Explicit the Boke of the Duchesse.

IV.: THE COMPLEYNT OF MARS.

The authorities here used are: F. (Fairfax 16); Tn. (Tanner 346); Ju. (Julian Notary’s edition); Harl. (Harleian 7333); T. (Trinity College, Cambridge, R. 3. 20); Ar. (Arch. Seld. B. 24, in the Bodleian Library). Also Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532). I follow F. mainly; and note variations from it.

  • The Story.

    • ¶ Whylom the thridde hevenes lord above, [ ]
    • As wel by hevenish revolucioun Skeat1899: 30
    • As by desert, hath wonne Venus his love,
    • And she hath take him in subieccioun,
    • And as a maistresse taught him his lessoun,
    • Comaunding him that never, in hir servyse,
    • He nere so bold no lover to despyse . Skeat1899: 35
    • Who regneth now in blisse but Venus,
    • That hath this worthy knight in governaunce?
    • Who singeth now but Mars, that serveth thus Skeat1899: 45
    • The faire Venus, causer of plesaunce?
    • He bynt him to perpetual obeisaunce,
    • And she bynt hir to loven him for ever,
    • But so be that his trespas hit dissever . [ ]
    • Thus be they knit, and regnen as in heven Skeat1899: 50
    • By loking most; til hit fil, on a tyde, [ ]
    • That by hir bothe assent was set a steven,
    • That Mars shal entre, as faste as he may glyde,
    • Into hir nexte paleys, to abyde, [ ]
    • Walking his cours til she had him a-take , [ ] Skeat1899: 55
    • And he preyde hir to haste hir for his sake.
    • Soiourned hath this Mars, of which I rede,
    • In chambre amid the paleys prively
    • A certeyn tyme, til him fel a drede, Skeat1899: 80
    • Through Phebus, that was comen hastely [ ]
    • Within the paleys-yates sturdely ,
    • With torche in honde, of which the stremes brighte
    • On Venus chambre knokkeden ful lighte. [ ]
    • The chambre, ther as lay this fresshe quene, Skeat1899: 85
    • Depeynted was with whyte boles grete, [ ]
    • And by the light she knew, that shoon so shene,
    • That Phebus cam to brenne hem with his hete;
    • This sely Venus, dreynt in teres wete, [ ]
    • Enbraceth Mars, and seyde, “alas! I dye! Skeat1899: 90
    • The torch is come, that al this world wol wrye.”
    • O woful Mars! alas! what mayst thou seyn,
    • That in the paleys of thy disturbaunce [ ]
    • Art left behinde, in peril to be sleyn?
    • And yet ther-to is double thy penaunce,
    • For she, that hath thyn herte in governaunce, Skeat1899: 110
    • Is passed halfe the stremes of thyn yën; [ ]
    • That thou nere swift, wel mayst thou wepe and cryen.
    • So feble he wex, for hete and for his wo,
    • That nigh he swelt, he mighte unnethe endure;
    • He passeth but oo steyre in dayes two, [ ]
    • But ner the les , for al his hevy armure, Skeat1899: 130
    • He foloweth hir that is his lyves cure; [ ]
    • For whos departing he took gretter yre
    • Thanne for al his brenning in the fyre. [ ]
    • Mars dwelleth forth in his adversite,
    • Compleyning ever on hir departinge ;
    • And what his compleynt was, remembreth me; [ ] Skeat1899: 150
    • And therfore, in this lusty morweninge ,
    • As I best can, I wol hit seyn and singe,
    • And after that I wol my leve take;
    • And God yeve every wight Ioye of his make!