Book III

Incipit liber tercius.

Invocation.

O god of science and of light,

Apollo, through thy grete might,

This litel laste book thou gye!

Nat that I wilne, for maistrye,

1095

Here art poetical be shewed;

But, for the rym is light and lewed,

Yit make hit sumwhat agreable,

Though som vers faile in a sillable;

And that I do no diligence

(10) 1100

To shewe craft, but o sentence.

And if, divyne vertu, thou

Wilt helpe me to shewe now

That in myn hede y-marked is—

Lo, that is for to menen this,

1105

The Hous of Fame to descryve—

Thou shalt see me go, as blyve,

Unto the nexte laure I see,

And kisse hit, for hit is thy tree;

Now entreth in my breste anoon!—

The Dream.

(20) 1110

Whan I was fro this egle goon,

I gan beholde upon this place.

And certein, or I ferther pace,

I wol yow al the shap devyse

Of hous and site; and al the wyse

1115

How I gan to this place aproche

That stood upon so high a roche,

Hyer stant ther noon in Spaine.

But up I clomb with alle paine,

And though to climbe hit greved me,

(30) 1120

Yit I ententif was to see,

And for to pouren wonder lowe,

If I coude any weyes knowe

What maner stoon this roche was;

For hit was lyk a thing of glas,

1125

But that hit shoon ful more clere;

But of what congeled matere

Hit was, I niste redely.

But at the laste espyed I,

And found that hit was, every deel,

(40) 1130

A roche of yse, and not of steel.

Thoughte I, 'By Seynt Thomas of Kent!

This were a feble foundement

To bilden on a place hye;

He oughte him litel glorifye

1135

That her-on bilt, god so me save!'

Tho saw I al the half y-grave

With famous folkes names fele,

That had y-been in mochel wele,

And hir fames wyde y-blowe.

(50) 1140

But wel unethes coude I knowe

Any lettres for to rede

Hir names by; for, out of drede,

They were almost of-thowed so,

That of the lettres oon or two

1145

Was molte away of every name;

So unfamous was wexe hir fame;

But men seyn, 'What may ever laste?'

Tho gan I in myn herte caste,

That they were molte awey with hete,

(60) 1150

And not awey with stormes bete.

For on that other syde I sey

Of this hille, that northward lay,

How hit was writen ful of names

Of folk that hadden grete fames

1155

Of olde tyme, and yit they were

As fresshe as men had writen hem there

The selve day right, or that houre

That I upon hem gan to poure.

But wel I wiste what hit made;

(70) 1160

Hit was conserved with the shade—

Al this wrytinge that I sy—

Of a castel, that stood on by,

And stood eek on so cold a place,

That hete mighte hit not deface.

1165

Tho gan I up the hille to goon,

And fond upon the coppe a woon,

That alle the men that ben on lyve

Ne han the cunning to descryve

The beautee of that ilke place,

(80) 1170

Ne coude casten no compace

Swich another for to make,

That mighte of beautee be his make,

Ne [be] so wonderliche y-wrought;

That hit astonieth yit my thought,

1175

And maketh al my wit to swinke

On this castel to bethinke.

So that the grete craft, beautee,

The cast, the curiositee

Ne can I not to yow devyse,

(90) 1180

My wit ne may me not suifyse.

But natheles al the substance

I have yit in my remembrance:

For-why me thoughte, by Seynt Gyle!

Al was of stone of beryle,

1185

Bothe castel and the tour,

And eek the halle, and every bour,

Withouten peces or Ioininges.

But many subtil compassinges,

Babewinnes and pinacles,

(100) 1190

Imageries and tabernacles,

I saw; and ful eek of windowes,

As flakes falle in grete snowes.

And eek in ech of the pinacles

Weren sondry habitacles,

1195

In whiche stoden, al withoute—

Ful the castel, al aboute—

Of alle maner of minstrales,

And gestiours, that tellen tales

Bothe of weping and of game,

(110) 1200

Of al that longeth unto Fame.

Ther herde I pleyen on an harpe

That souned bothe wel and sharpe,

Orpheus ful craftely,

And on his syde, faste by,

1205

Sat the harper Orion,

And Eacides Chiron,

And other harpers many oon,

And the Bret Glascurion;

And smale harpers with her gleës

(120) 1210

Seten under hem in seës,

And gonne on hem upward to gape,

And countrefete hem as an ape,

Or as craft countrefeteth kinde.

Tho saugh I stonden hem behinde,

1215

A-fer fro hem, al by hemselve,

Many thousand tymes twelve,

That maden loude menstralcyes

In cornemuse and shalmyes,

And many other maner pype,

(130) 1220

That craftely begunne pype

Bothe in doucet and in rede,

That ben at festes with the brede;

And many floute and lilting-horne,

And pypes made of grene corne,

1225

As han thise litel herde-gromes,

That kepen bestes in the bromes.

Ther saugh I than Atiteris,

And of Athenes dan Pseustis,

And Marcia that lost her skin,

(140) 1230

Bothe in face, body, and chin,

For that she wolde envyen, lo!

To pypen bet then Apollo.

Ther saugh I famous, olde and yonge,

Pypers of the Duche tonge,

1235

To lerne love-daunces, springes,

Reyes, and these straunge thinges.

Tho saugh I in another place

Stonden in a large space,

Of hem that maken blody soun

(150) 1240

In trumpe, beme, and clarioun;

For in fight and blood-shedinge

Is used gladly clarioninge.

Ther herde I trumpen Messenus,

Of whom that speketh Virgilius.

1245

Ther herde I Ioab trumpe also,

Theodomas, and other mo;

And alle that used clarion

In Cataloigne and Aragon,

That in hir tyme famous were

(160) 1250

To lerne, saugh I trumpe there.

Ther saugh I sitte in other seës,

Pleyinge upon sondry gleës,

Whiche that I cannot nevene,

Mo then sterres been in hevene,

1255

Of whiche I nil as now not ryme,

For ese of yow, and losse of tyme:

For tyme y-lost, this knowen ye,

By no way may recovered be.

Ther saugh I pleyen Iogelours,

(170) 1260

Magiciens and tregetours,

And phitonesses, charmeresses,

Olde wicches, sorceresses,

That use exorsisaciouns,

And eek thise fumigaciouns;

1265

And clerkes eek, which conne wel

Al this magyke naturel,

That craftely don hir ententes,

To make, in certeyn ascendentes,

Images, lo, through which magyk

(180) 1270

To make a man ben hool or syk.

Ther saugh I thee, queen Medea,

And Circes eke, and Calipsa;

Ther saugh I Hermes Ballenus,

Lymote, and eek Simon Magus.

1275

Ther saugh I, and knew hem by name,

That by such art don men han fame.

