1899: 4250
    • In floytes made he discordaunce,
    • And in his musik, with mischaunce,
    • He wolde seyn, with notes newe,
    • That he [ne] fond no womman trewe,
    • Ne that he saugh never, in his lyf, Skeat1899: 4255
    • Unto hir husbonde a trewe wyf;
    • Ne noon so ful of honestee,
    • That she nil laughe and mery be
    • Whan that she hereth, or may espye,
    • A man speken of lecherye. Skeat1899: 4260
    • Everich of hem hath somme vyce;
    • Oon is dishonest, another is nyce;
    • If oon be ful of vilanye,
    • Another hath a likerous ye ;
    • If oon be ful of wantonesse, Skeat1899: 4265
    • Another is a chideresse.
    • Thus Wikked-Tunge (god yeve him shame!)
    • Can putte hem everichone in blame
    • Withoute desert and causeles;
    • He lyeth, though they been giltles. Skeat1899: 4270
    • I have pite to seen the sorwe,
    • That waketh bothe eve and morwe,
    • To innocents doth such grevaunce;
    • I pray god yeve him evel chaunce,
    • That he ever so bisy is Skeat1899: 4275
    • Of any womman to seyn amis!
    • Eek Ielousye god confounde,
    • That hath [y]-maad a tour so rounde,
    • And made aboute a garisoun
    • To sette Bialacoil in prisoun; Skeat1899: 4280
    • The which is shet there in the tour,
    • Ful longe to holde there soiour,
    • There for to liven in penaunce.
    • And for to do him more grevaunce,
    • [Ther] hath ordeyned Ielousye Skeat1899: 4285
    • An olde vekke, for to espye [ ]
    • The maner of his governaunce;
    • The whiche devel, in hir enfaunce,
    • Had lerned [muche] of Loves art,
    • And of his pleyes took hir part; Skeat1899: 4290
    • She was [expert] in his servyse. [ ]
    • She knew ech wrenche and every gyse
    • Of love, and every [loveres] wyle,
    • It was [the] harder hir to gyle.
    • Of Bialacoil she took ay hede, Skeat1899: 4295
    • That ever he liveth in wo and drede.
    • He kepte him coy and eek privee,
    • Lest in him she hadde see
    • Any foly countenaunce,
    • For she knew al the olde daunce. [ ] Skeat1899: 4300
    • And aftir this, whan Ielousye
    • Had Bialacoil in his baillye,
    • And shette him up that was so free,
    • For seure of him he wolde be,
    • He trusteth sore in his castel; Skeat1899: 4305
    • The stronge werk him lyketh wel.
    • He dradde nat that no glotouns
    • Shulde stele his roses or botouns .
    • The roses weren assured alle,
    • Defenced with the stronge walle. Skeat1899: 4310
    • Now Ielousye ful wel may be
    • Of drede devoid, in libertee,
    • Whether that he slepe or wake;
    • For of his roses may noon be take.
    • But I, allas, now morne shal; Skeat1899: 4315
    • Bicause I was without the wal,
    • Ful moche dole and mone I made.
    • Who hadde wist what wo I hadde,
    • I trowe he wolde have had pitee.
    • Love to deere had sold to me Skeat1899: 4320
    • The good that of his love hadde I.
    • I [wende a bought] it al queyntly; [ ]
    • But now, thurgh doubling of my peyn,
    • I see he wolde it selle ageyn,
    • And me a newe bargeyn lere, Skeat1899: 4325
    • The which al-out the more is dere,
    • For the solace that I have lorn,
    • Than I hadde it never aforn.
    • Certayn I am ful lyk, indeed,
    • To him that cast in erthe his seed; Skeat1899: 4330
    • And hath Ioie of the newe spring,
    • Whan it greneth in the ginning,
    • And is also fair and fresh of flour, [ ]
    • Lusty to seen, swote of odour;
    • But er he it in sheves shere, Skeat1899: 4335
    • May falle a weder that shal it dere,
    • And maken it to fade and falle,
    • The stalk, the greyn, and floures alle;
    • That to the tilier is fordone
    • The hope that he hadde to sone. Skeat1899: 4340
    • I drede, certeyn, that so fare I;
    • For hope and travaile sikerly
    • Ben me biraft al with a storm;
    • The floure nil seden of my corn.
