The book of Fame made by Gefferey Chaucer

GOd torne vs euery dreme to good
For it is wonder thyng by the wod
To my wyt / what cousyth sweuenys
On the morowe / or on euenys
And why theffect foloweth of som̄e
And of som̄e it shal neuer come
Why that it is a visyon
And why thys / a reuelacion
Why thys a dreme / why that a sweuen
And not to euery man / syche euen
Why thys a fanton / why they oracles
I note / but who so of thyse myracles
The causes knowe bet than I
Deuyne he / for I certaynly
Ne can hem not ne neuer thynke
To besy my wyt / for to swynke
To knowe of her signyfycacions
T [...]e gendres ne dystynctions
Of the tymes of hem ne the causis
Or why thys is more than that is
Or yef folkes complexions
Make hem dreme of reflexions
Or ellis thus as other seyne
For the grete feblenes of her brayn
By abstynence / or by sekenes
Pryson / stryf / or grete dystres
Or ellys by dysordynance
Or naturel accustomance
That som̄e men be to curyous
In studye / or melancolyous
Or thus / so inly ful of drede
That noman may hym bote rede
Or ellis that deuocion
Of som̄e / and contemplacion
Causen suche dremes ofte
Or that the cruel lyf vnsofte
[Page]Of them that loues leden
Oft hopen moche or dreden
That purely her impressions
Causen hem to haue visions
Or yf spyrites [...]an the myght
To make folk to dreme on nyght
Or yf the soule of propre kynde
Be so perfyght as men fynde
That it wote / what is to come
And that he warneth alle and som̄e
Of eueryche of her auentures
By auysyons or by fygures
But that our flessh hath no myght
To vnderstande it a ryght
For it is warned to derkly
But why the cause is / not wote I
Wel worth of thys thyng clerkis
That treten of that and of other werkis
For I of none oppynyon
No [...] as nowe / make mencion
B [...]t on [...]y that the holy rode
Torne vs euery dreme to good
For neeur syth I was born
Ne noman els me byforn
Mette I trowe stedfastly
So wonderful a dreme / as dide I
THe tenthe day of decembre
The whyche as I can remembre
I wyl make inuocacio [...]
Wyth a deuoute specyal deuocion
Vnto the god of slepe anone
That dwellyth in a caue of stone
Vpon a streme that cometh fro le [...]e
That is a flode ful vnswetr
Besyde a folke that men clepe cym [...]rye
Ther slepeth ay thys god vnmerye
Wyth hys slepy thousand sones
That allewey to slepe / her woon i [...]
[Page] And to thys god / that I of rede
Praye that he wyl me spede
My sweuene for to telle a ryght
Ye [...] ony dreme stonde in hys myght
And he that mouer is of al
That is and was / and euer shal
So yeue hem Ioye that it here
Or alle that they dreme to yere
And for to stande alle in grace
Of her loues / or in what place
That hem were leuest for to stonde
And shelde hem / from pouerte & shonde
And from euery vnhapp and dysese
And sende hem that may hem plese
That taketh wel / and scorneth nought
Ne it mysdeme in her thought
Thurgh malicious intencion
And he thurgh hys presumpcion
Or hate / [...] sc [...]ne / or thurgh enuye
Despyte. or Iape / or felonye
Mysdeme it / pray I Ihesus good
Dreme he barefoot or dreme be shood
That euery harme / that ony man
Hath had syth the world began
Befalle hym therof / or he sterue
And graunte / that he may it deserue
Lo wyth suche a conclusion
As had of hys vysion
Cresus / that was kyng of lyde
That he vpon a gy [...]et dyde
Thys prayer shal he haue of me
I am no bette in charyte
NOw herkene as I haue you seyd
What that I mette / or I abreyd
Of decembre the tenthe daye
Whan it was nyght to slepe I laye
Ryght as I was wont to done
And fyl a slepe / wonder sone
[Page]As he that was wery for go
On pylgremage myle [...] two
To the corps of seynt leonard
To maken lythe that erst was hard
But as I slepte / me mette I was
Wy [...]hin a temple y made of glas
In whyche / there were mo ymages
Of gold / standyng in dyuers stages
And mo ryche tabernacles
And wyth perte / mo pynnacles
And mo ryche portretures
And queynt maner of fygures
Of gold werke / than I sawe euer
For certeynly I nyst neuer
Where that I was / but wel wyse I
It was of venus redyly
The temple for in portreture
I sawe anone her fygure
Naked fletyng in a see
And also on her hede parde
Rose garlondes smellyng as a mede
And also fleyng aboute her hede
He [...] douues / and dan Cupydo
Her blynd sone / And vlcano
That in hys face was ful brown
But I romed vp and down
I fonde that on a wal there was
Thus wryten on a table of bras
I wyl now synge yf that I can
The armes and also the man
That fyrst cam thurgh hys destyne
Fugytyf fro Troye / the contre
In to Itaylle wyth moche pyne
Vnto the strondes of lauyne
And tho began the storye anon
As I shal telle you eche on
Fyrst sawe I the destruction
Of Troye thurgh the greke Synon
[Page]Wyth hys fals vntrewe forsweryng
And wyth hys chere and hys lesyng
Made the hors / brought in to Troye
By whyche Troians loste theyr Ioye
And after thys was graued alas
How ylion assayled was
And wonne / and kyng Priamus slayn
And plyto hys sone certayn
Dyspytously of dan Pirrus
And next that / saw I how Venus
Whan that she sawe the castel brende
Down from heuen she gan descende
And bad her sone / En [...]as flee
And how he fled / and how that he
Escaped was / from alle the prees
And toke hys fader olde Anchyses
And dare hym on hys back awey
Cryeng alas / and we [...]eawey
The whyche Anchises in hys hand
Bare tho the goddes of the land
Thylke / that vnbrennyd were
Thenne sawh I next in al thys fere
How Creusa daun Eneas wyf
Whom that he loued as hys lyf
And her yong sone Iulo
And eke askanius also
Fledden eke wyth drery chere
That it was pyte for to h [...]re
And in a forest as they wente
At a tornyng of a wente
How Creusa was y lost / alas
That [...]ede note I how it was
How he her sought / and how her ghoos [...]
Bad hym [...]le the grekes hoost
And seyde he most in to Itaylle
As was hys destyne / sauns fayll [...]
That it was pyt [...] for to here
Whan her spyryte gan appere
[Page] [...] worde [...] / that to hym she [...]eyd [...]
And for to k [...]pe her sone she preyd [...]
There sawe I grauen eke / how he
Hys fader eke and hys meyne
Wyth hys shyppis gan to saylle
Tolbard the contre of I wylle
As streyght as that they myght go
There sawe I eke / the cruel Iuno
That art dan Iubit [...]rs wyf
That hast hated alle thy lyf
Alle the Twian blood
Renne and crye as thou were wood
On Eolus the god of wyndes
To blowen out of alle kyndes
So lowde that he shold drenche
Lord. lady. grome. and w [...]nche
Of alle the troians nacion
Wythout ony of her sauacion
Ther sawe I suche tempest arys [...]
That euery hert myght agryse
To see hyt p [...]ynted on the wa [...]
Ther sawe I eke g [...]uen wyth al
Venus / how ye my lady d [...]e
Wepyng wyth ful woful chere
Prayng Iubiter on hye
To saue and kepe that nauy [...]
Of that Trogean Eneas
Syth that he her sone was
Ther sawe I Ioues and venus kysse
And graunted was of the tempest lysse
Ther sawe I how the tempest stent [...]
And how wyth peyne he went [...]
And pryuely toke a ryuage
In the contre of Cartage
And on the morow / hou that he
And a knyght that hyght Ach [...]te
Metten wyth venus that daye
[...]yng in a queynt a [...]aye
[Page]As she had be an huntrresse
Wyth wynde blowyng her tresse
And how Eneas began to pleyne
Whan he knewe her / of hys peyne
And how hys shippes dreynt were
Or ellis y lost he nyst where
How she gan hym conforte th [...]
And bad hym to Cartage go
And there he shold hys folke fynde
That in the see were left behynde
And shortly of thys thyng to pass [...]
She made Eneas so in grace
Of Dido quene of that contre
That shortly for to tellen / she
Becam hys loue / and lete hym d [...]