Ther saugh I Colle tregetour

Upon a table of sicamour

Pleye an uncouthe thing to telle;

(190) 1280

I saugh him carien a wind-melle

Under a walsh-note shale.

What shuld I make lenger tale

Of al the peple that I say,

Fro hennes in-to domesday?

1285

Whan I had al this folk beholde,

And fond me lous, and noght y-holde,

And eft y-mused longe whyle

Upon these walles of beryle,

That shoon ful lighter than a glas,

(200) 1290

And made wel more than hit was

To semen, every thing, y-wis,

As kinde thing of fames is;

I gan forth romen til I fond

The castel-yate on my right hond,

1295

Which that so wel corven was

That never swich another nas;

And yit hit was by aventure

Y-wrought, as often as by cure.

Hit nedeth noght yow for to tellen,

(210) 1300

To make yow to longe dwellen,

Of this yates florisshinges,

Ne of compasses, ne of kervinges,

Ne how they hatte in masoneries,

As, corbets fulle of imageries.

1305

But, lord! so fair hit was to shewe,

For hit was al with gold behewe.

But in I wente, and that anoon;

Ther mette I crying many oon,—

'A larges, larges, hold up wel!

(220) 1310

God save the lady of this pel,

Our owne gentil lady Fame,

And hem that wilnen to have name

Of us!' Thus herde I cryen alle,

And faste comen out of halle,

1315

And shoken nobles and sterlinges.

And somme crouned were as kinges,

With crounes wroght ful of losenges;

And many riban, and many frenges

Were on hir clothes trewely.

(230) 1320

Tho atte laste aspyed I

That pursevauntes and heraudes,

That cryen riche folkes laudes,

Hit weren alle; and every man

Of hem, as I yow tellen can,

1325

Had on him throwen a vesture,

Which that men clepe a cote-armure,

Enbrowded wonderliche riche,

Al-though they nere nought y-liche.

But noght nil I, so mote I thryve,

(240) 1330

Been aboute to discryve

Al these armes that ther weren,

That they thus on hir cotes beren,

For hit to me were impossible;

Men mighte make of hem a bible

1335

Twenty foot thikke, as I trowe.

For certeyn, who-so coude y-knowe

Mighte ther alle the armes seen

Of famous folk that han y-been

In Auffrike, Europe, and Asye,

(250) 1340

Sith first began the chevalrye.

Lo! how shulde I now telle al this?

Ne of the halle eek what nede is

To tellen yow, that every wal

Of hit, and floor, and roof and al

1345

Was plated half a fote thikke

Of gold, and that nas no-thing wikke,

But, for to prove in alle wyse,

As fyn as ducat in Venyse,

Of whiche to lyte al in my pouche is?

(260) 1350

And they wer set as thikke of nouchis

Fulle of the fynest stones faire,

That men rede in the Lapidaire,

As greses growen in a mede;

But hit were al to longe to rede

1355

The names; and therfore I pace.

But in this riche lusty place,

That Fames halle called was,

Ful moche prees of folk ther nas,

Ne crouding, for to mochil prees.

(270) 1360

But al on hye, above a dees,

Sitte in a see imperial,

That maad was of a rubee al,

Which that a carbuncle is y-called,

I saugh, perpetually y-stalled,

1365

A feminyne creature;

That never formed by nature

Nas swich another thing y-seye.

For altherfirst, soth for to seye,

Me thoughte that she was so lyte,

(280) 1370

That the lengthe of a cubyte

Was lenger than she semed be;

But thus sone, in a whyle, she

Hir tho so wonderliche streighte,

That with hir feet she therthe reighte,

1375

And with hir heed she touched hevene,

Ther as shynen sterres sevene.

And ther-to eek, as to my wit,

I saugh a gretter wonder yit,

Upon hir eyen to beholde;

(290) 1380

But certeyn I hem never tolde;

For as fele eyen hadde she

As fetheres upon foules be,

Or weren on the bestes foure,

That goddes trone gunne honoure,

1385

As Iohn writ in thapocalips.

Hir heer, that oundy was and crips,

As burned gold hit shoon to see.

And sooth to tellen, also she

Had also fele up-stonding eres

(300) 1390

And tonges, as on bestes heres;

And on hir feet wexen saugh I

Partriches winges redely.

But, lord! the perrie and the richesse

I saugh sitting on this goddesse!

1395

And, lord! the hevenish melodye

Of songes, ful of armonye,

I herde aboute her trone y-songe,

That al the paleys-walles ronge!

So song the mighty Muse, she

(310) 1400

That cleped is Caliopee,

And hir eighte sustren eke,

That in hir face semen meke;

And evermo, eternally,

They songe of Fame, as tho herde I:—

1405

'Heried be thou and thy name,

Goddesse of renoun and of fame!'

Tho was I war, lo, atte laste,

As I myn eyen gan up caste,

That this ilke noble quene

(320) 1410

On hir shuldres gan sustene

Bothe tharmes and the name

Of tho that hadde large fame;

Alexander, and Hercules

That with a sherte his lyf lees!

1415

Thus fond I sitting this goddesse,

In nobley, honour, and richesse;

Of which I stinte a whyle now,

Other thing to tellen yow.

Tho saugh I stonde on either syde,

(330) 1420

Streight doun to the dores wyde,

Fro the dees, many a pileer

Of metal, that shoon not ful cleer;

But though they nere of no richesse,

Yet they were maad for greet noblesse,

1425

And in hem greet [and hy] sentence;

And folk of digne reverence,

Of whiche I wol yow telle fonde,

Upon the piler saugh I stonde.

Alderfirst, lo, ther I sigh,

(340) 1430

Upon a piler stonde on high,

That was of lede and yren fyn,

Him of secte Saturnyn,

The Ebrayk Iosephus, the olde,

That of Iewes gestes tolde;

1435

And bar upon his shuldres hye

The fame up of the Iewerye.

And by him stoden other sevene,

Wyse and worthy for to nevene,

To helpen him here up the charge,

(350) 1440

Hit was so hevy and so large.

And for they writen of batailes,

As wel as other olde mervailes,

Therfor was, lo, this pileer,

Of which that I yow telle heer,

1445

Of lede and yren bothe, y-wis.

For yren Martes metal is,

Which that god is of bataile;

And the leed, withouten faile,

Is, lo, the metal of Saturne,

(360) 1450

That hath ful large wheel to turne.

Tho stoden forth, on every rowe,

Of hem which that I coude knowe,

Thogh I hem noght by ordre telle,

To make yow to long to dwelle.

1455

These, of whiche I ginne rede,

Ther saugh I stonden, out of drede:

Upon an yren piler strong,

That peynted was, al endelong,

With tygres blode in every place,

(370) 1460

The Tholosan that highte Stace,

That bar of Thebes up the fame

Upon his shuldres, and the name

Also of cruel Achilles.

