23. All this. 24. All drede. 25. Th. Tn. Defaute; F. Defaulte. 26. Th. slayne; Tn. slain; F. omits. 27. F. loste. Tn. omits ll. 31-96; F. has them in a later hand (the spelling of which I amend). 32. F. nathles whoe 33. F. trewly. 34. F. tell. 35. Th. sothe; F. southe (!) F. trewly. 36. F. hold it; Th. holde it; read hold-ë hit. F. sicknes. 38. F. boote. 39. Th. F. For ther. (phisicien = fízishén). F. one. 40. F. heale; done. 41. F. vntill efte. 42. F. mote. Th. nede; F. nedes. F. lefte. 43. F. mater. 44. Th. So whan; F. Soe when. F. sawe. 45. Th. Tyl nowe late: F. Til now late; but probably corrupt. 46. F. sate. 47. F. bade one. F. booke. 48. F. it; Th. he it. F. toke. 50. F. thought; beter. 51. F. play; Ten Brink reads playen. 52. F. written.
53. F. had. 56. F. While. Th. of; F. in (copied from line above). 57. F. boke. Th. spake; F. speake (read spak). 58. F. kings. 59. Th. smale: F. smalle. 60. Th. al; F. all. F. fonde. 61. F. thought. 62. F. There. 63. F. hight. Th. Seys; F. Seyes. F. had. F. wife. 64. Th. beste; F. best. F. might beare lyfe. 65. F. hight. 66. F. Soe it befill thereafter. 67. F. woll; Th. wol. 70. Perhaps read gan aryse. 71. F. brake. (hir=their). F. maste; fal. 72. Th. her; F. ther (see line above). F. dreint; all. 73. Th. F. founde (error for founden). 74. F. Borde. 75. Th. Seys; F. Seyes. F. life. 76. Th. F. Now for to speke of Alcyone his wyfe; read: Now for to speken of his wyf. F. wife. 79. Th. F. Home; it. 80. Th. Anon; F. Anone. Th. F. began (error for gan). Th. F. yerne (error for erme); see note.
81. F. thought. 82. F. It; wele; thought soe. Both her thought so, caught from l. 81; read he dwelte (delayed). 83. F. soe. 84. F. it. 85. F. tell. Th. hertely; F. hartely. F. life. 86. Th. F. she had; I omit she, and supply alas from l. 87. 87. Th. and F. insert alas after him. 88. F. Anone; sent. 91. F. where. 92. Th. nyl; F. will. F. eate breede. 94. Th. lorde; F. Lord. 95. F. toke. 96. F. trewly; booke. 97. The older hand recommences in F. F. had; Tn. I Had. F. suche (twice). F. pittee. 100. F. And aftir; but Th. Tn. B. omit And. 101. All this lady (for she; badly). 102. F. myght; lorde. 103. F. ofte; sayed. 104. F. woode. 105. F. rede. 106. F. doune; sate. 107. All wepte (read weep). F. pittee. 109. Th. to; which F. Tn. omit. 110. F. Helpe; B. Help.
112. F. Soone. Tn. B. wite; F. Th. wete. 114. F. yowe. 116. Th. Tn. B. good wyl; F. good wille (wil is here a monosyllable). 117. F. wilte. 118. Tn. Send; Th. F. Sende. 119. Th. som; F. somme. 120. Th. through; F. thorgh. F. knowe. 121. F. lorde; quyke; ded. 122. F. worde; henge; hed. 123. Th. Tn. fel; F. felle (see l. 128). F. A swowne, Tn. a swowe (for a-swowen = a-swown); Th. in a swowne. F. colde; Tn. cold. 124. F. kaught; anoon. 127. Tn. dede; F. ded. All slepe. 128. F. tooke. All kepe. 129. Th. Through; F. Throgh. F. herde. 130. I supply for. 131. Th. Tn. prayde; F. prayede; after which all insert right (but see next line). 134. F. come. 137, 138. All slepe, kepe. F. vnderstonde; take.
141. Tn. B. alle; F. al. 142. Th. He; F. Tn. That he. F. kynge. 144. Tn. B. Bid; F. Bud. 145. Th. Alcyone; F. Tn. Alchione. 146. Th. alone; F. allone. 149. After speke all insert right (see next line). 150. All woned. 151. Tn. on; F. a. 152. F. hye the. 153. F. toke; went. 154. Th. he (for ne). F. stent. 155. Tn. com; F. come. F. valey. 156. Th. bytwene; F. betwex; Tn. betwix. F. twey. 157. F. corne. 158, 159. All noght (for nothing). F. oughte. 162. F. dedely; Th. deedly; Tn. dedli. 166. F. There these; lay. 167. Th. F. B. Eclympasteyre (as in text); Tn. Etlympasteyre (with t for c). 168. Tn. heire; F. eyre. 169, 170. F. werke, derke.
171. Tn. pit; F. pitte. 173. F. To envye; Tn. Th. vie. 175. Tn. slepte; F. slept; see 177. Th. heed; F. hed. B. Tn. I-hid; Th. yhed; F. yhedde. 176. All lay. F. Tn. bedde. 177. F. slepe; Th. Tn. slepte. 178. F. com. Tn. flyyng; F. fleynge; Th. rennyng. 179. F. Tn. O how; Th. ho ho. F. awake. 180. F. there. 181. F. Awake; lythe. 182. F. horne. Tn. B. ere; F. heere. 184. Tn. oon; F. on. F. ye; Th. eye; Tn. eiȝe. 185. Th. Tn. Cast; F. Caste. All ins. and after up. 191. Th. wente; F. went. F. sayede; Tn. seide. 192. F. a-brayede; Tn. abraied. 195. F. Tooke; dreynt; see Cant. Ta. B. 69. 196. F. bare. Th. Alcione; F. Tn. Alchione. 197. F. wife. 199. Th. her; F. Tn. hys. F. fete; see note. 200. All hete.
201. F. sayede; wyfe. 202. F. Awake; lyfe. 203. F. there; rede. 204. I put nam; all have am. F. dede. 206. I supply look, for the sake of sense and metre; read—But good swet' hert-ë, look that ye. 207. All for suche; read at whiche. 210. F. pray; youre. 211. F. while oure. 213. All allas (for A). 214. F. deyede; Tn. deid. 215. F. sayede. Tn. swow; Th. B. swowe; F. sorowe (!). 216. F. nowe. 219. Tn. told; F. tolde. F. thynge. 220. Th. Alcione; F. Tn. Alchione. F. kynge. 221. All say. Tn. wel; F. welle. 222. Tn. eueridel; F. euerydelle. 223. F. thorgh. Tn. defaute; F. defaulte. All slepe. 224. Th. F. ne had (read nad); Tn. hade. Tn. red; F. redde. All take kepe. 226. F. omits I (by mistake). 228. F. redde. 229. F. kynge. 230. Th. goddes; F. Tn. goddis.
231. Tn. red; F. redde. 233. F. thoght. 234. Tn. herd; F. herde. 235. F. goddis. 236. I supply the former for. 237. I ne = I n'. 238. F. sayede. 239. F. pley. 240. F. dey. 241. F. Thorgh defaulte. Tn. sleping; F. slepynge. 244. Tn. sum; F. somme. F. ellis. F. roght; Th. Tn. rought. 245. Tn. som; F. some. 247. F. Yifte. F. abode. 248. B. on warde; rest onwarde. 251. F. yif (see l. 246). Tn. fethirbed; F. feder bedde. 252. Tn. cled; F. cledde. 253. Tn. fyn; F. fyne. Th. doutremere; Tn. doutermere; F. de owter mere. 254. Tn. pilow; F. pelowe. 257, 8. F. fallys, hallys.
264. All ins. quene after goddesse. Th. Alcione; F. Tn. Alchione. 267. All wanne (!). 269. F. payede. 270. Tn. woord; F. worde. F. y-sayede. 271. Th. Tn. B. as; which F. omits. Tn. told; F. tolde. 273. Tn. lust; F. luste. F. tooke. 274. F. booke. 275. F. evene. 276. F. swevene. 277. Tn. ȝit; F. yitte. 278. Th. trowe; F. trow; Tn. trov. 281. Th. Tn. B. he; F. ho. F. red; Th. Tn. rad (but read redde or radde). 282. F. metynge. 283. B. leste; F. lest. 285. Tn. wrot; F. wrote. 286. F. kynge. 288. Th. Suche meruayles fortuned than; F. Tn. B. omit this line.