Alle that wedd [...]g longeth to
What shold I speke more queynt
Or peyne / my wordes to peynte
To speke of loue / it wyl not be
I can not of that fa [...]lte
And eke to tellen of the manere
How they fyrst acqueynted were
It were a long processe to t [...]ke
And ouer longe for yow to dwell [...]
Ther sawe I graue / how Eneas
Told to Dido euery [...]as
That hym was tyd vpon the see
And efte grauen was how that sh [...]
Made of hym shortly at a worde
Her lyf / her loue / her lust / her lord
And dyde to hym alle reuerence
And leyd on hym alle dyspen [...]
That ony womman myght do
Wenyng alle hyt had be soo
As he her swore and h [...]rtly demed
That he was good / for he suche semed
Alas what harme doth apparenc [...]
Whan it is fals in existen [...]e
[Page] [...] he to her a traytour was
Wherfor she slowe her self alas
Lo how a womman doth amys
To loue hym that vnknowen is
For euery trust / lo thus it faryth
It is not all gold that glaryth
For also browke I myn hede
Ther may be vnder goodlyhede
Couerd many a sherewd vyce
Therfore be no wyght so nyce
To take a loue only for chere
Or for speche or frendely manere
For thus shal euery womman fynde
And swere / how he is vnkynde
Or fals prouyd / or double was
Alle thys saye I by Eneas
And dido / and her nece loste
That louyd al to sone a ghoste
Therfore I wyl saye o prouerbe
That he that fully knoweth the herbe
May saufly leye it to hys eye
Wythouten drede that is no lye
But lete vs speke of Eneas
How he betrayed her alas
And left her ful vnkyndly
So whan she alle sawe vtterly
That he wold her of trouth faylle
And wende fro her in to Itaylle
She began to wrynge her handes two
Alas quod she / that myn hert is wo [...]
Alas is euery man thus trewe
That euery yere wyl haue a newe
Yf hyt so long tyme endure
Or ellis thre perauenture
And thus of one / he wyl haue fame
In magnefyeng hys owen name
Another for frenshyp seyth he
And yet shal the thyrde be
[Page]That is taken / for delyte
Lo or els for synguler prouffyte
In suche wordes gan compleyne
Dido / of her grete peyne
As me mette / dremyng redyly
None other auctour alege wyl I
Alas quod she my swete herte
Haue pyte of my sorowes smerte
And sle me not / go not away
O woful Dido / weleaway
Quod she / to her self tho
O Eneas what wyl ye do
O that loue / ne oth ne your bonde
That ye swore wyth your ryght honde
Ne my cruel deth quod she
May hold yow stylle wyth me
O. haue ye of my deth pyte
Y wys my owne dere h [...]rte ye
Knowe ful wel that neuer yet
As fer as euer I had wytte
Agylte yow in thought ne in dede
O men haue ye suche goodlyhede
In speche / and neuer a dele in trouthe
Alas / that euer had routhe
Ony womman / on a fals man
Nowe I see wel and telle can
We wretchyd wymmen can no arte
For certayn for the more parte
Thus we ben seruyd euerychone
How sore ye men can grone
Anon as we haue you resceyuyd
Certaynly / we be dysceyuyd
For though your loue laste a seson
Wayte vppon the conclusion
And eke how ye determyne
And for the more par [...] defyne
O weleaway / that I was born
For thurgh yow my name is born
[Page] [...]nd myn actes red and songe
Oueral thys londe in euery tonge
Of wyckyd fame / for ther nys
No thyng so swyft / [...]o as she is
O syth euery thyng is wyst
Though it be couerd wyth the myst
Eke though I myght / endure euer
That I haue don / recouer I neuer
That I ne shal be sayd / alas
Y shamed was thurgh Eneas
And that I shal thus Iuged be
Lo / ryght as she hath now / she
Wyll done eftsones hardely
Thus seyth the peple preuely
But that is don / is not to done
But alle [...]er compleynt / ne her mo [...]
Cer [...]yn auayleth not a s [...]e
And whan she wyst sothly / [...]e
Was for [...]h in to hys shyp goon
S [...]e in to her chambre w [...]nte anon [...]
And ca [...]led for her suster Anne
And beganne h [...]r to compleyne than [...]
And sayd that she the cause was
That she so loued alas
And thus councey [...]yd she her to
But what whan thys sayd was and d [...]
S [...]e roof h [...]r self to the herte
And so deyde / thurgh h [...]r smert [...]
But alle the maner / hou she deyde
And alle the wordes how she seyde
Who so to knowe / hath it in purpoo [...]
Rede Vyrgyle in Eneydo [...]
O [...] the e [...]ystle of Ouyde
What that she wrote / or she deyde
And nere it were to longe t [...]ndyte
By god I wolde it here wryte
But welawey / the harme and routhe
That hath betyd for suche vntrouthe
[Page]As men may ofte in bookes rede
And alday / it is yet in dede
That for to thynken it tren is
Lo Demophon / duk of Athenes
How he forswore hym falsely
And trayed Phillis wyckedly
That kynges doughter was of trace
And falsely gan hys terme pace
And whan she wyst / that he was fa [...]
She henge her self by the hals
For he had don her suche vntrowthe
Lo was not thys / a woo and routhe
Eke loke how fals and recheles
Was to Breseyda Achylles
And Paris to Oenone
And Iason to ysyphyle
And eft Iason to Med [...]a
And Hercules to Dionyra
For he l [...]ft her for Yolee
That made hym catche hys deth parde
How fals was eke Thescus
That as the story telleth vs
How he betrayed Adriane
The deuyl be hys soule bane
For had he sanged or [...]ow [...]id
He muste haue ben all deuourid
Yef that Adrian had not be
And for she had of hym pyte
She made hym from the deth escape
And he made her a ful fals Iape
For after thys / wythin a whyle
He left her slepyng wythin an yle
Desert allone wythin the s [...]e
And scale away / and lete her be
And toke her suster / Phed [...]a tho
Wyth hym / and gan to shyp go
And yet had he sworn to [...]ere
On alle that euer he myght swere
[Page]That so she sauyd hym hys lyf
He wolde taken her to hys wyf
For she desyred nothyng ellis
In certeyn / as the book vs tellis
But texcuse thys Eueas
Fullych of hys grete trespaas
The book sayth sauns faylle
The goddis bad hym go to Itaylle
And leuen Affryques regyoun
And Dido and her fayr toun
Tho I sawe graue hou to ytaylle
Dan Eneas is goon to saylle
And hou the tempest al began
And hou he lost hys stere [...]man
Whyche that the stern / or he tok [...] kepe
Smot [...] ouer the bord / lo er he lepe
And also saugh I how s [...]byle
And Eneas besyde an yle
To helle wenten for to see
Hys fader Anchyses the fre
And how he there fonde Polymarus
And also Dido / and Deyphebus
And euerych torment eke in helle
Sawe he whyche no tonge can telle
Whyche / who so lyste to knowe
He muste rede many a rowe
In Virgyle / or in Claudian
Or daunt / that it tellen can
There sawe I eke alle the arryuaylle
That Eneas had made in to ytaylle
And wyth kyng latyn hys tret [...]e
And alle the bataylles that he
Was at hym self / and alle hys knyghtis
Or he had alle ywonne hys ryghtis
And whan he turnus reft hys lyf
And wan lauyna to hys wyf
And alle the meruayllous signals
Of the goddes celestyals
[Page]How maugre Iuno / Eneas
For alle her flygt and compas
Achyeuyd alle hys auenture
For Iubiter toke on hym [...]ure
At the prayer of venus
The I praye alway saue vs
And vs aye of our sorowes lyghte
Whan I had alle seyn thys syght
In thys noble temple thus
Ay lord / thought I that madest vs
Yet sawe I neuer suche noblesse
Of ymages / ner suche rychesse
As I sawe grauen in thys chyrche
But not wote I / who dide hem wyrche
Ne where I am ne in what contre
But anone I gan out see
Ryght at the wyket / yf I can
Seen oughwher / ony steryng man
That wold haue told where I am
Whan I out of the dore cam
I fast aboute me behelde
Then sawe I but a large felde
As fer as euer I myght see
Wythoute toun / hous / or tree
Or busshes or gras / or ered londe
For alle the felde was but of sonde
As smal as man may see at eye
In the deserte of lybye
Ne I no maner creature
That is fourmed by natūre
Ne sawe I / me to rede or wysse
O Cryst thought I / that art in blysse
From fanton / and illusioun
Me saue / and wyth deuocioun
Myn eyen to the heuen I caste
Tho was I ware / [...]o at the laste
That fast by the sonne an hye
As kēne myght I / wyth myn [...]ye
[Page]Me thought I sawe an Egle fore
But that it semed moche more
Than I had ony Egle I seen
Thys is as soth / as d [...]th certeyn
It was of gold / and shone so bryght
That neuer sawe men suche a syght
But yf the heuen had y wonne
Alle newe of gold another sonne
So shone the Egles fethers bryght
And sone downward gan it lyght
Explicit liber primus
Incipit liber secundus
TOw herkene euery maner man
Hat ony maner of englyssh can
And listeneth / of my dreme to lere
For at the fyrst / shal ye here
So s [...]ly / and so dredeful a vision
That I saye that neuer Scipio [...]