And by him stood, withouten lees,

1465

Ful wonder hye on a pileer

Of yren, he, the gret Omeer;

And with him Dares and Tytus

Before, and eek he, Lollius,

And Guido eek de Columpnis,

(380) 1470

And English Gaufride eek, y-wis;

And ech of these, as have I Ioye,

Was besy for to bere up Troye.

So hevy ther-of was the fame,

That for to bere hit was no game.

1475

But yit I gan ful wel espye,

Betwix hem was a litel envye.

Oon seyde, Omere made lyes,

Feyninge in his poetryes,

And was to Grekes favorable;

(390) 1480

Therfor held he hit but fable.

Tho saugh I stonde on a pileer,

That was of tinned yren cleer,

That Latin poete, [dan] Virgyle,

That bore hath up a longe whyle

1485

The fame of Pius Eneas.

And next him on a piler was,

Of coper, Venus clerk, Ovyde,

That hath y-sowen wonder wyde

The grete god of Loves name.

(400) 1490

And ther he bar up wel his fame,

Upon this piler, also hye

As I might see hit with myn yë:

For-why this halle, of whiche I rede

Was woxe on highte, lengthe and brede,

1495

Wel more, by a thousand del,

Than hit was erst, that saugh I wel.

Tho saugh I, on a piler by,

Of yren wroght ful sternely,

The grete poete, daun Lucan,

(410) 1500

And on his shuldres bar up than,

As highe as that I mighte see,

The fame of Iulius and Pompee.

And by him stoden alle these clerkes,

That writen of Romes mighty werkes,

1505

That, if I wolde hir names telle,

Al to longe moste I dwelle.

And next him on a piler stood

Of soulfre, lyk as he were wood,

Dan Claudian, the soth to telle,

(420) 1510

That bar up al the fame of helle,

Of Pluto, and of Proserpyne,

That quene is of the derke pyne.

What shulde I more telle of this?

The halle was al ful, y-wis,

1515

Of hem that writen olde gestes,

As ben on treës rokes nestes;

But hit a ful confus matere

Were al the gestes for to here,

That they of write, and how they highte.

(430) 1520

But whyl that I beheld this sighte,

I herde a noise aprochen blyve,

That ferde as been don in an hyve,

Agen her tyme of out-fleyinge;

Right swiche a maner murmuringe,

1525

For al the world, hit semed me.

Tho gan I loke aboute and see,

That ther com entring in the halle

A right gret company with-alle,

And that of sondry regiouns,

(440) 1530

Of alleskinnes condiciouns,

That dwelle in erthe under the mone,

Pore and ryche. And also sone

As they were come into the halle,

They gonne doun on kneës falle

1535

Before this ilke noble quene,

And seyde, 'Graunte us, lady shene,

Ech of us, of thy grace, a bone!'

And somme of hem she graunted sone,

And somme she werned wel and faire;

(450) 1540

And somme she graunted the contraire

Of hir axing utterly.

But thus I seye yow trewely,

What hir cause was, I niste.

For this folk, ful wel I wiste,

1545

They hadde good fame ech deserved,

Althogh they were diversly served;

Right as hir suster, dame Fortune,

Is wont to serven in comune.

Now herkne how she gan to paye

(460) 1550

That gonne hir of hir grace praye;

And yit, lo, al this companye

Seyden sooth, and noght a lye.

'Madame,' seyden they, 'we be

Folk that heer besechen thee,

1555

That thou graunte us now good fame,

And lete our werkes han that name;

In ful recompensacioun

Of good werk, give us good renoun.'

'I werne yow hit,' quod she anoon,

(470) 1560

'Ye gete of me good fame noon,

By god! and therfor go your wey.'

'Alas,' quod they, 'and welaway!

Telle us, what may your cause be?'

'For me list hit noght,' quod she;

1565

'No wight shal speke of yow, y-wis,

Good ne harm, ne that ne this.'

And with that word she gan to calle

Hir messanger, that was in halle,

And bad that he shulde faste goon,

(480) 1570

Up peyne to be blind anoon,

For Eolus, the god of winde;—

'In Trace ther ye shul him finde,

And bid him bringe his clarioun,

That is ful dyvers of his soun,

1575

And hit is cleped Clere Laude,

With which he wont is to heraude

Hem that me list y-preised be:

And also bid him how that he

Bringe his other clarioun,

(490) 1580

That highte Sclaundre in every toun,

With which he wont is to diffame

Hem that me list, and do hem shame.'

This messanger gan faste goon,

And found wher, in a cave of stoon,

1585

In a contree that highte Trace,

This Eolus, with harde grace,

Held the windes in distresse,

And gan hem under him to presse,

That they gonne as beres rore,

(500) 1590

He bond and pressed hem so sore.

This messanger gan faste crye,

'Rys up,' quod he, 'and faste hye,

Til that thou at my lady be;

And tak thy clarions eek with thee,

1595

And speed thee forth.' And he anon

Took to a man, that hight Triton,

His clariouns to bere tho,

And leet a certeyn wind to go,

That blew so hidously and hye,

(510) 1600

That hit ne lefte not a skye

In al the welken longe and brood.

This Eolus no-wher abood

Til he was come at Fames feet,

And eek the man that Triton heet;

1605

And ther he stood, as still as stoon.

And her-withal ther com anoon

Another huge companye

Of gode folk, and gunne crye,

'Lady, graunte us now good fame,

(520) 1610

And lat our werkes han that name

Now, in honour of gentilesse,

And also god your soule blesse!

For we han wel deserved hit,

Therfor is right that we ben quit.'

1615

'As thryve I,' quod she, 'ye shal faile,

Good werkes shal yow noght availe

To have of me good fame as now.

But wite ye what? I graunte yow,

That ye shal have a shrewed fame

(530) 1620

And wikked loos, and worse name,

Though ye good loos have wel deserved.

Now go your wey, for ye be served;

And thou, dan Eolus, let see!

Tak forth thy trumpe anon,' quod she,

1625

'That is y-cleped Sclaunder light,

And blow hir loos, that every wight

Speke of hem harm and shrewednesse,

In stede of good and worthinesse.

For thou shalt trumpe al the contraire

(540) 1630

Of that they han don wel or faire.'

'Alas,' thoughte I, 'what aventures

Han these sory creatures!

For they, amonges al the pres,

Shul thus be shamed gilteles!

1635

But what! hit moste nedes be.'

What did this Eolus, but he

Tok out his blakke trumpe of bras,

That fouler than the devil was,

And gan this trumpe for to blowe,

(550) 1640

As al the world shulde overthrowe;

That through-out every regioun

Wente this foule trumpes soun,

As swift as pelet out of gonne,

Whan fyr is in the poudre ronne.