291. F. thoght. 292. F. dawnynge. Th. there; rest om. 294. All And (for I). 295. Tn. gret; F. grete. 296. All insert my before slepe; it is not wanted. 297. F. Thorgh; swettenesse; songe. 298. Th. as; F. Tn. B. al (badly). F. amonge. 299. F. roofe. 300. All ouer al; but omit ouer. 301. All songe, song. 304. F. herde. Tn. B. som; F. somme. Tn. song; F. songe (it can be singular). 305. Tn. Som; F. Somme. F. high. 306. F. att. 307. F. harde; Tn. I-herd. 308. F. thynge. 309. F. soune. Th. Th. entunes; F. entewnes. 310. F. tewnes; Th. Tewnes; Tn. twnes. 311. F. herde. 313. F. Thorgh syngynge. 315. F. nowhere herde; halfe. 316. F. halfe. 318. Tn. ich; rest eche.
319. F. wrongly inserts of after out. F. notys. 320. F. throtys. 321. F. soothe. 323. F. y-glasyd. 324. F. hoole y-crasyd. 326. Tn. hoolly; F. holy. Tn. storie; F. story. 327. F. glasynge. 328. All and of king. 329. All repeat of king before Lamedon; the words were caught from l. 328. 330. All insert And eke before Of Medea. 331. All and of (for and). 332. Tn. colours; F. colouris. 334. All And; read Of. 335. Th. weren; F. were. Tn. shet; F. shette. 336. F. throgh. 337. F. bryght. 338. F. gilde; Th. B. gyldy; Tn. gilti; read gilden. 339. F. eke. F. welken; Th. Tn. welkyn. All faire. 340. F. ayre. 341. Th. atempre; F. Tn. attempre. 342. All ins. to bef. cold. F. colde; hoote. Th. nas; F. Tn. was. 343. F. welkene; Th. welkyn; Tn. walkyn. 345. F. thoght. 346. F. Tassay; horne.
347. Tn. B. hors; Th. F. horse. 348. All insert And at the beginning of the line; but read I herd-e. F. Th. goynge; Tn. goyng; after which all insert bothe (which is not wanted). 350. F. Th. speke; Tn. spake; but read speken. 355. F. huntynge. 357. I supply I. F. Tooke; forthe; went. 358. F. stent. 359. F. come; felde. 360. F. ouertoke; grete. 361. F. eke; foresterys. 362. F. lymerys. 364. Th. I; which F. Tn. omit. For at the perhaps read atte. 366. F. felowe whoo. All hunte (read hunten). 367. All answered (-id). 369. F. here fast. 370. Read goddes as god's. 373. F. didde. 374. F. huntynge fille. 375. F. fote hote. 376. F. blewe; mote.
377. F. vncoupylynge; Th. vncouplynge. 378. F. Withynne; while; herte. Th. F. founde; Tn. found; read y-founde. 380. All and so; om. so. 381. F. Tn. B. rused; Th. roused. F. staale. 383. Th. ouer-shot; F. ouershette; Tn. ouershet. Tn. hem; F. hym (wrongly). 384. Tn. on; F. vpon. Tn. defaute; F. defaulte. 386. F. Blewe. Th. Tn. forloyn; F. forleygne. Perhaps read atte for at the. 388. F. went; came. 389. F. whelpe. Th. fawned; F. Favned. F. stoode. 390. F. goode. 391. F. come. All have crepte (wrongly); read creep. 392. Tn. hade; F. had. 393. B. Hild; F. Hylde; Tn. Held. Th. heed; Tn. hed; F. hede. F. erys. 394. F. herys. 395. All haue; read han. 396. Tn. fledde; F. fled. 397. F. forthe went. 398. F. went. 399. All swete (correctly). 400. All fete; see 199. 402. Tn. bothe; F. both. 404. All made; read mad or maad. F dwellynge.
406. F. therthe; Th. the erthe. 408. F. moo; swche (sic). 409. Th. welken; F. walkene. F. sterris. 411. F. thorgh. 412. All suffre. 414. F. woode. 415. All made. 416. All nede eke. 417. F. Where there. 419. F. stoode. 420. Tn. ten; F. tene. Th. foote; F. fete; Tn. om. Th. or; F. Tn. fro other (repeated). 422. Th. Tn. B. Of; F. Or. Th. or; rest om. F. fedme; Th. fedome; Tn. fedim; read fadme. 424. Th. brode; F. Tn. bothe (wrongly). F. eke. 426. Tn. B. shadwe; F. shadewe. 427. Tn. hert; F. herte. 429. Th. fawnes; F. Tn. fovnes. F. Tn. sowres; Th. sowers. 430. Tn. wode; F. woode. 429, 430. B. doys, roys. 431. Th. squyrrels; F. sqwirels; Tn. squirels; B. squyrellys (three syllables). 432. F. high. 433. F. festys. 434. F. bestys.
435. Th. Tn. countour; F. counter (and so in l. 436). 437. F. Tn. rekene; Th. reken (caught from above); read rekened. F. figuris. 438. F. figuris. F. mowe; B. mow; Th. Tn. newe (reading doubtful). All have al ken; see note. 440. B. telle; rest tel. F. thinge. 441. F. evene. 442. F. swevene. 443. All ins. right bef. wonder. 444. F. Doune; woode. 446. Th. sate; F. Tn. sete. Tn. Iturned; F. turned. 447. F. ooke. 448. Th. Tn. thought; F. thogh (!). 450. F. went. 451. Tn. fond; F. founde. 452. F. farynge. 454. All but B. insert ryght before yong. Tn. ȝung; F. Th. yonge. 455. All yere; read yeer. 456. All heere, here; read heer. 457. Th. blacke; F. blake. 458. Tn. bakke; F. bake. 459. F. stoode. 460. F. sawe. 461. Tn. heng; F. henge. Th. heed; Tn. hed; F. hede. 462. Tn. dedly; F. dedely.
463. Th. Tn. twelue; F. twelfe. 464. Th. Tn. selue; F. selfe. 465. Tn. pite; F. pitee. 468. All suffre; read suffren. 469. F. suche. Th. deed; F. Tn. ded. 470. Tn. pitous; B. pitouse; F. petuose. Tn. nothing; F. no thynge. Th. reed; F. Tn. red. 471. F. sayed; Tn. said. 471, 2. Tn. song; F. songe. 473. B. alone supplies it (=hit); all insert ful before wel. 475. F. grete; Tn. gret. All wone; read woon. 476. F. Ioy; none. 477, 8. Read brighte, mighte? 479. Th. deed; F. ded. After l. 479 Thynne inserts And thus in sorowe lefte me alone; it is spurious; see note. [Hence there is no l. 480.] 481. Koch supplies o. Tn. deth; F. dethe. 483. Tn. that; which F. Tn. omit. 484. F. faire. F. freshe; Tn. fressh. 485. All se; but read y-see. 486. F. goodenesse. 487. All made. Th. B. complaynte; F. complaynt. 488. F. sorwful. Th. herte; F. hert. Th. B. faynte; F. faynt. 489. F. spiritis. 490. Tn. blood; F. bloode.
491. Th. herte; F. hert. All warme. 492. Th. herte; F. hert. All harme. 493. B. wite; F. wete. All eke. 498. All insert ther before no. F. noo bloode. All is; but read was. 499. Th. lymme; B. Tn. lyme; F. hym(!). 500. B. saw; F. saugh. 501. F. Th. there; Tn. for. All sete (fete is dat. pl.). 502. F. went; stoode. 503. All spake (wrongly). 504. Th. Tn. owne; F. ovne. 506. F. Th. lyfe; Tn. life. 507. F. thought. 509. F. throgh. B. sorwe; Tn. sorov; F. sorwes. 511. Tn. lost; F. loste. 512. F. inserts the before god; Th. Tn. omit. 513. F. wrothe. 514. Th. laste; F. last. F. sothe. 515. F. stoode. 516. All did. F. hoode. 517. All had ygret; Lange proposes grette (e unelided). 519. F. wrothe. 520. F. sothe.