Ne kynge Nabugodonosor
Pharao. Turnus. ne Elcanor
Ne metten suche a dreme as thys
Now fayr blysful O cyprys
So be my fauour at thys tyme
That ye me tendytr and ryme
Helpe ye that in pornaso dwelle
By syde Elycon the clew welle
O. thought. that wrot alle that I mette
And in the tresorye it sette
Of my brayn / now shal men see
Yf ony vertu / in the be
To telle alle my dreme a ryght
Now kythe thyn engyn and myght
Thys Egle / of whyche I now haue told
That hys fethers shoon alle of gold
Whyche that so hye gan to sore
I gan beholden more and more
[Page]To seen her beaute / and the wonder
But neuer was ther dynte of thonder
Ne that thyng that men calle fowdre
That smyte sone a tour to powdre
And in hys swyft comyng brende
That so swythe gan douneward descende
And thys fowle whan I behelde
Whan I a rowme was in the felde
And wyth hys grym pawys stronge
Wythin hys sharpe nayles longe
Me fleyng / at a swap he hente
And wyth hys sours / agayn vp wente
Me caryeng in hys clawes starke
As lyghtly as I had ben a larke
How hye I can not telle yow
For I cam vp I nyste neuer how
For so astoned and assweued
That euery vertu in my heued
What wyth hys sours and my drede
That alle my felyng gan to dede
For why it was a grete affraye
Thus I longe / in hys clawes laye
Tyl atte laste / he to me spack
In mannes voys / and sayd awake
And sayd be not agast so for shame
And callyd me tho by my name
And for I shold better abreyde
Me to awake / thus he seyde
Ryght in the same voys and steuen
That vseth one / that I can neuen
And wyth that voys soth to seyn
My mynde cam to me ageyn
For it was godely sayd to me
So was it neuer wont to be
And here wyth alle I gan to ste [...]e
As he me in hys feet [...]ere
Tyl that he felt that I had [...]ete
And felte eke tho myn herte bete
[Page] And tho gan he me to dysporte
And wyth gentyl wordes me conforte
And seyde twyes seynt Marye
Thou art anoyous thyng to carye
And nothyng nedeth it parde
For also wys god helpe me
As thou no harme shal haue of thys
And thys was that betyd the is
Is for thy bore and for thy prowe
Lete see darst thou loke yet nowe
Be ful ensured boldely
I am thy frende / and therwyth I
Gan for to wondre in my mynde
O god quod I that madest alle kynde
Shal I none otherwyse dye
Whether Ioue wyl me stellyfye
Or what thyng may thys signefye
I am nether Enock ne Helye
Ne Romulus ne Ganemede
That were bore vp as men rede
To heuen / wyth dan Iubiter
And made the goddis boteler
Lo thys was tho my fantasye
But he that bare gan espye
That I so thought / and seyd thys
Thou d [...]mest of thy self amys
For Ioue is not ther aboute
I dar the put ful out of d [...]ute
To make of the yet a sterre
But er I bere the moche ferre
I wyl the telle what I am
And whyther thou shalt and why I cam
To do thys so that thou take
Good herte / and not for fere quake
Gladly quod I / now wel quod he
Fyrst I that in my f [...]et haue the
Of whom thou hast feer and wonder
I am dwellyng / wyth the god of thoeder
[Page]Whyche men callen Iubiter
That doth me fleen ful oft fer
To do alle hys comandement
And for thys cause he hath me sent
To the / herke now by thy trouthe
Certeyn he hath of the routhe
That thou hast so truly
Longe seruyd ententyfly
Hys blynde neuew Cupido
And fayr venus also
Wyth oute guerdon euer yet
And netheles hast set thy wyt
Al though in thy hede / ful lytyl is
To make bookes. songes .or ditees
In ryme or ellis in Cadence
As thou best canst in reuerence
Of loue and of hys seruantis eke
That ha [...]e hys seruyse sought and seke
And peynest the to preyse hys arte
Al though thou haddest neuer parte
Wherfore also god me blesse
Ioues holt hyt grete humblesse
And vertu / eke thou dost wake
On nyght and makest thyn hede ake
In thy studye / so thou wrytest
And euermore of loue endytest
In honour of hym and preysyng
And in hys folkes furthryng
And in her mater alle deuysest
And not hym ne hys folk de [...]pisest
Alle though thou mayst go in the daunce
Of hem that hym lyst not auaunce
Wherfore as I seyde ywys
Iubyter considereth wel thys
And also [...]eau sire of other thyngis
That is / thou hast no tydynges
Of loues folk / yf they be glade
Ne of nothyng els / that god made
[Page] And not only fro fer contre
That no tidynges comen to the
Not of thy very neygheboris
That dwellen almost at thy doris
Thou herest neyther that ne thys
For whan thy labour alle don is
And hast made alle thy rekenyngis
In stede of rest and of newe thyngis
Thou gost home / to thyn hous anone
And also dombe as a stone
Thou sittest at an other book
Tyl fully daswed is thy book
And lyuest thus as an hermyte
Alle though thyn abstynence is lyte
And therfore Ioues thurgh hys grace
Wylle that I shal bere the to a place
Whyche that hyte the hous of fame
And to [...]o the sporte and game
In som̄e recompensacion
Of thy labour and deuocyon
that tho [...] hast had / lo causeles
To god Cupido the recheles
And thus thys god for hys meryte
Wyl wyth som̄e maner thyng the quyte
So that thou wylt be of good chere
For trust wel / that thou shat her [...]