1645

And swiche a smoke gan out-wende

Out of his foule trumpes ende,

Blak, blo, grenish, swartish reed,

As doth wher that men melte leed,

Lo, al on high fro the tuel!

(560) 1650

And therto oo thing saugh I wel,

That, the ferther that hit ran,

The gretter wexen hit began,

As doth the river from a welle,

And hit stank as the pit of helle.

1655

Alas, thus was hir shame y-ronge,

And giltelees, on every tonge.

Tho com the thridde companye,

And gunne up to the dees to hye,

And doun on knees they fille anon,

(570) 1660

And seyde, 'We ben everichon

Folk that han ful trewely

Deserved fame rightfully,

And praye yow, hit mot be knowe,

Right as hit is, and forth y-blowe.'

1665

'I graunte,' quod she, 'for me list

That now your gode werk be wist;

And yit ye shul han better loos,

Right in dispyt of alle your foos,

Than worthy is; and that anoon:

(580) 1670

Lat now,' quod she, 'thy trumpe goon,

Thou Eolus, that is so blak;

And out thyn other trumpe tak

That highte Laude, and blow hit so

That through the world hir fame go

1675

Al esely, and not to faste,

That hit be knowen atte laste.'

'Ful gladly, lady myn,' he seyde;

And out his trumpe of golde he brayde

Anon, and sette hit to his mouthe,

(590) 1680

And blew hit est, and west, and southe,

And north, as loude as any thunder,

That every wight hadde of hit wonder,

So brode hit ran, or than hit stente.

And, certes, al the breeth that wente

1685

Out of his trumpes mouthe smelde

As men a pot-ful bawme helde

Among a basket ful of roses;

This favour dide he til hir loses.

And right with this I gan aspye,

(600) 1690

Ther com the ferthe companye—

But certeyn they were wonder fewe—

And gonne stonden in a rewe,

And seyden, 'Certes, lady brighte,

We han don wel with al our mighte;

1695

But we ne kepen have no fame.

Hyd our werkes and our name,

For goddes love! for certes we

Han certeyn doon hit for bountee,

And for no maner other thing.'

(610) 1700

'I graunte yow al your asking,'

Quod she; 'let your werk be deed.'

With that aboute I clew myn heed,

And saugh anoon the fifte route

That to this lady gonne loute,

1705

And doun on knees anoon to falle;

And to hir tho besoughten alle

To hyde hir gode werkes eek,

And seyde, they yeven noght a leek

For fame, ne for swich renoun;

(620) 1710

For they, for contemplacioun

And goddes love, hadde y-wrought;

Ne of fame wolde they nought.

'What?' quod she, 'and be ye wood?

And wene ye for to do good,

1715

And for to have of that no fame?

Have ye dispyt to have my name?

Nay, ye shul liven everichoon!

Blow thy trumpe and that anoon,'

Quod she, 'thou Eolus, I hote,

(630) 1720

And ring this folkes werk by note,

That al the world may of hit here.'

And he gan blowe hir loos so clere

In his golden clarioun,

That through the world wente the soun,

1725

So kenely, and eek so softe;

But atte laste hit was on-lofte.

Thoo com the sexte companye,

And gonne faste on Fame crye.

Right verraily, in this manere

(640) 1730

They seyden: 'Mercy, lady dere!

To telle certein, as hit is,

We han don neither that ne this,

But ydel al our lyf y-be.

But, natheles, yit preye we,

1735

That we mowe han so good a fame,

And greet renoun and knowen name,

As they that han don noble gestes,

And acheved alle hir lestes,

As wel of love as other thing;

(650) 1740

Al was us never broche ne ring,

Ne elles nought, from wimmen sent,

Ne ones in hir herte y-ment

To make us only frendly chere,

But mighte temen us on bere;

1745

Yit lat us to the peple seme

Swiche as the world may of us deme,

That wimmen loven us for wood.

Hit shal don us as moche good,

And to our herte as moche availe

(660) 1750

To countrepeise ese and travaile,

As we had wonne hit with labour;

For that is dere boght honour

At regard of our grete ese.

And yit thou most us more plese;

1755

Let us be holden eek, therto,

Worthy, wyse, and gode also,

And riche, and happy unto love.

For goddes love, that sit above,

Though we may not the body have

(670) 1760

Of wimmen, yet, so god yow save!

Let men glewe on us the name;

Suffyceth that we han the fame.'

'I graunte,' quod she, 'by my trouthe!

Now, Eolus, with-outen slouthe,

1765

Tak out thy trumpe of gold, let see,

And blow as they han axed me,

That every man wene hem at ese,

Though they gon in ful badde lese.'

This Eolus gan hit so blowe,

(680) 1770

That through the world hit was y-knowe.

Tho com the seventh route anoon,

And fel on kneës everichoon,

And seyde, 'Lady, graunte us sone

The same thing, the same bone,

1775

That [ye] this nexte folk han doon.'

'Fy on yow,' quod she, 'everichoon!

Ye masty swyn, ye ydel wrecches,

Ful of roten slowe tecches!

What? false theves! wher ye wolde

(690) 1780

Be famous good, and no-thing nolde

Deserve why, ne never roughte?

Men rather yow to-hangen oughte!

For ye be lyk the sweynte cat,

That wolde have fish; but wostow what?

1785

He wolde no-thing wete his clowes.

Yvel thrift come on your Iowes,

And eek on myn, if I hit graunte,

Or do yow favour, yow to avaunte!

Thou Eolus, thou king of Trace!

(700) 1790

Go, blow this folk a sory grace,'

Quod she, 'anoon; and wostow how?

As I shal telle thee right now;

Sey: "These ben they that wolde honour

Have, and do noskinnes labour,

1795

Ne do no good, and yit han laude;

And that men wende that bele Isaude

Ne coude hem noght of love werne;

And yit she that grint at a querne

Is al to good to ese hir herte."'

(710) 1800

This Eolus anon up sterte,

And with his blakke clarioun

He gan to blasen out a soun,

As loude as belweth wind in helle.

And eek therwith, [the] sooth to telle,

1805

This soun was [al] so ful of Iapes,

As ever mowes were in apes.

And that wente al the world aboute,

That every wight gan on hem shoute,

And for to laughe as they were wode;

(720) 1810

Such game fonde they in hir hode.

Tho com another companye,

That had y-doon the traiterye,

The harm, the gretest wikkednesse

That any herte couthe gesse;

1815

And preyed hir to han good fame,

And that she nolde hem doon no shame,

But yeve hem loos and good renoun,

And do hit blowe in clarioun.

'Nay, wis!' quod she, 'hit were a vyce;

(730) 1820

Al be ther in me no Iustyce,

Me listeth not to do hit now,

Ne this nil I not graunte you.'