521. B. saw; F. sawgh. F. trewly. 522. Tn. goode; F. good. 523, 4. F. oughte, thoughte. 526. F. thamendys. 527. F. lyeth; Tn. lith. 528. F. There. All myssayde. 529. Th. goodly; F. goodely. All spake (!). Th. knyght; F. knyghte. 530. B. ben; rest be. 531. F. towgh. 532. F. sawe; aqueynt. 533. F. fonde. 535. F. thoght. 537. F. oughte. 538. F. knowynge; thoughte. 541. F. These huntys konne. 543. F. there on; dele (Tn. del). 544. Tn. Bi; Th. By; F. Be. F. oure lorde; wele (Tn. wel). 545. B. thinketh; F. thenketh. 547. F. grete. 548. Ins. good; see 714, 721. Th. Tn. if; F. yif. 550. F. wys; Th. wyse; Tn. wisse.
554. Th. al; F. alle; Tn. om. 556. B. ese; F. ease. 560. Tn. frend; F. frende. 564. All fal. 565. F. vnderstondynge lorne. 566. F. borne. 568. F. Th. ins. al (Tn. of) before the. 570. All ins. his after with. 571. All ins. no after may. 573. Th. Tn. houres; F. oures. 574. All assay. 575. B. Th. herte; F. Tn. hert. 577. F. wrechch; Tn. wrecch; Tn. wretche (for wrecche). All made. 578. F. al; Th. Tn. al the; B. alle (read al-le). 579. B. alle; rest al. 581. All lyfe. F. loothe. 582. F. wroothe (it is plural). 583. All ins. ful after so. F. foo. 584. All That; read Thogh. F. soo.
586. For the former hit, all have him; but see line above. 587. Th. reed; F. rede. 588. F. deynge. Th. deed; F. dede. 589. F. B. Thesiphus; Tn. Tesiphus; Th. Tesyphus. (The two latter are miswritten for Cesiphus = Sesiphus). Tn. lithe; F. Th. lyeth. 591. Th. Tn. al; F. alle. Th. by; F. Tn. be. 592. Tn. hade; F. had. 594. Tn. feenli (sic); Th. F. fendely. 596. Tn. met; Th. F. mette (!); read y-met. 598. B. telle; rest tel. 599. For song, F. Th. have sorowe, and Tn. has sorov, which are absurd; the reading is obviously song, the ng being altered to rowe by influence of l. 597, which the scribes glanced at. Tn. pleynyng; F. pleynynge. 600. Tn. laughter; F. lawghtre. Tn. weping; F. wepynge. 601. F. thoghtys. 603. All eke. 604. Th. Tn. good; F. goode. All harme. 605. Th. playeng; F. pleynge. 606. F. sorwynge. 607. Tn. sekenes; F. sekeenesse (sic). 609. Tn. liȝt; F. lyghte; Th. syght. 610. Tn. wit; F. wytte. Th. Tn. nyght; F. nyghte.
611. All slepe. Tn. waking; F. wakynge. 612. Tn. fasting; F. fastynge. 614. Tn. abaved (sic); Th. F. abawed. All where so. 617. Tn. boldnes; Th. F. boldenesse. (Perhaps read y-turned.) 618. F. pleyde; Th. played; Tn. pleied. 619. F. Atte the (wrongly); Th. Tn. At the. Tn. ches; Th. F. chesse. 621. Tn. halt; F. Th. halte (!). 622. Tn. goth; Th. gothe; F. gethe (!). Th. halte; Tn. is halt; F. is halte. 627. Th. wrien; rest varien (!). 628. Th. Tn. monstres; F. Mowstres. Th. heed; F. Tn. hed. 629. B. filth; rest fylthe. Th. Tn. ystrowed. 630. F. worshippe. Th. Tn. floures; F. B. flourys; read flour is. 632. Tn. feith; F. feythe. 633. F. lawghynge. 634. Tn. oon; Th. F. one. Th. eye; Tn. eiȝ; F. yghe; B. ye. F. wepynge. 635. Th. set; F. sette. 637. F. flateyrynge; Tn. flateryng. 639. Th. Tn. amyd; F. amydde. 640. Th. he; F. hyt; Tn. it.
642. F. thenvyouse; Tn. thenvious; Th. the enuyous. 644. Th. false; F. Tn. fals. 645. F. no thynge. 647. Th. Ful; rest For. F. thus she; Tn. Th. she thus. 649. Th. nat; F. Tn. not. 650. Th. false; F. Tn. fals. Th. F. thefe; Tn. knaue. 651. F. oure lorde; the sey. 652. All At the; Atte is better. Tn. ches; Th. F. chesse. F. pley. 653. Th. Tn. false; F. fals. 654. F. staale; toke. F. Tn. fers; Th. feers. 655. F. sawgh. B. a-waye; rest away. 656. B. pleye; Th. F. play; Tn. pley. 657. All farewel (farewell); and in l. 658. 660. All insert the after in (badly). 661. F. povne; Tn. poun; Th. paune. Tn. erraunt; F. errante. 663. Tn. Athalaus. 664. Tn. ches; Th. F. chesse. 666. B. I-koude; Th. Tn. Iconde (!); F. y-konde (!); see l. 667. 667. Tn. Grek; F. Greke. Th. Pithagores; F. Tn. Pictagoras. 668. Tn. pleyd; F. pleyde.
670. Tn. thogh; Th. thoughe; F. thoght (sic). F. trewly. 671. F. holde; wysshe. 675. All eke. B. las; F. lasse; Tn. lesse. 676. F. -selfe. 677. Th. had I ben; F. as I be (wrongly). 678. F. oght. 681. All she my fers; read my fers she (Koch). All kaught, read caughte; and dranghte in ll. 682, 685. 683. Tn. wis; F. wys. 684. Th. she; F. Tn. B. he. F. tooke. 685. F. throgh; draught; lorne. 686. F. borne. 689. F. doone. 690. F. Be oure lorde; soone. 691. F. -thynge. I supply ne. 693. All For there (ther); but omit For. 694. F. ayre. 695. F. yifte. 696. F. wepynge.
699. Tn. lyth; F. lyeth. F. rekenynge. 700. Th. Tn. In; F. Inne. 701. F. levyth noe. 702. B. Tn. glade; F. glad; read gladde. 703. Th. lost; F. loste. 710. Tn. telle; F. tel. 711. Th. Tn. Thus; F. This. 712. F. myght; duelle. 713. Tn. dide, herte; F. dyd, hert. 714. Th. good; F. goode. 715. Tn. som; F. somme. 721. All insert yis (or yes) before parde; which spoils both sense and metre. 722. Th. say; rest om. F. trewly. 723. Th. lost; F. loste. 726. Th. good; F. goode. 727. Tn. slowe; F. slowgh. 728. All also; read als. 729. F. Henge.
732. All the quene; omit the. All eke. 733. Tn. slow; F. slough. F. selfe. 734. I supply former a. F. foole. 735. All Ecquo. 739. Tn. slow; F. slough. F. hym-selfe. 740. All no man; but read noon. 741. Perhaps read maken. 743. F. woste; menyst. 744. Th, lost; F. loste. F. thow wenyst. 745. F. Tn. Loo she that may be; Th. Howe that may be; here she is an error for sir, and Howe that may be for how may that be; (ed. 1550 has Howe may that be). 746. All sir. F. Tn. telle; Th. tel. F. hooly. 749. F. come. Tn. sit; F. sytte. 750. F. inserts hyt after telle; which Th. Tn. omit. Th. Tn. vpon a; F. vp a; but vp is right. 751. All ins. shalt after thou; omit it (Koch). F. hooly. Tn. wit; Th. wyt; F. wytte. 752. Tn. hit; F. hitte (!). 754. F. Tn. here lo; Th. here to. Accent thér- and hér-. 755. Perhaps right should be omitted. 756. F. Hooly. 758. B. half; F. halfe; (goddes = god's).