Whan we be comen / there I saye
Mo wonder thynges / I dar wel laye
And of loues folk mo tydynges
Bothe sothsawes / and lesynges
And mo loues / new begonne
And longe serued tyl loue is wonne
And mo louers casuelly
That ben betyd / noman wote why
But as a blynd man sterteth an hare
And more Iolyte / and welfare
Whyle they fynde loue of stele
As thynke men / and oueral wele
[Page]Mo dyscordis / and mo Ielousyes
Mo murmures / and mo nouelryes
And also mo dyssymylacions
And eke feyned reperacions
And mo berdes in two oures
Wythoute rasour or sysours
Y made than graynes be of sondes
And eke mo haldyng in hondes
And also mo renouelances
Of olde forleten acqueyntances
Mo louedayes / and mo accordes
Than on Instrumentis ben cordes
And eke of loue moo eschaunges
Than euer cornes were in graūges
Vnnethe may thou trrowen thys
Quod he / no so helpe me god as wys
Quod I / ne why quod he / for it
Were impossyble to my wyt
Though fame had alle the pyes
In alle a [...]oyame / and alle espyes
How that she shold here alle thys
Or they aspyen that or thys
Quod he to me / that can I preue
By reson worthy for to leue
So that thou gyue thyn aduertence
To vnderstonde my sentence
Fyrst shal thou here wher she dwellyth
Ryght so as thyn owen book telleth
Her palays stondeth as I shal saye
Ryght euen amyddes of the waye
Betwen heuen / erthe / and see
That what so euer in alle the thre
Is spoken in pryue or appert
The way therto is so smert
And stant eke in so Iust a place
That euery sowne mote to it pace
Or what so comyth / from ony tonge
Be it rowned / red or songe
[Page]Or spoken in sewerte / or drede
Certeyn it mote thethyr nede
Now herkne wel / for why I wyl
Tellen the a proper Skyl
And a worthy demonstracion
In myn ymagynacion
Geffrey / thou wotest wel thys
That euery kynde that is
Hath a kyndly stede that he
May best in it conserued be
Vnto whyche place euery thyng
Thurgh hys kyndly enclynyng
Meueth for to come to
Thenne that is away therto
As thus / lo hou thou mayst alday see
That ony thyng / that heuy be
As stone or lede / or thyng of weyght
And bere it neuer so hygh on heyght
Let [...] go thyn hand / it falleth doun
Ryght so saye I by fyre and soun
Or smoke or other thynges lyght
Alleway they seke vpward on hyght
Lyght thynges vp and downward charge
Whyle eueryche of bem be at large
And for thys cause thou mayst wel see
That euery ryuer vuto the see
Enclyned is to goo by kynde
And by thyse skylles I fynde
Haue fysshes dwellyng in flood and see
And trees eke on erthe be
Thus euery thyng by hys reson
Hath hys owen propre mancion
The whyche he seketh to repayre
Ther as it shold not apayre
Lo thys sentence is knowen couthe
Of euery phylosophers mouthe
As Aristotle and dan Platon
And other clerkys many [...]on
[Page] And to conferme my reson
Thou wost wel that speche is a soune
Or ellis noman myght it here
Now herke what I wyl the lere
Sown is not / but eyer y broken
And euery speche / that is spoken
Lowde or pryue / fowl or fayr
In hys substance is but an ayer
For as flame is but lyghtyd smoke
Ryght so is sowne / ayer y broke
But thys may be in many wyse
Of whyche I wyl the deuyse
As Sowne cometh of pype or harpe
For whan a pype is blowen sharpe
The ayer is twyst wyth violence
And rent / lo thys is my sentence
Eke whan men harpe strengis smyte
Whether it be moche or lyt [...]
Lo wyth the serooke / the ayer to breketh
And ryght so brekyth it / when men spekyth
Thys wost thou wel / what thyng is speche
Now hens forth / I wyl the teche
How eueryche speche / voys or sown
Thurgh hys multyplycacion
Though it were pype or mowse
Mote nedes come to fames howse
I [...] proue it thus / take hede now
By experience for yf thow
Threwe in a water now a stone
Wel wost thou it wyl make anone
A lytyl roundel as a cercle
Perauenture as brode as a couer [...]l [...]
Brodder than hym self was
And thus fro roundel to compas
Eche a [...]oute other goyng
Causeth of others steryng
And multyplyeng euermo
Tyl it be so ferre go
[Page] [...]at it at bothe brynkys be
Alle though / thou may it not see
Aboue it goth / yet alway vnder
It is / though thou thynke it wonder
And who so sayth / of trouth I varye
Byd hym proue the contrarye
And ryght thus / euery word ywys
That lowde or preuy spoken is
Moueth fyrst / in the eyer abowte
And of hys mouyng out of dowte
Another eyer / anon is moued
As I haue of the water proued
That euery cercle causeth other
Ryght so of eyer / my leue brother
Eueryche eyer in other steryth
More and more / and speche vp beryth
Or voys or noys / word or sowne
Ay thurgh multiplicacion
Tyl it be at the hows of fame
Take it on ernest / or in game
Now haue I told yf thou haue mynde
How speche or sowne / of pure kynde
Enclyned is vpward to moue
Thys maysthow fele wel by proue
Ha .a. quod he lo so I can
Lewdely vnto a lewde man
Speke and shewe hym suche skylles
That he may take hym by the bylles
So palpable the skylles be
But telle me thys / now pray I the
How thynketh the / my conclusion
A good persuasion
Quod I / and lyke to be
Ryght so as thou hast proued me
By god quod he / and as I lene
Thou shalt haue yet or it be eue
Of euery word / of thys senteuce
[...]d also pro [...]f by experience
[Page] And wyth thyn eres heren woll
Top and tayll / and eu [...]rydell
That euery word / that spoken is
Cometh in to fames hous ywys
As I haue sayd / what wylt thou more
And wyth thys word / vpper to sore
He began and seyd by seynt Iame
Now wyl we speken al of game
How faryst thou now. quod he to me
Wel quod I / now see quod he
By thy trouth yond adoun
Where that thou knowest ony toun
Or house / or ony other thyng
And whan thou hast of ought knowyng
Loke that thou warne me
And I anone shal telle the
How fer thou art nowe ther fro
And I adoun gan to loke tho
And behelde feldes and pleynes
Now hylles / and now mounteynes
Now valeyes / and now forestes
And now vnnethe grete bestes
Now ryuers / now grete cyt [...]es
Now townes / now grete trees
Now shyppes sayllyng in the see
But thus sone / in a whyle he
Was flowen fro the ground so hye
Tat alle the world as to myn eye
Nomore semed than a prykke
Or els the eyer was so thykke
That I myght it not decerne
Wyth that he spack to me so yerne
And seyde / seest thou ony token
Or ought / that in the world is of spoken
I sayd nay / no wonder is
Quod he / for neuer ha [...]f so hyr as thys
Nas Alysaunder of Macedo
Kynge / ne of rome dan Scipio
[Page]That saw in dreme poynt deuys
Heuen and helle and paradys
Ne eke the wryght Dedalus
Ne hys sone Nyse Icharus
That flawe so hye / that the hete
Hys wynges malte / and he fyl wete
In myd the see / and there he dreynte
For whome was made a grete compleynt
Now torne vpward / quod he / thy face
And beholde thys large space
Thys eyer / but loke that thou ne be
A drad of h [...]m / that thou shalt [...]e
For in thys regyon certeyn
Dwelleth many a Cytezeyn
Of whyche speketh dan plato
These ben the eyrissh bestes [...]o
And tho sawe I alle the meyne
Bothe goon and also flee
Lo quod he / caste vp thyn eye
Se yonder lo the Galaxye
The whyche men clepe the mylky wey [...]
For it is whyt / And som̄e perfeye
Callen it watlyng strete
That ones was brente wyth the hete
Whan the sonnes sone the rede
That hyte Pheton wold lede
Algate hys faders carte and [...] gye
The cart hors gan wel aspye
That he coude / no gouernaunce
And gan for to lepe and daunce
And bere hym vp and now doun
Tyl he sawe the Scorpyoun
Whyche that in heuen / a signe is yet
And he for fere / lost hys wyt
Of that / and lete the reynes gon
Of thyse hors and they anon
Gan vp to mounte and doun descend [...]
[...]yl bothe eyer and erthe brende
[Page]Tyl Iubiter / lo at the laste
Hym slowe / and fro the cart caste
Lo is it not a grete myschaunce
To let [...] a fole haue gouernaunce
Of thynges / that he can not demeyn
And wyth thys word soth for to seyn
He gan alway vpper to sore
And gladed me than more and more
So faythfully to me spak he
Tho gan I loke vnder me
And behelde the ayrisshe bestes
Clowdes mystes and tempestes
Snowes. Hayles. raynes / and wyndes
And alle thengendryng in her kyndes
And alle the wey / thurgh whyche I cam
O god quod I that made adam
Moche is thy myght and noblesse
And tho thought I vpon Boece
That wryt [...]th / a thought may fle so hye
Wyth fethers of phylosophye
To passen eueriche Element
And he hath so fer y went
Thenne may be see behynd hys bak
Clowde and alle that I of spack
Tho gan I waxe in a were
And seyd / I wote wel I am here
Whether in body / or in ghoost
I note ywys / but god thou wost
For more clere entendement
Nadde he me neuer yet sent
Thenne thought I on Marcyan
And eke on anteclaudyan
That soth was theyr discrypcion
Of alle the heuens regyon
As f [...]r a [...] I sawe the preue
And therfore I can hem beleue
Wyth that the Egle can to cry [...]