Tho come ther lepinge in a route,

And gonne choppen al aboute

1825

Every man upon the croune,

That al the halle gan to soune,

And seyden: 'Lady, lefe and dere,

We ben swich folk as ye mowe here.

To tellen al the tale aright,

(740) 1830

We ben shrewes, every wight,

And han delyt in wikkednes,

As gode folk han in goodnes;

And Ioye to be knowen shrewes,

And fulle of vyce and wikked thewes;

1835

Wherfor we preyen yow, a-rowe,

That our fame swich be knowe

In alle thing right as hit is.'

'I graunte hit yow,' quod she, 'y-wis.

But what art thou that seyst this tale,

(750) 1840

That werest on thy hose a pale,

And on thy tipet swiche a belle!'

'Madame,' quod he, 'sooth to telle,

I am that ilke shrewe, y-wis,

That brende the temple of Isidis

1845

In Athenes, lo, that citee.'

'And wherfor didest thou so?' quod she.

'By my thrift,' quod he, 'madame,

I wolde fayn han had a fame,

As other folk hadde in the toun,

(760) 1850

Al-thogh they were of greet renoun

For hir vertu and for hir thewes;

Thoughte I, as greet a fame han shrewes,

Thogh hit be [but] for shrewednesse,

As gode folk han for goodnesse;

1855

And sith I may not have that oon,

That other nil I noght for-goon.

And for to gette of Fames hyre,

The temple sette I al a-fyre.

Now do our loos be blowen swythe,

(770) 1860

As wisly be thou ever blythe.'

'Gladly,' quod she; 'thou Eolus,

Herestow not what they preyen us?'

'Madame, yis, ful wel,' quod he,

'And I wil trumpen hit, parde!'

1865

And tok his blakke trumpe faste,

And gan to puffen and to blaste,

Til hit was at the worldes ende.

With that I gan aboute wende;

For oon that stood right at my bak,

(780) 1870

Me thoughte, goodly to me spak,

And seyde: 'Frend, what is thy name?

Artow come hider to han fame?'

'Nay, for-sothe, frend!' quod I;

'I cam noght hider, graunt mercy!

1875

For no swich cause, by my heed!

Suffyceth me, as I were deed,

That no wight have my name in honde.

I woot my-self best how I stonde;

For what I drye or what I thinke,

(790) 1880

I wol my-selven al hit drinke,

Certeyn, for the more part,

As ferforth as I can myn art.'

'But what dost thou here than?' quod he.

Quod I, 'that wol I tellen thee,

1885

The cause why I stondë here:—

Som newe tydings for to lere:—

Som newe thinges, I not what,

Tydinges, other this or that,

Of love, or swiche thinges glade.

(800) 1890

For certeynly, he that me made

To comen hider, seyde me,

I shulde bothe here and see,

In this place, wonder thinges;

But these be no swiche tydinges

1895

As I mene of.' 'No?' quod he.

And I answerde, 'No, pardee!

For wel I wiste, ever yit,

Sith that first I hadde wit,

That som folk han desyred fame

(810) 1900

Dyversly, and loos, and name;

But certeynly, I niste how

Ne wher that Fame dwelte, er now;

Ne eek of hir descripcioun,

Ne also hir condicioun,

1905

Ne the ordre of hir dome,

Unto the tyme I hider come.'

'[Whiche] be, lo, these tydinges,

That thou now [thus] hider bringes,

That thou hast herd?' quod he to me;

(820) 1910

'But now, no fors; for wel I see

What thou desyrest for to here.

Com forth, and stond no longer here,

And I wol thee, with-outen drede,

In swich another place lede,

1915

Ther thou shalt here many oon.'

Tho gan I forth with him to goon

Out of the castel, soth to seye.

Tho saugh I stonde in a valeye,

Under the castel, faste by,

(830) 1920

An hous, that domus Dedali,

That Laborintus cleped is,

Nas maad so wonderliche, y-wis,

Ne half so queynteliche y-wrought.

And evermo, so swift as thought,

1925

This queynte hous aboute wente,

That never-mo hit stille stente.

And ther-out com so greet a noise,

That, had hit stonden upon Oise,

Men mighte hit han herd esely

(840) 1930

To Rome, I trowe sikerly.

And the noyse which that I herde,

For al the world right so hit ferde,

As doth the routing of the stoon

That from thengyn is leten goon.

1935

And al this hous, of whiche I rede,

Was made of twigges, falwe, rede,

And grene eek, and som weren whyte,

Swiche as men to these cages thwyte,

Or maken of these paniers,

(850) 1940

Or elles hottes or dossers;

That, for the swough and for the twigges,

This hous was also ful of gigges,

And also ful eek of chirkinges,

And of many other werkinges;

1945

And eek this hous hath of entrees

As fele as leves been on trees

In somer, whan they grene been;

And on the roof men may yit seen

A thousand holes, and wel mo,

(860) 1950

To leten wel the soun out go.

And by day, in every tyde,

Ben al the dores open wyde,

And by night, echoon, unshette;

Ne porter ther is non to lette

1955

No maner tydings in to pace;

Ne never reste is in that place,

That hit nis fild ful of tydinges,

Other loude, or of whispringes;

And, over alle the houses angles,

(870) 1960

Is ful of rouninges and of Iangles

Of werre, of pees, of mariages,

Of reste, of labour, of viages,

Of abood, of deeth, of lyfe,

Of love, of hate, acorde, of stryfe,

1965

Of loos, of lore, and of winninges,

Of hele, of sekenesse, of bildinges,

Of faire windes, of tempestes,

Of qualme of folk, and eek of bestes;

Of dyvers transmutaciouns

(880) 1970

Of estats, and eek of regiouns;

Of trust, of drede, of Ielousye,

Of wit, of winninge, of folye;

Of plentee, and of greet famyne,

Of chepe, of derth, and of ruyne;

1975

Of good or mis governement,

Of fyr, of dyvers accident.

And lo, this hous, of whiche I wryte,

Siker be ye, hit nas not lyte;

For hit was sixty myle of lengthe;

(890) 1980

Al was the timber of no strengthe,

Yet hit is founded to endure

Whyl that hit list to Aventure,

That is the moder of tydinges,

As the see of welles and springes,—

1985

And hit was shapen lyk a cage.

'Certes,' quod I, 'in al myn age,

Ne saugh I swich a hous as this.'

And as I wondred me, y-wis,

Upon this hous, tho war was I

(900) 1990

How that myn egle, faste by,

Was perched hye upon a stoon;

And I gan streighte to him goon

And seyde thus: 'I preye thee

That thou a whyl abyde me

1995

For goddes love, and let me seen

What wondres in this place been;

For yit, paraventure, I may lere

Som good ther-on, or sumwhat here

That leef me were, or that I wente.'