760. Tn. wit; F. wytte. 761. F. vnderstondynge. 763. Tn. wit; F. wytte. 764. Tn. yit; F. yitte. 765. Tn. youen; F. yive. 766. F. hooly. 767, 768. Th. thral, al; F. thralle, alle. Th. wyl; F. wille. 771. All deuoutely. All insert I before prayde. Th. prayde; F. prayed. 772. Th. Tn. herte; F. hert. 773. F. plesance; see l. 767. 774. F. worshippe. 775, 6. All yere, owhere. 778. Tn. cam; F. came. 779. F. Perauenture; see l. 788. All insert moste before able. 780. F. white walle. 781. F. cachche. 783. F. Tn. Whethir; Th. Whether; read Wher (contracted form). F. portrey or peynt; Tn. purtrey or paynte. 784. Tn. queynte; F. queynt. 785. All insert ryght before so. 787. Th. Tn. conde (for coude); F. kende (for kenned). 788. All arte.
789. Tn. kam; F. came. 790. All forgate. 791. Th. chees; Tn. chese; F. ches. Tn. fyrste; F. first. All crafte (but it will not rime). 792. All lafte (wrongly); read y-laft. 793. All For-why; read For? All toke. All yonge. 795. F. no thynge. 796. F. Thorgh. Tn. knowlechynge; F. knowlachynge. 799. Tn. firste; F. first. 800. F. goode; Th. good. 801. F. Tn. flyttynge. 802. All ins. That tyme (see l. 797) bef. And. Tn. thoughten; rest thoght. F. Tn. varyinge. 804. F. knewe; stoode. 805. F. came. Perhaps on (or a) should be omitted. 806. All ther that I; om. that. 808. F. euere. F. Tn. ye; Th. eye. 810. Tn. hap; F. happe. 811. F. broght; Tn. broghte. All there. 813. Tn. false; F. fals. 816. Tn. telle; F. tel. 817. F. Amonge these. 818. I supply ther.
819. All lyke (like). I supply al. 821. Tn. bryght; F. bryghte. 822. Th. lyght; F. lyghte. 823. All any other planete in; see note. F. hevene. 824. F. sevene. 826. Th. Tn. Surmounted; F. Surmountede. Tn. B. alle; F. al. 828. All ins. of after and. F. ins. so before wel; which Th. Tn. omit. Th. Tn. set; F. sette. 829. Th. goodlyhede; F. godelyhede. All ins. and before so, probably caught from the line above. B. beseye; rest besey. 830. Th. supplies more; F. Tn. omit. All sey. 831. Th. Tn. his; F. omits. 832. Tn. as; Th. F. al. 833. Th. stedfast; F. stedfaste. 835. F. Tn. had wel herd; om. wel. 838. F. y-kaught; Th. I cought; Tn. I caughte. 839. All toke. 840. All counseyl; I propose reed. All loke. 841. Th. And; F. Tn. But (caught from l. 840). Th. Tn. herte; F. hest (wrongly). All for why; read for? 842. F. hert; Th. Tn. herte. 843. F. ovne; read owne. 844. F. beter; Th. better; Tn. bettyr; read bet. 846. Tn. B. soth; F. Th. sothe.
848. Tn. saw; F. sawgh. F. comelely; Th. comely; Tn. comly. 850. F. Lawghe; pley. 852. Th. goodly; F. goodely. 854. Tn. seyn; F. seyne. 855. All on; read upon. 856. Tn. seyn; F. seyne. (For was probably read nas.) 857. F. yelowe; broune. 858. F. Tn. thoght. Th. F. lyke; Tn. likely. Th. golde; which F. Tn. absurdly omit. 861. F. goode. 862. F. looke. 863. F. ouertwert; Tn. ouyrthwerte; Th. ouertwhart (sic). Th. beset; Tn. biset; F. besette. 864. F. Tn. drewh. F. tooke. All enerydele. 865. Tn. B. Alle; F. Th. Al. 867. F. foolys; B. folys. 869. F. thynge. 870. F. lokynge. 873. Th. close; Tn. clos; F. cloos. 874. F. lokynge. Th. folyche. 876. Tn. thoghte; F. thoght.
877. Th. By; F. Tn. Be. 882. Th. trowe; F. Tn. trow. 883. Th. herte; Tn. hyrte; F. hert. 884. All sate. B. lyte; Tn. lite; F. litel. Th. Tn. herte; F. hert. 885. Tn. knew; F. knowe (sic). F. no thynge. 886. This line is in Th. only; Th. has knewe (twice). 887. Tn. roghte; Th. F. rought. 888. Tn. ner; F. nerre. F. was; Th. Tn. nas. 889. Th. than; Tn. then; F. that. 891. Tn. gode; Th. F. good. All folke. 893. F. wounder. 894. F. placis. 895. All But which; omit But. 898. Th. bothe; F. both. 900. All eke. B. spyritz; F. spiritis. 901. All grete a thynge. 902. Th. wyt; Tn. F. witte. 903. Th. F. comprehende; Tn. comprehend; read comprehenden. 904. Tn. seyn; F. sayn. 905. All insert white after Was, which spoils metre and story (see l. 948). F. fressh.
908. Th. Tn. certes; F. certys. 909. All faire or fayre. 910, 911. B. chief; rest chefe. Th. Tn. patron; F. patrone. 913. F. thynkyth. 914. Tn. B. alle; Th. F. al (it is plural). 916. I supply They; Th. Ne wolde haue; Tn. Ne sholde haue; F. Ne sholde ha. The right reading is They ne sholde have (They ne being read as They n'). 919. Th. goodly; F. goodely. 921. Th. frendly; F. frendely. 922. F. B. Vp; Th. Tn. Vpon; see l. 750. 923. Tn. B. alle; F. al. Tn. gode; F. goode. 924. After swere all insert wel (needlessly). Tn. rode; F. roode. 929. Th. Tn. pope; F. Pape. 930. All ins. yet after never. Th. through; F. throgh. 931. F. gretely. 932. Th. Tn. her; F. hit (sic). I supply ther (cf. l. 930); perhaps omitted, because her also ended in her. All harme. 933. F. flaterynge; word.
937. All dele. 938. All worlde; wele. 939. All fairenesse (fayrenes). 941. Th. Tn. B. sene; F. seen. Th. F. myssatte; Tn. missate. 942. All badly insert pure (dissyllabic) before flat; but smothe has two syllables. Tn. flat; Th. F. flatte. 943. All or; I read and. 944. Th. by; rest be. 946. All rounde. Th. tour; F. Tn. toure. 947. Th. good; E. goode. F. gretenesse; grete. 948. B. het; rest hete. 949. Th. right; F. ryghte. 950. All faire. Th. bright; F. bryghte. 951. All had (but it is emphatic). All wronge. 952. All longe. 953. All had. 954. Th. great; F. Tn. grete. 957. Tn. bak; F. bakke. 958. B. knyw; rest knewe. All noon other; perhaps read no maner. Tn. lak; F. lakke. 959. All insert pure (dissyllabic) after nere; but limmes is dissyllabic. 960. Tn. fer; F. ferre. F. knowynge. 961. Th. playe; F. pley. 962. Tn. liste; F. list. Th. saye; F. sey.
963. All lyke. 965. F. hathe. 969. Tn. cacche; F. cachche. Th. Tn. if; F. yif (and in l. 970). 971. All swere wel; read sweren (omitting the expletive wel). 972. All thousande. 973. F. lest. 974. B. chieff; rest chefe. Th. Tn. myrrour; F. meroure. Th. Tn. feste; F. fest. 975. Th. F. stonde; read stonden. 976. Th. that; which Tn. F. omit. 977. Tn. B. pleyd; F. pleyed. 978. F. thoght. Th. felaushyp; Tn. feliship; F. felysshyppe. 979. Tn. saw; F. sawgh. 981. Th. F. Trewly; Tn. Truly. B. ye; Th. F. eye (note the rime). 982. Th. Tn. soleyn; F. soleyne. 983. Th. lyueth; F. levyth. 984. Tn. knew; rest knowe. 985. Th. goodnesse; F. godenesse. 988. Th. Tn. if; F. yif. 989. Tn. F. seyn; Th. sayne. F. alle. 990. Tn. wit; F. wytte. Th. general; F. generalle. 991. F. hoole. 992. All wytte.