Late be quod he thy fantasye
[Page]Wylt thou here of sterris ought
Nay certay [...]ly quod I ryght nought
And why quod he / for I am olde
Elles wold I haue the tolde
Quod he / sterres names lo
And alle the heuens signes to
And whyche they be / no fors quod I
Yes parde quod he / wost thou why
Whan thou redest poetrye
How the goddes can stellefye
Byrd fyssh / or hym or here
As the ra [...]en and othere
Or Ariones harp fyn
Castor Polux or Delphyn
Or Athalantes doughters seuen
How alle these ar sette in heuen
For tho [...]gh thou haue hem oft in honde
Yet nost thou where they stonde
No fo [...]s quod I / hyt is no nede
As wel I l [...]ue so god me spede
Hem that wryten of thys matere
As though I knewe her places here
And eke they shynen here so bryght
I shuld shenden alle my syght
To loke on hem / that may wel be
Quod he / And so forth bare he me
A whyle / And tho he gan to crye
That neuer herd I thyng so hye
Hold vp thyn hede / for it is wel
Seynt Iulyen lo / bonne hostel
See here the hous of fame lo
Mayst thou not here that I do
What quod I the grete sown
Quod he / that rombleth vp and down
In fames hous / ful of tydyngis
Both of fayr speche / and of other thyngis
And of fals and so [...]h compowned
[...]erkne wel / it is not rowned
[Page]Herest thou not the grete swough
Yes parde quod I / wel ynough
And what sown is it lyke quod he
Peter lyke the betyng of the see
Quod I / ay [...]nst the roches holow
Whan tempestes don her shyppes swalow
And that a man stand out of doute
A myle thens and here it rowte
Or ellis like the humblyng
After the clappe of a thondryng
Whan Ioues hath the eyer y bete
But it doth me for fere swete
Nay drede the not therof quod he
It is nothyng / that wyl greue the
Thou shalt haue no harme truly
And wyth that word / both he and I
As nyghe the place arriued were
As men myght cast wyth a spere
I nys [...] how but in a strete
He sette me fayr on my fete
And sayd walke forth a paas
And tel thyn auenture and caas
That thou shalt fynde in fames place
Now quod I whyle we haue space
To speke or that I go fro the
For the loue of god telle me
In soth that I wyl of the lere
Yef thys noyse / that I here
Be as I haue herd the telle
Of folk that forth in erth dwelle
And here in the same wyse
As I the herd or thys deuyse
And that her lyues body nys
In alle that hous / that yonder i [...]
That maketh / alle thys lowde fare
No quod he by seynt clare
And also wys god helpe me
[...]ut o thyng / I wyl warne the
[Page]Of the whyche / thou wylt haue wonder
Lo to the hous of fame yonder
Thou wost how comyth euery speche
It nedeth not the more to teche
But vnderstande ryght wel thys
Whan ony speche y comen is
Vnto that palays anon ryght
It weye [...]h lyche the same weyght
Whyche that in erthe the word spack
Be he clothed rede or black
And hath so very hys lykenes
That spack the word / and thou wylt gesse
That it the same body be
Man or woman he or she
And is not thys a wonder thyng
Yes quod I / by heuens kyng
And wyth thys word / fare wel quod he
And here wyl I abyde the
And god of heuen sende the grace
Som̄e good to lerne in thys place
And I of hym toke leue anon
And gan forth to the palays gon
Explicit liber secundus
Incipit liber Tercius
O God of science and of lyght
Appollo thurgh thy grete myght
Thys lytyl last boke / thou now gye
Not that I wyl for maystrye
Here arte poetical be shewd
But the ryme that is so lewd
Made it somwhat agreable
Though som̄e vers faylle [...]illable
And that I do no dylygence
To shewe craft / but sentence
And yf dyuyne vertu thou
Wylt helpe me to shewe now
[Page]That in my hede markyd is
Lo that is for to meuen thys
The house of fame to dyscryue
Thou shalt see me go as blyue
Vnto the next lawrer I see
And kysse it for it is thy tre
Now entre in to my brest anon
Whan I was from the Egle gon
I gan beholde vpon thys place
And certayn or I further pace
I wyl you alle the shap deuyse
Of hous of Cyte / and of the wyse
How I gan to the place approche
That stant vpon so hye a roche
Ther standeth none so hye in spayne
But vp I clam wyth moche payne
Aud though to clymbe / it greuyd me
Yet I ententyf was to see
And for to poure wonder lowe
Yef I coude ony wyse knowe
What maner stone thys roche was
For it was lyke a lymed glas
But that it shewed more clere
But of what congelyd matere
It was / I ne wyst redyly
But at the last espyed I
And fonde that it was euerydeel
A roche of yse / and not of steel
Thought I by seynt Thomas of kent
Thys were a feble found [...]ment
To bylden on / a place so hy [...]
He aught hym wel to gloryfye
That heron bylt so god me saue
Tho sawe I alle the halle y graue
Wyth famous folkes names fele
That haue ben in moche wele
And her fames wyde blowe
But wel vnnethe myght I know [...]
[Page] [...]ny letters for to rede
Her names / for out of drede
They weren almost ouerthowed so
That of the lettres / one or two
Were molte away / of euery name
So vnfamous was wax her fame
But men saye / what may euer laste
Tho gan I in myn herte co [...]ste
That they were molte away for hete
And not away wyth stormes bete
For on that other syde / I saye
On thys hyll that northward lay
How it was wreton ful of names
Of folk that had afore grete fames
Of olde tyme / And yet they were
As fressh as men had wreton hem there
The self day / or that houre
That I on hem gan to poure
But wel I wyste / what it made
It was conseruyd / wyth the shade
Of a castel / that so stode on hye
Alle the wrytyng that I sye
And stode eke in so colde a place
That hete myght it not deface
Tho gan I on thys hyll to gon
And fonde on the ceppe a wone
That alle the men that ben on lyue
Ne han the connyng to dyscryue
The beaute of that ylke place
Ne coude caste the compace
Suche an other for to make
That myght of beaute be hys make
Ne so wonderly y wrought
That it astonyed / yet my thought
And maketh alle my wyt to swynke
On thys caste [...] for to thynke
So that the grete beaute
The cast craft and curiosite
[Page]Ne can I not to yow deuyse
My wytt may it not suffyse
But netheles alle the sulstaunce
I haue yet in my remembraunce
For why / me thought by seynt gyl [...]
Alle was of stone of beryle
Bo [...]he the castel and the tour
And eke the halle and euery bour
Wythoute peces or Ioynynges
But many subtyl compas [...]ynges
As bab [...]uwryes and pynnacles
Ymageryes and tabernacles
I sawe eke and ful of wyndowes
As flakes fallen in grete snowys
And eke in euery of eche pynacles
Were sondry habytacles
In whyche stoden alle they wythouten
Ful the castel all abowten
Of alle maner of mynstrallis
And gestours that tellen talis
Bothe of wepyng / and of game
And of alle / that longeth vnto fame
There herd I pleye on an harpe
That sowned wel and sharpe
Hym Orpheus ful craftely
And on hys syde fast by
Sat the harper / Oryon
And gacides Chyryon
And other harpers many one
And the bryton Glaskyryon
And smale harpers / wyth her gl [...]ys
Sat vnder hem in dyuerse seys
And gon on hem vpward to gape
And counterfeted hem as an ape
Or as craft count [...]rfete kynde
Tho sawe I hem behynde
A fer from hem / as by hem selue
Many thousand tyme twelue
[Page]That made lowde mynstraleyes
An cornmuse or shalemeyes
And many an other / pype
That craftely began to pyp [...]
Bothe in dowced and in rede
That ben at festes wyth the brede
And many a floyte and lytelynge horn
And pype [...] made of stree of corn
As haue thyse lytyl herde gromes
That kepen bestis in the bromes
There sawe I thenne dan Cytherus
And of Atthenes / dan proserus
The Marcia / that bost her skyn
Both in face. body and chyn
For that she wold enuyen lo
To py [...]en bet than Appollo
The [...] sawe I eke / famous old and yong
Pypers of the duc [...]e tonge
To lerne houe dauncis sprynges
Reyes / and the strange thynges
Tho sawe I in an other place
Standyng in a large spac [...]