(910) 2000

'Peter! that is myn entente,'

Quod he to me; 'therfor I dwelle;

But certein, oon thing I thee telle,

That, but I bringe thee ther-inne,

Ne shalt thou never cunne ginne

2005

To come in-to hit, out of doute,

So faste hit whirleth, lo, aboute.

But sith that Ioves, of his grace,

As I have seyd, wol thee solace

Fynally with [swiche] thinges,

(920) 2010

Uncouthe sightes and tydinges,

To passe with thyn hevinesse;

Suche routhe hath he of thy distresse,

That thou suffrest debonairly—

And wost thy-selven utterly

2015

Disesperat of alle blis,

Sith that Fortune hath maad a-mis

The [fruit] of al thyn hertes reste

Languisshe and eek in point to breste—

That he, through his mighty meryte,

(930) 2020

Wol do thee ese, al be hit lyte,

And yaf expres commaundement,

To whiche I am obedient,

To furthre thee with al my might,

And wisse and teche thee aright

2025

Wher thou maist most tydinges here;

Shaltow anoon heer many oon lere.'

With this worde he, right anoon,

Hente me up bitwene his toon,

And at a windowe in me broghte,

(940) 2030

That in this hous was, as me thoghte—

And ther-withal, me thoghte hit stente,

And no-thing hit aboute wente—

And me sette in the flore adoun.

But which a congregacioun

2035

Of folk, as I saugh rome aboute

Some within and some withoute,

Nas never seen, ne shal ben eft;

That, certes, in the world nis left

So many formed by Nature,

(950) 2040

Ne deed so many a creature;

That wel unethe, in that place,

Hadde I oon foot-brede of space;

And every wight that I saugh there

Rouned ech in otheres ere

2045

A newe tyding prevely,

Or elles tolde al openly

Right thus, and seyde: 'Nost not thou

That is betid, lo, late or now?'

'No,' quod [the other], 'tel me what;'—

(960) 2050

And than he tolde him this and that,

And swoor ther-to that hit was sooth—

'Thus hath he seyd'—and 'Thus he dooth'—

'Thus shal hit be'—'Thus herde I seye'—

'That shal be found'—' That dar I leye:'—

2055

That al the folk that is a-lyve

Ne han the cunning to discryve

The thinges that I herde there,

What aloude, and what in ere.

But al the wonder-most was this:—

(970) 2060

Whan oon had herd a thing, y-wis,

He com forth to another wight,

And gan him tellen, anoon-right,

The same that to him was told,

Or hit a furlong-way was old,

2065

But gan somwhat for to eche

To this tyding in this speche

More than hit ever was.

And nat so sone departed nas

That he fro him, that he ne mette

(980) 2070

With the thridde; and, or he lette

Any stounde, he tolde him als;

Were the tyding sooth or fals,

Yit wolde he telle hit nathelees,

And evermo with more encrees

2075

Than hit was erst. Thus north and southe

Went every [word] fro mouth to mouthe,

And that encresing ever-mo,

As fyr is wont to quikke and go

From a sparke spronge amis,

(990) 2080

Til al a citee brent up is.

And, whan that was ful y-spronge,

And woxen more on every tonge

Than ever hit was, [hit] wente anoon

Up to a windowe, out to goon;

2085

Or, but hit mighte out ther pace,

Hit gan out crepe at som crevace,

And fleigh forth faste for the nones.

And somtyme saugh I tho, at ones,

A lesing and a sad soth-sawe,

(1000) 2090

That gonne of aventure drawe

Out at a windowe for to pace;

And, when they metten in that place,

They were a-chekked bothe two,

And neither of hem moste out go;

2095

For other so they gonne croude,

Til eche of hem gan cryen loude,

'Lat me go first!' 'Nay, but lat me!

And here I wol ensuren thee

With the nones that thou wolt do so,

(1010) 2100

That I shal never fro thee go,

But be thyn owne sworen brother!

We wil medle us ech with other,

That no man, be he never so wrothe,

Shal han that oon [of] two, but bothe

2105

At ones, al beside his leve,

Come we a-morwe or on eve,

Be we cryed or stille y-rouned.'

Thus saugh I fals and sooth compouned

Togeder flee for oo tydinge.

(1020) 2110

Thus out at holes gonne wringe

Every tyding streight to Fame;

And she gan yeven eche his name.

After hir disposicioun,

And yaf hem eek duracioun,

2115

Some to wexe and wane sone,

As dooth the faire whyte mone,

And leet hem gon. Ther mighte I seen

Wenged wondres faste fleen,

Twenty thousand in a route,

(1030) 2120

As Eolus hem blew aboute.

And, lord! this hous, in alle tymes,

Was ful of shipmen and pilgrymes,

With scrippes bret-ful of lesinges,

Entremedled with tydinges,

2125

And eek alone by hem-selve.

O, many a thousand tymes twelve

Saugh I eek of these pardoneres,

Currours, and eek messangeres,

With boistes crammed ful of lyes

(1040) 2130

As ever vessel was with lyes.

And as I alther-fastest wente

Aboute, and dide al myn entente

Me for to pleye and for to lere,

And eek a tyding for to here,

2135

That I had herd of som contree

That shal not now be told for me;—

For hit no nede is, redely;

Folk can singe hit bet than I;

For al mot out, other late or rathe,

(1050) 2140

Alle the sheves in the lathe;—

I herde a gret noise withalle

In a corner of the halle,

Ther men of love tydings tolde,

And I gan thiderward beholde;

2145

For I saugh renninge every wight,

As faste as that they hadden might;

And everich cryed, 'What thing is that?'

And som seyde, 'I not never what.'

And whan they were alle on an hepe,

(1060) 2150

Tho behinde gonne up lepe,

And clamben up on othere faste,

And up the nose on hye caste,

And troden faste on othere heles

And stampe, as men don after eles.

2155

Atte laste I saugh a man,

Which that I [nevene] naught ne can;

But he semed for to be

(1068) 2158

A man of greet auctoritee....

(Unfinished.)