994. All And thereto; but And is needless. F. sawgh. 995. Th. Harmful; F. Harmeful. 996. For ne had perhaps read nad. 997. I transpose; all have What harme was (but harm is monosyllabic, and the line is then bad). 998. Tn. F. coude. Th. thynketh; F. thenketh. 1000. F. had hadde hyt hadde. 1001. All dele. 1002. All wele. 1003. F. al and alle. 1004. Th. principal; F. principalle. 1007. F. stedefaste. 1008. Th. Tn. B. attempre; F. atempry. 1009. Tn. knew; F. knewe. Tn. yit; F. yitte. 1010. Tn. wit; F. wytte. 1011. F. vnderstoode. 1012. F. goode. 1016. All wronge. 1019. Tn. luste; F. lust 1020. All wolde not; an error for nolde (Koch). 1022. All halfe worde.
1025. Th. F. pruyse; Tn. pruse; B. sprewse. 1027. Th. bydde; F. bid. 1028. Th. hoodlesse; F. hoodeles. All in-to; read to. 1029. B. hom; rest home. Tn. Carrynare. 1030. F. Tn. sey; Th. omits. 1032. F. Worshyppe. 1034. F. wherfore. Tn. telle; F. tel. 1035. All seyde (sayde). 1036. F. hooly. All leyde (layde). 1037. All wyfe (wife). 1038. All luste. All lyfe (life). 1039. Tn. F. happe; Th. hope. 1040. F. worldys. I substitute lisse for goddesse; see note. 1041. F. hooly hires and; Th. Tn. holy hers and; B. hooly hyres. 1042. F. oure. 1043. Th. beset; F. besette; Tn. yset. 1044. F. myght haue doo bette. 1045. Th. Tn. Bet; F. Bette. F. wele. 1046. F. hit wel sir; Th. Tn. om. hit wel. 1047. F. sire. 1048. All trewly. 1049. Th. Tn. beste; F. best. 1050. Tn. fayreste; F. fayrest. 1051. All ins. her after loked. 1052. Tn. B. alle; F. al.
1053. All swore; read sworen. 1054. Perhaps read nadde. 1056. F. had hadde (better hadde had). 1057. All Alcipyades. 1060. Th. Tn. Alisaundre; F. Alisaunder. ? omit al or the. 1064. Th. therto; F. Tn. to (see 1059). Th. Tn. al so; F. also as. 1066. Tn. slow; F. slough. 1067. Tn. therfor; F. ther fore. 1069. Tn. slayn; F. slayne. Th. Tn. Antilegius; F. Antylegyus. 1071. I supply hir. 1074. Tn. moste; F. most. 1075. All insert trewly after nay; we must omit it. 1075, 6. F. nowe, howe. 1077. Th. good; F. goode. F. hert. 1078. All eke. 1081. All ins. was after ever. Th. Penelope; F. Penelopee; Tn. penelapie; read Pénelóp'. 1082. All wyfe (wife).
1083: Th. beste; F. best. 1084: Tn. romayn; F. Romayne. 1088: All wherfore. 1089: F. firste. Th. sey; F. say. 1090: All yonge. I supply the. 1091: F. grete nede. 1093: F. grete. 1094: All wytte. Tn. best; F. beste. 1095: All yonge. F. childely wytte. 1097: B. beste; rest best. 1098: F. worshippe. Th. F. insert the before servyse; but Tn. omits. 1099: All coude tho; read tho coude. Tn. by; F. be. 1100: F. Feynynge. 1101: Tn. fayn; F. feyne. 1103: Tn. saw; F. sawgh. 1104: Th. warysshed; F. Tn. warshed. 1106: F. thoght. 1108: Tn. sit; Th. syt; F. sytte. Th. Tn. in; F. om. 1110: Th. out; Tn. F. oute. 1111: All trewly.
1114. All shrifte (shryfte). 1117. Tn. certes; F. certis. 1118. Tn. Achitofell; F. Achetofel. 1120. Tn. traytour; F. traytore. Tn. F. B. betraysed; Th. betrayed. 1121. Th. false; F. fals. All Genellon. 1123. Tn. rowland; F. Rowlande. 1124. All while (whyle). 1126. F. good; Tn. gode. I supply right. 1127. All tolde. B. her-; F. here-. 1128. All nede. F. Th. Tn. insert to after need; B. omits it. Tn. hit; Th. it; F. om. 1129. Tn. sawe; F. sawgh. Th. first; F. firste. 1130. Tn. telle; F. tel. 1131. Tn. her; F. hire. B. firste; rest first. 1133. All knewe (subjunctive). 1135. All eke. 1136. Tn. her-; F. here-. 1137. Tn. seyde he; F. he seyde. F. menyst. 1138. F. wenyst. 1139. Tn. los; F. losse. I supply sir. 1141. F. doon; Tn. Th. done (read y-doon). 1142. F. bathe lefte.
1143. Th. tel; F. telle. Th. al; F. alle. 1144. Th. shal; F. shalle. 1145. All say. Tn. seyd; F. seyde. 1146. Tn. leyd; F. leyde. 1147. All needlessly insert not (or nat) after hit. 1150. F. tel. 1153. Tn. herte; F. hert. 1154. Th. asterte; F. astert. 1155. Omit But for? F. ins. so before fro; Tn. Th. omit. 1158. All songe. 1159. F. Th. Tn. ins. this (B. thus) before a. F. grete dele. 1160. All wele. 1161. Th. Tn. ne; B. to; F. the (!). F. knowe (infin.); Tn. know; Th. knewe (wrongly). All the arte; perhaps read that art. 1162. Th. Lamekes; F. lamekys. Th. Tubal; F. Tuballe; Tn. B. Tuballe. 1163. B. fonde; rest founde. Th. first; F. firste. All songe. 1164. Tn. brothers; F. brothres. 1165. Th. anuelt; Tn. anuelte; F. Anuelet. Tn. doun; F. doon. 1166. F. tooke. B. fyrste; rest first. Tn. soune; F. soon. 1167. Th. of Pithagoras. 1168. Tn. fyrste; F. first. 1169. All arte.
1171. F. Algatis. 1172. F. felynge; hert 1173. Th. this; F. Tn. thus. I supply the. Tn. firste; F. first. 1174. Th. werst; Tn. F. repeat first. I supply that. 1175. All Lorde. Tn. herte; F. hert. 1178. All myght (might). 1180. All faire (fayre). 1181. All tolde. Tn. soth; F. sothe. All say. 1182. Tn. firste; F. first. All songe; all day. 1183. Tn. bethoghte; F. bethoght. 1185. F. wyst. 1186. Tn. telle; F. tel. All durst. 1187. Tn. thoghte; F. thoght. F. rede. 1188. All am; grammar requires nam. F. dede. 1189. Tn. if; F. yif. All sey (say), after which ryght is needlessly inserted; I omit it. Tn. soth; F. sothe. 1190. Tn. wroth; F. wrothe. 1192. All debate. 1193. Tn. thoghte; F. thoght. F. brast; Th. Tn. braste (subj.). Tn. a tweyn; F. a tweyne. 1194. All at the; read atte. Tn. seyn; F. sayne. 1195. All bethoght (bethought) me. 1197. All trewly or truly. 1198. F. wyth oute; read withouten.
1201. F. nedys; Mawgree. Th. heed; F. hede. 1202. Tn. moste; F. most. All tolde. Th. deed; F. dede. 1203. Th. began; F. beganne (!). 1204. All reherse or reherce; but read rehersen. 1205, 6. All eke. Th. -al, dismal; F. Tn. -alle, dismalle. 1208. All worde. 1210. F. wordys. Tn. mysset; F. mys sette. 1212. F. quakynge. 1213. F. styntynge. 1215. Tn. wex; F. wexe. Th. reed; F. rede. 1216. F. Bowynge. Th. heed; F. hede. 1218. Tn. wit; F. witte. All maner. 1220. All sate (!). 1221. All at the; read atte. Tn. soth; F. sothe. Tn. seyn; F. seyne. 1222. Tn. herte; F. hert. Tn. agayn; F. ageyne. 1223. Th. shortly; F. shortely. Th. al; Tn. B. alle; F. at (!). 1226. All swore (!). 1228. F. fresshly.
1230. F. worshippe. 1231. All swore or swere(!). 1232. Th. al; F. alle. 1234. All ins. to before false. 1235. Tn. wisse; F. wysse; B. wys. 1237. All wote (!). 1238. Tn. thoghte; F. thoght. 1239. All ins. ryght before as. 1242. F. wordys. 1244. Th. Al; F. Alle. 1248. Th. Troye; F. Troy. 1250. Tn. durste; F. durst. 1251. F. stale. 1253. All trewly. All nede. 1254. All hede. 1256. All fonde or founde.