Of hem that maken blody sown
In tromp beme and claryoun
For in fyght / and blood shedyng
Is vsed good clarionyng
There herd I trompe messenus
Of whom that speketh virgilius
There herd I Ioab trompe also
Theodonas and other moo
And alle that vsed claryon
In Castyle lyon and Aragon
That in her tymes / famous were
To lernen / sawe I trompen there
Ther sawe I sytte in her sees
Ployenge vpon other lees
Whyche I can not neuene
[...]o than sterris ben in heuene
[Page]Of whyche I nyl / as now not ryme
For ese of you / And l [...]sse of tyme
For tyme y lost that knowe ye
By no wey / recouered may be
Ther sawe I pley Iogelers
Magyciens and trageotours
And phetonysses and charmeresses
Olde wycches and sorceresses
That vsen exorsisacions
And many other Inuocacions
And clerkes that connen wel
Alle thys magyk naturel
That craftely do her ententes
To maken in certayn ascendentes
Ymages lo / thurgh suche magyke
To make a man / hole or seke
Ther saw I the quene Medea
And Cir [...]s eke / and Caliophia
There sawe I hermes / ballenus
Lymote / and eke Symon magus
There sawe I and knewe hym by name
That by suche arte don men fame
There sawe I / colle tregetour
Vpon a table of Sycomour
Pleye / an vncouth thyng to telle
I sawe hym carye a wynd me [...]le
Vnder a walnote shale
What shold I make lenger tale
Of alle the peple that I say
I coud not telle tyl domesday
Whan I had alle thys folke beholde
And fonde me [...]oos / and not holde
And eft I mused a lenger whyle
Vpon thys wall of Beryle
That shone lyghter than a glas
And made it wel more than it was
As kynde thyng of fame is
And thenne anon after thys
[Page]I gan forth romen tyl I fonde
The castel / that on my ryght honde
Whyche so wel coruen was
That neuer suche an other nas
And yet it was by auenture
Y wrought by grete and subtyl cure
It nedeth not yow for to telle
To make yow lenger to dwelle
Of these yates florysshynges
Ne of compaces ne of keruynges
Ne how the hackyng in masonryes
As corbettis / and ymageryes
But lord so feyr it was to shewe
For it was alle of gold behewe
But in I wente and that anone
There mette I cryeng many one
A larges / A larges vp hold well
God saue the lady of thys pele
Our owen gentyle lady fame
And hem that wylleth to haue a name
Of vs / thus herd I cryen alle
And fast comen out of the halle
And shoke nobles / and sterlynges
And crowned were they as kynges
Wyth crownes wrought ful of lesynges
And many reban and many thynges
Were in her clothes truly
Tho at laste / aspyed I
That purseuauntes and herawdes
That cryen ryche folkes lawdes
It weren alle / and euery man
Of them as I yow telle can
Had on hym throwe a vesture
Whyche men clepe a cote Armur [...]
Enbrowdred wonderly ryche
Alle though they were not ylyche
But not wyl I so mot [...] I thryu [...]
Be aboute to dyscryue
[Page]Alle thyse armes what they weren
That they thus on her cot [...]s beren
For it to me were Impossible
Men myght make of hem a byble
Twenty fote thycke as I trowe
For certayn who so coude knowe
Myght there alle the armes see
Of famous folk that had be
In Affry [...]que. Europe / and Asy [...]
Syth first lo chyualrye
Lo how shold I telle alle thys
Ne of the ha [...]le eke / what nede is
To tellen yow that euery wal
Of it / and [...]of and flore wyth al
Was plated half a fote thykke
Of gold / and that was not wykke
But to proef in alle wyse
As fyn as doket of venyse
Of whyche to lyte in my powche is
And were sette as thyck as owchys
Ful of the fynest stones fayre
That men reden in the lapydayre
Or as grasses growen in a mede
But it were al to longe to rede
The names / And therfore I pace
But in thys ryche lusty place
That fames halle / called was
Ful moche prees of folk / ther was
No gronyng for somoche prees
But al an hye vpon a dees
Sat on a See Emperyal
That was made of a rubye ryal
Whyche a Carbuncle is y callyd
I sawe perpetuelly y stalled
A femynyn Creature
That neuer formed by nature
Suche Another thyng I say
For altherfyrst soth to say
[Page] [...]e thought / that she was so lyte
That the lengthe of a Cubyte
Was lenger that she semed be
But thus sone in a whyle she
Her self / tho wonderly streyght
That wyth her feet she therthe reyght
And wyth her hede she towchyd heuen
Ther as shyneth the sterres seuen
And therto yet as to my wyt
I sawe as grete a wonder yet
Vpon her eyen to beholde
But certeynly / I hem neuer bolde
For as f [...]ls eyen had she
As fethers vpon fowles be
Or weren on the bestis foure
That goddis trone can honoure
A [...] wryteth Iohn in the Apocalyps
Her [...]er that was owndy and cryps
As [...]orned gold shone / as for to see
And soth to tellen also she
Had also fele stondyng eris
And tonges / as on a beste ben h [...]eris
And on her feet woxen sawe I
Partrychs wynges redyl [...]y
But lord the perry and rychesse
I sawe syttyng on the goddesse
And the heuenly melodye
Of songes ful of Armonye
I herde aboute her trone y songe
That alle the palays wal ronge
So songe the myghty muse she
That clepyd is Calyope
And her seuen sustren eke
That in her faces semen meke
And euermore eternally
The songe of fame tho herd I
Heryed be thou and thy name
Goddesse of renoun and of fame
[Page]Tho was I ware at the laste
As I myn eyen gan vp caste
That thys ylke noble quen [...]
On her shuldres gan sustene
Bothe Armes and the name
Of tho that had large fame
Alysandre and Hercules
That wyth a sherte hys lyf l [...]es
And thus fonde I syttyng thys goddesse
In nobley honour and rychesse
Of whyche I styn [...]e a whyle now
Other thynges to tellen yow
Tho sawe I stonde on thother syde
Strayt doun to the doris wyde
From the deys many a pyler
Of metal that shone not ful cleer
But though they were of no ryches
Yet were they made for grete nobles
And in hem grete sentence
And folk of grete and dygne reuerence
Of whyche to telle wyl I fonde
Vpon a pyler sawe I stonde
Alderfyrst / ther I seyghe
Vpon a pyler stonde an hy [...]
That was of [...]ede and of yron fyne
Hym that wrote thactes dyuyne
The Ebrayk Iosephus the olde
That of Iewes gestis tolde
And bare vpon hys sholdres hy [...]
The fame vp of the Iewery [...]
And by hym / ther stoden seuene
Wyse and worthy / for to neuene
To helpen hym [...]ere vp the charge
It was so heuy and so large
And for they wryten of bataylles
As wel as of other meruaylles
Thefor was [...]o thys pyler
Of whyche I you telle he [...]
[Page] [...] l [...]de and y [...]n bothe ywys
[...] yron Martis metal is
Whyche that god is of bataylle
And the leed wythoute faylle
Is Lo the metall of saturne
That hath ful large wh [...]le to turne
To stonde forth on euery rowe
Of hem / whyche I coude knowe
Though I by ordre hem not telle
To maken you to long to dwelle
These of whyche I gan rede
Ther sawe I stande out of drede
Vpon a pyler hye and stronge
That peynted was al endlong
Wyth [...]ygres blood in euery place
The tholoph [...]n that hyght s [...]ace
That bare of thebes vp the name
Vpon hys sholdres and / the fame
Also of cruel Achylles
And by hym wythout lees
Ful wonder hygh vpon a pyler
Of yron he the grete Omer
And wyth hym dares and Titus
Before and eke he lollius
And Guydo eke de Columpnys
And Englysh Gaufryd eke ywys
And eche of these as I haue Ioye
Was besy for to bere vp Troye
So heuy was therof the fame
That for to bere it was no game
But yet I gan ful wel aspy [...]
Betwene hem was a lyt [...]l enuy [...]