    • For Love hath so avaunced me, Skeat1899: 4345
    • Whan I bigan my privitee
    • To Bialacoil al for to telle,
    • Whom I ne fond froward ne felle,
    • But took a-gree al hool my play.
    • But Love is of so hard assay, Skeat1899: 4350
    • That al at onis he reved me,
    • Whan I wend best aboven have be. [ ]
    • It is of Love, as of Fortune,
    • That chaungeth ofte, and nil contune;
    • Which whylom wol on folke smyle, Skeat1899: 4355
    • And gloumbe on hem another whyle;
    • Now freend, now foo, [thou] shalt hir fele,
    • For [in] a twinkling tourneth hir wheel.
    • She can wrythe hir heed awey,
    • This is the concours of hir pley; Skeat1899: 4360
    • She can areyse that doth morne,
    • And whirle adown, and overturne
    • Who sittith hieghst, [al] as hir list ;
    • A fool is he that wol hir trist .
    • For it [am] I that am com doun Skeat1899: 4365
    • Thurgh change and revolucioun!
    • Sith Bialacoil mot fro me twinne,
    • Shet in the prisoun yond withinne,
    • His absence at myn herte I fele;
    • For al my Ioye and al myn hele Skeat1899: 4370
    • Was in him and in the rose,
    • That but yon [wal] , which him doth close, [ ]
    • Open, that I may him see,
    • Love nil not that I cured be
    • Of the peynes that I endure, Skeat1899: 4375
    • Nor of my cruel aventure.
    • A, Bialacoil, myn owne dere!
    • Though thou be now a prisonere,
    • Kepe atte leste thyn herte to me,
    • And suffre not that it daunted be; Skeat1899: 4380
    • Ne lat not Ielousye, in his rage,
    • Putten thyn herte in no servage.
    • Although he chastice thee withoute,
    • And make thy body unto him loute,
    • Have herte as hard as dyamaunt, Skeat1899: 4385
    • Stedefast, and nought pliaunt;
    • In prisoun though thy body be,
    • At large kepe thyn herte free.
    • A trewe herte wol not plye [ ]
    • For no manace that it may drye. Skeat1899: 4390
    • If Ielousye doth thee payne,
    • Quyte him his whyle thus agayne,
    • To venge thee, atte leest in thought,
    • If other way thou mayest nought:
    • And in this wyse sotilly Skeat1899: 4395
    • Worche, and winne the maistry.
    • But yit I am in gret affray
    • Lest thou do not as I say;
    • I drede thou canst me greet maugree,
    • That thou emprisoned art for me; Skeat1899: 4400
    • But that [is] not for my trespas,
    • For thurgh me never discovered was
    • Yit thing that oughte be secree.
    • Wel more anoy [ther] is in me,
    • Than is in thee, of this mischaunce; Skeat1899: 4405
    • For I endure more hard penaunce
    • Than any [man] can seyn or thinke,
    • That for the sorwe almost I sinke.
    • Whan I remembre me of my wo,
    • Ful nygh out of my wit I go. Skeat1899: 4410
    • Inward myn herte I fele blede,
    • For comfortles the deeth I drede.
    • Ow I not wel to have distresse,
    • Whan false , thurgh hir wikkednesse,
    • And traitours, that arn envyous, Skeat1899: 4415
    • To noyen me be so coragious?
    • A, Bialacoil! ful wel I see,
    • That they hem shape to disceyve thee,
    • To make thee buxom to hir lawe,
    • And with hir corde thee to drawe Skeat1899: 4420
    • Wher-so hem lust, right at hir wil;
    • I drede they have thee brought thertil.
    • Withoute comfort, thought me sleeth;
    • This game wol bringe me to my deeth.
    • For if your gode wille I lese, Skeat1899: 4425
    • I mote be deed; I may not chese.
    • And if that thou foryete me,
    • Myn herte shal never in lyking be;
    • Nor elles-where finde solace,
    • If I be put out of your grace, Skeat1899: 4430
    • As it shal never been, I hope;
    • Than shulde I fallen in wanhope. [ ]