1261. F. vnderstode. 1262. Th. thyng; F. Tn. B. no thynge; but no is not required by idiom or metre. All goode, gode. 1263. F. worshippe. 1264. All al (or alle) thynges; but al thing is the right idiom. Th. drede; Tn. to drede; F. dred. 1266. For And read That (Lange). 1267. All harme. 1268. Tn. knew; F. knewe. 1269. F. hooly. 1270. F. yifte. 1271. F. Savynge hir worshippe. 1273. All rynge (!). 1274. Tn. firste; F. first. Th. thyng; F. thynge. 1275. Tn. if; F. yif. Tn. herte; F. hert. 1276. Tn. Glad; F. Gladde. All nede. 1279. Tn. alle; F. al. 1281. All trewly (treuly). 1282. Th. Tn. B. the; which F. omits. 1284. Th. debonairly; F. debonairely. 1285. Tn. B. alle (first time); the rest al. B. alle (second time); rest al. 1286. F. tooke. 1289. F. Oure. Th. F. werne; Tn. weren. Th. euen; F. evene. 1290. Th. Tn. contrayre; F. contrarye.
1293. All eke. 1294. All glad. 1300. Tn. B. wex; F. waxe; Th. woxe. Th. deed; F. dede. 1302. Tn. los; F. losse. 1303. F. hadde; rest had. All lorne (!). 1304. F. Bethenke. F. herebeforne. 1305. F. menyst. 1306. F. wenyst. 1307. F. wote. 1309. Th. deed; F. ded. Tn. bi; F. be. 1310. F. youre. Tn. los; F. losse. Th. by; F. be. 1312. Read rather They gonne forth straken (or striken). 1313. Th. hart; F. Tn. herte (!). 1314. F. thoght; kynge. 1315. I supply quikly; the line is too short. 1316. All insert was after place. 1318. All longe. F. wallys. 1319. Th. Tn. By; F. Be. Th. hyl; F. Tn. hille. 1320. Th. fyl; F. Tn. fille (!).
1322. F. castell. All ins. ther before was. 1323. Th. smytte; F. Tn. smyte; read smiten (pp.). Th. houres; F. oures. 1324. F. awooke. 1325. All fonde or founde. F. lyinge. Tn. bed; F. bedde. 1326. F. booke. Tn. had red; F. hadde redde. 1327. Th. Alcyone; F. Alchione. F. kynge. 1328. F. goddys of slepynge. 1329. Tn. euyn; F. evene. 1330. Tn. Thoghte; F. Thoght. Tn. sweuyn; F. sweuene. 1331. Th. by; F. be. 1332. All put. Tn. sweuyn; F. sweuene. 1334. Tn. sweuyn; F. sweuene. Colophon; so in F. B.
IV. THE COMPLEYNT OF MARS.
The Proem.
Gladeth, ye foules, of the morow gray,
Lo! Venus risen among yon rowes rede!
And floures fresshe, honoureth ye this day;
For when the sonne uprist, then wol ye sprede.
But ye lovers, that lye in any drede,
Fleëth, lest wikked tonges yow espye;
Lo! yond the sonne, the candel of Ielosye!
With teres blewe, and with a wounded herte
Taketh your leve; and, with seynt Iohn to borow,
Apeseth somwhat of your sorowes smerte,
Tyme cometh eft, that cese shal your sorow;
The glade night is worth an hevy morow!'—
(Seynte Valentyne! a foul thus herde I singe
Upon thy day, er sonne gan up-springe).—
Yet sang this foul—'I rede yow al a-wake,
And ye, that han not chosen in humble wyse,
Without repenting cheseth yow your make.
And ye, that han ful chosen as I devyse,
Yet at the leste renoveleth your servyse;
Confermeth it perpetuely to dure,
And paciently taketh your aventure.
And for the worship of this hye feste,
Yet wol I, in my briddes wyse, singe
The sentence of the compleynt, at the leste,
That woful Mars made atte departinge
Fro fresshe Venus in a morweninge,
Whan Phebus, with his fyry torches rede,
Ransaked every lover in his drede.
The Story.
¶ Whylom the thridde hevenes lord above,
As wel by hevenish revolucioun
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.
For she forbad him Ielosye at alle,
And cruelte, and bost, and tirannye;
She made him at hir lust so humble and talle,
That when hir deyned caste on him her yë,
He took in pacience to live or dye;
And thus she brydeleth him in hir manere,
With no-thing but with scourging of hir chere.
Who regneth now in blisse but Venus,
That hath this worthy knight in governaunce?
Who singeth now but Mars, that serveth thus
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
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,
And he preyde hir to haste hir for his sake.
Then seyde he thus—"myn hertes lady swete,
Ye knowe wel my mischef in that place;
For sikerly, til that I with yow mete,
My lyf stant ther in aventure and grace;
But when I see the beaute of your face,
Ther is no dreed of deth may do me smerte,
For al your lust is ese to myn herte."
She hath so gret compassion of hir knight,
That dwelleth in solitude til she come;
For hit stood so, that ilke tyme, no wight
Counseyled him, ne seyde to him welcome,
That nigh hir wit for wo was overcome;
Wherfore she spedde hir as faste in hir weye,
Almost in oon day, as he dide in tweye.
The grete Ioye that was betwix hem two,
Whan they be met, ther may no tunge telle,
Ther is no more, but unto bed they go,
And thus in Ioye and blisse I let hem dwelle;
This worthy Mars, that is of knighthod welle,
The flour of fairnes lappeth in his armes,
And Venus kisseth Mars, the god of armes.
Soiourned hath this Mars, of which I rede,
In chambre amid the paleys prively
A certeyn tyme, til him fel a drede,
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,
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!
The torch is come, that al this world wol wrye."
Up sterte Mars, him liste not to slepe,
Whan he his lady herde so compleyne;
But, for his nature was not for to wepe,
In stede of teres, fro his eyen tweyne
The fyry sparkes brosten out for peyne;
And hente his hauberk, that lay him besyde;
Flee wolde he not, ne mighte him-selven hyde.
He throweth on his helm of huge wighte,
And girt him with his swerde; and in his honde
His mighty spere, as he was wont to fighte,
He shaketh so that almost it to-wonde;
Ful hevy he was to walken over londe;
He may not holde with Venus companye,
But bad hir fleen, lest Phebus hir espye.
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,
Is passed halfe the stremes of thyn yën;
That thou nere swift, wel mayst thou wepe and cryen.
Now fleeth Venus un-to Cylenius tour,
With voide cours, for fere of Phebus light.
Alas! and ther ne hath she no socour,
For she ne fond ne saw no maner wight;
And eek as ther she had but litil might;
Wher-for, hir-selven for to hyde and save,
Within the gate she fledde into a cave.
Derk was this cave, and smoking as the helle,
Not but two pas within the gate hit stood;
A naturel day in derk I lete hir dwelle.
Now wol I speke of Mars, furious and wood;
For sorow he wolde have seen his herte blood;
Sith that he mighte hir don no companye,
He ne roghte not a myte for to dye.
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,
He foloweth hir that is his lyves cure;
For whos departing he took gretter yre
Thanne for al his brenning in the fyre.
After he walketh softely a pas,
Compleyning, that hit pite was to here.
He seyde, "O lady bright, Venus! alas!
That ever so wyde a compas is my spere!
Alas! whan shal I mete yow, herte dere,
This twelfte day of April I endure,
Through Ielous Phebus, this misaventure."
Now god helpe sely Venus allone!
But, as god wolde, hit happed for to be,
That, whyl that Venus weping made hir mone,
Cylenius, ryding in his chevauchè,
Fro Venus valance mighte his paleys see,
And Venus he salueth, and maketh chere,
And hir receyveth as his frend ful dere.
Mars dwelleth forth in his adversite,
Compleyning ever on hir departinge;
And what his compleynt was, remembreth me;
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!
The Proem of the Compleynt.
¶ The ordre of compleynt requireth skilfully,
That if a wight shal pleyne pitously,
There mot be cause wherfor that men pleyne;
Or men may deme he pleyneth folily
And causeles; alas! that am not I!
Wherfor the ground and cause of al my peyne,
So as my troubled wit may hit ateyne,
I wol reherse; not for to have redresse,
But to declare my ground of hevinesse.