Other sayde that Omer made lyes
Faynyng in hys poetryes
And was to the grekis fauorable
Therfore held he it but fable
Tho sawe I stonde on a pyler
That was of tynned y [...]en cler
[Page]The latyn poete Virgyle
That hath bo [...]e vp a longe whyle
The fame of Pius Eneas
And next on a pyler was
Of Co [...]er / Venus clerk Ouyde
That hath sowen wonder wyde
The grete god of loue / hys fame
And ther he bare vp wel hys name
Vpon thys pyler / also hye
As I myght see hyt wyth myn [...]ye
For whyche thys halle / wherof I rede
Was waxe on heyght / length and brede
Wel more by a thousand dele
Than it was erst / that saw I wele
Tho saw I on a pyler by
Of yron wrought ful sternly
The grete poete dan Lucan
That on hys sholdres bare vp than
As hye as I myght see
The name of Iulius and Pompee
And by hym stoden alle these clerkis
That wryte of Romes myghty werkis
That yf I wold her names telle
Alto [...]onge must I dwelle
And thenne vpon a pyler stode
Of Sulphur lyche as he were wode
Dan Claudian soth for to telle
That bare vp alle the fame of helle
Of Pluto and of Proserpyne
That quene is of the derke pyne
What shold I more telle of thys
The halle was al ful ywys
Of hem that writen olde gestis
As ben in trees rokes nestis
Wer [...] alle thyse gestes for to here
But it is a ful confuse matere
That they of wryte and how they hyght
But whyle that I behelde that syght
[Page] [...] a noyse [...] [...]prochen blyue
[...] fareth as bees don in an hyue
Ayenst her tyme of out comyng
Ryght suche a murmoryng
Fye alle the world semed me
Tho gan I loke aboute me and see
That ther come entryng in to the halle
A ryght grete company wyth alle
And that of sondry regyons
Of alle kyns condicions
That dwelle in erthe vnder the mone
Poure and ryche and also sone
As they were come in to the halle
They gonne on knees doun falle
Before thys ylke noble quene
And seyde graunte vs lady shene
Ec [...]e of vs / of thy grace a bone
And som̄e of hem / she graunted sone
And som̄e she warned wel and fay [...]
And som̄e she graunted the contray [...]
What ther grace was I nyste
For of thyse folk ful wel I wyste
They had good fame eche deserued
Alle though they were dyuersly serued
Ryght as her suster dame fortune
Is wont to serue in Comune
Now herkne how she gan to paye
Hem / that gan her of grace praye
And yet lo / alle thys companye
Seyden soth / and not a lye
Madame sayd they / we be
Folke / that here besechen the
That thou graunte vs now good fame
And lete our werkes haue good name
In ful recompensacioun
Of good werkis / yeue vs renoun
I warne yow quod she anon
Ye gete of me good fame non
[Page]By god / and therfore go your wey
Alas / quod they and weleawey
Telle vs what your cause be
For me lyst not it / quod she
No wyght shal speke ywys
Gode ne harme / ne that ne thys
And wyth that word she gan to calle
Her messager that was in halle
And bad that he shold fast gon
Vpon peyne to be blynd anone
For Eolus / the god of wynde
Iy trace / ther ye shal hym fynde
And byd hym bryng hys Claryon
That is ful dyuerse of hys sown
And it is cleped clere lawde
Wyth whyche he wont is to herawde
Hem that me lyst y preysed be
And also byd hym / how that he
Brynge eke hys other claryon
That hyght sklaunder in euery town
In whyche he wont is to deffame
Hem that m [...] lyste / and do hem shame
Thys Messager gan fast to goon
And fonde where in a caue [...] of stoon
In a contre that hyght Trace
Thys Eolus wyth hard grace
Helde the wyndes in dystresse
And gan hem vnder hym to presse
That they gonne as the beres rore
He bonde and pressed hem so sore
Thys messager gan fyrst crye
Ryse vp quod he / and fast the hye
Tyl thou at my lady be
And take thy clarions eke wyth the
And spede the faste / and he anon
Toke to one that hyght Triton
Hys claryon to beren tho
And lete a certayn wynd go
[Page] [...]hat blew so hydously and hye
That it left not a skye
In alle the welkyn long and brood
Thys Eolus nowher a bood
Tyl he was come at fames fete
And eke the man that Tryton hete
And there he stode as styl as stone
And here wythal ther cam anon
An other huge Companye
Of old folke / and gan to crye
Lady graunte vs now good fame
And lete our werkys haue that name
Now in honour and gentylnes
And also god your sowle bles
For we han wel deserued it
T [...]erfore is ryght / that we be quyt
As thryue I quod she ye shal faylle
Good werkis shall you not auaylle
To haue of me good fame as now
But wote ye what / I graunt yow
That ye shal haue a shrewd name
And wycked loos / and werse fame
Though ye good loos haue wel deseruyd
Now goth your w [...]y / for ye ben seruyd
And thow dan Eolus / quod she
Take forth thy trompe anon lete see
That is I cleped sklaunder lyght
And blowe her loos / that euery wyght
Speke of hem harme and shrewdnes
An stede of good and worthynes
For thou shalt trompe alle the contrayre
That they haue don / wel and fayre
Alas thought I what auentures
Haue thyse sory creatures
That they among alle the pres
Shuld thus be shamed gyltles
But what it must nedes be
What dide thys Eolus but he
[Page]Toke out hys black trompe of bras
That fowler than the deuyl was
And gan thys trompe for to blowe
As alle the world shold ouer throwe
Thurgh out euery regyoun
Wente hys fowle trompes sown
As swyft as a pelet / out of a gonne
Whan fyre is in to it ronne
And suche a smoke / gan out wende
Out of the fowle trompes ende
Black / blo / grenyssh / swartysh rede
As doth / whan men melte lede
Lo al on hye / from the welle
And therto one thyng saw I wel
That the fer ther / that it ranne
The gretter waxen / it began
As doth the ryuer from a welle
And it stank / as the pyt of helle
Alas thus was her shame y ronge
And gyltles / on euery tonge
Tho cam the thyrde companye
And cam vp to the deys on hye
And doun on knees / they fell anon
And seyden / they ben euerychon
Folk that han ful trewly
Deserued fame rightfully
And prayd hyt myght be knowe
Ryght as it is and forth blowe
I graunt quod she for now me lyst
That now your good werkis ben wyst
And yet ye shal haue better loos
Ryght in despyte of alle your foos
Than wor [...]hy is / and that anone
Lete now quod she / thy trompe gone
Thou Eolus / that is so blacke
And oute thyn other trompe take
That hyght lawde / And blowe it so
That thurgh the world / her fame go
[Page]Alle esyly / and not to faste
That it be knowen at the laste
Ful gladly / lady myn he seyde
And out hys trompe of gold he breyde
Anone / and set it to hys mouth
And blewe it eest. west. and south
And north as lowde as ony thonder
That euery wyght hath of it wonder
So brode it ran or that it stynte
And certes alle the breth that wente
Out of hys trompe / it smellyd
As men a pyt ful of bawme heled
Amonge a basket ful of roses
Thys fauour dy [...]e he to her looses
And ryght wy [...]h thys I gan espye
Ther cam the four [...]h companye
But certeyn they were wonder fewe
And gonne to stonde on a rewe
And [...]ayden cert [...]s lady bryght
We haue don wel / wyth al our myght
But we n [...] kepe to haue fame
Hyde our werkys and our name
For goddes loue / for certes we
Haue certayn don hyt for bounte
And for no maner other thyng
I graunte you alle your askyng
Quod she / lete alle your werkys be dede
Wyth that aboute I torned my hede
And sawe anon the fyrst rowte
That to thys lady gan lowte
And doun anon on knees falle
And her, tho besoughten alle
To hyde her good werkys eke
And seyde they yeue not a leke
Foe fame ne suche renoun
For they for comtemplacioun
And goddis loue had it wrought
N [...] of fame wold they nought
[Page]What quod she / be ye wood
And wene ye to do good
And for to haue of that no fame
Haue ye despyte to haue a name
Nay ye shal euerychon
Blowe thy trompe and that anon
Quod she thou Eolus / I hote
And rynge thyse folkes werkis by note
That alle the world may of it here
And he gan blowe heer loos so clere
In hys golden clarioun
That thurgh the world wente the soun
And so kyndely / and eke so softe
That theyr fame was blowe a lofte
Tho cam the syxt companye
And gan faste / to fame crye
Ryght veryly in thys manere
They sey den mercy lady dere
To t [...]lle certeyn as it is
We haue don neyther that ne thys
But ydle alle our lyf hath be
But netheles we praye the
That we may haue so good a fame
And grete renom̄ and knowen name
As they that haue do noble gestis
And eschewyd alle her bestes
As wel of loue / as other thynge
Al was vs / neuer broche ne rynge
Ne ellis what fro women sent
Ne ones in her hert y ment
To make vs frendly chere
But mought temen vs vpon bere
Yet lete vs to the peple seme
Suche as the world / may of vs dem [...]