[Go to Legend of Good Women]

1101. Cx. Th. thou; P. thow; F. nowe; B. now. 1102. Cx. P. now; Th. nowe; F. yowe; B. yow. 1105. Cx. to; rest for to. 1106. F. B. men; rest me. 1107. Cx. lawrer; Th. laurer. 1113. F. B. this; rest the. 1114. F. citee; P. cite (= site); rest cyte (= syte). 1115. F. hys (for this). 1119. Cx. P. it; B. yt; F. Th. om. 1127. Th. I nyste; Cx. I ne wyst; P. I nust; F. B. nyste I neuer. 1132. F. B. fundament; rest foundement. 1135. bilt = bildeth; Th. B. bylte. 1136. F. B. om. al; cf. l. 1151. 1145. Cx. Th. Were; rest Was. 1154. F. B. folkes; rest folk. 1155. F. tymes; rest tyme. F. there; rest they. 1156. Cx. Th. P. there; F. B. here. 1162. F. om. that. 1173. I supply be. 1177. Supply craft from l. 1178, where it occurs, after cast, in Cx. Th. P. (Willert). 1178. F. To; the rest The. 1185. Cx. Th. P. ins. the before castel. 1189. F. Rabewyures or Rabewynres; B. Rabewynnes; Cx. As babeuwryes; Th. As babeuries; P. Babeweuries. 1195. F. B. om. stoden. 1197. F. om. of. 1201. F. B. vpon; rest on. 1202. F. B. sowneth; rest sowned. 1204. P. Cx. his; Th. B. this; F. the. 1206. F. Eaycidis; P. Eaycides; Cx. Th. Gacides. 1208. B. bret; Th. Briton; Cx. Bryton; P. Bretur; F. gret. 1210. F. Saten; B. Sate; Cx. Th. Sat; P. Sett; read Seten. 1210, 1, 2, 4. F. hym (for hem); P. hym (in 1210 only); B. him (in 1211, 2, 4). 1211. Cx. Th. P. gape; F. iape; B. yape. 1220. F. Cx. Th. B. to pipe; P. om. to. 1221. F. B. riede; rest rede. 1222. Cx. Th. P. brede; B. Bryede; F. bride. 1227. F. Atiteris; B. Atyterys; Cx. Th. dan Cytherus; P. an Citherus. F. B. transpose lines 1227 and 1228. 1228. F. Pseustis; B. Pseustys; Cx. Th. proserus; P. presentus. 1233. F. B. fames; rest famous. 1234. F. B. of alle; Th. of al; P. Cx. of. F. om. the. 1236. Cx. Th. Reyes; P. Reyþs; F. B. Reus. 1241. F. seight (!); for fight. 1245. F. B. trumpe Ioab. 1255. Cx. Th. P. as now not; F. B. not now. 1259. Th. pleyeng; rest pley; read pleyen. 1262. F. wrecches (wrongly); for wicches. 1269. P. magyk; rest magyke. 1270. F. B. syke; rest seke. 1271. All the. 1272. Cx. Th. P. Circes; F. Artes; B. Artys. 1273. So in all. 1274. Cx. Th. Lymote; F. Limete; B. Lumete; P. Llymote. 1275, 6. From B.; F. om. both lines. P. hem; Cx. hym; B. Th. om. 1278. Th. Sycamour; F. B. Sygamour; Cx. Sycomour; P. Cicomour. 1283. F. B. y ther; rest that I. 1285. F. B. folkys. 1286. B. I-holde; Cx. Th. P. holde; F. y-colde. 1287. Cx. P. eft; F. oft; B. all; Th. om. F. B. P. I mused. 1293. F. B. to; rest forth. 1299. Cx. P. for; rest more. 1301. B. this; rest these; see 1294. 1303. F. how they hat; B. how they hate; Cx. how the hackyng; P. Th. how the hackynge. 1304. Cx. Th. P. As corbettis(-es) and ymageries; B. As corbettz, full of ymageryes; F. As corbetz, followed by a blank space. 1309. F. hald; rest hold (holde). 1315. Cx. Th. P. shoke; F. shoon; B. shone. 1316. F. B. As (for And). 1317. P. Cx. lesynges; rest losynges; read losenges. 1318. F. frenges; B. Th. frynges. 1321. F. B. herauldes. 1326. F. crepen (!). 1327. P. wonderliche; the rest wonderly. 1328. Cx. P. Alle though; F. Th. B. As though. 1332. Cx. Th. P. cotes; F. B. cote. 1335. F. B. om. as. 1349. F. B. litel; rest lyte. 1350. B. thicke; Th. thyke; F. thik. 1351. P. Cx. Full; rest Fyne. 1353. P. As; Cx. Th. Or as; F. B. Of. 1356. P. Cx. riche lusty; rest lusty and riche. 1361. F. Sit; B. Syt; Cx. P. Sat; Th. Satte; read Sitte. 1369. F. B. om. that. 1371. F. B. omit semed be. 1372. So Cx. Th. P.; F. B. read—This was gret marvaylle to me. 1373. All wonderly; cf. l. 1327. 1374. F. B. erthe. 1377. F. B. om. to. 1404. F. synge; rest songe. 1406. F. B. or; rest and. 1411. Th. the armes; rest armes; read tharmes (i.e. th' armes). 1415. All And thus. 1416. Cx. P. nobley; F. Th. B. noble (= noblee). 1421. F. peler; B. pylere. 1425. I supply and hy. 1431. All fyne. 1432. Cx. Hym that wrote thactes dyuyne; P. om.; F. B. Th. Saturnyne. 1435. Cx. P. bare vpon; F. Th. B. he bare on. 1436. F. B. om. up. 1437. F. stonden; rest stoden. 1442. P. Cx. Th. as of other merveilles. 1443. P. Cx. piler; F. B. pilere. 1444. All here. 1450. F. B. a ful; rest ful. 1456. F. B. stonde; Cx. Th. stande; P. stond. 1460. F. B. Tholausan; Th. Tholason; P. Tolofan; Cx. tholophan. 1477. So Cx. Th. P.; F. B. seyde Omere was. 1483. I supply dan; see l. 1499. 1484. F. B. omit a. 1492. F. And; rest As; B. As I hit myght se with myn ye; P. Cx. Th. As I myght see it wyth myn ye. 1494. F. high the (= highthe); Cx. Th heyght; see l. 744. 1498. F. sturmely. 1507. F. om. a. 1510. F. B. om. al. 1515. F. inserts al of the before olde; B. inserts of the. 1527. All in-to (for in). 1530. F. alle skynnes; Cx. alle kyns. 1543. Cx. Th. grace (for cause). 1546. F. B. om. this line. 1549. F. B. herke. 1551. Cx. Th. P. yet; F. B. right. 1553. Cx. Th. P. sayd; F. quod; B. quoth. 1570. F. B. Vpon the peyn to be blynde, omitting l. 1572; Cx. Th. om. the. Read Vp, the usual idiom. 1572. In Cx. Th. only. 1585. F. B. om. that. 1594. F. B. clarioun; see l. 1597. 1599. F. B. And (for That). 1603. Cx. P. at; rest to. 1609. F. B. om. now. 1614. F. B. insert wel after be. 1618. F. B. wete; rest wote; read wite. 1621. F. B. om. wel. 1623. Cx. Th. P. And thou dan; F. B. Haue doon. 1637. P. blak; F. B. blake. 