Devotion.
¶ The firste tyme, alas! that I was wroght,
And for certeyn effectes hider broght
By him that lordeth ech intelligence,
I yaf my trewe servise and my thoght,
For evermore—how dere I have hit boght!—
To hir, that is of so gret excellence,
That what wight that first sheweth his presence,
When she is wroth and taketh of him no cure,
He may not longe in Ioye of love endure.
This is no feyned mater that I telle;
My lady is the verrey sours and welle
Of beaute, lust, fredom, and gentilnesse,
Of riche aray—how dere men hit selle!—
Of al disport in which men frendly dwelle,
Of love and pley, and of benigne humblesse,
Of soune of instruments of al swetnesse;
And therto so wel fortuned and thewed,
That through the world hir goodnesse is y-shewed.
What wonder is then, thogh that I besette
My servise on suche oon, that may me knette
To wele or wo, sith hit lyth in hir might?
Therfor my herte for ever I to hir hette;
Ne trewly, for my dethe, I shal not lette
To ben hir trewest servaunt and hir knight.
I flater noght, that may wite every wight;
For this day in hir servise shal I dye;
But grace be, I see hir never with yë.
A Lady in fear and woe.
¶ To whom shal I than pleyne of my distresse?
Who may me helpe, who may my harm redresse?
Shal I compleyne unto my lady free?
Nay, certes! for she hath such hevinesse,
For fere and eek for wo, that, as I gesse,
In litil tyme hit wol hir bane be.
But were she sauf, hit wer no fors of me.
Alas! that ever lovers mote endure,
For love, so many a perilous aventure!
For thogh so be that lovers be as trewe
As any metal that is forged newe,
In many a cas hem tydeth ofte sorowe.
Somtyme hir ladies will not on hem rewe,
Somtyme, yif that Ielosye hit knewe,
They mighten lightly leye hir heed to borowe;
Somtyme envyous folke with tunges horowe
Depraven hem; alas! whom may they plese?
But he be fals, no lover hath his ese.
But what availeth suche a long sermoun
Of aventures of love, up and doun?
I wol returne and speken of my peyne;
The point is this of my destruccioun,
My righte lady, my salvacioun,
Is in affray, and not to whom to pleyne.
O herte swete, O lady sovereyne!
For your disese, wel oghte I swoune and swelte,
Thogh I non other harm ne drede felte.
Instability of Happiness.
¶ To what fyn made the god that sit so hye,
Benethen him, love other companye,
And streyneth folk to love, malgre hir hede?
And then hir Ioye, for oght I can espye,
Ne lasteth not the twinkeling of an yë,
And somme han never Ioye til they be dede.
What meneth this? what is this mistihede?
Wherto constreyneth he his folk so faste
Thing to desyre, but hit shulde laste?
And thogh he made a lover love a thing,
And maketh hit seme stedfast and during,
Yet putteth he in hit such misaventure,
That reste nis ther noon in his yeving.
And that is wonder, that so Iust a king
Doth such hardnesse to his creature.
Thus, whether love breke or elles dure,
Algates he that hath with love to done
Hath ofter wo then changed is the mone.
Hit semeth he hath to lovers enmite,
And lyk a fissher, as men alday may see,
Baiteth his angle-hook with som plesaunce,
Til mony a fish is wood til that he be
Sesed ther-with; and then at erst hath he
Al his desyr, and ther-with al mischaunce;
And thogh the lyne breke, he hath penaunce;
For with the hoke he wounded is so sore,
That he his wages hath for ever-more.
The Brooch of Thebes.
¶ The broche of Thebes was of suche a kinde,
So ful of rubies and of stones Inde,
That every wight, that sette on hit an yë,
He wende anon to worthe out of his minde;
So sore the beaute wolde his herte binde,
Til he hit hadde, him thoghte he moste dye;
And whan that hit was his, than shulde he drye
Such wo for drede, ay whyl that he hit hadde,
That welnigh for the fere he shulde madde.
And whan hit was fro his possessioun,
Than had he double wo and passioun
For he so fair a tresor had forgo;
But yet this broche, as in conclusioun,
Was not the cause of this confusioun;
But he that wroghte hit enfortuned hit so,
That every wight that had hit shuld have wo;
And therfor in the worcher was the vyce,
And in the covetour that was so nyce.
So fareth hit by lovers and by me;
For thogh my lady have so gret beaute,
That I was mad til I had gete hir grace,
She was not cause of myn adversite,
But he that wroghte hir, also mot I thee,
That putte suche a beaute in hir face,
That made me to covete and purchace
Myn owne deth; him wyte I that I dye,
And myn unwit, that ever I clomb so hye.
An Appeal for Sympathy.
¶ But to yow, hardy knightes of renoun,
Sin that ye be of my divisioun,
Al be I not worthy to so grete a name,
Yet, seyn these clerkes, I am your patroun;
Ther-for ye oghte have som compassioun
Of my disese, and take it noght a-game.
The proudest of yow may be mad ful tame;
Wherfor I prey yow, of your gentilesse,
That ye compleyne for myn hevinesse.
And ye, my ladies, that ben trewe and stable,
By way of kinde, ye oghten to be able
To have pite of folk that be in peyne:
Now have ye cause to clothe yow in sable;
Sith that your emperice, the honorable,
Is desolat, wel oghte ye to pleyne;
Now shuld your holy teres falle and reyne.
Alas! your honour and your emperice,
Nigh deed for drede, ne can hir not chevise.
Compleyneth eek, ye lovers, al in-fere,
For hir that, with unfeyned humble chere,
Was ever redy to do yow socour;
Compleyneth hir that ever hath had yow dere;
Compleyneth beaute, fredom, and manere;
Compleyneth hir that endeth your labour;
Compleyneth thilke ensample of al honour,
That never dide but al gentilesse;
Kytheth therfor on hir som kindenesse.'
1. Ar. foules; Ju. fowles; T. fooles (!); Harl. floures (see l. 3); F. Tn. lovers (wrongly). F. Harl. on; Tn. in; rest of. 2. Ar. the; F. Harl. yow; Tn. Ju. you; T. your (wrongly; Thynne (1532) has yon, which, after all, is clearly right). 3. T. Ar. honoureth: F. Tn. honouren. F. the (!); rest ye. F. Tn. T. day; Ju. Harl. Ar. may (!) 4. F. Harl. sunne; rest sonne. Ar. vp risith. Ju. T. Ar. ye; F. they (!); Tn. the (!); Harl. he (!!). 5. Ar. any; F. eny. 7. F. Loo yonde; sunne; Ialosye. 8. F. blew; hert. 9. F. sent; Ar. seynt. 10. F. sum-; smert. 11. Ar. eft; Th. efte; T. efft; F. ofte. 12. Tn. Th. glade; F. glad. 13. F. foule; herd. 14. F. your; Ar. the; rest thy. F. sunne.
15. F. sange; foule. 17-19. in wrong order in F. Tn. 17. T. you; Ar. ȝow; Ju. ye; rest om. 19. F. this fest; rest the leste (lest, leest). 22. F. highe; Tn. high; rest hye. F. fest. 24. F. lest. 25. F. departyng; see l. 149. 26. F. morwnyng (see Kn. Tale, 204). 28. F. ins. hath bef. every; Tn. hat; Ju. had; rest om. 29. T. thridde; F. thrid. 35. Ju. Ar. nere; F. T. ner. F. bolde; dispise. 38. F. (only) om. him. F. calle (for talle); Harl. talle; Ju. Ar. tall; T. tal. 39. F. to cast; Ju. T. rightly omit to. 40. F. toke. 41. F. maner. 42. Ju. scourgyng; T. skowrginge; Ar. scurgeing; Tn. schouryng (sic); F. stering; Th. scornyng, and ed. 1561 scorning (probably a substitution). F. cher.