That wommen loued vs for wode
That shal do vs as moche gode
And to our hert as moche auayle
To counterpoyse ese and trauayle
[Page] [...]s we had wonne wyth labour
[...]or that is dere bought tresour
At regarde of our grete ese
And yet ye muste vs more plese
Lete vs beholde eke therto
Worthy wyse / and good also
And ryche and happy vnto loue
For goddes loue / that sytteth aboue
Though we may not the body hau [...]
Of womm [...]n / yet so god me saue
Lete men blowe of vs the name
Suffyseth vs / that we haue the fame
I graunte quod she / by my trouthe
Now Eolus / wythouten slouthe
Take out thy trompe of gold quod she
And blowe as they haue axed me
That euery man wene hem at ese
Though they goo in bad bese
Thys Eolus / gan it so blowe
That thurgh the world it was knowe
Tho cam the seuenth rowte anon
And fyl on knees euerychone
And sayd lady graunte vs soone
The same thyng the same bone
That to thyse next folk hast done
Fy on you quod she euerychone
Ye masty Swyne / ye Idle wretches
Ful of roten and slowe triches
What false theuys / where ye wolde
Ben famous good / and no [...]hyng nolde
Deserue why ne neuer thought
Men rather yow to hangen ought
For ye [...]e lyke the slepy catte
That wold haue fyssh / but wost thou what
He wyl nothyng wete hys clawes
Euyl thryft come on your Iawes
And on myn / yf I hyt graunte
Or do fauour you to auaunte
[Page]Thou Eolus / [...]hou [...]yng of trace
Go blow thy [...] folk a sory grace
Quod she anon / and wost thou how
As I shal telle the ryght now
Say / [...]hese ben they / that wolden honou [...]
Haue / and do no kyns labour
And do no good / and yet hem lawde
That men wende / that be [...]e I sawde
Ne coude hem not of loue werne
And yet she that grynt at querne
Is al to good to ese her herte
Thys Eolus anon vp sterte
And wyth hys black claryoun
Began to blasyn out a soun
As lowde as bellyth wynde in helle
And eke therwyth soth to t [...]lle
Thys sown was ful of Iapes
As euer mowes were in Apes
And that wende the world aboute
That euery wyght gan on hem shoute
And for to lawhe / as they were wood
Suche game fonde they in her mode
Tho cam there another companye
That had y doon the trecherye
The harme and grete wyckednesse
That euery herte coude gesse
And prayd hem to haue good fam [...]
And that she nolde do hem no shame
But yeue hem loos and good renoun
And do it blowe in claryoun
Nay wys quod she / it were a vyce
Alle be there in me no Iustyce
Me lyst not to do it now
Ne I no wyl graunte it yow
Tho cam there crepyng in a rowte
And gan clappe al abowte
Euery man vpon the Crowne
That alle the halle gan sowne
[Page] [...]nd sayde lady lyef and d [...]ee
We ben suche folkes as ye may here
To telle alle the tale a ryght
We ben shrewys euery wyght
And haue delyte in wyckednes
As good folke haue in godenes
And Ioye to be knowen shrewes
And ful of vyce and wycked thewes
Wherfore we pray you on a rowe
That our fame be suche y knowe
In alle thyng suche as it is
I graunte it yow quod she ywys
But what art thou / that seyst thys tale
That werest on thy hose a pale
And on thy typet suche a belle
Madame quod he soth to telle
I am that ylke shrewe ywys
That brente the temple of ysidis
In Athenes lo that cyte
And wherfor dedest thou so quod she
By my trouthe quod he madame
I wold fayn haue had a fame
As other folke had / in the town
Alle though they were of grete renoun
For her vertu and her thewes
Thought I / as grete fame haue shrewes
Though it be for Shrewdnes
As good folke haue for goodnes
And sythen I may not haue that on
That other nyl I not forgoon
As for to gete a fame here
The temple sette I on fyre
Now late our loos be blowe swythe
As wysly be thou euer blythe
Gladly quod she / thou Eolus
Herest thou not / what they prayen vs
Madame yes ful wel quod he
And I wyl trompen it parde
[Page] And toke hys black trompe faste
And gan to puffen and to blaste
Tyl it was atte worldes ende
Wyth that I gan aboute wende
For one / that stode at my back
Me thought ful goodly to me spack
And seyd frende what is thy name
Art thou come heder to haue fame
Nay forsoth frende quod I
I come not hether gramercy
For no suche cause by my hede
Suffyse [...]h me / as I were dede
That no wyght haue my name in honde
I wote my self best how I stonde
For what I drye or what I thynke
I wyl my self alle hyt drynke
Certeyn for the more parte
As ferforth as I can myn Arte
What dost thou here thenne quod he
Quod I that wyl I telle the
The cause why I stonde here
Som̄e newe tydynges forto lere
Som̄e newe thyng I not what
Tydynges eyther thys or that
Of loue or suche thynges glade
For certeynly he that me made
To come heder sayd to me
I Shulde bothe here and see
In thys place wonder thynges
But these be no suche tydynges
As I mente / noo quod he
And I answerde / noo parde
For wel I wote / euer yet
Syth that fyrst I had wytte
That som̄e folke / han desired fame
Dyuersly and loos and name
But certeynly I nyst ner how
Where that fame dwellyth / or now
[Page]Ne eke of her dyscripcion
Ne also of her condicion
Ne the ordre of her dome
Knewe I not tyl I hether come
Why than be loo these tydynges
That thou now hether brynges
That thou hast herd quod he to me
But now no force / for wel I see
What thou desirest for to here
Come forth and stonde no lenger here
And I wyl the wythouten drede
In to suche another place lede
There thou shalt here many one
Tho gan I forth wyth hym goon
Oute of the castel soth to saye
Tho sawe I stonde in a valeye
Vnder a castel fast by
An hous lyke to domus dedaly
That laborintus y cleped is
Nas made so wonderly ywys
Ne half so queyntly ywrought
And euermo as swyft as thought
Thys queynt hous aboute wente
That neuermo styll it stente
And ther come oute so grete a noyse
That yf I had stande vpon oyse
I myght it haue herd easely
To rome I trow sikyrly
And the noyse whyche I had herd
For alle the world ryght so it f [...]rd
As doth the rowtyng of the stone
That fro thengyne is leten gone
And al thys hous of whyche I rede
Was made of twygges falow rede
And grene eke / and som̄e were whyt [...]
Suche as men to these gates thwyte
Or maken of these paners
Or elles hattes or dossers
[Page]They were a chekked bothe two
And neyther of hym myght out goo
And wyth the noyse of them wo
Caxton
I Sodeynly awoke anon tho
And remembryd what I had se [...]n
And how hye and ferre I had been
In my ghoost / and had grete wonder
Of that the god of thonder
Had lete me knowen / and began to wryte
Lyke as ye haue herd me endyte
Wherfor to studye and rede alway
I purpose to doo day by day
Thus in dremyng and in game
Endeth thys lytyl book of Fame

Explicit

I fynde nomore of this werke to fore sayd / For as f [...]r as I can vnderstōde / This noble man Gefferey Chaucer fynysshyd at the sayd conclusion of the metyng of lesyng and sothsawe / where as yet they ben chekked and maye not depar [...]e / whyche werke as me semeth is craftyly made / and dygne to be wreton & knowen / For he towchyth in it ryght grete wysedom & subtyll vnderston­dynge / And so in alle hys werkys he excellyth in myn oppyny­on alle other wryters in our Englyssh / For he wrytteth no voy­de wordes / but alle hys mater is ful of hye and quycke sentence / to whom ought to be gyuen laude and preysynge for hys no­ble makyng and wrytyng / For of hym alle other haue borowed syth and taken / in alle theyr wel sayeng and wrytyng / And I humbly beseche & praye yow / emonge your prayers to remem­bre hys soule / on whyche and on alle crysten soul [...]s I beseche al­myghty god to haue mercy Amen

Emprynted by Wylliam Caxton

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