1647. Cx. Th. P. swartysh; F. B. swart, swarte. 1657. B. thridde; F. thirdde. 1661. F. ben; rest han. 1666. All werkes, pl.; see 1701. Th. That your good workes shal be wyst (perhaps better). 1668. F. B. om. Right. 1675. F. B. om. Al. 1682. F. B. Cx. Th. hath; P. have. 1686. All of bawme; omit of (Koch). 1701. werk] all werkes (werkys); see 1666, 1720, 1. 1702. B. clew; F. clywe; Cx. Th. P. torned, turned. 1707. Cx. P. To hyde; Th. To hyden; F. B. And hidden. 1709. P. Cx. fame; rest no fame. P. Cx. Th. ne (om. for); F. B. for (om. ne). 1717. F. B. Th. lyen (for lyuen); P. be; Cx. om. 1720. werk] all werkes (werkys); but see hit in 1721. 1725. F. B. Th. Al so; rest And so; read So. 1726. So F. B.; Cx. Th. That theyr fame was blowe a lofte. 1735. Cx. P. so good a; Th. as good a; F. B. as good. 1742. Th. Cx. P. in her herte; F. in hem; B. in her. 1744. Th. on; rest upon. 1745. F. B. om. the. 1748, 1749. F. a; rest as. 1750. P. Cx. To; rest The. 1765. F. B. now let se (I omit now); rest quod she. 1775. I supply ye. 1779. P. wher; Cx. Th. where; F. B. or. 1781. F. B. neuer ye; rest om. ye. 1782. F. B. om. to-. 1783. F. swynt; B. sweynte; Cx. Th. P. slepy. 1786. Cx. P. on; the rest to. 1787. Cx. Th. P. on; F. B. to. 1792. F. B. om. thee. 1793. F. B. om. they. 1801. P. blak; F. B. blake. 1804. I supply the. 1805. al is not in the MSS.; but P. has as (= al-so). 1813. All grete, gret; read gretest (Willert). 1816. MSS. doon (don, do) hem. 1818. F. B. in a; P. Cx. Th. in. 1821. B. liste; rest list, short for listeth. F. B. P. om. to; Cx. Th. insert it. 1822. P. not; which F. B. Cx. Th. omit. 1824. F. choppen; B. choppyn; Th. clappen; Cx. P. clappe. 1828. B. P. folk; rest folkes. 1834. P. vice; Cx. Th. vyce; F. B. vices. 1836. F. B. suche be; Cx. Th. P. be suche. 1843. Here P. ends. 1853. F. Th. be noght for; Cx. B. be for; read be but for (Koch). 1862. Cx. Th. they; F. B. this folke. 1880. F. selfe; read selven. 1883. Th. than; Cx. thenne; F. B. om. 1887. All thing, thinge; read thinges. Cf. l. 1889. 1891. All come. 1897. All wote (for wiste); see l. 1901. 1898. All had. 1902. All dwelled or dwellyth. 1903. F. And; rest Ne. 1906. B. the; F. om.. B. hidyr; Th. hyder; Cx. hether; F. thidder. 1907. B. Whi then; rest Why than; Koch suggests Which than; read Which-e. Ll. 1907-9 are probably corrupt; see note. 1908. I supply thus. 1926. Th. it stil; rest stil hyt. 1931. Th. B. that I; F. I haue; Cx. I had. 1938. F. B. Whiche; Cx. Th. Suche. 1940. F. Cx. B. hattes; Th. hutches. Read hottes. 1941. F. twynges (!); B. twigys. 1944. Corrupt. From Cx. Th.; B. omits the line; F. has only As ful this lo. 1946. Cx. Th. as; F. of; B. as of. Th. on; F. B. in; Cx. of. 1948. Cx. roof; Th. rofe; F. B. roue. 1952. Cx. Th. open; F. opened; B. I-opened. 1955. Cx. out (for in). 1957. F. silde; B. fylde; Cx. Th. fylled. 1961. All werres (pl.); read werre. 1962. All restes (pl.). Cx. of labour; F. Th. B. and of labour. 1967. All insert and eek before of; see l. 1968. 1975. All write mis governement as one word. 1976. All and of; omit and. 1984. F. B. and of; Cx. Th. om. of. 1997. Th. paraunter. 2009. I substitute swiche for these. 2010. Th. syghtes; rest syght. 2017. F. The frot; B. The foot; Cx. Th. The swote. Read The fruit (Koch). 2018. Cx. Th. Languysshe; F. B. Laugh. 2020. Th. B. the (for thee); Cx. the an; F. than (perhaps = the an). 2021. All insert in after yaf. 2026. F. B. insert anoon (anon) after here, which Cx. Th. omit. For here anoon read anoon heer. 2028. F. B. omit this line. 2036. F. B. omit this line; it is probably corrupt. Read Many a thousand in a route (Koch). 2042. Cx. one; F. Th. B. a. 2044. F. Rovned in; B. Rownyd yn; Cx. Th. Rowned euerych in. 2048. F. has only—That ys betydde; B. That is betyd late or now; Cx. Th. That ys betyd lo ryght now. 2049. All he; read the other (Willert). 2053. All insert And (twice) before thus; but compare the next line. 2059. All wonder most (moste). 2061. F. B. forth ryght to; Cx. forth vnto; Th. streyght to. 2063. Cx. to; rest om. 2066. F. Tho; rest To. 2069. F. B. That he; Cx. Th. Tho. F. thoo; B. tho; Cx. Th. that. 2076. F. B. Went every mouthe; Cx. Th. Wente euery tydyng. 2081. Cx. Th. vp spronge. 2083. All and (for 2nd hit). 2087. F. flygh; B. fligh; Cx. Th. flewe. 2088. F. om. I. 2090. Cx. Th. drawe; F. B. thrawe. 2091. Cx. Th. at; F. B. to. 2093. F. B. a cheked; Cx. Th. a chekked. 2095-2158. Cx. omits. 2099. B. om. the. 2103. Th. he; F. B. they. 2104. F. han on two (sic); B. haue that oon (om. of two); Th. haue one two. I supply that from B.; and also of. 2106. Th. amorowe; F. B. morwe. 2112. All yeue. 2115. Th. wane; F. B. wynne (!). 2123. Th. scrippes; F. B. shrippes. 2129. F. boystes; Th. boxes; B. bowgys. 2150. Th. gonne; B. bigonne; F. begunne. 2151, 3. F. other; B. othir; read othere (oth're), plural. 2152. F. noyse an highen (!); Th. noyse on hyghen (!); B. nose and yen; read on hye (Koch). 2153. F. B. other; Th. others. 2154. F. B. stampen; Th. stampe. 2156. I supply nevene. 2158. Here F. B. end; Cx. Th. add 12 spurious lines.