46. F. fair. 48. T. Ar. loven; rest loue. 49. Tn. trespas; F. trespace. T. Ar. disseuer; F. deseuer. 51. T. Ju. Tn. By; F. Be. 53. F. fast. 54. Tn. nexte; F. next. 55. Ar. oure-take. 56. T. preyde; F. preiede. F. faste (!); Harl. hasten; rest haste. 57. F. hertis; suete. 58. F. myschefe. 59. F. sikirly. 60. F. lyfe. 62. F. smert. 63. F. alle; hert. 64. F. grete. F. on; rest of. 66. F. stode. 67. Jn. Harl. T. Ar. ins. there after 1st him. 68. F. nyghe; witte. F. sorowe; Tn. sorow; rest wo, woo. 69. T. spedde; F. sped. T. Ar. als; rest as. F. fast; wey. 70. F. dyd; twey.
71. Ar. betuix; F. betwex; rest bytwene. 72. F. When; mette; tel. 74. F. duel. 75. F. knyghthode wel. 76. F. feyrenesse. 81. F. Throgh. 82. F. (alone) inserts ful before sturdely. 83. F. bryght. 84. Ju. Th. knockeden; Harl. knokkide; Tn. knokked; F. knokken (wrongly; a copy in MS. Pepys 2006 rightly has knokkeden). 87. F. shone. 88. Tn. T. brenne; F. bren. 89. F. cely (for sely); Tn. Ju. sely. MSS. nygh dreynt; omit nygh. 92. Tn. sterte; F. stert. Tn. liste; F. lust. 95. Tn. stede; F. stid. F. twyne. 97. F. hent; hauberke; ley. 98. F. wold; myght.
99. Tn. Ju. T. throweth; F. thrwe (badly). F. helme; wyght. 101. F. fyght. 102. Ar. to-wound; Harl. to-wond; rest to-wonde. 103. Ar. he was; rest was he. 108. F. (alone) inserts thou after Art. 110. F. hert. 112. Tn. Ju. Th. nere; F. ner. 113. F. Tn. in to; Harl. to rest vn to. Ju. Cylenius; Harl. Cylenyus; Ar. Cilenius; T. Celenius; Tn. cilinius; F. cilinios. F. toure. 115. Harl. T. ne; Ar. so; rest om. 116. F. founde; saugh. 117. F. eke. 119. Harl. T. fledde; Tn. Ju. Ar. fled; F. fel. 120. F. Derke; hel. 121. F. pales; rest pas (pace). F. stode. 122. F. let; duel. 123. So all. F. wode. 124. F. wold; sene; hert blode. 125. F. myght. Harl. done hir; Ju. doo her; T. Ar. do hir; F. Tn. haue done her; read hir don. 126. Tn. roghte; Ju. Harl. Ar. rought; F. thoght (!).
128. F. myght. 129. Harl. o; T. oon; Ju. one; rest a. Tn. Ju. Harl. steyre; T. stayre; F. sterre (!). 130. F. lesse. 132. F. toke. 133. Harl. T. Thanne; F. Then. 134. F. paas. 135. F. heree. 137. F. speree. 138. F. hert. 139. T. twelfft (but read twelfte); Ju. twelfth; Harl. Ar. twelf (wrongly); F. Tn. xij. F. dayes; Tn. days; rest day (rightly). 140. F. Throgh Ielouse. 141. Read helpe god (Koch). 143. F. while. 144. Ju. Cylenius; F. Cilinius. Tn. Lt. cheuauche; F. cheuache. 145. F. Ju. Fro; Ar. From; Tn. Harl. T. For. Ar. valance; Tn. valauns; F. Valaunses; Th. (ed. 1532) Valanus (for Valauns?); Ju. balance; Harl. T. balaunce. 147. F. frende. 151. F. morwnynge. 154. Ju. Th. yeue; F. yif. F. Ioy.
Title. In F. Ar. Ju.; T. Complaint of mars. 156. F. pleyn. 157. F. wherfore; pleyn. 158. F. Other; rest Or. Ju. Ar. folily; F. folely. 160. F. grounde; peyn. 161. F. witte; ateyn. 163. F. grounde. 164. F. first. 166. Tn. By; F. Be. 167. F. trwe; Tn. trewe. 169. F. That (by mistake); rest To. F. excelence. 171. F. wrothe. 175. F. fredam. 179. F. Instrumentes. 181. F. thorow; worlde.
182. All but Tn. Th. om. that. T. besette; F. beset. 183. T. oone; Tn. Ar. one; F. on (twice). F. knet; Ar. knett; rest knette. 184. F. lythe. 185. F. Therfore. F. hert. Ju. Th. hette; Ar. het; F. T. hight; Tn. set; (Longleat MS. has hette). 186. F. truly. Tn. Ju. T. shal I. F. let. 187. F. truest; Tn. Ar. trewest. 188. Tn. wite; F. wete; T. wit; Ju. knowe. 191. T. thane (for than); rest omit. 192. F. harme. 193. F. compleyn. 195. F. eke. 197. Ju. Ar. sauf; T. sauff; F. Tn. safe. 200. Tn. thogh; F. tho. 201. Tn. any; F. eny. 202. Tn. many; F. mony. T. Ar. cas; F. case. 203. F. Somme; rest Somtyme. Ju. T. Ar. lady. 204. Ar. gif; rest if, yf; read yif. 205. F. ley; hede. 207. Ju. T. Th. Deprauen; Ar. Depeynen; F. Tn. Departen.
209. F. longe. 210. Read lov-e (e unelided). F. dovne. 213. Tn. righte; F. right. F. sauacyoun; rest saluacioun. 214. F. pleyn. 215. F. hert suete. F. Tn. o; Ar. and; T. and my; Ju. om. 216. F. I oght wel; Tn. I oghte wel; Ju. T. Ar. wel ought I. Ju. swowne; Ar. suoun; T. swoone; Tn. swone; F. sowne. F. swelt. 217. F. none; harme; felt. 218. Ju. fyn; rest fyne. F. sitte; T. sit. 219. T. Tn. Ju. him; Ar. thame; F. om. F. other (= or); Tn. othyr (= or); Ju. T. or. 220. F. folke. 221. F. Ioy. 222. Tn. ye; rest eye. 223. F. Ioy. 225. F. folke; fast. 226. F. shuld last. 228. F. stidfast. 229. Ju. put; Ar. puttis. 230. Tn. T. reste; F. rest. T. noon; Ar. non; Ju. none; F. om. 231. F. Iuste.
236. Tn. enmyte; F. enemyte. 237. F. lyke. 238. Tn. Ju. Bayteth; F. Bateth. Ju. hook; F. hoke. Tn. som; F. summe. 239. F. fissch; wode. F. to; rest til. 241. F. desire. 244. F. hathe. 245. F. such. 246. F. Tn. Ar. stones of; Jn. T. om. of; see Rom. Rose, 67. 247. T. Th. sette; Ar. sett; rest set. 248. Tn. wende; F. wend. 249. F. wold; hert. 250. T. hade; rest had. F. thoght. Tn. moste; F. must. 251. F. Ju. om. that. F. (only) om. his. F. shuld. 252. Ju. T. hadde; F. had. 253. Ju. sholde madde; F. shuld mad. 256. F. feir; tresore (Tn. Iuel). 259. F. wroght. Tn. Th. enfortuned; T. enfortund; F. enfortune (!). 261. F. therfore.
267. F. wroght. Ju. Ar. also; T. als; F. Tn. as. 268. F. Tn. Ju. Ar. put (for putte); T. list to putte. Tn. Ju. a; F. T. Ar. om. 269. T. Ar. to; rest om. F. coueten; Tn. Ju. coueyten; (but to covete is better). 270. F. ovne; Th. owne; Ju. T. Ar. owen. F. dethe. 271. F. ovne witte; Tn. and rest vnwit. F. clombe. 273. F. deuisioun. 274. Perhaps omit to (as T.). 276. F. Therefore; oght; somme. 278. Tn. proudest; F. pruddest. Ar. maid; rest made (for mad, pp.). 279. F. Wherfore. 280. F. Tn. compleyn; Ju. Ar. compleyne; T. compleynen. 281. Ar. trewe; F. true. 282. Ar. By; F. Be. 283. F. folke; peyn. 285. Tn. emperice; F. emperise (and in l. 288). 286. Tn. oghte; F. oght; Ar. aughten. 289. F. Negh ded.
290. F. eke. 293. Tn. Compleyneth; F. Complen (by mistake); see next line. 297. Tn. dide; Ju. dyde; rest did. T. al; Ju. all; Ar. alway; F. Tn. om. 298. Ar. sum; F. summe.
V. THE PARLEMENT OF FOULES.